Tag Archives: Picture In A Frame

I Only Want to be With You

Alright already! It’s the day of the Hoboken Fair Rent Association benefit at Maxwell’s and I am taking part in it. I will be the first person on stage which is only right since no one knows who I am really, or at least didn’t know I could play guitar. I helped one of the organizers get it together and mentioned that if he needed someone to fill holes in the schedule I would be willing to jump in. I did not expect to receive any billing at all, and I most certainly did not expect to be called ‘Johnnie’. So it goes.

I’m anxious of course. Just a fear of failing and by failing I mean playing the wrong chords. Bill will be there recording it so I will have my very own Zapruder film happening. I’ve been practicing and I am taking a precaution of scotch taping some chords to my guitar for when I get that deer in the headlights thing going on. I will be playing rock and roll hits on the acoustic guitar and would have been fine with that if it weren’t for someone asking me why I wasn’t playing any activist songs. Threw me for a loop it did.

So in the back of my mind I can’t help but think of activist songs to play but of course I am drawing a blank and let’s face it, I’m not the best guitar player out there. As I’ve explained to Bill who is an actual musician, I am not a musician- merely someone who plays guitar. I suppose some songs I am considering playing can have an activist slant to them. At least that is what I told ol’ Melvin. Am I comfortable playing these songs? Can I actually play these songs? It seemed easier when busking and being ignored by passerby.

Like I wrote I will be playing rock and roll tunes and when you think rock and roll tunes you might think of some guy jumping about on stage like Pete Townsend or any other animated performer. Me? I have the self reputation of merely standing there and strumming, or as I like to compare it, a tree with an itch. I’ve been texting with Lois just now and she has some good ideas that I might try out. The main thing is that I just have to stay out of my own way and hopefully out of my own head.

I am anxious about something that wouldn’t take more than 10 minutes and will more than likely be over with before I realize it. Why do I forget the punk ideal of getting up on stage and doing something? I know I have supported hundreds of bands when they got on stage, and I know I will have some support. Perhaps I am making too much out of this. According to Lois, I just have to own my moment and enjoy it while I can. I just have to make sure the fingers go in the right position and not try to hit those high notes.

And then there is some sort of backstage drama and I’m not even backstage. For your information there is no backstage at Maxwell’s. It’s a basement and to get to the stage you walk through the crowd. Anyway, it turns out I am not going on first. Apparently there is an act on the bill that is not for rent control and there is a desire to get them on and off the stage as soon as possible. So now I may be going on second.

I went on first and it went well. I didn’t suck is what I was told, high praise indeed! Bill was there, his recordings are posted below. Friends were there in the flesh and Facebook friends typed their well wishes, including Pedro telling me I’ve got ill talent which makes me smile. The videos are uploading now on YouTube so they should be done by tomorrow I guess. Four songs, Instant Karma, Heroes, Picture in a Frame and Heart of Glass. I was nervous but got through it safe and sound, no rotten vegetables thrown, no cat calls, so it’s all good.



Forever Drone

Well after yesterday today was a snow day. I had a feeling that was going to happen. Jasper Hamilton, John & Donna’s oldest son was also hoping for a snow day since he was working on a project he had yet to finish. His wish was granted.

New York public schools were off today. I think he might go to catholic school though so maybe not, but I can’t imagine some schools open and some schools closed though it has happened at least when I was growing up.

I was up until 1:00 last night trying to post a video that I shot vertically. I tried making it horizontal but it took a lot of time before I gave up. I was able to do it this morning and here it is right here.

For those of you with slow connections or whatnot, it’s Bill singing Picture In A Frame by Tom Waits which I suppose is ‘our song’. He had some of the words right and he confessed to not getting it down. No stopping and starting for him.

Once he starts a song, there’s no where to go but forward. It is a soulful rendition in any event.

I did post most of the pictures in Facebook which is under the name of John Ozed. I woke up around 6:30 this morning, and looked outside and saw a lot of snow. Turned on the TV and they were reporting on what I just saw.

Who needs these hippy dippy weather people anyway? They also suggested that if you don’t have to go out, don’t. Plus it was bound to get worse later on and after a short break it started snowing more, plus there were some really strong winds. At least that’s what I could tell from looking out the window.

During the break I did go out and pick up some bagels for Stine. It was a bit treacherous but with careful walking I didn’t take a spill. Hardly anyone was out but I did see a crowd of 10 people waiting for the bus in the whipping wind.

Came home, Julio was on his feet and headed to work 2 blocks away. I hung out with Stine and Alexander for a few minutes and of course took some pictures. Came upstairs and made myself a nice breakfast. Nothing but news reports on the weather so I watched repeats of the Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

My sister called asking me about reading an Adobe file but without it in front of me I couldn’t tell her what to do, so I called Bill who set up a 3 way call and he wasn’t able to help her either but should be able to tomorrow. He was in Stuyvesant Town and planning to go to the Bronx for a reading. That was brave of him. You wouldn’t find me doing something like that.

Stine brought up some crepes and some cherry marmalade which is what I had for lunch. I thought she made them but Julio’s mother actually did. A little while after that Annemarie called again asking for some help getting Leonard Cohen tickets in Oakland CA, online through Ticketmaster.

I ran into the same problem, the show was supposedly sold out immediately but when you get that notice Ticketmaster offers to sell you the sold out tickets at a sister Ticketmaster site at a much higher rate.

They did the same thing in NJ a few weeks ago with Bruce Springsteen tickets and it was deemed illegal. Apparently it hasn’t gotten to California yet. I kept trying, even attempting to buy the $549.00 VIP package which was also unavailable.

I called Ticketmaster and after being on hold for 9 minutes I spoke to Maria who told me she had 2 tickets in the orchestra for $90.00 a piece eventually totaling $200 and change. She asked for my approval and I granted it then she told me the tickets were for Los Angeles.

I reminded her that I was calling for Oakland. She then said she couldn’t help me. Not even single tickets. I loathe Ticketmaster.

I was able to iron my shirts though so that was productive. That’s it, off to work tomorrow. Everything is supposed to freeze over tonight making going to work tomorrow that much more interesting.

Here’s some more Superboy!

Father and Son

Father and Son

3209-hoboken-alexander-017

3209-hoboken-alexander-018

I love this little guy!

I love this little guy!

What it looked like

What it looked like