Hello amigos!

I've been home the past few nights (which has been great) and had a bit of time to lounge with Kristi and watch some TV. On Monday I got to catch this show I had been wanting to see for a while, it was called Pros vs. Joes on Spike TV. It was good, it moved a little slow and had a little too much of that annoying reality show announcing and fake drama, but the premise is awsome. It pits average "joes" against professional atheletes in competition.

I would like to see this sort of show done on the musical level. Once you've made it in sports, there isn't really any way to fake it (unless you juice, but even if you do it isn't going to improve your eye hand coordination, it's just going to make you stronger and faster). In music however, it has become one huge fake out fest. It's all about pitch correctors and lip syncing and all the trash that goes along with being a good looking no talent hack making the tons of money that artists with actual talent deserve. There are plenty of good artists out there who deserve what they've earned, but there really are some awful ones, and I think if we did pros vs. joes musical edition, the joes would stand a pretty good chance. Especially if the JGB were the joes.

I've heard it said that all professional musicians want to be atheletes and vice versa. Well it's true in my case. My cousin played high school baseball with guy who plays for the San Diego Padres. I got to meet him the other weekend, and I couldn't have been more annoying, I just asked him question after question about life on the road as a baseball player. I was totally jealous of him in some strange way.

We have a Johnny Cash tribute flag football team called the Boy's Named Sue and when we play on Monday nights I go crazy. I'm not that good but I am usually bleeding by the end of the game from (in my own mind---imom) spectacular dives and slides and what not. You know what I mean by the 'in my own mind spectacular'. All people who really want to be good at something somehow can get it in their minds that they actually are even if they aren't. Like the guy at karaoke night; in his own mind he is rocking Madison Square Garden with the best version of Blaze of Glory ever done in history. To the average bar patron it sounds like someone miked up a port-a-potty and pushed it down a hill with someone in it.

Same with me and sports. When I am actually competing, in my own mind I am like the super amalgamation of Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Willie Mays, and Bret Hull moving with the ultimate grace and skill required to defeat any opponent.

"Feed me the rock!"
"Pass it to ME!"
"I got this dude....nooo problem."

I usually end up on the ground after I start talking, somehow my mouth and body can't work simultaneously. I remember once in high school I was trying to impress this girl. She was watching me and some of my buddies play some pick up b-ball. I was doing all I could to i-to-the-mpress this girl. (I have (imom) a sweet finger roll). When we got done I went over to throw some game at her. I remember her laughing and saying that I looked cute trying to play with the real basketball players. Ouch! You'd think this would change how my mind works, it doesn't. If I am in some sort of sport competition with you, trust that I am convinced you are just getting lucky that the score is 387 to 4 in your favor.

Another show I got to see was on the Discovery Channel called "The Deadliest Catch" it's about crab fishermen in the Bering Sea. That is some extreme work, now I see why crab is so expensive. It is a reality based show, where they have camera crews on the boats and they film day to day activity. I saw an episode where one of the boats sank and 5 people died, this is not feel good tv, but I recommend the show.

What a diary entry. Sorry if it was a bit random. Come see us and Drew Kennedy play at John T. Floores Country Store in Helotes tomorrow (3/30) if you get a chance. If not we're in Austin on Saturday (4/1) night. I am totally pumped for that show. We'll be opening for Brandon Rhyder, who you'll really enjoy if you haven't seen him yet. Check the calendar, we have lots of good dates coming up. Take care and we'll see you soon.

Josh

Viva Las Vegas!

We have been a busy band lately. It has been wonderful and we have been able to see so many people in the last month, thanks to everyone who has been coming out and supporting!

So much has happened and continues to happen that I'm not even sure where to start. We've been having a ball running around this state and playing music for (and with) our friends. I believe our drummer position has also been filled. If you guys haven't seen a show with Mick (new drummer) just wait. We're having 'band camp' next week and will hope to finally have a great show together. I have been writing a lot, and am excited to get some new tunes out there for you folks to hear.

We have not had a permanent drummer since Stumpf left the band last fall, much like we hadn't had a permanent bassist until Seth rejoined in January. There were some tense weeks between shows when all I knew was that Kris and I would be there, where else we were going to find a band was anybody's guess. As a band leader, that is a terribly frustrating place to be. The thought that we will now be a band, where everybody knows what's going on, and I'll not have to sit there worried if some sit in guy is going to even make it through the songs is a magnificent load off my shoulders. Basically I'm saying, get ready, it's about to get cool. You'll be seeing the same 4 guys week in and out, not just Kris, Seth, and I. I would say that you as fans have only seen us operate around 75%. I think you're going to love 100%.

I saw a little bit of Nashville Star tonight, I have met Shy Blakeman. It's always strange to see someone you have hung out with on TV. I'm trying to work out my opinion on Nashville Star. I remember when they had the auditions here in Austin, I actually contemplated going. I didn't, and I don't think I would enjoy performing that way. It lacks a realism that I think is required. But then again, if that is the in that gets them a deal and the ability to make money making music, who am I to say anything about that? I had an interesting conversation the other day about "selling out". I don't even really know what that means. There are people in our scene that feel that Pat Green and Cross Canadian Ragweed are "sell outs". There are those that will say Shy Blakeman is a "sell out" for doing Nashville Star. It just seems that they took advantage of opportunity's they were presented with and are making the most of their talents. Are there lines that I won't cross as an artist to make a buck? Sure. Are there artistic concessions I'll make in order to provide for my wife and future family that might make me look like a sell out to some people? Absolutely. I like what Jason Newsted of Metallica said about selling out. It was something to the effect of "yes we sell out, everynight in every town we play." It is interesting to see people turn on an artist when they begin to become successful, beyond cult and underground followings. I guess what I'm saying is that one man's "sell out" is another man's "wise business decision". This is a subject that could be written on for days, it was just fresh in my brain after seeing Shy on Nasville Star tonight.

As you read, I started this with 'Viva Las Vegas' and that is because Kristi and I are headed that way this weekend. My cousin is getting married in Phoenix and Kristi and I are going to head to Vegas after the wedding. Being busy is great, but I haven't seen my wife nearly as much as I'd like to have the last month or so. We are looking forward to getting away with each other.

"Everybody Knows" has just been released to radio so keep your ears out for that. Call in and request away. We'll be getting out a good bit the end of this month and April is looking great. We have some awsome shows on the calenadar, we hope to see as many of you out as possible.
Jimmy Kimmel is about to come on (I think his show is hilarious) and I'm going to go watch it. You know how it goes no secretary = no proof read, no spell check. I trust you got most of what I was trying to say. See you soon.
Josh