http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes: drivel Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Sat, 19 May 2012 01:59:03 -0700 http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#16
See you in Liverpool!]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#16 Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#15
There's that stupid couple that's been hanging out at the Riptide lately, pissing everyone off by throwing elbows and aggressively and so very ineptly simulating oral sex on the dance floor. The guy picked a fight with me a couple weeks back, I defused it, and the band thanked me for getting rid of them. That'd be a 2-fer award.

There's the guy who almost ran me off the road the other day in an apparent meth haze, wondering why I didn't notice the stop sign that wasn't there.

And naturally there are any number of politicians I'll never have contact or influence with, but whose endlessly idiotic decisions impact our lives on a daily basis. Nothing new under the sun there, and beyond the scope of this little non-musical mini rant.

But I just can't let this one go. Maybe about a year ago, Billy and I went to his favorite sushi bar, Tomiko in Encinitas, to wile away the hours and, well, do what one does in a sushi bar. We were in the actual bar, where Bill is treated like a conquering king, and all was well. It's nice to row in his wake there whenever I'm in town.

And then, against anything I could possibly imagine, there's this guy on the other side of the bar with a blue t-shirt that reads, "Once you go black, we don't want you back."

Huh?

In a sushi bar. Think about that for just a minute.

I can't get this little punk turd out of my mind. This was ENCINITAS! On the ocean. Where did this NASCAR reject come from? That kind of shit is expected in Alpine, or Julian, or anywhere 20 miles east of I-5 really. But I'm dying to know how on earth you can go out in public with that punk-ass shirt on your back, to a sushi bar, and get away with it.

So, Award Winner boy, shall I ever encounter you again with your delightful livery I'll stick around until you leave, follow you home so very casually, and slash the tires on your stupid truck. I'll forever regret not sicking a fire extinguisher on you when the opportunity presented itself. You shall not get away with that thick ugliness again if I have a say in it. And I hope Billy is there too.]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#15 Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#14
http://www.southportreporter.com/389/389-12.shtml

So very much looking forward to this trip. Steve Schneider on guitar, Will Strickland on drums, Russ Pickett on bass. What more could I ask for?]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#14 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#13 www.radiobasingstoke.co.uk for additional info and more cool music. And while you're there, why not request some more of us? Astrid's a cool lass.]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#13 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#12 http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#12 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#11 http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#11 Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#10
Larry somehow got his hands on this piano player, and within minutes he redefined the word 'douchebaggery' for me. Bless him for that.

When Billy, Scotty and I did 'Lalapalooka' for Comedy Central many moons ago, it was the keyboard guy that caused the problems; "I'm not eating that! Why can't we get some real food?" Fucknut.

When I roadied for The Tubes, it was the two keyboard players who sent the soundchecks into a flaming nosedive because they couldn't agree on the square footage of the stage. A fixed value, not open to interpretation. A non-variable. The arguments over absolutely nothing in that band were truly awe-inspiring. Fee Waybill is indeed a very patient man.

While recording Emily Hickey's first album, the keys dude would get an hour into it and then start whining about how much he hated recording and how tired he was.

But this guy the other day, whose name shall remain something I'll reveal in my memoirs, took the biscuit. Decent player, and that's where the accolades end. Stupid stage banter, coked out of his skull, pestering every cabby in town for a free ride, irretrievably and unforgivably racist, and, well, just a WOW with the ladies.

Douchebag. I'm glad that word has come back. It's the perfect insult, because it doesn't really mean anything at all. You're really just calling someone a hot water bottle. So I have no problem calling this guy, whose name shall remain known only to him and to the millions I'll share it with one day, the greatest douchebag I've ever met. And he was a complete fucking asshole to boot. There might have been some kind of OCD/ADD/ritalin action going on there too. But as a very wise friend once said, mental illness is really no excuse for idiotic behavior.

Keys people, don't be a douchebag. Nor be ye an asshole. It reflects poorly on us primadonna guitar hoseheads who think we need you.]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#10 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#9
My brother Carl: “Oscar, do you want a brother or a sister?”
Oscar: “I want a guitar. A red one.”

Kid's doomed already, and he's only three.]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#9 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#8
Not one single picture I took came out. I guess I forgot to hit the magic button. But...

It's one thing to be backstage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass while Alison Krauss and Robert Plant are on stage. Thanks JL, and also for giving AK a backstage pass so she could do some homework. I think I saw her pigtails spinning around her head with excitement.

Alison Krauss is just incredible. Her voice is, well, perfect.

But wow. Robert Plant. Jeezus. There he is. Mere yards away, the man who...

And y'know, the less said by me about him the better. We all know who he is and what he's done. I'm sick of redundant hyperbole, especially my own. He's a god, a legend, he looks it, done.

But it's really neat to have the backstage playing field violently leveled when I look to my right to find I'm standing shoulder to shoulder with a behatted Elvis Costello, watching the show. I said 'Hi,' he said 'Ello,' and we repeated that three times back and forth.

When Robert Plant is on stage, the rest of the world is happily roped into being a fan and rabid admirer, even Elvis. And thankfully me too, stupidly starstruck, which rarely happens. Just amazing.]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#8 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#7
I don't know why at all, but every now and then I fire up The Yes Album, their third album and Steve Howe's first, and just listen goggle-eared to what's going on. The prog rock foundations were solidified with this album, although maybe the elves didn't really show up and start piddling all over everything for a few years yet. I listened to this album loudly five times a day once upon a time, while enjoying my single in dorm 8, Stevenson, UCSC, 1988. The perfect antidote to Dead bootlegs wheezing their way through my door from down the hall.

So I'm sitting here beating the living crap out of my poor long-suffering dead-stringed Ransom bass, pretending to be Chris Squire, amazed that the lines to 'Perpetual Change' are still under my fingers.]]> http://ericfriedmann.com/news.html#7 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700 - Eric Friedmann and The Lucky Rubes - drivel