And you are the
one who is supposed to have found meaning in life. On the one
hand you say we are all fallen as if there were some kind of
perfection, and are driven by
ego and
pride [if only it were
true - there would be a perfect universe, filled only with Ziphlers] which are both excellent motivators however I think
you use these terms, like many do, to describe selfishness,
conceit, and self righteousness. About the writing style I was
just playin' with you as Sam would say. I don't care about style
and as for content; you can't blow the truth out of anywhere
sonny. Actually, the only thing that stands out from our recent
dialog is that you don't employ a spell and grammar checker.
Miguelito is probably a self contained walking talking spell and
grammar checker so no comments from the
PEEWEE gallery please.
I was trying to
obliquely point out what I hope we can all agree upon, which is
that we actually communicate with music, at least those who have
the knack, and you Sean have conveyed a simplicity and beauty
thru your guitar that captured my soul long ago. That is how I
know you. There are extremely talented musicians who convey
really wretched, even painful emotions that I can't stand and
yes, like with any other skill or talent, there are musicians
who use their abilities to lie and deceive. Mostly, in these
sadly zany times, there are musicians who have absolutely
nothing to say and just like most Americans, are consumed with
self-preservation and protecting their nail polish.
You, me, and
Miguelito [and Bob Hsueh] literally lived within 30 feet of each
other during the 71-72 school year. You played your tinny little
electric guitar thru my wall, morning, noon, and night, (and
smoked a shit-load of pot). Miguelito spun "bye bye miss
American pie" at high volume 400 times in one quarter
[that apparently
was some other guy] and I
retreated to Bob H's room and played Hearts with Bob Amador and
Al Wilcox while we listened to the Grateful Dead at Harding
theater (and smoked a shit-load of pot), recorded on two reels
of tape in November and mailed to me for xmas by my big brother.
We had little to say to each other until I returned to Isla
Vista in 1975 and mentioned that I had been messing around on
bass when we ran into each other at the top of the loop. You
made it very easy for me. You knew a guy with a drum set (Bxxx
Rxxx?) who also had some other equipment like a Gibson SB bass
(what a piece of shit that was) and amp just a block from my
house. We played moondance for hours and meticulously worked out
your
dinosaursong.
Before I knew it, Doughton was there too. I have tapes to prove
it. I distinctly remember the three of us discussing what a Bad
drummer Bxxx was (and smoking a shit-load of pot) but he was
providing the space and 80% of the equipment.
You called all the
shots back then. My already perfect life was just getting better
and better now that I was topping off every day with 4 or 5
hours of loud jamming. I had no interest in politics or
organization. I suppose you'd been working the Isla Vista
circuit for a few years by then. It astounds me how little
thought I gave to how things happened around me back then.
Somehow the miracles kept happening, Like with Rxxx. No sooner
were we having that discussion when BAM! Bxxx was gone but we
still had all of his equipment (including the drum set).
I have no idea
what you did with Miguelito. One day I looked up from a bong hit
and there was an Indian guy named Floyd wearing a cowboy hat and
warbling dead tunes which were easy for me to learn cause I'd
been to about 60 Dead shows between 69 and then. I wonder if
Mike didn't just graduate like when one was supposed to if one
started in 1971.
[that's
exactly what happened] I do remember thinking of him as a real
musician and a part of the Isla Vista elite. He actually had
some structure and even arrangements. You though were the bong
king, more my kind of hero, and you played the guitar like a
babbling brook. No irritating bridges to stumble over, no talk,
just bongs and then hours of wandering scales. Occasionally
Floyd would knock us out of the clouds and we'd come to earth
long enough to run a couple of Merle Haggard verses but then
we'd take off again.
I don't think we
ever agreed on anything but I don't believe we ever exchanged
enough words to really even determine our irrelevant relative
differences. I believe I know you and Justin better than anyone
else (throwing out family here and those few souls with whom
I've had immediate perfect sex - I just don't know how to factor
them into this one) on the planet. You may be more enlightened
than 99.9% of the Catholics on the planet, you certainly have a
better grasp on things than any of the Popes ever did - but
sorry Charlie - all that catholic gibberish and simple minded
overlay providing upper level management of this truly wondrous
and insanely complex infinite universe is just bizarre and more
importantly, belies the true knowledge of you that I'm stuck
with. Believe me, your words would not have held my attention
for 20 seconds. As thoughtful as you are in your attempts to
reconcile WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS TOLD YOU IN WORDS with what you
know in your heart, you're still just spewing other peoples
sentences.
Does anyone in
this room not get that it was the development of vocal cords and
articulating tongues lips and teeth that has brought our little
paradise to its knees? There was no way to falsify facts prior
to this. You could hide, lay in wait, or distract attention but
there was no way to pass on false or fantastic information. All
you could know was the naked truth of everything.
So, as I was
saying, on the one hand you are falling out of something cause
you've been "bad", and you are full of sin yet you find it
ludicrous that people may have self doubt. Mind you, I was
referring to Bob's single deflating statement about losing. It
seems to me that to the extent Bob had any self-esteem issues,
and all humans do, it was because of how WE treated him, not his
parents. When he came into the picture it was as an experienced
rocker into an established band. He brought with him all the
structure that we might have had if you hadn't done something
with Miguelito. I do not perceive that Bob was ever pummeled by
authority figures although they may have coddled him a bit. I
think Bob's parents must have been quite remarkable, as were my
own, no doubt yours, and that whole "greatest generation". They
all got so used to solving everything that was thrown at them
that when it came to dying, they assumed they could lick that
too; so many didn't die well.
I'm have to go
without having schmoozed you or abused you near enough. Mark
Phillips just about died a couple of days ago (OCT 2006) and may be looking
at a liver transplant so I gotta go.
. . . I found
the Street Dogs history lecture utterly fascinating and thank
you for the very kind words. I would salivate at the
opportunity to get a copy of your tapes of any Street Dog jams
in which I participated. Can you do that?
I'm not sure that
Sean "did anything with me" to cause me not to join the Street
Dogs. [OK,
I admit it. I was blaming Sean for less than kosher political
shenanigans in an effort to absolve my own guilt over my own
rejection of Miguelito as a candidate for (it turns out) the
same reason he chose not to play with us]
My memory of that time is that it was Sean's gig with a
bunch of other guys and I was kind of an outsider who just
jammed with the proto-group a number of times before it actually
formed and became its own thing. I never felt that I was really
a member of the group. Also, it had a slightly different vibe
than I preferred at the time, not being a radical dead head as
much as the other Dogs. At the same time, I was forming my own
band, Wicked Laundry, which never achieved the success that the
Street Dogs had. I very much admired (and was even jealous of)
the Street Dogs' success and family vibe. That was what I
always wanted (and still want!)--a FAMILY of successful
musicians. You guys had it, and it was good. I am honored to
have been a small part of its history. Can you burn a CD of
those jams for me?
[I am discovering
how truly bad the really early stuff is which was mercifully
recorded OVER the even earlier stuff that you are requesting but
I will persist in my search if only so that I may
passive-aggressively punish you for the humiliation rained down
upon me for the American pie faux pas.
Many thanks!
--Miguelito
p.s. I don't
think I owned a copy of "American Pie" at the time, but everyone
else in the dorms apparently did. So it probably wasn't me
playin it. I guess that means you can finally let go of your
anger.
[Not until I ferret out the party responsible]
Installment 1-history
Here's my take:
Dan-I think you had a
fairly accurate account of the Street Dog History. One thing I thought
interesting was your take that it was not your idea to play a lot of
dead. I'm thinking, had I known that, we should have branched out a lot
more. I was marginally into the dead. Hey, I loved their music and
Jerry's playing, don't get me wrong, but we overdid that act. I think
what made it acceptable for me was that it was a lot of improvisation.
I will address the
pot-smoking in a separate discussion.
Why didn't we play
more with Mike? Good question. The Billy Reidel take was very accurate.
After we jammed for a while it became apparent we couldn't continue with
him, and I never thought much about it but it did kind-of fall into
place after he left. We were playing with Mike quite a bit too.
But you Z were correct
again in that I think Mike needed a little more structure. He and Karl
Borden started to play more together. I even played a few times with
them. They were very serious and wanted to play tunes like the records!
I wanted to have long guitar jams and who cared about singing! I think
by mutual consent we determined that our development and style paths
were diverging, although we did still share that musician status and
occasional jam session.
I remember seeing Mike
with
(whose name I believe was created in my presence after a jam with Karl
and Mike and some drummer, maybe Chuck?), although maybe that's me
wanting to insert my place in history as I think Karl has pointed out
before) and also being jealous when a crowd gathered and the other Mike
(Cumings?) on vocals and the Launderer's sounded really good. My only
consolation was that "yeah, but they can't jam like the Street Dogs" (or
was that had the sense not to?).
Doggies,
The gig
was July 23, 1976, in the back driveway of my place at 6686
Del Playa. A big crowd. I used my
Les Paul Custom with P90 pick ups, I think through my Fender
twin, played through a Mutron III envelope filter (which I
still have). The Wicked Laundry power trio plus
Mike Comyns on vocals:
Michael
Comyns: vocals Will
Adams: drums
Carl
Borden: bass Mike
Doughton: guitar
The songs
performed (in order) were:
1.
Pinball Wizard 6. My
Wife 11. Lady
Love
2. Day
Tripper
7. Fire 12. Come
On
3. Walk
Away
8. Purple Haze 13. Helter
Skelter
4. Garbage Boogers (Doughton) 9. In
Memory of Elizabeth Reed 14. Live
With Me
5. Turn
to Stone 10.
Suffragette City 15.
Jamming
That gig
still gives me chills.
--Miguelito
I remember putting in
garage time at the del playa house and it was there that I realized I
had a connection to the spiritual body of music that permeates the
universe. The music was out there, assessable, never ending, and as it
traveled through infinity I reached up and grabbed it, and brought it
down to my level. It starts with God and it goes to God, if you would
allow me this one reference. He graced me to temporarily use it; and
sometimes even today I am able to re-enable that connection.
I was proud (in a
good way) to experience it with my friends Dan, Floyd, Bob, Justin (we
had another drummer ? who played but one day Justin sat in and we knew
he fit), and what was his name-oh shit, how could I forget the lead
vocal as I see his face and VW bug so clearly, Eric?, Peter?, Gino?,
Paul?, ...Dan knows. He was a damn nice individual.
>Please tell me about Oliver. I very vaguely remember him. Was he in the band? What did he play? What was his story?
--Miguelito
Yes, Bob was also cut
from a little different mold, more structured and conventional (in a
good way!) but very adaptable; he was able to come to our street dog
level. Though Floyd had the "spirit" and technical ability, he lacked
the timing. Its funny because I've since noticed that there are a lot of
musicians who are brilliant technically but completely miss the
existential instantaneous nature of the blended harmony of the band.
There is nothing like playing in a band when creating real music! Its a
rush that I get to this day.
Well ok. Long story
short. I needed to grow more because lets face it, the street dogs
eventually became an obstacle to my own personal growth and development, and in my
opinion, to others in the band although that is a value judgment on my
part and I'm sure everyone's view is a little different. That's what I
truly believe though. Sack me for it if you must.
Gotta go.
Sean
ps-I'm using spell
check now.
[Jerry
Garcia often spoke about living in the note or being present during the
entire envelope of each note as opposed to rushing off to the next note
before truly completing the one you are still playing. So that even when
playing fast you are relaxed in the here and now and crafting a complete
beginning, middle, and end for the entire note before thinking about the
next one]
Day 8 2006 10:29 RE: Howling Dogs
This is all very
interesting! I was just glad to meet you guys. And I knew we all
wanted to make creative original music.
In short, we
didn't practice enough in relatively soder*
spaces so that we could create and maintain a consistent
soul-shaking groove. We came in fits and starts, sometimes good,
sometimes way too ragged. But we tried, at least for a while. It's
so tough to keep a band together, especially when there's so much
talent in other areas. Doctors, lawyers, environmental scientists
(my buddy Sean is most like me!) . . . music was a hobby sometimes,
not a vocation, like it had to be if we were going to make it on the
live circuit back then.
But to this day, I
have some good memories, good friends, and a couple of songs to show
for it all. And we should have played with Mike more! One night,
after Mike played a party with me at my Eugene house, along with my
trio, my advisor at UofO physics dept, although a chemist, told me
"You're in the wrong place at the physics dept. You should be
playing music!" But I went on in physics . . . Why? Why
physics instead of music?
Security? Because
I knew how hard it was to keep a band together, practicing enough to
get really good? Because I gave up? I don't know . . . sometimes
things just work out that way . . .
Bob K.
*They have a saying on the south
side of Stockholm: Soder is Soder. In other words, Soder, short for the
island of Sodermalm, goes its own way. People who live here even talk
differently, speaking what's known as Ekensprak. More than just a dialect,
it incorporates unique words and slang, a bit like . . .. [sorry
folks, its the only reference to this word I could find and they want me to
pay for the rest Who ever knows what the hell Keislar is conjuring anyway]
Sean's description of
my involvement with the Street Dogs is 100% accurate and consistent with
my own memory of those days. He is also correct that the name
"Wicked Laundry" was created (by me) in his presence. If we ever
go together to UCSB (like I suggested we MUST do next year) I can show
you the exact spot on campus where we were walking when I blurted out
that name. Everybody cracked up, especially Sean. Then I
knew I had the name.
Just as I had a part
in the early Street Dogs, Sean also had a significant part in the early
Launderers. I had actually hoped that Sean would join ,
but his Street Dog gig seemed to have taken off in its own direction was
doing quite well. I was kinda bummed and jealous. Isn't
funny to learn all this stuff 30 years later? Thanks for the
fascinating first hand history lessons right from the source! Let
it be written in the history books, including the Dog Blog!
By the way, the Del
Playa
gig Sean refers to was an absolutely awesome gig, perhaps my best ever.
We ROCKED, and I HAVE IT ON CD! Perhaps I could swap Z for a copy
of the early Miguelito-Dog garage jams?
And Sean, I'd still
like to get my hands on a copy of that song:
you played for me once
in the 1980's which featured a spine-tinglingly excellent lead by none
other than the Seanster himself.
Sean, whatever
happened to those studio songs you were working on during the last year?
You sent me rough mixes, they were good. Did you ever finish them?
If so, I'd like a CD copy.
I'm serious about
getting a copy of this stuff, it's precious and should be preserved and
shared. Let's do it, and then let's get a bungalow in Isla Vista
next summer and jam our asses off!!!!!!!
With infinite love and
respect,
Miguelito
Mike,
Here is the song you
requested however it ain't Sean's. Sean's similar POP wonder was "I Wanna Know You
Better" Art Thompson joined Streetdogs in 1979 or 80, about
6 months after Ziphler joined Art's band; "The other one"
which took a slightly different approach to being a Dead Band by
concentrating on recreating the performance. They practiced at
Lawrence Livermore Labs in Hayward of all places because that
is where Bartolini Guitars and pickups had their shop and Art
worked for Bartolini [as I recall making stone pickups when I
met Art.]
Everyone was
ripe to shed the
grateful dead window dressing by then and no one transitioned
from total immersion to something entirely different more
completely than Art. He in fact dropped any nuance of Garcia
tonal purity and voraciously dialed up the harmonic
distortion. He possesed a singular impatience with lilting down
time in a band's performance so when some of us would succumb to
post seventies sensitivity and deign to waste our audiences'
time with self-indulgent lapses in inspiration, Art
would come blasting out of the gate with pumping, awe-pummelling, lead work that would cause the crowd and myself to whoop it up
and howl in a spasm of relief, while silently saying
with a mutual glance - "yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about".
Most people were actually
surprised to learn of Art's Dead history after that. The biggest
surprise out of Art however was his knack for writing pop
rock tunes, that ability to take something obvious, even cliché, and make it into a new and catchy song. Listen to
"All we need is Music" to see what I mean. But right now,
listen to this! It is not cliché and in fact very clever and a
song most people want to hear again after their first exposure.
Yes Miguelito, good call. The song is called "She
Isn't Crying" written by Art Thompson. The
tag is: "it just a reflection of tears in her eyes". What a
great line and it's attached to just the right progression too:
SEAN - A very good
rock song. We reached for it and just about got it. The energy is
there. The first thing that sticks out is the bass part and the
rhythm guitar accents. The bass part is nailed. The energy is raw.
Its out of control and in control at the same time. The vocals are
good, too. Not too sweet, just right for rock. Dan, do you have the
master to this? I think we should remix, put rounded corners on the
rough parts (just a little without hurting the energy) and release
it as a single. With technology what it is today, we might be able
to even enhance some parts. I'd be willing to put up some money for
that.
MIGUELITO - DO IT
!
ZIPH
- I actually am amazed at Art and Bob s testicular display in even
attempting sustained vocal "cry"s at the end
MIGUELITO - a friggin
masterpiece. Now, THAT'S a band. Sean, you blow me away. What a
pinnacle of talent. Wow.
Bob's singing and songwriting are
awesome (Solar Plea is even more contemporary now and should get
CONSTANT radio play). The vocals rock. The rhythm section is
solid. Sean sears the frets. The timing is perfect. I have
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for this band and its members. Truly
impressive stuff. I wish I had been in a band this good. Thank
you.
--Miguelito,
permanent Dog devotee.
ZIPH - does that mean maybe you
won't be too busy to play keyboards?
Nah, I want to learn to play guitar as
righteously as Sean, then replace him. Sean can play keyboards
Let's have a long weekend at my house soon to discuss this, play
poker, jam, plan, listen, and drink!
Group hug, Miguelito
Introduction:
The following is an urgent howling plea, with wagging tail.
Facts:
I have an hour of radio time to host my own radio show on UC
Davis's radio station KDVS (90.3 FM, Davis Ca). KDVS also
broadcasts worldwide over the internet. I can do my show at
any time. I have been greatly inspired by the music of the
Street Dogs.
Issue:
I would like to feature The Street Dogs on my radio show,
along with other original stuff.
Discussion:
Any objections? A little exposure and maniacal adulation
couldn't hurt. Why keep Dogs in a closet? It is NOT better
to let sleeping Dogs lie!
Conclusion:
Please respond to my idea! Many thanks from your biggest
fan.
I went to my ancient wooden
college book shelves (hidden in a back closet) and found the
rows of old reel to reel tapes I kept all these years.
I found tape #12, which is labelled "Wicked Laundry --Live!
7-23-76" and dusted off the Maxell box. Inside was a
carefully preserved tape reel inside a plastic bag, just
like new. Next, I dusted off and plugged in my ancient
Dokorder reel to reel tape machine. The last time I
used it many years ago, it had major wow and flutter issues.
On went the WL reel, and I pressed "start".
Out of my speakers came . . . . .
. . . PERFECT SOUND! No noticeable wow or flutter.
Playing my digital keyboard to the tape, I found that it was
in perfect pitch. 17 tracks, including LOTS of crowd
and band banter in between songs. INCLUDING quite
audible references to Sean and "Dan Ziegler". The
piece de resistance is that the last track has Sean joining
me for a long jam! I managed to tranfer the entire gig
onto CD!
Right on dudes, we must schedule
the next poker game so we can hear all of our stuff!
And jam!
--Miguelito
OK, now that Ziphler taught me how
to download MP3s onto a CD, I can play these on my hunky
stereo and actually hear the bass. Nice work Z, tasty and
tight.I'm guessing "Neorennie" is a veiled reference to
Michael Rennie, star of "The Day the Earth Stood
Still"? Sean, what guitar/amp set up were you using on these
tracks? I love your tone.
--Further, MiguelitoI
Wow
I didn't know it [neorennie] meant something but
I guess this means I spelled it right, that had
roused my concern.
I believe
that was a 100 watt Gallien-Krueger 212 combo
guitar amp. That amp had a lot of power, but
partial credit goes to the guitar. I was playing
a Gibson SG special that had been modified by
Art. He installed a preamp and two seymour
Duncan pickups. That probably gave it its
screaming quality.
Did you say I
jammed with Wicked Laundry at that event? I did
not remember that. Wonder what that sounded
like? Can wait to hear it.
Sean,
Let me get this straight--you
CAN wait to hear our jam? Well, OK, but gee
shucks, I kinda thought you might be at least a little
interested. Actually, it's a 10 minute jam, not
sure if it'll fit on this email, so in the mean time I'm
sending some smaller files for your listening enjoyment,
at least until I have time to read Dan's technical
instructions! And yeah, your Artized Gibson SG
really rocked.
P.S. Today, I made
an impulse purchase of my 10th guitar. Well,
it's actually not exactly a guitar, it's a hybrid
between a bass and a guitar. It's a Fender Jaguar
Baritone Custom. It's got 6 strings like a
guitar, but they're big thick suckers tuned a full
octave lower on a 27" scale neck. Wild!
You guys are having too much fun!
Don't you know how OLD you are!?! You can't have that much
fun anymore. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to be the wet blanket . .
.But when's the party!?
Bob K.
The party starts NOW and continues
until we finish it at my house! How about one of the first two
weekends in November?
--Miguelito
Wow! That was tasty. Guitar and
drums were excellent and the recording quality really good.
For my next course I would desire Helter Skelter, please.
Thank you, kind sir! As requsted, attached is our
special of the day, served hot. Enjoy!
Tsk Tsk
Miguelito. And just yesterday we discussed those murky
areas between the magnificent valley of bass and trashy
little guitar alley. And here we find you touching all
over that place, and with some new hellfire instrument
of the devil in your hand!!!!
THANK YOU Ziph! I
will continue in my efforts to bring us all
together, to bridge the gaps that seem to
differentiate and separate us, that are
merely illusion, to dispel the ultimately
petty disagreements over how many angels or
antiprotons or bassists or guitarists can
dance on the head of a pin. And what better
tool than music? I couldn't have said it
better myself, it IS a hellfire instrument
of the devil! And I control it! BWAAA HAA
HAHHAAA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA!!!
Very Kool Miguel!
I wish I could jam to it. Wait. Yes I can!
I'm going to see if I can bring it into my
recording software and add a track to it.
Please, though,
wash that thing before you put it away!
Can hardly wait!
Actually, I was thinking
it would be better with
your snarky bitch guitar
all over it anyway!
Go for it Sean!
--Miguelito
The latest blog page is up
and as an added bonus those who visit blog2 will be treated with a
just-released live version of Sean’s
dinosaur song
and trust me on this - Mr. Kennedy Smokes.
Now if we could only get him to smoke pot again as I guarantee he
was doing just before this take! Since the last 3 or 4
measures were cut off on the original you must forgive the sleight
of hand trick ending. I submerge again for two days and then will be
back with great ferocious veracious veracity and verbosity.
Ok, I'll visit the blog.
Can hardly wait to hear Sean and the Dogs smokin! But I
understand it's the hand movement that got Pee Wee in trouble. Stay
tuned . . . . --Miguelito
Ziphler has articulated with "deadly" accuracy what we all knew and sensed
at the time, but never spoke. That magical 3-point formula stated by Z is
exactly what illuminated and inspired the Street Dog experience so
brilliantly, and why I love your old recordings so much. It shows that Z's
alchemical influence of the development of the ineffable Dog experience was
huge, especially item 1 of Z's list. It's clear the Street Dogs would not
have been the Street Dogs without Z, and PERHAPS Sean would not have become
the player he is without that influence. The 3 point Z formula was
something that subconsciously motivated (and still partly motivates) me
musically, except I never reached such an accomplished state of
improvisation. It is hard to find people who know how to do that, and it
has always been easier to stay in a more structured musical realm. I would
still like to find it, that magical elusive "something" that the Street Dogs
had. It is why I am filled with such gratitude, awe and appreciation for
the Dogs, a howling success story if there ever was one.
p.s. It's apparently the season for musical archival retrieval. In
addition to Wicked Dog Street Laundry, a friend of mine is the daughter of
Tiny Moore, the legendary western swing musician who played with the likes
of Bob Wills, etc. He died in 1987. She is bringing over some of her
personal reel-to-reel tapes from the 70's that have never been heard before,
with her dad playing live with people like Merle Haggard, Reba Macintyre,
etc. I'm going to see if I can transfer them to disc for her.
I lack adequate words
for this. I'm blown away yet again by the Dogs. Shit, you guys
were way WAY better than I remembered. What an ass-crackin unit
you were!
. . . one moment, one
moment . . . colors, oh God the colors . . . blinding . . .
blending . . . . infinite permutations receding into infinity .
. . wait . . . wait . . . Oh, it's just a flashback. . . . .
OK that's better now . . . . . . . uh, where was I? Oh yes,
Dinosaur Song: killer rhythm section attached to a killer
combination of Bob's super solid tasty rhythm chops engaging in
a deliciously tasty and endlessly playful yet futile attempt to
harness Sean's relentlessly ineffable, ineluctable yet
unpredictable flights of spellbindingly flawless friggin
assalicious axe molestation. AND you guys played together in the
same key and time signature with jad a clever structure. How
the hell did you do that? As I feebly recall, in those days
our short terms memory rarely exceeded a kilobyte or two,
collectively. Sean, nonetheless you achieved levels of
brilliance I never before realized. I'm serious, I'm really
just starting to get your brilliance as a musician. Truly
impressive: such universally-connected, spiritually derived
jamming, such inspired and original songwriting. This stuff
shames Mozart. Sean, I LOVE how you play. I'll say that again:
SEAN I LOVE HOW YOU PLAY. OK, OK, let me compose myself.
Miguelito rarely gushes so shamelessly, but damn it, it's time
Sean received the praise he deserves. Sean, you ROCK my world!
Sean and the entire Dog Unit are hereby nominated and enshrined
forever into the Intergalactic Hall of Eternally Bitchin Cloud
Chamber Music from the Exploded Cortex of God's Melted Synapse
Orchestra for Seriously Sick Tone Demons and Deranged Umbilical
Chord Progressions. To Dinosaur Song! oh oh here come the
swirling infinite colors again . . . . Thank you.
On behalf of the Street
Dogs, I must thank you Mike for those....those ...made up and
kind words. I think you should put out a shingle for consulting
on "musician ego-boosting". It's much appreciated.
However, (how do I put this), ahem..., yes..., the idea was
marvelous. It was a marvelous concept. The execution
though...... No doubt there is a lot of spiritual energy crammed
into that electromagnetic energy imprint. We must have had fun
making it but I don't remember.
Bartender-I'll have one
of what he's having!
Miguelito,
Fear not. I've been having the same
bizarre epiphanies as you about both Sean and Bob's friggin
musical talents back then and only another 200 hours of cassette
tapes in the suitcase to get through. All I can do is keep
telling myself that behind every great guitar player is a great
bass player - then I again begin to feel more centrally located.
Sean writes: "it was a marvelous concept. The execution
though . . . "
In my line of work (prisons) "execution" has a particular
meaning. And yes, Sean, the Street Dogs surely must have killed
the entire crowd that evening. How could they not have
succumbed to that mighty sonic attach?
I'll grant you it has a somewhat strange beginning, but that
is part of the charm. Other parts rock immensely. It was the
sound of IV, unfettered, unpolished, unselfconscious, raw and
proud. Uber Dogs wailing into the infinite sky. I want to hear
that sound again!
--Miguelito
Part of the problem is that when I play songs on my
tinny shitbox computer speakers there is no bass. The other
part is that being first a guitarist, I always focus on the
guitar before anything else.
In the last few years I have been learning to play bass
and I am blown away by the power and artistry of the
instrument. I do not necessarily consider bass to be
"behind" the other instruments, in fact it is often "above"
them.
I have now burned the song onto CD and played it on my
home stereo system and can report that Z bass is nicely
tight and tasty as well. Bring that thang over here and jam
on it!
--Miguelito
p.s. Regarding 200 hours: time flies when you're having
fun!
"It was the sound of IV, unfettered,
unpolished, unselfconscious, raw and proud. Uber Dogs wailing
into the infinite sky."
All photos and artwork are the
property of Streetdogs or their members. All music and lyrics are
copyrighted by Doghouse Studio or its member musicians. You are
welcome to download any material at this site for personal use but
not for financial or commercial gain.
All photos and artwork are the
property of Streetdogs or their members. All music and lyrics are
copyrighted by Doghouse Studio or its member musicians. You are
welcome to download any material at this site for personal use but
not for financial or commercial gain.
All photos and artwork are the
property of Streetdogs or their members. All music and lyrics are
copyrighted by Doghouse Studio or its member musicians. You are
welcome to download any material at this site for personal use but
not for financial or commercial gain.
All photos and artwork are the
property of Streetdogs or their members. All music and lyrics are
copyrighted by Doghouse Studio or its member musicians. You are
welcome to download any material at this site for personal use but
not for financial or commercial gain.
All photos and artwork are the
property of Streetdogs or their members. All music and lyrics are
copyrighted by Doghouse Studio or its member musicians. You are
welcome to download any material at this site for personal use but
not for financial or commercial gain.
All photos and artwork are the
property of Streetdogs or their members. All music and lyrics are
copyrighted by Doghouse Studio or its member musicians. You are
welcome to download any material at this site for personal use but
not for financial or commercial gain.
(whose name I believe was created in my presence after a jam with Karl
and Mike and some drummer, maybe Chuck?), although maybe that's me
wanting to insert my place in history as I think Karl has pointed out
before) and also being jealous when a crowd gathered and the other Mike
(Cumings?) on vocals and the Launderer's sounded really good. My only
consolation was that "yeah, but they can't jam like the Street Dogs" (or
was that had the sense not to?).
,
but his Street Dog gig seemed to have taken off in its own direction was
doing quite well. I was kinda bummed and jealous. Isn't
funny to learn all this stuff 30 years later? Thanks for the
fascinating first hand history lessons right from the source! Let
it be written in the history books, including the Dog Blog!
gig Sean refers to was an absolutely awesome gig, perhaps my best ever.
We ROCKED, and I HAVE IT ON CD! Perhaps I could swap Z for a copy
of the early Miguelito-Dog garage jams? 
Wow
I didn't know it [neorennie] meant something but
I guess this means I spelled it right, that had
roused my concern.
I lack adequate words
for this. I'm blown away yet again by the Dogs. Shit, you guys
were way WAY better than I remembered. What an ass-crackin unit
you were! 
What's an Uber? - Ziph
