Hellpetoween was a blast! Thanks to everyone who risked their tasty brains by coming out.
Here's a haunting image...

Okay...I haven't been better about this blog stuff, but lots has been going on. Good stuff. Some of it even music-related. Thanks for understanding.

I love digital photography! A couple of months ago, an Oregonian reporter asked to use one of my PDX-Pop Now! photos in a piece about the local band Blitzen Trapper. It was in the A&E last month and I got a photo by-line! The same picture also appeared in a Berbati's Pan ad. Let's hear it for my amateurish photographic stylings!

In other photographic news, I recently had a chuckle with local singer/axe-mistress, Erika Meyer of the band Serpentone. Somehow, the following digital picture found it's way onto their website. Compare that to what I suspect to be the original, un-doctored version.

      

Fascinating, no? Erika was quick to blame her former bass player, even though I assured her that I really, honestly thought it was just hilarious.

My name was mentioned on the indie-rock webzine pitchfork media for the first time today. This Jandek tribute appearance is already making long-standing career goals of mine fall by the wayside. Hooray for Summersteps Records and Jeff Tweedy!

Look for my track "Van Ness Mission" on Down In A Mirror - A Second Tribute to Jandek being released this spring by Summersteps Records. It will also include tracks from The Mountain Goats and Jeff Tweedy, as well as about 20 other great artists. This spring will also see the simultaneous release of the new cds Country and Optimism. Yay for market saturation!

In other news...last weekend I held my first house show of solo-acoustic artists, and I'm pleased to report that my house was not, repeat not, completely destroyed. Everyone seemed to have a nice time and Sean, Jaqq and Julia were amazing as always.

This is why I don't have a page on LiveJournal. It would never get updated.

As usual, much has happened since I last posted. We've gotten mixes of the songs for Optimism, the new Hellpets record, and they're currently in Baton Rouge being mastered by the capable ears of our friend Mike. Meanwhile, our other friend (and graphics wizard extraordinaire) Megan has signed on to do the album art layout. A date for the simultaneous release of Optimism and Country is being decided on. Hellpet touring plans are being discussed. Local performances have been hinted at. I took a trip to New York. Witnessed the debut of the band Heroes & Villains, opening for Myshkin's Ruby Warblers at Mississippi Studios. Finished mixing an EP by local acoustic rock duo Quality Name Brand; began a recording project for the artist currently known as Jaqqxila; saw PDX homies Colin Meloy, Modernstate and Viva Voce terrorize the Doug Fir; hung out with Tommy of The Wanteds at Davy Jones Locker; got my mind blown by Minmae at the Tonic Lounge; started helping to make plans for the 2005 PDX-Pop Now! local music festival. All in all, a pretty good couple of months.