Sunday, November 23, 2008

Monday, November 17, 2008

Friday, November 7, 2008

Good old Rocky Top

When I was 13, about the time that that earlier photo of me freestylin' was taken, I was in a Junior High steel drum band known as "The Caribbean Drummers." It was the only steel drum band in Billings, Montana.

Because of this novelty, we were featured on the local evening news, and in an excruciatingly awkward moment, I attempted to "teach" a fumbling female newscaster how to play the introductory bass-line for our crowd-pleaser "Rocky Top." After she attempted, and failed, she made light of the situation and fumbled a transition to sports back at the camera. But within that six or seven seconds of transition, it wasn't clear to me exactly what it was that I was supposed to be doing? Looking at her? Looking at the camera? Looking at the drums?

By default, I subconsciously chose a hybrid of the three and looked downward, averting the camera, the drums, and her gaze, meaning I spent that entire period awkwardly staring at her breasts. Somewhere around here, there's a video tape. But I'm not going to go searching for it.

Since then, as I've previously posted, I feel like I've been perhaps a little extra self-conscious when faced with myself in a security camera, a reflection, or even a photograph. Is that really me? That being the case, it was with great trepidation that I took part in the video documentary portion of David Wright and Ethan Jones's "Pause to Begin". Well, today's the day that they've got the video podcast from our interview posted and fortunately, it's not nearly as embarrassing as I'd expected it to be.


It did seem though that there's some weirdness going on with the audio, but I wasn't sure if that was a technical glitch or could it possibly be the way I actually talk. Fortunately, I sent it to a friend and he reassures me, and testifies to you:

That is so weird. It is totally NOT your voice. It sounds like you've got an enormous aristocratic gourd attached to the bottom of your throat and your voice is sort of swirling around in there before it comes out of your mouth. How did they do that?

So, keep that in mind. Thanks Ethan. Thanks Dave.

UPDATE: My wife of thirteen years (yeah, really) just listened to it and thought that it was someone else talking. The audio's definitely been slowed a bit. Whew... I thought maybe that's what I really sound like.