The continuing story of a quack who's gone to the dogs

Almost a year ago now, my bro from another mo moved clear out to NY with his lovely family. When i discovered that they would be back in the g-wood for a hot minute (aka two weeks) i begged and pleaded for a few hours of his precious time to hammer out some tracks in the mustard room. Always the gentleman, Dr. Bob obliged and we ended up spending two morning/afternoons constructing a couple tunes with nothing but some guitars, a hammond organ, a wash bucket, and our childlike optimism. We laid some healthy foundation for a few pieces of the new record we're finally getting around to making.

I only wish we had more time, but we bid Dr. Bob and his family a fond adieu as they trek back to the NY. I'm thrilled to death that we were able to get a couple of days playing and recording together. It was also a great delight to all of us (particularly baby jane) to have Dr. Bob's boy Jake hang with us during the first sesh. Our deepest gratitude goes out to the entire Dr. Bob family. Why not follow Dr. Bob on twitter @RS_Freeland?

Here we are rehearsing one of the tunes we spent some time on:

Smoke breaks

The shape of things to come

I might

White and pink with blades of blue

Baby transmissions

Hepcat getting the lead out

Ghetto scanner

Ask m'lady and she'll tell you; I'm not often quick to turn down an opportunity to take on tasks which i may or may not have the ability to follow through on. These are the times when years of training in the art of creative problem solving produce magnificent results. For instance, when i promise a friend's mother that i have the resources and capability to transfer photographic slides to digital image files for use in a presentation to be given by the end of the week, well sir, digital files she shall receive. Pay no mind to the fact that i've not once tested the transparent materials adapter unit which accompanies our secondhand scanner. After all, such an advanced piece of technology surely possesses nothing but the ability to produce results. And when it doesn't, we throw the ol' camera atop the tripod and set up a contraption which looks an awful lot like this...

I don't know what fancy-pants company is presently out there doing these types of transfers for top dollar, but we're about to put those suckas under ground.

Olde friendse

This week we've spent some quality and not-so-quality time with some olde friends. Some of them have collected a bit of dust over the passing of time, yet we help them to their feet, dust off their hind parts and hold their hands as they learn to walk again. They will dance again. Oh, yes. They will indeed dance again. Today, we spent a couple hours in the lavatory with this dude...

Folk slinger

The more i listen to this, the more i feel that it will guide the direction of all future recording projects. Prepare to be dazzled.

Giddy Up, Episode One

Because we at the mustard room have too much time on our hands, we have ventured into the realm of writing a series of short stories for children and adults alike. After reading and rereading stacks of children's books over the the past few years, we were inspired to tell the story of our own Propellerhead through the medium of illustration and word. Our efforts have resulted in the first installment of Giddy Up, the tale of one lad's journey to find his long lost leggy friend, the noble Pickles.

Each copy of Giddy Up, Episode One features twenty two 5.5" x 8.5" pages of words and illustrations in glorious black and white. Pick up your copy right here if you're into it.

The onesie

Duckbilled rambler, as worn by doctor james.

An aural supplement, episode 15

Running Time: 1:46:22 | File Size 98 MB

Download: .mp3
To subscribe to this podcast:http://feeds.feedburner.com/ARockeyHomeCompanion

This epic-long episode of An Aural Supplement has been been compiled by Reverend Rockey on his 35th birthday. Now for your listening pleasure is an aural trip from 1976 through 2011. Dig, y'all.

1. David Bowie “Golden Years”

2. Ramones "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow"

3. Elvis Costello & The Attractions "Big Boys"

4. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers "Even the Losers"

5. Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band "Sherry Darling"

6. Split Enz "History Never Repeats"

7. The Clash "Should I Stay or Should I Go"

8. Violent Femmes "Kiss Off"

9.

Hüsker Dü

"Turn on the News"

10. R.E.M. "Can't Get There from Here"

11. Paul Simon "That Was Your Mother"

12. U2 "Trip Through Your Wires"

13. Pixies "Brick is Red"

14. Bob Dylan "Everything is Broken"

15. Daniel Johnston "True Love Will Find You in the End"

16. Uncle Tupelo "Looking for a Way Out"

17. Cracker "Happy Birthday to Me

18. The Breeders "Saints"

19. Beastie Boys "Flute Loop"

20. Finn "Eyes of the World"

21. Pearl Jam "Sometimes"

22. Guided by Voices "Jane of the Waking Universe"

23. Lucinda Williams "Concrete and Barbed Wire"

24. Tom Waits "Picture in a Frame"

25. The White Stripes "Hello Operator"

26. Ryan Adams "Gonna Make You Love Me"

27. Supergrass "Seen the Light"

28. Bill Mallonee "She's So Liquid"

29. Wilco "Theologians"

30. Beck "Rental Car"

31. Eddie Vedder "Goodbye"

32. Waterdeep "...And I Can't Sleep"

33. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy "Missing One"

34. The Avett Brothers "It Goes On"

35. Band of Horses "Older"

36. Josh Garrels "Farther Along"

Happy boogaloo

It's not that i feel the need to throw a party for myself, but it just serves as the perfect catalyst for inviting a crapload of people over to the house to participate in some good time-havin'. It was only what seems like a few weeks ago when some friends and i were discussing the idea of an outdoor movie projected on the side of a house. While i've entertained the idea in the past, it was this conversation, and a forthcoming thirty-fifth birthday which finally set this thing in motion. The decision on which film to show as a feature presentation was an important one. It would have to be one which made a lasting impression with me from an early age well into adulthood. After much deliberation, the obvious choice was of course the 1985 masterpiece directed by budding filmmaker tim burton and starring paul reuben's childlike character pee-wee herman, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.

We began making plans on how we would pull off this incredible feat. How would we affix a bed sheet to the broad face of the back exterior of our house? How, you ask? Why, duct tape of course. I called in a favor for a theater-style popcorn machine, borrowed a projector from some old friends, and braced myself for the impending 'disturbing the peace' call. Well sir, when the highly anticipated evening finally arrived, i never could have guessed what a success the entire event would be. We had over 65 guests throughout the evening including family, high school chums, college buds, new friends, old friends, & neighbors. Why, we had visitors travel from as far as Bowling Green and Fort Wayne to be a part of the festivities. When all was said and done, we had a back lawn full of folks from all seasons and sectors of life lounging and laughing together beneath an open sky occasionally lit by stray bottle rockets being fired from the adjacent apartment complex.

My deepest heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who came out to the rockey home to make the evening as spectacular as it possibly could have been. I'm not sure i could have asked for a better way to celebrate getting older.

Pool daze

Dr. James, you might want to watch your back. Goldilocks is creeping up behind you and she's got big plans to make your first summer swim a memorable one.

Aw shucks. She just wants to nuzzle that sweet soft baby head of yours. Well, who can argue with that?

Happy fourth, dudes and duderellas.

Ready, set,

Admittedly, i'm mostly just talk. Therefore, when i talk about recording music, usually it's all grandiose ideas and three years worth of gettin' a round tuit. Well sir/ma'am, i'm here to announce the kickstart of another season of recording some songs who have been sittin' around waiting on me for some time now.

Won't you join me on this magical expedition?

Here goes nothing.

This is huge

What this gal is wearing around her neck are ceremonial poop-beads. One might probably assume that such a name would indicate the raw material used in crafting the pieces in question. However, in this particular case, these beads are worn during a celebratory dance around her living room after the performance of a bowel evacuation upon the throne of porcelain found in the family wash room. Not every resident of the rockey home receives such fanfare after taking the kids to the pool. No no. This kind of hullabaloo is reserved for one tenant only. This monumental occasion marks the end of a very brief season of changing the diapers of multiple tiny folk. Hoorah.

Following the first official poop in the pot, an observation was made by the perpetrator (or 'poop-etrator' as it were) which likened the product to a deuce of brown bananas.