Waiting for the winds to change

Well, I’m still down with Carpal Tunnel/ whatever the hell wrist issues. Been this way since January. Still can’t play at all. It suuuucks….

BUT, I haven’t let that stop me!

I had a cool dinner meeting w/ Jeff Cain of REMY ZERO to talk about my record, our mutual buddy Space Ghost, and all things musical. HELL of a great guy!

Even got my albums signed!

Even got my albums signed!

I have had a publishing deal presented to me πŸ™‚ (still negotiating) and I got the album art in! I’ve also been working on some business and management courses, as well as honing my songwriting chops with Berklee college of music professor Pat Pattison.

Not bad for a guy with NO HANDS!!!

I try to stay busy πŸ™‚ I’ve also been trying my hand at Golf,( weird, it doesn’t seem to bother my wrists) and intaking copious amounts of Minor League Baseball games to keep my mind off of it.

Speaking of staying busy, check out this great Edward Sandback illustration I scored at a thrift store while I was out hunting vinyls:

Edward Sandback Illustration/ drawing

Edward Sandback Illustration/ drawing

Senor Space Ghost has been trying to educate me on the world of art.

Speaking of vinyls, here’s my haul:

Simon and Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt, and The Doors

We will be doing Tampa Bay Comic Con coming up, so make sure you stop by and say hi if you happen to be there!

Here’s to hoping for a fix for my wrists,

Someplace’s own,
HH

Check it out! I’m featured in a music video!

So, My good friend Mark, aka Mayed, filmed a music video for a cover of Lana Del Ray’s “Videogame” , and I feature prominently in the video!

I’ve known Mark for a few years now, and we’ve had some great conversations. One of the hardest working guys I’ve met in the music business.

Super cool to have been asked to do in the first place, and it turned out well, I think! I’m quite pleased πŸ™‚

I suppose, technically, this would be considered my acting “debut”, as far as video goes.

You can find more of Marks stuff at: https://www.facebook.com/mayed4life?fref=ts

Very talented rapper, recording engineer, and video editor. and a guy who you’ll certainly be hearing more about if you follow what I’m up too.

If you’re looking for round two on HIS stuff, check out his song “Court Jester” on Youtube. FAN-TASTIC.

As far as MY stuff goes, we just got round two of the master back, needs a bit more work, and the album art is in!
Those of you who contributed to the ORIGINAL Kickstarter of mine ( years back ), get first dibs.

and we will probably do a pre-order campaign coming up, as well.

OR, if you read THIS far, and can’t wait, MESSAGE ME DIRECTLY, and I’ll give you a SNEAK PEEK!

Someplace’s own,

HH

Meet my friends: Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk

Have I ever told you about my good friends from Canada? Do you like GREAT FREE MUSIC? With top notch production and sound?

Well then. I guess I shall fill you in! Continue reading!

A couple years back, I had some strangers from a far away land (Canada in pretty damn far from Florida) message me on a website called Couchsurfing.

After some deliberation, and upon learning these 2 folks were musicians in town to record, I decided to take a risk, and meet them for coffee!

BEST. DECISION. EVER!!

Not only did they turn out to be GREAT people, but they were GREAT musicians on top of it!

They ended up recording a top notch record here in FL with Aaron Marsh of the band Copeland.

AND, you can get it FOR FREE, RIGHT HERE:

Just click the picture!

Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk

Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folks record “Over Land and Sea”

FREE, COMPLETELY FREE.

The record turned out brilliantly, they toured like MADMEN, and they ended up winning multiple contests up in Canada.

Heck, they even stayed at my house!

So do yourself a favor, grab a free copy of the record, and say hey to my buddies while you’re at it!

Hop you enjoy!

HH

At some point it became business.

Now, let me explain.

I used to love music ( I STILL love music) but I used to just be able to sit and listen. There was just what it was. I’d put a song on, let it play, and it was face value. It was a good song. and I only heard it as such.

But now, I am growing up.

I’ve been doing all this study. Becoming a musician in my own right. and suddenly songs aren’t song. Songs are parts. and people. and ideas. and business. I take them apart like onions. layer by layer. not intentionally, It just happens. it just is a thing that occurs. It’s not even intentional. I hear the mix. the choice of effects. the vocal layers. The studio tricks. I can’t Β hear the song anymore for the parts.

it’s bizarre.

It’s become business. I study the goings on behind the scenes. I learn about the industry. I learn backstroy. I try to see what I can take to make myself better.

It’s a climb. and I am excited about it. I am interested in all facets. Except recording. Fuck that. It’s like guitar pedals. or mathematics. Too many numbers. too much to figure out.

Bands are people. Human beings. I meet them. I am suddenly on level footing. I am learning the entertainment business. Trying to pick up as much as i can from as many places as I can. and forever meeting people. Actors are people. I meet them. and we hang out.

It’s all just people. Music. TV.

and I love people. I am good at people.

Somewhere in here is my calling, and I’m gonna find it. I’m stumbling in the right direction. That, at least, I am sure of. It makes sense. the world makes sense. The songs make sense. The parts. I can see them now. It’s a damn crazy thing.

In other news, I shouldn’t even be typing. I was struck down with carpal tunnel syndrome, or some such nonsense. I can’t play or practice at all. But I keep learning. in the other areas. Management, marketing, promotions.

What the hell am I even blabbing about. I have another Con Saturday.

Out and about with Space Ghost.

Living life one day at a time.

Thanks. For being you. and spending time with me.

Someplace’s own,

HH

Auburndale City Con

AUBURNDALE CITY CON WAS UPON US! #CityCon for you Twitter folks….

# CityCon

and then it was over. and I am TIRED…..

Well. It went how I thought it would go. Small Con. Small town.

REALLY nice people.

Ran into some fellow Orlando City Soccer Club supporters (City Till I Die!)and had some friends come visit. Always cool. Had some Barbecue. Walked the dog. Laughed A LOT. Heard some great stories. Had PLENTY of coffee. (Thank God for Dunkin Donuts). Trekkies, Furry’s, a ZOMBIE Batman….

ANYWAY

THIS is my buddy Paul
Me and Paul Bradford

HELL of a nice guy (even though he was a LIVERPOOL fan :p) who showed me some CREEPY pictures of real life ghost encounters he’s had as a member of Ghost Hunters: International. He’s been all over the WORLD searching for the truth behind paranormal encounters.

Cuddle Time!

There was a WICKED cool Delorean on premise

Back to the future

As well as a cool copy of “Christine” and a sweet Jurassic park jeep.

I had a TOTAL childhood flashback with Phil Moore from Nickelodeon (No, he is NOT the guy from Reading Rainbow hahaha He hears this all the time, he told me.)
Nick Arcade

a SUPER nice, wacky, zany, loud fella who was a HUGE Space Ghost fan.

and OF COURSE, as always, I had TONS of fun w/ my buddy George Lowe, the ghost with the most!

CON LIFE!!!!!!

My pal, George Lowe, on the job!

My pal, George Lowe, on the job!

HH

#UselessTriviaOfTheDay or “JAPANESE/ BRITISH SUPER GROUP TO THE RESCUE”

So, once, while I was tracking the “Chinese Democracy” of E.P.s ( Guns and Roses ain’t the only guys who take 15 years to make a record apparently!) I was called and asked to move my already booked and paid for recording time.

and WHY, after my session had been set for quite a while, was I being called and asked last minute for a favor?

WELL, because a Japanese/ British “Super group” had come to town to record and they needed the place! STAT!

and, being the doll I am, I of course obliged.

They’re actually pretty good! The bands called “Muddy Apes” and this is my new claim to fame

hahaha

Alls well that ends well,

Someplace’s own,
HH

this blog entry shall be titled “50x Platinum”

As EVERY good story begins, “So I played this gig, right…”

Well, I played this gig a week or so back, with these real deal songwriters.

It was put on by a professor at Full Sail University down here in Orlando. A songwriter in the round type gig where you tell stories, talk about your songs and then take turns playing them. an “Austin City Limits” type thing and HOLY SMACKERS was I nervous. There were only 3 of us on stage. A lady, with about 30 years of songwriting and performing experience, and guy, with about 30 years of songwriting, producing, and performing experience, AND myself. With my fat 5 years of learning to play the guitar….

“One of these things is not like the other”

So the guy, he’s kind of a big shot, seeing as he was Justin Timberlakes producer. You know all those hits for N’sync and The Backstreet Boys?

Me and Veit Renn

Me and Veit Renn

Yeah, he wrote AND produced them. Plus a ton for other famous performers as well. He’s 50x Platinum as a songwriter/ producer. (mailbox money millionaire, as we call them) and YOU COULD TELL. This guy was on some NEXT LEVEL SHIT. and MAN, O , MAN, was it incredible to be up there watching him do his thing. Crazy good with his guitar (he was a damn PIANO PLAYER 0_0, to make it worse) Voice all trained up and on key, and songs that were OUT OF THIS WORLD.

I told all my friends, “It’s sort of like getting in the ring w/ Muhammad Ali. You know how the fights gonna turn out, you just gotta do your best not to embarrass yourself.”

Now, Mind you, I HAD practiced. A TON. but I knew what was coming, and it did not disappoint. Both he, and the lady were ON POINT, so I just did all I could to hold my own. There was NOOOOO winning that fight. That’s for DAMN SURE!

It sure doesn't look like much, but this little pad was host to some next level shit!

It sure doesn’t look like much, but this little pad was host to some next level shit!

But, I tell you what. It was an incredible experience, and I’m glad I had the sack to get up there and do it!

MUCH was learned, and I even went out and bought a new guitar afterwards to try and keep up! (My poor old Guild couldn’t hang 😦

The only way to get better, is to continue having to up your game. and I was up there with the best!

Special thanks to my good friend/ producer/ engineer/ music guru Joe for getting me the gig and for coming out to make sure it went well!

and to David Lareau and the Copperpots for the T-shirt, and for kicking ass!

and to YOU, for taking the time to read this crap, and for caring enough to do so!

Keep at the dream! Never give up! Never surrender! πŸ™‚

Someplace’s own,

HH