Yesterday I got a call from a friend in PA about a press conference on ESPN. Thanks to ESPN Radio on the internet, I was able to hear the press conference by Emmitt Smith and Jerry Jones. What a sad day it was!
The next issue is coming together great. We're so stoked with another great cover design and we're packing this one with a ton of stories.
Thanks to our handy shopping carts, we're getting lots of subscriptions in every day. This year we're planning on doing some massive direct mailings and getting our street teams in place and at work. Let us know if you're interested.
Today my daughter Kaela asked me to take her new spiral journal in to the office; so I had two of my co-workers write her messages. Lonny told her to look both ways before crossing the street and to brush her teeth twice a day. David told her this: "One time I met Johnny Carson. I bet you'd love Mr. Carson. He's nice and makes people smile. He's kind of like SpongeBob Squarepants, but old."
We work in a crazy environment.
It's amazing what a little sleet and ice will do to a southern town. All the schools and universities are closed today. Good thing I saw my folks drive around in the snow while growing up a few years in Virginia. Today is the day to own a tow truck in this city! I'm listening to some gangsta rap while selling ads. I hope the influence doesn't rub off! grin. I can imagine threatening our clients. Not a good idea. We just got an amazing story lead today on a future exclusive interview. I won't spill the news just yet, but it's major. David Allen once again did a great job designing our next cover (May/June). I rented Insomnia last night and now I'm wanting to watch One Hour Photo, which I'm reviewing for the next issue, so I can get a double dose of Robin Williams doing dark roles. Still enjoying the new Iona boxset and Stretch Arm Strong's last album... Can't wait to hear their new one. Later.
A band that has always defied categorization and refused to let its music be put in a box has now done just that -- but of course on its own terms and in the form of a bookset called The River Flows, Anthology, Volume 1. It has the band's first three studio albums on it, an outtakes and new songs disc, and a beautiful book with recording insight, breathtaking photos, and a well-written history of the band. I'll stop ranting about how wonderful this release is now and let Jamie Lee Rake review it for us in the May/June issue.
For those keeping track, now it's a donkey corpse and it hasn't been moved yet...
Oh, one more thing -- I always put together a private "year-end best-of" cd. I haven't done one yet for 2002. What songs should be on it? (a double-disc is not out of the question)
It's raining here in Central Texas -- Hard Rain. Lots of it and it's not letting up. Wondering if we'll be stranded here at the office. Anyway, on my way in today I noticed a pickup going slow and looking out the window. When I got closer I saw it -- one of our neighboring farmer's beloved donkeys was laying down dead in a field next to a ditch. (for the death metallers among us, I will share that the water was rising and into his nostrils) I turned around, drove up the long driveway to the farmer's house. I noticed how loud my stereo can be with the windows and doors shut. There was a rather large rooster on their front porch! Anyway, I woke the older couple up and had the unenviable task of telling them that their poor donkey was dead. He had heard shots last night. I hope no one shot the poor Shrek star. If that's the case, I hope they catch those girls! Anyway, this was seriously a very sad way to start the day. On the way back to the office, after speaking to the farmers, I noticed the water was almost covering the donkey's head. It's rising...
We've all had hardships and unexpected things happen. When I read Bruce Fitzhugh's announcement that he was leaving Living Sacrifice and that Lance would continue without him, well...I was sad. Change is a squirrelly thing that sometimes bothers people. I'm that way a lot. Anyway, out of the personnel changes that happened with Living Sacrifice comes the flexibility (I assume) for Jason Truby, who's been there since that great self-titled debut, to now join P.O.D. This could mean great HEAVY things for Payable on Death. Sure, it's an unexpected turn (a "glitch in the matrix"), but the results could very well be awesome! And don't forget -- Marcos' new band could be amazing (we hear it is).
Some cool new news to report:
Curtis Shamlin, the original singer of GRYP, has a new hard rock project.
The band's name is "UNSIFTED." The members of the band, Curtis, Mark, Jeff, and Sam are working on some new material for a 5 song demo due out May 2003.
The website www.unsifted.com will be up in a few days.
Okay, now check out this crazy news -- at this next site, you can actually MIX YOUR OWN BOB DYLAN CD
The Bob Dylan Custom Mix CD site is now LIVE and ready for you to
customize your own Dylan CD. You choose your favorite songs from over 50 Dylan tracks, including his biggest hits, live recordings and
hard-to-find rarities. Then customize your own CD cover from a selection
of full-color CD artwork. [Yeah, I'm sure it costs $$, but it's a cool concept, eh?]
Visit http://www.custommixcd.com/dylan/ to order yours today. Your own
personal Dylan Custom Mix CD can include up to 12 tracks or 78 minutes
of your favorite Dylan music!
There's absolutely nothing to download. Simply go to
http://www.custommixcd.com/dylan/ to make your selections, choose the
cover art, and we'll send you your custom CD in the mail. Want to listen
before you order? No problem! You'll have a chance to sample each track
on the Custom Mix CD web site! before you make your selections.
Create your Custom Mix CD today at:
http://www.custommixcd.com/dylan/
Visit Bob Dylan online:
http://www.bobdylan.com/
Take it easy! [And yeah, go ahead and download that pdf version of the Jan/Feb issue #99]
And one more thing: I just found out today that our printer did not mail our new issue (#100) out yet. It should be hitting the mail stream sometime tomorrow.
Ahhh. Nothing like a great cup of coffee...and a brand new website. A big huge shout out goes to David Allen, who masterminded and crafted this whole thing! (thank you, David!) Some great ideas are seeing fruit here, like being able to post comments on most of our content. And adding content is a cinch! Anberlin is coming to Austin Thursday night. Lord willing, some of us here will catch their set.