The Weblog of Daniel Tashian

Well we went to the Taproom last night with Jay and Leann and L and I. We saw Pete Finney. Then we watched American Idol and this Urban kid sang Leonard Cohen (the Jeff Buckley version) and did quite a good job. Everybody freaked out for “Big Mike” who sang a Maxwell song I didn’t know. Kara was crying and Simon said it was the best of the night. I would be afraid what Simon would say about me. I would have to pick like some really strong song….Like “My Way” or something like that. What else could you do? Something by Queen. I am too old to be on there. They’d be like: “Somebody’s uncle has stolen the microphone!” I was trying to think of what song to do this morning. How about “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver. No! I know! Take Me Home Country Roads!! Like an amazing version of that song! Simon would be like: “I know you didn’t.” The other thing is that that they stop the song after one verse and a chorus. What about “Girl From The North Country Fair” – that wouldn’t work at all. I’d like to see it. Or “Gentle On My Mind” – that would be great. But Leonard Cohen was a step in an interesting direction and it took somebody like Jeff Buckley to popularize that song so that young kids from Ohio can hear it. Personally I think of Buckley as more of an R and B type singer. He can lay it on quite thick on the ballads but he really knocks it out of the park on “Everybody Here Wants You” – it’s like Prince or something. Oh! What about the Prince catalog? Bob Dylan’s “Serve Somebody” might be interesting on idol. I love thinking of these impossible songs being on there.

Well I really want to do this thing every day. It’s just between walking the dogs and doing the morning pages and whatnot sometimes it gets put on the side burner. But I think about it all the time. Let’s see. Played the other night for Vine Street’s Loaves and Fishes charity. It was a nice evening. I embarrassed L. numerous times with my “between song banter”. Melissa Mathes and Bill Demain shared the stage with me. I typically don’t really like performing acoustically, but this was no exception. Okay. Oscars. Awesome. I love the way Jeff Bridges says “Man!” it’s so 60’s! He’s a major cat. So cool to see him rewarded for a lifetime of brilliant performances. Jealous of Ryan Bingham. How old is he?  -3 chord cowboy song + T. Bone + Jeff Bridges = Oscar! Wow. Jeremy Renner and Precious (actors) didn’t win but the films did. I liked The Hurt Locker a lot and I felt there was a certain overall justice to this Oscars. Man. To win one of those. Wow. Can you imagine? It’s like a gold medal for creativity, only better! No one could ever dispute your genius if you won an Oscar. Any time there was a debate , you could just pull it out of the closet and say: “Well, then there’s this. ” I don’t know. I feel that they should have given it to Aimee Mann. I can see how that wasn’t fair. (I mean for Magnolia soundtrack back in the day) – So. Andy Davis comes over today. He said it’s his grandpa’s birthday so he wants to write a good song.

Well we’ve been watching the movies that are Oscar nominees leading up….Last night we watched “The Hurt Locker”- I don’t think i’ve ever seen acting like that.  That Jeremy Renner guy is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I was glad that L. Nextflixed it because it escaped my notice for some reason. Anyway, that was amazing and Kathryn Bigelow deserves an Oscar for best director. I heard that Martin Scorcese thinks so, too. So, once again I remember that I am a student of film. Film teaches me. Then we watched “Inglorious Basterds” and that was just as impressive, but in a different way. “How can they even give Oscars?” L. said. “It’s like : “The next Oscar is for best fruit! It goes to….Bananas!” And it’s true, films are so different. It’s tough that they have to be in the same categories with each other. Maybe in the future, the Oscars will be recognition of brilliant performance, as opposed to a competition. But what would the arts be with no competition? Pet Sounds was trying to beat Sgt. Pepper. Well Tami Hinesh came by yesterday and we wrote a Country song: “A Thing Like Falling” – and i’ve actually started having fun doing these songs, which I suppose, is essential. I mean, if I don’t kind of like listening to them, why the hell would anyone else? So I don’t write for markets.  I write for my friends. I heard Eric Church on the radio and the unmistakable sound of Jay Joyce on the guitar and drum machine and I have to hand it to him. He’s got a sound and I think it’s great. I think it’s fantastic when you can recognize someone’s guitar playing. I mean, of all the people in the world that play the guitar, there’s basically Marc Ribot, Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, That guy from ZZ Top and Jay Joyce. Oh and Daniel Lanois. I’m sure i’ve forgotten tons but heck. The list can be revised. I’m talking about unmistakable guitar playing and sound. JJ Cale. Yeah, he’s one. Then I was thinking about singers and how, when David Bowie comes on in Inglorious Basterds and he sings “For so long, I’ve been putting out fires with gasoline!”  You just realize he’s saying he’s been fighting all his life and he’s just that way. It really moved me. I don’t know. You can’t be intimidated by these geniuses, easy as it may be sometimes, you still have to put on your boots. Reminds me I want to give the latest U2 another listen because I’m sure I missed something. Oh yeah: Angus.The Edge, Jimmy Page.

Well I’ve been working a lot. I went to the doc in a box because my ear still wasn’t working right, and they said I needed some “z-pak”. But the other thing she said was that I have high blood pressure, and I think I know why: I like salt. I have a salt-tooth. Anyway, L. got me some blood-pressure tea and I’ve been drinking it and not putting salt on anything. Yippee. So what else? Well. Let’s see. I did some vocals for Space Capone the other night, and I’ve been doing a bit of writing with Nikki Williams. She was supposed to come over today but I was here, and I never saw her. Silver Seas album hit a small snag at the printer’s, but I think we should be moving along soon….It’s warming up slowly here. Very first days of early spring. Today was the first day you didn’t have to wear a jacket, but it’s supposed to rain and maybe snow this weekend. My bike togs are draped over my bike, and the tires are flat, but one of these days i’m going to pump it up and take it to the streets. I love biking and I have a guitar at the office now, so I can just throw my computer in a backpack and …. I like the idea of riding for fun and errands, as opposed to exercise, but that would be a side effect. “Roid rage.”- ha ha. I got steroids for my ear and I was afraid to take them because I thought they would make me fall asleep and guess what: nope. They wake you up. Duh. I should have thought of that. But when I stop taking them, will I get “Roid Rage?” – Signed up to start a solo e.p. in March with John Deaderick. Looking forward to that. I have to get 5 songs together for it. Combing through the computer today there’s lots of ideas. Well Carla (my publisher) had a birthday party the other night at “Decades” and it was fun. I got a bit tipsy and did a “pole dance” which was hilarious. It hurt my hand. Read some articles about the Olympics and the net result is: They sew chaos, discord and dis-harmony between nations. It’s proven. But they sure are fun to watch. I also loved this article about morality and dogs. L and I finished Mad Men which was great and then lately we’ve been watching “Couples Retreat” which has some pretty funny scenes. Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of our engagement.