The Weblog of Daniel Tashian

Friday October 3 2008

admin — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:48:50 +0000

Well Guilty Pleasures, the 80’s cover band of which I am a founding member, performed at the Taste of Nashville. The show was at The Cannery, and I was remembering playing a show there in high school. Let’s see, so I would have been 16 at that point, now I’m 34, so that makes almost 20 years now that i’ve been playing at the Cannery. I guess that’s a good thing, although i’m not sure. L. came and we tasted a lot of stuff. All the restaurants set up tables and you can try stuff, then Guilty played from 9pm to 1am, which is a long time. I drank whisky and told Randy Flowers about my bike paintings, which I haven’t worked on since my grandfather died. I would love to get back to them, but they have to wait until the record is done. I remember going to a party at Kurt Wagoner of Lambchop’s house years ago, and there were all these lovely paintings on the wall, and I said “Kurt, did you do these?” and he said. “Yup.”, and they really were beautiful and I suggested that he paint some more. “Nah.” he said. At the time I thought he was grouchy, but now I realize that he probably wanted to make the best records he could, and to do that, I don’t think you can really be fucking around with a bunch of paintings. Or let me put it this way, if you try to do too many things at once, something will suffer. Lately I feel like I barely have enough time to just get through the daily chores, let alone make up new songs. But starting tomorrow, I am going to get some things finished. Started a promising new idea on the guitar: “It’s Always Raining”, which is so far from the truth for the moment, but I like the sound of it. Photography: now there’s a hobby you can sort of do alongside other things. Lot’s of drunk Belle Meade guys and gals at the gig. I feel like an outsider when i’m around these people. Polo shirts and Gucci loafers and whatnot. I feel like a black man. But there you go. John Bruton was very affectionate and buzzed at the end of the night. I think it’s important to be an outsider. If you fit in with everyone, what’s the point? All people in the world who I feel are worth a damn in any artistic endeavor or personally are, or have, at one time, been outsiders. If you’re an insider, you will sooner or later be on the outside of something. That’s why i’d rather be an outsider.

Wednesday October 1 2008

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:22:34 +0000

Got the travel itinerary for Tulsa, and we have to get up super early. We also need to perform a cover song during our showcase. I thought “Tears of a Clown” would be a really cool one. But D. seemed to disagree: “One of our bands is doing ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, so you know, maybe something with some irony to it…” But how is that ironic? That just seems stupid to me. I mean, I guess it’s sort of cool that Ben Folds covers “Bitches Ain’t Shit”, but now everybody seems to copy him and all these suburban white kids want to cover west coast rap. I would rather hear Ben Folds play any number of his lovely melodic songs. They have lots of groove and what not. But he has to keep things interesting for himself I suppose. Keep people from knowing what to expect. Except now they probably expect him to do that. A Pretenders song would be a good cover. Maybe “Mystery Achievement” or something. The Kings of Leon have toured on the coolest tours: U2, Bob Dylan, Pretenders, Radiohead. That’s amazing. I listened to a bit of their new album and it sounds good. I like “Knocked Up” a lot, from the last one.

Worked on lyrics all morning, then rode the bike to the bike shop and bought 2 lights, front and back. Found a Gerber folding tool in the street. Excited, because it’s an updated version of the one I lost, but I felt guilty so I called the shop and asked if anyone called and said they’d lost one, but nobody did, so I kept it. Worked more, and made soup for J. then rode to H. Village and met L. for pizza. It was okay. To her place, and read a magazine, watched some Conan O’Brien and C.I.A.N.

Blue Posh (Canon / Photoshop )

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:25:00 +0000

Tuesday September 30 2008

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:15:59 +0000

Well it seems to want to get colder, although everything has that sort of parched feeling, like a western town, like Austin maybe. To B. for breakfast, then I went home and continued moving the studio. Emptying drawers, coiling wires, putting everything into plastic bins from Target. Moving is somewhat encouraging and depressing at the same time. I have no idea what it will feel like living in my grandfather’s house, but it will be an adventure. I know the floors need to be re-done, and maybe the windows. D.G. is maybe going to come by and give me his opinion on the floors. Several trips in the car with boxes, bins, etc. and I finally couldn’t take it anymore, so I went to the barbershop on the bike. Flicking an idiot woman off who pulled out in front of me, her face a blank, guiltless expression. In the shop, I realize I have my “Obama” shirt on, and I’m not certain, but I think all those old guys are conservatives. They always have Fox news on in there. Nobody says anything about my shirt and i’m glad, cause I don’t want to have a political discussion. I feel very skeptical of my own ability to change someone’s mind about how they will vote. People usually need to make up thier own minds, I think, and if you seem to want to change someone’s mind, they usually just become more rigid. So then I had a craving for sushi, and I told myself this would be the last splurge, and it was grocery and rice and beans for the remainder of the year, so L. and I went to Shintomi, and it was delicious. I did something i’ve never done before, which was just let the sushi chef make me something. Fantastic. L. and I went to her place, then I was feeling restless and wanted to listen to some idea tapes, so back home, and I read some Robertson Davies and that was that.

Idea for Tattoo:

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:09:57 +0000

Sunday September 28 2008

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:06:56 +0000

Well, now I guess Keith Richards is really my hero. I mean he seems like a gracious guy, quite kind and generous. I don’t mean about how much of an alcoholic or partier he supposedly is, but just the greatness of his spirit, energy, soul, and sense of humor. He’s like an aging lion. I want to watch that Stones movie “Shine a Light” the Scorcese thing. This is what my grandfather left me when he died:

So, onward and upward as Beston always says. So hung-over all day, broke down and actually went to McDonalds, horror of horrors. I had 2 hamburgers and a Coke and a small fries. It was good. The last time I went, I think, was about December last year. I was drinking these orange martinis at PM, and they were tasty, but full of sugar, and a bad idea. From now on, no more liquor. Just, you know, maybe beer and wine. To dinner at Jay and Leann’s, and they had a nice time in Portland. Some promising new songs developing. One is called “My Sparrow” which sounds a lot like “My Arrow” by Neilson, but, you know, what can you do? Also another one called “I’d Rather be Anywhere” (which seems to acurately sum up my ADD personality) Also, still working on “The Coast”, and i’ve been doing some simplification techniques, pretending i’m in 7th grade and trying to learn to play the song. Sort of editing it a bit. Country co-writes this week, Natalie, and we came up with a good idea: “After Dark” and Karen Rochelle : “This Restless Night” and I guess my country songs are flavored with night stuff. Saw Mindy Smith at Tap Room, and Ben Folds at Frothy Monkey. I like that place. It’s always laid-back in there, nobody bothers you. But lately I’ve been trying this new strategy of talking to people who work in various businesses and asking them questions:

The WIne store:

Me: “Which sells better, white or red?”

Guy: “Pretty much neck and neck”

Me: “Who buys more white, men or women?”

Guy: “Women buy more white.”

etc…

Pictures and Sound at 3rd and Lindsley (Canon)

admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:19:05 +0000

Sunday September 21 2008

admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:17:21 +0000

Well we finally went on a bike ride at Shelby Bottoms. It was lovely. I was having fun ringing my little bicycle bell at everyone we passed, and, in general, being annoying. We rode to the wave pool and back. Heh heh. I remember going to the wave pool as a kid. Almost drowning in the deep end. To El Mariachi for mexican food and Titans with Mike and Mindy, and Kat showed up. Home and took a giant sized Sunday nap, which I woke from feeling fat and groggy. To the dog park, then home and had salads with arugula and toasted walnuts, and we watched the Emmys. Ricky Gervais was funny. You could sort of see him trying to ingratiate himself to Hollywood. All of Hollywood so obviously democrat, and I love this. Laura Linney was elegant and Tommy Smothers was cryptic and interesting. Steve Martin was funny too. Then we went to 3rd and Lindsley and Luke Reynolds new band “Pictures and Sound“. They were very good, and they were working with some nice textures. I thought that a bigger crowd should have been there. But then again I always think that. Oh, and I forgot: what is up with this guy Josh Groban? It’s was so weird watching him sing the theme to all those old sitcoms. I didn’t know what to think so I guess that’s good. L. and I drove by my grandfather’s house and examined the shed a bit. It was dark, but light enough that I could see a master plan forming in my mind: build a studio in my grandfather’s shed.

Fort Negley

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:46:19 +0000

Thursday September 18 2008

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:43:56 +0000

Well it was kind of an interesting day because nobody has any gas for sale. The Honda is empty so I guess it’s gonna be the bike for a bit. It’s kind of exciting. It feels like the seventies. Or how I think it must have been. Walked to the park with V. and she told me about her life in Venezuela. Then I made tea and worked at the piano for a couple hours. Took a short nap, then L. and I to the pool. Got halfway through my laps and my arm started hurting again so I quit. Maybe it’s time to take up jogging. I must get some shoes. Maybe I will just get some more New Balance. Home and made chicken soup for B & H and they got home about 4. Packed up and moved back home, then picked up L. and we went to The Boundry for restaurant week. Feeling fat and sluggish. Having fun with the new camera, though, and especially the black and white stuff. I want to get photoshop. Have to see how exp. it is. My arm was hurting so I took 2 Aleve and it felt better. Hard to sleep, dogs restless. Watched Leno, and Dane Cook was on, and he is funny, but he seemed nervous for some reason. Dogs kept switching beds and fussing all night, wouldn’t get settled.