The Weblog of Daniel Tashian

Well we returned from a fun L.A. trip. I was glad to get home but L. was more into the L.A. weather and sunshine. We came home to snow and rain. While we were out there, I worked with Mike Daly. Also, we went to a fantastic wedding of L’s friend Lauren and her (now husband) Adam. The wedding was at the LA county museum and it was the swankiest wedding I’ve ever been to. Jewel played, and there was a staff of about 150 (to tend to about 200 guests) The staff was so attentive that I kept getting my drinks taken away when they were not empty! I got my hair cut in the barbershop at The Standard about an hour before the wedding and they cut it too short and Lillie got mad and I put my hat on and went to the wedding in a hat which was ridiculous and I was the only one in a hat, but after a couple drinks I didn’t care anymore. I was also the only one not in a tux, but the bride said she liked my outfit the best! “I was going to send you one!” said Abby’s husband Sunny.  ”A Tux?” I asked…”Yes!” He said. “I was going to send you one!” It would be funny to get a tux in the mail, but I guess it happens all the time.  Then I got an encouraging email from the novelist Kirk Farber and it made my day. He’s written a novel partly inspired by old Bees song (from Starrey Gazey Pie) called “Postcards From A Dead Girl” – and it looks like it could be very good. Anyway it was a mood lifter because L and I have both been kind of sickie and cranky. Home and picked up Posh, who needs a bath, and now I have to set about fixing 2 things: Our mailbox, which was run over by a neighbor (?) presumably in the postgame excitement of the Superbowl, and my Memory Man (which American Airlines crushed) -I watched that video about the guy who gets his guitar smashed by United, but I don’t know. I called them and they said I needed to go make a claim at the “airport where I discovered it was broken”, which was in Switzerland, and so I think they know, the chances are slim of you going to back to Europe to make a claim about something, so you become, as they say, deterred. Bastards.

Well, yesterday I wrote with Nikola Bedingfield and Shane Stevens. We wrote a pop song called “World Gone Crazy” and we had fun, but we were writing in the hotel and L. was really under the weather. She went to the bookstore on Sunset then came back and read. Then I asked this guy in the elevator who he was shooting (he had makeup bags) and he said (unbelievably!) “Tiger Woods for Ent. Weekly! Rm. 3XX!) So I guess the Tiger was down the hall from us doing a photo shoot. We went to Katsuya and that was good, although it’s one of those Japanese restaurants that insists on playing techno while you eat. Oh yes, the most exciting part of the day was that I got to go perform at Paramount Pictures for the music dept. staff.  I drove down to the studios and they had this little stage and I played 3 or 4 songs. I was kind of nervous. But everybody was really nice and I think I did alright. This really nice girl Robyn is a fan of the SIlver Seas so that’s how I got in. Then they get you to sign this wall and I signed next to Colbie Callait. Good old Colbie. After dinner we watched one episode of season 3 of MAD MEN and I fell asleep toward the end.

Well LA is nice. I’ve been here for a couple days now. Went to Burbank yesterday and worked with Mike Daly. He’s an interesting guy and we started a kind of glam-ish song. Worked with Jesse James yesterday and she was very nice. I liked her. And Shane Stevens. As usual, he’s on fire with all kinds of ideas and his voice is great. I felt underwater because I still don’t think i’ve kicked whatever has been afflicting my nose and I forgot to take my allergy pill yesterday. In the evenings we’ve been going to Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant at the London. I had the burger last night and it was good but I felt guilty for being such a glutton and I got a stomach ache. We had a Mad Men marathon, and watched the last 4 episodes of season 2. Today I have lunch with Casey at BMI and I hope we go somewhere good. Oh and Mike Daly has figured out the music industry: He says the internet service providers need to charge each customer a “media” fee for all movies and music ($2 per person a month is what he says it would take to compensate the songwriters and artists.) and that’s it! Done. He says he has the world’s fastest metabolism and he drinks tea all day like me. But sometimes he puts protein in his tea (!)

Well we came over to Zurich to play a show with my friend Holly Williams. It was a pretty nice flight. I had “Skybed” and got a whole row to myself. Me and the bass player, Chris Boyle. We got in and took a cab to the hotel and it was snowy. I forgot that people smoke all the time inside in Europe. My nose is sort of….annoyed.  Hotel fine, nice but small. European breakfast…bread, cheese, tea, etc…nutella…Then short nap and over to the venue where I was bad and ate veal. I had a Jack Daniel which was 20 Fr. The first set we played was quite good. The dance floor was filled for the whole set. Then the second set Holly put in some slow songs and the dancers took a break. My pedals worked except my Memory Man died on the way over, which kind of sucks because I rely on it a lot. It’s like my reverb. Back to the hotel at 2am and it was a blizzard! Beautiful snowy wonderland. There was talk of trying to find the heart of Zurich on a Friday night but I went to the room instead and read the intro to David Byrne’s “The Bicycle Diaries” – he’s an excellent writer. Took an Ambien and went night night.

Well I guess I have a cold. I couldn’t go to sleep last night because I was rolling around. I kept thinking about the Grateful Dead and how much I used to love to listen to the bootlegs. 12/31/78. Wharf Rat, I Know You Rider. So exciting the transitions between songs. I guess I used to lie in bed at night in high school and listen to those to fall asleep. Then I thought wouldn’t it be cool like Grimey said to start a band and the only recordings you have are live ones people trade on the internet. You’d have to play every night for a couple years but then there would be tons! But you would have no “studio” records. But have really good songs, but the only way to hear them is to trade some bootlegs. Then last night I watched that show “Intervention” about alcoholics and drug addicts. I like watching it for some reason. Anatomies of lives unravelled. L. thinks it is depressing, but I don’t know. I guess it is. I don’t find it depressing for some reason. Then we watched “Hoarders” about people who hoard stuff and can’t get rid of it, and i’m fascinated by that show. I’m fascinated by the process of personification, where people infuse objects with meaning. Went to the Toybox to do the Vinyl only record. Mixing to 2 track tape! It’s nice to think you can make a record and never have the sound inside a computer. It sounds nice and dark. Talked to Angelo yesterday and he is in LA. His record he produced on the Kings of Leon is up for the record of the year Grammy. He said he didn’t have a speech ready. My brother called yesterday and said I should put a Silver Seas song up on “The Sixty One“.

Well it seems like I have a bit of a sucky feeling in my throat today. Could just be allergies I suppose. Anyway I read in the times this AM that apple is putting out their tablet on Wednesday. I don’t need one but it would be interesting to see. Last night we went to Jay and Leann’s and had Chilli and then watched the Saints win and that was kind of exciting for them. They’ve never been to a superbowl before. Then L. and I watched “district 9″ and at first I hated it, and we almost didn’t finish it, then it got good. Although I wanted a different ending but I think they left it open for a sequel. I hope I don’t get a cold because I have to travel on Thursday.

Well the Silver Seas were in the studio at Lij’s Toybox the last few days. We were recording an “acoustic” version of Chateau Revenge that will be released on Vinyl only. Man. In some ways I think it’s better than the other one. Gosh I don’t know. Sometimes I like things because they are new. Been working on some country songs too. One with Kate York, one with Nathan Barlowe, Tami Hinesh, who else? Mindy Smith. I think today we will go over to Germantown to get Coffee and Croissants for breakfast, after we walk the pup. I wonder if there’s any Football on today. I would really like to go on tour with the S.S. We just have to figure out how we can make it make sense financially, i.e. afford it. SO. Been reading these funny articles about John Mayer, I like him. He’s kind of a philosopher in a way. Cocky. Not self-effacing, but at least funny. But sometimes when I’m reading Rolling Stone (which L. got me) I get kind of jealous how they always write about the same people every month (Lady Gaga, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Kings of Leon, Spoon, Owl City, Ke$ha, Lil Wayne, MGMT, I don’t know. It just seems like they always write about them. They all get articles every month and I’ve never been in there ONCE. I don’t know. I know jealousy is unbecoming. It’s just that every time Lady Gaga gets an ice cream it’s in there. I do think she’s kind of fabulous though. I love the avant garde-ness of it, I guess, you know, it’s sort of like the Studio 54 days of  ’be as “freaky” as possible and you will be a star.’ I heard Fleet Foxes on the radio the other day. Very excellent. Also The Grizzly Bears. L. plays them all the time. I like them. Well I’ve been sort of winding each evening down with a couple of cocktails and it probably wouldn’t hurt to take a break. I dreamed I was listening to records with Jay Joyce last night. Bee Gees. Mad Men, why is Don Draper so fascinating to watch? Why do I hate Pete Campbell? Also Peggy kind of annoys me too. I think one of the major strengths of Mad Men is that the characters are so like real-life: multi dimensional and complex. Hard to understand. Well here’s the Mindy Smith demo.