Dear Blog Readers -
Well, to be honest, writing a Road Trip blog got a whole lot less interesting once the Road Trip concluded. That's ok, now I live in LA where 'shit happens' and now I'll take this blog in a different direction. What direction, North? Hell no, not North. Up!
I've established Halfway Rock Studio West, complete with new monitor speakers (it's much easier to mix and master in speakers as opposed to headphones - in fact, one should never do either with headphones, yet I had been, for years). I'm about to release an EP if not multiple EP's. This blog is now the story of getting these EP's out to the masses.
I have under my belt 3 full length albums: Halfway Rock (2006), The Devil is defeated (2008), and Open Road (2009). I'm proud of the oeuvre to date. I think the forthcoming 3-4 EP's will be the make or break - they're going to be distinct in sound from each other, with perhaps my 'best' songs on them. So, with the help of you my friends and fans, and with new music, let's see if we can't get these tunes to a wider audience.
I invite anyone with promotional ideas (new, innovative, interesting, silly, serious, fun, anti-fun) to suggest them to me (email me at adam at adamkurtzmusic.com).
I'll keep anyone interested updated on the process.
Goal for today: finish mastering the first EP called Wrought Iron EP.
The Human Party
We didn't quite know what to expect, but judging by the buzz on facebook, the human party was not to be missed. So missed it we did not.
The directions were google maps that had been drawn on, with arrows and notes like "go around the gate." We park the car up in the hills near-ish to the Hollywood Sign and Lake Hollywood, in a neighborhood otherwise not accustomed to young ruffians like ourselves. The hill in front of us looks more like a mountain and we wonder, are we really going to climb this beast? We had been told it was about a half hour hike in, but usually that means 10 or 15 minutes.
Oh no, it was a half hour. For thirty minutes we trudge up a nearly vertical path of loose rocks and dirt, imminent death to our right the entire time. A few times we pass folks on their way down, one of whom says "oh you still have a long way to go" and the other says "if you guys are hiking down at night, i'm worried for you and your skulls." That was uplifting.
But despite profuse perspiration and questioning our life decisions, we summit, and there is a gathering of about 50-75 people with drinks, food, instruments and couches. Who the hell brought couches up, we were known to wonder aloud. But this was a killer party, probably because every single person there was unified in having made the hike. You earned your attendance, and it rewarded you with being a gathering of great people with music performances and a breathtaking view of the sunset, and a zip line.
What? yes, there was a zip line that sent you out seemingly over the lights of north hollywood to a hill over yonder. The safety disclaimer was effectively "you're an adult, so don't be a dumb ass" and there was actually some organization and 'veterans' of the zip line who took turns suiting up us rookies. Luckily we had the presence of mind to sign up soon after we arrived, because we still had a near 2 hour wait. But it was worth the wait. Just to take the 10 second scoot over across at a near post-dusk time of night with orange lights shimmering under you.
For a little while I was rockin an acoustic bass with whomever was performing. The killer set was when some guy played classic hits like Smells Like Teen Spirit and Sweet Dreams are Made of These i think. Pretty hilarious. Also, a transcendent jam with mikey p on the kit (a snare and hi hat, and yes, someone brought that up the mountain!) and another dude on tamborine, and me still on the bass. We mesmerized over a damn funky mikey p beat!
The gathering was going strong until it was broken up by the cops. But this wasn't your standard cop break up, it was cop helicopter circling the hill shining its flood light on the hill and shouting threatening things over a megaphone. If you gotta have the cops come, make them come via helicopter. Then everyone single filed down the path, slipping and falling to certain death. I held my lantern i had brought specifically for the occasion high aloft, shining the path. The moon helped too, and we made it down safely. The camaraderie was contagious, and laughs aplenty, and the party epic.
Definitely a great I Love LA evening if there ever was one, and there ever are them.
The directions were google maps that had been drawn on, with arrows and notes like "go around the gate." We park the car up in the hills near-ish to the Hollywood Sign and Lake Hollywood, in a neighborhood otherwise not accustomed to young ruffians like ourselves. The hill in front of us looks more like a mountain and we wonder, are we really going to climb this beast? We had been told it was about a half hour hike in, but usually that means 10 or 15 minutes.
Oh no, it was a half hour. For thirty minutes we trudge up a nearly vertical path of loose rocks and dirt, imminent death to our right the entire time. A few times we pass folks on their way down, one of whom says "oh you still have a long way to go" and the other says "if you guys are hiking down at night, i'm worried for you and your skulls." That was uplifting.
But despite profuse perspiration and questioning our life decisions, we summit, and there is a gathering of about 50-75 people with drinks, food, instruments and couches. Who the hell brought couches up, we were known to wonder aloud. But this was a killer party, probably because every single person there was unified in having made the hike. You earned your attendance, and it rewarded you with being a gathering of great people with music performances and a breathtaking view of the sunset, and a zip line.
What? yes, there was a zip line that sent you out seemingly over the lights of north hollywood to a hill over yonder. The safety disclaimer was effectively "you're an adult, so don't be a dumb ass" and there was actually some organization and 'veterans' of the zip line who took turns suiting up us rookies. Luckily we had the presence of mind to sign up soon after we arrived, because we still had a near 2 hour wait. But it was worth the wait. Just to take the 10 second scoot over across at a near post-dusk time of night with orange lights shimmering under you.
For a little while I was rockin an acoustic bass with whomever was performing. The killer set was when some guy played classic hits like Smells Like Teen Spirit and Sweet Dreams are Made of These i think. Pretty hilarious. Also, a transcendent jam with mikey p on the kit (a snare and hi hat, and yes, someone brought that up the mountain!) and another dude on tamborine, and me still on the bass. We mesmerized over a damn funky mikey p beat!
The gathering was going strong until it was broken up by the cops. But this wasn't your standard cop break up, it was cop helicopter circling the hill shining its flood light on the hill and shouting threatening things over a megaphone. If you gotta have the cops come, make them come via helicopter. Then everyone single filed down the path, slipping and falling to certain death. I held my lantern i had brought specifically for the occasion high aloft, shining the path. The moon helped too, and we made it down safely. The camaraderie was contagious, and laughs aplenty, and the party epic.
Definitely a great I Love LA evening if there ever was one, and there ever are them.
15 minutes into April
Hard to believe it's already April. But it is. And it has been for 13 minutes already. And what have i accomplished in April so far? Hardly anything!
I've been in LA now for over a month, but i think in all fairness the clock should start now, now that I am in an actual apartment and it's the new month and because I say so. I'm sitting in my room in my apartment now, and things are spiffy. I just finished up a cover of Radiohead's "Bodysnatchers." Bodysnatchers is the song Mikey P tasked me to learn on guitar before my arrival (he was to learn Blackbird), and I learned it. Then I thought it only fitting to do a real cover of it as my first song in my new 'studio.' The studio is exactly the same as what I used to record Open Road (ProTools 8, a few mics, laptop, MBoxPro, etc), except for the critical addition of a MicroKorg. This MK doubles as a MIDI controller and sweet MF-ing synth. So my Bodysnatchers version is laden with MK noises. And I love it!
But enough about that. LA. In my pre-month I have accomplished a fair amount. I worked for a week on a real-live set, providing craft services to the cast and crew. I played my first LA gig, at the Viper Room acoustic lounge. Drew a large (relative) crowd, thanks to friends and friends of friends who came out and supported. Thanks, guys and gals! I found and moved into a sweet apartment in Koreatown.
When I left Maine, my self imposed task was to find the exact opposite of Portland - not because of any ill will or any such thing, but just because, that would truly be the next chapter. Something entirely different. Well - coming to LA pretty much provided that. But, you may say, yes, all well and good: location, opposite; climate, opposite; opportunities in the music and entertainment industry, opposite; ocean, opposite; palm trees vs pine trees, opposite; but language? not opposite, you are still in America. THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD SAY! But I trumped you, because I live in Koreatown, which for all intents and purposes is either Korea or some part of Mexico. Everyone is Korean or Hispanic, and speaks either Korean or Spanish. In this neighborhood, I am a minority. I walked around today and saw 2 other white people. I was looking for them, so i think the number is pretty accurate. I love it. I love the signs that are all in Korean; signs outside a restaurant that are all unfamiliar characters except a few numbers, like $9.99. So something inside costs $9.99, but damned if I know what it is. Maybe tomorrow I'll go in and find out! "Excuse me, it says $9.99 outside, just serve me that, and I will eat it."
So that's my hood. I love it. Sure, it's not as 'cool' as Silverlake or Echo Park, but I can drive my minivan over to those parts and hang with the cool kids whenever I want. I'm gonna stay here and learn Korean!
Other things I've learned about LA:
1) avoid left turns at all cost. Go around the block. I don't know, just make sure you don't have to take any left turns. One or two cars max go through the lights. It's brutal. And between 4-7pm you can't even take a left at some intersections. Best to just avoid the whole institution.
2) there's always something fun and free to do. ASSSCAT comedy night at UCB sundays. tapings of bands for talk shows (i saw Erykah Badu live yesterday for her taping of Jimmy Kimmel, thanks dilly dilly).
3) bands, at least the ones seeking members on craigslist, care about your appearance and having "the look" more than quality of music. my instinct is to chastise, but then again, look at what's popular; maybe they're on to something.
4) i now think it's cold when it's 53 degrees out. i almost shiver, even. what have i become?
5) if you need something, check the area 99c stores first. holy shit, there are so many 99c stores here, and I love them! things cost 99c!!!!
6) tap water is kinda gross. i'm a man who loves tap water. i even drank it in russia sometimes. but the tap water here is just funky. i may for the first time in my life become a guy who buys bottled water. but don't jump to judge yet, i haven't bitten that bullet yet. i do, however, feel rather dehydrated.
7) never drive to the sunset strip. terrible idea. meters are enforced until 2am and it's like $10 an hour at the meters, not quite, but might as well be.
8) you should always use your blinker, but it doesn't matter, people don't pay attention. i almost destroyed another car because it was a 2 lane road merging into a one lane, with cars parked in what would be the 2nd lane, i had my blinker on, merging left, the guy sped up on my left, but i had my blinker on, and i was like, i'm coming in, and he slammed on his brakes and his horn, and i gave him the look that said "hey, i had my blinker on, you knew i was coming in, so back the [expletive deleted] fuck up!"
9) everyone knows a cool thing that you don't about, and they cannot wait to tell you.
10) it would be really hard to be bored in LA. Being bored is almost a luxury. Almost like when it rains here. You get psyched. Today it was supposed to rain, and it didn't, at least not in Korea.
I've been in LA now for over a month, but i think in all fairness the clock should start now, now that I am in an actual apartment and it's the new month and because I say so. I'm sitting in my room in my apartment now, and things are spiffy. I just finished up a cover of Radiohead's "Bodysnatchers." Bodysnatchers is the song Mikey P tasked me to learn on guitar before my arrival (he was to learn Blackbird), and I learned it. Then I thought it only fitting to do a real cover of it as my first song in my new 'studio.' The studio is exactly the same as what I used to record Open Road (ProTools 8, a few mics, laptop, MBoxPro, etc), except for the critical addition of a MicroKorg. This MK doubles as a MIDI controller and sweet MF-ing synth. So my Bodysnatchers version is laden with MK noises. And I love it!
But enough about that. LA. In my pre-month I have accomplished a fair amount. I worked for a week on a real-live set, providing craft services to the cast and crew. I played my first LA gig, at the Viper Room acoustic lounge. Drew a large (relative) crowd, thanks to friends and friends of friends who came out and supported. Thanks, guys and gals! I found and moved into a sweet apartment in Koreatown.
When I left Maine, my self imposed task was to find the exact opposite of Portland - not because of any ill will or any such thing, but just because, that would truly be the next chapter. Something entirely different. Well - coming to LA pretty much provided that. But, you may say, yes, all well and good: location, opposite; climate, opposite; opportunities in the music and entertainment industry, opposite; ocean, opposite; palm trees vs pine trees, opposite; but language? not opposite, you are still in America. THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD SAY! But I trumped you, because I live in Koreatown, which for all intents and purposes is either Korea or some part of Mexico. Everyone is Korean or Hispanic, and speaks either Korean or Spanish. In this neighborhood, I am a minority. I walked around today and saw 2 other white people. I was looking for them, so i think the number is pretty accurate. I love it. I love the signs that are all in Korean; signs outside a restaurant that are all unfamiliar characters except a few numbers, like $9.99. So something inside costs $9.99, but damned if I know what it is. Maybe tomorrow I'll go in and find out! "Excuse me, it says $9.99 outside, just serve me that, and I will eat it."
So that's my hood. I love it. Sure, it's not as 'cool' as Silverlake or Echo Park, but I can drive my minivan over to those parts and hang with the cool kids whenever I want. I'm gonna stay here and learn Korean!
Other things I've learned about LA:
1) avoid left turns at all cost. Go around the block. I don't know, just make sure you don't have to take any left turns. One or two cars max go through the lights. It's brutal. And between 4-7pm you can't even take a left at some intersections. Best to just avoid the whole institution.
2) there's always something fun and free to do. ASSSCAT comedy night at UCB sundays. tapings of bands for talk shows (i saw Erykah Badu live yesterday for her taping of Jimmy Kimmel, thanks dilly dilly).
3) bands, at least the ones seeking members on craigslist, care about your appearance and having "the look" more than quality of music. my instinct is to chastise, but then again, look at what's popular; maybe they're on to something.
4) i now think it's cold when it's 53 degrees out. i almost shiver, even. what have i become?
5) if you need something, check the area 99c stores first. holy shit, there are so many 99c stores here, and I love them! things cost 99c!!!!
6) tap water is kinda gross. i'm a man who loves tap water. i even drank it in russia sometimes. but the tap water here is just funky. i may for the first time in my life become a guy who buys bottled water. but don't jump to judge yet, i haven't bitten that bullet yet. i do, however, feel rather dehydrated.
7) never drive to the sunset strip. terrible idea. meters are enforced until 2am and it's like $10 an hour at the meters, not quite, but might as well be.
8) you should always use your blinker, but it doesn't matter, people don't pay attention. i almost destroyed another car because it was a 2 lane road merging into a one lane, with cars parked in what would be the 2nd lane, i had my blinker on, merging left, the guy sped up on my left, but i had my blinker on, and i was like, i'm coming in, and he slammed on his brakes and his horn, and i gave him the look that said "hey, i had my blinker on, you knew i was coming in, so back the [expletive deleted] fuck up!"
9) everyone knows a cool thing that you don't about, and they cannot wait to tell you.
10) it would be really hard to be bored in LA. Being bored is almost a luxury. Almost like when it rains here. You get psyched. Today it was supposed to rain, and it didn't, at least not in Korea.
LA Debut: memorable, intimately epic, perfect
First, the set list of my virginal LA gig:
1. City Boy (2009 - Open Road)
2. Atmosphere (2008 - Devil is defeated)
3. An Offer I Can't Refuse (2006 - Halfway Rock)
4. Wasting Water (2009 - Throw Them in the Ocean - unreleased)
5. Sleep Walking (2009 - Open Road)
6. Zvezda (KINO)
7. Back On Your Feet (2009 - Throw Them in the Ocean - unreleased)
8. Burning Away (2008 - Devil is defeated)
9. Living It Up (2006 - Halfway Rock)
I had to narrow down my greatest hits from each album and that was tough. I know what you're thinking: who is this asshole who has never had even one hit talking about all the greatest hits? Well, it's me, and i'm just talking about my own personal favorite songs, so buzz off. Sure, there were songs I would have played had i more time: Slum Lord, Oxidation, Will You Won't You, The Funeral, Crossroads, Figure It Out, Survivor, Slo-Motion, Will of the Water, Illusion, I'm Comin' In, you know, songs like that, but I was limited to 40 minutes.
The Viper Room was everything it's cracked up to be. Small, intimate, red-glowing, noisy, expensive, impossible to park near. Granted, I'm talking about the acoustic lounge at the Viper Room, not where Skid Row or whoever made waves with their long hair and outrageous guitar solos 25 years back. But it's still the Viper Room, and it's still the Sunset Strip, and whatever was going on upstairs sure brought out the best of 'em. Certainly an interesting mixture or uber-hip dyed hair tight clothing tattooed party folk and the more down to earth lower key but still hip folks coming out to see me and the others on the bill.
There was a scare at first - the deal was my show was to be $10, but only $7 with this flyer you could print out. Well, turns out, the upstairs show was $15, so even though they stamped the upstairs people, and braceletted the downstairs people, they still insisted on charging $15 for the downstairs show. Bullshit!! I wouldn't even pay $15 to see me play! (not true: $10 for parking and $8 for my first drink, and i paid over that to hear me play). My scores of fans were arriving and not happy about the more than 100% admission hike. I even threw away the 10 'discount flyers' i'd printed out. No sooner had I done that than the booking dude said, actually, i worked it out so the flyers will work. Hooray! So i quickly fished the flyers out of the nearby trash can (something about a 5 minutes rule, right?) and my friends got in for $7. Except for Mike, who was the first to arrive, and with whom i've been crashing here in LA. He paid the $15 and they wouldn't give him a refund. I owe him. A lot. He gets to see me sprawled out on this own floor every morning for free, and then has to pay $15 to see me play out? Bon Iver played SPACE for $10 a few years ago!!
Well, I played for an audience of about 12-15 friends and 15 or so strangers. The KINO song was a big hit; my Russian scowl was in full force - i just can't help it, i'm sorry. I enjoyed playing Living It Up, an old classic, one of these songs I vividly remember writing (winter of 2005, in my first Portland apartment, sun coming in in the morning, sitting on the couch, struggling with the lyrics but eventually coming up with ones i like, with a progression through the day in the 4 verses: morning, afternoon, sunset, and mid-night, brilliant!). I also think Sleep Walking went over very well, people seemed to talk much less over that one. Actually, I kid, i was quite happy with, humbled almost (hard to humble me), that the audience talking was pretty modest. My friends were certainly listening, and i think others were as well. It was definitely a good vibe.
A great 'first' gig, and i look forward to others, both solo and with a band. Playing music is really the best.
1. City Boy (2009 - Open Road)
2. Atmosphere (2008 - Devil is defeated)
3. An Offer I Can't Refuse (2006 - Halfway Rock)
4. Wasting Water (2009 - Throw Them in the Ocean - unreleased)
5. Sleep Walking (2009 - Open Road)
6. Zvezda (KINO)
7. Back On Your Feet (2009 - Throw Them in the Ocean - unreleased)
8. Burning Away (2008 - Devil is defeated)
9. Living It Up (2006 - Halfway Rock)
I had to narrow down my greatest hits from each album and that was tough. I know what you're thinking: who is this asshole who has never had even one hit talking about all the greatest hits? Well, it's me, and i'm just talking about my own personal favorite songs, so buzz off. Sure, there were songs I would have played had i more time: Slum Lord, Oxidation, Will You Won't You, The Funeral, Crossroads, Figure It Out, Survivor, Slo-Motion, Will of the Water, Illusion, I'm Comin' In, you know, songs like that, but I was limited to 40 minutes.
The Viper Room was everything it's cracked up to be. Small, intimate, red-glowing, noisy, expensive, impossible to park near. Granted, I'm talking about the acoustic lounge at the Viper Room, not where Skid Row or whoever made waves with their long hair and outrageous guitar solos 25 years back. But it's still the Viper Room, and it's still the Sunset Strip, and whatever was going on upstairs sure brought out the best of 'em. Certainly an interesting mixture or uber-hip dyed hair tight clothing tattooed party folk and the more down to earth lower key but still hip folks coming out to see me and the others on the bill.
There was a scare at first - the deal was my show was to be $10, but only $7 with this flyer you could print out. Well, turns out, the upstairs show was $15, so even though they stamped the upstairs people, and braceletted the downstairs people, they still insisted on charging $15 for the downstairs show. Bullshit!! I wouldn't even pay $15 to see me play! (not true: $10 for parking and $8 for my first drink, and i paid over that to hear me play). My scores of fans were arriving and not happy about the more than 100% admission hike. I even threw away the 10 'discount flyers' i'd printed out. No sooner had I done that than the booking dude said, actually, i worked it out so the flyers will work. Hooray! So i quickly fished the flyers out of the nearby trash can (something about a 5 minutes rule, right?) and my friends got in for $7. Except for Mike, who was the first to arrive, and with whom i've been crashing here in LA. He paid the $15 and they wouldn't give him a refund. I owe him. A lot. He gets to see me sprawled out on this own floor every morning for free, and then has to pay $15 to see me play out? Bon Iver played SPACE for $10 a few years ago!!
Well, I played for an audience of about 12-15 friends and 15 or so strangers. The KINO song was a big hit; my Russian scowl was in full force - i just can't help it, i'm sorry. I enjoyed playing Living It Up, an old classic, one of these songs I vividly remember writing (winter of 2005, in my first Portland apartment, sun coming in in the morning, sitting on the couch, struggling with the lyrics but eventually coming up with ones i like, with a progression through the day in the 4 verses: morning, afternoon, sunset, and mid-night, brilliant!). I also think Sleep Walking went over very well, people seemed to talk much less over that one. Actually, I kid, i was quite happy with, humbled almost (hard to humble me), that the audience talking was pretty modest. My friends were certainly listening, and i think others were as well. It was definitely a good vibe.
A great 'first' gig, and i look forward to others, both solo and with a band. Playing music is really the best.
Is Linda Vista truly haunted?
I'm listening to WMPG (maine community radio) streaming online since my friends are on their talking about their trip to SXSW in Austin. Nice to hear friends' voices coming from my computer, brings a tear of nostalgia to my eye, but it might just be sweat dripping down from my forehead (just finished a run in 80 degree hot sun).
Ah, but maine is far away.
So today is the day of my first LA gig - i'm not exactly sure what to expect from the gig tonight, but i'm looking forward to actually having a gig. it's my first one since i think my sprinkling of gigs in NYC last October. I'm looking forward to playing songs off each of my albums, as a sort of intro to LA. I think the venue, the acoustic lounge at the Viper Room, is a small room, which is good. It means my ten or so friends who i think are coming out will fill it up and make it look like i'm selling out MSG on a new years eve. that's my goal.
I just finished up my first freelance gig out here, doing the craft services for a pilot episode of a medical drama. an enjoyable experience being on set. The last two days were filmed at the haunted Linda Vista Hospital. That's correct, haunted. Ghosts. Spirits from beyond. Eerie happenings. Other worldly going-ons. During lunch, we went on a ghost hunting expedition to the 3rd and 4th floors. It was creepy, it smelled horrible, there were literally dead bird bodies and animal feces on the 4th floor. Windows were broken, ceilings crumbled, mattresses and chairs lying this way and that. However, there were no ghosts. That we could tell... My first expedition was with a group of about 8 or 9 people, with flashlights, and giggling. I tried to get everyone to turn their lights off because we're not gonna see anything if there are a half dozen flashlights flashing all over the place. I was not heeded. Later, at about 4am, i went up with just one other person. Now that was way scarier. All we had was her iPhone flashlight app, and no excessive giggling and noise. The creepiest part for me was looking down long dark hallways, knowing you're on the look out for spirits and ghosts. Nothing at all out of the ordinary happened, but there's a creepiness there. But i attribute it to the fact that it's a 20-years abandoned building falling apart. So of course it's creepy in the middle of the night in the pitch black.
The new chapter of LA life, the one where i'm no longer a nomad, is starting as soon as this week. Stay tuned!
Ah, but maine is far away.
So today is the day of my first LA gig - i'm not exactly sure what to expect from the gig tonight, but i'm looking forward to actually having a gig. it's my first one since i think my sprinkling of gigs in NYC last October. I'm looking forward to playing songs off each of my albums, as a sort of intro to LA. I think the venue, the acoustic lounge at the Viper Room, is a small room, which is good. It means my ten or so friends who i think are coming out will fill it up and make it look like i'm selling out MSG on a new years eve. that's my goal.
I just finished up my first freelance gig out here, doing the craft services for a pilot episode of a medical drama. an enjoyable experience being on set. The last two days were filmed at the haunted Linda Vista Hospital. That's correct, haunted. Ghosts. Spirits from beyond. Eerie happenings. Other worldly going-ons. During lunch, we went on a ghost hunting expedition to the 3rd and 4th floors. It was creepy, it smelled horrible, there were literally dead bird bodies and animal feces on the 4th floor. Windows were broken, ceilings crumbled, mattresses and chairs lying this way and that. However, there were no ghosts. That we could tell... My first expedition was with a group of about 8 or 9 people, with flashlights, and giggling. I tried to get everyone to turn their lights off because we're not gonna see anything if there are a half dozen flashlights flashing all over the place. I was not heeded. Later, at about 4am, i went up with just one other person. Now that was way scarier. All we had was her iPhone flashlight app, and no excessive giggling and noise. The creepiest part for me was looking down long dark hallways, knowing you're on the look out for spirits and ghosts. Nothing at all out of the ordinary happened, but there's a creepiness there. But i attribute it to the fact that it's a 20-years abandoned building falling apart. So of course it's creepy in the middle of the night in the pitch black.
The new chapter of LA life, the one where i'm no longer a nomad, is starting as soon as this week. Stay tuned!
Flippin days around for the glory of snack servin'!
You've seen movies in the movies, the sets, the grips, the best boys, the directors yelling, the camera dollies dollying, stars ignoring underlings, even ignoring make up girls as they dolly up their faces, lead underlings bossing around subordinate underlings, ceiling-less rooms, high chairs, headphones; you've heard it, too, the lingo, it's a wrap, run it again, roll sound, rolling, action, cut, lunch, martini; but until you experience it first hand, you don't know what it's really like, except that you do, because it's just like it is in the movies.
i mean, the only part about making movies that doesn't adequately come across in the movies themselves is the absolutely grueling schedule. We're talking a 12 hour day being an easy day, one you look forward to. We think actors have this glorious easy life, but when they're on set, they are running scenes 10-20 times, after having practiced a handful of times as well. They're exhausted, everyone's exhausted, cracked out, drinking coffee not because it'll help but because your instincts think it will, but the sensible part of your brain which you ignore knows it won't.
Everyone has a headset on, with their walkie talkie clipped to their pants somewhere, and someone somewhere is barking orders into everyone's ears. You can be having a perfectly nice conversation with one of the PA's and all of a sudden they, and the other PA's floating about, jump to action as if God himself has compelled "All underlings thrust thyselves over a cliff!" Off they go, probably to stand around at another location to await further godly instruction.
Meanwhile, lonely craft services me sits in my hard plastic chair, trying to pretend my tail bone doesn't throb, drinking coffee, and periodically re-checking the soup which has not been touched since last i needlessly re-checked it. I've now done 3 days, and the first day I set up on the first floor which was nice, a central locale near the outside fresh air, very well lit. Then for Day 2 I had to move to the 5th floor. I set up in a dark dusty corner, but near the set; too near it seems, and even though I had set up where I'd been instructed to, I was re-instructed to move to a further darker corner. No matter, others helped. Then Day 3 I'm psyched because I don't have to move my 2 tables, 8 crates, a half dozen 24-packs of water bottles and 2 1/2 gallon jugs of water, bags of groceries, coolers, trash bags, power cord, chair, and I'm set for the day and life on easy str... no wait, I have to move -everything- even further away, into an even darker, and dustier, and powerless nether region of the warehouse. Milton, we're gonna need to go ahead and move you downstairs into storage B. Terrific.
Also, one of the grips kept fucking with me. I knew he was doing it, too, but every once in a while something he said sort of potentially made sense, so I believed it (like when he told me it was the martini shot, meaning last shot, so I started packing things up and just when I was at a good spot, ready to split, a producer comes by and says, what, you packed up? Why? [I told him why]. And he says, never listen to the grips, now can you make up some fresh coffee? Sure, I can. I did. No one drank it. Because 10 minutes later it WAS martini.) He also told me my car had been hit, asked if a girl had ever spat on me, asked how many times a day someone says I look like John Ritter, asked if I could make a melted brie sandwich for him (which is actually a good idea), and generally tried to mess with me at every given opportunity. Now, I can take it and dish it, and got him confused when I told him he looked like Dave Attell, and he said, isn't that guy bald and fat, and I said yeah, he looks like you (zing), but as a rookie on a set, I couldn't always distill the bullshit from the other bullshit. Plus when it's 530 am and someone says "last shot" you believe him, no matter what.
Tomorrow's shoot (today is a day of rest) is at a haunted hospital called the Linda Vista. Google it, I did. In talking to folks who have filmed there previously, apparently it really is haunted, and it really is creepy, and there are strange smells and sounds, and no craft services guy has ever made it out.... ALIVE! So I'm pretty pumped for some solid ghost bustin'!
Today I slept from 9 am to 4 pm. Went for a run, and now it's sunset. I've talked about becoming a night owl, and here were are, full on night owl mode. Now, time to go drum up some breakfast!
i mean, the only part about making movies that doesn't adequately come across in the movies themselves is the absolutely grueling schedule. We're talking a 12 hour day being an easy day, one you look forward to. We think actors have this glorious easy life, but when they're on set, they are running scenes 10-20 times, after having practiced a handful of times as well. They're exhausted, everyone's exhausted, cracked out, drinking coffee not because it'll help but because your instincts think it will, but the sensible part of your brain which you ignore knows it won't.
Everyone has a headset on, with their walkie talkie clipped to their pants somewhere, and someone somewhere is barking orders into everyone's ears. You can be having a perfectly nice conversation with one of the PA's and all of a sudden they, and the other PA's floating about, jump to action as if God himself has compelled "All underlings thrust thyselves over a cliff!" Off they go, probably to stand around at another location to await further godly instruction.
Meanwhile, lonely craft services me sits in my hard plastic chair, trying to pretend my tail bone doesn't throb, drinking coffee, and periodically re-checking the soup which has not been touched since last i needlessly re-checked it. I've now done 3 days, and the first day I set up on the first floor which was nice, a central locale near the outside fresh air, very well lit. Then for Day 2 I had to move to the 5th floor. I set up in a dark dusty corner, but near the set; too near it seems, and even though I had set up where I'd been instructed to, I was re-instructed to move to a further darker corner. No matter, others helped. Then Day 3 I'm psyched because I don't have to move my 2 tables, 8 crates, a half dozen 24-packs of water bottles and 2 1/2 gallon jugs of water, bags of groceries, coolers, trash bags, power cord, chair, and I'm set for the day and life on easy str... no wait, I have to move -everything- even further away, into an even darker, and dustier, and powerless nether region of the warehouse. Milton, we're gonna need to go ahead and move you downstairs into storage B. Terrific.
Also, one of the grips kept fucking with me. I knew he was doing it, too, but every once in a while something he said sort of potentially made sense, so I believed it (like when he told me it was the martini shot, meaning last shot, so I started packing things up and just when I was at a good spot, ready to split, a producer comes by and says, what, you packed up? Why? [I told him why]. And he says, never listen to the grips, now can you make up some fresh coffee? Sure, I can. I did. No one drank it. Because 10 minutes later it WAS martini.) He also told me my car had been hit, asked if a girl had ever spat on me, asked how many times a day someone says I look like John Ritter, asked if I could make a melted brie sandwich for him (which is actually a good idea), and generally tried to mess with me at every given opportunity. Now, I can take it and dish it, and got him confused when I told him he looked like Dave Attell, and he said, isn't that guy bald and fat, and I said yeah, he looks like you (zing), but as a rookie on a set, I couldn't always distill the bullshit from the other bullshit. Plus when it's 530 am and someone says "last shot" you believe him, no matter what.
Tomorrow's shoot (today is a day of rest) is at a haunted hospital called the Linda Vista. Google it, I did. In talking to folks who have filmed there previously, apparently it really is haunted, and it really is creepy, and there are strange smells and sounds, and no craft services guy has ever made it out.... ALIVE! So I'm pretty pumped for some solid ghost bustin'!
Today I slept from 9 am to 4 pm. Went for a run, and now it's sunset. I've talked about becoming a night owl, and here were are, full on night owl mode. Now, time to go drum up some breakfast!
...and the building rumbled... and i was disturbed momentarily from my readings...
I turned the page of my book with intent, absorbed like a coffee spill in a sponge, when my chair shook; no, not just my chair, but the ground, and the walls, and a distant clap of thunder reverberated throughout the warehouse, a triumphant roar echoing in a forgotten canyon. The longest split second of my life later, and all returned to the way it was, walkie talkies intermittently blurting out directions in otherwise quiet. It was 4:04 AM PDT, i had been on set as the crafty dude since 6 PM, and i was feeling minorly cracked out. That was a step up from most of the others who stopped by for coffee or snacks; their mood was more majorly cracked out, wiped out, cranky, or jubilant.
At that point there was very little left for me to do since people were no longer pounding coffee, knowing that the wrap time was at last in sight. I had started reading a book recommended by my dad called "How I Became a Famous Novelist" by Steve Hely and i was immersed. The book is hilarious and written in the style of a dude talking to you. I was on page 130 or so when the quake hit; I put the book down and stood up and scanned the area for anyone else I could corroborate what just happened with. No one was there, but eventually folks came by. Some said "did you feel that? that was awesome!" and i said "i did! it was awesome!". Others said nothing and i said to these folks "did you feel that? that was awesome!" and some of them said "i did! it was awesome!" and others said "feel what?" and i said "that earthquake!" and they undoubtedly said "what? and earthquake, shit, just now? i always miss them!" and i said "yeah man, just now, it was awesome!" and they'd reply "that's awesome!"
Then i got to overhear some conversations of "where were you for [some other earthquake]?" "in the tanning booth, i thought 'this is how i'm going to die.'" that was my favorite answer.
the job, though it's only a week long, is pretty fun, mostly because of being on the set, chatting with everyone, a friendly lot, and being cracked out on coffee in the wee hours of the morning.
tonight is day 2 - will it get old after one night or will it be even easier? i'm looking forward to finishing that book!
At that point there was very little left for me to do since people were no longer pounding coffee, knowing that the wrap time was at last in sight. I had started reading a book recommended by my dad called "How I Became a Famous Novelist" by Steve Hely and i was immersed. The book is hilarious and written in the style of a dude talking to you. I was on page 130 or so when the quake hit; I put the book down and stood up and scanned the area for anyone else I could corroborate what just happened with. No one was there, but eventually folks came by. Some said "did you feel that? that was awesome!" and i said "i did! it was awesome!". Others said nothing and i said to these folks "did you feel that? that was awesome!" and some of them said "i did! it was awesome!" and others said "feel what?" and i said "that earthquake!" and they undoubtedly said "what? and earthquake, shit, just now? i always miss them!" and i said "yeah man, just now, it was awesome!" and they'd reply "that's awesome!"
Then i got to overhear some conversations of "where were you for [some other earthquake]?" "in the tanning booth, i thought 'this is how i'm going to die.'" that was my favorite answer.
the job, though it's only a week long, is pretty fun, mostly because of being on the set, chatting with everyone, a friendly lot, and being cracked out on coffee in the wee hours of the morning.
tonight is day 2 - will it get old after one night or will it be even easier? i'm looking forward to finishing that book!
first job, first gig, 2nd week, 1st photo shoot: panama
So I think now this blog is no longer the blog of a road trip (road trip blog RIP), but now it's a blog of the life and times of a guy moving to Los Angeles. Oh you've heard of it, the city of hollywood; dreams; movies; shattered dreams; cheap, floozy motels; cheap, floozy women; food, oh so much food; sun (it's always 75 degrees and sunny here, except in the darkest depths of the winter, when it's 65 degrees and a solitary sort of confused cloud floats in the bright blue sky).
Yes, the city of fallen angeles, but also the promise of fame, fortune, or at least a delicious fortune cookie.
I arrived in LA with one goal: do as many 'new things' as possible, say 'yes' to any new experience; do that which was not possible in maine. today was a big full day of that. after a morning run, in the hollywood area, i headed to my first photo shoot. i was getting head shots done to submit to one of the many actors' representation firms, since i want to be a background actor aka "extra." after grabbing a cup of coffee and running into andrew randomly (drummer for as fast as), i met the photographer at a church not too far from where i'm staying.
photo shoot. strike a pose. chin down. eyes wider. give me a smile. show me teeth. mouth closed. work it. work it. beautiful. you're a natural. yeah. you got it. i don't know what it is, but you got it.
i'll see the CD of photos monday.
then i was off to collect the petty cash i need from the producer of a new web series since i'm going to be working as a craft services dude for them. i could go back and edit that horrendous sentence, but it's 3 in the morning, so i'm not going to. i like it as is. i agreed to do craft service (coffee, tea, snacks, etc) for the filming of a pilot episode of your new favorite medical drama. just so happens filming starts monday, at 6pm. that's nice, 6pm. no, it's not nice. it goes til 6am. 12 hour day, if i'm lucky. 6pm-6am on monday, tuesday, wednesday, (thursday is a day of rest), then friday and saturday. should be, let's just say, a new experience. if you live in LA, do not expect to be my friend next week.
then i checked out a Koreatown apartment i may move in to. pretty sweet place actually, and i think it may just be a perfect fit. the craigslist ad seemed promising, so what could possibly go wrong? so what if the stove only has one working burner, i can still fry an egg, boil water for pasta, and sterilize a needle with that.
in celebration of my productive day, i sang at two separate karaoke occasions, the first at Smog Cutters (let's go crazy by prince) and then at a Korean karaoke place for a friend's birthday celebration (welcome to the jungle - i wailed it to the point of now i can't speak).
a weekend of rest, maybe beach expedition, then my arduous work begins monday.
oh and i booked my first LA gig for the 23rd, so i'll have to prep for that. haven't broken out that loop pedal in some time, but i think it's time to do just that.
shit, it's 323, and i'm tired. next week 323 will simply mean "oh good, only 2 1/2 hours left of work!"
look at my life!
Yes, the city of fallen angeles, but also the promise of fame, fortune, or at least a delicious fortune cookie.
I arrived in LA with one goal: do as many 'new things' as possible, say 'yes' to any new experience; do that which was not possible in maine. today was a big full day of that. after a morning run, in the hollywood area, i headed to my first photo shoot. i was getting head shots done to submit to one of the many actors' representation firms, since i want to be a background actor aka "extra." after grabbing a cup of coffee and running into andrew randomly (drummer for as fast as), i met the photographer at a church not too far from where i'm staying.
photo shoot. strike a pose. chin down. eyes wider. give me a smile. show me teeth. mouth closed. work it. work it. beautiful. you're a natural. yeah. you got it. i don't know what it is, but you got it.
i'll see the CD of photos monday.
then i was off to collect the petty cash i need from the producer of a new web series since i'm going to be working as a craft services dude for them. i could go back and edit that horrendous sentence, but it's 3 in the morning, so i'm not going to. i like it as is. i agreed to do craft service (coffee, tea, snacks, etc) for the filming of a pilot episode of your new favorite medical drama. just so happens filming starts monday, at 6pm. that's nice, 6pm. no, it's not nice. it goes til 6am. 12 hour day, if i'm lucky. 6pm-6am on monday, tuesday, wednesday, (thursday is a day of rest), then friday and saturday. should be, let's just say, a new experience. if you live in LA, do not expect to be my friend next week.
then i checked out a Koreatown apartment i may move in to. pretty sweet place actually, and i think it may just be a perfect fit. the craigslist ad seemed promising, so what could possibly go wrong? so what if the stove only has one working burner, i can still fry an egg, boil water for pasta, and sterilize a needle with that.
in celebration of my productive day, i sang at two separate karaoke occasions, the first at Smog Cutters (let's go crazy by prince) and then at a Korean karaoke place for a friend's birthday celebration (welcome to the jungle - i wailed it to the point of now i can't speak).
a weekend of rest, maybe beach expedition, then my arduous work begins monday.
oh and i booked my first LA gig for the 23rd, so i'll have to prep for that. haven't broken out that loop pedal in some time, but i think it's time to do just that.
shit, it's 323, and i'm tired. next week 323 will simply mean "oh good, only 2 1/2 hours left of work!"
look at my life!
Dreams are created and then crushed in Los Angeles
Oops, I have a blog!
I've been in Los Angeles now for about a week and a half, and my life is plugging along quiet according to plan - and for those who've followed my blog, you know there was no plan, so that's exactly what i'm dealing with: arriving in a place and having no specific plan.
So i'm homeless, jobless, hungry, tired, eyes constantly scanning for pennies on the sidewalk, avoiding the wealthy movie making elite's disapproving glances, and the like.
but in reality, LA is a blast, and i've been busy just trying to figure out what my new life is gonna be like. Like a caterpillar moving to a big brand new traffic-filled chrysalis, i know in a month i will metamorphosize into a big deal, hot shot celebrity of sorts, living in the hollywood hills, stepping on peons who scan the sidewalk for pennies. so it's just a matter of biding my time until good fortune seeks me out.
actually, i'm trying to seek it out myself. i've responded to more craigslist ads in the last week than i had in the previous 5 years combined. i auditioned for a band that is totally gonna make it, since their five songs are so awesome, they just need that missing lead guitarist piece. everyone here wants to 'make it.' no one wants to just have fun and do it for themselves, it's this quest of the highest and most famous. but it's rather exciting, because though many of them will not achieve the high level they want, they at least want it, and are willing to work for it.
i also have a photoshoot scheduled now for Friday so i can become a famous background actor aka extra. that's a sure path toward fame.
i also need a place to live, so i'm replying to ads on CL about that, too, and will see a place on Friday. so it's a matter of setting the little goals and picking up the phone (or clicking "compose mail") and setting the wheels spinning.
a fun though sorta anxious time to say the least.
and if it all crumbles down, i'll just check into a seedy motel and sell off my possessions to get some cheap whiskey.
I've been in Los Angeles now for about a week and a half, and my life is plugging along quiet according to plan - and for those who've followed my blog, you know there was no plan, so that's exactly what i'm dealing with: arriving in a place and having no specific plan.
So i'm homeless, jobless, hungry, tired, eyes constantly scanning for pennies on the sidewalk, avoiding the wealthy movie making elite's disapproving glances, and the like.
but in reality, LA is a blast, and i've been busy just trying to figure out what my new life is gonna be like. Like a caterpillar moving to a big brand new traffic-filled chrysalis, i know in a month i will metamorphosize into a big deal, hot shot celebrity of sorts, living in the hollywood hills, stepping on peons who scan the sidewalk for pennies. so it's just a matter of biding my time until good fortune seeks me out.
actually, i'm trying to seek it out myself. i've responded to more craigslist ads in the last week than i had in the previous 5 years combined. i auditioned for a band that is totally gonna make it, since their five songs are so awesome, they just need that missing lead guitarist piece. everyone here wants to 'make it.' no one wants to just have fun and do it for themselves, it's this quest of the highest and most famous. but it's rather exciting, because though many of them will not achieve the high level they want, they at least want it, and are willing to work for it.
i also have a photoshoot scheduled now for Friday so i can become a famous background actor aka extra. that's a sure path toward fame.
i also need a place to live, so i'm replying to ads on CL about that, too, and will see a place on Friday. so it's a matter of setting the little goals and picking up the phone (or clicking "compose mail") and setting the wheels spinning.
a fun though sorta anxious time to say the least.
and if it all crumbles down, i'll just check into a seedy motel and sell off my possessions to get some cheap whiskey.
