Rosetucky on hold

My new band that started in the summer of 2009 is on hold for now. I'm not sure if the bass player Rocky and I will get back together or not. We haven't practiced regularly for some time now. The band's name Rosetucky was Rocky's idea, as he grew up in Roseburg, Oregon. More than half our songs were his original tunes. We also did a few of my originals and a couple of songs from my days with R Band back in the early 1990s. It looks like The Bicycling Guitarist is going to have to be a solo act and not part of a band, at least for now. Best wishes for Rocky.

It's too cold and wet these days for me to ride and play much. Cold and wet weather is not good for the wood of the guitar. The cold isn't too good for my fingers either. Also, when the pavement is wet the skinny tires of my vintage ten-speed bicycle can slip and skid, and braking is more difficult too when the rims are wet. At least now I have alloy rims on my Schwinn instead of slick chrome steel. It used to be I couldn't stop at all when the rims were wet!

Rosetucky is rehearsing again

It has been a few weeks since Rocky and I practiced our music regularly, but last night we jammed for an hour and tonight for an hour and a half. Last night we played and sang some songs better than when we had been rehearsing several nights a week, and tonight's session was even better although a little rough in places. Overall, the songs are getting tighter and smoother.

My Schwinn is tuned up

The weather lately has been perfect for bicycle guitaring: slightly cool but not cold, warm in the afternoons but not hot, little wind. A couple days ago I left my Schwinn at the local bicycle shop for its annual tune-up and for them to check how true the recently-built new wheels are. I just picked it up today, and it is sweet. All the cables are adjusted for smooth and easy shifting and braking. The chain was cleaned and lubricated. My Super Sportabout tracks straight and true when I ride "no hands" playing guitar on it.

Last night I played solo guitar at my bass player's house. Rocky had a few of his friends and family over, and a good time was had by all.

practicing for Superbowl halftime

Rocky and I had another music rehearsal tonight, and Rocky informed me that we might be playing during the Superbowl halftime next Sunday. It might not count as a public performance because it will probably be at one of his friend's houses or possibly at a friend of a friend's house. Still, I'm sure we can easily put on a pretty good show for ten or fifteen minutes. We have much more material than that, but of course we have some songs down stronger than others.

Some songs can be played as is but are being improved upon and will (hopefully) be even better in the future. For example, we are working on Rocky singing some background vocals on my Evolution song and for him to switch off on lead vocals and add some background support to my Red Baron song. I have a part to sing to Rocky's Shit fuck shit song (formerly known as Suicide Doors). Tonight we worked the most on that song because Rocky has added some more lyrics to it. We also played Legalize (one of my songs) and Infection (one of Rocky's, well-played tonight), and worked on the Al Gore Rhythm / Logger Rhythm song that I've been playing since the late 1980s.

Happy new year

Last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights I had excellent rehearsal sessions with my bass player Rocky. We've been practicing almost every week the past seven months, usually two or three nights a week an hour or two each night. Our band "Rosetucky" will almost certainly play in public sometime this year, or at least record some of our new material and post it online.

Late last month (December 27, 2009) I posted a video clip on YouTube of The Beatles Help! done by The Bicycling Guitarist that I had recorded a couple weeks before that. As I type this, that clip has 222 views in the 20 days since I posted it.

I play that song even better now than I did when I recorded that a month ago. In general, my guitar playing is crisper, sharper, faster, smoother than ever before. It is my singing though that has improved the most compared to my days with R Band in the early 1990s. I am not known as "The Bicycling Singer." Enough said, okay?

Upgrades to my Schwinn in 2009

On October 6, 2009 my Schwinn ten-speed was greatly improved by the replacement of its steel wheels, handlebar and stem with aluminum parts. It is now a "Super Sportabout" (read that page for an explanation of that name).

The new wheels deserved their own page, as did the better handlebar. These and other changes this year are summarized on Upgrades to my Schwinn in 2009.

I am sad that my 1965 Ford Falcon Ranchero is still sitting out of commission in the driveway. It hasn't moved since the summer of 2007. The improvements to my bicycle are nice, but I can't ride it in wet or cold conditions (not good for the guitar, the bicycle or ME!). Even when the weather permits bicycle riding, I can't carry very many groceries on it, especially heavy things like kitty litter or pet food.

The new bass player Rocky and I haven't rehearsed as much the past couple weeks, but last night's session was quite good. He learned some more of my Evolution song, and I learned more of what he calls his "G Boogie" song. So far we have neither recorded together nor performed any live shows for the public, but some of my guitar playing the past couple weeks has been the best I have ever played.

We're getting good!

The last two nights my new bass player Rocky and I sounded really good in our jam sessions. Several of his songs are coming together nicely, and he is getting better at playing bass to some of my songs too.

This reminds me of the time I was hanging out with Peter Griffin of the Family Guy cartoon television series:

Stll riding and playing

The weather has been great lately for Bicycle Guitaring. My bicycle just had some replacement parts installed by the Local Bike Shop so it is running smoother than before. Rocky (the bass player) and I practiced three or four nights this past week. We're sounding better than before.

Lots of practice

Earlier tonight I played guitar a couple of hours with a bass player who lives nearby. Yesterday we practiced three hours. We've been jamming for a couple of weeks now, more and more frequently, and already have nearly thirty songs we're working on together. About half of them are Rocky's and the other half are a mix of my originals and some cover tunes I know quite well.

It's been a long time since I've had another musician to jam with regularly. It's been even longer since I've met anyone who is willing to practice several times a week.

Rocky has several arranged songs with interesting original bass guitar riffs. I am having great success in playing rhythm chords and lead guitar riffs to his bass lines. I hope to have some new material to post on my web site soon, maybe even music videos for YouTube and such.