It's been a while

Man! It has been a while since I posted anything...sorry. Been composing some, including a song for a sick friend called "For Sandi", kind of a healing tune, from the heart nonetheless. This whole meditative, soft, subtle thing is a whole new direction for me.

I miss playing drumset, a whole lot! The whole idea when Kim and I got to Lyon College here in Batesville, was that I had been told there were a bunch of percussionists just dying to learn and study kit and world-percussion. The problem is the college itself doesn't have ANYTHING in the way of percussion for them to practice on, even if I had a line around the block of students wanting to learn...problem #1

problem #2 = my #@!$ing leg, and mobility issues, so I can't get around to the magnet schools, middle schools, or high schools to get flyers up to even advertise...plus, even putting together a solo act is almost impossible because our place is so small, I can't set-up properly to see how I could facilitate performing solo.

problem #3 = no places to play...people to play with busy currently with football season. I have an exceptional young man as a student who is perfect for a percussion performing group, and a couple of Lyon college students, but none of their schedules are permitting rehearsal time to put said group together.

problem #4 = if I can't get a group to play with, I can't perform with Lyon College ensembles since there aren't any, and there's only one guy in town that plays jazz, maybe two...and he is the director of the marching band that plays at the HS football games, which Kim and I discovered are a HUGE deal here, so he has no time until November....so nowhere to get my name around as the "go-to guy" in terms of being da man on drums and percussion.

The only good news really, is that Kim is kicking ass in her new job, and my own compositions have taken a more reflective turn...album sales are picking up a little, but my medical bills are making it necessary to figure out a way to bring in more money, but I can't even get a part-time job, as can't even stand up for more than about 10 minutes at a time because of leg.

There's a remote shot of the college hiring me as a percussion consultant, but because I have no degree, it would have to be via my pedigree with AF Band and Drummer's Collective teacher. The irony is, they are desperately in need of me, because they have no equipment to speak of, and no one in the music department really knows anything about percussion. I offered to help for free even, but hiring me is the only way that can go apparently.

Blogs are for ranting and that's what this is, so sorry it's so negative. Hopefully the next post will be full of positive stories, and wonderful anecdotes that make all this seem like a dream, but for now...this is how it is.

Randini

New Percussion Group, First Rehearsal

Well, despite a recent onslaught of new medical woes, I finally managed to get 4 folks here together to start rehearsing a new percussion group! Ethan Lindblom (one of my students) Nancy Love, and Alex Moeller came by and we set up a eclectic bunch of instruments in my extremely small space and played/conversed for about an hour and a half. (Alex's girlfriend Jamie came as well, and was immediately handed a couple of rattle sound-effects)

All good things! We played and jammed, talked about space, clarity and conversations and are trying to work out a regular rehearsal schedule.

THE Spike was cool being in the living room with us until the first rimshot, and then headed for the bedroom to find comfort and companionship with his sister, and my ever patient and amazing wife Kim.

I have some writing to do to give the songs I have in mind some structure and cohesion, and then I will hopefully have us playing at the Lyon College campus center sometime in September.

Physical Therapy for my leg starts tomorrow, so let's hope that helps with my mobility issues!

Cajon I get to know you better?

So....despite how badly the cajon Mark Dorr had me try in percussion ensemble sucked, I'm getting one anyway. One of my student's in Arkansas's dad made him a cajon, and it sounded better that the one I played at Grinnell.

I first looked at a new one coming out from LP the "Kevin Riccard" cajon (somebody I've never heard of that plays on American Idol)...but they wouldn't be in stock until the middle of August...and I hate waiting...

So, I looked further and found a "Fat Congas String Cajon" which actually has two different striking surfaces...one with the snare wires thingie, and one that's wood only. The thing is, by sitting correctly you can utilize both surfaces at once.

So my friend Cathy, of www.anydrum.com, who I highly recommend called the Fat Congas folk and I have one coming as of today. Even better, they are an american company, and haven't outsourced all their business to Thailand, like LP...(sorry LP, it's true)

Also...not sure if you can put web addresses in one of these blog dealies, but you should check out my site at ReverbNation http://www.reverbnation.com/randybrush and listen to "Steel Tongue Requiem #1"...featuring a new drum I found, a steel tongue drum.

That's all for now, Kim's doing staff training and me and Spike and Samantha are restless.

Miss you Grinnell... :/

I Self-Promoted!

It is worth noting that on this date I actually self-promoted the album "Spike's World Of Percussion" to approximately 3,424 people, 311 of those probably twice...

I am wracked with guilt :/

But I hope some of them buy the album!!!

Higgins: since you're the only person following this not me, Spike, or Kim. You have to pass the word at Grinnell. especially to the DRUMMERS!!!

lol

All rightie then!

Cool...the whole fan page deal is working out on Facebook...and my guilt is diminishing.

I have people asking me down here when my performing ensemble or solo performances will be ready, so that's good news...this is when it would be good to have physical copies of the album, but all the "do it yourself" kits don't seem right for it...may have to get over that though.

Maybe I'll just bring Spike with me to the shows!

Hopefully, the cajon I ordered a month ago will be off back-order soon and that will get here...

In all seriousness, I may be actually founding an alternative music scene down here. I'm not trying to be an arrogant jerk, but unless it changes dramatically when school starts up...it's all Southern Rock and country....nothing like Grinnell's open scene...

I would be happy to be proven wrong if anyone has evidence to the contrary!

Marketing Sucks

Man, I could totally market someone else with in your face, win at all costs strategies.

Me, I'm sort of feeling like apologizing to my folks on Facebook for creating a music "fan" page and inviting them to join, even that is the standard way to do it. I mean I should just ruthlessly put my info out there every day to drive up album downloads. I am thinking about an ad if it's not too expensive.

I'm also sorry this whole online album thing happened after I left Grinnell. The people there who I played with, inspired me to be true to myself, and were just friends when I needed them....I wish they were all here to celebrate. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled it happened, but the timing sucked. It would have been nice to have a big party at The Phoenix, with Brian being a smart-ass, Laura hovering, Kamal sitting down, Adam laughing...I'm getting pretty misty just thinking about it...sheesh.

That being said, it's all going pretty good. I just need to overcome my marketing phobia and figure out how to play live solo.

Send Me Your Ideas!

Ok! Now I've got music at at least three national retailers, iTunes Amazon and Napster!

But since there is really no reason yet they should type in "Randy Brush" when looking for new music, I need some suggestions about getting heard....so far.

1. NPR?
2. KDIC (when school starts)
3. Radio Stations here...(I'm going to check, but "Spike's" and "Cafe'" not regular Arkansas fare, but we'll see...I'm going to try anyway)
4. Live shows! (yet to be worked out down here)
5. Put live "play" widgets on other websites (I can do that, but I need country-wide help)

all ideas appreciated!

Help!

(Hi Brita!)

Self-Marketing is really hard

I'm really excited and happy that the two albums have been placed with two national retailers, really...I've just never been a "self-promoter" and I need to become one, or at least get better at it with the few skills I possess.

I also need to figure out a live show. I met another drummer from here at a concert the other night, so he's supposed to come over to the house and we'll see if he gets an invite.

After, Scooter and Mallory...and BCS and Adam... my standards are high!

BUT I WILL FIGURE IT OUT! If I can get "Spike's World Of Percussion" published at age 54, I think I can get together a performing troupe...

Now if I can just get over my current obsession with collecting skulls.

Randini

Album is up on iTunes and Amazon MP3

My percussion album "Spike's World Of Percussion" is now up on iTunes and at Amazon.com MP3...holy moley!

I am really so happy right now!

Some issues

Having trouble finding other percussionists fully versed in hand-drumming, who also know classical tambourine style, triangle technique, and where to lay the clave'.

Spoiled, that's me...

The good news is the interested people are willing to learn (grin)

Group Configuration

So, after The Phoenix Trio and TRIANGLE, I'm a little spoiled when it comes to groups. I have one guy already, coincidentally my first drum student,,,who is very, very good, and he thinks he has a bass player.

I've decided to add a bass player to this permutation of my original material to give it more of a bottom then TRIANGLE did, since I'm starting from scratch here. The good news is that there is a new coffee joint in Batesville, with a huge performing space and they are looking for new acts, and want to get in good with the college (Lyon)

So, I'm thinking some variants on the tongue drum "tunes" I've done, write a couple of more "improvisational roadmaps" with a drumset and a bass player, we can do a "everybody join in" deal, and have someone solo over the top of it on either a tongue drum, or the Alessis synthesizer I have. I've decided to use that with the loop pedal, and leave the electronic drum pads out.

The whole loop pedal thing I think is still a kickin' idea, but something electronic needs to be the first layer, since I like using a click track to set the 8 bar or 16 bar loop parameters. As the group rehearses more, we can try the odd loop variants I tried in Iowa, which are not dependent on bar lengths, but rather exploit the actual time available. I think this makes it interesting because things come up at different times, and are not confined to conventional music structure.

Spike's World of Percussion

This will be my record of how it goes in Batesville, Arkansas as I try to form a group to perform original percussion based music composed largely by myself.

First Entry and test. That is all.