Acoustics

Top 10 artists who can control an auditorium with just a guitar voice and nothing else...for those of you who don't know. I'm deeply passionate about music...and everything...but mostly music.

*Some of these songs have other instrumental embellishments but never need them, I just like these tracks. And in the words of my friend Briant...'if you can't play live, you ain't shit'.

10. Neil Young (Say what you want my 'Alabama' friends but it's almost undisputed Neil's talent to write a simple and powerful song and transcend a moment when he sings it.)

9. Simon and Garfunkel ('The Graduate' is one of my favorite films, Bridge Over Troubled Water's is one of the best albums ever made and SImon and Garfunkel were modern day mistrals, they wrote songs that were stories but stories with a universal meaning…and the only reason they're as low as they are on my list is because of how quiet they sing. I mean even James Taylor will belt it out now and again.)

8. Tegan Quin and Sara Quin (This is my list I don't care if Neil and Simon and Garfunkel are legends. I can listen to Tegan Quin's haunting sweet voice for hours and it puts me in a different place. I thought they were cute because of the novelty that they were twins not because of the novelty that they were both lesbians. They both write in uniquely different styles that clash gorgeously in the most simple songs with a vitality, peppiness, and sexuality that an older writer couldn't have.) (I realize the Thermin and concert doesn't prove my theory but those are great videos - minus the chipmunk singing)

7. Ben Harper (Passion, he pours his heart into ever song he writes, soulful, gospel inspired, honest, human. He's not afraid to let his voice be shattered if he feels it.) (sexual healing for pot, seriously) (I'm not gay but he's seriously a sexy man)

6. Ben Gibbard (The lead of 'Death Cab for Cutie' writes the most poignantly simple songs with so much vague specificity that makes almost every song he writes instantly relatable.)

5. John Butler (Talent---John writes from his heart, but a lot of the songs are like pop songs with just enough complexity in the lyrics to quell any critic, however…his ability to pluck a string better than almost any man on the planet is what makes John Butler a gem among music.) (One of the greatest guitar instrumental's in the history of music) (That's 12 strings by the way)

4. Tracy Chapman - (A haunting jaded voice and a passionate heart bigger than the sun, what can be said about Tracy that isn't already felt strait to your bones) (The famous one) (The best one)

3. James Taylor (If you've never been in love before you may not be able to relate to the poetry that James writes. His guitar may be strung from his own trampled heart strings…but as removed as his love songs are they never come across as from the heart of a jaded man.) (I couldn't resist - Fucking hate country, fucking love this fucking song...I'm a passionate man, pardon my curses)

2. Richie Havens (In my opinion the most talented African American folk artist in the history of music. He captured Woodstock and generations with his song "Freedom" that you'd of thought would have been rehearsed and prepped but he just made it up, Johnny on the spot, or Richie on the spot, and captures the festival.) (Still sounds amazing at about 70 he's probably my favorite single artist (next to Bowie) I admire the most)

1. Bob Dylan (This James Dean styled Court Jester captured the imaginations of 4 generations so far and after a stroke, and singing nonsense in a voice that's barely understandable can make an audience skip 3 heart beats in a single word. Bob is by far one of the best there has ever been.)

*Bonus video*

Personal Quote

Being hyper-deal oriented and having a decently solid memory while also being hyper active is sometimes a curse but mostly a blessing I wouldn't trade. Life moves fast it's the only thing that allows me to keep up with the pace without getting washed underneath the tide

Broken Hearts Never Mend.

Broken hearts never mend.

I've met so many guys and girls too afraid to ask out 'that person' for 'this, that, or the other' or 'because they know it won't work out...and the thing I've learned in life is truly...nothing ever does...just sit back and enjoy the fucking ride. Cause that's all life is...just a ride. And it's all dependent on weather or not you've got a good seat. So find your happiness in the world and ride it the fuck out.

Reflections

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Thoughts.

'If you have something deep in your heart you should find a way to share it . . . maybe you should make a film about your past' - A pharaphased peace from a private message.

If you've read my past couple of posts or read my blog you probably realize that I have deep personal thoughts all the time. A kin to nightmares sometimes.

I now feel apart of the industry I've spent 12 years trying to get in. I got my very first gig back in 1999 . . . . <- my first gig. I'm somewhere in the background. (Grip/PA/ and all around crew member) I think I learned more on that 3 day shoot that my mom used to drive me to than 13 months of film school at Full Sail. Though without film school I wouldn't have met as many wonderful friends who are helping me perform some miracles soon.

When I was 17-20 my life felt like it was collapsing on me. And it seems I've survived that. Some men wish they were hercules but I'd rather be Atlas, because I think I know how he feels.

Currently I'm working for one of the biggest shows on television and despite the day to day annoyances that invariably are apart of working in any level of media I know that it's a blessing being there. No more gorilla suits on the side of the road, no more suicidal phone calls from friends for hours, no more loaning money, no more sleepless nights (unless my neighbor argues with his wife at midnight again) *.*, no more crying alone underneath a bed, no more working with gang bangers and drug deals (okay this is kind of a joke, I did but at a legitimate job (Greyhound track) and they were a nice crew most of them fresh out of jail and legitimately trying to reform and be good guys and almost all of them I'd still consider good friends if they'd recognize me.) But I've past it. Onto the next level. I still struggle to pay my bills . . . . but I've found a balance.

I know I'm expecting great joy in my life soon. Something I've been working on for a long time but my family taught me that sometimes when you're expecting greatness in your future you need to reflect on not so greatness in your past and respect that . . . . you're there . . . . you've made it . . . . you've survived it . . . . you've past it . . . . and you're not budging your life for any mother fucker. Things are coming. Changes. I think I can be so melodramatic because I know how much 1 less smile and 1 word differently can affect another person. 'I love you' and 'fuck off' can affect people for the rest of their lives if it hits at the right time. But that's life . . . and life goes on. Music makes me smile and so does sharing my thoughts.

I started this movie last night by Ken Russell called 'The Devils' about religious corruption something that I kind of understand being raised in the bible belt at a school that required bible as a course (not kidding).

People think when I speak my mind that I'm speaking it too much, that I'm thinking too much, that people really don't care or want to know and the thing that gets to me the most . . . is how many people's blogs, facebook posts, jokes, thoughts and things they let out of their mouths are simply mindless unintelligent small talk with no rhyme heart or reason but just to remind people that they're there and they have an opinion on stuff and things...which despite that is almost useless anyways. Conversations sometimes feel like the lyrics to a bad pop song as much as I long for meaning and heart, I'd be guilty if I said I didn't love bad pop songs. If I had one word to describe myself it'd be misunderstood. My twin brother has known me for 25 years and he doesn't get me most of the time. It's taken a lot of work for us to get each other...so why am I always so surprised when someone else from my regular life 'just doesn't get me' . . . . well what are you gonna do.