Bless us fodder, where have we been?

In case you’re wondering where we’ve been. We’ve been hiding out in a cave getting our sh!t together. Good thing our sh!t don’t stink! Unfortunately, a fart is a fart no matter how you, uhmm…cut it. Butt enough about that.

Ed, Robin and Pam would like to announce the addition of a fourth MP. It’s a bouncing baby organ/keyboard player!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you Jeff Muendel!

We’ve been rehearsing together for the past couple of months, getting acquainted and all that. What have we learned about Jeff (that we’re willing to share)? Read on:

US: Hey Jeff!
JEFF: Hey what?

US: Where are you from and what brought you here?
JEFF: I grew up in Madison and Milwaukee, went to college at the UW (Film major), but have lived in many places since, including California, New York, Texas, and Italy. I returned to liberal Madison in 2001 after a year in creepy Dallas, Texas. Actually, I'm being mean...I liked some things about Dallas. Good BBQ, tall women with nice hair.

US: What bands have you been in?
JEFF: I've played organ/keys with many bands. My first real, touring experience was a boy band called Bacchus Lotus based in the Fox Valley when I was 17. Since then, notable groups I've been involved with include Rattlebone (Hollywood Records), Backbiter (Man's Ruin Records), Circus Of Power (RCA/Sony), Masters Of Reality (Capital Records), The Silos (RCA/Dualtone), The Seeds (yeah, Sky Saxon, he's still alive), and Madison's Hum Machine (Cancer Records).

US: How would you describe your keyboard playing style?
JEFF: I'm a Hammond B3 organ guy, but I dig electric piano and other sounds as well. Coming from the Deep Purple/ELP/Steppenwolf school of keyboardin', I'm a fairly aggressive player. I like my big organ.

US: Uhhh…OK, then. Is it getting warm in here?
JEFF: No. It’s just you.

US: What's your favorite color?
JEFF: Purple. Deep purple...

US: Any other info you'd like to share?
JEFF: After burning out on the music industry, I "retired" and didn't play music for 7 or 8 years. But in 2005, I could no longer resist this dark mistress we call rock'n'roll, and I got back behind the keys.
Day job = technical writer. It's one of the few ways to actually make money writing. I do book reviews for Maximum Ink Magazine. I also write fiction - 3 novels so far.
Single, predominantly hetero male looking for someone special. Could it be you? Ooh-la-la!
One time years ago, I met the late-great organist Jimmy Smith and shook his hand. I didn't wash my hand for a week. It smelled like Jazz. Eventually, though, it just smelled.
Man, I'm really excited to be playing with The Motor Primitives!

WELCOME JEFF!

Miscellaneous Crap

Here's more info to add to this pile 'o crap (the use of 'o is my one and only nod to St Patrick's day):
1) There's an interview of me in the March issue of Maximum Ink. I can't remember what I said but I'm sure it was clever.

2) We've reached the final round of voting for "rock album of the year" for the Madison Music Awards. I wasn't going to register us this year but I got a last minute email from one of the organizers. He lamented the fact that very few local acts had registered (two days before the original deadline). He's worked so hard to make his charity for the Madison school music programs a success. He was also the first guy in Madison to review our band. I felt bad. So much money goes toward destructive causes these days. Why not through a few bucks in the direction of a constructive cause (school music programs)? Well, I didn't tell anybody that I'd registered us but we made it through the first round anyway. So, "Be the Engine" is up for rock album of the year. I should have cleared it with the rest of the band but hey, it was my ten bucks. Sorry band. Mike would have killed me if I didn't register us for something. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Patti Smith IS Cool!

What Patti Smith wrote about being inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame:


Last night I joined REM, the Ronettes, Van Halen and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On the eve of this event I asked myself many questions. Should an artist working within the revolutionary landscape of rock accept laurels from an institution? Should laurels be offered? Am I a worthy recipient?

I have wrestled with these questions and my conscience leads me back to Fred and those like him - the maverick souls who may never be afforded such honors. Thus in his name I will accept with gratitude. Fred Sonic Smith was of the people, and I am none but him: one who has loved rock'n'roll and crawled from the ranks to the stage, to salute history and plant seeds for the erratic magic landscape of the new guard.

Because its members will be the guardians of our cultural voice. The internet is their CBGB. Their territory is global. They will dictate how they want to create and disseminate their work. They will, in time, make breathless changes in our political process. They have the technology to unite and create a new party, to be vigilant in their choice of candidates, unfettered by corporate pressure. Their potential power to form and reform is unprecedented.


Her letter in its entirety here