NOLA Press, New Projects

World-class drummer and music editor for NewOrleans.com, Kevin O'Day, graced us with his presence in our living room the other day to talk about our move to NOLA and future plans. Check out the awesome article here.

Otherwise, I've started a side-project called the TJ Gospel Project to play some gospel, blues and soul tunes. The band will include my pedal-steel playing friend Ed Williams, gospel drummer Mike Davis, and Frogs bassist Steve Rogers. Our debut gig will be APRIL 16th at Carrollton Station in New Orleans so please come out and support this new, soulful project!

Frogs Gone Fishin' is busier than I can describe with language right now, but please check for our New Orleans, Tennessee and late-nite JAZZFEST (!) dates.

Here's a picture of me having a blast, or trying to catch a raindrop in my mouth, while sitting in with Papa Grows Funk the other night:

Television

I got up very early this morning. For the second day in a row, Frogs Gone Fishin' performed for the Vail morning news. Channel 8 and Plum TV (ch. 16) have both been more than accommodating toward our music and have provided ample publicity for the shows we are also playing while in the mountains this weekend. Some of our clips will air time after time throughout coming weeks in the valley.

But it is the very shows which we are on TV publicizing that make the interviews and performances exceedingly stressful. For example, we returned from our gig in Beaver Creek at 3 30am last night, went to sleep for 3 hours before waking up and struggling deeply to drag our hungover carcasses to embark on the 20 minute drive to the TV studio. Once at the studio, our time was characterized by much waiting and anticipation under lights that are so bright, we were told they retain UV properties.

TV personalities are unbelievably caffeinated and energetic in the morning. They have to be to compensate for the sleepy interviewees who stumble in for the morning show. I suppose the guy from the winery, showing off his new vintages in the segment before we played, went to sleep sometime before 3 30 last night. Nobody ever said bands are supposed to be morning people.

After two morning news performances, two interviews, and a raging show last night, I figured writing a post this afternoon would help me comprehend the last 24 hours, move on and take a nap with all this TV business behind us for now...

..Until waking up at 3pm to drive over to our last interview of the weekend, before loading-in for the show tonight. I suppose sleep can wait.