((( got bass? ))) - John Montagna - Archives

38

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

3 days into the new age, and I still feel the same as I did when I was 14. Is is the music? I think so.

Of course, I always check these things with The Beatles. When Paul McCartney was 38 (in 1980), he was doing the "McCartney II" album...and getting busted in Japan for weed. George Harrison was 38 when "Somewhere In England" was released. John Lennon and Ringo Starr were both my age in 1978; John was laying low with Yoko and Sean, whereas Ringo put out a forgettable TV special ("Ringo"), and an even more forgettable LP ("Bad Boy").

But could any of them say that they're Francesca's Daddy? I don't think so!

I'm still as young as I feel.
Be well
JM

beatles remasters review #7: magical mystery tour

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

In which we Beat-ards discuss the merits of both the film AND the album, and we discover how The Beatles used Twitter!

And that's the Magical Mystery Tour review. Told ya!

Be well
JM

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Friday morning, sunny and warm in NYC. Last nite was the 9th annual Eric Clapton tribute at BB Kings with the Godfrey Townsend Band (Steve Murphy drums, Manny Focarazzo keys, Godfrey guitar and myself, plus Kenny Forgione and Mark Newman on additional guitars). Rocked.

And we needed it; the four of us haven't played together (or seen each other!) since our final gig with Alan Parsons back in September. We had much catching up to do, both onstage and off. There are some road plans afoot for the summer, but it was very good for us to re-connect with a hometown gig at one of our favorite, most familiar venues.

No rehearsal except for some quick detail run-thrus at soundcheck. A loud, large, hometown crowd. Wham bam, thank you ma'am. An honest day's work.

Got home late, and I'm a little sleep-deprived. No worries; it's a gorgeous day, so I'll be out with Francesca to soak up the spring time and run errands (including buying more coffee...we're fresh out!).

Sunday I'm back at BBs with Hay Jude, serving up some country-fied, southern-fried, hot buttered Beatles. There is no better job in the world than being a musician in NYC. Life is grand.

Be well
JM

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Checking in from Tucson, Arizona. Getting some much-deserved R&R with the family and friends here in the desert, in the way that only Tucson can give it to you. And it couldn't have come at a better time!

Spent this past weekend sweating about my precious MacBook, the very brain and control center of my entire Musical Empire. (Don't laugh!) Applications had been acting a little wonky for a while, lots of shutting down unexpectedly, slow processing (aka "beach ball of death"), YouTube videos freezing up, etc. The hard drive wouldn't let me install the OS update, telling me that my "source media was damaged." Hmm. Called tech support on the phone, followed all their instructions, and they made it so the MacBook wouldn't even turn on. Thanx Apple!

Two days without my laptop. More time to play bass! Got the Rickenbacker 4001 out of the closet, jammed. Sunday morning I hit the Genius Bar at the Soho Apple Store, and someone named Charles sorted me out. I had to erase my hard drive (thankfully I'd JUST backed everything up a few days earlier), re-install the old OS, and THEN do the update. It all went just fine, thank you.

And a valuable lesson was learned. Back up your s#&t. Often. But also, don't spend so much friggin' time at the computer that you can't survive without it. Sure, the Mac is my Mission Control...but does not the plumber put down his wrench eventually? Does Jack Nicklaus sleep with his golf clubs next to the bed?
Honestly.

Mac is back, but I'm enjoying looking at cacti and mountains too much right now to notice. Making more stuff when I get back to NYC. Stay tuned.
Be well
JM

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Keeping up to stay current; not much compelling news to report, but visitors to the site should see something up-to-date so they don't feel ignored. Next week we go to Tucson for a much-deserved, long-overdue vacation in the desert; after that, things begin to heat up a bit gig-wise. As always, keep it here to find out all the juicy details.

I should mention that today, March 17, is an auspicious day in my own personal history. Yes, I know it's St. Patrick's Day, when all the world wears green, sees green, and drinks until their faces are green. But it is also the day, in 1986, that I was accepted into the LaGuardia High School of Music and Art. Yay! As one who detested my junior high school experience, getting accepted to LaGuardia was my ticket to The New World. I got out of my Brooklyn JHS like I was making a jailbreak, and hopped on the Manhatan-bound 1980's-era NYC subway into a universe of daily musical discovery, the Sheep Meadow at Central Park, the marble steps and fountain of Lincoln Center, and a tight circle of friends that I maintain to this day.

How will I know who I am to be, if I do not remember what I have been? Or something like that.
What up Class of 1990!

Be well
JM

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

The rain comes falling from the sky
to fill the stream that fills the sea
and that's where life began for you and me.

Yep, it's raining in NYC. Beats 3 feet of snow though. Only means that Spring is just around the corner. And there's nothing better on this earth than Springtime in NYC. Am I right, people?

Raised the Goblet of Rock last nite with Godfrey & Murphy at Prohibition in The City. Good times, plenty of Zep/Cream/Police/Who/3-piece -type revelry. And excellent, EXCELLENT Parking Karma.

Private event this weekend, plus plenty of precious family time at home. Life is grand!

Be well
JM

stacking

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Keeping current. Spring is sneaking into NYC a little early this year. Doing a bit of "stacking" work-wise.

What's stacking? Cedric The Entertainer explains it in the movie "The Kings Of Comedy." Instead of doing one big gig that pays a ton of money, you do several gigs that pay a little money. Tuesday nite you make $80. Wednesday you go across town to a different club, make another $80. Thursday somewhere else, $100. Friday $150. By the end of the week, that's $410.

It's not so much a process, but a point of view: everything's connected, so long as you are engaged in your craft and presenting yourself well. You're not doing "a bunch of little gigs;" you're maybe spreading it out across more nites. But you're still in the game, so shut up and count your blessings. (In that order.)

Tomorrow nite we rock Prohibition on the upper west side with Godfrey and Murphy. Saturday I do a private event. Sunday morning I stack, still in the game. New songs coming out of me as well, more than usual; stay tuned.

Life is grand!
Be well
JM

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Monday, back from a very quick weekend trip to LA for WesFest 5. Had an awesome time, on every level.

Re-connected with many Berklee peeps, including Professor Danny Mo, the man responsible for making me a fan of the bass. Had the good fortune to perform with Kira Small and Mike Keneally (see video footage below). Made some new friends, including Paula and John Wehmiller, Wes' lovely parents. Good times all around, and we raised nearly $20,000 for the Wes Wehmiller Memorial Scholarship fund for Berklee (our projected goal)!

Managed to squeeze in some family time as well, which included a cut-throat game of Beatles Rock Band. I did well, but it's harder than I thought! Stay tined for video highlights.

Local action for a while, plus some new works in the works; stay tuned!

Be well
JM

"you are safe" vocal rehearsal

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Myself, Kira Small and Mike Keneally backstage at The Roxy, before WesFest. Thanx to Mike for suggesting that we run the vocals one more time!

Be well
JM

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Waking up slowly but surely in LA. North Hollywood, to be exact. Tomorrow is WesFest 5, in which we pay tribute to our bass brother Wes Wehmiller and raise money for the Berklee College of Music scholarship fund in his name. Very much looking forward to re-connecting with some Berklee peeps, and playing some great music.

I am not needed at the Big Dress Rehearsal until later tonite, so until then I'm visiting west coast family and soaking up what little LA sunshine is peeking thru the rain here. I should have been here yesterday, but Mother Nature and her snowy accomplices had other plans for anyone planning on leaving NYC. Needless to say I've had smoother trips...but Father Time always seems to erase the memories that are the most irritating, so I choose to blast ELO from the iPod dock, get some pants and shoes on, and seize both some coffee AND the day.

More updates as they happen.
Be well
JM