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Timothy S. McTaggart's Archived Blogs Apr-Jun 07

 

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29 May 07

I have been to two funerals in as many weeks, both of which were for people who had a lot of influence on my musical endeavors. The first one was for Dixie Bean in Menard, a teacher from whom I'd taken a number of piano lessons back in my high school days. I may make light of having gone through the piano endeavors (with recitals) if I discuss my musical career, but I am a far better musician for having had her teachings in my early life. And for that I owe a lot to Dixie. Second one was for a long time member at St Luke UMC here in San Angelo. Leonard Layne directed the choir and bell choir for many years, and was still singing bass by the time I'd joined the choir. Leonard gave a lot of people guitar lessons during this time. He put together an acoustic group during my time with St Luke, and he called them the 'Guitar Guys', in which I played the lone electric instrument, namely my trusty Fender Precision bass. The 'Guitar Guys' turned out to be a predecessor to the contemporary worship band called 9.75 that began leading the music in a new contemporary service started back in 1995. I played with 9.75 from that time up until 2002 and then sat in with them if needed for awhile afterwards. There were a number of surprises in the course of getting this funeral service put together. This included no notice to St Luke from the funeral home of Leonard's passing and then our preacher went into the hospital the night before the service with abdominal pains. So David Bailey, a fellow former 'Guitar Guys' person, now in the clergy (I think), had the last minute honors of putting this one together. David did an amazing job with this service, and was also able to relate his own experiences and stories about Leonard. Although several remembrances and one other song were done by family members, the one that stuck with me was by one of his grandsons, David Engleman, another former 'Guitar Guy' as well as an established local musician with whom I've worked with. He put together a collage of pictures in a computer presentation, to which he recorded his own rendition of the Dan Fogelberg song "Leader of the Band". David changed one word in the last line of the second verse to read "and grandpa I don't think I said I love you near enough". My eyesight was a little watery afterwards while trying to read the words to the closing hymn. Not sure how to wrap up this blog after that, other than to say a heartfelt thanks for the inspiration and the music influence in my life from these two persons who have now passed on. I think they're both watching where I go from here.

22 May 07

Hookay, I have some catching up to do on my blogs as I let more than a month go by here. Nancy is out of town for most of this week, so I can actually get things like this accomplished, not to mention catch up on other things crying to be done. Hey, there's alcohol to be consumed here. Seriously, I'm hoping to update the main web page, order some stuff that our fine music stores here in San Angelo don't seem to have in stock (I'll get to that one in a minute) and work a few bugs out of some of my bass attempts on songs with the Funky Munky. We're putting together our show for the riverstage next month and we plan to bring the house down with it. Okay, some other catching up here... the Saturday before Easter Sunday was full of sleet, freezing rain and other exiting weather stuff. This moved the sunrise service indoors to the Ft Conch Stables (a big warehouse venue that had heat -important). For some reason I still had the duty of running sound. Went well for the most part except for the TV station's long cable going from my mixer, which managed to pick up all kinds of weird noise. There was that and a circuit breaker that insisted on remaining off. Had said breaker not been for power to the stage, I wouldn't have been as concerned. But it wasn't a bad place to relocate to for the sunrise service, and escape the cold and wet weather. About a month later our band Funky Munky played in the same place for a wedding reception. Unfortunately it was air conditioning that was needed this time, which the place did not have. Made for a short gig. Back to the San Angelo music store scene now. I was looking for what is called a direct box, which most bass and keyboard players use to connect their instrument amp into the PA system. The main store was a bust, but I was told they could order me one. So I went up to the new music store in the north part of town. When I asked about them having direct boxes, the return question was "what's that?" I'm not sure San Angelo is going to make it out of the sticks at this rate. Time to go to Musician's Friend. Next item. Hoboken Hollow finally came out on DVD. So I rented it from Hastings, drove down to Menard, popped it in my DVD player in the old house. I cranked up the old television (which actually had a fleeting appearance in the flick) and settled in with beer and popcorn to watch this film. This was two years after the time my house was invaded by film crew and actors during the making of Hoboken Hollow. Actually it wasn't bad, so I found myself disagreeing with the worse reviews I'd read. Biggest fault I'd give it, based on my theatrical background was the slow pace (without apparent intent) through several parts. Photography and music were well done. I posted my complete review on imdb.com if you want to read more. Okay, at this time I will now reveal what scene was shot in my former bedroom that was painted orange for the purpose. Do not read the rest of this blog entry if you wish to avoid spoilers. I nearly tore Brent Bratton a new a--hole after finding out it was a rape scene that was shot in that room and that this had not been cleared with me beforehand. I'm not sure which was worse, doing the scene in my house or not clearing it with me beforehand. Guess I've simmered down some since then, but that room is out of the bedroom business and will probably become my office when I move it upstairs. I probably still need to get a priest to bless that room. Now you know why I scraped all that orange paint off the walls myself. L8er.

7 Apr 07

This is the Saturday before Easter Sunday. I just finished archiving my previous quarter's blogs. I plan to automate this process someday, at least when I quit editing this stuff with notepad, which amazingly, I am still doing. But at least this wasn't as cumbersome as my normal ritual on the Saturday before Easter when I help set PA system up for the sunrise service that the Businessman's Bible Class does each year. The sunrise service is normally outside, as you would expect. However this weekend has consisted of rain, sleet and occasional snow so far, as per weather forecasts. I joke about it snowing in April around here and this time it actually did snow. Said forecast is the same through Sunday morning, so Chapel Hill out at the Wilke Ranch is a bit out of the question. We ended up moving the service indoors to the stables at Ft Concho. Once again I was appointed the designated soundman despite last year's glitches. It was a bit of a goat rope getting things going this time, especially given the large echoey room and other odds and ends. I'm trying a few more tricks this year with decided hopes to get away with them. Will see when I get reviews from the crowd and play back the tape I'm recording of the TV broadcast. In the meantime I'd better get to bed soon as it will be a very early morning. More later.

 

 

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