I don't think Hank done it this way...

I have spent 6 hours listening to the book "So Lonesome" by Bill Koon about Hank Williams. It is insightful and a really well written biography, one of the best I've ever delved into, although I can't say I'm much of a guy to read biographies. I never considered myself a book on tape guy, but by all means, it was a really relaxing way to spend my time...

I need to begin looking into publishing my songs under ASCAP or some other publishing company. Been very interested in music lately, my voice has been wavering in and out of sounding great. This summer I hope to book as many gigs as I possibly can. So much about the problems of the heart can be sung about so vibrantly! This biography has really shown me this. I've been rather filled with angst lately about music and direction, but I feel some flow to what I am doing at this point and really enjoy it. I would really appreciate to have a song writing partner and perhaps do a duet with my friend Michael, we sing really pretty harmony together and I think we could be a real force to be reckoned with, we take what we do rather seriously.

In all honesty I have been pretty boring lately.

I did do this Townes Van Zandt cover I was pretty happy with on a whim. Man I need to shave.
The weather is getting better, I am so sick of being cold. I will never spend another cold winter in my life, what a pain. Move to Austin this winter!

I think I may be getting a nice summertime apartment downtown. Keep you posted

Matt

Hovering

My last post was filled with a type of yearning, and yes, it's still burning. But these days I've been more of a pragmatist. Playing a lot of electric guitar. Writing songs about train-hopping Mexican mamas. I really want to create some kind of myth about Dayton. I want to play to people man. What I need is chemistry and a drummer. I need a better job and save up some cashola. Waiting on my taxes to fix my motorcycle.

I've been playing "Goin' to Acapulco" a lot lately, what a transitional song from the band. You can sense that, although Dylan, there is some kind of transference to the Band and that it shaped them. The song itself is a really intricate in it's sense of melody. The chorus is brilliant. Probably better and more effective than any I've heard. But you hear so much of "music from big pink" in this song, in this really carefree living the music type of song.

Dylan was like a father, a good one, and the Band his children. I don't care what anyone says, when it comes to the Band's song writing, it would be severely lacking if not for Dylan. They were a bar band, plain and simple, and playing fiery OP's music.

But life is brief I'm going to spend my day trying to finish a song.

where is the highway? and the homemade loving kind?

Planning a show at South Park Tavern for friends Tin Armor and mystery act. It will be St. Patrick's day, which is perfect for for SPT as they have only the highest quality beer selection should be a packed house easily. I will tout it as "The jam, the breakfast ham, and the jelly" when it comes time to promote it once everything comes together.

I picked two books and a guitar player magazine which takes a peak into Clarence White's bag-of tricks. The books: "This Wheel's On Fire" Levon Helm's biography, and "Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung" Lester Bang's collected works. I'm going to be enjoying myself.

I've been listening to Michael Hurley, The Unholy Modal Rounders and Jeffery Frederick, and The Clamtone's 1975 masterpiece "Have Moicy!". I cannot get enough of this record and more likely than not will be staying in that really long playlist of 10 records or so. When I first heard it I was grinning from ear to ear. I'm glad someone had the talent and insight to craft a record like that. What is really surprising is that it took them two weeks to record it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZA7OT3Ib5I here is one song off the record, and yes, they're all this good.

Also, Guitar Paradise In East Africa, which is the most amazing compilation I've ever laid hands on. Sticky Fingers has been doing it for me also. I'm feeling really good lately. Until next.

Marbles

Recently I saw a man perform on a clavichord. He really put some time and effort into explaining the clavichord and it's novelty. Not only was it cheap, but small and expressive. It was really quite a performance, and I'm happy I was able to see it. I was also directly in front of the amplifier to hear it's intricacies. Here is a story I took from wikipedia regarding it's practicality:

From his very childhood Handel had discovered such a strong propensity to Music, that his father, who always intended him for the study of the Civil Law, had reason to be alarmed. Perceiving that this inclination still increased, he took every method to oppose it. He strictly forbad him to meddle with any musical instrument; nothing of that kind was suffered to remain in the house, nor was he ever permitted to go to any other, where such kind of furniture was in use. All this caution and art, instead of restraining, did but augment his passion. He had found means to get a little clavichord privately convey’d to a room at the top of the house. To this room he constantly stole when the family was asleep. He had made some progress before Music had been prohibited, and by his assiduous practice at hours of rest, had made such farther advances, as, tho’ not attended to at that time, were no slight prognostications of his future greatness.


After listening to Randy Newman briefly I feel as though I may have grasped what it is to write a song in a perspective entirely not of your own. To play a role for the interest of it's meaning. It's uses are numerable and creative. 


I'm playing a show at South Park Tavern Tuesday at 10:00 P.M. opening for a house band. I'm excited to pay some dues. Music has gradually been interesting me more and more, especially song writing. I'm currently listening to a Sebadoh record titled "Bakesale". It's pretty good, not the most interesting musically, but it's very consistent and catchy. Really enjoy "Together or Alone". It's wrait.

Red-letter

Tonight I played a set at Canal Street Tavern, a local Dayton club. I played these songs as follows:

"Old Kentucky Home" - Randy Newman
"The Christian Life" - Louvin Brothers
"Cocaine Blues"
"That's the Way the World Goes 'Round" - John Prine
a song I wrote recently about desiring a girl who listens to country music
"Me Oh Me, My Oh My" - Matt Hobbs
"Waitin' Around to Die" - Townes Van Zandt
"Black Jack Woman" - Townes Van Zandt
"Hot Burrito #1" - Gram Parsons
"Life of Wine and Roses" - Merle Haggard's first big hit
"Lazy Days' -Gram Parsons

It went really well, I felt really good about it. There is a guy named Rich who goes to all of the shows in the Dayton area for the past 4 years. He always really likes what I do, he becomes really engaged. This is very encouraging.

What's really cool about Canal Street is that it is a longstanding venue run by dedicated people. Townes Van Zandt played there in the 80's and this lady named Sharon, who's really great, said she spent all night drinking Jack Daniel's with him. I try to pay my dues, they are always there to pay. I uploaded a song on soundcloud.com tonight by Randy Newman, next will be more by me, ones or ones I'll be working on. I'm going to try to network to find other artists in a similar vein. Here is the link.

http://soundcloud.com/matthobbs/sail-away

A guy named Chris Yakopic played tonight and he is an outstanding blues player, few and far between. Technically he is the best I've ever seen. He mentioned tonight that he has come in second place in major blues competitions, which made a lot of sense to me. What else could motivate a person to be such a skilled blues musician? Regardless, I'm glad he played after me (tough act to follow) he played the best set I've ever seen him perform. I respect him a great deal and always try to mention that I could learn a lot from him. I hope to play as many shows as possible this year and develop a solid reputation where people take notice. I have a good idea what I want to accomplish. The record will be the most important thing naturally. I would really like to get a group together, a hot band if you will. Quite possibly take music theory classes next quarter. Until next time.

Matt

Lorelei

My name is Matt, and I'm 23 years old and I live in Dayton, Ohio. My goal is to make a record and document its progress here. Currently I'm in the stage of writing and figuring out structures for my songs. I'm going to do my best and post as much as I can to allow availability to anyone who'd be interested.

This is a German seductress named Lorelei.

I have a lot of different feelings and thoughts regarding what I could say with a record. Ultimately I'd picture myself somewhere performing my music. A goal I have would be to move to Houston, Texas and make a real go at being a songwriter there, and meet other songwriters. It is my focus to write music, and write as much as I can. Recently I saw a Randy Newman interview about how one should show some restraint, but leave enough room for creativity. I was reading about Mozart earlier, and Mozart worked at it, as opposed to passively waiting around for ideas to come to him, and that was rather inspiring.

A little background about my musical past. I began playing the trumpet when I was 13 years old. When I turned 16 I received an electric guitar for my birthday. I began playing with a group when I was 17 and continued until I was 19. The name of this group is Queen Mob and was more of a skiffle group. We recorded an album together and I was introduced to the DIY recording process. Way back during my salad days I had Elvis sing-a-long tapes and I used to jump around and listen to them on a cheap little stereo I got one Christmas.

I have a real soft spot for twang, and my influences include, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, John Prine, George Jones, Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, and Gram Parsons, to cut the list short. I'm sure I'll go into all of this more as the time goes by.

This is me picking and grinning (well, almost). The next blog will feature a song I recorded.