GM = Idiots

First look at this, then look at this. I haven't been this depressed since The Spot closed. I've been driving a Saturn for 16 years, never even looked at another vehicle. Back in 1993, after our Toyota Tercel was totaled in a terrible -- what's another word for "wreck" that starts with "T"? -- anyway, I was thrilled to be able to buy a car built in America that was of such high quality that it sold itself. Of course, General Motors, being the morons that they are, eventually found a way to screw it up. Well, whatever I end up buying, you can bet it won't say "General Motors" anywhere on it. Goobers. I suppose Saturn's going to have to update their website. "We're optimistic about the future" doesn't seem to have much of a ring to it.

Big Doings This Weekend

Just Friends played at the Hersheypark Amphitheatre, closing out the official season of the park. Despite (or because of) the rainy weather in the afternoon, we had decent crowds who were very enthusiastic. I love it when they sing along -- especially if I'm about to blank on the lyrics. I can't memorize for spit but I can read lips pretty well.

Thanks to the mighty Mrs. Kelly you can now see us in action. Go to http://www.justfriendsband.com/ and check out the Youtube videos. They all turned out well for an unattended camera using "through the air" sound. I especially love Vince's Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano. No, you don't know what he's saying, but so what? Actually, the lyrics are quite humorous, about an immigrant from Naples who wants to be Americanized; that's what the references to rock and roll, baseball and Camel cigarettes are about. It's one of my favorites that we're doing these days, and Vince just tears it up.

We finished at 7:15. At 8:30 we arrived at the reception for the wedding of Stephanie and Zachary. They were very gracious in welcoming us even though we were about five and a half hours late (and I was wearing a bowling shirt). We missed most of the cool stuff like the vows and the toasts and the dances, but we did get to hear Steve sing "Sweet Caroline," so it was still all good. Best wishes to the newlyweds. You never know what the future holds, but may theirs be full of promise and hope, and surprises. Look at my first wife and me; we're still rocking after all these years.

The band continues to work on its promo package, recording a demo at Log Cabin Studios on Sunday. I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's impossible to record all the music and most of the vocal tracks for seven songs in three and a half hours, but Vince doesn't know it's impossible, so we keep doing it. Thanks again (I should make a macro for this sentence, I have to type it so often!) to my little brother David. He does all things well, including engineering a recording session in a garage.

Finally, as if all that wasn't enough, Sunday night I attended The Gliders show at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center. They opened for Adam Marsland, an artist from Los Angeles, who was also pretty good, but The Gliders were the best. I miss those songs and they've never sounded better. I mean it, the performances were spot-on and done with real love. I get a kick out of Bobby Martin, who sounds so much like Phil Lesh and is too humble to believe me when I tell him that. Mike Sgrignoli is one of the most powerful drummers I've ever heard, and these songs were made for his harmonies. Eric Zimmerman has less hair than he did back in the day but his songs are still compelling, original and honest, and don't sound dated in the least after all these years. And my friend Bill, with the Marilyn Monroe Strat and the spiffy Mesa amplifier, was hitting everything he aimed at. Such tone. Okay, I'm raving, but if you were at the show you know what I mean.

For a Sunday night in the Burg, the band drew a nice crowd of musicians and music lovers. For a little while it was like being in a city with a real music scene. The venue is beautiful and comfortable, just what Harrisburg needs more of, although they still need to do something about the sound mix. Marsland was probably singing in English, but I couldn't swear to it.

The Gliders will be performing at the Little Buffalo Arts Festival on October 3rd at 2:30 p.m. Unless you're doing something that can't wait, you should do yourself a favor and go see them. I hope we'll have other chances to see them, but this is a sure thing. Hey, there's no cover! That should make every cheap central Pennsylvanian's heart skip a beat. (Five bucks to hear a band? Sheeesh!) For more info on the festival, go here. To hear The Gliders tunes, go here.

Lights, Camera, Action, Run Away

It took me a while to upload this for whatever reason, but here's the lights I talked about the other day. Thanks again to David for the help. The way he describes it, we can add on more lights, and more lights, and more lights, BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! -- uh, sorry.

Last night Just Friends had a great rehearsal, working on the Italian stuff. I'm having a ball singing the Louis Prima tunes especially, although they're a challenge vocally. Just a Gigolo is a hoot, and Buona Sera is also fun. Funiculi, Funicula is coming along, with Enzo acting as my Italian coach. We're going to have a blast.

Now I have to get back to work. This afternoon I'm leaving for St. Catherine's parish retreat, being Mr. Music for it. I hope I remember how to do this; I used to do it in my sleep. (I might be doing that again!) Anyway, for a limited time only, anyone reading this blog gets their intentions prayed for this weekend. It's a full-service kind of a blog. Just do me a favor and return the favor. I'll post back next week when I'm all holy and stuff.

Have Your People Call Our People

Having spent 39 years learning how to play the guitar, I have now taken up a new instrument: the briefcase. Much of my time this week has been spent trying to book dates for Just Friends for 2010, and I'm acquiring a whole nother set of skills. Tough economic conditions have rippled down to the clubs and other venues we traditionally played, and competition from other smaller (and cheaper) bands is fierce. Looking at the band schedule may give you the impression we are slowing down. In fact, we are working on establishing new contacts, improving our promotional material and preparing to produce new audio and video to give an accurate representation of the quality and artistry that goes into a Just Friends performance.

We have heard through the grapevine that there are those who feel Just Friends was all but washed up and left for dead after the recent personnel changes. This is an inaccurate representation. In response, I would just ask that you give us a listen. Watch and hear us in action, and then decide. We are tighter, more focused and happier on stage than we have been in a long, long time. Happy players make happy dancers, and happy dancers fill venues.

Be patient while we build our schedule, which looks a little thin right now. We're excited and hopeful that 2010 is going to be a great year for Just Friends, despite the challenges and minor setbacks we're facing. There is a place for experienced, professional musicians in this area, and we are going to find it, or make it ourselves. Stay tuned, and thanks for your support.

Yesterday the UPS man brought my new light controller and some accessories to spiff up our stage lights. Getting gear delivered is always a day brightener.* My little brother David is going to come over today and show me how to not blow them up. "Dip switch"? Como se dice "dip switch"?

(*So help me, I didn't see that pun until after I published this!)

R.I.P. Cheryl Haviland, 1954-2009

I received a phone call last evening that Cheryl Haviland passed away on Monday. She was living in the Middletown Home and had suffered from too many medical problems to recount. At the end, her liver failed and she could not qualify for a transplant due to the likelihood of rejection.

Other than relatives, I have known Cheryl longer than I've known anyone else. Here is the proof.

This is kindergarten graduation at St. Francis of Assisi on Market Street in Harrisburg. I guess the year is 1959 or '60. I am second from the left, and Cheryl is on the far right (I think). We are singing "Harrigan." Over the years this story came up between us again and again, but I don't believe she ever saw this picture. Until my Dad made scrapbooks for us one Christmas, I don't think I had ever seen it either.

Cheryl had a rough go in life, battling multiple medical conditions and carrying crosses so heavy I used to call her "Ms. Job." When she would call me, I would sometimes say, "Now what?" There wasn't much I could do for her except listen and occasionally get a laugh out of her. When she would get depressed and talk about the end being near (years ago) I would ask her to make sure and tell me where she buried all the Krugerrands she had bought with her stateworker's salary. I still remember her laughing at that.

Cheryl was a poet and loved to sing, almost as much as she hated having her picture taken. Somewhere buried in this archeological dig of an office is a photo she gave me of herself. She made sure I knew what a great personal sacrifice that was for her. It was frustrating to me that underneath the kidding aspect of that exchange was her embarrassment at her physical appearance. At least where she is now, she'll no longer have to be convinced of her beauty.

I'll miss her. Her funeral is Saturday, 12:00 noon at Seven Sorrows. I was scheduled to play the Sisters' 100th Anniversary Mass in Danville, but I called Sr. Madonna and explained that Cheryl had left a request in her arrangements that I serve as a pallbearer, and I can't say no to that. I've said it before: I wish there was an easier way to make saints. Anyway, Cheryl's in the Choir now, big time, and I know she's singing her heart out.

Minnequa and Valencia

No, those are not two names from cashiers' ID tags at the Giant store. They are the last two venues where Just Friends performed. The Minnequa Social Club in Shippensburg is becoming our home away from home, and we played there on the 22nd. The crowd was a good size considering it's prime vacation time, and the folks there responded enthusiastically to us. Since it's a private club, you'll have to take my word for it, but we do well there, and we're returning on October 3rd. We broke out an old country favorite -- well, from the eighties; in country years, I still think of it as new -- Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis, which segued into (all rise, remove your cowboy hats for the Anthem) Sweet Home, Alabama. The dancers loved it. The people who work there are great, especially Brandy, the world's sweetest waitress. The second we go on break, she instantly appears to take drink orders from the band. I wish she worked everywhere we do.

Sunday, August 30th, we broke out the tuxedos and sparkly dresses -- in a gender appropriate manner, of course -- for the Valencia ballroom and the New Singles Dance, hosted by Sid Miller and Pat Connor. The Valencia is an old, classic ballroom/theatre from the turn of the last century, lovingly restored, a very elegant place. We had a fantastic time, breaking out no less than five new tunes: Drift Away, At Last, Walking on Sunshine, Oye Como Va (a real crowd pleaser and the answer to a prior request to learn a cha-cha) and, for the last tune, a surprise to everyone in the band including me, Love Hurts. We were doing Amazed and Vince said, "We need four more minutes," and it just fit. Kudos to Jim and Mark for falling right into it, and to all the band. Not to pat ourselves on the back, but our sound is coming together, and there's smiles all over the stage. It's good, and it's going to get better. The vocal mind meld continues to improve as all the J's work on our harmonies. Vince's sax is starting to growl, which makes us all grin.

Considering the uncertain patch we hit in July, it's eight weeks later and we're forging ahead with renewed confidence. Music isn't always easy, but when it's good, it's almost the most fun you can have. Stay tuned for more developments. Our next performance will be at the Hersheypark Amphitheatre on Saturday, September 26th.

There is also a new, finally functioning e-mail address for Just Friends business and communication: jkelly@justfriendsband.com It only took three calls to PA Online's tech support, and we managed to get it working before my cell phone battery died, so we'll call that a success. Use that address as an alternate contact for me, or if you have any friends who are getting married, or even look like they're thinking about getting married. That doesn't sound too needy, does it? Too bad; right now, we all just want to play.