Rain

Yes it is Halloween today and it is raining...hmmm, that doesn't really bother me too much because as an adult I don't get to go tricker treating anymore. I used to love filling up my pillow case with tons and tons of candy, of course that was when my mom would actually let us go trick r treating. Then when my brothers and sister and I got home we would dump out all the candy on the floor, look for any needles/nails or rasor blades sticking out of the wrappers, sort it into good candy/bad candy piles and commence trading and eating until our mom told us that was enough. Now I don't get that pleasure, and if it rains, that just means my wife and I have an excuse to eat all the candy that we would have given out...And we only buy good candy...

What to be?

My wife and I are going to a Halloween party tomorrow and I came up with a costume idea, kind of cheesy but might be funny. I thought we could go as a computer geek. I would be the computer and she would be a nerd. I will tape computer parts to my body and in the crotch area I will put a "floppy" drive there ;) pretty witty huh? Yes I really am a geek...

Spoof songs

I have had a couple people ask me now about the spoof songs on our site. Well I work for the Kidd Kraddick Morning show and I have really been getting into the spoof song. To date the band and I have had 4 songs played on the show. Now to some that may not seem like a big deal to us that is kind of kewl. Kidd Kraddick is syndicated, that means his show is played in 39 other cities other than Dallas, his listening audience is over 1.4 million people. So for us that means we have had National airplay, sure it is for a spoof of another song, but it is still kewl just thinking about how many people just heard something you created. Now if we can just get us a record deal squared away and some major backing then maybe next time it will be a actual monkeyshyne song being played nationwide. Now that would be REAL kewl.

It is what it is...

I have been hearing this statement much more lately in conversation with people. It is just another way of saying "Shit happens", but on a much more corporate America level. The more I live life the more I realize that I can't change a lot of things, I always have a choice, the choice a lot of the time is how to react to a situation. One of the biggest issues I deal with in my life is my band of course. I wish we were a national top 10 CD selling band and that was my main job, but that isn't the case. I could and sometimes do get pissed about it, well that is a choice that I make. There is always more that I can be doing, right now I feel I am doing enough. If it happens it happens and it is what it is. Right?

New CD coming soon

That is right, I have been spending the last couple of evenings putting the finishing touches on our pre-studio recordings of our next CD. I can tell you there will be 5 songs on it and we are going to even put a cover song on it. Yes I said a cover song. This CD will also have some electic guitars in it. We don't have a name yet, someone this past weekend suggested calling it "Cole Slaw", yah don't know about that, "Potato Salad" had meaning behind it. But don't worry you know guys who can come up with names like monkeyshyne and potato salad that we can come up with something good...

Are you ever that big?

Where do "local" musicians get these huge ego's. Every once in a while I come across these assholes that for some reason are better than everyone else in the room especially the other bands they play with. And the real funny thing is most of the time these "music gods" don't even know the other band they are bashing. Can someone explain to me where the ego's come from. Why there is a need to feel bigger and better than another person or another band. Ok, so you are probably wondering "who" was this "musical genuis" that pissed me off. It was the almighty Dan Dyer. The dude has no idea who I am or my band and I am kewl with that. I have never met him before, but we had a great oppurtunity to open for him this past weekend. And out of no where, during his set he starts poking fun at us and how we have a "great vision" with our black and white t-shirts, van and other stuff and yes he was being very sarcastic. I mean WTF, we are just some guys trying to put out good music and make our show a little more entertaining than just getting up on stage in a pair of jeans and t-shirt and standing there playing a song. Go buy a CD if you want to just listen to music. I come from the school of rock n roll and bands like KISS, that knew they needed to "entertain" their fans. He chose not to watch any of our set and walked into the club 20 minutes late from when he was supposed to be there. I guess I haven't embrassed this lifestyle yet, we are usually early to our gigs and we are interested in watching the bands we play with. Sure not everyone appeals to us, but at least we take the time to find that out for ourselves. My advice to any bands up and coming or already out there, leave your ego's at home with your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/dog, being a local musician is hard enough without having to deal with that.

Disclaimer: If you are a Dan Dyer fan and this turns you off to monkeyshyne, I guess I have to accept that. I am tired of taking shit from other people who think the Lord made this world for them and them only. Who knows Dan is probably one "great" guy, but I probably will never find out. To all those fans that where there to see Dan and bought our CD and cheered for us thank you, we really appreciated that, more tha

?Como Esta?

Bein, e tu? I am in the process of learning Espanol, why, well seems that since I live in Texas it would just make sense. Lo Siento hablo poco Espanol. I don't speak much and have been forcing myself to learn new words everyday. I actually think it is a good thing. I wish our American school system would get off its ass and start demanding children learn multiple languages right from the get go, then I wouldn't have all these problems trying to learn now, well not as many. I really need to find a Mexican pen pal or something. I would make Oz my mexican pen pal, but I think Colin speaks more spanish then him. For anybody out there that wants to swap 1st grade mexican emails with me, go ahean shoot me an email at klewta@yahoo.com.

Adois...(don't expect me to spell any better in spanish than I do in English)

Texas State Fair or Fare?

First let me start out with definitions of fair:

- Of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality; comely.

Definition of Fare:

- A transportation charge, as for a bus.

I took my wife yesterday and after being there for about 2 hrs and over $100 later, I started thinking, where the HELL did they come up with this name. The definition of Fair is of pleasing appearance or fresh quality, no that this "fair", it was anything but pleasing and fresh. The fair attracts every kind of weird person you can imagine, so weird I even saw Big Mike one of the bouncers from the Curtain Club (just kidding Mike, I know you can kick my ass). It seemed to me that they should change the name to "Texas State Fare", then at least people will hopefully realize you are going to pay a arm and a leg for that "ride". Overall it was a fun day, my wife enjoyed it and that is truely what matters. (yes this is the mushy side of Chris, don't expect it too much)

One of those days

Have you ever had one of those days were you are just SO PISSED OFF at everything, but nothing set you off. I had that day yesterday, didn't matter what anyone did it was annoying. I hated every person on the road and couldn't stop cursing. I don't know if I am starting to feel the effects of 12 work hour days (2 jobs), upcoming studio preparation, upcoming show preparation (working on a new but old stage design), weekend fillins for board operators at the radio station, weekend shows, tutoring 1 to 2 nights a week, band practices, band management and finding at least 1 to 2 hours a week to spend with my wife. If it weren't for the nightly visits to the gym and my 1 soccer game a week, I would probably explode. Yes I bring this all upon myself, I am what some people refer to as an over achiever, funny thing is, I don't ever feel like I achieve a whole lot. Maybe that is why I was so pissed, today I am much better...I think...

Haunted Bathroom

This past weekend my wife and I and a couple of Friends went to a haunted house. It was a terror park that had a live band playing, food, beer and 1 haunted house with 3 different sections and also a haunted maze. First let me say the only thing that was really scary was the Port-O-Potty. I think that if you really want to scare people just make them walk into a couple of those, it just doesn't get any worse than that. The actual haunted house wasn't that scary or even that interesting. Either I am so decensitised by the crap I see in movies and the TV or it just really kind of sucked. The haunted maze was funny because it wasn't even a maze, there was only one way you could go. And the one time we found a door that said "Don't enter" we entered and the guy behind it said "You aren't supposed to be here, go that way", hmmmm not right. They should have called it the "Let us take you on a $4 walk", guess that doesn't sell like "Haunted Maze of Death"...haunted my ass...my ass was scared of those toilets...hmmmm...thought....next year...monkeyshyne's haunted toilet $2 to enter, $2 to leave a deposit...no thats scary.

Thought for the day

Isn't just amazing how things just sometimes seem to fall into place? You try and try and try and then boom it just happens. Guess another thing that just maked life interesting.

Can you just give me some space?

Yep thats right I am now officially a myspacer. I created a profile http://www.myspace.com/klewta. Yes I do feel a little like a young teenage boy or girl and that is ok. Myspace is kind of kewl when you think about it. Being able to connect with 100's of 1000's of people around the world, send them messages, see their pics and listen to their music. That is kewl, think back 10 years ago and that wasn't much of a possibility. I just think the internet in general is so damn kewl. I mean monkeyshyne, when you think about it, has our music distributed globally and it doesn't cost us a thing. We had some fans find us over in Spain that started posting our songs and information all over bulletin boards over there and we couldn't understand any of it. HOW COOL IS THAT. Ok going back to myspace, it is just a great way to network and meet new people. Won't YOU be my friend?

Idea to support local music

Ok so the guys and I came up with a new idea, it is a little crazy, but I think it just might catch on. We have this new site called http://www.monkeyshine.info where we will talk about our favorite bands, try and do interviews and promote other shows on the weekends we aren't in town or are not playing. Yes it is under our name and yes it have everything to do with our opinion. That is the beauty of it, we are not trying to hide the fact that is our bias, we are not calling it the "Local Show" or "Scream for Me Dallas" or "local cocks rock", we are calling it monkeyshine.info. As far as those other sites go, they are proposing to support the scene in as much of a non bias way that they can and I say BULLSHIT. How many times have you ever heard monkeyshyne on the "Local Show" with Chris Ryan, NEVER, how many times will you hear us in the future, well that is NEVER. Or Robert Miquel's "Scream for me Dallas", how many times have you heard him promote monkeyshyne, oh that would be NEVER. See these guys on these shows find there favorite bands and just promote them, in the 5 years I have been going out to deep ellum and the local scene, I have seen Chris Ryan 2 times and Robert 3 and I have either player or hung out down there about 5000 times in the last 5 years (do the math yes that is impossible, but my point is it is a lot). And these guys are supposed to be supporting the local scene? So we are not going to lie to you, we are going to support the bands WE like, we are going to tell you what WE want to tell you.

Ok now on the flip side there are people in the scene who I do feel try to promote all of it. That would be Chaz with Texas Radio 1, Cindy Chaffon from Texasgigs.com and Iceberg from Renegade Radio.net. Sure I am bias because all of them have shown us love, but I have seen them support many, many different styles and types of bands outside of their favorites.

Football is for People named Colin, Sumo Wrestling is where its at!

Yes that is right, I said it, football is so yesterday. Yes I used to be a big football fan, still watch it now and then, but it just doesn't do it for me anymore. One weeks its go Cowboys, the next it is oh no its the cowboys, and on and on. I have found a new sport that I think kicks ass, Sumo wrestling. This is not fake wrestling this is two very big and powerful men trying to throw the other out of the sumo circle. Most people have this misconception that all these wrestlers are just big fat asses, wrong, there are big fat asses with a lot of muscle, much like you average football lineman. If you want to keep up with the latest stats you can go to http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sumo.htm. Ok so maybe watching 2 men in big diapers wrestle is a little strange, but no stranger than watching a man in tights grabbing a pigskin ball out of a large dudes ass and throwing it to a guy called the tight end...

Were are all of those hero's now?

Pakistan just had an earthquake, and they are estimating 30,000+ people are going to be dead from this. Funny thing is, I haven't heard much about this disaster. I haven't heard of any "stars" stepping up and doing a concert benefit. I haven't heard of any telethons that are going to be done by the TV networks. I haven't heard the NFL say they are going to donate $1,000,000 to this cause (which by the way is a joke for the billion dollar football industry). Yesterday I talked about how Jesus, son of God, was middle eastern. That means he was not born in America, nor did he ever visit America. Our savior wasn't from around here he was from over there. Think about that. So Kanye West, I guess if George Bush doesn't like black people. American people (black, white, grey, purple) don't like middle eastern people. Please understand I would love to be proven wrong, but I just don't think I am. I have a theory and it is that Americans don't really like the middle east because we think that all of them hate us and that Ben Laden is over there planning to blow us up. And if a celebrity/star was to show support for these people that he/she might fall out of favor with the American people. Just a thought.

Our White Jesus

Ok first let me start out by saying I do believe in God and I do believe in Jesus, some might call that a Christian and yes I would agree. But when was it decided that Jesus needed to be a pasty white guy, with blue eyes, nicely groomed sandy brown hair and a very well kept beard. There is a very GOOD chance that Jesus was dark skinned, had curly black hair, scraggly beard and his clothes were probably rarely clean. My question is why did we change him to look so white. Do you think that if churches had a picture of a dark skinned black haired Jesus that white people could relate? Yes, I am implying that at some point in time the white church decided that Jesus should be white, because white people will like him more. Jesus was from the Middle East, that is the truth. Why do I have to live in a world of make believe? I guess we really are just sheople, being led by whomever feels they need to lead.

I totally wish I was a fly on the wall when our American culture decided to turn Jesus white. Lets pretend I was:

Church guy 1: "Sir, we have a problem, our church attendance numbers are way down."
Church guy 2: "Hmmmm, yah I have noticed that too. I think people are having a problem with this Jesus guy, they just can't relate to you know... him being a foreigner."

Church guy 1: "Yah, I agree."
Church guy 2: "What do you think would happen if we whiten him up a bit?"

Church guy 1: "A white Jesus, huh, that just might work..."

And the rest is, shall we say, history.

What a day

Is it possible to fall asleep at work 3 times in one day??? Damn must be the weather, sometimes the hardest part about working behind a computer all day is not talking to anyone, just yourself. And Dallas just had a cold front come through and drop the temp down in the 60's. I attribute that to my falling asleep. Ok that and I am trying to kick my habit of drinking a Red Bull in the morning. I got in the habit of getting to the radio station and popping open a Red Bull and man did it help. Today I said, no way I am going to break that habit. Red Bull withdrawl sucks. He I am going through withdrawl and it seems that Oz has all of these celebrity woman leaving there men to be with him (I think his wife might mind). I just don't know which would be worse, Jessica Simpson or Red Bull addiction.

The Future

What does the future hold? Would I even want to know. Will monkeyshyne write that "hit" song? Will we tour around the world for 2 to 3 years and then get sick of it and all go our seperate ways only to re-unite when we need money and do a "Hell Freezes Over" Reunion tour? Will Colin ever find his Angel? Will Oz ever really tell us what "Superman" was about. Will I ever figure out who I am? I guess these questions any many more will eventually be answered, if I had a crystal ball I just might have to look. Then maybe life would be boring, cause then you would know what was going to happen. Isn't that what makes life fun or interesting, never knowing what comes next. Yah I think so.

Random Thoughts

Have you ever wondered why people hit the elevator button more than once? Is there something I don't know, like there is a magic number of times that if you hit it, the elevator will come quicker.

Today I yelled back at a bum and I felt good and bad. The other day a bum asked me for money and I said "sorry dude" and he said "man you don't have a heart", that hurt. Today as I was walking in a bum walked up to me and right as he was asking "Hey man you got any...." I said with a very glaring look "You BETTER not be asking me for money." He looked suprised and walked off. Part of me said to hell with you, the other part said I am not a very good Christian, what if that was Jesus come again. Next time maybe I will ask for money first.

When Oz and I were eating at the Angry Dog this past weekend I was eyeing the persons fry's next to me and she had barely touched them. When the server came around and took up her plate I said "Oh man I was going to ask you if you were finished with those?" she laughed at me and said "I was and sure I you could have had them." Is that just as strange as a bum asking for money? I mean if I was going to throw a dollar in a garbage can and a bum walked up and said "can I have that dollar" I would be like "sure dude, I was going to throw it away anyways." Maybe it isn' t the same. Weird yes, but not the same.

When I am driving down the road and I yell at another driver, what does it matter? The other driver can't hear me. Is that just like my little dog peeing on the mailbox, he knows if the big dog actually saw him he would chew him up and spit him out, but when the big dog isn't around my dog is king. When I am driving and I yell at someone, who can't hear me, I can say anything I want. If they heard me what would I really say?

And people ask me if I am ok? Probably not...

A weekend of New Music?

Well maybe not, actually a lot of the bands playing weren't that new. Especially the headliners that had. The Burden Brothers been around for a couple of years and Bowling for Soup has been around for almost 10 years. I think a Dozen Furies has only been around 2 years maybe. There were the smaller local bands that I saw that were new. I mean we played and we aren't new. I guess the organizers of the festival know that Deep Ellum is in a slump and needed some big hitters to attract some fans down there. Was it worth it for them? I don't know, I know that they probably paid at least 2 of the headliners a sizeable amount of money and I know that they didn't pay any of the other bands anything, at least if they did they didn't pay us anything. Some of the bands I have never seen before that impressed me: 3 fantastic and the Burden Brothers, and I probably watched around 30 bands. Now bands I do know that I watched and liked before where Big Loo, Minority, One Up and FFTN. It was nice weather and on Friday night I got a great drunk on, so not a bad weekend at all. All hail the New Music Festival of the old.