Sunday, November 30, 2003

I spent a bit of hard-earned last weekend on a bunch of music DVD's. The collection is growing at 18, with still plenty that I would love to own. I'm actually buying more DVD's than CD's these days, with quite a few being cheaper than their CD equivalent... & you get video footage! If you want to listen to them as just a CD, turn off the TV & ensure the DVD player is plugged into the stereo!

Anyway, the collection grew by four, with the following;

Mark Knopfler - A night in London
Dire Straits - On The Night
Coldplay - Live 2003
Pearl Jam - Live at the Garden

I already own the video of MK's A night in London, but owning the footage on DVD is a convenient alternative. The same goes for On The Night, which I've always had on CD but it's good to actually "see" the concert.

Coldplay's DVD was recorded at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney & has been touted as the DVD release of the year. It's not bad, but it still hasn't drawn me in as their "Rush of Blood to the Head" release.

The DVD which has me at the moment is Pearl Jam. I also own "Touring Band 2000" which I've played to death & the new release of the Madison Square Garden show is even more amazing. The picture & sound quality is of higher standard & the band has an awesome vibe. Hearing the audience take over from Eddie singing Betterman proves how much of a fan base they enjoy.

A special moment on the DVD exists during the montage of concert venues backed by "All those Yesterdays". Pearl Jam played in Adelaide on February 16th & while they were here stayed at the Pier Hotel which I would have mentioned way back then. During the montage, some of the tour crew are seen playing a bit of baseball & throwing a frisbee in a reserve. This footage is shot from about the third floor of the Pier overlooking Colley Reserve where it took place. A bit of a shock to recognise a view from where I work each weekday. All very cool!
 

Sunday, November 23, 2003

Two days late, but hey, it's not the sunday six but the friday five;

1. List five things you'd like to accomplish by the end of the year.

This is a struggle, since it's getting closer by the second... funny that!

a. Fall in love. I think it's called 'living in hope'.
b. Complete at least two more songs.
c. Have someone of influence listen to my recorded demos.
d. Move out.
e. Job satisfaction.

2. List five people you've lost contact with that you'd like to hear from again.

a. Leah - She lives all of five minutes away & I haven't seen her in nearly a year. Still a good friend, but our paths are leading us in different directions.
b. Danny - He lives all of two minutes away & his wife had a son about five odd months ago that I still haven't seen. I'm never able to get around to his place when their all home.
c. Terese - A girl that got the wrong end of an innocent conversation & went from being her friend to her enemy. I haven't spoken to her in over three years & would love to tell her the story of how we were both betrayed by a women who has spent her life being a bitch.
d. Alix - Went though primary school together, went to different high schools & then crossed paths years later. I now know she lives in London but that's it. Would just like to get in contact & swap stories.
e. I'm going to have to cut this list short, since most people I want to hear from usually get in contact by email or though messenger from wherever they are in this big, wide world. Thanks guys!

3. List five things you'd like to learn how to do.

a. I'd love to learn how to play guitar like I use number pad on a calculator. I can type lists of numbers without mistakes & never have to actually think about what I'm doing. I so want to play the guitar with the same prowess.
b. I wouldn't mind learning how to play the violin. It's got fewer stings than the guitar, so how hard can it be?? I'll leave this alone before I get spammed by disgruntled first chairs.
c. How to make money from the things I'm good at & enjoy, rather than the things I do okay at but don't enjoy!
d. Wouldn't mind learning the secret of how the laziest people in the workplace get so much praise for their efforts, whilst those that work all hours & go well beyond the call of duty get slammed at every turn.
e. How to get every man & his dog to come to this site.

4. List five things you'd do if you won the lottery (no limit).

a. Buy a nice house in the suburbs with a fully equipped recording studio.
b. A Mini Cooper S to sit in the driveway.
c. A all encompassing world trip before performing a & b.
d. Set up bank accounts where my parents & sister receive interest earned on the winnings. If I gave my sister a lump sum, she'd be able to spend it in a week or so! If you work it out, $2m @ 4% interest is $80,000 per year. That's not a bad income!
e. Pay off the odd debt for friends at random, eg. home loans, car loans, university debts, etc.

5. List five things you do that help you relax.

a. blog.
b. play the guitar endlessly.
c. the cinema experience.
d. drive down roads never traveled & attempt to get lost.
e. surf the net with music dvd's cranked up in the background.
 

Thursday, November 20, 2003

I've done the unthinkable & actually added to the perspective page!! It's has nearly been a year since I last updated any section of the site, so I do hope you're all proud!

I've taken some (slightly) better photos of my new Maton guitar for all to see. They're not the greatest, but you can see the amazing wood that's been used & it sounds as good as it looks!

Hopefully, these pickies satisfy the couple of people who have searched for images of a Maton EBG808 & ended up on my site. The only other shots of this particular guitar on the web are directly from the Maton catalogue, so I hope this helps anyone else who's interested.

 

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

I was the ripe old age of four in 1979 when the first Alien film by Ridley Scott was released. I had no idea it was that old, which is probably the reason I can't remember seeing it in a cinema!

However, I have now! Last night, I caught the re-released version, being the director's cut & I'm darn glad I did.

Even after twenty-odd years & three sequel films, the original 'Alien' still looks fresh & up-to-date. The fact the 'Nostromo' cargo ship is made of good, wholesome metal, is a change compared to newer space/futuristic films, where ship walls are made from synthetic, fake-looking crap. In other words, there's a good, solid feel to the film which tends to be lacking in movie making these days.

It must also be noted that Sigourney Weaver has no arse. In the final scenes where she's down to a small t-shirt & the tiniest pair of knickers in history, there is conclusive proof of a distinct lack of bum!

When I told various people I was going to see this flick, I had some strange looks as though 'why the hell would you want to see a dated film that gets aired on TV every six months?'. Well, let me say, it is well worth it, especially on the big screen.

Catch it if you can!
 

Saturday, November 08, 2003

I have a brand new family member as of this morning. Please welcome to my world, Maton EBG808.









I had a call on Thursday from Pete at the Barossa Music Centre to tell me that his mate (Harvey from the 70's band "Sherbert") who works for Maton was able to send me the above guitar if I was prepared to spend the copious amounts of money required. Little did I know that it would be freighted from Melbourne to Adelaide overnight & be waiting for me by midday Friday!

Another long journey to the Barossa, as occurred last weekend, & this immaculate acoustic is in my possession.

This is the most amazing guitar I have ever played. It is as though the guys at Maton came over & measured my body & hand sizes during my sleep! A really comfortable guitar to hold with a perfect neck.

The 808 series is smaller than a normal dreadnought but I prefer the sound which is actually louder, even though the internal area of the guitar is smaller. This size of acoustic is becoming popular & Martin in the US produce signature models for Eric Clapton & John Mayer who prefer the smaller model.

The pictures here were taken just moments ago using the camera in my phone. When I get around to it, I'll haul out the Canon digital & take some classy photo's. Hopefully, I'll be able to show the outstanding quality & the amazing wood used on this guitar.
 

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

From a good weekend to a (so-far) very ordinary week at work. I work for a company that has multiple owners & therefore multiple ways of what they think is the right way to do stuff. Unfortunately, I sometimes get stuck in the middle & it all turns a bit ugly. But enough about work! Must not bitch, must not bitch, must not bitch....

The Melbourne Cup has been run & won for 2003. I was in a poorly run combined office sweep that didn't pay off. However, I did manage to pull both first & second place tickets from another sweep for another member of staff. They made $70 odd & had a nice little spending spree later in the day. This is the second time that I've managed to win a major prize with this co-worker. Last time it was a scratch ticket she threw me & since lotto has a nice prize packet this weekend, we're going halves in a ticket to see if we can make it three in a row!

I'm still waiting for a final quote on my new Maton EBG808. Spoke to the owner of the Barossa Music Centre late today only to find that he's having some trouble dealing with Maton in Melbourne. Everyone seems to have forgotten they get a public holiday for the Melbourne Cup! Apparently, my model will need to be a custom shop version & may take between 6 to 12 weeks. I have no idea at this stage why it needs to be specially made as it's one from the catalogue! We'll wait & see.
 

Sunday, November 02, 2003

I've added a little logo to the side bar on the right. I'm now listed along side my fellow bloggers in this here city of Adeliade!

A very cool idea that creates a little community spirit & that warm fuzzy feeling!
 

I'm not quite sure where this year is going, I just know it's going really, really quickly! I started my job at the Pier Hotel this month last year & it sure doesn't feel like it.

That being said, the 1st of November was one of the longest days I've had, packed to the brim with wholesome goodness. Starting at around 8:30, I set out on a nice 120km drive to the Barossa Valley to visit a music store & collect my much awaited amplifier valves. It's a long way to go to but when local stores (e.g. Derringers) don't care about customers, you do what you have to!

The Barossa Music Centre (BMC) has some nice gear & good service. While I was there I asked about a price for a new acoustic Maton EBG808 which I've discussed here earlier & a final quote is on it's way. The owner went into depth about the models & eventually led me to a small auditorium behind the store. I spent a good hour or so playing a nice Maton guitar to test the AP5 pickup which my guitar would be fitted with. It's the first time I've played through a twelve speaker PA system. Very cool!

After having a quick look around the Barossa, I began the long drive homeward & with a quick fitting of stunning new valves, my amp now sings as it was originally intended.

At around 4:00, My sister, fiance, mom & friend Ali returned from a bridal expo in town. With Ali being a guitar teacher, an impromptu jam took place. We have very different style of playing. I'm self taught with a mass of songs crammed into my skull & she is classically trained which provides a odd mix of abilities.

The day continued by heading out to the house of the best man for my sister's wedding, for dinner & light-hearted banter.

Home by 11:30 & into bed completely & utterly knackered!

There you go, a day in the life of me.

Consider that the bonus commentary of this blog!
 

email

  elliotte@senet.com.au

archives

 08/2001
09/2001
10/2001
11/2001
12/2001
01/2002
02/2002
03/2002
04/2002
05/2002
06/2002
07/2002
08/2002
09/2002
10/2002
11/2002
12/2002
01/2003
02/2003
03/2003
04/2003
05/2003
06/2003
07/2003
08/2003
09/2003
10/2003
11/2003
12/2003
01/2004
02/2004
03/2004
04/2004
05/2004
06/2004
07/2004
08/2004
09/2004
10/2004
11/2004
12/2004
01/2005
02/2005
03/2005
04/2005
05/2005
06/2005
07/2005
08/2005
09/2005
10/2005
11/2005
12/2005
01/2006
02/2006
03/2006
04/2006
05/2006
06/2006
07/2006
08/2006

gallery

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours? www.blogwise.com Blogarama - The Blog Directory Photoblogs.org Listed on BlogShares Locations of visitors to this page

blogroll me!

Site Meter