Jonny Rocket's Ramblings

If You're Gonna Leave Then Leave

2008-09-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I wrote a song with friends Travis and Jourdan. We wrote it together until the early morning, then transitioned into the studio to make a rough recording so that we would not forget the tune. I hear a thousand flaws in the recording, but we did a good job of capturing the vibe. Just two dudes and a girl gathered around a mic with one chance to get it right. I'm not ready for the rest of the world to hear this, but I figured the 3 of you that read this blog might enjoy. The song is not about any particular person or persons. We made it up as we went along.

If You're Gonna Leave Then Leave.mp3

1984

2008-09-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

I can only imagine the self confidence I would have had if I was 29 in 1984.

One Last Soccer Post

2006-07-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

Enjoy.

meu nome é Jinho

2006-07-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to know what your name would be if you were a Brazilian soccer player? Now you can find out. Make sure you type in Bill Victor. Clicking on the image above will take you to the site.

Idiot

2006-07-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

I think Zidane's move was the dumbest thing I have ever seen in sports! Let me know if I've forgotten something worse. Zidane's insanity has certainly not improved my view of the French. It is sad to see such a great player go out that way, but let's be honest, I could not have picked him out of a lineup before the "incident."

Now it's time to forget about soccer for another four years.

Cool Mac App

2006-07-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

Cover Flow

"CoverFlow aims to bring that aesthetic appeal to your mp3 collection. It allows you to browse your albums complete with beautiful artwork pulled from any sources it can find, whether that’s buried in your song tags, collected via Synergy, or looked up on Amazon."

This app has helped me rediscover music that I forgot I had. It's amazing how different music sounds to me when I'm looking at the cover art. I'm one of those weirdos who loves the whole CD package. I feel jipped with music downloads. Right now this is only for Mac. Sorry PC users. I'm sure there is something like it for you guys if you look hard enough.

The Week in Sports

2006-06-16T22:50:00.000-07:00

1. NBA Finals
2. Ben Roethlisberger
3. U.S. Open
4. World Cup
5. College World Series
6. Stanley Cup Finals

I need ESPN!

100 Most Inspiring Films of All Time

2006-06-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

100 Most Inspiring Films of All Time

I need to go watch some movies! I'm a bit upset that Jerry Seinfeld' s "Comedian" was left off the list. Maybe some day I will follow in the foot steps of BillyV and write a review of the film. However, the important people who voted on this list got it right with "It's a Wonderful Life." I also am intrigued by any list that has "Schlindlers List" and "Breaking Away" in its top 10!

Store Wars

2006-06-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

Genius. Click on the image to view the movie.

Ratatouille

2006-06-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

This screenshot from the upcoming movie "Ratatouille" makes me laugh every time. It will be released in the summer of 2007. Watch the trailer here.

Would You Rather...

2006-06-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

have a guarantee that the mavs will win in 4, or a guarantee that Dirk will have a clean look at the basket with 5 seconds to go in game 7?

Learning to Like Shaq

2006-06-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

“The difference between those three is the Godfather trilogy. One is Fredo, who was never ready for me to hand it over to him. One is Sonny, who will do whatever it takes to be the man, and one is Michael, who if you watch the trilogy, the Godfather hands it over to Michael. So I have no problem handing it over to Dwyane. I would love to see the ball in my hands, but I'm not the best player or the best shooter on this team. I don't mind handing it over to Michael Dwyane Corleone.”

--Shaq

FYI- Kobe = Sonny; Fredo = Penny

Entitlement

2006-03-28T16:31:00.001-08:00

Can someone please help me understand this situation. France has the stupidest law on the planet that prohibits business owners from firing workers under the age of 25 until they complete a two-year grace period. Therefore, no business owners are hiring workers under 25, which has led to a record 23 percent unemployment. The government has tried to combat the unemployment by repealing the law that is keeping the students from finding a decent job. The way I see it, millions of students are rioting and protesting "the man" to keep from losing the jobs they can't seem to get in the first place. Am I misreading this?
I think that I am entitled to be a professional basketball player. I have a pretty decent shot. A couple of years ago I made 193 out of 200 free throws. That's better than Shaq. So what if I can't run very fast, or shoot a layup with my left hand, or even touch the bottom of the net when I jump. Any suggestions on how I might protest this situation?

This I like

2006-03-02T07:06:00.000-08:00

The Ags are a terrible offensive team, but I guess you don't have to be all that great when you hold your opponents to 40 a game. I think Gillespie is for real. He and Fran need to have a sit down.
I won't get too excited about this win because there is a good chance Texas will beat us by 20 in the conference tournament.

I'm Glad I Did Not Apply at Starbucks

2006-02-28T21:04:00.000-08:00

I've recently been working as a freelance engineer at a very nice studio complex in Dallas. The complex contains three unique studios with every type of gear imaginable. Most of the projects I have been working on have been last minute and low budget. Half of the clients have either been high on the wacky weed or failed to show up altogether. But, I showed up each time and have apparently earned the respect of the studio owners.
Last week a session was booked by a group called "The Ten Tenors." I believe they are based out of Australia. I had never heard of them before, but apparently their last album went platinum (For those of you who don't know, platinum is equal to 999,925 plus the amount of CD's I sold last Christmas). All of the staff engineers were booked for Monday and Tuesday, so I got the call. Unfortunately, on Monday everything that could go wrong went wrong . Luckily, Tuesday turned out better.
Simon Frangler is the producer of the project. He was flown in from London to work with the guys while they stay in Dallas for a week of performances at the Majestic Theater in downtown. I just now "googled" Simon and found his discography. It was quite extensive. Apparently he produced a little ditty by Celine Deion called "My Heart Will Go On." Perhaps you've heard of it? He also produced the soundtrack for Moulin Rouge. Songs he has played keys on include "Unbreak My Heart" by Toni Braxton, "Change Your World" by Eric Clapton, and "The Bodyguard Soundtrack" by Whitney Houston. Movies he played keys on include Crash, Mission Impossible, Contact, Seven, The Client, and Ransom. He also played on two lesser known indie films, Dances With Wolves and Titanic. Not Bad.
He's the guy on the right.

Where is Jonny Rocket?

2006-02-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

I'm still around. I'm in a blog drought. Hopefully I will fight through it soon enough. The funny thing is that I finally have stuff to write about but no time or energy to post. I will do better.

Best use of 99 cents

2006-01-29T19:48:00.000-08:00

Recommended download: Allison Krauss and Union Station: LIVE
If you only download one song, go for New Favorite. Jerry Douglas' performance on that song is inspiring. Flawless execution with amazing feel.

Google maps is the best. True that, DOUBLE TRUE!

2006-01-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

This image was taken from google maps, somewhere in Chicago. Apparently my apartment complex has a problem with me painting my "Jonny Rocket" logo on the roof of my building. I need to get a house.

(If the title of this blog entry seems silly and confusing, go here)

True Love Cannot Be Denied

2006-01-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

"Eminem, who sports a 'Kim: Rot in Pieces' tattoo on his chest, announced the couple's plans to reunite last month after coming out of drug rehab."

read the entire article

lawsuits

2006-01-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Anybody out there have any creative ideas on how to stop these types of lawsuits?

read the article

Prophecy

2006-01-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

I received a word from God about this years NFL playoffs. In the third quarter of the AFC championship game between Indianapolis and New England, Tom Brady will go down with a season ending knee injury. New England, down by three touchdowns, will hand over the offense to the ageless Doug Flutie. He will start slow, but will eventually throw for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Flutie will catch the winning touchdown pass from running back Corey Dillon on the final play of the game.

In the Super Bowl, Doug will lead the Patriots to victory despite breaking his right leg, dislocating his left shoulder, and suffering an appendicitis.

Short people will be heard rejoicing throughout all nations.

In other news...

BillyV now has a cell phone. Check the sky for pigs.

Ryan Adams "29"

2005-12-26T22:47:00.000-08:00

I have always been drawn to sad music with heavy lyrics in minor keys. Not sure why that is. I downloaded Ryan Adam's new CD "29" with money from an iTunes gift certificate. It's certainly not my favorite recording of all time (a couple of the tracks hurt my head), but it's perfect listening for late nights before sleep time.

Temp Job

2005-12-25T21:29:00.000-08:00

I spent the two weeks leading up to Christmas working at UPS as a driver helper. The cold days where not too fun, but the rest of the time was enjoyable. Lots of walking. It would have been a great oppurtinity to lose a few extra pounds, but I ate too much.
Out of curiosity, what kind of temp jobs have you all had?

Brown

2005-12-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

UPS drivers work quite hard and deserve our respect. They work long hours and are constantly racing the clock. On good days they make it back to the station by 6:30. Most days aren't so good. Thank your driver next time you see him.

Christmas CD

2005-12-05T09:51:00.000-08:00

I've been trapped in my room working on my Christmas CD for the past week. I haven't felt this much pressure to get something done since college. It's called "God, and King, and Sacrifice." 5 songs, all instrumental. I'm going to sell them at my gig this weekend for $5, and will have them available for purchase online shortly. It looks like they will be available for download as well. Audio clips will be up soon.

What I want to be when I grow up

2005-11-25T17:05:00.000-08:00

Well, we couldn't pull it out in the end, but all was forgotten when I found this guy.

It looks like we have ourselves a Quarterback. Stephen McGee played well and led the team, despite his experience level. Jorvorski Lane is a beast. I'm hopeful for the future.

Not looking good for Vince Young and the Heisman. I will sleep ok tonight.

The only game that matters

2005-11-24T22:06:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning at 11AM I will make my may up to the upper deck of the endzone section of Kyle Field to watch my beloved Aggies take on t.u. Honestly, we don't have much of chance. I realize this. However, I don't buy in to Vince Young being much of a passer, and anybody who has followed A&M's games this season knows that there biggest weakness is the secondary. An interception here, a fumble there, and things can get interesting. There will definitely be an audioblog if things get crazy.

Just in case you were wondering, R.C. Slocum never had a losing season.

chances are...

2005-11-21T20:23:00.000-08:00

I got this napkin on a United flight last week. Am I the only one that finds this odd?

This weeks gig moved to Saturday night

2005-11-17T07:49:00.000-08:00

I've been rescheduled again. Apparently there is a large wedding reception planned for Friday, and there are not enough seats in the place to handle my huge crowds! I've added a section in the right hand column of my blog where I will keep my events updated. Send me an email (jon@jonmeyermusic.com) if you are not on my email list and would like to be added.

New York City Pics

2005-11-14T23:23:00.000-08:00

I've posted some more pictures on my Flickr account. There is a link in the top right corner of the Flickr page that will let you view a slideshow.

NYC

2005-11-13T14:47:00.000-08:00

Audioblogger

2005-11-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

I recorded this using my cell phone, and it automatically uploaded to my blog. Technology is cool. You can sign up for it at blogger.com if you already have an account.

I thought I was dead

2005-11-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

I had a photo shoot today. Yes, I said photo shoot. A buddy of mine who is a photography assistant for some high profile photographers in D/FW offered to help me out. The objective was to come away with some pics to use in promotional material for my guitar stuff. I think we got some good shots, but I'm a terrible model. I learned today that when I think I'm smiling, I actually look pissed. I will try and work on that. Anyways...
The day was winding down. We had been all over Dallas. Mostly to parts that I had never seen before, and I was born in this town. My photographer friend (whose name is Pez, whose actual name is David) informed me that we had 10 shots left to take before we could drop off the film to be developed. We decided to try and find a place near the developer to use up the remaining film. Unfortunately, the location we chose was a bit sketchy. We pulled off onto a side road leading to a construction site and some warehouses. We stopped a couple hundred yards away from the main road. I was happy to be away from the traffic. This whole thing made me self-conscience enough without hundreds of cars driving by. I soon realized that being out of direct view from the busy road may not have been such a good idea.
Along comes a car. Very slowly. One driver and one passenger. My heart rate increased a few bpm. They passed us by, but slowed down even more when they drove by Pez's car. They kept going until they got to the end of the street. U-turn. As they drove back by us I did my best to avoid eye-contact. Through the corner of my eye I caught a head nod, then a wave. They proceeded to the main road, turned right and headed away. Pez was excited about the lighting so we stayed a bit longer. Then, they returned. Pez and I were a good 75 yards from the car, so we decided our best bet was to play it cool. We started walking back towards Pez's Forerunner. They passed us even slower than the first time, then continued to the end of the road. Brake lights, and another U-turn. They arrived at the car the same time we did. This time they stopped, shut off the engine, and got out of their car. They walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk, staring at us the whole time. My heart was beating at least 200 bpm at this point. Pez unlocked the doors and calmly placed his camera in the backseat. The two guys were still at their trunk with their eyes on us. Pez and I jumped in our seats and slowly headed down the street. They got back in the car and drove the opposite direction.
They let us go without even saying a word. Very odd. Maybe they just wanted to scare us? However, most of the people who scare others usually find some enjoyment in the process. These guys looked pretty serious. Maybe we over-reacted? I don't think so. My best guess is that they were both new to this sort of thing. Robbery rookies. The situation was too perfect for experienced, guilt-free criminals to pass up.
I got to thinking later, what if they were an upstart Tejano band in need of some pics for their CD cover?

KDFI 27

2005-11-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a commercial where KDFI channel 27 was bragging about their primetime line-up.
7PM - Matlock
8PM - Cops

Comments section fixed

2005-11-08T05:20:00.000-08:00

I accidentally messed up my comments section while I was editing the internals of my blog. Everything should be working now.

Home Alone

2005-11-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

I sat in my room all day today. I've been trying to save money, so I even ate lunch and dinner at home. For those that know me, that is an incredible feat. I spent most of the day working on a song for my Christmas CD that I must complete by the end of the month. Although I got quite a bit accomplished, I was miserable. Around 1PM I couldn't take the isolation anymore, so I went for a Coke. I don't know how people work at home by themselves all day. It's not for me.

time killer

2005-11-05T23:27:00.000-08:00

Got a few minutes? If so, check out Orsinal.com.

Flight Patterns

2005-11-03T22:03:00.000-08:00

Interesting images and videos made from flight pattern data. More pics and videos at www.aaronkoblin.com

emusic.com

2005-11-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

A buddy of mine forwarded this site to me. When you sign up you get 50 free downloads. Not the largest of selections, but still worth joining. It says you can cancel at anytime. If you don't cancel before the trial period is up they will charge you $9.95 a month for 40 songs. Still not a bad deal. These promos rarely end well for me, yet I continue to get suckered in. Check out the new CD from "Iron and Wine."

Websites and Goodbye's

2005-10-31T13:41:00.000-08:00

I have wasted way too much time trying to figure out web design. I should have bit the bullet and paid somebody, but that would go against my DIY mindset. I recently rebuilt my website, but it is still a work in progress. Check it out and listen to the tunes if you have not done so already.

Said goodbye to my good friend BillyV today. He hugged me as we left Starbucks. Don't worry, it was a side-hug with no eye contact. Sad to see him go. As I write this he is on his way to Missouri. Second trip in as many days. The sad thing is that he will be moving again in about 6 months. What have I learned from this? If I ever find myself in a crummy, life draining work situation, I will stick it out, collect my paycheck and keep my mouth shut. Moving is for the birds.

Rite of Passage

2005-10-30T20:36:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I played some music on the back of a flat bed trailer surrounded with hay at a Fall Festival in Sherman, TX. I have arrived.

Wes King Tribute Project

2005-10-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

I am co-producing a song that has a good chance of making it onto a tribute CD for Wes King, a christian recording artist who is fighting cancer. Read more about the project and listen to a sound clip of the unfinished version at www.wesking.com/tribute.html. The band I'm working with is Addison Road (4th from the top).

"There's no crying in softball"

2005-10-24T08:35:00.001-07:00

This is a hard subject for me to talk about, so please bear with me. Last Tuesday night I experienced my worst athletic defeat since I slipped and fell in front of the little league bleachers while attempting to track down a foul ball to exchange for a grape snow cone.
Let me set this up for you. Church league softball. Last week of the season. 3 way tie for first. We lose the coin toss, and have to play a "semi-final" game. The game is close as the end nears. I get a decent hit, and the guys behind me advance me to third. Up until this week, I have been quite the pansy on the base paths. I can turn the easiest of doubles into a "tie goes to the runner" situation at first. But this week I decided to be somewhat aggressive. All that being said, I now have a scratched up leg and elbow from an unsuccsesful attempt at stealing home. However, I did learn that you have a better chance of making it home when you leave when the outfielder catches the ball, instead of two minutes later.
Ok, now to the play that will haunt me until I get a chance to screw up next season. 2 outs, bases loaded. 1 out. Game tied (I think I made a few errors between the previous event and this one, but they were not as obvious). Old man at the plate. Ross Hunter is at shortstop, and I'm at second. I'm new at this whole infield business, but all I could think is that if I get the ball, all I have to do is get it to Ross and game over! Well, I got my chance. The perfect ground ball right to me. I had so much time to think about how great it was going to be to redeem myself. I was carried off the field once after making an important kick in high school, so I only assumed that this day would end the same. It was not to be. Not only did I not make the play, the ball never even touched my glove. The only thought in my head at this was point was "Jon, you're 26 years old, you cannot cry." I left the park with very few words spoken by me or to me. Days later I received a call from our "coach," asking me how I was holding up then concluding with a pep talk about how he once dropped fly balls and now hits two homeruns a game. It's good to know that I have something to look forward to.
On the way home from the game I thought of how much it must have sucked to be Bill Buckner. Thousands in the stands, millions at home, and all those dramatic ESPN specials for years to come. Our only fan was 6 years old. I think I can buy him off.
Then I started thinking about how pathetic it feels to be upset about a Church league softball game. Was I upset because I looked like a fool, or because I let my teamates down? Probably a little bit of both. If nothing else, I realized that competition, if not kept in check, can be as devastating an addiction as any drug. Probably worse.

Starting Over

2005-10-23T21:10:00.001-07:00

I've been away from this for a long time now. I recently got hi-speed at home, so maybe I will do a better job at keeping this up. No guarantees.

I just purchased Tori Amos's "Scarlet Walk" CD. I highly recommend it. Is she a freak? Most definitely so. If she was the last woman on earth, would I...? Probably not. However, she always has good players and interesting production. Very sparse instrumentation with lots of wholes that would normally be annoying, but somehow work. Do not, I stress, do not buy her latest DVD. She does things to her piano bench that no one should be forced to see.

Addison Road Project Complete

2005-06-09T13:02:00.001-07:00

I recently finished producing and engineering Addison Roads latest EP, Always Loved You. The title track was recorded last spring at Soundtown Digital Recording Studios in Hurst, TX. The remaining five songs were tracked at the Playroom in Wylie, TX, and my personal studio, The Rocket Room. All of the tunes were mixed by myself and Joel Cameron. Short audio clips of the project are available on the sounds page of the Addison Road website.

Running through glass doors

2005-04-19T22:29:00.000-07:00

Accidentally running through closed glass doors is to movies what "Throw your hands in the air and wave them like you just don't care" is to rap music. Enough already.

Finding Truth in Cartoons

2005-04-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

"You're not making Christianity better, you're making rock and roll worse!"
- Hank Hill (in response to a less than desirable performance by a hippie christian rocker)

Tax Day

2005-04-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

April 15th is not a good day for the irresponsible, self-employed musician.

live

2005-04-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

Just got done playing my guitar live at a restaurant in my home town. Good times. Not a whole lot of folks, but a nice atmosphere. I hope to be doing more of this type of thing in the future. Special thanks to my friends and family who showed up to encourage and eat.

NYC

2005-01-18T19:14:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago I took a trip to NYC. In my traveling days I got pretty good at working the airlines, so I have a few free tickets to burn. I decide to fly up and go to a Marc Cohn concert at the Town Hall Theater in Times Square. Most of you don't know who he is, and that's unfortunate. For more info on Marc Cohn, go to marccohn.org. While I was there I took some pics. I've posted them on my website for your viewing enjoyment. Much thanks to Jordan Richard for letting me crash on his floor.
NYC PICS

Ryan Gregg Project: Drums

2004-12-31T21:17:00.000-08:00

For the past month or so I have been engineering and producing a project for a talented singer/songwriter named Ryan Gregg. I met Ryan a couple of years ago when he played guitar on a project I was working on. We were reaquainted last May while recording a demo for his current band Addison Road. While working on the demo, Ryan would bring me CD's containing demos of his own material. I was so impressed with his tunes that I convinced him to start his own project.
We are currently in the middle of tracking drums. For those of you who don't know much about recording, there are a 1000 different approaches you can take. Some people like to record everything at once, some record one thing at a time. For this project we are doing the latter. We have been extremely lucky to have the infamous Joel Cameron playing drums. He's quite the drummer, and there is a good chance that he has played on some of your favorite CD's. Below are some pics of the first drum session at Joel's studio. The first pic is of Joel playing his new Taye Kit (which is very nice). The second is of Joel editing his drum tracks while Ryan sat beside him with a very serious look on his face.

Extra Weight

2004-12-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I took 14 keys off my key chain and 24 business cards/hotel keys out of my wallet.

The many joys of sight reading

2004-12-27T08:54:00.000-08:00

This post is for all of the hack musicians out there like myself. Yesterday I filled in playing bass at a fairly large church in the DFW area. I think I'm probably the fourth or fifth call, but it's Christmas time, so everyone else was out. I get there to find a notebook full of charts of music that contained familiar songs and ones that I have never heard. The majority of them where in funky keys, not the standard E, D, G that are typical of most worship songs today. We also had to transpose on the fly. It was brutal! I fumbled through practice, somehow managing to make it through the service without the band leader walking over and unplugging my bass!
The lesson is this. I used to be one of those guys that thought learning music on a page was a waste of time. I felt this way because of all of the piano players that I knew who could not function or think without sheet music in front of their faces. So I worked on developing my ear, all the while writing and performing songs in the same easy keys that I have been playing in since I picked up the guitar 13 years ago. I have learned, however, that "playing by ear" will only get you so far. I have also learned that even the little bit of theory that I forced down has made me a more creative and thoughtful player. Unfortunately, the theory book I am reading has about 500 pages. I'm on page 20.

new website

2004-12-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

I think trying to learn spanish was easier than HTML. I have a book that is supposed to teach me how to make a page, but I can't seem to make myself use it. I just fumble around until I eventually figure out what I'm trying to do. I better figure it out soon because there are only 5 days left on my Dreamweaver MX trial!
The new page is actually and adaptation of my old site that was built by Bobby Strickland. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get in touch with Bobby. I decided to edit it myself. It's not near as cool as what he would do, but I do my best. Let me know if you find any problems with the way the site works. I may or may not be able to fix it.

I guess I will give this I try

2004-12-16T22:45:00.000-08:00

Obviously, this is post 1. If history repeats itself it will be my last. I'll try harder this time.