Believe this or not--heard from an actual bibilovesangus blog follower!  So, y'all are out there--cool!   A bit overwhelming to think real people actually read my blog, really.

Anyway, he said there are ways to share The Butch Walker Mixtape via the blog.  Will keep working on that; in the meantime, check out this choice cut.  Showcases Butch's writing--"she knows the Japanese alphabet, but she doesn't know me"--vocal styling--a bit langourous, smooth, warm, tasty relaxation incarnate--and his sense of humor.  Attitudinally and effect-wise, She Likes Hair Bands kind of sort of reminds me of Steve Miller's The Joker, "throw away your phone and your inhibitions too".  If you haven't heard Butch sing--what have you been doing?--here's a very cool, very engaging first song for you.

For me, can't listen just once.  Butch Walker chant here....!

Butch Walker--He Can Really Help You Out

Well now that the costume ideas are settled, nose to the grindstone making them, along with Sarah's costume--got her package with the material during the week--and, of course, the baby gift for Sanne.  First to prioritize the projects:  Sanne's gift is easy, already cut out, should be quick to sew together, but needs to be mailed to Holland, so it should be first.  Sarah's needs to be ready soon since they do a lot of local tv spots before the "Dance with the Dead" on October 27.  YES, my handiwork on view on tv--two years in a row!   And, either have to get her here for a fitting or drive to SA--ask tomorrow.  The cousins' Haunted Hollywood event is October 27, too, and that costume is elaborate, except for the wig and boots, have to make it all myself.  Boot shopping in the hood tomorrow since the costume will be color-coordinated with the boots.   The costume for Fall Festivus @ work--not sure of the date--really just needs wig and facial hair.  Think I can leave that for next weekend.  The costume prop is on its way, Amazon said.  Will wear one of those costumes for the Stitch n Bitch party.

Now that I read over this to-do list, it seems too real (as opposed to unreal, surreal or villarreal) and like a LOT of work.  The superior being, though,  can  often discover a silver lining to any self-imposed clouds.  Look what I found to encourage me to just grab on with gusto, y'all, to the upcoming challenges and make 'em happen, check this out:

Great picture, huh?  Berlin earlier this year.

And here's one I like even more, taken sometime in the further past. 

-----significant pause-----

OK--already feeling less beleagured, more energized, ready to, well at this late hour, read some light murder mystery, with no care in the world but getting a good night's rest before a full and fully fabulous day of fall-like weather and accomplishment tomorrow.  With lots and lots of Butch Walker as the audio track.  (In the movie, would Butch's music be on the radio or playing over flash cuts of idyllic Saturday errands, including the obligatory shopping bag with the baguette all while driving around with the top down?)  And, maybe "Casablanca" at midnight at the River Oaks tomorrow night.  Watching a classic movie the way God intended, on the glorious big screen in spectacular black n white, sounds like a very good Saturday ahead. 

Those pictures really did it for me--how about you? 

Butch Walker Out of Focus Could Get a Screening

Got a great tweet today:  if we check out the YouTube trailer for Butch Walker:  Out of Focus and it gets the most hits, The Arclight will screen it (LA theater)!  Hey, it's a start--it could get to Houston.  After that, it's only a matter of time before Butch gets here, too, right?

Butch Walker Out of Focus trailer 

http://t.co/aapqL1R3

Deadline is October 14, so get on it!  The sooner Butch plays Houston, the better!

Butch Walker Makes It a Great Wednesday Night After All

The week started great--fall-like weather on Monday evening, was able to drive home with the top down, listening to The Spade (not some crummy mix cd--lol) good and LOUD!  Butch sounds great really loud, btw.  Yesterday, not so autumnal, fighting my way through traffic to get to the homestead, but okay.  The Spade STILL rocked and life seemed cool, enough.  But THIS afternoon, humidity and heat are back AND, oops, forgot about the baby shower tomorrow and the gift I was going to make.  Had the material, had already cut it out, but geez, would have to miss Stitch n Bitch to get it done.  To get past this loss in fun and frolic, which is almost as good as a California night out on motorcyles, first listened to one of The Butch Walker Mixtapes (version unknown) a couple of times and then put in Butch's Live at Budokan dvd--genius!!!  Sewing, singing along, living la vida loca alright...it's what the creative process is all about.  A bit over halfway done, went to the kitchen and, great (sigh), there's a puddle of liquid between the washer and the fridge.  On the continuum between not so bad and really gross, could be the washer and/or fridge needs  to be replaced or the cats had to express themselves (about WHAT??!!??) again this week.  Last week, someone peed on the laptop case that was inadvertently left on the bed.  No explanations, no remorse, not even guilty looks,  just there.  Honestly! Never got to the bottom of that matter.

Since I can't smell anything, the best clean up strategy is?  Are we talking simple mop up or get out the Hazmat gear?   (Hard to get too upset about the whole thing, singing along to Race Cars and Goth Rock), but OK, get a "specimen" of the mystery liquid in a sandwich bag and take it over to Stitch n Bitch for a verdict, right?  Luckily, the next door neighbor, let's just refer to him as A to protect his identity, was taking his evening constitutional (smoking his evening cigarette) on the steps outside, smelled the bag and pronounced it water.   HUGE sigh of relief!  But, the water came from ...?  A is a nice neighbor and it turns out, something of a Home Depot-type, so he came in and checked around, moved the washer, all those kinds of checklist things the house-sensitive kind of person knows.  Glad I had the big flashlight right there next to the washer/dryer so I at least seemed like I was prepared for minor household emergencies.  A thinks it's the washer.  He even went to his apt., checked the common wall between our apts (who knew there was common wall?) and returned to let me know the diagnosis so I could report to the apt management. FYI, that's a loosely applied term, apt management, but really not something blog-worthy. 

Unlike Butch Walker, who got me through what could have been a real drag of an evening.  Both the BWM cd and the Budokan dvd had put me in a more relaxed mood, so the water leak wasn't such a drama.  Looking at this washer problem as a plus:  have never liked that washer; a new one would be great.  AND, once again, Butch's music is a highly recommended analgesic for whatever ails you--totally fantastic, life embracing, gets you out of your funk no matter what, rocking, or breaking yer heart, grabs you out of the blah ordinary and kicks your butt back to what's real!  He made an evening that could have been disastrous--forced to work on a sewing project with dread, deadline looming, missed my weekly copanionship time, annoying nuisance of a household disaster--into something pretty easy to take.  I worked on the baby gift in a very positive spirit, with lots of happy thoughts going into it, got to show it to the Stitch n Bitch crowd and get their approval and admiration--it's a 2-sided flannel coverlet with a hood at one corner, enhanced with a color-coordinated bias edging--and happy thoughts from them toward the upcoming birth.  Made them laugh with the "specimen" idea I had for them to tackle before I ran into A.

 And, got to know my neighbor A a bit more.  Their baby is almost a year old now--haven't finished either of the two gifts I've begun for her.  What a nonentity neighbor I am!

Thanks to good neighbors and to Butch, for providing the needed and appreciated positive vibe!

Rock on, y'all!

Butch Walker Fever: Intense and Ultimately, A Good Thing

Maybe it was the rain on Saturday, but it was a strange day...just sitting there, in my usual spot at the House of Pies, chatting casually with one of the other regulars and it hit me:  was I being Jehovah's Witness-like, talking to people about Butch Walker?  How did that unsettling thought even materialize?  Wasn't a St. Paul magnitude thing, wasn't struck off the stool or anything, but it did disorient me for a bit, not sure how coherent my conversation was after that point.  The errands were run with this persistent niggling doubt, troubling fog infusing all the tasks with a vague sense of dread:  maybe I was overdoing the "Butch Walker is fantastic and more people need to know about him" message.  Along with all those other negative feelings, how un-cool.  Y'all know how I revel in my vaunted aura of elegant and impenetrable nonchalance....  Way beyond cool, really.

As the day wore on, though, managed to come out of the unexpected and debilitating funk. Thought of a couple more Butch Wallker Mixtape II and II.2 recipients which always makes me feel better--I am on a good crusade.  And, since there's nothing on tv, watched Butch's Live at Budokan dvd again.  Excellent idea!  Like all of it, but love the Atlanta concert section. Butch is just so engaging as a performer.  His electrifying energy, attitudinally full of piss and vinegar, are-you-fucking-ready-for-this? stance, loving the fans and their feverish over the top love for him, on view for everyone to share--just suck it in all the way to the core of you and get totally high off it.  Feel it again, just writing this.  By bedtime, all was very clear in my consciousness about the rightness of my campaign to increase local awareness of Butch Walker's music.  Reinforced it during the breakfast meet-up today, as well.  Ron and Raul do have some insight into my world, so it was greatly appreciated and very reassuring for them say that my occassional obessions are fine/harmless/positive/could have the intended effect, if intense and probably surprizing to those who don't know me well.   (Remember that nonchalant thing about me.)   Maybe since they're profs they have a high tolerance and latitude for individuals expressing their ideas--or, weird possibility:  economists are more open and accepting of wild eyed crazies and their bullshit, er, ideas?   Whatever, I'll take it along with, of course, their friendship.  Also on the plus side, gave the BWMII to Anthony; maybe he'll have some feedback next week.

In line with (some of) this, feeling so centered about my mission in re:  Butch Walker's music, thinking of sending the POTUS one of the BWM versions.  I get a lot of email from President Obama and his supporters--Michelle Obama, Kal Penn, others whose names I immediately delete from my short term memory--so it came to me, why not?  Big decision:  which version--with or without the f and s words?  BTW:  does the soliloquy section of The Weight of Her really count in this?  How many people can hear what Butch says about the shitty car speakers?  Make The BWM II.3?  Have been wanting to make a version with my faves from the original BWM and add She Likes Hair Bands and Going Back/Coming Home.  OK, have to keep thinking about that part.  But, do plan to go forward since it will give me an opp to say some other things to the President:  why I can't contribute any additonal funds, what I think of the opportunities to win a chance to have dinner with him--get serious, his staff would select a voter from Texas?, emphasize Butch's efforts toward increasing voter registration, maybe the Pres needs to carry Georgia?, recommend that Butch Walker be part of the inauguration (fingers crossed) festivities, what I think of undecided voters.  I know, I know, the POTUS has 0.00001 chance of hearing the BWM, but the flunky that does open the letter might listen to it and become a convert and/or maybe they're already a fan.

We will see and I will let you know.

Butch Walker LFDH Stats

We all know how wonderful and life-enhancing excel tables are, right?  Of course we do! Use them all the time to keep track of my busy life, as I'm sure many of my exalted audience do.  Couldn't live without them.  So, how to fit any Butch Walker data into one?  Easy enough...let's use data for viewings of the Live From Daryl's House video of Say It Isn't So.  Although I had been watching the video repeatedly since discovering Butch, didn't begin gathering data until August 28, 2012.  The other day, thought, well, obviously, if you're going to write this down every time you think about it---duh!---excel table!

So, sorta, kinda been having some geekish fun and hope to have some meaningful stats and possibly a valuable regression analysis soon.  What, if any, effects on the viewing of this youtube video after the Palladia broadcast, announcements of upcoming--and highly anticipated--tour dates, any kind of Butch Walker news, etc.  Yes, folks, maybe there's a paper to be written and published in a journal of renown with Butch as the star in another, previously unthought of galaxy.

Now, I realize I should have been gathering similar data on the overall episode, the individual songs, and as contrasting data to test the strength of the information, data on other LFDH guests' youtube video viewings.  Sheesh--not all fun and games in the excel table world.

Butch helping with an excel table, horizontal data

In the meantime, and a bit more enlivening, have completed The Butch Walker Mixtape II.2--version without Summer of '89, Sucker Punched, Too Famous to Get Fully Dressed (songs with the s---or f--- words in them) and with She Likes Hair Bands and Freak of the Week added.  In some ways just as good, but different and maybe more possibility of appeal among some audiences.  Who knows?  Miss the rocking/rolling, raucous quality of the first two and the coolness, insider attitude of the latter, but the two added numbers are excellent and also show off other facets of Butch.

AND, think I've nailed down the Halloween costume for the cousin's party--Haunted Hollywood (dead stars) theme.  No revealing my upcoming identity--readership of this blog is so high--word could get out before the party. LOL!!  It's really cool though.  Nobody else will be able to top it!  Now to think of a way to work the LFDH apron into an office-appropriate Fall Festivus costume.

Rock on, all!

The Butch Walker Mixtape II (feels like version 2.879)

I'm very happy with my Butch Walker Mixtape II, but honestly, have already been thinking of improvements, especially in regard to giving it to a less edgy crowd that could (might) still enjoy listening to his music and spread the word around.  Funny thinking of the people I have already given the cd to as edgy, but there it is.  Plan to give copies to the food trucks at the University Center and those versions should be sans the s and f words, just to be sure there's no violation of University policy, right?  Thought of adding She Likes Hairbands and Freak of the Week to replace Summer of '89 and Sucker Punched, as much as I like those two songs.  All that energy and attitude are so alluring and make them total, raucous sing-alongs.  Talk about feel-good music!

Then, I really listened to She Likes Hairbands and wondered if there were some University policy violation in the lyrics, what with all the sex. lol  Such a great song, though, and one of the standards at Butch's concerts.  Integral to my marketing plan is to showcase his range and include songs that often show up in concert set lists.  That way, if Butch did come to Houston and some of those who received the cd attended with me, they could sing along with me--and Butch, of course.

Sent off copies of BWMII to Sarah and Tommy, so the San Antonio and Las Vegas markets are covered. ha ha  Also, to Cactus with a cover letter.  Will send one to Raymond with the shower gifts for Sanne so that the Sneek/Friesland music market is alerted.  I know.  His review of Butch's LFDH episode did not resound with "I REALLY LIKED IT".  For me, episode 54 was dynamite:  such a burst of exhilaration, excitement, love of music, great example of Butch's voice, song writing, charisma, charm, who wouldn't fall all over it like I did?  Once Raymond listens to the broader mix in the cd, though, I'm still convinced he's a Butch Walker fan in the making. 

Bought more blank cds--this is getting a bit bigger than I anticipated.  BUT, not buying anymore, my career as a tastemaker for Butch Walker's music is just about complete.  I've planted the seeds in as many places as I can, now have to settle down for the flowering of my efforts. 

PLUS, Halloween is coming!  Usually by this time in the semester, have the costume planned and well on its way to realization.  This year, don't even have the beginning of a concept for work or Carol's party.  Sarah's got me started on her costume and I have to make the baby shower gift(s) and get it/them to Holland by mid-October.

So, work on the Butch Walker Mixtape II, (revised) and get it out there!