The world, being wired the way it is makes sure that one gets a lot of new ‘friends’ like it or not. I try not to dabble in on line discussions… who’s got time for poop like that? That said, I’m no better than anyone else. Every now and then, someone makes me aware of threads that exist on sites I never frequent and yes, I weaken and check it out. Now I realize that’s it’s not my business what anyone else thinks of me, but sometimes the dialogue involves my family… and that makes it my business. Some moron made a disparaging comment about a picture of me and my daughter on one of those sites. Needless to say, this idiot can kiss my ass. It’s easy to run your mouth when you’re cowering behind a key board in your parents basement. Yeah, I know, I’m behind a keyboard right now… but I live in the real world. I’m easy to find. If someone has something to say to me… say it in person. What a craven coward!

One of the other things I became aware of was people still casting Vanessa and myself in the John and Yoko image. When Vanessa and I started working together many years ago… there were lots of people laying that Yoko BS on her. Now, she as absolutely one of the smartest, incisive I know. Her loyalty has always been to her family and her business. I’m reminded of the Waylon Jennings song Working Without A Net…

Life can be a circus
A death defying act
But the clowns don’t come around no more
Since the monkey’s off my back…

It’s been a while since the clowns have been around… but they’re still out there.

There’s nothing like a family business… who else could you trust more?

Then there are always folks who try to concern themselves with who Jack and I should play with and what songs we play. Vanessa doesn’t make these decisions… Jack and I do… and we like the choices we make. Vanessa doesn’t bring us gigs… our agent does and then we discuss them. We don’t work gigs we don’t want to work regardless of how much money is involved. If someone wants to know what Jack, Jorma and/or Hot Tuna is up to… go to the official sites. Don’t glean facts from ‘fan’ sites. At 75 years of age I base my decisions on whatever will be best for my family.

I was utterly appalled by some of the dreck I read.

OK… I feel better now even though I know this will change nothing.

My life is blessed on so many fronts and believe me, I know this cyber stuff is petty ass bullshit.

As we say down here in the country…

‘Oh well…’

I’m outta here…

Jorma on the Ural sidehack at Ocean Beach

So yesterday morning while walking on Ocean Beach I saw this Ural rig and the owner kindly let me sit on it and have my picture taken… I may have to get one of these.

Anyway, my pal Marc Shechter’s law firm, Butterfield and Schechter just celebrated their fifteenth anniversary and Marc asked me to pick a few tunes ate the fete which I was more than happy to do.

Here is a list of those tunes, not necessarily in that order and not necessarily complete:

Jorma At Mark’s Place
San Diego, California
Saturday, January 19, 2013

1. True Religion
2. I See The Light
3. Heart Temporary
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Barbeque King
6. That’ll Never Happen No More
7. Second Chances
8. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
9. Come Back Baby
10. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
11. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
12. Living In The Moment
13. I Am The Light Of This World
14. Nine Pound Hammer

Good company, good food and I got to play the guitar… good times!

Shell hunting on ocean beach

Barry Mitterhoff is flying in tonight and tomorrow our second Fur Peace Ranch session here in California begins with me, Marjorie Thompson, Barry Mitterhoff and David Wolff. Needless to say, we expect to have another great week.

I’m obviously home since I’m finding time to have on line fun with the blog. As I mentioned the other day, life is indeed a funny old dog and you never know how folks are going to react to anything you say or do. What has prompted this entry is this comment that popped up on Facebook. No… I’m not on Facebook… someone sent it to me… thank you very much!

Last Saturday night Jack Casady, Barry Mitterhoff and myself played an acoustic trio show at the Fur Peace Station… the first concert of the first camp of the 15th year. Now… after being on the road for a month the boys and I were really sharp… I thought we nailed everything… blah blah blah. In other words I had a really great time. Well… what do I know? My opinion, like everyone else’s, does indeed fall into the, ‘Another county heard from,’ category. A comment popped up on the wall of the Fur Peace Ranch Facebook site that went like this:

‘Went to the opening concert on March 17. Hot Tuna was anything but hot. If I had known they were going to call it in I wouldn’t have driven 300 miles to see them. I like the mandolin but not over the enjoyment of two world class guitarist(s) (sic). I was set up. I just kept wishing they were about to rally play for us. Wishing never made it happen. I fell back to sleep.’

Wow… What do I know? As I have said before, opinions are like, well you know. Everyone’s got one… me too. But this one made me reflect a little on my place in the musical world. I was telling my class over the weekend how lucky Jack and I are that our fans allow us to grow and change. Even Embryonic Journey has mutated over the years. If I wanted to play it like I did on Surrealistic Pillow, I would have to go to the original recording and learn in the same was that any guitarist would. Now personally, I am very satisfied with our collective musical incarnation today. I play better than I did when I was younger and I must immodestly say that I wasn’t bad back then. My musical ideas continue to evolve and by the grace of G_d, I don’t have to be a self involved tribute band to my own ‘Greatest Moments.’

I am almost at a loss for words… and those of you who know me know what a rare event that is. All I can say is that Hot Tuna NEVER calls ‘calls in a show!’ Never… I know… because I’m always there! Well, I heard somewhere that it isn’t my business what people think of me and I know that’s true. Just personally thought this observations was from so far out in left field that I wondered if we were at the same show. Maybe I don’t make enough guitar faces… I don’t know.

I guess I would just like to say to the woman who posted the above comment, ‘Sorry we disappointed you dear. We did the best we could.’

Another county heard from… me.