Monday, August 31, 2009

We continue to move along this week and by the time you all read this week’s entry it will be September. Wow, where the hell did the time go anyway? Before you know it the leaves will be falling and we will all be packing away the summer toys and getting ready for winter.. So before we miss anymore time let’s move on.

This week in Music History- Bobby Darins' "Mack the Knife" was banned from CBS radio after several local stabbings took place this week in 1959. The Late Show' with Letterman premiers this week on ABC in 1993. First musical guest was Billy Joel.

It was another great weekend for the SCB. Saturday was yet another day of rain- and you guessed correctly - another outside show. We played the annual Fund Raiser up to the Afton Sportsman 's Club. Now it had been a few years since we played a show for these folks and I gotta tell you this - the grounds were beautiful- the event was organized- food was great - and if you went away from there hungry it be would your fault. And beer - 10 kegs worth! "Life was good today" The show began at 1pm and the last song was played at about 7:45 that evening. Passing the hat is a beautiful thing. We played a good chunk of music and with this crowd we showed everybody there what the band was capable of. Everything from Kid Rock to the Bellamy Brothers. It was quite the show!

We must have done something right as we were re booked for next year’s party as well as some additional shows too. Kudo's also go out to Donnie and Stick - one of the better gigs for the 2009 summer season. You guys have a great group of Staff members there!

We have a busy weekend coming this week. Friday night - We will be in Greene at Nathanael Greene’s Publick House on Main Street in Greene. The show begins at 9pm, so get down early and have a bite to eat and stay for the music too.

Saturday night we are doing a private party up towards Whitney Point with special guest WallyJo Webster on Drums and yours truly on Bass.. DD is attending a wedding up in Syracuse that night.

And Sunday afternoon we will be back up to the Central Hotel for an afternoon Barbeque - hopefully outside if mother nature allows it. And this is a very big day for us as well as we draw the "winner of the Band for a day" contest. That all starts at 2pm. If you haven't gotten your ticket for this drawing - time is running out. We are only selling 200 total tickets at $5 each and they are almost all gone. Remember to save your Ticket stub if you are not the "chosen" one, It will get you $5 off the price of the next CD that we hope to have completed before year’s end.

So that sums up this week. Remember that there will be extra road patrols out this week – insuring your safety- so make sure you're not texting- your seatbelt is buckled and you’re not drinking and driving.. The legal limit is 0.8- so don't blow it.

And finally - what about that poor couple on the Harley this week that hit the plastic trash can on 17 and crashed into a tractor trailer as he lost control of his bike. The poor passenger was ejected and died. These folks were here for pleasure and traveled all the way from Chicago - just to have a life taken away. Life is so fragile - be careful when you travel and maybe for once 'you' look out for the other guy too while you are traveling along. You just may save a life, Maybe even your own.

Be well - peace
Mikee^^Dee

Monday, August 24, 2009

Well hello and welcome to the last couple weeks of summer as the kids begin getting ready to go back to school. Three exciting things happened this last week, one - I finally got to use my air conditioner. Two - I picked veggies from my garden and three the wind started to blow from the North West yesterday - a sure sign what is to come in the very near future.In that case - one week of summer is better than no summer at all.I've got a new addition I am planning to add to the weekly Blogbeginning today.. It's called "This week in Rock History". It will add a bit of nostalgia to the blog I think. So here we go...This week in Rock History- Gene Simmons of Kiss turns 60.Jimi Hendrix does his last live show before his death at the Isle of Wight in England 1970... *** Cool huh?Anyway lets get to the week in History for the SCB . First we are looking into some new Tee-Shirts. These will carry the logo from the brand new business cards DD had pressed for us. More information as we get it ourselves. Friday night - the staff party at Winter Fest' went well. All I can say is- wow- what a great pre-party. Steak and Wings and beers, plusa bit of jammin' out by the campfire, need I say more?Saturday came and get this - we actually had a party outdoors without the rain. At least for the most part....... The cottage is a "storybook" in itself. Like taking a total trip back in time. And the lake setting is as picturesque' as it gets.Now onto the party: people - people - kids - everybody just enjoying what the lake had to offer. Swimming, boating, fishin', barbeque, corn over an open fire. Do I need to say more?We even got a head start on Miss Cindy's Birthday wishes with not one - but two birthday cakes! There was jammin' all afternoon, pickin' singin' and drinkin' (life was "very good" today.......... So what can I say here? Truly one of the best parties of the year! If you missed this one - all I can say is shame on you......I would like to take a minute here and thank KW and Ms. Cindy for inviting us down.. It was the time of your life party' for sure - for all of us that were there.This weekend we are up to the Afton Sportsman's Club for their annual ticket - fund raiser. This is our first time back up here in a good long time so we are truly looking forward to this show. In closing - Thank You for all of your kind compliments I have been receiving for the blogs I write and send every week. They are fun to do and when they start to just "get old" - like they began - they will end... Deep huh? Be well - spend money, get out and do something fun, and help celebrate the American way. It keeps our country strong.Also - do something novel this week - Try helping someone-anyone - With something it's a rush......"Help somebody if ya can" Mikee^^ Dee

Monday, August 17, 2009

Well hello all, Another week has come and gone. We continue to "chip away" at what is left of what we called "the summer of 2009". The summer thatalmost wasn't.We had many interesting events this week take place so let's get to it. Last Tuesday was the Chenango County Fair. Our department attends thisevent every year if we can. We usually bring a couple trucks along and we alwaysbring a sharp marching division. This year was no exception as we took a forth place.This was probably out of about 35 other Fire Departments within the county. Not bad huh? "Every judge is crazy bout a Sharp Dressed Man"So after the parade- I had to hit the entertainment tent. This years concert was none other than some old time favorites of mine- The New Riders of the Purple Sage. Now I can hear you all now - singin' Panama Red Panama Red-- and yes that was their mostcommercial claim to fame- that was the least 'song I was really interested in hearing.So I stood there in the big tent just taking a total step back in time. Gosh I was still in H.S. when I first seen these guys. 3 of the original members - now all close to 60 were just jammin' away much like they did thirty years earlier only older now. Not many people remember that the Riders were Jerry Garcia's practice band to keephim from having to travel so much back in the early days. Jerry was a pedal steel playerback then before the Europe 71 album was released and then moved to a lead guitar position - front stage and center. Ahh the good old days of Rock and Roll- The yearsbetween 1968 to 1972 will never ever be repeated again. But that's another story foraround the campfire for sure. Those were the best years of FM' radio rock and roll.Made me wonder - 30 years from now- who will still be listening to SCB c.d.s. Or If anyone ever knew we even existed. Deep huh? Will a mark be made in time or not.How about at least within' the Triple Cities area anyway.So enough with the trip back in time- Saturdays Show- {Harry's and Melissa's}40th anniversary of Woodstock was hot on table this weekend too- it was the buzz so to speak. We all arrived about 4:30 - set up -- and before we could even get going-A beautiful bottle of Jack- was placed at the bottom of the stage for us... Ourlegend is preceding us now. Gosh that was the biggest bottle of Jack I've ever seen.Oh and did I mention the stage- 12 x 18 all wood stage - and covered too -built just for the show.. Awesome.. We truly appreciate the little things that many bands absolutely love.. Those were two of them for us anyway. Thanks Guys....So for the next 5 hrs. we jammed out a ton of tunes for all. Again the band was in it'selement. We played till the cows came home-- or at least the sheep.. I think southernrock made them nervous. But DD kept his eye on them just the same. Never a threat.We also had some musical guests come up and play few tunes while we were on break-Nice Job Dylan and all your friends... It's all about the music. And finally like any other venue- it was over .. Oh and let me mention IT DID NOT RAIN-before - after- or during.. A summer's first. We also sold out all of our C.D.s , shirts, and whatever else the band had to give... The "Win the Band for free party' contest comes to a close very soon. Tentative winner drawing is labor day weekend - Sunday at the Hotel. More details to follow... GET YOUR TICKET....And finally- Saturday is Winterfest' my most favorite time of the year... and this year it'sup to the lake.. Can't wait for this gig.... Pickin' on the lake front- priceless my friends..So in closing--- I'll keep this week quite in the passing department.. We have lost a ton offriends this year... enough said... See you all soon- Get as much of this nice weather that you can - by this time next monthit will only be a memory... Peace, Mikee^^ Dee

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Well hello my friends, another week has come and gone. Life was good today or should I say last weekend. So let's get right to it. As we continue the outdoor concert/show series - this last weekend started off at Wild Bills Ranch in Afton.Friday night was a great night for one great party. Weather was crisp and guess what- no rain. So with that being said- I really feel that when the weather is primo- so is the crowd as well. Bill always hooks us up with plenty of whiskey in the past and this year was no exception. I remember 3 full bottles of at least 2 different types of Jack in all various sizes and flavors. Well let me say this - the SCB drinks our whiskey over ice and some prefer not too.. We can still walk and function at the end of the night and most can't... That's our little band secret my friends-- don't tell anybody!Anyway the crowd up there is great - they love to dance and party. The band was Jonsin' that night too. We played our asses off for the better part of 5 sets. We play when "they stay"- our motto. Oh and so you all know- the band raffle is going well- and we may be playing the free show out of state or downstate.. These people bought a ton of tickets Friday night.. They would love to have a kick-ass band play their next event i'm sure. We did did make extra provisions for this to happen just so you know... A show is a show and a "trip" is a bit different.. and so is lodging.So as we left that smokin' party we had another show on Saturday.. The Ahner Pig Roast.26 years and still running. The SCB has played almost everyone of them in some different way or manner all through those years. Butch and Cindy put on a great party that included a fireworks show that is as good or better than half the towns fireworks displays.. Every year they just keep getting better and better, and all through the years Aaron being too young to cook for dad- this year became the cook for' Dad.. Nice job Aaron as the torch is passed on to the next generation. And speaking of the next generation, we had young guitar student "joe" from KW's teaching school come up and jam a set of tunes with us. I am sure you will hear from this young lads guitar again sometime song.You go Joe' So now this weekend we play yet another outside show for Melissa and Harry up in Harpursville/Coventry. This is truly the show stopper this weekend as we save the best for last. We have been working on some new material for this show as well.. I can't wait. "Harry, hurry quick and find 'Jack and invite him to the party too"Oh and then Sunday came-- All I can say 3.9 inches of rain in about 8 hours has got to bea new record or something and the light show that came with it. About blew me out of bed and shook the house about midnight. Wow.. And I thought the day of DeBetto' Fest it rainedI guess it's all relative my friends. 16 out of 18'' still counts as Sunday is part of a weekend.And once again- this is getting to be a weekly thing anymore- scary- My deepest condolences to both the families of Ben Shackelton and my buddy Hippie who lost his best friend and neighbor last week. My buddy Ben was an avid Stand up Bass player who played throughout the valley back in the days of The Hulse Brothers. Ben passed away last Friday from Cancer. I played many a show with Ben 20 years ago or there about's .The Auctioneer song was his specialty. And my buddy Hippie- his best friend -neighbor- 31 years old passed away in his sleep last week. Hippie brought him up to a couple of our shows, what a nice guy.. Sad for his family.So i'm gonna close here- take on life everyday and make it count... To quote a famous band out Georgia way-- "Life was good today".. Quite the reflection.......Mikee^^Dee

Monday, August 3, 2009

Happy Monday greetings to you all; Already into the final full month of summer. At this point one may ask- "did summer ever really arrive in the first place". Anyway let's get to it-- Friday night marked our return to the club Venues. Davy's had a pretty good crowd and we were itching to play that night as well. Davy's is a funny place- one minute the place is packed and the next minute it's empty only to fill back up again about every 20 minutes or so. It's like we're playing on a Subway deck or something. Weird. We had Pak-Rat come up and play a few tunes with us as well on Friday. The boy was smokin' Some Stevie' Ray- and some Foghat and he wasin his glory. Nice performance there bro. Oh and not to mention the guy that cut his finger that night - but that's another novel in it's self. Hopefully the guy got a Tetanus shot the next day- cause his finger was cut pretty good.So then Saturday came along- pre tailgate party up to the ranch before the Hotel is always in order. Gentleman Jack--- ahh truly my favorite whiskey blend these days. Show started off a bit slow but as the night went on the crowd built up nicely. Now where can you start a night out playing tunes like Ole' 55 and Rollin' with the flow and end up playing ZZ top and Foghat tunes- only at the Hotel with the Short Change Band- cause that's how we roll. We never use a set list' - we just feel & create... That my friend is what making live music is really all about.. The crowd- the moment. We played over about 35 minutes -because we also made some new friends from out Elmira way. They were just amazed at what we played how we pulled off the songs that we do as a 3pc. band... Priceless.So now this week we're back outside once again- Wild Bills party on Friday and the Ahner Fest * on Saturday.. Summer winds down pretty fast after these gigs pass.. So Sad.. Oh and as we close - it did rain once again this weekend but only on Sunday making it 15 out of 17 weekends- with rain.... I love NY Be well and get out and party the last few weeks before school starts and summer ends - It's a long time again till next year.And in closing- Our deepest condolences go out to Bruce Rossmeyer- Mr. Harley Davidson himself - who was killed in a tragic Motorcycle accident this last weekend on his way to Sturgis with 5 other bikers. The industry will truly miss you Bruce- 15 dealerships - wow.... Peace my friends... Mikee^^Dee