I love guitars. In the 1960s and 70s an entire industry in Japan made tons of inexpensive and unusual guitars for the US. They marketed them under a dozen nutty names, selling them at department stores and in catalogues, and these “cheapo” guitars were the gateway for a lot of people into the world of music.
When I was coming up in the 80s these used import guitars were everywhere, looked down upon by almost everyone. Most hadn’t been cared for and many were trashed. You could buy them for <$50 all day long and even then it could feel like a waste of money. These were the guitars that bands would pull out to smash for their grand finale. @stevesbadideas was my cheap guitar mentor. He put them to good use.
In the mid-90s I worked off and on at @ecguitars and one of the perks of working at a guitar shop was getting to play everything, so over time I developed a personal sense of what a “good” guitar was. You either like a guitar or you don’t care about it or you hate it.
$50 guitars came through the door every day and most sat on the wall gathering dust. Every once in a while one would stick out as special, and when it was slow I’d sit and strum it and sometimes I’d bond with it. Then it would hang on the wall and I’d stare at it. It would be there week after week and I would look at it thinking, “That’s a good one.”
This was a time when a full day at Emerald City, opening to close, paid $50 in cash, and that $50 was meaningful. My rent was $350 a month. It was not very responsible of me to trade my work hours for Japanese guitars. I had a Rickenbacker for my main guitar and should have been saving up for a Telecaster or something. I resisted the impulse many times to trade my work hours for stuff, but sometimes I couldn’t resist. My guitar pedalboard I used my whole career, and still use, I got for a days work at Emerald City. One day I worked all day for an old blue Celestion Alnico speaker. Not every deal I made was a good one.
And sometimes I just couldn’t resist a Japanese guitar. Lyles, Univoxes, Arbiters, Musicians, Howards, Guyatones, I didn’t want to smash these. These weren’t “cheapos,” these were the good ones.
(Solo on Ultimatum by @brdcrp)
Get your tickets now for a live taping of Omnibus—Ken’s final show as a regular co-host (he’ll be coming back to guest host!)—Nov. 8th at Town Hall Seattle.
Don’t miss this exciting cultural event! Pick up this screenprinted poster by @dangrissom at the show! There will be many goods and cheese!
I think the greatest threat to America is the Mariners not defeating the Blue Jays tonight. God save our Republic.
Go do stuff!
The United States is an amazing place full of amazing people.
Have faith.
I’ve been in and out of four separate marches so far today, all headed to Seattle Center, and every one has been peaceful and celebratory. Honestly, whatever your politics you have to be cheered by the fact that tens of thousands of people care enough to gather in a public space in support of a philosophy of government. Not everyone agrees on the best philosophy of government—probably no two people in this march do—but this event, nationwide, is an expression of belief in the future of the United States.
It’s easy to sit behind social media and think everyone is “brainwashed.” That’s why attending public events is CRUCIAL to understanding the world. These marchers all have beliefs, and those beliefs stem from membership in communities, they are ideological, they are learned, they are class-based and regional, but no one here is FORCED. (I mean, I’m sure there are some kids whose moms are forcing them but they should quit their bitching).
When you see an enormous crowd gathered together and take the time to look at individual faces (I like to walk ahead and then walk back, step aside for a while, perch here and there, always making eye-contact with as many people as I can), you see how invigorating it is to gather. Everyone is THRILLED to be part of an event like this.
Not only are these protests peaceful, they’re downright goofy. Protesting is fun, it’s meant to be fun, and even though the chants are corny (and the speeches at the end are strident and boring) these are life-affirming events. This IS what Democracy looks like.
No Kings protest gathering at the Ferry Terminal. Mini protests are starting all over town marching toward Seattle Center while the big parade comes down from Capitol Hill. The crowd just doubled in the time I was writing this caption.
Reporting live from the Battle of Seattle 2025!
Washington in Autumn
Out here taking jigsaw puzzle pictures.
In 1978 I was only allowed to watch TV on Tuesday (Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley) and Thursday (Mork and Mindy and What’s Happening) and on Saturday mornings for cartoons, although I was growing out of those. We watched them on the big television, which also had a record player and was as big as a coffin.
Then in ‘78 I did a favor, I don’t remember what, some chore a kid could do, for a woman who was a neighbor of my mom’s boyfriend, and she thought I did a good job and gave me a TV of my own. It was just like this one but it was orange.
It felt like I’d been given a car.
The multi-timbral wash of sound when you clicked over to a blank channel, or especially late at night when they concluded their broadcast day, was equal parts comforting and deeply, deeply lonely. When we’re adults we tend to forget, we think kids are simple, but kids, some kids, are existentialists. I never felt more alone in the universe than I did when I was ten years old staring at the static on my own TV.
Had the great good fortune to see @matesofstate again after many years. Their show at Madam Lou’s under the @thecrocodileseattle was a sold out masterpiece. Watching them perform for an adoring crowd that was just BATHING in their music I had that feeling, the highest compliment, that I wanted to write songs like theirs, fully of melody. So glad they’re playing again.
The Dearborn Goodwill is playing straight up Small Faces, Cream, Paul Butterfield, Yardbirds, Cliff Richard(!), and I am here for it!
You forget how many really “acquired taste” BluesNoodle guitar solos there are until you hear them out of context.
A few years back they stopped playing our state song during the 7th inning stretch and replaced it with a Macklemore song. Now, I’m not a Macklemore hater—he’s always been gentlemanly around me and seems very smart—but the Mariners had been playing Louie Louie for so long I couldn’t believe it when it was gone. I always do The Frug, the greatest of all dances, because when else do you get to do The Frug?
Anyway, they brought back Louie Louie and it makes me happy. This whole day was just silly.
Featuring a @benelondon cameo and also @finnbot3000 was there and @lodermeierrob was there too!!
Come ON!
The Mariners are scrimmaging with themselves to keep their heads in the game and they opened the park to everyone for $10, sit where you want.
The mood in the park right now is just straight up fun. Tons of kids, all the total die-hards, hipster sports fans, people in Griffey jerseys, people applauding the ground crew, etc.
Seattle is one of the best places.
The Bhagwan was only one year older than me when he died. How many Rolls Royces have I owned? Zero.
The legendary Danny Bland of Cat Butt, the Dwarves and Best Kissers in the World at Thunder Road Guitars.
#CatButtWasReal
@thunderroadguitars @mrdannybland
Read the room, Venmo
Carrie fundamentally understands rock and roll.
My robot butler says this to me every morning.
Yes, it uses the royal we. It speaks with an Oxbridge accent.
