A few weeks ago while I was on my Sunday night new music show Fresh Tracks I was interviewing several people associated with the local music scene. We had local musicians, club/venue owners, and local recording studio’s all represented on the air that night. It was supposed to be a conversation about local guitarist and song writer Charles Hedgepath and his upcoming CD release party August 9^th at the Warehouse Theater here in Greenville. But with so many people from different parts of the music scene in the room I started to turn the conversation into a “state of the scene” discussion. Now most people in media, just as in the law profession will tell you never ask a question you don’t already know the answer to, but I’ve always had a little weakness for the risk of a “surprise answer” when in these situations. I will admit I had an idea of what would get when I began this line of questions, however the surprise did come in the form of just how much progress had been made in the effort to grow interest in what is becoming a very good pool of talent in the upstate. The clubs and venues like Smiley’s Acoustic café and the Warehouse Theater working together to put on the CD release party for Charles is a great example. And having Matt Morgan and his Sit N Spin recording studios working with area artists to develop CD’s and demos. And probably the best information that came out of this round table was having local musicians speak of seeing other musicians coming out to see others play. Jeff Chandler, and Shane Pruitt two very talented artists here in the upstate joined in the conversation, and they all spoke of  members of different bands getting together to have side projects, or lending they’re talents to other musicians solo projects. This is a great sign of the whole music community supporting the whole scene and when combined with the recent development of well known national recording artists coming in the upstate to not only play with our musicians but record with them as well, it just really started to sound like a lot of positive things were going on for local music.     The one thing that has not been mentioned in this blog is how the local music scene, artists, clubs, recording studios and other various related endeavors were being supported by YOU the people of the upstate. Everything from local music magazines and my show fresh tracks to the bands and have been trying everything possible to garner your attention and support for the incredible talent we have here, and it appears that YOU are the last one’s to get on board. So in an effort to help jump on this train and to make Greenville/Spartanburg the kind of music area an Asheville, or Austin has become I ask you only one thing.PLEASE MAKE AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC! I know many of you do and most of you have a favorite local artist you like to see live. But ask yourself when was the last time you actually did go out and see them play? We all know that economics play a role in everyone ability to do things like go see live music, but you are actually helping make the upstate stronger economically as well as culturally by catching some music now and then. Heck you might even make your life a little bit better after finding some great local band or artist that plays “your” kind of music! So I ask you to take the same pledge as I have and all these other talented people have here in the upstate. To get out and support our local artists, maybe we could even develop a mantra of “ONCE A WEEK I CATCH A GROOVE” or something. It’s just a though from a very passionate music fanatic who can speak from personal experience of how one’s life can be just a little bit more meaningful and enjoyable when you sprinkle a little live music on it! Please visit www.mypsace.com/freshtracksradio to find out about some of the local talent and listen to fresh tracks on rock 101 WROQ every Sunday night from 7p-9p for a chance to hear some of these artists too.

 Stop global warming, get rid of nuclear weapons, change race relations, find new alternative fuels, fix the economy, invent new types of transportation, fix the trade im-balance, this is the moment the world must answer the call for a new middle east. This is the moment we must support those who somehow are not able support themselves with higher taxes and redistribution of wealth, this is the moment when a man who is not yet president of the United States goes to other countries and speaks to the people and the governments of those countries as if he’s already is president. This is the time when an ineffective former senator and lifeless ameba of a vice president becomes an authority on something that he then preaches to the masses that he wants all of us to do and yet he doesn’t even practice what he preaches. And we give this guy awards for a movie and a Nobel Prize when my cat has a higher level of intelligence then him. And this is a time when I wonder what the hell is going on with human kind. I understand idealism, I understand compassion, and I understand the give and take of idea’s working with other countries for the greater good. But when we have political figures going around the world tell all who want to listen about how horrible our country is and how we somehow “owe” the rest of the world a big apology for screwing everything up. I start to get a tad, annoyed. Atrocities against people and planet are taking place all over the world every day. In North Korea, the Middle east, China, eastern Europe, Africa, South America, and just about every corner of the world. Pollution, war, oppression, ethnic cleansing, corruption, and a myriad of other types of devastation threaten the existence of all living things. And yet it seems that we are supposed to believe that we Americans are the ones who must pay for it all. We are the problem, not the solution and if we could just change our ways the whole world will be better all the sudden. I will admit we have done more than others to contribute to the world ill’s but I will never let that be said without the rest or the world acknowledging the overwhelming  amount good we have done as a nation and a people.      I don’t really know which candidate will be the one to help our country through the tough times we are in right now but I do know one or two things for sure. I will not support anyone who thinks we have to be the world’s whipping boy and on the domestic side, I will not give the government one dime more in taxes when I see how badly they spend what they have already tossed out the window. I am of the belief that we do need “change” but if change is going backwards as we circle the planet, kissing asses at every whistle stop that’s not change for the good. I’m voting NO on the world ass kissing tour and yes to America rallying to the call and meeting the challenges facing the world and leading the way to better things for everyone and by the way maybe we can pick up a little pocket change along the way. It is truly the time for that once again!

So as of this morning the reports are that sweet crude oil prices dropped about $6 a barrel after news of higher oil reserve amounts in the U.S. This news then affected the stock market which surged up several points. So my question is this.If speculators can affect the price of crude on a hunch, and a person can announce higher than expected oil reserves on hand and they can affect the price as well, why don’t we, the American public just find ourselves one person or a small group of people of our own that can release a series of vague but basically positive information on a regular basis that will have a effect on all the economic issues in our favor? I mean if our economy can turn on a dime just because some person who some other people have given the divine authority to have everything they say effect what the rest of us have to pay at the pump, or the store. Why can’t we do the same? Just one guy who wakes up each day and picks up his phone for a tele-conference and announce that he feels “things are generally pretty good in the world today and therefore no reason to drive up consumer good prices then give a couple of vague reasons why he feels that way each day. Then none of these A**H*les who are causing the rest of us to stress out, stretch the dollar anyway we can, sit in a little rubber pool in the backyard instead of going on a trip to the beach can stop stealing from us and go find other things to do for a living.        And did you hear about that poor lady in California who is living out of her SUV with her Golden retriever. She’s retired but getting a decent social security check each month but says she can’t afford to pay a mortgage or rent and so has joined several others like herself sleeping in vehicles in the local park each night. Now before you get out the violins for this poor woman who appeared on Larry King talking about how rough she has it, let me remind you that she does get a decent social security check each month and oh yeah the reason she’s having a tough time finding a place to live, well it’s not the government, the president or the economy, as much as it’s that she lives in SANTA BARBARA California! Now if she just took that SUV and drove to say, well, Greenville, her fixed income would technically increase 10-15% because of the cost of living. That’s not an invitation for to come to our town, it’s just showing you how out of whack the news and what they show is these days. I ask you, how the hell this ladies plight compares to that of a single mother of three who makes about the same amount of money as this woman but finds a way to feed the kids pay rent and keep her family together and doesn’t complain or take any government assistance. Now that’s a real story and one that people need to hear and see but you just don’t seem to hear about in the mainstream media these days! Oh and one last thing. The New York Jets officially opened training camp today July 16^th in Hempstead New York, so hang in there dudes, football season is just around the corner and we can go numb from all that ails us at least till the election and then back to numb again till February, which is when Hockey season really gets good!

I’ve been really struggling to come up with something to blog about. But thanks to the world around us, I knew some fellow human would do something to get me off the launch pad. The Problem now is so many things to blog about and just not enough time or space today to give them all the treatment I’d like to apply. So let me try to condense the top things on my mind right now.     Jesse Jackson! Hot microphone (which he knew was on), then says what he says, seems like he screwed up, but maybe he meant to do what he did. Running of the Bull’s in Spain, it’s insane, but I love watching those nut bag’s get plowed over every year by an angry bull.       DRILL, DRILL, DRILL! And eat more Caribou!Someone please help that guy in Ohio get his gasoline engine that can get 100 miles to the gallon and can go 100mph. I mean even if he is from Ohio, (sorry, the Michigan in me just came out)His innovation to the standard combustible engine would appear to be one of the easiest and most adoptable ideas we’ve seen to date. Which means a quicker positive impact and if you need more incentive to get this guys idea out to the public and impact the price of gas, you might also check out the this web site: http://www.gaspricewatch.com/usgastaxes.asp  This sit will show you how much you pay in taxes per gallon of gas which is .18 a gallon federal tax, then add your states tax per gallon which is on that web site I just directed you to.         Polo Quesadilla mas Tequila Uno does tres. Which is broken Brian Blades Spanish means; know I don’t need to know how to speak Spanish Mr. Obama? If a person wants’ to learn a second language, or if parent wants a child learn one, that’s a great thing. But when you start to have the government tell a person who lives in a country where ENGLISH IS THE LANGUAGE, and if they just stay at home, work hard at a job, take care of a family, pay taxes, and maybe don’t ever go out for Tex-Mex food. Why would they ever NEED to learn to speak Spanish? Or French, German, Chinese, or Swahili. If that person ever ended up going to say, oh a Iceland, then he or she might wanna grab a “how to language CD” to learn conversational Icenicese or Ice-neck or Icelantican, or, or hell if you’re a English speaking American you know what I’ saying. Oh yeah one more thing….Thanks to my Motown brother Jim for the Detroit Red Wings 2008 Stanley cup team shirt. You know, I didn’t even have to learn Swedish to read all the players names on the back either! 

It was 5 years ago today that I received the most wonderful gift in my life. Today is my daughter’s 5^th Birthday!  5 Years ago on this day, my life changed in so many ways. I saw an honest to goodness miracle take place, as this sweet little girl appeared before her mother and I.  I was so happy that both mom and daughter were both ok. I was scared to even touch or hold her she was so tiny, so delicate, and so beautiful. The plethora of emotions I felt at that moment, crying because I was so happy, finally being able to relax because both mom and baby were healthy and ok. I remember the nurse telling me that it was ok for me to pick her up, and feeling like the king of the world at that very second she was in my arms. Then as everything calmed down in the hospital room, I walk down to an empty hall way sat on the floor all alone crying and giving thanks to the big man for blessing my life with such a beautiful, healthy, amazing little girl.        Watching her grow and become such a smart, happy and beautiful little girl is one of the greatest joys a human being can have. But in the 5 years since that wonderful day, a lot of things changed in my life. Some very positive things happened but also some tough things came along too. None harder than having your life turned inside out as what you knew as your family somehow falls apart leading to divorce. Not just divorce but having your daughter and her mother move away. So far away, that my daughter and I can’t be together whenever she or I want to. And today is one of those days. Being 1,500 miles away from her on her 5^th birthday was not part of the plan for me. She’ll be blowing out 5 candles, eating some cake, opening her presents, and feeling so big turning five and I can’t be there to see it. AND THAT JUST REALLY SUCKS!  Divorce sucks in so many ways but  the worst part of it is how something you would never choose to have change in your life and would do anything in your power not to have happen, happens. You lose the chance to be with your kids everyday and see those smiles, here those new words, watch a movie with them, or just be silly and sit on the floor coloring.     So I hope you can all forgive me if I use my Blog page today to say Happy Birthday to my big girl KYLA LYNN. Daddy love’s you more than anything and I’m so proud of you. I can’t wait to come see you very soon. Kisses and big bear hugs,DAD EE O!