John's Disses

I spent Christmas in Borrego Springs with my parents. They rented a house on the edge of town right next to the mountains. The view was stunning.

I lived in Albuquerque for a little over 2 years while studying music at the University of New Mexico. Borrego, with its enchanting desert landscape and Southwestern style art and architecture, is the place in CA that comes closest to a NM vibe. The only thing missing is the food. If you are ever in Albuquerque, be sure to stop by the student ghetto’s El Patio on Harvard, for a vegetarian burrito plate. I recommend the green chili.

It was cool spending a few days chilling out and hiking around the desert with my family. They got me a camera for Christmas and I spent a lot of time taking photos trying to learn how to use it. Other than my cheap cell phone camera, I’ve never owned a digital one.

My dad and I watched The Godfather and a handful of noir films at night. He collects them and has an extensive library of DVDs. He always has great insight into the films too, as he’s read a lot about them. The connection between the two is that the legendary badass, Sterling Hayden was in one of the noirs we watched, Crime Wave, as well as Godfather.

Driving back to LA last night, I was overcome with a wave of depression thinking about my life, music, etc. I think about things like that during this season. It’s the time of year that the “what the hell am I doing?” moments hit the hardest. I had Michael Butler’s Christmas episode of his Rock and Roll Geek Indie Cast on the iPod. I had emailed him and his daughter, Martina (who was looking for Xmas music to play on her Emo Girl Talk podcast) an mp3 of my acoustic Spinal Tap Christmas with the Devil cover. I didn’t think they’d play it as it’s neither very rock or emo, but I figured I’d do my best to promote the Unhenged Spinal Tap tribute CD that Brian Ibbott of the Coverville podcast was kind enough to include me on.

At the very end of the show, three songs from the end, Michael said he was going to play something by his “good friend John Dissed” and played the song. I was instantly overwhelmed with gratitude and my depression was lifted.

THEN the next two songs were Hanoi Rocks “Dead by Christmas” and The Ramones “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)”! Not bad, getting played on my favorite rock podcast preceding two of my favorite bands of all time. Nothing beats that, no radio airplay on any show in the world, nothing.

Michael just got back from the UK where he played bass on seven songs for his hero Ginger of The Wildhearts‘ Birthday Gig. Fans of the Rock and Roll Geek Show donated over $1,400 to get him there. I have to say that some highlights of 2009 for me were meeting Butler at the Viper Room this summer after seeing him rock out with Ginger (who I’ve since become a huge fan of), being turned on to some great music from his show that I never would have heard otherwise, and hearing this song, and my band Bull Lee, on the Indie Cast.

Ginger got Michael into The Secret and he talks about it a lot on his various podcasts. I watched about 5 minutes of the film on YouTube and had to turn it off. It has a little too much pseudo-science for my taste (I refuse to believe, for example, that thoughts can radiate through the air and convince a stranger, completely out of sight, not to steal something). But the positive vibes Michael puts out and has had returned to him by his listeners is contagious, so maybe there’s something there that I missed. I definitely feel grateful to be considered his friend, and a once-in-a-while-contributor to his shows.

Check out Butler’s Ginger Birthday Gig recap on The Rock and Roll Geek Show, Episode 383 on iTunes or on his website.

Oh, and The Wildhearts are giving away a free song, “Zeen Requiem” here. It’s currently my favorite song of all time.