"Our Band Could Be Your Life"

Been lazy/busy. Had a really busy (not necessarily blog busy) and productive year last year, first (basic) comic produced, lots of well-received gigs with Raised On Replicas and a really feel-good xmas gig as Cannibal Gymnastics. Then I took a well-deserved lazy game break over xmas (Batman: Arkham Asylum and Fallout 3 being particularly fine), but unfortunately it's spilled over a little too much into this year. Oh well, it's only January.

Going to do some work this weekend, not sure what, but I quite fancy some painting, but I should start on comics again, though I find the idea a little daunting. Also have the problem that I had to format my PC, lost photoshop and my scanner doesn't seem to want to work anymore.

I've been rediscovering my love of art recently by re-reading Matthew Colling's 'This is Modern Art' - Basquiat, Chris Ofili, Gary Hume, Joseph Beuys, Picasso, Cindy Sherman. Really easy to read, almost a sing-song style. I must get a book about Fluxus when I can, as I loved discovering that in college. Led me nicely onto John Cage and experimental music. Silence is another book I should get and re-read.

Also read 'Our Band Could Be Your Life', very inspiring book about underground bands in the eighties - really enjoying the Minutemen at the moment with Mike Watt's awesome bass.

Some great comics as well, some Daredevil comics just after Frank Millers famous run in the 80s and early 90s Batman when Norm Breyfogle and a new Robin entered the scene.

Once again, re-evaluating what's important but too lazy to do anything about it. Hopefully next week's holiday will re-charge my batteries.

Aims this year: Produce at least two, more realised comics and do some more recording with Raised On Replicas and Cannibal Gymnastics, hopefully put a couple of albums out even if it's only digitally in a kind of vanity project type thing and really develop my slide guitar playing, I've hit a wall with it at the moment and not sure how to progress. My idea is to just play it on as many songs as I can to get away from the blues cliches (much as I love them).