This song's about the contrast of a recent zealous conversation I had about the "end of the world" and the fear I had about the world ending when I was 10 years old. In 1995 in the Ojai Valley, CA we were surrounded by a fire that filled the sky with so much smoke it was raining ash. The sky was red and the sun looked like something I envisioned from Revelations. For the record, I would rather spend energy enjoying the time I've got than worry about what may or may not happen.

Thanks to Neal for his help with figuring out the chords. The version he recorded with his tenor guitar is much better. Next time I play this, I'll slow down the tempo, I think I nearly busted a lung.

The Fire of 1985 (capo at 3rd or 2nd fret)

intro:
[G][G][D][D7]

Gotta [G]call from my brother the other day
He [G]said Armageddon is on its way
Gotta [D]call from my brother the other day
[D7]Hey Armageddon is on its way!

chorus:
[C]If you take my advice
[G]Get on a plane tonight
[D]If you watch then news and sing the blues
[D7]And believe the noise that they call Truth

[G]Armageddon is on the way
Maybe [G]Jesus, baby, he lost his way
He's [D]comin' back soon that's what he said
So [D7]rend your clothes and shave your head

chorus

[G][G][D][D7]
[C][G][D][D7]

It was [G]1985 and the mountains were on fire
It [G]started raining ashes and the sun was looking dire
We [D]loaded up the station wagon, Dad forgot his keys
Every[D7]body headed West towards the ocean and the beach

[C]Don't tell me how
[G]The world will end
[D]We really thought
[D7]The world would end

The [G]pastor at the pulpit said you better watch your ass
[G]Get your things in order; Tribulation's coming fast
We [D]read the book of Daniel; we knew the seven signs
We [D7]prayed the Lord our souls to keep in these ending times

[C]Don't tell me how
[G]The world will end
[D]We really thought
[D7]The world would end

[G][G][D][D7]

chorus

intro:
[G][G][D][D7]
[G]

Sometimes I like to pretend I can write songs and play guitar. This one wrote itself. Posting it so I don't forget the melody.

May Fifteen

[Em]Long before Alexandre ever
[G]Stole that book
[G]You know the [D]one that I took
[D]And she read it to [Em]me.

[C]She came through the wall
[C]And you really couldn't [D]see her at all
[D]And it was all on [Em]me.

[G]May-hey-ay
[D]ay-ay fif-
[Em]teen

[Em]Well I had a few drinks
[G]And then I threw up in the sink
[G]You know how it [D]makes me think
[D]it was all because of [Em]me.

[C]She came through the wall
[C]And you really couldn't [D]see her at all
[D]And it was all on [Em]me.

[G]May-hey-ay
[D]ay-ay fif-
[Em]teen

repeat-rewrite

Even though I haven't had time to draw fer nothin' I'm trying to keep "in shape" with the occasional doodle.

Thanks to John Campbell for sharing this song with me; he sent a scan of the music for me to learn from. I uploaded a copy here: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3348/3223518641_c2c815e657_b.jpg

Tuning is gCGCD. I didn't bother to play with a capo, sounds nicer with the deeper open string tones.

First heard this song from Old Crow Medicine Show - I think the Rolling Stones did this first, not sure; great song either way using that basic blues riff.

This is one I wrote a while back, but never really played "live." It's sort of my tribute to all those old ballads and folk songs about killing and murder. Yeah, maybe a bit twisted.

Lyrics:[Chords are pre-capo, I added the capo so I could sing it.]

[Am]well, i'm the right man for this job
it really dun't matter who we rob
[Em]you can take all his money
you can take his wife
[Am]i'd rather cut his face
with my crooked knife

[F][Am]today's a good day
to kill a man[F][G][Am]

i'll drag my victim's body to a shed
gonna cut 'im into pieces until he's all dead
chop off his arms, saw off his legs
i'll grind 'im to the bone
and feed 'im to the pigs

today's a good day
to kill a man

and when the cops finally find this place
i'll cut my throat open with a smile on my face
when they finally get me
i won't give damn
cuz today's a good day
to kill a man

today's a good day
to kill a man

Thought I'd take a swing at this song. Van Zandt was an incredible song writer. These lyrics really struck me despite me blundering them. I faked the melody since I'm trying to play this by frailing banjo and the original uses more of the lower notes on guitar.

I think the Violent Femmes have a lot to do with me liking folk music. They really got it. This one's Jesus Walking on the Water with frailing banjo and half-assed harmonica. I'm not a terribly spiritual person, but this kinda music goes a long way towards filling that gap for me. This and about a dozen of their other songs should make it into the permanent lexicon of folk music IMO.

Warm-up sketch for a project I want to do this year.

Another idea for a comic, maybe I should do a 20 pager or something. Contemporary setting, dude touches things, they turn mecha. Like NYCMech and Fabricari and Diamond Age all mushy mushed together. I stole John's likeness for this one. Sorry John!

Thoughts while I'm drawing:

You know you're out of touch when you're drawing your characters in seriously dated clothes. Even worse, when you can't discern the current fashions from those of 10 or 20 years ago. Make it worse by drawing decades old stereotypes. Guess it's good I'm keeping this stuff to my sketchbook. :P

Another sign I'm out of touch: I kinda dig this new Killers album. I guess it's probably filling that pop-void from too many years of "indy" music. No, there's no excuse. These are the kinds of tunes that will be set against baby shampoo and laundry detergent commercials in a few weeks. I guess I kinda like that his voice sounds like Freddy Mercury's set to Billy Joel songs. That should annoy me, but it doesn't.

There was this moment in the last season of Entourage where Vinny faced the truth that he sucks at acting. I had a similar moment a while back - realized I'm not too professional with my art. I cut far too many corners to take it seriously. But I think that was fairly liberating. At least when I draw you know it'll only be because I'm enjoying it. This shit's fun!

My new favorite place to draw: Kitchen counter. Drawing in my studio is down right depressing. I gave it a try this afternoon and it really brought me down. This is much better with the laptop, earbuds blasting the tunes, and TV blaring cartoons and video games in the background. (I'm digging that new Batman cartoon.)

I'm still playing this too slow. Almost makes this sound like a different song entirely.

I'm finally seeing progress, or at least I'm feeling like I can do this again. I think my goal with this years sketchbook will be density.