Tragedy

It is events like this that bring home to me how very vulnerable my favourite artists can be.

I am speaking of the murder of Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott, from Damageplan, formerly of the mega band Pantera. A person, an ex-Marine, walked into a venue carrying a concealed semi-automatic weapon ( a Berretta, not a small weapon), took at least one person hostage, shot three bystanders, and then walked onto the stage. Damageplan was playing to a crowd of less that 300, and they watched this guy put four bullets into Dimebag in cold blood.

I am in some ways sorry that a cop took out the gunman, because we may never know what the motivation was now, but I am not sorry the bastard is dead. I only met Dimebag a few times, very briefly, but he was not such a creep that he deserved to die in this manner. He has a wife and kids in the DFW area, and friends in the music industry throughout the world. My brother Dave and his fellow band members in Machine Head are among them. Everyone I know who has any knowledge of metal music is stunned and very much saddened. It was unreal when John Lennon was shot down, and I knew it within an hour or so. It was unreal when Stevie Ray Vaughn went down in flames, and I knew that almost as fast. I was never a fan of either Pantera or Damageplan, and I am still stunned.

I understand why many people who are famous would prefer to be left alone, and may even go so far as to hide away. I am afraid for those I care about, because there is obviously no limit to the danger they put themselves in when they choose to perform in public. I love going to live music events, but I would give it up in a heartbeat if I knew it would protect those I love. There are just enough people out there who think only of themselves and their own opinions to be absolutely dangerous to performers. Sadly, they cannot be contained to the confines of an arena, where they might be caught. They could walk up to someone on the street and do the exact same thing.

Light a candle for Dimebag, even if you didn't know him or his music. Say a gentle prayer for his family, and bandmates, who have to go on without him now. Remember when you do, for want of better security and luck there go the musicians I love too.

Rest In Peace, Dimebag Darrell.

Rhythm Section Of the Year!

I have had to take something of a hiatus here due to a change in jobs, but I am back!

This last week saw DC on a short tour with Los Lobos and then out to LA for some big thing with industry people. On their way home they will be playing in Tucson with surfer Dick Dale, and then Ozomatli again in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. A swift tour, but it stills takes them away from me for too long.
Silly goose that I am, I actually looked into flying out to ABQ. It's old stompin' grounds for myself and my best friend Casey, and it would've been neat to see the guys out of state for a change.

Now, the reason for the title of this entry: they put Mike up front at the Floore's Country Store gig, and I got to REALLY watch him for the first time. I have always been impressed by this rhythm section, but seeing them work together this well was such a treat!

This is one of the tightest rhythm sections I know of out there right now, though I will admit to a certain level of bias. I daresay that without the right back-up, Del Castillo wouldn't be the powerhouse it is on stage. the intensity of the lyrics, the depth of the guitar playing are emphasized and popped up by the rhythm guys doing the colouring in. Without them, it would be a bit like watching your favourite Bugs Bunny cartoons in black and white line drawings.

Alright, that may be a stretch of a metaphor, but I am of a mind that there is so much dimension to what these guys do. The "average" listener isn't going to differentiate these things. And even a first time listener isn't going to take it in all at once. I sure didn't! I was so floored by the overall intensity that it took me quite a few times seeing them to start picking up on these relationships within the band.

Ah well. I get too verbose sometimes. I forget that the majourity of folks see the whole painting, not the subtleties of the shading. Sometimes it is not wise to stand quite so close to the canvas.
To really get the feel the artist is going for, sometimes one must step back.....just not quite yet for me!

Connections

There is little in the world more intense for a music fanatic than making one-on-one connections with the musicians one admires. Usually, it proves more than difficult, because by the time one gets into a group's or individual's music, fame has put up a wall between fan and artist.
Most of us understand that barrier is for the protection of the artist. We lost John Lennon because of a lapse in that protection, a momentary belief that all was right in the world, and, well, morbidities aside, the Beatles reunion long dreamed of came to a screaming halt.

I have lucked out, as have some other fans around me, and met Del Castillo while things are still easy. The guys come out and do a "meet and greet" after nearly every gig, something which allows them to further touch the lives of newbies. Thankfully, they don't seem to mind being pestered by the "oldies" like me either. Trust is sometimes hard earned when one sees people from a band only at gigs, but that particular barrier seems to be thinning out for me. The talk now is not always about the gig that night, but other things in our lives that have similarity too. That is comforting to me somehow. It makes the guys a bit more real to me, and I hope, makes me a little more accessible to them. I love being able to call my favourite musicians friends. And though the eventual fame I expect to see them climb to may separate us for long periods, I am hopeful that they will remember that my hand is there when they need me.

Mushy stuff aside now, I had a pretty interesting weekend in Houston. The show was one of the most vivid, on-fire performances I have yet to witness. The guys, especially Mike, were just lit up from inside. Anyone who walked out of that gig untouched had to be deaf, or really really drunk. For the second time in as many gigs, the roar that came up from the audience at the end was astounding. I was encouraged by a crew member to help rev up the crowd, but I can tell you flatly, anything I did was probably unheard, save by those closest to me. I do apologize to those individuals (you know who you are, by the ringing in your ears!;); I have got a pretty good set of lungs and sometimes forget the volume I can reach. Comes from years of yelling over bands I worked with.
It was good to see Lobo playing guitar again. It had been awhile. There were also a couple of new tunes in the show, stuff that is not yet on any cd anywhere (ha! now there's incentive to get out and see these boys!) and a couple of older tunes I haven't heard since last year sometime. Though the crowd was, in my opinion, a touch disrespectful during it, I was very moved to hear " Suenos De Ti" in concert for the first time in a long, long time. A short, beautiful tune, I am afraid the subtleties may have been lost to a lot of folks. Don't stop playing though, guys. It is such a moving piece. I am rarely untouched by it, even on the CD.

I tell you what, I may have thought of drummers as insane (or at least nuts) before, but Mikie (Ze-o-li! Ze-o-li!) proved it to the whole crowd the other night! His playing was absolutely manic, and yet he had his usual edge of subtlety too. The hair-raising yell that came out of him during the usually fairly level "Spanish Castle" took me by surprise! And the cool part was that it charged up the others, which raised the level of the tune. It was funny watching all the guys turning to look at one another when the intensity would set one or the other off on a tangent. There was just such fire in the air, and later they all confessed they weren't sure where it came from either.

I have had the

silliest grin on my face for most of the last 15 hours.
Take a guess why.
Yeah, yeah, that Del Castillo band again.
Just when you'd think I would start being a little tired of the same songs, or maybe the traveling, or losing sleep one more weekend, these guys get all rev-ved up (no pun intended, Rev.) and blow me away again.

A-mazing.
That is the only word that works. I did squeal/scream at them a little after last night's gig, because one can only use the same words so many times before it starts to sound practiced and trite. I must not ever do that to these guys. I want them to know WITHOUT FAIL that my devotion to them, my obsession with the music, my insanity of running around this huge state almost as much as they do is directly due to what they do on that stage. I only wish, as a writer, that I could comb through this vast vocabulary of mine and find the right combination of words to come close to emoting what I feel when they are playing.
They stopped me dead in my tracks last night. I was running all over the place doing my best to get some good shots through an awkward stage layout, and they started a new song, "Si, Mi Amor." The drums, the harmonies, the guitar work(of course), the passion and concentration...I stood in one place for 95% of the tune, the dropped jaw on me creeping steadily into an ear-to-ear grin that may well be where the one on my face at the moment started. It was a freshly minted tune they were not too sure about and, my gods, if that is what they're like when they are hesitant about a piece of music, what the hey are they like when they feel they have a good one?!?!
It was an invigorating evening, to say the least. Little by little, the guys are finding out that, though I AM insane (about them) and a bit bombastic, I am also full of nothing but love for them. Angie and Phil and I ended up staying in the same hotel, which was not all that big a deal. While we did see them there, much of the connection time we got was actually before and after the show. We, or at least Angie and I, feel like we must come off as stalkers sometimes. It's that bit about wanting to touch the flame again I guess. Nothing in this life in the last five years has managed to touch me, move me, compel me back toward my own creativity as have these six men, their wonderful crew, tolerant management, tremendously understanding families, ...and that music.

I've managed to have conversations with all the members at one time or another, but lately, it has been stretching out into more indepth convos. Last evening was a long talk with Bert, back in A & P's hotel room, until bloody well 2 AM. Poor man! We had a tremendous talk about music from Bob Wills to Bauhaus and found such amazing common ground. It is astounding to me how much I share with these people in musical interest, the levels of involvement and curiosity, and the interest in still finding out more. We are all from very different time periods- I am 6 years older than Bert, and about a decade older than Angie and Phil- and different cultural inputs ( I watched the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in '64, Bert was stuck with AM radio for many years and P & A came into the music scene from a younger perspective than either of us) ...and YET...we still connected and wanted to continue . I think we would've talked for hours had it not started so late. Those are the kinds of connections I love making with anyone, but especially musicians I appreciate. Bert once introduced Rick as having two tons of soul, but I can tell you, Bert's got a fair amount himself. Well, hell, just listen to that bass line sometime. That will tell you mountains about him easily.

I really must go get some sleep before Monday morning creeps up on me unawares.

The things I do for this band....

My feet hate me at the moment. And my lower back ain't too keen on me either. All this due to a Halloween costume worn to a Del Castillo gig on Friday. Two and half inch heels on the boots. Lace up leaher skirt that cut into me something fierce by the end of the night....
At least it was a tremendous gig, and I got a lot of really good photos.
They are on my webshots site already, due to a quiet Saturday night. Good thing too, 'cos my feet STILL don't like me......

https://community.webshots.com/user/jazzpjd

The guys are going to have a special audience member next weekend, so many of us are traveling to Dallas to witness for her about this band.Wish luck to them. This may be the beginning of their trek out into the world. The world needs them. So do I , but sometimes one must look at the bigger picture. These fellows are messengers of peace, light and love. No single person should try to stand in the way of that, but rather be behind them in support.

You have mine guys. I love you.

All Hallow's

Seasoning's creepings.

Happy Haunting.

Warmest witches.

(hee hee!)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


( Shame it is on a Sunday this year, but that gives the nuttiest of us a couple of days to sppok the rest of you! )


Have Boo-tiful time!

Okay, now I know

that this little ol' addiction of mine needs control! The band 's gig this weekend gets canceled, it was still 5 days away, and I am going through the DCs. I mean, DTs.

Seriously, to all music nuts, do not build your life around one group. Not wise. I have gotten so used to having at least one of their gigs to get to any given weekend, I really do not know what to do with myself when there is a lull. I have much to do, and now time to get it done, but it feels odd.
Such is the life of the fanatic....

Ch-ch-changes

Well, message went up on the band's board that has sent many of their fans into a tizzy of ticket buying. I think Vallejo best be prepared for an onslaught of DC fans in Dallas Nov 6th.

On a personal note I find myself wanting to distance myself from all this, because it is going to change, and while I am merely a fan now as it is, it will get worse in the not so distant future.
Oh yeah! Why? There is a recording company interested in signing DC. I am stoked for the band, but not so much for me. As I have said here before, I am an addict, and I see the centre piece of that addiction drawing away from me. I mean, when you've had Godiva dark chocolate (band live at many venues over many months), why the hell would you want to go back to M & M's (DVD, CDs and memories)?! I daresay a heroin junkie might have it easier trying to give it up. He wants desperately to get out of it; I just want to go back! (I jest, of course. Lost a number of friends to drugs as a kid. I will keep my measly little music addiction.)

Ah well. It has been a great thing, and I still have a few months of this reverie to bask in. It's just that, well, you know that ice cream is going to come to an end, and you know the movie will eventually run into the credits, but there are just events in your life you would really like to see become part of what and who you are. Maybe, if they did, you might have a tendancy to see them as mundane and forgettable. With Del Castillo, that would be criminal. I just have trouble imagining being in a venue so big that I might as well have stayed at home and watched the DVD. There is an intimancy to the music in this band that doesn't do so well for me when they are thirty feet away. Not thatI want to be tying someone's shoelaces for him(!) but the family of people around them, some of whom are becoming friends, understands what I mean. This is not some pop sensation band, some drop in the bucket, one-hit-wonder sort of group. They mean a great deal to us, as does the experience of being with them in concert. A 45 minute set where I have to use my opera glasses ( yes, I have a set of opera glasses....) to even be able to bee the expressions on their faces,......well......part of me hopes it never comes to that. '

It's all very selfish in the end, or it sounds that way. I don't mean it to. I love this band dearly, and will continue to help spread the word for a longtime to come. I am just not always real fond of the changes.

The Way To a Band's Heart....

is by all appearances through their stomachs!

DC played an absolutely AMAZING set in San Antonio last night, Just on Fire! Surprisingly the fire marshall did not try to close down the show, despite people dancing in the aisles and the extreme heat being produced onstage. I would like to think I maybe had a little bit to do with it, having fueled them up with a homemade supper beforehand. If there is any evidence to it, this group should eat more spinach before going on! ( It was Indian food, specifically saag paneer, which is spinach with homemade cheese.) Of course, they have done powerful sets before without my know ing what they ate beforehand, so I am just speculating....
The brownies someone brought them didn't seem to hurt either!

See, there ya go- feed your band and they will play better! ;)

and kudos to Alex for quick thinking when the mike went out. That was truly the level of professionalism in this band- the show continues without fail! Mark was a little surprised I think, but if Phil got a good shot of the event, it will make for a neat memory. (after a few moments thought when his wireless mike stopped working, Lobo grabbed Mark's, swinging it out enough to use it, then sharing it with Mark during the chorus. It was a great way to solve a momentary problem and not stop the show.)
Oh yeah , and someone complain to Sam's about the chairs! It is hard as heck to sit still at a Del Castillo gig and they took away all our dancing room! The place was as full as I have ever seen it, which was SO cool, considering that last time everyone stayed home for the Spurs playoff game.
The place was hopping last night! Local jazz interp band Sexto Sol opened up, out for the first time in many months. Man, they were HOT! Mike's being out on active duty for the Army hasn't taken a thing from them. They have even had time to mix down a live CD, so if you are local enough to find it, check these guys out. Tremendous band. Very Return To Forever.

Well, I need to go do some non-food related errands, so more later.

ciao.

a sad state of affairs

As I have said before, this site is not strictly for Del Castillo, but for my music interests in general. I have a statement to make that is possibly going to offend, but it must be said.

Cat Stevens, once well-known popstar and peace activist, was kicked out of this country the other day. He chose a path many years ago that including becoming Muslim, and for a long time, rejecting his past as a musician. He has been a devout man, and a proponant for peace worldwide. Apparently, the fact he has stood up and said things against the current US president's policy on Iraq and past ones on Iran has gotten Yusef Islam (his name now) put on a watch list. He had the nerve to have an opinion that went against the guy trying to stay in office, so an entire plane of people were deverted from their destination and he was "removed" before they could continue. A little pointless, don't you think, since he had been in the US not six months ago, at a rally for peace? What has changed so drastically that this man needed to be harrassed and publically shamed where he was once welcomed? And what has happened to the supposed policy of tolerance for Muslims of all nationalites (Yusef is still a British citizen)?

I am a pagan and receive enough prejudice for a dozen people, brought on by other peoples' insecurities about their own religious choices. I am disgusted at this lack of insight and use of blatant fear tactics by the people of this government. There is enough hatred among humans without this need to attack innocent nationals who come to this country in good faith. Does celebrity automatically make one a target for prejudice, while the unknown can WALK across the Canadian-American border?!
This needs to be rectified and one man in particular is owed an apology.


I truly believe the human species is damned to die by its own hand.

Muy Caliente Weekend!

And how!
I warned folks somewhere along the line in this blog to watch out for Texas heat. It can get nasty out there in the sun, even when it feels cool at first. I got my own fair share this weekend, but managed to still avoid sunburn.
************************************************************************************

And nearly a week and half later, I haven't finished the story!

As it is very late, a quick start and then I will work on it as time permits. South Austin Celebration- a local block party to raise money for several good causes, including the Texas School For the Blind (hi Frank!) Yow, it was a blistering day. Drank no alcohol, and not nearly enough water, sweated myself silly, and then went down to Victoria the next day to do it again!
The guys played a festival for a church group in V., and I was really surprised when it was held on a tarmac, not in a grassy field. Hothothot. We (Casey Phil Angie Myself Terry and a bunch of other crazies) managed to find enough shade to not pass out, but I haven't seen my buddy Casey act so much like a lizard in a long time. He wasn't alone, but one could tell who was local,'cos it didn't phase them quite as much.

At both gigs DC did an amazing job, especially the Rev, who had to be in the sun the whole set down in V. Yikes. Outdoor gigs in Texas should be outlawed during the depths of summer. They can actually get dangerous! I was quite surprised I didn't have trouble with sun poisoning.

More details later!
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A couple of stories to add....
In Austin, it appears Mr Ruiz has a bit of a fanatical following. Next to me there was a group of about a half dozen young females, some of whom were at least 21, who were squealing about Alex through much of the set. Had it not been for the extremely shrill voices, I would have found them even more amusing than I did. It felt like the Beatles had come back! I was a little more than five when they played on Ed Sullivan and could not for the life of me figure out what my sister, cousin, and all the girls in the audience were screaming about. This group of girls in Austin sounded exactly the same! When he tossed out a scarf in our direction, I instinctively grabbed at it and immediately gave up. I guarantee I would've lost a limb had I actually laid hands on the thing! And, shades of Elvis or Frank Sinatra, I watched the one who got it rub that sweaty piece of cloth all over her own face. (He had been wearing it.) Ya know, I have been a fan of many bands, fanatic of a few, hugged many a sweaty, just-off-stage musician, and in better than 30, 35 years of concert going, have NEVER been tempted to get quite that personal with a piece of clothing....... Oh well. It was the first time I have seen quite such behaviour out of a DC audience, but I suspect it won't be the last. Every member has his fans, though a couple seem to get more direct attention. And I am sorry for and proud of all the boyfriends and husbands who put up with it, because it must be deflating sometimes. Luckily, I think a lot of the guys go because they too really do appreciate what goes on on that stage. It is not meant for one age group or one sex, but for all of humanity.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===
And then there was Victoria.
I have made some friends among the DC fanbase, and a couple of them made it down to V., as did my best friend Casey and myself. It was hard as hell to feel like doing much of anything, but the cogs were apparently turning in my friend Angie's brain! She and her husband Phil, who was wisely hanging out in the car, I am supposing in the AC, took off for a little while. When they returned to the tarmac, they were loaded for bear: squirt guns.

At first glance, one might assume from their demeanor that Phil and Angie are nice, quiet people. They are very soft-spoken, courteous, a pleasant young married couple....

Do not be fooled.

There is a streak of mayhem in there that comes out in unusual ways. The toys were only part of it. There was much plotting on who and when would be attacked! Sadly, the water in the guns ended up getting to about the same temperature as the outside air, so it was soon "Okay, I'm wet, but not a whole lot cooler..." Casey put up well with being attacked repeatedly, though it may just have been he was to hot to be concerned with fighting back.
Alex and Karol's boy, Phoenix, found a more novel way of having fun with a squirt gun: he sucked on it. Hey, water was at a premium that day!
We, of course, did not shoot at any of the guys while they were playing. Water, electricity, band member...not a good mix, really. We did go after a few of them after they got off stage, but everybody was so sweaty by then, I am not sure if they felt anything. When we went for hugs, they were apologetic about being sweaty and we all just looked at them and scoffed. We'd been that way most of the afternoon. Despite the heat, everyone, all us nutty fans included, were in really good spirits. It was a little tough to walk away and go find food and iced tea, but a little. I am sorry I didn't stick around for Duarte, but I know my limits.

It was, inspite of the heat, a wonderful Labor Day weekend -best I have had in a long time!

The Future?

Tonight is the Latin Grammy Awards show. I know from past contact with the music industry that the whole Grammys thing is really political, and based on sales more than actual talent. Looking at the list of people who are up for awards, many of whom are from other countries and completely unheard of in the US, I have to wonder if American- born latin based groups get a fair shake in the running. I mean, groups like Los Lonely Boys or Santana get noticed in the regular grammys and I sort of wonder if, due to that, they get less attention in the Latin ones.

I could be talking out my ear, of course.

I am, of course, daydreaming about the future and seeing those shining Del Castillo faces on that stage. I detest the fact the sales directly effect whether or not one can get nominated, but it is a business, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. That almighty dinero, after all, speaks loudly to most people.
I just would like a way for a larger chunk of the public to hear what these guys can do. One song done on a national show would change everything for them. Our local (in state) show apparently thinks they play the wrong kind of music ( I won't name names here, but I am really PO-ed with this particular show for their lack of insight. Not Texas music, my butt!)
Then again, there are good arguements for going up the ladder a little slower, through a grass-roots method. There is nothing like seeing these guys live, and I cannot say how a performance on TV, a hundred yards away from the audience, might affect perception of them. It would be a challenge to the band, yes, but not necessarily a good step to take yet. Let more folks hear of them by happenstance, get the buzz going, and then put them out to the more generalized public.

I'm just shooting the breeze with myself this morning. If this all starts to happen in the next six months, I may end up shooting myself in the foot. It was a tough month, knowing they were out there with all those new people. Strange case of envy on my part. I would've been at every gig if I had had the ability. Silly thing, ain't I?

Ah Ha!

I am not one for movies ( oh horrors! How does she live without constant mindless media input?!) (pardon the sarcasm, but I really don't get it.) so the fact I actually rented BOTH Kill Bill movies says something for the state of television this week. An hour a day of decent programming would keep me from the rental place, but,well, I don't get the big deal about sports either. The Olympics are just another political vehicle today, so why bother, and anyway, how much can one watch in an evening?
The main reason I rented either of these movies was, of course, Del Castillo. Imagine my surprise when I flip over first thing to watch the Chingon performance only to see a gig I was at!
The famous Antone's in Austin was host to Bruce Willis' band earlier this year and DC opened.
Chingon did a set too, and a good portion of the time there was a damned camera in the way. I and my buddy Casey barely saw the stage at all. To top it off, between Bruce Willis' "people" and Robert Rodriguez' "people", there was so much activity on the floor that I was beyond distracted during the gig. I actually got angry a couple of times due to the dumbass wanna-be floor show. So few people gave a damn that anything was going on on the stage. The guys in DC were fired up due to the celebrity of the evening, but frankly it was a terrible night from a fan's POV. I personally despise Hollywierd and all its fakeness, and Austin was hip deep in it that night. Due to Casey being ill, I didn't get to stay for Bruce Willis or the jam session, but I really didn't care. I was so fed up with the crowd by the time Chingon got done, it was no burden to leave.

Now, for those who weren't there, fear not. The end of this diatribe 'o mine is the fact that the footage tooted as being from the LA premiere of KillBill Vol. 2 isn't. There are pictures of Tarantino jamming to what I can tell is DC (probably out in LA) interlaced with the clean, clear footage of Chingon playing, but I know that room. Hell, I recognised the bloody exit sign over Rick's head in the early shots. The backdrop that says Antone's barely shows for a split second, but it is there.
And I was too, so I can swear to the situation. You are actually watching Del Castillo perform in Austin! They filmed a lot of DC's own set; I keep wondering if there might be another vid soon(hint hint, guys!) If it is as clean as the stuff with Rodriguez, it would make for a tremendous follow-up to the live DVD. I was just kind of tickled, because I finally got to SEE the performance. It was good; always is with these guys. It just wasn't much fun for someone who really wanted to watch the BAND, not the supposed bigwigs up in the VIP section. I am surprised the EMS folks weren't called out for all the sprained necks craning to get a view of this or that celeb. Hell, I think half of them probably walked past me, and I didn't know them from the chicks trying to get to the one restroom..... Could have cared less too.

I have to wonder how many people later on down the line, when Del Castillo becomes that household word I wrote of back at the beginning of this blog, will go "I saw them at Bruce Willis."
when in fact they barely noticed there was a band playing at all. I think they could have rolled the video and most folks would've taken more notice. At least I know from talking to some people, and watchingthat blasted crowd upstairs, that Willis himself watched Del Castillo and Chingon. I can appreciate his taste in music from that alone.

Thank You- a prayer

My boys were home last night for a quick evening. I had not known it until last night, but August 20, 2001 is their official formation date. A huge Happy anniversary guys!

And pardon my possessiveness. I know darn well I am not alone in this, just maybe one of the nuttier ones. I met quite a few folks last night who are as dedicated, and got to hang out with even more I already knew. The family is growing daily but still feels pretty small- it is the level you end up relating on that matters.

I came on here today to make some points I had failed to in the past. Thank yous are in order for a lot of people, not just the group of musicians, so here goes.

Thank you Dave, Gary, Cayle, Raul, and Steve for taking such tremendous care of these guys. I have done the work you are doing and know how stressful it can get. Everyone of you looked happy and excited, which is a great sign.

Thank you Uncle Wayne, for giving two bright eyed boys a love of the feel and sound of the guitar. Your gift to them, and subsequently to us through them, is immeasurable. I see in your eyes what I know will be in both Rick's and Mark's for many years to come.

Thank you to all the band wives, girlfriends, partners, and above all, children. It is hard to have a spouse gone for long periods, and even harder to have to hear Daddy say goodnight over the phone. I know- I am a military brat. These are not war times for DC, but the feelings that can be generated can come quite close. Your patience in letting the world have a part of your partner's time is courageous and never appreciated enough. It shows they have chosen, or been chosen by you, well. I have seen enough of these guys to know those eyes turn back toward home a lot, even on this, their first tour. And they look toward you when they do so.

Thank you to the Creator, for putting these six guys and their loved ones together in the right order at the right time on this earth. A greater voice for your own Glory I have not heard in many a year. It has touched my life deeply and I cannot imagine now living in a world without it.They are here to do your work in their own way. I hope you will continue to give them the strength of conviction and gentleness of soul to do exactly what they desire to. And always bring them home safe and sound please. A lot of other folks love them too.

Namaste.

Aging sucks

One is supposed to change one's point of view of the world and its possible pasttimes as one ages, but the mind doesn't always want to co-operate. Point in order was the time I spent the other evening with my step-brother's band. Dave is the drummer for metal heavies Machine Head, and while I am not the biggest metal fan in the world, I really like these guys. No really! It isn't just about family, though I have been lucky in that respect. Those who are semi or professional musicians in my family have all been quality ones; even those who couldn't bring themselves to follow the less-than-practical line of artist are actually very talented. We were just raised to be responsible first, dreamers second. Obviously I leaked over the sides of the mold a bit....

I went out to see Machine Head with a little trepidation, in part because I have to up at 5 AM these days for work. I forgot all about it of course once I saw the guys and got to talking and then watching their highly intense performance at the White Rabbit here in S.A. They were really revved up by the audience singing along on so many tunes, and despite the tremendous heat in this reknowned sweat pit of a club, MH tore it up. Their latest CD, "Through The Ashes of Empires" is just amazing. They have never been tighter or more powerful as a group. And I cannot brag on them enough. I told my brother that he was probably the most graceful drummer I have ever seen. I had the chance to really watch his performance and was struck by the flow of his playing. Most metal drummers pound and/or flail; there is no subtlety or finesse to the motions. Dave puts something more in to the playing, which is no small feat. He plays double kick, and I mean two DRUMS, not just two pedals. Powerful drummer on a huge impressive kit.(thank you Pearl for taking good care of him!)

My whole point in this entry was actually to moan about the passing of some of my endurance. Used to be a day when I could work all day, go to a gig in Austin, drive home, sleep maybe an hour or two and work again the next day without flinching. You just can't go back to being 25 I guess. I still do better than many folks, but I am having to pace myself more and it sucks. I can only hope this merely means I am out of practice.
I am only a little older than the guys in Dave's band. I felt like a grandmother in the audience, save for the fact that I could still headbang with the best of them. Of course, I scarfed a couple of Aleve in the AM, but hey, not bad for an old hippie. I think I am starting to understand that sometimes wistful look in older peoples' eyes. They remember when they had my kind of energy, or could walk without pain, or what have you. One sometimes thinks 'if I only had known then what I know now.' I suspect if I had, I wouldn't have done what I did, and thus wouldn't have had then fun I had. It isn't over, but it has slowed down. I just hope I don't have that wistful look quite yet.


(hopefully better entry soon. Del Castllo comes home for one night this weekend. I wonder if they will share stories about their adventures with us. I have missed them, and wondered long and hard, mostly out of selfishness. What will the weekend bring me?)

I think it's true

I am sitting here laughing all by myself. The reason is that it is raining in Tucson. For those who have never been to this hellishly hot place, rain is a rarity. So what's different enough today?

I think Del Castillo rolled into town.

They are due to play there with Ozomalti tomorrow.

You see, I have noted this unusual Trend when DC plays. It can rain before they go on, but not so much as to interfere with load in. It can rain shortly afterwards, but usually only after there was enough time for the band to get out of the club and safely to wherever. It can threaten all day, but just before the gig, everything will clear up. It has been a bizarre series of coincidences over the last year that just started falling into a discernible pattern. Only one night did I see one of them entreat the gods to give us a little rain, or just a little breeze, when it was particularly hot in Austin, to no avail. I suppose it is too hard to concentrate on both playing their incredible music and getting the weather to do what they want.

And now it is raining in the desert. I doubt that anyone out there will come close to connecting the two events. I just happen to have seen it before. I swear these guys are shamans in hiding.

Ah well, it is all inconsequential I guess. The band will realise too late that all they are doing is adding to a normally very low humidity level, which can make the heat just a little worse......of course the weather out there calls for rain everyday for at least a couple in a row, even more unusual out there. Hell, in Albequerque, the rain doesn't even hit the ground most of the time! It evaporates before it can land. You can actually watch this happening! And here in the desert, just in time for a bunch of guys from Texas to roll into town, all things which were normal go haywire.

I think that says something more for the band. They are truly unusual. I wonder if when they tour in the northern states in late fall or such if there will be unseasonably warm or snowless days? If this rain follows them home along IH 10, I will KNOW something's going on!

Just a little observation during some dry days for us DC fans in Tejas. ;)

Realization

Tonight, while DC was on stage in Des Moines, I had a sensation that I can only believe was some sense of contact with them. I felt it very specifically in the area where the heart chakra lies. I will make a more appropriate entry about it on my other blogger, Omfromheretothere.
It was just an sudden understanding of the draw to them, from yet another angle. Their music is indeed spiritual, and it touches, even opens the heart chakra, seat of love, beginnings of compassion.
Even when they are away from here, they continue to teach. I will be curious to know how this night went for them. I daresay it was amazing.

and so it begins...

I don't know for a fact when the guys in DC and their crew are leaving town, but if they are driving, I know enough about this nation's highways to know what they should do to be rested when they get to Des Moines. I dare say my mind will be on their travels for much of the next couple of weeks. And I do not envy them. I love to travel but sitting in the car 8-12 hours a day gets old really fast. Hopefully, they all read and have books or whatever to keep the time occupied. I know they have pillows to sleep with- I made them, along with my "daughter" Medrith. She has the working sewing machine.

God speed gentlemen. I hope to hear of good things when you get home, and maybe if we are lucky, people out there who discover your music will give us here in Texas updates.

Namaste.

7

Numerology is an ancient art, almost as old as the written word. That we used numbers in some form before we ever put ink or dye to scroll may be very significant.
I have felt very compelled to do such esoteric research on Del Castillo for awhile now, and think I am starting to get a feel for their what and why. I have only recently collected nearly all their birthdates, so the individual reports will take a little longer. It is the combination of them all that fascinates me. When the name Del Castillo is added up through the Pythagorean method, it comes to a 4 on its own. Four is a responsible, practical number: hard working, finding order in chaos, at times perhaps a bit too rigid, even a tad melancholy. I however believe the band to be more than merely a name, so I have added up the members' names and added them to the band name. This becomes a seven.

7 is one of the sacred numbers. It is joined by its brothers 9,11, 13, and 22.

Seven is everywhere in our world: the seven colours of the rainbow, the 7 'c's of the music scale, the 7 chakras, the energy vortices that guide the lifeforce in each of us, the seven sacraments, virtues, and deadly sins. It holds something in our collective thought, and there is good reason.

7 is the number of spirituality. The mystic, the scholar, the philosopher find home in this number, starting to climb the path to enlightenment.
7 is also the number of the eccentric, s/he who lives life from a different perspective, not being willing to be limited to the mundane or predictable. The down side to the number is a tendency toward isolation, being pessimistic and sometimes a bit secretive.

Anyone who has seen this band live or been touched by their music will probably see the correlations to the number swiftly. I was personally not at all surprised. It confirmed what I already felt about these guys: the sum of the parts is not equal to the whole. They are meant to be together and what they can accomplish as a group will go far beyond what any might do alone . Some part of me hates the idea of them going out into the world, because that means I might lose touch with them, or they with those of us they started out with. We have been blessed with being so close to them that even knowing that what they bring to the world must be allowed to be heard by all who will listen does not ease the discomfort of the separation.
I see in these numbers proof that they will keep their feet on the ground, which also means they will come home.
So far in my calculations of each individual in the band, there has been a striking predominance of the sacred numbers, especially eleven and seven. When I feel I have gone far enough in, I will put some of it here, though not all. There is a certain level of privacy to be respected, and I can say whole heartedly that if nothing else, I respect this group.

more later, and in the meantime, Happy Blue Moon!

It seems a dream from here.

Wow.

 

I have to say it again.

WOW.

I drove to Houston today to take my cousin Brian and his wife Jill out to see this band o' bands I keep expounding on. I thought I had seen Del Castillo at their best. They proved there are always new avenues to explore, even when one of them isn't feeling well. I had the momentary thought during the performance that perhaps it is truimph over, or through, adversity. I remember a night at Antone's in Austin many months back where one of them was under the weather and the show just soared then too. As great as that one was ( I call it Rick's two foot night- the only time I have seen him get both feet off the ground during a solo!) this one made it pale so far I do not think I can make anything I put down here come even close. My fairly sedate cousins were blown away. They had been impressed by the CDs and I suspect that, like myself, they will now feel that, as good as the recordings are, they just will not compare to the power of this band live. Brian told me as they went home to let their 6 month old puppy out that anytime DC plays in Houston or within a two hundred mile radius, they will do what they can to be there. See?! It isn't just me!!  ;)
Emphasis cannot be made strongly enough that, should they come anywhere near your town, you should go see this band live. They can pull almost any group of people into their music. It is just amazing to watch, which I got to do for about half the set tonight. I was standing up on the balcony with mes cousins and all these people who had come to see the ska band due to go on after DC were dancing and just mesmerized by what was going on up there. Those of us who are fanatics and go silly distances to bask in the celebration of life and love and music with this group understand the draw. It is so positive, so vital, so intense that it is more addictive than any drug known to man. They are an astounding vessel for true connected-ness to God that most people search for all their lives, and they do it without preaching or trying to convert anyone to any way of thought. It comes down to Namaste.

I will explain: the word "namaste" is a greeting used in Tibet and parts of India. To an outsider it may seem like an aloha sort of thing, meaning may things and used casually, but that is not the case. Author Leo Buscalia once defined the word, so that his audience would understand his beginning and ending his appearances with it. His definition was this:

I honour that place in you wherein meets Heaven and Earth. I honour that place in you wherein lies your peace, your hope, your love, your uniqueness. I honour that place in you where, if you are there, and I am there, there is only one of us.
                                                         Namaste.

 
Place the palms of the hands together (connection to the One), directly in front of the face (equality of all things), and speak it from the heart.

Pretty neat, eh?

I always liked Leo. A happy soul. And so are the guys in DC. I carry their joyfullness with me all the time now. It makes me smile at odd moments, often when things seem to be at their worst.
May you get to experience it too.

 
Hmm......the sun is rising. I drove all the way home again tonight. Now the Cocteau Twins lullaby me to slumber. I will go to sleep with strains of Rio Mysticos sliding around in my head.
And dream of the next time I will get to celebrate with Del Castillo.

Take care of yourselves, my brothers. Spread the word to the world, but come home safe and sound.
  

heavy sigh

My lower lip quivers now and then.

My eyes tear up a bit, and a sniffle escapes.

The bad thing is, I can't tell if is happiness or sadness...probably a mixture of both.

The tour dates are up, and I am happy for them. Del Castillo that is. I knew, as did all the longtime fans, that this would, had to, come. Something like this just shouldn't be kept a secret.
I worry what the world out there might do to the band and music I love so much. In that way, I am a little scared for them. I have seen what it can do. I feel they are stronger as  a band and as people than many I have gotten to know and seen fall. I will have to leave that in the hands of the One I suppose.

Just don't forget to come home guys. Your family, all versions of it, will be waiting for you.

And we love you.

Oh, I am not going to do well.

It hasn't even truly started yet and I am finding myself a mopey mess. DC played a couple of private gigs this last weekend, and there has been some vague talk about one of the gigs on the message board.  It was all I could do to not get mean about it and accuse the guy of bragging about being there. How am I going to behave when they are out there playing for the world?!

Yipes. I scare myself.

I must really agree with one gal on the board though- Antone's on the 16th was amazing.
I counted them up recently, and I have been to over a dozen gigs by this band in less than six months. This last one was astounding. There was just some fire in them that was new, different, inspired. Everyone in that band stretched out and found new places to go with music they have played over and over for two years now.  I was worn out more than usual, and yet so wired I couldn't sleep until I had been home (an hour and  a half away) for at least two hours.

Toumai did so well that night too. I cannot give them enough praise. Those fellows have  got a good long road ahead of them. Should you get the chance, go see them.  I would be stumbling all over myself trying to figure out who to talk about in the band first. I am a bassist, so of course I notice Dave:  a Jaco student, like myself. 
Drummer Leroy is an amazing innovator who goes beyond mere drumming. I told him I would put him in the same class as, first, Mike Zeoli, and second, Bill Bruford. He's that good.
Greg....cannot begin to tell you the soul this guy has got.  It all djust seems to flow for him. Hearing is believing, trust me.
And Gabe. Strong voice, great delivery and growing as the front guy quickly. It is no fun being up front and having to represent the whole band with only a mike in front of you. He was nervous the first time I saw them, but is turning into an excellent showman.

On the whole Toumai is worth the time to go catch. I am working to get them to San Antonio, and hope to hear of them playing more anywhere they can. Much much potential there.

 
It's really late, yet again, and I was late to work this morning as is. Laters!

Del Castillo Live

You can watch the DVD. You can listen to the CDs all you want. There is nothing like seeing these guys live. Just saw them again last evening in Austin, and it was brought home in full force to me.
I have it from a good source that Del Castillo will finally hit the road next month. I do not know yet with whom, or where they will be going precisely; it's all being kept hush-hush for some reason, probably until things are finalized. Keep an eye on their websight. I am certain it will be put out there as soon as they know for sure. And do NOT miss them. Those who have not had the blessing of sharing time with these guys are in for a treat.

 
(Oh yeah. I took the sideways shots off my site, because I have opened up that online webshots thing. More space for writing now.)

Del castillo picture albums finally on line

Well, I got frustrated and quit trying to put the photos up. Then someone on DC's message board posted a link to their photos from the 4th in Ft Worth on Webshots.
To make a long story short, I went to bed only after figuring out FINALLY how to get them off my PC onto the site in such a way that anyone looking at them won't come up with a neck problem. I haven't gotten them all up yet, but there is a start there.
I will verify the address (still kinda new at this sort of stuff. I usually just work offline) and will put the link here.
Hope you enjoy. And someone tell Rick to keep the beard- it looks good on him!

*********************************************
http://community.webshots.com/user/jazzpjd

So proud!

Heehee!
I am so tickled for these guys. They are getting more exposure tonight, in the form of being on a BBC program on public radio. Chances are not good for my hearing it, but once again, I will be there in spirit. I do not know if this gig is a live feed, a recorded something or what, but it is further flaunting for the band. Fluff those feathers up, guys!

I have been too busy to think about it, but with another show looming on the horizon, I find myself getting a little antsy. It will be nearly a month between shows for me. i have to wonder how I will act when it has been a couple! more later -busy weekend with my son-in-law's band, Brotherhood. (heavy metal- pass the earplugs please!)
;)

*****************************************************************
Thanks to the band's manager and website, I did get to hear the
interview. Not nearly long enough for those of us who know them, but a good piece to peak interest in new comers. Fun too.

and, Alex, you and I need to talk.

Way to go John Kay!

For those who do not know , John Kay, founder,lead singer, and main songwriter for Steppenwolf, turned down what was probably a lot of money. He said no to that ugly-ass spoiled brat on some show called The Simple Life(?) I do not watch that kind of crap, hell, don't watch much TV at all, but I heard about this on the news. She is apparently one of those females who takes that arrogant BS on the L'Oreal ads ("and I'm worth it")way too seriously. She had contacted Mr. Kay about using the classic rock anthem "Born To Be Wild" as her personal tune on the show, and HE TURNED HER DOWN!!!!
Said there were just some things a person should not do. Yee Ha! Way to go buddy boy. NEVER let anyone exploit your music to such an extent that you have trouble looking yourself in the mirror. Anything that special to most of your fans should be shown respect by the one who made it. Any artist can tell you, sometimes the thing you create outgrows you and becomes something more. It is wise to listen carefully and honour those who have helped be more than it started out as.

A serious round of applause for Mr. John Kay!

a link

www.exoticindiaart.com/article/music


A pretty good assessment of why music is such an intrigal part of us as a species.

Stubb's ampitheatre, during the SXSW concert,Robert Rodriguez sitting in, Patricia Vonne dancing with Alex. 


Ha! I am starting to figure out how to do this!
(Photo by me incidentally.)

Happy 4th

Well, for most anyway. I personally am a bit mopey. I will not be in Fort Worth tomorrow to be with DC as they storm the Willie Nelson 4th of July party. For those who don't know about this event, Willie Nelson is a long time Texas son who has made a fairly regular habit of holding a party on the 4th somewhere in the state. It used to be in small places like Luckenbach (pop. 25 at the best of times), but over the years it has grown to be too big for many of the spots he used to put it together. And it used to be exclusively country music, which it no longer is. It IS, however, still TEXAS music. It is always held outdoors, so there can be a fireworks display at the end of the night, and that is the main reason I will not be there. Texas sucks big time in the summer. Temps in Ft Worth are not supposed to be too bad, but combined with the recent rains will feel like over 97 degrees Farenheit. Not exactly egg frying time, but too damned close for this little hothouse flower. I have learned my limitations in this state the hard way. Even using 45 SPF sunblock, hats, parasols, drinking enough water to fill the Rio Grande, and finding or making shade when I can isn't enough. Heat prostration is not fun, people.

So I will mope, and play the DVD at the right time, and hang out with some friends in some air conditioned building somewhere. Ironically, my buddy Casey has been called by a friend in Killeen who wants to meet in Austin for the day. I suppose it is some sort of switch off the gods find funny.....

I guess I will be okay. It's only another week or so til I can get to see them again. But pardon me if I go off now to suck my thumb and do another shot of vodka. It has taken everything I have to not leave for Ft Worth tonight. Including getting legally drunk.

I think this may qualify me as truly nuts....about this band anyway.

And any of you folks who want to come to this State o' Texas, don't do it in the summer. Too many tourists do not heed the warnings about the heat, and we really prefer to leave you with a positive picture of the place.

I hope someone thinks to cheer for me a little tomorrow.
And get better soon Willie.
Texas will not know what to do without you.

**********************%#@^&(!!

Just as well I didn't try to drive to Ft Worth. Had majour car trouble on the way back from Austin. I would have ended up not making it there or back or such and it just would not have been the right ending. It isn't particularly good now, but I am at least less disappointed than if I had gotten half way there and still missed it.....

Here's the glyph I wrote about before. 


*********************************************************

I mentioned that this was formed the night DC played at Stubb's back in May. It is triskleon, a symbol of the Trinity, be it pagan or christian, or anything else. Faith, hope and charity. Maiden, mother, crone. Father, son, spirit. Take it for what you will. I just think it's beautiful.

World Music

Just been gathering my thoughts of late.
This particular form of music is actually very vague. It seems to me that anything that can't be labeled under some specific is dumped here, which is unfair. I listen to several bands who are called jazz or world music, depending on who you talk to. Shahin & Sepehr is one such duo; they are Iranian-American and incorporate a lot of traditional instruments into their music. Much of the time, I would call what they do light jazz. It is rare to hear anything in their music that would separate them from such bands as Spyro Gyra (except maybe the lack of horns.) I would like to see either labels being better defined, or better still, eliminated. As one who worked in a record store for many years, I believe there is too much emphasis put on separating certain music. Of course, I would be upsetting the status quo; people just don't take well to abrupt changes in their environment, and as my age group is quickly getting up there, they are bound to get pickier still. (!)Heaven knows what some would do if they had to look through Mozart to find Motorhead. I was myself rather offended by that smelly leather covered album they put out in the early '80s. (Leave it to Lemmy....)

Not to get too far from the subject I started this thing for, I have seen Del Castillo put in Latin, jazz, and popular ( another dump bin for unclassifiables.) I am personally a little tickled to see them cross over in that way, but often wonder if they get a fair shake when multi-categorized that way. Someone new comes looking for them, looks and looks and might leave if s/he has no success. Many folks don't like looking foolish not knowing where to find a particular artist.

Anyway, I vote for getting rid of yet another barrier between people! Free the music!

(Okay, I'll lay off the coffee....)

Have to relate this one

I re-read one of the first entries in this journal and have to tell a little story to give it some more credence.
I went to the Dallas gig last weekend, and ended up standing directly in front of Mark and Rick ( a situation I will re-think in the future. It is possible to be too close!)
A couple next to me had brought with them a newbie, and I made my own testimonial to the gent about the Boys. DC came on and tore into the first song, giving it their normal state of excellence. When they had finished, in the short moment between songs, I turned to the new guy and asked," Sold yet?"
His response of "Hell yeah!" kept me smiling for the rest of the set. This happens around me everytime I see this band live. Someone new joins the Family.

And that, folks, is the Del Castillo experience in a nutshell!

El otro Hermano

Rick.

Ricky, as some have called him.

Boom Boom, according to Beto.

This is the very definite leader of this band, and the current heartthrob of way too many women, especially considering these guys haven't played outside Texas much yet. The man gets mobbed nearly every night they play. I wonder what any girlfriend he's got must think of it. I would have trouble I suspect.

But this isn't about me. It is about an extremely charismatic little fellow who belies his height through his music. If there was ever any concern in his head about what others think of him because he is only about 5'6", he needs to forget about it. He is in many ways larger than life. Bert once described Rick as having two tons of soul, and I know he's right. There is something different in him that one only finds in the most unique musicians. Luckily, this one seems to have his head on pretty straight and we do not seem likely to lose him to drugs or suicide.
I have yet to have been able to discuss anything of a spiritual nature with him. My times with the band have for the most part been short and sweet, but I am still just a fan and some things for me are kept at an arm's length. I may wish to see it change, but I also understand. They have their group of friends and about a hundred thousand others who might, for wrong reasons, want to infiltrate that. I am one of those for now, and may be for a long time. I appreciate all they have done and offered me in the way of friendship. I only hope that time and fame do not alter it. I am like a moth to the flame, I know, but the moth does it out of being dazzled, not a desire to possess.

Los Hermanos del Castillo

(and look ma, no Spanish-English dictionary!)
( I was figuring on editing this, because I felt like I was picking on Mark, but there is a pattern of realization in this bit for even myself. Bear with it. I think it ends up being very positive.)



I am a bit intoxicated at the moment, so I am not inhibiting my words. Last night brought home much of what this band ends up being about. While the duo who fronts the music of this band are absolutely amazing, this band is more than just a front for a couple of guitar players. I would describe the two guys up front though to the best of an observer's ability.
They are of similar expertise on guitar, but both guys are stunning in their own right. I will start with the younger, Mark. He is trained very technically in music all the way around. He went to university for that, and it shows to anyone who knows something about music education on a higher scale. It is one thing to take lessons at any point in one's life from a teacher. It is another to immerse oneself in the science of music.
The mathematics involved alone are stifling to most of us. To able to apply them to playing and writing and performing takes an unusual soul most times. The discipline of learning it in university makes for a very different approach than someone who plays by the seat of his/her pants, as it were.
The first thing I noticed about Mark was the length of his fingers-always a sign of an artist, whatever medium he ends up choosing. His hands look like spiders moving over the strings, and I tell you what, those spiders seem to be on something! I am not certain what drives guitar players in particular to learn to play with speed; Count Basie could make a single note on the piano mean so very much, he never worried about speed. I watched Mark and Rick's hands both pretty closely last night, and I am still not quite sure how they do what they do without tying their fingers in knots.
I believe Mark plays a standard Spanish guitar, while Rick plays a classical acoustic. Both have been modified, so I am left making some educated guesses here. Mark's has a slightly wide neck and his series of pedals is different from Rick's. Not often one sees a wah pedal used with an acoustic....
Not meaning to set anyone off, I have noted a different approach to playing in each of these guys. I can tell you who is playing by sound alone. Mark seems to be far more technical, I suspect due to the schooling. It is perhaps unfair wording and I will look for better, but Mark's playing seems stiffer (?). No, that isn't it. And it isn't that he doesn't have soul pouring into everything he plays. There is just a looseness, a "where can I take it this time" to Rick's playing that sometimes doesn't come through in Mark.

Damn. That sounds awful. I will have to work at that, because I have seen Mark give it up many a time and get lost in the playing.

Wait...I think that's it. If one gets too caught up in the technicalities, the spontaneity fails to surface, and really the best musical experiences for both artist and listener usually come from those moments when all else falls away and it is just the human heart and the music.

Hmmm......I may have just managed to touch on their specialness. The whole band that is. When things are totally right with them, and the flow between each other and the audience is in synch, their performances can soar. I have seen what seemed to be a strained and difficult night turn itself around because that flow was so strong. I have also seen nights where they couldn't seem to tap into the audience end up being little more than rote playing of the set. THAT is very rare, but it has happened. Every artist has the right to have off nights. I think one of things that has always amazed me about these fellows is the repeated intensity of the shows. I do not get tired of hearing them, or their music. As many times as I have listened to the CDs or gone to see them live, as well as I know the lyrics and the ways they will approach most of the tunes, I never walk away without being moved and invigorated to the point of being unable to sleep or calm down for hours.
(They all thought I was nuts for driving home after a Dallas gig. I live 5 hours away, but I would have sat in any hotel room staring at the ceiling for the same amount of time it took me to get back to San Antonio. I knew that from experience, so I just used the time to do what I had to do anyway.)

Wow. Now, you see, that's what writing does for me. I just came to understand something that has been bouncing around in my psyche for months by trying to put it into words for others to read. I truly wish there was a way to put the live experience of Del Castillo to words, but try as I may, I just can't seem to paint the right picture through words. It goes beyond that which can be spoken, at least by anything other than the human heart and soul. They never fail to touch someone new everytime they play. All we veterans feel compelled to bring newbies with us, to bring more people into the family circle of the Castle. It is a mighty fortess, but very expandable and very gentle and welcoming to all those who come to find solace in its walls. May it stand for many years to come.


and now to bed to let the strains of "Rios Mysticos" invade my dream yet another night.

Namaste.

Oh yeah!

And way to go Toumai!

Another homegrown Austin band opened for DC last night and they were just tremendous! They have taken some spiritual lessons from their mentors Del Castillo, and put their own twist on it. Do not miss these guys, should you get the chance.
More on them later too!

Quick update

I have so much to do today including another long drive, I will be keeping this one short. Del Castillo announced their first tour last night, to both my joy and chagrin. I know the world needs to hear them, but that addiction of mine is not looking forward to doing without so that the Light might be spread.
Lobo read a lettre written by a woman in Ontario last night that says much about the band. In essence, her son, a talented man, had fallen in with bad times and drugs and she thought she had lost him. Del Castillo's music touched him, changed him, and helped him find his way back from the void. Because of this group and the music they make together, someone's life has been changed for the better, and a mother got her son back. This is not the first such story I have been told, nor will it be the last to surface. I may have to start collecting them for a future bio. But that will be far in the future. They have far to go, and many more lives to touch.
If after reading this, you feel you have a similar story to relate, plese put it in the comments, and sign it. I leave the comments sections open for all to read. There should be no secrecy about this. Del Castillo is for all.
Despite the fact I, like many I have met, feel very possessive of them.

More after this weekend has wound down.

Namaste.

Here goes nothing

Okay, influences from the earliest recollection:
Igor Stravinsky. Leopold Stokowski. Louis Armstrong. The Beatles. Joan Baez, Bob Dylan,
Peter,Paul, and Mary, my sister's piano practice.
THE MOODY BLUES. Since 1968 no less.

The Irish Rovers (no I am not kidding.)
The Everly Brothers (had such a crush on Phil.....)
Almost any rock music that came out between 1965 and 1972. Way too many to list and many of them long gone. And I am talking ROCK, not that bubblegum BS or nauseating pop crap.
(God I hated Bobby Sherman and that damned Partridge family!)



Weather Report and especially Jaco Pastorius. That man single-handedly changed how I listen to music. Well, okay, he probably used both hands, but you get my drift.

Focus, Golden Earring, PFM, and a number of other European bands that couldn't get an even break in the US. Subsequently, Jan Akkerman, Thijs van Leer, Cesar Zuiderwijk,
Barry Hay, George Kooymans, Rinus Gerritsen, Pierre Van Der Linden....well, the list goes on.
Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Tomita, Jean Michel Jarre, the Cocteau Twins, Brian Eno,...

Dave Brubeck, Count Basie ( damn that man could ROCK!), Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman,...

Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Julian Bream, the Baroque period, (I loathe opera though...)
Itscak Perlman, and I cannot stand Bela Bartok!

Very little country music, but I like Dwight Yoakum, Asleep at the Wheel, and a few others. Closest I got to hearing country was the folk period: Simon and Garfunkle, Donovan, that sort.

My tastes have leaned toward what is called world music for many years. I find that music truly is a eraser of differences. We may have trouble as species communicating with each other, but let a couple of people start playing guitars or drums and the lines of seperation that we have set upon ourselves start to fade. I have traveled much of the world, and music is the one constant among humans.

Oh yeah -and the music of the Spheres. Literally. I love recordings done by NASA's two Voyager satellites. As they passed through our solar system on their way out of the Sol system, they used a very sophisticated bit of technology to record the sounds of the solar wind tearing over the magnetic fields of most of the planets and some of the moons.
The resulting cds are the most amazing stuff. Some of them sound like masses of voices in harmony, some like singing bowls, even the song of whales. It is very comforting and familiar. There are times when I wonder if this is where we get music from- that we unconciously hear these sounds filtering through our atmosphere.
You can find copies of these at the Centre for Neuroacoustic Research online.

How's that for a list of favs?

**************************************************************************
you know, it is amazing what one can forget in too long a moment...

This list above barely scrapes the surface. I even forgot my two most influential singers: Robert Plant and Roger Daltrey. I love to sing, though I usually do not subject anyone to it. I believe in exercising the throat chakra, and can actually sing better than too many of those out there with recording contracts(!), but it is a personal thing for me.
I have no desire to be on a stage.
I am not going to try to go any further with this list; it's pointless. If it had/has musical talent of a notable form, I probably paid attention for a little while at least. And incidently, just because someone can play an instrument or open his/her mouth does NOT mean that person has talent. Looking at the Billboard 100 much of the time, one also must realise that in the world of pop culture, true talent is no longer an issue......more is the pity.

Again with the Austin Guys

Well,let's get back on horse here. To continue about DC.
I am going through a weird form of withdrawl right now. It has been nearly three weeks since I got to see them last and they are truly addictive. I tried to convince myself it was just me building up memories for when they are gone on to bigger things than the venues I have seen them in, but no more. I am an addict in the worst possible sense. At least this is a good addiction.

Let me complete my observations of the rhythm section. The Rev: I haven't spoken with him as much as some of the others, but he strikes me as a devoted man- family, music, faith, and the guys in this band. He isn't the only one by any means. He just isn't afraid to let the world know through action as much as word. He is really sweet and has always made time for me when I have asked for it. And he poses really well ;)
Someday I will figure out how to put photos on this thing and share some of the ones I took a month ago. I got a bit crazy and ran off four rolls!
Surprised myself with them actually. I haven't done concert photography for years, except my son-in-law's band. I managed to get some pretty good shots.

Okay.
As drummers go, Mike Zeoli is pretty standard: insane. He is a tremendous drummer and I am pretty picky. I study the rhythm section before all else, because that is what holds up the sound. If that falls through, the rest will start to collapse too. Guitar players just work by a different rhythm, something I only within the last few years started to understand.
I judge almost all I know of Mike on his playing because we have only talked briefly in passing. He seems to be a very intense guy too, staying to himself a lot. He is a consumate musician, and I do enjoy watching him, again when I can see him. If I had my way, most stages they play on would be like the one up at the Oasis in Austin. It is a two level stage, which is Hades on the roadies, but neat for those of us who like to see ALL the action up there.

Both of these men choose to let their music speak for itself, so listen well. I suspect you cannot get much closer to their real personalities.

A small plug

This site is for all the music in my life and must take a moment to talk about my dear friend Patrick Moraz.
Pat played with Yes for 3-4 years, the Moody Blues for over a dozen and countless others. He is reknowned in Europe, has made a number of soundtrack albums and done all sorts of sessions from jazz to blues to classical. That's where he is right now. Years ago I told him I felt his forte was the piano, and though I doubt I had much to do with it, he has gone back to his roots. His latest CD is called ESP (Etudes, Sonatas,Preludes) and if you are a music nut like myself, it is well worth checking out. Try www.patrickmoraz.com to hear some of his works sampled. A fair warning though: Pat has always been one for pushing parametres, so do not be startled if you find things of his that are a little "out there." He absolutely hates it when I say this of him, but he is a genius, and those types do what we mere mortals do not -they explore what most would say is pointless or unexplorable.
The music on ESP is classical, but completely original and (I love bragging about this) done in one take. No overdubs for this guy. He will practice the piece til his fingers bleed, record it a dozen times, but he will not overdub. What you hear is exactly as it was played in the studio,beginning to end. Should he ever tour again, he is well worth seeing live. Those hands are amazing.

I had to relate this to the world somehow, because too few of those who are around me would appreciate this man. He will be put next to Mozart someday. I would wish it to be while he is alive.

I'm back.

From a week long hiatus to marry off a nephew that is.

I had made plans to do something at this wedding back in January. I bought 8 Del Castillo CDs, 4 of each album, and gave them randomly to
my family. The nephew who got married is the asst. editor for Billboard.com, so he definitely got one, and musical talent and love for same runs throughout my family. Everyone plays some sort of instrument.

It was so fun! The next morning several of them came up to me just rev-ed about DC. The cousins from Houston, who I tried to get to come to the IFest down there with me, are SOLD. The cousin from Florida, the brother from Colorado and the nephew from Milwaukee are on the band wagon too.
Now the catch is to get the band out on the road to these places, so that others can learn about them too!

One step at a time, and my first one is to go unpack the car, cook me some normal food, and do the laundry. More later!

(I am going to whisper this one...)

(I tried three times to put this bit in the blogger last night. Something just really didn't like me telling the world that a crop glyph formed while Del Castillo was on stage on the 29/30 of May...)
(apparently, those guys in black are working overtime.)

(anyway, go check out this beautiful piece at www.cropcircleconnector.com
It is the last one in May. A huge triskleon.)

(Incidently, the connection is that crop glyphs are mathematically perfect in a geometric way, and that geometry relates exactly to the diatonic scale -the ratios used in MUSIC. Somebody's singing to us, and I think they might like Del Castillo.)

(But, ssshhh! don't tell anyone what you saw here. Lord knows we want to avoid those 188 ft diametre pieces of someone's imaginaton....)


Bye!

a break in the action

Have to take a brief respite, though this has been fun, and good for me.
A nephew is getting married up in Indiana. Another story for my other blog!

More of my perspective when I can get tme on a PC here or on the road

Peace.

OOOit is driving me crazy!

I want to know how it went up in Dallas yesterday. It is just killing me that I couldn't be there, though I loathe crowds and can guarantee there as a huge one. I just hope DC did exactly what I would expect and blew the crowd away.
Of course, then I turn around and get sad, becauseI know success up there measn they are one step closer to being out the door to fame. I hate being torn like this. I really want to see them succeed in this nasty, vicious business of the music industry. Hell, I'd like to see them change the precedence about what makes for a success out there.

But part of me really hates the idea that soon I may have to rely on the DVD and the CDs because they won't be home for long periods of time.

And in the meantime, I am driving my son-in-law to a family thing in south Austin and will go pick up copies of both CDs to ship overseas.
What a series of incongruities I am.......

Beto!

I sit at home wondering how that guitar fest thingee went for the guys.
I wonder to myself how many more times I will get to spend a little time talking with each of them after gigs. And I remember the first one who made the time to really talk to me.
Albert El Beto Besteiro. The comedian onstage. The laid back bassist who is actually holding much together over there in the shadows. The guy whose library (at least I think it's his.) intrigues me to no end. During his interview section on the DVD, he's sitting in front of an impressive array of books. I never remember to talk to him about them! I get the impression there's much more to this one than just being a musician. I also get the impression from him that whatever he does for a living would be given up in a heartbeat to play in a national act.
Beto has a son, Dylan, who on occasion has worked for the band as a roadie. I haven't seen the kiddo playing an instrument, but things like that tend to run in families. It is obvious that the two of them are pretty close. All the parental units in the band are really very dedicated
daddies. Again, it's part of that spiritual thing. We are not what we have done, but rather the effect we leave behind, and nowhere moreso than our children. One more endearing quality to add to the list on these guys.

I have a strong memory of watching Dylan watching the band from over their heads at the Cedar St gig. He seemed very intent on what his dad was doing. There is talk of a Del Castillo II, with all the band kids taking over later in life... Dylan gonna be the bass player?

From a brief conversation, I know that Rick and Bert have known each other since they were twelve. I found that one amusing, 'cos that's the age my best friend and I were when we met! We are older than those two, but I am not allowed by any of the men in that list (my best friend is a guy) to say a word about what that might mean for any of them in the way of age! Men. Oh, like women don't age! ;)

They joke around like they have known each other long enough that each knows how the other will respond. Casey and I are the same way, which makes it easier to see. I think I also know why they can play together so well. Everyone in this band is part of the team, that's obvious, but some of the relationships are stronger. Long friendship is probably why.
If you don't know, several of them grew up in the same area. They only got to know each other as a group when all of them ended up moving to Austin, to which none are natives. Bert and Rick however go back a long way and it shows.

I love Beto more than anything because he always seems happy to see me.
It isn't that the others aren't happy to see the ridiculously dedicated fans too. Beto just makes me feel different, probably 'cos he did it first. And he gives great hugs. Always have to clean my glasses afterwards.

An odd realization for me: I love this band to no end, but I have also come to love each of these fellows, and their roadies, and their families
individually too. The capacity of the human heart does astound me sometimes.
Thanks guys.

You see, this is what...

I was talking about.
A number of folk have e-mailed me about this blog already. This is what DC are about. This is what they do for each other, and for those of us who go see them. This is what they do to a group of strangers from different walks of life: give us common ground, and the knowledge that it doesn't all just suck. There is beauty in this world and in each human. We have only to connect with each other to find it. Del Castillo is that catalyst.
And frankly, it is something to be experinced live. The albums are wonderful, the DVD very good, but there are few musical experiences like seeing Del Castillo live. The words I am trying to put here will be but a hollow echo of what they can be up there. I will give it a poet's try though, for those who may have to wait awhile yet.

Namaste.

That was months ago

This weekend, DC is playing at the Eric Clapton event in Dallas, Crossroads Guitar festival. I didn't act fast enough and couldn't get a ticket to the day they will be there. Such is life. I would love to see the reaction to them up there, especially if the right ears hear what these guys are capable of. You will pardon me if I go off and mope a bit too, because when fame comes to these gentlemen, it means they will not be here as much as they have been. I rue the day and am so very enthused for them, because I know the world should hear them. I myself am aiding that, despite not liking the potential consequences of my actions. Ever had something go on in your life that was so big and special and important to you that you wanted the world to share in it? Something that made you want to burst due to happiness, even ecstasy? One that could make you smile in the middle of the worst day at work for reasons that no one else could possibly understand?
Yep. It sounds awfully high school, I know, but Del Castillo does that for me. Maybe it is time to let you hear them. Their web site is www.delcastillomusic.com. There is both music and streaming video there so you, out there, can get a glimpse of what I write of. I think you will be as amazed and moved as I am every time I see them.

A starting point

Okay, a little history on my knowledge of this band:
About 10 months ago, a friend got me to go out to a local venue called Sam's Burger Joint to see her friend Patricia Vonne perform. Patricia (sweet person incidentally-more on her later)was opening for another band. It was del Castillo. Now, when my friend Stacy said they played Spanish styled music, I remember saying to her "If there is one accordion on that stage, I am outta there!" I learned to loathe accordions of any type while in college in Austin: not one but TWO in my apartment complex, and they both wanted to play at the same time, but different things! Yikes. And for some reason it was always at 10 AM on Sunday morning. Any college student worth his salt should know better than that! Saturday nights don't end til noon Sunday.

Anyway, when I saw the stage (no apparent accordions), I decided to give these guys a chance. I am so glad I did and sorry I didn't do it before. They blew me out of my chair.
I didn't know who to watch first. The guitarists were nearly setting the instruments on fire, the drummer was, in fact, doing that, the bass player and percussionist were backing all the insanity up, and on top of it all was The Voice.

He sang almost everything in Spanish, but though my understanding of Spanish is minimal, I didn't care. Translation could come later. Whatever he was singing was so passionate the words didn't matter. I was hooked.
The lead singer, Alejandro "El Lobo" Ruiz, was a bit odd on first take but, damn, what a voice. He has a stage appearance of something between Steve Tyler and Little Steven ( a member of Bruce Springsteen's band who had a brief solo career.) I have come to know Lobo, and it isn't just appearance. He is a very honest sort of fella and what you see up there is him. The heart is definitely that of a poet; the soul, well, I haven't figured all of that out yet, but I know it is deep.

The one emphasis I must make about these guys is the level of spirituality. Though they are not necessarily all of the same faith (Christian, pagan, Hindu, etc.,)they are all deeply spiritual. It is one of the things that has drawn me to them. It is blatant in their playing that God pays a roll in their lives. I appreciate that. Too many people in this world find themselves lacking something, a sense of belonging perhaps. One thing that draws people to this band is this sense of spirit belonging. And unlike too many sources of such out there, this one is completely real.

and to all agood night...

Interesting. This may be fun for me in the end. I tend to get verbose now and then though, so bear with me. I will try to stay on subject, but my passions run deep sometimes. More later.

opening thoughts

Hello world.
I am a music fanatic. Not someone who goes for the latest look or craze,
but rather one who wants the best possible aureal experience life can offer. Type of music varies, jazz being my number one. And I really want to tell you, in time, about a new band I truly believe will someday be a household name: Del Castillo.
They are a six piece band out of Austin, Texas,by way of Brownsville and some other places. They play neuvo flamenco: their own mix of latin rhythms, Spanish guitar, blues-rock-jazz, and whatever feels right at the time. Sounds sloppy doesn't it? Anything but my friends. The two brothers Rick and Mark del Castillo are the most amazing acoustic players I have heard in many a year. And the rest of the band keeps up in their own way.
They are by far one of the most invigorating, enlivening, intense bands
I have ever watched. They take my breath away every time. It is so much fun to watch the newbies around me become equally enthralled little by little. It is a rare thing for someone to walk away from a Del Castillo
concert unmoved.

I will gather my thoughts, and bring you into their world if I can.
I would offer you more access to mine, but maybe you need to know me before we get that friendly.....