Quick update for those who know and those who don't. My father Bobby Blue Bland is currently in the hospital. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure on Tuesday of this week. It's been an emotional time for my family & I and on behalf of my family thank you to those who have sent their prayers and their love. For the time being all shows have been cancelled. I may update this blog with more info & various random thoughts. Until then, be well be there for your family & friends even if they are not there for you.  Life is  precious & short, so surround yourself with love & loving people.

Your very emotional & confused drummer,

Rodd Bland

Okay so it's well after 1 in the morning here in Tampa, FL.  Not exactly having the greatest day or experience on this tour that I am apart of.  No trucks hauling great gear, no surplus supply of tour busses.  Then again it's like a blues tour.  Most of the blues tours I have done, whether it be the B.B. King Blues Fest tour or other quote un-quote blues tours this is rather dissapointing.  8 artists on the show and each set time is 20 minutes long.  Take the money and flee type thing.  I'm getting off track, I mainly am thinking about my woman at home and how much I would rather be with her taking her out romancing her, making  my best attempt at singing to her with or without the strolling violinist.  So I am extremely homesick more so now than usual with it being this type of holiday.  I was re-aquainted with my brother tonight that I totally forgot about.  So perhaps that was my Valentines day gift.  Would have preferred a new playstation and smackdown vs raw 2007 but I digress.  It's funny how there is this whole big misconception of what it's like on the road.  People stop thinking the stuff you see on Vh1's behind the music is the same for everyone.  It's not all that fast paced.  There are guys out here working trying to make dough doing what they know how to do to take care of their families back home.  It's not always fun out here. Then there are guys that use this type of job as a means to escape from home and bed down as many chicks as possible before going back home to their "old lady".  For me it's not even like that, well not anymore for the last year and a half.  I look around and see that I am the only guy out here that's not trying to plant a flag on another woman, or lay another mark on a post.  Believe me, early 2005 I was all about living the single life, hooking up in town, having stolen moments on the road, in other words a genetic freak!! Then around September of '05, I met a woman that knocked all of that foolish thought right outta my mind.  So I gots me a woman who I would rather spend every waking moment with possible than to go hang out and act like the Rodd of old, at home or on the road.

For me, when I get the email from my agents informing me of my schedule two things go through my head.  First, okay planning on certain amount of cash coming in.  Second, and it's kind of a two parter.  Well I gotta leave home and my woman to go out to make cash, and in that same breath anxiously plotting and scheming on how quickly I can get back home to her.  In addition to missing my other half or blonder half, I miss the magic and chemistry taking place with my band-mates.  What we do together as a unit to me is simply off the chain!! Much love to Corey, Kelvin, & Joe Boogie. Speaking of the Boogie, I missed out on his birthday dinner last night.  See we as a band have gone to dinner before when it's a band birthday to celebrate and you know we bring our respective women in our life and a few close "real" friends of the band.  A real deal family thang.  While dinner was a happening, I was on a day off in Lakeland,FL getting my guitarist and trombone player drunk on the Rumple!!!!! My trombone player isn't speaking to me much today, LOL!!!!

I think once again I am getting off course.  I miss home, my woman, (in her arms is home for me!!), my band and just not dealing with the day in day out living out of a suitcase and strange catering that happens.  Don't get me wrong, I love playing drums, love making music, entertaining the peoples, but I hate the price I pay. It's not that I have trust issues with my woman, or anything like that.  It's more like a kid being told to go to bed by his parents and not wanting to go for fear they are going to miss out on something while they are asleep.  So I am bored and alone in my room wishing I was home, yes both homes!!!!!

Think I'm going to close this session out, cause it sounds like I am being 12 types of different bitches.  My thought pattern is really scattered as I am writing this.  It's late and I just got to much time on my hands, things on my mind, and rumple in my glass.  Hope everyone had a much better Valentine's than yours truly, as I will have to gets mine sometime next week. 

RCB

Oh my damn!!!!!  Just found this accidentally.  It made me just have this euphoric moment.  For those that have never seen the two of them on stage live at the same time, here is a classic hit.  From 1975, a year before the future people's drummer was born.  My dad would always back in the day just slowly and casually ease his way on stage during B.B.'s set and make some serious music magic. Notice my old man with the cigarette as he came on stage.  That was vintage B.B.B.!!!!!  Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxfCy9cEdeQ

A DAY WITHOUT A MUSICIAN

"Why don't you get a real job?"

If you are a musician, you have heard these words a million times. They are spoken sometimes in anger, sometimes in pity, sometimes in frustration. Why anyone with a brain in their head would choose to fritter their life away honestly puzzles many people.

Musicians are widely regarded as lazy, immature, and either aimless or unrealistically over-ambitious. ("What do you call a guitar player without a girlfriend?" "Homeless") They are constantly reminded by well-meaning folks how small the chances are of 'making it' (i.e. becoming rich and famous) and how difficult it is to make a living as a full-time musician. Some of that may even be true. 'Lazy', however, I believe I would have to disagree with. When you go out to a bar, for instance, have a few drinks and dance to your local live band, they sure look like they're having fun - as much or perhaps even more than you (depending on how your day has gone). It's hard to believe they're getting money for doing almost the same thing that you're paying to do - dancing, singing, partying. How much money do you think they're getting? Whatever your guess is, I'll bet that it's not low enough. The waitress makes more - lots more. The bartender makes more - lots more. The busboy, the bouncer, the valet-parking guy…now you're getting warm, Sherlock!

But let's take a look at what it takes to get that job. And, to level the playing field even more, let's leave talent out of it. Let's talk about raw man-hours of education and study and practice. Before a musician can set foot on the stage of the crummiest, sawdust-on-the-floor hole-in-the-wall dive (it might not even be a stage; perhaps a couple of tables have been moved aside) he (or she) will have to have spent a minimum of two years on their instrument. (Note here that I am speaking of professional musicians at a certain minimum level of competency.) Two years! That's an associate degree. That's hours of practice a day. That's either educating yourself (which many do) by listening to records and learning by ear, or studying with a teacher, then reinforcing what you have learned by constant repetition and practice. This applies to every sphere of musicianship, from a blues harmonica player to a concert pianist. Continuing education is also a factor. You don't play for two years and say, "Well, I'm good now! I don't need to learn anything else!" When you're a musician, you don't 'graduate' in real life, even if you do happen to have a degree (or two or three). A waitress can start off with NO experience and have a good grasp of the job in two weeks. A bartender can get the hang of things in a month. This is not to denigrate the hard-working waitresses, bartenders, etc., who certainly do earn their money and without whom you can't run a club, but we're talking apples and oranges here, folks. The skill-sets are simply not comparable. And remember, we're leaving talent out of it.

All right, then. Two years - an associate degree. I think we can all agree that that's fair. Let's say I'm thinking of enrolling at Anytown Community College. I'm willing to study for two years to get my degree. What would my starting pay be as a cosmetologist, for instance? $20,000 a year - about $400 a week. Not too bad! How about a paralegal? About the same, maybe a little more - $21,000 to start. Secretary (oops, I mean administrative assistant) - $25,000. I could go on, but that's the basic picture. Two years' applied education gets you off to a decent start. But how about four years and a bachelors degree? Now we're upping the ante. Six years - a Masters. Ka-ching! But a musician is supposed to be grateful for the $50 he receives as his night's pay, along with the (usually) unspoken "you're lucky we pay you at all". More gruel, anyone?

There are as many different kinds of musicians as there are of music. We range from the self-taught to the extravagantly educated, from the straightforward to the sophisticated. But what we have in common, from Metallica to the Metropolitan Opera, from the unknown to the ubiquitous, is what I call the 'have-to' - the drive and desire to express ourselves through music. And this is what makes us vulnerable because yes, we will play for free if we have to.

This is where we start talking about Art.

Art and skill are not necessarily synonymous, but skill at its best can allow the expression of art to develop. At its worst, skill can obscure or trivialize art. Art is about the human connection, the deepest need that we have. It would be nice if one could go to college, acquire one's degree, and go to work for ArtCo, Inc. from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday at a salary of $50,000 a year, and begin churning out Art. However, that's not how it works. One can, of course, produce many lovely and useful things in this way, but it will not be Art. Great music (or art or books) cannot be regulated, compromised with, controlled, censored, dictated to or legislated. It then becomes Craft, a fine thing in its own right, but not Art.

Art comes from the 'have-to'. It comes from the kid who locks himself in his room with his guitar when his buddies are out playing ball. It comes from the quiet girl who carries her tattered notebook of lyrics with her wherever she goes. It comes from someone who hears a song that changes the direction of his life. Art happens when the need to create supersedes all other considerations. Good sense will tell you that money makes the world go 'round, that you'd better get your education in a lucrative field, get a steady job, be responsible, do music 'on the side', or you'll end up broke and alone in your old age. This is all well and true. The problem is, Art won't have it.

Art is a harsh mistress. Art doesn't care about money. Art will certainly accept money, even demand it as long as you let it have its way, but it is very much a 'my way or the highway' proposition. Craft is more accommodating and willing to compromise, but expects to be paid for it. Art will chew you up and spit you out and not care. Craft will take care of you - for the right price.

You may ask, "So, what's the big deal about Art? Why jump through all those hoops when you can have all the nice, attractive, comfortable things that Craft can offer and still make a good living?" Unfortunately, without Art, there cannot be Craft. Without Van Gogh, there can be no Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light™.

Art is not the sole domain of the rich and famous. Art cannot be produced in a vacuum. In order for the high-profile types to exist, there must be a wellspring to draw from - the wellspring of the human experience. Real, true, genuine art is everywhere, and so are real, true genuine artists - mechanics, chefs, teachers, mathematicians, fill in the blank - if it's done with passion and conviction, it's Art. And the feeling that you get when you are truly 'in the zone' - where you are so immersed in the process that you lose awareness of time, of place, of your own self - is the most seductive, addictive sensation there is. And there is no amount of money in the world that can purchase it. None.

What makes Art not only important but absolutely necessary, as imperative as air and food and water, is the phenomenon by which it takes separate people and binds them together in recognition of common experience and feeling. It is the essence of life itself. If war and killing are the ultimate expression of people who do not understand each other, who cannot see themselves in another's face, then Art is what enables our deepest hearts to speak the truth to one another, to recognize in each other our own selves. And it's not just the relative few whose work is widely known who represent Art; they are merely the part that is easiest to see, like the tip of an iceberg. Underneath the water is the unsung majority - the people who do it day in and day out with little or no recognition, encouragement or tangible reward. We are nourished by these people without even being aware of it, and they are just as necessary, just as indispensable as any highly-visible artist.

I think it's high time that we appreciate these people instead of belittling them because of their lack of so-called 'success' (meaning financial rewards). So I'd like to invite you to imagine the alternative…

What would our world be like without music?

The alarm rings at 6:30 A.M. - is it the radio? No, just a harsh buzzer, or perhaps a persistent high-pitched beep. You stagger out of bed, in and out of the shower, and turn on the TV while your coffee is brewing. What's on? People talking. That's fine, but after a while, it all sounds the same. Not even the commercials have music, so you're not likely to pay too much attention to what they're trying to sell.

You hop into your car and head for work, cranking up your favorite CD - oops - no, you're not. So you drive in silence to work.

After a hard day at the office, you get home. You're ready to unwind. No music to unwind with, unfortunately. You turn on the TV, but it's difficult to watch because, without music, the weak plots and bad writing are glaringly obvious. Go out to the movies? Same diff. Go out dancing? Forget it. No music. No jazz, no blues, no rock, no hip-hop, no classical, no nothing. Pretty depressing, huh? Makes you want to sing the blues, or cry along with a country song, except that there are no blues or country songs! Getting married? You'll be walking down the aisle in silence, and as for your first dance…better make another trip to the buffet, instead. There's no such thing as 'your song'.

We don't realize how tightly music is woven into the woof and warp of our personal tapestry. We mark the events in our lives by what song was popular at the time. Ask your grandmother (or great-grandmother) about "I'll Be Seeing You". Even what one person calls 'bad music' is great music to someone else - moves them, cheers them up, commiserates with them. It's a big old world, and there's something for everyone, thank God. Wouldn't it be great if musicians got the credit and respect they deserve for what they bring to the world? Our society takes it for granted, but…imagine the alternative.

-Alice

I saw this and had to share!!!!

much thanks to my partner in crime boogie for putting this out in bulletin form!!

This hasn't been updated since the spring of '05 so there will be updates as the page continues to go through construction.

INSTRUMENTS PLAYED:

Ø      Drums & Percussion

MUSICAL GENRES PLAYED:

Ø      Blues, Rock, Jazz, R & B, Pop, Reggaé & Country

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: from 1981–2005

Played with:

Ø      Bobby "Blue" Bland

Ø      B.B. King

Ø      Mick Jagger

Ø      Albert King

Ø      Etta James

Ø      Buddy Guy

Ø      Gladys Knight

Ø      Slash, of Velvet Revolver

Ø      James Cotton

Ø      Lucky Peterson

Ø      Little Jimmy King

Ø      W. C. Clark

Ø      Eric Sardinas

Ø      Roy Gaines

Ø      Rufus Thomas

Ø      Kenny Neal

Ø      KoKo Taylor

Ø      James Govan and The Boogie Blues Band

Ø      Cornell Dupree

Ø      Johnnie Taylor

Ø      Bobby Rush

Ø      Kim Wilson, of the Fabulous Thunderbirds

Ø      Eugene Gales Real Blues Project

Ø      Eric Gales

Ø      Tommy Castro

Ø      Preston Shannon

Ø      Kirk Smithhart Band

Tour Experience:

Ø      Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival 2002: w/ Babyface, Bobby Bland, & Carl Thomas

Ø      B.B. King Blues Festival 2002, 2001, 1998

Ø      Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage 2001: w/ Al Jarreau, Isaac Hayes, Boyz II Men, & Bobby Bland

Ø      Van Morrison (European) Tour 2000

Ø      Blue Note Jazz Clubs (Japan) 1998

Ø      Little Feat (European) 1994

Ø      Blues & Jazz Festivals (European) 1994, 1989

Ø      B. B. King, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Albert King, & Stevie Ray Vaughn 1985

Ø      B.B. King, Bobby "Blue" Bland, & John Lee Hooker (European) Tour 1984

PROFESSIONAL CREDITS:

Album:

Ø      Drums: Bobby "Blue" Bland "Sad Street"

Ø      Drums: Bobby "Blue" Bland "Live on Beale Street"

Media/Television:

Ø      Bobby "Blue" Bland  "Live on Beale Street" 1998

Ø      Bobby "Blue" Bland   Austin City Limits 1999

Ø      Bobby "Blue" Bland   Long Beach Blues Fest 2001

Ø      Bobby "Blue" Bland   Monterey Blues Fest 2002

Ø      Corey Osborn Band  "WREG Live at 9" 2003

Ø      Robert Johnson          ROCK 103 Ronald McDonald House Concert 2003

Ø      Kirk Smithhart Band  "WREG Live at 9" 2005

MUSICAL TRAINING:

Ø      John Jab O' Starks              Bobby "Blue" Bland, James Brown, B.B. King

Ø      Harold "Peanie" Portier      Bobby "Blue" Bland

Ø      Tony Coleman                      Bobby "Blue" Bland, B.B. King, Albert King

PROFESSIONAL ENDORSEMENTS:

Ø      Drum Workshop Inc.            Drums, Pedals & Hardware

Ø      Sabian Inc.                            Cymbals

Ø      Promark Corp.                      Drumsticks, Mallets, Hot Rods

Ø      Remo Inc.                              Drum Heads