Yup, that's me in the woods, playing my Martin Backpacker guitar.  I love that little guitar, it's gone with me on camping trips, long distance bicycle tours (sharing the Burley trailer with 2 big dogs and most of our stuff), on airplanes, busses, you name it, that guitar has been a faithful traveling companion to me, entertaining squirrels, chipmunks, deer, elk, marmots, Clark's Nutcrackers (yup, there is a bird species called the Clark's Nutcracker), fellow campers, hikers, and bikers all around this land of ours. 
It stays in tune, doesn't mind if it's cold or hot, takes a lickin' and keeps on pickin'.  Like I said, I love that little guitar, to the point that I an electric pickup installed (so I can plug it into a current bush on my next wilderness trek) and perform amplified at larger venues.
The guitar cost $189.00, complete with a gig bag, the cheapest Martin I've ever seen.  Could be the only Martin I'll ever own... who knows.

"Pike Place or Busk," which I think is a clever twist on "Pike's Peak or Bust" (the slogan painted on covered wagons heading west to the gold fields on, well, Pike's Peak), is out on the street for sale.  Five songs, five bucks, feel good, support local, live, independent music.  Remember, music is way too important to leave to corporations.
All five songs are originals, and they don't sound very much at all like Celine Dion, which is a good thing. More like the love child of Roger Miller and Steve Earle fighting with Hank  for that last slug of codeine cough syrup.  Chug-a- lug, make me wanna holler "Hidee Ho"... git the drift(er)?
Just a word of warning, however; I was in such a hurry to get this EP out (what with the high demand and all) that I only listened to the mix on headphones and my laptop.  I Know, I know, most producers would want to hear it over speakers or something, but like I said, I was in a hurry (kind of like the Coen Bros.  I heard they were so busy finishing up "No Country For Old Men" that they didn't have time to listen to a final mix of the soundtrack music, and had to settle for a headphone/laptop mix.  Worked for them- the music TOTALLY makes that movie).  So, me and the Coen Brothers, now that's good company, huh?
But back to the warning... when I did listen to the CD on real speakers, lord did that base boom.  It rattled stuff all over the house, so check yourself for loose fillings and keep a hand near yer EQ knob. 

Jeez I’ve been having a hard time recording.  Not the actual making music part of the deal (although I still can’t ever seem to play the same part the same way twice) but I mean the techie end of things.  I have a Roland multi-track digital recorder that I paid, like, $1,400 for in around 2001 (which makes it worth probably $50.00 today) which works great when it works (about half the time; the other half it loses data and whole songs, never to be heard again).  Now I have a digital box thingie that plugs into my computer and multi-track recording program so I won’t lose stuff like on the "old" Roland. 
Only thing is, I haven’t yet been able to monitor sound through my headphones while recording, and the playback is all full of pops and crackles.  There is no manual for how to run the damn program, only a bunch of tutorials and hints on how to change the settings on my computer to alleviate the aforementioned problems.  But now my computer seems to have a mysterious virus stalking around in its innards, and the whole enterprise feels like it’s grinding inexorably to a halt.
Makes me wish I hadn’t given my old cassette tape 4-track to Teacher Thomas when I got the Roland.  True, I did exchange a bit of tape hiss for "digital clarity,"  but that 4-track never gave me any trouble.  It worked like a mule, and it seems like I sure spent a lot more of my "recording" time actually focused on recording the music instead of trouble shooting high-tech gizmos. 
I better stop before I start ranting on about cell phones and blackberries and such.  I suppose I’ll give the Roland another try...

"On Fire" and "Great Northwest" are a couple of my more topical songs... not like topical ointments, but like topics or issues regarding the strange times we live in.  And oh, aren’t they strange times indeed...
Fortunately for all of us, I haven’t heard of any "free speech zones" being established in my town (that would be Bellingham, WA).  Every Friday (for over 30 years, I’m told) folks have been gathering to protest and/or express themselves in front of our local federal building, waving signs, chanting slogans, yelling for everyone who drives by to honk, etc.  It’s a tradition here that began during the Vietnam War, and apparently there have been enough people every week during for all those years who want to share their feelings, beliefs, and opinions about whatever’s going on to keep it all going.  Pisses some folks off, I’m sure. 
As for me, I say "Bravo" to all those dedicated men and women who seem to believe that an important part of being an American (or human) is to exercise their freedom of speech and freedom to (peaceably) assemble.  It’s guaranteed in the first admendment (which I believe should take precedence over any so-called "Patriot Act" with its habeous corpses). 
Hey, let’s all stand up for what we believe in, OK?  I’ll keep writing topical songs of protest, might even make it downtown next Friday.  The fresh air would probably be even better for my skin than those greasy topical ointments.