Spring Break- wooooooooo hooooooo!
Cabo, Miami, New orleans, Mazatlan- they're all so overrated. And spring break is so important, I wanted to go someplace special this year.
So I went to the Superwalmart in Grossmont Center. Now I know that's a far trek from the OC, and I know there are closer Walmarts, but you have to know, I was looking for a R-O-A-D- trip- and besides, this Walmart had an escalator for shopping carts- for real!
I bought a pack of gum. It was satisfying.
But for my spring break culinary experience, I travelled to Taco Bell in El Centro. I'm quite proud because it took me a long time to find the Taco Bell among all the other real Mexican restaurants there. I circled the town drag for a good 18 minutes before the purple sign popped out at me.
By now you're wondering what i could possibly do to top that experience, and I have to admit, I can't. But I did come pretty close by eating at the McDonald's in Benson, AZ, and then virtually at every other McDonalds between Tucson and El Cajon. But the drive was worth it- there were a few spectacular points along the I-8 where I could witness CA, AZ and Mexico all at the same time- where armed minutemen in trailers hung out with drunk kids on ATVs, and crazy weathered hitchhikers who've wandered off the reservation (or on to it, in the case of Viejas casino).
Somewhere along the way I gained an hour. I'm not quite sure how that happened. Logic tells me that traveling east one stands to lose time, yet by the time I reached Benson, it was mysteriously one hour earlier than my clock said. That same hour was stolen back from me, thought the next day somewhere around Santee.
The important thing is that I'm home. Filled with cheeseburgers and McFlurries, and with photos of rocks, dinosaur genitalia, cacti and the front of the El Centro In-N-Out. Viva spring break!

The time has come for us to get serious about finding a full-time drummer. We are fortunate enough to work with a number of extremely good drummers, but in our desire to move forward as a band we need to find a drummer that is ours. Hopefully, at this point you are thinking I would love to be their drummer or such and such would be a great drummer for them and not fuck those guys they suck. But, before you get too excited let us preface the qualifications it would take to be our drummer. I will be making these up as I go along, so bear with me:

1. We would like someone who can play the songs we already have as they are recorded and play them well (not close, but really well, as if you recorded them yourself. This might also require experience on your part, not just your mom saying that you sound just like the recording).

2. We would like this person to be available to practice in Orange County, CA, USA (we can not offer money, jobs, airline tickets, bus tickets, green cards, or living arrangements for transplants. It would be cool if we could, but we can't)

3. We would require this person to have their own professional gear and transportation (you would think this goes without saying, but let us be clear nonetheless)

4. A good attitude and love of our music the way it is (if your thinking, "I could really fix that band and make them really good, I have some great songs, blah blah blah...", then you're not getting it. We already write songs we like.)

5. We prefer not to have individuals who currently have drug or alcohol addictions, major emotional issues, or are just too much drama (if this is you, you might not be able to identify yourself, so you may want to ask someone you know if this is you).

6. We would also like someone who has good availability and can play/practice evenings and weekends (but, early on school nights).

7. Also, you might want to look at yourself in the mirror to make sure you look like someone who would belong in our band (please no Dockers and Topsiders).

8. Chances are you shouldn't need a double pedal for this gig as we are not a speed metal band.

9. Did we mention that we would like someone who can play the songs we already have as they are recorded and play them well? (the answer is "yes" and yes this is important)

10. We would also like to hear samples of your drumming ability (please no cassettes or vinyl, links online are great)

11. If you are female and can sing harmonies really well in addition to all of the above (we love you, in a really creepy way, please respond ASAP!!)

If this is you or someone you know, message us here or at thegosheilas@thegosheilas.com and spread the word. Remember you can download our album for "free" with the True Anthem widget on our page. Also, If you can think of anything we might have missed or would like to add, feel free to comment below.

Sincerely,
-Andy

So I practically totaled a car. I just crashed head on into my neighbor- probably the nicest neighbor we've got on the block. And I crashed into her car- right into it- like really hard, in painful slow motion like I was trying to see if I could get an Accura inside of a Yukon in some sort of perverse science experiment involving pain, emotional distress and multiple damage fees.
Apparently an Accura, while perfectly capable of fitting within the geometric confines of a Yukon, cannot simply pass through the Yukon's exterior comfortably as one might expect. And so now my neck is sore. but worse, is I ruined my nice neighbor's week by wrecking her car and putting her in the position of having to forgive me for being such a moron.

Last night at Hogue's was pretty awesome for a tech- challenged set. I had a blast and it was great to see all of you- yes especially the guy with the sharpie and T-shirt. I'll have to watch back the video though because while Paula (Tobie) thought I was fabulous, Simon (Andy) said I was "pitchy". Ph well, another day, another show- I gotta go get ready for tonight- see you at the Green Turtle in Whittier . . . .

Usually when I attend this event, I'm either under the influence of Nyquil or else wishing I was. This time, I was in perfect health, saw good friends, family, attended cool lectures, heard good music, totally dominated in Rock Band 2 (yes Dave, I play it, so screw you) and indulged in an ice cream cone. I also got fitted for some cool in-ear monitors at [insert company name here when they decide to give me a discount]. There were birds chirping and rainbows in the sky. It was magical. Some dude even tried to get me to stock my store with his Blue Phone product. Undaunted by the big "V" on my badge indicating i was a mere visitor and not a buyer, he gave me his card. and gave me another one, for good measure. and he gave Andy one. And I don't have a store. Oh well, you can never have too many business cards. we've got some exciting shows coming up in exotic places like Phoenix and Pomona. I will put them up as soon as I find my calendar. But for now, you can stop by Malones' this Saturday night and catch us rehearsing for the International Pop Overthrow.xoxo

The adventures of Sheila and Ernest . . .
So we have this idea to film a music video for 99 Red Balloons and put it on YouTube. It involves me trying to get our song played on various radio stations and then subsequently getting rejected by each only to have it become an internet sensation. Ernest is handy with camera and always game for film action (especially on his turf) so we headed up to LA armed with addresses of local radio stations and an arm-full of Go-Sheila CDs.

Clear Channel did not disappoint. The behemoth multi-station conglomerate incapsulating 98.7 and 104.3 promptly scolded Ernest for video taping within the building, and again within the station's lobby. The grouchy reception would not speak to us, but for the finger-pointing and order (disobeyed of course) for Ernest to turn off the camera. It was our first attempt and the footage was marginal, but we now were mastering the art of "shoot and run".

Turns out we didn't need to. At Indie 103.1, not only did the receptionist refuse to kick me out, but she accepted my CD and offered to give it to whomever I wanted. This did not make for good "rejection" footage. But her friend was game and willingly provided 2 takes of her "kicking me out" of the station. Hope Andy can edit out the giggles.

And finally we hit KROQ just as darkness set in. I veered into the security gate of their compound prepared for instant eviction. No one noticed me, so I parked. Ernest and I leaped out and rushed the pedestrian guard post with camera rolling. This was going to be good! It turns out I didn't have a good enough reason to go inside the station, so we were halted at the gate. Excellent. now for the rejection footage. The guard, upon learning about our video, promptly became a candidate for an academy award as he proceeded to dramatically kick me out for no less than 3 takes. We thanked him and wished him a Merry Christmas, then headed back to the car. But he caught us and lead us into the station where I tried in vain to be rejected by their receptionist. She was so sweet, she took a CD for each DJ, plus the music director, then she gamely "rejected" me on camera several times. Then Ernest and I jumped in the car and fled the scene. In our minds we were being chased by KROQ security guards for violating their perimeter and obtaining contraband video footage- in reality, we gave out 7 CDS and were wished good luck and a merry christmas by all.

Now the rest is up to you. Check out the following video footage of me in my panic room as I desperately reach out to our fans for webcam footage to help finish this project . . .

DAVE IS NOT DEAD. HE IS MOVING ON TO ANOTHER PROJECT. WE STILL LOVE HIM TERRIBLY, BUT WILL MISS HAVING HIM IN THE GO SHEILAS

8:48 AM 

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Surf City show was super fun- it's been a long time and it was great to be back and see all your smiling (bleary-eyed) faces. We had the smallest version to date of The Go Sheilas (which I'm going to start calling TGS because I'm lazy like that) with only 4 of us up on stage- in fact there were more band-mates in the crowd than on stage. more room to dance around, but less people to hide behind when you screw up.

But this blog isn't really about Surf City, it's about a bummer that befell 3 neighbors on our little street. See, a few weeks ago, a lady from the OC Register came poking around interviewing various home owners about the economy, home values in our area, foreclosures, etc. She ended up publishing a small article featuring the responses from our house, and two other neighbors.

When the article came out, Andy was surprised one day to come home and see this home-made sign directed at the three of us calling us "stupid whiners" and other less appropriate things. Then another neighbor brought to our attention the slew of hate-spewing comments posted beneath the OC Register article: Turns out the majority of them rag on us for being in a band- they were particularly hard on Andy telling him to get a "real" job, be a "real man" etc. I kinda already knew we lived in this plastic place called the OC, but we have actually met some very cool and down-to-earth people who can accept others for being different and not following the same Stepford, picket-fence, plastic, cookie-cutter orgy that is Orange County. Unfortunately those folks weren't out representing in the comments. But then again, it is the OC Register- who would you expect to be reading it?

through the miracles of the internet (and a reunion) i recently found an old high school buddy, Monica. She turned out way cooler than everybody else did, so I'm blogging about her. She likes music, she plays music on her show, and she's smart. So check out her blog:http://shebmo.blogspot.com/. When you do check it out, you will notice that there's no mention of the Go-Sheilas anywhere. Ahh, but that will come. Once Mo hears the infectious groove of TGS, she will find us irresistible and blog about us for days in a row.
Did I just refer to my band via acronym? yes I did.

In other news, my voice is coming back. Thank you to everyone who emailed their suggestions and support for me during this 4 1/2 month laryngitis thing. The doctor says most all of the swelling in my vocal chords is gone and has cleared me to sing this Friday.
I'm so excited, I will see you all at the Surf City Saloon in HB this friday night- should be a blast. I can hardly wait to get back up there woohoooooooo
xoxo
sheilaGOsheila