What it’s like to be an older dude in a metal band
(for those of you who aren’t)

--Modeled after “What it’s like to be a black girl (for those of you who aren’t” by Patricia Smith

first of all, it’s being 44 years old

and feeling like you’re simultaneously 24

and 64, it’s being asked,“is that your son

playing drums?” suspecting there’s something

wrong with you for being out this late, your wife

and daughter long past sleeping when you finally

take the stage. it’s feeling self-conscious about

your nearly non-existent beard, your short, gray

hair and the protruding gut partially hidden by

your bass. it’s sweating way more than you should,

dreading the aches in hips and knees, suffering

sleep deprivation from crawling into bed two hours

before your wife crawls out. it’s basking

in the confidence of decades of live performances,

judging those baby-faced newbies imitating youtube

glory and over-reaching for intensity. it’s not

giving a sh*t if you look cool but focusing

on the heaviness of your music. it’s backing away

from overturned barstools, broken glass and mosh pits.

it’s cool points and bragging rights when colleagues

casually inquire, “so, what’d you do this weekend?”

--Greg Adams, Wednesday May 13, 2015

Record Store Day 2015 Blackout Poetry

So, I held out posting these until the people from Record Store Day finished their promo campaign. They said they might be able to work them into their social media posts but never did.

These are a series of blackout poems created from the 2015 RSD release list. Enjoy them. Share them. Try your hand at one. They're tougher than they look. Sorry they're small. You'll have to zoom in to read them, I guess.

Sadly, this form of "blackout" could have easily described my luck with this year's RSD releases. Pretty much all the records I wanted, my favorite (and local) record store, Revival Records, did not receive. I still spent a good wad at Billy's shop, though, snatching up some records I really wanted: Ryan Adams  Gold, The Velvet Underground & Nico s/t, The Cure Entreat, INXS Kick, and R.E.M. Chronic Town. Great stuff!

I also played a solo acoustic set at the Volume One Local Store on Record Store Day. I love the sound of that room! A few good friends showed up, and we had a great time. I even busted out an old School House Rock tune, "Three Is A Magic Number."

Long time no see, eh?

Sorry I've been away. It's been a rough spring and a tough summer. My mother passed away July 25th. Haven't had much time to promote, play or update.

Someone is buying my CDs off CD Baby.com--thank you! Please spread the word and keep on buying. I'm always stoked to receive the "CD Baby RESTOCK" request e-mail.

My friend CJ Conner (whose painting adorns the cover of Pareidolia) had a great show at the Volume One gallery in Eau Claire, WI, a few weeks ago. I hope to post some photos soon. Sold a few CDs there too.

Buying a lot of old records lately. I'm no vinyl snob, but I'm getting lost in the coolness of finding erstwhile 33s at thrift stores and garage sales. Music in any form (CD, tape, vinyl) is a gift!

Great article on Pareidolia in Volume One Magazine:


Building the Songs

The author is an old friend who was first introduced to my music when his roommate, Adam, used to help dub the cassettes I sold at my college-era shows! Ken's a great writer and a super guy. I'm grateful he was able to write this article. The photo's pretty cool too. Turns out they used two different pics: one for the on-line article above and a different pic for the actual print magazine.

Hope to see you Saturday, Dec. 14, at the CD release party (info at the end of the article and below in a previous blog post.

CD release party!

It's official, folks:

Greg Adams's Pareidolia CD release party

Saturday, Dec. 14

3-5 p.m.

Valkyrie Brewing Company Tap Room

234 Dallas St., Dallas, WI ‎ 

Come early for brewery tours, stick around for music! 

For more information on Valkyrie and directions, see:

http://www.valkyriebrewery.com/index.html

SAVE THE DATE!

CD release party/gig: Saturday, Dec. 14

Showtime will be early enough so "old people" can come out without worry, and early enough that young folks can still go out afterwards. Super cool location here in the Northwoods. 

More details to come.

Word is spreading about the new CD! I had a great interview with Al Ross of Wisconsin Public Radio's Spectrum West show last week. The entire show is available to hear on-line or download:

Spectrum West Oct. 24, 2013: Greg Adams

(My interview is about the last 15 minutes or so of the program.)

I also had a photo shoot with a Volume One photographer this evening. Look for an article soon.

Revival Records in downtown Eau Claire now has my CD in stock. Stop by, browse, and take home a copy!

I'm set to send off a bunch of discs to various destinations, from Chicago to New York, Michigan to Shanghai. We'll see what happens.

Tom Kutrieb and I are rehearsing a set of Pareidolia songs and will enlist the help of our fellow Maven Richard Price to add some tasty guitar too. We hope to make some public appearances soon.

Stay tuned!