Been super-busy at work lately, but I’ve managed to work on transcriptions some more. Currently it’s Glenn Holland and Steve Giali from 4·4·1.
As to what else is happening… a quote from my NASCAR blog posted yesterday should answer that:
In one of the scenes in Cars, which comes out on video this coming Tuesday (you know I’ll be there to get one the moment the store opens), Lightning McQueen responds to one of Mater’s comments about what he considers fun with “you’re living the dream, Mater,” a subtle reference to the racing world as said statement is oft uttered in complete sarcasm by drivers dealing with one aspect or another of their existence. Well, before I delve into the world of NASCAR, wanted to share a moment of why I didn’t post yesterday and am so tardy in writing anything today.
It comes from actually living the dream.
As you know if you’ve listened to the podcasts or read this blog for any length of time, I’m currently working on a book detailing the lives and times then and now of Christian alternative rock’s pioneers, the artists without whom Switchfoot and MuteMath simply wouldn’t exist. It ties back into my prior life where most every moment not spent at the day job was occupied with pursuing my avocation of being a Christian music journalist, a period of my life which ended in deep embitterment as my dream turned into a soul-draining slow bleeding wound.
Before it all fell apart, there were several artists I desperately wanted to interview, personal heroes and inspirations about whom I wanted to tell the world. One at the very top of the list was Terry Taylor, leader of the breathtakingly creative band Daniel Amos. However, the interview never happened. None of the publications I wrote for were interested. They all said he didn’t sell enough records.
As I’ve worked on the book, gradually interviewing many of the artists I had wanted to talk to but never did back in the day, one continued to elude me: Terry Taylor. For whatever reason, we never made contact, thus I hadn’t had the chance to ask him if he was interested. Finally, a few weeks ago when the Lost Dogs (of which Taylor is a member) were in my neck of the woods, I ran into Mike Roe of the 77s who is also in the band. I had planned on saying hi and setting up an interview for another day, but he offered to do one then and we went backstage to talk. As we did so, the rest of the band wandered into the room one by one, including Taylor. After the interview was done, I introduced myself to the members I had yet to meet, and asked Taylor if he’d be interested in participating in the book. He said yes, and we exchanged contact info.
I’ve been in southern California this week, basically tagging along with Mrs. Dude as she was attending a three day software training seminar at one of her employer’s offices. I had hoped to spend my free time during the days working on transcribing interviews for the book, but that was pretty much blown out of the water due to some major issues with my employer’s new Web site (the one I put together) leaving me huddled in the hotel room remotely connected to my computer in the office alternating between pounding out code and pounding my head against the wall due to some of the problems being caused by things not under my control. What we do for a paycheck. But I digress.
Via e-mails and phone calls during my few spare moments, a time and place was arranged. Last night, I fulfilled the dream that for over a decade I thought was forever destroyed: I interviewed Terry Taylor. It was everything I had dreamt of… and better.
And that’s why I haven’t done much blogging yesterday or so far today. Yesterday I was either working, trying not to get too excited (i.e. psych myself out too much) about the pending interview by getting the questions together, or doing the interview. Today was spent doing all the tourist-y stuff I haven’t been able to do before now. Now you know.