starbuck's on the moon

we started the day around 1:30
when i entered billy's living room
he said
we're gonna i-chat barry today
i was stoked
barry bergman is billy's manager
but much more than that
one of the sweetest soul's on the planet
no shortage of personality in this man
he's been in the "biz" for a long time
http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/1291_record-deal.htm
he was with united artists back in the 70's
when they broke meatloaf
and acdc (just to name two)
he's been there
done everything
barry always gives me my zodiac reading when i talk to him
he even called and sang "happy birthday" for me
on my answering machine last week
"happy birthday dear saaaa-laaam - happy birthday to you!!!"
a very kind and loving friend
it's been fun getting to know him these past few months

we chatted for about an hour
i had to video tape it for jayme
she loves barry
in fact
if she ever leaves me for another man
she said it'll definitely be for barry
we talked about the "opposition" my zodiac chart says i'll be facing
until february of next year
barry assured me it was not necessarily going to be a bad thing
he tried to figure out what it could be
impossible really
but he had plenty of theories
he told me that right now is the best time in my life
"it's all downhill from here baby!"
but things are changing
and i don't like change
believe it or not...
do you?

a lot of things b.b. told me were bizarrely right on
he said i didn't let many people truly "in"
but once i do i'm fiercely loyal
and they are in for life
also if someone else tries to hurt my friends
it crushes me
i will jump to their defense in a heartbeat
he told me that without a doubt my family was the most important thing
in my life
more important than money
notoriety or a nice pair of chucks
he then said i try to finesse my way through impasses
with other people instead of confronting them aggressively
i don't know
it all sounded right on to me
after our lovely chat with b.b.
we got back to "pictures"
i cut a vocal through the groove tubes am61
just like the one back at P.L.
the one i cut all the vocals on polaroid with
it was weird that billy pulled it out
i didn't even know he had one
not a common mic
but it just sounds good on my voice i guess
a nice high end and kinda crunchy
billy then did harmony vocals throughout
and it was jaw dropping how good our voices sounded together
if he hadn't suggested moving the key around
i don't think we would've gotten this fantastic result
euphoria kinda gripped me at this point
and then billy said
"how 'bout we turn on the optigan?"
oh yeah
now in the throws of geek out euphoria
i lept for the video camera
we spent about an hour going through all the optical discs
"polynesian rhythms"
"gay '90s waltz" and "big organ and drums"
just to name a few
i made notes of sounds we could potentially use
and from what discs they came
and
of course
two important buttons on the thing malfunctioned
when he turned on his other optigan
(yeah - he actually has two - ridiculous)
it didn't work right either
way to go mattel
i spotted all kinds of things on these discs that i heard before
stuff on beck records
neil finn
even stuff in TV commercials

after optigan city
i talked to rhett on the phone
they had just gotten done playing a waterloo records in-store
in austin
to 400 people
with another 150 locked outside
'cause there wasn't enough room
i asked rhett what he was doing
"i'm in the van with my band!" he said
with the zeal of a 20 year old
it gave me a good feeling
to hear him so happy
i'm really proud of those guys
it's an exciting time for them
and after all these years together much deserved
it's incredible that their passion for playing great rock'n'roll together
is still there
i admire them and will always feel honored to call them my friends
way to go old 97s!

billy and i walked to a salvadoran place called elsi's
the night air was cool
the sun sinking fast at our backs
beautiful high clouds and a bright moon right over our heads
it felt nice to get out in the evening air
we had a good meal
talked a lot
laughed a lot
especially me when billy shot out his best quote of the night
"until i see a starbuck's on the moon
i don't believe we've been there!"