Here I sit, at the Las Vegas Airport (I think it’s called, “Mc Carran”?), eating a hot dog, drinking a huge Sam Adams and watching the ESPN feature on the Dodger/Giants game. The hot dog is WAY overpriced at $4.45 and the beer is $5.65. But I have an hour to kill so this is passing the time nicely.

Got up this morning around 9am (and wrote that diary) and around 11am I went walking over to MGM and it was like 105F outside…I felt like I was walking next to flames, THAT’S how hot it was. We went and met up with our friend, Dennis, at the Coyote cafe at MGM, and had lunch and a few beers. Dennis asked about the Singer and I told him how the last year has gone. Dennis is good friends with Michael Stuart and I told Dennis how Gene wanted to get him to play onstage with us in London but his schedule would not allow it.

See, Michael Stuart was the drummer on Forever Changes so it would have been MORE than appropriate to have him come up to sit in on a song or two. So, as far as LOVE goes, I’ve met (and jammed with) Snoopy, Don “signed DC” Conka, Jay Donnellan, John Sterling, Melvin Whittington and Johnny Echols. I’d say I’ve been extremely fortunate. I only wish I had more time to learn stuff from both Jay and Johnny cause, I cannot express how incredible those guys are at the guitar; it goes beyond words. When you hear them play, you see and feel 1969 all over again. But you get more than that. These are the people that need to be revered for their dedication and endurance and contribution to rock and roll.

I don’t really take some of this new stuff all that seriously. I mean, I like new music and I love anything that is expressive. But when it comes to making your music sound like what’s selling (Coldplay, anyone?) simply to enjoy success, I can bet you a group that doesn’t establish itself in an original sense won’t last. The best record I’ve heard in the last 2 years (IMHO) is Joseph Arthur’s Cd “Something” son (sorry, I forget the name).

I think his record is what making music should be about; pure self-expression. Screw the top 10, you know? The general audience is fickled and fair-weathered so it’s always best to follow your bliss. of course, many people follow the money. And can you blame them?

Mike Randle