My new Don Tomas cigar box ukulele from Ax Box sounds even better than it looks.
Music
Days for Days Signed by Scott Miller
My copy of Days for Days (The Loud Family, Alias Records, 1998) is signed by all of the members of the band. From Scott Miller: “Jerry! Thanks for coming & for saying my voice sounds OK with no effects. Greater love. All the best, Scott.”
AxBox Cigar Box Guitars
At the Renegade Craft Fair in Wicker Park yesterday, I got to play some of the fine instruments made by Kimmer Olesak, founder of AxBox Cigar Box Guitars. “Handcrafted from found objects and the highest quality custom materials,” each instrument was unique and had something irresistible about it. Kimmer invited me to plug into the small amplifier he had in the booth, and I took him up on it. I was impressed by the sound of these instruments and by the craftsmanship it had taken to build them.
Not only did these three- and four-stringed instruments sound great, but many had that little “chime,” or sweet spot—whatever you’d like to call it—that you get when you play a nice instrument. Kimmer (below left, with yours truly) also makes cigar box ukuleles, and in the end, it was a Don Tomas uke that would not let me leave without it. I’ll be sure to post a pic if I can stop playing it long enough.
Be sure to check out the AxBox Cigar Box Guitars website for more on these quality cigar box guitars and ukuleles.
My Entire Childhood in One GIF
My entire childhood in one GIF.
Why Do I Cry (The Remains) – Jerry Schwartz
Playing “Why Do I Cry” by The Remains on acoustic guitar. The Remains opened for The Beatles at Shea Stadium.
Nowhere Man – The Jerrys
Listen to my cover of “Nowhere Man” by The Beatles.
Lake Shore Drive
I took this pic last night headed south on Lake Shore Drive—reminded me of the song of the same name by Skip Haynes:
“And there ain’t no road just like it
Anywhere I found
Running south on Lake Shore Drive heading into town.”
The Dandy Warhols at Taste of Randolph
I got to see one of my favorite bands Saturday night at Taste of Randolph, but not for long—festival organizers stopped the show after one song when severe weather threatened to end the band and its die-hard fans. The song? “Be-In” from …The Dandy Warhols Come Down. It was worth every second.
New Single: The Jerrys – “Be Yourself”
We’re just days away from a new single by The Jerrys. Stay tuned!
Half Price Books
One of my favorite places to shop is Half Price Books, so for my birthday last month, among other things, I received a Half Price gift card. I finally got the chance to drop in yesterday, and I found some treasures:
Book
- The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce’s Ulysses (Kevin Birmingham)
CDs
- The Legend Begins (Tony Sheridan and The Beatles)
- Gene Vincent (Gene Vincent; 2 CDs)
- The Chess Blues-Rock Songbook: The Classic Originals (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) (Various artists; 2 CDs)
Hey, isn’t Father’s Day next Sunday? 😉