NO SHAME FEVAH!

So what's the feeling, peeps? Are you dudes (man AND lady dudes) getting excited for the shows to start up? Who all's gonna be around, and who's "moved on" or "sort of hates No Shame" or whatever? Honestly, I think we could have a really good season coming up. ...But what do YOU think?

Get used to it!

I can't believe Todd is deleting my posts from the other No Shame blog. How upsetting. I guess he figured one blog is all I get? I'm going to talk to him about it.

Anyway, on to brighter news: I have the words written for one more song. That puts us at 4 total. One more and I should have enough for a solid ep. I hope these songs are actually getting recorded, I'm very anxious to hear them, and to remove the demo vocals and replace them with my own. But I guess before that happens it would be good to get some feedback from other people, see if this project is even worth my time. So when you get these tracks finished up, play them for people, would you? I'm interested in what the reaction will be. If you're doing the songs how I asked then I'm pretty confident people will like them. You can't go wrong when you've got good material, I always say. But I digress: on to the new song.

This song is, in many ways, the most serious song I've ever written. It's a character study, basically, about two very brave, kind-hearted brothers, who happen to both be gay. It's called "Homosexual Andy & Homosexual Miguel". I wanted the title to be really up front, almost in your face, like the brothers are saying, "We're here, we're queer -- get used to it!"

"Homosexual Andy & Homosexual Miguel"

Homosexual Andy & Homosexual Miguel
They're both gay and they're both brothers as well
They're not gay for each other
They're both gay for their lovers
Like a father's son
Or a mother's daughter
They're not gay for each other
They're gay supportive brothers
(bridge)
It's OK to be gay
It's OK no matter what they say
Love will always find a way
(verse)
They're two angels who both fell
How can it be wrong to tell... the truth?
Why won't their parents let them tell the truth?
Homosexual Andy & Homosexual Miguel
The truth will set them free
Let homosexuality be what it may
Homosexual Andy & Homosexual Miguel
Went to the same highschool, the same college as well
They both realized they were gay in highschool but didn't tell
Till they got to college
They were fortified by this new knowledge... of gayness
Now life doesn't seem so hard to get through
Because they always have someone to go to
When the world's gettin' them down
Sometimes a smile, sometimes a frown
But one of these days they'll drive
Back to their home town
They'll look their parents straight into the eyes
And tell them that they both like guys
They both like guys
Homosexual Andy & Homosexual Miguel
Homosexual Miguel & Homosexual Andy
Isn't life oh so dandy
Now that you have a brother to lean on?
Now that the world knows that dudes are who you're keen on?
(Instrumental break)
By the way, both the brothers were black
Hooray for those courageous black gay brothers

Do you think you can do this song justice, guys? I want it to be an acoustic ballad sort of a thing. Pretty stripped down. Vocals, acoustic guitar, maybe a simple rhythm section. As for the instrumental section, I'll leave that up to you. But in general I want the verses to just go between E major and A major, with the singing primarily happening on the E chord for two measures, and then the A chord mostly alone for two measures. You know:

(E)___________________________(A)
Homosexual Andy & Homosexual Miguel...
(E)_____________________________________________(A)
Went to the same highschool, the same college as well...

I know I'm being a little picky about this one, but it's kind of important to me. In fact, if you're not up to the task, let me know up front, OK? I would rather not do this song at all than do it badly. But I really do want to do it, I think it's the kind of song the world needs to hear right now. OK, I've gone on too long already. I'll give it a rest. Good luck with this one, guys, I'm very much looking forward to hearing the results.

Order 12.29.06

Here's your precious order from your precious secret show that I am apparently in the dark about. I copied the post from the regular No Shame blog, which seems to be getting more and more useless. Anyway, now you're free to comment on the show to your hearts' delight, either here OR there. I'd still like to know what the hell this was all about, though.

1. Fuck You Adam Hahn, You Control Freak Faggot by Jimmy Stewart
2. Poop Helmet by Jamal River
3. Brian and Jake Make Weird Noises by Brian and Jake
4. So A Dinosaur Walks Into a Bar by Nick Clark
5. Airline Safety with Jesse Blaine
6. Canyon, Chapter 1 by Arlen Lawson
7. Fire Safety Tips with 2 Firemen by Chris Stangl and Michael Tabor
8. Untitled Monologue by Timm Sitzman
9. Russian in McDonalds by Chris Stangl and Arlen Lawson
10. JIMI by Jamal River and Chris Stangl
11. The Fancy Women in: Whose Family is Better? by Chris and Michael
12. My Halloween at the Beach by Aprille Clarke
13. Do You Need Anything Else? by Chris Stangl

The Party Stuff

Michael, were you serious about being willing and able to do music for "The Fun That I Won"? If so, that's cool, I'm interested in hearing what you can come up with. If not, I need to know so I can look for somebody else to do it. Also, I have a new poem that is currently my main priority, so if you have the time (and talent -- ha ha) I'd be very interested in getting some music written for this. I was thinking of asking Okiishi, I know he's a good piano player and he can sing, too, but I'm sure he's got too much other stuff going on. So I guess you're free to take a crack at this one, too, if you want. The song's called "The Party Stuff" and the lyrics are:

Sometimes I go driving
But only on Wednes & Fri
I also like kite flying
But only in July
And if you see me painting
A picture of my taint
Tell me that it's really really good
Even if it ain't
Because my taint
Is the party stuff
The party stuff
The party stuff
My taint is the party stuff
And I'm a party guy
Often I'll go sailing
And I will stay bone dry
And if you're nice while I'm baking
I just might give you a pie
But if you see me baking
A pie containing my taint
Tell me it tastes really really good
Even if it dan't
Because my taint
Is the party stuff
(Repeat 1st verse)

I want the whole song to just use the D major scale, it's probably my all-time favorite scale. I'm envisioning a droning, distorted organ line (you said you have access to some sort of organ, so use that), and then some kind of sparse guitar lines on top of that. Maybe some percussion, too, I don't know that much about drums but do what you think works.

Brass Tacks

Let's get down to brass tacks
I understand what this all lacks
I want you to concentrate
Before we all go disintegrate
What I need's to be understood
Doesn't matter if I'm bad or good:
I'm a man and I have needs
But feel like I'm thrown away in the weeds
Inside me I must use restraint
You think I'm fine, and I say I ain't
Paint a picture of hell with your fiery paint
That's the true colors of Adam's Taint
Those are the colors of Adam's Taint
I'll show you the horror that men call Adam's Taint

I wrote that poem about my frustrations: with this blog and with other things. 1st the No Shame blog goes to pot, now people are goofing with this one, too. Well look, I want to have a blog where anybody's free to post, but if people are going to just mess around and fill it up with crap then I'm going to make it so only I can post here. I really don't want to do that, but we'll see what happens.

As for the band: yes, I really do want to start a band. I have a lot of poetry that I think would work really well as lyrics, but I don't know anybody to play the instruments. And I'm not sure how comfortable I would be with Tabor or Jamal as bandmates. Face it, guys, you're not exactly trustworthy. Also, I have pretty specific ideas about how some of the music would go, I don't know if you'd be able to carry it out, even if I agreed to let you try. "The Fun That I Won", for example. To me, those lines bring to mind some kind of spastic electronic sounding vibe. Like Kraftwerk or something, only grittier. I don't know. I guess if you, or any other musicians (preferably other musicians), would be willing to make a demo of a couple songs -- you know, just music without the lyrics, then we could see if we're on the same page here. I am NOT interested in another "The Michael Tabors" spin-off, so if that's what you have in mind, then forget it.

I'm going to start a band!

The Fun That I Won!

You can never go home again
But that's not a problem when
All of the time is nice
You can feel good once or twice
Three times and maybe four?
You can feel good for sure!
You can feel good for sure!
You can feel good, that is for sure!