Javi Garcia

We are……secretly……recording a…
…new record.

“They say you can’t take it with you, but I think that they’re wrong
‘Cause all I know is I woke up this morning, and something big was gone” – The Boss

Today New Braunfels, TX lost a great amount of talent. There is no other way to put it.

Naturally it doesn’t sit well with me that such talented was/is overlooked and (for the most part) under appreciated.

It’s hard not to relate.  I once moved away from my hometown. Serveral times I have felt that I had gone as far as I could go in A particular environment.    It’s not unusual to want to feel comfortable in your own skin. Or to grow out of it.  I believe the right environment can help that process along.

Sure they had there share of loss, gain, heartache, love, hate, and hearsay. But really, what makes you any better?  The amount of talent they will take with them is  immense. Unmeasurable.  Although talent is god given.  The determination and self will to harness it and perfect it isn’t.  That’s one of the many things that makes these two unique.  Makes them ‘the real kind’.

These days people sell Unique in mass quantities.  Genres of music. Fashionable Clothes. Under produced  films. Overly priced food.  And consumers just gobble that shit up… no questions asked. And when they get there fill. They shit it all out and feed it to the next generation.

But when something truly unique stumbles along our path most tend to alienate.  At the end of the day, who can blame them for leaving? not compromising themselves.

There Artists… the real kind.

I wish you both the best. You’re earning it. – J

photo I took a few weeks ago…

http://littlebrave.virb.com/

http://www.kphillipsmusic.com/

RECORD STORE DAY.

Let me explain.

1 day out of the year a certain number of independent record stores participate in conjunction with independent artist and record companies, and release small batches of RARE/limited print vinyl records/Vintage and new. Pretty Much if you have been looking for it… they make sure to have it that day.  Collectors dream day.  Some stuff is printed only to sell this one day out of the year.

well, Lone Star Music in Gruene, Texas.  has decided to participate this year.  And so are we! TODAY is that day.

30 signed copies of our Deluxe Double Lp “A Southern Horror” on vinyl will be up for grabs.

and i decided draw a little something extra on numbers 1 thru 5.  so get there early if your interested…

god bless the independent record stores. – j

we won 1

and lost 3

I felt that just being nominated so many times and being recognized for our work was a success.  A big “fuck you” to those who have gotten a little to comfortable.

growing up i remember being told  ”once a dog bites and tastes blood, its just a matter of time till it bites again.”

I can see why… you can rest knowing that we WILL be back again.

highlights of the night for me were…

Mr. Ray Wylie Hubbard taking home songwriter of the year.  He really is one of the best.  And he accepted while we were on stage preparing to start our set.   he walked over and gave me his blessing.  here is a picture that was taken during our performance. Roughly 800 people in attendance.

and of course Mr. Hayes Carll.  Carrying the torch.

I was told that at some point Hayes got them so worked up a woman felt the need to  toss her (red) bra on stage.  I was back stage and missed it.  So lets go ahead and recap the moment. Notice the bruiser sitting on someones shoulders in the pic below?Ohh and the giant red bra hovering above Hayes’ head?

“The Toss”

and yes folks… i got the exclusive pic of…

“the tits”

In closing. We played our set.  undeniably hoisting our flag for all to see. Friends, Strangers, Enemies. If you were there. then you know where we stand.

Thank you Lone Star Music.  And a BIG Thanks to all our fans who voted. We will be back…and armed for bear.

I get really pissed off when hear writers complain that writing is hard.  Or when they say “writing has been hard lately”.  Of course it is fucking hard. it’s writing. It’s work. It’s art. It is supposed to be fucking hard.  Go sail a fucking sail boat.

Art is not easy. It is not some goddamn walk in the park.  Or a jerk off.

And here is a little advice. Do not concern yourself with a room full of pricks.  They will always try and eat you alive.  Your only defense is to stand behind your work.  Shove it down there throats till there necks swell and they choke with there own neckties.

Now go get to work.

time is weary for a craftsmen who cannot demonstrate his craft.

Talked to my dad not to  long ago.  I asked him how work has been.  He told me that things are very different than they used to be.  He Said, ” I used to fight men, now all I do is waste my time with punk ass kids”.  I guess he is right.  These days only dogs and horses get put down when they are of no use.  And punk ass kids get away with murder.

Men are a dying breed

may god have mercy on us all.

- J

Heard Yesterday that Alan Voight (an acquaintance of mine) passed away.  He used to be our sound engineer at the Phoenix Saloon for a short time.  I first heard of the news on Facebook on someone’s “status update”.  Didn’t really think about it, but I clicked on the link to his Facebook page and added him as a friend.  Seemed weird. but I sent the request anyway.

Alan also had a record out.  And I thought he did a killer interpitation of the Stones – Street Fighting Man.  I attached the mp3 below for you to give a listen to.

We never really saw eye to eye. But he seemed to be a good man.  May you rest in peace.  I’ll see you around….

Alan Voight – Street Fightin’ Man

Lone Star Music Awards 2011 are here.  And Guess what? We have been nominated for 3 categories.  Including the big award of the night. “album of the year”.

So here are the nominations.

1. Best Album – Javi Garcia & The Cold Cold Ground – A Southern Horror
2. Emerging Artist Of The Year – Javi Garcia & The Cold Cold Ground
3. Best Album Art Work – Javi Garcia for, Javi Garcia & The Cold Cold Ground – A Southern Horror
4. Best Album Art Work – Javi Garcia, for Mike McClure Band – Halfway Out Of The Woods

We will also we playing the award show March 27th which will be held at the new Texas Music Theatre in San Marcos.

Let me say that I am extremely grateful to me nominated. I was not counting on being nominated.

But now that I am.  I’m like a shark in bloody water.  And there is only one thing that will satisfy me…

VOTE HERE

Visited Lafayette, Louisiana…

Met some really great people.  Ate some great food. Drank some good wine.  Hard to beat.  While I was there I also got a chance to visit a 500 year old Oak tree.  without  sounding like too much of a fucking tree hugger. Let me  just say it was pretty goddamn amazing.   It sits outside of a church.  I of course was dressed like a bum and was truly in awe of the tree despite the cold.  And did not notice that I was blocking the sidewalk to the entrance  of the church. After some investigation as to why there was so much traffic. I come to realize that there was a funeral that was about to start.

They came to see the dead. I came to see the living….

Then I Visited  Ada, Oklahoma…      …to see the living, and was greeted with the dead.

I payed a long overdue visit to a friend and while I was there we recorded a song for a project he is working on.   I arrive only to be greeted with a dead raccoon.  Who some how managed to wedge himself in a little crack between a door and some brick.  As Mic say’s “you can’t always get what you want.” poor bastard was only trying to find some heat. and wound up getting stuck and freezing to death.

after feeding the chickens and  1 Pussyface, a few glasses of red wine (for 1), a unsuccessful attempt at shooting a squirrel, some recording, fresh eggs, looking at a little blue bird. chicken coop inspecting,  and few feeble attempts to extract the bandit.  Mike decides to call animal control.   After all this…  I really never expected the animal “controller” that showed up to have a voice like Elmer Fudd.   No chance we were not going to snap some video… enjoy.

Video of Ada Animal Controls professional opinion of the situation

I was there a day, I could have stayed months…

“One of these days I’m gonna lay this hammer down
And I won’t have to drag this weight around”

In other news.  I went to the hardware store yesterday.  Bought me a hammer.  Maybe its my subconscious saying to me that after 30 years some shit is bound to break down.  although I doubt a fucking $10 neon green hammer is gonna help my goddamn liver. Or repair it for that matter.  More I come to realize that quite often my subconscious doesn’t know shit.  It does feel good to own my own hammer though.  Don’t know why. It just does.  been bumming around the house today trying to come up with a reason to use it.  No luck. Next time I will make a conscious decision  to pick up some nails…?