You are not logged in. Please register or login.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
- mickronson
- Rep: 118
Re: Duff SW Blog #40 (BBF mention)
Last week for me kind of ran a whole sort of gamut as far how different some of the activities, discussions, and even inner-self discussions I experienced. Do you ever have one of those weeks where you just kind of look back and go. "huh?" Let me explain.
On Monday night, my phone rang at home (nobody calls me at home anymore). My wife picked up and she said it was for me. Apparently, I have given the OK at some point to be live on a hour-long financial AM radio show in Los Angeles (not a small market!). So there I was, live on the radio, with the host immediately peppering me with pretty pointed questions on my thoughts for economic recovery.
Let me back up a second and tell those of you that don't know that I have a weekly financial column at Playboy.com. It's nothing too heavy or groundbreaking, rather I try to educate and explain complicated financial jargon to the readers in hopes that we can all have a sort of leg up as these markets begin their slow climb to health. A few years back, I DID go to the Alber's School of Business at Seattle U., but a business guru it did not make of me.
Okay, so there I am being asked live on the radio if I thought everyone should sell everything and just buy gold (NO! Don't EVER put all of your dough into one specific asset!), and if I thought it was a good time for someone to start a business (depends on the circumstance of course), if I thought this spending by our administration was a gateway to American socialism (many aspects of the U.S. economic system are already socialist as we have borrowed things that have worked from other countries over the years. Where do you think Social Security came from?), or what things I would tell Obama to help curb this recession ( he is a LOT smarter than me). I came out of that interview feeling a little dirty in that I felt used and part of the problem. Again, in my Playboy column, I try to allay fears, not add to them.
The next day, it was my turn to be radio guy. For some reason, KISW thought it would be a good idea to give me my own hour-long commercial-free radio show. Now, we all probably think we can do a lot better than some of those jerks on the radio, but to actually do it is an entirely different exercise. I was so nervous that in the first segment (where I interviewed Lemmy from Motorhead, my fucking hero), you could audibly hear my words quivering just a bit. Lemmy saved that bit.
Next up, I had Martin Feveyear (Loaded's own producer, tour manager, and live sound mixer) do some two-part jokes with me. Martin is one funny bastard and just having him there in the studio put me at ease. Nikki Sixx was my next guest, and that dude has ALWAYS been cool to me. We talked about the upcoming Cruefest and he told me that they would be performing the Dr. Feelgood record from beginning to end. He also told me of a time that I drove his Maserati and put a scratch in it. (I don't even remember driving any Maserati. EVER!). I was a wee bit embarrassed to say the least.
Sean Kinney came next, and if you've never heard this dude talk before, go to the KISW site and download the podcast of the show. He was both hilarious (playing bongos with McConaughey?!) and deep (he spoke of how the new Alice In Chains record was a personal catharsis regarding the passing of Layne). For the last segment, Mike McCready was kind enough to come down and play "Wild Horses" with my radio band, the Rainmakers (aka Jeff Rouse and Mike squires from Loaded).
Later that week, I got to experience one of the most proud moments in my life when my daughter Grace got up and sang a song with me at a school fundraiser. I thought I was going to start bawling, but rock dudes don't cry (unless they watch The Notebook or that Tiger movie that came out back in 2001).
I had an amazing gig the other night here in NYC...probably Loaded's best ever. We were joined onstage by Ron "Bumblefoot" Thall, a virtuoso on guitar and a first-class all-around guy!
I've been starting to second-guess my role here at Seattle Weekly, too. This has thus far been a great experience for me as I have been able to use a whole and other part of my brain when it comes time to writing my weekly thing here. But there is a line here that I will not cross. That line is where I don't ever, under any circumstances, give away too much about myself. It's almost as if I've developed a whole new persona and that is who I choose to portray. What if I did in fact publicly inform you all, too much about myself? Maybe it is time for me to go back to being the quiet and sullen rock guy that I think is a bit more comfortable for many to accept (not that I have EVER looked for anyone's acceptance as a whole). I dunno. This is something I have not even spoken to my "guy" at the Weekly about. They have bent over backwards helping me along with my band and have guided my writing style with intelligence and candor.
Maybe the shock and sexiness of me having a weekly column has indeed worn off and I am not quite sure of what my role here is anymore. Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy getting feedback from you who read this and comment. I REALLY have grown quite fond of the sarcasm and general abuse I have taken at the hands of some of you readers. I guess though, I've got to figure some stuff out.
Cheers,
Duff
