Joe, Rodney, and Jeno

Welcome

to my home of musings and insights. I will be sharing experiences and thoughts on my mind. I will be spotlighting artists, musicians, writers and more along the way in each one as well as provide some opportunities for artists of all types. Pardon the mess while we get started and the room organized. I appreciate all the support from those that have chosen to join me on this experimental journey.

An intro to this week’s topics, a story about Camel Joe from my past, a few trivia and trivial tidbits, some curated videos to enjoy, and a spotlight of The Sleeping Cliffs, who I collaborated with on artwork. There are a couple artistic opportunities also for musicians and writers.

420 and Camel Joe 

This was the week of 4/20. I don’t typically make an event out of it. Since dispensaries have become legal and popular, it seems like the Black Friday of cannabis culture. This year was the first time I had went to one on the ‘holiday’. They may have had every employee behind the small area behind the counter. I imagine it would be difficult to request this day off if working there. I made my purchase, a ‘pack’ of pre-rolls. Inside was a ‘C-note’ which reminded me of the old Camel Bucks. Until very recently I did smoke cigarettes. I started when I was 18 years old and our group of friends, Dustin, Dustin, Mike and Mike, all collected these cigarette dollars. In an addiction that may have stemmed from collecting coins in video games (/s), we began to pick up packs littered on the street just to collect the token money and to toss the trash away properly. I don’t know if streets were more littered at the time or if we just spent more time walking around the busy streets to see them.  

We were driven by an early Camel catalog that had a beautiful Camel pool table and game room. We had saved and collected about 3500 of them over the course of a couple years, nowhere near the amount needed for the game room, which was 250,000 Camel Bucks. We kept them in a basement hiding spot as the traffic in the house was free roaming. One of the dealers in the area began to offer weed for Camel Bucks at the conversion rate of one eighth for 1500 camel bucks. That was way too expensive for a little bit of weed. At one pack a day, that’s roughly 4 years of smoking. About a week later, we found 1500 Camel Bucks missing. We knew immediately who had done it and it knocked the wind out of our collecting sails. It was no longer as important to us to keep each one. It became a sore spot to see them and to think of being ripped off. It wasn’t long after that they did away with the fake monies entirely. Many of the items within the catalog are collectibles today under the ‘tobacciacana’ category. Cigarettes are addictive enough without the collecting aspect being another impulse. Cigarettes are essentially a box of various impulses. The ritual of buying a pack, of packing and opening them, of lighting up when another person lights up, the mental stress of being ‘nearly out’, the planning out when to have one. I am happy to have finally kicked the habit and to not miss it. Here’s a couple images of the catalogue where you can see items costing up to, essentially, one million packs of cigarettes. (If anyone wants to quit smoking, I recommend Allen Carr’s book. I know, I thought a book wouldn’t change my mind either.)

Trivia Time!

Which TV Doctor also played piano duets with Liberace and Victor Borge on television?
(See below for answer) 

No Respect for Rodney and I 

Someone recently showed me a wall of large speakers. Huge, 30 feet high, 100 feet wide and asked me which album I would play first on it. I thought about it for about 22 hours and as we both sat there, starving and thirsty, I finally spoke and gave my answer. I said, “No Respect by Rodney Dangerfield from 1980.”

I used to listen to that album on repeat as a kid while picking blueberries for 8 hours a day as a child laborer. I made $5 per 5-gallon bucket I picked and carried to the weigh station. A bus drove us to the fields each day from the Boys and Girls Club. I related to that album because I too got no respect. “Someone already picked this bush yesterday! No respect, I tell ya.”

My friend did not respond to my answer because he had xerostomia, also known as ‘dry mouth’. He was also half asleep. It only reaffirmed my belief that I indeed get no respect. People today can’t hold a conversation till the end. 

Cinderella’s Long Cold Winter was also played through my off-brand Walkman at the time.

Collaborations in Art and Music: The Sleeping Cliffs

I recently had the opportunity to collaborate on a piece of art for The Sleeping Cliffs. I had made an open call hoping to work on an album cover or art for a music project. As a musician myself and having designed my own album covers, I have a desire to make a connection between music and my visual art.  

Todd reached out that he wouldn’t mind a rendition of the cover art he had been using. After listening to some songs and checking out previous album covers, I was inspired to make a gel print. I have been really getting into gel printing with acrylics. I like the unpredictability of the final product and experimenting with working in reverse layers. I worked with the concepts of the previous albums to put my own spin on it of a tall waterfall stretching beyond a plateau as our little friend approaches the stream. I think it turned out pretty cool and was happy that Tood shared my excitement over it.

The Sleeping Cliffs is a solo music project from multi-instrumentalist Todd Glidewell. Immediately evident upon listening is the crisp production which lets the individual pieces of the song really shine. The compositions are drenched with fun drum grooves and searing guitar hooks and leads. Each instrumental is a musical journey full of dynamics and shifts, transcending soundscapes that are pleasant to the earholes. It evokes the feeling of being in a movie, with slow motion vignettes. I recommend checking out the entire discography. In fact, I’m going to go listen to it right now. Thanks, Todd!

The Sleeping Cliffs 
Bandcamp - https://thesleepingcliffs.bandcamp.com/ 
Website - https://thesleepingcliffs.com/ 
(Bandcamp is the best way to directly support artists in most cases. When in doubt ask, ‘What’s the best way to support you directly?’) 

If you would like to work with me or collaborate, I’m open to creating album art, book covers, posters, podcast art, or anything you may need. Feel free to contact me anytime. 

Short Bits

• Jeno Paulucci, responsible for bringing the world the pizza roll, did so after selling his first company, Chun King, the Chinese food in a can company. Beatrice Ojakangas was the product developer behind creating the treat using an egg roll wrapping machine, giving the pizza roll its shape. Here is a classic fun Jeno’s Commercial.

• “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)” was a lyric by The Moody Blues, written and sung by the bassist in the band, John Lodge. He was never just the singer. What’s your favorite Moody Blues song? Leave a comment below.

• I’m a self-taught chop stick user. I learned at McDonalds in 1986.

Creative Opportunities

I’m looking to create opportunities for artists of all types. At this current time I am looking for:

Music Compilation: Winstrumental
I would like to work on a compilation album of Winter Instrumentals of various artists to distribute and spread awareness of great instrumental music. I have published physical CD’s in the past and would like to do so again. If you are interested in this project, visit the project page. Note, this does require purchase of some CD’s to help the project.
Quarterly Music Compilation | Canvas, Chords, Comedy (beehiiv.com)

Book of Essays:
The Sorta-annual Book of Essays project is looking for submissions of humor, wit, rants and musings to publish in December of 2024. If you would like to submit an essay, visit the project page.
Sorta-Annual Book of Essays | Canvas, Chords, Comedy (beehiiv.com)

Limited Edition Art Packs by DB Gatchell

Beginning Today, there will be new art card packs made available periodically. Each pack will contain 3 prints of limited original artwork. 

Each card: 
- Original Art Print on front gloss side 
- Information and fun on back matte side 
- 4x6” and printed on 14pt card stock. 
- Only 250 of each will be printed.  

$15 – pack containing all three card prints. 
$30 – all three card prints + an original 4x6” artwork 
(shipping $3 US / $5 World) 
 
You can find more information at:
Gatch Cards - Art Pack 01 – Gatchman's Gallery

Thank you

for joining me on this inaugural newsletter blog. If you enjoyed it, please tell a friend. I appreciate you all and have a great week.

Rock on!

DB ‘Gatch’ Gatchell

contact at canvaschordscomedy dot com