Most of the songs for this album were written before I started, but I’ve gotten to a point where I’m having to finish a couple of songs that were basically works in progress when I decided to include them.  The cool part is, I’m able to write them with specific people in mind, so I’m not limited by what I’m capable of doing.  I really like the writing process, and working so much on the other songs has kind of put me in that frame of mind anyway since I’ve been open to changing things along the way.

Of course, what this means is, all the easy stuff is done, and I’m getting into the harder songs, and the songs that require more work.  That’s ok, because I planned it so I would be easing myself into it.  I’m not the only one working though, James has had to come up with some new lyrics for a song that didn’t have any previously.  Luckily, I ran into a spot of weirdness today, and that served as fodder for a song idea.  I’ll save you the long version and simply say I nearly got into a fight with a Jehovah’s Witness today, naked.  By that, I mean I was naked.  The Jehovah’s Witness was well dressed, as you might expect.

In other news, I’ve pulled a few more musicians into the fold and doled out some parts for them.  I’m eagerly awaiting their submissions, because I know they’ll be great.  The aforementioned song I’m rewriting and extending is because of one of them in particular, my friend Pledger Fretwell.  Yes, that’s his real name, so it only follows that he can play guitar like a fiend.  Right now, I’ve got him playing on two of the songs (so far), and they are probably the two most dissimilar songs on the album.  That’s fine though, because he’s up to it – his style is very unconventional so it’s fun to put him in different situations.  He and I played together in my very first band back in ’91.  Before he took up the guitar, he was a bassist – a classically trained double-bassist.  Any time he had anything to say on the subject of bass, I listened.  He’s also a walking encyclopedia of musical knowledge.  He’s a total jazz head, and he’s slumming by playing on my rock album, but it’s not the first time.  Hopefully, he’ll bring all that with him.

I know just enough theory to be able to communicate ideas to other musicians.  He forgets this sometimes and talks completely over my head, but that’s ok.  I still listen now like I did back then.  Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot from playing with him over the years, and I’m very glad to have him as a friend.  I certainly wouldn’t want him as an enemy.  In addition to being a top knotch musician, he’s also kind of a badass and could beat the crap out of me without breaking a sweat.