I got a 108. I am not ashamed.

News from 12/11/03

Ahem. Less than 7 days to Return of the King. Just in case you didn't know. Just felt I should point that out.

Not much new to report today. Between taking both cats to the vet, watching the Browns almost pull off a huge comeback on national television, absorbing the first issue of Anti-Up, and dealing with all the snow and school closings at work, I've been feeling a bit swamped.

But not so much that I didn't want to make a couple clarifications. I should note that although The Oklahoma Music Guide doesn't include a full bio entry on Red Dirt hero Tom Skinner, there IS a nice chunk of the 'Red Dirt Music' entry devoted to him. And a great picture from back when he was playing in a band with that guy you see on VH1 sometimes. Although Tom's modest enough that he'd probably try to convince you that the guy in the old pictures is a different Tom Skinner.

As far as this site is concerned, I should have a few more X-Rays and some new NFATB content up soon, so keep checking back for that.

And, more importantly, start making plans to come to the show on December 21st at All Souls. I promise you'll be surprised by this one. Judging by the set list I've got in mind, it's gonna be a different kind of Acoustic Ross show than you've seen before, and you'll hear songs you've never heard me play.

Unless, of course, you've installed spy cameras in my house.

-- R

News from 12/4/03

Hey, thanks for the last-minute votes in the OklahomaRock.com 2003 Music Awards. I think I still came in last, but it's an honor just to be nominated.

Speaking of nominations, Fountains of Wayne -- one of my personal favorites -- picked up a Grammy nomination.

In the category "Best New Artist."

Seven years after their first album came out.

Congratulations, recording industry! Between this year's Grammy nominations and the ongoing lawsuits against twelve-year-olds, you've finally become even more out-of-touch than the film industry! ("Forest? What forest? I can't see any forests with all these stupid trees in the way!")

But seriously, I wonder which network is going to try first to get this guy to be on a reality show. ("This week on an all-new 'Fear Factor' -- a twist you have to see to believe! Over the lips and past the gums -- look out stomach, here several of the other contestants come!")

Oh yeah, so anyway, I wanted to mention the informative new book The Oklahoma Music Guide. It's kind of an Oklahoma-only version of Rolling Stone's rock encyclopedias, and it's pretty extensive for a first edition. Two hundred artists get detailed bios, including folks you'd expect like Bob Wills & Woody Guthrie, but also modern types like Admiral Twin & Tony Romanello. There's some other cool stuff too, and it kinda comes off as a more or less complete history of music in here in Sooner country. (Yes, even Hanson made the cut.)

One cool feature is the list of about 2000 more artists that are being considered for inclusion in the 2007 'centennial edition' of the book. (Including some guy named Acoustic Ross, categorized as having been 'formed' in Tulsa, which I guess is a nice way to put it.) I'm sure not everyone will agree with who got bio-d and who didn't (no individual entry for Tom Skinner outside the afore-mentioned appendix?), but maybe they'll make the cut next time. (Hint hint.) Anyway, there's nothing else out there like this, and it sure would make a unique holiday gift for someone who's into local music around these so-called parts. Can't wait for the revised edition to come out four years hence.

Which hopefully will also include a full bio on the Starlight Mints. 'Cause they're extra superfine.

-- R

News from 11/28/03

THIS JUST IN (a few hours after the update below): I've been nominated in OklahomaRock.com's 2003 Music Awards in the category 'Best Singer/Songwriter.' I think voting continues for a couple more days. Head on over, register, and vote, if you so desire. It's an honor just to be nominated.

So I've been told the site desperately needs to be updated. (Garrett and Gloria said it to my face, but I suspect a lot more of you were thinking it.)

First up, there's another new X-Ray up now, if that's your kind of thing. More on the way, whenever.

Next, two new CDs to talk about. I'm getting ready to completely redesign the sounds page, so in the meantime, here's the poop.

The one on the left is a brand-new compilation from Yawn Records called BLIZZARD BLUE #1, and it's very cool. Twenty-two bands, twenty-two tracks, FIVE bucks. To use the actual words of my friends over there at Yawn:

I'm sick of labels gouging the public with $15-$20 CDs and this is my attempt at helping promote some fantastic music, while creating awareness about zines. The only way you will be able to purchase this one is at live shows from one of the bands or through direct mailorder. This is a compilation series for Zines around the world. I don't see many people championing the fact that these guys/girls bust their butts every bit as much as the musicians to get their art heard.

Click on the cover for more info from the Yawn site, or come to a show and get one from me.

Speaking of zines, I've got one of those to talk about too, but first, that other picture up there is the cover of the forthcoming Acoustic Ross release, the 918 UFN ep. Yes, it's close to being ready -- well, it's all done but the recording, actually -- so I thought it was time for a sneak preview. More info to come.

OK, so the zine, then. Antifolkonline.com guru Brad Willis has started up a brand-new print zine called Anti-Up, devoted to that most popular of all musical styles, AntiFolk. It's available for purchase or subscription through his site, and every issue comes with a 15-track compilation CD. There are lots of great reasons to get it, but I can think of at least two especially excellent ones.

First, a recurring column with a familiar title -- News From Around the Bend -- written by yours truly. It's a serialized version of MY print zine of the same name -- click the icon in the menu for more about the 'original' NFATB -- but with its own exclusive stories.

Second, a feature called Blind CD Reviews, where Brad sends an unlabeled mix CD to someone for their unqualified thoughts. Issues #1 features a certain Acoustic Ross doing said review, and I'll be providing one for the next ish as well.

Finally, that one show is finally on the horizon -- check the shows page for details. This one should be a lot of fun.

Well, I guess that's all the new stuff for now. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving -- I know I did -- and enjoy the new stuff.

And seriously, why ARE there nutrition stats on bottled water?

-- R

News from 10/7/03

Holy cow, we got new pictures like you wouldn't believe:

-- new pics from 6 different shows this summer
-- added to the existing 'Boston's' and 'Unit D' picture pages
-- in fact, we've added a whole page of pictures to that one
-- & added a second page to the 'Miscellaneous' pictures section as well

So browse around, take it all in. New X-rays coming soon, and other stuff too, when the day job permits. And more new songs, when I get a chance to finish writing them and find a place to perform them.

-- R

News from 9/22/03

First off, a huge healthy hearty THANKS to everyone who came out to RainFest on the 6th. The killer lineup (also including Ciara, Admiral Twin, Omnichron, Tony Romanello Band, Oklahoma, Rewake) did NOT disappoint, and we raised a lot of money for a great cause. Fun show, fun crowd, none of whom ran screaming from the premises during my set. Now if I can only find a way to get through the medley without breaking TWO STRINGS next time, I'll be in business. (Big extra thanks to Charlie 7 for tap-dancing so nicely about RainFest while I changed the first of said broken strings; the second one, of course, is why I quit the medley a verse too soon, if you were wondering.)

--

Well, it's been a quiet week at Lake Rossbegone.

After what can only be described as two hellish weeks -- capping off two hellish months -- at The Day Job, I took last week off. But instead of my usual approach to vacation -- going off on an planned or unplanned mini-tour or driving cross-country to see my family -- this time I just stayed home.

And pretty much goofed off all week.

Thing is, I goof off exactly the same way I work: I set a ton of goals and I multitask like crazy. For instance, right now I'm updating the site, making coffee, stripping an audio tape to use later today for recording purposes, and listening to a CD. Most days I would also have the TV on, muted.

So in fact, I actually had a very full week. I saw a couple great shows by other folks (see below), caught up with a good friend, worked on the site a lot, started recording the new EP, watched a few movies, watched the Sooners win (not a big shocker), watched the Browns win (in a great 5 minutes that followed 55 boring ones), listened to a lot of music (I still can't get the latest Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers album out of my CD player), cooked some meals, read a lot of comics, cleaned the house, spent quality time with my cats and with That Special Someone, etc...

Oh yeah, and I wrote a new song, and learned another obscure cover.* Like I said, slow week.

(*And I say 'obscure' because if I just told you I'd learned a version of Steve Taylor's "I Blew Up The Clinic Real Good," only about 4 of you would know who and what I was talking about, right?)

--

As far as the site is concerned, I spent some time adding to the News From Around the Bend pages, including the whole of the second issue, so head over there if you're interested. Also I revamped the links area again, adding a moderately-well-hidden 'dead links' section and moving some things there. To balance the karma, I've added some links to the other pages to replace the ones that are gone...

--

It was actually a big music week, and I missed more shows than I saw, but the two I made it to were excellent. First, the Boondogs & Noelle Hampton at Arnie's... yowza. The Boondogs are always worth the price of admission, and Noelle Hampton was a more than pleasant surprise. I think about a third of my record collection is made up of "bands I discovered when they opened for the band I was there to see," and she's the latest addition to that group.

Two days later, it was a trip to Stillwater to witness my friend Adam Brodsky's 44th show on his Guinness World Record attempt -- 50 shows in 50 states in 50 days. Adam's opening act wasn't bad, but played too long and broke too many strings, the middle act was pretty good, but by the time Adam got onstage the crowd was restless and far from attentive. But Adam did his usual ass-kicking-names-taking job as far as I'm concerned -- not bad for a guy who confessed to me before the show that as a result of the tour "the last thing I want to do on any given night is hear music, especially my own." The tour's over now, and it's in the hands of the Guinness folks, but you can read all about it here.

--

While we're on the subject of great music, please go vote for someone in the 5th Annual Tulsa World Spot Music Awards. There are a lot of great bands up for awards this year, and every vote counts.

I'm not up for an award this year, but I will be presenting one at the ceremony, which I think you'll agree is quite cool. So go vote, then come to the Spotniks on October 11th at the Brady.

--

Now here I am, 8 o'clock Monday morning, ready to go back to work (OK, not really, because the next four months will be even busier than the last two, but I have to go back this afternoon whether or not I want to), and you're wherever you are, still waiting to hear what's next from Acoustic Ross.

Well, like I said, the new EP is underway, and it's gonna be awesome. The artwork is half-finished, the tracklist is just about finalized, and the bonus tracks are going to be supercool.

Plus I've got a few more shows in the works for later this year, and I've already got some really cool stuff on tap for next year.

And I've got three months' worth of gig photos to scan and post, so you should finally be seeing those soon. Seriously.

So the last quarter of 2003 is shaping up. And 2004 is already looking pretty good. Trust me, you'll want to stick around.

-- R

News from 8/26/03

My apologies if you drove all the way to Fort Gibson on Friday to see me at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. My appearance was canceled, along with many others, as a result of rain showers that came through and sent the PA system (and apparently much of the crowd) packing. Hopefully many funds were still raised.

As for the flyer to the right, let me just say this about that:

This show is big.

Just look at that lineup, fercryinoutloud. Not to mention that you get it all for a measly FIVE BUCKS, which itself goes to another great charity. Lots of giveaways, great music, good food... great way to spend a sweaty August Saturday in Oklahoma, if you ask me. We're doing lots of little promo stuff for this one, all about which you can read here.

Big thanks to Charlie 7 at KRSC for a fun evening on the radio yesterday, and to John Truskett, the hardest-working drummer/law student in show business, for putting this whole thing together. Trust me, this show's gonna be giant.

News from 8/18/03

MAILING LIST!
Be sure to sign up for the new, improved mailing list! (Unless you were on the old one, in which case you're all set.) Scroll down to the bottom of this page and you'll see it.

PICTURES!!
More pictures appearing all the time, even though my official unofficial gig photographer, Damon Pennington, recently moved to Thailand. (He's not a seafood fan, and doesn't speak the language, so we hope he's doing OK.)

THANKS!!!
At some point recently, mine was among the top 5 most downloaded Artist Pages (it's a weekly total) at Antifolk.net, the great AntiFolk site owned and operated by AntiFolk patriarch LACH. If you haven't already, you should take a look around. While you're at it, check out the other crucial AntiFolk site, Antifolkonline.com -- which features a ton of artist bios and content -- and be sure to vote in the polls Brad's got set up around there.

THE FUTURE!!!!
Things in the works: A new EP later this fall... more shows in Tulsa, a return to Wichita, and more... and some more surprises I've been dying to talk about. But can't, just yet.

News from 7/23/03

So did you find the secret Unit D pictures yet?

And how about that kid from Ohio winning the British Open? We start a new millennium and suddenly my alma mater is a sports school.

I'm not sure quite how I became the benefit show guy, but that's how I'm spending the summer. Two more coming up -- check the shows page.

Currently impossible to remove from the CD changer here at casa de Ross:

Grandaddy - Sumday
Guster - Keep It Together
Ted Leo/Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak
Starlight Mints - Built on Squares
and in about 15 minutes I'm running out to grab that new Tony Romanello Band EP.

In fact, it's only supposed to get up to 88 here today, so I'm putting on a sweater and heading out. See ya.

News from 7/14/03

Look, ma, we've got site updates!

new X-Ray!
new pics from Boston's 6/03!
more pics from Unit D 6/02!
updated shows page!
new CD review on press page!
creepy double-exposure my sister & brother-in-law took in Columbus!

There's more where that all came from. I had an excellent time at the two shows last weekend -- Oklahoma, Three on the Tree, the Engine Hearts, and the Acoustic Ross Dancers all, as they say, ROCKED! Not to mention the audiences at both the Empire & the Youth Services Coffeehouse. You folks were all great, and I have pictures to prove it, which will be posted here as soon as possible.

Also I've got something brewing gig-wise that I promise will blow you away. Well, at the very least, it'll blow ME away, but I think you'll agree it's quite cool. I'll let you know once it's official.

Meantime, my unofficial gig photographer Damon Pennington heads overseas in little more than a week, so I need to go start arranging a bon voyage type thing now.

Stay tuned. And stay out of that 100-degree sludge they call "air" here in Oklahoma in July. (I don't even want to THINK about August yet.)

P.S. This guy is not kidding. That commercial is more disturbing than a Larry Clark movie.

News from 7/10/03

Hopefully none of you subjected yourselves to that hellish new "Cupid" thing on CBS last night, but if you did, are you really at all surprised that the girl isn't married yet? With the obnoxious, mean, pretentious pals by her side?? Please.

If you're one of the fortunate to have missed it (I didn't watch it WILLINGLY, I'd like to point out), the only thing you missed that was worth noting was when the redheaded friend said, in a voice that made it clear she thought this was a very profound thing to say,

"You can learn a lot about a guy from what he's willing to reveal."

Ah, network television: the only thing lower than the lowest commmon denominator.

If you can tear yourselves away from that new "Big Brother" series (including the contestants' exes, ooh ahh!!), I'll see you at the shows this weekend.

News from 7/3/03

I had an excellent time in Wichita, and an equally excellent time at Unit D. Thanks to all who came out to those shows.

And now that the rust has been shaken off, I've got more shows coming up! More in the works, as always. Oddly enough, the two newest bookings are benefit shows.

And speaking of benefit shows, I'd also highly recommend you catch the Engine Hearts/Oklahoma/Three on the Tree show at the Empire on July 11th. Three great bands and another good cause, how can you go wrong?

Meantime, I've got about 11 more of those fiberglass penguins to take pictures of, so I'm out of here. Seeya soon.

News from 6/8/03

What's up with your bad (as they say) selves? Me, I'm having a great time these days. Don't look now, but I've started counting you fine folks. Okay, NOW look (down and to the left)...

The gig on Wednesday was AWESOME, and you should really be bummed out if you missed it. Tom and the guys sounded great, and with all the upgrades I feel like I'm playing a completely new guitar.

But never fear, more gigs are on the way. In fact, you should really consider following me for that two-day stretch later this month. Like a DeadHead, but with less tie-dye. And perhaps a better scent.

Speaking of the sixties, I thought this news was really sad.

Anyway, come on up to Wichita on the 20th and/or to Unit D on the 21st. See the shows region for details.

(And seriously, you should consider calling in sick that day and coming up to Wichita.)

News from 5/28/03

True confessions:

1. Mike Watt continues to make the freeway safe for the free way. That is to say, he put on a killer show this Sunday at VZD's (formerly known as 'VZD'). As did the SECOND, but not the FIRST, of the opening acts.

2. I liked X2 a lot better than The Matrix Reloaded. I'm looking forward to 'part 3' in each series... but I'm really waiting for The Return of the King.

3. Strong Bad* makes me laugh harder than the last 5 seasons of the Simpsons. Um, combined.

4. This is the most interesting news tidbit that I've heard in a proverbial While.

5. I finally wrote and posted a new X-Ray. More coming soon, I promise.

6. The traitor has been banished.

7. I think I might have the tip of an off-brand Q-Tip-like product stuck in my right ear.

8. Anyone wanting to check out my dumb new material (and some dumb old material too) should come to the show next week at Boston's. (Hey, it's my first proper gig since OCTOBER, the least you can do is swing by and tell me I should have practiced more.)

9. As usual, I'm writing when I should be sleeping, and I'm about to rectify that situation.

-- RmG³

*Thanks for the tip, chuck. Not to mention the ongoing assists with this little vanity site o' mine.

News from 5/14/03

Information Delivery Outlets? I got yer Information Delivery Outlets right here.

That is, I built a brand-new page to tell you what you can get, and where you can get it. Follow the money below.

News from 5/2/03

Big thanks to the fine folks over at Me Head for my appearance there this week in 'Acoustic Article' form. Not to mention the high compliment regarding my sound. [that link goes to an archived version -- go here for an up-to-date look at Me Head]

Lots happening in AcousticRossLand^TM right now. The latest: stickers, baby, stickers. They'll be available at all future SHOWS, so come get one and stick it somewhere.

News from 4/30/03

MORE GIGS ADDED! Actual road gig Friday June 20th in Wichita! Actual hometown gig Saturday June 21st! Go to the SHOWS section and read all about it!

MORE PLACES TO GET THE CD! The Acoustic Ross CD is now available at SEASICK RECORDS in Tulsa (on 15th near Harvard, next to that cool laundromat where you can buy beer). Soon it will also be available in NOT ONE... BUT TWO locations on the web.

It's getting good around here. Stay tuned.

[By the way, we're still at security level Zombie. You have been warned.]

News from 4/20/03

CANCELED. The May 3rd show at Uncle Bently's has been CANCELED. Please do not go there expecting to see me.

I do, however, have some other shows in the works, and hope to post some info regarding those very soon. I just got a pickup and 7 new frets installed, and I'm dying to unleash them on an unsuspecting audience. Or even a suspecting one. Stay tuned.

In 'when it rains, it pours' news, Tom Skinner's Wednesday Night Science Project has moved to the club they now call Boston's. It's that place on South Boston that used to be the Asbury, Steamroller Blues, the Hofbrau, and who knows what else. I'm still scheduled to be the guest scientist on Wednesday June 4th, barring further moves. I'll keep you posted.

News from 3/25/03

Never trust a governing body that can give itself pay raises. I think I speak for the whole class when I say Gee, I'm Sure Glad Congress Took Care Of That French Fries Thing.

Major Modifications

My guitar is almost out of surgery, and I anxiously await its return. We will both be ready for the May 3rd show at Uncle Bently's in Tulsa, which all AcousticRoss.com visitors are required by law to attend.

March Madness

I'm a little nervous about my Final Four picks. How are your brackets looking?

Marshall, Mandy

Eminem has won more Oscars than Alfred Hitchcock. There's something disturbing about that. Ah well, at least Chris Cooper got one too.

Mandy Moore sang XTC's "Senses Working Overtime" on the Craig Kilborn show last night. Which is scarier: the fact that she did it, or the fact that I liked it?

Media, Media

This weekend I rented Roger Dodger. Not too shabby. Sort of a darker, more cynical, urban Tao of Steve. Campbell Scott is even more entertaining on the commentary track than he is as the title character.

Today I ordered the first season of Futurama on DVD. No one I know loves this show as much as I do.

Currently rotating heavily at Casa de Ross:

Calexico - Feast of Wire
Joe Jackson Band - Volume 4
Bettie Serveert - Log 22
eels - Electro-Shock Blues Show (live disc only available on the official eels site)

And oh yeah, in case you were wondering, we're still at security level Wolfman. In case you were wondering.

News from 3/7/03

Na na na, na na na na na: Ross cuts like a knife. (Fabulous artwork made for me by someone whose existence I appreciate very much.)

Had fun at Sarah Wagner's show last night at (the) Deadtown. Hooked up Rolling Rock IV (and by that I mean 'i.v.', not 'four'), played 'Idiot' and 'Over You Now' (by request) for a drunken captive audience.

Gotta love those drunken captives.

News from 3/5/03

The pictures are here. Lots of 'em. This one here's a little taste -- you should head on over to the PICS page to see the rest.

News from 2/28/03

Just in time for March, more new stuff.

Head over to the soon-to-be-renamed ALBUMS page to hear some mp3 tracks, including two tracks recorded LIVE on television a while back.

Lots of pictures coming soon too -- I swear -- thanks to unofficial Acoustic Ross Gig Photographer Damon Pennington. Should be able to get 'em posted this weekend, especially if I get snowed in again. Stay tuned.

News from 2/26/03

Ben Garvey & Brian Olexy's Revised Terror Alert Rating System is a wonderful invention.

And, incidentally, it's much easier to follow than the real one. Take that, Tom Ridge.

News from 2/24/03

The accidental hiatus continues. Working mostly on behind-the-scenes stuff, like new material and gear improvements. I'll keep you posted on the gig front.

As for the site, more X-Rays coming all the time, PICS page in the works (finally), etc.

The CD is now in its second printing. The CD's the same, but the inserts have undergone minor surgery (including the addition of the word 'Acoustic' to my name), so if you're a completist or just a sucker for merchandising, you'll want another copy. They'll be showing up in the local record stores within the week, and of course they'll be available at future Acoustic Ross gigs.

News from 2/10/03

THESE JUST IN: I posted an mp3 of '83 Ribbons' tonight -- head over to the ALBUMS page to check it out -- X-Ray #13 was installed yesterday -- and today the Acoustic Ross CD officially went to its second pressing. And seriously, I am THIS CLOSE to having some shows booked. Really. Seriously.

And in case you were wondering, the Year of the Ross ended a week ago, but it's now the Year of the Black Sheep, which you'll agree is still quite appropriate. Ask my relatives.

News from 2/9/03

Absolutely great weekend. Tax refund currently being spent. New bike helmet. Two great movies. New music, including 3 Clash classics in one convenient package. Appetites sated. For now.

Anyway, AcousticRoss.com is in full swing, with nearly all promised content now functional, the ROSS cd goes to its second pressing this week, and we're currently working on booking near-future shows with many of my favorite musical folks.

Also coming soon: stickers, and maybe even some buttons. Yours for the having at future Acoustic Ross shows. You know you want 'em.

Stay tuned: 2003 is looking pretty good so far.

News from 1/29/03

Getting there. More X-Rays installed. Unsure if that was wise.

Also posted my self-important Top 10 of 2002 lists. I'm curious what you think.

News from 1/19/03

Busy weekend here at AcousticRoss.com: LOTS of new pages & updates, so go check 'em out. We've added the SHOWS, BIO & ALBUMS pages, and totally redesigned the News From Around The Bend index page & menu.

As of today, all the main pages here work except for CONTACT and PICS, and those are coming soon. And we're up to four X-RAYS, with more on the way. There should be some actual content on the NFATB pages soon too.

Sleep, though... we're trying to cut down on that around here.

News from 1/14/03

Updates this week: added LINKS page & menu buttons. Also some subtle format changes (thanks to further assists from chuck).

News from 1/9/03

The birthday party show tonight was a BLAST.

I thought we were just celebrating one birthday -- Elvis Presley, you may have heard of him -- but it turns out it was also Tom Skinner's birthday. Tom was the one who put (and held) this whole thing together tonight at the Hardwood Bar & Grill. The birthday cake (made by Debbie Spears) was a nice touch. And I have to say tonight's the first time I remember a woman ever asking me 'do you come here a lot?' (OK, it was the waitress, but it still counts.)

Anyway, WHAT A SHOW IT WAS. Seriously, you missed a great show, folks. Tom Skinner and the High Chaperones, they being Wes Gasaway & Don Morris & Rocky Frisco & Gene Reeves... (that was David Cooper on drums, right?) The Farm Couple. Don White. Mary Reynolds. Emily Kaitz. Scott Aycock & Empty Pockets. Stoney LaRue. Scott Taylor. DOZENS more. More talent than you could shake a stick at, except maybe Yours Truly, but surprisingly, no sticks were shaken. There were so many great folks on and off of that stage. Shame on you if you've never heard of any of them. Go, now, and rectify that lack of knowledge.

In a nutshell: Somewhere between rock and blues lies Elvis Presley. Somewhere between folk and country lies the Tulsa Sound. We hit about a hundred spots along that continuum* tonight. I had a blast. Can you tell? Stunningly, a few people even enjoyed my latest musical fiasco, "Talkin' Don't Pick On The Big Guy Blues," written especially for the occasion. Maybe you'll get to hear it on a B-sides/Rarities compilation someday. It was fun to write, and fun to play. Tom, thanks again for the gig, and happy birthday. Let's do this again soon.

OK. Other news. One other show on the books. It's in June. I'll give you more detail in a few months. Meanwhile, keep perusing this crappy website of mine. The 'NEWS' link works now, as of about 10 minutes ago, and the 'LINKS' page is almost ready. The deliberately mysterious 'X-RAYS' page will follow shortly after, and if I ever get some more gigs booked, the 'SHOWS' page will finally be there too, followed by whatever else is left. Some of the others already work, so go check them out now. Talk at ya soon.

-- RmG³, 1/9/03

*Editor's note: I couldn't think of this word for about 10 minutes. When I finally did, I said it aloud in 'Eureka' fashion. Unfortunately, the cassette in the stereo was between songs, so my saying 'continuum' so loud was quite surprising to my cats. I'm still laughing, and cleaning up the debris from all the scampering. Thus ends the one time this word will ever be considered by any creature to be 'scary.'

News from 1/4/03

I didn't win the Powerball jackpot on Christmas Day.

I didn't win the national college football championship, nor did I win a wildcard berth in the NFL playoffs.

And I didn't win the Duct Tape contest. But hey, it's an honor just to... um... spend the time and energy entering the contest. (Seriously, it was fun, and I got a dumb new song out of it, so it was totally worth it.)

Anyway, I did, however, make a ton of changes to the site. The bulk of the format change came from chuck 'no caps please' whittington, with tweaks from me mainly because I Am Incapable Of Leaving Well Enough Alone.

Not all of the stuff in the menu works yet, so you'll have to keep checking back on the dead links until they work.

More shows in the works, but currently the only thing on the gig calendar is the Elvis's Birthday show at the Hardwood Bar & Grill (11th Street, across from TU's Skelly Stadium) on Wednesday January 8th. I'm doing a song I haven't written yet. I don't know who else will be on the bill, other than the hosts: Tom Skinner & the High Chaperones. It's a special installment of Tom Skinner's Wednesday Night Science Project -- come on down and join the party. I think we start around 8ish.

-- RmG³, 1/4/03

"Acoustic Ross" & "News From Around The Bend" © 2002-3001 Northcraft Entertainment Organization. All content not otherwise specified is also © 2002-3001 Northcraft Entertainment Organization. While we're at it, "Northcraft Entertainment Organization" is also © 2002-3001 Northcraft Entertainment Organization.