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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GRASSHOPPER TAKEOVER'S The Official Grasshopper Takeover Email Newsletter Greetings Hoppers: It's a full moon tonight and the moon is sitting low on the horizon right over the mountains out my bedroom window. LA's hazily polluted skies have it turned a timid, bronze color. It's very pretty. In the next room, The World Series is on TV and is turned up so loud I feel like I'm at a party and some drunk dude is yelling in my ear trying to convince me of some other-worldly truth he's just consumated. I'm not a big baseball fan, but if there has to be a winner in the Series, I'm rooting for the Yanks. I heard basketball pre-season is underway, too, and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant is out for a while with a broken bone in his left hand. I had floor seats at a Laker's game last season and I got to see first hand how enormous Shaq really is. I think his middle finger is bigger than my penis. Football is apparently into its 6th or 7th week and what I know is that the St. Louis Rams are undefeated -- and looking pretty tough -- and the Huskers just got beat by Texas. As a tried and true Husker fan, their loss hit the core of my being. So, where is all this going? Well, tonight, as a result of the Series game, I was thinking about sports (and how I was never 'fit' enough to take part), and then I got into thinking about the stadiums the events are played in, and then I was thinking how fun it would be to play -- sports or music -- in front of a stadium crowd of 75,000+ people, like The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, U2, REM and, yes, football teams. How cool would it be to hear the roar of people calling out like God from an alien transmitter, letting you know in their own uniquely fanatic way how they recognize the meaning of what has brought thousands together? From a distance, the waves of people would remind me of sailing for Atlantis and the colors from the lights bouncing off the cool air would be a ride from Wonder Woman through the Northern Lights! I'd see thousands of smiles through the night's haze, and everyone's teeth, by God, there are a lot of teeth! All glowing invitations to the surging of their spirit. And way above I see stars, and one has my name on it. I think everyone has their name on a star, somewhere. This is what dreaming is for. This is what it's like to dream. This is what it's like to share a dream. I didn't really have a dream until I was 22. I was in college and about to graduate and did not have a clue what I wanted to be when I "grew up." I felt like I needed to be something. I couldn't hardly leave the University without knowing what to do with my life! So, I thought and thought. I asked myself questions. Foremostly, what in my life makes me happy? Of course, family and friends and health would be the first things that come to mind. But what did I like to do for myself and others that gave me great enough reciprocation so that I could lead an overall happy life? I had no real answers except for one: music. During this period of youthful 'soul-searching' all questions were answered for me by music. I love the feeling that overcomes me when I have completed writing a good song. It's unlike any other there is for me in my life. I get excited to share it with others as, in many ways, it is a form of personal communication for me. It is really, now, the only thing I know. Sometimes that scares me, but it is my belief in myself and perseverance that, at the end of the day, reminds me I am better for it. In the recent past, there have been people and friends and family that have said to me how they wish they knew what they really wanted to do and, conversely, references were made as to how "I was lucky because I was doing something I really enjoyed." This is difficult to respond to, (especially if it's not said at the right time). But, I think to myself, and would say to them, that "everything is relative." I've come to think that knowing, or not knowing, what you want to do with your life is equally as challenging. Certainly, "knowing" doesn't make life any better or any easier. Both provide the same rewards -- and consequences. So, if and when, you are doing a little soul-searching of your own, remember, who you are is not defined by what you do but by the character in which you do it.
Recording: With thanks to all those who have helped in the recording and production of our upcoming EP/CD, we are happy to announce that Grasshopper Takeover will be releasing "Echo Park" on Tuesday, November 23rd. It will be available at all Homer's locations throughout Omaha and Lincoln, as well as through our website for those outside the area. The disc will consist of six tunes and, in my opinion, GTO has never sounded better! The songs to be included on the release, in order, are "Esta Vida," "Hit Song," "Noel," "Pick it Up," "Forever Young," and "Purpose." We are happy to be releasing our 3rd project in 3 years and can't wait for you all to hear it. If you would like to hear some advance samples, visit the Music Page to hear MP3s of "Esta Vida" and "Pick it Up," as well as the Band Page to find out all the latest GTO haps and live dates. Recently, we have been bouncing around the idea of putting out a GTO live disc. As a result, we have made plans to record live our Thanksgiving and Christmas shows in Omaha and put out a release, Grasshopper Takeover, Live in Omaha, by March of 2000. The disc will include approximately 15 live tracks and 3 to 4 bonus studio tracks, including a re-make of "Tell Me" from the first GTO disc and possibly a re-record of "The A-song" from the Kind days. Also included will be, two new songs called "Take Me With You" and "Sailing." We will be recording the studio songs sooner than the scheduled release of the live disc, so watch the website for upcoming MP3s.
Other Stuff:
Those interested in being linked to our site, please send links to info@grasshoppertakeover.com Please check out www.garageband.com and vote for GTO's tunes, "Pick it Up" and "Esta Vida." Currently, if you haven't noticed, our email mail list has been in flux. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Thanks to Kent Radek for putting it back together for us. Special thanks to our web designer, Brian Wetjen, for his undying web support. GTO would also like to thank Ken Guthrie, graphic design, and Douglas Allenstein, photography, for their talent and help on "Echo Park." - GTO's pick for "Rad Website
of the Month" goes to www.talkmusic.com Take care of yourself and others. grubb / GTO |