My hope and all of our hopes should be to look out for one another whatever our beliefs are. That’s why I love music, it can bring many diverse people together. Just playing under the stars and the mountains the other night, seeing kids and adults smile, there’s no division. For me what I love in music is it can bring people into their hearts and out of their heads and in that way we can become one. Me saying this, I’m a flawed human with much to learn, but my experience if I can get out of the way and music can come through, and I do believe it happens with many people together, it’s a joy that is as real as anything. I'll always believe in music above anything else. It's my wish and should be all of our wishes to help kids get the opportunity to have the chance to learn an instrument.

One way to spark your imagination is to work on your inner world, to remember what it was like to play as a child. To have the freedom of imagination of a child and bring that back around and stay close to it if it’s still strong. I would encourage everyone to play music. It is our universal language, it reaches our hearts and more than ever that’s crucial. I encourage parents to bring music to their children. And I encourage every adult to play instruments, it’s never too late. There definitely needs to be a strong inner world to bring to this outer world.

Wish List

I’m going to start a wish list. My first wish is that everyone would learn to play an instrument. An instrument that they interact with. I do feel in the things I’ve learned that to interact with something such as a guitar, where you’re really controlling the loudness, the rhythm, the melodies, it’s such a healing thing. I’ve had a lot of experiences of talking to people about playing guitar and many of them say Oh I could never be that good or they think that if can’t get to some kind of level at it that they would rather not even try. It always saddens me because some of the greatest times of my life playing guitar were after difficult things that happened in my own private moments where no one’s around. Just to have that outlet, just to play simple chords and let them ring out, it’s so healing. I wish everyone could experience this. Not having expectations, not even trying to make it into a career. Just simply for the joy of the experience or the outlet when there are hard times, when there are great times, when there are sad times. I think it could bring a lot of light into the world and bring people together.

Feel really honored that Barry Michels asked me to interview him for his podcast. Consider him to be one of the greatest humans. Really hope that everyone can look into his teachings. The kind of healing and help he brings is so valuable to have. Hoping so much this can be helpful for everyone.

Thanks to all the disembodied folks for attending the grand opening of my book store Disembodied Books.

Cob plays in dreamlands and brings their sound to emotions. For me some of my favorite listening experiences.

It was so great to get to see Weakened Friends live. They’re such a great band, become one of my favorites. Sonia’s really a powerful performer. So glad she and her group are out there. Just so great to see real music with sincere expression. They’re touring again, hope everyone gets a chance to see how great they are.

Here is their tour dates

There’s so much magic in the universe. It wants to show us all. Luckily more and more I’ve been experiencing it as many do and as everybody can.

Letter to my lost guitar

Sorry I was careless with you to put you in a place where you could be taken or stolen. All the hours we spent you taught me so much. I know that we were one. The connection of all those hours can’t be replaced. I know now that the strings came alive the more I played, communicating to me all emotions, far away regions, delicate tear drops, ferocious thunder storms. I do miss you. You were there always for me but I wasn’t there always for you. I pray that you’re in the hands of somebody who loves you. Maybe one day we’ll meet again. Thank you for the joy through all the good and bad times I came to you. Thank you.

Dream come true that this song exists. Getting to play with Bootsy and Jennifer Batten it’s totally out of this world. Jennifer really shines on this song. Bootsy’s bass is like volcanic mercurial demolition. So happy to be on it.

Cob’s first EP Mt. Oolith. For me Cob’s music is a journey to sound labyrinth. It’s great to hear all these songs together, further taking otherworldly expeditions. Along with the album Cob’s artwork for me creates a bridge between the sound and the visual. Excited to know that Cob is selling her artwork. You can find it here. Hoping that more and more discover what a great talent and artist Cob is.

One of the greatest moments of my life got to work with John Carpenter on Ghost of Mars. He was so nice it's such a great memory.

Celebrating Hilma af Klint

During around 2020 Maskland period got the documentary Beyond The Visible. Wasn’t familiar with Hilma then. It’s been incredible discovering Hilma’s art and vision. Way ahead of her time and the volume of her output with writing and art is so remarkable. So inspired by her. It’s so wild how someone’s art can sustain their life force to keep growing. So delighted for all her effort and hard work. So nice to be inspired by her. She lives on.

Bootsy and Patti Collins have been so dear to me and always there for me. It’s comforting to know that I have such strong pillars I can turn to. I wish everyone could have an experience of people like this. I’m very very fortunate. In times of need, which are more and more these days for me, they’re there. Saying this wanted to bring Patti’s story and her incredible, courageous podcast Is Any Body Out There? - Breaking the Silence. Here is a link to this. It’s very emotional to hear this. And for her courage. Again I’m always amazed at how strong women are. I’ve been fortunate enough to be around incredible, strong courageous women. If only I had just an ounce of their courage. What Patti is doing is an incredible thing and I have to say for me in my life Patti is one of the greatest people I’ve ever met. She’s such a force of good. When I’m around her and Bootsy I’ve always felt lifted up above the clouds. It’s so disheartening the evil in the world. Stories like this and so many others, but this type of courage you could build mountains on. Patti’s strength and courage should inspire us all.

Just trying another journal idea. Sometimes in writing things I want to get things out but I don’t necessarily want them to exist. But it is therapeutic to write things out. So I just started drawing and coloring over the top of whatever feelings I had at the time and it’s been a nice experience for me. Maybe it could be something that is helpful for someone. It kind of feels to me like a transmutation in a way. These are just some of them so far.

Psychic Armor

......Just wanted to say in the last few years I’ve been very lucky to work with younger incredible artists. A real joy was working on the album with Cyrille. It was in a tough time for me and Cyrille’s amazing talent and focus and drive really was uplifting. They did so much great work on the recording. Watching Cyrille do the tarot was baffling, it just came out. Cyrille is an amazing poet, an amazing artist. Cyrille will do great things for the world.

.....Juno also was one of the nicest surprises to meet and to work with. Has so much natural talent and drive and so much creativity. It’s been a great learning experience being around Juno. Look forward to always seeing what he’s doing. He can play anything and has that mad scientist type of talent.

.....Getting to perform with Tali was amazing. Another incredibly talented young person. Her vocal ability with character voices was such a joy to be around and her presence is very amazing. I feel lucky to have these experiences with these artists.

At The Wiltern show Barry Michels is going to read some of his poetry. His poetry is really powerful. So excited to have him in the show. I feel in this world he is one of the best forces and teachers we have.

Azam Ali will be performing as well at the Wiltern. This is the first time we will be playing together. So excited. Known her for so long and to finally get the chance to play together it’s going to be really magical. Her voice is from beyond the stars.

This new song ASTRO-Sailing by Cob with Brewer doing drums is really an achievement. To me it’s sonic geometry. Witnessing Cob and her work ethic is pretty towering. Just really super amazed by how great Cob is and it’s just starting.

New song from Cob. It’s incredible to witness Cob’s talent. One thing I love with this song is Cob had experienced dental unpleasantry and instead of letting it be negative she created a piece of music that soars through the galaxies shortly after that experience, which is such a great lesson to use to be creative in the face of something unpleasant as such a way of raising up out of it. Cob is constantly creating and it’s so inspiring to see.

Cob’s putting out new music. Cob’s music is some of my favorite music I’ve ever heard. Reminds me of living architecture in other galaxies. Cob’s so talented and made and produced this song on her own. It’s been incredible to work with Cob and I’m so excited for all the music she’s going to bring to the world.

So excited one of my all time favorite guitarists Jennifer Batten, one of the greatest guitarists and musicians of all time. We’re going to collaborate soon.

There are many troubling things that happened to all of us at different times of our lives. For me I’ve been fortunate to have great help with many people over the years. There are many troubling memories that are difficult to go back to but there are many lessons in those memories. Just have tried many different approaches and recently was thinking about the guitars that were taken and that particular memory is always pretty painful. So what I’ve been doing is catching myself and trying to change the outcome and putting absurdness into it. I’m calling it slaughterhouse therapy. An example of this would be thinking about the guitar I practiced 13,000 hours on is a difficult loss. In thinking about this guitar I always hope it got to a child’s hands and they are enjoying it and learning. What I do with that memory now is I imagine that a 13th century alchemist has risen from the dead and found the guitar and brought it back to his burial site played in the midnight hour an alchemical melody that will bring peace to the world and crawl back into his burial suit with the guitar with him to rest at peace. In saying all this I’m just trying to express, and of course anyone should take their own path on this, a painful memory that I can go back to now and not feel so saddened by and can add a sense of humor to it which is very helpful. I’m finding more and more that as I do this it’s very healing.

Weakened Friends

Really happy to have been asked to play on the song called “NPC” from the band Weakened Friends, one of my favorite groups. Their new album is so great, really encourage everyone to get it. It’s so nice to hear an album that’s so strong and each song is its own, making it a great whole listening experience. I’m a big admirer of Sonia Sturino the lead singer and guitarist. She’s a force. Great lyricist, great singer, great guitarist, great performer. I am really honored to be asked to be on their record. They’re a great live band, if you get a chance definitely go see them.

Soon to be released “The Tin Plague” and vinyl collection of songs called "Giving The Metals Another Touch" from Bucketheadland's Basement

Just feel very lucky for all your support, getting able to play the Caverns and people attending. To be able to play in the Caverns is really just otherworldly. These have been some of my favorite times playing. It was so fun to interact with the lights and the spiral galaxies that were happening on the wall of the cave. That was one of the funnest experiences. Thanks for everyone who attended and so fun to see all of you. Upon returning I got to see another incredible work of Mother Nature. Here are some of what got to witness, it was so spectacular and breathtaking.

So captivated by this image. Amazing artist Tashina Suzuki.

Another miracle in my life was to meet Barry Michels. If anything I’ve ever done has meant anything the strongest thing I can urge is to really look into this great man and to learn from him. He’s facing a very daunting progression and yet still brings more good to the world than anyone I know.

To be in Bootsy’s presence again is so electric. He’s so incredible. One of the shining lights of the earth. It had been some time since I had been with him and was as much fun and joy as ever before. He’s always been so gracious to me and his heart is so beautiful. So excited for the next journey with him.

Out in front of King Records with Afrika Bambaataa and Bootsy

Looking so foward to doing a fundraiser event with King Records Legacy Foundation stewards for the King Records building & the legacy of artists that played there. It's so odd to imagine that a fundraiser would even be needed because that building brought some of the greatest music and creativity to the world.  It is a sacred space and needs to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect. It's sad to think these things aren't valued the way they should be. In saying that, working with Bootsy, Patti, Kent Butts & the foundation together with everyone's help we can change that. Looking foward to this so much. 

So excited to announce working with Dr. Joe Dispenza on music. He's such a great force in this world helping so many. It's a real honor for me.

Through Bootsy, Patti, and Scott I’ve been very fortunate to meet Patrick and his team. Learning of one of the most courageous important things one can do, rescuing children. For more information click here.

Wanting to express something.  In growing up I had a difficult time in school.  I was never good at changing my mind into another subject.  For instance going from history to math to english.  I did poorly in school and to a degree teased and in my case lacking confidence and having poor self esteem that environment was difficult for me.  I would never trade it and I’m not complaining but I feel like I just want to express this if anyone relates to this.  It wasn’t until really that I was out of school that I started to feel, and this is for me, that I started to gain momentum and feeling good about learning things.  So this is just mainly for people that have a difficult time with having to change their mindset every hour.  As I look back on it I feel in my case the strength I had was I got really into music and that's all I really wanted to do and that's where my mind was at.  Through school I day dreamed of music quite a bit.  In saying all this the thing that makes me sad is that I see that as a strength now and I hope that if anyone is out there that struggles with that and feeling that they are not smart or feeling ashamed that it's something you can see the value that has a mind that sits on one thing for long periods of time and not seeing that as a negative thing but a positive thing.  I do know many people have thrived in the environment of having to change their mind subject to subject quickly and obviously that’s a great thing to have.  I just feel for the people that feel ashamed that they can’t do that but hoping that they can see the value of being able to stay focused on one thing and being consumed with it also as being a very important thing and something that can be greatly beneficial even though it might not be valued in a school environment where each subject is changing hour by hour.

I love Bootsy Collins with all my heart. I don’t know how many people have a childhood hero who they eventually get to meet and befriends them. And at the same time so many of the things that I was ashamed of about myself he saw as some of the greatest parts of myself. It encouraged me to bring those out. That kind of healing was and is one of the miracles of my life. I wish everyone could experience this. I know if people could it would be a much more harmonious world where people would look out for one another. Please honor Bootsy. He’s here with us right now. My experiences with him have been the closest to heaven feelings I’ve been lucky enough to experience.

The last bunch of shows were very heartwarming. Again I’m just so grateful to the people who are attending. It’s always really a blessing to see a parent and their child. Those moments are deeply emotional for me. During the toys I saw a father and a daughter share a moment that seemed very joyous. It’s difficult to put into words but those moments of witnessing real love is worth every hour I practiced and everything I said no to and every time I took a chance of not knowing the outcome. Not to make it about me just trying to express that feeling. Another moment I saw a son and mother share in joy and again just being a part of that is worth everything. I’m just so grateful and this is one of the mysteries of music but for me when I’m playing there are many times I feel like everyone is playing. It’s tough to put into words but it’s a feeling that I know is real. It takes all of us to make the notes breathe.

Halloween week was one of the funnest times to play the two shows on the East Coast and have one in the Bay Area. It was such a fun experience. Very grateful for all the people that attended. It lifts my spirits and the feeling of it being Halloween time is so magical. Again thanks for all the gifts and art. It’s very touching. Look forward to many more.

Three of the greatest