When I started working with the Mere Mortals it just seemed like a fun gig where I could play banjo (and get paid). Now, I am getting so interested in Irish music...heck, its my roots! I so wish my Grandfather Gordon McKeown were still alive. I could play all these great songs that I am learning with him.

It is pretty exciting to apply all these things that I know, or that I am already working on like banjo technique to this music.

I am not really interested (not yet anyways) in learning a traditional Irish banjo style for this band. I am so into Scruggs style banjo that it makes more sense to apply that. Besides, this group is really a fusion of rock, punk and irish music anyways.

The hardest part is keeping up with all the Guiness consumption. So many tunes to learn before Saturday! (my first ever St. Pats Day gig!...in Hamilton at the somewhat famous Gaelic pub downtown...)

Well, only an hour left in my birth day. It was a fun day...got to see lots of friends and eat some good food, did yoga, got some nice gifts (including neil young live at massey hall/1971 that just came out today!)

I don't know where all the time goes though...I guess I did spend a couple hours playing fiddle tunes with my friend mitch. It amazes me that the podcamp I attended was about two weeks ago and I haven't had time to follow up or look into one of the ideas or new connections that I made that day. (sometimes I wonder if the podcast is the thing that I really don't have time for anymore)

I am spending a fair bit of time working on learning music for this Irish Rock band that I have been playing banjo and guitar with, they are called the Mere Mortals. (it is fun but a lot of work to get a whole new repertoire together really fast)

Had a nice visit with my old friend Sandy and we went out to hear NOJO at the Trane Studios last night. What a great room! It was my first time there and now I want to play there, good sound, good vibe. Fun to hear NOJO play some new tunes and ones I haven't heard in almost ten years!

tim