Woke up to the news this morning that we now have 108 dead from the bushfires over the weekend. Very distressing TV and print coverage. Our most famous TV anchor news man and his wife died in their house.

It was 46 deg C here in Melbourne on Saturday with a huge wind like a furnace if you stepped outside - it just created a horror situation and fireballs moved so quickly people didn't have any warning or time to evacuate.

On a musical topic, I'll try to see snippets of the Grammy's from my desktop today if I get time.

I brought home the electric last night - it turned out to be a Telecaster not a Stratocaster, and is REALLY tiny - compared to the acoustic. I bought an amp for $3.80 on ebay (Woodstock 20 watt thing) which should come in a week or so.

I can't stop watching this damn kid play guitar. Anton Oparin playing 'Scarified' and 'let the computer decide'

apologies if it's old hat. But OMG.

We're watching the Pro-Bowl, and my son says "Mom, they're playing Joe!", so I listen closer and there it was - CROWD CHANT in the second quarter :-) and the crowd was singing along! Earlier I was watching downhill skiing and they played Joe's If I Could Fly with Coldplay's music over it - and nobody was singing along.

Chin up Aussies! What a horrible nightmare with all the fires. Our prayers are with you all.

Thanks maritime and ibanez-god - C and F are so much easier on the electric cos the fingerboard seems flatter and the strings are closer to the board.

Happy Birthday Stu!

OK...I'll try again to give me a point to catch up from here on T2J. The Grammys are tonight so I figure that'll give me something to talk about later.

What have I been up to for the last month or so?
- I was sick, twice (about three weeks total, but nothing serious).
- I visited home for a week before Christmas (I think I may have mentioned that here).
- I went to a funeral on New Year's Eve.
- I got a flat tire around that same time and have probably spent about $800 fixing it and some car suspension problems it caused since then.
- I was told my job will likely move from Torrance to West Covina in a few months...a change from a 30 mile commute northwest to an hour commute northeast, one way. Separate from this upcoming move, we moved into a smaller office down the street. And we were all told we had to take five furlough days (unpaid days off) between now and the end of March.
- I went on a near-date (::gasp::)...I think she and I both liked each other but there were a lot of mixed signals so nothing happened.

I also found time to go to some cool concerts, as you'd expect. ;-)

I saw the Black Crowes three times in December...I'm pretty sure I talked about those shows here. I saw Eric Johnson a few weeks ago, just before NAMM...probably the best show I've ever seen him do. I saw Kaki King, an amazing acoustic guitarist. And just last night I saw Tim Reynolds, who is probably most famous as the occasional Dave Matthews Band sideman but also actually does some really cool instrumental guitar rock.

I'll elaborate on some of this stuff later, maybe. But I wanted to get it all out of the way quickly now, before the Grammys get going. Man, it would have been cool to see a bunch of lawyers chasing Coldplay around everywhere (I'd love to see the video..."Excuse me, Chris Martin, can you sign my copy of...YOU'VE JUST BEEN SERVED!!!"). I think the fact that Coldplay is avoiding even being officially served up to this point is a sign that the band knows it has something to lose. We'll have to see how it goes, I guess...

Update:

Coldplay will be profiled on a segment on 60 Minutes in the US in the hour preceding the Grammy Awards.

Dunno if I missed it - turnt it on 15 minutes late. They were just interviewing the pilot of the plane that went down in the Hudson River.

I'm 7 pages behind yet...

michelle - Thanks!

I thought I saw something at work a few days ago that said the entire 60 Minutes episode would be devoted to 1549...I guess that could've changed, but I don't know. Or maybe the 60 Minutes segment on Coldplay will be inside the actual Grammys timeslot? You're three hours ahead of me, so maybe you can tell me what's up... ;-)

I don't think I'll watch the Grammys tonight, but I might flip it on at the end for the Song of the Year award, to see if Coolplay #10 have any dumb things to say about Satch.

Does anyone know of any past examples of Grammy Awards that were retroactively given to other people as a result of lawsuits over writing credits, or maybe session musicians seeking the award for the music they actually recorded? I was looking around online and couldn't find anything, but I bet it's happened before.

It'd be a neat piece of trivia for Joe to win an award (after the fact) that he was never technically nominated for.

Also, to clear up any possible confusion, for everyone...Coldplay is up for several awards tonight, but the only one that has anything to do with Satch is the Song of the Year award (because that's the only one that is related to the songwriter). If the album or song win recording/performance awards it doesn't really affect us.

I don't know how I want tonight to go. Should the song lose in all categories? Or should Coldplay only win the songwriting award, and then have it given to/shared with Satch as a result of the lawsuit?

Castle49--We got rain on Friday. Yesterday was dry and today it's been cloudy to partly sunny. Not a drop of rain. A friend on the coast in Santa Cruz said they were getting light drizzle, but not much more than wet pavement around his apartment. I sure hope you are getting some rain. I want to volunteer during my vacation (if my husband lets me) clearing dry grass and brush around people's homes (as far south as Santa Barbara Co. if possible) so if Cali goes up in flames this summer/fall people's homes are much less likely to catch fire. Someone's got to do it! God knows Calfire and local firefighters don't have enough personnel and funds to prevent fires from breaking out! Let me know how you think this can be coordinated. Is there a site I can go to to volunteer?

song of the effin year...............

Hi Everyone--Gonna watch Grammies tonight and before that 60 minutes about the pilot from Danville, Cali who landed disabled airliner 1549(?) on the Hudson River, NY!

So much to catch up on and my Steve's calling me and also my acoustic Fender is feeling neglected! Hubby's listening to Roxy Music--1980s jazzy stuff.

COLDPLAY WON SONG OF THE YEAR FOR VIVA LA VIDA NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joe better win the lawsuit, if he gets royalty on the song of the year, thats a big chuck of change in his pocket!

anyways I booked my license test for the 27th, and filled out some job applications to a few stores, I hope I get into Pet World. I love animals and I get a discount. I should buy some reptile, like an iguana or lizard, I want a chameleon but they are $100, there was a cool looking lizard for $19.99. but it would take quite alot to convince my mom to let me get a reptile. I also wanted a ferret. but all they do is sleep./

The band won. Chris accepted the Grammy, then as the rest of the band went backstage to get pictures and interviews, he went the opposite way and went back to his seat. What a twit. At least the band would have had a picture of their tainted Grammy with the band, but now it's just three guys without an award. lmao! I'm sure they'll give them a loaner... not to be confused with the loaner they just were handed.

The 60 Minutes interview - ahh, their just a bunch of kids ferchristsake. Silly boys who've charmed their way into the hearts of way to many. lol! There was about 30 seconds on the TWO lawsuits against them, but no names were mentioned. Before that, Chris said something along the lines like "we're short on talent but big on enthusiasm." I can't agree more.

Whoever plans on watching the pilot interview, grab some tissues. The families meeting the crew is pretty emotional. Maybe it's just me, but some of the things the families say, and the letters Sully's wife reads - gah! Straight to the heart. I cried watching that, then i cried watching Extreme Home Makeover, then I cried again watching Jennifer Hudson sing at the Grammy's.

Austin, you said " If the album or song win recording/performance awards it doesn't really affect us. " lmao! It still doesn't affect us hon. It affects Joe. LOL! You sound like a member of his legal team...which you secretly might be with all the time you've had on yer hands lately. lol!

Alan, you can do it! Well, if you stay sober long enough to study a bit more ffs! You'll be driving yer liver around in a paper cup if ya don't give it a break young man! And yes, I know that made no sense and I said it anyways - just so you know I tole ya so!

Thanks for the info, Michelle. I'm sitting here and just saw them win for best song. I wish i was there, I would have boo'd, seriously. =]

I'm a parallegal, Joe, and I have served a few in my time. Boy would i love the opportunity to help in any way on this one. =]

Since when have the Grammy's exhibited much taste, or intelligence?? So it's not surprising...although if they love that song so much, in a way it's a nod to Joe at least. Damn Grammys.

chelle, maybe you'd prefare the Ghosts...of Scotland....this way :)

Slan....that's quite a story and especially hair-raising, to say the least!! When Chris had his private lesson with Joe, Joe had his own ghostly encounter story to tell us, which was actually pretty cool, and I told him about ours....when I bought this house back in 2001, it came with a resident spirit. We had several freaky encounters and events here, one in particular that drove us to my mom and dad's house to spend the night, lol.....but in the end managed to send him on his way and all has been quiet since. But I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that he was here, he was confused and prolly very perturbed at how NOISY Chris was with his guitar, LOL....so he acted up and made his presence known. Scared the puddin' outta both of us, to be sure, but he was actually harmless as it turned out. To my understanding, most if not all spirits are harmless, so I don't freak out so much anymore. But that don't mean I ain't gonna pee a little if it ever happens again, LOL!! And I actually find it comforting to know that existance does go on, and our fur babies are there as well.

Chelle, so when we go to Scotland honey, we won't make u go into any graveyards or dark, damp places, k? We'll keep you out in the fresh air, looking at the beeyooteeful countryside :)

anibur....I was actually gonna suggest you try an electric to see if it's easier, cuz it is, but you've already discovered that for yourself :) Have fun....learning on the acoustic first is valuable though, but not if it discourages you from keeping up with playing!!

So sorry over the brushfires in Oz-land...so sad. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you there.

Wow Phil, nice job on those two songs...you're quite the player :) Sorry to hear you've been hurting, what the heck happened?? Were you moshing again? :)

Mckenna, may I remind you of yer vow the next time yer invited out? Yer liver WILL thank me I'm thinkin....and just take the damn test, do everything right and get it over with!!!

Hippo Birdie Stu-art Hamm :) May you have many more years to come....

I noticed that when Coldplay went up to receive one of their grammys, it happened to be Blink 182 who gave it to them. If I had been Tom Delonge I would have made a comment about it as I was shaking their hands. I wonder if he was thinking "What a bunch of dorks these guys are"...