Greetings!

Wayne McMichael · 02-01-2004, 06:20 PM

Geeez... I wish I were from Arizona, but I hail from Vidalia, GA. Mi nombre es Wayne McMichael. I've known our esteemed hostess Cynthia for some time now. This is my first day here. I haven't browsed all the posts and topics yet, but I can see it could be an endless sourse of information and entertainment. I've been an artist all my life. I focused on Graphic Arts for a long time and continue that pursuit, as well as Web Design and every other kind of art and music. I've been a musician (guitar) for 40 years and play in a band on the weekends... life is good (fire is bad). Any way, glad to be associated with a bunch of eccentrics. See you on the forum.

Art Rules, Batman - (Batman is a nick I picked up in the club where we were the house band for years) and if I can stick to the rules and good grammer and spelling, it will be the first time, but I will try.

Chase Mitchell · 02-01-2004, 06:43 PM

Hey Wayne. Glad to see another artist with musical talent. Hope to see some of your art soon.

Take care.

Wayne McMichael · 02-01-2004, 06:56 PM

Thanks, Chase,

I spent a week in Vicksburg MS a while back. We were touring more then. I'm experimenting with vB mode, not sure what I'm doing yet. What do you play? I made a site for my Jam buddies - http://www.willowleaf.com/Jam. We get together 4-5 times a year and play for fun.

I have over 80 musicians on an email list, what a hoot. My site : http://www.portraits.bz

Steven Sweeney · 02-01-2004, 06:58 PM

You know, the literary world has the Rock Bottom Remainders (rock band with Stephen King, Dave Barry et al., for those not familiar.)

Maybe there's room for a portrait band, available for background at gallery openings and exhibitions.

We probably need to start a "Name that Band" contest.

Welcome to our little gig, Wayne.

Steven Sweeney · 02-01-2004, 07:01 PM

Very cool tuner on the Willowleaf site, but that's the most wicked "alternate" tuning I've ever seen. I don't think you're playing much three-chord country with it.

Wayne McMichael · 02-01-2004, 07:10 PM

Thanks, Steven. My band tunes to Eb, so I have to accommodate everyone. You Build instruments?... way cool. What kind? Country, really, That house gig was a Country Club, and I don't mean golf.

I played more country music than I ever thought I would. We play Alternative, blues and classic rock now; more fun for me. Yea, and Web Band, "Stroke of Genius'"... or is that Genui (plural). What instrument do you play?

Steven Sweeney · 02-01-2004, 07:54 PM

Guitars, mostly. My son has two Fenders, I have my dad's Gretsch and a D-45 lookalike that I built in an earlier life (it finally was fitted [I believe that's a word] with a pick-up after twenty years, which has meant that my son stole it from me (he has all the amps in his room). I have forms and lots of tonewoods sitting around for more guitars, but the world came in through all the doors at once a while back and I haven't been able to take up the luthier hobby again. Having a hard time finding "home".

There's an alto sax on site, too (son's great on it, I can manage a tune, but sadly he gave it up when he discovered girls and guitars), and a whole lot of other stringed instruments, either inherited or built from kits. One ceramic flute. Did have a bamboo sax from Maui, but the dog ate it.

It's going to be a heck of a band, soon as I get out of jail and find a new dog and replace the pickup truck that got hit by the train just before I opened the "Dear John" letter and then tried to drown all my sorrows. Might work in E-flat. Can't hurt to try. Maybe use all six strings.

Chase Mitchell · 02-01-2004, 10:05 PM

Wayne,

I mostly play guitar and bass, but I also play a little piano, experimenting with the harmonica, and soon to start working with the saxophone. I'm a music freak. Hehe. I've always had a love for music and the knowledge of it. I play fingerstyle on the guitar mostly. But when I play the bass I love to jam out to funk. Most people find my taste in music a little "off the wall," but I enjoy it. Not sure if you're a fan of fingerstyle playing, but if so you should check out a guy named Justin King. He's fairly young and astounds me how he plays. Best of luck to you in the art and music world Wayne.

Wayne McMichael · 02-02-2004, 11:34 AM

Glad to meet you musical dudes. My dog got run over in Sep., lost my wife 4.5 years ago, but I'm not in jail, my train runs on time and I don't have a Bamboo Sax anyway. I would love to build a guitar, a 24 fret acoustic with a Floyd Rose. I've designed an Electric I would like to build as well.

http://www.willowleaf.com/Jam/images/bat_guitar.jpg

Chase, music is spontaneous art, the best kind. If your not being creative and pushing your artistic envelope, then what's the point. I'm a better musician than I am an artist. I hope I always enjoy wierd music. I'm in the Steve Vai vain, but I'll check out Justin King, Thanks.

Chase Mitchell · 02-02-2004, 12:59 PM

Ohhh man. Steve Vai is an incredible guitar player. I got to meet him a few years ago on the G3 tour with Joe Satriani and John Petrucci. They are some of the coolest people. I used to have a lot of Steve Vai's music until my roommate stole it all and pawned it off. But if you know who Steve Vai is I'm sure you might know the other aforementioned musicians. Dream Theater is my all time favorite band though (John Petrucci). I wish I could hear some of your stuff. Oh yeh, and that guitar is sweet. Right now I'm playing an ESP F-100, and a Dean 4-string rhapsody. Nothing special, but it keeps me moving.

Take care Wayne.