****** Here we go again ******

HOLIDAY WISHES FROM BOB AND HELEN

To all our Paradox family, we wish you a most joyous holiday. Stay
healthy in 2012 and use the blog so we can all stay in touch.....

Last minute shopping

Just in time for an eclectic Christmas. Roger "The Lodger" Dutton has unleashed two great new Cd's. Buy two, they're small! Yule be glad you did.
Support your Paradox artist today.
available from:

dutton@greencafe.com
$15.00 ea. or 2 @$25.00 free shipping

Mind boggling stuff

After discovering the first habitable planet Kepler 22b, scientists now think they are about to crack the Higgs-Boson or so called God Particle. If that holds true we could be on our way to the creation of a Genesis planet before long.
Maybe a bit of a leap but maybe not! BEAM ME UP,SCOTTY

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-higgs-boson-20111214,0,7076752.story

Occupy DC

Hooray Jackson! 

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/1211/Spotted_Jackson_Browne_sings_for_Occupy_DC.html

What was I thinking?

I've come to confess my guilt and ask forgiveness and absolution from the fast food gods.


Carls Jr. Six Dollar Angus Steak BurgerServing Size (g) 399

Total Calories 1060
Calories From Fat 590
Fat (g) 67
Saturated Fat (g) 23
Cholesterol (mg) 125
Sodium (mg) 2360
Carbohydrates (g) 69
Dietary Fiber (g) 4
Sugars (g) 19
Protein (g) 48

My, my

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLB900atJFs&feature=related

Joe Bonamassa Live from the Royal Albert Hall

Just caught this on PBS. Amazing blues guitar player. Watch your guide and don't miss it when it comes your way.
http://jbonamassa.com/

Simple Gift

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

A little holiday cheer

THIS MUST STOP NOW!

http://tinyurl.com/c4d9exc

It's a very special day

It's 11/11/11. It's Nigel Tufnel Day And, as George Takei reminds us, it's also the day on which dyslexia loses it's hold. Good day to rent both "This Is Spinal Tap", and "A Mighty Wind".

I've even managed to find a parts supplier that has Strat knobs that go up to 11. So let's all get down and get loud.

The Gayle Lynn band just got back from a wonderful weekend up in the mountains. We were playing the Jack Douglass Saloon, up in Columbia State Park, and Tom and Gayle's family have a place up there, so we had something like band camp. We set up in the living room, had a fire going, and had a bit of a rehearsal to learn a few of Maurice Tani's tunes. His wife plays percussion for us. So all of our spouses were up for the fun, too.

After we nailed Maurices stuff down, it turned into a song swap, and by the time any of us got to the second chorus of the song we were showing off, the whole rest of the band was in, and kicking. Normally, we see each other at gigs, rehearsals, and parties, so this is the first taste a lot of us got of how deep and varied our musical backgrounds are. So Saturday night and Sunday morning were playtimes. The gig went wonderfully, and then we went back to the house and played some more. I haven't had this much musical fun in ages, and the spousal units were amazed as well. We're already planning to do it again. I love my band.

Best Movie Yet This Year

Norma and I saw "Margin Call" three days ago, and are still talking about it. This is a film where the plat synopsis won't get you there. The brass at a Lehman Brothers-like investment bank discover that they're over leveraged and exposed past the entire worth of the company, and have one day in which to deal with it. It's all talk, but it's as exciting, and intense as a caper flick, and you watch the principles deal with the moral implications of the fact that the only way out is to commit fraud that will both save their financial asses, and end their careers and most of what passes for friendship. As with Shakespeare, there are no totally evil characters. There is also not a false note anywhere. Stanley Tucci, Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, all give performances that have to be considered for Oscars. You'll believe, and you'll care.

http://www.margincallmovie.com/

This just in from Paradox Reunion via Sherry Miller

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

TRICK OR TREAT
SMELL MY FEET
GIVE ME SOMETHING
GOOD TO EAT

Sweet Memories

http://www.iow1970.com/blog/?p=174

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you

Want to see for yourself?
http://tinyurl.com/3bycjej

The new reality

My favorite take on current events

Locally, we're having Occupy SF, Occupy Oakland, and even Occupy San Rafael. I believe there's a real change happening in the national dialog. But sometimes I need to remind myself to calm down. We're acting our parts in that old Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times."

But it's great seeing the idealism in kids coming out again. They're waking up.

Scaff's Skiffle Band

Another flash from the past. 

Thanks to the genius of Dave Hall and Steve Scaff, Scaff's Skiffle Band recorded most of an album in 1967.  Who knew?  Even I didn't, and I was there!

What a voice Cass Conway had, not to mention some wild jug and washtub bass playing (was that Dan Winchester?).   We even had the Steve Scaff version of fractured fairy tales.  Lots of fun and Scaffian shenanigans but those 19 year olds also sounded great.  What a time! 

Jug band music certainly was a treat to me ... 

Self Indungence

How to burn through $80.00 in the blink of an eye. We ordered 6 Lobster Rolls. Susan ate two I ate three @ $12.00 a pop. TOTALLY WORTH IT!

http://www.lobstatruck.com/

Outlaws from the past

Thought this might be good for a laugh.
Taken at a record store in Atlanta 1974 and just now resurfaced at John Mcuen's house. Thanks Mimi & John.

The newly weds

Congratulation Rand and Mandy

After being best friends and lovers for years, they tied the not. We, your Paradox family are extremley happy for you both.
May I present Mr and Mrs Rand Launder, a outstanding couple. Luck on you glass blowing. Remember the guy at Knotts berry farm that blew glass?
Hope to see you for our reunion in 2013.

LoveBob and Helen

They Say it's Your Birthday Gary

????

HELLO, ....HELLO.....HELLO........

ANYONE OUT THERE????????????????

Woof**Howl** HAPPY BIRTHDAY** Feed me**Zzzzzzz

Forty-seven sounds just about right!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HELEN

THE OC

WE JUST GOT BACK FROM A VISIT TO TUCSON, ON THE WAY WE GOT TO HAVE A SUPER GREAT BRUNCH WITH GARY AND SUSAN, NOW RETIRED FROM 40 YEARS OF TEACHING, JAN AND RANDY, BIG TOM, BILL AND DON, OUR BROTHERS. IT WAS GREAT SEEING OUR OC PARADOX FAMILY AND GREAT GETTING OUT OF THAT CRAZY PLACE.
TODAY I AM 74, I'M SURE I GOT IT BACKWARDS AND IT'S 47.....................BOB JUST BROUGHT ME ROSES.

Heaven on Earth

Just back from Nevada City and a great visit with Bob and Helen and their wonderful family. 

Dave Hall worked night and day to capture old Paradox reel-to-reel tapes before they disintegrate before our very eyes, and I'm now out beating the bushes for more tapes before they are lost to us forever.  Not sure yet what we'll do with them -- a Paradox museum? a radio documentary? a video? all of the above? -- but the main thing is not to lose these great voices from the past. 

Jim Fielder

Thought you might get a kick out of this.

Not good news

My dear friends and bandmates, Tom and Gayle, lost their home and all their material possessions on Wednesday night. They and their upstairs neighbor, Pam Brandon, who sings lead for Lost Weekend, were in France for Pam's parents 50th wedding anniversary, so no one was hurt, but as I said they lost everything, except for Pam's D-41 Martin.

Pam was actually at the SF airport, steamed that her boyfriend was late in picking her up. He said, "I've got worse news than that...." And she found out that, instead of going home, she didn't have one. Tom and Gayle are back with Gayle's folks in Kentucky and handling stuff by phone. Seemed pointless coming back to nothing.

They're insured and safe, and we're already putting benefits together to raise some cash. They have put in so much time and goodwill into the country scene here, and the community has rallied around them. The first benefit was last night. 77 El Deora passed the hat at their concert, and donated their take from the night, and we raised nearly $1000. More to follow.

These are three of the finest people we know, and are the heart of our musical community. And that's what we're dealing with here in San Francisco.

http://www.haighteration.com/2011/07/fire-engulfs-house-on-waller-street.html

The Paradox Lives

Snapshots 2011

Bob and the Tuesday Night Guys

Snapshots 2011

Tuesday night guys

Snapshots 2011

... Eric Howls(while Oliver Hardy disapproves) ...

Snapshots 2011

We'll have to wait for Mike's professional ones but in the meantime .... Hank Jr., Maury, Steve, Elvis, and Cheri sing us home.

Some thoughts

I think some serious thank you's are in order here:

Standing ovations for the following:

Bob & Helen for being the best hosts on the planet
Hank & Connie, Bob & Helen for emptying their pockets to get the whole PARADOX thing started
Diane for being our spiritual leader on this 6 year journey
Hannah for keeping T-Shirt sales going so we could pay for the Porta Potties
Steve for keeping the music flowing as seamlessly as possible, not an easy task.
All the musicians & poets both young and old who shared there many talents (you know who you are)
Hank & Connie for the famous Paradox chocolate chip cookies
The fantastic kitchen staff (you know who you are) under Sherry's watchful eye for keeping our bellies filled to the brim.
Ed for loaning his baritone voice & along side Henry kept the barbecue going, Steve for the Gumbo of Love, Pam for the outrageous Carnitas, Tara for all the brunches from the heart etc.,etc.
Linda & Mark for helping to get it all together early.
Dave who rose to the occasion as usual with the recording and sound.(also not an easy task)
Don & Bill & Steve for helping rescue the transport of the sound equipment when our transportation fell through at the last minute.
Daisy for protecting all her guests and keeping us entertained with her antics.
Tom & Vinnie for keeping the mice under control

Remember this folks............ " It ain't over 'till the fat lady sings"

Remembering When (2009)

Remembering When (2009)

Remembering When (2009)

Remembering When (2009)

Remembering When (2009)

 

Steve Noonan

Remembering When (2009)

 

Rik Elswit

Remembering When (2009)

 

Jimmie Fadden, Bruce Kunkel, Jim Fielder

Remembering When (2009)

 

Jim Fielder and Rob Kellenbeck

Remembering When (2009)

 

Michael Ray Cox, Jim Fielder, Ralph Barr

Remembering When (2009)

 

Paradox Fans

Remembering When

While we wait on more photos from 2011 to trickle in, here are a few Mike Maginot took in 2009.

 

Bob Sheffer

 

Pam Smith

Last Gayle Gig of the Summer

If you're coming back by SF after the reunion, you could catch my band on Sunday evening, at 6PM. I thought we were going to have to blow this off, because I wasn't about to miss the reunion, but Gayle got us moved up the ticket, and we're going on last. And, as some of you know, we're a lot more twang than folk. But this is always a great festival, and I'm glad to be able to do it and P3.

It's at the Presidio Middle School at 30th and Geary, and running all weekend.

Google Troubles?

Helen is having trouble with posting.  I hope others aren't.  A history blog I participate in has had troubles, too. 

Email me if you can't post and I'll see if I can fix it. 

WEATHER, JUNE 1ST

SNOW, HAIL, THUNDER, LIGHTING,TORNADOES WARNINGS, ON THE 1ST OF JUNE, IN NO. CALIFORNIA, WHA'S HAPPIN'N????

DESPERATELY SEEKING SUZI

On the off chance that people might search for some of our missing members, and have more luck finding them than I have had, I thought it might help to list them here from time to time:

Suzi Thompson

Cass Conway

Dan Winchester

I'm sure there are others we should keep trying to find ... ?

OK, it's our weekend in the Sierras. But first, we go see 77 El Deora's gig at Strings, in Oakland, tonight. Then Friday night we open for the Bootcuts, which is yet another of Misisipi Mike's bands, at the Hotel Utah. Saturday night we play the Douglass Saloon at the state park in Columbia, near Sonora. And Sunday, we're off to the Calaveras County Fair, for the frog jumping contest. I'm up for this.

Penny Nichols and Severin Browne in L.A.

Sunday afternoon, May 29th

 

The Coffee Gallery Backstage

2029 N. Lake

Altadena, CA.  

 

Phone For Reservations:  

(626) 794-2424

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB

Take a right at Tommy the Trojan

I'm just back from Rik's alma mater and the LA Festival of the Books.  I was hoping to look for Maggie's Farm but didn't have the time to go wandering around too much.

While on campus I went looking for the USC bookstore and asked someone for directions.  He said go down that way and take a right at Tommy the Trojan ... Sure enough, there it was!

Yes Virginia there is an Oyster Bunny

HAPPY OYSTER TO ALL

My CMA Award ...

CMA Awards

Not a big fan of award shows or Taylor Swift...but she got my attention this time. You can watch it on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKwWq4mnaiw&feature=player_embedded

This just in from John McEuen

I can't figure out how to post the actual video, but here's a link to a terrific promo video on John and the Dirt Band:
   
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1655057105992 

And the story of Mr. Bojangles:  http://tobtr.com/s/1637567

Latest Dave update

I emailed Dave yesterday. Here's the latest:

Hi Dave.....Just checkin' in to see how things are going. I tried to call but no answer. Hope all is well. Hugs....Us

Response:
just bearley ha Dave

What a day

Reeling from all the heavies today, I tuned in to the classical station. A familiar melody pulled me in, but out of context - it was Renaissance music. Digging into my LPs, found Reflections in a Crystal Wind, Richard & Mimi Farina, A Swallow Song. Bummer, he claimed it as his.

Besides this, I've known 2 musicians (not Paradoxers) who full-on swiped songs and claimed them as their own. I understand a little borrowing and tweaking, but this was total theft.

I'd appreciate a little perspective from the musicians out there.

GET WELL SOON, DAVE!

We need you back at the control panel!