Last Updated April 19th., Y2K

ENTRY 55: (03/07/00) Had a nice visit yesterday with Larry. Introduced him to the talents of Bass God Micheal Manring, Stanley Jordan and a few other bits of music from my collection. Spent a good part of the day exploring different gauge strings on my five-string. Tried a super light set (basically a six-string set minus the low B String)on it but could never seem to get things set-up right, so I went back to medium-lights, for now.

I've been taking a look at a Steinberger Spirit XZ-2, since I can't afford one of the new Hartkes (send money and help a poor bassist get his dream! LOL!!!!) I may try to get my hands on one of these. I loved the orignal Steinbergers when they came out, except for the sound. The body was also kind of odd feeling at first, but the balance was amazing. Well, the XZ-2 has a somewhat normal body on it, so this may well be the way to go for me. (Again, a plea to help out a poor bassist! LOL!) More later!

Thought for tonight:"When you burn the woods, if you are wise, you will avoid the tigers."

Joke(?) for tonight:"There were two people walking down the street. One was a musician. The other didn't have any money either."

Extra joke for the night:"What do you get when you put a diminished chord together with an augmented chord? ......... A demented chord."
(J.C. will understand why this one was chosen, my lil' tribute to the King of the Pentacostal scale! LOL!)

ENTRY 56: (03/09/00) Worked a little tonight on some new material, I say a little because while I am sitting in the floor wrestling with my Five-String there comes a tapping upon the door, and 'twas Larry, nothing more...

As usual, we dove into a conversation that covered more territory in a scant few hours than a snake oil salesman in a jet-powered Conestoga, and rightly so, we had a cup of Nancy's high-octane coffe in our tanks! Anyway, when all was said and done Larry left with "Blondie" in tow. The ironic thing is, way back in 1985(?)--it's been too many brain cells ago to really remember-- Larry sold me that bass. Funny how, when you look at things in a new way one can see how cyclical life is...Way back when he sold me that bass I was discovering so many new things about the instrument, now he is as well. God, the stories that poor bass could tell!

Have been working on a blues tune for Larry and I to collaborate on called "Wriggle Out of It." Hope to get at least a demo of it done by May. This is the first time I have ever gone into something like this with the lyrics first, might be an interesting experience.

The thought for tonight: "Life is like a stage play, many acts, some good, some bad, but there is always the final curtain at the end."
--Paraphrased from the Gospel according to my dear friend Outback Bob

More proof that redheads have more fun!

That's it for tonight, so I guess I'll sing my way on back home.....
"There must be some kinda way outta here Said the cabbage to the beef...."

ENTRY 56A: (03/09/00) (Translated into Advanced Hillbonics for those of you studying the dialect...)
Wawked a li'l tonight on some noo3 material, ah say a li'l on account o' while ah's sittin' in th' flore wrestlin' wif mah Five-Strin' thar comes a tappin' upon th' dore, an' 'twas Ezekiel, nothin' mo'e... As usual, we dove into a cornvahsashun thet covahed mo'e territo'y in a scant few hours than a snake oil salesman in a jet-powered Conestoga, an' rightly so, we had a cup of Nancy Lou's high-ockane coffe in our tanks! Ennyway, when all was said an' done Ezekiel lef' wif "Blondie" in tow. Th' ironic thin' is, way back in 1985(?)--it's been too menny brain cells ago t'pow'ful remember-- Ezekiel sold me thet bass. Funny how, when yo' look at thin's in a noo way one kin see how cyclical life is...Way back when he sold me thet bass ah was discovahin' so menny noo thin's about th' instroomnt, now he is as fine. God, th' sto'ies thet pore bass c'd tell! Fry mah hide!

Have been wawkin' on a blues tune fo' Ezekiel an' ah to collabo'ate on called "Wriggle Outta It." Hope t'git at least a demo of it done by May. This hyar si th' fust time ah have evah gone into sumpin like this hyar wif th' lyrics fust, might be an interestin' experience.

Th' thunk fo' tonight: "Life is like a stage play, menny acks, some fine, some bad, but thar is allus th' final curtain at th' end, cuss it all t' tarnation." --Pareephrased fum th' Gospel acco'din' t'mah dear friend Outback Bob

ENTRY 57: (03/15/00) Had another productive rehearsal Sunday, added a few new tunes to the list including an old Jelly Roll Morton blues classic. Still awaiting confirmation on the high-profile gig I mentioned a little while back. Will update you as soon as we know anything.

The big news is the band now has a name, USUAL SUSPECTS. A site will be forthcoming so all of you from Alabama to Timbukto will knows who's who and what is what. I'm sure there are those of you out there who will want to keep an eye on us...well, maybe I'm just paranoid. LOL!

On a personal note I finally got a new car. Well, not exactly new, but new to me anyway. It's been dubbed "Black Bettie", "The Hate Tank," "The Car" "The Tank" and "The Monster." Many thanks to Larry for running me all over and helping me get everything all squared away with it Monday! Bro, I owe you one!

The new NOOSEMobile.

I'll be headed up to Columbus with JC and crew, on the 16th., to see my old buddies Type O Negative live. Hope to get some pics while I'm there! If I do you'll see them here!

Thought for the day:"Don't be timid and squemish about your actions. All life is an experiment."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

ENTRY 58: (03/17/00) Erin Go Braghless folks! Happy Saint Patty's Day! JC, his roomies, and I went to see The Deadlights, Coal Chamber and Type O Negative in Columbus on the 16th. Things were rather screwy with the passes and such (we wound up only getting tickets,) and no cameras were permitted. However, a promise is a promise, and I managed to snap two crappy shots (see below.) Type O were the tightest I have ever heard them, Kenny is really nailing it live. Wonder if it has anything to do with his Fernandes he's playing? LOL! The Deadlights were OK and since there may be those of you who are Coal Chamber fans reading this I'll say they were ......entertaining... But not as entertaining as the roadie beating the crap out of a fan in the alley behind the venue after the show! We got to see Kenny briefly, but after that fight security kind of ran us all off so that was it, besides it was cold!!!

(l to r)Pete, Josh (in back),Kenny (thrashing out) and Johnny.

Pete in a hardhat during the opening song. His shirt reads POLIZEI.

OK, so I know these suck, but I was not supposed to be taking pictures to begin with folks! What do you expect? Dammit Jim, I'm a bassist not a photographer!

ENTRY 59: (03/20/00) Moved rehearsals to Friday this week and had another productive get together. More tightening up of tunes, etc. Things seem to be coming together pretty well. I was beat from so many hours on my feet at the Type O show, so we wrapped it up a litle early. On the way home though a truck threw a rock up and smashed the parking light lense on my new car...

And now a word from Buck Perry!

ENTRY 60: (03/26/00) The Semi-Official (And Pretty Damned Funny!!!)"Syd Edwards Ate My Balls Page" is up. To view it Click Here

Another productive rehearsal tonight, complete with me trying out a new Yamaha four-string and a ad-lib version of Judas Preiest's "You Got Another Thing Comin'". Buck must've been feeling his oats, he only brought a little bottle of lemon juice this time!

ENTRY 60: (04/06/00) Another productive rehearsal on the 2nd. as of right now we're just a few songs sort of a full set of 40. Some still need some ironing out, but all in all we should be ready to hit the stage soon. I've been doing alot more backing vocals recently, just to fill things out, forgot how damned hard it can be sometimes!

ENTRY 61: (04/14/00) We skipped a weekend of rehearsals but fear not, I spent the time wisely by working on the Official Usual Suspects Home Page. Got alot more work to do, but go ahead and bookmark the addy and keep checking in for updates!

ENTRY 62: (04/19/00) Had to skip another rehearsal while Larry and I were out on an adventure that only we could have. No putting it into words, folks... and if I did, well, you'd think I was lying anyway. The thought for the day though was : "If you s**t enough you don't have to fart."

Uh....yeah....More later

Updates Numbers 41 through 54