UWC Jam You Long Time

So the Ukulele World Congress had its second year of awesome good times and we managed to all make it out alive again (but just barely).  There were good people, good booze, and a whole lot of jammin' going on at the field.  This year, we decided to step it up a notch and get some actual arrangements prepared ahead of time.  Rhythm parts, lead parts, boy parts, girl parts, harmonies,  and a shitload of solos.  We managed to beat our own record (8m54s) of the last time we recorded this Neil Young tune with the addition of the awesome Little6ster and smokin' solos from the Baron, and stretched it out to just shy of 12 minutes of jamtastic noise.  UCB could not be prouder to play with our new international friends.  Video below:

And once again, it was really nice to get the whole UCB gang together, Alan, Adelle, Booze, Deach, Grumpy and myself to laugh and have a good time.  I only wish we had an opportunity to take a new group photo.  Perhaps next year.

Thanks to Mainland Ukulele (Mike and Tookta) for a great party.  There should be more (better) recaps coming up from the rest of UCB.

Just 'Cause...

Still speechless about the UWC. So enjoy this.



If you want to learn it on the ukulele and in English, see this video.

2 Sleeping Times Left till UWC!!!

Funny, I can't sleep at night because I'm so excited!

UAS CSI

We just got back from Hawaii and I managed to NOT buy a ukulele.  Whatever this UAS thing is, I may have it under control for the first time in a long time.  We did stop by Larry's Music Store in Kapaa just to see if Aaron from UU was hanging out that day (he wasn't), but I managed to stay out of the other three or four music stores that dotted the island.  I brought along my shitty folding uke and that served me perfectly well during our stay on the garden isle. 

Not surprisingly, the guys from Ukulele Underground were super gracious hosts.  We didn't couch crash with them, but their spirits delighted/haunted our room every night in the form of slack key kazoo rhythms.  No but really, they showed us a good time and recommended some excellent local grindz.  I think I gained several pounds from the shave ice alone (how is that even possible?  is there lard in ice?  cuz that sounds delicious!).  A big thank you to Aaron, Aldrine and Ryan for the backrubz.  Oh yeah, we even got a chance to have drinks with fellow UU member Faricelli who was also on vacation with his wife.  Small world eh?

Anyway, sorry I didn't get anything for you guys.  I'll make up for it in inappropriate hugs and heavy petting at UWC.  See you bitches soon!

I'm Waiting...

As the UWC rapidly approaches, we are all faced with decisions. What ukes should I bring? How much booze? What songs should I practice? Should I hump the Barons leg, or just french kiss him?

Seriously- meeting The Baron, for me, is going to be the highlight of the UWC. How could you not love this guy? How could his down n dirty, sultry, too many nights in a bar voice not make you swoon?

I always pictured Baron in my head as being really big- tall, solid- huge. Like a brick wall of ukulele smackdown- someone not to be fucked with. Okay honestly- that's not how I've always pictured him. There was a theory- born not solely from my mind, but with the help of another anonymous uke player ::cough:: Deach ::cough::- that the Baron was actually a half-man: that his body ended at his waist & he was legless. We only thought that for maybe, like six months- because all of his vids were shot from about there up, & the rest of him was never in frame. Of course that couldn't have meant he was simply adjusting the camera that way- obviously there had to be a bigger secret- such as "I have no legs". Eventually he did post a full body video, and we were forced to admit that perhaps, just perhaps, we had been exaggerating.

Was I heartbroken? No- I was happy. I'm glad The Baron has legs. I bet they're quite sexy. But it did initiate my second line of thought- which was that The Baron's probably some huge biker-esque guy that you would talk smack to until he stood up & then you'd immediately start calling him "Sir". But that theory has also been blown out of the water- by videos in which he stands next to other people & fails to dwarf them, and also by my almost-husband, who has had the pleasure of getting extremely drunk with The Baron on a few occasions while visiting Sweden.

I expressed my sadness to Russ in an email & without asking him first I'm going to quote his reply to me: "Baron is definitely not a tall Swede. but he could probably crush a lot of people if he tripped and rolled down a hill. A wee wrecking ball." (Russ-ism's are the best, aren't they?)

So Baron- I hope your liver is well rested & I hope you have some stain resistant pants. Because we are going to get you drunk & take advantage of you, oh yes.

Manitoba Hal blows the doors off of Sixteen Tons

Now this is how to use a loop station. Also love that snakebite distortion. For that matter, cool mic.

From the list of Things You Should Never Know

Ever wonder what your Aunt Sally does on her days off from the Call Center? Well, watch and learn:

WWJD?

In other words, What Would JasonMrazzz Do?

The Ukulele World Congress is coming up in a few weeks. For those of us flying to the party, we have to make the very difficult choice of which ukulele to bring along. I know it's not exactly "Sophie's Choice", but this decision has been plaguing me for the past few months. I'd like to bring my beater Fluke because there's a good chance I'll be losing it in the fields again. However, I'd also like to bring one of my Mainland ukes that have the built-in pickup so I can plug-in onstage for the open mic sessions. Thirdly, I'd like to bring the U-bass so UCB can get all full bandy on these mofos.  What to do, what to do?

You know how airlines are these days, they want to charge you for every single thing you bring on the plane: check-in baggage, carry-on baggage, oversized hats, bad attitudes, etc. It's gotten so ridiculous. Last year, I brought a biggish backpack and my Fluke so i didn't check-in any luggage.  That worked out fine AND I only wore half the stuff I brought (I guess bringing a button down shirt, necktie, and dress shoes to a party in the woods wasn't necessary.  Go figure.).  That means this year I can pack less clothes and mayyybe stuff a second uke into my backpack.  Or maybe I don't need a change of clothes at all.  I'll just triple up on the deodorant.

So what are you guys bringing?  (Other than your A-game)

Yay! It's Back!

The Otamatone makes another appearance.

Well Fine Then

Alright- ya know what? To hell with you guys. I tried to post a nice, uke related blog- all calm & rational & sensical... & what do I get? Well not comments, that's for sure. So fine. You've backed me into a corner. Ya wanna know what I *really* think?

I think that getting extremely drunk & watching Lost right before bed gives you some severly messed up dreams. Whacky, whacky shit.

I think that it's important to set realistic goals for yourself. That's why my goal for the UWC this year is to vomit on someones shoes.

I think that Mothers Day is freaking awesome- it's even better than my birthday. I told my twelve year old son I wanted him to paint my toe nails for me & you shoulda seen the look on his face. Pure terror.

I think that snow in May is ridonkulous- but it still snowed here this morning.

I think that the fact that someone sent me a message on Youtube Friday solely to tell me that they had surpassed me in subs was jaw dropping. They shalt remain nameless of course.... but I figure that the size of this persons balls would make them easily recongnizable if anyone should ever run into them. I mean seriously- do you have to get specially tailored pants for that?

Good for what ails ya

Boredrum. It happens. It happens in any relationship & there's no shame in it happening to us & ukuleles. It doesn't mean we don't still love em- there's no need for new comers to ::gasp ZOMG:: about it. There's no reason to lie about it. We should say it loud, say it proud- "I'm getting bored!!"- cause that's when other people can jump in with suggestions & help renew interest.

My recommendation for today is: change tunings. So fun. I dropped my fluke down a half step & I played every song I knew. Then I dropped it another half step & did it again. Some songs sounded fantastic- better in my opinion. Others... sucked. All were fun. It's a bit of a challenge to sing tunes you've gone through a million times in a different key- finding all the right notes. Before I knew it- I'd been playing for a couple hours.

Now I have a burning desire to do this to all the ukuleles I own & see what sounds good how... or something ;p

Grumpfest, now with 100% more Hobbit!

So if any of you remember, half of UCB had a little gathering up in Seattle this past January. Booze and Grump kept making fun of me for running the video camera all the time like a stereotypical Japanese tourist (Jokes on them, I'm not Japanese, I'm 80/20 Columbian and Persian). Anyhow, I've been sitting on all this random footage plus the only actual performance footage we got while we were hanging out with Howlin' Hobbit. So here is "Girl from Ipanema" performed by Howlin' Hobbit, Boozelele and Grumpy on lead lute cut with random footage from that weekend.



Notable moments:
0. "Taint song" jam on the bleachers (old footage from previous Portland trip)
1. Visiting the Fremont Troll
2. Buying fried things at Ivar's on the waterfront
3. Pike Place Market and street musicians
4. Some tool in a Subaru
5. Shopping for beer with Howlin' Hobbit
6. Cheez-its
7. Booze cutting the 3rd or 4th pizza of the night
8. Jazzzz handzzz
9. Booze forcing us to "walk" on the Burke-Gilman trail
10. Two clowns film each other for ultimate act of geekdom
11. Grumpy stares at bubbling swamp water
12. Getting hype by the edge of the lake
13. Giant bird's nest
14. Outtake from Spanish Harlem video
15. Malt liquor

Mandalyn May - "Come Again"... wow.

I can't stop watching this. Great playing - wonderful voice. Just perfect.

Deach's dog?

Methinks the dog heard "I'm Yours" once too often.

Am I late for the interwebz?

So the other night I was trying to visit Hulu- slightly drunkish- mistyped by one letter- a K instead of L aaaaand: Holy Freaking Crap My Head Exploded (Need volume on) Totally SFW, SFK- just.... I... I can't explain it. There is an ending. I know. I know because I waited. (To be honest with you, in my state at the time- I found it freaking hysterical).

I also almost forgot to show everyone this completely awesomeness squared video I came across a couple months ago, and I thought it would balance out the other thing I showed you, whilst also included ukuleles :)