The Inspirers

Sometimes the Inspirers come from very unlikely places. Lately I've been listening to two dudes who have really opened my eyes. One is Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips. He's one of the Fearless Freaks of Oklahoma. Who would of thunk that a guy who worked for 12 years at Long John Silvers as a cook, would be one of the most charismatic rock and roll singers on the planet? Well it's true. The Lips are a long-running post-punk-psychedelic-rock outfit that combines a self-made, do it yourself work ethic, with a dreamy, questioning, space age consciousness. Backed by a Bonhamesque backbeat. Superb.

Next up is a guy who plays guitar like a crazed wizard. He wears a KFC bucket on his head, he's been known to speak only through a sock puppet. I don't know his back-story, but he plays guitar like a dream...I've been listening to his instrumental disc "Colma," and it contains quiet beauty, exquisite fretwork - soulful, austere...not exactly what you'd expect from a guy known only as Buckethead. I don't plan on emulating Buckethead's guitar playing, but I'm thinking a sock puppet could be just what I need in my work situation.

It's amazing where you might find inspiration...it's all out there, sometimes all you have to do is open your eyes and drop the veil...