Oct. 15, 2007

So not much has been going on in Big Gray World...or has it? I've purchased the video "game"/guitar simulator called Jam Sessions for the Nintendo DS, and it has given my songwriting a real boost. You see, I can't play any stringed instrument for crap. I barely understand how those things work. A piano has it all laid out in front of you. A guitar is all goofy, with different tunings and strings and pickups and humbuckers and whatever. I don't get it. I talk a good game, but I can't even beat Hard on Guitar Hero.

So this DS game is pretty rad, and I'm playing all kinds of crazy guitar chords and stuff, and I've decided to get together with my pal Ian Darken, the rest of the BG live band crew, and myself to record a Christmas EP that will be entitled Christmas Traditions, Vol. 1. I will only use a glockenspiel, the Nintendo DS, and our bodies to make noise. At least that's the idea right now. I'm pretty excited about the songs. I wrote one about credit card that is nice and depressing. It should be available digitally by early December!

July 21, 2007

I have been ordered by the doctor to give up all fatty and delicious foods, which is for the best, to be totally honest. I have about thirty health problems right now that are coming together into some sort of Perfect Storm.

Alas, Richard played our last show with us last night, which was a bittersweet affair. It was a solid Big Gray show, and I do believe he took two separate bass solos, which was pretty nice. I was all over the map with singing and piano playing, but the rest of the band came through, which was nice considering we hadn't practiced since the last show. On Monday, my voice was completely decimated, so it was good to have it back for the show, yowly though it was.

Daniel had positive feelings about his drumming, going so far as to call it "spirited." He was not incorrect. I dare say the Caledonia Lounge has never been graced with two finer backup singers as Julie Dyles and Courtnie Wolfgang.

The other bands were delightful, and Gordon was nice enough to have us. We are going to blow the money we made from the last show (I know, right?) on a Going Away Party for Mr. Worthington at Five and Ten, which is a fine, fine Athens restaurant. I will probably violate some of the doctor's orders. I'm excited.

Until next time,

Lucas Jensen

 

June 15, 2007

I've done a poor job of giving up fast food. And we stopped practicing. So I guess we're back to the good ol' Big Gray. I will say this: I've been hitting the gym semi-regularly, and that's a good thing. I really need to lose some weight.

Anyway, we have some shows coming up, and it looks they are going to be the last shows with intrepid bassist, Lord Richard Worthington, who is going to be leaving us for law school in New England. Both shows are at the Caledonia Lounge: the first on July 7th and the second on July, um 20th? Crap. I need to check on this. Lemme get back to you.

 

Jan. 16, 2007

The New Year is upon us, and I actually do feel a little different. For one, I'm giving up on fast food, which is a step in the right direction, though I will miss my beloved Krystal. And the Waffle House ain't fast food, is it? Also, Big Gray has been practicing semi-consistently which is sorta weird.

Our show at the Venice is Sinking Bandiversary was a big success despite the fact that Richard nearly cut off his best guitar-playin' finger and the rest of us were drunk. Pictures from said event can be seen rightchere.

But, oh Lordy!, do I have some new news for you:

Big Gray is playing a show with the nice fellas/ladies/gadabouts in Titans of Filth at Athens, GA's very own Caledonia Lounge on Jan. 18 (that's a Thursday...in two days...yikes!), 2007. That's right. I forget sometimes that I have this fancy-pants website, so I fail to update it. Apologies.

Joining us in the revolution will be a band called Pretty+Nice and I've heard that they are pretty+good, so stay for them. As per usual, we are opening and playing early, so get their early, say, 10:30PM EST. We are debuting no new songs and Richard is playing at the 40 Watt right afterwards with The Help (his other, more "main" band), so this show is most def gonna rock.

BG OUT.

 

Dec. 8, 2006

No news is good news, right? Well, I do have some news. Hot news. That news is that Big Gray is going to play an actual, honest-to-goodness show on Dec. 17, 2006 at Stan Mullins'. Email me at lucas [at] teamclermont [dot] com for the deetz. It will be early, BYOB, and on a Sunday, so plan ahead. Other more practiced bands (like The Folk You's, Venice is Sinking, and Phosphorescent) are also playing.

Our last show was really the best one we've ever played, so I think you should come. We now have another song with handclaps. I will also reiterate that there are two hot girls in the band. This does not need to go unmentioned.

Nov. 25, 2006.

News? What news?

Oh. Yeah.

I guess the newfangled Big Gray website counts as news. The real news of the day, honestly, was probably UGA's nail-biting defeat of the hated Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

But this is probably the second-biggest news of the day.

Well, besides the continued atrocities in Darfur and the military's continued inability to stave off civil war in Iraq and protect the civilian population.

There is always some depressing, hard-to-understand foreign policy thing going on, no?

Where was I?

Oh. Yeah.

I hope you enjoy the newfangled Big Gray website. I enjoyed making it. I tell you: there is nothing better than sitting back, drinking a Budweiser, watching the Notre Dame-USC game (another interception?! WILD!), ignoring horrible global political catastrophes, and coding some HTML.

More news soon.

Love, Lucas Jensen (honorary S1W)