Sticks of Fire moves!

Sticks of Fire is Tommy's excellent blog. Tommy has moved it here. Check it out!

this is the old site

BLUE SHARK and other news

Come see JGLB at the Blue Shark this weekend (fri-sat, may 27-28). Blue Shark is at 1620 7th Ave. We start at 9 PM! OK, maybe not till 9:30.

Make sure you vote for Jerri for Bartender of the Month. Please vote THIS WEEKEND! Here's Jerri's (revised) JGLB trading card

We will be at the Blue Shark next week as well. That's friday and saturday, june 3-4

We will be posting our complete June 2005 schedule soon, probably early nexy week.

ALSO: this weekend, let's remember all the brave men and women who have sacrificed for this great nation, particularly for those who paid the ultimate price. We can never thank them adequately, so I'll just say: Thank you, and thank God for you.

While I'm at it, I will say a prayer for those fighting for our country today... God bless them, and keep them safe.

Here's a pic of my dad in the US Army in WW2. Here as well. Thank God, he got home safe. Benny's dad also served during WW2. Ray Blade's dad fought in Korea. Tommy's dad served in the US Air Force. All got home safe. I guess this holiday is more for those who did not...

We are in the party business. We will honor those who paid the Ultimate Price of Sacrifice for This Great Nation in our own way, at the Blue Shark. Last year JGLB contributed $250.00 to the National World War 2 Memorial. Please come to the Blue Shark and help us honor those who paid the Ultimate Price of Sacrifice.

God Bless the USA.

SUPERB OL' cup of SOUP, OR BOWL !!!!

What great news about OUR FAIR CITY being awarded SUPER BOWL XLIII in 2009.

This makes me want to tell many stories: about Tommy and I planning to go to Atlanta. I was a winner of the Buccaneer ticket lottery for Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. We got screwed when they ruled that Bert Emmanuel didn't catch that ball. We had a great chance to win that game had the refs called that properly.

Of course, Super Bowl XXXV here in Tampa, redemption for Trent Dilfer.

And of course, my trip to Sandy Eggo for Super Bowl XXXVII to see the BUCS win... Winning the ticket lottery again... and this time, it paid off!

BUT, what this news really makes me think about is buying another restaurant and bar... in case any are unaware, i owned a restaurant / bar until Nov 04, when i sold it. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and I may try it again!

Should I aquire another restaurant / bar, and where should it be? Any comments appreciated!

Opinions sought

Well, we need some input from those of you who read this blog. What do you like about this blog, and what do you dislike? Should we include more serious commentary on national and global issues? Should we include more perspective on local events and issues, as does Sticks of Fire? Should we stick strictly to stuff about our band? How bout sports, should we have more, or less sports coverage? Are we hypocrites? Would you like movie reviews? Do you like the mp3 of the week? How bout JGLB trading cards? Perhaps restaurant reviews? Should we chronical our personal lives, warts and all? Should our posts include more or fewer links? Are you sick of reading about Robert McCullum? Should we write more about Sir Oliver Humperdink? Should Tommy post more? Should we provide incentives for Ray and Benny to post?

PLEASE COMMENT. and no, our band does not respond to these posts anonymously, at least i am not aware of this happening.

JGLB fri-sat may 20-21 at BLUE SHARK!

Come see JGLB at Blue Shark this weekend!

BREAKING NEWS: Jerri Hill NOMINATED!

VOTE FOR JERRI!
As a result of Blue Shark bartender Jerri Hill's JGLB Trading Card being selected as JGLB Trading Card of the Week, tampagold.com has nominated Jerri for "Bartender of the Month!"
Please vote for JERRI! go to this page and scroll down until you see Click here to vote. Follow procedure, make sure you follow instructions in the e-mail you will subsequently receive. If you need further assistance let me know.

JGLB Trading Card of the week

This week's JGLB trading card is Jerri Hill's. One reason it's a collector's item: Jerri's name is mispelled. Jerri is a bartender at the Blue Shark. Don't confuse Jerri with Jeri Lee Brown, who is also a bartender. By the way, JGLB will be at the Blue Shark this weekend (more about that in a future post)

USF basketball questions

Bradley Mosley update 10-30-05

I am already excited about the 2005-2006 USF Bulls Men's Basketball Team. Perhaps we can get some input from Tony Grier! More about Tony later in this post.
Coach Robert Mccullum and his staff proved they can get a team to play its' best basketball in March. In college hoops, the regular season is certainly not meaningless, but post-season tournaments give a team a chance to atone for its regular season mistakes. The Bulls' 3 huge wins in March, all against highly regarded programs, were the best reason for optimism the team has given us since the days of, well, Tony Grier!
Next year, USF moves into the very big-time Big East Conference. This is a huge step up, basketballistically speaking. Instead of playing between 5 and 9 games against "top 25" teams, we could play 10-16 games against the best teams in the nation. Think: Georgetown, Syracuse, Connecticut, NOTRE DAME! Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova, West Virginia (JERRY WEST!), St. John's, Rutgers... then, add fellow CUSA transplants Cincinnati, Louisville, Marquette and DePaul, and you got a TOUGH conference...
So, who are USF's returning players, who will be added, and who will be getting playing time? I don't know, but I'll speculate here. Hopefully, Tony will add his thoughts. Perhaps I'll e-mail this reporter who covers the team and ask his opinion too...
Let's go by position. please click on the player's link for more info. Also, keep in mind that Coach McCullum hopes to add two more players.
one (point guard): Junior Juco transfer David Sills should start. He should be a very exciting player, having starred in the legendary Rucker League. I would surmise that his success in organized basketball will be determined by how he adjusts to Coach McCullum's very disciplined system. If he can thrive at USF against Big East competition, he will perhaps emerge as a potential NBA draftee in a year or two... other possibilities: returning junior Marius Prekevicius handles the ball a bit, and Chris Capko may be a possibility, although he did not distinguish himself this year, and he may not have a scholarship. Incoming freshman Chris Howard will likely get his playing time at this position. Also, don't count out Bradley Mosley!
two guard: the candidates here are returnees sophomore Collin Dennis, senior James Holmes, and Prekevicius. All started some games at this position last year, and played well at times. Another possibility is 6'6" junior juco transfer McHugh Mattis. If Mosley plays, as we pray he will, this might be his spot.
three or "small forward" (wing): I'm gonna say my man Melvin Buckley will start here. another close friend, Stevie Moss, may back him up. Here is proof of both of these young mens' excellence. Both may have two years of eligibilty. Depending on how their ball skills are, freshman Zaronn Cann and others whom i would ordinarily project as post players might get time at this position as well. Expect to see Mattis play here as well.
four (power forward): Big shoes to fill here. Who can replace Terrence Leather? Freshman Brandon Stores (6-9, 220) is highly regarded. Juco junior Melvyn Richardson (6-7, 235) may start because he's more experienced. Cann will probably get most of his playing time here. Cann, from Brandon High here in town, could be a hell of a player if his injured knee and his weight are where they should be. My man Stevie Moss might play at this position as well.
five (center): how bout returning senior Solomon Jones? Well, he's 6-10, but he's too skinny, and he's not a great rebounder. (Us little guys expect a lot from our big men!) Still, if Coach McCullum can get him to play like a man, we can start him. Perhaps Stores and/or Richardson, and maybe even Cann or Buckley, could play this position a bit too. It would be great if Coach could sign a 6-11, 280 lb guy who can rebound and move his feet on defense a bit, or else we might get pushed around too much.
I personally believe that USF basketball will be the big story in Tampa Bay sports in 2006. I will explain why in the months to come.
Tony Grier is one of the greatest players in USF Athletics history. He helped bring the program to national prominence. He helped build the Sundome! He's got a great website. He is the connection to USF's past and present. He is also a great guy and I'm proud to call him my friend. And, hey Dirty, he was drafted (in 1982) by: THE SPURS! I will try to get his comments on this post.
Thanks to all of you who support USF, and USF basketball.

the feminine side of JGLB

Many of our current fans may be unaware of the important role that females have played in JGLB history.
Originally, our band featured the uniquely dynamic Penny Robinson (aka Margaret Snyder, now Mrs. Margaret Menendez). She was, and is, the "First Lady" of JGLB, if you will. She was in the band from its 1985 beginning until early 1988. She rejoined the band in 1990, staying till 1992. She was (and still is) incredible as a vocalist, and an excellent keyboardist as well. For what it's worth, she's also a gorgeous babe, and a beautiful person. Penny can be heard on our first album, "Good Cheap Rock and Roll," which I hope to reissue soon. She is also the featured lead singer on our "45!" (you know, i still got a few of those somewhere...)
When Benny first joined the band in 1992, he convinced me to try a "big band" approach. After all, Benny's dad has an awesome big band. So, we were fortunate to have Gloria Higgins, Susy Martian, and "Chicago Kate" Colter as "The Not Their Real Name Singers." The three of them can be heard on our CD, "Give The Kid A Chance." I regret that I have no pic of Gloria, and I could use a better photo of "Chicago Kate"... All three are georgeous hotties, and wonderful people.
In 2000 and 2001, we toured with a new version of the "Not Their Real Name Singers." Two outstanding singers, Shannon and Arlene, mantained the NTRNS tradition in their own wonderful way. Both are gorgeous babes and awesome people. We've lost touch with Shannon, it would be great to hear from her. (not to be confused with Shannon the bartender).
Nowadays, we are often joined by Susy and Penny, as well as Jeri Lee Brown. Jeri is a gorgeous babe and a super person. And recently we performed with the outstanding Linda Greco, wife of Mayor Dick Greco. Linda is a gorgeous lady and an awesome person. And when Dirty E joins us, he often brings The Dirtettes along.
There are many other wonderful female musicians and singers who have played important roles in JGLB's musical and personal development. Can any of you recall some of them?
Visit Susy here. Visit Arlene here.

Let's Rock the Blues at the BLUE SHARK!

Let's rock the blues this weekend at the BLUE SHARK! Come see Ray, Benny, Tommy and myself and help us rip it up and tear it down! Visit George, Jeri, and all our other friends at the BLUE SHARK! showtime 9 PM!

mp3 of the week

e-mail me for this week's mp3 of the week

This week's mp3 of the week: "Keep My Light Shining" by Johnny G Lyon. It's just a demo. We used no tape, no drums, no guitar amps. It was recorded on a computer and mixed to CD, hence no tape. The drums are a computer programmed and played by (Johnny), hence no (real) drums. The guitars were played through an effects processor, hence no amps. Highly different for me.

You may have heard us perform this song at our Lowry Park concerts a few years ago. The guitar starts it out, reminicient of "Spirit in the Sky." some of the lyrics: "You know, sometimes this old town... well, it sure starts to bring me down... but I know... I got to keep my light shinin'!" "I try to do things like I should... but it just turns out no good... still I know... I got to keep my light shinin'!"

I hope to get back in the studio soon, and i will get some real good mp3's for mp3 of the week.

Max Van Laundromax

gotta say a word about Max Van Laundromax, aka Mark Van De Lagemaat. He's going up to Canada for a while. We'll miss him and look forward to seeing him again soon. He drives us crazy sometimes, but he's a hell of a guy, and a great bassist... and we might never have had the JGLB without him... He is a co-founder of JGLB and played in the band from1985 to 1989, and again from December 1996 to March 1997... He's a great songwriter too... and the father of two great kids, Zack and Mack... Zack's a great drummer, maybe someday he'll play in our band...
Anyway, he's a great guy and I already miss him. See ya soon, Max.

I will post more info and pictures soon.

how to act at a live music venue part II

This is part II of the new series introduced recently.
Please see this page for Part I, The Grand Entrance.

INTERACTING WITH THE BAND - REQUESTS (and so it begins)
Musicians are skilled mind readers. Only refer to your requests with the phrase "play my song!" It should be obvious that someone who can remember all the music and words to several songs also can recall the favorite ditty of every patron who ever walked into the bar. If that doesn’t work, help jog their memory by using the phrase: “you know, it goes like, uh,” and then look past the musician as if you are thinking. Continue standing right there with that look until the musician can figure it out. In any case, it’s best to be vague, since musicians also love to be challenged. Do not be deterred if the band claims not to remember “your song.” This is a lie. They can always remember “your song,” and are simply attempting to offend you.

If you forget this, and actually tell the band the name of “your song,” the band may try to tell you that they do not know how to play it. Do not be deterred, because this is a lie. Encourage the band by singing a few words for them. If one member halfway knows part of a chorus, the rest of the band will instantly learn the entire song by osmosis. Now that you know this, if the band still claims to not know "your song," the best action is to keep requesting the same song every chance you get. Since the band’s number one objective is to offend you, you may have to be persistent. Other persuasive arguments include reminding the band that they played the song last week, although that time incorporated a female vocalist, a funny looking keyboard player, and different words on the “big drum.”


coming soon - Part III - INTERACTING WITH THE BAND - REQUESTS (your song is important)

JGLB congratulates Sir Oliver Humperdink!

there are many individuals, about whom it could be said: "Without (whomever), nobody woulda ever heard of JGLB."
this could be said about "Buck Barefoot." "Will Perish" aka "Richard Young." "Penny Robinson." "Max Van Laundromax." Of course, "Ray Blade."
But it would be hard to overstate the influence of Sir Oliver Humperdink on the fortunes of the JGLB. For instance, it is doubtful that Mayor Greco (and his wife Linda) would have joined our band, as they recently did. And, it's highly debatable that Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson would have named a building after JGLB. And, without Hump's influence, no way Ray Blade is asked to join the Mafia.
In 1987, Johnny G Lyon was inducted into the House of Humperdink. From that point on, we were treated with the utmost respect by all entities with which we did business. After all, who would wanna mess with Hump's Headknockers and Houserockers?
On April 16 of this year 2005, The great Sir Oliver Humperdink was a 2005 Cauliflower Alley Club Honoree. This well deserved honor was bestowed upon its' most deserving recipient to date. The enormity of the achievements of this great man dwarf even the so-called giants of his chosen profession. However, this man doubtlessly would have achieved immeasurable renown in any field he might have chosen. Things are done at his behest, simply because nobody wants to learn the consequences of failure to do so. It is impossible to overstate the influence this man has had on my career.
Congrats to 2005 Cauliflower Alley Club Honoree, SIR OLIVER HUMPERDINK!
And a shout-out to my tag-team partner, Mickey Jay!

JGLB tonite at TWO BUKS!

don't miss JGLB tonight (friday may 6) at TWO BUKS! showtime 9:30

JGLB trading card of the week

our JGLB trading card of the week is this Ray Blade card.

go here to see all JGLB trading cards, and other photos, as a slideshow. you can also see them here. Remember, the order of the pics is random, not in order of importance of the subject of the card.

also, the photos come from many sources. If you are aware of an improperly credited photograph, please let us know and we will attempt to credit it. the best way to let us know will be to use the comments option in this posts, or other future posts on this subject.

We also wanna thank ybor eye for their help with many of the pics.

Live music for dummies, Part I

Folks have been clamoring for the lessons to begin, and so, the lessons will begin.

GRAND ENTRANCE
When first showing up at a live music venue, the first thing you want to do is go directly to the front of the stage and choose any action from the following list:
Bang your head with the beat (sort of).
Dance wildly and flail your arms about.
Stand there and stare at the lead guitarist.
Any of these actions signal that you are now “in the hizzouse” and ready for action. The crowd will appreciate this gesture, since they weren’t interested in seeing the band anyway, they were just killing time waiting for you. This strategy is doubly effective if no one is on the dance floor when you enter.

SURVEY THE CROWD
While remaining front and center, take a long slow look around the club to try and figure out where to go next. Take your time, because the rest of the audience is hoping you will join them. They realize you are busy, but at the very least, they want to look at your face as long as possible. Get directly between the onlookers and the musical act. Remember to look bored!


coming soon: Part II - INTERACTING WITH THE BAND

JGLB this FRIDAY MAY 6: "Return to Pinellas!"

JGLB, featuring Pinellas County native Ray Blade (aka John Jay Friss) along with Ben Jammin, Tommy Duncan and Johnny G Lyon, returns to Pinellas County this Friday May 6 to play at TWO BUKS! It's our first time at Two Buks, but we've got a rich history in Pinellas. Perhaps our greatest moment came when we opened the show for James Brown at the Bayfront Center in 1991. This is what I'm referring to in the song, "Who's That Stranger" from "Give The Kid A Chance," when I talk about "The big St. Petersburg show." We also were the first band to play at (what is now known as) Tropicana Field. At times, we've had great runs at various venues in St. Pete. However, we've never really established a presence in NORTH Pinellas, so we need your support this Friday at Two Buks... HOPE TO SEE YA THERE!