McGee Fest 09

“The actual tragedies of life bear no relation to one’s preconceived ideas. In the event, one is always bewildered by their simplicity, their grandeur of design, and by that element of the bizarre which seems inherent in them.”
-- Jean Cocteau “Les Enfants Terribles” (1929)

Dear Friends:

“Randy, call Jack at LBJ about McGee Fest 09, he is also will to kick in some $$$$$$$$$$$. Skip”

Skip, I spoke with Beamer the day after your comment, and sure enough, he’s geeked about the benefit and, more importantly, willing to pitch in financially.

Here’s an excerpt from an e-mail I received from Mike Stadler:

“What's the deal with Tim McGee? What's getting him and how's he doing?….This summer, I'm not teaching at the California Coast Music Camp, so I hope to make it back at the end of July to catch Hiawatha and maybe the reunion, if I think I can stomach it. If I'm there, I'd be pleased to chip in on the McGeeFest. I can do solo stuff, or back people on guitars (electric or acoustic) or mandolin or fiddle or vocals. I play other things, but mando and fiddle are about all our TSA folks seem to let through without destroying it. I could even throw in a transvestite cowboy song, if you think it'll fit.”

It's good of you to make this effort, especially from a distance. Too often people
restrain themselves when action is what's needed. Not your forte, I know, but still ...

As ol' Anatole France said, "I prefer the errors of enthusiasm to the indifference of
wisdom." Enthusiasm. Is that what Meg Ryan had in "When Harry Met Sally?" No, wait! That was a sargasm, wasn't it?

I'm procrastinating. I don't feel like hitting heavy SF area traffic in the heavy rain,
so I'm catching up on old emails, etc. But my dawg has grown too old to wait a lot
longer, so I'll sign off.

-- Mike Stadler

Dear Mike:

We would LOVE to have you at the benefit, either or both nights, and in any capacity you so choose: solo, back-up musician, or fronting the band. There won't be any sort of
Walrus reunion (that baby seal has been clubbed to death enough). Me (some other Ann
Arbor cats), French, and Kuhli (maybe McKelvy) will be lurking around, but I'm hoping
Tret, Syria, Fast Eddie, Bobby and Laurie Hayes, Kippola, and the like will join in.
Having you there would be great. I have your CD and love it.

Action has never been my problem. It's the thoughtful consideration that precedes it
that's always given me trouble. Seriously, I think this could be way cool fun. How about
Sudsy as M.C, and a Ski-doo cameo? Motor City King, here we come.

Peace - Randy

Zanzibar lives! Mike Stadler is going to represent for the west coast, and we might even convince Sudsy AKA Robert Glantz (he’s the tall blond guy in the crazy youtube Indian short, and true son of Marquette) and Mako AKA Mike Maki to do a Ski-doos cameo.

The one-and-only Mr. Billy DeBroux also left a post that, like the Barackster, was full of moral uplift and hopes for the future:

“Dear friends(sounds like Firesign Theater), I researched the idea of creating a charitable organization [501(c)3] for McGee Fest 09,using two sources; my CPA and a friend who has a 501(c)3. We can do it but not this year because the application process takes two to three YEARS. Our only option is to locate someone who has a charitable (my friends' is not setup to do it) that will sponsor the event, then we donate to the sponsor(our donations would then be tax deductible) and then the sponsor turns around and gives the donations to Tim. Or we can just gather at the Bay, have ourselves a grand old time, and leave Uncle Sam off the guest list. P.S. Thanks for the kudoos on the birth of my Granddaughter Madeline. Late,Bill.”

We are going to need an emcee or two, what say you, Billy? We’ve got a venue, now we have to get people to descend on it like Woodstock, starting with the performers.

A thought I had was to have the more acoustic oriented music in the bar, and rockers in the backyard. This would also allow groups that like to do both electric and acoustic the chance to switch locales, this is where having the event happen over two days is a huge benefit. I’m thinking of looking for some sponsors who might compensate musician/musical expenses, perhaps some Viagra, Depends, or Lamasil banners, you know, a product placement deal.

In all seriousness, I suspect that many musicians will jump at the opportunity to appear in a hip show for a worthy cause.

I don’t know how many of you read the comments at the end of each post, but one gentleman from Wyoming (there’s a picture of him with a Trout) left a classic conspiracy rant in response to the Gary Condit reference:

“personally witnessed the Condit's "Disposal for Hire" service in 1977 while in enlisted US Army MI and was sworn to secrecy about it, since the CIA figured he'd try to infiltrate Congress with it's subsequent blackmailing abilities (Tell you something?) They sometime operate independently & I have the feeling that's what's behind Gary's current "Not a suspect," but AN arrest is "Imminent." I really hope for a subpoena soon. Or, if they frame the Salvadorian (His specialty-in-advance ability to research government data bases, as he plans his hit, etc.) then it's going to be a "Tidy-up" like the Anthrax thing. Is the new evidence the new DNA with Jonbenet? http://www.rickhyatt.freeservers.com”

I visited his web-site…(and you thought I was a wacko)…some interesting…er…photos…and domestic…er…stuff….(Skip, I think you might get a kick out of this)



R. J., an excellent artist in all mediums (there’s a link to him on this blog) left a comment about Cthulu (that’s the H.P. Lovecraft inspired image in the last blog, the weird thingee with tentacles for a head):

“That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh C'thulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!!!”

Given that R. J. is an old friend of Tim, and an unbelievable guitar player (and I don’t use that term lightly), perhaps we’ll see him in Big Bay.


Best - Randy