Key West Music And Happenings: 2023

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Shanghai'd memories At The San Carlos Institute

This week Dani and I went to the San Carlos Institute to see a movie that was in the Key West Film Festival. Every time I go into the San Carlos, the memories come back of recording my first album's rhythm section there featuring Richard Crooks on drums and Bubba Lownotes on electric upright bass, and Sousaphone (tuba). Dan Simpson was the engineer/producer, and Gary Ek took pictures.

The rhythm section is the first to be recorded when making a record, with everything else (vocals, guitars, keyboards...) added later. The rhythm is the foundation everything else is built off of. Having the best players is always essential and it pays dividends as time goes on.

The songs were all written in different root genres.

The Beach - Afro/Cuban with a Motown bridge,

Beautiful Day Down Paradise Way - Jazz,

My Little Island Town - Southern Rock

Raise My Glass To The Upper 48 - Brazilian,

Dildo Key - Blues,

Key West Blues - Bahamian,

The South - Country,

Sailing - South Seas

Cajun's Got A Coconut - Funk

Mile Zero - Rock

For me it was a great honor to have such a talented group of musicians and to offer such a platform which allowed all of them to shine!

Additionally, we were the second to record there. Barry Cuda was the first

To this day I have people, both fans and artists, tell my they think "Shanghai'd and Marooned In Key West (things could be worse)" is the best Trop Rock Album ever made. Additionally, others tell me they put the album on when driving to Key West through the Keys! what a nice complement.

I stopped and thought about it. I'm still hearing this twelve years after it was released.

I guess we did something right!😊 Thank you!

I have all who helped me to thank for that. Thanks everyone! And a special thanks to The San Carlos Institute. Barry Cuda recorded there just a few weeks before us. We were the second band to use it as a recording studio!

The San Carlos Institute

Dan Simpson grabbing lunch

Bubba Lownotes

I was doing what's known in recording as "Scratch Guitar" and "Scratch Vocals". This was to help keep everyone in line with the arrangement. The tracks I played and sang here would be discarded and I would play and record them later in the studio.

Richard Crooks was regarded as the best musician on the island. Richard had been a session musician in New York before retiring to Key West and had played with Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Dr. John, the list goes on and on. What an honor having him play on my recording! Fun too! Richard was a riot to work with. However, when he had a suggestion for a song, everyone fell silent and paid astute attention.

Here's more on Richard :

https://keywestmusic.blogspot.com/2014/12/richard-crooks-aka-father-time.html

Bubba Lownotes and his tuba!

Gary Ek and his cameras

I don't know exactly how high the ceilings are in the San Carlos Institute are, but in the 1870's with no A/C they built them high (maybe 16' - 18' ) as heat rises.

Bubba Lownotes getting ready for one of two songs he did on his upright.

Bubba Lownotes and me

Mr. Richard Crooks

Richard with charts

Gary Ek up in the balcony

San Simpson was the pilot!

Richard suggested that Bubba bring in his tuba for "Dildo Key". Richard was right of course! It just added to the ridiculousness of the song!

I name all of my guitars. The blond ash finish on my Ibanez guitar that so many told me was the most beautiful guitar in Key West, inspired it's name:

"The Blond Bombshell With The Great Ash"

another shot of Bubba and me, here is a better picture of my guitar

"The Blond Bombshell With The Great Ash"

Apple Music

https://music.apple.com/us/album/shanghaid-and-marooned-in-key-west-things-could-be-worse/442756329

Amazon Music

https://www.amazon.com/Shanghaid-Marooned-things-could-Explicit/dp/B00553QQUK

Allmusic

https://www.allmusic.com/album/shanghaid-and-marooned-in-key-west-things-could-be-worse-mw0002184528

Friday, July 7, 2023

Manning - Story Behind The Song and Lyrics

MANNING, Story Behind The Song and Lyrics

Manning is the story of a trucker from Alabama. who in this complicated day and age, gets cold feet with his bride-to-be. He hops in his his rig and seeks refuge in a truck stop/bus stop hundreds of miles away in Manning, South Carolina, which is where the song starts. The protagonist explains where he is and why he's here in the first verse, however, there is insecurity involved and there is an obvious struggle involved. He suggests more like an excuse, that the truck is broken down, but is it the truck, or the protagonist? It appears as though he's lying to himself. He eases his tension using a metaphor “.. it's raining down in 'Bama, but in Manning, it's a sunny day”

Verse two, the protagonist justifies his excursion away from the alter, because he's defiant to himself, attempting to justify everything. He's staying in Manning, hanging in the sleeper cab of the truck, watching tv and drinking beer. His life in Alabama is nearly forgotten, suppressed, and far away. However, his actions begin haunting him and he wonders if he did the right thing? He attempts to justify his actions, again with the same metaphor as the first verse “.. it's raining down in 'Bama, but in Manning, it's a sunny day”, however that justification is clearly being eroded.

Verse three, the protagonist comes out of his delusion and comes to his senses. He realizes that he was being completely mindless for doing what he did, and is heading back to Alabama and ready to deal with all the many ramifications that will be facing him. He ran away from his life at the expense of his fiance and there are prices that will need to be paid and there are no guarantees. He's ready to face them. On this final verse he reverses the metaphor, here saying “ 'Cause it's raining here in Manning, but in 'Bama, it's a sunny day”)

SITTIN’ IN A TRUCK STOP, BUS STOP BROKEN IN MANNING

AND MANNING’S JUST THE PLACE I OUGHT TO BE

FURTHER BACK HOME WAY DOWN IN ‘BAMA

THEY’RE LOOKIN’ AT THEIR WATCHES WONDERING WHAT’S

BECOME OF ME?

HERE THERE ARE HOT DOGS ON A ROLLER GRILL

STOCK CAR MODELS ARE STANDING STILL YET

SOMEWHERE 'ROUND ‘BAMA THEY’RE WAITING ON MY CALL

IN MY HEART I FEEL THE PAIN

CEMENT’S HERE’S GOT TOBBACCO STAINS

BUT IT’S RAINING DOWN IN ‘BAMA

BUT IN MANNING IT’S A SUNNY DAY

IN MANNING IT'S A SUNNY DAY

SITTIN' RIGHT HERE AIN'T GOING NOWHERE IN MANNING

HANGIN’ IN THE SLEEPER WATCHING MY TV

STAY RIGHT HERETHINK I'LL DRINK A FEW BEERS IN MANNING

‘BAMA’S JUST SO FAR AWAY FROM ME

WONDERING WHY I’M NOT THERE

YEAH MAYBE I’M JUST ACTING SCARED

AND ‘BAMA’S SO FAR AWAY FROM HERE

CELL PHONE’S RINGING OFF THE HOOK

E-MAIL PAGE IS SOLID BOOKED

BUT IT’S RAINING DOWN IN ‘BAMA

BUT IN MANNING IT’S A SUNNY DAY

IN MANNING IT’S A SUNNY DAY

MOTOR’S FIRED UP GUESS I’M HEADIN OUT OF MANNING

CONSCIENCE GOT THE BETTER PART OF ME

HEADING BACK HOME GONNA FACE THE MUSIC IN ‘BAMA

I’LL TAKE IT ON THE CHIN AND GET WHAT’S COMING TO ME

SHE’L PROBOBLY SLAP ME IN THE FACE

TELL ME I’M A BIG DISGRACE

‘YA KNOW BAMA’S LOOKING BRIGHTER EVERY DAY

I’M HOPIN’ SHE’LL TAKE ME BACK

CROSS MY FINGERS SHE’LL CUT ME SLACK

CAUSE IT’S RAINING HERE IN MANNING

BUT IN ‘BAMA, IT’S A SUNNY DAY

IN ‘BAMA, IT’S A SUNNY DAY

© Christopher R. Rehm BMI

Musicians:

Chris Rehm – Vocals, Acoustic guitars, Slide Guitar

Emily Randle – Violin

Claire Finley - Bass

Ericson Holt - Keyboards

Randy Stindt - Drums

Allen “Jax” Bowers - Percussion

This song is a single release and is available wherever you purchase your music via download, iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby... ex.

Search “Key West Chris Rehm, Manning”

(Sample clip)

https://youtu.be/zrNqu-XI5-0

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Big C Update

The Big C Update: Not what we thought.

On April 20 I posted an update here on my condition. We had gone up to Miami Beach and had a further scan. About two hours later we met with the surgeon. He had told us that there were no signs of cancer on my liver. They would still operate, just to make sure.

As it turned out, what I thought he had been looking at was the scan taken two hours earlier, were actually scans taken at an earlier date. We found out later that the new scans reveled "At least three lesions" on my liver. This coming Monday I'll be under the knife to have them removed.

Dani and I are going through a difficult time, this being a good deal part of it. Dani has also had issues with her neck, having had surgery just over a month ago. Then we had to put down our dog, Shellie. This was particularly difficult on both of us. We love Shellie with all of our hearts. Dani has a very strong bond with her. It turned out that she had lymphoma and two days after learning that, she was gone. It goes without saying a lot of tears have been shed. Shellie was a wonderful member of our family. We both bonded with her. As in all of my previous dogs, I'm one of these people that talk to their dogs as though they are human. Call me what you will, but that's the way it is. Additionally, Dani and Shellie were a pair that did everything around the house together. If Dani went upstairs, Shellie would follow.

My cancer issues have been going on since October. I had colon surgery just after Thanksgiving, then, in January/Febuary/March followed up with chemo. This weekend I go under the knife again for this liver deal. They tell me they'll be removing about 1/3 of my liver. Like lizard's tails, livers regenerate! 😃 The success rate on these operations is very high. so fingers crossed!

After about a month I'll be back in chemo for about five interval treatments. These will last about two months.

With the colon surgery I had back in November, I was back in the musical saddle right after I got out of the hospital. People would ask me "Should you be playing so soon after your surgery?"

Well, the doctor said I could play, I just couldn't lift anything. With this surgery, I don't know what to expect? I do know that I'll be in the hospital about six days. After that, I'll see what the doctor says.

Fact is, I really don't have time to lally gag around. I've got too many things going on. I'm playing gigs, writing music, have a new recording coming out that five or six songs of mine will be on. I'm also writing the fourth book in my "Time Traveler" series.

So, like the span from just after Thanksgiving until now, I didn't change my schedule, as I have important things to do! We'll see how this goes?

I do want to declarer that if things don't go well and I don't make it, all of my earthly possessions, in addition to my music and book royalties, are to be awarded to Danielle L. Hoy.

Dani has suggested that I do a "Go Fund Me". I've always shied away from these in the past, however, with the scary uncertain potential at hand, she suggested it and I'll go with it.

Here's the link for the Go Fund Me link. Thank you!!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/5tw5uz-the-big-c?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

THANK YOU FOR READING MY BLOG!!! 😃

IF YOU FOUND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, FUNNY, EDUCATIONAL, OR STIMULATING, PLEASE HELP SUPPORT IT BY BUYING MY MUSIC, OR BOOKS BELOW! Thank you!!!!

Downloads run only $2.97 - $7.99 😲😲😲

THANK YOU!!!!!

"Time Traveler - The Oddities and Adventures of a Key West Bartender". The first of the series!

Follow Mark Straight's continuing journey and friendships from current Key West, back to historical Key West and elsewhere!

Order paperback or download here! Paperback comes with a free download!

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https://www.amazon.com/Time-Traveler-Oddities-Adventures-Bartender/dp/154977770X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510587586&sr=1-3&keywords=time+traveler&dpID=51-oZioDBAL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Also! My latest music release, "Trimaran" is now available through Amazon at only:

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for the download!

https://www.amazon.com/Trimaran-Key-West-Chris-Rehm/dp/B093CPZ2CH

"Time Traveler II - The Further Adventures of a Time Traveling Key West Bartender"

This book picks up where "Time Traveler The Oddities and Adventures of a Key West Bartender" leaves off!

Available at Amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/Time-Traveler-Adventures-Traveling-Bartender/dp/B08VLZ3PBN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LYBSXDY1L1HS&dchild=1&keywords=time+traveler+ii+book&qid=1617467025&sprefix=Time+Traveler+II+%2Cstripbooks%2C179&sr=8-1

"BAR STORIES - A semi-fictional adventure-tour as witnessed from a bar stool"

Individual stories of things I've seen in bars over the years which are noteworthy... and in most cases, humorous! Read about The Jack Daniels Floor Cocktail, or Bar Cherry, or Kamikaze, The Cox That Rocks, Only In Key West... the list goes on!

Time Traveler III Excursion! The latest in the series! Fun to read as either a first time reader to the series, or a seasoned reader of the series!