jaimes

Yesterday was day one Girls’ Rock Camp, and we’re off to a great start. The band I’m coaching is called Lemon Lime Light, which I think is a super creative name. They’ve already written a first verse and all of the lyrics to their original song. Not bad for a few hours work.

In honor of Rock Camp, I’ll be posting about girl musicians all week. First up is Orianthi, an amazing guitarist out of Australia. She writes her own stuff, and she’s got mad skills on guitar. She’s played with Steve Vai, Carrie Underwood, and Carlos Santana, and she was scheduled to tour with Michael Jackson. Not bad for a 24 year old.

Here’s Orianthi playing with Steve Vai. This video makes me want to turn a fan on while I practice.

p.s. Special thanks to my good friend Mel2 for pointing this virtuoso out to me!

“You want me to tune that for you?”
“She doesn’t write anything. He just tells her what to play.”
“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to have a cute girl on stage.”
“So, do you play acoustic?”

These are a few of the phrases I heard from boys as a girl guitarist. I do not miss those days. I really could have used a mentor back then, or even a whole congregation of female musicians routing me on. But, I couldn’t even find a female guitar instructor. I went to an old man who made me learn stuff like, “Gemini Polka.” I’m not kidding. I still have his instruction book. He was actually really great, but he couldn’t offer me the mentorship I needed as a girl standing on the sidelines of a mosh pit. I really could have used a Rock Camp for Girls. (more…)

I’m back from a very lazy vacation. My best friends and I managed to do nothing but eat, drink, and sunbathe despite heat advisory warnings. I did alternate drinking beer and coconut water to keep hydrated. Here are some visual highlights from NY and NJ. I used the hipstamatic app on my iPhone. That’s why everything looks all vintage.

Sect in the City
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Ok, so I’m about to board a plane to visit my besties in NY and NJ (you know EZ Cracker and Mel Wow from Drunken Deceptacons and (Un)hip). Why? Because my kids have been out of school for since May, and I really need to hang out with some grownups. And by grownups I mean people my age who act like children but are legally allowed to drink alcohol.

I’m not much of an itinerary planner, so my schedule is left open for rap improvisations, video making, drinking, and sunbathing white trash style in Mel’s backyard. We may even buy a baby pool and fill it with ice and beer.

I plan to take lots of photos using my hipstamatic iPhone application, which makes even the dullest of situations look like you’re in a Sundance film.

Ok, well I’m off like a prom dress! Next stop, Brooklyn.