Jasmine Cain Band

Last night, Jasmine and drummer Steve came to break some bread at my house on the river. I opened the door to a gleaming, glowing songstress holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and her new CD in the other. This precious, sparkling soul was beaming, filled with the promise of success.

She's the incredible bass playin', lead singer of the Jasmine Cain Band. And she is a bold example of earning your fan base and being extremely dedicated to your craft. Jasmine is a no holds barred, balls to the wall business woman, as well as creative genius.

Her manager is herself. When she's not on stage astonishing the crowds, she's "number crunching" and booking gigs out and in...all the while paying for the trip as it unfolds, and paying for the way to go home...all through the keen sense of being her own booking agent and accountant. "There are times when I don't know how I'm going to get the band home because clubs bail out or whatever happens out there...so I get on that phone and book other gigs for the return trip. " So dedicated to her career she doesn't give in to the stress that accompanies juggling so many business duties in addition to being the artist. No, Jasmine excels....she rises off the chart for the ocassion, and exceeds the audiences expectations.

She also drives her Ford Expedition to the gigs with all band members including "Merch" the merch girl packed in there together. Whatever it takes...it's about realizing her vision and she is in the midst of the magic...the journey to achieve the level she's always hoped for...it's right there...

Jasmine released her new record on January 1st and has already sold 600 CDs at her appearances (including other merch that she has). This is a girl who takes her career as serious, literally, as a heart attack, because her heart would be attacked and saddened if she couldn't perform. She truly lives and breathes being an artist.

Jasmine Cain educates herself. Reads about the music business, asks questions, sits with pros in the music industry and carefully culls information. She has amassed a sizable fan base playing the motorcycle rallies and venues in between across America. Just last week the band played BOTH the Viper Room and Whiskey-A-Go-Go and received a warm welcome from both usually difficult rooms to get into....but she rocked them against the wall...and left them wanting more. Then drove 36 hours back to Nashville, crammed in an Expedition with her band mates, pulling a small trailer with all her equipment.

She's been on the road like this for a number of years, building and stretching and attracting all kinds of audiences. I remember this girl...when she began...and since the start she's been all a-fire and brimming with rock n roll that'll stone you from her attention-getting melodies, licks and lyrics. Her new record she painstakingly funded on her own dime all by earning one fan at a time across the USA.

This recording was a four month intense project. Because she's such an astute business woman, she had to push that part of herself aside for a minute so that she could fully enter into the chamber of creativity -- the crayon world of sheer inspiration...listening to the rhythm in her soul and giving birth to the songs that would chase her down the road while on tour. She had to lose herself in the musical moments and sharply focus her talent like a locomotive rolling along the rails letting all this music pour forth and pour forth it does on Locks & Keys.

I leave the track analysis up to the listener. But, let me tell you, she is, by far, the hardest working, hottest rock N roll diva on the planet. All of those sleepless nights, angst about how to get home from a three week long gig, and enduring the dark days of facing music industry people who tried to puncture that vision....have paid off. Her sensual, super high energy performance puts her in a league of her own...her intensity reminds me of the early days of Alanis.

I spun her disc while she was here eating my home cooked chili and drinking some Coppola Rosso, and it was hard to concentrate on any conversation because my ear was constantly craning to absorb the powerful tunes demanding my attention. Truly, this chick blows my mind with her unusual talent. I've seen her evolve over the years into a super star...a performer who deserves to play The Warp Tour, Bonaroo and everything in between...opening for Aerosmith. She's that entertaining.

But this girl manages herself, makes all the business phone calls, maintains the myspace account, books the hotel rooms, keeps the band working, deals with production snafus......all alone. Admittedly, it is hard work. "I've got four lives to take care of," she says about her band, her eyes wide in all seriousness.

At this point I'm wondering....who at The Warp Tour will say to this outstanding artist who is self-managing and self-booking her incredible band, okay, you're booked for the tour! Now a days it's so much about labels and big money deals and having a representative fronting the band. Well, let me say here that if any of the promoters out there want to buck the system and take a chance on this chick dialing you up looking for a spot on a hot rock tour or festival...pay attention.

I hope Warp Tour will take her on because this chick plays to huge crowds at all the major motorcycle events and is on tour with the Easyriders Rodeo...which is a big deal in our biker culture! The fan base is gigantic and not in the manner of having some intern pull myspace friends in, or hypoid conversation from record label people wanting to shove product in yer face without even having a chance to know the artist.

Jasmine's been touring all kinds of venues and every out of the way place in between her rally gigs for a strong and solid whole lotta miles-- and people love her. She's just mesmorizing! They ask her to return.

She tells me, "I'm going to make it!" And I tell her, "Chick you are making it! Your time is now. It's happening." This hard work is paying off for this admirable songstress. She's going to be huge and, you know what, she did it mostly alone, IGNORING the naysayers, IGNORING the heartbreakers and focusing hard on the art of making her dream a reality. Jasmine is the example of living and breathing and dying for your art. She's courageous, and she's a survivor.

Jasmine Cain, with her waist length colorful hair, sexy bass playing, and versatile singing, ...will leave you stunned and a loyal fan. www.myspace.com/jasminecain

This is music. This is truth. This is an artist pursuing her passion, so she can breathe. She sings of the things that you want to say, but you just can't talk about. She sings of things that you feel deep in your heart, she explodes your thoughts into songs.

Angels Smoke Cigarettes

Your guardian angel feels your cigarette smoke being dragged into your lungs...so, in effect, that divine entity smokes, too.

You see, it is just as likely that an angel will be hanging out with a crack addict as it would be an angel hanging out with a precious soul deep in prayer.

So, an angel is determined to sit by and watch as the cigarette smoke drifts into your lungs. They may create tiny little messages or set things in front of you to make up your mind to stop inhaling poisons. Or to pursuade you to think otherwise. Because they will not rob your free will. Freedom of choice.

You see, angels cannot truly interfere unless they are invited by you, or directed above based upon some other divine intervention none of us can readily explain other than redirecting a ripple effect which could have grave consequences to way too many ...

So, if you ever think that you are unworthy of divine company, remember that surrounding you is divine energy so intense that if you alert yourself to it -- the warmth of childlike joy will heat the chill of being so unaware.

xo

Love Is All There Is

Love cures

Love heals

Love encourages

Love is all there is.

Love is Gratitude. Please think of only the good things in life that you are grateful for because through those good things, flows the healing energy of love to cure other areas in your life which trouble you. There is power in those good things, those blessings which you have in life. If you are terminally ill, think of good things, like the hand that holds yours, like the nurse who cares for you, like the hope you give another to power through... If you are experiencing a job loss and possible financial disaster, think of the good things, the love of your child or spouse, the fact that love surrounds you in your darkest hour and it may not even be so much a person type love, but a very deep spiritual unseen love. Think about the hot meal that you're able to eat.

I, like you, have experienced so much in my short time here on earth. Many times I have traveled through such a dark night of the soul, I could not even dream that there is any good. But then I would look around in my imperfection and warped perspective, and there, across the room would be my kitty cat staring at me and she'd roll over on her back and look at me upside down as if to say, I love you mom, let me be a clown for you -- and she would make me chuckle in my misery. There were lots of times when I could not afford a supper so I'd eat a diet bar, or, I'd dine on a hot, steamy slice of pizza and I could only have one....and that pizza would be darn tasty. I'd share it with my kitty cat. Or the hot bagel from H&H fresh out of the oven. I would eat it plain while strolling slowly back to my tiny apartment. I'd be lost in that moment and tell God thank you so much for giving me this small moment with my bagel from H&H when everything else seems like it's in the shitter.

Love is all there is. I'm loved and I'll lay my head in the lap of the invisible Jesus. Think about how much power we have in the love. The power pulls us through and tells us not to be anxious or concerned. Be active, yes. But pray before activity and planning...using your mind is deadly without prayer...things get tangled up if the action of praying doesn't straighten the confusion.

Yes, Love is all there is...even when no one is around. You feel that deafening loneliness. The crappy job, the terrifying unemployment, the diagnosis of a disease that will be a long fight. In this big world, past the sky, into the universe, to visit the furthest star, there is love. Upon which the universe comes into existence...on that powerful energy. That energy is ours to mend and heal and boost confidences and inspire and realize that within ourselves is every answer to every question.

Love is all there is. In our every action. When we eat, do we choose loving foods that will empower the physical, the mental and stimulate awareness within our spiritual? Do we choose loving activity when we encounter another that will create a life changing ripple effect? Do we stop to consider our thoughts, that they come from a place of love...so that we will not scold ourselves and enter into a place of self-loathing, and misery from frustration based upon the outward goings on in our lives.

Love is all there is. Love the situation that you are in, into a healing energy. The only effort is just to look at the situation, feel it deeply and realize the good surrounding you...any type of good will do because from the good comes the love.

xoS

Ziggy

I'm in love with Ziggy. He's a crooner alright. He keeps himself well groomed. He loves to sparkle. He makes me sparkle too. Patrick knows about Ziggy. In fact, he introduced Ziggy to me.


Ziggy is my new guitar. He's a Les Paul Epiphone Gibson guitar. I decided to improve my guitar skills so that I can play live when I sing, from time to time. You see, I very much enjoy having my hands free and focusing totally on the rapture of vocals and audience, without the interruption of an instrument to play.

But, since meeting Ziggy...this has all changed. I love this guitar. I'm on a journey with Ziggy. We are inseperable now. Patrick asked me last night via telephone from somewhere in Texas, have you petted Ziggy? Meaning, of course, have I practiced? At that time I said, no, because I had not gotten to Ziggy yet. Last night I went into a trance and it was a date with Ziggy. When Patrick called back later after his show I announced that some heavy petting went on between me and Ziggy. And that I knew how to dial him in.


I'm always writing. I've got songs, I've got books inside of me. They are all competing to be shared at once with the world at large. Now-a-days, I have the blessed opportunity to follow my dreams daily and not bartend or work a part-time temp job any more thanks to my wonderful Patrick who encourages me daily to create and be and spend my time as I wish since all these years since I was a young girl I had to work at things that just sapped my creative diligence.


Ziggy is readily available at all times to play and create with. He's my new best friend. I shall take him with me everywhere I possibly can. There's much to learn from a good guitar. They teach you dedication and discipline. They teach you flow and melody. They teach you to come out of your shell and experiment with the arrangement of notes that are already destined for you to invent a song recipe. Ziggy is helping me to focus on my music again. Ever since I moved to Nashville some two and a half years ago, I have not been able to get out there and do silly improv and Miss Motorella style performing. How strange. This is music city after all.


With Ziggy, I feel that NYC boldness coming forth again. Like we want to hit the town like some bad ass Studio 54 duo whereby everyone wants to see our outfits and hang out with us and dance the night away. Even if I get caught up in the rapture of song as a vocalist and I must ask Ziggy to sling to the side for awhile, it feels good to have my boy hanging with me nonetheless.


Oh Ziggy gets his exercise and rightful attention when Patrick comes home. Patrick takes that boy and plays hard ball on that fret board. He wrestles notes and melodically spars with him. Ziggy enjoys that because he digs playing a good came of catch this drift with Patrick. Those boys go at it on that musical playing field. Up and down the fret board, field goals in the difficulty level of shredding the notes and scoring with a melodic trophy line.


When Ziggy and I hang out, he's a patient guitar. Helping me to reach and stretch and slide around his neck to perform a solid verse, chorus without messing up. It's way different than playing acoustic guitar. Ziggy is electrifying and bold. He doesn't care if I crunch out a wrong positioning on a string because he'll cover it up with the overlay of the next finger positioning. Like he winks at me....as if to say, "you'll get it girl, just hang in there, don't give up."

Healing the Life Weary.

Acceptance is the key to healing the life weary. I bring to you the example of the passionate artist. The passionate artist gives all to their art in hopes of sharing their art with the world and thus making a living at their passion works. The passionate artist derives great joy and purpose from their art. They feel alive and inspired.

In the early adult years of the passionate artist, there is a need to work a job that supports the activity of pursuing the dream of art. In those early years the passionate artist does not expect to have to work at the dues paying support job for too long, willing to sacrifice for a small paycheck to support the art and then fostering the art to become their lives work.

But sometimes the years roll on in sacrifice and the passionate artist experiences an anxiety beyond measure because the soul yearns to break free from the have to do's in life. They have to work a job that is draining of the life source art that the passionate artist truly enjoys and thus they will suffer until the moment they can engage themselves in their art for eternity. Here on this earth, through prayer and diligence and splitting the life in two: the have to support onesself jobs and part-time employment related to the art that by no means can support a life, the passionate artist struggles onward. Determined. Focused. In faith.

There is a point where life becomes weary from this effort. Confusion and delusion sets in. The guitar stands lonesome in the corner. The canvas unpainted. Journals empty. The typewriter still. The script is unread. The passionate artist becomes weary of their efforts to fulfill their heart's desire to engage fully in their art, their dream work. The dream is long and arduous. Is that the sunsetting now on such a bright and hopeful star? They move through life like a ghost seeking the light.

No matter what the self help books explain...the passionate artist has journeyed through all the self-help: attitude adjustments and diet and activity and on and on ... the passionate artist does all the things such as network and pursue education to add dimension to their craft; and still the arduous task of rising and working at a meaningless job saps the life out of the artist. An indescribable weariness sets in from living a life so completely opposite than what the passionate artist had in mind, had in heart, had in dream....since a child.

The passionate artist then comes to a place where he or she is feeling helpless. Feeling broken. Feeling like they are prepared to give up their creative gifts. For their gifts are not a hobby to be toiled at once in a while. No their gift is something they must do, they must experience in order to feel the life pulse through them, their blood swim up stream to beat their heart where the indescribable love resides.

At this point, the passionate artist collapses in a heap of frustrated tears and confusion. They are weary, struggling still to make ends meet all the while a small flame of hope burning deeply within that just maybe someday will make an appearance and they will delight in their days engaged in their art for all the world to enjoy and ponder. They have sacrificed so much to achieve their yet unrealized dreams.

With water-filled eyes, the passionate artist has no where to turn any longer. The prayers haven't worked. Though still, they will lift their eyes to heaven and ask why? And the arms of a Saviour wrap around the broken child within who asks why. The Saviour in wordless action lifts the passionate artist into His arms and coaxes the passionate artist into a divine sleep to heal the life that has left the passionate artist terribly weary. The Saviour knows this pain well. The glory of love and art unappreciated in a cold, dark world.

Upon awakening the passionate artist feels completely still. Extremely light. The heaviness is gone. The furnace of hope is ablaze. The passionate artist is thoroughly encouraged to create the greatest piece of artwork ever. And the passionate artist sits to create and then pauses and speaks aloud that the Greatest artist of all move through the talent of the passionate artist who sits before their craft.

And from that moment on, the passionate artist accepted the unquestionable Greatness that desired to move through -- and the passionate artist created for none other than the greatest Creator of all which led to volumes of people awakening and following the art of the Passion.

You see, the extreme desire that the passionate artist had within was not for their own sake of enjoying their craft and talent for all the world to experience and thus make a living. The entire gift was being cultivated for the single purpose of the Great Creator to move through the little passionate artist. And the work of art that resulted was from the challenging journey of devotion that the passionate artist lived to achieve their dreams.

In the end, the passionate artist surrendered their desire in order that the desire of the Great Creator would take priority and thus heal the life weary.

"Genuine self-acceptance is not derived from the power of positive thinking, mind games, or pop psychology. It is an act of faith in the grace of God alone." - Brennan Manning

My friends, guard your souls and your craft. Hold your beloved art sky high and ask that your great talents serve for the Greater Creator. Be yourself, true. Accept that in that truth is your greatest artwork.

Here Comes Chrome Cowgirl.

Today, I finalized my manuscript. From the author's point of view anyway. I await my darling editor's commentary and keen editing for my review. I trust him; he's such a talented chrome cowboy with a touch of bad boy. He understands my crayon world -- Chrome Cowgirl's Guide to the Motorcycle Life -- the book sure to tickle many and arouse the seventh sense around the world. What is the seventh sense. A sense of self. Who you are. Really.

So, now the second total focus is on everything Chrome Cowgirl, of course, career wise it is the focus. The first total focus is Poppi. This Chrome Cowgirl will stay near to her Poppi to encourage him to experience his bucket list in a most bold way, of course. If you don't know what that means, read the previous post from yesterday. [update: the post had to be removed by orders of my mean mother]

Good thing my Patrick is a participant in my crayon world. Hence. We are both WANTED. [click on that photo strip on the left to enlarge it!] I want him; he wants me. Hee Ha. Ha. Sigh....can't wait to marry my man. What to do....?! Another thought for another time. We went to see the movie the bucket list, with a gigantoid bucket of popcorn....oh the calories...the oooozee butter. The enormoid diet soda! Anyway, my bucket list is to spend as much time with my Poppi, marry Patrick, be a good soul to everybody, encourage as many dreams around the world to come true so there will be lots of strong, happy folks. There's more, but that's good for now.

So, here comes Chrome Cowgirl drawing her own crayon trail to follow on her motorcycle, all around the globe. I'll write more later on. I have to go help Patrick set up my ol' futon that I slept on for years in NYC. Now it's actually going to be used as a flop couch in our music room. I have a real bed to sleep in now.

xo