I've Got The Music In Me.

Bound and determined. Is that what it takes? I've got an itch I need to scratch. It's musical. It's a need to get my songs and motoroadeoMC magic out to the world. I'm on a mission. It feels really good. I'm filled with inspiration. Filled with this vision. I've got the music in me...

There is power in faith. I'm faithfilled. Just doing and enjoying each moment of doing...of the process. I used to get frustrated and sometimes cry about my dreams seeming so difficult to achieve. But not any more. Because I enjoy the process, now. The art of doing. The art of being fully in the moment and engaging myself in the activity of now. Right now.

Right now, I'm communicating to the world. What motorvates me to do this? Because I just love so much that I want to share my existence. I want to know about your existence. You inspire me to create. I inspire myself to create. The act of living is inspirational. I like to share things I learn and I like to learn. I can only do that by making myself known to you. And likewise, you known to me.

I've got the music in me. Some interesting rhythm, I'll tell you. I do hear a song in everybody. It's been said that every person is a storybook. I say every person is a song, many songs, many melodies.

I want to share my songs with you. My melodies. Tonight I'm mixing...rough mixes. Preparing and grooming my music to be sent to a professional mix engineer, who is the finest mixer in the world out of NYC. He rides motorcycles, too.

Ziggy, my new guitar, and I are totally into one another. I've composed something with Patrick that is just so pretty, very Beatles sounding meets, me. I don't know what it will be yet. I love the chord changes. I've been studying the Eagles' music. There some dang gorgeous chord changes. I've realized that music which is truly pouring forth from the soul in its purest and truthful form will move other souls. It reaches the core in its truth. The type of melodies that the Eagles write, is like choregraphed physical movement, though it makes your spirit dance and moves you on a journey...that's where your mind is able to connect, because first your soul is swept away by the music, then your mind is able to fall into a place of awareness. Embracing and engaging your whole being with the sound that becomes a taste that becomes a scent that becomes something you sware you can touch -- while your mind paints pictures to see.

I've got the music in me. Like you do, too. The key right now is getting the music completed and into the world for all to enjoy and feel inspired.

I encourage you all to pursue your deep dreams that are in you, yearning to come forth.

With love and artistic passion,
your friend,
Sasha

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

Hang In There My Friends - NEW SONG.

Hang In There My Friends - NEW SONG.

New song written, recorded by Patrick Lassiter and ME, Sasha. And God. It was Jesus speaking to me on Easter Sunday. The link is at the end of this blog.

I'm convinced the song was delivered to me because I was feelin' blue...heavy in soul. I missed my friends and family in NYC. My daddy's been ill with this mylodysplastic bullshit disease and I just wanted to be with my daddy and mommy. Yeah, my daddy and mommy and hunt for Easter Eggs with the lil' nephews. My sister and her boys went to visit the folks. I wanted to be there so badly. But circumstances didn't allow for the 20 hour journey north.

I dragged myself to a church on West End Avenue here in Nashville. I so longed for my Central Baptist Church on 92nd Street in Manhattan. But I visited this Catholic big house. Couldn't see a thing. Standing room only in a jammed foyer. I figured, wow, so many folks come for a bit of gospel. Well, that makes for a loving world if only for a little while.

I propped myself up against the wall and heaved a heavy sigh. I sighed about missing my home, my family and friends. I sighed about alot of things. But I signed to, as a , whew, thank GOD I'm alive and Jesus is raised. I hung around the church for awhile, had the communion and said my grace while walking around in the street.

I didn't want to wait for the grand blessing that would end the service. I thought I'd just....well...talk to Jesus as my own grand blessing.

Oh, I whispered, Jesus, I'm sad. I ache for my friends and family. What am I doing? Should I stay in Nashville? I'm working hard to make all my dreams come true and I'm standing in the zone of dreams come true. Right there! But it's been so much sacrifice. It was times like these, the holidays, the gathering moments with long beloved friends and family NOT THERE, that makes the heart ache. The soul feel heavy.

So, the small still voice spoke: Hang In There My Friend. And then the song was born. Out of my gut. Out of my heart. 'Cause I was out of my mind with the hard core effort of striving to make a living as an artist. That limbo stage where ALL this amazing stuff is just about to happen in my life...but I'm hundred yards or so from the summit of the mountain top. The air is thin. And I ain't givin' in, givin' up, or givin' out....and it could be sooo easy to do.

The inspiration came on fast, and strong. I wrote that song in 15 minutes. Pat and I recorded it that Easter afternoon. There was no family's house to attend for the holidays. So, we held a jam session. Hang In There. It's a work in progress.... and I want the whole world to hear it because, it's presented with sheer Hang In There passion and I hope it becomes a blessing a true blessing that will help many folks to Hang In There....because I care as a fellow human being who's been there.

Hang in There. That's what Michael Parks tells the dude in the "cage" on Then Came Bronson when he rolls up to the stop light on his coolio Sportster.

So, Jesus told me to Hang In There. I imagine he would roll up on a shovelhead lowrider with a beanie cap on that says something like "Lifeguard" you know.

He's the ultimate Lifeguard....Hang Ten and Hang In....friends. Keep your dreams alive. Persistence is key. Never give up....

Check out the new tune on Pat's myspace: www.myspace.com/patlassiter

Much love, fire, wind, water, earth....
Sistah Sasha