David Ryan Harris

So, I’m checking back into my hotel after rehearsal tonight and I’m exhausted.  I landed in Sydney this morning after a flight that felt like it was 37 days long, took some notes and went to rehearsal. If you were to ask me what time I feel like it is right now, the answer would be “175 b’glock”.

The guy at the front desk asks what kind of guitar I have in my case?  ”Is it a Gibson?” My initial response was almost something snarky, but for some reason, I swallowed all my asshole responses  and replied, “Yes, actually it is a Gibson.  Do you play?”.  He said he did but he “wasn’t a professional” like me.

He asked if he could see the guitar and I figured “why not” even though all I wanted to do was get my key and sleep.  He then proceeded to play “Message In A Bottle”, “Do Do Do Do, Da Da Da Da Da” and “can’t Get Enough of Your Love” and “Shooting Star” for me.  I got my own little concert in the lobby. Never had that happen before.  Awesome.

Here’s to rock n’roll, the great facilitator.

Here’s to you Louis.

Rock on 

This is gonna be true love.  I can feel it.

yes.

stay tuned.

Yeah, I said it.  

And I’d be lying if I said that I only listened to this during the Christmas season.  The truth of the matter is that these Duke Ellington arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite are the epitome of swing, sophistication and celebration and I reference them all year long.  

It’s just that now I get to to it at trunk rattling volume.

I had to choose just one for this post, but the whole Suite is RIDICULOUS.

Yeah, Donny’s “This Christmas” is still my all time favorite song to sing.  It is attached to so many Christmas memories.  It’s like the hood’s version of “The Christmas Song”.  But with very few exceptions, I end up hearing somebody butchering his classic, so it has lost a bit of it’s luster.

No one can touch Duke though, so he wins on technicality.

Happy Holidays.  

From me and my King of Swing

Live at War Memorial Auditorium

R.I.P.

(where the ‘R’ stands for Rock)

We have dreams and sounds in our heads.  You help give them flight.

To have created something that is as much the face of rock music as the guitar itself is truly remarkable.  Your genius and (our indebtedness) cannot be overstated.

A Youtube search for Sly Stone turns up a bunch of bullshit.  No one would care about his “downfall” if he weren’t a genius in the first place.  

This video should be 1 of the top 5 hits for his name.

But for some reason, we like to watch the car crash

I can’t wait to meet you so I can see you do the impression!

Unfortunately, I think it’s true.

“Junkie” background vocals, brought to you by the one and only Nikka Costa #lightyears

Getting my “B & R LIVE!” game together.

Photos by Askew II.

Tracking. Los Angeles, CA  The Village Thursday February 2, 2012

Recording with John Mayer and Chad Franscoviak.  John and I are both wrapping up our respective records.  He hadn’t heard any of mine.  I hadn’t heard his. We each gushed about the other’s.  There must be something in the water because there are so many similarities in tone and intent between the two records.  While JM was playing guitar on “Our Day” here in LA, India.Arie was singing on the same song in Seattle, so if you felt a shift in the universe, I think I know why. 

Had I rushed the making/releasing this record, I would never have had the opportunity to have two of my favorite artists add their magic to my songs. I guess haste really does make waste.  Mom was right after all.

I’m about 10 lines away from done.

Songs recorded:  ”Our Day”, “I Can’t Wait To See You”, “Sunshine Of This Love”

not soon enough, but certainly not until your weather is reasonable.  

The J45 doesn’t have a name.  I have two guitars that have names:  

A tobacco sunburst Masterbuilt Fender Strat named Simone, which is a nickname for for my wife.  It has her autograph in gold leaf on the back of the headstock.

and, a 1949 Martin 0017 named Brownie, because its…….

(wait for it)

Brown

No doubt, you’ll see countless tributes to Etta James upon her passing today.  Everyone will talk about her blues and soul records.  Quite a few will talk about how they danced to “At Last” at their wedding. For me, the true power of her soulfulness is showcased on the “Second Time Around” record from 1961.  Marvel at her Playfulness.  Her Power.  Her Joyfulness.  Her Aching.  Her Fearlessness. Though some would scoff at her singing over these types of arrangements, I think it shows true, deep and utter soul to bring what she brings on these 10 songs.  

This record has had a profound effect on me, very much like Ray Charles’ explorations with Country music.

I hear this record and I always envision a 23 year old Etta in the studio in 1961, feeling maybe a little out of place, seemingly in the shadow of this huge band and orchestra….just KILLING it.

Soul music can come from anywhere you want it to.  

Thank you, Etta.

For sharing your gift.

For baring such SOUL.

They won’t make ‘em like you anymore.

Rock on.  Rock On.

Photos by Askew II

Tracking. Santa Monica, CA  EMI Studios.  January 9-10, 2012

Went in with a new configuration of characters/conspirators:  

Sean Hurley on Bass.  JJ Johnson on drums.  Doyle Bramhall II on guitar.  S. Husky Hoskûlds behind the console. Gari Askew II behind the lens. I hadn’t played with JJ and Sean together in quite a while, so I was looking forward to feeling that old feeling with new songs.  Doyle, I’d never played with.  I’ve admired his playing for a while, so I just called and he said he’d love to come down. Couldn’t have had more fun. I got so caught up in the joy of it all I even went a little crazy and Ustreamed some of it.

Great Days.  

People, I see the finish line.

Songs recorded: “Junkie”, “Sunshine of This Love”, “Shelter (Version 2)”, “These Are The Things”

When I started this facebook thing, I wasn’t quite sure what it’s usefulness would be other than the fact that MySpace was becoming increasingly useless.  I accepted “all people all the time” as my friends even though it stated very clearly that the cap was at 5000 friends.  To be honest, I assumed that they would “fix” this limitation by the time I got to 5000 friends. Obviously they have not “fixed” and currently don’t plan to.
 ”If you have more than 5000 “friends”, you have to use a fan page” (To be honest. NO ONE has 5000 friends, so, yeah…I get it).  
I’ve tried to appeal to those of you who are interested and invested in David Ryan Harris, the brand to “like” my fan page, thus signing up for all of the updates and exclusives that one would  expect from doing so.  I’ve been reluctant to shut down my regular “friend” page because I didn’t want to lose contact with those friends, even though the migration has been slow and even though having the two pages makes updating cumbersome, frustrating and confusing.
But a wise man appealed to me yesterday:”if you can’t get the people on your friend page to click a ‘like’ button, then what are you holding on to them for? They don’t sound like fans to me…”
Ouch.  Touché. True.
So, click the “like” button.  Join the “fan” page. This “friend” page goes the way of acid wash jeans and puffy Reeboks on 11/11/11.
Your biggest fan, David

Photos By Askew II

A couple more shots from the studio.

I feel so alive in here.  

I remember feeling absolutely terrified to be in the studio.  I think I was afraid of being put under a microscope.  Or I was afraid that anything that came out of the studio could only be a black and white photo of something that is actually three dimensional and colorful.  It was only after coming out of the rabbit hole that is Sgt. Peppers that I realized what a playground a studio can be if you find a space that is comfortable enough for you to indulge your inner (fill in the blank).

So here I am.  Indulging.

October 2011

Photos by Askew II

Tracking.  days 34-35

at THE BANK. Burbank , CA.  October 19-20, 2011

tracked a few more songs with an amazing group of musicians.  The amount of trust these guys lent me was humbling. inspiring. empowering.  

we rocked. rolled. laughed. played. grooved. loved. 

hard.

(songs recorded: “Still Be Loving You”,  ”Which Way Home”, “Our Day”, “Us”)