I went last night to the Open Mic night at the Red Light Cafe just to say hello and meet some people. I thought it might be a good way to drum up a little extra support for my CD release party there on SUnday night July 9th.

I signed up at around 7pm for an 11:15 slot, and quickly discovered that I had forgotten my book and there was no Wifi so my laptop was essentially useless. I read condensed versions of a few classic novels instead. Catcher in the rye, the Ox-Bow incident etc. They also had Billy Budd the Sailor but Melville has bored me to the point of karate chopping my own windpipe before, so I gave that one a pass.

There was a guy there playing the kalimba through all manner of guitar effects and loop machines and whatnot. That guy was incredible. I got his card and traded CDs with him.

After I played (Hold My Calls, Space Monkey and Mystery) I sold a CD and met some lovely people who hopefully will come back to see my show. I had a great time, and I’ll be going back next week, too!

Here’s the full text of the email I sent to the mailing list last night. If you haven’t joined my mailing list, please do! I want to let you know what I am doing!

The earth rumbles and the sidewalks crack and buckle! Animals appear from the wilderness bearing fruit and small wooden bracelets! Fish leap from the sea and sing their highest praises in the sweetest imaginable voice! Sweet holy turtle farts, it’s TIME!

When: Sunday, July 9th at 7:00 PM
Where: Red Light Cafe, 553 Amsterdam Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306
What: the CD Release party incarnation of the sweetest honey from the lips of your dearest lover
Who: Jim Hodgson
Why: ‘Cause Daddy loves ya!

Like a raging torrent, my CD release party will wash ashore and cradle you lovingly in its sweet embrace July 9th at the Red Light Cafe! Come see me play the guitar and sing to you the songs that the heavens themselves assembled me to write!

I can’t tell you how incredibly excited I am about this, and there will be nothing sweeter than when we come together as one to celebrate the dawning of a new era in music about monkeys, broken hearts, and secret agents. What could be better? Nothing, Chuckles!

I will write you again in one week to remind you, but this is your first herald that the greatest CD release party ever held in the greatest city ever built is coming in just two short weeks!

The show will start at 7:00. There will not be an opening act. There will only be yours truly, taking the stage like my dad owns the neighborhood. He doesn’t, by the way, he lives in Alabama. It’s all attitude.

Special thanks to Bill Hoover of the Red Light Cafe for opening up on Sunday especially for me. This is so you disaffected musician types who comprise a large percentage of my network of friends can come, so do it or I’ll have my team of ninjas sandpaper your nipples off. NIPPLES! OFF!

Let’s recap, Nipples!

When: Sunday, July 9th at 7:00 PM
Where: Red Light Cafe, 553 Amsterdam Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306
What: the CD Release party incarnation of the sweetest honey from the lips of your dearest lover
Who: Jim Hodgson
Why: ‘Cause Daddy loves ya!

When I was a kid I used to lay on the ground, looking up at the sky. I would see the clouds going past, and I always thought they moved because the earth was spinning and they stayed still.

That was incorrect.

Oh, by the way I was going to ask you guys.. what the fuck is Nougat?

I found this article though, so now I know what it is.

Holy great sweet shitballs, do I have a lot of news!

Thursday I worked at Screen on the Green in Piedmont Park running sound because I have to pay the fucking rent somehow. It was 100 degrees out there and I nearly died. Also, I ate a blackberry that someone gave me and a seed got stuck between two of my back teeth and it annoyed me pretty badly. I was walking around with my face screwed up and a finger way in my mouth, looking like a gigantic douchebag.

Anyway, long story short, by the end of all that working and trying to dislodge seeds, I was tired and sweaty. My phone rang. It was my boy Jimmy D.

Jimmy wanted to know if I wanted to open up for the Zac Brown Band at Peachtree Tavern. Are you fucking kidding? OF COURSE I DO! I had one hour to be on stage, I was filthy and sweaty, I didn’t have my guitar, and I was driving a van and trailer that had to be dropped off at my friend’s house.

You know that moment in a movie when the hero is really, really not fucking around anymore? Like they have been building him up in the movie, and now it’s just totally time for him to kick some ass? That’s how it was when I hung up the phone. It was on.

I dropped off the van and trailer, jumped into my car, and drove it as fast as I possibly could back to my house. I dashed inside, got in the shower, washed myself with all available speed, grabbed my guitar and assorted shit, a couple of CDs, and took off again with my roommate Mellie for Peachtree Tavern. We got there in record time, and I leaped out with my guitar and shit and walked straight in and got on stage while she parked the car. I plugged up all my shit, the sound guy checked me out, I took a sip of a drink, and I started playing, wet hair and all.

I had so much fun, it was great! I sold a disc, and I met a lot of cool people. Also, I of course got to hang with my friends the Zac Brown Band, some of my favorite people. I played Hold my Calls, Sand Stone, Lesbian Let’s Be One, Kiss to Have you, Mystery, Space Monkey, and This Way Love. That’s all I had time for once I got there and got started.

I got pretty tanked after I was done. I was wandering around the parking lot like an idiot later on, and a white car pulled up to me. The lady inside said “Hey baby, are you looking for a date?” and it made me laugh for some reason. I said no thank you, but I lied.

I am looking for a date, ma’am, just not with you!

Last night I played a gig at the Sandestin resort with the Sam Thacker Band. His bass player couldn’t make it, so I filled in. We had a ball. Unfortunately Sam and I got lost on the way down and added about two hours to our trip. That sucked a lot, but they had cold beers for us when we got there, so we felt better. Free Monica opened up for us, and let us use their drumkit. That was really cool of them because I forgot to bring cymbals for Chris to play, so he would’ve just had to go “PSSSHHH!” into a mic really loud instead, and that lessens the effect.

We met a nice couple there who wanted to know if we knew the Zac Brown Band since we were from Atlanta. Fuck yeah, we do! Sam and I did a few bars of “Every Little Bit” at the end of one of his songs as a tribute.

I played two songs in the middle of the set, Hold my Calls and Space Monkey, and at the end I sold three CDs! Woot!

We ended the show with a double jump. I saw Sam crouch at the end of the last song, so I knew he was going to jump in the air to end it. I also knew I had to take it to eleven and do it too. We both jumped at the same time and landed together on the last note, then immediately laughed our heads off. What are we, SUM41? If only we had spiky hair and those studded belts and lots of tattoos, we’d probably both have record deals!

Someone’s hand kept pouring beer in my mouth, and I think it was mine. I ended up reasonably soused, and I sent a few drunken text messages. I do not advise this, folks. When you are drunk, do yourself a favor and shut up.

We had so much fun in Florida! They put us up in a sweet room, and the whole place was really, really nice. I would go there if I could afford it, but I’m woefully poor. I left one of my CDs with the promoter, so I hope I’ll get to go back!

On the way home, Chris confided in me that he’d like to live near the water because he is “one with the ocean”. No one has ever said that to me before, and it confused me. Luckily, I wasn’t driving. A sentiment like that can really knock you off your kilter if you’re not ready for it. One with the ocean? Holy shit am I on the road with Jacques Cousteau?

I feel great! I’m setting up my online store this week, and I’m selling my disc like crazy already. We’re going all the way, people!