[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh5ilCapSsM]

We are here at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium and it is officially after noon. Generally the internet is supposed to be up and running by around 8:00 AM. Not today. Sure we could get something going in the Abilene prison venue, but not here in beautiful downtown San Antonio.

I have been trying to find something interesting of weird about San Antonio, but the only thing I can come up with the fact that this is the home of The Alamo. And in case you were wondering…

James Taylor of Tennessee and James Brown of Pennsylvania were among the Alamo’s defenders in 1836.

The words of most of Emily Dickinson’s poetry can be sung to the tune of “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”

And Furthermore…

The proper name for the people of Texas seems to be a matter of doubt or contrariety: some calling the Texians, while others speak or write Texans, Texonians, Texasians, Texicans. We believe that, both by the Mexican and American residents of the country, the name commonly used is Texians; the Mexicans giving it the guttural sound of the Spanish language, as indicated sometimes by x and sometimes by j, Teghians. The sound is not used in the present mode of speaking the English language, although the Irish use it in the word lough, and the Scotch in loch, a lake. The nearest approximation is in such words as Christ.

Texians is, therefore, the correct name of the people of Texas; and besides being short, it is perfectly analogous to the usual mode of forming the proper name of nations by the termination in n; as Greece, Grecian; Persia, Persian. It may also be considered the euphonious abbreviation of Texasian. But Texonian and Texasite are absurd epithets.

I just wanted to throw a quick post out there to promote Phil Wickham. I had no idea who he was, even up to the point where he was asking me to send a runner to go get him something. I told him I could have someone get what he needed, and then turned around to ask someone who he was. He just finished his set, and I was blown away. I’m not even going to compare him to “popular” bands out there because I think that is stupid, but I would suggest purchasing his album the very day you read this.

That is all.

I’ve killed three. I don’t like to kill bugs, because for some reason it seem slightly cruel, and also killing them usually requires some form of contact with them. I’ve killed three cockroaches here at the Taylor County Expo Center. Three. One of them was the size of my thumb.

This is my second time at this venue, and it’s exactly as horrid as I remember. Imagine a rodeo taking place in a prison, then add dirt. Then mix in horrible giant bugs that force you to come in contact with them if you ever wish to see your belongings again. And then some more dirt. I think one of the lighting guys is missing.

The big cockroach is still laying about four feet from me. I am going to try to leave him there as long as I can stand it. I want his family to see him and know I mean business.

At least this is the first show, so we can only go uphill from here.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u96P9ikF0I]
Abilene has one of the only competing and performing jump rope teams in the area, known as the “Jammin’ Jumpers”. They formed in 1996 and have been to the National Jump rope Championships in Walt Disney World 3 times: in 2001, 2003, and 2005.

And speaking of jump rope. A jump rope, skipping rope or skip rope is the primary tool used in the game of skipping played primarily by children/adults wherein one or more participants jump over a spinning rope so that it passes under their feet and over their heads. This may consist of one child twirling and jumping the rope, or with a minimum of three children taking turns, two of which twirl the rope while one jumps. Sometimes the latter is played with two twirling ropes, this is called Double Dutch and is significantly more difficult.
Children often chant jump-rope rhymes while jumping rope. These can range from pure nonsense to comments on current events.
Participants may simply jump until they tire or make a mistake, they may improvise tricks, or they may have to carry out a predetermined set of tricks.
People also practice solo jump-roping for exercise.
There are more that 950 tricks/techniques of skipping rope.

For the last two nights, I have been rooming with a guy named Preston Martinez. Preston usually plays bass for The Afters, but on this tour is playing bass for Phil Wickham.

In the production office we generally have a candle of some kind burning to off set the smell of athletic stadiums, and sweaty crew. This week, the candle scent of choice was hazelnut cream. I don’t know what hazelnut cream really smells like, but this candle puts off a very strong smell of warm maple syrup. I don’t really like it myself. I feel like I am covered in syrup and I can’t get away from it, but some of the other office guys like it.

Last night, just before we went to sleep this conversation occurred in complete darkness.

Preston: “I have been smelling pancakes for three days.”

Me: “Yeah? That’s kind of gross.”

Preston: “It’s weird because when I was younger someone told me you smell pancakes right before you die.”

Me: “How would anyone know that, and still be able to tell you?”

Preston: “I have never thought about that, but I have been kind of freaked out all week. I feel like I need to be looking around for death.”

Me: “Show your face pancake death.”

Preston: “Do you smell it at all?”

Me: “Nope, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Okay, so it’s not exactly Tulsa, but around 190 miles South East of Tulsa, there is an Army base in Lawton, called Fort Sill Military Reservation.

You might be asking yourself right now, “Self. Why is Brody mentioning Fort Sill Military Reservation? It’s not in Tulsa, and it’s not like Hanson is from there. What could be cooler than learning about Hanson?”

Well, no Hanson isn’t from there, but there was someone who rivals Hanson in coolness, and I think may even take them in the “cool hair” department. None other than our good friend Shaun Groves.

And by the way, the Christian Radio Station here in Tulsa (see how I brought that all back to Tulsa?) has been playing a lot of Shuan’s music in the two days that I have been here. It must be something in the water… or it could be the fact that they don’t test songs, and just play what people like. Nashville are you taking notes?

Thanks Shaun (and Becky for reminding him of his birth state) for the info.

Contemporary Christian music veteran Rich Mullins, 41, was killed in a car accident Friday, Sept. 19, between 9 and 10 p.m. on Interstate 39 in LaSalle County, Illinois. Also in the accident was Mitch McVicker, 25, who wrote, performed and lived on the Navajo Nation reservation in Window Rock, Ariz., with Mullins. McVicker is presently hospitalized in critical condition. Born Oct. 21, 1955, Mullins, a bachelor, is survived by his mother, Neva, of Richmond, Ind., two older sisters, and two younger brothers.

At this time the sheriff’s report of the accident is not available, but according to Mullins’ manager, James E. Dunning, Jr., Mullins and McVicker were traveling in a Jeep from Chicago to Wichita, Kansas. It is believed the car passed a tractor-trailer and the accident occurred in a matter of minutes. The car’s wheels came off the shoulder of the road and the driver lost control of the vehicle. It is not known who was driving. Both Mullins and McVicker were thrown from the car. The tractor-trailer swerved to miss the vehicle and McVicker, but instead hit Mullins in the other lane. Mullins died instantly.

On behalf of himself and Gay Quisenberry of Crucible Productions, who managed Mullins for 12 years, Dunning said, “We both thank you for your continued prayers and ask that people respect the privacy and wishes of the family. We also ask that you respect the people of the Navajo Nation and their privacy as well. This is both a horrible time and a good time for such a tragic accident. It is horrible because Rich was so young and such a great writer. But it was a good time in a way, too, because Rich was at peace with his life. I take great comfort in knowing that when I talked to Rich on Thursday afternoon before the accident, he was experiencing the greatest peace he had known in his life.”

Some of you may be wondering what I am doing posting random (if not trivial) facts about Tulsa, Oklahoma. I should have explained. As stated in a previous post, I will be gone (on tour) for the next three months, traveling to 35 different cities all over the country. In the spirit of learning useless information about cities all over, I will be posting interesting facts about this great country we live in. So there we have it. Two equally interesting facts about Tulsa Oklahoma. Next is Abilene Texas, and it’s a good one… Stay tuned.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrQMiYZLF3s]
J.J. Cale (born December 5, 1938) is an American songwriter and musician, best known for writing two songs that Eric Clapton made famous, “After Midnight” and “Cocaine” . He is one of many artists that play the Tulsa Sound. This sound draws from country, blues, and jazz, and Cale has indicated, in interviews (most recently on the 2006 film “To Tulsa and Back: On Tour with J.J. Cale”) that this is due to the geography of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The sound develops a kind of shuffle that is evidenced by Cale’s non-pick guitar playing.
Many artists, including Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Neil Young and Brian Ferry, have noted his influence on their music; several artists, Clapton included, have recorded hits of Cale songs — the songs “Call Me the Breeze”, “Sensitive Kind”, and “Cocaine”, have been the most covered. Cale has often noted that he writes and records primarily for the purpose of eventually having other artists to cover them.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5IB9xtRtFg]

Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, they spent a few years singing at fairs, festivals and the popular new venue for mini-concerts – shopping malls. Finally it was one of these shopping mall gigs that took them to the top of that rollercoaster. In late spring of 1997, The three performed at the Paramus Park Mall in Paramus, New Jersey. They had been signed by Mercury Records and Hanson’s record MMMBop was a hit, climbing higher in the charts every day. They had a following of thousands of squealing and screaming fans. (For the older generations – remember Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Duran Duran? Okay, you’ve got the picture).

Soon articles about Hanson were popping up in the popular magazines, “People”, “Rolling Stone”, “US”, and every teen magazine known to mankind, even those in foreign countries. Hanson has had TV guest appearances on the “Today Show”, “Live With Regis and Kathie Lee” and “Saturday Night Live”.

Irresistible – “MMMBop” is contagious, it’s something that stays with you long after the song has ended. They are contagious – you see them and hear them and you want more. Young girls, mothers, grandmothers – all have found these young men irresistible.