The Autopilot Dojo

 

Pretty much a double album up at autopilotdojo.com

Whats Going on and Changes to Come Part:1

Its been a nice run Portland. So.... There are many things changing for me in the near future. For one, I am playing a few "last shows" of sorts. Music in this town is a hard thing for me to walk away from. This is because the people in the bands I'm walking away from, I really consider family and my brothers. For reasons I can't really get too deeply into on this format at this point, I will be playing my last show with Salvador on Friday, August 5th at the Kenton Club off 2025 N Kilpatrick St., Portland, OR 97217 · Get Directions. This is a band I've been with of 3 years and have put many hours of hard work into. So please come out and support good local music. More on this show later.

In less than 7 days I also have this:
I'm doing another one off show with a band that's been coined, "Shotgunn Holiday". This will only be my second show with these folks and it won't really be the same format most people and myself will be use to. I'll be providing a lot of bass for this gig. This show will take place Thursday, July 21st at LaurelThirst Public House on2958 NE Glisan, Portland, OR 97232 · Get Directions.

Also, this doesn't mean our output will be stalled. This does mean finally some of the material many of us have spend the better part of a year and a half, should be recorded within the next month or two.

This means:
1. A new Salvador album.
2. Some solo tracks if they don't suck.
3. A new Autopilot Dojo track.
4. Maybe a track or two for Shotgunn Holiday.

These are very big aspirations, so hopefully I can fulfill most, if not all of them. This doesn't mean I'm totally done with music. That would be ridiculous. Just starting over and pushing the reset button on my current way of life and making some changes. Who knows. I could end up falling right back into the same place in the future, but for now this is what is happening with me and others around me.

Much more info to come.

The Karaoke Contest...

I’d like to share with you a excerpt of a personal encounter of mine summarized and written by Courtney Jensen. Don't let the word Manifesto scare you.

The writing of our Manifesto, I was provoked by a fairly inspiring episode
in an Asian grocery market. Lum was involved. And when it was over, he wrote me
a letter on a piece of computer paper. Upon receiving it, I was entertained.
Thus, I decided to do you, a reader, a favor and retell the story.

The summary is this: Lum won a karaoke contest.

But he didn't mean to enter. What he meant to do was buy a fish that either
had or didn't have a head at an Asian market. But in addition to buying a fish,
he was accosted by a little Korean grocery clerk.

"Excuse sir, do you sing?"

"Kinda."

She grabbed his arm and tugged him toward a platform ("stage") in the
middle of the store. Still a little confused (and still holding a saran-wrapped
tilapia), the music started.

It was that David Bowie song Ziggy Stardust.

Lum was obviously familiar with this number.

So he switched the tilapia to his left hand, grabbed the mic with his
right, and began his performance. When the song got to the cuss words, he was a
little unsure if he should sing them (being as the "audience" was comprised
mostly of little kids).

He ended up belting them out really loudly (assuming Asian kids don't know
the words but for the melody they make).

After the performance, a child with Down syndrome came up and gave Lum a
hug. A big one.

Lum hugged him back. A medium-sized one. And then the following
conversation took place:

DSK: "Do you wanna have lunch with me?"

Lum: "I can't, I have to go to work."

DSK: "Why?"

Lum: "I need money."

DSK: "Why?"

Lum: "I don't really know."

DSK: "Do you wanna have lunch with me?"

Lum: "I have to go to work."

DSK: "You're mean!"

Leaving for work, Lum was filled with as much clarity as he was pride (none
of either; he was totally confused and embarrassed) but pleased that he'd won
some money with which he could buy some new Dojo equipment.

And I was semi-riveted by the whole episode... and in turn, motivated to
create our manifesto, realizing most underground bands wouldn't be caught dead
at a karaoke contest in a Korean grocery store. And they would excuse their lack
of festivity as a facet of integrity.

And this is just dumb.

Everyone in the world should be caught dead at karaoke contests in all
sorts of venues if it affords them the chance to be a disabled kid's
ten-second-hero. Life is inherently dull and painful and these moments are
interesting enough to be therapeutic.

Visit http://www.autopilotdojo.com/ to read more writings.