Japan Dan

Every now and again we run into a guy called Japan Dan.  Sometimes our circle of friends overlaps.  French has always had a grudging respect for him, but they have had some heated arguments over the years.  They once almost came to blows over who was a better guitarist Eddie Van Halen or Neil Young. Another time Japan Dan got us (snuck us) into an exclusive party at a club. French refers to him as a "cool guy".  Every time they meet they shake hands in a really formal way.

Japan Dan is also a really talented guitar player, chef, and photographer.  French and I saw him a few times last year when some mutual friends were playing some shows, so we've had the chance to reconnect, to a degree, after many years.  His latest project is a really cool time lapse video of Ottawa (Ontario, Canada).  Dan also wrote, performed, and mixed the song that accompanies the video.

Dan dedicated the film to his parents.  His parents gave me my first teaching job at Redeemer Christian High School; I'm sure they're proud.

Check it out friends: 

Home Again

Guitar Wisdom

French hasn't worked in a couple of weeks.   He always has a few irons in the fire, but the supply teaching calls have really dried up.  To keep busy he has been listening to every single song from Neil Young.  French says that he is trying to complete the perfect Neil Young play list.  There are over 400 Neil Young songs on his iPod.  Currently he is focusing on the Crazy Horse albums. We have tickets for the upcoming Ottawa show in a three weeks.  The playlist should be ready by then.

Along with this venture he has watched all of the seasons of Breaking Bad, Madmen, and the Walking Dead.  He told me that during a recent TV binge he ate an entire family size bag of chips.  He added: "What the hell is my life about?  I ate a bag of chips that were meant for a whole family.  What am I doing?"

French has been keeping a few girls on the go.  He too often lives by advice that his single guy friends give him: "Don't shut any doors."  French has several girls that don't know where they stand with him.  This situation is starting to lose its charm, and he is getting stressed out.

I countered with advice that he gave me back in high school when I couldn't pick, or commit to one girl.  French told me to play a song on the guitar, and imagine what girl I'd most like to hear me performing that song.

I handed him my guitar.  French strummed a few chords then played and sang All I Want is You by U2.  He played it like Edge, and sang it like Bono.  French played the final part of the song with his eyes closed.  French handed me back my guitar and said: "I gotta go to Montreal."