Colonels' Kernels

How long has it been?

2009-10-09T01:53:00Z

We're back!

There have been a few developments over the summer. For one, Colonel Tom resigned his commission to concentrate on his new project, a country band in Ypsi. Eric Kelly has graciously accepted the role & is now known as Colonel Eric! He's a swell guy, knows more than one should know about cheap beer & writes & sings some snappy ditties.

We've got a couple things lined up in the near future. Tomorrow night, Oct. 9th, we're joining a great assemblage of singers & bands to do another benefit for the Veterans for Peace Chapter 93 Peace Scholarship Fund. Everyone is going to be performing songs written by John Lennon. Last year's event was a lot of fun & raised a wad of dough for a very good cause. Here's a link to the event: Imagine

It appears we're also going to be returning to the Old Town Tavern on the 15th of November to do a couple sets on a late autumn Sunday evening. More details to follow!

It's been a while!

2009-04-12T12:08:00Z

Just realized it's been ages since we've posted anything here!

Colonel Will is going to be hosting the Acoustic Open Mic Night at the Tap Room tomorrow night, April 13th, at 8:00PM. Grab a banjo, mandolin, accordion, washboard, harmonica or whatever you have bouncing around in your back seat & c'mon out!! Good food, a great game room with shuffleboard table & the hospitable folks at the Tap Room all await you!!

New drummer

2008-11-29T15:26:00Z

Colonel Adam has resigned his commission so he can concentrate on his work with Detroit sensations They Never Sleep.

The Colonels wish him the best in his future endeavors, it's been a pleasure to work with Adam the past few years, he's one hellacious drummer!

Of course this means we're in the market for a new stick wielder. Preference will be given to anyone with polka experience, especially if they meet our demanding personal appearance criteria.

Colonel Tom

2008-08-05T14:26:00Z

Colonel Tom is currently laid up at St. Joe's Hospital in Ypsi from complications resulting from an infected second finger on his left hand.

Colonels Will, R, & Adam all visited yesterday but realized an impromptu rehearsal was out of the question. It probably would have helped had we brought instruments!

Tom is doing fine, but will be hospital dwelling for a couple more days & won't be playing bass for the Happy Hour gig on Friday, honorary Colonel Pine Top Hancock ( star of Corndaddy, Paul's Big Radio & The Jay Treaty, stage, screen & radio) will be assisting us on the low notes. We're hoping Colonel Tom is tired of flirting with nurses & will be joining us to do some crooning.

Cheers!

Back Home Again in Ypsitucky!

2008-07-17T16:31:00Z

On the 2nd of August we'll be venturing back to home turf again, this time playing at the shiny newish Screamin' Eagle Pub. In honor of the event, we may very well be performing our cover of Phish's cover of the Quadrophenia album. Be sure your hackysacks are in good repair!!

What do Ben Folds, Primus & Glenn Miller have in common??

2008-07-16T04:01:00Z

They've all done songs featuring Kalamazoo.

Well, we haven't, but that's not keeping us from making an excursion out there Saturday evening to play at Harvey's on the Mall.

If you're in the neighborhood pop in........their beer list looks great!!

Busy Colonels

2008-07-12T00:57:00Z

Sorry we haven't done an update lately.........we've been busy little beavers, gigging up a storm.

Last night we had a perfectly wonderful evening at PJ's Lagerhouse, playing a set before Nathan Kalish & the Wildfire. Thanks to Craiger for the excellent mix & to Karen for her hospitality!!

Next Friday we're playing another happy hour at The Club Above The Heidelberg, this time with our pals Corndaddy. Take a respite from your Ann Arbor Art Fair shopping expedition & pop in for some tasty libations AND! the opportunity to hear "Heart of the Matter" performed by two bands!

More apres-gig dining

2008-06-22T15:32:00Z

Last night on the way home from the Belmont, Colonels R & Tom popped into Lafayette Coney Island. Two with everything is a perfect way to cap off an evening!

Gear-o-philia, pt. 2

2008-05-21T13:49:00Z

In this installment we'll cover the pair of guitars Colonel R uses to paint sonic pictures behind the other Colonels' warbling.

First up is this gem which was built on July 31, 2000 by the fine folks at GibsonUSA

Colonel R purchased it used from Elderly Instruments in Lansing MI in 2005 & got a good'un. Gibson's quality seems to be all over the board these days, one can get an econo model like this one, a "Les Paul Faded DC" and get a really nice guitar or upon occasion pay a zillion dollars for one and get a really pedestrian one.

Colonel R has always been partial to P-90 pickups, having played an Epiphone Casino (a real one, from Kalamazoo, not the reissue junk) from 1972 through the early '90's.

The other guitar is one borrowed from Colonel Tom's arsenal, a Fender Special Edition Koa Telecaster ..... yeah, it's not really a traditionalist's Tele, but it sure sounds good!

That's it at the moment...... there are a couple guitars on the wish list in case the jet stream decides to plop DB Cooper's money in the back yard, specifically a Martin HD-28V, a Rickenbacker 660/12 and perhaps, pending a live, in person evaluation if one can ever be located, a Collings 290.

Gone but not forgotten: '65 Epiphone Olympic Double (silver fox), '65 Rickenbacker 360 Fireglo, '47 Martin 00-18, '65 Gibson Firebird V, '66 Epiphone Casino Sunburst, late '80's Fender Stratocaster chocolate brown, '86 Paul Reed Smith Standard magenta pearl (it looked like it was dipped in a bottle of Pepto-Bismol.......hideous but jeez it was a sweet guitar!) & most recently and most lamented, used car lot refinished '61 Fender Stratocaster........sigh

Late breaking news!

2008-05-11T13:43:00Z

The Colonels are heading back into Detroit!

Located in the shadow of the oft lamented Tiger Stadium, The Corktown Tavern hosts Jason & the Punknecks with the Colonels providing support on the 17th of May. We'll be assisted this time out by the percussion skills of Lieutenant Colonel Rob Abend, filling in for Colonel Adam. Check this one out for sure, it promises to be a VERY fun evening!

Winding our way to the great northwest

2008-05-07T16:00:00Z

On the 4th of June, we're going to be heading off to Lansing to play at Mac's Bar with a band from E. Lansing, Falcorps .

This promises to be an interesting evening, c'mon out!

Mick's Benefit

2008-05-04T06:34:00Z

A quick thanks to all who ventured out to the Heidelberg last night for the benefit for Mick...... enough money was raised to help him with one of his bills & we hope all who came enjoyed our sets, we had fun!

Cheers!

Somehow we managed to miss scheduling this on the Summer Solstice

2008-04-19T20:32:00Z

So we suspect that all the Druids out there will be flocking to the Belmont in Hamtramck, direct flights from Stonehenge available now!!

Donkey Donkey

2008-04-13T17:29:00Z

The dining destination after Colonel Will & Colonel R wowed 'em in Ferndale (with the able assistance of Jud Branam, Kevin Brown & Vito La Pasta) was Bray's . Will, Jan & R chowed down on the #8 combo, supplemented with chili & cheese on two of the fries orders....... 'Twas a feast fit for a Colonel !!

Gear-o-philia, part 1

2008-04-12T15:00:00Z

The Colonels are able to take their take on audio mayhem out to bars, union halls, trade shows, ice cream parlors, bordellos or any of several other potential job sites that don't have house sound systems with their collection of sound reinforcement doodads.

Currently our inventory consists of:

Mackie Onyx 1640 mixer

Mackie Onyx Firewire I/O card

Furman Power Conditioner

Lexicon MX400

Electrovoice SxA250 powered speakers

Ultimate Support speaker stands

Apple iPod (for between set entertainment)

Microphones as indicated in our previous blog entry

Look for an upcoming installment on the bits & pieces that comprise our backline!!

Colonels Will & R on a road trip

2008-04-12T14:45:00Z

We'll be zipping out to fabulous Ferndale this evening to perform at the benefit for Frank Washington at the New Way Bar.

The newly christened 'Tucky Brothers will be bashing out a pared down version of a Ypsitucky Colonels set 9ish PM....... bring out an accordian or a harmonica or a set of spoons & join us!

The center of the universe

2008-04-07T17:57:00Z

When the Colonels are out on the road, there are few things we enjoy more than the post-gig dining experience.

We were fortunate to have one of our top fave dining establishments directly en route home Friday!

Telway!

Colonels Will, Tom & R.....along with trusty sidekick Colonelette Jan, shared a perfectly spendid assortment of burgers, fries, chili fries, onion rings & about a swimming pool full of coffee before heading back to Ypsitucky.

If you haven't been, go immediately........be sure to say the Colonels said hi!!

Oh.....here's a review from MetroTimes

artwork courtesy Dr. Blurt Sandblaster, MD20-20

Recovery

2008-04-06T15:25:00Z

We had a perfectly fun evening at the Lager House Friday night, 'twas nice that LordChats & Mr. Haines made the excursion out from A2 to witness the festivities.

LordChats took some pix at the show, hopefully we'll get a couple of them posted on the MySpace page in the near future.

Colonel Will & Colonel Tom reported that The Crooks rawked the house, sadly I missed them due to the vagaries of the evening's schedule.....I was down at the Corktown Tavern chatting with MistyLyn, Jim Roll & Eddie Baranek. I got back to the LagerHouse in time to catch the set by Commerce&Hiller, which wasn't exactly what I was expecting......Powerful stuff fellas!!

Thanks to PJ, Carrie (I hope I got that right.....the PBR's & the signature cocktail she invented for us that evening had a powerful effect on my retention of names!) & Craiger for their hospitality. Craiger made us sound magnificent in the house! Kudos!!

UPDATE 28 April: Stopped by the Lager House Saturday afternoon for the jazz happy hour with In the Tradition...... nice playing folks! Discovered that Karen is the mixmeister of cocktailology......I'll listen to people's names better in the future.....honest!!

Shopping

2008-04-04T14:53:00Z

Just put in an order with Heather at Full Compass, The YC's are supplementing their arsenal of modern contraptions to allow us to make even more tasteful racket at a moment's notice.

We're adding a couple Sennheiser e609 mics to our mic assortment, complementing our Shure Beta52A, SM57s, SM58s,SM55 and a gaggle of other Sennheisers and AKG's.

It's always a pleasure to shop with Full Compass.....excellent pricing, prompt service & Heather has been extremely helpful in answering all our questions.

Cheers!

Colonel Will (and friends) at the New Way in Ferndale, April 12

2008-04-03T15:37:00Z

Join Col. Will in a rare (read: almost unheard of) solo acoustic set at the New Way bar in Ferndale on April 12. Col. Will is joining an all-star lineup (Skin 'n' Bones, Corndaddy, The Exhaust Tones and more) for a show to benefit Frank Washington, a Detroit-based automotive journalist, who was beaten and stabbed over the winter.

Expect surprise guests to round out the evening, including a rumored appearance by none other than Col. R. Baker.