October 27, 2008
Worked all weekend on El Kid images. Here are two closeups of talking heads:



And here's another one, called "Scarred Bandido":



I just got word that the "Real Cowboys" show I did for the History Channel last week is supposed to air beginning in February. It's going to be a six-part series with one episode playing each month. The one Sherry Monahan and I did is supposed to air in April. I think they are starting with the Lonesome Dove one, the Billy the Kid one, then ours.

Last night I got to meet one of the legends of Woodstock: Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra, the drummer for Canned Heat. Fito flew into Phoenix for a gig at the Dead Goat Saloon in Mesa, and then he had a benefit show in Casa Grande yesterday for "Bikers Against Diabetes." He and his ex, Sheri Riley (who works for me, and by the way, they get along famously), met me at El Encanto last night for dinner. We sat at the bar, ordered the mole enchiladas and talked about drumming and documentaries. He's just finished a doc on "The History of Mexican Rock 'N' Roll," which he produced. Both of us are left-handed so we had some comparing to do on customizing drum sets to meet our peculiar predicaments. Great talking with him about all things percussion and, of course, he has crazy stories of being on the road.

The most famous Canned Heat tune is probably "Goin' Up The Country" which is the signature song of the Woodstock film. They also had a million seller with "Let's Work Together." Other hits include "Got My Mojo Workin'" and "Spoonfull."

"In painting, as in the other arts, there's not a single process, no matter how insignificant, that can be reasonably made into a formula. You come to nature with your theories, and she knocks them all flat."
—Auguste Renoir