Show #268

Hello Friends of the Garden!

The Flat Growlers minus Mike Witten

Last week was filled with anxiety! It was a good kind of anxiety though! Amongst other things, one thing stood out more than the others and that was the debut of “The Flat Growlers”, a band constructed from our “Flower Tome Companion” house band. The name for the band actually came from a reference to a line from that same play! The double entendre was too hard to resist!

One more Mike never
hurts! Glad to have Mike
with us! Cool guy!

I was as scared as I have ever been. The thing that took the edge off a little was the fact that we started at our home field, Sequoia Brewing. Even though you could feel the love throughout the room, I still felt the uncertainty of performing. I’m as self-conscious as anybody you’d ever meet. I even started taking voice lessons to assuage those fears! I found out that sometimes it’s better not to know too much because you begin to realize the full extent of your inadequacies!

Me, trying not to show the fear!
Believe me, I'm like that duck that
looks calm on the surface!

I’ve sung a song with a couple of bands thanks to some close friends that wanted to give me a shot at it. Other than that I haven’t had any other experience. Singing one song is scary all on it’s own but, not like being up in front of people for two hours. Fortunately, between 268 radio shows, writing 2 plays and 12 performances (one that was performed at the Tower Theater!) of  “Flower Tome Companion” had me prepared (kind of) for what was to happen!

Prior to our gig (it’s so funny saying that!) I overthought everything! The crowd was primarily all friends, family and a handful of strangers. I was concerned with remembering lyrics, should I look at people, trying to stay on key, what if they don’t like our song selection, all these things were whirling around my overactive brain. The other guys appeared to be as calm as could be which only unnerved me all the more (especially John Fowler)!

Silly fun with graphics!

What I found out was that once we started the whole thing flew by in a flash! Just like my radio show, which I claim to be the fastest two hours of the week, the whole “Flat Growlers” show was over before I could take a moment to breathe. As soon as that was done I jumped in the car to head to the coast. Those two and a half hours in the car I listened to my radio show as far as the signal would allow and spent the balance of that time in relative silence, no singing in the car, no music, just the sound of the road on the tires!

My buddy John Alden! We have done
some outrageously fun things already
with no signs of it slowing down! You
couldn't ask for a better friend!

A couple days after, I got an email from John Alden with an open microphone recording complete with crowd noise of the whole show. Upon listening to that recording I had a flashback to five years earlier. I had just started my radio show. It was show number four that required me to record my show. I was headed to the coast. I knew I’d need to learn to record my show any way because it was inevitable that it would occur.

So, I recorded it and waited on the deck for the show to come on. I called my buddy Chris (the main Texas Connection) as the show began and heard myself for the first time on the radio. I recall averting my head as if not seeing the source of the sound would alleviate my insecurity. Chris said, “This is so cool! It sounds just like you!” I thought, “Oh my God, this is what I sound like? Crap!” By the end the show I gave myself a little more credit, after all I tried my hardest!

I must be serious. I bought
my own microphone and stand.
The voice lesson haven't hurt either!

I’ve since gotten much more accustomed to hearing my voice on the radio. I no longer cringe when I hear myself; I even appreciate it to a degree now! I had those same feelings when I heard myself trying to sing last Sunday. I was more prepared to be objective this time. I really wanted to give this a try and my expectations are realistic. Having the faith and support of the guys in the band gave me the courage to accept the challenge. That endorsement counts for more than you could imagine!

 So, I guess I’ll ride this pony ‘til it bucks me off! I’ll try my hardest and treat it the same way I do my radio show! I’m proud of the job I’ve done so far with my radio show and I feel confident. I hope to feel that same way with my buddies in the band! How cool is that?

Here’s Show #268! Well, immediately after the Flat Growler show I headed to the coast. That means deck time with KPIG! I always hear some tune I have that I’ve totally forgotten about. There’s some cool stuff from Ryan Bingham to kick things off. There are a couple cool covers of Beach Boy tunes and a request for an original. There’s a cool set of female artists and little “Gardenerisms” sprinkled through the whole show. Some funny stuff which would include another request for a Lou Reed song in the second hour, which has all kinds of fun in it! Hope you’ll enjoy it, I know I’ll have fun in the studio playing it for you!

Well summer has us all busy like usual, but as always thanks to you both Jerry and Robin for all you do!

Thanks too, to all you faithful listeners out there! Sorry I didn’t hang with you Scooter and Moto-Rob after the Growler show, next time fellas! Make it your summer to plan to get together with friends and have a listening party and have a drink for me!

Peace and love to you all!

Mike