The Lithium Experience

time for change

a new project

the lithium experience

grunge

this show differs from CAL

in that it’s a show

my generation is quick to dismiss the 90s

but the grunge bands brought real change

a sincere shot of integrity

eddie vedder radiates integrity

when grunge first hit

we all sensed the shift

all the silly hair bands collapsed

people became aware

poetry

the lithium experience debuts in florida

the casino on dania beach

jan 4

joe - the cat that books the venue - understands how serious this music is

so we launch in tandem

the band is nicky h kara shain joe colin

with a canadian line up soon to come

perhaps a return to the phoenix!

sirius has a channel called lithium

named after the nirvana song

it’s a fantastic station 

this music is thirty years old now

it still grips

this is a nice time for change

something about a new year

a fresh page

wishing everyone peace and prosperity

craig

nov 7 2019

perrier nuts

Elton John's Farewell to Toronto

i went to see elton on wednesday night

the world’s greatest solo artist

a case could be made for michael jackson or prince

but elton survived

and he shines brighter than ever before

the show was joyous

hit after hit

the cannon fully loaded 

with the band firing perfectly alongside of him

this was my 6th time seeing elton

previously i wore a pink shirt and sat about 7 rows back

after every song he looked down at me and waved and was me sending love signals

later i learned that i was sitting right behind his husband and family!

i thought my pink shirt was a calling card for elton and i to be best friends forever

not so!

but we are friends

i think that kind of success is telling

the audience - the mass of millions - become an entity

and that entity is loved by elton

sincerely

a couple times throughout the evening

elton addressed the audience

and in a casual way - radiated love

it was deep, profound and warm

for the record 

he has said goodbye before

all the greats do it

it allows them to close a chapter 

grow

and move on

we allow for it

because like family

we are understanding and forgiving

and happy to have them back in our lives

but old elton - he’s a sly one

he’ll pop up here and there in the years to come

the light just finds him

he can’t help it

elton is a player

a serious musician

his career is garnished with garish

but his heart is that of a musician

that night he made the piano his bitch

and he made the piano his baby

he’s rock’s greatest piano player 

we use the word ‘awesome’ without thinking

elton is an awesome musician

vocally he was strong and emotional

connecting to lyrics that were written for him decades ago

he didn’t phone anything in

he worked hard 

professional

his falsetto is gone - vaporized on 100,000 microphones

but he’s more committed to what he sings now - than ever before

he was somewhat all alone up there amidst the circus

he drew us in 

during levon i thought of my son

during daniel i thought of my father

during rocketman i thought of bandmates

i went back to a time long ago 

when his songs were currents running through my life

guiding streams of beauty

educating me 

challenging me

flickering notes on a road

that i wished would run on forever

craig

oct 24 2019

orange juice and a power bar

Troy Feener

woke up to this email from troy

troy and i go way back

i first met him in the early 90s

we joined the same band 

and wound up together in dubai for 3 months

i get a ton of drummers emailing me

looking for work

and i wish that i can accommodate them

but we have a troy feener

he puts in the hard work

and likes to hang out and get his groove on post show

800 shows troy

good work old freind

I have charted and performed 52 albums!!!

Yes - Close to the Edge, The Yes Album

Pink Floyd - Animals, Wish You Were Here, Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall

Queen - A Night at the Opera

The Eagles - Hotel California, Their Greatest

Pearl jam - Ten

The Police - Outlandos d'Amour, Regatta De Blanc

The Doors – The Doors, LA Woman

U2 – The Joshua Tree

Nirvana – Nevermind

The Who – Who’s Next

Supertramp – Crime of the Century, Breakfast In America

Led Zeppelin – I, II, In Through the Outdoor

Michael Jackson – Thriller

Prince – Purple Rain

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic

Deep Purple - Machine Head

The Beatles - Rubber Soul, Revolver, Abbey Road, White album

Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Janis Joplin - Pearl

Boston - Boston

Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Bob Marley - Legend, Exodus

John Lennon

Van Halen - I

The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed, Some Girls, Exile On Main street, Sticky Fingers

Best of Woodstock

Saturday Night Fever

Elton John -  Greatest Hits

Paul McCartney - Band On the Run

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust

ACDC - Back In Black

The Allman Brothers - A Decade Of Hits

Tom Petty - Damn the Torpedoes

craig 

oct. 20, 2019

starbucks coffee orlando airport

Summertime Rolls

i’ve been streaming summer

in real time

lots of sun

and i’m happy that i’ve been social

concerts and dinners

chats with strangers about my dog

interaction is the new currency

we did our first boat cruise

with the CAL zep band

it worked!

maybe more of these going forward

nick walsh and myself are not sailors

but we were even on the horizon

and enjoyed a barf free day

funny bit - nick - mid song - pretending to puke over starboard

nick hildyard’s the same way

something about the name

i must ask nicole

and i’ve resolved to start calling everyone in CAL nicky

the upcoming CAL season is getting tricky

we’re growing so fast

a nice interaction with tom barlow - he did the cruise with us (he’s great!)

he said that he knew of lots of musicians

who all spoke about how great a gig CAL was

that made me feel  good

it’s nice to know that other players regard us like that

perhaps our paths will cross

it’s tricky with cats that write their own music - tom’s won junos!

but we’re a safe place for musicians to dock 

chalking up the air miles this month

in and out of airports

i used to think it was exciting but the routine is…

—no - it’s exciting

alex once said she likes airports because adventure awaits

i feel the same way

saw the stones about a month ago

very pleasing

at my age the bonus came in the form of VIP parking

we zoomed in and out

the stones were great!

glad they’re still at it

i hope to be shuffling off to a pub to play when i’m in my 70s

hell - dez manages just fine

the stones shows and rehearsals have been good for the soul

my body kicks into a memory 

and once the light hits

i thaw

and melt away hesitation

it’s always good to keep a foot in the game

it reminds me of how much work it takes to do what we do

troy told me that i belong on stage

he’s usually right about things

we’ll see

and soon we’re off to san diego to do a few pepper shows with the symphony

this is important 

we know how to do this

and plan on many more symphony shows

in some ways - this is the future of CAL

even without an orchestra

we’re our own orchestra

the modern day orchestra

in canada 

the four seasons are distinct

but summer’s the sweetest

it’s difficult to imagine our streets blanketed in snow

but not too difficult

brrr

as if it wasn’t hot enough

i’m about to land in florida

100 degrees baby

have a little sympathy

have some taste

craig

july 28, 2019

vegetarian mushy airplane food and coffee

.

16 Year Anniversary

16 years ago today

CAL started

dark side of the moon was our first show

dez and steve butler played that show

and are still with me today

in fact

many of the musicians from the phoenix years

are still with me

i don’t think we’ve changed

but when i look back at the photographs

i see little kids

we’ve done so much

shared this music with so many

it’s a life

what we do feels true

there’s so much noise and misinformation out there

i don’t get caught up in it

i look back at all the bad advice people have tried to impart on me

unnecessary steps

i’ve stopped going to meetings

we know what we’re doing

i don’t need to hear about how should capitalize on social media

or target demographics

or build a brand

i hate that term

brand

it just sounds like a buzz word used to remove people from their money

it rings false with me

we’re a band

an orchestra

actually 

we’re more of a family

never before has a generation been this passionate about music

never!

my parents generation liked music

but it faded and fleeting

today’s pop is fine

but it’s here today and gone later today

just look at the charts from 5 years ago

time has passed and things have changed

CAL represents music that endures

and will continue to accompany us all through and around this mortal coil

after 16 years

i’ve learned a few things

this past weekend 

we had 37 musicians on the road

that takes a lot of planning

my sister handles most of that kind of thing

i love her so 

15 years ago she asked me if i wanted some help

i said okay

and with that she helped grow CAL

and grow we did

it’s getting big

and i’m giving more musicians work

here’s a copy of the email i send out to new musicians

i’m sure i shouldn’t be sharing it

but i’m a doors are open kind of guy:

WELCOME TO CAL

listen to the album

learn the album

play the album

love the album

that’s it

note for note

cut for cut

tone for tone

groove onstage

but never grandstand

avoid tired old rock cliches

govern yourself like you are in an orchestra

don’t be frightened by alex’s snorts

wear black

and look as cool as possible

put comfort before style

don’t let fashion inhibit your show

shine your shoes

no colours

no logos

dress like a pro 

and make sure boge gets you a CAL water bottle for stage

no plastic baby

we don’t talk to the audience during the album performance

and during the 2nd set - the outro set - only sparingly

we never talk about anything that relates to the outside world

no politics / sports / new events / 

never anything like ‘hello cleveland’ or ‘are you ready to rawk chicago!’

that’s not our style

the core members know how to relate to the audience 

if you’re new to CAL - just stand back and smile

always compliment nick walsh on his hair

keep an eye on your booze intake

and be ready to hang out post gig

we like to hang out

we maintain a family vibe

if you’re having a problem with a part

seek help

start with rob phillips

he’ll point you in the right direction

we’ve all been there

and ask to have that part run at soundcheck

we want you to be great

never talk politics with nicky

if you start to incur expenses in order to make the show

let us know

we can help

we’re very pro-active in making sure your experience is a happy one

and if you need an advance - just ask

we’ve all been there too

don’t let mia confuse you

try and get each other gigs outside of CAL

i really like this part of our tribe

everyone getting each other work

that’s the good stuff

and if you have a better paying or a more important gig

let us know with as much time as possible

and we’ll work around it

we’ve all been there too

the doors are always open

we don’t carry grudges

we just want you to make money and be happy

ask nicole to make you a hat

if you have a bad guitar cable

throw it away

you’ll never fix it

just get a new one

you’ll sleep better

try hard not to start your own version of CAL

it upsets me when this happens

and it makes me rumble 

feel free to kick rick vatour out of your room at 2:00am

take care of each other

after 16 years we’ve all grown quite fond of each other

the toxic traders have been weeded out and replaced with givers 

CAL is a nice place for social interaction

and always take a moment to enjoy the moment

what we do is the stuff of greatness

we have something special

take it in

and reflect on your career and how far you’ve come

boge can fix anything 

make sure we get your family on the guest list

and bring them backstage so we can say hi 

and then rush away to tear down your gear quick

remind your guests that you are at work

never share a monitor mix with mark

make sure to eat well

it’s probably chicken for dinner

but we’re working through that

and learn to love the stones

as i don’t like people who don’t like stones

i’m looking forward to working with you

welcome to CAL

you’re at the top of your game now

craig

.

that’s how we live

that’s our vibe

go ahead and steal the above blueprint

and start your own version of CAL

but you’ve got to have heart 

if you don’t feel it in your heart

and just want to make money

you’ll fail

and the audiences will know

our audience can smell a phoney a million miles away

that’s true with most things in life

back in the day i skipped an important exam

just to hear ‘don’t fear the reaper’ on the radio

i have always been that passionate about music

i still hang onto the hippie credo of the 60s

and think that music can change the world

it took a long time to figure this all out

i’m not sure how we did it

i think it had something to do with blind faith

once i had the idea for CAL

i was like a zombie

i maxed credit cards

cashed in savings and inheritance

exhausted lines of credit

i never left the house without a bundle of flyers

i worked and worked 

i had two sons

i never stopping to pause

somehow it worked out

i think because i cared so much

it’s funny - because i still feel like we’re just starting

when i do interviews

i often get asked 

what advice i have for anyone starting a new business

two things i have not been very good at: relationships and business

so i tell them

run your company on a high point rewards credit card

pay off that card every month

then use the points to upgrade to business class

and pursue love at all costs

16 years gone

a tattoo of truth on our invested careers

a life shared with our version of the holy trinity

the musicians

the venues

the crowd

we all care about this music

we all care about each other

so please join me 

in wishing CAL

a happy anniversary

craig

april 10, 2019

jack daniels and ritz crackers

Forward

i’m a mess of a man

there’s a lot wrong with me

as there is most of us

but i’m trying to work through it

it’s been just over 2 years since my son passed

i’ve been trying to hold things together

for my son and mother and sister and partner

but now i need to get myself strong

it started with physical training

and now i’m moving towards seeing a shrink

to get my brain healthy

funny thing

i’ve reached out to 4 different shrinks

and once they asked why i wanted to get shrunk

they passed

as if it was too big a task

i was troubled at first

but now i think this is funny

and i think lucas would think it was funny too

last night

i connected with my oldest friend 

and we headed out to brampton to see the queen show

it was great

and i was happy

because everyone onstage takes care of me

in a deeply profound way

i realized that i’ve been absent 

and in my absence

these fantastic musicians carry the torch

compassionate people all

perhaps they don’t even realize it

but i do

and that feels good

it thrusts me towards building more shows

with more musicians

man

that feels really good

once home

i wandered down the road to my local pub 

and ran into doug - our lighting tech from massey hall

we chit chatted 

i returned to my seat at the bar

and he wandered over

and thanked me for the work i was doing with the canadian cancer society

no one has ever done that

we shared stories

brief yet heartfelt

and then 

heading home

it came 

my knees buckled

and i let it go

alone on carlton street at midnight

weeping like a baby

all from a little flash of meaning

i think it’s about forgiveness

that’s as close as i get to clarity

i’m living through extraordinary circumstances

and running a company all the while

i question everything

i start by looking for the fault in myself

and radiate out from there

this is starting to work

and moving me forward towards healing

that and music

what else is there?

maybe a book

maybe a movie

but you can move with music

take it with you

let it be a bandaid

a declaration

a piece of ID

a fashion

a lifestyle

soar

we’re going through a time 

where music and love are the only true things in our lives

everything else seems like it’s attached to an agenda

an agenda that just wants to remove you from your money

we get lied to

we get identified and marketed to

processed

but when i get my headphones on

and walk through an airport with springsteen playing

i feel strong

when i get in the car and switch on the beatles channel

i feel happy

when i put the pretenders on my turntable while i’m cooking dinner

i feel smart

and when i go to a show

and sit in the audience amongst people

who all grew up with this music

and the musicians walk on stage and shine

i feel alive

craig

february 24, 2019

coffee and apple slices