Month: August 2010

Video: Help me scrape the mucus off my brain (Ween cover)

Well, I must have listened to Pretty Good Musician's ukulele songs about two dozen times today. The end result was that I really, really, really want to get my ukulele novelty band off of the ground. But, today I had to settle for recording a version of "Help me scrape the mucus off my brain", by Ween. I played this one with my Kala Pocket Ukulele because it's been awhile since I used it in a video and because I look pretty ridiculous playing it.  It's just sooo damn tiny.

Anyway, this song is off of the Ween record 12 Golden Country Greats.  It's definitely one of their better records and songs.

My New BFFs: Pretty Good Musicians (Duck Tales + Paula Abdul)

So, I think I got a tweet Hillary a week or so ago but I forget how this whole thing started.  I think we were just shooting the shit and then suddenly she dropped that her and some friends have an all-ukulele version of the Duck Tales theme song.  What?!  That freaking reeks of awesome.

So, we get yakking back and forth and I decided the world needs to know more, especially after I heard their covers of "Sweet Jane", "Duck Tales", "Straight Up" and "Who's That Girl".  Not only does the world need to know more, but I need these guys to move to Montana.  I've been toying with the idea of making a ukulele novelty band for a few months now, but finding the right folks is proving tough.  I'd be more than happy to play second fiddle to these badasses.

So, their band is called Pretty Good Musicians.  It's comprised of Hillary O'Keefe, Ian K and Matt Miklos.  Depending on the song, you are gonna hear between 1-5 ukuleles and most likely some hilarious commentary and occasional cursing.  Everybody likes swears, right?  Yup. In the recordings, they play a Lanikai Tenor LU-21T, an Eleuke, a cigar box ukulele and a few other random ukes.  You can tell that they have a blast playing together and recording and that's what it's all about folks.  What is the point of being in a bad if it isn't fun?  These guys get it.

Check out the Pretty Good Musicians Facebook Page if you wanna be a fan.

I noticed that the Facebook page doesn't have some of my favorite tunes, so here ya go:

Oh yeah, and to all of you who might be saying, "Man, I could do this."  DO IT!  Stop talking.  Do it!  The world needs more ukulele bands.  Especially ones who know how to have fun.  The world doesn't need anymore Interpol or Coldplay.  Joy is contagious.

P.S.  If you are already in a hilarious and fun ukulele-powered band, please send me songs and vids!  I don't care if it's recorded on your 4-track or karaoke machine.  (In fact, I almost prefer that).  I want to hear it!

Video: 3am “Girl from Ipanema” on Ukulele and Keytar

Well, I'm finally back from the whirlwind Volumen Mini-tour of the northwest.  I feel like I'm still recovering, though.  This morning Simon (my five-year-old) asked me when I was getting my normal voice back.  I wish I knew kid.  I wish I knew.  Anyway, we played 4 shows in 4 days and after the 2nd show I had already lost my pillow and my voice.  After the 3rd show I had lost my credit card and any dignity and sanity I used to have.

The tour was awesome!  We had really great turn-outs and we sold buckets of CDs and shirts and whatnot.  Actually, the t-shirt sales weren't all good news.  We discovered after the Seattle show that we had sold at least one shirt that still had the security tag on it.  Whoops.  Sorry about that folks.  Just drive to Montana and we'll unlock it for ya.

Anyway, this is all leading up to a Ukulele video, right?  Umm... yup.  Here's the story.  We played at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard (Seattle-ish).  We played with Summer Babes (who are awesome) and two other bands who were fine, I guess?  I was a little grouchy on stage because we weren't allowed to drink on stage.  It's apparently against the law.  But, for some reason $37 white belts and tight pants are totally legal.  I'll let you figure that one out.  So, after our set we all made up for lost time with something I like to call "Extra Beers".  Then we loaded up our gear and drove to the afterhours at Jeff's house (Jeff is in Summer Babes and The Lights).

After arriving safe and sound we went across the street to The Buckaroo and had $2 cans of Olympia, pickled eggs and Misfits played super loud.   They ran us out of there by bringing a motorcycle inside the bar and peeling out inside the bar.  It was nuts.

So, we ran back to Jeff's house and decided to chill out.  This started the impromptu Girl From Ipanema session you are about to witness.  Keep in mind, Bob is our drummer and we'd never seen that keytar before.  K.  Here goes.

Video and Tabs: Tonight You Belong to Me from The Jerk

So, a few weeks (months?) ago a good friend of mine (and Missoula's award-winning bartender), Al Pils, sent me a Youtube video of the great Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters song from the 1979 movie, The Jerk.  I decided I had to learn it.  Especially because if you want Steve's fingers it seems like the sound is especially fancy for what he's doing.  Wait... what?  You mean movies aren't always real?  Huh.  I'm not buying it.  Anyway, take a peak at the video first to get some context:

Anyway, I went looking for tabs but everything I found was in the wrong key or too simplified or both. Then I found the following video from mbrenne72.  I feel like he pretty much nailed it.  Although, some other folks seem to think you should tune your C string down a full step and every other string down 1/2 step, but that seemed much too difficult.  Anyway, if you tune your uke down 1/2 step and play it like I do then it sounds pretty good with the movie.  And, no, I didn't tab the coronet solo.

So... here's my video:

And for those of you who want to do this from the comfort of your own home, here's the tabs:
Tonight You Belong to Me
Tabs: Ukulele Guy – http://ukuleleguy.com
Based almost entirely on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib6-FxuHTwo
If playing along with the movie, tune your ukulele down ½ step.
NOTE: I'm Ukulele Guy, not Music Theory Guy or Ukulele Expert 😉

G	 = 0232
Gsus4	 = 0233
G6	 = 0202
G#6	 = 1313
G7	 = 0212
G7sus2   = 0210
G+5	 = 0332
A7	 = 0100
D7	 = 2223
D#-5	 = 0330
Cmaj7	 = 0002
C6	 = 0000
Cm6 	 = 2333
E9	 = 1222
E7	 = 1202
F#maj	 = x121 (3121)
Walk Part:
Dmaj-D7-D6-D =  2225-2223-2222-2220

Intro:
G6 G#6 G6 plucked G string
G6 G#6 G6 D7

G
I know (I know)
      G7-G7sus2   Cmaj7-C6  G+5-D#-5
You belong     to somebody  new
      G         D   D7    G  Gsus4 G Dmaj-D7-D6-D
But Tonight you belong to me
G
Although (although)
      G7-G7sus2
we're apart
     Cmaj7-C6   G+5-D#5
Your part of my heart
      G         D   D7    G   Riff Part
And Tonight you belong to me

    Cm6     E9  Cm6
Way down by the stream
             E9   Cm6
How sweet it will seem
     G         F#maj  E7
Once more just to     dream
       A7
In the moonlight
D7
My honey
  G
I know (I know)
         G7-G7sus2  Cmaj7-C6    G+5-D#-5
With the dawn  that you will be gone
    G           D  D7     G
But tonight you belong to me
        D          G       77710
Just to little old me

There ya have it. Now, get out there and have fun and don't let anyone give you hard time. Ukulele elitism isn't good for anyone... plus, it's silly.