Tuesday at Rehearsal
Private location

Familiar Faces
When I arrived, Duane Face and Donnell sat in their cars. Duane watched the NBA finals on a TV in his car. We walked in and it was really hot. It was even hotter in the practice room. Donnell went and turned on the air conditioning, but it was so hot that they ended up talking and not having a rehearsal. Duane wore HOBO socks. BJ was the next to arrive. He had his keyboard in the other room. He walked in and said hello to both of us. Dwayne was next to arrive, but left shortly and then came back later. The four of us went into the larger room - where it was cooler. Donnell sat under the fan.

Then Doc arrived. Doc talked with me about the entry in my blog re: last Wednesday: Michon (she must really be fan since Jacques wasn't here, she must not just be at FF shows to "stand by her man"). He said he thought I was insinuating something. I said I wasn't. Donnell said that the real reason she was there was to pick up Jacques' money while he was in Orlando. Mike arrived. When Jacques arrived, he confirmed that Michon was a fan of the band. I told them that Smoke had a girlfriend who came to shows too, but she stays by the bar. Doc said he didn't even know that Smoke had a girlfriend; I said I've seen her bring him water and towels, but she is low-key. It turns out, subsequently, Smoke said she is a friend of his, but not his girlfriend. I talked about a conversation between a man and a woman walking out of Tradewinds some weeks ago.

At one point, Donnell talked about Smoke leading the beat in some song, Dwayne said, "I changed my name, I am Smoke." Doc talked about Pleasure and the Huck-A-Bucks being programmed bands. I talked with Doc about the stuff "you asked me not to include in the blog", he said Halima asked you that, I stand by what I say. I asked Donnell and Mike the name of the song that they always sing with Donny Ray - Donnell said, (Atlantic Starr's) Send for Me, Mike said, "a tragedy".

Stomp was really hyper. He said Charlie was "Pussybutt Jr.". DP arrived at one point with his sons Derek Jr. and Darrell. Mike said that he co-wrote the Rare Essence song "Back up against the wall." Doc talked about Amerie's 1 Thing being a momentum killer, when was the last time we played it? I said, "Saturday". I said that Free Yourself was a momentum killer after Work the Walls on Saturday, that it cleared the dance floor, but Donnell said they don't want to hype the crowd at the end of sets.

They said, look at Mark in a Magnum PI t-shirt - he was in the hallway, where I couldn't see him yet. Godfather wore a see through - Hawaiian-type shirt. I believe it is the same one he wore during my interview of him last year. Band members teased him about looking like a stripper. He said that with this heat, they should be jealous. Mark talked about going to Valley Green to recover Funk's stolen collection - the story was really unclear on the details, but apparently a bunch of high school students had Funk's collection. Mark talked about going to Prince's house in DC that had a huge statue of a penis. Mark said that Funk knew Prince personally - the other band members were doubtful.

A couple of girls that Dwayne had worked with right before he came to rehearsal were looking for a guy named KJ. Dwayne said they were playing Sunday at 2K9 (which is now Kili's Kafe).

Donnell talked about the goal of the band being to tour (nationally). He said more originality was required.

They discussed the Miami trip. There were four applicants to direct the video of Lap Dance: Dwayne's friend Gary, Dougie Fresh's friend Dave Cooper, Jesse Vaughan, and Tom who had worked with Ed Stewart. Jesse Vaughn had the best presentation. Doc said he couldn't go, his job wouldn't let him. Stomp said that BFI needed a note from Donnell to let him go. Donnell teased him, saying "you need me." Dwayne said he was still waiting on them for the remix of Lap Dance. Mark asked when it was, I told him. Donnell? said you are really into the details. I said that I had reserved my rental car the day before.

Mark said that Me'Shell NdegeOcello was having a get together on Thursday. They kicked Duane and me out to have a private meeting. Duane and I went to the rehearsal area and hung out with DP's sons. Duane played the recording of the track he is working on. After a while DP came in, I asked him if the meeting was done, he said he's leaving, he would check for me. They were done.

I walked in, Jauhar, Donnell, Stomp, and Jacques were talking. Stomp said that Packy was happy that Jacques wasn't there on Wednesday so he could play. Jauhar said in ten years, Packy may be a top talent in GoGo. I told them that when Packy is early, he will play with all three bands on Thursdays. Donnell said that he's better than Charlie. Jauhar said, but what about Charlie's performance on the Chuck Brown DVD? Donnell asked me to excuse them while they discussed travel arrangements for the weekend. I left.