The little girl that could

You all know that my mission in life is to bring TapWater to the height of success. Now, this is no small feat and so to do this, God has endowed me with very special super powers. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the strange ability to tolerate and even enjoy excessive amounts of testosterone. Most of my girlfriends marvel at this. Let's explore:

I am a girl.

I am the manager of six boys.

I also live with these same six boys.

I see them in the morning.

I see them at night.

I see them when I'm dressed up.

I see them when I first roll out of bed.

I share a kitchen with them.

And (here's the kicker), I share a bathroom with them.

And last night 2 guy friends and Graham were at the house, totalling nine boys! Wow. As my brother Marc would say, it was a sausage fest!

I know, isn't this amazing? I had special training in testosterone appreciation when I was young. I was the only girl with three brothers, two older and one younger. I played football, loved Matchboxes, and wore only t-shirts and jeans. I was tackled, farted on, punched, and put into the scissors grip -- you know, when your older brother chases you down, tackles you, traps you between his legs and squeezes your chest to the point that you can't breathe? Yep, good times. On top of it, my mother passed away when I was 14 so then it was just me, my dad, and my 3 brothers. My whole life I've spent the vast majority of my time with guys.

Interestingly, I question: did I recreate my youth by choosing a job of managing six men, or was I given this experience to prepare me for it? I am certain my purpose is to work for TapWater and so I tend to think the latter. But, who really knows?

One thing I do know, though, is that our toilet definitely needs to be cleaned.

The genius of SolTrekker

Have I told you all that we are working with SolTrekker? Yep, Ty Adams and I are working on a grant for a tour bus. We'll get the money, buy a bus and then the brilliant SolTrekker staff is going to redesign it specifically for the needs of a band. They are going to use all alternative fuel technology, and the bus will double as a tour vehicle and eco-showroom that we use to educate our fan communities. I am very excited about this!

As for SolTrekker, their long-term vision is to be a self-sustaining nonprofit. Instead of scramble all around for grants and donations all the time, they plan to have a fleet of RVs and buses that they rent to the community for income. Then, they will use that income to bring their RVs and buses to schools and events to engage people of all ages in the discussion about alternative fuels. They are brilliant, and we are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with them. Check out their web site and send them some love!

Golden Graham & The Sun-Powered Knobs

Graham is our new audio engineer. We love Graham. Graham is Golden. How so? Well, first of all, I met him at a Musician's Union Fair Pay to Play campaign meeting, so right off the bat I knew he was good peoples. Second, Graham is committed to shifting the world to sustainability so he created a fabulous solar recording company that he calls The Sun Time Recording Company. Third, Graham is kind and generous and forward-thinking and very skilled, and he has become our trusted team member in just a few weeks. He's got awesome ideas and you are all going to be stoked on the cool stuff you will get to enjoy due to his contribution. In fact, TapWater is doing their first solar recording right this very minute. We are getting down Timmy's Tobacco Row and Wesley's Better Days, which you'll be hearing in about two weeks.

So next time you come to the show, say Hey to Graham behind the board. He makes us shiny happy people!

Check out the Tune Widget!

Night & Day

One of the things I love about my job is that sometimes our days can be vastly different from one another. Let me give you an example of the last two days. On Wednesday night we played a rockin' show with The Duhks at the Roseland Grill in Portland. We reveled in the nightclub scene with the Buddies turning out and making the whole room bounce with their movement. Yeah!! The place had a robust sound system, sparkly lighting rig, and roomy wooden stage. We also had the pleasure of a private green room, which actually makes a big difference in our ability to mentally prepare for a show. Everything unfolded smoothly and it was fantastic! We then watched the Duhks, and at the end of their set, joined in with a Samba jam that brought the house down.

Then the next day, around noon, we headed to play an acoustic show for a group of senior citizens that go to my church. Each month they get together to share a meal and some entertainment donated by the local community. This month it we stepped up. We brought in our Travelin TapWater set (different from full production TapWater), consisting of banjo, steel pans, accordion, acoustic guitar, upright bass, and Simon on various percussion (pandero, djembe, shakers, bongos). It's easy and fun, and it's perfect for seniors. We were treated to a lunch of chicken and pasta with marinara from Sckavones, and then rocked 30 seniors for 45 minutes with our grassy World Twangy-ness. They were blown away, both touched that we volunteered our time, and more, that the music was so super. We made a difference to them and it felt good.

After I left the show that Thursday afternoon, I felt really grateful to and proud of TapWater -- that they can be so many things to so many people. That they can be the outrageously fun party band that rocks the club, that they can be the light-hearted acoustic band that cheers some people who maybe don't have the same opportunities we do, that they are good, kind people who care enough to be responsible to their community.

I love my job! And I love my band!!

Birthday Madness!

I'm feeling tired today. In fact, I had to take a 3-hour nap to recover from Birthday weekend. Aye caramba. I must be getting old! We had three days of merriment and I was grinnin' the whole darn time. On Friday, we had pasta and wine for Ravi's birthday, burgers and taters and Jameson for Timmy on Saturday, and coffee and scramble brunch for Steve on Sunday afternoon. And -- this will crack you up -- since we're on a budget (translation: broke), we went to a local tap room called the EastBurn every single night because you and your 9 friends can drink for free for an hour. Oh yes, baby. We all piled in our 1988 Suburban we call Bud and headed over to the Burn where we attempted to put them out of business.

The short version is that the boys were in top form on Friday night. Even I had too much to drink so we had to walk home (I figured I was technically off the clock so a few glasses of wine were in order!). Saturday everyone slowed way down, except for Timmy, who ended up passed out in the third row of the Suburban next to the pile of hamburger helper that he created. Yummy! Ravi took a fantastic photo but I'll spare you. Sunday rolled around and well, Timmy decided he just couldn't hang while Ravi and Wes had a contest to down one beer every 10 minutes during their hour of free for all. The results? Ravi managed to get 6 beers down (with Wes hot on his tail with 5) but he ended up tossing his cookies, and along with it, his buzz. Good times!

The whole weekend was awesome. It's rare that I get to just be with the guys celebrating and enjoying each other's company. We live communally but nevertheless we all have busy schedules and don't spend as much time as we should sharing a meal and laughing together. I really enjoyed it. Happy Birthday guys! Stayed tuned for Wes' birthday on March 26th.

School of Fish

You know those weird things about life that make you say, "No way!"? I love those things. They are shiny and open up my mind in an unexpected way. One of those things within TapWater is our our 3-day Birthday Run. Yep, of the six band members, three of them have their birthdays right in a row. Ravi is today, March 13, Timmy is tomorrow, March 14, and Steve is Sunday, March 15th! This is totally weird and bizarre to me, and I love it! I don't know exactly what it means but it's gotta have some significance. One thing of course is that they are all pisces, a school of fish swimming through life. I don't know much, or really anything, about astrology but I hear pisces are associated with music and art, and so they add a richness to life that is beyond day-to-day living. I will definitely say this is true about all three of my business partners.

I adore Ravi. He is the kindest, most compassionate person you could ever hope to meet in your life. He always walks on the bright side, and if you ever need to be reminded about what is good in life, call him. Within several minutes his light will rub off on you and you will remember who you really are.

I also love Timmy. Tim can walk into a room and smile and the whole room lights up. He has one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen. Even more, he has these really bright eyes and he will crack you up until your stomach hurts. He imitates people, does voices, tells stories, and he never fails to expose exactly what is so hilarious about real people and real life. So, if you are taking someone or something too seriously, call Timmy. After laughing with him, you will remember who you really are.

I love Steve, too. Steve is the silliest, sharpest, most quick witted person I know. Steve is a master at greeting life and instinctually twisting it into brightly colored energy. He will think of things that no one else in the entire world thinks of, like seeing how many bananas he can put on a sleeping Ravi before he wakes up. Or riding his banjo case like a make pretend donkey. If you ever forget the power you have in creating happiness, spend some time with Steve, and you'll remember who you really are.

Happy birthday guys! You are all so awesome, and I am very lucky I get to spend my days swimming amongst the school of fish.

The Vision of TapWater

Every day I get up and work hard. Very hard. I have been doing it for almost five years now. It's hard to believe really, that so much time has passed. Some have asked me how I have stuck with it, while others ask why. The answer to both questions is the same: I am driven by the vision of TapWater.

TapWater is not 'just' a band -- TapWater is a community with a purpose. Let me explain. As a band, we bring large numbers of people together, all ages, all backgrounds, all races. And within that group of people is a set of skills and talents. We are all uniquely gifted, aren't we? You guys are chefs and marketers, mechanics, writers and stockbrokers. You work in business development, law, green technology, and construction. You work in corporations, you work in nonprofits, and you are entrepreneurs. You are all so different but two things tie you together. First, you want to live a good life and make a difference for others. And, second? You come together to see TapWater.

So, you see, we are in a unique position. We could let shows be the extent of it -- having the honor of providing you with the joy and the merriment of music and dancing -- but we want to do more, much more, since we have the opportunity. We want to pay you back for your support, and we want to make a difference ourselves. So we are committed to helping you pool your resources for the betterment of us all. Imagine if all of us -- band and fans, with all our unlimited resources of talent, skill, and experience -- were committed to uplifting the United States. Imagine if we banded together and took down each issue our country is facing, one by one. There is nothing we could not do, together. There is no issue we could not solve, there is no challenge we could not meet. We would create an America that works, and together we would impact the entire world.

This is the vision of TapWater that I go to bed with each night. It is the vision I wake up with in the morning. It is my purpose for living and it is why I am patiently, steadfastly committed to the unfolding of the dream.

Coaching the Coach

Today I had my first coaching call with my friend Jen who is a certified life coach. She loves me and believes in TapWater so she offered her services to me for free. I have to be honest and say I was skeptical: I had a preconceived notion of life coaching as a nebulous and fruity service that anyone can claim to do -- you know, they help you set your goals or whatever. In reality, its a very methodical set of skills and frankly, I was blown away. Jen opened up my thinking and really inspired me.

As I understand it, the process she used is neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). She focuses intently on the language that I use to explain things. My choice in language betrays a hidden pattern of thought that has been neurologically written into my body and therefore shapes my experience of the world around me. I think a thought about something, so then I experience life in a way that supports that thought. The thought gains more traction with each experience and I unknowingly cut off the possibilities of what truly exists, living in a reality that supports the thought pattern. And because its unconscious, I don't even know it's happening. Super!

So, she uses a combination of self awareness and compassion to expose and diffuse the thought pattern, and then guides me in setting a new intention in that area.

Let me give you an example. At the beginning of our call I said in regards to TapWater "a breakthrough is not close to happening." She asked me a question like "what makes you say that" and after a couple exchanges she said, "You have bought into the belief that a breakthrough is not close to happening. And as long as you believe that, it will not happen. So I want you to write down:

I forgive myself for buying into the belief that a breakthrough is not close to happening.

So, I wrote it down. And then, I started to cry. Apparently, I needed to be forgiven for this. Then she said, "Now I want you to write:

The truth is ...

So, I wrote it down. "What is the truth, anne?" She asked. I sat for a minute in complete silence. I have no idea. She waited. Then, with a little help, I said,

The truth is I don't know how close the breakthroughs are.

Then I felt it. I felt a shift in my cellular structure. My posture became erect, my shoulders went back, I felt lighter, I felt more confident. It was the truth - I really didn't know when we were going to have a breakthrough -- in fact, it could be tomorrow. My brain opened up and possibility came rushing in. I smiled.

And then, the kicker, she said "So, what do you intend for a breakthrough?" Again I sat quietly on the other end of the phone. After a moment I said "I intend to have three breakthroughs by June 1st." And she said, "what are they?" And then I told her to sign TapWater with a boutique booking agency, to get them an opening spot on a tour with a big band, and to form a fantastic partnership with Joe Trippi.

We continued for an hour where she went through a series of things like this, each time opening up my thinking. Write down "I forgive myself for buying into the belief that...", Now write down "The truth is..." She was so quick and so skilled and by the end I was a shiny new woman, excited about my path and my life, and believing in myself more than ever.

Thank You so much, Jen, for your time and expertise. You are a blessing. And for any of you readers out there, Jen is the best. If you would like to get in touch with her for coaching, email me and I will gladly connect you.

Pounding the Pavement

It's one o'clock in the morning and I've been working since 9 am. I wish I could say this isn't typical, but it is. I'm feeling a little frustrated tonight because we had a band meeting that spun in a circle for about about two hours. We were dealing with some tough issues, like how to continue to feel inspired to write songs when your circumstances are difficult. And how, as their manager, I can support them in this task. But then the conversation moved into much more challenging waters like our booking strategy and how in God's name we are going to make something remarkable happen for ourselves by summer. We know we have what it takes, that we are special, but sometimes it just feels like "pin the tail on the donkey." The question has always been: how do you build a fan base - how do you get noticed -- how do you breakthrough to higher ground?

There are tons of ideas: slow and steady, hitting the same three markets every 8 weeks until the word gets out to the point that you grow into 500 person theaters. And well, maybe you can underwrite these tours with some high paying summer concert series gigs. Or, wait -- let's jump on tour with an established band like Umphrey's McGee or, no, even better, Widespread Panic. Or, I know... let's pester a boutique booking agency every day for a month until we convince them to sign us. OH, let's make a brilliant YouTube video and skyrocket to success. Does anyone know David Letterman??

It seems to me that these ideas just don't work. We have tried them all and more, without success. We have toured the country playing every kind of gig you can think of. We have literally busted into booking agencies and started playing for agents. We have driven to LA to court Tom Petty's manager, annoyed Sheryl Crow's agents, and tracked down business partners of Jack Johnson. We've applied for grants, created catchy YouTube videos, played inside investment firms, snuck into green rooms, and met with independent label owners. We have played benefits, street corners, radio stations, newspaper offices -- and nothing has propelled us beyond the glass ceiling of the club scene where we can't even fit on the stage. On nights like these, I have to call to mind my good friend Thomas Edison. I think he failed something like 10,000 times before he invented the light bulb.

Frankly, there is something that we are missing. We do finally understand the importance of the internet and I do feel confident around our ability to now start harnessing it. But there is something else. What is it? I know we have the answer. We do. We just have to have it occur to us.

The Highlight

Last night we played a semi-private party at Crush, a bar in Portland on Morrison and 14th. We were hired to play Becky's 30th birthday. She loves TapWater and her boyfriend Glen hired us as a surprise -- good man! She looked beautiful, the crowd was bright and alive, and the show was awesome.

On our end, we allowed lots of time for load in and sound check and we had a 90-minute break before the start of the show to shower and eat. It was a great day and a long one -- we started packing up the gear at 3 pm and we got home from the show at 3 am.

I ran sound for the band and so I spent most of the night behind the board. Deep into the set, the band left the stage while Simon was doing a drum solo to walk to the adjacent room to get their Samba drums. The highlight of the night for me was when Ravi, as he was walking by, quickly snuck up and kissed my cheek. It was the sweetest thing.

A moment like that washes away the aches and pains of a long day's work.