The Jon Qniverse

Rantings and writings from an extremely average mind

[jonqniverse]

Confessions of an extremely average mind.

[jonqniverse]

And Her Name Shall Be!!! It was a hard fight. Making the naming of my new guitar up to my friends choosing could have ended poorly. But, as expected, some good names came up some people backed those good names up. In the end, there were four names that had some serious attention. in the end I needed to get some of the ladies that were at my show to weigh in on what they thought. And Stella wins in overtime!

[jonqniverse]

Hey pretty girl, it feels so right Just like it's meant to be All wrapped up in my arms so tight Hey pretty girl, it feels so right

[jonqniverse]

Studio day. Really cant say enough about godinguitars and my Ultra Acoustic. Also enjoyed my ultrasound amplifiers DI Max.

[jonqniverse]

Had a great time this week with some sessions and with this writer/artist out of Virginia @celestekellogg on Tuesday night at Belcourt Taps

[jonqniverse]

How was my day? I met a top-tier actor and shook hands with him, I met a grammy-winning songwriter and shook hands with him, I got a chance to record in one of the best recording studios on the planet, and had a crazy conversation with a supermodel. how was my day???

[jonqniverse]

Starting up the busy season...moving into 2nd gear. This week, 2 recording sessions, 3 rehearsals & 4 shows. Gonna have to finish a tune too, i guess.

[jonqniverse]

[jonqniverse]

Too far? I say "Not Far Enough"!!! I won't stop until there is bacon bubble gum, bacon mayonnaise, heck I'll even take bacon flavored bacon!!!

[jonqniverse]

Where do you stack up?

ive worked in 45, lived in 12!!

Put an X by the states you have been to. The average is 8; how do you match up?

Should you choose to play, here's what you do:

Copy this note. Click on “notes” under tabs on your profile page(if you dont have a Notes tab you can create one by clicking on the + tab). Select "write a new note" in the top corner. Paste this in the body of the note. Delete my Xs and add your own.  Add your title. Once you've saved, don't forget to tag friends (including me) on the right. Tag the same # of people as the # of states you've been to (I think you're limited to 30!). Just for fun, put an "L" beside the states where you have lived.

To Qualify: You have to had made a purchase within state lines...buying a drink while flying in a plane overhead does not count.  for that matter...connecting flights do not count!!!

Alabama (X) Alaska (  ) Arizona (X) Arkansas (X) California ( L) Colorado ( X ) Connecticut ( L) Delaware (X) Florida (X) Georgia ( L ) Hawaii ( ) Idaho ( ) Illinois ( X ) Indiana ( x ) Iowa ( x ) Kansas ( X ) Kentucky ( X ) Louisiana ( L ) Maine ( x ) Maryland ( L ) Massachusetts ( L ) Michigan ( x ) Minnesota ( X ) Mississippi ( x ) Missouri ( X ) Montana ( X ) Nebraska ( L ) Nevada (X) New Hampshire ( L ) New Jersey ( L ) New Mexico ( X ) New York ( L ) North Carolina ( X ) North Dakota ( X ) Ohio ( X ) Oklahoma ( X ) Oregon (  ) Pennsylvania ( X ) Rhode Island ( X ) South Carolina ( x ) South Dakota ( X ) Tennessee ( L ) Texas ( L ) Utah ( X ) Vermont ( x ) Virginia  ( X ) Washington (  ) West Virginia ( X ) Wisconsin ( X ) Wyoming ( X )

[jonqniverse]

A Girl Like That (Original)

Song i wrote a few years back with Bronson Bush here in Nashville. A good tune!! The JQ3 having some fun with it

i know...i know...i keep saying im gonna post a tune.   here's one thats definitely on the EP

[jonqniverse]

my young musician friends

People that know me know im not saying this with attitude....BUT.....

HEALTHCARE Professionals study for years...decades really and THEN, even after they're out of school, need to have a specific amount of continuing education credits EVERY year to stay current and knowledgeable... LEGAL Professionals the same LAW ENFORCEMENT Professionals have to have a certain level of education and requalify both physically and mentally EVERY YEAR. Business School Education Heck....even CULINARY SCHOOL All have to put years into learning their craft and continously keep learning to be successful. And it's tough, and it's long hours and difficult to manage the career, the family AND the working relationships inside their chosen profession. So why why why WHY do so many of you think that "following your dream" and moving to Nashville and joining a Facebook group entitles you to call yourself a PROFESSIONAL guitarist, drummer, singer, songwriter, producer??? Look at yourself in the mirror. You want to be on a label? A tour? A pub deal? Have a hit song on the radio?? Believe it or not there ARE guidelines and rules for writing (ask any newspaper reporter, novelist or speechwriter) For playing (ask any major label producer, major artist or publisher) For singing For dressing For handling yourself in public Making childishly inappropriate comments in social media because you have the "right to free speech" also gives people the "right to not want to deal with it" or hire you. Being a 30+ year old infant and jeering at a post because they say something you dont agree with and it makes you feel like the kid noone wanted on their team in gym class...makes you THAT LESS DESIREABLE Take some lessons Then take some more Get around a group of people that make you feel like you need to keep working hard just to stay in the room. Turn your ears up Turn your mouth OFF and learn..... And if you're still even reading then reply or comment with the number twenty three... Peace

[jonqniverse]

Jake…the Goofball…

[jonqniverse]

Jake...the Goofball...

[jonqniverse]

So...you're one in a Million, huh?

About a million of you started out listening to the radio. Then singing or humming along, playing air drums in your room with the headphones on. Then half of you somehow got your hands on an instrument and started picking out tunes by ear. maybe 250k of you and your friends formed a garage or basement band. Rehearsals, rehearsals, rehearsals...one gig, breakup, form a new band....rinse, repeat. 

But somewhere inside you there was this need to be better, sing more clearly, play faster, push harder...so maybe 60k of you make a decision to move to the city....you worked hard, kept studying your craft and pushing...and it still was not enough...the pond is only so deep .

So Then its Nashville....for whatever reason you 10,000 or so make the big leap. Some for fame, some for money, some to prove to themselves they can hang with the BEST in the world. And you make the move....working a crap job to keep a roof over your head, scouring the Facebook groups, the Craigslist classifieds, the open mics, writers nights, Jam nights, doing everything you can to break in while the attritions of life keep culling your numbers...grinding you down to the few hundred that dont end up leaving. 

And you find a foothold either on Music Row or Lower Broadway or some kind of media or corporate entity. You're here to stay. At some point you look to your left and then to your right but don't see anyone you came out with still here. Others from your home town have come and gone and you're the last one standing. You look in the mirror and dont see the green, wide eyed kid that walked into town ready to set this town on fire anymore. THAT kid has been knocked down a few pegs and then a few more. And, yet, you've kept digging, pushing and rebuilding and changing until you're that "1 in a million" that people write songs about...

And as you mature, you laugh at the irony because you realize that the funniest thing about being 1 in a million in a world of 7 billion is that, even then, theres still THOUSANDS of you here. Still competing, clawing, grinding and pushing. And they're not gonna back down either!

Heres to the grinders, the marathon runners, the ditch diggers and scrappers.