May 24, 2009

Was the last time i had put anything on here.
I often feel just, overwhelmed with....
i don't really know what.
"IT" is just overwhelming.
It being anything that consumes you i suppose.
so here is to today.
here is to yesterday.
and here is to tomorrow.
may it all come lightly.

Hurry and write down your feelings.
Hesitation means death.
Pickle all of your inklings,
bottle every last breath.
For your mind will betray,
and say your memory is false.
Underneath the sheets at Willamette Mountain.

Conjure up all of your demons,
Try and make peace with the pain.
To ignore and neglect'll
Make you bitter and stained.
You're a creature of Comfort,
and your body gives way,
to the spirits in Willamette Mountain.


I AM NOT REAL!
FOR YOU I FEEL!
FOR YOU I FEEL,
WHEN THE MORNING COMES!

-jfj

A Beatiful Start to a Beautiful Life (Day One)

Tour,
yet again,
the wild,
the untamed.
the Dirty.
the unashamed.

Again, we (we being six)
have ventured to the great
river that is unforgiving (the road)
bold, and beautiful
lush, and true.

We (we being six)
left on a the beautiful morning of
June 10th,
love in our hearts,
song on our breath.
45 minutes into the drive..
we....

ran out of gas..
incredibly humiliating,
Kissel (drummer boy) and myself hitched into the nearest
town to purchase some gasoline.
we hitched back,
put in the gasoline,
and we were on our way.

the first show of the tour was on a beautiful St. Georgian Farm
called Staheli Farm.
The crowd/people was absolutely phenomenal.
We are in love,
in love.
in love.

with the idea of freedom.
trueness, and love.

After the show we were fortunate enough to
receive the gift of sleep/salvation from a friend.
We were able to play ping pong a bit, and relax our minds.

We don't sound like anyone (we hope)
But if we do, we pray that they are sincere.

j. (and brothers)

Lincoln, or welcome to the other side of the world

Lincoln,

it is now Friday afternoon, i was blessed enough to be able to
play some of my songs for a group of beautiful/wonderful/thoughtful
individuals last night at knickerbockers, there was a very good amount of
people inside that stuffy room.
I for one am:
thankful
sincerely thankful
for it all. Off to Boulder tomorrow morning.
oh boy.
i saw this on youtube, and i cant tell you
the levels of depth that have gone into it
i hope that you all enjoy the video entitled:
"Sexiest Men"

i can see why i have not made the list.
look at these guys.

love love love dove.
j.

Thoughts on an Era, From Sad to Angry, to love and beyond.

“Had he and I but met
By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!

“But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.

“I shot him dead because—
Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
That’s clear enough; although

“He thought he’d ’list, perhaps,
Off-hand like—just as I—
Was out of work—had sold his traps—
No other reason why.

“Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You’d treat, if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown.”

- Thomas Hardy


I will be in Lincoln, NE on Thursday playing at Knickerbockers w. Matt Nathanson
beauty.
and ..
i will be in Boulder, CO on Saturday playint at Fox Theatre w. Matt Nathanson

i love to not loathe.
you and i
together.
for we..
almost ever.
j.

More Los Angles.

We finished up the two days in Sunset Sound
located here in Los Angeles California.
I am extremely happy with how alot of
the material turned out.

We were able to record 12 songs.
all completely live tracked
and they have a very good feel to them.
Excited to have you all hear them.

As for me...well..
i just finished editing a little bit of
footage from this last years tour.
If you have been a follower of the Buffalo James
blog from the beginning you will recall the Woods Pool incident.
i think it was the 2nd or 3rd entry ever on the blog.
About how we snuck into the pool.
Anyways if you have not read it.
YOU SHOULD! especially before you watch the VIDEO!
yes indeed we finally got the video up and running you can
watch it here:

City of Angles, or Try and Try forget the Honesty.

In Los Angeles now. Working hard for some decent recordings.
We have already tracked around 10 songs including:

-Mother Mary
-Black July
-Lawn Full of Marigolds
-Winter Storm
-Farmer From the West
-Crash This Train
-Daniel
-Ribbon Bows
-The Garden
-A Boy, A Father, and a Gun

and we will be tracking on Monday and Tuesday at Sunset Sound, very very excited...some songs that we are going to Hopefully track are:

-Annabelle
-Jesus Train
-Lorraine
-Lisa
-In The Middle
-Salt Water
-Restitution
-Your Story's Told
-When The Floods Come
-Baby Boy

We will have more songs to choose from for this record. Very excited, any suggestions are always very very important. City of Angles or City of Angels?

Singing.
J.

Lisa

Lisa

Lisa was sleepin, the night that i left.
I headed to Kansas, not a word on my breath.
Found an old friend on the corner
And a girl in my bed.

So I took off her clothes, and laid her down slow
Heard an old love song, on the radio.
I never felt worse than i felt,
Then when i heard the door close.

Someone tell Lisa, where i was found.
That the water in the winter ain't as cold as it sounds.
Tell her i never did change,
Just like the way she had explained.
Someone tell Lisa it's better this way.
There'll be blue skies, bright sunshine,
No grey clouds to blame.
Tell her i missed her the most.
When it's rainin this way.

So i walked to the bridge about a quarter to ten
Put my feet on the rails and my face to the wind
Thought of your smile in Chicago
Wen you spilt your wine on your dress.

Someone tell Lisa, where i was found.
That the water in the winter ain't as cold as it sounds.
Tell her i never did change,
Just like the way she had explained.
Someone tell Lisa it's better this way.
There'll be blue skies, bright sunshine,
No grey clouds to blame.
Tell her i missed her the most.
When it's rainin this way.

j.

It should be funny that we are getting older but....

This years greatest gifts/moments/etc.

-Running Naked on Virginia Beach with good friends
-Renovating a house built in 1910
-Touring with Brett Dennen
-Touring with David Gray
-Touring with Erin Mckeown
-Releasing Fields & Floods
-Playing with my nieces and nephews on Thanksgiving
-Skateboarding with Colby
-Seeing Justin at Grandparents house
-Seeing Court almost beat up by a wandering drunk.
-Meeting so many amazing people across the continent.
-Recording my Mothers Christmas cd.
-Watching the last episode of season three of the office.
-Putting Christmas lights on our house.
-Loving.
-Living

Favorite records during 2007:

1. Red House Painters - Songs For A Blue Guitar
2. Band of Annuals - Let Me Live
3. Sufjan Stevens - Christmas
4. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust Of Retreat
5. Brett Dennen - So Much More
6. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antartica
7. Two Gallants - Two Gallants
8. Mark Kozelek - Little Drummer Boy (Live)
9. Lex Land - Orange Days on Lemon Street
10. Kings of Leon - Because Of The Times
11. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl
12. Elliott Smith - New Moon
13. Iron and Wine/Calexico - In The Reins
14. Rufus Wainwright - Release The Stars
15. John Prine - Fair & Square
16. Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature
17. Leonard Cohen - Best
18. The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
19. My Morning Jacket - Z
20. Over The Rhine - Trumpet Child


Most Disappointing Record in 2007

1. Rilo Kiley - Under The Black Light


The Most Amazing Hummus Recipe Ever:


1 1/2 cups cooked or canned chick-peas, drained and
rinsed
3 cloves roasted garlic (see note)
1 chipotle pepper, canned in adobo (see note 2)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 c olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the chick-peas, chipotle, cumin, honey, lemon
juice, and tahini in processor and process until
smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil
until emulsified. Add the parsley and season with
salt and pepper. May be erated for 1 day; serve at
room temperature. Make about 1 1/2 cups. (Megan
usually doubles the recipe).

Notes:
1. To oven-roast a head of garlic, first cut off the
top. Rub the garlic with olive oil and sprinkle with
salt and pepper, wrap it in foil, and place it on a
baking sheet. Roast at 300 degrees F until soft,
about 45 minutes.
2. Canned chipotle peppers in adobo and ancho chile
powder are available at Hispanic or gourmet markets.

Then use pitas grilled and salted with kosher salt.


Happy Holidays

Keep your love livid.
Life can be so pretty.

j.

Happy Xmas (War is Over!)

War is over,
whether you want it to be or not is entirely up to you.
But it is over.
in our minds
our thoughts
and our deeds
And all of those things are ...
once again up to us.
Stop
hatred
greed
lust
and
Start
love
truth
sharing.
We are all in it together.

Well...
recently i released a Holiday Ep called Fields & Floods
i recorded the record at my home last winter, and did 10 songs.
well only 7 of them made it to the record.
One of them that did not is a song written by the late John Lennon
called Happy Xmas (War Is Over). I sung it with my lover Emma.
it is fun, and free at the following site:
joshuajames.tv/warisover.html
download.
live
love
life.

Happy Holidays!

Trouble is as trouble does, or, Bend that like a 40

Postitively truely Inspiring

So last night was the last night of the David Gray tour,
I would be fibbing if i were to say that i wasn't a bit down about the whole situation.
But i will get along.
It has been such an honor/privelege/dream to be able to go out and
play for is adoring fans. Such people, such kind thoughtful people.
After the show last night there was a "aftershow party"
I was able to meet the famous "Tiffany" and her husband.
Funny, seeing as how just weeks before this tour i purchased here
cassette tape from the 80's at a five and dime.

Briliantly yours tumbling.
I can't but decide to keep on.
I loved it as much as anyone.
BUT>>>
you aren't the same as you were.
Changing isn't part of your verb.
So i took it down,
drowned it out,
let it bleed,
Hid the sound.
And the day it came
that trouble found
its way back in
to my soft ground.
I couldn't stop
not if i tried
to blackened lungs
and suicide.

father!

Nervous? Well people should keep moving.

Los Angeles California.
Wow, what a crowd,
what people.
I had such an amazing time playing for
the city of angels here.
in the beautiful country of california.
So happy, so thrilling.
I can't believe,
i try to but can't
the fact that people can be so unexpectedly
kind,
true,
sincere,
such a wonderful time to be alive.
Crying might be the only option on a night like that.
One more show with the wonderful Mr. Gray and its over.
Sad,
True but sad.
One more night.
j.

Mouth, or bigger than a bubble.

I didn't mean to say that i disliked New York,
There were definitely alot of kind, thoughtful, sincere people
that i was able to meet/greet/share with.
I appreciate them all.
New York I am sorry.
I am, i hope love is still there.
I am now in Denver
COLORADO!
What a crowd.
What people.
How kind
How true.
I appreciated their quiteness,
their applause,
their thoughtfullness.
To it i love.
Thank you.
David Gray is phenomenal, what a man.
what a voice, what a true person.
Love is still laughter,
and i am still getting older.
phenom.

j.

New Yourk what? without the "you"

You..
hmm...
funny how that always floats to the top.
I am very tempermental.
Maybe i should leave it at that.
But....
i probably won't.
Nope. I won't.
We are in Boston, very excited to play tonight.
New York was hard,
hard for me.
to relate/express/feel/etc.
But tonight will be different.
Tonight i will try and ummmm....dazzle?
i don't know, i will try and do something.
I am very excited.
I will play with my heart out.
My soul out, my love out.
Here we go.
loving is lying isn't the worst?
j.

Could it be kinder, or, there is water in the well to be had!

VELOUR on November 30th.
was incredible, i am so sorry that there were people that were waiting out in the rainy rainy
weather. The show went so well, and we were thrilled to have such a wonderful group of people to
play for.

The trip.
the trip to canada, toronto was a long trip.
We made it safe, but sound.
We tried to save money by taking public transportation to the show
at MASSEY HALL...
well...it was sort of a nightmare to say the least.
It took 2 hours to get to a place that should've taken only
15 min.
But we made it.
I had no idea how amazing Canada could be.
the people were so receptive, David and his crew were so amazingly nice.
We could not have paid for a better group of people
to share our feelings/music/adventures with.
loved it.

j.

Another Day In The Belly of the Bees, or, Beauty is as beauty does.

We have had so many great wonderful times,
days.and.days.
days in the belly of the bees.
in the wild.
in the wilderness.
Two nights ago we decided to drive to Virginia Beach to enjoy the beauty of the country.
We arrived at the campground (First Landing) around 2pm.
we had purchased a bag of hotdogs, marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers in the earlier hours.
We got there (to our assigned camping space, i believe it was G1) and decided to divide the duties.
Fletch and I were nominated to go out to the forest to search for firewood.
while the others (Court and Branden) set up the tent.
We (Fletch and I) were triumphant in the search and returned with a very large cargo of firewood.
After camp was set up we decided to head to the beach, it was maybe a five minute walk from where we were camping.
we walked.
i walked,
they walked,
and we walked together.
we all got thorns in our feet near the beaches forefront.
It was so beautiful we almost started crying.
we sat there,
sang,
spoke,
laughed.
it was incredible.
we returned to the campsite before the sun was down.
We started the fire, though there was still daylight.
I started widdling.
widdling a small branch.
I cut myself..
three times.
blood was all over the knife, but i was determined.
The sun settled and the cold started to set in.
Beauty still regardless.
we began to cook hotdogs and get silly.
The hotdogs were delicous.
We talked more
about love,
about life,
about god,
about lots of things.
It was around nine thirty that we decided to go swimming.
We headed back to beach,
there was no sunlight left.
the stars shined bright.
We made it to the beach (without thorns this time).
It was cold, but we were determined.
we all got naked.
COMPLETELY.
it was beautiful.
we ran into the cold black water.
We were free.
We are free.
it was beautiful.
I felt at home that night.
Though i am not still.
We swam for around twenty minutes,
the cold set in when getting out.
We ran back to the campsite.
We roasted marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers and talked some more.
We ended the night with a movie in the tent.
It was such an amazing night, we all loved it.
We talk still.
there are some pictures, i hope the work.
love always.

TOUR and a tent full of us.

The Tour has been

uplifting
thoughtful
tolerable
loveable
usable
growable
interesting
spectacular

but over all of that the tour has been amazing.

Spending time in gods country has been such a beautiful almost life changing experience. We have seen almost all of the east coast. We were lucky enough to have an amazing show in North Carolina, they were quite possibly the kindest people i have ever met, such a respectful crowd...After North Carolina we headed to virginia, the show was good, but after the show we had two on air performances for radio in a city six hours away, so we decided to leave right after the first show in VA so that we would be ontime for the radio show the next morning. So we headed out after, it was a long night of driving, but well worth it because when we got there we were able to locate (due to the fact that we have a GPS device) a local park to set up a tent at and sleep. The radio show was at 8:00 and we got into town around 3:30 so we didn't have too much time to sleep. We fell fast asleep and the alarm clock awoke us at about 7:30 we got up and noticed that around us there were people playing golf. We were too tired the night before to realize that were we had posted our tent was actually a golf course. We had two good interviews at the local radio stations and had a heck of a show that night. After the show we headed to a local club to listen to a very tasty alt. country band, at which kyle was able to hook up with a cocaine addicted 38 year old. We slept in the tent on the golf course that night as well.

NYC...might have been one of the most respectful crowds of tour thus far. Despite its bad rap New York was absolutely phenomenal, A large crowd attended, and the folks that came out were very delightful to play for, i was able to see my good old buddy wes smith as well which was a treat in itself. We are heading to Philly tomorrow and we are very excited. Looks like we might be out on the road much longer than earlier expected, we will be heading out with Brett Dennen early Sept. and with Erin Mckeown during the month of October. Love is there....we...love it.

such a beauty.
mmmm.

and then us.