Dear Script Reader,                             December 19, 2011

Just five days until Christmas! I hope this holiday time, whatever you are celebrating, is full of warmth and love for you.  Love in whatever form. 
It is colder than a witch's ____ outside (and oh, Jasco and I KNOW). 
Living in Colorado, you kind of get used to the sub-zero temperatures every winter. 
It will be a white Christmas this year. 

You haven't forgotten about Barbez, have you?
You're probably wondering what she's doing for the holidays. 
She said she's looking for somebody tall and thin to spend some good time with.

Thing is, these guys are only in town for Christmas. 
But they're not exactly Kens. 

Merry Christmas from The Symbols!
Sincerely,
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,     December 1st, 2011

I know I haven't been writing enough blog entries lately so I thought I'd make it up to you. 
This week we have our three most important December shows, so I hope to remind you through this message that we will be at Avogadro's number on Thursday the 8th, The Pioneer Inn in Nederland on the 9th at 10pm, and Herb's in Denver on Sunday, December 11th.  The 17th we will be at the Toad Tavern in Littleton. 

Jasco and I just got back from a tour to Las Vegas and Los Angeles over the week of Thanksgiving. 
On this trip we recorded our 3rd conceptual music video, to be released in the next few months. 
Here's the fun stuff that happened on our trip that you might get a kick out of:

We visited Jasco's father, Merrill.  Merrill is in the hobby of restoring old cars from the 1920s and 30's, and making them drive about 80 mph.  TOTALLY COOL.  Got to see his newest ones. 



Before the trip my mom bought us a strange companion to bring with us.  A giant Barbie Pez, which I was supposed to place in front of every major tourist attraction and take a photograph.  She is to go all over the world and be hidden in many of our pictures. 
We locked her up in the trunk most of the trip, I hate to admit.  She freaked me out.  She probably scared away anyone who tried to rob us, too.  Can you imagine opening the trunk and finding this?  


So when we got to Vegas we'd basically been driving for a whole day.  A whole day with no car radio, because our radio broke after we took John Lennon out of the CD player (it's bad luck, don't do it).  It wasn't a problem for us, since we never run out of things to talk about, and we always get along.  I even gave Jasco a professional singing lesson while he drove. 
We arrived at the Imperial Hotel and Casino for our very cheap room (20 bucks a night) and the greasy Italian man at the front desk said we had to re-pay for one of the nights, that we'd only paid for one. 
We sorted that out and it was true, the credit card had only billed for one night's stay.  But you never really know with those Vegas types...
Then he told us we were in the third tower, and drew us a map.  His instructions were to find the elevator that says "tower 3," and go up using that one.  The elevators were placed all over the casino in random places.  "Tower 3" elevator was between towers 1 and 2, behind a hidden corner of the casino.  We walked past all the shops and walked through the entire casino looking for it, when it was right there, but unmarked.  Nothing you needed was marked.  Not even the restrooms. 



Jasco and I made it to our room by random luck, and when we closed the door he said "I'm gonna figure this fucker out.  I'll call you if I get lost" and he went downstairs to try and figure his way up to the room again.  Turned out there was only one tower, not 4.  The "third tower" was an elevator that only went to floor 3, where all the cheapo-rooms were.  That elevator was out of service.  You couldn't access the elevator that leads to right outside our door very easily.  It was like a bad practical joke, a maze.  Jasco figured it out before too long that you have to go to the bottom floor of the lobby, through a back door, up a "service" staircase, back around to another escalator, which leads to the second floor, where you enter an elevator, go up one more floor, and then find your cheapo "third tower" room.  We laughed the next day as we watched other exhausted guests going through the same ridiculous maze trying to find their rooms.  The casino was packed with people, all gambling away their kids' college funds. 
We got out of our casino by luck, having found the exit, and made our way down the strip, through Ceasar's Palace, MGM, Paris Las Vegas, The Flamingo, The Bellagio, and a string of other casinos.  There were some very fancy and well-themed casinos.  Ours was supposed to be Chinese, but they had begun to go a bit more generic by hiring rock star impersonators for one of their poker tables.  A young Rod Stewart can deal your cards, or you can even have Michael Jackson back from the dead. 



The first time those people on the street stuffed the stripper call cards into Jasco's hands and refused to hand them to me when I requested some, I was somewhat offended.  Then, subsequent times we'd pass the pimps' assistants, I'd ask for the cards, so I could collect them and trade them, and they'd sort of laugh and hand them to me. 
Well-hidden in my house is now a deck of hooker cards that I'm saving, which will be vintage someday.  They're probably not ever going to be worth anything, but they're more for me than anybody else.  If you have any rare ethnic girls (Indian or Muslim) I'll trade you an older blonde woman (in her 70s!). 

We found some very interesting backdrops to record our third music video in front of.  Some cool shadows and reflections and backdrops that you would only find in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.  I'm curious to see what Jordan Curcie puts together this time around :)
I really liked what he did for our video Shake It.  http://www.thesymbols.net/sights

When we met up with Chuck Gullens (Jasco's drummer in Blinddog Smokin') in Las Vegas, we met him at a playboy lounge in The Palms casino with cute waitresses where this awesome band was playing.  The keyboardist of Chicago and his wife and son were featured guest artists that night.  Excellent show.  With Chuck was Chalo, one of the 2 new guitarists of Blinddog.  It was neat to hang out with them.  Entertaining and friendly, I thought, good-tempered and well-mannered. 



The following days Jasco and I were very busy in L.A. doing business and pleasure. 
We came back from L.A. with new wardrobes, new perspectives, new experiences, and another level of love.


 
We jammed at the legendary Pig n Whistle with a variety of stellar musicians, one of which was Alvino M. Bennett, the drummer for Chaka Khan and a variety of others. 
The same night, we went to the Rainbow Room afterwords, having heard of a jam upstairs.  Kind of a dangerous place, but very unique! Talked to somebody who was tripping meth while we were there.  The whole downstairs of the place is a raging party, probably 7 nights a week.  It still may be a popular hang out for rock stars. 

Visited Santa Monica, Universal Studios, Melrose St., La Brea St., Hollywood Blvd., and Sunset Blvd. to shoot part of our music video.  That should turn out cool :)
We did a whole lot more while we were there.  We returned exhausted to our room every night. 
Can't wait to show you the video!

Barbez made it home safely.
When I handed the giant Barbie pez to my 3 year old daughter, she first looked at me like "what the fuck?" and then threw it about 4 feet away from herself.  "Bye bye, ugly!" she shouted. Not such a hit with little kids.  Nor trunk burglars.  "Got it open... looking for goods... AHHHHHHHHHH WTF!!!!!"  *Slams the trunk, and runs*. 
Stay tuned for the adventures of Barbez, coming in an upcoming blog. 

I hope your holiday is faaaantastic.  ;)

I will be attending to booking calls today so feel free to make inquiries. 

Happy Holidays,
Mer Sal



"(sighhh)...Will I ever find a man who can see past my body?"...

Dear Script Reader,                    November 2nd, 2011

Time flies when you're having fun! October seemed to have passed by so fast!

Wrote a bundle of new songs in the last 12 months and sent off the copyrights.  Here are some highlights...
I'm going to share some new lyrics with you. 
This one I wrote the morning after Jasco and I took Miss Blues (Dorothy Ellis) to a jam and we nearly drowned in a flash flood driving on the way back to the hotel in Oklahoma City. 
The words were simultaneously talking about me and David, a relationship maintained and ended poorly. 


"I'm Gonna Leave This Storm" -MS

Rain keeps fallin'
Down on us
We are so small and I can't get up//

Bridge/Hook:
Listen to me man,
I'm doin' all I can,
But if the storm don't leave me,
I'm gonna leave this storm////

You don't love me
The way that you did
You don't trust me
You're such a little kid

(Bridge/hook)

You been shoutin'
and yellin' at me
I been prayin'
You gonna set me free

(Bridge/hook)

Ah well the lord above,
he listen to me,
and if the storm don't stop
he ain't mad at me//

(bridge/hook)


Another song you may have heard us perform live a lot is anticipated for download in the next few months.  I wrote this in early 2011 while enduring a rocky relationship with David.   I wrote this song as sort of an anthemic prayer.  My prayer was answered with Jasco. 

A Song  -MS

I want to sing the world a song
A song to ease the pain of life
I want the world to sing along
To hear me through my strife //

I want to sing away your pain
I want to cause the sky to rain
Rain down and clean this town
Are all my tries in vane--

Bridge:
I want to get inside your walls
Your walls you're putting up
To be right at the center of all
They've been there long enough

I want to sing just you my song
My song to ease the pain
I want just you to sing along,
What matters not is fame!

(Guitar solo)

(Repeat entire song, but last line is different)

Are all my tries in vane,
Are all my tries in vane,
Are all    my     tries    in   ... vane ////


My tries were not all in vane...
I am a thousand miles ahead of where I was when I wrote this song. 
I have found someone I get along with every moment, and he and I make up The Symbols. 
If you focus on what you want, you can sometimes get what you want exactly. 
I will leave you with one last song for this blog entry. 
This one I wrote for Jasco, in truth.  I wrote it after an accidental experience of mushroom ergotism one night in early June and discovering that if the world were to end the next day, I'd want to spend my last day, my last hour, my last minute, with Jasco. 

It Was You All Along -MS

When we're together
We walk on clouds
The world shifts its weight and the music, surrounds//

When we're together
I don't cry for long,
for then I know it was you, all along//

CHORUS:
It was you, all along!
It was you, all along!
It was you, all along!
It was you, all along!

My body's so light
I can't feel the ground
Your love makes me feel... up, when I'm down//

No reason or time
Explains how we love
No wrong and no right from below, or above//

(Chorus) It was you, all along... (etc). 

These seasons we've shared
these lifetimes I've seen
But moments like these are too far, few, between....

These days float on by
Like the tear in your eye
And I feel the rain with you, and my dreams have come true...

(Chorus) It was you, all along!!!... It was you, all along!!!... it was you, all along!!!...etc.

Can you feel the rain with me?!////


More to come!!!
-Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,                        October 12, 2011

    As the Summer fades the trees change colors here in Colorado. 
I always seem to forget how much I love the autumn colors and the moderately cool afternoon air. 
    Today I'm sitting at the Cafe` Ardour downtown in Fort Collins enjoying a cup of chai tea. 
I suddenly feel like dressing like the leaves.  Fall colors.  The media implants it in our brains some years.  This year is not so bad. 
    I think back to where I was a year ago and I smile at where I am now. 
I have broken through with my songwriting in a way that I had never imagined I could ten years ago. 
   I am ready to release a hit.  The Symbols are gaining momentum and we are excited to perform as a full band "I'm Gonna Leave This Storm" for you-- a song which I wrote the day after nearly drowning in a flash flood with Dorothy Ellis (Miss Blues) in OKC. 
  I had a realization that the people I love that surround me are only here for a limited time, so a lot of my lyrics are more grateful than before.  Not that I was ungrateful, but now I'm... I don't have a word for it.  Zealous.  I'm truly in heaven. 

  I know that something could happen and I could lose this happiness. 
For this happiness and this peace, I am grateful. 
  I forgive everyone that has ever hurt me or betrayed me in the past. 
I forgive myself for anything I've done. 
  I accept the energy and the love of the universe into my consciousness. 

I am in love.  I am in love with this band.  I am in love with the music.  I am in love with our performance.  I am in love with our guitarist. 
   Like I've never been in love before. 
And it is coming out in the songs I've been writing. 
   One morning I woke up at 3a.m. to write a song about reaching the divine. 
In the recording I made that morning, my angry roommate Samantha comes out and tells me off for playing while she's trying to sleep. 
  I keep singing and playing softly, finishing the recording, and she is yelling at me, "headphones! please! it's 3 in the fucking morning!"
I slightly laugh through the last verse. 

  There's an unusual melodic lick I've come up with in my head that I like to use over certain chord progressions. 
I think The Symbols are separating from other musicians. 
 
  I need to go visit the Rendition Gallery on Jefferson St. now, to see if they received my posters (which I slipped through the door this morning). 
We are playing there this Friday to promote their gallery. 
 
  It's time you liked us. 
Go to facebook and "like" The Symbols. 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Symbols/120372334684414
And go to youtube and watch our new video, "Kristin", in which an unexpected strangling takes place :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFa1uUDTfUY

I am grateful for this band, The Symbols. 
I have a purpose in life. 
And I've found the person I was put on this Earth to find. 

Happier than ever,
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,             August 31, 2011

Of course I did not forget about you. 
It has been a busy and hot second half of the summer and we've made some progress!

I'm sure you're aware that bands have setbacks and delays on their products. 
The biggest one for us has been finding the right team mates to add to our team. 
It's been fun and challenging and highly educational for me. 
In this time, I've learned how to play the bass. 
Just kidding. 

We are in the process of training our new rhythm section. 
We will be playing at Avo's this Friday and you will be surprised when we offer you a special treat--
An acoustic set of originals you've never heard. 
There was no possible way we could train a new rhythm section to play these new songs as fast as we're writing them!

The new EP, "Be Here Now" has been decided upon. 
It is going to have the memorable ballad "Be Here Now", the soulful and spiteful "Good For Me", the optimistic and highly progressive "Soon", plus two others!
You'll have to wait until the end of September.  That's my best estimate on when you can get your hands on "Be Here Now". 
I'm very proud of this work, as we've been working on making it happen for nearly six months now. 
At last, a child was born! And to the kingdom was brought great happiness :)

If you love us, you will be happy for us when we make such strides, because we are nomads and movement is the key to our happiness. 
To any voice that said we couldn't, "yes we can!"  And we are doing it. 

We are not a Spokesbuzz band. 
We are completely financially independent of any outside force. 
And we are making headway. 
And we won't stop. 
We have raised $339.00 for the Michael Olson MS Fund. 
We're over a quarter done with our first thousand. 

We do not do this for the money. 
We do this because we are passionate about it. 
Because we've both realized how truly short life can be. 
I was only 4 when I figured out I was dying.  I was having to be hospitalized constantly for seizures. 
I asked my mother "when are there no more days?"
That is where my reborn-perspective first began-- when I was four. 
I have decided to live my dreams, rather than dream my life. 

We are truly blessed to have met each other. 

I look forward to the future with hope. 
Hope keeps the flesh on my bones, the oxygen in my brain. 
Hope soldiers us on through life conflicts.  
Jasco has given me more hope than I could ever imagine. 

Find your true friends and keep them in your life. 

Bless you,
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,                July 30, 2011

While I was not selected to be cast on the show, I was asked to sing all three of my songs, and progressed to the second round, before being eliminated. 
They seemed to like it when I sang them our song, "Buy our CD, Buy our CD, Buy our CD for Five Bucks" but for some reason I was eliminated shortly thereafter. 
They might have caught a video of it for you to view.  I will let you know if this video is ever released. 

American Idol is not the be-all-end-all of everything. 

I am fired up about The Symbols, and The Symbols are my first love, all the time.  Idol, schmidol. 
As we are finding some more permanent members for the group, the blocks are falling into place. 
Here's another image: the picture is painting.  The boat is rowing.  You get it. 
Jasco and I are going to sit down at dinner tonight with a map of the USA and mark out a touring route we will follow this winter. 
We are expanding our turf. 
Reader: if you are in a town anywhere in the USA and you'd like us to visit your town, please leave us a comment here. 
I look forward to the future with all of you. 

My best,
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,                   Thurs, July 28, 2011

Yesterday, Jasco and I waited in line to register me for American Idol at Invesco Field, in Denver. 
There's some really interesting things I'm noticing about the audition...
Here's my theory:  You aren't really being auditioned only on the 15 seconds you're in the room with the judges...you're being auditioned the entire time--while in the line, while registering, and while inside Invesco field. 
You can take that and work with it however you please. 

The line was ridiculous.  There were about 3,000 people waiting in line to register yesterday, at 8 in the morning.  We got there at 6:00am and there were at least 1,000 waiting already.  I can only imagine how ridiculous tomorrow is going to be, on "audition day". 
There were girls who would push their way to wherever the cameras were, and they'd brag about their ability and talk to the interviewers confidently. 
I was tempted to jump in front of the camera and say something random, because of my personality, but at the same time I did not want to ignore the people in line around me, did not want to stand out for being a cocky and phony celebrity, and focused on talking to the friendly people around me in the line whether or not the camera was pointed at us.  I actually got on quite well with a family from Nebraska behind me.  They stopped at a Sinclair gas station when they entered Colorado and rode a plastic dinosaur.  They are my kind of people!!! I had them text me the picture so I could save a copy in my phone to remember them by, and also we could become friends and I could have some friends to visit in Nebraska. 
For me, I don't care about 15 seconds of camera fame.  That is not important enough for me to not make friends.  I would rather have made some interesting and lasting friends from an experience than irritate people or make people jealous or be greedy. 
God is always watching.  Maybe sometimes nobody else is, but God always is. 

After waiting maybe two hours in the line, they began letting waives of people into the stadium doors to pick up their registration papers and wrist bands and tickets to "the show"...
The actual "registration" (which didn't remember anyone or mark anyone down on their ballots) took about 15 seconds-- walk in, show two ID's, pick up some papers, get a wrist band (which you can't get wet, hilariously), ask a question, walk out.  I'm contemplating why they would have non-water-proof wrist bands for you to put on two days before an audition... It's some kind of test.  Maybe they test your character-- what would your character on the show do with such a wrist band? Would they get it wet? Would they have OCD and wrap it in plastic? Would they follow the rules? Would they be a rebel? Would they be a klutz and accidentally wet it and tape it back on?
Will some people not show up on audition day because their wrist band is lost or fell off?
How badly do people want this? What kinds of things will they do to get what they want? How petty are they going to be about 15 seconds of fame? How will they use their 15 seconds?

I think they've already planned to use this show as a fame booster for an already-existing artist...I can just see it. 
There was a bleach-blonde guy with leopard print pants walking around confidently and smiling at everyone and being quite interactive with the camera...I'm assuming he's part of the cast?
When you go and look at the photographs from the line at past auditions, you can tell who's thinking about themselves and who's making friends. 
The difficulty for almost anyone at one of these auditions is probably making friends, deciding not to be petty to people around you, remembering you might not be the next idol, remembering this is a privilage, remembering there are harder working artists than yourself, remembering you aren't likely to make it onto the show (due to the volume of submissions and the idea that it might be a scam-- maybe they've already cast it--before the auditions), remembering you're still talented and beautiful and that this is not the career-maker if this is the career you earnestly want. 

I don't expect to be selected, just because of the volume of submissions...how could they possibly sift through so many fame-crazy people and select one person who stands out above all of the others? That would be cocky for me to assume it's me. 
I'm not going to assume anything. 

I had a fun time in the line.  One of the girls from Nebraska had flip flops with a big white jewel in the thong part of the sandals... I looked down at her feet and asked her if they were engaged.  She laughed and said "there's no guy".  I said "then they're lesbians." 
I was curious about Nebraska.  Soliciting a smile from the semi-nervous Nebraskan behind me, I told them that I once went to Grand Island, Nebraska, and that there was no island and I was thoroughly disappointed.  They agreed and said it's a rather misleading town name. 
We went on to talk about weekends in small Nebraskan towns.  I asked them if it's a popular pastime to get drunk and drive around the countryside on a Friday night.  One of the girls affirmed this belief. 
We all talked for about an hour in the line.  They have a fun and interesting friendship, the four ladies.  They drove all the way from a town just North of Omaha.  The girl auditioning is 18 and just graduated high school.  She's got beautiful freckles. 

I can't wait to see who they pick!
I offer myself as a choice, but I'm not trying to win this but I'm giving my best shot at putting myself and our band out there for people to notice.  Mostly a bit of friendly connecting and humorous marketing is on my agenda. 
One day I'd really like to meet someone like Jack Black.  That doesn't have to be next week.  It could be in 20 years, at someone's house party.  It wouldn't matter to someone like Jack Black if I go on American Idol or not, as long as I am a person of inner substance. 

I'll keep you updated on the outcomes!

<3
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,               July 21, 2011

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the formation of the beginning of The Symbols. 
We will be having a few parties this month to celebrate that. 
If you are interested we will be playing at the Duke of Windsor on this Friday the 22nd of July,
July 30 The Vault Ft Collins 10pm-1am,
Aug 13 Pioneer Inn Nederland 10pm-1am
Aug 14 Larimer Lounge, Denver time TBA

This was a very unique year! 
Everyone involved with The Symbols, I especially, learned a lot about a lot of things.  
I've learned more about friendship, and growth, and love, and philosophy, and music, and performance. 
I've learned more about God, and how he works. 
I've learned more about conducting a business. 
I've learned more about being a well-meaning human being. 
I've learned more about singing, recording, producing, mixing, playing the guitar, playing the keyboards. 
I've learned more about marketing, promotion, con artists. 
There's those con record deals that come up every few months. 
They get you so excited!
There's the DISC personality profiler, and I now use it to explain a lot of things in the interaction between people. 
This year, I've explored the bible, the book of Mormon, The 4 Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz), and a bit of Eckart Tolle. 
I've researched a different musical artist every day for a year. 
I've learned more about the recording process. 
I've learned about power structures and pyramid schemes and escaping from systems. 
I've learned about songwriting even further. 
I've learned a lot about what it takes to survive in the music industry.  How freaking hard it is. 
How many odds are against you. 
I've learned how to keep going even when most people would drop out. 
I've learned how to put this at the front of my life, this being my reason to exist. 

I make a statement before the entire world:
This is why I live.  Music is why I live. 
Passionately. 

I am grateful for music. 
I am grateful for my daughter. 
I am grateful for my mother. 
I am grateful for my father. 
I am grateful for my brother. 
I am grateful for Jasco. 
I am grateful for God, and my church. 
I am grateful for my friends. 
I am grateful I met David and the year and a half we spent together. 
I am grateful for my fans. 
I am grateful for this year. 

Thank you all for being such a part of it. 

Love,
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,              July 12, 2011

The Symbols have made a few major changes but are still going strong!
David is no longer our bass player and we are in search of a new full time bass player!
We've got a few prospects so far, so things are looking up. 
A lot of things are changing in our lives, and it's just in time because we're releasing in a few short weeks the Be Here Now EP. 

Be Here Now is some of the most spiritually uplifting music we've ever created in our lives. 
This is fresh, this is new, this is us. 

A few new tunes you may have heard live will be released as singles and on the EP's to come as well. 

We are moving at the speed of life.  Sometimes you have a few obstacles before your product can be fully made. 
I know that after this album is pressed our speed and progress will be able to increase. 

Looking forward to a bright future!

<3
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,                  23 March, 2011

Jasco and I just got back from a short tour of Oklahoma and Kansas, which was a blast.  Who ever knew the mid west could be such a charmingly green place?
On Tuesday we drove all the way to McPherson Kansas (after leaving my cell phone at a gas station in Hays, Kansas on accident) and stopped for the night to visit some of his friends from the Blind Dog days. 
I got to meet the one and only Dennis Prickett, Jasco's number one fan in America. 
The guy has a garage full of posters, CDs, Tshirts, and other band merchandise from the many tours Blind Dog Smokin' made to his town. 
He and Jasco are great friends, and when I'm around both of them at the same time, they never stop bringing up hilarious party memories. 
I won't disclose anything personal here, in case Dennis decides to get on his harley and ride here and kick my ass, but in short, we had a wonderful time and some barbeque.  We also saw a few other friends from the past.  It seems the ones you keep around the longest are the coolest.  They were all very cool. 

On Wednesday morning we left very early and drove to Oklahoma City, to meet up with Phil Brown. 
Phil's directions were hilarious--  "Don't take exit 289, but take the one right after it." 
He certainly does not mess around ;)
He was sidetracked with picking up Frank Harrison from the airport, and accidentally gave us the wrong instructions over the phone and we ended up driving towards Tulsa, and could not turn around for 19 miles, haha. 
Nevertheless, we had a good time laughing about it. 
My heart raced as we pulled into the hotel parking lot, very close to where Phil lives. 
Phil pulled up to lunch in a car I never expected. 
It was a collector's edition yellow car, very hip.  Sort of reminded me of those stratocaster guitars that were painted yellow in the 70's but faded out a bit making a cool effect. 
We could feel his mojo in the air the minute we walked up and spoke with him. 
He sported a striped pair of chef pants, which I mistook for pajamas, and was corrected. 
He happens to be a gourmet, and has promised to someday cook for us.  ;)
We checked into our hotel (our very nice hotel) and met the other two guitarists joining the guitar army to headline Mayfest (Rex Caroll and Frank Harrison).  
The other two excitedly rode with Phil and we followed in our car to the studio of Lunacy Records. 
It's a big building with a seven on the side. 
Inside David Copenhaver awaited us and everyone began setting up their gear. 
The man plays a mean bass line. 
We rehearsed at a very fast and efficient pace, in circle facing each other, in the recording studio of Lunacy Records. 
Phil was patient with us, likely thankful that everyone traveled all the way to play Mayfest with him, and we did our best work to help Phil put on his show. 
We rehearsed several hours and then we followed Phil back to our hotel. 

On Thursday, we rehearsed all day again.  We started in the afternoon. 
Kyle Dillingham, a fantastic and friendly and charismatic violin player set us a light-hearted mood. 
Our efficiency doubled, since everyone knew the songs slightly better. 
Grammy winning drummer Peter Pollack kept a solidly polished and highly interesting and soulful groove on every song we played.  I'm tempted to call him "Peter Pollished".  ;)
David Copenhaver impressed me with his bass fingers-- he's been able to overcome severe hand injuries and he still plays the bass better than almost anyone I've ever heard. 
Rex Caroll is great at fast scales and Joe Satriani-style guitar studies, while Frank Harrison is more of the school of the Allman Brothers, Thin Lizzy, and most classic rock combined.  Both were quite adaptable to Phil's style. 
Jasco was really good at supporting Phil's part during this gig, I am quite impressed with how fast he learned all of the parts handed.  His parts were unique in that they mirrored Phil's. 
I initially wasn't even going to sing, but I was first handed some unison background vocal parts that all the support guys sing together.  I was glad to do whatever Phil needed. 
Phil, last but not least, was idyllically creative on his instrument.  THAT is a man who does nothing but play guitar and sing.  I've heard people say he's a better singer than a guitarist, and I disagree.  I think he's an outstanding singer but he's such a unique character on the guitar.  He has a wide variety of influences, so vast, that I can't pin all of them down.  Resulting is this mosaic of different artists.  But what really gets me is the way he strikes. 
We were done early that day. 
Jasco and I called Dorothy Ellis (Miss Blues) and picked her up at her residence.  We three went to Kay's and attented the open jam.  When we walked in, people rushed up to Miss Ellis and gave her their affection.  She was kind back to them.  One thing I notice about Dorothy Ellis is she listens to everybody.  Therefore, everybody listens to her.  I said, "Let's sing a duet", she insisted I go first and play something with Jasco and a rhythm section.  I sang two songs and our jam group got some bar attention because everyone onstage looked like they were having a lot of fun.  Then I called up Dorothy and we sang a duet of "Got My Mojo Working", and then I stepped off the stage to let her sing one of her own.  The crowd of spectators seemed to grow each minute.  It was a really relaxing jam night. 
It started raining buckets outside, really fast and hard, with severe lightning. 
It was kind of surreal.  This wall of rain separated this sacred little bar from the rest of the world.  There was a whole lot of love in that little bar. 
A paparazzi showed up and took pictures of us with Dorothy Ellis...be checking facebook soon ;)
As the last jammers were finishing, we decided we'd like to get back and go to sleep so we could wake up in the morning and play a show in Norman.  Dorothy wouldn't step into the rain without an umbrella, so a young lady lent us her umbrella and Jasco pulled up the car.  We drove her home through varying depths of water flooding the roads. 
I was so frightened and worried by the flooding and lightning touching down every 10 seconds, that I sang an old African spiritual, "The Storm is Passing Over". 
We all sort of prayed to God the storm would pass safely, but Miss Blues wasn't too worried.  She has seen a lot of storms in her time... although this rain was pretty hard. 
There just aren't these sorts of storms in Colorado. 
As we pulled into Ms. Ellis' driveway, another long time musician friend of Jasco and Ms. Blues was getting out of his car and walking to her door.  He came to check on her and make sure she was alright. 
I know you probably don't care because this is irrelevant, but she had a sequined hat that was really cool. 
And she gave us (as a gift) a signed portrait of the mayor.  Which wasn't written out to anyone or anything.  It was just quirky.  I can save it and be like, "Dorothy Ellis gave that to us". 

On Friday we played at the Norman institute.  Kyle Dillingham has a lot of association to that school.  It's got a neat little auditorium.  The institute is a modified warehouse, it's really neat actually. 

On Saturday, we headlined Mayfest. 
We roomed at the Hiatt.  It was updated recently.  The lobbies upstairs were redone, more artsy than before.  They're crazy trippy.  I wish I'd brought a nice camera.  Next time!
The stage was right out the back door of the hotel, which was very nice and convenient. 
Backstage was cool-- it was fenced off nicely.  There was a refreshments cooler in a tent, and the tent was useful for hiding music cases, purses, etc. safely.  There was also a sound gear hut in case anyone's cables broke.  The stage was lined with about 8 really tall Marshall amps-- two-piece.  and then there was the amp Kyle played on-- a regular Marshall guitar amp.  We kept having trouble with feedback from the violin mic during the sound check, but things tuned out fine for the show. 
There were concession stands and all kinds of crafts and clothes sales tents lined up in the streets of Tulsa, and the whole middle of town was blocked off so you could only walk around.  Every restaurant in town was closed down for the festival, and you couldn't run in to use the restroom-- you had to use the out house (unless you went in the Hiatt).
The show was crazy.  Right before we were meant to go on, it started raining immensely, and the entire crowd of let's say 2000 people all scattered.  It rained for five minutes, and then the storm had passed over completely. 
Phil handled it very well.  As soon as we started playing 1500 or more suddenly showed up and started watching.  We always had an audience. 
It was a very good show!
I want to write more later!

Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader...           May 7th, 2011

Wrote something new...


"At the End of the Day" -MS

Another midnight
Another storm
Another winter
Before I'm born//
Another lifetime
Another end
Another distance to
Find me a friend//

CHORUS:
And I've been waiting
A long, long, time
And I have traveled
A long, long, way//
I will be with you
In some distant time
We will be close
At the end of the day//

I know you're searching
Another night
I know inside you
You feel something's right//
I know your struggles
And I believe
The goodness in you
Is the goodness in me//

RIFT

Dear Script Reader,                               May 1, 2011

The Symbols have now been together for 10 months!!!
We have had about 5,000 unique visitors to the website, 4,000 people on the mailing list, and we've played roughly 40 shows this year. 
We've played for crowds as small as two people and as large as 300 people, so far. 
We've raised $340.00 for the Michael Raymond Olson MS Fund, plus some more we'll soon be donating at the end of our business quarter. 
We've begun recording our second EP, titled "With Hope", and it contains the new soon-to-be-hit "Be Here Now".  This should be ready for download by June or July. 
We're filming the music video for Shake That Butt this month, in a few days, and I'm looking for volunteers to come and drink beer and do some silly things for one of the running plots. 
We're talking to people who may want to help us. 
We've created a Pledge Music profile, which is currently being edited.  Soon you'll be able to donate with irresistable incentives, like, "we'll wash your cat or dog" and "Care package (CD, TSHIRT, Panties, Poster, and goodies)", and "One-of-a-kind signatured guitar from Jasco's collection", and "Kiss the band on the lips ($100)", and "Dinner with the band", and "Hot air balloon ride with the band", a "Pledgers-Only dinner and show"....and many other offers! Like I often tell you, the more money you give us, the more money we have.  :)    This money is put back into running this project and making our products even better. 

All of this is wonderful.  But it isn't what I'm here to talk to you about. 
I'm here to tell you about this new-found self-love I've begun to grow inside of me, since this band formed 10 months ago. 
It seems that every member of this band is on a self-learning journey, and we're all discovering more about ourselves by working together musically. 
One of the most beautiful things that is going on right now is acceptance.  Forgiveness. 
There have been hard times but there have been absolute times of exhaltation. 
I love what I'm doing with The Symbols. 
I know my life has a purpose now. 
Thank you, Jasco, for insisting to me that I am something, not a house-wife or an accountant or a kiosk worker, but a performing singer and composer, for believing in my strengths.  Thank you, David, for challenging me all this time and beneath the surface, really knowing and believing in me.  Thank you Ryan, for being so down-to-Earth and such a great communicator, and believing in this band.  We've got something really good going on here. 
I get sentimental sometimes, and right now is one of those times. 
Thank you. 

All of my love,
Mer Sal

Dear Script Reader,              April 17, 2011

I wish to share something very intimate. 
I feel so overwhelmingly full of hope right now that it's pouring out of me like syrup onto waffles. 
The Symbols have been busy in the studio again, recording a second album. 
This album has seven inspiring songs on it. 
The underlying message of this new album is don't give up hope.  
Don't give up hope that something good will happen to some good people. 
Don't give up hope that your problems will turn around. 
Don't give up hope that you can feel the love that is all around you. 
Don't give up hope that you can learn to love who you are. 
Be sarcastic and immature when someone tries to break up with you. 

A few themes from the upcoming album are:
1. Something good can come from something bad. 
2. Coping with loss of sanity. 
3. We do belong together, even though we like different flavors of ice cream and we throw different kinds of fits. 
4. Something in the socio-political air...
5. A song to end all world conflict
6. Sex.  Lots of it.  Or just spinning in circles and checking the oil and chewing gum. 
... PLUS MORE!!!

Just thought I'd flash you real quick... WOOP!
That's all you get for now!

The music video meetings for Shake That Butt will begin meeting soon (TBA publicly), and in late May, Jasco and I are traveling to Oklahoma to play in a festival with Phil Brown!
More news to come! :)

With hope,
Mer Sal


The ideas expressed in this blog are under copyright of Jasco and Mer Sal (The Symbols, LLC).   (c)  2011

Dear Script Reader,    April 12, 2011

As the Spring is in full bloom, I'd like to express some thanks. 
First of all I would like to thank Greta Cornett and everyone on the board for making FoCoMX happen this year!
I want to thank you all for scheduling The Symbols to play at the Fort Collins Brewery April 9th at 2:30pm.
I want to thank the crowd who stopped whatever they were doing in their day to stop by the brewery and watch our show. 
I want to thank the brewery for the 2 free rootbeers, homemade, absolutely amazing. 
I want to thank David, Ryan, and Jasco for meeting in Mead to record last Friday. 
I want to thank Jasco for slaving away in his studio to begin mixing our second album. 
I want to thank the entire band (all four of us) for having such good attitudes and having so much fun together. 
I want to thank our entire band for sticking together even through the hardest of times.  Thank you for not walking out when things are crazy or tiring or hard. 
I want to thank anyone who has or plans to donate towards the Michael Raymond Olson MS Fund.   
I want to thank my parents for taking care of Vivian while I'm away.  I love my family.  I love you, Vivian. 
I want to thank Kevin Allen at Song Revelation for the tips on improving the website and our online PR.  It's taken us miles ahead. 
I want to thank all of the continually supporting fans and the once in a while fans, and all of our fans in general for making our shows so much more exciting. 
I want to thank everyone who has bought or downloaded our CD. 
I want to thank everyone who has listened to our song "Buy Our CD" more than five times in a night. 
I want to thank Jasco for his unwaivering support as a friend, colleague, business partner and collaborative equal.
I want to thank Irina for setting me straight about show business, and about Russians ;)
I want to thank David for sharing so many good times with me, and for letting me share my heart with him.  And for dating me even if I'm weird beyond all knowing. 
I want to thank Mr. Joseph Jensen for bringing me closer to God. 
I want to thank my undoubtably true friends I'm surrounded with. 
I want to thank Steven (and friends) for the tree swing, it's the coolest, nicest thing. 
I want to thank Russian Jay for his spine-changing massages at shows and his positive encouragement
I want to thank Brett Marlar for showing up at our shows in obscure bars, and to my 21st bday.  And for our lightsaber wars in capes at Ziggies during the open jam days. 
I want to thank Shaunt Dashjian for being so excited from the very start! Shaunt, Kalukas Darier!!!!
I want to thank Tierra and Jerry for sharing their wisdom and their calm and caring time ever since we've met. 
Thank you, Julia, for being my best friend since 1995 and remaining in contact with me, even after moving to England. 
I want to thank AJ Sal, my prodigal brother, for standing by his Balinese Clarinet music above anything else. 
I want to thank anyone who's ever shared the stage with us or plans to in the future. 
I want to thank Branden Haagen and Hazel Miller for being really cool to us after meeting our band.  Branden drove all the way from Boulder to see The Symbols in FoCoMX, and Hazel made efforts to see us at the Toad Tavern on St. Pattie's Day. 
I want to thank anyone who's ever visited this website. 
I want to thank my amazing family for standing by me, even if my times have seemed (and still seem) grim. 
I want to thank God.  For this amazing journey. 

Let me know if I left anyone else out. 
The order of things doesn't bare any weight. 

Here's to a great year, and more to come! :)

Love,
Mer

Dear Script Reader,                 March 30, 2011

Our thoughts melt out of us
Clasping to an iced ledge
I look for you
And we're falling underhead. 

I've come to a new understanding, of the philosophy appropriate to my own life:
Leave-it-as-it-is-ism. 
You might call me the creator of this philosophy, or you might call me a contributor to this field, depending on how much literature you've read in your life. 
I am certainly not the first person to come up with this idea, and mostly a lot of people around me whom I've met, Jasco, being one of them, have been teaching me this principle in their actions. 
Whatever, whomever it is,
don't try to change it. 
Accept it or reject it for exactly what it is. 
Don't retrace your words, don't detract. 
Don't explain yourself. 
Just be yourself without explanation. 
Don't erase a line of your poetry, lyrics,
when you're writing it. 
Oh look, a pile of dog sh*t.  I just walked past it. 
I didn't erase that. 
You'll understand that my filter is wide, which allows for more thoughts to come in, and for my life to be diverse and abundant. 

More on this later!
Yours truly,
Mer Sal