Smoke and Ashes - 13 Engines

This will probably be a quick blog as I have to go to Sam's club with some of the village kids to get the items for their BBQ with the Dean today. I am quasi nervous about it, scared something will not go right.
I was just looking at yesterday's blog and thinking that I love the image of a guitar player with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Now this is an intersting yet very conflicting thought... I hate that Dan smokes, I was just telling Karen and Marcus that I could smell smoke all over my clothes while I was in Michigan. Dan knows I wish he would quit but I don't pressure. And let's be totally frank, smoking killed my mom. So, I looked at the picture again and do you know what I saw?...I saw Doug Hopkins and I could almost see his swaggering leg over leg movements while sucking down his cigarette, putting it in his guitar and doing his perfectly timed guitar kicks. It was all part of his image and it worked. I was still thinking about it and walked by my Blaze music director standing outside smoking. It suites his image... Shouldn't I be a huge advocate of how smoking will kill you? I guess I lived with it all my life, understand addictions and bad habits. Why do I find it attractive on guitar players? It's all in image I guess but it is a big contradiction in my life personally.... Does my main character in Bay window smoke...what is your guess?
I ran in to Scotty Blossom last Friday at Four Peaks..oddly speaking of Blossom guitar players. He told me the Blossoms got signed to a new label run by the old president of A&M. Makes sense, they turned down Universal for this label. They are heading to Memphis soon to record with John Hampton again. They are not using those demos they did last year, just starting over. I asked him if I could use his knowledge of the industry for research for the novel. He was very receptive and said I could call him and interview him anytime. I need to work up some questions. I want everything I write to be feasible, not too far fetched. I thought he could shed light on some things I am kind of forgetting, some of the process they went through. I have been reading a book by the drummer of Semisonic that has been a good guide also but I think Scott will help me smooth out some items. I also talked to Guido, Philly Blossom last week. Why is a whole 'nother story but I guess they kicked him out again, sad to hear that. I told Phil that I should search out all the old "Blossom" girl fans and see if I could compile a book of journal entries done by their fans while they were playing the local scene. Could you imagine the difference between say, my take on a certain night and another girl who went to the after parties and rolled in bushes with them. I read some of my Blossom nights, so sweet, so innocent, I don't think I ever realized they did any drugs, drinking etc.. I was like "Oh Robin called me and requested The Sidewinders" Next night, Robin told me he heard me play the Winders for him...
OK more later...