I also know that I sometimes go weeks without posting here … sometimes I go months without posting something that has to do with my how life is actually going.

So, for any who want to know: I had an incredible year. One of the best ever, I think. The reason I had such a good year? I think it’s because I’ve never been on an adventure quite like I’m on now, and it’s making me feel truly alive.

This is my 2010 in point-form:

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January

• Worked construction for my dad; planned to move to Nashville.

February

• Drove to Nashville: Rented a room from a hippie named Fitz and his dog Sloopy
• Started going to Anchor Fellowship, in Nashville, TN.
• Met and auditioned musicians for the Hello Kelly reboot
• Started dating a great girl named Elizabeth from Vancouver; downloaded Skype
• Found 3 great guys for an Ontario tour: George, Ben and Travis. Rehearsed for 5 days and left for a 30-day tour.

March

• Toured Ontario with the new guys as Hello Kelly.
• My grandma saw her first Hello Kelly show.
• Elizabeth visited Ontario at the same I did; we got to hang out.
• Drove the guys back to Nashville and turned back around for Orangeville.

April

• Worked for my dad, considered wimping out on the Nashville plan.
• Elizabeth flew me to Vancouver to hang out for a week: My 2^nd time in the city.

May

• Returned to Nashville, skeptical: Got a real apartment.
• George, Ben and Travis all told me that they were “in” for the long haul; started rehearsing seriously.
• Had big doubts about the future.
• Finished tracking vocals for the still-unreleased new Hello Kelly record.
• Started trying to book a western Canada tour for Summer 2010.

June

• Got kicked out of my apartment; slept in my van for 3 nights.
• Moved in with George, my bass player.
• Western Canada tour fell through. Started growing very frustrated with having no control over my life, started daydreaming about moving back to Ontario.
• Had a spiritual breakthrough at Anchor Fellowship. Heard God tell me to surrender to Him. Started legitimately tumbling after God again.
• Played a great show at the Hard Rock Café; got discovered by manager Shawn.

July

• In July, moved into a community house with friends from church.
• Ended my relationship with Elizabeth due to the distance.
• Started screenwriting again, working on 2 TV pilots and a couple ideas for features.
• My laptop bag and everything in it was stolen from my van in a church parking lot.
• Started rehearsing 20+ hours per week with the band.
• George lent me his other laptop for 2 months.

August

• The anxiety surrounding my future was going away; started discovering the beauty of surrendering everything to God.
• Met our manager’s new partner: Started to get excited about what the future of Hello Kelly could be.
• Visited Ontario for 2 weeks: Saw 2 of my best friends get married, had meetings with my writing partner for our TV pilot
• Drove out to Eastern Canada with my siblings to visit our mom.

September

• My four roommates started ministry school; I audited their classes on occasion
• Was blessed with a brand new laptop; screenwriting kicked back into high gear.
• Got into the intense rehearsal schedule again: 20+ hours per week.
• Started booking a Christmas tour in Ontario for Hello Kelly.
• Decided with my writing partner that the TV pilot needed a new direction: Started from scratch.

October

• Started to see victory in some huge spiritual struggles in my life.
• Competed in a Battle of the Bands, we lost but impressed many people.
• Spent most days booking shows, writing and rehearsing.

November

• Formed some strategies with Hello Kelly’s management for the future; getting super eager to release the new record.
• Had Thanksgiving dinner with guitarist Travis’ family, with the rest of the band. Loved the feeling that the band was a tight-knit family.
• Went on 2 week tour in Ontario. Blown away by the response, high morale of the band and support of friends and family. Very encouraged spiritually. All doubts about the band were gone!
• Had another meeting in Toronto about the TV pilot: planned to start pitching it in the new year.

December

• Returned to Nashville to see my roommates graduate ministry school. Felt like I was a part of their class in a strange way.
• Got hit in the van by a drunk driver; No damage to the van.
• Drove back up to Ontario with George in his car. Dropped him off at the airport and headed home for Christmas.
• Spent incredible time with friends and family.
• Heard about some screenwriting jobs, applied to them. Waiting to hear back.
• Played Hide & Seek with my family in the snow on New Year’s Eve.
• Looking forward to another crazy year.

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I want to thank everybody who’s been a part of my super great year. And I hope to see you again in 2011.

For everybody who supported me in 2010, either financially, or with love & prayers, I am so so so grateful. I’ve had to rely on people like you this year in a big way, which has been a humbling process for me … and I’m sure not always easy on you (or your wallets, at times). Please know that I appreciate it and love you all.

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I often think about the “seasons of life” as seasons in a TV show. This Christmas felt like another end to a season: Another moment where, if my life had viewers, the viewer would say: “Wow, this could go anywhere!” I love that feeling.

Tomorrow I drive back down to Nashville with my good buddy George Wong. And so begins Epic Life-Changing Adventure: Year 2.

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francy

I was planning on doing the same this year, but the summer’s movies were kinda disappointing overall, so I decided to wait …

So here we are in the year 2011 and I give you a new list: My Top 5 Favourite Screenplays … not of the summer, but of the whole year.

What’s the point? Basically, if you haven’t seen any of these movies, you’d probably enjoy them. Also, it gives me occasion to talk about screenplays … and I’m a nerd so I like doing that.

So here, in no particular order, is my list:

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Inception

The ideas, the plot, the whole world of Inception was imaginative in a way that is truly intimidating to me. So not only can we enter somebody’s dream … We can steal information from their self-conscience? Who came up with that? And as if that wasn’t enough for a movie to be about, now we’re going to try the opposite: Let’s plant a new idea in somebody’s mind. If there’s any weakness with the screenplay for Inception, it’s that there was so much explanation and exposition happening on screen that there wasn’t much room for character development besides that of the lead character, Cobb. But really … I was so engrossed in the world of Inception that I didn’t mind one bit.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

I was hesitant to include Scott Pilgrim in my list since it’s more of an “adaptation” (The movie was based on a series of graphic novels). But considering that the writers squeezed 7 novels worth of story into one screenplay … and got it right …  I couldn’t leave it out. A hipster bassist must defeat his new girl’s 7 evil ex’s in order to keep dating her? Yeah, sign me up. If that wasn’t enough, the explosive style, hilarious characters and video game references had me asking “Where have you been all my life, Scott Pilgrim?”  In my opinion, the movie tells the story better than the books but the style is pretty intense so if you’re not into that kind of thing, the movie might be a bit annoying to you.

Kick Ass

Kick-Ass came out in April and was largely ignored by a lot of my friends, even though it was easily the best movie of pre-summer 2010, in my opinion. A high-school kid decides that, in a world where superheroes don’t exist, he’s going to become one and fight crime! Little does he know that he’s about to be pulled into a world of real crime and find himself way in over his head. The premise isn’t earth-shatteringly original, but the execution sure was. The “bazooka moment” is currently my favourite “pay-off” in any movie ever. But beware: The violence, sex and language is off the charts, so only see this movie if you have a stomach for that kind of thing.

Easy A

The guy who wrote Easy A had never had a movie made when this got picked up and his little underdog script took off and became a legitimate hit this summer. You can thank the timing, the insanely cute star Emma Stone or the strong supporting cast but the script is the real hero. Easy A is about a girl who basically gives herself the reputation of a slut, even though it’s not true, just to see what would happen. Obviously, things get out of hand and she learns a lesson or two but the reason I loved the script so much is because even though it’s a movie about sex, it’s not vulgar or dirty at all. I loved it because it was a teen comedy that was actually smart, something I haven’t seen since Clueless.

How to Train Your Dragon

I saw a lot of great animated movies this year but even though Toy Story 3 was a stronger motion picture overall and Despicable Me was adorable, How to Train Your Dragon stole my heart in a way that I can’t really explain. The story is simple: A scrawny son of Vikings finds a dragon, develops an unlikely friendship with him and the two of them wind up saving everybody in the end. It’s a kid’s movie but they were ballsy enough to address some pretty big themes and the big reveal at the end took me by such surprise that I almost teared up. ALMOST!

Seriously, if you haven’t seen these movies: Rent them!

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I had three runner-ups:

The Social Network

This script was, technically speaking, incredible. Snappy, funny and hyper-tight. Except that, at the end of it all, it didn’t affect me beyond making me wish that I’d invented Facebook. Though, the ending with him pressing “refresh” again and again was pretty great.

Buried

When I finally saw this movie, I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. It’s a movie about a guy buried alive … And the whole thing takes place in the coffin. This movie affected me more deeply than anything else all year, but the writer’s choices at the end were so cruel that I didn’t put it on the list pretty much just out of spite.

The Fighter

I saw this movie recently and loved it so much that I saw it again last night with my dad. This is one I really, really wish could be in my list, but it just doesn’t topple any of the previously listed 5. But seriously … Christian Bale’s speech at the end is such an epic combination of writing and acting. It brings the whole movie together into one big clenched fist and then let’s the ending punch you in the face. It’s awesome. Go see it.

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Two movies I haven’t seen that that probably would have made the list had I seen them are 127 Hours and Monsters. Have you seen either?

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What do you think? Agree with my list? Did you hate any of these movies?

What was your favourite script of the year? Is anything not on my list that you think should be?

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francy

Now that Hello Kelly has been off of the road for a couple days, I’ve had some time to think about the Top 5 Gifts Band’s Don’t Need on the Road. And I’ll be honest: Most of these were inspired by my having to clean out the van after this tour.

Without further ado …

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5. Soft Drinks

They might be tasty but we don’t want them! And it’s not just because they’re not healthy either! While cans of Coke seem like great gifts at the time, there’s nowhere to put them! It’s not long before the case falls apart and cans of Coke are rolling around at our feet as we drive: So when George tries to crack one open, it explodes all over him … It’s just a bad scene altogether! If you want to help hydrate your musician friends, just stick with water!

4. Perishable Food

To be fair, bands are usually at fault for this one: After the show, we see half a pizza leftover or a bucket of chicken uneaten … And we beg to take it with us for a late drive snack, or lunch the next day. This is fine if we grab a little bit and eat it right away, but I’ve found too many boxes of rotten food tucked under van seats at the end of tours to feel good about taking food “for the road” anymore. If you want to make sure your musician friends stay fed, refer to my last post: Subway gift cards!

3. Magazines

A leisurely read on the road seems great, but consider this: Things like magazines and newspapers just create hyper-frustrating clutter in a van that’s already difficult enough to keep tidy. As soon as that magazine hits the floor, those staples are as good as stepped on … and before too long, you’ve got loose pages all over the bottom of the van that are destined for the post-tour garbage bag. Besides, musicians’ brains need to be fed: Give us books instead!

2. Baked Goods

Don’t get me wrong, you should NOT stop sending baked goods on tour with your musician friends. (Especially if that musician friend is me!) But here are the guidelines: 1. Small quantities: If it’s not eaten within the first couple days, it’ll be lost in the abyss. 2. No Tupperware: There’s only so much room under our feet in the van and we always feel bad tossing your perfectly good Tupperware into gas station trash cans. (Did you think we were gonna mail it back to you or something?)

1. CD’s

Every time we switch up drivers in the van, there are cell phones, iPods, charger cables & CDs are being rotated. It’s hard enough to keep track of iPods and cell phones, so it’s doubly tough to keep track of “that CD somebody gave me” and by now you’re probably picking up a theme: Once something hits the van floor, it’s as good as destroyed. If there’s music you’d like to share with your musician friends, email it or buy it for them on iTunes.

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There you have it. My apologies to anybody who’s ever given me these gifts. It doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate them at the time!

I’m having fun writing posts from the perspective of a musician with a bit of touring experience. In the spirit of this, this weekend I’m going to break down the set that Hello Kelly played for our Kelly’s Home for Christmas Tour. This was one of the tightest and most effective sets we’ve ever put together and I’ve decided to pull it apart and share some of the thought behind it.

If you’re interested in knowing a little more about the process of putting together an engaging set, maybe my post will be of some use to you. Then again, maybe it’ll be total rubbish!

Christmas times’ a comin’!

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francy

We put together a 60 minute set, and we’re all proud of how the set flows … I feel like we earned every pay-off and led the audience into the experience instead of expecting them to buy into it right away, which is a mistake that so many bands make. (Hello Kelly has made it in the past!)

Last night, we played in Clinton, a little down outside of Goderich. Goderich holds special place in my heart because in university, I had a crush on a super cute girl from Goderich. Her name was Tracey. She didn’t come to the show.

Being on the road again though brings back all the memories of past tours and it got me to thinking of how grateful I am of all the support we’ve received over the years, financially, with prayer … but also through awesome “tour gifts”!

Today I’ve decided to give you guys a little window into how you can help bands on the road. So next time a musician tells you he’s going on tour, you’ll know a great gift to get him/her by referring to this list: I present to you “Top 5 Gifts Bands Need on the Road!”

5. Fingernail Clippers

I started keeping one of these in van after we did a whole tour without them and I realized how gross it is to live without. It’s the simple things.

4. Power Pack

Anybody who travels in a van needs one of these. They power AC and DC devices, it can boost your vehicle’s battery and some of them have air compressors (to inflate your flat tires.)

3. Subway gift cards

When you’re in a hurry & broke and your other options are McDonald’s and Burger King, Subway is food for kings. For $5 you can get 12” of relatively healthy sandwich: Half for lunch and half for dinner. And Subway can be found everywhere across the continent. Plus, the gift cards work on both sides of the border!

2. Jump Rope

I prefer to go on late night runs after we get to the hotel or billet’s house after the show, but my bassist George and drummer Ben are skipping rope for a half hour every morning: What a great, simple idea! No need to hunt down a gym in every city we visit! It’s not the most complete or intensive regiment, but it’s something.

1. Laundry Bag

It always happens like this: 3 days into the tour, you realize you don’t have anywhere to put your dirty laundry! Mesh laundry bags are $2 at Wal-Mart. They sell heavy-duty “you’ll-never-break-this” laundry bags for $6. To keep from taking up valuable space in the van, I just keep the laundry bag in my suitcase, letting it grow as the clean clothes are depleted.

Come back tomorrow when I post the opposite countdown: “Top 5 Gifts Bands Don’t Need on the Road!” You might be surprised at the things that people give us that actually make life a little bit harder!

If you’re a musician, tell me what some of the best gifts we’ve received on the road (not worst, save those for tomorrow), and what YOU consider to be the best gift to get on the road.

For those about to rock  …

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francy

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In one, I was sword-fighting with a 4-inch tall man … he was wielding a rusty nail as a word … and he was winning! I remember thinking: “It shouldn’t be this hard to vanquish a 4-inch tall man!”

I posted this on Facebook, asking if anybody could offer any insight into what it was trying to say. I don’t believe that we should put a ton of stock in dreams but I do believe that our subconsciousness’s can tell us things about ourselves through dreams … and sometimes God uses dreams too. That’s what I think anyway.

Some of the replies on Facebook were interesting.

Your future intimate relationships are questionable. (I’ve thought that about myself for a while.)

You are trying to find out who and what you really are. (My future is uncertain, so that makes sense too.)

You need a tetanus shot. (I haven’t had a tetanus shot in years … But I think this guy was joking.)

I could see the battle meaning that I’m feeling under pressure and the sword meaning that I’m trying to prevent impending changes in my life. I wonder if the miniature might have been a mini version of me, which might mean I’m feeling small? Unworthy? If so, unworthy of what? Who knows.

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In the next dream, I was in a plane. I remember that the plane was not crashing but people were trying to escape anyway. The crazy part though, was that everybody jumping out with a parachute got sucked up into the engines and ripped into a burst of bloody guts. And everybody who jumped out without a parachute seemed to escape to complete safety.

I could see the desire to escape the plane meaning that I feel like I’m not equipped to handle the ambitious things ahead of me. And maybe the failings of the parachutes mean that I’m struggling with the strength of my faith?

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The third dream was at a rock show and an old friend was there. I tried speaking to this friend but struggled with stuttering and, instead of being patient, she criticized me, attacking my character is hyper-severe ways … as if the stutter was the root of everything that’s wrong with me, as if it’s something I’ve chosen to wear or something. This was weird because she’s usually a lovely and delightful person!

Maybe dreaming about an old friend is my subconscious’ way of telling me that I’ve been acting immature? The appearance of my stutter in my dreams doesn’t happen very often, but every time it has, it usually meant that I was hiding how I really feel in my waking life, or that I fear that my feelings are not being “heard”.

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I believe we need to be careful with interpreting dreams because it seems to be a sneaky way for malevolent thoughts to whisper into our heads … But maybe people who believe in Jesus don’t have to worry about that? If you’re the kind of person who prays, maybe you could pray that I be blessed with wisdom and discernment as I wonder what these dreams mean.

Regardless of what the dreams mean, I do feel like I’m going through a bit of an interior struggle these days … It’s not something I can express or explain and I guess at the end of the day, since dreams can’t express anything beyond what we already know deep down, maybe these dreams are just echoes of this thing I’m trying to figure out. Oh, to have clarity.

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In other news, I bought this bad boy yesterday.

It’s a Instant Power XP2260 6-in-1 Jump Starter by Schumacher Electric. ROCKGASM!

It can jump start your battery, it can inflate flat tires, it can be charged via lighter adapter or wall-plug, and said charge can be used to power accessories with either lighter plugs (portable TVs) or wall-plugs (my Nintendo 64). Basically, the only thing it can’t do is cook Chef Boyardee and tuck you in at night.

I believe that every band in the world should travel with one. I sent Schumacher Electric an email telling them that and they’re gonna send me a sticker for our trailer that says: “Powered by Schumacher Electric”. Now people will think we’re electricians!

Maybe they’ll try to steal our electrician tools. Ack! What have I done?!

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francy

For 10 days, they’re all on a school-trip, leaving me with the house to myself. This 10 days also happens to be the time period when cold weather has descended upon Nashville.

Now, months ago, when I was so looking forward to cold weather because I’m so Canadian, I was saying things like, “Man, winter in Nashville is gonna be like summer in Canada. We don’t even have to turn the heat on!”

I’m eating my words:

Due to some wacky situation with the heating company, there’s not going to be any heat coming to our house until a certain debt is paid. I don’t know whose debt this is, how high it is, or how the heck it’s gonna get paid … All I know is that it exists. To some of you, this situation might seem kinda crazy not exactly healthy. I guess I’m used to kinda crazy and not exactly healthy situations because it’s not really a big deal to me.

However …

I am cold. Maybe I’m not as Canadian as I thought I was? Maybe I need to man up? All I know is that with my roommates gone for 10 days, there’s nothing I can do about getting the heat turned on. (Who knows how long it will take even after they return!

For the past two nights, I’ve been chilling at about 5° C (that’s about 41° F for my American friends) My one housemate made me promise that I wouldn’t use any of his bed sheets because he’s weird about that kind of thing. I’m sorry buddy, but I’ve broken that promise. (Don’t hate me!)

Here’s the situation. I checked out the Wal-Mart website and they’ve got some pretty nifty portable indoor heaters for something like $50. With one of those, I’d never have to worry about being cold again! Now, I don’t have that kind of money kicking around, but I know that some of you might. I also know that some of you (maybe not all) aren’t OK with the idea of me freezing. And I really appreciate that!

So here’s what I’m gonna do: I am going to ask you, my friends and/or family, to hook me up with $50 to buy a space heater. Can I pay you back? Probably not. Will I be endlessly thankful and very warm? Heck yes, I will.

I know it’s a bizarre request, but there it is. If you wanna get spiritual about it, I believe I just gave you an opportunity to be excellent … And I’m pretty sure the Bible says something about how those who do excellence unto others will have excellence returned unto them. Don’t quote me on that, though.

So it goes without saying (even thought I already said it), that I really appreciate this. Whoever hooks me up first, wins the race. Also, that guy will be forever known as The Bringer of Heat, to me. Or, if you’re a girl, Hot Stuff. (Make sure to clear that with your boyfriend ahead of time!) If you don’t know how to get in touch with me, e-mail me at hellofrancy@gmail.com

With that, I’ll wish you a wonderful Sunday evening and leave you with this random (but actually contextually appropriate) photo of two most triumphant dudes that will keep me warm tonight in the absence of real heat:

In the words Bill & Ted: Be excellent to each other!

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francy

I’m a bit of a geek, what can I say?

I left my Wii in Ontario so that it wouldn’t distract me from my work down here in Nashville. But Christmas break is a break for a reason. This is my short list of “2 Wii games I’m gonna try to catch up on during my Christmas break”.

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1. Goldeneye 007

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zvyk_lrq9I

A remake of the (now) classic Nintendo 64 game of the same name. The game looks slick and like it’s gonna be a lot of fun, but I wonder if they’re going to be able to capture the whimsy of the original. I admit, I’m a skeptic. But I’m at least gonna rent it, hoping they prove me wrong. There’s something very exciting about being able to revisit levels I’m very familiar with but present new challenges under the surface.

(Let it be known: My friend Matthew Kalinauskas is hereby invited over to my house every day forever so we can learn to master the game together.)

2. Donkey Kong County Returns

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bwud_FCA5A

When I was a kid, Donkey Kong Country were my favourite games. Collecting bananas, blasting out of barrels, swinging on vines. Dang. What Goldeneye 007 lacks in a co-op mode, I’ll definitely get out of Donkey Kong Country Returns -- or at least I’m hoping to. I hope the new company (Retro) stuck close to what the old company (Rare) did and hid lots of secrets throughout the game. That was the other best part of these games.

Last year, the big cooperative game of the season for the family was Super Mario Bros. Wii. This year, I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s gonna be Donkey Kong Country Returns.

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Interestingly enough, both of these games are remakes. The original games were developed by a company called Rare, which has since stopped developing games for Nintendo. Now, new companies are now taking stabs at those old franchises and, from what I’m reading in the reviews, these games are killing it. In a good way.

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So hey, forgive the slightly self-indulgent post on video games. Tomorrow I’ll write about something that actually matters.

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francy

I live with a bunch of people who aren’t Canadian. Two guys from Missouri, one guy from Georgia and one from Ohio. The Ohio guy knows a little bit more what it’s like to be from Canada, but it’s still not quite the same.

Every time they talk about how it’s getting cold, I do the typical (probably annoying) Canadian thing and say: “Pfft, whatever. You don’t even know what cold is until you’ve been cold in Canada!”

Well, I’m eating my words a little bit. To save money, my roommates have decided not to turn on the heat until … Maybe never. To save money.

I’m coping with it just fine but I do sleep in a room full of windows and today I woke up with hands and feet made of ice. I thought they were going to melt off in the shower. But you know what this means? I get to break out my winter gear early!

SAAAANTA HAT!

I’m wearing it RIGHT NOW, in a coffee shop, in East Nashville.

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Here’s a list of the reactions I got when I walked in:

1. Through the window, approaching the coffee shop, a cute girl smiled at my hat. Win.
2. At the counter, the barista looked at my hat and shook her head with coy disapproval. Win. (?)
3. Behind the counter, her co-workers looked at my hat with confusion … but then broke into a conversation about anticipating Christmas and all the fun ways to mix alcohol with egg nog. Semi-win.
4. Across the coffee shop, a tool-ish looking dude looked at my hat with complete and utter disdain. Epic win.
5. After sitting down, an old lady looked at my hat from across the shop with a look that said: “That’s right. You get it.” Elder win.

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So that’s 5 wins in my book, all on the first day too! 2 semi-flirty looks from pretty girls, 1 look of approval from an old lady, 1 look of vitriol from some dude and, most importantly, 1 instance of kickstarted-Christmas spirit. (Even if the conversation was about alcohol … Gotta start somewhere. No? Bueller?)

I’m taking it upon myself to spread the Christmas cheer this year. Call me a Christmas Cheerleader. The hat is just the beginning.

What’s next? I’m so glad you asked!

Note: To future wife … Um … Yeah, enough said.**

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Merry hyper-early Christmas!

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francy

And one of the most prevalent ideas in all of those books has always been some variation on the following:

The biggest difference between movies and TV is that in movies the viewer wants the characters to change and in TV the viewer wants the characters to stay the same!

It’s such a simple little rule of thumb but, when I read that, I started looking back on what TV shows and movies I loved: And they all adhered to that simple advice.

Would I have loved Toy Story if Woody didn’t finally accept Buzz in the end? Would Inception have satisfied me if Cobb didn’t finally get over his guilt?

On the other hand, would I keep watching The Office if Michael Scott found fulfillment in his meaningless life? No. Would I still love 24 if Jack Bauer found redemption and felt complete as a man? Heck no.

There’s been this trend happening where TV is becoming more and more like movies and, in one sense, that’s not a bad thing: Stories are bigger, shots are more cinematic, and many shows, including comedies, are less episodic. Hey, I love a good ongoing story arc as much as the next guy …

But with all the ways that TV is evolving (I believe the aforementioned changes have been for the good), there have been some negative effects too. TV writers are changing the characters that I’ve fallen in love with. Not that this has never happened to a TV show before, but I feel like with the greater sense of freedom has come a greater propensity to mess things up.

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Take Chuck for example.

Here’s a show that was doing (in my opinion) a lot of things right, especially in seasons 2 & 3. The show’s template was simple:

A fun spy-based adventure, engaging drama at the Buy More store, unresolved romantic tension and subplots featuring likable side characters … All of which involve Chuck, the quirky, anxious guy after which the show is named.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Ye6dLzp4o

With Season 4, it’s morphed into this: A serious spy-based CIA adventure, ho-hum drama at the Buy More store, a static, resolved relationship and subplots featuring side characters that I don’t really care about … Only some of which involve Chuck, the (now) typical, confident guy after which the show is named.

See how much the show has changed from engaging to kinda not as much fun? Not only has the lead character changed but the show seems to be operating on a completely new template. It doesn’t feel like Chuck anymore. (They also gave him a haircut!)

I think there are enough facets in this show that work that it’s possible to pull the current season out of its current trajectory, fix some problems and get it on course to be awesome once again. And I really, really hope they do. Because I do really love this show!

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If you watch Chuck, do you agree or disagree? If you don’t watch Chuck, have you ever experienced similar frustration with a show you watch? Is TV these days any different from TV of past years or am I making that up? Do you like it when your favourite TV shows change it up?

Should I chill out and stop being so dang critical?

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francy

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P.S. If you can, find a way to watch the Hallowe’en episode of Community. It was so good. (Note: Christmas and Hallowe’en episodes are great [even welcome] opportunities for shows to shirk their template for an episode! In my opinion.)

Don’t worry, I’m going somewhere with this.

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Hello Kelly, my band, is playing in a Battle of the Bands on Monday. It’s the first Battle of the Bands that Hello Kelly has ever, ever competed in. Why have I avoided them all this time?

Well, the truth is that I always thought they were kinda lame. “Only squeaky teenagers compete in Band Battles“, I thought. But that was before I saw the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World …. four times.

Seriously, check this jank out:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=G584brOKCzg

Suddenly bands battling, to me, became insanely epic.

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So we entered this Battle of the Bands. And we’re feeling confident about it because of all this rehearsing we’ve been doing. Ben (awesome drummer) has been playing with a click in his ear for the past 5 months of our being-in-a-band-ness. For the uninitiated, a “click” in a “metronome”: A clicking pendulum that indicates the exact tempo of a piece of music. Could you imagine how annoying that would be? Here’s a taste:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVjiwvvUU_k

I joke around but seriously, playing to a click is very wise. I think of as a rite of passage for any band pursuing LEGIT-ness. (aka legitimacy, heh). Legit bands have it set up to where every member of the band gets to listen to the click when they play live. If you keep down that path further, you get into the world of live tracks too … Tambourines, shakers, strings, synths, even guitar parts or background vocals: You can automate them if you’re super-legit or, if you’re mega-legit, trigger them via your computer,  MIDI controllers or maybe even telepathy if you’re hyper-legit (and a super-hero).

Basically, the whole thing can get pretty out of hand.

Hello Kelly was headed down that path for a while, but I defected from that camp. No more tracks. No more triggers. Just a rock band. Ben is the only one playing to the click and it feels great. Raw but … harnessed. If you will.

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But yesterday at band practice (we practice in a sewer, like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Master Splinter brings us pizza and we high-five all the time) George commented that we’ve been sounding too mechanical. As soon as he said it, I realized he was right. So we tried something. We played the set without the click.

Suddenly … It was fun to play again. Don’t ask me when it stopped being fun, but somewhere along the line … it did. It had started feeling like work to us. “We gotta get this thing perfect,” we all thought. “You’re playing it wrong! Now you die!!”

Hmm.

I’m glad we tried that experiment: It reminded us how music is supposed to be a fun experience, a source of freedom and even escape. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s important to play to a click and I don’t think we’ll be cutting the click from our arsenal: That would be like removing the road from underneath the car you’re driving. I still believe that boundaries are good.

But from this point on, I think we’ll return to that experiment often to remind us why we started playing in the first place.

We need roads because they’re boundaries and boundaries are good. But, yeah, I get why people go off-roading now.

Uhh. It’s super fun.

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Musicians? Do you play with clicks? Why or why not? Is off-roading really fun? I’ve never been.

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francy