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Hey there everypeoples. we've been falling behind on our blogging duties. Unforgivable, I know. We just had a second show at The Mink downtown. If you came out, thank you!

j and I used that show to test out some new things. The new song "Stalky-Shooty" seemed to go over as well as it could. There was a nice little bit of play acting going on and that. More new things are to come with your stage show...PERCUSSION! It's going to be crazy and cool.

Other than that, "Operation Goldielocks" has been pretty quiet. We haven't done anymore recording since the last time I talked to you about it. I have been promised that we will tackle that in earnest soon but schedules have to sync for that to happen and blah, blah, blah, boring.

This Friday we are opening up for this show. It's got free admission and cheap drinks and a chance to hear some new Cute Scenarios songs.

Alright team, show some fire out there. Coach wants us to get our heads in the game.

The Creative Process

If you've checked the site for the past month (and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't because this thing is H A R D L Y ever updated) you may have seen us mention that we plan on writing new songs. But up to this point it's been all conjecture and you've seen no hard evidence that music making is going on.

The simple truth as to why we haven't said anything about it is because until just Tuesday night no songs were written. For me, it's really hard to write music after a long while of not even thinking of a musical idea. I'm sure some people ((cough)) joie ((cough)) would call bullshit on that but I bullshit you not. It's a little daunting to write music. Sure, there have been tons of things* that have made me want to get off my ass and pick up a guitar or keyboard and get to it. But I psych myself out and think that I'd just make the same folk songs and blah, blah, blah...so what would be the point.

All of that was just a roundabout way of saying that I wrote a song! Yay! ((confetti rains down)) What happened was On Tuesday I was hanging out with joie and we were watching a TV drama and she was talking about guys that caused her some problems in the past. I thought the conversation was more or less an "airing of the grievances" until I was driving home and POP!

A melody came into my head. and a few seconds later I thought of two lines almost simultaneously. I tried to develop the kernel I had while driving the rest of the way home then the second I got inside my room, I picked up my guitar and tried to figure out what chords went to the half remembered (now nearly completely forgotten) melody. After working for about an hour and a half, I was able to get some lyrics and a structure by 1.30 at which time I grabbed a Futurama DVD and went to bed.

When I woke up The next day I fleshed out some things and then all of a sudden I realized that my work on it alone was finished. Now it's up to joie to put her fingerprints on it.The music sounds like Foo Fighters covering Hüsker Dü. You might be saying that Foo Fighters already sound like they're doing Hüsker Dü covers to which I say You'll just have to listen to the song, then.

The weird thing about Wednesday is that almost immediately after finishing the song for joie, I wrote music for another one. I can't explain this one to you. The only thing I can tell you about it is that we're finally working with dynamics. I've never done that as a songwriter, it feels really good.

We're not even done yet. joie has a song or two that we're going to get to work on whenever we can. The Cute Scenarios universe is very exciting now. So my hope is that we can finish these songs and play them for you in a manner most pleasing to you, whether Live or on re-chord, sometime soon. Ultimately, I would like to have an EP written and ready for recording by the start of Fall.

...We'll see if that happens.

*Lykke Li, Jon Hoppkins, The new Of Montreal record: False Priest, The new Arcade Fire record: The Suburbs

My thoughts of our first headline show

So we're a few days away from the show on the 19th. It was our third show and our First headlining show. What an exhilarating experience. I've been to and in a LOT of local shows but this show was the best. The first band up was SixL6. I talked to them beforehand and they thought playing acoustically would be a problem, it wasn't. It fits their music, which is southern rock with a splash of subtle alternativeness, perfectly. Man, they were also a TIGHT three-piece. This week they go into the studio to cut their first EP, so be on the look out for that.

Next was a band called Bad Channel. Like this band on facebook, see them live. Do whatever you can to see this band live. They are mind 'sploding. I had the pleasure of playing bass for the band a few months ago and they blew me away then so when I had the opportunity to put this show together, the first band I wanted was Bad Channel. I can't say enough great things about this band. When they get big, and play stadiums, I hope they remember the ol' Cute Scenarios and maybe we can get a free Bad Channel show if not the chance to open up for them.

Closing out the night was your friendly, neighborhood, Cute Scenarios. I was so nervous for this show. joie and I as a unit have never done anything like this.It's kind of Scary and a bit daunting the first time out. We stepped from under the protective wing of Cheers 2U and The Raygun. Our feet were in the fire and I think we glowed. Our first song was an of Montreal ditty called Sex Karma. We also premiered a song called Climate Change. Unfortunately Joie doesn't sing much on this song, but when she does...Nearly euphoric. When her voice is on, you can't beat it. The only thing I regret about the show was that we forgot to put in our song called My Heroin(e). Biggest oversight ever.

So now we're gearing up for the Tutu 5K which is this Saturday! Be sure to come out and remember to bring the family. It's a great event for a great cause.

Be well,

Jono

Ice Holes

How bout that Ice, huh? Throughout this entire week the ONLY word anyone in Houston news could say is "snow"...Aaand nothing. There is a lot of ice though. There was all kinds of ice on my car today. It's days like these that I wish my laptop were working. Well, I always wish my laptop were working BUT this is different.

There is an album I got for Christmas last year called The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens. It was hard to get into at first. The electronic sound just wasn't what I was expecting. There were woodwinds and lots of orchpop orchestration but the synthesized beats and blips and creaks totally caught me off guard. It took a few months but I love this record.

Alright, my cat needs food. I'll talkatchya later.

The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly On The Plain

joie and myself hope you're getting ready for the 5K and the blindingly fun after-arty-party. We're working on our set right now. We'll be playing about 99% new material. An amazing time will be had by all.

Yesterday I was practicing photography. I did an abstract self-portrait series of my wife and I, then I went out into my neighborhood and snapped some photos. But before I did that, I took picture that I'm dedicating to joie. Pretty soon, once we get to the point when we can use backing tracks, when not singing, joie will be playing bass guitar. So enough talk, here it is:

To see the rest of the photos I took, click the picture.

Anyway, I just wanted to show that to you guys. Hopefully I'll find more stuff to blog about and make this site worthy of coming back again and again.

Body Massage

Mr. Body Massage Machine...GO!

Letting go of Christmas

Christmas has been gone for about 2 weeks now. I hate when Christmas goes as soon as it comes, it's so anti-climactic. But I got some great gifts and more importantly I gave some great gifts. One gift I got was the Tron: Legacy soundtrack. It's so awesome! Like all Daft Punk albums, It's great headphone fodder. It's also so epic, which was something I thought was lacking in the Tron soundtrack from 1982. The movie it's self is also breath taking. I recommend it.

I hope the holidays were good to you. My New Years resolution is to play more shows, hopefully we can do that. Everybody wins there.

Crash & The Boys

Cute Scenarios had our last practice of 2010. It went well, not too bad at all. We learned a new original and got started on a new cover. I'm hoping we can uncover the new original at our next show. This song is called My Heroin(e) and it has an undefinable energy to it...at least to me, maybe joie could come up with some words for it...we'll see.

We were going to post a video of the practice but it was deemed unwatchable. I know it was only a practice but D-D-D-Damn it was rough and was deleted on site.

I think that will do it for now. A new posting won't come until the new year. I'll see you in 2011.

Mic test. 1-2. 1-2.

*hits mic*

Is this thing on? H-hi. I'm Jono. One half of Cute Scenarios.

That is all.

*drops mic*

This is it!

We now have webtize. A one-stop-shop, as it were, for Cute Scenarios info. joie and Jono will be updating this blog when news happens and when we have thoughts that we deem worthy of a posting.

Regards,
Cute Scenarios