Nate Houge

It is official.  We are now a one car/toaster family.

Hey – I just got my summer schedule up on the Shows page!  There are lots of camps and gigs playing guitar with the band Floating Bridge.  I’ve got a few more shows in the hopper – should they see the light of day you’ll be the second to know.  Assuming I’m the first.  Though generally I’m the last.  How biblical.

Jodi and I are watching a Paul Simon tribute on PBS.  At the end Paul himself comes out and sings a few hits and then Art comes out and they sing a duet… You guessed it, Bridge Over Troubled Water.  This got us thinking.  Sure Paul’s got it good, but what does Art’s day look like?  We’re guessing he writes a to do list and it looks something like this:

Make Bacon and Eggs

Call Paul.

Leave Message.

Wash Bacon and Egg pan.

Buy new pick.

Look for lost pick… in hair.

Brush up on Bridge Over Troubled Water.  (Big Ending!!!)

Read thoughtful book.

Think about said book.

Consider next solo album.

Make peanut butter and jelly sandwich (today’s grape jelly day!)

Plan second half of day.

…and friends just can’t be found…

we love you art!

http://www.tourderevs.org/tdr/Welcome.html

But no trinity jokes?  Or references?  All the same, best of luck guys!

It is my eternal hope that someone will buy our mini-van.  Soon.  It could be you. 

On Sunday afternoons our family heads off to Humble Walk Lutheran Church.  HWLC meets in a vacant spot on the corner of W. 7th and Randolph.  By and large everything used for worship goes back and forth between the building and our spacious 2 bedroom bungalow, which also hosts the church office and a utility room that I now refer to as the Janitor’s Closet.  Part of the glory of being married to the pastor is that I get to help schlep all the gear.  Thankfully, considering most churches’ set ups it’s not much.  Oddly enough though we can’t fit two kids, two parents, two rubbermaids, two djembe’s (lately there’s been a pre-service drum circle) and a guitar in one Honda Civic.  So we have to use the mini-van.  But I want to sell the mini-van.  So with the help of http://bikecart.pedalpeople.com/ I built this bike trailer:

It can also pull four kids up and down the alley.  And the kids like it.  I once jokingly said it was a quarter for a ride.  I made 5 bucks in about 12 minutes.  Suckers!  Their parents made me give it back.

The Reverend thinks it makes me look homeless.  I think she knew I’d take it as a compliment.  (Funny thing is I’ve had preschoolers ask me if I was homeless before.  Apparently the homeless population in St. Paul is handsome, smart, creative, funny, and an all together likeable group.)

So please, buy the mini-van already.

Or hire me to build you a trailer.  Better gas mileage and more trunk space than a Honda Civic.

My latest tall bike – two old Schwinn Varsity frames – one from Joe who used to live in the yellow house behind me, and one from Donald, my neighbor across the street.  Thanks neighbors!

Thanks to all who came to the CD Release Party!  It was a blast.  The Pretty Mysterious Band consisted of (l to r) Jason DeBoer Moran, Steve Abenth, Micah Taylor, Me, and Erin DeBoer Moran.  Mystery Solved.  We were also joined by Martin Marty on lead guitar for Young Consumer Blues.  After the show one of dad commented on that song being a precursor to Rage Against the Machine.  That’s right kids, stop doing what they told you!

 My Mom made an amazing assortment of cookies – thanks Mom! 

Here’s the set list:

Howdi Do
Clap Clap Clap
Jenny Jenkins
Skip To My Lou
Round and Round
This Land (with a few new verses)
Little Red Caboose
Consumer Blues
Mustang Sally (who doesn’t love yelling ‘ride sally/lydia/charlie etc… ride’)
Monkey Dance
Grocery Store
Hippy Parents
Fly Your Kite
When We Say Goodbye/ Take on Me medley (in honor of Norwegian Constistution Day, complete with opening riff on melodica and mandolin!)
MKNATPPOPPL

Oh, and if anybody left a blue jansport diaper bag – give me a call! 612.269.9023

Peace and Love, Nate.

As you faithful readers know I’ve been selling my new kids CD at shows and online since late January.  Up until now though there was no official release.  Well that’s all about to change!  I’m doing a family friendly CD release show on Saturday May 16th, 10:30 am at The Pilney 1032 W. 7th Street (Randolph & W. 7th) here in beautiful St. Paul MN.  It’s a free show and I’ll be backed by The Pretty Mysterious Band.  

If you’re e-mailing a friend about it (which you probably will) here’s a clip from the press release to give them an idea of what they’re in for:

Nate Houge (rhymes with vogue) is a Twin Cities musician, songwriter, and dad.  His latest release, ‘Mysterious Kung Fu Ninja & The Pink Princess of Pretty Pretty Land’ is a rootsy rollicker that takes a jab at marketing to kids* (Young Consumer Blues), makes a humorous nod to Nate’s peers (Hippy Parents), pays homage to Woody Guthrie (Howdi Do), and provides plenty more original songs that kids and adults dig.  

Check natehouge.com to learn more about what Nate’s up to, read his ramblings, and check out his upcoming shows, kid shows, and work with other bands.

Of course, if you haven’t picked up the CD yet it will be available for $10 at the show.  Or you can pick it up at CD Baby or I Tunes – just search for Houge and you’ll see it come up.  (You’ll also see my brother’s ‘3 heart shaped cookies’ e.p. which is totally worth the $3.  And if you buy Don Houge’s cd let me know how it is, I’m curious but not $9.99 curious)

So mark your calendars and we’ll see you soon!

Friday morning I woke up at 5:30 am.  I put on my jeans, pearl snaps, and boots and drove to WI.  The first song to come on the radio was Lucinda Williams Car Wheels on a Gravel Road featuring Buddy Miller.  I pulled into Super America to get some cash.  They were out of cash, but I got free coffee because I brought my mug from home.  Note to travelers:  Always travel with a ceramic mug.  You may get stopped by airport security, but that’s a small price to pay when everybody starts giving you free coffee.

I made it to a gas station off of 23 in WI where I met up with a guy from the Chippewa Falls area.  I bought a pedal steel from him.  And I got a freakin’ great deal on it!  Then I drove back to St. Paul and got home around the time Lydia got on the bus for school.

Mid morning I took off to finish a writing project that I had started back in… October?  It was a large project that I had admittedly grown a bit weary of, though I will say I was happy with the work I was turning in all along the way.  Well at about 2pm I came home and sent in the final manuscript.  It felt great.

Then I checked the mail and I had recieved comp copies of an earlier project I had been a part of.  The Bible.  That’s right kids, I wrote the Bible.  (Are you starting to see why this was such a good day?)  Actually the Bible that I had been a small part of was the new Spark Bible from Augsburg Fortress.  I’ve done a lot of writing for Augsburg Fortress and I must say that this is the thing project I am most proud to be a part of so far.  It’s an aesthetically pleasing, reader engaging format that every third – sixth grader should have. 

For supper I made pizza.  I love pizza. 

After supper I put my guitar in the bike trailer and headed up the road to play at the Bean Factory with Jason, his djembe and his smile.  It’s not everyday you get to play a gig with the president of Drummers for a Brighter America.  We played songs we haven’t played in 7+ years!  Including hits like ‘Our Better Days’ and TV’s and SUV’s (a song written before we owned a mini-van and I got hooked on LOST). 

After the show Jason and Erin took my guitar and I raced them home.  I love riding my bike and one of the best riding scenarios is a warm summer night and Friday’s unseasonable warmth hit the spot.  Back at home Jodi had put the girls to bed and the four of us stayed up late with the finest Milwaukee, Chippewa Falls, and Ft. Collins has to offer.

Yep.  It was a good day.

In about an hour I’ll sit down in the studio with Russel and Erin and we’ll record short, simple, and singable folk songs.  Meanwhile my brother…  Well he just amazes me.