JIM RICE THREW ME A BALL by T Max One of the best stories I tell during my live performance goes back to August 23, 1987, at Fenway Park. On that day, my brother John from Colorado was with me—it was his birthday—and he loves going to the world’s most beloved baseball park. We sat in the centerfield bleachers and I brought my baseball glove, as I always do. At the end of batting practice, Red Sox center … Read More >>
BACK IN NATURE by T Max As promised, Pepper’s real name will be exposed in this continuing episode. For those just starting to read this column, Pepper is a horse that I befriended in Topsfield, MA. Peter Goutzos (Little Hawke) calls and asks if I want to find that bridge again and take photos of it this time. I jump on it because it involves a hike through this big beautiful meadow in Topsfield. Before the hike we decide to … Read More >>
THE HORSE I CALL PEPPER by T Max Last month we left off with Little Hawke and me lost in the woods—and when we finally found our way out, I spotted a white horse with some grey speckles. Since then, I’ve gone back to see the beautiful horse that I’ll call Pepper until I find out his real name. The following time I went to see Pepper, I had my guitar in the car and decided to play a whole … Read More >>
THE ADVENTURES OF PDITTLE & T by T Max I’m headed out on this beautiful Labor Day to a noon appointment in Haverhill. It’s an hour drive from Gloucester. I get there but the person I’m meeting hasn’t arrived yet. I order a sandwich and wait for a while sitting on the steps that lead to the business meeting which turns out to be a no-show. I was warned that it was a holiday, and that I should make sure the appointment … Read More >>
DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP by T Max PETER GOUTZOS I brought Peter Goutzos over to Project Sound to add some percussion tracks to the songs I’m working on. With “Train Sleep” (an old song penned by my friend Charlie Esposito) Peter added a glass washboard that I think he used finger picks on. When the sound of the washboard comes in I picture girls tap dancing in a rhythm used frequently by Adam & the Ants. He also added … Read More >>
MISTAKES? Mistakes are so common that it is said, “to err is human.” I just had to check the spelling “err” and immediately found a statement that read “experts estimate that as many as 98,000 people die in any given year from medical errors that occur in hospitals.” Of course there are the less harmful errors—like when Boston’s Mayor announces his praise of Hondo, the Celtics amazing point guard. That’s supposed to be Rondo for all you non-sports-minded music lovers. … Read More >>
PAYING TRIBUTE TO A GREAT MAN: JOHN GERARD MAXWELL by T Max Just today I was on my bicycle to Seaside Graphics in Gloucester to print up the cover of a booklet. This short print job is for a tribute to my late Uncle John. So, like I said, I’m on my bicycle and on my left I pass the Past Present Shoppe and it’s the first time I realize that’s its name. For it was in that shop a … Read More >>
EXPERIENCING DOGTOWN by T Max Our economy may be in the dumps, but from my experience the dumps are a great place to discover forgotten and discarded items and ideas that can lead to exciting new places. Since I’ve moved to Gloucester, I’ve started learning about the area’s rich history and current controversy of how to move forward. While I love mucking through the harbor’s low tide mud to dredge up artifacts from the past, or hiking up through Dogtown, … Read More >>