First look at the Casey "CANUKE"

This is the first look at the Fred Casey "Canuke" being produced for the Great Canadian Ukulele Expo. The uke is a mahogany body with the profile of my 1955 Martin neck. It features a nice Maple leaf sound hole and apparently sounds real pretty. There are two of these special ones and a couple made without the special sound hole. They will be debuted at the ukulele expo next week. May 7th. Got your ticket yet?

Spencer takes over the world!

You will buy a ukulele expo ticket! You will learn the ukulele! You will get me some damn catnip and a brush right now!

This is my cat Spencer. She has been living with my ex and I have the pleasure of babysitting her royal highness for a short while. Already I feel my powers weaking when confronted by her powerful stare. Must resist...can't give in...awwww what the heck. Where is that brush anyway?

Wicked Wacky Woo! - What did you do this sunday?

Today I spent the morning and early part of this afternoon out in the sunshine raking leaves from my grass and cleaning up my front yard. I also painted my house numbers and mailbox. I began the edging of my sidewalk so that the old concrete blocks were visible again and not all rough edged from years of neglect (i.e. grass growing over the edges).

I have begun the planning of my new Tiki Lounge deck at the front of my house. I will (one day - maybe this summer) replace the deck at the front of my house with a new deck inspired by the islands. It will have a pergola (sp?) on the top and have lanterns hanging down to light it at night. This will be a pre-cursor to the full on Tiki playground going in my backyard once the fence is built.

So okay it may take a while but while I sit on my old worn out deck drinking a cold frosty beverage, I am content in the knowledge that one day soon I can sip my drink in the comfort of the island way. Irie man!

I made the Paper!

Hey Mom and Dad, call uncle Ernie too! The Ukulele Expo made the paper. On Saturday April 16th there was a large article on the ukulele published in the Winnipeg Free Press. The article talked about the resurgence of the ukulele in modern music and profiled James Hill and myself. It also talked about the upcomming ukulele expo and all the hijinx that will happen there. The article is 3/4 of the front page of the 'detour' section (F1) and it continues on page F2 of the same section.

Rainy day madness over takes me and I am reduced to a blithering ukulele madman. The ukulele expo is taking it's toll on me. Today I participated in two interviews, sent dozens of press packages out and licked 29 envelopes. Calgon take me away!

It's a New Day - Time for new beginnings

Well spring is here! The temperature is climbing into the double digit area regularly now and the sun is shinning. Oooh I love spring.

The Ukulele Expo plans are underway and the first scheduled interview is tommorow with the Winnipeg Free Press. I am getting excitied now because it is all starting to come together.

I have also been working on clearing up the clutter in my life. I have tons of crap that I have been keeping since I moved into my house (5 years ago) that I haven't even looked at. So this weekend I will begin throwing out stuff. Clothes that don't fit but are good will go to the Salvation Army. old business records will be shredded and discarded. Old Video tapes will be thrown out. Man it is going to be a domestic cleaning frenzy at my house.

Bike riding time is also starting up. I've been waiting for the snow and ice to melt away so that I can begin riding again and that day is just about here. I have this lovely 6 speed Newport Cruiser. Oh it's a lovely velo that sits me upright and has white wall tires. Imagine that with a little panier on the side carrying a ukulele or two. Now all I need is a bell.

JUNO despair

I just watched the JUNOS and its left me with an aching in my gut. I have a sickly gnawing tearing feeling that my vision of the music industry is drastically wrong. I can’t believe how vapid and empty the awards seemed to me. The only moment that felt of any sincerity to me was when KD Lang sang Halleluiah. Now I’m bitching I guess but I always hoped that one day I might get nominated for a JUNO, and now I don’t believe that can ever happen. I’m in a format that didn’t get shown on the show and the winner of the award didn’t even get to perform. Do I sound downhearted and dejected? I guess I feel that way. I see the transition of a world I once knew to whole new generation of young people who have different interests than the ones that drew me to this point in my career.

Don’t misunderstand me, I LOVE the music I’m making and there are lots of great things happening for me. It’s just that after that show I can’t help but wonder what it’s all for? I read an article recently about the industry and how a top selling blues album will sell only 5000 copies in Canada. In one breath that gives me hope that I’m not that far away from that figure (I sell about a 1000 when I am touring) and in the next breath I see that that ain’t a lot of records.

Have the industry always been this shallow? (don’t bother answering that it was rhetorical)