currently working
I'm currently working at gomobo.com doing CSS styling and UX testing.

a couple of new sites
One to sell a house in the Berkshires:

http://www.berkshireview.net

One for the guy who discovered Shooby Taylor, among other things::

www.rickgoetzconsulting.com

This is a custom Wordpress theme I made by the way...it took all day but at least it doesn't look like Wordpress anymore.


open-air studio
I've got some pieces showing in Bushwick Open Studios this weekend. They're up on the roof at 100 Thames Street. the printed materials said my actual studio would be open; that's hard for me to do since I live there, and, currently, I have no work there (ok, three pieces). To those people I heard knocking on my door, what can I say? I'm sorry, thanks for coming by.

There's a lot of wonderful art happening in Bushwick from what I've seen, and I've barely scratched the surface.

Go Bo Diddley
I got so many messages yesterday about Bo Diddley's dying; I appreciate them all. We knew it was coming. It wasn't quite the same (to me) as when K-Doe died. When Ernie died, it seemed too soon, because he was on such an upswing in life; with Bo, he'd had a bad stroke, on stage, and we knew he'd done his work as long as he could and longer than most, and more uncompromisingly than all.

It's great to go watch the incredible performances on the internet (and I'll be hunting for a copy of Let The Good Times Roll a '70s film about moldy oldies shows, in which Bo is actually in his prime, playing a one-chord, one-word song (just google "Bo Diddley best video", get a can of something, and enjoy getting your head knocked off). I'm just happy I got to see him live --four times, the last two forgettable, the first two (on the same day) incredible, and probably the reason I still can't keep myself off a stage.

It was Summer 1984 and Bo Diddley was playing Lake Winnepesaukah, Chattanooga's Coney Island. My brother later worked there and got to meet the cats from Rare Earth and drive the Drifters lead singer around in an antique car (long, great story). It was outside. Before the show Bo came out to check the gear dressed in a cop outfit. Nobody paid him any attention. I couldn't believe it. He came back a few minutes later to start the show with a different hat on (still wearing his badge, which was apparently real) and everybody went nuts. His guitar spelled out Bo Diddley in lights that pulsed along with the tremolo. At the night show, he played "Love Is Strange" and complained that nobody knew he wrote it (I didn't). That was a treat. But at the day show, the one for kids; shit, he did this robot dance that he accompanied with harsh scrapes on the bass string, all culminating in his pretending to wipe his nose and fling snot on the ground at the same time he smacked the guitar and made all those 80s electronics sound EXACTLY like a giant dancing robot flinging snot on the ground--I have never seen a cooler trick on the guitar, and don't expect to.

After the show we got to go in his trailer and meet the man. He looked at my Chess reissue like he'd never seen it before (probably hadn't), motioned to the former band members pictured there, and said, "Them two guys is dead." Then he shook my hand (his fingers were gigantic; ridiculously so) and signed my album with a skipping Paper-Mate pen.



Bo Diddley 1984.




update
Two pieces have sold from the show at apt.

I had a good time in New Orleans and played a show with my old band The Stacks which was well attended, especially by irrational drunks.

I'll be showing some of my large pieces in Bushwick Open Studios June 6 ñ 8. My work will be at Arnocera, at 100 Thames, not at my house, as the site has it.

go buy my art please


1979


1979. From what I understand the world was in, or had just emerged from, some kind of upheaval to which the Sex Pistols, a band from England, were the soundtrack. And I was vaguely aware of this as I was vaguely aware of all things that I was not acutely aware of, that is, things concerning me.

Most of those things are forgotten, but a few are not, and an advertisement in my in box reminded me of something I really liked at that age. Our branch library had these incredibly comfortable and elegant Bertoia chairs, and I liked to sit in them and read Mad magazine at the library, saving myself the sixty cents they were charging for a copy at that time. Usually it was up to me to fold the Fold-In.

recent project
I started a cool project a month or two before Katrina: designing a monthly calendar for the Three Ring Circus Gallery in New Orleans. It was supposed to look a bit like a letter-press circus poster or show-bill, or as close as I could get with a few fonts. I had to let this project go for awhile, but I started doing it again. Since I don't do a lot of print these days (though I would like to), it's kind of fun. Here's one (and by the way, I'm working on a print project right now...).



what's new
I'm looking for a full-time job, but I'm willing to wait for the right one, so I'm freelancing.
No new launches to report, except that I did a lot of front end work on http://www.reactrix.com and I'm currently working on a pair of photo gallery sites, a very cool project for a music industry consultant, and painting for my upcoming group show at (apt.)
I get my bar exam results in mid-May.
If anyone can tell me why there are so many ads for people who can do AJAX but are not designers, please do...what kind of person would bother to learn AJAX that wasn't at least a little bit of a designer?

see you at the after-party
The Brooklyn Street Art show is this weekend, FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY April 25, in beautiful Bushwick, and Jimmy and the Wolfpack will be playing the after-party at Wreck Room (on Flushing Avenue, just about a block from the Ad Hoc gallery, where the show is. (Ad Hoc is at 49 Bogart Street, right by the Morgan L stop, in the building with Brooklyn's Natural and all that.) No cover that I know of. Come see the show; it's the same artists and sticker taggers you see every day around here, but on the walls of a gallery for once.

go buy my paintings; it's the right thing to do
I just found out: I'll be participating in a group show of artists at apt., which is at 61 Greene Street, (between Broome & Spring) starting May 15.

big show off
I'll be getting on stage with Jimmy and the Wolfpack on April 25. Somewhere. For something. More details to come.

last minute show announcement
I just found out I'll be playing a show tomorrow night, Saturday, April 5, at Don Pedro's (99 Manhattan Avenue at McKibben, in Brooklyn) with The Headless Hookers.

another site launch
My latest client, http://www.marcharch.com is for a New York-based architecture firm that already had a site, but the site was becoming over-busy and disorganized, and the firm had no way of editing the site on their own.

Working with principal architect March Chadwick, I drastically simplified the look of the site, simplified and rationalized the navigation, and installed an AJAX-enabled content management system that allows the firm to add and edit projects and photos on their own.

Here are a couple of screenshots:





chime time
The weather in Bushwick today was good enough to mark the return of our old friend, that harbinger of spring, and summer, Mister Softee...

job search
Hello Concerned Citizens of America:

in case you were wondering, since I finished the bar exam (and, I hope, my legal "career",) I have been working full time and interviewing at design firms pretty much every day. I have a new freelance client whose site went live tonight (I'll post about it tomorrow), and I'm working on some sketches/a painting for another one. I just finished the fascinating Charles Schulz biography, I returned all my Netflixes, I washed the dishes and the clothes, and now I'm just waiting for the mailbox to fill up with checks.

I feel very well acquainted with the Javits Center
I took the New York State bar exam this week, so not much else to report. Everybody told me it was the hardest thing in the world, but if you can talk about easements, the hearsay rule, and time of contract formation (between fictional people who have no sense) you got most of it covered.

A gig
My other band plays Sunday, March 2 at Club Midway (Avenue B and 3rd Street, NYC) with My Happy Gun opening. We are scheduled to go on at eleven.

PLEASE NOTE: I just found out this show was canceled--the club was shut down yesterday. It*may* be relocated to a location in Brooklyn...will let you know.

new resume
I came up with a more congenial layout for my resume.
it makes it easier to see just what it is I do.
I took out some of the tiny temp jobs I did between five and eight years ago.
Please download it and share it with all your employing friends.

DOWNLOAD RESUME [PDF, 36KB]

a site redesign
A long-overdue redesign for a long-time friend and client.



a recent painting


I don't know what to call it.

found this old logo


This was a logo for a project with the name "Mojo Temple"...I designed a whole look for it, and then the client decided to use a different name. I still like this logo (actually developed from a sketch done in the first planning meeting).



out-of-the-box content management systems
This week I finally had to build some pages in Joomla and Drupal.
So far my prejudices AGAINST these out of the box systems have only been reinforced. Joomla in particular seems to really make the process of building a complex website turn inside out and backwards.

Anybody care to comment?


I just like this.


Jimmy and the Wolfpack plays on Mardi Gras
Of course it's in New York where people aren't all that aware of Mardi Gras, but anyway, we're playing at Bar East/Underscore at 90th and 1st Avenue. It's a fundraiser for the New Orleans Musician's Village and Musician's Clinic, so it's pricey ($30) but the foods and drinks are free...e-mail me and I'll forward you the evite.

Mardi Gras is TUESDAY, February 5. We play at 9:30.

site redesign for whereyat.com
Just completed Phase 1 of a redesign for http://www.whereyat.com. I can tell I've learned a lot by comparing this with the original site that is about five years old now. Nice new 'clean' URLs, better use of space, and most important to the client, room for more advertising.



back in New Orleans
For the second time in 2008 (and in the same week) , I'm back in New Orleans. This time I'll be playing with Jimmy and The Wolfpack at The Saturn Bar (3067 St. Claude Avenue, at Clouet), Sunday, January 20.

off to New Orleans
Headless Hookers play this Friday night at The Saint, on St. Ann Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. I will be there playing the drums.

This is kind of huge
I co-designed and built a new site for IAC Advertising Solutions, which is the ad-selling part of IAC. I built both the front end and the back end (which is user-editable) and did the basic design (based on some print pieces we designed earlier).






The Creative Director was Michael Calleia and the flash piece on the homepage was produced by Alberto Langton.

New Year's Eve show
Jimmy and the Wolfpack plays New Year's Eve at Matchless, 557 Manhattan Avenue (at Driggs) near McCarren Park in Brooklyn, New York. No cover!

I'm finally on you tube
...and of course you can't see me at all.

But do watch this excellent film of Jimmy and the Wolfpack's "I'm Wild" from our record release show at Don Pedro's, Saurday, December 8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCiQNfB7tXQ

thank you thank you
Thanks to "Gabby the Cabby" for finding and returning my license, credit cards, work ID, etc!
It's much appreciated.

wishlist
Why can't you switch your mac cursors so they are left-handed?
When I'm using the pencil tool (and my wacom tablet) I wish the cursor pointed the same way.

designed this little portfolio site

for Russell DeYoung

upcoming shows
Headless Hookers
December, 4 2007
at Lit Lounge
93 2nd Ave, New York, New York
with My Happy Gun.

Jimmy and the Wolfpack
December 8, 2007
at Don Pedro's
90 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn NY
Big Fun opens.

playing tonight
Headless Hookers appear on stage at Otto's Shrunken Head, 14th Street between Avenue A and B, in New York City. 9 pm. No cover.

built a little site


It's like a 'microsite':
http://www.jimmyandthewolfpack.com

hear song, download desktop wallpaper, buy the cd...

another Jimmy and The Wolfpack show
December 8 2007
9:00 PM
Don Pedroís
91 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11237
US
Cost:$6
Description: Another Hullabaloo show courtesy of DJ Shimmy and a RECORD RELEASE party for Jimmy and the Wolfpack! On the bill:
Jimmy and The Wolfpack http://www.myspace.com/jimmyandthewolfpack
Big Fun http://www.myspace.com/ilovebigfun
The Visitors http://www.myspace.com/thevisitorsnyc
plus DJs in between!!!

If itís as fun as our last show at DP itíll be A LOTTA GODDAMN FUN!

go felix go
I was just listening to my *favorite* radio show, WBGO Newark's Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez, and he did a PSA about Oliver Sacks but I thought he was talking about "all of her sacks". I bet Oliver has to hear about that a lot.

help out if you like
I'm trying to do something (raise money) for my friend Todd, who was in a serious motorcycle accident. He's going to recover, but it's going to take a LONG time. If you know Todd, please read my page at http://www.davidrhoden.com/todd and consider contributing.

more on the CD
It's got eleven songs, a wonderfully illustrated cover by yours truly, and we will send you one for $10 (includes postage). My paypal is my email: davidrhoden @ davidrhoden . com

wolfpack on the loose again
The Jimmy and the Wolfpack show on Saturday (with Bunny Ranch) was GREAT, and the CDs are here! Contact me if you want one.
Also, our show was so darn good the club (Don Pedro's) asked us back for all four fridays in December. I dunno, ya think we should do it? I'm seriously asking. I'm already playing four Sundays in November with my other band.

found cat


Found in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.
I gave her a piece of my hamburger a couple of days ago and she hasn't left yet.
Is she yours?

in the studio today
In the studio this afternoon with producer Daniel Rey...all I have to do on this session is go "ooh ooooh ooh ooooooh." And then the record is done.


last minute Wolfpack show this Saturday
This short note's purpose is to inform you and yours that little ole JIMMY AND THE WOLFPACK will be playing
this Saturday, September 8 at Magnetic Field, the pleasant little club in Brooklyn Heights (of all places).
We're starting the festivities, and JONNY CHAN AND THE NEW DYNASTY SIX will be capping off the
evening's entotainment.

That's right--America's two greatest "And The" combos on one stage making people happy.
How can you say no? HOW CAN YOU? You CAN'T, that's how.

We've talked enough.
We love you.... a lot.
The future is now.

Sinkerly,
The Jimmy and The Wolfpack

8 p.m. (please note the early-ish time...I bet we will really play at nine. Can't be too careful though.)
97 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn NY
Saturday Sept 8


hot fun etc.
Came to New Orleans for the weekend and somehow got a gig.
The Stacks play tonight at BJ's, corner of Burgundy and Lesseps.
I had to buy a plane ticket and a guitar for this show...

my new band
Somebody decided it should be called the Headless Hookers, and so it is, but , still, come see us:
Aug 16 2007 11:00P
Lucky Cheng's
Aug 21 2007 8:00P
Black Betty
Sep 17 2007 10:00P
Trash Bar

it's pretty crazy:
Jimmy and the Wolfpack next Thursday at Lakeside Lounge, yay.
Wolfpack record mastered and soon to be off to the disc bakery, yay!

Wait, we do have a show in June...
Club Midway, on Avenue B in New York City.
June 20. With the remarkable Gulag. I know, I know, it's a Wednesday. We just feel like playing. We're at 11.

Upcoming show
Jimmy and the Wolfpack are going into the studio next week, and we have a show at Matchless, in Brooklyn, May 26. Memorial Day weekend, so you'll be on vacation. Well, good for you.
With The Hall Monitors and The Shalitas.

News Flash
New flash piece up at http://www.eclectichome.net

New band at Zablozki's!
My new band with Josh, Jessica, and now Nate will play our first show at Zablozki's, in Williamsburg Brooklyn on Friday March 30. It's the closing party for Coyote Studios, where a few great records got made and where they kept my rehearsal space deposit on file since 1994.

rereading
I've been re-reading Charles Portis' novels over the past couple of weeks, first Gringos, then True Grit, and then Masters Of Atlantis. If you haven't read any of these, go to the cheapest, dustiest bookstore you can find and you'll sure turn up a few first editions, probably signed (my copy of Norwood is, and I paid a dollar for it). They're all just terrific books.

have mercy
Thank to all the people who came out and watched us go crazy at the Lucky Cat, especially all you Bronx DAs who should have been jailing criminals but were hanging out in Brooklyn instead. Not to single anybody out.

Jimmy and the Wolfpack live at Lucky Cat
Trey, our bass player from New Orleans, is flying up to play this show with us.
It's a benefit for ?, from ? and the Mysterians--his house burned down.
So, yeah, there'll be a cover.
It's us and some DJs, including Jumpy and The Thing With Two Heads (good ones!)

Site redesign
I finally got around to redesigning my site.
It's tableless CSS, whoa.
I hope you like it.

GoDaddy may not be your best bet
I just got off the phone with tech support at godaddy.com. I hung up...I had a feeling when they put me on hold it was to get rid of me. I don't like calling tech support. I've been in the position of providing technical support to ignorant people and mostly what you want is for them to e-mail you and leave you alone and let you fix whatever. I call TS to C my own A in situations like the present one, where a site transfer won't show up--at this point it's been almost 96 hours.

Anyway, I wanted to say the people acted helpful, and had they really done the things they said they would I'd be happy with the service. But: here's why you don't want to go with GoDaddy. Their hold music is terrible. really loud Dixieland jazz. If you are thinking "I HEART Dixieland Jazz," well, house a homeless banjo player and get on hold with Tech support at GoDaddy. You'll be in heaven.

spirituality
I just saw a man with long braids, eyes closed, holding his cupped hands inches above a large burrito.