On a personal note, I was in a motorcycle accident and never expected to play or sing again. What with nine fractures, a concussion, and a couple of strokes I was just glad to be alive and playing out wasn't important. Well, I'm over that and Greg (who has the patience of Job) and I are starting to work up some of the songs off the old playlist and I'm sure we'll be adding some different ones, as well.

     It isn't just me who's been lucky. Greg had a heart attack. He had noticed something was wrong when we were playing out before so he was taking good care of himself. Genetics caught up with him about a year ago (June 2008) and he ended up having a quadruple bypass. When the docs wired his chest back together they didn't use a heavy enough wire so he was opened up a second time so they could install suspension-bridge cable. Now, he's all better, too, and playing better than ever. In fact, he's been working up some Beatles music that he plays fingerstyle on a classical guitar. He's had to create his own arrangements because you just can't find books for that sort of thing. He's played in the Baltimore area already and was well received. I'm not surprised and, if you've ever heard Greg play, I'm sure you're not either. He's gifted and I feel fortunate to be associated with him.

     On a much less serious note, we went to Abbey Road on the River this year (2009). Not as a band, just as a couple of guys who like Beatles music. It's been held in Louisville since 2005 and, in my opinion, it's a much better venue. Everything takes place in the Galt House Hotel or in the backyard there. They had bands from all over the world. In addition to the U.S. there were bands from Scotland, Japan, Norway, Sweeden, Germany, England, and Canada (and probably a couple of other countries that I've missed). The Beatles are kind of a world-wide phenomenon, you know? There were three outside stages and they had two locations inside the hotel (one huge hall and one really large room). With the heat and humidity it was especially nice to be able to catch these acts right there in the hotel. I took some pictures and I'll get them web-ready and uploaded soon. I think my favorite thing was the late-night singalongs in the conservatory. I was up until 3:30 one morning but that was kind of late for me so for the next two nights I managed to get to bed at 2:30 and 3:00. Who says I'm a slow learner!? I can't wait to go back next year and do it all again.

     Of course there's more but it'll have to wait. I didn't redo the website because it's just too damn much work and you might want to know what was on here before. I'll be bringing it current over the next few months but for now everything that follows is the same content as before. Thanks for visiting.

     We're Newspaper Taxi, a classic rock band that plays music primarily from the '60s, or as some would call them, the good old days. We've taken the "unplugged" approach, meaning our primary instruments are acoustic guitars, which we think makes us somewhat unique. Greg plays 6- and 12-string acoustic guitars, electric guitar, and keyboards, Bob plays 6-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, keyboards and helps with lead vocal duty and organizes our three-part harmonies, and Jim, that's me, well I play 6-string acoustic guitar, harmonica, incidental percussion (tambourine, maracas, claves, and bongos), and handle most of the lead vocals.