All three of today’s calls are people who returned my calls yesterday. 

THE CALLS

1. Nicole Geib

The Last Time We Spoke: Nicole is a relatively new person in my life. I met her thru some friends and usually only see her at parties at things like that, but we exchanged numbers a few months ago so I could invite her to shows, because she wanted to see Those Mockingbirds play. We last spoke in person about a month or two ago, and I don’t think we’ve ever spoken on the phone before.

When I Called Today: Nicole answered the phone asking if i meant to call her, and I told her yes, of course I did! haha. We talked mostly about this very unique habit she has, where she flies all over the US to see bands that she loves. Now, these aren’t just any bands, they are what I would’ve called “prog rock” bands, that is, until I did and Nicole scolded me for using “that word”. But basically, any band with Mike Portnoy in it, will have Nicole as a rabid fan. I busted her chops for a few minutes about some of her upcoming trips, and then invited her to a show in Montclair on June 9th. 

2. Scott Garrison

The Last Time We Spoke: Via the phone, Scott and I haven’t spoken in at least a year. We’ve exchanged a few Facebook messages since, as he developed a logo that my band used for a line of stickers and pins. 

When I Called Today: Scott and I didn’t have a very deep conversation. I asked in general what he’s been up to and where he’s been working, and all that. Scott complimented me on the new Those Mockingbirds music, and we talked about the band for a few minutes. But basically, Scott is super soft spoken, and while he’s really cool to hang out with, talking on the phone with him seems to always be “not the full Scott experience”. So to his credit, there is much more to him than this conversation lets on. 

3. Nicole Gibbons

The Last Time We Spoke: A few weeks ago I called Nicole to RSVP to her wedding because I cant find the invitation. That counts right?

When I Called Today: Nicole had just gotten out of rehearsal for her new musical project, Owls & Lions, with Jay Della Valle, who was recently called for this blog. When she told me about the project, I remembered the name as “Owls & Frogs”, which, is clearly a sign that I’ve immersed myself too much in Harry Potter. Nicole gave me crap for telling her that this was her blog call, because she felt “on the spot” and couldn’t come up with anything good for me, and then wrapped it up with me by saying “I’m getting married soon dude, I’m done!”

The Verdict: To bookend this, I just thought I would tack on the fact that I received something in the mail today for Nicole’s wedding!