Squid Answers

Answers by Conrad

Wow, this picture even scares me. Thank you (or curse you!) to my Canadian friend for creating this monstrosity and sending to me.

Yes, that’s me in the crown. And I should explain the octopus but it’s a little confusing. I’m not sure how it started, but my alter ego on many of my websites as admin is a squid. I think it started because I run so many websites but don’t post a lot on them, so people would say I just came up for air every once in a while and then would submerge mysteriously. Over the years it’s progressed to me actually posting squid videos in my profiles. I think it’s fun for members to think a squid runs their website, I don’t know.

I guess that’s how we get some of our strange traditions and cultural memes over generations. Something starts out making sense and then it gets all convoluted.

The Christmas Gloria – One Year Later

In early December 2007 I had let go of all but one of my posts in preparation of leaving to work for Cirque Du Soleil. I received notice at the beginning of December that my date to join Cirque had been moved to three weeks later so I had some time on my hands. My last job I still retained was music director at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon, WA.

I wanted to do something with my newfound free time; so decided to do something crazy that I had always wanted to do: To write a complete orchestral and choral work in one week like JS Bach used to do for his weekly church services. My last service for the church was Christmas Eve 2007 so I decided to write a Gloria for presentation at the evening Christmas Eve service.

Continue reading “The Christmas Gloria – One Year Later” →

First Autograph Request in China

This was fun for me. I went to a local restaurant on Taipa Island in Macau, China and after the waitress takes my order she comes back and says “Can I have your autograph?”. In her hands is the Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA program and she has it opened to my picture for me to sign.

After I sign the program I realize that I also want a cup of coffee. But the waitress is walking around the restaurant showing people my autograph so I can’t get her attention for several minutes. So the lesson I’ve learned in this is that there is a price to fame: It’s more difficult to get a cup of coffee…

Continue reading “First Autograph Request in China” →

Q&A: Next Step for a Producer

Email question received:

I’ve been producing for about 8 years now and now i’m ready to take that serious step I stay in Lincoln Ne, and it’s hard for a producer out here, so I was wondering how do I just really start I make hiphop,r&b,dirtysouth,soul and blues beats and i’m still not getting paid like I want to I know i’m damn good at what I do but just need to get with the right person, how do I reach or find that person, where do I look it’s hard for me here and at the same time I have family here and I want to do what I like, to make money that way I know i’ll stick with it

Thanks…………….Dennis

Continue reading “Q&A: Next Step for a Producer” →

My Most Stupid Moment Ever

The other day I’m at a Kodak shop where you can bring in your Photo CD’s and memory cards to have pictures printed up. I was going through pictures to select them for printing when I saw one that was horizontal instead of vertical – that is the picture was showing sideways on the screen instead of up and down. Since I use photos a lot on the web I always need to turn them around so they show correctly upright.

I certainly did not want to have a picture that was printed sideways so I asked the technician if the photo could be turned the correct way. I got a very strange look.

Think about it….

Riding Elephants in Phuket Thailand

*Someone just wrote me and said “this could’ve been a C-flat”. Ouch, that’s bad!*

I finally got to ride the elephants! That was one of the things I wanted to do while visiting Thailand. This was my first full vacation since relocating to China with Cirque Du Soleil. We spent three days in Bangkok and four days in Phuket, Thailand.

In the picture above I am getting a massage from a baby elephant. Believe it or not – he actually cracked my back for me and it felt great. A true Thai massage!

Continue reading “Riding Elephants in Phuket Thailand” →

Cirque Bachelor Party

Before leaving for vacation we had a great Cirque bachelor party for a certain artist. I’ll tell you that when you get high energy artists together for a party – it’s a PARTY! What a great crew. Pic up top is myself and Tom, one of our clowns.

Continue reading “Cirque Bachelor Party” →

Conrad around 1990

One of my former piano students posted this on Facebook. I think this was around 1990. Here I am at one of my students’ yearly piano recitals, probably around 1990. I taught piano to many students from around 1989 to 2004. At one point I had over 40 students. I loved teaching.

Continue reading “Conrad around 1990” →

Freddy Fender ALMA Awards Show on ABC

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPx9EsvGqxs

Video when I played with Freddy Fender on ABC at the 2002 ALMA awards (American Latin Music Awards). He was starting to be very ill in 2002 and had a kidney transplant the same year (and a liver transplant in 2004). Freddy passed away on October 14, 2006. Vaya Con Dios Freddy!

FREDDY FENDER RECIEVING PIONEER AWARD ON NATIONAL BROADCAST ON ABC. BAND MEMBERS CHRIS JURADO (BASS) AUGIE MEYERS (PIANO) CONRAD ASKLAND (DIGITAL KEYS) RHYS CLARK (DRUMS) MARK TATE (LEAD GUITAR)VERN MONNETT (STEEL)Â