Here's what's happening as of July, 2001:

Well, what's been happening in the first seven months of 2001?...not a whole lot. Our efforts to record some new Air Condo material for the first time in over 20 years have been halting at best, and frankly, flat-out stalled at worse. No matter. It's not like we're on the clock or anything. It's still going to happen but it has to go on the back burner for a while longer because something else just came up...another gig! Maybe even two. And the really big news is it looks like lead singer/guitarist Paul Kingery - current bassist/vocalist for Three Dog Night - will be on hand this year. We did such a fine job hanging on by the skin of our collective choppers last year at the Allen Park Cabrini festival, that they've asked - well, demanded is closer to the truth - us to come back again. And this time we get the Sunday spot (as opposed to Friday) which is the biggest day of the fest.

The date is August 12 and the time will be from 5:00PM to 9:00PM. This info, along with a map, is now included on our schedule page. Additionally, we'll be talking to our contacts in River Rouge where I've always managed to put some kind of band together for the annual Rouge Days Festival which occurs every Labor Day weekend. Last year it was Air Condo and hopefully, this year will be AC Redux.

A few more brief words on who will be in the band on the 8/12 gig: returning on drums will be the redoubtable Max Kolomitz and Glenn Preston behind the board, who like myself happen to be Air Condo charter members from the illustrious 70s combo, Waldon Reed and Rim Kasputis on guitar and trumpet respectively who were both with us on the two Air Condo jobs of last year, and one more person who is now confirmed and ready to recreate some of the old magic with the rest of the crew; I'm refering to none other than Mr. Jeff (Gaffer) Cowden who will be flying up from Melbourne, Florida on Saturday the 11th and gracing the local scene with his formidable presence for the better part of 3 days. I'm using the friendly www to pass charts and song files to him so in case you're wondering how we can possibly work him into such a well-oiled machine in less than a day, that's pretty much the system. With Paul aboard, in addition to the workmanlike vocal abilities of myself, Max and Rim, it's safe to say we'll be OK in the crooning department. And since I know better now than to put off writing charts until the last minute, we should be able to do a couple of the infamous AC originals, Kinay Dewey Square and Lady of September for sure, and maybe one more. I'm also hoping that we can get Kevin Wetzel, our other original guitarist/vocalist to come out and join us for a couple tunes. He's got tickets for the Yes at Pine Knob that night but I'm hoping I can impose on him to at least show up for the first set. So we're 40 miles out of the way. Is it just me or is that a lame excuse?

Now, before signing off, just a few words about that original project I keep alluding to. Yeah, we've pretty much gotten next to nothing done but there have been a few halting steps made mostly by me (no surprise there) since I finally got my hands on a little computer program that allows me to record bass, guitar and vocal parts right into the PC. My new plan, since plainly the old one didn't work out, is to get other members in the group to acquire the same program. That way, I could start work on a tune, for instance, record a few ideas and then ship the working file off to the next guy for his input. To that end, I actually managed to get a very rough version of one of my originals called The Killer Syndrome Blues finished and over time it will evolve into a tune with all the required parts. When that's done, it will then simply be a matter of rounding everyone up for a date(s) in the studio to record a "sellable" rendition, as it were. Did I say "simply"? Naturally, I've no doubt it will be anything but simple. What can I say? We'll just keep plugging away. The date?...a big TBD, what else? And if you have any interest, and would like to hear this work in progress, feel free to click right here for an mp3 download of the song. Opinions are welcome but remember, I'm sensitive.

Talk to ya soon,
Paul Laginess