People!



Firstly, my IFC show 'Maron' is now available on Netflix if you didn't get to see it. Dig that.



Secondly, hope you all made it through Christmas and your expectations of the New Year are tempered and reasonable. I generally do an early comedy spot and run home. I don’t want become part of someone else’s bad night.



I had a pretty great time in Phoenix hanging out with my brother and six of his kids and step kids. I told you I was hoping to buy my niece an electric guitar. Well, it happened. I took her to Guitar Center and sat with her and explained to her the difference between humbuckers and single coil pickups. She didn’t know there would be an amp involved. She only knows a few chords. We decided on a white Squire Strat because I thought that would give her more sound variations. We got a little acoustic amp that had a gain knob on it so she could make it dirty if she wanted. I’m not sure she knew what she was getting into but whoever has been giving her lessons has taught her the riff for Smoke on the Water and Sunshine of Your Love. Some things never change. I was taught those exact same things. She’s taken it upon herself to try to learn the opening riff of Sweet Child of Mine as well. She was doing it all on an acoustic. When we got everything set up in her room and she plugged in for the first time and heard the sound of her first amplified chord her reaction was just heartwarming. She is a pretty quiet 16-year-old girl. She’s very smart and together. Just to see that weird feeling of owning loud rock power moving through her guitar and coming out of that amp was beautiful. I hope she keeps it up and learns how to rock out.



I took my 14-year-old niece to the mall and bought her first pair of real Doc Martens. I was impressed and happy she wanted the classic black with no shine to them. I was happy to help out with whatever they represented to her. I think there’s still some fight in those boots.



I took my 12-year-old nephew and his step brother to laser tag and we won. We have certificates to prove it. All in all, a great weekend and I think I left a pretty cool uncle which is actually important to me. I love those kids.



Oh, yeah. I also turned them all on to Black Sabbath Vol. 4. Just trying to help.



This week is a pretty big week, show-wise. On Monday the lofty and thinky Father John Misty talks some heady talk and plays songs on my guitar. On Thursday the inimitable raconteur and traveller to hell and back Artie Lange lays it out. Great talks.



Happy New Year!



Boomer lives!







Love,

Maron