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Hi all... it's the Shane Speal Newsletter for May 27:

What was I thinking...?

I wasn't the best singer.  Wait, that's an understatement:  I couldn't sing, period.  Also, my guitar playing chops were passible and I'll bet my feet even stunk. 

I should have just dropped the whole "music" thing and concentrated on my dead-end job as a radio advertising salesman.  I'd never go anywhere with this "cigar box guitar" crap anyway.

But I didn't listen to reason.  Instead, I blew about $4000 on recording session time plus an additional $2000 on amplifiers, strange instruments and gear.  I was gonna be a rock star!

Between 1998 and 2003, I slaved away at an album I would entitled "Box Set" by a ficticious band named Jug Fusion.  I was afraid to use my own name (who would buy an album by Shane Speal, anyway?) and I eventually released the album to the world.

A crazy thing happened...  tiny handfuls of dreaming musicians gravitated to my insane Don Quixote attitude and decided to be rock stars with me.  We got together online and discussed our "revolution" and how we were going to change the world by performing with instruments made from cigar boxes.

Well, here we are today.  It's ten years after I finally wrapped up those recordings and the world is now filled with the sounds of countless Quixotes plunking on homemade cigar box guitars.  Living room musicians are taking to public stages.  People who thought they could never perform are singing and writing songs.  To me, the world is a much better place.

Change the world?  What the hell.  I still think I can... 

How about you?

- Shane
ps.  I just made the entire Jug Fusion recording sessions available for download.  There's seven additional tracks not included on the original release (including my failed attempt at getting the theme song for Paris Hilton's reality show, Simple Life). 

CONCERTS THIS WEEK: 
Tuesday night, 8pm-11pm:  The Cove Nightclub, 1500 S. George St., York, PA.  Musicians are encouraged to bring instruments and become part of my band!  Note: I will be ending my residency at The Cove tonight (Tuesday).  It was a great run, but I feel the need to start doing more shows outside of the York PA area.  I'll be hitting open mics in the Mid Atlantic States (US) in the next few weeks as a way of auditioning for gigs in those clubs.
Wednesday night, 9:30pm-1am:  Shane's Open Mic at First Capital Dispensing Co., 57 N. Pershing Ave., York PA.  This is the most creative...and insane open stage anywhere.

Saturday night, 10-1: The Racehorse Tavern (my favorite biker-type bar) in Thomasville, PA.

CHECK OUT SHANE'S NEWLY RE-DESIGNED CIGAR BOX GUITAR ONLINE STORE!