All Worn Out (Day 1)

Today marks Day 2 of All Smoked Out week for me. Just a few days away, I will be up in the DJ booth spinning tracks for (hopefully) over 500 people shaking their asses and nodding their heads.

For anyone unaware, Friday, November 11, 2005 marks the day of the very first One Fry Short Productions-produced concert. With many thanks to ToC Bar for hosting our little party, we’re expecting a huge turnout after the three week’s we’ve spent.

We have radio ads playing on FM 104.9 (The Party, the other hip-hop station on Houston radio); about 4000 flyers circulating head shops, tattoo parlors, and the streets of downtown Houston; plus just general word-of-mouth that is spreading like wildfire through the wonderful city of H-Town.

Barely a year with my other job, I have decided to resign and pursue my dreams of being a big-time DJ/Producer. Since we started working on the All Smoked Out show, many, many, many doors of opportunity have opened up to us. We are going to Toronto the day after Thanksgiving to DJ Juelz Santana’s show in Toronto, then going back to Canada in Mid-December to start the All Smoked Out TOUR with a few of the artists from Friday’s show, and then to Los Angeles on New Years Eve to do another show. With the kind of schedule that I’ll be keeping and as much traveling I will need to do, I just don’t have the time or energy to devote myself to two occupations. Naturally, DJing wins as it is the truest thing to my heart.

Yesterday I spent being a full-time employee of One Fry Short Productions, the first time in a year. Going back to One Fry Short was a decision I made recently in light of everything that is happening with my company. I’ve decided I’m just not really cut out for the hour long drive to work, 8 hour shift, and 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive back home five days a week. I’m not suited for the bullshit politics of working in an office environment; the lay-offs, the random drug testing, the gossip. It’s just not for me. Not having to turn in a timesheet, not having to answer to anyone but myself and my partner, not having to request sick and vacation days, etc etc etc.. Everything I hate about working a full-time job will be gone, and good riddance.

We met DJ Kutz yesterday, who is a big-big-big time producer in the Houston area. He’s worked with Paul Wall, Lil Flip, Mike Jones, Dr. Dre, and a whole slew of other acts that are rap GODS to me. We were there with one of our artists, local Houston rapper Da Golden Child, to use Kutz’s studio and record one of his tracks. What happened instead was us talking about One Fry Short Productions with him for almost three hours. He was really interested in our company and what we plan to do with it, and we were more than ecstatic about the opportunity to work with someone that high up in the game.

Later that night we went back up to ToC Bar to start day one of the show setup. We installed a series of tubing hooked up to a fog machine that when activated, will produce smoke out of several tiny holes drilled into it that will fog the entire stage. We had another one of our artists, Dirty D, there to practice and give us a good idea of how the sound system will sound during performances. I have NO complaints at this time. Everything was perfect, and we were all home by 11pm last night.

We’re all getting super crazy excited about Friday night. This is it, this is our big break. This is the show that is going to make or break us, and the latter isn’t too likely. We’re on a running head start about to break the sound barrier, and we’ve set our sights even further after that. Never more have I felt more confident in myself or my company than this point. I just want everyone to have a good time and enjoy the show. If people do, then I feel my mission is accomplished no matter how much money I will make from it.

Today is a relaxation and preparation day. ToC bar is closed today, and I’ve got a few projects I need to work on (including redesigning ToC’s website). I’m going to post every day up until the show on Friday night with updates on everything that’s going on, and next week I’ll post some photos from the show itself.