13.
Brian Mctear to me
2/17/05
How’ve you been? How was the tour you were on? Was it a tour? I went back in our emails to find the “future” web addresses of the bands you play in…happy to see they are up and running! Man! The weeds music is awesome. Your singers voice is exceptional. I am still trying to figure out where I know that guy Devon from…
What are you up to? How’s your health?
B
Robert Wolter to Brian
2/17/05
hey brian!
ive been pretty good since the last time i emailed you. i’m off the IV’s and have been doing a lot of playing recently, the shows have been going great. ive been working for my dad in the mean time to pay the bills, etc. i am half-heartedly looking for a ‘real’ job that has benefits and things, since my insurance runs out soon, but i feel like if i get one i’d be giving something up musically. i’m trying to find a balance. anyways… i didn’t go on that mini-tour w/the weeds and mirah, i just played the rotunda, which was great. we’re trying to set up an northeast tour in may sometime which should be fun. emily is really cool and it’s fun playing w/her. it’s a lot different live than on the album. it took emily and devin over a year to make but it turned out great. devin has been around philly for a while you probably know him through a lot of musicians and studios.
how are things w/you? hows the studio and bbw, and your other sideprojects?
the smoking ban is so close i can’t wait. okay i’ll talk to you later…
bob.
Brian McTear to me
2/17/05
Things are good. I just started working on the next Bitter bitter weeks record. I really want it it be a rock record along the lines of an early REM or U2 record. I just started playing with Tom Bendel, the drummer from Like Moving Insects. I am looking to put together a band as soon as possible. I am very very excited about it.
We also are in the process of finishing the Novenas record. The Novenas is my partner/girlfriend’s band. It is really good.
Man, health insurance… that’s one thing I don’t have, if you can believe it. I am on the PA State Program for CF, so my medications are covered, though they don’t cover office visits or hospitalization. And I hear that the program is going to be cancelled or vastly modified, so I am stategizing…. worrying is more like it.
So where do you live? Are you in the city? We should get together some time.
B
16.
Robert Wolter to Brian
2/17/05
sounds like you have a lot on your plate…can’t wait to hear all your bands. i can’t believe you don’t have health insurance! that’s crazy. if i don’t have it i will be royally screwed, i can’t believe the bills that i submit to the health insurance company…i think unfortunately with all this money we’re spending in iraq and on ‘the war’ is cutting lots of things out of state and federal budgets. i did hear of a record company that gave health insurance to it’s artists, but i can’t for the life of me remember where i read it.
i live in north philly a little past 2nd and girard, on master st. i’d love to get together, but one thing is that i have b.cepacia, that i would NOT want to pass onto you if you don’t have it.
bob.
Brian McTear to me
2/18/05
Wow. We live right near each other. I live in Fishtown at Frankford and Oxford.
Yeah, I am thinking of looking into getting insurance through the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce or NARAS (that’s right, the people that bring you the Grammies….). It’ll mean spending some money that I don’t have… apparently the first year you have to pay and you get NO COVERAGE. Criminal.
If you want to get together at some point we should do it! I’ll ask the experts what kind of precautions we should take. I feel like our schedules will probably present more of an issue than anything else.
B
Robert Wolter to Brian
2/18/05
it’s a shame there isn’t the right healthcare coverage for people w/disabilties, illnesses, etc.. that are musicians, artists, and jobs of the like. IT SUCKS. but anyways, yeah i’d love to get together. maybe i can come out to check out your studio or something..