JOSH plays XBOX 360 with the expert ROBIN WILSON on the tour bus!

My son JOSH and ROBIN WILSON share a passion for gaming. In fact, ROBIN wrote a column for PLAYSTATION MAGAZINE until just recently. The tour bus is a haven for ROBIN's new XBOX 360 and JOSH thought it was cool too! ROBIN has turned JOSH onto many different games including GUITAR HERO. ROBIN is a GREAT Dad for his own son GRAY! ROBIN told us that he made sure he timed his flight just before this tour began, so that he could pick up his new XBOX 360 at the mall and hook it all up before the others arrived. The BUS TVs also have the latest HD technology. Their guitar tech Sam is also a gamer.

WGN MORNING NEWS welcomed the GIN BLOSSOMS 10-20!

It was an early FRIDAY morning for all of us! ROBIN sported his White sunglasses. GIN BLOSSOMS played 5 songs "Hey Jealousy," "Allison Road," "Follow You Down," "Until I hear it from you," and "Learning the Hard Way"! DEAN RICHARDS interviewed ROBIN and said they have something in common, their optomitrist and he pulled out a pair of big white SUN GLASSES and got the boys to laugh. I had a chance to pop in on my friend LARRY POTASH and the rest of the NEWS crew (ROBIN BAUMGARTEN and PAUL CONRAD) and we discussed myself coming on the show in DECEMBER with the RUDOLPH & SANTA ANIMAGIC figures. They hadn't seen me since last Christmas and liked my new "Rock n' Roll look.

A GIN BLOSSOMS weekend started out at the PARK WEST in CHICAGO!

I had the pleasure of hooking up with my brothers ROBIN, SCOTTY, JESSIE, BILL and SCOTT once again this weekend! In support of their NEW cd MAJOR LODGE VICTORY, they played the PARK WEST in Lincoln Park, Chicago to a very excited crowd! A GREAT time was had by all! They opened the show with "Come On Hard" and closed it with the ERNIE BANKS song "Let's Play Two!" The LOU MALNOTTI's pizza was GREAT too!

RARE RANKIN/BASS postcard on EBAY!

Found a few more of THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY postcards I had printed years ago to promote my first book THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS: A PORTFOLIO! I am posting them on EBAY under ANIMAGIC1. Enjoy! It is a GREAT shot right off the 3 x 5" transparency.

My good friend DAVE DIPPLE at www.maxheads.com delivered the goods with my music banner this week! EXCELLENT printing job Dave! Dave also did our Bass Drum head and band T-Shirts!

A GREAT New book!

There is a GREAT New book out called ONE TRAIN LATER ANDY SUMMERS (St. Martin's Press) It is a BEAUTIFUL hardcover book by one of my favorite guitarists of all time! It also has a FOREWORD from another of my favorites...THE EDGE! It sells for $24.95 and it is a MUST HAVE! ANDY was at the Chicago BORDERS tonight and is touring the country on a book signing tour.