~~~    Scruffy Eagle    ~~~   Most recent update(s): ---   07/25/10   --- *) Updated: the document for the song, "FORGET ABOUT ME" , correcting some typos. *) Updated: the document for the song, "ONE AMONG MANY" , placing a link for hearing the recorded copy online.

I BOYCOTT "SNIPE LAKE PUB" IN IRON RIVER, MI - AND, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO, TOO.       Please note, that I'm not going to attempt to explain this situation. I got halfway through a document detailing the events, and a basic fact hit me: I'm poor. I can't afford lawyers to defend me. My guess, is that the owner of that pub can probably afford lawyers to twist the facts into whatever "truth" serves their advantage - or, even inexpensively arrange for new "facts" on an as-needed basis. So, I won't try to explain online, what was done to me at Snipe Lake Pub. In fact, I've even withdrawn all of the sessions details entries re. Snipe Lake Pub, from my Open Stage sessions list. (Better safe, than sorry!) The last (only) thing I intend to write about the situation is this: It is my opinion that I am fully justified in calling for a boycott of Snipe Lake Pub. And, that opinion won't change, until I receive a full apology, from the owner of that pub.

NOTE: I use absolutely NO JAVASCRIPT - but, the webspace providers and their advertising clients DO. Please accept my apologies. I can't get rid of their clutter and scripted graffiti at the current time, so the only solution I can recommend for visitors to my website, is to turn javascript OFF.

INFORMATIVE STUFF ( Accessory pages at my website. )

~~~  SCRUFFY WEBSITE  ~~~ "WEBSITE UPDATES during 2010 - Part 1" "WEBSITE UPDATES during 2010 - Part 2" Part 1 covers January thru June, and Part 2 is working on covering July thru December. Most recent update at site: 07/25/10

~~~  SCRUFFY WEBSITE  ~~~ "ABOUT & CONTACT" Basic information about the SCRUFFY EAGLE website, and contact links.

~~~  SCRUFFY RESOURCES  ~~~ "MUSICAL LINKS" My musical links page.

PEOPLE STUFF ( Items focused on events & people. )

~~~  SCRUFFY EVENTS  ~~~ "A SCRUFFY RESUME" A page intended to function as an online version of a resume.

~~~  SCRUFFY EVENTS  ~~~ "SESSIONS - BANDS I SAT IN WITH" A list of the times of I've "sat in" as guest musician with various bands. "SESSIONS - OPEN STAGE EVENTS" A list of the times of I've attended "Open Stage" events as a performer.

~~~  SCRUFFY PEOPLE  ~~~ PIX OF SCRUFFY EAGLE A page devoted to sharing solo pix of me. (Yes, it's a mystery - but, there actually are people who would want to see such pictures,...)

~~~  SCRUFFY PEOPLE  ~~~ PIX OF SCRUFFY'S FRIENDS A page devoted to sharing pix of my friends. (PLEASE NOTE: I've contacted each of the people I have photos of in this gallery, and made sure they're comfortable with me posting the photos. If anyone had objected, their photos would not be posted.)

~~~  SCRUFFY PEOPLE  ~~~ THE SCRUFFY HALL OF SHAME A page devoted to sharing information about people from bands who have treated me wrongly.

~~~  SCRUFFY PEOPLE  ~~~ ADVERTISING FOR PRACTICE PARTNER(S) A page devoted to seeking people to practice music with, in the area where I'm living now.

~~~  SCRUFFY SPIRIT  ~~~ MUSICAL BACKGROUND INFO (from the perspective of people) Info about my musical background, the development of my involvement in music, from the perspective of the people who were instrumental.

PHILOSOPHICAL STUFF ( Waxing my philosophic,... )

~~~  SCRUFFY SPIRIT  ~~~ WHY "SCRUFFY EAGLE"? The story describing the visit from the scruffy eagle, and what I eventually understood about its visit.

~~~  SCRUFFY SOCIETY  ~~~ REGARDING PATRONAGE OF THE ARTS A discussion about the value of and need for patronage of the Arts.

~~~  SCRUFFY PHILOSOPHY  ~~~ "THE PLACE OF GOOD FORTUNE" A short discussion about a concept I call "the place of good fortune".

~~~  SCRUFFY PHILOSOPHY  ~~~ "YER DAILY BUCKET" A short discussion about a concept I call "Yer Daily Bucket".

~~~  SCRUFFY PHILOSOPHY  ~~~ "SCRUFFY AFFIRMATIONS METHOD" A discussion about an "affirmations" method I've devised, and a list of statements of intentions I believe are useful and beneficial. I've also created a second version of this page, designed to conserve ink if printed: "SCRUFFY AFFIRMATIONS METHOD" (Ink-conserving version)

SCRUFFY MUSICIANSHIP STUFF ( NOTE: In no particular order. )

~~~  SCRUFFY KNOWLEDGE  ~~~ "THE SCRUFFY CHALLENGE" This page outlines an exercise for development of musicianship, which is both extremely simple and utterly challenging.

~~~  SCRUFFY KNOWLEDGE  ~~~ MUSICAL TIPS This links to a page of tips for musicians. It's far from finished, but I'm posting what I've got done so far... Hopefully, it will be benficial for someone, even in its unfinished state. Its current contents include "Orchestrating Practice" and "Wooden Instruments In General".

~~~  SCRUFFY KNOWLEDGE  ~~~ THE SLOW BOW METHOD A discussion of the "slow bowing" technique. It can be used in practice of any instrument played with a bow.

~~~  SCRUFFY EQUIPMENT  ~~~ "GUITAR CARE TABLE OF CONTENTS" This page is the Table of Contents for a set of guitar care lessons I'd begun in the hopes of helping a friend learn guitar. The friend no longer has an interest in it, so I've got these pages I made,... There's an "Introduction, Dedication, & Disclaimer" page, 2 pages of Lesson 1, and 2 pages of Lesson 2. It was my goal to design these lessons as a learning aide for the beginner who has no teacher or knowledgeable friends at hand to learn from. (My friend lives 350 miles away from me.) The information on the 2 lessons that were finished, is primarily about the subjects of basic handling and maintenance of guitars.

~~~  SCRUFFY KNOWLEDGE  ~~~ FINGERING CHART FOR THE Bb CORNET This links to a page containing a fingering chart for the Bb Cornet. It was created by me, after searching the web for a chart which would show the fingering patterns for the Bb Cornet - and, not finding a chart which met my criteria. It shows the real note names, not the transposed note names common band score convention insists on.

~~~  SCRUFFY KNOWLEDGE  ~~~ "SCRUFFY COVER SONGS" This page has a listing of songs I do which were composed and/or written by other people. It's not really comprehensive, but there's enough there to give the visitor a fair idea of what I do and in what manner I do it. As an added bonus for the fans I probably don't even have, I've decided to post a version of this page which is optimized for printing a no-frills list without borders & boxes in black lettering. No-frills version of "SCRUFFY COVER SONGS"

~~~  SCRUFFY KNOWLEDGE  ~~~ "SCRUFFY ORIGINAL SONGS" This page has a listing of songs I've created. It's a work-in-progress (it's only just begun...), so it's not comprehensive, but there's enough there to give the visitor a glimmer of what I've done. As an added bonus for the fans I'm fairly sure I don't have, I'm also posting a version that's optimized for printing a no-frills list sans borders & boxes, in black lettering. No-frills version of "SCRUFFY ORIGINAL SONGS"

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS  ~~~ "SCRUFFY POETRY & LYRICS" This page has a listing of titles, of original poetry and lyrics I've written through the years. It's not comprehensive, but there's enough there to give the visitor a fair idea of how much I've written and (in a vague way) what kind of topics caught my interest enough to motivate me to put pen to paper (or, fingertips to keyboard, as the case may be). If you decide you'd like to see it, be forewarned - it's current size is approx. 191K.

~~~  SCRUFFY KNOWLEDGE  ~~~ SCRUFFY BAND OBSERVATIONS during 2005 Pages devoted to sharing the results of my time watching bands do their stuff; i.e., what I learn - tips, tricks, tidbits, good stuff, and bad stuff. MYSTERY BAND REVIEW #1 MYSTERY BAND REVIEW #2 MYSTERY BAND REVIEW #3 MYSTERY BAND REVIEW #4

SCRUFFY WORKS from the "Beat My Nick" collection ( NOTE: Entries are in alphabetic order. )

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "FACING A BIG DECISION" This one's a Beatnik piece, contemplating Love and miscellaneous other things.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "FIND MY SAUCER" This song is one from my "Beat My Nick" collection; the first such, to have extra accompaniment parts added to the vocals and Yamaha DD-7 digital drum machine sequences. It's a rather whimsical piece, about an alien who gets stranded on Earth. It began life as a beatnik song (note, the collection's name), but evolved to what is best described as being somewhere between jazz and rock, with just a touch of the blues. It's got lots of little tweaks and nifty effects. I'm quite pleased with the final result that is posted online at soundclick.com.

SCRUFFY WORKS from the "Ex-Father's Lament" collection ( NOTE: Entries are in alphabetic order. )

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS ~~~ "A TOKEN OF MY LOVE" This song could just have easily have fit into the "Havva Slice - Uh, Life" collection. It's about a situation modern lovers frequently find themselves in. Version 4 (v4) of was posted online at soundclick.com as of 04/05/08.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "CURSE YOU, MARY" After surviving terrible violations, this song seems an appropriate response. I consider it to be a protest song.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "FOR EILEEN" (v100614) It ain't "Fur Elise",... It's "For Eileen". The lyrics page has some background information regarding this song, that was created as an outlet for statements I'd never have the chance to make to & for my only child; my daughter, Eileen. The page presented here, has the lyrics for the song as they are in the version dated 06/10/14. You can hear the song via streaming media, or download it for the low cost of 99 cents, from soundclick.com. Dedicated to : Eileen

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS  ~~~ "HONEY, YOU BEYOND" This one's obvious - portrayal of a common, modern, emotionally handicapped woman who places her kicks as more important than her family's safety and well-being.

~~~  SCRUFFY POETRY  ~~~ "IF I WAS A FATHER" ("HAPPY FATHER'S DAY") This is a poem about "Father's Day" greetings - not allowed, for ex-fathers like me.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "MY POOR BABY" This song was another one written for my court-kidnapped daughter, Eileen. The style is mournful blues, intended to be in a similar vein as the old-time blues from the deep south, with a healthy taste of modern electric blues mixed in. She'll probably never hear it, but I made it anyway. A recorded copy of it has been posted online. There's a link to hear in in the .PDF file containing song background info & the lyrics.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "NO SANTA" This one's dedicated to the court-raped ex-fathers and court-kidnapped children in the crowd. It's from the "Ex-Father's Lament" collection. (Surprised?) The topic matter is drawn from my personal experience, after surviving what I consider to be a crime against humanity.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS  ~~~ "NUN ON THE ALTAR" The first draft of this was written in 2004 as a statement about the civil court case where they kidnapped my daughter. It may be ancient history, re. my life - but, it's current events as long as there's a continuous flow of new victims being processed without a whimper from the public &/or press.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS  ~~~ "SO FAR AWAY (THE WIND HOWLS)" This was written to express my feelings about the loss of my daughter and my fatherhood. I hope it speaks to you.

~~~  SCRUFFY POETRY  ~~~ "THANK GOD FOR THE TREES" This is a poem about 4th of July celebrations for ex-fathers like me.

~~~  SCRUFFY POETRY  ~~~ "YOUR EVIL CLOWN" This dark little piece is dedicated to my schizoid 2nd ex-wife - that hypnotist who lost her soul, and nobody other than me noticed. ~~~  SCRUFFY CHORDS & LYRICS  ~~~ "YOUR OPEN GATE (v1)" This was a short little experimental thing. It was the first time I'd written anything designed for tenor Banjo.

SCRUFFY WORKS from the "Havva Slice - Uh, Life" collection ( NOTE: Entries are in alphabetic order. )

~~~  SCRUFFY POETRY ~~~ "APOCALYPTIC INSIGHT" This poem was triggered by a dream I had. I composed it while driving for an hour through the darkened wilderness, and had it finished & memorized by the time I reached my destination.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS ~~~ "GOOD SPORT" This one's just a lot of fun, although the feminazis in the crowd probably won't like it. The 2nd draft recording of this song has been posted on soundclick.com. The lyrics document has a link for going there to hear it.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC ~~~ "I CALL MYSELF NAMES" This is another fun one. The recording of this song has been posted on soundclick.com. The document has a link for going there to hear it.

~~~  SCRUFFY CHORDS, LYRICS, & MUSIC ~~~ "I LUCKY GUY" This one's short but fun. The recording of this song has been posted on soundclick.com. The document has a link for going there to hear it.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS ~~~ "INTOXICATION" These lyrics discuss the heady interaction that sometimes happens when dealing with a woman who spins you around. I'm presenting the lyrics here; but not the chord progressions, because I haven't come up with chords I'm satisfied with yet. But, I think a lot of people will get a kick out of the lyrics, so here they are!

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "MERNIE" This song was written for a pretty blond singer I met, named "Mernie". Feeling inspired, I wrote a song when I went home after the show she was performing in. I gave her a copy, the next evening. The evening after that, I gave her a copy showing the revisions I'd made after that 2nd evening of the show (given on the 3rd evening). I haven't seen her since then, but I've made several changes to the song and now consider it finished. I like what I came up with - so, I'm posting it here. NOTE: The page has two primary sections. The first section is a layout of both chords & lyrics. The second primary section is lyrics only, for the sake of making them easy to read (for non-musicians, etc.).

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "ONE AMONG MANY" This is a song about the shrinking of ego in a big, big world; the realization of placement in the universal order of things... Departing from pursuing the new age psychobabble, the most I can really say about this song, is that I like it.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "ONLY I CAN" This is one for the critics who always complain that my music is "too depressing". It's an upbeat, optimistic song seeking to promote a healthy attitude.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "RIVER FLOW" This is a very mellow, wistful piece. If & when I produce a recorded copy of it, I'll place it online and provide a link for listening to it.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS ~~~ "THANKS FOR THE RAIN" This is a song of thanks and praise, although it leaves definition of the object of that praise up in the air. (Pun intended?) I'm presenting the lyrics here; but not the chord progressions, because I haven't recorded a copy of it that I'm satisfied with yet - so, this is just prudent, in case it ever actually becomes worth something...

~~~  SCRUFFY POETRY  ~~~ "V2 RED LIGHTS" Here's a punky little item the critics were right about (it's not a perky, happy piece). It was originally written in 1993. The words have been tweaked several times, but the music is still unfinished.

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "WISHIN' YA' WELL" This one's a whimsical piece with an Indian feel, contemplating whether or not the person being talked to is a guru.

SCRUFFY WORKS from the "Loves Upon A Time" collection ( NOTE: Entries are in alphabetic order. )

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "FORGET ABOUT ME" This song was written in memory of a girl I was once in love with. Wherever she is, and whoever she's become, I hope she's happy. It's basically a smooth jazz piece, but with an edge. This link leads to a page that has the lyrics for the song, and a link to hear the recorded copy. Dedicated to : Katy

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "LAST NIGHT" I don't think I should try to explain this one,... I'll let the lyrics speak for themselves. You can hear the song via streaming media, or download it free of charge, from soundclick.com. There is also a page at that website having the lyrics for reading, but I think the presentation via HTML at my website here is much nicer & easier to read.

~~~  SCRUFFY POETRY (LYRICS) ~~~ "TIMIDLY INTO TIGRESS" This is a poem for & about a woman I got involved with for a brief while. I've created a recorded copy of it, and have posted it at soundclick.com. There's a link in the document, for going directly to it. Dedicated to : Pegeen.

SCRUFFY WORKS from the "These Are The Real People" collection ( NOTE: Entries are in alphabetic order. )

~~~  SCRUFFY LYRICS & MUSIC  ~~~ "FATHERLESS CHILDREN" This song was written as an effort to accurately portray the plight of fatherless chldren in an artistic manner. I consider it to be the single most important song I've made, in terms of the needs of society. The link here leads to a PDF file containing the lyrics for the song, and a link for listening to it at soundclick. NOTE: The audio copy posted online was updated 01/04/09.

EQUIPMENT STUFF ( Items that are equipment-specific. )

~~~  SCRUFFY EQUIPMENT  ~~~ THE DEFECTIVE AUTOHARP A brief story about a defective autoharp I purchased, and 3 of the documentation photos I took while working with it. This page should help people understand how easy it is to work on the autoharp's chording mechanism.

~~~  SCRUFFY EQUIPMENT  ~~~ SCRUFFY'S OLD VIOLA Some of the history of my old Viola, and some fairly good pictures of it.

~~~  SCRUFFY EQUIPMENT  ~~~ "A CRITIQUE OF THE JULLIARD PRO 5-STRING ELECTRIC VIOLIN" This is a critique of the "Julliard Pro 5-string Electric Violin" which I purchased in February of 2006. I recommend that anyone considering purchasing one of these violins carefully consider what I've written about it.

~~~  SCRUFFY EQUIPMENT  ~~~ THE CHOCOLATE GUITAR Some of the history and mystery tangled up in the Dean "Z" electric guitar I used to own, and a fairly good picture of it. Also, a brief description of the Peavy "Decade" practice amp (also in the picture) which I used with it. NOTE: These items were given away in 2006, and are now the property of my kidnapped daughter, Eileen.

~~~  SCRUFFY EQUIPMENT  ~~~ SCRUFFY'S "GUITAR CORRAL" The story about the development of the "guitar corral", and four fairly good pictures of it.

ARTISTIC STUFF ( Pictures created by me. )

~~~  SCRUFFY ARTWORK  ~~~ ART PHOTOS, BY SCRUFFY EAGLE These are pieces of artwork I've made. I'm sharing them because these are ones which tweak my sense of aesthetics. Photos of me and of my friends are displayed elsewhere on the website - so, this little gallery is stuff that isn't pictures of people. Click on the thumbnail pictures you find here, if you want to see the larger versions. ~~~  SCRUFFY ARTWORK  ~~~ "FALL ARRIVED EARLY" ~~~  SCRUFFY ARTWORK  ~~~ "THE WOODS, GLOWING" ~~~  SCRUFFY ARTWORK  ~~~ "MUSIC OF THE SPHERES" ~~~  SCRUFFY ARTWORK  ~~~ "Green Stuff" This is what I'm using on my computer's desktop as "wallpaper", at the current time (04/11//07).

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