Tim Bluhm, standing tall.

I had visions of showing up at the recent Mother Hips show at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, listening to some good music, seeing some old friends, drinking a couple cold beers, and grabbing a couple clips from my spiffy new Flip video camera to share with you. I don't really remember the first time I saw the Hips, but it was a hell of a long time ago, and figured hopefully you'd dig 'em as much as I do. Had it not been for a douche bag security monkey, and an even douchier venue manager known simply as "Chet," all would have been sweet. But apparently, while iPhones and Blackberries were hoisted in the air, snapping photos and "stealing" clips of the band, the palm-sized Flip video camera posed a serious threat to everybody's wellbeing. I was given the option to put the camera away or leave. I left...but not before snagging a couple bootleg clips for you to groove to...Hahahahaha, screw you, Chet!

Before I really get off on a rant, none of that's the point, I just had to get it off my chest. The point of this post is the Mother Hips, and more specifically lanky frontman Tim Bluhm. Not only is the band one of the best the Golden State's spawned, but Tim's so Californian it's ridiculous. Based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, when he's not traveling with the band chances are you'll find him putting along up and down the state's web of highways and byways, either scouring the coast for surf or roaming the Sierras for a new trail to hike or mountain to climb. For the third year in a row, this July he plays host to the High Sierra Singer/Songwriter Workshop with his friend and San Diego original Steve Poltz, which means for a nominal fee you get four days of writing and hiking and swimming in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of California's High Sierra with Tim and company.

Mountain time. Courtesy TimBluhm.com

Tim also dedicates a fare amount of time and resources to San Francisco-based Save The Waves, which focuses on preserving threatened or endangered surf spots—or, as the name implies—saving the waves. "I was sitting on some steps outside of a meeting once and started talking to this guy," recounts Save The Waves' Rodney "Woody" Woodstock, "and it turned out to be Tim. We talked for so long about surfing, waves, music, California, it was so enlightening, and I didn't even know who he was until after we went our separate ways. We're fortunate to have a guy like that involved in what we're doing"

When not out seeking inspiration from California's natural wonders, Tim's all about chord changes and harmonies. The Mother Hips have been keeping it quite real since their early days in Chico, and if they don't have a gig or rehearsal you might catch Tim playing with the Skinny Singers or Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking out what Tim and the Mother Hips have going on, it'll make that next drive to the beach a hell of a lot more interesting...and please, excuse the rough, poor quality of the video clips, I had a security monkey on my ass and was trying to be sneaky.