My throat has been feeling and performing much better lately. A week before Christmas I did an In The Pocket show on Friday and a solo/acousitc Mulligan's show on Saturday with no issues at all. However, on Tuesday, December 20, I had a meeting with a speech therapist at the St. Francis Center for Communication Disorders in Poughkeepsie. Ironically, the therapist and I went to the same school for two years about 18 years ago and she somehow recognized me. Craziness.
We had an informal discussion about my throat fatigue and how I sing, and then she conducted some quick tests to determine some things. For example, she had me take a deep breath and say "aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh" for as long as I could, and we did the same thing for "ssssssssssssssssss" and "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz." And believe it or not, it can be an odd feeling to sit in front of one person and hiss at them.
Afterward, we talked about her recommendation: half an hour of voice therapy a week for a few weeks and maybe even two months. Unfortunately, because of our schedules she wont be my regular therapist, but she did give me some hints, tips, and exercises to help protect my voice and improve my breathing. I'll be scheduling my regular sessions after the new year.
I also had a voice lesson scheduled on Thursday, December 22, but that didn't happen due to a Google map fowl-up and then me getting lost. And angry. And throwing my phone against my dashboard. Hard. We're going to reschedule.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
About That Last Post
After I posted the last entry about my performance at The Bitter End, I got a comment from Peter Bliss and he didn't get the same impression that I did. He wrote, "I personally did not feel as you did about your performance. And I can say that the audience responded well to your performance." That's good to hear, and I guess this goes to illustrate the point I made last time, that performers are their own worst critics.
But thinking back, I don't want to leave anyone with the impression that I'm somehow beating myself up about how I felt I performed. I may have been disappointed, but my reaction can be compared to that of a professional athlete: if I feel like I had a bad game, I just shake it off and start preparing for the next one. I had a great performance Friday night with In The Pocket, and I was also happy with my show at Mulligan's on Saturday (thanks in large part to my hecklers Brett, Jeremy, and Jenn - they're in charge of morale).
I've also been asked why I posted my disappointed feelings at all, and the answer is simple: because it's real. We live in a world dominated by Facebook and Twitter where people are trying to look their best, most successful, and wittiest to others looking in on their lives. BUt I think everyone who reads this blog, comes to my shows, buys my CDs, is on my mailing list, or has contributed to the new album is a part of my career and I think you can relate when things don't go 100% the way I would like them to. Music is my job, and just like I'm sure you have them at your job there are highs, lows, and in-betweens. That is why I wrote that post, and why I occasionally comment on a songwriting roadblock or frustration in the studio. That's life. That's what all the people say. You're riding high in April, shot down in May. But I know I'm gonna change that tune when I'm back on top - back on top in June.
You like what I just did there?
But thinking back, I don't want to leave anyone with the impression that I'm somehow beating myself up about how I felt I performed. I may have been disappointed, but my reaction can be compared to that of a professional athlete: if I feel like I had a bad game, I just shake it off and start preparing for the next one. I had a great performance Friday night with In The Pocket, and I was also happy with my show at Mulligan's on Saturday (thanks in large part to my hecklers Brett, Jeremy, and Jenn - they're in charge of morale).
I've also been asked why I posted my disappointed feelings at all, and the answer is simple: because it's real. We live in a world dominated by Facebook and Twitter where people are trying to look their best, most successful, and wittiest to others looking in on their lives. BUt I think everyone who reads this blog, comes to my shows, buys my CDs, is on my mailing list, or has contributed to the new album is a part of my career and I think you can relate when things don't go 100% the way I would like them to. Music is my job, and just like I'm sure you have them at your job there are highs, lows, and in-betweens. That is why I wrote that post, and why I occasionally comment on a songwriting roadblock or frustration in the studio. That's life. That's what all the people say. You're riding high in April, shot down in May. But I know I'm gonna change that tune when I'm back on top - back on top in June.
You like what I just did there?
Monday, December 19, 2011
The Bitter End/"Did You Have Fun?"
On Wednesday night I performed at an event at The Bitter End in NYC called “An Evening to Occupy Hearts & Minds,” hosted by Occupy Hearts & Minds in conjunction with the New York Songwriters Collective, and benefiting WHYHunger. Wow, that’s a mouthful. The idea behind Occupy Hearts & Minds is to bring the artistic community together to help channel the feelings of the Occupy Wall Street movement. My last blog post was about the lack of socially and politically charged music in the mainstream, and OHM is an attempt to foster more art of that nature. Among many name artists (some of my favorites were The Nutopians, Julie Gold, and the guy who must be the hippest cat in the world, David Amram) and others, I was there to perform my song, “Endless Sky,” thanks to my friend Peter Bliss.
I didn’t play very well. Now, to be fair I didn’t play terribly. I didn’t crash and burn and people weren’t coming up to me saying how much I sucked. But my performance did leave a little something to be desired. How do I know? Well, trust me, I know. Performers may be notorious for being their own worst critic, but I know when I don’t reach my potential. And in case I wasn’t sure, a short while after my performance I was sitting at the bar when Rex Fowler from Aztec Two-Step asked me, “Did you have fun?” Oh, that sucked. Did I have fun? Let me tell you: “Did you have fun?” is probably the worst thing you could say to a professional after a performance. “Did you have fun?” means that the person found nothing about you that they could positively comment on – not the song, not the performance, not even your clothes or the witty banter before you sang. “Did you have fun?” is asking whether you cleared the lowest possible bar with your performance. Which I didn’t because I’m a professional and I know when I don’t hit my mark.
So, there you go. In a world of Facebook and Twitter posts where we’re all trying to make our lives look great and successful to the people looking in, there’s a real life example of underperformance and disappointment. It really happens. It’s called reality.
I didn’t play very well. Now, to be fair I didn’t play terribly. I didn’t crash and burn and people weren’t coming up to me saying how much I sucked. But my performance did leave a little something to be desired. How do I know? Well, trust me, I know. Performers may be notorious for being their own worst critic, but I know when I don’t reach my potential. And in case I wasn’t sure, a short while after my performance I was sitting at the bar when Rex Fowler from Aztec Two-Step asked me, “Did you have fun?” Oh, that sucked. Did I have fun? Let me tell you: “Did you have fun?” is probably the worst thing you could say to a professional after a performance. “Did you have fun?” means that the person found nothing about you that they could positively comment on – not the song, not the performance, not even your clothes or the witty banter before you sang. “Did you have fun?” is asking whether you cleared the lowest possible bar with your performance. Which I didn’t because I’m a professional and I know when I don’t hit my mark.
So, there you go. In a world of Facebook and Twitter posts where we’re all trying to make our lives look great and successful to the people looking in, there’s a real life example of underperformance and disappointment. It really happens. It’s called reality.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Where Have All The Protest Songs Gone?
The late 1960s and early 1970s were a tumultuous, revolutionary time period in the history of our country and the popular music of the time reflected it. Artists like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Byrds, CSNY, Buffalo Springfield, CCR and more released songs that spoke about the cultural and political uprisings and changes happening around us; songs that were not only popular at the time, but which have endured through the years.
The past 10 years have been a tumultuous, revolutionary time period in our history and you would be hard-pressed to come up with an argument that today’s pop music has significantly addressed these issues at all.
The 60s dealt largely with the Vietnam war and major changes brought about in civil rights, women's rights, the protest movement, and individuality. These thoughts and feelings were reflected in songs like Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," CCR's "Run Through the Jungle," CSNY's "Ohio," Neil Young's "Southern Man," and Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'," just to name a few.
How many songs and artists can you name that sing about 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the economic downturn? I know that John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen have released material on the subject, and most are familiar with Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)." The Dixie Chicks won praise and awards for their song "Not Ready to Make Nice" about the backlash of speaking out against George W. Bush and the political divisions in the country. And you even have largely ignorant and forgettable work like Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)." But to be honest, none of these artists are really topping the charts - either anymore, or at least at the moment.
One year after Barack Obama was inaugurated the country was embroiled in two wars, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, and political divisions more bitter than anything in recent memory. The Billboard top 10, however, featured such songs as Lady Gaga's "Just Dance," Beyonce's "Single Ladies," Kanye's "Heartless," and Britney's "Womanizer," among others of the kind. And I don't mean to in any way diminish the quality or success of such recordings, but I am moved to ask this question: where have all the protest songs gone? Where have all the socially conscious song gone? Is it simply because over the past 40 years the industry has becoming more greedy and only wants work with the potential to sell the most rather than sends a message (something that has always been a concern but which I feel is worse now)? Could you imagine a song with the subject matter of CSNY's "Ohio" being played on today's "hit" radio? Or even Bruce Hornsby's "The Way It Is?"
Please let me know what you think.
The past 10 years have been a tumultuous, revolutionary time period in our history and you would be hard-pressed to come up with an argument that today’s pop music has significantly addressed these issues at all.
The 60s dealt largely with the Vietnam war and major changes brought about in civil rights, women's rights, the protest movement, and individuality. These thoughts and feelings were reflected in songs like Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," CCR's "Run Through the Jungle," CSNY's "Ohio," Neil Young's "Southern Man," and Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'," just to name a few.
How many songs and artists can you name that sing about 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the economic downturn? I know that John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen have released material on the subject, and most are familiar with Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)." The Dixie Chicks won praise and awards for their song "Not Ready to Make Nice" about the backlash of speaking out against George W. Bush and the political divisions in the country. And you even have largely ignorant and forgettable work like Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)." But to be honest, none of these artists are really topping the charts - either anymore, or at least at the moment.
One year after Barack Obama was inaugurated the country was embroiled in two wars, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, and political divisions more bitter than anything in recent memory. The Billboard top 10, however, featured such songs as Lady Gaga's "Just Dance," Beyonce's "Single Ladies," Kanye's "Heartless," and Britney's "Womanizer," among others of the kind. And I don't mean to in any way diminish the quality or success of such recordings, but I am moved to ask this question: where have all the protest songs gone? Where have all the socially conscious song gone? Is it simply because over the past 40 years the industry has becoming more greedy and only wants work with the potential to sell the most rather than sends a message (something that has always been a concern but which I feel is worse now)? Could you imagine a song with the subject matter of CSNY's "Ohio" being played on today's "hit" radio? Or even Bruce Hornsby's "The Way It Is?"
Please let me know what you think.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
My Neurotic Throat
I don't remember the last time I was that nervous going to a doctor, but I guess I had a good reason. The ENT was going to take a look at my vocal chords in an attempt to diagnose the recent issue(s) that I've been having with my voice. And so I got to sit there. Waiting. For 40 minutes or so. Watching NY1.
The first thing the doctor did was ask why I was there. I explained what I did and my vocal woes. He asked to give him some examples of artists whose music I sing, and I said, "Jackie Wilson, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen." He looked at me and said, "I don't really see Jackie Wilson coming from you.” "Well, you should come see us!" Yes, I proceeded to plug my band. Never miss a moment, people.
After I tried my best to get a new fan, the doc sprayed my nostrils with an anesthetic in order to scope my vocal chords by inserting a fiber-optic line through my nose. Fun. He told me the stuff was going to taste like "shit," and it did. Relatively speaking, of course. And as it turns out, I have a deviated septum and a bone spur on my left side. But that's not what he was looking for.
He said that my vocal chords looked healthy - I do not have vocal polyps or nodules, which is what I was most worried about. However, he did say that I had what looked like the beginning of vocal nodules. Not to cause me unnecessary anxiety, he explained that some singers develop them and don't mind because they use what it does to their voice to an advantage. But he also recommended being proactive about it to make sure my throat stays healthy and strong for as long as I want to keep on keeping on with the singing. He recommended I see a speech therapist that is also a singer who works at St. Frances, and that she would help me to use my voice as effectively as I do without putting as much stress on it.
Doc also said that I have some silent acid reflux going on (silent because I don’t normally feel it), and that this can cause scar tissue to develop over time. He recommended watching the acidic food that I eat (i.e. tomato sauce, etc.), trying not to eat too close to going to sleep, and taking Tums once a day - no need for a prescription antacid at this point. I can do that. (And by the way, you’re not supposed to eat within 6 hours of going to sleep - but even the doc was like, “Who can do that?”)
Basically the message of the visit was: be proactive. He mentioned Adele as someone who didn't properly take care of their voice and subsequently had to have surgery to correct the damage. I think I would like to avoid that. But because my mind works the way that it does, I keep thinking that with every word I speak and every note I sing I'm damaging my voice. Yay! Well, I'm sure that feeling will go away. Or at least it would for someone who is less neurotic.
The first thing the doctor did was ask why I was there. I explained what I did and my vocal woes. He asked to give him some examples of artists whose music I sing, and I said, "Jackie Wilson, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen." He looked at me and said, "I don't really see Jackie Wilson coming from you.” "Well, you should come see us!" Yes, I proceeded to plug my band. Never miss a moment, people.
After I tried my best to get a new fan, the doc sprayed my nostrils with an anesthetic in order to scope my vocal chords by inserting a fiber-optic line through my nose. Fun. He told me the stuff was going to taste like "shit," and it did. Relatively speaking, of course. And as it turns out, I have a deviated septum and a bone spur on my left side. But that's not what he was looking for.
He said that my vocal chords looked healthy - I do not have vocal polyps or nodules, which is what I was most worried about. However, he did say that I had what looked like the beginning of vocal nodules. Not to cause me unnecessary anxiety, he explained that some singers develop them and don't mind because they use what it does to their voice to an advantage. But he also recommended being proactive about it to make sure my throat stays healthy and strong for as long as I want to keep on keeping on with the singing. He recommended I see a speech therapist that is also a singer who works at St. Frances, and that she would help me to use my voice as effectively as I do without putting as much stress on it.
Doc also said that I have some silent acid reflux going on (silent because I don’t normally feel it), and that this can cause scar tissue to develop over time. He recommended watching the acidic food that I eat (i.e. tomato sauce, etc.), trying not to eat too close to going to sleep, and taking Tums once a day - no need for a prescription antacid at this point. I can do that. (And by the way, you’re not supposed to eat within 6 hours of going to sleep - but even the doc was like, “Who can do that?”)
Basically the message of the visit was: be proactive. He mentioned Adele as someone who didn't properly take care of their voice and subsequently had to have surgery to correct the damage. I think I would like to avoid that. But because my mind works the way that it does, I keep thinking that with every word I speak and every note I sing I'm damaging my voice. Yay! Well, I'm sure that feeling will go away. Or at least it would for someone who is less neurotic.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Hell Is In The Details
Ask any creative person: some days things just don't work the way you want them to. No matter how much time, effort, skill, and energy you might put into a project, on some nights nothing sounds good; nothing looks good; nothing reads well. Its frustrating, to say the least, but we all deal with it.
Last night I was working at the studio with Jared Anderson, the guitarist for my band In The Pocket, as well as The Big Shoe and Perfect Thyroid. We were working on a song called, "The World Outside." We tried this, we tried that - this tone, that tone - this strum pattern, that strum pattern - etc. But sadly, most of the time I sat there behind the control panel thinking about how nothing we were doing was working the way I wanted it to. And this is not in any way to say that what we were working on was bad or that he was playng poorly. Quite the opposite. But sometimes nothing sounds good. Nothing sounds like it's working. Hell, it turns out, is in the details. I'm convinced it's a struggle that every creative person goes through at one time or another, and some more often than others. It's times like these when one could benefit from someone who knows what the hell they're doing! Haha.
And corny and hilarious as it may be, I'm reminded of this Meatloaf lyric:
"Some days it don't come easy
Some days it don't come hard
Some days it don't come at all
And these are the days that ever end."
(Hey, don't knock Meatloaf. Jim Steinman wrote some great songs for him.)
I'm sure this feeling is being exasperated by the fact that we've been working on this record for more than 10 months and it isn't done yet. But that's just how it is, and I've just gotta roll with it. Its more or less like everything else in life.
Last night I was working at the studio with Jared Anderson, the guitarist for my band In The Pocket, as well as The Big Shoe and Perfect Thyroid. We were working on a song called, "The World Outside." We tried this, we tried that - this tone, that tone - this strum pattern, that strum pattern - etc. But sadly, most of the time I sat there behind the control panel thinking about how nothing we were doing was working the way I wanted it to. And this is not in any way to say that what we were working on was bad or that he was playng poorly. Quite the opposite. But sometimes nothing sounds good. Nothing sounds like it's working. Hell, it turns out, is in the details. I'm convinced it's a struggle that every creative person goes through at one time or another, and some more often than others. It's times like these when one could benefit from someone who knows what the hell they're doing! Haha.
And corny and hilarious as it may be, I'm reminded of this Meatloaf lyric:
"Some days it don't come easy
Some days it don't come hard
Some days it don't come at all
And these are the days that ever end."
(Hey, don't knock Meatloaf. Jim Steinman wrote some great songs for him.)
I'm sure this feeling is being exasperated by the fact that we've been working on this record for more than 10 months and it isn't done yet. But that's just how it is, and I've just gotta roll with it. Its more or less like everything else in life.
Monday, October 24, 2011
The NYSC
This past Thursday, I took that familiar trip to NYC that I got so accustomed to when I was in the Songwriters Hall of Fame writers workshop back in May and June of 2010. I caught the 3:40PM train out of Poughkeepsie and headed toward Grand Central. My music of choice for the ride was Carole King & James Taylor, "Live At The Troubadour." I'd had the album for a while but hadn't gotten around to listening to it. I listened to it twice on the way down. I took the Shuttle to Times Square, the 1 to 50th St., and then walked the rest of the way to Shelter Studios, just north of the Ed Sullivan Theatre.
The reason for my trip was the official launch event for the New York Songwriters Collective, the new organization founded by Peter Bliss. Peter was the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the leader of my workshop, and he's heading his own endeavor after 5 years with the SongHall.
The turnout was great. On the elevator ride up I met a girl named Meg who is a friend of Ariel Hyatt, the night's featured speaker. I don't know what kind of turnout Peter was expecting, but I was very pleased with the number of people in the room. I got to catch up with some old friends from the workshop, and to meet some new people. It’s amazing how the job of songwriter truly knows no age limit.
Peter spoke for maybe twenty minutes about his background, the NYSC and its planned mission - bringing songwriters together with the people they need to help make their careers a success. He's an experienced, friendly, passionate person with a lot of knowledge to share, and I look forward to having him and the Collective in my life for years to come.
Ariel Hyatt spoke for about 50 minutes. If you don't know who she is, Ariel is the founder of Ariel Publicity and a pioneer of what she calls Cyber PR - using the internet and social media in the best ways possible to reach out to your current fans and to make new ones. I already had her book, "Music Success in 9 Weeks," and it's been a big help in learning how to effectively use the website that you're reading this post on, and the social media site that you probably linked from. I also saw her as a panelist back in March at the ASCAP New York Sessions event, but this was the first time I attended one of her feature presentations. Her talk was like a crash course in social media, but I learned some good stuff. There is always more to learn, and it can feel overwhelming. Afterward, I asked her and Jason Loomis (one of her partners in crime) a quick question on an issue that I was having with my mailing list and how I can make it better for you in the near future. (P.S. you can sign my mailing list at the bottom of this page and get two free songs *hint*hint*)
Following the event, I slowly made my way back to the subway, looking for something to eat. Nothing was really doing it for me. Pizza? Nah, I've had too much recently. A snack from Duane Reade? Not so much. A day-old pastry? Eh. In the end, I ended up getting a steak sandwich and fries from Zocalo at Grand Central. Not so sure it was my finest moment. And the people on the train ride back may have hated me for the smell.
The reason for my trip was the official launch event for the New York Songwriters Collective, the new organization founded by Peter Bliss. Peter was the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the leader of my workshop, and he's heading his own endeavor after 5 years with the SongHall.
The turnout was great. On the elevator ride up I met a girl named Meg who is a friend of Ariel Hyatt, the night's featured speaker. I don't know what kind of turnout Peter was expecting, but I was very pleased with the number of people in the room. I got to catch up with some old friends from the workshop, and to meet some new people. It’s amazing how the job of songwriter truly knows no age limit.
Peter spoke for maybe twenty minutes about his background, the NYSC and its planned mission - bringing songwriters together with the people they need to help make their careers a success. He's an experienced, friendly, passionate person with a lot of knowledge to share, and I look forward to having him and the Collective in my life for years to come.
Ariel Hyatt spoke for about 50 minutes. If you don't know who she is, Ariel is the founder of Ariel Publicity and a pioneer of what she calls Cyber PR - using the internet and social media in the best ways possible to reach out to your current fans and to make new ones. I already had her book, "Music Success in 9 Weeks," and it's been a big help in learning how to effectively use the website that you're reading this post on, and the social media site that you probably linked from. I also saw her as a panelist back in March at the ASCAP New York Sessions event, but this was the first time I attended one of her feature presentations. Her talk was like a crash course in social media, but I learned some good stuff. There is always more to learn, and it can feel overwhelming. Afterward, I asked her and Jason Loomis (one of her partners in crime) a quick question on an issue that I was having with my mailing list and how I can make it better for you in the near future. (P.S. you can sign my mailing list at the bottom of this page and get two free songs *hint*hint*)
Following the event, I slowly made my way back to the subway, looking for something to eat. Nothing was really doing it for me. Pizza? Nah, I've had too much recently. A snack from Duane Reade? Not so much. A day-old pastry? Eh. In the end, I ended up getting a steak sandwich and fries from Zocalo at Grand Central. Not so sure it was my finest moment. And the people on the train ride back may have hated me for the smell.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
How to Run-down Your Immune System & Compromise Your Vocal Performance Ability
A helpful 12-step guide. Though to be clear, these steps are not for everyone and work best with those who have been suffering from what seem to be unusual fall throat and sinus allergies.
Step 1: Don't get enough sleep. Sure, some of you may be tempted to skip ahead to the more advanced steps, but step 1 is arguably the most important. As always, preparation is key. I would recommend no more than 6 and a half hours of sleep a night for a minimum of 1 week. To help you with this goal, I recommend staying up late doing work or indulging in the offerings available on Netflix Instant.
Step 2: After you've been slowly rolling back the amount of sleep you get for what feels like appropriate amount of time, pick a Saturday and give group and private piano lessons for 5 and a half hours. This step works best if you chose a Saturday when your voice is feeling particularly tired.
Step 3: That night, sing 3 sets of music in front of a kick-ass rock & soul cover band (I recommend In The Pocket, but I hear that they already have a lead singer). Do not go to sleep until at least 4am.
Step 4: Get up the following day at 10am to help prepare and celebrate a 1st birthday party. Included in the party will be abundant amounts of southern food, soda, and beer. (Note: do not attempt to drink enough water as this will compromise the effectiveness of these steps.)
Step 5: Continue Step 1, with the addition of eating foods that are less than stellar in the health department.
Step 6: The following Friday night, perform 2 sets in front of your kick-ass rock & soul cover band. Continue poor eating habits.
Step 7: Go to Mahoney's in Poughkeepsie at 2AM. Theoretically, any bar will do. However, I cannot personally vouch for the effectiveness of other drinking establishments. Do not go to sleep until 4am.
Step 8: Wake up at 8am in order to give 5 and a half hours of group and private lessons. Talk as much as you possibly can.
Step 9: Go from lessons to a birthday get-together where you consume hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, and more.
Step 10: Play a solo/acoustic show that night - 2...and a half sets - at your favorite local Irish bar. Don't get to sleep until 3AM.
Step 11: Wake up at 10:30AM.
Step 12: Spend 6+ hours at the recording studio working on new demos for your awesome cover band and tracks for your own album. Make sure you have to sing scratch vocals for at least 13 songs.
*The results of this 12-step program will vary from person to person. This program is based on the sole experience of myself. Data on recovery time is not as of yet available.
Step 1: Don't get enough sleep. Sure, some of you may be tempted to skip ahead to the more advanced steps, but step 1 is arguably the most important. As always, preparation is key. I would recommend no more than 6 and a half hours of sleep a night for a minimum of 1 week. To help you with this goal, I recommend staying up late doing work or indulging in the offerings available on Netflix Instant.
Step 2: After you've been slowly rolling back the amount of sleep you get for what feels like appropriate amount of time, pick a Saturday and give group and private piano lessons for 5 and a half hours. This step works best if you chose a Saturday when your voice is feeling particularly tired.
Step 3: That night, sing 3 sets of music in front of a kick-ass rock & soul cover band (I recommend In The Pocket, but I hear that they already have a lead singer). Do not go to sleep until at least 4am.
Step 4: Get up the following day at 10am to help prepare and celebrate a 1st birthday party. Included in the party will be abundant amounts of southern food, soda, and beer. (Note: do not attempt to drink enough water as this will compromise the effectiveness of these steps.)
Step 5: Continue Step 1, with the addition of eating foods that are less than stellar in the health department.
Step 6: The following Friday night, perform 2 sets in front of your kick-ass rock & soul cover band. Continue poor eating habits.
Step 7: Go to Mahoney's in Poughkeepsie at 2AM. Theoretically, any bar will do. However, I cannot personally vouch for the effectiveness of other drinking establishments. Do not go to sleep until 4am.
Step 8: Wake up at 8am in order to give 5 and a half hours of group and private lessons. Talk as much as you possibly can.
Step 9: Go from lessons to a birthday get-together where you consume hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, and more.
Step 10: Play a solo/acoustic show that night - 2...and a half sets - at your favorite local Irish bar. Don't get to sleep until 3AM.
Step 11: Wake up at 10:30AM.
Step 12: Spend 6+ hours at the recording studio working on new demos for your awesome cover band and tracks for your own album. Make sure you have to sing scratch vocals for at least 13 songs.
*The results of this 12-step program will vary from person to person. This program is based on the sole experience of myself. Data on recovery time is not as of yet available.
Monday, October 10, 2011
The Voice
No, not that "voice." My voice. Anyone who came out to Saturday's ITP show at Noah's Ark in Poughkeepsie may have noticed a strain in my voice. It wasn't as powerful as it normally is, it full-out cracked during a song in the first set, and you'll have to believe me when I said that it took a lot more work for me to get those notes out than it should. And the question is: why? I think there's a couple of reasons.
First, the season change. I have felt allergies affecting my throat over the past month or so as the tempuratures have gone from hot, to warm, to cold, to warm, to hot, to cold, to warm. It's really been all over the place, and I think it's given no gifts to my throat. I've also been told that people have had stronger allergies this year than previous, and this includes people who have never (or rarely) experience them. As a result, I've noticed that I sound very nasally when I speak, my range is not what it should be, and it also affects my diction. It's not painful, but it's an annoyance.
Second, I give group and private piano lessons for 5 1/2 hours on Saturdays which require a lot of talking. This past Saturday was the first day since March that I had to teach and then sing 3 hours worth of music, and it's the first time that I've had to talk so much before singing. My voice is obviously not used to this kind of strain. Couple that with the weather, and you can get an idea of what I'm dealing with.
I was watching the new Martin Scorsese documentary on George Harrison (which is great, by the way) and there's a scene where George is shown gargling a mixture of vinegar, honey, and warm water. Supposedly it coats your throat and vocal chords as a way of protecting them. The things we do to keep our voices healthy. I may try that. I may also go see a doctor, since we're getting close to the point of laying down vocals for the new album and I want my voice to be as strong as possible.
First, the season change. I have felt allergies affecting my throat over the past month or so as the tempuratures have gone from hot, to warm, to cold, to warm, to hot, to cold, to warm. It's really been all over the place, and I think it's given no gifts to my throat. I've also been told that people have had stronger allergies this year than previous, and this includes people who have never (or rarely) experience them. As a result, I've noticed that I sound very nasally when I speak, my range is not what it should be, and it also affects my diction. It's not painful, but it's an annoyance.
Second, I give group and private piano lessons for 5 1/2 hours on Saturdays which require a lot of talking. This past Saturday was the first day since March that I had to teach and then sing 3 hours worth of music, and it's the first time that I've had to talk so much before singing. My voice is obviously not used to this kind of strain. Couple that with the weather, and you can get an idea of what I'm dealing with.
I was watching the new Martin Scorsese documentary on George Harrison (which is great, by the way) and there's a scene where George is shown gargling a mixture of vinegar, honey, and warm water. Supposedly it coats your throat and vocal chords as a way of protecting them. The things we do to keep our voices healthy. I may try that. I may also go see a doctor, since we're getting close to the point of laying down vocals for the new album and I want my voice to be as strong as possible.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A Unique Impact
"Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin, and they end, with no lasting memories made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life." -(500) Days of Summer
September 11th was a Tuesday. I'm willing to bet that if anyone tried to think back ten years, there would be few days that stick out in their mind as being significant, just like the above quote suggests. Most days are unremarkable. September 11th was not one of those days.
Most of us have an intense recollection of that day. I had just started my senior year of high school, and I first heard that a plane had hit the World Trade Center while sitting in the Poughkeepsie High School auditorium (which was ironically gym class on that day). It's one of numerous distinct memories that I hold on to; memories that I'm fairly certain I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
But being ten years removed from September 11th, it got me thinking: what impact did September 11th have on the course of my life? It's true I did not live in New York City or Washington, DC., and I did not personally know anyone who was killed or injured in the attacks. The life of every American was impacted through the images we saw and the changes in government policy, but was September 11th a day that cause the course of my life to shift directions? I think it did, if only slightly.
In the wake of the attacks, Bruce Springsteen recorded his album, The Rising, which was heavily influenced by the events of that day. Songs like "Into the Fire," "Nothing Man," "Empty Sky," "Worlds Apart," "You're Missing," "The Rising," "Paradise," and "My City of Ruins" (originally written about Asbury Park, but which took on a greater meaning). The album was released on July 30, 2002, and I bought it purely by chance. I was walking through the mall shortly after graduation and decided to get the CD simply because Springsteen was hugely successful and I knew his Greatest Hits. It's one of the few times in my life that I've bought music from an artist that I was seriously unfamiliar with. I remember the first time I heard "The Rising" on the radio. I was in the car riding with my family and maybe some friends going somewhere - I don't remember where, I don't remember when, I don't remember if it was before of after I bought the CD, but I remember the song.
The Rising led me to fall in love with the music of Bruce Springsteen. I bought the album in July, I quickly began putting my hands on any of his work that I could find, and I saw him live for the first time that December. I saw him again the following July, September, and October - four times total during The Rising Tour. Never before had I become so absorbed in music so quickly, and up until then I didn't really have any kind of clear idea of what I wanted to be or accomplish with my life. I wear the Springsteen influence blatantly on my sleeve in the songs of my first album, and I will always be working toward putting on a live show as powerful as his.
In the past four years, my music has shifted away from Springsteen to a more piano-based sound such as Ben Folds - a result of navigating toward my own style and sound, and playing to my own musical strengths. But where Ben Folds produces keyboard-heavy recordings, I push guitars more strongly - a direct influence of Springsteen. And I always have to catch myself from writing too many lyrics about roads, and highways, and cars, because Bruce has covered all that stuff already.
So I find myself thinking that if it weren't for September 11th, I never would have discovered the music of Bruce Springsteen, and I would not be the musician that I am today. Is this the truth? Maybe. It's hard to see ten years of a road not taken. And sure, it pales in comparison to the way the attacks changed the lives of others, but I believe if the rest of us think about the past ten years, many will find similar stories and path changes within our own lives. And hopefully those changes have led to something positive.
"Come on up for the rising
Come on up lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight"
-Bruce Springsteen, "The Rising"
September 11th was a Tuesday. I'm willing to bet that if anyone tried to think back ten years, there would be few days that stick out in their mind as being significant, just like the above quote suggests. Most days are unremarkable. September 11th was not one of those days.
Most of us have an intense recollection of that day. I had just started my senior year of high school, and I first heard that a plane had hit the World Trade Center while sitting in the Poughkeepsie High School auditorium (which was ironically gym class on that day). It's one of numerous distinct memories that I hold on to; memories that I'm fairly certain I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
But being ten years removed from September 11th, it got me thinking: what impact did September 11th have on the course of my life? It's true I did not live in New York City or Washington, DC., and I did not personally know anyone who was killed or injured in the attacks. The life of every American was impacted through the images we saw and the changes in government policy, but was September 11th a day that cause the course of my life to shift directions? I think it did, if only slightly.
In the wake of the attacks, Bruce Springsteen recorded his album, The Rising, which was heavily influenced by the events of that day. Songs like "Into the Fire," "Nothing Man," "Empty Sky," "Worlds Apart," "You're Missing," "The Rising," "Paradise," and "My City of Ruins" (originally written about Asbury Park, but which took on a greater meaning). The album was released on July 30, 2002, and I bought it purely by chance. I was walking through the mall shortly after graduation and decided to get the CD simply because Springsteen was hugely successful and I knew his Greatest Hits. It's one of the few times in my life that I've bought music from an artist that I was seriously unfamiliar with. I remember the first time I heard "The Rising" on the radio. I was in the car riding with my family and maybe some friends going somewhere - I don't remember where, I don't remember when, I don't remember if it was before of after I bought the CD, but I remember the song.
The Rising led me to fall in love with the music of Bruce Springsteen. I bought the album in July, I quickly began putting my hands on any of his work that I could find, and I saw him live for the first time that December. I saw him again the following July, September, and October - four times total during The Rising Tour. Never before had I become so absorbed in music so quickly, and up until then I didn't really have any kind of clear idea of what I wanted to be or accomplish with my life. I wear the Springsteen influence blatantly on my sleeve in the songs of my first album, and I will always be working toward putting on a live show as powerful as his.
In the past four years, my music has shifted away from Springsteen to a more piano-based sound such as Ben Folds - a result of navigating toward my own style and sound, and playing to my own musical strengths. But where Ben Folds produces keyboard-heavy recordings, I push guitars more strongly - a direct influence of Springsteen. And I always have to catch myself from writing too many lyrics about roads, and highways, and cars, because Bruce has covered all that stuff already.
So I find myself thinking that if it weren't for September 11th, I never would have discovered the music of Bruce Springsteen, and I would not be the musician that I am today. Is this the truth? Maybe. It's hard to see ten years of a road not taken. And sure, it pales in comparison to the way the attacks changed the lives of others, but I believe if the rest of us think about the past ten years, many will find similar stories and path changes within our own lives. And hopefully those changes have led to something positive.
"Come on up for the rising
Come on up lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight"
-Bruce Springsteen, "The Rising"
Monday, August 29, 2011
How Irene Made Sure I Got No Chubby
Last Tuesday at In The Pocket rehearsal, our trombone player, Tony, got a voicemail on his cellular telephone from a man claiming to be Tommy C, the tour manager for Chubby Checker. Chubby was scheduled to play the Dutchess County Fair this past Saturday, and Tommy wanted to talk to us. So, Tony called him back. Apparently the Chubby Checker tour was having a problem with their equipment and they were interested in borrowing an organ or a keyboard with an organ sound. He found us simply by doing a search for bands in the Hudson Valley (the internet works!). Tommy said that money was tight, but that we could obviously come to the show, as well as go backstage to meet Chubby. I offered my Roland RD-300SX, and he said that would work and he would call us on Thursday with more details.
On Wednesday, the idea was floated that this might be some kind of scam. Was this really the tour manager for Chubby Checker or just some guy trying to pull a fast one on us? My first thought was to call the fair and ask them to independently confirm that the person who called us really was from the tour. But then I thought, "Let's just Google his phone number!" Ingenious! So we did. And the first thing to pop up was the Chubby Checker tour rider through Paradise Artists, including the guy's name and phone number. We were convinced. But to be safe I decided that I was going to insist on staying with my keyboard until it was set up on-stage. I wasn't going to just give this guy my equipment and leave.
On Thursday, Tony got a call from Tommy C telling us to meet him at 11AM on Saturday morning, and to call 45 minutes before we got there. Boom. I was going to the fair for the first time in at least 5 years (and for free), we had arranged to meet some friends at the fair and bring them to the show, and we was going to meet Chubby Checker. Random and cool.
Now, I know you see where this story is going. Enter Hurricane Irene.
We were setting up for our Friday night pre-Irene show at Pat Tarsio Lanes when I got a text telling me that the fair was going to be closed both Saturday and Sunday. I verified it when I got home. No fair. No wonderfully unhealthy foods. No 4H milkshake. No carnies. No Chubby. Only rain.
And so it was.
On Wednesday, the idea was floated that this might be some kind of scam. Was this really the tour manager for Chubby Checker or just some guy trying to pull a fast one on us? My first thought was to call the fair and ask them to independently confirm that the person who called us really was from the tour. But then I thought, "Let's just Google his phone number!" Ingenious! So we did. And the first thing to pop up was the Chubby Checker tour rider through Paradise Artists, including the guy's name and phone number. We were convinced. But to be safe I decided that I was going to insist on staying with my keyboard until it was set up on-stage. I wasn't going to just give this guy my equipment and leave.
On Thursday, Tony got a call from Tommy C telling us to meet him at 11AM on Saturday morning, and to call 45 minutes before we got there. Boom. I was going to the fair for the first time in at least 5 years (and for free), we had arranged to meet some friends at the fair and bring them to the show, and we was going to meet Chubby Checker. Random and cool.
Now, I know you see where this story is going. Enter Hurricane Irene.
We were setting up for our Friday night pre-Irene show at Pat Tarsio Lanes when I got a text telling me that the fair was going to be closed both Saturday and Sunday. I verified it when I got home. No fair. No wonderfully unhealthy foods. No 4H milkshake. No carnies. No Chubby. Only rain.
And so it was.
Monday, August 1, 2011
8 Things I Learned or Reinforced Playing Beach Gigs in Jersey
The sun is hot. This might come as news to some of you, but during the summer the temperature outside can get well up into the mid-90s. And when you're loading and setting up a band's worth of gear and PA equipment after you've spent the day on the beach and in the ocean, it can knock you on your ass. Drink plenty of water, and stay in the shade.
Sand gets everywhere. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I was still finding it in my pockets days later.
The sun burns. You know. Your skin. And even more when the sun's rays are also bouncing off the water and the sand. The best is when you put on sunblock and you miss a spot. When we played on the beach in June we all got burned - especially on the legs. Some of us got burns on our backs in the shape of European countries. Big ones. Big socialist ones.
When your friend is wearing an American flag swimsuit, it is not inappropriate to salute it. Just don't do it around the kids.
It is very difficult to dance in the sand. Seriously, have ever tried to really dance in the sand? It's hard enough trying to walk in the stuff, let alone throw down some burning moves.
Driving in New Jersey is the worst. The roads are terrible, the traffic is horrendous, you have to go right to go left, and the drivers are ambassadors of the devil himself. (This one is obviously a reinforced truth.)
Cargo shorts were made for carrying beer on the beach. This one must be a verifiable fact. When you're going out for a late night walk on the beach, wear cargo shorts. At the very least you'll be able to bring along two extra beers in addition to the one or two in your hands.
There are places on the Jersey shore that are nothing like the TV show. I mean, I've never seen the show, but I have heard stories and seen things about the poor excuse for commercials (and I even unknowingly passed Snooki in the mall once). In my time at the Jersey shore not once did I run into a Snooki.
Sand gets everywhere. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I was still finding it in my pockets days later.
The sun burns. You know. Your skin. And even more when the sun's rays are also bouncing off the water and the sand. The best is when you put on sunblock and you miss a spot. When we played on the beach in June we all got burned - especially on the legs. Some of us got burns on our backs in the shape of European countries. Big ones. Big socialist ones.
When your friend is wearing an American flag swimsuit, it is not inappropriate to salute it. Just don't do it around the kids.
It is very difficult to dance in the sand. Seriously, have ever tried to really dance in the sand? It's hard enough trying to walk in the stuff, let alone throw down some burning moves.
Driving in New Jersey is the worst. The roads are terrible, the traffic is horrendous, you have to go right to go left, and the drivers are ambassadors of the devil himself. (This one is obviously a reinforced truth.)
Cargo shorts were made for carrying beer on the beach. This one must be a verifiable fact. When you're going out for a late night walk on the beach, wear cargo shorts. At the very least you'll be able to bring along two extra beers in addition to the one or two in your hands.
There are places on the Jersey shore that are nothing like the TV show. I mean, I've never seen the show, but I have heard stories and seen things about the poor excuse for commercials (and I even unknowingly passed Snooki in the mall once). In my time at the Jersey shore not once did I run into a Snooki.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Wedding #2 - I Make A Toast!
Well, my second weekend out of town in a row turned out to be a good one. My oldest friend (not in age, but the amount of time that I've known him) got married at the Seaview Resort in Galloway, NJ. Fun times.
Friday night after the rehearsal and dinner we hit the Borgata in Atlantic City for some blackjack, but of course I didn't win. At one point I was up maybe $40, but I put it all back in. I played for about 4 hours or so. But two of my friends - one in particular - had a very good night. And he got wasted on the free drinks they feed you while you're gambling. He couldn't stop counting his winnings in front of us. He then slept on the floor and felt terrible all day on Saturday.
On Saturday, we got together around noon to start taking pictures and doing things. Between noon and 1:30PM when we left for the church I had 3 beers and a shot of tequila. We then stopped for pizza on the way to the church, and the guys working the joint didn't even mention the fact that we were all in tuxes. Though honestly, that's how we dress every day. The wedding itself went well and we stuck around to take pictures, then hopped in the limo for a trip to the Atlantic City beach for some more. We must have looked odd - a big group of people in tuxes, formal dresses, and flip flops. But that's just how we roll.
The reception was a freakin' blast. Our friends The Big Shoe played the party, and everyone had a great time. The crowd was ready to go from the moment they started playing and the energy in the room was fantastic. And I gave a toast (I think I lived up to my wedding toast reputation). I did a cool Mad Libs thing, and I will try to get the video to post soon. People who liked my speech included the people at my table, the bar staff, the father of the bride, and a guy in the bathroom who said to me, "You know I've given best man speeches before, but I never talked like that." At least, I think that's what he said. Which brings me to my next point: after a Jack on the rocks and a Sam Adams, I was drinking wine all night. Need I say more? I also sang "Sweet Caroline," complete with wireless mic. Have I mentioned that I badly want a wireless mic? Recently?
Sunday after checkout we hit the boardwalk for some lunch and light gambling, then headed home. And by the way, thanks to New Jersey I now know what a "Silver Alert" is - but did I really need to know?
Work it, work it...
Reading the Mad Lib that I put together with the help of the wedding guests
Three of the groomsmen - me, Seth Rivers, and Steve Peluse
Friday night after the rehearsal and dinner we hit the Borgata in Atlantic City for some blackjack, but of course I didn't win. At one point I was up maybe $40, but I put it all back in. I played for about 4 hours or so. But two of my friends - one in particular - had a very good night. And he got wasted on the free drinks they feed you while you're gambling. He couldn't stop counting his winnings in front of us. He then slept on the floor and felt terrible all day on Saturday.
On Saturday, we got together around noon to start taking pictures and doing things. Between noon and 1:30PM when we left for the church I had 3 beers and a shot of tequila. We then stopped for pizza on the way to the church, and the guys working the joint didn't even mention the fact that we were all in tuxes. Though honestly, that's how we dress every day. The wedding itself went well and we stuck around to take pictures, then hopped in the limo for a trip to the Atlantic City beach for some more. We must have looked odd - a big group of people in tuxes, formal dresses, and flip flops. But that's just how we roll.
The reception was a freakin' blast. Our friends The Big Shoe played the party, and everyone had a great time. The crowd was ready to go from the moment they started playing and the energy in the room was fantastic. And I gave a toast (I think I lived up to my wedding toast reputation). I did a cool Mad Libs thing, and I will try to get the video to post soon. People who liked my speech included the people at my table, the bar staff, the father of the bride, and a guy in the bathroom who said to me, "You know I've given best man speeches before, but I never talked like that." At least, I think that's what he said. Which brings me to my next point: after a Jack on the rocks and a Sam Adams, I was drinking wine all night. Need I say more? I also sang "Sweet Caroline," complete with wireless mic. Have I mentioned that I badly want a wireless mic? Recently?
Sunday after checkout we hit the boardwalk for some lunch and light gambling, then headed home. And by the way, thanks to New Jersey I now know what a "Silver Alert" is - but did I really need to know?
Work it, work it...
Reading the Mad Lib that I put together with the help of the wedding guests
Three of the groomsmen - me, Seth Rivers, and Steve Peluse
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Wedding #1 - 882 Miles
Here are some highlights from this past weekend's trip to my old stompin' grounds, Western New York:
-Having my first trash plate in probably 4 years, which I admittedly forgot how to order. I got it from Charlie's in Webster, and believe me when I tell you it was dynamite. My friend Tim thinks I set some sort of speed record. Maybe it was a personal best.
-Saw my grandparents. It's rare these days that I'm in the area, so I made a special trip to see them.
-Crashing the rehearsal dinner at Shadow Lake. OK, so I didn't really crash it, but suffice to say that I was not in the wedding party, and "crashing" sounds more badass.
-Two of my closest friends from college - Dayle & Scott - got married! I got to see all my closest friends from my Geneseo days and a handful of people that I haven't seen in years.
-The food at the reception was out of this world. It was on-site barbeque catered by Smokin' Hot Chicks. I really can't say enough about it. The bride and groom really did their homework on that one and it was amazing.
-And of course, I went to Wegmans. It is by far my favorite supermarket and I miss it dearly. Anyone who is familiar with it knows what I mean. Over the course of three days I made two trips, and got a three-berry muffin and "Danny's Favorite" wrap. It's like I never left.
Here is some video that I took at the wedding reception:
This upcoming weekend I'm in Atlantic City for the wedding of my oldest friend. And I'm in this one. Giving a toast. Look out.
-Having my first trash plate in probably 4 years, which I admittedly forgot how to order. I got it from Charlie's in Webster, and believe me when I tell you it was dynamite. My friend Tim thinks I set some sort of speed record. Maybe it was a personal best.
-Saw my grandparents. It's rare these days that I'm in the area, so I made a special trip to see them.
-Crashing the rehearsal dinner at Shadow Lake. OK, so I didn't really crash it, but suffice to say that I was not in the wedding party, and "crashing" sounds more badass.
-Two of my closest friends from college - Dayle & Scott - got married! I got to see all my closest friends from my Geneseo days and a handful of people that I haven't seen in years.
-The food at the reception was out of this world. It was on-site barbeque catered by Smokin' Hot Chicks. I really can't say enough about it. The bride and groom really did their homework on that one and it was amazing.
-And of course, I went to Wegmans. It is by far my favorite supermarket and I miss it dearly. Anyone who is familiar with it knows what I mean. Over the course of three days I made two trips, and got a three-berry muffin and "Danny's Favorite" wrap. It's like I never left.
Here is some video that I took at the wedding reception:
This upcoming weekend I'm in Atlantic City for the wedding of my oldest friend. And I'm in this one. Giving a toast. Look out.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
2011 SongHall Induction
Last week I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 42nd Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Gala, thanks to my friends Jason Kingston and Peter Bliss. Here's a rundown of the night - a bit more in-depth than my twitter posts:
The event was held at the Marriot Marquis Broadway Ballroom in Times Square, and my ticket was for the balcony. I arrived around 7:30 after grabbing a hot dog and failing to find a street vendor with any knish. Sad day. I met fellow infamous "B Group" member Melvin Vasquez there, and we went in to find seats. Sadly, the way the seats were set up if you didn't get one of the first 3 in any row then you couldn't really see. But I was not to be detered. Luckily, I was able to finagle a seat that allowed me to see most of the stage, and practically all of it if I stood up (there was no one behind me). Then after some investigation I was able to procure a program for the event. Rock on. I snuck from my flask and prepared for the show.
After a brief welcoming introduction by SongHall Chairman Jimmy Webb, Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly opened the show with a performance of their song, "Like A Virgin" (gee, who sings that?). They were then inducted by Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde, who gave the crowd a fantastic version of "I'll Stand By You." This was the first of numerous times when I got chills. There are some serious people in this room.
Dwight Yoakam then came out and performed "Superstar," which was co-written by Leon Russell. Leon emerged with a white maine, sat down at the piano, and performed a beautiful rendition of "A Song For You." Afterwards he dedicated his award to his friends in the crowd who work to help him with his hearing problems, but who also work so hard to help hearing-imparred children receive the gift of sound.
Boz Scaggs inducted Allen Toussaint, and since I'm not really familiar with either of their work I'm not sure what song he performed first. However, the two of them did join together on a duet of "What Do You Want The Girl To Do." You know a song is great when you've never heard before it but can remember it the next day. I have some homework to do on them.
Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior from "The Sopranos") gave the Towering Song Award to "It Was A Very Good Year," an his performance of the song was impressive. Jimmy Jam presented the Hal David Starlight Award to Aubrey Graham from "Degrassi: The Next Generation"...I mean, Drake. He performed a song that I didn't know, and to be honest it's not really my thing, so let's move on.
Skylar Grey did a great medley rendition of "Crazy For You" and "Human Nature" to begin John Bettis' induction. I guarantee that he's written so many songs that you know. He was officially inducted by Paul Williams, then performed "Top of the World."
Trisha Yearwood performed a medley of Hal David songs including "Do You Know the Way To San Jose," "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "What the World Needs Now," and more as he was given the first Visionary Leadership Award. Sam Moore & Bill Medley then gave the Johnny Mercer Award - the SongHall's highest honor - to Billy Mann & Cynthia Weil, and performed a fantastic duet of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." And let me tell you, when the band slammed into the chorus after the breakdown the place was absolutely electric. More chills. Sam and Bill were actually really funny with their back and forth bickering. They should take their act on the road. Valerie Simpson then presented the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award to Chaka Khan, who performed a rousing version of "I'm Every Woman."
The night's last inductee was Garth Brooks, inducted by Billy Joel. Garth was incredibly humble at the award, especially since he confessed that he's never considered himself a songwriter. He gave a fantastic performance of "The Thunder Rolls," then invited BIlly back on stage for a show-closing performance of the Billy song that Garth took to the top of the country charts - "Shameless."
The show was about 2 and a half hours long, and afterward I ended up in the elevator with Valerie Simpson. Cool. Watch a short video about the induction here.
I never did find my knish.
The Red Carpet (It's the only picture I got. Sorry.)
The event was held at the Marriot Marquis Broadway Ballroom in Times Square, and my ticket was for the balcony. I arrived around 7:30 after grabbing a hot dog and failing to find a street vendor with any knish. Sad day. I met fellow infamous "B Group" member Melvin Vasquez there, and we went in to find seats. Sadly, the way the seats were set up if you didn't get one of the first 3 in any row then you couldn't really see. But I was not to be detered. Luckily, I was able to finagle a seat that allowed me to see most of the stage, and practically all of it if I stood up (there was no one behind me). Then after some investigation I was able to procure a program for the event. Rock on. I snuck from my flask and prepared for the show.
After a brief welcoming introduction by SongHall Chairman Jimmy Webb, Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly opened the show with a performance of their song, "Like A Virgin" (gee, who sings that?). They were then inducted by Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde, who gave the crowd a fantastic version of "I'll Stand By You." This was the first of numerous times when I got chills. There are some serious people in this room.
Dwight Yoakam then came out and performed "Superstar," which was co-written by Leon Russell. Leon emerged with a white maine, sat down at the piano, and performed a beautiful rendition of "A Song For You." Afterwards he dedicated his award to his friends in the crowd who work to help him with his hearing problems, but who also work so hard to help hearing-imparred children receive the gift of sound.
Boz Scaggs inducted Allen Toussaint, and since I'm not really familiar with either of their work I'm not sure what song he performed first. However, the two of them did join together on a duet of "What Do You Want The Girl To Do." You know a song is great when you've never heard before it but can remember it the next day. I have some homework to do on them.
Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior from "The Sopranos") gave the Towering Song Award to "It Was A Very Good Year," an his performance of the song was impressive. Jimmy Jam presented the Hal David Starlight Award to Aubrey Graham from "Degrassi: The Next Generation"...I mean, Drake. He performed a song that I didn't know, and to be honest it's not really my thing, so let's move on.
Skylar Grey did a great medley rendition of "Crazy For You" and "Human Nature" to begin John Bettis' induction. I guarantee that he's written so many songs that you know. He was officially inducted by Paul Williams, then performed "Top of the World."
Trisha Yearwood performed a medley of Hal David songs including "Do You Know the Way To San Jose," "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "What the World Needs Now," and more as he was given the first Visionary Leadership Award. Sam Moore & Bill Medley then gave the Johnny Mercer Award - the SongHall's highest honor - to Billy Mann & Cynthia Weil, and performed a fantastic duet of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." And let me tell you, when the band slammed into the chorus after the breakdown the place was absolutely electric. More chills. Sam and Bill were actually really funny with their back and forth bickering. They should take their act on the road. Valerie Simpson then presented the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award to Chaka Khan, who performed a rousing version of "I'm Every Woman."
The night's last inductee was Garth Brooks, inducted by Billy Joel. Garth was incredibly humble at the award, especially since he confessed that he's never considered himself a songwriter. He gave a fantastic performance of "The Thunder Rolls," then invited BIlly back on stage for a show-closing performance of the Billy song that Garth took to the top of the country charts - "Shameless."
The show was about 2 and a half hours long, and afterward I ended up in the elevator with Valerie Simpson. Cool. Watch a short video about the induction here.
I never did find my knish.
The Red Carpet (It's the only picture I got. Sorry.)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
2011 SongHall Abe Olman Showcase
It's one of the worst parts of the music industry. If you play events or showcases you undoubtably suffer from hurry up and wait. You also suffer from it trying to get good concert tickets or when flying, but that's not what I was doing last night.
I showed up to the theatre just after 2PM and was able to soundcheck with Jason Kingston very shortly after that (we only had two run-throughs of the song, by the way). Then we had time to kill since the event didn't start until 6PM. So, we walked around Washington Square Park and got some food, then went back and were asked to prepare programs! Haha. But it was cool - after all it was a SongHall event and we were the SongHall representatives in the showcase, so I was more than happy to pitch in to help make the event as smooth as possible.
Jimmy Webb arrived around 5:45 and immediately went backstage. His master session interview began around 6:10, conducted by Phil Galdston, and it was good. He gave some great insights into some of his songs such as "By the Time I Get To Phoenix," "Up, Up, and Away," and "Adios," as well as the music industry and life as a songwriter. He ended the interview with a performance of his song "Where Words End," which is on an album released last year.
During the intermission we hurried backstage and then...waited. Again. Each award recipient was introduced and given their award. In my opinion, some of the intros dragged on a bit but for the most part it was good. Then we finally got to play, and we were the first performers. Now, if you ask Jason he will probably talk up my piano playing, but the truth is he's the one that really killed it last night. He's got a great powerful voice that can just knock you on your ass...and it did. I think we did our job of setting the bar very high for the other performers, and I'm hoping to have video to post soon. Some of the other performers that I liked from last night were Rachel Brown, Markeisha Ensley, and David Marenberg.
Afterwards a few of us went out and ate some average college food. Nothing fancy. But how's this for funny: my parents came to the showcase and a guy approached my mom and asked if she wrote The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I think she should've said yes.
Below are a few pictures from the evening:
The award winners posing for pictures with their awards.
Jason Kingston introducing his song, "Lucky," while I futz with the damn piano bench. (Yes, I know the picture is terrible quality. Suck it up.)
A mini-reunion of the infamous SongHall Workshop "B Group." Me, Jason Kingston, SongHall Activities Coordinator Peter Bliss, Melvin Vasquez, and Loriel Leander.
I showed up to the theatre just after 2PM and was able to soundcheck with Jason Kingston very shortly after that (we only had two run-throughs of the song, by the way). Then we had time to kill since the event didn't start until 6PM. So, we walked around Washington Square Park and got some food, then went back and were asked to prepare programs! Haha. But it was cool - after all it was a SongHall event and we were the SongHall representatives in the showcase, so I was more than happy to pitch in to help make the event as smooth as possible.
Jimmy Webb arrived around 5:45 and immediately went backstage. His master session interview began around 6:10, conducted by Phil Galdston, and it was good. He gave some great insights into some of his songs such as "By the Time I Get To Phoenix," "Up, Up, and Away," and "Adios," as well as the music industry and life as a songwriter. He ended the interview with a performance of his song "Where Words End," which is on an album released last year.
During the intermission we hurried backstage and then...waited. Again. Each award recipient was introduced and given their award. In my opinion, some of the intros dragged on a bit but for the most part it was good. Then we finally got to play, and we were the first performers. Now, if you ask Jason he will probably talk up my piano playing, but the truth is he's the one that really killed it last night. He's got a great powerful voice that can just knock you on your ass...and it did. I think we did our job of setting the bar very high for the other performers, and I'm hoping to have video to post soon. Some of the other performers that I liked from last night were Rachel Brown, Markeisha Ensley, and David Marenberg.
Afterwards a few of us went out and ate some average college food. Nothing fancy. But how's this for funny: my parents came to the showcase and a guy approached my mom and asked if she wrote The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I think she should've said yes.
Below are a few pictures from the evening:
The award winners posing for pictures with their awards.
Jason Kingston introducing his song, "Lucky," while I futz with the damn piano bench. (Yes, I know the picture is terrible quality. Suck it up.)
A mini-reunion of the infamous SongHall Workshop "B Group." Me, Jason Kingston, SongHall Activities Coordinator Peter Bliss, Melvin Vasquez, and Loriel Leander.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Prepping For The Tony Awards
Sometimes being a musician and knowing people can lead to some cool opportunities. The drummer who played on my first CD is a guy named Chris Snykus. I've known Chris for over four years now; he's currently the drummer for Perfect Thyroid and The Big Shoe, and he's the shop manager at Firehouse Productions in Red Hook.
Firehouse Productions is a live sound company that handles sound for major tours and events such as Neil Diamond, Peter Gabriel, VH1 Storytellers, and the MTV Video Music Awards. This Sunday they are handling the sound for the 2011 Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York, and in an effort to test out some new equipment before it was all loaded in this week, I was asking to come be part of a small jam session last wednesday night. Very cool.
The equipment was actually a tractor trailer that is already completely wired to run sound for a live show simply by running little more than a few cables to the stage. It's compact, it's organized, it's easy to set up, it looks cools, and we got to be the guinea pigs. We set up on the complete other end of the building - Chris on drums, Eli on bass, Brett on guitar, and me on keyboards. We were miked, given in-ear and floor monitors, and basically told to have at it while they worked out any and all kinks that appeared in the system. We started out with some jamming and soon dug into legendary versions of "Too Hot" by Kool & the Gang, as well as "Careless Whisper" by Wham! And they gave us pizza and beer ("Steeeella!"). Needless to say my first trip to Firehouse Productions gets two thumbs up.
I wonder if they would let me move in.
So, what do you think? Too many links? I went a little happy here.
Firehouse Productions is a live sound company that handles sound for major tours and events such as Neil Diamond, Peter Gabriel, VH1 Storytellers, and the MTV Video Music Awards. This Sunday they are handling the sound for the 2011 Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York, and in an effort to test out some new equipment before it was all loaded in this week, I was asking to come be part of a small jam session last wednesday night. Very cool.
The equipment was actually a tractor trailer that is already completely wired to run sound for a live show simply by running little more than a few cables to the stage. It's compact, it's organized, it's easy to set up, it looks cools, and we got to be the guinea pigs. We set up on the complete other end of the building - Chris on drums, Eli on bass, Brett on guitar, and me on keyboards. We were miked, given in-ear and floor monitors, and basically told to have at it while they worked out any and all kinks that appeared in the system. We started out with some jamming and soon dug into legendary versions of "Too Hot" by Kool & the Gang, as well as "Careless Whisper" by Wham! And they gave us pizza and beer ("Steeeella!"). Needless to say my first trip to Firehouse Productions gets two thumbs up.
I wonder if they would let me move in.
So, what do you think? Too many links? I went a little happy here.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Same Two Cops
Saturday night I went out to New Paltz to have food and drinks with some friends. I got there around 9PM, we hit up McGillicuddy's (great waffle fries) and P&Gs (where at one point we were pretty much the only people in the place), and I left around 2:30. And that's when the night got interesting.
In an attempt to bypass any law enforcement encounters, I decided to stay off 299 for as long as I could and opted for a side road. But I soon had headlights behind me, and I knew it was a cop. Sure enough, the lights go on. State trooper. I pull over, turn off my radio, roll down my window, and wait. The following is the encounter as best I can remember it.
The cop first asked for my registration, which I fished out of the glove box of him. He told me that he had pulled me over because my license came up as suspended. I assured him that I had no reason to think that was true. He asked for my license and double-checked with me that the information on my license and the registration were correct. He gave my registration to the second cop who was with him, then abruptly asked me, "Where do you stop at a stop sign?" I was somewhat befuddled by this question and thought it was some kind of trick. I slowly answered, "At the stop sign." "Not in the middle of the intersection?" he asked. "No," I said. He then asked if I was in a hurry to get home. I told him that I had to work tomorrow, but other than that not really. Then it really got good.
The second cop came up the other side of my car and the cop I was talking to asked me to unlock my passenger door. I did, and the second cop opened the door and reached down by my backpack. I thought he was going for my spray-on sunblock when he brings his hand up, looks at his fingers, then shuts the door. Then the first cop says to the second cop, "Is that cocaine?" WHAT?! I get asked directly, "Is there cocaine in your car?" "Absolutely not," I respond.
"Be honest," he said, "how hammered are you right now?"
"I'm not hammered at all. I had a couple beers with dinner around 9PM, but that's it." (Close enough for jazz.)
"On a scale of zero to 10?"
"I'm a zero."
"When was your last drink?"
"Probably around 10PM."
"Four hours ago?"
"Yes."
"Alright, please follow my finger with just your eyes." So I did.
At this point the second cop comes back with my registration and saying something about letters being mixed up. The first cop gives me a funny look, hands me my registration and says, "Clerical error. Have a good night." The cops do a u-turn and head back the other way, while I continue going straight.
Nine miles later, I went through the toll plaza for the Mid-Hudson Bridge at the same time as another car - I immediately went into the left lane while the other person stayed in the right. All of a sudden I had two bright headlights behind me, and then the flashers went on. I was getting pulled over AGAIN! And not only was I getting pulled over, but so was the other car. I was trying to think of why we could both be getting stopped, and could only come up with both of us driving a little too much over the 25mph speed limit. I pull over, turn my radio off, roll my window down, and wait.
The cop comes up and says, "License and registration, please."
"Sure - it's in my pocket."
I hand him my license and he says, "Have I seen you already tonight?"
"Well, I've gotten pulled over already tonight, but I don't know if it was you."
"Are you the typo guy?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Have a good night, boss."
SERIOUSLY? I got pulled over twice in one night. By the same cops. Nine miles apart. And do I have cocaine in my car? What the hell is that all about?
In an attempt to bypass any law enforcement encounters, I decided to stay off 299 for as long as I could and opted for a side road. But I soon had headlights behind me, and I knew it was a cop. Sure enough, the lights go on. State trooper. I pull over, turn off my radio, roll down my window, and wait. The following is the encounter as best I can remember it.
The cop first asked for my registration, which I fished out of the glove box of him. He told me that he had pulled me over because my license came up as suspended. I assured him that I had no reason to think that was true. He asked for my license and double-checked with me that the information on my license and the registration were correct. He gave my registration to the second cop who was with him, then abruptly asked me, "Where do you stop at a stop sign?" I was somewhat befuddled by this question and thought it was some kind of trick. I slowly answered, "At the stop sign." "Not in the middle of the intersection?" he asked. "No," I said. He then asked if I was in a hurry to get home. I told him that I had to work tomorrow, but other than that not really. Then it really got good.
The second cop came up the other side of my car and the cop I was talking to asked me to unlock my passenger door. I did, and the second cop opened the door and reached down by my backpack. I thought he was going for my spray-on sunblock when he brings his hand up, looks at his fingers, then shuts the door. Then the first cop says to the second cop, "Is that cocaine?" WHAT?! I get asked directly, "Is there cocaine in your car?" "Absolutely not," I respond.
"Be honest," he said, "how hammered are you right now?"
"I'm not hammered at all. I had a couple beers with dinner around 9PM, but that's it." (Close enough for jazz.)
"On a scale of zero to 10?"
"I'm a zero."
"When was your last drink?"
"Probably around 10PM."
"Four hours ago?"
"Yes."
"Alright, please follow my finger with just your eyes." So I did.
At this point the second cop comes back with my registration and saying something about letters being mixed up. The first cop gives me a funny look, hands me my registration and says, "Clerical error. Have a good night." The cops do a u-turn and head back the other way, while I continue going straight.
Nine miles later, I went through the toll plaza for the Mid-Hudson Bridge at the same time as another car - I immediately went into the left lane while the other person stayed in the right. All of a sudden I had two bright headlights behind me, and then the flashers went on. I was getting pulled over AGAIN! And not only was I getting pulled over, but so was the other car. I was trying to think of why we could both be getting stopped, and could only come up with both of us driving a little too much over the 25mph speed limit. I pull over, turn my radio off, roll my window down, and wait.
The cop comes up and says, "License and registration, please."
"Sure - it's in my pocket."
I hand him my license and he says, "Have I seen you already tonight?"
"Well, I've gotten pulled over already tonight, but I don't know if it was you."
"Are you the typo guy?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Have a good night, boss."
SERIOUSLY? I got pulled over twice in one night. By the same cops. Nine miles apart. And do I have cocaine in my car? What the hell is that all about?
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Lobster
It seems I have to learn the same lesson every year.
Saturday was a beautiful day and I decided to spend most of it outside. First, after a Friday night that saw me crashing a Vassar party (say whaaat?) and going to sleep at 4AM, I chose to get up at 8:30AM and go to Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery to help place flags in preparation for Memorial Day. After 2 1/2 hours of walking around, examining grave stones to determine if they should get a flag, I ran home, took a shower, and then went to a picnic at Waryas Park. Burgers, hot dogs, salads, chips, dips, watermelon, jello shots (which melted from the heat), very little shade, and the Hudson River. For about 3 1/2 hours.
Later that night as I was getting ready to go see The BIG Shoe in New Paltz, I noticed something. I was a little red. A little redder than I anticipated. I'm reminded of this movie scene. And I should've known better, but it always seems to happen once a year. The sun does not like me, and on Saturday it attacked me from both the sky and the surface of the river.
I think the lesson has been learned for 2011.
Saturday was a beautiful day and I decided to spend most of it outside. First, after a Friday night that saw me crashing a Vassar party (say whaaat?) and going to sleep at 4AM, I chose to get up at 8:30AM and go to Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery to help place flags in preparation for Memorial Day. After 2 1/2 hours of walking around, examining grave stones to determine if they should get a flag, I ran home, took a shower, and then went to a picnic at Waryas Park. Burgers, hot dogs, salads, chips, dips, watermelon, jello shots (which melted from the heat), very little shade, and the Hudson River. For about 3 1/2 hours.
Later that night as I was getting ready to go see The BIG Shoe in New Paltz, I noticed something. I was a little red. A little redder than I anticipated. I'm reminded of this movie scene. And I should've known better, but it always seems to happen once a year. The sun does not like me, and on Saturday it attacked me from both the sky and the surface of the river.
I think the lesson has been learned for 2011.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
"Endless Sky," Part Duex?
got an encouraging email yesterday.
As you may remember, last year I wrote, recorded, and submitted my song, "Endless Sky," for the 2010 ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award. And ss you may remember, I did not win. I did, however, take the song and - with the help of friends around the country - created what I think is a powerful video highlighting areas of our nation that are suffering from severe economic hardship. You can view it here. (You can also receive the song as a free download when you sign my mailing list.)
So, I got an email yesterday from Peter Bliss, the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Peter was in charge of the songwriters workshop that I participated in last year, and it was through him that I learn of, and submitted to, the 2010 award. Well, he's now recommending that I re-submit my song to be considered for this year's award. I appreciate that he thinks my song is worth a second look, and nine months after we recorded it, I'm still very proud of the final product.
We shall see...
As you may remember, last year I wrote, recorded, and submitted my song, "Endless Sky," for the 2010 ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award. And ss you may remember, I did not win. I did, however, take the song and - with the help of friends around the country - created what I think is a powerful video highlighting areas of our nation that are suffering from severe economic hardship. You can view it here. (You can also receive the song as a free download when you sign my mailing list.)
So, I got an email yesterday from Peter Bliss, the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Peter was in charge of the songwriters workshop that I participated in last year, and it was through him that I learn of, and submitted to, the 2010 award. Well, he's now recommending that I re-submit my song to be considered for this year's award. I appreciate that he thinks my song is worth a second look, and nine months after we recorded it, I'm still very proud of the final product.
We shall see...
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Osama bin Laden & "The Big Lie"
I was at the studio on Sunday night with Seth and some friends hanging out when one of them got word on their phone that bin Laden was dead and the president was going to be making a statement. This was about 10:30PM, and we watched until about 1:30AM. I then came home and watched until after 3AM. And I spent the majority of Monday digging through news for all the information that I could get.
I posted on my Facebook, "Other than the feeling you get when you know that you will always remember where you were when something happened, I have no strong emotional response to this news. This, to me, was a terrible necessity, and I feel no great release, and no great catharsis." It's still true. Truthfully, I felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing the mass celebratory gatherings over a man's death, especially the fact that a great many of those celebrating at the White House were college students - most of whom were probably too young to comprehend what happened on 9/11.
I then was one of those people who posted the fake Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." (I even did a Google search before posting it, but I still got duped). But even thought it's fake, I'm glad that I re-posted it, because it's how I feel. I might feel differenltly if this were the end of a war, but it's not. Read Ezra Klein's explanation of bin Laden's end-goal, but then think about this: we're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I have been told by a few people in the know that this is a "global" war. So, it won't end, and the country will continue to hemmorage money. Rough times still lay ahead.
Shifting gears just slightly, Daily Beast blogger Andrew Sullivan talks about "The Big Lie" that has accompanied the killing of Osama bin Laden - that torture worked and helped. Definitely worth a read.
Part 1
Part 2
The fact that the U.S. participated in sanctioned torturous actions is depicable and shameful, and it contributed to our weakend stance throughout the world during he last administration. Many Americans pride ourselves on the inherent goodness of our country - a goodness which is corrupted when we sink to the level of our enemies. America can only claim the high road when we actually take the high road, and this is also seen in how the body of Osama bin Laden was handled following the raid (i.e. the traditional burial). As put by a pundit whose name escapes me, it shows to the world that we are different than our enemies - we do not drag the bodies of our enemies through the streets; we do not cut off their heads to send a message or for entertainment. We are better than that.
Sunday's actions were terrible, sobering, unfortunate...and necessary. But the torturing of prisoners was not.
I posted on my Facebook, "Other than the feeling you get when you know that you will always remember where you were when something happened, I have no strong emotional response to this news. This, to me, was a terrible necessity, and I feel no great release, and no great catharsis." It's still true. Truthfully, I felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing the mass celebratory gatherings over a man's death, especially the fact that a great many of those celebrating at the White House were college students - most of whom were probably too young to comprehend what happened on 9/11.
I then was one of those people who posted the fake Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." (I even did a Google search before posting it, but I still got duped). But even thought it's fake, I'm glad that I re-posted it, because it's how I feel. I might feel differenltly if this were the end of a war, but it's not. Read Ezra Klein's explanation of bin Laden's end-goal, but then think about this: we're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I have been told by a few people in the know that this is a "global" war. So, it won't end, and the country will continue to hemmorage money. Rough times still lay ahead.
Shifting gears just slightly, Daily Beast blogger Andrew Sullivan talks about "The Big Lie" that has accompanied the killing of Osama bin Laden - that torture worked and helped. Definitely worth a read.
Part 1
Part 2
The fact that the U.S. participated in sanctioned torturous actions is depicable and shameful, and it contributed to our weakend stance throughout the world during he last administration. Many Americans pride ourselves on the inherent goodness of our country - a goodness which is corrupted when we sink to the level of our enemies. America can only claim the high road when we actually take the high road, and this is also seen in how the body of Osama bin Laden was handled following the raid (i.e. the traditional burial). As put by a pundit whose name escapes me, it shows to the world that we are different than our enemies - we do not drag the bodies of our enemies through the streets; we do not cut off their heads to send a message or for entertainment. We are better than that.
Sunday's actions were terrible, sobering, unfortunate...and necessary. But the torturing of prisoners was not.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Professors Cornel West & Robert George
My aunt works at a Catholic center for evangelization in Madison, NJ, called St. Paul Inside the Walls and last night the center hosted a discussion on the nature and basis of human dignity with Professors Cornel West and Robert George. I've been a fan of Cornel West since the first time I caught him on Real Time with Bill Maher, so I jumped at the opportunity to see him - becuase he always makes me THINK.
Now I won't get into the specific details of the discussions and topics, but time was spent on the fact that people are the ends that societies means are supposed to serve and not the other way around; abortion; same sex marriage; the current struggle of American society; and whether or not christianity has been thoroughly highjacked by those interested in taking advantage of people for nothing more than their own benefit. Organized greed is a dangerous thing, and human beings have a value that you cannot put a price on. Again, it's all about making you think about the world around you, perhaps from someone else's perspective.
After the discussion I got a chance to meet Professor West briefly and hear him field direct questions from some of the event attendees. I didn't get a chance to ask my specific question during the event, but I was lucky in that the final questioner touched on the topic that I was going to raise. So, I simply listened to the ideas being passed in the very intimate after-event setting. However, on my way home I thought of a question that I would like to ask Professor West should our paths cross again: "Why is it that in New Jersey none of the gas stations that I come across have convenient stores attached to them? Every station that I pulled into was attached to a garage, and all I really wanted for my 10PM drive back to Poughkeepsie was a snack. I mean, what does a guy have to do to get some combos in this state?"
Now I won't get into the specific details of the discussions and topics, but time was spent on the fact that people are the ends that societies means are supposed to serve and not the other way around; abortion; same sex marriage; the current struggle of American society; and whether or not christianity has been thoroughly highjacked by those interested in taking advantage of people for nothing more than their own benefit. Organized greed is a dangerous thing, and human beings have a value that you cannot put a price on. Again, it's all about making you think about the world around you, perhaps from someone else's perspective.
After the discussion I got a chance to meet Professor West briefly and hear him field direct questions from some of the event attendees. I didn't get a chance to ask my specific question during the event, but I was lucky in that the final questioner touched on the topic that I was going to raise. So, I simply listened to the ideas being passed in the very intimate after-event setting. However, on my way home I thought of a question that I would like to ask Professor West should our paths cross again: "Why is it that in New Jersey none of the gas stations that I come across have convenient stores attached to them? Every station that I pulled into was attached to a garage, and all I really wanted for my 10PM drive back to Poughkeepsie was a snack. I mean, what does a guy have to do to get some combos in this state?"
Friday, April 1, 2011
ASCAP New York Sessions 2011
Allow me to give you some highlights from yesteday's ASCAP New York Sessions conference:
-Hearing Jeff Price, founder of TuneCore, get really emotional and pissed off about companies in the indusry who rip people off by saying they can deliver things that they cannot (i.e. getting your music on Pandora, etc.). Certain four-letter words were used to punctuate his anger.
-Around lunchtime, I got a text from a number I didn't recognize, area code 415. It said, "Grabbing lunch at the conference. In the lobby if you want to join." Who could this be? I responded, "Um...who is this?" And as soon as I hit send I looked up and saw, standing in a group three feet from me, Ken Flagg, who I met 2 years ago at the ASCAP Expo in LA but haven't seen since! Crazy. We went to lunch and then spent a good part of the day together. According to my Twitter account, we "hooked up." Awkward...
-I was surprised to hear Gregg Wattenberg (Five For Fighting, Daughtry, Train) say that the first band he worked with in a producer's role worked in Poughkeepsie. He then went on to say that if you've ever been to Poughkeepsie, the only thing there is to do is work. Hilarious. And true.
-The master session with Stargate & Sandy Vee was alright. They played a broken-down version of Katy Perry's "Firework" to show how they construct a song; they played a newly remixed version of Rihanna's "S&M" to show the things they do with time-stretching elements of a song to make a slightly different product; and they played a clip from one of Britney Spears' new songs, "Selfish," with a story about how Ester Dean has originally called it, "Man-Bitch." One word can make or break a song!
-Sometimes it's just painful to watch people get up on the mic to ask a question only have them ramble on about themselves and then ask the speaker if they would take their music. The more successful the panel, the more absurd and time-wasting the questions get, but it's like that everywhere.
This was the second ASCAP New York Sessions that I attended, but I do have to say that I thought 2009 had more energy, and that it doesn't even compare to the three-day expo in LA. But it was a good experience, and great to meet some people, reconnect with some people, and spend time with some of my fellow SongHall Writer's Workshop alumni.
After the conference, I went to The Bitter End for the SongHall New Writer's Showcase, featuring the band of Jeff DeVito, Particle Zoo, who I was in the workshop with and have written with. They kicked ass and were the highlight of the show. "B" Group rocks.
-Hearing Jeff Price, founder of TuneCore, get really emotional and pissed off about companies in the indusry who rip people off by saying they can deliver things that they cannot (i.e. getting your music on Pandora, etc.). Certain four-letter words were used to punctuate his anger.
-Around lunchtime, I got a text from a number I didn't recognize, area code 415. It said, "Grabbing lunch at the conference. In the lobby if you want to join." Who could this be? I responded, "Um...who is this?" And as soon as I hit send I looked up and saw, standing in a group three feet from me, Ken Flagg, who I met 2 years ago at the ASCAP Expo in LA but haven't seen since! Crazy. We went to lunch and then spent a good part of the day together. According to my Twitter account, we "hooked up." Awkward...
-I was surprised to hear Gregg Wattenberg (Five For Fighting, Daughtry, Train) say that the first band he worked with in a producer's role worked in Poughkeepsie. He then went on to say that if you've ever been to Poughkeepsie, the only thing there is to do is work. Hilarious. And true.
-The master session with Stargate & Sandy Vee was alright. They played a broken-down version of Katy Perry's "Firework" to show how they construct a song; they played a newly remixed version of Rihanna's "S&M" to show the things they do with time-stretching elements of a song to make a slightly different product; and they played a clip from one of Britney Spears' new songs, "Selfish," with a story about how Ester Dean has originally called it, "Man-Bitch." One word can make or break a song!
-Sometimes it's just painful to watch people get up on the mic to ask a question only have them ramble on about themselves and then ask the speaker if they would take their music. The more successful the panel, the more absurd and time-wasting the questions get, but it's like that everywhere.
This was the second ASCAP New York Sessions that I attended, but I do have to say that I thought 2009 had more energy, and that it doesn't even compare to the three-day expo in LA. But it was a good experience, and great to meet some people, reconnect with some people, and spend time with some of my fellow SongHall Writer's Workshop alumni.
After the conference, I went to The Bitter End for the SongHall New Writer's Showcase, featuring the band of Jeff DeVito, Particle Zoo, who I was in the workshop with and have written with. They kicked ass and were the highlight of the show. "B" Group rocks.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The $100 Offer
Saturday night my cover band In The Pocket played Bacchus in New Paltz. Good show. I hope you where there. Anyway, immediately after we played our encore a very...attractive (hot) blond woman with a slight foreign accent came right up next to me and started asking into my ear if I knew a certain song, which she then started singing. I recognized it, and thought it was some kind Irish or Scottish folk song, but I didn't really know it. She then asked me if I would sing it with her. I was reluctant, because we had just finished and turned off the equipment, and I didn't want the night to turn into some kind of drunken karaoke party (that's reserved for my show at Mulligan's). So, she says, "What if I gave you $100?" I responded, "Well, for $100 I guess I would sing just about anything." Off she went.
She came back with $80, and I laughingly told her that I didn't want her money. She persisted. I told her I hoped she enjoyed the show, but that I didn't want her money. I turned around and she literally put it in my back pocket. I took it out and gave it back to her. The guy she was with (boyfriend? husband?) then gave her another $20. "We're from New York and we want to have a good time." Listen, I'm flattered that you really want me to sing this song that I don't know with you, but you've had a lot to drink and I don't want your money. Believe me when I say that she used every form of female persuasion to get me to sing with her, but I held my ground. I hope you had fun, but I don't think it's going to happen. She was pretty disappointed.
Then she asked me what I was doing later.
She came back with $80, and I laughingly told her that I didn't want her money. She persisted. I told her I hoped she enjoyed the show, but that I didn't want her money. I turned around and she literally put it in my back pocket. I took it out and gave it back to her. The guy she was with (boyfriend? husband?) then gave her another $20. "We're from New York and we want to have a good time." Listen, I'm flattered that you really want me to sing this song that I don't know with you, but you've had a lot to drink and I don't want your money. Believe me when I say that she used every form of female persuasion to get me to sing with her, but I held my ground. I hope you had fun, but I don't think it's going to happen. She was pretty disappointed.
Then she asked me what I was doing later.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Bully Next Door
On September 1, 2010, upset with a rash of suicides by gay teens, writer and gay activist Dan Savage launched the It Gets Better Project. I remember first hearing about it from social and political blogger Andrew Sullivan, and being very moved watching the first videos and the ones that have followed. Some might say that the project peaked when President Obama recorded his own It Gets Better video, but the project still goes on in an effort to let young people know that it does get better. And it does.
But the problem is that some people don't get it. For all the news stories and the attention and the tragedies and the public discussions, some people just don't get it. You go on living your life, doing what you do, but for reasons probably passing understanding some people can find nothing better to do with their own lives than trying to bring you down. It may be a complete stranger making a derogatory comment about what you're doing or what you look like, or it may be someone that you've known well for years. The second can often times be the more troubling of the two. Is it bitterness that their life is not what they want it to be? It is jealousy that you're doing things with your life that they never had the ability to do? It is massive ego that makes them think they know what's best for your life, and you are to be looked down upon if you don't conform? The reasons don't really matter, but they try to shame you into doing what they want. They live in that magical realm where ignorance and solipsism meet, and expressing those traits is how they get off. It's called bullying, and some people never seem to grown out of it.
But one thing that I've learned is that one of the reasons it gets better is that you learn to rise above it. No matter who we are, what we do, or how well we do it, there will always be someone looking down from their tower, judging. They yell down that we should be doing or that and they revel in their superiority, enjoying ever minute of it. But the truth is that when all is said and done, they're up in that tower alone. And when no one measures up, what a lonely life that must be.
There are some people in this world that want nothing more than to bring you down. They are sad, bitter, and insignificant. Rise above it. Pass it on.
But the problem is that some people don't get it. For all the news stories and the attention and the tragedies and the public discussions, some people just don't get it. You go on living your life, doing what you do, but for reasons probably passing understanding some people can find nothing better to do with their own lives than trying to bring you down. It may be a complete stranger making a derogatory comment about what you're doing or what you look like, or it may be someone that you've known well for years. The second can often times be the more troubling of the two. Is it bitterness that their life is not what they want it to be? It is jealousy that you're doing things with your life that they never had the ability to do? It is massive ego that makes them think they know what's best for your life, and you are to be looked down upon if you don't conform? The reasons don't really matter, but they try to shame you into doing what they want. They live in that magical realm where ignorance and solipsism meet, and expressing those traits is how they get off. It's called bullying, and some people never seem to grown out of it.
But one thing that I've learned is that one of the reasons it gets better is that you learn to rise above it. No matter who we are, what we do, or how well we do it, there will always be someone looking down from their tower, judging. They yell down that we should be doing or that and they revel in their superiority, enjoying ever minute of it. But the truth is that when all is said and done, they're up in that tower alone. And when no one measures up, what a lonely life that must be.
There are some people in this world that want nothing more than to bring you down. They are sad, bitter, and insignificant. Rise above it. Pass it on.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Just What I Need
I'm sure this has happened to you before. You look at your to-do list and you see all the things that you have to accomplish - prepare for recording the saxophones this weekend, prepare for recording the slide guitar next weekend, schedule and continue prepping for recording the string sections, work on some new songs, etc., etc., etc. - and then you get a cough. The cough soon progresses to include a headache, and then to full-body chills. Needless to say, this is bullshit. And yet here I am. I went to the studio last night and took care of a few things that need to get done because I had the sneaking suspicion that I would feel worse today. And I do.
So, here I sit, enjoying ginger ale & orange juice (my favorite drink when I'm sidelined by germs). I'm able to do a little passive work, but any kind of active work is pretty much a no-go, and working out is completely out of the question. I'm currently watching The Daily Show. Next is The Colbert Report. I've already watched She's Out Of My League (which was great, by the way). I'm writing this blog. I sent some emails, and I will probably send some more. But it's so frustrating being taken out of the game when you've got so many things to do.
How do you pass the time when you're stuck home sick?
So, here I sit, enjoying ginger ale & orange juice (my favorite drink when I'm sidelined by germs). I'm able to do a little passive work, but any kind of active work is pretty much a no-go, and working out is completely out of the question. I'm currently watching The Daily Show. Next is The Colbert Report. I've already watched She's Out Of My League (which was great, by the way). I'm writing this blog. I sent some emails, and I will probably send some more. But it's so frustrating being taken out of the game when you've got so many things to do.
How do you pass the time when you're stuck home sick?
Monday, February 28, 2011
The SongHall Open Mic
Train ticket to the city: $31.50
MetroCard: $10
Pork-filled Dumplings: $8.66
Tip: $2.34
Breaking a glass and knocking someone else's wine down my pants while talking to the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame: Priceless
There are some things may help your career. For everything else, there's Steve Schultz.
Yes, it's true. I went to the city yesterday for the first SongHall Open Mic at Tom & Toon, just north of Times Square. It was nice to hang out, have some food, and listen to some aspiring songwriters. The stand-out performers to me (whose names I can remember) were Sandra Small, Draped in Green, and Adam Shenk. It was a very laid-back event, and toward the end of the evening I played "My Original Sin" and "The Hands of Angels" (a song that I had never played live before). At the end of the night, I was having a conversation with Peter Bliss, the professional acitivites coordinator for the Songwriters HOF. He had literally just finished telling me how my performance was the best he's ever heard me...when seconds later I knocked over a glass of wine belonging to Sally Morgan. The glass ended up broken on the floor, the wine down my leg. Seriously? I mean, seriously? Yeah. Seriously. But honestly, I've known Peter for almost a year, so I can't imagine any real damage was done. Just to my ego. ...Though as I write this blog, I'm realizing that I never offered to buy Sally another glass of wine. Oh, man. *slaps forehead* *sigh* This is why I hate Sundays.
Add to this the fact that I had to spend the rest of the night with a red wine stain on my jeans, and it was a perfect Costanza moment. Rock. On!
MetroCard: $10
Pork-filled Dumplings: $8.66
Tip: $2.34
Breaking a glass and knocking someone else's wine down my pants while talking to the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame: Priceless
There are some things may help your career. For everything else, there's Steve Schultz.
Yes, it's true. I went to the city yesterday for the first SongHall Open Mic at Tom & Toon, just north of Times Square. It was nice to hang out, have some food, and listen to some aspiring songwriters. The stand-out performers to me (whose names I can remember) were Sandra Small, Draped in Green, and Adam Shenk. It was a very laid-back event, and toward the end of the evening I played "My Original Sin" and "The Hands of Angels" (a song that I had never played live before). At the end of the night, I was having a conversation with Peter Bliss, the professional acitivites coordinator for the Songwriters HOF. He had literally just finished telling me how my performance was the best he's ever heard me...when seconds later I knocked over a glass of wine belonging to Sally Morgan. The glass ended up broken on the floor, the wine down my leg. Seriously? I mean, seriously? Yeah. Seriously. But honestly, I've known Peter for almost a year, so I can't imagine any real damage was done. Just to my ego. ...Though as I write this blog, I'm realizing that I never offered to buy Sally another glass of wine. Oh, man. *slaps forehead* *sigh* This is why I hate Sundays.
Add to this the fact that I had to spend the rest of the night with a red wine stain on my jeans, and it was a perfect Costanza moment. Rock. On!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Some Commets On Today's Weather
Friday, February 18, 2011
Keegan Ales
I can never get over how much fun I have when I play a Thursday night at Keegan Ales in Kingston. The crowd is great, the food is great, the beer is great, and the people who run the place are great. I have been playing there for years, as have my friends the BIG Shoe, so we know the proprietors fairly well. If you've never been, you have to go, and Thursdays are different from any other night in terms of craziness. Let give you some highlights from last night:
-I always like to take requests from the crowd whenever I play, and it's always great when I can pull out a choice request that really makes someone's night. Last night there were two: "Smoke," by Ben Folds Five, and then "Kodachrome," by Paul Simon (which I had never played before).
-During the 2nd set, my g-string broke....on my guitar. So, I had to switch things around and play the rest of the set on the keyboard. I broke out "Time After Time," by Cyndi Lauper, and I got through about 98% of the song without major incident when I looked up and noticed that a guy was holding a cell phone up to me. I immediately got confused and abruptly stopped playing in the middle of the last piano riff. He smiled, closed his phone, and walked away. I guess someone he knows must love that song, so when I started playing it he pulled out his phone and made a call so the person could listen. Didn't I feel like rock star?
-I got an amazing Cuban sandwich.
-Toward the end of the 3rd set, I played "Fuck You," by Cee Lo Green, and I prefaced it by saying if the crowd didn't sing along I may never be booked at Keegan again. They were game, and every time we got to the "fuck you" lyric the crowd did the work. There's something magical in being able to get a crowd of people to scream "fuck you" over, and over, and over again.
-Having the crowd ask for two more songs after I finished. Enough said.
I can't wait to get back there.
-I always like to take requests from the crowd whenever I play, and it's always great when I can pull out a choice request that really makes someone's night. Last night there were two: "Smoke," by Ben Folds Five, and then "Kodachrome," by Paul Simon (which I had never played before).
-During the 2nd set, my g-string broke....on my guitar. So, I had to switch things around and play the rest of the set on the keyboard. I broke out "Time After Time," by Cyndi Lauper, and I got through about 98% of the song without major incident when I looked up and noticed that a guy was holding a cell phone up to me. I immediately got confused and abruptly stopped playing in the middle of the last piano riff. He smiled, closed his phone, and walked away. I guess someone he knows must love that song, so when I started playing it he pulled out his phone and made a call so the person could listen. Didn't I feel like rock star?
-I got an amazing Cuban sandwich.
-Toward the end of the 3rd set, I played "Fuck You," by Cee Lo Green, and I prefaced it by saying if the crowd didn't sing along I may never be booked at Keegan again. They were game, and every time we got to the "fuck you" lyric the crowd did the work. There's something magical in being able to get a crowd of people to scream "fuck you" over, and over, and over again.
-Having the crowd ask for two more songs after I finished. Enough said.
I can't wait to get back there.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Lady Gaga va. Madonna
I was driving to the studio early yesterday afternoon to what turned out to be a 13-hour recording session, tired, hungover, and hungry. I had just grabbed some food at Dunkin Donuts when on the radio came what I've heard is going to be one of the best songs of the decade - "Born This Way," by Lady Gaga. Now, I'm not a "Gagite" by any means, but I think she's a talented performer who works with exceedingly skilled songwriters and producers (though the whole "eccentric genius" thing is pure marketing and nothing else), and I think a lot of her music is pretty catchy.
So, there it was on the radio for me to listen. And as I listened, something odd happened: I started thinking of a song by another famous female artist. And I thought, "Wow, it's not often that a song makes me specifically think of another song. They really sound similar." As I went through my day and my hangover subsided, I noticed that people were posting on Facebook about hearing the same similarity between the songs. Then yesterday morning I turned on the TV and guess what they're talking about? That's right.
Now, making homages to other influential and respected artists is something that has been done for years. For example, The Beatles paid homage to the Beach Boys with "Back in the USSR." The difference, however, is that you don't hear "Back in the USSR" and think of "California Girls." When I heard "Born This Way," I thought of "Express Yourself", by Madonna (with a little "Vogue" thrown in for good measure). Is this a copyright violation? Well, I'm not a lawyer, and I know that it's a hard thing to prove, but I think a very strong case could be made. I cannot imagine this song was released without someone in the chain noticing and bringing up the similarities. So was the decision made from the beginning to make the songs sound similar regardless of the consequences, or to simply release the song in hopes that no one would notice? I actually just heard that Madonna (or a rep for her) contacted Lady Gaga to give her support. Whatever. Either way I won't be buying the CD.
"Are people really only now catching up to the fact that Lady Gaga is doing Madonna? Oh right, her pointy bullet tits have sparklers." - Bill Maher on Twitter
So, there it was on the radio for me to listen. And as I listened, something odd happened: I started thinking of a song by another famous female artist. And I thought, "Wow, it's not often that a song makes me specifically think of another song. They really sound similar." As I went through my day and my hangover subsided, I noticed that people were posting on Facebook about hearing the same similarity between the songs. Then yesterday morning I turned on the TV and guess what they're talking about? That's right.
Now, making homages to other influential and respected artists is something that has been done for years. For example, The Beatles paid homage to the Beach Boys with "Back in the USSR." The difference, however, is that you don't hear "Back in the USSR" and think of "California Girls." When I heard "Born This Way," I thought of "Express Yourself", by Madonna (with a little "Vogue" thrown in for good measure). Is this a copyright violation? Well, I'm not a lawyer, and I know that it's a hard thing to prove, but I think a very strong case could be made. I cannot imagine this song was released without someone in the chain noticing and bringing up the similarities. So was the decision made from the beginning to make the songs sound similar regardless of the consequences, or to simply release the song in hopes that no one would notice? I actually just heard that Madonna (or a rep for her) contacted Lady Gaga to give her support. Whatever. Either way I won't be buying the CD.
"Are people really only now catching up to the fact that Lady Gaga is doing Madonna? Oh right, her pointy bullet tits have sparklers." - Bill Maher on Twitter
Monday, February 7, 2011
A Diner In Name Only?
When I was in high school (and during my time home during college), the favorite hangout for my friends and me was the diner. Specifically, The Palace Diner. Sure, there are others in the area, but The Palace was ours. Any day of the week, any time of the day, you could probably catch us there. Sometimes we would even be there more than once in a 24-hour period, and I still don't understand how I acquired all the money that I sunk there. It still baffles my mind. But the Palace always fit the criteria for being called a diner: open all day, every day; a menu that contained everything and was available all day, every day; and a retro feel.
Around 1:30AM Sunday morning, a friend and I ended up at The Eveready Diner. Now, I've been to the Eveready numerous times before, the food is good, and it's been featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." But it doesn't quite fit the definition of a diner in my mind. Retro feel? Check. Extensive menu available at all hours? Check. But it's only open 24/7 on the weekends; during the week it's closed from 1AM-5AM. Sure, the word "diner" is in the name, but is it a diner in name only? Are you automatically a diner if you just call yourself one? Where do we draw the line between a diner and a restaurant? The fate of the western world depends on the answer to this question.
Around 1:30AM Sunday morning, a friend and I ended up at The Eveready Diner. Now, I've been to the Eveready numerous times before, the food is good, and it's been featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." But it doesn't quite fit the definition of a diner in my mind. Retro feel? Check. Extensive menu available at all hours? Check. But it's only open 24/7 on the weekends; during the week it's closed from 1AM-5AM. Sure, the word "diner" is in the name, but is it a diner in name only? Are you automatically a diner if you just call yourself one? Where do we draw the line between a diner and a restaurant? The fate of the western world depends on the answer to this question.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Drum Editing & Beer
If you've never had the experience of cleaning and editing live drum tracks...I recommend that you avoid it. It's incredibly tedious and redundant, but sadly it's also incredibly effective and purposeful. You don't realize how much work is going to be involved when you say, "Alright, let's lay down the drum tracks for 16 tunes." And as everyone knows, it's always easier to add drum hits than to take them out. Have an out of time cymbal hit? Those overhead microphones are gonna kill you.
Luckily, there is one thing that helps with drum editing, as with any other monotonous activity: beer. And what's even better is beer that you made yourself. For Christmas, Seth's girlfriend gave him a brewing kit from Northern Brewer, along with the ingredients for an IPA (if you're interested in homebrewing, check them out - the instructional video was hilarious). We started brewing right before New Years, and we bottled about 2 weeks ago. Now, I'm not a big IPA fan, but this stuff is good. Sadly, we only made 5 gallons worth, which filled only 48 bottles. Seth is already talking about upgrading from the 5 gallon bucket to the 14-gallon fermentor, but maybe we should make a few more batches before he goes all out. For the next one, he's thinking an Irish Red.
And the drum editing continues.
Luckily, there is one thing that helps with drum editing, as with any other monotonous activity: beer. And what's even better is beer that you made yourself. For Christmas, Seth's girlfriend gave him a brewing kit from Northern Brewer, along with the ingredients for an IPA (if you're interested in homebrewing, check them out - the instructional video was hilarious). We started brewing right before New Years, and we bottled about 2 weeks ago. Now, I'm not a big IPA fan, but this stuff is good. Sadly, we only made 5 gallons worth, which filled only 48 bottles. Seth is already talking about upgrading from the 5 gallon bucket to the 14-gallon fermentor, but maybe we should make a few more batches before he goes all out. For the next one, he's thinking an Irish Red.
And the drum editing continues.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Jason Segal vs. Productivity
If you haven't seen it, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a great movie. If I remember correctly, I saw it for the first time in April 2009, and it was my first real introduction to Jason Segel. I've since become a big fan of his work on How I Met Your Mother and in movies like I Love You, Man, but Forgetting Sarah Marshall was the first.
And so I'm always put into this difficult position when I have things that I want to accomplish (like writing, or website updates, or whatever) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall comes on TV. Right now it's on FX. What am I supposed to do? It's a well-known fact that it's one of those movies that I can watch anywhere, anytime. But I have these things to do - specifially, I want to write this blog. Resistance is futile, but maybe I can block out the movie long enough to make this happen.
One of the ways that I'm working to make the new album stand head and shoulders above my first is an element that simply was not an option in the winter/spring of 2007: strings. There were a few tunes on A Thin Line that I defintely could have heard strings on, but money and time just didn't make it possible. But this time, obstacles be damned. Brian Zeller, keyboardist and trombone player for the BIG Shoe, is working on string arrangements for a handful of the new tunes, and we talked today about how it's going. I should be getting my first glimpse at them sometime this week, and I'm excited to see what he's come up with. Other than that, we're working on drum editing and bass parts. The plan is to start guitars and keyboards in early February.
I'm also working on the video for the "Endless Sky," which I will be releasing in a few days. Busy.
And so I'm always put into this difficult position when I have things that I want to accomplish (like writing, or website updates, or whatever) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall comes on TV. Right now it's on FX. What am I supposed to do? It's a well-known fact that it's one of those movies that I can watch anywhere, anytime. But I have these things to do - specifially, I want to write this blog. Resistance is futile, but maybe I can block out the movie long enough to make this happen.
One of the ways that I'm working to make the new album stand head and shoulders above my first is an element that simply was not an option in the winter/spring of 2007: strings. There were a few tunes on A Thin Line that I defintely could have heard strings on, but money and time just didn't make it possible. But this time, obstacles be damned. Brian Zeller, keyboardist and trombone player for the BIG Shoe, is working on string arrangements for a handful of the new tunes, and we talked today about how it's going. I should be getting my first glimpse at them sometime this week, and I'm excited to see what he's come up with. Other than that, we're working on drum editing and bass parts. The plan is to start guitars and keyboards in early February.
I'm also working on the video for the "Endless Sky," which I will be releasing in a few days. Busy.
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