If You Watch Football on Thanksgiving, You Are Part of the Problem

The past couple of days, this article has been repeatedly showing up in my Facebook feed and been stuck in my stuffing since I first saw it. It's a post by blogger Matt Walsh decrying the bloated growth of Black Friday to the point where our national day of Thanksgiving could more accurately be called Black Thanksgiving (coincidentally also the name of my unwritten holiday-themed horror movie), and for the most part he's right. We live in a country that has a nasty problem with consumerism and debt, and stores being open for big sales on Thanksgiving is really all the evidence you need that the problem is getting worse. But just because you don't go shopping doesn't mean you're not a part of the same problem you're so enraged by. What do you do on your holiday that causes others not to have one?

Matt writes:

Capitalism is great, but some things are greater. Family is greater. Yes, these folks choose to work at these stores. Yes, they likely knew when they signed up that they'd be sacrificing their Thanksgivings. Yes, at least they have jobs. Yes, sure, and so what? If that's enough in your mind to justify participating in the destruction of a great American tradition -- good for you. But you COULD wait until Friday, couldn't you? And if you did wait until Friday, and if everyone waited until Friday, no store would ever open on Thanksgiving again, right? So you COULD take steps to protect Thanksgiving from the decay of materialism and consumerism, and, while you're at it, give this wonderful holiday back to the customer service representatives who have been forced to abandon it and cater to the stampeding throngs, right?

An interesting point, and in light of it I would like to ask Matt, and everyone else who is outraged over stores being open on Thanksgiving, a few questions. To start: do you watch football on Thanksgiving? Have you ever spent your holiday going to a game? If so, have you ever thought about all the people who have to work to make the game and the broadcast happen? The last game was less than 3 days ago on Monday night - can't you wait until Sunday for another? And if you did wait until Sunday, and if everyone waited til Sunday, no football game would ever be played on Thanksgiving again, right? From parking attendants, to ushers, to security, to food service workers, I'm sure they're all more than happy to give up their Thanksgivings so that you can sit home or in the stadium and enjoy yours more. But it's OK, because football makes the day more bearable and it's tradition, right?

Have you ever been to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, or watched it on TV? Have you ever thought of the number of extra cops who have to work because of that 4-hour commercial which, by the way, has become a glowing symbol of the very consumerism you have such a problem with? What about all the workers who have to staff the businesses along the parade route? I went to the parade when I was in 7th grade. We took Metro-North into the city, had lunch at McDonald's in Times Square, and froze our asses off. But it's OK, because it's tradition, right?

One of my biggest pet peeves with holidays in general is that once 8PM rolls around, most everything is done with and there's really nothing to do...but you can always go to the movies. Have you ever gone to the movies on Thanksgiving? Do you think the people who sell you your ticket, sell you your snacks, run the projectors, and then clean the theaters are simply not interested in spending time with family and friends? I don't know, but regardless it's OK, because after all nothing says "giving thanks" like catching one of the 17 Thanksgiving Day showings of The Hunger Games at your local Regal, right?

Lots of people consider it a holiday to not have to cook on Thanksgiving. Have you ever eaten at a restaurant on Thanksgiving? Maybe a Denny's. What about gotten coffee at a diner or a drink at a bar with some friends that you don't see very often? Do you think the wait staff and cooks have an aversion to being in close quarters with loved ones, and therefore are cool with working? Maybe it's a family establishment and so it's all good because they're all in it together. I really don't know.

If you were to call 911, would you expect someone to answer and help to be sent your way? Probably. I have a paramedic friend who has worked Thanksgiving for years, and not because he doesn't like turkey.

This Thanksgiving I will probably watch football (though I'm not a huge fan), may watch the parade (though I find it kinda boring), and might hit a diner, grab a drink, or see a movie (though probably not The Hunger Games). I doubt I'll call 911, though who the hell knows? I won't be doing any shopping, but I also won't be under the delusion that nothing I do this holiday will have a negative impact on other people. Companies like Wal*Mart who employ workers at low wages and use shady compensation tactics to prevent them from truly making holiday pay should of course be ashamed of themselves, but the emergence of more "open for business" signs on Thanksgiving is merely an extension of a problem in America that has been building for years and years: those who can afford it will have good holidays, and those who cannot will work.

And just like you're so upset about Thanksgiving Day sales, I guarantee that in 10 years you would be flipping a shit if they decided to end them. Because by that time it would be tradition, right?

The Daily Show Taping

My viewing habits of The Daily Show vary. Sometimes I watch it a lot, sometimes I'll go weeks and weeks without seeing it. Recently - thanks to the government shutdown and the roll-out of HealthCare.gov - I've been watching a lot. Almost every day. And so since tickets are free and I can, I decided I wanted to go see it live.

If you've ever been to the taping or live broadcast of a show like this, you know that the one thing you do the most of is wait. Tickets are handed out starting at 2:30. By the time I got into the city and made my way to the studio it was 1:15, and there were already 78 people in line ahead of me (I know this because tickets are numbered and I got 79). So, I waited In the sun. Then in the shade. Listening to Paul Simon's Concert in the Park. It truly was a gorgeous day to stand in NYC and do nothing. After killing 2 hours it was back in line, through security, and then to my seat. Of course the studio was smaller than it looked on TV. However, the thing that struck me the most was how the studio looked in person. It's hard to describe how starkly real everything looked after having only seen it on TV for years and years. The map behind the desk. The globe hanging from the ceiling.

And then we waited some more. But while we waited I got to meet my seat neighbor: Joe, a retired contractor from western Canada on trip with some of his friends. They had spent a few days in Boston, seen a couple Patriots games, then made their way to New York. We had a great conversation, and he asked me what I would recommend doing in the city that he hadn't through of. I suggested riding the Staten Island Ferry at night so he could see the skyline and Statue of Liberty all lit up from the water.

After the very funny warm-up comedian, Jon Stewart came out and took questions from the audience...but the first question wasn't a question at all. It was an older woman telling him he should donate money to Wendy Davis, who is running for governor of Texas. It would be like me going to up to Billy Joel and forcing him to take one of my CDs. (I would never, ever do such a thing, right?! Right.) The last question was the best, though. A woman asked him if he thought comedy was inherently cynical, and he gave an inspiring answer about how he actually thought the reverse: comedy is inherently idealistic and and a way to shed light on things that can and should be better. And then he said, "Let's do the show!" Springsteen's "Born To Run" came on the PA, he sat down, the crew hurried around a little, and within seconds we were into the taping with a lot of great energy.

The show itself was very funny and Alan Greenspan was a interesting guest, but it struck me that Jon Stewart wasn't really performing the show for the live audience (though we were there and an integral part of the show). He was actually focusing his attention on the viewer at home. He spoke directly into a camera that was often fairly close to him, and his voice was amplified only just enough for the crowd to hear what he was saying (presumably for technical reasons). As a result, some moments of the show were lost on us because we were cheering or laughing too loud to hear everything he said or did. For example, the beginning when he says, "Welcome to The Daily Show, I'm Jon Stewart," etc. But we couldn't hear him say any of that because we were cheering so wildly.

We were in and out of the studio in 2 hours. And then I had dinner at Empanada Mama. Now I've just gotta go back for Colbert

The "Best of Hudson Valley" Party

In late August, my cover band In The Pocket found out that we won "Best Local Musician" in Hudson Valley Magazine's annual "Best of Hudson Valley" contest. We had asked our fans and followers to vote for us online, but to be quite honest we didn't think we had a chance of winning when you consider the amount of talent in the area. As a result we were surprised, excited, and somewhat amused at the implication that apparently our 6 abilities have to be combined in order to win an award meant for just one person. Oh well.

Last Thursday was the party at the Poughkeepsie Grand. We were offered the option to play and were happy to be asked, but after a few considerations decided it wasn't going to work out for us on that date. Instead, 3 of us - along with friends and family - went to enjoy ourselves. None of us had ever been to the event before, so we were all looking forward to a good time. And a good time was had.

I can sum up the party in two words: free stuff. If you've never been, it's worth experiencing. You walk in the door and people start putting free stuff in your hands - including free tote bags to carry all the free stuff. Stickers, pens, raffles, pamphlets. Drinks! I mean just the fact that less than 30 minutes into the event we had had beer, wine, bourbon, and rye (all of which was top notch) should be enough to get anyone in the door. But maybe drinks aren't your thing? The food was intense. We had Indian, Mexican, Italian, American. Bar food, gourmet food, light food, heavy food. Cheesecake, cannolis, cookies, chocolate mousse. There was more food in more styles from more places than we could possibly eat, but we sure tried.

And they did have a band playing. Not one that got an award, but a band. How were they? A pretty standard wedding band, really. A few of the members looked fairly unenthusiastic, and some of them looked like subs. We don't do that.

A big thanks to everyone who voted for us, and I guess we'll see if next year we can win again! Maybe in 2014 we can win "Best Local Band," though? Somehow that seems more appropriate.

New York Songwriters Circle: Part II

In my last blog, I talked about how at my New York Songwriters Circle showcase I was on stage with some serious talent. Well, here are my favorite performances from each of them. Check them out - I bet you'll be impressed. (For whatever reason, blogger.com was only able to find and embed Brian's performance, but not the others. The links will take you to YouTube to watch the rest.)

Brian Dunne

Merrily James - http://youtu.be/qvSFmBbVits

Sara Lewis - http://youtu.be/asrr-WDTQyg

Lynda DeFuria - http://youtu.be/fE1Dp1dEUdI

The New York Songwriters Circle Showcase (AKA The Night I Met Billy Joel)

Presumably because the universe likes to play games with me, I was not guaranteed to make it to my first New York Songwriters Circle showcase on Monday. A long line of storms and a tornado watch not only had me driving to the train station in a monsoon, but also had me stuck on a train impeded by a downed tree on the tracks. This turned a normally "blissful" 1:40 train ride into a...somewhat impatient and inconvenienced 2:45 train ride. And did I mention I forgot my headphones? As a result I got to the Bitter End a full hour after I had planned, and had missed the 6PM soundcheck. Oh well, I'll roll with it.

If you've never been to the Bitter End, it's not a big place, and if you're there an hour or two before the start of a show it's also pretty empty. So, I walked in, found the director of the Circle, Tina Shafer, introduced myself, glanced past her, and saw the man wearing a jacket and baseball cap having a glass of wine with a woman at a table about 15 feet from me. I knew immediately it was Billy Joel. What the hell was he doing here other than stopping into one of his early venues for a drink? No idea, but there he was. Was he going to be staying for the showcase? No idea, but there he was. I finished my conversation with Tina and then pretty much went about my business waiting for the showcase to start. I walked past him a few times, but I didn't want to interrupt since I know I hate it when I go out for a drink and fans are constantly coming up to me. I mean, we all know how that feels, right? Riiiiiight.

Around 7:20, he and his friend got up and started gathering their stuff together, and a couple of other showcase performers who were sitting near him made their move for introductions and pictures. OK, this was my chance. I grabbed a CD and walked over. As he turned to head toward the door I went up to him and said, "Hey, can I be that guy?" I introduced myself, shook his hand, asked if I could give him a CD because I had done a cover of "New York State of Mind" on it, and told him he had been a big influence on my music. He thanked me, took the CD, and then wished me luck in the showcase. He took a couple more pictures with other performers and looked at the big mural on the back wall while mentioned that it didn't used to be there, and then he was gone. And that was it. My entire encounter with him lasted probably 30 seconds, and I didn't get the chance to apologize for lying to his face the first time we met. But I got the CD in his hand. Why didn't I ask for a picture? Because I felt I had room for one request - either a picture or offering him a CD - and the CD was the more important option. Sure, Tony Basile may not believe any of this happened without a picture, but that's his loss. Do I think anything will come of it? Nah. But that's not really the point, is it?

And then the showcase went really well! Believe me when I say that the talent on the stage was seriously impressive. There were more piano players than Sara Lewis and I both expected, and lots of songs about lost loves and broken relationships (that part wasn't so surprising). I played "Over The Edge," "Shadow," and "A Kind Of Faith," and it was absolutely my best performance at the Bitter End. I played well, the audience was very receptive to all the music, and after "Shadow" Merrily James sat at the piano and said into the mic, "That was awesome." Thanks, Merrily. You were pretty awesome, yourself.

The CyberPR Digital Press Conference

Last Wednesday I spent the day in Brooklyn at my first CyberPR Digital Press Conference. What is a digital press conference? Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a day to get together with bloggers, internet radio DJs, and other artists at the CyberPR headquarters. I knew it was going to be a good day because I got a parking spot right out front and nailed the parallel parking job.

The majority of the day was spent meeting other people at the conference. I've been involved with CyberPR since the beginning of the year (and with founder Ariel Hyatt for longer than that through her books and social media strategies) but had never actually been to HQ, so it was great to finally shake hands with the people I've been working with. And it was fantastic to meet those I didn't even know had done work on my campaign, like  interns working with the company. I had a particularly great conversation with Brooke, who was so excited to me meet, tell me that she worked on my blog pitching, and and tell me that she loves my song, "Shadow." I definitely appreciate the positive feedback from my music.

Musically, there was a good mix of artists present and performing, ranging from Roswitha, to Kent Gustavson, to Scott Krokoff, to Ken Coulson, to Greater Alexander (who drove all the way from Detroit), and more. I could go on about each of their sets, but suffice to say that my favorite performance was by Mike Krenner.

Along with the networking (and putting my CD into the hand of practically anyone who would take it), I had a few scheduled interviews and a 20-minute showcase. The keyboard I used was a lovely piece of...antiquated equipment, but it absolutely got the job done, and performing was one of the highlights of the day. Funny moment: I opened my set with "Over The Edge," and as I sang the first line Ariel Hyatt's assistant, Bryn (hey, Bryn), turned and looked at me with wide eyes as if to say, "Holy shit, where did that voice come from?" The answer is Poughkeepsie, NY.

All in all, a good day. It's nice to be around and included in such a wonderful group of people.

And the food was great.

Deconstructing "New York State of Mind": Part II

Over the past 2 weeks since the released of the "New York State of Mind" video, I've gotten some questions about it. Let's answer some.

Did you visit places in NYS that didn't make it into the final video?

Yes. There were a number of places that we filmed but just didn't have enough time to include. Especially since I wanted to make sure the video wasn't too heavy on the NYC locations. Because of that, Little Italy and Chinatown didn't make the cut, as well as few Long Island spots. Here's a video I put together of locations that were deleted due to time constraints:

There was also one spot we visited but didn't end up filming, and that was the United Nations. Why? Because they didn't have any flags out when we got there, and without the flags it's not really all exciting. And that's about 8 blocks of walking that I will never get back.

Many shirts, washed shirt, or stinky shirt?

Somewhere in the middle, actually. On the first 3-day leg I had a different black undershirt for each day, and I took the blue button-down off and hung it up between locations. Each of the other days were filmed separately, so I was able to wash my shirts no problem. But I will let you know that I wore the same jeans. These are the sacrifices you have to make.

What was your favorite location?

I really loved being in the Adirondacks because I spent a lot of time there when I was growing up but hadn't been there in years. A friend's grandparents had a house right on Tupper Lake and I would go up with him and his family (his aunt, uncle, and cousins live there now...and yes I drove by to see it!), so it was great to be there again. But my favorite location was Whiteface Mountain. For all the time I spent up there I had never made it to the top before, and if you've never been you have to do. Amazing views and great history.

Niagara Falls is obviously also spectacular.

The video is up over 3,500 views and climbing. Let's keep it going.

Deconstructing "New York State of Mind": Part I

I've gotten a bunch of questions about my recently released video for "New York State of Mind" - everything from what was your itinerary, to did you visit places that didn't make the video, to how dirty was that shirt by the end of shooting? So, let's break it down. First, the video:

I wanted to include a cover song as a bonus track on Over The Edge from the beginning, and since "New York State of Mind" has become a bit of a standard for me it was obviously the most appropriate song. But I wanted it to be more than that. So early on the idea came to make a video about me traveling around New York State to go with the recording. I distinctly remembering having my first conversation about it with Tony Basile at Gourmet Pizza in New Paltz late one night in August/September 2010 (that's how long I've been planning this out). It was very important to me that we show New York State as more than just "the city," which is what a lot of non-New Yorkers think when you tell them where you're from.

The first 3 days of shooting took place September 25-27, 2012, and they broke down like this: Wappingers Falls to Buffalo, Buffalo to Potsdam, Potsdam to Wappingers Falls. We traveled over 1,400 miles, and our days started at 5 or 6 in the morning and didn't end until 9 or 10 at night. It was 3 days on the road and it was a lot of fun. Some places I had never been to and more places Tony had never been to. Niagara Falls was great (the only part of the video filmed outside of New York), as was going to the top of Whiteface Mountain (which neither of us had done before). And I think I can speak for Tony when I say that the best place we ate along the way was Piggy Pat's BBQ outside Utica, which we were turned on to by my friend Matt Taube.

One Sunday afternoon the next month, we were supposed to do some shooting for the "Shadow" video, but we had to reschedule. So, Tony & I decided to use the time to instead shoot some of the historic areas near us in the Hudson Valley. And it was that day at the FDR Presidential Library where this picture occured:

Bad ass.

The next plan was to shoot Long Island, but we got hit with conflicting schedules, Hurricane Sandy, and winter, so we had to wait. Shooting resumed on June 18, 2013, with a one-day trip through Long Island and back. I very much wanted to get shots of the historic Montauk Point Lighthouse at the tip of the island, and we got there at 5:15PM. It closes at 5:30. We got lucky. The most fun of that day was shooting the test-of-strength scene at Adventureland in East Farmingdale, but damn was it hot.

Six days later, on June 24, we set out to do all 5 boroughs of NYC. This turned out to be somewhat tricky because you could make multiple videos of just New York City, so we had to pick and choose what we shot. And again, my plan was to show that New York State was more than just NYC, so we didn't want to overload the video, anyway. We hit the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, then took the Staten Island Ferry into Manhattan. We then went up to 125th St. and started making our way down the island. Its safe to say that we walked well over 60 blocks, and believe me when I tell you it was hot and humid, and I was wearing jeans, two shirts, a fedora, and very inappropriate walking shoes. Plus I was carrying my trumpet for the scene at the Apollo Theatre. It was an adventure.

All in we traveled over 2,500 miles to shoot what we did. Obviously we could've traveled more, but time kept us from getting everywhere we wanted.

That seems like enough for now. More breakdown in my next blog!

The. Worst. Gig. Ever.

Getting paid to spend a Sunday afternoon playing with my band right on the edge of the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie for an estimated crowd of about 1,200 sounds like a fantastic way to spend a day, doesn't it? Sunshine, the river, a large audience, music - how could that miss? I'll tell you how: rain. Lots and lots and lots of rain. And thunder. And lightning.

Sure the day started out beautiful. We got there, enjoyed some rudeness from the event organizer over how many cars we had brought, set up, and sound checked. Everything sounded good, the sun was out, I had rocked the sunblock so as to not burn from the sun bouncing off the water, and we were ready to go. In fact, we actually got going. We played about 11 songs before it started to rain. And it wasn't coming down hard at first, but to protect our equipment we had to unplug the electric (to the distress of the event organizer who didn't understand why we couldn't have the PA on playing music). But then we looked at the radar. Bad news bears.

It's hard to put into words just how much rain came down and how wet our equipment got. Luckily, I don't have to so much because I took some video:


As you can see, damn. And that rain went on for like 45 minutes at least. It's worth noting that the tents you saw over us are more for shade than for protecting the equipment from that kind of weather. You may have also noticed a couple non band members standing under the tents with us. Those were either event volunteers or attendees helping us hold the tents down to keep them from flying away. Yes, there was that much wind. At one point we almost had one tent fly away and that would've been game over for some of our equipment. By the end of the storm, I was so wet it was like I had jumped into the river itself.

But we got through it, and everything seems to be in proper working order. I shall never forget you, worst gig ever. May we never meet again.

The Road Trip Playlist: Part II

Way back on October 2nd, I wrote about a 3-day, 1400+ mile road trip that I took and the long list of albums that we listened to along the way. Well, last week I took a related 1-day, 430-mile road trip...and hopefully very soon I'll be able to show you why I have been taking these trips! But until then, here is the playlist for the 1-day road trip:

Matchbox 20 - North
Rob Thomas - Cradlesong
Jimmy Cliff - Rebirth
Billy Joel - Piano Man
Billy Joel - 52nd Street
Billy Joel - Songs In The Attic
Billy Joel - The Nylon Curtain
Billy Joel - Glass Houses
Billy Joel - The Bridge
Billy Joel - Storm Front
Billy Joel - River of Dreams

I guess we went a little heavy on the Billy Joel, but it felt appropriate. In fact, it's a bit of a clue as to where I was. Hmm. You'll find out soon...

Favorite Album Launch Party Moment?

There are a lot of great moments from Saturday night's Album Launch Party that I could point to and highlight. Performances of certain songs, friends coming out, the pizza - I could go on. But I've been trying to think about and pinpoint my favorite moment. And I don't know if I can, to be honest! But let's pretend that I can and I'll focus on the song I closed the night with, "The Hands of Angels."

On the album, "The Hands of Angels" is a comparatively sparse recording with a fantastic string arrangement by Brian Zeller. But obviously I can't have a string section for live performances, right? Right. So, I had to figure out something else, and the idea came in to arrange the string section for alto sax - an idea that was kind of inspired by Billy Joel's "Where's The Orchestra?" If you've ever seen me soundcheck you may have caught me playing it, and through the link you can hear that the song is also sparse and uses the alto sax very effectively. I wanted to try to capture that feeling with the live version of "The Hands of Angels."

Strings and saxes have very different characteristics and are capable of very different things, but upon listening back to the recording of the night I think it came off really well. The alto almost adds of bit of a jazzy flavor that gives the song another dimension, and since it essential makes the performance a duet between me and the sax player (in this case, Christopher Brellochs), it really showcases the intimacy that the song needs. You'll be hearing that again.

You can get your copy of "The Hands of Angels," and the entire Over The Edge album, here.

One Week Out

We're one week out from the full release of Over The Edge, and some things are starting to happen. A few of my new songs are getting some placements on various podcasts - one based out of South Carolina, another dedicated to jogging to up-tempo indie music. TheCelebrityCafe.com is current hosting a contest where 5 winners will receive a copy of the CD. I'm traveling up to Albany on Thursday to be interviewed for on The New School's internet radio, and June 21st I'm going to be featured on The Hudson Valley Music Spotlight on 100.7FM WHUD. All the lyric videos are done and will be posted on YouTube by this Friday. Other things are in the works.

The thing that still remains a challenge is booking - specifically outside of the Hudson Valley. Albany, New York City, western Connecticut, northern New Jersey - I've reached out to venues in each of these areas and haven't had much success. I've contacted other artists to talk about splitting shows in our respective home markets without anything panning out so far. It's almost like a catch-22: they won't book you unless they know you, but they won't know you until they book you. It's not a very easy environment to make headway in.

Most everything else are detail things. Making sure everything is lined up for the Album Launch Party on June 8. Rehearsing with the band. Planning the food and raffles. Following up with my PR company every day. Finishing up the next video (not really a details thing, but it is waiting to be finished). And as always, the thing that I never get to do enough is write. One day I will have resources, and do-it-yourself will no longer be do-it-all-yourself. I see other artists releasing 2 or more albums in the time it takes me to do 1. They're able to put together a tour and I struggle to book shows.

But there are better things coming up on the road ahead. I can feel it.

We're Lawbreakers

I've played a lot of gigs. Hundreds, I believe. Indoors, outdoors, large crowds, small crowds, jazz, rock, acoustic - a lot of gigs. But this past Friday with my cover band In The Pocket at the Quiet Man Pub, something happened that had never happened at one of my shows before: somebody called the cops. I feel like it's a rite of passage or something. We were being too loud - rocking it too hard - and someone had had enough.

About 1/3 of the way through the first of two sets (yes, we had barely gotten going), I watched as two police officers came in and began talking to the bartender, who was obviously pissed. This bar has been having live music for as long as I can remember, but recently one of the neighbors has started a battle of noise complaints, and honestly we were a little surprised. I mean, the weekend before a noise complaint was probably justified because the bar was hosting karaoke, but for us? It's Saturday night and we're not "noise." Get a nightlife, already.

Anyway, kept playing, the crowd kept on dancing, and the cops were there for about 4-5 songs. And while I'm sure they enjoyed what they heard (who wouldn't?), they ticketed the bar and were on their way. It unfortunately wasn't a scene from the end of The Beatles' Let It Be with the cops coming and shutting us down, which would've made for a much better story and a much better blog post. But I think it's enough to say that on Friday night the cops were called to our gig. We're officially lawbreakers, right?

DIAY

I am a DIY artist, and DIY, as you may know, stands for "Do It Yourself." But for an artist in the position that I am in, it's really much closer to DIAY - "Do It All Yourself." Consider the things that I have to handle: organizing the band, rehearsing the band, writing out the charts, booking (or trying) the shows, setting up the PR, reaching out to PR opportunities, managing a website, managing a Facebook page, managing a Twitter account, managing a YouTube channel (which includes shooting and editing videos), writing this blog, overseeing the design and production of merchandise, building my mailing list, writing and sending a bi-weekly email to my mailing list, networking with other industry people. Plus I have all of my commitments for In The Pocket and a few other things like giving lessons and playing in a jazz band. But, wait, I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Oh yeah: writing songs. That one's only kind of important, right?

There's a great song by Jackson Browne called "The Load Out," about what it's like being on tour, putting on a show in a different town day after day. And there's a lyric that says, "The only time that seems too short is the time that we get to play." Well, for me it's the time that I get to write. With all these things on my plate, the task that often gets pushed off is writing new songs, which is very frustrating because that's one of the main reasons I got into this gig. And because writing - for professionals, anyway - is not something that happens only whenever you get "inspired." You don't do job only when you're inspired, and neither do professional songwriters. And I'll admit that my time management skills could probably use a little more work and discipline, but whose couldn't?

At the beginning of the past couple years I've made it a goal to work on a new song each week, and as of now that has yet to happen. Why? Because looking at my workload, its quite possibly an impossible goal. But I'll keep working toward it.

The Hazards of Playing Live

As always, the #1 hazard of playing live is the drunk-off-their-ass person or persons in the room. I first wrote about this problem back in October of last year, but I encountered three instances over the past 2 weeks that I need to share.

"The Singer" - Saturday night, 1AM, middle of our second set. This girl, obviously wasted, comes up to us between songs and asks if she can sing with us. As the lead singer the question naturally get directed at me. Really? Why do you have to damped the night by asking me that? Do you really think I'm going to say yes? The looks I get from the other members of the band are priceless. Now cue her friends, also wasted, who insist that she's a great singer. While I'm sure she is, this is not open mic, and it is not karaoke. But I don't say that. The best way to handle it? Don't answer the question an simply launch into the next song. Well, that's at least what I did.

"The Repetitive Requester" - The next Saturday, 12AM, middle of our second set. An older drunk woman comes up and requests "some 80s - 'Everybody Dance Now'!" Now, setting aside the fact that we've been playing plenty of 80s music all night and that "Everybody Dance Now" was released in 1990, we don't know it, and I tell her that. People request songs that we don't know all the time, but unfortunately we can't know them all. This, however, is not good enough for her. Again, she comes back and get right in my face, adamantly requesting that we play some 80s, and specifically "Everybody Dance Now." She's insistent that she throws an f-bomb at me. Now slightly pissed, I again tell her we don't know the song and throw an f-bomb back at her. She leaves, but I think she was too drunk and oblivious to realize how annoying she was. One wonders if the obliviousness and the drunkenness were related at all.

"The Hit & Run" - Same Saturday, 1:30AM, middle of our third set. In fact, I remember specifically that we were going from the 3rd verse to the 2nd pre-chorus of "More Today Than Yesterday" (by Spiral Starecase, but we do the Goldfinger version). Drunk woman walks by, can't keep her balance, slams into my music stand. Like a bunch of dominoes, the music stand hits my mic stand and my keyboard, all of which then hit me. It happened so fast no one saw it coming, least of all me, and for a moment I'm sent into a state of "did that just really happen?" Yes. Yes it did. But what could I do? Everything was still standing, and aside from some wrong notes on my part the band kept chugging along. Nothing goes wrong on stage.

Things Begin To Fall Into Place

Finally the album release is set for June 11, with the launch party being planned for June 8 (full details coming soon), and don't forget the CD Listening Party in Poughkeepsie on April 27th. It almost feels like things are beginning to fall into place. Who would've imagined that? Maybe now my stress level can start to come down a little bit? Well, that has yet to be seen.

In anticipation of the release I'm already started to see some favorable press opportunities coming in, and I've had some good planning conversations recently with my PR company. In fact, I got my personalized marketing plan delivered to be two days ago and I've been trying to sort through all the information in it. There is a lot to go over and do, and sometimes too much. When in doubt, make a listen. Then pick one task - any task - and just do it. Start anywhere, but start.

One thing's for sure: this will not be the release of A Thin Line all over again. This time I'm armed with more experience, more knowledge, more resources, better music in front of me, and a better team behind me. I'm ready to go Over The Edge. I hope you are, too.

A Silent Influence

In today's music, there are some producers who are superstars. Timbaland obviously comes to mind. Will.i.am. Dr. Dre. Stargate. The Neptunes. Having these artists produce your song is a marketable event, and fans would be interested in your work just because these people were involved. But back when Phil Ramone was first beginning to leave his mark, it wasn't like that. When I mentioned to a few music friends that Phil Ramone had died on Saturday, there wasn't a universal grasp on who the man was or what he did. I had a little explaining to do.

I grew up listening to Paul Simon and Billy Joel, the two artists that I most closely associate with Phil Ramone. His work with Paul Simon in the 1970s produced some of the best career-defining work of Simon's career, including "Loves Me Like A Rock," "Something So Right," "Still Crazy After All These Years," "I Do It For Your Love," "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover," and "Slip Slidin' Away." Still Crazy After All These Years won the Grammy for Album Of The Year in 1976, a full decade before Simon's much-celebrated Graceland era, and its the music from this period that I have the most childhood memories about.

For Billy Joel, the addition of Phil Ramone to his team was arguably the decision that would change Billy Joel into BILLY FREAKIN' JOEL...if you get my drift. Joel was an up-and-coming artist working to making a name for himself and achieving some moderate success before Ramone signed on to produce the album which would become larger than life: The Stranger. After that, you had 52nd Street (Grammy winner for Album of the Year), Glass Houses, Songs In The Attic, The Nylon Curtain, An Innocent Man, and The Bridge. In all they collaborated on 7 albums that contain so many Billy Joel classics that it may just boggle your mind.

And so when I was growing up listening to this music, I had no idea what a producer was, what he did, or that in these cases his name was Phil Ramone. Chances are you may not have known either, but now you do. (Learn more here) It seems that in addition to the technical innovations that he was well known for, he was like a silent influence for me, because I didn't even know he was there. But he was there, and the sounds I heard on those records have forever influenced my ear.

To celebrate and remember, each day this week in the 11AM hour I will be posting out my #PhilRamoneSongOfTheDay. Connect with me on Twitter to check it out.

Stuck On The 1-Yard Line

Over The Edge is finished. The band is assembled. The PR is contracted and slowly starting to roll down the hill. The new logos and merchandise are being designed. And everyone who hears the new record - whether I know them or not - tells me how great it is. Everything seems to be going according to plan, right? Right. Except for the fact that securing a venue for the album launch party has been a bit more difficult than I expected it to be. And without the album launch party, I can't finalize the release date of the CD itself. Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck on the 1-yard line.

To be perfectly honest, I've been a little dumbfounded at the response from some of the venues I reached out to. After my 1st choice was unfortunately already on hold for the date that I was looking at, my 2nd & 3rd choices seemed almost indifferent to the mass of business that I wanted to bring to their establishments. You would think that in the tough economy we keep hearing about people would jump at the chance to bring in new business. Apparently not. The reaction from choice #3 was especially perplexing, given the fact that week before I approached the entertainment booker about hosting my release I had a conversation with him where he complained about how all the music he's being sent from new interested acts are crap. And here I was hand-delivering to him a night of great business with great music, and he wasn't interested. I almost wanted to tell him that it's no wonder he's not getting any more good submissions if this is the attitude he takes when presented with quality local music. But I didn't. Forever the politician.

But I am not deterred. I am off to plan B, C, and D if I have to. Why? Because they can't keep me down, despite how they may try. I haven't kept at this project for 3 years by giving up every time something didn't go the way I had planned or wanted. Giving up is for other people. I'll get that last yard.

PR, Anyone? Part II

So, I've finally decided on a PR company and have gotten the ball rolling. They immediately sent me their intake document - a 12-page questionnaire about me: my music, my life, my childhood, my accomplishments, my hobbies, my interests, my fans, etc. They also gave me a list of things I need to do, such as sending them my album, recorded podcast bumpers, and high-resolution photos, as well as linking up all of my online profiles and supplying them with the info they need to set up ones that I don't yet have.

It has been a somewhat daunting task, as it's quite a lot of information to compile and actions to complete. But I was able to tackle a good bit of it this past Sunday as I laid around exhausted from the weekend's gigs and my upset sleep schedule (late night, early morning, later night, etc.). And some of the questions seemed a little existential to me, for example: "Who would your ideal fan be?" Or "What do you want people to say about your music? How do you want people to remember you?" Geez, I don't know - I'm tired and really just thinking about The Walking Dead coming on at 9. Well, that's maybe not the best answer.

I'll keep you updated as things progress. And by the way, I will be releasing the cover of my upcoming new album, Over the Edge, on Wednesday, March 20, through my mailing list. Are you on it? Sign up at www.steveplaysmusic.com, get two exclusive songs for free, and see the cover art first.

PR, Anyone?

When I released my first album, A Thin Line, 5 1/2 years ago I had no idea what I was doing, and as a result I didn't do much to promote it. The bare minimum, in my opinion, but that's because I didn't know any better. Luckily, this time I have a slightly better idea of what I'm doing. Slightly. And so one of the new steps that I've been looking into taking this time around is working with a professional PR company.

But the problem is that everything takes longer and costs more than you think it will. This is the mantra that I have come to understand and live by when it comes to recording and event planning. And in this case, it continues to hold true. Months and months ago when the mixing of the new album, Over the Edge, first started, I contacted a company that I've encountered before and had a productive conversation. We talked about the services they offer, how it relates to what I do, and I was sent a breakdown of different campaigns that they structure and run. Awesome.

And then do to one thing or another, the mixing stretched on longer than was planned, and so the release of the CD was pushed back. Finally last Friday, I had a conversation with the head of the same PR company. We talked about a number of the same things and what my plans are for the CD, and then when I mentioned how long ago it had been since I first got information from her colleague, I got the response that every independent musician wants to hear: "Our prices have gone up dramatically since then." Oh really? Great.

It seems that even though the CD is literally days away from being completed and in my hand, everything still takes longer and costs more than I think it will. But rest assured that I remain undeterred.

Why Over The Edge?

I contemplated two other album titles before I settled on Over the Edge for this new record. Both titles were also names of songs on the album, but they didn't quite get across the right message. Over the Edge is aggressive. The other two were too passive. Over the Edge is about taking charge and moving forward. The other two gave more of the impression of being subject to someone or something else.

But Over the Edge is more than just the initial message of the album - it's very much where my life is and has been for the past almost 3 years trying to get this project done. Trying to juggle time, schedules, money, and resources for so many months pushed me to the breaking point on a few occasions. I was walking a thin line (pun intended), but I never went over the edge. A less dedicated and capable person probably would've given up and tried to move on a couple years ago. Taking the path less traveled isn't easy.

And now, the idea is to go over the edge. To amass all my resources and put them all behind this project that I've worked so long and so hard on. To go big or go home, if you will. I'll go big, take the leap, and go over the edge. Only time will tell at this point if I'll be able to fly, or at least break my fall somehow.

That's what Over the Edge is all about. Shirking off your past, relentlessly climbing to the precipice that you've been eying for years, and then jumping off. And there is no parachute.

(And P.S. this above picture is not the album cover.)

PostSecret Live

I tried to explain the appeal of PostSecret to a friend yesterday before I drove to Albany for the live event, but I came up short. It's difficult for me to explain, I do believe there is an certain ineffable quality to the project. Everyone has secrets, and as Frank Warren points out: some secrets we keep, some secrets keep us. By revealing these secrets - to someone we know or anonymously to a guy who lives in Germantown, MD - we allow ourselves to let those secrets go, or take control of them if need be. And by sharing those secrets, we realize that the parts of ourselves that we consider to be the most personal - thoughts, struggles, experiences - may be personal, but in reality are far less unique than we may think. PostSecret allows for the breakdown of invisible walls that secrets can create, and helps people feel connected with others, however anonymously.

If you're at all interested in PostSecret, I encourage you to get to a live event. Frank Warren talks very openly and honestly about the history of the project, as well as some of the struggles and secrets that he's dealt with throughout his life. He also shares some select secrets he's received over the years and the impact that they've had on him, on others, and on the direction of the project. But the best past of the event is the last segment.

In the last few minutes of the presentation, Frank opens up the microphone to anyone who wants to come up and share a secret. This is when the anonymous secrets on the website and in the books lose their anonymity and truly step into reality. I heard people tell secrets about feeling bad for not getting the understanding of a parent, losing a loved one who doesn't want to commit, believing your not good enough, not wanting to use the bathroom around a boyfriend, losing a loved one to sickness, depression, suicide, and about getting help.

At the end of the night Frank asked everyone who could relate to a secret they had heard to raise their hand. There were more hands in the air than could be counted. Powerful stuff.

2 Years, 7 Weeks, & 2 Days

This past Thursday I got my first listen to the mastered recordings for the new album, and they sound awesome. Like pure dynamite. Like when you get to hear these songs that I've been working on for so long, you will finally understand why I put so much time and effort into producing them. And for those of you keeping track, from initial drums tracks to master recordings took 2 years, 7 weeks, and 2 days. And the project isn't even full done yet. In contrast, initial drum tracks to master recordings for my first album took less than 5 months. You want to have a conversation about dedication? I'd be happy to have that conversation with you, but just keep in mind who it is that you're talking to.

So, what's next? The album art is done, and the ball will get rolling on the production of the physical CDs this week. Two music videos are currently in simultaneous production, but ideas need to be firmed out for more. Live arrangements need to be hashed-out, and the band needs to be fully assembled and rehearsed. The album release party needs to be planned, as well as booking more live shows, including more performances in NYC. I began laying the groundwork for the PR campaign back in July, but that's going to get firmed up more once we have a release date.

And after all that, I guess I can just sit back and relax, right? Sure thing. You just keep thinking that.

The 57th Presidential Inauguration

My day on Monday began at 4:30AM. We had already driven into DC the day before (and fought to find a parking space) to get our tickets from my representative, Sean Patrick Maloney, but they were general admission so we had to be up early. We caught a train just after 5AM and were in line for the Gold Gate shortly before 6; a line that already stretched down the street and around the corner. And it was cold.

By the time we got through the security tent and staked out our position on the mall, it was close to 8AM. Despite the number of people in line before us, we were quite happy with our view of the Capitol, though we of course wished we could have been closer. And so we waited. And waited. We enjoyed the pre-ceremony music while we ate our breakfast (granola bars), and then tried to amuse ourselves until the introductions and 11:30 start time. The crowd booed Paul Ryan. The crowd booed Newt Gingrich.

The ceremony itself was fine, though we couldn't really see much. We were pretty far away, the binoculars weren't all that helpful due to the people standing in front of us, and the closest jumbo screen to us was behind a tree. Oh well. During President Obama's speech we started walking around our section a bit, seeing things from different areas. As soon as the speech ended some people started to make their way to the exits, like when you know you're team is going to win and you want to beat the traffic. We decided to go as well, and to head toward one of the parade entrances.

It was now about 12:30PM, and getting into the parade took an additional 30-minute trip through security. Open your coat, empty your pockets, take off your gloves and hats. I was (that guy) carrying binoculars on my belt, so I took them out of the holder and was holding them, waiting to step into the security tent when a guy came up behind me and lifted my coat. "What have you got here?" he asked as he investigated what he must've thought looked like something I was trying to conceal. Once he was satisfied that it was just a holder for my binoculars, he stepped back to join the other numerous law enforcement officials at the checkpoint.

We walked up Pennsylvania Ave. and found a spot that we thought would have a good view of the parade, and then we waited. Again. The parade was supposed to start around 2:30PM, but really didn't start until closer to 3:15. And it was still cold, and we hadn't eaten or drank anything in hours. But then it started, and soon the presidential party was at the block before us. People started shouting that they were getting out of the car and walking. And sure enough they were, and they came and walked right past us. The crowd went nuts. It was amazing dumb luck that we happened to be standing at just the right part of the parade route to see President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice-President Biden, and Dr. Jill Biden out of their limos and walking down the street. Very cool. After that we ditched the rest of the parade and made our way to the Metro, got back to Virginia around 5:45, had dinner (our first food or drink in almost 8 hours), then drove back to New York. I got to bed at 2AM.

So here's my big takeaway: Most Americans will never see the president in person. We read about him, we see him on TV, we learn about his policies, and we judge and debate his actions. We study presidents in school, watch movies about them, and are taught about the things they did by our parents and teachers. Because of this, I would argue that to most people the president is not real, at least not in the way that the people, places, and things we encounter in our lives are real. Presidents are superhuman, larger than life, monumentally historic figures. But when you see him live in person, that changes. It did for me, anyway. Seeing President Obama in person really made it sink in that he's not superhuman - he's just this guy who happens to be trusted with incredible power and responsibility. I won't use the word "regular," but when it all comes down to it he's just this guy walking down the road. He's human, with strengths, weaknesses, and flaws. And so I'm kind of having this small realization that no matter how entrenched our government is and no matter how permanent it may seem to those on the outside, the only thing holding it together is us. People. And a mutual belief in this republic of ours.

It's not always obvious, but on Monday, for me, it was.

Go Big Or Go Home

"Don't try to see yourself the way that others do - it's no use" -Ben Folds Five

I began initial editing of the first video off my new album the other day, and the above lyric seems appropriate. We all can be hyper-critical about the way we look and the way we act, and believe me when I say that these things can become even more apparent when you're looking at yourself on a screen. Just like being in the recording studio, the process can be very exposing, sometimes bringing to light things about ourselves that make us feel self-conscious. But in the end, what's the alternative? To not record the record? To not release a video?  To not take a step forward?

Life is about getting outside of your comfort zone. If we don't continually do things that challenge us, that scare us, and that push us, then we begin to live stagnant lives. Many of us may find ourselves at the brink of something new, or something different, and feel unable to move forward due to the uncertainly of what lies ahead. But now's the time. Take the leap. 2013: go big or go home. That's the theme of the year. That should be the theme of every year. This year I'm going to make sure that I get out of my comfort zone. In many ways, I've come to the brink of something new, and this year is the time for me to go over the edge.

You should, too.

The Home Stretch

I've never run a marathon, but I imagine that after you've run 26 miles you can feel pretty drained. But I also imagine that once you hit that last .2 miles and the finish line is coming up fast, you get a jolt of energy. You've come all this way and you're almost there. That's kind of how I felt yesterday in the studio as we were finalizing the mixes for the new album. Yes, it's not done yet (it still needs to be mastered) and yes it's not released yet (right now we're looking at late spring), but at times I've felt like I've been pushing a boulder up the side of a mountain, and now I can finally see the top.

Recording my first CD wasn't nearly as difficult. From the time I initially had the idea of recording A Thin Line to the time it was released was about a year. For the new one we're looking at about 3 years. A Thin Line was recorded, mixed, and mastered in about 8 days. I can't even begin to count the number of days we spent in the studio tracking and editing for this one. And money-wise...well let's just say that we've exceed the budget for A Thin Line by about 50%. So, yes, my first CD wasn't nearly as arduous, but it's also not nearly as good.

Next week the tracks will be mastered, and once I've approved them they'll go directly to the manufacturer since all of the artwork will be completed and ready to go at that time as well. I'm hoping to have the final completed product in my hand around February 1st, at which point all of the people who contributed funds to the album fund will be able to get theirs. I hope you're one of them.

The boulder is almost to the top of the mountain. The next step is to push it down the other side and see how far it rolls.

2013

So, here we are. 2013. It's a good idea every now and then to stop, look around, and take note of where you are in your life, where you want to be, and how you can get there. I like to do that. I like to write out my goals for the year. You may call them resolutions, but I don't because it's really just an outline of how to move myself forward. How am I going to get this new album released? How am I going to move my career to the next level? The only way to know where you're going is to know where you are and where you've been. Take today to do that if that you can.

And in the meantime, enjoy this:

Happy new year.