Ok, so my Mom gives my 5 year old son this unidentified (& strangely handless) action figure she claims was mine back when I was a kid his age. After racking my brain trying to place this random piece of my childhood (the groovy vest, that knowing smile, the great hair...), I finally gave up the ghost and turned to that modern day oracle known to us all as the interweb.
"How About Always" from an appearance on the television show Fearl*ss Music (circa '03? '04?). Since folks seemed to enjoy the “All I Want” clip posted here a few weeks back, I thought I'd post another tune from the Fearl*ss Music sessions.
As before, same rules apply - the audio is unmixed/garage rock-esque, I look kind of out of it and the singer (aka yours truly) can hardly hear himself (not my personal best) over the din of the crazy rock combo but once again…
Ah, the sound of youthful, rock 'n roll exuberance...
The Band -
Cheri Leone: backing vox/percussion Matty Karas: gtr/backing vox Greg Beshers: lead gtr/backing vox Tom Ward: bass Ed Klinger: drums MB: creative caterwaulin’
Stumbled upon this live version of "All I Want" while poking around the vaults the other day. Thought I'd dust it off and post it here. The clip comes from an appearance I made on the television show Fearl*ss Music (circa '03? '04?).
The audio from this raw footage is unmixed and a little distorted sounding, giving the song a sort of garage rock quality which I kind of like for reasons unknown to me. I also look somewhat "elevated" in this clip for reasons unknown to me now as well. Free, on set tallboys, perhaps? Just say no to drugs, kids.
One of my few memories from this taping (aside from the free beer) was the troubling lack of adequate vocal monitors on set - hearing one's voice over the band was a bit of a, let's say, challenge? But hey, no excuses folks, I am, after all, a semi-professional.
Not my best performance but... Ah, the sound of youthful, rock 'n roll exuberance...
The Band -
Cheri Leone: backing vox/percussion Matty Karas: gtr Greg Beshers: lead gtr Tom Ward: bass Ed Klinger: drums MB: glassy-eyed skifflin'
Not exactly sure which I'd label the more stressful event of the past month - a tornado unexpectedly ripping through my neighborhood late one afternoon or my five year old son starting Kindergarten. If I had to lay money down, I'd probably go with the latter.
Seems like only a moment ago my wife and I brought my son home from the hospital that sunny spring afternoon, quietly watching him sleep as we shared a bowl of cereal, both of us too exhausted and drained by the previous 48 hours to make a decent meal for ourselves. Now as my son ambles down the street each morning toting a "Transformers" backpack almost as big as him stuffed with mini-textbooks, lunch and a toy chicken (don't ask), I can't help but marvel at the passage of time.
After the morning schoolyard drop-off, the house strangely silent, my wife at work and my studio computers yet to rev up for the day, I sit with a wandering mind in front of yet another bowl of cereal. After splitting my time over the past five years between caring for my son and freelance music work, I'm suddenly feeling out of balance, off base, kind of like those poor trees on my block post-tornado. It's certainly been a whirlwind half decade and now with my new album out into the world (kind of like a second child) and my son taking his first steps from the fold, I suppose the nest is feeling a tad empty.
As I trip over a toy and make my way from a quiet Camp Elmo down to my studio space, I realize I'm holding an expression on my face not unlike that of my son's as he walks through those schoolhouse doors each morning, both of us facing the future with equal parts melancholy and excitement for the new twists and turns that lie ahead.
For those following me on Twitter or reading my Facebook posts of late, it will come as no surprise to learn I've been on a serious "Crowded House" listening jag these days. As a long-time fan of the band, I've been busy obsessing over their latest album, "Intriguer", as well as revisiting their incredible back catalog. Listening to that amazing body of work, particularly the albums that meant so much to me growing up, I couldn't help but reminisce about the very first time I saw my fave Kiwi trio perform live...
Circa '88 I'm a 19 year old college kid working with my best friend in the home recording studio we built in the basement of his parent's house (an anomaly for the time, btw, not like today wherein every musician has Pro Tools in their bedroom), when my friend's younger sister burst in informing us that CH was on WNEW announcing a "secret" show that evening at CBGB's. The band's second record had just come out and as my friend and I were enamored with both their albums, we immediately stopped what we were doing and made our trek from Queens down to the Bowery.
Long story longer, we got to the club early enough to sit first-table-center at the foot of the stage. Needless to say, that intimate night of music was incredible. CH was simply the tightest (yet agile) band I'd seen to date, playing the most beautifully melodic, Beatle-esque tunes just six inches in front of me replete with their own unique brand of style and humor. And the harmonies?! Man, could those three sing together (RIP Paul Hester). Too young to see the Fab Four live, I imagined this must have been what it was like.
After the band played an electric AND an acoustic busking set, my friend and I couldn't resist the opportunity to meet our heroes in the tiny dressing room behind stage. I remember being incredibly star struck. When the moment finally came, we first met an amazingly friendly Nick and then an equally genuine Neil. I offered Mr. Finn a sweaty, nervous handshake (which he graciously accepted - sorry Neil), made some small talk and a fantastic night of music came to a surreal conclusion. A pedestrian experience, maybe, for some but us true music fans know better; I could have died on the ride back to Queens that evening, I probably wouldn't have noticed.
I believe the very next day CH taped this Letterman appearance; check it to get an idea of the pure joy, subtle power and sound that floored this young musician that night at CBs.
In keeping with a long-standing, self-deprecating (& honestly somewhat perplexing) tradition of making a fool of myself in the name of an album release (see here & here), I give you the video for "Happy", the single from my new album, "Queens English".
Obviously, it's one of those clips wherein you question whether this kind of behavior is beneficial to one's career... but since I'm never quite sure I actually have one, I figure I'm good to go; why not climb out on that shaky limb and have a little fun in the process?
Or who knows? Maybe I'm just one of those cryin' on the inside kind of clowns.
Ah, the gig... Simultaneously the thrill and bane of a performer's existence (or at least this performer's). A bubbling Diet Coke-meets-Mentos combination of nervousness and excitement - Will it suck? Will it be cool? Will five people come out or 150? Will the bartender cut off our free drinks?
In my case, all those questions are forgotten and invariably melt away as the first chord sounds and my attentions turn toward the simple joy of making music with friends and connecting with a live audience.
Such was, indeed, the case last week at our Pete's show in Brooklyn as a warm, summer Monday evening - not generally the recipe for record attendance - predictably yielded a small but loyal crowd while the band and I took to providing our take on the popular song format.
Later, during the after-set hang (sometimes just as much fun as the set itself), I found myself meeting, getting to know and having a blast with a very cool group of peeps who, flatteringly, care close to as much about my music as I do despite them being extremely intelligent and successful folks ;-) Always a humbling experience; one for which I'm eternally grateful and never take for granted.
Although the music business finds itself in a bad way these days, fraught with many pitfalls, I can think of very few "9 to 5's" (barring obvious philanthropic endeavors) that offer the kind of fulfillment and human connection described above.
Ok, so my Mom gives my 5 year old son this unidentified (& strangely handless) action figure she claims was mine back when I was a kid his age. After racking my brain trying to place this random piece of my childhood (the groovy vest, that knowing smile, the great hair...), I finally gave up the ghost and turned to that modern day oracle known to us all as the interweb.
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