CHOPPERFEST benefit, this Saturday at the Sunset!
Current mood: fortunate
Category: fortunate Life

We hope to see you all this Saturday, August 2 at the Sunset Tavern for CHOPPERFEST: A Benefit to Benefit John & Donna Fisher, featuring:

Duff McKagan's Loaded
Guns & Rossetti
Girl Trouble
Red Jacket Mine
The I Love Myselfs

This disparate-but-righteous cast will join together for one night only to raise money for our dear friends John & Donna Fisher, who have recently suffered an unthinkable (and wholly disproportionate, as any major dude will tell you they're some of the finest folks around) amount of misfortune.

On June 20, John & Donna's infant daughter Sarah passed away due to complications. This devastating blow was followed almost immediately by a loss of employment and forced relocation. We don't know why things like this happen, but we're throwing an epic rock show to try and raise some money to make their lives a little easier.

The cover is $8, but you're welcome (and encouraged) to give more if you're able. We're told that limited-edition t-shirts will also be available, with all proceeds going to the Fishers.

RJM will take the stage second, around 9:30pm, but plan on coming early and staying late…it's going to be an incredible night, and I can't imagine a more worthy cause.

More RJM news very soon, but for now, it's all about the Fishers. Hope to see you all Saturday night.

xo

RJM

Currently listening : Jailbreak By Thin Lizzy Release date: 1996-03-25

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this Friday, July 11 with Retribution Gospel Choir
Current mood: blustery
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Take note, friends:

Your pals in Red Jacket Mine are very happy to be playing at Fremont's High Dive this Friday, July 11, opening for Duluth, Minnesota's mighty Retribution Gospel Choir, featuring Alan Sparhawk (vocals, guitar) and Steve Garrington (bass) of the legendary LOW.

Those familiar with Low's magnificent output over the last 15 years can imagine how excited we are to be sharing this evening. Red Jacket Mine will open the show at 10pm sharp, followed by recent Seattle transplant David Karsten Daniels. Tickets are $10 and available from Brown Paper Tickets.

We sincerely hope to see you all there. Those without weekend plans would do well to catch Low (and many, many others, including Fleet Foxes, Beachwood Sparks, Flight of the Conchords, etc.) at Sub Pop's SP20 Festival the following Saturday and Sunday (7/12-13) at Marymoor Park. What better way to kick off an incredible weekend of music?

Many other wonders to come, including a very special benefit show in August. Stay tuned for details! In the meantime, check out this video of RJM performing Television's "Venus" at the Tractor Tavern on June 26.

It's in the drugs,

RJM

Currently listening : The Basement Tapes By Bob Dylan & the Band Release date: 1990-10-25

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exertion, elation, repose
Current mood: cooky/wacky
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

It's been the busiest month in recent memory, but I'll do my best to re-cap. Please forgive me if I miss anything!

First, thanks to everyone who came out to the show at El Corazón this past Saturday. It was our first all-ages show in years, it seems, so we weren't quite sure what to expect, but it ended up being a great night, with lots of new friends made and CDs sold...so thank you all! Special thanks to Teitur and Jessie Baylin for having us on the bill! It was great to get back onstage.

We'd spent the three weeks prior in frenetic rehearsal mode, leading up to a whirlwind six-day session at Soundhouse Recording in Ballard, wherein we tracked all ten songs that will comprise the next Red Jacket Mine album, masterfully assisted by producer Ken Stringfellow and engineer Kip Beelman. The objective: track all ten songs to glorious, exorbitantly-priced two-inch tape, recording all instrumental tracks live in the room (with few or no overdubs, just like Grandma made) and tracking the vocals immediately afterward, also to tape. Our modus operandi left little room for error and/or indecision, but that was the idea.

Lucky for us, we had good help! The best, even. Ken pitched in on the keys (also tracked live with the band...so nice to have a fifth Beatle...or Ian Stewart!), background vocals, and frighteningly-good tambourine, while Kip handled most of the knob-twiddling and Facebook-prowling. Our good friend Ian Moore even dropped by with his '56 Les Paul Junior and a crusty, lovely tweed Deluxe to lay down some ferocious guitar licks and spook-tacular background vocals.

It was a daunting task, but we did it! And we simply could not be happier with the results. Seriously---I know this kind of bravado is expected any time a new album is in the works, but I truly believe that we've got something magnificent on our hands. Everyone was on top of their game, and we are extremely proud of the result. Immense thanks are due to Messrs. Stringfellow and Beelman, without whom this surely would not have been possible. We can't wait for you all to hear their tremendous craft(s) at work!

I intend to post a characteristically-verbose account of the session in the next week or so, but feel free to consult Ken's blog in the interim for his take on the proceedings...we're in there, amidst tales of the Posies' 20th anniversary shows and other highlights of his Seattle visit. Thanks for the kind words, Ken! We can only hope you enjoyed the session as much as we did!

We'll spend the remainder of the summer licking our financial wounds and chipping away at the album's loose ends (a few string arrangements from our pal Eyvind Kang, et cetera).

We've also got some incredible shows coming up, the first of which will take place on Thursday, June 26 at the Tractor Tavern. We'll be sandwiched between the lovely Miss Kristen Ward and our aforementioned pal Ian Moore, who will be playing a very rare (around these parts, at least) full-band show. Advance tickets are available from TicketWeb. Get 'em while you can!

In site news, I've updated the Press page to include a recent review of Hello, Old Cloud from Hugh Miller's excellent Unfinished web zine. I've also updated the Favorites page with nods to my recent obsessions...dig!

Speaking of obsessions, everyone go out tomorrow and buy the new Centro-matic/South San Gabriel split-double album, Dual Hawks. These kind-eyed Texans continue to inspire and excite me about the prospect of making American rock & roll music, and this album promises to be their best yet. So check it out---you won't be disappointed.

Me, I'm going to tuck into this bottle of Punto Final malbec and enjoy an evening of hard-earned quietude. Thanks, as always, for listening and caring about what we do. Hope to see you all at the Tractor on June 26th!

xo

LB

Currently listening : Dual Hawks By South San Gabriel Release date: 2008-04-01

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all the ladies and gentlemen...
Current mood: knighted
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

Warmest thanks to all who came out the Sunset on Saturday and helped us celebrate the release of Hello, Old Cloud. Despite a number of unanticpated technical issues and a surplus of spilled Maker's Mark (fine bedfellows if ever there were such), it was a great show, if a bit more Replacements-like than usual.

Regrettably, due to poor planning on our part, it seems that many of the show's attendees didn't get the free CD they were promised. For this we sincerely apologize. If you can be counted among this number, please get in touch with us. We appreciate your support and we'd love for you to hear the album.

Alternately, the particularly generous and/or wealthy among you might be interested in purchasing a copy of the album on CD Baby and iTunes. For the Seattle folks who'd prefer to keep it local, the album is available at all locations of Easy Street Records (Queen Anne, West Seattle) and Sonic Boom Records (Ballard, Capitol Hill) for the low-low price of $8.99.

Wherever you choose to buy, we thank you for listening and hope you enjoy the album very much. Please take a moment to post a review on CD Baby or iTunes---they really do help all the prospective listeners out there! Besides, they make us blush...

Now that we've finally let go of Hello, Old Cloud, we're wasting no time getting started on album number two. In late May, we'll kick things off with a whirlwind six-day session at Soundhouse Recording in beautiful Ballard, WA, joined by Messrs. Ken Stringfellow and Kip Beelman. They'll be handling production and engineering duties, respectively, and we couldn't be more excited to be working with such talented and charming individuals.

You all may know Mr. Stringfellow from his band the Posies, now in their 20th year, as well as his stellar solo career (recommended listening: 2001's Touched and 2004's Soft Commands) and his integral role in the re-formed Big Star. He's also spent the last few years touring and recording with a little band called R.E.M.. These days, he's most excited about his Oslo-based rock troupe the Disciplines,  slated to release their debut album later this year.

On the production side, he's probably best known for helping out our pals the Long Winters on their 2002 release (and our personal favorite), When I Pretend to Fall. Needless to say, we're huge fans and very much look forward to his contributions.

Mr. Beelman's name might not be as common, but if you've paid any attention to the records coming out of Seattle for the last 10+ years (particularly those that Ken has been involved with), you've surely been privy to his mastery. He contributed some stellar mixes to the aforementioned Long Winters album, engineered the last Posies album, Every Kind of Light, has generally produced, engineered, and mixed his way into our swollen little hearts (via our ears). He's also a fine photographer. We're very excited to have him aboard!

We'll forego live performances in May to prepare for the album sessions, drink yerba maté, and listen to the Band, but June will find us back in the saddle, opening for our very good friend Ian Moore at the Tractor Tavern on Thursday, June 26. Advance tickets are available right HERE.

Once again, we'd like to thank all of our friends for their help and support. We hope you all enjoy Hello, Old Cloud, however you may find it. Here's to the future!

xo

RJM

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New music! CD release this Saturday (4/26)!
Current mood: fascinated
Category: Religion and Philosophy

In celebration of the imminent release of Hello, Old Cloud, we've uploaded another song from the album---the dusty, nostalgia-tinged closing track, "Early Followed You."

In addition to the usual cast of characters, this track features Mr. Keith Lowe on upright bass.

If you like what you hear but you simply must have MORE, you're cordially invited to attend our CD release party this Saturday, April 26 at the Sunset Tavern. Cover is $8, and every paying customer goes home with their very own copy of Hello, Old Cloud! What a deal!

Our very good friends Burning Rivers and North Twin (opening and closing the show, respectively) are sure to turn in killer performances, as well. We hope you'll be there to help us celebrate! Advance tickets are available HERE.

In the meantime, enjoy the new music! Sincere thanks for all of your support.

xo

RJM

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Hello, Old Cloud on KEXP 90.3FM!
Current mood: ecstatic
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Hello, friends!

We’re very happy to announce that our new album, Hello, Old Cloud, has been added to rotation on our favorite radio station in the whole wide world, Seattle’s own KEXP 90.3FM.

Please take a moment (daily, if possible!) to request your favorite RJM tunes, either by phone (206-903-KEXP) or email (dj@kexp.org). Even if you’re not in the Seattle area, KEXP is streaming worldwide, 24 hours a day at kexp.org.

In summary: tune into KEXP, and request Red Jacket Mine!

The album is now available online at CD Baby and iTunes. It should be popping up in local stores in the next couple of weeks as well.

We hope you’ll all join us at the release party on Saturday, April 26 at the Sunset Tavern. Our good friends Burning Rivers and North Twin are also on the bill, and we’re so excited we can barely control ourselves. Hope you all can make it!

Later, lovers!

xo

RJM

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from today’s Portland Tribune...
Current mood: catalyzed
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

Weekend! Music - Red Jacket Mine (Doug Fir Lounge, 3/15/08)

by Barbara Mitchell

The golden twang of Laurel Canyon seems to be making a resurgence in modern alternative music, with bands like Grand Archives infusing their laid-back, summery pop with a slight country glow.

Add Seattle’s Red Jacket Mine to the list of folks to watch in this genre. With an excellent new album just about to be released, Lincoln Barr and company have been slowly generating a (much deserved) regional buzz.

"Hello, Old Cloud" drifts along languidly, buoyed by Barr’s slightly fragile voice and intelligent lyrics. Like spiked lemonade, it’s refreshing and intoxicating.

(http://www.portlandtribune.com/entertainment/story.php?story_id=120542560670347100)

--

Thanks so much, Barbara! See, folks? The votes are in. If you live in Portland, you need to be at our show tomorrow at the Doug Fir Lounge. Who doesn’t love spiked lemonade?

xo

RJM

Currently listening : Adventure By Television Release date: 23 September, 2003

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from this week’s Portland Mercury...
Current mood: cooky/wacky
Category: Music

Up & Coming - Saturday, March 15

JONAH, CHRIS ROBLEY & THE FEAR OF HEIGHTS, RED JACKET MINE

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Led by singer/songwriter Lincoln Barr, Seattle’s Red Jacket Mine plays thoughtful folk rock that’s vaguely tinted by ’60s British psychedelia. Rather than coming off as whimsical and baroque, though, their new album, Hello, Old Cloud, at times sounds ponderous and restrained. Barr’s vocals are confident, but never fully gain purchase; he keeps to a gentle croon throughout, which sometimes sounds just too darn nice. There are some flavorful pedal steel licks by Patrick Porter, particularly on "22 Rose Petal Place" and "Philistine," and inventive organ and vibraphone parts skillfully interlock with subtle string arrangements. There’s not a lot to sink one’s teeth into, though, and one can only imagine that when the band takes the stage, they’ll drop the studied cautiousness of the studio, throw back a few slugs of whiskey, and get down to the business of having fun. NL

(http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=723319&category=22187)

--

You’re damn right we will, Ned! Hope to see all of our PDX pals this Saturday night...it’s going to be a barn-burner.

xo

RJM

Currently reading : Letter to a Christian Nation (Vintage) By Sam Harris Release date: 08 January, 2008

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CD Release show - April 26 at the Sunset!
Current mood: blissful
Category: Music

Hello, friends!

It gives me great pleasure to announce that we'll be celebrating the long-awaited release of our debut studio album, Hello, Old Cloud, on Saturday, April 26 at the Sunset Tavern. We'll be joined on stage by our good friends Burning Rivers and North Twin, and we're very happy to have them along on this joyous occasion.

Cover is $8, and your paid admission includes a copy of the CD! Now that's value. See? We love you. This show will very likely sell out, so keep an eye on the Shows section of redjacketmine.net and the Sunset Tavern site for details on advance tickets!

In the meantime, we're hard at work preparing for the album release. The CD (and digital download, for you 21st Century types) will be available online (CD Baby, iTunes, etc.) and at local stores (Easy Street, Sonic Boom, etc.) in April. We'll post details on how/where/when to buy as they materialize.

Our official site, redjacketmine.net, has also seen some major updates of late. Check out the fancy new Bio section, featuring promotional photographs taken by our good pal Seth Wonner (more photos here). The Music section has also been updated with details on Hello, Old Cloud, including a link to the album lyrics, for those curious listeners among you who'd like to know what I'm on about. Other updates, too numerous or too trifling to mention, abound…so please take a look around!

Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention our upcoming show at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, March 15. We're very excited to be playing again with our good friends Chris Robley & the Fear of Heights, and we're very much looking forward to meeting the folks in Jonah, who will close the show. This show will double as our Portland CD release party, so if you live in Portland (or you live in Seattle and just can't wait), please come out to the very cool Doug Fir and take home a copy of Hello, Old Cloud.

That's all for now. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you at the Sunset on April 26. We've worked on this album a long time, and to say that we cannot wait for you all to hear it would be an understatement. As always, thank you so much for listening. Stay tuned for much, much more!

xo

RJM

Currently reading : Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams By Nick Tosches Release date: 13 April, 1999

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Arthur Alexander, and other current obsessions...
Current mood: impressed
Category: Music

Big thanks to my good friend the Reverend Eric Daw for turning me onto the brilliant Arthur Alexander...pretty much the original Muscle Shoals soul artist, Alexander is responsible for the original recordings of "You Better Move On" (an early Stones single) and "Anna (Go To Him)," an early Beatles smash. Trust me, this stuff is an absolute must for all fans of Sixties soul/country/pop. Just devastating...more info can be found here.

Other current obsessions: the weird and wonderful Shudder to Think (thanks, Nathan!); the complete Sly & the Family Stone discography, particuarly There's a Riot Goin' On and Fresh (thanks, Travis!); and my good PDX buddy Chris Robley's The Drunken Dance of Modern Man in Love, a masterful, hook-a-minute platter of idiosyncratic pop stylings. Make sure you arrive early at our show this Saturday, February 9 at the Sunset Tavern to hear Chris and his band, the Fear of Heights.

Looking toward the horizon, I'm very much looking forward to the Grand Archives record (out Feb 19) and the mere thought of the Gutter Twins' long-awaited debut, Saturnalia (out March 4), has me weak in the knees...

Hope to see all of you at the Sunset this Saturday!

xo

LINCOLN

Currently listening : The Ultimate Arthur Alexander By Arthur Alexander Release date: 15 June, 1993

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