"Start of Something" Release Sept 2 and some press...

Hellooooo

Mark yer calendars! Next Tuesday, Sept 2, my "Start of Something EP" we finally be available on iTunes! I'm really excited for everyone to hear the new stuff. Hopefully you've taken a sec to check out the preview tracks on my MySpace.

When Umbrella came out, one of the first music blogs to really start the buzz was Arjan Writes. Its a great site to find new music and I truly appreciate his continued support of my music. Check out his review of "Start of Something" single HERE.

Stay tuned for more news and updates! If you don't receive my emailers, please sign up RIGHT HURR...

peace
s

Currently listening : Santogold By Santogold Release date: 2008-04-29

7:48 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

EP News etc...

Hi everyone! Sorry I've been a lil AWOL on here... Been traveling a lot writing in LA (where I saw Jon Brion with Fiona Apple, Chris Thile and the Watkins, and Aimee Mann live... awesome.), Nashville (where I ran into Keith Urban... he said "Hey Mates!" and walked to his black Bentley) and NYC (, arguing with Todd's GPS and working with some great writers and artists I'll have to tell ya about in another blog.
For now, I wanted to give you an update on the EP. There's some cool stuff happening that's kinda delayed the release a bit including a national commercial for West Virginia University featuring my song "The Start of Something" when WVU football plays on ABC and ESPN!

I'm really anxious for everyone to hear the new music so please stay tuned and spread the word to friends, because very shortly there will be new music, pics and web design available!

-s

PS - You on Facebook? I yam too...

PSS - What've you been listening to? I've been loving the new Coldplay and the new Imogen Heap single. Sam Sparro is really cool and the Tings Tings are kinda fun...

Currently listening : Black and Gold By Sam Sparro Release date: 2008-05-06

10:40 AM - 14 Comments - 18 Kudos - Add Comment

11

I wanted to repost my blog from this day last year because it has gotten a little buried and because throughout the year since I posted it originally I've gotten so many great comments and stories from you. Some of you commented as sympathetic readers and others responded with your own stories of loss. Either way, I post this blog to you because this date is a big part of who I am and the music I write because May 3rd is the day my father passed away... 11 years ago today.

On my upcoming EP is a song about my dad called "Foot of the Stairs". It was a hard song to write because I always wanted to write a song about my dad, but everything was so cliche and I had trouble making the song personal. Then almost simultaneously, many years after he passed away, I got two songs about him - "Foot of the Stairs" and the rough demo I posted last year called "Specific Things". I hope to have a preview for you very soon of "Foot of the Stairs".

Until then, here is my blog from last year... With a few changes and additions. Thank you for reading and thank you for continuing to listen to my music.

s
---------------------------------

Eleven years ago today my whole life changed...

My father, Mike Simons, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 49 from complications after a bone marrow transplant. i was finishing my junior year in college at WVU. He had a condition called Aplastic Anemia but he was supposed to pull through. He had the best doctors at Johns Hopkins and a perfect match bone marrow donor, my aunt Eileen, his sister. In fact, the day he passed away he was technically cured but while his immune system was compromised from the transplant he contracted pneumonia.

My dad is my biggest influence on my life and my music. He wasn't a professional musician. He was actually a weatherman, and a damn good one too. Not a metereologist, mind you. He didn't know shit about the weather... but he prided himself on being able to talk off the cuff without saying 'uh...'. Although, my dad was born and raised in Philadelphia, a lot of people knew and loved Mike Simons in the state of West Virginia. I still get stopped and told stories i never knew about my dad or how he touched someones life.

Before he was a weatherman, he was a radio DJ and I still have a ton of his vinyl. He also acted in and directed community musical theatre and was the best in the area. In high school, he was a very good clarinetist and when it was my turn to be in the school band in 5th grade, I unknowingly signed up for a life of testosterone-fueled hazing and chose to play the clarinet just like my dad. I remember the night I first rented my plastic Bundy from Bandland and my "Best in Class Book One" vividly. My dad setup up two chairs and a music stand in the living room. First, he showed me the delicate way to put together a clarinet. ('You have to hold down this key up here so the bridge key doesnt get bent when you twist...'). After the assembly lesson, we went thru the first few notes in the book starting with 'open G' - me on my shiny plastic rental clarinet and my dad on his worn and dull wooden professional model clarinet. I showed up to school on the first day of band already ahead of my class. When I turned 15, I was first chair clarinet and got to sit next to the hottest girl in the school because she was second chair and my dad finally gave me his wooden clarinet - the Selmer 9-star with the wide barrel just like Benny Goodman, one of my dad's idols.

In another clarinet related story. I remember in 6th grade telling my Dad about the teasing I was getting for having picked clarinet as my instrument. Kids would snicker "Isn't that a GIRL'S instrument?" as if I a) felt the need to express by manhood at age 11 and b) somehow my choice of band instrument was that expression. So my Dad gave me a piece of advice. The next time anyone asked if clarinet was a "girl's instrument", since most famous clarinet players are male - Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw (I know, I was a dorky kid) - I should reply, "If clarinet's a 'GIRL's instrument' then name one famous GIRL clarinet player...". Sure enough a few weeks later, I'm boarding the afterschool bus armed with my pointed response. I couldn't wait to defend my manliness. The first kid to say something would be reduced to tears, not with fists, but with my crushing retort. In line for the bus there was one soccer kid, Todd, who had a spikey mullet and seemed to always wear shin guards even on non-game days. Todd looked at my plastic black clarinet case and asked THE question as if he were the first to ever pose it. I shot back quickly with "WELL... If clarinet's such a 'GIRL's instrument' then name one famous girl clarinet player..." and waited for him to run away crying. After thinking for a brief moment, Todd said, "Scott. I can't even name A famous clarinet player," and (probably) high-fived some other soccer player and laughed his way onto the bus. Thanks, Dad for the advice, but most father's don't instill the lineage of big band clarinet players into their 6th grade sons... but I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm glad you did... and I still hate shin guards.

In 8th grade, I was in the back seat on the way home from a vacation with my parents and my dad had recently re-purchased his two favorite albums on cassette - 'Revolver' and 'Sgt. Pepper's'. We listened a million times to both tapes that trip and when we got home he handed me the two cassettes and said 'Learn these.'. I did. I learned every song on my 47-key yamaha my parents just bought me. And that started my obsession with the Beatles and I began to sift through my dads Beatles vinyl, cassettes, magazines, pictures, videos, etc. He told me stories of when he saw them twice - once in Philly and once in Atlantic City while I watched the famous Shea Stadium concert on video being drowned out by shrill teenage screams. He told me about skipping school to buy the new Beatles record and he and his friends would sit and listen to it on repeat all day and night. And when the rest of the world thought that Beatles 'got weird', my dad thought they got even better.

I have so many memories of my father like those and they all seem to somehow revolve around music. I feel like he gave me a life long education preparing me for what i do now.

Another great memory of mine is being in elementary school and riding in the passenger seat of my dads car and listening to him sing an impromptu harmony with the song on the radio. It was a motown tune but I can't remember which one and I asked him 'How do I know what notes to sing for harmony?' and he answered, 'Just sing a third above or below the melody and that usually works. You'll have to change a few notes here and there to fit the key.'. That piece of information was way more valuable and simple than anything my college professors (that I'm STILL paying for) taught me.

Here are some quickies, I just couldn't leave out.

*When I was in high school, my dad let me write the 22 second WBOY news theme and even credited me at the end of the news cast. Any sample cassettes he received in the mail of national news and jingle packages he would hand off to me for me to listen and learn to what was out there so I could one day have the option of doing jingles. So while my friends were listening to 'Slippery When Wet' and 'License to Ill', I was probably in my room listening to 'Intense News Sequence 2'.

*My dad would work 9-5 everyday making commercials and imaging for the TV station or doing appearances then do a 530pm and a 6pm newscast. He'd come home for dinner with his stage makeup on and we'd have dinner and then hed go downstairs and take a nap... but he'd always somehow sleep blasting either La Boheme, his favorite opera, or Simon & Garfunkel Reunion Live in Central Park. Then hed wake up at 10:15pm and go back to the station for his 11pm newscast and be home again by midnight. He loved his work.

Even though I wrote a little growing up, my dad never heard most of my songs. He died before the Argument formed and before I graduated with my composition degree. He did hear a few less-than-stellar cover gigs and even booked my first gig for me at age 15, new year's eve at his friend's restaurant in Clarksburg. But because of him, not only was I prepared to make music my life but I chose to. My dad's passing away keeps me grounded. It reminds me why I do this through the ups and the downs with no promise, just the hope of success. My dad gave me so much knowledge and taught me how to be passionate about music and it'd be a shame to let that go to waste.

This blog is only a fraction of my memory of my dad. Somehow, I ended up with so much more than 20 years of memories, but these are the "music" ones. I could go on and on about his sense of humor and wit, his creativity, his passion for family, his love for film and tv but I'd fill the entire internet.

Losing my best friend, my idol, my father was the hardest thing I've ever been in my life. Its so personal but its also universal because everyone loses someone in their life and is left with a huge hole and only tiny memories to fill it. Thanks for reading a few of my tiny memories.

s

8:58 AM - 20 Comments - 34 Kudos - Add Comment

New Music Coming Soon!

Hello Everyone!

I’m really excited to be writing this blog because I wanted to let you know about my upcoming solo debut EP to be released on Rostrum Records really soon!

First of all, a lot of people ask... WTF is an EP? Well, it means "Extended Play" which is to say, its longer than a single yet shorter than a full-length. (I know it doesn’t make total sense but whatever... wikipedia it or somethin’...)

So, yeah, I’m looking at a late april/mid-May release date and it will be available digitally first through iTunes with a hard copy CD to follow soon after. When I know the exact release date, I will make sure everyone knows...

There will be 5 new original songs on the EP which is called the "Start of Something EP". Some of the songs are my first attempts at full-on self-production (aside from Umbrella) and others were initially produced by Ted Comerford to which I added additional production. The whole thing was mixed by Micah Wilshire, who has done an awesome job bringing these tunes to life. I haven’t nailed down an exact track order yet but here’s a little bit about each song.

"Start of Something" is a piano-driven vibe-y song that will probably kick off the EP. Ex-Argument-eers Chris and Brent played drums and bass on the track and I did all of the synths and piano work. (As mentioned in previous music updates, there is no guitar on these tracks.). It has a sorta mellow mood to it and lyrically, its about trying to essentially start over again as a solo artist... but I think its open for you to apply your own interpretation as well.

A remixed version of "Keep On" will be on the EP. It is different than the one that was up on my Myspace. I’m really excited about this mix. I went back and added a few more synths and Micah really created a whole new vibe.

I did a COMPLETE re-working of "Sorry In Advance". Old skool Argument fans will definitely remember this tune and hopefully will dig the new take on it. I couldn’t bring myself to let this song go and have been trying (and missing) to get a solo version of it for about 2 years now. It’s pretty different and I’m really anxious for you all to hear it!

"Call It Even" is an upbeat song that appeared on my Myspace as a demo. This is another self-produced song and this was done using all synth instruments except... Ok, I lied earlier about the lack of guitar. This track has me playing some acoustic guitar but its manipulated so that its kind of a cool effect. You’ll see what I mean...

Lastly, "Foot of the Stairs" was a song that was recorded during the same sessions as "Ruin" and "Keep On". It also features Chris and Brent on drums and bass. It’s a really special song for me because its one of the few songs that I’ve ever been able to write about my dad who passed away 11 years ago this May.

So that’s that... In the meantime, you can still purchase the singles "Ruin" and "Umbrella" on iTunes to hold ya over...

In other news, I signed a co-publishing deal with Bug/Windswept Music out of LA. Publishing is hard to explain but basically they will help me promote and shop my music that I’ve written for myself and others. So I’ve been getting some cool project requests (like the Hannah Montana pitch I did a few weeks ago with Todd Wright) and it will really help jump start my career as a solo artist and writer.

Also... check out the pics from my Club Cafe show in Pittsburgh on my profile...

Stay tuned... and please spread the word about the upcoming release!

Thanks so much for stickin’ with me!
s

(Happy 8th Anniversary, YNFB)

10:33 AM - 6 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Barack You Like A Hurricane...

So...

I’ve always shied away from talking politics when it comes to my music. There are countless things that divide us but I’ve always felt music could be a common ground for people. I recently saw songwriter Carole King on the Colbert Report and she said that she has never written political songs because she keeps her music as one thing and her politics as another and they both "reside" within her. I agree with that sentiment and since this is a blog, and not a song, and because I care way too much about superdelegates, brokered conventions and exit polls, I figure I could open the discussion with you all. I’m curious what everyone’s thinking...

I will confess to being a liberal Democrat for several reasons as long as I’ve been able to vote. I live in Pennsylvania now, the site of the next big primary and I have been following the Obama campaign since he announced his candidacy in February 2007. I don’t dislike Hillary but I am so inspired by what an Obama presidency could mean for this country, especially after too many years of paralyzing polarization. I’ve been amazed at how well Barack was doing, but always holding my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop - and any other cliche you can think of to end this sentence.

Well, I think the clips of his pastor on the news and internet would qualify as "said shoe". I’ve known for awhile that eventually Rev. Wright was going to be trouble for Obama. I have members of my family who have told me before these clips leaked out that they would never vote for him because of his relationship with people that espouse or seem to support anti-Semitism. While I don’t believe that Obama agrees with his pastor, I certainly can understand where my family’s concerns are coming from. I think I have a unique perspective on this whole issue having the weird distinction of being a West Virginia-born Jew. Not too many of us out there...

Both West Virginians and Jews are proud people. I’m just as proud of telling someone that Jennifer Garner, Randy Moss and 1/5 of the cast of "Three’s Company" are from West Virginia as I am to announce that Jon Stewart, Natalie Portman and the guy who invented the laser are in "the Tribe". Growing up in West Virginia, I heard many ignorant comments - some aimed at me because of my religion, some told to me in confidence because I am white. On one hand, in 5th grade, Mike Grimes told me that I was "going to hell" for not believing in Jesus, which lead to an extremely awkward afterschool meeting with my Brooklyn-born mother and his Appalachian-raised parents. In my public high school - where up until last year a painting of Jesus Christ hung by the office - Jaimie Nutter explained to me in gym class that the difference between a Jew and a pizza was that "a pizza doesn’t scream when you put it in the oven.". On the other hand, I’ve heard just about every backward racist comment that would not be said to my face if I were African-American. In fact, just the other day, a Republican friend laid this offensive doozy on me, stating that "authorities have called in the National Wildlife Foundation to protect the White House because theres a coon and a beaver trying to get in.". As much as I know WV is a beautiful state with amazing people and as often as I defend the 35th state that seceded from Virginia to fight for the North in the Civil War as not being a backwards, Deliverance-esque inbreeding ground, I can’t deny or explain away the dark side of the state that I’ve experienced.

The oldest serving senator in the U.S. Congress is Robert Byrd, a nonagenarian ex-Exalted Cyclops (yes, seriously... wtf?) of the Ku Klux Klan from West Virginia who within the last 15 years dropped the "N-word" during a CNN interview. However, Sen. Byrd is serving his 9th term in the U.S. Senate and has done amazing things for the state of West Virginia. Its worth debating whether an ex-klansman is truly representing all of the people in his state but its too simple to say he’s a bad person. However, I can say that I think he’s a racist and a bigot who is a product of the time and place he grew up and at times has done good things for a lot of people.

Along the same lines, I think that what Obama’s pastor said was stupid, offensive and untrue but I also understand that Rev. Wright’s perspective comes from growing up in a segregated and unequal America, something I will NEVER be able to comprehend. Barack Obama can denounce Wright’s words without condemning the person as a whole or denying that these feelings exist in the African-American community.

Aren’t we all a product of the time and place in which we grow up? I have an older relative who still refuses to buy a German-made car. My WWII-veteran grandfather who grew up during the Depression and had his nose broken 13 times from fighting everyone in Philadelphia that called him a "dirty jew" sometimes referred to blacks as "Schwartzes" (pronounced Shvaht-zahs), a derogatory Yiddish term. I have family members forward me emails with Barack’s middle name HUSSEIN capitalized in the subject line, despite the fact that my own cousins once had to change their last name from Iskowitz because of people’s aversion to Jewish-sounding names. I don’t identify with any of these thoughts at all but I still love my family dearly and understand the context of their feelings.

These are real feelings and issues that exist in America today. We need to acknowledge that they exist and are part of all of us so we can move forward and understand that "this union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected.". The challenges we are going to face during our next president’s term are too important for us to be distracted.

(steps off soapbox... back to writing crappy songs... your thoughts?)

s

Currently listening : Field Manual By Chris Walla Release date: 29 January, 2008

10:05 PM - 14 Comments - 28 Kudos - Add Comment

woo hoo...

Let’s Gooooooo...

4:27 PM - 5 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Later, Sooners! (alternate title: Why my trip to OK sucked...)

I thought I'd get a story or two out of this random trip to Oklahoma and did I ever?

Have you ever had everything just go perfectly wrong, a series of unexpected things that happens with the scripted timing of a cheesy sitcom, that you can't even get upset? That's probably the best way I can describe my last two days.

To be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to this trip. "See Oklahoma" wasn't necessarily one of my 2008 resolutions (however, it did seem slightly more attainable than my number 7 resolution, "Hug a Live Bear). Not that I didn't want to perform or go to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, but the circumstances surrounding the trip were set up for it to be a drag even if everything went as planned. This was supposed to be a block of a few showdates, but as the date got closer, the other shows in the block started to fall through. So the plan was to fly Pittsburgh to Dallas, drive 2 hours north to Durant, OK (the home of Michael "Cowboy" Ellis - first runner-up of Big Brother 5), play a 45 minute set of my material solo and in the morning retrace my steps back to the Steel City - a total of 10 hours of air travel and 4 hours of car travel within a 30 hour period.

The trip started off pretty non-eventful. I proudly shaved off about a minute of the monotonous check-in and security process by removing my belt at home and placing it in the outer pocket of my suitcase. Easy flight... layover in Philly... slightly less easy flight to Dallas... get a little random stain on my gray pullover somehow and a few hours later touch down in the Lone Star state. This is where I got my first hint that this trip was going to be odd. As I stood up to de-plane (de plane! de plane!), the top button from my jeans popped off and I immediately wished I had simply suffered through the belt removal process at the metal detector earlier.

At the baggage claim, it only took about 10 minutes of the noisy carousel of unfamiliar grey and black suitcases to realize that mine didn't make it to Dallas. Fortunately, I found my keyboard at guest services but was made to fill out forms for my "Delayed Baggage". Obviously, I wasn't thrilled about not having a change of clothes or toiletries for the show later that night, but at least of the two checked bags, my keyboard made it. I proceeded to the shady ACE rental car - which I quickly discovered you can only get to by shuttling to the regular rental car area then calling for an unmarked white van to take you to the off-airport shopping plaza site a few miles away.

Ace Rental Car of Dallas-Forth Worth is managed by a 50-something cliche Texan named Rusty who insisted on referring to me as "Partner" and every female as "Darlin'". He had a gross wiry goatee and a ponytail pouring from the back of his black mesh trucker hat and he claimed everything happened "9 outta 10 times" as in:

"The weather may get bad tonight so they may shut down ALL the interstates and cancel ALL the flights, but 9 outta 10 times, you'll be fine."

Or:

"If you take the George Bush Turnpike around to 75 North, 9 outta 10 times you won't hit any traffic.".

Both of these surefire prophecies proved to be false. This was shaping up to be a "1 outta 10 times" day for me.

After proudly giving me shortcut directions, Rusty informed me that they were out of economy cars so I would get an upgraded car for no extra cost. The bad part: they put me in a silver PT Cruiser. If you own a PT cruiser, that's cool, but its certainly no way to pull up to a rock show with an analog clock on your dashboard. So I drive my sweet temporary ride onto the George Bush (ew.) Turnpike where every few miles there's a dollar toll. Somehow, I managed to mess this simple process up too. The turnpike is just 3 lanes but every few miles it expands suddenly to 8 with complicated symbols indicating the different types of transactions available at the approaching toll booth. The big orange "T" means pre-paid toll pass, the stick figure with an outstretched arm means "Cash" and the "$1.00" with small white "Coins Only" means just that. By the time I deciphered this intricate coding system, it was too late to cross 7 lanes of highway traffic and I ended up in "Coins Only" - with no coins. No one assisted me and cars were honking so I nervously drove through the toll, which I hear is punishable by death in TX. I was prepared for the next toll booth but when I got to the attendant I couldn't find the window controls. So I had to awkwardly open the driver's side door and reach over it with my $1 bill, until the toll booth worker quizzically pointed out that my window controls were on my dashboard - next to my Flava Flav-style timepiece.

I get to Durant, OK with about a half hour 'til sound check and check in the Microtel right beside the brightly lit expansive Choctaw Nation Casino. I got the sampler emergency toiletry pack from the front desk, showered quickly and attempted to shave with the white disposable razor they gave me. Since I haven't had to use one of these since maybe 9th grade, I cut my self 3 times on the neck. I rush out of the room with a bloody neck, a mysteriously stained pullover and saggy unfastened jeans.

The show at the school was ok (no pun intended). There were literally 8 students there but they were an enthusiastic 8. After the show, I found the local Wal-Mart Supercenter (ugh...), got some necessities and headed back to my casino neon-lit Microtel non-smoking room and sewed a button on my jeans. How's that for rock stardom?

The next morning my suitcase was waiting for me at the airport looking a little rough, but intact. The trip home was uneventful... oh, except USAIR lost my keyboard in Charlotte. No joke.

I guess USAIR loses your luggage 9 outta 10 times...

s

slightly outta date picture of George Bush Tpk toll signs (thanks Google image search!)

Currently watching : Radiohead - Meeting People Is Easy Release date: 18 May, 1999

10:36 PM - 22 Comments - 32 Kudos - Add Comment

Idle Idol thoughts...

I'm not an Idol hater.

I mean, I was the first couple of season's admittedly, but I've accepted it for what it is and think that winners like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood are legitimately good singers. I couldn't do what these people do... I need my piano/keyboard in front of me. I don't think I could just stand and sing (I tried miserably in my 5th grade talent show when I lip sync'd La Bamba, but thats another story for another day...)

So who do you like so far? I think David Archuleta is pretty awesome. The strip club thing may haunt David Hernandez but hes ok - except for his left eyebrow choreography... The Aussie is good too. There's a lot of strong ones on the girls' side - Carly (despite her previous record deal), Syesha , Brooke, Ramiele and A'siah.

Here are some of my random thoughts on Idol:

I almost always agree with Simon... I hate when contestants fight with Simon and get all pouty.

Randy annoys me with his "Dogg", "Dude" and "Pitchy", but whatever... His comments are usually pretty good and he played bass in Journey.

I don't know if the best thing about DVR is skipping the commercials or Paula's maddeningly stupid rambling comments. It drives me f%&*ing crazy when she talks. All she does is paraphrase whatever Randy says like a 3rd grader with a drinking problem...Ugh. I don't even know what she's saying half the time. She makes me regret taping "Cold Hearted Snake" off the radio back in the day...

Who picks some of these crap ass songs? A whole 60's night and no Beatles??? Blashpemy!

Have you ever seen the Paul Potts (the cell phone salesman who sings opera) audition from Britain's Got Talent on YouTube??? Wow. You need to.

The Idol band's guitar player kinda reminds me of Cleveland on Family Guy. Anyone?

Wow. Did you see the Randy and Paula video? Is there something wrong with her releasing a song so heavily auto-tuned while judging a singing competition?

Am I dork for caring this much? Don't even get me started on the election...

Off to Oklahoma...
s

Currently listening : Made In the Dark By Hot Chip Release date: 05 February, 2008

10:39 PM - 10 Comments - 17 Kudos - Add Comment

What’s new.....

Sorry I haven't been a good blogger lately... I have a lot of ideas for blog topics but then I hear a voice that clears its throat and says "Why do you think anyone really cares what you think? because you write cheesy lil pop tunes? c'mon... save yourself some time." And I'm like... "You're probably right, mom..."

I figured I'd let you know what I've been up to lately. I've been working with a great new mixer, Micah Wilshire and preparing to release an EP soon. I'm really happy with how the songs are sounding and for the first time I'm tracking and producing a lot on my own. The lil "Umbrella" experience gave me some added confidence on that side of recording.

In the meantime, "Ruin" is now up on iTunes and I'm doing a few shows - Morgantown, WV, Pittsburgh, PA and Durant, OK. Yes... OK as in the postal code for Oklahoma. Never been to Oklahoma... Sure I'll get a blog outta that trip. I'm playing a solo set at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Also, my writing partner, Todd Wright and I have been writing with this band on Epitaph called Courage Call. Its really one guy Matt McGinn, i think. Melodic piano-based pop/rock... He's recording his album in LA now... definitely check him out. Also, Todd, Lucy Woodward and I were asked to submit a song for a country-ish pop act on a major label. Doesn't mean it will ultimately get recorded but being asked to submit is like 33.333333% of the battle. I guess that's one advantage to growing up Jewish in West Virginia. I've got a lot of musical genres covered... from Showtunes to Bluegrass... Tin Pan Alley to Grand Ole Opry. Shalom, ya'll! I should write a song called "Before He Schtups" (ask your parents or nearest Yiddish-speaking friend).

And lastly, my drummer and close friend, Chris's son, Alec, turned 2 this past November. And rather than go out last minute and buy something with Thomas on it, I decided to write a song for his birthday (Actually I was just broke...). I stole this idea from my friend Bleu who released a CD of songs he wrote for friends' birthdays with the stipulation that he wouldn't spend more than 24 hours writing and recording it. So I did the same thing for Alec's birthday. Alec has since expanded his vocabulary, probably surpassing mine, but at the time he was always saying "It's on" - as in the TV, the light, the ceiling fan, the computer. Everything was "on" to alec and he was eager to tell you about it. So I wrote this song called "Alec Says Its On". Written and recorded in about 5 hours so excuse the demo-ness. If he doesn't fully appreciate it now, he will someday when he tells his friends "Yeah, one of my dad's creepy slacker musician friends was too cheap to buy a gift and wrote this for me when I was like 2 or something... so lame.".

"Alec Says Its On"

Oh yeah... I forgot to mention that I got a puppy. She's awesome. I'll post more about her in a later blog...'Til then, here's a pic to hold ya over...

Maya - Tracking

Ok... thats all for now. I'll try to be more active on here. In the meantime, check out Todd's Blog. It's always entertaining!

vote...
s

Currently listening : Lucky By Nada Surf Release date: 05 February, 2008

7:06 AM - 10 Comments - 18 Kudos - Add Comment

"Ruin" single now available on iTunnnnnnnezzzzz....

Now "Ruin" can fit nicely in yer iPod or Zune or laptop or whatev...

s




..

11:18 AM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment