In 2012 I had the honor of opening Don McLean's show at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth NH. Here's my set in its entirety.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Band Spotlight: No Limitz
The classic rock band No Limitz has been playing the Lakes Region in New Hampshire for over a decade. We are a four-piece band: Stephen Hinchey plays guitar, Steve Ainsworth is on bass, Normand Breton is the drummer, and I'm on keys and acoustic guitar. And we all sing, which allows us to take on some pretty ambitious classic rock songs. "Carry On Wayward Son" (Kansas) is probably my favorite song in our repertoire.
We don't do much in the way of original material; my bluesy song "I Know My Rights" is the only one in our rotation these days. But originals aren't what our crowd is coming out to hear. They want classic rock from in and around the 1970s, and that's what we give them.
The band's web site is www.nolimitz.org - you can find the latest schedule there. Come on out and shake it sometime!
We don't do much in the way of original material; my bluesy song "I Know My Rights" is the only one in our rotation these days. But originals aren't what our crowd is coming out to hear. They want classic rock from in and around the 1970s, and that's what we give them.
The band's web site is www.nolimitz.org - you can find the latest schedule there. Come on out and shake it sometime!
Friday, July 1, 2016
Booking: A Peek Behind The Curtain
I get a lot of questions about my booking practices, from other musicians and from venues that I work with. Like many of my brothers- and sisters-in-arms, I've basically worked out a process that suits my own style/needs. Let me offer some insight, in the form of a completely fabricated interview. ;)
How far in advance do you book shows?
Let's see... I usually have bookings about a year in advance. There are openings in the schedule, of course; sometimes I'll pick up shows a few days out. Occasionally I can do a same-day fill-in. But I try to maintain a schedule that has months-deep predictability for me, just so I can be sure I don't have to go out and get a desk job.
Do you use contracts?
No, generally not. I always feel like I should, especially when a venue has to cancel at the last minute. But in my experience, handing a bar owner a contract doesn't go over well; there are a ton of bands/musicians who will book on a handshake, and the venues don't feel the need to take the added risk. Which, of course, puts the risk on me. So I get a little nervous when I book outdoor shows that are weather-dependent, or shows at new/untested venues.
Every now and then I play a show at a venue that gives ME a contract, and I'm always grateful to get it. These are usually the larger venues, which I don't play nearly as often.
Do you have a 'standard rate'?
Kind of. But not really. I have a general formula, which is affected by the length of the show, the required equipment setup, travel, the size of the venue, that sort of thing. I never want to take money out of the till; it's important to try and hit a fair number for me and the club. That said, my pay is rarely associated to the 'door'. Usually it's a set rate.
There are a few rooms I know of that 'charge' bands to play, either by making them pay for the house sound man, or by buying tickets to the show which they must then try to resell. I don't play these rooms. This particular interpretation of 'sharing a calculated risk' doesn't sit well with me.
You play many different types of shows, by yourself and with several bands. What kind of show is your favorite?
I'm lucky to do what I love in a bunch of different and enjoyable ways. That said, playing my original material gives me the most satisfaction. At those shows, I can usually tell stories, and interact more with the audience. My solo shows are best for this, and The Midweeklings have a bunch of fun originals too.
How far in advance do you book shows?
Let's see... I usually have bookings about a year in advance. There are openings in the schedule, of course; sometimes I'll pick up shows a few days out. Occasionally I can do a same-day fill-in. But I try to maintain a schedule that has months-deep predictability for me, just so I can be sure I don't have to go out and get a desk job.
Do you use contracts?
No, generally not. I always feel like I should, especially when a venue has to cancel at the last minute. But in my experience, handing a bar owner a contract doesn't go over well; there are a ton of bands/musicians who will book on a handshake, and the venues don't feel the need to take the added risk. Which, of course, puts the risk on me. So I get a little nervous when I book outdoor shows that are weather-dependent, or shows at new/untested venues.
Every now and then I play a show at a venue that gives ME a contract, and I'm always grateful to get it. These are usually the larger venues, which I don't play nearly as often.
Do you have a 'standard rate'?
Kind of. But not really. I have a general formula, which is affected by the length of the show, the required equipment setup, travel, the size of the venue, that sort of thing. I never want to take money out of the till; it's important to try and hit a fair number for me and the club. That said, my pay is rarely associated to the 'door'. Usually it's a set rate.
There are a few rooms I know of that 'charge' bands to play, either by making them pay for the house sound man, or by buying tickets to the show which they must then try to resell. I don't play these rooms. This particular interpretation of 'sharing a calculated risk' doesn't sit well with me.
You play many different types of shows, by yourself and with several bands. What kind of show is your favorite?
I'm lucky to do what I love in a bunch of different and enjoyable ways. That said, playing my original material gives me the most satisfaction. At those shows, I can usually tell stories, and interact more with the audience. My solo shows are best for this, and The Midweeklings have a bunch of fun originals too.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Granite State Of Mind.
Hi. How have you been! Oh good. Me? I've been busy, you know. I was on the radio recently, with my friend Holly Furlone. You can check it out here!
Monday, August 18, 2014
Song Fight! Live 2014
This past weekend, I drove to DC with Holly Furlone to take part in Song Fight! Live 2014. The event couldn't possibly have happened at a better time for me; I needed a couple days of musical fellowship on the road. Travel was easy, the weather was beautiful, and the city was inviting. While we were in town, I treated myself to a growler of pale ale from the Right Proper Brewing Company, and we took a walk to the White House.
The shows went well too; Holly and I played our sets on Friday night, and we competed in the live fight on Saturday. (We didn't win - Manhattan Glutton won with a song I'm pretty sure he was still writing when they called his name.)
On the way home, we made a quick stop at a casino where I won $75 on a slot machine, which filled the gas tank and got us breakfast. A successful trip all around.
Want to watch the shows? They're on Youtube!
Sunday, August 10, 2014
The End Of Summer.
It's 5:19am. I played at Rosa Flamingo's in Bethlehem last night, hurried home for a bit of sleep, and now I'm prepping for a breakfast show in Meredith and a beach bar show in Laconia. It's gotta be August. That's when stuff like this happens.
Summer is winding down here in New Hampshire; you can already feel it. There are still warm days to be had, I'm sure. But the nights are cooler, and the dark is coming quicker during my outdoor evening shows. After the winter we just had up here, I knew this summer was going to feel way too short. And sometimes in July and August I forget to pick my head up and look around. It gets so busy. (That is just the kind of problem I WANT to have, of course.)
But while we still have good traveling weather, let's fit in a little nonsense, shall we? On the 15th I'm going to drive down to Washington, DC with Holly Furlone to take part in the annual Song Fight Live shows. I've been pretty lax with the updates here, but I promise I'll come back with stories/photos.
Summer is winding down here in New Hampshire; you can already feel it. There are still warm days to be had, I'm sure. But the nights are cooler, and the dark is coming quicker during my outdoor evening shows. After the winter we just had up here, I knew this summer was going to feel way too short. And sometimes in July and August I forget to pick my head up and look around. It gets so busy. (That is just the kind of problem I WANT to have, of course.)
But while we still have good traveling weather, let's fit in a little nonsense, shall we? On the 15th I'm going to drive down to Washington, DC with Holly Furlone to take part in the annual Song Fight Live shows. I've been pretty lax with the updates here, but I promise I'll come back with stories/photos.
Friday, June 13, 2014
June.
I'm resurfacing from a week(ish) - long recording session with Holly Furlone. I produced and played on her new CD. Copies are being ordered today. Very fun session.
I played at a benefit recently, and I won one of the raffle prizes - a pound of coffee and a French press! This morning I think I finally got the ratios the way I like them. This here is a good cup of coffee.
I've started dabbling with some songwriting ideas. I'm well overdue to get back on that horse. Hopefully I'll have some new stuff to share soon. But we're coming into the busy season, so playing out might trump the effort. The summer schedule is mostly in place, and I'm happy to report it includes Sunday shows at The Margate. This will be my tenth season at the beach bar.
I played at a benefit recently, and I won one of the raffle prizes - a pound of coffee and a French press! This morning I think I finally got the ratios the way I like them. This here is a good cup of coffee.
I've started dabbling with some songwriting ideas. I'm well overdue to get back on that horse. Hopefully I'll have some new stuff to share soon. But we're coming into the busy season, so playing out might trump the effort. The summer schedule is mostly in place, and I'm happy to report it includes Sunday shows at The Margate. This will be my tenth season at the beach bar.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Mid-May.
Here's where things start picking up a little bit. Mud season is still technically upon us, but a working musician in NH finds ways to stay busy. I'll be taking on a recording project for a friend in a couple weeks which will close the month out. I'm still playing organ for the church in Campton, and giving guitar lessons on the weekend. The Wednesday open mic at The Country Cow is still chugging right along. And as local restaurants start to dust off their outdoor patios, the remaining schedule fills itself in pretty quickly.
I'm just coming off of a pretty rugged bout of flu. I think that's what it was, anyway. Had me shut down for the better part of a week. I don't get sick like that very often, so I can't really complain. And at least it struck during the 'slow' season. I missed a show and a lesson. Could have been much worse.
Hey, if you're around this Friday, I'm reprising my 80s solo show at Woodpecker's in Campton. Last time went very well, but bad weather kept a lot of people home. So here's another chance to get back to the future. :)
I'm just coming off of a pretty rugged bout of flu. I think that's what it was, anyway. Had me shut down for the better part of a week. I don't get sick like that very often, so I can't really complain. And at least it struck during the 'slow' season. I missed a show and a lesson. Could have been much worse.
Hey, if you're around this Friday, I'm reprising my 80s solo show at Woodpecker's in Campton. Last time went very well, but bad weather kept a lot of people home. So here's another chance to get back to the future. :)
Friday, April 4, 2014
Mister Falcon - a song for John McLane
The Situation:
When the movie Die Hard 2 was shown on TBS, they censored the dirty words. Instead of bleeping them out or making them silent, they chose to replace the words with overdubbed phrases that might fool a lip-reader with cataracts, but that's about it. The movie is full of these edits, but the most egregious is this line, uttered by John McLane (Bruce Willis):
There is no Mister Falcon in the film. It certainly doesn't qualify as a well-known derogatory term. If we've made it this far into the film with our suspension of disbelief still intact, we might allow ourselves to believe that this is some sort of inside joke, a reference that McLane gets even if we don't.
The Solution:
In order to lift this from the ridiculously laughable to the marginally plausible, I wrote a song about the legend of Mister Falcon. I thought this character might have been one that McLane would have related to, and I can picture him as a young man listening to the song on his parents' turntable.
I recently made an album with a couple good friends. We called ourselves The Midweeklings. This song ended up being part of the project. Submitted for your consideration: Mister Falcon.
When the movie Die Hard 2 was shown on TBS, they censored the dirty words. Instead of bleeping them out or making them silent, they chose to replace the words with overdubbed phrases that might fool a lip-reader with cataracts, but that's about it. The movie is full of these edits, but the most egregious is this line, uttered by John McLane (Bruce Willis):
Yippie-Ki-Yay, Mister Falcon.
There is no Mister Falcon in the film. It certainly doesn't qualify as a well-known derogatory term. If we've made it this far into the film with our suspension of disbelief still intact, we might allow ourselves to believe that this is some sort of inside joke, a reference that McLane gets even if we don't.
The Solution:
In order to lift this from the ridiculously laughable to the marginally plausible, I wrote a song about the legend of Mister Falcon. I thought this character might have been one that McLane would have related to, and I can picture him as a young man listening to the song on his parents' turntable.
I recently made an album with a couple good friends. We called ourselves The Midweeklings. This song ended up being part of the project. Submitted for your consideration: Mister Falcon.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
The Quest For The Heady Topper
Here's a new drinking song for the 2014 St. Pat's 'tour'. It's about the search for a beer worthy of the holiday. This video was recorded for Couch By Couchwest, and with luck, it'll get its turn in the rotation in the next few days.
This song gets its live debut tonight at Tony's Italian Grille & Pub; I'm playing their St. Patrick's Celebration tonight at 6. Cheers!
Monday, March 10, 2014
St. Patrick's Week!
It's time to roll out the drinking songs again! St. Patrick's Day falls on a Monday this year, and for the week leading up to it, local pubs are giving you plenty of opportunity to raise a pint. Here's when and where you can catch my drinking songs show:
Wednesday 3/12: The Country Cow, Campton NH. It's open mic night, and I'll be rolling out a warmup set as a preview for the show on the 17th. Is buffalo chicken a traditional St. Pat's dinner? It depends what you're drinking! Showtime 7-10pm, no cover, bring a guitar.
Thursday 3/13: Tony's Italian Grille & Pub, Thornton NH. Tony's annual St. Pat's celebration has become a north country mainstay. For an Italian restaurant, Tony's does Irish very well. Get a seat early, 'cause this one's going to fill up! Showtime 6:00-9:30pm, no cover, Moat Mountain on tap.
Friday 3/14: T-Bars Restaurant & Lounge, Waterville Valley NH. Technically an après-ski show, I'm offering a bit of the holiday spirits to the Waterville Valley crowd. Ski conditions should be very good, so expect this one to be a rowdy good time! Showtime 2-5pm, no cover, wear boots.
Friday 3/14: Biederman's Deli And Pub, Plymouth NH. A hometown show! Several of my drinking songs were inspired by events in this very room. This is my third year bringing the show to Biederman's. With the largest row of taps in town, this bar always brings an enthusiastic crowd. Showtime 7-9pm, no cover, drink the wall if you dare.
Saturday 3/15: Crossroads Chiropractic Lakeside, Meredith NH. Wait, what? Let me explain. This is the chiropractic office that I currently visit, and they are AWESOME. They just moved in to a new location, and I'm playing their open house party. Stop by and check it out! Showtime 11am-3pm, no cover, chair massages.
Sunday 3/16: Campton Congregational Church, Campton NH. Okay, not a drinking songs show. But I'm the organist, and after the week we've had, shouldn't you at least stop in? I'll be working St. Patrick's Prayer in somewhere. Sunday Service 9:30am, no cover, atonement for recent and upcoming sins.
Sunday 3/16: Woodpecker's Pub And Eatery, Campton NH. A little Sunday brunch will do you good. Some drinking songs and a Bloody Mary might help too. Come out and recharge your batteries for the final push! Showtime 11am-1pm, no cover, Kahlua French Toast.
Monday 3/17: Meredith Bay Colony Club, Meredith NH. A drinking songs show at an assisted living facility. Is this the best St. Patrick's week or what? Showtime 2:30-3:30pm, private event, experienced partiers.
Monday 3/17: Plymouth Skate Park St. Patrick's Day 4 Course Dinner, The Country Cow, Campton NH. Okay, here we go. A 4-course Irish meal with local craft beer and wine pairings, and drinking songs by yours truly. Proceeds benefit the development of the Plymouth Skate Park. Could this event be any more badass? Showtime 5-8pm, tickets $30, drinking in style.
Monday 3/17: The Country Cow, Campton NH. Hey, I'm already here, so why not? After the downstairs event finishes at 8, I'm moving my setup into the upstairs lounge for more musical bar shenanigans! Showtime 8pm-who knows, no cover, drunken revelry.
Wednesday 3/12: The Country Cow, Campton NH. It's open mic night, and I'll be rolling out a warmup set as a preview for the show on the 17th. Is buffalo chicken a traditional St. Pat's dinner? It depends what you're drinking! Showtime 7-10pm, no cover, bring a guitar.
Thursday 3/13: Tony's Italian Grille & Pub, Thornton NH. Tony's annual St. Pat's celebration has become a north country mainstay. For an Italian restaurant, Tony's does Irish very well. Get a seat early, 'cause this one's going to fill up! Showtime 6:00-9:30pm, no cover, Moat Mountain on tap.
Friday 3/14: T-Bars Restaurant & Lounge, Waterville Valley NH. Technically an après-ski show, I'm offering a bit of the holiday spirits to the Waterville Valley crowd. Ski conditions should be very good, so expect this one to be a rowdy good time! Showtime 2-5pm, no cover, wear boots.
Friday 3/14: Biederman's Deli And Pub, Plymouth NH. A hometown show! Several of my drinking songs were inspired by events in this very room. This is my third year bringing the show to Biederman's. With the largest row of taps in town, this bar always brings an enthusiastic crowd. Showtime 7-9pm, no cover, drink the wall if you dare.
Saturday 3/15: Crossroads Chiropractic Lakeside, Meredith NH. Wait, what? Let me explain. This is the chiropractic office that I currently visit, and they are AWESOME. They just moved in to a new location, and I'm playing their open house party. Stop by and check it out! Showtime 11am-3pm, no cover, chair massages.
Sunday 3/16: Campton Congregational Church, Campton NH. Okay, not a drinking songs show. But I'm the organist, and after the week we've had, shouldn't you at least stop in? I'll be working St. Patrick's Prayer in somewhere. Sunday Service 9:30am, no cover, atonement for recent and upcoming sins.
Sunday 3/16: Woodpecker's Pub And Eatery, Campton NH. A little Sunday brunch will do you good. Some drinking songs and a Bloody Mary might help too. Come out and recharge your batteries for the final push! Showtime 11am-1pm, no cover, Kahlua French Toast.
Monday 3/17: Meredith Bay Colony Club, Meredith NH. A drinking songs show at an assisted living facility. Is this the best St. Patrick's week or what? Showtime 2:30-3:30pm, private event, experienced partiers.
Monday 3/17: Plymouth Skate Park St. Patrick's Day 4 Course Dinner, The Country Cow, Campton NH. Okay, here we go. A 4-course Irish meal with local craft beer and wine pairings, and drinking songs by yours truly. Proceeds benefit the development of the Plymouth Skate Park. Could this event be any more badass? Showtime 5-8pm, tickets $30, drinking in style.
Monday 3/17: The Country Cow, Campton NH. Hey, I'm already here, so why not? After the downstairs event finishes at 8, I'm moving my setup into the upstairs lounge for more musical bar shenanigans! Showtime 8pm-who knows, no cover, drunken revelry.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Order the new CD here!!
Hi. The new CD has arrived, and things have been a whirlwind since them. I'll tell you all about the recent release party soon. But for now, here's a PayPal link where you can order physical copies of the CD. Eventually it will be on CDBaby as well, but that's still being resolved. And this is a more straight-to-the-artist option anyway. :)
Jim Tyrrell - True Stories from a Small World - CD
Sunday, January 5, 2014
CD Update (and cover art preview!)
The CDs are in production! The Indiegogo sponsor packages are being assembled now, and as soon as I have the new CDs, I'll pop them in there and send 'em off.
There will be a CD release party on Friday, January 24 at 7pm at The Country Cow Restaurant in Campton NH. Tickets are $15, which includes a copy of the new CD. You can get your ticket right here:
There will be a CD release party on Friday, January 24 at 7pm at The Country Cow Restaurant in Campton NH. Tickets are $15, which includes a copy of the new CD. You can get your ticket right here:
You will also be able to get a copy at any of my shows, or by ordering online. (The ordering link will be up soon.) I can't wait for you to hear it!
Until then, maybe you'd like a peek at the album art? You can check it out here:
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Tavern 27.
Tuesday 12/17/2013 is my last day at Tavern 27. I've been playing their gorgeous (and slightly ornery) grand piano every Tuesday for a little over a year. And in that time I've become acquainted with some fine business owners and some AMAZING food. If you're anywhere near Laconia NH, you really ought to check it out. They do an American spin on traditional tapas (meaning, of course, larger portions than traditional tapas). There isn't anything like it in this area. And the piano bar goes on, in the capable hands of a couple other local musicians. Dan Carter is outstanding; if you see him, ask to hear an original. Great songwriting style.
As for me, my schedule is pretty busy, and having a night at home on Tuesdays isn't unwelcome at all. (Ask me again in a month though.) And you'll be sure to see me hanging around Tavern 27 from time to time; I've still got a nice big food credit to use up. Reservations recommended; (603) 528-3057.
As for me, my schedule is pretty busy, and having a night at home on Tuesdays isn't unwelcome at all. (Ask me again in a month though.) And you'll be sure to see me hanging around Tavern 27 from time to time; I've still got a nice big food credit to use up. Reservations recommended; (603) 528-3057.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Album Mastering.
The date for mastering the new CD is set for December 27. How about that, I might get the thing done this year after all! Of course, there won't be physical copies until early/mid January, but all aspects of the project are moving forward.
This record has been a much longer process than any of my others, and it's been interesting to see what that does to the work, and to my impressions of it. In the past, I've put songwriting aside during record making. Not so this time; I could only hold it off for so long. And since it's not just me at the controls, the project can keep moving while I indulge the muse. Nice!
I think I promised you song stories in the last post. Well, I'll try to get some live recordings of the new stuff this Wednesday, and then you'll get all the dirt. But I also have an album cover to be finishing up. Oh, and people ought to have a way to order the damn thing too, yes? Busy busy. And thank goodness for it.
This record has been a much longer process than any of my others, and it's been interesting to see what that does to the work, and to my impressions of it. In the past, I've put songwriting aside during record making. Not so this time; I could only hold it off for so long. And since it's not just me at the controls, the project can keep moving while I indulge the muse. Nice!
I think I promised you song stories in the last post. Well, I'll try to get some live recordings of the new stuff this Wednesday, and then you'll get all the dirt. But I also have an album cover to be finishing up. Oh, and people ought to have a way to order the damn thing too, yes? Busy busy. And thank goodness for it.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Album Update
At 4:38 this morning, I got the mixdowns on the last of the songs from Ken. They all sound great. The album is a little shorter than my others - it'll come in at just over 30 minutes - but there's no wasted space, I can tell you that. We're doing one more day of mix adjustments, and then it's off to the Mastering house. I don't have an official timeline on that yet, but I'm thinking the CDs should be in production before year's end.
It's time to put the preorder system in place. Look for that in the next couple days. I'm also looking around at possible Release Party venues.
And I've written a couple new songs since we last spoke. I'll tell the story of each of them in turn, because they come from pretty unusual places. The first of those will happen later this weekend, right here on this channel. Stay tuned.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Sunday Morning Movie Review - World War Z
I just finished watching World War Z. Here is my review of the film.
World War Z is a movie starring Brad Pitt, who finds himself an unwilling participant in a global game of tag. When a person is tagged, they immediately become infected with parkour.
Okay, I knew the movie would diverge from the book. But man. It was entertaining enough, but the name World War Z deserved so much more. The book (by Max Brooks) portrayed a zombie outbreak (and the resulting human struggle) with exquisite realism. The movie, which went through numerous reboots during its development, opts instead for the action hero approach.
To get the original story in its ultimate form, I strongly suggest the World War Z audio book. Max Brooks constructed his story in the style of interview transcripts, so the audio book treatment is perfect. And the voice actors include Mark Hamill and Henry Rollins. Of course, the print version is great too.
So. Got a couple hours? Are you into movies where the hero is in constant peril? Can you overlook global tragedy and instead feel sympathy for the one family that gets to go on a boat? Then this is your Sunday Morning Movie.
World War Z is a movie starring Brad Pitt, who finds himself an unwilling participant in a global game of tag. When a person is tagged, they immediately become infected with parkour.
Okay, I knew the movie would diverge from the book. But man. It was entertaining enough, but the name World War Z deserved so much more. The book (by Max Brooks) portrayed a zombie outbreak (and the resulting human struggle) with exquisite realism. The movie, which went through numerous reboots during its development, opts instead for the action hero approach.
To get the original story in its ultimate form, I strongly suggest the World War Z audio book. Max Brooks constructed his story in the style of interview transcripts, so the audio book treatment is perfect. And the voice actors include Mark Hamill and Henry Rollins. Of course, the print version is great too.
So. Got a couple hours? Are you into movies where the hero is in constant peril? Can you overlook global tragedy and instead feel sympathy for the one family that gets to go on a boat? Then this is your Sunday Morning Movie.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Album Review: Glenn Case - Throw Money
Glenn Case's long-awaited album Throw Money shipped recently, and I have had the chance to listen to it several times. Let me tell you a little about it.
I was already familiar with much of the material for the record, having heard the original versions as Song Fight submissions. But there was plenty for me to discover on this album, and the whole thing is much more polished.
The record opens with "Bullseye Girl", a quick and sincere Elvis Costello homage that could easily run a minute longer without wearing out its welcome.
"Glutton" follows with a pleasantly conversational drift through time signatures, featuring Glenn's signature self-effacing lyric. Glenn's unafraid sincerity and comfort with the message (musically and lyrically) makes it easy to go along for the ride.
The pre-chorus on "OK Cupid" leaves me feeling like a songwriting chump. Glenn serves up a clinic on elegant song structure here.
If I found myself in Glenn's band, I'd be most excited to play the song "Georgia's Hand". It feels like it would be a blast to perform live. Another sharp, totally believable pop gem.
"Think It Over" features an absolutely irresistible chord sequence in the verse. The lighter lyric floats over a clean and rock-solid musical foundation.
Listening to the piano-driven "I Fell Flat" makes me think Glenn and I must share a great many musical influences. So much of what I love in pop can be heard here.
(Turn the record over here)
In 2006, Glenn and I were among 24 competitors in a little side thing over at Song Fight! The title we had to work with was "Pencil Me In". I turned in a decent piece of work, and I felt pretty good about it then. In fact, my song is going to be on my upcoming record, out hopefully by the end of the year. That said, Glenn kicked my ass, and I knew it the first time I heard his song. It sounds even better here on the album, opening the second side.
"Need Stilts" follows, with a guest vocal appearance by Rachael Layne. This is another Song Fight! song, and Glenn's ability to take a song title and completely own it lyrically leaves me shaking my head again.
"Take A Pill", "Reasons", and "Sweet" are classic second-side songs. The rules of Glenn's musical game are now set, and here's where you start to see how much room for exploration remains. This is where you grab the album cover to see who's playing those drums! (It's Ken Mahru, by the way.)
The album closes with the personal musical apology "Sister". Something more anthemic might be a better choice as a closer, you say? Nope. This says the record was never about you and me. Throw Money is Glenn Case telling the truth the way he tells it. This is obviously an honest body of work from a man shaped by music. We can only hope the next one doesn't take another six years.
Throw Money, along with many of Glenn's earlier records, can be heard here.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Summer recap.
I'm in the home studio this morning, getting caught up on a few things, this summer recap blog post being one of them.
I had 31 shows on the books for the month of August. A cancellation and a double-booking have brought that number down to a projected 29, still pretty damn good. And I managed to find time to shoot a TV commercial for a local bank AND sneak away for a two-day visit to the ocean. Good month!
Oh, and my 10-year-old (Shannon) made his on-stage debut with my classic rock band No Limitz at a show in Alton NH. He has been taking guitar lessons, and he played Sweet Home Alabama with us! (Video coming soon.)
September looks to be almost as busy, and it features a couple very exciting shows - I get to play songs from the new record at a house party for some friends who contributed to the CD fundraiser, and I'm rolling out some drinking songs at the 17th annual Homebrewer's Jamboree!
About that new album: There is the possibility of one track being ready for release by October. The full release will be around year's end. But I'm listening to the rough mixes as I type this, and I'm just as excited as I was when Ken Stringfellow was here recording them. You gotta hear this stuff, guys. Look for some sort of a preorder link soon.
I'm compiling ideas (and willing victims) for music videos. Hopefully next month I can find time to get some people organized and shoot some footage. (There's a fair bit that I can probably go out and shoot by myself, too.) But if you have an interest in helping, and a camera of modern smartphone quality or better, I'll take all the help I can get. :) If you want to help by being part of a big group wearing animal mascot costumes, that would be a big help as well. Nothing VMA Awards-related, I promise.
And hey, what are you up to tonight? I'm hosting the weekly open mic at The Country Cow in Campton. It starts at 7pm. Come out and get yourself some local music! Even better, bring a guitar and join in!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Back to normal, whatever that is.
Well that was crazy. The last two weeks have been a blur, and I've got some really good stuff to show for it. Not that I can actually show you yet, of course; the rough mixes that Ken Stringfellow made are way beyond anything I've recorded on my own, but they still need plenty of work before they are safe for public consumption.
All in all, things went extremely well given the limited resources we had to work with. Ken talks about the session in his latest blog, which also details his weekend shows in NH and ME.
Now the waiting game begins. Sort of. Final mixes on these tracks won't happen until November, though there is the possibility of one track being done a bit sooner. There's plenty of photo and design work to be done though.
Oh, and I do still play live shows. In fact, after dropping Ken off at the airport Sunday morning, I headed to The Margate for my weekly beach bar show, and then straight off to play a baby shower. This week is pretty busy too, although I'm taking the weekend off to celebrate Stacey's birthday.
One more thing: the Indiegogo campaign basically covered expenses for the recording session. I'll be setting up some sort of preorder system to try and raise funds for the mixing/mastering portion of the project. Maybe a PledgeMusic campaign, maybe something more simple than that. Details to come. For now, all I know is I'm super excited to put this music in people's hands and heads.
All in all, things went extremely well given the limited resources we had to work with. Ken talks about the session in his latest blog, which also details his weekend shows in NH and ME.
Now the waiting game begins. Sort of. Final mixes on these tracks won't happen until November, though there is the possibility of one track being done a bit sooner. There's plenty of photo and design work to be done though.
Oh, and I do still play live shows. In fact, after dropping Ken off at the airport Sunday morning, I headed to The Margate for my weekly beach bar show, and then straight off to play a baby shower. This week is pretty busy too, although I'm taking the weekend off to celebrate Stacey's birthday.
One more thing: the Indiegogo campaign basically covered expenses for the recording session. I'll be setting up some sort of preorder system to try and raise funds for the mixing/mastering portion of the project. Maybe a PledgeMusic campaign, maybe something more simple than that. Details to come. For now, all I know is I'm super excited to put this music in people's hands and heads.
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