So…my back still hurts, but it still aches too much and I can’t sit, stand, or lay down comfortably. Whoa is me I guess. It is getting better though. Since this is primarily a music blog it’s only appropriate to include the song “Getting Better” by the Beatles, but I could only find a video of The Kaiser Chiefs covering the song. Enjoy…
I attended a special concert last night. The final show of a seminal Indianapolis based band called Loretta. Loretta are a powerful, moody, thoughtful and rocking quartet composed of three brothers, Jason, Damon & Jeremy and their longtime friend Stan. At their pinnacle moments, the three brothers harmonies poured over the incredibly powerful and melodic wall of sound the band produced live would make you swear that you’ve been lifted a few inches off of the ground.
I believe that I first saw Loretta (originally known as Jihad until 9/11 hastened a name change) back in late 2001. They were part of a grouping of bands I came to admire when I dove head first into the mainstream music scene here in the crossroads of American. They obviously stood head and shoulders above the pack of local music hopefuls in Indianapolis at the time. I was able to attend a lot of their shows as they shared the bill with several of my local favorites. Also when I started working more closely with a host of bands, they often ended up on the same bill as Loretta.
Loretta trudged through the minefield of the music industry for a long time. Their record label at the time (the newly formed Benchmark Records) created good buzz for them nationally. When their debut CD was released it performed very well on college radio hitting the College Music Journal (CMJ) charts and providing further publicity for the guys. They toured all across the country and seemed to be on the fast track to be the next big thing. Sadly, that never happened and the guys of Loretta saw their fame fade away as their record company slid into bankruptcy.
They’ve spent the last couple of years recording their new CD “Message Received, Not Understood” and coming to the realization that time was no longer on their side and realities of life, getting married, having kids, moving on, etc. was catching up to them.
Last night’s show was a wonderful yet bittersweet swan song for them. It was great to hear all of them say that they don’t have any regrets and that they are ending well as good friends. Many tears were shed after they closed with a new song appropriately titled “Settle Down.”
Thanks you Jason, Damon, Jeremy and Stan for painting a beautiful brush stroke through my journey in the music world these last seven years. Blessings on you as you move forward in life.
Listen to “Settle Down” by Loretta:
“Settle Down” by Loretta
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0
When we settle down
When we come aground
With hundreds of victories won
“Indiana’s chosen sons”
I could sing all day
But I won’t forget to say
We always were the best of friends
This isn’t where our story ends
Songs about the
The golden desert rides
Swimming in the ocean tides
Ten-thirteen’s selfish side
Will suffice for when we settle down
As we grow into old age
And whittle days away
Our stories will become as lore
And generations will have sworn
When we settle down
With only friends around
Were we giants in our day?
I think that we should only say
Songs about the
The golden desert rides
Swimming in the ocean tides
Ten-thirteen’s selfish side
Will suffice for when we settle down
The boss at Fenway Park
Last call in LaCrosse
Our record in St. Mark’s
And go time in New York
Will suffice for when we settle down
So I went out for a bike ride today…finally. Of course as I stepped out the door I noticed the slight patter of raindrops hitting the sidewalk in front of my house. Bummer, I thought, but pushed forward with my ride. It wasn’t a very long ride, but it turned into a very wet one. I rode my bike in central park once. It was a shorter ride that today’s as I wasn’t used to all of the hills! I didn’t even remember that their were hills in central park.
A friend of mine is planning on bringing Central Park to you this fall. My dear friend Annie Quick has become enamored by Central Park as no other person I know. She only lives two blocks from it and she sees things there in a way that few of us can see. She’s sees the magic of Central Park.
She’s turning her ideas into a multi-part project that included her blog, a new record, an art installation and a concert tour. She’s asked me to join her team to help implement this massive project. I’m very anxious to begin the journey. Here’s a link to her blog:
I’ve admired Annie’s work as a musician since her days with Stickman Jones. I was privilege to promote a concert for her here in Indianapolis in October 2001. Her music has a depth and quality that makes her stand out above almost every band I’ve ever heard. She’s an amazing songwriter and performer and some would say that she could even qualify for “rock goddess” status!
Evidence of her “rock goddess” status:
Her concert that October was the first show I ever promoted and produced on my own. It launched me into the mainstream music industry She has become a great friend since then and I take every chance I can get to hang out in New York City with her and her husband Jad. I can’t even count how many shows of hers I’ve been a part of since then.
Annie has a cool little documentary she made about the installation and how everything fits together. She has also posted the first chapter of her film on YouTube. I’ve posted a couple of links below for you to check out. Here’s the documentary:
So yes, I did ride through Central Park and look forward to future rides through the real and imaginary version! I will keep you posted about the tour and other tidbits related to this wonderful project. Here’s another sample of an Annie Quick song for you. One of my favorites called “Hemmingway”:
I have to say that right now I am freakin’ tired due to the affects of a cough syrup my doctor has me on right now. It suppresses my cough and my strength! Thanks doc.
Last Wednesday I had the privelege of watching God Made Robots perform live for the first time ever at Local’s Only Art & Music Pub here in Indianapolis. I’m biased because my sister, Sarah, is the bass player, but it was good to finally hear some of their songs live. They will be performing again this coming Wednesday at the same open mic. If you’re in Indy you should come out to cheer them on. By the way, if the two guys on the left look familiar, it’s because they are former member of the band Extra Blue Kind. Let me know what you think of them.
Listen to them at http://myspace.com/godmaderobots and let me know what you think.
Well, I’m back from my extended break from the Midwest. One week in New York and two weeks in Las Cruces, NM could not have been more different from my day to day life in Indy.
NYC was a very fruitful time that I will describe in my next blog.
I enjoyed good food, good friends, lots of walking and riding the subways and buses, Central Park plus a couple of great concerts by Eisley (I seem to be always stalking them in NYC as they have been there each of the last three times I have visited!!) and the wonderful Company of Thieves from Chicago whom I have seen twice in Indy and now once in the Big Apple. I love running into bands I know in other cities. They usually remember me, but the location throws them for a loop.
At the Canal Room in Manhattan I was saying “hello” to their lead singer Genevieve. She was looking at me confused and I turned and started to say “hi” to Marc their guitarist when I felt little arms wrap around me as Genevieve realized who I was and gave me a big hug! Sometimes musicians can cause me such heartache, but other times they just melt my heart! Company of Thieves are a great band. Be sure to check them out and buy their CD on iTunes or something like it! You won’t be disappointed by their jazz infused indie pop.
Company of Thieves - Oscar Wilde
Here’s a 1:14 minute sample:
New Mexico was very much different from New York! I unfortunately was hit by the nastiest bout of allergies I think I’ve ever experienced in my life! The wind was kicking up a lot of desert that only seemed to compound the problem with my sinuses. The days were spent lazily hanging out with my Mom primarily watching TV. We, of course, ate a few meals at the VFW where she hangs out and ate dinner once at a different VFW where she works. We used to call her the “Cage Lady” because she use to work in a cage in the little “casino” the VFWs run out of their back rooms. She handed out the winnings from the cage. She works at a different VFW now and she has come out of the cage!
Along with seeing both of my older sisters and their families, I spent some good time with my brother Chris who is known on Myspace as CJ Blizzard. He is the quintessential Myspace Rockstar and knows it. I helped him record some drums and helped mix the song he posted called “Stop Tellin’ Lies.” It’s a little different than what I normally listen to, but it was fun to just hang out and show him some recording tricks that I have learned over the years. I don’t get to spend a lot of time with him generally so it was a special treat to be able to help out.
So I made it back and now life settles back in. I’m in the midst of some serious life transitions that are a little daunting, but hold a lot of promise. Relationally, I have to revisit some past wounds and tell some people some very difficult things that they many not enjoy hearing, but must be said for healing to begin. That’s always fun…not.
So I’m listening to the amazing Alicia Keys right now. She is such a phenomenal performer and songwriter. I meant to get her “As I Am” from iTunes a long time ago. I finally got it and am just stunned by these melodies, rhythms, everything fits together so wonderfully in this tapestry of pop, funk, rock and a bit of bubblegum. I guess I’m obviously smitten, plus it’s 7:20am and guess who hasn’t been to bed yet! So I probably don’t really have all of my faculties about me right now. I guess I’ll just leave it there and say go buy it!
Jenny & Tyler are truly some of my favorite people evah! This was from Halloween if you haven’t figured it out yet!
So my sister Sarah, Wolfy and I walked into the dollar theater the other day and sat down to watch “Once” at the recommendation of a certain Internet based friend who shall not be named! The seats were kind of jank and the sound was less than adequate, but somehow through the dearth of the theater a masterpiece of music and acting shone from the screen washing us with beauty beyond our wildest expectations.
The stunningly beautiful story of a lonely Irish songwriter, a love of a Czech woman that could not be and the formation of a band was so believable. The songs alone were worth a full price of admission and then some. We all walked out in awe of what we had just seen. Any musician or music lover needs to see this movie. So beautiful, so hopeful against all hope without stumbling into a vat of Velveeta! No cheese here!
At minimum go and buy the soundtrack and decide for yourself if I’ve lost it or not!
Does everybody revisit their musical past to the extreme that I have lately? I’ve been so fascinated by the songs that I grew up with. Obviously they are associated with various memories, but often those memories aren’t alway the best ones. My other fascination is with bands that are channeling my favorites from the past. I just stumbled across the band Superfamily from Oslo, Norway. It’s like A-ha, U2 and ELO all rolled together! Mmmmm…tasty! Hope you like them.
