This is another song (like "(Get Home) Dangerous") in which the lion's share of the lyrics in the first two verses were written a long time ago - in this case, probably 15 years back! The strange but cool thing about that is that they're still extremely relevant to me, after that long - in spite of (and maybe because of) the fact that the meaning of them has changed, or at least the implications of them have become more substantial. Time can do that kind of thing.
I wrote a lot of the first two verses not too long after 9/11, when we were dealing with the aftermath & getting our "sea legs" back in the city. That's where the the term "New York Post [or post] apocalypse" comes from. For one thing, it really DID feel like the end of the world (and surely life hasn't been the same since)...and also, it was the dawn of the celebutard-focused reality tv "tabloid culture" that infiltrated the popular consciousness around that time & that we're still quite in the midst of today. So, there's a double entendre there, if you like.
Anyway, those initial lyrics floated around in my head for a long time, until I eventually started writing my own shit in order to see what might happen. Again, I figured, if something is STILL on my mind that I wrote in 2001, or whenever, then, maybe I have something at least marginally worthwhile, here.
With that said, what do they MEAN, now? Well...a lot of the New York City that I fell in love with is gone now. I'm not going to turn this into a soapbox sermon about hyper-gentrification, but, let's face it, it's affected a lot of us. It's turned Downtown, NYC, which was once a place full of beautiful, creative, & poor people, into a stomping ground for ugly, rich half-wits. With that said, I still love it here, and when I take a look around, despite what has been lost, I still see a lot of cool people and cool shit happening here. It's all just fewer and further between.
So, I guess when I consider everything, I'd say that the song is about keeping your head straight, your spirit up, and your resilience intact in a world that seems to be perpetually crumbling into a pile of shit, and believing in yourself despite overwhelming evidence that doing so might define insanity.
You know...all of that shit!
So, with all of that in mind, I rewrote the lyric to inform the song of all the time between the initial lyric idea, and the time when I made something of it, as it were....
...and then I heard this riff, that must have been inspired by the likes of Girls Against Boys, the Wildhearts, and New Model Army (whose socially conscious, rebellious themes might have also provided counsel)...and pretty much wrote the skeleton of the song based on that. I had that "get on down-down-down-down-down" sort of hook on my mind for awhile, and found that it fit over that riff quite nicely.
Besides pulling the chorus part out of my ass, that's about it.
I made a little demo out of it, and was really on the fence about how I felt about it. I knew that it was coming from a sincere place with me, but...sincerity doesn't always translate. Did it sound hokey? Did it sound like the real deal? Did it ROCK, for Christ's sake?
Fast-forward to when Lase recorded the song for real, and added his explosive guitar magic on top of it, and....the answer, at least for my ears, was a resounding yes. One thing that particularly took me aback was how much Mike Maenza's drum-pummeling really whipped the song into submission. Not bad for something I came up with on the fly from an old-ass idea on a hung-over afternoon in my room, on an acoustic bass!
That's the if, and, & butt-end of it. Thanks for reading, thanks for listening....there are two songs left on the album. Stay tuned for entries on each.
Marty E.
"Flesh and blood, concrete & steel
To dust we all shall fall..."
LAST WEEK's ENTRY: SONGS: #5 - Midnight Crisis - "Sister Vicodin"
THE WEEK BEFORE THAT: SONGS: #4 - Midnight Crisis - "(Get Home) Dangerous"
THE WEEK BEFORE THAT: SONGS: #3 - Midnight Crisis - "Kiss My Apocalipps"
THE WEEK BEFORE THAT: SONGS: #2 - Midnight Crisis - "Midnight Somewhere"
THE WEEK BEFORE THAT: SONGS: #1 - Midnight Crisis - "Take Control"
Stream/Download "Lost & Found" on BandCamp
Download "Lost & Found" on CD Baby (or buy Heart Beatings CD)
Download "Lost & Found" on Apple iTunes
Download "Lost & Found" on Amazon
"Lost & Found" on Spotify
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Sunday, December 3, 2017
Thursday, January 9, 2014
A Winter's Tale or Just Another Metaphor For Life
This one goes back a little bit....
....to right after I graduated from college, and moved to smack-dab in the middle of an Arctic Tundra known as Minneapolis, MN....right on I-94, equidistant from Uptown and Downtown, if you're familiar with the area. I had a view of the modest skyline of Downtown, and found the sound of the traffic from the highway to be comforting for some reason.
I digress.....
I was looking for what the Replacements would call, a "Goddamn Job", when I came across an ad stating that a local dinner theatre company was looking for musicians for a Patsy Cline revue....I think it was called Closer Walk with Patsy Cline. They wanted a drummer who could also sing vocal harmony parts. "What the hell", I thought, "I could do THAT....and, I might LEARN something....and....who's going to have a COOLER first post-college job than THAT?! NO fucker, THAT's who!!!" I called the number in the ad immediately, talked myself up a bit (no shit), and set up the audition for that Saturday.
I remember it being colder than witch's lingerie closet that day. No matter, I got in the pick-up truck & drove to the suburbs for my audition. This would be a good time to mention that I was a TOTAL CHEAPSKATE when it came to keeping the tank filled with gas....so much so that I found myself tempting fate very often (much like our good friend Kramer). Well, this was NOT a good day to do that, as I admitted to myself when, right on the goddamn highway, with the gas gauge on "E" (usually my favorite letter, but perhaps not in this case), the engine just....petered out. I got out of the truck and tried a little trick that I used to use when this would happen, which was to take the gas cap off & keep it open. For some reason, this would often allow me to start the damn truck up again, and coast to the nearest gas station. Yeah....it didn't work this time, and I was getting late for my audition.
I grabbed the gas can (which, now that I think about it, I should have kept FILLED) from underneath the topper, and flagged down someone who was nice enough to drive me to a gas station (which was less than a mile away, of course) to get some gas. When I got back, I poured the gas into the tank, and then I reached for my keys......which....weren't.....there.
Yup, there they were....in the ignition, where I left them. And of COURSE I locked the goddamn door...and the other one. FUCK!!! WHAT the HELL was I going to do?! I was now more than fashionably late for my audition, and I didn't have any time for this crap!
So....I did what any other enterprising, red-blooded, young American Rock n' Roller would have done. I crawled underneath the topper.....got on my side....brought my leg back with an angle so my boot heel was aimed just so.....and, with all of my might, I KICKED IN the middle panel of the back window!!! Then I reached in, grabbed my drum sticks, and with them, flipped the lever on the side of the door and unlocked it. Then I grabbed the blanket that I had back there, and covered the seat with it (as there was no sense in getting cut by broken glass).
I finally pulled into the theatre company's offices, apologized profusely for being (at least) a half hour late, and explained how much of a DUMBASS I was!! Thankfully, they were totally cool about it.
I did my drumming/percussion audition, my singing audition, and my doing-both-at-the-same-time audition (despite being as winded as Holy Hell).....
And.....to make a long story not QUITE as long......
....I GOT THE GIG!!!!! BOOM!!!!!
....to right after I graduated from college, and moved to smack-dab in the middle of an Arctic Tundra known as Minneapolis, MN....right on I-94, equidistant from Uptown and Downtown, if you're familiar with the area. I had a view of the modest skyline of Downtown, and found the sound of the traffic from the highway to be comforting for some reason.
I digress.....
I was looking for what the Replacements would call, a "Goddamn Job", when I came across an ad stating that a local dinner theatre company was looking for musicians for a Patsy Cline revue....I think it was called Closer Walk with Patsy Cline. They wanted a drummer who could also sing vocal harmony parts. "What the hell", I thought, "I could do THAT....and, I might LEARN something....and....who's going to have a COOLER first post-college job than THAT?! NO fucker, THAT's who!!!" I called the number in the ad immediately, talked myself up a bit (no shit), and set up the audition for that Saturday.
I remember it being colder than witch's lingerie closet that day. No matter, I got in the pick-up truck & drove to the suburbs for my audition. This would be a good time to mention that I was a TOTAL CHEAPSKATE when it came to keeping the tank filled with gas....so much so that I found myself tempting fate very often (much like our good friend Kramer). Well, this was NOT a good day to do that, as I admitted to myself when, right on the goddamn highway, with the gas gauge on "E" (usually my favorite letter, but perhaps not in this case), the engine just....petered out. I got out of the truck and tried a little trick that I used to use when this would happen, which was to take the gas cap off & keep it open. For some reason, this would often allow me to start the damn truck up again, and coast to the nearest gas station. Yeah....it didn't work this time, and I was getting late for my audition.
I grabbed the gas can (which, now that I think about it, I should have kept FILLED) from underneath the topper, and flagged down someone who was nice enough to drive me to a gas station (which was less than a mile away, of course) to get some gas. When I got back, I poured the gas into the tank, and then I reached for my keys......which....weren't.....there.
Yup, there they were....in the ignition, where I left them. And of COURSE I locked the goddamn door...and the other one. FUCK!!! WHAT the HELL was I going to do?! I was now more than fashionably late for my audition, and I didn't have any time for this crap!
So....I did what any other enterprising, red-blooded, young American Rock n' Roller would have done. I crawled underneath the topper.....got on my side....brought my leg back with an angle so my boot heel was aimed just so.....and, with all of my might, I KICKED IN the middle panel of the back window!!! Then I reached in, grabbed my drum sticks, and with them, flipped the lever on the side of the door and unlocked it. Then I grabbed the blanket that I had back there, and covered the seat with it (as there was no sense in getting cut by broken glass).
I finally pulled into the theatre company's offices, apologized profusely for being (at least) a half hour late, and explained how much of a DUMBASS I was!! Thankfully, they were totally cool about it.
I did my drumming/percussion audition, my singing audition, and my doing-both-at-the-same-time audition (despite being as winded as Holy Hell).....
And.....to make a long story not QUITE as long......
....I GOT THE GIG!!!!! BOOM!!!!!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Best Little Kiss-Off in Texas...Or Was That a Blow-Off?
This past March, my band The Dirty Pearls played at South By Southwest in Austin, TX. It was a week full of adventures, fun, and Rock N' Roll. I had a great time playing Rock N' Roll and partying with my homeboys. That's what we do!
But the funniest thing I remember about it happened the night we got there.
I was walking down the massively crowded street on my own after checking out some band somewhere...I was wearing my new (at the time) Chinese Police Hat, and was feeling pretty damn good about it. While I was carefully considering just where the source of my next beer might be, a gaggle of DIPFUCKS walked by me. One of them had the panache to yell to me, "HEY, nice HAT ya fucking FAGGOT!!!"
I was stunned, not only that this cock mongrel had the insolence to imply that I was a homosexual, but by the fact that he was clearly an ignoramus for not recognizing a fucking cool hat when he saw one! And, let me tell you, Gentle Reader, there was going to be RETRIBUTION!!!!
I turned around, and I BELLOWED after the whole lot of them, these immortal words that will make them think twice before ever again disparaging another Rock N' Roller (at a MUSIC FESTIVAL, no less).
I screamed, "HEY!!! If I'm such a FAGGOT, why don't you come on OVER here, and SUCK MY FUCKIN' DICK?!!!!!"
The blowhard in question then turned around, and said, "WHAT?! WHAT WAS THAT?!!!"
I then pointed to my pelvic region with both hands, and answered, "I SAID, 'SUCK MY DICK!!!!' AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"
Of course, the boys in shorts didn't attempt to intervene any further, and I walked away, very satisfied with myself! And, I hit the drums even harder than I normally would at the gigs we played over the next couple of days. Here is some footage:
Thanks for reading!
Marty E.
But the funniest thing I remember about it happened the night we got there.
I was walking down the massively crowded street on my own after checking out some band somewhere...I was wearing my new (at the time) Chinese Police Hat, and was feeling pretty damn good about it. While I was carefully considering just where the source of my next beer might be, a gaggle of DIPFUCKS walked by me. One of them had the panache to yell to me, "HEY, nice HAT ya fucking FAGGOT!!!"
I was stunned, not only that this cock mongrel had the insolence to imply that I was a homosexual, but by the fact that he was clearly an ignoramus for not recognizing a fucking cool hat when he saw one! And, let me tell you, Gentle Reader, there was going to be RETRIBUTION!!!!
I turned around, and I BELLOWED after the whole lot of them, these immortal words that will make them think twice before ever again disparaging another Rock N' Roller (at a MUSIC FESTIVAL, no less).
I screamed, "HEY!!! If I'm such a FAGGOT, why don't you come on OVER here, and SUCK MY FUCKIN' DICK?!!!!!"
The blowhard in question then turned around, and said, "WHAT?! WHAT WAS THAT?!!!"
I then pointed to my pelvic region with both hands, and answered, "I SAID, 'SUCK MY DICK!!!!' AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"
Of course, the boys in shorts didn't attempt to intervene any further, and I walked away, very satisfied with myself! And, I hit the drums even harder than I normally would at the gigs we played over the next couple of days. Here is some footage:
Thanks for reading!
Marty E.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Whatever happened to my Rock N' Roll....and my Easy Listening, for that matter?!!!!
I've spoken at length in the past about how, in the places that I hang out, most of the music that's played is Rock N' Roll/Pop Music from the 70's through the 90's, more or less, regardless of the age group of the bar patrons at that particular time and place. It's strange how, in a bar full of people of different ages, from their early-20's to mid-40's, they all love the same music, whether it be Guns N' Roses, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, or whathaveyou. I'll be dj-ing, and 22-year-old girls want me to play more Motley Crue and Depeche Mode....and they weren't even BORN yet when a lot of these bands' songs were originally released, for Christ's sake!
Which begs the question: is music itself becoming something archaic...something antiquated...something that's purely vintage in quality, like a really expensive red wine, or a roughed up pair of Beatle Boots?!!
Is it nothing but pure nostalgia? If so, that's sad. Because that would imply that it's merely, as Leonard Cohen sang, "A shining artifact of the past." FUCK that! What about NOW?!
Day-in and day-out, I hear from people that they miss the sound of Loud Rock N' Roll, and they wonder where the hell it went. And that is a REALLY good question. I mean, seriously, I usually dj at least twice a week, in the dark Rock N' Roll dives in New York's East Village and Lower East Side, and the only modern bands I can think of that I play with any regularity are my band (the Dirty Pearls, if you live under a rock), my friends' bands, and....bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, A Perfect Circle, Queens of the Stone Age, HIM, etc. Other than that, it's like, my favorite Rock N' Roll bands from the 60's, 70's, 80's, & 90's. Go figure. Am I part of the problem? Is it a problem at all?
I know why it is. Generally, nobody's buying recorded music anymore, so, no new bands are being marketed (or shoved down the American Public's throats) anymore. The Music Industry and all its money basically disappeared up its own asshole, due to blind greed, and an overwhelming lack of quality in the music ("product") it generated.
So, with few exceptions, in order for Rock N' Roll fans to get their rocks off when they go out, the classics have to suffice. The funniest thing about is that younger Rock N' Roll fans were RAISED on that music by their PARENTS of all people. So much for Rock N' Roll being "rebellious music." But that's ok. Hell, my band has parents bringing their kids to our shows, and for that matter, some people bringing their parents....and that's pretty cool, if you ask me.
But, someone needs to carry the torch for Rock N' Roll, and define the time we're in NOW, don't you think?
These are open questions; ones of continuous discussion for some time in my case.
What do YOU think?
Thanks for your time!
Marty E.
Which begs the question: is music itself becoming something archaic...something antiquated...something that's purely vintage in quality, like a really expensive red wine, or a roughed up pair of Beatle Boots?!!
Is it nothing but pure nostalgia? If so, that's sad. Because that would imply that it's merely, as Leonard Cohen sang, "A shining artifact of the past." FUCK that! What about NOW?!
Day-in and day-out, I hear from people that they miss the sound of Loud Rock N' Roll, and they wonder where the hell it went. And that is a REALLY good question. I mean, seriously, I usually dj at least twice a week, in the dark Rock N' Roll dives in New York's East Village and Lower East Side, and the only modern bands I can think of that I play with any regularity are my band (the Dirty Pearls, if you live under a rock), my friends' bands, and....bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, A Perfect Circle, Queens of the Stone Age, HIM, etc. Other than that, it's like, my favorite Rock N' Roll bands from the 60's, 70's, 80's, & 90's. Go figure. Am I part of the problem? Is it a problem at all?
I know why it is. Generally, nobody's buying recorded music anymore, so, no new bands are being marketed (or shoved down the American Public's throats) anymore. The Music Industry and all its money basically disappeared up its own asshole, due to blind greed, and an overwhelming lack of quality in the music ("product") it generated.
So, with few exceptions, in order for Rock N' Roll fans to get their rocks off when they go out, the classics have to suffice. The funniest thing about is that younger Rock N' Roll fans were RAISED on that music by their PARENTS of all people. So much for Rock N' Roll being "rebellious music." But that's ok. Hell, my band has parents bringing their kids to our shows, and for that matter, some people bringing their parents....and that's pretty cool, if you ask me.
But, someone needs to carry the torch for Rock N' Roll, and define the time we're in NOW, don't you think?
These are open questions; ones of continuous discussion for some time in my case.
What do YOU think?
Thanks for your time!
Marty E.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
A question of relationships, trust, and other random bullshit in the human condition
First off, what IS a "relationship", anyway?
You hear it all the time...."I WANT a relationship." "Are we IN a relationship?" "I DON'T want a relationship....I HATE relationships!" Etc. That last one, you've probably heard me say a million times.
But, the fact of the matter is, if you hang out with someone more than once or twice, then there's something going on, ie, you're RELATING with each other. The very NATURE of what, in fact, that relationship means might come into question, but....it's still a relationship. The definition of the word "relationship", the way it's usually discussed, is widely taken out of context. It's a little bit silly, of you ask me. But, as much as I rag on relationships, the way most people define them....I think relationships, in terms of the way I look at them, are good. Ok?
(Favorite David Lee Roth quote from the late 80's: "Old Van Halen makes you want to have a drink, dance, and fuck. New Van Halen makes you want to have a milk shake, drive a Nissan, and have a RELATIONSHIP!" Hahahahaha!!!)
That all being said, you also hear a lot of statements involving how important "trust" is in a relationship. I think what most people mean when speaking in terms of "trust" is, exclusivity. That's how most people roll, and that's fine....God bless, and good luck. We all know how difficult that is in this town, but it can be done, if that's what you both want...with each other.
But, really....what is FAR more important to me than this "ownership" that people impose upon each other, is whether or not I can trust someone to be A GOOD FRIEND. Can I trust someone with a secret, or to listen objectively to a problem I might have - even if they can't necessarily offer advice - but just to lend an ear or a shoulder? Can I trust that person not to freak out with a vengeance over the slightest trouble, to pick their battles wisely, and to deal with problems rationally? Can I trust that person to look for the best in me, and not always assume the worst, right off the bat? Can I trust someone to understand that my life is haphazard at best, and fucking insane, a lot of the time? Can I trust someone to keep our "pillow talk" where it belongs, which is BETWEEN US? Can I trust someone to maintain some semblance of self-control, even when they're angry with me....so that they don't get unnecessarily cruel and hateful? Can I go out for drinks with that person without it turning into some inane fight every time? Can I trust a person to listen to me tell them about something really awesome that that happened to me, without them getting indignant or jealous?
I hope that the answer to all these questions, from now on, is a resounding, "YES."
I don't think that's asking too much....do you?
The Cure-"Trust"
You hear it all the time...."I WANT a relationship." "Are we IN a relationship?" "I DON'T want a relationship....I HATE relationships!" Etc. That last one, you've probably heard me say a million times.
But, the fact of the matter is, if you hang out with someone more than once or twice, then there's something going on, ie, you're RELATING with each other. The very NATURE of what, in fact, that relationship means might come into question, but....it's still a relationship. The definition of the word "relationship", the way it's usually discussed, is widely taken out of context. It's a little bit silly, of you ask me. But, as much as I rag on relationships, the way most people define them....I think relationships, in terms of the way I look at them, are good. Ok?
(Favorite David Lee Roth quote from the late 80's: "Old Van Halen makes you want to have a drink, dance, and fuck. New Van Halen makes you want to have a milk shake, drive a Nissan, and have a RELATIONSHIP!" Hahahahaha!!!)
That all being said, you also hear a lot of statements involving how important "trust" is in a relationship. I think what most people mean when speaking in terms of "trust" is, exclusivity. That's how most people roll, and that's fine....God bless, and good luck. We all know how difficult that is in this town, but it can be done, if that's what you both want...with each other.
But, really....what is FAR more important to me than this "ownership" that people impose upon each other, is whether or not I can trust someone to be A GOOD FRIEND. Can I trust someone with a secret, or to listen objectively to a problem I might have - even if they can't necessarily offer advice - but just to lend an ear or a shoulder? Can I trust that person not to freak out with a vengeance over the slightest trouble, to pick their battles wisely, and to deal with problems rationally? Can I trust that person to look for the best in me, and not always assume the worst, right off the bat? Can I trust someone to understand that my life is haphazard at best, and fucking insane, a lot of the time? Can I trust someone to keep our "pillow talk" where it belongs, which is BETWEEN US? Can I trust someone to maintain some semblance of self-control, even when they're angry with me....so that they don't get unnecessarily cruel and hateful? Can I go out for drinks with that person without it turning into some inane fight every time? Can I trust a person to listen to me tell them about something really awesome that that happened to me, without them getting indignant or jealous?
I hope that the answer to all these questions, from now on, is a resounding, "YES."
I don't think that's asking too much....do you?
The Cure-"Trust"
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Feeling the Rain of or Taking a Shine to my personal favorite Summertime songs
It's been a long time since I've written on this blog of mine, and suddenly, it's Summertime! Things are good, there's a lot going on, and....well, I guess I'm going to talk about the music going through my head while it happens.....how the hell do you like that?
For me, Summer isn't really that different than any other season, save for the fact that I should probably get a goddamn air conditioner, and it's going to be too damn hot for most of my scarves, leather jackets, dark clothes, and boots (but, fuck it, I'm wearing the damn boots, and you'll NEVER see me wearing shorts unless you see me at the beach.....and most of you who are reading this will not.....ok?)
That being said, Summer is a great time, not only for fun in the sun and relaxing on the beach (which I do occasionally)....but for cool, killer nights on the town.....drinking beers on rooftops....taking the long way home on foot....Hefeweizen beers on the sidewalk (with lemons, not oranges, ok?)...gin & tonics....Central Park....barbecues....all that shit....it's fun.....
Anyway, these are my favorite songs that sort of.....convey the spirit of Summer, as I feel it, in my heart and mind. It isn't all fun and games, but....it's real, and.....it's all GOOD! Don't worry about the order....that could change in a matter of minutes.......
#1. Urge Overkill-"Sister Havana"
GOD I still LOVE Urge Overkill. These guys were the first band of the so-called "Alternative Era" to....sort of exemplify and attitude of that, to me, said, (to their contamporaries), "Look, guys....I understand that you're all PC and intelligent and all of that cool shit, but.....we can still PARTY OUR ASSES OFF, can't we?!!" I thought so!
To me, UO were sort of....like Kiss/Cheap Trick meets Neil Diamond (and of course, their biggest hit was a cover of a Neil Diamond song, go figure). It was definitely incongruous to a lot of the dismal, depressing output of a lot of 90's bands (not that I'm a real big fan of overly happy music, but you know what I mean). They wore their UO-embossed medallions and their egos on their sleeves, and I thought it was great. In a time when such things weren't fashionable, they made no bones about the fact that they wanted to be stars....and in my mind, they were. I just wish the rest of the country had sort of caught on.....but my tastes and the tastes of the American Public have not always seen eye-to-eye.
No matter, this song was probably their most well-crafted and artfully-produced track. It is packed with hooks (even in the fucking BRIDGE), has a huge chorus....I can't believe they didn't pack arenas with this! It epitomized the UO M.O. to a T (how do you like that?) and....it's fucking FUN! The video mirrors that perfectly, don't you think?
There you go.....it makes sense now, doesn't it?
#2. The Barracudas-"Summer Fun"
I love surf music. It's fun and laid back, but the rhythm of it is, at times, fucking relentless! Which is the reason why I got into the Barracudas: their drummer, Nicky Turner, went on to play in one of my favorite post-punk/goth bands, the Lords of the New Church....and whose drumming I've always loved (more on that in a future entry on here!)
I don't need to do a lot of explaining here....just watch the damn video!
#3. Van Halen-"Panama"
There is, perhaps, no American Rock N' Roll band that, for my ears, represents an American Summer fucking Vacation than Van Halen with David Lee Roth. Hell, I could have put this song at #1 on my chart here....and made the whole chart consist solely of Van Halen songs....but that would have been too damn predictable....and besides that....I'm doing this as I go along.....Summertime is about spontaneity, alright?
I remember being a little kid watching this video, with all the cars and motorcycles and women and beers and on-the-road hijinks, and I remember thinking to myself that THIS was the way to live. Hell, I still DO think that, for that matter. This video sort of.....represents my every hope and dream as much as any. I haven't obtained them all yet, but....getting there is indeed half of the fun....so....lets get to getting there, shall we? Plus, who doesn't love women and cars? It's as American as apple pie....and, yup, there's a joke in there somewhere!!!
#4. The Thrills-"Deckchairs and Cigarettes"
This song is my favorite...."Fuck and forget about everything in the world and relax and if the world ends now, it's as good a time as any," kind of song. This video clip is the best I could find.....but you should buy the album. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some of their songs would make the Beach Boys blush!
"....just don't change a thing...."
Beautiful!
#5. AC/DC-"Let There Be Rock"
Every time I hear this song, I think back to when I still lived in Minneapolis.....and I'd wake up hungover and alone on a Sunday afternoon in my little studio apartment downtown, next to I-94.....the fan blowing in my face....and I'd say to myself, "Screw THIS....I gotta get OUT of here!" And I'd go out to my pick-up truck and start driving....with both windows down, and my shades pulled down tightly, to hide from the Sun that I was trying to catch up with....and more often than not, I'd put in AC/DC's If You Want Blood....You've Got It (Live) into the stereo.....and I'd drive all over the Twin Cities metro area, with no destination in mind....and I wouldn't come back until well after dark.
That is, until I didn't come back at all, but that's another story!
How BADASS is that opening riff?
That's what I thought too.
#6. The Cure-"Icing Sugar"
This song is a different animal altogether. This is the sort of song I like to put on when I'm getting ready to go out, right before midnight.....and it's been so HOT, that it's practically raining inside your apartment, but.....there's a breeze easing in through the window. It's telling you that something crazy and awesome is in the air and that it is about to become one hell of a night.....and to prepare......and take heed....don't wait up....
#7. The Beach Boys-"Surfer Girl"
....because I'd be a total asshole if I didn't have a fucking Beach Boys song on here, ok?!
And this song is awesome....
#8. The Cult-"Love Removal Machine"
This is another "beer-drinking in the bed of the pick-up truck in the woods" kinds of songs. Rick Rubin, as a producer, really helped these guys hit the nail on the head with this entire album. I mean, he basically took a post-punk/goth gang of brits and turned them into a down and dirty classic-Americana Rock N' Roll band (despite having them rip off fellow Brits the Rolling Stones and AC/DC, from down under, but....you get my point....hell, those bands took American Rock N' Roll and made it their own & threw it back at us, no?)
Anyway, the Cult delivered with power and grace on here, and I'll never stop loving this song....but this song never sounds better than it does when the heat is taking you over. You know exactly what I mean.
#9. Neil Young-"Thrasher"
This song holds a special place in my heart, for different reasons, most likely, than any other songs I'm mentioning here.
Back when I was in the Midwest, and knew I had to get out in order to....well, become what I am, and what I have yet to become....I did a lot of soul-searching and explored a lot of possibilities. For a minute, I thought I might go down to Phoenix and play with an awesome, tragic, glam/pop/rock band down there. It didn't work out. Then, there was an opportunity for me to play with a gritty, no-frills Punk N' Roll band in LA and hit the road with them immediately....and I was close to doing so. I was going to pack up my truck and make the drive out, living, what I refer to as the "Neil Young Dream"....which is sort of what his lyric (from this song), "I was just getting up, hit the road before it's light, tryin' to catch an hour on the sun". How great is that? Well, I sort of chickened out on that though, and....well, it was for the best (long story, but it wouldn't have been a good move for me at the time).
But I knew at that time that I had to act, to DO something. All of my friends were starting to get real jobs and real lives; they started getting married and having families. And God bless them, for that's what people DO, right? Hell, I'm sure glad MY parents did.
But, I had to do something else, and finally I did, and 10 years later, here I am.
But this song, to me, is sort of about....discovering that you're something different, than, perhaps, the world expects you to be. It's about realizing what your aspirations are, and the hard choices you have to make and the risks you have to take to get on the right track to fulfilling them. And the metaphors with which Neil illustrates this are really beautiful and picturesque....almost pastoral, in a matter of speaking. He spoke of his peers (supposedly, he was referring to Crosby, Stills, and Nash) "Hiding behind hay bales", "Lost in rock formations", "Or became park bench mutations"....while he "burned my credit card for feul" "Through the timeless gorge of changes, where sleeplessness awaits". Daunting stuff to be sure....and I sort of feel like, in my own way, I experienced that as well, in my own way. And the funny thing is, I was listening to this album and this song in particular when all that was going on. It's kind of crazy to listen to it today, and sort of feel the history of my relationship with a song like this. But I guess that could be said for a lot of them couldn't it?
Do you know what I mean?
#10. The Rolling Stones-"Little T&A"
I could have probably put just about any Stones album on here.
But....well, you know when your walking down the street, and you see a total babe with a no-nonsense walk, long legs, and a face full of attitude that has no time for you....and a killer body wrapped in just enough cotton to carry it?
Well, when I see that, this song starts reverberating through my mind....and what better song could be, really?
#11. Bananarama-"Cruel Summer"
I don't care what anyone says, I love this song.
It may be cheesy 80's pop, but....it carries the mood of the "Dog Days of Summer" and communicates it so well...yet, it still manages to make it kind of fun! It's undeniable, and very infectious.
Admit, it....you like it too!
The video has great images of a New York City I never got to experience.
#12. Billy Idol-"Hot in the City"
This song makes me smile every single time I hear it. I guess it's the lyric, "When a long-legged lovely walks by, you can see the look in her eye, then you know that it's HOT IN THE CITY TONIGHT!"
I know, deep stuff, right?
It doesn't hurt that this song is so TOTALLY about New York, either.
It's my favorite song to put on right after midnight when I dj at one of my Rock N' Roll haunts in NYC. It makes everyone dance and sing along, and hell, sometimes I do too.
Even though this song is 25-years-old, there's always a timeless sense of "Right Fucking Now" when that happens, and...to me, that's a big part of what Rock N' Roll is all about.
How about you?
#13. Janes Addiction-"Summertime Rolls"
This is another "forget it all" song....and I don't know how anyone could help but love it.
I mean, despite the sordid nature of Janes Addictions image, the lyrics of this song are a innocent as any I've ever heard. "Children...screaming TAG", "She says stop! I'm a girl", "Her nose is painted pepper Sunlight", her song says, "If you want a friend, feed any animal". I mean, you'd have to have icy slush going through your veins for those images not to evoke something within you, as far as I'm concerned.
There was no band like Janes Addiction.
#14. Guns N' Roses-"Reckless Life"
Just because.
#15. Ramones-"Rockaway Beach"
Because there's no other REAL New York City beach song.
No, Lou Reed's "Coney Island Baby" doesn't count! (I love that song, but it's not about the beach, ok?)
Thanks for reading!
Marty E.
For me, Summer isn't really that different than any other season, save for the fact that I should probably get a goddamn air conditioner, and it's going to be too damn hot for most of my scarves, leather jackets, dark clothes, and boots (but, fuck it, I'm wearing the damn boots, and you'll NEVER see me wearing shorts unless you see me at the beach.....and most of you who are reading this will not.....ok?)
That being said, Summer is a great time, not only for fun in the sun and relaxing on the beach (which I do occasionally)....but for cool, killer nights on the town.....drinking beers on rooftops....taking the long way home on foot....Hefeweizen beers on the sidewalk (with lemons, not oranges, ok?)...gin & tonics....Central Park....barbecues....all that shit....it's fun.....
Anyway, these are my favorite songs that sort of.....convey the spirit of Summer, as I feel it, in my heart and mind. It isn't all fun and games, but....it's real, and.....it's all GOOD! Don't worry about the order....that could change in a matter of minutes.......
#1. Urge Overkill-"Sister Havana"
GOD I still LOVE Urge Overkill. These guys were the first band of the so-called "Alternative Era" to....sort of exemplify and attitude of that, to me, said, (to their contamporaries), "Look, guys....I understand that you're all PC and intelligent and all of that cool shit, but.....we can still PARTY OUR ASSES OFF, can't we?!!" I thought so!
To me, UO were sort of....like Kiss/Cheap Trick meets Neil Diamond (and of course, their biggest hit was a cover of a Neil Diamond song, go figure). It was definitely incongruous to a lot of the dismal, depressing output of a lot of 90's bands (not that I'm a real big fan of overly happy music, but you know what I mean). They wore their UO-embossed medallions and their egos on their sleeves, and I thought it was great. In a time when such things weren't fashionable, they made no bones about the fact that they wanted to be stars....and in my mind, they were. I just wish the rest of the country had sort of caught on.....but my tastes and the tastes of the American Public have not always seen eye-to-eye.
No matter, this song was probably their most well-crafted and artfully-produced track. It is packed with hooks (even in the fucking BRIDGE), has a huge chorus....I can't believe they didn't pack arenas with this! It epitomized the UO M.O. to a T (how do you like that?) and....it's fucking FUN! The video mirrors that perfectly, don't you think?
There you go.....it makes sense now, doesn't it?
#2. The Barracudas-"Summer Fun"
I love surf music. It's fun and laid back, but the rhythm of it is, at times, fucking relentless! Which is the reason why I got into the Barracudas: their drummer, Nicky Turner, went on to play in one of my favorite post-punk/goth bands, the Lords of the New Church....and whose drumming I've always loved (more on that in a future entry on here!)
I don't need to do a lot of explaining here....just watch the damn video!
#3. Van Halen-"Panama"
There is, perhaps, no American Rock N' Roll band that, for my ears, represents an American Summer fucking Vacation than Van Halen with David Lee Roth. Hell, I could have put this song at #1 on my chart here....and made the whole chart consist solely of Van Halen songs....but that would have been too damn predictable....and besides that....I'm doing this as I go along.....Summertime is about spontaneity, alright?
I remember being a little kid watching this video, with all the cars and motorcycles and women and beers and on-the-road hijinks, and I remember thinking to myself that THIS was the way to live. Hell, I still DO think that, for that matter. This video sort of.....represents my every hope and dream as much as any. I haven't obtained them all yet, but....getting there is indeed half of the fun....so....lets get to getting there, shall we? Plus, who doesn't love women and cars? It's as American as apple pie....and, yup, there's a joke in there somewhere!!!
#4. The Thrills-"Deckchairs and Cigarettes"
This song is my favorite...."Fuck and forget about everything in the world and relax and if the world ends now, it's as good a time as any," kind of song. This video clip is the best I could find.....but you should buy the album. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some of their songs would make the Beach Boys blush!
"....just don't change a thing...."
Beautiful!
#5. AC/DC-"Let There Be Rock"
Every time I hear this song, I think back to when I still lived in Minneapolis.....and I'd wake up hungover and alone on a Sunday afternoon in my little studio apartment downtown, next to I-94.....the fan blowing in my face....and I'd say to myself, "Screw THIS....I gotta get OUT of here!" And I'd go out to my pick-up truck and start driving....with both windows down, and my shades pulled down tightly, to hide from the Sun that I was trying to catch up with....and more often than not, I'd put in AC/DC's If You Want Blood....You've Got It (Live) into the stereo.....and I'd drive all over the Twin Cities metro area, with no destination in mind....and I wouldn't come back until well after dark.
That is, until I didn't come back at all, but that's another story!
How BADASS is that opening riff?
That's what I thought too.
#6. The Cure-"Icing Sugar"
This song is a different animal altogether. This is the sort of song I like to put on when I'm getting ready to go out, right before midnight.....and it's been so HOT, that it's practically raining inside your apartment, but.....there's a breeze easing in through the window. It's telling you that something crazy and awesome is in the air and that it is about to become one hell of a night.....and to prepare......and take heed....don't wait up....
#7. The Beach Boys-"Surfer Girl"
....because I'd be a total asshole if I didn't have a fucking Beach Boys song on here, ok?!
And this song is awesome....
#8. The Cult-"Love Removal Machine"
This is another "beer-drinking in the bed of the pick-up truck in the woods" kinds of songs. Rick Rubin, as a producer, really helped these guys hit the nail on the head with this entire album. I mean, he basically took a post-punk/goth gang of brits and turned them into a down and dirty classic-Americana Rock N' Roll band (despite having them rip off fellow Brits the Rolling Stones and AC/DC, from down under, but....you get my point....hell, those bands took American Rock N' Roll and made it their own & threw it back at us, no?)
Anyway, the Cult delivered with power and grace on here, and I'll never stop loving this song....but this song never sounds better than it does when the heat is taking you over. You know exactly what I mean.
#9. Neil Young-"Thrasher"
This song holds a special place in my heart, for different reasons, most likely, than any other songs I'm mentioning here.
Back when I was in the Midwest, and knew I had to get out in order to....well, become what I am, and what I have yet to become....I did a lot of soul-searching and explored a lot of possibilities. For a minute, I thought I might go down to Phoenix and play with an awesome, tragic, glam/pop/rock band down there. It didn't work out. Then, there was an opportunity for me to play with a gritty, no-frills Punk N' Roll band in LA and hit the road with them immediately....and I was close to doing so. I was going to pack up my truck and make the drive out, living, what I refer to as the "Neil Young Dream"....which is sort of what his lyric (from this song), "I was just getting up, hit the road before it's light, tryin' to catch an hour on the sun". How great is that? Well, I sort of chickened out on that though, and....well, it was for the best (long story, but it wouldn't have been a good move for me at the time).
But I knew at that time that I had to act, to DO something. All of my friends were starting to get real jobs and real lives; they started getting married and having families. And God bless them, for that's what people DO, right? Hell, I'm sure glad MY parents did.
But, I had to do something else, and finally I did, and 10 years later, here I am.
But this song, to me, is sort of about....discovering that you're something different, than, perhaps, the world expects you to be. It's about realizing what your aspirations are, and the hard choices you have to make and the risks you have to take to get on the right track to fulfilling them. And the metaphors with which Neil illustrates this are really beautiful and picturesque....almost pastoral, in a matter of speaking. He spoke of his peers (supposedly, he was referring to Crosby, Stills, and Nash) "Hiding behind hay bales", "Lost in rock formations", "Or became park bench mutations"....while he "burned my credit card for feul" "Through the timeless gorge of changes, where sleeplessness awaits". Daunting stuff to be sure....and I sort of feel like, in my own way, I experienced that as well, in my own way. And the funny thing is, I was listening to this album and this song in particular when all that was going on. It's kind of crazy to listen to it today, and sort of feel the history of my relationship with a song like this. But I guess that could be said for a lot of them couldn't it?
Do you know what I mean?
#10. The Rolling Stones-"Little T&A"
I could have probably put just about any Stones album on here.
But....well, you know when your walking down the street, and you see a total babe with a no-nonsense walk, long legs, and a face full of attitude that has no time for you....and a killer body wrapped in just enough cotton to carry it?
Well, when I see that, this song starts reverberating through my mind....and what better song could be, really?
#11. Bananarama-"Cruel Summer"
I don't care what anyone says, I love this song.
It may be cheesy 80's pop, but....it carries the mood of the "Dog Days of Summer" and communicates it so well...yet, it still manages to make it kind of fun! It's undeniable, and very infectious.
Admit, it....you like it too!
The video has great images of a New York City I never got to experience.
#12. Billy Idol-"Hot in the City"
This song makes me smile every single time I hear it. I guess it's the lyric, "When a long-legged lovely walks by, you can see the look in her eye, then you know that it's HOT IN THE CITY TONIGHT!"
I know, deep stuff, right?
It doesn't hurt that this song is so TOTALLY about New York, either.
It's my favorite song to put on right after midnight when I dj at one of my Rock N' Roll haunts in NYC. It makes everyone dance and sing along, and hell, sometimes I do too.
Even though this song is 25-years-old, there's always a timeless sense of "Right Fucking Now" when that happens, and...to me, that's a big part of what Rock N' Roll is all about.
How about you?
#13. Janes Addiction-"Summertime Rolls"
This is another "forget it all" song....and I don't know how anyone could help but love it.
I mean, despite the sordid nature of Janes Addictions image, the lyrics of this song are a innocent as any I've ever heard. "Children...screaming TAG", "She says stop! I'm a girl", "Her nose is painted pepper Sunlight", her song says, "If you want a friend, feed any animal". I mean, you'd have to have icy slush going through your veins for those images not to evoke something within you, as far as I'm concerned.
There was no band like Janes Addiction.
#14. Guns N' Roses-"Reckless Life"
Just because.
#15. Ramones-"Rockaway Beach"
Because there's no other REAL New York City beach song.
No, Lou Reed's "Coney Island Baby" doesn't count! (I love that song, but it's not about the beach, ok?)
Thanks for reading!
Marty E.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Why I Do What I Do
I was having a Rock N' Roll discussion the last night with a friend of mine.
The topic of the discussion is immaterial.
But while I was having this discussion....I realized just how much Rock N' Roll and being able to play it and do as well as I do means to me
....and I do NOT consider myself to be "successful"....not YET! Ahahahahaha! But I'm getting closer every day!
But that is what makes me ask myself....almost every day....why DO I do this?
Is it for money? AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Money....um.....let me put it to you this way: if you want to make money....go to LAW SCHOOL or go be a fucking ACTOR and
stick with something like THAT, ok? Because....even if you wind up MAKING any goddamn money in Rock N' Roll....chances are you've given your life for a pittance. So...
there you have it!
Is it for the "social" aspect? I am a very social animal...and I will grant you that being a Rock N' Roller gave me an identity and a definition, and really, made me
exactly what I am....and (almost) everything I ever wanted to be. Sure...that doesn't hurt...socializing serves a purpose to be sure, and is certainly a big part of
being any kind of entertainer, I think....but that's secondary. The music itself comes first....at least it does to me!
The reason I play music and live it like my life depends upon it (for it DOES) is because of LOVE. I'm not talking about my love of the audience or even my love of
the music itself, even though I feel both of those things very intensely. The kind of love I'm talking about is the love that I feel in my heart just through the action of
PLAYING and SINGING. It's a sort of chemical reaction that goes on in my heart when I make music. It's hard to explain, but it's a feeling more intense, for me, than the
inferno that ravages your heart when you hold that beautiful someone in your arms for dear life! THAT is what it's all about for me. It's an addiction....one that is more
severe, for me, than anything in the world....and I hope it stays that way. I guess this goes along with artistic expression, but....I think it's far more basic, primal,
and much less premeditated than that. I mean, whether I'm playing drums in front of hundreds or thousands of people or singing in front of 30, I'm not thinking about
anything at all in the world, more often than not. I just know that I love doing what I'm doing and being there. And that means everything to me. And if you were there,
thanks for coming out!
Sure, Sex, Drugs, and Rock N' Roll is a great slogan, but those things are listed in the wrong order if you ask me! I party my ass off....but not before I play a show.
I owe my band, my audience, and mySELF to play nothing less than my best, and I can't do that if I'm drunk....and playing badly is sacrilegious. Sure, it's great to have
a drink or 9 after a show, and a celebration is ALWAYS in order....but even without that.....being ONSTAGE is its own reward, you know?
OK, I'm not going to bullshit you and try to tell you that having a big, beautiful crowd there doesn't mean anything....it means a whole fucking LOT! When you have an
awesome audience there....well, that's a privilege, for one thing. And your audience, no matter where it is, is usually pretty fucking smart! And when you're up there,
playing your heart out because you love it, and you MEAN it, they can TELL....and more often than not, they are feeling that love too...and if you're really lucky, they're
giving it back to you. It's the Rock N' Roll Exchange Program, ahahahahahaha. And it DOES matter....it does mean something....Hell, it means a LOT!
But, when the audience goes home, and the lights fade to dark....and the dawn is creeping up at your heels....you know damn well that you started in your Mom's basement and
played your ass off for hours upon hours upon hours in front of absolutely NO ONE....and you did it because of that "chemical reaction" that I'm talking about. And that's
something that you need to hold onto...because if you don't feel it....then neither does anyone else, you know?
All that said....when you have something special going on....when you have a band that you love, and an audience that fucking GETS it and keeps coming back....well....don't
take that for granted. That's a gift from above that very few people ever have the opportunity to enjoy for one second of their lives. Do everything you can to protect
and cultivate that gift. In other words, don't fuck it up. It's a precious thing, and you're GODDAMN lucky if you get it once in your life. It's all yours, and chances
are you've worked your ass off your for whole life and sacrificed many, many things for your hour underneath those bright, beautiful lights in front of those beautiful
faces. Enjoy it, and make the most and the best of it....and keep making it better. You can bet your sweet ass I'm going to, ahahahaha!!!!
Anyway....I'm at a loss for what the fuck else to say....
Thanks for reading....thanks for listening....and thanks for showing up!
Your friend,
Marty E.
The topic of the discussion is immaterial.
But while I was having this discussion....I realized just how much Rock N' Roll and being able to play it and do as well as I do means to me
....and I do NOT consider myself to be "successful"....not YET! Ahahahahaha! But I'm getting closer every day!
But that is what makes me ask myself....almost every day....why DO I do this?
Is it for money? AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Money....um.....let me put it to you this way: if you want to make money....go to LAW SCHOOL or go be a fucking ACTOR and
stick with something like THAT, ok? Because....even if you wind up MAKING any goddamn money in Rock N' Roll....chances are you've given your life for a pittance. So...
there you have it!
Is it for the "social" aspect? I am a very social animal...and I will grant you that being a Rock N' Roller gave me an identity and a definition, and really, made me
exactly what I am....and (almost) everything I ever wanted to be. Sure...that doesn't hurt...socializing serves a purpose to be sure, and is certainly a big part of
being any kind of entertainer, I think....but that's secondary. The music itself comes first....at least it does to me!
The reason I play music and live it like my life depends upon it (for it DOES) is because of LOVE. I'm not talking about my love of the audience or even my love of
the music itself, even though I feel both of those things very intensely. The kind of love I'm talking about is the love that I feel in my heart just through the action of
PLAYING and SINGING. It's a sort of chemical reaction that goes on in my heart when I make music. It's hard to explain, but it's a feeling more intense, for me, than the
inferno that ravages your heart when you hold that beautiful someone in your arms for dear life! THAT is what it's all about for me. It's an addiction....one that is more
severe, for me, than anything in the world....and I hope it stays that way. I guess this goes along with artistic expression, but....I think it's far more basic, primal,
and much less premeditated than that. I mean, whether I'm playing drums in front of hundreds or thousands of people or singing in front of 30, I'm not thinking about
anything at all in the world, more often than not. I just know that I love doing what I'm doing and being there. And that means everything to me. And if you were there,
thanks for coming out!
Sure, Sex, Drugs, and Rock N' Roll is a great slogan, but those things are listed in the wrong order if you ask me! I party my ass off....but not before I play a show.
I owe my band, my audience, and mySELF to play nothing less than my best, and I can't do that if I'm drunk....and playing badly is sacrilegious. Sure, it's great to have
a drink or 9 after a show, and a celebration is ALWAYS in order....but even without that.....being ONSTAGE is its own reward, you know?
OK, I'm not going to bullshit you and try to tell you that having a big, beautiful crowd there doesn't mean anything....it means a whole fucking LOT! When you have an
awesome audience there....well, that's a privilege, for one thing. And your audience, no matter where it is, is usually pretty fucking smart! And when you're up there,
playing your heart out because you love it, and you MEAN it, they can TELL....and more often than not, they are feeling that love too...and if you're really lucky, they're
giving it back to you. It's the Rock N' Roll Exchange Program, ahahahahahaha. And it DOES matter....it does mean something....Hell, it means a LOT!
But, when the audience goes home, and the lights fade to dark....and the dawn is creeping up at your heels....you know damn well that you started in your Mom's basement and
played your ass off for hours upon hours upon hours in front of absolutely NO ONE....and you did it because of that "chemical reaction" that I'm talking about. And that's
something that you need to hold onto...because if you don't feel it....then neither does anyone else, you know?
All that said....when you have something special going on....when you have a band that you love, and an audience that fucking GETS it and keeps coming back....well....don't
take that for granted. That's a gift from above that very few people ever have the opportunity to enjoy for one second of their lives. Do everything you can to protect
and cultivate that gift. In other words, don't fuck it up. It's a precious thing, and you're GODDAMN lucky if you get it once in your life. It's all yours, and chances
are you've worked your ass off your for whole life and sacrificed many, many things for your hour underneath those bright, beautiful lights in front of those beautiful
faces. Enjoy it, and make the most and the best of it....and keep making it better. You can bet your sweet ass I'm going to, ahahahaha!!!!
Anyway....I'm at a loss for what the fuck else to say....
Thanks for reading....thanks for listening....and thanks for showing up!
Your friend,
Marty E.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Open Letter to New York's Music Press
Hi.
I wrote a letter today, in reaction to an ARTICLE I read in New York Magazine.
I don't really think it's going to make much impact, but I had something I needed to get off my chest.
What do you think?
If you have an opinion one way or another, I encourage you to write to comments@nymag.com and let them know, just like I did.
Anyway....
Here it is:
To Whom It May (or may not) Concern,
I noticed your cover story about Brooklyn's music scene. Sure, it's in-depth article, but it is extremely one-dimensional....which is something that the music scene in NYC is definitely not.
I think your coverage of what you call the "New York Rock Scene", as you call it, is limited at best, to Indie Rock, and the like.
I have nothing against that genre of music, and know that there's a lot of talent there.
That said, there is more to life than just one thing. Variety, as they say is the spice of life....and really, that's what life in the city is all about, for my money (or lack thereof).
There are lots of great bands in NYC (whether it be Manhattan or Brooklyn), playing classic American Rock N' Roll, Hard Rock, Metal, Punk, and various fusions thereof, that are thriving in NYC right now, and have for years. These bands are fresh, enthusiastic, work hard, and are very inspired and talented. Some of them also have large followings and sell out a lot of shows in and out of the city. And they don't make any more money than the bands you cover, and are taking just as many "risks" for their craft and the love of their music. Trust me...I know.
For some reason, most of the press in this town has chosen to all but ignore them.
Music in whatever form, is supposed to be about inspiration and expression. Trends come and go, and sometimes happen synonymously. This year's "old hat" is next year's "next big thing." You, as critics, I think, owe it to yourselves, and to your readers, to be a little bit more open-minded to what's going on with music in this great city of ours.
Try something different, and maybe check out a Rock N' Roll show at Trash Bar (a great Brooklyn Rock N' Roll venue that's been around for years, and deserves mentioning in any article about music in Brooklyn) sometime, or countless venues in Manhattan. I think you'll be glad you did.
If you need recommendations, I'd be more than happy to oblige you.
Thanks for your time,
Marty E.
The Dirty Pearls
I wrote a letter today, in reaction to an ARTICLE I read in New York Magazine.
I don't really think it's going to make much impact, but I had something I needed to get off my chest.
What do you think?
If you have an opinion one way or another, I encourage you to write to comments@nymag.com and let them know, just like I did.
Anyway....
Here it is:
To Whom It May (or may not) Concern,
I noticed your cover story about Brooklyn's music scene. Sure, it's in-depth article, but it is extremely one-dimensional....which is something that the music scene in NYC is definitely not.
I think your coverage of what you call the "New York Rock Scene", as you call it, is limited at best, to Indie Rock, and the like.
I have nothing against that genre of music, and know that there's a lot of talent there.
That said, there is more to life than just one thing. Variety, as they say is the spice of life....and really, that's what life in the city is all about, for my money (or lack thereof).
There are lots of great bands in NYC (whether it be Manhattan or Brooklyn), playing classic American Rock N' Roll, Hard Rock, Metal, Punk, and various fusions thereof, that are thriving in NYC right now, and have for years. These bands are fresh, enthusiastic, work hard, and are very inspired and talented. Some of them also have large followings and sell out a lot of shows in and out of the city. And they don't make any more money than the bands you cover, and are taking just as many "risks" for their craft and the love of their music. Trust me...I know.
For some reason, most of the press in this town has chosen to all but ignore them.
Music in whatever form, is supposed to be about inspiration and expression. Trends come and go, and sometimes happen synonymously. This year's "old hat" is next year's "next big thing." You, as critics, I think, owe it to yourselves, and to your readers, to be a little bit more open-minded to what's going on with music in this great city of ours.
Try something different, and maybe check out a Rock N' Roll show at Trash Bar (a great Brooklyn Rock N' Roll venue that's been around for years, and deserves mentioning in any article about music in Brooklyn) sometime, or countless venues in Manhattan. I think you'll be glad you did.
If you need recommendations, I'd be more than happy to oblige you.
Thanks for your time,
Marty E.
The Dirty Pearls
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Musing on the movie madness or when I saw my head on the big screen, I agreed that THAT was about the size of it....
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=723580726339&ref=mfSo, The Perfect Age of Rock N Roll finally had it's New York City premier the other night (Tuesday, October 20th) on the opening night of the CMJ Festival. After a year and a half of spouting off about it to anyone who would listen, I finally was able to put my damn money where my mouth was and invite my friends to come and see the finished work.
Now I know what you're thinking....you're thinking that Mr. Marty Egomaniac just wants something more to spout off about in the bar....right? Well....that may be true, but there's something much more important than that involved here.
When you've worked with something so intensely and become so close to it and the other people who were involved in creating it....to see it come to some kind of fruition is extremely gratifying and fulfilling....and that's something that you feel smack dab in the deepest pit of your heart. I guess that's what made this experience a lot like unleashing new songs on an adoring audience with your band.
Anyway, back to Tuesday night....I went over to the Trailer Park bar across the street from the Theater about a half an hour before the scheduled show time to have a beer or two. Were those butterflies in my stomach? What...are....these...."nerves"? Yup....guilty as charged. The bartender there was a real prick, but I guess it's his job to check ID's.... more on that later...
I had friends rolling in here and there to pregame with me, which calmed my nerves a little bit....but not much....after I basically slammed a Budweiser, I went across to street and stood outside, waiting for a friend who was to accompany me. Thanks to Mr. Obama's speech at the Hammerstein just 10 blocks North if the Theater, traffic was thick (DAMN it, I should have invited him, ahahahaha....)...so that took awhile. No matter, I had a LOT of friends to say hello to as they showed up (and once again, THANKS everybody!)....
Anyway, we went in right as the movie started rolling....perfect....the place was fucking PACKED....but the first two rows were empty. That's fine with me, I like sitting in the front....I can hear better, you know....plus I like having that huge screen in my face. (I was the type as a kid, way back when, who sat WAY too close to the tv). SHOWTIME!
In one of the first scenes (if not the opening scene), Jason Ritter's character directs a classroom of children through a rousing rendition of "Hot Cross Buns" on these plastic fifes.....it's absolutely hilarious, and one of my favorite parts of the film.
But, at the risk of sounding crass....the first time I appeared in the film, a bunch of my friends cheered....(again, THANK YOU).....I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...but I figured I'd call it even and just grin from ear to ear.....
Really, what makes the film for me is the "live" performance footage....I mean, you really get into the Rock N' Roll spirit (which, really, is what the movie is all about, from what I get out of it)....you can feel this electricity watching it in the theater (and kudos to Tom Richmond, who's one hell of a camera man)....it made me want to jump out of my seat.
During one of these scenes, I heard what sounded like some kind of a scuffle going on near the back if the Theater.....I thought that was funny....and I found out later that it was my compadre' in the Dirty Pearls, Mr. Johnny B, telling some drunken assholes to shut the fuck up and stop kicking his chair....hahahahaha....great stuff!
Other than that, I don't want to give too much away about the movie, because I'm hoping, if you haven't seen it, you will get the chance to sooner than later.....
So afterward, my director/producer Scott was kind enough to wave me up to the front for the Q&A with him, Joe White, Jason Ritter, and Jasin Cadic, which really meant a lot to me. As my friend Gabe told me later, I was grinning like the Kool Aid Man ("OOOHHH YEEEEAH!"). It was strange being on front of that many eyes, but not being behind drums with my Homeboys in the Dirty Pearls....I mean sure, I sing with the Brian in the Lonesome Fools every now and then, but....this was different...I mean it was exhilarating, but I felt like I wasn't wearing pants at first, ahahahaha....but I got accustomed to it.
The dipshit whose ass Johnny B almost kicked in asked a stupid and inappropriate question, but Mr Ritter handled it like the Gentleman that he is. That was cool. At some point, I made some joke about having done character research for the role for, like 20 years, ahahahahaha!!! But the coolest thing, again, about it, was just....being able to experience being a part of the presentation of this THING we all made together....and it's still happening. If you ever get a chance to experience something like this, I highly recommend it. But there's not a day that goes by that I take something like this for granted, and I'm truly humbled, in many ways, that such an opportunity came my way. I'm extremely fortunate.
Afterward, I went back to the Trailer Park bar to have some shots with a few of my friends....and the same bartender was there, and was even more of a prick than he had been earlier...he gave us hell about ID's and credit cards, and whatnot, and generally, ran serious risk of ruining some great vibes if we stuck around there (how this guy makes a living on tips is beyond me, and you can tell him I said that). With that, my friends (and the CAKE that one of them made with the movie's logo on it) (wink wink) and I got the holy hell out of there.....
....and we jumped in a cab and went to the AFTERPARTY at Norwood. I did some press pictures with my aforementioned homeboys from the film (and the aforementioned cake). I love that shit.
Then, I proceeded to get BOMBED out of my BRAIN on Gin (Bulldog, I believe) and Lemonade for the rest of the night.....this is when the details get kind of fuzzy...not that I'd TELL you anyway, hahahahaha....although I heard that I missed meeting Actress/Rock N' Roll UberBabe Gina Gershon somehow....perhaps another time!
Anyway, to sum it up, it was one of the best nights of my whole life....and I have some great fucking nights, to say the least. I can't thank everyone who worked on the film with me enough......or all my friends who came to support and celebrate it's New York City premiere with me....it was indeed a night that I'll never forget.....
....well....most of it, anyway, hahahahaha.....
Marty E.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
How to meet girls the long, hard way, or what's this dirt on my eye? (Weird Tales From the City, Part 2)
This strange occurrence happened about 8 years ago....and many, MANY beers, hahahaha....it's 100% true, as far as I can recollect....some (not many) of you might remember this when it happened.
I'd been in NYC for less than a year....so, I almost had my "sea legs", ie, I had a band, my personal style had adapted to my surroundings, and had made my way around the block a few times. Things were pretty cool. But I didn't have it all figured out by any means (and I still don't, for that matter). But I did learn a valuable lesson...
I had been out on one of those legendary late nights that I talk about all the time....it was a Friday night, and I'd been to a friend's dinner party....let's just say I'd had MANY martinis of some kind. This had been on the Upper West Side....and I believe I had joined some other friends of mine for beers afterward, at the now-closed Bellevue Bar (which I'd since been banned from for practically nothing, but that's not nearly as good a story) and had more than a few beers. But at around 2 AM or so, my friends had left, and I was left drunk and alone. This wasn't altogether out of the ordinary (and still isn't), but....let's just say I was *very* intoxicated, and should have really just gone home at this point (I lived right down the street).
But NO, of course, I HAD to stay OUT, and have MORE FUN, right? So I went up the street to Rudy's to have a few more beers.
The events that followed were lost in a fog....
I woke the next morning, aching like a clubbed seal! Again, not too out of the ordinary. I got up, walked down the hallway to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and thought to myself, "What's with this mud on my eyebrow?!"
It wasn't MUD...it was black and blue....clearly, I'd been clocked! It wasn't TOO bad....but...I was concerned, to say the very least!
I also had a bunch of voicemails on my phone from worried friends back home whom I'd apparently drunk-dialed during the night....damn....
Amidst the haze in my brain, the last thing I remember was....(holy shit)....falling through the doorway, and a little blonde girl tumbling down with me.
I spent that entire day wondering what the fuck happened....so I went back to Rudy's to ask them what went down. All they could tell me was that I'd pissed someone off, and they punched me out the door.....and that was about it.
FAST FORWARD TO ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER>>>>>>>>>
I was at LIT's opening party.....which had an HR Geiger exhibit in the back. It was GREAT fun for an early Saturday evening. I was to guest DJ at Georgie Seville and DJ Chrissy's Glam 2000 party at Nouvelle Justine (now closed) later that night....so, this was a nice pre-party for me.
So, I was in the gallery, checking out the art, with a glass of Merlot in one hand....and a glass of Merlot in the other....checking out the art that adorned the wall, cluelessly fascinated, as I like to be while admiring something intensely cool that I know nothing about. I was taking a sip from the glass in my left hand, when a little voice to my right said, "Well....HI! How are YOU?!"
I looked over, and there was a cute little blonde girl smiling at me. What luck! I answered, "Pretty DAMN good....how are YOU?!" Hahahahahaha....right?
She answered, "You don't REMEMBER me, DO you?"
I replied, "I'll be honest....I really don't....but please, refresh my memory...I'm ALL EARS!"
She said, "You got into a scuffle over me some months back....."
"NOOOOOOOOOO FUCKING WAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!"
So, she and her also-cute friend (whom I still talk to-to this day-she knows who she is) and I sat down and they told me what had happened.
Apparently, I was at the jukebox at Rudy's, gloriously drunk, and put a Doors song on...I think it might have been "Touch Me" ...and I sauntered up to this table where these two girls were sitting, and started serenading them along with the song, all Top Gun style...except I used my Budweiser bottle as a microphone, and....I sang a lot better (I hope)....I was paying particular attention to the blonde....
....what I wasn't paying attention to was the dudes they were sitting with, who alledgedly played in some Brooklyn Hardcore band whose name I won't mention here. I guess they weren't WITH these guys, per se....but these dudes had designs on them, and they were none too pleased to have this black-haired pretty boy (me, at least at the time, hahahaha) closing in on their action. I guess it was getting close to bartime, and this girl and I were going out for a smoke or something....and we were heading toward to the door. As I opened the door, a big mug of beer bounced off the wall to my right. I was in the middle of turning around, and exclaiming, "What the FUCK," when the punch landed, and the girl (who apparently was trying to stop this guy) and I tumbled out the door onto the sidewalk.
Then I did the first smart thing I'd done all night, and hauled ass down the street back to my apartment.
So that was that.
Oh, and after the party at Lit, I dated the little blonde girl for over a month.
She doesn't live in NYC anymore, but we write occasionally. She's a nice girl. Her friend (now my friend too, hahaha) I see around the city here and there....she's also a nice girl.
The moral of the story?
While this might have (eventually) been an effective means of making friends....it's always better not to black out alone.
Thanks for reading!
Your good friend,
Marty E.
I'd been in NYC for less than a year....so, I almost had my "sea legs", ie, I had a band, my personal style had adapted to my surroundings, and had made my way around the block a few times. Things were pretty cool. But I didn't have it all figured out by any means (and I still don't, for that matter). But I did learn a valuable lesson...
I had been out on one of those legendary late nights that I talk about all the time....it was a Friday night, and I'd been to a friend's dinner party....let's just say I'd had MANY martinis of some kind. This had been on the Upper West Side....and I believe I had joined some other friends of mine for beers afterward, at the now-closed Bellevue Bar (which I'd since been banned from for practically nothing, but that's not nearly as good a story) and had more than a few beers. But at around 2 AM or so, my friends had left, and I was left drunk and alone. This wasn't altogether out of the ordinary (and still isn't), but....let's just say I was *very* intoxicated, and should have really just gone home at this point (I lived right down the street).
But NO, of course, I HAD to stay OUT, and have MORE FUN, right? So I went up the street to Rudy's to have a few more beers.
The events that followed were lost in a fog....
I woke the next morning, aching like a clubbed seal! Again, not too out of the ordinary. I got up, walked down the hallway to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and thought to myself, "What's with this mud on my eyebrow?!"
It wasn't MUD...it was black and blue....clearly, I'd been clocked! It wasn't TOO bad....but...I was concerned, to say the very least!
I also had a bunch of voicemails on my phone from worried friends back home whom I'd apparently drunk-dialed during the night....damn....
Amidst the haze in my brain, the last thing I remember was....(holy shit)....falling through the doorway, and a little blonde girl tumbling down with me.
I spent that entire day wondering what the fuck happened....so I went back to Rudy's to ask them what went down. All they could tell me was that I'd pissed someone off, and they punched me out the door.....and that was about it.
FAST FORWARD TO ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER>>>>>>>>>
I was at LIT's opening party.....which had an HR Geiger exhibit in the back. It was GREAT fun for an early Saturday evening. I was to guest DJ at Georgie Seville and DJ Chrissy's Glam 2000 party at Nouvelle Justine (now closed) later that night....so, this was a nice pre-party for me.
So, I was in the gallery, checking out the art, with a glass of Merlot in one hand....and a glass of Merlot in the other....checking out the art that adorned the wall, cluelessly fascinated, as I like to be while admiring something intensely cool that I know nothing about. I was taking a sip from the glass in my left hand, when a little voice to my right said, "Well....HI! How are YOU?!"
I looked over, and there was a cute little blonde girl smiling at me. What luck! I answered, "Pretty DAMN good....how are YOU?!" Hahahahahaha....right?
She answered, "You don't REMEMBER me, DO you?"
I replied, "I'll be honest....I really don't....but please, refresh my memory...I'm ALL EARS!"
She said, "You got into a scuffle over me some months back....."
"NOOOOOOOOOO FUCKING WAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!"
So, she and her also-cute friend (whom I still talk to-to this day-she knows who she is) and I sat down and they told me what had happened.
Apparently, I was at the jukebox at Rudy's, gloriously drunk, and put a Doors song on...I think it might have been "Touch Me" ...and I sauntered up to this table where these two girls were sitting, and started serenading them along with the song, all Top Gun style...except I used my Budweiser bottle as a microphone, and....I sang a lot better (I hope)....I was paying particular attention to the blonde....
....what I wasn't paying attention to was the dudes they were sitting with, who alledgedly played in some Brooklyn Hardcore band whose name I won't mention here. I guess they weren't WITH these guys, per se....but these dudes had designs on them, and they were none too pleased to have this black-haired pretty boy (me, at least at the time, hahahaha) closing in on their action. I guess it was getting close to bartime, and this girl and I were going out for a smoke or something....and we were heading toward to the door. As I opened the door, a big mug of beer bounced off the wall to my right. I was in the middle of turning around, and exclaiming, "What the FUCK," when the punch landed, and the girl (who apparently was trying to stop this guy) and I tumbled out the door onto the sidewalk.
Then I did the first smart thing I'd done all night, and hauled ass down the street back to my apartment.
So that was that.
Oh, and after the party at Lit, I dated the little blonde girl for over a month.
She doesn't live in NYC anymore, but we write occasionally. She's a nice girl. Her friend (now my friend too, hahaha) I see around the city here and there....she's also a nice girl.
The moral of the story?
While this might have (eventually) been an effective means of making friends....it's always better not to black out alone.
Thanks for reading!
Your good friend,
Marty E.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
You Should Have Never Opened That Door or This Might Have Been The Guy Everyone's Parents Warned Us About (Wierd Tales from the City, Part 1)
When I moved to New York City, over 9 years ago, it was even harder to find a place to live than it is now....hell, I'd say it was a *lot* harder, now that I think about it. There was no Craig's List, to speak of (I think maybe it was just starting at that point) for one to find ads in, nor was there Facebook/Twitter/Myspace, etc, to help get the word across. There was the Village Voice (the PRINT version), but anything listed in there was almost always GONE by the time you even had a chance to read the ad. There were all kinds of "services" that would supposedly give you "lists" of available apartments if you'd give them, for, like, $200....but most of those were scams, and often, they were just reprints of the Voice ads. Fuckers.
There was one service that I used that *was* legit, and...to the lady who worked there that helped me....wherever she is, God bless your heart, wherever you are....and to my good friend Alfredo, who had a very soft floor in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn for me to crash on for the time-being.
That being said, it was still quite the adventure calling all these people who were looking for roommates, figuring out whether or not they were worth pursuing, and inevitably hopping all over a sweltering New York City (which I didn't know my way around quite yet, but was learning) to look at these apartments and meet these people.
[Overwhelming? Welcome to my life....and maybe yours too, right?]
But I'm writing today to tell you about the best story I picked up while desperately seeking a feasible living space. Some of you who know me might have heard this one, but....this is the type of story that NEVER gets old, and one I will never forget.
So, I saw a listing for a room in a two-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, right by the corner of 83rd and Broadway, for about $700. So far, so good, right? So, I called this dude, who sounded sane and cool enough in the brief conversation I had with him on the phone. Furthermore, if I remember correctly, I believe I was the first caller, which inspired confidence. So I made an appointment to see meet this guy at his apartment that afternoon, around 3pm. Good shit!
So, I looked at my trusty Subway map and got my ass in gear and went over there....the apartment was on the 8th floor I think....the building at a doctor's office at street level....I got in the elevator, which lifted me to the 8th floor. The first thing I saw when the doors opened up was a "welcome" mat that said, "GET LOST!" I looked at my piece of paper, and was relieved that this was NOT the apartment I was to look at (but it was, indeed, good advice, as we're about to find out). I turned to my left and walked on down to the end of the hall, and knocked on the door.
The door opened up....and what I saw was a weird motherfucker in his mid-fifties....he sort of looked like a way-more-weathered Gary Busey. He was fat, had "gin blossons" on his nose, and had the three long hairs on his head pulled back in a pony tail. No shit. He sort of lunged at me, grabbed one of my shoulders, while "patting" the other one (pretty hard, mind you), sort of pulled me in and bellowed, "HI! HOW are YOUUU?!!!! You must me MARRRRRTY!!!!!" The guy seemed to be perpetually shouting...not in an angry way but....they guy was just too happy in his own skin, especially when it looked like that!
Anyway, we stepped into the living room, where there were two grand pianos, some sheet music strewn on the floor, and some college kid from Laos, who was all of 19-years-old at the very most, lying on a mat in the corner. "THIS IS ONE OF MY TENANTS," the guy said. I wondered how much he was charging this poor kid for a corner of the living room....but it occurred to me quickly that I'd rather not know what the arrangement was.
He led me to the room I was there to look at, which was fine....then we went through the door to the bathroom....then through another door to his room....all the while, he was constantly patting my shoulders....the thought of which still makes me queasy. I guess he wanted to discuss business in his room. Great. "HAVE A SEAT HERE....on the BED", he all but screamed. "Fuck that shit", I was thinking, while I practically jumped into the chair at his desk instead.
So he began telling me his story, with occasional interjections from me. "WELL....I'm an ACTOR and I TEACH PIANO LESSONS in the LIVING ROOM, there, which is why the PIANOS are IN THERE!!!! I go OUT from TIME to TIME, and DRINK and PLAY CARDS.....and I DATE MEN AND WOMEN...."
Which, is fine, but.....
Holy shit, this guy was just too much!!!! Do you remember the dude you were afraid was going to come and GET you when you were a little kid and couldn't sleep? Well, THIS was the GUY!
So, I mentioned that my former girlfriend from back home was to visit me for a week or so, and asked if he would have a problem with that. "NOOOOOO.....NOPE....I can't be HAVING THAT," he roared.
"OK, then," I said, "Um....really nice meeting you anyway!"
Hahahahahaha....
It wasn't over yet. Apparently he had to go downstairs for something, so....I had to do what no living organism ever wanted to do, and that was get in the elevator with this guy!
So, in the elevator, he asked me why I moved to New York, and I briefly explained to him that I was a drummer looking for a band.
Without as much as a split second's hesitation, he ROARED, "YEAH!!!! THAT WAY YOU CAN BE A ROCK STAR and FUCK 'EM AAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
[I couldn't do anything but laugh my ass off right along with him, if only because....I knew what he meant when he said, "ALL"!
The End.
There was one service that I used that *was* legit, and...to the lady who worked there that helped me....wherever she is, God bless your heart, wherever you are....and to my good friend Alfredo, who had a very soft floor in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn for me to crash on for the time-being.
That being said, it was still quite the adventure calling all these people who were looking for roommates, figuring out whether or not they were worth pursuing, and inevitably hopping all over a sweltering New York City (which I didn't know my way around quite yet, but was learning) to look at these apartments and meet these people.
[Overwhelming? Welcome to my life....and maybe yours too, right?]
But I'm writing today to tell you about the best story I picked up while desperately seeking a feasible living space. Some of you who know me might have heard this one, but....this is the type of story that NEVER gets old, and one I will never forget.
So, I saw a listing for a room in a two-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, right by the corner of 83rd and Broadway, for about $700. So far, so good, right? So, I called this dude, who sounded sane and cool enough in the brief conversation I had with him on the phone. Furthermore, if I remember correctly, I believe I was the first caller, which inspired confidence. So I made an appointment to see meet this guy at his apartment that afternoon, around 3pm. Good shit!
So, I looked at my trusty Subway map and got my ass in gear and went over there....the apartment was on the 8th floor I think....the building at a doctor's office at street level....I got in the elevator, which lifted me to the 8th floor. The first thing I saw when the doors opened up was a "welcome" mat that said, "GET LOST!" I looked at my piece of paper, and was relieved that this was NOT the apartment I was to look at (but it was, indeed, good advice, as we're about to find out). I turned to my left and walked on down to the end of the hall, and knocked on the door.
The door opened up....and what I saw was a weird motherfucker in his mid-fifties....he sort of looked like a way-more-weathered Gary Busey. He was fat, had "gin blossons" on his nose, and had the three long hairs on his head pulled back in a pony tail. No shit. He sort of lunged at me, grabbed one of my shoulders, while "patting" the other one (pretty hard, mind you), sort of pulled me in and bellowed, "HI! HOW are YOUUU?!!!! You must me MARRRRRTY!!!!!" The guy seemed to be perpetually shouting...not in an angry way but....they guy was just too happy in his own skin, especially when it looked like that!
Anyway, we stepped into the living room, where there were two grand pianos, some sheet music strewn on the floor, and some college kid from Laos, who was all of 19-years-old at the very most, lying on a mat in the corner. "THIS IS ONE OF MY TENANTS," the guy said. I wondered how much he was charging this poor kid for a corner of the living room....but it occurred to me quickly that I'd rather not know what the arrangement was.
He led me to the room I was there to look at, which was fine....then we went through the door to the bathroom....then through another door to his room....all the while, he was constantly patting my shoulders....the thought of which still makes me queasy. I guess he wanted to discuss business in his room. Great. "HAVE A SEAT HERE....on the BED", he all but screamed. "Fuck that shit", I was thinking, while I practically jumped into the chair at his desk instead.
So he began telling me his story, with occasional interjections from me. "WELL....I'm an ACTOR and I TEACH PIANO LESSONS in the LIVING ROOM, there, which is why the PIANOS are IN THERE!!!! I go OUT from TIME to TIME, and DRINK and PLAY CARDS.....and I DATE MEN AND WOMEN...."
Which, is fine, but.....
Holy shit, this guy was just too much!!!! Do you remember the dude you were afraid was going to come and GET you when you were a little kid and couldn't sleep? Well, THIS was the GUY!
So, I mentioned that my former girlfriend from back home was to visit me for a week or so, and asked if he would have a problem with that. "NOOOOOO.....NOPE....I can't be HAVING THAT," he roared.
"OK, then," I said, "Um....really nice meeting you anyway!"
Hahahahahaha....
It wasn't over yet. Apparently he had to go downstairs for something, so....I had to do what no living organism ever wanted to do, and that was get in the elevator with this guy!
So, in the elevator, he asked me why I moved to New York, and I briefly explained to him that I was a drummer looking for a band.
Without as much as a split second's hesitation, he ROARED, "YEAH!!!! THAT WAY YOU CAN BE A ROCK STAR and FUCK 'EM AAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
[I couldn't do anything but laugh my ass off right along with him, if only because....I knew what he meant when he said, "ALL"!
The End.
Monday, June 22, 2009
One day in the life of a performer who always needs to be on or next time I wonder what it will be like if I just go out & get drunk the night before
Last Wednesday, I went to the studio w/ The Dirty Pearls to record a song which has become our anthem, "New York City is a Drug" with Daniel Rey producing.
The night before, I decided to stay clear of drinking/partying/trouble of any kind in an attempt to get a decent night's sleep for once. Well that was a fucking great idea. I had a Grolsch beer to stabilize my system, read from Bukowski's Women (an old favorite of mine that I've been revisiting lately), listened to some Gram Parsons....and tried to sleep. Well, that didn't work. I tossed and turned, as if my bed was a washing machine set to the goddamn "Spin" cycle. You know how that it is when you know that you need your rest, and the pressure thereof prevents you from getting that rest? That was me. So, I wound up getting two hours of it. I fell asleep around 8am...and Daniel called me up at 10:15 to tell me he was on his way to pick me up....well....I remember what Klaus Meine of the Scorpions once said, "Being a Rock N' Roller is a lot like being an athlete...you have to perform no matter how you feel." Damn right!
So, I put my Thin Lizzy shirt on, grabbed my cymbals, and walked downstairs into the pissing rain, and got into Daniel's car. I told him immediately that I was going on two hours' sleep. He laughed and said, "Yeah, well, you can never sleep the night before a session...I got four hours' sleep myself!"
Yeah, I like this guy. So we drove over, talked about the Ramones, Circus of Power, and whatever the fuck else. Daniel had told me that he had called Tom (an awesome engineer, owner of Nuthouse Studios, and a stand-up dude) the night before w/ some specs re: mics and shit in order to cut down set-up time. Awesome.
I like working with a producer - at least one like Daniel, who understands the band's vision and how to achieve it....and creates an atmosphere that's comfortable for everyone to play their best. His authority in the studio goes without saying, but in such a way that allows the band to be itself and themselves. It was a great balance, and a great dynamic. It looked like a winning team between the 7 of us, and I knew I could do my part no matter how much sleep I'd had. Hell, I played a gig one time on less, w/ guys I was unfamiliar with, and it went down without a hitch...I could certainly kill it in the studio with the Pearls.
After spending some time with drum sounds and getting the drum to sound like the artillery needed to blast this song into Rock N' Roll oblivion (which, of course, takes awhile, but not nearly as long as I'm used to for this sort of thing)....Daniel told me to step out and grab a bite to eat and some coffee, because it was going to be time for me to go to work soon.
So I went to this diner down the street. They wouldn't serve breakfast items (it was "lunch time"....fuck....)....so I ordered something called "pretzyl bread", a french onion soup, a buttered roll for one of the guys, and a couple of coffees. Simple enough, right? Nope....I waited like a HALF HOUR for this crap. While I was waiting, the Rolling Stones song, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" came on the radio. While I sipped a coffee and sort of swayed my head along with it, some numbskull in a booth across from me said to the waiter, "Hey Man...who sings this song?"
I rubbed my temples and shook my head in my hands....
The WAY overpriced food/coffee items, after an extended wait? $16....witnessing the stupidity of one who should be old enough to know who the fucking Rolling Stones are? Priceless!
I went back and ate while the other guys got set up for their rhythm tracks (which they were to play along with me) and Tommy's scratch vocal...which again, took awhile, so I rested for a bit...then it was time to go forth and thrash.
We ran through the song a number of times, only stopping occasionally to make sure we were on the right track in terms of sounds and parts, and to make some adjustments with tempos, etc....after a couple of hours or so of this, I was about done, and someone else mentioned being hungry, so we all ordered these kickass italian subs and bs'd about this and that. Afterwhich, Daniel asked us to do one more take....I decided, since the mozzerella was so fresh on my sandwich, that I'd play some of it a little differently this time....which seemed to be to everyone else's liking. After that, I was through with my biggest responsibility, and could sit back and relax. Who needs sleep, anyway?
Dougie's bass playing was so spot-on from the rhythm takes, I don't think he did any overdubs at all....he's a genius, that boy, he really is.
So...onto guitars....Ritchie was first....he added some great parts on there, as well as, most likely, the best solo I've ever heard him play.....it was fucking awesome....nice one, Rich! Then Johnny sat down and added this fucking "spaghetti western" western part that really added depth and dimension to the sound...
This was really turning into something.
The guitarists had had enough at this point, and split....Dougie and I decided to stay and sit in on Tommy vocal takes....which went pretty much without a hitch. I like to be there after I finsih just to add encouragement and all that shit. Tommy batted it out of the park, and finished up his lead vocal lines and the harmonies he wanted to do rather quickly.
Then Daniel, Tommy, Dougie, and I went in to do the gang vocal parts in the choruses (which for me, is the most fun part of a session).....
....and that was it....the track is in the can....we should have it ready in a couple of weeks.....
...the track will go directly to Sirius/XM Radio, and we will be doing a Single Release Party @ Santo's Party House on Thursday, July 23rd....Eve to Adam and Midnight Fistfight and other special guests are on the bill, and it will be an awesome Rock N' Roll event, and there will be lots of surprises....stay tuned!
I, for one, can't wait!
Thanks for reading!
Marty E.
The night before, I decided to stay clear of drinking/partying/trouble of any kind in an attempt to get a decent night's sleep for once. Well that was a fucking great idea. I had a Grolsch beer to stabilize my system, read from Bukowski's Women (an old favorite of mine that I've been revisiting lately), listened to some Gram Parsons....and tried to sleep. Well, that didn't work. I tossed and turned, as if my bed was a washing machine set to the goddamn "Spin" cycle. You know how that it is when you know that you need your rest, and the pressure thereof prevents you from getting that rest? That was me. So, I wound up getting two hours of it. I fell asleep around 8am...and Daniel called me up at 10:15 to tell me he was on his way to pick me up....well....I remember what Klaus Meine of the Scorpions once said, "Being a Rock N' Roller is a lot like being an athlete...you have to perform no matter how you feel." Damn right!
So, I put my Thin Lizzy shirt on, grabbed my cymbals, and walked downstairs into the pissing rain, and got into Daniel's car. I told him immediately that I was going on two hours' sleep. He laughed and said, "Yeah, well, you can never sleep the night before a session...I got four hours' sleep myself!"
Yeah, I like this guy. So we drove over, talked about the Ramones, Circus of Power, and whatever the fuck else. Daniel had told me that he had called Tom (an awesome engineer, owner of Nuthouse Studios, and a stand-up dude) the night before w/ some specs re: mics and shit in order to cut down set-up time. Awesome.
I like working with a producer - at least one like Daniel, who understands the band's vision and how to achieve it....and creates an atmosphere that's comfortable for everyone to play their best. His authority in the studio goes without saying, but in such a way that allows the band to be itself and themselves. It was a great balance, and a great dynamic. It looked like a winning team between the 7 of us, and I knew I could do my part no matter how much sleep I'd had. Hell, I played a gig one time on less, w/ guys I was unfamiliar with, and it went down without a hitch...I could certainly kill it in the studio with the Pearls.
After spending some time with drum sounds and getting the drum to sound like the artillery needed to blast this song into Rock N' Roll oblivion (which, of course, takes awhile, but not nearly as long as I'm used to for this sort of thing)....Daniel told me to step out and grab a bite to eat and some coffee, because it was going to be time for me to go to work soon.
So I went to this diner down the street. They wouldn't serve breakfast items (it was "lunch time"....fuck....)....so I ordered something called "pretzyl bread", a french onion soup, a buttered roll for one of the guys, and a couple of coffees. Simple enough, right? Nope....I waited like a HALF HOUR for this crap. While I was waiting, the Rolling Stones song, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" came on the radio. While I sipped a coffee and sort of swayed my head along with it, some numbskull in a booth across from me said to the waiter, "Hey Man...who sings this song?"
I rubbed my temples and shook my head in my hands....
The WAY overpriced food/coffee items, after an extended wait? $16....witnessing the stupidity of one who should be old enough to know who the fucking Rolling Stones are? Priceless!
I went back and ate while the other guys got set up for their rhythm tracks (which they were to play along with me) and Tommy's scratch vocal...which again, took awhile, so I rested for a bit...then it was time to go forth and thrash.
We ran through the song a number of times, only stopping occasionally to make sure we were on the right track in terms of sounds and parts, and to make some adjustments with tempos, etc....after a couple of hours or so of this, I was about done, and someone else mentioned being hungry, so we all ordered these kickass italian subs and bs'd about this and that. Afterwhich, Daniel asked us to do one more take....I decided, since the mozzerella was so fresh on my sandwich, that I'd play some of it a little differently this time....which seemed to be to everyone else's liking. After that, I was through with my biggest responsibility, and could sit back and relax. Who needs sleep, anyway?
Dougie's bass playing was so spot-on from the rhythm takes, I don't think he did any overdubs at all....he's a genius, that boy, he really is.
So...onto guitars....Ritchie was first....he added some great parts on there, as well as, most likely, the best solo I've ever heard him play.....it was fucking awesome....nice one, Rich! Then Johnny sat down and added this fucking "spaghetti western" western part that really added depth and dimension to the sound...
This was really turning into something.
The guitarists had had enough at this point, and split....Dougie and I decided to stay and sit in on Tommy vocal takes....which went pretty much without a hitch. I like to be there after I finsih just to add encouragement and all that shit. Tommy batted it out of the park, and finished up his lead vocal lines and the harmonies he wanted to do rather quickly.
Then Daniel, Tommy, Dougie, and I went in to do the gang vocal parts in the choruses (which for me, is the most fun part of a session).....
....and that was it....the track is in the can....we should have it ready in a couple of weeks.....
...the track will go directly to Sirius/XM Radio, and we will be doing a Single Release Party @ Santo's Party House on Thursday, July 23rd....Eve to Adam and Midnight Fistfight and other special guests are on the bill, and it will be an awesome Rock N' Roll event, and there will be lots of surprises....stay tuned!
I, for one, can't wait!
Thanks for reading!
Marty E.
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