This 2 Shall Pass - Rehearsal 4.28.11

Yes, I'm wearing Pajama pants, a scarf and a took.
This is just a bit of footage from a laid back rehearsal
on 4.28.11. This 2 Shall Pass.



We will be posting video clips regularly from here on out.
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Free Download of the Week- Fishnet Sailor

The Drain/Ghosts

Life seems to be comprised of cycles, a swirling pool that spins round and round until you're finally sucked down the drain. Perhaps you hang on like a hairball until someone calls a plumber to clear the path you are blocking. Wow, doesn't that sound so delightfully pleasant? Each revolution round the whirlpool seems to bring me back to a time and place and/or to a person. They are older each time and a bit further from the glitter of our inital introduction. We don't fully recoginize each another. The whirlpool spins us round another time. Each time, the original picture fades a bit, until all is black

I went through a rough patch a few years back and that's putting it lightly. I'm generally more prone to exageration than understatement, but for this paragraph, I shall embrace subtelty. This rough patch if you will was a very specific bubble of existence for me with a group of people, a drinking problem (aka drowning your sorrows) and a feeling of death. I died inside. My life ended but my feet kept moving and my heart kept beating, but make no mistake that I died in 2003. Ok I'm back to exageration. Was it 2003? I'm not quite sure. It's all a blur at this point.

"You left my ass in Arizona with 15 bucks and half a corona" and needless to say, I ran into your ass on the street the other day and I cringed with every uncomfortable muscle in my body. You smiled like it was good to see me. You are so oblivious. It is not nor will it ever be good to see you.

So please, if you see me on the street, there is no need for a hello, because I am a toddler crawling through my second life. You are a ghost from my first. There are good memories that wash down the drain with the bad, but that which as gone down the drain is not meant to return. It drifts away to the sewer or the water treatment plant. Perhaps it shall live again in a glass of drinking water or an ice cube.





Now, I... I was reborn in 2007

Lemon Scented in the dark

I randomly stumbled upon this clip of me performing Lemon Scented in Montréal Canada in October of last year. The funny thing is that you can't really see me or the audience. It was a "secret show", so I guess the very obscured nature of this clip is rather appropriate. haha.

S.O.B. (It's hard to let go sometimes)

I have to learn to let go.
I have such a hard time releasing people from my life
who have hurt me deeply.
I hold onto them.
I mostly forgive them but
hold onto this kernel of pain and resentment.
Why do I forgive them and why shouldn't I?

There are only a handful of people for whom I have written songs.
Recently following the passage of time, I suddenly felt compelled to
send one of these songs to the man who inspired it.
That song was S.O.B., The title track from my first album.

Though I know this is a hard song to swallow and didn't
necessarily expect a reaction (or at least not a good one).
I guess I really didn't consider the possibility
that he would be oblivious to the fact that the song was
written about him and his insane behavior.
I mean, what kind of monster leaves someone they supposedly care about
stranded in Arizona?

Sometimes people really blow me away.

Oh, and where the hell is my box set of Sex and the CIty?
remember? My payment for working at HBO for that event?

MUST LEARN TO LET GO.
Harboring such things will cause a tumor to grow in my heart.
MUST LEARN TO LET GO
Some people are toxic and will slowly poison me.
MUST LEARN TO LET GO
Releasing these crazy destructive people will free up more time to spend with the wonderful caring people in my life.
I believe that all people are inherently good, but that doesn't mean that some of them aren't full of hatred and anger.
That doesn't mean that some of them are not capable of being monsters. I have to accept that I can't fix or embrace every broken person who collides with my life.

Paralyzed & Brainwashed

I feel paralyzed. I think I have for some time.
I know it's a combination of things, but I can't put my finger on it.

I know I felt weird and detached about finishing Sirens of Brooklyn but now I'm having second thoughts about Sunrise at the Speakeasy. Is it done? Will it be ripped apart and crucified?

A part of me doesn't care. Apathy. I think that's what they call it.

Something happened at the end of the summer. A part of me snapped. After three years of not smoking, I suddenly started puffing away at that familiar cancer stick. They're like Potato chips. You can't have just one. Something was different this time. I didn't feel guilt or failure for smoking. I just accepted it and secretly reveled in some sort of pre-30's rebellion. Yes, I'm approaching the end of my 20's. It's all slowing down and sagging...or it will anyway. Have I hit that point where I've stopped growing and started shrinking?...where the hair on my head starts migrating to undesirable locations just to taunt me? When do I need to start monitoring my fiber intake?

Last night K and I watched public television. It was a show on how by a bizarre set of circumstance, the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses I. ended up in a house of oddities in Niagara Falls. I want to visit Egypt. It struck me as rather disrespectful and morbid though that these mummified remains are on display in glass cases for tourists. How is this any different from going to the cemetery and digging up the grave of let's say Heath Ledger to put on display at Planet Hollywood? ew. Well, I guess after a few thousand years, you cease to be a person and become a relic of curiousity. What is the cutoff? How long does a person have to be burried before they can be put on display?

After Mummy TV, we turned on NPR to hear election results. I'm glad Obama is doing so well. Most of the people I know are all pro-Hillary and want to beat me or tell me I'm brainwashed for supporting Obama. I don't want to start a huge string of political discussions, but I will just say a few points.

-It's time for a change. I don't believe in Dynastic rule and after 2 Bushes and 1 Clinton, it's time to let the other kiddies play with the ball.

-I can't support anyone who voted for the Iraq war, one of the reasons our country is in such a nosedive. We've let schools, bridges, roads and the economy turn to crap so that we can blow up half of iraq, a country that still has not been proven to have any connection whatsoever to the attacks on 9-11.

-Final point... Two of the worst pieces of legislation that set back civil rights for gays were signed by Bill Clinton...Dont ask Don't Tell and DOMA. Bill Clinton heavily courted the gay vote and then did not follow through on his promises. Hillary Clinton is heavily courting the gay vote and I fully believe that she will follow the same path as her husband.

ok...sigh...calming down.

In other news, I quit smoking. It is 10 days since my last cigarette.
I feel out of sorts a bit, but calm. I'm trying to breathe, but it's hard when you're both paralyzed and brainwashed.

Podcast Alert! Canned Cheezeburger+ Little ol' Me

I have been a big fan of Feast of Fools for some time, so I am thrilled to announce that they feature my music on Today's Podcast along with the glamour that is the canned cheezeburger and Cloverfield which I have yet to see (sorry George).

So, Pop on over the Feast of Fools website and check them out.

12 months on the chart

The folks over at Outvoice and Rainbow World Radio have always been supportive.
I'm excited to announce that Sirens of Brooklyn has been on their chart for 12 months "straight" along with some other very talented artists.

This month I find myself at number 32.
Their chart is decided by listener voting,
which makes this such an honor.

I forgot about your birthday

Yesterday was November 14th.
I went into the studio last evening to put some fine tuning on three of the tracks from Sunrise at the Speakeasy. Ooh, Glitters and Sparkles is sounding really amazing.
Tonight I go back into the studio and work some more on Ashes and Dust.

Last night as we were finishing up, it suddenly struck me.
I released Sirens of Brooklyn on November 14th 2006. It completely slipped my mind. I guess it's not an anniversary so much as it is a birthday. Yesterday, SOB turned 1 year old. I didn't buy a cake or hire a clown. I focused my energy on bringing another child into the world to keep SOB company. I hope that they get along.

So, happy birthday SOB!
1 day late.

Radio Crystal Blue Feature

Dan Herman at Radio Crystal Blue plays a great selection of music from some really talented independent artists and has been extremely supportive of the album.

This Sunday my music will be featured on Radio Crystal Blue
in their Future Stars segment.

Be sure to check it.
This Sunday, October 14th
Starting at 7pm
www.radiocrystalblue.com

Radio Crystal Blue...where the freak flag of freeform internet
radio flies

The Siren and The Sailor (Cycle 1-Part 1)...

Photo by Carrie Thomas

The Siren

Once upon a time, not that long ago, there lived a musical merman who lived on a forgotten Island. The merman spent most of his time staring out at the sea, soaking in the sun and watching the passing ships.

Though the merman was not a real siren like the ones in Greek, mythology, he was possessed of a voice that seemed to hypnotize the sailors and pull them often to their untimely death against the rocks. Though the siren's song was beautiful, it was drenched in a sadness that also consumed the merman.

Though there were mermaids who lived on the Island, the merman felt out of place and alone. He would raise his voice in song at the sight of every distant ship hoping that his true love would hear the song, and stear his vessel safely to the shore without hitting the rocks. Sadly, the shore where the merman sang was littered with trinkets, bits of wood and shattered things that once belonged to many a doomed sailor,

The Fishnet Sailor

until one day a handome sailor returning home from a long long voyage heard the merman's sad song and began to change course.



(To Be Continued)

OutVoice Top 40

I want to give a thanks and Shout"Out" to Rainbow World Radio and
The OutVoice Top 40.

Sirens of Brooklyn has been on the chart for the last 10 months! Yay!
It is currently #25.
The chart is based on listener voting.

More on the Festival of Coney, Film that is.

As mentioned previously, my first music video is an official selection of the 2007 Coney Island Film Festival. The schedule has just been posted.

It will be showing Sunday, Sept. 30th, closing out a series of shorts that start at 1pm. at
THE CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM
1208 Surf Ave.
(more info)

Thank You

Thank You to the Soupy Gato Show for featuring Before You Go and Well Formed Man on the latest Podcast.

Lotsa Love,

R

Labor Day

I celebrated Labor Day by spending 6 hours in the studio working on Throw That Box.
It's still a little rough, but I'm excited about where this track is going. All the guitar is recorded. I did these hand claps and some stomach drumming and recorded the lead vocal as well as the backing vocals for one section.

Sunrise at the Speakeasy is nearing the halfway point.
It is of a grander scale, lusher and more textural than Sirens of Brooklyn.
I played tracks for my friend Danielle who is visiting from LA. She said that the album seems very Melancholy to her, yet more focused and deliberate,more self assured.
She is probably right.
It is darker and less timid.

Open Wide::Coney Island Film Festival

It is my pleasure to announce that the music video for Open Wide has been chosen as an official selection of The Coney Island Film Festival.

Thank you to Rob Martin, everyone at Bizarre F.A.R.M., The Gender Offenders, Brian Maschka, Marc Carpentier, Kim Levering, Carrie Thomas, and Laura Oltman.


The festival is September 28th-30th.
More details to come..

A Shout "Out"

This week, Lovetastic.com re-released a podcast from December of last year when I sat down with founder, Ryan Norbauer to discuss everything from religion and polution to the then untitled album I was recording.

Included are alternate and demo versions of songs that are on the album.

I greatly admire what Ryan is doing with this site. There should be more things like this out there
If you're a man of the "man-on-man" persuasion not looking to disco til your dick falls off, then you should pay this site a visit.

Listen

Follow Me Home/Knock on My Door-Lyrics

Follow Me Home

I was dressed to the nines,
it was a quarter to five.
You were standing on the platform waiting for the train to arrive.
When I saw your pretty face I had to grab the pole to brace my fall.
She touched her nose then touched the pole.
I think this pole has touched it all.
Two more stops then I'll be home,
climb up the stairs
turn out the light
crawl into bed
and fall asleep alone
or
You could follow me home, boy.
I said You could follow me home.
If you'd like to get to know me just a little bit more,
You just gotta knock on my door.

Knock on my door
and I will come.
You've just gotta ask
and I'll give you some.
You don't need money, honey.
This little ride's for free.
Knock on my door and I'll slip you the key.

Pull down your pants
and pull down the shade.
We'll call it a night
when some love's been made.

Fuck me so hard that the neighbors complain
and the cops have to tear us apart.
Knock on my door and I'll give you my heart.

The morning will break
and the sun will rise
and I'll wipe the sleep
from your clear blue eyes.

and I'll start your day in a way
that just couldn't feel better to me.
I'll knock on your door and You'll slip me the key.

Today is the day!

Buy it at CDBABY!

Download it from iTunes!

...................................As you probably know, I've been working on a little album called Sirens of Brooklyn. I'm excited to announce that today is the official release. All proceeds from the sale of this album go towards feeding a little independent musician, aka, me. So, hopefully you will buy it and get all your friends to buy it so I don't have to get Sally Struthers to do a really sad commercial for me. I can't actually afford Sally Struthers, so you should probably just buy the album.

Tomorrow

Tune in to Radio Crystal Blue
This Sunday, Nov. 12th at 7pm.
They will be playing music
from my soon-to-be-released album
Sirens of Brooklyn.

Don't forget.
The album comes out on Tuesday Nov. 14th.
Every copy purchased is another meal I can eat and well, I like to eat.

Listen to the show