Sunday Mornings are never EASY :-P
there is a bit or rock and roll thrown in there.
Although to be honest I was TERRIFIED because for the first time I was playing a ustream-only show. That means that not only could people see exactly how bed-headed my hair was but also I didn't have the "safety net" of playing in Second Life, where at least 10 people show up on a regular basis...
that's ok. being terrified. It just makes me want to get better :-)
The set list this morning: Cuando te vas, It Seems Just Like a Dream (What a Day), Dreaming Without You, Parking Lot Kings, Gone, Ruby Red Hair, Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons cover), Plain Jane, One Hot Second, Stay (Faraway, so close!) (U2 cover), Ash Wednesday, Fantasy.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday Night Originals
so every other Monday (or so) I've been playing the "All Originals" set on FCMC radio, streamed into Second Life at The Loft and of course live on ustream.tv.
it's kind of awesome
and some days are really tiring and I'm willing the clock to go faster and other days I look down to make sure I'm hitting that Bm chord correctly and BAM it's 20 minutes later. Tonight was one of those FUN AWESOME "Time really DOES fly when you're having fun" nights.
I love those. And I love when people watch/listen. So, THANK YOU to every one who did. This is what you heard:
Year; Cuando te vas; Ruby Red Hair; Fantasy; Oh Canada; Stormy as the Sea; Para que no tengas sed; Lessons Learned; Fortunes, Forecasts and Lucky Charms, Black Sails; How Do You Spell L.O.V.E
it's kind of awesome
and some days are really tiring and I'm willing the clock to go faster and other days I look down to make sure I'm hitting that Bm chord correctly and BAM it's 20 minutes later. Tonight was one of those FUN AWESOME "Time really DOES fly when you're having fun" nights.
I love those. And I love when people watch/listen. So, THANK YOU to every one who did. This is what you heard:
Year; Cuando te vas; Ruby Red Hair; Fantasy; Oh Canada; Stormy as the Sea; Para que no tengas sed; Lessons Learned; Fortunes, Forecasts and Lucky Charms, Black Sails; How Do You Spell L.O.V.E
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
my first attempt at a "highlight" video
So - I send my music out over the (airwaves?) all the time, streaming shows live from my basement and I just figured out how to make a "highlight" of one of the live shows, specifically the one last night :-P
It's "Stormy As The Sea," one of the best songs I have ever written. and you can watch me play it here:
feel free to share, comment, etc.
thank you
It's "Stormy As The Sea," one of the best songs I have ever written. and you can watch me play it here:
feel free to share, comment, etc.
thank you
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
countdown to St Patrick's Eve
I think it should be a hoilday - like Christmas Eve, or Halloween (All Hallow's Eve) or the day before Thanksgiving when everyone hangs out with their childhood friends at a local public establishment :-P
and I have a show. (March 16th @ TT The Bears in Cambridge)
I've been thinking a lot about it. And I feel really prepared. Which is weird. In fact, when I mentioned it to someone they said "I'm kind of concerned YOU want to practice." Not only do I have a fantastic guest artist, Casey Sullivan http://www.myspace.com/caseysullivanmusic (who will be doing three songs of her own) but I have a fantastic guitarist Gary Ames (http://twitter.com/#!/garyamesjr ) and not that I forgot he was good, but I forgot HOW good he is.
and the music? it's GOOD. Like some of the best I have written. We are certain to play Her Majesty Cry (the new single) as well as a few others from the upcoming album.
So I'm psyched. What should I wear?
and I have a show. (March 16th @ TT The Bears in Cambridge)
I've been thinking a lot about it. And I feel really prepared. Which is weird. In fact, when I mentioned it to someone they said "I'm kind of concerned YOU want to practice." Not only do I have a fantastic guest artist, Casey Sullivan http://www.myspace.com/caseysullivanmusic (who will be doing three songs of her own) but I have a fantastic guitarist Gary Ames (http://twitter.com/#!/garyamesjr ) and not that I forgot he was good, but I forgot HOW good he is.
and the music? it's GOOD. Like some of the best I have written. We are certain to play Her Majesty Cry (the new single) as well as a few others from the upcoming album.
So I'm psyched. What should I wear?
Monday, March 14, 2011
set and a half
Ah, Monday after Daylight Savings Changes. The day that everyone gives a resigned sigh in unison that their day is totally thrown off...
so I played not one, but one and a half shows.
and not early ones, but late ones.
here's the set list and a half:
Don’t Say That, Nov 8th, Plain Jane, Steal your Crown, Cuando te vas, Her Majesty Cry, Et cetera, One Hot Second, Black Sails, Memphis Ferry.
show #2: Waiting For The Dawn, Dreaming Without You, Stormy as the Sea, Parking Lot Kings, Fortunes, Forecasts and Lucky Charms.
And if you have never heard Steal Your Crown, it's cause I wrote it as I was playing it. It's about Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Email me at dannrussomusic@aol.com and I'll send you an mp3 of it. :-)
so I played not one, but one and a half shows.
and not early ones, but late ones.
here's the set list and a half:
Don’t Say That, Nov 8th, Plain Jane, Steal your Crown, Cuando te vas, Her Majesty Cry, Et cetera, One Hot Second, Black Sails, Memphis Ferry.
show #2: Waiting For The Dawn, Dreaming Without You, Stormy as the Sea, Parking Lot Kings, Fortunes, Forecasts and Lucky Charms.
And if you have never heard Steal Your Crown, it's cause I wrote it as I was playing it. It's about Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Email me at dannrussomusic@aol.com and I'll send you an mp3 of it. :-)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
what? a non-self-promotional blog? Robin Hood...bless you.
so I've become marginally obsessed (if one CAN become marginally obsessed) with the BBC's miniseries Robin Hood. It's more than a little anachronistic (at least with their puns) and SOMEone complained to me about the actresses having "smokey eye" and overall that their makeup was too good, BUT...
I love it.
I love Robin Hood.
I love the swords and the armo(u)r. I love the love stories. I love the houses. I love the Medieval-ness of it.
I love the whole concept.
I especially love the "Steal from the Rich to Give to the Poor"
And I'm not even going to get into the religious implications of his actions.
One of my favorite movies growing up was Disney's Robin Hood. Yes, the one with the foxes. In fact, I even wrote a song based on it (Fortunes, Forecasts & Lucky Charms - which you can find here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/presents/id310215036 Ah! Damnit I said it wasn't self-promotional! sorry.) I distinctly remember playing under the dining room table when I was 5 or 6 with my brother, John, who was 2 or 3 (of course HE was Little John) and shooting arrows at my 30-year-old parents and their friends. I mean, you give a kid obsessed with Robin Hood an Erector Set and you know how quickly those turn into bows and arrows? All you have to do is crack them in JUST the right spot. oops. sorry, I guess I cant build anything with them...can I have some string to "help hold it together?" :-P
And "we don't steal...we just sort of borrow from those who can afford it" :-)
So as I grew up, this remained my favorite movie (and still may be today - the lamest song in the movie was nominated for an Oscar - how cool is THAT?) and as I got some sort of what resembles clarity I can look back on it as how exceedingly influential is has been in my life.
1. I want to learn how to Arch.
For real. Or whatever the verb "to shoot a bow and arrow" is. I find it clean. and noble. and it takes a lot of skill to do well. the day my only (other) adult roommate brought his bow home my eyes were wider than the moon and I made him promise to teach me. Then I got married and he moved to Alaska. damnit.
2. I have a natural inclination to dislike people with money.
My friends say it as "you hate rich people." but that's not really the case. There are more than a few people who come from wealthy situations whom I adore. And it is not based on the money but on the person. There are plenty of good people in the world who happen to be financially well off who have a decent head on their shoulders and make sure to look out for others as much as they can. It is the person who prefers to turn a profit rather than giving someone a living wage and civilized situation that I have a problem with. And, hey, I'm all for competition and giving a higher salary to someone who earns it. It's when things get ostentatious that I start getting uncomfortable. For instance, Newport, RI is famous for "the mansions" - the huge summer homes of the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, etc - and they are still there open for tours. It was touted to me as this lovely romantic getaway, and walking through The Breakers (one of the mansions) I felt like Liam Neeson at the end of the movie as he looked at his watch and car. "five people...fifteen people..." I don't think it had the intended impact.
3. I give away too much money.
like, seriously.
On my wedding day, before the wedding, in the morning, under the semblance of walking to Dunkies, I went to the ATM and took out $200. I handed out $20 bills to the first ten homeless people I saw. And I felt that it wasn't enough. I KNEW that that money would be replaced by some envelopes by some overly generous family members but the reason I did it is that I hoped that it helped out those persons if just for that day. I often keep money in my car for the sole purpose of giving it to the guy who tries to clean my windshield on the corner of Columbus & Boston & Mass Ave. Cause I know that when I get home, even if it's just pasta, I am going to be able to feed my family when this person may not be able to. When I was in High School, my "allowance" was often gone on Tuesday cause I knew that I could ask someone in the caf to buy me lunch and there are some DAMN good musicians in the NYC Subway system playing for their supper.
I'm not trying to be holier than thou. I'm just trying to be me. Rest assured, when (not if) I win MegaMillions, I'll be SURE to pay off my house and THEN get a Maserati in the driveway of my condo outside Florence, but I'm sure much of the winnings wouldn't be mine for long. Between the schools that have been generous to me and the charities that I would like to be generous to, I'd say it would last three hours, tops.
But for now, I am more than ok with my Saturn VUE in the driveway of my house in Hyde Park, but if you need something I have a little more than I need of, please ask, cause I'm happy to share.
And if you need to point fingers, point it at that fox. Ooh De Lally.
I love it.
I love Robin Hood.
I love the swords and the armo(u)r. I love the love stories. I love the houses. I love the Medieval-ness of it.
I love the whole concept.
I especially love the "Steal from the Rich to Give to the Poor"
And I'm not even going to get into the religious implications of his actions.
One of my favorite movies growing up was Disney's Robin Hood. Yes, the one with the foxes. In fact, I even wrote a song based on it (Fortunes, Forecasts & Lucky Charms - which you can find here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/presents/id310215036 Ah! Damnit I said it wasn't self-promotional! sorry.) I distinctly remember playing under the dining room table when I was 5 or 6 with my brother, John, who was 2 or 3 (of course HE was Little John) and shooting arrows at my 30-year-old parents and their friends. I mean, you give a kid obsessed with Robin Hood an Erector Set and you know how quickly those turn into bows and arrows? All you have to do is crack them in JUST the right spot. oops. sorry, I guess I cant build anything with them...can I have some string to "help hold it together?" :-P
And "we don't steal...we just sort of borrow from those who can afford it" :-)
So as I grew up, this remained my favorite movie (and still may be today - the lamest song in the movie was nominated for an Oscar - how cool is THAT?) and as I got some sort of what resembles clarity I can look back on it as how exceedingly influential is has been in my life.
1. I want to learn how to Arch.
For real. Or whatever the verb "to shoot a bow and arrow" is. I find it clean. and noble. and it takes a lot of skill to do well. the day my only (other) adult roommate brought his bow home my eyes were wider than the moon and I made him promise to teach me. Then I got married and he moved to Alaska. damnit.
2. I have a natural inclination to dislike people with money.
My friends say it as "you hate rich people." but that's not really the case. There are more than a few people who come from wealthy situations whom I adore. And it is not based on the money but on the person. There are plenty of good people in the world who happen to be financially well off who have a decent head on their shoulders and make sure to look out for others as much as they can. It is the person who prefers to turn a profit rather than giving someone a living wage and civilized situation that I have a problem with. And, hey, I'm all for competition and giving a higher salary to someone who earns it. It's when things get ostentatious that I start getting uncomfortable. For instance, Newport, RI is famous for "the mansions" - the huge summer homes of the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, etc - and they are still there open for tours. It was touted to me as this lovely romantic getaway, and walking through The Breakers (one of the mansions) I felt like Liam Neeson at the end of the movie as he looked at his watch and car. "five people...fifteen people..." I don't think it had the intended impact.
3. I give away too much money.
like, seriously.
On my wedding day, before the wedding, in the morning, under the semblance of walking to Dunkies, I went to the ATM and took out $200. I handed out $20 bills to the first ten homeless people I saw. And I felt that it wasn't enough. I KNEW that that money would be replaced by some envelopes by some overly generous family members but the reason I did it is that I hoped that it helped out those persons if just for that day. I often keep money in my car for the sole purpose of giving it to the guy who tries to clean my windshield on the corner of Columbus & Boston & Mass Ave. Cause I know that when I get home, even if it's just pasta, I am going to be able to feed my family when this person may not be able to. When I was in High School, my "allowance" was often gone on Tuesday cause I knew that I could ask someone in the caf to buy me lunch and there are some DAMN good musicians in the NYC Subway system playing for their supper.
I'm not trying to be holier than thou. I'm just trying to be me. Rest assured, when (not if) I win MegaMillions, I'll be SURE to pay off my house and THEN get a Maserati in the driveway of my condo outside Florence, but I'm sure much of the winnings wouldn't be mine for long. Between the schools that have been generous to me and the charities that I would like to be generous to, I'd say it would last three hours, tops.
But for now, I am more than ok with my Saturn VUE in the driveway of my house in Hyde Park, but if you need something I have a little more than I need of, please ask, cause I'm happy to share.
And if you need to point fingers, point it at that fox. Ooh De Lally.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Her Majesty Cry and Set List
So it occurred to me that record-making is evolutionary.
a month or so ago, I had a definite plan of four maybe five songs that were going to make a record. I had the order, I had the titles, I was going to do most of it myself.
HOWEVER, in the past week or so I have become exponentially vested and excited by the prospect of making a record. I even have ideas where to record it.
AND I have more songs that HAVE to be on the record. I feel like "Presents" (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/presents/id310215036 ) was DONE and was my first full-band recording and was really proud of it. And of course, that makes me want to make "Her Majesty Cry" even better. I even may be working with the same producer who I worked with for "Presents" and we are both two years older and two years wiser and two years more adept at writing, playing, and recording.
And I have this cool idea to make the first "side" of the record the raucous electric side and the second "side" the almost-but-not-quite-as-raucous acoustic side. I may even title the "sides" something cool like Side One: Maple Steel Side Two:Copper Spruce.
here's the track list (for now)
Maple Steel:
1. One Hot Second
2. Black Sails
3. Her Majesty Cry
4. Cuando Te Vas
5. Lessons Learned
Copper Spruce:
1. Memphis Ferry
2. Ash Wednesday
3. Waiting For The Dawn
4. Stormy As The Sea.
whatcha think?
a month or so ago, I had a definite plan of four maybe five songs that were going to make a record. I had the order, I had the titles, I was going to do most of it myself.
HOWEVER, in the past week or so I have become exponentially vested and excited by the prospect of making a record. I even have ideas where to record it.
AND I have more songs that HAVE to be on the record. I feel like "Presents" (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/presents/id310215036 ) was DONE and was my first full-band recording and was really proud of it. And of course, that makes me want to make "Her Majesty Cry" even better. I even may be working with the same producer who I worked with for "Presents" and we are both two years older and two years wiser and two years more adept at writing, playing, and recording.
And I have this cool idea to make the first "side" of the record the raucous electric side and the second "side" the almost-but-not-quite-as-raucous acoustic side. I may even title the "sides" something cool like Side One: Maple Steel Side Two:Copper Spruce.
here's the track list (for now)
Maple Steel:
1. One Hot Second
2. Black Sails
3. Her Majesty Cry
4. Cuando Te Vas
5. Lessons Learned
Copper Spruce:
1. Memphis Ferry
2. Ash Wednesday
3. Waiting For The Dawn
4. Stormy As The Sea.
whatcha think?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Ash Wednesday (and video!)
I know that's totally a weird title, but it makes sense.
Ok so. two stories.
1. Last year on Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) a friend of mine put up a link on her blog (http://felicemifa.wordpress.com ) to the T.S. Eliot poem "Ash Wednesday." I read it a few times and was struck by the muse in the only way muses know how to strike - with a sledgehammer. So I took a few lines from the poem and made it a first verse and then wrote the rest.
As often happens when I write meaningful, personal, thoughtful lyrics, I hide them. There is a certain sense of not wanting to be judged on feelings. It's ok if you don't like one of my songs that has a story in it or is about another person, but if it's feelings and about me? I have major issues putting it out there for perusal.
So when my friend asked to hear the song when I told her about it, I hemmed and hawed as only I can (procrastination is a gift) and so here, about a year later, she asked if I had a video for the song, which lead me to...
2. my video. like a VIDEO video. it's very moody. it's very atmospheric. I kinda love it. and I did it all myself. Which makes it much cooler. If you like it half as much as I do...no, if you like it a QUARTER as much as I do, that's a lot of like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGb-kW2mZvs
so, enjoy. share with your friends, your enemies, your enemies' friends, your friends' enemies, your family (and especially people who are in multiple of those categories!)
anyway, thank you.
peace,
Dann
Ok so. two stories.
1. Last year on Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) a friend of mine put up a link on her blog (http://felicemifa.wordpress.com ) to the T.S. Eliot poem "Ash Wednesday." I read it a few times and was struck by the muse in the only way muses know how to strike - with a sledgehammer. So I took a few lines from the poem and made it a first verse and then wrote the rest.
As often happens when I write meaningful, personal, thoughtful lyrics, I hide them. There is a certain sense of not wanting to be judged on feelings. It's ok if you don't like one of my songs that has a story in it or is about another person, but if it's feelings and about me? I have major issues putting it out there for perusal.
So when my friend asked to hear the song when I told her about it, I hemmed and hawed as only I can (procrastination is a gift) and so here, about a year later, she asked if I had a video for the song, which lead me to...
2. my video. like a VIDEO video. it's very moody. it's very atmospheric. I kinda love it. and I did it all myself. Which makes it much cooler. If you like it half as much as I do...no, if you like it a QUARTER as much as I do, that's a lot of like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGb-kW2mZvs
so, enjoy. share with your friends, your enemies, your enemies' friends, your friends' enemies, your family (and especially people who are in multiple of those categories!)
anyway, thank you.
peace,
Dann
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Untitled
Live At The Blarney Stone in Dublin in Second Life
Dann rocks out a solo acoustic live show on Saturday Feb 26th at the Blarney Stone in Second Life. Streaming live through the computer and ustream, Dann has been known to wow the crowd with his energy and songwriting skills streaming from his house in Boston, MA, USA.
the set list (anything that doesn't otherwise say so is an Original Dann Song): Plain Jane, Dreaming Without You, Ash Wednesday, Oh Canada, Norwegian Wood (Beatles cover), Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons cover), Her Majesty Cry, Fix You (Coldplay cover), Black Sails, Waiting for the Dawn, One Hot Second, Cuando te vas, Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Dreaming Without You (full band version) available here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/presents/id310215036
Her Majesty Cry (pre-single version) available here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/her-majesty-cry-single/id412628842
check out Dann at
Monday, February 21, 2011
the ONE thing I failed to do in Portland...
was music. playing, seeing, listening (well, does the radio count?)
Portland, Maine is an amazing little city. I counted 8 restaurants on one block more than once. And every one of those gastronomic temples were full or close to full on a windy, freezing, windy, cold, windy (did I say windy?) Saturday night.
I had amazing oysters at J's Oysters (thank you, Tony Bourdain for pointing us in that direction) and some fantastic Portland Beer, pan seared gnocchi that ruled and probably too much Cabernet which led to the lack of music (Robert Randolph and the Family Band were playing around the corner from our hotel but between the wine and the exhaustion I just passed out)...
I have always thought of myself as many things. The ONE thing that I'm almost...embarrassed? nervous? to tell people I am is a musician. I play music. I write music. I sing music. By all intents and purposes I should be firm and resolute in my "I'm a musician"-ness. For whatever reason - I don't pay my bills with it, I am still trudging through "paying my dues" at the tender age of almost 35, the songs are sometimes too personal - I shy away from telling people what I do. At a recent doctor's appointment, when he asked "what do you do for hobbies" I said "whatever my kids like to do" and it dawned on me 20 minutes after leaving the office that I should have said "play guitar" "music" or whatever.
I'm going to try to...no. I'm GOING TO say it more often. Maybe I can convince myself a little better.
So if you see me falter or hesitate, tell me it's ok, ok? :-)
Portland, Maine is an amazing little city. I counted 8 restaurants on one block more than once. And every one of those gastronomic temples were full or close to full on a windy, freezing, windy, cold, windy (did I say windy?) Saturday night.
I had amazing oysters at J's Oysters (thank you, Tony Bourdain for pointing us in that direction) and some fantastic Portland Beer, pan seared gnocchi that ruled and probably too much Cabernet which led to the lack of music (Robert Randolph and the Family Band were playing around the corner from our hotel but between the wine and the exhaustion I just passed out)...
I have always thought of myself as many things. The ONE thing that I'm almost...embarrassed? nervous? to tell people I am is a musician. I play music. I write music. I sing music. By all intents and purposes I should be firm and resolute in my "I'm a musician"-ness. For whatever reason - I don't pay my bills with it, I am still trudging through "paying my dues" at the tender age of almost 35, the songs are sometimes too personal - I shy away from telling people what I do. At a recent doctor's appointment, when he asked "what do you do for hobbies" I said "whatever my kids like to do" and it dawned on me 20 minutes after leaving the office that I should have said "play guitar" "music" or whatever.
I'm going to try to...no. I'm GOING TO say it more often. Maybe I can convince myself a little better.
So if you see me falter or hesitate, tell me it's ok, ok? :-)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Her Majesty Cry - the Valentine's Day Version
So some of you may know this song, Her Majesty Cry. Here is a live, special for Valentine's Day version.
You see, the song is about the love story of Orpheus and Eurydice - tortured Greek lovers, separated from each other by death and attempted to reunite by music, and failed miserably by...well, you'll have to listen to my "LOVE AND HATE" rant at the end of the song won't you? :-P
and if you want to buy the cleaned-up studio version, you can get it here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/her-majesty-cry-single/id412628842
Thank you
And have a safe Valentine's Day :-)
peace,
Dann
Sunday, February 6, 2011
my superbowl prediction
So it occurs to me that there is a big game today. And this big game celebrates, with beer and food and more beer, the wonders of working together, no man for themselves, putting your ego in check and making sure you all do your job for everyone on your team to succeed. And the two teams playing today? One has no OwnER. It is owned by the fans, the citizenry, the true die-hards dedicated to making the team great, not making more money. The other team? One of the few success stories coming out of a once-super-important town, with the blueest collars around, the team NAMED after the people who made the town great.
It also occurs to me that this game is the biggest thing happening in the United States of America today. The America which supposedly idolizes capitalism, has banks that are too-big-to-fail whilst people can't pay their mortgage TO those banks because capitalism said their jobs would be better somewhere else. The America which announces the gambling profits of a few people every day on TV, radio and Internet at 4pm as "the bell" rings because someone decided that a three-block-avenue in Downtown Manhattan was the most important three blocks in the world. The America which allows segments of its population to think that the only way "out" is to kill - whether it's over drugs in inner-city housing somewhere or over [redacted] in some foreign country that their education failed to teach them how to pronounce.
So, which of these two IS America?
I'd like to think that the second is merely a highjacking (terrorist action?) of a few who will fade away, either from their own doing or because the voting populace will pull the wool off their eyes.
There is a reason the greatest Super Bowl of all time was won with the announcement "requesting to be announced as a team, your AFC Champion New England Patriots" (I may have just gotten chills typing that). Because in February 2002, America needed more than anything to be American. To celebrate being pulled together, to make sure that everyone knew that it was one for all and all for one, no matter who you were, how much money you made or where you came from. Teammates got each other's back, everyone did their job, and everyone enjoyed success.
Here's to a good 24-21 game. Won by a field goal.
It also occurs to me that this game is the biggest thing happening in the United States of America today. The America which supposedly idolizes capitalism, has banks that are too-big-to-fail whilst people can't pay their mortgage TO those banks because capitalism said their jobs would be better somewhere else. The America which announces the gambling profits of a few people every day on TV, radio and Internet at 4pm as "the bell" rings because someone decided that a three-block-avenue in Downtown Manhattan was the most important three blocks in the world. The America which allows segments of its population to think that the only way "out" is to kill - whether it's over drugs in inner-city housing somewhere or over [redacted] in some foreign country that their education failed to teach them how to pronounce.
So, which of these two IS America?
I'd like to think that the second is merely a highjacking (terrorist action?) of a few who will fade away, either from their own doing or because the voting populace will pull the wool off their eyes.
There is a reason the greatest Super Bowl of all time was won with the announcement "requesting to be announced as a team, your AFC Champion New England Patriots" (I may have just gotten chills typing that). Because in February 2002, America needed more than anything to be American. To celebrate being pulled together, to make sure that everyone knew that it was one for all and all for one, no matter who you were, how much money you made or where you came from. Teammates got each other's back, everyone did their job, and everyone enjoyed success.
Here's to a good 24-21 game. Won by a field goal.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Ah February.
so, its Feb 1st, my brother's 32nd birthday.
it's (yet another) snow day - our 4th in the past 2 weeks.
it's also the first day of RPM 2011. AND FAWM. They are 28-day music writing "challenges." I hesitate to call them contests because although there is a bit of friendly competition the ultimate reward is the music itself.
That's an interesting phrase "the music itself."
After 20 years + of writing and performing music (I was 16 when I wrote "Believe" which I still play at shows now), some good, some terrible, some pandering, some way too far out there, some great songs done poorly, some sounding much better in my head than what comes out, some coming out better than perfect, the question arises: why DO I do this? I mean, I'll be 35 this year, and I know that Pat Moynahan from Train didn't get his "break" til about this time but I always was hoping to follow the Bruce Springsteen on-the-cover-of-Time-and-Newsweek-at-26 trail. What I have now is the music itself.
I love playing. I love writing. I love that what comes out of my guitar (and piano!) this week is MUCH better than some of the things I did 15 years ago. I also love getting feedback from people, from people watching, people downloading songs, people listening. It is sometimes frustrating to not have the success I envision in my mind before a show, but I have the music itself.
It relaxes me. It excites me. It's a part of me. It might be a cry for attention. It might be therapeutic. It might be a vice grip on my youth. It might be the most mature thing I have ever done.
So, consequently, I enter this challenge challenging myself. Will something awesome come out of it? yes. If I don't knock Ke$ha out of her coveted spot(s!) on the iTunes top 100, I will be merely mildly disappointed, but more importantly I will have harnessed that creativity and honesty that many people lose when they enter the "grown up" world.
My theme this year? Numbers.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
How the Homily tonight SHOULD have gone...Part I - The Beatitudes & St Francis
so since this is my first pseudo-religious blog, I should say a little something about myself. Growing up in Brooklyn, everyone was an altar boy. It became part of who and what we were. Sometimes it was walking slowly back to class from the 9am Mass or - even better - a 10 am funeral with some money in your pocket for the ice cream truck, or sometimes it was (which I did more than once) serving every Mass on Palm Sunday to get breakfast AND lunch at the rectory. They ate like kings. But almost all the time it was coming back from Mass to give my mother my opinion of the homily. Invariably, it started with "who had the Mass" and after my answer was given, a "oh, no" or "oh, good." Then I gave my critique.
Now, I'm not saying that the Mass I just returned from had a bad homily or a boring homily or an uninformed homily, but it takes a skillful alchemist to turn gold back into lead.
Here is the homily I would have given, if I had the chance, with the Gospel I heard today (The Beatitudes ) and the song I heard today (The Prayer of St Francis ): (be kind - it's my first homily)
Today we heard some of the most revolutionary words that came out of Jesus's mouth the whole time he was on this Earth. It was meant to shock. It was meant as a statement. It was meant to to turn around preconceived notions of success. Most of his audience was of the same social and economic class as his family, and maybe those people had never heard someone actually express out loud what he was saying. Blessings were bestowed upon people not for having money or power or status, but just the opposite. And that opposite was within reach. The people of Jesus's time didn't need money or power or status to be merciful. They didn't need money or power or status to be peaceful. The people of Jesus's time didn't need money or power or status to be just or pure. People standing around listening to this guy from Nazareth may have had visceral reactions to what he said. I'm sure there were a few "yeah!"s in the crowd and I'm sure there were a few "what the hell is this kid talking about?"s and a few "How dare he!"s. But I can almost guarantee that everyone was shocked in some way or form about what they heard on the mountain that day.
And it is shocking if we think of it in today's world. Who wants to be meek, humble, pure, merciful, weak? Who wants there to be peace, there's no money in that. Who wants to be forgiving? You'll never get people to pay the mortgage on time that way. Who wants to give away the food that they themselves had worked for, earned, used, and threw away because they had too much?
Jesus wasn't saying we, as good people, HAD to do these things. He was giving us an option. He was saying, "it would be really cool if you DID these things. So cool in fact, the kingdom of heaven is yours." it's not a ten commandments where there is a list of "NO NO NO" but a list of "these are things to try out - you may like them." When St. Francis (in a prayer attributed to him) said "Make me a instrument of your peace, where there is hatred let me sow love," he is asking for help in taking those Beatitudes and making them real. Making them actual. He famously went to the "head bad guy" during the Crusades to talk to him. and being "understood [and] understand[ing]" the Sultan said "your religion is beautiful but if I convert neither of us is getting out of here alive."
I guess what I'm saying is I don't have to, like St. Francis, give away every little bit of comfort I have, but there are ways in my own life that I can be a little less haughty. There are ways I can be a little more peaceful. There are ways I can be a little less critical. There are ways I can be a little more just. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. And maybe I can understand by understanding, receive by giving, be pardoned by pardoning and be born to Eternal Life when it comes time.
Now, I'm not saying that the Mass I just returned from had a bad homily or a boring homily or an uninformed homily, but it takes a skillful alchemist to turn gold back into lead.
Here is the homily I would have given, if I had the chance, with the Gospel I heard today (The Beatitudes ) and the song I heard today (The Prayer of St Francis ): (be kind - it's my first homily)
Today we heard some of the most revolutionary words that came out of Jesus's mouth the whole time he was on this Earth. It was meant to shock. It was meant as a statement. It was meant to to turn around preconceived notions of success. Most of his audience was of the same social and economic class as his family, and maybe those people had never heard someone actually express out loud what he was saying. Blessings were bestowed upon people not for having money or power or status, but just the opposite. And that opposite was within reach. The people of Jesus's time didn't need money or power or status to be merciful. They didn't need money or power or status to be peaceful. The people of Jesus's time didn't need money or power or status to be just or pure. People standing around listening to this guy from Nazareth may have had visceral reactions to what he said. I'm sure there were a few "yeah!"s in the crowd and I'm sure there were a few "what the hell is this kid talking about?"s and a few "How dare he!"s. But I can almost guarantee that everyone was shocked in some way or form about what they heard on the mountain that day.
And it is shocking if we think of it in today's world. Who wants to be meek, humble, pure, merciful, weak? Who wants there to be peace, there's no money in that. Who wants to be forgiving? You'll never get people to pay the mortgage on time that way. Who wants to give away the food that they themselves had worked for, earned, used, and threw away because they had too much?
Jesus wasn't saying we, as good people, HAD to do these things. He was giving us an option. He was saying, "it would be really cool if you DID these things. So cool in fact, the kingdom of heaven is yours." it's not a ten commandments where there is a list of "NO NO NO" but a list of "these are things to try out - you may like them." When St. Francis (in a prayer attributed to him) said "Make me a instrument of your peace, where there is hatred let me sow love," he is asking for help in taking those Beatitudes and making them real. Making them actual. He famously went to the "head bad guy" during the Crusades to talk to him. and being "understood [and] understand[ing]" the Sultan said "your religion is beautiful but if I convert neither of us is getting out of here alive."
I guess what I'm saying is I don't have to, like St. Francis, give away every little bit of comfort I have, but there are ways in my own life that I can be a little less haughty. There are ways I can be a little more peaceful. There are ways I can be a little less critical. There are ways I can be a little more just. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. And maybe I can understand by understanding, receive by giving, be pardoned by pardoning and be born to Eternal Life when it comes time.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The return to blogging...Finding God in All Music
As they walked in, I had my retreatants (7th grade students) sit quietly as I played "Lo, How A Rose 'Ere Blooming" by Sufjan Stevens. It seems Mr. Stevens put out a Christmas album a few years ago with EVERY CHRISTMAS SONG EVER (and some of them were actually well-done) on it, and this was a good one. After that, as I explained what it is which were were doing, I played "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" by Mahalia Jackson and explained how rock and roll came from gospel music. However, the point of the activity wasn't to listen to "church-y" music but to listen to see the universality of feeling, emotion, and sense that music in general brings. This universal joining force that lies in all of us is the greater power which can be called God.
So, I went on giving examples. We listened to:
"Life In Technicolor" (the instrumental version) by Coldplay to exemplify drive and repetion
"Concerto In F Minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter): I. Allegro Non Molto" by Joshua Bell to exemplify minor keys
"Concerto In E Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269, "La Primavera" (Spring): I. Allegro" by Joshua Bell to exemplify resolution and major keys amongst other things
"40" (Live) by U2 to exemplify religious lyrics used in "pop" music
"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons to exemplify soulful imagery and non-religious/religious imagery
During each of the songs I had students draw pictures or write phrases to illustrate the feelings or thought they had. The universality was apparent when the students had just slightly different versions of each other's illustrations. I call that a little bit of God.
So, I went on giving examples. We listened to:
"Life In Technicolor" (the instrumental version) by Coldplay to exemplify drive and repetion
"Concerto In F Minor for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter): I. Allegro Non Molto" by Joshua Bell to exemplify minor keys
"Concerto In E Major for Violin, String Orchestra and Continuo, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269, "La Primavera" (Spring): I. Allegro" by Joshua Bell to exemplify resolution and major keys amongst other things
"40" (Live) by U2 to exemplify religious lyrics used in "pop" music
"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons to exemplify soulful imagery and non-religious/religious imagery
During each of the songs I had students draw pictures or write phrases to illustrate the feelings or thought they had. The universality was apparent when the students had just slightly different versions of each other's illustrations. I call that a little bit of God.
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