Crossing The Pond
There’s a slight kerfuffle at boarding. We wait in the tunnel for 20 minutes at a standstill. Is something wrong with the plane? Are they reattaching the exit door? Is this a Boeing? I’m poised to call American Express with whom I booked my flight to ask what my options are. And do I have a change of underwear in my carry-on? I used to be a free man in Paris. And everywhere else. Not any more. What happened? 😳
Kiss Me 💋
I thought it appropriate on this V❤️lentines Day to share a song I wrote with multi-talented UK based co-writer (and producer) Phil Thornalley. It was obviously inspired by the iconic style of Burt Bacharach and Hal David whose body of work we both adore. Phil gave me the title along with the melody. And as it usually is with my reactions to Phil's "starts" here's what fell out in one afternoon >❤️>❤️>❤️>❤️>>>
Happy Valentines Day everyone.
I hope you all have someone you long to kiss.
Follow the YOLO Brick Road
YOLO = You Only live Once. I highly recommend that any career songwriter carve out some time to make their own record. Cut your hits. Your never-been-heards. They’re your babies. Your life. What will you leave behind?
Remaining Calm
Here I sit watching a sunset and an ocean that has no idea that Time Square is Empty. Yes, I’m ok but I’m not some asshole broadcasting from a yacht tone deaf to the majority of humanity living paycheck to paycheck and now they don’t even have a paycheck. I may enjoy my bubble but I’m not oblivious to what’s going on outside of it or to those who caught the damn virus or might still. Maybe me!
Music in the Age of Coronavirus
If you’re an artist who’s releasing music right now, I wouldn't be surprised if you've considered suspending your campaign — there are way more important things people are thinking about. But the thing is just maybe we need music more than ever.
George & John
Thankfully Paul & Ringo are still with us. But it’s the magical combination of Paul, John, George & Ringo together that’s left an indelible imprint on my DNA and a gash in my heart where they once existed as a whole. In honor of these feelings I returned to London to revisit and fine-tune an original demo with Phil Thornalley. I can’t thank him enough for sharing the desire to turn this loss into art.
Abbey Road Revisited
If you’re an uber Beatles fan like moi, having a peek inside Abbey Road has got to be on your bucket list. And feasting your eyes on "Studio Two" where their most iconic songs were recorded would be the cherry on top. Right? Well, sometimes luck is on your side.
Songs From The Other Side
As creators , when we put forth original material we are present (if not hands-on) from beginning to end — from conception to mixing. Our songs are our babies and we want to make sure the world hears them the way we envisioned them — according to our sensibilities. So, If something happened to you in the middle of making your album, would you be comfortable with someone else fully realizing your work-in-progress on your behalf — thankful that it would be heard? Or would you prefer that it rest and never see the light of day?
Album Update
Sometimes you can’t beat a scratch vocal. There’s something about the first moment you step up to the mic and it’s so fresh and real. I’m never going to be more honest than when I’m not thinking about it. I feel it with my bones.
Have Guitar Will Travel (hopefully)
Bart Herbison, Executive Director of the NSAI, was instrumental (no pun intended), in getting a law passed which made it mandatory that all musical instruments be allowed onboard commercial aircraft. THANK YOU, BART. No more being forced to check your guitar only to find it in more than one piece at baggage claim. Things happen. Even in hard cases.
Living Room Live
I’ve narrowed a 7 hour audio book down to an hour’s worth of the best bits. I put a mic and an amp in the corner of my office and every night I've been firing up the purple lights and running through the script. I'm enjoying myself immensely. So are my cats. I'm not sure how to proceed next, but I'll figure it out. One foot in front of the other. Like everything. If you build it they will come.
Shelly on Sirius XM Fab Fourum
If you follow me at all then you know what a huge Beatles Fan I am. They are my favorite subject in the Universe so lets have at it.
