Sunday, October 5, 2014

Rock and roll is happening again!

Hello again! It's been awhile since I've been writing but this page was becoming too much like a retrospective biography so I decided to come back to it when I was busy with music again. I am happy to announce that I am busy making music again! YAY! Last year I felt inspired  to make a new CD and I've been working on it for a few months. I am not fond of recording and I would rather play a million live shows and completely avoid the recording studio. So this time I decided to take a different approach to recording and make it as fun as possible. I gathered some new songs and called a bunch of musician friends to help me out. We've been having a blast hanging out, eating pizza and doing a little recording too. All the recording is being done old school on reel to reel...no autotune, no computers. Believe it or not, people actually made recordings before computers..really good recordings.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Can't help but respond...

I found this article on my facebook feed this morning and I couldn't help but respond http://www.metalsucks.net/2008/06/17/the-top-39-annoying-things-that-local-bands-do/
My husband and I have a collective 30 years of performing in venues that depend on local musicians and we came up with a list of annoying things club owners do and say to local bands. I really hoped it would top 39 but we only came up with 7:
1. We're going to charge a large door fee and give you 10 percent...but we need you to give us 20 percent of your merch sales.
2. We know you're the band that filled the club tonight but we can't pay you.
3. Sorry for putting you on first before the doors open.
4. Here's some tickets. Sell half of them or you can't play. BTW we can't promote the show.
5. The sound guy and the guy running the show won't be there until 8 but we need you to load in at 4.
6. We're going to have to charge you for tap water, even though you are in the band and need to drink it during your set.
7. My favorite was having the club owner  introducing himself to all the guys in the band and neglecting to shake my hand or give me the food and drink vouchers. I don't know if he thought a woman couldn't be in the band or maybe we don't need to eat before a show. He also neglected to turn my guitar on through the monitor or house PA so apparently we can't play guitar either.


I could only come up with 7. If I could have topped 39 I would have quit music long ago. If you read the entire article you will learn that this club went out of business.That being said, for every 1 jerky club owner, I have met 20 really nice, grateful and supportive ones. As a way to dwell of the positive I've listed some of my favorite and nicest places I've played. There are a lot from the south. I'm not sure if that's because of the southern hospitality or if I was just really road weary and a free meal seemed super nice.
My favs in no specific order:
Perks Norwood Ma
Sully's Hartford, CT
Soule Homestead Middleborough, Ma
Beale Street Tap room Memphis, TN
Acoustic Coffeehouse Johnsonville, TN
Norms Nashville, TN
Grady's Tavern Manchester, CT
Twilight Tea Room Brattleboro, VT
Rain Desert Cafe Danielson, CT
Narrow's Center for the Arts Fall River, MA
Wool Radio Bellows FAll, VT

the and band...somewhere on tour.