Yousef Hatlani, Me, Hollister Dixon, Arya Imig
The Portland rain that comes each winter forces one to be productive and creative for, if you are not, you think its time for bed at 4pm.
ThisTuesday starts a very exciting chapter in my life and time as an artist (which is all of the time as it appears to be an inescapable fact.) I will introduce you to them soon but I have put together a very, very, very incredible line up of musicians. Like I said in the following interview with Portland based music podcast Faces on the Radio, I kissed a lot of frogs my first year or so here while looking for a handful of Mr. Rights. This is all so much more than I hoped for. Then again, its exactly why I held out so long. What you hope for is often simply what you need.
Here's the podcast. If you are a music sponge and would spend the rest of your life talking music with your buddies you could listen to the whole podcast. If you are short on time and want to hang out with what is hopefully your favorite blonde, I am more chatty when we get into the topic of music censorship. Then towards the end of the show I will fill you in a bit on the band and the future.
I'd be remiss if I failed to say that it was a highlight of all of my years of living to meet Clem Burke from Blondie a few weeks ago and to see him play. I have only seen Blondie once and it was fantastic. This was more intimate and so special in that way. That I forgot that he was once a part of The Romantics until the next day only makes it funny/Michele should not be allowed out in public that, in the course of conversation when I mentioned originally being from Detroit, I asked "Oh. Who do you know from there ? Maybe I know them. "
Since I don't think its cool to tell everyone's every breath on the internet just because you were there when they took it, I will refrain from the very giddy "and then this happened and that happened and... " but will tell you it was a sort of magical nite all around. I loved being asked by one of the greatest drummers of all time "Have you found a drummer for your band yet?" Mmm. Why you Interested?
I met lots of new people, players mainly-some you have heard of and some you will hear of- and even got to say hello to the very charming Peter Zaremba of The Fleshtones. Somewhere along the way in life we had crossed paths. It was nice to get a hug and a "Yes! I remember you." It was a great night of music!
And , ok, I was a little more than excited when Clem and some of the members of his awesome rock and roll band Split Squad joined us at another bar afterwards. I've no reason ever to act cool as a cucumber about what a treat these moments in life are. Lord knows there are so many things in life to be underwhelemed by why not be excited about some treasured moments in time? I also owe so much to Blondie and all of their fans I lifted from their MySpace page years ago that became mine. And for all of the very nice press comparing my music to one of the most artistic bunch of artists of forever you know? And, for that, Mr. Burke bought me a drink. I should have lifted the glass and taken it home.
Its still raining. Next activity?
and, ahem, my new guitar player & friend) and Mike Skill of The Romantics out of The Motor City
(and now Portland and Seattle too!.)
Split Squad are:
Eddie Munoz, Clem Burke, Michael Giblin, Keith Streng, Josh Kantor
Scott McCaughey who I think I have now seen live more than any other musician
beatin out Peter Buck by one show.
And just for fun... a picture of Stevie and I at the KMFDM show the night before.
Life's hard.
Till we meet again...