Different Star

I'm going to go out on a limb and bet that shortly after the presidential election there's going to be an announcement that life has been discovered on Mars. Of course, it will be something less than an ameoba. Probably something that's been dead for a billion years. Have to break it to us slowly, don't you know. Make it a huge anticlimax. Don't want to freak the poor Earthbound Sheeple out.

Still, it's a big deal. And not so much. You already know we're not alone, don't you?

I bet we're some of the best musicians in the universe. Maybe that's why the aliens come here. To check out the music.

A long while ago I did an album that never got released with my friend Norman Durkee. It meant a lot to me, because I was pretty down at the time. He had all these wonderful tracks that he sent me home with, and I came up with lyrics and melodies, and a few guitar and harmonica parts. Nothing ever came of it except the fun.

Lately, Durkee has been the musical director for Teatro Zinzanni in Seattle. He is truly one of a kind, with a musical history that's rich and deep. Here's a true story about him I just saw for the first time on the web. At least I think it's true. Bloggers don't lie, do they?

"We're in the studio recording "Taking Care of Business". In the next studio is a guy working with Steve Miller. He hears the song as he's walking back and forth getting coffee. He sticks his head in and says, "That needs piano! A real boogie-woogie piano would sound cool." The he leaves. We're looking around for him, asking, "Where's that piano guy?" So Buzz Richmond, the engineer, tells us that he's working next door and he'll go get him. So he comes back, and asks us if we want piano on the song. He asks us how long the song is, and we tell him about five minutes. "Well," he says, "I only have six." He then picks up a pizza box, proceeds to write the chord progression on the cardboard box, puts it down on the piano, and plays it once. It sounds great. He then asks us to send him a check and he leaves us his card. The fellow's name is Norman Durkee. He's a musical director for Bette Midler and Barry Manilow. We credited him on the album." (www.newyorkwaste.com)

We did this one song called "Different Star Blue." It's about traveling to outer space.

Strange Instruments

Just heard a great story on NPR about strange instruments, and I was proud to hear that the world's only operating cello Theramin is in Seattle. I didn't catch the guy's name, but he played the thing beautifully.

Here's a theramin song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_R9HRvoHTk

If you've never heard of this bizarre sci-fi instrument, google it. It's pretty cool.

Anyway, back to NPR. I didn't realize they had a free song every day:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4703895

Here's a nice video of the weird musical instruments—including the "double belled euphonium," which sounds to me like a medical procedure you'd never want to have;

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95100172

This One's For Obama

I've been thinking for a while about all the friends I have who make music. Really great music. Stuff that's as good as anything anyone anywhere is doing. And they're doing it while keeping their days jobs.

Like Eric Lichter. Eric's songwriting is as good as anything you've ever heard. His lyrics are glorious introspective pictures that get in your head and stay there. His melodies have tastes and smells and colors along with the sounds. His arrangements are wistful and rocking.

Eric's been doing it for a long time. He's got a catalog that would put many famous artists to shame. But unless you're a fan of his little Australian label (I think he may actually be on a few small labels scattered around the globe) you'll probably never hear his music.

I've got a lot of music myself. Like 20+ years worth. And no label. So I'm starting this blog to get some of this stuff out there. Stuff by my friends, my friends friends, myself—heck, even random readers if they want to get into the act. Stuff that should be shared.

Since I just started this thing I haven't figured out exactly how to get the stuff downloadable directly from the blog, but I will soon.

Meanwhile, if you go to iTunes and search "Yes We Can + Obamabots" you can check out my latest effort. I was feeling inspired to write something to show my support for Obama. And I remembered Bill Clinton had Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" blaring away every time he came on stage while he was campaigning. It was an okay tune with a good message.

Remembering that made me remember a really crazy one: Geo Bush Sr. His signature tune? If you don't remember you'll probably find it hard to believe: "Don't Worry, Be Happy."

Did you just throw up in your mouth a little bit?

Then there was Sara Palin with Heart's "Barracuda," for which Ann and Nancy Wilson tried to order a cease and desist.

Anyway, music and politics have a long history. So I thought what I would do is write a song for my friend Joan Jett to record for Obama to use. It was an interesting excercise, as my "normal" style is a bit less hard rocking and direct than Joan's. But I felt she would be the perfect artist in certain ways...an iconoclastic American icon who travels her own path with passion and perfection that is hers alone. So I wrote the song and sent it to Joan. Unfortunately, she was in the middle of a tour, which made getting into the studio problematic. Meanwhile, the election was getting closer and closer, so I decided to release it myself.

So check it out:

1. go to iTunes
2. search "Yes We Can + Obamabots"

And look for stuff by my friends coming soon.