Checking In, Covers, and Harmonicas

Well, life is crazy. Haven't updated in awhile and thought I'd check in with some videos of what I've been playing.

The Answer to Everything... And it's NOT 42

As a musician, I am often confronted with dilemmas that involve money. I mean, most people find matters of money to be dilemmas, but musicians often find that it takes money to make money.  An artist has to record music, this costs either money for studio time or for the equipment to make a studio. Then, after they get good recordings done, it costs money to design, manufacture, and be able to sell physical CD's as well as music online on such vendor's websites as iTunes and Amazon. Merchandise that an artist sells, has to be first bought.

For a college student, who happens to not have any job at the moment other than making a few bucks here and there where he plays, the costs of such things are far out of my budget. However, there is  a solution to many of these issues. Networking. No, not the kind you do on Facebook or Twitter (although they could potentially be avenues to do what I'm about to explain), but rather the more "professional" kind; let's liken it to a real life Linked In (if you don't  understand this reference, then you probably aren't a "professional").

Mothers, TVP, Broken Down Cars, and Storytelling

The other day, I started watching all the videos I could find of folk artists performing live--to figure out what they do to be such great performers and how I can improve my own stageshow--from TV shows etc (i.e Austin City Limits, Soundstage, etc) and stumbled across a grammy-nominated artist I knew fairly well, Ray LaMontagne, on VH1 Storytellers.

He told a bunch of stories, especially in this clip, about growing up poor and what not. The audience laughed and was really into it, which got me thinking about my own shows.

That Jealous Moon, Reed Foehl, and Inspiration

Well, as not-so-long-time readers, as well as anyone who knows me personally, will surely know, I've been working on writing and recording a five song EP. In December, I released a track listing, but had not finished writing all of the songs. Recently, I finished the last of them. Cue audience clapping and cheering. The song entitled That Jealous Moon, specifically, came out fantastically and I'm extremely proud of it.  However, it took me nearly two months to finish it. If you just read two minutes, snorted, and rolled your eyes in disgust, back up and read that sentence again, for I said months.

See, inspiration is elusive, hard to find, and oft times, rather fleeting.

The Lowdown on Lewiston

Well, I wanted to tell you and show you a bit of what I've been up to, so maybe you'll forgive me for my LONG absence. I think I may just need to create a new label for these last three blog posts, EXCUSES.

So, my dad and I came up here to move me into an apartment before school started. We got in late on a Thursday night. The next morning while eating breakfast, I saw that a coffee shop/cafe was having an open mic that night. So that night, I went over to The Cafe Sage to see how it was, and ended up performing.

The Sagebrush Rebel is back!

Yes, you are actually reading a blog post again. No, this is not a dream. Nor is it deja vu. This is new. This is right. This is now.

So, I suppose explanations are in order, eh?

Well, Christmas was crazy, I struggled through recording and then lost all my files, compounded with a move clear across the state to a new state, and being without internet for awhile, plus getting moved in and accustomed to a new city.

Then, it happened. I got asked to join a band. I've been playing my folk music around town in all the coffee shops (which Lewiston has an abundance of really nice coffee houses), and got noticed. Now I'm in a rock band and I've been busy practicing, playing shows, doing schoolwork, finding friends, chasing females (ok THAT is a lie), etc.

Have no fear, new content is on the way. Starting tomorrow. I will have something BRAND NEW and exciting for you then. I can't wait either.