outknit saddam!?
i was reading today that the stall in a public bathroom with the least likelihood of germs is the one closest to the door, because generally it gets used least as people want privacy and usually head further in. i wonder if this is also true of brothels, supermarket lettuce, and chairs in the senate.
i am back from the north and had a delicious trip of it, with time alongside some pretty amazing folks and time to myself in huge heaps of people. it was actually just the right mix of being in the midst of seas of humanity and feeling totally alone, and being by myself or with a solitary conversation and feeling connected to the world.
i was so happy by the people who came out in philly, and those who put me up. i ate halal meat and learned the equivilant of sticking a knife through apple's anti-share precautions.
boston was wonderful time in the international house and i went away with the serendipitous drum gear (about to be thrown in the trash) that i needed to create a kickass recording kit down here in the basement. lots of regina stuffs and she almost used my keyboard stand for the private show thingy. there's a pic of us here
www.danielleemusic.com/gallery_image_view.cfm?id=189
and NYC was a couple of vitalizing shows where there's always seemingly someone who wants to work you talk to you sell you get their angle in. always good vibes winding around streets and thru subways with a guitar on my back headed somewhere. and the public parks in manhattan could occupy my attention and personal peace for days.
the rockwood music hall is as cool as everyone said. it's crazy the stage takes up like a quarter of the place, and the lights and setup and vibe are perfect. the owner has this tiny little box he climbs up into right above the entranceway where he does all the lights and sound like the little guy from oz who doesn't want to take up any real estate on space, any couple feet where more people might huddle in to enjoy the purity of it. so i made up a song about him, about how there's no glory up there, but how he rocks the joint.
here's a shot
www.danielleemusic.com/gallery_image_view.cfm?id=190
i've been talking about it, but now i have everything set up and going down here a la basement puppet show named julio records. the studio is set up, and has everything right here to make any kickass record imagineable. the possibilities are euphoric to think about, and i have actually taken a little pride even in the look of it. christmas lights, lionel ritchie vinyl, awards, posters, that shtuff. but the drums are all tuned and the keyboards are expanded with 70s sounds and the amps have tubes just wanting to howl. it really is a new stage for me because i've been watching other people engineer me for so long it is gonna feel so good to do it on my time, and painstakingly learn it and do it with my own trial and error.
and the live album is ready. it really has reached a place at this moment in time where i feel like i have reached a full collection of stuff that is truly a cross-section from everywhere, from every type of venue, and with every type of mood, that i can just let go of. so now it is just the details of getting it up on the site and ready to send out to you in ones and zeros, like this right here.
i played downtown d.c. for an earth day thang and it was tight. ron played with just about everybody bc he's just that good and there was plenty of bustling people coming and going who have never recycled anything in their life except their anecdotes. and here's that:
www.danielleemusic.com/gallery_image_view.cfm?id=191
www.danielleemusic.com/gallery_image_view.cfm?id=194
so all is well. i hope everyone had a damn good easter. and is wearing white below the waist right this very minute.
agenda
it is 4:55 am and i could not be more wide-eyed feelgood anticipatorily excited. i am about to embark on a grand journey north, and it is gonna be one to remember.
tomorrow (today in actuality) i'll be playing this crazy gig at a glassblower's shop up in maryland. hopefully the imagery from the songs will just dance right out in front of them, without even much encouragement of my own. really, i know very little about this show except that it will be different from all of the rest.
then up to boston. on sunday eve is regina's real show at some huge place and that will be fantasmo, but the real good stuff comes the following day. if you go to reginaspektor.com there's this thing that says something to the effect of 'the first 30 people to e-mail this address will get to meet regina and see a private show for warner brothers yadda yadda in boston yadda'.. and well basically that is me. i'm gonna sit right there by the piano and witness it all right there in a tiny room.
from there on tues i'm playing at world cafe in philly and i will be playing for some pretty important folks. i really am looking forward to that. waay too little time there in p-ville.
right after i'ma head on off to NYC i have 2 east village shows and i am so excited about both. and this rockwood music hall is the shiz i have heard from 276 people.. it is alllllll about the music and the owner sits right there and does the lights for you and there is a big standing huddling mob of quietude and musical dreaming respect. i can't wait. i am taping all these shows and i will be driving on back in the nighttime before easter sunday. it'll be a fine homecoming, and regina will play the 9:30 club here in d.c. on easter.
i am sorry i have prolly been bad to get in touch with and i feel unintentionally distant from some people i really truly miss. i really have been in company and in odd hours and tending to things here and i want to call and be present and write really soon. but know that all is well and wonderful up here just moving shaking.
with love~~~~~~d