How Closely

Weary (limited time free download)- Offer has ended

2009-07-13T00:37:00.010-04:00

This offer is now closed. Some links will be left up for streaming purposes. Thank you to all who took part in this program.

We are happy to announce our first ever "free" download from Sleep and Dream of fire. Download Weary here now. It will only be available for two months, so get it while you can and share this link with anyone you think would enjoy free music. There are 1,000 songs in the program, all by independent musicians and all for free. This program is hosted by reverbnation and sponsored by Windows.

That's a lot of songs to choose from and if you have the time, it'll be fun to discover new independent music. Just by listening to the songs you are helping each band out. I've put together a small list of local artists in the program who have mp3's available. Thanks to reverbnation for including us in the program. I've been singing their praises and using their site for years. You'll find all of the free downloads easily from this link "free songs" or any of the others I've posted.

When deciding which song to offer I wanted to put our best foot forward and picked a song near and dear to us. I chose Weary. Weary was written by Matthew (who does a very different and haunting version solo) about a Colonel's tomb located between Elliston & Shawsville VA. This Colonel was buried standing up in his tomb so he could oversee his slaves working in the fields as to instill fear in them. This struck us as very bizarre and inspired Matthew to write a song about how we are all capable of wrongdoing and also deserving of salvation. Here was a man who even after death chose to affirm his possessions, which caused suffering to many, as though he could take it with him. To me this song is about life's journey and how every choice we make influences the quality of our lives and those who surround us. To put it simply, be kind. (bitterness follows you beyond the grave)

Here is the list of songs I've compiled so far with help from the Team Triangle facebook page. Please, feel free to re-post this list anywhere and let me know if you find some good songs to add to it.

Weary- Sequoya

Homebodies- A Rooster For The Masses

Feel Better- Schooner

Sociopath- The Dry Heathens

Truth Is Tricky- I Was Totally Destroying It

On and On- Bull City

Red Panda- Nathan Oliver

Pretending- Simple

Gin & Tonic- The Future Kings of Nowhere

Purify- Kryptic

300 Dogs Saved Oprah.com

2009-05-12T18:12:00.006-04:00

Our song "Remember" has been featured in an audio slideshow on Oprah.com. In part with an article written by Barry Yeoman about 300 dogs who were rescued from an animal hoarder in Sanford, N.C. The slideshow was produced by Barry and the audio was produced by Richard Ziglar. I am very honored to be a part of this project and touched by the stories of the dogs who were saved. See the video with our song and watch the other three stories in the link below. Read the article here on Oprah.com or in the June issue of O Magazine.

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200906-omag-abused-dogs-saved/3

You can hear the full version of this song on our new record "Sleep and Dream of Fire" available at CDBaby and on iTunes.

Duo Fest III- reviews and photos

2009-05-02T15:42:00.004-04:00

Duo Fest III was a hit this year. The day couldn't have been nicer and all of the bands rocked. I love the diversity of the music and how much sound two people can make.

Here are a few reviews of the festival from two bloggers.
Complete with photos of each band and a short review of the music http://secretcarrboroninjapatrol.blogspot.com

and a review from fellow Duo Fester Battle Rockets http://afraidofthebear.blogspot.com

There was also a secret photographer who posted some amazing shots of the fest on flickr. Check them out here He took the photo at the top of the post, thank you "not a photographer".

Update: I found the blog from the secret photographer on WKNC's blog. Check out all the photos the way they were intended here. http://wknc.org/blog/photo-bloggings-duo-fest

Duo Fest III

2009-03-29T22:43:00.005-04:00

We're really excited to be playing Duo Fest III this year. All of the bands are incredible and we've always had a great time at Duo Fest these past 3 years. Please come down to BCHQ on April 18th. Here are the bands and line up (so far). The show starts at 2pm, go to the Duofest myspace for more info. http://www.myspace.com/durhamduofest

Event Lineup (subject to slight change):

2:00 PM -- DOORS
3:00—Battle Rockets (Chapel Hill)
3:30—Sawteeth McTweedy (Durham)
4:00—Basalt (Greensboro)
4:30—Scientific Superstar (Durham)
5:00—Ottvovonbismark (Milford, PA / Wilmington, NC)
5:30—Phon (Raleigh)
6:00— Sequoya (Durham)
6:30—Victor Victor Band (Philadelphia)
7:00—Veg Dinner Break!! (Potluck-style)
8:00—Spacelab (Chapel Hill)
8:30 -- Saint Peter Pocket Veto (Winston-Salem)
9:00—All Your Science (Durham) and “Backpack Drumset” (Documentary on All Your Science)
9:45—Beloved Binge (Durham)
10:15—Mecca Normal (Vancouver,BC) http://meccanormaltour.wordpress.com
11:00—Veelee(Chapel Hill)
11:30—Curtains of Night (Chapel Hill)
12:00-- Trophy Wife (DC)

We can't wait to see Beloved Binge (back shortly from their 7 month tour) and Mecca Normal on their 25th anniversary tour.

Thank you WXDU and free downloads

2009-01-17T21:07:00.011-05:00

I want to say thank you to WXDU and all of their DJ's for playing and promoting local music. We are very honored to be included on their top 66 local releases in 2008 and ranked 8th most played in the week of January 4th 2009.

We'd also like to thank all of you who have purchased mp3's and discs of "Sleep and Dream of Fire".

There is a brand new Subdivision 67 compilation disc out now. Look for it (for free) at local shows. Songs on the comp include
Recall- Beloved Binge
Good Times- Wigg Report
Personification of Light- Ponchos From Peru
Quaker Bridge Mall- Sawteeth McTweety
Dreams We Have- Sugar In The Dirt
Insofar- Sequoya
Moore Square Station- Scientific Superstar
Best Part Of Me- Shana Scudder

All of it is awesome and all of it is free.

Speaking of free music... we have a lot of free songs for download at reverbnation. There's no need to sign up and you can preview and download each track with the player below. Here is a brief description of the songs available, which comprise almost a whole albums worth of music.

Four of these songs were recorded at home on my old Yamaha 4-track recorder and mastered at South West Recording Studios in 2004. The other two were recorded at South West Recording Studio in 2000, featuring Antoinette on drums and the always fun Chuck Crush as engineer.

Songs are
Harlan's Daughter- Inspired by the life story of Florence Reese.
Red Clay Red- A haunting tale I wrote for a film maker to use in one of his films. This song also created the back drop for our record Villain Victim. See it here live on youtube.
Alone At the Bar- From the 2000 recording on Like Water. See it live here with Ruth from Sawteeth McTweedy on drums.
Landfills- They're all full of curious things, recorded in 2000.
Artemis- A song about an inspiring friend and creativity. From Villain Victim 2004.
Two Sisters- A very folky song inspired by a television show pilot called White Dwarf.

Reviews

2008-12-10T16:14:00.004-05:00

Reviews are coming in for Sleep and Dream of Fire and start off with a great local blogger and musician, Secret Carrboro Ninja Patrol.
"Sequoya masters a technique of story telling through music and song that uses metaphor to put the listener in the shoes of the artist and draws upon common ground in order for the listener to relate."
Read the entire review here secretcarrboroninjapatrol.blogspot.com

Next up is Paperbacknovel.com whom we did an interview with months before the record was released.
"The music grabs you first, and you can listen to the music without paying attention to a single lyric, but those lyrics will gently sink in, and draw you in, and when you’re in, you realize the lyrics are quite fantastic, the subject matter unique, elevating this music to amongst the best stuff being made today."
Read the entire review here paperbacknovel.com

Here are some photos from our CD release show on December 6th 2008. Thank you to all that came out and to Jeremy Blair for the photos.

CD Release Party

2008-11-16T21:04:00.005-05:00

We are very excited to be releasing our new cd Sleep and Dream of Fire with Scientific Superstar who is releasing Issue #1. They're really going the extra mile by putting out a comic book to go along with a full length record. You can preview the comic at scientificsuperstar.com.

We'll be at the Pinhook, Durham's highly anticipated and brand new bar on December 6th 2008.

Also playing is Sawteeth Mctweedy who have built a foundation with their insightful anti-folk songs. You can see them here playing "Wings" and braving an extreme downpour. This was originally posted on the Mannsworld.blog. They also do an impressive version of Led Zeppelin's Hey, hey What Can I Say.

Now we have Lake and Hennepin, the name is new but it is none other than Reese from the Dirty Little Heaters playing solo acoustic. Reese has been rocking the triangle for years and has a fresh off the presses 7" available at Church Key Records called "Fatty Don't Feel Good".

Finally!

2008-09-19T19:34:00.005-04:00

Our new record Sleep and Dream of Fire is out now and can be purchased at CD Baby. We are so happy to finally get to share these songs after so long. It will be available digitally in the next few weeks but hard copies are ready to send. Just follow this link to check it out and listen to some of the tracks.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/sequoya

I tried to keep it as DIY as possible and did all of the recording and printing myself. I also created a lyric booklet (in case you were wondering what I said). The CD's were replicated professionally (cool silver bottoms) and designed by Quick Brown Fox Design. The sound was professionally mastered and I was amazed by the difference it made in the recordings. The packaging will change and be reinvented often. I wanted the luxury to change my mind and find other DIY alternatives as they come.

Over the past four years I've been recording, writing, and talking about this record. I'm so happy that it's done, but after completing a project there is a sadness that goes along with the joy. I chalk it up to nervousness and the uncertainty of what's to come, but that's the fun part. There should be a new music video and I've been recording an amazing Duo, Sawteeth McTweedy. I'm excited to put everything I've learned about DIY recording towards their music.

Sequoya Podcast

2008-07-15T17:12:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday we did a podcast with Kim fromSubdivision 67 where we talk about the new record Sleep and Dream of Fire, recording DIY, folk music, and being a part of Subdivision 67. It starts out with our song "The Cosmonaut's Wife" and moves on to the interview.

If you have a few minutes you can here it here. The link will take you directly to the podcast.
Sequoya Podcast

The Podcast includes a new, never been heard before song called "This Time" and Sleep and Dream of Fire will be released in September.

Good News!

2008-05-18T23:23:00.003-04:00

We're finally finished with our record which will be called "Sleep and Dream of Fire". There was a hold up with the mastering but I got word today that we are a go and I'll be sending it out this week. This will make an August release date very feasible, but I'm going to wait until I get the order in before I make any tentative plans. My horoscope suggested that I keep my mouth shut today, which means not posting a blog about it, but I was so excited, I just had to spill.

We will be playing in Wilmington this weekend! The Durham showcase at We-Fest. Thank you Beloved Binge (Rob and Eleni) for setting it up and including us on the bill. We will be playing with a special guest drummer and back up vocal extraordinaire Ruth from Sawteeth McTweedy. Ruth has given us a chance to bring out songs we usually never play but love. Here is a video of her playing "Alone At The Bar" with us at BCHQ on May 3rd, filmed by Kim from
Subdivision 67. You can download this song for FREE using the reverb nation player in the right hand corner of this page.

Set back

2008-04-21T21:04:00.002-04:00

So today was the day. I finished all of our recordings and was planning on sending the mixes to be mastered tomorrow. Unfortunately I discovered that the person we lined up to do the mastering is moving and won't be back in service until June. I'm really disappointed but what can you do? This is a very good move for them and I'm happy that they're getting a shiny new place. I'm gonna stick with the plan and hopefully we'll still have something together by August.

March 9th at the Cave & Daylight Savings

2008-03-02T15:01:00.003-05:00

Spend Daylight Savings time with Sequoya

So Sunday March 9th we'll be playing with Audrey Ryan, Eberhardt, Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele, and John Barrett's Bass Drum of Death, at The Cave in Chapel Hill. I love all of these bands and each one performs solo, with the occasional friend joining in. We're going to start the evening early (8:30ish) since it's Spring Forward and there are 5 bands, but there will be awesome music the whole night.
It's also the day before my birthday and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than playing at the Cave and hearing awesome music. I think there will be cake... and I'd love to see all of my friends there.

Here's a video preview of all the bands playing on this nifty video player from youtube. There's a video from each band and I really love "Oh Paris" by Dent May. It should be the first one to pop up.

Sequoya News

2008-02-03T21:25:00.001-05:00

So I'm almost done with mixing the new record, just a few songs to go and then they're off to mastering. I've posted quite a few songs already on myspace and reverbnation such as, Rocket, The Cosmonaut's Wife, Weary, and My Father (live at 307 Knox Salon). I haven't decided on a proper name for it yet, but I'm sure that will come soon enough.
I've been working on a plan for internet distribution and we're still considering how to handle that. I've been looking at a few companies to host the mp3's, and I'll update as soon as I decide on one. After that's taken care of we have teamed up with Subdivision 67. We will be offering the new record there as soon as it's released and I thank them for their support.
It's been 4 years since our last release but there's been a lot of changes since then. For instance our recording equipment. I had to retire my beloved Yamaha 4-track because it ceased to work, well just the stop button. What can you do if you can't stop? In it's place I got a Tascam DP-01 fx/CD. Matthew started playing the banjo and has offered his song "Weary" to the record. He also performs on each and every track.

I haven't started on the art yet, I don't even know how I'm going to cut it. Matthew has been researching eco-friendly packaging such as usb drives and is gung ho on internet downloads. Hard copies will be available but in very limited quantities.

If you have any knowledge or advice on CD duplication please leave me a comment, I'd love to know what you think. What companies have you used and what was your experience with them? Who do you feel offers the best quality for a fair price in limited runs?
Thank you

HowClosely video blog

2007-11-26T19:51:00.000-05:00

I got a camera for a present a few years ago and since then I've taken a ton of footage from the local shows I frequent. I do it for fun and because there's usually a song I want to hear again. I put some of these videos on youtube for the bands and whoever else to see. I'll be adding new and older videos later and I'm thinking I may need a new camera. http://www.youtube.com/HowClosely

Here are a few
Joy In Red

Sawteeth McTweedy and the Particles "Wings Wine & Cigarettes"

Beloved Binge "Vacuum"

Eberhardt "Curse"

Dawn Dineen - The Ghostly Apple Tree

2007-11-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

Before you begin click on the player below to listen to "The Ghostly Apple Tree" performed live at The 307 Knox Salon.

Back in October Dawn Dineen and the Cue made their way to Durham, on tour for Dawn's new release The Ghostly Apple Tree. It's a beautiful and poetic album which Dawn Recorded mostly by herself in her bedroom overlooking D.C.
We were all amazed by their performance that night and I was lucky to get a CD before they left. I shot two videos which came out very dark but the music is still amazing. The second video is called "Mystery Novel" from her previous record Wound Check. I bought this record off of iTunes but it's cheaper if you get it through CD Baby.

Durham Zombie Lurch

2007-10-29T11:32:00.005-04:00

We were part of the very first Durham Zombie Lurch. We had so much fun lurching around Durham in our zombie attire and gory makeup. A highlight of the day was a young girl around 7 with her parents. They stopped to see us lurching and were delighted by the spectacle. We headed on to Brightleaf Square and heard laughter all around by the unsuspecting diners. See our walk set appropriately to Jaguaro's song "Cannibal".

Go here to read more about this event and for photos. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/752252.html

Update:
The third Zombie Lurch in 2009 is planned for Friday October 30th. The meeting place is across from the Piedmont Restaurant at sundown (6:30pm). Join their facebook page for updates. Durham Zombie Lurch

There will be a second Zombie Lurch on Sat. November 1st 2008.

Coalition to Unchain Dogs Benefit

2007-10-07T17:38:00.001-04:00

We will be playing a benefit on Saturday October 13 for the Coalition to Unchain Dogs in Durham Central Park. Tickets are $10 if you pre-order and $12 at the door. You can go here to purchase your tickets ahead of time.http://www.unchaindogs.net/buytix.html

Visit http://www.unchaindogs.net/benefit.html for more information about the event and press. We hope to see you there.
Here is the list of acts so far

Sequoya - 5:00 - 5:35

Beloved Binge - 5:50 - 6:25

Jamie Purnell 6:40 - 7:15

Jon Shain 7:30 - 8:15

Competent Drummer 8:30 - 9:15

Bull City 9:30 - 10:15

Later on that evening we will be performing at the Knox Salon with Dawn Dineen, on the road supporting her recent release The Ghostly Apple Tree. This is a private session so shoot me a message if you would like to attend.

Harlan's Daughter

2007-08-27T20:30:00.001-04:00

Ever since I heard about the 6 trapped miners in Utah early this August my ears have been fixed on updates and news about them. The out look is not good, 20 days later and yet another mine collapse resulting in the death of 3 rescue workers. My heart goes out to the families of all these men.
I wrote a song in 2003 called "Harlan's Daughter". You can listen to the song and download it for free using the ReverbNation player in the top right corner of the page. I wrote it based on an interview with Florence Reese, author of the song "Which Side Are You On". Her father and her husband were coal miners and the story of her life fascinates me.

July 28th show

2007-07-30T17:27:00.000-04:00

We had a great time Saturday night and I thought I would post a little slideshow of some of our pictures. Thanks to the ILLBOTZ, Beloved Binge, Cairo, Sawteeth McTweedy and the Particles, and everyone who came out.

ILLBOTZ & Beloved Binge!

2007-07-25T20:04:00.000-04:00

Now this is a show to look forward to. We've known the ILLBOTZ Stevie D and Big Perm for many years and have contributed on their records. They never fail to make us laugh and we're excited to hear a new take. The ILLBOTZ go acoustic!
As if that wasn't exciting enough we will be playing with Beloved Binge. The ever talented duo who has a remarkable blog here Binge Cafe indulging your interest in vegan cooking and community building. Soon they will be making their way into the studio to record another album following their amazing release Other Places.
Here's my favorite Beloved Binge video "Love Makes You Fat" from "Other Places".

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-04T13:05:00.000-04:00

I love fireworks and I look forward to this time of year. I like the fountain kind for their beautiful colors and little surprises. We filmed it so I can see them all year long. We recorded music for it yesterday. It's a fun little tune with Matthew on bass and me on drums.
Happy 4th

Recording and Widgets

2007-07-02T00:33:00.000-04:00

Reverbnation.com has the most incredible array of widgets. I included one of their players in the right hand corner of this page. If you click on it you will hear "Weary" one of our newest recorded songs written by Matthew.

Sunday At Blend

2007-06-03T20:24:00.000-04:00

We'll be playing with Coyote Grace from Seattle and Courtney Robbins from Tuscon. We're really excited to be playing with them.

Mugglesam

2007-04-29T15:50:00.000-04:00

I did a collaboration with Mugglesam on youtube in 2007. I recorded a song for her called "Look to the Children". Her videos are beautifully edited and feature her amazingly insightful and adorable children Sophia and Isabella. If you want to smile you should visit her channel and check out their videos. http://www.youtube.com/mugglesam

Duo Fest

2007-04-29T15:41:00.000-04:00

We had a great time playing Duo Fest and seeing all of the great bands that performed. There was a very wide range of music styles but the one thing we all had in common was just 2 people on stage.
Posted below is a video filmed by Eleni and Rob, and edited by Eleni Binge both from Beloved Binge. It's a great video and you can see a brief performance from each band.

Here's a little slideshow I made and unfortunately I couldn't get all the pictures on there.

Duo Fest!

2007-04-10T21:05:00.000-04:00

We're happy to be playing Duo Fest this Saturday April 14th at 4:30pm. It's going to be a lot of fun and we're excited about the dinner break at 7 already. We hope you can make it down to Bull City Headquarters, 723 N. Mangum St., DURHAM , NC. For more info visit http://www.myspace.com/durhamduofest
Here's the schedule:

3:00--SALT
3:30--EMOTIONAL JOYSTICK
4:00--IT'S REIGNING MEN
4:30--SEQUOYA
5:00--APIS BULL
5:30--OH MY GOD I JUST HAD THE MOST AMAZING YEAR
6:00--EBERHARDT
6:30--A NEW DAWN FADES

7:00--VEGGIE / VEGAN DINNER BREAK!!

8:00--THE WHOLE WORLD LAUGHING
8:30--OPENING FLOWER HAPPY BIRD
9:00--BELOVED BINGE
9:30--PHON
10:00--JEW(S) & CATHOLIC(S)
10:30--MIDTOWN DICKENS
11:00--ROBO SAPIEN

Show this Sunday March 4th

2007-02-25T16:42:00.000-05:00

Wetlands Benefit

2007-02-12T17:02:00.000-05:00

We played a benefit show February 3 and we were amazed by the outpouring of support and incredible acts. Congratulations to T. and all those involved. It was a success!
Eleni from Beloved Binge filmed our performance and made a wonderful video for it.
Thank you to all that came out and participated.

Rocket

2007-02-12T16:57:00.000-05:00

Here's a video we made for Rocket a few weeks ago.
Matthew helped me out with the lyrics to the chorus and plays bass. http://www.myspace.com/joyinred
Alisha (KidAmp) Plays the wonderful space guitar through out the whole song. http://www.myspace.com/kidamp

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2007-01-15T14:34:00.000-05:00

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day and I found this video on youtube. It's had hardly any views and I would like to promote it for the occasion. It should go to number one imo.
Blogger is giving me issues with the code, so I hope this shows up.

Here's the link= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HY-WfDPm7s

Happy New Year

2006-12-30T10:37:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of hope coming into this new year. Here's a list of records I think are the best of 2006. I couldn't find a picture of "Certified Diskette" released by 307 Knox records.[edit= I got a picture thanks Roger Roger!] It's a two disc set featuring local NC bands and musicians. You can pick one up for free, that is if they have any left. It was certainly a favorite of mine this year and many of the songs were included on my mix CD's. These are in no particular order.

1. The Gossip/ Standing in the way of control
2. Michael Penn/ Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947
3. Sleater-Kinney/ The Woods
4.Cat Power/ The Greatest
5. ILLBOTZ/ 2 Electric Boogaloo
6. Beloved Binge/ Other Places
7. The Duke Spirit/ Cuts across the Land
8. CSS/ Cansei de Ser Sexy
9. Peaches/ Impeach my Bush
10. Ani Difranco/ Reprieve
11. Certified Diskette

My New Job

2006-12-03T22:39:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to come on here and post about my new job. I really love it and it fits me wonderfully. I've been playing out a bit, mostly with Derrick Acker a wonderful musician and singer.
We had a great time playing the Durham 3 show at Joe & Jo's and little did we know that was one of the last shows they would have. Joanne sold the pub and it will be a whole other place soon. I wish Joanne loads of luck with her new adventures and I thank her for creating such a wonderful place.

Here's a commercial we did a few years ago for our friend's record store Safe As Milk Records. It features The Illbotz, Sequoya, and Ksine with music by Shakespace.

The Durham 3

2006-10-30T14:54:00.000-05:00

Sequoya is proud to be performing with The Durham 3 on Saturday November 11th At Joe & Jo's.
The line up will include, film maker Todd Tinkham, poet Laura Jent, and musician Calloused Hands.

Follow this link to the Durham 3's Manifesto.

http://durham3.blogspot.com/2005/02/durham3-manifesto.html

Youtube

2006-09-16T11:49:00.001-04:00

I've been watching a lot of youtube lately. It's pretty interesting to see how unafraid people are to share their lives.
I used to think that youtube was where you went to see Britney Spears cry and last night's American Idol performances. This only interests me in the context of Michael K's blog Dlisted "he's so funny". I found a program that easily edits videos and now I'm a part of the whole "youtube" thing. Anyway here is a video I made last night.

The Cosmonaut's Wife

Tether Ball

2006-01-04T12:12:00.000-05:00

I don't remember who I used to be
so it doesn't get in the way of anything
I can't waste my time on worrying
because it takes everything
just to be set free
You can't change a letter
that has already been sent
and all of your dreams
just wait for movement
so I threw up the ball
to determine my place
but we were spinning so fast
that it just flew away
and I realized that
I should have tied it with string
but I'd have to cut it eventually
because it would pull so tight
until it came back around
and hit me so hard
that I fell to the ground

Wish I May

2005-11-17T14:02:00.000-05:00

Well I wrote a post about getting back to the music and that’s precisely what I’ve done. I had some help from some new friends Early Morning Swim and Michael Hayden.

Michael came over last night and we began practicing for the record. We covered several songs that I wanted to record and he left us feeling optimistic and inspired. Tracks such as “Insofar” and “My Father” became more recognizable, as to how I picture them to sound in my mind. With the holidays coming up practices will be far in-between. I’d like to thank him for taking part in our project.
Here is his Myspace page, you’ll really love the music. Click it and listen as you read on.
Michael Hayden
We’ve also been invited to play a show on November 30, 2005, by Early Morning Swim. With just a short time to practice and a new roommate and old friend coming in, I still jumped at the opportunity. Early Morning Swim are the gracious people who got me a show at the Cat’s Cradle.
The show starts at 9pm at the Duke Coffee House". We’ll be playing with Bombadil and Early Morning Swim as I mentioned before. I hope that all who can make it will, and if not please enjoy the links.

Halloween

2005-09-30T20:44:00.000-04:00

I love Halloween and every year I find ways to get into a costume of some kind. I've already told too many people what my costume will be. It's best to keep that to yourself so not to ruin the surprise, so I'm not telling you.
This year I will be throwing my first Halloween party. I don't like that it falls on Monday, but it's going to be a great way to show my friends around my house. I'll be prepared to scare the kiddies too. Last year we had an over 8ft tall "No Face" from "Spirited Away" greeting them with candy. They took the treats keeping their eyes keenly fixed on the unusual and large creature.

As you can see here

Farmout

2005-07-20T10:42:00.001-04:00

We arrived at Farmout at 3pm on Saturday, traffic was bad on 220 because of the accidents due to the rain. We noticed that the storm was heading south and we hoped that it wouldn’t effect the show. The sun was high and it was very humid, Dave from the Discordian Society was setting up the stage and everyone was weather proofing the equipment. It had already rained twice, but they were going to go ahead with the festival.
The Discordian Society went on at about 3:30 in the brilliant sun. They had a distinct funk sound, but I wouldn’t go as far as to compare them to any of the newer funk bands. It was an older more original fusion of rock and funk. Shortly after they played the rain fell. Everyone huddled under the stage holding tarps and sticks to guide the rain off of the stage. It was getting pretty crowded so we headed over to the barn for shelter. I’m glad we went because we got to meet Heevahava from Cincinnati. They just moved to Roanoke and were very happy to be there. Omar pointed out a very large spider living in the corner just before the rain dwindled. Sarah the creator of Farmout was excited to hear that people were arriving through out the shower and urged everyone to press on with the day.
Shortly afterward Secret Squirrel took the stage. It must have been hard for them given the humidity, but they were very professional and did a wonderful job. Their sound was very sophisticated combining acoustic guitar, violin, bass, and well harmonized female vocals. Next up was Heevahava a rock and roll duo with electric guitar and drums. I was impressed with their drummer Omar. He was fast and very good, filling the valley with sound. Next up Silent Press, they practice two doors down from some friends of mine in a warehouse in about the only bad neighborhood in Roanoke. They already had a fan base who quickly filled the front of the stage. I thought they were going to be the loudest band there until Madrone took the stage. I was getting a little scared to follow them.
We went on at about 10pm only a few hours off schedule, which is pretty good considering all the rain. Secret Squirrel and I felt the sonic differences in our styles and the rest of the bands on the roster. The audience didn’t seem to mind at all.
I was really happy to see all the women performing this year. The two bands that followed were fronted by women. The Sad Cobras were very creative and really understood the sonic principles of their instruments. Versatile and melodic, they impressed us. Soria from Philly was a great add this year. Fronted by a powerhouse female vocalist they showed us all how much fun performing could be. The crowd roared when they played their rendition of the Dead Kennedy’s classic “Kill The Poor”.
Finally the gracious hosts The Wading Girl had to stop working to play their set. They had a lot more to worry about this year, but it certainly didn’t show in their set, I’ve never heard them sound so good before. They began their set with the song “Baby Got Back” and invited the Illbotz to join them on stage. A song uncharacteristic of their music they really rocked it out. The Illbotz came to their attention far too late to book them for the Farmout, but they practiced this song with them so they would have a chance to perform. I’ve really been digging the new Wading Girl songs on their myspace page and I was happy to hear the song “Amber Waves”. It was 1am but there were still lots of people there having a great time.
Finally at about 2am The Lobsters took the stage, which in my opinion was perfect for these rockers. Like The Wading Girl they’ve been working hard touring and making a name for themselves on the east coast. Q their bass player stood up front for every single band and gets my “Most Considerate Rock Star” award.
Spring Hollow Farm had started to calm down as the festival came to a close. I would like to express my gratitude to Sarah, The Garrisons, The Wading Girl, The Green Dolphin and everyone who worked extra hard this year to make Farmout so much fun. The food was wonderful, there was plenty of beer and attitudes were by far the most positive I’ve ever seen. I will take away with me the joy of knowing that there are so many musicians and bands ready to support the music they love.
Sequoya
Here are a few pictures that I took, just click on the photo to see a larger version of each photo.

Farmout 2005

2005-06-21T08:30:00.002-04:00

We "Sequoya"are so excited to be making our 3rd appearance at Farmout on July 16th.
A small locally organized outdoor music festival seated amongst some of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen. It's surprisingly easy to get to despite its rural location, so I hope all that are able will make it out. Bring sunblock and drink lots of water.

Where- Elliston , VA.
Who-
The Wading Girl
The Discordian Society
The Sad Cobras
Heevahava
Soraia
Sequoya
The Silent Press
The Cheap Seats
The Lobsters

Said It Was

2005-05-19T17:46:00.000-04:00

Exactly where is the line drawn
Between good and bad
Right and wrong
Villains and Victims meet at the gate
Prepared for their judgment
Prepared for their fate
Exactly where is the line drawn
And just who’s to say?

The deeds of men
Have a bitter taste
Praise your name
As they say grace
He gets away with murder
He thinks he rules the world
Makes sure his flag
Forever remains unfurled

We all ask these questions
About misery
and I should be grateful
That it isn’t me
I know that it is
But you’re to blind to see
We all are the truth
And the blasphemy
Innocent life
Taken down by A knife
In the name of god
In the name of god
A simple truth
We all rely upon
As we fall back
Into oblivion
Everything we see is god
I said it was good, rest on the seventh day

Something New

2005-03-30T17:19:00.000-05:00

I’m pleased to say that I am recording a new record. My last record Villain and Victim was an attempt at a themed record about a woman overcoming extreme obstacles and murder. I recorded it all by myself on a crappy little four track in my living room. The overall quality of the record isn’t really to my liking, so I’ve invested in better recording equipment, and a drum set.

The overall, but loosely based theme of the new record is space, whether it be metaphor or literal. I have written all but two songs now all I need to do is record and produce those songs into something I’ll be willing to share. You can hear one of the songs here. It’s titled Rocket.

I’m really excited about the process, and I hope to keep up the momentum. I’m setting my sites on releasing it in the fall. If I cannot find proper distribution through a record company, I will use CD Baby. I have never worked with them before, but the thought of total freedom is enticing.

Sunday Showcase 1-23-05

2005-01-24T12:59:00.000-05:00

So last nights show was pretty good, all of the bands were very professional. You could tell how hard they all worked to bring their own special sound to the audience. They played their sets like there were thousands of screaming fans in the crowd instead of the handful of friends they could muster up in the freezing cold weather (even by NC standards).
Seven bands performed as follows
1. American Aquarium
2. Big City Reverie
3. Austin Freeman
4. Sequoya
5. Eyes To Space
6. Early Morning Swim
7. The Know

Styles in music varied greatly, but the audience didn’t seem to reflect the difference. Everyone was young and excited to get to play. Standout performances go to, “Eyes To Space” and “Early Morning Swim“. I felt they had the most to offer and the most originality.

Eyes To Space brought more people in than any one else. The club filled quickly as they set up their instruments for sound check. The lead singer played a Key-tar, something I haven’t seen in many, many years. Their music reminded me of Devo, synth pop with lots of energy. I have noticed many bands lately with that 80’s new wave sound. So would they be defined as Post Wave? I had fun watching them play and I loved the songs.

Early Morning Swim had a whole different approach. Fronted by an acoustic guitar and two lead singers providing a beautiful blend of male and female vocals. Their Violinist played the hooks and the leads. No one over played, each member understanding the importance of space in music. Their songs are well crafted and driven by an A+ rhythm section. I’m looking forward to hearing more of them.

First Gig in North Carolina

2005-01-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

I was very surprised that a friend of mine from the local band Early Morning Swim asked me if I would like to play The Cat’s Cradle. I thought about it for one second and said yes. The Cat’s Cradle is after all one of the best clubs in the area. I couldn't believe that I get to play music on the same stage as Gillian Welch, Cat Power, Kristin Hersh, Tortoise, and Neko Case,

It’s called The Sunday Showcase and the only promotion is what the bands tell their friends. They sent us about 50 tickets color coded so they will know exactly who you came to see. The only local bands that play there are pretty big nationally. Like bands on Merge records, Southern Culture On The Skids and Trailer Bride. I think they want to see who you are and what you have to offer.

I will not bring in a lot of people but all of my close friends will be there and that’s enough for me. If the weather permits it should be a good time, and I’ll post my review of how it went and the great acts I get to see.

In Memory of Nutmeg

2005-01-20T17:39:00.000-05:00

(12-28-98 to 1-20-2005)

(update 5/24/05)

We had Nutmeg for 4 years and she was a wonderful pet. She died of Adrenal Disease, and cancer of the pancreas. A common fate for American bred ferrets. I miss her so much and I think of her every day. We found a fortune cookie she had taken and stashed in one of her hiding places. We opened it and the fortune read " Wish you a good journey". It was so poetic and profound that it brought tears to my eyes.

Two Sisters

2005-01-01T17:57:00.000-05:00

We’re out doing yesterday
We want only to make it home
I check the skies everyday
It makes me feel less alone
They may seem so far away
From this particular stone
You feel lost because you forgot
Who named us as their own

Two sisters sing a lullaby
Holding hands the other cries
Come the morning her face is dry
And the other's sorrow wells inside
Two lovers sing a melody
For the sisters harmony
They sing so tenderly so you’ll find your way back home

If there’s something they could see
It would surely be polarized
With good and bad, black and white
Ice and flame, day and night
But you know it’s monochrome
The color of flesh is judged by the bone
as they wait on a rocky shore
So I guess I can wait a little more

Two sisters sing a lullaby
Holding hands the other cries
Come the morning her face is dry
And the other's sorrows well inside
Two lovers sing a melody
For the sisters harmony
They sing oh, so tenderly
So you’ll find your way back home

My boat sailed across stone harbor
A sweet low song of my mother
A locket made of feather and bone
A sweet low song to guide me home
I heard your car on a hill
in the silence my thoughts distill
Life then left to our will
And never stop until...

Two lovers sing a melody
For the sisters harmony
They sing oh, so tenderly
So you’ll find your way back home
c.2004

You can hear this song "Two Sisters" on the player below

Show At The Factory

2004-11-08T14:46:00.000-05:00

Saturday November 6, 2004

A show at the Factory with Wading Girl, Sequoya and the Lobsters. We rolled in about 7pm and no one had shown up yet so we went to the Angler Cafe to have a real nice dinner before the show.
People started to roll in at about 8:30 and we went on at 9. The sound was fantastic and the other bands were kind enough to stand up at the front and listen to my lyrics.
We started out with the "L&N" by Jean Ritchie. A beautiful song about a coal mining town in Kentucky. My favorite line from the song is "I used to think my daddy was a black man, with script enough to buy the company store. Now he goes to town with empty pockets and his face as white as February snow".
The Lobsters went on next and they were awesome. Their music is like listening to old 45's from the '60s that are impossible to find these days. They played a fair amount of covers that I recognized but couldn't place, except a Bo Diddly song. I got to meet Bo Diddly when I was a kid living in Florida. He shook my hand and looked down at me with his big coke bottled lenses and said "stay in school kid" I was so honored.
The Wading girl took the stage and kept the rocking tempo of the show going. The Wading Girl just got signed to an Independent label "American Laundromat Records". They've played several mini tours and single handedly put together farmout, a very popular music festival. Don't think that they are getting a free ride either. They got where they are through hard work and enthusiasm.
It was suppose to be their CD release party, but the art work wasn't working out so the CD was delayed a week. They recorded and produced the record by them selves. The record company only comes in to play for the distribution and booking. I think it's a good idea to leave it to the bands to manage themselves. The record label books them gigs and they show up and do the rest.
Their set was energetic and fun, and it's always nice to see the other band members sing along. It shows where their heart is (with the music). They even had a trombone player help out with one of the songs. Their music is upbeat and feel good but a closer inspection of the lyrics would show the depth of their writing.
I was able to get my crappy digital camera to work and take some good pictures of the show.

Mother

2004-10-30T11:10:00.000-04:00

You are my Mother
no questions follow forward
my questions are of the soul
I am the Mother
as wisdom is my beacon
I will invoke thee to my heart
Emptiness has achieved fulfillment
insolence shall not taint me
upon my journey
luminous Father
take my hand, warrior
I can see your beauty
in children's laughter
It reminds me of this eternal void
where darkness is embraced
for you are the creator of it all
nothingness equals serenity
Faith creates a world in harmony blind
every creature is blessed with divinity
the knowledge to ascend
I see your hands are tied by threads
I trust you, we belong, we long
oh we will fly
You are a beauty
that I can see, and do not worry
about that which is me
we are locked together
divine unity
underneath the stars
we all are free
(from Like Water c.2002)

Free Beer

2004-10-15T20:08:00.000-04:00

Those are two very good words from your record company when you're a band trying to get your start.
Jake Brennan & The Confidence Men headed for North Carolina for a very short record promotion tour. I spotted them at the Cave under a big sign that said FREE PBR! If you have more dignified taste in beer then you missed a very good show.

They started early as the place began to fill at 7:30pm. The look on the poor bartenders face at the thought of an entire shift of free beers made me sympathetic to say the least.
Every member of the band sang along with the songs, and they looked like they were having a very good time playing for us. I don't remember them mentioning if they had CD's to sell, and after all the free beer I had consumed It didn't matter, I was going to buy it regardless. I figured they'd saved me some cash so I had some to spare (Oh the poor bartender).
It was a value and included a DVD of the making of the record Love & Bombs. Their bass player Binky was very friendly and sat down to talk to us a bit. He was also kind enough to take my CD around to be signed by each member of the band.

Sarah

2004-10-13T18:46:00.000-04:00

Is there anything behind those blue eyes
your hair so fair as it falls down quickly now
you're beautiful that's what everyone can see
but when you look into the mirror is that not what you see

There's a maiden behind the mirror
she's the reflection of yourself
behind yourself, yourself
does she lie when you're unhappy
with what you're seeing
does she reflect you're truth

Sarah I hear through your words
when you gave yourself away
I heard you on the other side of the door
purging it all away

what's behind those blue eyes
I see they fall like rain
I see somebody frightened
enslaved by praise
the praise you will not give to yourself
Sarah are you hungry
what escapes your mouth?
this is how you give yourself away

You put a price on your beauty
but it eats you on the inside
so you starve yourself of everything
just hoping someone will help
change the image that the maiden gives you
help you to change yourself
but I don't understand why you hate yourself

Sarah are you hungry (Sarah are you starving)
Sarah are you hungry ( to disappear)
Sarah are you starving
what's behind those blue eyes?
I see they fall like rain
when you eat nothing

How Closely

2004-10-12T10:26:00.000-04:00

How closely I examine this life
myself
I see it so closely that there is no room for largeness
or myself
Not all of us will be visible
but I'll do it as many times as it needs to be done
because it needs to be done.

I think that I am so unfair to you
so asleep to myself.
It's just a sadness that does not muse me
a wellness way beyond hell.
Just as fullness insists on starving
starving brings fullness to the self
I'm so helpless to my vices
to asleep to ever help

So weak and helpless, how well we fake it.
Wandering and listless, is this how it's suppose to be
or what it is, or what I see in you
maybe I'll have no excuse

I know so closely
what a ridiculous joke this is
we think there are questions
we think there are limits
but not all of us have definitions