Life/Times

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-26T13:26:00.001-05:00

Wishing you peaceful holidays cherishing the ones you love,

Erin

Under the influence, over the moon

2011-10-22T11:45:00.009-05:00

I keep pinching myself. Not only do I get to perform on the regular with one of the best rhythm sections in the country (The Finest Kind), but in preparing for our October 28th show at The Cactus Cafe, I have gotten inspiration from other truly amazing performances as well.

In the past, my shows have been under the influence of live performances by Tom Waits and The Roots, among others.

For this show, it's Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (I love and admire bassist Victor Wooten endlessly and got to see them at the Paramount Theater last week) and Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, for whom I opened at One World Theatre a few days ago. Dr. Stanley's music has soothed souls for over 6 decades. These folks are musical vessels through and through.

Expect some new twists at The Cactus Cafe show, inspired by these great musicians. I hope to pass it on, even half of it, even a drop of it. Potent and alive. Inspiration!

Add that to the fast-rushing river I have found with The Finest Kind during our residency at Club Deville. I sang classic poetry (Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Robert Burns, Kalil Gibran, Sara Teasdale, Shel Silverstein, etc.) over top of the trio's luscious dub improvisations. Within those explorations, we have become something new. I absolutely can't wait to share it with you. Maybe you will find something new there also.

Erin Ivey & The Finest Kind at Cactus Cafe
Friday, October 28
Doors at 8pm, show at 8:30
This is an all-ages show.

You can get tickets at cactuscafe.org. Advanced tix are highly recommended.

Update: Poster sale

2011-09-02T16:40:00.004-05:00

Due to popular demand, the few posters left from the "Chocolate" music video premiere party are now up for sale at the Erin Ivey store-for-all-seasons.

Most posters are just $5, but I have limited quantities, so help yourself before they're gone.

Thanks!
E

Solo acoustic series wrapup

2011-09-01T11:07:00.006-05:00

Many times in Austin, we're all gigging so much or on the road or just trying to make ends meet in so many ways that it can be difficult to get out to see all the live music we'd like.

When the folks at Frank asked me to sing on Tuesdays in August and bring a new guest artist with me each week, I was so excited to reach out to some of the great musicians I have been dying to see again - and get a good dose every week! Frank (hotdogscoldbeer.com) turned out to be a fantastic late-night venue. The vibe actually reminds me of the Cactus Cafe, that dark wood, blue light, red velvet kind of place, intimate and laid-back.

HUGE THANKS to my special guests who made the whole experience amazing:

Wendy Colonna
Cheryl Kaderli
RyDog
Brennen Leigh

Thanks to every one of you who came out late on Tuesday nights to hear the music we made.

Thanks to Josie Fluri, Glynn Wedgewood, Barbie, and everyone else at Frank who makes it such a great place to be.

Thanks to Kevin Connor for spreading the word on KUT 90.5FM here in Austin about these shows.

I don't know if you can tell, but I loved "curating" these past Tuesdays. Next up in the hot seat is Colin Gilmore. I hope he'll have as great a time as I did putting these Tuesdays together.

xo
Erin

Watch "Chocolate" music video on Huffington Post

2011-08-04T21:56:00.009-05:00

Well, our little video made it to The Huffington Post!

Check it out RIGHT HERE.

CHOCOLATE - recipe

2011-07-28T23:44:00.004-05:00

After posting this photo on Facebook, I'm inspired by the comments to give you my recipe!

Erin Ivey's raw, sugar-free, dairy-free, guilt-free chocolates

1/2 c unfiltered coconut oil
1 1/2 tsp stevia powder
1 pinch salt
1 Tbsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
2 Tbsp almond butter
1/2 c cocao powder

Add the stevia to the coconut oil. Pour into a blender (I like the bullet ones best).
Mix in vanilla & salt.
Mix in almond butter.
Mix in cocoa powder.
Pour into ice cube molds with a small spoon.
Put in the fridge for an hour or freezer for 20 minutes.

Voila!

It's flyer time!

2011-07-28T10:11:00.005-05:00

Is it "flyer" or "flier?" Regardless, I'm playing a month of Tuesday nights, solo acoustic with some special guests, at FRANK during August. Check erinivey.com to find out what guests are on tap. Then, come on by for hot dogs, cold beer, and chill music.

__________________

Last night, I figured out that this flyer was hard to read (after printing 50 pages of the damn thing). So, now every one of them is personalized. Hopefully readable, too.

Making "Chocolate" - photos

2011-07-28T09:23:00.007-05:00

Here are a few pictures from editing the music video with Andrew Shapter. The video premiere party - and full band show - is this Friday, July 29 at The HighBall. Music starts at 10:30pm. Hope to see you there!

RSVP on Facebook
Like it on Do512

Happy birthday, Amelia!

2011-07-23T02:10:00.001-05:00

In honor of Amelia Earhart's bday on Sunday, I'm giving away the whole Broken Gold album at www.erinivey.com all weekend. If you don't already have it, or if you want to turn friends on to it, now is the time!

Spanish Moon

2011-07-05T15:16:00.000-05:00

I had the good fortune to perform before Little Feat a couple weeks ago at One World Theatre. I listened to a ton of Little Feat in high school, back from the Lowell George era, so I was very curious to hear what they sounded like after years of personnel changes. Would they play their old stuff? Would it be stale?

Happy to report that Little Feat opened their set with "Spanish Moon" and then went into a really long jam, which set the tone for the rest of the night really well. I was never sure what to expect, which kept me really interested. They did play other great old tunes like "Willin'" and "Dixie Chicken," but with really creative arrangements and instrumentation. On the other hand, a couple of songs were so new that they broke out lyric sheets and charts. Keyboardist Bill Payne played a beautiful solo rendition of The Yellow Rose of Texas for us, seein' how we're in Texas and all...

It was really cool to see how healthy of a band they are. Not just cruising on their old hits played the same way every time. The set was really thoughtfully crafted. They weren't just phoning it in, as I have seen many long-standing bands do.

So, put on your sailin' shoes and go see 'em. It was an inspiring show. Isn't that what live music is all about?

"I pawned my watch and I sold my ring
Just to hear that girl singing."
-Spanish Moon

Chocolate music video

2011-06-25T15:07:00.006-05:00

UPDATE: The HighBall is concocting a very special drink for us that night only... The CHOCOLATE CAKE MARTINI - Godiva chocolate liqueur, Frangelico, White Cream de Cocoa, Vanilla Vodka, Cream. Ummm, yes please.

_________

I've been working with Andrew Shapter and a wonderful group of conspirators to bring you a music video for the song "Chocolate" off the new Broken Gold album. It's inspired by Pedro Almodovar's films and is waaaaayyyyy different than anything I've done before. I hope you'll come out to the premiere party July 29th 10pm at The HighBall in Austin. We're planning a really fun night.

If you are so inclined, here's how you can help!

Like it on Do512
RSVP on Facebook

Thanks so much. See you there!

Call yourself an Austin musician

2011-06-25T15:00:00.003-05:00

In recognition of Michael Corcoran's retirement from The Austin American-Statesman yesterday, I am re-posting something he wrote back in 2008. Austin and it's various art scenes are changing fast, but a lot of this still definitely applies.

DON'T CALL YOURSELF AN AUSTIN MUSICIAN UNTIL YOU'VE...
By Michael Corcoran
AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Monday, January 28, 2008

At the end of the year, I decided to not rank the nationally acclaimed "Shepherd's Dog" by Iron and Wine as an Austin album. I&W's Sam Beam might live in the area, but he's not truly an Austin musician. Neither is Kina Grannis, the "Crash the Super Bowl" finalist, who moved here after graduating from USC in May. Bill Callahan, who used to call himself Smog, is no more an Austin musician than Bob Mould was in the '90s. It takes more than a ZIP code that starts with 787 to truly be considered a hometown musician. Use this guideline to tell the difference between a musician who lives in Austin and an Austin musician:

Sorry, but you're not an Austin musician until ...

... you've played at either Emo's, the Hole in the Wall or the Continental Club.

... you've been rejected by SXSW.

... you've opened for Guy Forsyth.

... you've been ticketed for double-parking on Sixth Street while unloading your gear.

... you know your order without looking at the menu of the Tamale House No. 3.

... you know who Paul Minor is. (Bonus points if you know exactly what it is that he does.)

... David Cotton won't return your calls.

... you've looked forward to playing out at the airport because at least that gig pays.

... you are a 94-year-old blues legend. (Pinetop Perkins exemption.)

... you've snuck a case of beer out the back door after a gig.

... you've had your name misspelled on the Red Eyed Fly marquee.

... you've worked double shifts at Thundercloud to save money for studio time, put your heart and soul into every track, proudly mailed your first CD, your baby, to critics, then watched Jim Caligiuri give it half a star in the Chronicle.

Pork butt and Dr. Pepper

2011-04-23T10:36:00.005-05:00

I'm doing it! Along with strawberry and lime-infused vodka.

Did you know that pork butt is actually the SHOULDER?

Low and slow. Here's the recipe. Thank you, Pioneer Woman. :)

Survey says...

2011-04-22T21:47:00.003-05:00

I love seeing the responses to the survey about your favorite songs on the Broken Gold album.

You can get the results by taking the survey, if you haven't already. Fascinative!

Opening for David Ramirez at The Cactus Cafe 4/26/11

2011-04-22T09:53:00.003-05:00

Check out this post by David Ramirez, with whom I am honored to be performing at The Cactus Cafe next Tuesday, April 26:

Walk

The

Line.

Hmm...

2011-04-08T18:07:00.001-05:00

Really, Twitter people? "Pootie tang?"

Make mine a double

2011-04-06T14:09:00.002-05:00

Elements

2011-04-03T16:44:00.002-05:00

Latest discovery: Elements for the next phase are wood and gold.

I haven't worn gold things for years. Now I realize how lucky I am to have them.

So, there's my deep thought. Wood and gold.

Favorite quote of late

2011-03-21T15:23:00.001-05:00

From my friend Chef Kevin:

"I have 1/2 my staff running around singing GO GO GO....well, at least the GO, GO, GO part.... Now if I could just get some of them to take those words to heart....maybe I could use reverse psychology on them if you wrote a song called Stand Around and Text."

2011: The big picture

2011-01-03T00:39:00.004-05:00

Around this time last year, I dove wildly into Chris Guillebeau's transformative Annual Review - taking stock of the past year and setting intentions and goals for the next, in a style perfectly suited to management spreadsheet nerds like I am.

2010 was a year of EXPANSION. 2011 seems to be beckoning for focus on two things in particular: QUALITY and SUSTAINABILITY.

With the new album (Broken Gold) due in February, I can't wait to see how the new year unfolds.

I will not pay to check my bags.

2010-12-12T17:33:00.007-05:00

Okay, ladies. Here's how it's done.

The Challenge: 1 carry-on bag for a 2-week trip to L.A. and N.Y.C. (from highs in the 70s to lows in the 20s).

The Solution:
2 black tank tops
1 flannel PJ bottoms
2 thin cardigan sweaters
1 wool peacoat
1 large silk scarf (Thanks, Maura!)
2 longsleeve shirts
4 pair socks
5 pair undies
1 bra
1 silk slip
1 wool tights
2 dresses
1 black t-shirt (which i never wore)
1 wool hat
1 pair lined leather gloves
1 pair cowboy boots
1 pair tennis shoes
1 pair high heels
1 box of 20 CDs (in sleeves, not jewel cases)
1 makeup bag
2 pair jeans
1 pair red corduroys
2 books
1 handheld tape recorder (for ideas)
1 phone charger
1 camera cable
1 laptop

I wore the boots, cords, a tank, both cardigans, peacoat, and scarf on the plane, which turned out to be awesome because I was warm and had plenty of pillow action happening.

When I do this again, I will leave out 1 pair of jeans, 1 longsleeve shirt, and the tshirt. Done and done.

Happiness

2010-11-01T23:57:00.012-05:00

These things go together

2010-08-26T14:08:00.004-05:00

After returning to the city from a couple of weeks in the woods, these 2 offerings resonate with such truth:

1) Your Brain on Gadgets suggests it takes 3 days to detox from constant email-phone-berry-gadget checking, discusses the brain chemistry behind that behavior, and explains that all this stimulation could be robbing us of a more deeply fulfilling and meaningful life.

2) A film of poet/singer Tanya Davis' piece called "How to Be Alone" (sent to me by my good friend and resolute Merch Master, Christine. Thank you, Christine!) (note to the knitters out there... How did she make that bedspread?? Those must have been the longest circular needles known to man!)

100% of community support goal reached!

2010-08-11T22:15:00.003-05:00

THANK YOU for getting me to 100% of my community support goal. Time is running out to pre-order the forthcoming album if you haven't already.

WOW!!! Thank you.

Post-co-writing

2010-07-25T19:53:00.009-05:00

Aside from Anna Rosenkilde being the most gracious, lovely person who humored all my questions about Denmark, we also wrote a daringly simple and beautiful song together yesterday.

You can hear us perform the song live at a FREE show this Tuesday, July 27th at Momo's in Austin, TX.

Co-writing seems to produce so much more than the sum of it's parts. It was like having twice as much horsepower. Having to communicate ideas to someone else during the songwriting process, as opposed to just thinking them or writing them down, made the process much more conscious - brought it into the light.

We would notice and appreciate things that the other person hadn't even realized she'd done.

Piano is Anna's main instrument and there is a nice full-sounding upright at the House of Songs. In the beginning, Anna played a few chords, I sang a couple of lines and then we filled in the rest together. It was thrilling to breathe life into the song, which could never have been written any other way.

Cowriting: Confession and Digression

2010-07-20T16:48:00.004-05:00

Confession: I have never co-written a song before... At least not that I can remember. Which, I guess leads me to another confession, that my memory is terrible.

That's why I write everything down. Otherwise, it all just floats away. Maybe it stems from past vices (that's why they call it high school, right?) and constantly trying to lasso the last little drop out of every day, maybe missing the moments altogether.

This weekend, I get to write it all down with a Danish princess! (part of that sentence may not be true) Singer/songwriter/destiny-manifestor Troy Campbell turned his own existing relationships with Danish artists into an incredible opportunity for other Austin artists. The House of Songs is his collaboration with Danish songwriting guilds that brings Danish artists to Austin for a week of co-writing with local musicians.

My first songwriting session is this weekend, on Saturday. I'm excited to see how it goes... Trying not to have expectations, which usually turn out to be wrong, and nervous because I haven't finished a song in what feels like forever... But, in true form, I can't remember when.

Diversion: And why have I not finished a song in so long? There are lots of song pieces floating around in my heart and head, but I have been keeping so conveniently busy with gigs, finishing the new album, keeping up with webstuff and the Joneses, etc... If I am here on earth to write songs, sing them, and seek transcendent musical moments with other people, what the hell else am I really doing?

I have had three overriding concepts appear throughout my life. They're sketched in triangles through years of journals, over 30 books filled with my life in scribbles of various size, color, and direction across the pages. Music - God - Yoga. It also sometimes looks like Music - Prayer - Movement, or Music - Meditation - Dance. The Music never changes. It's my own personal trifecta. Whenever I stray from it, my life begins to fall apart.

Why so afraid to say what must be said?

I can't wait to see what comes flooding out when I am forced to break the dam.

www.thehouseofsongs.com

Is butter better? and other daily lessons

2010-07-07T13:32:00.014-05:00

I love butter. On toast, I would marry it.

Except that I go through a stick of it every week or so and was starting to see it add up on my belly. So, I set out to find a substitute, wary that one could never be found.

Luckily, it didn't take me long because Wheatsville is awesome and the people who work there should win gold medals every day. If there were Erin's Choice Awards, everyone at Wheatsville would get one... and another one would go to...

I only had to try one other (totally disgusting) spread before going to Wheatsville and getting a recommendation for Earth Balance. I think her exact words were "I never thought I would find a butter substitute."

Queue "Earth Angel". Can you hear that tear of gratitude rolling down my cheek?

__________________________

In completely unrelated news (if I may climb on my pedestal-topping high horse for a sec), when did the word "integral" start being pronounced "in-trick-al"??

Why did nobody run this by me for approval?

I do not approve, no more than I approve of saying "nu-cu-lar" instead of "nu-cle-ar". Just because George Bush set a bad precedent here does not make it okay.

On this day in 1937

2010-07-02T10:49:00.010-05:00

Thanks to Duggan Flanakin for the reminder:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0702.html

a couple of extracts from my very short-lived foray into scrapbooking:

Amelia's round-the-world route and her passport:

Hooray it's another album update

2010-06-30T00:34:00.008-05:00

IT'S GETTING CLOSE. I'm pinching myself, snapping my fingers, and waving my magic wand like crazy. We're SO close to the community support goal. Definitely pre-order the album if you haven't already. And many many super thanks to all of you MOST FABULOUS folks who have!

Once we sign off on the latest masters (which Brian, Maura, and I are listening through AT THIS MOMENT - they sound freaking awesome and I am psyched to share them with you SOON, dear readers!) the songs will then get assigned their final sequence on the CD, Renee Fernandez will do her amazing design thang, and then we'll be off to duplication.

Did you see the movie "Cyrus" with John C. Reilly, Marissa Tomei, and Jonah Hill? There's a great line when one of the guys passes a demo CD to the other and disclaims that it's not finished yet because it hasn't been mastered. And we laugh. Because that seems to be how it goes.

When people ask me when the release date for the new album is, I tell them "May 1, 2010." And we laugh. Because it's June.

Slices of heaven

2010-06-19T16:15:00.005-05:00

Pre-prototype of an Erin Ivey iPhone App???!!! (and the remains of a tasty espresso at Caffe Medici):

Becoming better-kept at ROAR (starring the amazing Rory McNeil):

and ending the night with a set at Momo's, followed by Susanna Choffel (with the genius of Eddy Hobizal on keys):

2 Years In - What I Learned My First Two Years in the Music Business

2010-06-13T18:09:00.003-05:00

2 Years In - What I Learned My First Two Years in the Music Business*

I am a recovering Project Management consultant/cubicle monkey for non-profit , government, and Fortune 500 businesses and have been indie in the music business for (drumroll) two years. I have a lot to learn, but sure as hell know a lot more than when I started. So, here it is:

1. If God says yes, don't listen to people who tell you no. Even if that person is you. (Or, as DJ Kevin Connor once told me, "Don't let the fuckers get you down.")

2. ... but don't lash out at them, either. Don't act impulsively on bitterness, anger, or hurt feelings. You'll regret it.

3. Don't read about yourself. Just do your thing authentically and let the "scene" determine for itself where you fit into it.

4. Find your people and build a team around trust and communication. Don't rush or be delusional.

4.a. Don't delegate too soon, but don't be a control freak either.

5. Fight inertia. Unless you are a celebutante, you have to create your own career momentum from nothing, but once it's going, it starts to move on its own. (There's a careful balance between #3 and #5.)

6. Know your boundaries and protect them like a lioness (time, health, relationships, etc).

7. Constantly define and refine your vision of success. Most artists I know unconsciously do this anyway, so then just make it conscious. Write it down.

8. Morning pages work. (reference to The Artist's Way)

9. Ask for what you need.

10. Say thank you and write it down.

11. Understand that ANY path you choose will make you want to cry at some point, so cry. Then get back to work.

12. Use systems for record-keeping, finances, prioritizing work/emails/etc. that work for you and can grow with your business.

13. Remind yourself that THESE are the days you'll look back on saying, "Those were the days."

14. Trust your gut

15. Get a lawyer

16. Live small. You don't need all that crap if your heart is full.

*I wrote this last summer (2009) and forgot about it... Can't believe I've been working this fulltime musician status for three years!!

Captcha truth

2010-06-01T13:52:00.003-05:00

Photos from final mixing in L.A.

2010-05-22T16:31:00.010-05:00

Emile Kelman and Brian Conway listen to a headphone mix of "Broken Gold" from the forthcoming album:

Here's an attempt at the song order:

I got to sing at Room 5, which is a wonderful Hollywood listening room. Thanks to Emile for letting me borrow his beautiful Martin guitar:

Back in the day when the Room 5 building was the Swanee Inn, Nat Cole played there, too. His bright spirit resonates all over:

And, lastly, the weather here is reeeeally mild. I was all ready for summer down in Austin and this trip has me back in long sleeves again. But, I'm not really complaining:

Who do you love?

2010-04-22T22:11:00.007-05:00

Here are some referrals for friends (and friends-of-friends) who are relocating to Austin. These are people who make my life in Austin better and easier. I can wholeheartedly recommend each of them:

Trainer Christine Tusa - VERY gifted in repetitive stress & postural diagnosis/improvement, core training, pain management and prevention, etc. She calls it "pre-hab" and she blows my mind about my body every time I work with her.

ROAR Salon - Rory McNeil (color) and Janet St. James (style) save me from myself on a regular basis. Rory does the best color in town and Janet just moved from NYC where she styled a very impressive list of clients, but wanted a slower life pace, so now she's here! Seriously awesome talent at ROAR.

Graphic Designer Dave McClinton - Dave is a branding genius and is not afraid to tell it like it is. His crisp design aesthetic is the same way. We're working on a new erinivey.com design and I will (of course) let you know as soon as it launches.

Stylist Erica Gray - Erica flew in from NYC to style the very first "Live at The Long Center" performance in 2008. Since then, she has thankfully relocated to Austin and I use every excuse to work with her hair/makeup amazingness.

Graphic Designer Renee Fernandez - Renee is a true design artist. She makes all those posters that people take down from bulletin boards to frame in their living rooms.

Got a recommendation?
Who do YOU love?

Where are we?

2010-03-09T17:40:00.010-05:00

I'm having an espresso (okay, four) at Caffe Medici in Clarksville (ATX neighborhood of the staahhhs) trying to answer some frequently asked questions.

How was L.A.?
My manager (Brian Conway) and I went out to Los Angeles to work with Emile Kelman (part of T-Bone Burnett's award-winning production team... think "Oh Brother Where Art Thou," Willie Nelson, Gregg Allman, Cassandra Wilson, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, etc.). We brought all the recordings that The Finest Kind and I (drums, bass, keys, and vocals) made over a day and a half in November in the beautiful East Austin Recording studio (owned by producer Stephen Doster and engineer James Stevens).

Through Brian's fearless "the-worst-they-can-say-is-no" ingenuity, Emile agreed to arrange and mix the album, though outside his normal role. He would maximize our recordings by polishing up the sound while maintaining the raw integrity of the original performances. We like his style.

From February 15th to March 1st, we were in Emile's Beverly Hills studio (The Night Kitchen) every day and into the night. The work required a lot of intense listening, which is a lot more tiring than it appears. It was amazing to watch and hear Emile work. I grew to really trust his ears and his taste, so things moved faster once I got out of his way. It was a great lesson. Like a vision quest, we hibernated in the studio for weeks with a visionary teacher, coming out of it with music that sounds better than I could ever have imagined. Emile took our recorded performances and made them worthy of being played over and over and over on your favorite stereo.

What happens next?
The basic flow of making an album goes like this:
1. Record
2. Arrange
3. Mix
4. Master
5. Duplicate
6. Promote

We're between steps 3 and 4 right now. Emile suggested that we not listen to any of the mixes for 2 weeks after our sessions in L.A. Then, we'll revisit the songs once our palates have cleared. We'll make sure they sound like we want them to and move on from there to the mastering phase. We'll have mastering engineer Gavin Lurssen put the finishing polish on the album before we duplicate it and release it to you! Of course, we'll also be working with the incredible Renee Fernandez of Decoder Ring Design on the package design and liner notes in the coming weeks.

When can I buy the new album?
NOW! You can pre-order the new album and enjoy all sort of extra goodies while supporting the effort to finish the CD and get it released into the world. We're shooting for a June/July national release, but anyone who pre-orders will get it a month early (among other things)! Go pick out your pre-order package and tell your art-loving friends!!!

Photos from L.A.

2010-02-24T00:01:00.012-05:00

Breakfast at The Village Bakery and Cafe

A borrowed book

A black and white movie

A flower outside the hotel

Emile Kelman at the Night Kitchen studios:

Mixing the Record: Day 1

2010-02-15T23:07:00.007-05:00

In Los Angeles:

More rewards & CD winners!

2010-02-08T16:44:00.002-05:00

PRE-ORDER THE NEW ALBUM HERE!

NEW ALBUM!

2010-02-04T10:20:00.002-05:00

1 Day to go!

2010-02-03T16:38:00.000-05:00

2 Days to go...

2010-02-02T17:01:00.000-05:00

3 Days to go...

2010-02-01T16:48:00.002-05:00

Monday Monday

2010-01-20T03:09:00.006-05:00

oh my gosh, it's been WAY too long.

i'm making a new record (with The Finest Kind organ trio) inspired by the spirit of the Kaleidoscope Project!

we're also playing regularly at The Ghost Room (which is a beautiful venue run by folks who know and love good music; great vibe, incredible sound system).

come see us!

Rock the News

2009-11-20T01:20:00.004-05:00

It was a slow news day.

____

Also, my final solo-acoustic show at The Ghost Room is coming up on Monday (November 23) at 7pm.

Hope to see you there!

Behind the Scenes: Musical Kaleidoscope Project

2009-10-02T16:05:00.008-05:00

The Finest Kind rehearsal at Music Lab

Live on KUT - JJ Johnson (with microphone nose), Ross Alexander, Cheryl Kaderli, John Aielli, Rolf Ordahl & me

Soundcheck on 10/1/09

Special Guests

2009-09-20T18:42:00.015-05:00

I'll be announcing special guests for the October 1 Musical Kaleidoscope Project daily here and on my website.

So, let's start with the bands:

The Finest Kind - Hammond M3 organ trio - Rolf Ordahl, Ross Alexander, JJ Johnson
Red Corner Rhymers - Cheryl Kaderli, JC Baxter, Matt Howard, Gregg Irick and then add
Blue Lapis Light aerial dancers,
Ephraim Owens on trumpet,
Mike Henry as Master of Ceremonies,
Jon Dee Graham on guitar,
Steven Doster on guitar,
Joel Laviolette on mbira,
Danny Malone - song & dance man,
Matt Shields - tap dance,
Erin Meyer & Noel Gaulin - projection design,
Brian Standefer - cello, and
Libby Kirkpatrick - voice

Sign up on the mailing list to access more pre-show and behind-the-scenes goodies on the Friends & Family page.

only we can work it out

2009-09-11T00:22:00.007-05:00

the greatest thing about putting together the upcoming show at the long center (in the rollins theatre on October 1!) is that i'm meeting all kinds of talented and inspiring people all over town. artists and performers and enthusiasts and scientists and entrepreneurs and go-make-it-happen kind of people. here are just a few fine recent inspirations:

The Rude Mechs
The Independent
The MDA

"My features form with a change in the weather."

Austin Monthly

2009-09-04T11:35:00.007-05:00

some pics from the Austin Monthly photo shoot

Corporate efficiency in the digital age

2009-08-20T11:04:00.004-05:00

Getting Better All the Time

2009-08-06T12:14:00.006-05:00

things got all scattered and broken for a bit out here on the rizzoad:
--mailing list signup site leads to Error page (try it now, though!)
--emails tumble into oblivion (yet to be rediscovered)
--guitar takes nasty spill on concrete
--Live at The Long Center inaccessible (it's back now, and better than ever)
--i could go on...

but, really, this trip has been amazing. i'm in the loving arms of peoria, illinois now. last night, the Romaniacs let me sit in on their set at the Red Barn. thanks, guys!

The Roots jam at Highline Ballroom, NYC 7/21/09

2009-07-22T15:06:00.008-05:00

So, we have already established that ?uestlove is freaking amazing. (pictured above, quite appropriately, as a shining light)

Brian and i got into NYC yesterday, had dinner with Kelly, Ben, and Christian, and then made our way through the lonely Tuesday streets of Harlem to the subway. At the other side, near the Highline Ballroom, was a line hundreds deep for the 12:30am show.

The opening band was Bajah and The Dry-Eye Crew from Sierra Leone. Amazing. They satisfied some of my thirst to be back in Africa. If you're in NYC, B&TDEC will be at the Santos Party House next Monday, 7/27, with ?uestlove spinning.

Around 1:30, The Roots took the stage. The Roots kill. They are so tight and absolutely committed to risk the unknown for those transcendent moments only music can create among people.

I wish i could remember all the special guests, but the one who truly thrilled me was Marie Daulne (ZAP MAMA!). It has also already been established that she is freaking amazing.

Hello, California

2009-07-16T02:48:00.004-05:00

Hello, California! Los Angeles has been treating me so well so far. I've got a show TONIGHT (Thursday, July 16) at The Mint at 9pm, opening for Hot Buttered Rum.

Also, will be back at Room 5 on Monday, July 20 at 8pmmmmm. Delicious.

If you live in LA, or have friends here, please help me spread the word about these shows. I'm off to NY on the 21st.

Sunny love,
erin

Writing Retreat

2009-05-26T17:05:00.001-05:00

i lack the discipline to quarantine myself away from wonderful people and things to do, even for a short while, when they are right outside my door. in the city, there's more psychic clutter that comes with all the movement of people and cars and ideas... sometimes it makes me numb and i am less scared of the ringing in my ears than of never being able to hear it.

so, i split my intentions for this writing retreat into three categories:
-feed the muse (write, listen, study, move, etc.)
-create (songs, poems, letters)
-document (photos, video, blogging)

having not been alone with myself in a long time, it took about a week to notice a decrescendo of restlessness. the first few days, i cleaned and slept a lot. i conquered a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, listened to great music, and made friends with a robin who nested on the front porch and taps at the kitchen window. (at first, that was sweet. now, it's annoying as hell and i swear she's going to come right through the window, tapping on it and throwing herself into it as she does. crazy bird. i can do nothing to stop her.) i also watched the sunset with a dead fox carcass on the beach. its skin was almost gone, but its teeth were bright white. i took pictures. i love a morbidly-beautiful juxtaposition.

there's an antique clawfoot tub here, so i take a lot of epsom salt baths. not being one to commit, i am reading Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop, Jack Kerouac's On the Road, and AW Tozer's The Pursuit of God.

not that it always happens this way, but the best way i've found to try to organize my day is to write in the morning as soon as i wake up (like it says in The Artist's Way, before the inner critic wakes up). i brew tea and sit at my makeshift workspace and see what comes up, or finish something i have already been working on. i write and play and record until hunger sets in and then usually come back to that workspace before the end of the day with new ideas from walks in the woods or reading, sunsets, dead foxes, etc.

i am still caught up in some of the things i wanted to leave in Austin, but as superfluous things fall away, these hangers-on are so much fewer and actually more important than they had seemed.

hooray for clarity!

workspace

2009-05-25T15:59:00.005-05:00

except for the chair and guitar, all that stuff fits into this bag:

i take it on airplanes because i like getting searched at all TSA "welcome centers." we have such a good time.

Rhodri getting "all Oprah on your ass"

2009-05-23T22:38:00.003-05:00

Below is an excerpt from this article by Rhodri Marsden:

"The internet has entirely switched the focus from making music to sales and marketing. While some might say that this is just the harsh reality, it's what you have to do to survive, I say bollocks. I'm not just being romantic about this. There's a choice: play gigs, experience that peculiar bonding you get with fellow band members, feel that curious mixture of love and antipathy you get from an audience – and make no money. Or obsess about selling mp3s – and make no money. My children, and my children's children, certainly won't want to hear about my tedious marketing efforts to secure a song that I wrote 250,000 views on YouTube. (Note that I sold barely 100 MP3s as a result of this colossal and unexpected exposure – which certainly made it an interesting experiment, but also a fairly solitary and unfulfilling one.)

What would have made a better story would have been to wangle a gig in a Parisian squat where the electrics are dodgy, suffer a massive electric shock off a mike stand, get carried from the building while everyone cheers loudly, be left rubbing your head while slumped against the side of your van, the promoter takes advantage of the confusion by running off with the mixing desk which he's holding ransom because he claims that the PA company owe him money, at which point you realise that you're not going to get paid, and you look at your fellow band members, and then you start to cry. That's the story I'd rather tell, and frankly it's the story I'd rather hear.

Music's biggest function, from time immemorial, has never been its capacity to make money. It's its powerful social glue. Without wishing to get all Oprah on your ass, it may be an expensive hobby, but it brings people together in an utterly unique fashion."

This many

2009-05-16T16:45:00.003-05:00

I want to bring home this many albums from my writing hibernation. So far, i just sing forlornly into a handheld recorder that AJ bought for me during my Flipnotics residency many moons ago.

But, one can see why i might be destracted...

Sonny Rollins

2009-05-05T16:58:00.007-05:00

Sonny Rollins knows what's up. i saw him interviewed yesterday on the Austin City Limits soundstage in studio 6A. he is the glowing figure on the right.

Mr. Rollins is 78 years old and doesn't like being called a legend because he says he is still working toward a sound he hasn't achieved. in response to a question from Waterloo Records owner John Kunz, Mr. Rollins was quick to mention a guy he always thought was better than he was (Percy France), but shied away from mentioning who he himself had gotten the better of along the way.

when asked what he thought about women in jazz, he said he believed it was possible.

he doesn't use set lists and tries to at least have the first song of the night decided by the time he leaves his dressing room for the stage. he tours more since he lost his wife in 2004. his passion for music keeps him going. he doesn't listen to much recorded music, because he spends so much time creating it.

he has a mystical view of music. why would you need drugs when you could have the most incredible out-of-body experiences with music? he mentioned that when asked by a jazz student what advice he wishes he had gotten when he was younger. he also said that if you're in the music business for fame and riches, you will never be fulfilled. creation has to be an end in itself, something you would do even if the pay sucks. being focused on anything but the passionate pursuit of music will only put limits on your experience.

sonny rollins is wholly unscripted. constantly challenging himself to evolve. another one who calls it like he sees it and inspires other to do the same. we're all just trying to get through.

Chaka

2009-05-02T01:34:00.000-05:00

Chaka Khan Funk This EPK

Thank you

2009-04-28T22:57:00.007-05:00

for helping me to come this far, wherever this is. it's nice to be here.

-erin

April 30 at The Parish with Jon Dee Graham

2009-04-28T02:52:00.000-05:00

What the rain makes

2009-04-20T00:59:00.002-05:00

It's all for the kids...

2009-03-24T23:23:00.006-05:00

i'm HUGE with the toddler set...

BTW, bibs can be had (while they last) at my WEBSTORE!

Last, but not least, a whole thread about the Austin Lullabies (available for FREE at www.AustinLullabies.com, by the way):
HERE'S THE THREAD

Not Fade Away

2009-03-24T17:52:00.005-05:00

i have a terrible memory except for quick moments that are for some reason indelibly emblazoned in my mind. one is of walking across RFK stadium in D.C. while the Grateful Dead played "Not Fade Away" before the sun went down.

i still have that poster in a box somewhere.

with The Finest Kind at Antone's

2009-03-09T14:06:00.004-05:00

The Finest Kind is Rolf Ordahl on a M3 organ, Ross Alexander on bass, and Chris Trafton on drums.

Thanks to Rick Kent (endurophoto) for the great photos!

Hideout Performance Series: Part 2

2009-03-05T18:24:00.017-05:00

ONLY ONE NIGHT LEFT!
GET TICKETS AND INFORMATION HERE FOR MARCH 11.

Little John Oliver Hobizal helps out with the soundcheck. There are good views of the theatre in this clip:

Eddy Hobizal on upright and Rhodes pianos:

Hideout Performance Series: Part 1

2009-02-28T16:14:00.011-05:00

we're getting great feedback about the first show. hope you'll come out to see the next two! GET DETAILS HERE

"Wow,SUCH a good show!I brought a few of my friends along and they were blown away.You and everyone else were AMAZING!I hope I can make the next show:)"

"hello erin! a couple of friends and i went out to the hideout last nite and fell in love with your music =] your awesome!! see you nxt wednesday!"

Thank you to Michael Harris for the performance pix!

"Amelia" lyrics & chords

2009-02-19T18:50:00.007-05:00

my 7-year-old sister has to make a presentation about a famous historical figure. she has chosen Amelia Earhart and wants to sing my song "Amelia" for her classmates. this, of course, is the highest honor. so, i put together the words and chords for her and want to offer them to you, too!

right click, Save As...
"Amelia" lyrics & chords

download "Amelia"

Dub Chocolate

2009-02-17T10:46:00.006-05:00

this is a shot from last night's rehearsal with The Finest Kind. it's a reggae/dub/r&b trio that i'm lucky to have as my band for a night at Antone's on March 8.

The secret to everlasting true love...

2009-02-16T01:24:00.003-05:00

My side-project 1920's jazz duo, GRAND HOTEL, played a Valentine's Day party at The French Legation Museum. One couple there had been married for 37 years and another for 43 years. I asked them what the secret was.

The first couple replied: "Wine."

The second couple replied: "Lots of wine."

how to make a set list

2009-02-09T17:49:00.009-05:00

UPDATE: I've written a full article on the subject of how to write a set list. There are more pictures and a complete explanation of the process, which has improved since this blog post. HERE'S THE LINK.

UPDATE: I've written a full article on the subject of how to write a set list. There are more pictures and a complete explanation of the process, which has improved since this blog post. HERE'S THE LINK.

JB and Sandy... and Alex (and me)

2009-02-03T22:52:00.002-05:00

HERE is the mp3 of this morning's Mix94.7FM radio show.

A Song

2009-01-27T16:13:00.005-05:00

james' comment on my last post encouraged me to share something i would normally keep to myself, for pride and privacy.

it's a snapshot of conception. kinks intact. working it out, just getting it out.

www.erinivey.com/demosbabydemos/seasons.mp3

the Reid's girl

2009-01-23T20:43:00.014-05:00

i sold my soul to the sultans of clean. haven't actually seen the ad yet, but i had a blast recording the jingle (written by the brilliant John Mills) and taping the tv commercial in Austin. i kept a video blog through the whole process and will post that here soon. thanks for all your texts and emails about it.

xox
erin

share on: facebook

HAPPY NEW YEAR! and recipe

2009-01-11T20:49:00.008-05:00

hope your holidays were merry and bright! i'm determined to get back to my once-regular blog posts. i don't really make new year's resolutions, but i think i just did.

while i am by NO means accomplished in the kitchen, the holidays really inspired me to be more... crafty. with all this Cedar Fever going around in Austin, i decided to make a garlic chicken thing, with spinach in apple cider vinegar. (Hyde Park Bar and Grill does the best collard greens with bacon in apple cider vinegar, so that's where i got the idea.)

garlic is a great anti-inflammatory and apple cider vinegar is alkalizing.

preheat oven to 400 degrees
oil up chicken, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh pepper
bake for 30 minutes
sautee 3 or 4 cloves of garlic in olive oil
add spinach (3 cups?) and about 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
lower heat and cover
when the spinach is wilted pour the whole thing over the baking chicken
after the initial 30 minutes, i turned the heat down to 350 and continued baking for 15 minutes (i saw it in a baked chicken recipe online and the chicken was perfect, so... i guess it's the thing to do)

in lieu of rice or any other accompaniment, i chose red wine. which was delicious. drink something that can stand up to the strong flavors of the dish - i had pinot noir around the house, but this could easily handle a cabernet.

pungent amazingness.

We SOLD OUT the Rollins Theater!!

2008-10-28T23:09:00.004-05:00

THANK YOU THANK YOU for packing the Rollins Theater in the Long Center last Saturday night!!!

Here are some PHOTOS from the show.

We also need YOUR pictures and short reviews! You can leave comments here or please email them to me:
erin (at) erinivey (dot) com

Thanks again so much for a wonderful night.

erin

Feeding on the meaty bones of ignorance

2008-10-14T12:32:00.003-05:00

Santa's like "No, no, I can't look!"

Gainsbourg- Mr William

2008-10-09T23:39:00.002-05:00

the best part of this might be the dancer (front and center) at 1:35. but it could also be the riding mowers.

i love Google Alerts

2008-09-09T00:56:00.005-05:00

favorite random finds of late:

Austin - www.keepingaustinfree.com (features GRAND HOTEL)
Atlanta - www.broderickphotographer.com (features "Chocolate")
New York - The Erin Ivey Show

i TOLD you i was a socialite

2008-08-28T15:15:00.006-05:00

... with an unhelpable crush on Michael Barnes

and i just can't hide it (shown there with Marc Fort, who plays bass in one of my favorite austin bands, Schatzi)

and a great review in the Celebrity Gossip column of The El Paso Times. I love it!

Christian the lion

2008-08-18T12:12:00.002-05:00

"Only fairytales have endings."

Christian the lion

Constantina is my hero.

2008-08-17T13:07:00.004-05:00

Romanian Mother, 38, Wins Marathon Gold

oh my gosh, for a minute there i thought i might start training for some sort of footrace.

(which, of course, i will not. but i DID take a yoga class this morning. baby steps...)

AFRICA

2008-08-06T06:26:00.003-05:00

we are not a people who hold things loosely. but we fool ourselves to think we can hold onto anything when our hands just turn to dust.

Northeast Tour (so far)

2008-05-12T14:29:00.001-05:00

A million thanks to everyone coming to shows and spreading the word about my music. I love to sing for you!
XO
Erin

On creating

2008-05-12T11:40:00.000-05:00

"The work is in the work itself."
-Toni Morrison

having a 6 year old sister is like...

2008-05-11T14:32:00.004-05:00

Megan: I bumped my head.

Mom: On what?

Megan: The bathroom floor.

The Importance of the Subject

2008-04-25T18:43:00.009-05:00

"All, In Time" from the Sweet Little E.P. will be in one of the darker scenes in the upcoming film, Ruth's Locket.

(there's a really good explanation of that song in the Mixtank Interview - Track 5 of the Sweet Little E.P.)

thanks, parties, pix, and existentialism

2008-04-20T17:35:00.007-05:00

FIRST of all, let me send out a HUGE thank you for all the love i've been receiving after the recent Perez Hilton shoutout.

and THEN, let me (this is my blog and i do what i want) heave a sigh of relief that the Sweet Little EP release party in Austin is over (i've almost recovered) and was overwhelmingly fantastic. Pictures to come, but here's a teaser...

--UPDATE-- pictures are online HERE!

i heard recently that nothing is worth reading that hasn't been worked on for at least 24 hours. but, that's just one man's opinion and for those of you who are into eating dessert before dinner, i'm all atwitter now. it's another jewel in my crown of self-enshrining dalliances. all these things come in handy, though, since i do not remember most things if they aren't written down somewhere. i wish i'd started blogging, etc. a long time ago (had it been possible in the dark ages of the 'net - aka 1998), because i have pictures of myself in cool places and i have no recollection whatsoever of what i was doing.

so, amidst dreams of hotel rooms surrounded by graveyards, my latest thoughts are of restless impermanence. i'm comforted by the notion that restlessness is appropriate until the spirit is freed from the constraints of its earthly body. somehow, giving myself permission to feel not-entirely-at-home on earth helps a lot.

reminds me of the book, The Van Gogh Blues, about existential depression and meaning. while i don't ascribe to all his assertions, i like Eric Maisel's ideas about creating (rather than seeking) meaning.

"I make my meaning—or else I don’t. All that exists until I actively and mindfully make personal meaning is the possibility of meaning and, while I wait to get started, the experience of emptiness. There is the possibility that I will experience the next hour as meaningful, a possibility that turns into a reality only if I make a certain kind of decision and a certain kind of investment."

Knockout Bash - April 12, 2008

2008-03-30T02:08:00.003-05:00

Birth of the Sweet Little EP

2008-03-30T01:34:00.010-05:00

Authentic replicas of these very tickets are now available for pre-sale online... and they even come with a show!

This is Conan (the Barbarian). He was our translator and also very helpful in addressing envelopes.

There were lots of envelopes. They all ended up with an airplane stamped on them.

Renee carved the stamp herself. Her creative spirit is inspiring.

As we finished our 32-hour CD-manufacturing blitz, fireworks started going off downtown in honor of the Sweet Little EP. (They were actually for the opening of the Long Center, but I choose delusion.)

Oh Crap Its SXSW

2008-03-17T01:20:00.001-05:00

The "Oh Crap Its SXSW" Mixtape deserves it's own post:

DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE RIGHT HERE.

New songs. Live stuff. Banter, even.

A sunburn is good when...

2008-03-16T23:33:00.016-05:00

... it comes from watching great music on a warm, clear Saturday in Austin. Here's a wrap-up of what little I did during SXSW:

Wednesday: Photo shoot with photographer Mathew Sturtevant for upcoming Sweet Little EP album. Mark your calendar for the release party on April 12 at The Scoot Inn!

Thursday: I chauffered Ingrid Michaelson and Allie Moss through an enviable schedule of interviews and performance showcases all around the city. Variety Magazine, VH1, KGSR radio, Waterloo Records, etc. The girls are currently on the Hotel Cafe tour. Here's Ingrid at KGSR studios being interviewed for the Jim Lehrer News Hour:

Friday: I did the final studio recording for the Sweet Little EP in the morning. Then I ran home and recorded/assembled the spankin' new "Oh Crap Its SXSW" Mixtape. You can DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE RIGHT HERE.

Saturday: checked out The Monocles and my Chicago favorites, Scouts Honor at Monkeywrench Books,

and then played my own set at Love. (Thanks to Cat for the picture!)

Also got to see fantastic performances there by Atash (below), John Pointer, and Shelley King.

That night I dreamed I put my new EP onto floppy disks (the earliest, actually-floppy ones). Then I realized nobody uses floppies anymore, so I'd put all my hard work onto a wasted medium. (Its like my psyche was questioning the relevance and intrinsic value I assign to what I deliver into the world, or the way I share the things I value. Gotta sit with this one for a while.)

Sunday: smothered my maddened shoulders in Lidocaine and hiked Emma Long Park, away from the evaporating mayhem downtown.

Incidentally, if anyone else shares my girlcrush on Zooey Deschanel, she and M. Ward have a band. And they're great!

on meeting Phil Ramone

2008-03-06T14:43:00.002-05:00

Should i ever be so fortunate as to have even a whisper of the success of Phil Ramone, I hope I handle it with as much grace and quiet confidence as the man who makes sure his jacket pockets are big enough to fit the bevy of CDs handed his way wherever he goes.

She's In Love With The Boots

2008-02-25T21:07:00.004-05:00

I had the great fortune to meet Trisha Yearwood earlier this month. She was singing for about 30 people crowded into a listening lounge in Austin's Clear Channel offices. While we were talking after the show, I couldn't help but drool over her Old Gringo boots.

Trisha (aka my new BFF) recommends having boots handmade to your own feet at M.L. Leddy's in Fort Worth. Personally, I'd go just to pick up some new chaps. "As stylish as they are functional."

Confession: In my "research" for this post, I might have developed an unhealthy attraction to these OGs because they are great and awful at the same time. Lord, please help me to resist.

The Austin Music Scene

2008-02-22T13:40:00.005-05:00

it's all so true:

DON'T CALL YOURSELF AN AUSTIN MUSICIAN UNTIL YOU'VE...
By Michael Corcoran
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, January 28, 2008

At the end of the year, I decided to not rank the nationally acclaimed "Shepherd's Dog" by Iron and Wine as an Austin album. I&W's Sam Beam might live in the area, but he's not truly an Austin musician. Neither is Kina Grannis, the "Crash the Super Bowl" finalist, who moved here after graduating from USC in May. Bill Callahan, who used to call himself Smog, is no more an Austin musician than Bob Mould was in the '90s. It takes more than a ZIP code that starts with 787 to truly be considered a hometown musician. Use this guideline to tell the difference between a musician who lives in Austin and an Austin musician:

Sorry, but you're not an Austin musician until ...

... you've played at either Emo's, the Hole in the Wall or the Continental Club.

... you've been rejected by SXSW.

... you've opened for Guy Forsyth.

... you've been ticketed for double-parking on Sixth Street while unloading your gear.

... you know your order without looking at the menu of the Tamale House No. 3.

... you know who Paul Minor is. (Bonus points if you know exactly what it is that he does.)

... David Cotton won't return your calls.

... you've looked forward to playing out at the airport because at least that gig pays.

... you are a 94-year-old blues legend. (Pinetop Perkins exemption.)

... you've snuck a case of beer out the back door after a gig.

... you've had your name misspelled on the Red Eyed Fly marquee.

... you've worked double shifts at Thundercloud to save money for studio time, put your heart and soul into every track, proudly mailed your first CD, your baby, to critics, then watched Jim Caligiuri give it half a star in the Chronicle.

A Heart Breaks

2008-02-19T14:19:00.002-05:00

6 Songs

2008-01-18T19:49:00.000-05:00

In This is Your Brain on Music, Daniel Levitin writes about a scientist friend who was totally disconnected from modern music and asked for a CD of 6 songs that represent rock 'n' roll. He'd heard Elvis Presley, so Elvis was left off the list:

1. Long Tall Sally by Little Richard
2. Roll Over Beethoven by The Beatles
3. All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix
4. Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
5. Little Red Corvette by Prince
6. Anarchy in the U.K. by the Sex Pistols

What are your 6?

Breaking the Law

2008-01-14T00:51:00.000-05:00

"news" item from Mike Adams:

On the heels of the RIAA's recent decision to criminalize consumers who rip songs from albums they've purchased to their computers (or iPods), the association has now gone one step further and declared that "remembering songs" using your brain is criminal copyright infringement. "The brain is a recording device," explained RIAA president Cary Sherman. "The act of listening is an unauthorized act of copying music to that recording device, and the act of recalling or remembering a song is unauthorized playback."

thoughts on the music business from Seth Godin:

A frightened consumer is not a happy consumer.
I shouldn’t have to say this, but here goes: suing people is like going to war. If you’re going to go to war with tens of thousands of your customers every year, don’t be surprised if they start treating you like the enemy.

Kirsten Dunst Meets Rufus Wainwright

2008-01-13T16:03:00.000-05:00

Kirsten Dunst: "Do your best songs come out of pain or happiness?"

Rufus Wainwright: "My catalogue consists of material on a subtle but steady incline of quality which will reach its zenith the moment of my death when, like Beethoven, I try to conduct the sound of distant thunder. Basically, I'm in pain."

from a 2004 conversation published in The Observer

loose ends

2007-12-28T14:52:00.000-05:00

i'm excited about the new post on the new New Favorites blog. YouTube amazes me. blogging and text messaging and phones with built-in video cameras amaze me. for that matter, antibiotics amaze me (i'm moving backwards through technology, but after the sinus infection i had this month, you'd be amazed, too.) which leads me to renewed enthusiasm for the neti pot.

it's what my dad calls a "nutty pot" or "communing with the owls," but if you have allergies, you have to get one of these. it's weird at first, but so is everything. in austin, they're on sale at Wheatsville Co-op for $11 through January.
here's the secret: 1cup of room temperature water, 1/2 tsp of non-iodized sea salt
if you don't have non-iodized salt, use 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda (the yellow box)

...and a year-end shoutout to blogger.com for being a great outlet for random thought.

xo
erin

from the denver airport

2007-12-27T16:04:00.000-05:00

the snow here is beautiful.

"You wonder why corporations have no place in music. Because their values stink. Those entities throwing dollars at your act are trying to get a free ride on your elixir, which their products will never contain. They want part of your unadulterated truth. Which can only exist in art. And no art form touches people like music. It can penetrate any soul."

Bob Lefsetz