Goosebump Time

Crescent Moon, featuring Dave Dreiwitz on bass and Eric Slick on drums, performing Saturday night at Luna Lounge in New York

Eric and Dave got a nice review of their show in the Jersey Beat:

"...Crescent Moon turned out to be my old buddy Dave Dreiwitz, one of the most talented and innovative bassists in the history of NJ indie rock; his credits include Tiny Lights, his own two/man bass/drums nerdcore band Instant Death (who were HUGE in New Brunswick for many years,) and of course a long stint in Ween. Like Instant Death, Crescent Moon is a drums/bass duo, but more sincere indie-rock, not that goofy arch pseudo-metal stuff. Dave told me that his 19-year old drummer was a prodigy who also plays in the Adrian Belew Trio, but when the kid started clanging the cowbell for a particularly funky tune, Crescent Moon just sounded like great rock n' roll. Dave's bass is so dynamic and versatile that he can mimic guitar leads and power chords as well as providing a grooving funky bottom. This is definitely an act you have to check out."

And there were some nice blurbs on the Ween forum board:

"Eric Slick will be the featured drummer with Crescent Moon

That kid is a motherfucking great drummer.

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This show ruled.

Crescent Moon Rules. Dave rocked monsterously hard. Eric Slick ate 3 Marshmellow Pies before the show and played fast fills on request. Greg D was badass. Some of his songs I thought should never end. Props to ryan for keeping the bouncy beat throughout the whole Greg D set. Great night out!

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I expected Crescent Moon to be really good when I saw them about a year ago. I was wrong. They were really really really fucking good. I mean I know Dave is great and all, but holy shit. That man packs quite a bit of rock."
*****

So that was cool, and then I wandered over to Adrian's blog and saw this:

"Yesterday was a good day.
Saul Zonana* and his wife Nicole are visiting.

He and I spent 5 hours digging through the hard drive containing the Power Trio performances earmarked to be Side 4.

By five o'clock we were listening to rough mixes of Dayton and Newport. The rough mixes were unadorned, raw as sushi, but they sounded powerful, charged with energy.

Wow! Eric and Julie are just awesome!

Finally I can hear them without being preoccupied dancing on a pedalboard while singing in one time signature and playing in another. We have a beautiful trio portrait done by Mark Colman and I've begun designing the artwork, so now I can rest assured we have a Live Side 4 on the burner.

*some of you may remember Saul Zonana as our opening act or you might just have his record I was part of 42 days (a good idea). Saul has been listening since the inception of the mike and mike trio and throughout the growth of this awesome trio with Eric and Julie. I can't think of a better person to partner with for the mixing of this, my first live solo record."
*****
I'm sorry...every time I read that I get the chills. I mean, I knew they recorded Side 4 Live but between the band going on a short hiatus this spring so that Julie can graduate college and the flurry of excitement associated with The Bears new release, it sort of became a dream where you ask yourself Did this really happen? And naturally Gary was just thinking about Saul and was going to call him -- they really had a blast together during the two week west coast tour in November.

So yeah, all is fabulous in this household right now. Eric is still flying from Saturday night's gig and is really, really looking forward to his jazz show this Friday night with sax great Elliott Levin...I'll post show info and links again toward the end of this week.
******
Writing news:

So Sue Henderson fills us in with the details of her book deal today, but here's the announcement as it appeared over at Publishers Marketplace:

"23 March, 2007
Children's:Young Adult
Susan Henderson's TAP ROOT, a coming-of-age novel set in the 1970s about a young girl who believes her mother has gone missing and, after finding her living in a secret room in their basement, must come to terms with their irrevocably changed relationship, to Regina Scarpa at St. Martin's for publication as a Griffin trade paperback original.
regina.scarpa@hbpub.com"

That is so freaking cool!

And hey, I got some pretty good news myself. More and more mainstream and independent bookstores are carrying Three Days in New York City, and I received a snail mail letter on Saturday which says:

"Dear Robin: We have reviewed Three Days in New York City and would like you to join us in displaying your book in our bookstore cafe. We are delighted to have you as one of our great authors.

...At this time, we request that you send ten newly printed copies of Three Days in New York City available for display and purchase in our bookstore cafe, which will open for business summer of 2007."

Anyway, this is a new indie store located in Chicago and I'm really, really excited. Now let's hope they schedule a reading! But getting that letter made me realize something: I miss snail mail! As much as I love the excitement of a good email, there's nothing like reading good news in print...which is the same way I feel about my books.

Speaking of which...is Daddy Left Me Alone with God actually finished? Have all of the revisions and rewrites at last turned it into the book I've waited my entire life to write? Ha ha - finally, Agent Kate. Stay tuned...

Later,
xo