"Rain" O'er Me

Hi there!

I know I'm odd, but there's nothing I love more than a really rainy Saturday morning. While everyone else in Philadelphia is probably sleeping in, I'm up and about loving the dark solitude.



Even the dog is sleeping in - he's out cold upstairs in my bed. You have no idea what a good thing this is. Up until he started his medication on Monday, he literally was awake every hour on the hour. He woke up once at 5:30 to be let out, and then went right back upstairs. Alas, once I'm awake, I'm awake, but like I said, I am not complaining.

Especially since my run of good fortune continues. I came down to another acceptance letter today for another new story. That's three in one week in case anyone is counting. Hurrah! I'm back!

"Robin,

Thanks for the submission to Stymie Magazine...the imagery and tone were right in our wheelhouse. That said, Stymie would like to include the story in our Autumn/Winter '10 issue. If that is amenable to you please respond with brief writer's bio as you'd like to see it in the publication (or if the one you sent with your submission is sufficient, please let us know).

Thanks,

Erik Smetana, founding editor
Stymie Magazine"

I just sent them the story yesterday! I'm sure other writers reading this will know what I'm talking about when I say there is nothing like the validation you feel from a quick, positive response. I'm flying right now.

Speaking of flying, I'm guessing that's what Eric Slick is doing at the moment - he's on his way to Richmond, Virginia, to kick off his tour with Hop Along/Lithuania...links in the "Ohm" post below. I haven't spoken to him yet, but I read a tweet he posted last night which broke my heart:

"so incredibly bummed, our harvest of hope show was rained out after 5 songs. sorry everybody."

Oh man...all the way to Florida and unable to finish the show. Bummer. But on the plus side, look what Questo of the Roots tweeted last night, and retweets were posted all over the universe:

"@questlove
Dr Dog. Dr Dog Dr Dog!"

I was tempted to tweet back "That's my son on drums!" but I figure I'm gonna save that tweet for April 6 when he's on the Jimmy Fallon Show cos' Questo always tweets about the music while they are taping...unless of course I'm in the audience while they're taping and miss it (hint hint).

And I also found a photo on line from a press conference the band did prior to the show last night...



In other awesome news, Lithuania has released their first single, and you can listen to it right here and yep, that's Eric assisting Dom on vocals. You can catch them tonight at the Dull House in Richmond, Virginia...I've tried to find the exact address but struck out...if anyone reads this and knows where it is, please stick it in comments and I'll edit this post.

Okay, I am going to make the most of this dark, rainy solitude and work on my novel some more.

If anything pops up, I'll be back.

Later,
xo

Ohm...

Hello, Friday. Boy, am I happy to see you.

Man, what a week.

I'm fried.



But it's all good now. The dog started his new medication on Monday and I started stressing really big time when I read the possible side effects. Why oh why do I do this to myself? Oh, here's another thing. It says right on the box that pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant should not come into any contact whatsoever with these pills and that if anyone at all touches them, wash your hands immediately. It's like those drug commercials where they ask if you are depressed or have social phobias with all this sweet, hopeful music in the background as they offer you their pill to make everything perfect and rosy and then they quickly slip in that it may cause you to poop yourself, have bizarre sexual behavior, or jump out a window altogether and if you think that's happening, call your doctor immediately. Yeah, I know that would be my first thought out while wearing those nipple clamps and cracking that whip. Oy. Anyway, naturally once I read this stuff, I thought Monty was having said bad reaction because he seemed lethargic. I started to freak out but you have to understand, this is vintage Robin. I really wanted to call the doctor but Gary calmed me down and basically told me to stop acting so insane; the dog was fine and of course he was a little lethargic...he's been sick, he's been through multiple testing, and he's on both the medication for Cushing's and a strong antibiotic for a bruise on his foot. Anyway, Monty dog totally turned a corner yesterday and is acting like a puppy with his Cushing's symptoms almost gone, and even better, as if he could read my mind, our vet called to see how he was doing. I thought that was the coolest thing ever so I'm going to give him a shout out - Dr. Steven Radbill - he's been taking care of our dogs since 1973. He talked me down some more even though by then it really wasn't necessary because Monty was back to following me all over the house and asking for treats and wanting to play outside.

Hurrah! And this morning he's hilarious altogether. He slept through the entire night (first time in weeks!) but when he did wake up, he literally stuck his nose under my body and turned me over and gave me a big kiss. I almost wept with relief.

Okay, I did cry. I'm crying now. I love that little guy so much...

Anyway...

Other than that, the rest of the week has been pretty cool. Tuesday night daughter Julie Slick and I went out to what has become our favorite Happy Hour in Philadelphia...cocktails at Fish. Hands down the best. Except for the fact that I foolishly exceeded my two drink limit and had a total blackout afterward - oh my God, I don't even remember the cab ride home but on the plus side, I know Julie and I had an awesome time and I didn't throw up. So there's that. We started with Spanish 75s – Spanish Cava, Gin, and lemon juice and then moved on to something else...can't recall what it was but I do know it came in a martini glass so that explains a few things, I guess.

On Wednesday, I continued on my roll and had another story short accepted for publication, this time for an anthology called "Don't Tread on Me". What reeled me in to write a piece for them was their submission guidelines:

"The focus for this anthology is, at the title suggests, revenge. Stories can run the gamut in terms of genre, point of view, and mood. Think anything from Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” to Roald Dahl’s “A Connoisseur’s Revenge,” Ray Bradbury’s “A Careful Man Dies” to Stephen King’s “The House on Maple Street.” The stories could be told in the first person or third person, by the victim or the seeker. The story could be mainstream, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, supernatural, or horror. Make the method original, tell the story from an odd perspective, give things a twist, surprise and impress me."

I had seen that call for submissions over the weekend and immediately went to work on a story I had started a couple of months ago but never really fleshed out. By Wednesday I felt I had polished it to where I thought it might have a chance, and again, much to my shock, less that three hours after I subbed it, I received this email:

"Robin,

It's a haunting and very, very well-done story. Accepted with pleasure.

Contracts will be emailed out after the April 30th deadline. In the meantime, feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions.

Congratulations and welcome aboard!

Greg"

Man, I love me a good acceptance letter. So my confidence restored, I began attacking my new novel again with fresh energy. Now that the dog anxiety ls lifted, I feel like I could write non-stop for hours. And I may get that chance next month when I'm part of a very special writing retreat. Oh man, try not to be jealous when I give you the details. Hmmm....best to not jinx it. I'll talk more about it as soon as I have my plane ticket firmly in hand and I know for sure it's happening.

Oh, and the reason this post is called "Ohm"? Well, not just because I've had to take deep breaths all week over the dog, but because I've caved, I'm already a vegetarian and now apparently I'm a hipster, too, because yes, much to my own personal shock, on Sunday afternoon, I am taking a beginner yoga class and have signed on for eight weeks of it.

*ducking*

Hey, I think it's an awesome idea. It may even be the first class associated with exercise that I don't quit. And as much as I'm tempted, I'm not going out today or tomorrow to buy a fancy black yoga outfit or my own spiffy mat because if I buy the clothes, you know it'll just be another jinx and as far as the mats go, they have them at the yoga studio and my, ahem, instructor told me I should try out a bunch on Sunday to see which I like best before investing any money.

I'll take the one that feels the most like a bed, please.

In a perfect world, within a few months I will be able to meditate and clear my brain of poisonous thoughts as mentioned in the opening paragraphs of this blog; I will be able to breathe like a normal person, and maybe, just maybe, be a human pretzel, too. And if I can knock off some weight at the same time, well, you can call me hipster pig or whatever you want, but I'm gonna be so fucking happy I'm going to be painful to be around.

Okay, enough. Time to talk music.

Julie is taking pre-orders for her debut solo CD, and I know I've hinted at the special guests in prior posts, but you are going to be freaking amazed at the stellar list of musicians contributing. When Julie first conceived this idea, she asked me for feedback on which musicians to enlist. I simply replied: "Who are your favorite musicians?" She threw out a bunch of names and my advice was this: "Write to all of them. You have nothing to lose."

One person on her list is a legendary megastar. She was so reluctant to approach him but in the end, she gathered up her courage and wrote him an email from the heart, closed her eyes and hit "send". Within hours, this man responded so graciously we were both floored.

The CD will be available for pre-order this weekend; you can also download three tracks available now. If you pre-order the CD, the tracks are free. If you can't wait and want the tracks now, here's the link.

Julie's got some gigs coming up and I'll be promoting these more as the dates approach, but I believe tickets are available now in some cases:

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 The Balcony at The Troc
Drugbunny Booking Presents
THE RETURN OF MAD COW
with DION PACI, BRIAN MARSELLA, TOM SPIKER & G.CALVIN WESTON WITH SPECIAL GUEST JOHN SWANA + The Hoagy Wing Jazz Ensemble, The Jass with Dena Miranda and Hoagy Wing, Jason Fraticelli and the Wet Dreams with Tony Catastrophe, Birds for Arms. Julie is going to sit in on bass with Tom and Calvin et al on a couple of songs.
doors 8pm / show 8:30pm / age 21+$10

Friday, March 26, 2010 at 9PM at The Fun House in Bethlehem, PA, Julie will be playing bass with Andre Cholmondeley's band, Hidden Agenda, and I think I'll repost all of Andre's tour info here because these shows look awesome:

MARCH 2010 Tourlette with hidden agenda
trio playing a few covers, improv and music by andré cholmondeley
DRUMS: bob ramos, jon braun(thu/25th)
BASS: antar goodwin, julie slick(fri/26th)
GUITAR: andré

24 WED NJ New Brunswick COURT TAVERN (with Stretch*)
25 THU PA Plains JAZZ CAFE' (with Stretch*)
26 FRI PA Bethlehem FUNHOUSE (with Great White Caps)
27 SAT TBA
28 SUN NJ Asbury Park A BENEFIT FOR CHERI JIOSNE
ASBURY LANES (Cheri Jiosne Benefit #2)
With Silent Auction
Music By:
The Ribeye Brothers
hidden agenda, DubProof, Mike Haleta Laptop, Alan Gowa, Out Like Lambs & others
Healthy Snacks by Laura Dardi

*STRETCH.....the legendary jazz/rock/funk/fusion trio.
original lineup of Dave LaRue, Glenn Alexander and Bill Elder.

Haha, I know I should be excited about "Stretch" but I have to be honest, I am a hopeless food freak and what caught my eye immediately is "Healthy Snacks by Laura Dardi". I googled her - she's a vegan baker who studied pastry at the New York School of Culinary Arts. If you are a Facebook person, here's her link. And to read more about Cheri and the benefit, please go here and you'll get the background info.

Getting back to Julie, as I've already mentioned, on March 28, which is basically when Eric will finally be back from tour (he left this morning - more on that in a minute), she is playing The Cake Shop with Paper Cat.

All of these details are on Julie's website and she updates that frequently...I also see her blog, which is linked to her website, has also been updated so it's worth a daily look for sure.

Okay, let's get to my superstar son, Eric Slick, who left for 97 tours this morning. Meaning, over the next two weeks, he'll not only be playing two festivals with Dr. Dog, he'll also be touring across the country with the fabulous Hop Along, where he inexplicably plays bass, and his amazing duo with guitarist Dom Angelella, Lithuania. By the way, Lithuania just recorded their first EP and Eric sent it to me yesterday...it blew me away. He sings! The harmonies with Dom are fantastic! So that's something to really look forward to.

Okay, here's the tour schedule for Hop Along/Lithuania:

Ooh, wait: Special shout out to my pal Mike Inman - Asheville show!

Mar 12 2010 8:00P
The Hexagon w/ Dangerous Ponies, Lithuania, and Secret Mountains Baltimore, Maryland
Mar 13 2010 8:00P
The Dull House w/ Dangerous Ponies, Lithuania, P.S. Eliot, and one more T.B.A Richmond, Virginia
Mar 14 2010 8:00P
Cookie LaRue w/ Dangerous Ponies and Lithuania Asheville, North Carolina
Mar 15 2010 8:00P
WonderRoot w/ Dangerous Ponies, Lithuania, and the Long Shadows Atlanta, Georgia
Mar 16 2010 8:00P
The Farside w/ Dangerous Ponies, Lithuania, Curious Animals, and Bastards Out of Carolina Tallahassee, Florida
Mar 18 2010 2:45P
**SXSW** HOME SLICE PIZZA (free day show!!) Austin, Texas
Mar 18 2010 6:00P
**SXSW**HOUSE OF COMMONS w/ Wild Moccasins, Stunts, The Harlequins, Quiet Hooves, Glasgow, and more! Austin, Texas
Mar 19 2010 6:00P
**SXSW**CASA DE GALLO Austin, Texas
Mar 20 2010 8:00P
TBA **SXSW** Austin, Texas
Mar 21 2010 8:00P
TBA tour w/ Lithuania! Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Mar 22 2010 8:00P
Spring St Firehouse w/ Lithuania, Aficionado, and King Everything! Birmingham, Alabama
Mar 23 2010 8:00P
TBA tour w/ Lithuania! Nashville, Tennessee
Mar 24 2010 8:00P
Club Cool w/ Lithuania and Paul Baribeau! Bloomington, Indiana
Mar 25 2010 7:00P
Blue Arrow Records w/ Lithuania Cleveland, Ohio
Mar 26 2010 8:00P
TBA tour w/ Lithuania! Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mar 27 2010 8:00P
The Terrordome w/ Lithuania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Back to Eric and Dr. Dog...though I see in looking over the above schedule apparently Eric is going to be cloning himself all over the place at South by Southwest next weekend because he's got a bunch of gigs with all three bands.

This morning he hopped a plane for Florida to play tonight at the Harvest of Hope Festival. Dr. Dog is the headliner tonight and they don't go on until 11:00 p.m., which is a good thing since Eric just called me from the airport and their plane is delayed, which is awful because they got to the airport at dawn. Luckily they are young and strong.

Anyway, Eric plays the gig tonight and then, while the rest of Dr. Dog returns to Philadelphia tomorrow morning, Eric flies to Richmond, Virginia for the Hop Along/Lithuania tour. As you can see, they will all be criss-crossing the country and end up at South by Southwest on Thursday. Dr. Dog has a bunch of stuff going on all weekend, but to me, this party looks to be the absolute best and I'd do anything to be there but, you know, I'm retired from the touring Mom biz..anyway, here's the article as it appears in Billboard Magazine (notice how nonchalantly I say that now? Billboard Magazine, Billboard Magazine, Billboard Magazine. See? I haven't hyperventilated once.)

Rachael Ray Enlists Zooey Deschanel, Jakob Dylan For SXSW Party

"TV cooking queen Rachael Ray is making her annual presence at South By Southwest bigger and better this year. And public.

Ray's third annual Feedback Festival, slated for March 20, is moving to its largest venue yet -- Stubb's BBQ -- with 18 bands playing four stages; Daytrotter.com will be recording performances on one of them. The show, co-sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. T drink mix maker, will be free and open to the public for the first time, and the bash will be filmed for subsequent airing on Ray's syndicated TV show.

"We wanted to be able to accommodate more people and offer as good a time as possible," Ray tells Billboard.com. "We had so many people last year and so many different types a music going on, but you could hear the bleed from a lot of other bands in other clubs. This year we wanted to go somewhere that had more room and...now we get to make it an even bigger party."

This year's Feedback band roster includes She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward), Jakob Dylan & Three Legs featuring Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, Street Sweeper Social Club, Andrew W.K., Dr. Dog, School of Seven Bells, Justin Townes Earle, Bob Schneider, Local Natives, J. Roddy Walston & the Business, Pearly Gate Music, Steve Conte & the Crazy Truth, Freelance Whales, Lawrence Arabia, the Orion Experience, Mishka and Shayna Zaid & the Catch. The Cringe, which features Ray's husband John Cusimano, will also perform.

"I had a great time doing it last year," Schneider says. "She's got a lot of people who are there to have a good time and party, so it's fun. She has really good bands to play, and it's always fun to play on the same bill with bands you like and admire. And they have great food."

Ray, who takes an active role in selecting the bands, has created several original items for the Feedback menu -- Tex-Mex Sliders, Pulled Pork Tortitas, Quesadilla Suiza Stacks, Queso Fundido Taquitos and Albondigas Subs. "I write the original recipes," Ray explains, "and then we bring in an army and they work on mass producing them, making...troughs of them. Thankfully all I have to do is show up and snack."

And this year Ray says she's most curious to see what her crowd looks like at 10:30 a.m., when Feedback gets under way. "I wonder how many people will get up for the early part of it," she notes. "There are some people who are just coming in from the night before, y'know? But I'm excited for it, man. I think it's going to be fantastic."

I think it's going to be fantastic, too. Wah! I wanna be there! Oh well. Such is life.

Going forward, as you can see, after South by Southwest, Eric will once again jump in the van with Hop Along and Lithuania and heads to Baton Rouge, LA for some more cross country touring...he'll be back on the east coast just in time to perform with Paper Cat in New York City on March 28.

In April, all hell breaks loose. Dr. Dog's new CD will be released April 6 and that night they appear on Jimmy Fallon. They are doing tons and tons of promo including radio visits, and oh man, I don't know if I'm allowed to let other stuff out of the bag so I better shut up now and divulge the rest of this info later when I check with Eric that it's okay to blab. But trust me, it's awesome and intense! And then of course they start a huge tour on April 14 which goes straight through until the end of May; then festivals in June and July...sigh...thank God there's cell phones and the internet or I would be needing that yoga deep breathing and meditation big time right now 24/7. I'm gonna miss my son - he's also one of my best friends.

And um, I know he joined the band after the new CD was recorded, but did you know Eric was also on the cover of Rolling Stone this week?



Rolling Stone Magazine. Rolling Stone Magazine. Okay, I admit it. I am hyperventilating over that one. And once again, I am just so incredibly interested/fascinated at the way this band does things. The band, their manager, and publicist really have a pulse on the mess that is the music business in 2010 and they are making things work regardless. Good job!

They are also a feature story in the March issue of Filter Magazine which is available on newsstands, book and music stores now -- very nice pics of the band, too. Beck is on the cover if that helps.

So I already told you about said festivals, but after Eric wraps up the High Sierra Music Festival on July 4, where he'll share a bill with Widespread Panic and The Black Crowes among others, he will at last meet up with the Adrian Belew Power Trio for the Vancouver Island Music Fest July 9-11.

There's so much more stuff scheduled after that I can't even discuss it because this blog post is going to turn into a novella but I know Dr. Dog has a lot more touring planned, the Power Trio is working on some European dates, and all I can say is one thing.

Ohm............

Later,
xo

The International Film Debut of Paper Cat

Okay, so I'm using the term "international film debut" loosely, but here they are...Julie Slick, Eric Slick, and Robbie "Seahag" Mangano, known collectively as Paper Cat, starring in their very first You Tube, produced by none other than bassist extraordinaire Julie Slick herself. Hope to see you at the New York show on March 28!



Later,
xo

Odds and Sods for Monday, March 8, 2009

Good afternoon!

Today is International Women's Day. How shall we celebrate? A click on that link should give rise to all kinds of ideas. What I do know is, All Hail Women!

As for me, I'm rejoicing over many, many things here.

First and foremost, Monty dog does have Cushing's disease, which used to be a death sentence. But thanks to recent medical breakthroughs, he is going to be okay, albeit with some heavy duty medication he'll be on for the rest of his life. What's so sad is that other families with pets are not as fortunate as we are. The approximate cost of his medication is equivalent to a monthly car payment. Can you imagine a family not being able to afford that and having no other choice than to euthanize? I haven't been able to stop thinking about that, and you have my word, if I am ever in a financial position to help, I am going to set up a foundation so that no one ever has to lose their beloved pet because they can't afford to treat them. Gah! Monty is my child, and if it meant giving up the writing and returning to working in a law office during the day and folding sweaters at the Gap at night to keep him alive, I'd do it. But that's because I can. Trust me, I know how lucky I am in more ways than one.



So as you can imagine, after getting that news on Saturday, I was weak with relief. This could have been really, really bad. If it wasn't Cushing's, chances are likely it could have been an inoperable brain tumor. That's how I lost my mother as a young woman and it's a synchronicity I just could not handle.

Anyway, let's move on to better things.

Yesterday, finally feeling better after weeks of no sleep and worry, I sat down to write. I learned of a very cool magazine called Short, Fast and Deadly with occasional themed issues, and this time they asked for a story which revolved around Sweden. Even better, the story had to be 420 characters or less, with punctuation and spaces counting. So for me, that amounted to 75 words. See? All that time on Twitter has been good for something after all. It's really sharpened my flash skills. So I did a little research on Sweden, read a few very interesting things about their culture, and just ran with it. I played with the story throughout the day until I hit 420 characters exactly, crossed my fingers, and subbed it. Imagine my joy (and shock) when a mere couple of hours later, I received this email:

"Dear Robin,

We absolutely love this piece. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to include it in issue 14 of S,F,&D. Below you will find a proof, acceptance notes, and a publication agreement. Please review and return. Welcome to the ranks of the Short, the Fast, and the Deadly.

Best,
Joseph A. W. Quintela
Senior Editor/Instigator"

Let me tell you, as a writer, is there anything better than receiving a note which says, "We absolutely love this piece"? It was like between getting to the bottom of Monty's problems and that, the dark cloud I've been living under all these weeks magically lifted.

In other wonderful news, yesterday and today, Julie, Robbie, and Eric are wrapping up recording of the new Paper Cat CD and they have a very, very cool show in New York City on March 28. Details here. Actually, if you are not a Facebook member, I'm not sure if you can see that or not, so let me do a quick cut and paste, along with an awesome photo of the trio:



Paper Cat: Live Set in the Lower East Side
New York Premiere
Sunday, March 28, 2010
8:00pm - 9:30pm
Location:
The Cake Shop
152 Ludlow Street
New York, NY

Paper Cat is a musical collaboration between Eric Slick (drums), Julie Slick (bass/effects), and Robbie Seahag (baritone guitar).

This performance will be the first in NYC for Paper Cat.

Creaked Records (from Switzerland) is hosting the night and also on the bill is Switzerland's OY and SZ/Aphryn's Dismphony.

Hmmm...interesting, huh.

As we already know, Eric is one busy guy. In a separate post tomorrow or later this week, I will tell you about his upcoming mini-tour with Hop-A-Long and Lithuania...actually, you'll see the dates and venues on Hop A Long's site, but in the meantime, look what's brewing with Dr. Dog:

MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2010
Dr. Dog is everywhere in the next few weeks

Shame, Shame is the new album from Dr. Dog (Anti-, April 6). And now, Dr. Dog has built up quite a media onslaught to coincide with their upcoming tour all to promote the new album.

Tomorrow, March 9, "Stranger," the second released song from the new album will premier on Rolling Stone.com.

Apart from being the release date, April 6, will also mark the return of Dr. Dog to Jimmy Fallon's show. They'll follow that up by appearing on Jimmy Kimmel on April 28.

And as if that wasn't enough, there's only about 3 cities in the entire country they won't visit on this tour

TOUR DATES (more to be announced):

March 18 SXSW Showcase @ Lustre Pearl (12midnight) Austin, TX
March 19 Filter Party @ Cedar St Courtyard (4pm) Austin, TX
March 20 Rachel Ray Party @ Stubbs BBQ - outside (1:30pm) Austin, TX
April 14 Lee's Place Toronto, ON
April 15 Blind Pig Ann Arbor, MI
April 16 Metro Chicago, IL
April 17 Fine Line Minneapolis, MN
April 19 Belly Up Aspen, CO
April 20 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO
April 22 Neuroluz Boise, ID
April 23 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
April 24 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
April 25 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA **
April 27 Henry Fonda Los Angeles, CA **
April 29 Santa Fe Brewing Company Santa Fe, NM **
April 30 The Loft Dallas, TX **
May 1 Emo's Outside Austin, TX **
May 2 Warehouse Live Studio Houston, TX **
May 3 Majestic Fayetteville, AR **
May 5 Workplay Birmingham, AL **
May 6 Cannery Ballroom Nashville, TN **
May 7 Headliners Louisville, KY **
May 10 Port City Music Hall Portland, ME
May 11 Paradise Boston, MA **
May 12 Paradise Boston, MA **
May 13 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA **
May 14 9:30 Club Washington, DC **
May 15 Terminal 5 New York, NY **
International Tour Dates:
May 23 Magnet Berlin, Germany
May 24 Blue Shell Koln, Germany
May 25 Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands
May 26 Tabernacle London, UK
May 27 Nouveau Casino Paris, France
May 29 Primavera Sound Barcelona, Spain
** With Deertick:
May 31 Sasquatch Festival George, WA
June 4 Mountain Jam Woodstock, NY
June 11 Bonnaroo Manchester, TN
July 1 High Sierra Music Festival Quincy, CA

Erm, yeah, so Eric's going to be on the Jimmy Fallon Show and Jimmy Kimmel next month. And playing parties in a couple of weeks at SXSW for Rachael Ray, etc. I'm too lazy to link all the festivals he's playing this spring and summer but I promise I'll take care of that in the near future.

And yeah, another single from the new Dr. Dog LP is premiering tomorrow on Rolling Stone.

Holy crap.

Life is pretty good for my son. Julie's got some awesome stuff brewing as well but rather than bury that news at the bottom of this post, I'll do a separate journal entry on that as well. Let's just say her debut CD is going to blow a few minds...especially when you see the special guests.

Anyway...

Whew. Not to keep repeating myself, but I am pretty damn excited. Eric's gonna be on Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. I just got that news confirmed a few minutes ago while working on this blog post so I'm a little freaked out.

Time to start posting the billboards...

Later,
xo

Monday, Monday

Let's start the day right with an oxymoron:

Happy Monday!

Sigh...

Well, the Olympics are finished and now my life can return to normal....i.e...listening to music at night. But like I said, it's been a welcome distraction to worrying about the dog, who seemed very happy and perky yesterday to get a visit from his brother and sister.



Yep, click away. That's a giant picture of Julie and Eric Slick as baby rock stars, and since they enjoy ruthlessly teasing me as a duo for all of my various faux pas when they come over, well, I have my ways of getting even.

I love my family. But no fair, that two against one stuff! Ha ha, life has a way of balancing out. Wait until they get older and realize they are starting to sound just like me while walking into walls and tripping over their own feet, too. There's no escaping the gene pool, guys.

Anyway, Eric and Julie also came over yesterday because they heard Gary made his famous and incredibly tasty cornbread topped vegetarian chili for dinner and I have pics to prove it:





Mmm...so good.

And we'll hopefully get to the bottom of Monty's problems by the end of this week but he's doing pretty damn fine for a twelve year old pup.

Both Julie and Eric had some cool news to share in between making fun of me while they were here - Eric had just come from a photoshoot for his upcoming Goldbug CD which you can read all about here. Not a bad line-up, huh.

Here's what Theo Travis had to say about how this recording evolved:

"More recently a series of small steps has led me to being on a fine album by an international group of musicians that will soon be released. In 2005 I guested on a wonderful album called Snow Bourne Sorrow by the band Nine Horses. Looking through the sleeve notes I noticed a guitarist called Tim Motzer, who I had seen on myspace. We e-mailed each other and became "myspace friends" (yes, I know, I know...) We chatted online about projects we were involved in. He then said that he was doing some recording with Markus Reuter, a touch guitarist from Germany who I had once met in Norwich at a Burning Shed event (the same event I first met Steve Lawson at - but that is another story). He asked if I could contribute to some tracks. I have a home studio so I said yes, sure. That was about two years ago and those tracks have not come out yet, but in June 2009 I played with Gong at Nearfest in the US near where Tim lives, so he came down and we hung out. We got on really well and I liked his vibe as well as his great playing and music. He then asked if I'd contribute to a new project called Goldbug - with the excellent Eric Slick on drums (of the Adrian Belew Power trio) and bassist Barry Meehan. I said send me the stuff and I really dug it. So yes - I overdubbed some tenor solos and flutes and sent it back to Philadelphia over the internet (amazing how you can do that these days).

Last week I received an e mail with the mixed tracks attached including my solos. Well - I was blown away. A mixture of exotic, electronic and natural sounds mixed with great but subtle and building grooves topped with great guitar playing and now my tenor sax too. The music is sonically every rich and powerful but not overbearing - sometimes occupying that interesting rhythmic territory between abstract rhythm and great grooves. Whilst I don't remember my solos being anything special, and my recording equipment is quite basic really, Tim has done such a great mix, that everything sounds fantastic, and the sound of my sax is one of the best mixes I have heard. The full title of the project/ album is called Goldbug-Journey to Eskeopia and Tim describes it as " a journey in groove exploration, textures, and orchestration cut up, mis-aligned, and re-imagined for the wandering ear." Yes indeed!"

So...yet some more great "Slick" music to look forward to in 2010. To my knowledge, there's that, the upcoming Paper Cat EP, an appearance on a live Eddie Jobson CD when they played in Europe/Russia last fall in what I'm loosely going to call the King Crimson Festival but was really not, Julie's debut solo CD which is sounding better by the minute with more and more surprise "guest" appearances by some really awesome musicians, and of course the upcoming California Guitar Trio release where both Julie and Eric appear on two amazing songs. Speaking of CGT, I came across this fantastic You Tube via Twitter of the trio performing with Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto:



This was filmed at the Quebec Summer Music Festival, and I just sighed out loud. Oh, how I love that city. I actually felt a pang of something similar to being homesick just now...I really need to go back and spend some extended time there. Anyway, that You Tube gave me the chills and I felt the need to share it.

Finally, in Julie Slick news, you may have already seen this on my Facebook page or on Julie's website but she was interviewed by the brilliant Kimberly M. Wetherell over at The Nervous Breakdown:

"21 Questions with Julie Slick



"Please explain what just happened."

"I just finished making a Thai Butternut Squash Bisque and confirmed that a friend is coming over for dinner to help me eat some of it."

"What is your earliest memory?"

"Eating a forest green crayon behind the couch so no one could see me. The tangerine one wasn’t as good....""

You know you can't resist. Read the rest right here...it's truly wonderful.

Ooh, and this just in: Paper Cat will be performing at the Cake Shop in NYC on March 28; doors at 8:00 p.m. What's this? A real cake shop? Oh please let it be true...

(But we all know it's probably a hipster bar in Brooklyn. And that's okay!)

I think that's all I have for today but you never know. Ha ha, in re-reading this entry before publishing it, I just realized I should have titled it DGMLive Supplemental and Extraneous News.

Later,
xo

Good Times, Bad Times, You Know I've Had My Share...

Good morning.

Or is it?

ETA: Oh my God, it is a GREAT MORNING! I'M IN THE FREAKING HUFFINGTON POST TODAY! Look! (And oh yeah, once you click on that, please oh please click the link to buy the book! It's truly wonderful, I promise.)

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Unfortunately, we're currently getting pounded by yet another snow storm, and while it was fun in the beginning of the winter, I'm now at the point where if I never see another shovel or ice patch again, I seriously won't mind. I need the beach.



Anyway, I'm also out of sorts because Monty the wonder dog, with whom I'm cavorting on said beach a summer or two ago, is not feeling well. Yes, I realize he is 12 years old which is 84 years old in people years, but up until now, he's been a total puppy. They think it's Cushing's disease. If you are a dog lover, do yourself a favor and do not Google that (which is why I am sparing you the actual link). But I've been obviously researching it non-stop on the internet and while there are horror stories, there are also many success stories so I am taking it one day at a time and not going to stress until we get a definite diagnosis and see how he responds to treatment. But in the meantime, he wakes me up every hour on the hour for either water or to be let outside. So I'm a little sleep deprived at the moment, too. But other than that, he's fine...playful, good appetite...okay, enough. On to the better stuff.

In case you haven't seen the billboards I've already posted all over the internet, Julie Slick has a new website which is interactive and is currently showcasing some of her new music, both solo and with Paper Cat, as well as work she has done with Adrian Belew and Cheers Elephant. Also be sure to check on her artwork - she is an amazing, amazing portrait artist and she's taking on a few commissions...I personally already own a few Julie Slick paintings which are proudly displayed in my living room but I do not have nearly as many as I would like.

Speaking of Paper Cat, Julie, Eric, and Robbie have a gig on May 21 at The Khyber in Philadelphia - tickets will be available soon and when they are, you know I'll be giving you the link.

Here's an awesome article in The Deli, a local indie newspaper which mentions Eric Slick and his pal, guitarist Dom Angelella and their band, Lithuania. By the way, Eric played at that epic New Year's Eve party...if memory serves me correct, he jammed with more than one band...maybe all. Ha. That sounds about right for Eric.

"Since its inception, the City of Brotherly Love has been known for its independence. Keeping the spirit alive, Philly’s latest DIY art space The Ox is circulating buzz amongst show goers and bands alike. Co-founder Daniel Hughes was nice enough to take a little time and spill some deets about the venue, the Philly scene, and of course, roast beef.

The Deli: How did The Ox start? Who runs it?

Daniel Hughes: Living in a warehouse was always something I'd wanted to do, but wasn't realistic because of school obligations. After I graduated, I was approached by my friend Brendan about the idea of making it a reality. A couple of us got together and assembled a rag tag group of individuals who were willing to give it a shot. I see this as my chance to give back to a scene that did so much for me. We are attempting to run the space democratically which can be a huge headache. Bernie and myself book most of the shows, but everyone is involved and has the ability to do what they want.

TD: Aside from manning The Ox, what else are you into? Day jobs, involvement in the art/music scene, etc.?

DH: 4 bands (Shitty Knees, The Armchairs, Norwegian Arms and Kim Jong Bill), artists, printmakers, filmmakers, a sound guy, an art teacher, a writer, a hairdresser, a political scientist, a dude in Russia, a dog and a cat.

TD: What are your highlights/fave moments at The Ox?

DH: Currently, building an igloo on the roof. We just hosted an event our friends have every year called “Mightyfest”. Lots of delicious food and games (feats of strength). We had a pretty wild Halloween party featuring all cover bands. Our friend Dom's band Dragonzord played In The Aeroplane Over The Sea from start to finish. People were REALLY into it. But I'd have to say my absolute favorite moment had to be our New Years Eve party/show. Our good friend from high school, Tuan Le, was in town from LA and documented it for us. Aside from having around 11 bands playing, all the music during the party was from the last ten years and Dragonzord played a cover set of hits from the decade at midnight (from the Dirty Projectors to Miley Cyrus).

TD: What are some of the pros and cons of running a DIY venue?

DH: Pros: Hosting fun things, meeting cool people, introducing cool people to other cool people, learning life skills (like compromising), space/freedom. Cons: Cleaning up, having to work when your friends are having fun, putting up with bands/events you don’t personally enjoy, long/painful but often necessary deliberation in email and in person, and occasionally having to deal with people who disrespect the space.

TD: Where did you grow up? Did you go to local shows? If so, what shows or venues were most memorable?

DH: All over PA, NJ, Chicago, Wisconsin. Brendan and I lived in the same town, but only recently met within the last year. He was pretty active in the Lansdale scene and booking shows and we knew a lot of the same people, so I wouldn't be surprised if our paths crossed and we never even realized it. My friend's were in bands in high school so I would go out and support them when they had a gig. My absolute favorite "local" show was seeing Good Clean Fun play at the Trappe YMCA after “Hellfest” got cancelled. Greg and I used to take the R5 in to the city when we were in high school to see R5 shows (go figure). I used to and still do love seeing shows at the First Unitarian Church. My first one was seeing Ted Leo (with Greg). That was definitely memorable for me.

TD: What are some upcoming events at The Ox that you’re excited about/looking forward to?

DH: We've got some shows coming up that still need to be confirmed, but I'm potentially really excited about those. We're trying to do more art/non music shows with the New Year. Our next is April second and it should be good. Marvin Gaye birthday party to follow. I'm usually excited/looking forward to all of the shows we have, otherwise why do them? Shameless plug time: March 6--Ape School, The Armchairs (roommates!), Grandchildren, Lonnie Walker, Dinosaur Feathers. March 9--Folklore, Sea of Dogs, Quiet Hooves, Bubbly Mommy Gun. April 1--The Pharmacy, Dangerous Ponies, The Spooks, Kingdome, Bellys and April 14--1994!, Grown Ups, Netherfriends.

TD: Finish the following sentence. The Ox is __________.

DH: The Ox is a unique and dynamic space that has many surprises in store for 2010 and beyond.
TD: What is your favorite thing about Philly’s music scene?

DH: It's diverse and interesting. Lots of good people doing what they love and are willing to help each other out. The fact that places like ours can exist.

TD: Which local artists are you currently into?

DH: Most of my favorite bands right now are ones that have played here. Shameless plug time again. I've been really into Dragonzord and Hop Along recently. Dom and Eric Slick have a new project called Lithuania, The Homophones, Chang Chang (best dude ever), Plastic Little, Teeth of Mammals (local enough). The Divine Lorraine, Power Animal, and so on, and so on, and so on.

TD: What do you like to get at the deli?

DH: I'm a Roast Beef man, but nothing beats a good Italian hoagie!"
********
I see he also mentions Ape School, and Eric is a frequent drummer for that band as well...don't know if he's playing the March 6 gig or not but I think he's around so it could be...will let you know. In the meantime, he's got one hell of a month of March with Dr. Dog coming up before the big April/May tour, including the Harvest of Hope Festival March 12-14; gigs and parties at South by Southwest March 18-21, and of course the show at the Rotunda in Philadelphia on March 2, but that is for University of Pennsylvania students only.

Love this new press photo of the band...



For those of you who have been asking, the Adrian Belew Power Trio is simply on hiatus at the moment while Julie and Adrian work on solo projects and Eric tours with Dr. Dog. As far as I know, they will be playing a couple of shows in Vancouver in July and possibly a European run in October but I'm kind of happily out of the loop so I do not know for sure. When I say "happily out of the loop", it's because yes, Julie and Eric are adults and have their own apartments and lives so I learn about most stuff these days from Pollstar and Google just like the rest of you and it's all good.

Great news for the trio's tour manager and all around tech person, Andre Cholmondeley, he's "tourletting" with his band, Hidden Agenda, and I'm hoping they hit Philadelphia for sure but here's the dates and info I do have on that:

MARCH 2010 Tourlette with HIDDEN AGENDA
trio playing a few covers, improv and music by andré cholmondeley
bob ramos-drums, antar goodwin-bass, andré-guitar, jon braun-drums 3/25

24 WED NJ New Brunswick COURT TAVERN (with Stretch*)
25 THU PA Plains JAZZ CAFE' (with Stretch*)
26 FRI PA Bethlehem FUNHOUSE (with Great White Caps)
27 SAT TBA
28 SUN NJ Asbury Park ASBURY LANES (Cheri Jiosne Benefit #2)
With Silent Auction and various musical acts

*STRETCH.....the legendary jazz/rock/funk/fusion trio.
original lineup of Dave LaRue, Glenn Alexander and Bill Elder.

Oh, getting back to Julie, as I mentioned above and as you'll see/hear on her website, she is indeed working on her debut solo CD and she's invited some very interesting "special guests" to appear on some/most of the cuts. Julie has surprised me once again...her song writing is quite amazing. Who knew? She's been emailing me MP3s in various stages and I have to admit, I crank them up and get the chills. Surely they switched babies on me at the hospital but then how do I explain Eric? Ha ha, let's just say we fed them right.

And back again to Eric, You Tube has finally provided me with a decent clip from their tour a couple weeks ago...here's Dr. Dog with Eric on the drums performing "The Ark". This is very cool, but I have to tell you, Dr. Dog is a band you want to see live. You Tube does not do them justice.



So I think that's it for now. I haven't felt much like writing but I have a bunch of great books to read and then of course there's the U.S. v Canada Olympic gold medal hockey game this afternoon. This is the first year ever I have watched the Olympics daily/nightly but I've been so stressed because of the dog and awake at all hours of the night it's given me a welcome distraction. I do have to say that NBC's coverage has been HORRIFIC. There is just no excuse for it (delayed broadcasts, spotty coverage, idiot announcers...you name it) and I'm sure there are many bloggers who have already addressed that so I'll leave it alone. Just to let you know how out of it I've been, I've even been watching and somewhat enjoying curling! Jesus Christ, what a stoner sport that is. What scares me is that I now understand it!

And let me say right now I have a cougar crush on Shaun White (yeah, yeah, who knew Carrot Top could snowboard?) and that I loathe both the creepily manipulative Lindsey Vonn and her crybaby teammate, Julia Mancuso. So much so that I will not even give them the courtesy of a link.

Do I believe I am even talking about this? My cool factor just plummeted to below zero, huh.

And of course I am a lame-o who also loves figure skating. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have this geeky fantasy that I have the job of picking the music for them to skate to. Because really, other than the male skater who performed to Jimi Hendrix' Axis Bold as Love the other night, the music has been crap. When I think of what they could be skating to, I want to weep. Here are two songs I'd pick immediately, and I hope you click on them because they are both very, very special to me.





Something tells me I'm forgetting other news but to be honest, I'm so whipped I don't even know what day it is and I'm just trying to keep it together.

I remain optimistic.

Later,
xo

Odds and Sods for Tuesday, February 16, 2010

So it's been a little snowy in Philadelphia lately, in case you aren't lucky enough to live here.

The dog is loving it, but I would personally like it a lot more if I could walk him without fear of falling on my head. C'mon people of the Art Museum area, shovel your damn sidewalks. I swear, when I moved here years ago and it was all blue collar, you would never see a mess like this. Now it's all yuppies and million dollar houses and I guess the era of entitlement. Feh. Anyway, enough of that...here's Monty who, trust me, is far happier than he looks in this photo but that's because I'm calling him back inside:



So what else is new? Did everyone have a nice Valentine Day? I loathe Hallmark holidays, but admittedly do use every single suchlike occasion as an excuse to eat above the norm. The trouble is, even "the norm" for me is amazing. Last night, for example, Gary made vegan cream of mushroom soup (the cream is actually a pureed red bliss potato) made with three different types of 'shrooms, and a salad of fresh spinach, grape tomatoes, chopped imported olives, and artichokes. Tonight's menu includes whole wheat pasta topped with white and green asparagus sauteed in roasted garlic oil. So like, yeah, every day is Christmas here but for Valentines Day, I did have my favorite meal - buffalo tofu, pommes frites (okay, roasted in the oven for health reasons but topped with flash fried, crispy shallots), and homemade biscuits. By the way, Gary has now perfected his biscuit recipe, and I defy anyone to top these. I didn't even mind that he smeared them with Earth Balance - could not even taste the difference. I'd post the recipe here but as I've been making a lot of noise lately, Julie and I are writing a cookbook so sit tight, we're going to get that out soon enough, biscuits and all.

I really need to start taking daily pictures of this stuff, huh. Last night's salad was such a thing of beauty I should have photographed and framed it and hung it on the dining room wall.

And while I'm on the subject of food, I just realized today is Fat Tuesday. I love the name. It should be a national holiday. And what I wouldn't do for one of these right now because yes, it should also be the law that you eat as many as possible before midnight:



The snow has kept me from having my usual foodie dates with Julie Slick, but our last Happy Hour together at Fish was outstanding. The $6.00 cocktails are huge and full of top shelf whiskey, and, if you are so inclined, fresh squeezed juices. Julie had a cocktail (or, um, more) of Spanish Cava, gin, and lemon Juice. I had an old-fashioned (or, um, more) made thusly: Old Bardstown Kentucky Bourbon, sugar, and bitters. The bar menu is not vegetarian but I *cough* hear that the $2.00@ oysters are to die for.

In other news, there's are few things that have me incredibly bummed...for different reasons, obviously, but man, how fucking depressing:

This, this, and this.

To sum it up, I am bummed because I am a huge Knack fan and thought their debut album was brilliant and might even be one of my desert island picks; I am bummed that someone I consider a total hack and an even bigger idiot is rich and famous when I personally know much kinder and better guitarists -- even better looking if that's the scale we're using here and since that's my only rationale for how this man is famous, I guess it is; and Lefsetz, I am especially bummed at you because I read you daily, you're an awesome writer and most importantly, you have your pulse on the music industry and I learn a lot from you but you got it dead wrong when you wrote about the Who. The death of classic rock overnight because of a twelve minute medley at the Superbowl? A forty year brilliant career finished and in shambles? Erm...no. The Who past their prime are so far ahead of most young bands out there now it's ridiculous. Don't even try and argue that point with me - you'll just look like an idiot. Ah well, here's a gentle reminder for you, Bob Lefsetz. Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves.

Also, while I am busy snarling, how about Sarah P's hillbilly palm pilot? Sigh...just as I feel about the Prince of Darkness Dickie Cheney, a/k/a President of the Waterboard Fanclub -- I wish she would go the hell away forever. Our luck they both have William Morris as their agent so we'll never be totally rid of them.

I think I have serious PMS today. Sorry. I'm a freak of nature. My body didn't get the message that it isn't young anymore and at my fucking age, I am sitting here with cramps. No wonder I am dreaming of donuts...

In closing and to make myself at least feel a tiny bit productive today, I think I should take this day of odds and sods to once again ask you to buy my books so that I don't have to find work in a real office with real people ever again. I am also asking that if you are kind enough to do this, please avoid evil corporate Amazon if you can. All of my adult titles are available at my publisher right here and they are also available, along with Daddy Left Me Alone with God (where you will read about baby rockstars "based on" my two brilliant offspring), at a place I highly recommend...Indiebound. For those of you new to my blog, I have an erotic comedy trilogy with the first book in the series being Three Days in New York City; its sequel is Another Bite of the Apple, and book three, published just two months ago, is Bitten to the Core. All three books do stand on their own, but I dunno, if you are like me, you like to read things in order. I've been told I'm laugh out loud funny if that helps you but what the hell, all of these books, while also available in paperback, are a mere bargain priced download away, whether you have a Kindle, iPhone, or a simple, old-fashioned computer (ha).

Okay, that's my sales pitch for today. I'm still trying to work out how I can do a livestream book party. I was hoping to do one alone from my laptop but after fooling around with the U-stream site, it appears it comes out much better if you have another person holding an external video camera. Can any of you give me some advice about that? I think it would be so much fun to have a livestream party from my living room but to be honest, I'd much rather do it when I'm alone in the house surrounded by much alcohol. You may not know it from this blog or maybe you've nailed me exactly, but when I'm not behind this screen or intoxicated, I'm pretty much a reclusive introvert.

And on that note...

Later,
xo

Eric Slick/Dr. Dog to Play Bonnaroo!

Well, there's a lot of excitement today at Casa Slick.



Because Eric Slick, after three years of playing doumbek for Gypsy Hand Tribal Belly Dance Troupe in a side tent, finally gets to play the big stage with Dr. Dog this year at Bonnaroo.

Here's a partial list of the line-up from Billboard but I anticipate inserting something else much cooler here by the end of the day. In the meantime, I'll just post that awesome Dr. Dog band photo again...(Eric is second from the right)



Man, that band roll out via Bonnaroo's MySpace has been an exercise in torture but kinda fun at the same time. Every five minutes you hear a Monty Python type song with cartoon characters marching across the screen, 9 times out of 10 announcing a band this aging hippie has never heard of. (Though upon googling them, um, sorta glad I didn't know about them and don't wanna hear 'em in the future, either). Getting back to my son, though, I bet if I ask him, I'm willing to bet that as long as their performance times do not overlap, Eric will slip off to that tent on the side and whip out his doumbek for his fourth straight year. He loves those women of Gypsy Hands and who can blame him? Here's Eric and the gals from either last year or 2008:



And if that isn't awesome enough, have a look at this!

"We're sick of waiting! "Shadow People" premiers on Stereogum Tuesday, February 9!
Yesterday at 10:35pm
Hello All,

The number crunchers say that this week is the week. They've observed trends, graphed demos and cross-migrated algorithms and they say that sometime in the next week we will reach our goal of 20,000 Facebook friends and we'll finally be able to let this song out of the bag.

Here's the thing.. screw that! We're done waiting. We've been on the road for two weeks now playing songs from Shame, Shame and it's been an amazing experience. We just want people to hear the new stuff so we're gonna give the first song, "Shadow People," to the fine folks at Stereogum and they'll make it available by stream for all to hear tomorrow. Tuesday. February. 9th. Done and done.

Thanks so much for listening, and thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word about Shame, Shame.

Love,
Dr. Dog
@....@
....@

So here, for your listening pleasure, let me offer you the link for that! There's a cool accompanying article to the MP3, along with an updated tour schedule which includes, ta-da, Bonnaroo! Ooh, and here's a new press photo that goes with it...



Again, I strongly applaud Dr. Dog's management team and publicist(s). Hello, it's 2010 and the music business has changed...Dr. Dog is not only going with the flow, they seem to be miles ahead. And how cool that in January and February, traditionally the very worst months for touring musicians in the United States, they are selling out or coming close to selling out every freaking show. I read Bob Lefsetz (though I don't always agree with him...more on that later because I'm pissed as hell over his whining over The Who and his love of Kings of Leon), I read Amanda Palmer...let's just say I am a voracious reader and I read about the music business on a daily basis. Man, it's all about doing everything you can and sparing no expense to get the word out there and connect with your fans. So this afternoon Dr. Dog, in the headlines of music magazines and newspapers everywhere today as the Bonnaroo 2010 line-up is released, offered a free stream of the first song from their brand new CD. Beyond brilliant. I fucking love it.

And if all that is not enough, there's yet ANOTHER awesome review in the Syracuse Times:

"Atomic Dog by Tom Kahley

For the arctic-like weather that was permeating the Syracuse atmosphere on Saturday, Jan. 30, Dr. Dog recommended a strong dose of hot music to warm the soul, and the prescription was to be picked up at the Westcott Theater, 524 Westcott St. This criminally unheralded band from Philadelphia took to the stage and made everyone forget about the chill outside, except for the smokers, who risked, to paraphrase the late comedian Bill Hicks, passing out in the “so cold you can see your own breath” weather because they didn’t know when they were done exhaling.

Inside the modish music hall, it was all clean air filled with good vibes. On their studio records, upon first listen, you’d swear Dr. Dog was some sort of undiscovered nugget from the late-1960s psychedelic era, with everything from Beatles and Beach Boys-esque harmonies layered atop multicolored reverb and mescaline modal scales. But as with any band, it’s impossible to recreate studio wizardry in a live setting, and in concert, Dr. Dog punks it up bit more. While they’re not quite blowing things up like The Who on stage, it’s hard not to get caught up in their bag of grooves.

As they walked on the florally decorated stage before they situated themselves at their respective instruments, you could tell these cats march to their own stethoscope beat. Guitarists Scott McMicken and Frank McElroy resembled a kind of a hipster version of the Blues Brothers, with dark shades and beanie hats, while bassist and—unusual for his instrument—lead singer Toby Leaman wasn’t afraid to rile the locals (“What is there to do in this town? You guys got a zoo or something?”) before kicking out the jams in front of a near-capacity crowd.

For more than an hour, the band’s set mostly featured songs from their 2008 album Fate (Park the Van). “The Ark” featured a bass line reminiscent of the funky interlude in Pink Floyd’s 1972 overindulgent “Echoes,” while McMicken’s country-flavored lead guitar gave it a whole other slant—and that’s not even mentioning keyboardist Zach Miller’s droning Hammond B3 vamping beneath the melody. (For a quick mind-bender, check out the band’s video for “The Ark” on Youtube; its visual is strikingly similar to Tim Burton’s upcoming Alice in Wonderland flick, although Dr. Dog possibly reimagined the characters by morphing Alice into literally just a talking, bleeding-from-the-neck head being carried by the White Rabbit in disguise. Somebody had psychoactive scrambled eggs for breakfast that morning.)

Also from Fate, “From” showcased the band’s penchant for the best harmonies this side of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. After Leaman begins the ballad singing over a lone guitar, “Oh my love, don’t you leave me/ Because I don’t want to learn how to die”, the other members chime in with collective “ahhhhh” harmonies before drummer Eric Slick signals the rest of the band to chime in with a slow hittin’ skin pulse. As Leaman continues the verse, “Wash me away when we’re apart, cause you’re a part of my heart/ And I’m apart from my heart,” the band accentuates the last word of each line by harmoniously repeating it.

The band recently announced the April 6 release of their fifth studio album called Shame, Shame, their first with new record label ANTI- Records, home to Tom Waits, Buju Banton and Neko Case. As there were a few unrecognizable tunes played at the Westcott that were not off Fate, nor Toothbrush (2002), Easy Beat (2005) and We All Belong (2007), they must have been polishing these soon-to-be-new tracks, which were well-received by the audience.

Before Dr. Dog took the stage, two other throwback bands let it loose: The Silent League out of Brooklyn, and The Growlers, a pseudo self-professed “Texan” band from Long Beach, Calif. The Growlers might have been the strangest bunch of cats that have come through this town in some time. Their music can be best described as surf music played during a holy roller revival that was feeling the effects of a snake bite. Lead singer Brooks Nielsen had the physique of former New York Yankees pitcher David Wells and the grace and sway of a cow trying to wiggle his way up after being tipped over in the mud. Yee-haw!

But all in all, Dr. Dog once again proved that corporate America hasn’t completely killed integrity in music, and judging by the amount of people that turned out for it, there is still a glimmer of hope that this unsure day in age in digital music might right itself eventually. And maybe the best way to remedy this musical imperialism would be for bands like Dr. Dog to keep slipping melodious Mickey’s to the masses, and for the people to keep lining up for the counteractants like they did at the Westcott. All in all is all we are."
*****

Okay, I need to take a breather for a few minutes. This is just too much excitement to bear for one day. And to the gang at Phantasy Tour, particularly "sonofelroy"...good job, dude!

And you know the drill - if I find any other reviews, articles, etc. that pop up today, I'll add them in to this post...

Later,
xo

More Press/Reviews for Dr. Dog

Morning!

I'm not awake yet and want to post some photos of Saturday's blizzard, but in the meantime, I can't help but notice some tasty Dr. Dog press I came down to just now.


“Do you know if the Dr. Dog show is sold out tonight?”

ETA whatever: From (Hurrah!) Philadelphia Weekly!

"February 8th, 2010
Dr. Dog Changes Drummers

You may have heard — or even noticed if you’ve seen them live recently, perhaps at their “secret” show at Johnny Brenda’s last month — that Dr. Dog has a new drummer. Here’s the official word about Juston Stens’ departure and Eric Slick’s arrival straight from the Dog’s mouth, via their MySpace:

Hey Now Everybody,

We’d like to take a moment to let you know about a pretty major change in the Dr Dog world. After 5 years of working and playing together we’re saying farewell to our long time friend and drummer Juston Stens. Juston is moving on to pursue his own musical journey. He’s in the middle of making his first proper full length album right now. For more details you can follow his progress here:

http://www.myspace.com/totalposermusic

Juston has been traveling all over the United States, stopping at some of his favorite studios to lay down tracks with some of his favorite people and the results have been pretty awesome. We’ll likely give you updates from time to time as the Juston Stens album is closer to completion and a tour is announced. We’re all rooting for Juston and can’t wait to hear what this album sounds like.

Filling Stens’ throne is Teach who we welcome with open arms. Teach ((aka Eric Slick) (we swear that’s his real name)) is monster dressed as a human and we’re convinced he will at some point he will burst from his skin and eat one of us whole. We can only hope you’re there to see it.

peace,
Dr.Dog"

ETA #2 OR IS THAT #3 - Yet another stellar review out of Michigan.

ETA: From Life While:

"Concert Review: Dr. Dog Gives Retro-Rock Vibrant New Spin
Philadelphia Band Previews New Album In Madison Stop
David Hyland, Staff Writer
POSTED: 8:05 am CST February 6, 2010

MADISON, Wis. -- Classic-rock revivalists Dr. Dog is a band that prompts many questions and as of yet, has offered very few definitive answers.

Widely recognized as rising stars in the indie-rock scene, the Philadelphia quintet has sidestepped the trappings of post-punk pretense and thoroughly wrapped itself in the sounds and styles of rock 'n' roll yesteryear. And yet, listeners drawn in by Dr. Dog's intriguing amalgam of elements swiped from the B section of '60s rock -- the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the Band -- can't be sure if they're serious about their reverence for history.

Sure, they make believe to be soot-covered railroad workers in in publicity photos, but hit the stage as hipsters who play as if they had been raised by minstrels from a traveling medicine show. Listeners can't know. Is this all an act delivered with a wink? Are they the musical equivalent of Civil War re-enactors? Is this a little calculated devotion to a sure bet? Or are we seeing/hearing a group whose unique sound grows forth from their record collection.

The group's concert at Madison's High Noon Saloon on Friday night teased at giving us some clarity. The show lured together an army of underground music heads -- chiefly bearded, flannel-sporting men and their female companions -- who either wanted to learn the truth or were just pleased to hear the charade live. Adding to the stakes, the group was auditioning the new material from their forthcoming record "Shame, Shame" during this short preview/promotional tour of North America. This all suggested we'd finally get down to it. Not quite.

All this started with the release of Dr. Dog's terrific last record, "Fate," in 2008. In it, fans heard a group that really hit upon a sound that, while clearly honoring the best of rock's past, offered what appeared to be a new spin on a familiar shtick. But, we couldn't be sure. Maybe Dr. Dog was just a stupefying, sometimes exhilarating mishmash of '60s rock tribute bands. Or maybe, just maybe, they were a pack of classic-rock songwriting students whose eccentric recreations of the masters' templates -- Beatles' melodic hooks, Beach Boys harmonies and the Band's rustic instrumentation -- had gone horribly right. The Madison show, like any sneak preview, simultaneously wowed the audience with flashes of pop brilliance, but also briefly suggested greater things yet to be revealed. Ultimately, it deepened the mystery..."

(Read the rest here.)

From the UMW Post:

"Dr. Dog’s good vibrations
Posted on 08 February 2010.
By Trapper Schoepp

Reproducing a dense, sonic landscape in a live setting isn’t easy, but Dr. Dog sure makes it look that way. Contemporary indie bands often struggle to replicate the production sheen of their records, but it’s a challenge that this eccentric fivesome have met with open arms. Playing to a packed floor at Turner Hall last Thursday, Dr. Dog previewed tunes from their upcoming Anti-Records debut Shame, Shame, and also played favorites from Fate and We All Belong.

Dr. Dog’s idiosyncratic pop-rock draws heavily from 1960s bands like The Beach Boys and The Beatles, and their performance accentuated this. With walls of lush vocal harmonies, fuzzed-out guitars, and swirling organ, Dr. Dog is the 21st century’s answer to psychedelic pop.

The night’s opener, “Worst Trip,” found Dr. Dog blending aspects of soul and classic rock in a revitalizing manner. The lyrics echoed The Beach Boys’ “Sloop John B,” and bassist Toby Leaman’s emotive croon was a perfect match for the song’s jangle. The harmonic chorus asked the question, “Is this the worst trip you have ever been on?” Leaman’s imposing voice replied, “Well I thought you’d kind of like it/It’s awfully dark and quiet here/Some may leave and some are going anywhere....”
(Read the rest here.)
*****
From Mixtapes:

"Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog played a massive set to a sold-out crowd at Madison, WI’s High Noon Saloon on February 5, 2010.

The Old Days” kicked off the show with boundless energy, the cries of “down, down, down” reflecting off the wall-to-wall crowd. Dr. Dogs best songs live are the same as their best songs on the album; “Army of Ancients” and “From” shimmered and sparkled even more in a live setting than they already did in the can.

Dr. Dog is a band that is clearly comfortable playing together, each instrument building on the next and creating a cloud of sound that cushions the terribly beautiful harmonies coming from the band’s three vocalists. If Dr. Dog and Fleet Foxes put out a song together, heads would explode from the glorious harmonics..."
(Read the rest here.)
*****

Okay, like I said, I just woke up and this time I promise, I am coming back to add more stuff today.

Later,
xo

Dr. Dog Dazzles...

From the Albany Press:

Dr. Dog dazzles at Revolution Hall
By Ian Goldstein



Dr. Dog bassist Toby Leaman passionately singing at Revolution Hall last night. The emerging band impressed a the crowd at the Troy venue with their soulful sound and no-frills performance.

“Take it easy, bro,” said Dr. Dog bassist Toby Leaman before leaving the stage to end an energetic night.

The show was over, but nobody was leaving. The crowd began to applaud loudly in unison and insinuate that they craved an encore.

Dr. Dog came right back on stage and played “Say Something” off their album “Easy Beat.” Ironically one of the lyrics in this song is “long distance, no need to shout.” Shouting is exactly what the audience used to get them right back on stage and this energy is essentially what summed up the show.

The Philadelphia-based indie group brought their brand of psychadelic rock to Revolution Hall in Troy last Wednesday.

Armed with retro shades and moving almost in synchronization were rhythm guitarist Frank McElroy and lead guitarist Scott McMicken. They acted as lively “sidekicks” to the beanie hat, t-shirt adorned Leaman who thoroughly sang his heart out and screamed melodically whenever he got the chance.

Leaman jumped on stage before their opening number, “The Old Days,” and simply said, “Hey folks.” The show was as simple as their initial greeting all the way through.

There were no drawn-out solos or pointless banter in between songs. Leaman would just take a drink of water between almost every song and once in a while McMicken would spew out a comment or two. The only point at which Leaman said something other than calling the audience “folks” was when he pointed out their youthful-looking drummer, Eric Slick, jokingly calling him a “sight for sore eyes.”

Since releasing their first album, “Psychedelic Swamp,” in 1999, Dr. Dog has been gradually rising and gaining a larger audience ever since. They have opened for well-known bands such as My Morning Jacket and The Strokes. Sounding very reminiscent of bands like The Beach Boys, Tom Waits and David Bowie, Dr. Dog have cited all of these artists as major influences.

The harmonies of McElroy and McMicken were a mixture between The Beatles and The Beach Boys while Leaman’s shouts of “Oh Yeah!” on “Army of Ancients” resembled John Lennon’s screaming passion, which was glued together by the skillful keyboarding of Zach Miller. Their live sound really brought their blues influences to the forefront and assisted Leaman in showing off not only his vocal talent, but his passion.

Slick, who they referred to as “airplane,” was apparently only playing his second show with them. By looking at him, one might inquire how someone so young got into this veteran band. However, after listening to his prowess it’s hard to believe he just began to play with them.

Dr. Dog finished their initial set with the bluesy, Black Keys-esque “The Beach.” A two-song encore closed the night, leaving the crowd with a feeling of satisfaction and influence to know that they had the command to get the band that they came to see back on stage for more.