This week I talk about the movie Pandorum I just saw. It’s a great movie that reminded me of the first Alien movie. I also start a discussion (hopefully) on parent conferences and the value of a common goal in education. I just finished 2 days of conferences with parents and as usual, I grew and learned a lot. Next, I perform a garage concert tune called “Angels in our Field.” This is a song about my family heritage of farming and faith. Finally, I speak a bit about my life in music and promote my October 2009 show at the Ponderosa. Below is a link to details about that show. Damien plays the Ponderosa Friday, 10/16/2009 9:30 PM

Podcast link: http://www.podcast.damienriley.com/episode-9-pandorum/

When: Friday, 10/16/2009 9:30 PM
Where: The Ponderosa 9544 Kiowa Rd, Apple Valley, California 92308
(760) 247-7727 The Ponderosa is a restaurant and bar in Apple Valley that features live music on a stage. It has an excellent sound system and showcases my acoustic and electric music well. There is an annual haunted house going on there included in the door charge. Feel free to bring people large and small and of all ages, there is no age limit at this show. I'm proud to say I'm playing in the same musical line-up as Charlie Ray: local singer/songwriter talent, KFROG DJ, friend and songwriting partner of mine.  Get there at 9 to hear his set as well.

more on the October '09 Ponderosa show

New Podcast is Up: I perform my new song from my garage on acoustic "No Kings" and after I discuss Blogging for Money.

I'm jazzed on my podcast I'll be recording tomorrow night 9-18-09. I'll be debuting my newest work, "No Kings." It's a song about an end and a beginning in a relationship, I'm really pleased with the way it's fleshing out. 

After the tune I'll share a little about what I learned last week at work and with my family.  Mostly, I keep turning back toward the importance of relaxation and reflection.  I'll be talking about how I've been finding those crucial things.  Also, I'll talk about principles of how to "engage" in a project instead of just procrastinating.  A bun needs to sit in the oven a while but first YOU have to be the one to put it in there or NOTHING ever happens. I hope you'll tune in to my podcast this Friday.

The Damien Riley Podcast on psychology and inspiration.

Folks, I couldn't be more pleased about the state of my podcast.  I've spent the last 3 days creating a new Wordpress platform and it's looking and sounding great.  If you get a chance, head over and check out the new digs.  Tonight's episode talks a lot about the new format and how I got here.  I also perform my newest tune "French Bay" with my SM 58 and Radio Shack mixing rig.  I must say, I am going to bed satisfied about this thing. It's gonna be my year for songwriting and podcasting.  Hope you'll stick around. Follow your vision, you rock.

The Damien Riley Podcast

New podcast is up: ..

Jackson Browne has a song: "Sing my Songs to Me." Tonight I experienced what that song is about :)

Sarah and I went to see Charlie Ray and Linda Washington at Bodacious Bundts in Hesperia. If you don't know Charlie you should.  He's a DJ at KFROG FM by day and a country/classic rock performer by night.  He's really becoming a mentor of mine in the local performing sense.  I would love to be able to play out as much as he does while juggling a family, a marriage, and a full-time job. Up to now, I've stumbled a few times trying to make it happen.  He encourages me to keep the faith.

Recently on my podcast I debuted a song I had written.  It was called "Land of the Living." Charlie tuned in, thanks to modern technology, and called into the show stating how much he liked the song.  He later extracted the audio to a CD and listened to it about a bazillion times.  He liked the guts of the tune but heard a few changes.  After asking me if I minded collaborating and getting "the blessing" from me, he made some changes that really make it a great tune.

Tonight he debuted the song after our collaboration.  The harmonies Linda brought to it along with Charlie's bridge and stylistic chops filled the room with something marvelous.  I was flattered they chose to take my song and run with it and I hope to collaborate more with Charlie down the road.  Meanwhile, he has asked me to help record the tune with his equipment.  I'm thrilled to have the opportunity.  My fans may notice I took my version off the Myspace playlist.  This is just temporary. I like Charlies take on the song better than mine so I'll repost our full version when it's cut.

I'm very thankful tonight for inspiration and friends like Charlie.  It'll be a good Sunday tomorrow resting up, swimming, and getting ready for another week in the "Land of the Living."

I'm watching Alladin with my daughters aged 2 and 4 and really getting inspired by the song "A Whole New World."  It's really a song about mental change, paradigm shift.  You can say what you want about Disney but they consistently get their music right.

The good Lord gave me three kids.  My first, Brandon, is very respectful of my music at age 11.  He asks me how people on the radio do guitar riffs and we have a good time together listening to great music on the way to and from school.  My 2 daughters, on the other hand, are an entorely different story.  Tonight I went out to strum a few by the pool and my girls came out and started dancing to the music.  This was cute but soon after they started that they wanted to strum daddy's guitar.  Normally this wouldn't bother me but I was on a roll with a melody line and wouldn't you know it, I lost it.

Once I had kids I knew there would be a trade off.  My hours of uninterrupted time I once had for songwriting had to be let go.  Don't get me wrong, I still have time here and there like when I'm on my lunch at work or after school.  Most the time however, I have to sneak away to the garage or somewhere unsee to work out those delicate melodies that tend to come at the worst times.