Cringe if you will. The title may seem a smidge explicit or dirty but I assure you, it's rather harmless.

Picture the beloved, tentacled sea creature...eight appendages flowing and each clutching a hearty piece of a meal. On their own, each portion is extremely satisfying. En masse, however, the food takes on addictive and intoxicating qualities. The feast is not boundless and will someday be brought to an end. Until that moment comes, each and every bite is savored.

I am currently the octopus. Though instead of eight tentacles, I have six musical limbs with which to stuff my man-beak and spur my creative soul. Through the channel of like-minded friends and the good fortune of being in of The Zoo Human Project, I managed to stumble into several awesome opportunities to spark my musical fire. Whether by my obsessive tendency to organize my thoughts or by utter laziness, I've created a list of my current aural habits. Included is information on my roles and lynx to the projects so you can show your support.

Time is short. Life is precious. I'm ready to make the most of both.

Peace and Love,
Derek

Solo	The Zoo Human Project	Blue Surround
The Shades of Gray	Graham Vinson	Anime Girl

Solo - I continue to write music that, though unfit for The ZHP repertoire, is worthy of your ears. These songs fall under the banner of my solo work which is currently a minor artistic priority.

The Zoo Human Project - The acoustic trio I formed with my wife and an old friend. The ZHP has toured exhaustively throughout the past 3 years. We continue to write, perform, and grow. It is the engine of my musical journey.

Blue Surround - Blue Surround began in the wake of Face in 1997. Our electro-pop trio has reemerged after over 10 years as duo priming to bring catchy hooks by way of Saturday Morning, our work-in-progress.

The Shades of Gray- During high school over a decade ago, I formed a rock/funk band called Mad Hank. The other founding member was fellow drumline show-stealer, Mark Preciado. These days Mark, his brother (Dan), and two of Sac's most quick-witted MC's (Bald Matt and Luckey) drop heavy hip-hop bombs as The Shades of Gray. I've recently begun a temporary stint on guitar as an understudy of sorts for their permanent guitar wizard, Dethro T. Jethro.

Graham Vinson - I met Graham at an open mic while performing with The ZHP and was instantly drawn to the beautiful simplicity of his music and deep sincerity of his lyrics. After backing him on percussion and guitar at a few of his gigs, I urged him to hit the studio and record. I agreed to be his co-pilot without hesitation.

Anime Girl: The New Beat Poet - Our friend, Madeline Roa, decided to delve into new musical territory: an innovative blend of electronic audio tapestry and neo-beat poetry. As Anime Girl, she's asked me to master her album. In addition, I have been remixing a pair of her tracks.

HELP Sac-based ZooManiacs! We have a crisis on our hands!

As most of you may already know, we had a pair of shows lined up this weekend featuring some very wonderfully gifted friends, Dan Costello and Kelly Lynae - our guests from Boise, ID. During a 10-minute stint of sightseeing in Old Town Sac, countless musical items were taken from their vehicle.

Tallying approximately $6000 in cash value, the emotional impact of this loss is radically more devastating. Sure, our friends can get by on borrowed equipment while they're here but the thought that they'll be going home empty-handed is tough to bear.

This is where you can help. Come out to our show tonight (3/28 at 8pm) at Sac Brew where you can experience their music and support their cause. We want to pack the house for them and make this trip worthwhile. They will have merch for sale and every dollar and dime that ends up in our tip jar will go to Dan and Kelly, assisting them with their journey home...possibly getting the on the road to replacing their gear as well. If you can't financially assist, your presence is enough.

We know that time is short but please spread the word.

Best,
Derek ~ Jen ~ Kevin
The Zoo Human Project

I was already planning on blogging this evening, if only to talk tunes and to wax philosophical on "Naissance". However, I'll be switching gears tonight. It seems the term "Emotional Roller Coaster" was created for days such as these.

As many of you may already know, on May 11 of this year, we lost a dear friend. Upon Mario's passing, we ached to be with his friends and family. Yet due to geographical circumstances, only our spiritual presence was permitted at his service. Today, a month and a half later, we returned to LA determined to visit Mario and pay our respects. The inscription bearing the name "Mario Roberto Sanchez" on the headstone made the once unfathomable nightmare a now depressing truth. My friend is gone.

I can't wait to see you again, Mario, so I can give you those guitar lessons I promised you. So you and I can joke about Bernard. Gwa-gwa!

To make things a bit rougher, I hurt someone very dear to me today. A bit of perspective: If there were a list of every soul on Earth who deserved to be wronged (say, Adolf as #1 and Gandhi at #800 gazillion), this person STILL wouldn't make the list. Yet I managed to do it. Today, "sorry" is a band-aid on a gaping wound that may never heal. And I have cursed myself as the one who would look upon the ugly scar as my own doing. As one who once vowed to live life with no regrets, I sit here burdened with the weight of this one.

As the lids of my eyes grow heavy on the day of twists and turns, I pray that when I wake tomorrow…this ride will have ended.

And that you remember: through the thick fog of my flaws, I LOVE YOU.

Haven't chimed in for quite some time. Much has happened...many things have changed. Since the recent passing of my dear mother, Deborah Fenton Martinez, we were all deeply overcome by great sorrow. Three months later, our emotions have transformed into something vastly different. For you - fans of The Zoo Human Project - I must express...this is a VERY GOOD THING!

For the past month, we have been hard at work on our sophomore effort. Things in this early stage are sounding great. Recently, we've begun laying down some tunes that were created during our 5-month tour; in my humble opinion it's excellent, road-tested stuff. In addition, some unique ideas have been brewing and I'm resisting every urge to spill the beans on what we've got so far.

One great detail worth sharing: although this will be our second release, this album will feel more like ZHP's true debut. Whereas INNOMINATA was more of a complilation of two different songwriters, we're currently working on a far more collaborative effort. A BAND!! What this means for you is that you'll be getting more of what you love...but with a gracefully-woven, unifying spin. It's ok...I'm drooling, too!!

I'll be doing my damnedest amidst all the excitement to remember to occasionally leak a little bit of info regarding the process. It'd be great to even do some kind of behind-the-scenes stuff for you to witness how the ZHP makes albums guerilla-style!!

Sound like fun?!

Peace and Love,
Derek Martinez
The Zoo Human Project

For Deborah Fenton Martinez (1/10/1951-12/16/2006)

Before you I was empty
Past was a fog, my future unclear
But you covered me in understanding
I found security in your unwavering love

A perfect union transcended
Once two of us became three
Bound by your everything; kept warm by your light
In your embrace we could weather any storm

And when your sun went down
I knew it'd come around...again

I will always be your baby
And you will always be my blanket
You will always be our long-stemmed beauty
You will always be our blanket

More than a Mother, you're my best friend
God knows I'll never be ready to let you go
They say that it is where the heart is
So with open arms I tell you, "welcome home"

Cause when your sun went down
I knew it come around
Can't wait to see your smile...again

We're currently in New Jersey - hub for the Northeastern leg of our tour. The shows up until this point have been successful for us on ALL fronts. However our gigs in NYC have yielded little, if any, sales triumphs...but in an ongoing quest for the silver lining, we're learning some valuable lessons and sharing in some very memorable experiences.

One evening following a Manhattan performance, we decided to to drive to the gaping hole that was once the foundation of the World Trade Center. Having never seen the Towers in person, my most vivid imagination could not picture them dominating the city skyline. The memorials, photographs, and timelines that adorned the perimeter of Ground Zero brought a chilling realism and closeness to an event that once was known to me only in the news. And I felt my soul resonate with the lives that had been lost and the strength of the community that has carried on.

That's the beauty of this tour; every experience, every meeting, and every encounter helps me to become a part of this earth...and allows me to tap into pulse of the world in a way that working retail 45+ hours a week could never do. Times like this outweigh any shortcomings...and remind me that as long as we're connected to Life, we'll never fail.

250 CDs. 31 shows. 18 cities. 3 very fortunate artists. 1 fantastic tour.

We are here now in the fine state of Idaho after almost two months of touring...and completely stunned by the wonderful response that we've been getting. In my previous blog, I mentioned that this music thing is my new job. Not much has changed.

The work days have been LONG and the performances are emotionally taxing. Sometimes we play for no one. Sometimes we'll sell only one CD. But in the end, our trio has reached people by means of our art...our creation.

No matter how difficult it gets, this fact is motivation enough for us to continue.It is an absolute blessing to be able roam the country and connect with people from all walks of life. We've also met some outstanding musicians residing in the cities that we've passed through. Please take a gander at the artists below - to name just a few:

Roberta Chevrette (Sacramento, CA)
Rebecca Scott (Boise, ID)
Dan Costello (Boise, ID)

In addition to these folks, the locals and their stories provide so much inspiration. To all of these people - and you, reading this - I am eternally grateful for your support and belief in what we're doing.

Thank you.

Nearly two weeks have passed since we left Los Angeles for our first national tour. The days that led up to our departure left little to remember...nothing more than blur. Just a few memories remain of hauling stuff down two flights of stairs, across town, and into our storage facility. Nearly two weeks since Jen and I said goodbye to the comfort of our gorgeous apartment and security of full-time paycheck. Nearly two weeks without guarantee of our next meal or tank of gas. Still...I couldn't be happier!!

Heading north on the 5-freeway, through the darkness of the July night I could see the whole world in front of me. A world of potential and possibilities. A new phase of my life in which I'm allowed the opportunity to connect with the outside world and become part of a whole...no longer a shuffling, wandering drone of the corporate hive.

Here - on the road - I've been blessed to spend time with family, rekindle old friendships, and see my music reach new people. I work for the good of our partnership; everyday is spent booking shows, rehearsing music, driving to the next destination, and spilling my soul through my music. Creativity sparked, purpose ignited, and love ablaze!! 

This is my full-time job.

 

Thanks to all that have supported us emotionally and financially in preparation for the tour. We'll make you proud!

Ladies and Gents...I am pleased to officially announce our new CD entitled, INNOMINATA. This album is a compilation of music from Jen and I. It is a mix of re-recorded favorites and new classics as you'll see in the track list below. But first...THE COVER





1. Thornbirds
2. Any Means
3. Oblivion
4. Songs to Drive to - pt.I
5. Disease
6. Overflow
7. My Calling
8. In Time
9. Aspirations
10. Get Out Of My Head
11. Smitten
12. Songs to Drive to - pt.II

We're still currently working on the e-commerce thing, but if you would like to get your mitts on a copy, don't hesitate to send me a MySpace message or e-mail me. I also encourage you to check out the newly uploaded "Any Means" and studio version of "Part II". Bon appetit!

The Zoo Human Tour starts soon and I'll be updating from the road. Subscribe to the blog to stay up on the latest.

Be good,
D

Tonight, Jen and I visited the local Red Brick Pizza for a late dinner. As anyone who has been to a Red Brick may know, each table features a nifty flat screen TV with a load of channels for one's perusal. Never having seen an episode of American Idol, we agreed that there was no better time than the season finale to catch an episode.

Fast forward to the revelation of this season's winner, prefaced by Seacrest stating that "63.4 million votes were cast; more than any president in the history of our country has received." Granted, I don't look at him as a historian...but if there is any truth to Seacrest's statistic, America is doomed!!

Or...perhaps next Presidential Election, we scrap the debates and the candidates square off at the mic for Paula, Randy, Simon, and a lost nation glued to the tube.