Hey there.

I'm still working on my RPM record, tentatively titled "Document". 2 tracks are slated to be produced by the inimitable Seth Bove; most of the rest of this lunacy will be solely my fault.

I'm excited about the songs. I'm excited about pushing myself on them, pushing my own conceptions of what an "album" can be, what it can say, and how. I hope you are just as excited to hear it. I hope you remain somewhat excited after having heard it.

Actually, I hope you listen to it at all.

Now accepting requests for copies.

Paz!
Robby

The RPM Challenge for 2008 begins this coming Friday. Here's the bulletin post from the organizers from a day or two ago:

"That's right folks, there's less than one week left to sign up for the the 2008 RPM Challenge, the global music experiment that encourages musicians around the world to write and record an album - 10 songs or 35 minutes of music - during the month of February.

This is not a contest - there are no winners and no prizes - it's purely a creative challenge. Last year more than 2,400 artists from all seven continents participated and over 880 albums were created!

Go to www.rpmchallenge.com to find out more.

C'mon and take the challenge - what have you got to lose?"

I know I've said this a lot...but seriously, if you've EVER wanted to record music but felt like you didn't have the time/weren't good enough/couldn't write lyrics/couldn't write good guitar lines/were too stupid/weren't cool enough/WHATEVER, you seriously need to take a look at this thing.

It will make you a better player, musician, songwriter, and human being. And it's fun as hell.

Let me know if you join...we should collaborate.

PAZ.

So there's been a bit of concern over 2008's RPM (Record Production Month) Challenge, due to the fact that the group's site (www.rpmchallenge.com) hasn't seen an update since August...

However, their MySpace page (www.myspace.com/rpmchallenge) has a calendar event that reads along the lines of, "Get ready, RPMers, February 2008 is coming fast, make a record in 29 days 'cause it's awesome."

So - I'm going to make a record in 29 days again (leap year!).  'Cause it's awesome.

Seriously, I hope a few folks are reading this blog, and thinking, "Damn - a record in 29 days.  I wish I could do that.  That Reconsider guy sure kicks some ass.  Good on 'im."

Yes, I do hope you're thinking that.  Not because I'm (overly) vain, but because YOU CAN KICK SOME ASS, TOO.  You should totally do this.  Yes, you.  Because you can.

You're reading this on a computer, right?  Most computers have built-in mics.  Even if you don't have some fancy equipment and whatnot, you can STILL MAKE A RECORD just with the stuff you've got lying around.  Don't have a guitar, or know how to play one?  Who says you need to have a guitar?  Or a keyboard?  Can't carry a tune?  Who says you need to sing?  Are you mute?  Who says you need any vocals at all?

Never written a song before, you say?  So what?  You know what a song is, right?  You can make one up, even if it's bad.  A song could be you clinking spoons for 3 minutes (that's my idea, you heard it here first).

You have to do it badly before you can do it well.  You've got 29 days to make it happen x10.  And at the end of it, you'll be 10x better at doing it.  Guaranteed.

This has been a public service announcement from Reconsider.

So.

Remember that cover I said was "coming soon" a couple months ago?

It's up.

Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down" is now available for listening on my page. Sorry for the poor quality...you'd think if you get a fancy computer, you could use your fancy equipment - but NOOOOO...

Anyway, I kinda like how it turned out for an hour's work...someday I'm going to do this stuff with a professional, I keep telling myself...

Working on Christmas songs currently. Hope to have them up before Christmas. If I'm lucky.

Hope you dig the new tune.

Paz!

Couple quick notes on what's going on with Reconsider:

1. the project is now based in Brooklyn. because that's where the member of the band currently lives.
2. the band has been overrun with lots and lots of reading that will hopefully somehow make the music better, but the band's not exactly sure [i] how [/i] it's going to do that yet.
3. due to said reading, music has not been written. and songs have not been recorded. or even rehearsed, really.
4. there is a silver lining. read 5, 6 and 7 for more information.
5. a project has been conceived by the band. an EP of sorts. actually, it was conceived almost a year ago. not one hastily thrown together in a month, like RPM. but one that will be somewhat carefully constructed (operative word: somewhat).
6. two songs for that EP have been (almost) demo'd. there will be 5 songs.
7. the band is looking to play some open mics. if you know some good ones in the Village, or in Brooklyn, send a message to the band.

Thanks for listening, hope you're digging the tracks up on the player (there will be a new cover up soon), and PAZ.

So I've been hitting up The Muddy Cup's open mic night the past two Mondays, and it's been a pretty cool time.  I've been meaning to get out and play in front of people more often; this has done the trick quite nicely.

I've also had the chance to meet and hear some local talent, which I appreciate greatly.  Check out 1/2 Step Down, and Jen Abounader - they're on my friends list.  1/2 Step Down is the host, so they're on every week, and Jen's been there the past 2 weeks.  She did a kickin' cover one night of The Decemberists' "Oh, Valencia!" - good stuff.

Of course, I find a place to go every week and meet some cool new folks right as I'm about to leave Albany.  Brilliant, no?  Oh well - no shortage of open mics in NYC, I'm sure (and a bandmate I gotta rock with, too)...

Anyway, if you'd like to come listen some Monday night, that'd be awesome.  If you'd like to come listen, and perform, that'd be even awesomer.  Sign-up for acts is @ 8 p.m.; performances start at 8:30.

I expect to be there this week, the 16th.  I'll be playing a cover I used to do in college, and the first song I ever wrote.

Hope to see you there.

Paz,
Robby

Hey ya'll,

I'm going to check out (and hopefully play at) the Open Mic at The Muddy Cup Cafe, Madison Ave. in Albany (www.myspace.com/muddycupopenmicnight) this Monday - that's tomorrow, from when I'm posting this. It's at 8:30 p.m., sign-up at 8.

Why am I posting this?

'Cause I'm gonna play. 2 songs I've never done live before - 1 original, 1 cover. And I'd love it if you came:)

Also, if you're a musician/poet/comedian/performerofanystripe - want to come check it out with me, and show off some of your mad skills, too? That could be pretty awesome.

Maybe see you there! (?)

My submission for the RPM Challenge is complete, and has been submitted.

It's entitled Media Inspired, and you can hear the tracks "Folk Star Me" and "Nothing We Can Do?" on the jukebox on my page...more tracks might appear up there as well...

Speaking of Media Inspired, as you might guess, it's full of tracks inspired by news articles (well, except one...).  Seems I'm not the only one with this idea: check it out.

In case you hadn't seen anything about my participation in RPM, check out my blog for the project here.  Hopefully I'll be able to scan in the album artwork soon...I really like how it turned out...

As for the record...well, it's rough:)  But it's 10 tracks, a couple of which I'm really proud of, and I completed the goals of the challenge.  And it's got me wanting to do more.

So expect a couple of "show dates" (open mic appearances, really) to pop up soon, and maybe new developments on new songs and new recordings...

Thanks for listening.
Robby

This isn't music related, really...

But I recently finished up work on a short film, and wrote an article about the process for the website of the Capital Region's film association, Upstate Independents.

Check it out here.

Long story short: if you've got an idea for a film (or a record, for that matter), just do it.  Make it happen.  You'll feel much better you did.

Paz.

 

P.S. Why is the "Category" listed as "Movies, TV, and Celebrities"?  Can't we talk about film or television without including the pretty paparazzi'd people?

If you feel so inclined, follow what's going on with my RPM project here.

There's a blog there.  And I wrote it.  But I still hate blogs.  Don't judge me.

Music coming soon...