THIS WAS WRITTEN LAST WEEK, BUT IM JUST POSTING IT NOW:

hello all....

lets just get to the bad stuff first...quick n painful....like rippin off a band aid....thats attached to your eyeball......my show in new york on saturday oct. 25 has been cancelled......in light of that ive had to cancel my entire trip to new york.....i know ive spoken to many of you in the last few days about that show and trip and am sad that i will not be getting to see all of you as planned......there is nothing i can do about it....it was not my decision.....the show was part of a week of showcases at the same venue and there were apparently some failings on part of the promoters that led to money disputes that led to me having to write this email and apologize to all of my friends and fans in new york........

(sigh)....now on with the news.....

TONIGHT!!!....oct. 22nd.....The Ritz(rel and i) will be playing a show in milwaukee at the jackalop lounj at the wicked hop at 345 n broadway......it is absolutely FREE!!!...and i assume there are cheap drinks...cuz...well.....its milwaukee.........show starts at 9pm and also features superstar dj kid cut up and possibly some surprise guests!!!......

also....if you didnt notice i did not play a show at the abbey in chicago on october 16th......that show was cancelled as well(talk about a string of bad luck).......but.....i have been added to the line up of another show at the abbey on november 8th......this one is being headlined by the mighty underdogs(lateef the truth speaker, dj headnodic, and gift of gab from blackalicious), and also features oakland heavywieghts zion i, the opus with aristacats, and my homie longshot......ill be on first that night which usually means 9pm sharp!!....so please get there early.......

in other news.....check out the ad for the ritz in the october issue of xlr8r magazine....big ups to earmint on the design.....we also had a song featured on their "incite" cd that accompanies the issue............the video for the song "heartless" is complete and it looks amazing....and....you cant see it...haha....just not yet......were working on getting it an internet premiere on some fancy indie tastemaker site......but either way it should be up very soon and i will alert all of you when that happens.........and finally....since im not going to new york this weekend ive decided to roll down to cincinatti with the rest of the lab-o crew for the annual festival of hip hop known as scribble jam........come join us if you can.......i believe elfamail and moodswangz may even be in the battle again this year.........but dont quote me on that........

keep your socks dry!!

see ya next reel
apoc
elmhurst il

hey kids...

bad news.......our october 16th show at the abbey pub with kool keith and others has been cancelled......

but....

good news.....we now have a show on november 8th at the abbey pub with Mighty Underdogs, Zion I, Opus with the Aristacats, and Longshot.......i'll have more details for you on that show soon......

be good...

greetings carbon-based bipeds!!!!...

...if you're a resident of the Chicagoland area you may have been startled to open your paper this morning and find my ugly mug staring back at you.....that's because we had a feature written about The Ritz on page 16 of today's On The Town section.....the article also appears(in some form) in today's Red Eye, which is the Tribune's free daily entertainment publication you can find scattered around train cars and clogging up restaurant doorways citywide!!!......if you don't live around Chicago and still want to know about all of the controversial accusations that were slung at us by writer Andy Downing...you can read a slightly abbreviated version of the article right here.....

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/arts/chi-the-ritz-0926sep26,0,6259381.story

...hope you enjoy!!!.....also....i'd like to remind everyone about The Ritz release party taking place tonight!!!...sept. 26th!!!....2008!!!!...the show is at the u.s. beer company which is located at 1801 n. clybourn in the great city of Chicago......come out and be regaled with the musical stylings of local favorites Black Collar, superstar dj Onceamonth, club staple Vyle and of course riot-inciters The Ritz....spirits will be served all night long!!.....come drink n be merry....tickets at the door are $7 (cheap!!)....but you can also get tickets from me in advance for only $5 (cheaper!!!)......the show begins at 9pm......i'd like to say "bring the whole family!".....but alas the venue has a strict 21 & over policy......

...if you'd like to get tickets from me...just holler....708.267.1661 and i'll have my courier rush them to you forthwith.....

godspeed, you wayward knights...
..uncle Apoc

hello all!!!!

...Adam Pray, who directed The Ritz's "Langston Bukowski" video, also produced a documentary in the congo this past year....the program will be showing tonight on the national geographic channel!!.....it's part of their Explorer series and is called Congo Bush PIlots.....you can check your local listings but here in chicago it will be airing at 9pm and then again at midnight........and im sure that they'll rerun it a bunch next week if you miss it tonight....thats what nat geo does........if the program is successful they will be turning it into a series!!!.....congrats to adam!!

....also this friday september 19th we will be shooting a video for the song "Heartless" here in Chicago and will be needing some extras for a bar scene.....we will be shooting the scene at the lakeview mens club at 2732 n pine grove sometime in the late afternoon/early evening.....if you'd like to be a part of the shoot...let me know and i'll keep you posted on the specifics......all the drinks will be on me!!!....

....and heres all the details for our chicago release party....

friday september 26th @ u.s. beer co. 1801 n clybourn
Lab-Oratory Records presents.....
The Ritz "The Night of Day" release party
featuring performances by...
The Ritz
Vyle
Tekno Union Army (Earmint and Magicpantz of Herc)
Black Collar
and DJ Onceamonth
hosted by MoodSwangz
doors @ 8pm show @ 9pm 21+ $7

....hope to see some of you there!!!....

see ya next reel
apoc
elmhurst il

hey everybody....really quick just wanted to let everyone know about a few developments....

first off....The Ritz hit 20 on the cmj hip hop charts this week!!!....and still climbing...

secondly.... undergroundhiphop.com has featured us in their hot cd section this week on the front page of their site.....

and finally....thought people might be interested in checking out The Rtiz ecard....its got some fancy flash animation....links to videos n what not....and streaming audio of the entire album......check it out here.... http://www.fanaticpromotion.com/projects/theritz/ecard/

...headed out of telluride tomorrow and back to chicago where we'll be shooting a video for the song "Heartless"....look for that by the end of month....

see ya on the other side..
apoc
telluride co

hello again kiddies!!!.....it's your old uncle apoc again...here to bestow upon you news from afar...or near....depending on your location i suppose......

since we last spoke lots has happened, lots is happening and lots more is about to happen.....

rel and I's new album as The Ritz...The Night of Day....hit independent and corporate cd retailers worldwide on the 19th of august.....and...although there was a little confusion about this.....will be hitting digital retailers(such as itunes, hiphopsite, napster, etc....) this coming tuesday september 9th!!!......

the album debuted on the college music hip hop charts at 33 last week and climbed to 27 this week.....it's the 1 hip hop album on KDHX in st. louis mo and the 2 hip hop album on KXZY in stillwater ok(wherever that is)......keep calling your local college radio stations and requesting The Ritz.....let's break the top 20 this week!!!......

reviews for "The Night of Day" are starting to pour in and they are all resoundingly positive so far......how could they not be!?!?!.....one of the best is from the highly regarded College Music Journal....you can check it out here....

http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=74547715

...the reviewer calls it "an album to play over and over again"....that's about as good as it gets...........or so i thought until i read this review in the official student newspaper of the University of Houston....The Daily Cougar...

http://media.www.thedailycougar.com/media/storage/paper1206/news/2008/08/26/LifeArts/Debut.From.New.Rap.Duo.Amazes-3404485.shtml

..where the reviewer calls it "a cinematic musical masterpiece" and then goes on to say that the album "singlehandedly creates a new genre for the Postmodern Era"....i don't even know what that means but methinks someone has spent a little too much time in journalism school......nonetheless.....a glowing review!!....theres more of them too....you can check out some of these others from various music blogs n whatnot.....

http://www.stereosubversion.com/ssv-blogs/08-21-2008/the-ritz/

http://therunoffgroove.blogspot.com/2008/08/run-off-groove-213.html

http://survivingthegoldenage.blogspot.com/2008/08/ritz-night-of-day.html

http://gapersblock.com/transmission/2008/08/14/puttin_on_the_ritz/

http://wearduringorangealert.blogspot.com/

http://www.raves.com/cdreviews/show/501/THERITZ-THENIGHTOFDAY

http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/2008/08/12/track-review-the-ritz-its-the-from-the-night-of-day

....and the list could go on.....but those make for a pretty good example of the type of press we've been getting.....

also xlr8r.com has made our song "Heartless" a featured mp3.....which means that you can download it for free.....check it out here...

http://www.xlr8r.com/mp3/2008/08/heartless

...while you're there...go ahead and give it a good rating why don't ya.....this time you don't have to sign up for anything....just click on the stars.........which reminds me.........thank you to all of you who gave us a good rating on the urb next 1000......for those of you who haven't gotten a chance to yet......heres the link again.....

http://www.urb.com/promotions/next1000/profile.php?BandId=1111

...this is an ongoing promotion...so get your friends to jump on the bandwagon too.....

and....of course.....we have some shows coming up.....i'll give you all the details later but just as a preliminary warning......this month we will be having our official chicago release party at the u.s beer company...featuring performances by The Ritz, Modill and more.....and then in october we will be playing at the abbey pub in chicago with Kool Kieth, Tim Dog, Verbal Kent and others on the 16th......before we head to new york city for a show at shunda k of yo! majesty's new weekly at the os art house on the 25th......and from there we head to europe where we'll be doing some touring in late october, november and early december........busy busy busy.....

and finally.....thank you to everyone who got back to me after the last blog....it was great to hear from all of you.....please continue to keep me posted on your lives as well......

thanks for your patience and continued support....

see ya on the other side...
apoc
telluride co

hey kids!!....lot going on right now.....been busy....but didnt want you to think i'd forgotten about all y'all.....so heres the update....

first off.....this tuesday august 19th marks the release of The Ritz - The Night of Day......which is the debut album from myself(apoc) and rel as The Ritz.....want to know more???...check out the bio and track listing below.....

In a world sick with greed, lust, self-loathing and a plague of addictions, The Ritz is merely another symptom. With "The Night of Day," Apoc and Rel fulfill the promise that was heard in their past collaborations on projects like Apoc's 2005 release "Gods & Ghosts" and their contribution to the 2004 compilation "The Zooey Files." For their first full-length album as The Ritz, they wanted to showcase their ability to explore a diverse array of styles while still creating a cohesive and affecting hip hop record. For inspiration they looked to the themes and aesthetics of the gritty noir films of the 1940s and 50s. On the production end, Rel, the son of world-renowned karate master Miyuki Miura, creates a collection of beats that demonstrate his range as a producer. Using a palette that includes classic soul chops, staccato synths, and haunting strings, Rel's tracks bounce from dark and evocative to soulful and melodic; fashioning more than a few bangers in the process. Now on his third full length project, and having hit the road to play shows around the country this past year, Apoc handles the majority of the rapping, jumping seamlessly from one style to the next as the album evolves. Using the language of noir and relying on the genre's motifs of scorned lovers, disenchanted heros, mysterious pasts and a corrupt and violent world, he spits cinematic tales describing the underbelly of modern American society. Utilizing his vast catalog of styles, Apoc's nihilistic stories are told with fervor, from the sing songy raps of "Heartless" or "Waiting" to the rapid fire delivery of the title track. He even gives some impressive nods to his native Chicago exhibiting his aptitude for spitting the city's signature double-time sound on "The Getaway" and "Blown." To compliment the striking work put in by Apoc and Rel, the album is sprinkled with snippets from some of the film noir movies that influenced them during the creation of the album. They also get some significant contributions from fellow Chicagoans Racecar of Modill, Giraffe Nuts members Moodswangz and Elfamail, and Rhymesayers recording artist Psalm One, as well as cuts by battle veteran DJ Onceamonth. All of this adds up to make "The Night of Day" a defining effort in the emergence of two talented and innovative artists.

1. Gotta Be
2. It's The…
3. The Night of Day
4. The Getaway
5. She Lived by Night
6. Chiaroscuro
7. Langston Bukowski featuring Racecar of Modill
8. Step featuring Brendan B
9. Heartless
10. The Point of No Return
11. Blown featuring Psalm One
12. Good Times, Girls
13. Too Late for Tears
14. Waiting for the Sun to Set
15. I Said That featuring Moodswangz and Elfamail

.......wanna hear some of the music???......you can hear the whole album streaming right here.... http://www.fanaticpromotion.com/projects/theritz/ecard/ ...theres some pretty nifty flash animation on that page as well...

......wanna purchase the album??.....you can order the cd here.... ughh.com or here.... accesshiphop.com .....or you can get it digitally via itunes, hiphopsite.com, and a bunch of other places starting tuesday......

......want more than just music???....how about a video???......hit the link below to watch our new video for the song "Langston Bukowski" which features my homie racecar from modill......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3InX7AxeAY

....some of you who know me from michigan will definitely recognize some of the locations......

....as i mentioned before this album is coming out on tuesday and we have alot of exciting things going on that i will keep you posted about in the next few weeks.....for starters.....The Ritz was the number 2 most added hip hop record to college radio stations across the country this past week...only behind the new lee "scratch" perry record.....now we just gotta get some airplay....so call up your local hip hop radio shows and request The Ritz!!!....so we can start moving up those charts!!

and finally....and most importantly.....i must ask a favor of all of you....

The Ritz has recently been nominated for URB MAGAZINE'S NEXT 1000......but to get into the magazine we need help from all of you.......

please visit http://www.urb.com/promotions/next1000/profiles/1111-The+Ritz.php ...and give us a good rating....leave a comment if you like and tell us what you think...

....if you're not already a member....you can register by clicking the link right below the comments towards the bottom of the page.....DON'T WORRY they will not send you a bunch of spam or email updates or any other crap like that as long as you don't click on those options when you're registering.....

thank you for your help with this...it means alot to us....and for those of you with multiple emails....remember what they say in chicago....VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN!!!

...well...that about covers it for now.....but stay tuned cuz there are alot of other exciting things in the works.....

see ya next reel
apoc
telluride co

p.s....for those of you in telluride....don't forget about my show thursday night august 21st at the fly me to the moon saloon....i'll have copies of the new album on hand....and dj essential and joe bags of the society of the invisibles will also be in the house......shit should be tiiiight!!!

visit www.lab-o.com/blog to view my blog

visit www.lab-o.com/blog to view my blog...

visit www.lab-o.com/blog to view my blog