Hey Everybody!

My good buddy, Imani Coppola and I just submitted our masterpiece remix for the John Legend "If You're Out There" Remix contest. She's the one playing the purdy violins...

If you got a sec follow this link to Vote for our remix.

www.indabamusic.com/submissions/show/6762

and VOTE FOR PETE MISER

VOTE FOR PETE MISER

VOTE FOR PETE MISER

here it is again

www.indabamusic.com/submissions/show/6762


THANKS!!!


PS

Go see "Let the Right One in"

Back in 2007, when Barack Obama first entered the Democratic primary as a presidential candidate, Jin and I got together to write Open Letter 2 Obama. It was embraced by the campaign and posted on BarackObama.com as the first ringtone they offered:

www.barackobama.com/mobilev2/

It was also featured on the Daily Show. You can still see the clip here:

www.jwharrison.com/blog/2007/06/23/the-daily-show-–-obama-ringtones/

For the first time, it is available as a free high quality mp3 download on my website:

www.PeteMiser.com

Download it, play it loud and vote for Barack Obama on November 4th! Special shout out to Goldxilla for hooking up the low end!

-Pete

Friends...

I was inspired to change my profile picture when I saw that my close friend, Goldxilla changed his to an image of Barack Obama. While I was doing it I imagined, "what if all of Obama's supporters changed THEIR myspace photos to an image of Obama? What if myspace was a sea of Obama? Would that remind us that we are not out-numbered by the people who can't see that McCain/Palin represent a dangerous future for out country?"

I don't believe that McCain/Palin supporters are bad people or dummies. I just think they are making their presidential decision based on emotion and not careful consideration of what's really at stake. We all have issues that matter to us in this election. Here are my bigger concerns:

- ENERGY:
Off shore oil drilling won't have any effect on our fuel issues for a minimum of ten years but it will have a negative effect on the environment. At the same time we desperately need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels; not JUST foreign oil but ALL fossil fuels. For me, that involves using public transportation, riding my bike, reusing and refusing plastic bags, etc. Barack Obama has made a clear commitment to reducing America's fossil fuel dependence. He's not supported by oil companies for an obvious reason. He is not working in their direct interests.

- THE WAR:
This war is costing American tax-payers more than 341 million dollars PER DAY!
This war has cost the country of Iraq more than 650,000 lives. (Let's not forget that the country of Iraq was never our stated enemy!)
This war has cost the United States more than 4,000 lives.
This war had nothing to do with terrorism until our intervention inspired terrorism!

If the surge "succeeds" we don't achieve victory. We achieve damage control. We get ourselves out of a bad situation but not into a better one. Barack Obama opposed the war in Iraq from the very start. He could see the above problems on the horizon. That doesn't mean he's afraid to fight. It means he's wise. The war in Iraq has put our military in a bad position and has done absolutely nothing to help our country. Nothing!

- THE ECONOMY:
Free market conservatives like to deregulate American industry and "let the market take care of itself." They believe that through competition, the best results will occur naturally and regular people will benefit from the wealth that corporations enjoy. Us regular people already know that, say Exxon's record earnings for ALL CORPORATIONS IN HISTORY won't trickle down to our bank accounts. We understand that corporations need a little nudging to make sure they keep the common good in mind as well as the generation of profits. We know that America benefits from some measure of oversight to make sure that there's no ecoli in the meat, no lead in the paint, no lies in the advertising. Free market conservatives only choose to provide a helping hand when the those giant corporations fail... and they want you and me to pay for it!

Barack Obama is in favor of government oversight of business meant to make sure disasters like the mortgage crisis don't occur. He supports the development of a new energy economy that will kill four birds with one stone; it will reduce our dependence on oil. It will provide millions of new jobs. It will help curb climate change. It will restore America as a world business leader.

- SUPREME COURT JUSTICES:
It is expected that three Supreme Court justices will retire during the next presidential term. The candidate that wins this election will select three people to make judgments in America's highest court until they die or retire! Remember that the Supreme Court is where the United States Constitution is interpreted in regard to how it applies to real life in this country. The Supreme Court's interpretation of the Constitution is the reason that segregation came to an end. It's the venue through which women demanded their right to vote. It is the protector of our freedom of speech and civil liberties including control over our own bodies! Barack Obama has experience as a professor of constitutional law. He has the most studied understanding of the U.S. Constitution of any presidential candidate that I've had the opportunity to vote for.

I could list a hundred more reasons why I support Barack Obama for president but, like you, I can't blow off my whole day ranting about politics! At the same time, I can't keep quiet for fear that other people will keep quiet as well. We need real dialogue about what happens to our country's future not sound bites, name calling and empty cheer-leading. I invite you to ask yourself some honest questions. Ask what matters most in your life and then think carefully about how the government has an effect on it. Then, look into the policies of the candidates for president. I believe (whether "red-stater" or "blue-stater") that you will find that Barack Obama has a better plan America's future. If he does, let everyone around you know. We (meaning regular people who aren't the CEOs of international corporations) can't afford to lose more control over the direction of our government.

HERE ARE SOME NON-PARTISAN PLACES WHERE YOU CAN COMPARE POLICIES:

www.ontheissues.org
www.factcheck.org
www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html

-Pete

No, that wasn't a typo in the headline of this blog entry. I'm realizing why I'm happy to be an independent artist. A year ago I was partnering up with Bacardi to release one of my songs that they used in a commercial for Bacardi Peach Red. Now, a year later, it's clear that things get complicated when corporations get involved. I've finally worked it out so I can post the song. It's called "Only For Today" and it's here on my myspace music player.

Sorry for the long wait!!

Well its officially available folks, Now you can trash can your old crummy copy you made yourself and get the high quality official MP3 and/or ringtone of the super smash hit "Hit Me On My iPhone".

Yes, yes the over 180,000 viewed Youtube smash hit video is YOURS!

All you have to do is click the fancy iPhone below and you'll be transported to PeteMiser.com to get your very own copy of the joint!






Thank You

-The Pete Miser Web Team (Bringing You The Hottest Ringtone Available)

The long story is this, I got an iPhone about two weeks after they came out. I'm not the type to get all mushy about a piece of technology but it done changed my life. (If you don't know, then you better borrow your cousin's and check it out. I'm not gonna go on a whole tangent but messing around with an iPhone is like reaching into the future and hanging out with super attractive aliens at a hot party...or something.) About a month after I got it, I was asked to fly to L.A. to actually be in an iPhone commercial. You know, the ones with the "regular" person standing in front of the black background? Right! Well, I was getting all excited to go out there and this real stupid song popped into my head. As you may know, I'm a hip hop artist so of course I think, "why not record the thing?" about a day later it's recorded. Then I think, "why not recut the iPhone guy lipsyncing my song?" That's where Arrow and Merritt hooked me up. Arrow's like the Wolf from Pulp Fiction. If George Bush knew Arrow, this whole Iraq business would be sewn up by now. Anyway, Arrow made some calls, tracked down Merritt and Merritt worked his delicate fingers to the bone crafting this exquisite piece of art. We're pretty sure we have about two weeks before Apple threatens to break our kneecaps so enjoy it while it lasts:

Q: What are you talking about?

A: The music in the commercial for Bacardi Peach Red.



Q: Did you do it?

A: Yeah!

Q: Is it a whole song or just a 30 second piece of music for the commercial?

A: It's a whole song.

Q: What's it called?

A: "Only For Today"

Q: Where can I get it?

A: You will be able to get it through this page in August.

Q: I still don't get what you're talking about!

A: The creative minds at Bacardi had the good sense to use some new Pete Miser music in their campaign for Bacardi Flavors. The response has been so positive that I'm teaming up with Bacardi to release the song earlier than the rest of my album. It will be available here on my myspace page sometime in August.

I've been getting e-mails asking if it is indeed me and my homie Jin on that Barack Obama ringtone. The answer is YES! If you didn't know, Jin and I teamed up and wrote a song called "Open Letter 2 Obama" about our support for him as a presidential candidate. Go to Jin's Page to hear the song.

The Obama campaign was feeling the song so they asked if they could offer it as a ringtone. If you're feeling Obama like Jin and I are feeling him, download the song from BarackObama.com. It's free and, according to John Stewart, it's hot!

...Oh, and don't forget to vote!!

My homie, Dan wanted to know why he ain't heard from me recently. If you're wondering the same, here's how I answered his EXTREMELY invasive questions!

Dan...

I've been so damned busy recently that I haven't had a chance to update my page. Maybe you can post this on the PDX2NYC group so people can know the latest if they're interested.

Q: Whats up with you in general man?

A: In the studio pulling all-nighters, working my ass off and generally trying to keep my head above water. Everything is good. Just have tons of demand for my production right now.

HIGHLIGHTS:

- Recorded music for a documentary film about double dutch jump rope called "Doubletime." It will be in the Tribeca Film Festival starting this Saturday. More information here:

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/tixSYS/2007/filmguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=2850

- Working on an album with Jin. First song from our efforts is called "Open Letter To Obama" and can be heard on his myspace page:

www.myspace.com/therealjin

- About to start working on an album with Grammy award winning producer, Russ Titelman. The artist's name is Alexis Fox. I'll be producing, co-producing and co-writing material on the album.

- Producing album material for a band from Colorado called Mama's Cookin'.

www.myspace.com/mamascookin

- Writing new material for my next record.

Q: Are you ever gonna put new songs on your page?

A: Yeah, I'm going to put new songs on my page. I'm just not sure what and when. I've got about eight new songs 90% done that will be on the new album. (I have another ten that are in various stages of completion and several more that aren't good enough to go on the album.) The problem is, if I put songs on my myspace page as I complete them then when the album comes out, those songs will be old by then. Plus, with the way technology is, there's always some way to rip the songs from websites. That means that people will have a song of mine before it's finally mixed and mastered. Pete don't like that! So, yeah, there will be more songs. Just don't know when.

Q: I heard through the grapevine you bought a house?

A: This is New York so that means I bought an apartment. It's a studio apartment 450 square feet. TINY! But it's my crib and it has a view of lower Manhattan. Plus, apparently Talib Kweli's mom lives in my building!

Q: Do you work a "normal" job or do you just rely on your music?

A: Just my music...as if I had enough time to do something else!

Q: What did you eat for dinner today?

A: Spinach salad with avocado and cranberries.

Q: Whos the lady thats on the answering machine on "Endure"?

A: That's my homegirl, Angelique. She is a singer and DJ from L.A./New York/London/Spain. Free-spirit artist friend.

Q: Is Maya A. your "woman"?

A: Naw, but she is tight tight family. By the way, she just won the equivalent of a Grammy in Croatia for a song she recorded with an artist there. I engineered her vocal recording and the album won an award too. From now on refer to me as "Croatian Equivalent To The Grammy Award Winning Producer Pete Miser" in all my press releases!

Q: Isnt it pathetic im bothering you?

A: Not as pathetic as the fact that I haven't updated my website since December so you have to bother me!!

Q: I'm sure your mad busy all the time, or not...

A: I'm busy all the time. I was telling a friend that I haven't been bored since, maybe 1984. I stay busy. I like what I do so why wouldn't I want to work?

It's 3:00 AM and I can't sleep. It used to be that this was a common thing for me but my insomniac days seem to be behind me for the most part. Nonetheless, every once in awhile, my mind gets to working overtime and I can't fall asleep to save my life. Tonight's one of those nights.

I have a million things I should be doing with these bonus hours. Tax time is coming up and I haven't gotten that shit together. I could be writing lyrics. There's a stack of papers and mail on my desk that needs to be dealt with. That's what I would normally do with my time but I'm (justifiably) accused of ignoring my myspace page so tonight I'm gonna babble to anyone bored enough to read this.

Tonight's target audience: Lonely late nighters hanging ten on digital boards as they surf the waves of ones and zeros spewing across the sea of cyberspace. What do you wanna talk about?

What do I wanna talk about?

I don't post many blog entries because, well, the stuff on my mind isn't all that interesting in my opinion. I probably feel that way because I'm used to my thoughts so, to me, they don't seem unique or revolutionary. It's a pretty self-righteous thing to believe that what's on one's mind is so important and cool that it should be posted for the world to see. To be honest, that's why song writing is so hard for me. I don't wanna record words that are strictly for my own self-celebration. I want to write words that contribute to the greater universal good in some way.

It could be argued that rocking lyrics solely for one's own pleasure does contribute to the "greater universal good." That the joy of performing will reach out through the recordings and touch people. I suppose that's true. Nevertheless, as I'm writing lyrics, I can't help but hear the voice of integrity whispering in my ear. Here's what it's usually saying to me:

"No clichés!"

"Someone already made that point in their lyrics and they did a better job of it."

"Do you seriously believe that shit?"

"Who are you to talk about that subject?"

"No one is gonna understand what you're trying to say."

And the most useful of all advice from the little voice inside my head: "Don't rap about shit that only rappers care about!"

I wish there was a little voice in every mc's head saying that last thing. It could be argued that the best mcs are the so-called "back packers" in terms of skills and flow but that scene is dominated by songs about hip hop. My personal rule is that the topic of hip hop cannot be the number one subject of my albums. It's too narrow of a subject and it limits the audience to people who can relate; namely, other hip hop artists who notoriously don't give anyone else props and don't constitute much of a record buying segment. Most of all, it's just boring to rap about rapping! It's like Martin Luther King Jr wasting his brilliant public speaking skills on speeches about giving speeches. The only people who would care would be other public speakers!

All that brings me back to why I don't write blog entries more often. 'Cause here I am writing about writing! Isn't that just as bad as rapping about rapping? I guess the difference is you didn't pay for this. I promise that I'll get wasted sometime soon and have a threesome with a deaf-mute and a farm animal so I have more interesting shit to talk about next time. In the meantime, how am I gonna get to sleep?