Since all the cool kids are doing it, you can now find me on Facebook and Twitter too!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Dees/18581198467

and

http://twitter.com/mikedees23

Thanks for the support,
Mike Dees

I've kept this one under my hat until everything was done, but I am appearing on yet another tribute album from Burning Sky Records. This will be my 4th track on all three of their releases and I'm privileged to work with them.

The album is called "Take Refuge In Pleasure: The Songs Of Roxy Music" and will be coming out later this year. When I was contacted about submitting a track for it, I was initially reticent. I'm not the biggest fan of the band and I figured the few songs I liked would be spoken for (Love Is The Drug, Avalon, Slave To Love, More Than This). So I listened to as many songs as I could to find one I could do something with. After initially trying out versions of "Virginia Plain", "Still Falls The Rain", and "In Every Dream Home A Heartache", I finally settled on "Nightingale" from the Siren album.

My take is a more folk-pop version on the song, somewhere between The Beatles/Jellyfish and Wilco/Jayhawks, while still remaining true to my sound. For a recording that I was initially hesitant to do, I think it turned out really well and I'm proud of it.

The personnel on the recording are:

Mike Dees: Vocals, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, keyboard
Tom Arndt: Bass (Our new addition KILLS this trackin 2 takes!)
Kevin Doherty: Drums
Jobu Babin: Lap steel during the "this is where the acid kicks in" section.

So check out the good folks at Burning Sky Records ( http://www.myspace.com/burningskyrecords ). They've put all four of my tracks from their various releases on their page for your listening pleasure, including the premiere of "Nightingale" from "Take Refuge In Pleasure:The Songs Of Roxy Music" (coming later this year. http://www.myspace.com/songsofroxymusicrevisited ).

Here's a blog they posted about my involvement.
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=391357368&blogId=482675298

Also watch for Thunderjack's version of "The Bogus Man" from the album. Thunderjack is Tracy Chappell who contributed the awesome guitar solos to my versions of "Let This Dream Never End" from Sensory Lullabies:The Ultimate Tribute to Jellyfish" and "Flood of Sunshine" from Beautiful Escape: The songs of the Posies (Both still available from Burning Sky). Tracy is a great friend and excellent musician and his track is just pure whacked-out, Zappaesque, psychedelic bliss!

Thanks a bunch,
Mike Dees

Hey all,
Sorry I've been lax in the blogging department, I'll try to be more regular about these things. I want to thank everyone for coming out to the shows and supporting us and for coming to the site and playing the tunes. It really helps and I couldn't do it without you.

Without further ado, here's what's been going on recently:

Adam Dodds has left to play bass with his new project, Tiger Rag. Really good stuff! You can check it out at http://www.myspace.com/tigerragmusic . We wish him all the best!

We were privileged enough to have Tom Arndt (http://www.myspace.com/tomarndtok ) from my favorite local band, Chees Kees, join the band on bass and vocals. This guy is a monster and his melodic basslines have really opened up the live shows! Chees Kees album "Landscaping" was my favorite local release of last year and I highly recommend you check them out and get yourself a copy. It has excellent songwriting, stunning musicianship and vocal harmonies, and hooks you'll be singing for days. They are working on their second album now, and the previews of the songs I've heard are even better. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/cheeskees .

Guitarist Jobu Babin has finished his album and I was honored to contribute vocals to it. Look for it to debut this Summer. You can find previews of the tracks (including my contribution to "Mark My Words") on his page at http://www.myspace.com/jobubabin   

The Pink Floyd Jam was a rousing success! We raised a lot of money for Camp Looking Glass and got to play some great Floyd tunes in the process. For the show I added Jeff Marks on keyboards and guitar and Magdalenda Romero and Monica Dohnken on background vocals and it turned out really well! I'm not the biggest fan of playing cover songs, but I think we brought enough of our own sound to them. Look for some of those songs to make it into the setlist at various shows. I should have some video of the show up on the various sites soon.

Cheers,
Mike Dees

Happy Holidays! Here's a little gift for you. It's a free download of my Holiday EP "Partridge" (Missing the cover songs of course for copyright reasons, these are only the originals.)

Just go to http://www.door23.com/partridge.html and hit the download button. You can download the individual mp3s or get the whole album in one zip file. While you're there, check out the BUY section for more mp3 downloads and CDs as well.

Thanks to everyone who has shown support this year. I appreciate you more than words can say.
Enjoy!
Mike Dees

Yeah, you heard that right. Recently I was asked if I had any songs that would fit for a country compilation cd. Amazingly, I actually did. I had just written "Same Life, Different Day" and, while it doesn't fit in the context of my power pop/rock band, people really seemed to like it. I even had a few country artists wanting to play it but it's a little too personal to me to give to someone else. So my buddy Jeff Marks and I hit the studio and recorded it and I gave them "Picture" from the new album UNEARTHED as well.

Well, the cd is finally out and I was supposed to do a solo acoustic set for the album release, but they said they'd prefer that I have a band. That got me to thinking. I've always wanted to start a side project that would showcase the kind of 1970's California country rock I grew up with, stuff like the Eagles, America, Neil Young, and all that. I'm also a big fan of the current Americana/Alt. Country scene as well(Son Volt, Wilco, etc.), and have many songs in that vein that I don't get a chance to play in the rock band.

So I have a new side project now, called The Stargazers Union. Check us out at http://www.myspace.com/stargazersunion and add us if you're so inclined.

The lineup is:
Mike Dees: Guitar, Vocals
Jobu Babin: Guitar, Lap Steel, Vocals
Tom Arndt: Bass, Vocals
Jeff Marks: Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals
Kevin Doherty: Drums, Vocals

That's right, vocals aplenty and keyboards to boot. It's sounding really good and we're having a lot of fun with it. Right now we're just concentrating on "recontexting" my songs into this format for the CD release show, but with 5 vocalists and 4 excellent songwriters, who knows what might come of it down the road.

Come see us Thursday, November 13 at the Red Rooster
(Kayak Country Radio CD release party)
140 Lt. George W Lee Ave
Memphis, Tennessee 38130

Lots of acts celebrating the release of the Kayak Country Radio CD, including the debut of Mike Dees' new Americana project The Stargazers Union. Come learn the new dance sensation, the Kayak Rodeo Romp!
8PM: Memphis Trio
9PM: BonnieJean Drobeck
10PM: Mike Dees & the Stargazers Union
11PM: Sorghum Hill

Thanks a bunch,
Mike Dees

I recently had a photographer come out to the show at Poplar lounge to shoot some photos. A few select ones are up now. For more of the pictures, go to http://www.myspace.com/destefanophotography . I'm sure he'd appreciate feedback and  comments on them, so head over there and show some love if you would.

Dominic DeStefano of DeStefano Photography is a great guy and did an excellent job on the shoot. The lighting conditions were pretty bad, and he still made them look fantastic. Local bands needing pictures should definitely hit him up!

Cheers,
Mike Dees

Thanks so much to everyone who voted for us for the Memphis Popfest. We made it! Without even being on the ballot we came out of nowhere as a write-in and it's all due to YOU guys! Kudos and a hearty round of applause for you all.

The Top of the Memphis Pops show at Memphis Popsfest will be at the Hi Tone in Memphis July 25th. Check 'em out at www.memphispops.com or  http://www.myspace.com/memphispops and friend them up! Last year's show was great (you can see video on their page) and this year's should be even better!
Thank you,
Mike Dees

First off, I want to thank everyone who has voted to get us into Memphis Popfest. Thanks so much you guys! If you would, please spread the word and let's keep this ball rolling, we aren't out of the woods yet.Below is the bulletin with details and a link to vote. You don't have to be a Memphian to vote, so please friends from all over (Europeans and Aussies too!) just click the link and write in Mike Dees. I can't believe we got this far without even being on the ballot. We can do this...
Thanks!
Mike Dees
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From: Memphis Pops
Date: May 18, 2008 10:50 PM
Here's the totals so far for the Tops of the Memphis Pops Event!
Remember, voting for your favorite Memphis pop band ends May 31st at popsballot. memphisflyer. com

Top 4 Bands will play the Tops of the Memphis Pops July 25th.


1) Two Way Radio
2) Hi Electric
3) Shortwave Dahlia
4) Mike Dees

Don't let the Man take away your right to vote!

Recently one of my awesome fans was kind enough to make a fanpage for me. Check it out at http://www.myspace.com/mikedeesultimatefan
and add them if you’re so inclined.

They have a few exclusive tracks on the player. You can hear the live appearance I did on Rock 103 March 13th and a rough demo of "Same Life, Different Day" (a track that was too countryish to go on the main page, but too good to go unheard.)

They also have a section for pictures with fans, so if you have one lurking around your hard drive, send it along and they’ll put it up. Check out their blog for details.

Cheers,
Mike Dees