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Patrick Thomas



Last Updated: 11/19/2009

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Status: Single
City: Brooklyn
State: New York
Country: US
Signup Date: 1/6/2005

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009 
How is your autumn treating you?  I am doing well and feeling fortunate.  Mostly because I'm giving y'all another song, but here's another reason...
 
I went to my friends Jeff and Nisa's wedding last month in beautiful northern Michigan.  Due to a pre-ceremony coin toss early in the day, it was determined that I would be the designated driver for the 70 mile drive from Bay Harbor to Traverse City after the wedding.
At 2:30 am we were just a few miles from town.  First, I saw the 45 mph speed limit and then I saw the cop car waiting.  I slowed down from 60 to 50 (following the 10% rule), but that wasn't enough to prevent the fuzz from pulling me over immediately.
 
As the officer came to talk to me I was really worried.  Sure, I was sober, but I did not want to get out of the car to prove it.
 
During the wedding's "Imaginary Double Dutch" session, I (over-succesfullly) attempted the David Lee Roth air splits to Van Halen's Jump! At the apex of my leap, I blew my pants completely apart.  I've heard of spitting a seam, but this looked like my pants had been hit by lightning!  I've never been more grafteful for clean boxers.  I'm sure the rest of the party feels the same way!
 
Luckily, the cop let me off with a "verbal warning", without making me touch my toes and risk further legal trouble for indecent exposure.
 
I feel even more fortunate to share what may possibly be my favorite song to date with the world.  Click on the puppy to the right and check out "Want Me". I released this on Friday and am very grateful to those who have donated already!
 
For those of you posting this link on your facebook and blogs, you have no idea what a difference that makes.  Let me know if you have any ideas on how to spread the word.  I'm always open to suggestions.
 
Cider and donuts to you all!
Patrick
8:23 PM 
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Monday, September 21, 2009 

Category: Web, HTML, Tech

Pat’s Google

 

This past Sunday, I was up in Traverse City Michigan at the famed Omelette Shoppe, tying up a friend’s wedding weekend with the small group of friends that I stayed with.  We had a good laugh at the horrible directions I gave leading the married couple in our party to the wrong Omelette Shoppe.  I defended the mistake by explaining “my google” said the restaurant was on Front Street.  My friend Brian then coined the term, “Pat’s Google,” a search engine that makes no claims to authenticity but even when completely wrong, makes a whole-hearted attempt to at least sound convincing.

 

I know Bing just came out, so I am a couple month’s late to the party, but I wanted to present any readers to submit their Google questions to me first.  Email me patrickthomasmusic@gmail.com, tweet me @patrickthomas, etc…  Go ahead and find out the real answer, but make sure to check back to see how close or far off I get to answering your query.  I promise to only use the information in my head!

 

Could be fun!

8:22 PM 
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Thursday, September 17, 2009 

Category: Music
Just wanted to throw Lisa's name out there as she is still kicking ass and taking names (on her email list that is.)
Lisa Piccirillo is out on the road right now and I hope things are going well.  In other Lisa news, a cover song we did together early this year just got reviewed over at weheartmusic.com.  They seemed to really enjoy it, as they have the song up for listening on their blog. Go check it out!

Also, just got added to a Sept. 24 bill at Rockwood Music Hall.  Playing right before my buddy Tim Blane!
2:31 PM 
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009 

Category: Music

I'll admit it... I went through a Sarah McLachlan thing in college.  It wasn't a phase where I was into female singer/songwriters or just learning her songs.  It wasn't the cool band that all my friends listened to. Here's the reason I got into her sad, heartwrenching, piano ballads... Her music was my therapist.  I had my heart broken for the first time when I was 19 and I spent most evenings for a few months playing a specific song over and over in my room. I don't think it cheered me up, but maybe it softened the blow.  At the very least another human was saying what I was feeling.  It was a connection.  Eventually, I got through the heartbreak by feeling it until the tide withdrew.

A decade and change later, I am listening to Beth Orton and I am reminded of a female friend of mine that used Beth's record to help find a way through the pains of depression.  She is currently happily married with a kid (and more importantly not depressed).  There's another music therapy success story.

I am also reminded of a song called "What About Me" that my sister’s friend Katie used to play on loop in our house, trying to get the attention of my older brother, her crush.  If he knew , he must have liked the attention enough to put up with this horrible song blasting through our house, rewound, played and repeated ad nauseum.  It didn't help me out, but Katie must have felt better singing along to the words she was afraid to speak.

I think most of our world’s youth uses music this way.  How wonderful that they do!
But as these thoughts dawned on me, I realized many of the adults I know don't use music as a therapist anymore. What happened?  Aren't we still going through tough times?  Aren't we still basically bouncing between the dramas in our lives? Why have we stopped listening to a song to help us through despair, confusion, or anger?

Here’s my thought.  Most of the music that people, in their late twenties and beyond, listen to is from their past. Therein lies the problem. We have already attached our old favorite songs to a scene in our history.  Once "In Your Eyes" is played in the rain below Ione Syke's window, isn’t it hard to attach that to another moment in cinema?  Your favorite song acts the same way.  I can't link anything else in my life to Radiohead's Kid A.  It already served as a bridge from college apathy to the realization that I am responsible for my actions.  Still a great album, but I’ve sucked what I need from it.  Now, I will need something else to help me through losing a job, or the loss of a family member.

I personally don't think music has lost its magic as time ticks by.  I think we just need to keep looking. Find new artists, new songs! Find old music that you haven't already super-glued to some high-school drama! The Talking Heads are currently my soundtrack for driving down the BQE to the beach.  The album "The Mountain" by the Heartless Bastards is my Home Depot/"Salon Renovation" album.

These are positive connections because life has been pretty good for me.  While I'm hoping to delay the therapy side of music as long as I can, I know that when I need it, there will be a song I've never heard waiting for me.  There will be one there for you too!
9:07 PM 
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Thursday, September 03, 2009 
(An email I sent today)

Happy Thursday!
 
Why am I emailing you?  Because you are my best friends in the world.  Those of you getting this email downloaded Airport girl.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
 
Now...you are my army. (Cue evil laughter.) Next move, we are invading Liechtenstein. It won't be difficult, I think this email list outnumbers their population. (After fact checking it seems we are a couple dozen short.)
 
Seriously though, by "my army" I mean an elite force made up of operatives specially trained in the covert undermining of social network intelligence.
 
Even more seriously... can you post my new song, "Chicago's Waiting" on your Facebook, Myspace, website, blog or tweet about me? (just hit the share button here) You have no idea how many people click on things that their friends recommend. Need some negative reinforcement?  "Click it or Ticket!"
 
Haven't head of the Internet?  Tell a friend face to face.  Its archaic but surprisingly fun and effective. 
 
(If you like Airport Girl a little more, that's cool. Feel free to post about whatever you want, just don't blog me late for dinner.)  
That's all.  
 
Oh yeah...I love you!
 
Patrick
7:31 PM 
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Thursday, August 20, 2009 

Category: Food and Restaurants
What company should sponsor me?
I have decided to sell out.  I don't have any offers yet, but that's not stopping me.  Why not advertise the things I truly love and associate them with my music.
Maybe they'll retroactively pay me?  Not a chance, but nonetheless, last months song Airport Girl was brought to you by quinoa.  Why?  It's the first thing that jumped in my head that I wholeheartedly enjoy, Where I don't see a negative correlation possibly existing.
I really love some quinoa with a little cheese (I like goat) and your fav veggies.  Mmm mmm!
And now the money starts rolling in...
Still waiting.

Next month, an actual company!
2:37 PM 
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009 
Tedious
By Patrick Thomas
Working on a new tune called Want Me last night.  First of all, it was so hot! Just moving some mic stands around my little room got my sweat glands going overtime. [Real time: Lisztomania from Phoenix just came on headphones!!! Great!)]
It’s been a cool summer though, so one month of heat isn’t getting to me.
The song is pretty much done.  As far as production goes, it was the easiest of this first EP.  The demo pretty much matches the mood of the final. (People are telling me its sounding like Buckley and Wilco.  I’m ok with that!)  Despite the creative ease, last nights work was the most tedious of the summer.
I had the whole song sounding good but all of the strings (arranged by my friend Garth Stevenson) were still being played by my sampler.  What in the hell does that mean?  Hmmm.  It means that even in the digital realm they aren’t “tangible” yet.  Sure they sound great now, but when I send this off to get mixed, I need to separate each track into a separate file so that the mixer (the wonderful and patient Lane Gibson) has control over how loud the cello is compared to a violin line etc.
This process took 5 hours last night.  When I’m being creative, I can easily sit in my Sweatbox working until the wee hours, but when I’m doing busy work…UGH!!!  I just wanted to go to bed.
Finally, at 3am all files (8 strings, 5 guitars, 10 drums, bass, piano organs, vox and more) were set to go and I sent off the project for the mixing process.  I’m pumped this time, because I’m heading up to VT Friday to mix in real time as opposed to emailing potential mixes back and forth over the interweb.
I am so excited to have this tune done and out in the world.  Its shaping up to be quite epic…  For me at least.
 
Looking forward!
5:39 PM 
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009 

5:08 PM 
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Tuesday, July 28, 2009 

Category: Music

First of all, new music at www.patrickthomas.net/latest (more on this in a bit)

 

I have been sucked back into the world of Facebook by all the wonderful birthday wishes the last few days.  Thanks to all my great friends for the kind words.

While I was soliciting in the Digital Realm, I have noticed that seemingly everyone I know has a baby now.  Offspring is the new twitter.  Congratulations to new parents and soon to be’s.  While I will never know the feeling of carrying a child, I do feel a very slight kinship with womb owners everywhere. (Insert “Loretta joke” for fellow Monty Python fans.)

 

Pretty much constantly for the last two years, I have been laboring in a sweaty little soundproof cube writing and recording new songs.  “Uncomfortable” is an understatement for the conditions I work in; and every so often I force friends and other musicians to join me, which makes the sweatbox twice as hot.  At the end of every day, and often in the middle of the night, I am reminded in listening back that it is all worth it.  Someday, it would be great to record in temperatures below 90 degrees, but right now I have a laboratory all my own to bring little ideas to life.  Truly blessed!

 

Now, just over nine months after I delivered the last album, I am excited to announce the latest release/birth, Airport Girl. (www.patrickthomas.net/latest)  Not the most creative name, but it fits with a pretty straight-forward lyric and tale.  I produced this song with my good friend Jessie Nelson who plays keyboards in a great band called, Head Automatica.  He brought with him some sounds that I hope you enjoy as much as I do!  Also featured are my friends and regular band-guys Matt Bognanow (drums), Michael Cottone (trumpet) and Brett Bass (Bass).

 

Now the crazy part…  I am planning on releasing a song a month for as long as I can!  If I can go a year I’ll be happy, if I can go 2 years I’ll be thrilled.  What’s the hardest ingredient to making this happen you ask wonder? Its finding a way to pay people for hard-earned work.  These people are musicians, mixing and mastering engineers.  At the end of the day, I can only pretend to know what I’m doing to a point and then you need the experts.

 

Everyone, please download/listen/share to the new track.  Pass her on to your friends. It’s totally free; but if you want to help me release music every month, please donate whatever you can and I’ll be able to keep rolling!

 

The total cost of “Airport Girl” was $695 dollars and currently I am $682 away from having it be totally free.  Will it take days, months, years?  Maybe, but I am so grateful for every dollar!

 

I just turned 30 and I’m still playing music?  Alright!

 

Patrick
Free Download of Airport Girl

5:31 PM 
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009 
Happy solstice!
 
Its that time of year where we all start stripping off our clothes and if you're at all like me,  battle our natural pigmentation.  While I am very appreciative of a tanned back and/or legs (this list can go on) I think I am close to giving in to my own nothern European genetics.  Just lock me up if you ever see me wearing pants and socks to the beach.
 
So, other than a couple of great shows this spring in the city and one up in Boston with Tim, I have basically been spending every spare moment I can working in my little studio, which this time through has been dubbed "the sweatlodge."  My good friend Jessie Nelson, keyboardist from the killer band, Head Automatica has been there with me every step of the way.  He is not only everything that I am not musically, but also has been pushing me to get the most out whatever it is I have been blessed with. (Still not sure what that is.) More than anything he has increased my sanity through the recording process this time around.  Hoping to have a song out to you kids the next time I send one of these little ramblers.
 
In the meantime come see me play the new songs on Sunday night if you're in New York.
 
Sunday, June 28th, 2009
FREE! 9:00pm
Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen Street (btw E. Houston & Stanton)
New York, NY
Also, thanks to Ourstage.com for the great review of the last album. Go take a look!
 
http://blog.ourstage.com/2009/05/25/he-built-this-city-on-rock-and-roll/
 
Now, rip those clothes off and get outside!
4:20 PM 
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