Dear Friends,
I'm going to throw open all the doors here and this post will contain no news, but I suppose what you'd call my first (and probably last) blog post. I say that because in my mind a "blog post" is typically a post where somebody rants about something/tells you about the events in their life. If it were concerning politics, that'd be a news blog. If someone were writing about music, that'd be a music blog. But a post where somebody just writes about their feelings? Well, that's just a blog post, get it? Which brings me to my next point:

I am not a singer/songwriter.

Oh, I must certainly sing and I write my own material, but that does not make me a singer/songwriter. I reserve that category for people who take days, weeks, months (or in Leonard Cohen's case) years at a time writing a song making sure it's just perfect in every regard. I on the other hand, have never spent more than an hour writing a song. The other qualification in my mind for being a singer/songwriter is that your ultimate goal is to portray an honest reality through your music. I was raised on Motown, Phil Spector-produced Pop and Punk Rock. All of these kinds of music portray a sort of hyper-reality, doing their best to drive a point home moreso than to present the truth, and I too live by this philosophy.
When I sit down to write a song, my main concern is not at all to try to change the world with my music or to be as 100% honest in my lyrics, it's to be entertaining and think about what would sit well best in a live environment. As egotistical as it may sound, I like to pride myself on my live shows being a solo act and the last thing I want any of you to do at my shows is think about the bills you have to pay, the debts you owe and how shitty your life may be at the moment. I'd like you to be an escapist for an evening and that's what I want to be to you. So for the record, if you're going to call me anything...

Call me an entertainer.

My job is to make you smile, make you laugh, and actually earn your applause instead of it being out of respect. I'm sure I sound like a big jerk in writing all of this, but singer/songwriters are sad-bastard dudes who never got over an old flame or have something political to say. I have nothing to say in either department and even if I did, I'd release it as an album/EP and never play it live (unless by request of course, since I aim to please). If for some odd reason you'd like me to expand upon this further through song and verse, I have a song called "Songwriting Man" that sums it all up. Click the header below to hear the track and look through the lyrics. If there's one thing that I am honest about in my writing, it's that I'm tired of sad songs when I go to see a guy donning an acoustic live. Just because I'm a guy donning an acoustic doesn't make me one of these hopeless Elliott Smith-influenced jagoffs and I hope this solidifies that from here on out. Thank you for your time. Be happy.

Love,
Esus

Songwriting Man

If there's one thing I can't understand
It's what's wrong with these sad-bastard men
I don't mean to hate on my fellow man
But here's what I don't understand...

I know this town is grey a lot
That's why we don't need another sad song
There's only got to be one Morrisey
There's only got to be one Sufjan

And I know it hurts when a gal leaves you
But I payed $7 bucks when I should've payed $2
Oh, cheer up songwriting man
Put those major chords in your hand

Now I might be alone on this
But I'm going to start and army
We'll be made of smiles for miles and miles
Our objective: fight the smarmy

And we'll each be armed with two kazoos
And we'll buzz so loud that we reach the moon
And songwriting man you'll see
That it's easy to be happy

Oh, songwriting man, don't get me wrong
'Cause there's a time and a place for all your sad songs
But when I pay my money to hear you sing
(Here's my criteria:)
Are you gonna' make me clap?
Are you gonna' make me smile?
'Cause that's what's important to me

So before you pick up your paper and pen
And sit to write your next
Maybe go outside and take a ride
Or hell, touch a breast
(Whatever it takes)
Because no one can sit and think about your prose
When they're talking to their neighbor when you're playing shows
Oh, songwriting man just try
And you'll be an alright guy