So, for this month's Living Room Bootleg, I decided to go back a few years to 2002 and the song that started my tangent career into comedy.... Whale Blubber. Now, I do these recordings in one take, with one mic, in my living room. And sometimes they're pretty rough. And this one sure is. :)
I was in a weird period of my career having just split with my previous band mates and sort of looking for my own direction. I had not yet even settled into a decision to become a singer. I was just writing and writing and writing to get all the stuff out of my brain that my old bandmates would let me do.
And so this little song came about that was based on a scene from the Jim Carrey film, Me, Myself, and Irene. Frankly, the movie stunk. But there was one scene where he and the girlfriend character are sitting next to a lake discussing romantic commitment. His statement of "If I moved to Alaska, would you go with me?" "Yes!", she says. and Jim says, "Ok, but would you eat whale blubber for me?" And there it was. My girlfriend and I thought it would make a great song title. She thought it less of a good idea when I said I was going to write it. :)
That one line just really sums up commitment issues so well. "How far will you go for me?" You end up doing things you never would have thought you'd be doing. And you enjoy it.... Ok, you try to look like you enjoy it. Ok, you grimmace and bitch the whole time, but you do it anyway.
So, since they had taken the conversation to ridiculous lengths, It seemed to me I should do the same with the music. And what more ridiculous music than 80's power ballads. The kind the hair bands used to play. The kind the hair bands still play if you live in Oklahoma.
I set the lyrics to as many 80's power ballad cliches as I could. The quiet introduction, the overblown chorus. Even the chord changes are textbook. Except I missed out on using the Cadd9, which really would have made it. However, the guitar solo does go to E minor as it does in all those songs. Even if the rest of the song isn't in E minor. And yes, I overdubbed a guitar solo onto this bootleg track, because the part is boring with out one. :) Besides, I felt like showing off my mad skillz, yo.
I never planned to put this song on an album. A B-side maybe. Bonus track. Just for fun type thing. I was busy cooking "serious songs" like Judgment Day and Brand New World. But I went to a music convention that year and spent a great weekend with some fantastic artists. During one of our late night jam sessions, I decided to spring Whale Blubber on them. I had never performed it before. And I sang it quietly sitting on a chaise lounge next to the hotel pool at the Riviera in Las Vegas. Sometime long after midnight.
The next morning, the 10 or so artists who had heard the song came to me and kept saying "I can't get that Whale Blubber song out of my head. I sang it all night and when I got up this morning. Put it on your record." And I argued. Surely, my serious songs were more worthwhile, than this little joke of a song. But they insisted and I put it buried down in the lineup of my CD Ribbed For Your Pleasure.
Go figure that it's the one that would be popular. I got requests for it at shows. I'd have people stop me on the street and say "I'd eat whale blubber for you dude!" Yeah, weird.
And since that had made the record, songs like Two of Me and Hillbilly Love did too. Purely as a lark. And with a single show at the Hyena Theater in San Francisco, my career in comedy was launched. The rest is recent history. :)
So, if you've never heard the original studio version in all it's cheeseball glory, check it out on Ribbed For Your Pleasure. And if you haven't seen our live DVD yet, Raising A Rockus... Oooh boy, are you in for a surprise. We tweaked that song hard and closed the show with it. Smokin!...
To hear the rest of this story and hear the song (free), login to the "Current Fans" area at www.RoadsideAttraction.com and click on Audio Downloads.
Phil Johnson
www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Friday, November 9, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Coming Up For Air... Post APCA Houston
So Chris Valenti and I flew to Houston last weekend for our first college showcase.
"But Phil... It's Wednesday... What took you so long to blog about this?"
Well, my energy was shot and my nose to the grindstone for the last two days. That conference was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences I've had in a long time. Good and positive, but difficult.
We performed three times, once for our showcase in front of 200 or so people. Two other times in the "illegal showcase" after hours. Mostly for head buyers and agents there.
We spent quite a few hours in our booth doling out specially made "Romantically Dysfunctional" T-shirts, DVDs, CDs, and whatever else we could come us with.
Fun fact: Chris's best way to get people into the booth to play our dart game was to yell at a passerby "Hey, wanna play darts?" And then throw a dart at them. No worries, they're the magnetic kind. :)
So after spending hours getting to know tons of great college students and buyers we end up in the co-op session where the actual bookings take place. They go through each of the acts in alphabetical order. Your heart really starts pounding as your name comes up, let me tell you! So here comes our name, and we're just praying that someone throws a yellow interest form in the air. And...... please.. please... please...... ONE! At least we weren't shut out in the first session.
That one interest form gave us the push to get 3 more by the next session. And we've got interest from 3 other schools to talk to yet. So, it looks like the Battle will be heading back for shows in Texas and Louisiana as soon as February.
And now, it's all in the followup. So we've spent the last two days on the phone and computer establishing the relationships we'll need to get this phase of touring working.
There's nothing like being tossed into a room of 300 people that have no idea who you are, and trying to make them understand your art and like you as a person in 3 days. It's exhilarating and mentally taxing. I was a wreck by Saturday night.
But it's only the beginning, so I better get used to it. Two more conferences coming up in March! :)
Phil Johnson
www.RoadsideAttraction.com
www.DysfunctionalRomantics.com
"But Phil... It's Wednesday... What took you so long to blog about this?"
Well, my energy was shot and my nose to the grindstone for the last two days. That conference was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences I've had in a long time. Good and positive, but difficult.
We performed three times, once for our showcase in front of 200 or so people. Two other times in the "illegal showcase" after hours. Mostly for head buyers and agents there.
We spent quite a few hours in our booth doling out specially made "Romantically Dysfunctional" T-shirts, DVDs, CDs, and whatever else we could come us with.
Fun fact: Chris's best way to get people into the booth to play our dart game was to yell at a passerby "Hey, wanna play darts?" And then throw a dart at them. No worries, they're the magnetic kind. :)
So after spending hours getting to know tons of great college students and buyers we end up in the co-op session where the actual bookings take place. They go through each of the acts in alphabetical order. Your heart really starts pounding as your name comes up, let me tell you! So here comes our name, and we're just praying that someone throws a yellow interest form in the air. And...... please.. please... please...... ONE! At least we weren't shut out in the first session.
That one interest form gave us the push to get 3 more by the next session. And we've got interest from 3 other schools to talk to yet. So, it looks like the Battle will be heading back for shows in Texas and Louisiana as soon as February.
And now, it's all in the followup. So we've spent the last two days on the phone and computer establishing the relationships we'll need to get this phase of touring working.
There's nothing like being tossed into a room of 300 people that have no idea who you are, and trying to make them understand your art and like you as a person in 3 days. It's exhilarating and mentally taxing. I was a wreck by Saturday night.
But it's only the beginning, so I better get used to it. Two more conferences coming up in March! :)
Phil Johnson
www.RoadsideAttraction.com
www.DysfunctionalRomantics.com
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
October Living Room Bootleg Session - Judgment Day
Judgment Day (from the CD 'Ribbed For Your Pleasure') is one of my favorites, but doesn't make the set lists often these days, since it's straight music. The song is about those snap first impressions and judgments that we make every day just walking past someone on the street. The idea being that Judgment Day is actually every day.
Often, those first impressions are completely wrong. That guy you thought looked kind of stuck up could turn into a really good friend when you get to know him. On the flip side, the people closest to us sometimes don't really understand who we are either. And that can be even more difficult to deal with.
Musically, this song, like many others on 'Ribbed' is strongly influenced by Prince. Particularly a song called "I Hate U" from his 'Gold Experience' CD. I was enamored with the really energetic drum section at the beginning which drops into a deep R&B groove. Musically it came out very different, and lyrically it's light years away. But many of my best songs have come from experimenting with someone else's idea, and turning it into something of my own.
Of course, on this acoustic version, there's no drums. So make sure to listen to the original studio version to get the full idea. And if you don't have a copy of "Ribbed For Your Pleasure", now's a good time to get one. :)
To hear the rest of this story and hear the song (free), login to the "Current Fans" area at www.RoadsideAttraction.com and click on Audio Downloads.
Often, those first impressions are completely wrong. That guy you thought looked kind of stuck up could turn into a really good friend when you get to know him. On the flip side, the people closest to us sometimes don't really understand who we are either. And that can be even more difficult to deal with.
Musically, this song, like many others on 'Ribbed' is strongly influenced by Prince. Particularly a song called "I Hate U" from his 'Gold Experience' CD. I was enamored with the really energetic drum section at the beginning which drops into a deep R&B groove. Musically it came out very different, and lyrically it's light years away. But many of my best songs have come from experimenting with someone else's idea, and turning it into something of my own.
Of course, on this acoustic version, there's no drums. So make sure to listen to the original studio version to get the full idea. And if you don't have a copy of "Ribbed For Your Pleasure", now's a good time to get one. :)
To hear the rest of this story and hear the song (free), login to the "Current Fans" area at www.RoadsideAttraction.com and click on Audio Downloads.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Back from the Wild North...
Just got back from a great run with Tony Dijamco to Idaho and Montana. Comedians know this set of rooms as one of the Tribble Runs and they're notorious, but fun.
Tons of driving. I put 3600 miles on my car during the week. And a total of 56 hours of driving time. Brutal. But the country up there is really pretty to look at and Tony's an ideal travel companion, so with a batch of CDs and some road snacks we headed off for our string of sold out shows. :)
Tuesday in Missoula, MT - This was the toughest show of the run. I think the crowd thought they were going to a stone-faced-yell-at-the-comic-fest. I managed to get a few laughs out of the ones paying attention. The rest spent the time talking and texting. Mind you, they paid to get in. Tony had an equally tough time, but with more hecklers. A drunken birthday party up front ended up leaving... Only to be replaced by some old dude with a big mouth. Then another girl kept interrupting Tony's last bit to disagree with him. But we did get quite a few good comments from people after the show and met some nice folks.
Wednesday in Lewiston, ID - Lewiston is a great little town set in a deeeeep valley. Love the views coming in. This show was kick ass... Great crowd. We were told that nobody usually can hold the crowd all the way to the back of the room for the whole show. And we did. Felt good and we both performed well. Nice to hear people tell us we were the best comics to come through town in a long time. We stayed pretty late chatting with people then dropped to sleep in out hotel rooms. Long drive the next day to...
Thursday in Idaho Falls, ID - This is the one we'd heard about from all the other comics. And they didn't disappoint. It's a rough room. Very talkative audience, and your have to really pull the laughs out of them. Part of the problem is the sound setup in the room. After driving 9 hours to get there, we were beat, but still went out and put on the best show we could. And we heard the same good comments as the night before so we did well. Very odd though when you have to practically abuse an audience to get laughs out of them. We both had to let fly with some choice vocabulary just to keep their attention.
Friday in Billings, MT - Best show of the run... Nice full house full of people ready to laugh. My good friend Chad Korb opened the show for us and did a great job warming the crowd. Chad will be here in the Bay in a couple weeks, so watch for him. Then I went up and, despite some mic problems, had a great set. Nothing like a good singalong of Asshole to bring a room together. :) Tony also killed. This time we had a good birthday party down front for Danette. Billings also called us the best acts to come through in months. And the door guy said he hadn't seen applause like that ever. After the show, Chad took us to the Rail Yard to see The Clumsy Lovers from Vancouver. Great band. Super high energy country rock with fantastic musicality. Check 'em out.
Then we collapsed into bed about 3am. Got up at 9:30 and headed back home. Through rain, sleet, and snow (literally), we brought the comedy. It was nice to see the sun shine through the clouds as we got towards Nevada. They don't call it the Golden West for nothing!
Phil Johnson
www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Tons of driving. I put 3600 miles on my car during the week. And a total of 56 hours of driving time. Brutal. But the country up there is really pretty to look at and Tony's an ideal travel companion, so with a batch of CDs and some road snacks we headed off for our string of sold out shows. :)
Tuesday in Missoula, MT - This was the toughest show of the run. I think the crowd thought they were going to a stone-faced-yell-at-the-comic-fest. I managed to get a few laughs out of the ones paying attention. The rest spent the time talking and texting. Mind you, they paid to get in. Tony had an equally tough time, but with more hecklers. A drunken birthday party up front ended up leaving... Only to be replaced by some old dude with a big mouth. Then another girl kept interrupting Tony's last bit to disagree with him. But we did get quite a few good comments from people after the show and met some nice folks.
Wednesday in Lewiston, ID - Lewiston is a great little town set in a deeeeep valley. Love the views coming in. This show was kick ass... Great crowd. We were told that nobody usually can hold the crowd all the way to the back of the room for the whole show. And we did. Felt good and we both performed well. Nice to hear people tell us we were the best comics to come through town in a long time. We stayed pretty late chatting with people then dropped to sleep in out hotel rooms. Long drive the next day to...
Thursday in Idaho Falls, ID - This is the one we'd heard about from all the other comics. And they didn't disappoint. It's a rough room. Very talkative audience, and your have to really pull the laughs out of them. Part of the problem is the sound setup in the room. After driving 9 hours to get there, we were beat, but still went out and put on the best show we could. And we heard the same good comments as the night before so we did well. Very odd though when you have to practically abuse an audience to get laughs out of them. We both had to let fly with some choice vocabulary just to keep their attention.
Friday in Billings, MT - Best show of the run... Nice full house full of people ready to laugh. My good friend Chad Korb opened the show for us and did a great job warming the crowd. Chad will be here in the Bay in a couple weeks, so watch for him. Then I went up and, despite some mic problems, had a great set. Nothing like a good singalong of Asshole to bring a room together. :) Tony also killed. This time we had a good birthday party down front for Danette. Billings also called us the best acts to come through in months. And the door guy said he hadn't seen applause like that ever. After the show, Chad took us to the Rail Yard to see The Clumsy Lovers from Vancouver. Great band. Super high energy country rock with fantastic musicality. Check 'em out.
Then we collapsed into bed about 3am. Got up at 9:30 and headed back home. Through rain, sleet, and snow (literally), we brought the comedy. It was nice to see the sun shine through the clouds as we got towards Nevada. They don't call it the Golden West for nothing!
Phil Johnson
www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Monday, September 10, 2007
Magic For Marissa a Huge Success!
Saturday's Magic For Marissa event was a huge success and I'm very thankful to everyone who came out and made the event happen. The show was sold out and we raised lots of money. Biggest thanks to Martha and Denise for co-producing the show with me and making all the details go smoothly.
When all is said and done (and collected) we'll have raised over $3000 for Marissa's medical bills.
Justin McClure, Yayne Abeba, and Beth Schumann all had great sets. Jonah and Mid-One rocked the crowd despite some technical difficulties. Those two are total pros though. They didn't drop the crowd once in the 15 minutes it took to get their tracks up an running.
And my band, if I do say so myself, slayed the joint. :) Not only was our normal percussionist Rafael filling in on drums for Joe, but we were playing some of our most difficult cuts with only 3 rehearsals. And my guys pulled it off beautifully. :)
I will have some video up in the next day or two. I'm also considering putting the show together on DVD for sale, with the proceeds also going to help Marissa pay for her treatments. If you're interested in getting a copy, let me know so I can gauge demand.
I need to go update the website, but we are still taking donations if you haven't done so yet. Visit the Magic For Marissa website for details.
Thanks to everyone involved!
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
When all is said and done (and collected) we'll have raised over $3000 for Marissa's medical bills.
Justin McClure, Yayne Abeba, and Beth Schumann all had great sets. Jonah and Mid-One rocked the crowd despite some technical difficulties. Those two are total pros though. They didn't drop the crowd once in the 15 minutes it took to get their tracks up an running.
And my band, if I do say so myself, slayed the joint. :) Not only was our normal percussionist Rafael filling in on drums for Joe, but we were playing some of our most difficult cuts with only 3 rehearsals. And my guys pulled it off beautifully. :)
I will have some video up in the next day or two. I'm also considering putting the show together on DVD for sale, with the proceeds also going to help Marissa pay for her treatments. If you're interested in getting a copy, let me know so I can gauge demand.
I need to go update the website, but we are still taking donations if you haven't done so yet. Visit the Magic For Marissa website for details.
Thanks to everyone involved!
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
Monday, August 27, 2007
Awesome Weekend
This past weekend was a difficult one, but quite possibly as close to a perfect one as I've had in awhile.
Throughout I was dealing with a head cold, sore throat, and blown voice, but the show must go on, right?
Friday night I opened the comedy show at the Fat Cat in Modesto. My first show for GFI Entertainment, which is a good thing. Manny Maldonado was the headliner and it was good to work with him again. Had probably close to 200 in the audience and they were fantastic to this new boy in town. I got paid, sold some CDs, and a got free hotel room. Nice. :)
Felt good most of Friday, but the sore throat was back by morning. Drove home Saturday morning and spent the early part of the day with my girl. We had lunch at The Counter, the new burger place at Santana Row. Decent food, but it's no Red Robin. :) The fun part is designing your own burger. Kind of a Teddy Bear Factory for burgers. :)
Then I went to rehearse with my band for the Magic For Marissa benefit. Two hours of singing did in my voice again. Spent the evening at home not talking and drinking lots of tea.
Sunday I got up early and got my head and my throat together for an early show at the San Jose Improv. Really fun, with probably 150 or so in the audience. There were two live bands on the bill and I was sandwiched in between, so I did more music than standup and it went over great. Totally blew my voice again. Got paid, sold some CDs...Yay. :)
Then a relaxing dinner of tasty Mexican food to celebrate my parent's 42nd anniversary and my mom's best friend's birthday. Headed home and shared a cup of hot chocolate and a card game with my girl. And a good night's sleep.
In this business it's rare to have a series of days that well balanced between all the parts of life. It's nice when they happen though. I even have a song on that theme called "Hella Good Day" that's on our latest DVD "Raising A Rockus" Check it out.
This week I'll be at the 750 Pub at Stanford on Tuesday and the Swinging Door Pub in San Mateo on Wednesday. Thursday I'll be watching the Jennifer Justice show at 50 Mason in SF, featuring a performance by my good friend Saul Kaye. And Friday's back at rehearsal. Love my life, yes I do. :)
Throughout I was dealing with a head cold, sore throat, and blown voice, but the show must go on, right?
Friday night I opened the comedy show at the Fat Cat in Modesto. My first show for GFI Entertainment, which is a good thing. Manny Maldonado was the headliner and it was good to work with him again. Had probably close to 200 in the audience and they were fantastic to this new boy in town. I got paid, sold some CDs, and a got free hotel room. Nice. :)
Felt good most of Friday, but the sore throat was back by morning. Drove home Saturday morning and spent the early part of the day with my girl. We had lunch at The Counter, the new burger place at Santana Row. Decent food, but it's no Red Robin. :) The fun part is designing your own burger. Kind of a Teddy Bear Factory for burgers. :)
Then I went to rehearse with my band for the Magic For Marissa benefit. Two hours of singing did in my voice again. Spent the evening at home not talking and drinking lots of tea.
Sunday I got up early and got my head and my throat together for an early show at the San Jose Improv. Really fun, with probably 150 or so in the audience. There were two live bands on the bill and I was sandwiched in between, so I did more music than standup and it went over great. Totally blew my voice again. Got paid, sold some CDs...Yay. :)
Then a relaxing dinner of tasty Mexican food to celebrate my parent's 42nd anniversary and my mom's best friend's birthday. Headed home and shared a cup of hot chocolate and a card game with my girl. And a good night's sleep.
In this business it's rare to have a series of days that well balanced between all the parts of life. It's nice when they happen though. I even have a song on that theme called "Hella Good Day" that's on our latest DVD "Raising A Rockus" Check it out.
This week I'll be at the 750 Pub at Stanford on Tuesday and the Swinging Door Pub in San Mateo on Wednesday. Thursday I'll be watching the Jennifer Justice show at 50 Mason in SF, featuring a performance by my good friend Saul Kaye. And Friday's back at rehearsal. Love my life, yes I do. :)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
1st Annual Roadside Attraction Family Picnic - A Success!
Last Saturday we had the 1st annual Roadside Attraction Family Picnic at Murphy Park in Milpitas, CA. It turned out really great and we'll definitely be doing more events like this.
It was fantastic to get together all the folks from far flung parts of the Bay Area who hadn't officially met at my shows before. I think Diana and Matt and their crew get the "farthest drive" prize for coming from Antioch. With Tracy and Will a close 2nd from Berkeley.
I was proud to see so many different types of people having a great time together and being so helpful to each other. And the food was awesome! Thanks everyone!
Here's a few pics from the event. There's more in the "pictures" area on my website.
It was fantastic to get together all the folks from far flung parts of the Bay Area who hadn't officially met at my shows before. I think Diana and Matt and their crew get the "farthest drive" prize for coming from Antioch. With Tracy and Will a close 2nd from Berkeley.
I was proud to see so many different types of people having a great time together and being so helpful to each other. And the food was awesome! Thanks everyone!
Here's a few pics from the event. There's more in the "pictures" area on my website.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Weird keywords for my website...
I was just looking at my website stats to see how the page for Magic For Marissa is doing. People find the Roadside Attraction site with some darn strange key phrases, such as...
wemon (is that even a word?)
stuck in vagina (what the hell?)
huevos cartoon (for those spanglish search engines)
inuyasha naked (I'm not sure who Inuyasha is but...ok)
pictures of monterery jack cheese (You saying I'm cheesy punk!?)
monterey hookers (Some of the canneries still smell like fish too...)
Curious what kind of site would draw such bizarre searches? www.RoadsideAttraction.com
wemon (is that even a word?)
stuck in vagina (what the hell?)
huevos cartoon (for those spanglish search engines)
inuyasha naked (I'm not sure who Inuyasha is but...ok)
pictures of monterery jack cheese (You saying I'm cheesy punk!?)
monterey hookers (Some of the canneries still smell like fish too...)
Curious what kind of site would draw such bizarre searches? www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Monday, July 23, 2007
Magic For Marissa
Tickets are selling well for the Magic For Marissa event on September 8th. If you haven't heard about it yet, we're raising money for Marissa Montufar, a 13 year old girl fighting cervical cancer.
Marissa and her whole family have been very supportive fans of my art for the last few years. And I've even had the opportunity to teach Marissa how to play the guitar. She's very passionate about theater and music, and just a great kid.
For all the details on the event and how to donate money, visit www.MagicForMarissa.com.
It's going to be a great event: Music from my band Roadside Attraction plus Jonah (star of reality show Waiting 2B Discovered) and his band Timeless. Plus comedy from Justin McClure (San Jose Improv), Beth Schumann (Rooster T Feathers), and Yayne Abeba (everywhere).
We'll also have silent auction and raffle with great items: Comedy tickets, autographed items from fantastic artists like Criss Angel, Strata, and Constantine Maroulis (American Idol), original paintings, from Johanna Uribes and Lynn Ruth Miller, a Las Vegas vacation, private house concerts, and more!
Even if you can't get to the event, please do donate some money to help pay Marissa's overwhelming medical bills. You know how insurance companies like to back out as soon as something really bad happens.
Get your tickets now or donate money at www.MagicForMarissa.com.
Marissa and her whole family have been very supportive fans of my art for the last few years. And I've even had the opportunity to teach Marissa how to play the guitar. She's very passionate about theater and music, and just a great kid.
For all the details on the event and how to donate money, visit www.MagicForMarissa.com.
It's going to be a great event: Music from my band Roadside Attraction plus Jonah (star of reality show Waiting 2B Discovered) and his band Timeless. Plus comedy from Justin McClure (San Jose Improv), Beth Schumann (Rooster T Feathers), and Yayne Abeba (everywhere).
We'll also have silent auction and raffle with great items: Comedy tickets, autographed items from fantastic artists like Criss Angel, Strata, and Constantine Maroulis (American Idol), original paintings, from Johanna Uribes and Lynn Ruth Miller, a Las Vegas vacation, private house concerts, and more!
Even if you can't get to the event, please do donate some money to help pay Marissa's overwhelming medical bills. You know how insurance companies like to back out as soon as something really bad happens.
Get your tickets now or donate money at www.MagicForMarissa.com.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Things I experienced tonight...
Just got back from my show at the Swinging Door Saloon in San Mateo... Just as big time as it sounds.... Here's a few experiences from the evening.
- I should not eat giant burritos right before a show. A lesson I still haven't learned.
- A lady gives me this compliment: "You have a wonderful voice... The song was crap, but you have a beautiful voice." Here's the song she was speaking of.
- Watching another performer do his impression of Jerry Lewis performing Crosby Stills and Nash's song "Ohio".
- Listening to LoveLine on the way home, they're speaking with a guy from Linkin Park about his paintings and how the profits are going to very worthwhile charity to help put students through art school. This is immediately followed by a girl on the phone complaining about the smell of her boyfriend's penis.
Ah, the life of a performer. :)
- I should not eat giant burritos right before a show. A lesson I still haven't learned.
- A lady gives me this compliment: "You have a wonderful voice... The song was crap, but you have a beautiful voice." Here's the song she was speaking of.
- Watching another performer do his impression of Jerry Lewis performing Crosby Stills and Nash's song "Ohio".
- Listening to LoveLine on the way home, they're speaking with a guy from Linkin Park about his paintings and how the profits are going to very worthwhile charity to help put students through art school. This is immediately followed by a girl on the phone complaining about the smell of her boyfriend's penis.
Ah, the life of a performer. :)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Cancer Benefit Sept 8th
The Montufar family have been some of my most devoted fans over the last few years. And now Marissa, the middle sister has been diagnosed with cervical cancer at just 13 years old.
Of course, the insurance company isn't paying nearly enough, so we'll be holding a benefit show on September 8th at Mission City Coffee in Santa Clara, CA. Roadside Attraction will be performing as well as Jonah and Timeless. Plus I'll be bringing out some of my hottest comedy friends. We'll have a silent auction too, full of great items you'll desperately need to have. And every dime will go to help pay Marissa's medical bills.
So please put September 8th on your calendar right now. We will have advance ticket and donation information in the next day or two.
Of course, the insurance company isn't paying nearly enough, so we'll be holding a benefit show on September 8th at Mission City Coffee in Santa Clara, CA. Roadside Attraction will be performing as well as Jonah and Timeless. Plus I'll be bringing out some of my hottest comedy friends. We'll have a silent auction too, full of great items you'll desperately need to have. And every dime will go to help pay Marissa's medical bills.
So please put September 8th on your calendar right now. We will have advance ticket and donation information in the next day or two.
Friday, June 29, 2007
... and takin' names in SoCal this weekend!
Well, I'm headed off to SoCal again this weekend for more Battle shows. We're expecting good crowds all the way. If you're in the area, come see the melee our way. Free food at the LA show too!
Friday 6/29 - Sportsman's Lodge, Camarillo, CA
Saturday 6/30 - Twigg's, San Diego, CA
Sunday 7/1 - Molly Malone's, Los Angeles, CA
For a preview check out the site at www.RomanticallyDysfunctional.com
Friday 6/29 - Sportsman's Lodge, Camarillo, CA
Saturday 6/30 - Twigg's, San Diego, CA
Sunday 7/1 - Molly Malone's, Los Angeles, CA
For a preview check out the site at www.RomanticallyDysfunctional.com
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Why Radio Sucks...
Besides the fact that you rarely hear a good song on there these days...
http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=101210
Now, really. I understand being in business. I understand making as much money as you can using your power and resources. I don't understand not playing by the rules and jacking the little guy out of his pittance. Truthfully, radio royalities don't amount to much. The bigger money from the SRO's is in visual media. TV mostly. Film if you're shown in other countries.
I simply don't play with big radio. They're ONLY concern is selling ads to play for you. That's it. No art. They'll switch formats on a dime to whatever will get them more advertising revenue. That's fine. Doesn't mean I have to play.
Who am I kidding... They're not going to play "Lying Cheating Whore"...
http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=101210
Now, really. I understand being in business. I understand making as much money as you can using your power and resources. I don't understand not playing by the rules and jacking the little guy out of his pittance. Truthfully, radio royalities don't amount to much. The bigger money from the SRO's is in visual media. TV mostly. Film if you're shown in other countries.
I simply don't play with big radio. They're ONLY concern is selling ads to play for you. That's it. No art. They'll switch formats on a dime to whatever will get them more advertising revenue. That's fine. Doesn't mean I have to play.
Who am I kidding... They're not going to play "Lying Cheating Whore"...
Monday, June 25, 2007
Off my game...
You ever have one of those days (weeks...) where you just can't seem to get it right? You know how to do what you do, but for some reason the connection isn't being made.
That's where I'm at right now. My last few shows haven't gone as well as I'd like for some reason. I think maybe I've been too uptight about them. Not just getting into the groove and feeling it. I don't know. The connection is missing between me and the audience somewhere and I'm doing my best to get it back.
I'll pop out of this at the Purple Onion on Wednesday night. Can't miss. :)
That's where I'm at right now. My last few shows haven't gone as well as I'd like for some reason. I think maybe I've been too uptight about them. Not just getting into the groove and feeling it. I don't know. The connection is missing between me and the audience somewhere and I'm doing my best to get it back.
I'll pop out of this at the Purple Onion on Wednesday night. Can't miss. :)
Friday, June 15, 2007
Gigged with Jen Kober
Did a great gig with Jen Kober last night at Tommy T's in Pleasanton. Very nice of her to get me a guest set.
Jen is always hilarious. If you haven't heard her yet, check out www.KoberComedy.com
Jen is always hilarious. If you haven't heard her yet, check out www.KoberComedy.com
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Milpitas Post
The Milpitas Post (my hometown paper) ran a nice profile on me today.
http://www.themilpitaspost.com/arts/ci_6132251
You'll notice there's nothing in there about all the Milpitas jokes I start my shows with. :)
http://www.themilpitaspost.com/arts/ci_6132251
You'll notice there's nothing in there about all the Milpitas jokes I start my shows with. :)
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Interview and Influence
I did an interview for a profile in the Milpitas Post last night. It'll be out on Thursday and I'm very excited about it. Hometown paper and all. :)
And in talking about myself for an hour (yeesh), I started thinking about the shows I've seen that really influenced me. My favorites were always the ones that leave you completely drained at the end.
One of the earliest I can remember is Bill Cosby: Himself. Saw it on cable. I was young, but I don't remember exactly what age. We use "rofl" pretty liberally on the internet these days, but during that show that's exactly what I was doing. Literally rolling around on the floor laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. "The Dentist" is still bit that is often quoted in my family. Absolutely classic and one of the funniest bits ever written.
When I was 19 or so I saw Savatage at a place called One Step Beyond. I was a metal head at the time and into their music. But the energy of the show was over the top. They had a great rapport with the audience. And the place was so packed that my feet literally didn't touch the floor for two hours. We were packed up against that stage like sardines. Fun then. Not sure I'd be too into that now. :)
I saw Carrot Top at two different county fair shows. By the end of the show my face hurt from laughing so much. Poor ol' CT is much maligned among comedians, but there was no denying how ambitious, energetic, creative his shows were. I've got his live Veagas DVD and it doesn't translate somehow. But those fair shows were over the top and I was exhausted by the end.
My favorite all time performer is Prince. But to me his shows are a different experience. It's a listening experience. I'm sure the front row fans are getting a much larger wash of energy than the cheap seat people like me. I never been exhausted after a Prince show. Exhilerated for sure. But it's a different experience.
Last year when we shot our DVD at the Hoover Theater I talked to audience members after the show. People were coming out of there out of breath drenched in sweat, and looking like they'd just been through at two hour workout at the gym. They told me they danced til they couldn't anymore. They told me their cheeks hurt from laughing. They told me they needed water because they felt dehydrated. Amazing. That's what I always want to do. I haven't been able to sustain that over a string of performances yet, but it's coming. I'm still developing as a performer.
But mark my words, one day a Roadside Attraction tool will be seen as a worthwhile and effective way to lose weight. :)
And in talking about myself for an hour (yeesh), I started thinking about the shows I've seen that really influenced me. My favorites were always the ones that leave you completely drained at the end.
One of the earliest I can remember is Bill Cosby: Himself. Saw it on cable. I was young, but I don't remember exactly what age. We use "rofl" pretty liberally on the internet these days, but during that show that's exactly what I was doing. Literally rolling around on the floor laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. "The Dentist" is still bit that is often quoted in my family. Absolutely classic and one of the funniest bits ever written.
When I was 19 or so I saw Savatage at a place called One Step Beyond. I was a metal head at the time and into their music. But the energy of the show was over the top. They had a great rapport with the audience. And the place was so packed that my feet literally didn't touch the floor for two hours. We were packed up against that stage like sardines. Fun then. Not sure I'd be too into that now. :)
I saw Carrot Top at two different county fair shows. By the end of the show my face hurt from laughing so much. Poor ol' CT is much maligned among comedians, but there was no denying how ambitious, energetic, creative his shows were. I've got his live Veagas DVD and it doesn't translate somehow. But those fair shows were over the top and I was exhausted by the end.
My favorite all time performer is Prince. But to me his shows are a different experience. It's a listening experience. I'm sure the front row fans are getting a much larger wash of energy than the cheap seat people like me. I never been exhausted after a Prince show. Exhilerated for sure. But it's a different experience.
Last year when we shot our DVD at the Hoover Theater I talked to audience members after the show. People were coming out of there out of breath drenched in sweat, and looking like they'd just been through at two hour workout at the gym. They told me they danced til they couldn't anymore. They told me their cheeks hurt from laughing. They told me they needed water because they felt dehydrated. Amazing. That's what I always want to do. I haven't been able to sustain that over a string of performances yet, but it's coming. I'm still developing as a performer.
But mark my words, one day a Roadside Attraction tool will be seen as a worthwhile and effective way to lose weight. :)
Friday, June 8, 2007
Spice Girls Reunion?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/3am/2007/06/06/spice-world-tour-89520-19251590/
Just read this article in the Mirror about a Spice Girl's reunion... Um.... why? And they're each going to get 5 million pounds for the deal, so we know what's in it for them. I just can't believe some sucker is going to sink that much money into it.
Isn't this kind of like getting Menudo back together? Are we going to see a Pussycat Dolls reunion 10 years after they break up?
I love the part in the article that says they're greatest hits record is "sure to sell millions of copies". Suuuuure.... Since only one CD has passed the million mark so far this year, I wouldn't bet on that.
I know Europeans are more open minded about music than we Americans, but I hope they're not tasteless as well. That would be a shame.
It's a big money grab and I fear it's much to late for them. Could we at least push someone talented on the public?
Just read this article in the Mirror about a Spice Girl's reunion... Um.... why? And they're each going to get 5 million pounds for the deal, so we know what's in it for them. I just can't believe some sucker is going to sink that much money into it.
Isn't this kind of like getting Menudo back together? Are we going to see a Pussycat Dolls reunion 10 years after they break up?
I love the part in the article that says they're greatest hits record is "sure to sell millions of copies". Suuuuure.... Since only one CD has passed the million mark so far this year, I wouldn't bet on that.
I know Europeans are more open minded about music than we Americans, but I hope they're not tasteless as well. That would be a shame.
It's a big money grab and I fear it's much to late for them. Could we at least push someone talented on the public?
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The Living Room Bootleg Series
I'm working on a new series of acoustic tracks called the Living Room Bootleg Series - From my living room to your's. Once a month I'll be sending out a special MP3 featuring an acoustic version of a song, plus some discussion about what it's about and why I wrote it.
The first one will be released later today, so watch for it!
The first one will be released later today, so watch for it!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Avoid ATT / Cingular / SBC like the plague it is...
Ok, so I haven't really gotten around to the comedy music stuff to much on this blog. But eventually. :)
My cell phone broke... again... over the weekend. Just a couple months ago, AT and T had to send me a replacement for another phone that broke. Not through any fault of mine. Wasn't dropped or anything. And of course they jerk you out of $50 to send you a new (refurbished) phone. Even though getting a new phone is only about $70.
But ok, so I did it. They send me the phone and it breaks again. So today I call them. I tell them that the display freaked out and it looks like it has burn marks on it. That bad. Not only do they want to jack me out of $50 again, but they also want to remove the insurance. Apparently you're not allowed to have more than two replacement phones within 12 months. Even though it was their fault they sent me a crappy phone. So whatever, the request goes through.
After talking with my dad about it (we have a family plan), we decide to cancel the replacement and just take our business elsewhere. So I call them and they tell me there's no way to cancel a request once it's gone through. With all the wonders of computer technology, they can't figure out how to cancel a request? Really? Send a damn carrier pigeon if you have to. So they were perfectly fine with me telling them I'd take it to small claims court.
I also told them this is exactly the kind of reason I sold my stock in the company. Every step of the way, whether cell, residential, service, or dsl... this company has been a thorn in my side and nothing but trouble.
At the end of one call I had to make about residential service the guys says... "Thank you for choosing AT&T." I said, "Yeah? Did I really have a choice? Is there another phone company I can get in this area?" "Uh, no." came the reply.
So, I encourage you all to just say "Uh, no." to ATT.
My cell phone broke... again... over the weekend. Just a couple months ago, AT and T had to send me a replacement for another phone that broke. Not through any fault of mine. Wasn't dropped or anything. And of course they jerk you out of $50 to send you a new (refurbished) phone. Even though getting a new phone is only about $70.
But ok, so I did it. They send me the phone and it breaks again. So today I call them. I tell them that the display freaked out and it looks like it has burn marks on it. That bad. Not only do they want to jack me out of $50 again, but they also want to remove the insurance. Apparently you're not allowed to have more than two replacement phones within 12 months. Even though it was their fault they sent me a crappy phone. So whatever, the request goes through.
After talking with my dad about it (we have a family plan), we decide to cancel the replacement and just take our business elsewhere. So I call them and they tell me there's no way to cancel a request once it's gone through. With all the wonders of computer technology, they can't figure out how to cancel a request? Really? Send a damn carrier pigeon if you have to. So they were perfectly fine with me telling them I'd take it to small claims court.
I also told them this is exactly the kind of reason I sold my stock in the company. Every step of the way, whether cell, residential, service, or dsl... this company has been a thorn in my side and nothing but trouble.
At the end of one call I had to make about residential service the guys says... "Thank you for choosing AT&T." I said, "Yeah? Did I really have a choice? Is there another phone company I can get in this area?" "Uh, no." came the reply.
So, I encourage you all to just say "Uh, no." to ATT.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Freedom Writers
I've just finished watching the film Freedom Writers. Even though I saw the trailer before it was out, I missed it in the theaters. Thanks be to Netflix. :)
If you haven't seen this movie, go get it right now. It's not just a feel good movie about a teacher motivating her students. Go watch the Bad News Bears for that. This is a film about trying to understand each other. Not just the students, but the teacher as well. As a white person learning to understand why there are racial tensions. And learning that while it's justifiable, it doesn't mean it has to continue. And that learning about the past can fix part of the present.
The subplot of her marriage problems is important as well. When one person has found the reason they exist and pursues it, it can be difficult on the one who hasn't yet found their purpose.
Just as you might educate yourself by watching Schindler's List or reading the Diary of Anne Frank, you should also watch Freedom Writers.
If you haven't seen this movie, go get it right now. It's not just a feel good movie about a teacher motivating her students. Go watch the Bad News Bears for that. This is a film about trying to understand each other. Not just the students, but the teacher as well. As a white person learning to understand why there are racial tensions. And learning that while it's justifiable, it doesn't mean it has to continue. And that learning about the past can fix part of the present.
The subplot of her marriage problems is important as well. When one person has found the reason they exist and pursues it, it can be difficult on the one who hasn't yet found their purpose.
Just as you might educate yourself by watching Schindler's List or reading the Diary of Anne Frank, you should also watch Freedom Writers.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
New Recording Studio
Well, they're laying the cement today for a new recording studio in my back yard. I'm very excited to be able to have my own place to work. And I'm sure the neighbors will be thrilled. ;)
What's this mean for you? It means more recorded output from Roadside Attraction! I won't have to tromp all the way downtown every time I get an idea for a song now. I usually forget it by the time I get there anyway.
What's this mean for you? It means more recorded output from Roadside Attraction! I won't have to tromp all the way downtown every time I get an idea for a song now. I usually forget it by the time I get there anyway.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Last week was weird...
It was a strange week for shows last week. Small audiences everywhere. We struggled to get 50 into the Improv. And the show there the next night was cancelled altogether. I wasn't on that one. The show at E3 was very sparse, but we had a good time anyway. Even the open mic I hit on Wednesday, which is usually full, was very on the empty side.
Could it be graduation/prom/holiday time? Maybe. I try not to blame things on outside circumstances. It's just one of those things that happens sometimes.
I'll be at the Grame Matthew Studio on Bascom Ave in San Jose this Thursday... Headlining in a great little room. :)
Could it be graduation/prom/holiday time? Maybe. I try not to blame things on outside circumstances. It's just one of those things that happens sometimes.
I'll be at the Grame Matthew Studio on Bascom Ave in San Jose this Thursday... Headlining in a great little room. :)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
The Improv Comedy Competition
So, I did the competition at the San Jose Improv this past Tuesday. At first we weren't sure the show was going to happen due to lack of audience. But we managed to get 50 people or so in there.
I didn't place, but I wasn't worried about that. I like the stage time.... Or do I?
I've never been a fan of competitions, but I've done a few over the last couple of months. They are, of course, a popularity contest despite voting rules that try to make up for that. But two of the top 3 will always be the guys who brought the big crowd, funny or not.
But I always went for the stage time in front of a good crowd. What I increasingly find is an audience that mostly laughs at who they came to see. Incidentally, my fans laughed at everyone. But my sure-fire material never works as well a the competitions. And even though I don't really care if I win or not, I still kinda hope to hear my name called at the end of the night. I don't have much of a competitive streak, but it does pop up a little at these things.
So, I don't think I'm going to do too many more of these right now. I'm booked for two more this summer and I'll see how those go. But I'd rather play a regular show where everyone in the room can enjoy each other. Just my thoughts.
I didn't place, but I wasn't worried about that. I like the stage time.... Or do I?
I've never been a fan of competitions, but I've done a few over the last couple of months. They are, of course, a popularity contest despite voting rules that try to make up for that. But two of the top 3 will always be the guys who brought the big crowd, funny or not.
But I always went for the stage time in front of a good crowd. What I increasingly find is an audience that mostly laughs at who they came to see. Incidentally, my fans laughed at everyone. But my sure-fire material never works as well a the competitions. And even though I don't really care if I win or not, I still kinda hope to hear my name called at the end of the night. I don't have much of a competitive streak, but it does pop up a little at these things.
So, I don't think I'm going to do too many more of these right now. I'm booked for two more this summer and I'll see how those go. But I'd rather play a regular show where everyone in the room can enjoy each other. Just my thoughts.
Here is why I'm not on a major label or American Idol or any of that other "mainstream" junk. I've been fortunate to have trustworthy people giving me advice on the direction of the music industry. Trent Reznor makes some very common statements here that I hear all the time from previous major label acts. And Trent is a master marketer and music craftsman.
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails/Herald Sun
Q: It must be an odd time then to have a new album, Year Zero, out?
A: It's a very odd time to be a musician on a major label, because there's so much resentment towards the record industry that it's hard to position yourself in a place with the fans where you don't look like a greedy asshole. But at the same time, when our record came out I was disappointed at the number of people that actually bought it. If this had been 10 years ago.
I would think "Well, not that many people are into it. OK, that kinda sucks. Yeah I could point fingers but the blame would be with me, maybe I'm not relevant". But on this record, I know people have it and I know it's on everybody's iPods, but the climate is such that people don't buy it because it's easier to steal it.
Q: You're a bit of a computer geek. You must have been there, too?
A: Oh, I understand that -- I steal music too, I'm not gonna say I don't. But it's tough not to resent people for doing it when you're the guy making the music, that would like to reap a benefit from that. On the other hand, you got record labels that are doing everything they can to piss people off and rip them off. I created a little issue down here because the first thing I did when I got to Sydney is I walk into HMV, the week the record's out, and I see it on the rack with a bunch of other releases. And every release I see: $21.99, $22.99, $24.99. And ours doesn't have a sticker on it. I look close and 'Oh, it's $34.99'. So I walk over to see our live DVD Beside You in Time, and I see that it's also priced six, seven, eight dollars more than every other disc on there. And I can't figure out why that would be.
Q: Did you have a word to anyone?
A: Well, in Brisbane I end up meeting and greeting some record label people, who are pleasant enough, and one of them is a sales guy, so I say "Why is this the case?" He goes "Because your packaging is a lot more expensive". I know how much the packaging costs -- it costs me, not them, it costs me 83 cents more to have a CD with the colour-changing ink on it. I'm taking the hit on that, not them. So I said "Well, it doesn't cost $10 more". "Ah, well, you're right, it doesn't. Basically it's because we know you've got a core audience that's gonna buy whatever we put out, so we can charge more for that. It's the pop stuff we have to discount to get people to buy it. True fans will pay whatever". And I just said "That's the most insulting thing I've heard. I've garnered a core audience that you feel it's OK to rip off? F--- you'. That's also why you don't see any label people here, 'cos I said 'F--- you people. Stay out of my f---ing show. If you wanna come, pay the ticket like anyone else. F--- you guys". They're thieves. I don't blame people for stealing music if this is the kind of s--- that they pull off.
Q: Where does that extra $10 on your album go?
A: That money's not going into my pocket, I can promise you that. It's just these guys who have f---ed themselves out of a job essentially, that now take it out on ripping off the public. I've got a battle where I'm trying to put out quality material that matters and I've got fans that feel it's their right to steal it and I've got a company that's so bureaucratic and clumsy and ignorant and behind the times they don't know what to do, so they rip the people off.
Q: Given all that, do you have any idea how to approach the release of your next album?
A: I've have one record left that I owe a major label, then I will never be seen in a situation like this again. If I could do what I want right now, I would put out my next album, you could download it from my site at as high a bit-rate as you want, pay $4 through PayPal. Come see the show and buy a T-shirt if you like it. I would put out a nicely packaged merchandise piece, if you want to own a physical thing. And it would come out the day that it's done in the studio, not this "Let's wait three months" bulls---.
Q: When your US label, Interscope, discovered the web-based alternate reality game (ARG) you'd built around Year Zero, were they happy for the free marketing or angry you hadn't let them in on it?
A: I chose to do this on my own, at great financial expense to myself, because I knew they wouldn't understand what it is, for one. And secondly, I didn't want it coming from a place of marketing, I wanted it coming from a place that was pure to the project. It's a way to present the story and the backdrop, something I would be excited to find as a fan. I knew the minute I talked to someone at the record label about it, they would be looking at it in terms of "How can we tie this in with a mobile provider?" That's what they do. If something lent itself to that, OK, I'm not opposed to the idea of not losing a lot of money (laughs). But it would only be if it made sense. I've had to position myself as the irrational, stubborn, crazy artist. At the end of the day, I'm not out to sabotage my career, but quality matters, and integrity matters. Jumping through any hoop or taking advantage of any desperate situation that comes up just to sell a product is harmful. It is.
Q: Is the Year Zero ARG something labels will copy now?
A: Well, their response, when they saw that it did catch on like wildfire, was "Look how smart we are the way we marketed this record". That's the feedback I've gotten -- other artists who've met with that label ask 'em about it: "Yeah, you like what we did for Trent? Look what we did for Trent". They've then gone on to try to buy the company that did it to apply it to all their other acts. So, glad I could help them out. I'm sure they still don't understand what it is that we did or why it worked. But I will look forward to the Black Eyed Peas ARG, that should be amazing.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21741980-5006024,00.html
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Words of Wisdom...
Be happy with and enjoy what you have. But always be pushing for a better future.
Who said it? I don't know... But you'll be hearing variations of it from me pretty regularly.
Who said it? I don't know... But you'll be hearing variations of it from me pretty regularly.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Jetting off to LA.....
Well, I'm headed to LA for the Music Strategies conference this weekend. There's nothing like getting in a room with 150 of "my people" and immersing ourselves in the music business for 3 days.
Ok, it's getting our asses kicked for three days by our mentor, but good nonetheless. :)
If you happen to be in the LA area this weekend. Come by the Westin LAX Hotel on Saturday night at 7pm and see the huge performance night we do each time. I'm probably MC'ing the event again.
And when I get back on Monday, I'll have all kinds of great new ideas and energy to get my music and comedy out to the world. :)
Meanwhile, check out my friend Tim Lee's hilarious scientific comedy:
Ok, it's getting our asses kicked for three days by our mentor, but good nonetheless. :)
If you happen to be in the LA area this weekend. Come by the Westin LAX Hotel on Saturday night at 7pm and see the huge performance night we do each time. I'm probably MC'ing the event again.
And when I get back on Monday, I'll have all kinds of great new ideas and energy to get my music and comedy out to the world. :)
Meanwhile, check out my friend Tim Lee's hilarious scientific comedy:
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The New Dynamic of Fan/Artist Interaction
Check out this great article in the New York Post.
It's almost as if they're reporting the obvious. Certainly as artists we've been working at being closer to our fans for a few years now. It will certainly be interesting to see where it all goes.
The whole idea of being a socialite artist is fairly new. It used to be that I'd show up for soundcheck, then sit in the back of the room and read a book until it was time to go onstage. I've always been a very shy person. I know, you can't tell from my stage show, but it's true. I feel utterly at home on stage talking to a room full of people. One on one is much different though.
I had to get used to being a people person. And two things have happened. One, it's fueled the rise of my career. Two, it's made me a happier person. I enjoy knowing people and being known.
Will it become drudgery like some of the artists in the article mention? Overwhelming maybe (hopefully), but not drudgery, I think. Though face to face communication is more fulfilling than internet, at least we have something.
Check out the article and leave me a comment on what you think.
Phil Johnson
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
It's almost as if they're reporting the obvious. Certainly as artists we've been working at being closer to our fans for a few years now. It will certainly be interesting to see where it all goes.
The whole idea of being a socialite artist is fairly new. It used to be that I'd show up for soundcheck, then sit in the back of the room and read a book until it was time to go onstage. I've always been a very shy person. I know, you can't tell from my stage show, but it's true. I feel utterly at home on stage talking to a room full of people. One on one is much different though.
I had to get used to being a people person. And two things have happened. One, it's fueled the rise of my career. Two, it's made me a happier person. I enjoy knowing people and being known.
Will it become drudgery like some of the artists in the article mention? Overwhelming maybe (hopefully), but not drudgery, I think. Though face to face communication is more fulfilling than internet, at least we have something.
Check out the article and leave me a comment on what you think.
Phil Johnson
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Friday, May 11, 2007
Preview DVDs
I've got a new promotional device that I'll be experimenting with over the next few weeks. I've been using introduction CDs for years and done pretty well with them. Now I'm trying out Preview DVDs. They include a short comedy set and the trailer for "Raising A Rockus" along with my artist story and discography. I'm interested to see how well they work and I'll find out tonight as I hit my first couple events with them.
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Comedy at the Swingin' Door
Last night's comedy show at the Swingin' Door Pub in San Mateo was really a lot of fun. More than I thought it would be. :)
I headlined the night, but my feature act, Lynn Ruth Miller was responsible for bringing most of the crowd. It was 98% women which can be a good or bad thing. In a room full of guys, some will laugh out loud and others will sit in stone silence. Women stick together though. If they like you, then nearly all of them will be in on the fun. If a few of them don't like you, the rest will tone down their response.
Luckily I got the former. All very nice ladies and I even worked them all the way up to LCW and still had 'em. So it was a good night. Quite a few picked up DVDs and CDs too, which means I get to eat today. ;)
Next show is this Saturday at Our Little Theater in San Francisco at 8pm. Check my website for details. And arrive early. They're not kidding with that name. The place holds about 12 people. I do it more like an intimate house concert there. Really fun. :)
Next week I won't be playing in the Bay Area due to a music convention in LA. For you hip-hop heads, my buddy Tah Phrum Da Bush is in town from New York. This dude is one of the most entertaining performers and top notch MCs I've ever met. Check him out at Club 6 in San Francisco on Tuesday the 15th and Club Anton in Oakland on Thursday the 17th. His website is www.FilthyClean.com
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
www.RoadsideAttraction.com
I headlined the night, but my feature act, Lynn Ruth Miller was responsible for bringing most of the crowd. It was 98% women which can be a good or bad thing. In a room full of guys, some will laugh out loud and others will sit in stone silence. Women stick together though. If they like you, then nearly all of them will be in on the fun. If a few of them don't like you, the rest will tone down their response.
Luckily I got the former. All very nice ladies and I even worked them all the way up to LCW and still had 'em. So it was a good night. Quite a few picked up DVDs and CDs too, which means I get to eat today. ;)
Next show is this Saturday at Our Little Theater in San Francisco at 8pm. Check my website for details. And arrive early. They're not kidding with that name. The place holds about 12 people. I do it more like an intimate house concert there. Really fun. :)
Next week I won't be playing in the Bay Area due to a music convention in LA. For you hip-hop heads, my buddy Tah Phrum Da Bush is in town from New York. This dude is one of the most entertaining performers and top notch MCs I've ever met. Check him out at Club 6 in San Francisco on Tuesday the 15th and Club Anton in Oakland on Thursday the 17th. His website is www.FilthyClean.com
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
www.RoadsideAttraction.com
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
What the heck is comedy music?
Alright... So, I'm going to try again to make a go of this blog thing. Seems I always get to busy with other things and sometimes forget to to communicate with the world. :)
So where to start... Well, maybe by defining a little bit about what I do. The world of comedy music brings up a lot of questions with people who don't know much about it. We are a comparitively small subsect of the comedy world, but there are the stars (Stephen Lynch, Weird Al, Adam Sandler) that people know.
Basically I break it down into three different types:
Parody - This means using someone else's songs and writing new, funny (hopefully) lyrics to it. Weird Al is the king of this. On one level, this is an easy task because the music and arrangement are done for you. On the other hand it's really difficult to write a GOOD parody that actually elicits laughter and doesn't sound hokey. Parody has never been my style and I stay well away from it. Why? Because I'm a music artist before a comedian. The music part is of utmost importance (and enjoyment) to me as a writer.
Novelty Songs - These are songs that are quirky, but not neccessarily funny. The lyrics will fall outside the normal love/social issues/psychological whining of the average songs you hear on the radio. They might be about dinosaurs or cucumbers. While they may have some funny lines, they're more about being different. A good chunk of what you hear on Dr Demento falls under this category. Musically they can fall between the very simplistic and the very complex, ie. Frank Zappa. Unfortunately, the term "novelty song" oftens connotes a throwaway quality. Like, "Oh, it's just a little joke". Yeah, ok.. Tell Zappa that. While I've written some songs that can fall into this category, I don't call them novelty songs. I call them my "Fun, but not Funny" songs. "Afrodizzyac" (one of my current Roadside Attraction favorites) is an example of this type of song. But it's certainly not throwaway material. It's actually one of the more complex and difficult songs in our repertoire.
Comedy Music - This is where most of my concentration is these days. Comedy music uses the principles and techniques of standup comedy, but in a musical form. So, there's setups, punchlines, act-outs, surprise elements, rule of 3 runs, hard "k" sounds. All the different ideas that regular standups use to make you laugh. Just surrounded by music. I find it a difficult and challenging medium since, not only does it have to be funny, but it has to rhyme and make musical sense as well. Each song is a new puzzle to work out. "LCW" and "Asshole" are two of my songs that fit in this category pretty well.
I try to make the message of my comedy pretty clear - That's life just isn't that serious and there's always someone more screwed up than you. But sometimes I write straight music as well. Pieces to sort out the more serious aspects of what goes on in my head. "Share My Pixie Dust", "Judgment Day", "Dead City Support Club" and the like. Those are a different discipline of their own, but right now I'm into the comedy stuff. :)
So I hope that gives you a little more insight into my art and what it's about. More to come. :)
Gotta go write now. :)
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
P.S. You can hear samples of all the songs mentioned here on my website.
P.P.S. Don't forget to pick up a copy of our new DVD "Raising A Rockus" while you're there!
So where to start... Well, maybe by defining a little bit about what I do. The world of comedy music brings up a lot of questions with people who don't know much about it. We are a comparitively small subsect of the comedy world, but there are the stars (Stephen Lynch, Weird Al, Adam Sandler) that people know.
Basically I break it down into three different types:
Parody - This means using someone else's songs and writing new, funny (hopefully) lyrics to it. Weird Al is the king of this. On one level, this is an easy task because the music and arrangement are done for you. On the other hand it's really difficult to write a GOOD parody that actually elicits laughter and doesn't sound hokey. Parody has never been my style and I stay well away from it. Why? Because I'm a music artist before a comedian. The music part is of utmost importance (and enjoyment) to me as a writer.
Novelty Songs - These are songs that are quirky, but not neccessarily funny. The lyrics will fall outside the normal love/social issues/psychological whining of the average songs you hear on the radio. They might be about dinosaurs or cucumbers. While they may have some funny lines, they're more about being different. A good chunk of what you hear on Dr Demento falls under this category. Musically they can fall between the very simplistic and the very complex, ie. Frank Zappa. Unfortunately, the term "novelty song" oftens connotes a throwaway quality. Like, "Oh, it's just a little joke". Yeah, ok.. Tell Zappa that. While I've written some songs that can fall into this category, I don't call them novelty songs. I call them my "Fun, but not Funny" songs. "Afrodizzyac" (one of my current Roadside Attraction favorites) is an example of this type of song. But it's certainly not throwaway material. It's actually one of the more complex and difficult songs in our repertoire.
Comedy Music - This is where most of my concentration is these days. Comedy music uses the principles and techniques of standup comedy, but in a musical form. So, there's setups, punchlines, act-outs, surprise elements, rule of 3 runs, hard "k" sounds. All the different ideas that regular standups use to make you laugh. Just surrounded by music. I find it a difficult and challenging medium since, not only does it have to be funny, but it has to rhyme and make musical sense as well. Each song is a new puzzle to work out. "LCW" and "Asshole" are two of my songs that fit in this category pretty well.
I try to make the message of my comedy pretty clear - That's life just isn't that serious and there's always someone more screwed up than you. But sometimes I write straight music as well. Pieces to sort out the more serious aspects of what goes on in my head. "Share My Pixie Dust", "Judgment Day", "Dead City Support Club" and the like. Those are a different discipline of their own, but right now I'm into the comedy stuff. :)
So I hope that gives you a little more insight into my art and what it's about. More to come. :)
Gotta go write now. :)
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
P.S. You can hear samples of all the songs mentioned here on my website.
P.P.S. Don't forget to pick up a copy of our new DVD "Raising A Rockus" while you're there!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
March 2nd Birthday Show Cancelled - Don't ever go to Omega Restaurant in Milpitas.
Sorry to say that my March 2nd birthday show is cancelled. After I'd found out that Ron's Farmhouse would be closed for renovations, I approached Omega Restaurant in Milpitas as a replacement. A win-win deal was struck which they promptly backed out on unless I paid them more money.
The whole story is below if you'd like to read it. But instead, let's focus on making the Improv on March 28th a night to remember. I'll be there with some fantastic comedians. And the Improv treats both it's customers and performers with the utmost respect. So, let's get together there on March 28th.
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
THE NITTY GRITTY
After finding out that Ron's Farmhouse was closing, I approached one of Omega Restaurant's owners with the idea. I told him I couldn't rent the room but that my friends and fans would certainly be buying food and drinks. He told me he'd been burned by that before and requested a guaranteed amount. I said I could guarantee him $100 and that it would probably be more. But that was all I was comfortable guaranteeing. As it was, the previous venue was paying ME to do the show.
He haggled with me of course. I told him that was all I could offer, and if he didn't want to do it, I'd go find somewhere else. He responded that they wanted to do it. They didn't have anything scheduled for the room on Friday anyway. Some money is better than none. I gave him a $50 deposit and he wrote the reservation in their book. Done deal.
Two days later I get a call telling me that they've got another party coming in Friday night for more money and they have to cancel me.... unless I want to pay their regular $150 an hour rate for the room. Then he says that he told me originally that he would cancel the event if they had a better deal come in. He didn't. That would have been a dealbreaker for me. I'm not dumb.
So I go down there to get my $50 back and the other owner starts telling me that I can't tell them how much to charge and how to run their business. (Business 101 - The customer's always wrong? - Good job...) He accused me of forcing them (?) to do the deal. I reiterated that I offered it to them because I liked their place and wanted to bring them the business. If they didn't want to do it that's fine too. Doesn't sound like force to me.
Then I told him that I had already told over 400 people about the event. Really it's been closer to 2000. He flipped out and pointed at their "Max Occupancy 100" sign. I had to explain that I only expected 10 percent or so to show up. Normal stuff.
Then I told him that I now had to tell those 400 people to never go to his restaurant. Not to mention, my family, who have patrons of the place for 20 years, would not be going back. And, of course, I had planned on offering them a weekly comedy show that would net them 1000's of dollars over the long term, but that's not going to happen. He told me I was lying. Really. He said everyone tells him that. Really? To quote my girlfriend, "How many times has he had this argument then?"
I said "Screw you then." Starting to lose my cool a little after being yelled at and called a liar. Then as I'm walking out, he's behind me yelling "Get outta here! We don't need your business!".
So I go from offering a win-win situation to a place because I like them, to being accused of lying and bum-rushed out of the place. Nice. Some people's businesses will never grow. Omega restaurant is located at 90 S. Park Victoria Blvd in Milpitas. Phone number is (408) 946-8748. I encourage you never ever go there.
The whole story is below if you'd like to read it. But instead, let's focus on making the Improv on March 28th a night to remember. I'll be there with some fantastic comedians. And the Improv treats both it's customers and performers with the utmost respect. So, let's get together there on March 28th.
Phil Johnson
Roadside Attraction
http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com
THE NITTY GRITTY
After finding out that Ron's Farmhouse was closing, I approached one of Omega Restaurant's owners with the idea. I told him I couldn't rent the room but that my friends and fans would certainly be buying food and drinks. He told me he'd been burned by that before and requested a guaranteed amount. I said I could guarantee him $100 and that it would probably be more. But that was all I was comfortable guaranteeing. As it was, the previous venue was paying ME to do the show.
He haggled with me of course. I told him that was all I could offer, and if he didn't want to do it, I'd go find somewhere else. He responded that they wanted to do it. They didn't have anything scheduled for the room on Friday anyway. Some money is better than none. I gave him a $50 deposit and he wrote the reservation in their book. Done deal.
Two days later I get a call telling me that they've got another party coming in Friday night for more money and they have to cancel me.... unless I want to pay their regular $150 an hour rate for the room. Then he says that he told me originally that he would cancel the event if they had a better deal come in. He didn't. That would have been a dealbreaker for me. I'm not dumb.
So I go down there to get my $50 back and the other owner starts telling me that I can't tell them how much to charge and how to run their business. (Business 101 - The customer's always wrong? - Good job...) He accused me of forcing them (?) to do the deal. I reiterated that I offered it to them because I liked their place and wanted to bring them the business. If they didn't want to do it that's fine too. Doesn't sound like force to me.
Then I told him that I had already told over 400 people about the event. Really it's been closer to 2000. He flipped out and pointed at their "Max Occupancy 100" sign. I had to explain that I only expected 10 percent or so to show up. Normal stuff.
Then I told him that I now had to tell those 400 people to never go to his restaurant. Not to mention, my family, who have patrons of the place for 20 years, would not be going back. And, of course, I had planned on offering them a weekly comedy show that would net them 1000's of dollars over the long term, but that's not going to happen. He told me I was lying. Really. He said everyone tells him that. Really? To quote my girlfriend, "How many times has he had this argument then?"
I said "Screw you then." Starting to lose my cool a little after being yelled at and called a liar. Then as I'm walking out, he's behind me yelling "Get outta here! We don't need your business!".
So I go from offering a win-win situation to a place because I like them, to being accused of lying and bum-rushed out of the place. Nice. Some people's businesses will never grow. Omega restaurant is located at 90 S. Park Victoria Blvd in Milpitas. Phone number is (408) 946-8748. I encourage you never ever go there.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Preview tracks from Raising A Rockus now available!
The official release date for our new DVD "Raising A Rockus" has been set for April 20th, 2007.
Yep, 4/20. Laugh it up stoners... (They're so easy...)
Right now though, you can download two free preview audio MP3s at: http://www.roadsideattraction.com/rockuspreview.htm
The DVD to be released April 20th will contain the whole 14 song concert on both DVD and audio CD, plus bonus extras. 5.1 surround sound with 24 track digital recording and digital filming puts you right at the show!
Yep, 4/20. Laugh it up stoners... (They're so easy...)
Right now though, you can download two free preview audio MP3s at: http://www.roadsideattraction.com/rockuspreview.htm
The DVD to be released April 20th will contain the whole 14 song concert on both DVD and audio CD, plus bonus extras. 5.1 surround sound with 24 track digital recording and digital filming puts you right at the show!
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