The Grownup Noise - This Time With Feeling

It’s no secret to readers of this here blog that The Grownup Noise is quickly moving up the ranks to one of my very favorite local bands. So when I got the 411 that they were releasing a new disc, it’s safe to say the anticipation for it was palpable. I was happy to tear off the shrink wrap and pop that baby right into my player the very day it arrived.

As expected, I was not let down.

This Time With Feeling was, as the title suggests, full of, well, feeling! Not to mention the band’s distinctive, signature sound. Lead singer and guitarist Paul Hansen put his pen to paper this time around and conjured up twelve songs with lyrics that provoke emotion from the listener, and that ethereal quality of musical reflection these hard working guys and gals have come to be known for.

Paul, along with cellist Katie Franich, bassist Adam Sankowski and drummer Aine Fujioka, (as well as Kyle Crane on drum and Todd Marston on accordian) spin their delicate, yet powerful, beats and strings into a blend of music that defies any labeling into one specific genre; their music truly has something for everybody to enjoy.

This album seriously crosses gender/genre/age/taste lines so smoothly I could play it for anyone and I guarantee they would find at least one track they love. But it isn't all over the place either. Like a runway show at fashion week, the songs stand alone yet still represent a cohesive collection.

When I loaded the disc into my iTunes it classifies as Alternative but there is an influence of jazz, urban/indie pop, folk and smooth summertime groove on every track of this album. Each member of the band (plus a host of featured guests) mixes it up among multiple instruments and vocal backing to bring the fullness of the entire band’s talent front and center; no matter what you call it, the thing is just plain great.

Right off the bat I recognized a couple songs as they were featured on their 2010 EP Shall We? including the lead off song “Strawmen” which was more than a pleasant way to ease right into this disc as if it was my favorite recliner chair. As I continued to listen my ears perked at three more songs from the EP -- “The Artist Type”, “Six Foot Solemn Oath” and “So It Goes”. It was fun to hear some grooves that I was already familiar with blend seamlessly into the additional eight tracks on the disc.

Then I got to track 9, “Just So You Know”. Within twenty seconds the words “this is a radio single” tumbled out of my mouth. And I mean it. I could picture hearing this song on just about any contemporary radio station and bopping along as I roll the windows down in the warm winds of spring. It’s a perfect song to drive to, to cook to, to dance to and to sing along with.

The lyrics are catchy, there’s that thing, that hook, that any radio song really needs, but it isn’t overtly in your face like some pop songs. They hug you with it and it washes over you like it’s your best friend and closest confidant. By the time I got to the end of the song it was like I’d already known it forever.

The last three tracks didn’t disappoint either and the final track, “Somehow We Escaped” is stripped down, ballad-esque and whimsical as Paul and a baritone guitar sweetly, and honestly, put you at ease with his utterly unique voice. You know, despite the fact that the lyrics are about anything but whimsical subjects.

And when it ends all you’ll want to do is start it over again from the beginning. Which I did. Immediately, and with a smile.

Where It All Began

My self proclaimed groupieness with this band started years ago, before I’d even heard a single note from even one of their instruments, when I found out they had converted a 30 some odd year old van to run on veggie oil and they were planning to use it to tour that very summer. The van, dubbed with the moniker Lorian (as taken directly from the side of the van), made two back to back summer tours and was put to rest before last year’s summer tour.

After speaking with Adam about why Lorian had to be put out to pasture I learned that, although veggie conversions are a great idea for bands, they’re still in the earliest stages of testing and, basically, the kinks were kind of outweighing the benefits.

That’s not to say the band is all about stomping on the planet now, quite the opposite! They’re still uber conscious, recycling on the road and keeping an eye on their fuel consumption by limiting the zig-zag of a typical tour. And that makes them even cooler in my book.

Where You Can See them Live

A kick off show for the release of This Time With Feeling is happening this Friday night at the Middle East Downstairs, right in Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Tickets are insanely cheap, $12, and are likely to sell out quick because these folks have a pretty healthy local following.

(Hint, hint -- go buy your ticket now!)

But if you can’t make it to that show fear not! The band is on every social media network known to man -- Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and you can listen to their live music on YouTube, just search The Grownup Noise. Not to mention a schedule of appearances is updated regularly on their official website.

Trust me, buy this new disc, you will not be disappointed.

Life Is Good!

This past weekend here in Canton, Massachusetts the well known lover of all dogs, Life Is Good, held their rockin’ good time festival and Matt and I were lucky enough to attend on Sunday.

The festival, held on the grounds of Prowse Farm, featured so much it would be almost impossible to list it all here but I’ll highlight the stuff we took part in and saw.

We started the day with the best part of all -- free parking! Parking was graciously donated by Reebok as their building was about a ten minute walk from the field and they had a parking garage which housed a healthy number of cars. Instead of waiting for a shuttle bus, Matt and I walked the distance to the field with our beach chairs, backpack (filled with towels, a roll of toilet paper, our Nalgene bottles and travel sized Scrabble) and a smile.

We arrived right on time to get set up to see Emily Elbert. Originally from Texas, Emily went to school right here in Boston at Berkley. We’ve seen her live before and couldn’t wait to catch her act on a much larger stage. The music she does is a nice mix of bluesy, jazzy, poppy, rock and her voice holds so much soul you’d never think it was coming from such a teeny girl. She rocked and even had an interpreter signing for the crowd!

From there we made our way to get some food from the local vendors and the prices were really reasonable which was a welcomed change from most festivals I’ve attended. We passed the Life Is Good merchandise tent on the way. Oh yeah, did I happen to mention that 100% of the proceeds from this event of LiG merch are being donated to the Life is Good Kids Foundation?

Cool!

Next up for us was They Might Be Giants, one of Matt’s all time favorite acts. They have taken to doing lots of kids music in recent years but we’ve discovered that the jokes and chatting the guys do on stage in between the tunes is all for the grown ups. So, sans kids of our own, we hung out on the periphery and enjoyed the fun!  They made a funny reference to Woodstock when one of the John's came up to make an announcement and I even recognized a few tunes (Alphabet of Nations I think is one of them) from having taken our nephews to their show a few months back.

We had a bunch of idle time until the next act we were interested in seeing so it was time to mingle -- festival style!

We passed on taking part in the sporting events because we just like to walk around (and also because we both had a drink so safety first!). There was a rock climbing wall, Frisbee toss, bocce, tug-o-war and a whole slew of other fun stuff for all ages to take part in! On the way around we passed the Art for All Mural (pictured at the top of the post) and I was in love!

It consists of 1500 tiles that are hand painted in pre-determined colors/palates by selected volunteers and when it is all put together this 25’ high by 31’ wide canvas is a most impressive piece.

We made our way around to catch a little bit of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars on the main stage (who were quite grooving, I danced my way across the field!) and then headed back to the smaller stage to watch OK Go and Brett Dennen.

We played a little Scrabble (I won which is pretty normal around here, I come from a long lineage of fierce Scrabble competitors!)

Took a few photos.

And then, I had a Say Anything moment with my favorite eco-conscious musician, the headliner that night, Jason Mraz. Just like Lloyd Dobler and Diane Court “shared a moment” in a mall food court in that movie, my moment with Jason was quite the exciting sighting for me. He passed by about ten feet away with, I think, his Joyologist Tricia but I wouldn’t swear to it. They were walking with a purpose and headed toward the main stage.

I nudged Matt and pointed Jason out but he didn’t catch on until the man himself had already passed by. Oh well, maybe one of these days I won’t be so shy and just approach the guy. I mean really, we have the planet in common at least even if nothing else right?

After Brett was wrapped up we had a lot of time before the next act we wanted to see, Jason, so we kind of milled about the place. We caught a slight snippet of Guster (good!) and Corinne Bailey Rae (very mellow) but when we got to the kid’s tent I was really happy we walked all the way down there.

We were lucky enough to see most of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and they were amazing! The name says it all, with Cajun, jazz and big band swing influence this act even got Matt dancing (a treasured moment to be sure!). These guys were supposed to open the main stage but had travel problems and couldn’t make it in for the 12:30 start. We were both really glad to have caught the act.

A little more wandering, people watching, throwing trash into the designated receptacles for compost, recycling and trash itself and claiming our spot to see the main stage from a vantage point a healthy distance away and we were ready for the main act.

Jason took the stage right on time and it was such a great performance we ended up heading closer toward the crowd so I could concert call a few friends, also fans of his.

Matt and I danced the entire set and it was a super fun show. Jason was opening his tour this month and I don’t know for sure but I think this was the first stop. He was full of energy and so was the huge crowd even when he performed a whole bunch of new music. At one point he tossed a piece of his cantaloupe into a guy’s mouth in the crowd then later invited the same guy (Joe) and another gal (Katie) up on stage to dance. Good times.

After the satisfying end to a day full of love, fun and music we walked back to the car, tired but happy to have had the experience and lucky enough to sit in zero traffic when leaving.

Thanks for such a great event Life is Good, the day was phenomenal and I can’t wait to hear how much you raised to support the Kids Foundation! ♥love♥

The Grownup Noise Kicks Off their Tour Tonight in Cambridge

One of our long time fans and supporters of Green Leaf Reviewer, The Grownup Noise, is once again hitting the road and they open their summer 2010, coast to coast tour right here in their hometown tonight.

It’s their fifth tour but this year things will be a little different. As many of you who have been reading for a while know the band has toured for the past couple summers in a van who’s diesel engine was converted to also run on veggie oil. The band had a love-hate relationship with the van, which they lovingly named Lorian, but after far too many incidents last summer, she was officially retired.

But does that make these guys & gals any less responsible when it comes to touring? Heck no!

This year the tour, aptly dubbed the “Mom & Pop Tour”, will only feature three band members, who will all take turns bouncing around between instruments. It sounds pretty rad and high energy to me! The energy on stage unfortunately will not propel them all the way to California of course so they made some adjustments.

The band will be touring in a smaller mini van, and they even went out to procure smaller amps in order to reduce what is being toted around in it while on the road. They won’t be dragging a trailer behind them so, as they put it, “the band [is] focusing more on reducing rather than recycling” this time out.

They certainly care about their overall impact and do whatever they can to ensure their footprint remains as small as possible while they bring their fun grooves to the ears of eager fans. Yea for that!

They are touring the release of their new EP Shall We? and it really should be a rocking good time. I fully intend to get out to The Lizard Lounge on Mass Ave in Cambridge tonight to see the first show of the tour and highly encourage all of you to find the date closest to your town so you too can catch their act.


July 31st Boston, Ma. Lizard Lounge
August 3rd Montpelier, Vt. Langdon St. Cafe
August 8th Dayton, Ohio South Park Tavern
August 9th Chicago, Illinois Elbo Room
August 11th Minneapolis, MN Acadia Café
August 13th Denver, CO Walnut Room
August 15h Albuquerque, NM Atomic Cantina
August 16th Tucson, AZ Skybar
August 17th Los Angeles, CA Room 5
August 19th San Diego Winston’s
August 20th San Fran, CA Kimo’s Penthouse
August 21st Sacramento, CA The Naked Lounge
August 25th Portland, OR Ella St. Social Club
August 26th Seattle, WA Comet Tavern
August 27th Spokane, WA TBD

To read about the band’s former adventures with Lorian or their continued efforts to spread the word on veggie oil you can click here.

We Are the World New Cause Same Powerful Impact

It has been twenty five years since Lionel Ritchie and Michael Jackson, sat down to pen one of the most powerful messages in music We Are the World and now it is being revived for a wonderful cause.

The song was originally written to inspire people to bring an end to hunger in famine torn Ethiopia, but now, with such a long road ahead to bring some semblance of normalcy back to earthquake ravaged Haiti, Lionel and Quincy Jones sat down and decided it was high time to dust off the lyrics and re-record the song with a group of eighty one new artists and one backing track from Michael (current roster, could change with additions over the next week or so).

The group is impressive, with everyone from Barbara Streisand to Haitian native Wyclef Jean showing up to lend support. One of our favorite musicians over here at GLR, 2010 Grammy award winner (yea!) Jason Mraz, lent his voice to the choir which includes other artists like Jennifer Hudson, Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas), Josh Groban, Lil Wayne, Tony Bennett, Harry Connick Jr., Snoop Dogg, L.L. Cool J, Celine Dion, Miley Cyrus, Pink, Rob Thomas, Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), and the Jonas Brothers. Not to mention a handful of actors such as Nicole Ritchie, Vince Vaughn, Rashida Jones and Jeff Bridges.

MTV has a wonderful listing of all the musicians and others who are taking part in this amazing experience, read about it here.

Will.I.Am is doing even more than lending a voice to this effort, he has also written a new hip-hop, rap which will be included in a break, is taking a lead role in the belting out of lyrics and is also helping to produce the track.

And the track is going to be a little different as well by incorporating a more hip-hop style vibe that Lionel was looking for to make the whole experience have a more modern twist.

The video for the song is going to be introduced to the world during the opening ceremony of the winter Olympics on February 12 on NBC and the song, with video, will be available to purchase. The proceeds of which are going to benefit the We Are The World Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Wyclef Jean, Paul Haggis, Randy Phillips and Ambassador Louis Moreno.

For those of us who embraced the original version of this song and the message behind it this sequel will go straight to our heart strings. For those of us who were too young or not yet born when the original was recorded in 1985, this is a fantastic opportunity to take part in something great. By simply purchasing this recording we are once again able to help our fellow man; the very message that Lionel and Michael wanted to spread from the start. ♥love♥

Original lyrics to We Are the World

There comes a time when we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And its time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can’t go on pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of Gods great big family
And the truth, you know,
Love is all we need

Chorus:
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It’s true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Send them your heart so they'll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand

Chorus

When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all
But if you just believe there’s no way we can fall
Let us realize that a change can only come
When we stand together as one

Chorus to fade

Awesomeness Defined

Well I finally did it this morning, I Googled ‘awesomeness’ and you want to know what I discovered? There is a whole lot out there on this one little word!

First of all Urban Dictionary defines awesomeness as:
An unmeasurable amount of awesomenimity something can produce.

Wow! That seems above and beyond the best ever right? And that was just one of the definitions. The general rule of thumb seems to be that awesomeness is something way beyond the standard level of awesome.

Next I discovered that there is an entire website dedicated to nothing but awesomeness -- awesomeness.com. Score! Well I’m not exactly sure where the 585 area code is but if you live there you can have Awesomeness come on over and hook up your computer network. Not only that but they will service or repair it too.

Scrolling down I discovered that you can actually buy awesomeness from Amazon.com. Well that didn’t exactly surprise me considering they have everything else for sale over there but then again, isn’t awesomeness a state of mind? I had to explore further. Turns out awesomeness is a tag that users can attach to products on Amazon. Some of the things people considered for the awesomeness category include: a T-shirt with a great white on it, Stanley heavy duty utility knife blades, organic celery seeds, Living Life As A Thank You book, the Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Adjustable Harness and so many other items I could never list them all. If you’re looking for products that are even better than awesome head on over to Amazon and check it out.

Going back to Google I also found out that I can listen to awesomeness. Over at Last.fm people listen to their favorite grooves and rate them in categories including awesomeness. Curious what some people think of in this way? How about NOFX, Radiohead, Michael Bublé, Beats Antique, The Appleseed Cast, Alice In Wonderland, Skye, DJ Bitman and Paramore not to mention a whole bunch of others. Not sure who any of those acts are? Well Last.fm lets you find out!

I was also amazed to learn that awesomeness is available to watch, read, join and most importantly read about. For example, Harvard Business Review has an entire post dedicated to what awesomeness means to businesses everywhere entitled The Awesomeness Manifesto.

And all of this was only on the first page of the search! Whew!

I guess what it all comes down to is that awesomeness is everywhere, we just have to be open to recognizing it even if it isn’t defined as such.

What is your personal awesomeness?

Things That Make Me Feel Light

Happy Solstice everyone! Today, in about 20 minutes from when I started writing this post, at 12:47 the light here in Boston will be a mere 9 hours long; six less than what we’ll see in six months on the Summer Solstice. The good news about that is at 12:48 the sun starts making its way back here for longer and warmer days ahead.

In the spirit of the returning light I thought today would be a fantastic day to share my lightness list -- thinks I’m thankful for, happy for or just enjoy in general.

It starts with this photo of a sunset I took down my street in July of last year. It was one of the warmest days and nights of the summer and the sky was a blazing red as the sun dropped out of sight. Even in the city, there is nothing quite like a great sunset!

A cozy hug.
My nephews smiling faces.
Laughter.
Warm meals with warm company.
Music that punctuates an occasion perfectly.
Water -- to drink, swim in, bathe in, etc.
Reading the perfect line then realizing I wrote it.
Reading the perfect line that someone else wrote.
A well placed saxophone or keyboard solo.
Inside jokes with Matt.
Home made hot chocolate on the stovetop.
A really well made pesto.
Cheezy 80’s pop songs.
Road trips and travel to warm places.
Conversations with my sister.
Spending time with family and friends.

What lights you up during these cold winter months?

Peter Mulvey is One Musician Dedicated to All

I have written about a slew of talented musicians, had the distinct pleasure of interviewing a few of them and have even had the pleasure of chatting with a couple over the phone as they jet off to far distant lands on their quest for the perfect rhythmic vibe. In all of these stories however, none has hit me as so profoundly Earth friendly as what Peter Mulvey is doing right now.

Peter has begun a tour which will include ten stops and seventeen days worth of music as he traverses about 1100 miles of the United States.

What is that you say? That doesn’t sound all that impressive?

Well what if I told you he was doing the entire thing on a bicycle?

Peter is calling it The Long Haul Tour 2009 and it is the third year in a row he is putting his feet to the pedals to bring his grooves to the ears of music lovers. The past two tours have primarily focused on riding throughout Wisconsin but this time around he has opened it up and will be playing a bunch of locations from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Cambridge, Massachusetts from September 9 through the 26th.

All told his tour will include just ten appearances. This is understandable considering he will be completing rides ranging from about 40-100 miles per day. Wowza!

Equally impressive is the fact that his opening act, Brianna Lane, will be accompanying him in the bike lane for the entire tour.

By far it will benefit both of them to have each other for company on the longest mile leg of this tour -- they leave Ann Arbor, Michigan after their show on Saturday September, 12 and head east 305 miles to play in Buffalo, New York just three nights later.

They shift into a lower gear and bring their act right here to Massachusetts where they play two dates in Cambridge (Lizard Lounge and Club Passim) and then the tour wraps up at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton (101 miles away) on September 26.

Check out Peter’s tour details for more information, to hear some of his lovely tunes stop on over to Peter’s Myspace page or add him as a friend on Facebook.

To help support Peter’s awesome efforts please consider seeing him on tour as well as also pledging to go by bike as many places as possible!

Musician Seth Glier Gets a Little Green on Tour

Everyday more and more musicians are getting on board with the fact that touring Greener is not as tough as one might think so when I read about Seth Glier making the jump I was totally excited to feature his story.

My mom turned me onto Seth’s music some time ago after seeing him in Marblehead. My mom played his cd Space for me in the car and I was blown away. Not a chance this kid was only about seventeen, his voice was amazing! I became an instant fan and started following him on Facebook right away.

About a week ago I saw his update that he was about to kick off this tour dubbed G3 - Glier Goes Green: Offsetting the Trouble Tour. I was completely intrigued and looked into it. Turns out, not only is Seth doing all he can to create a 100% carbon neutral tour, he is asking his concertgoers to do the same.

Some of the awesome initiatives include:

☼ Using recycled or sustainable papers for marketing materials
☼ Soy/veggie inks and sustainable fabrics (organic cotton, hemp, bamboo) for all tees
☼ Purchasing energy credits (wind power) to offset his carbon emissions
☼ Using email as opposed to paper
☼ Touring in a Hybrid vehicle
☼ Reusing cups/plates/utensils instead of disposable options
☼ Visiting Farmer’s Markets and other local produce vendors at every stop on tour
☼ Guiding concertgoers to a forum where they can discuss carpooling to shows
☼ The Trouble Makers (street team coming soon) meeting with fans to plant trees locally

In addition to these solid efforts Seth and his street team kicked off their Green tour in Athol, Massachusetts by literally getting a down and dirty by planting trees, flowers and shrubs in Fish Park. He invited his fans to bring their own shovel and plant of choice then pitch in to not only beautify the town but to add some oxygen into the air. Hooray!

This tour continues through, well it appears next year on his website! He has tour dates posted all the way up through the 2010 South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in March.

I hope that the Green efforts Seth and all are initiating this month as they hit the road to rock this amazing country will continue on every day. Thanks for being a forward thinking member of the musical community Seth, I greatly look forward to checking out the show this fall at one of your many Massachusetts locations!
♥love♥

The Grownup Noise - Re-Fried and Back on the Road

The Grownup Noise is a Boston band which happens to care so much about the planet that last year before their summer musical expedition they converted an old van to run on veggie oil and used it exclusively to tour all the way to California and back. The tour in the van was a rousing success so they are packing up for a repeat this summer, starting this Friday (dates at the end of the interview).

I recently touched base with Adam (or as some might call him, ‘Mr. Press’) and he was anxious to share where The Grownup Noise is now, with relation to the band, the van and their music, since we spoke last summer.

For those who have not read the full story, I highly recommend checking out all of the following links before diving into this interview:

Touring with a Side of Fries: Part I - The Band Gets a Van
Kicking Off the Veggie Van Tour in Boston
Touring with a Side of Fries: Part II - Hitting the Road

I think the first most important question everyone is dying to know the answer to is - have you named the van yet?

Yes we have, although she kinda came named. It’s an old 1988 E-350 and it was converted into a luxury conversion van. The company that converted it kinda named it as it says on the side of the van “Lorain Motor Coach”. I’m not sure if that’s the name of the company or not, but that’s her name, Lorain.

Have you taken her around town since last summer's tour?

Yes, as much as I can. She’s only really good for trips over forty-five minutes though as it takes ten minutes just to heat up, so we use the van for all the regional dates -- Northampton, Portland, ME, Albany, etc.

I’m actually typing this in the van as we drive back from the Cape, and are running on veggie oil.

What is the most common reaction or question you are still getting from fans and bystanders?

I think that a lot of people have at least heard of the concept by now, as alternative fuels got so much press last summer as the prices inched towards five dollars a gallon. It seemed like everywhere you went you couldn’t escape an article on alternative fuels.
It’s kinda sad in some ways that alternative fuels get such lower press when gas is affordable.

Most people either don’t quite understand what I am talking about when I explain it, or they understand mechanics and don’t believe me. My new roommate is a diesel mechanic and he didn’t believe me when I first explained what kind of van I had. Now he is a total believer and can’t understand why this isn’t talked about amongst mechanics more. He is also the sole reason that our van currently works and we owe him everything!

How has the band evolved since last summer? Talk to us about your members and what has gone on there.

Well, the band is doing well and musically I feel like we have evolved a good deal, and in a really good and natural way. Paul’s song writing continues to change and amaze me. Before he would write new songs and we would spend forever arranging them only to get really bored with them or feel like they didn’t represent or sound like what we heard in our heads. I think that everyone in the band has heard what we could sound like for a while now and we are finally realizing this. I feel like we are much happier with our songs now, and they will have a much longer shelf life and be something that we will want to play for a while.

As far as band members go, we have changed some drummers. Absolutely no bad stories or anything, and everyone has become a member of the extended band family, it’s just that life gets in the way sometimes, and playing in an original band is one of the largest time commitments and serious relationships you can engage in.

The drummer we did our last summer tour with, Attis, got an offer from his first band, Eli “Paperboy” Reid to go and tour Europe with him during November, and Attis would have been a fool not to jump at that. Then Eli just blew up, got signed to Virgin Records, and Attis is busier than ever. We go to his shows with him though and catch up as much as we can. Then we started playing with Aine, but she had to go back to Japan for the summer, and hopefully we’ll start playing with her again in the fall.

For the tour we’re playing with our original drummer Kyle, who now lives in LA, but wanted to take a break from the city and hit the road with us for a month. At this rate we’ll hopefully have drummers in ever city and we’ll just have a huge extended drummer family!

For those who did not hear about your infamous route 93 breakdown, are you willing to talk about it? Did it change your mind about driving a 20+-year-old van?

More than willing! We had one of our belts break, which then took out another. Because of that we lost all power and our breaks…yikes! So, I’m probably always way too paranoid about weird van sounds and such but she actually does really well most of the time. Although she is old she only has 13,000 miles on her and the older couple that I bought it from really babied it. I have been assured by my roomie mechanic that most diesels last forever.

Like I mentioned, my roommate is a lifesaver and fixed the belts for us, as well as replacing most of the parts on the van in anticipation of the tour.

As sketchy as all of our touring vehicles have been we have never missed a show on tour, and the show we missed because of the belt was our first in ever in our four years.

Are you going back to any cities you toured through last summer and if so do you expect to find their grease is still free for the taking?

We always try to book our tours so that we hit most of the same cities, so we can continue to build upon previous tours. Last year I was able to keep a detailed log of every restaurant that we went to that was friendly and gave us grease, so I’m really hoping that pays off this year.

I think that things are actually going to be 100% easier this time, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. Because fuel prices dropped so much there isn’t the same intensity that existed last summer, when grease was so valuable. There was money to be paid turning it into bio-diesel and there were a ton of start up companies that were paying restaurants for it, so that make our case tough.

I feel like a lot of those companies have gone out of business though as the price has dropped and the profit isn’t the same. For example, as I mentioned I am writing this as driving back from the Cape. We just stopped and got some Thai food and I noticed two full containers of grease on the restaurant’s back porch. I inquired and the cook was very excited to give them to me, he said that somebody came every week to collect his grease last summer, but that stopped suddenly when the price of gas dropped and he hasn’t been able to find anyone since. He even has a grease barrel that the guy dropped off and now the company has disappeared.

This is good for bands but not good for the immediate future of the green economy. That’s a much longer discussion though...

Talk to us about your Boston band grease collective -- Grease for the Arts. How did that get started? Who else is actively involved? Is it still going strong?

It’s definitely not an official organization quite yet. Again, a lot of that is because of the economy and at the time we were preparing ourselves to have to fight for grease in Boston and to fend off both the rendering companies and the environmental startups, which are never as environmental as, they seem (again, another long conversation).

But I digress… Here’s a quick explanation of why we were putting our collective together and why we thought it was very urgent at the time of last fall.

I could write a book on the politics of grease collection, but here is a quick history of grease collection in the US. This is a fascinating world to me, and have educated myself the best I can, but if this sounds boring please skip ahead to our shameless tour kick off show plug, ha!

Basically used veggie oil is big business and it’s actually traded on the commodities markets under “yellow grease”. For many years rendering companies collected it, and sold it to other companies, many of whom would boil it down and turn it into dog and cat food, or other random things.

There were the occasional environmental folks and bands that would collect veggie oil too, but we were small guys to the rendering companies and they mostly left us alone. Because every restaurant needed to have their grease disposed of, and since it was worth money but not that much, rendering companies actually charged them a monthly fee for pick up and then made money off selling the grease too. This is still the case in some places (mostly the mid-west).

Then as the price of gas rose, veggie oil became very valuable as you can make bio-diesel from used veggie oil (although we run on straight waste oil, as our van is converted to do such). Environmental start-ups popped up all over the place offering to pay restaurants to take their grease, as they would then covert it into bio-diesel that they could sell for 4 dollars a gallon. A battle ensued between [those who] render and environmental companies for a bit; both were even hiring private detectives in some parts of the country to prosecute anyone that would take their grease.

Now, it’s good on a lot of levels that Environmental Grease collection companies started popping up, but they often were nowhere near Boston and would drive to the city in large vetches that were not converted. So, they were using fossil fuels to pick up bio fuels from far away…[doesn’t it make] more sense to just keep them in the community?

This was when we realized that the local users and bands were being squeezed out, as we couldn’t offer to pay for it. So, we wanted to start a collective and sell it to a few local businesses as something that they could be a part of that would give back to the community. Some of the other people involved even talked [to] the folks who got the tax credit for the movie industry in MA, as we were thinking that would be a good thing to offer restaurants that donated us their grease.

What has been the most successful strategy though has been just educating local businesses that are involved with both the local music scene, and the communities that [they] are located in, that they are making a choice with how they want to dispose of their waste oil. We have been fortunate to find several that are more interested in supporting locals than a few bucks from sketchy companies. And, as I mentioned, things have gotten easier as the price of gas has dropped.

Right now the collective is just a bunch of musicians and bands that tour on grease, and we just share some resources and help each other out if we need some. I’m lucky to have found a large organization that uses a lot of grease that is totally excited about what we are doing. In the future, and especially if the price goes back up, we talked about having it be more of a membership organization. That would involve us collecting the grease and [then] others who use grease, but who didn’t want to have the hassle of collecting it, could just join. The focus will always be to keep it in the community and to cut back on fossil fuel use.

Where can we find more information on the band, your tour dates, or listen to some of your music?

Well, you can always find us on our website where we have tour dates and you can sign up for the mailing list.
The Grownup Noise

Of course we are also on MySpace.

And Facebook.

And Twitter.


So where and when does this summer's tour kick off?

I’m glad you asked….

We’re playing a tour kick off show at The Middle East Upstairs on Friday, July 24th

The show starts at 9pm and we’re on at around 10:30. We are playing with some other awesome bands including local favorites, Brendan Boogie and the Best Intentions, the amazing Winterpills (from Northampton), and Varsity Drag. It is Varsity Drag’s CD release and they include original members of the Lemonheads. Very exciting!

From there we leave for the first tour date, Columbus Ohio on Mon. the 27th. We then start working our way over to the west coast. We’re playing 20+ dates and hitting almost every major (and non-major) city, so check out tour dates and if you have friends that really like things that smell like slightly burnt French Fries and Pad Thai, send them our way! We’re very nice and love to give tours of the van too. All of our current tour dates and a ton of info are up on both our website and MySpace.

Tour Dates as of this interview include:

July 24th Boston -- The Middle East Upstairs
July 27th Columbus, OH -- Rumba Café
July 28th Athens, OH -- Casa Cantina
July 29th Chicago -- Darkroom
August 3rd Minneapolis -- Acadia Café
August 5th Billings, MT -- Off the Leaf
August 6th Spokane, WA -- Caterina Winery
August 7th Portland, OR -- Red Room
August 8th Seattle, WA -- Comet Tavern (4pm early show)
August 8th Tacoma, WA -- Doyle’s Public House (late show)
August 10th Santa Cruz, CA -- The Crow’s Nest
August 11th San Fran, CA -- Hotel Utah
August 12th Sacramento, CA -- Marlyin’s on K
August 16th San Diego -- Brick by Brick
August 18th Los Angeles -- Spaceland
August 19th Tucson, AZ -- Club Congress
August 20th Santa Fe, NM -- The Cowgirl
August 21st Albuquerque, NM -- Atomic Cantina
August 24th Denver, CO -- The Hi-Dive
August 26th Nashville, TN -- Springwater Supperclub
August 28th Asheville, NC -- Bobo Gallery
August 29th Washington, DC -- Red and Black Bar
August 30th NYC -- Rockwood Music Hall

The Grownup Noise is Paul Hansen (lead vocal, guitar), Katie Franich (cello), Kyle Crane (drums) and Adam Sankowski (bass).

[Jenn’s side note: I have seen these guys play and they are awesome! Last summer when I interviewed Adam (as found in the links above -- read them) I went to their show simply to get one of those van tours and chat all things grease. By the end of the night I was a fan of their van and their music! Get out and see them, seriously, you will not be disappointed.]

Sharing Is Caring

Last night we had my mom over for dinner and it was a fantastic night full of laughs and awesome conversation, catching up and sharing the daily happenings of all our lives. As a housewarming gift she gave us a copy of Christina Pirello’s vegan cookbook Cooking the Whole Foods Way which I must say I am already completely excited to tear into and start creating from because just about everything in it sounds fantastic and mom has made a dish or two for us already at her place and they were fabulous (Leaf Rating review to follow!). In addition to the book she brought a couple other goodies but let me back up to explain them all.

A few months ago I purchased tickets to see Jason Mraz on his upcoming Gratitude Café Tour when he comes through Boston. Because Matt has gone with me to a countless number of this man’s shows, not to mention that we will see him open for Dave Matthews a couple weeks before the Boston show, he declined going this time so I invited my mom. To somewhat prepare her for the experience I figured it was only right to let her borrow his most recent studio release We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things and give it a listen. She brought it back last night saying she may even buy it, that it is really good. I had a feeling she would have that reaction! As she handed it back to me she also pulled a couple other cd’s out of her bag.

Back in April my mom and her best friend Eileen hosted their own birthday bash at a shnitzy function hall complete with a cash bar, full buffet style meal and live entertainment. They kept the entertainment portion to themselves for months as a surprise. There was much guessing among us who the performer might be -- Five O’Clock Shadow, John Gorka, Vance Gilbert, Ed Gerhard or perhaps Christine Lavin? The night came and a musician I had never heard of before got up to sing and play his guitar and, along with everyone else in the room, he blew me away. His name is David Roth.

David is a folk genre singer with seven albums available and the songs he performed that night were upbeat and fun selections from his catalogue. One song in particular, “New House in Orleans”, stood out as it was all about construction of his home on Cape Cod; after completing a 3-1/2 year rehab ourselves it resonated with me and Matt. I had been meaning to pick up one of his albums since that night but had not gotten around to it. Well last night my mom pulled a few of his cd’s out of her bag of tricks and said I could have my pick of one; David had been kind enough to give both of the gals a box set as a thanks for having him and some of the discs were duplicates to her collection. Score!

I scanned the discs for the song and found it on his album Think Twice a two disc set. I was so excited to load the discs onto iTunes this morning and give this new music a listen so when I got to the second to last song on the first disc titled “What Can I Do” I simply smiled. I would like to share the lyrics here and encourage everyone to check out this talented singer and songwriter as well then get out and do something awesome for someone else today!

“What Can I Do”
by David Roth

I heard somebody had a hard day out there
I had a hard one too
We could count ‘em all up and see who wins
Who do you think would have more
Me or you?

Feeling sorry might work, but not for long
We don’t have that luxury of time
Got an idea, might help us both
And it starts with a question of mine

CHORUS:
What can I do for you today
How can I help in some small way
It would be such a gift to me, its true
If you’d let me do one little thing for you
What can I do

There’s a whole lotta things that I can’t make
I can’t build a house or meditate
But I know there’s one thing I can create
I can make some time

Tho the older I get, the faster it flies
I spend it like crazy, no surprise
But when my pockets are empty
And my credit’s declined
I’ll know that at least I gave you some time

CHORUS

Such a noisy and crazy Earth out there
We are neighbors in crisis everywhere
Just in case you were thinking no one cares
Someone may prove you wrong

People all over this world need love
Some won’t be lucky to get enough
That’s why I’m hoping that you’ll understand
How we’ll both get ahead if I give you a hand

CHORUS

Thanks for the inspiration David, can not wait to pick up more of your wonderful tunes. ♥love♥

Eco Fashion Friday Friendly Musical Accessories

In the continuing series on all things music it seems like the right time to feature some way cool accessories for this week’s Eco Fashion Friday! Musicians pay attention, you will be the talk of the stage and studio sporting these babies!

A common item, and one which must operate properly, is the guitar strap. It should be comfortable, adjustable and secure so the guitar player is all those things as well!

Recycled bicycle inner tubes become a funky 2” wide Splaff Flopps Strap.


Cool Straps offers many, well, cool straps, but this burlap option is a fine natural approach with hand stitched details.

Guitar picks are used by many players and in true rock star fashion they are frequently tossed into the crowd at the end of the show. I wondered where all those picks ended up but I think I found them now.

Total awesomeness from Inspired Artwear!

And this necklace from Musical Kitten makes a fine set.

Graphic Tees are really hot items right now and to have funky music themes gives them that extra fun edge.

The handmade Mix Tape tee by Moxie Madness is a unisex option that brings it back old skool.

Plastic bottles blend with organic cotton to form yarn which becomes these cool tees from Revenge Is. Seriously, plastic bottle yarn! (I will be featuring this company next week, come on back for info next Eco Fashion Friday).

Be a cool musician, musical supporter or eco-activist (or all three!) and check out some of these fine environmentally conscious fashion selections! ♥love♥

Eco Friendly Musical Instruments Green Drums

For many thousands of years, percussion instruments, known as drums, have been used for various forms of communication, ritual and music and are a prominent piece to the rhythm of many songs. Modern, standard drum kits generally include approximately seven pieces including drums and cymbals of various names. In thousands of colors with varied accessories from many manufacturers, this instrument can be personalized into just about anything a drummer desires.

Most drums on the market today that are sold in kits containing snare, tom-tom (2 pieces), floor tom and a bass drum but additional accessories (ie. sticks, cowbell, cymbal, pedal, high-hat, etc.) are also sold to compliment the sound that the drum produces. Since sound is the number one most important factor in any instrument, a drum is no different and because this instrument makes up a good portion of the rhythm / beat of a song, it is imperative the quality of that sound is in line with the style of music. The shell holds everything together; the most crucial aspect is that at the point where the shell meets the head forms a perfect circle.

Although many kits are created from formed metal or plastics, a large percentage of shells are beautifully crafted wood. Just like the guitar, the most popular woods are standard tonewoods such as maple, birch or mahogany. But there are growing concerns regarding the availability of wood species and one of the top manufacturers of drums, DW Drums, has begun an innovative journey into the sustainable market by utilizing a hybrid of bamboo and birch for their shells.

They are called the ECO-X series for the company’s use of cross lamination with their hybrid material. They are further environmentally friendly because of the water based top coat used on the shells, soy based inks on the hang tags and their donation made to American Forests Association to further sustain our wood resources. There are two options of color, one is shown in the photo above.

In the market to pick up some drums and want to give the planet a break while pounding away? Amazon carries this kit from DW Drums but be warned, unlike a guitar which is less expensive when created from bamboo, creating these shells is a lengthier process and cost can be upwards of three times that of a similar sized kit created from a different wood source (such as birch & basswood) from a different manufacturer such as Pearl.

Do you know of other drum manufacturers who are Earth friendly and proving it through their use of materials? Let us know!

Up next -- Eco-Fashion Friday features awesome accessories for musicians or music lovers!

Joining in the Fight Against Climate Change with Miley Cyrus

As everyone probably knows by now I am a huge music fan. Just about anything and everything will at some point grace my speakers so when I hear songs with an environmental message I not only listen, I stand up and cheer! Miley Cyrus has recently released an album and as a staunch environmental supporter she wrote a song specifically geared toward Americans leading the charge to better care for the planet. It is basically a lead by example anthem to be Greener. Enjoy these lyrics and let’s all take some advice from Miley Cyrus to take care of the Earth!

Wake Up America

Oh, can you take care of her?
Oh, maybe you can spare her
Several moments of your consideration
Leading up to the final destination

Oh, the earth is callin' out
I wanna learn what it's all about but
Everything I read is global warming, going green
I don't know what all this means but
It seems to be saying

Wake up America
We're all in this together
It's our home
So let's take care of it
You know that you want to
You know that you got to
Wake up America
Tomorrow becomes a new day
And everything you do matters
Yeah, everything you do
Matters in some way

Stand up, I'll try if you will
Wake up, it's not a fire drill
All she needs is a little attention
Can you give her just a little attention?

Oh, it's easy to look away
But it's getting harder day by day
Everything I read is global warming, going green
I don't know what all this means but
It seems to be saying
Come on

Wake up America
We're all in this together
It's our home
So let's take care of it
You know that you want to
You know that you got to
Wake up America
Tomorrow becomes a new day
And everything you do matters
Yeah, everything you do
Matters in some way

I know that you don't wanna hear it
Especially comin' from someone
So young
But in the backseat
Yeah, they wanna hear it (they wanna hear it)
So come on (turn it up)
Come on (turn it up)
So come on (turn it up)

Wake up America (wake up)
We're all in this together
It's our home (it's our home)
So let's take care of it
You know that you want to
You know that you got to
Wake up America
Tomorrow becomes a new day
And everything you do matters
Yeah, everything you do
Matters in some way

One Sweet World

As many of you know, music is one of my very favorite forms of media. I have always felt that a songwriter can convey as much, if not more, emotion in three or so minutes than any television program or movie because of the written words and accompanying melody. I love to hear bands play songs that teach us how to celebrate our planet, especially when the band is a huge proponent of treating her kindly.

A group of musicians which I listen to often, Dave Matthews Band, falls into this category of love for Mother Earth. They spend a goodly portion of their time and efforts in supporting organizations and causes that benefit our planet and its many residents such as the Bama Works Fund (which they founded), NYC public education and parks, San Francisco Bay area charities (specifically for the homeless and children), Clean Air-Cool Planet (a 100% CO2 offset initiative to “back pedal” to their 1991 tour), Vote For Change, AIDS research and a slew of other causes far too vast to list in this blog.

One of my all time favorite songs by this talented band is called One Sweet World from their 1993 release Remember Two Things. Their love for the Earth shines through in the lyrics and the melody makes me so happy I just want to go plant trees and flowers! I have seen DMB live only twice in the past eleven years but will see them again this summer, front row, in Hershey, PA. Until then I will enjoy this video of One Sweet World (from Farm Aid performance in 2001) and I hope all of you do too! I have included the lyrics below as well. Have a sweet day everyone! ♥love♥



Lyrics to One Sweet World

Nine planets 'round the sun
Only one does the sun embrace
Upon this watered one
So much to we take for granted

So let us sleep outside tonight
Lay down in our mother's arms
For here we can rest safely

If green should turn to grey
Would our hearts still bloody beat?
And if the mountains tumble away, river dry
Would it stop the stepping feet?

Oh, let us sleep outside tonight
Lay down in our mother's arms
For here we can rest safely

Take all that we can get
When it's done
Nobody left to bury
Nobody left to dig the holes
And here we can rest safely

One Sweet World
Around this star is spinning
One Sweet World
And in her breath I'm swimming
And here I will rest in peace.

Creatures in the Yard

The song is fun, adorable even, and the video just made me love it all the more. The following is a video for Creatures in the Yard by Bushwalla (featuring MC Raz). I hope this sweet song and video brighten up your day!

In Support of the Arts

As an independent, artsy type person it makes me crazy to hear that programs, or other essentials toward the development of creativity in America’s youth, get cut from public schools. Many of you know that aside from my love for writing, I also run a multi-faceted company called Chucka Stone Designs which is 100% artistic work and I would not be where I am today without the ability to try out different artistic endeavors through encouragement of teachers while I was growing up.

Math, English, Science, History -- yes these are the big subjects deemed most important by the school system as they provide a foundation of knowledge toward expansion of that information down the line. It is true that without at least a moderate and basic level of learning in these subjects it would be very difficult to function in daily society (2+2=4, house is a noun, H2O creates water, Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776). My concern is that without the addition of creative based subjects to a curriculum, such as Art or Music, there will be less and less distinction between children as they are not encouraged to express their individuality and interests openly.

So what can we do to ensure the Arts remain a supported and important part of the school curriculum across the nation so every child has a chance to decide if there is something of interest for them personally within that arena?

One of the strongest ways we can show support is to donate! Get in touch with your local school system and see if there is an organization or program set up which accepts donations in any form -- monetary, product or even time. Time can be one of the best donations so do not overlook this. Do you run your own successful business in an artistic capacity? Why not go and talk to students about it or better yet, schedule a demonstration for how to create one of what you do!

Another great way to show support is to purposefully become a patron of independent artists. Go out on a Friday night and listen to an unsigned band play and then pick up their disc after the show while you thank them for doing what they do. Get over to a site like Etsy and browse through the thousands of shops run by independent owners then pick up something completely unique for your Mom’s birthday gift. Pop into a local poetry reading, buy furniture hand crafted by the guy down the street, paint your own picture to hang on your living room wall -- the opportunities to show thanks for the many ways artists contribute to our culture and society are endless!

Why not sign a petition indicating your support of art as it would trickle down from the highest level? Something I came across recently while checking out Bushwalla’s tour schedule was he provided a link to an online petition encouraging President Barack Obama to create a Secretary of the Arts position in his cabinet. I felt this was a fantastic idea as many other nations have similar positions and we never have. The idea was started by Quincy Jones and I was signature number 235797. It was one small step but it felt good knowing I was doing even a little something to encourage arts remain a strong part of our country’s daily life. Please consider signing the Secretary of the Arts petition.

I will continue to create through words, paint and fabric on a daily basis as well as continue to support the creative endeavors of as many artists as possible. What do you do to show support for the arts? I want to hear about it so we can continue to learn from each other!

Tom Lehrer Talks Environment

Over forty years ago singer and songwriter Tom Lehrer wrote and performed the song Pollution, an issue frequently given attention in the 1960’s. My Mom used to play this album often when I was a kid; his music is fantastic, he is a great piano player and his lyrics sure are delivered with a healthy dose of humor. Although his music is somewhat tongue in cheek, the message sure is serious. Thanks Mom for sharing this video with all of us today!

More Music From Those Who Care

It is no secret to those who know me that Jason Mraz is quite possibly my favorite songwriter of all time. He has a way with words that, as a writer, I respect and admire. His point is always there, even if it is sometimes hidden within double entendre and, in his own proclamation, Wordplay. His hotness factor went up about a million clicks on the scale when I discovered he is also an environmentally conscious musician who attempts to do all he can to care for this great planet of ours. When I discovered the following song it went right into my top 100 of all time play list. I apologize and warn all there is strong language in this song but it definitely gets the point across. The time to act is now.


Collapsible Plans

What if these plans are collapsible
Why don't we try to be responsible
For the other motherfuckers that were searchin’ for the end of the rainbow
Ask me about the impossible
I tell you that everything is applaudable
For life is a proscenium stage and we are the stars
And the audience that we captivate is already ours

And we're more aren't we
Yes we're more aren't we all we are

So collapse all your plans
Like a map in your hands
Cause it won't take long to burn the motherfucker down

Many disaster unnatural
We have the ability it's remarkable
To cycle through the seasons adapting to the reason the waters low
If we listen to the sign of the times when she calls we'll know

That we're more aren't we
Yes we're more aren't we all we are

So collapse all your plans
Like a map in your hands
Cause it won't take long to spot the motherfucker down

So goodbye to your plans
And hello to a land
Where it won't take long to burn the motherfucker down

Move your feet when you pray child
Are you ready to change the way that you've been living your life up til now
The danger is more than a rain cloud
Will you adhere to the new solution to use less the useless uses of pollution hell yes

So collapse all your plans
Like a map in your hands
Cause it won't be hard to spot the motherfucker down
Say goodbye to your plans
And hello to a land
Where it won't take long to burn the motherfucker down

Say goodbye to your family
And hello to understanding
That it won't take long to burn this mother down
So collapse all your plans
And relax if you can
Cause it won't take long to burn this motherfucker down

No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
Oh to burn her to the ground
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
No it won't take long to burn this mother down
It won't take long to burn this mother down

Unexpected Environmental Sentiment, Possibly

It has been twenty years since the heavy metal band Metallica released their album …And Justice for All. Although this album was not my top favorite of their releases it is chock full of lyrically stimulating songs and there was one in particular that truly gets in all of our faces about what we are doing to the planet. They pointedly discuss all the ways we are abusing our Mother Earth and that the end is inevitable due to those indiscretions. I personally see this as wonderfully visual prose.

Blackened by Metallica

Blackened is the end
Winter it will send
Throwing all you see
Into obscurity

Death of mother earth
Never a rebirth
Evolutions end
Never will it mend

Never

Fire
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Blackened is the end
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Color our world blackened

Bustering of earth
Terminate its worth
Deadly nicotine
Kills what might have been

Callous frigid chill
Nothing left to kill
Never seen before
Breathing nevermore

Never

Fire
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Blackened is the end
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Color our world blackened

Blackened

Opposition...contradiction...premonition...compromise
Agitation...violation...mutilation...planet dies
Darkest color
Blistered earth
True death of life
Termination....expiration...cancellation...human race
Expectation...liberation...population...lay to waste
See our mother
Put to death
See our mother die

Smouldering decay
Take her breath away
Millions of our years
In minutes disappears

Darkening in vain
Decadence remains
All is said and done
Never is the sun

Never

Fire
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Blackened is the end
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Fire
Is the outcome of hypocrisy
Darkest potency
In the exit of humanity
Color our world blackened

Blackened

No Matter What Holiday We Celebrate

It is always nice to remember to enjoy everything about this time of year. As I grew up celebrating Christmas I still love this magical holiday season and choose to see the good that can come from the little things we all do to help each other out at this time of year. At this time last year I was living in a small New England beach town and it snowed close to Christmas day so I sparked up the iTunes and started recording the scene. I will not claim to be a videographer or anything but I think a jazzy carol as a backdrop to snow through a wreath is pretty cool.

Below is the video and lyrics to the song. No matter what holiday you personally celebrate I wish for peace, love, safety, warmth, laughter, joy and lots of great food with those closest to you. I will be taking tomorrow off to do the same with my family so be sure to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.



Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on
Our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yule-tide gay
From now on
Our troubles will be miles away

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more

Through the years We all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now