From the Lawnchair

It Shall Be Released

2011-08-24T21:44:00.001-04:00

Soon, very soon....

Closer still...

2009-06-09T11:00:00.002-04:00

Oh poor blog I've been remiss...

The record is coming along quite well. With just two guitar parts and some auxiliary percussion yet to track and 10 songs being mixed, I/we are very excited to start hearing the songs as closer-to-finished works. It will be difficult and exciting to tackle the sequencing of the songs on what seems to be a rather diverse collection. The work thus far has been smooth and rewarding. Jason at Nice Package has been cool and on the same page the whole way through. I can't wait to unleash the sum of the all the hard work on our much appreciated listeners. I can't wait to hear the response (good or bad) to the album. I am very proud of the writing and crafting of these songs, as well as the band's playing and all that everyone brought to the songs. September. I do believe, September will be the birth date for, what I hope remains titled, "DIRT and SKY".

The shows have been great! The folks who've been there, and sang and drank with us have been a blast. We were lucky enough to be some of the very few in attendance when we played with some of our favorite folks (Booker Lee and the County Fair and June Star) at the flop-house style Octoraro Hotel. We played the wedding of a couple of longtime fans with a longtime friend filling in on bass, and had almost as much fun as the bride and groom seemed to be having. Now it's on to the meat of the summer...

Friday, June 12 at the Waterfont in Fells Point... 10pm

Saturday, June 13 at Hon Fest in Hampden (our 6th time at Hon Fest?)... 5pm

Thursday, June 18 at the Avenue at White Marsh... 7pm
* The Avenue and Hon Fest are great shows for those with families!

Hope to see y'all a little further down the road.

They Keep on Coming....

2009-04-01T09:53:00.002-04:00

Monday, March 30th Lawnchair was back in the studio recording more tracks for what may or may not be titled "Dirt & Sky" (thanks to Colin Cargile for the idea). We reconvened in the now home away from home feeling live room at Nice Package to record the next songs on our list of potentials for the record. Again, we managed to track three songs in our three hour chunk of session time. That's pretty damn productive by any one's standards.

We track two older songs (Cold War and Half my Heart) that we've been playing in various incarnations over the past however-many years. Things were a little slow going at first, but soon fell into place as we recalled the muscle memories of late night, third set playings of Cold War. I was wanting to mellow the song out for the record, but soon saw the right in the band's desire to knock it around a bit. I feel really solid about our favorite take of that one.

Later in the night we recorded Half My Heart. This song is as old as Lawnchair, but had yet to be recorded. If you recall it from our live show, it's a mandolin and harmonica driven song that hearkens back to the days of the upright bass and lower volumes. So, Eric broke out the upright and Matt broke out the mandolin and we got a couple of sweet takes full of emotional swelling. As I was describing it later... the track has an intimate intensity with a great building of emotion.

The real highlight of the night's session, however, was during the tracking of a new song call (A Little) Further Down the Road. I had written it and thought of it as a bluesy shuffle, a little boogey woogey number. Well... Jimmy came in with something, should I say, a little radical. The song turned into a N'awlins inspired Swamp Boogey Juke. I loved what he brought to the table. It's the same song, just better. It's got a feel like nothing else we do.

Next week - the rhythm section gets a break, and Matt and I go in to re-cut some vocals, guitar leads, and maybe lay down some harp if we have time. I can't wait to hear the board dumps from this week!!!!

Round 2

2009-03-27T13:51:00.003-04:00

On Monday 3/23 Lawnchair was back in the confines of Nice Package Recording. This week's sessions yielded 4 songs... a couple of first take'ers to boot. I can't believe how well the process is going. I can't say enough about how great they've been to work with thus far, and how relaxed the process has been. We did start the project with songs we've been playing for quite a while, so that surely has something to do with it. (oh, I know... "stop calling me Shirley") We'll see what happens as we move into the new material.

Now that we have the board dumps from the last 2 sessions, we can start listening to the songs as a collection. It will be interesting to hear if and/or what works together as we decide the song's future. I really look forward to the mixing process, where the songs take shape into real works and not just a conglomeration of sounds. The tracks have a great "Live" feel which is what we wanted to achieve in the recording. Have I mentioned how stoked I am about all of this!?!?!?

We will be back in this Monday, with a new batch of songs in hand. Just two more sessions of general tracking left, and then we are on to the overs and mixing. I have no question that this project will shape up to be the best of Lawnchair's recorded output.

If you play it, they will come!

And they're off....

2009-03-18T14:48:00.003-04:00

Tracking for the new Lawnchair record (working title: "Dirt and Sky") started last night... or should I say restarted. We recorded the basic tracks for this record last year around this time, but illness and time constraints made the performances lack-luster. At least, after a year of laying dormant, they felt lack luster. The hard work involved in the process did not go unappreciated, but we need to put out the best product possible. Those sessions, upon later listening, had too many flaws for us to be happy with at this point in whatever it is we do.

Work began in the well appointed and warm confines of Nice Package Recording in Towson, MD. The vibe was great and our engineer Jason was a pleasure to work with. Once the settings were dialed in, we managed to track three songs in our short three hour session. Lost its Soul, Break Apart, and Marked Man.

We've been playing these songs for some time at our live shows, and the playbacks have us feeling confident that we have caught that live energy and bottled it in the coding. That's the idea with this record, we want to capture the power and energy of the live show, which is not an easy task when recording. There will, however, be some surprises on the record in the way of new songs and possibly new arrangement. Time will tell.

The excitement of last night is still bouncing around inside of me as I type this. I can't wait for next week's sessions! Wish us luck (whoever reads this other than Jimmy and I) . They seem a long way off, but I will probably post sneak peaks as they draw closer.

Where do I start....

2009-03-16T08:56:00.002-04:00

Wow. Lawnchair has had a fun little run of gigs! Back on Saturday, March 7th we played Club 66 in Edgewood, Maryland. We had no idea what we were in for. Club 66 is a privately owned social club that puts on its fair share of shows. The walls were lined with memorabilia from past performers such as Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet and Fog Hat to name but a few. The sound system and vibe were huge. We had a long day, due to a 3pm load in/sound check and a 9pm stage time, but the folks made it a nice time for us.

We headlined the show, and followed two progressively heavier modern rock bands (Critical Element and Encalidus). As the sonic bombardment increased, we were unsure of how our country-rock was going to go over with the building crowd. About halfway through the second band's set (each band had a 1.5 hour set... we had a 2 hour set), a large crew of 'Chair heads showed up (feeling good) in a pimped out short bus complete with a flat screen and wii.

By the time we hit, we were amped. The crowd was super into it and responsive. We slammed through a blistering set, filled with hoots and hollars of response. We were tight and feeling great. The second set was fun and loose, thanks to half a fifth of Makers Mark (thanks Jared). The night concluded with a monster jam out on Johnny Be Good as called out by the club's owner Dave, who sang it for everyone's pleasure. As a side note, during our first set (I think the song was Snake Oil) Dave came up and played a hand muted broken bicycle horn, and damned if he didn't rock it. During the final jam someone leaped onto the stage and played some blues harp... and rocked it too. The night was left in a blur of compliments and well wishes and promises of returns. I really hope to return to Club 66. The place is a huge surprise and the way all venues should be... those good folks are all about the music and not about any kind of bull shit... oh, and did I mention it's BYOB?!?!?!?

This past weekend (March 13 and 14) we played two more fun shows. We hit our usual 2nd friday of every month show at the Waterfront in Fells Point. As usual, it was fun and loose and folks were dancing up a storm. There were a couple of fellas there who travelled 4 hours up from Norfolk, VA just to see us. I feel pretty confident that we made it worth their while. The show was also attended by our new super-fan Jim, who can now be seen around town sporting his Lawnchair t-shirt.

The second show was up in Gettysburg with our good friends Booker Lee and the County Fair (or Bangers and Mash as they were known for the night). This was either the 3rd or 4th St. Pattys Day party we've played up there at the Pike, and as usual it was a blast. The night started with a surprise (at least to us) performance by a pseudo-traditional Irish group, a gaggle of 12 or so drunken middle-agers with tin whistles and the like. Well, when they were done, things got shaken up a little bit. We cranked through a super tight high energy set that had the Booker Lee boys proclaiming it was the best they've seen of us. It sure felt good, and the sound was great. The Booker Lee gang went on to play two sets of Pogues-style Irish rock. They were great, and I don't think anyone could have not had a great time. It was yet another fun, fun night.

Well, Lawnchair is all fired up. We're running hot and tight, and we're hitting the studio Tuesday night to start some new sessions for our third record. I, for one, am really stoked to track this puppy. Some of the songs are old, some we've been playing for months, and some are brand spanking new. I'll post on our progress as we go... I promise. Onward and upward... I can't wait!

Incoming and Upcoming

2009-03-04T12:01:00.003-05:00

Here are some upcoming shows!

Sat. 3/7 - Club 66 in Edgewood
Fri. 3/13 - Waterfront Hotel in Fells Point
Sat. 3/14 - The Pike in Gettysburg with Booker Lee and the County Fair

Look for an update soon.

Another years done gone...

2008-12-30T10:21:00.002-05:00

Lawnchair's 2008 came to a close back on December 12th, back at the old Waterfront. We had a pretty fun year all in all and it ended up in a rather rollicking way. The show started with a technical meltdown which, in the end, turned up a positive. Issues had plagued my gear for a while and I couldn't pin point the problem, that is until it all but crapped out. Well, that'll be fixed for '09. Anyway, we got rolling along having a good old time, and sure enough the shots came flying. Some old friends wanted to help us have a blast playing our last show of the year. As we played through the sets, shots of all type and proof came from all angles. Jimmy, on his usual trip around the bar, received an early christmas gift (or should I say a pair of gifts). On his extendo-solo trip around the bar, playing bottles and glasses along the way, a rather striking blond said "Play these!" Down the top went... as did Jimmy's jaw. After a momentary pause to consider (Jimmy actually dropped the beat - that never happens), Jimmy couldn't take the though of injuring such a giving woman's chest and made his way to the bar and back.

It was a great night. I can't say that we played our best, but damned if we didn't have a blast. Thanks to everyone who came out, and bought us booze, and sang along and danced their asses off at this past show and every other throughout the year! Y'all have helped us have a ton of fun and hopefully we've done a little of the same for you... especially during such a shitfull year.

Onward and upward. Thanks again, and we hope to see y'all a little further down the road.

I got a feva...

2008-10-13T09:37:00.003-04:00

A week or so ago I couldn't even look at my guitars. I thought I might just hang it all up for a while. We played a lack luster show down in Silver Spring, and it was all starting to feel like too much work... the booking and the promotion and - the whole thing just seemed like a drag.

Well, I woke up last Friday morning foaming at the mouth to play. Who knows why, but I was amped. I could only think about that night's show. All day I sat at my desk, boiling on the inside, just waiting to rock.

So I get to the gig and the band from the early show isn't loaded out yet. We've played this Friday gig for something like three years now, and we've never had the early show run so late. Parking was horrendous as usual, so I dumped my gear so I could circle like a vulture to get a decent parking spot. One of the guys from the early band started giving me a bunch of shit about how much easier it would be to load out if my gear wasn't there. I bit my lip (though I wanted to completely pummel this little fuck in front of all of his slow-moving bandmates just to prove my point), and stated my case. Fuming, I hopped back into the car and found a place to park. On the walk back to the club, the seed of doubt started to sprout in my head. "See, you were right, it's all become a huge pain in the ass."

We got her going and things were weird. The crowd was pretty thin and uninterested for the first few songs. Aw man, was I right about all this?

Well, the bad tide washed out and a big full high tide of listeners and ass-shakers rolled in and lifted us on their backs. By the end of the first set, the place was going ape and they were crying out for more. We took a quick break to regroup and rehydrate, then lit into a blistering second set. The band was playing some inspired stuff. Ebbing and flowing... we could go anywhere we wanted. We were tighter than a bull's ass in fly season and the crowd was into it, fully invested. We took one last, quick, break and they all hung with us. We pounded down a round of bourbon together and fired into what would be the last set of the night. The whole thing ended with an explosion of sweat and sound. The whole joint was screaming and clapping as we closed out the last song. What a night!

While we were packing up and folks were on their way out, we were showered with kind words and promises to do it all again. We sold some disks and loaded out. The whole band felt great. We were all grinning from ear to ear, feeling great about what just happened. They are an awesome bunch of talented guys, all in it together. I left the night feeling lucky to be a part of such a good thing, and have the guys so onboard and supportive of the songs.

I can't wait for the next show.

It's a Summertime Thing

2008-08-19T09:20:00.004-04:00

It's been a long, long time...
Lawnchair has had a great Summer thus far. We've been having a blast playing Gettysburg, Brooklyn, and our dirty old town of Baltimore.
The 4th of July gigs in Gettysburg went great even with some last minute rearranging due to inclement weather. As usual, the folks up there were great and they really dug the show. We rolled straight from the house party to our home-base up there, the Gerryowen, where we came blasting through the back door and straight through a super rocked up set. We were flying! The next night we played a gig up at Woodhall Wine Cellars, where our contact Al and his crew laid out the hospitality. We played some old songs and new ones for the small but receptive crowd. 3 shows in 2 days, and it was great. The varying locations and crowds had us playing 3 drastically different shows, from quiet and intimate to loud and raucous, and somewhere in between.... all straight up fun.

Then, it was up to NYC to play Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn. We were supposed to split the night with our old palls the Country Devils, but their lead singer/guitar player broke his hand a few days before. So, we headed up on our own, to play 3 sets to a small but receptive crowd. We had a blast. It was a trip full of bonding, catching up, mechanical breakdowns, and rock-n-roll. Keri, the bartender/sound engineer who kept us fueled up and sounding good all night, served far too many shots and made it possible to pass out for an hour or two in the sweatbox that night. The next morning's technical issues and drive, however, did not benefit from the libations.

The first show of August was back home at the Waterfront Hotel. I was testing out a new (used) guitar, the crowd was packed in and tuned up, and we got our friend Jenny from the SLC in Utah to sing one with us. It was a great night. We were throwing the Bohs down as fast as we were sweating them out. I'm not sure why, but I love those sweaty, packed shows.

Last week was loaded up with some great music. For what ever reason I hadn't been to a big rock show for awhile. On Wednesday night I finally caught Lucero live. Man, that band rocks. The first set was great, but the second slid into a drunken mess. This seems to be their M.O., but I think that it cheapens a potentially wildly good band. Ben Nichols writes songs that are far too good to become a second set laughing stock. The show definitely had some great moments though. Saturday I caught John Hiatt at Hot August Blues, and man-o-man he was exemplary.... I leave it at that.... damn he was good.

We've got some more shows coming up, and we hope to see you there. Check the schedule at:
myspace.com/lawnchair

Long time no blog...

2008-06-25T13:26:00.004-04:00

It's been quite a while and we've been having a blast, so much so that we can't really remember everything that's gone down since. We'll just say that HonFest was great and we have a bunch more cool shows lined up for this sweaty summer. Lawnchair will be spending the 4th of July in Gettysburg, PA, playing a private party then rocking out with our buddies Booker Lee and the County Fair at the Garryowen.

WTMD played "Hard to Swallow" a couple of weeks back... that's pretty cool. We're playing Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn with the Country Devils on July 19 and Quarry House in Silver Spring with them on September 20. Check the schedule at myspace.com/lawnchair and come on out and see us.

Oh - work should be resuming shortly on the new record!!!

In the Can

2008-03-03T09:41:00.001-05:00

Well, it's been a while since the last post, but some big stuff has gone down. Lawnchair recorded what will eventually become our third record. Our friend Colin was off of the road (Allman Bros./Gov. Mule) so we had him come back to "Old Yellow House" to record some songs for us.

The weekend started off great. We loaded the gear in on Friday evening, ran all the cables, set up mics, checked the set ups and headed out to throw down some beers and catch a Glenmont Popes show. We had a long day planned the next day with a long list of songs and a short time to get them.

Saturday morning I woke up with some sort of awful stomach flu that I initially thought was the worst hangover I'd ever had. All the fellas arrived and we got to work. I had to play through it. I was not going to waste the opportunity. We worked fast and furiously all day. My illness, though inaudible on the recording, made me focus and we knocked the songs out in few takes. Any chance to lay down between takes was taken advantage of - if someone was tuning, I was laying down or getting some fresh air in the hope of not puking halfway through the next verse.

From what I heard of the play back (I didn't listen to much, I fell into my bed as soon as the last note had rung out) and from what the boys said, it sounds great. Again, there's an assortment of styles and tones on the record. Colin was sort of amazed at the difference in the band's sound since the last record. There's going to be something for everyone on the new record; from straight up rockers, to more mellow material... even a solo arrangement.

There are a few overs to do - solos and backing vocals - but I can't wait to hear the first mixes. Colin is doing all the mixing of the record, instead of Eric and I. It will be interesting to have it completely out of our hands. I can't wait to hear it.

New Song(s), New Life

2008-01-31T09:20:00.000-05:00

Work has begun. Hot on the heels of "Hard to Swallow" a new collection of songs are being prepped for recording. Some new, some we've been playing... but a solid collection in my humble opinion. More on that later. Here's the lyrics to a new one. I just returned from the beautiful and awe-inspiring subject of this song, so recently that I can still taste the clear mountain air.

I wrote "Cottonwood Canyon" on the first sitting. I can't remember the show I saw that night, but as soon as I got back to our house I bee-lined for my guitar and it all fell out... every single word. The chords and lyrics leaped from me all at once. That's not the sort of thing that happens with every song I write, but when it does it really creates a bond between us (myself and the song).

I used to struggle to write things that were not directly about my life. In the past few years I've been able to find the path to turn real-life experience or emotion into fiction. This song was written, perhaps (as I'm still not 100% sure), from the point of view of some one on their death bed. Crying out of delirium for the wishes never achieved, or opportunities never attained. The protagonist has seen and lived hard times. He's been infirmed since his youth and, nearing the end, wants to return to the one ray of light that cut through the murk of his rough journey.

"Cottonwood Canyon"

When we going back to Cottonwood Canyon
All my life I've been asking,
But you just talk about the bad times.
You just recall all the bad times.

We packed everything we owned
And headed out for the West
Nothing wet like the Pacific
Just dirt and brier and all the rest.
Not a penny for bread,
not a nickel for beer
You can't hide that shaking in your eyes,
holding back all the fear.
When we going back to Cottonwood Canyon
All my life I've been asking,
But you just talk about the bad times.
When we going back to Cottonwood Canyon
All my life I've been asking,
But you just talk about the bad times.
You just recall all the bad times.

When I was just 15 years old
My lungs were filled with black coal dust
The town doctor, he sent me home
To lay around my days and rust
Nothing but dirt to fill our bellies,
we were too damn dry to cry
That poor son of a bitch my daddy,
he's just waiting around to die.
When we going back to Cottonwood Canyon
All my life I've been asking,
But you just talk about the bad times.
When we going back to Cottonwood Canyon
All my life I've been asking,
But you just talk about the bad times.
You just recall all the bad times.

I remember those summer days
When the creek would get all swollen
We would lay in the tall grass there
In the quiet we'd stolen.
You were a vision all covered with dirt,
brown and sweaty from the field you worked
And I just laid there 'neath that broad shade tree,
dreaming away the hours 'till you were there with me.
When we going back to Cottonwood Canyon
All my life I've been asking,
But you just talk about the bad times.
When we going back to Cottonwood Canyon
All my life I've been asking,
But you just talk about the bad times.
You just talk about the bad times.
You just live amongst those bad times.

*I can also see the song as a duet, with a female voice singing the last verse.

Affirmation from on High

2008-01-18T10:43:00.000-05:00

I don't want to say much, but what I will say is it was pretty freaking cool. We managed to get "Hard to Swallow" into the hands of some folks who are supposed to know what our kind of music is all about. The kind of folks who are big enough that bands are super stoked when they get with them, and leave feeling controlled and reined in.

They took the time to call me, we chatted and I hung up feeling good. They aren't working with us but the response was more than encouraging. They proclaimed the record to be "well written", with a "great vibe", and "well recorded". Contact info was swapped and encouragement was laid thick like the guy who's repairing my leaking roof right now is hopefully doing.

Right now I feel this way, I'm sure it will change in time, but...
If nothing ever happens, if the band implodes, if life pulls us away from the path - at least my work (as the chief songwriter) and the hard work of the rest of the boys has be affirmed by at least one person who's supposed to know his shit. At least I can say that the hours and hours, the spilling of guts and the dollars spent were worth it to some extent. Whether anyone hears it or not, at least it "Could have been a contender". I mean, in this day and age who has the time to call some random bunch of hacks to blow smoke up their ass, right?

We All Brought It

2008-01-15T10:19:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night we played the Waterfront. It was great to be back after a much too long hiatus. The place was packed and folks were really into it - dancing and hollering, singing along at times, and (would you believe it) actually listening. We had a blast, and it seemed like everyone there did as well. In a joint where the crowd can be in a constant flow, in and out on some nights, it was great to see groups of people staying through the whole show. It was also great to see so many folks (old friends and new) really digging it all and having such a good time. It's infectious, when a crowd brings it, when they're into it. It makes us play better, and it just makes the whole thing more fun for everyone. Thanks so much for all the kind words after the show, too!

After what's been a bit of a grind the last few months, it was great to get out (and get into it) and really deliver like the band can. The rhythm section tightened up to air tight as the night went on and allowed me to go where ever the hell I wanted... and it felt great.

Nights like these... they make you want to get after it again.

yeah,yeah, it's the holidays

2007-12-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

I wrote and recorded a Christmas song for a well intentioned compilation record that never saw the light of the ornaments. We (Matt and I) recorded it with the Booker Lee boys and the Compound Choir up in Gettysburg. It's been posted to our myspace page (myspace.com/lawnchair) where it's available for listening and download. Here are the lyrics:

"Even Us"

The steps they're all icy
Every row home on the avenue.
The lights are strung all over town
And who's front door did she walk through.

First white Christmas we've had in years.
The snow quiets everything to a hush.
Peace on earth, good will to man
To everyone, but us.

We've both got closets full of skeletons.
We've both gone down some bumpy roads.
In the glare of the tinsel and the blinking lights
(Well) all those hard times sure do show.

First white Christmas we've had in years.
The snow quiets everything to a hush.
Peace on earth, good will to man
To everyone, but us.

Let's put it all aside for just one night.
Come a little closer let's thaw out our hearts.
Wrap up the bad blood between us
It seems like a good time for a new start.

First white Christmas we've had in years.
The snow quiets everything to a hush.
Peace on earth, good will to man
To everyone, even us.

WTF!?!

2007-12-14T09:58:00.000-05:00

Yeah, so we played a show last night that... prior to getting into it... was a complete cluster fuck. The show was double booked then rebooked, but for a different room than we thought. Then, after wrangling everyone and the proper equipment and sound checking, our buddy Andrew Grimm played some songs to kick off the festivities. Grimm was playing through my guitar rig when my amp went up.

As if the night was not fucked up enough, my amp shit the bed. Well, Grimm is a pro and he got through it - all lit up for the holidays. The dude is a great writer and musician. Sorry about the whole mess, Grimm.

I was boiling from the entire fiasco. So we got rolling, but my head was swimming. I (we) struggled through the first couple of songs, but things pulled together as we went. Thanks to all the folks who came out and had fun with us. All in all I had fun playing... I pretty much always do. The boys are great and thank god we've got things back on track personnel-wise after a shaky fall. As the night drew to a close, folks were really into it, dancing and hollering and spilling beer. We had to shut down at midnight in the room we were in which bummed me out because I had finally shaken the baggage of the whole night, the boys were really tightening up and I could have played all night. We shut her down though, took a breath, and realized we came out of it alive and well and feeling better for it.

No, Mr. Grimm, we did not all die.... we came out alive. Maybe a little part of me is dead, but most of me is alive. Then of course it was a full-on scene trying to get out of there. Today I'm drained. Emotionally, physically. Everything does not have to be so fucking hard man. It really doesn't.

Old Yellow House

2007-12-12T00:05:00.000-05:00

The night before our buddy who engineered the recording of Hard to Swallow came to my house (where we would record all of the live tracks over the next two days), I was sitting around playing and this song just fell out. Songs seem to happen this way more than not. If the words and music just spill out, the song is generally a keeper. Conversely, I find that songs that take rewrite after rewrite never see the light of day. Well, that is, until just recently but that's a topic for an entirely different post.

Anyway - I live in "Old Yellow House." It is a row home built in 1920 that spent a large chunk of its life as a bar... and from what I understand, a damn rowdy one at that. When I'm home alone and things are still, I can hear the stories damn near coming through the spaces between the floor boards. It's not in a haunted/ghostly way, just its own personality with too much to tell. I spend hours wondering about the drunken fights and drunken love and broken hearts drowning the pain in the same room where I spend most of my time.

Whatever it was/is that spoke/speaks to me on those quiet nights... it worked. We played that song, without a drummer, to get a feel for the room and the placement of the mics. We didn't even know that Colin was rolling as we played. Matt and Eric hadn't even heard the song before, but it all came together. We wound up using the first take. And from that take on, the next 48 hours of recording went smoother than any of us could have hoped.

Billy McCoy

2007-12-07T13:21:00.000-05:00

I grew up a son of a gear head. As a child I could discern a passing classic as a '55 or '56 Chevy (the front end parking lights are the giveaway) at 60 plus miles per hour in the opposite direction. My early TV memories include sprinting to the tube every time I heard the growling sax riff that opened the Capital Raceway drag strip commercial... Sunday Sunday Sunday! The images funny cars spitting flames and lurching back onto the wheelie bars danced in my head.

So, many years later, I woke up one hungover Sunday morning with this tale of a small town racer done good (and bad) in my head. Nothing seems more rural than dirt track racing, and who doesn't love a story about someone selling their soul to the devil. I locked myself in our spare bedroom in the old apartment and banged out the chords 'till they went together. Add Billy McCoy to the ever-growing list of LAWNCHAIR songs that reference hookers... I have no clue why. Seriously.

Then, months later, I went to see the Drive By Truckers. The Stroker Ace himself Mike Cooley stepped to the mic to sing his first tune of the night- he slammed into "Daddy's Cup" a, then unreleased, song about small town auto racing. Damn! Ever since I've felt compelled to defend the fact that I wrote Billy McCoy months before I ever heard that song.

Faded Postcards

2007-12-06T15:55:00.000-05:00

Faded Postcards was conceived in a dream-like state driving from my grandmother's funeral to a gig at the Cat's Eye in Fells Point. Talk about an evening of emotional extremes. I went from sad grieving to exercising the demon of loss out of my body and mind. Shaking it wildly and dowsing it with alcohol. As I drove past the hulking hulls of cargo ships, the sky had gone from Blood Red to Black and lightening was breaking horizontal across the sky. With with all that "fantastic light", I swear there was no thunder.

This strange phenomenon had my mind racing with all the things that children are told to be true... like, "Where there's thunder there's lightening." Shouldn't such things be true in reverse?!? And if not, what other mis-truths had I been told?

Thus, I was set "lookin' for some truth".

Uh, what the F!?!?!

2007-10-08T09:25:00.000-04:00

Maybe it's just me... but would you show up your first gig with a new band WASTED!?!

What is the deal with drummers. We have one drummer who is fantastic, and a great guy. The problem is that he plays with a ton of bands, so he can't make every gig. We have played with a slew of other drummers... good guys most of them, but just not right. I feel like fucking Goldilocks... too loose, too deaf, too flakey. This guy Saturday night down right embarrassed us. Of course I take our music seriously, I wrote it, and this jackass shows up wasted. The tempo, it was like driving behind someone riding the break... all night. I damn near stomped a hole in the stage trying to get him on track. He said he couldn't hear. He said he plays off the vocal... what? I've never heard that before. He was sharing a kit with the other band and didn't bring his snare or cymbals... I thought this was like the unwritten code of drummers, maybe it is written somewhere. What an asshole. And, he comes to me after the show and says that he doesn't think he messed up. When I (very tactfully, mind you) told him differently... he said it had nothing to do with being drunk. Yeah. Sure. He was damn near passing out back there.

Well, maybe it's time to get back to the songs. Maybe it's the right time for the solo project. I love the band and will play every time our drummer can, but it's goddamn disheartening.

The jump...

2007-10-05T09:47:00.000-04:00

How does one start a blog? Hell, if that's not a question tailor made for the 21st century then I wouldn't know what is.

Well, let's see.. the title comes from the band I'm in, Lawnchair. Thing are going well enough. We just released our second record (independently), "Hard to Swallow", with good reception at our well-attended CD release party. The band is in an odd spot right now. We took a bit of a break during the summer - which was much needed and enjoyed by me - that seems to have unraveled things a bit. As chief songwriter and all around fucking den mother for the band, I've had to scramble to get personnel and gigs back on track... but it's getting there.

Maybe what I should do here is give some back story to the songs... an exercise in narcissism if nothing else I suppose.

Hard to Swallow - is just a ramble about life's pit falls and this fucked up world of ours. The first verse is about love lost and personal mis-steps. The second verse is about W and his quest to FUBAR our whole ball of wax (yeah, it's been melting for years... that evil little bastard seems to be holding closer to the flame).

"The dunce is out of the corner,
He's right up on that hill.
The dunce is out of the corner,
He's right up on that (capital)hill.
Momma, I think that fool's gonna say something to get us all killed."

I guess that's a start. We'll see if I can keep this up. I've been writing a ton of songs... have enough keepers for a new record... probably enough for a solo project and a band project. Who knows if any of it will see the light of day.