:: mike errico diary ::

:: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 ::

Happy Holidays.


See you soon.

m
:: mike 7:59 AM [+] ::

I drove through the Lower 9th Ward last night. So much to say, for some other time. If anyone tells you that the situation in New Orleans is under control, they are very, very wrong. It is improving, for sure - but there is still a vast need. Here is a way you can help - give it a minute. A contribution in your folks' names would cost the same any gift, and do a lot more. -m





----





Your dad has enough sweaters. Mom doesn't need another scarf. Give a gift you can see, hear and feel -- a contribution to the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund. NOMHRF helps return displaced musicians to New Orleans, creates gigs in the city, and replaces instruments damaged and destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Your help could put an instrument, and a livelihood, back into the hands of some of the most talented artists in the country. What gift is more meaningful than your own generosity, extended in the name of your loved ones to people who need it the most?



Here's how you can help:






THE NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS HURRICANE RELIEF FUND


We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to humanitarian outreach for New Orleans musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina. By returning displaced musicians to New Orleans, creating gigs in the city, and replacing flood-damaged instruments, NOMHRF empowers musicians to earn a living and heal our community with music.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

FINANCIAL DONATIONS: All donations are tax deductible and are targeted to meet local needs. Donations can be made online by CLICKING HERE

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST: Sign up here and stay up to date with our progress and with fantastic NOMHRF-affiliated performances in your area.

BUY MERCHANDISE THAT HELPS FUND OUR WORK: CDs, shirts and more are available at the Web site. A portion of proceeds has been dedicated by these vendors to our cause.

INSTRUMENT DONATIONS: By donating instruments, you give New Orleans musicians the means to pursue their livelihood and revitalize their hometown. Notify NOMHRF by e-mail, and ship donated instruments to:

American Federation of Musicians

Local 174-496

2401 Esplanade Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70119

ORGANIZE A BENEFIT CONCERT IN YOUR AREA: E-mail aimee@nomhrf.org or call 800-957-4026 with any questions. You can download an information form HERE.


TELL A FRIEND: Forward this message. Create your own. Put us in your Top 8. Wear our shirts at concerts... Oral history is the foundation of New Orleans music and culture, and it is only fitting that it remains at the forefront of the city's recovery.


Thank you,

The staff of NOMHRF

:: mike 11:06 AM [+] ::

I thought I was going to be hammering nails, and moving bags of concrete. But now it looks like I'm going to be writing and helping organize the office and media portion of this organization.

It's still a mess down here, and I haven't even seen the real damaged areas. I tried to take a cab to where the levee broke, but my cab driver, an ex-New York City cop, said it is too dangerous to let me out of the car. Sure enough, there was a shooting around the second line parade I was hoping to see. Detroit's got nothing on this place.

The roof of the Best Western I'm staying in blew off in the storm and they're still trying to fix it. Broken windows and deserted store fronts are everywhere, even in the French Quarter. I'm working out of a four-room office with three awesome and dedicated people.

New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund

The New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization founded by Ben and Sarah Jaffe of Preservation Hall immediately after Hurricane Katrina. The NOMHRF mission is twofold: to provide humanitarian outreach to New Orleans musicians affected by the storm and to revive New Orleans’ unique musical culture. NOMHRF brings musicians home with rent subsidies and grants for home repairs, creates and underwrites gigs, and replaces flood-damaged instruments. We empower musicians to earn a living and heal the city with their music. Since the levee failure, more than 1000 New Orleans musicians have received these services from NOMHRF, as well as referrals to health care clinics, social services, and other relief organizations.

By actively locating displaced New Orleans musicians, NOMHRF disbursed nearly $400,000 in emergency relief in its first three months. Grants targeting leaders in the music community ensured that New Orleans’ bandleaders, music-related businesses, and educators would be part of the rebuilding process. Performers of all genres, from traditional jazz to hip-hop, from local churches to the Louisiana Philharmonic, benefited from this assistance. Funding for this outreach came almost entirely from private, individual donations.

NOMHRF relocated to Preservation Hall, in New Orleans, in December of 2005. Preservation Hall, the world-renown jazz venue in the French Quarter, stands on a sliver of high ground surrounded by waterlogged residential neighborhoods, still fighting for their survival. These neighborhoods are the source of New Orleans’ characteristic rhythms, which drove the development of jazz and R& B. Their streets are home to brass band parades and Mardi Gras Indians. NOMHRF supports these indigenous traditions by subsidizing second lines and other performances, and continues to help members of the music community return home.

To learn more about NOMHRF, please contact:

New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund
828 Royal St. #833
New Orleans, LA 70116
1-800-957-4026
www.nomhrf.org
:: mike 1:01 PM [+] ::

It was great to see many of you at the Holiday Show this year. I had a great time, and the new songs just fly. It was also the fastest sell out in my history, which is an Omen in itself.

The set:
Strawberry Song // Skimming // Sooner or Later// How it Ends // Ever Since (solo) // You Could Be Anywhere (solo) // Daylight // Run // Underwater // Grace // Springtime (encore, solo)

While I was playing the show, a great friend was uptown, giving birth to a baby girl. Also, my friend Louis, who worked at the Chelsea diner and gave me most of the coffee that fueled my past five records, died of a heart attack. He was 49, and a sweet guy. He's thanked on Skimming and Pictures. I will miss him.



Next, it's off to New Orleans...
:: mike 11:55 AM [+] ::

Hi Mike,

Just want to thank you for an awesome evening. We took our daughters to see you play last night (both seasoned fans) and we all had a blast. And major thanks for the Omens - our ten-year-old got tequila and our fifteen-year-old got the Masters and Johnson book of Human Sexuality; clearly very disturbing things await us in the new year...





.
:: mike 11:42 AM [+] ::

Mike,

Amazing Show last night! It was good to see you again. I promise to put the Omen (the perfect piece jumped into my hand) to good use. It may be inspiration for my next line of jewelry.



.
:: mike 11:41 AM [+] ::

Mike

My Holiday Omen was a draidel (sp?)

Past omens for me included:
1) leopard skin women's panties: FACT
2) a crown
3) a leather wallet with chain: FACT
4) two visits to a personal trainer - never used FACT!
5) a draidel

All true.
All omens are true.
:: mike 11:39 AM [+] ::

Rock Star Holiday Wish Lists

Just because they already have everything doesn't mean they don't want more.

CLICK ON THE PIC





FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 1:17 PM [+] ::

Living in Europe must be hilarious:

Music for one apartment and six drummers
Uploaded by naly

:: mike 7:13 AM [+] ::

So, who came up with this? Not hard to figure out...







The graphic actually "snows" on the Blender homepage, which I'm psyched about.

Click on and take a look around - you might find some ideas for crap to buy family and friends. The iPod toilet rack was one of my favorites, but the portable stripper pole isn't bad, either. Close friends will be able to find a lot of inside jokes. And of course, getting "Rockstar Recommendations" from all those different artists was pretty hilarious.

Enjoy.

:: mike 4:02 PM [+] ::

:: mike 9:21 AM [+] ::

MIKE ERRICO - FALL 2006


NEW RECORD, ALL IN
Mike has finished ALL IN, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed SKIMMING. The 12-song disc picks up where the best of the previous work left off, and pushes forward to an entirely new level.

1. Something New/ 2. How it Ends/ 3. OK to Go/ 4. Girlfriend Weather/ 5. Packing My Bags/ 6. Run/ 7. Ever Since/ 8. Whatever You Say/ 9. Sweet Anesthesia/ 10. Please Stop Leaving/ 11. You Could Be Anywhere/ 12. Better Here

The record will release in early 2007.

Download the demo version of "Ever Since" at www.myspace.com/mikeerrico.

MIKE ERRICO 2006 HOLIDAY SHOW
Tuesday, December 12 AT JOE'S PUB
425 Lafayette St., NYC 9:30 PM / $15.00

Reservations strongly recommended. Your 2006-2007 Holiday Omens will be in attendance.
Tickets and info: http://www.joespub.com/caltool/index.cfm?fuseaction=detail&performanceID=2442

THIS IS WHAT THE SHOW WILL BE LIKE: http://tngrhapsody.ytmnd.com/
:: mike 8:39 PM [+] ::

The Filthiest Lyrics of All Time!

While swearing may not be clever, the joys of the four-letter word have exerted a strange pull on pop stars for decades. But which f@&#in’ song rates as the filthiest? Blender recruited a panel of experts to find out.

CLICK ON THE PIC





FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 8:45 AM [+] ::

Went to Game 6 and Game 7 of the Met/Cardinal playoffs. Oh well. There's next year.

They were amazing games, though.
:: mike 1:40 PM [+] ::

Michael Emerson: "I've always liked playing ambiguity."

Emmy winner Michael Emerson loves Captain Beefheart lyrics, hates athletic balladeering, triggers a House of Pain ringtone on his wife's cell - and recommends Bach if you're planning an extended stay in the Hatch.


CLICK ON THE PIC





FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 11:46 AM [+] ::

Shows this week: Sparklehorse, and Flaming Lips. Both were excellent. Lips were totally insane. Wayne is plugged into something large, and I really got into it. Might have been the Heinekens and the company, but even so...isn't it always?
:: mike 9:20 PM [+] ::

Happy Friday. CLICK HERE
:: mike 9:07 AM [+] ::

Oh, Jessica Simpson. You continue to disappoint.
:: mike 10:35 AM [+] ::

Art Alexakis: Orchestrating a Breakup

The Everclear frontman dishes hard-earned knowledge on getting out. . . and keeping your stuff.
(Hint: Get a restraining order.)


CLICK ON THE PIC




:: mike 10:00 AM [+] ::

DJ Qbert: Tour Video

The tireless turntable legend packs the 1's and 2's in the overhead compartment for a tour of Asia.

By Mike Errico


CLICK ON THE PIC





FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 1:27 PM [+] ::

New Found Glory: Our Obsessions

The punk-poppers stopped by the Blender.com office to reveal their offstage obsessions with World of Warcraft, collecting guitar picks and, uh . . . text-to-speech software?


By Mike Errico


CLICK ON THE PIC





FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 1:23 PM [+] ::

In case you were wondering, we are the stupidest species on the planet.
:: mike 7:34 AM [+] ::

Sometimes, life is scary. CLICK HERE.
:: mike 8:26 AM [+] ::

Drag your mouse around THIS. Look at you... you're a genius!
:: mike 2:31 PM [+] ::

Enjoy this beautiful thing.
:: mike 3:51 PM [+] ::

Cracker Barrel FINALLY enters the music business (though we know they've been in it for years): CLICK HERE
:: mike 9:48 AM [+] ::

Gene Simmons: Interview

The fire-breathing Kiss bassist and entrepreneur gives us valuable life lessons and a peek at the Family Jewels.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM














.
:: mike 2:23 PM [+] ::

I can't forget...
:: mike 1:49 PM [+] ::

Since we last spoke, I've interviewed New Found Glory... and Gene fucking Simmons. That was fun. Interviews go up hopefully in the next week or two.


More news as it falls out of the trees.


.
:: mike 12:13 AM [+] ::

More friends are checking the record out. The reviews trickle in.
:: mike 7:22 AM [+] ::

I'm OK to go.
:: mike 11:27 AM [+] ::

The reviews on the new record are beginning to trickle in from friends:

CLICK HERE
:: mike 8:01 PM [+] ::

Tweaking. Listening. Tweaking. Listening.

Done and done.

Going to shows. Inhaling. Exhaling.

Feels good.
:: mike 8:52 AM [+] ::

Went to Philly to master with Phil Nicolo, and now the music is complete. Party to follow.


GIRLFRIEND WEATHER

Something New
How it Ends
OK to Go
Girlfriend Weather
Packing My Bags
Run
Whatever You Say
Ever Since
You Could Be Anywhere
Sweet Anesthesia
Please Stop Leaving
Better Here

Cover shot is picked.
:: mike 8:14 AM [+] ::

Every '80s video you ever wanted to see again lives right here.
:: mike 7:54 AM [+] ::

David Lee Roth: Interview


Constantly laughing, clowning, dropping philosophy, threatening martial arts and cracking up his bodyguard, the ex-lead singer of the "real" Van Halen comes off like a benevolent Charles Manson trapped in the body of... well, David Lee Roth. We sat down to talk about the new bluegrass tribute to Van Halen, Strummin' with the Devil, and a bottle of Tennessee whiskey mysteriously appeared. It got blurry quickly. This is what we remember.


By Mike Errico

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 3:22 PM [+] ::

THE RECORD IS DONE.



.
:: mike 1:09 PM [+] ::

I'm bringing friends in to hear the record. It's good. Going well. Sequences are being discussed. I can't believe it.

Psyched to get this to you.
:: mike 7:42 PM [+] ::

check out a sample of the direction I'm taking on my new record.
:: mike 5:19 PM [+] ::

Happy birthday, America! Here's my favorite anthem.
:: mike 9:01 AM [+] ::

Last day of mixing, today. Song #12, "Something New." What a strange feeling, going back and forth between mixing the record, and then editing pieces with David Lee Roth, Edwin McCain, Slayer, Hatebreed, DragonForce, Zakk Wylde, etc. etc. It's a time of incredible stretching. I'm really digging it, when I'm conscious enough to enjoy.


A healthy diet of Fugazi and Mastodon are helping greatly.



post something.
:: mike 6:18 AM [+] ::

Darth Vader Calls the Emperor.


funny.
:: mike 12:56 PM [+] ::

Song #10 is getting mixed today.




















awesome.
:: mike 10:23 AM [+] ::

Keane: Interview

From the island that brought us the Anglican Church and the Sex Pistols, Keane crosses the pond with their sophomore effort, Under the Iron Sea. Keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley filled us in.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 10:23 AM [+] ::

Last night, I drank a half a bottle of Jack Daniels with David Lee Roth. I interviewed him for Blender, and can't really explain the level of euphoria I was in. Plus we were drunk. So there was that.

This'll be a good article.
:: mike 6:27 PM [+] ::

Aretha Franklin: Live at the Apollo Theater

A crazed fanatic witnesses the Queen of Soul's triumphant return to New York's Apollo Theater and e-mails us, screaming. We encourage this kind of behavior.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 3:53 PM [+] ::

FOUR SONGS ARE MIXED AND FINISHED.



NOTHING ELSE TO SAY.



JUST FELT LIKE YELLING.





!
:: mike 3:36 PM [+] ::

JULY EDITOR'S PICK: The Deadliest Catch, Discovery Channel




CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 11:16 AM [+] ::

From: Blake Morgan
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 5:43 PM
To: Mike Errico

Subject: HA HA HA HA HA...


HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !




sorry. mixing is fun.


B

.
:: mike 2:45 PM [+] ::

From: Blake Morgan
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 5:43 PM
To: Mike Errico

Subject: HA HA HA HA HA...


HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !




sorry. mixing is fun.


B

.
:: mike 2:45 PM [+] ::

Something to consider.
:: mike 5:47 AM [+] ::

Jewel: Interview

After tussling with a fire hose on MTV, a more mature Jewel heads to the barn -- and the mechanical bull.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 1:41 PM [+] ::

Here are some weird clocks.
:: mike 7:39 AM [+] ::

Solo in "Ever Since" used to be harmonica. We listened down today and thought it sucked. So, it's a guitar solo, now. And it's really cool.

Chipping away... I'm getting impatient, now.
:: mike 8:22 PM [+] ::

We re-did the "Please Stop Leaving" choruses, and hit "You Could Be Anywhere."

And it's done. I have sung all the way through the record.

I would jump around, but today we listen to the whole thing, and tweak. We're not done yet. But the lead vocals are most likely finished.

someone's headed for a hangover....
:: mike 7:10 AM [+] ::

"Please Stop Leaving" is in the can. It's been an incredible week. Smooth, strong, and my best singing ever.

One song to go. "You Could Be Anywhere." It's a beautiful version of the song, just a sparse old Martin acoustic and me. I am ready to just float over that guitar part. Can't wait.

Eleven down, one to go.
:: mike 6:57 PM [+] ::

"How it Ends." Done.


What is there to say.
:: mike 9:49 PM [+] ::

Strange turn yesterday. We listened back to "Sweet Anesthesia" and didn't like it. We set out for it to be a chilly, almost robotic read that would melt into the arrangement, but somehow the entire sense of the song got lost. We recut the entire song letting me just do what I do, instead of going for an effect, and now it really flies, and fits with the rest of the pack.

So, we're still at nine down, three to go. But today's a new day. Ready to roll.


This was sent to me today:

The site (Ifilm) is annoying, but the video is worth it. I actually
got choked up, and I'm thoroughly cynical:
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2729140?htv=12
:: mike 6:02 AM [+] ::

I like this schedule. I sleep til whenever, get up, go to the gym with the NY Times, a bottle of water and a small coffee (little milk, one sugar). On the way back, I hit the deli and get another bottle of water, and two scrambled with ham on a wrap. No cheese. I sit down with Eileen, a 90-year-old woman with a black wig that's always on crooked, and eyebrows that are drawn on with a thick brown pencil of some sort. She reads the Post with a magnifying glass, and has some milk and toast. We talk about the Yankees (she's a fan) and the record. She likes how it's coming together. "I hope you got yourself a hit song on there, Mike. Sounds like it's goin' good." She thinks that baseball players now are more attractive than they used to be. "Time was, these guys were real...roustabouts. Not so, anymore. Good lookin' boys."

I finish breakfast, shower, warm up in time for a long leisurely walk to the studio to collect my head and decide the song we're going to hit. I've been alternating fast-slow, rock-ballad, just for the sake of pacing. Yesterday was a Pink Floyd fest, so today we're going to crank it up. I'm psyched.

All right, then. Time to do all of that.


post a routine.
:: mike 7:57 AM [+] ::

"Sweet Anesthesia" is in the can. Nine down, three to go. Fish in a barrel, man. I'm telling you.

It was so great to get this one done. It's been sitting around since the days of "Pictures of the Big Vacation." Finally, it's getting to see its day. I'm glad. I've been waiting for it. It's coming together great.

Tomorrow... more.
:: mike 10:09 PM [+] ::

"Something New" is in the can. Really fun, rocks hard and sounds great. Very psyched.

Done, done, on to the next one...
:: mike 10:08 PM [+] ::

"Ever Since" - I think the best lead vocal yet. Incredibly emotional, intimate, strong... it's something I'll be proud of for a long time. Only thing is that the harmonica solo sounds a little lost in all of the high-test arranging. We may have to pull it, and put someone else in. Talks continue.

Seven down, five to go. My early morning thought: "How it Ends"
:: mike 5:42 AM [+] ::

"Packing My Bags." Done. Six down, six to go.

As quiet, and "easy" as it is to sing, this was the hardest day in the studio so far - just finding the emotional balance within the song, and projecting it into the track. Did David Lee Roth think about this stuff? I don't know. Maybe.

Back in today.



post a background.
:: mike 8:42 AM [+] ::

Minor change. I warmed up and felt really strong, so instead we hit "OK to Go," the one inspired by the movie "Contact." Kind of inspired by it, anyway. It's all just going down smooth, and with plenty of time for a mellow dinner and hanging out with friends.

Today might be "Packing My Bags."
:: mike 6:18 AM [+] ::

OK



Here it is.



I'm walking into the final week of tracking. One straight week of vocals. I slept 12 hours last night, drank a ton of water, and my voice is on point. By next Sunday, all tracking will be complete. It's just unbelievable.

I'm thinking "Packing My Bags" today, though I'm not 100% on that yet. I have to look over some stuff and see what feels good. It all feels good: It's just a matter of choice and pacing.

God, I'm psyched.
:: mike 8:55 AM [+] ::

The laughing cure.

post a cure.
:: mike 8:48 AM [+] ::

Musical suggestion, if I may:


I'm not a Jon Brion scholar, but go to http://www.myspace.com/jonbrion and listen to "Here We Go." I think it's a great song.

post a rebuttal.
:: mike 8:11 PM [+] ::

Good times, out there with Lesley in PA. Back from it, and holy shit. A whole day off, since we decided not to stay over at the crappy hotel. Shocking, I know, to give up the opportunity to be awakened by the sound of distant vaccuuming.

June 1. The record will be fully tracked.

Psyched.
:: mike 2:50 PM [+] ::

New Hope, PA with Lesley, today. Two shows. Should be fun. I haven't played with her in a while. I've brushed off the solos, and the black shirt. I really like it there. There's a little Thai place called Siam that is possibly the best Thai food I've ever had. I wonder if it's still open. It's been a while.


post
:: mike 7:45 AM [+] ::

Lead vocal and backgrounds are done for "Whatever You Say." Rocking. I'm really happy. These are just going down easy, no sweat, no hangups... just setting em up and knocking em down. I'm digging this, for real.

comment.
:: mike 7:34 PM [+] ::

DragonForce: Video

U.K. "extreme power metal" band DragonForce shred up a conference room in this two-part video performance/interview.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 7:44 AM [+] ::

Lead vocal for "Run" is done. Backgrounds, too. Three songs are fully completed and ready for mix.

Ha.

That's all I can say.


say something else here.
:: mike 3:45 PM [+] ::

Vocals, doubles and harmonies are done for "Girlfriend Weather," possibly the title track of the record. It's beautiful, and fun, and all that. This is now the easy part, and I'm very much in the zone. Bring that shit on. Can't wait for tomorrow... "Run" is the planned track.


post a Mother's Day card.
:: mike 5:51 PM [+] ::

Vocals are done for the song we are still calling "Better Here". They're beautiful, I'm rested up nice, singing great. Really fun.

My thought for today is "Girlfriend Weather." I like the idea.


post a background.
:: mike 6:16 AM [+] ::

I will be talking on the radio today, discussing Blender magazine's "50 Worst Things Ever to Happen to Music" piece on WNYC

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS, PODCAST, DOWNLOAD

We may be taking calls.
:: mike 8:52 AM [+] ::

I can't believe it. All the music is done. On to the vocals. I can't believe it. I can't believe it's done. It sounds awesome. The "Sweet Anesthesia" tracks and solo... I can't believe it. "Packing My Bags" - the tag at the end... I can't believe it. The guitar on "You Could Be Anywhere" - I can't... I... the drums on "Girlfriend Weather," I mean, he's... KILLING them. I can't believe it. I can't believe how it's coming together. It's for real. And it reminds me of the best of "Pictures" with the best of "Skimming." How can I ask for anything more?

I'm totally loose, and totally free, and I just want to step to the mic and stroke the ball over the left field wall. It's all felt like that so far, and the plan is not going to change.

I just. I just can't believe it.


post a sense of disbelief
:: mike 7:31 PM [+] ::

Today may be the last day of tracking instruments. We are ready for vocals. I can't believe it. It just kinda crept up on me. Which is fine, but not how I pictured it. It never is.

This weekend has been amazing - solos on "Please Stop Leaving" "Run" and a desperately beautiful "Sweet Anesthesia" that just fell out of me. I was stunned by it.

Today we're finishing lap steels and keys on "Sweet Anesthesia" and then... we're ... ready for vocals? I can't believe it. But I think that's the story.

Amazing.

post a comment.

.
:: mike 6:44 AM [+] ::

The 50 Worst Things Ever to Happen to Music

Scott Stapp. Pop-opera. The braided goatee. These are just a few of the things even the most open-minded among us cannot abide.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 9:08 AM [+] ::

Stuffmagazine.com takes on “Saved by the Bell”


Stuffmagazine.com takes on Saved by the Bell

Ever wonder where the kids from Bayside High would be today if they really existed? Click on the pic to read our guess as to what Zack and the gang would be up to. Here's a hint: Mr. Belding is dead.







FROM STUFFMAGAZINE.COM
:: mike 9:00 AM [+] ::

Stapler Rock I

Stapler Rock II

Stapler Rock III

Stapler Rock IV


:: mike 1:44 PM [+] ::

MIKE ERRICO
SPRING 2006



UPDATE ON THE NEW RECORD
Mike is in the studio, working on the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Skimming. Follow along with the progress the band is making by checking here.

Download the demo version of "Ever Since" from the forthcoming record HERE


MIKE NAMED EDITOR OF BLENDER.COM
Mike is now in charge of content on this highly trafficked music site Have a look:

VIDEOS of Beastie Boys, Dresden Dolls, eXtreme Elvis and many more: CLICK HERE
Mary J. Blige, on the pop charts and the Oxford English Dictionary: CLICK HERE
Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O lets loose on new songs, old flames and space suits: CLICK HERE
Interview with country-punk badass Hank Williams III: CLICK HERE

Check back regularly at www.blender.com


MIKE ERRICO RELEASES ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.ERRICO.COM


"SKIMMING" TRAVELS TO SUNDANCE
Skimming is featured in the new film Puccini for Beginners, starring Gretchen Mol.

WORDS WE DONT SAY FEATURED ON THE L WORD
Performed by Lesley Gore, co-written by Mike and featuring him on acoustic an electric guitars, this selection from Lesleys Ever Since will be on an upcoming episode of The L Word (SHOWTIME). Check your local listings.

UNRELEASED VERSION of "GRACE"
Live From WTMD Volume 1 - From the Very Beginning is out and available to subscribers of this great Baltimore-based station (also accessible as a stream on the Web). A live, unreleased version of "Grace," from Skimming shares the CD with Son Volt, Marc Broussard, The Fray, Bruce Cockburn, Mike Doughty, and more: CLICK HERE FOR INFO


BABY PICTURES!
Not Mike's baby. In fact, we don't know whose baby it is, but she likes "Skimming."

MIKE ERRICO STREET TEAM
Fill out the form HERE and let us know that you're interested, and we'll let you know what you can do to help spread the word when Mike comes to your area.


MIKE ERRICO POSTER CONTEST
Just send us the email addresses of 15 friends who you think would also be into Mike's music, include the cities they live in, and we'll send you a free, signed Mike Errico poster! Don't forget to include the CITIES and STATES of the addresses you're sending, and to include your mailing address, so we know where to send you the poster (duh).

SEE YOU SOON
:: mike 5:48 PM [+] ::

eXtreme Elvis: Live Video

Elvis Presley was extreme. eXtreme Elvis is extremely extreme.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 2:58 PM [+] ::

New England College, Henniker, NH

Good people out there, five hours outside of NYC and beyond cell range. There was a moose sighting, which was unbelievable... a ten foot female who apparently stumbled over a guard rail and into the quad. Students screamed and chased her with camera phones while the intelligent Maine and New Hampshire natives kept their distance. Moose are wicked dumb, and as a result, unpredictable (their most human trait). The males can really mess a person up, Grizzly Man style, which doesn't mean that the ladies are particularly polite - they can do real damage, too.

But I guess a woman stumbling through a quad in a college always gets attention from guys with camera phones. How often have we seen this on late night cable TV?

Another hilarious feature of the college is a ramshackle old house right in the middle of campus, owned at some point by an angry old man who hated the school and put in the deed that it can absolutely never be sold to them. He's dead, but the house keeps rotting. Ironically, it looked beautiful, set in the long shadows of an early spring sunset. Long streaks of rust striped the boat-bottom green siding, and seemed like EXACTLY the kind of house the old man in "When She Walks By" would have owned. I brushed the song off and played it for them, which they really enjoyed. I haven't played that in a long while. It felt great.

post a comment.
:: mike 3:34 PM [+] ::

wow.


I didn't know these were still out there.


post an auction item.
:: mike 8:27 AM [+] ::

So, I've had to pass on the upcoming Lesley Gore tour in order to keep all the plates spinning over here at home. That's a rare moment - I don't think I've ever said no to a tour in my life. So it took a little time out and reflection on my part. But it's right. They got a great guy (who also has glasses) and that's important.

I'll be focusing on artwork while they're gone. I think we have the cover photo, and I am totally psyched about it. We'll work backwards from there. On the other side of the fence, I have interviews with lots of musicians, and upcoming plans for festivals. Oh, yeah, and a solo show in New Hampshire. Jeez. It gets awful complicated over here sometimes.


post a complication.
:: mike 10:07 AM [+] ::

Gorillaz: Live

The world's first virtual band rises above technical glitches to exceed a whole new set of expectations.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 12:30 PM [+] ::

Such sad news: some of you may know about the time I played at the Sandtown School in Baltimore. It was one of the true high points in my career. I just recieved word that their funding is being cut off (ironically, for being too good at what they do), and they may close.

READ THE BALTIMORE SUN ARTICLE

THE KIDS' REACTION TO THE ARTICLE

NEW SONG's BLOG

MY PHOTO GALLERY WITH THE KIDS









:: mike 8:05 AM [+] ::

BIG GUITARS ARE NOW ON THE PLATE: Big guitars for Girlfriend Weather, Run, and OK to Go are done. More today - I'm ready. I got my bottomless cup of coffee. We got a:

Gretsch Silver Jet
Gretsch Country Gentleman
Epiphone Casino
Ibanez AR-500
Danelectro wacky nonsense guitar
Epiphone flying V

Plus whatever we need to borrow. I'm playing loose, and strong. Feeling it. Digging it.

Artwork: The more I think about the original cover of "Skimming," the more I like it for this project. Just starting to look at that now. But I love the direction.

Hell yes.

post a root/fifth.
:: mike 7:47 AM [+] ::

Head-spinning week. OK, so what happened? Let me try to piece it together:

Thursday: Bates College, Lewiston, ME. The Silo is a performance space of theirs, and just sounds phenomenal. Got some requests for "Strawberry Song" and "Free," which always makes my night. I am also letting the new songs fly, and they are really surprising me. I don't know why, but they are. They are touching on deeper territory, and even though they aren't fully recorded yet, they are already pointing a way towards the next work I have to do. I'm really interested in what's next.

Friday: Massachussetts College of Liberal Arts. Great show, great students in a small college nestled in the Berkshires. Some of the most beautiful driving I've ever done - a clear, almost-spring day winding along hairpin turns through the mountains. I stopped several times just to get out and look at the valleys and brooks. Only four hours from Times Square, and it felt as remote and expansive as anyplace I've ever been. There is just more oxygen out there. I don't breathe as hard. I sleep well, and sing well.

The college had an interesting light show - it was a standard light tree, but somehow connected to a Clapper that sensed sound. So if I played a chord, the lights would change configurations. I played a couple of really fast chords, laughed as the lights strobed along, and asked them to turn the Clapper part off. I'd never seen that before.

Saturday/Sunday - drove like a freak back to NYC just in time to pick up Blake and Carolyn and head out for a two-night engagement with Lesley Gore at the Queens Theater, which sits in the shadow of the 1964 Worlds' Fair in Corona Park.



The shows were strong, and Lesley always lights it up. It's inspiring.

post a communication.
:: mike 7:23 AM [+] ::

BEASTIE BOYS: VIDEO

Awesome! Mike f*in' sat down with Beastie Boys to discuss the concept behind their innovative new concert film, Awesome; I F*in' Shot That!

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 7:18 AM [+] ::

hilarious little moment


http://maximonline.com/maximtv/461/BrookeBurns.video
:: mike 9:04 PM [+] ::

Totally, absolutely awesome electric guitar part on "Ever Since" went down last night. I'm really really psyched. My friend at Electro Harmonix hooked me up with all kinds of wacky machinery (Pog, Memory Man, Holy Grail...) and we're twisting knobs. So cool.

post an effect.
:: mike 1:32 PM [+] ::

ATREYU: EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW

Somewhere between preparing for the release of A Death-Grip on Yesterday and announcing their headlining slot on Ozzfest's second stage, Orange County heavies Atreyu sat down with Mike to explain the mysteries of the universe. OK, maybe not. But it was cool, anyway.

CLICK ON THE PIC


FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 1:31 PM [+] ::

Blake put some piano down on "Packing My Bags". Brilliant, a restrained little section, but these little things make so much difference, man, I'm telling you. I'll be listening to that 300 years from now, thinking, "Yeah, I'm glad we worked on that part, and got it sounding nice."

Then we got shithoused. I was smart to bring an extra bottle of Bushmills.

post a headache.
:: mike 10:04 AM [+] ::

Lap steel is done for "Packing My Bags". Really deep shit. Gotta say. Lots going on over here.

Also, interviewed the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She's really funny, I'm psyched to see how that interview will turn out.

post.
:: mike 4:00 PM [+] ::

BLENDER INTERVIEW: MARY J. BLIGE

Read Mike's exclusive interview with the undisputed queen of hip-hop soul.

CLICK ON THE PIC





FROM BLENDER.COM


post a conversation
:: mike 7:51 AM [+] ::

I think all acoustic guitar tracks are done. We hit a weird stereo lap steel part for the beginning of "OK to Go" also. The weekend is off, which is a drag, but I'm working on parts here at home that we can either transfer directly, or recut really quickly.


post contact.
:: mike 1:47 PM [+] ::

SMASH MOUTH's STEVE HARWELL to appear on vh1's "THE SURREAL LIFE 6"

Beginning March 19th and running for three weeks, Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell joins the cast of vh1's "The Surreal Life", Season #6. Sequestered in Glen Campbell's former home on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, Steve and the cast spend 12 days creeped out by a suspected ghost… and occasionally, each other.

Joining Harwell are Sherman Helmsley from TV's "The Jefferson's"; 80's video vixen Tawny Kitaen, metal axeman CC Deville from Poison; Playboy TV covergirl Andrea Lowell; and the XX & XY of the Arquette family, Alexis Arquette. "The Surreal Life" is rounded out with the aforementioned Florence Henderson joining the show as the cast's full time therapist and advisor.
:: mike 3:07 PM [+] ::

Yesterday, I did a percussion track which will be the backbone of "Better Here" (I think that's the title, anyway...) We used brushes on my lap steel case, which sounded great and looked ridiculous, a guitar case, all mic'ed up like that. For the "kick drum" we just put the case on the floor and I stepped on it. We got it sounding great, and then decided that my demo take was better. It's creaky and I think you can hear some of the finger picks rattling around in there. Fun.

Weekend off. Thank God. Whitney Biennial. Shot some film. Took a nap. Fuck it.


post a dream.
:: mike 4:46 PM [+] ::

Yesterday, I had a half hour interview with Mary J. Blige. I learned a lot about singing from "What's the 411?" and it was just a total Chris Farley moment to talk with her. ("Remember when you sang 'You Remind Me'?... that was awesome.) It was a lot of fun.

I informed her that by 2012 I think the word "Hateration" will be in the Oxford English Dictionary, with her as the originator. She laughed. "I don't think they'd put something so ignorant in the dictionary." Really? "D'oh" is in there. "Hateration" is definitely on the way. And it may well say "See also 'Holleration'."

The interview will be up on Blender.com in the coming weeks. Today, it's a sit-down with Atreyu. www.myspace.com/atreyurock. I hear they like to spit. So I'm bringing a video crew.


post expectorant.
:: mike 9:40 AM [+] ::

Drums are done.



Bass is done.



25% of rhythm guitars are done.



We're moving.



I think: best record yet.



post a communication
:: mike 4:48 PM [+] ::

mike,

i read this on the jayfarrar.net
message board. i'm sure it's still up there somewhere.


About 3 or 4 years ago when I lived in Nashville, I was walking with
some friends from my Apartment to the Ryman to catch the Willie Nelson
and friends concert. At a red light we saw this guy in maybe a 1982
Ford Truck with mud tires and a Hank sticker on the left bumper. The
light turned green, he laid a black mark on the pavement about six
feet long and sent up a cloud of dust. We started laughing. Another
block or so, we saw he had circled around and finally found a parking
spot. He got out of his truck, had on cowboy boots held together with
duct tape, and some jeans that looked like that was the only pair of
pants he owned. The guy looked pretty rough. He took off with a bag
that he took out of his truck and started walking. About two hours
later, this guy along with Keith Richards, Ryan Adams and Willie
Nelson walked on stage and nailed "Dead Flowers" by the Rolling
Stones. Later I found out it was Hank III. I remember feeling strange,
here I was feeling bad for this poor guy who had a beat up truck,
clothes, and a plastic sack. Then he came on stage at the Ryman.
Anyway, I keep up with his music now, and yes I think he is good.
:: mike 4:40 PM [+] ::

BLENDER.COM EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HANK WILLIAMS III

The grandson of a country legend goes Straight to Hell, and takes Mike along for the ride.

CLICK ON THE PHOTO


:: mike 8:46 AM [+] ::

Nine bass tracks are now done. Turner is killing it. Today: "Packing My Bags," "Whatever You Say," "Run," "Ever Since."




Meanwhile, good Omens everywhere: CHECK THIS OUT.


What's not to love?



post a baby.
:: mike 7:46 PM [+] ::

Bass has started: Turner just finished the first bass line, strangely choosing "How it Ends" to begin his work on the record. All but two of the bass lines have been written, so as he's putting them down, I'll be writing the last two. He sounds great. He's a friggin' animal. There is a lot of fun being had in the studio, and a lot of scotch going down, too. Not the worst combination.

Meanwhile, I got Mary J. Blige to give blender.com the "Romantic Playlist" that she'll be unleashing on her husband this Valentine's Day - all the songs you might expect with a couple of surprises. That'll be up on the blender.com site in the next couple of days. Tomorrow I interview Hank Williams III, grandson of Hank Sr. New record comes out, and it's cool. Think redneck Pink Floyd. If such a thing exists.


post a comment.
:: mike 9:16 PM [+] ::

Last night with Lesley: Best show we've done. I loved it.
:: mike 3:53 PM [+] ::

Drums for the record are done. Jonathan Ellinghaus is an animal. Elephantine. Terrifying.


Bass is mostly written, and Turner's working it out, now.


post a message.
:: mike 3:53 PM [+] ::

THIS JUST IN:

Good Morning, Music Fans!

It's official: Mr. Mike Errico, is now the editor of Blender.com! Mike's been with us on a freelance basis, and his dry humor and awesome glasses have made him an online legend. So, why's he's forgoing freelance for full-time? It's necessary to completely revamp Blender.com to be as big as we know it can be, so we needed a genuine rock star to make it happen. Imagine that, an actual musician heading up a site about music. Revolutionary!

In the coming months there will be a totally new Blender.com and Mike's been working tirelessly to generate new concepts on how we're gonna cover music. So stop by, say hello and congratulate our new King of Rock. (There really is none higher.) And any ideas you have regarding what you think the new Blender.com should include, feel free to send them along to him.
_____
Gene Newman
Editor in Chief, MaximNet
Stuffmagazine.com | MaximOnline.com
Blender.com | Theweekmagazine.com
:: mike 6:50 AM [+] ::

Live From WTMD Volume 1-From the Very Beginning is out and available to subscribers of this great Baltimore-based station.

A live, unreleased version of "Grace," from SKIMMING shares the CD with

Tim Easton "Baltimore"
Marc Broussard "Rock Steady"
Son Volt "Afterglow 61"
Butterfly Boucher "Another White Dash"
Fools & Horses "Frera"
Mike Doughty "Madeline and Nine"
The Duhks "Death Came A Knockin'"
Bruce Cockburn "Pacing the Cage"
Matthew Ryan "Little Things"
Brandi Carlile "Hallelujah"
Ben Arnold "Calico Kid"
Danielia Cotton "Take My Heart"
The Fray "How to Save a Life"
Alexi Murdoch "Orange Sky"

CLICK HERE FOR INFO:
https://secure.publicbroadcasting.net/wtmd/pledge.pledgemain?action=pledge&pg=pledgeForm

post a playlist.
:: mike 11:24 AM [+] ::

From the "WTF?" files:


ABSOLUT Launches ABSOLUT KRAVITZ:


A Groundbreaking Global Music Project Featuring a New Interpretation of the Brand by Lenny Kravitz

ABSOLUT is proud to announce the launch of ABSOLUT KRAVITZ - a new music project which sees Lenny Kravitz creating an exclusive new track based on his interpretation of the ABSOLUT brand.

'We are thrilled to have Lenny Kravitz with us on our creative journey and in this, our first high-profile music project' says Michael Persson, Global Brand Director for ABSOLUT VODKA. 'Not only is he supremely talented; his output, inspired by so many genres and eras of music, defies categorization, making him truly individual - a quality which means he is perfectly at home with the creativity of ABSOLUT.'

Kravitz said that he was inspired by the brand's core values of clarity, simplicity and perfection. 'There's nothing more simple, clear or perfect than the essence of true love,' he says. 'Once I'd felt that, the track just came.'


post a nightmare.
:: mike 9:42 AM [+] ::

The "Pacific Coast Hellway" podcast is featuring some of my music lately (http://www.pacificcoasthellway.com/), and the producers got a pretty funny email:


Dear Mark,




Firstly, may I thank you for bringing Mike Errico to my attention. I

have really enjoyed the songs of his you have played and will be

buying his albums as soon as the bank tells me I can use my credit

cards again. However, I must object to the song "7 Bottles of Bristol

Cream" you played on the "all music" show at the turn of the year.

Come on! 7 bottles?!? "Tonight I drink you all"!!!!




When I was a student, I used to spend the summer vacation working in

Germany. One night I was sitting drinking with a group of friends when

some bottles of the afore mentioned beverage were produced. I won't

bore you with the gory details, but suffice it to say that not only

did I drink a full bottle, but I woke up in a different country

(Switzerland) with a bunch of builders from Poland who I swear I had

never met before. And to cap it all, I had a hangover that lasted a

month.




Please tell your listeners not to heed Errico's call. Bristol Cream

truly is the Devil's brew.




Yours in abstinence,




Jack in Scotland.
:: mike 2:43 PM [+] ::

A play I music supervised has just opened off-Broadway. The New York Times liked it. I'm glad. I've been working with these people on and off for a couple of years.


NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW.



post a troubled dream.
:: mike 7:44 AM [+] ::

Happy 2006. I'm psyched.

The songs for the new record are all sketched out, and the drum arrangements are all in place. It'll be great to hear an actual drum kit, instead of me and blake slapping our knees, stomping the floor and spraying spit all over the place. yeah. drums are better than that. for sure.

Several bass lines are also done. I've bought some new studio gear which I'm very excited about, and that's going to help the process. As is listening. A lot. To good shit. Like Pink Floyd. Which I can't stop listening to. Just so good. So good.




"What Then," a play I'm music supervising, opens on Monday. What's it about? Well... Someone begins to blur the lines between dreams and reality. Others follow. Toxic airborne events loom in the near future. A big bag of blood splatters all over the set. I think I'm playing classical guitar. Eventually, there's no way to tell which plane of existence you're experiencing, and which one you're in.

Good shit.

That'll be at the Ohio Theater, Wooster St., NYC


post a complaint.
:: mike 11:30 AM [+] ::