We’re All In This Together

This will be last post here. 

From now on, go to www.andyzipf.wordpress.com for my bloggity bits.

I’ll still keep this, in case you want to go back and read the old posts. 

Couple things I’m excited about right now.

American Songwriter Magazine chose me as songwriter of the week! Pretty awesome.

This song.

My little brother is getting married this weekend, and I’m singing an old hymn called Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken in the ceremony.  I had never heard it before, but its really beautiful.  Might even record it.

Happy stuffing.

Terry McBride, man.

If there are more people like him out there, we have some hope. 

Check his blog out.

The Lay It Down EP should be up on iTunes very soon.  There will be an extra song : Wear Your Summer Dress.  I’ll put it up someplace on the interwebical shelf. 

I’ve got a couple shows coming up.

1. Dec 5 at The Watershed in Lexington, SC.  I had to reschedule the show from last month.  Can’t wait to see my pfriends there.

2. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.  Dec 13 at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA, opening for Jeremy Enigk. I am a huge fan of Sunny Day Real Estate, specifically ‘Diary’. The Fire Theft are pretty awesome too.

See you all out there.

T Bone Burnett developed a new sound technology called CODE.  Very interesting.  Thanks to my friend Will Gray for telling me about this.  Genius.

I’m speaking at a CMJ panel next week called ‘If I Only Had Funding‘. 

The Lay It Down EP will be on iTunes with an extra song, ‘Wear Your Summer Dress’ by mid-November.

D.C./VA folks…I’ve got a show at IOTA on OCT 27 with the band.  Modern Skirts and The Brakes are playing.  It’s gonna be a great night. 

Oh…Would you like to request songs every other week for me to post in videos on here?  Let me know..

Last night I saw a final cut screening of Call and Response. I’ve written about this movie before. You need to see it. It’s coming to theaters in October. My response was to write a song - Sell My Sister, which you’ll be able to hear soon.

My new pfriends at Digital Freedom put me in touch with Breakthru Radio yesterday. We were going to try and do an interview last night, but I was at the Call and Response screening. So DJ Latola and I spoke this morning at 7:30. Early, yes… but I’m really glad I had the opportunity to chat with him. We talked about digital rights, the state of the music industry, DIY methods, some of my favorite live shows of all time and the mystery of melody. Check it out. Should be up later today, I think. BTR and Digital Freedom are advocates of believers in music. Support them.

Tonight, we play our second show as a three piece at The Rock and Roll Hotel. I’ve never played there, but this will be a cool introduction. Some great DC bands are playing - Justin Jones and The Driving Rain, Olivia and The Housemates and Meredith Bragg.

Come on out, if you’re around.  I’m playing slide on Give All now, with the new band arrangement.  We’re doing a cover that I think you’ll enjoy as well. 

I have been writing a lot lately…

Fall and Winter are typically when I write at this pace. 

Some of songs are recorded and mixed.  Others are just demos on my laptop. 

I am going to make them all available at the new www.andyzipf.com when its up.  So, stay tuned. 

I have some shows coming up with the band at IOTA and The Rock and Roll Hotel.  I am SO excited.  I actually have rehearsal tonight and I can’t wait. 

Also, I just got an offer to open for Joshua Radin and Alexa Wilkinson at The Birchmere at the end of this month.  Very cool.

So…

I got back from L.A. Sunday afternoon at 4pm ET.  I had been up until 4 am PT, recording Ken Oak’s cello part on one of my new songs(What We Do Not Know…kind of like Innocence Mission meets Simon and Garfunkel) and then singing on Theft’s new EP.  My flight left at 8 am from LAX, but I had to return the rental car at 7 am.  It’s about a half hour drive from where I was staying to LAX. 

I slept for an hour and a half.  I should have just skipped it.  Anything less than three hours is almost pointless. 

My week in L.A. was very productive.  Shows were great.  I am working on a plan to go back as soon as I can.  Hung out with old friends and made some cool new ones.

I saw a comp of the new www.andyzipf.com and it’s killer.  I can’t wait until its up.  Everything is consolidated.  Tour dates, photo gallery, all of my cybernetc haunts, mp3s, this blog and much more to come.  It will be good to have a home base that I can direct people to.  Again…if you have any suggestions about what should be on there, now is the time to let me know.

The Henry Poole is Here song is being mixed now.  Should have something for you to listen to soon.  Its due this week.

Today, I’ve begun to record a song I just wrote.   Lyrics aren’t done, but the music is.  Melody always shows up first.

I flew in Monday to LAX on Virgin Airlines.  I usually go with Southwest, but I found a deal through Hotwire. If you haven’t flown with them, you should try it sometime. Neon lights, personal TV on each seat, order drinks and food whenever you want. Pretty snazzy. When I landed, I got a free upgrade to a midsize rental because Budget was out of economy cars. Score.  Good thing, cause we needed the space for the gear.

Our first show on Tuesday at The Gypsy Lounge was great.  Theft graciously let us borrow a drum kit, 72 Strat and the new Line 6 amp for the week.  They rule.

Last night, we played at Greene Records with Ken Oak, hung out with some good pfriends and then headed back to Pasadena, where we are staying for the next couple of days. 

Tonight is THE HOTEL CAFE show! I’m really excited to be playing there.  Somebody’s coming out to take pictures, so I’ll post those when I get them.

Later.

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I saw this add on Myspace a couple days ago about a song competition. I was curious, so I clicked through to see what the deal was.

Turns out, Mark Pellington (The Mothman Prophecies, Arlington Rd.) has a new movie coming out called Henry Poole is Here. He and Myspace have teamed up to offer unsigned bands/artists the opportunity to have an original song in the DVD soundtrack.

Okay. Sounded interesting to me. So, I watched the video of Mr. Pellington talking about the competition and then watched the trailer…

I really liked what I saw. As I learned more about the story and the character I became intrigued. I already like Pellington’s movies (I have driven across the Ohio River on a bridge just like the one in Mothman Prophecies…c r e e e e p y…), the cast includes Luke Wilson and the soundtrack has Bob Dylan, Badly Drawn Boy, The Eels, Ben Harper, Blur and more.

Wow. Decent.

I watched the trailer again. Then, I listened to Mark Pellington talk about the competition again. In addition to being included on the DVD, he’ll direct a video for you. Pretty cool, considering he’s done some great videos like U2’s “One” and Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” for God’s sake. He’s worked with the Boss, Public Enemy and The Foo Fighters too. Basically, the dude likes good music and he’s done some impressive work.

Hmm.

I thought about it for a few minutes and started writing. There are themes in this movie that I feel like I already touch on in my own songs. So, it wasn’t a stretch. I enjoyed putting myself in the character’s position, and I liked the challenge of writing something specifically for him. I finished the lyrics yesterday and recorded most of the guitars, bass and percussion in my apartment. I’m headed to a friend’s studio tonight to lay down the vocals and some other stuff. Maybe piano, maybe organ…I’m not sure yet.

I hope to have it done and mixed by the end of the week. I’ll probably have to do it myself in order to make it happen, but that’s fine by me. I figure I have nothing to lose. I did my best to I write a song that captures the what Henry Poole is about. I think its good. I had fun creating it. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I think I have a shot. Besides, you have to get scrappy these days. My hope is that Mark Pellington hears my song and says, “Yeah, this is the one.” I would love to work with him, not to mention how amazing the exposure would be.

We’ll see what happens. I’ll be sure to let you hear it when I have it done.

I played last night in Nashville at Christopher Pizza with my friend Lanky.  They had an open spot tonight too, so I’m going back for another set.  I’m headed to Atlanta tomorrow to play 1*Five*0.  It’s been a while since I played there, and I’m really looking forward to it.

I’m working on the design for my new website. 

I know what I think should be on there, but I’d like to know what you want.  What would you like to see at the new site? Would you like to see lyrics?  A more extensive bio? My favorite places to play frisbee golf? Whatcha want?

If you’re interested enough to read this blog, then chances are you’d be interested in my site and your opinion is very valuable to me.  Please let me know your thoughts.

I saw the Jonas Brothers on Oprah.  Swwwweeeeeeeeeet. Soooo good.  Now that is the cute I’m aiming for.  Also, I want to dance.  Dance, dance, dance.  Footloose, kick off your Sunday shoes.  I want to have a dance off with Donny and Marie Osmond, and a sing off with the Jonas kids…and OH OH! - We’ll get the studio audience from the Tyra Banks show to judge it, but ultimately the winner will be determined after we all live together in a log cabin with Mark Trail.  He’ll whip us all into shape. Don’t underestimate his knowledge of flying squirrels and berries.

That’s some great art right there.  Totally. Changing lives.  Taking names.

Yeah…

I kind of have issues. 

The past few weeks I have spoken to some of my creative pfriends.  Photographers, film makers, painters, sculptors, writers, and other musicians. 

At some point, we all ask ourselves if what we are doing matters.  Some of us ask that question more often than others.  Typical moody, artsty, mind trips. 

After many a late, philosophical diatribe, I have to say - Yes.  It does.  It is sometimes a struggle.  There is the occasional battle with self doubt, compromise, failure, the IRS and having nothing but those cardboard burritos from 7-11 to eat on tour…again, but it is worth it.  It keeps us sane.  Gives us hope.  In fact, I think the things we are trying to overcome actually give some of the best inspiration. 

I guess I’m just trying to tell you to keep on. 

Or, maybe I’m just jealous of the Jonas Brothers.  Probably.