19 Feb 2006
Blab, in brief:
I have just learned that my mother visits my web site and reads my musings. I must now mention that the fact that I occasionally use colorful language is no reflection on her or my father. I did not learn these words and expressions at home. However, everything good about my character and whatever talents I may posses may be directly attributed to my parents. End of caveat.
- PK
3 Nov 2005
I just returned from a near two-week trip to Boston. Thanks to everyone who came to my show at TT's. It felt fantastic to play there again after a year, and it was lovely to see so many warm, familiar faces in the audience. I love it in LA, but I haven't bonded with a venue in that way yet. I'm still dating...
Though Boston isn't known for it's soothing weather, I certainly wasn't expecting snow, especially on the day of my cousin's wedding. My default wedding outfit includes, of course, open-toed shoes. I need to be dainty, and snow makes that very difficult for me.
Aside from seeing my family and my wonderful friends, I spent most of my trip yearning to be back in LA. Just stepping outside in the sun and taking in the sight of the surrounding mountains really cured what ailed me. Sort of...
I have been nursing some melancholy for the last few days. It may be the natural cycle of the seasons, you know, retreat into winter, but without the corresponding weather it's a bit of a muddled, not quite justifiable feeling. I'm just sitting with it...and listening to plenty of music. Writing lots, also. It's what I do...
TTFMBTD:
Chet Baker's Little Girl Blue, being able to step outside my cluttered apartment into the beautiful sunshine, Blossom Dearie's Once Upon a Summertime, driving across the city on Sunset Boulevard (I know, so goofy, but again, cures what ails ya), playing bass in my friend's band, Banquet Hall, and my new invention, VLOMIT! (It's better than vomit.)
2 Oct 2005
I am trying to clean up my apartment. I'm trying really hard, but things keep happening that distract me. I'm having company over in a day and a half and it HAS to be done, which makes me want to do it even less. (As opposed to cleaning for the sheer pleasure of it, which I think I've done once, maybe fifteen years ago.) My iPod's loaded with a bunch of new songs, and it's on shuffle songs so I'm always coming back to my monitor to see who's playing, then I have to go to All-music.com and look up the artist, then I'll vaguely recognize someone they've worked with and have to look THAT person up...and my dirty clothes remain in a pyramid in the corner. Oh, and as I was about to load the dishwasher I realized it was time for a web update!
I played a show with The Dilettantes at Spaceland last Thursday and it went smashingly. What a fun band to play with. I played some keys and sang, but I think I really shone on the tambourine. Christ, I've played piano and harpsichord since I was a tyke, picked up guitar in high school, played in about a thousand bands on guitar and bass, and what's the only instrument upon which I am virtuostic? The goddamn tambourine.
I am returning to Boston in late October. I will be playing a show at TT the Bears Place on 10/27. I'll be solo, but with some accompaniment from PKO East Coast veterans Chris Barrett (trumpet) and Angie Shyr (violin). Maybe others... stay tuned. Or just go to the show. The fantatsic Bourbon Princess is also on the bill.
I was stuck on La Brea this afternoon for about a half hour. Very annoying... but when Billy Corgan's version of To Love Somebody came on I just about lost my shit. If you took that master tape, fed it to a fat cat as you would a tapeworm, waited for the inevitable result, and then played THAT, it would sound better than it does in its current state. I can't believe I'm saying this, my fingers are cringing and I can barely type, but I actually like Michael Bolton's version better. Okay, call the men in the white coats.
TTFMBTD:
Jack Nitzsche's arrangement of "The Ashes, the Rain and I" by the James Gang, the Roller Coaster at New York, New York in Vega$, Manilow, White Suits, Dusty Springfield's version of "How Can I Be Sure," playing bass, and widgets!
29 Aug 2005
I'm happy as a clam at 7:42 PM, sitting on my faux-retro rug, laptop on my real-retro coffee table, drinking coffee out of my Route 66 mug, a parade of plastic drink monkeys in various states of uprightedness in front of me. Why am I in such a good mood? No apparent reason. And perhaps that's the best reason. Although...it could have something to do with the fact that I received my first internet-purchased pair of shoes today and they actually fit and look as cute in person as they did on the monitor. (Complete Addiction in 3...2...1...)
I can assure you, though, it hasn't a thing to do with the new Barry Gibb/Barbara Streisand release "Guilty Pleasures," or the album "art" featuring the two of them, recalling their pose from their "Guilty" album thirty years ago, she looking great, tasteful, age-appropriate, but he still clinging to that combover like it's the last raft on the titanic.
I am pleased to announce that the PKO has a performance at the Hotel Cafe on September 8 at 8pm. Those of you who haven't been to HC in recent weeks will be delighted to behold its expansion. Gain of space with no loss of intimacy. (Should this be the motto for couples facing middle-age spread?)
In other PK news, I've completed an arrangement of Ride's "Vapour Trail" to be released in the UK and elsewhere in a few months. Writing and recording are constant processes. More fruits to bear in months to come.
And on that note:
TTFMBTD
Beethoven's 7th Symphony, David Sedaris's "Me Talk Pretty One Day," Sake Wasabi mustard from Trader Joe's, pink pajamas (now where's my slumber party?) Curt Boettcher's "Magic Time," sudoku, and Fšms.
PK
June 06, 2005
Happy June!
Contrary to my greeting, I've just learned that there's a phenomenon in Southern California called "June Gloom." During this time, it's cloudy pretty much every morning. Often the clouds burn off by mid-day, but sometimes they remain all day. It doesn't rain, though, and it's still warm, so I'd still rate June Gloom above the baffling weather in the northeast.
But do I really have nothing more interesting to natter on about than the weather? Nonsense! The PK trio played a very satisfying show at the Hotel Cafe last Tuesday. We debuted a couple new songs and even included a Bee Gees sing-along with lyric sheets. Tuesday night also marked my first official show as guitarist/vocalist for the Dilettantes (Kay Hanley's and Michelle Lewis's glorious pop outfit I mentioned in my last news item). Some east coast shows have been rumored with this band. A little bird will keep you informed.
A couple PKO shows are on the books for late July. PKO- yes, I hope to have a more fleshed out lineup for these dates. See the live section for more info.
In the interim, check out the podcasts* I've been doing with Aaron for Stop Pop and Roll.
*Unless you happen to be one of my parents.
- PK
TTFMBTD: Tapas, finally having an adult-type wallet, drinking coffee all the bloomin' time, Rhapsody in Blue, feeling wicked tough because I wasn't really freaked out by The Exorcist, and playing lead guitar.
May 1, 2005
Happy Mayday!
Wait...that doesn't seem appropriate...
Happy first of May!
There we go. Now everybody be good little chickadees and listen to the Bee Gees track "First of May" from their album, "Odessa." If you own the non-velvet covered LP please go out and buy the velvet one and let us never speak of this again. And if you're totally Odessa-less, be sure to get it, but in the meantime, you can hear "First of May" on the Stop, Pop, and Roll Podcast.
Thanks to everybody who came out to our Hotel Cafe night on 4/25. It was a great show, and I even had the pleasure of performing a couple tunes with the Dilettantes (Kay Hanley and Michelle Lewis's delectable new pop outfit). Them gals sing purty. The exciting thing about my set was the PKO debut of Lilly Aycud on trumpet. She's a right snazzy player, as well as dresser, and I hope she'll be on board for many shows to come.
We'll be playing IPO LA this summer, dates TBA, and there will be some other live dates popping up in the meantime. I'll tell you all about them when the right time presents itself. Recording in Boston has been postponed for super-secret reasons. I can tell you, though, that it has something to do with the bubbling beakers I have simmering in my lab. I can detect the aroma now... mmm....minotaur breath....
More anon...
PK
TTFMBTD: A Girl Called Eddy, Badfinger, the cucumber martini at Hamburger Hamlet, wearing stupid hats and pigtails, baked potatoes, and Sam Butera's version of "Fever."
April 9, 2005
Greetings from Los Angeles! Since moving here from Boston in December things have been going swimmingly. The most immediate news is that a track from TTWS has made it into a major studio feature film, "Fever Pitch." The song, "A New Time," (called "Breathe a Sigh" on the screen credit) is played in one of the opening scenes in which Jimmy Fallon and a bunch of kids are crammed into a VW bug. The song is on the radio and if you blink you'll miss it. I must admit, though, I derived greater pleasure from seeing my name run on screen in the end credits. It made the vomit scenes worth enduring.
In addition to my doing some freelance string arranging, Aaron and I have been recording demos and planning for my next album. We have something pretty different up our sleeves for this one - a new twist, if you will. I can't divulge what it is yet, but I promise it doesn't involve any white face-paint or leotards.
Also in the works are a couple show dates in LA, details will be forthcoming, and a trip back to Boston to do some recording. We made sure not to plan that trip until the summer as we've become such weather-wimps already. More anon...
- PK
Things that float my boat these days (or, TTFMBTD): The Arclight Cinema, the bar at Tangier, the Pretenders's version of "I Go to Sleep," Shostakovich's String Quartets and Piano Trio No. 2.