Bleu's Holidang Spectacular Email, Free Holiday Music! (December 23rd, 2008)
..howdoogie-doodle howzers!...
..the last few months of this year have been bananas, so, i've been a bit spotty with my mailers..lots to ketchup on.....
...but FIRST: i worked on three lovely holiday songs this year, and i want to gift them to you
..you can download them for free here!: [link]
(get 'em now...free songs available only until Jan. 1, 2009)
..."Cold, Cold Christmas" is a song i wrote months ago with the soulful Mr. Mike Dinallo...just a demo i did at home, but i thought the background vocals were pretty cool...
hope you enjoy...
..i co-wrote "Silent Tonight" only a few frickin' days ago with Nashville via Boston artist Madi Diaz and her writing partner Kyle Ryan...just finished this little production today so i could get it out ta ya!..Madi's voice kiLLs me.....well, after hearing these two tunes you might think that i'm having a depressing little christmas (i'm not), but, this next one should lighten the mood!..
..i think i've mentioned before that i've been working a bit with a new artist Chris Mann on his solo-debut, coming out next year on Sony..they commissioned me to produce a version of "O Come All Ye Faithful"...it ain't your mamaa's "o.c.a.y.f."....haPpy hoLidAng!..
...man..it has been a crAzy year...i've had the opportunity to write with and produce so many incredible artists and work with some of the best writers and musicians out-there...i've gotten to play a bunch of cool shows all over the country (and even Japan)..i self-released a neato record with my band The Major Labels [link] (which has ended up on a few 2008 best-of lists), and i bought some reaLLy cool ALF memorabilia... [link]
..i want to very sincerely thank all the industry folks (my managers, publisher, Waterstone Guitars) all my amazing friends (many of whom have actually housed and fed me along with helping me make music on a daily basis), my incRedibly supportive family, and of cooourse, the music fans who help keep us all going.... thank you thank you thaaAaank yooOou!...
..next year is going to be really exciting...i've been threatening to release some new material for quite some time, and it wiLL finaLLy happen..come hell or highwater "A Watched Pot" and my new record "FOUR" will come out in '09, as well as the LoudLion project, and perhaps even some new TML wackiness?...i will definitely be playing quite a bit in support of some of this material..i just tried out my first couple of "living-room" style shows and it was a real blast (thanx Bob and JoeJoe!)..if you're interested in hosting your own Bleu show email bleulist@mail.com [mail] for details.
..so i've finally gotten some pix and video up from some of my latest adventures:
..the little east-coast tour i did with Aussie power-poppers The Wellingtons was suPer rAd...the whole thing coincided with some TML dates, and our last show with them was covered by Rock and Roll TV..it's actually pretty f-n cool (thanx guys!)... [link]
...those guys stayed a few days after the shows and we got to spend halloween with them..as you'll see, Stacey and i went as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett, and The Wellington's Kate and Zac went as Kurt and Courtney..madness ensued... [link]
...and of course, i needed to put some pix from japan up...whew... [link]
..and before this email is over i have to mention the passing of the wonderful matriarch of my crazy family clan..the one-and-only Grandot...our world is not as bright without her wild light guiding the way...she is sorely missed...
..i'm making donations to a couple of my favorite charities as some of my holiday gifts this year....if you're so inclined, you should do the same...
www.farmsanctuary.org [link]
www.redcross.org [link]
www.soundartla.org [link]
weLp....thanx for a wonderful year everyone!!!!...see ya in '09...
- bleu
No news is good news, but what is a ton of new news? (September 3rd, 2008)
..man oh mandible...it has been too long since i've written...whew..your boy bleu has been a busy little bastard tho'...but enough with the gratuitous cursing....let's get right to the newses:
1) BLEU outdoor show in BOSTON with the Get Up Choir - SAT.SEP.13th
2) TheMajorLabels September tour dates: Philly, NYC, Boston...wes'coas' soon tOo!
3) TheMajorLabels in SPIN MAGAZINE "songs you need to download now"..what are you waiting for?
4) TheMajorLabels in Japan!..
5) BLEU west cost tour dates in October
6) songwriting/production projects: Jon McLaughlin, Air Traffic Controller, TheSnowLeopards, Chris Mann, and others...
7) "A WATCHED POT" OFFICIALLY RELEASED FROM SONY!!!
------------------------------
1) BLEU IN BOSTON SAT.SEP.13th
.....we've got some really exciting stuff planned for this show...a couple brand spankin' new tunes from my new record (and with the choir tOo!) as well as the old-favs....and i'm playing with some of my bestest buddies, Maclaine's in the mix again, Bill Guerra, Ducky, and Paul Ahlstrand is back on sax...to the max....oh..and..it's FREE....pray for nice weather!..
(see tour dates below)
2) TheMajorLabels SEPTEMBER east coast mini-tour, PHILLY, NYC, BOSTON
....these are our first shows as TML..aAaa...i'm still not sure quite how we're gonna pull this thing off....but i'm sure it'll be fun to watch us try...eek...for those of you on the LEFT COAST, don't feel "left" out (..groan..) we're doing a little mini-tour at the end of OCTOBER...
..the indefatigable Maclaine will be joining us live as the fifth-beatle...ducky insists that he be referred to as Joaquin Disastere...
(see tour dates below)
3) ..somehow, we got mentioned in SPIN MAGAZINE:
page 36....well...you heard Spin! [link] ...download that sheez:
The Major Labels [link]
4) ..for you Japanese fans: Mike Viola will be taking TheMajorLabels to Japan in early October as his back-up band to support the release of his latest record Lurch....we will be playing a few TML songs at every show...come out and cheer us on!..
(see tour dates below)
5) i'm going to be playing a few TOUR DATES in OCTOBER (as Bleu, not TheMajorLabels) with a freAking fAntAbulous australian power-pop band called The Wellingtons:
The Wellingtons [link]
....i'll be doing lots of new songs..and, i guess i've got to whip out some decent power-pop of some sort...wheeee....
(see tour dates below)
6) ..for those of you interested in my songwriting and production projects, here's a brief update: ---JON MCLAUGHLIN's new record "OK NOW" is coming out soon...i co-wrote two of the songs which were produced by John Fields and mixed by Tom Lord-Algae...i also played and sang all over those ditties (as well as other songs on the record)..it's an awesome pop record overall..and i'm insAnely hAppy with how "my" two tracks turned out ("You Can Never Go Back" and "Dance Your Life Away" are the long-titled tunes to check)!
Jon McLaughlin [link]
Island Def Jam - Jon McLaughlin [link]
---Dave Munro's "AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER" record is completely finished...i produced and mixed the whole shebang and i couldn't be prouder...Dave is an incredible songwriter and he let me follow my whims for most of the productions...expect a release in the near future!...oh..and i believe ATC is opening for TML at our first Boston show!..
Air Traffic Controller [link]
---THE SNOWLEOPARDS are almost done with their new EP...it's aw-hawesome...a new bold sound for them....your ears will disintegrate..."it rocks so much.., yet, it's so ..catchy...like..if ABBA and Zep had a ...baby...ungh...can't...stop..listening"...and boom, your ears burst into flames....good luck:
The SnowLeopards [link]
---CHRIS MANN recently got signed to Sony Records and he's recording at least one song that i co-wrote with him (a beautiful slow-jam called "In Between"), which i'm also producing...uber-producer Walter-A is doing several songs and it looks like there's some other enormo-productors in the mix, so, it's nice to be along for the ride...he's gonna be 'UGE...
Chris Mann [link]
(the version of "in between" on his site is a demo..but still very nice) ......i have lots of other cool songs and productions coming out in the near future...more later!..
7) ..this should probably be the first bit of news, not the last, but...YES IT'S TRUE!!!..i actually got "A WATCHED POT" BACK from Sony!!!...signed the paperwork just a couple days ago!!...currently, our plan is to wait until i finish my new record (tentatively titled "FOUR") and assess...i'm very close to completing the new stuff, and i believe that songs from the two as-yet-unreleased records will end up being put together to create two records, but not necessarily in exactly the form they are in now....there will certainly be some sort of "official releases" in the coming months, and i'll be doing some touring, etc...hall-eh-lujah!!!...
09/13 BLEU - Boston, MA, Christopher Columbus Park, 5:45pm - Boston Ahts Festival
09/17 TML - Philadelphia, PA, M Room, 10pm - Playing with Hypernova
09/18 TML - New York, NY, The Mercury Lounge, 11:30pm
09/21 TML - Boston, MA, FNX -New England Product, 10pm
09/27 TML - Boston, MA, The Lizard Lounge, 11pm
10/10 TML - Live in Tokyo - Yoyogi Zher The Zoo
10/11 TML - Live in Nagoya - Lounge Vio
10/12 TML - Live in Osaka - Club Wonder
10/13 TML - Live in Tokyo - La Cana
10/15 BLEU - Portland, OR, Dantes, tbd - with The Wellingtons
10/16 BLEU - San Francisco, CA, Rock-it room, tbd - with Scissors For Lefty & The Wellingtons
10/17 BLEU - San Diego, CA, O'Connell's Bar, tbd - with The Wellingtons
10/18 BLEU - Los Angeles, CA, The Knitting Factory, tbd - with The Wellingtons
10/28 TML - San Francisco, CA, tbd, tbd
10/29 TML - Los Angeles, CA, King King, tbd
11/01 TML - San Diego, CA, Lestat's, 10:30pm
- bleu
Bleu-your personal-prison-pen-pal (June 3rd, 2008)
...baJeez LouiSe...it's been a whiLe since i've written i guess...phew
...thanx buches for your patience...
...don't worry..i've been a buuusy beaver since we last chatted...
.....lOts to tattle-tell, but i'll keep this one pretty short (if not necessarily sweet):
*SHOWS*
i've got some shows coming up in far-flung spots i cAn't wAit to return to:
.........tHiS SAT. JUNE 8th - Heart Of Gold - CHiCAGO!!
3036 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Doors @ 9pm
Heart of Gold [link]
SAT. JUNE 21 - Waterstone Guitars Open House - NASHVILLE!!
Nashville, TN
Waterstone Guitars [link]
SUN. JUNE 29 - 12th & Porter w/ Sandra McCracken and Derek Webb!! - NASHVILLE!!!!
114 12th Avenue North - Nashville, TN 37203
12th & Porter [link]
*NEW MUSIC*
TheMajorLabels is finished!...plus, new LoudLion coming soon..a new bleu solo record (and an old one!)...sheetloads of writing and production projects..aaAaaAAAAaAAaaAAaaaAa...
THE MAJOR LABELS
...yesss'm TheMajorLabels (the scrumtrulescent band i started with pop-icon Mike Viola and legendary recordist/drummer Ducky Carlisle) is finished!!...we have promos printed and everything (neato)...i am unbelievably excited about this record....we will certainly be playing soon..releasing our CD..and generally causing mayhem of various sorts....buuuUt, in the meantime....take a gander..:
TheMajorLabelsMySpace [link]
...please spread the good word hummingbird...
LOUDLION
...and, although it may not appear so..LoudLion (the Mutt Lange/Def Leppard inspired group featuring yours duly, as well as members of Rooney, The Donnas, Extreme, Bang Camaro, TheDarlingAlarm, etc.) is actually nearing completion on our full-length (believe it)....expect several new songs on the site soon ("Lion's Den," "Lion Eyes")..new videos...and we've got a few tunes in some upcoming films of ill-repute....stay tuned...in the meantime:
LoudLionMySpace [link]
BLEU (THAT'S RIGHT!)
...as far as a new "bleu" record (love talking about myself in the 3rd person), not only is there a very real possibility that the long awaited "A Watched Pot" will see the light of day soon, but, i've been hard at work on a new record titled FOUR..i'd say i'm at-least 1/2 way done (at-LeAsT)...so, there'll be brAnd spAnkin' new material up on the sites soon..and of course, i'll be playing a bunch of the new stuff on my upcoming tour dates...stay tuned..and if you're interested in having me come play in your area (and have a plan to make that happen)..let us know...i'll be getting back out there as much as possible, and i'm dying to reconnect with all of yas...
....and in other news, i've been writing and producing like crayhazy...looks like i've got songs on the new Jon McLaughlin record, Evan T. and The Blacklist Club, Ace Enders...to name a few...and some artists i've been producing for a while will be releasing new material very soon..notably the full-length masterpiece from Air Traffic Controller (Dave Munro), and a new SnowLeopards EP that stretches their sound in ways i wasn't sure was possible (Zep meets ABBA anyone?)...all fantastic stuff that i encourage anyone who's looking for great new music to check out...
Jon McLaughlin [link]
Evan T. and The Blacklist Club [link]
Ace Enders [link]
Air Traffic Controller [link]
SnowLeopards [link]
..weLp.....i saaaaid it was gonna be short...heheee......hEy!..it's been a long time....seriously though, thanx for hangin' in there with me....can't wait to see ya soOon....
-bLeu
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