A general update on Davey G-related things.

A fan asked me the other day if I had come out with anything new (music or Davezines) that he had missed. This person has bought everything I have come out with in the last 7 years, and I see him at least 3 or 4 times a week, just the type of person I always make sure to update on new developments.

And it occurred to me that to some, like this person, who have followed my “career," it might seem as though I have dropped off the face of the earth. While it is true that Davezine #14: The Bad Roommate Issue has been put on hold, and I have been quiet on the music front (more on that later) I realized it may be in my best interest to provide an update on what it is I am up to, and what people might have to look forward to from me.

I have been doing more writing in the last 6 months or so than ever before and I am making steady progress in the editing of my novel, The Best of Thunder Johnson. I think it is a great story. It is about a guy who works at a cable access station who inadvertently shows a homemade porno movie over the air, who becomes the focus of a disturbed mental patient’s rage. (I’ve been told that being able to state your book’s plot in a single sentence is a good thing, so to that end this is what my book breaks down to.)
I have some plans for this book, which are still developing. All I can say now is that it is coming, and it is taking up a lot of my time, which is why I haven’t come out with any new printed material yet. I would like everyone to read it when it comes out (hopefully this June) and I may self-publish a limited number of copies, if there is interest. As far as this goes, I will offers details in future messages. (Here’s where I plug getting on the mailing list from my site which will keep you in the loop for any future projects.)
Overall, I am just looking at a big picture and trying to focus on getting this writing thing off the ground. After all, I’ve been doing it for something like 20 years (if you count bad high school writing) so I think it’s time I just strap in for the long haul, because apparently this is what I do. You know. Writing.

As to music, Davey G and the Keyboard…
I have a lot of new songs, and the goal is to incorporate as many of them as I can into my set this year. As it stands, I have 3 shows on the schedule, the next one being March 14 at the Sidebar, with another one in May (TBA) and another in June (also TBA). I might (and this is a big “might”) put out another album this year, or early next year. It really depends on a number of things. I think the show is as great as ever, I encourage people to come check it out.

To review:
Keep an eye out for my novel, The Best of Thunder Johnson,
Listen for the upcoming Davey G and the Keyboard shows,
A possible new Davey G album,
And maybe, just maybe, the Bad Roommate edition of Davezine.

Thanks for reading my blog today.

Davey G.

Next Week at the Sidebar...Davey G!

Hi,
Next week at the Sidebar…
DAVEY G AND THE KEYBOARD
with
Rare Candy
Markitect
and
Contra

Thursday, December 11, 9 p.m.
7 dollars.

The Sidebar is located at
218 E. Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
http://sidebartavern.com/

Hope to see you there!

--Davey G.

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

More Davey G musical updates.

I have compiled over a dozen new songs since the last time I played live, and my hope is that maybe half of them are usable. Yesterday I wrote a song called “Frustrating Conversationalist” which will I will probably open with soon, and “Pimple,” a song about keeping your problems in perspective, because it is my solemn hope that Davey G will one day improve your life through my message of self-help and spiritual guidance.
The key to writing Davey G songs, as I’ve learned after all this time, is to just let go and tap into the inner shower-singer in all of us…to record those little moments in the car when I have no radio and I’m singing to myself things like “Bob Bob Bob, Bob Bob or Ann” and wondering if that Beach Boys song is really about a bi-sexual trying to decide if he’s going to spend the night with a boy, Bob, or a girl, Ann. And then someone tells me that the song is actually “Barbara Ann”…but I think that my version is funnier. I digress.

I have 2 shows coming up this fall/winter, with the possibility of a third. The first is Saturday, November 1, at the Windup Space at 12 W. North Avenue in Baltimore. I will be playing with The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad, Bene Gesserit Witch and Markitect. This should be a really great show where you can first hear some of the new Davey G material.

I will have another show on Thursday, December 11 at the Sidebar, at 218 E. Lexington Street in Baltimore. Details forthcoming, as this was just arranged yesterday.

Being on my mailing list is the best way to know when the shows happen. Go to the “Contact Me” link on my site and e-mail me, and I will add you.
Thanks for reading today!

--Davey G.

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Apropos of absolutely nothing at all…

I just downloaded The Dollyrots album, “Because I’m Awesome.” They just played in my hometown of Pittsfield Massachusetts, and for possibly the first time ever, I actually wish I could have been back there instead of here.
It’s a three piece power pop/punk with a female singer--lots of fun, great energy, reminds me of The Fastbacks. I got hooked on the title track “Because I’m Awesome” when I thought about changing my name to Mr. Awesome.

Andy Poncherello has hosted this band back in the homeland a few times now and the band itself now claims Pittsfield (my hometown) as its adopted home city on their Myspace page, which gives me a small swelling of pride.
I just wanted to spread the joy and hopefully maybe you’ll like them as much as I do.

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Davey G’s Experiment in sales of single copy analog cassette tapes (OR…would anyone actually want that?)

Davey G’s Experiment in sales of single copy analog cassette tapes (OR…would anyone actually want that?)


I am trying something radically different for this next show…at least, I am offering something I have never offered before: a very unique look into my practice regimen. You see, for this show only, I am making recordings of my practices which will be available for sale at my show on Saturday. Only one copy of each practice will exist, making it one of a kind. Oh yeah--it’s cassette tape only. Analog. And there will only by 5: one for each practice this week. So you need to jump on it, if you want a copy.
Each tape is 15 songs long--my set, warts and all, and will be available for 3 bucks.

Saturday’s (probable) Set:

Handshake
Drinking Beer at Grandma’s House
Sandwich
Bed
Office Supply Store
Irritating
Chairman of the Keyboard
Fantasy World
I am a Champion
Wash the Dish
Atari Generation
Be My Friend
Lotion
Man-Friend
Breaking the Law.

Come out to the Collector’s Corner this weekend for free Comic Book Day!
8108 A Harford Road
Baltimore, MD
21234
With Davey G and the Keyboard, the Mandroids, Pablonious Bill, and Person Parcel!



Come around noon to catch the bands--I’ll try to update you on times as soon as I can!
www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Three Weeks...

Three weeks. The whole year boils down to the next three weeks. I copied more of these fine Alex Fine flyers, sent several of them off with my handy press release to a bunch of publications and radio stations, just starting to hang these flyers in the windows of stores. (Funny thing is how many of his flyers for other shows are already up--like the Alex Fine empire: he’s a great artist, I highly recommend him.) Much like ads for Coca-cola, soon you will not be able to get away from them as the buzz builds and builds...

Go to www.daveygandthekeyboard.com for chance to win tickets to the CD release!

And read The Parochialist, it’s seriously taking off!

The Sidebar, Last Wave Report

Big thanks to the Sidebar for having me at Last Wave over the weekend! I played with 9 other bands in a mix of styles and enjoyed the pot-luck barbeque beforehand. Old gimmicks, new gimmicks, many of the familiar reactions. A guy from E. Joseph (or maybe E. Joseph is a guy) was standing outside smoking (Sidebar is now smoke-free) and saw two black kids happen by during “Childhood Pain.” They stopped, listened, and kind of danced around a little bit, and said (and I quote, second-hand) “White boy crazy!” He told me this story, and I told him I would write about it in the blog. So here it is.
As always, The Sidebar has been great to me and I really appreciate their continued support in the Davey G experience.

With any luck, I may have big announcements in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Chairman of the Keyboard...

I just (for the first time) heard the rough mix of “Chairman of the Keyboard,” the new Davey G and the Keyboard album, and I am so freakin’ happy with the results that I just can’t wait til this whole thing comes out and slays the general public.
“this will be the one that does it,”--quote from me, hours ago..
www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Recap: Smartish Pace Issue 14 release party @ The Whole Gallery

www.flickr.com/photos/ashleysauers

This show had some casualties: too late did I realize, as I was rolling around on the floor in my lotion, that in my back pocket was my main set of glasses.
As this was a release party for a poetry journal, it opened with 3 poets reading from their work. Poetry really isn’t my thing, but it brought back memories of when I first came to Baltimore and went out to read my stories for audiences who had no idea what to make of me (I even recognized at least one of the people in the crowd as an old school poet from those days). Then the opening band--the bass player from Mr. Moccasin and a drummer doing minimal-Sebadoh/maybe little Nirvana style songs, which I enjoyed. Gauging the audience, it seemed like it would be a really hard room to get people’s attention. I really just wanted to relax and do the best show possible for whoever was paying attention.
I got up, did a cursory sound level check, then took off with it. I feel like it went okay. When I got to the lotion bit I definitely overdid it--there was such a nice wood floor with clear space in front of me it was hard to resist the urge to just use that space to maximum effect. And, as I mentioned, my glasses were in my back pocket, and they got bent out of shape as the result of this (gonna have a funny story for the people at For Eyes).
I am lousy at determining who will like my stuff. People that I think look like they will be totally offended by me are the ones who come up and tell me how great it was. Here, it seemed like if you were my age or more, you liked me, if you were younger (as most were) you were kind of scratching your head and smiling. I had fun.

Davey G and the Office Supply Store E.P. tomorrow!




www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

They Call Me Chairman of the Keyboard.

I completed the third day of Davey G and the Keyboard: Chairman of the Keyboard recording, so now I’m up to 11 songs (10 for the album, 1 for the e.p). It’s very exciting to have this new album taking shape--I just did “Be My Friend” (which I’ve played out at 2 different shows), plus “Chairman of the Keyboard” : the theme song for the new album. A minimal, minor chord using rag with low notes and very few words (unusual for me, I know) and “You Triumph When You Quit.” I swear, I never thought this song would be so much trouble--it’s an idea I’ve had for so long--the anti-inspirational song--but I could never settle on lyrics, or a tune, or anything about it. I just had a few lines that I knew I wanted to use:
“the last time I failed I heard someone say
‘it’s a good thing that you failed ‘cause your dreams were stupid anyway.’ ”
And until a few days ago, I had nothing that made me happy. But now I do, and it will appear on the CD.
So I’m 11 songs in. I’m sorry if sometimes my blog is just a big wet promotion for this new CD, but it’s going to be really good. I’m hitting a stride with this whole “Davey G” thing and I think by the time I finish I will have something I’m very proud of.

A few more things: a few more blog posts and I will have done 100 (give or take). I may do a “clip show” gimmick for number 100, but I thank everyone who reads and hope you keep doing so!
The next show is coming up in about 2 weeks. I will start another 2 week training period but not subject you to the pain of reading about it…at least not like the last show! At any rate, I’m still fresh from the last performance, so it might not be as intense.


www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Davey G Training

One of my goals for this year was to devote 2 full weeks of practice for every show, to avoid the sloppiness of some of my past performances. The two week period before the Sidebar show begins today. And then somewhere in there my lady and I are moving uptown, the whole Davey G Studio and all.
Last week I recorded 3 more songs for the new album, upping the total to 8. The highlight for me so far? An absolutely retarded closing song of self-affirmation, called simply “I am a Champion.”

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com
*

Tuesday, March 27.
Doors at 9, show at 9:30.

http://www.sidebartavern.com/shows.html

Davey G at the Sidebar March 27!

Hey Music Fans!!! Come to my next show,
Tuesday, March 27.
Davey G and the Keyboard LIVE!
At the Sidebar Tavern
218 E. Lexington Street - Baltimore, MD 21202

With
Mr. Moccasin
and
Lebanon (from Tel Aviv)
7 bucks, (9 if yer under 21)
Doors at 9, show at 9:30 (I'm opening!), and they tell me they mean it, so
come early, or die trying.

http://www.sidebartavern.com/shows.html

http://www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Rebel Sound Radio Starts Today!

Today I am reposting a press release from legendary punk rock zine editor, Poncherellos’s front man, and former porn star Andy Poncherello about his new punk rock radio show Rebel Sound Radio, to air on WTBR 89.7 in beautiful downtown Pittsfield Massachusetts. I believe his words will describe this show better than I can, so I have reprinted them below.
The show begins today and will have an interview with my friend, old band-mate, and producer of the last 3 Davey G albums, The Beat Machine.
If you live in Pittsfield, Mass, please tune in at 4 today, and on subsequent broadcast days (you might even hear some Davey G!).

Unfortunately, the station web site appears to be outdated and not current--
http://www.angelfire.com/music4/wtbrfm/
So I believe that getting the show over the internet will not yet be possible. But maybe soon?
Enjoy!

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com



REBEL SOUND RADIO Begins March 1, 2007 @ 4:00pm on WTBR 89.7-FM Pittsfield, MA

To some, it may not seem like a big deal, but to others who have nothing, the beginning of Rebel Sound Radio on 89.7 WTBR-FM is a milestone. Rebel Sound Radio is the first time an exclusively punk rock radio program has been produced on WTBR in the station's history. Throughout the 1980s, the station was programmed with music that college radio eventually became famous for. The music was an incredible mix of everything under the sun, WTBR had quite an extensive library and DJs who actually had an interest in keeping air shifts and taking listener requests. Eventually the station fell out of favor with the school administration and went "dark". WTBR-FM was all but dead until local radio celebrity Larry Kratka stepped in at the 11th hour and saved the station from becoming nothing more than a glorified public radio station with substantially less interesting programming than NPR. Currently WTBR is playing a mix of classic rock, oldies, metal and rock. While none of these genres will likely interest a punk rocker, they're important since you can rarely hear any of these genres of music on local radio to begin with.

Larry has worked with the school and has done a tremendous amount of free work at WTBR including equipment upgrades and repair, station remodeling and a computerized music library. The work is far from even being close to the halfway point. What he has done is found a small, but important group of individuals who care about the station and how important the station is to the area.

A meeting was held in mid-February with Kratka and Andy Poncherello with Rebel Sound Radio getting the green light to begin broadcasting on March 1, 2007. The show will run for two hours initially, but could be expanded either in length of the show or in frequency of the show per week. It depends on listener feedback, requests, input and participation within the show. It also depends on the use of My Space as a way to get the word out to punk fans in Pittsfield and anywhere where WTBR 89.7 can be heard on the FM dial. This is basically grass roots networking in the computer age.

If no one responds, how will we know anyone is listening? Please sign up to be a friend of Rebel Sound Radio. We'll post playlists, list upcoming on-air guests, pass along any important information and run contests over the air. We'll also use My Space to take requests. All of the music for the first few shows will be from the Rebel Sound library and while extensive, don't have a cow if we don't have that rare Negative Approach song at our fingertips.

The first Rebel Sound Radio show will feature two hours of punk rock from the past 30 years and will also have a live in-studio interview with Pittsfield's own cyber punk The Beat Machine (ex-Lampstand, Immature Morons and Atari). The Beat Machine will discuss the history and future of punk in Pittsfield as well the challenges involved in self-producing and distributing truly independent albums.

Please be a friend of Rebel Sound Radio at www.myspace.com/rebelsoundradio and please repost this to anyone interested!

Thanks-

Andy Poncherello

Dr. Demento

This is the rejection letter I got from Dr. Demento in 1992 for my album “Wicked Personal Experience.” Just yesterday I sent him another CD--apparently he’s still kicking, 30 years in.
I used to listen to the Dr. Demento show every Sunday night, back in Pittsfield, even taping the shows, and I’ve realized how much of my musical taste and selections have come from that show. It was the first place I heard They Might Be Giants, Wild Man Fischer, many Frank Zappa and Weird Al songs.
Here’s hoping that my Davey G and the Keyboard incarnation makes it to the Funny Five!

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Very Exciting News!

(photos by Alex J.)

The first 5 songs for the new album, Chairman of the Keyboard, have been recorded! There’s a long way to go, but we’re hoping for a November release, maybe at a real place.

Thursday, in the remains of the snow we had a few days earlier, which makes parking and getting around more difficult, I brought my stuff and a case of beer to Alex’s and got to work.

Now, hopefully very soon, I will put a new song up on my site for all the world to hear, probably “Handshake,” which those of you who have been to my last two shows have heard but others haven’t. I also have “Bad Posture,” which came out better than expected, with a lot of impotent rage coming through on a screaming background track. It’s coming along well.
www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Anyone have thoughts on a new Davey G Cover song?

Writing is hard. Music is easier. When stressing about writing, doing my “music” works for me so much better. After a few hours of practice today, my brain hit upon a new song that poured out of me in a stream of ridiculousness. It’s called “I Wanna Be a Real Musician.” I think it could be a hit.
I toy with the idea of doing a new cover song for the next album, or even for the Sidebar
show next month (March 27). I have been doing
Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law” for over 5 years, and I love it so, I do so love it, but sometimes I think the act could benefit from a freshening up. My new songs will help, but a familiar cover never hurts. My particular challenge: doing a song I can handle, that I could gently make fun of, that people would recognize.
Any thoughts?

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Early Announcement for Next Show!

Save the Date:
Tuesday, March 27
Davey G and the Keyboard With Lebanon (Tel Aviv!)
at the Sidebar, 218 E. Lexington Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Doors at 9, bands at 9:30.

My first show since December, assuming nothing else comes up, and also my first opportunity to play new songs live. I’m excited to play this club--I feel like there is a void since the Talking Head closed shop, and maybe this place is ripe to fill it. It’s at least fortunate that it is only a block from where TH was.

http://www.sidebartavern.com/shows.html


www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

A Secret Glimpse into the Davey G Studio

Slowly I’ve attempted to make the compromise between “me” time and putting effort into the Davey G. projects, like getting my studio together. I now have two keyboards, a broken chair, a karaoke machine, a half-broken big tape recorder I’ve had for 15 years--all within reach from said chair.
This is where I work hard on my new songs for my next album: Chairman of the Keyboard. And the one after that, which I will call Songs I’ll Apologize for Later.
I know what you’re saying: “This is what you call together?”

http://www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

notes on songs, What I Can Learn From Weird Al

Working on a little Davey G. Sampler, for local jukebox play. Not a big project, not for sale or anything, just something I’ve been thinking about. It’s funny to think about all the songs I never play anymore, and how different (at least, to me) the new songs are from the days of the Generica cassette.
I wrote a new song yesterday, with the help of the Casiotone, based on a joke that has been in my head for years. I want to write a lot of songs and then cut out the crap. So far, the process has yielded about 8 songs I like, and about a half dozen that could go either way. One thing: Weird Al, whom I greatly admire, has a habit of making even his not-that-funny songs hilarious, all based on his energy. Just watch the Eat It Video sometime. While the song is funny in it’s own right, the video is double-plus funny because of the absolutely over-the-top dead seriousness and energy he puts into it. He is silly, but he means it.
I could learn a lot from that.
www.daveygandthekeyboard.com

Re: Talking Head Closing, last post

One more letter about the city paper’s awful, asshole-ish treatment of the Talking Head Club owner was printed today. Here it is.

Unless someone else writes a really good letter, I will now move on from this subject--I just felt it was really important that everybody see the response to this "article."

www.daveygandthekeyboard.com