Carving Out A Simple Life

This is a new woodblock I have just finished carving and have begun to print.  I am in a printmaking kind of summer this year.  I love the simplicity that carving an image into wood forces me into.  I like the sound of removing the wood with the chisels. I use an oil stone and a leather belt nearby to keep a sharp edge on all the tools.  I am thinking that this block may end up being the poster that goes along with the new Wealthy Wealthy Orphans album Throwing Glory.

Throwing Glory

The Wealthy Orphans are in the midst of a new recording project with the working title, Throwing Glory.  All the recording is now finished and we have recently gotten our final tracks back from being mastered by Gene Paul, the sound engineer legend formerly with Atlantic Records for 24 years with one Grammy and 23 nominations over the course of his career. Mastering is the very important last leg of the recording process that makes your music sound like what you hear on the radio.  To have the likes of Gene Paul lend his special sauce to our home grown project is a special perk of the current music industry leveled by the internet.

We are now in the midst of planning our release of this very special seven song record. We look forward to being able to share it with you and let it have a life of its own. Stay tuned into our journey on our FB page.

Broken Mirror

These are the lyrics of a new song I am working on with the title;

Broken Mirror

Shiver my timbers, put the check in the mail
Smoke up the chimney, wind in the sails
Broken like china, made in Japan
Wind in the whistle, butter in the pan
Turn me on, with a flick of the switch
Cedar in the closet, the fish in the crick

     I got a sickness and there’s no cure
     Seven years of bad luck with a broken mirror

Baa baa black, sheep have you any wool?
You don’t steal bread, when your tummy’s full
Jack’s in the pulpit, pounding his fist
Candy’s on the dance floor, she says twist like this
So lets roll up the carpets, push back the chairs
We’ll show ‘em all the dances, we learned at the fair

     I got a sickness and there’s no cure
     Seven years of bad luck with a broken mirror

Sleeping beauty, she just wont wake up
And I’ve been drinking, from a broken cup
Please shiver my timbers, don’t step on my tale
Seal the deal with kisses, put the check in the mail
Measure with a ruler, tobacco in the jaw
Flowers on her grave, I go back and forth like a cross cut saw

     I got a sickness and there’s no cure
     Seven years of bad luck with a broken mirror

Fill up my tank, with your pure love
Please whisper in my ear, soft like morning dove
Ya gotta bump my needle, when I begin to skip
Please take me off, this old pirate ship
I can’t see tomorrow, from where I am today
But I’m gonna roll on like a river, anyway  

     I got a sickness and there’s no cure
     Seven years of bad luck with a broken mirror

Go here to listen to the music of my band The Wealthy Orphans.

Musical Roots In The Best Soil

Jonathan Richman came to Grand Rapids to play at the Intersection back in '95.  It was just him and his drummer and he didn't need no more. He was wearing the same striped shirt that night. I loved him them and love him more now. I was doing an interview for the Wealthy Orphans yesterday and they made a comparison to Jonathan Richman.  I would be hard pressed to think of a higher compliment.

The story goes that one of Johnathan's friends back in high school traded him a VU album and it made such an impression on him that he left Massachusetts for NYC in '69.  He ended up living on the couch of the Velvets then manager Steve Sesnick and working a series of part time jobs. After a year Jonathan moved back to MA and has made it his home ever since. That early connection to the creativity and pension for for a good rock 'n roll narrative kicked off by Lou Reed, Jonathan took down his own very unique path.

The Wealthy Orphans will be at the Intersection this coming Tuesday night to play the Jammies .  This is a big night in our city because of the way it celebrates our own musical community. It is a free show February 14, Valentines Day. Our slot is 6:05-6:30 in the front room. Marlee and Amy from Dance in the Annex will be performing with us for our song Judgement day. Come and share a very magical evening with us and our friends.

The Wonder Wagon Rides Again

Come to our house @ 106 Fuller Ave SE Grand Rapids MI January 20th at 10AM and help us walk the Wonder Wagon down town to the DAAC to install on the street for the Wealthy Orphans and Bad Heart Bull show that night. We need your help and you need this adventure in your life. Skip work that morning. Take the morning off for God's sake.