The Observer Effect
In physics, "observer effect" refers to changes that the act of observation will make on the phenomenon being observed. The rule applies to rock shows.
Remember those junior high school plays? Ever dig that VHS tape your parent's recorded out of the basement? The show were better in your memories, right?
Well, way back in the '90s, my brother, Christofer, video taped almost every one of my shows. It may have been the tiny microphone on the camera, or that I was a terrible performer. Either way, watching those game tapes was ...
This Is What Growing Up Feels Like (And Why It Kinda’ Sucks)
I've spent a fair dose of my twenties and thirties clinging to adolescent joys like making records, playing rock shows, and drinking beer, all while holding down a semi-respectable day job.
For a while there, I had a pretty decent balance. Between October 2003 - December 2005, I released three LPs and two EPs, and logged roughly six weeks of touring. This, of course, in addition to my gig at MTV News.
It wasn't perfect; my former-boss once interrupted a rowdy pre-show, back-of-the-bus party (I believe PBR, Templeton Rye and Roman ...
Christmas In 2:03
I've spent a lot of time recording, but I'm pretty sure this one takes the cake: thirteen months of studio time for two minutes and three seconds of song.
That's right. I've been tracking this bad boy for over a year, recording, re-recording, adding and subtracting, then tweaking each of the twenty-four tracks, nudging levels, EQing, panning, normalizing, gating, adding reverb, and then tweaking again. And again, and again, and again. For hours -- God knows how many hours.
Because the thing is, stakes are high for my recording of ...
Official “Live At Rockwood Music Hall” Track Listing & Art
I'm sure you've already marked your calendar. And, in the event you live somewhere other than New York, I'm sure you've already booked your travel.
"Live At Rockwood Music Hall" will be released on Wednesday, November 19th at (get this) Rockwood Music Hall.
It's gonna' be a big rock show featuring all the musicians who made this record possible: bassist Tony Maceli, guitarist Chris Abad, and drummer Jamie Alegre. And yes, the extraordinary Mrs. Jamie Leonhart will be there to lend her divine voice to my cover of "Killing The ...
My Top Ten Favorite Lyrics (Or, What’s Left Behind To Shoulder Grows Weightless)
In what has become a presumably tiresome refrain amongst my musician friends, I've said more than once of late that I'm not sure I'll ever release another album.
Sure, I'm releasing my Live From Rockwood Music Hall LP on November 19th.
And yeah, I have plans for a big live recording of my "greatest hits" on/around my 40th birthday (still three solid years off).
And of course there's the full-on box set and tribute album that I've asked Abbi to organize upon my death (Imagine: Casey Shea singing "Hollywood Arms," Chris Abad singing ...
The Next Big Thing
I knew I was in the right place when, ten paces into the student center, I found myself engaged in a conversation about personal responsibility and morality.
Aaaah, academia.
I sat on the steps of NYU's Judson Memorial Church, CMJ Music Marathon registration headquarters, there in the shadow of Washington Square Park, for a few minutes before my panel. The city grows quiet quickly there. Taken together with the crisp, fall air and changing leaves, I felt immediately collegiate.
The CMJ College Music Marathon is the seminal college ...
The Rainbow Connection
When I was about nine-years-old, my mom had a record called, "I'm Getting My Act Together And Taking It On The Road." I never listened to it myself. I never had to; it was on the record player incessantly.
The single was called, "Strong Woman Number." It was a post-ERA, liberation song full of self-awareness and self-discovery.
The album cover was a wildly-curled brunette back-lit by red stage lights.
Which -- fast forward thirty years -- may as well have been singer/songwriter Jamie Leonhart at her sold-out Joe's Pub performance ...
Live Blogging The “Holiday Benefit, Volume II” Recording Session
On December 1, the follow up to our now-annual holiday benefit compilation -- aptly titled "Rebel Spirit Presents: A Holiday Benefit" -- will be released at New York City's Canal Room.
This year's record features twelve holiday covers and originals from New York City singer/songwriters like Brent Shuttleworth, Casey Shea and Rosi Golan, plus our collective recording of "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)."
This is the live account of our all-star recording session.
11:59AM - On L train approaching Lorimer Street with Chris Abad and Jamie ...
Benjamin Wagner “Live At Rockwood Music Hall” Due November 19
I'll be releasing a new EP, "Live At Rockwood Music Hall," on November 19th. The 8-song recording will be available exclusively on Authentic Records Online and iTunes.
"Live At Rockwood Music Hall" tracks were culled from three separate Rockwood Music Hall performances over the course of sixteen months: March 25, 2007; July 10, 2008, and September, 25, 2008.
My longtime band mates and pals Chris Abad (guitar), Tony Maceli (bass), Ryan Vaughn (drums) and Jamie Alegre (drums) all appear on the recording, as does singer/songwriter ...
Roll Your Windows Down, Part III
All the best stories are trilogies (or should have been): Star Wars, The Bible, Lethal Weapon. There's something elemental to the rise, fall, and major lift.
And all the best heroes go out on top: Perseus, Odysseus, James Dean.
Tonight then, to that end, we celebrated the cacauphonous conclusion of the Lower East Sides' favorite white-boy, acoustic rhythm and blues revue: The Undisputed Heavyweights.
Scuttlebutt was that our pal Casey -- the heart, soul, and shtick of The Heavyweights -- had chosen to close the chapter on this ...
