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The Lightning Round
Last fall, in an effort to foster comradery amongst the few New York City musicians I know, I invited a dozen of my favorite singer/songwriters over for what I hoped would become a monthly confab: a book club for musicians, but without the pesky books. We made it two months, then folded under the weight…
Read More19 X 3 (Or Whatever It Takes)
We ran nineteen miles this morning. By accident. We were planning on running Greta’s Great Gallop, a New York Road Runner’s sponsored half marathon. But given that the marathon is just five weeks away, we decided to do eighteen. So we Googled some distances, and decided to run from East 71st Street to 111th, west…
Read MoreDeep Down In Our Hearts
Every performance is unique. Living room concerts, though, are a breed apart. The concept of a living room concert isn’t new. Organizations like House Concerts and local public radio stations across the country host events all the time. Musicians as far flung as Janis Ian, Nerissa & Katryna Nields, and Smithereen Pat DiNizio make careers…
Read MoreConstellations Turned To Polaroids In A Cardboard Box
The sky over Central Park looked like a bruise this morning, all deep gray, purple, and blue. It reminded me of the sky over Telluride before a summer storm. I first visted Telluride in July, 1990. I spent a few days in the San Juan mountain, there in the southwest corner of Colorado, in my…
Read MoreJust One Thing
Listen, I don’t have a ton to say. And if I start spouting, I’ll just sound like complaining. Which it would be, cuz I’m grouchy and tired and feel like complaining. But I won’t. So, just one thing… I was wondering yesterday morning, ‘Who are these people?’ There are some four hundred of you who…
Read MoreGlass, Concrete, And Stone
My new favorite marathon training run is the perimeter of Manhattan. Typically, we set out from the East 70s. There’s no promenade between 70th and 34th, so we run south on First. It’s all downhill to the United Nations. I like running past the UN. It may not be the perfect institution, but they’ve got…
Read MoreFun With Dick And Jane
Jane Magazine has an FOB (“front of book,” for you non-journalism types) feature called “The Same Five Questions We Always Ask.” The questions are definately tailored to rock stars, but in the absence of inspiration or time, I’ve decided to play along at home (or, truth be told, work). Jane: When was the last time…
Read MoreAutumnal
There was a cool, steady breeze blowing through my window this morning. Despite nearly ten hours of sleep, I wanted to stay underneath the covers. I love this time of year: the crisp, dry days, the quality of light. But it’s impossible to ignore that winter’s creeping in. And in winter I cannot abide. For…
Read MoreMessage In A Bottle
I was more than a little bit disappointed when the news broke last week that You Tube sensation Lonelygirl15 was a hoax. It’s not so much that I found her on camera mini-drama that compelling. In fact, I’m not sure I even sat through an entire episode. I did appreciate, though, that her story was…
Read MoreRock ‘n Roll Training
I’ve long wondered how to combine my love for running with my love for rocking. I’ve thought about running the New York City Marathon with a guitar, or small speakers blasting my tunes. The most I’ve managed thus far, though, was last year’s Benjamin Wagner Dot Com T-shirt. This year, an idea was delivered straight…
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