I’m making new headway into the music scene of Gloucester because of my relationship with Peter Van Ness. He runs GimmeSound.com and has signed on to sponsor the Noise’s monthly events. He has proven to be extra helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. His wife Vickie Van Ness also works with GimmeSound.com and is helping me just the same.

UPCOMING GIGS

On Thursday September 8^th, the Noise’s final 30^th anniversary celebration will feature my favorite solo artists—Allen Estes, Chelsea Berry, Salvatore Baglio, and Julie Dougherty, and I’ll be opening the show with the debut of Shake with the assistance of Claire Paulsen. It all happens at the Annie (1 Washington St, Gloucester, MA). Doors are at 7:30 and the admission price is $12 (or two for $20).

In October, I’ve invite Thea Hopkins to share a bill with me at the Dog Bar (65 Main Street, Gloucester, MA). We trade back and forth half-hour sets from 9:00 to closing on Saturday 10/22/11.

SHAKE—IN THE STUDIO

This project is really coming along. Being in Project Sound with Jason Duguay is always entertaining. He has a sarcastic wit that often catches me off guard and releases any sitting tension that may arise over a specific track. For this project I brought in Claire Paulsen to read a story I wrote about a rice farmer who communicates with the Earth. Claire and I go back and forth between my playing of songs and her reading the tale. I’m excited to get this project rolling. I’ll be looking for a couple of background vocalist to add some harmonies to the songs. I love those harmonies. An acoustic bass would fit in nicely too.

THE UPDATED CD—WHY WAR?

Well—I sold out of the first pressing of Why Do We Go to War and decided to edit the second pressing. So I added a couple of new tunes, change the ending, took some songs out and shortened some of the songs to make it a compact half-hour disc now titled Why War. This half–hour version is how I prefer to play the show live. So now the CD represents the live show well, but adds a lot of production. That added production is me layering more guitars, me singing all the choir parts (male and female—or should I say bass to soprano), and all fun extra stuff you can do with sound while you’re in the studio. Jason Duguay (at Project Sound) produced this CD with me and Mike Loce once again is the lone extra musician playing the jet engine electric guitar in the opening track. Although you can purchase this CD from me through email, tmax(at)thenoise-boston(dot)com, or at a live show ($10), the disc hasn’t been officially release yet. I may wait ’til October to do that.