dann russo: Blog

...besides the ability to go for hours and days on almost no sleep (yes, I'm writing this at 5am my time after having been awake for the past two hours - his big sister slept a lot more when she was this age) and there are plenty of things I can teach him but there are a few things I can learn from him, I think -
1. ask for help when you need it.
He's 9 months old, so can't do a heck of a lot by himself, yet. But he can try. He can pull himself to a kneeling position in front of a chair and with his big gray eyes and a huge smile look your way so you can sit him on the chair or just pick him up.
Here are my big brownish/hazelly eyes and huge smile :-D (see, a huge smile!) I can't do everything myself, although sometimes I try.
But what I can do is ask if you know anyone who would like to play guitar or bass with me at a show in April - let me know!
I also need some with a video camera to film me playing some songs - my YouTube page is sadly empty - just let me know!
and if anyone has a [...]

to celebrate (can you "celebrate" Ash Wednesday?) I was inspired by the TS Eliot poem Ash Wednesday and this is what I can up with (borrowing the first verse from Mr Eliot, natch)

Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among the rocks
Our peace in His will
And even among the rocks
Sister Mother Spirit of the River
Spirit of the Sea
Let my cry come to Thee

Won’t you hear me
Won’t you listen to me
Won’t you hear me now
Won’t you meet me
And open up the gate
Won’t you show me how

Teach me to know and not to know
Teach me to be found
Everywhere I get to go
Every road and every town
Let me be the outward sign
Of whatever grace I own
Let me never be resigned
Far away or here at home

Won’t you hear me
Won’t you listen to me
Won’t you hear me now
Won’t you meet me
And open up the gate
Won’t you show me how

It was snowy and the same time not
As I walked the aisle
100 people in front of me
Heads bowed just like mine
And the kids brushed it away
Like [...]

so it occurred to me, as encouraged by one of the managers at TCAN, that I didn't have a rider...

so here it is - things I MUST have to be able to play a show:

besides the usual cables, cords, inputs...

1 (one) straight mic stand
1 (one) Direct Input (DI) for the acoustic guitar
band set-up

but, more importantly, back stage...

1 (one) bottle Maker's Mark bourbon
4 (four) bottles Manhattan Special espresso soda
4 (four) bottles water - must be Poland Springs or Aquafina. NO DASANI
1 (one) bottle Johnnie Walker Black
1 (one) bottle 2005 Liliano Chianti
Boar's Head Deli platter - Roast beef, ham, smoked turkey
4 (four) Rolling Rock bar bottles in ice in a bucket on stage next to the drum set
towels - venue must provide three Williams-Sonoma "bar towels" or three Guinness or St. Andrew's Golf Course golf towels or reasonable replacement thereof for each performer
Piano - must be tuned "day of" and cleaned off with Huggies "sensitive" baby wipes
no plastic cups or glasses at all - all cups [...]

I feel obscenely productive. Last year I wrote 4 songs on Feb 28th, and this year, two days into February and I have two songs completed for the RPM 2010...

"Vulnerabilities" a song about not having to lock away and hide your true self - sounds very Jack Johnson or Jason Mraz-y, which is a totally different vibe then I'm used to writing.

"Lessons Learned" one of the saddest songs I have ever heard. It's about breaking up with someone and you go from knowing every single thing about them to knowing nothing.

I'm trying to stay within my self-imposed "lock" topic. The first line in the chorus if "Vulnerabilities" is "You don't have to lock away your vulnerabilities" and the second verse of "Lessons Learned" has the line "doors were locked and opened slow."

I'm psyched. Are you? :-)

peace,

Dann

so, every year, the RPM Challenge takes place in February. The idea is to totally write an album - 10 songs or 35 min whichever comes first - in February, the shortest month. Last year I put together 9 songs inspired by the old beer commercial where they sent a "winner" to "Paradiso Lluvioso." I had this joke (which always seemed funnier at the END of a three hour set) with the greatest drummer ever (Frank Colagiovanni), where I would say "It means 'rainy paradise,' Frank!" and laugh.

Well, I thought it was funny...so, the titles of all the songs on Paradiso Lluvioso all start with that phrase

IT seems just like a dream (what a day)

MEANS justify the ends

RAIN is the same

E a b

PARA que no tengas sed

DICE

FRANK advice

and then I threw in a song called "ETC"

this year, I am going with a theme instead of a phrase, so I'm asking anyone who has a word or phrase that would go along with an album entitled "The Locksmith" to make any and all suggestions here or at dannrussomusic@aol.com. [...]