One Open Mic Without a PA

The Downstreet Cafe's open mic host's car broke down. Which I guess means no PA. So no raps busted for a smallish amount of people. I got a breakfast burrito instead. Next month we'll try again.

Pleasant Valley was another good time. Trying to decide if I'm going this week. Will update if so. Feel like there hasn't been enough time devoted to creating new music in the past week. But. I did just start 2 new songs in the past 2 hours. So.

Need to sit down for a listen/mix session on Tales For The 21st Century. For 2 reasons:

1. To finish this thing and get it out there.

2. To make 2 lists for Marisa so she can finish the cover. These lists are:

A. A list of things hanging from the X-mas Tree.

B. A list of things under the X-mas Tree.

Does any of this make sense?

Humble Among Open Mics (Tonight and Tomorrow)

Tonight at 7:30 PM or later: Pleasant Valley Brewing, 16 Main St, Saxtons River, VT, 05154

Tomorrow at 6 PM or later: Downstreet Cafe, 23 Canal St, Bellows Falls, VT, 05101

It's a Happening!

Open Mics + Some Fragmented Thoughts

Did an open mic last week. The silly Metalfest was canceled and the promoter wasn't nice enough to contact us. But have no fear. 2 more open mic happenings this very week. The 15th and 16th. More on that soon.

I'm still deciding if these two songs belong on Tales From The 21st Century. It's hard work. Once my mind is made up I'll be posting the tracklisting.

Making some songs with young Dennis and young Zach. Working on 3 projects at once. With a 4th and 5th (perhaps) waiting in the rafters. Art about to drop down on you like ninjas.

"Remember kids, the Fourth of July is about your freedom. So don't get yourselves arrested."*







*This message is brought to you by Humble Among PSAs

UFOs and Shows

Sitting here wishing I knew a few of these songs better. I just sent Andy a text saying that I want to be like a steel trap. And it's true. Practice makes perfect and in my case it helps me with remembering the lyrics. Those pesky words. I said in a song the other day:

"My curse to play with all this alliteration/ die in the street like Edger Allan Poe/"

The curse part is relevant here. The Poe part is another story all together.

-------

Last night we saw UFOs flying in the sky. Walking with our heads cocked back and stopping every few steps, we all saw it. They were very faint and could have almost passed for stars if one wasn't looking closely enough. They flew in a kind of zig-zag pattern that would occasionally jump backwards and then catch up to it's flight-path again. At first we thought it was just one, but then the one we were watching either jumped and disappeared, reappearing in another part of the sky, or another one appeared there in the sky. Not long after, we started to see many of them. Almost like the stars were melting. It was bizarre.

I went into the house and turned to the News Channels to see if there was a global incident of some kind (fingers crossed). There wasn't. Just some stuff about the oil spill and interview shows, the only things on those channels at 10 o'clock at night. I then had the thought that maybe these beings were coming to help us solve the problem in the Gulf of Mexico. And maybe even the Problem on Earth in general.

We left my house and went back to Eliza's to sit outside by the pool. It seemed there was less activity in the sky now. Noticed some regular aircraft flying around. Strobe lights and all that. We went back inside for Irish Car-Bombs and instantly it was already 1 AM! Had the aliens abducted us? Had we just experienced missing time?! I wandered home and wondered how it had happened like how the audience wonders how the magician performs his magic.

Sitting here watching The Bonus Show on Howard TV (Howard Stern's OnDemand channel) with a half full cup of coffee sitting near me. I'm branching off into several different projects, but all I can talk about right now is Joker. I'm farming my brain for information and ideas from the stories I've read. Even re-reading a few important ones. Watching The Animated Series and looking for samples. Need to track down the Mask of the Phantasm one. I recall that there were a few good pieces of dialogue in it.

Follow my Bat-Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WhatAboutBatman

YouTube Linkage: http://www.youtube.com/humbleamong (only a test video up now, more to come.)

Tales From The 21st Century is finished and the mastering just might be finished. I'm working on memorizing these lyrics because these songs are very fun to perform. (Due to The New Style*, the lyrics do not just appear in my memory banks anymore.) Trying to figure out which songs from More I should be performing as well. Open Mic Shows will be happening soon. Stay tuned.

*Editor's Note: Eric quit writing raps and has been recording everything as it comes to him. See issue #7 (November 2009).

Mastering TALES FROM THE 21ST CENTURY

I'm almost done. 28 songs. At about 69 minutes. Mastering and tweaking the last pesky 7.

Joker is at about 13 songs. Partyman. House of Cards. Capes. My Inner Sanctum.

Need to get this youtube page popping. Stay tuned.

Now diving headfirst into the Joker album, I'm mixing and wrapping up Tales From The 21st Century. My good friend Marisa is drawing an idea of mine for the cover. Tales will have anywhere from 27-30 songs.

We will be performing July 10th at a "Metalfest" in BF. Its $10 at the door but bring a $20 because you're gunna be buying my CD with that other $10. This show is a must just for my antics alone. ClassicEricFishOutOfWater. Let's do this, Judas.

I just walked upstream through a funeral procession.

3 New Mixtape Songs + Mixtape Song Count Up To 27

Lemonade http://usershare.net/p85hdk3ypt7n

ChickyBoom http://usershare.net/pknpbwnxr21h

Ladies Night http://usershare.net/b1wyw8xgqxel

New Mixtape Song

Ha Ha http://usershare.net/g93qphs5sen1

"More Songs For You" CDs For Sale $9.99!!!!

Get your very own Limited Edition Spinal Tap Smell The Glove Variant First Edition Cover of "More Songs For You" for the reasonable price of $9.99!!!!

To order "More Songs For You" on Compact Disc click below:

Don't miss the chance to get your hands on this collector's item! You're gunna be able to put your kids through college on this sucker. Consider it an investment!

More CDs + 3 New Songs + Show This Saturday

"More Songs For You" CDs will be here in days. This Limited Edition Spinal Tap Variant will be available for a fee of $10. MP3s are free.

+

I've uploaded 3 more "Tales From The 21st Century" songs to the Humble Among MP3 Page.

"Ode to Richard Simmons" http://usershare.net/yyo1yfv0boh3

"Rick Roll" http://usershare.net/itylpczr8sk5

"Horrorland" http://usershare.net/1166nm66q3te

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Also this Saturday, April 17th 2010 I'll be performing at Spanky Payne's Birthday Bash. Check out SpankyPayne.com for more info.

"Tales From The 21st Century" + MP3s

Hello there. Zach told me that I should call my next album "Tales From The 21st Century" after I made a joke involving that particular string of words. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed appropriate. Thanks to Zach for pointing it out.

2 more songs have been uploaded to the Humble Among MP3 Page since my last update:

"Fresh" http://usershare.net/ewg3a29ae627
I jacked the beat from a 6 Tre G/Lil Boosie song by the same name. For some reason I started rapping about movies.

"B.O.A." http://usershare.net/cv6a3nlmuvcy
I jacked the beat from Outkast's "B.O.B." and used it to talk about some political things that have been bugging me (and our phones). It's silly just like my attitude towards such serious things.

Also, I uploaded the Humble Among appearance on the Spanky Payne Show from 2.5.2010.
http://usershare.net/xy2c3toxlm9l
This is a bare bones edit. The full show is available if you ask nicely.

"More Songs For You" Full Album Download http://usershare.net/20zme3pjiu5v

"Tales From The 21st Century" mixtape coming soon.

Chivalry is Dead MP3 + Some Mixtape info

New song uploaded for Valentine's Day: "Chivalry is Dead"

The Mixtape has got to be half done (14 songs recorded). What mixtape you might ask? Well I don't have a name yet. I was thinking of calling it 1999.

The 1999 Mixtape will have all of the songs I've recorded since my creative epiphany late last year (This does not include the material recorded for the Joker project).

Also, I would like to recommend Curtis Plum's wonderful new album "Call My Cellphone" out on Strange Famous Records.

More Songs For You 2006-2007 FREE DOWNLOAD

You can download the brand new archival release "More Songs For You" now in various ways.

Single mp3s and .Zip located at the Humble Among MP3 page:
http://usershare.net/humbleamong

.Zip mediafire link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?mgjgo32tjez

Tracklisting:

1. Death's Dance Party *
2. Boots *
3. Song in my Heart *
4. She's the Darkness *
5. Despair +
6. Ain't Scared *
7. Antagonist Blues *
8. Escape *
9. Don't (Remix) *
10. Always Say Yes *+
11. Glitz, Glamour, Girls *
12. Jump +
13. Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan cover *
14. What More *
15. Famous Last Words *

* Beat crafted by Andy
+ Beat crafted by Chris

Humble Among on the Spanky Payne Show

I will be appearing on the Spanky Payne Show on WOOL 100.1 FM. Tune in February 5th at 7 pm to hear me interviewed and some new songs (hopefully I'll be performing in-studio). Not many people outside of the Bellows Falls area are going to get the broadcast, but it does stream from the WOOL 100.1 website. Click here to listen.

Missing the Deadline

Well I'm going to have to push the deadline back, as today is the 29th and I am not yet ready to upload "More Songs For You".

The new deadline is the end of January, but I expect to be done before then.

I will be uploading a More song on Wednesday December 30 2009.

If you missed it, "An Early X-Mas Gift" can be downloaded here.

HA

Update From the Batcave

"More Songs For You" is almost done. I plan on uploading the mp3s on Tuesday December 29 2009 (if all goes well and I finish these last 4 songs before then). 15 songs that span the years of 2008-2009.

I've been experimenting in the laboratory and have developed a new method of recording. This happened after I saw Lil' Wayne (ever heard of him?) recording tracks on the recently released documentary film "The Carter". No more writing on paper. Just record the rhymes to the beat. Stop. Think. Record more rhymes to the beat. It's brilliant in it's simplicity.

(Wayne just got another drug charge. Damn.)

These new tracks will be designated to other projects. Like the Joker album (already recorded two of these songs. Ex.1 uploaded this week: Capes).

Ex.2 also uploaded this week: Watchmen (Over Dr. Dre - The Watcher instrumental)

I also hope to have a Holiday themed song to share with you. I plan on uploading that on December 24th. It's called "An Early X-Mas Gift".

Stay tuned.

Fear and Loathing At The Library

I've been meaning to go into the Library for a while now. I've heard that they've really stepped up their "Graphic Novel" game. I use the term "Graphic Novel" in quotes because it's kind of a lame euphemism for Trade Paperback Collected Comic Books. But that is a long title, so I opt for using "Graphic Novel" in quotations, even if it annoys me a little. For the sake of cutting to the chase.

Anyway, I went into the Library and looked at their selection of Comics. They had a display set up using the drawers that used to hold the cards for the now dead Card Catalog System. All of it is set up on computers now.

They had a decent selection. I saw a "Y the Last Man" Hardcover and "Sandman" Absolute Editions (which aren't cheap at $99.00 printed on the book). I asked the nice librarian lady if there were any more and she told me of another display around the corner. And that a lot of the "less adult" books were downstairs, in the kid's section.

I checked out the display around the corner and saw a Love and Rockets collection and a few other O.G.N.'s (Original Graphic Novels). Oddly enough I am comfortable with this term. Even if it includes the before-mentioned-annoying-term, "Graphic Novel".

I went downstairs to the kid's section and saw some of the books I've seen there before and did notice some more new ones. I've taken out "Graphic Novels" from the Library before but haven't been back in a while. Last time I borrowed "League of Extraordinary Men" (which I never got around to reading) and "Batman: Dark Knight Strikes Back" (which is the only Frank Miller work I've read that I didn't like). Both of these I knew were late. At least a few weeks. Maybe a month. But I wasn't worried about late fees because what are late fee's at the Library? A nickel a day?

I picked up Neil Gaiman's "1602" and went back upstairs to check it out. I gave the nice librarian lady from before my card and she told me that the book looked interesting.

"Yeah. I really like Neil Gaiman. He's a good writer", I gushed like the fanboy that I am.

She scanned my card and said, "Oh I'm sorry...We can't let you take this book out. It says you owe $52.64".

Whoa. "Why is it that high?", I asked. Myself, a little high.

"Well, you owe late fee's on the DVDs "League of Extraordinary Men" and "Batman: Dark Knight Strikes Back" and $25.00 each for two missing items."

I'm thinking: "They weren't DVDs...".

"Can you tell me what the two missing items were?"

She takes a second. Doing some clicking on the computer.

"Looks like they where the same DVDs, "League of Extraordinary Men" and "Batman: Dark Knight Strikes Back.""

I'm thinking: "Those fucking books don't cost that much. I can get both of them for...wait, I just saw "League of Extraordinary Men" down there and I know I fucking returned them both!"

"Um...I know I returned those. And they're not DVDs, they were books. I just saw "League of Extraordinary Men" downstairs. I can go get it for you?"

I'm about to run down there when she says, "Oh...um...why don't you go talk to the lady downstairs. I'm not really in-the-know here. She can help you."

"Okay," I say. I still have "1602" in my hand. She reminds me to leave it up there, on her desk.

I go downstairs and the other librarian lady is moving some cardboard signs around in the lobby. I quickly tell her what's going on and that I was sent down to talk to her. I go and find "League of Extraordinary Men". AND THE OTHER ONE. They both look to be the same (and in the same condition) books as I borrowed.

She comes inside and walks to the computer. I tell her that I found BOTH of them. She's still probably a little confused because I explained the situation so quickly. And likely, incoherently.

She looks up my membership, looks at the books, reads the numbers, and confirms that these are the same books. She then tells me that the computer system is messed up and this happens to a lot of people.

I am now very annoyed.

She casually mentions that the books are 13 days late.

It takes me a second, but I realize something and ask, "How do you know that I was exactly 13 days late if the books were never returned?"

"Well the charge is $1.32..."

"No. I understand that. But doesn't it mean the books were returned and scanned at 13 days after the return date? If there is a charge for 13 days?"

She can't answer me.

I'm then told that I can go back upstairs to take out my book. Upstairs, the Librarian takes a few minutes confirming downstairs that it's okay to let me borrow and how to enter it in the system.

"Should Have Been Done Long Ago"

Well, I'm still working on More Songs For You. It's a matter of recording certain songs and finishing writing one song, "Jump". I need to record more.

Andy is working on beats from what I can gather. He sent me one the other night and last night, was talking about a blues one he's working on.

I just watched Trick 'R Treat and I must say it was worth the wait.

Spent some time trying to find out if the Forth Kind is really based on true events. Looks like it may not.

All for now.