Monday, December 14, 2009

Stoking the star maker machinery...behind the popular song.

BEFORE you continue to the blog post, I just wanted to direct you to a FREE download of "Don't Write Your Goodbyes" (Acoustic Piano Version), which I'm making available for download just for the Holidays. Check it out: DON'T WRITE YOUR GOODBYES (Acoustic Piano) !!!
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It's been a long time since I have blogged ... either that, or so much has happened that I've felt guilty for not keeping the blogging world updated to it. Though I confess, I don't know what kind of audience I have here. I.E., I'm not exactly in my teenage Xanga-blogging days. ;)

Anyway, before I recount other things I just want to let you guys know that there is a big announcement to come soon! I don't want to mention it officially just yet, because it's currently still in the works, but keep checking back in the next few day, k? If you came to the release show on Friday, then you know exactly what it is!

... wow, where to begin?
I have to confess, so many shows have happened this season that it's kind of a whirlwind remembering them all. Not to say they weren't memorable, but they are overwhelming to try and recall. The one that really sticks out in my mind, though, was speaking at Carnegie Mellon. I went into it unsure if my message would really get across to the students. I had to talk about what I did as a musician, and encourage the undergrads to pursue unconventional passions. I'm pretty sure I blabbered for a while, and wasn't completely comfortable until I had my guitar in front of me (I ended up singing/playing unplugged!), but I got such a strong response back... students with artistic or musical talent who were always told not to pursue it because it wasn't "practical", or their parents continually told them they could never go far with it, to the point that they'd internalized it and stopped believing in their own talent. I remember feeling that way a lot growing up too... it's the constant challenge for Asian-American families, especially immigrant families like mine, where survival mentality is deeply ingrained.

Not to say there isn't legitimacy to the argument. Of course pursuing the arts is harder than many other fields. But for me, it never made much sense to work hard towards a "fall back plan" when you weren't even giving real effort to the number one plan. You know? For me, currently managing a full-time job while doing music, the danger is to devote little time to the art - something I'm always grappling with. Juggling a job motivates me to keep working at music, just to compensate for the hours lost. It's not ideal... obviously, I'd like to be doing music full-time. But I've got to be practical. I don't come from a family with a lot of money. I'm never happy with living off my parents. So... I make it work. But one thing's for certain... I don't think I can ever give it up.

Anyway, if any of the CMU students happen to run into this blog, thanks for being a great audience that day (and forgiving w/ my blabbering!) I am currently writing your song. :)


Me with some CMU students!

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Also, for the Tufts U. gig in mid-November, I was lucky enough to have my trusty videographer from Boston, Eric, on-hand to tape quite a bit of that show. So... I wanted to share another video... it's a jam I did w/ one of the opening bands, The Cellar Doors. They were really awesome - a Tufts band, all music majors - with an eclectic sound: violin, djembe, guitar, nylon-string guitar, synths and other fun percussives. I had them jam with me to an older tune, "Meaningless Conversation."



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After spending just 11 hours in Boston for that show, I hopped a plane back home to play with my band at Wuzz Up Cafe in Bergenfield. My mom, her friends, other family friends, church people, friends of friends of friends came out and made the show really nice, casual, homey. I'm pretty sure I just crashed that weekend... that's really all I could do after sleep deprivation and those wonderfully draining shows.

I just had my release show this past Friday as well! I'll post photos of that up... it's still a bit too new. We had ube cake to Celebrate and it was deeeelish:

Last night I opened for Kitchie Nadal @ The Knitting Factory's new BK location. WOW what a sound system in that place. I'll happily play it again... even if it's like 2 a.m. on a Wednesday night. Just to marvel at the acoustics.

Anyway... me and the band have a show in Princeton on Saturday and then that's it for 2009. Still, my to-do-before-2010 list is quite extensive. I'm not sure how I'll get it all done. Crossing fingers... think good thoughts for me!


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