Winooski stays open!

At least Sneakers does.

The booking dude at the Monkey House told me they (Sneaks) were temporarily closing down as well.

Nope.

So it looks like you can eat all the chicken embryos you want!

Shameless self-promotion.

So, I am actually going to go forward with some Casey-related music stuff. I haven't had a ton of time to compose or record much new material, as I've been so damn busy working on everybody else's fantabulous projects. I'm not complaining, honest! Anyway, there are a few things that I'm not at liberty to discuss at the moment, but here's what's on deck:

I have put together a My Space page for The Contrarian. I don't have MP3s up yet, but I should by the end of the night. I'm thinking that I'll drop in some old Out-Of Print recordings and a sneak preview of the upcoming disasterpiece "Soft Rock." That little nugget finds me in slit-your-wrists singer-songwriter mode. Ewww! So, have a look, sign up and be my fake internet friend. Lemme know what you think of the tunes once I get them up there. It's your chance to be the critic!

Also, the fabulously talented (and super-dreamy) Max Schwartz of The Jazz Guys is putting together a website for me. It'll hopefully feature not just my sounds, but some of the stuff I've been working on for other artists.

Of course, you can always read my ranting here, in Grooves , Dusted  Signal to Noise and in that wacky newspaper of ours.

Magick Men...

So today's paper (the one with the big 'ol Daysies spread) has my interview with Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello. Please check it out, I think it's rather, ahem, "illuminating."

I also spoke with the great Utah Phillips yesterday. I'm struck by some similarities between these men, who, on the surface, couldn't appear more different. Each of them lives a life of total commitment to art and personal freedom. In Eugene's case, this takes the form of crazed antics and ritualized theatrics to advance communication.

Utah believes in preserving the "oral" tradition of communication — and he lives by this ideology.  He's an incredibly insightful and intelligent human being, who has come to his wisdom through direct interaction with peoples of all kind. If there were more Utah's in the world, we'd probably be better off.

Both approaches are valid, of course. But some of us perfer to be "Margin Walkers," to use Ian Mackaye's term.

If you know what I mean.

Winooski shuts down.

Well, not the whole town, but the Monkey House and Sneakers. And that's close enough.

Seems the Winooski construction has claimed a couple more victims. Don't worry, it's not permanent.

"We're looking to re-open in September or October," Monkey booking chief John Clark recently told me. "But it's Pizzagalli Construction, so who knows?"

Main Street is going to get torn up in the next phase of development. For local businesses already losing customers due to the construction, it isn't worth staying open through the latest asphalt assault.

A "not really final" show takes place this Saturday at 10 p.m. with jazz marauders Intergalactic Taxi.

I'll probably check it out.

Feel the heat!

God, it's hot.

I'm supposed to be working on an album in my "spare time," but my second floor apartment gets 10 degrees hotter everytime I fire up that big 'ol G5.

Tried to get an air conditioner yesterday, but no luck. Stores sell out of them in June, and don't re-stock, because they don't want to be stuck with them all winter. It's bullshit. "We can order one." Yeah, so could I. I have the inter-web, too. Whatever happened to good old fashioned supply and demand? The modern American economy is driven by inflating desire for the latest product, and manufacturers don't want to be hocking last year's version next season. It's the same with automobiles.

Alright, enough ranting. Saw Manifest Nexto Me and Carrigan last night. 'Twas good. Packed house at Metronome. Manifest are getting really pro. I'm digging them more and more each time I see them. The audiences were a bit different for each band, though. Indie-rock kids for Carrigan (a lot of 'em) and a sort of college-townie-crunchie crew for Manifest. Very little overlap.

But it's still quite encouraging to see these local shows do so well. I am sad that I missed The Middle Eight, who were playing downstairs at Nectar's. Oh, well. Next time.

Makin' Bacon.

Guess what? Seven Days is sponsoring a Bacon Brothers Contest! You can win tickets to their show at Higher Ground on July 31.

Maybe you can become a "degree" of Kevin.

In other Bacon-related news, I betcha you didn't know his 17 year-old son had a crust punk band. Well, here's the link to the kid's My Space page. You might have to sign up to look at it, but then you can be my fake internet friend. Anyway, the little dude looks like he means business.

Click this here banner to enter:

Not to make every post about Hutz, but...

Just finished up my interview with Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz, who is also the star of Everything is Illuminated, the film adaptation of the novel by "it" author (and cultural omnipresence) Jonathan Safran Foer.

Man, it was funny. Eugene hasn't changed much. Still full of piss & vinegar. Absolutely convinced of his own abilities. And he should be, I suppose — He walked into NYC and simply took over.

If the concept of Will to Power every applied to anyone, it's this guy. I'm convinced he could bullshit his way through brain surgery.

He always gives it 100% though. I don't imagine he sleeps more than a couple of hours a day.

See kids? All you have to do is believe in yourself and grow a giant handlebar moustache.

Look for the article on the 27th.

Last chance Hutz.

OK, I talk to Eugene tomorrow.

Last chance to get your questions to the man-myth.

A couple of thoughts...

Had fun in Montpelier. The Dylan contest was weird, long and incredibly hot. The temperature, that is, not the performers. Well, there were a couple of standouts.

Saw a little hip-hop at Positive Pie II. The venue was pretty nice — odd mix of people though.  Occasionally I realize how bizarre Vermont actually is.

Oh, and Charlie O's is the greatest little bar in the state. A man can truly feel like Jim Morrison there. And really, that's how you wanna feel at a bar. I love The Other Place in Burlington, but there you feel more like Bukowski!

Great vegan eats at Rhapsody. Please open a shop in Burlington. Preferably on Peru St!

Stayed at a weird hotel called the Hilltop Inn. The guests were even weirder. There must've been a National Convention of Polite Gangstas going on or something.

Fo realz, yo: these thugs held the door open for me and were overall quite friendly. Maybe they thought I was one of them, who knows?

I listened to the radio a lot in the car. There are hardly any stations in the Montpelier area. The Point. VPR. a modern country station.

Speaking of radio, have any of you listened to MP103? It used to be Alice, I think. I am completely befuddled by their format. I heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" followed by "Bette Davis Eyes." I'm sure Cobain would be thrilled to know he's being played alongside Kim Carnes.

Back in town, buried under stuff to do.

Wish me luck, I need it.

Last nite.

Cush show ruled. Great to see everybody. Proof that we do have a local rock scene, after all.

Didn't make it through Charles, Dead or Alive? though -- caught a bad case of Tom Collins mixed with Mother Lager and needed to hit the pillow.

Now it's off to Montpelier for my wild weekend in the capitol city. Even though my sked consists of hip-hop and that Dylan contest, I hope to catch some Cush on Langdon Street.

See the kitty in the pic? Loki is his name. Man, it sucks to have to leave him for 2 days. Thanks to Rose for taking care of the little nip.

Ooh, the hotel has a pool. and C-Span. And air conditioning. Maybe I'll just stay in!

Gogol Bordello news...

Just heard from Gogol Bordello's publicist that I'm to interview Eugene Hutz next week for an article to be published Wednesday, July 20.

They're playing Higher Ground on August 3.

Let's see... Rock star, punk antagonist, gypsy hedonist, fashion model, movie star, ex-Burlingtonite -- we should have plenty to talk about.

Still, I'm curious about what you folks would ask him. Feel free to post questions for the mustachioed one right here. If it's good, I might just use it. Don't worry, I'll buy you a beer.

There is an article about Hutz and Bordello in the July 2 New York Times, as well as a terrific interview in the latest Punk Planet Magazine. Neither of them will be as hot as mine though. I mean, who else can get him to reminisce about early '90s Burlington?

Too sleepy for a snappy title.

Man, for some reason, I'm really sleepy. Maybe it's the  heat. Haven't posted in awhile, not much to report. Slow club scene at the moment — Higher Ground only has a few shows next week, and downtown is the usual.

I advise you all to check out The Cush's CD release party at Metronome Thursday July 14 (tomorrow). Should be good fun.

I'm spending the weekend in Montpelier, to help judge the Riverwalk Records Bob Dylan Wannabe Contest. I'm hoping to hang out at Langdon Street Cafe and check the brand new Positive Pie II, as well. That is pretty much the run of the Capitol City anyhow.

Almost done mixing the debut from Burlington's coolest Irish pub band/Americana rockers.  Yeah, you know — Will. The musical group, not the Nietschean concept. Anyway, I have to futz with the drum sound some more (anal retentive/obsessive compulsive) but it's nearly there. That's a picture of their drummer behind the bar of the O.P.

Don't we look related?

Ryan's Power.

Last night I attended Ryan Power's low-key, incredibly moving CD release party at Brett Hughes' Winooski pad.

What a great night. First of all, Brett's place is a wonderful spot for an intimate show. All red lights, red walls, and general opium den ambience. Spacious, classy and cool. Best part? Nobody was talking over the music — we were all too into it.

Ryan is a fucking genius, plain and simple. He played an electric set that pretty much ruled, then melted my mind (and soul) with an acoustic performance featuring Tyler Bowles on bass. So much goddamn talent on display.

Burlington is incredibly lucky to have him.

I would've taken some pictures to post here, but I was so mesmerized by the sounds that I completely forgot!

Buy his new CD, OK? I'm telling you, it's beautiful.

How to waste more time at work!

Here's one for all of you music-obsessed drones out there who happen to be chained to a computer all day.

Kiss productivity goodbye: Band to Band.

It's basically an engine that finds the links between musical groups. My advice is to work from their incredibly long list of bands and artists and try to pick the most outrageous combos you can think of.

You will be amazed at what it comes up with. For example, I connected Asia to The Cancer Conspiracy. Ha!

Updates of every variety.

So I put up a bunch of links, some local, some not. If you hold the mouse over the band and magazine links, a short description should pop up. I'll probably do that for the labels as well.

It's a start, at least. I'll be posting MP3s soon — there will definitely be some goodies, so keep checking back.

Oh, and I'm currently mixing the band Will. It's their debut album, engineered by Daryl Rabidoux, who is opening a proper studio on Main Street. Can't wait for that!

My esteemed predecessor Ethan Covey was up from the City for the Fourth. We drank some wine and talked about music. Good fun.

Later.