Holy consistency, Batman! The blog du Vic returns for another exciting season of tour minutiae, replete with questionable facts, perilously fancy prose and banal photographs made all funny-like by the use of alt tags. Who can resist? Not you. Nor should you, for in this modern world of tweets and wee bitly links there is a call, nay, an insatiable need for thoughtful, in-depth prose crafted exclusively for the self-aggrandizement of the author devoted fans of the Frontalot crew. And so it has arrived! Prepare to be entertainementized.
Wheatus Tour Diary: Injury, Agony and the Will To Carry On
I would have written sooner, but I’ve been helping tend to the many injuries suffered by the various members of the Wheatus touring party. During that time we’ve traveled to an played York, Manchester, Stoke-On-Trent, Sheffield, and Kingston-All-Up-On-Them-Thames. Fan videos abound. I am certain also that the twittersphere is bloated with errata regarding our goings-on. What I bring to you here is something you can’t get anywhere else: the inside scoop. Would you like sprinkles with that?
Wheatus Tour Diary: Cardiff, Barnsley and the Space-Time Continuum
I had heard from veteran touring musicians that life on the road became a haze of gigs and sleeping, that time became an elusive nymph, always laughing at you from right around the corner. “Balderdash!” I retorted. “I always know what day it is and what city I’m in.” I sit here now with my tail between my legs, recently informed about how ignorant I really was. For example: today, I called my lovely girlfriend Penelope at around 7am to wake her up and wish her a lovely day at work. “Why?” she responded groggily. “It’s Saturday.” My world as I knew it was turned upside-down.
Wheatus Tour Diary: Days 1-2, Manchester & Derby
Today I saw a man with a goat: a goat with a coat. In front of a moat! I kid you not! Such are the wonders that await people who visit the lovely Welsh town of Cardiff, as we are doing right now. I have little doubt that Dr. Seuss frequented this little hamlet where they spell Wheatus “Cwkzydd.” Britain is such a strange place! And we are here. By “we” I mean Wheatus, MC Frontalot, Math The Band and City Stereo. We travel in two enormous double-decker buses from quirky little city to quriky little city in the name of rock. You are probably asking: how did this come to pass? I will tell you, in as succinct a manner as possible.
The Unblinking Eye
Behold, a new video from Bay Area production team Ill Mondo featuring the lyrics and vocals of none other than yours truly. The song is called “The Unblinking Eye” and is NOT a cover of the Roger Taylor tune of which I was unaware until I searched YouTube for my song, which is much better. That is my totally objective opinion. The song is one of two featuring The Ken (that’s my new nickname, pass it on!) on Ill Mondo’s new album De Novo which was released yesterday and is available for free on the Circle Into Square website. The other song is called Hayatta and features even creepier lyrics. There are lots of other singers on there as well – check it out!
The Pieces video has been released!
Many thanks to Emiel and the Kickstarter donors for making this happen! I’d also like the thank Eric from Magnet Magazine for featuring it in the Videos at 11 section of the site. Enjoy!
Edible Norris: He Likes To Do It
Fans and spambots alike, I am proud to share with you today the first Edible Norris video, ever:
embedded by Embedded Video
Triple Threat: ASCAP Expo, Site Redesign & Documentary Trailer
Happy black friday, everybody! My head is slowly clearing after the whirlwind of networking that was the ASCAP New York Sessions, at which I reconnected with ’09 expo attendee and fellow pianist Steve Schultz and met various and sundry songwriters and producers from the NYC area including Joe Hanley from local production house theVAULT. The most interesting session award went to Stargate and Sandy Vee, who deconstructed popular tunes such as Katy Perry’s “Firework” and Britney’s “Selfish” – which was apparently supposed to be called “Man-Bitch.” Stupid censors. Also, at lunch, I got compared to Paul Rudd for the third time in recent memory. This is honestly getting annoying.
Across The Great Western Plains
Do you know what I expect when I see a sign that reads “Automated Dinosaurs Ahead?” Dinosaurs. That are automated. Shame on you, Stewarts Petrified Wood, for letting us down with your lies. They did have petrified wood, though, along with an ostrich farm and a whole host of dinosaur statues featuring unlucky female mannequins. So maybe they were only half-lying. Such are the potential pitfalls of traveling along Route 66. Things that are not a bait-and-switch include Crater National Park, which is breath-taking and features an exhibit featuring the sweet MIDI tunes of Nashville composer Frank Cicalese, and our current residence, the Motel Safari, which beats the hell out of the Circus Circus Manor in Las Vegas. Note to potential customers: do not bring up how much the town of Tucumcari reminds you of Radiator Springs from Cars. Apparently they find the comparison unfavorable.
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Lo! We are moving to New York. By “we” I mean I and my girlfriend, Penelope. How are we doing it? By that most prototypically American of methods: the cross-country road trip. Sadly my faithful vehicle of the last 10 years, a 1993 Audi A6 Quattro Wagon known locally as the Golden Chariot, was deemed to be of inadequate constitution for the journey. Luckily she found a new home with fellow road-warrior and friend Jen Blakeslee who will, no doubt, give it the love I could never provide.
