Catch-up!

Last week, at the open mic, I got very tired about halfway through, and finally had to go in the back and lie down. It took me a couple of days to recover. Sometimes I drive my body too hard, and have to remember that no matter how "normal" I might feel from day to day, I'm not at full health and never will be unless someone finally finds a cure for this virus.

I don't play it out in real time here in the blog because it's difficult to determine, on a daily basis, what's actually going on. Happily, this was just a matter of taking on too much, and pushing myself too hard, both in my exercise routines and in writing.

I think a little credit has to go to Facebook, too, as I'm spending a great deal of time there, and sometimes I post a lot of things there, forgetting that I could also be posting stuff here. But there, it's mostly political items of interest, whereas I try to keep the blog to more personal things. Politics interests me, but in the long run, it's also mundane as something that sounds brilliant one day can sound really stupid upon reflection.

Tonight, however, I will be at the open mic. Not sure what song to sing. I've been preparing demos for "He's Coming Back" and a new song about rescue dogs, both of which we developed in the songwriter workshop. But something is telling me I should do something fierce, like "Somebody's Friend," from The Last Session. You know, just to scare the locals.

So, back to health, I've been doing very well with my exercise routines. For my own sanity, I do not test my blood every single day. It's too maddening. Like someone who's trying to lose weight who weighs themselves every half hour, it can drive you crazy.

However, I have a doc appt. coming up soon, so I'll start testing on a regular basis to see if my work has paid off.

Meanwhile, we're excited to be doing The Big Voice on July 25th and then my solo concert on Aug. 17. After that, we go to DC for Jimmy's opening of Zero Hour. I'm really thrilled about that because I've never spent that much extended time in our nation's capital. I will, of course, be dragging my camera around with us as we visit all the national monuments.

13,000 Soldiers Dismissed from Service for...

...for nothing more than being gay. And the charge to end this abomination is being led by a conservative Democratic congressman and Iraqi war veteran.



Listen to his entire interview. Listen to his words.

What I can't figure out is who's against him. When he talks to other congresspersons, the only people objecting are the ones who are afraid that they'll be punished at the voting booth. All I can say is if this man from Pennsylvania has the courage to face his conservative constituency and tell them that this is a matter of national security, then the other members of congress should show a little backbone, too.

It's maddening how this policy has ruined both our ability to fight war and the individual lives of the men and women who serve.

Jake Interviewed.

My friend, Jake Wesley Stewart, is interviewed by Stage Scene LA.

Jake sang with me at Kulak's several times, and he and I have been working on songs together. He's a wonderful singer and great talent.

North Carolina native Jake Wesley Stewart has been on quite a roll since appearing in the Ovation Award-winning City Kid The Musical less than two years ago. He followed the hip-hopping musical with some Irish jigging to “wake the dead” in Open Fist’s production of James Joyce’s The Dead, then a summer of Shakespeare—followed by a featured role in Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera. More recently, Jake appeared multiple roles in Big The Musical, understudying and going on in the lead role of Adult Josh, and is poised to dazzle and captivate audiences once again in the L.A. Intimate Theater premiere of the hit off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz. Somehow, Jake found time in his hectic performance/rehearsal schedule to sit down and talk with us about his life as an up-and-coming musical theater star.

Singing "Rescue" tonight.

Tonight at the open mic, I'm singing the new song we wrote a couple of weeks ago, in the workshop, for Animal Night. It's a song called "Rescue." It will be broadcast live from Kulak's Woodshed, and yes, you can get it on your computer.

The song, "Rescue," is about doggies.

A 4th of July Message from the USO.

A few days from now, Fourth of July celebrations will be held in small towns and big cities all across America. Bunting will be everywhere. Parades will feature bands, antique cars, kids on bikes, and veterans of many conflicts… all marching proudly to show their patriotism and love of country. At the same time, halfway around the world, 170,000 brave young men and women will demonstrate their patriotism in another way: by putting their lives at risk to defend everything America stands for. As we gather in our backyards for cookouts and picnics, our troops overseas will grab an MRE and head out to patrol crowded streets and back alleys where insurgents continue to lurk. As we play softball or watch a parade, they'll spend their afternoons in harm's way: a "place" where rounding any corner can mean a deadly ambush… where stopping any car or passerby can trigger an explosion and sudden death. As we "ooh" and "aah" at fireworks displays, they'll duck live rounds and remain alert for the sudden rush of an incoming rocket-propelled grenade. Today, the nation's economic concerns continue to push the ongoing violence in Iraq and Afghanistan off the front pages; some Americans may even have forgotten about the brave men and women who are doing their job overseas, but counting the days till it's their turn to share the home-town celebrations with their loved ones and friends. However, the USO hasn't forgotten; we've already geared up to provide extra services to our troops… not just for July 4th, but throughout the weeks and months ahead. With American troops spread all over the globe… We must recruit more stars to man our Celebrity Entertainment Tours to combat zones… not just to entertain, but also to shake hands with our GIs and say face-to-face, "Thanks! We're here for you. You're the real star!" We need to buy more pre-paid phone cards, so our troops can call home for free whenever they get a chance, even from a pay phone in Baghdad. We must staff up and supply our overseas Centers and Mobile Canteens; with the War in Iraq now in its sixth long year, they'll have to stay open extra hours to provide our guys and gals in uniform with a cold Coke, a warm smile, and a chance… even if just for a few moments… to escape from the War and enjoy a taste of home. Meeting these special challenges, on top of all the everyday services we provide to our troops and their families, will take a huge effort, cost a lot of money, and stretch our resources to the limit. Many people are surprised to learn that the USO is not a government agency; in fact, we rely on individual citizens who want to support the troops, and who always seem to stand behind us at the times we need them most. Now is one of those times. Please send your tax-deductible donation today, to help the USO make certain that every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman around the world knows that the folks back home are thinking of them, and that we honor their dedication, their heroism, and their sacrifice. As Americans, we count on them. They count on us. I hope we can count on you.

Songwriting 101: Steve Quotes

The song is a little miracle.

My Friend, Tree, Was There.

Memories of Stonewall are still alive

BY Kate Nocera
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Monday, June 29th 2009, 12:14 PM

Hagen/News

Stonewall Inn bartender Tree was on hand when the Stonewall Riots occurred in 1969, and he still works there today.

Daily News

Crowd attempts to impede police arrests at the Stonewall Inn in 1969.

We've come a long way, babies.

A bartender who was slinging drinks at the Stonewall Inn the night it was raided 40 years ago says young people need to know how far the gay-lesbian bisexual-transsexual movement has come - and what the previous generation sacrificed to get here.

"The younger generation needs to learn about gay pride," said the 70-year-old man, who calls himself Tree, and still serves drinks at the famous establishment.

"They have no idea the older generation went to jail for them," he told the Daily News on Saturday.

Tree recalled the days of disturbance that followed the late night raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village - which became a defining moment of the gay rights movement - as hundreds of revelers poured in and out of the Inn.

"A lot of gay people don't realize how it all started," said Hector Cruz, 38, who stopped by the bar for a drink Saturday afternoon. "This year is more exciting, I think, because of the anniversary. People are finally talking and learning about what happened."

"Being younger, we do take for granted where we are now and how far we've come," said 23- year-old Chris Brown, who spent Saturday with his boyfriend Joseph Bayer, 25.

"I'm glad I can walk down the street holding by boyfriend's hand," said Bayer as they went into the bar.

Peter Sandel, 31, said gay pride weekend is "a time to reflect on how far we've come and how we still have a ways to go."

"We are in kind of a paradox because gay pride is a tourist event, but it's also a very serious thing," said John Buono, 35.

RIP Sky Saxon

Sky Saxon died. His band was called "The Seeds."

His song was a garage band that found a groove and a hook, "Pushing Too Hard," that kinda sorta spoke to the bratty teenager of the late 60s era as well as to the "too cool to live on earth" crowd.

Here's a video "from 1966." You can see how they're presenting. Tough. A little arrogant.



Then I found this. Here they are in Feb. 1967 with Kaye Ballard and Eve Arden on "The Mothers-In-Law." This is beyond priceless. The teevee dialogue is so Brady Bunch.



Speaking of anthems.

November 1996.

"I Can't Seem To Make You Mine" is one of those songs that is a hook surrounded by what sounds like cat sounds in the vocal and guitar. The lyrics are junior high level, which is why they're so appropriate to the groove -- and that's what fun about this song, is just his groove and way his voice cracks around it.



Hmmmm. Guilty Pleasure Night...

A Song For Animal Night.

Wednesday night. Kulak's Woodshed. Marc Platt, Steve Schalchlin and four or five women.

"Wow," Marc said with a huge grin on his face. "All girls. And just two guys."

"Steve's one of the girls," someone said.

And it's true. I am.

And so is Marc, by the way.

And the girls? Well, we had a variety from my generation rock chick to young and ambitious girls with guitars. It's small-cast musical nice.

I told them I had helped a friend write some "songs for kids," and that I've been thinking about Animal Night coming up on Saturday. And that it would be fun to write a song on that theme.

And that's exactly what we did. Val, Bo, Avril and Steve.

I'm going to sing it Saturday night. It will be broadcast live.

This is scary because I can tell you every songwriter loves The Newest Song. The Newest Song is the greatest song ever written by any being which can produce a song or body movement. The newest song is the epic you've always been trying to reach.

You learn through experience, however, that the "newest song syndrome" wears off with time, and meh, it's another song. Everybody's got one.

So, I'm working on the piano part now. When you write "lyrics first," which we did, then the song gets written top down. The movement of the rhythm that lies beneath the words is not created. It's discovered. And that's what I'm jammin' on.

See you Saturday night. Live. (Gulp).

Oh, and tonight I'm hosting for Tracy Newman. Lorraine Newman's very talented singer/songwriter sister.

Seeing Larry David. Hearing Zero Mostel.

It was a surreal experience sitting next to Jim Brochu at the new Woody Allen film, "Whatever Works," watching Larry David do a role originally written for Zero Mostel. I couldn't even HEAR Larry David. The pictures were him but the voice was Zero Mostel.

Soon, Jim and I were both doing the lines at each other how Zero would have done them.

It was like watching the replacement cast of a Broadway show. And that's no slam at Larry David.

But it's in those lines where he totally hates on the girl. They feel jarring coming from Larry David. Zero made cruelty seem like a hug. His pain was so written on his face, that you knew no matter what he threw at you, the lion masked a kitten. Zero could go from rampaging monster to cooing infant in an instant, looking up at you with innocent eyes and a goofy grin, his missing hair plastered down from the back as if by baby spit.

I saw two movies yesterday. I kinda enjoyed one of them.

A Letter From Iran.

After making our last video, Marc Platt, who wrote and recorded the song, got this message from a friend of his in Iran.

Hello Marc:


It is so nice to hear from you. I hope you're doing fine, and I hope that everything is well for you and yours.

Thank you so much for the video that you sent.I would definitely send it to friends and relatives; thanks for the time you allocated and devoted for making it. Your support means a lot to me. I thank you on behalf of my nation.

As you certainly know, Many networking websites have been filtered by using the common internet connection here lately. I used to go through the filtered websites by getting VPN (Virtual Private Network) cards. Besides, downloading the AOL desktop was a great help in openinig these sites; but now(during the last 10 days)it would only be possible to get access to youtube, facebook, twitter,etc....through applying the links that break the filters.

You've definitely noticed that inspite of all these, so many amateur videos (taken by moblie phones of people) are uploaded to the Internet and immediately watched by the world.

Please give my regards to everyone. Once again, thanks. Take care, and stay well.

Warmest Regards,

Oranus

Here's the video, if you missed it. It's comprised SOLELY of footage that could be found on June 20, 2009. This was the uprising as we could see it.

Peter Tork, Social Networking & Cancer.

I'm not one to beat up on the press. If I could do it better, I would. But there are some areas I do know about because I lived them. And one of them is how social networking on the Internet works, and especially, what it's FOR.

The Washington Post has an online story in it's Health section blog called "The Check-up" about Peter Tork of the Monkees having a rare form of cancer -- and that he's using Facebook as his way of discussing the disease and getting support. At the end of the post, the writer asks if it's "unseemly" to use Facebook in this way.

I actually thought that this was the whole point of Facebook.

Now, to be fair, the author was "friended" by "Peter Tork," which turned out to be his fan club. I guess she thought Peter had been waiting all this time to make her his friend. Maybe from an old fan letter.

But I know if I get "friended" by a celebrity I don't know, I know instinctively that it's not actually Brad Pitt wanting to get to know me better. I can't decide if the writer is clueless about social networking or clueless about how personal this medium is.

But, I guarantee you, when someone is fighting for his or her life, there's no such thing as "unseemly."

A Former Monkee with Cancer

Peter Tork (center) performs with his band members in 2001. (Photo by Rich Lipski)

Set aside, if you can, the initial shock of learning that Peter Tork, a former member of the pop foursome The Monkees, is 67 years old.

Tork and his fellow Monkees live on in my mind as the fresh-faced goofballs whose zany, madcap antics on television and vinyl albums helped define the late 1960s.

Mr. Tork announced in March that he has cancer, a rare form called adenoid cystic carcinoma that usually originates in the head and neck. Tork underwent surgery on his tongue, where the cancer was found, followed by radiation. But two weeks ago he announced that his cancer had returned. He's undergoing more radiation now and is hopeful he'll be back on tour with his current band, Shoe Suede Blues, this summer; he plans a stop in Vienna, Virginia on September 11.

How do I know all this? Because Tork "friended" me (and lots of other people, I later learned) on Facebook. ... is there also something a little unseemly, or unsettling, about going Facebook with your disease?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | June 22, 2009; 7:00 AM ET

One of these persons is me.

EDIT: This photos was posted on Facebook in memory of Mike Coke, who was one of the coolest and nicest persons on earth. I have lost touch with Phillip Dunn and David McCarley. But we were an EXCELLENT quartet. This would have been my senior year.