When I found out that I had a cyst on my vocal cord, irrepairable (is that a word) without surgery I was headed towards a GREAT month of shows. I had quit my job as a party planner/promoter/office administrator (gotta pay bills)! And decided to face music head on. I have lived in Manhattan for 8 years, 4 and a half of which devoted entirely to my music career. But I always had a job, a job, though fun, that I took quite seriously. And lucrative it was. Throwing parties for my closest and not so close friends helped me maintain an INCREDIBLY flexible schedule while playing music and having what was probably too much fun. Smooth sailing, I thought, until I realized four years down the line that though I had become quite successful here in Manhattan as an artist, playing sold out shows to audiences at Canal Room, Joe's Pub and other venues, opening for great artists I truly respected and creating some very great tracks with some of the best musicians around that I was not 100% in it. So I got rid of the paying job, I got rid of my relatively expensive Gramercy apartment and I decided to take the leap. I could not decide if NYC was worh another full year so I became officially homeless (by that I mean that I decided to move home, 10 minutes from Manhattan, to a my parents huge house with swimming pool, hot tub and west wing all to myself). Not so horrible sounding. And I have to admit, its not. I probably should have done this quite a while back....but here I am 26, at home with my parents (not half as bad as it sounds) and ready to go for it. LA for August, tour the North East with my friend Derek's band (or plan to) in the fall.
And even July was sounding exciting, I had a GREAT double bill show set up with my friends AtomicTom (www.myspace.com/atomictom) at Arlene's- the big send off show to LA. Then my great friend Derek James asked me to sing back up for him at his big summer show at The Bowery Ballroom. This is a room that I not only love to see shows in, but its a room I would DIE to play in as my own band, but even to be asked to play as a back up singer was an honor. Derek is truly talented and not in that regular great voice great songs way, he has a sound all his own that brings to mind ragtime/swing/barbeshop quartets/and decades of music ranging from the 20's to the 60's. It's broad and concise in style all at once. And its addictive! Now this is not to say that learning the back ups has gone swimmingly- its been a challenge and with my voice in rough shape its been more challenging. BUT I wanted to be a part of this show so badly that when my doctors (first and 2nd opinion) told me that I would need surgery and reccoperation time of up to 2 months I said "PLEASE you have to help me get through July. My three most exciting shows, Derek, Arlene's and LA are just around the corner."
So I have been hyped up on steriods (prednisone- thats what they give you) all month hoping to get through these shows! And I intend to! Check back soon for footage from Derek's show this weekend....
xxx
Red Out Loud
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