On another note. I saw That 1 Guy on Wednesday night. He's a bizarre one man band who's collaborated with people like Waits and Buckethead. I don't love his music entirely, but his musicianship is tremendous and his homemade instrument is incredible.
sorry to hear you're not feeling well mecca. You ever listened to this?
I'm a little familiar with her music, but don't think I've heard this one in particular. i think my brain has been in more of a mood for revisiting old favorite with high emotional resonance. I think I'm in a state of burn out. _________________ http://jonnyleather.com
On another note. I saw That 1 Guy on Wednesday night. He's a bizarre one man band who's collaborated with people like Waits and Buckethead. I don't love his music entirely, but his musicianship is tremendous and his homemade instrument is incredible.
Fucking fantastic photos, Mecca! One of the first things that I'm going to do when I pull of my miracle is head to Santa Fe to just to catch some shows with you. You have no choice in this matter. LOL. Let the beer flow. I assume ill b drinking the good stuff though. 😁
sorry to hear you're not feeling well mecca. You ever listened to this?
I'm a little familiar with her music, but don't think I've heard this one in particular. i think my brain has been in more of a mood for revisiting old favorite with high emotional resonance. I think I'm in a state of burn out.
totally feel you. Hope things start to improve. Awesome photos by the way (as usual)
meccaleccaVoice of ReasonProfile The Land of Enchantment
One of the first things that I'm going to do when I pull of my miracle is head to Santa Fe to just to catch some shows with you. You have no choice in this matter. LOL. Let the beer flow. I assume ill b drinking the good stuff though. :D
You really should. I'd love that. I'd happily treat you to some incredible New Mexican cuisine, washed down by one of our very good local brews. _________________ http://jonnyleather.com
meccaleccaVoice of ReasonProfile The Land of Enchantment
My longtime buddy Christopher Paul Stelling came into town last week to play a houseshow here, a regular gig in nearby Taos, and then had a couple of days to just hang out.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
You may be familiar with CPS, since he's a former Mecca Lecca artist who made the giant leap to ANTI this year. And his record Labor Against Waste appears on a few users 2015 lists!
I decided to write about our days hanging out in New Mexico...
For the classic troubadour, the road is home. The traveling musician is a lifestyle frequently often dreamed about, desired and attempted. It’s easy to understand how life on the road can be so glorified in the minds of the outsiders. The perspective usually offered is of an entertaining road trip with daily stops to perform in front of herds of adoring fans. Lost in this skewed view is the draining nature of long drives from city to city, the emotional impact of uncertainty pertaining to attendance and pay, as well as the physical impact of constant drinking, inconsistent sleep patterns and fast food.
When Christopher Paul Stelling arrived at my door in Santa Fe on the night of Sunday November 8th, he’d been behind the wheel for over 10 hours. The previous night, Stelling and violinist Kieran Ledwidge had played an incredibly successful show in Cave Creek, AZ. A common challenge with routing any tour is attempting to avoid the long drives while maximizing the number of shows within a given timetable. But long drives are often inescapable. What should have been a 7+ hour drive to Santa Fe, dragged itself out an extra few hours when an accident blocking all lanes rendered all traffic motionless. Meanwhile in Santa Fe, we awaited their arrival for an intimate house show that would start hours later than planned. Attendance dwindled.
By the time they arrived, there was only a handful of us remaining. Stelling and Ledwidge were undoubtedly exhausted but it did little to hinder their ability to perform. It had been nearly a year since I had seen Stelling perform. He had since signed to ANTI- Records, released Labor Against Waste, and spent nearly the entirety of 2015 on the road. Prior to my own move across country to Santa Fe, I had seen Stelling perform these same songs an extraordinary number of times, but the passing of time had done something wonderful. Here in my living room, these songs felt fresh again. The endless road had refined these masterfully written folk songs making them even more emotionally potent than ever. Not to be overlooked the talented Kieran Ledwidge played off of Stelling tremendously. Their consistent collaboration had developed a near telepathic connection between the pair.
With a show in Taos, then a rare two days off, we would spend the next three days together. Following the previous late night, we slept in before treating ourselves to a glorious green chile smothered brunch. Later that Monday afternoon, we set off on the short journey to Taos Mesa Brewing. I found myself seated in a camping chair in the back cargo space of the small tour van, surrounded by guitar cases and boxes of merchandise. For Stelling, life on the road includes an endless soundtrack of podcasts and old folk music. This ride would be no different in that regard, but it was also hardly a standard drive. Nearly to our destination, Google Maps was not satisfied with the sense of adventure lacking from our trip. A left hand turn presented what Google considered the most direct and quickest route. What Google failed to warn was that this route would also eventually take us up a steep mountain along a narrow, winding dirt road. From my less than stable back seat with my only view being through the windshield, there was equal opportunity for fear and excitement to take hold. But once we reached the safety of the peak, we were greeted to the kind of scenic landscape commonly associated with New Mexico. Google had undoubtedly had some fun with us by providing the scenic route.
Located just outside the small city of Taos, Taos Mesa Brewing is a venue unlike pretty much any other. Surrounded by open land to all sides, it sits alone. Built mostly from salvaged materials, the architecture is a combination of old and modern not unlike the post-apocalyptic worlds envisioned in Mad Max. Only a short drive from the incredible Earthships, Taos Mesa Brewing was built with a similar environmental consciousness and desire for sustainability.
As common with touring, we were there with well over an hour to kill before set time. We grabbed a few pints of the locally brewed Pilsner and awaited the 7pm showtime. We loaded in the minimal gear and merchandise, and Stelling and Ledwidge set up on stage. Sound checking approximately an hour before the scheduled performance, the brief sampling of their songs immediately caught the attention of the folks in the space who were more likely than not at the brewery to satiate their appetites for food and drink. Patrons had re-positioned their chairs to provide a clear view of the large stage. The three of us grabbed a bite to eat, and observed as a handful of people exited the brewery.
Set time was approaching, and yet the potential crowd was shrinking. As a performer in these types of spaces in which there’s no cover and the music is not necessarily the main attraction, this is a common, unpredictable scene. It’s disheartening and yet easy enough to shrug off for an artist like Stelling who’s more than familiar with the good and bad that comes with performing on the road. Used to performing an hour long set every night, the particular deal for this set requested approximately three hours with a break in the middle. Due to the uncharacteristic set length, the resulting performance included many songs that hadn’t seen the light of day in a long time, as well as some rare covers making their first appearance on this tour. Though the crowd was sparse, the reaction was positive. In the large room with an audience mostly unfamiliar with his songs, the more fiery tunes such as “Horse” and “Every Last Extremist” commanded the most passionate response.
Following the performance, random strangers approached Christopher and Kieran with words of praise. For an artist like Stelling, the road is filled with emotional highs and lows, and it’s easy to witness the impact as it effects the willingness to continue. While many allow the emptiness of a room take away from their performance, a seasoned pro will find a way give the same level of performance every night regardless. That is what Christopher Paul Stelling did. Unsuspecting patrons of Taos Mesa Brewery had been emphatically converted into fans.
The road back to Santa Fe was empty, dark and hypnotizing. Learning from our earlier adventure, we avoided the scenic mountain route that surely would have challenged our mortality under the black night sky. There was no after-party like those seen in the movies and tv, but we did pick up a frozen pizza on the way back home, then proceeded to get drunk and watch recent episodes of Drunk History.
Tuesday was more casual, taking in the local sights of Santa Fe. In the plaza, a man on a bench allowed his body to be completely engulfed by pigeons. 30 feet away, a woman danced to the sounds of a handpan (a ufo-shaped percussion instrument similar to a steel drum). For the bulk of the day we vegged out. More Drunk History, more whiskey, and a trip to the movies to see the disappointing Crimson Peak. Following the movie, Christopher Paul Stelling revealed his other passion beyond music: cooking. When living on the road, eating out loses its luster, and the desire and appreciation for a home-cooked meal increases. Sharing that he may actually enjoy cooking even more than music, Christopher very enthusiastically whipped up a delicious meal (rice, kale, brussel sprouts, veggie sausage and various spices and accents) for Kieran, my wife Ashley, and myself while Blonde on Blonde spun on the turntable. For many, going out to eat is a treat, but for the traveling musician the home-cooking is the real treat, especially for a body at the mercy of a diet of greasy foods and whiskey.
For their second day off, we headed to the marvelous outdoor universe of Tent Rocks National Park. Fresh air and sunlight are not commonly consumed by the touring musician, especially not in combination. Daylight hours are normally spent behind the wheel, inhaling a steady diet of exhaust fumes and cow shit. Along the way, Stelling called a Brooklyn florist and made arrangements for a delivery. Across the country, it was his fiancée Julia’s birthday. Unable to join Christopher for this leg of the tour, they found themselves a couple thousand miles apart. It’s a major sacrifice taken when touring. Relationships are tested, pushed to the limits. Stelling’s concern regarding the arrival of the flowers hints at the personal pressures often overlooked regarding life on the road.
A journey from Tent Rocks to Madrid took us through side roads. Once again, we found ourselves on the scenic dirt road path, but this time the route did not take us high into mountains but instead past a pack of horses and cows (including a large, unfriendly bull). North Collins new album provided an erie soundtrack. With phone service unsteady in this desolate part of the state, a phone interview had to be postponed until we headed back from lunch in the very small revived former ghost town of Madrid. From the back seat, he spoke candidly about his career, both past and present.
It’s a history I’ve known well. From early house shows dating back to 2009 to a pair of albums released via the Mecca Lecca imprint, my relationship with Christopher Paul Stelling goes beyond that of a friend, fan, or business associate. Its been all of those things and more. Experiencing his sudden success from all these perspectives has made it all the more exciting to witness. Early on, goals such as signing to ANTI-, being featured on All Songs Considered and playing Newport Folk Festival all seemed like little more than dreams. But through hard work and sacrifice, CPS obtained each of those goals in 2015. His career trajectory has been similar to many musicians. As fans, we often miss those years of grinding to gain notoriety. We’re presented the artist as new, although the reality is that years of work preceded what we’ve first come in touch with. And the grinding rarely ends. The TV appearances, record label contracts, high profile press, festival appearances tell only a fraction of the story. The life of a touring musician is one of highs and lows, great sacrifices and sometimes incredible rewards. It’s a struggle that many cannot endure, but it’s also a struggle that those that are talented and driven enough to forge on can occasionally overcome and turn into a full time career.
On Thursday morning, following a couple days of rest, Stelling and Ledwidge got back into the van and headed back on the road with Denver as the next stop. While Ledwidge would then fly back to New York to rejoin is bandmates in Miracles of Modern Science, Stelling would continue to drive from city to city towards the Northwest, before heading all the way back across the country in December on an impressive tour with seemingly no end in sight. _________________ http://jonnyleather.com
You really should. I'd love that. I'd happily treat you to some incredible New Mexican cuisine, washed down by one of our very good local brews.
Going to Guilin, China to study one-on-one with a powerful master of Zhiheng Qigong this Sunday for four months. I'll be sleeping on a hard cot at the Qigong center. Should b crazy consider my soft western lifestyle. Lol. I feel this might b it though so we'll see!!! get ready! lol.
meccaleccaVoice of ReasonProfile The Land of Enchantment
Going to Guilin, China to study one-on-one with a powerful master of Zhiheng Qigong this Sunday for four months. I'll be sleeping on a hard cot at the Qigong center. Should b crazy consider my soft western lifestyle. Lol. I feel this might b it though so we'll see!!! get ready! lol.
So, if you stay here, and sleep on my air mattress it'll be very luxurious.
It's shocking to me how few charts Cass McCombs last record appears on. I strongly believe McCombs is one of the premiere songwriting talents of the 21st century. Big Wheel runs long but it's a phenomenal release _________________ http://jonnyleather.com
meccaleccaVoice of ReasonProfile The Land of Enchantment
Got an email over night from a band in Poland named Trupa Trupa. I had no idea what to expect, though The Quietus has written about them. What I've been treated to is one of the best new psychedelic I've heard in quite a while. There's quite a bit of early Pink Floyd to their sound without being anything close to a carbon copy. They've created a really remarkable and disorienting world here. Can't recommend this enough. It'll surely be rising high on my 2015 Chart
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
meccalecca
