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But as you run a voice calls out; a voice of reason amid the gurgling, sickening slop of the blind, blobulous societal machine. A voice that calls for open eyes and open ears. A voice that cries for understanding! A voice that says... "Did you buy my CD yet?"
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HomeTown Tales Cheeseburger Friday Posted on: 4-20-08 by Drew |
Just a quick note. Friday, 4-18, I stopped down at the Fireside Restaurant and Lounge in Denville, NJ where Gene and Bryan from Hometown Tales were having a Cheeseburger Friday get together. It was a good time. We didn't talk music, but I brought them a six pack of beer I brewed called Hometown Ales, Jersey Devil Pale. You can read about that at my homebrewing site Cryptobrewology.com.
It was a good time. Gene and Bryan were recording a podcast live on location and had a few guests on, including Bruce Sakow (original story writer for Friday the 13th - The Final Chapter), horror author David Boyle, and the creators of Plasterhead. So stop by Podsafe Music Network, and feel free to download it for .99 and support the artist! :)
Happy Darwin Day!
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New Song Online - First Podcast Play Posted on: 1-31-08 by Drew |
Hey Guys, just wanted to let you know I got a new song online at the Podsafe Music Network and I will have it available for download here at drewvics.com soon, along with more of my original music. The track is called "The Way Things Went" and it has already been played on DALECAST, a podcast over in the UK. Pretty cool. I welcome new fans from across the pond!
It was also played on A Quiet Time Podcast. Appropriate, since it is a pretty mellow acoustic song.
Thanks podcasters!!
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Posted Video on The Video Awards Posted on: 1-28-08 by Drew |
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Hometown Tales is So Right! Posted on: Jan 4, 2008 by Drew |
Gene and Bryan over at Hometown Tales have done it again... they kicked off their latest podcast (#201) with So Right, a track from No More Waiting. Thanks guys!
Over the years I've had the pleasure of visiting with Gene and Bryan for various reasons, mostly due to my interest in Bigfoot, but they have taken an interest in my music as well and I'm happily surprised every once in a while to hear a track from my CD played on their podcast/radio-show.
Like their announcer says, they're "a couple of cool dudes..." and I appreciate their continued support of my music. Visit Hometown Tales, scroll down to find their latest episode on the lower left and give it a listen. A couple of entertaining guys! You can also Click Here to download their latest episode, or do a search on iTunes and subscribe to the podcast.
Thanks Guys!
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Download Tracks from Amazon.com! Posted on: 12-26-07 by Drew |
Happy Holidays!
I just wanted to let you all know what's going on around here. First, some cool news... No More Waiting is now available for download from Amazon.com. Download your favorite track for 99 cents or grab the whole MP3 CD for $6.23. Click Here to see what I'm talking about!
Next, some explaining... since I released No More Waiting in 2003 I've been talking about the new songs I've been working on. Well, it's true, I do have new songs in progress, but right now there are a bunch of things preventing me from sitting down and actually getting to the recording part. There are some really great tracks just waiting to be born, and I'm anxious to get started on the next project, but for now I have to postpone this for personal reasons. It's not easy having a full-time job and trying to write and record you own music too. Too much of life seems to get in the way...
Anyway, that's all for now. I hope you all had a great Christmas, and I hope you have a safe and Happy New Year!
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Calling all Les Paul replica experts! Posted on: 10-4-07 by Drew |
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Check out this page for more details and if you know anything about Les Paul replicas I'd be happy to hear from you. Especially if you could tell me what a guitar like this is worth.
Not that I'm going to sell it of course. It plays too nice. This guitar actually plays better than some newer Gibson LPs I've had the pleasure of playing.
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Uncle Shag is Back - No More Waiting on Longtown Podcast! Posted on: 9-27-07 by Drew |
Longtown Podcast's Uncle Shag picked up on it again... this time he spins the title track of my CD No More Waiting on Longtown Sound 202. Thanks Uncle Shag and the rest of the guys and gals at WSLO.FM. I'm not sure if that's a real radio station that broadcasts in South Carolina or if it's just their web address. Real radio would be a bonus, but being featured on the podcast is great too!
Check it out, they play some great music from other indie artists as well!
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Drew's Instrumental on Dreamweaver's Podcast Posted on: Sept 12, 2007 by Drew |
Dreamweaver's Chill Out Music Podcast featured Gabriel on their episode "Instrumental - Chill Out Music Sampler Number 10." Gabriel is an instrumental piece I produced entirely on my macintosh with Garage band. While I do write songs with lyrics I also enjoy composing music just for music's sake. I like sounds and the way they interact, so sometimes I just like to create "soundscapes" and instrumental music that stands alone.
You can learn more about Dreamweaver's Electronic Musik Podcast at their website http://www.dreamweaver.at/. Thanks a bunch for playing my tune guys!
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First video up on YouTube! Posted on: 9-3-07 by Drew |
Hey folks, just wanted to let you all know that I've finished production on a video for the tune Truth of the Matter which appeared on my debut CD "No More Waiting." It's available on YouTube, so you can go post your comments if you wish, or just view it right here:
A big thanks to Roger Kahn for some great ideas and great videography! We had a fun time capturing this footage. Looking forward to making some more. Stay tuned for outtakes :)
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More podcasts playing my tunes Posted on: June 5, 2007 by Drew |
A couple more podcasts have played my music. I'd like to thank Ed at Ed's Mixed Bag for playing "Shaken, Not Stirred." That song has had a few plays since I made it available online. I'd also like to thank Dave Jackson from Quiet Study Area for playing my guitar instrumental "Romance" which will appear on my next CD release.
You can hear a sample of Romance, and my other instrumental tunes at My PodShow Music Page
Thanks again to all the podcasters out there who have been playing my songs!
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Shaken Not Stirred and Dead Industry Posted on: May 8, 2007 by Drew |
Two of my instrumental (and rather experimental) songs have been featured on a couple of podcasts already. First, my very creepy, bizarre soundscape I titled "Dead Industry" was played on the The Multiple Sclerosis Blog Podcast (thanks Charles!). I actually had no idea anyone would find that track interesting enough to actually play for their audience, but I'm glad Charles did. Check out his site and listen to his cast. He's a good guy. You can listen to Dead Industry here.
Next, the catchy little jazzy ditty "Shaken Not Stirred" was played on The Jersey Todd Podcast. Todd actually used that as his show opener, pretty cool. Thanks a lot Todd. Go check out his podcast and site.
Shaken Not Stirred was also played on the The Write Stuff Podcast with Robert G Parent. Some original poetry and stuff going on there, check it out. Hey, the internet sure has made the world smaller!
Listen to Shaken Not Stirred!
If you're a podcaster looking for some royalty-free music to air, stop over at the Podsafe Music Network and check out their huge selection of musicians. You can find a lot of my stuff there as well.
Well, back to work. Talk to you later!
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New Stuff at MacIdol.com Posted on: May 4, 2007 by Drew |
Howdy from North Carolina! Hey folks, I'm on vacation in NC visiting with family and just wanted to touch base and keep you up to date with some of the things I've been working on.
The new project is in the works, but since I'm never without a strange idea or two an odd side project has been forming lately. You can find the early results at MacIdol.com, and also on the Podsafe Music Network if you happen to be a podcaster looking for interesting, catchy instrumental music to use.
So check out that stuff, and rest assured the regular project is still underway. This is just some side stuff I've been working on between naps. :) Talk to you all later!
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Recording in progress! Posted on: March 28, 2007 by Drew |
Okay, things are in order and I'm moving ahead. I know I've said it before, but this time I am really recording, I swear! Things are taking shape. In fact here's a link to a quick sample of what I'm making out of the reggae jam with Marcelino and Parry from Verdict...
Live Our Lives (demo sample)
There will be some great tunes on this CD, and I'm excited to finally bring them to life. Keep it tuned here, and sign up on the email list if you haven't already. I will be announcing the release of the CD there as well!
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The Verdict is In The House! Posted on: Feb 28, 2007 by Drew Vics |
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Parry was listening to a few of my tunes and he liked them. I was waiting until I finished my next CD before creating a myspace profile, but he thought the songs would be well received, so I went ahead and created a profile.
While at the studio Parry sat down at my drum kit and Marcelino picked up my bass. They jammed on a reggae groove for a while, then Marcelino grabbed my guitar and I took the bass. We played on another reggae rhythm for a few minutes. I recorded the whole thing and ended up with about 15 minutes of music from the session. It was a good test of my equipment and mic setup on the drums. I will definitely be using this material on my next CD.
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I hope to get another chance to jam with these guys. They're excellent musicians, and talented performers. They really know how to get a party jumping. Ya Mon!
So check out my new Myspace Page and go ahead and rate my songs! If you have a myspace page let me know, maybe we can link up!
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Celebrity drummer sits in, passes out... Posted on: 1/8/07 by Drew |
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To get the ball rolling on the recording process I call in an old friend who's been known to hang around the studio here every once in a while, if he's not sucking down beer or rum at a beach bar on some Caribbean island, or chasing girls.
I was hoping Animal, infamous drummer for Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem (the Muppet Show band), would be able to sit in and bang the skins for a few tracks. Well, he noticed the bar that we have here in the studio, and that was the end of it. So much for having a celebrity drummer on my next CD!
When he comes-to I'll see if I can get him to pound out a few slick rhythms instead of pounding the beers. Then I'll put him on the next plane to somewhere in the Caribbean. He can jam with a reggae band and lime with the ladies. That's his thing, what can I say? He's an Animal!
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Update on Recording for New CD Posted on: 1/7/07 by Drew |
Quick update here: Rehearsals for live performances have been put on hold so recording can begin on the next CD. It's been a little more than three years since the release of No More Waiting, and it's high time I started getting the new material recorded. So, by the middle of 2007 you will see a new release exclusively through CDBaby, and like No More Waiting the new CD will be made available on iTunes, Rhapsody, YahooMusic and other download sites, as well as in hard copy form directly from CDBaby.com.
I will keep you posted on the progress and will make some sample tracks available for download, so stay tuned at DrewVics.com for details to come!
By the way, Happy New year, and I hope you have a great 2007!
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Update on New CD Project and Rehearsals Posted on: 11/21/06 by Drew |
The past month has found me rehearsing with a vocalist/friend, Maria, whom I've known for years but never thought of working with until now. I'm also very close to beginning recording for my next CD, and Maria will likely have a spot on the album doing some backup vocals.
She has been doing some writing herself, and would like to record a CD of her original material, which I think we'll record and release under the Shark Lounge label sometime in the future, so stop back and I'll let you know what's going on with that.
That's all for now. If anyone is in the North Jersey area stay tuned to drewvics.com for live dates. We should be ready to hit the road in the Spring.
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So Sorry! Posted on: 9-13-06 by Drew |
It's been a while. Sorry it took me so long to get in touch. I've been pretty busy, just had my 39th birthday, and I'm still not a rock star. Oh well. Hey at least I'm producing my own music, selling my own music and doing it all without the help of any industry conglomerate!
You see, there's this little company that could. They call themselves CDBaby. I love CDBaby. CDBaby is THE reason my music is available for millions of people across the internet today. CDBaby is the only major outlet I will use to deliver my music to the masses. They're doing the right thing.
And you know who else is doing the right thing? Grass roots podcast producers who appreciate independent music, send a decent message, and share little known original artists with their audience.
Podcasters like Jack Elias of Get Jacked! who played my tune "Sorry" on his 174th podcast "I’m So Sorry" from 9/12.
Thanks also to the other podcasters I've mentioned in previous posts. Thanks to all of you for helping out! You are appreciated, and will help me fill in a buch of blank space in the liner notes on my next CD. :)
Which, you will be happy to learn, I have already started to record. I will spend the next few months working on this project, and plan on having something to release through CDBaby by the beginning of 2007.
So, back to work. Keep your chins up, and let's keep rockin'!
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Newest Member of the Shark-Lounge Studio Family Posted on: 8-01-06 by Drew |
Krista, my wife, and I drove across town to take a look at a potential new addition to the family of instruments housed here at the new home studio.
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Some tuning and minor adjustments were necessary, but the kit sounds great. With the addition of a few more cymbals and some other accessories it'll be good to go.
Reporting from North Carolina (still on vacation), this is Drew signing out. Talk to you on the flip side!
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I love Podcasts - and new CD Progress... Posted on: 8/01/06 by Drew |
Man, we've been busy around here. My wife and I just returned home from our annual, anniversary trip to St. Kitts, and in one more week we'll be headed down to Wilmington, North Carolina to visit my family. Next time I travel down there I should look into booking a gig or two during my stay....
Aside from all the travel, and assorted other projects going on (I have too many!) I have been working in the studio, preparing for the next CD and have been doing a lot of brainstorming on this project. I have demos recorded and will begin recording for real in a few weeks. It looks like this project may take me into the winter months, so I really can't say if I'll finish up before the end of the year. But I am really charged up and thrilled by the ideas I've been coming up with. This next CD will be jam packed with fresh new, rockin' tunes.
On another note, some of my songs from No More Waiting have been making appearances in some podcasts... Here are the most recent podcasts to play my stuff:
Gene and Bryan from HomeTown Tales periodically play some music from my CD. Much appreciated guys! Hometown Tales is a great podcast, if you like strange tales, strange news, and humor, I highly recommend them! Funny guys.
The Longtown Podcast was the first to pick up my stuff on the Podsafe Network. I'd like to thank Uncle Shag for sharing my song "Far Away" with his podcast listeners! Way to go!
Seems I've made it over into Germany! Radio MLM played "Sorry" on one of their station podcasts. Pretty cool. Can't understand what they're saying, but that's my fault, I didn't retain too much from German class in high school. But Thanks RadioMLM!
Thanks to JasperCast for playing "Sorry" for their podcast listeners too.
Update - Jash and Barry J. at Radio QRM played "Physics for Two" followed up by a nice healthy beltch. Thanks guys! I highly recommend them, it's a pretty entertaining show. Check them out!
The new frontier is... people to people.
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Physics for Two on HomeTown Tales Vidcast! Posted on: 6-8-2006 by Drew |
HomeTown Tales features Physics for Two in the credits their newest vidcast "The Ghost Raiser", more info here - or check it out on iTunes, just do a search for Hometown Tales.
Gene and Bryan have been recording the Hometown Tales podcast since March of 2005 and they do a great job with their short video documentaries too. Both the Hometown Tales vidcasts and podcasts are available on iTunes FREE! They are down to earth, entertaining, enlightening and quite comical at times as they share the tales that make every town unique. Check them out, you won't be dissappointed.
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CDBaby Does it Again! Posted on: 5-19-06 by Drew |
CDBaby, the best thing to happen to independent musicians, has done it again! Every time I turn around it seems that Derek Sivers and the crew at CDBaby take another HUGE step forward for indies, and this latest is a doozy.
I released my first CD through CDBaby in 2003 (yeah, yeah, I'm working on #2 now!), where anyone can buy it online at their store and have it in the mail within days... easy! Since then No More Waiting has been made available all across the web at many digital download sites, including Yahoo! Music, MusicMatch, Rhapsody, etc., etc., and the hottest... ITUNES!
What have they done now? CDBaby has made a deal with a major music distributor. This means that if your local store buys from this distributor they can order any CD on CDBaby's roster. Yes, even mine :) How cool is that?
So stop in to your local shop and check it out. Now you won't have to remember these pesky website names and addresses when someone asks you where they can find my CD. Just tell them to order it at the store!
Thanks CDBaby!
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Studio Nears Completion! Posted on: 3-17-06 by Drew |
Well, it's been a busy winter. My time away from writing and recording music has been spent on constructing (from scratch) a finished basement in our new home, complete with a recording studio, and of course a bar/lounge built into one side to refresh strained vocal chords and relax session players. I'm closer than ever to getting started on my next music project, and I can't wait!
From what I've been working on so far, between hanging sheetrock and cutting lumber, I can tell you that this next project will contain fun ditties similar to those that you may be familiar with from my previous CD, but also I will be mixing in some other musical styles that have influenced me over the past few years.
So here's to music, and here's to life. I'll keep you posted as the project begins and progresses. Stop back for more details later!
-Drew
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UBL Featured Country Arist Posted on: 12/23/05 by Drew Vics |
This just in: I'm a Featured Artist on the Ultimate Band List for a week! Truth of the Matter is the song of choice for their country music section! Thanks to Adam and all at UBL.com who decided to select this track as a feature song!
Thanks to everyone for your continued support of my music. It means a lot.
Studio note: The studio is ready to be assembled, so production will begin on the next CD very soon. I will keep you updated.
Everyone have a Safe and Happy Holiday!
Drew
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Drew jams Reggae with The Verdict! Posted on: 10/22/05 by Drew Vics |
For a belated birthday bash held for my wife we ventured down to the Meadowlands, NJ area with some friends and stopped in at Cheeseburger in Paradise. Our favorite reggae band, Verdict, was performing that night. We all had a great dinner, chatted for a while, then the band went on.
After their second set the bass payer, Marcelino Thompson, wandered off somewhere and still hadn't returned when the rest of the band made their way to the stage to begin their third set. The drummer, Johnny, who is an amazing drummer and talented singer as well, sat calling in his mic, "Marcelino... Marcelino..."
Marcelino was nowhere to be found. My wife decides that I can sit in for him and proceeds to notify the band, along with everyone else at our table. I reluctantly made my way to the stage, picked up Marcelino's bass, and asked what song we'd be playing. I wasn't sure if I could handle any of their soca or calypso, but straight reggae wasn't a problem. Luckily the guitarist, Raga, responded, "Stir it Up."
"Cool!" I said. Then I asked what key. Once I had that established it only took a few measures to get into the grove and we were jamming away. I heard my wife yell from the audience, "Play that funky music white boy!" Everyone cheered.
Unfortunately I don't have the long dreadlocks that Marcelino and a few other band members have, but it was a fun jam at any rate.
After we finished Marcelino reappeared. He didn't mind, and in fact was wearing a pretty big smile. We still don't know where he was.
Verdict is one of the best reggae bands I've ever heard, and if you're looking for a fun time with great caribbean music, check them out. You won't be disappointed. You can check out their website here: Verdictisin.com.
That was a fun time, and my first public appearance in quite a while. I realized how much I miss performing and I need to get out there again soon. Maybe I'll get a chance to Jam with them next time at CBIP. I'll let you know when we'll be heading down that way.
Hey, you all have a happy halloween. Best!
Drew
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No More Waiting on IndependentCast Posted on: 9/24/05 by Drew |
Here's some cool news...
An indie internet radio station called IndependentCast will be spinning a song from No More Waiting during their Monday (9-26-05) PodCast. Tune in (links below) to see which one they'll be playing, and listen to some great music from other independent artists. I was listening to the show the other day and I just found a new favorite band! You could too. Another favorite that is, we all know how much you like No More Waiting. :)
Here's more information on the show:
"IndependentCast is a weekly half-hour Podcast featuring the absolute best music by Independent Artists from around the globe. The goal of IndependentCast is to help independent artists promote their music to the masses. Podcast is revolutionizing music and IndependentCast is making sure that independent artists dont get left out of the loop. For more information log onto www.IndependentCast.com. Because everyone started as an indie"
Make sure to tune in on Monday to see which track they've selected from No More Waiting. Which is your fav, do you think they'll select the one you like? Tune in and find out!
Tune in to the show Here.
and visit the main IndependentCast site here.
Thanks IndiependentCast!
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Recording Project Pending... Posted on: 08-10-05 by Drew Vics |
The studio is still under construction, but some new recording equipment has been purchased that will make the production of the next CD more "state of the art." Originally, a release date of October 2005 was planned, but things didn't progress as expected and delays were encountered.
I'm busy working on new songs, and arranging music for the next CD, so once the studio is finished (and man I hope it's soon!) I'll get started on recording. This should be a fun project, and a smoother ride considering that No More Waiting was a real learning experience.
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Kweevak 2005 WINNER! Posted on: 07-21-05 by Drew Vics |
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Kweevak.com presents "Reader's Survey" and "Editor's Choice" awards as part of their "Annual Music Awards."
The 2005 "Reader's Survey Awards" were presented to the top-35 winners as chosen by visitors to the Kweevak.com website. Almost 150 music projects (CDs/EPs/DVDs) were nominated to be voted on and several thousand votes were cast.
Thanks for your support, especially if you're among those who voted for me at Kweevak! - Drew
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