Long Live Sgt. Pepper

Hey Soul Mates,
There is no way to underestimate the impact of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. the album turns 40 today. It is a musical and cultural landmark that remains the highpoint of pop music artistry. Only Thriller comes close in importance. I wasn't exaggerating in our documentary when I said I suppose I learned how to read because the lyrics to Pepper were printed on the back of the album. That record played constantly at home. And I was born after its release so even in the 70's and 80's it was a household favorite.

My best friends and I mimed the tracks constantly with our tennis racket guitars. It was a fun rainy day (or sunny day diversion) to put Pepper on the turntable and pretend to be the Beatles or whoever was in the shiny military suits on the front cover. The entire package of Pepper was perfect: the lyrics, the uniforms, the front cover with its who's who. I can remember staring at both sides of the cover, and the smiling Fabs in the gatefold, for long chunks of time.

Now, as a kid, I had no favorite song from the album. I simply disliked George's Within You Without You. I knew the record backward and forward. And as mentioned, I knew all the words. Frequently, in the era before Walkmen, I would trudge to school and sing the entire album to myself. I can still do it. That is a testament to the power of the Beatles' music.

As for Within You Without You, I have a great appreciation for it as an adult. As a kid, the drone and the philosophy were a bit heavy, spooky in fact. Now I realize this is the track that anchors the entire endeavor, keeping it from being too lightweight. The spiritual core of Pepper.

If I had to pick two or three favorites, I might say Getting Better, Lovely Rita (and its amazing bassline) and Good Morning, Good Morning (which Bryan and I sang walking to Abbey Road studios a year ago). Perfect pop songs. Perfect. But I have much respect and love for the title track, it is the epitome of the mounting excitement of a live performance. With A Little Help From My Friends was one I performed with my first band. For me, She's Leaving Home is still the most moving thing on the LP, more so than A Day In The Life, although the latter is monumental in the pop genre. When I'm 64, was a childhood favorite with it's indelible melody and a hook that we used to sing as "When I'm 6'4"." Which I am. Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite and Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds were and still are among the most inventive lyrics ever. There is imagery in those songs that helped explode my imagination, at a time the only drug I heard of was St. Joseph's children's aspirin.

Liverpool was such an awesome place to visit, simply to see the childhood neighborhood's from which the Beatles' sprouted. To walk those streets, to touch the buildings, to breathe that air. All of that informed their work, including Pepper. Of course, being in the studio where they made the album was a religious experience, too. I've got it playing now. I highly recommend revisiting it today on this special anniversary. It will make you smile.

I can't even estimate how many times I've listened to Pepper, how many hours I've invested in this disc. Several hundred would be a fair guess. Without the Beatles and specifically Sgt. Pepper, I would not be making the music I make, if any at all. Debt unrepayable. Thanks, boys.

And of course, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Doug! Quite an auspicious day in history.

Love, Power, Peace

If Marv Albert Says So

Hey Soul Mates,
off topic:

48 points in 51 minutes. Epic performance, bringing the Cavs home with a 3-2 lead.
This pic never gets old. Your Kid and The King, Cleveland 2002.


Love, Power, LeBron

I Pity The Fool!

Hey Soul Mates,
for his birthday, I got Doug his own Mr. T talking key chain. Grrrrr. So that's taken. If you want to send him a birthday greeting, post us a message on the band myspace or even here. His own myspace page has been acting up. His birthday is Friday/tomorrow, so don't forget.

Studio time was very productive. Doug got some choice percussion parts on. Shakers, cowbell, rain stick, tambourine, vibra-slap. Of course all of us helped with the soul clap on Fall Out. (I got to do the finger cymbals at the top of Roosevelt's Revue.) We were a lot like third graders in a music appreciation class, making a racket.

Best of all, Doug, who had missed all of the vocal sessions prior, got his voice on the record! We rerecorded the choruses on Roosevelt and Sucka to include Mr. Doug. Slammin! It was a real blessing, tho' to have Doug here tonight. Thanks for adding all that flavor.

Can I tell you how much fun the past month of session work has been? Adam has pulled out the stops with the keyboard parts. He better watch out or we might have to clone him for performances. Adam paid me a nice compliment tonight. He told me with all of the repeated listening that he has a new appreciation for the uplift and point-of-view in my lyrics. I know life ain't always rosy, but I like writing joyful songs. And I love being in a band that plays them. Nice to know there's a place for that still.

Bryan was in the process of putting down some shaker parts too when Doug and I had to jet. I was beat (caught my second wind) and had to get Dogg to Union Station on time. I don't think I've ever driven from Reseda to Downtown in under 20 minutes before. And I barely did over 75. Cause my car won't do it. Anyway, Bryan was cracking us up all night long with his mock indignation at having the short headphone cord and not being allowed to sing a part with Doug and myself. That boy loves his Red Stripe!
Doug and I had a fun afternoon watching a newly minted DVD of our arrival and first performance in Liverpool. Eventually, I'd like to share a lot of the material from the tour with all of you.

As per usual, here's a rare photo from the tour. It was taken a year ago tonight in York, before we drove to Barnsley and slammed at the Arches. Three fine young men dressed for an evening of entertaining... and fish and chips!


I know many of our fans in the UK are really heating up the questions about our return engagement. Especially those in the North. We miss you dearly. We are in serious discussions about this. We've had several false starts, for which I apologize. But, the record is almost done. In fact, by this time next week we'll have 98% of it completed. Minus mastering and manufacturing. At that point we will begin our quest to get support to tour Great Britain on a larger scale. Have no fear, Rush Hour Soul is here... or will be SOON!

Love, Power, Peace

Liddypool After A Year

Hey Soul Mates,
our appearance at the IPO Liverpool festival last year was such a highlight. I'm listening to the audio from the Cavern Club show as I type. Certainly a highlight we'd like to repeat in the very near future. As a special gift to all of you, I will be posting a new Rush Hour Soul "Superboot" MP3 from the Cavern gig on Friday. So watch this space and listen!!!

As promised here are some more previously unpublished pictures of us in Liddypool. Ah, a Mersey-side Bank Holiday weekend! This is us wandering the high street, looking like no-goodniks from LA, for sure.

The best photos from IPO are up on our website, but these are certainly some interesting shots from the first of our three sets, 29 May 2006. These pics were taken in at Lennon's, the early show.








Photos by Patty Tokahuta

Tomorrow night, we are in the studio doing percussion and mixing with Mr. Marsland. We'll take photos, so you can see what we look like this week. I must tell you, listening to the tracks, they are slamming! True funk; true pop.

Happy Anniversary, Rush Hour Soul!

Love, Power, Peace