The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Dear Songfight:

Me and a friend of mine recently recorded a song of mine for a chance to be part of the Great American Duet Sing-Off on Prairie Home Companion. I started writing this song almost 5 years ago (gasp) for a fight called "Don't Forget to Come to My House on Wednesday" and never really got around to finishing it until last night. The song is now called "Don't You Forget About Me", and while viewing it on Youtube will not increase our chances of getting to be on PHC, maybe you'd like to check it out anyways. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXgd3WPFEQA

Love,

Erik

Sounds pretty good. That was a fun segue into Simple Minds. I'm suddenly in the mood to watch the breakfast club.
I watched the movie PHC but had no idea it was still a real show. Good luck to you and your friend, Erik.

Anyone who's been around for more than five years will appreciate this:

So Aggravating (Idiot Kings cover)

Wow, finally finished the coverfight, eh? Not sure if it's something on my end, but the mp3 I got was only a minute-something. Beginning sounds good, though.
-bill

That's weird, people in the chat room last night didn't seem to have a problem.

Anyway, I just re-uploaded it, and the file sizes match, so it should play in its entirety now.

There is this taco stand made out of an old (what looks to be) school bus. They've attached a dining room onto the other side of it in case you want to sit down as well as a patio out in front of it.

I love this place and I probably spend way too much money there. I particularly love the Cochinita Pibil burrito.

Anyway, I wrote and recorded Taco Bus as an ode to the joint as an idea I got from driving past it last Thursday. It was supposed to be a cooky punk rock song about the place but now when I listen to it I realize its dangerously close to being a frickin' commercial.

I like that, Hobz! Funny how a good burrito can inspire a song. I have a few favorite taco stands that have crept into my songs through the years. In fact, our In The Valley collab I did with CR and one of the Jeffs, I mention Burrito King in L.A. They have a Carnitas burrito that's amazing and they're open 24 hours a day. I think my line was something like, "head on down to Burrito King, get a large Carnitas and bean, goin' down it tastes so fine, but coming up it tastes like swine"

Also, interesting that your song is about an actual taco bus. There is a small Mexican family catering business in Oceanside, near San Diego CA. that have a father, son and daughter that each have a short bus that the father bought at an action and transformed into roach couches (catering trucks). I was on a job site there about a year ago and I got pretty chummy with the daughter. She told me the story of their business.

Billy's Little Trip wrote:I like that, Hobz! Funny how a good burrito can inspire a song. I have a few favorite taco stands that have crept into my songs through the years. In fact, our In The Valley collab I did with CR and one of the Jeffs, I mention Burrito King in L.A. They have a Carnitas burrito that's amazing and they're open 24 hours a day. I think my line was something like, "head on down to Burrito King, get a large Carnitas and bean, goin' down it tastes so fine, but coming up it tastes like swine"

Also, interesting that your song is about an actual taco bus...

What's really cool is they (for now) have the first hit in a google search for Taco Bus (don't even need it in quotes!)

http://www.google.com/search?q=Taco+Bus ... =firefox-a

A few other links to it below the first hit as well. I just moved to the Seminole Heights neighborhood and apparently its a neighborhood pearl.

Now as far as The Burrito King in L.A. goes, its also been featured in an INTRO to a Tom Waits song from his album Nighthawks at the Diner. I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE that intro uploaded to my webspace as I was just talking about this intro to someone else. (FOR A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT REASON!) I'm assuming its the same place because I know the show that the intro is from was in L.A. BUT it was a long time ago. (So there is a possibility that its not the same place, IDK fo sho)

Hoblit wrote:Now as far as The Burrito King in L.A. goes, its also been featured in an INTRO to a Tom Waits song from his album Nighthawks at the Diner. I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE that intro uploaded to my webspace as I was just talking about this intro to someone else. (FOR A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT REASON!) I'm assuming its the same place because I know the show that the intro is from was in L.A. BUT it was a long time ago. (So there is a possibility that its not the same place, IDK fo sho)

Wow, what a trip. I've never heard that before. I really need to start listing to some Tom Waits. I hear him mentioned every so often, but I have never paid much attention.
What year was that from? I'll see if I can dig up my oldest Burrito King mention. It's been over 15 years I think.

edit: OK, I found it. Way back in a song from 1995 called, La La Land. It was an audience participation song and we played this song for about a year before it was ever recorded. In the bridge at 2:30.

Here is a song just finished the other day called "After We Went Down"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3CXLbIwERU

deetak wrote:Here is a song just finished the other day called "After We Went Down"

Holy Batman, deetak. That is some great singing right there. Compares favorably to the Andrew Bird CD that's been in my car stereo for a week now.

On a different note, I finally (after three years) reopened TheWhiteHat.com!!!!
It's got:
-Free mp3s of my 2005 album, Waiting to Play For You
-Recordings of my full score to John Cariani's Almost, Maine arranged entirely for solo banjo,
-And a whole junk drawer full of moldy mp3s I found lying around my hard drive.
-Web design that, for once, I might even be a little proud of.

So head on down, folks, to http://www.TheWhiteHat.com. Free bourbon for all attendees*

*Bourbon availability subject to availability of bourbon, which is to say: none.

I've begun work on a new album. Here's an early demo.
"The Elephant in the Room"

Fine work, Niv. I look forward to the rest. Until Mr VIYH gets his finger out and puts up that session, I find myelf itching for more Niv musik-a-goodness!

j$

deetak wrote:Here is a song just finished the other day called "After We Went Down"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3CXLbIwERU

I checked it out. I think you found a nice balance using your soft voice and a light guitar strum. I listened to a few others of yours and this is my favorite. I'd say, stay around that neck of the woods for a while and hone that side of your style. Might be interesting to see what grows from it.

And while I'm at it I might as well contribute too. Here's my first fully mastered tune for an upcoming album (way in the future) that will be called "Road to Recovery". This one is called "Sometimes". http://www.myspace.com/incredibleunknown

My EP is done!!

These four songs clock in at just shy of ten minutes. It's titled ...One Would Hope, and features cover art by the inestimable Teplin!

The mp3s are free to download here, along with instructions on what to do if you'd like a CD copy with an inset featuring Teplin's art and the song lyrics.

I'll also be bringing a dozen copies or so to Spokane in a couple of weeks. 8)

Ordered one earlier toady, Jon-boy. Sign me something perty. Uh, perty please, that is.

Order received, and it will be in the mail tomorrow. Paco, you are officially the first person ever to buy music from me. You rock.

Sent out yesterday, Paco. Let me know when you get it!

Also, I forgot to number yours, but it's 1st printing, limited edition with error, #1/20.

I will notify you as soon as it arrives, good sir!

Generic - sounds great, man...I'll totally buy one off of you in Spokane.

Just got home to find the CD waiting. Although I'm very excited to hear it, it's too late to play right now. However! It looks great, and I'll slap it on in the morning. Yay!