Seume

It’s COLD in KC! So cold, my “new” 1982 VW Vanagon — aka The Wookie — refused to start yesterday morning. But hey, I refused to start this morning, too. It’s too warm with the covers pulled up all cozy-like! And speaking of covers, here’s my version of Sam Cooke’s, “A Change Is Gonna Come”. Hope you dig it.

The stop animation video for “Will Ya Be My Friend” is in its final stage, so look for a premier shortly after the New Year. Working on new T-Shirts, stickers, and other ideas (Vinyls, USB drives w/ album downloads…) to roll out in the next couple months, too. Trying to take advantage of being ushered inside by the weather!

And just making some changes. Growing during the winter on the inside light.

I’m smellin a year-in-review pot roast cookin. Needs to stew in the crock for a couple more weeks to really soak up all that flavor! I’m gettin hungry… Might have to hook up a little meal at the local grocery deli. $4.99 for an entree, 2 sides, bread, AND a drink! And after this one, the punch card says the next one’s FREE.99! Get outta heeeya.

I leave you with an intimate photo from last Saturday @ The Brick. DJG’s 7th annual art exhibition went off really well… great to be surrounded by his artwork on the walls. And the spread of munchies was nothin to shake a fist at either.

Rub yo tummy.
-Seume

Carrie a’ Paris told me I needed to write a new blog post… again. Ask and you shall receive!

I’m not gonna doooo, what you think I’m gonna doooo, and try to write a long catch up post. Oh no, mi amigo, forgetting what is behind, I press on for the prize. This is all mustard. But I will say this: My summer was good. I stayed cool. Thanks for the yearbook advice!

It’s turning into fall here in America’s Heartland. The changing seasons stir up obvious inspiration. And the fire pit on PJ’s property is getting stoked. Kumbaya, my Lord…….. kumbaya.

And now, a scene from Wayne’s World:

She will be mine… oh yes… she will be mine!

I took my Telecaster down to Midwestern Musical Co. in the KC Crossroads a few days ago with the mind to trade her out. It’s gonna be a tough breakup and I wish I didn’t have to do it. It’s me… really. She’s permanently left her mark on It Is What It Is , so I’ll always love her. But it’s time for a change, and all I got is change. I’ve never understood it, but apparently you really can’t have your cake and eat it too.

I’m spending the weekend with an Epiphone, and we’re already taking pictures together. Yeah… It’s like that.

She’s got what I want — a beautiful body and a heart of gold. Golden tuners, anyway. But for real, for real… I really like this guitar. Haven’t finalized the trade yet and it’s only Friday, but come Monday, it’s done dada!

Ooookay…. I just got really tired. Goodnight — star light, star bright.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve gotten some overseas press–in the UK.  On my birthday, April 21st, I got a message from Simon, the director behind Seume album art and web design, about being mentioned in The Drum UK.

To read the article on their site, you have to create a sign-in (why?), so here’s the text for those of you who won’t wanna do that (don’t blame you).

Smiling Wolf has worked with musician David Seume on a number of design tasks.

The Liverpool-based agency developed branding, sleeve art and packaging for the singer as well as launching his new website – davidseume.com – featuring motion graphics and a blog.

Seume’s recently released debut album cover featured a specially manufactured and photographed typographic installation.

So yeah, a design based mention, but good to be mentioned no doubt. Thanks Si, for the heads up, and to John from Smiling Wolf for recently giving my myspace some new threads.

Also, just last week received a nice review for It Is What It Is from UK based online music mag, Room Thirteen. For this one, you don’t have to do anything but click to read Joanna Vallance’s remarks on what she calls “A Varied and Promising Album”.

And, It Is What It Is is getting airplay at nearly 100 college/indie radio stations nationwide (and Canada) and is a weekly top 30 album at WLFR in Pomona, NJ. Hopefully I’ll be soon be cracking more top 30’s and start grabbing some top 10’s (or the top spot, yeah?), but the reception thus far even for a self-released debut has been proper cool. Mos def.

I’m off to Wheaton, IL tomorrow for a week at my brother’s house. Gonna landscape his crib. If I can get it together, I’ll shoot some before and after photos to throw up on Flickr. I know you wanna see ‘em.

So that’s about it for now. I’ll soon be writing an post about stuff from the last month: the L.A. show, some KC shows, the “Will Ya Be My Friend” video, some local recognition, and just generally why it’s been a while since the last update.

cheerios,
seume

I’m jumping on a flight to LA this evening to head out west for the show w/ HI-Stereo @ Air Conditioned tomorrow night. This will be the first time that my brother Pete and I are on the same bill and will share the same stage. Big brother Pete has been a big influence in my life, and with music too. He inspires me. Illmatic!

April 21st is also Pat’s (HI-Stereo guitar player) and my birthday! Aaaand, my younger brother Mark is coming out for the night from Chicago! Without Mark’s support, Peter and I surely would not be where we are — wherever that is — in music. I keep a note from Mark framed on my desk, where I spent plenty o’ time while making the album. It says, “Get. It. Done.” Keeping it on the really real, like he doos it. Bro, I couldn’t have done it without you.

DJG once again cooks up a killer show poster that’s now been slapped all over Venice Beach to promote the show. This scaled down image hardly does the all-spray-paint poster justice. See a BIGGER one here. Thanks, DJG, for taking the time to meticulously cut out the stencils and do the 3 color layering (and for the balloons)! It’s truly a blessing to have the best in town at play with my shows. We’re starting a nice li’l pile! Click here to see ‘em all.

And Norris, HI-Stereo’s bass player and resident artist, also put together a sick poster using the pages from his doodle journal. I first saw No-No’s journal — and “doodle” isn’t really the right word… his drawings are mos definitely skilled — during the band’s recording session at 4th Street in Santa Monica a few weeks ago. The 2 pages from that weekend in the studio are the ones you’ll see in the poster below. I’ve suggested that he start scanning the pages and throw ‘em online as a blog so folks the world over can enjoy his work. It was really cool watching him creatively chronicle the events of the day — like the black bird singing (I played this tune in the control room at one point between takes) or the hearse drawn beneath it (there was some kind of funeral situation outside that Saturday) — and I think it’d put a killer spin on the sometimes humdrum blogiverse.

And, today is 4/20. So I’ll take this opportunity to do 2 things. First, say happy birthday to my good friend David Blair — a phenomenal painter. Click here to see some of DB’s portrait work in pyschedlic realism. The first 4 portraits on the page are those of the Fab Four that my brother, Mark, commissioned and has hanging in his crib.

And here’s one that is currently residing as the desktop on my laptop. Thanks, DB, for creating art that motivates. And, thanks for your spirit and music, Bob.

And last but not least, thanks to all my friends at the Dopefiend Network that have supported my music by playing it on their podcasts. Thanks especially to Larz, Esse.B, Jay-K, Dopefiend, and BB at the Bungalow. Be on the lookout for a Esse.B remix of “Revolution Son”. Dirt nasty.

Okay… I’m gonna miss my plane if I don’t wrap this up. Adios amigo.

-seume

I’m posting everyday, man! 3 days in a row? Are you tracking this? Blogathon.

I just received a live recording of a new track I’ve been working on — maybe titled “It Ain’t So” — from Damage, producer and live sound engineer the night of my 2/12 gig at The Pig in Independence, MO. And here’s where I give a shout out to a great friend, and the only person I knew in a crowd of about 10 total in the bar — Brandon. He’s been to more shows than anyone else I can think of, up there with my best boy and soul brother PJ, and he was the only one not to miss this song live. ‘preciate my friends.

It wasn’t the first time I’d played the song live (I think that was last June at Fred P. Ott’s), and I’ve played it a few times since at another great friend, James’ house — my most oft-played venue — but as far as I know, it was the first time the song was recorded. Damage thought the song was (or should be) called “It Is You,” as you’ll see in the URL he gave it. I thank him for running sound that night, recording this track, and finding me online to send it my way.

But, aaaaah, after all that… here’s the live cut of “It Ain’t Me” … hope you enjoy it.

Since that performance, I’ve written some more lyrics that I really like for the second verse (instead of re-singing the first, as I did 2/12). Here’s one of the new lines:

The story’s told,
The sun grows old,
Burns red with a heart of gold,
And casts a rose upon the ground.

To further commemorate this momentous 3-days-in-a-row-blogathon, I’m attaching some nice visuals related to the work-in-project video for “Will Ya Be My Friend”. First, is one of my favorite collages (by DJG) for vid background consideration. In case you missed checking out the whole set of collages from yesterday’s post… second chances are yours by clicking the pelvic bone — or anywhere else on the image

And I thought you might be interested in seeing some of “Will Ya Be My Friend” film director, Philip Cheaney’s previous work, too. It’s one he did for The Winston Jazz Routine’s song, “A Ghost Beneath The Tower.” I think you’ll dig it.

If you want to be the first to know if the blogathon goes for 4 (nope…), you can subscribe to the feed right here. And soon I’ll be sending out a periodical newsletter — once or twice a month. If you wanna get that, click on “Subscribe” on the main site and enter your name and email address. Pretty easy. And don’t worry… it’ll be just as easy to unsubscribe.

Or will it?

Hahaha.

?

Okay… yes. It will. And so with this post, after the P.S.

P.S. Biscuits and gravy from Corner Cafe in Riverside, MO is the best around. Even when they’re leftovers. Especially when your roommate hooks ‘em up. They were delicious, brother… just delicious.

DJG whipped this show poster up in his “bossome” man cave. This 2009 vintage design has earthy undertones and an oaky finish!

You can also check out some of DJG’s design progress for the “Will Ya Be My Friend” video that’s in the works. See some the collages being considered for integration!

I was out in sunny/overcast LA over the weekend to be with my brother, Peter, and the rest of my boys — Pat, Dan, Ryan, and Norris — in HI-Stereo as they recorded tracks for an upcoming EP.  The boys chose 4th Street Recording in Santa Monica to capture the sounds.  It’s a cozy spot tucked away right off the 3rd Street Promenade, where there’s always artists, musicians, and other creative types performing.

 Click here for photos (with captions!) from the weekend.

For HI-Stereo’s myspace, simply click here.