If you missed my Thacker Mountain Radio performance on February 27th (and the rebroadcast on March 7th), you can see it on the VIDEOS page or on YouTube. Thanks for watching!
Memphis Magnetic Recording
A few days after our February tour wrapped up, we went into the studio to capture what we’d been developing on the road. Stay tuned for a release date. Here are some photos of Mike Doughty, Andrew “Scrap” Livingston, and myself taken by Kelly “Scully” Rybarczyk at Memphis Magnetic Recording Recording (02/26/20).
On the radio (again)
In case you missed it, I performed at Off Square Books last week in Oxford, MS for Thacker Mountain Radio Hour - Thursday, February 27th. You can listen to the entire show (featuring author Alexander Weinstein and violinist Jiwon Lee) on tomorrow's rebroadcasts - Saturday, March 7th on Mississippi Public Broadcasting at 7:00 PM CST and on Alabama Public Radio at 9:00 PM CST. Photos by Jennifer Lauriello.
Mike & Me
Last week I returned home from tour, playing drums with Mike Doughty. It was a fantastic 21 days of 16 shows in 13 states. I've been a fan of Mike's ever since he was M. Doughty - singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Soul Coughing. I listened to all of their albums obsessively. I watched them perform "Circles" on David Letterman, and saw them live on the 1998 El Oso tour in New York City at Irving Plaza. Four years later I was drumming with John Mayer, in support of his album Room for Squares, and Mike joined us for a string of dates as the opening act. I caught his set every night. We hung out a few times and realized we had some mutual friends. Two years after that, Mike asked me to audition for his new band. He was getting ready to release Haughty Melodic, and needed a touring drummer. I received a CD in the mail (pictured here, dated February 2004) with songs to learn for the session. The audition went smoothly, but I didn't get the gig. Fast forward to 2014 when I relocated from Jersey City, NJ to Memphis, TN to be with my then girlfriend / now wife Abby. Shortly after the move, my friend Mark Stepro told me that Mike Doughty also recently left the east coast for Memphis. I sent an email to Mike and we met for lunch in Midtown, where we caught up on the previous decade. He and I started playing improv gigs around town, which turned into the band MOTICOS and then BABY MEN. The latter of which was the support act for Mike's recent tour. Yes, we opened up for ourselves in disguise (and I got to keep the mask). Anyway, that’s it for now; but stay tuned for more tales from the road. Thank you for indulging me while I wax nostalgic. I just wanted to share what’s been on my mind, which boils down to this... Life is an adventure, and the music business can be unpredictable. Work hard. Work smart. Be nice. Practice gratitude. Keep going.
Use your head
Vote TODAY! #supertuesday
Last night on Thacker
Super fun gig last night in Oxford, MS for Thacker Mountain Radio Hour, recorded live at Off Square Books. Pics below and videos coming soon! Stay tuned for rebroadcast dates in March.
On the radio 02/27/19
Tune in to Thacker Mountain Radio Hour this Thursday, February 27th at 6:00pm CST! I'll be broadcasting live from Square Books in Oxford, MS. More info here…
thackermountain.com/upcoming-shows/finishing-february-at-off-square-books
M. Doughty tour update #3
Back in Memphis after a super fun tour on drums for three weeks with Mike Doughty (and BABY MEN). Here are some pics from last week. If you’re in Memphis tonight, come see our homecoming show at DKDC!
I don’t rap, but I can freestyle. - Ithaca, NY
Before farmers get to the market. - Ithaca, NY
Street art. - Ithaca, NY
Good morning Lake Champlain. - Burlington, VT
Graffiti in the snow. - Burlington, VT
Riot gear. - Burlington, VT
Mike, Andrew, and me. - Burlington, VT
Drummer view. - Burlington, VT
Winter hours. - Burlington, VT
Hotel couch. - Burlington, VT
“And he walked on down the hall.” - Burlington, VT
mirror IV by Amy Stacey Curtis - Portsmouth, NH
What really happens backstage before a big rock show. - Portsmouth, NH
Blue house with red door. - Portsmouth, NH
My friend David Freeman drove up from New Jersey for dinner before the show. - Hamden, CT
Cherry chairs. - Hamden, CT
Good morning Spa Creek. - Annapolis, MD
Friday flowers. - Annapolis, MD
Walking after midnight. - Annapolis, MD
Gloaming. - Rocky Mount, VA
Night light. - Roanoke, VA
Rise and shine. - Roanoke, VA
Pit stop. - Mount Jackson, VA
Home Sweet Home - Memphis, TN
Thacker Mountain Radio
Excited to announce that I’ll be performing live on Thacker Mountain Radio Hour at Square Books in Oxford, MS on Thursday, February 27th! Tune in here...
thackermountain.com/upcoming-shows/finishing-february-at-off-square-books
M. Doughty tour update #2
Another fun week on the road with Mike Doughty and Andrew “Scrap” Livingston! Pics below. Traveling today from New York to Vermont for more shows in Burlington VT, Portsmouth NH, Hamden CT, Annapolis MD, and Rocky Mount VA. Details HERE.
Winter is cool. - Madison, WI
“If I knew about this, I wouldn’t have done my laundry today.” - Grand Rapids, MI
We also open up for ourselves as improv art trio BABY MEN. - Grand Rapids, MI
Tour manager extraordinaire, Kelly aka Scully. - Grand Rapids, MI
My superpower is playing drums with BABY MEN. - Grand Rapids, MI
Every hotel lobby should have a lollipop bouquet. - Grandville, MI
Winter fire. - Grandville, MI
When you get to the venue and there’s an Atari 2600 hooked up in the dressing room. - Indianapolis, IN
Calm before the storm. - Indianapolis, IN
Kitty it’s cold outside. - Indianapolis, IN
Scully and Scrap. - Cincinnati, OH
The Dude abides. - Cincinnati, OH
Well lit library. - Columbus, OH
Woke up like this. - Columbus, OH
Lighthouse on Lake Erie. - Buffalo, NY
Mike, Andrew, and me. - Buffalo, NY
Options. - Buffalo, NY
Rachel sang on the Soul Coughing song “Janine”. She came to the gig and did a duet with Mike for the encore (while her dog Bibi waited the wings). - Ithaca, NY
Diner dinner. - Ithaca, NY
Sunset stroll. - Ithaca, NY
M. Doughty tour update #1
After a few days of rehearsal in Memphis, we headed north to start the tour in Missouri; then continued on to Iowa and Wisconsin. It’s a winter wonderland up here! Pics below and upcoming dates HERE.
Rehearsal watchdog. - Memphis, TN
We played on the indoor stage. - Columbia, MO
First show of the tour at Rose Music Hall. - Columbia , MO
Rise and shine. - St. Louis, MO
Caucus leftovers. - Iowa City, IA
Pitstop. - Paris, MO
Andrew and Mike at Guitar Center. - Madison, WI
Morning shadows. - Madison, WI
High Noon Saloon. - Madison, WI
Night lights. - Eau Claire, WI
Mike Doughty tour!
I'm excited to announce that I'll be on tour in February, playing drums with Mike Doughty! I've been a fan his ever since I heard him with Soul Coughing back in the day. We met in 2002 when I was playing with John Mayer, and Mike was opening shows for part of the tour. He and I reconnected a few years ago when we both moved to Memphis around the same time. Click HERE for venue and ticket info. I'll be reporting from the road, so be sure to join me on INSTAGRAM for lots of photos and videos.
Mixerman says....
“To simplify things isn’t merely an exercise. It’s a path to success.”
- Eric Sarafin aka Mixerman
NEW SONG!!
Brand new jam from The Perch in Memphis, TN. Watch here… youtu.be/iV7tAO3ePh4
Vaca in CDMX
Abby and I returned home yesterday from a fantastic trip to Mexico City, aka Ciudad de México, aka CDMX. Such a great city! Some of the neighborhoods we explored were Roma, Condesa, San Juan Teotihuacán, Coyoacán, Polanco, and San Ángel. We were there for about a week, but could have stayed longer and still found plenty to do, see, eat, etc. Here are a few pics from the journey.
Las dos Fridas by Frida Kahlo (Museo de Arte Moderno)
Tlaloc Fountain (Bosque de Chapultepec)
Saturday in the park. (Bosque de Chapultepec)
Agua, el origen de la vida by Diego Rivera (Bosque de Chapultepec)
We and our shadow. (Bosque de Chapultepec)
Kimchi Ramen at Los Loosers
Me vs Elote at Los Loosers
Mercado en San Ángel.
Frida’s studio at The Blue House / Frida Kahlo Museum (Coyoacán)
Lucha Libre date night.
Luchadores off the top rope!
Vegan pastor at Por Siempre Vegana Taqueria.
Roma Norte after midnight.
Pirámide del Sol (Teotihuacán)
Pirámide de la Luna (Teotihuacán)
Temple of the Feathered Serpent (Teotihuacán)
Roma Noir
New Year / New Beats
I recorded a monthly series of videos in 2019 called New Year / New Beats and they’re now on YouTube. Check out all twelve right here…
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6DkGoKprbL0T2f4PLO8sk4iEXpLQzFVD
NYE with PJT
I got home yesterday from a week of shows in Colorado, drumming with Pimps of Joytime. It was a great way to start the new year / decade! Here are some pics from the trip.
Morning reflections. (Denver, CO)
Saturday in the park. (Denver, CO)
Denver Art Museum
Opening for Umphrey’s McGee at The Fillmore. (Denver, CO)
Plenty of vegan options. (Denver, CO)
Crested Butte, CO
Weather advisory. (Crested Butte, CO)
Winter window. (Crested Butte, CO)
Driving through Colorado.
Brian and Chauncey working on new music. (Ridgway, CO)
Telluride, CO
2020 started at Sheridan Opera House. (Telluride, CO)
'Tis the season
Woody Guthrie’s NEW YEARS RULIN’S
PJT and ME in CO
I’ll be in Colorado for the next few days, playing drums with Pimps of Joytime! First show is tonight in Denver opening for Umphrey’s McGee at The Fillmore, then we’ll be in Crested Butte for to night, then New Year’s Eve in Telluride!! More info at pimpsofjoytime.com
Happy Birthday Shane!
Shane MacGowan was born on this day in 1957. On March 15, 2019 I released an EP called Songs of Shane, featuring some of his music from The Pogues and The Popes. Listen from the MUSIC page and send a cheers to Shane!
