But mostly reggae.
Since we just got finished with our tiny tour, and we are on the eve of re-entering the studio, it seems like the best time of all to write a little bloggy blog blog.
First, a math question:
If two trains are traveling towards each other at a speed of 130 km/hr, and train A contains Owen Plant, and train B contains Ryanhood, what is the most precise expression of the energy created by their collision?
The answer is: One million awesomes. (Feel free to check the math on that. I was fortunate enough to get to sit in on a math class at MIT with my younger brother while I was in Boston, and even though it was mostly beyond me, it DID get me thinking.)
So, the tour: Owen Plant. Man, oh man. This guy can SING. If you’re lookin’ for a boy with a voice…
Each night we followed roughly the same order. Owen played between 2 and 5 songs, with Ryan guest harmonizing on the last couple. Then he turned the show over to us and we played between 3 and 6 songs, after which he rejoined us for a powerhouse, all-star jamboree… usually between 6 and 9 songs.
Owen’s been playing songs from his three solo records as well as some sweet songs from his new band, The Sunshine Brothers. One of the songs we performed together as a part of our all-star guitar throw-down was called, “Sex and Reggae.” This is fun because, when else are you going to hear Ryanhood singing the words, “It’s all about sex and reggae,” at the top of our lungs?
Our set included a smattering of songs from each record. Usually we did, “Can I Kiss You?” “Army,” “Stopless,” and the new song, “Back Into Blue.”
I was hanging out with a dear friend in Tucson at the start of the summer, and I sang him “Back Into Blue,” in my living room. He memorized the words and music and took the song to New York state where he was a camp counselor for kids from all over New England. He taught it to a bunch of his campers, who then liked it and learned to play it… all unbeknownst to us. So we were happily surprised when we got requests on this tour to play a song we thought no one had ever heard! In addition, we’ve had requests here on myspace for a posted recording, even though no recording even exists for this song as of yet. Well, one DOES exist, and it’s got guitar and cello and Maestro and me, and it’s awesome, but it’s not yet fully finished, and so, as yet, remains very unavailable to the public.
Other songs we’ve been playing live include, “The World Awaits You,” “Gardens and the Graves,” and the newly revamped “Helpless Hopeless.” During our rock-your-socks trio segments we played “Nothing But The Real Thing,” “Welcome You Into My Head,” our cover of Jars of Clay’s “Show You Love,” and the face-melting “Around The Sun.”
What kind of tour would it be, and what kind of songwriters would we be if we didn’t capitalize on each other’s gifts and write a song together? (Note: This question is rhetorical and does not have a factual answer like the math problem above.) Hence, I believe we may have written our finest song. The tune is called, “Rubia” and sounds like… something amazing. Folky, poppy, slightly bluegrassy, with some great lyrics about not missing the moment. Since I love lyrics, here’s a sample:
“Light fall on the trees/ rainfall on the street/ city in the dark/ help me win the heart/ of Rubia.”
New York City cast a spell on me again, almost as much as this beautiful girl in a green and white dress who walked by. The question is, did I miss the moment, or was I a man of action? You’ll have to wait to hear the song to find out! Won’t be out until the next next record, though. But you’re patient, right?
Speaking of patience. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for hanging with us for so long. We have taken so much longer to make this record than anyone would have guessed. And we fear at times that we’re trying your patience too much.
By the time you read this, we’ll be back in the studio. It’s my hope that you’ll keep on spreading the music any way you can. If you ever think of us during the day, send some prayers up, and some good thoughts our way. We’re going to finish this thing, and it’s going to be worth the wait.