Sound For Sale

And Tears Fell - Requiem is now up for sale at CDBaby. The real, physical CD. It's beautiful, I don't mind saying. Everybody has gushed about the package design. I'm very happy with it. We got an email from a local band called Drizzle (who have a similar sound) asking to share a bill. Even back in the label days, with talk of showcases and various lineups, we were never asked by one of our labelmates to share a bill, so getting a gig offer twenty years later is kind of sweet. Not that we could do anything about it just yet. If I can talk Mike and Muriel into an acoustic set, we could go just about anywhere and play on anyone's bill, from coffee shops to clubs. I just played along with the complete album on the acoustic (14 songs in a row without a break), and my fingers didn't bleed at all, so I know I could do it. Dan Humphrey is going to hit me with some concepts for a music video for one of the tracks. So far, one song is the clear popular fave as far as video potential, but I want to hear Dan's thoughts.

Caleb's dad has had hospice move in and take over. He's on morphine and unable to form complete thoughts or words. This is all too familiar. I'm trying to remain positive and take Caleb's mindset: he's good with his dad, there's nothing outstanding between them, nothing left unsaid. His dad has had a remarkably full and colorful life. It's a tragedy to cut it short, but not unnatural like losing a child or a young sibling or partner. Caleb helped me cut through the brush on my first time down this path. Now I can show him where to walk.

Week one of Deathtrap rehearsals is complete, and Act I is blocked. We're a day ahead of schedule. The posters and postcards are being professionally printed and placed with a distribution service. We have a dedicated PR person now (what Sam always strove for). I've been submerging myself in FM radio hits of 1975-1978, as the play is set in October 1978 and I want to have an intermission CD of historically appropriate music. My cast is fantastic, and I may just have a crush on our Myra (don't worry Dan - it's totally not like that - she's just really fantastic and raises the bar for everyone). If you're not in the Seattle area and want to catch the dynamite Trish Loyd, all you need do is get a copy of Ordinary Angels. She plays Sam (for all intents and purposes), so it's not surprising we bonded over the shoot. Even if you just watch the trailer, Trish is the one in tears saying, "Isn't there any way I can stay?" next to the sobbing Ben Andrews. And her husband Dan is probably the most creatively compatible film geek collaborator I've worked with in ages (my two best friends are Leos, and here comes Dan, a Leo - kind of a natural fit).

Speaking of OA, I'm back to developing the TV series. Have a five-season arc outlined, and a full grasp of the basic story. Now to draft up the pilot. I also submitted the short to STIFF and the Port Townshend Film Festival. In the meantime, Sally and Dan (Trish's Dan) are working on preproduction for Duo, and Dan Humphrey is getting ready to premiere his new film.