gramercy arms: February 2009

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

gramercy arms music player

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Dave is going to be giving a talk at Yale on Monday on the future of the music biz with his pal the esteemed singer-songwriter Mike Errico.

They will address the following questions:

"How is music-making and the business of music changing? How do artists survive in a changing landscape? What skills will they need? What, if anything, does it mean to be an independent artist today?"

Bring the noise, Professor Derby.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

views from the van

Here's Hilken's van being towed.

Here's sean watching New England on YouTube while we follow their former drummer who is towing Hilken's car.

Photos courtesy of Rainy Orteca.

live blogging GA feb 09 minitour

Hilken's car just broke down on the Mass Pike and we picked her up in our rocking mini-van. Good thing the trip from Boston to NoHo is a short one. Lloyd says he has cold PBRs waiting for us. Rainy just came into the van and told me that we have to follow a tow truck dude who is going to drop the car somewhere where AAA can pick it up. Developing ...

UPDATED 3:45 PM

Rainy informs me that she just "killed" Sean at 20th anniversary edition of Galaga at the Framingham Plaza.

Also Rainy informs me that the tow truck driver informed us that AAA is supposed to tow from the Mass Pike. They alleged that they couldn't do it because they are lazy or overextended or both.

UPDATED 3:48 PM

Hilken just informed me that the tow truck driver told us he himself is a famous rock star was the drummer in the band New England who penned the classic "Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya"

Bring it!!!

on the road again

we have one more show tonight on our three show stint at the elevens in northampton, ma.

http://www.elevensmusic.com/

Thursday, February 5, 2009

mascott guest vlog

if you can't be in the band, you might as well hijack their blog. tonite i felt like mel from flight of the conchords, except that mel would never miss the first two songs of a conchords set...like i did tonite at the g-arms show. it wouldn't have been a big deal but rainy is not yet prepared to forgive me, so i must suck it up and meet my maker. at least i have video proof of song #3...

Shining Bright with Renee LoBue

soon after i moved to a closer table to soak in the action:

Looking At The Sun

hilken, sean, rainy, dave & kevin were top notch on every song. then i almost had a coronary when they launched into my favorite dambuilders song ever...IDAHO!! the audience was filled fans of dave derby, so i feel i wasn't the only one that was having a serious '90s moment.

IDAHO

so all in all it was a totally great show...even thought i'll never get those first two songs back. The band is off to play Northampton and then Boston now, catch a show if you can.

love,
mascott

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Gramercy Arms February Shows

Just letting you know in case you don't already know that we will be playing a string of shows this next week with our friend the ultrafabulous Mary Kate O'Neil who is releasing her brand new CD. marykateoneil.com

Thursday Feb 5, New York, New York - The Living Room at 8 pm (Mary Kate and band at 7)

Friday Feb 6, Cambridge, MA - TT the Bears at 10 pm (Mary Kate and band at 8)

Saturday Feb 7, Northampton, MA - The Elevens (with Mary Kate) - still waiting for confirmation on set time!

about gramercy arms

Gramercy Arms is an ever (r)evolving collective band project of New York-based artists.

On this record, Gramercy Arms comprises members of Guided By Voices, Luna, Joan as Police Woman, Dead Air and The Dambuilders, along with comic Sarah Silverman, Their self-titled debut album is a summery blast of gorgeous power pop, heartfelt tales of love and loss and the city they call their home.

Clocking in at a lean and mean 30 minutes, bassist/vocalist Rainy Orteca (Joan As Police Woman, Dead Air) describes it as “the hottest thirty minute love affair available.”

The album is a celebration of all that is New York in its dirty-beautiful splendor. Musically Gramercy Arms is a classic New York sound--Dave Derby’s disaffected poetic sensibilities mesh with the guitar virtuosity of Sean Eden and Hilken Mancini in the grand Gotham tradition of the Velvet Underground and Television shot through with a love of seventies pop rock.

Gramercy Arms captures the romance and feel of the city,the album’s lead Single, “Automatic”, captures the frantic energy of the city. “I was thinking of it in the sense of “automatic response”—embracing intuition and energy. That to me is what the essence of rock and roll has always been.”

The album features a wide range of guest performances including an unexpected background vocal performance by comedian Sarah Silverman who sings backups on the summery “Looking at the Sun.” “It’s about the simple and awesome joy of being able to experience things brand new the way a child sees them,” explains Derby. “The song was almost done but I felt the song needed something more. Rainy (Orteca of Joan As Police Woman and Dead Air ) and I had worked with Sarah before creating music for her television show, The Sarah Silverman Program and thought that she’d be perfect for the song. She has a beautiful voice that is surprisingly earnest and sweet. Her vocals are very straight-forward, there’s nothing comedic about the approach, but for some reason I think it’s her comedic sensibility that gives the song a kind of heightened sweetness to it.

Other guest performances include Nada Surf’s Matthew (“Nothing I Can Do”) and former bandmate Joan Wasser (Joan As Police Woman) who lends her gorgeous vocals to “Wander On.”

In addition the album features performances Lloyd Cole, Chris Brokaw as well as members of The Pernice Brothers, Mascott, Shudder to Think and others. the record was recorded in Winter of 2008, produced by Dave Derby with additional production by Nathan Larson and Thom Monahan.. Gramercy Arms will be released on Reveal Records in August 2008. The single, “Automatic” will be available in June.