Thank You KGSR & Apple & Ruthie Foster!!
Posted on December 11, 2006
I am listening to U-Mass
from the album “Trompe Le Monde” by Pixies
on my iTunes right now!
WOW! HOLY SMOKES!!
I was the first winner of the KGSR/Apple MacBook Contest!
Jody Denberg made the announcement today and played “Down In A Pinch” on the Daily Demo!!
I picked up my MacBook already (as you can see below) and I go into the KGSR studios on Wednesday to film a live video of me performing. I will then use the MacBook to edit the video. Both the song and the video will be streamed from the KGSR website. The song is already up now and the video should be up next week.
Click the image below to hear Jody Denberg announcing me winning the MacBook and playing “Down In The Pinch” live on the air today!
As if that wasn’t super awesome enough, just moments before Jody made the announcement, my booking agent, Roggie sent me an instant message to say that I had been chosen to open a show at the Cactus Cafe this upcoming Friday with the phenomenal Ruthie Foster!!
I am so blessed. I am so grateful.
Thank you for all the continued support. Please download the new song, a flier, or something and share it with your friends today. The Cactus Cafe flier is available for download below.
Technorati Tags: concerts, live, live performance, macs, music, myspace, NAKIA, nakia.net, performance, radio, rajiworld, roggie, spirituality, video
Imagine A Perfect Day
Posted on December 9, 2006
I am listening to I’ll Be Home For Christmas - Featuring Nakia
from the album “An Austin Christmas” by Will Taylor & Strings Attached
on my iTunes right now!
FIRST OFF AND REALLY IMPORTANT!! If you have bookmarked my MySpace page - The URL has changed to the official /nakia URL! This is great news!! I have been trying to get it for quite some time and MySpace granted my wish this morning. Please spread the MySpace.com/Nakia love and send your friends to my page! Now…
I must tell you folks that if you weren’t out at St. David’s last night for the Strings Attached show you blew it! Man!! What a great show! Such a warm audience and the musicians all got along so well. It was truly magical.
This was my second outing with Will and Strings Attached and I was very happy with the results.
This time around, Will arranged my song, “Remember This Christmas” with a nice guitar part for himself, a cello part for Shawn and Eddie played a wonderful part on the piano while Steve made some amazing music on the muted trumpet and of course Brad is well… BAD BRAD!
I rounded out my performance with a blues version of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and then finished up with Brave Combo’s “Must Be Santa.” And wouldn’t you know it? I just happen to have some video and photo files for your viewing and listening pleasure. Sorry, my battery ran out so I didn’t get the “Must Be Santa” song or the very moving duet of “Imagine” by myself and the outstanding Ed Jurdi. (That guy can wail!) I also got to sing harmony on a few other tunes including Billy Harvey’s rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” - OMG! Loved it!!!
I remember sitting in the back for Shawn Colvin when I first moved here and thinking to myself… One day, I am going to be singing on that stage with Will. Sure enough - 3 years later here I am. Thinking of that and then my Uncles and Aunt that have recently passed away, as well as the original people that I wrote this song for, I got pretty choked up at the end of it and started crying a bit. I guess the title of the shirt I was wearing is very true. I’m just a “Momma’s Boy” at heart with a big ol’ soft spot.
(l-r)Billy Harvey, Nakia, Ed Jurdi, Wendy Colonna, and Kat Edmondson - The Singers
There were a couple of cool things that happened yesterday, but I can really only talk about one.
I got called back to be on an episode of NBC’s Friday Night Lights. I got to play the part of a PA (Production Assistant) at a TV station that the coach on the show gets his own show on and I got operate a “boom mic” that he kept bumping into and so he kept scolding me over it. It was kinda funny and definitely fun to do. The episode was #114 and should air soon. I will be wearing a maroon sweater, a brown shirt, and jeans. I will post when the exact date is.
There’s just so much going on and I am brimming with excitement to tell you all about it, but I have to be patient and so you must too. Standby!
Kia
Technorati Tags: acting, austin, concerts, flickr, friends, holiday, internet, live, live performance, music, myspace, NAKIA, nakia.net, performance, seasonal, spirituality, television
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I Did A Couple Of Bumps The Other Day
Posted on December 3, 2006
I am listening to Making It Up To My Baby
from the album “The Mac McNabb Sessions” by Nakia
on my iTunes right now!
OK - So, I didn’t really do a couple of bumps in the way you might think. By “bumps” I mean the 15 second outro to a commercial that they give you on TV station program like the one I did last Thursday to promote my show at Flipnotics and the upcoming one with Will Taylor & Strings Attached at St. David’s Episcopal Church in downtown Austin.
I was invited to perform a song, maybe two if I they had enough time. I ended up getting to do a piece of Weather Man, a piece of the song I am listening to now, Making It Up To My Baby, and I did a whole version of Remember This Christmas. Since they had about a minute left before the top of the hour, I got to “take them out” with my new tune, Invisible.
Luckily my very good friend Jam DVR’d for me and transferred it to his computer in the MPEG-2 format. Well, that is SUPER hard to edit, but I finally found a great application to do it with right here.
And voilà! Here is the finished product! Enjoy and let me know what you think!
Nakia
Remember This Christmas - Fox 7 Morning News Austin, TX November 2006
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Flipped Out!
Posted on December 3, 2006
I am listening to Down In A Pinch
from the album “The Mac McNabb Sessions” by Nakia
on my iTunes right now!
Just wanted to quickly post a note to say THANK YOU to everyone who showed up to my show at Flipnotics last night here in Austin.
WOW! So many of you and so much fun! Who would have known that after not playing a solo show for over a year that I could have such a warm and large audience. Everyone was so kind and listened so closely and was nice enough to buy the new merch. It really made me remember why I love doing this whole thing.
I have to also mention that as you can see I am listening to myself right now. (How vain, right?)
Mac finished the first rough mixes on three cuts we did at his studio and WHOA! You’re gonna trip out. Just be ready to rock. Down In A Pinch and Playing The Cards are real rockers. The song of Monte Warden’s that I cut, Making It Up To My Baby turned out SOOO good. I think he will be proud.
Here’s some photos that Scott Marney took last night at the show.
Thanks again and look for me next week at St. David’s Episcopal Church with Will Taylor & Strings Attached for An Austin Christmas.
Peace,
Nakia
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Here I Come
Posted on November 28, 2006
I am listening to Can’t Sink This Town
from the album “This Perfect World” by Freedy Johnston
on my iTunes right now!
Wfew! Now that my tummy is settled from all that food!! DAMN! Thanks to Ian, Scott, Brian, Lance, Hector, Alex, Johnny, and of course Roberto The Faithful for making my Thanksgiving so special this year.
OK kiddos! I got the lowdown on this week’s upcoming shows and next week too! Yep! I got stuff to do and you should do it with me!!
• First and foremost I have to tell you how totally excited I am to that I will be performing at Antone’s for the Freddy Fender Tribute. (Wed. Nov. 29th) Come on, come on… Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love me some Freddy and that I have been singing Wasted Days & Wasted Nights since I was a kid. Now I get a chance to really pay tribute to the man himself and at such a legendary venue with some amazing artists to boot! Here’s the info from Antone’s Website:
“Please join us at Antone’s for a very special evening honoring the late Freddy Fender. Your heart will be warmed as Friends, Family, and Fans gather to pay tribute to the singer they knew and loved.
Bands playing that evening include:
7:00 Johnny Degollado Y Su Conjunto
7:30 Bobby Fuentes with the Fabulous Flames
8:00 Los Jazz Vatos
8:30 Joel Guzman (with Los Jazz Vatos?)
9:00 Little Joe Y La Familia
9:30 Joe Ely (with Lost Texmaniacs)
10:00 Rick Trevino
10:30 Los TexManiacs
11:00 Ruben Ramos (with Los Texmaniacs or Texas Wranglers)
11:30 The Texas Wranglers
12:00 Conjunto Aztlan
12:30 Big Frank Gomez
1:00 Nakia
Senator Barrientos will give a presentation in honor of Freddy Fender.
This should be a nostalgic night to remember and a celebration of a great talent with a lifetime of music history!”
• Next up is my truly amazing feat for the week. I have to wake up early as hell Thursday (Nov. 30th) morning so I can get downtown in time to make my appearance on Fox 7 Morning News (That’s channel 2 for you locals using Time Warner or Grande cable). I go on at approximately 7:35AM for you folks setting your TiVos. I am hoping to play two songs, but I know I will be doing at least one. Just me and the piano. I don’t know if they broadcast it live on the Internet, but the link above should take you right to the Morning News section. Regardless, I will be putting it up on the site ASAP.
• Now, onto Friday night. (Dec. 1st) After making a quick appearance at KGSR’s 16th Anniversary Party, I will be performing my first solo show since… Well… Since forever it seems! I will be previewing songs from my upcoming album and playing some of the best of the rest. All the hits baby! #1 Gold Singles ONLY!! 
The show is at Flipnotics on Barton Springs Road here in Austin. If you’re local, you know this hang is sweet on a Friday night. So get out there early and get a good seat. I go on at 10:30PM and will be doing about 90 minutes it looks like.
• A week from that show, is something super cool as shit! I have been asked to be a part of the upcoming Will Taylor & Strings Attached show - An Austin Christmas. The show will be at St. David’s Episcopal Church in downtown Austin and will also feature Wendy Colonna, Ed Jurdi, Rodney Connell, Kat Edmonson, Billy Harvey, and a few surprise guests! If you haven’t treated yourself to a Strings Attached show yet, there’s no better time to start than with this one! ESPECIALLY since Will is arranging a very special version of my song, “Remember This Christmas.”
That should be about it for now. I will tell you that I have been working hard on finishing my record. I have finished three more songs - Produced by Mac McNabb. All I can tell you is I am just itchin’ for the mixes on Friday or Saturday!! I went to see Jo Carol and Kacy Crowley again tonight. Finally met Kacy’s husband, Karl. What a great guy! Oh! And I scored a copy of season one and two of Little Britain!! (Thanks Ian!) Finally… I got a note from JD today and he will be most likely screening the movie I was in, Lonestar Blues. Wanna see a behind the scenes clip??
More soon…
Technorati Tags: acting, austin, concerts, dining, food, friends, holiday, internet, live performance, movies, music, myspace, NAKIA, nakia.net, performance, recording, roberto the faithful, seasonal, television
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We’ve Got A Lot To Be Thankful For
Posted on November 23, 2006
I am listening to Thankful
from the album “Winter Pays For Summer” by Glen Phillips
on my iTunes right now!
I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you to each and everyone of you out there who visit this site, come to the shows, listen to the music, shake my hand, give me hugs, tell me you love me, listen to my craziness, work to further my career, and just generally help make my life the beautiful mess that it is.
Thanks!
~ Nakia
Technorati Tags: family, friends, holiday, NAKIA, seasonal, spirituality
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Spread It All Over The Bread!
Posted on November 20, 2006
I am listening to Sacramento and Polk
from the album “The Boxing Mirror” by Alejandro Escovedo
on my iTunes right now!
Listen up kids… I have been on a serious promotional streak this past weekend and as I head out this afternoon to do the real “flyering” downtown, I wanted to give you some more options to post on your MySpace accounts and send to your friends…
So here they are…. Enjoy!
I love the Internet for stuff like this!
Also, the lovely Mary Sledd (she took my Willie Nelson ranch photos) has a kick ass website called do512.com that I highly recommend! Here’s a link to my stuff over there. Go there and share the love about my upcoming shows with your peeps at the office, the group home, or whatever…
Don’t forget to watch me on TV on Fox 7 Morning News - 11/30 at 7:30am!! I hope to see you at the show on the 1st!
Peace!
Technorati Tags: austin, blog, friends, live, live performance, music, myspace, NAKIA, nakia.net, performance, television
All Eyes On The Finish Line
Posted on November 16, 2006
I am listening to (Keep Feeling) Fascination
from the album “The Very Best of the Human League” by Human League
on my iTunes right now!
First up - If you were looking for me at The Small Stars musical at Hyde Park this past week or next week, I apologize for my absence. It just didn’t work out with my schedule.
Next, let me tell how amazing it was to be a part of The Rocky Horror Show at Zach Scott Theatre over the last couple of months. I have tons to tell you about, but mainly, I have photos to upload and share with the world. Maybe some video clips too!
Onto the next order of business… A LIVE SHOW!! Friday, December 1st I will be performing at Flipnotics here in Austin, TX following Amara Grace. The day before the show you can catch me on Austin’s Fox 7 Morning News. I go on around 7:35 AM - I know, I know - it’s early, but don’t most of you have a DVR these days? Maybe you still have the VCR like I do? Anyway - I should do at least one song, maybe two, so check it out! It should be Channel 2 on Austin Time Warner Cable & Grande.
Here’s what it looks like in case you’re wondering:
OK - So, who went to the Austin City Limits Festival this year?? I haven’t missed a year yet and of course this year one of my favorite bands - The Shins - were playing and they did something super cool. They asked all of the fans to shoot video with their phones and cameras and then to upload that and a photo of themselves to current.tv so they could have these guys put together a video of the whole thing. In the end, it turned out to be the largest collaboration of it’s kind and I have to say I am proud to have some footage in the darn thing AND a very good shot of me cheesin’ it up with none other than Aimee Mann. She too had a great set and was a joy to hang out with.
Here’s a screen shot from the video that shows me and Aimee. I would try to explain the part of the footage that’s mine, but there were over 200 submissions and they used at least 1 frame from each submission!! So, just watch the video below and know that my clip is in there!
This week I treated myself to a visit to The Crossings. I can’t say enough good things about this place! If you feel the need to get away, to be pampered, to be in nature and yet still have the luxury of great facilities, then get over to their site and make reservations! It’s super affordable and well worth the trip!
I think that is all I have to say right now.
I have the masters to the first half of the album and I am heading down to Congress House next week to make something happen with the mix. I have been actively seeking collaboration for a band and hope that works out soon. Standby…
Technorati Tags: acting, austin, concerts, flickr, friends, internet, live, live performance, music, myspace, NAKIA, nakia.net, performance, photos, puppy, recording, small stars, spirituality, theatre, vic odin
Today, I Lost A Friend
Posted on November 1, 2006
I am listening to Texas Crescent Moon
from the album “Rough Demos @ Luck 3″ by Nakia
on my iTunes right now!
I have so much to tell about the last week. Rocky stuff mainly, Halloween costumes, photos to prove our insanity and the fun we had, but all that must wait.
Moments ago I got a call I wish I had never had to take.
My good friend David Zettner has passed away. According to what I was told, he died in his sleep. David was very special to me but he had been very special to many people for many, many years.
I could spend hours and paragraphs listing his musical credits, and telling you about his amazing talent for visual art - he was a very gifted painter and so much more - but alas, I won’t. I will just tell you that he was and will be loved by many for his kind soul and his big heart.
When Matt Hubbard introduced me to David, he asked David if he would listen to a few bars of Broken Spoke, one of my original songs. He agreed and quickly told Matt to get me out to Luck to record with the new recording equipment that I was setting up for Willie that day. Little did I know that I would be blessed to have him appear as the bassist on those first five tracks. That evening, while Matt and David were doing some rough mixes, he let out a holler and proclaimed that I was “going to be a big star” and that the tunes reminded him of early Joe Cocker and he was just “knocked out, man!”
I can’t describe to you how that made me feel as an artist but better yet as a human being. David had a way of making you feel like you were the most special person in the universe at any given moment.
I will miss him very much… I already do.
Technorati Tags: friends, health, music, NAKIA, photos, recording, spirituality, texas
A Legendary Night - A Long Week
Posted on October 24, 2006
I am listening to Strawberry Wine
from the album “29″ by Ryan Adams
on my iTunes right now!
Last week, you may remember, I set out to have a week without hamburgers. I accomplished that feat! That might not seem like a lot to some of you, but trust me… For this fat boy it is. It was nice and I am happy.
Since starting Rocky Horror I have lost 10 pounds. This really showed last night when I left the show and headed over to the Continental Club to see my buddy Ian McLagan tear up the joint with a thrilling after show set with his amazing Bump Band. He had already played one bad ass set earlier in the day with this little band you may have heard of… The Rolling Stones?? Well, unless you’re not much in Rock ‘n’ Roll royalty and pop culture stuff, you know that Ian is a founding member of a band that Ron Wood of the Stones also played in called Small Faces and that he also played with the Stones for a while and recorded with them. So it only made sense that when they made their first ever trip to Austin that he should open the show. I was unfortunate to miss both his and the Stones’ set as I had not one, but two Rocky shows yesterday, but trust me… We could hear the show! That sound system was L O U D!
Ian and I share a good friend as our booking agent, Roggie Baer, and she put together the night’s after show party at the Continental and it was a blast! Tons of friends showed up to support Mac, including Mark Hallman (who will be mixing my upcoming record) and many more and I got to stand right behind him and watch him do his “handy” work on that B3. Seriously - If you hear someone playing that instrument, I bet you that they love them some Ian McLagan!
I stuck around until they shut it down, said my goodbyes and came home.
Everything else last week went really well. We had some great shows at Zach and I got a lot done here at home. I started getting ready for my Airport show tomorrow afternoon and finished importing all of my CDs into iTunes. Now I just need to get a good backup system in place and then it’s off to Cheapo Discs!
As I type this, late into the morning, I realize how I dread going back and tagging it and adding html links. LOL! Perhaps I will finish that part of it later!
Tonight, I saw Scott Schroeder’s production of Floyd Collins and I must say that I wasn’t sure what to think going in. To hear him describe it, I felt for sure that I wasn’t going to like it, and then I was magically whisked away to this cave almost immediately when it started and found myself not only liking the musical a lot, but crying a couple of tears and even getting very tense and trying not to bite my nails. It’s an emotional roller coster with great themes of hope and trust throughout the show and although the show is based on something that happened decades ago - It’s VERY relevant today. Tomorrow night is the real show - Tonight was a dress rehearsal. Then, Scott will spend a year in fundraising in hopes of making it a full production next fall.
Afterward, Chappy and I went to the new Hyde Park Bar & Grill in South Austin and had some of their famous fries and a very gooey chocolate brownie (well, I did - Chappy would have just thrown up the brownie if I let him eat any of it) with - I am VERY sad to say - NO ice cream or whipped cream. 
So, I shall leave you with that for now and I will return to tag and link later today when the sun shines and the birds sing.
Until then…
A Week Without Hamburgers
Posted on October 16, 2006
I am listening to Valotte
from the album “Valotte” by Julian Lennon
on my iTunes right now!
Well, it’s late than it should be and I am actually sleepy. Go figure!
It’s for a good cause though. Today was a good day. (Thanks Ice Cube)
I got some things done around the house, ran some errands, had a good solo dinner with myself at Pappasito’s and had my favorite dessert with way too much whip cream while I watched the Bears game on the screen and drunken people put sombreros on their heads while the staff belted out Happy Birthday over and over again.
I got to see my favorite TV show, Six Feet Under and on top of it all - I reconnected with a very old friend who I haven’t spoken to since 1997 or 1998. In either case… It was a conversation that was much overdue and I was thrilled to speak with her for the 2 hours we talked.
I just wanted to write a quick note and say those things. I also wanted to say that I hit the Hole In The Wall on Sunday night for the glorious return of Paul Minor’s Rock & Roll Free For All with Superego. That night Superego consisted of Landis Armstrong, Kevin Remme, Andrew Duplantis… Good times. I was asked by Paul to step up to the mic and sing a very special song for the occasion. With the passing of Freddy Fender this weekend, it was only appropriate that I do Wasted Days & Wasted Nights. It was bad ass.
Oh and just a note… I am not eating any hamburgers this week dammit! I won’t give in!!! ARGH!
Technorati Tags: austin, food, friends, health, internet, live, live performance, myspace, NAKIA, nakia reynoso, performance
Fresh Meat Loaf?
Posted on October 12, 2006
I am listening to Post-War
from the album “Post-War” by M. Ward
on my iTunes right now!
I must say that when I auditioned for the role of “Eddie” in Rocky Horror back in August that I had no earthly idea that it was going to be this awesome. Last weekend was our opening weekend and folks I am here to tell you that I love every bit of it!! I had forgotten how amazing it is to feel that connection with the audience - so intimate and real. It’s extra fun for me because I get to play a supporting character AND a zany party goer. Yep - I’m Time Warpin’ my booty off Thursday through Sunday until November 12th. I am still waiting for some hi-res images, but the folks at Zach Scott posted some lo-res images that I thought I would share with ya.
Here’s a shot of me - I know it might be hard to tell it’s me - but it is. Underneath all that hair gel, make up and the fake septum ring is little ol’ me. This is during the Time Warp (Act 1) and it’s the ONLY time I get to look this goofy. I move around and act like I am all tweeked out on meth or something. It’s whack! (Oh - I am in the back row - second from the left.)
OK - so, if you come to see the show you can check out my costume in person. It’s nuts! That’s not a washboard (or I guess it kinda is), but a shower mat with soap dishes on my shoulders and knee pads on my knees. You think that’s bad? That’s easy because I have a lot of time to get ready before the show starts. It’s when I change into “Eddie” directly after this number that things get a little hurried. OK - more than a little. I rush off stage when “Frank” appears, yank this costume off, strip make-up, reapply my “Eddie” make-up, put on my costume (with the help of one lovely young lady by the name of Jamie(sp?) and then rush back out just in time to swallow some water before “defrosting” and bumrushing the good Doctor’s party with my solo, “Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul.” Here’s a shot of me and “Columbia” rocking out. (The idea is that my costume is made up of leather and pieces of my motorcycle - hence why I am wearing the handlebars and the headlight.)
And no - those aren’t a shitload of buttons on my jacket (although that is a shitload of zipper “fringe” - it’s bottlecaps!)
If you want to see the rest of the shots that they have up so far and a video preview of sorts, just hop over to Zach Scott’s site for Rocky.
The first review for the show is out in the Austin-American Statesman and the word is… GREAT!
Yeah and I will tell you up front that I get a lot of this after the show… “You’re Meat Loaf was great!” That’s my favorite line so far. On Saturday night, following the show, we got out of make-up and costume and participated in the opening night party and most people didn’t even recognize me as “Eddie” unless someone introduced me and then they would say some comment like the one I just mentioned or even… “Oh! You were Elvis!!” Classic, huh? Although, giving them some slack on the Elvis thing, Robin Lewis’ choreography for me relied heavily on the pelvis and the knees. (That didn’t come out right, did it??)
I have finally updated the MySpace page with new show info and even the always handy SonicBids account too. That task led me to update this very site with it’s own calendar now. Just click the word Live from the menu on any page to be whisked away to my show calendar!
Other small notes worth mentioning… Jeffery — You’re on your way OUT! Laura and Tim are SO onto you and your little sweatshop game! (I am speaking of course of Project Runway) And while on the subject of being out… Don’t forget…
National Coming Out Day was yesterday and the Human Rights Campaign is running this big thing for you to take a picture of yourself with the sign above and post it in order to encourage folks to talk about sexuality in an effort to help the world see eye to eye on the issue I suppose. So there you go… TALK ABOUT IT FOLKS!! It’s OK… It’s 2006 now. People all over the universe are gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered and yes… STRAIGHT! It doesn’t matter who you love… Just love and be loved.
And with that… I’m out! (sorry - couldn’t help myself!)
Nakia
Technorati Tags: acting, austin, concerts, friends, live, live performance, music, myspace, NAKIA, nakia reynoso, nakia.net, performance, photos, theatre
Swingin’ Christian Single Seeks Same
Posted on September 25, 2006
I am listening to Hey Ya! (Outcast Cover)
from the album “Live” by Obadiah Parker
on my iTunes right now!
So another day comes to a close. I have some homework to do before bed though. I need to research some old Elvis performance video. Come see Rocky Horror & you’ll know why.
I had a great meeting this afternoon with my good friend Matt Hubbard. He’s producing my record and we needed to get the rest of the songs nailed down, some demo time set, and a basic timeline. I stopped by his place and played him some new stuff and some old stuff. Right now it’s looking like we are going to add these songs into the ones we’ve already recorded:
• Nuthin’ But
• My Yearly Passage
• Out Of Touch
• The Kind That Stays
• Christened Heart
• That’s The Way God Planned It *written Billy Preston
• I Get High *written Tony Scalzo
• Making It Up To My Baby *written Monte Warden
• Everything & Nothing *written Matt Hubbard
That gives about 14 to songs to work with total. We may cut a couple more… Who knows? But we get started on the demos on October 9th at Hubbard’s place and then move back out to Willie’s later in the month. There may be a tune from Joe Ely on the CD, perhaps one by a couple other folks… Not sure.
The odd thing about the whole day was that less than an hour before I left for Matt’s, I received a call from Miles Zuniga (Fastball, The Small Stars) congratulating me on being cast as “Eddie” in Rocky Horror and basically just catching up. When I mentioned I was meeting with Matt, I found out that Matt had left a Small Stars gig just days earlier to record with Willie and was no longer a member of the band. Some of you may remember Matt as “Father Max Dolby” in the band. I had actually just sent him a note letting him know that the domain I purchased for him a year ago had come up for renewal and I needed to know if he wanted it renewed or not. www.swingingchristiansingles.com (no longer in real working order as it used to only redirect to the Father Max page of The Small Stars site) - He wrote back before our meeting and said it wouldn’t be necessary. Now, I see why.
“Guy Fantasy” made it official on the band’s website over the weekend though with this post. So, of course, The Small Stars will trudge on… Just without the blessing of their priest-for-hire.
For now, I have lots of rehearsing to do. Between Rocky Horror, the HAAM Benefit Day, recording the record, and an upcoming Austin Airport gig… I’m one very busy Nakia.
Holla!
Technorati Tags: acting, austin, blog, friends, health, internet, live, live performance, music, NAKIA, non-profits, performance, recording, small stars, theatre, volunteer
Well Worth The Wait
Posted on September 24, 2006
I am listening to In Hiding
from the album “Yield” by Pearl Jam
on my iTunes right now!
You might remember that back in May I witnessed the Beatles White Album show that Will Taylor put together. I raved about it here.
Well, tonight I got to be a part of the encore performance and although there was a late start due to weather and some sound issues and other assorted small problems, the show was super positive and a lot of fun to do! I got to perform side by side with some amazing musicians and was fortunate enough to sing Savoy Truffle. I almost had to sing Happiness Is A Warm Gun because we thought Darin Murphy’s voice might not hold up, but he made it to the show and with the help of some whiskey and Singer’s Saving Grace, he pulled off that tune and Piggies. Here’s a list of who did what…
I can’t describe what it’s like to rehearse a tune over and over again, both with and without a band, and then to get up on stage and physically feel something else take over of the performance and have it transformed into something way better than what you imagined. That’s what happened with me tonight. In fact, it was so not what I planned that I almost forgot the words at one point, but they came to me in the nick of time and it was perfect timing at that!
Roberto the Cameraman was able to get a few shots of the show. They are mostly blurry and darker than we both hoped for, but I will work them over in Photoshop and upload them in a flickr gallery this week. He also tried to grab some video of my performance, but the battery died in the middle of it. Once I get that edited and up on YouTube I will of course post it here as well.
For now, just know that it was truly a positive experience and such a blessing for me to be a part of it. I made a lot of new friends and got to see a lot of old friends as well.
Tomorrow is an all day Rocky Horror rehearsal….
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Wasted & Ready
Posted on September 22, 2006
I am listening to A While Ago And Recently (With Timo)
from the album “Unrest” by Erlend Øye
on my iTunes right now!
Well, ACL is over and my good pal Ben has made his way back to Chicago. Let me tell you that it was a rough weekend. Not really because ACL sucked, because it really rocked, but poor Ben came into town with a small head cold that swirled into some nightmarish shit. Then, to make matters worse, I blew my nose and my ear sounded like it exploded. I would later discover that I have an ear infection, but at the time I just thought I blew my eardrum or something whack! I also ended up with a nasty case of allergies as did Roberto the Sneezy. None of this compares to what happened to poor Ben Kweller on Saturday during the festival though. A major hell yes goes out to Ben trying hard to continue to rock through his set while battling more than a serious nosebleed. I’m sure you’ve all seen the pictures or heard the story by now. I have included a shot that I took as he left the stage with one of the show’s producers, Charles Attal. All the photos will be lumped together at the end of the post.
So, I was sicker than dog shit on Monday, but I tried Rocky Horror rehearsal anyway. Mistake. Afterward I went directly to the hospital where I was informed of my ear condition and told that I needed to start taking more drugs to help get my allergies under control. Unfortunately, said drugs aren’t covered by HAAM’s pharmacy plan, but I think I got some stuff that comparable until I get into the office to do the patient assistance program. Monday and Tuesday were a no go for me at RajiWorld and I took Tuesday night off of Rocky rehearsal to rest up as much as I could. This is a very good thing, because there is WAY more dancing in this show than I ever expected. I have been added as a “Phantom” which means that I sing and dance a bit more in the first act - including the infamous Time Warp! I am loving every minute of being in this show and can’t stress to each of you reading this right now that if you are in the Austin area October 5 - November 12 that you must see this show - We are really going to kick big ol’ booty up there. AND… It’s an audience participation show: You buy the kit at the door and you can squirt water and throw toast and yell at us - the whole bit!!
Today, I got to rehearse with Will Taylor & Strings Attached for tomorrow night’s White Album performance at the Nutty Brown. They seemed happy with it and of course, I was just happy as a pig in shit. (OK - I think that might be the third time using shit in this post… sorry kiddos!) Billy Harvey was there. I grabbed a quick bit of him rehearsing While My Guitar Gently Weeps. We rehearsed at this AMAZING new studio called Hideout. It’s owned by Mark & Monica Cravotta and it’s… Well, I said it already… AMAZING. Good times. Had a nice chat with Harvster afterward and then it was home to check in with Roberto the Ill who has also fallen prey to the late September Austin Allergy Nasties. YUcK!
I am going to put up some photos that I have took over the last few weeks. It will take me a few to get them all ready so I will go ahead and post this until I am finished.
Kia
To See The Photos From My ACL Weekend - Click Here!
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