Crushing Krisis

Comic Books, Drag Race, & Life in New Zealand

under my skin

As a Matter of Record

by

One 20 oz. Beer = Forgetting the first line to every song in my entire repetoire.

One and a half 20 oz. Beers = Note-perfect Kelly Clarkson songs with impromptu djembe.

By way of explanation, there is a standing Thursday night open mic in Philly at Buckets. It’s a small, comfortable room, organizer Josh knows how to mix, and the beers on tap are served in 20 oz. glasses, which slay me every time.

First I joined Lindsay to play an impromptu “Who Will Save You Soul,” followed by a barely memorized “Time After Time” that sorta rocked, and finally our bluesy “Oh, Darlin’.”

A few minutes later (after the euphonium solo) (no, really) (and it was awesome) I played one peculiar set of “Regrets,” “Rehab,” a little bit of “Not So Bad” until I realized that I had no idea what the first line was, “Icy Cold” (during which the first line of “Not So Bad” popped into my head out of nowhere, which was a little distracting to remember while singing “Icy Cold”), following by “Not So Bad.”

Later, after a Jim-Morrison-does-Johnny-Cash-playing-left-hand mindbending set by someone whose name I didn’t catch, we realized we had run out of people, so I went up again for an epic set of “Standing,” “Ziggy Stardust,” “Under My Skin,” “Love Me Not,” “Day 94” (!), and – by request – “Since U Been Gone.” And, being buzzed and agreeable at that point (enough that I was playing Kelly Clarkson by request in a bar), when I noticed Josh’s drummer tapping along on the bar I recruited him mid-verse into the tune.

And it fucking rocked. It’s nice to be out in the world playing in front of people again.

Trio: Season Five, Suite #4!

by

Trio: Season Five, Suite #4:
Songs on the Topic of Things Left Unsaid:
Not So Bad, Regrets, Under My Skin

Trio – the original singer-songwriter web session – returns for its fifth season featuring my own DIY music. This season each trio of songs will have a loose topic to connect them, which I will discuss between songs.

A sample of what I had to say in this Trio…

Re: Things Left Unsaid
The point is that they were all written about feelings I was having (romantic (or otherwise (in some cases))) about somebody that I didn’t feel comfortable expressing to them face-to-face. I guess in that way songwriting is an ultimate form of passive-aggressiveness.

Not So Bad
At the same time that it’s a little bit scathing to somebody else, it’s a little bit of a pep talk to myself. I used to think things were so bad … and now, not so much. Although, I still get very drunk on the sound of my own voice.

Regrets
It’s another one of those wonderful examples where I named a song something that isn’t in the lyrics at all. But, I think you’ll understand why it’s called “Regrets.”

I’ve actually written a number of songs about that same person … but [“Regrets”] truly exercised her. She’s not in my head anymore.

Under My Skin
If you’ve listened to me at all through my collegiate career then you’ve definitely heard this song. … It’s so dumb simple. It’s so dumb, and so simple. … But, what it is is a very honest portrayal of an emotion. I think that’s why maybe people liked it. I don’t know – maybe they just heard me play it a lot.

You can download the entire Trio , download the single of “Under My Skin,” or start from a past suite:

Out From Under My Skin

by

If you’re up for a quick chuckle at my expense, have a read of an interview with me from Freshman year where i dish about my songwriting and the deeeeep meaning of my songs.

Actually, in re-reading that i realize that i’ve forgotten where some of those songs came from, originally. They’ve had so many other meanings ascribed to them over the years that their original intent sometimes gets a little lost.

I love that i have so much of my old website archived; my first soundclips were uploaded in 1998. It’s amazing how far i’ve come in just eight years! I don’t know if the then-me would even recognize the songs the way i sing them now.

(An interesting side-note, i have “Under My Skin” as my 84th song on the old site’s discography, but in my spreadsheet it’s 59th. Where did those other 25 songs go???)

Whatever you do, don’t listen to any Real Audio clips. If you think i have my moments of bad singing now…. well, you’ll see for yourself ;)

Nostalgia Attached

by

Packing always makes me feel like blogging, perhaps because my first week of blogging featured ongoing packing.

Packing for me is never just about putting things into boxes. It is about reviewing, reflecting, and reconsolidating. Boxing my CD collection goes fast (four boxes, now), desk stuff slightly slower. Slower still is looking through a box of “peter papers” to see if anything can be disposed of yet. Nothing can be, of course, but i take the opportunity to reread almost everything inside.

At the bottom, wedged beneath a battered purple binder containing a hand-scrawled short story that only Gina has read, is a summary of a day of media-deprivation i did for my first class with Ron Bishop. My sentences are sprawling and glib (a clear precursor to this diarrheal exercise), and reading through their words to their naiveté is pure nostalgia.

I was tempted to throw this paper out, as it was just a glorified diary, but something i say in the conclusion stopped me. Feeling as though all intrusive messaging had been flushed from me at the end of my media deprivation day, i apparently sat down to write a song.

Attached to the back of my paper, for Ron’s perusal, is what had to have been the first ever printed copy of “Under My Skin.” He might have even been the first person to read the lyrics.

Amazing. So, yeah, i’m keeping that paper, and all of Ron’s wry comments therein.

Somehow, this move feels as if it’s already over. Maybe that’s too much faith to have when my solution to every problem so far has just to throw money at things, but the idea of moving into an entire house where Elise and I rule every room and closet is just too tingly and wonderful to be diluted with any anxiety about the move itself.

I keep saying that we’re moving to a house, and i keep wishing that we were buying it instead of renting it. All in good time, though.