Come and Go...You and I Will Meet Again.

Two years ago Felsen was on tour and I bought a T shirt at a gas station in Iowa called Kum & Go.  I loved that shirt.  I loved it so much, I wore it pretty much to every Felsen show for about 2 years. Loved it so much, I pretty much wore it out and then basically stole the design and had similar Felsen shirts printed up in the same style.

Kum & Go.  Ha Ha.  But people liked the shirt.  Midwesterners, particularly Iowans, got the inside joke.  I was photographed a lot in it on stage.  Kum & Go. Come and Go. The words were in my head. The words made me think. That was fall and winter of 2013. Things were good.  Some big gigs for Felsen.  Feeling optimistic.  ahhh but wait...by spring of 2014, I'd hit yet another rough patch in my life due to ongoing health issues. I needed more surgery. I got really bummed out and kinda dropped off the face of the earth for a few months.  radio silence.    Now i was wearing the shirt in the hospital, wandering around the halls of UCSF, trying to rehab myself enough so I could get out of there. Come and Go.  Come and Go.  After I was out of the hospital, doing the Vicodin shuffle around the house in the summer of 2014, I started playing the guitar again mainly just to stave off boredom; there's only so much Netflix a person can watch . Daily I would go out for long walks trying to rehab myself and get off pain meds so I could start driving again and get back to work, playing music, teaching lessons, playing with my band.  I wore the shirt. Come and go.  Come and go.  I started to amass new little song embryos on my computer, musical seeds and pages of lyrical nonsense...write a page of crap, get one good line; write 20 terrible song fragments and get maybe 20 good seconds of music.  it takes time--fortunately I had plenty.  Play guitar, stare at screen. Eventually the words and the music will meet up.   Come and go.  Come and go.   I was listening to Serge Gainsbourg’s tune, “Bonnie & Clyde”.  I love the chord progression. For you music nerds that song is a lot of II- IV I.  I read once that we are all each predisposed to certain chord progressions.  I completely agree. I could play those chords all day long--and i did. I kept playing it, finding new ways to make it sound less like Serge while singing the same few words over and over and over again “People everywhere come and go, come and go”. The little seed was starting to grow.  “Come and go”.  The music and the words made me both sad and happy at the same time.  I like that.  The best of Felsen music does that.  Now other words were starting to flow about the idea of missing someone terribly, wondering if i get to see them again in this lifetime.  "I don't know how or when, but I will live to see your face again." That’s a good opening line, I thought.  That lead me to thinking about the transient nature of being here, in this time and place in history.  People everywhere come and go, come and go.  Everyone is in such a hurry.  I miss you all.  Slow down.  I got up and out and got back to work teaching and making music and writing more songs staring at the screen, playing the guitar. Ruminating on recent life events, music was slowly starting to join with words and songs were slowly coming to life. Felsen was back in biz and i was enjoying myself again.  It was like it all didn’t happen (sort of).  Fall, Winter, Spring...come and go. I started work on a new album.  The songs were quieter, longer, darker perhaps.  My 8 year old son said they were more meaningful than previous Felsen albums.  My friend Tom Luce asked me to contribute a song to a CD that he was helping organize benefiting  breast cancer prevention, CD4Hope.  I could get behind that (I lost my dear, sweet, smart, funny sister Gabrielle Rose Griffin to BC in 2002).  One song that i was recording for the new album seemed to feel right.  Come and Go had morphed into “You and I will Meet Again”.  It seemed like a good song for people going through the shit, so-to-speak.  It could be cancer, divorce, grief, loss of some kind, I'm not sure, but I think it’s about missing someone and we ALL have people we miss--that’s a universal, self-evident truth.  I had to earn the right the write that song. I think we got it right though---listen for yourself.  

Upcoming Felsen Shows:

Sat Oct 10.  House Concert/Fundraiser for album 5.

27 Powers Court, Alameda

7pm doors

Tom Heyman 7.30pm

Felsen 8.15pm

Tickets & info here

Can't be there but want to help contribute to the album anyway???

Sat Oct 17

CD 4 Hope CD Release Concert

Cal Shakes Bruns Amphitheater

Orinda, CA

Tickets & info

New Album!!!

I'm officially letting the cat out of the bag.  I'm closing in on Felsen V.  Yup, a new album under the Felsen banner.  This one is gonna be a bit of a departure, especially from the previous three albums.  Those albums were more of the traditional approach to band album making:  write songs (me), rehearse with band, raise funds, take band to studio, crank out 10-12 songs in 2-3 days, slavishly comb through overdubs for a few months(mainly me), mix, master, print and then distribute to fans, friends, family, journalists, bloggers, radio peeps, etc, sell at gigs and on various internet sites...Felsen V (I don't have a title yet) is shaping up somewhat differently, slowly taking form, gathering momentum, sprouting legs and coming to life.   I'm mainly working on this one alone at Felsen’s West Oakland Man Cave/ Hurt Locker, staring at my aging computer monitor.  It's been kinda fun though and I do crave the alone time.  Most of the songs were written in the fall of 2014/winter of 2015 reflecting on earlier events in 2014, which was a really tough time for me, my Murphy's Law phase if-you-will.  Anything that could have gone wrong, went wrong, or at least it seemed at the time.  I move at a glacial pace processing life events turning them somehow into songs.  And now I've been tasked with trying to sum up what the album is sounding like.  That's a tough one, but here goes.  On stage at Felsen gigs, often towards the end of the night, after much rocking has ensued, I will ask the crowd if we've earned the right to play something quiet.  Will we lose you?  Nah, they usually say--go for it.  That’s it really, a batch of those type of songs.  I’m hoping that I’ll be courageous enough to stick with that plan.  God only knows, maybe I’ll throw in a few rockers.  Not sure though.  My gut says don’t do it but there is inside me a fear of alienating Felsen’s ever-growing and faithful audience who like the rock.  Forgive me in advance.  The songs better be good at least--I’m on it.

I started a little branch to the left of the Felsen family tree about a year ago, playing with a few new faces and a few old ones, referring to that unit as the Felsen Symphonette.  Lower volume, acoustic-y renderings of Felsen hits.  The Dara is there singing and equipped with her glockenspiel, our new-ish collaborator/co-conspirator  Joann Demars playing her cello.  Girl power!  Often Scarth Locke (AKA Bongo Bob), often in drag,  playing percussion and synth and then really whoever else is available from the rock and roll live band as well.  Recently, we’ve even added trombone into the mix.  I got big plans for this rag tag ensemble.  We’re like the coolest 8th grade band that ever was!  We've been playing lots of house concerts, a few radio shows, backyards...low volume, lo-fi, low tech and I've been really enjoying that.  Why not write an album of that lower volume stuff?  Well that's where the idea began.  Of course, ideas change and morph and this album in particular has been like following a plastic bag floating in the breeze:  it goes where it wants to and I'm trying not to fight it, trying not to mold it too tightly into one easily defined commodity.  However, I will say with certainty, it's much quieter than other Felsen albums.  The tunes kinda sprawl out more and take more time to unfold.  It's music for headphones or late night car drives.  There's way less of the epic hard rockers that we've recorded many of in years past.   Well, have we earned the right to unplug a bit perhaps, take it down a notch or two?  Tone it done, lay on the floor next to you in your house, dim the lights and just listen to this thing from start to finish?  Would you do that for us?  Felsen will bleed its heart out for you and cry you a river while we’re at it.  We’ll also drink all the beer in your fridge and eat the leftover pizza too.  

So...we're gonna be playing a house concert in Alameda (my hometown) on Saturday Oct 10. My friend Tom Heyman is going to be opening up the show (Tom is one of the very best songwriters I've ever worked with). This will be a fundraising event for Felsen to help us pay for this album. Details here. The party is at the home of our dear friend and felsenista numero uno, Laurie Wagner. She is a pro at house concert hosting and her home is truly a magical place to hang out and hear great music. We're honored. Please join us.

Gather 'Round. It's Picture Time!

Many fine photo's have been taken of us these past few months and I wanted to share of few with you lovelies out there.

We've had so many great nights at the Starry Plough in Berkeley.  We played there once again in May and I think that show was one for the ages.  These photos were taken by ace photographer Aaron Campbell.

From left to right:  Che Guevara, Dara Ackerman, AG. Viva La Revolucion. 

I think we were playing our newest tune, "Unemployed in Chicago".

And AG on top of the bar at the Plough.  Bartender=Not Amused. 

July 4th Backyard party at Peter Finch's house in Moss Beach...That's AG + Heather Combs.  4th of July = Patriotic Pants.

Later that night in Alameda at a house concert hosted by KC Rosenberg...

Catch our next big show at the Awaken Cafe in Oakland Friday Aug 28.  Bring your camera.

Propaganda Panda Wants You!

Good morning brothers and sisters:

After a seasonal hibernation, we here in the People's Republic of Felsen have had a very fun couple of months and wanted to share some photographic evidence/video surveillance of our goings on.

Exhibit One.  Felsen's sweet love child, The Felsen Symphonette performing live at the Monkey House Theater in January.  We set an all-time attendance record at that venue AND we crushed it with low volume renditions of Felsen hits and some new tunes that AG has been writing for the Symphonette.  That's AG + The Dara + long-time Felsen Collaborator Joann Demars on the Cello, Bongo Bob (AKA Scarth Locke) not pictured.

Exhibit Two.  Video from Monkey House gig filmed behind the curtain by ace videographer Jason Cole of local acoustic duo phenoms, MacClain and Cole.  We're performing a Felsen oldie, Waterfall.

Exhibit Three.  Another lovely photo from another lovely Symphonette gig, this time at the Magic Juju Boathouse in San Rafael.

Exhibit Four.  Full band electrified on the streets of Oakland for the May First Friday Celebration.  What a fun gig.  We rocked it extra hard that night, giving back to the city that has given so much to us.  The highlight of the show was AG + The Dara running full steam doing laps around the stage channelling the spirit of David Byrne in Stop Making Sense: Better Thoughts will Keep You Happy and Alive. At one point there was even a helicopter hovering overhead shinning it's light right down on us. How cool that they wanted to provide a spotlight on us and then realizing it was illuminating a river of protesters peacefully filing up Telegraph Ave, protesting yet another act of police brutality. america: lets get it together puuhleezee.

Exhibit Five.  Rock and Roll is my enabler.  Felsen rocks hard on stage at the Starlight in Sacramento opening for Bellygunner (who were incredible--must see this band asap!!!).    Have you met our new bass player Bryan Dean?  Isn't he beautiful?  Look at him!

After the show in Sacramento, AG & The Dara gave a special late night post gig rendition of a felsen oldie in the alley by the stage door to a few of our hardcore Felsen fans.  Our double parked car's hazard lights flashing provided an oddly compelling illumination on their faces.  

Somehow the recycled Chinese propaganda art has really struck a chord here in Felsendom.  Here are a few flyers for upcoming shows that we'd love for you to attend.

That is all. Now back to work.

love,

Felsen.

The Shamanic Powers of Felsen

AG thought it was about time I write an entry in the blog for all of you. Me too. I have been singing and dancing my ass off in this band now for the funnest year and a half of my life. While some people think I joined in protest that there were no women represented, and others suspect I am here for the workout, neither of those are right. Far from it.

2013 Spring   Andrew and I were in a band together- we both played for Scarth Locke. Scarth and I are long time friends and collaborators, and I was the newest edition to his band. I sang backing vocals and Andrew was Scarth's drummer. When Andrew had mentioned he had his own band, I went to check it out. You know, support my fellow bandmate, get to know each other...it was the polite thing to do.  

I arrived at the Brick & Mortar. Felsen took the stage. Was it the way Andrew bullied his audience with so much affection, or the oddly catchy geek-rock vibe? Or was it the way that Dylan swung his arm around and and then made the sign of the cross before playing some of the maddest riffs I've ever heard? Was it the giant bunny that suddenly appeared halfway through the set? Or was it when Andrew jumped off the stage and planted his mic stand right in the middle of the crowd, and sang straight into their faces.  I thought, "What is going on here?" 

Late Summer  I had been opening for Scarth with a few of my own songs, backed by Scarth and his rhythm section: Andrew, and Peter. Scarth kicked me out of the nest. "Time to have your own band. Then we can book club gigs together."  Andrew and Peter both agreed to back me, as did Scarth. Same band, different hats. One day, neither Scarth nor Peter could make it to my rehearsal. Andrew and I met anyway, and put together some acoustic versions of my songs— him on guitar, me on vocals.  It was magic. We decided to have me learn backing vocals for a couple of his songs too. I got to work listening to Felsen’s new album, I Don't Know How To Talk Anymore, learning two Felsen songs.

Fall  Andrew sends me a message. “Wanna sing with me at the Red Devil Lounge?" It was one of their last shows before closing. I had never been there. ”What song? I asked.  “Heaven,” he said, “by Talking Heads.”  Are you kidding me? One of my all time favorites. “YES.” We got together to rehearse. We sang Heaven, and the two songs I had been learning from I Don't Know How To Talk Anymore.  Then he said, "let's sing the whole album.” I told him I didn’t know the whole album, just those two songs. He said, “I bet you do.” Sure enough, I knew the entire thing, and almost all of the harmonies. How did that happen? 

Winter We all drive to Portland. Felsen had a gig lined up, and Scarth and I had an open invitation from friends to come play at their house. I joined Felsen for a full set, first time, 20 minutes after they arrived, their rented SUV caked with ice. Scarth and I had come up the day before, and just beat the storm. No one except our own handful of friends showed up at the club. The whole city, snowed in, except for us up there. I was nervous. And Andrew’s guitar was having electrical problems. Not pretty.

The next afternoon, we load into the space we had rented for our triple bill that night- Scarth Locke, Dara Ackerman, and Felsen. It was a tea room in a converted warehouse. Bigger than our friends' living room. Much better for a show. The weather had improved. Our friends start filing in. It was a beautiful little reunion. Many of them were friends from Santa Barbara, where Scarth and I met, all relocated up north. Scarth's set was funky, smart & cool. My set had its heart on its sleeve, as usual.  And then, Felsen… This time, no bunny. Andrew was up on the stack of speakers. He was right in the faces of my friends. He was staring me down behind his lethal electric guitar. My friends were melting in piles of putty under his giant laser- beam gaze. Jackets were coming off. Sweat was flying. I had never seen such a frenzy, nor been right in the middle of one…or was I instigating one? I had been hired to sing, but I couldn't stop dancing, like a wild banshee. After, Scarth said, “Those were some pretty wild moves you were doing up there. But you were only giving about 60%, weren't you." I was stunned. How did he know? It didn’t matter. “I can’t give 100. Not with music like that. I might go so wild that...I might upstage Andrew,” I told Scarth, conclusively. “That would not do.” Scarth smiled and said, "Ask him.”  Andrew didn't even hesitate when I got up the courage to inquire. "Go for it," he said.

2014

January 2nd:  Rehearsal  We were getting ready for Felsen's CD release party, at the Rickshaw Stop in SF. Biggest show Felsen had done as a headliner. Six-piece band, including Adam Rossi from Luce. In rehearsal, I danced like a wild woman. I looked over at Andrew. He didn’t bat an eye. The rest of the band seemed ok with it. Maybe. But now was not the time to hesitate. I was on assignment: 100% or BUST. Not my nature. But why not?

January 3rd:  Felsen CD Release  I have never danced so hard in my life. I spent 20 years, age 5-25 dancing every day, training and performing. Nothing was like this. What was this? Something in this band’s music was coming through me. People asked me, “How do you do it? You're dancing non-stop. I’m losing weight just watching you. Aren’t you tired?”

No. I wasn’t. Not at all. I mean, I was out of breath sometimes, but by the end of the show, I had more energy than when I started. In fact, I had more energy than I have had in years.  What’s going on here?    

February:  Sacramento  Exhausted. After my own breakneck, sneak preview tour for my own album, I came down with a cold that would not leave me. Two weeks had passed, and now my voice was gone. I was getting worried. Felsen had an upcoming gig in Sacratmento with one of Andrew’s former CAKE bandmates. Friends were planning to come. We were going to be on the radio. I did not want to miss this one. But how could I, with laryngitis?I went to get acupuncture. It has never failed me. The next day, I was 25% better. I went back only two days later. 50%. But the gig was only two days away. I went back again the day of the gig. I felt 80% better by the end of the treatment, but I could still not use the upper register of my voice. My acupuncturist looked at me. “You are a singer, and you don’t know how to get your voice back?” He whispered a secret formula from his country, involving two kinds of hard liquor, one of which was barely legal. But I’ve never had liquor in my life, and did not plan to start. Plus, driving up there would surely drain me of what little energy I had, and there was no one to drive with me. The gig was only 6 hours away. I got on a train. I napped on the way. Andrew met me at the station, amazed that I had shown up. I could only speak with the lower part of my register. How was I going to sing? I ordered the illicit prescription at the bar. They were out of one of the two types of liqueur. The illegal one. The bartender asked, “How about a Hot Tottie instead?”  “What’s a Hot Tottie?”  10 minutes before our set, I notice, I can talk with the middle range of my voice. 5 minutes before, I am able to use the top notes. Felsen gets on stage. I open my mouth. The band hurls its music into the bodies of everyone listening. Something comes over me. I dance as if my life depends on it. As if my voice depends on it. As if dancing the rest of this lingering cold OUT, right now, can expel it from me. As if, in an uninhibited explosion of whatever it is that is coming through the band can come through me too, and cause this malady to leave me, never to come back again. By the end of the set, I was well. Did that really just happen?   

May— Benicia Many gigs have now gone by. And now we have been asked to play in Benicia, four hours straight. from 9pm til 1am. Three 10-minute breaks only. Thirty seven songs in the set, no repeats. I wonder if this is what Andrew meant by, “Rock and roll is going to beat you up.” We start into the first set.  By now I knew, though, I would be fine. Even when I forgot my lyrics. Even when Andrew bit my arm for it, on stage, in front of everybody. OUCH!  

I didn’t care. Something was coming through me again. Something about about Dylan’s playing. Andrew’s wailing. Arthur tearing it up. Shane, knocking me in the head with his bass. (Accidentally.) But even that didn’t phase me. Something comes through, and I can’t stop it. I don’t have to work for 100% anymore. It just happens, and far beyond that. This time though, it was all coming through for one of my dearest friends, who was fighting cancer. This was for him. This was for everyone. For anyone, fighting anything. Waves of energy pounded through me, and out to everybody. Everyone in there. Everyone in the world. The end of illness. The end of suffering. Out, through their amps, into my being, whipping through me, in slow motion shockwaves, out to everyone there. Someone came up to me after and said, “I have studied yoga, meditation, kundalini, you name it. None of it was like what just happened in here. What was that?”“You felt that too?”   My friend went in for surgery one week later, no idea if he was going to make it.  He came out fine. 

October, Bottom of the Hill, SF.  We are all in white. We are on stage at Bottom of the Hill. Standing in for our new bassist Bryan is Peter, dressed as a giant headless bunny. Scarth is playing keyboards in drag. Art is pounding on the drums with a light saber. Andrew is dressed like some kind of crazy, Elvis-style, cult leader. We kill it. KILL IT.  Dressing all in white somehow reveals something about this something that comes through us all. Something I have not been able to articulate to this point. The next day, I write Andrew a text. “I know what it is. Felsen is shamanic.” I can hear him thinking. He writes back. “Write a blog post about it.”

Felsen plays  this Friday in fully plugged-in, gloriously unbridled form.   Come get healed.

love,
Dara

FRIDAY MAY 29.  
STARRY PLOUGH, 
3101 SHATTUCK AVE
BERKELEY, CA 
21+OVER  $8-12 SLIDING SCALE
SHOWTIME. 9PM  FELSEN PLAYS AT 10.45.