friends bands, absurd mistakes, movies - bad & good, books, waiter gossip, bar talk confession, other's life stories (vampire as songwriter), the dangerous & beautiful, a scotch-taped heart, a nasty joke, the empathy of the judgemental, my nephew, nightmares & loss
Sounds Like
my stuff is all over the map. years around the block. all can be heard at my site
http://www.rickberlin.com/sounding/index.html
lately tho, just piano/voice
recorded at the loft, hi-n-dry
tom dube - engineer
billy conway - producer
'going for' randy newman live at the bitter end. & a nod t joni (blue)
View Rick Berlin's EPK
NEW CD
OLD STAG is done. It's a beauty. Available early fall.
info here:
http://www.rickberlin.com/storefront/os.html
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Something cool in the air as well. 6/7 friends of mine (so far), film makers all, have elected to make music videos (a song of their choice) from the tunes on OLD STAG.
I plan to preview them at my CD release night (TBA) as well as to have 'em up on my site, YouTube, and on my my-space page.
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on iTunes world wide (and soon AMAZON mp3. RHAPSODY, NAPSTER, eMUSIC, Groupie Tunes) these albums of the past:
RB LIVE@JACQUES (just like it was in 1996)
ME & VAN GOGH (last year, recorded at the hi-n-dry loft)
FORCED2SWALLOW (last live-in-studio, Woolly Mammoth, record by THE SHELLEY WINTERS PROJECT)
HALF IN THE BAG (produced by Chet Cahill)
BERLIN AIRLIFT (Professionally Damaged) EP, self-produced, includes HUNGER STRIKES
The KINGDOM (Berlin's Musical)
BERLIN AIRLIFT (Epic/Handshake)
info + direct links:
http://www.rickberlin.com/storefront/cds.html
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MUSIC VIDEOS (plus new ones from OLD STAG in the pipeline):
BERLIN & MEREDITH COOPER at Hi-N-Dry loft 'Rent Party' playing Don't Know What I'd Do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVjr8Le6Sso
BUDDHA (by Corey Smithson)
http://www.rickberlin.com/storefront/buddha.html
ME & VAN GOGH (by Carter Timmins Boyajian)
http://www.rickberlin.com/storefront/van.html
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MERCH (which I haven't had since Live@Jacques)
You can buy Berlin Airlift, Me & Van Gogh + even Old Stag t-shirts, mugs, whatever online:
http://www.qrsts.com/store/
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DOCUMENTARY
http://www.jamaicaplainspoken.com
has a brand new 'sample reel' on the home page (the one shown at our fundraiser last saturday. it's 13 minutes long, but worth a look
note: if for some reason the clips on our website play oddly, try em on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jamaica+plain+spoken&search=
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ORCHESTRA LUNA (re-release through Sony UK)
The new CD has manynew (old) photos of the band as well as this giant piece I wrote about the whole OL 1 and 2 experience and early days as a neophyte writer, music biz 'player'.
It's released by Market Square under license from Sony UK. The distributor in the UK is www.properdistribution.com The guys who did this have been promoting the album to UK and US music media.
It can be purchased from us via secure server at www.marketsquarerecords.com
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NEW SONGS ON BACK PORCH
Recorded at home on M-Audio mp3 device in sweaty lap. Stuck em up here:
http://www.rickberlin.com/sounding/legs.html
if ya want t try em out.
CALL ME A BITCH
PEOPLE LAUGHED AT ME MY WHOLE LIFE
KING OF KENMORE SAUARE (for Mr. Butch)
REAL SLOW (for Townes)
SAD SONGS MAKE ME HAPPY (for Lucinda)
MORE LOVE THAN OXYGEN (for Rene)
NEVER STOPS RAININ' HERE (for kids in war zones)
WHEN MY MOM WAS A GIRL (for Jane)
FRAGILE (for Mike G)
PIAF
YOU SAVE ME FROM MYSELF (for every friend of mine)
NOBODY LISTENS
ARTIST W/OUT A GENTRE
DO YOU THINK I'M HOT? (for Hendrik)
MR SILENT (for Brett)
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NEW CD - OLD STAG
Piano + Vox in my livingroom. One mike out the window to grab street sounds, later mixed in. Recorded string quartet in a BU classroom. String Arranger/Conductor: Brendan Cooney - W Philly. Engineer: Joe Stewart. Viola: Joseph Simcox Cello: Katie Franich 2nd Violin: Christina Hornby 1st Violin: Meredith Cooper Photos: Rene Rives
Tearful, striking pieces of music. Each song idiosyncratically complimented by Cooney's composition. Plus - Sand Machine backround vocals. Mixedg at Woolly Mammoth Sound by Dave Minehan. Mastered by Dave Locke. CD design: Shaun Wortis. Release: Spring.--------------
ORCHESTRA LUNA (re-release in the UK)
An amazing, unexpected thing. The guys who did this write:
ORCHESTRA LUNA - ORCHESTRA LUNA
Described by one critic upon its 1975 release on Epic
as "the soundtrack to a musical that never took
place", Orchestra Luna is the only album by this
highly-original Boston (USA)- based art rock act which
converged glam rock with Vaudeville and the glory days
of early Hollywood musicals to grand, highly
theatrical (and often camp) effect. Big budget meant a
full orchestra and the exceptional production talents
of Rupert Holmes and Jeffery Lesser. The resulting
cocktail takes in Rocky Horror and Bonzo Dog by way of
Sailor and Cockney Rebel with a twist of Roxy Music
(who the band supported on the
latter’s contemporary US tour). Orchestra Luna is a
glorious and lavish
one-off: a true ‘original’ - made at a time when the
sky was the limit and anything went.
The new CD has manynew (old) photos of the band as well as this giant piece I wrote about the whole OL 1 and 2 experience and early days as a neophyte writer, music biz 'player'.
It's released by Market Square under license from Sony UK. The distributor in the UK is www.properdistribution.com The guys who did this have been promoting the album to UK and US music media.
It can be purchased from us via secure server at www.marketsquarerecords.com
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DOCUMENTARY
http://www.jamaicaplainspoken.com
has a brand new 'sample reel' on the home page (the one shown at our fundraiser last saturday. it's 13 minutes long, but worth a look
as is
the clip
1 Word For The USA
(on the 'clips' link)
in the meantime due to the enormous, tireless and generous efforts of our kick ass, unflappable volunteer team it's safe t say - ball park - that we raised nearly $10,000 that incredible night.
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From the Hi-N-Dry website:
Rick Berlin is a giant on the Boston music scene. His colorful songwriting and strong stage presence have influenced countless other artists since the early 1970s, when his innovative band Orchestra Luna was on Epic Records and harnessed a potent blend of theater and music years before the Tubes. Throughout the decades and the shifting fortunes of the business Rick has continued to make music with intelligence and integrity, building an international reputation around his knotty, singular piano playing, straight-from-the-heart singing and a style of character-based songwriting that's drawn favorable comparisons to the likes of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen - although Rick rocks more than both. His most recent band, the Shelley Winters Project, recently split after two terrific CDs, but Rick's still busy creating. He's making a new solo album, tentatively titled Me & Van Gogh, at Hi-N-Dry Studio with Billy Conway producing. You can learn more about Rick, and read his short fiction and the script for his musical The Kingdom at www.rickberlin.com.
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Thanks Rick! The Dream Away will always be one of my favorites. I'd love to come by to your show in Aug, but I won't be in the area. Have a fun time - your songs are great, too. I love piano songs, I wish the keys were my thing.
Hello! Hope this message finds you well. As always, I love your messages, feedback and comments so keep them coming and let me know how you are doing!
I'm writing, of course, in the spirit of keeping in touch but also about an urgent endeavor I need your help with. As you may know, I help families with Missing Children in every way that I and my staff are able. What I'm asking is quite simple and very important for the Children.
I would like your permission to post this on your comments and am asking for you to send it to as many people as possible:
Help Us Find Bianca Lozano and Bring Her Home!!!!!
You can do your part to help in our search!
We at Sam Watkins Country are actively involved in uniting families with their loved ones. You can help by helping us to distribute their pictures on our website and in our news letter.
All it takes is $2. 00 and you’ll have an opportunity to be a part of an urgent endeavor! You will then receive our newsletter via email. That’s all it takes! You will be doing the most important and rewarding thing you can do to aide in our search.
Together we can bring our children home!!
All you have to do is send $2. 00 check, money order or cashiers check along with your email address to: Sam Watkins Country 3616 Far West Blvd. Suite 117-323 Austin, Texas 78731 YOU WILL RECEIVE A RECEIPT VIA EMAIL 800,000 children turn up missing every year, many are still out there!!! Let’s bring our children home where they belong!!!
Hey Rick, Great new profile pic. I see that you are playing Nick's in Worcester this month.. I am going to try to make that show (though I am still living in Providence). Another great band who is playing Nick's (who are also Boston based) is Thomas Nola Et Son Orchestre. They are playing Nick's end of May and I think you would totally dig them. See you soon I hope!
be sure to stop by my page... MYSPACE. COM/JG0MZ617... to check out updates on shows, music, interviews or blogs! Message, leave comments, show some love etc....all support is always responded!
Whatever happened to Sequoia "king of the lesbian folk singers" (expletive deleted)? Last I heard she was shacked up in Alaska with Sarah Palin. What's the deal?
hey there! rick straight out of berlin, germany writing this :) stumbled across your music and, besides the chuckle i had, i stayed for one song - and another, and another.. long story short: i really like what i hear! maybe we'll meet sometime in the future - you'll never know, eh? :) all the best, r.
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