Todd Chappelle Is Not From Delaware

Well, my friend and also talk show host Dan Gaffney seems to kind of like Todd Chappelle. I gotta tell ya, I’m a little torn. He’s getting mad press for his song “I’m from Delaware” and everyone seems to like it. (the press I credit Dan Gaffney for.. he’s the first person I heard mention the song…) For three reasons: 1. It’s a novelty record 2. It’s a tune they know 3. They’re also from Delaware. I’m only torn because I don’t like people mocking Delaware… (especially when they were born in New York) but, I know he’s doing it with love and it’s just a gimmick. But, I’m glad to see an indie guy getting some attention and if he sells records… good for him. Like Dan said this morning: “If I were him, I’d quickly write songs about all the states.” Hell, Sir-Mix-A-Lot did indeed write a sequel to “Baby Got Back” — When you’re a one trick pony sometimes you have to take advantage of that one trick. Todd Chappelle is talented and is at worst a distraction, at best just someone trying to get ahead doing what he loves. If you like it then I’m glad.

Here’s what the Cape Gazette had to say:

Chappelle is currently performing at venues around the state, promoting his latest release, which contains the regional hit “I’m From Delaware,” a parody of the 1962 Hank Snow No. 1 country hit, “I’ve Been Everywhere.”“I’ve always loved the original song, and when over the summer I saw a television commercial for a hotel chain that featured Johnny Cash’s version, a light went off in my head,” Chappelle said. “My wife Anne and I started putting together lists of places we had been in Delaware, and then lists of bars and then lists of things that were uniquely Delaware, like the Blue Rocks, Apple Scrapple, Punkin Chunkin, and black-and-white license plates; the song almost wrote itself. “The song took about two months from original idea to the final recording, so things moved pretty fast for us.”After Chappelle posted “I’m From Delaware” on his MySpace page, the song began popping up on Delaware radio stations from Wilmington to Lewes, with Chappelle often invited to make a guest appearance and perform the song live. Noting towns from Dagsboro to Claymont, “I’m From Delaware” is a musical tour of the First State.
The CD can be purchased either at the show or online at www.cdbaby.com. To preview “I’m From Delaware,” “Country Song Titles,” and other tracks from “I’m From Delaware,” visit www.myspace.com/toddchappelle

Eph Tradition Releases New CD

Alts Pay Tribute To Neil Young – Uncut

I like magazines that come with CDs. Although, usually the magazines cost as much as other CDs I would like to buy, I still like to listen and discover sometimes. I have a long hour and a half drive from where my band practices to where I live and work, and I like to stop at the local book store and pick up a music magazine and sampler on the way sometimes. I’d like to say that I’ve discovered lots of unhidden gems, but, mostly the stuff has been forgetable. But, If one or two tracks are good or great, than it works for me, Plus, I get to keep in the mind frame of music and music writing and I like that. Some standouts have been Sara and Tegan, Iron and Wine, I got one with a rare Warren Zevon track on once… and the magazine. That can’t be beat.

I picked up the December issue of UnCut magazine last night on a whim. UnCut has not usually steered me wrong with free CDs. This CD a special “Tribute CD” to Neil Young. I turned around the magazine, saw Sonic Youth on the CD and figured it was worth it.

The CD/Magazine is worth the price ($9.50 American) for one reason and one reason only. Trans.  The CD contains two cuts from my favorite and the best Neil Young CD, IMHO, The now OOP Neil Young “Trans” (pictured below).

 

The CD contains a lot of heavy hitters and big names (Paul Weller, The Walkabouts, The Flaming Lips, K.D. Lang and Low) but, all I really want to hear are the first two tracks.

1. Sonic Youth “Computer Age”
2. Patty Hurst Shifter “Mr. Soul”

Both just fantastic, plus they remind me of the long car trips back to Jeannette, PA where Neil Young’s “Trans” was required listening for my dad. The concept of the CD is not a true tribute album, however, it mostly just borrows songs from other releases. Sonic Youth’s “Daydream Nation (deluxe edition)” – Paul Weller’s “Studio 150″

Still with the first two tracks grabbed my attention more than Stereogum’s free R.E.M. tribute “Drive XV” with their brutal Meat Puppets version of “Man on the Moon” (an already bored song.)

Rating: Not a true Indie Release, But an “Alternative Marketing” Release. (and it gets points for the fact that it’s available for only a limited amount of time.) 3 Stars!

Effective Indie Marketing

I was surfing around You Tube for ideas for effective Indie Music Marketing and I ran into a page from Mr. Buzz Factor himself. The author of many books on Indie music promotion. Check his stuff out. There’s not enough free info out there like this for people. One of the first steps to indie music promotion is having the right attitude. It’s so easy to get swamped down in “But, There’s so many many bands… how do I stand out?” The first thing you have to do is lose that attitude. Check out Mr. Buzz Factors youtube site http://www.youtube.com/user/MrBuzzFactor for some ideas on promotion and inspiration. What do you have to do to succeed? You have to live with the idea that you can do it. Forget about everything else for now. Hal Sparks once said that one of the things you need to do to be successful… be clueless about how difficult it is. Right on.

My Version of It “One Way”

The new CD by my band My Version of It is finally available for sale (www.cdbaby.com/cd/myversionofit). For more info on the band read the bio below. The CD is 13 tracks recorded in Philadelphia, PA. LA Producer and operator of Spacebar Recordings says “Great Timeless Rock”

BIO: (from their website www.myversionofit.com) My Version of It was formed in 2000 in New Castle, Delaware. A blend of punk infused blues, southern rock and indie rock, MVOI can count many area hard rock, southern rock, punk and modern rock bands as their cohorts. Although some can clearly see the influence of classic American songwriters like Warren Zevon and late 1960s era Bob Dylan most compare MVOI’s rock us sound to that of heavier bands like Overkill, Motorhead with the Southern Rock sensibilites of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Shooter Jennings. My Version of It blends the songwriting talents of all members, Multiinstrumentalist Jared Morris-Guitar/Lead Vocals/Mandolin/Banjo (29), Dave Grind-Drums (27), Jon Grunes-Bass/Lead and Backing Vocals (26) and newest member Matt Schmidt-Lead Guitar (25). 

 My Version of It’s latest album “One Way” will be released December 2007, recorded at Death Star III recording studio in South Philadelphia, PA. Their first wide release since 2002’s “Unknown Members” seven inch released on a now-defunct local Delaware record label Say-Ten Records. Though they continued to remain busy even during their releasing hiatus.

In addition, historically a three-piece, they’ve recruited the talents of local guitarist Matt Schmidt to add an extra element of excitement to their already infectious live shows. They are currently in promotion mode, kicking up their touring schedule, preparing their first-ever I-Tunes release and already writing their followup album “Let’s Rock and Say We Did” planning a July 2008 deadline for final recording. It’s time to actually live that dream that compells MVOI’s members and all the keys are finally in place.

RATING: 4 STARS (IT ROCKS!)

What is Indie Rocks?

Indie Rocks! is a music blog for independent artists, reviews, show listings, information, and networking to share with other independent musicians. Free and available to everyone. The author is a professional radio announcer and a musician/producer. We wish to share with everyone an opportunity for a review and a place to meet outside of myspace or sonicbids. We want to know what has worked for you in music marketing, how is your career going? how to continue to keep on?

Since I’m a musician and talk show host in the Philadelphia, Delaware, Salisbury (MD) area – I really want to promote your bands, your clubs and your music! Even on high profile sites like myspace and sonicbids there’s a lack of real community or scene in any of these area. Send me your show news, your press releases, your ideas, your songs (will accept mp3s from bands in this area), your CD’s and CD-r’s. They will get top priority. This site is about promotion and networking. Let’s make the Philly/Delaware/Salisbury area the music mecca of the east coast. My goal is to provide indie bands an opportunity for reviews at no charge on Indie Rocks! Also, you can write reviews as well, how about that? email your reviews to jared@wgmd.com subject: Indie Rocks! Reviews. Bands, Musicians, Producers… for reviews send cd’s or cd-rs to Jared Morris c/o WGMD Radio 92.7 FM, P.O. Box 531, Rehoboth Beach, DE, 19971. At this time I won’t be reviewing mp3s or myspace sites unless they are in the Philly/Delaware/Salisbury area.