Hello friends,
The musical adventures continue this week with three days of practice and three days of shows and four days of travel. Of course, day time responsibilities will need to be squeezed into the mix as well.
We have a real need for an important position in the band. If you live in or near the MT. Pleasant Michigan area and have musical talent please make contact. Your services may be greatly needed.
Important traits for a band member include: a sparkling personality that gets on easy with others, a reliable work ethic, sense of time and honoring commitments, the ability to travel to parts all over the state and possibly beyond in the somewhat near future, an interest in recording an album of original material, the ability to tolerate dark, loud areas - brightly lit, loud areas - nature, rural settings - unnatural, urban settings, the ability to tolerate long car rides, the ability to enjoy playing music in a band. So, there's the list. Needs exists at bass guitar or possibly keyboards.
What's in it for you? Artistic achievement. Being in a band with two pretty cool individuals. Loads of fun. Loads of work. umm.... yeah! So send a message when you're ready to get down to work.
We are excited for the show schedule this week. Being in a band, ultimately is fun though it does require a lot of work with not a lot of monetary reward. Someday, someday that ship will come in. In the meantime, we rock!!!
Be well everyone, check out the Decemberists when you get a chance. I've been enjoying "The Crane's Wife" album very much (thanks Steve!).
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Turn and face the strange...Ch-ch-changes...Now you've left us up to our necks in it...
Greetings friends,
This is a mixed feelings entry.
A significant note needs to be conveyed to all who are personal friends of the band or members of the band. As you know, we have undergone some changes recently, ultimately for the better. Dr. J has rejoined the group after a hiatus and we've added Mr. B on drums. We will soon be adding our 4th member of the group to round out the quartet. It will be a keyboard player. We'll tell you who the newbie is very soon.
However, we need to let you know that our good friend and band mate Steve Barber will no longer be officially in the Liam McKay band. Take heart, you will continue to see Steve perform with us from time to time, especially in hometown shows. For those of you who do not know Steve very well it is important to let you know some significant details of this fine human being. Steve is a gifted painter who has shown his work all over the country, notably having gallery shows in Chicago and Detroit. He also teaches painting and drawing at Central Michigan University. Needless to say, he is quite accomplished and busy. So friends, know that you've not seen the last of Steve and that we are all continuing on putting our efforts toward our best personal and artistic goals and dreams.
Steve has his own blog spot where you can view several of his recent painting and drawing images. He is very good. Click here to see!
It is a beautiful, warm May day where I'm at. Hope you are enjoying your day where you are.
Peace and blessings to you,
Liam
Greetings friends,
This is a mixed feelings entry.
A significant note needs to be conveyed to all who are personal friends of the band or members of the band. As you know, we have undergone some changes recently, ultimately for the better. Dr. J has rejoined the group after a hiatus and we've added Mr. B on drums. We will soon be adding our 4th member of the group to round out the quartet. It will be a keyboard player. We'll tell you who the newbie is very soon.
However, we need to let you know that our good friend and band mate Steve Barber will no longer be officially in the Liam McKay band. Take heart, you will continue to see Steve perform with us from time to time, especially in hometown shows. For those of you who do not know Steve very well it is important to let you know some significant details of this fine human being. Steve is a gifted painter who has shown his work all over the country, notably having gallery shows in Chicago and Detroit. He also teaches painting and drawing at Central Michigan University. Needless to say, he is quite accomplished and busy. So friends, know that you've not seen the last of Steve and that we are all continuing on putting our efforts toward our best personal and artistic goals and dreams.
Steve has his own blog spot where you can view several of his recent painting and drawing images. He is very good. Click here to see!
It is a beautiful, warm May day where I'm at. Hope you are enjoying your day where you are.
Peace and blessings to you,
Liam
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
The Wall is Giving Way
After spending considerable time beating my head against the musical wall, I have found I am starting to leave an impression and possibly a small hole. There seems to be a little light emanating from the other side.
Here's the low down: We're going to have many more opportunities to perform this summer and fall. We're even planning some cool stuff like opening for bands and acts everyone has actually heard of. Tenacity. That's what I attribute it to. That and the blind belief against common sense that the music we make is good and people want to hear it.
Thank you to all of our friends and fans. Like Sisyphus, the task of getting in front of people and garnering interest has seemed futile at times. But, because I and my band have not thought too much of ourselves and certainly not divulged the secrets of our divine friends we have reached the flat top of the mountain with our rock. Just a few more gentle nudges and we will send our rock rolling down the other side. Thank you for your help. As we begin to roll quickly, we will forget no one and gather no moss.
Thank you also for tolerating the strange tone of this entry. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Fondly,
Liam
Here's the low down: We're going to have many more opportunities to perform this summer and fall. We're even planning some cool stuff like opening for bands and acts everyone has actually heard of. Tenacity. That's what I attribute it to. That and the blind belief against common sense that the music we make is good and people want to hear it.
Thank you to all of our friends and fans. Like Sisyphus, the task of getting in front of people and garnering interest has seemed futile at times. But, because I and my band have not thought too much of ourselves and certainly not divulged the secrets of our divine friends we have reached the flat top of the mountain with our rock. Just a few more gentle nudges and we will send our rock rolling down the other side. Thank you for your help. As we begin to roll quickly, we will forget no one and gather no moss.
Thank you also for tolerating the strange tone of this entry. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Fondly,
Liam
Friday, May 18, 2007
Happy Meanderings of a Minstrel
Today's entry:
I am busy hustling up show for summer and fall. You say, "Liam it's May!?". My friends, that is how it is done. If you wait all the cool venues are booked up two months or more in advance. It is kind of exciting because there is a lot of correspondance. One thing I am very appreciative of is how much of this networking and organizing I can do with e-mail and MySpace. It saves a lot of time and I get to talk to folks all over the state and further very expediciously and inexpensively.
There are many highlights to the bands performance schedule coming up. In June we have some wonderful shows in Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Saginaw and Mt. Pleasant. We'll be visiting with good friends Mound, Mumble and Corndaddy in A2 for Mound's going away show. Dave and the other members of Mound are responsible for fostering a nice community of bands through their stint as hosts of an event called Tribute Night that was held primarily at The Elbow Room in Ypsilanti MI for a couple of years. It was a great way to meet lots of other bands and play some fun music. Since those times several friends met there have journeyed up to play shows with me and the band in Mt. Pleasant.
I am especially excited by a pair of shows with new friends Dutch Henry. We get to share the stage with them on Friday June 15 and Sat. June 16. First in Grand Rapids at a wonderful venue called Jukes. Also on that bill are the incomparable Truckstop Cobras. These fellas are pretty great in their own right. They are a band of Grand Rapids' musical all-stars headed up by my buddy Brian Higgans. We get sandwiches between both of these cool bands, the 'sweet spot'. It will be sweet!
Other items of note recently include the addition of two awesome gentlemen to the band. First the re-emergence of my favorite bass player Rev. Dr. Joel Lewis. You may remember Joel as the original bass player for the band the Saints that helped get this whole Liam McKay project off the ground. Yes the wild guy is back a little less wild but still full of surprises. The other addition is Mr. B or Brian Hansen. Brian is a celebrity in MT. Pleasant by virtue of his being a member of several prominent local bands and the owner of the best darn music store in Mid-Michigan, B's Music. The arrival of these two guys ushers in a very exciting and welcome chapter to the Liam saga. They've even renamed the band "the Sinners". there may still be some debate on the name but there may not be. Please welcome, Liam McKay and the Sinners! We are practicing diligently and planning for a new recording by the end of the summer. We will make it available at shows and online likely in September. We will soon have some MP3's posted of songs from practice so you will get to hear the new tweak to the sound of the group.
Do not fear loyal followers of the band. Mr. Steve Barber will still be very involved and will make regular appearances with the band especially at Mt. Pleasant shows and on recordings. We might be able to rope him into another album cover too. We'll see about that as the plans continue to move forward.
That's all for now,
Liam
I am busy hustling up show for summer and fall. You say, "Liam it's May!?". My friends, that is how it is done. If you wait all the cool venues are booked up two months or more in advance. It is kind of exciting because there is a lot of correspondance. One thing I am very appreciative of is how much of this networking and organizing I can do with e-mail and MySpace. It saves a lot of time and I get to talk to folks all over the state and further very expediciously and inexpensively.
There are many highlights to the bands performance schedule coming up. In June we have some wonderful shows in Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Saginaw and Mt. Pleasant. We'll be visiting with good friends Mound, Mumble and Corndaddy in A2 for Mound's going away show. Dave and the other members of Mound are responsible for fostering a nice community of bands through their stint as hosts of an event called Tribute Night that was held primarily at The Elbow Room in Ypsilanti MI for a couple of years. It was a great way to meet lots of other bands and play some fun music. Since those times several friends met there have journeyed up to play shows with me and the band in Mt. Pleasant.
I am especially excited by a pair of shows with new friends Dutch Henry. We get to share the stage with them on Friday June 15 and Sat. June 16. First in Grand Rapids at a wonderful venue called Jukes. Also on that bill are the incomparable Truckstop Cobras. These fellas are pretty great in their own right. They are a band of Grand Rapids' musical all-stars headed up by my buddy Brian Higgans. We get sandwiches between both of these cool bands, the 'sweet spot'. It will be sweet!
Other items of note recently include the addition of two awesome gentlemen to the band. First the re-emergence of my favorite bass player Rev. Dr. Joel Lewis. You may remember Joel as the original bass player for the band the Saints that helped get this whole Liam McKay project off the ground. Yes the wild guy is back a little less wild but still full of surprises. The other addition is Mr. B or Brian Hansen. Brian is a celebrity in MT. Pleasant by virtue of his being a member of several prominent local bands and the owner of the best darn music store in Mid-Michigan, B's Music. The arrival of these two guys ushers in a very exciting and welcome chapter to the Liam saga. They've even renamed the band "the Sinners". there may still be some debate on the name but there may not be. Please welcome, Liam McKay and the Sinners! We are practicing diligently and planning for a new recording by the end of the summer. We will make it available at shows and online likely in September. We will soon have some MP3's posted of songs from practice so you will get to hear the new tweak to the sound of the group.
Do not fear loyal followers of the band. Mr. Steve Barber will still be very involved and will make regular appearances with the band especially at Mt. Pleasant shows and on recordings. We might be able to rope him into another album cover too. We'll see about that as the plans continue to move forward.
That's all for now,
Liam
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Idea Here
Hello dear friends,
The idea behind this blog page is to be a platform to share regular thoughts regarding the wonderful experiment and experience of being an original singer/songwriter - band leader. I will share the history of the thus far humble existence of the band, talk about travel adventures and the process of writing, rehearsing and recording.
I welcome your feedback and comments. It is ultimately flattering that anyone cares enough to share their thoughts about my music. That is the bottom line, after all, songs are communication about the human condition.
This one is brief. There will be many other entries including the what's up with the band personnel and a brief history of Liam McKay.
Be well,
Liam
The idea behind this blog page is to be a platform to share regular thoughts regarding the wonderful experiment and experience of being an original singer/songwriter - band leader. I will share the history of the thus far humble existence of the band, talk about travel adventures and the process of writing, rehearsing and recording.
I welcome your feedback and comments. It is ultimately flattering that anyone cares enough to share their thoughts about my music. That is the bottom line, after all, songs are communication about the human condition.
This one is brief. There will be many other entries including the what's up with the band personnel and a brief history of Liam McKay.
Be well,
Liam
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