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August 2008
There and Back Again
Just Keep Going
Man, oh, man, it is good to turn the corner on heartache. I'll
always love her, as I do all the women I've been with in my life
(oh, yeah, except for that one chick. What did Sam Kineson say?
(paraphrased) "People ask me why I never talk about men.
It's because a man never MADE ME WANT TO DRIVE MY CAR INTO A
TREE!!!!"), but it's great
to get past the feeling of loss. Sometimes all you can do is
keep going until you see the future unfolding like an open road
before you again…
The Open Road
Driving the 5-6 hours from Los Angeles to San Francisco and the
5-6 hours from San Francisco to Humboldt County, I have a lot
of time to think. Some parts of the trip are visually beautiful
(the mountains just north of LA, the San Francisco Bay, the Redwood
Forests south of Humboldt), some irritating (Santa Rosa, a feeding
frenzy of highway patrol cars and the same construction going
on as was happening a year ago on the same stretch of highway),
some dull (most of the drive on Highway 5 from LA to SF), some
moments fun (singing with music or hearing just the right soundtrack
at the right moment), some exciting (that last 10 minutes just
before I arrive at my destination), some excruciating (when I
get drowsy halfway through a 6 hour drive and have trouble snapping
out of it). But, as they say, it's all part of the journey. Sometimes
when we hit a low spot, we feel like it will last forever. Somehow
we forget that it passes and we'll feel good again. And no matter
how positive we try to be, we will hit low spots, have days where
we're tired, sad, lonely, frustrated, etc. It's the nature of
being human. To paraphrase the robot Kryten from the show Red
Dwarf, after he was miraculously transformed into a human being: "I'm
up and down more often than a pair of kangaroos in the mating
season!" Last time I was feeling down, my friend and fellow
artist Steve Snelling reminded me that it's all part of the journey…
A Little Help From My Friends
It's good to have friends to remind you of things when you've
forgotten, open your eyes when you have them closed, or just
be there when you need someone. Going on a tour, you find out
who your friends are. Thanks so much to my partner Jaime and
his wife Danielle for their open door hospitality whenever I
go through San Francisco, and thanks to Jennifer and Brian for
the same in Humboldt County. Thanks to all my friends who came
out to my shows in San Francisco, Arcata and Eureka (you know
who you are) and thanks to the people who gave me some attention
while I was in those towns (including all the great folks at
KSLG - John Matthews, Jen Savage, Monica Topping, Mike Dronkers
at KHUM, Bob Doran at the North Coast Journal for his nice little
piece on me, and Monica Topping for her wonderful spot in Times
Standard, Clay Smith at Jambalaya, Jasmin at the Pearl Lounge,
The Rubberneckers, Kerosene Kondors and The Broken Scones for
sharing the bill in Humboldt, Steve Snelling for putting me on
his bill in San Francisco and playing wonderful piano accompaniment,
etc.).
If you're interested in reading the pieces written about me in
Humboldt, you can visit the links below:
http://www.times-standard.com/entertainment/ci_10199049
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/issues/2008/08/14/cruisin/
Home Again Home Again Jiggety-Jig
If only very subtly, going on tour for even a short week changes
me. I come back appreciating my home more. And my comfort zone
has expanded a bit, making me feel a bit braver and sure of myself,
feeling like I can handle whatever comes along, wherever I may
be. Travel changes you. I should do it more. I hope to. There
are a couple issues of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine
sitting on my coffee table that I really enjoy reading. I had
been thinking of how much I wanted to go to Italy and a couple
days later I received my first issue of the magazine in the mail.
I have absolutely no idea why I'm receiving it - I didn't subscribe.
Is the universe telling me something? Like, you need to go further
than California soon. Well, that's fine. I'd love it. Now the
universe has to bring me the cash flow to do that!
Wishing you both a comfy home and adventurous travels,
Robert
Kiss the Girl
June 2008
NEW SONG AND THOUGHTS
Just Believe and Let Love Form This Good Thing
Our new song, Good Thing, is about letting life and relationships
form the way they're meant to, with faith, trust and love instead
of fear and control. It's about letting go and believing that
things will work out the way they are meant to for the greatest
good, whatever the outcome.
"
We've got the power baby, so let it flow. Kill fear and doubt
and baby, let the good times roll! We don't need control, love.
Just believe and let love form this good thing." (Good Thing)
How can we do that, living in a cold, apathetic or even hostile
universe where nothing has any real lasting value or meaning?
Well, if we believe that about the universe, we can't. As Shakespeare
wrote, "Aye, there's the rub." Our core beliefs about
reality will shape our lives. Einstein said one of the most important
questions a person could ask themself is, "Is this a friendly
universe?"
This is a personal question. It is also a question for an entire
book, not a short newsletter. But, as I said, your view will
shape your life. The reductionist or materialist view of the
universe, where everything could supposedly be broken down to
basic, explainable components was a view of classical physics
that has been shattered by quantum physics.
Ken Wilbur, in his introduction to his book Sex, Ecology and
Spirituality talks about how strange it is that anything at all
exists, that anything at all is happening. There are two basic
views. The first is the philosophy of "oops!", saying
the universe is ultimately accidental or random (which goes by
many modern names). No matter how mature and sophisticated that
view may appear on the surface, they're basically saying, "Don't
ask." Wilbur believes this is, in fact, an infantile response
to the human condition (see his book
for more detail). I now quote:
"
The other broad answer that has been tendered is that something
else is going on: behind the happenstance drama is a deeper or
higher or wider pattern, or order, or intelligence. There are,
of course, many varieties of this "Deeper Order": the
Tao, God, Geist, Maat, Archetypal Forms, Reason, Li, Mahamaya,
Brahman, Rigpa. And although these different varieties of the
Deeper Order certainly disagree with each other at many points,
they all agree on this: the universe is not what it appears.
Something else is going on, something quite other than oops…"
In my own personal life, I can attest to this. I've mentioned
in a past Bandletter my many experiences with synchronicity,
where a hidden pattern of reality seems to be revealing itself.
There are so many things one could point to: love itself (which
doesn't really hold up as a necessary or desirable evolutionary
trait). Quantum physics has proven that the universe is not what
it appears.
What exactly is going on is perhaps a question for philosophers,
religious people and scientists. But in our own life, it's a
question for us; an important question because that core belief
will drive and shape everything we do and experience.
Although I may not understand the pattern or purpose, I don't
personally live in a meaningless universe. I believe there is
something "behind the scenes" that is guiding us, however
subtly, toward a world of mutual understanding, empathy, compassion,
love. It guides us globally and personally in our lives, but
it's up to us to see it, to follow it, to trust it. On a more
practical level, we cannot control life ourselves. That is where
all anxiety comes from: trying to control what is inherently
uncontrollable. But the more I release control, the more I find
things seem to work out for the best. (In Chaos Theory, patterns
naturally are found to emerge from systems that seem completely
random.)
"
Just believe and let love form this good thing." That's
my rather child-like approach to life and relationships (on a
good day). Let it be what it's going to be. Stop pushing. Release
control. Breathe. Trust in something greater than yourself, even
if you're not sure what it is (and despite what they say, no
one is sure).
I haven't decided on what I believe about many of the important
issues that we're told we must decide (especially by organized
religion). The older and wiser I become, the more I realize that
intellectual answers and rigid beliefs are not the key. The answer
we each give is living our lives with as much meaning, as much
joy and as much love as possible. What is the meaning of life?
How we live our life itself is the answer.
I've taken a risk and gone a bit deep in a short amount of space
in this month's Bandletter. To balance that out, just so you
all know what I'm really about, we're currently recording another
new song, which should be released in the next couple of months.
It's called 999,999 Girls! And it's about exactly what it sounds
like. I'm a single guy living in LA. Yeah, baby, yeah! Of course,
those of you who know me personally weren't fooled for a minute.
Lastly, I can't state this strongly enough: if you enjoy the
Bandletter, if it has any meaning to you, if you have an opinion
or story to tell, please write to me. I will personally respond
to every email I receive.
Peace,
Robert
Kiss the Girl
May 2008
THOUGHTS
The Mixed Bag of May - Heartache and Hope
This month has been representative of life's mixed bag for
me. I've been dealing with the heartache of losing a love from
my
life. But I'm grateful for the wonderful moments, emotions
and memories I gained from it. I also have many other things
to be
grateful for. That list would include my health and those people
close to me and so many other things.
It's been a struggle this month because of the sadness and
loss I feel to stay focused on what's important. That's always
a challenge,
but especially so at times like this. I have to have faith
in the words of the song Good Thing that were given to me (from
wherever lyrics come from) and believe that what happened was
the best that could be in the situation at the time. That doesn't
mean I won't hurt, but it does mean that what I had and felt
and what I now feel is not meaningless. And if there is meaning
and if I become stronger (not harder, stronger) and more loving
from the experience, then it has immense value. And somehow,
that heals the heartache much faster. It's not something bad
that happened to me; it's some wonderful experiences and it's
part of living life, which helps me grow and become a better
person with a bigger heart. And that's what the world really
needs, right?
I hope to find love again without being closed up, afraid or
cynical. I know that is the right path, because even though
I feel that this was the love of my life up to this point,
it hurts
less than many experiences before where I was caught up in
my own need and my own desires. Now I realize that whatever
love
I feel is already in me, whether or not I am in a relationship
with someone to express it.
And speaking practically, the key is to focus on what I have
and to build on that. Then I'll be growing and moving forward
and my life will have purpose. If I focus on what I have and
am grateful, I'll get more of that. If I focus on what I don't
have, there's nothing to build on and I'll get more of that.
I hope you are happy and whole and not feeling heartache. But
if you are, I hope you can find meaning in it and emerge a
more powerful loving person than before. Cynicism and bitterness
are
for those who are done with life. As for the rest of us, we
move forward with an unexplainable hope on life's unpredictable,
wonderful
journey.
Cheers,
Robert
Kiss the Girl
March 2008
THOUGHTS
In Praise of Others
Someone once said that Heaven is a place where we never stop
praising each other. I want to devote some space to praising
some fellow creative friends of mine who have accomplished
some great things and deserve (as we all do) to be appreciated.
Perhaps
some of them can be of service to you or have something that
will enrich your lives (click on their name or link to visit
their site, if one is provided).
Jaimeson Durr: My partner in Kiss the Girl and friend of many
years, Jaime is a gifted music engineer (and guitarist) who
has worked for several other major artists, such as Dan the
Automator,
the Grateful Dead, Franz Ferdinand and Train.
Steve Snelling: singer/songwriter and jazz pianist extraordinaire.
Steve plays in and around San Francisco. He just finished the
work of a lifetime: a brilliant jazz piano instruction book
(I'm using it just to learn as a beginner pianist). I expect
to see
him playing at Yoshi's jazz club in the not-too-distant future.
Steffon Moody: A fantastic performance artist, owner of Chameleon
Performance. Also, a gifted visual artist and singer/songwriter.
Taylor Grant: Taylor is a writer who has worked for many years
writing for TV and film. He now has his own copywriting company,
Copywriter Connection, and has clients too many to mention
in every media. He recently finished his first independent
horror
film called the Muse, for which I was lucky enough to be at
the premiere at a major theater in LA. It was delightfully
gruesome,
and parts of it scared the crap out of me.
Maddy Curley: Maddy is an accomplished actress and gymnast
who was one of the girls on Jeff Bridges' character's gymnastic
team
in the movie Stick It. She's also one of my favorite swing
dance partners. I expect to see her on a regular TV series
or in another
major movie soon.
Danny Ponickly: Danny is an amazing dancer and teacher, focusing
mainly on swing and ballroom. He recently was the main dancer
for the Enchanted segment of the Academy Awards. He was one
of the teachers in the movie Mad Hot Ballroom, and is bringing
swing
and ballroom dancing to LA area schools, to teach our future
young ladies and gentlemen the wonderful art of dance (not
to mention manners and social skills). He and Fred Astaire
have
taught me most of what I know about dancing.
Michael Szeles: My younger brother, the best actor and playwright
I know. He's now editing his first independent film, which
he wrote and directed. As an actor he has been in films that
have
been featured in several major independent film festivals,
as well as commercials for the National Geographic Channel.
His
one-man performance in the play Goats in New York City won
him critical praise from the New York Times and a nomination
for
Outstanding Solo Performance from the New York Innovative Theater
Awards in 2006. I'm hoping he'll clear his mental schedule
enough to co-write something with me some day soon.
Four of my gifted fellow fiction writers, members of the Mid-Wilshire
Writer's Group in Los Angeles and all published authors. Please
check out their wonderful work:
Rachel Olivier: www.puttputtproductions.com, www.pennoir.org/rachelolivier.html
Will Molinar: http://www.myspace.com/willmolinar
Chandra Rooney: Good Karma Reviews, Dreaming in Red (blog)
Christina Rundle: http://christinarundle.blogspot.com/
Dan Silver: Dan is an accomplished guitarist (who has performed
with Kiss the Girl) and composer, apart from being a successful
music-licensing agent. (http://riptidemusic.com)
Kumar Desai: Kumar is the best web design programmer I know
(he's worked with my design company Portal Design).
Carrie Ybay: A talented designer and programmer whose help
with my author site and other sites has been invaluable.
John C: An amazingly gifted stand-up comic, John has appeared
on numerous TV shows and is almost constantly touring around
the world.
Larry Batiste: Larry is former president of the NARAS (the
Grammy Academy) San Francisco branch. He is a gifted vocalist
and producer
who has worked on far too many records to mention here, including
some platinum and gold albums. KTG has had the honor of mixing
some songs featuring Larry's vocals.
Alan Beatts: Owner of the wonderful bookstore Borderlands in
San Francisco,
Alan Beatts (and manager Jude Feldman) have been very supportive
of my writing career and given me invaluable feedback.
Samantha F. Grant: Certified Nutritionist and Homeopath in
Los Angeles
Dennis Piper: Dennis is an incredibly gifted painter, poet
and writer living in San Francisco.
Tom Long: An incredible performer, writer and director/producer
of the professional theater company Friends of the Groom based
in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Rachel Brice: Absolutely the most original, beautiful, talented
belly dancer I've ever seen (she once danced at a Kiss the
Girl show), Rachel travels the world and has been a member
of the
Belly Dance Superstars and toured with Lolapalooza.
Anje Vela: Creative producer and promoter, Anje has been instrumental
in getting attention for the West Memphis Three by producing
countless benefit shows. She is also a massage therapist.
Steve Szeles: My older brother, the gifted doctor and surgeon.
Also a talented artist.
Mary Cross: A talented voice-over actress and actress based
in NYC.
Mazelle Lolmaugh: Mazelle is one of the most gifted poets and
visual artists I know. I'm patiently waiting for her to make
her work available to the public.
Mike Caito: A talented graphic designer and illustrator living
in St. Louis.
Jennifer Yeung: Wonderful singer/songwriter and gifted classical
pianist.
Shawn Cornwell: A talented copywriter and long-time friend,
based in Hawaii.
Paula van der Zwaan: Talented actress and dancer in the SF
Bay area.
Andy Korn: Brilliant drummer. Has played with Kiss the Girl,
Ronnie Spector, Joey Ramone and others.
Now, I'm sure I'll realize I left someone off! If you're a close
friend and I have, please let me know and accept my apologies.
Wishing everyone nice spring weather, new hope and new happiness!
Robert
Kiss the Girl
January 2008
The Secret of Giving and Receiving
The Universal Source of All
Visible Wealth and Apple iPods
It was a couple weeks ago and I was in a bad cash flow situation.
After a hike on an especially warm day in LA, I was sitting at
my computer in my shorts, which I hadn't worn for months. I was
reading about a benefit for an LA poet who is seriously ill and
doesn't have health insurance. The benefit cost $10 and I wanted
to go, but was in such a bad temporary financial state that I
balked at the idea. A few minutes later, I happened to reach
in one of those long side pockets of my shorts and found a $10
bill.
Well, I didn't need to be hit over the head. Here was the universe
handing me exactly what I needed. However, my sense of lack made
me think of keeping the money for my own necessities. The next
day, my financial situation got even worse due to an overdue
bill that was even larger than I'd remembered and an unresolved
business situation that was preventing me from collecting money
from a client. It was a stressful morning, and I went out that
afternoon for a hike to try to banish my worries and focus on
abundance despite the appearance of lack I was experiencing.
During my hike, I focused on writings my Wallace Wattles about
poverty being only an appearance and the reality being abundance.
And I thought of Robert Collier's quote saying, "The spiritual
source of all visible wealth is never depleted. It is right with
you always and responds to your faith in it and your demands
on it."
By the time I headed home, I was feeling a bit better, though
not exactly abundant. I happened to pass through the neighborhood
of the bookstore that was holding the benefit for the poet, and
the time happened to be about fifteen minutes before the benefit
started, so I immediately remembered. I was torn. The universe
(or God, depending on your beliefs) had given me $10 in no uncertain
terms, but I was in such financial need that I felt it was money
I needed myself. And I knew that if I was going to give, I needed
to feel good about it. It had to be giving out of a full heart;
otherwise it would be sacrifice, which leads to resentment. Then
I remembered what is said in The Secret, that when you feel that
you don't have enough to give, start giving. As I passed within
a block of the bookstore, it took all my strength to turn the
wheel in the direction of the bookstore and try to find a parking
space. I knew this was a real test of my faith, of my belief
in the universal source providing for me and it wasn't easy.
I had trouble finding parking, but knew by this point that if
I didn't go to the benefit, I would be disappointed with myself.
I finally found a parking spot and went to the poetry benefit.
After I left the benefit, I walked to my car thinking, "Ok,
I did this in faith that the universe will provide." I stopped
by the grocery store on the way home. As I checked out with my
paltry $8 worth of groceries, the cashier told me, "You
won a free iPod!" I was rather startled. He sent me down
to another checkout lane and they gave me a free iPod, as part
of a promotion which I didn't even know about (they gave away
200 only at that store randomly over the weekend). I walked out
with my iPod feeling almost embarrassed. If the $10 in my pocket
wasn't clear enough, this was like cold water in the face. It
was a wonderful gift from the source of all abundance that really
strengthened my faith in a time when I needed it.
Financially things turned around in a major way soon thereafter.
Sometimes it's hard to believe in abundance when we see the appearance
of poverty around us, but what we believe about ourselves and
the world will eventually shape our reality.
Ugly Betty Synchronicity
A couple nights ago, I stopped by 7-11. As I was walking out
the door, I got the sudden impulse to quickly browse the magazine
covers and went back in. I scanned the covers for just a few
seconds. One of the covers I saw had two people from the show
Ugly Betty. I didn't see anything about any other shows that
I remember. I remember thinking how the girl would, of course,
be pretty if made up differently.
The next day, my licensing agent informed me that our song Alive
would appear on an episode of lovely Betty, which aired that
night!
If you stay awake and aware, you will see signs that we have
access to some knowledge of how the universe works. Synchronicity
is two things or events that have a shared meaning without any
apparent outward connection. It is one of those signs that there
is some underlying pattern to reality. When I first moved to
LA, I experienced it a lot. I've been working toward evolving
my beliefs, and going through a hard time during the holidays
pushed me even further towards a renewed spirituality and dedication
to being in touch with the power, knowledge and abundance that
is equally available to all of us. We don't always get signs,
but we don't always need them. Changing our habitual thoughts
will transform our lives. It's hard work, but well worth it.
The signs are just gifts to help us on the way.
I would heartily recommend works such as The Secret (especially
as a simplified introduction to these ideas) and the works of
Wallace Wattles, Charles Haanel, Robert Collier, Ralph Waldo
Emerson, and modern authors like Jack Canfield and others that
contributed to The Secret. Whatever your beliefs, there are powerful
ideas in these works that are common to many of the greatest
philosophers, businessmen, thinkers and religious traditions
that can help you to realize your dreams of a fulfilled, happy
and meaningful life.
Wishing you all abundance, peace and purpose in the New Year!
Robert
Kiss the Girl
December 2007
The Beauty of Everyday Things
End of the Year
2007 was a great year for me. But the end of this year has
been difficult. There have been some wonderful things, but
it has
also been a time of loss and sadness. Whenever I feel sad
or when things don't appear to be going the way I hope, I try
to be grateful for what I do have in my life. But sometimes
even that is difficult. I try to shift my emotions, but I
still
may feel that churning in my stomach from anxiety about what
may or may not happen, that empty place created by the loss
of my friend or my lover, the weight of feeling all alone
even though I know that we are all connected and never really
alone.
When appearances are overwhelming I am tempted to turn inward
and hide within myself but that only leads to self-pity and
despair and serves to crush me further. So, I try to turn
outward to seek connection to the world around me. And the
easiest
way to do that is to open my eyes to the beauty of everyday
things.
October 2007
Happy Halloween!
Hope everyone has a crazy, fun Halloween. I had a blast at the
Lindy Groove Costume Ball in Pasadena (Swing dance party) dressed
as Green Lantern. The rest of the Justice League just happened
to show up (not planned) and we entered the costume contest
and got to the finals. I also learned and participated in a
recreation of the zombie dance from Michael Jackson's Thriller
video. I know, I can't believe I did it either. Especially
when we had only one hour to learn a very challenging dance
routine. I wish I had more pics but all I've got so far is
the one with me (Green Lantern) and my friend
and dance partner Maddy (as Will Ferrell's character Chaz from
Blades of Glory). Honestly one of the most enjoyable evenings
of my life, and definitely the best Halloween ever. Hope yours
is memorable as well.
Until next time…
Robert (aka Green Lantern)
Kiss the Girl
July 2007
I Wrote These Songs For You
I wrote these songs and produced this album for you. Yes, you,
if you're reading this and you've ever experienced love,
loss, hope, despair, courage, fear and any of the other emotions
common to us all. If I created this only for myself, I wouldn't
need to share it. Once the album was finished, then it was
really no longer mine. It became yours. I have no interest
in self-aggrandizement. My only purpose with the music and
this band letter is to reach out to others and hopefully
communicate
something that will help you feel less alone and more alive.
I am a writer, but I don't think I could say what I'm trying
to say any better than Novelist/Boxer Floyd Salas:
"
All considerations of language, of ideas, of symbols and metaphors
serve only one function: to convey the soul of a living being
to the soul of other living beings and in that process break
us out of our isolation and loneliness and put us in touch with
the universal spirit."
That is the purpose of my music. That is the purpose of Kiss
the Girl's album, Touch. So why are we selling it, not giving
it away? So that we can afford to continue to create music
that will continue to inspire, encourage and entertain you.
It's a
small price to pay for the hours you'll spend enjoying the
music. And it will encourage us to see that we aren't wasting
our time,
spending hours, day, months, years, trying to create something
that will help communicate the fact that we are not all separate
as it appears. We are not alone.
By all means, if you are honestly in such a bad financial situation
that you can't afford to pay a few dollars for the album, write
to me and I will send you a free copy (if your situation changes
and you can send money later, great). If you haven't purchased
a copy of our album, I ask that you listen to the samples on
our site, and if you enjoy them, then buy a copy of our album
from CdBaby or ITunes. And please write to me and let me know
if it has in any way made you feel less alone and more alive.
It's the reason we're doing this.
Thanks for listening,
Robert
Kiss the Girl
June 2007
PATIENCE AND GRATITUDE
I try to write something that will actually be relevant to people's
lives in this bandletter, as opposed to just making it a self-promotion
vehicle, or a blog concerning the details of recording or being
on the road or how the drummer got drunk and arrested or other
such trivia. And I try to write honestly as I can. So, I'll
tell you I've been really impatient about things for the last
month. And when I'm impatient, it's hard to stay in a state
of gratitude for all the wonderful things in my life. I once
told someone close to me that my definition of patience was:
The hope for things not yet received with gratitude for what
you already have. I've needed a big dose of patience every
day for the last month. I could choose to focus on the difficulties
and frustrations, such as living physically far away from the
woman I love and seldom getting to see her, or not getting
as many or as big licensing deals as I want yet, etc. Instead,
I'm going to put my focus on all of the things in my life that
I should be, and when in the proper frame of mind, am grateful
for. Without getting too specific (to guard the privacy of
people close to me), here's a very partial list:
I'm grateful for the wonderful woman that has come into my
life and the love we share. She is a joy and a miracle and
I still
can't believe I met her and that she loves me.
I'm grateful for my partner and friend in Kiss the Girl, Jaime,
who's so much fun to work with and who helps me create the music
we share with the world.
I'm grateful for my family who are still alive and love me and
believe in me.
I'm grateful for my friends who have stood by me, love me and
support me without judging me.
I'm grateful for all of the people (especially you if you're
reading this!) who enjoy my music and support Kiss the Girl and
for all the exposure we've received from the friendly, supportive
people in radio, film and television and the rest of the music
industry, including our online publicist Ariel Publicity, our
licensing agent Riptide Music and our online distributor IDC.
I'm grateful for my talent – for my songs, stories, design,
writing - for any hope or inspiration or entertainment I can
share with the world.
I'm grateful for my health.
I'm grateful for the wonderful place I live, for the delicious
food I enjoy each day, for books, music, film, culture, romance,
swing dancing, the beauty of nature and all the sensations I
experience each day.
I'm grateful that I've had a chance to share this with you.Hoping
you feel gratitude for all you have and
patience for the things you do not yet have,
Robert
KTG
May 2007
LONG DRIVES AND LOTS OF LOVE
My mini Solo Acoustic Tour was a wondrous thing. The value of
leaving familiar, comfortable surroundings hit me on my drive
up to San Francisco as I passed the windmills that lie just
southeast of the Bay Area. Seeing different vistas in a different
light can ironically evoke feelings of nostalgic joy. I became
more aware of the beauty of each moment as I was taken out
of my familiar patterns and surroundings.
I spent time visualizing the tour going well, but what I experienced
was far more than I had imagined…
SAN FRANCISCO: Beyond Expectations
In San Francisco I stayed with my good friend and fellow singer/songwriter
and also jazz pianist extraordinaire, Steve Snelling. I would
be sharing the bill with him for the show in SF. The day before
the show was spent in Hyde Street Studios with my KTG partner
Jaimeson Durr as we cut drums for two new upcoming tracks with
the super-talented drummer Andy Korn, which went swimmingly.
The next day - the day of the show, I was told some negative
things about the venue Steve and I were playing. I already had
thoughts that the venue might be less than ideal, and this talk
produced further doubts in my mind. I began to think of possible
solutions to the problems, which only made them grow in my mind.
I realized that I was giving my energy to the wrong thing, so
I shifted my thoughts to picturing only the ideal, giving no
thought to any problem or obstacle. Upon arrival at the venue,
I saw that it was small, noisy and the vibe seemed wrong. The
employees seemed unaware of our show and even asked that the
volume be kept down since last time they had trouble hearing
drink orders (ah, the glory of being a rock star!). Despite the
less-than-ideal environment, I simply remained calm and focused
my energy on my upcoming performance and talking with people.
By the time I went onstage, the environment had improved a bit,
but was still not the best. I went up onstage and began my first
song. The café, now almost full of people, seemed to go
completely still. As I ended the first song, the place erupted
in enthusiastic calls and applause. The venue had completely
transformed. The audience was completely rapt in attention as
I played my set. There was a generous flow of energy between
the audience and me. I talked and joked spontaneously and was
able to turn everything that happened – even mistakes or
ambient noise – to my advantage. I played well, with passion,
almost overwhelmed with emotion at times from the positive energy,
the love and support I felt in the room. Steve Snelling and I
finished off the night with a set of jazz standards that were
very well received. It was, unexpectedly, one of the most satisfying
shows I've ever played.
Afterward, I got to party with my KTG partner Jaimeson, his fiancé Danielle,
and some old friends, including my friend Reese, and my close
friend Steffon from the Seattle area whom just happened to be
in San Francisco and came to my show. I would see him again a
few days later to play a House Concert in his home. We simply
had a blast that night. San Francisco was great, but Humboldt
County a few days later was simply extraordinary, a trip that
will change my life forever…
HUMBOLDT COUNTY: A Trip That Changed My Life
Humboldt County – the Arcata/Eureka area – is a beautiful
part of northern California. I had played with the band and solo
there several times at a club and at large house parties held
at my friend Scott's parents' place. I always have a great time
in Humboldt. The surroundings are beautiful and the people are
friendly and generous. I stayed with my lovely friend Jennifer
and also hung out with an awesome cowpunk band called The Rubberneckers
who were sharing the bill with me at the Pearl Lounge in Eureka.
I got to rehearse with The Rubberneckers as we had planned a
tribute to the band Old 97s where I would join them onstage at
the show during their set. I was treated with such appreciation
and respect by everyone in Humboldt, starting with John Matthews
and Jen Savage at the commercial rock station KSLG. I had appeared
on John's show before and it was a vibrant, lively discussion,
and this time we continued where we left off. Check the shows
or news section on our site or click at the bottom of this newsletter
for a link to the interview. Jen's show was also great (but I
know she didn't record it!), and they and the station were really
supportive in having me on and talking about the show at the
Pearl Lounge. KSLG is one of the best commercial rock stations
left in the country, and I'm really honored that Kiss the Girl
is on there.
They also sent me over to KHUM where DJ Mike was broadcasting
live from the opening of a huge organic food store. Clay from
The Rubberneckers met me there as he had just heard me on KSLG
that morning and they had mentioned that I was on my way to the
KHUM show. What ensued was a pretty hilarious interview that
would have had Spinal Tap overtones if not for the fact that
we were too busy laughing at ourselves, talking about the experience
and about Clay's joyful rediscovery of alcohol after five months
sober. I played percussion as Clay borrowed my guitar to sing
one song, which he then handed back to me, refusing to play more
as it was way too early for him. I then played a few songs. During
the gentle, moving song Alien Skin, we all laughed as we could
hear an employee calling out a price check. Mike from KHUM was
great and we had an awesome time. I would love a recording of
that as well, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist. Infinitely
sad.
The Pearl Lounge show was fantastic. Pearl Lounge is a New York
(or LA) style cosmopolitan club in Eureka run by a young woman
named Jasmin, who's trying to add an extra touch of sophistication
to the town. Coming from living in San Francisco and LA, it was
totally my kind of place. The Rubberneckers brought in a sound
system that sounded really nice. The place filled up with people,
including many familiar faces, including my friend Scott and
his family, the KSLG crew, and my close friend Jennifer, her
lovely sister Heather and Jenn's friend Virginia who was gracious
enough to let me stay with her and Jennifer while I was in town.
The place filled up with people and I gave a really strong performance.
The vibe was great. I went up with The Rubberneckers during their
set and we kicked ass and brought down the house during the two
Old 97s songs. So fun! The Rubberneckers finished out the night
to a dancing crowd.
At the Pearl Lounge show, I lost some t-shirts, a guitar stand
and a camera case.
But I found the girl of my dreams.
For months I've been trying to manifest the perfect mate by visualizing
and other techniques, imagining strongly that I was already with
her and being thankful for that, picturing in my mind and with
emotion the kind of woman I hoped to be with. Afterward, I met
a lovely woman who had come up to the front during my set – I
had noticed her immediately and was strongly attracted. I went
straight up to her after I left the stage. We talked briefly,
then again at the end of the evening. I watched her throughout
the night, thinking she was the woman of my dreams, but not knowing
if she was available. I was stunned and delighted when she called
me the next day out of the blue (after tracking down my number
somehow on the internet) and left a message for me while I was
in Seattle on the next leg of the tour. After a great time with
my friend Steffon in the Seattle area and a fun house concert
there, I passed back through Humboldt and spent a couple days
with her. We realized how strongly we felt about each other,
and that's the beginning of the story. She had been there that
night to see the Rubberneckers – thanks guys! Needless
to say, Humboldt County has been very, very good to me!!
Being on the road for a couple weeks made me realize a couple
things. One is that I feel at home in LA, San Francisco or Humboldt
County, or at my friend's in Seattle. Once you understand who
you are and are doing what you're supposed to be doing, home
becomes something that's inside you wherever you go. The second
thing probably helps me feel at home in these different places,
and that is, there is a lot of love out there if you're open
to it, and if you project it first. I went on the tour to pour
myself out, to play my heart out and give my time and talent,
thoughts and inspiration, anything I had to the people and places
I encountered. What you send out comes back to you. The universe
is a mirror. We attract what we think about.
Our thoughts become things.
My purpose was to give love, and the amount of love I got back
in return was far greater. Some people see hostility or suspicion
or at least apathy when they venture forth. They expect that,
and they project that and that's what they get. Give no thought
to the problems or obstacles. Give no energy to the negative
thoughts and events. Dwell upon what you are grateful for and
what you want, and give everything you have with as much joy
as you can, and that will be your life experience. I have troubles
and doubts and fears in my life, but they are no longer my focus.
I focus upon the good, upon the desired, upon the love and joy
I want in my life and in the world, and that has become my reality
and grows stronger each day. Each of us, individually, by creating
our own reality, will transform the world. We have the power
to do it through our thoughts. That's how it's done: one person
at a time. And the only person you need to change is you.
Wishing love and joy to you in your life,
Robert
KTG
April 2007
WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?
Deciding what we want in life is our primary job as human beings.
If I don't know what I want, I don't have much chance of getting
it, do I? If we really want something, want to achieve something,
want to become something, we must be clear about what that is.
This is the first step, and it is ironically where many people
are tripped up before they even begin.
Becoming clear about what we want and who we are is the most
important thing to do, because once we're living the life we're
supposed to live, once we start to become the person we really
are deep down inside (the real "I," not one created
for appearances), then everything in our life will begin to fall
in place. And that means, you'll be with the people that you're
supposed to be with (whether friends, lovers, business associates)
and have a positive effect on, or some would say be a blessing
to, their lives. And when you're doing what you're supposed to
be doing vocationally, artistically, business-wise, etc. you
will have the maximum positive benefit on everyone around you.
Then, your life will be full of meaning and purpose, and meaningless
problems that previously plagued you (meaningless because they
benefited no one and simply sapped your energy) will turn into
meaningful challenges that will energize you and bring a powerful,
joyful flow to your life. Only by becoming who you truly are
will you become a true blessing to others and to the world.
And how do we find out who we truly are? Of course we can become
inspired by our environment, and by others setting an example
for us (as I was by musicians and artists when I was very young).
But when it comes down to it, the answers we seek wait in silence.
We must take time to get away from all of the noise and distraction
of modern life, and to be alone in silence so that we can come
to know our true voice that lies deep within us. Meditating a
few minutes every day can change your life. Charles Haanel, in
The Master Key System, talks about how we are all part of the
Universal Mind (rather like Carl Jung's Collective Unconscious
idea), which some would call God. He says that all ideas, all
inventions, all power lies waiting for any of us who will take
the time to tap into this. He equates the power directly with
love, but the idea is too involved to explain here. You can read
The Master Key System at this link (it was written in 1910 and
is now public domain):
http://www.psitek.net/pages/PsiTekTMKSContents.html
Whether or not I believe everything Charles Haanel says, there
are very powerful tools and ideas there that have helped me.
But don't take my word for it. As the site says, "Rumor
has it that while he was attending Harvard University, Bill Gates
discovered and read The Master Key System. It was this book that
inspired Bill Gates to drop out of the University and pursue
his dream of "a computer on every desktop." You probably
know the results. . . It is Silicon Valley's secret that almost
every entrepreneur who made a fortune in recent years did so
by studying the words Mr. Haanel penned over eighty years ago!
Almost every millionaire and billionaire in the Valley read The
Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel."
I've come to realize in my own life that the true battle is in
my mind. All of the rushing around and work I do only have effect
if they flow from positive ideas and beliefs I've created and
come to believe in my mind. Otherwise, they lead to little success
and often frustration. Before you can have or be something, you
must be clear about what it is, then you must believe it is already
yours with all of your mind and emotion – with as much
mental and emotional belief as you can summon, then release it
and be happy and grateful for the life you have each day. Give
no thought at all to the obstacles or difficulties when you do
this mental work, but think only of the ideal, knowing that it
exists already as potential and is within your grasp, and a way
will be made. Powerful forces will move and life will become
a wonderful flow as opposed to a constant struggle. Personally,
my life has tipped from a willful struggle to one of free-flowing
engagement. It is a wonderful feeling.
You can be anything you want to be, but you first have to find
out what that is. That's where the fun begins. Finally, in the
words of Jack Kerouac:
And if you don't like the tone
of my poems
You can go jump in the lake.
I have been empowered
to lay my hand
On your shoulder
and remind you
That you are utterly free,
Free as empty space.
You don't have to be famous,
don't have to be perfect,
Don't have to work,
don't have to marry,
Don't have to carry burdens,
don't have to gnaw & kneel
March 2007
KILL FEAR AND DOUBT
A really sweet girl I've been dating for a couple weeks just
decided to move to Barcelona (no, it wasn't because of me). She
had visited the city before and last weekend just realized it
was something she always really wanted to do, so, she's going
to do it. Just like that? Yes, just like that.
Many times we come up with all kinds of very reasonable sounding
excuses and reasons as to why we shouldn't do certain things
we deep-down have always wanted to do. But the truth is, if you
really want to do something, "how" is not that important.
What's important is to become clear about what you truly, deeply
desire in your life and then go after it. All the "hows" will
work themselves out, often in ways you could never have planned
or imagined. Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bliss and
doors will open where there were no doors before." What's
really stopping us from our dreams is ourselves.
The more we stay in our comfort zone, the more fear begins to
rule our lives, and the doubts and fears we have grow in power
over us. Voices inside our heads (whether from parents, people
around us, the media, etc.) tell us all the reasons we can't
do what we want to do, can't be who we want to be. But the truth
is, those voices are no more valid than the ones that say we
can. So, it's up to us to decide what voices we're going to listen
to, daily. And you have to be merciless, especially at first.
You must kill all fear and doubt. And you also have to cast off
their twisted cousin, cynicism. If you hold on to the comfort
of cynicism to avoid disappointment and pain, or even worse,
to look cool, you're only hurting yourself. So, be careful what
voices you listen to, whether on the outside or in your head.
Live in the moment daily, and be aware of your thoughts and the
stories you're telling yourself. If you change those stories,
change those voices, then you will change your life.
I struggle daily with fear and doubt in various areas of my life.
But for the last two years I have been changing the stories and
voices in my head, and the results have been incredible, not
only in the outward manifestation of a different life, but a
different level of peace and enjoyment of my life. So, when the
idea of doing a solo tour came into my head, just like my friend
moving to Barcelona, I just decided to do it. Scheduling it hasn't
been effortless, but many doors have opened to make the tour
possible. Although there are still some holes in the schedule,
I'm more excited than afraid to see how those things will work
themselves out. And I keep trying to tip the emotion of fear
to excitement instead as I stretch the boundaries of my comfort
zone. I just have to keep mercilessly killing fear and doubt,
every day. Eventually, I hope their voices will be dim and distant
compared to the voices of courage, power and joy. I hope the
same for you.
2.15.07 TIMELESS
According
to the latest theory (and some ancient texts), time is only a
perception
created by our minds so that we can function in our physical
universe. There really is no past or future, there is only this
moment, only now. What we perceive as the passage of time is
actually a series of moments, like frames in a movie that, once
put together, create what appears to be a sequence of events.
This was illustrated for me recently when an old college friend
whom I had not spoken to in years contacted me. He invited me
to visit him and his family in Puget Sound for his wife's birthday
party. When I arrived, he picked me up at the Seattle airport,
and within minutes, twenty years distance simply disappeared,
and we were again close friends. It was as if we had never lost
contact. And in a way, we hadn't. What we had perceived as passage
of time was really just a series of moments, many nows, which
could be put in any order. And that's how it felt. One moment
we were hanging out at Washington University in St. Louis, the
next we were together on Puget Sound.
Being in contact again made me very happy. It brought back some
of my faith in friendship that had been tainted by people who
claimed to be friends but weren't and by my own misplaced expectations
in certain relationships (our language needs a word in between
friend and acquaintance). This was something I hadn't expected,
and it's been a delight to again be in touch with my close friend.
If there is someone in your past that you cared for and miss,
I would encourage you to make the effort to contact them. You
might find that no time has passed at all.
As for the birthday party at my friend's house, it was probably
the most amazing party I've ever been to in my life. But that's
something I'll leave for next time…
1.24.07 SINGLE IN SILVER LAKE
I'm sitting
here in my Silver Lake guesthouse writing this update and listening
to Vanessa Daou's first album Zipless. I have no wondrous news
except for the fact that I'm alive and healthy and whole, and
I suppose that kind of news is wondrous enough if you have the
awareness to receive it. And that's what I'm busy at: staying
aware and awake and living in the now with whatever I do as well
as I can, trying to stay open to whatever life has to offer,
sharing whatever beauty and truth I have, and hopefully growing
at least a little bit in loving-kindness, which the world needs
so much.
I'm about three-quarters of the way through my first draft of
my first novel, and I hope to tell more about that as it comes
to completion. I am pondering doing some music as a type of soundtrack
or songs inspired by the story, but at this point I don't even
want to give away the snappy title (it's necessary to protect
the child for a bit longer before releasing it into the world).
I'll just say that it deals with a guy and a girl, San Francisco,
tasty cocktails, love, the nature of reality, time travel, non-normal
states of consciousness, that sort of thing.
Working from home as I do, writing, promoting, designing, I get
to spend quite a bit of time with myself. And as much as I am
into the adventure of self- discovery (meditating, doing breathwork
therapy, reading) and need a fair amount of time alone to create,
I have to say: I've really had plenty of my own company to last
awhile. Plenty. Really. Being single, I did the online dating
thing for years, but no more for me thank-you-very-much. Can
an offline boy find love in an online world? I'm guess I'm going
to find out…
12.6.06 SYNCHRONICITY IN SILVER LAKE
Some of you know that I recently moved to the Silver Lake area
of Los Angeles, which is one of the most magical places I've
ever been. It looks a bit more like Berkeley than LA, and there's
a strange clash of civilization and nature going on. I live
in a guesthouse on top of a hill with a distant view of downtown
LA on one side and Hollywood on the other, but I'm surrounded
by greenery and hills. I'm only three blocks from busy Sunset
Blvd., yet I've seen coyotes roaming the streets on about half
a dozen occasions since coming here! Like I said, magical.
And even more magical...
Since moving here I've had some amazing moments of synchronicity
(strange coincidences), unlike any I've experienced before. Apart
from working on music, I've been working on a novel and a series
of connected short stories. Since coming to Silver Lake I've
encountered five elements of my fiction manifesting themselves
in "real life" after I'd written about them. I've also
had two brief dreams that came true the day I dreamt them. These
experiences and a lot of the reading I've been doing about the
latest ideas in quantum physics have really changed my view of
the world and reality. If you're curious about such things, I'd
recommend checking out Michael Talbot's The Holographic Universe
or the movie What the Bleep Do We Know. For something a bit heavier:
Joseph Campbell, the works of C.J. Jung (especially his Archetypes
of the Collective Unconscious), David Deutsch's The Fabric of
Reality and Michio Kaku's Parallel Worlds.
If anyone else has had strange experiences of synchronicity,
I'd love to hear about them. Just drop me an email.
8.11.06
I was at my local grocery store this evening. The owner had
his 10 year-old son working the cash register, which he did
quite
efficiently and in a friendly manner. I joked with the owner
that soon he could just go fishing and have his son working
for him. He told me that his son was doing such a good job
that day that he told his son he was going to pay him extra.
His son told his dad that, instead, he didn't want to be
paid at all that day because he was having such a good time
working with him.
There's hope for the future.
8.7.06
It's a time of change for me and for Kiss the Girl, a time
of new awareness, possibilities, opportunities. I've become
aware recently (not only intellectually, but finally, emotionally)
that we can have a strong effect on shaping our reality
through our thoughts, decisions and actions. Part of this
awareness has prompted me to move Kiss the Girl's base
of operations to Los Angeles. We'll still be doing some
recording and mixing in San Francisco, but I'll be relocating
to LA to take advantage of the music industry there. After
only three days of searching for an apartment (and focusing
my emotions and thoughts on visualizing and manifesting
that reality) I found a fantastic place in the Silver Lake
district, which is the center of the music/arts scene in LA!
I'll miss beautiful San Francisco, but I am very happy about
the move and the new opportunities that will await me
and Kiss the Girl. Before I leave, I'll be playing doing
one last solo acoustic performance in San Francisco;
so if you're in the area, please come out and say hello
and goodbye. It's for a great cause...
Thanks,
Szeles
6.29.06
Yikes. Been a long time since my last entry, but there's good
reason: most of my time apart from getting the album ready
for release has been taken up working on a novel. So, I've
been writing, just not here! I can't say much, except it's
a kind of romance/mystery/sci-fi story set in San Francisco.
I'm about halfway finished with the first draft, so there's
still a lot of writing to do.
Emotionally, writing is quite a rollercoaster, not unlike the
creative process with music. One minute I'm inspired and excited
by it,
even exhilarated, the next I'm discouraged (though this happens
less with music since I have more experience with that). Anyone
who has seriously been involved in a creative process knows
that must be gone through.
I do have more to say on this and other topics, and I've got
quite a backlog of writing not connected with the novel, so
I'll be posting more regularly. No...really!
9.21.05
We're getting down to the wire on the album. Only weeks away
from being finished, and there are still some important decisions
to
make. For instance, we still haven't settled on a name for
the album. So, if you're reading this, check out our sound
samples
if you're not already familiar with our music, and if you come
up with a good idea for our album title, please email us
at info@kissthegirlmusic.com.
If we use your title idea, we'll give you a free, autographed
copy of the album when it comes out.
I'm sure everyone's heard and read enough about the tragedy in
New Orleans. So, I'll only say, I'm sorry I never visited the
famous historic city before this happened, except through Anne
Rice's novels. It was supposedly an amazing place; hopefully it
will be again.
8.11.05
I've been too busy living life to write about it. Jaime and I
are hard at work in the studio trying to finish our new album,
tentatively titled To Turn You On. In fact, we're in the studio
again for the next two days working on the song of the same name.
Between doing that, planning a spring college tour, spending time
making friends and fans on myspace.com/kissthegirlmusic, promoting
and just living life to the hilt, I've had a hard time getting
to this journal. I've made some interesting new friends on myspace
from all over the world: Australia, Chile, Rome, Rochester NY,
Ohio, Florida, you name it. Interesting people with interesting
stories to tell. But it can feel pretty isolating when most of
your communication with the world is through a computer. I'm happy
when I'm able to get away and go have a drink at a bar or go to
the movies or just get out for a hike - which I did just the other
day with my friend, Steve. I just had to get out of the freakin'
fog (typical San Francisco summer, though I must say, worse than
usual. Still, how can I complain when the rest of the country
is boiling?). We drove up to Mount Tamalpais, just half an hour
across the Golden Gate Bridge. We emerged from the fog right as
we were crossing the bridge, and the weather on the mountain was
incredible: about 85 degrees, completely clear with a nice coolness
in the shade. We had a great hike, and the sunshine revived me,
and I carried the memory of that sun and blue sky with me back
to the foggy Inner Sunset where I dwell. Tomorrow, downtown, no
doubt it will be sunny and beautiful, but Jaime and I will only
see the light of the studio lights, the led displays and the glow
of the monitor as we continue working on our newest release which
we can't wait to share with the whole world. So, sacrificing a
few days of sunshine will be well worth it. We hope when you hear
it, you'll agree.
Enjoy the sun, stay cool -
-R-
6.1.05
It was great to see democracy in action when I headed down to
City Hall with my friend, Paul, to defend the right of a local
bar to have live music. I didn't plan on speaking,but realized
I had to when I saw the small number of residents who lived near
the bar lining up to speak against the bar. Most of the complaints
had to do with noise or drunken behavior. I spoke about the importance
of live music for San Francisco, something that has suffered terribly
the last few years. Many bands moved to Portland, LA or elsewhere
due to the shrinking number of venues or lack of support for live
music in the area. I then addressed the absurdity of people complaining
about noise when they have chosen to live next to or upstairs
from a bar that has had live music since the early 70's, while
they have only lived there less than ten years. As for the drunkeness,
that's not the result of the music, it's the result of booze,
and that would happen anyway. I respect people's right to some
peace and quiet, but choosing to live near a bar is not the way
to get it. C'mon, this is the city, people!! It already pisses
me off that you can't have a drink after 2 am or find more than
a handful of restaurants open later than midnight. We're supposed
to be a cultural metropolitan city. It doesn't have to be like
NYC, but there's plenty of support for a more thriving nightlife.
It's about the only thing I don't like about this city I love,
San Francisco, except for the weak music scene (I don't mean lack
of good bands - there are a fair amount - I mean the lack of support
for venues and musicians). Well, we'll keep working on it. The
live music license was granted - so democracy can work! But I
have to say, I was disappointed to see none of the bands who actually
play at the bar make an appearance. Democracy only works if we
take part in it. And the same goes for a live music scene. So,
get out there, people!
-R-
5.24.05
Bono vs. Greg Kot
I recently read an article by Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune,
where he decries U2's latest tendency toward product endorsement
and their apparent lack of musical freshness and risk-taking.
He interviews Bono, as the singer was upset by these observations
and wanted to explain his side of things. Bono's explanations
were, as always, a mixture of brilliance and bullshit. I've always
admired U2, both their music and what they do with social activism.
But I do agree with Greg Kot that their best album was Achtung
Baby, and I don't think their music has been sounding very fresh
lately (though I do like Vertigo). I also agree that even Pop
had some interesting things on it, more so than their recent music.
In fact, judging by Kot's opinion of what he believes to be U2's
strongest period, he might be better off looking to other groups
that are creating melodic rock that has a fresh and innovative
sound, including some groups that don't presently have a huge
corporation propping them up. Groups like, I don't know, maybe
Kiss the Girl. Hey, I'm just sayin'...
To read Greg Kot's article, click here.
-R-
5.16.05
Where were you eight months ago? I ask myself that same question
and realize the many changes that have happened to me and to Kiss
the Girl since last September. Maybe it’s been the same
for you.
I’ve had my heart badly broken and bounced back stronger,
faced and overcame some difficult situations, lost a couple friends
and gained at least a couple new ones. Maybe, like me, you have
something consistent in your life that’s always there despite
any changes or hardships. For me, music is that thing. And I process
all of these experiences and express how they’ve affected
me emotionally in Kiss the Girl songs. Whatever else the songs
may or may not be, they are at least a partial journal of my experiences
and feelings. And we all share the same experiences and emotions:
love, loss, hope fear, joy, despair, desire.
So, I think you’ll be moved by our new songs. And the new
grooves Jaime and I are creating may make you move as well.
Please check out the sound samples and let us know what you think.
We hope they give you some joy or comfort, or at the very least,
entertain. More than anything, we hope they’ll make you
feel more alive. And we’d love to hear from you, and hear
the stories you’ve lived in the last 8 months.
Thanks for listening!
Robert