News and Nonsense...

Nov. 16th 2008, "A new old place"

Just a few things today...

If you've been to my website before, you'll notice that I now have the "news" page as the first page instead of the "Winters Daughter" album. So now you get the news first. Nothing against Maryn and Emory , but I just figured that this way it's easier to let you all know about what I've been up to. Also, since the news page is the one I update the most, you'll know I'm still around and that I haven't abandoned the site. Anyway, I hope you all like the new set up.

A few weeks back I posted a new song on my "Singles 2008" page, but I don't think I told any body about it. Hahaha, sorry about that. If you haven't heard it already it's called "There is no Parade". Have a listen.

Another new track I've posted is a cover of the song "Strangers" by the Kinks. One of my favorite Kinks songs, it's up on my "Covers" page.

I have finally gotten some new items for sale on my "boutique" page. There's a painting I made, and some new "Winters Daughter" packages. So if your in the shopping mood, come by the "rickoLus De Boutique" and have a look.


In other news, I'm nearly finished with a six song EP titled "Sinking In Mirrors" that I hope to have up on this website by mid December.

So there it is, and to top it all off, it's getting cold, I love this weather. I hope you all are doing well.

"remember the bells,
remember the kid you were,
remember the wooden wind and silver,
stay the hand that plays in plunder,
spread the blanket on the ground,
spread the blanket on the ground,
don't hang your head in autumn"

-Dylan Jasper


Oct. 29th 2008, "Letters from the North"

It is cool to have friends that make music. But to have friends that make music I genuinely listen to and enjoy, is spectacular.

A few months ago, around the same time I finished "Winters Daughter", a friend of mine, Jeremiah Johnson, was finishing an album of his own called "Fall Medals" with his band "Wudun". I must say it is a splendid album. On the day he gave me a copy my daughter and I danced to the whole thing in my living room. I've always liked Jeremiah's music and I think some of you will as well. That is why I'm mentioning it here in my post. So if you get a moment go to his web site Somnium 99 and have a listen.

I'd also like to mention another one of my frineds Andy, who goes by the name Astronautalis, has a new album out that is quite good as well. It's called Pomegranate. Yummmmm.


A few post's back I mentioned that I am working on a "pop" music project. I wanted to let you know I will be performing and releasing this music under the moniker "Richard Love". Right now there are some demo's you can listen to here. In the future I plan to have a Richard Love page on this web site, but until then I just have this myspace page.


Oct. 20th 2008, "Autumn, you are always running late "

It's finally starting to cool down.

Hey! I'd like to say thanks to all you that have recently donated, or written about my music in your blog, or just emailed me to say hello. Thanks for the support. I mean that sincerely.

I will have some new music up for the holidays. Something special. That's all I can say. I love this time of year.

take care.


Sept. 6th 2008, "hurricanes stop by to visit"

Hello there. It has been a while, yes. Well I just stopped by to let you know I'm still here. I'm working in a new musical direction now, true to form I would say. All I can disclose at the moment is that this new direction is the farthest into the "pop" realm I've ever been. Fun, yes. In other news, the "clone" project I'm doing with friend Ben Cooper ( Radical Face, Electric President) is coming along, slowly but surely.

I got a hair cut recently, so that's nice.

And I posted a new song on my "singles 2008" page, called "Book On WW2". Have a listen. Keep in touch. There is always more to come. Oh yes, and watch out for hurricanes!


July 30th 2008, "highway news"

So I went out to do a few shows this past weekend, one in Miami and one in Orlando. First off I would just like to say that my host's were excellent. I was better taken care of on this trip then I have ever been. By that I mean I ate well and drank well and had nice places to sleep and had nice folks to talk to. As for some details about the trip I'll give you a few moments:

In Miami I played at this club called PS14. There was a club next door called Vagabond. About an hour before I took the stage at PS14 part of the roof at Vagabond collapsed and fell on some of its patrons. So they had to shut down for the evening, and all the people from there came to PS14. They were all dancing and stuff, then I got on and played acoustic guitar and sang. The dancing stopped. Then I finished playing and the dancing started again. It was cool. No one seemed angry that I disturbed their dancing or that the dancing disturbed my show. It was just accepted as the way things are. It was a very dynamic evening.

In Orlando I played at a house. The house was inhabited by some very fine folks. I played some music in there living room. It was very cool playing in such a intimate atmosphere. It reminds me of the tea parties I used to throw at my house. After the music we all stayed up late drinking and talking on their gigantic porch. And then we fell asleep watching "Life Aquatic" in the living room. On another note, I met this guy at the house show who had heard some story about Pablo 9 (the old theatre I used to work at) and how all these artists in Jacksonville worked there and made art and music and they were all really great but nobody in Jacksonville knew about them but people outside of Jacksonville loved them... It was strange and cool to hear folklore about something I was a part of.

The trip all in all was very nice. I'm looking forward to going out again soon.


July 13th 2008, "goose in the blueberry"

Well, its hot outside, but not that bad. There are a few things going on in the tiny world of rickoLus that I could tell you guys about. One is "clone" the collaboration that I'm working on with Ben Cooper. It's going splendidly. True to form I don't want to spoil it by saying to much. But I can say that I think it's really cool and I'm enjoying it thoroughly.

The second thing that's going on is I'm playing some shows. Yep. I found an arrangement that i like for a majority of the "Winters Daughter" songs. And i'm ready to go out and play. At this point I'm not doing anything outside of Florida. Maybe in the future I will go some other places. But that's the future. It's a mystery.

Last thing I wanted to mention is I've started work on my next direction. Direction... I know that may sound kind of vague, but basically it just means I'm working on some new things.

Ok, until next time.



June 18th 2008, "hung by the eye's"

its getting late anddd...

my eyes feel like ripe peaches...

peaches are my favorite fruit...

"Art is the most important useless thing we have"...

I think Fritz the baker told me that...

more at eleven.

June 7th 2008, "forgetting the talking foam"

I did this interview a few weeks ago for KVLU radio station in Dayton, TX. Of all the interviews I've done ( which is not many ) this one is unique. I recorded the interview myself. The questions were sent to me by a DJ at the station named Dathan Denton ( a swell guy ) through email. I got my computer to ask me the questions. And added some whistle's and bell's to finish it. Have a listen: RADIO INTERVIEW

Besides that. I just saw this flamingo explode on the TV. I was watching the French Open but for some reason their not showing the finals right now. SO I don't know what I'm watching. Maybe its the Matrix.

I'm starting a project with my friend Ben Cooper (from Electric President and Radical Face) called "Clone". A music project. We'll see how it goes. Ben and I have done projects in the past, but it was mostly joke songs or experimental stuff. This time we're being a bit more serious. That's about all I can say about it.

It's starting to get hot here in Florida. Lets face it. It was bound to happen. I ready for it though. Looking forward to spending some time in the sun. Lazy sunny afternoons. Cool drinks. Yes.



May 28th 2008, "coughing and laughing"

Recently I've done a few songs for video's that friends of mine made. I've grown quite fond of these little "jingles". So I've added a new page to the website. Its called "Jingles". I'll be posting any other little jingle-esque songs here if more come up. Until then, there are just two. I've went ahead and posted them below, along with a short explanation for why I wrote these little gems.

"FRIGHT CAMP"

This song was made for a spoof infomercial of a horror movie survival school called "Fright Camp". It was made by my friend Mark Hubbard. When we were kids Mark and I and the rest of our lot, would make low-budget sketch comedy short films on his VHS Camcorder. Now he's going to school for video production. And this infomercial was one of his assignment's. I provided the "feel good" jingle for it. Some other friends of mine (Ben Cooper and Jeremiah Johnson) contributed music and sound effects to the project as well. Have a look:



"CHINA FIELD TRIP"

This song was for a video my friend Martha Faulk made of her school trip to China. When writing it I wanted the melody to sound Eastern. I had never done anything like that on purpose before. It was fun. I had a sprained ankle while recording this. From playing kickball. It looked like there was an apple connecting my leg to my foot. Its healed now though, and feels much better.

May 21st 2008, "SO many things get eaten by monsters"

I've decided to try a tour. And I'm approaching it differently then I ever have before. Instead of going through the club and bar circuits; I'm asking you, the fans, to host the shows. I've been thinking of doing this for a while now and have decided to give it a shot. If you are interested in hosting a show or just interested in how I'm putting this thing together, visit my SHOWS page.

This is just a short post to tell you about that. I'll have another one soon, to tell you about other things.

April 30th 2008, "and then they said, its good to be home!"

First off, I'd like to thank you all for your recent support. Your emails and donations have been great. Thanks a bunch.

- my head is swinging nicely, continue ...

I've been working on some new songs lately. Recording in the Green Shed Studio. They are going to be "singles". Or at least that's how I'm approaching them. Unlike "Winter's Daughter", where every song was a small piece of a big story. I want these new songs to individually embody their own concept. This is a nice change for me. Not any easier, just nice, different. My plan is to release them on my website over the coarse of the this Summer. Under a new page called "Singles 2008" (fancy name isn't it). I'll post more on these things as they transpire. I just wanted to let you all know that I have some new songs in the works.

- pause, take a sip of coffee, continue ...

I have a few other projects and collaborations in the incubator. But I'm can't say much about those yet. They are secrets.

- look at the tree's, think about watermelon. The end ...

April 13th 2008, "sleepy me"

I finished my new album "Winters Daughter"...

I remade my website ...

Now I'm going to sleep.