Good Land Records

G’day world!  It’s been a minute since I’ve rambled on here, so cheers to you for joining me.  First off, I hope everybody had a very Merry Xmas last week.  Besides having the plague that’s been going around for the last two weeks, I had a great holiday season with my family and girlfriend.  Right after Xmas, the Shades had to head out east amidst a blizzard to catch 3 shows with the Wallflowers before the year ended.  We played 3 cities I’ve never even heard of.  Bethlehem, PA.  North Hampton, Mass.  Rahway, NJ.  The shows were great, and their fans are so sweet to us.  The guys in the band are some of the best around, and we really missed jamming with them.  After the shows, Graham, and I headed back to NYC with Wexler & Co.  I’ve been realizing since this passed summer, I have completely fell in love with that city.  On the flight out, we flew directly over the city at night and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.  Like Levon said about, “it kicks your ass at first, but eventually you fall right in love with it.”  Couldn’t agree more with that statement regarding NYC.  This New Years Eve was the first sober one I’ve had since my early high school days, and it was so great!  Benny, and I went out to dinner with my mother, and then Becky and I went out to see Django Unchained.  Super nice to be at a movie with the year changing over.  No amateur night shenanigans for us (except for our upstairs neighbors) so all was mellow and amazing.

All of us here at Good Land are excited for 2013 and what it has in store!  Stay tuned and get pumped for the future!

The Shades just finished our west coast leg of tour with the Rev Peyton’s Big Damn Band. It was super fun and damn (no pun intended) can that guy play guitar!!!!  The shows took us through the desert and the mountains.  The elevation tends to not agree with me and I got pretty sick.  I’m a sea level guy.

It was good to be home in time for Thanksgiving!  Got to celebrate it with Becky, Izzi, My Mom, Sister, Dad, and Grandma!!!  The ladies knocked the food out of the park and there’s plenty of leftovers in the fridge still.

The rest of the year is exciting because we’re doing some shows with Cory Chisel, Valentiger, Limbeck, and The Wallflowers!  That doesn’t suck at all.  I feel fortunate and thankful for my family, Ruthie, The Shades, friends, over 6 months of sobriety and my apartment with heat:)

What’s everyone else thankful for?

Yesterday, the Shades played Michael Feldman’s Whad’ Ya Know radio show live at the Monona Terrace Theatre in Madison, WI.  For all of you who haven’t listened to the show before, it’s a hilarious WPR show!  He does a couple trivia rounds with contestants from the crowd, answers random questions off of cards that the audience fills out, has guest callers, says funny Lampoon style news headlines, etc…Every show is different and not rehearsed.  He’s a light hearted guy that really knows how to make a fun experience for the audience, no matter what age or back ground.  It was a huge honor to get the opportunity to do the show, and can’t wait to attend more in the future.  He’s not stopping anytime soon because he’s been doing it since 1985.  The show also travels all over to different cities, so keep your eyes open for his schedule.

The Shades leave Tuesday morning for New York to do the CMJ festival for 3 days and then a show at the infamous Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights, Ohio!

My buddy Benny that helps here at Good Land and I went to Riot Fest in Chicago last Saturday and Sunday.  Luckily the two days of the fest that were outside so I can enjoy the last bit of nice weather this year.  We ended up showing up there right in time to see one of our old favorite ska-punk bands, Slapstick.  They were a little rough around the edges but it was perfect that way.   They played all the hits while their lead singer Brendan’s between song banter was the best I’ve heard in years.  Next we waited around until the Descendents started.  I have seen a bunch of their reunion shows in the late 1900’s to expect what was in store.  Performing greatest hits with a few curveballs.  Later that night Ben and I went to eat at Pequods Pizza and got what is my new favorite deep dish pizza.  Then headed to the new Bottom Lounge to see the Promise Ring.  They played great and sounded GOOD with Justin Perkins at the soundboard.  Everyone heard a good mix of songs from their 7 year span as a group.  These last 2 Chicago shows might be the last of the reunion gigs for a long time.  We ended up crashing at Archies house and it was sooooo classssssiccc.  As usual.  He’s hilarious.

The next morning I went to Big Star in Wicker Park for the most amazing pork tacos ever.  It’s a Chicago tradition for me now.  After that we took a cab to Humboldt Park for the rest of the festival.  Walked in for the last Promise Ring song.  Which is my least favorite of the set so that kind of sucked.  Then almost fell asleep watching Built To Spill.  NOFX was awful.  I enjoyed the Jesus and Mary Chain’s set mildly.  Elvis Costello fucking ruled.  Alkaline Trio was alright when they played stuff from their first couple releases.  Gogel Bordello was fun and exciting.  But, Iggy & the Stooges tore the clouds out of the sky from the first note.  They played every song I wanted to hear and then some.  An old pal of mine gave me a back stage pass and got to watch Iggy go nuts from the side which was insane.  The guy goes to 11 the whole show.  They even did “the passenger” from his 1977 Lust For Life record.  Seeing Iggy & the Stooges has been on my bucket list so that one was the highlight for me for many reasons.  Iggy for prez!

Here’s what I’m pumped for to wrap up the rest of 2012 right here in the Good Land:

Sept. 27th- My Jerusalum @ Club Garabaldi

Sept. 28th- Glen Hansard @ Pabst Theatre

Oct. 11th- Dr. Dog @ Turner Hall Ballroom

Oct. 29th- Cat Power @ Pabst Theatre

Nov. 7th- David Bazan Plays Control @ Cactus Club

Nov. 8th- Bob Dylan @ BMO Harris Bradley Center

Nov. 9th- King Tuff @ Cactus Club

Dec. 7th- Nada Surf @ Turner Hall

I’m hoping I can make them all but with the Shades upcoming tour schedule I might miss a few.

Everyone at Good Land Records would like to give a a big shout out to the guy spotted in Cudahy, WI today riding a bike that was sporting our blue Good Land shirt!  Lookin’ good buddy!  Hope you all have this Summer Compilation CD we put out.  If you want one, give us a message using the contact link above and we’ll try to make it happen for ya.  Because we care.