2 New Tracks, Taxi Music Forwards - from Brooding Rock to Muzak!

After "landing" in Florida (if buses could only fly) from our long cross-country trip for some shows on the east coast, got two emails about some Taxi Music instrumental forwards.  (What are forwards?  Please see this post)

The first was for a pitch for an opening theme for cable show calling for dark and brooding, sort of cross between Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" and White Stripes "Seven Nation Army".  Did a little online research and worked up this one I think in two days.

Click on the music player below to hear "Iron Nation"

free music download from Steve Probst

The next one called for a publisher looking for Muzak Instrumentals.  (It's almost scary that I had so much fun with this one!)

Click on music player below to hear "Breezy Afternoon"

free music download from Steve Probst

I'll keep you posted as to the outcome as these tracks make their way through the appropriate channels!

2 New Tracks, Taxi Music Forwards - from Brooding Rock to Muzak!

New Song - Free Download! - Phoenix Hotel

I had a modest goal to finish at least one of the songs I have in the works with lyrics before I left for a summer tour, [a threeee-ho-ur tour]....

The song (click to listen): Phoenix Hotel

The Download: Please go to the banner on the >> right >> side panel of this page to get yours.

The Story:

While I was in San Francisco a couple of years ago for a corporate gig, this song (originally "Vlogged" about on previous post) starting revealing itself in my quaint, little room at the very-interesting Phoenix Hotel, which is described as:

"Famous for A-list rocker guests and an artsy, cool vibe, this one-of-a-kind, converted 44-room motel may have seedy Tenderloin District surroundings and bare-bones rooms, but the unique, SoCal-style courtyard pool and happening Bambuddha Lounge keep the hip crowd happy." oyster.com

The Photo (of said "staircase" in lyric): 

I have slightly mixed feelings about this tune, being that my goal has been writing songs and tracks capable of being covered by other artists or for TV/Film placements.  Since it's about a specific place, the chances of it's universal applications go WAY down.  Guess I'll chock it up as an "artist song" (me!) and move one.  Nice to put something new out there.

I may get enough of these together and do an album (mixed and mastered by someone other than myself!).

PS. Interesting. It's the second song in my catalog that happens to have San Francisco as it's setting AND "Tony Bennet" in the lyric.  The other being, "Let's Take The Stairs". What's up with that?......Ah, heck!....you can have that one as a freebie, too!  (Banner to the right>>)

New Song - Free Download! - Phoenix Hotel

Class Size Reduction - "Un"-distiguishing schools

My wife, Liz (3:28), teaches at a school recently honored as a "Distinguished School" whose status will be "ex" tinguished if the school board has their way.

Class Size Reduction - "Un"-distiguishing schools

New Name for Me - New Word For You

Got a call from the Rite Aide automated calling system about a prescription for my daughter the other day.  "She" (the voice, not daughter) was all confused I guess as to how to say my/our last name, so "she" made up a new word. "Probabliest"

Probabliest?  Well, then, I guess if I'm ever hard-pressed to decide between more than one possible solution/outcome to an issue or choice I'm mulling over,  but still want to choose one over the others as most probable, then I guess that choice I make would be the "probabliest" - the one I think is best or most likely to happen.

Hope this was helpful to you all.

This reminds me of nonsense words in certain songs like "zip-a-dee-doo-dah", "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", "da do run run".  The list goes on.  List some others below in the comment section if you'd like!

New Name for Me - New Word For You

Note to self-the rest of your day...

Now: In-room drum programming

4:30pm: Food

5:15pm: Shower

6pm: Stage to tune

6:30pm: Dress

6:45pm: Put on "ears" and wireless pack, mic and pack, guitar wireless pack

7pm: Intro starts, retune first guitar due to extreme outdoor temperature

7:06pm BAM! Show starts

9pm: Show #2

Goodnight, folks!

Note to self-the rest of your day...

The Different Aspects of "Blessing"

Photo by Ellen Auld

I hear this question quite often: "Did you guys need to get approval from the Eagles to do their music in a "tribute" fashion?

Well, especially for playing at Disney, we do! Here's a snippet from an article in the Orlando Sentinel about our upcoming shows at EPCOT this month (as well as all the rest of the happenings at the Florida Disney Parks):

"...Getting a slightly later launch will be the Sounds Like Summer tribute-band concerts at Epcot. The rock lineup begins June 12 and runs through July 31. Disney insists these groups be up to snuff in their styling.

“They must be approved by the bands they are paying tribute to,” says Alan Braun, associate creative director. Therefore, when the group called “Stayin’ Alive” kicks off the event, it has the blessing of the Bee Gees.

Concert times will be 5:45 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. except on July 4, when the times will be 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 9 p.m."

Of course, the other "blessing" is being able to do this for a living. :)

The Different Aspects of "Blessing"

Pool Party Anyone? - Article in Laughlin Entertainer

Okay, then.  Pool party, it is!

There's an article and interview just out about our show (Hotel California) coming up this weekend in Laughlin, Nevada at the Avi Resort Casino.  Wonder what boots and swim trunks would look like together?  Thoughts, anyone?

Click HERE to read the article and Dicky Lee's interview!

Pool Party Anyone? - Article in Laughlin Entertainer