by Mike Errico | Nov 9, 2011 | Free, Press, Video
Interesting day, today. I’ll be speaking at a conference, and you can watch it live. My topic: “The Humanization of the Hit Song,” in which I’ll try to explain the relationship between mythology in music and the open-source environment of the Web. It’s a short speech, but I’m always a little edgy when the guitar isn’t in my hand. Here’s the info: Starting today at 9:00 AM EST / 1500 CET the second BrandsConf will be broadcast LIVE from the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Today we will be spending the day exploring “The Humanization of Brands” This event can be seen on UStream over at: http://www.ustream.tv/nyc140conf (subscribe to get notified when we are broadcasting) Hours: BrandsConf will be broadcast from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM EST today. This year we have 60+ speakers joining us in New York City at the conference. The hashtag for this conference is: #BrandsConf. I hope you can join in the online discussion about the event. You can track the BrandsConf schedule over at:...
by Mike Errico | Nov 8, 2011 | audio, Free, live shows, Podcast, Wander Away
“Wander Away” producer Ken Rich talks record making, Russian prostitutes, happy marriages, and bad props in one of my all-time favorite films, “Contact.” Also: A spontaneous “You Shook Me All Night Long” with Justin Trawick, Andy Zipf, Sierra Noble, Adam Levy, Matt Simons, Jesse Ruben, John Schmitt, and Christine Hoberg (City Winery, NYC, 10/17/11). Download it for free on iTunes or...
by Mike Errico | Nov 7, 2011 | Video
Still a favorite. “Packing My Bags” from 2007’s ALL IN on Tallboy 7 records. The video is set to “Road Dreams,” directed by Dan Carey. Editing by Brian...
by Mike Errico | Nov 3, 2011 | Press, Wander Away
Multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Matt Beck is the man I have to thank for some amazing moments on “Wander Away.” [Check out my conversation with him on Episode Three of The Mike Errico Podcast]. Beck’s signature guitar tones are culled from years of audio experimentation. “I have somewhere in the realm of 500 guitar pedals. I took over one of my wife’s bookcases with them,” he explains with an unapologetic smile. “Some are very esoteric.” But which pedals are must-haves? And which ones suck? Beck broke down his library of stomp boxes into easy-to-swallow categories: the ones you need, the ones to avoid, the ones that need a lo-o-o-ong break — and the ones to watch. PEDALS YOU NEED 1) Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer: #1, top of the line. I have a bunch, some of which are modified by Robert Keeley, who takes out the insides and replaces the capacitors and resistors and … I don’t really understand it, but it sounds fuller. I also use an original TS-808, which is the original Tube Screamer with the much heralded Germanium chip. The original 808 was green, and has the small square button in the middle, but the originals have a hyphen between the “TS” and the “808,” so that’s how you know what you’re looking at. Just a little tidbit. Even if you don’t use it a lot, this pedal is one that you can’t really live without. Classic Recorded Example: Stevie Ray Vaughan — who I think used the TS-9’s — something like “Couldn’t Stand the Weather.” They work great with single coils, and of course, Stevie Ray was a single...
by Mike Errico | Nov 2, 2011 | Free, Video
I’d played with Andy Zipf at IOTA in Arlington, VA earlier this year, so I knew there’d be talented people at the 9 Songwriter Series. I worked out a little arrangement…and it went like this: Filmed at City Winery, NYC, 10/17/11 FREE DOWNLOAD (email required): [wp_bandcamp_player type=”track” id=”1951267044″ size=”venti” bg_color=”#FFFFFF” link_color=”#4285BB”] From the 9 Songwriter Series Justin Trawick, Andy Zipf, Sierra Noble, Adam Levy, Matt Simons, Jesse Ruben, John Schmitt, Christine Hoberg “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC....
