Message from Mike on May 1, 2008: Wine And Pickles
on sale now at MooseMart!
Mayday! Mayday!
We have finally finished work on Wine And Pickles, the album of unreleased or otherwise rare and/or scintillating material recorded in the studio between 1998 and 2006. We've been working hard on this release since February. You wouldn't think it would take so much time to put together an album of material that's already been recorded. But it does. Because we care. It's mostly unreleased tracks from my own album sessions, but it also collects a couple of tracks from other projects (such as "Inhale," a collaboration with Lyle Workman, and "Thou Shalt Not Kill," my track from the 156 Strings acoustic guitar compilation on Cuneiform), some unreleased solo recordings not attached to specific album projects, and some of the soundtrack work I did for Court TV in the late 90s.
Originally this collection was going to be only available for download, but we're such album geeks at Exowax and we were so happy with the way the album was turning out, we just needed to make it a real-life thing you could hold and fling. I've done two paintings for the package and three tons of liner notes, and Atticus Wolrab has done his customarily spine-tingling job designing the package.
Why don't I just tell you what's on the album?:
1. 2CTV (from Court TV sessions, 1999)
2. Feelin' Strangely (from Dog sessions, 2003)
3. Li'l (Signature Sound version) (from Dog sessions, 2003)
4. Backwards Deb (3rd person) (from Dancing sessions, 2000)
5. Bubble Creek (from Dog sessions, 2003)
6. Never Ever Wrong (from Dog sessions, 2003)
7. Unused Hum (from Nonkertompf sessions, 1998)
8. I Heard About What You Said (from Court TV sessions, 1999)
9. Inhale (with Lyle Workman) (from Tabula Rasa, 2000)
10. 4S (demo for orchestral piece, 2005 - 2006)
11. Skull Bubbles (uncut) (from Dancing sessions, 2000)
12. Stop For Flashing Red Light, Part One (solo recording, 2004)
13. Lonely Man (studio) (from Dancing sessions, 2000)
14. Selfish Otter (uncut) (from Dancing sessions, 2000)
15. A Concise Piano Statement (from Wooden Smoke sessions, 2001)
16. AeroDef (limited edition single release, 2002)
17. Kevorkian 3 (from Court TV sessions, 1999)
18. Thou Shalt Not Kill (from 156 Strings, 2002)
19. Paloma (alternate version) (from Wooden Smoke sessions, 2001)
20. Kevorkian 17 (from Court TV sessions, 1999)
21. The Endings Of Things (from Dancing sessions, 2000)
We're shipping the album in early June, and it's available for pre-sale now, right now, at http://www.MooseMart.com.
When I completed my work with the Paul Green School of Rock late last year, I looked back over 2007 and realized that I hadn't gotten very close to completing a new album for release in all that time. Once I settled down to continue work early this year on my upcoming, absurdly ambitious double-CD-plus-book Scambot, I realized I was months away from completing it, and I wanted to put out new music much sooner than that. I knew years ago that I wanted to compile an outtakes album and call it Wine And Pickles -- I think I made reference to it in a Keneallist around four years ago -- and now was the time to make it happen. I am really thrilled and somewhat stunned at how well it's turned out.
And, concurrent with work on Wine And Pickles this year, hopefully you'll be glad to know that I've made enormous progress on Scambot as well -- there are 36 tracks presently in various forms of completion, after recent sessions with Marco Minnemann and with the Guitar Therapy version of the Keneally Band, and I'll be making a lot more headway on it this month before I head out on the road with DETHKLOK in June. And this weekend I'll be making a lot of progress on my Normalizer 2 collaboration with Marco Minneman. During the DETHKLOK tour I'll be working on the Scambot artwork and a new saxophone quartet commissioned by Co de Kloet, and after the tour I'll be knuckling down with the second Vai Piano Reductions volume. And I plan to kick my collaborations with Andy Partridge into higher gear later this year. Your boy is busy.
Stockhausen, baby!
We love you,
mk
Mike in Japan Photos!
TOKYO, JAPAN, February 1 and 2, 2008: Mike made a brief trip to Japan for a series of shows and appearances, thanks to longtime Japanese friend and promoter Hiroshi Ota. Above, he performs and signs CDs at the Shinjyuku Disc-Union, and below, he plays with a talented array of local musicians at the Harajyuku Astro-Hall. (Photos by Miyuki Tsutsui)
PUP & Tar Tapes downloads now at MooseMart!
The much-clamored-after Tar Tapes, Vol. 1 and Tar Tapes, Vol. 2, along with Mike's 2004 bonus PUP release, have just been made available for download only.
PUP was initially issued as a cool little 35-minute CD preview of the RadioKeneally internet broadcast service, personally assembled, narrated and labeled by Mike. It features a couple of very weird MK solo recordings, a ten-minute-plus early version of "L'il," (a song that was intended for, but never made it to, 2004's Dog), some live Mike Keneally Band recordings and more. It was originally included as a bonus to those who pre-ordered Dog. PUP is light and wispy, but fine fun nonetheless. And, at only $8, it's the cheapest Keneally music on MooseMart!
The Tar Tapes are downloadable versions of the long-sold-out limited edition CDs that highlight Mike's music from the '80s and very early '90s. Each download comes with an eight-page digital reproduction of the original CD cover, liner notes and lyrics. They can be downloaded as zip files containing high-quality (minimum 256k variable bit rate) mp3 audio files, compatible with all mp3 players. The files are DRM-free, meaning that there is no anti-copying code buried in them (we trust you). And they're only $10 each.
In addition, all three out-of-print Exowax bonus CDs that helped make the sold-out Special Editions so special are still available for downloading at MooseMart, including the interview/music disc Nonkertalk, the live acoustic Dancing With Myselfand the exquisite re-imagined Wooden Smoke Asleep.
A great way to snag a bunch of Keneally for yourself or initiate a newbie real cheaply is the Keneally4Sale Pack. It's discounted price is $45 for Nonkertompf, Dancing, Wooden Smoke and Dog, just $11.25 a CD!
Keneally, Minnemann and Lunn Exposed
SAN DIEGO, CA, February 5, 2008: Mike, Marco and Doug played before a large, appreciative new crowd when they performed at the Robin Trower concert at 4th & B. The 45-minute set resulted in many amazed audience expressions, and hopefully as many new fans. (Photos by Brian Ross)
being a collection of unreleased things, rarities and allsorts from the last several years or so
Mike describes Wine And Pickles as "the album I didn't know I was making over the last ten years." Lovingly assembled from a wide array of archived sources, W&P serves as a surprisingly cohesive alternative history of Keneally music. Notable among the 21 gems are the legendary original version of "Backwards Deb;" "4S," a piece written for Holland's acclaimed Metropole Orchestra; "Inhale," a gorgeously melodic collaboration with Lyle Workman; and "The Endings Of Things," a stark, confessional performance from 2000's Dancing sessions. The CD contains an eight-page booklet with Mike's original artwork, pithy personal notes about each song, and lyrics.
Order now from MooseMart! PLEASE NOTE: This CD will ship in early June, 2008. If you're ordering other Keneally items from MooseMart and would like them shipped to you earlier, please order them in a separate purchase. Otherwise, all items will be shipped with Wine And Pickles in early June.
Upcoming Keneally Events:
Dethklok: The Dethtour, Summer 2008
Brendon Small, Mike Keneally, Bryan Beller & Gene Hoglan with Chimara and Soilent Green
Advance ticket info here!
6/2/08 Roseland Theatre Portland, OR
6/3/08 Showbox SODO Seattle, WA
6/5/08 The Fillmore San Francisco, CA
6/6/08 Wiltern Theatre Los Angeles, CA
6/7/08 House of Blues – Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
6/8/08 House of Blues – San Diego San Diego, CA
6/10/08 Marquee Theatre Tempe, AZ
6/11/08 Sunshine Theater Albuquerque, NM
6/12/08 Gothic Theatre Englewood, CO
6/14/08 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
6/15/08 Liberty Hall Lawrence, KS
6/16/08 House of Blues – Chicago Chicago, IL
6/17/08 Clutch Cargos Pontiac, MI
6/19/08 House of Blues - Cleveland Cleveland, OH
6/20/08 Kool Haus Toronto, ONT
6/22/08 Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
6/24/08 The Palladium Worcester, MA
6/25/08 Nokia Theater Times Square New York, NY
6/26/08 Ram's Head Live Baltimore, MD
6/27/08 Theater of Living Arts Philadelphia, PA
6/29/08 House of Blues – South Carolina N. Myrtle Beach, SC
6/30/08 Hard Rock Live Orlando, FL
7/1/08 Jannus Landing St. Petersburg, FL
7/2/08 Tabernacle Atlanta, GA
7/4/08 Meridian Houston, TX
7/5/08 House of Blues - Texas Dallas, TX
7/6/08 La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
The Scambot project progresses...
LEUCADIA, CA, February 19, 2008: The creation of Mike's upcoming album, Scambot, continues with several days of recording at Chatfield Manor. Mindbending new Keneally music is being made at an amazing rate, thanks also to the stellar audio engineering talents of one Mr. Michael W. Harris (left).
Keneally, Lunn & Minnemann Live Videos!
SAN DIEGO, CA, February 5, 2008: Ace videographer Steve Laub captured Mike, Doug and Marco as they opened for Robin Trower at 4th & B in early February. Here's "My Dilemma;" many more songs and videos are here!
Mike's 1992 debut release, hat., is now available in two flavors.
"For an in-depth seminar on the practice of modern fusion, check Keneally's recent CD/DVD reissues."
--Los Angeles Times
"These recordings are must-haves for fans, as well as excellent introductions to one of America's finest and most underappreciated guitarists."
--Guitar Player
"Ladies and gentlemen of the music industry, THIS is how reissues should be done." --Lookout For Hope.com
"These deluxe reissues give the two revered, if underexposed, albums the treatment acolytes will relish." --Relix
"The sound on this remaster is superb, the booklet loaded with information and lyrics, plus you get the DVD which really helps you get in-depth with Boil That Dust Speck thanks to interviews and commentary from the musicians themselves." --Sea of Tranquility.com
Mike's classic '90s Immune releases are now safely home at Exowax Recordings, the label co-owned by Mike and his manager Scott Chatfield.
The first two records to be reissued are Mike's amazing 1992 debut, hat., and what has become the Holy Grail of the Keneally canon, 1994's Boil That Dust Speck. Each title has been remastered with its original track order and will be available as a single-disc Standard Edition or Special Edition.
Boil That Dust Speck, the legendary second Keneally album, is also available in Standard and Special Editions.
The Special Editions each contain a remastered CD plus a region-free, album-specific NTSC DVD featuring bonus tracks, rare studio footage, vintage live concert material, interviews with participants, and video from a 2006 reunion of the original core band (Mike Keneally, Doug Lunn and Toss Panos) performing songs from both albums. And of course, the first 3000 copies of each Special Edition will be personally signed and numbered by Mike.
How cool are the hat. and Boil That Dust Speck Special Edition DVDs? Here's some unearthed footage of Mike, Doug and Toss recording the basic track of "Weekend" from Boil That Dust Speck at Doubletime studios back in February, 1994. The DVDs include scads of revelatory moments like this one.
hat. Special Edition
Here is some info from the Special Edition packaging for hat.:“This album is the sound of someone who can’t believe he’s finally being allowed to make a real live solo album,” says Mike of his 1992 debut. “I wanted people to listen to hat. and not believe what they were hearing.” This brand-new remaster offers the best-sounding version ever of this head-spinning recording, and for the first time presents extended cuts of “Snowcow,” “Lightnin’ Roy,” “Open Up!” and others.
The hat. DVD includes
Footage from the 1992 recording sessions
An entire concert from 1993 – the first Mike Keneally show under his own name, featuring the live debut of many hat. classics
A 2006 reunion session with Keneally, Doug Lunn and Toss Panos playing “Cheddar,” “Here Is Why” and “Here Is What I Dreamed”
Interview footage with key album participants
Other odds and ends, mostly odds
The "hat salad" function, which allows you the choice of experiencing these items in random order, an unpredictable banquet of entertainment chunks much like the original album.
Also – the DVD has an audio archive with nearly 30 additional tracks, including home demos, alternate mixes and the promo-only “Rosemary Girl” single mix
Boil That Dust Speck Special Edition
And from the Special Edition packaging for Boil That Dust Speck:
“One of my 10 favorite albums from the ‘90s, or possibly any decade” – Ground & Sky
Originally released in June 1994, Keneally’s second album might enjoy the most intense cult following of any of his releases. Commercially unavailable for years, this remastered version presents a dark, challenging masterpiecesounding clearer and more powerful than ever before. This signed and numbered special edition is limited to 3000 copies, features all the original artwork, and includes a DVD featuring extensive video footage of the original sessions, recent performances and interviews, and many unreleased bonus audio tracks.
The Boil That Dust Speck DVD includes a 90-minute presentation of “The Making of Boil That Dust Speck,” featuring extensive video footage of 1994 album sessions, newly-shot interview footage, live-in-the-studio performances from Keneally, Doug Lunn and Toss Panos of “Weekend,” “The Desired Effect” and “Skunk,” and other vital tidbits, resulting in an exhaustive examination of Dust Speck which will thrill any Keneally enthusiast, music fan, or human. The DVD also features an audio archive, with more than 20 alternate mixes and unreleased tracks, including an unreleased recording session with Mike’s rarely documented band Drop Control, playing together for the last time.
To order the Special Editions of hat., Boil That Dust Speck, hat. or Boil That Dust Speck T-shirts,the new Guitar Therapy Live CD/DVD, or any other Mike Keneally product, please go to MooseMart.com.
Hat Check (One minute and thirty-five seconds of excerpts from each of the 25 original tracks on the newly remastered hat.)
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Mayday! Mayday!
