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Kids pirate TV?
I was chatting with my pal Jamie of the fabulous band The Mighty bUZZnicks today about how to get our bands heads on children's television in this country? We both have schemes and dreams which shant be unveiled at this time, but the general feeling is it is hard to fit into a system that is largely steered by big companies with huge amounts of money. Jamie says he was at the Warnambool kids festival and saw 2000 peeps watching somebody in a BenTen suit miming to a backing track and then they all left the building when the actual live people playing live music started afterwards. How can we who want to offer a different more organic approach to entertaining children and families compete with mega advertising??? Don't know the answer yet but we who are on the same page are banding together and finding a niche. We know there is a crying out for an alternative out there. Many parents want music that they can enjoy too. They don't want their kids to become zombies watching an anonymous puppet in suit that is a character created by a fatcat ad department. even in Australia our own ABC will only screen video clips that have a tie - in with one of their own shows. So even though there will soon be ABC 1, 2 and 3... independent Australian acts like us cannot get air time because we are not on ABCrecords or not currently part of a show on the ABC. You can give us a hand by contacting the ABC and letting them know you think this is letting down families all over Australia who are not getting to see the fine array of different kids entertainment that is out there on the fringe.
Perhaps we Mudcakes and Buzznicks will produce a terrific pirate tv show and start a revolution? Stay tuned. And look up the Mighty bUZZnicks.. they are mighty fine!
Songs For Little Sleepyheads
Goodness it's been 26 days since the last MUDBLOG post! We've been moving house and most delighted to announce the arrival of our new CD 'Songs for Little Sleepyheads'. Some tunes you already know, some written specially for this CD and a few that Sherry's Mum used to sing to her when she was a little girl. There's a lot of Hawaiian steel guitar and even more ukulele and absolutely no disney-esque string sections. We tried to keep it all very simple and yet still sounding luscious ... like there is a real person in the room singing.
Most importantly there are no jarring unexpected sounds that may wake up a little monkey when they have finally gone to sleep.
In the Mudcakes house it seems we are always talking about and singing about sleep....'how much?' 'which bed' 'too little', 'too much?' or not enough. Do YOU know any little owls or monkeys who like to stay up and play up all night long? We hope that this recording helps evryone in your house [and ours] have many more peaceful sleepytimes.
Goodnight Sleepyheads... zzzzzzzz
Mixing mud, mastering mud, art mud.
Sherry has finished the artwork for the lullaby CD... and actually having to rush through to get it done in the windows of time when both children are at school and kindy is a blessing because it has a charming 'unfinished' look about it that is becoming a trademark of Mudcakes CD art. Rick is now working away mixing all 11 tunes and really trying to have it done and off to be mastered in cyberspace by our pals YESMASTER in Nashville. Amazing isn't it !? If all goes well we will have a whole big bunch of CD's back and ready to sell to folks at our Pyjama parties by the middle of September.
Dream time, house-moving time, pyjama part time...
Rick and Sherry must have jungle fever to think they can move house AND finish the lullaby CD before September 1st! But it IS on the calendar and Sherry cannot resist a deadline so everyone in Mudcakes land is running around in a crazy whirlwind of uptempo vibes getting things done and trying to be super organised. Thank goodness for the lucky full moon this month which has been shining a lovely light on it all and helping to turn a potentially stressy time into a really creative productive one.
Listening right now to the new version of 'Dreamtime' from the first CD 'Songs for little monkeys'. On the lullaby CD it has a parisienne piano accordian and Sherry singing like Doris Day from a 60's movie... she wishes!!!
Ironically the Mudcakes are about to release a lullaby CD during some of the toughest times the family has ever had for sleep related issues, but we won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say the CD is certain to be played in the bedrooms of the new Mudcakes central in hope of some much needed nights of peaceful uninterrupted slumber.
We are really looking forward to September when we play a run of Pyjama Parties around Melbourne to celebrate the launch of CD number 3 and then settle in to new Mudcakes HQ. We'll have a bigger studio room and even a space for the piano which is currently on loan to the SAE in South Melbourne. We'll see you muddy peeps around soon. Thanks for listening.
NEW Mudcakes HQ!
Howdeeee!! This blog is by Sock Monkey Boy... for those who don't know I am a sock monkey who has been with the band since Cousin Martha made me for Ramsay when he was just a little monkey baby. I am proud to say that I am also Mudcakes band mascot, tour manager and all round vibe master.
Everyone in the tribe has been slowly coming back into the Oz timezone... but falling asleep on the floor or at the dinner table around 5pm has been happening a lot. My body seems to need bananas and peanut butter at the strangest times of day and night. All friends and family very happy to see us and hear about adventures in the US of A. But the craziest news here is that Sherry and Rick have gone and bought a house [somewhere in Melbourne, Australia] that will be the new Mudcakes HQ! I can't tell you the address because I don't want hundreds of little monkeys climbing all over our front door asking for my autograph... well actually that sounds like fun. Everyone is very excited and we will be moving in very soon so we all have to get packing and forget about jetlag.
Next we'll be putting finishing touches on out lullaby record and Sherry and Ramsay will do the artwork and send it off to be mastered [in Nashville] and pressed up into lots of CD's [in Melbourne] and ready for our Pyjama party shows in September. So get your teddy bears and blankies and best pj's ready for that.
Feeling verrrrry sleeepy and must go into bed with Freya now.
Goodnite....
S. Monkey Boy
LAST DAY OF THE US TOUR NYC JFK Airport 24 July 2009
LAST DAY OF THE MUDCAKES US TOUR
Weather fine
We had a crrraaazeeee day yesterday. Left Boston at midday and did not get into JFK until 10 hours later due to bad storms and a truck across the road. Traffic was at a standstill for 2 or 3 hours on the highway coming into New York. So we missed our flight to LA and got a hotel near the airport which actually was nice as we got to have some sleep and breakfast with Uncle Will who lives in Brooklyn.
Ramsay and Freya have been such good travellers and very patient during the whole trip and all the walking around the airport and getting on and off shuttles with soooo many guitar cases and suitcases.
Our last two days in Boston were filled to the brim with more family visits and racing around seeing art exhibitions - Uncle Andy at the Boston Sculptors Gallery and a young street artist sensation called Shepherd Fairy at the Institute of Contemporary Art [Ramsay is way into street art and grafitti]. Rick fell in love with a National resonator guitar and it is now the new member of the Mudcakes family.
We are all getting homesick and eager to see the guinea pigs, our toys and pals, and sleep in our own beds. We have done so many fun things this past month and lots of great stuff has happened in Mudcakes world.
See you all soon at a show or around Williamstown or somewhere in the big wide world of music.
signing off and ready to get on the big plane back home...
xSock Monkey Boy
US TOUR DAY 27, Lexington MA
US Tour Day 27. Weather Blue Skies, sunny, buggy.
Blog by Sock Monkey Boy - Mudcakes tour manager.
In the last blog we mentioned that Rick left his orange suit and hat in the New York Hotel.... aaaaahhh! But there is a happy ending as luckily our friend Danny was able to grab it on his way to meet us in Philadelphia.
The last few days have gone by quicker than a monkey being chased by a tiger!
In Philadelphia we played at a super place called the World Cafe where all the biggest kids entertainers from the US [and around the world] play. It's a regular Saturday morning thing called Peanut Butter Jams with a great stage, red velvet curtain and nice sound system.
Our pal Danny took the place of Sue on drums and percussion and did a fine job. Ramsay and Freya came up to help on kazoo with a few other local kids and a Dad. Rick was playing the new electric ukulele that we bought at East Village music store in NYC and it sounded and looked a treat!
The rest of the day we spent trying to find a swimming pool after we found out that our hotel did not [as Rick had thought] have a swimming pool! We ended up driving around getting grumpy but the day was saved by a quaint local playground with some new friends and a trip to wholefood market for snacks. We decided to stay in 'Philly' an extra night in our deluxe hotel room and wandered around the city square after dinner. We found out that Mothers Day was officially started in Philadelphia in 1902!
Next day was a huge travel day through New Jersey and back into Manhattan then on to Boston and back to Lexington. I was leading the troops through lots of songs in the van to try and make the miles go faster. We stopped to play frisbee and buy road snacks [note - eating pizza in the van makes a really big mess!] so we didn't roll into Aunt Ros' house until 10pm.
Today was mostly a rest day and we took it easy with a picnic and stroll around a sculpture park and then a dip in a local water reserve with a little beach. Wonderful to get wet and back to nature after a long road trip. Only 3 sleeps to go and then we head back to the jungles of Australia.
Stay muddy!
S. Monkey Boy
US TOUR DAY 24, NYC and Philadelphia.
US TOUR DAY 24. Weather - fine and hot. Storms in the afternoon.
This morning our friend Danny came to the hotel room for a rehearsal. He lives in New York City and is going to play drums and percussion in our show at the World Cafe in Philadelphia. We met him when I was just a baby sock monkey in Nashville.
Then we went to a few really cool music stores and at last at East Village music came across a great selection of electric ukuleles and bought one that is a solid body electric [that means you plug it into an amp to get a sound] with an F hole and very fancy looking. A lovely stage uke.
At about 3pm we drove through the tunnel and out along the New Jersey turnpike towards Philadelphia. It was supposed to be 2 hours but the traffic was terribly slow and so we arrived in a thunder strom at 6pm. Philadelphia is really a stunning city to drive into. It has a very impressive skyline and a huge very tall city hall that is right across from our hotel room covered in flags and figurines and topped with a statue of a big monkey called William Penn who was an important person back in the old days when the US was just starting out.
We just discovered that Rick has left his orange suit in the hotel room BACK IN NEW YORK CITY!! OMG!
Stay tuned for the next exciting episode to find out what happens and what he wears onstage tomorrow!!?
xSock Monkey Boy
US TOUR DAY 23, NYC.
US TOUR DAY 23. Weather - fine, hot, sweaty.
Did I mention that because Sock monkey boy the tour manager [that's me writing this blog folks!] left the booking of the hotel so last minute we ended up last night all sleeping in a king size bed? That's OK for monkeys like me [and Freya and Ramsay] who are used to sleeping in a big pile with other monkeys but Rick and Sherry think it is a bit too much togetherness.
Anyhoo today we had amazing New York bagels at our hotel breakfast and then it was off to Central park zoo to visit some old pals of mine.... the snow monkeys from Japan, along with polar bears, penguins, sea lions and about a thousand New York kids and their nannies. Then it was a big taxi ride down to Soho where we met with some people from a wonderful kids music record company [we can't give it away] that we hope will include a Mudcakes tune on one of their worldwide compilation CDs.
Ramsay had his kickflip board with him - a sk8board with no wheels that is the latest thing - and was impressing locals with his sidewalk moves and stopping to add to graffiti with his black marker. Quite the NYC gromit. We walked and walked and luckily I got to hang on Ramsays backpack and Freya was carried [asleep] into a nice pub for an ice cold soda and a game of pool. We even managed to duck into a gallery opening but we didnt think the art was very good and kept going onto a pasta place for dinner and then at last back to our hotel in Times Square at 9pm! Phew!... another long but fun day on tour.
All you need is mud.... xS. Monkey boy
US TOUR DAY 22. NASHVILLE, Baltimore, Hartford, NYC.
US TOUR DAY 22. Weather - Clear and fine.
We have been so busy catching up with friends in Nashville that I have not had time to scratch myself OR type this blog. Sorry!
Poor monkey boy Ramsay had a few days with a high temperature so we lay low on Monday. Nashville is hot and in the middle of summer so we can hear cicadas chirping loudly in the humidity and at dusk the lightning bugs [fireflies] start appearing above the grass. Reminds me of the jungle. In Nashville Rick and Sherry went to lots of music stores but have not found the right ukulele yet. They played some that were very old and with a price tag of $4000 US! We also drove past our old house to see what it looks like now. Not much has changed on the street and we were happy to see our old neighbour Cathy and surprise her with our visit.
Rick played two reunion shows on Monday and Tuesday night with his crazy rock band fugitive Glue and the Grateful Dead tribute band 'The Dead Set'. During the days we also went to playgrounds while Sherry had meetings with her publisher on music row.
Wowee! we packed in sooo much into 5 days.
Today [day 22] we got up really early and Freya shoved me in her backpack for our trip to the airport. I was excited to be on the move again but everyone else was grumpy and not much fun. We caught a plane to Baltimore [Maryland] and Hartford [Connecticut] where we picked up our van and drove into New York City. We are staying in a hotel in Times Square which was packed full of people outside the Dave Letterman Show because some guy called Paul McCartney was playing with his band on top of a building there. Rick got told off by a tough lady policewoman for talking on his cell phone while driving. oops! Naughty Rick!
NYC is even noisier than Bangkok and we went out for a little walk around the hood but just to get take out and come back to the hotel to crash early.... all in a giant king size bed with me [tour manager Sock monkey boy] and Froggy, Dolly and Doggy.
Goodnight sleepyheadzzzzzzzzzz
xS. Monkey Boy
