I'm not quite sure how to pack.

Anyway, I will be playing at a  in Stockholm, then off to Berlin to be on a panel, as well as see some music at Berlin Music Week.

That sounds fancy, but a couple of weeks later, I will be opening up for Fountains of Wayne where I will be sure to stay at the best Comfort Inn.

Check out all my dates!!

When I was about to release my 2nd Atlantic record, "Happy Town", I was alerted that Wal-Mart   was refusing to carry the CD. They told the label that the broken capsule depicted on the cover was somehow celebrating illegal drug use. Never mind that the drug in question was Prozac (with the familiar mint green and Mercedes cream/yellow colors) but that Wal-Mart  itself is one of the  big dealers. What made it even more silly, was they thought the granules pouring out looked like cocaine. That never crossed my mind. It made me wonder what kind of hopped-up druggies Wal-Mart was employing.

I decided, rather than dismiss a whole segment of society that would probably not buy my record anyway, to...wimp out.  I replaced the capsule with a test tube -big deal. Somehow, this made them happy and the  "cocaine" stayed.

I  related this story to my friend, Ken Paulson, who at the time ran the Freedom Forum. Years later, he is now the president of the Newseum in DC. "Happy Town" maybe did not make it to the Billboard Charts, but does lie in infamy as an example of "dumb censorship"

Here is a song from Happy Town: Love is Never Equal". Steve Earle sings with me. And check out our dueling gee-tar solos.  Oh, and that's me playing the spastic drums.

If you don't have the record, I think you might want to get it from my store. My store!

Some solo, one with Julia, and some with my pals, The Fountains of Wayne. I hope I get to see you all. Shows, shows, shows!

Julia Sweeney and me!

  Jul 09, 2010 (Fri) Brownfield Maine *** Stone Mt. Arts Center (J&J)
  Jul 10, 2010 (Sat) Northampton MA *** Iron Horse Music Hall (J&J)
  Jul 11, 2010 (Sun) Sellersville PA *** Sellersville Theater 1894
  Jul 14, 2010 (Wed) New York NY *** City Winery
  Jul 15, 2010 (Thu) Fairfiled CT *** Fairfield Theatre-State One ***

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? You volunteer to be a judge for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. I'm not quite sure why they asked me; I just write three minute songs. However, I was honored to be included. What I didn't realize was how much reading was required. One week after I accepted, I was sent this ginormous box full of short stories from 7th to 12 graders -about 10 days worth of reading. What was even more overwhelming was how good, deep, and pretty dark the stories were. Shoot, when I was in 7th grade, I was writing drivel. My first song: " Clouds, they Come and Go, Come and Go, Come and Go". Anyway, Scholastic also asked if I would come up with a song to perform at the awards ceremony, which would take place at...Carnegie Friggin' Hall! The same stage where Gershwin, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky, and Spinal Tap once stood! 

I have to admit that I was a little freaked out. Not just to play the revered hall, but to play in front of the smartest, most talented kids in the entire country. What song would I sing? What lyric would not get their eyes rolling? 

After thinking real hard, as well as being somewhat of a semi-slacker, I thought I would rework one of my crowd favorites, "Underdog Victorious". Rather than a budding rock star, I would make Bobby Trucks, the protagonist, a writer. Instead of shredding his guitar like a super hero, he would be equipped with a leather Moleskin and a feather plume.

On the big night, I was feeling pretty confident. Plus, I had a half an emergency Xanax in case I panicked. That's until they asked me to talk a bit before the song. Yikes! What do you say to really really bright kids who probably can see what a big impostor I am (I have issues that pop up ever now and then). I had no time to prepare anything, so I just winged it and...told the truth.

I said..."You scare me". I said that I was intimidated to sing my song in front of "the most talented and bad-ass kids around". And what do you know? That did it! They were now on my side. Using the word "bad-ass" sealed the deal. No matter how mature and brilliant a kid is, they still appreciate a bit of cussing. I even got them to sing the end chorus with me!

It was only after completing song that I could then truly take in the amazement of the evening. These kids were incredible. These were the future Capotes, Warhols, and Avedons (all past award recipients). 

As Whitney once sang (not an award winner), " I believe the children are our future".