evidence and explanation

ok, the promised evidence of costume from 10/31. Surprisingly, many of you asked who I was trying to be. Here I thought it was all too obvious.

Think Kubrick 1971 people.

-Alex

Halloween? Serious Business

Peeps,

I haven't really taken Halloween all that seriously in recent years. It's too much for me. It's stressful, damn it. So much expectation and yet so little time.

But, this year, I have decided to make a concerted effort to put out a statement. Some friends have invited me to a grand 'ol Halloween Party in New York and I have to come En Masque. Thus, I have devised a killer (pun intended) costume. Now, obviously I cannot reveal what my costume is now on the blog until November 1 (when there will be ample photographic evidence of the aforementioned "killer costume"), but, I will say now that I have reached back into the vault of Hollywood cinema and brought back a classically frightening character. I am not saying that this idea is the most original or that it has never been emulated before. But, what I am saying is that when I do something, I do it right. I make sure every detail is just as it should be. So, while others may have merely imitated, I will be resurrecting this character in all its brilliant form and detail.

Photos to come.

-Alex

new brooklyn digs

yo guys,

So in the last week I have moved to a new apartment. The move itself was surprisingly easy, compared to moves in the past that involve serious stress and sweat. this time, it was only sweat. but, driving a U-Haul in Manhattan is treacherous. I wouldn't recommend it. It reminded me of that scene in "Dumb and Dumber" when the dog truck flies over a hill and slams onto the pavement at 50 mph (van driven by Jeff Daniels).

Anyway, I'm still getting settled, but I have huge place with tons of sunlight, plants everywhere, and a gorgeous roof-deck on top of the building facing Manhattan. It's all very comfortable, but it's still not "my home" yet. That'll take a few more weeks I think. My new place is like having a new girlfriend: comfort comes with time. I'm not ready to walk around my kitchen naked in the daylight yet.

This week, I've been rebuilding my recording studio now in my new place. It's all coming together quite nicely. I broke out the acoustic and a microphone late last night in my living room just sampling a few ideas I've been working on lately. The new songs are taking great shape and great emotion.

...more soon.

-A.N.

POSTED FROM BROOKLYN, NY AT 1:04 PM

Support This.

quick shout my lovely peoples...from Brooklyn, NY. I got an email yesterday from a sweet gal in Memphis, TN who politely asked me where she could find my albums out on the web to download for free. She said, "I'm bummed because I can't find the whole albums on lime wire anymore." That was a quote. Seriously. She asked me if I had a different suggestion than lime wire.


I was quite perplexed by this note, though I appreciated her interest in the getting the music so immediately. As many of you guys know and understand, being an artist today in the collapsing music industry is not easy. Touring, promotion, and recording all cost enormous amounts of money that I can't even begin to explain...One Month U.S.
Tour = 10 times my NYC monthly rent

So, I love you guys like crazy and you all keep me afloat by coming out to the shows everywhere I've been lucky enough to tour in the world (literally the world). But, please I beg you, for the love of what I do as an artist and someone trying to be relevant in your world: support me, support the music, support what we as artists do. The work and time we put in can suck the life out of an artist sometimes. If you love the music you're hearing and want me to have the power to continue, please purchase the albums with money. I want you to have them and play them. Just remember how much went into it all before it reached your ears.

If you haven't already, go to these links to the store.

ONLINE STORE LINK::
{www.cdbaby.com/all/anackman}

So many great things are coming...the studio has been electric.

Much Love,
-Alex

POSTED FROM BROOKLYN, NY AT 11:51 AM

Bowery Ballroom - 8.15.08 - NYC

Sorry this has taken so stupidly long. It's almost bordering on non-relevance. I sort of kind of got pre-occupied, then remembered, then forgot, then got emails from you guys asking for the setlist.

It was bloody awesome to be back home in New York at the Bowery Ballroom. We had a total blast with Kill the Alarm and the show was just electric on many levels (not literally because we played acoustic). But, you get the idea. Thanks to so many of you all for making it a hell of a show. The balcony was especially impressive.

Bowery Ballroom
6 Delancey St.
New York, NY
Fri. August 15, 2008

SETLIST:

WAIT FOR ME
HOLIDAY
PROXIMITY
POLAROID FACE
ALOUD
AMSTERDAM AVENUE
SUNRISE FALLS
DIONYSUS

~Alex




*[photography at bowery ballroom courtesy of cory schwartz photography nyc]

POSTED FROM NEW YORK, NY AT 12:47 AM

The Yanks

i had the pleasure of going to a Yankees game in the final week of Yankee Stadium. I've been a huge Yankee fan from birth and even pursued baseball pretty damn seriously until music stripped me of my baseball ambitions. So, getting to go back to the Bronx and see my Yanks play this last year at the Stadium was pretty stellar. My darling friend Phoebe invited me along. I thoroughly enjoyed field level seats, $11 beers, and an $8 hot dog. I actually really did enjoy all of those things. I did think that my car was going to be chopped and sold for parts in the shady lot off 158th Street I found. Fortunately "Jimmy," my trustworthy and steadfast parking lot guardian man said he only had to drive the car around the block twice while I was inside the stadium at the game.

"Well, thanks Jimmy, you really are swell."

-Alex

POSTED FROM NEW YORK, NY AT 12:40 AM

...Transition

Hey Guys:

In response to a handfull of emails I've received in the last week: yes, the new music is coming shortly. I apologize for the delay. I'm just trying to get it right. I should have a preview by early Fall (even though it is sort of early Fall right now). It's been a very busy summer with a ton of traveling to Asia, Portland, Seattle, and L.A., a huge show back home at Bowery Ballroom in NYC, and now nothing but recording. Rest assured that all these things have brought about some serious inspiration. There is just this new tone and this new headspace to the songs that I haven't charted yet until now. It's exciting. The songs are revealing. My vocals seem very emphatic and deliberate. I like that.

In the meantime, here are some films and books (old and new) that have me thoroughly enthralled in the last couple months while at home in New York and on the road:

FILMS:
-Lila Says
-Band Of Outsiders
-The Counterfeiters
-24 Hour Party People
-Wonderland (UK movie, not the U.S. one)
-Lost in Translation (again)
-Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (saw it again and really am obsessed)
-Last of the High Kings


BOOKS:
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
On The Road - Jack Kerouac
The Trial - Franz Kafka
Nine Stories - J.D. Salinger

It may seem that I like some depressing stuff here, but that's not really it. I just like it when books or films challenge my ability to stay composed. Reflecting is not a bad thing...so I've learned.

Songs coming soon.

Love to you all.

~Alex

From Los Angeles

Hi Friends-

I'm back on the west coast and blogging from Los Angeles again. It's been a nice week. I had just gotten back to NYC from Japan and then hopped on another plane for some recording here in L.A. I'm very stoked about the new songs and I have a ton of ideas I can't wait for you all to hear.

At the end of this week, I'm jetting back to New York quickly for a huge, big, great, grand show at the Bowery Ballroom. It will be an electric night. See all you New York-area fans and lovers there. I promise a killer night at the Bowery. Show is at 8PM.

In addition to recording here in L.A., I've also been helping my younger brother move into a new apartment. My brotherly love has extended to building saw-dust desks purchased at Staples. I'm getting quite good at building these things...anyway, enough rambling here. Just wanted to give you a short update. I'm at a coffee shop in Manhattan Beach right now. The ocean is pretty amazing.

See you this Friday in NYC, 8/15 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are on sale now at www.boweryballroom.com

18+ Ages as well, so bring the kids.

Much Love,
~Alex

POSTED FROM LOS ANGELES, CA at 5:39 PM

Yes, I am in JAPAN

Hey Guys-
Great to hear from so many of you via email here on the road in Japan. Thanks for the love on the "Bizarre Love Triangle" cover. I've always been a huge New Order fan. It was sort of an experiment and I just happened to hit "record" at my studio.

I'm blogging from Tokyo right now. It's been an amazing week traveling around Japan. I started in the mid-section of the island in Himeji, Japan and then visited Kyoto. The food has been terrific, having delved into Sukiyaki style bbq, traditional sushi, and Japanese BBQ (which is similar to Korean BBQ). I am a total foodie. The fish is the freshest I have ever tasted and the Japanese eat toro tuna (from the fish belly and very expensive), like it's chicken. It's ubiquitous and I now I cannot go back to regular sushi I normally eat in New York. My hotel in Tokyo is something out of "Lost in Translation." I have an amazing view of the Tokyo Tower and central Tokyo.

Some photos I took are below. I'll have some new songs released here on myspace as soon as I get back to New York. The patience and support means so much. I have a great feeling about this new material from the studio. Stay tuned...

All Love from Tokyo,
-Alex

POSTED FROM TOKYO, JAPAN AT 9:44 AM

All Good

yes, I am alive and well...in fact, very caffeinated and writing a ton of new material. It's dramatic, it's lyrically inquisitive, it's...., well you will hear soon.

I love you all. There should be a bunch more MTV spots coming up. Still working on the details and such, but keep your eyes and ears peeled for all that.

-Alex

Ruminating and new ideas

Hey Everyone-

I just climbed out of my studio after several days and many French Presses full of Italian coffee. I had been on the road non-stop for nearly 2 years and this is truly the first time I've had no tour dates coming up for the moment. I really want to spend some time with these new songs and new ideas. Sometimes I have felt rushed to release new material and get an album out as soon as possible, but the bottom line is that the music means everything, not timing. I have some topics on my mind that are coming out in these songs and I'm eager to share it all. I have contemplated the struggle of seeing people do things they don't want to be doing in their life. I am thinking about niches, if that makes any sense. I want to hone these songs and shape them just right.

I've also gotten to spend some time out of New York. I've been traveling a bit with a guitar on my back, just thinking and writing, observing and ruminating. I'll be taking some trips later in the summer to Asia and Europe. It has been a long time since I have been to both locales for it not part of a tour.

...Being in the studio has its drawbacks though. I feel I need to drum up my own support and be my own motivator. I need you all. The relationship we have keeps my heart-rate constant.

All Love,
~AN

Photos from Oregon Sessions

Hey Hey My Babies...here are a few shots from Oregon. I had been hanging with my long-time pal Justin King at his studio and home in the mountains of Eugene, OR. It was a pretty killer week with a lot of new inspiration found. More news on the songs soon.

-A.N.

POSTED FROM BROOKLYN, NY AT 10:47 AM

PHOTOS:

in the mountains

hey guys...currently in Denver. Working on some new material with musical friends and off to Oregon tomorrow to hang with my pal Justin King at his {not-so} humble abode in Eugene, OR. It's more like a musical castle. We'll be clunking our heads together, writing, recording, drinking plenty of vino and just breathing fresh air in the high mountains of Oregon. The last time I was out there with the band we had an absolute blast and the scenery is more beautiful than anywhere one can imagine.

I'll have some photos and sounds shortly, but all is ok. I've been half in a cave lately gathering myself. I'm sorry about that. Love to you all...rest assured that what is coming will be significant.

-A.T.N.

POSTED FROM DENVER, CO AT 10:45 AM

Notes from New York

Been feeling a little weird lately. The boys and I had a great tour that spanned a lot of miles and met some great fans (old and new) on the road. But, my mood has felt a little burned out. I don't know whether it's the release of fatigue immediately after a record release when there has been so much planning to make the new album successful. I can't say really. I've been doing the "artist thing" for 7 seven years. It's been quite a road, literally and figuratively. I've had enough frustrations to want to quit about every month. But, for some reason, I'm still at it and I guess I can say things have been good. We've got an amazing group of fans worldwide, I've traveled the world, and have had some pretty cool opportunities along the way with press, TV, and other forms of noteriety.

But, so much goes into all of this that the immediate rewards aren't always apparent. It's difficult and most of the time, it's the artist himself who has to proverbially drum up his own support to keep the motivation going strong. I've always said, "the phone won't ring unless I make the call." I think that's still true. Nothing happens unless the "pursuer" makes it happen. Sometimes, it's hard. Sometimes, I feel tired about having to be my own biggest fan.

At the moment, I'm home in New York and off the road. I like it. I can breathe and breathe deeply. I'm working on some new song ideas and so far, it's really coming through. I want to sit on these ideas for a bit and not record them until I've really sculpted these songs carefully. I've got some new influences and inspirations and I feel good about it. I'll also be doing some traveling. I'm still figuring out my locales, but I'm planning on Japan this summer. I want something different. I've toured Europe and have traveled extensively there. I lived in Italy for a year, but Asia is new ground to me.

So, what's my point? I'm not entirely sure. Just some thoughts out-loud I guess. I'm happy, but admittedly tired. Sometimes an artist needs a push from more than himself. Along the way, the band and I have had some tough shows and some long nights on the road. It's wears on me (and probably them too). This is a tough pursuit and the rewards don't always equal the energy input and personal investments. I think that can always be a difficult combination...working harder than what will come back to you. But, for some reason, I still maintain a level of self-efficacy that I hope will push me to press on...I hope you all will be behind me.

Alex

yes

DAN: HAPPY TO BE BACK IN SAN FRANCISCO

From Charlotte

APRIL 4, 2008
THE EVENING MUSE
CHARLOTTE, NC

Hey hey-
The boys and I rocked Charlotte, NC last night with our new friend Vienna Teng. She was terrific and it was very cool to see some old friends we had met on the road awhile back. Charlotte was great. It poured, it thundered, we got soaked. But, the show was killer. We stripped the set-up down a bit from the normal electric tones...My voice was feeling a little raspy, but I pushed through.

About to leave NC and we're on our way to Atlanta. Got to run. Me need coffee!

SETLIST:

ALOUD
HOLIDAY
AMSTERDAM AVENUE
WAIT FOR ME
A LETTER
STAY WHERE YOU ARE
SUNRISE FALLS
DIONYSUS

Notes from Los Angeles

Hey All-
Just finished the west coast tour run and have had a day to clear my thoughts here in Los Angeles. It was really a great week that started in Seattle, hit Vancouver, then down to Portland (where we picked up our bro Justin King), then down to San Francisco, and finished in L.A. at the Troubadour.

We hit snow and sleat in northern California and totally muddled our van up with road "goop." We never ate a healthy meal, except when we went for really solid Mexican food in Seattle with our friends Kyle and Mandi Stevens. I also ate well when I got sushi in L.A. The road has an odd way of exciting me as well as draining me literally at the same time. There are moments of pure elation followed by "I want my bed."

But, we’ve played hundreds of shows all over the place and at this point, I’m quite used to it. Throughout the time on the road I’ve been continuing to write and really have some cool ideas for some new material. I’ll hash them out in the coming weeks. I’ll be back to NYC later today. I’m battling a bad flu/cold thing. My throat burns, I’m coughing with conviction, and my head is stuffed like a balloon.

I’ll be home in NYC for 2 days, then we drive down to Charlotte, NC for the southeast turn.

Here are some photos:

Oregon

Hey Guys-

on the tour road and thought i'd stop by and drop some love on the blog...things have been going very well, but it's been raining like crazy. we really had a blast in Seattle, Vancouver, and last night in Portland. The shows have been killer and the people have been amazing. So great to see so many of you at the shows thus far.

i'm hanging in Eugene, OR with our buddy Justin King at his studio and house up in the Oregon mountains. it's pretty unbelievable and we're enjoying some gorgeous Italian coffee at the moment. the house reminds me of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

So, off to San Francisco in a little bit...I hope all of you are well. We've got some great shows coming up this week including tomorrow 3/27 in San Francisco with Justin King and Ari Hest. We'll then be back at the Troubadour on Friday 3/28 in Los Angeles.

Love to you all...the support keeps me going on this windy and pebble-laden road.

Alex

record release / some thoughts

Hey Hey...

The boys and I really had a ball last week in New York for the record release party at the Mercury Lounge on 3/13. It was pretty amazing seeing so many of you out there. It’s been a long winter with ups and downs...i’m always trying to push the new music in all the good ways we can. There is a brand new www.alexnackman.com up if you have not seen the new website.

If you haven’t picked up the new album "Still Life Moves" yet, I hope you will. Go to iTunes or www.alexnackman.com or www.amazon.com, etc, etc, etc...There are just some stories on this album I really want you to hear. I also want to hear your feedback. So, please drop an email anytime to alex@alexnackman.com

I’m not some elusive artist that never responds. Many of you already know that I get back to everyone.

We’ll be jet-setting this weekend to the west coast for a week-long run. Many details have gone into the tours. More cities will be added soon. Thanks for your patience friends...I’ll keep writing, you keep listening. It means so much.

{Setlist - 3/13 - New York}
-wait for me
-aloud
-sunrise falls
-banking on november
-holiday
-with or without you
-a letter
-something remains
-proximity
-polaroid face
-thoughts of paris

SHOWS:


3/23 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo
3/24 - Vancouver, BC - Railway Club
3/25 - Portland, OR - Dante’s
3/27 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord
3/28 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour

Love As Always...
-Alex

New Album OUT TODAY!

Go on, grab it. "Still Life Moves" has been released. It's out today March 4. There is also a brand spankin' new www.alexnackman.com. So, enjoy these new toys.

I have a promo in/store this week at Borders out on Long Island, then we kick it back in Manhattan next week on March 13 for the record release party at Mercury Lounge. More tour dates on the schedule, so go check it all out. We're on the move.

BUY THE NEW ALBUM: www.cdbaby.com/cd/alexnackman5