Nabokov Interview, Part II

Because you're all screaming for it:



Come back next week to read a new post detailing my 2009 plans.

Art

Oh, I Can't Pass up this Little Gem

Nabokov and Lionel Trilling talk about Lolita:



Thank you, Santa.

Art

More Holiday Cheer!

Happy Holidays, Everyone.

Portland at Last!

We landed in Portland and found we were missing the Pacific Northwest even more than we realized. Thank you, Oregonians, for keeping it beautiful in our stead.

What's new in the land of laying down the law? Well, of course you know about the Lighten my Load Sale. You don't? Well, just for you, I'm extending the discounts until the new year. I'm talking rock bottom prices. There's still time to buy every Freshie fan on your list something cool for the holidays, and you don't have to go into the poor house to do it. And I'll sign it, too.

Also, I've written about six new songs for a new record, which I hope to record with Mr. Hartley sometime in 2009. If you came to any of my shows in 2008, most likely you heard one or two. I hope to book something for early 2009 in Portland, so keep your eye out for that at my website.

And the sequel to Ghost Notes is well under way. That will also be submitted in 2009.

So everyone have a great holiday, and check back in January.

Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

Farewell, Chicago Gig Saturday Night!!!

A quick thank you to those who helped lighten my load this past week. I hope you're all enjoying your goods.

Here's your last chance to see me in Chicago for a while as my wife and I move back to Oregon on Dec. 1.

Saturday, Nov. 15 at Uncommon Ground in Wrigleyville 9 PM.

I'll be playing some new and some not-so-new material, and I'm all but guaranteed to be joined by some friends, too.

Also, all Lighten my Load specials are extended to this show. If you ever wanted copies of Ghost Notes, or Songs from Memory, or the new Stuck Outside of Phoenix, this is the time!

Come on, man. It's Saturday night. If I can stay up late, so can you.

Thanks,

Art

The Defunct Lighten My Load Sale 2008!!!

Okay, we have to get out the vote this week. Very important.

The next thing on our agenda will be the holiday season, which includes Christmas.



We like to make our friends and family happy at Christmas, don't we? I know I do.

But it's 2008, and guess what? We're all as broke as an old tire spoke.

What can you afford to get your friends and family for Christmas when everything costs so much?

That's where I come in.

For reasons ranging from the fact that I'm moving in a month to the recession to the holiday season, I've decided to have a big sale of Defunct merchandise. What does that entail? Glad you asked. It entails three things:

First of all, every product has been marked down to $10.

That's right. You can get Ghost Notes, or Songs from Memory, or the new Stuck Outside of Phoenix--all 2008 products--for just $10 apiece.

Sound good? Go here.

Second, if you buy two or more of anything, your order ships for free. Say you wanna buy every Refreshments fan on your list a copy of my latest, Ghost Notes. You will get each copy for $10--that's half off the cover price--and you will get free shipping.

$10 a pop. That's getting out cheap, baby. Go here.

And third, if you buy a Defunct Three-Pack, which includes one copy each of Stuck Outside of Phoenix, Ghost Notes, and Songs from Memory, you can have them all for $25.

And free shipping.

Go here.

These are my rock-bottom prices--I'm all but giving them away--and I want you to have them.

So set yourself up with some Defunct merch, or get a good chunk of your holiday shopping done early. (All books are signed by me on their way out the door!)

Happy voting, everyone.

Art


Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

Off to Oregon Again!

Hello, all.

Just a quick note to let you know I'm once again relocating, this time back to Oregon. It was a difficult decision, but the current economic downturn, and the cold winter around the corner, has us pining for more mild and secure climes. This time, Portland is our destination, and we're looking forward to seeing all of our PDX friends, not to mention our first trip to Powell's in at least a year.

If you're in the Chicago area, what does this mean? It means you have one more shot to see me in the flesh before I head west. The date is Saturday, November 15th. The club is Uncommon Ground in Wrigleyville, and I play solo acoustic at 9 PM. This is my favorite club to play in Chicago, and it should provide the perfect backdrop for a fond farewell to one of my favorite cities. Call to reserve your spot: 773-929-3680.

Also, as I pack everything and drive 2,000 miles to the west coast, I'm looking to lighten my load. This means you'll be presented with an unprecedented opportunity to own some Defunct merchandise. I'm talking good deals. If you've ever wanted Ghost Notes or Songs from Memory or the new Stuck Outside of Phoenix, you're going to want to read this blog next week.

That's it. Until next week,

Art

October Gig This Week!

I will be playing with my Defunct Band at Reggie's in the South Loop area this Thursday, October 23rd. The show starts at 9 PM. We go on at 10:30.

And this ain't no 45-minutes-and-get-off type of gig. We'll shoot everything we have in our Defunct quiver, and that could keep us up there for a full 90 minutes.

So, come on out on Thursday night! (Did I mention there's no cover?) It ain't like your team's in the World Series or anything.

Thanks,

Art

Art's September Schedule

That's right. I'm back.

I just had an acoustic date added for this Saturday, not to mention the Uncommon Ground in Wrigleyville gig in two lousy days! Here's where you can come see me this month:

Events

September 18-Chicago, IL-Uncommon Ground

Solo acoustic performance-8 PM

September 20-Chicago, IL-Elbo Room

Solo acoustic performance-9 PM

Both times indicate when I'm going on, so get there before then if you want to see me in all my glory.

I'll even play your request!

Thanks,

Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

What's Next?

Thanks so much to all who came to see me at Stinkweeds in Phoenix last Thursday and the Friends of Betty Show at the venerable Yucca Tap Room last Saturday. I always say: give me a place to ham it up, a few people to watch, and I will abide. The Yucca show marked my last out-of-town event for 2008. It's been a great year. I couldn't have asked for more.

And Dusty showed! The perfect cherry on the top of a great night. I'm sure pictures will surface.

So what's next?

First of all, I am taking a break from the Laying Down the Law blog for the rest of the year.

Wait...what?

Yes, it's time for me to fully engage in a few projects, which unfortunately will keep me away from this blog. Here's what I'll be doing.

Most importantly, I'll be finishing my third novel, which is called Badge, which is at that critical stage where it requires my full attention.

Second, I have at least half of a second solo album written; I just need four or five more songs, and I'll be able to follow up Songs from Memory, once again with Bret Hartley at the helm.

Third, my Chicago-based band is rehearsing and getting ready to play as much as possible starting October 23rd at Reggie's in the South Loop area.

Combine all of these with the other duties of life, and it becomes necessary to choose what stays and what goes. We don't always like it, but there it is.

Despite this, I will try to post here my monthly schedule of Chicagoland gigs, along with anything monumental that might pop up. Still, the best place to keep up with all things Bud will be www.artedwards.com. When it doubt, go there.

Likewise with MySpace, if you're used to keeping up with or contacting me over there, instead please use www.artedwards.com or ae[at]artedwards[dot]com. I can't promise I'll get back to you anywhere else.

An important update: Art Edwards and his Defunct Band has a new guitar player, Sam Hubbell. We tried him out Tuesday, and Sam melted our faces off. You're going to want to be at that show at Reggie's on 10/23.

Another important update: free music! As a thank you to those of you who have supported me this year and previously, I've put three songs up for free download at my MySpace Audio page. Two of them you've heard before, "Riverboat Captain" and "Nickel," theme songs of my novels. The last is a new, swankier version of "Carefree," which was recorded during Songs from Memory. Just click the download button under the song's name and enjoy!

That's it. Thank you again to everyone who supports me and my efforts. Until 2009, happy voting!



Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

Tempe, AZ, Here I Come!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who came out and enjoyed my reading and/or show at the Decatur Book Festival this past weekend. We had a nice crowd for both events. The people who came to the reading got to hear a short story, "The Move," which is about Hote as a 16-year-old, and I loved playing the old and the new material with Mr. Hartley and Mr. Leahy. The music portion was recorded by sound man extraordinaire Shalom, so you'll hear a cut or two as soon as I figure out which sound best (i.e., least amount of Bud screw-ups).

And now for my next trick:

AZ, baby!

Two Bud events will happen this week in the Valley of the Sun. The first is this Thursday, Sept. 4, at Stinkweeds at 7 PM. I'll be playing solo acoustic songs from Songs from Memory, maybe a request or two, and reading from Ghost Notes. This is an intimate and fun way to spend an hour on Thursday night, and you'll get to see the new Phoenix Stinkweeds, the standard-bearer for Independent record stores in AZ. Come see me! I'll ham it up like Dee Dee.



Oh, but there's more AZ mayhem. I will be making my triumphant return to the Yucca Tap Room On Saturday, Sept. 6. I'll be playing with the AZ contingency of my Defunct Band, which has Jim Gerke on lead guitar and Curtis Grippe on drums. You can also expect a set by the Jim Gerke Explosion, and a set of covers performed by (at least) Jim Gerke and me. This is going to be a special one. Who will be ready to party on Saturday? Mark your calendars!

That's it for this week. I'll see all you AZ folks in just a few days. Stay outta trouble.

Thanks,

Art


Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

Decatur (GA) Book Festival this Weekend plus more LDL Photos!!!

That's right. I will be at the Decatur Book Festival this weekend reading from Ghost Notes and playing tunes from Songs from Memory with the fellas who helped make the album what it is, Bret Hartley and Kevin Leahy. Expect me to take the stage at Eddie's Attic for my reading at noon (Come have lunch!) and with the band around 10 P.M. Eddie said ticket sales have been promising, so if you are definitely going, you might want to check in with Eddie's Attic and make sure there's a spot reserved for you.

I was contacted many months ago by Thomas Bell, one of the organizers of the festival, asking if I'd attend. They were specifically looking for writer/singer-songwriters. I was thrilled anyone was looking for writer/singer-songwriters, and I immediately signed up. But it turns out the Decatur Book Festival is kind of a big deal, with over 200 writers and 100,000 people in attendance, and Eddie's Attic is the premier listening room in the Southeast, as confirmed by Mr. Hartley and others.

So, I'm a lucky some' bitch.

If you're in the Georgia area and want to be thoroughly entertained over Labor Day weekend, I highly recommend coming to downtown Decatur for some readings and food and music.

And, hey, I'll be there.


As you can see, new photos from the now legendary Laying Down the Law Show a couple of weeks ago are ready for viewing. Elizabeth once again made us look great.



Or, you know, she did what she could.

Check this out. My good friend John Austin, with whom I've toured with and drunk with and joked with, just got a really nice blurb in Paste magazine. Well deserved. Everyone out there should buy a copy of Satellite Blvd.

"John is certainly one of the most under-appreciated songwriters writing today, and his latest album is downright tasty, especially in the jangly acoustic songs like "Our Day in the Sun," where he sings, "Other days may come around when you're feeling like a first-rate second-class, third-place hand-me-down." John's first album came out 16 years ago and the life of a talented struggling artist pops up in songs like "Living in the Past" and "Nowhere with You." But the tenor is hope, and it's a pleasure to listen to front to back."

http://www.pastemagazine.com/high_gravity/2008/08/paste-favorites-with-new-records.html

Thanks,

Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

New Chicago Defunct Gig plus Chicago Solo Acoustic Gig

First of all, a new Defunct Gig!

That's right. To follow up the 2nd Annual Laying Down the Law Show, Art and his band of Defunctinators will play at Reggie's in the south Loop area. We are thrilled to be able to play 90 minutes this time, and the cover is...free! Get that? Come and see me and the D for free! This will be our first Chicago proper performance, and I'm already giddy about it. The date is October 23rd, a Thursday night. (Mark your calendar now!) This will be a World Series show featuring Defunct and two other bands. It might be a very special World Series show.



But any Cubs fan knows better than to count his chickens before they're fried.

Speaking of the Cubs, you haven't forgotten about my Cubs Clinch the Pennant Solo Acoustic Show at Uncommon Ground on Thursday, September 18 at 8 PM, have you? This is a great venue right in the heart of Wrigleyville (Cubs play that afternoon; you'll find parking), and I'll be playing new tunes along with your old favs. I predict an intimate and fun night, but you have to make reservations to be there. Small place. The reservation number is 773-929-3680. Call now, or very, very soon.

What more do you need? Full-on rock show. Full-on acoustic performance. Rock 'n' roll may not save the world, but it sure feels good.

Finally, here's a link to Liz's photos of LDL rehearsal. Was this already over a week ago? Seems like yesterday. Enjoy!

Thanks,

Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

The Dissipation of a Shirt

There's something that puzzles me about last night's Laying Down the Law Show.

It's not that I wonder if the law was laid down.

It was. (Defunct did their 'functy thing; Buck Daddy bucked us up with their distinct brand of Region Rock; South Slope Cutthroats hooked us in the gills and wouldn't let go; Refreshments Trib honored the memory of a favorite band of most--if not all--of the people in the room.)

It's not that I wonder if everyone had a good time.

They did. (I saw Blush get airborne at least a dozen times.)

It's not that I wonder if I enjoyed seeing Brian Blush again after all these years.

I did. (Thanks for reminding me of the album release party photo, the Seattle show with the Elvis impersonator, and of course the dead guy in Las Vegas. "We took that as a good sign." Ha!)

It's not that I don't have regrets.

I do. (Why didn't we play "Rasta Train" all the way through?)

The things that puzzle me about the show last night number two:

1) At what point during the Refreshments tribute set did Brian Blush's shirt come off?

One second we were ending a song, the next I turn and there Blush was, naked to the waist, his guitar mysteriously still strapped over his shoulder.

If you're not a musician I don't think you can fully appreciate the complication of this move.

You have to take the hat off, take the guitar off, take the shirt off, put the guitar back on again, and put the hat back on again. Then there are all these cords and pedals involved, and there's never a guitar stand around when you need it. I'm usually stumbling over it all when I'm just trying to take a guitar off and put another one on.

And Blush did all that in what must've been a split second.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is a professional. It's the only explanation for such a seamless manuever.

But the real question is:

2) Why did Brian take his shirt off?

Was he hot?

Was he excited?

Did he want some kind of dramatic exclamation point for the evening, one that only male nipples can supply?

We may never know.

I was a little shocked at first, but I eventually learned to accept that Brian was half naked across the stage from me. And there's so much rock history backing him up.







Still, we're all thankful the pants stayed on.

Thanks for coming, Brian, and thank you all for supporting our music.

Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

This Week: SOOP 2.0 and LDL 2.0!!!

Okay, big week for me.

You can now buy the new, improved version of Stuck Outside of Phoenix at my Web site.



Hey, it's the right color! Thanks, Brian!

Why you should buy and read Stuck Outside of Phoenix 2.0 if you bought and read Ghost Notes:

Because you'll learn so much more about Hote: what bands he's played in, what his favorite fast food restaurant is, where he likes to get drunk. You'll also learn about Hote's first big gig, be privy to a formative meeting with Digs Ven at Richmond's, and witness the first truly classy lay of Hote's life!

Why you should buy and read Stuck Outside of Phoenix 2.0 if you've already bought and read the previous version:

Because this is a new, improved version of the Tempe rock lit classic; it's been re-edited, comes with a new cover design, and will nicely round out your collection of Defunct merch.

Why you should buy and read Stuck Outside of Phoenix if you've never read anything by me:

Because it's the first in a series of at least three easy, breezy, fun novels, which means you get to start at the beginning! (Remember when Star Wars started at Episode Four? What the hell was that all about?) And Novel Three, which is called Badge, is coming together quickly. Climb aboard the Hote train now!

What to do if you want a new, improved Stuck but don't want to pay for shipping:

You can buy one at any of the events listed on my events page, starting with the 2nd Annual Laying Down the Law Show on August 9th.



I'll have Stucks and Ghosts and Songs from Memorys at each event!

What to do if you like the pink cover better:



Rock me tonight, baby!

See you all at JJ Kelley's on Saturday!

Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

*Stuck Outside of Phoenix* Going Pink?

The mention of pink at the end of my blog last week reminded me of Billy Squier.



Billy Squier was my first "favorite band," the first dude who I thought was the coolest of the cool. Most famous for "The Stroke," which I loved as a kid but now find unlistenable, Billy wrote Zeppelin-esque power pop any 80s-era midwestern kid could love. Here's an example of Billy at his best:



What's a thirteen year old supposed to do but run out and buy this record? And for the future bass player in me, listen to Kenny Aaronson laying down the law!

So, back in 1984, we were excited about Billy's new album, Signs of Life, which was due soon, and his new single and video, "Rock me Tonight," which would premier on MTV. We grouped around the tube the day it came out, waiting for Billy to rock us tonight.

And then we saw it:





We were a little shocked, and a little confused.

Funny, but this need for pink actually dates back to Squier's previous album, the mega-hit Emotions in Motion.



In retrospect, it's amazing we didn't notice it before. Maybe that's why he nailed the point home so thoroughly with "Rock me Tonight."

We can speculate all we want about what happened, why this sudden need for Squier to repaint himself in shades of pink, but I just want you to know that with the new Stuck Outside of Phoenix, which comes out a week from today, Monday, August 4, at my Web site, I'm not going pink on you.



The actual cover is more copper, as you'll see if you order one next Monday, or if you come see me at the 2nd Annual Laying Down the Law Show on August 9th.



But the digital image comes through as ever-so-slightly pink.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Thanks,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

LDL 2.0 Time Slots and SOOP 2.0 Sneak Peak!!!

The time slots for the Second Annual Laying Down the Law Show have been set! Here's the way the evening's going to go:

8:30-Art Edwards and his Defunct Band
9:30-Buck Daddy
10:30-South Slope Cutthroats
11:30-Refreshments Tribute

My band was given the option to play later in the night, but I opted for the first slot because:

a) we're a trio, and something about fewer guys onstage makes going first seem appropriate

b) my guess is we're a just little quieter than the other bands that will play that night

c) it's our debut gig...earn your slot, rookie!

What does this mean to you? It means that, if you want to catch the debut performance of Da 'Funct, you can't lollygag your way to J.J. Kelley's that night. Get cleaned up, get some grub down your gullet, and get to the show!

And have you seen Randy's poster?



On a more bummer note, I'm sad to announce that Dead Hot Workshop will not be playing at my triumphant return to the Yucca Tap Room in Tempe on September 6th. We're working on filling the slot, but you can rest assured plenty of law will be laid down that night regardless. Phoenicians, have you marked your calendars? September 6th!

Finally, I've received the final proof of the revised Stuck Outside of Phoenix--which comes out at my Web site on Monday August 4 and will be for sale at all of my shows starting with LDL 2.0--and I'm freaking over the results. Curious? Here's a slightly pinkish version of the cover art:



That's it for this week, folks. Time for Defunct to rehearse!

Thanks,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

My Defunct Band

We have a big show coming up.

The Second Annual Laying Down the Law Show in Lansing, IL on August 9 at J.J. Kelley's.

Buck Daddy will lay down the law.

The South Slope Cutthroats (with Brian Blush) will lay down the law.

The fellas in the Refreshments tribute band will lay down the law.

And my Defunct Band will lay down the law.

Who the hell is my Defunct Band?

The line-up of Art Edwards and his Defunct Band is set! We're a trio, and we're Art Edwards (that's me) on bass and lead vocals, the ever-steady Derek Feiza of the Mike Heaton Band on drums and vocals, and the cool and talented Howard Shaw on guitars and vocals. (We think of ourselves as the Police, only not so lame.)

At LDL 2.0 we'll play a set of Art Edwards originals, plus a couple of surprises. If you own Songs from Memory, you will be primed and ready. (What? You don't own Songs from Memory? Well, chop my head off. Buy it now!)

The boys and I are very geared up for our christening in front of a gaggle of Refreshments fans. We're out to win you over. Get ready for the 'Funct!

We love the 'Funct. Gotta have some 'Funct.

It's exciting for me to be back in a band. We spent Tuesday night playing music, joking around, reveling in our guy-ness. Rock music, for me, is about getting out and relating to the world. Being in a band is an important way for me to socialize, whether with others in the band, other musicians, people in the business, or people who come out to see the band play.

It's kind of like a bowling league for those who bothered to learn an instrument.



I don't know why these roles are important, but when we're not in one we tend not to know where to start. I mean, imagine walking up to a complete stranger and introducing yourself. The world would be a better place if meeting people was this simple, but it doesn't work like that.

So, come on out to LDL Part Deux, and say hello to the 'Funct, and meet some other Functy folks, too!

Art

Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory