Kevin Martin Diaryetics

2011-09-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

I kinda feel like that frown today. Like, I have a scoop of ice-cream and it's really good but it's all over my chin and hands and I'm kinda tired of having to keep wiping it up, know what I mean? That's kinda where my day started, you see, bills weren't paid so big Kev's sing time no go. Labels are kinda like that, it's like here's the scoop of ice-cream in a cone and then oops, no cone just mint chocolate chip in the palm of your hands melting away as the sun passes overhead and time keeps ticking and the ice-cream keeps melting and hopefuly someone will come along with another cone so you can dump it in there to finish what it is you started out eating which is REALLY GREAT ICE-CREAM!

Hungry?

Day 7

2011-08-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

Drums are done, 11 songs of complete and utter deliciousness and eargasmic joy. This will be a headphone record for those of you audiophiles and a speaker replacer for those of you that like it like i do, LOUD! So much for mp3's we're going to mp11! Anybody ready to hear some ROCK? xoxo

Product RePlacment

2011-08-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hours and hours of entertainment on the TV this morning, a sensory overload of goods and services, products that i cannot live without and Dinosaurs on trains not only teaching me everything I never learned in school but apparently they were as smart as most scientist today!

As i flip through the channels, HD of course, I begin to realize that I have indeed become the consumer of choice for a lot of these companies. Stopping at the commercial, allowing it to sink in thinking to myself, "hmmmmm, perhaps I should have that whatever the fuck thing it is, I simply must have one." Open the computer, do my research, is it really worth it, do I have space in the closet for storing it away, what does Consumer Reports.com have to say about it or have they even reviewed such a device?

And then it sinks in, what the hell am i doing researching stupid, waste of my hard earned cash shit when I've got to Replace my 1yr. old LG window unit A/C that seemed to have died overnight? I mean, honestly, what is the NORMAL lifespan of a window unit A/C, its got to be more than 1yr. right and even if it is and it's under warrenty who really wants to take it out of the window, put it in the trunk of the car and drive it all the way to Best Buy or wherever it is that we purchased it only to have to then take it out of the car and drag it into customer service to be serviced which means no A/C tonight or possibly for the next couple of weeks. Can I get a rental whilst its in the shop?

Thats when this hits me, at what point in my life did I become so spoiled that I feel I can complain about LG and their wonderful products, I mean, they're doing their best to keep me comfortable right? Perhaps I let it run too long one to many times, maybe this is my fault my god I'm an asshole. I should use better common sense to think that I could run something for more than 24 hrs. If you think about it, we need to shut down for a few hrs. everyday so why shouldn't our electronics?

It's unfortunate that we are becoming comfortable with having to replace our shit sooner than it's "expiration date," that we can justify such worthlessness and shoddy craftsmanship and are ok with having to toss it out, there's room out there in those landfills right?

All of this is ruining my fucking Saturday morning with my son, sitting here typing this out on my Apple laptop (3rd one so far by the way, the other 2 expired) while i could be playing tinker toys with jasper (second set, 1st one magically dissapeared) and having a cup of beautifully brewed coffee pod coffee and relaxing, Arrrgggg Matey!

Youth In Revolt RUFF

2011-08-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

"It's called Rock & Roll, look it up!"
Kevin Martin 2010

2011-08-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Heather Pennington recently shot us at the Emerald Theater in Mt. Clemens MI and was kind enough to send me one of her favorite images! I must say, I feel pretty cool in my clean sox!

why we do what we do for you!

2011-08-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

1970's beauty that sounds like the heavens and plays like the devil! Muah!

General Ramblings

2011-08-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

My Little Petey!

I've decided that I've more to say about nothing than the average bear so i'm gonna get a jumpstart on things and get to blogging again. It's been a long time a comin but a hella short time to get here but i'm gonna do what they say can't be done! Not really sure where that came from but Run Bandit, Run!

emotionally yours,
K

TGF "Honest Man" Official Music Video

2010-08-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

What's Going On?

2010-05-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

Today is a good day, the 1st day of rehearsals! This studio feels amazing & sounds F*@!ing incredible. The energy it took to create the gracious tunes has been replenished, refined and renewed! I feel like we've been bred for this day, patiently waiting for this very moment and readying ourselves for the race of our lives, the horses are on the track!

The room is alive with the sounds of music and I feel just like Julie Andrews in that one movie, I mean I don't really feel like Julie Andrews I was just trying to say that I, it, this moment feels sorta like that moment in that movie about the Von Trapps where she's running through the grass singing about how great music is etc. and the kids are all there and its such a ridiculous example that I hope you all know I'm kidding but it still feels that cool!

There's nothing that can really explain how this feels you know? I mean it's kinda like, insert tongue in cheek, remember trying to explain to your best friend how the sex with that person you always wanted to have sex with was? Not that i want to have sex with these guy's but you know what I mean? Ok, now I'm just coming off as a f*@#ing kid in the background goin CRAZY! Just havin a laugh with you but honestly, we're that good!

Anyway, on to the real reason I'm writing to you today, just because you're you!

Captain tyin knots,
Kevin

A GRACIOUS PHEW!

2010-05-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

It's over, 9 months of patience, preparation & perseverance have paid off! "Honest Man" has dropped in the airwaves at the fall line, opened an account and looking so stylie even Spicoli wants in on the action! Whoa! Sorry, just watched Fast Times at Ridgemont High and got a little carried away, anyway as I was saying, The Gracious Few have finally released our first single and I gotta tell y'all, we are stoked. Exhale.

I can't believe it's been 9 months! I remember how long nine months felt when I was waiting for Jasper to pop his head out and say "hey dad, let's party," it felt like forever but this has been one of the fastest 3/4's of a year I've known EVAH! What a thrill it's been. From Lancaster to Yo RK to Newport Beach back to Lancaster jump to Sausalito off to Australia, back to Sausalito off to Miami & wrapping it all up in a nice little bow in New York City! AMAZING! We are truly blessed.

Now comes the fun part, SHOWTIME! Playing these songs live is going to be such a thrill and I tell ya, we got our work cut out for us. I'm picking up that jumprope today cause I am going to need to keep up with these rockers! I'm also really excited to take a stab at a few of these LIVE songs. We've picked some great ones as well as some off the wall covers that we hope y'all enjoy as much as we do!

Thanks everybody for letting us do this for a living, we couldn't do it without you ALL!

"dangers my business!"
K

Mifamli

2010-03-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been several weeks since I've been on here spilling my guts, fears, hurts, thoughts etc., did you miss me? I sure did, I mean really, sometimes I just miss me you know! Anyway, it seems that I may tend to go a little bit overboard and lose some of you in the maze of my words and quirkiness so I'll do my best to ease up on the mind boggling (insert smirk here) and creative writing skills I picked up at DeVry over the spring quarter. Just trying to have a little fun in this crazy mixed up world wide web.

Ok, so here I am in Miami mixing The Gracious Few record with the one and only TLA (look it up) and I cant begin to explain to you how grateful I am that I get to do what it is that I love, honestly, this is my day job? I'm in love with music, I love everything about it, it is so beautiful and cute, i love it on blankets & towels & little paper bags, Music Forevah!

Right, so back to what i was saying. Music, Dahlheimer, Gracey, Hennesy, Taylor, Jerry Harrison & Tom Lord-Alge, Mifamli! This music is like crack cocaine baby, believe me when i tell you this, you are going to be addicted to the sounds of The Gracious Few. You'll be like "Hi, my names (insert name here) and I'm A Gracious-holic." It's that F*@+!*$ good. TURN IT UP LOUD, is all i can say because my ears are ringing with the sound of MUSIC!

You ever turn a song up so loud that you blew your speakers out and still didnt give a shit that the song no longer sounded the same but was still amazing yet you couldnt figure out why it sounded different and for that matter why you even cared that it sounded weird you just kept trying to turn it up LOUDER?!?

Little secret here for those of you that may not know. If you put a 1000 watt amp in your car to power your stereo you wont blow the speakers and you can turn that shit up so crazy loud that you'll blow your windows out before the speakers blow! Please note, i will not be held responsible for repairs to your car, car windows, speakers or ears if you choose to put said amp in your car, it's just a suggestion!

As I was saying, Having a blast down here, Delano last night, 8oz, Dewey's, Van Dyke tonight etc. etc. etc. but most importantly this record! So much magic happening and it's only day 3. We've been found once, the rest of you must not be looking hard enough, and will continue to slip the hints. If you can find us you can rock with us so keep on searching, we aint hiding!

antes de que nosotros hablemos otra vez,

KM

I may have...

2010-02-16T19:08:00.000-08:00

ADD! I think so anyway because it seems like I started this blog a couple of times and i can't seem to remember what i wanted to write about because the phone would ring, my email chime, my kid screamed, my door bell buzzed, my floorboards squeaked or the 100 million crickets were going off in my ears all at once caught my attention and pulled me away from what it is i was going to write about before i got ADD or ADHD, which ever is the bigger more RIDICULOUS disorder!

So many distractions and all i want to do is sit here, laptop on lap and write about my day! How exciting is that! You must be saying to yourselves, "wow, I wonder what enlightening BS Kevin has for us today!?!?" Well, let me tell you, I got some important shit to say! Doesn't it seem like I would, I mean, I am the lead singer/lyricist for Candlebox & The Gracious Few so I must have some deep thoughts to spill about the WWW for y'all to search on the googles! Oh yes, back to the ADD thing!

So when I start these things I always ask myself what it is that I want to say and how would i like to go about it. You'd be surprised at the depths i go to find something REAL to say because any Jackalope can have one of these Bloggy things but I want to be the Jackalope of all Jackalopes so I dig and dig until i give you the deepest of thoughts to ponder! Really?

But seriously now, just having fun really. It's quite enjoyable sitting here, lap on fire from laptop sitting on lap and battery overheating my 17"er. Perhaps the best part of my blogging is how funny i seem to think i am! Slade, a little help here?!?

I have this friend that thinks that i think that i'm as funny as he seems to think that i think he is but in reality he is not as funny as i think he is so we are, as you can imagine, SUPER friends and yet we dont laugh at one another's jokes we just laugh at one another! I Heart Slade!

Right, ADD, as I said earlier I think i may have this wonderfully "SCIENTIFIC" disorder which explanations why I and millions of Americans cant seem to focus on one thing for more than a minute or 2. Speaking of minutes, The Gracious Few spent several thousand minutes making what might possibly be the greatest record ever recorded over several thousand minutes! AMAZING HUH!

I miss you guys, make sure to stop by and say hello every now and then!

super big mahalo,
Kevy K

Still Sleeping?

2010-02-03T21:12:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe that this is the 3rd time in a year that I have gotten a sinus infection. LA is killing me I swear to you. I cant remember ever feeling this kind of shit in any of the other states/cities i grew up in. What is the air quality here? Why do we insist on staying? Where can i get an honest answer and why the hell am I asking you?

I seem to be a gluton for this punishment, this constant contact high that keeps me complaining all the while not doing anything about it. I must be insane. I've got to do something about this, I cant fucking see the god damn Hollywood Hills for fucks sake.

LA I'm gonna leave you some day and your gonna miss me I swear. All I wanted was some fresh air, some tasty waves and a cool breeze and maybe a sun tan every now and then. All i got was a bad cough a runny nose and a bad attitude.

I was god to you, I cut my carbon footprint from 9 tons to 3 1/2 over the last year. I recycled, I reused, I donated and volunteered and still no love?!? I put $40 dollars a month in a vehicle that is a 5 litre V8 and it lasts the whole month which means I don't tread on you that much.

Babe I'm gonna leave you someday, I just can't leave you yet.

xoxo

Songs

2010-01-27T14:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just hit the nail right smack on the head and it sinks right in. No second swing, no readjusting the nail, nothing, just bam and its in! I can remember that feeling vividly back when i still swung a hammer and likend myself to my best friend and fellow "contractor" Jeff. Now its all nail guns and compressors, kind of like the music business. No real talent needed to swing the hammer, just plug the son of a bitch in and BAM. God damn computers, I love them, they are so beautiful and cute.....Ok, back to what I'm really talking about!

We sat down a few months ago and started what we all had hoped was the beginning of a truly rockin record by The Gracious Few. Ideas galore, melodies for days and too much music, really, to begin to choose from. That being said there was one really special moment that began what is possibly one of the greatest songs that I have personally ever been involved in writing. What started with a simple riff has evolved into a song that will swing it's hammer down on you and you will sink right in.

What a life I lead!!! WOW.

Lighthouses Rule,

Kevin

When will it ever....

2010-01-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

end?

I feel like I've been awake for months, stuck in a studio screaming like a banshee at the top of my lungs from the bottom of musical soul. I can't remember a more emotional time in my life to be embarking on a new career with a different group of friends and a brand new direction. Jasper's about to turn 2, my wife is at her wits end with me and my constant travels and I am completely exhausted and overwhelmed with excitement. The Gracious Few is my new band and I am their new singer. No more bullshit arguments about who's songs are gonna be on the record, who's spotlight has been stolen, when we can and can't tour, publishing rights and rules etc. just 5 friends making great fucking rock songs.

I remember my father saying "son, sooner or later you are going to have to realize that there are more horses asses than there are horses." I'm glad I've found four other horses! Having a blast in my delirium.

bullshit,

Kevin

a.k.a. Tommy Noble