Save the Date - Stories from Storytown Returns
Long ago and not that far away, Storytown released its first “real” album, Welcome to Storytown. We were a modest 4-piece band back then, and we recorded the album old-school style – basic tracks recorded live in a studio, then hours of overdubs afterwards.
Traditionally you perform your album at an “album launch”, and we did that, at a Lower East Side club called Caveat. But we changed the format up and alternated live performances of the songs with conversations with notable folks from the NYC music scene – wildly talented actor/song-songwriter Daphne Rubin-Vega, musician/producer and recording studio owner/operator Al Houghton, musician/author Jon Fine, and a filmed interview with acclaimed artist attorney Elliott Groffman. I think it was a pretty great; you can check out the recap here.
I credit my friend Kevin Wortis for developing this idea. And it was such a good idea that we turned it into an ongoing series that we called Stories from Storytown. Our fifth one was maybe the best, a glorious evening in January 2020 at The Cutting Room, with legendary record company executive and artist manager Danny Goldberg; noted photographer Merri Cyr, who ,among many striking album covers, happen to take the album cover photo for Jeff Buckley’s Grace; and the one-two punch of Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway and costumer designer Cindy Smith Dunaway. Read about it here.
So, here we go ….. Stories from Storytown is BACK!
And we’re mixing it up again; this time we’re adding another band, and we’re simplifying the structure a bit. We’re going to talk to two great authors:
David is a Senior Writer at Rolling Stone, where he contributes deep-dive reports, reviews and profiles on music. He is also the author of eight books, including biographies of Sonic Youth, Jeff Buckley, the Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and, most recently, Talkin' Greenwich Village: The Heady Rise and Slow Fall of America's Bohemian Music Capital. David is a returning Stories from Storytown guest (#4), and we look forward to hearing about his research into all that Village craziness.
Ken is one of the world’s leading authorities on the Beatles and their enduring cultural influence. He is the author of a two-volume biography devoted to famed Beatles producer Sir George Martin, including Maximum Volume and Sound Pictures. His recent book, Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans, traces the extraordinary life and times of the Beatles’ roadie. Guy and Ken will have a talk about Ken’s remarkable access to Mal Evans’ diaries as well as how he came to be such a Beatles fan.
And we are thrilled to present BIRD STREETS, the alter ego of Brooklyn artist John Brodeur:
Music Connection has called John’s music "Introspective art wrapped in beguiling indie rock." NPR Music named Bird Streets a Slingshot Artist alongside then-emerging talents like Phoebe Bridgers and The Beths. BIRD STREETS’ latest album, Lagoon, has been called "sublime" (Coachella Valley Weekly), "luxurious and literate" (Rock & Roll Truth), and "an emotional tour de force" (Glide). We’re really looking forward to hearing BIRD STREETS live.
Finally, the big, roaring, eight-piece Storytown will close out the night with a full, tasty and juicy set.
I know it’s a bit early (although time does have a way of getting away from us), but please SAVE THE DATE and come for what promises to be a fascinating evening: 7pm, The Cutting Room, Wednesday January 15, 2025.
Thank you.
