Fwd: Serenity Now! TONIGHT 03.18.09 @ Voodoo Lounge, San Jose

[Erik Fong]

They're in my hands.  I swear.

They came in the mail this morning.

Lots of them.

We made them for you.

They look great.

They sound great.

And there's a free copy for you if you come to our show tonight (Wednesday night) with Usurper Vong, Fasten and Powder Train.

Mmhmm... it's our new album, The Ultimate Trip.

And our friends at the San Jose Metro are already making out to it:

"San Jose’s Serenity Now! has metalled it up for its forthcoming album, The Ultimate Trip. A Sabbathy Zep influence is not exactly what one might have expected from the band that has found its biggest success so far with the sweet slice of alternapop that was “Miss Congeniality.” The hooks are as strong as ever, and just when you think you have the group pinned—or repinned—“Folks Like Me” rolls out as a poignant Gram Parsons–esque ballad, and the album’s best song, “The Long Way to Suicide,” sounds like a song from the fourth album Big Star should have made instead of In Space."

(http://www.sanjose.com/serenity-now-e540161)

Getting this one done has been hard, hard, hard.  The original intended release date was mid-December.  When people ask me if I'm happy with the album, the only way I can describe it is, it's like being pregnant for an extra three months.  By the end, it doesn't really matter if it has 14 toes and breathes fire -- I'm just happy it's out.  I had a dream two nights ago that the CDs arrived at my door with screwed up art, and I woke up in the middle of screaming into my dream-phone at the Discmakers project manager.  Everything that's happened to me in the last several months -- lost friends, lost wages, arm pain, every music-related article on the planet telling the world that right now is the worst time to try to "make it" in the business, broken masters, broken design discs, music associates robbing me and treating me worse than a Sears repairman, common sense -- has told me to not keep doing this.  And to be honest, I've thought about why I bother.  Making music is hard.  But through the pains and sacrifices, and despite this country looking at aspiring musicians like they'd have better luck playing the lotto every week...

Why do I bother?

Because I love it.  There's no other reason.  This is what I do, this is what makes me happy.  And also angry.  But mostly happy.

Hope to see you tonight.  These crazy fucking dreams of mine, I'll dream them all until I die...

See you soon.

03.18.09 | voodoo lounge, san jose 
(barb rocks presents/with usurper vong, fasten and powder train/9pm/$5/21+/directions).
04.11.09 | blake's on telegraph, berkeley 
(kid glove entertainment presents/with 3rdrail, spiralarms and eken is dead/9pm/$10/18+/directions).

Love,

Erik

www.serenitynow1.net

www.myspace.com/serenitynow

P.S.  The guy who owns serenitynow.com offered to sell the domain to me for $3500.  Can I borrow $3500 from you, not pay you back, and still be your hero?