Hear new Rodeo tracks NOW here: myspace.com/brentamakerandtherodeo

Photo by Johnny Podhradsky

The new Brent Amaker and the Rodeo LP is finished! It'll be a while before we get vinyl manufactured and have the whole thing available to the public. There's a lot of work that goes into releasing a record, and I don't really expect us to get everything done and distributed until mid-year 2010. When it comes out there will be a 12" vinyl release, a comic book with digital downloads, a CD, and I-tunes. Shit, I guess that pretty much covers everything.

I don't want to make you wait that long without giving you a teaser. These recordings are REALLY good. I'm proud of what we've done and I'd love for you folks to get a taste. For this reason, I've posted the first two tracks from the album on our Myspace page: myspace.com/brentamakerandtherodeo . Give it a listen and let me know what you think. The first track is an instrumental intro song titled "Jonnny's Theme". It's a tribute to the man who puts the cape on the man who writes the country hits. The other one is titled "Man in Charge".

Photo by Shane Williams

We're doing a big US tour in March and many of the dates are already up on the calendar. Here's what we got so far:

Jan 9 2010 B.A.R. @ the NEW Hell’s Kitchen, Tacoma WA
Feb 6 2010 B.A.R. @ the Summit Ski Area, Snoqualmie Pass
Mar 5 2010 B.A.R. @ Berbati’s Pan, Portland OR
Mar 6 2010 B.A.R. @ Amnesia / San Francisco, CA
Mar 9 2010 B.A.R. @ Doll Hut, Anaheim CA
Mar 11 2010 B.A.R. @ Double Down Saloon, Las Vegas NV
Mar 12 2010 B.A.R. @ Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff AZ
Mar 13 2010 B.A.R. @ the Summit / Durango, CO
Mar 16 2010 B.A.R. @ Hi-Lo / Oklahoma City, OK
Mar 19 2010 B.A.R. @ Frisco, TX T.B.A. Frisco, Texas
Mar 20 2010 B.A.R. radio appearance KAOS, Austin TX
Mar 21 2010 B.A.R. @ Sunday Sounds BBQ / San Antonio, TX
Mar 21 2010 B.A.R. @ Head Hunters, Austin TX
Mar 22 2010 B.A.R. @ Smoke & Barrel, Fayetteville AR
Mar 23 2010 B.A.R. @ Off Broadway, St Louis MO
Mar 24 2010 B.A.R. @ Redline Tap Chicago, IL
Mar 25 2010 B.A.R. @ Nomad World Pub, Minneapolis MN
Mar 28 2010 B.A.R. @ The Filling Station, Bozeman MT

Hope to see you along the road.

Brent

Living in a hotel......

It's weird living in the same hotel for a week. Usually when I'm in a hotel I'm on tour and stay for one night max. Whatever happens is left behind and forgotten. If Johnny drinks too much and starts a wrestling match, it's forgotten. If someone pukes, a minimal effort might be made to clean it up and then it too is forgotten. But living in the same room for a week is different. I have a new perspective on what the hotel staff and residents of each town might experience.

This past week, I've heard at least three different couples screwing in the room next door. The walls are super thin and nothing can be done about it. This doesn't bum me out; it's just a weird look into the habits of travelers. There seems to be a routine. The couple arrives in the room and sorts out all the amenities. They settle in, make some jokes, and then the conversation stops. Soon after that there is some mild moaning and eventually it escalates to full blown banging. Depending on the guest this can go on from 5 minutes to a full hour. There is usually a shower after followed by jokes, conversation, and sometimes bickering before heading out on the town. Most will hit it again before passing out around 2:30 AM, and then once more in the morning prior to check out. The second and third time around is usually a quickie.

I didn't ask for this, but I feel the need to share. I think hotels have this effect on people and even couples in long standing relationships step it up a notch when they are vacationing. Good for them!

My residency at the Jupiter Hotel in Portland has been great. But I gotta say, I'm ready to get back to my life in Seattle. Today is the last day of mixing and I move on to mastering tomorrow at Super Digital. After that I'm driving home! Next time I stay in a Hotel, I hope it will be for one night. It's better to leave everything behind than to collect the memories of others.

Portland Waffles in the mix.

I like waffles. Not just any waffles, but those hot little numbers that come from a window in Portland, Oregon. I've come to believe that the best reason to mix my new record in Portland is that I can have a hot waffle (from a window) every morning on the way to the studio. This shit is really, really good!

Some will tell you that there are better things to eat for breakfast. In New Orleans everyone is all about the beignet. Well I've been to Cafe Du Monde after a full night of drinking and I'll agree it hits the spot when you are really drunk and really hungry. But it ain't no waffle. I'll take a hot waffle served from a window over them snooty french beignets any day of the week! These folks in Portland are on to something. Will someone please open a waffle window in Seattle? Pleeeeeeease!

Brent

ps - The tracks are sounding amazing. I've been handing a waffle to Jeff Saltzman before he starts work each day. I'm pretty sure you can hear the waffles in the mix. Listen for it when it comes out. The new album is titled "Please Stand By".