Holiday greetings to you all –
- Merry Christmas Jim of Seattle 2:21
- Let's Fall Asleep (Under the Christmas Tree) Jimm McIver 3:11
- Down By The Pharmacy The Young Fresh Fellows 2:18
- Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe Henry Boy Jenkins 3:58
- The Birth Of Our Savior (Is The Death Of My Dreams) Three Ninjas 2:54
- Can't Wait For Christmas Laurie Biagini 3:52
- Jingle Bell Ska Tom Dyer 4:00
- Christmas All The Time The Green Pajamas 3:04
- Silver Bells (Post-Apocalyptic Dance Mix) Rich Hinklin 3:31
- Stop Dancing On My Christmas Dance Faster Kat 2:59
- Merry Christmas Capitalism Toxic Socket 2:37
- Propane Santa The Finnestad Family Singers 4:26
- Santa's Getting Grumpy Stevie Nations & The United States 2:17
- If You Believe Wild Hares 2:24
- Still Drunk...It's Christmas IQ9! 4:03
- Tinsel in the Rubbish Bin King County Queens 2:59
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It is that time of year again, and, shock o’ shocks, this is the 4th annual GMR Xmas album. Using that inspiration we have titled it “Frothing the ‘Nog: Ye 4th Green Monkey Xmas.” I don’t know that when I started GMR back up 3 and a half years ago if I thought I would be do it this long. But here we are and I expect to do it again next year. As usual it was done with minimal planning – at October 1, I really had no idea what will show up – Howie and I just put out the word and waited to see what appeared. This year we have a prime bunch, a couple mouldy figs, but mostly fresh and Christmassy made just for you this year. I think it’s great and I know you will too!
Also once again, we will give whatever dough we take in to the Millionair Club, a long-serving Seattle non-profit organization who takes no government dough – they do it on their own. Good folks..
The last two year’s Holiday albums are also available for download again – same deal – dough goes to the Millionair Club. You can download the whole set or mix and match to make your our custom holiday jam tape. How festive is that?
Happy Holidays to you all!.
td
Ps. Thanks to Rosie Dyer for whippin’ up this year’s frothy cover!
December 2012
Frothing the ‘Nog: Ye 4th Green Monkey Xmas (GMX2012)
Produced and mastered by Tom Dyer as usual. Couldn’t have done it without Howie Wahlen.
1. Jim of Seattle – Merry Christmas
(Owen) © 2012 Jim Owen.
Jim plays and sings it all.
Jim: Facebook – hmmm, good idea, I should make a Facebook page…Other Stuff you want to tell everyone – Nuttin’ else
td: If you’ve been paying attention, you know we are going to release Jim’s debut album next month. This delightful ditty gives you a pretty fine idea of what’s coming.
HAW: This one reminds me of They Might Be Giants if they did a Christmas song. I mean that in a good way Jim.
2. Jimm McIver – Let’s Fall Asleep (Under the Christmas Tree)
(McIver/Gates) © 2012 James McIver BMI/Inner Food Music BMI
Jimm McIver – lead vocal, acoustic guitar, organ, tambourine
Vincent Gates – lead and rhythm electric guitars, acoustic guitar, electric bass, drum programming
Andrea Wittgens – arrangement and performance of all harmony vocals
Produced and Engineered by Vincent Gates at Commontone Studio Seattle, WA November 2012
td: Our old pal Jimm from The Life and several of his pals he has been doing work with the last few years. Rumor has it Jimm will have a new album this year. Can’t wait.
HAW: Last year around Christmastime I started thinking of Northwest artists that I would like to hear a new Christmas song from. Jimm was one of those I thought of and challenged last December. He told me he wrote this almost immediately after he got the message.
3. The Young Fresh Fellows – Down By The Pharmacy
© 1984 MacNor Music
Scott, Chuck, Jim and Tad probably play on this.
td: In 1984, the Fellows put out a cassette Merry Croutons, Mr. Gulp Gulp. Howie tracked it down, Scott said it was cool to use and here it is. Rockin’ in a holiday way.
HAW: I almost forgot I had a copy of this YFF cassette (if it was sold anywhere it was probably at Cellophane Square) and asked td if he’d ever heard it. He said no, so I gave him copies of the 2 most Christmasey songs on it. He chose this one.
4. Henry Boy Jenkins – Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe
(Henry Boy Jenkins) © 2012 BowlieSongs (BMI)
Recorded at ToyTown Studio. Henry Boy played and/or programmed every track by himself, as he has since he got his first Wollensack tape recorder for his twelfth birthday.
The video for his song is here.
td: Me and Howie kinda know Henry Boy from way back, when he had a band of sorts with our long-departed pal Eric Erickson. Rob Morgan named him “Power Pop Guru” in Seattle’s Pop Lust Magazine- wowsa! Howie talked him into pulling together this fine selection for us. A die-hard romantic, HB says: “It’s your typical ‘boy meets girl, goofs things up, tries like heck to get her back, and maybe he does, maybe Santa grants them their real dreams, maybe they get back together’ kind of song.”
HAW: Henry Boy and I haven’t kept in close contact over the years, but through the magic that is facebook we have re-connected. I didn’t think of HB last year like the others. I didn’t even really know if he still wanted to make music, but about mid-October 2012 I asked him. Turns out he still does and loves Christmas. 1+1 = Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe. Thanks HB. You do amazing things in 30 days. Eric would love it.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/henryboyjenkins
5. Three Ninjas (with Lee Rude and Amy Denio) – The Birth Of Our Savior (Is The Death Of My Dreams)
© 2012 Three Ninjas
td: Three Ninjas came to us via our pal Lilith. Other than this very official statement from his bandcamp page, we know nothing: “Three Ninjas is a musician from New Orleans, LA with a hillbilly heart and electronic blood. He writes mournful country songs and produces nerdy rap and electronic music with the same heartfelt aesthetic. He currently resides in Seattle, WA.” Damn fine song.
http://threeninjas.net/
6. Laurie Biagini – Can’t Wait For Christmas
(Laurie Biagini) © 2011 Laurie Biagini
Laurie recorded the tune and she plays everything.
The video for her song is here.
Laurie Biagini is a songwriter/singer from Vancouver, British Columbia, whose music appeals to fans of 1960’s California sunshine pop. She’s played piano by ear since age five, alongside ten years of classical piano training. She started writing music in 2006; her first song came to her with music and lyrics simultaneously one afternoon as she was commuting home from work. She has released three albums: “Ridin’ the Wave” (November 2008), “A Far-Out Place” (March 2010), and “A Go-Go Girl in a Modern World” (November 2011). She is currently in production of her 4th album, “Sanctuary of Sound” for early 2013.
td: Laurie is our first ever Canadian Xmas artist. Howie gave her a shout and she said yes. Lucky us.
HAW: Being the “whimp rocker” (I prefer Power Popper) of this bunch I was turned on to her music by Frank Gutch, Jr. who suggested this was right up my alley. “Her main influences … The Beatles, The Byrds, The Monkees, The Turtles, and Jan & Dean.” was about all I needed to hear. I friended her on facebook and dared to ask her to join this year’s Christmas album. Thanks Laurie!
http://www.lauriebiagini.com/ http://www.facebook.com/LaurieBiaginiMusic http://soundcloud.com/laurie-biagini
7. Tom Dyer – Jingle Bell Ska
Arranged and performed by Tom Dyer © 2012 Half the World Publishing
td: Woke up a few weeks ago and thought I should get this done. Did it.
HAW: After all, he started this thing. Now he’s gotta finish it. McCartney couldn’t have done this better.
8. The Green Pajamas – Christmas All The Time
(Jeff Kelly) © 2012 St. Brigid Publishing
Produced by Jeff Kelly
td: This dates back to the early 90’s – it finally gets unearthed. As Joe Ross likes to note, there are echoes of this song in more recent PJ releases. I’ll let you track them down.
HAW: It kind of makes you wonder what else is in that box-o-tapes. “…whenever we’re together it’s Christmas all the time.” Nice.
9. Rich Hinklin – Silver Bells (Post-Apocalyptic Dance Mix)
© 2012 ASAP/BMW
Rich played everything, with the help of an unidentified voice actor at Microsoft, who should have practiced more. He also recorded/mixed/mastered/edited everything you hear.
td: Rich is a regular GMR holiday contributor, either as a member of Gumshen or as a solo dude. This song is one funky biscuit. Makes me want to wear a hat.
10. Dance Faster Kat – Stop Dancing On My Christmas
(K. Dyer) © 2012 K. Dyer
Kat Dyer, Vocals, Keys. Other parts by two people she met through Craig’s list. One might be named Scott.
Produced and engineered by Kat Dyer. Mixed by Tom Dyer.
td: A year ago Kat and pals came over and recorded this over the holidays. Didn’t get done for last year’s album, but it is ready for your happy Xmas feet this year.
11. Toxic Socket – Merry Christmas Capitalism
(Duane Hibbard) © 2012 Duane Hibbard BMI
Starring Scott Nystul on drums and Duane Hibbard on all the other stuff.
Recorded by Michael Parnin at blAcksound in Pasadena, CA.
Duane’s video for this is right here!
Duane sez: I wrote this song to a drum machine. I wanted to take it to the next level with real drums so I called my boy Scotty and he did just that.
td sez: Duane graces us with a tune for the second year in a row, as well as a video this year. As usual, it is a rockin’ guitar fest. Ho Ho Ho!
www.reverbnation.com/duanehibbard www.facebook.com/duane.hibbard
12. The Finnestad Family Singers – Propane Santa
Lyrics Howie Wahlen (except the words “From an email” & “From Howie” – those 5 words written exclusively by Tom Dyer)
Music by Ben, Kat and Tom Dyer © 2012 Half the World Publishing.
Kat Dyer – female singing
Ben Dyer – guitars
Tom Dyer – other stuff
Produced by Tom Dyer.
td: A year ago Howie sent me this email about a Santa-like near-encounter in Sumner WA, with the closing line “Is there a song in here somewhere.” I said maybe. A year later we decided we would just take the email and do it word for word. No lyrical enhancements other than the aforementioned five words. Howie thinks it says his name too many times to be any good. It says Howie eight times. I think holiday lovers will handle it ok. Ben does a pretty wack solo on this.
HAW: True story.
13. Stevie Nations & the United States – Santa’s Getting Grumpy
(Steve Trettevik) © 2012 Half the World Publishing
Steve plays everything except
Sheri Nordling – keyboards
Tom Dyer – organ and backing vocals.
Recorded by Steve, Mixed by Tom Dyer.
td: More brilliant holiday sludge from my old pal and fellow Icon Steve. For the ecologically minded.
HAW: You would be too if you had his schedule. That’s why “I said nothin'”. Did td say holiday fudge!
14. Wild Hares – If You Believe
(Tracy Santa) © 2012 Splurt Music
Tracy Santa – guitar and vocals
Michael Salkind – drums
Recorded by Dan Nelson
td: My chum Christy Cronn is moving and gave me boxes of cassettes I let her “borrow” fifteen years ago. In the box was a comp called “Behind the Garage Door” mostly done by this guy Tracy Santa, who I met at an Op Magazine conference on Olympia in 1984. We traded tapes as was the fashion at those things. Rediscovering that great tape made me wonder whatever happened to that guy. A few Google clicks later and I found him hiding at a college in Colorado. He is doing the old dude makes a ruckus thing and has a band Wild Hares with a CD you can buy on CDbaby this very minute.
15. IQ9! – Still Drunk…It’s Christmas
© 2012
Tom – guitar, vox
Shannon – guitar, vox
Dan – bass
Lance – drums
td: These guys sent me some stuff a while ago that I thought was pretty cool and we’ve kept in touch. They whipped this rocker up just last week which is pretty awesome. If you are a mom or dad with sensitive ears, please know they use a casual slang term for poop in the song. Sure to make the young’uns giggle.
Facebook, Sound Cloud and Reverb Nation all under IQ9! the band
Booking and info 206-459-0955 or tnelligan@comcast.net
16 King County Queens – Tinsel in the Rubbish Bin
(Gooch, Muhlbeier, Sutherland, Vanderpool) © 2012 Yap Publishing B.V. (BMI)
Scott Vanderpool – Drums/Vocals
Marsh Gooch – Bass/Vocals
Scott Muhlbeier – Guitar
Scott Sutherland – Guitar/Vocals
Boxing Day Carolers – Handclaps.
Recorded at Ultraman Scott Studio, West Seattle. 10/2012
td: A variety of old school Seattle rock dude chums put this lovely tune together. KCQ loves all who support live, local music. They are giggin’ guys – go see ‘em live at Slim’s on December 8th. The perfect closer for the album!
HAW: Scott Sutherland was one of the other Northwest artists I thought of last year that could write a good Christmas song. I am a fan of his groups The Doll Test and Chemistry Set (remember those guys). I love the closer KCQ came up with. I haven’t seen this band yet, but I plan on taking care of that December 8th.
Happy Crimble maybe!