The Time is Neigh...

Just wanted to let you all know that the Black Sea and I are going into the studio at the Seaside Lounge in Park Slope Brooklyn on January 2nd to record album #2. Finally! Helping us helm the record is good friend Phil Palazzolo (New Pornos, Neko Case) who I had the pleasure of working with when I recorded BVs on AC Newman's record. This new album is gonna be a bit darker, louder and haunting. I really can't wait. I'll send updates and videos from the studio so be on the lookout! And Happy New Year everyone!!!!

Thanksgiving Eve Stony Pony Blowout!

Hope everyone's holiday was shhmaashing! we had such a blast at the stone pony as always. here's a couple of vids i found on the youtube from the show. the first is a solo effort of "cryin" from orbi. and the second is "hotel plaster" with our good buddy jef plate on the assist! lotsa shows comin up and i'll let you know all about the whens and wheres tomorrow. be well bunnies!

happy tofurky day!

here's a video of one of my favorite little songs from sopwith camel called "hello, hello." thanks to daniel coston for sending to me! hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving with their loved ones and i hope to see you guys all out at our pre-thanksgiving show at the stone pony this wednesday! i'm off to play a solo gig with ray davies of the kinks now. today is a good day!

Heavy Boots

Still decompressing from the tour. Getting our set all ready for the Stone Pony show the night before Thanksgiving. HALLA! Anyways, figured I'd start dropping some lyrics of some of the new songs to ya'll. This one's called "Heavy Boots"

The boots you wear are heavy
Rest now, i'll wear them for a while
And as you lie there sleeping
I'll walk down and retrace every mile

All the lines around your eyes
Show the battles deep inside you

They are no match for me
They are no match for me
They are no match for me

And what I wouldnt do, to wear you're heavy boots
To wear you're heavy boots
To wear You're heavy boots
La da da da dum

The sea is wide and angry
Its merciless and waits for you to drown
Your arms are tired from swimming
The violence is written on your brow

I will take away the hurtful words
And swallow them with courage
They are no match for me
They are no match for me
They are no match for me

And what I wouldnt do, to wear you're heavy boots
To wear you're heavy boots
To wear You're heavy boots
La da da da dum

The warriors are waiting
For you outside on the street
And though you're only waking
Rush now, you'll never miss a beat

All the hungry virgin eyes
With the scorpions in their smiles
When their greedy fingers rise
They are no match for me!
They are no match for me!
They are no match for me!

Walking with the Ghost

Last night I had the humbling and thrilling experience of my first show playing the Ryman. Thank you Avett Brothers!!! We had the time of our lives and will never forget it! All of the shows have been great so far. Last night was our last show with the Avetts. By far, my favorite people to tour with and also, just some of my favorite people in general. Their songs are as pure and true as they are as humans. We also wanna thank our friends Brigid and Patrick Hallahan in Louisville for taking us in for the night and making us pretty much the most epic breakfast I've ever had in my live. They know how to do sausage down south lemme tell ya!
Tomorrow the band and I will play a Paste Magazine session. Four of our new songs and a cover. What to do? What to do? Perhaps an Avetts cover? Roy cover? What do you think? Maybe some Hall and Oates? Then that night we will play a show at the good ol' Earl in Atlanta. After that there are three shows left and we will be joined by our talented buddies, Hymns, Foley Stewart and Scott Liss and the 66. Atlanta, 2 nights in Charlotte (paaaarty!!) and then Rock n Roll Hotel in DC. Dont miss em, we wanna rock your face off gentlelike then hard, real haaaaard. hahaha, ew.
After that our final shows of the year before we go off to record the new record (THANK GOD!) will be played. The first on friday Nov 13th at the 92Y in Tribeca (joined by Gillian Rivers on violin!) and then Thanksgiving Eve at the Stone Pony! Those are the biggies. We are also having special gorgeous two color hand screened posters for the Stone Pony show. Make sure to get yours, only 100 made!
Its been great meeting all you guys out on the road and we wanna thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being so kind to us out on the road and enjoying the music. See ya in Atlanta!

Guest Bloggie Time with the Black Sea's Shane Nelken

Friends! Neighbours! (notice the Canadian spelling 'neighb'ours')
Our little Bloglings! I have emerged from behind a wall of keyboards to guest blog. (which is huge for me as both my parents were killed in a blogging accident. oh well, must press on)
Touring with Nicole Atkins and the Avett Brothers has been a tremendously inspiring honor. Last night in Urbana, Illinois was amazing. Such wonderful people here. I have a bit of a beef with the 'Fish Tales' pinball machine in the lobby of the Canopy club however. I'll be back, you mechanized son of a so and so!
If you are able to come and see us play, i highly suggest you do so. As the only Canadian in the group, not only do i put care into every note i play, i put 'health care' into every note i play! That's right,step right up, get as close as you can and i will lay keyboard thunder full of love all over your awe struck faces! (oops, i accidentally typed 'feces' instead of faces. that would have been embarassing)
hope to throw another blog on the fire soon, baboon.
Shane Out!

You Come to Me

Above is a video of my new song "you come to me" from our show at the House of Blues in Boston. So we're in Urbana Illinois now. The tour is only three shows in but we are already having the best time ever. The crowd that goes to an Avetts show are just great real music fans. They dance, they participate, they are friendly. Anyways, its been an absolute pleasure playing for you guys and meeting ya'll.
It was our tour manager Colin's bday the other night and per his request the Avetts played a Bob song. He was so happy i thought he was gonna cry. Cute lil kipper. After our set Seth was singing "neptune city" in an Edith from All in the Family voice. I told him that thats what my voice was gonna sound like in two years. hahah! god forbid! yesterday i was feeling pretty hoarse and thought I wasnt gonna be able to pull it off but it passed and now i think my throat is adjusting finally. The new songs are pretty taxing with all the screaming and whatnot haha, but i have a good feeling its gonna be ok. I also painted some new bags in the van today. They are looking so cool. Very psychedelic with an old fillmore art feel. I have three new ones to sell at the show tonight so be on the lookout.
Gonna get my hair did in Chicago tomorrow. A new color me thinks. I'm thinking either almost black or a dark dark brown red. Wish I could do blue but that shit just washes out too fast. thoughts?