You can now buy Ryan Kirwan’s album “10th St. Breakdown” on iTunes.  I mixed and performed some additional production on the record with Ryan and Mike Batista.  It’s a great listen with some truly excellent songs.  If you like Wilco, the Replacements, etc.,  you WILL like this.  Please buy it and support an indie artist who is just trying to get The Man paid.

Thank you and goodnight.

Here is a link to the iTunes page:  Ryan Kirwan - “10th St. Breakdown”

Let’s face it, December is traditionally a weak month and this year I am doing f-all.  I will mix your song for cheaper than you think!  No, not for free, but most likely within your budget.  Contact me for more info at: info@intonato.com

Happy Holidays!

A new look to “The Annamites” website includes a Flash Player we have loaded up with some snippets, cues and full-length songs.  A regular cornicopia of aural goodness for your listening pleasure.  Check out the love here:   www.theannamites.com

We’ve been working on new songs to be released under “The Annamites” name.  Original songs, music cues and remixes are all underway.  Stay tuned for more fresh new music cooked to order here at intonato!

I could blabber and blubber on and on like everyone else, but I just don’t think it’s necessary.  Everyone knows the significance of MJ’s influence on the music business.  Where have you been, in a cave?

For me, Michael Jackson was The Jackson 5, and then, when I was older, “Thriller.”

Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s in Buffalo, New York, music was one of my true escapes.  The Jackson 5 were among a handful of “song factories” as I like to refer to them, that I bought into as a kid.  45’s were king, and I coveted them like gold nuggets.  I’d save my money and have my mom or dad get me to a retail outlet where I could score the latest.  Back home, up in the bedroom, drop that needle on that record and wham!  I was on the beach in L.A. or walking down what I imagined the streets of NYC were like.  I was only 6 or so, but I was a bad-ass 6 year old in my mind.  Michael WAS the Jackson 5, and everyone my age wanted to be like him.  A jump rope became a microphone and off you went.

By the early 80’s, I was listening mostly to Rock, Blues, New Wave and Punk.  I was writing my own songs and thought I was moving forward.  Not much room for Pop or R&B (Reticent & Boring), but when “Thriller” dropped, EVERYONE listened.  I can remember being fully involved with The Jam, The Clash, The Police, etc. when I first heard “Billie Jean.” The way the kick and snare pounded like sex, mercilessly, with Michael’s almost sinister vocal delivery, my ears cocked to attention.  The production was so clean and open but full of energy.  ”And Eddie Van Halen has a solo on another song,”  someone said.  I was apologetic at my local record store, but the cat who was familiar with me said, “Don’t worry, everyone’s buying this record, and besides, the chicks DIG this shit.”  And to me, that is the essence of Michael Jackson’s popularity:  punks bought his record, new wave hipsters bought his record, some rockers and jazzers bought his record, moms and dads bought it.  You don’t know it, but your dog was rocking to that shit.  Pretty much all inclusive.  Who else had those bragging rights?  Let’s start counting because I don’t think it will take long.  1. Frank Sinatra, 2. Elvis Presley, 3. The Beatles, 4.  hmm.  Slim Whitman?  You know what the fuck I’m talking about.  THAT was Michael Jackson.

I never paid much attention to the other shit which plagued his life after that.  He just seemed like a lonely person who never had the chance to be a kid.  I never expected another “Thriller.”  But he did make a couple pretty good records after “Thriller.” Was he a genius?  I don’t know.  I think we throw that moniker around too easily in the music business. Why don’t we save that for the bad-ass who figures out how to cure cancer.  And besides, I’m not sure there’s true genius in addiction.

Recording and mixing a song for Sarah Ault.  Sarah is an L.A. based singer-songwriter who also plays the piano.  Jeff Wilson (Pure Prarie League) and I will help her produce.  More to come…

The Ryan Kirwan record I’ve been mixing on and off is finally complete and ready for mastering.  Great songs on this one.  I hope you can check it out and support Ryan’s endeavor.  I’ll keep you posted when the needle drops!

Adam Sedie has been working hard getting the new website for our joint musical adventure “The Annamites,” up and running away.  It is still in its’ infant stages, but it includes short clips of some of the music cues and instrumentals we’ve been cooking up here at Intonato.  In the VERY near future, it will include all of the information you need to keep track of  The Annamites’ production prowness.  Adam and I have some cool new tracks in the can complete with vocals, bad ass beats and nasty guitars.  Check back for updates on the availablity of an EP.

TheAnnamites.com