Mystie Chamberlin (aka “Just Another Folk Singer”) “The Musician (Mama Says)” scratch demo recorded 10.21.11 @ Lucky Ray’s Studio, NYC by Mark Suall.Vox and acoustic guitar by Mystie Chamberlin.Played Jumbo Butterfly Bubinga Daisy Rock electric acoustic.
Filed under Are you ready to rock?, audio, Media, Post A Day / Post A Week, Soundcloud
photo credit: Linda Dawn Hammond, IndyFoto.com
I met a cherubic, clean-shaven Cameron McGill, some time around 11 years ago (Seriously? Has it been that long?), when he waltzed into Schubas Tavern and simply asked someone there if he could open up for the band playing that night, Ours. I instantly fell in love with his voice, lyrics, and music. That performance was, as Humphrey Bogart said, “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Soon I would also start incessantly begging for him to, ironically, “Play it again, Cam.”
Before I conceived of playing music myself, I immersed myself in the variety of music and performers in Chicago’s dingy, ill-lit, night-life locales. Since I already possessed a strong interest in photography, I merged my enthusiasm for music and words by taking photos at concerts and writing about them in my college newspaper, The DePaulia. First I merely roamed the local venues, where I waited like a patient puppy to ask permission to shoot the shows. Soon, however, I was catching a plane, riding a train, or renting a car to travel to remote gigs.
Much to the chagrin of my college roommate, Cam and the Army eventually allowed me to accompany them in the van on mini-tours. They referred to me, adoringly, as the unofficial, green-haired band-member, and although I was always too shy to admit it then, I loved my roll. I imagined myself the lovable orphan stowaway. With my frizzy, veridian braids, my often dusty cheeks, and my mishmash of country and punk costumes, I looked the part of the tomboy sister, and the boys became my adopted family, wherein each of them was a brother with a different, yet always protective, personality. Continue reading
Filed under Flickr, Friends, Media, Post A Day / Post A Week, Recommendations, Video, visual artwork
Credits:
Just Another Folk Singer recording of “Goodnight Sweet,” recorded 01.08.11 @ Tiger Studios (Upper East Side, NYC) by David Fleming.
Produced by David Fleming
Arranged by Mystie Chamberlin
Music: Mystie Chamberlin on vocals and acoustic guitar; David Fleming on gourd shaker.
Art Design by Mystie Chamberlin
Photo of Mystie by Hanna Toresson
Photo of New York City by Mystie Chamberlin
Release date: 01.08.11
Filed under audio, Media, Post A Day / Post A Week, Soundcloud
“But Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leaves us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!” -Robert Burns, To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough
I was wrong about 2008, by the way. I ran away to Boston with the aforementioned ex-non-boyfriend in February. Something peaked by Valentine’s Day, and by St. Patrick’s Day weekend I was coming down…HARD!
I flew to Chicago with high hopes of a fanciful, impractical weekend away, only to have them squashed via text message as soon as I took a seat on the plane.
Friday after work, I ran home, grabbed a suitcase, literally tossed in an armful of whatever clothes were nearby, grabbed my guitar, and sprinted out the door. I barely made it to the airport in enough time to check in and board. As the flight attendants prepared for takeoff, I readied myself. Only when I flipped open my mobile phone to power off, I was greeted by three text messages, which was actually one long one divided because of text limitations. It read:
“Dear, Sweet, Beautiful, I don’t know quite how to say this, but I started seeing someone in the last few weeks. I still care about you, and you can still crash at my pad, but I will not be able to stay with you. I hope we can still hang out and party. xoxoxo”
This is the part in the “movie” where my face droops and silently tears begin to stream down flushed cheeks from my glistening eyes (good, huh?). In retrospect, I feel badly for the poor man who got the haphazard seat next to me, as I hastily decided that the best method to respond to this change in plans was to mainline whiskey, to find another friend at whose pad I could crash, and to catch the next flight back to New York (in that order).
Several hours and countless ounces of Jack Daniel’s later, I crashed with a girl friend near my old squat in Lincoln Park. Unfortunately, it turned out that I was allergic to her dog, or rather, that is what I deduced from the hives that broke out on my arms and chest. I proceeded to Schubas, where he was performing (I should know better than to get involved with musicians by now), to pick up the key as I was still unable to book an earlier flight back to New York. With my luggage and guitar in tow, I waited miserably for the first set to end. Meanwhile, I had a beer at the bar until reinforcements arrived, when I decided I needed to switch back to the hard stuff. Continue reading
Filed under the Blues
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