I would be remiss with not sharing this; it’s one of my favorite things I’ve done in my (short) musical career – A music video for “Lonely When You’re Here”. Shot over one day in NYC this video pays subtle homage to my days as a NYC subway busker. The guerilla-styled direction and clever editing (by Colin Mulholland of Duct Tape Pictures) give the video a “real” quality of what it’s like to be a busker…
And there a shot where I play my set with my back to oncoming traffic. Dangerous? Yes! Worth it? Yes! (Plus, I didn’t, y’know – DIE)
There is no denying The Misfits’ large influence in popular music; they laid the groundwork for a lot of musical conventions (in and out of punk) and were unlike any other band (at the time or since).
Yes. Doing a Misfits cover is a little played out, but nevertheless, I threw my hat into the ring with this (sorta) ragtime-influenced cover of one of my favorites. Here’s the original for reference.
The Juke Shall Rise Again was the brainchild of one Orb Mellon and myself. With a short tour booked (and only a few weeks away) we needed something other than our dated albums to promote. A challenge was issued, the theme was conceived and the songs were written within a week; It went to press shortly thereafter. 100 limited edition copies arrived just before the tour.
I wrote two new songs in one sitting and culled the other (Rattlin’ Round) from my (now long out of print) first CD Don’t Dress Rhythm. The songs were cut in less than an hour and were mastered by Orb a couple of days later. The artwork was a cut and paste job that I did with a sharpie and a glue stick. Sheena Livingston put the finishing touches on it. (She did an amazing job on my Anti-Stereo Acoustic Holler Blues album)
The CD is now out of print but you can download if for free here.
My Name Is Brownbird Rudy Relic
I play blues music.
For the last five years I have given over much of my life to this endeavor. I have toured regionally, internationally and throughout the United States - as far away as Australia and as close to home as New York City’s Lower East Side. I’ve played to sold-out theatres, empty clubs, drunken house shows and on lonely Subway platforms – in 2007 alone I played a total of 167 shows. I’ve been featured in mainstream blues publications, newspapers, blogs, radio programs and punk zines.
Sadly, over the last few years, I have let apathy get the best of me. I don’t have much to show for my accomplishments and as unfortunate as it sounds, I’ve chronicled very little.
I’ve started this blog with the hopes that I can reverse this; that I can document the days ahead, look back on some of aspects that have come to pass and share in some of the things that have gotten me here.
In essence, to create a record of my saga as Brownbird Rudy Relic – I hope this will serve as that record.
2004. When and where it all began. Standing at the grave of a King: Charley Patton.
