Baby, It Was Cold Outside

After two consecutive flight cancellations due to insane weather patterns that are in no way the result of any kind of climate change, as weren’t the 149 mph winds in Australia, the largest snow storms and accumulations ever in NYC, Chicago, Texas (!!??) and elsewhere. No, of course not. And, don’t let the melting glaciers now wreaking havoc in Alaska, home of what’s her fuckin’ face, nor the fact that we just completed the warmest ten year span in history, worry you none. It’s all good. By the way, wanna buy a bridge while you’re not being worried or concerned about these developments?

But, I don’t wanna talk about that. What I wanna do is fill you in on the pilgrim’s progress. I just got back from the land of my birth, where I celebrated yet another birthday I am fortunate enough to have still been alive for, saw friends and family, well, a few of them anyway, for the main purpose of my trip was to get some more work done on the new Del-Lords album. Thanx to you all in advance for being so patient about all this, and thanx in advance for hanging in there with us while we get this baby ready for delivery.

We now have some seventeen songs to work from that I’ve either written or co-written, and we are looking at being out there playing, WITH the new record in tow, this Fall.

It was, as always, great to see Eric and Frank, as we, in the words of Bud Abbott to his little partner Costello, “went back to the rooming house to make plans for our future”. The plan is of course world domination because, as always, we like to aim high. But, a record that people really dig and lots of sweaty fully rocked audiences is what we will settle for. Modesty as always is our currency.

Last time I talked about Manny no longer being able to be part of the everyday doings of the band, as the awesome responsibilities of family and the good work he does in his civilian life have come to bear heavily upon him. So, it is with his spirit on our collective shoulder that we think we might have found a replacement for the Del-Lord duties Manny can no longer perform. It is a very talented old friend of whom I am referring and that is, as always, an important factor in how we do what the hell it is we do. I don’t wanna reveal any names at this point, just in case, you know. Don’t wanna jinx anything. But hopefully, by the next time you hear from me it will be settled, the contracts signed, the blood oath taken, and then we can all get a bite to eat.

Stay warm, Spring is coming, and we are not far behind.

Happy New Year to one and all. Here’s hoping the new year finds you all well and swell.  This is gonna be a good year, I predict. At least, by Del-Lords standards. In a coupla weeks I head back to NYC to do some more work on the record we began last year. There is however one big change. From this day forward we proceed without Manny. Eric, Frank and I remain resolute and en point, but we must now do it without the services of Manny Caiati.

Manny has a very full plate, doing remarkable work we’re all real proud of, practicing family law in Houston, with particular attention to cases and situations involving children at risk. Tough, sometimes heartbreaking work, but also rewarding and vitally important. The world does need do-gooders, and Manny fits that bill. Besides his wife, Cassie and their two boys, Jeremy and Christopher, there’s now two young ‘uns that they have adopted. Yes, a full plate, indeed.

We have Manny’s blessings, as he has ours, and spiritually he will always be a part of this, as he has since the very beginning. Once upon a time there was an insecure, shy, songwriter, unsure of his worth, and even more unsure of the worth of the songs he had been writing over the previous year or so. Yeah, that was me. Then, along comes Manny Caiati, and Me becomes We. The Del-Lords were born at that moment, even if it still took another year or so to find Frank and Eric, thereby cementing the bond that we have found still holds to this day. Manny provided the companionship, a shared passion, the belief in me that I didn’t quite allow myself to that point, and he also had abilities as a bass player, a producer and an engineer, and a shared vision of what rock’n’roll was/is and needed to be. Without Manny, who knows if the Del-Lords ever happen at all. His support and talent and friendship has been one quarter of what this engine has always run on, and the Del-Lords will forever be touched and informed by his contributions, and although we carry on without him, as is the only option for us, Manny can never really be replaced. We are forever bound by shared experience. And, to once more quote the great philosopher, The Outlaw Josey Wales, “I rode with him, and I have no complaints”.

I’ve been working on a few things, including the reissue of my first solo record, TENEMENT ANGELS, recorded with America’s best kept rock’n’roll secret, The Skeletons a while back, and unavailable for about a month less than that. Thanx to my pal, Gary Borress, the Cool Rockin’ Daddy G, we got an LP, a cd, and even a .45 on the way, including a version of the Del-Lords Christmas tune MERRY XMAS, BABY!, that I recorded with The Skeletons, as well. Should be available by March 1^st.

I’ve  been working on another batch of songs for the Del-Lords, including some stuff  I’ve been working on with Eric and I’ve also scoured some old notebooks and found a few that I was perhaps a bit hasty in discarding  for one reason or another back when they were new. So, with all that, we should have a pretty strong selection of songs to choose from, and then, of course, we must get out there and sell our wares, sing for our supper, raise a little righteous musical fury, and deliver the message to the masses.

So, it’s onward and upward for the Del-Lords. Despite some tough personal times for us this past year, and although we have withstood some heavy losses, there has only ever been one choice and one direction for us. Frank, Eric and I have a newfound appreciation and enthusiasm for our band, and the work we did, as well as the work that lies ahead. These posts will become more frequent in the weeks and months ahead, as well. I want to thank everyone who have supported the band in the past, and remain interested in what we’re doing now, and a big Welcome Aboard to all our new fans and friends, including those we will soon be meeting when we hit the boards once more. Stay strong, stay informed.

HOTTOWNSUMMERINTHECITY

As the dog days of August have come to a close and  the heat remains, sometimes the summer feels like it’s here to stay. But, soon the air conditioners will be turned off and we’ll be complainin’ about the cold. Well, not me, I live in Southern California near the ocean, but for most of you. Anyway, I feel your discomfort. Things have been relatively quiet for the Del-Lords as we clear the decks of our respective obligations and such so that we may continue what we started some 28 years ago and picked up again last September.

We’re probably a couple more months away from rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands and minds dirty again. In the meantime, I’ve been writing, and scouring the junkyard that is my coupla dozen notebooks I’ve filled over the years, looking for songs forgotten & discarded to see if there’s any gems that mistakenly got relegated to the Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You pile, or maybe some spare parts that can be cannibalized and brought to life. I’m like Dr. Frankenstein waiting for the lightning storm. We’ve got around twenty songs we’re working on, and we are all very excited and grateful to have given ourselves another shot at taking care of some unfinished business.

I’ve been avoiding the news lately, as I tend to get too caught up in it, politics especially, and it swallows me whole. The dialogue out there is repugnant, full of lies, disunity, accusations, and somewhere there’s an unseen hand pouring fortunes into perpetuating this situation. I know I sound paranoid, but when I read about the Koch (no, not Ed) brothers, and their history of lavishly feeding the (far right) beast, it all fits.  Always follow the money trail. Americans all should remember: United We Stand Divided We Fall. And, we should look closely and suspiciously at those who would tear us asunder. We won’t get fooled again? Yeah, right. I hope not.

Maybe it’s the brilliant social commentator, and even more brilliant songwriter, who, in his most recent master class on songwriting, HARPS AND ANGELS, has gotten the closest to what’s happening out there. He’s got this song called A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY. Randy sings: The end of an empire/Messy at best/This empire’s ending/Like all the rest. Is that what we’re looking at? I dunno, but all the signs are there. One thing  I know is the world, like the clock on the wall, is not going to start miraculously spinning backwards. We are heading towards a time, just a coupla decades away when white folks will no longer be the majority in America. Non-whites will. That’s gonna happen. And there are those who are very upset about this. And, not just that. The economic supremacy of the USA in the world is slipping away, as Japan & China are fast becoming the stronger and larger economies. Japan, ironically enough, is prospering in part because they recognize that their own stimulus package was “too timid”, just as we were told by hundreds of economists ours was. Words like Socialism are being bandied about in a funhouse mirror description of what our president is engaged in trying to accomplish, yet the proof suggests otherwise, unless that proof would also include those bastions of Socialism like Medicaid, Public Education, Social Security, etc. Then yes, we do have some socialist institutions here in the USA. It’s an ugly scene out there. But, I got my band. I wish you all had one. It’s a great refuge as well as a place to take a stand and be counted.

And, of course, it’s baseball season. We’re winding down, and despite a troubled year, too many underachievers, and pitching mysteries (Hi, AJ), we have the best record in the Bigs. Of course, I am talking about my beloved New York Yankees. Manitoba and I text like teenagers regularly throughout every single Yankees game. It’s a big thing for us Bronx people, you know. So, I got my band and I still got a pennant to win. That’s enough to keep me busy. Can’t wait to see Eric and Frank and Manny, and turn our Pro Juniors up to 6 and do a little damage.

Ok, it’s game time, I gotta go get my show head together. I do have this pennant to win. Man, I’ve seen all but maybe ten games all season. This is serious business for me. It’s just something you’re born into when you’re born in the one borough that is attached to the mainland. Uh oh, it’s AJ Burnett!! Ok, gotta run. I hope I’m having fun.

We’ve been home over a month now, baseball season has started, the Yanks are off to their best start in ages, my body is back on California time, and I’ve been listening to the new Buddy Holly box set, a lot. Everything is in kind of a holding pattern as we wait for another break in the clouds that is everyone’s schedule, so we can land the tin can that is our band and get back to it. As for me, I’m still spinnin’ with the whole idea of a new Del-Lords record. (Spinnin’-record, get it? I did NOT do that on purpose, I swear! Just some kinda crazy songwriter third-eye Kundalini shit. And now, for my next trick.)

I am also trying very hard to avoid the news for a bit. I get so fuckin’ pissed off, I, I, I ….well, actually first, yes, I get mad, then I get a bit incredulous at the things you can get fairly large numbers of people to believe if it confirms something they feel real hard deep inside but cannot express because well, society sort of frowns on ya know, calling them people THAT word, and now that one of THEM is in the White House, and he’s a Muslim terrorist, ya know, and a Socialist, and I sure hate Socialists, that’s evil shit, friend, and he’s got these Death Panels, too, and did you know he hates white people, and he…he…he… it ain’t good! It’s bad. It ultimately makes me very very sad for our country. And, that’s because it has exposed such unbelievable anger, and racism, and frustration, and, willful ignorance of information, and all the reasons I really never thought we could elect a black man in the first place, coming back, rising up in a firestorm of barely contained and impending violence. The exposition of it is not the reason to be sad, it’s the seemingly unstoppable nature of it this time. That’s what worries me. Someone on the right needs to step into the breach, step the fuck up, and be the voice of reason here because the price not to is too fucking high to pay.

I think everyone who has ever listened to us knows where I stand, and I don’t make a secret of it. I have to say though that I’ve never seen anything quite like the political climate we’re experiencing right now. My anger at the Rebublicans  and their refusal to even join the discussion, offer something, anything, besides obstruction, lies, implicit and explicit encouragement of violence, explicit and implicit racism, not to mention demonizing a mild first-step Health Care Bill that is more similar to what was proposed by the GOP during Clinton’s tenure than anything the Left wanted that they want to describe as Socialist, is at boiling point. I do feel that although there are several folks I dislike almost as much on the other side of the aisle, at least the Dems are willing to argue, compromise, disagree, and put some effort into running you know, the country. We NEED to talk to each other. I mean, this word they throw around, Socialism, don’t they even know what Socialism means? If not, they can examine Unemployment Insurance, Medicare & Medicaid, and Public Education as thriving examples of Socialism and see if they wanna tear them down, too.

I wonder if those Tea Party saps will have a problem with police stopping folks on the street in Arizona and demanding to see their papers, like the Gestapo in a WWII movie. I mean, they should it would seem, shouldn’t they? Isn’t that an infringement of somebody’s rights? Ya know, the country they want back  (psssst! the white one), it ain’t a-comin’ back. Ever again. We are becoming more non-white as a nation every day, and in forty years or so, non-whites WILL be the majority of the population. And, THAT’S what’s really  going on here. Does anyone REALLY not know that? Ok, I’m done. Thank you for reading and I apologize for ranting a bit, but I can be that way, I guess.

Ok, what else? Let’s see. What have I been doing with my time off? Well, the Yankees first & foremost. My goal every season is to see every single inning of every single Yankees game. I know I will fail at doing so but it is the goal and I try and come as close as I can. I do have my MLB cable package so I can even hear my own YES Network (for those who don’t know, YES stands for Yankees Entertainment Network. I had a dream when I was about eight years old about an all Yankees TV network, and doncha know, forty years later I got my wish.) broadcast team So far so good. I have really been digging the Buddy Holly box set, which is the non-stop musical equivalent of pure happiness. Such a magical sound. And, so much output in such a short time. AND, it’’s all great! I listen to a half hour or so pretty much everyday.

Funny thing happened a few weeks ago. During the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day (whose incognito Garage rockin’ Foxboro Hot Tubs record I absolutely love, with its super cool rewrites of You Really Got Me, I Need You, Tired Of Waiting, as well as a few My Generation LP rewrites for good measure) inducted The Stooges, one of my all-time favorite bands into the Hall. He began his speech, much to my amazement, with a quote of mine (!!???) I had given to Legs McNeil for his & Gillian McCain’s punk opus Please Kill Me. It was a description of the first time I saw The Stooges, which was the summer of 1970, a month or so before the release of FUN HOUSE, and also the night I first met Richard Meltzer, the Dictators’ Godfather. The quote seemed to go over well with the audience, including the Ig himself. Even my name, and the Dictators name got a nice little hand. Well, I got more phone calls and emails in the next coupla weeks from that little incident than I think I had in any two week period of my life. I heard from folks I hadn’t heard from in 20 years! This one from here, and that one from there, and another one, and a cousin and….Oy, vey!

So, back to the holding pattern for a while. Try to stay busy. Try not to jump out of my skin. I am so excited about the band again, that it’s like the minutes, hours and days are just crawling by. I have been writing a bit, which is my way of keeping my hands and mind occupied. Ok, I gotta get going. the Yanks are on in about an hour. They’re in Baltimore, fresh from meeting President Obama at his pad yesterday. I’ll be checkin’ in in a few weeks, see how youse are doin’. In the meantime, take care of yourselves and please take care of each other, as we will certainly need each other before long .

BACK IN THE USA

The Del-Lords returned to American soil last Sunday, fresh (well, maybe not exactly fresh) from an eight-cities-in-nine-days tour of Spain. We covered quite a bit of Espana, to and fro, hither and yon. The tour, in a word, was great. The band played better and better as the tour went on. The band got closer and closer as the tour went on. We had a fantastic time on-stage and off. I really felt in moments, that no time had elapsed from the days when we did this everyday of our lives. The camaraderie was high, the laughs were deep and long, and the food, ah yes the food was fuckin’ great. To all those who have been following our posts on Facebook, you have seen all the food photos that Roscoe (the Scavullo of food photography) was posting. And now we are home. Let the diets commence.

The Spanish audiences were as enthusiastic about us as they are about their food, wine and cigarettes. Maybe even more so, if that is even possible. And, Javier, our Spanish brother who has been part of our family for over a decade, was with us. It would not have been the same, or even kosher (an odd choice of words considering the amount of various types of ham yours truly, the Bronx jewboy himself, managed to eat) without Javi. He’s a brother to us, and can work miracles when necessary. And, sometimes, when amps would give up the fight in the face of our onslaught, a miracle or two was required.

If there was a single highlight, and in truth there were many, it would have to be the Madrid show at El Sol. A packed, screaming, vibrating, rockin’ crowd helped us touch Heaven, or at least helped us see over the wall, in what was maybe the best show we have ever played. After that show I posted on Facebook, the old adage that on any given night some band is the best Rock’n’Roll band on the planet. I really believe that night it was us. I am in awe of my bandmates, as they played and sang better than ever, and Roscoe, every night, was blinding, psychedelic, soulful, and in a class of his own. Frank and Manny laid down a foundation that could have supported a 200 story tower of steel. And everyone sang like angels with the devil nipping at their heels. I know I smiled so hard, so often, that it felt like my face might just break.

And, this is just the beginning, the new beginning. We are knee deep in the recording of the first Del-Lords record in 20 years, and after a spectacular lunch at Pizza Gruppo on Ave. B, on Tuesday, Roscoe and I returned to work on the new disc. We will be knocking that thing out piece by piece, brick by brick, song by song over the next few months, with Scoe behind the board, and I am completely confident that it will be our best one so far.

So, in closing out here, I wanna thank Eric, Frank and Manny for their dedication and commitment to excellence, their undying friendship, their willingness & ability to play my songs better than anyone else ever could, and better than I would have any right to expect. We are back, we are strong, we are ready, willing and able to rock’n’roll all night.

the Del-Lords in Madrid 3.5.10

STILL SONGS THAT NEED TO BE SUNG

When we started our band back in 1982, there was trouble blowin’ in the wind. The political climate had become harsh, unwelcoming, cynical, and more than a little dangerous. It was a tough time to be poor, which we were. Hell, it was a tough time to be middle class. And, that ain’t all. The musical climate was, if anything, harsher, more unwelcoming, and if not as flat-out dangerous, it was even more cynical. With two guitars, bass and drums, we set out into this hostile terrain on a mission, with a song in our hearts, some four-on-the-four in our step, and, a job to do.

We always believed we stood for something, even if basically it was just am-honest-dollar-for-an-honest-day’s-work that we stood for. Our political stance: strictly Populist. Personally, I’ve always been a (Big Surprise!) Progressive Liberal Democrat. Dick Manitoba refers to me as a “We-The-People Guy”. That’s about right. And musically, of course, we were a Rock’n’Roll Band. Mostly, we were a Rock’n’Roll Band. And, oh yes, we could throw down, brothers and sisters! I’ll tell you what! And, on a good night, we could be just about as good as it got. No brag, just fact. Just like that.

Right now, I’m watching the telethon for Haiti, and Bruce has just finished a version of WE SHALL OVERCOME that was somber but clarion, resolute but compassionate, gospel and the blues. I felt my soul stir as the song ebbed and flowed, and at the way Bruce and the band rode the moment with all this compressed emotional energy, in a way that is everything you can ask of a singer, a musician, an artist, or a song. I am immediately in touch with why I do what I do, and why The Del-Lords are making new music, sharing a stage, hell, sharing a room, for the first time in 20 years.

To actually do what I just watched Springsteen and the band do is HARD, way fuckin’ hard, damn near impossible, in fact, and, to be fair, it requires more than a fair share of magic. But, it also requires some other things. Like band chemistry, the kind born of respect, a strong work ethic, and some familial love; born of common purpose, mutual belief and shared experience. AND, we love playing Rock’n’Roll. And so we do. Again.

A perilous political landscape awaits us, a desperate economy, probably a turning point in the country’s history. And again, a generally lousy music scene. Some small patches of green (Yay! Little Steven!) but generally, lousy. Familiar methinks. Like, haven’t I seen this fuckin’ movie before?  But, there’s still work to be done. There are still souls to stir and asses to kick. There are still songs that need to be sung. I still believe in our band, and what it is we do, and that we’re STILL the best ones for the job.

So, a new record is in the works. Some getting-our-toes-wet with some roadwork: imminent. And then? Well, we’ll see ya soon. Maybe sooner than you think.

For me, 2009 was quite a roller coaster of a year. It started great, with the inauguration of Barack Obama, waned in the middle somewhat, picked up again with the reissue of the Del-Lords catalog, went nuclear with the Yankees 27^th World Championship, and spiked with the beginnings of a new Del-Lords album, produced by Eric, and then, as seems to be the way of things, for me there was personal turmoil, heartbreak, sorrow, regret, etc. The Blues, we call it. And now, REBIRTH. 2010, a new year, and a full agenda including lots of Del-Lords doings. Time to take a deep breath, strap on the Strat, and get back to doing that thing I do. Man, am I fucking ready!

In a few weeks, I leave my California digs by the sea to return to the city of my birth, my beloved NYC, to start rehearsals for our little jaunt to Europe, as well as some more recording for the new record. In my head I’m already there. We’ve already gotten a half-dozen basic tracks done, and they sound GREAT. As always, whatever ideas I have upfrontfor specific arrangements & specific parts in my head, the band exceeds those expectations exponentially. Frank sounds greater than ever. The guitar parts Eric has come up with are fantastic, and unmistakably the Sound Of Roscoe. I’m so excited I can barely stand myself

We leave for Spain on the 23^rd of February for two weeks of shows, and the dates will be posted here on the site as they become finalized.

Anyway, I just wanted to drop by to say hi, thank you to everyone for the comments and the encouragement. I will be back with updates shortly. Right now, I gotta get my ass in gear, as I’m on my way to reconnect with some old friends, AND to see, hear, AND maybe even meet the great Merle Haggard, who is playing in the area tonight. I’ll tell Hag you said hi.

DIRECTLY FROM MY HEART TO YOU–

SEASON’S GREETINGS To One And All, Friend Or Foe, Rich Or Poor, Fan Or Soon-To-Be-One:

You already know the big news on this end: The Del-Lords, all four (count ‘em, four) original members: Eric, Frank, Manny and myself, have decided to rev this muscle car up & see what’s left in the tank. We’ve decided that there’s still miles to cover & roads to cross. And, I am pleased to report: so far so good. The tank appears to be full, and the engine is running clean and mean.

There is already a new record in the works. We’ve mapped out about a dozen songs & I’ve got a bunch more right here in my pocket. We’ll be knocking it out over the next few months and, in the interim, will be posting a few songs at a time.

It’s like the age of the .45 all over again, only digitally. We really look forward to being able to get to our people so instantly and directly. In the meantime, MERRY XMAS, BABY, which we recorded back in 1982 (I think), is up on the site. Won’t cost but a dime, just a nickel a shoe, AND, do a million dollars worth of good for you. Actually, it’s free.

It’ll be great to establish a real ongoing dialog with you guys. I will check this space as often as I can, and will surely be weighing in on whatever’s on your mind, and (you can be sure, count on it) giving you a piece of mine.

But first, the holidays. I hope you are all with family and loved ones, and not for a minute longer than is actually comfortable. But, not a second less either. Hug ‘em tight.

And remember we are all our brothers’ & sisters’ keepers. Take care of each other. And, look out for each other, too.

And, for all the lonely hearts out there, I haven’t forgotten about you.I’m thinkin’ ‘bout ya. I’m here for ya. And, I got a special song for ya, too. I’m gonna sing it just for you, but to myself, at 12midight EST on Christmas Eve. So stick your head out the window, be still and listen real hard because I’m gonna sing it real quietly, so as not to disturb even for a minute the silent night and prayers for Peace On Earth.

Peace & Love to one and all,

Scott

I’m gonna come right out and say it: There is action in the collective heart, mind, soul and music muscle of the Rock’n’Roll beast once and forever known as The Del-Lords. Not a cheap cash-in reunion featuring one or two original members and a couple of ringer hacks. Not a simple take-the-money-and-run, one-off, hour-long run through of past glories and quarter century old songs. Not something that will tarnish the work we’ve done, or cheapen the legacy we began decades ago, or re-configure  the music we’ve already made, or lower the gold standard the four of us hold as a sacred oath, not just the bond and trust between us and our fans, but most importantly, between ourselves. Eric Ambel, Frank Funaro, Manny Caiati and myself are the four Del-Lords, the only Del-Lords. Accept no substitute.

A new Del-Lords record. These are all new songs, featuring, you guessed it, two guitars, bass and drums, and a whole lot of vocalizing from one and all. We are not reinventing the Rock’n’Roll wheel, for it is round enough. Just some good solid pitching, alert defense, timely hitting and smart base running, as always. A combination that has worked since the damn thing was invented, and shows no sign of breaking down yet.

Eric is producing it, bringing with him, besides his lethal guitar & insider knowledge of the Devil’s rhythms, years of producing expertise, dark voodoo & Rock instincts, and a cracking whip to tame the new technology confronting our band for the first time.

Frank is manning the skins, of course. Who else? The answer: nobody. There has only ever been one drummer IN the Del-Lords, and there will only ever be one drummer FOR the Del-Lords. He may play for others & with others, but this is HIS band. We know how lucky we are.  Believe me.

And yes, Manny, too. The first person to ever dig my songs enough to throw his lot in with me, inspire and support me, and to change the status of my musical life from me to we. And, with “we”, you have a band. Manny has a style, both on bass, as well as vocally – born of a Rock’n’Roll heart, and years of assimilating the history of the art form, graduating with a B Major. That is, he majors in the B’s: Beatles, Bruce, Bob, Byrds, Beach Boys ,the Band, etc.

These are my brothers. Bound by shared experience that nothing can tear asunder. They have played and sung the hell out of my songs before and are about to do so again. Why am I so lucky, so blessed? I couldn’t even begin to guess. I stand before you, flawed, somewhat banged-up, but still standing, en point, & at the ready; willing and able to Rock’n’Roll all night. One more time.