Songs For Japan is now available, and I’m quite honored to be one of the 16 artists that helped make it happen.

You can get it now for a minimum donation of $5, though we suggest a donation of $10 or more!  One hundred percent of the proceeds raised will benefit the continuing global relief efforts of The American Red Cross.  – DOWNLOAD AND SUPPORT HERE

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In Returning To Rockwood News: This Friday, the band will be gracing Stage 2 right after our good friends and great band Black Bunny.

 

Casey Shea
Friday, April 22nd – 11:30PM
Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) – MAP
FREE

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In More Japan News: On Saturday night, I’ll be playing a very intimate benefit show with Bess Rogers, Sam King, Sonya Kitchell, and Matt Irvin at the yoga studio Samudaya.  All acoustic…no amps, no mics….the way it was meant to be!

EVERY single penny raised will go straight to the Red Cross to aid Japan.  BYO Beer/Wine (Limited wine available for donation).  This is another great chance to send some money to people who really need it.

It took about 20 minutes to realize my blogging days are coming to a halt….or at least slowing down considerably.  Luckily for wordpress, I’ve got time to kill.  And that’s what blogs are for right?  I mean, I assume you are REALLY bored at work if you’re reading this right now.

But back to ME killing time and giving wordpress a little love….

I’ve just arrived in Annapolis for Langs’ cousin’s wedding.  Well, I arrived about and hour and a half ago…I still have 30 minutes to go before my room is finally be ready for check in.  Langs is a bridesmaid in said wedding, so she’s off at the wedding rehearsal…which leaves me here alone….killing time.

On a side note, as I’m sure you know, Annapolis is the home of the United States Naval Academy.  This brings up a major question…a question that’s been haunting me all day.  If the government goes on strike tonight, is that going to effect this wedding?  Will it happen….CAN it happen!!?!??  I can only assume the Republican/Democrat quarrels over who will get screwed the most (the poor, the environment, 99% of the country) has nothing to do with love and marriage.  Oh wait a minute!?? But like I said, I’ve been sitting alone in a hotel lobby for the past 90 minutes….I’ve got time to think about the questions you’re afraid to ask.

Back to wordpress, I mean, killing time.  While typing alone in this hotel lobby (did I mention that yet??) I’ve been comparing mono and stereo remasters of, yep, you guessed it, The Beatles.  PS….if you haven’t checked these guys out, you totally should.  I just noticed a yawn in “I’m Only Sleeping” for the first time ever.  It’s right at 2 minutes in.  Maybe John was bored with his own song??  I mean goodness, they could have finished “From Me To You” four seconds ago.  BOOOOOOORING!!

Anyway, I’ve listened to this song about 4 million times in my life, and this is the first time I’ve noticed the yawn.  Amazing.

Speaking of recording, I was back in the studio once again yesterday.  Yes, we are still recording, and no…this album will never be finished.  However, the good news is, we successfully laid down version 4 of Battery.  And no, I’m not talking about take 4….or hey, let’s try to beat the recording we did months ago….I’m talking about completely different version #4….chords, form, lyrics…nothing is sacred anymore.  But….maybe this will lead to a Battery EP of all the different versions….yes, let me write that down….it must happen!

In more good news, I am happy to announce I have finally settled on an album title….it’s either gonna be called “Smile” or “Chinese Democracy.”  Look for it soon.

Ooooh, snapping at the end of  “Here, There, and Everywhere.”  I clearly have not been paying attention in previous listening sessions.  Beautiful song.  Next track….oh hell, who gave Ringo the mic again!?!?!?

PS…I know Taco Bell.  If you loved me, you’d bring back the chili and cheese burrito.

Just when I thought this Saturday night couldn’t get any better, Luke (The Legend) Wesley has been added to the lineup at Rockwood.  I can’t remember when so many of my favorite people and bands have played in one place in one night.  It’s gonna be a good one, so please come out early….and prepare to stay late!

Casey Shea
Saturday, April 2nd – 11PM
Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2)
FREE

*Niall Connolly @ 7, Rachel Brown @ 8, Great Elk @ 9, Black Bunny @ 10, Luke Wesley @ 11

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In Other News: As seen in the picture above, we finally have buttons.  Surely it won’t be long before these buttons are gracing the runways in Paris and Milan. This is your chance to stay ahead of the trends!  Get them both here for the low price of $1!

In Free Album News: You still have 2 days to get your hands on a free of my last album, “Love Is Here To Stay.” If you would like to take advantage of this limited time offer, you should CLICK THIS LINK.

This page will only be available through Friday, so get it while the gettin’s good. And please, if you like it, share it with a friend or five!

I’m starting to think I might have a problem letting go of things. Whether it’s a ticket stub to a concert, or a coin from a foreign country, or a rock I picked up somewhere, or a button someone gave me, or a note someone wrote….I seem to keep it all….some of these things I don’t know where they’re from or why I saved it, some mean the world to me, but it doesn’t really matter much, cause I can’t get to any of it anymore.

Some people might have a memory box, and I used to too. Then I had two of them, then three….now all three are buried somewhere in this pile on what has become the memory shelf. The slightest move of anything on it and the whole thing could come crashing down….it is a beautiful thing.

With a name like Casey Michael Shea, you might expect me to be in a pub already, throwing back pints of Guinness or another certain green frozen treat that is not quite as Irish.  I mean it IS 9am!!  However, today, I have bigger fish to fry.

We’re heading back into the studio to continue recording that album I promised would be done by now.  Hopefully it will all be worth the wait!  In the meantime, you can still listen to Love Is Here To Stay here.

In Much More Important News:

It’s been extremely hard and sad to watch and read about the disastrous earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown news in Japan.  If you haven’t already donated, do your fellow humans a favor, click on this link to the American Red Cross, and give what you can.

RED CROSS – PLEASE DONATE NOW!

 

I think I may have just been bitten by a spider.  Of course when you do a Google image search for something simple like “spider bite,” you get this.  I’m trying my best not to worry about it right now.  If my arm falls off, I’ll let you know.

Of course if my arm does indeed fall off, this weekend is going to require some creative thinking.  How can I play, not 1, but 2 shows!!??  I guess the first show on Friday wouldn’t be TOO difficult??  After all, that’s what bands are for.  To come together when disaster strikes!  To rock no matter how little roll there is!  To DOMINATE at all costs!!!!!!

Casey Shea
Friday, March 11th – 10PM
Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) – map
FREE

*Dandelion Wine @ 9, Jonah Smith @ 11, The Madison Square Gardeners @ 12

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But show 2, could turn out to be a bit more difficult to fake.  This is after all a solo show.  So unless someone comes to my aid to strum one half of the guitar, Park Slope could be in for the a cappella performance of their nightmares.

Casey Shea (Solo Show)
Saturday, March 12th – 8PM
Bar 4 – map
FREE

*Secondstar @ 9, Greg Thomas @ 10

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Let’s all hope this bite doesn’t turn out to be too serious…

IN OTHER NEWS: The kind folks over at NYC Art Scene recently asked me to write an article addressed to all new comers to the music scene.  After writing a long, detailed description of how to get to Pianos from any subway line and have a good time for under $10, I figured I should probably try to make it a bit more music centric.

—>>>  You can read the article here!

 

Tune in tonight to ABC at 10PM.  This should be good!

 

Backscratch XII
Monday, February 28th – 9PM
Rockwood Music Hall
Free

Tonight I’ll be joined by 7 talented folks – Dallin Applebaum, Bryan Dunn, Craig Greenberg, Greg Mayo, Martin Rivas, Paul Tabachneck, and Alex Wong for Backscratch Session XII.

After two years over at the Red Lion, Mr. Martin Rivas has boldly moved across the West/East divide and landed at ye olde Rockwood Music Hall.  Good Move if I do say so myself.

WHAT IS THIS BACKSCRATCH THING YOU ASK??

Well if you would have just clicked on that link at the end of the first paragraph instead of taking the time to ask, you’d already know.  But since I know you expect me to do everything for you, I’ve gone ahead and copied the following from the official Backscratch site.  You’re welcome….

The Backscratch Sessions have been taking place bi-monthly on the last Monday night of the month in New York City since April, 2009. The Red Lion on Bleecker Street hosted the Backscratch from its inception until December, 2010. The current home of the Backscratch Sessions, Rockwood Music Hall, began hosting it in February, 2011.

8 singer/songwriters (sometimes more, sometimes less) are invited to come together for a unique event: in addition to performing a pair of their own songs, each participant surprises a fellow participant with a re-interpretation of one of their songs.

No one knows who is going to perform a song by whom until the moment they begin to play, and nothing beats seeing a songwriter get to hear his or her song re-born through the voice and hands and ears and soul of another, respected fellow singer/songwriter.

About a month beforehand, the participating artists are randomly assigned to each other and sent a package of songs and lyrics by the artist they have drawn as their “backscratch,” from which they choose a song and re-interpret it any way they wish.

Some performers play solo, some bring their bands, sometimes the participants collaborate… there are no rules other than no one knows who has drawn whom as their backscratch.

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In EVIL TWIN News:

I think it’s about time we stop yapping about music and start asking the important questions….like, is Muammar Gaddafi really ex-governor of New York David Paterson!???

 

 

 

 

 

 

And maybe more importantly…are the Angry Birds really Goombas!!???

 

…but this is 9 really funny minutes of television. It’s no wonder many people get their news from a comedy show…

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Here’s another thing I thought was worth sharing….about how the education system may in fact be the killer of creativity and talent. Some great stories and points….sit through it….it’s worth it.

It’s a beautiful night here in New York.  Don’t waste it in doors listening to that new Radiohead album for the 11th time.  Come out!

Casey Shea
Friday, February 18th – 10PM
Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) – Map
FREE

*Elizabeth and The Catapult @ 11