2 seconds of summer...

for us in the Midwest, summer is over. regardless, i had my fun, sharing the stage with such talented artists as Tony Lucca, Matt Duke, Tyrone Wells, Jay Nash, Paperbear, Baron Von Something, Brian Krumm, Dan Mills and the too-many-to-mention other folks i played with over these past few months. the Schubas Practice Space residency was definitely a highlight and i thank them for letting me commandeer the joint for all those Mondays in august. and many thanks to all of you who came out to the shows -- especially the repeat offenders: much appreciated.

the fall is already starting out well since i had the pleasure of playing with Joe Pug and San Francisco band Or, the Whale for a "Daytrotter presents..." show at RIBCO in Rock Island, IL. great people and fantastic songs. i'm looking forward to heading back to NYC, this time to play the CMJ Festival on Oct. 20th at the Canal Room (such a fancy place -- it looks like Bond would hang there). on our return home, we'll be stopping back at the Tin Angel in Philly on the 22nd, this time to play with Michael Tolcher. for the rest of the fall, it's touch and go for shows, but i'll be recording an EP on my "time off" to give you something new to chew on going into the new year. i'll have more info on that over the next few weeks that will give you an opportunity to take part in an exclusive offer we're rolling out.

in the mean time, stay warm if need be and stay tuned for what's on the horizon...

~ Dick

I had such a nice clean car before this tour started...

it's been a big summer so far, but it ain't over yet. many a show has been played (including a few festivals chuck full of various meats and foods on a stick), i was told i had a milestone birthday (la la la la la i am not listening... ), and we've juggled putting the Schubas residency shows together -- which brings us to our final "Practice Space" performance tomorrow night (Monday, Aug. 31st). for our last hootenanny, the full band will be playing what we know and what we enjoy, preceded by a performance by a band who's EP i can't stop listening to: Paperbear. but before these musical antics even take place we have a special "gallery" showing by Bread & Butter, featuring work from my dear and talented friend Gabriel McIntosh. the showing will take place when doors open at 7pm. please come help us end this Schubas residency in proper fashion -- with complete overindulgence on all levels.

and thanks to everyone for their support, kindness, shots, and homes over the past 4 months. i hope to continue the chaos for a very long time.

~ Dick

8/12/09 Chicago Tonight Appearance

On August 12th, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Phil Ponce on wttw 11's Chicago Tonight and performing a few tunes. If you didn't have a chance to catch the show when it originally aired (or you just want to watch it over and over again), here it is:

hangin' around Chicago

Hello, All...

Thanks to everyone that came out during my recent run through the Midwest. The tour was capped off with a near-sellout crowd at Park West in Chicago opening for Toad the Wet Sprocket -- always good to see & hear Glen Phillips (nicest. guy. ever.). We had an absolute blast and appreciate all the kindness shown to us by the audience, the folks at JAM Productions, and the PW staff.

New show dates and appearances continue to be added to the calendar for the summer and fall. For more information and to buy tix, please visit www.dickprall.com

On August 12th, I'll be making a television appearance on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" show in support of my upcoming Schuba's "Practice Space" residency.

And in celebration of the upcoming Schuba's residency, Chicago artist Graham Ebetsch has created a limited edition show poster. This fine work o' art will be available for purchase at the Schubas shows -- oooo, signed by yours truly! -- and numbered and signed by the talented Mr. Ebetsch, as well. You can view the poster by clicking on that little image to the right to get a little preview. Your walls are craving this graphic treat.

Be sure to visit www.dickprall.com regularly for new songs, tour updates, and general mayhem. And don't forget to come out and say hello if I creep into your town.

All the best,
Dick

ps: below is another tune off of Somewhere About Here

"Something Else"



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huh? the Starch Martinis?...

NO. it was the Starch Martins... like Dean, only i'll never be that cool. "Starch Martins" was the moniker i used back in 2001 when i released my second record. i wanted to get away from the lame "Dick Prall Band" title (it wasn't my idea, i swear!), plus i felt the need to venture beyond the "alt-country" thing that I'd been aligned with and showcase my love of pop music, as well. lots of harmonies, beautiful strings, quirky ditties -- this was starting to feel a lot more like home to me. it was good fun back then, my friends. lots of touring, lots of making-nice with "industry people," and lots of hype around the record (Kenny Coomer, who was drumming for Wilco at the time, played on 3 tracks and was responsible for mixing the record). after all the glad-handing and over-priced haircuts, the Starch Martins coughed and wheezed into its quiet death in the summer of 2003. i think it ended in both ways Neil Young so elequently wrote it would happen...

this is my favorite track from 2001's "Dressing up the Failure" record, featuring Kenny Coomer on drums

"Haven't You Noticed"



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another track from Somewhere About Here

hope you enjoyed the first taste of my inaugural venture into singer-songwriterdom. fairly painless?

this next song flexes my affinity for Brit-pop, as well as that section of music within some tunes that i seem to be drawn to, and have labored over probably a bit too much in the past: the bridge (or "middle eight," if you're Brit). it's that part where things change a bit from the rest of the song's pacing -- either it lifts it all up, or brings it all waaaay down, only for a few moments. just a little "bonus piece" as i like to think of it, but once again, it's your ears that get to make that call.

"Into The Shade"



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oldies but...

well, you decide. leading up to the Schuba's residency in August, i'm "re-releasing" some very old tuneage from my early days as a wee musician. ok, i'm the same height, but i do sound a lot greener than my current well-worn voice box. it was a strange and fun excavation digging back into the crawl space of my recording history to spin these old ditties. the first one you'll hear is from my debut album called "Somewhere About Here..." and it's the track that kicks off the record. this song, "Redraw the Line," was about the 3rd or 4th song i'd ever written and was a part of a collection of songs that would make it onto "Somewhere." i was deep into my Buddy Holly and Merle Haggard obsession, but the record also bared my love of Beatles melodies and this thing they were calling "power pop" at the time. please take a listen to these aged numbers over the course of the next few weeks and feel free to share your thoughts...

"Redraw The Line"



right click to download

(p.s. - here's my stint on Fearless Radio, if you'd like to take a listen: http://podcastfearless.com/nmb/index.php?id=569 oh how i love those people.)