The Same Boy You've Always Known

Mon, 02 May 2005 14:24:22 GMT

One of the best things about being involved in the music industry, however peripherally, is being able to work with musicians I respect and admire. Working with the Pixies, while not always 100% fun, has been a definite blast. Working with Perry Farrell and talking to the guys from Jane's Addiction was very very very trippy (and cool). Lollapalooza, despite being canceled last year, was an intense experience. But probably the most rewarding experience to date had been working withAmerican Laundromat Records. I am Vice-President of the label, which is laughable as really there are only 3 or 4 people involved, outside of the bands themselves. What I enjoy the most is seeing these bands we work with play live, getting a chance to talk with them and encouraging them to record and tour. Our new project is a tribute to the music from all of those 80's high school movies, and we've got some decent names involved with the project. I LOVE John Strohm's cover of Jackson Browne's "Somebody's Baby." We have some hush-hush names attached to the project as well... I can't wait to be able to announce who they are!

Restored

Tue, 26 Apr 2005 09:33:07 GMT

Last year sometime, possibly even the year before, I purchased something off of eBay for $81.30. OK, if you really want to know, it was like Season 4 of the X-Files. ANYWAY, I never received the item. Now I am a smart shopper, I only buy from people with good ratings and a ton of sales. I do not know what the deal was, but I sent my money, but after several weeks of nothing, I checked this guys user rating to see that this guy apparently disappeared with a lot of people's money. One person leaving the negative feedback linked to the FBI's online fraud site and urged everyone burned to file a claim. I did, knowing I would never, ever, hear anything back, or get my money returned.

Last night, after having forgotten this whole ordeal, I received a letter from the District Attorney of Tennessee. It turns out, the FBI site really served a purpose, and enough people filed claims, and an investigation was opened, and this guy was sued. Anyone filing a claim was part of the class-action suit, and the verdict was found in favor of all us people who lost money. Along with a letter from the DA, was a certified check for $81.30.

My first reaction was 'cool!', followed by the realization that sometimes, the system works. It was only a small amount of money, I easily spend more at Amazon or Best Buy on any given day, but it was enough to restore my faith in the system of due process.

Annoyed...

Fri, 22 Apr 2005 01:45:40 GMT

I am really annoyed that I like Ben Gibbards lyrics so much...

To prove how far away Nebraska is, you speak in whispers...

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 16:58:47 GMT

Holy mother of God, it's been busy! Work has been out of control, way WAY out of control! I need a vacation, and soon!

Went to a GREAT Thai restaurant on Saturday in Patchogue called Lawan. Great service, amazing food, and the prices were very reasonable. I think this is my new favorite restaurant, and can't wait to go there again next weekend!

The Pixies will be playing Jones Beach in June! Finally a show I won't have to trek into Manhattan to see...

This is no Modern Romance

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 16:36:45 GMT

FRIDAY BABY!!! I would like to just say that, all day, until it's 5:00PM and I leave work. I have NO PLANS this weekend, which for me is sometimes the best plan! I might go catch a movie (maybe The Jacket) and I might go to Borders and pick up a few books. But that's it! I have a lot of nothing to catch up on.

So I got my tickets to go see The Decemberists for May, I am sooo excited for that! Also tickets for Nine Inch Nails go on sale today, and I will definitely be seeing them this year. I've also decided that I am going to head out to Coachella to catch all the bands (Weezer, Bauhaus, British Sea Power, New Order, NIN, Keane, Coldplay, Raveonettes being a few I am interested in), which is also in May. It's going to be a busy month!

Caulfield Sisters press release

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 16:01:24 GMT

OK, since this is a band I am really excited about, I thought I would post some PR stuff here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, February 23, 2005

AMERICAN LAUNDROMAT RECORDS & PIXIESMUSIC.COM TEAM UP TO PRESENT THE CAULFIELD SISTERS!!!

Huntington, NY – Joe Spadaro (American Laundromat Records), and Sean T. Rayburn (pixiesmusic.com) team up to present The Caulfield Sisters "Say It With Fire" CD-EP. The CD offers six original songs that were recorded and produced by Paolo De Gregorio (a.k.a. Mr. Grieves) at Mother West Studios in NYC, and is available direct from American Laundromat Records (ALR) for $8.00 + shipping at http://www.americanlaundromatrecords.com/special.html.

THE CAULFIELD SISTERS have been called the Brooklyn Breeders and were named one of “NYC’s 10 Bands to Watch” by Time Out New York magazine. “Fans of Belly, Galaxie 500, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Throwing Muses, and Juliana Hatfield will LOVE this band.” says ALR founder and president, Joe Spadaro, "… I just fell in love with The Caulfield Sisters the moment I heard ‘Phoebe’s song’ and had to work with them. I haven’t been this excited about a band since discovering The Blake Babies and The Pixies back in the 80’s.”

“The Caulfield Sisters embody the finest elements of what has become the New York Sound. Listen to ‘Say It With Fire’ on the subway, or while walking around Sheridan Square, and you've got the perfect soundtrack to Manhattan life. They are the most played band on my iPod”. Sean T. Rayburn, (pixiesmusic.com).

‘Say It With Fire’ track listing:
01. Phoebe’s Song
02. Cash
03. Box of Glass
04. Fine
05. Higher
06. Mosquito

The Caulfield Sisters are a NYC-based trio featuring former members of the band Pee Shy, guitarist/ accordionist Cindy Wheeler, and bassist Mary Guidera, with new addition drummer Kristen Mueller (Gloria Deluxe, Hidden Driveways). Pee Shy spent 4 years and 2 albums on Mercury Records, and enjoyed critical acclaim, many years as a favorite on the CMJ charts, and some commercial radio play.

Ten years of collaboration between Cindy and Mary find The Caulfield Sisters musically more sophisticated and sonically grander than Pee Shy. Mary’s solid melodic bass lines and haunting backing vocals, are the perfect cradle for Cindy’s airy vocals, reverb drenched guitar and the occasional beauty that is her trademark, accordion feedback. They’ve landed coveted opening slots for bands like Interpol, and will be joining Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave), John Strohm (The Blake Babies), Vic Chesnutt, and others on the upcoming ALR CD; “High School Reunion” which will tribute songs that appeared in some of the great 80’s films such as; Fast Time at Ridgemont High, Say Anything, Valley Girl, Breakfast Club, and more.

“If you are familiar with J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye,…” the band explains, “…The Caulfield Sisters are the musical metaphor of Phoebe, little sister of Salinger’s anti-hero Holden Caulfield; Holden’s Phoebe, the little sister as savior, a glimmer of hope in a blue coat, a sonic swirl, a beautiful blur that keeps whirling past you on the Merry-go-round.”

Joe Spadaro and Sean T. Rayburn have collaborated before on projects, and share a huge passion for music. “Our only goal here is to introduce as many people as we can to this great band. We think The Caulfield Sisters deserve to be heard and we want to help them in any way we can”.

For more information about THE CAULFIELD SISTERS or AMERICAN LAUNDROMAT RECORDS, please visit: http://www.americanlaundromatrecords.com/indexmain.php

For more information about PIXIESMUSIC.com, please visit http://www.pixiesmusic.com/

###

training is so boring

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 21:26:03 GMT

so we are moving to a new distribution system here at work, something I am overseeing. In order to prepare for this new system, EVERYONE in the company is recieving training. Since I am overseeing it all, I am sitting in on EVERY training class, monday through friday, 8am to 5pm.

please, someone, come to Syosset, NY, to my building, and pull the fire alarm. First person to do it wins a pack of Lucky Strikes. And a can of Diet Coke with Lemon.

woooooooooozy

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 14:38:44 GMT

OK, so I pulled a whole mass of muscles in my back over the weekend, just from sleeping.

So since Sunday, I have been in agony... sitting, lying down, standing up, NOTHING is comfortable. I finally got a Dr.'s appointment yesterday, and he gave me 3 prescriptions... 2 pain killers and a muscle relaxer. WOW!!!! Oh the joy of drugs. This beats any of the drugs I've done in the past. The only problem was getting up to come to work today, I feel like my body is on a 5 second delay.

I have 5 refills on one of the pain killers and the muscle relaxer, so at some point I'll be updating this site from a rehab facility.

Good times.

Vacation

Tue, 28 Dec 2004 17:48:34 GMT

I need one, anyone else feel this way? I will be traveling for work in a few weeks, and I was hoping when I come back to be able to take a little time off. Probably won't happen, but I am pretty positive if I don't take one soon, I won't be getting ANY time off till the summer.

And so it goes...

Mon, 27 Dec 2004 15:14:37 GMT

Christmas has come and gone, and while this year may not have been as exciting as those of years past, it was enjoyable in a sublime sort of way, and I am very happy for it. We spent the day at my mother's in Sag Harbor, which was nice and cozy and very "family." If we didn't have other parties to go to, I think we all could have stayed there and been perfectly content to let the day move along without us.

Of course now the holiday is over, and I am back at work. We had quite a bit of snow out by us, so getting to work today was a chore, but thankfully I got up early enough to get here early.

Over

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 02:46:58 GMT

Well the Pixies tour is over, and in a way I am grateful for that.

Trust me, I am the worlds biggest Pixies fan. I like them so much, I created a web site and an entire community, just to have people to talk to about my Pixies fixations. I started working with the band's management, publicist, and agent, to offer pre-sales of tour tickets, as well as act as a go-between to help get news to the fans, because information about the band wasn't always readily available, even in this internet information age. Which was the whole reason for me starting that site.

But now it's over, and I am relieved to have some free time again. I look forward to being able to go out or read a book or play a game or whatever I did BEFORE this rollercoaster ride began.

I have a ton of other web work, several other bands, a few record labels, as well as the Wicked Sons site, which has been in limbo since April. I will get to all of this, but first, I will take January off, and see where I am at that point.

False Advertising

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 15:02:52 GMT

OK so I am outraged. Well maybe not outraged, but I am at least disgruntled. False Advertising is killing this country, and maybe even me. Well, that's a bit harsh, but I feel strongly about this. Here's why.

I am Manager of Information Technology for a large company. Since I am in such a position, I am expected to dress accordingly, even though my natural state of attire is jeans and a t-shirt or a polo shirt. But I can't wear that to work, so it's all dress pants, dress shirts, and ties these days. What I need to start doing is sending all my work clothes off to the dry cleaners, because it becomes a lot each week, changing out of work clothes into street clothes, so I have literally double the amount of laundry I am used to. What's really been eating at me is the claim from dress shirt manufacturers that these shirts are 'wrinkle-free.' I used to be a store manager for Van Heusen, back in my retail days, and I stood by the wrinke-free name, telling customers "as long as you pull them right out of the dryer, you'll be fine." Wrong. What did I know? I work khakis and polo shirts to work.

Well now that I am in a position where I am wearing them every day, I can say that wrinke free is a crock! I spend more time ironing shirts than I spend on any other part of getting ready for work. The days of rolling out of bed and showering and heading right to work are gone. There is no way I can be out of the house 30 minutes after I wake up.

TO all my brothers in corporate America: rise up with me, march on Washington! Let us collectively put a stop to what is obviously a crime. I am suing somebody, dammit.

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 18:01:06 GMT

So crazy lately, with work, web stuff, Pixies, and LIFE, that I just haven't had a chance to post! I hope to start updating this more often, and maybe even finish the new site design I was working on!

So my new favorite band of the moment is TV on the Radio. Met these guys over the weekend when they opened for the Pixies, and they were amazing! They were also the coolest and friendliest people, and seemed genuinely grateful to hear praise for their efforts. They deserve it!

Curiosa

Sun, 01 Aug 2004 19:27:27 GMT

I had to look at my ticket stubs to see how many times I've been to a Cure show, and this was 13 (not to be confused with The 13th).

I got there just about on time since this was my first time at Randalls Island, an easier drive than I expected, but that could be due to the fact that Lot 1 parking was like 10 miles from the actual venue. Note to self: pay for premier parking when you are getting guest list tickets for free.

The Cure people were late with bringing the guest list to the ticket office, so I missed The Coopers, but I got inside in time to grab a beer and watch my buddies Mogwai play. A great show, I wish A) the set was later in the show, and B) the set was more than 30 minutes. Stuart and Co. kick serious ass.

Maybe it was too my loss, but I caught none of the second stage acts, although I am sure Thursday and Taking Back Sunday, and Story of the Year and Yellowcard were great. I met up with Ray and his beautiful wife, and Couirey (finally) and we all moved closer to the main stage, watched The Rapture play 6 songs that all sounded the same. After, we met up with several of Ray's friends, then Shred, Tess, Denise, and others.

As tends to happen at most of these shows, everyone splits up, so we walked around a bit, talked a lot, and made it back towards the main stage for Interpol to play.

It was around this time, as I was looking around at the crowds of people, that I started thinking Curiosa was an appropriate name for this tour. There were drunk frat boys, Hot Topic goths, loud annoying pseudo-fans that were... loud... and annoying. There was a 16 year old kid in a full neck brace, pushing his way through the crowd to get close to the stage.

Interpol came on and got into Obstacle 1, an unusual opener in my book. That song is a crescendo song, a song that should be introduced first by other songs that slowly build up to it. We got to see the new keyboardist, who proved that, like many members of the Cure, even a regular guy can get into a big rock band, even if you are a late 30's stock broker on hiatus (which is how he looked to me). The Interpol set was laced with technical difficulty, which thankfully they played right through. It was nice to finally hear some of the new songs too, I am glad they announced the names of the new songs they played too, just so when we all finally get to hear Antics, we'll remember this show. You know, when we finally get to hear that CD... yeah.

No Muse for me, thank you, Radiohead does it better.

The Cure came on, with requisite intro music, and proceded to play 37 songs from the new album. I enjoy the new album for the most part, so I was fine with it, but Ray verged on manic when he relaized that of the 13,692 songs the Cure have in their catalogue, he wasn't going to get to hear "Plainsong." Thankfully there were so many kids dropping unconscious from heat prostration, drunken stupor, and ecstasy overdose, that he was considerably well distracted.

There was so much more to the show, the pod of girls behind us dancing and screaming in a lobotomized frenzy, the fact that Ray knows Matthew McConaughey personally, and that I ran into two guys that I've run into at every Cure show I've ever been to in the last 16 years.

Curiosa indeed.

Curiosa

Fri, 30 Jul 2004 15:12:25 GMT

The Cure, Interpol, Mogwai, The Rapture, and other bands will be playing tomorrow at Randalls Island as part of the NYC stop of Curiosa, The Cure's traveling summer festival. I did not get tickets, however I managed to get a pair of them from a friend, so I will be there.

Today is the last of my time off for the summer. Monday I return to work at a new company, much closer to home than the last, and conveniently located near to where I will be taking classes. I am actually excited to be going back to school... I took a creative writing class last year, but that was one 3 credit class. I am taking 11 credits this coming semester, thankfully one of them is an online class, which I've never taken before. It's ironic that the classes I am taking, all information technology/web development classes, are all classes pertaining to the work I am doing now without the actual certifications. I've seen job listings starting at $115,000/year for what I am doing now, providing you have the proper degree and certifications. Hey, thats the kind of money I should be making!

The hamun mnid is an azamnig tinhg...

Fri, 30 Jul 2004 14:45:04 GMT

My buddy Tony posted this today, but I always get a kick out of reading this:

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg ... THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID.

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.

The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Amzanig huh?

"Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion."

Wed, 28 Jul 2004 22:30:48 GMT

OK, what's the deal with Donnie Darko? I've watched this movie a million times, sometimes just to have it on in the background while I am doing... whatever. It never gets old, and the writing is great.
OK so after the demise of 04 Lollapalooza, I havent had much web work going on, aside from the Pixies site, The Martinis and a few small time gigs. I was really bummed when a certain HUGE name band I absolutely LOVE found someone else to do there multiple sites.

Then I talked to my inside man, my connection to the music industry, who assured me there are good things in the works for me! He couldn't talk about one at all, other than to say it's something BIG, so we'll see where that leads. He knows where my interests are, so I am sure he'll come through!

And now, a word from our sponsor.

Thu, 22 Jul 2004 10:12:16 GMT

A friend of mine is presenting a concert that all of you in the Boston area should attend!

Oh, if I could only get you oceanside...

Wed, 21 Jul 2004 12:01:19 GMT

OK, as some or many of you may know, I am a bit of a musicaholic. I live and breath music, to the point that everything I experience in life can be related to a song. I have a jukebox in my mind, that always has a song playing, no matter the time of day or circumstance... the DJ has had his espresso with a Red Bull chaser, and he'll keep playing on and on until way past the break of dawn.

I have a lot of music. Thousands upon thousands of CDs. because when I get into something musically, the completist in me goes out and finds every rare, out of print, alternate mix, b-side and promo only track released. This has also translated quite well into an extensive digital music collection. Why go out and buy a CD, whether it be down the road to Best Buy, or online at Amazon, when I can go to iTunes or eMusic and receive my instant gratification at a blazing fast download? It's fast, it's easy, and it's usually cheaper than buying the CD.

So now of course I have a problem.

Sure, it's all well and good to get that digital download right away, but what I've discovered is that I'll download something, really get into it, and have the overwhelming need to hold the CD in my hand.

Why do I feel this way? I have the music in pure CD quality sound, right on my computer, ready to burn to a CD and listen to in my car, in my home, in the shower. And I have an iPod, which even at 15GB of storage I am finding ways to fill up quite nicely. I don't need the CD, it's just packaging, after all... what I really want, the music, is in my possession already.

But I am finding some part of me really does want the packaging, even if its just a CD cover artwork, a photograph, and some liner notes or song lyrics. I wonder if some people had some trouble, going from vinyl with it's big cardboard sleeve, sometimes even gatefold at a size you could hang on your wall, to the smaller CD, with just a fraction of the attention grabbing visual impact artwork? And it only got worse, I remember when CDs used to still come in a larger cardboard box, which was still kind of cool. I used to keep them, hanging them up as a collage of musical taste.

Someday, maybe later, maybe sooner, there won't be CDs, or even ANY packaging. When we buy music, there will just be a credit card sized piece of plastic and silicon that contains our entire purchased music history, readily available for playback, wherever we happen to be. Maybe things will have evolved to the point where we are all walking talking DJ radio stations, with people able to tap in, sample what we're listening to, and for a modest charge, transfer that music to our own personal collection. Think of how this will impact how we meet people. Say you're at a bar, and you see a guy or a gal that you find attractive, all you need to do is tap into what they're listening to and see if you are really truly compatible, because if you like rock and she likes rap or country or gospel, you may want to steer clear, and talk to that other one, maybe her friend, who just so happens to like the OLD indie music that you listen to...

It's early, and these are the thoughts that shaped my morning... random bits of errata connecting here and there to form something more than originally intended. But that's how it happens sometimes. The DJ in my head is playing The Decemberists, and this is what came out on my end.

Why is the world in love again?

Tue, 13 Jul 2004 01:17:37 GMT

Had a rather busy weekend! Spent Saturday out in Greenport in a world of tall ships and carousels and small shops and vineyards. It was like leaving Long Island, without having to. The tall ships were great, I always get such a kick out of seeing them, last time having been several years ago in Baltimore Harbor For OpSail.

Sunday was spent once more at Southaven Park for our friend Chris Lynch's 35th birthday. Was a small but active group of party-ers in attendance, with some great softball and horseshoes matches running all day.

Several friends have recently gotten into the blog/journal world, and I thought I'd make mention of it here. So if you have the time, please check out the recent entries by Christy and JayWrites.

We ain't going to the town, we're going to the city.

Tue, 06 Jul 2004 06:03:20 GMT

I was struck by the realization that my writing has come to a complete and grinding halt. Look at my novel, The Lighthouse Keeper. It's currently starring in the literary version of VH1's Where Are They Now?

More. Soon.

I haven't even been reading anything lately, but recently I picked up a book and have been reading ravenously, quenching a thirst. So that's a good start.

More later.

Fri, 02 Jul 2004 01:26:34 GMT

I am Strength

Strength represents patience and compassion. Getting angry is easy when events turn sour, but dealing calmly with frustration takes great strength. So does accepting others and forgiving mistakes. We need strength to mold situations softly. The Chariot controls through mastery and authority. Card 8 is more subtle, even loving. Notice how the lion (itself a symbol of strength) is being guided and tamed by the woman's gentle hands.

For a full description of your card and other goodies, please visit LearnTarot.com

What tarot card are you? Enter your birthdate.

Dream

Fri, 02 Jul 2004 01:14:46 GMT

OK I am sure this is the topic of many many many blog posts, but last night I had a strange dream that freaked me out a bit. OK, a lot.

As some of you may know, I rarely dream when I sleep. I don't know if it's that I am too light a sleeper, never allowing myself the deep sleep needed for R.E.M. sleep, or, if I am such a deep sleeper that I bypass the dream-sleep phase completely. I tend to think I am a light sleeper, but it's not too relevant in this case.

Well last night I dreamt.

In my dream, I'd just found out that I'd some sort of life-ending illness, something deadly and quick, and I had only a week left. It was very strange and very realistic, in that it didn't feel like a dream at all, it felt as if I was actually living that reality. It was overwhelmingly sad, to know that I had less than a week left, and I felt like people on vacation feel when the days are counting down, knowing play time is over and they'd soon have to return to work. This felt like that, except amplified. That's exactly what it felt like, a souped up vacation-ending anxiety.

I don't like to read into my dreams (the few I have), because really, how should I react, what action should I take?

I've no idea.

Curiosa, Lollapalooza Part 2?

Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:35:10 GMT

Got this from John Hurwitz Vs New York City:

"With Perry Farrell's Lollapalooza '04 getting cancelled, some speculation has arisen that the Cure's summer tour package, Curiosa will be the next to go. Jim DeRogatis wrote yesterday in the Chicago Sun-Times that "industry insiders say the Curiosa Festival -- which brings the Cure, Interpol, the Rapture and Mogwai to the Tweeter Center on Aug. 12 -- may be in serious trouble as well."

Several other sources around the internet have written that for many venues of Curiosa's tour schedule, only 2000 of 10,000 tickets have been sold for shows just a few weeks away."</p>

Ode to a job search

Mon, 28 Jun 2004 16:49:33 GMT

So in light of Lollapalooza's demise, my plan to take the summer off to pursue web development opportunities kind of fell apart. I was't truly 100% thinking of going the entire summer without a "real" job, but if I continued to make decent money online, I planned on adopting a "why not?" attitude. I am still getting paid for my work on Lolla, but after billing for June, I don't think there will be any future monies involved, so with the exception of my other web jobs, and the ending in sight for my severence package, harsh reality is blowing up my cellie saying "hey man, you got to get a job."

So onward wayward job-hunter. Between the newspaper, Careerbuilder, Monster, and HotJobs, I have put the "Sean Rayburn Is A Great Employee" machine in gear. I've no idea what will come of it, even though I am applying for something like 35+ jobs a day, everywhere and anywhere on Long Island in fields as varied as web design, marketing, office administation, managament, IT, and any other category I am qualified for.

It is somewhat liberating to look for a job, because it allows you the freedom to imagine yourself in a career other than the one you were just employed in, which for me is a great thing. If I am not going to be fully self-employed with my own business, my ideal job would be one very close to home, as I am so tired of commuting 30+ miles each way every day.

There is something out there for me, I know it, it's merely a matter of finding it.