Author: falala

I’m in this weird headspace busting out these songs I haven’t played in decades, and nothing that’s ever been recorded or maybe even played out. Does anyone remember this song? I need help, I can’t for the life of me remember the title or chorus. Actually, I do think Moxie played this in the Bayville days, back when that bar owner would throw us $100 bucks and say, “I can’t even believe I pay you girls”.

again i tuck my loose and flowing spirit in a tight and tailored shirt-stuff my sneaker molded flat feet in those high heeled shoes-put my hair up and go to work-in a car that’s no better than a four legged horse-on the traffic clogged l.i.e.- In a land where all the people are supposed to be free-I’m a slave to responsibility.

OHHH ding ding ding..it’s coming back to me! Hold On but i can’t remember the rest of the lyrics for that chorus. Anyone? Tony?

ooooo….some more…..there was a bridgey thingy….”i roll down the window-and invite the wind to play with my hair- i’m goin’ east in the morning and west at night as a sign that I don’t care” HOLD ON…don’t you know…

Hello Farrell, and hello to everyone who has contributed to helping the completion of this very special record.

I began my work with the pop/punk/folk rock band called “Moxie” – now known as “Moxie Star Park” – back in the spring of 2000.

They had parted ways with their former producer and decided to record their next record with me and my brother, Jack, at our studio, Cloud 9 Recording – www.cloud9recording.com.  Twenty years later, Cloud 9 is still alive and well and we still have all the gear that we used to make the Moxie record all those years ago. My brother and I also started a guitar effects pedal company called Analog Alien. Analog Alien started off as a little side project and has grown exponentially – www.analogalien.com. This will become more relevant at the end of this letter.

The Moxie record was tracked on two-inch 24 track analog tape. The entire project wound up on 5 reels. Unfortunately, though the record was practically finished, the band broke up and the tapes went into storage.

Twenty years later, almost to the day, Farrell contacted me and said that she wanted to revisit the tapes and see if there was an album to be made.

I can’t tell you how happy this made me. Those sessions with Farrell, Wendy, Lindsey, and of course “Katie from Wales” were some of the most fun and creative sessions that I have ever worked on. I always wanted to record and produce the next great all-girl band and I really thought Moxie was it!

I explained to Farrell that since the tapes were 20 years old, they would need to be baked in a special oven before they could be safely transferred to a digital format. I baked the tapes in August 2021 and was able to successfully transfer the tracks.

Farrell and I both listened to all the tracks and agreed that there was definitely a great record on the reels and that with the exception of the possible need for a little add-on here or there, we could go ahead and proceed with mixing.

I believe Farrell had planned to fund the project on her own but then, realizing the cost, decided to do a Kickstarter campaign to try and raise the funds.

I thought this was a great idea but I didn’t realize that it would affect the timeline of the project. My work with Analog Alien is always busy, but at this time of the year, it goes into overdrive. I knew that I would not be able to mix the record to accommodate the timeline that was laid out in the Kickstarter campaign.

Though I was heart broken, I wished Farrell well and told her not to hesitate to call me if she needed anything.

After several weeks of listening to mixes from other engineers, it became apparent to Farrell that the only way the record could be finished as it was meant to be was for the tracks to come back to where they were created.

I was both honored and moved deeply by this decision. I want to say that this record is very special to me and I will complete it with all the love, heart, and respect that it deserves.

That being said, I want to say to all the people who contributed to this record that Farrell has always been a straightforward, no nonsense person. Her heart and soul (along with the other members of Moxie) are in this music and she only wants it to be the best record it can be, so please have patience.

I will try to get out a mix or two before the end of the year, but I promise – barring acts of God – I will mix the record in January 2022 and with any luck have a finished product some time in February.

In closing, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I wish you all a joyous holiday season and a New Year filled with health, peace, and happiness.

Kind regards,

Joe Napoli

So I got this in my inbox today from Spotify alerting me to a “hub” of ALL women. Women music artists, women podcasters, women play lists. I’m hyper sensitive to injustice toward women. 10% of Rolling Stones greatest songwriters of all time are women. Or not much more that that % ever win the American Songwriter contest. What’s her face Alli Hagnedorf, “head of rock” at Spotify, almost NEVER touts a sister (looking good, though, girl! Maybe I’ll catch you at the next NYC Marathon) This, Spotify? This is AMAZING. “This past March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, Spotify unveiled our new EQUAL hub—our most recent commitment to fostering equity for women in music globally. Today, we’re taking that promise one step further with the launch of our EQUAL Global Music Program.”

In order to raise money for Moxie Starpark’s second album, I offered a reward to custom write personal theme songs for donors, and a few people took me up on it! I spent the month of August writing, playing & producing Scotty Knows. This fascinating request was for a “sequel song” to Lustra’s “Scotty Doesn’t Know” which was featured in the movie Euro Trip. I’d never seen the movie nor heard the song, so I was a bit nervous. But after ingesting the film, the opportunity to put a female perspective on dude problems thrilled me. I wrote, performed and recorded this sequel song in my home studio over the course of the month of August. To illustrate the lyrics, I strung together some random videos taken this summer, mostly at the beach and Fire Island walkway, with a little Urban Tumbleweed (plastic bag in wind) thrown in.

Missy Donatuti & Michael Kinney, themselves brilliant writers & musicians, made this music video for Moxie Starpark’s “Just Like Me”. It plays more like a silent film indie movie than music video. I am just in awe of the writing, videography and acting every time.

It was filmed in the little seaside hamlet of Bayville, Long Island where Moxie began!

This song will be on the second CD. At the time, the studio churned out a rough mix so we could be on the LadyFest compilation c.d. In retrospect, I think we used it as a sort of hint of what was to come on the second c.d. Though it may sound good to someone hearing it for the first time, the engineer Joe would agree it was a rush job, and he’s eager to bring out all the sounds and make it so much better. For one, the guitar solo which should sound searing is almost inaudible.

After over 20 years, it is sad to me that the message of acceptance stays relevant. Since its inception, the world has clung stubbornly to intolerance on so many levels.

We have less than 2 weeks to raise over $4k so please if you can’t donate, share, share, share! And don’t forget to hashtag #freeMoxie kickstarter

I took a few minutes to make a spreadsheet of Rolling Stones top 100 songwriters of all time. Does this bother anyone else besides me? Look how long the male column is! You can View the spread on Rolling Stone>> Please take a minute to contact them: letters@rollingstone.com (you can see my letter at bottom of page)

What I will email to letters@rollingstone.com- Only 15/100 greatest songwriters of all time are women, half of which have male partners. Can you explain why? Are men better songwriters? Do you think this is fair? Is it a reflection of your methods to determine your list of 100? Do you think it reflects something greater, like opportunities for women in music?

I was thinking of maybe giving up songwriting. It’s just at the end of everyday, I check the stats and not many people are listening. I know a few people who would say it’s not about that, you do it for yourself. But not really, right? Thinking, that’s something you do for yourself. Or masturbating. But this is like talking to a wall.

But then..sometimes, like tonight, they keep me up. One, maybe two. They swirl around and around my head, melodies and fragments of sentences. Around and around, I can hear them, but moreso I can feel them, feel what they mean before they even make logical sense, they’re like a punch in the gut or elation, as if I was levitating out of bed.

I’m not a poor lost soul, I’m not a suffer for your art kind of gal. I live a very busy, full, well rounded life. But here I am, past 2am, and this song is so alive inside me as it has been since midnight. Doh. I would never ever wish it away, but nights like this are torture.

SCROLL DOWN & you can hear song right on this page!

Radio dropped today on most streaming services. It’s one of the lost tracks recorded with The Pollynoses circa…hmmm….2003?? This song was recorded in the top floor walk up apartment of Matt Roth in the East Village. (brilliant engineer AND musician AND songwriter you may know as Major Matt Mason U.S.A. and Schwervon and Broken Heart Syndrome) Scott MX Turner’s drum kit was set up ON a mattress so we wouldn’t disturb the neighbors. I remember Scott bouncing like crazy, and wondering how in the HELL he was able to hold it down.

Tony Tone commented on I.G. yesterday that this was maybe the most difficult song he ever played! Lol, I don’t know why that strikes me as so FUNNY. I’m no freaking Mozart. It’s just a dumb punk rock pop song. I assumed he was referring to the key changes, but Tony pointed out the timing is weird. Yeah, what do you know, I wasn’t able to count 4 even beats when I thought about it. What is it? 7/8? 4/4 then 3/4? ugh. My brain does NOT process music the traditional way, I may never know.

All I know is key changes and weird time signature aside, it feels like it should feel, flows like it should flow. To my ears, I don’t even hear the modulation, nor realize it’s there til I go to play it.

This week: Message or call Orange Door Music Video and THANK them for taking steps to include more women on their playlists! Facebook Message them call 1-888-679-7422 email contact@orangedoormusic.com Continue reading for full story. My two little messages to the restaurant then to the streaming company already made a difference. Imagine the further impact YOUR one extra contact will have??

Continue reading “Ladies Inclusion Pestering Scheme”

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