The last post (here)

I've been neglecting this site and have decided to just integrate all the songs into my more active blog, chuckFALZONE.com. You can find all the songs there, interspersed with other posts, and when I record new stuff, I will post it there and not here.

I'm aiming to record at least a song a month in 2009 so please follow the link and keep an eye out over there.

Thanks!

Live and in person with the Bob Dylan Ensemble

Spread the word far and wide, I'll be singing and playing this Saturday at the Hidden Cove with the Old Town School of Folk Music's Bob Dylan Ensemble. For those of you around Chicago, come on out. Here are some of the reasons you should:

• We'll be mining some pretty obscure material--great Dylan songs that you've likely never heard.
• It's at the Hidden Cove on Lincoln Ave. north of Foster. Have you seen their sign? Come on, that's reason enough right there.
• It's early, 7pm!
• It's FREE. No Cover!
• We'll be followed by Crustz, featuring Jimmy Tomasello and Steve Levitt. (No, I haven't heard Crustz, either, but I'll bet they'll be worth a listen.)
• You know you want to.

Here's all the relevant info:

Saturday, October 25, 7pm
at The Hidden Cove
5336 N. Lincoln Ave.
Free of charge


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Not Dark Yet

A cover of a Dylan song that appeared on his 1997 album, Time Out of Mind:

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The Cubs are down 0-2, have looked terrible against the Dodgers so far in the series, and now would have to win two in L.A. and one more at Wrigley. Game three is about to start... "It's not dark yet, but it's getting there."

I actually recorded this several weeks back but hadn't gotten around to mixing and posting it. It seemed appropriate to do so today.

Next up I want to get back to some more old timey songs. And hopefully at least a couple a month. We'll see.

I'm Not There

"I'm Not There (1956)" is possibly my favorite Bob Dylan song. There's an immediacy to the emotion there but at the same time you can spend however long you like trying to "figure it out."

I've been working on playing it for a while now. This recording is definitely just a stop along the way. I'm already past it and may give it another shot again soon.

I couldn't decide which way to go with the mix, so here are two alternatives, one dark and grimy, one clean and shiny. Let me know which works better for you.

Dirty:

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Clean:

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Suzanne and Long Black Veil

I know, it's been a while. Things should flow more regularly again now, though.

Today I have two songs that have been covered many, many times. Hopefully, my arrangements will hold some interest if you're already familiar with the songs.

First, "Suzanne," the Leonard Cohen song:

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Next, an old country ballad called Long Black Veil. This one has been most famously recorded by Johnny Cash and also by The Band. It sounds like one of those old ballads that's maybe been around for a hundred years or more...but in fact it was written in 1959, first recorded by Lefty Frizzell.

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I played a bit with the recording to get a certain sound for each song...ultimately, I probably could have kept it a whole lot simpler and it would have sounded about the same.

More coming soon.

Soundtrack to a Hiatus

I'm still here, and still not recording. I'll be up and running with a swank new recording set up pretty soon...and have some interesting things to post here from my past, if all goes well in transferring them from moldy old cassettes.

In the meantime, enjoy this French radio station I found.

Hiatus

The Chuck is on hiatus, friends, while I deal with buying a house, packing, moving, etc.

I'll be back in action sometime in April, I expect.