Hibernation is over. Our west coast dream of donning winter jackets in sub-60º weather has finally come to an end. Another insufficient rainy season has once again passed, water restrictions are still in effect and yet our desert climate is temporarily green.

It’s also the beginning of another season of doing the fortunate work of bringing people together and making music. Work that would truly be impossible without your engagement with it.

So thanks for listening and I hope to see you out there.

NEW SOLO ALBUM

Not one of the records I’ve ever made has been a truly “solo” album. Even the ones with my name on them.

Ok, there was a blackmail-worthy string of early music from my junior year of high school on a rented 8-track machine -- now, that was truly solo work.

At the end of May, a supergroup is converging on our new home in Ojai, California and we’re setting out to make an album.

I don’t know if the album will be by the guy/band/idea Syd or if we’ll invent some new band name for it, but I’m so excited to be bringing songs to the table that have been worked up just for this purpose. We’ll have to wait and see what the songs become.

Zac Clark has so far been the Producer of this album, helping assemble the cast of characters that will be involved. This includes Dylan Allen, Mia Dyson, Sam Smith, Joe Ballaro, Sam Bolle and, of course, Zac himself.

I expect guest appearances from friends and family will be in order.

I will share news about this project as it happens. Through this project and the subsequent Pledge Campaign to release the music, I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with you.

It’s been too long.

THE PULLMEN FULL LENGTH IN PROGRESS

On our unforgettable first European Tour last fall, The Pullmen secured a record deal with Beast Records in France to release our very first full-length album.

That means we got to commit to writing an album’s worth of material. The working title of the record is Wolves and watching it come to life with the help of our friend Armand Anthony has been a rock and roll fantasy. One that involves a lot of guitars.

We have done a bunch of the recording at our house and it’s worth watching this video of Dari singing…errr…screaming backup for one of our favorite songs of the bunch.

MIA DYSON WEST COAST TOUR

Next week, Mia and I are hitting the road and doing a string of dates up and down the west coast. We’ll be joined by our friend Sam Bolle on bass for the majority of the dates, though we plan to do the first few of them as a guitar/drums duo.

Tour Dates

playing drums with Mia Dyson

miadyson.com

Apr 23 - Green Frog Cafe Acoustic Tavern - Bellingham, WA
Apr 24 - The Wise Hall - Vancouver, BC
Apr 27 - BC House Concert B - Victoria, BC
Apr 28 - Duff's Garage - Portland, OR
May 1 - Seattle Living Room Show Presents… - Seattle, WA
(visit www.seattlelivingroomshows.com to be the first to receive the ticket link)
May 2 - Diamond Hitch Mule Ranch - Kimberly, OR
May 4 - Volcanic Theatre Pub - Bend, OR
May 5 - House Concert - Ashland, OR
(reservation required, email efholland@yahoo.com to reserve your spot)
May 8 - Torch Club - Sacramento, CA
May 12 - Hotel Cafe - Los Angeles, CA
May 13 - Soho Restaurant & Music Club - Santa Barbara, CA
May 16 - Standing Sun Wines - Buellton, CA

RECORDS TO HEAR

If you have made it to the bottom of this email, you deserve a special reward. Say, a recommendation for music that I think you’ll really like. I am, after all @sydmusic, not @sydtheater or @sydfarming.

Two of my friends made albums you should hear:

Peter Katz - We Are The Reckoning

Peter’s very well-known in Canada and abroad, but is probably a mystery to you and shouldn’t be. This mature, playful, beautiful bunch of songs feels the most like the guy I know of any of his recorded work to date.

Joe Pisapia - Nightvision

Joe is one of my mentors and inspires me to do the best I can to create the best I can. I’m working with him now on a new Mia Dyson album (shhhh!) and years ago Hotels & Highways stopped by his studio and sang on the song “Burned Out”.

See you out there.