04.14.2006

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And balls to this internet thing.

Yes. That sounds good. . It has been a while since we’ve cranked up this website, but now’s the time, children. Now’s the time, indeed. And since the interweb is working, and I feel something resembling gin-lust, it’s probably time to get something down, for whatever reason.

 A good place to start might be that my wife (an incredible woman, mind you. Staunch is the word that comes to mind. She could bend roofing nails with her gaze while coaxing sunflowers out of poisoned soil. She could re-create the world from memory and bring dead dogs back to life. Don’t cross her) and I moved from the sylvan climes of Williamsburg Brooklyn back home to the land of our meeting New Orleans. The move was kind of sudden—we’d been talking about it pre-k, but decided after we’d secured a Bunyonesque space in the nine that it was put up or shut up time. Compared to...

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04.06.2006

FIRST ANNUAL CHAZFEST COMES TO THE NINTH WARD

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Alex McMurray

info@alexmcmurray.com
www.chazfestival.com

FIRST ANNUAL CHAZFEST COMES TO THE NINTH WARD

In response to overwhelming demand to hear some of New Orleans finest musical talent in a festival setting, the first ever Chazfest will be held on Thursday, May 4 at The Truck Farm-- 3020 St. Claude Avenue in Americas own Ninth Ward. The fun begins at 12 noon and carries on all day until 10:00. Along with a veritable whos who of bands that wont be playing at the other music festival taking place in New Orleans at the beginning of May (as well as a couple that ARE!) there will be food served up hot and wet by The Joint, as well as Chef Yvette Yates (of Rio Mar). Weve even got port-o-lets.

Heres some of the acts that will be featured:

MORNING 40 FEDERATION, 007, TIN MEN, HOT CLUB OF NEW ORLEANS, THE HAPPY TALK BAND
KIRK JOSEPHS BACKYARD GROOVE,...

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04.05.2006

Introducing the First Annual - Chaz Festival

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Between that 'other festival's' two weekends - Thursday 4-May-06 at "The Truck Farm"
Come on out and get yer Chaz On!
All you need to know right - here


01.03.2006

Adios, Micky's Blue Room

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Howdy all...Micky's Blue Room is closing its doors on the 8th so come join us for one last Tuesday night tonight. I'll be with Greg Schatz and Rob Wagner, as well as special guest Deb Montgomery. I'll be joining Deb on her set. As always, 171 ave C. Starts around 9.

De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum,

Alex McMurray


12.31.2005

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Howdy folks.
007 is doing some dates in Houston, Lafayette and New Orleans in early January. Check the "shows" section for details. Bring your Shake.


12.31.2005

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It was the Chinese, I think, who came up with the proverb "may you live in interesting times". Well, maybe it wasn’t a proverb at all, but a curse. Something one might say to a rival or an adversary. Nonetheless, it was this phrase that stuck in my mind when Kourtney and I took our first look at post-Katrina New Orleans a few weeks ago. A very interesting place. You should go take a look. Another thing that got into my head was those Hindu guys and their notion that the Gods created us for their own amusement. I’m sure I’m mistaken, but somewhere down the line I heard that Krishna or Vishnu or whoever set up this proscenium one day and peopled it with people, wound them up and let it rip and now they’ve got a never ending Laverne and Shirley going on while they loll around the universe and eat papaya salad or whatever it is they eat up there. Now that I think about it, I find that...

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12.08.2005

Lyrics Online

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Due to the tenacity of certain fetishists I have typed out the lyrics to all the tunes on “Banjaxed” and have posted them on this site. Go to the “music” page and underneath the picture of “Banjaxed” there’s a link to “mp3 downloads and lyrics”. Click on that and you’re all set. Guaranteed to bring you right down. I’ll try to type out more Tin Men and F-bowl lyrics soon.


12.05.2005

Alex and Kourtney get HITCHED!

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Congratulations to the Happy Couple.
Go and check out the nice photo essay of the Happy Day. Kodak Photo Gallery
And there are a few shots on the Photo page as well.


12.03.2005

Going Back To New Orleans

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Hello y’all. My wife Kourtney and I are going down to do a little recon in New Orleans. While we’re there I’ll be doing a solo show at the Circle Bar on Sunday, December 11. I guess there’s a curfew, so I’ll probably start before the old starting time of 11 pm. Just use your best judgment, I guess. Also I’ll be with Jonathan Freilich doing a Tom Paines-esque show at Caf� Brasil on Sat 12/10. Come out and bring your Hang.


11.21.2005

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Alex McMurray is now available on CDBaby.com!
The ever expanding McMurray McMedia Machine (mmm...) has landed on CDBaby.com. This is a great site for independent artists, such as myself, to help get our music heard. They are also pretty good at selling and distribution. CDBaby has also recently joined forces with the nation wide electronic consumer powerhouse Best Buy. So it will now be possible to waltz into a Best Buy, discover, listen to and  order independent artist's music via their in-store kiosks. Including Alex McMurray - Banjaxed. Check it out Baby


11.06.2005

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Hello everyone. I finally have a little free time to piss away on the diary. Obviously there’s a lot going on. I have been running the two nights of New Orleans Band Hangs every Tuesday and Wednesday, and it’s a different lineup every night. Also working the job washing the glasses and taking out the trash. But I am fed and the bills are paid and there are new tires on the car.

Go SaintsStandard Time has been in effect for a week now and with it comes the old familiar gloomy feeling. Like when you put on the winter coat for the first time. Everyone seems to love the fall (some would say Autumn) but I don’t. All around me I see only Death and Football. Both are inevitabilities, but it is probably the NFL that depresses me the most. It’s a sad and weary spectacle of pure boredom punctuated occasionally with hypercharged pituitary cases flinging themselves about to the tune of that stupid Gary...

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11.02.2005

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Hey there music fan, you wanna be my friend?
Go check out my in-progress MySpace page. Be 'MyFriend' and add me!
Why the MySpace page when I have this website you ask? Well, here at Camp McMurray headquarters, we feel that is time that the rest of world gets more McMurray, Tin Men, 007, Sad Band, Mad Band, 9th Ward Ramblers and any other damn thing we care to slap together. Then when we come to your quiet little town and rock your face off, we'll know in our hearts you had fair warning. Don't depend on FEMA to help your ass out after we pass through.
Remember our motto - 'Whatever it takes to have a little fun'.
If you act now, for a limited time, you may qualify to be my 'best friend'.
check it out today at - www.myspace.com/alexmcmurray


10.30.2005

The Ninth Ward Ramblers/Hot 8 Brass Band

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The Ninth Ward Ramblers will be opening up for the Hot 8 Brass band from New Orleans, USA.
This will be a great show benefiting the victims of hurricane Katrina.

Show at:
The Bait and Tackle Bar
320 Van Brunt at Pioneer
Red Hook, Brooklyn

The Ninth Ward Ramblers are:
Martin Krushe-saxophone
Alex McMurray-guitar and Vocals
Greg Shatz-Bass, accordion, and vocals
Scott Murchison-drums
Download the cool poster for this event HERE (2mb .pdf)


10.14.2005

Save the Music: Big Easy Musicians Come to Bard for Benefit - Daily Freeman

DailyFreeman.com

DailyFreeman.com by Bonnie Langston

New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but the city's music lives, something French Quarter regulars Coco Robicheaux and the band Tin Men will demonstrate tonight in a benefit concert at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson...


10.06.2005

Jazz Concert at Bard to Benefit Victims of Hurricane Katrina

TC Extra/Lakeville Journal

TC Extra/Lakeville Journal

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—Jazz at Bard presents a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Katrina on Friday, October 14, featuring New Orleans musicians the Tin Men, Coco Robicheaux, and special guests. The suggested donation is $20. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. at Bard College’s Olin Hall. Concerned about friends in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, Bard alumna Raissa St. Pierre ’87 was only too eager to help Tom Thayer organize a concert of New Orleans bands. Thayer, from Tivoli, New York, owns the club DBA in New Orleans, which is a mainstay of the music scene on Frenchman Street on the edge of the French Quarter...


10.05.2005

NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS JOIN JAZZ AT BARD FOR A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA

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Concert Friday October 14th 2005

All-star musical lineup includes the Tin Men, Coco Robicheaux, and other special guests

Emily M. Darrow
845-758-7512
darrow@bard.edu mailto:darrow@bard.edu
http://www.bard.edu/news/calendar/
Friday 14-Oct-2005

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.-Jazz at Bard presents a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Katrina on Friday, October 14, featuring New Orleans musicians the Tin Men, Coco Robicheaux, and special guests. The suggested donation is $20. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. at Bard College’s Olin Hall.

Concerned about friends in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, Bard alumna Raissa St. Pierre ’87 was only too eager to help Tom Thayer organize a concert of New Orleans bands. Thayer, from Tivoli, New York, owns the club DBA in New Orleans, which is a mainstay of the music scene on Frenchman Street on the edge of the French Quarter. “Tom had...

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09.23.2005

BREAKING NEWS!

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Katrina has created a huge diaspora of New Orleans musicians, some of whom have ended up in the nyc area. There are now two weekly events designed to give musicians a place to blow and hang, and for those interested to listen and hang as well.

ALEX MCMURRAY PRESENTS
Starting Tuesday Oct. 4 and every Tues. thereafter
MICKY’S BLUE ROOM
171 AVE C btw 10th and 11th streets
(212) 375-0723
starting around 10:00
Get off your ass and get to Micky’s.
I’ll be doing a solo set, then we’ll be featuring guest artists doing their tunes, followed by some jamming.


REFUGEE BAND HANG
Every Wednesday night at 10:00
NIAGRA
112 Ave A at 7th street
(212) 420-9517
This is downstairs in the tiki bar. We did this the other night and it was VERY raucous. No cover, but we pass the hat pretty strenuously. 

ALEX MCMURRAY AND THE SAD BAND
Playing dates in NYC. See the SHOWS section for all details....

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09.23.2005

Well they say there’s a hurricane going on in New Orleans today. All my television offers is The People’s Court. My phone gets no incoming calls. For some reason I can’t get online. I seem to have drifted into a paradise of ignorance. All I know is that my friend Yvette has assured me that my 1960 Fender Concert amplifier is safe on the second story of her house. All in all, I’d say the situation is excellent.

We had some tours lately, one with 007 and another with the Tin Men immediately afterwards. Before I say anything else I’d like to talk a little about a place called Grape Street in Philadelphia.

If you read my last diary entry, you will recall a little rant about a certain club that stiffed the Tin Men last spring. I didn’t use the name of the club because I had to play there again with 007. You will also recall that in that rant...

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08.07.2005

007 and Tin Men - East Coast Shows added!

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Go check out all the details on the 007  - 'Shows' Page.
Come on out so we can Rock You Steady.

Go check out all the details on the Tin men - 'Shows' Page.
Come on out so we can Confuse and Enlighten.


06.29.2005

Alex - Video Diary Entry - Play (1.4Mb QuickTime)

It’s nice to finally be able to get a moment to do a diary entry. I’ve been busy as hell, and nothing sticks in my head right now, so I’m just going to try to catch up. There have been a lot of things in the past few months that have happened where I said to myself, “gee, there’s something for the diary”, but for the most part it’s good that I didn’t put them down as they were at least in one case a totally vitriolic rant about the scumsucking, lying, venal cunt who screwed one of my bands out of some money at a certain club that, unfortunately, I’ll have to play at again. Suffice it to say, this piece of dogshit will get a large piece of my opinion shoved very far up his ass as soon as this certain gig is over and whatever pittance this slimeball deems fit to hand over is...

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