May 14, 2008

It Was Once New Amsterdam

Alright, I'm just back from New York City where I had one of the best trips ever. My old friend Brett and I took in a Yankee game, where they won (4 homeruns) great seats and excellent ballpark food. Even the weather was perfect. I think the photos says it all.

This wasn't just a pleasure trip though. I got to play music, both Irish and contemporary in a few places and set up some awesome contacts for my next trip there, probably in the fall. I didn't get any photos of the Irish jam, but below is a picture of the two lovely ladies that let me take the stage at The Village Lantern on Sunday night. They were both extremely talented and I'm hoping to get them down to the ATL some time soon. See if you can guess why I took the last picture posted here. Do you recognize it?

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May 6, 2008

Cinqo Swim

It was a busy Cinqo De Mayo for your truly. First there was the 7am wake up call for the Wild Wing Weed Hockey Tournament, where my friends, Chad, Dave, Don and myself were defending champs. Unfortunately we not in as good a form this year, but we really did have fun. Pretty cool sombreros, right?.

Later that night I was back at Limerick Junction for the Cinqo festivities, which turned out huge. I sold about half a dozen CDs and made a lot of new friends. I'm off to New York later this week, so I'll check back in here when I get back. I should have some good pictures to share. See you all soon.

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May 4, 2008

Craicin' Good Time

Finished up to the weekend and ended up having a great time Saturday night with my friend Neal Lee on The Bodhrán. We had some very good moments thoughout the night. Enjoy the photos.

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April 30, 2008

No Nay Never

First night back at the Limerick in a few weeks. Was a good night. Most of The Bastards showed. Many car bombs were consumed. It should be a good week.

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April 25, 2008

Trying To Keep Pace

About once every 4 months I get to play the 5 Paces Inn / One Pace Over club in Buckhead. It's always an energetic crowd and last night was no exception. Met some cool people and made some friends. A pretty good singer chick, Samantha I think, got up and did a few tunes with me too. Sounded good. Here's some pics.

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April 21, 2008

Spring Has Sprung

We had some great weather and great friends come out to Marlow's yesterday. The outdoor music season is finally here. Beside the crowd shot, there's one of me with my newlywed friends, Nick and Summer Horton. Thanks for coming guys. It was a lot of fun.

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April 11, 2008

Ask And You Shall Recieve

Very cool! Last week I came here and complained about my lack of photos from St. Patty's and yesterday someone sent me one! It's a good one too. Say hello to Martin, Alexis, Monica and Denise. The hairy overly tan guy in the middle? Well, that's me. Thanks guys!

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April 3, 2008

Recovered From St. Patrick's Day

It was an amazing week and it nearly killed me. I'm only exaggerating a little here. It was so busy and crazy, I completely forgot to attain any photographic evidence of the proceedings. I would invite anyone who may have taken pictures of me or my band or the crowd from Limerick Junction, to e-mail me with them and I'll be happy to post them on the site. In the mean time, I've resolved to check in more often on the blog and keep everyone updated on what's happening. See you soon.

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January 28, 2008

I'M BUSY! OKAY?!

Honestly, where is the time going. Ah well, not much to report anyway. Baby boy and mother are fine, I'm healthy and solidly booked through most of 2008. Still get to do a little live TV once in a while. Life is good and getting better all the time. Thanks for checking in. Here are a few self explanatory pics.

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HEY, BUY MY NEW CD!

November 6, 2007

It's A Boy And A CD!

I'm not comparing these two events in my life. I'm just saying they've both happened since the last time I checked in with you. I'm sure you understand why I've been out of communication for a while. At any rate, my son, Austin, is doing well, as is his mother, and we are as happy as we could be. I've posted a few (believe me, only a fraction) of the photos we've taken of him to this point. Isn't he awesome?

In other news, my long awaited (mostly by me) CD is finally out. It's called Light And Shadow and I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I think there is something on it for just about everyone. I'm selling it at my shows as well as on my Myspace page (myspace.com/galencrader). It will also be available on ITunes and Rhapsody in January, but that announcement is for another time. In the mean time, enjoy some samples here on my site, and buy the damn CD if you're not too cheap! I've got a kid to support for cryin out loud!

August 2, 2007

I'm Not Quite Dead Yet

But I have been out of touch way too long. I've been obsessing on this album for the last several months as well as being occupied with some personal matters, and the other parts of my life have been suffering for it. On the bright side, I'm applying the finishing touches to it this week, and should have it off to mastering by the end of the month. We are shooting for some kind of release party in September so keep an eye out for the invite to be coming soon. See you then.

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May 12, 2007

Okay, Now It's Finished!

Well, I think I rushed to get that first song on the site before I was really happy with it. I've reworked that song and recorded a second one called "Wasn't This Love?" which seems to be a favorite among my regulars. That should be what you are hearing now. If you'd like to hear the new improved "Girl" just go to the Samples page and click the link. Remember, there are still no bass tracks laid down on these songs, but that's coming soon.

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April 27, 2007

Hey, I Finished A Song!

If I've done this right, you should be hearing a home studio recorded version of "The Girl She Used To Be" playing on this page. I just finished mixing it yesterday, and I play all the instruments, so forgive my simplistic drumming. Hope you like it!

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April 07, 2007

They Were After Me Lucky Charms

What a night! Two nights actually. Limerick Junction, one of Atlanta's most authentic Irish Pubs, is out of control on Wednesday nights. Big thanks to "The Bastards" for knowing all the retorts to all the choruses of every song I did. Really good people. See you back there in a couple of weeks guys.

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March 30, 2007

Gone Fishin', Bass Fishin'

My buddy Shannon and I went up to Lake Lanier today for some afternoon bass fishing. It started pretty slow, but before long we were pulling in fish left and right, then left again. The pic below is one of the better ones I landed toward the end of the trip. The video is from the ride back where we were doing about 55mph over some pretty choppy water. The last few seconds of the video are pretty out of control.

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March 28, 2007

St. Patrick's Day Goes On

I got some good news yesterday. Gordon Kerr, from Limerick Junction, agreed to book me there for a few dates in April. I was in there a few nights ago and did a tune with the great Barry Nelson and I think I impressed the right people. Word got back to Gordon, and there you are. Look for the dates on the "Gigs" page and join me for an evening of traditional Irish folk music, with some other stuff thrown in for fun. See you there!

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March 9, 2007

Still A Mile High

From the trip that is. What a week, one of the best ever. I arrived in Denver on Friday afternoon, after working at Headline News all morning, and went straight from the airport to the Toad Tavern thanks to my buddy Jason. We arrived in plenty of time as it turns out, because the second act had cancelled, moving my time slot back a bit. A bus load of my friends and family showed up to see the show and spend some time together. It was truly a great night.

On Sunday the boys and I headed off for Steamboat Springs. I had never been there myself, so I was constantly in awe of how big this place is and how well it's run. I snowboarded till I could barely walk, but I think I made some progress. The guys on the trip were all good friends and we had an absolute blast. The captain never turned on the "no drinking" light apparently and unfortunately. The last picture is taken just before we hit the tubing run. We were subsequently asked to leave the tubing area after taking the run all at once, a giant screaming mass of tube fury, something we were of course specifically asked not to do. Hilarious!

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February 16, 2007

There Are Fado's and Fadon'ts

Alright, that's not a very good pun, but it was a good gig. Drummer Dave and I rocked out at the Buckhead landmark Thursday night to a very enthusiastic crowd. We always have a good time there, but last night was awesome. Thanks to everyone who came out.

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January 10, 2007

Video From Puerto Blues Fest

Most of this footage is from my digital camera, so the sound quality kind of blows, but you'll get the idea. I tried to keep it short enough that it would download in a reasonable amount of time. It's about 9MB, so it shouldn't be too bad. Just click the photo below to start downloading the WMV format video.

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January 9, 2007

Long Time Gone

Well hello everyone! I know it's been a very long time since I checked in and told you what I've been up to. Busy holiday season you know. I hope you are all well and had a good holiday. My gig schedule is finally up to date and we are starting at Fado's Thursday night, which we are very jazzed about. I hope to see all of you there.

I've just returned from Mexico where I played the Puerto Blues Fest 07' with an incredible group of musicians. I was blown away at how well this thing was put on. I have many highlights, photos and some video to share with you all. My good friend and bass player, Mike Facen, put the whole thing together for me. He put together an amazing band that included horns and a smoking lead guitar player named Enrico Crivellaro. I think it's the most fun I've ever had playing music. Take a look.

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November 15, 2006

Happy Birthday To Me

Got some nice cards and some great books for my birthday this year. The weather is awful here in Atlanta today, so it's a good day to read. I'm back at Hemingway's tomorrow, so I'll see you all then.

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November 12, 2006

Have I Told You About My Dream Job?

For a long time now I've wanted to get a job doing voice work at The Cartoon Network and finally put all these voices in my head to good use. Recently I've actually started making steps toward that goal in writing and producing some demos to submit to them. I have written two of them to this point, one for character voices and the other for accents.

I finally laid down the tracks for the "Accents" reel and edited it together yesterday. I will link it here and put it on the "Other Stuff" page as well. The material is a bit edgy in some places, so if I offend anyone, I apologize in advance. It's also a 4MB mp3 file so it may take a little while to download. Again, sorry.

Click For Accent Demo.

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November 9, 2006

Bump On Head Better Than Sharp Stick In Eye

So, many of you who have seen me in action this week have noticed a rather ugly looking head wound near my right eye. I took a pretty bad spill back on Saturday and struck my noggin. No, I was not drunk, just unlucky. It's going to be fine, just another scar on an already very scarred face.

I was called in to CNN on the following Wednesday and I have to credit the make-up department with doing a very good job hiding the scar and accompanying black eye. Take a look at the before and after photos below. The scar is also pretty prevalent in the gig photo at Hemingway's the following night with a lovely woman named Mary. Looks pretty gross.

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October 27, 2006

One More For The Road

The recording process is slow and tedious. I don't have a 4-track anymore, so my recordings are live and I have to get it right in one go, or start again. Still I've managed to get a few more down on the site. There is a song called "This Ain't The Blues" which is a load of vitriolic nonsense really, but fun to sing. I wrote it about 6 months ago. There is also a song called "Mr. Loose End" that I wrote several years ago. It's about my disorganized life and how it leads to problems. I wrote it shortly after moving to Atlanta. Also, there is a new version of "Good As Gold". I wasn't very happy with the recording of it that was there before.

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October 26, 2006

Quiet Please, Recording In Progress

I've had a couple of days off in a row this week, which is pretty uncommon these days, and I've been trying to get some work done on recording some scratch tracks for my CD. Scratch tracks are used as a template for the producer to arrange the song and get it ready to record. It's is all on me to get these songs ready for the studio, as soon as that happens. Tonight I laid down a rough version of "Back To You Again" which should be playing as you read this. If not, go to my "Live Samples" page and scroll down to the original material. Many of you know this song from my show. I wrote it on my last trip to Colorado during a snow storm. I've been doing it live for some time now. For those of you who haven't heard it, hope you like it.

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October 24, 2006

Calendar Now Actually Legible

Yes, thanks to some help from my web buddies in New York, my "Upcoming Gigs" page is now easy to understand. No more wondering what the hell day of the week the 4th is! It's the little things that make all the difference, right?

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October 22, 2006

Freaks On Parade

It was one of the most disturbing and hilarious spectacles I've even witnessed. The Little Five Points Fall Parade is full of odd and off-beat people and features floats that you would call "unconventional". I had a great time watching the festivities and playing music for the masses at the Front Page News on Monroe. I made a lot of new friends who I hope will come out the next time I play there. See you soon.

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October 18, 2006

I Love It When You Call Big Papa!

That's a Hemingway reference by the way. That's where I'm spending my Thursdays these days and it keeps getting better everytime I go. A lot of friends showed up this week to show some love.

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October 11, 2006

It's Been A While

Alright, I've been on a couple of vacations over the past month or so. Mexico and Myrtle Beach respectively. I'm back home now and starting to get back in my rhythm. Below, you will find some photos of what I've been up to these past few weeks. The villa where I stayed in Puerto Escondido, some Mexican soap stars I met in Mexico City, some photos from our scuba trip and one of me and my buddy Brett. Below that you'll find a couple of pictures from the golf trip and one from last weeks gig at Loco's down in Newnan where I had an exceptional night last Tuesday. Other than that, I'm well rested and well tanned and ready for fall. See you all soon.

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August 21, 2006

KT Tunstall Is Stealing My Thunder

Well, sort of. I recently saw her on Letterman and she was using a Headrush. Those of you who know my work know that, over the last year, I've been using a looping device (Headrush) to layer guitar and vocals in my live performances. It seems miss Tunstall has discovered this little gem of a device and is using it everywhere she goes. I just don't want people thinking I ripped her off. As far as I know, I was the only guy using the Headrush this way. NOW EVERYONE'S GONNA DO IT. THANKS KT!

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August 1, 2006

Not Feelin' Too Good Myself

Somehow, I've managed to catch the flu in July. This is day 4 of being confined to my home, but I'm starting to feel much better. I'll be back in action this Thursday at Front Page News.

In the mean time, I did managed to upload some pics from last weeks show at Meehan's in Sandy Springs. It went very well, I thought. The set up in on a second floor balcony, but, amazingly, there is an elevator! Hallelujah! Look for my band to start performing there starting in September.

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July 26, 2006

New Venue For This Week

This Thursday, yes tomorrow, I'm getting a chance to play at a place I've been wanting to play for months. It's the newest Meehan's in Sandy Springs off of Roswell Rd. I'm just filling in for a cancellation, but if it goes well, I could get booked there starting in September. I need as many of you as possible to come help me out. Hope to see you there.

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July 21, 2006

Meet The Featherstones

I believe the residents of Bridge Mill in Woodstock are perhaps the finest people on the planet. Doing what I do for a living, you come to expect nights of general apathy and indifference. But occasionally, you can connect with an audience and give them an evening that they truly enjoy. I had one of those moments last night at Featherstone's. Great crowd, great energy and a lot of fun. Thanks everybody!

In other news, the featured song this week is my version of a Paul Simon classic. This was recorded at the Sunset last year. Hope you like it.

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July 10, 2006

She Knows Who She Is

This week's feature song is called 'The Girl She Used To Be' which I wrote several years ago, but have not recorded in a studio as of yet. This is a rough recording from my computer that I did for the guys in my band in order to learn the song. It turned out better than I thought it would so I posted it here.

In other news, I have finished work on the album cover and liner for the next CD I'm working on. It will be called 'Light and Shadow' and I hope to have it out by September. Take a look below and check 'em out. The song list for the record is pretty set, unless I happen to write something I really like in the next few weeks.

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July 5, 2006

A Whole Week Of Weather Guessing

So far I have to say I'm enjoying this week at Headline News. When I'm asked to do several days in a row, I'm actually able to get comfortable with process and improve a little. Chad Myers is always there to help me out as well. I'm proud to call him a good friend. Next week it's back to my normally abnormal life.

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July 2, 2006

Holy Merciful Crap!

I'm not usually given to gratuitous punctuation (ask anyone), but last night at Front Page News was awesome! The people were great, the equipment sounded good, the requests were right on, and everyone seemed to have the time of their lives. I haven't had that much fun playing music in a long time. Thanks and cheers to all.

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June 29, 2006

You're Soaking In It

If you've not visited my site in a while, you'll be surprised to hear that music in the background. We've programmed it to play a track from my live recordings automatically. This week, it's my version of 'Overkill' by Men At Work recorded at The Sunset in Nashville last year. I'll be changing them out periodically so it doesn't get tired. That is all.

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June 26, 2006

Rain On A Sunny Day

Dave and I had a good time at Marlow's on Sunday. Even though it threatened rain all day, a lot of people showed up to hang with us. Thanks to all.

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June 21, 2006

Caught Two Things I Didn't Want!

An adolescent raccoon and poison ivy. Sound weird? Well, it's all true. My friend, Brett, had both of these things in his yard in Yonkers. The raccoon had been separated from his family and stranded on the roof. I managed to shake him loose into an Ikea bag that they happen to have lying around. We took him down to the banks of the Hudson River and let him go. I think he'll be fine. The poison ivy was my own fault. Brett told me it was back there, and I just wasn't careful enough. In spite of all this, we managed to spend a couple of days in the city, went to the top of the Empire State Building, caught a Mets game and went to one hell of a good party. Good trip, good to be home.

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June 18, 2006

Video From HiFi Buys Gig

I did my best to edit this material on my own. I tried to keep it short enought that it would download in a reasonable amount of time. It's about 18MB, so it shouldn't be too bad. Just click the photo below to start downloading the WMV format video. In other news, I finally replaced the 2005 snowboarding video with the 2006 snowboarding video on the Other Stuff page. I don't know why that escaped me for so long, but it's there now and that's all that counts right?

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June 15, 2006

Off To Metropolis

I had an excellent time at Hemingway's tonight. We had great weather and butts in all the seats, so everyone was happy. I'm going to be in New York for the next week or so. I'm missing Marlow's Sunday for the first time in a while. I should be back by Thursday night. I'll be checking my e-mail, so drop me a line if anything important comes up.

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June 7, 2006

New Photos From Buffet Show

These were taken by Jackie, one of the venue's organizers for House Of Blues, just before the rain came down. That's Drew Lawson on bass and, of course, my old friend Dave MacLean on drums. I think I'll have video soon, so stay tuned.

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