Music

So On and So Forth

Release Date: March 4, 2016

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Track Listing:

Yesterday Lies
Games
Played the Fool
Straight in the Night
Paris Calling
Further
Stop and Rest
Easy Come, Easy Go
A Painting by Hieronymus Bosch
Wrecking Ball
Silver Line
Omaha

FOR POPPY

I have several songs inspired by my grandfather George Griffin. We appeared together in a music video for my song “I Remember,” and I talk about him a lot at my shows. However, I’d like to dedicate So On and So Forth to my grandfather Jack House, who I call “Poppy.”

Storytelling seems to run in the family, and “so on and so forth” is one of those old-school phrases Poppy uses quite often when recalling events of the past.

Poppy was a world-class athlete. He played football at Indiana University and set nearly a dozen track and field records at Springfield High School, where he graduated in 1947. At that time, they ran on cinder tracks (which were a good deal slower than the all-weather tracks they run on today), and they ran yards instead of meters. He held the record in the 100, 220 and 440. It’s unknown if some of those records are still recognized today because of the switch from yards to meters, but if you find yourself in Springfield, Ohio you can go by the Hall of Fame at the Springfield High School and find his picture there.

Without his “blood in my veins,” I may not have been able to accomplish what I have thus far with music.

I think Poppy’s tough genes have helped me barrel through over a decade of driving myself hundreds of thousands of miles to my own shows, playing night after night, and being my own tour manager. The kind of hard traveling that comes along with playing music for a living has often felt more like a hard-hitting football game than an art. The show only lasts 90 minutes or so, but it often takes a whole day just to get to the stage.

I wasn’t quite as fast as Poppy, and don’t have any phrases as good as “so on and so forth,” but I think both running and storytelling are hard wired in my DNA. They’ve served me well for a lot of years, so thanks, Poppy.

A NOTE ABOUT THE RECORD

I was playing a show at the Saint in Asbury Park in the spring of 2015, and I was having a particularly serendipitous day. Strange and coincidental things were happening that were begging me to pay close attention, like someone was trying to give me a sign. To add to the feeling of magic in the air that day were the memories of my visit to Asbury Park at the Paramount theatre when I was invited to open some shows for Patti Scialfa. Meeting Patti, her husband Bruce Springsteen, and the wonderful characters in their band and crew is still such a great memory for me that I’m sure helped encourage the idea of making a record in Asbury Park.

It would have been much “safer” and practical on many levels to just stay in Nashville and record my new album, but I ended up taking a chance and following my intuition into the unknown. I’d never met the band and had no idea how it’d turn out, but it ended up being one of the most fun and positive recording experiences I’ve ever had.

We tracked the whole record at Lakehouse Recording Studios in the summer of 2015. It took about two weeks, and almost everything you hear on the record is live. We decided to not use a click track on any of the songs.

Jon Leidersdorff helped me assemble a great band. We did very minimal overdubs—a guitar or organ here and there, and some BGVs. I re-cut a few vocals, but a lot of them are live. For the most part, the record is the band and me, in a room, playing the songs, and capturing it on recording.

The whole experience was stress free and easy. There was no drama, and everyone was professional and easy to be around. I think we all managed to take our jobs seriously, but not take ourselves too seriously. Egos were checked at the door—a rare occurrence in the music business! I like that about this record. It feels like a record where the EGO is waning.

I’m so glad I followed my gut and went up to Asbury Park to make this album. It will always be a magical spot for me, and it’s even more special to me now.

SPECIAL THANKS

I’d like to thank everyone who helped make this record:

Alex Brumel: lead guitars
Tom Cottone: drums
Jonathan Tea: piano and organ
Rob Tanico: bass
Jon Leidersdorff: BGVs on “Easy Come Easy Go”
Evan Rudenjak: BGVs on “Silver Line”
Khadijah Mohammed: BGVs on “Paris Calling,” “Wrecking Ball” and “Yesterday Lies”
Leia Rochester: BGVs on “Yesterday Lies”
Griffin House: guitars, vocals and BGVs

Produced by Griffin House and Jon Leidersdorff
Recorded and Engineered by Tim Pannella

I’d like to thank every one of you who helped make this record possible through the Pledge music campaign.

A very special thanks to Sharon Shin (Denver Golf Pal), Carol Clair, Kathleen Wittbold (& Emily, Ted, & Reilly), Laurelie Wallace, Priscilla Nelson Johnson, “Cincy Rick Wall,” Sharon & Ian Duffy, Kostis Agrafiotis, Fran & Cliff Langner-Zelinsky, The Mickelsons, Hillstrom Family, Baby The Magical Goddess Of The Forest, Robert Dugan, Bert Livanec/Mudbug Merch, Kay M. Frye, Clay Kutch, Harry & Marianne McConnell, Mei Verba, Waseem & Kellie Kunbargi, Lisa Nave Buck, Ray Coles, Robert J Regan, Lea Dillow, Bill & Sharrie Heibl, Warren Lam, Robert & Laura Nasca, Ricky and Mary Thane, Roger Quick, Peter Malek, Jason Berman & Devon Ball, Maria Mateus, Dan Clark, Isabel Doran, One True Lana, Jason Leonard, Bob & Ginnie Freeburn, Laurie Tissot, David M Hedley, Tom Emerick, Bill & Dawn Kuipers, Jackie & Jay Lauderdale, Ronda James & Donald Grearson, and an extra special thank you to the Lynch Family.

Thank you so much to the most important people in my life: my lovely wife, Jane, and our two daughters, Emma and Clara.

And thanks to all my friends and family. Thanks Rick Bovee for all your support these last few years. Richlyn Marketing, Laurel Falkenstein, Melissa Farina, and Jamie Lokey.

Photo credits: McConville Studio and Camron Windy
Lee and Sharisse Coulter
Website Design: Envision Marketing