mike keneally

Mike Keneally recorded and toured with Frank Zappa.

July 2002 and 2003, he took part in the Zappanale festival in Germany, where he performed various Frank Zappa compositions in various line-ups.

June 2003 he played Frank Zappa compositions with Denny Walley's Zappa Corner Band and with Ed Palermo's Big Band at The Umeå Internationella Kammarmusik Festival.

April 2004, Keneally played "Absolute Zappa" with Kristjan Järvi's Absolute Ensemble.

www.keneally.com

 

discography

  1986 burning bridges- yayo (flexi-disc)  
  1987 james morton- let's make rhythm!  
  frank zappa: broadway the hard way (52)
   (1988, 2lp, usa, barking pumpkin)		  
  mike keneally: the wow sound of affable mort
    (1988, k7, usa, tar tapes)		  
  mike keneally: life's a butter dream - elephants walking under god
    (1988, k7, usa, tar tapes)		  
  mike keneally: fashion poisoning
   (1988, k7, usa, tar tapes)		  
  drop control: drop control
   (1990, k7, usa, tar tapes)		  
  frank zappa: the best band you never heard in your life (55)
   (1991, 2cd, usa, barking pumpkin)		  
  mike keneally: your way bitchin' bonus tape
   (1991, k7, usa, tar tapes)		  
  frank zappa: make a jazz noise here (56)
   (1991, 2cd, usa, barking pumpkin)		  
  frank zappa: you can't do that on stage anymore vol.4 (57)
   (1991, 2cd, usa, ryko)		  
  dweezil zappa: confessions (3)
    (1991, cd, fr, food for thought cdgrub-19) -  feat.mike keneally, scott thunes, ahmet zappa, al malkin		  
  1991 burke, solomon- homeland (guitar)  
 

1991 earl thomas- blue not blues

  
  1991 buddy blue- guttersnipes 'n' zealots  
 

1991 screamin' jay hawkins- black music for white people

  
 

1991 mark decerbo- baby's not in the mood

 
  1991 james morton- rock studies for drum set (mel bay)  
  1991 andy prieboy- montezuma was a man of faith ep  
  1991 andy prieboy- blood and concrete (original soundtrack)  

1

 mike keneally: hat (1)
    (1992, cd, usa, immune records) - feat.scott thunes		  
  frank zappa: you can't do that on stage anymore vol.6 (59)
   (1992, 2cd, usa, ryko)		  
  z: shampoo horn (4)    
    (1993, cd, usa, barking pumpkin r2 71760) = ahmet & dweezil zappa, feat. thunes, keneally, bozzio		  
  various artists: zappa's universe
    (1993, cd, nl, verve 513575-2) - incl. various zappa band alumni performing frank zappa's compositions		  
  various artists: choice morsels
    (1993, cd, usa, verve/polygram) - incl. various zappa band alumni performing frank zappa's compositions		  
 

1993 screamin' jay hawkins- stone crazy (guitar, keyboards, vocals)                                                     

 
  1993 bonilla, marc- american matador (organ)  
  1993 negativeland- negativconcertland (bootleg cd)  

2

 mike keneally: boil that dust speck (2)
    (1994, cd, usa, immune records)		  
 

1994 jip- glee (produced by keneally)

 
  1994 marcelo radulovich- marcelo radulovich  
  1994 screamin' jay hawkins- somethin' funny goin' on  
  1994 robert vaughn and the dead river angels  
  1994 earl thomas- extra soul  
  z: music for pets
    (1995, cd, usa, zappa records)		  
 

1995 tales from yesterday: yes tribute (guitar, vocals)

 
  1995 ultra 7- trummerflora  
  1995 kevin gilbert- supper's ready (genesis tribute album)  
  1995 the mistakes- the mistakes  
  1995 matthew lien- bleeding wolves  
  mike keneally & beer for dolphins: half alive in hollywood (3)
   (1996, 2cd, usa, immune records) 		 
 

1996 supper's ready- supper's ready (guitar, recorder, kalimba)

 
  1996 the booligans- last call  
  mike keneally & beer for dolphins: sluggo (4)
   (1997, cd, usa, immune records)		  
  mike keneally: the tar tapes vol.1 (5)
   (1997, cd, usa, immune records)		  
 

1997 mark craney & friends- something with a pulse

 
  1997 ed palermo- the ed palermo big band plays the music of frank zappa (guitar)  
  1997 giant tracks- (gentle giant tribute album)  
  1997 steve vai- g3 live in concert (percussion, guitar, keyboards, sitar)  
  1997 steve vai- merry axemas- a guitar christmas  
  mike keneally: the tar tapes vol.2 (6)
   (1998, cd, usa, immune records)		  
  chris opperman: oppy music vol.1: purple, crayon
    (1998, cd, usa, purple cow records pcr 001) - produced by mike keneally		  
  1998 steve vai- flex-able leftovers (cd re-issue) (uncredited, keys on #?@! yourself)  
  mike keneally: nonkertompf (7)
    (1999, 2cd, usa, exowax records)		  
  mull muzzler: keep it to yourself
    (1999, cd, usa, ??) - feat.mike keneally		  
  neil sadler: theory of forms
    (1999, cd, usa, bleeding arts ba 10012) - feat.m.keneally, walt, steve and bruce fowler and kurt mcgettrick 		 
  mike keneally & beer for dolphins: dancing (8)
    (2000, 2cd, usa, exowax records) - feat.chris opperman 		 
  nigey lennon: reinventing the wheel
    (2000, cd, usa, dinghy records  1001) - feat. candy zappa, mike keneally, incl. 'any way the wind blows' (frank zappa)

  steve vai: the 7th song
    (2000, cd, usa, epic 501093 2) - feat. mike keneally, terry bozzio, tommy mars		  
  chris opperman: klavierstücke
    (2000, cd, usa, purple cow records pcr 003) - produced by chris opperman and mike keneally		  
  dweezil zappa: automatic (6)
    (2000, cd, usa, favored nations entertainment) - feat.m.ågren, t.bozzio, m.keneally, s.thunes, ahmet zappa		  
  the persuasions: the persuasions sing zappa - frankly a capella
    (2000, cd, usa, earthbeat r2 79832) - all compositions by f.zappa, feat.bruce fowler, mike keneally, robert martin		  
  mike keneally: wooden smoke & wooden smoke asleep (9)
    (2001, 2cd, usa, exowax records) 		 
  various artists: eyeinhand sampler volume 1
    (2001, cd, spain, vaso music vm 032) - all zappa related artists		  
  2001 steve vai- alive in an ultra world  
  ndv: karma
    (2001, cd-pro, ger, ear candy records) - feat.mike keneally 		 
  andy west: rama i
    (2002, cd, usa, ??) - feat.mike keneally		  
  napoleon murphy brock: balls  (1)
    (2002, cd, usa, nmb 3118) - feat.chester thompson, mike keneally, jerry outlaw		  
  various artists: zappanale 13
    (2003, 3cd, ger, arf society) – incl. various artists playing frank zappa compositions		  
  various artists: zappanale # 13
    (2003, cd, ger, arf society) – incl. various artists playing frank zappa compositions		  
  eugene chadbourne and jimmy carl black: live at the zappanalle #14
    (2003, cdr, ger, inkanish) - incl. van vliet & zappa compositions / feat. mike keneally, martin smith & andy frizell		  
  ossi duri: x
    (2003, cd, italy, frfrfrz 87451) - incl. various frank zappa compositions		  
  various artists: zappanale 14 - 2003
    (2004, 3cd, ger, arf society) – incl. various artists playing frank zappa compositions

  mike keneally band: dog
    (2004, cd / dvd, usa, exowax 2406)		  
  mike keneally band: pup
    (2004, cd, usa, exowax 2406-2)		  
  keneally - metropole orkest: the universe will provide
    (2004, cd, usa, favored nations fn2400-2) 		 
  keneally - metropole orkest: parallel universe
    (2004, cd, usa, exowas recordings ex2407-1)		  
  various artists: zappanale 14 - retrospective
    (2004, dvd, ger, the arf society) - feat. various artists playing frank zappa compositions

  vai: piano reductions vol 1 - performed by mike keneally
    (2004, cd, usa, favored nations)		  
  chain: chain.exe
    (2004, cd, usa, ??) - feat. mike keneally		  
  chris opperman: concepts of non-linear time
    (2004, cd, usa, purple cow records pcr  004) - feat. mike keneally and marc ziegenhagen		  
  henry kaiser & wadada leo smith: yo miles! : upriver
    (2005, cd, usa, cuneiform records rune 201/202) - feat. mike keneally		  
  mike keneally band: guitar therapy live
    (2006, cd + dvd, usa, exowax 2408-1)		  
  frank zappa: trance-fusion
    (2006, cd, usa, zappa records)		  
  various artists: the frank zappa aaafnraa birthday bundle
    (2006, itunes, -) - feat. frank, moon, dweezil, ahmet & diva zappa		  
  mike keneally: hat
    (2007, cd+dvd, usa, exowax) - feat.scott thunes		  
  mike keneally: boil that dust speck
    (2007, cd+dvd, usa, exowax)		  
  golia, josephson, kaiser, keneally, morris, smith & walter: healing force - the songs of albert ayler
    (2007, cd, usa, cuneiform records rune 255) - feat. henry kaiser, mike keneally		  
  mike keneally: wine and pickles
    (2008, cd, usa, exowax)		  
  various artists: the frank zappa aaafnraaa birthday bundle 21 dec 2008
    (2008, itunes, -) - feat. frank, dweezil, ahmet & diva zappa

aaafnraaa2008.jpg (24142 bytes)
     

 

video

  1993 zappa's universe
  buckethead- binge III
  joe satriani, eric johnson, steve vai: g3 - live in concert
    (2000, dvd, usa, smv 50157 9) – feat.mike keneally; incl. ‘my guitar wants to kill your mama’ (frank zappa)
   joe satriani, eric johnson, steve vai: g3 - live in concert
    (2000, laserdisc, japan, srlm-1526) – feat.mike keneally; incl. ‘my guitar wants to kill your mama’ (frank zappa)
  various artists: zappanale 14 - 2003
    (2004, dvd, ger, the arf society) - feat. various artists playing frank zappa compositions
   
  mike keneally band: dog
    (2004, cd / dvd, usa, exowax 2406)
  various artists: guitar one - march 2007
    (2007, dvd, uk, bonus dvd with guitar one magazine) - incl. mike keneally and tom kolb
  the muffin men: muffinz moovies vol.two (1998-2003)
    (2007, dvd, uk, private release) - incl.various frank zappa compositions, feat. zappa alumni

 

concerts

* * * mike keneally & beer for dolphins: “the dancing tour '01” * * *

* * * the nonkertompf suite * * *

 

 

 

 

articles

THE KENEALLIST
2006 08 10

'HAT.' & 'BOIL THAT DUST SPECK' ARE BACK!

Exowax Acquires Keneally's Immune Records Catalog--

hat. & Boil That Dust Speck Pre-Orders Start Now!

The moment many doubted would ever come has finally arrived. After years of helplessly witnessing Mike Keneally's much-sought-after early albums become unavailable one by one, Keneally fans will be happy and relieved to learn that Mike's classic Immune Records titles are now safely home at Exowax Recordings, the label co-owned by Mike and his manager Scott Chatfield.

Mike's 1992 debut release, hat., will soon be released in a remastered Special Edition.

Boil That Dust Speck, the legendary second Keneally album, will also be released as a Special Edition.
The first two records to be reissued will be Mike's amazing 1992 debut, hat., and what has become the Holy Grail of the Keneally canon, 1994's Boil That Dust Speck. Each title will be remastered in a single-disc version with its original track order and each title will also be available as a Special Edition. The Special Editions will contain a remastered CD plus a region-free NTSC DVD featuring bonus tracks, rare studio footage, vintage live concert material, interviews with participants, and video from a 2006 reunion of the original core band (Mike Keneally, Doug Lunn and Toss Panos) performing songs from both albums. And of course, the first 3000 copies of each Special Edition will be personally signed and numbered by Mike.
How cool will the hat. and Boil That Dust Speck Special Edition DVDs be? Here's some recently unearthed footage of Mike, Doug and Toss recording the basic track of "Weekend" from Boil That Dust Speck at Doubletime studios back in February, 1994. The DVDs will include scads of revelatory moments like this one.
More info and audio samples are waiting for you at <www.keneally.com>.

Speaking of the DVDs, here's your chance to ask Mike, Doug, Toss or engineer Jeff Forrest any questions you may have about hat. and Boil That Dust Speck, how they were recorded, etc. We'll be videotaping the interviews at Doubletime studios this Saturday, August 12. Email your question(s) to us ASAP-- if any of your questions are answered on one of the DVDs, your name will be in the DVD credits. Send your hat. and Boil That Dust Speck question(s) to boilhat@keneally.com. Offer ends this Saturday at noon, PDT.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

The Special Editions are available for pre-order now, and the target shipping date is first quarter 2007. As with other Keneally releases, when you pre-order, your credit card will be debited immediately and your early contribution will be put to good use, funding this ambitious reissue program. The standard editions will be available online and in stores on the official release date.

Other Immune titles which will receive similar reissue treatment by Exowax in coming months are The Mistakes, Mike's 1995 groundbreaking collaboration with Henry Kaiser, Andy West and Prairie Prince; Half Alive In Hollywood by Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins, a scorching two-disc live album from 1996; and Sluggo! the technicolor Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins tour-de-force originally released in 1997. In addition, the long-form video Soap Scum Remover will be reissued as the bonus DVD for Half Alive In Hollywood.

To pre-order the Special Editions of hat., Boil That Dust Speck, hat. or Boil That Dust Speck T-shirts, the new Guitar Therapy Live CD/DVD, or any other Mike Keneally product, please go to MooseMart.com.

 

THE KENEALLIST, AUGUST 31, 2006: Guitar Therapy Live Reviews

Hi, Scott here. Gratifying reviews for the newly-released Mike Keneally Band CD/DVD Guitar Therapy Live are pouring in-- some of them are posted below for your reading pleasure. You can now pick up a copy at your local record store, download it from iTunes, or head to keneally.com for the numbered, autographed Special Edition with DVD.

And in case you missed the news, Mike's first two albums, hat. and Boil That Dust Speck, are being reissued by Exowax after many years of being unavailable. They can also be pre-ordered now at keneally.com.

Enjoy the reviews, and thanks for helping us continue to release new (and old) Mike Keneally music!

 

Bill Meredith, Jazziz:

"No doubt I´ll be shuffling into calmer areas as I continue this damned aging business," Mike Keneally writes in the liner notes to his latest CD, Guitar Therapy Live. "So here´s an album of our band while we were bringing the rock."

This disc actually transcends genres, rising above rock by mixing in elements of jazz, funk, humor, and classical music. Keneally contributed guitar, keyboards, and vocals to Frank Zappa´s final touring band, and these 14 tracks offer the latest proof that the like-minded student has overtaken his late mentor as a player and singer, if not a composer.

With Keneally´s guitar panned to the right channel and Rick Musallam´s guitar to the left, the introductory medley of "Quimby" and "Panda" shows how two guitarists can accomplish more through harmony than soloing. Longtime bassist Bryan Beller boasts a deeper, meatier tone than on Keneally´s previous studio recordings - and even performs three-part vocal harmonies with the guitarists during the vocal midsection of the manic "Lightnin´ Roy."

The instrumental "Seven Percent Grade" features Keneally´s classically trained piano playing - and leads to an impressive drum solo by Joe Travers. Surprises abound in the middle of the album, from Keneally´s falsetto on "Pride Is a Sin" to the acidic tranquility of "Machupicchu." The second half features requested favorites, from the Zappa-esque "Uglytown" to the bizarre "Voyage To Manhood" (which mocks the Christopher Cross hit ballad "Sailing"). Mere rock bands don´t sound like the one on Guitar Therapy Live, which is a recorded lesson in creativity, improvisation, and interplay.

 

Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide:

Among The Best of 2006 So Far: Four and a half stars

The ridiculously talented Mike Keneally delivers his first live album in nearly a decade, and it's a feast of guitar soloing and his strange and wonderful songs.

Since 2004's Dog was the hardest rocking album Mike Keneally had released up to that point, it came as no surprise that the subsequent tour ("Guitar Therapy") had the band "bringing the rock" to venues across the U.S. Keneally's a monster guitar player with an utterly personal style, and his songwriting is equally idiosyncratic, to say the least (just check out the very weird "Spoon Guy"). He's got a band who can easily negotiate the trickier musical passages as well as follow his lead when it comes to dynamics or improvisation, all the while flat-out rocking. Guitar Therapy Live is a great document of what these guys can do on any given night. It's got a raw, live sound with clearly separated guitars and everything mixed loud. In his always-entertaining liner notes, Keneally comments that he was "overplaying on every single solo," which, of course, is pretty much what Keneally fans are after. They won't be disappointed.

Following "Quimby," the customary opener, the band launches into a hot version of "Panda" that's got the first of many killer guitar solos. Then it's a tough version of another bizarre Keneally gem, "Lightnin' Roy." Second guitarist Rick Musallam gets a wonderful wet tone on that one, then cuts loose with a great solo on Bryan Beller's "Seven Percent Grade," while Keneally temporarily moves over to keyboards. The way the guitars are recorded and separated gives the listener a chance to hear just how good a player Musallam is, since it was sometimes difficult to pick out his parts on Dog. Drummer Joe Travers and bassist Bryan Beller play like a rhythm section who've been friends for 20 years or so (they have), and nowhere is that better exemplified than their "Purple Lagoon" interlude and breakdown in the middle of "Uglytown" (which also features nice dueling guitar leads). "Hum" is another instrumental tour de force, with Keneally switching between guitar and synth (or playing them at the same time!) and Musallam contributing another fine solo. These are but a few highlights among many on this recording. Keneally's playing throughout is so impressive, people might be surprised that he used to consider himself "a keyboard player who plays some guitar." This is a tight band who sound like they really enjoy playing together, and that comes through loud and clear. Keneally's music isn't for everyone: it can be challenging, difficult, and just plain weird. It can also be joyous and transcendent, and almost always displays jaw-dropping musicianship. Sampling from each of his albums except the orchestral one, Guitar Therapy Live is a celebration of the Keneally songbook and guitar indulgence, and fans of either one or both are sure to enjoy it.

This special edition makes a great album even better with the inclusion of a multi-camera, professionally shot complete performance by the band on their home turf in California at the Baked Potato. It was this show that produced most of the performances heard on the CD, but you get more than just the visual component. In some cases, the audio versions were edited so you get the unedited performances on the DVD in addition to a number of tunes that couldn't fit on the CD in the first place. Then, there are a couple completely different performances of songs from the CD that demonstrate how this band can attack the same material night after night but always bring something new to it. Not only that, but the DVD has a surround sound mix and a completely different stereo mix than the CD. And also a commentary track! It's an always informative and sometimes hilarious discussion of the entire performance by the band that not only gives people an indication of the challenges involved in playing Keneally's music and the amount of pure improvisation that can occur, but also demonstrates what good friends these guys are. As something of a fringe artist, Keneally's shows outside of California are few and far between, so the DVD is a great opportunity for those who don't normally get the chance to see him live and a great souvenir for those who do. It's hard to imagine someone who's already a Keneally fan being satisfied with just the audio CD.

 

George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune:

A partial career retrospective that was recorded last year at concerts in California, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, the latest album by San Diego's Mike Keneally and his band is an action-packed treat. Crammed full of virtuoso guitar-playing, meticulous ensemble work and delightfully left-of-center compositions, the 14-song album reaffirms that Keneally is a major force who deserves a broader audience to savor his mind-bending music.

After listening to his dazzling playing, it's easy to understand why former Keneally employer Frank Zappa once referred to him as "the best new guy I ever had in the band." There are lots of notes - the song "Hum" clocks in at nearly 10 minutes alone - but each one has a purpose, and Keneally and fellow guitarist Rick Musallam admirably avoid any self-indulgent displays. Keneally also shines on keyboards (check out his fleet piano on "Seven Percent Grade"), while bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Joe Travers play with exemplary poise and power throughout.

Mike Keneally, a longtime Taylor clinician and former stunt guitarist for the legendary Frank Zappa, is a musical chameleon. Just check out any of his recent works - projects as disparate as the orchestral pieces of The Universe Will Provide and the solo-piano arrangements of Vai Piano Reductions Vol. 1.

While he is, technically speaking, an extreme rock-guitar virtuoso, Keneally has never come closer to making a verifiable rock-guitar record than with his latest all-electric-guitar CD, Guitar Therapy Live. (A special CD and DVD edition has been limited to 3,000 copies, each autographed by Keneally and available through his website.)

 

Marc Harris, Wood & Steel:

Recorded on digital multi-track at three shows in 2005, Keneally and his tight, adaptable dream band - bassist (and frequent co-clinician) Bryan Beller, guitarist Rick Musallam, and drummer Joe Travers - play some seriously grooving tunes, all infused with Keneally´s trademark weirdness. And while the music isn´t quite perfect - there´s the occasional out-of-tune guitar and off-kilter vocal - everything sounds completely fresh, inspired, and, perhaps most important, slightly subversive.

Guitar fans will be floored by the wild improvisations throughout the disc. On "Seven Percent Grade", Keneally plays a fierce, exploratory solo equally informed by old-school blues and 1960s modal jazz. "Spoon Guy", a strange and beautiful rock-jazz waltz with tricky harmonies, features some out-there but cohesive soloing from Keneally. And the more rootsy "Panda", with its sick wah-guitar work, has some nimble and heavy blues explorations.

Other tracks focus more on the ensemble. "Pride is a Sin" is based on an infectious E-minor groove; "´Cause of Breakfast", on which the guitars are tuned way down to C, has some nicely shifting metric work; and "Lightnin´ Roy" is filled with all kinds of bouncy guitar-and-bass interplay.

A real standout, though, is "Machupicchu", which offers a respite from the other songs´ relentless grooves and features nicely detailed guitar playing (a T5 through an SWR California Blonde), compelling chord changes, ethereal harmonics, and haunting vocals. In short, it´s the perfect weird rock ballad. Frank Zappa would be proud.

 

Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz:

Guitarists Mike Keneally (right channel) and Rick Musallam (left channel) steer a high-impact progressive rock slugfest on this genuinely exciting live date, which is chock-full of knotty time signatures and propulsive rhythmic explosions; Keneally sweetens the boiling pot with heartwarming lead vocals. The quartet soars toward the heavens with aplomb, not looking back. Drummer Joe Travers is a force to be reckoned with, largely due to his often dazzling polyrhythmic technique alongside bassist Bryan Beller´s fluid bottom end. The group conveys a comprehensive progressive rock viewpoint, going for the jugular on more than just a few occasions. Keneally´s craft is well-versed, informed by his work with avant garde guitarist Henry Kaiser as well as a string of divergent solo outings and orchestral projects. In sum, the musicians make everything seem effortless and exude an optimistic demeanor throughout this inspiring set.

 

Joe Doherty, Jambands.com:

Only a man who traded licks with composer/humorist/guitar-God Frank Zappa at the twilight of his last major creative apex could possibly have the balls to call his latest live album, Guitar Therapy. Reaching back as far as the late 1980s, the stunt guitarist's resume reads longer than one of his sprawling solos. He stood alongside guitar tour-de-force and Zappa acolyte Steve Vai, prog-rock torchbearer Robert Fripp, and played the role of studio session man for the Roots.

Just like Zappa, Keneally´s body of work stretches out much further than just "guitar albums" that result in fuzzy eardrums and finger blisters aplenty (see the acoustic gem Wooden Smoke or the meticulously orchestrated The Universe Will Provide for shining examples). Where Zappa´s ambitious experiments resulted in otherworldly avant-garde dipped in ´50s doo-wop and black humor, at times one could easily mistake Keneally´s lyrical outpourings and murky, power-chord slop with the likes of Blind Melon or the Stone Temple Pilots ("Machupicchu").

On "Beautiful," Keneally´s custom Charvel squeals, hiccups and dances over a slinky groove courtesy of bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Joe Travers. This title -- as per the disc´s liner notes -- describes Keneally´s child-like awe of the newfound axe that appears on all but three of album´s 14 tracks. (He flip-flops his place behind guitar and keys throughout as well.) The widely feared "drums" portion of any live outing ("Joe´s Solo") unwinds gracefully into a swampy reading of "Pride is a Sin," Keneally´s earthy voice every bit channeling Scott Weiland.

It´s the points when Keneally flexes his compositional muscle where the band digs deep into stellar interplay, guitarist Rick Musallam painting funky textures on the nearly 10-minute-long, "Hum." Although Keneally and company certainly explore uncharted waters here, if Weasels Ripped My Flesh tickles your fancy, Guitar Therapy Live is the album for you.

 

John A. Wilcox, ProgSheet.com:

Not many CDs come with a free guitar pick. This one did, so I like it automatically! Just kidding - I'm not that easy! Culled from a handful of shows in 2005, Guitar Therapy Live shows off the skills of former Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally & his bandmates. Lots of strange chords and herky jerky rhythms all over the place.

The good natured Keneally is complimented by Rick Musallam on guitar, Bryan Beller on bass, and Joe Travers on drums. Hum, Spoon Guy, Lightnin' Roy, and Panda are the most attention getting of the 14 cuts, with Travers shining on drums on every track.

The music is not as much a shredfest as I perhaps mistakenly anticipated. It's got a few Zappa tinges, but is mostly happy, noodly, bopping Phish-meets-Echolyn on their jammiest days. Good natured beer and pothead stuff played exceedingly well. If you're a Keneally fan, you already have and love this!

 

Tom Johnson, Blogcritics.org:

Like the Rush Replay X3 DVD release a couple weeks back, I can't even begin to pretend to be impartial here. Keneally is absolutely one of my all-time favorites. But that doesn't mean I'm going to steer you wrong - if I thought this wasn't an easily palatable platter of fine phonic fun, I would have little problem saying so. And that is most definitely not the case here.

With Guitar Therapy Live, guitarist Keneally has whittled the results of several seemingly spectacular shows down to one solid disc. I usually have problems with multi-show "live" documents, but sometimes they're just done right and luckily I can say that's how this one turns out. Instead of feeling like it's been edited together and suffering from being the sum of many parts, GTL becomes the greater whole. Even longtime fans who may have traded with other fans (with Keneally's consent) for dozens and dozens of his shows will find this a pleasing set. There isn't a dud moment in the entire runtime.

For those new to Keneally, he is best described as the heir to the Zappa throne, and don't take that lightly. While many may toss out the obvious names of Steve Vai and Zappa's own son, Dweezil, Keneally is the only guitarist who possesses the skills and taste needed to pull off what Frank himself could. Because Keneally is humble, you'll probably never see him mount a project such as Zappa Plays Zappa (also because he wouldn't technically fit the bill) but he absolutely deserves to be the one playing those solos. The spirit of Zappa lives on in Keneally - except maybe not as vulgar (you actually can play Mike's music for your entire family without fear of needing to skip over anything!)

Those interested in obtaining a session of Guitar Therapy are HIGHLY urged to do so via Keneally's official site where they can purchase the deluxe edition, which will not be available in stores and which features a bonus DVD of a full, uncut performance shot live last summer (some of which was used for the audio disc.)

 

Beppe Colli, CloudsAndClocks.net:

Given the fact that I'd enjoyed all the albums Mike Keneally had put out starting with his first official solo release, hat. (though I obviously didn't like every single featured item with exactly the same amount of enthusiasm), I was very surprised when, two years ago, I found myself being quite puzzled by the new Mike Keneally Band "rock" album, Dog. The compositions were good (if maybe not terribly different from what he had already put on record?). The players (with new drummer Nick D'Virgilio alongside familiar faces Bryan Beller and Rick Musallam), merely excellent. So? I arrived at the conclusion that - for this writer, at least - it was the "sound" of the record (i.e., spatial placement, eq., vocals/instruments level ratio) that appeared to work against the material.

That Keneally was not a tired composer was definitely proved, just a few months later, by the release of The Universe Will Provide, the album he had recorded with the Metropole Orkest. Perhaps he had become a tired "rock" composer? Well, for that question to be answered we will have to wait for the release of his next "rock" album of unreleased material. Meanwhile, we can have a lot of fun listening (and watching!) Guitar Therapy Live.

I hope it doesn't sound like a paid advertisement when I say that - the CD being released in a "plain" edition and in a "deluxe, limited" edition which offers both a CD and a DVD-V - it's the latter combination that's the real deal. Recorded on the tiny stage of the world-famous Baked Potato, the DVD-V shows the band in good light (at least musically: during a large portion of the second set Keneally's left cheek looks grey. Yikes!), and after a while one is so captured by the fine performances that one don't even notice the girl with the ponytail bringing much-needed liquid refreshment to the tables anymore.

The musical relationship among the band members is simply astonishing. Those "in the know" when it comes to Keneally matters will ponder the differences between the rhythmic axis of Bryan Beller and Joe Travers and the Beller/D'Virgilio edition shown on Dog's visual portion. Watching the Guitar Therapy video will also solve the mystery of who plays the intricate keyboard parts on Hum, where we already have two guitars (it's Keneally, playing the keyboard with his right hand while playing the fretboard with his left). While the work of the rhythm section is always inventive - and very clearly executed - for this writer it's Musallam that's the revelation here: see/hear him playing all the guitar parts on the Beller-penned Seven Percent Grade (off his nice solo CD View); that fine solo on Tranquillado; and in general offering Les Paul shadings to Keneally's Charvel sophisticated heavosity.

Speaking of Keneally: he plays with fire and finesse - what's this thing about his "overplaying on any single solo", as declared by the artist himself in the liner notes? While we are at it, what's this thing about "we mixed the guitar louder than the voice" and "my singing is what it is"? (Jimi Hendrix had the same problem, right?) "Pride Is A Sin", true, but isn't this going a bit too far in the opposite direction in the "moral virtuosity dept."?

The music presented here is obviously "rock" (for those on the "punky side" it'll maybe sound like "self-indulgent whatever", but it is "rock" - just think: King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa), not "a fusionoid extravaganza". (The very fact that nowadays it's necessary for one to stress such a basic concept shows how we've fallen.) Readers who prize those tiny gestures absolutely necessary to properly perform a piece need read no more.

The repertory comes from all over the map, with Panda and Pride Is A Sin off the last CD, a perennial favourite like Lightnin' Roy, intricate/humorous things such as Beautiful, (semi)acoustic excursions like Machupicchu, "prog" anthems such as Voyage To Manhood, and a different reading of Nonkertompf's Hum. Add Spoon Guy, Uglytown, Top Of Stove Melting, 'Cause Of Breakfast (and the epics Cowlogy and Own - DVD-V only).

Michael Senft, The Arizona Republic:

After dabbling in classical music, power pop and acoustic songwriting, former Frank Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally plugs in his guitar for 70 minutes of ax worship on his latest live CD. Backed by a crack band that includes bassist Bryan Beller, drummer Joe Travers and guitarist Rick Musallam, Keneally rips through some of the heaviest tunes in his catalog. Early songs, such as Top of Stove Melting, as well as newer rockers, including Panda, become springboards for excellent guitar work from Keneally and Musallam, who takes the lead on Seven Percent Grade. The highlight is Hum, a brief piece from Keneally's 1999 album Nonkertompf, which is transformed into a nearly 10-minute epic. Unlike most guitar albums, however, Keneally's inventive songwriting and quirky sense of humor keep Guitar Therapy Live from turning into a self-serving shredfest. A special edition of Guitar Therapy Live that includes a bonus DVD is available at the guitarist's Web site, keneally.com.

Bill Colrus, Chattanooga Pulse:

Frank Zappa once referred to Mike Keneally as "the best new guy I ever had in the band." Keneally played in Zappa´s last touring band in 1988, and when personality conflicts caused that band to implode, he embarked on a solo career using Zappa as a model of how creative and adventurous a musician can be.

As engaging and accomplished as they were, Keneally´s earlier solo albums stayed somewhat close to the Zappafied rock vibe. He´s mixed things up a bit in recent years, however. 2001´s acoustic and gorgeous Wooden Smoke caused XTC´s Andy Partridge to ask, "How many people do you know who can make a CD sound hand-carved?" 2004´s Dog was a ruthless collection of thinking man´s rock. He described his other release that year, The Universe Will Provide, as "a collaboration between me and my eight-year-old self." In actuality, Keneally collaborated with the 50-plus-piece Metropole Orkest (also featured on a new Elvis Costello disc) to present some of his far-out, often rock-leaning orchestral works.

While a bit of a throwback, Guitar Therapy Live-featuring Brian Beller (Bass), Rick Musallam (guitar) and Joe Travers (drums)-revisits most of Keneally´s previous musical eras with renewed vigor. And loudness. It´s almost an unfair collection, really. Recorded over three nights last year, the performances on Guitar Therapy Live are dominated by, as the title suggests, guitar. But not your typical hair band guitar wonkery. For as many notes as Keneally and Co. play, they play them in almost as many styles and feels as is humanly possible. This band has forgotten more music than your typical indie rock flavor of the month will ever know, and they execute their knowledge with not only depth and virtuosity, but accessibility and a lack of pretension (see: fun) that many of their lesser competitors could learn a thing or two from.

Among the highlights: "Panda" is slick, breezy, back alley funk. "Lightnin´ Roy" is a punchy, Van Halen-esque instrumental romp that eventually collapses in pile of heavy metal bluegrass. Not getting too big for your britches is at the heart of the rocking "Pride Is a Sin," while Smoke´s "Machupicchu" comes off just as pretty as the original. If "Uglytown" had any more hooks, it would be catching fish, while "Voyage to Manhood" pays a power chord homage to Christopher Cross before relating the excitement of throwing coasters at a ceiling fan. Oh, and the liner notes are hilarious.

Sometimes it´s great to sit back and be blown away by the sounds of great players playing great. Yes, guitar therapy, indeed.

 

Eric Porter, Progressive World:

Raw intense guitar soaked rock is the best way to describe Guitar Therapy Live. Guitar buffs rejoice as Keneally and fellow guitarist Rick Musallam light up the frets and jam for you. Bassist extraordinaire Bryan Beller and drummer Joe Travers effortlessly maneuver through the unpredictable twists and turns. Recorded live at The Baked Potato on June 30, 2005 (it appears to be a local bar [yes; bar, club, located in Studio City, CA -ed]), the boys cram together onstage and just let the music lead them. Some truly magical musical moments occur, and with the aid of the DVD, you really see the role that Musallam and Beller play in Keneally's musical excursions. Beller's bass often accompanies the harmony guitar parts, unless he is off slamming his own melody out on the strings. Keneally's songs range from all out intense guitar rock, to acoustic moments, and just plain weird. "Lightnin' Roy" starts out sounding like the Dixie Dregs, adding a quick country vocal, going out in a wah-wah drenched guitar solo. "Beautiful" provides some of the most dynamic soloing, jazzy, and heavy at the same time. The instrumental "Seven Percent Grade" gives Mike the chance to show off some of his keyboard skills, again in a jazzy vein, but the band is just great behind him. Beller is especially monstrous on this, just listen to that bass playing! I could (and will) listen to stuff like this all day. I think this is what Mike was going for with this release, just a chance to show people how much fun they have playing together, blowing off steam and rocking.

The special edition comes with a bonus DVD of the Baked Potato show with some additional songs not on the CD. Seeing is believing with the Mike Keneally Band, it is great to watch these guys interact and watch their fingers do the talking. Even though it is a small club/bar, they are playing their hearts out as if 10,000 people were watching. It is an inspiring performance to see a group of such talented players just letting it rip, interacting with the audience, and having a ball doing it. If you are a musician, this is nothing short of inspiring, and if you love great playing and hot guitar, this is a must have. Fun, Fun, FUN!

 

Pete Pardo, Sea of Tranquility:

Talk about nailing it and nailing it hard! Guitar Therapy Live is the album that serious guitar nuts have been waiting for Mike Keneally and his crew to make for years. This is his "guitar hero" album for sure! The band here is red hot, comprised of bassist Brian Beller, guitarist Rick Musallam, drummer Joe Travers, and of course Keneally on lead guitar, keyboards, and vocals. The music recorded this night is a mix of hard rock, jam-band, fusion, prog, and Zappa inspired weirdness.

The first thing you notice is that there's an incredible amount of groove to these songs, a lighthearted sense of humor, impeccable chops, and plenty of muscular crunch. "Beautiful" sounds like a late 70's Zappa number with quirky vocal and guitar interplay, not to mention killer bass lines from Beller. On "Lightnin' Roy" the band gets heavy, with some meaty guitar riffs and plenty of punchy grooves. Keneally really lays down some wild guitar solos, showing why he is such a respected player in the rock community. Fans of the jam-band scene will get a lot of mileage out of the songs here, as there is plenty of swaying and grooving improvisation going on that has a strong jazzy undercurrent, like on the ripping "Seven Percent Grade", which sees Beller and Travers perfectly in sync with each other while Keneally's keys and Musallam's guitar provides the lead melodies and riffs. Other smokin' pieces include the heavy rock "Quimby", the fusion laced "Panda", and the blistering avant-garde mania of "Spoon Guy", complete with some unbelievable guitar work from Keneally. If you like things a little more introspective, try the rootsy twang of "Pride is a Sin", or the atmospheric "Machupicchu". Otherwise, the rest of the CD is filled with fiery and raucous guitar rock, as heard in full force on "Cause of Breakfast", "Voyage to Manhood", and the wah-wah laced "Uglytown".

Honestly, I haven't heard tasty guitar oriented music this good in quite some time. With all the countless neo-classical metal shredders that readily come out of the woodwork, it's refreshing to hear an old pro come out with something this energized and refreshing which ultimately is so different from what you normally hear on a guitar record. This is thrilling music from an ultra-talented band, and I'm sure from somewhere up above Mr. Zappa is looking down with a smile on his face.

 

Dave Connolly, Progrography:

I ´ve been happy in the hamlet of Zappa, leery of the monsters lurking in the short forest that runs adjacent. Don Preston, Steve Vai, Mike Keneally... scary stuff I reckoned (Adrian Belew being an adorable anomaly). So there was something therapeutic in hearing this disc, even liberating. Is it the nicely napkinned dining of Zappa´s live discs? No, this monster eats with its mouth open. But as it belches it issues forth the same fragrance of genius that drew me to Zappa in the first place. It´s a messy, maniacal genius at work, as Mike Keneally embraces distortion, rips the belly open on his guitar and then sews it back up neatly again for the next number. Some of this is flat-out amazing ("Lightnin´ Roy," "Hum"), most of PDI (pretty darn impressive). Mike´s voice is, as he puts in the liner notes, "what it is," which is to say a mix of talking and singing that falls slightly short of FZ and AB. But nobody sticks their head into the forest to hear Mike Keneally sing; it´s all about that guitar being spanked into a tantrum, the angular compositions, the well choreographed contributions from the band. After hearing this disc, I´d accord Mike Keneally a konstellation of his own in the prog-metal heavens, to the right of Zappa and down a little to the left of Galactic Cowboys. It´s probably not the place to start (when is a live album ever?), but I´m marking it on the map anyway with a note that says "nice monster." I will be back, with candy in my hand, to lure Nonkertompf and its ilk out of the forest and into my living room.

 

Mark S. Tucker, Op Ed News:

There have been few greater honors in modern music than to be asked to join one of Frank Zappa´s bands or touring ensembles. The Great One numbered classicalist composers and conductors, not to mention top jazz practitioners and anyone with sufficient intelligence to appreciate the myriad levels he operated at, amongst his innumerable admirers but merely to be asked to abet the musical lunacy, whether one accepted or not, was license to consider oneself amongst the very best within an acknowledged maverick elite. Refusing, of course, was equally as sure a sign of certifiable insanity, but that´s as may be - the point is, in sum: when you listened to a Frank Zappa record, you were, and still are, and forever will be, hearing music as good as it gets, albeit most often with, thank Bog, generous irreverences, scatology, sexual perversion, snarky sociopolitical commentary, and just plain ol´, downright, homegrown weirdness. There was only one Frank Zappa, there will never be another.

Mike Keneally was one of those inducted into his bands and recordings, asked because the guitarist´s abilities much impressed the maestro and were needed to augment Frank´s own six-string presence, a daunting proposal all in its own, as Zappa´s instrumental bravura was well shown in general materials and in the obscure-ish Shut Up `N Play Yer Guitar and Guitar sets. Keneally played just so long with FZ, then split to solo and to form his own bands, one of which was lauded by Jethro Tull´s Ian Anderson as the best that toured with them in their 30 year slate. Keneally has even performed with the dark god of prog guitar - of all guitar music, for that matter - Robert Fripp. If any more need be said about his credibility and talent...

...so the guy doesn´t sit still for long, keeping a playing and composing hand constantly in. Years ago, coincidentally following upon the ravings of a progbuddy in Chicago, a Keneallyhead from Day One, I caught Mike at the first CalProg, in a recital of the bizarre art-damaged Dog. He and his fellows incandesced through a demanding roster of songs requiring far more physical exertion - switching instruments, rotating in exotic equipment, executing on-a-dime change-ups - than is normally seen, exhausting even the audience while simultaneously delighting. Following the highly impressive uber-Christer Neal Morse, he and his chums provided an appropriate reality shift and brought the grueling two-day fest to a close, leaving all concerned happily ragged.

Now, hot on the heels of a catalogue of solo, ensemble, and session work, comes the latest release, the independently produced Mike Keneally Band Guitar Therapy Live, a 71-minute disc ostensibly issued as a last hurrah in the face of "this damned aging business" (Keneally´s words, referring to the fact that he ain´t 23 nomore nohows). To effectively scotch that inevitability, he´s "overplaying on every solo", and that´s what makes all the difference in the world. The CalProg gig showed how furiously he could bend those frets; this, if anything, surpasses it and much of the repertoire is similarly compositionally bent, reflecting the mainstay the guy´s been following for years.

Surprises pour in upon hearing the many ingredients, all of them unorthodox. The first tune, "Quimby", opens up mutant Holdsworth/Frisell riffs interspersed with metal, laying down in a rapidly shifting milieu. But that´s normal: before the disc´s over, you´ll hear the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Hatfield & The North, DiMeola, and countless other pantherine riffs dotting and spicing Keneally´s own. The three-day environment the CD was taken from was captured at Hollywood´s The Baked Potato, a small club, so the documentation´s raw and somewhat crowded but a perfect cross between a jes´-between-friends git-down and a barnburner.

There´s no real clearcut style anywhere here. As said, Keneally´s been hugely interested in stretching the borders of multiple envelopes in order to mine the possibilities of mutually overloading conflations. No one´s made the definitive statement in that respect yet (Beefheart´s the archetypal antecedent but Creedle´s Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars should be considered a seminal modern benchmark) and the experimental impulse alone has provided engrossing results. This kind of controlled anarchy was what Zappa often lurched towards, with similar results: "Lightning Roy" is an in-kind exposition marked by broad sympathies to the departed composer´s many outré side excursions.

What´s singularly astonishing, though, is Keneally´s acumen on keyboards ("Seven Percent Grade"). Many guitarists first write through the piano, later transposing to their main axe, but he plays like a trained master, with jaw-dropping precision, whirlwind chops, and affective nuance - only, dammit!, for one song. Starting out in a light Guaraldi vein, he jumps into an intensely angular passage that echoes the current most remarkable young player in the entire music scene, Tomasz Stanko´s Marcin Wasilewski, then finishes up in a Chuck Leavell funkdown (and as Keneally flies through his ivory paces, co-guitarist Rick Musallam soars in a colorful and energetic complement, topping out the lines). The only other guitarist-pianist who comes to mind with such a high degree of polish is the phenomenal Ralph Towner, a completely different type of musician with a much more delicate approach. Unfortunately, though, Keneally has a weak spot in all this: he´s no singer. When he´s on it, his tone´s vaguely Rundgren-ish ("Spoon Guy"), but, otherwise, the vocals are...er...garagey.

Commenting earlier in this column´s series on the upcoming Zappa Trust Tour, I opined that Keneally would be vastly preferable over Steve Vai, who´s presently slotted for the entourage. "Hum" shows why. It harks back muscularly to the kind of fusion Bill Bruford was doing circa 1979 with his surnamed band. Mike´s long solos are remarkable for their adherence to a general rock and roll format while tearing the hell out of the base rules (Fripp rendered a similarly mind-blowing middle eight on Eno´s "Baby´s on Fire", a rock-bottomed passage no one expected from the quintessentially surreal player). Keneally can play in any format but this shows how beautifully he understands the foundation style, with as lyrical a set of expressions as he´s ever evoked.

So, the string-bender thinks he´s getting long in the tooth, eh? If that´s the case, the condition should strike everyone prematurely. Live is an ear-filling fusillade and another in a growing series of players aging into a new phase that´s surprising a hell of a lot of fans and other consumers. Who the fuck says we have to get middle-aged quietly?

 

Simon Bradley, Guitarist [UK]:

Ex-Zappa guitarist offers up an improvised feast

A fascinating live outing from the former Zappa henchman that allows his consummate skill for improvisation to be enjoyed by all. Although more commonly known as a keyboard player thanks to his outings with Steve Vai, Keneally isn't exactly a slouch on the guitar, and his huge tone and dextrous fingers insure that his expression never misses its target.

Contrary to what you may expect, the material is actually simple to get into, and although the likes of Uglytown, Spoon Guy and a kerrazy interpretation of Lightnin' Roy can twist melons if you let them, only the deaf and dull would dismiss Machupicchu or the rocking Quimby out of hand. Visit Keneally's website and do yourself a favour: get some therapy.

Standout tracks: Quimby, Voyage To Manhood, Uglytown

 

Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player:

Savvy guitarists have followed Mike Keneally since his early days playing with Frank Zappa, but never before has the San Diegan six-string slinger indulged them with such a purely guitar-oriented outing. Drawing on material from throughout his career, Keneally and his "dream band" of bassist Bryan Beller, drummer Joe Travers, and guitarist Rick Musallam blaze through each number with a joyous passion that often exceeds that of the fine studio versions. Highlights include the incendiary wah-wahing on the Zappa-esque "Lightnin' Roy" and "Uglytown," the fiery funk strutting on "Panda," the boiling point blues-isms on "Top of Stove Melting," and then brooding loveliness of "Machupicchu." Keneally plays a "smoothly snarling" humbucker-equipped "Strat" on most pieces rather than his usual green Fender. Keneally also plays keyboards on a few songs, allowing Musallam, who is a fine guitarist, to solo on his '74 Les Paul. The Deluxe Edition includes a DVD of the band's July 30, 2005 performance at Studio City's Baked Potato mixed both in stereo and Dolby 5.1 Surround-- and it's well worth the additional cost, as you get a bird's-eye view of all the fretboard action, as well as an amusing and informative band commentary track.

THE KENEALLIST: New Live Dates and More!
2006/09/03

Hello there - MK here -- I hope you're doing well and that 2006 has been OK for you so far. Thanks for reading this!

I want to let you know about some stuff - here's "stuff fragment" number one:

CIRCUS OF VALUES re-ignites THIS WEEK

The first round of Circus of Values was a series of improvised shows I hosted at Dizzy's in San Diego, back around five years ago. Each one had a different theme and title, and a different group of players. All of the music was invented on the spot. It's time for another round of this madness. I'm very happy to be returning to Dizzy's (a super-cool spot to hear music) for another series of Circus Of Values performances.

I'm very delighted to report that Chad Wackerman (drums) and Doug Lunn (bass) will join me for the first show of the new Circus of Values series; the performance is entitled "Ah Mr. Solid Gasoline." Here's details for y'all:

Mike's intimate improvisation series "Mike Keneally's Circus of Values" returns to ' Dizzy's'
344 Seventh Avenue (between J & K, on the edge of San Diego's East Village), San Diego, CA 92101, Thursday, September 7, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
Tonight's episode: "AH MR. SOLID GASOLINE", Featuring Chad Wackerman and Doug Lunn / Tickets: $15
All ages welcome * Info: 858.270.7467
All attendees will receive a special exclusive concert program with odd art and text by me. Please be an attendee! (Check later in this email for the dates of two more Circus Of Values shows.)

MK and BRYAN BELLER on the road with TAYLOR GUITARS again

Bryan Beller (bass) and myself will take to the road this month and next on behalf of Taylor Guitars. I'll be playing the T5 and the GS, two very different but quite extraordinary instruments. Bryan will be playing the Taylor acoustic bass but will also be road-testing a new prototype Taylor electric bass; the only way you're going to be able to check out this instrument live anytime soon is to come to one of these shows. I'll be getting more ambitious with my sounds on this tour, and I think the music portions of these presentations are going to be deeper and crazier than they've been on previous Taylor tours. Should be a beautiful time. Attend like mad one or more of these here performances:

Monday, September 25, 2006, 7:30 p.m. , Steilberg String Instruments, 4029 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40218
Admission free, seating limited, Info: 502-491-2337

Tuesday, September 26, 2006, 7:00 p.m., Buddy Roger's Music, 7647 Beechmont Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45255
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 513-232-0777

Wednesday, September 27, 2006, 8:00 p.m., Motor City Guitar, 1565 Crescent Lake Road, Waterford, MI 48327
Info: 248-673-1900

Thursday, September 28, 2006, 7:00 p.m., Great Lake Music, 1230 South Lake Street, Mundelein, IL 60060
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 847-566-6606

Saturday, September 30, 2006, Time TBA, Cascio Interstate Music, 13819 West National Avenue, New Berlin, WI 53151
Guitar Fest '06, Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from noon to 4:00 p.m., Admission free, seating limited,
Info: 262-789-7600

Monday, October 2, 2006, 7:30 p.m., Dave's Guitar Shop, 1227 South Third Street, La Crosse, WI 54601
Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission free, seating limited, Info: 608-785-7704

Tuesday, October 3, 2006, 7:30 p.m., Morgan Music, 2405 East Clairemont Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54701
Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 715-834-7177

Wednesday, October 4, 2006, 7:30 p.m., Rhapsody Music, 326 Madison Ave., Mankato, MN 56001
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 507-387-2562

Thursday, October 5, 2006, 7:30 p.m., Carlson Music Center, 901 Broadway, Alexandria, MN 56308
Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 320-763-4011

Friday, October 6, 2006, 5:00 p.m., Marguerite's Music, 3100 Eighth Street South, Moorhead, MN 56560
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 715-834-7177

Sunday, October 8, 2006, 2:00 p.m., Kenny's Music, 2001 South Washington Street, Grand Forks, ND 58201
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 701-772-8670

Monday, October 9, 2006, 7:00 p.m., Eckroth Music Co., 1221 West Divide Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 701-223-6707

Tuesday, October 10, 2006, 7:00 p.m., Engel Music, 209 S. Main Street, Aberdeen, SD 57401
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Info: 605-225-2840

Thursday, October 12, 2006, 7:30 p.m., Mojo's Music, 142 North Main Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations, Canned food donation requested for local food bank, Info: 618-655-1600

MK, BB and ERIC SLICK - live in ST. LOUIS

A hardcore fan by the name of Dan in St. Louis insisted that it was high time for his town to host a serious MK electric gig. We said sure, so at the very end of the Taylor Tour, Bryan and I will be joined by the tremendously talented drummer Eric Slick (currently with the Adrian Belew band, and a graduate of the Paul Green School of Rock) for a night of electric music which will singe the collective eyebrows of St. Louis and the neighboring towns. Thanks Dan Kinney for making this show happen. Details, get your details here:

A Friday the 13th Concert in St. Louis - featuring the debut of the electric trio:
Mike Keneally (guitar, keyboard & vocals)
Bryan Beller (bass & vocals)
Eric Slick (drums)
Friday, October 13, 2006, Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue, Historic Cherokee Lemp District, St. Louis, MO 63118
Doors open at 8:00 p.m., Fattback plays at 9:00 p.m., Keneally/Beller/Slick play at 10:00 p.m., Tickets: $20, Info: 314.773.3363

SOME MORE GIGS

Here's the dates of two more Circus of Values shows and a Baked Potato gig as well. I thought I knew who was going to be playing at these gigs but then, I didn't! So specifics on the players for these shows are not available at this time, but I know I'll be there, so why not you?

"Mike Keneally's Circus of Values" returns to 'Dizzy's'
Saturday, October 21, 2006, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, November 3, 2006, 8:30 p.m.

Theme, and Mike's cohorts for both of these shows to be announced soon.

344 Seventh Avenue, (between J & K, on the edge of San Diego's East Village), San Diego, CA 92101, Tickets: $15
All ages welcome, Info: 858.270.7467

(Some version of the) Mike Keneally Band
Saturday, November 4, 2006, The Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., Tickets $20, Info: 818-980-1615

A REMINDER: hat. and BOIL THAT DUST SPECK to be RE-RELEASED

My first two albums, long out of print, are now being readied for reissue. It feels wonderful to have this music about to be available again. Both albums will be available as signed, numbered special editions of 3000, featuring DVDs packed with relevant stuff. Dave Foster and I have watched and catalogued tons of video footage and we're jazzed, to say the least. I'm auditioning different versions of masters for both albums in an attempt to get the sound quality as sweet as we can. Artwork will be faithful to the original, but expanded tastefully. There's loads of work going into these babies, which you can help to support by pre-ordering the special editions of one or both albums at http://www.keneally.com.

If you've been wanting to get ahold of these albums for a few years, and have toyed with the notion of spending upwards of 50 bucks apiece on auction sites, hold tight just a little while longer. The single CDs will be lovingly priced at a mere 15 dollars; 30 bucks gets you a deluxe edition with DVD. The rest of my early catalogue (Sluggo!, Half Alive In Hollywood and The Mistakes) will be reissued by Exowax as soon as we can manage it.

(Note: for those interested in the Tar Tapes, nothing new to report. Chances are I'll decide to re-issue that material someday in its complete original form as it was released on cassette, rather than the compilation approach of the two Tar Tapes CDs. We're still a good ways away from dealing with that material.)

HARDCORE AMBIENCE - the new album by CO de KLOET and MENNO KALMANN on FAVORED NATIONS

It's genuinely exciting for me to announce the release of this new album from my dear friend Co de Kloet (creative catalyst for the vast majority of my musical adventures in Holland) and his musical partner Menno Kalmann, and on my other dear friend Steve Vai's record label to boot. This is a really beautiful album folks. It's available September 4 at the Favored Nations website. Allow me to quote wantonly from its press release please:

"The adventurous Dutch musical team of Co and Menno has been creating ethereal, atmospheric compositions together since becoming friends in high school. As a veteran producer Dutch Public Radio NPS, de Kloet has worked with an amazing collection of the world's finest musicians: Brian Eno, Frank Zappa, Todd Rundgren, Captain Beefheart, Laurie Anderson, and Steve Vai, among countless others. [Editor's note: Hi! I'm a countless other!] His production work developed into artistic friendship with Frank Zappa, who introduced him to Steve Vai, camaraderie that ultimately led to Vai's Favored Nations label to distribute Hardcore Ambience...The intentionally oxymoronic title of is not a coincidence, but a mission statement for the project's ingenious fusion of seemingly different elements: lush yet intimate atmospheres, carefully crafted compositions with complete improvised passages, and live studio performances alongside grand productions. To help capture the various emotional sensations, the pair recorded in a wide range of settings: from the intimacy of a living to the grandness of a church of the pastoral setting of a wilderness."

OTHER

Still working hard on the Keneally/Beller acoustic album, and have also been making a lot of progress on the 2-CD rock opera Scambot (which might be retitled Scambot Talks To God). Still excited about releasing the studio recordings I did with the Minipole Orkest earlier this year, and our friend Nick Conedera has begun editing some video of the rehearsals and Haarlem performances of the Minipole and Metropole, possibly for some kind of home video artifact we hope.

Guitar Therapy Live was nominated as best rock album at the San Diego Music Awards, which will be held on September 20 - wish us the good luck! Check out http://www.keneally.com, towards the bottom of the page, for links to bunches of reviews of Guitar Therapy.

Enough! Enough! Gaaa!

Love you all ---

mk

THE KENEALLIST: Taylor Tour Starts Monday  
2006 09 23

* Homepage since 1994: http://www.keneally.com 
* 24-hour streaming Keneally music: http://www.radiokeneally.com 
* Mike Keneally Band Tour Chronology: http://www.keneally.com/chronology (please submit your setlists!) 
* Home for Mike Keneally show trading: http://www.mktrading.org 
* MySpace page, featuring extensive MK bloggage: http://www.myspace.com/mikekeneally 
* Usenet newsgroup: alt.music.mike-keneally 

MK and BRYAN BELLER on the road with TAYLOR GUITARS THRU 10/13!

Hey folks; we're just about to embark on another tour for Taylor Guitars, featuring myself and Bryan Beller. I'll be playing the GS and T5 guitars, and Bryan will be playing his AB-4 acoustic and a new prototype Taylor electric bass. I'm planning to break out a few tunes which we've never played in the duo format, and we're hitting up a lot of cities where we haven't played before. And the tour culminates in an electric gig in St. Louis, featuring the fantastic Eric Slick on drums (he's currently Adrian Belew's drummer). So the next few weeks promise quite a bit of adventure -- here's where we'll be, and hopefully a lot of you will be as well:

Monday, September 25, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Steilberg String Instruments
4029 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40218
Admission free, seating limited
Info: 502-491-2337

Tuesday, September 26, 2006, 7:00 p.m.
Buddy Roger's Music
7647 Beechmont Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45255
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 513-232-0777

Wednesday, September 27, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
Motor City Guitar
1565 Crescent Lake Road
Waterford, MI 48327
Info: 248-673-1900

Thursday, September 28, 2006, 7:00 p.m.
Great Lake Music
1230 South Lake Street
Mundelein, IL 60060
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 847-566-6606

Saturday, September 30, 2006, 10:00 a.m.
Cascio Interstate Music
13819 West National Avenue
New Berlin, WI 53151
Guitar Fest '06
Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Admission free, seating limited
Info: 262-789-7600

Monday, October 2, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Dave's Guitar Shop
1227 South Third Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission free, seating limited
Info: 608-785-7704

Tuesday, October 3, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Morgan Music
2405 East Clairemont Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 715-834-7177

Wednesday, October 4, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Rhapsody Music
326 Madison Ave.
Mankato, MN 56001
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 507-387-2562

Thursday, October 5, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Carlson Music Center
901 Broadway
Alexandria, MN 56308
Free diagnostics and re-stringing for Taylor owners (one guitar per owner) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 320-763-4011

Friday, October 6, 2006, 5:00 p.m.
Marguerite's Music
3100 Eighth Street South
Moorhead, MN 56560
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 218-233-7546

Sunday, October 8, 2006, 2:00 p.m.
Kenny's Music
2001 South Washington Street
Grand Forks, ND 58201
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 701-772-8670

Monday, October 9, 2006, 7:00 p.m.
Eckroth Music Co.
1221 West Divide Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 701-223-6707

Tuesday, October 10, 2006, 7:00 p.m.
Engel Music
209 S. Main Street
Aberdeen, SD 57401
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Info: 605-225-2840

Thursday, October 12, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Mojo's Music
142 North Main Street
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Admission free, seating limited, call for reservations
Canned food donation requested for local food bank
Info: 618-655-1600

MK, BB and ERIC SLICK - live in ST. LOUIS

A Friday the 13th Concert in St. Louis
featuring the debut of the electric trio:

Friday, October 13, 2006
Off Broadway
3509 Lemp Avenue
Historic Cherokee Lemp District
St. Louis, MO 63118
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., Fattback plays at 8:00 p.m., Spyder Monkey plays at 9:00 p.m., Keneally/Beller/Slick play at 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20
Info: 314.773.3363

 

SOME MORE GIGS

A few days after I get back to San Diego, there will be another improvised Circus of Values performance at Dizzy's in San Diego on October 21. Still finalizing performer details for that one, but I know that it's going to be something special. More details coming soon in this space.

Mike Keneally's Circus of Values
returns to
Dizzy's

Saturday, October 21, 2006
8:30 p.m.

Friday, November 3, 2006
8:30 p.m.

Theme, and Mike's cohorts for both of these shows to be announced soon.
344 Seventh Avenue
(between J & K, on the edge of San Diego's East Village)
San Diego, CA 92101
Tickets: $15
All ages welcome
Info: 858.270.7467

(Some version of the) Mike Keneally Band

Saturday, November 4, 2006
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

 

hat. and Boil That Dust Speck Remastering Report

And a reminder once again that my first two albums, hat. and Boil That Dust Speck, are going to be re-issued in early 2007, and that the special editions of both titles (which will feature extremely fascinating DVDs along with the remastered CDs) are available for pre-order now. We remastered the audio for the CDs a few days ago, after we spent a lot of brain-wracking time comparing master tapes for the best available audio. We've come up with something we're extremely thrilled about.

In the case of hat. I'm especially thrilled that the maximum playing time for CDs has increased since we first made that album, and parts of songs which I had to sacrifice first time around will now finally be heard. In particular, you'll know be able to hear "Lightnin' Roy" the way it was supposed to be heard, and songs like "Snowcow" and "The Car Song" will have their guitar solos reinstated to their full fullness. All in all we were able to add in another three minutes of music which you should have heard fourteen years ago, so I'm plenty jazzed.

Thanks for reading! See you on the road.

-- Mike

THE KENEALLIST: SoCal Shows with MKB, Thunes, Minnemann & Shakespeare
2006 10 20

Thanks for a fantastic tour!

Here's a thank you, proffered most sincerely, to everyone who saw Bryan Beller and I on the Taylor Tour we just completed, and/or who saw our electric gig in St. Louis with the fabulous Eric Slick on drums. This was an absolutely marvelous tour for us and our tour manager/traveling partner Scott Chatfield and we thank you with all manner of profusions.

Now you West Coasters have a major assignment, which is to come over to Dizzy's in San Diego this Saturday and offer encouragement to myself and Scott Thunes at our first performance together in the USA for over a decade, joined by the brilliant Brock Avery on drums and featuring Greek-chorus-type musical commentary by my lovely niece, singer/songwriter/guitarist Jen Scaffidi. Another mindblowing Circus of Values event is shaping up just for YOU - are you man or woman enough to accept what we have to offer? Details, I say!:

Mike's intimate improvisation series

Mike Keneally's Circus of Values
returns to
Dizzy's
344 Seventh Avenue
(between J & K, on the edge of San Diego's East Village)
San Diego, CA 92101
Tickets: $15
All ages welcome
Info: 858.270.7467
(Street parking is free; you can even park in yellow commercial zones. The closest pay parking is 1/2-block away: the 6th & K Parkade for $7 all evening.)

Saturday, October 21, 2006
8:30 p.m.
Featuring Mike, the legendary Scott Thunes on bass, special guest Jen Scaffidi and Brock Avery (Wayne Kramer) on drums.

 

Shakespeare in Balboa Park

A few months ago I participated in a performance of Shakespeare sonnets with San Diego jazz radio luminary Claudia Russell -- she recited and I provided guitar accompaniment. It was a real beatnik moment and one that I had hoped would happen again sometime. Well, be careful what you wish for, 'cause here it comes again. Be here, Bardophiles:

The San Diego Shakespeare Society Presents
A San Diego Celebrity Sonnets Evening
Featuring Mike Keneally on guitar, accompanying Jazz 88 Program Director Claudia Russell on sonnets VIII and XVII, along with many other San Diego celebrities.
Monday, October 23, 2006
7:30 p.m.
Old Globe Theatre
1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
Admission free, donations gratefully accepted.

Another Circus of Values event in early November at Dizzy's

Mike's intimate improvisation series
Mike Keneally's Circus of Values
returns to
Dizzy's
344 Seventh Avenue
(between J & K, on the edge of San Diego's East Village)
San Diego, CA 92101
Tickets: $15
All ages welcome
Info: 858.270.7467
(Street parking is free; you can even park in yellow commercial zones. The closest pay parking is 1/2-block away: the 6th & K Parkade for $7 all evening.)
Friday, November 3, 2006
8:30 p.m.
Featuring Mike, Bryan Beller on bass, Rick Musallam on guitar, Marco Minnemann (new San Diego resident!) on drums!

 

The same lineup appears the following night at the Baked Potato:

Mike Keneally Band
Featuring Mike, Bryan Beller on bass, Rick Musallam on guitar, Marco Minnemann on drums
Saturday, November 4, 2006
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

This will be an interesting pair of gigs - the same four guys, but on Nov. 3 we'll be improvising all night, and on Nov. 4 we'll be playing a bunch of composed stuff. These will be our first US performances with Marco on drums - if you haven't heard this particular genius do his things, prepare to have all your socks blown off whether you're wearing them or not.

THE KENEALLIST: More SoCal Shows with MKB, + WesFest DVD
20061103

Hi! Two Southern California gigs this weekend, both with a sort-of Mike Keneally Band, featuring me, Bryan and Rick but with the first US appearance (with us, that is) of the amazing Marco Minnemann on drums. This will be a startling development for those of you who have not witnessed the magic of Marco. See one or both of these shows if you can - the first is improvised, the second is composed. Here, details:

Mike Keneally Band
Featuring Mike, Bryan Beller on bass, Rick Musallam on guitar, Marco Minnemann on drums
Mike's intimate improvisation series
Mike Keneally's Circus of Values
returns to
Dizzy's
344 Seventh Avenue
(between J & K, on the edge of San Diego's East Village)
San Diego, CA 92101
Tickets: $15
All ages welcome
Info: 858.270.7467
(Street parking is free; you can even park in yellow commercial zones. The closest pay parking is 1/2-block away: the 6th & K Parkade for $7 all evening.)

Friday, November 3, 2006
8:30 p.m.
Featuring Mike, Bryan Beller on bass, Rick Musallam on guitar, Marco Minnemann (new San Diego resident!) on drums!
Mike Keneally Band
Featuring Mike, Bryan Beller on bass, Rick Musallam on guitar, Marco Minnemann on drums

Saturday, November 4, 2006
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

WesFest DVD

Go to this website:
http://weswehmiller.net/wesfest.html

for information on how to order the WesFest DVD, which features exclusive and seriously slamming performances of "Top of Stove Melting" and "'Cause of Breakfast" from the Mike Keneally Band, as well as loads of other top notch material. Here is some text from the website to explain, but this should be a no-brainer for you:

"WesFest: A Concert to Benefit the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship at Berklee College Of Music, is a full length (about 90 minutes) DVD, and serves as the official document of the first annual WesFest. It contains live performances from all eight WesFest performers:

It also includes heartfelt speeches from Peter Gordon (Director of the Berklee Center in Los Angeles), Roger Brown (President, Berklee College Of Music), and Wes' parents, John and Paula Wehmiller.

The WesFest DVD can be purchased for $25, which includes all shipping and handling charges. All net proceeds from the WesFest DVD will go to benefit the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship at Berklee College Of Music."

As I say, go to http://weswehmiller.net/wesfest.html to find out more and to order this thing immediately. Thank you!

I have to pick up Beller at the airport! Jagshemach!

mk

THE KENEALLIST: Sonic Temple Live News & More
2006 11 09

Good morning!

I want to re-plug a few items and bring them back to your attention, and also bring your attention to a special series of Bay Area shows (beginning tonight) being done by friends of ours at Sonic Temple Live.

Bryan and I did an appearance for these folks under the name Lost Coast Live a few months ago, which rocked, and they're doing it again under the name Sonic Temple.

Note: I am NOT appearing at these shows but I want you to know about them anyway. Please don't expect to see me there! But go anyway!

Here's the exciting press release announcing these mysterious performances:

SOME OF THE BEST MUSIC IS YET TO BE DISCOVERED

Please join us for a new concept in live music coming to the Bay Area in the next few days, Sonic Temple Live.

Here is how it works: $25 gets you admission to see two of the most talented and accomplished musicians you´ve never heard of in an intimate setting equipped with state-of-the-art lights, sound, and production.

Which begs the question: how do I know I´m going so see some real music here, and not Joe Bagodonut´s 16-year-old daughter who has dreams of being a pop star?

We can tell you that one of the artists on this tour is guitarist and Musical Director for one of the top 10 grossing touring acts of the last five years. He´s also a multi-platinum producer who has written multiple #1 hit songs. He´s recorded ten albums of his own and record industry mogul David Geffen (Dreamworks, Geffen Records) describes him as "my favorite artist."

In spite of all that, if we told you his name, chances are you wouldn´t know him. After Sonic Temple Live, we think you won´t just know him; you´ll love him.

When you buy a ticket to a Sonic Temple show, you´re not just guaranteed an outstanding evening of music, but 100% of the ticket sales go back to the community to support art, music and local causes through our partnerships with Rotary Clubs, merchants, local governments, and other charities.

Everybody wins. Great artists are honored, communities are connected and supported, and audiences are wowed.

Some of the best music is yet to be discovered.

For tickets and more information:

1-888-323-3349
http://www.sonictemplelive.com 
Sonic Temple Live dates: 

This Thursday, November 9th 2006
Showcase Theatre
Marin Center
0 Avenue of the Flags
San Rafael, CA 94903
7:30, Doors at 6:30
Box Office: 415.499.6800

Friday, November 17th 2006
District Auditorium
Napa Valley Unified School District
2425 Jefferson St.
Napa, CA 94558
7:30, Doors at 6:30 

Saturday, November 18th 2006
Glaser Center
547 Mendocino Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
7:30, Doors at 6:30 

Monday, November 20th 2006
Performing Arts Center
Santa Clara High School
3000 Benton Street
Santa Clara, CA
7:30, Doors at 6:30

WESFEST DVDs have still not been purchased by every person reading this.

Sad state of affairs to be rectified NOW!

And now a word, or actually a healthy series of them, from the fabulous Bryan Beller:

"Hello, everyone. I just wanted to give you a progress report on the WesFest DVD...and, of course, remind you that it's available right now!

Online orders are being taken, DVD's are being shipped (not just to America but around the world!), customers are happy with the DVD, and most importantly, money is being raised for the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship.

Now, since I'm the one who's fulfilling the orders, I know who's ordering them. That provides me the unique opportunity to ask: If you haven't ordered your copy yet, what are you waiting for? C'mon, people, where you at? Is it too early to mention what a good holiday present this DVD would make?

Just click here for ordering instructions: www.weswehmiller.net/wesfest.html

WesFest: A Concert to Benefit the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship at Berklee College Of Music, is a full length (about 90 minutes) DVD, and serves as the official document of the first annual WesFest. It contains live performances from all eight WesFest performers:

It also includes heartfelt speeches from Peter Gordon (Director of the Berklee Center in Los Angeles), Roger Brown (President, Berklee College Of Music), and Wes' parents, John and Paula Wehmiller.

Like many things about WesFest, the idea for the DVD came about spontaneously. While the event was not originally intended to be professionally documented, months of work on several sources of audio, plus three different video camera shots, provided the raw material. The end result is, in my view, a truly special, high-quality document that reflects the spirit of WesFest in every way.

The great thing about this DVD is that it can accomplish so many things at once:

  1. It serves as a document for all those who were there and want to relive the experience

  2. It allows those who weren´t in attendance to experience the event, and share their thoughts and memories with those who were there

  3. It demonstrates what WesFest is all about, and raises awareness for future events and opportunities to raise money for the fund

  4. It empowers the spirit of Wes to live on into the future, both for those who knew him, and also for those who didn´t.

The WesFest DVD can be purchased for $25., which includes all shipping and handling charges. All net proceeds from the WesFest DVD will go to benefit the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship at Berklee College Of Music. So I´m inviting you to continue to support the scholarship fund through the purchase of this DVD.

Payment will be accepted in two ways: 1) check or money order; 2) Credit card/PayPal (PayPal takes credit card payments even if you´re not a PayPal member). Fulfillment will be through Onion Boy Records (a.k.a. ME!).

Anyone with any ordering questions, simply e-mail me at wesfestdvd@onionboyrecords.com.

This is the kickoff of a new season of WesFest related activities. First, we´ve got this DVD. But the next WesFest is not too far away. Details will be forthcoming on that soon. For now, I hope you can support the mission of WesFest by purchasing this DVD and spreading the good word about the event, so that future WesFests have the potential to be even bigger and more successful than the inaugural event. Feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone you feel would be interested in supporting the mission of WesFest.

And new information will always be posted at the Tribute To Wes Wehmiller Website, so stay tuned for more info.

I hope all is well for you and yours, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Bryan Beller"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

It's Mike again...I want to extend a word of thanks to those who attended the series of three Circus of Values shows in San Diego over the past couple of months. It was a great opportunity to improvise without restraint with some of the best players I know and to re-establish a relationship with some players I haven't hooked up with in too long. So thank you to Chad Wackerman, Doug Lunn, Brock Avery, Scott Thunes, Jen Scaffidi, Marco Minnemann, Rick Musallam and Bryan Beller for all playing so beautifully, to the audiences for supporting our musical madness, to all of our friends who documented the performances on audio and video just because they want to, and especially to Chuck Perrin at Dizzy's for providing the perfect venue. He said he wants to do more next year, so... more coming next year.

There's going to be another Shakespeare sonnet performance by me and Claudia Russell in San Diego on November 20. If you haven't witnessed either of the first two, you should check this out.

San Diego Shakespeare Society Presents
A Way With Words
Monday, November 20, 2006, 7:30 pm
The Neurosciences Institute
10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive
San Diego, California 92121

Keynote speakers are Richard Lederer and Martha Barnette, co-hosts of the KPBS award-winning radio program, present "A Way With Words." The evening's program will also include a Shakespeare showcase, including a sonnet or two from Claudia Russell and Mike Keneally.

Info: (858) 626-2000

And of course, if you haven't pre-ordered the special editions of hat. and Boil That Dust Speck replete with DVD, these gems await your transcendent attention at http://www.keneally.com.

Thanks folks! This is a good day!

Your pal

mk

THE HOLIDAY KENEALLIST
2006 12 24

Happy holidays everyone! This is Mike, wishing you a joyful holiday season and an amazing 2007.

SCHOOL OF ROCK

The major news for the moment and for the foreseeable future is that I've been named the National Music Director for the Paul Green School of Rock. I've known Paul since 2003, feel deeply what he feels and have witnessed firsthand the benefits which the kids in his program have been receiving - in fact some of the most exciting musical moments I experienced this year were at School of Rock All-Stars shows. The whole School of Rock scene is totally infectious, and the opportunity to have an impact on the musical development of young people across the country is something I take most seriously. I'm very grateful for this opportunity and will make the most of it.

In addition to my duties as National Music Director, I'll also be running a San Diego branch of the School of Rock. We're still in the preliminary stages of locating a suitable venue for the school but will be open for business early in 2007. Do you want your kids, 8 through 18 years of age, to be trained by me to rock like a massive unfair behemoth? Of course you do. For enrollment information you should write to me at keneally@schoolofrock.com.

One of my first official duties, though, will be leading a group of All-Stars on the road, starting the day after Christmas, on their East Coast tour. These are not Keneally performances - I'll be presenting the group and perhaps I can be coerced into picking up a guitar on an encore or something, but these shows are firmly about the kids rocking like maniacs. You owe it to yourself to check this out.

The dates:

PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS (presented by MIKE KENEALLY) TOUR

Please check with the venues for showtimes and come have a good time with us. Why not?

 

RADIO NEWS

Jon Kanis has compiled a six-hour radio special about yours truly, with music and much interview material, for his STATE CONTROLLED RADIO program. Jon promises that this program is a major bonanza for Keneally fans and swears that the six-hour length is fully justified. The first two-hour installment already aired once, but it repeats this Christmas Eve on http://www.bzoo.org:

"The Immense Superiority of Michael Joseph Keneally - Part One"

December 24th, 10:00-12:00 PM (PST)

(the show title is Jon's!)

Part Two airs Dec. 26, with repeat on Dec. 31.

Part Three airs Jan. 2, with repeat on Jan. 7.

Please visit http://www.jonkanis.com for more information about State Controlled Radio and these programs in particular (and also for information about Jon's album "Cabalistic Dispatch" which I co-produced and played all over).

ALSO! Dutch radio listeners and anyone with a computer should know about the following on Co De Kloet's Studio 6 radio show at http://www.nps.nl/studio6 (the following information is from Co's MySpace page):

"HAVE YOU HAD YOUR KENEALLY TODAY???????

AS YOU MAY KNOW, ONE OF THE ITEMS IN STUDIO 6

THE DAILY 5-HOUR MUSIC SHOW HOSTED BY VINCENT VAN ENGELEN & CO DE KLOET, IS "FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK"!

WE START THE NEW YEAR WITH THE AMAZING MIKE KENEALLY

EVERY DAY from January 1st till January 5th

YOU WILL HEAR KENEALLY'S MUSIC SEVERAL TIMES.

actually, as far as Co's shows are concerned, very little changes... ;-)

Listen to Studio 6 online, Monday thru Friday, 1400-1900 Dutch Time

www.nps.nl/studio6"

Thank you Jon and Co for playing me on the radio - and of course there's always http://www.radiokeneally.com for non-stop Keneally action to brighten your holidays.

THOSE REISSUES

Thanks again to those of you who pre-ordered the special editions of "hat." and "Boil That Dust Speck." Work continues on the DVDs, taking longer than we anticipated but so does everything. These items will still be in your hands early next year and we are continuously and graspingly grateful to you for helping to fund this ambitious reissue project. Again to refresh: the albums sound better than they ever have, "hat." has extra music restored which had to be excised due to time constraints the first time around, and both DVDs are packed with vitally important video and audio material which will make you swoon. Get thee to http://www.keneally.com and feel the power therein.

Thank you everyone! We love you! Have a great holiday season!

mk

THE KENEALLIST: January 9, 2007

Good afternoon! Happy new year! This is Mike Keneally, aiming a variety of words at you!

A few things for you now, regarding NAMM show appearance, me sitting in with the Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars in San Diego on Jan. 21, and the opportunity for you to obtain drawings I have done on actual pages from the score of my orchestral piece The Universe Will Provide. Read on, won't you, please?

NAMM SHOW APPEARANCES

If'n you have the credentials to get into the NAMM Convention next week in Anaheim, I'll be doing some appearances therein...
I'll be part of an all-too-rare Bryan Beller Band performance:

Thursday, January 18
The Bryan Beller Band appears at
The NAMM Bass Bash 2007
J.T. Schmid's
2610 E. Katella Ave. (across from the Arrowhead Pond)
Anaheim, CA 
714-634-9200
Event starts at 6:00PM
Free admission! No credentials required I think!

And then:

NAMM SHOW BOOTH APPEARANCES!
all at The NAMM Show
Anaheim Convention Center
Anaheim, CA
Note: NAMM badge required to get into the convention hall

The Mike Keneally Band reunites with Nick D'Virgilio!
At the Sonic Reality booth
Friday, January 19 - 12:00

Mike Keneally/Bryan Beller acoustic duo
In the Taylor Guitars room
Acoustic duo performance 
Friday, January 19 - 3:30

And then...right after NAMM...

Mike Keneally sitting in with

THE PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS
The Epicentre
8450 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA
Sunday, January 21 - 2:00 PM

This is a FREE SHOW, and if you're in or around San Diego you MUST attend. This is the official coming-out party for the School of Rock program in San Diego - as you probably know, I've just been named the National Music Director for the school, and I'll be the music director for the upcoming central San Diego branch (location to be disclosed shortly). If you or your kid is interested in this program this show is a great opportunity to find out more, and to hear some fantastic music. Paul Green will be presenting the All-Stars onstage and I'll sit in on some tunes.

I'll remind you of these gigs again next week, along with some updated info on the hat. and Boil That Dust Speck special edition DVDs.

 

THE UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE SCORE PAGE DRAWINGS ON eBAY

I also wanted you to know that we just put up four of my original drawings, done on actual score pages from the original The Universe Will Provide orchestral score, on eBay. I did 44 of these drawings during the rehearsals in 2003 for the premiere of TUWP, and these are the first four we've put up for auction.

More details can be found on each individual listing. These make superb post-Christmas gifts for the drawings-on-score-pages lover in your life. Auction ends Sunday.

Also, at http://www.keneally.com, there's a photo of me wearing a very old hat which you might like to see.

Thanks everyone!

Your confidante,

Mike K.  

THE KENEALLIST: January 15, 2007

Hi friends -- here's a big colorful reminder about the School of Rock All-Stars show in San Diego this weekend:

These amazing musicians, all between the ages of 13 and 19, will blow your minds with their ferocious rock power, and I'll do my best to keep up when I sit in with them.

This show is the official introduction of the School of Rock program to San Diego -- if you know, live with or are a human being between the ages of 7 and 18 who would like to learn to rock like the wind, be at this show!

 

THE SECOND BATCH OF UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE ARTWORK

We've just put another round of original Keneally drawings, done in 2003 on actual pages from the Universe Will Provide orchestral score, up on eBay.

Whitesnake fans should pay close attention to drawing #11.

 

THE KENEALLIST: January 30 2007

Hey there -- I hope you're not sick with varying cold symptoms, because I am, and I would like it better if you were healthier than I am.  It would just, I don't know, make me feel better somehow.

Today Dave Foster and Scott Chatfield and I do more work on the Dust Speck DVD. It's so damn close to finished, I can taste tin. (That's the international flavor of nearly completed DVDs. Tin.)

 

MORE THE UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE SCORE DRAWINGS ON eBAY

Guess what, lover?  We just put another bunch of Universe Will Provide score drawings on eBay.  This batch is nifty.  As the series progressed I started drawing more mystical type stuff.  One of the drawings (number 33) is the original drawing of the guy who you can currently see lingering on the left side of my profile page here on MySpace.  This dude has a significantly calming influence and makes lives better; now he can be in your life, yo!  (I used to say "yo" in fifth grade all the time and never knew why.  Now, Chris Opperman says "yo" all the time, and this provides symmetry in my life.)

from the instrumentation page of the score. from the title page of "Blue 68.", from the title page of "Bullies.", from "All of Them Were Quiet."

This here auction ends on Saturday Feb. 3, don't you know. 

GUITAR ONE MAGAZINE featuring ME

Whaddelse? The new issue of Guitar One Magazine (March 2007) has some fun stuff with me in the magazine and on the CD-rom which comes bundled with it. (Hey, it just started raining!) I am, apparently, "delightfully twisted" according to the folks at Guitar One. There's a tiny photo of me on the front cover, dwarfed by the magnificence of the guy from Incubus, and a bigger photo of me on the CD-rom label. Thanks to Michael Mueller who interviewed me for this issue and props to him too for transcribing my weirdnesses (I think he did the transcribing -- if not he, props to he/she who did. It may well have been Adam Perlmutter.  Props to him too, whether he did it or not).  Hats off also to Angela Boatwright for the cool shots of me in the NoneRadio shirt. 

WESFEST 2

WesFest 2 is coming, yo -- let me let Bryan Beller tell you about it:

WesFest 2: A Concert To Benefit The Wes Wehmiller Scholarship At Berklee College Of Music

Hosted By:
Bryan Beller

When:
06 Mar 2007
Doors at 7:00 PM

Where:
The Gig
7302 Melrose Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90046

Band Lineup:

Stu Hamm - bass hero extraordinaire!

Danny Mo and the Exciters
This is a special act because it showcases the very first winner of the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship Award, Will Snyder! It also features one of Wes' closest friends and mentors, Berklee Bass Professor Danny Morris, and renowned drummer James Gadson (Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers) doing an old-school set of R&B.

The Dirty Janks
Psychedelically funkified and groovalicious grease from Arlan Schierbaum (keys), Rick Musallam (guitar), Dorian Heartsong (bass) and Joe Travers (drums).

Jariya
Super-hip, all-female, multi-instrumentalist rock/jazz/electronica trio, led by Eve Buigues and Andrea Bensmiller.

Janet Robin
Killer guitarist, amazing singer/songwriter, and all-around incredible performer, Janet's an L.A. scene veteran and longtime friend of many in the WesFest community.

Jude Crossen
Consummate professional singer who sang backups with Kira Small at last year's show, Jude does smart, powerful pop in the mold of XTC and Elvis Costello.

The WesFest All-Stars
If you were there last year, then you'll really appreciate this set - a collective set of nearly all of the original WesFest performers! Features performances by Mike Keneally, Ali Handal, Kira Small, Griff Peters, Bryan Beller, Tristana Ward, and the ever-popular I, Claudius.

Ticket Pricing

$30. per pair of tickets in advance (advance tickets are available until February 28)
$20. for single tickets in advance
$30. for tickets at the door.

To purchase tickets and/or donate to the WesFest 2 fundraising drive, please visit: http://www.weswehmiller.net/wesfest2.html

(I just snoze twice.  Tired of being sick.)

SCHOOL OF ROCK UPDATE

Finally, the building I'm lusting after for my San Diego chapter of the Paul Green School of Rock just got a little closer to my clutches. Please keep all your appendages crossed for a smooth execution of this complex process, thank you. And as always, if you want to enroll you or your kid in the School of Rock and have them subject to my professorial whims, contact me at keneally@schoolofrock.com, tout de suite.

Thanks, you magnificent maniacs. 

Luvv
mk

THE KENEALLIST: February 13 2007

Hi - having a good week so far?

MORE THE UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE SCORE DRAWINGS ON eBAY

We´ve just put up another four "Universe Will Provide" drawings on eBay - please give them a look when you get a chance:

 

GUNGI

And another TUWP drawing, along with an autographed "Universe Will Provide"/"Parallel Universe" CD set, has been put up for auction at the "Friends of Gungi" website, http://www.friendsofgungi.com. A word of explanation about Gungi, from the website:

"Gordon "Gungi" Paterson is a legendary figure in the music industry, having been a highly respected engineer, tour and production manager. From his early days in the UK with acts such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, he was a mainstay of the 80's touring scene with bands like Megadeth, and continued through the 2000's with bands such as Live, System Of A Down, Tears For Fears and most recently Fiona Apple. Gungi's easily recognizable physical stature is only overshadowed by his immense heart, personality and positive attitude. Last summer, Gungi was diagnosed with cancer - A large lump was discovered in and around the lymph nodes in his neck."

I did a number of tours with Gungi when he was doing sound for Steve Vai. He´s a truly lovely man and he could use your help with his medical expenses - please check the auction and bid if you can.

Otherwise: here´s a link to a YouTube video from this year´s NAMM convention, of me sitting in with the genius guitarist Greg Koch and his band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVf---9i8Ug

 

SCHOOL OF ROCK

Things are progressing rapidly with my San Diego chapter of the Paul Green School of Rock, and we´ve begun pre-enrolling students. As always, if you have questions or demands of me which relate to the School, you can write to me at keneally@schoolofrock.com.

I just finished writing a 12-minute string quartet for Dutch group the Zapp String Quartet. It was a bear to compose and I´m fully happy with it. Little bits of melody from it haunt my head at unexpected moments of the day, hopefully it will do the same for you if you manage to hear it.

I boldly predict that work on the "hat." and "Boil That Dust Speck" DVDs will be completed this week.

 

Thanks everybody! Tell Sting and/or William Shatner I said hi, if you see them!

Mike  

THE KENEALLIST: February 21 2007

Hi -- thanks for reading this! I'm Mike! What's up?

THE UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE SCORE DRAWINGS

There's another four of my "Universe Will Provide" drawings up on eBay -- the auctions end this Sunday.

Please enjoy their flavour!

 

THE PRESS SAYS NICE THINGS

I listened to "In The Court of the Crimson King" in the car today, TWICE! Also, there are several new things involving me which you might find delightful and freaky to look at. One is a nice piece about me, written by Jedd Beaudoin, in the Wichita City Paper:
http://www.keneally.com/press/wichitacitypaper1.html

Then there's the marvelous thing which happened when Bill Meredith of Jazziz Magazine named "Guitar Therapy Live" the best CD of 2006. This is the thing:
http://www.keneally.com/press/jazziz02.html

In the actual magazine, this is right next to a big picture of Donald Fagen (another writer named "Morph the Cat" the best of the year), which quite thrilled me to no end. (I listened to "Morph The Cat" in the car, TWICE, three days ago!)

And, if you haven't checked out the Mike Keneally section at All Music Guide.com lately, you might feel that you should. It's a very nice collection of writings about me and my albums, and I'm grateful to Sean Westergaard and all the writers over there who are saying such nice things.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:i7f4zfsheh3k~T0

Here are the moods of my music, according to the All Music Guide:

They left out "Smooth," "Chunky" and "Glow-in-the-dark."

 

hat. & BOIL THAT DUST SPECK REISSUE UPDATE

We are delivering the finished versions of the hat. and Boil That Dust Speck DVDs within the next few days to Brian Brodeur of NewYorkDVD for final mastering. It's been a tremendous amount of hard work getting these DVDs finished and Scott Chatfield and I both want to thank Dave Foster for the incredible hours he's put into making these discs something that a fan would really be able to sink their eyes and ears into. He's done wonderful work and I know you'll love these DVDs. Coming very very very soon!

Here is some info from the Special Edition packaging for hat.:

"This album is the sound of someone who can´t believe he´s finally being allowed to make a real live solo album," says Mike of his 1992 debut. "I wanted people to listen to hat. and not believe what they were hearing." This brand-new remaster offers the best-sounding version ever of this head-spinning recording, and for the first time presents extended cuts of "Snowcow," "Lightnin´ Roy," "Open Up!" and others. This signed and numbered special edition is limited to 3000 copies, features all the original artwork, and also contains a DVD loaded with archival and recent footage, allowing you a deeper look into this peculiar, long out-of-print classic.

The hat. DVD includes

And from the Special Edition packaging for Boil That Dust Speck:

"One of my 10 favorite albums from the `90s. or possibly any decade" - Ground & Sky

Originally released in June 1994, Keneally´s second album might enjoy the most intense cult following of any of his releases. Commercially unavailable for years, this remastered version presents a dark, challenging masterpiece sounding clearer and more powerful than ever before. This signed and numbered special edition is limited to 3000 copies, features all the original artwork, and includes a DVD featuring extensive video footage of the original sessions, recent performances and interviews, and many unreleased bonus audio tracks.

The Boil That Dust Speck DVD includes a 90-minute presentation of "The Making of Boil That Dust Speck," featuring extensive video footage of 1994 album sessions, newly-shot interview footage, live-in-the-studio performances from Keneally, Doug Lunn and Toss Panos of "Weekend," "The Desired Effect" and "Skunk," and other vital tidbits, resulting in an exhaustive examination of Dust Speck which will thrill any Keneally enthusiast, music fan, or human. The DVD also features an audio archive, with more than 20 alternate mixes and unreleased tracks, including an unreleased recording session with Mike´s rarely documented band Drop Control, playing together for the last time.

Hey! Thanks for reading all that!

Your binky,

-- Mike

 

THE KENEALLIST: February 28 2007

FOUR MORE THE UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE DRAWINGS ON eBAY!

Yes!  Some more "Universe Will Provide" score drawings for you to consider. This batch of four have been acclaimed by art critic Muesli Cantone as "the best things that have ever happened."

A REMINDER--

TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY FOR DISCOUNT ADVANCE TICKETS to WESFEST 2

WesFest 2

 because this is the last day to buy discount advance tickets for this completely rocking event on March 6, featuring all the members of the Mike Keneally Band, plus Stu Hamm, plus SO MANY other genius cool people.

I mean, you can still buy tickets after Feb. 28, you can just walk on up at the gig and buy a ticket, and no one will frown or call you a clown. But if you want to save ten bucks on a pair of tickets -- AND WHO DOESN'T -- just click that link above, jeez.

The excitement of details:

WesFest 2: A Concert to Benefit the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship at Berklee College Of Music

Event details

March 6, 2007
The Gig
7302 Melrose Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 936-4440
Doors open at 7:00 PM

Band Lineup

Ticket Pricing

$30. per pair of tickets in advance (advance tickets are available until February 28)
$20. for single tickets in advance
$30. for tickets at the door.

HAT. AND DUST SPECK DVDs ARE ROCKING HARD

You're going to love them. Take it from someone who has seen them 400 times. You're going to love them. If you haven't pre-ordered your hat. and Boil That Dust Speck special edition CD/DVD sets, please make your way to www.keneally.com.

THE KENEALLIST: March 17 2007

Good day to you. Erin go bragh!

Way more than a lot going on. I'll tell you about it!
First this, since it's only a day away:

PLAYGROUND SLAP (WITH MK GUESTING)

March, 18 2007 at Casbah 
2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, California 92101
Cost : $8.00
w/ Leslie and the Lys

This will be the first Playground Slap gig in something like 18 years. The Slap were always my favorite local band in the 80's. Incredible creativity and innovation and funk and atmosphere. Their prime dog Marcelo Radulovich collab'd with me on "Wooden Smoke" and still strikes me as one of the most uncanny and creative musicians I've ever encountered. I joined them at their rehearsal yesterday and there will be steaming action at this gig -- the band is hot. Come on over.

Find out more about the legendary Slap and their upcoming album (featuring Yorz Trooley) at http://www.myspace.com/playgroundslap.

INDEED, MORE "UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE" DRAWINGS ON eBAY

Wow, are you kidding?  Another four Universe Will Provide drawings up for auction on eBay?  Flippin' cool.

Tell all your relatives to buy them for you!

 

PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK in SAN DIEGO -- OPEN HOUSE

As you'll recall, I was named the National Music Director of the Paul Green School of Rock in December, and am music director of the soon to be opened San Diego chapter of the School of Rock. If you or your kid are between the ages of 7 and 18, you're welcome to come and play for me next week and let me assess how we can place you in the program.

Since we're still securing our school location (ENDLESS process. Can't believe I'd ever be spending so much time dealing with real estate) we're happy to be holding our open house at Signature Sound Studios, location of many past Keneally recording sessions.

This event is by appointment only. Details, details!:
SIGNATURE SOUND STUDIOS
5042 Ruffner St.
San Diego, CA 92111

on THURSDAY, MARCH 22 and FRIDAY, MARCH 23
between the hours of 5:00 and 10:00 PM.

Meetings will be roughly 15 minutes each. If your child has an instrument, they should bring it, but we will have instruments on hand as well.

Please e-mail Lesley Cooper, the branch manager, at hazard76@gmail.com, and include your phone number, you or your child's name and their instrument. She'll call you back to confirm the time and date of your appointment.

 

THE TOMORROW SHOW on MARCH 31

I did this before, and I'm doing it again -- my bud Brendon Small (of "Home Movies" and "Metalocalypse" fame) has asked me to appear at this midnight-mad cult comedy/music extravaganza. It's a mere five bucks; that's one thin five-dollar bill.

The Tomorrow Show
starring
CRAIG ANTON
RON LYNCH
BRENDON SMALL
and special guests (including MK)

The Steve Allen Theater
at the Center for Inquiry-West
4773 Hollywood Blvd.
at Berendo
2 blocks west of Vermont
Saturday MARCH 31 at midnight
Five bucks
Do it

 

SADHAPPY ARTICLE IN GUITAR PLAYER

Here's a link to a nice piece about the Outerspaces CD which Evan Schiller, Michael Manring and I made last year:

http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?storycode=17088

 

OTHER UPCOMING GIGS

There's a slew of upcoming shows in the offing, but none of them are quite fully announceable at this point. There's going to be another Baked Potato gig happening soon, hopefully a very cool gig in San Diego in late June, maybe some additional West Coast stuff in early July (no promises yet), and one thing which I know is happening on the east coast in June -- the first Paul Green School of Rock Festival, which will be happening on June 23 and 24. I don't have the details of the location or ticket prices yet, but I know that I'll be playing in a trio with Bryan Beller and Eric Slick, and that we're on a bill with Adrian Belew, the Benevento/Russo Duo and Ween, baby. You know you need to be there. More details at you when I get them.

 

MARCO MINNEMANN PROJECTS

The always amazing drummer Marco Minnemann has got a new DVD called "The Marco Show," which features myself and Bryan Beller joining Marco on several of his absurdly complex compositions. You can order it from Marco's website at http://www.marcominnemann.com/shop_dvds.html. Also, Marco has given me a copy of a 51-minute drum solo he recorded called "Normalizer 2" and given me the assignment of writing and recording music to go with it. He's also asked Alex Machacek, John Czajkowsi from Hectic Watermelon, sound designer Mario Brinkman and himself to write their own music to the same drum solo and will release them all, possibly in a box set. An amazingly creative and fun project. Obviously it's going to take a while to get it finished. I'm also taking part in the new album by guitarist Phi Yaan-Zek, which features Marco Minnemann and Bryan Beller -- they recorded the basic tracks this week at Doubletime Studio with Jeff Forrest engineering. Small world! Learn more about Phi and his music at http://www.myspace.com/phiyaanzek, and check out his blog about hanging out with me and watching the Boil That Dust Speck DVD and listening to the B-52s in my car.

 

VAI PIANO REDUCTIONS VOL.2

Finally underway. We've settled on a list of songs for me to tackle and I've started work on arranging "Love Secrets" for solo piano. Wicked.

 

hat. AND BOIL THAT DUST SPECK REISSUES/DVDs

You'd think that reissuing albums that were originally recorded over a decade ago would be pretty easy, wouldn't you? Next time you've got a week to spare engage me in discussion on that topic. But all the pieces are most assuredly falling into place. And the project took an unexpected turn which was really a delight for me: on the hat. DVD there's a function on the main menu called "hat salad," which scrambles the elements of the disc in a different order when it's engaged. We wanted to have some kind of graphic element to accompany this function so I did 15 sequential drawings depicting a bunch of stuff coming out of my hat, Scott Chatfield loaded them into Final Cut Pro and tweaked and dissolved, and voila! My first cartoon! I'm a pretty major animation buff so this was weirdly exciting for me. It's only four seconds long but I love it.

Brian Brodeur, who's worked on our past DVDs and has also done superb work with the Zappa family on their past and future DVD projects, has all our elements for both disc programs and both DVD projects are in the final phase prior to manufacturing. We've said it before and I'm saying it one more time -- you have our gratitude for your patience during the long process of getting these releases ready, especially those of you kind enough to preorder. Those of you who've held off on pre-ordering until the projects were closer to completion, they're now so close you can taste them. See the handy, huge banner link below and ride it to nirvana.

Is that all?

See you soon--

MK

THE KENEALLIST: March 22 2007

Hi! Just a quick one, here--

 

BAKED POTATO DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

Zeroing in on a date for another Baked Potato gig. We haven't played there in a long time, I know it's a crowded little joint and not the comfiest place in the world but we love the vibe, and we almost always play really well there. I'll be back in touch soon with the date.

 

KENEALLY TRIO @ PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK FESTIVAL

With WEEN, ADRIAN BELEW AND BENEVENTO/RUSSO DUO

The location of the Paul Green School of Rock Festival on June 23 and 24 is Asbury Park, NJ. Still don't know the venue. Again, we're (we being me, Bryan Beller and Eric Slick) playing on the 24th, on a bill being headlined by Ween, and also including Adrian Belew and the Benevento/Russo Duo, as well as the School of Rock All-Stars. A thoroughly fantastic day of music! Can't wait. As usual, more details soon.

 

PHI YAAN-ZEK SESSION

I had a great session yesterday doing keyboard, guitar and voice overdubs on Phi Yaan-Zek's new album, which is going to be called "Reality is My Plaything." You'll very much want to check this out when it's done.

 

FOUR MORE UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE DRAWINGS ON eBAY

Gettin' down to the wire over here.  There's not many more after this.  Do you need one for your rec room or doghouse or servant's quarters?  Now! 

 

Today is the first day for the San Diego School of Rock open house. If you're going to be there, see you in a few hours!

Thanks all --

Mike Keneally

THE KENEALLIST: March 30 2007

GIGS A-COMIN'!

Herein, information about five upcoming performances:

THE TOMORROW SHOW on MARCH 31

I did this before, and I'm doing it again -- my bud Brendon Small (of "Home Movies" and "Metalocalypse" fame) has asked me to appear at this midnight-mad cult comedy/music extravaganza. It's a mere five bucks; that's one thin five-dollar bill.

The Tomorrow Show
starring
CRAIG ANTON
RON LYNCH
BRENDON SMALL
and special guests (including MK)
The Steve Allen Theater
at the Center for Inquiry-West
4773 Hollywood Blvd.
at Berendo
2 blocks west of Vermont
Saturday MARCH 31 at midnight
Five bucks
Do it

PLAYGROUND SLAP WITH MIKE KENEALLY
The Tiki House
April 5 2007, 10:00 PM
1152 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
ListenLocalSD.com showcase. With Cheeky, John Dorman & Peter Hall

I'll be playing the whole set with them. You can see photos of the last show I just did with them at the Casbah on the blog page at http://www.myspace.com/playgroundslap

HENRY KAISER WITH MIKE KENEALLY
Henry and I will provide live music and narration, to film from Henry's last excursion to Antarctica as cameraman for an upcoming Werner Herzog documentary.

Saturday, April 7, 2007
Museum of Making Music
5790 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Showtime: 7:00 p.m.
Tickets $10, $7 for members
Info: 760-438-5996

MIKE KENEALLY BAND RETURNS TO THE BAKED POTATO  (Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Bryan Beller & Joe Travers)

Friday, April 27, 2007
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

MIKE KENEALLY BAND OPENING FOR ALLAN HOLDSWORTH  (Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Bryan Beller & Marco Minnemann)
With the Allan Holdsworth Band  (featuring Jimmy Johnson on bass and Chad Wackerman on drums)

Friday, June 29, 2007
Birch North Park Theatre
2891 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104-2929
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Showtime: 8:00 p.m.
Advance tickets: $20 & $25
Day-of-show tickets: $23 and $28
Info: 619-239-8836

 

CHAT A-COMIN'!

Come talk of things astonishing, with me and others In the RADIO KENEALLY chatroom

TUESDAY, APRIL 3
7:00 PM Pacific Standard Time
Go to http://www.radiokeneally.com, then go to the chat room and follow the easy-to-follow instructions.

Possible topics for discussion:

1. Why
2. Why not
3. Dinner with Dom DeLuise -- scary?
4. Where DID you get those shoes?
5. What now

etc. etc. Sky's the limit!!! Come hang out with the cool kids and talk with your fingers.

 

ALSO

There'll be five more TUWP drawings going up on eBay soon -- and then that's IT. No more drawings available; the only one I'll have left is number 1 of the series of 44 (and Chris Opperman wants that one). So if you've been thinking about your need for a TUWP drawing but haven't actually bid on one, this'll be your last shot.  I'll be back in touch when the drawings go up, and to remind you about the chat next week.

We are about to have the final reference disc for the Boil That Dust Speck DVDs in our eager hands.  The ref disc for the hat. DVD should be in our hands next week sometime.  Light blazing bright at the end of this particular tunnel, o patient ones.

Thanks so much.  Love!

Mike

 

THE KENEALLIST: April 2 2007

THE CHAT!! TUESDAY!

A reminder! A chat-oriented reminder!

Tuesday April 3 7:00 pm Pacific Standard Time --

Join me for a chat at RadioKeneally.com, OK? I'll be there, all ready to type and stuff. Come hang out in the newly-reactified Radio Keneally chatroom, and chat like the wind with me, and with others who also share the desire to chat.

Come on!  Let's CHAT!

THE FINAL FIVE! THE LAST UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE ARTWORK AUCTION ON eBAY

All righty then!

Thanks to everyone who's bid on the drawings from the "Universe Will Provide" 2003 series.  It's been a real pleasure to have these unusual pieces find new homes in the world and I've been very gratified with the reactions I've gotten from the lucky winners.  These are the last five drawings, from the series of 44, which I'm placing for sale on eBay (the only drawing still left in my possession is #1 of 44, which Chris Opperman is trying to gently persuade me to give to him and I'm having trouble parting with, even though he does deserve to have something special for all the work he did for very little money on the orchestration of the piece, but hey it's drawing #1, dude, and I may have to think of some other way to repay him.  Clean your mind out people, I didn't mean that). 

So if you want one of these suckers and you haven't gotten one yet, this is it, last chance, last chance.

The auction ends on Friday April 6.

 

GIGGAGE FOR YOU

Playground Slap with Mike Keneally
The Tiki House
April 5, 2007, 10:00 PM
1152 Garnet Ave.
San Diego, CA 92109
ListenLocalSD.com showcase with Cheeky, John Dorman & Peter Hall. Mike: "I'll be playing the whole set with them. You can see photos of the last show I just did with them at the Casbah on the blog page at http://www.myspace.com/playgroundslap"

Henry Kaiser with Mike Keneally
Henry and Mike will provide live music and narration to film from Henry's last excursion to Antarctica as cameraman for an upcoming Werner Herzog documentary.

Saturday, April 7, 2007
Museum of Making Music
5790 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Showtime: 7:00 p.m.
Tickets $10, $7 for members
Info: 760-438-5996

Mike Keneally Band  (Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Bryan Beller & Joe Travers)  
Friday, April 27, 2007
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

Mike Keneally Band  (Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Bryan Beller & Marco Minnemann)

With the Allan Holdsworth Band  (featuring Jimmy Johnson on bass and Chad Wackerman on drums)

Friday, June 29, 2007
Birch North Park Theatre
2891 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104-2929
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Showtime: 8:00 p.m.
Advance tickets: $20 & $25
Day-of-show tickets: $23 and $28
Info: 619-239-8836

Thanks, big time.  Enjoy the length and breadth of things,

Mike Keneally

THE KENEALLIST: April 20 2007: NEW GIG & REISSUES SHIP SOON!

MORE MADNESS WITH PLAYGROUND SLAP THIS SATURDAY!

Playground Slap featuring Mike Keneally
Saturday, April 21
10:00 PM
The Triple Crown Pub
3221 Adams Ave
San Diego CA 92116

Mike Keneally Band
(Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Bryan Beller & Joe Travers)
Friday, April 27, 2007
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

Mike Keneally Band
(Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Bryan Beller & Marco Minnemann)
With the Allan Holdsworth Band
(featuring Jimmy Johnson on bass and Chad Wackerman on drums)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Birch North Park Theatre
2891 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104-2929
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Showtime: 8:00 p.m.
Advance tickets: $20 & $25
Day-of-show tickets: $23 and $28
Info: 619-239-8836

Mike Keneally Band
(Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Bryan Beller & Joe Travers)
Friday, July 6, 2007
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

2007 05 10 

THE KENEALLIST: May 9 2007: REISSUES OUT NOW!

 Hat. and Dust Speck reissues now exist for reals! Available in handy single-CD edition, as well as deluxe signed and numbered CD/DVD configurations for the adventurous.

No, that's not the sound of hell freezing over-- it's the sound of multitudes of delighted MK fans brushing off their antiquated CD and DVD playing devices, to enjoy the embarrassment of riches offered by these luscious reissues.

"These are some of the best reissues I've ever seen. THIS is how reissues should be done." --- blogcritics.org

People from here to there are drooling over the loving attention paid to detail with these releases-- the reconstruction of original art elements, the new liner notes which fill in gaps in the story, the wildly interesting and fun DVD material, the super-high quality remastering of the CDs, the extra music restored to hat. and on and on. Go to alt.music.mike-keneally on Usenet, or http://www.myspace.com/mikekeneally and check out the happy testimonials from happy testy moaners.

Then, get thee to www.moosemart.com for a rocking good time ordering these sweet items. Make great Mother's Day gifts, I'm told!

New sounds at RadioKeneally.com

Scott has just loaded the reunion tracks recorded by Doug Lunn, Toss Panos and myself for the reissue DVDs into the RadioKeneally playlist, along with the menu music I created for both DVDs (a cappella versions of the hat. songs for the hat. menus, guitar-only recordings for the "Dust Speck" songs). The reunion tracks are requestable from the handy RadioKeneally request form-a-rama.

Gigs there be

Please know this:

Mike Keneally Band  (Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Doug Lunn & Marco Minnemann)
With the Allan Holdsworth Band
(featuring Jimmy Johnson on bass and Chad Wackerman on drums)

Friday, June 29, 2007
Birch North Park Theatre
2891 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104-2929
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Showtime: 8:00 p.m.
Advance tickets: $20 & $25
Day-of-show tickets: $23 and $28
Info: 619-239-8836

Mike Keneally Band  (Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Doug Lunn & Joe Travers)

Friday, July 6, 2007
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 818-980-1615

There (or as the kids spell it, "therre") will also be a gig in San Pedro, CA on Thursday, July 5-- details on that soon. Beller had to drop out of these gigs for reasons to be revealed soon, and I'm delighted to have the spectacular Doug Lunn along for the ride on these. After all these years, this will be the first time Doug and Joe have played Keneally songs together! Special times.

Also, I'm now into week four of my musical directorship of the San Diego chapter of the Paul Green School of Rock, and we are working towards several live performances of "The Wall"-- the first will be on July 3 at the San Diego County Fair, and there will be a further two performances later in July at The Epicentre on Mira Mesa Blvd.

Enjoy wonderful things!

mk

2007 05 28

THE KENEALLIST: MOOSEMART GRAND RE-OPENING SALE!

We're happy to announce that MooseMart, your official source for Keneally stuff, has been rebuilt from the ground up and is now open for business in its sparkling new incarnation. The new MooseMart gives us a lot more flexibility to offer you cool things-- we're just beginning to explore the possibilities. To begin with, there are a few new and rare items up for grabs while they last, including PUP, the CD EP that was originally available to those who pre-ordered Dog, some promotional shirts from the 1998 "We're Not Here To Help 2.0" tour that have been scrawled upon by Mike, and a few commemorative shirts left over from 2000's "Nonkerstock" fanfest.

And we can now do fun promotions and discounts, so to celebrate MooseMart's Grand Re-Opening, you can get a 10% discount on any purchase of $40 or over by entering this code when you check out: "MMGROP". The sale runs through June 15, 2007.

There'll soon be other additions and surprises at the new MooseMart, so you might want to stop by occasionally. Oh, and by popular demand, MooseMart now accepts PayPal.

UPCOMING KENEALLY APPEARANCES

Mike Keneally Band
(Mike Keneally, Doug Lunn & Eric Slick)
Saturday, June 23, 2007
School of Rock Festival
(featuring Ween, Benevento/Russo Duo and many others)
4th Avenue & Kingsley Street
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Showtime: 1:00 p.m.
Tickets $35
Info: 888-468-7619 

Mike Keneally Band
(Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Doug Lunn & Marco Minnemann)
With the Allan Holdsworth Band
(featuring Jimmy Johnson on bass and Chad Wackerman on drums)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Birch North Park Theatre
2891 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104-2929
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Showtime: 8:00 p.m.
Advance tickets: $23 & $28
Day-of-show tickets: $26 and $31
Info: 619-239-8836

Mike Keneally Band
(Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Doug Lunn & Joe Travers)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Rosalie and Alva Performance Gallery
1417 West 8th Street
San Pedro, CA 90732
Doors open at 8:00 p.m.
Showtime: 9:00 p.m.
Tickets $20
Info: 310-519-1314

 

Mike Keneally Band
(Mike Keneally, Rick Musallam, Doug Lunn & Joe Travers)
Friday, July 6, 2007
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City, CA 91604
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets $20