6/01

Dear Surfer:

Hey there... Did you read our "Dear Surfer" for last month? The day after I wrote it, I received an email ad from a website announcing a contest they were having: Write the best song about gas prices going up! Don't know if I'll win, but I certainly am entering.

Here's something fun for ya! I didn't think it up myself, my sister sent it to me in an email: When you get those pre-approved letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and junk like that, most of them come with postage paid return envelopes, right? Well, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little envelopes! Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Or a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their application back, without your name, of course, or just send back the envelope itself, empty! Wouldn't it be fun to know that the banks and credit card companies are getting all their crap back in the mail....and best of all ... THEY'RE paying for it! Twice! Plus, might as well keep our postal service busy since they say e-mail is cutting into their business, and that's why they need to increase postage again. Have fun with it. I know I am!

Now for June... I, Stefanie Seskin, won money from ASCAP, the American Society of Composers and Publishers. ASCAP is a performing rights organization of which I am a writer and publisher member. I applied for a grant through their ASCAPLU$ program and actually WON! I am psyched!

Gigwise, we started out the month with a gig on the 3rd at O'Donnell's. Harrison, NJ, was having their annual street fair, only this year, they were not allowing drinking of alcoholic beverages on the street. In fact, the town started off trying to force bar owners to buy color coded plastic cups so that if someone was found drinking booze outside, the town would know which bar to fine! That idea did not fly, but they did succeed in closing down the festival an hour earlier than planned - 6:00 instead of 7:00. This happened while we were on break, so we didn't even get to make a final announcement or give a final "thank you" to all the great people who were hanging around watching us. At one point, I was thinking of moving to Harrison... I have changed my mind!

On the 9th, we played at the NY mini marathon. This was a pretty last minute booking and at first, we decided not to do it. We would be donating our time, lugging all our gear, including our PA, to Central Park at 7:30 IN THE MORNING! The band voted and decided that our PA was nowhere near powerful enough for Central Park. I contacted the NY Road Runner's Club and let them know this, but our drummer Jack called me and told me he really thought we should do the gig. He just had a feeling. So, we ended up doing it. And suprisingly, it really wasn't all that difficult to get up so early and perform, at least not for me. Marco had a gig the night before until 3, and both he and Minoru were working that night, too. It was really fun, although HOT in the sun with no shade. We turned out having ample power because the company that was supplying the PA for the awards ceremony ran our PA through his power amp, and it was perfect. He was a nice guy, too. In fact, everyone treated us well, the runner's seemed to dig us, but here's the incredible part: 2 weeks after the gig, the dude from the New York Road Runner's Club emailed me asking to whom should he make out the check! In other words, they decided to pay us after the fact. How often does THAT happen?!

June 28th was a return to Tribeca Blues. I said it that night and I'll say it again - THANK YOU Howard and everyone from Bear Stearns who came out, and also thank you Robert for the latest pics, Susan, Max & friends, Greg and the women who saw us at the mini marathon.

Finally this month, we played at O'Donnell's on the 29th, inside this time. It was really fun - for some reason, the band was on fire! We were really really good. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the super cool audience, I don't know, but we had a BLAST! Also, these two nights, we debuted a new song and it went over well as is and I'm second guessing myself as to whether or not we should add a horn arrangement to it. It's called "Me and You" and was co-written by myself and Marco. We've got 4 more new ones waiting in the wings, including one co-written by myself and Sheila Connors! Can't wait to do that one. Anyway, enough! 'Til next month...

Peace,

Stefanie

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Letters from the past:

May, 2001
April, 2001
March, 2001
February, 2001
January, 2001
December, 2000
November, 2000
October, 2000
September, 2000
August, 2000 (from Marco)
July, 2000
June, 2000
May, 2000
April, 2000
March, 2000
February, 2000
January, 2000
December, 1999
November, 1999
October, 1999
September, 1999
August, 1999
July, 1999
May, 1999
April, 1999
March, 1999
February, 1999
January, 1999