Paul McDonald: News

I am really looking forward to working with the guys from Cadillac Rock Box on their new tunes. It is a privilege to have these guys want me to work with them in the studio. I hope that with my insight, and their talent, we will rock this town like it's nobody's business.

Do you ever wonder who's really telling you the whole truth? Some people it's simple - they're just the types who aren't complicated enough to even worry about not telling you the whole truth. But the ones where you have to take the time to peel back the layers are the ones that I'm talking about. You're never quite sure if you really know the whole story. As time goes on, you come to find out there's more and more to everything. I'm not sure if they think that you won't understand, or maybe they're embarrased, or even ashamed, but you never quite get the whole story. I don't know about you, but I find them fascinating.

I'm such a fool for those kinds of people.

I'm excited to have been asked to produce and engineer a new album by a really cool band here in the DC area. It'll be a lot of fun.

You know, I continue to be amazed at the things that people are capable of doing. You think you know someone - and then they pull something out of left field. And when it happens, it almost feels like you've been set up. I guess I'm just a sucker. Maybe that's my lot in life. Maybe I was meant to just write songs about this shit. Maybe...

I want to thank all of you who keep checking out my site here. I can see that you're listening to songs and reading lyrics and even looking at pictures of my ugly mug. The numbers just keep growing and growing, and I really do appreciate it. Drop me a line if you'd like, I'd love to hear from you.

I am still working on the new album. I've had a lot of stops and starts due to life getting in the way. This has been probably the hardest year I've ever had. The classic 'one step forward - two steps back' routine. I'll get this thing finished. I promise. And I hope you'll like it.

I have been told by some people that I don't post enough here. I have also been told by some people, (who are 'in the know') that I should be updating fans constantly with journal posts, emails, facebook status updates etc., etc. I don't know about you, but I get tired of receiving crap from people all the time. Most of it is of little importance, and really just serves to annoy me, the recipient. That's why I don't bother you with endless messages that really don't have anything to say. I'll send emails (if you haven't, now would be a good time to get on the email list) when I have news to tell you, but other than that I'll leave you alone.

That being said, I am making good progress with the new album. It has gone through some major overhauls, due mostly to the major overhauls in my life. I just couldn't finish the album that I had originally started. Due to all those changes, I don't think "Lemmings" is an appropriate title any longer. The new working album title is "Stumbling into Sanity". I think it fits and it's just liable to stick.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

I've been chugging along with this new album, and every now and then I'll take a step back and listen to it as a whole. It's really starting to take shape, kind of a blend of what I had originally envisioned, and the life it has taken on it's own. I guess that works well for me, as I've never been one to force things - not even my own songs.

It has been an extremely tough past year or so, but things are really looking up, and I think this album reflects all the ups and downs of the not so distant past, and the incredible amount of hope I have about the future.

I think it's the most thoughtful and introspective work I've ever done and it's taken a little while to get used to being that open. But all in all, I think it's done me a lot of good. My own self-prescribed personal therapy program.

Thanks for hanging in there with me, I really do appreciate all of your support.

Have a wonderful holiday season.

My best to all of you.

I just put up a rough sketch of a song that I was having a bit of a hard time letting go of. It's called "Looking at a Glass Moon" and you can find it on the 'Music' page. It's the last song on the list. Hope you like it. It means a lot to me.

It's been awhile since I've had much to talk about here. I'll just say that it's been a tough few months that had left me somewhat uninspired. But all is well, my head is screwed on straight again and I'm overflowing with ideas, exuberance, and motivation.

In a way, the time away from the new album has done me good. I have a new take, and even a new appreciation for some of the work I had started. That combined with some fresh ideas, and some new songs, and I am very excited to be working on it once again.

So, for those of you who have been waiting, please hang in there. I'll get this thing finished. Soon, I hope.

Be good.

Well, it took a while, but I will be back and fully operational in a new studio in a couple of weeks. This one will be located in an old house that was built in 1850. The house even has a name: 'Hidaway House'. Seems perfect for a place to write, play and record. Maybe it'll have some really good energy flowing through it. I guess only time will tell.

I'll keep you posted.

The new album had to be put on hold for the time being, due to some studio issues. But I will be doing a few solo appearances in the near future. Watch this space for updates.

I finally put some rough mixes of some of the new songs up here. Check out the music page, the new songs are:

The Time of Her Life

Had Love and Good Surprises

The Truth in Lying

Hope you like 'em...

Well, I guess I lied when I said I would update this site more often. And I guess I lied when I said the new album would be ready in April. Wait, let me rephrase that: I guess it was wishful thinking when I said the new album would be ready in April. There, that sounds a whole lot better.

I have been working my ass off to get this thing finished, and I'm getting closer all the time, but I just want to make sure I get it right. I hope you'll like it when it's finished, I think it's the best thing I've ever done (but I guess everyone probably says that about every new album).

I am very close to putting up some first mixes here on the site, and I will let you know when I do. If you're not on the e-mail list, now might be a good time to sign up.

You are dismissed.

Lala wanted to know where to see a live performance, but unfortunately at this time I'm trying to complete the new album and putting all my efforts into that. But soon we'll be back out there playing shows, and you'll be the first to know.

She also wanted to know where I write from. As with most writers, it's always different. Some songs are autobiographical, some are about real people, some are about completely fictional characters. Sometimes I have a specific topic I want to write about, sometimes they just come out of nowhere. For me, there is no specific way to write. I just do.

I'm glad you like my music, thanks so much for listening.

Be Well.

The new album is coming along nicely. I am looking forward to getting some guests in to lay down some tracks for me. I always enjoy that part of it. I love working with other folks. We've even recorded a cover song that will probably make it to the finished album.

I'm shooting for a release around April or May. We'll put together a cool CD release party as well. And, as I said before, I'll put some rough mixes up here on the site as soon as I can.

I hope 2009 brings you everything you ever wanted.

Paul

Maybe this will explain the lemmings metaphor a little better that I can. This is from Wikipedia.

While many people believe that lemmings commit mass suicide when they migrate, this is not the case. Driven by strong biological urges, they will migrate in large groups when population density becomes too great. Lemmings can and do swim and may choose to cross a body of water in search of a new habitat[5]. On occasion, and particularly in the case of the Norway lemmings in Scandinavia, large migrating groups will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death. Lemmings are also often pushed into the sea as more and more lemmings arrive at the shore. [6]

The myth of lemming mass suicide is long-standing and has been popularized by a number of factors. In 1955, Carl Barks drew an Uncle Scrooge adventure comic with the title "The Lemming with the Locket". This comic, which was inspired by a 1954 National Geographic article, showed massive numbers of lemmings jumping over Norwegian cliffs.[7] Even more influential was the 1958 Disney film White Wilderness in which footage was shown that seems to show the mass suicide of lemmings. The film won an Academy Award for Documentary Feature.[8]

Due to their association with this odd behaviour, lemming suicide is a frequently-used metaphor in reference to people who go along unquestioningly with popular opinion, with potentially dangerous or fatal consequences.

I know, I really am terrible about updating this site. Lot's of you have been visiting (thank you), and seeing the same old stuff, so I should give you some news. I promise I'll try to do better.

I guess it was bound to happen. Sometimes these things have a life of their own... I've been in the process of hashing out some new tunes, and I liked where they were going. Chris Wing and I recorded some demos and liked what we had...

One thing led to another and a new album is now in the works and coming along nicely. It is tentatively called 'Lemmings'.
When we are are a little further along I'll post some rough mixes here for you to check out.
'Til Next Time...

A huge thank you to all who came out to Friday's show at the Firehouse Grill. A good time was had by all (some more than others ;) ). We really do sincerely appreciate your support. Let's do it again real soon.

Paul

We will be back rocking the Firehouse Grill in Fairfax, VA on July 18th at 7:00 PM. Back on drums will be Chris Wing. Hope to see you all there.

Thanks to all who came out on Friday night. We had a good time, made some new friends and we hope you did too. See you next time.