What's on My...The Mind...

Enjoy the Journey in 2010

2010-01-11T00:22:00.001-08:00

So how'd you do during the first week of 2010?!

I've heard a lot of people say "it's pointless to use the new year as an excuse to make goals and write out resolutions and all that because if you really wanted to complete your goals and resolutions you would make them during the entire year!"
And the people I've hear make this comment have done it with this "tone" almost like they are offended humans would make up time in the first place and then they would even THINK about using a random night during the year to look back at the previous years and think "gosh I wonder if I could do better?"

To all this is say... Yes, you absolutely CAN make resolutions or new goals or whatever during anytime in the year... to me that's so of like a MAJOR BONUS! Why is it a bonus? Because they are your goals, change them during the course of the year amend and expand on them, let them grow let them change and except that! It's a good thing. So To all of you that think making goals during the first week of the new year I say get over your fear of not completing them, get over your fear of "the end result," get over the fear of the scary "what if" situations and bring some motivation and positive light into your life by writing a goal down! It' takes time but feels oh so good!

Ok now enough of me pressuring you to better yourself... I'm gonna talk about other things like shameless self promotion and junk...

First on the list if you aren't on the fan email sign up list... HOP ON THAT GRAVY TRAIN! I'll make it super easy, just copy and click or just click this link...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harley-Jay/148831578186?v=box_3

It takes literally, 18 seconds, less if you type faster than normal!

What do you get for signing up for that bad boy?
Well, I'm gonna hook you up with free new song downloads, acoustic mixes of some old stuff, updates on www.harleyjay.com, new merchandise updates, pictures you've never seen before, contests and games, gig updates, tour information, exclusive videos, FREE stuff I just want to give out, as well as monthly newsletters where I ramble and while you're at work you can at least have something to do for 3 minutes even if all that means is you can make fun of me... I'm OK WITH THAT JUST SIGN UP :-)

Next, I'm playing a FREE show in LA on January 22nd.
Not only is it FREE but it's ALL AGES and not only is it ALL AGES the room I'm playing in is super fun.

This is a fun show because not only will I be playing but two of my greatest friends are as well. David Haack and Phillip Daniel. So what that means is you come to the show on January 22nd at Cafe Muse in LA on Santa Monica at 9pm and walk in the door because it's free, and you can leave your ID at home because it's all ages and watch not one not two but three singer songwriters get their groove on. it'll be 2 hours of music and laughs mixed with some good food and great people. So to break it down...

Cafe Muse in Los Angeles
January 22nd
Starts at 9pm goes until 11pm
FREE and ALL AGES

See your pretty faces there.

I'm still working on the second record! I want to give you news and updates but the only thing I'm going to give you at this minute are two things and if you keep up with this FaceBook and Twitter thing pretty well then you've already had a taste but don't you fret I'll be pumping out more stuff in the next few days. :-)

But here is a link to a DEMO version of a new tune called "Defenseless From You"
http://songtwit.com/?84U

And if you haven't been there yet head over to www.harleyJay.com and listen to "Watch it Burn" both of these tunes will be on the new record so keep an eye out for it!

Wait wait wait! You haven't even heard the old one... !!!

Umm don't worry I'm on iTunes hop on the link and listen up :-)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/without-wax/id291026235

I'm on Twitter are you?! Let's hang out...

www.Twitter.com/Harley_Jay

So how about that for information!!! too much information, heck no! Multitasking is something everyone should be good at :-) I'm here to help!

Fan Email Sign Up
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harley-Jay/148831578186?v=box_3

New Song "Defenseless From You" DEMO
http://songtwit.com/?84U

Twitter
www.Twitter.com/Harley_Jay

Acoustic Show This Month at Cafe Muse
Cafe Muse in Los Angeles
January 22nd
Starts at 9pm goes until 11pm
FREE and ALL AGES

Ok there it is... All the info I HAVE to get out to start the year! But I'll leave you with this...

Every morning before I even brush my teeth I pull out a pad of paper and write down 5 things that I am thankful for from the day before. Simple things, "I'm so grateful I was able to talk to my mom today" because I don't get to talk to her as often as I'd like... "I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to sleep in a bomb ass bed last night, gosh I slept great."

Try it. It literally takes 2 minutes and really does make your day start out in tip top shape. Underneath my 5 things I'm grateful for I write 5 goals I have for that day...

"Get to the grocery store"
"Write a bridge to the song I started yesterday"
"Clean my desk drawer out"
"Call my sister and tell her I think she's awesome"
"Send out 3 CD's to music Managers I'd like to be rep'd with"

Some of those I'll get done and some of them I just wont, I don't plan on not getting them done but if I don't I move them to the next day and my list is 6 or 7 goals long instead of 5...

Create the world you want to live in, be in the world not OF it, and enjoy the journey... I promise you, life might seem hard, but you can make it and complaining will get you no where, smile, things are looking up, and if you feel like this is the worst day you've ever had, the good thing that should make you smile is, you can go no where but UP from here!

Here's to you in 2010 thank you for everything

Without Wax,

HJ

Pound Pound Pound

2009-12-17T23:25:00.001-08:00

The year is almost over...

That DOES NOT mean this will be my last blog of 2009 it just means we are getting close to yet another chance to start again! I can't wait.

Here is where I think a lot of people go backwards at the end/beginning of a new year.

- They spend time thinking "What the Hell happened to the last 365 day? Where WAS I? I didn't get this done or this done or that done... CRAP!

- They spend too much time worrying about not being able to make up for the "mistakes" they made last year in the new one so they just get further and further behind.

- They never try to learn from the things that not only they did but the people around them did. What I mean by the is, I don't have to touch a stove to know it's going to be hot... I've seen people get burned by accident by those things all the time. It's hot I get it. The same applies for drugs, alcohol, drinking and driving, and other stuff just like that.

But I think the things that people should focus on knowing a new year is right around the corner is this...

- Here's a chance to make new relationships and have the ones that I've already got grown that much stronger.

- Here's a chance to change someones life every single day! TRUST ME... that IS absolutely possible and you don't have to save them from a burning building to have that kind of effect.

- Here's a chance to grow, evolve and live life!

- Here's chance to actually write down goals. Whether they are goals for the week the month the year the day! Write them down. Did you know that you are 10 times more likely to achieve something if you've written it down. 10 times! Write stuff down... it takes 10 minutes and it could mean the difference between getting the lead in the school play and not getting a part at all. It means a difference of getting the A in biology and getting a B or C. It means a difference of being on broadway and never stepping foot on that stage in your entire life. All because you wrote it down... Wouldn't you want an edge on your competition that is ten times greater??!! Who wouldn't!?

Now we get to self promotion and some neat new information....
Don't get to comfortable with the website... It's changing, it's getting a make over, a face lift, a suck and tuck! Get ready to have your world rocked by the new website! It's already been started and if I do say so myself... I love it and I think you will too. So take a mental note of how it looks now because when 2010 gets here it's gonna be a whole new HarleyJay.com

I'M PLAYING MY LAST BLOGtv SHOW OF 2009 on DEC. 23rd starting at 6pm California time. That means 9pm in New York, and 7pm in Arizona. I'll play some new stuff that I've never played live before and I'll play a couple Christmas tunes, and some random ideas that pop in my head I'm sure will shoot out at some point.

New merch is comin at ya!
New t shirts, new hats, new stickers, new music, maybe even a hoodie or two! I'm bustin it all out for you!! Designed and thought up by me and posted for your wearing/viewing/purchasing enjoyment!

Lastly:
TODAY ONLY! Thats TODAY ONLY (Dec. 18th 2009)

A country radio station in Arizona called KNIX is doing a fundraiser for United Way.
For a donation of at least $20 they will play anything you want on their station from NOW until 5pm west coast time. Thats 5pm!
HERE'S WHERE I NEED YOU
If you have the time and the extra cash, call them and donate 20 dollars to the cause, it's a fantastic cause I've already donated I promise. Then ask them to play YOUR FAVORITE song on the Without Wax album. Any Song. I've already been fortunate enough thanks to all of you to have three songs play! Of course the more the merrier for everyone, me, United Way, the radio station, the people that benefit from the money and you get a tax write off along with a warm fuzzy feeling :-)

The website for more info or to make a donation is:

http://www.knixcountry.com

or call them at:
480.833.0012

Call, make a donation and request a song by Harley Jay!!!

Thank you all for everything, it's been a great year thanks to every last one of you!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, lets make it another great year fro all of us!! Keep your head held high, smile and enjoy the journey!

Without Wax,

HJ

The Fat Man in Red is Coming!!!

2009-12-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

THIS WAS A MESSAGE SENT TO ALL OF YOU WHO SIGNED UP FOR ON THE FAN EMAIL LIST (LIKE THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE) I'D LIKE TO KEEP EMAIL MESSAGES SEPARATE FROM BLOGS SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME I'LL COMBINE THE MESSAGES... IF YOU'D LIKE TO SIGN UP FOR THE EMAIL LIST GO AHEAD AND BUST THAT OUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE IN THE SHORT TINY LITTLE FORM. K READ ON :-)

First of all here's to a wonderful holiday season and happy new year
and all that comes with it!

I got each and every one of you a card... I'd like you all to frame
it and put it in you living room as a conversation piece, and when
your grandmother comes over please tell her this is a guy you've been
seeing and that you couldn't be prouder of him.

:-)

I always get excited about the holidays... Honestly I wish I could
talk my body into feeling like this all year round. I'll work on it...
But this really is a great time of year to tell your friends and loved
ones how fantastic you really think they are. That's what my message
today to you is about.

Thanks for being incredible and rocking my world for another entire
year!

I've gotten support from all of you in one way or another and how
could I not feel great every single minute of the day when I have such
an incredible world of people around me! Gosh it's nice!

Record update... I'm still busting out on it dont worry I haven't
forgotten or gotten too caught up in other junk to make music... It's
going well and everyday gets a little closer to being complete. So
when's the release date? No clue... but soon. Why does it seem like
I'm holding out? Because I don't want it to suck and I have been so
blessed to have people like you that enjoy the first record so I want
to make sure I'm not just putting out scrapped material from the old
record. New stuff, good stuff, fun stuff, inspired stuff, evolved
stuff, polished stuff but still real true and raw stuff... Thats what
I'm going for. I just have to find the perfect blend of songs to put
on one CD... It's a little harder than it sounds I think.

I'm coming to AZ for Christmas and will be there for a few days and
plan on playing a show at some point so keep an eye out and I'll give
you the run down for that when it's set in stone.

I'm on twitter! Are you?! Why aren't we tweeter buddies?!?

www.twitter.com/Harley_Jay

Enough of me, go hug your friends and then look in the mirror and hug
the snot out of yourself. You did great this year! You rocked it! You
grew up a little, you got wiser, you learned, you challenged yourself,
you took a leap of faith, you experienced something great, you
laughed, you cried, you made it to 2010! Keep hugging, you deserve it!
Now go out and smile at someone.

Today a best friend of mine and I sang "It's the most wonderful time
of the year" while walking down a busy shop filled sidewalk, it has
completely made my day better BAM just like that... Some people
smiled, some people laughed, some people even joined in! Go ahead and
sing on the street who cares it's fun and it makes you feel great and
as long as you're not being annoying and lame about it you'll probably
get a little street choir of your own!

Oh and just so I don't make you loose sleep over the image that has
been etched into your head from that last picture here's one to make
up for it...

Happy Holidays!

New Years Resolution... Get my arms to the gym STAT!

Without Wax,

Harley Jay

PS -
Sign this if you haven't!!! It's a sign up sheet to be on a fan list!!! I wont bug you. Chill but if you want to hear about cool stuff like gigs, and mercy sales, and website updates, and all that jazz put your name on the sheet :-) I'd love it if you did :-)

D-23 for the boy scouts...

2009-09-30T00:26:00.000-07:00

You never know what life will throw at you. So you gotta be waiting for something great to happen at all times. You never know when that moment will come where you realize, "in the next 15 minutes my life could change forever."

The thing about that is, it's only going to actually change for the better if you're prepared and ready for it. If you are constantly expecting the worst it's not going to change in your favor. If you're reading this and you're an actor or a singer, a performer of any kind... Study, learn, DO! You can go to school all you want to learn to perform but if you aren't performing you'll never hands that hands on experience that really counts. If you're not in the performing arts, study, learn, DO! Always try to be the best at your craft no matter what it is, fixing cars, cleaning bathrooms, selling motorcycles, singing in a rock band, bagging groceries, the CEO of cables soup! Use your head, we were all born with common sense so use it! Think of new exciting ways to make the most of your current situation and I promise the universe will provide. But it'll only happen if you're prepared for it. Always be prepared.

D-22 quality

2009-09-29T01:57:00.001-07:00

Late nights...

The blogging is almost over everybody only a couple more days and then you won't have to listen to me talk EVERY SINGLE DAY...

Tonight I'm here to tell you for the rest of this week, keep it simple. It's not about quantity it's about quality. Quality people in your life, quality work, quality attitude, quality everything. Make sure your producing something whether it's homework or work for your boss or music or art or anything that is a quality product. I'm gonna do my best to do the same.

This week is quality week.

Without wax,
HJ

-- Posted from my iPhone

D-21 T.V.

2009-09-28T00:11:00.001-07:00

If you watch Tv for 3 hours a day every single day of the year that comes out to

1,095 hours of tv a year
That's 45.63 days a year you spent watching tv.
Can you imagine all the crud you could accomplish with 43 extra days each year?!?

This week give it a shot and don't watch one hour of tv. Instead play guitar, piano, study a language, call your mom back, get to the gym, play a sport! Anything!

See what you can get done with an extra few hours in your week. I'll do it too! No tv starting NOW for the rest of the week.

Without wax,

HJ

-- Posted from my iPhone

D-20 Sabastian

2009-09-26T22:30:00.001-07:00

I ate this guy last night. I feel bad but it tasted delicious...

The lesson for tonight is...
Don't pee in the wind, it gets everywhere, even if you pee down wind you will still get caught in it I promise..

Goodnight til tomorrow

HJ

-- Posted from my iPhone

D-19 Isle 5

2009-09-26T00:33:00.001-07:00

It's way too late to be here...

But I am none the less... A guys gotta eat ya know...

My favorite isle in the store is the cereal isle because it's basically all the same stuff but you have a million choices...

i.e.

Everyone has their favorites and everyone has the ones they can't stand but still the packaging looks great.

I feel like that's a lot like life. We're all grouped together sometimes. And sometimes we try and change our box to make ourselves more appealing or maybe we even offer a prize to the person that picks us up. But when it really comes down to it, the card board isn't gonna taste any different from box to box/ person to person. But the inside is gonna either rock your world or make you pissed you spent 5 bucks on something you hate.

No matter what people say, even if they say it's a bunch of bull, remember it really is what's on the inside that counts.

:-)
Without wax,

HJ

-- Posted from my iPhone

D-18ish... Self Promo... This doesn't count :-)

2009-09-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

If you haven't done it yet, fill this bad boy out and be in the loop!!!

D-18 anytime I want...

2009-09-25T01:06:00.001-07:00

Happiness is...

- a place where falling on your face is perfectly ok but being able to laugh at yourself is a requirement

- filled with English Buldogs and other cubby animals of the same degree.

- set up like a musical where it's no uncommon to bust out into a song in the style of your choice in the middle of the grocery store.

- full of great ideas, creativity, and the feelings that make
your ears tingle and you stomach light up.

- music non stop but always accompanied by mood lighting, pillows, and a reclining leather chair.

- the ones you love. Period

Happiness is not only a feeling but a place you can create anytime you want. Set up a vacation spot there and enjoy your retirement.

Without wax,

HJ

D-17 Leave Doubt Out

2009-09-24T00:56:00.001-07:00

I gotta quit this habit of writing at 1 in the morning!

Tonight I made a list of things I'm grateful for all the way from my family to the great smell of fabric softener, from cans of Mountain Dew to fantastic friends old and new, from shoes on my feet to central air and a hair cut I really don't mind sporting in front of people I don't know, from music of every kind to a pen with ink and everything I could think of in between. It made me feel good and really think about how lucky I truly am to be able to do anything I want. I mean anything I want int he sense that nothing besides my own insecurities is keeping from being exactly what I want to be. If someone can make light by flipping a switch why can't I do something just as impacting? If we can get water that is either hot or cold depending on which left or right knob we twist why can't I change the world just as dramatically? Honestly the answer is, I can. We all can.

Doubt needs to be something I think we all reject from our vocabulary. It's not even worth knowing, it shouldn't even count as a real word like... "misengagement" or something.

When you are out and about today "leave doubt out." Go throughout your day knowing you can do and be anything! That has to be true otherwise how in the hell do you explain the internet, cell phones, microwaves... fax machines! You can send a freakin piece of paper thru the telephone lines!!!

Anything and everything is possible! Call the "Times" I think people may have forgotten that fact, but it sounds like front page news to me.

Without Wax,

HJ

D-16 "Chopped"

2009-09-23T01:32:00.000-07:00

I've been addicted to a show lately called "Chopped" it's a show on the Food Network which is random because I don't really cook, and I never cared about this channel until very recently and now I can't stop myself. The show is a competition show basically with 4 chefs whom are given ingredients they are unaware of until they open a basket and have to think on their feet as to how to make the best meal using those ingredients. Are the dishes are made by the four different chefs their dishes are tasted and critiqued by 3 judges and whose ever dish is decided by the judges to be the worst is "Chopped" from the competition. Check it out if you get a chance, it's on at night and is pretty crazy entertaining to watch.

The point of me telling you this is because throughout the show the chefs are interviewed as to how they cooked their dishes or what they were thinking in the course cooking it all or how they are feeling after the judges critiques and so on. What I hear a lot while watching the show is "I hope the other chefs screw up bad enough to cover up my mistake..." or "I hope the other chefs have something go horribly wrong to make my job a little easier or to stand out that much more..." That has always bugged me and I'll explain why.

Sure, a thought like that has entered all of our heads at one point or another but I feel like there is a healthier way to go about that thought. Instead of thinking "I hope the other person sucks bad enough that I look great" why not think "I hope everyone does a fantastic job but I do that much better." Why not think "I hope everyone I'm competing against does better than there best, but so do I and THAT'S what gets me the win..."

I feel like if that thought is going through your head during the day whether it's in a sport or at an audition or during a power point presentation or a spelling bee or shooting free throws in P.E. that means when you do a fantastic job and you reap the reward it's that much sweeter. You didn't win by default, you won because you rock! You get the biggest pay off because you did your best and you deserve it. You did your best, so did your competition and now you can go away feeling like a real winner.

I'm going to make it a habit to try and always think that way starting today. Give it a shot. If nothing else hopefully it buys you karma points for the days to come.

Without Wax,

HJ

D-15 That's the fun part...

2009-09-22T01:12:00.001-07:00

So I'm late but I'm still counting it!!!

D-15 and we have to switch gears for a few days. I've been up getting ready for an audition tomorrow morning. Let me tell you the problem with that statement...

The problem is not:
- The fact that I have an audition

I love auditioning and I love getting ready for auditions so that's never a problem. Plus I've finally learned that auditions really shouldn't be called "auditions" at all. They should be called "opportunities" and I'm all for a new experience or opportunity so bring em on.

- The fact that I get to perform

Performing is my life, I'll never quit and I'll never tire of it so bring that on as well.

- The fact that I get to meet new people.

Love meeting new people because that's what life's all about, forming relationships. Letting someone come into your life to tech you something and then you repay the favor by doing the same... impacting someone even if it's just for 30 seconds is great. Bring it on.

Here's my problem:

- It's no secret that I like to sing high notes. It's no secret that I like to throw in a little range in all kinds of music. The problem is... NOT AT 11 o'clock in the morning. It' freaks me out and I have to wake up at 7 in the morning to get my voice up to where it needs to be to get the big notes.
Now I'm sure you're thinkin... "Harley, just don't sing songs with high stuff." My reply is why? That's the fun part. :-) And I'm not the lucky guy that can just wake up and WHAMMY bust out with the craziness on the voice. Can't do it, never could. I always have to give my throat and body, time to wake up and live a little. But I guess the lesson in this whole thing is luck happens when time meets preparation. Hopefully I get lucky :-)

So with all that being said, I will see you tomorrow... which is more like later tonight but who's counting...
Have a fantastic day, go be something great!

Without Wax,

HJ

D-14 what it's all about...

2009-09-20T23:43:00.001-07:00

This is what tonights all about...

Enjoy the simple things in life :-)

Sleep tight

Without wax,
HJ

D-13 sucking, sucks.

2009-09-19T19:55:00.001-07:00

So how cool is this...

I'm in an airplane, typing to all of you. I'm flying, and on the Internet! I'm in the sky 30,000 feet high and talking to you!!! Holy shit it's crazy!

I'm on my way back to LA for about two weeks and I think it'll be really nice to be back. I can't get too comfy because there is still a lot of work to do in the studio on the record but it'll be great to have a couple weeks to sit with the rough mixes and really dive into them.

I want to say thank you to all of you who come here day after day or even every so often to check out what's new. I have said it before but the fact will always remain that I can't do this without you guys so thank you for always being there for me. I'm very lucky too be able to do this and I'm very lucky to have tremendous support for it. On that note I'll always do my best to not suck! Plain and simple! I've created expectations for this album and I will always do my best to make sure I can reach them.

So thank you for helping me with the strength and desire to do what I love and for the constant motivation...

That's the lesson today... Don't suck! Unless you're a vacuum... Sucking, sucks so let's all try our best not to! :-)

-- Posted from my iPhone

D-12 I Could Do This For Awhile

2009-09-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

I did a lot of listening today :-)

That being said, I did a lot of talking too.

Today was the first day for one song on lead vocal stuff. The way I usually write songs is I try and have the idea of what the song will be about, or the general message of the story. Then I try to find chords that match a feeling or tone of what I think the song should be about, then I write a first verse, a chorus and a bridge if I feel like the song will need one. Then once I get in the studio and I hear what lead guitar parts and drums sound like and how those instruments are being played I write the rest of the song and try to feed off that energy. The basic guitar tracks and drum tracks have been laid out over the past few days so I have had enough stuff to go on to get some of the songs fully written at night after the musician sessions which is fine because I get most of my work done between the hours of 1am and 4am. Healthy? probably not but productive? Absolutely...

But I tell you that story to tell you this. The final lead vocals were cut on one tune today. It's great to hear what I've been hearing in my head come out in the studio plus whatever I can think of while the juices are flowing during the day and then to sing overtop of it all is really really exciting for me. I wouldn't mind if someone told me I had to do this for a really long time is what I'm trying to say :-)

I was interrupted today though with project that's being set up in CA so production on the record will have to be put on hold until Oct. 13th. Which isn't bad because there is a ton of work I can do from CA like pictures and cover art and lyric writing and stuff like that but that throws off my time frame of getting it all done... None the less work will still get done and I will still be here every night to give you the 4-1-1.

Happy weekend everyone! I hope you had a safe and enjoyable night! I think I might take a nap it is 10:19 after all...

Sleep well and sweet dreams.
Without Wax,

HJ

D-11

2009-09-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

Is it a problem when I feel like I've really got nothing of any importance to say tonight?

I think sometimes it's better maybe to not say anything and to just sit back, take it all in and listen. If you're talking, you can only talk about what you already know so why not zip it up for a bit and learn something new. :-)

That's my goal for the next few days at least... Sit back and enjoy the fact that I don't know, and don't have to know everything. Honestly that's pretty exciting if you really think about. Look at all the crud you can dream up and experience if you just listen.

Without Wax,

HJ :-D

D-10 A Smooth Operator

2009-09-16T23:25:00.000-07:00

We're into double digit days!!

If you've been hanging with me on Twitter I hope you saw/heard some of the pictures and videos I popped up on there. If you missed them I think you can still see them even if you don't follow me at:

www.twitter.com/Harley_Jay

There should be three or four different videos and photos up there so I hope you enjoy.

I don't think I can remember a time in my life when I've had this much fun too be honest. I hate to rub it in your face if you've had a rough couple of days but I really have enjoyed every moment of my time in the studio these past couple days. A LOT is getting done and have really come up with some new sounds and arraignments I never saw coming so it feels good to not only be able to write music but to feel creative and energized about it at the same time.

We've only been really focused on two songs since Monday and already I feel like this record really comes out the way I'm feeling right now in my life. Not that I forced anything with the last one but for some reason this time I really feel like I'm in the right place. I hope that's not a feeling I'm just forcing. But I guess you shouldn't second guess a good feeling.

I'll be tweeting more music and more photos as the sessions go on so feel free to meet up on twitter if you'd like.
I'll also be sticking up exclusive videos on HarleyJay.com as the time goes on and on so check back when you get the time and make sure you haven't missed out on anything because I don't want to constantly bombard you with facebook and twitter updates sometimes I'll just sneak stuff up like some smooth "operator," that way I can get in and get out. :-)

While I've been in the studio and writing some of the songs for the record I've been video taping and documenting what ever I could so at some point (not sure when this will be exactly) I'll put out a little 20 or 25 minute documentary that I'll share with you once I've worked it all out.

The lesson I've learned today is no one likes a jackass.::cough cough... Kanye Cough:: So don't be one.

Without Wax,

HJ

D-9 High Five

2009-09-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

If you're having a rough day/night, check this out and hopefully you'll at least chuckle :-)

I'm sure some of you have seen it before... It's always been (and probably always will be) my favorite SNL skit so I thought I'd share it with you!

"I Love You, You Know..." Haha

How was the first day of "Burn it" week? :-)

The last two days in the studio have been very very successful and a real confidence boost for me. I'm excited about these songs and I'm excited for you guys to hear them. Tomorrow will be the first day my entire band gets in the room. So far all I've been able to do is record acoustic demo like stuff to help me when talking to the band about the songs so I haven't even heard anything new. Days like these help me a lot though because I can get my lyrics straight and get the feeling for how these things will play out in an acoustic type of environment.

I've also been thinking about something for the past few days now... I think that every now and then we all need someone to tell us we are doing a good job. No matter what we are doing if we are giving 100% I think it should be said too. If you're slackin off and expect a pat on the back maybe you need to rethink your situation but I think if you're giving it your best and really trying to be better or make a certain something turn out for the best you should be granted a "great job!" So I'm here to tell you that. For those of you that feel like you're giving it your best in school, or at work, or at home, or with your family, or with friends or whatever it is, keep it up! Even if someone doesn't notice it right now I promise you it'll come around in your favor in the long run. Keep going and if you can find the energy try and put a little extra in just for a week or so and see if you come out even further ahead. But to all of you out there that are constantly giving it your best and everyone seems to be blowing you off like it's no big deal, screw them! Here's a hug and a high five :-)

Ok I'm headin out but I think tomorrow I'll stick up a little video for you all to watch so you don't have to keep reading EVERYTHING!!!

Make it a good day tomorrow :-)

Without Wax,

HJ

D-8 "Burn it" Week

2009-09-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

Day 1 in the studio was GREAT!

A lot got done and sorted out today and I think you guys will really dig the direction the music is going. I couldn't be happier with it so I hope you feel the same.

I have a task for those of you that are willing to accept it.

I'm calling this week "Burn it" week. Here's what mean...

If you've got a copy of my CD "Without Wax" tonight pull it out and "burn it" I don't mean tossed it into a firey pit of dispare I mean make a copy of it! Make a copy of your CD and give it to someone, anyone, at some point in the week. It doesn't matter if it's your best friend, your neighbors hot daughter, your grandma, the computer geek you see on your lunch break, the tall blonde guy you stare at when you pass by the water cooler, or the punk that spit too much in gym class. Give it away!

You have an entire week to give just one cd away. I will give you permission to give out more but the goal is only one! :-)

If you do this I will forever be in your debt and I grant you good karma for the entire month of Oct.

I will be in the studio for the entire week and at some point (I'll let you know when) I'm goingto bring my video camera in there and have a live feed so you all can get a real feeling of what the studio is all about, how I do my thing in there, you'll here very short clips of the new songs, all that jazz. It should be fun...

Thanks for your continued support in reading these and to those of you that say things to me throughout your day! I'm very lucky and am excited to share this stuff with all of you!

Day two begins soon :-)
Without Wax

HJ

D-7 I'm Gonna Do It...

2009-09-13T22:11:00.001-07:00

I wrote up a big long speech basically about the VMAs tonight, but after typing it all out (and believe me it's not short) I figured my point was not needed and was better left unspoken but I do want to say this.

I want to be apart of the music world more than anything. I want to create and make music for the rest of my life. I want to sell out shows of 40,000 people and I want to put out 25 records that sell in the tens of millions every time. But most of all I want to know that while I was doing all of it I was doing it all for the right reasons. To create. I felt like a lot of that vibe was lost tonight at the VMAs, I wanted to be inspired by the tonight and honestly was put off more than a few times.

I'm not saying I was put off necessarily by the performances or anything like that but it just didn't have any real feeling of support or encouragement for each others successes, and isn't that the point of those shows? To go out and support your friends and creators? Sure everyone wants to win but shouldn't you be there in the mind set of a night to look at the year of yourself as well as your friends and go... Look at what music has done for ALL of us.

Everyone has placed themselves in this "you're not cool unless you can scream how much of a badass you are at the top of your lungs and how to told someone to F off last night... Twice" mode. It's still cool to cheer for someone else right, it's still cool to show support right? It's still cool to be nice, hold doors open for your girlfriend, and appreciate the smaller things in life right? I say if it isn't, I'm gonna do my best to be the loser of the school and carry the groceries for the old lady in the parking lot. And if I get a chance to be the loser in school in front of 20 TV cameras, a live audience of 10,000+ and the entire nation watching me, I'm gonna do it... Aretha talked about "Respect," Frank Sinatra sang about treating people right and still to this day, to some, he's the biggest bad ass of all time.

Have a great day tomorrow at school or at work.
We'll talk more soon.

It's my day in the studio so hopefully something neat comes out of it. :-)

Without wax,

HJ

D-6 You Can Pick A Lot of Things...

2009-09-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

I'm cutting it close but technically I'm still good because it's only 11:21 in Arizona. I've still got 39 minutes to make this happen people!! :-)

I got the chance to play with Laurence Juber (www.laurencejuber.com) and I had a blast! It was a very cool setting for a gig and a very cool opportunity to get to give back a little to a very great cause. It was an honor and a pleasure to play with Laurence and to be asked to perform last night so thank you to all of you who attended and showed your support and donated money to "City of Hope." There's a very special (music filled) place in heaven for all of you :-) Don't you worry I'll stick a few clips from the show up once I get them off my camera so you can spend a minute with Laurence and I. :-)

I got to Arizona this afternoon and was able to spend some quality time with my bestest (I know that's not a word don't worry) friend, my dad, who ended up kicking my ass in bowling which sucks because I pride myself on my bowling ability, never the less I got rocked by the old man! Ego has been deflated about 47%.
I also was greeted by a house full of cookies and fruit punch (which rocks because I don't care if your 5 or 105 homemade cookies can never be a bad thing) and a big hug from my fantastic mom! Coming home feels great every time I get the chance to do it. Sometimes it just feels good to get away from LA even if it's only for a minute or two.

I go into the studio on Monday afternoon and that's when the pressure is on and the tide rises and the winds blow and the floods come up and the dogs perk up and the cats freak out and the magic happens :-) Tomorrow will be a big day to basically cram last second chords, fix me ups, lyric fixes and throat lozenges. We'll be in touch more tomorrow when the true inspiration (hopefully) will show up but the message for today is simple and true.

"There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree. You can sit on an acorn, or you can climb the tree."

Sleep well my wonderful friends,

HJ

D-5 San Diego or Bust

2009-09-11T18:07:00.001-07:00

Tonights the night a big time dream happens for me! I am playing a show with an incredible musician, Laurence Juber. An absolutely amazing and inspiring guitar player who is probably best known for busting the axe out when playing with Paul McCartney and Wings!

I gotta keep this one short but the message today is, dreams do come true I promise. You gotta dream big to be big! So go for it! Make it happen... You'll have to work for it... Trust me! But do it!

You're awesome,
Without wax...

HJ

-- Posted from my iPhone

D-4 My 100% Best Version of Myself

2009-09-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

The studio day is approaching and I'll admit I'm frantically trying to make sure I've got everything in line for the songs. I wish I could say this process was no sweat, I show up with my songs, we play them with the red light flashing, take a few pictures for the art work, stick the music and the pictures in a plastic case, wrap it in the most annoying plastic wrap you've ever touched in your entire life and Boo Yah! New Harley Jay CD! But for some reason it didn't work out hat way for me with the first record and this one isn't too much different.

But you know what is so sweet about this entire process? I'm feel like I can say anything I want. I don't feel like I've really got any need, reason, or excuse to hold back a certain topic. thought, feeling, or sound for that matter. Which also feels really great because it means I can keep my eyes wide open with my head completely cleared and "go, go, go."

The real point to me saying this is not to pat myself on the back and say "way to go Harley for these songs you've beat writers block to the ground, buried it, you're the new high school bully, now let's see who else's ass we can kick!" But for a chance to thank all of you who take time out of your day to read these things, come to the shows, write a thought or feeling on here or anywhere else, pop my CD into your car and blow the windows out listening to "And She Said," sign up for the fan lists, wish me a good day on Facebook, ALL THAT AND MORE because you've given me the hope and spirit to just take a chance and put whatever I'm really thinking about feeling on paper. I always want to put out good music but because of the support you've all put behind me, this second shot at putting out new music seems to be so much more amped and grounded, and I owe that feeling to you.

I'm landing in the studio in three days and will continue to keep my eyes open... wide. To make sure you're getting the real me, the real music, the real experience. What you truly deserve, my 100% best version of myself.

D-3 Simplicity

2009-09-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a video and a song that I really really enjoy. Why? Because it's incredibly simple, honest, and from the heart. Granted I'm a huge fan of Keith Urban anyway, this song honestly is a song I think I'd like even if I'd never heard of him before.

Only You Can Love Me This Way

But at times I think we can all make our lives a little tougher than it really needs to be. Why we do this I haven't quite figured out but I think maybe I have an idea...

My theory is it's just easier to say how hard something is or how pissed you are about it than it would be to use the brain power to make things better or to think of ideas to fix the situation. I think we can all admit that there has been a time (maybe 20) when if we would have just laid off being so mad about the situation we could have fixed it in a much faster time. I'm not saying that getting pissed from time to time is a horrible thing, that's life, it's a roller coaster so ride that loops, twists, turns, and slopes of your emotions. Sometimes you need to throw your hands up and scream but sometimes you need to throw your hands up with joy! Enjoy the ride and the constant rush of the changing speeds and levels. Most times than not I think when we get in a situation that frustrates us we can't always think straight and then we make or life more difficult than it EVER needed to be. So simplify. Breathe, think, and simplify. It's gonna be ok I promise. Life is here for you to be apart of and enjoy so go out and do something crazy like fall in love or buy that extra half pound of peanut butter m&ms.

......

..............

Sign up for the fan mailing list if you haven't done so yet. I promise I wont bug you with smap and random lame stuff but I'll let you know when gigs are and merch comes out and when I buy a dog I'll send you some pictures... if that ever happens :-)

D-2 Oldie But A Goodie

2009-09-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a little back ground on a tune on the last record called "Maybe I'm Crazy."

Depending on my mood or maybe the topic of the song or how I'm feeling at the time I'm trying to write or whatever, getting lyrics onto the page come either super fast or take weeks to get out. I've got a few songs I've been trying to get the right lyrics for that at over a year old in fact. I like the melodies a lot and I think the topic I'm going for is groovy but can't figure out the right way to say them so I just have to sit on the song and wait it out until the right thing is said I guess. I never want to put anything out there that I don't feel is completely structured or not quite hitting the right spots so I just have to keep the thoughts going to make it happen on the records to come.

With "Maybe I'm Crazy" the lyrics seemed to come out almost too quickly. I started writing the song and had the first verse spouted out in a few minutes. Then I had another verse and another verse, I think I ended up with close to five full verses I could pick and choose from before ever having the chorus out. That is a thing that regularly happens to me.

When I got into the studio we recorded a version of the song with I think "3 and a half-ish" verses and the song ended up being close to 6 minutes long so I had to bail on half of one verse and ended up writing a different third verse all together in the studio and that's what went down when the record button got pushed. Every song that ended up (and pretty much every song I've ever written except maybe two) I've made a solid effort to make sure the lyrics were mine and mine alone. I know that could come out sounding really awful but I only do it that way because I usually write lyrics with a certain image in my head as if I'm reading a book or seeing a movie and picturing different scenes, and I feel if Im the only one writing the lyrics hopefully I can put the image in my head on paper, then onto the recording and maybe give whoever is listening a shot at having some sort of image or movie in their head as well.

Here are a few shots of how "Maybe I'm Crazy" looked on paper. You'l be able to read one of the verses that didn't make it onto the record but maybe someday at an acoustic show or something I'll play an extended version or something so I can try and sneak it all in... :-) I don't know...

D-1 Expect a Duet

2009-09-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome back :-)

So I told you some things were going to be different on the new album. Well here's a surpirse to both of us that I never ever saw coming...

I had been working on a song for a few days for a couple of minutes at a time and had an idea for a song but could exactly word what I wanted to talk about the way I wanted to say it. That is until I played it for someone else who's opinion I really admire and who's talent is truely inspiring. I usually don't play half done songs for anyone unless I'm almost positive I can pull it off with some sort of class but in this case I just couldn't help myself.

I pulled out the guitar and started going for it. After talking about it and toying with the tune for about 15 or 20 minutes the idea came about to turn it into a duet... Who saw that coming?!

We stayed up well past 3am (which seems to be the best time for me to have creative energy for some reason) getting the song in order and I have to say it's one of the most favorite songs I've written to date. :-D

I can't exackt say what it will be called just yet but Im excited to get this one laid out with my band so... expect a duet.

Ok day 1 (D-1) in the books... On ward and up ward!

Without wax,
HJ

-- Posted from my iPhone

Hopefully You Don't Get Sick of Me...

2009-09-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

KA BOOM!

POW!

KA BLAM!

BOO YA!!!

I'm excited can you tell?! So here it comes the official announcement...

I'M GOING BACK INTO THE STUDIO ON SEPTEMBER 13TH (A WEEK AND A DAY FROM TODAY) TO START MY SECOND ALBUM.

But things are changing this time. I'm including all of you in the process much much more this time than I ever even thought about last time. If you don't mind, I'd like you all to join me for the entire process.

Here's what I mean...

Starting TODAY I am going to be blogging (which happens to be a word I hate but that's what it's called so I guess I'll get over it) every single day somedays more than once from right this minute until Oct. 1st. What is the point? Why should you care? How does that include you in this whole make CD thing? I'd be happy to answer that for you :-)

I'm going to put up audio clips, new exclusive videos, I'm even going to play a live online show or two for all of you during which I'll be playing acoustic versions of some of the new songs. But I'll be filling you in on those dates and times in the blog. Don't worry I'll still bug the crap out of you on Twitter too but I'll be going a bit more in depth in the blogs.

The real point for the blog is that I want to try and make each day sort of a journal/documentary style of writing for this entire process of how I make an album and how I write songs, why I write what I write and where all these thoughts and ideas are coming from. I luck out with getting asked these types of questions a lot by you guys and I want you all to hopefully be entertained but also feel apart of my true passion, love, desire, source of life, because after all is said and done I can't do any of this without you, so thank you for keeping me not only able to do what I love but sane in a sense. I owe a lot to all of you and I hope you know I'll never take it or any of you for granted.

Thanks to the iPhone I can blog from the studio with video, audio, pictures, all that stuff. So I'll try and keep you as in with me as possible without giving away too much of the entire record at the same time.

I will say this about the record without even being in the studio yet.

- I'm going a slightly different route with it but still keeping it me.
-Here's what I mean-

I've been listening to A LOT of older types of rock n roll the past year and it has really influenced the way I write, the things I think about and the things I put down on paper. Bands like Aerosmith, Journey, Jude Cole, Def Leppard, Kenny Loggins, Scorpions, Zepplin, Van Halen, The Who, that sort of thing. But I'm always going to love the rock/pop kats of country like Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, the list keeps going so this next record is going to be a bit more of a rock n roll take on my stuff. I'm really pushing for Keith Urban meets Kenny Loggins with a pinch of old school rock. Don't worry I'll leave out the "key-tars" and fancy synth sounds but all the bands I mentioned are guitar and voice driven which is right where I would like to belong. Big vocals, great guitar lines, tons of energy, just letting loose and that's what I want to put out for you guys.

This is a lot of information at once but I want to get it all out there right from the start to put all of us (including myself) on the same page.

I'll jot down a few tunes that have really stuck with me to give you an idea of what I'm talking about... Check them out when you get a free minute and enjoy the ride.

- Van Halen - Finish What Ya Started
- Jude Cole - Baby, It's Tonight
- Def Leppard - Photograph
- Keith Urban - If Ever I Could Love
- Kenny Loggins I'm Free (Heaven Helps a Man)

That should get you started on the listening station front :-)

There's more sorry...

I'm trying to get an email list going so I can send out contest info, show updates, record info. pictures, news, that sort of thing to make sure everyone is always included so I thought I'd get that set up this way.
If you have a free minute or two and would like to be on the list fill out this short little form and submit it. That will stick you on the list and I promise I'll never spam you or ask for things like money or for Christmas presents but I'll make sure you know whats going on with shows whether they are online or in you city. You'll also be caught up with contests, other online type videos or prizes and pictures, that sort of thing.

Here's the little Q&A thanks for your help...

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Thanks for the LOVE!! Gosh you're awesome.

Ok I'm leaving you with this...

Thank You from the bottom of my heart, I said this before but I couldn't do ANY of this without you. It just wouldn't be possible so thank you so much for sticking with me for the past year 2 years month, week, or the past 15 minutes. I'm a blessed and incredibly lucky guy and I can't tell you all enough how honored I am that you would not only be apart of my life but include me in yours.

Attack of the Snickerdoodle Cookies....

2009-06-16T10:34:00.001-07:00

I started eating these little gems (Snickerdoodle Cookies) a few nights ago. Then i had a few more the next night and last night topped it off with 5 in a row. (These cookies are not small) this morning I woke up and had 4 more. Needless to say I might be all Snickerdoodled out for a day or two. But I realized that's the super cool part about being an adult. I can eat these bad boys anytime I want and as much as I want and no one can really tell me I can't! That being said my mom was always happy if I ate anything at all so she usually was the one passing me another cookie to begin with. My moms a bad ass by the way!

I'm finally back on stage! I hadn't been apart of a stage show since the days of New York City and the Rent cast and finally the time has come where I got back up there! I'm doing Schoolhouse Rock Live Too! I boycotted it at first I'll admit... But this thing is awesome! The cast is awesome, the show is awesome, my director is awesome, the experience is awesome...

And I've realized thats what life should be about, being apart of something awesome. Making something awesome, learning because of something awesome!

The show is playing at Greenway Court Theater in Los Angeles and not to pat myself or the cast/show on the back but we have been honored as "Critics Choice" in the LA Times! Hard work pays off ladies and gentlemen :-)

Do you Twitter cause I'm addicted...

www.Twitter.com/Harley_Jay

Thank you all for the incredibly nice things you've said about my new photos. I'm not a fan of getting pictures taken because I feel like I usually stand awkward and look out of place so thank you for the very encouraging words and sweet comments, gosh I've got good friends.

Wanna hang out on FaceBook? Become a Fan at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harley-Jay/9679298927

This was a super scattered little message but I didn't want you all to think I forgot about you. I do want to fill you in though that even if for some reason I don't do something like this for 5 years straight I'll never forget about you! Thank you so much for sticking with me! Let's grow old together :-)

Without Wax,
Harley Jay

Behind My Eyes #1

2009-03-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

So if you're here today because I told you I'd have a new song up you-re a sweetheart and i love you to death. That being said don't hate me because I'm having technical difficulties putting the darn thing on the site. But I can promise you I have something new for you to hear and something I hope you like and something kind of different from what I usually put out. Anyway... I'm going to keep working on this little problem I'm having and hopefully get it up in an hour or two. If it doesn't happen today I promise it will be there by the end of tomorrow because I move on to a different computer to get it all uploaded and all that jazz.

Sorry for the late arrival but I will stick something up within 24 hours I promise :-)

Big Show in Hollywood Saturday April 4th

2009-03-22T00:20:00.001-07:00

Click the picture and It will get bigger :-)

News Day

2009-03-15T21:28:00.001-07:00

As promised...

Good Morning Arizona News...

It's Just You and Me...

2009-03-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

So this week begins the first week of the "music sharing game" maybe we'll call it MSG... Even though MSG is usually a bad thing hopefully we'll come up with something brilliant and it will give a new meaning for the acronym... But what ever the letters are, or whatever you want to call this little experiment check in NEXT Sunday and I'll have posted a new tune for you all to critique the snot out of :-)

On another music front, I did a radio interview back in February and the Azrizona music Cafe was cool enough to post the interview (actually the entire show) online for all to listen to incase you missed it. Click the link to go straight to the interview. I'm about 3/4 of the way thru the interview... I use up about the last 15 or 20 minutes... :-)

Set List:
Stuff Packed Up
The Boy Next Door
The Moment You Get Back

HarleyJay Interview

Also there are photos of the interview and other fun stuff on the site so go here to check all of that out:

AzMusicCafe

Also during that time I did an interview on Channel 3 Good Morning Arizona. It was crazy, crazy, waaaay too early but I had a great time playing the show. I'll post that up on YouTube today and add the video in another post tonight so check back again later tonight before you hit the sack and that should be up and running.

Lastly, you guys are great and wonderful and thank you ALL so much for making my birthday the best ever. I was flooded with love and best wishes and it was all because of you so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Without Wax,
HJ

We've Got Work To Do...

2009-03-09T01:34:00.000-07:00

First of all if you haven't noticed, my favorite computer vernacular has got to be "..." I don't know why. I feel like I usually finish my thoughts but maybe I need to think about it on a different level somewhere else.

Moving on... <--- {That one was on purpose}

Ok, I am going to make some time of virtual, online, computer linked, deal with you.
I think I mentioned in my last little note to all of you that I've been doing my best to write new material. Well, I'd like to include you in this venture of mine to get on the path of inspiration again. Starting March 16th 2009 every week I'm going to post a song on this Blog site. I'm not going to promise it will be good, I'm not going to promise it will be done, I'm not going to promise it will be country or rap, or folk, or hip hop, or opera, or even some type of a polka but it will be music that I wrote recorded, and put together. What I'm saying is every new week I'm going to put out a song. A song I have been working on for the entire week prior. I probably wont post an entire song... but I'll do my best to get out a verse and a chorus at least. Just something new and different and fun to listen to.

The real purpose of this is not only to give you guys something else to attach to your ear, but a real chance to create. No rules, no prior thoughts, no worries... Just create, and make, and do. Get out and say something everyone can understand, by that I mean everyone can speak "music" no matter what. I love that idea! We might not all understand exactly what it's saying, or why, or have the same thoughts on the circumstances but we can all speak it. So let's talk.

Hears another thing...
I've heard addiction is bad but, I have to admit one to all of you. If you're a fan of FaceBook you already know about "Status Updates" maybe you're a frequent updater. I always enjoyed the Status part of FaceBook. So I was told by a very good best friend of mine about "Twitter." The purpose of Twitter is nothing but Status updating. I LOVE THIS IDEA. It's basically a two sentence journal entry that could be documented at any point in your day. Plus they have an app for the iPhoen called TwitterFon, to make things that much easier on you.

Twitter.com/Harley_Jay

That's where you go if you want to hang with me on Twitter! It'll change your life... {exaggeration but seriously it's very cool}

Ok... Check back in soon, I'll be back but make sure your here stating next week and I'll be droppin some songs on you. :-)

Be safe, be well, be happy, be grateful, be honest, be real, be inspired, be kind, and enjoy yourself.

HJ

Everything is Amazing, Nobody's Happy...

2009-02-28T22:24:00.000-08:00

It's about time...

back to normal blogs, none of this "come see my show junk" or "call and bug the snot out of the radio so I keep getting played" blah blah blah. What's up you guys!?

First off, if you have a free 4:12 then check this video out NOW:

I've watched it about 5 times in the last two days and every time not only do I seriously crack up but really start to think about what I take for granted... Then I go, gosh I've got it good! The economy is in the crapper but that doesn't mean we as individuals have to be in one too. It's tough at times to not think "could my life get any worse" I know, but I promise you two things:

(1) Yes, actually it can get worse... So be stoked that it isn't. By that I mean, I don't care if 50 horrible things happen to you in one day, the 51st can come the 52nd could be close to that and the 53rd could be just on the horizon. But you could luck out with the 53rd being the last one before something absolutely breathtakingly fantastic happens.

(2) I'll bet you 9 times out of ten if you talked to people, you would end up realizing you would never want to swap lives with them for 15 minutes. What do I mean? I mean I'll bet a lot of you have bought a Chris Brown record in the last 3 or 4 years. He's busted out on TV, won Grammy's, wrote and worked with some of the best of the best in the music world almost ever to touch an instrument, he's partied on commercials and dated one of the top 50 most beautiful people according to People Magazine, and even had a lead in a feature film I'm sure a lot you had the pleasure of seeing. Now after knowing the things he is going through at this exact time in his life, anyone want to trade? I'm not in anyway saying he did or didn't do anything, because who am I to judge or say that gossip magazines and tabloid junkies know only truth and twist nothing. But, he's going through a rough patch I'll bet right now, which he will crawl out of I'm sure but, I think I'll keep my credit card debit, flat tire, stubbed toe, broken heart, and loss of student body president before I raise my hand to switch places with anyone.

Does that make sense?

I played a show with a little country singer by the name of James Otto this past Valentines Day. I say "a little country singer" because he holds the title for most played song on country radio for 2008 and this year was also nominated for not one but 2 Grammy awards. Needless to say I had a fantastic time! The show was rockin and hands down the biggest show I've ever played with my own music, I think a little over 3,000. Was I nervous? Yep. :-)

I also moved into a new apartment this weekend, it's the bomb!! Much better than my last place so hopefully it sparks some new and unexplainable inspiration for music because i'll fill you in on a little secret... Can you keep a secret...? I've been running dry on the music writing side of my life so I thought maybe if I stop trying to suppress it and express it maybe things will shift for the better. So there we go... That ones between me and you though.

Alright I'm going to get back to the life of taped boxes, heavy lifting, and UHaul, but these will be coming at you much more frequently. Why you ask? I'm cozy now. I can get more done if I'm comfortable, plus I miss you guys. :-) Sleep tight and Goodnight.

Your friend and biggest fan,

Harley Jay

Acoustic Show @ ROOM 5 in Hollywood Feb. 6th

2009-01-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

Let me get to the thank you first please :-)

A week or more back I sent out a favor to you guys asking for your help getting my record played more on the radio. You did an incredible job and we had success!! Thank you all so much for taking the time out to help. I'm a very blessed human being and I owe my blessings to all of you. Thank you very much.

Also if you're in the Los Angeles/Hollywood area next week and feel like coming to a live music show come out to Room 5 in Hollywood... It's a very cool gig spot with a very comfy intimate vibe. I'll be playing with my very close friend Phil Daniel who is a whiz on the guitar and has some pretty insane vocals to add to it. It'll be a great show and I don't play too often to play in CA or to play with Phil so come out and hang for 30 minutes with us.

DETAILS:
Room 5 on La Brea in Hollywood
February 6th
Show time is at 7:50 (we are playing 30-40 minutes)
$10.00 @ the door

Check out the poster on the bottom for address details...

LASTLY:
My band and I are opening up for Two Time Grammy Nominee (could be Grammy winner after Feb. 8th we shall see) James Otto in Az at WestWorld Area in Scottsdale on Valentines Day... This one is a big one for me so if you can make it out to the show please do! Plus it's only $11.00. For 11.00 you can see The Lovell Sister (who are the bomb and sound a lot like an all girls version of Nickel Creek) Myself, and James Otto... Sounds like a really cheap, fun filled date night to me :-)

Out self promo is done now. I think you guys are great and I'm wishing you all a very safe and hopefully soon to be warm couple of weeks coming up. Be well and keep smiling.

Without Wax,
HJ....

Opening For Aaron Watson on January 21st at 7pm

2009-01-14T17:14:00.000-08:00

ACOUSTIC SET AT MARTINI RANCH

Also playing that night will be "The Honkey Tonk Kid" himself, Aaron Watson and the support from KMLE Country 107.9FM's Gwen Foster!!! This is a pretty big one so I'd love to see you all there it's going to be an incredible show I promise :-)

Catching a Radio Wave...

2009-01-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

FAVOR ALERT!!!

Hey guys and gals...
My band and I have lucked out with getting a few plays over the last few months on the radio but would love to beat the house down with it now since the James Otto and Travis Tritt show are coming up.

HERE'S WERE YOU COME IN

Click the link below and it will send you straight to the KMLE Disc Jockey Gwen Foster... She's a sweetheart and has said a lot of very nice things about me and my music so be nice. But, click the link and it will send you straight to her e-mail address. Send her and email saying you want to hear:

"Do You Want Me or Not" by Harley Jay!!!

And click send... That's all it takes. If you feel like saying you think I smell good and my music is better than Fruit Roll-ups thats great too but you don't Have to:-) Let's be honest though nothing will ever be better than fruit roll-ups so quit kidding yourself!!!

Thanks so much for everything you all have done for me. I know this is just ANOTHER thing to add to the very long list...

CLICK ON THE KMLE & REQUEST TO PLAY ME...HARLEY JAY!!

Or call KMLE 108 at (602) 260-0108 to request

Got a date for Valentines Day?
Well, do I have the perfect suggestion for you!

Come see ME LIVE in Arizona with the entire band at WestWorld
in Scottsdale for the 'Saturday Night Special'...it's gonna be huge!
James Otto, ME, and a lot more surprises to come!!
Get your tickets NOW!!

For tickets: www.Ticketmaster.com

General Admission $15.00

PS: If this link doesn't work...
Head over to:

Gwen@KMLENation.com

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

The Shower...

2009-01-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I get what feels like ALL of my thinking done in the shower for. Maybe it's because I know no one will interrupt me there or maybe hot water has something to do with the way I think... odd. BUt I've heard a lot of people do they're best thinking in the shower. Apparently Sting wrote "Message in a Bottle" while in the shower and I hear John Lennon has done the same for quite a few Beatles tunes.

Anyway, while I was in the shower today I..... Pause... HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I totally don't want to forget that new exciting turn of events we just had. I hope everyone had a very nice New Years Eve and let's really do something great with 2009.

OK while I was in the shower for some reason the thought of "Evolving" and "Changing" came into my head. I think I've come to the conclusion that they are totally different. I will say this though and I could be very wrong which I have no problem admitting but... I feel like "Evolving" is a wonderful thing that can never go wrong. If you are "Evolving" you're growing you're living, you're experiencing, you're dreaming, you're becoming, you're learning, you're expanding and rounding yourself out. Which I feel like is never a bad thing in the slightest, who doesn't want to do that? Who doesn't want to branch out and live a little? Learn about things you like, don't like, cant get enough of and could probably do without for awhile?

On the flip yet same side, is "Changing." Sometimes I guess change can be for the bad. I would hope that it would always be for the good but I know that I've done somethings or changed somethings that honestly probably should have stayed the same just branched out or grew up a little... Evolved if you will :-)

So I know my last little post was about resolutions and goals and crap but I think that my biggest resolution will be to Evolve. I capitalize it because I like to by the way, I feel like it looks like it has more power or purpose or something. But not only Evolve, I want to understand when I'm doing it and be excited about it. I don't mean excited like call a high school band to play a pep rally on my behalf with cake, and a hypnotist (we had that when I was in high school at a pep rally once, it was like the best day of my life) but I mean learn from not only others but myself. I hope that came out right.

So that's my thought for today. "Evolution can be a Revolution." Maybe that's what I want to say. :-)

What's and and what the Hell are you doing?

2008-12-23T03:14:00.000-08:00

So...
Let's recap on everything very quickly...

-It's 4 in the morning...
-I haven't written one of these in like 4 months or some crap...
-Resolution time because the New Year is just around the block...
-Can't wait for Christmas because I love it...
-So far I've missed the Flu (knock on wood) and that makes me VERY happy because I get that damn virus every single freaking year...
-I'm watching Friends DvDs and have been for the last ohhhh 2 hours... I'd rather do something productive and noisy like blast the radio or play guitar and sing at the top of my lungs but I am trying to respect the fact that like I said, it's 4 in the morning...

So let's play a game. I'll tell you things I really love and maybe spout of a few New Years Resolutions as well as one thing I've learned I absolutely despise and we can see if we all agree or disagree or if we can agree to disagree... and I'd love to hear what your New Year Goals are if you've got them, if you don't I totally suggest you come up with at least 2 or 3 even if they are things like brush my teeth everyday... Love it...

RESOLUTION TIME
-Write, Write, Write... (I have learned this past year that I LOVE to write music and I'd like to continue that but I'd also like to write other things, poems, plays, maybe try spouting off a musical or something)
-Watching less TV... (Honestly I don't think I watch TV very much anyway but check out what I discovered. If you watch TV every single day for 2 hours a day you've watched over 700 hours of TV in that year alone. OVER 700 HOURS OF TV!! Now I'm sure a lot of you are saying "Dude who watches 2 hours EVERY SINGLE DAY? Well maybe you don't watch every day but there are days when you don't and then days when you might watch 3 hours or more. But if you can manage to only watch 2 hours of TV 3 or four times a week then you cut that number (700) in half!! Imagine all the crap you could learn, discover, get good at, reflect on, earn, whatever with an extra 300-400 hours of your life back!!! Holy crap!)
-Eat right. (I've got a sweet tooth... I have had days where I have woken up and had gummy bears, orange juice and a snickers bar for breakfast then I don't eat again for another 6 hours and I'll have an apple, some water and Ju Ju Bees or something... I wish I were joking, needless to say, I need to eat MUCH better)
-Retuning messages, that goes for text, voice, email, smoke flares whatever. (I suck at responding back to anything, I suck at it bad, I don't want to suck at that anymore)

Ok so there's a few I've got a list that's WAAAY too long but I feel like you gotta dream big to be big so go for the gold and better yourself. Anyone else have any?

Ok I know this is getting long... So I'll try and make this one quick. I told you I'd tell you about a thing I discovered that I despise... I will try and make sure this doesn't end on a negative note by the way...
I can not stand the word "Bored." Just typing the crappy word makes me want to stab the computer screen with a pencil. Bored is a term I wish never existed. Now I understand you can't always have something to do to keep your mind totally occupied but please at least do SOMETHING to entertain yourself. Even if it's imagining what it would the world would be like if grass were Tie Die and humans mouths were actually in the palm of your hand and still the way we greeted each other was with a hand shake how awkward would that be. Ok so the thing is I feel like if your bored you just need to figure out a way to expand your normal pattern of life or thinking or dreaming or whatever. So my task for all of you this year is to never ever be bored, and if you are... try not be anymore :-)

Lastly (I promise I'm trying to wrap this up but it's still very early and I never go to sleep)
My band (who's name happens to be Harley Jay) got asked to perform with James Otto and Travis Tritt on Valentines Day this coming year (2009) we're totally excited. It'll be a really really cool party/show and I'm really excited to share the stage with those guys so we'll see if I can hold my own up there for 30 minutes. :-) I want to invite all of you to come if you're in the Scottsdale, Az area. But if you wont be able to be there and you still want to shout out to them your support, be there pals on MySpace. If you do, it'll make me look good and I'll love you forever :-) Head over to...............

HERE-----> http://www.myspace.com/saturdaynightspecialscottsdale

Which is the myspace site for the show itself and add 'em up. Who doesn't love having new friends? Try adding a new one to YOUR life.

Ok everyone you're wonderful, beautiful, special, and amazing and I'll be back soon. Stay warm, stay safe, be happy, make goals, dream big and keep in touch!

Without Wax,

HJ

News, Radio, Video, Music... That'll do...

2008-10-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

Long time no see!!!

First off I wanted to share a little video with you all. I'd post it on here but don't have a straight up copy of my own so you'll have to head over to the URL to check it out. But since my record came out I've lucked out with an incredible response from people and I could have never guessed in my wildest dreams it would be running like it is. I'm honored. But I had the chance to play "Stuff Packed" and "The Moment You Get Back" on a radio station live in Az, and was fortunate enough at the same time, to have the news do a story on local music. It was very cool to sort of grab two things at once like that so if you have any interest in watching the news story and hear a clip of the songs you are more than welcome to head over to......

HERE:
http://www.azfamily.com/video/geaz-index.html?nvid=269754&shu=1

The other groups on the show were very talented and very cool kat and it was a pleasure sharing the time with all of you. :-)

Also on the music streak, I had my CD release party in Az and I don't mean to pat myself on the back but I'll be honest and say I had one of the best times on a stage that I've ever had in my entire life. I couldn't enjoy my band anymore and I couldn't be more blessed to have so many people come out to support me. The turn out was fantastic and the energy from the people in the room was incredible. We were able to play the entire record which was fantastic and then because of the audience lucked out with a one song encore. I was floored at the encore thing and too be honest a bit freaked out to play one incase it sucked big time but I think it came off alright :-) During the set I did a cover of Wonderwall by Oasis which was new and fun for me so I think I just might play it a few more times more :-)

To get a little on a personal note, and I understand I'm not your parents or grand parents or brothers and sisters, your church leader, best friend, school teacher, drama teacher or anyone else of a higher substance but I wanted to briefly say a few things. I am very lucky to hear from lots of you guys on a daily basis, why I deserve that honor I don't think I'll ever quite understand. But I am always so excited to hear from you and hear about your new shows you're in, or contests you've won, or the fact you just bought a new dog that you love to death, or even the hard time in your life with sickness, or career struggles, or school problems or whatever the case may be so thank you so much for letting me share in either a troubled time or a wonderful time in your life.
I feel like in the world especially right now, people are constantly saying NO or You could never do that, or that's not real life, or get your head out of the clouds and to be frank, I'm totally sick and tired of that crap. I also feel like somewhere down the line it got uncool to ask questions... Where the hell did that come from? So I'm here to tell all of you in the best way I know how without trying to sound like your parents or grand parents or high school counselor, you seriously can be anything you want. I swear on my heartbeat you can. It might not come immediately or even in the time you think it should but I swear if you keep it in your mind and you keep working for it, you can be anything in the entire world. I swear. And I feel like a great way to get to that place is to ask questions. If you don't understand something, ask... Who cares if you didn't know, so what... And if you get laughed at or made fun of for asking the question just know that at one point the person laughing didn't know the answer either. They were in the same boat as you at one time so they can just get over it. I think a lot of these reality shows like "Americans Most Smartest Model" and "The Real World" have made it look uncool to ask questions but when it really comes down to it, you can only talk about what you already know, so when people shut up and listen and ask questions can you imagine how much more you would learn about. And you know what, it just might be the shit you actually want to know about. So after all that I just hope you all understand no matter what age you are no matter where you are in your life no matter what kind of family life you have or don't have no matter your financial status, your looks, your smarts, your personality no matter what... you can be anything you want, and it's ok to ask questions. Go for it. Ask away. And if someone laughs at you, spit on them :-) No don't do that cause seriously thats gross but screw them, who cares if they laugh, karma's a bitch sometimes so that will come back around... maybe while they are laughing they will choke on their own tongue... Who knows...

I hope this didn't come off preachy but I think sometimes I need to say stuff to you guys just so I don't forget about it all myself. Thank you for listening and reading. Thank you for excepting me, thank you for being my friend.

Without Wax,
HJ

Sexton, Avenue, Wax Free, John Mayer, Jen Aniston, and Me

2008-08-15T01:19:00.000-07:00

I thought it was time to come back to the fun blog site.

For some reason MySpace starts to get a little impersonal feeling for me so I have to move on to new places. Since the site has been pretty much completely re-done I figure I need to use it much more than I actually do. I like it here. The space is bigger and not nearly as visually busy. I realize it's a little out of the way from MySpace but hopefully just one click.

Let's get it started then...

Music:
If you haven't yet there are two things you need to check out this week... Psych there are three...

(1) Martin Sexton "Live Wide Open" he's got a very Jack Black sort of look and at times sounds like him even. He's a SICK guitar player and writes some of the greatest, Blues, Folk, Acoustic Trio stuff I've ever heard. I am completely addicted and have been for a few days now. Anyway check out that record and listen to "BEAST IN ME" the best part starts right about 2:10 into it and goes for about 2 minutes after, but the entire tune is great... ANGELINE is another one to check out.

(2) Boyce Ave. (check them out on YouTube... THE BOMB! I will admit I haven't paid as much attention to their original stuff as I have their cover tunes but they do some of the best covers of pop and R n B tunes I've heard in a long time. They do a cover of 4 minutes by JT and Madonna that is sicker than ritz bitz (which I love) and you need to check them out.

(3) ME... CHECK ME OUT :-) "Without Wax" is here and ready to go. Thank you ALL of those who have already picked it up from the site, you guys are my hero's for life I swear. The rest of you GET ON IT!! You can listen to the entire record on teh site if you'd like before you buy it.. but just buy it!! :-)

I need to comment on the John and Jen thing...
They broke up, WTF... Come on now guys, I supported that and I never give two craps about celeb. gossip relationship crud. But I couldn't help but pat my boy John on the back when I heard the news of him and Former Pitt... It's a sad day in Hollywood folks :-)

Here is one of Boyce Ave. Bleeding Love - Originally performed by Leona Lewis...

INXS and I's Play Date

2008-06-10T21:08:00.001-07:00

Right now I'm listening to the band INXS. If you've never heard INXS you need to. I'm going to give you an assignment.
First purchase (don't steal it from Limewire or Kazaa or whatever pay the 99 cents kids I promise you wont go broke) the song called "What You Need."
Next turn your speakers up dude, I'm talking loud too none of this I might get in trouble or wake the room mates crap... Turn it up!
Now press play. (If you're using iTunes just hit the space bar, it turns out to be the most magical button)
Next listen to this song and while you listen (this is where it gets tricky but SOO much fun) picture in your mind a high school prom type situation. With every single kid from you school including the losers you hate, the jocks, the stuck up slutty girls, the football knob heads, the hot girl/boy that sit next to you in Chemistry, you get the idea. All of them are dressed to the nines, Tuxes, sparkly dresses, halter tops, strapless, suspenders, shinny shoes, flowers in there hair, disco ball, crazy lights, all that jazz, I mean really picture this stuff!
Now listen to this song and give each and every person you can picture from your school their own little 5 second dance solo, and just imagine what they would look like when they take the floor... If you do this right I promise you you'll start cracking up... I tried it today (can you tell how much time I have) and dug it. I had a good time. Especially in the drum solo type part like 1:50 into the song. At 1:57 picture the slutty girl and her boyfriend bumpin and grindin' in front of everyone like the world owes them something and you can form any opinion you want from there on out. Fun game Fun Game.

Now... Here's something you don't need to write home about but can if you want....
I'm officially back in LA and now have to take a bit of time to warm up to this place again I think. I miss the city and really started to love it there the last few months I had. UPDATE: My Album is done! Or at least my part is done, no more music playing, no more writing (for this one) no more vocals, no we are in the mixing, and engineering phase along with art work and packaging. But I will say (and this is official) this bad boy will be out and ready to go for you all to hear by the last week in July. THE LAST WEEK OF JULY IT'S ALL YOURS. And if I do say so myself, I like, I'm proud of it, it sounds cool, and I dig it so I hope you do too.
I had a gig here a few weeks back. It was... Interesting. My Buddy David and I played and sang we had a good time, lots of people showed which was wicked, but we still have A LOT of work to do and I'm excited about that, the only place to go from here is up up and away!! Yay! We'll keep playing keep working and the next one will be much smoother I think.
Ok I'm long winded and I don't mean to be. Go to sleep, eat a sandwich, finish your summer school homework, walk the dog, kiss your mom and tell her you love her. Be good and Keep safe.

Without Wax,
HJ

Merry Xmas

2007-12-24T06:05:00.000-08:00

Sing it Kid.... :-)

Merry Christmas and Dolla Dolla Bill Ya'll ;-)

Rock N' Roll

2007-12-14T09:40:00.001-08:00

Ok I've gotta post this. This will be probably the best 3 minutes and 42 seconds of 2008. Trust Me.

COME ON!!! WAS THAT NOT THE GREATEST EFFING SONG EVER!!!
Why the hell don't they make cartoons like that anymore? Do we have to have these computer generated, what is supposed to look like real life, crap cartoons now? I want this crap dammit! And I want to meet the dude that wrote that tune because I friggin love it. Why don't we have song like this anymore either? Big vocals, harmonies, the works. Honestly if you don't crack up while watching this you need to watch it again. They say "Radio Blastin' on the way to the club gonna rock this town tonight!!" AMAZING!!! This is a kids show and who knew that they would have had a Britney Spears chipmunk before Britney was even a thought!!!
Ok I'll get off that subject but you have to admit back in the Late Late 80's this song was bad to the bone!
I also wanted to talk about the Christmas Benefit! What a great turn out! Thanks to everyone that showed up and donate money and listened to everybody play and for being so so kind during the entire show! I had one of the greatest times I've had since I've lived here and I owe it all to you guys so thank you from the bottom of my heart it was great to be there.
Alright Usually I end these things with Keep safe but today I think I will tell you to Keep safe but honestly this week, let try adn be the "Boy's and Girl's of Rock N' Roll."

Harley Jay

The Strike Epidemic, Say, & Sporting Goods

2007-11-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

The strike on Broadway has officially been going on for 2 weeks. What do I think? How do I feel about that? What could I possibly say that hasn't been said yet? NOTHING! Lets just fix it... and in the words of Forest Gump "That's all I have to say about that." Good grief... :-/ I don't even have pictures of the whole thing because it has been the same pictures for the last 13 days as they were the first, a bunch of people in the freezing cold (most of the time rainy weather, holding coffee and signs and pacing back and forth) in hopes of clearing this up quickly as well.
Onto something a bit happier, or less confusing, or just something else...
If you have a free second I invite you to check out this brilliant piece of work from a guy that I will admit dated my Aunt. Yes my Aunt. Yes I will say once again he dated my Aunt. He plays guitar, sings, writes brilliant music, and dates my Aunt... I mean Dated... They are no longer dating... The mastermind I'm talking about is John Mayer. Yes the "You're body is a Wonderland, No Such Thing, Waiting on the World to Change, used to have his own TV show 'til it flopped and has seen Jessica Simpson naked, John Mayer. Anyway, he has a single out of a song he did for a film and the song is (like 99 percent of his stuff) totally brilliant. It's called "Say" Say-John Mayer Click that and it'll pop up on iTunes, you can hear a clip... At least I think I did the link thing right.

Ok now it's time for me to admit something. While the strike was going on in New York the first week, I was there and showed up at the theater and did my thing but no show. Then my sister got very sick and put into the hospital for kidney defect and I asked to go home to be with her and the rest of my family. My stage manager was very cool about the whole thing and I flew home last Monday to be with everybody. My sister is still sick (a week later) and hopefully the doctors will figure out what is wrong with her but it was really nice to hang with my family especially since it was Thanksgiving this week. My dad is easily my best friend in the entire world and at 53 the dude can rock out in more sports than a 24 year old little boy. How do I know? Because I'm 24 and he rocks my world at everything. It's been fantastic even if I am getting beat around whatever sporting field we are playing that day. So I will be heading back to New York tomorrow and while I'm there I plan on hiring Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Dickie Webber, and Tiger Woods for 7 hours a day 4 days a week to teach me how to whoop my dads ass in everything... nuff said.

Be good you guys and Keep Safe :-)

Harley

I Just Have to Inform You Guys I Think...

2007-11-19T22:11:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody,
I will keep this one short and do another tomorrow but I wanted to just tell everybody a quick little insight.

I am not the only one that checks and updates my myspace page. I will Promise though that when you get a response from me related to a note or comment on myspace, it's ALWAYS me writing you back but I'm not always... I'm hardly ever the one updating the information, or changing the look, or adding songs, mixing up comments... the list goes on. But the bottom line is please please please, I beg of you to forgive me if you paid 20 bucks or whatever for my Broadway Record and found out that you can now buy it through digital download from DigStation. It is cheaper, I will give you that, it saves you money, but I have nothing to do with that download and neither does this fan site. Please don't write mean things to the very nice girl that runs this page about how you feel you got screwed out of 5 bucks or however much it cost you to purchase it from here instead of downloading the record.
I will give you a couple reasons though why it is more money to buy here than it is to download the album. If you buy it here I donate money to Marfan Syndrome. Also when you buy the record here, you get the actual product, meaning you get the CD and the artwork and the case and it's wrapped in plastic, the whole shibag!
When you download the album you don't get an actual CD case and the works, and none of that money goes to the charity. In fact I don't hardly get a cent of that purchase, it mostly goes to the downloading company.
I realize this is a ridiculous Blog but wanted to just clear something up for the people that are pissed they paid more money for the album and felt the need to say something to the manager of this site.

I'm really sorry but I thought I would get that out there, also just so it's not a surprise the record will be on iTunes soon and will be the same price on there as it is on Digstation (all the same applies) I hope that kind of clears things up for you guys and is a good enough explanation as too why there is a price difference.

That being said you guys are fantastic and I can't thank you enough for the very kind e-mails, letters, messages, comments the works that you have all said in response to my album, I'm glad yo enjoy it, and if you don't like it I apologize I'll do better next time I swear. :-)

Be good and check back again later within 24 hours and we'll have a much better update... Especially with this crazy crudy strike. Keep safe everyone.

Harley

What's my take on this whole thing...

2007-11-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

I hear Broadway made world headline news. I'm not quite sure it's the type of headline news everyone might be hoping for but Broadway made headline news...
It's a bit hard for me to explain what is happening here.
It's a very mixed feeling.
Sometimes I feel like everyone just needs to get over themselves and move on, stagehands, producers, actors, directors... whatever.
----
It's hard to really speak your piece about this entire circumstance because you want to support everyone. The stagehands are great guys and girls and the show can not function at all without them. What do I mean by that? The stagehands are (just to name a few) the ones that run the lights, the sound, the fly systems, the costumes, the fair and make up, the dressers, the ones that clean the theater each day, the ones that fix broken props, the ones that move the piano on stage so you can rehearse, the ones collecting the tickets at the door, the ones selling you the tickets.. the list goes on and on...

I'm not going to put my opinion too much into this topic because too be honest it's really not my place to say who is right and who is being unreasonable. It goes both ways. That's what I will say. Both (the stagehands and the producers) have great arguments and both have not so great requests.
What I will say is I know a lot of stagehands that have families, and I know a lot of producers that have families. Both are trying to make money and both are trying to keep their job. Both are loosing out in some way shape or form because of the strike. And that being said so are the Actors, and too be honest it isn't really our fight. We want to support the theater family but we loose out on our paychecks as this continues too.
I don't think I really want to give too much more on this subject, at least in this fashion because honestly I don't really know what to say about it all. My general consensus is very simple though... It Sucks, I just want to perform. Lets fix this all ready.

Was I Nervous....

2007-10-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!
First I think I should warn you, I finally discovered the fact that I am skinny... Weird. Abnormally skinny I never really thought, freaky skinny, naw, Gross to look at, I hope not, skinny, tall, lanky, and now blonde... YES!! So I have decided to do the gym thing. I don't really like to go to the gym because I find everything in there is very, very heavy. None the less, I'm skinny so I will give this gym thing a hsot for a couple of months and we'll see how it turns out from there. That being said, I imagine I'll have numerous spelling and grammar mistakes because I can hardly lift my arms up to the keyboard, in fact it almost hurts to press the keys, if you catch my drift. (please say you do) Ok if you don't... I'm a pansey and worked out a little too hard maybe and my arms hurt like hell.
That being said...
I had my Broadway debut. I went on with Adam Pascal as Roger and had a blast. People keep asking me if I was nervous, was I nervous to play Mark? No. Was I nervous because I was in Rent? Not Really. Was I nervous becaseu I didn't feel prepared? Again, Not Really, I think I knew was I was supposed to do and when. But here's were I got nervous...

I run out on stage holding the camera and tri-pod. I set it up on the end of the stage, I turn to look at everyone in the cast (they all look very supportive) take a breath... "We begin, on Christmas Eve with me Mark and..." cool the opening mono is going just fine, just like old times on tour. Finally the opening mono is done and "SMILE" "December 24th 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time from here on in I shoot without a script. See if anything comes of it, instead of my old shit.. First shot Rog..." HOLY SHIT THAT'S ADAM PASCAL.... That's when I got a little nervous. That's the kat I've been listening to for the past 10 years or whatever, he's the real deal, the main guy, THE OR-IG-IN-AL . Very cool.
I had a great time, and it was a lot of fun to perform with someone I've looked up to for so long. I missed Dec of course, and can not wait to get up and sing this show with him on a completely new stage but had a very good time with Adam as well.
I don't have any footage or anything of the show but I can play you this.... ( the quality is weird because it was taken by a cell phone so just roll with it...

The pictures in that small video were made by a wonderfully supportive friend of mine Tracey, and the audio was taken by probably the best fan a guy could ask for. :-)
Speaking of wonderful people. Check these bad boys out..

Everyone I think knows I have a major sweet tooth so Ann Marie (a total sweetheart I met while on tour) made these for me as an opening night present. Yes, those are chocolates with mine and Dec's face on them... I know I know... Sweet has a double meaning here... :-) Come by the theater and I'll share them with you. Thank you very much Ann Marie.
Also thanks so much to the cool packages and letters sent to the stage door at the theater. It was cool when I got my frist few letters, I was surprised and really stoked about so mthanks a ton for sending stuff over to the theater and showing all the support on my behalf.
I think that's about all for now, I hope you guys enjoyed the little music clip sorry it wasn't the ENTIRE song but a good chunk of it I think :-) I hope everyone is well. Come see Declan and I on the 8th of Oct. that's our official opening night. We'll do our best NOT to suck I promise. Keep safe everybody.

Opening Nights and More weird S**t in New York

2007-09-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

Lets first start with this crap I found outside of the Nederlander Theater...

Yes, I have found Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Sludge Crud outside of the Nederlander Theater. Now this was pretty tempting to play in because I've always been a pretty big fan of those "Mean Green Fightin' Machines" I didn't play in it... But I wanted to I'm not gonna lie.

Also... I have found the love child of Freddie Mercury (Lead Singer of Queen) and Borat on teh Subway of New York City.

Right! RIGHT!!

I think that's all that needs to be said about this kat.

Moving on...
I went to the grocery store and bought Chicken Nuggets. I love Chicken Nuggets. This time I happened to buy some Tyson chicken nuggets and they had all kinds of VegiTales crap all over the package, but I thought VegiTales, (singing dancing wickedly happy cartoon vegetables) that could make eatting so much more fun... Why not!? I get them home I open up the package and check this out...

Now I try and keep my mind out of the gutter as often as possible but come on, perverted chicken. Don't even try and come up with an excuse as to why Tyson made chicken that looks like a penis and boobs... The reason why is because it's supposed to be a childerens food and it's funny to make little kids eat that stuff and have no clue.

Finally, I had my opening night on Broadway! It was wicked fun. I got to do the show with Adam Pascal! Come on, that's bad to the bone, the original big shot... I had a blast. I missed Dec, but had a great time and can't wait to share the stage with my good British friend.
You get the point. I ramble, it's what I do.

Putting "Starbusts" to Shame

2007-09-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hello from...New York City!!!

I've ben told you can get everything here... Everything. I've learned that just might be true.
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of Gummy Bears always have been for some reason. Well I think I've always had a soft spot in my mouth and in my heart for almost every "chewy" candy out there... Chewy Sprees, Skittles, Gummy Bears, the list goes on and on. I've got a sweet tooth what can I say :-) I will say though ever since being in the studio to record my album, I've been addicted to salted Pumpkin Seeds. I guess since drugs aren't so much the thrill they used to be in the recording studio musicians are reverting to other ways to get there high, I've never tried drugs of any kind before (and to be honest don't ever plan on it) but I don't mind admitting I might be addicted to these pumpkin seeds. Getting to my point though about finding anything in New York, I've discovered the most glorious chewy candy on the entire planet, hands down.

Please Note:

STRAWBERRY....STRAWBERRY....
That is the flavor, I've tried maybe 10 different kinds and the Strawberry kick my ass. I love them. I don't know what the hell they are called I don't know how to pronounce a single word on the wrapper and I couldn't tell you what it's made out of (it might be dog s**t and whale blubber (but honestly if whale blubber were in these it wouldn't surprise me at all) and I'd keep eatting it still) but they are incredible. I've found them in lot of random delis and stuff in New York and have a sweet looking secret stash in my apartment, for those 3am cravings. But please get out and try these crazy chewy things, they will rock your world.

Now I have a question for all of you. I am on some weird, and very random, graffiti art kick. I really want some for my apartment. I don't mean someone come over and spray paint the snot out of my walls I mean, I want like poster board sized canvas painted on with bright colors and cool looking writting and scenery and the works. I'd pay for it if I could find it but have yet to discover where someone will do it for less than like 300 bucks... I don't mean to be cheap but I don't have a spare 300 smack-a-roos for wall art, sorry. I talked to a dude in soho who was painting crazy planets and stuff on paper with spray paint if he could help me out and some how that kinda fell thru, honestly I'll take the blame for that though. He was going to do a graffitti picture for me of my logo...

The "HJ" thing. But some how it ended up falling apart...crap!
Anyway, if you guys do it, or know someone that does, let me know, cause I want some! :-)

Ok it's time for bed...Finally, long day of rehearsal and cleaning the apartment, an episode of HJ cribs will be coming up very soon so check back... :-)

Keep safe everybody.

GOODNIGHTALREADY!!!

-Me-

P.s.
It's late and I spelled a ton of stuff wrong... Once again, it's late...

Original Music Preview

2007-09-02T13:14:00.001-07:00

Just For You :-)

Look Who I Met

2007-09-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

So I've only been in New York for like 9 days and have all ready seen/met some of the most interesting people. For example check this guy out:

I got on the subway and for the first time since I've been here actually found a place to sit. I looked straight ahead and this kat was just sitting there in his own little world. I'm not quite sure if he was just resting his eyes or if he was actually asleep because every once in a while he'd mumble something terrific but honestly don't know if it was intentional or just a crazy dream he was having.
But before seeing that dude I went to this place called the Metro Diner on like 100th street or close to it. Anyway I sat down to enjoy some type of diner delight and look who was sittin gabout 8 booths away from me...

I KNOW!!!!!
Is that NOT Jonathan Larsen....
I will say I have seen him, reading the newspaper... He is alive and well and checking up on us all. Now I realize I'm the creppy one that took a secret picture of a perfect stanger and am now posting it on the internet, but this is too sweet to not talk about.
Lastly, some of you know I'm a fan of country music... I wouldn't say ALL country music but I am a huge fan of Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts (which to be honest I think tops my list of country artists, i don't htink I really listen to any other country music besides them but...) Rascal Flatts New ALBUM comes out Sept. 25th.. Umm Yee Ha!

Keep on keepin on and Keep safe Everyone :-)

Amanda's Taking Over YouTube

2007-08-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

Some of you I'm sure, have met my girlfriend Amanda.
Amanda:

But have you seen her as Britney Spears in this Parody video that's cleaning up on YouTube?
LINDSAY FULLY LOADED

Add to My Profile | More Videos
LOL
She's Funny :-)

I Think I've Just Discovered Something Great....

2007-08-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

Out of nowhere I've decided to use this as my main "Keep Everyone In The Loop" blog spot. I like the idea of this much better than myspace (no offense) and seems fitting since this Blog is connected to the HJ Fan Page.
I'm not a huge web browser but I will admit I attend John Mayers blog spot almost weekly.

This is John by the way:

I think John has the best way of expressing himself than almost anyone out there right now. Perhaps that's way he was voted one of the World Top 100 most influential people. I don't know. But he has a very interesting way of being himself and being very clever and very honest without sounding like he's trying too hard or like he's expecting something from someone in return.
Since we're on the topic of John Mayer I'd like to just simply state two things.

ONE: He dated my Aunt for a few months before he dated Jessica Simpson so that kinda makes me feel like we have some odd connection, I'm forcing it I know but did he date your Aunt?
TWO: I think this video speaks entirely for itself...

If you didn't notice it before go back an watch one more time. John never laughs or smiles, and very subtley keeps a very straight face through the entire thing while still realizing he's being brilliant. I like things like that.

Maybe I should have called this Blog... Ode to John but I didn't plan on doing it so since that wasn't the original thought before starting the "Pen to the pap"... "The fingers to the letters and numbers?" I'll keep it how it was when I started. I feel like that way it's a little more real or something.
Kep safe

Chinese Food, Mexican Food, McDonalds & In N Out

2007-07-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

HI!!!!!!!

OK here goes:

I haven't kept up at all with myspace or any other web page due to a number of different things. I've been recording two different albums which had to be put on hold for a little bit while I worked out final kinks and crap with producers, managers, family, Los Angeles, blah blah the list goes on. But the good thing is, things are back on track moving forward and the 1st of two albums is DONE...COMPLETE...FINISHED... I wont be putting it out until the second week of Aug. due to agent and manager requests but you can pre-order the album at the The H.J. Fan Page.

Fan Page: www.OfficialHarleyJayFanPage.com

O.H.J.F.P. Store: MERCHANDISE STORE

The album is a mix of TEN of my favorite Broadway tunes, from Superstar to Les Mis, to Grease, to West Side Story... The reason behind the tracks on the CD are I wanted to give it my interpretation but keep it in the style the song was made in. By that I mean if it was recorded originally in the 70's I wanted to keep that sound and that feel, but make it a little bit new to the ear. If that makes any sense at all.
Anyway I did a version of "Those Magic Changes" from Grease so check it out, and I hope you all enjoy it.

Thanks so much for all the encouragement you all send my way and for the kind messages and comments, they make my day. I hope all of you are well and healthy and happy. And hopefully I'll be seeing or hearing from you soon :-)

Keep safe!

Harley Jay

Two Weeks Later

2007-06-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

After two weeks of the tour being over I have decided that I miss my friends and their company and that entire part of my life will forever stay in my heart. Like any family we had incredibly great times and incredibly rough times and fought thru all of it the best we could and seeing as we all made it back to our lives safe and sound I think we did a pretty great job :-)

I've been in the studio trying to be as creative as I can without beating the music into the groud and I think so far we have had some great success.

For those of you who have tried to keep up with my life and my time out of the show I thank you very much. Also, I will be putting out two CD's in the next few months the first to be out by July. This will be (hopefully) a fresh take on some old and newer Broadway musicals. I have never been a huge fan of cover bands or cover material but think Broadway music needs to always be put out into the world and I would like to be there to help. So the first record will be some of my favorite Broadway tunes sung by me while trying to keep things the way we've all learned to love them but hopefully with a little bit fresher sound.

The Second will come out just a few weeks later of my own stuff. Completely me. Music lyrics and all. This is the one I'm a bit nervous about just because I've never put out a record before so it will be a first for all of us. After that record is released I'll be gigging around LA and the near cities to try and promote the album and keep the juices flowing.

For some reason this seems like it sounds like some sort of business plan or something and has to be awfully boring to read so I'm big time sorry. But there ya have it. That's the update and the life after the craziness of the RENT Tour.

Anyway if anyone in the casts checks this out I'd like them to know that I'd still gladly play in traffic for any one of them, and I think they are all flippin sickly talented and miss you all like crazy. That little note also goes to the fans and all of their support. Thank you so much for coming to so many shows and for all of you that made it to the final city to share that whole thing with us. We LOVED having you there!!!

As Ringo Starr once put it... Peace and Love Peace and Love...

I'll catch you all on the flip stick and keep in touch. I'm not done yet :-)

Harley

P.s. Sory 4 ani gramer mystakes ore tipoes Itz L-8 xox0

OK NO JOKE, HERE COMES THE ALBUM

2007-05-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

ALBUM DROPS JULY 1ST AT THE LATEST.

I've said it before and somehow have never managed to finish the darn thing but the tour is over May 20th and I get back home the 21st and jump into the studio on May 22nd for two weeks to finish it up. I hardly think it will take two weeks but that's the time I've given myself. I will be honest, the album could just be an Ep with about 5 or 6 songs on it but I'm kind of a person who would rather have 5 or 6 Great songs than 12 or 14 Ok ones. I'm going to do my best to have some great stuff on the album and should be out by the latest on July 1st. Check back though because if it gets out sooner this will be the first place to know.
After the album comes out I'll have a few months off and then back to another adventure in the performance world. I'll fill you in more when that exact dates comes closer but I wont be dropping out off the face of the earth just yet. Hopefully not ever to be honest. Thats about it for right now. I hope all is well. Keep smiling and keep safe.

My finger is still boken but feels, Oh so Good :-)
Harley Jay

The Hand Story :)

2007-04-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Monday, April 23, 2007

The Hand Story :-)
So just when I think the Rent fans couldn't get any sweeter or more incredible, i break my finger and they proove me wrong once again :-)

HERES THE STORY OF THE HAND:

I usually punch the phone in Halloween. Almost every show I take a big whack at the stupid thing and most of the time it hurts a little (sometimes not at all) but never really hurt enough to the point I thought I should quit. Well, the final show in University Park, PA I was pretty into the song, having a great time and decided i was gonna pick a fight with the payphone... So I did, and to put it boldly, I got my a** kicked. What I'm trying to say is... YES, the payphone beat me up in the middle of a show and there was nothing I could do to stop it. :-) I basically wound up and smacked the snot out of the stupid phone and the second my hand left the surface I looked down and went... "Holy Broken Hand Harley Look what you just did..."Anyway I did the rest of the show because at that point in the show, Mark can't really walk off the stage and then as soon as the show was over Declan and I along with Stacy our company Manager went to the hospital because my knuckle and pinky finger was (A) in the wrong spot and (B) about four sizes too big. I got to the hospital with my incredible support group and got X-Rayed and turns out I broke my pinky finger and have to see and hand surgen because there is a chance I torn the ligament in it too... Yay!!!

So there's the update with the hand I HAVE to get going but I have more to say so check back later tonight with a bit of a thank you card to the amazing rent fans and supporters...

I love you guys..Smiles and keep safe

Gimp Master Jay
(Harley Jay)

New Merchandise

2007-04-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys so I am trying to help out the Mafan Foundation by selling Harley Jay Logo Dog Tags.

Check them out at: www.officialharleyjayfanpage.com copy and paste this link to your browser: http://shop.officialharleyjayfanpage.com/categoryNavigationDocument.hg?categoryId=21

Thats the direct link to the tags. There is all kinds of new stuff for sale but those are the most recent. I am trying to help raise money for Marfan Syndrome research.

What's Marfan syndrome?

"The Marfan syndrome is a heritable condition that affects the connective tissue. The primary purpose of connective tissue is to hold the body together and provide a framework for growth and development. In the Marfan syndrome, the connective tissue is defective and does not act as it should. Because connective tissue is found throughout the body, the Marfan syndrome can affect many body systems, including the skeleton, eyes, heart and blood vessels, nervous system, skin and lungs. The Marfan syndrome affects men, women and children, and has been found among people of all races and ethnic backgrounds."

-NMF

"It is estimated that at least 1 in 5,000 people in the United States have the disorder."

-NMF

Marfan Syndrome is what they say Johnathon Larson (writter of Rent) died from.

Check them out and rock out for a good cause.

Plus they're bad a** dog tags if I do say so myself!

KEEP SAFE,

Harley Jay