The William EP.... FREE MUSIC!

i've been waiting for a good time to post the story & free download to my awesome friend Annie Stela & her new EP
everyone needs a pick me up on thursday's right?
so, without any more of my gibberish, here's Annie's words on her latest release with a link to the album:)
“William” was conceived one night when I was having dinner with friends.  We were talking about Billy Joel, the love of my musical life, and soon the conversation turned to how many artists have the name Billy, or its proper name, William.  After listing every William we could think of (Will.i.am, Will Smith and even Billy Corgan were thrown out there) I vowed to make an album consisting solely of songs written and originally performed by Williams. We toasted to it and the EP was born.

 “William” was recorded over a weeklong period in North Hollywood, CA.  My friend Pierre de Reeder was kind enough to let me invade his studio, Bright Street Recorders, bringing with me my live band on bass and drums, and even some of my non-musician friends for background vocals.  Although I could have kept going forever, we decided an EP with four of my favorites was the best way to go.  The idea that had started as a joke and then became a lurking album concept crystallized into one of my all-time favorite recording experiences.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did."
“William” is available as a free download here: 
http://www.anniestela.com/Merch/Default.aspx
xox, rachel

Believable

i will FOREVER marvel at these hands....
at the veins, in the wrists, that pump from a heart, which can cut deep into mine

tonight i have been listening to annie's 1st full-length record, Fool,
and i've been remembering,
the first time i heard the song Believable.

we were in the house that annie grew up in
in our quaint little town of franklin, michigan
annie shut the glass doors of the room which held the piano
sat herself down and without hesitation belted this jam out for me
then, per usual, she turned her chin over her shoulder and asked
"you like?"
to which i replied:
"you play that song AGAIN, right NOW!"

i thought i would share,
so you could understand my need for a repeat performance

"I feel sick with this thing
I have to swallow and pretend to look around
This is a fiction I've created
I am cutting down a forest of words I'm not allowed
And I have fields of propositions that I've gated

And I only let them go if I can sing them to a crowd"

hope you enjoy friends
(find annie {HERE} and pass it on)

Keep Me Around

here is a photo of Annie rocking out "Keep Me Around" in Minnesota
wanna hear the album version?
i've got that for ya too:

{song: Keep Me around artist: Annie Stela}
this song is available on Itunes. just make sure you spell the name right;) copy and paste:
Annie Stela
xox, rachel

testing the PA 13/365

Day 13/365 on Flickr
testing the PA
[we leave tomm. for tour! tonight annie tested out her new PA. it sounds SPECTACULAR! get ready for goodness coming to a city near you:) *since i am in LA, it's not yet midnight so i'm posting in time*]

a present

i finally have found a way to share music from my itunes!!!!!

EXTREME AMOUNTS OF HAPPY:)
here is a song from Annie Stela that she'll certainly be playing on TOUR

(song: Heart artist: Annie Stela)

available on itunes

T is for TOUR

(source)
so, i know i've been making random mentions of trips to LA, tour, music, shop going into vacation mode. i've been avoiding a long post. i don't do well with long. i just ramble.
here are the facts:
1. i am going on a ROAD TRIP TOUR with my best friend
Annie Stela for 17 days.

2. our show stops include:
Salt Lake City UT

Topeka KS
St Louis MO
Buffalo MN
Chicago IL
DETROOOOIT (holler 4 our hometown)

Harrisburg PA
Geneseo NY
NYC

3. this adventure will be RIDICULOUS amounts of FUN & EXHAUSTION, lucky for us will be having massive quantities of coffee to combat the latter of the 2.......

(sidenote: i NEED to find those cinderella pink coffee mugs for my house STAT)

4. we will be staying in a colorful assortment of hotels and while both annie and myself would like to stay at this place every night......

(source)
let's be real. we will be staying in places where the lighting will be offensive and the bedspreads will be best described as HIDEOUS.....

(annie, please remind me to try & steal a swatch of the fabric adorning the beds above for my interior decorator to use on my home bedroom make-over)

it's gonna be driving, setting up, annie playing a show, sleeping
REPEAT!
laughter and ipod listening will be taking place simultaneously.

i will be documenting the ENTIRE thing right HERE on the Blog (i purchased wireless internet for my laptop for the duration of our trip) and i have no doubts that we will be stumbling upon many things of entertainment so please, STAY TUNED!!!
adventure of a lifetime here we come.....
xox, rachel

2nd PRINT FOR SALE!!!!

as i mentioned a few posts ago i super duper miss selling my photographs on etsy.
this one is called
"after the show.... on a hotel bed"
the story behind it: my best friend Annie Stela went on her first big tour with Joseph Arthur. i drove up to Atlanta, GA to see her play. it was incredible. she wore these wedges and the next morning as we were getting ready to checkout of the hotel her shoes were laying in the white starchy sheets with the sunlight pouring way too brightly in on us. i felt this really captured a taste of touring. check in, check out, drive on.
as usual e-mail me if you are interested in purchasing this print
GetReadySetGo1980@gmail.com
thanks for all of your support:)
xox, rachel

HearT

4 things i heart, plus Heart is the name of todays music goodness:)

1. Retro record headphones tin $8.50

2. Ring Cloud Sterling SIlver $52
3. iRetrofone Classic Red Hot $195

4. Lanterns & Star notecard $4

happy monday & here is my song choice for the day:

Heart by Annie Stela

love, rachel