Lee Waters

Check it out! Gold standard!

All 23 of you who read this blog already know about my fundraiser for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. The good people at JaySays.com are helping me get the word out and invited me to be on Closet Talk this week.

There you go. A little more…

After the song, we talk about my coming out story, which ‘gay’ item I really need to pick up, some gay farmers in Iowa (we mentioned it, alright?) and how you can fight homophobia with one button click.

[You'll excuse my flippant attitude. I declare Enforced Levity Week starting…now.]

Thanks, Jay, for your support!

As many of you know, I earmarked all profits from “Virginia” for the Matthew Shepard Foundation for the life of the song. I wrote, recorded and posted it the day of Virginia Foxx’s despicable remarks, and, as any musician will tell you, time tends to turn songs into their own entities with their own destinies. I’m proud to let you know I’m now working on an arrangement for my band, Archy and Mehitabel, and we’ll continue setting aside any money from the song for the Foundation.

But, Lee! I want to help now!

Fill 'er up!

I recently created an account on Change.org, and I want to try something new here. If you like the song, or any of my songs, go give any amount directly to the Matthew Shepard Foundation through this link. It cuts me out as the administrative middleman, keeps your donation tax-deductible and generally makes the process more transparent than my current method of collecting the money and making a donation myself. You’ll be listed on the page, and I’ll make sure you get both current versions of the song as mp3s.

I’ve set a goal of $500 in 1 month, and I know that with your help, we can reach the target ahead of time. I dream of a moneyed knight who’ll just give the full amount, but if you, like me, suffer from Recession Economy Syndrome, you could give just $10 instead of:

1. Completing your Torchwood action figure collection (you know who you are)
2. Picking up some cloves to roll your own kreteks (you know who I am)
3. Buying the latest Clear Channel top 40 album (do you even know who they are?)

I ask a lot of you, friends, but if you only do me one favor, please help me help the Matthew Shepard Foundation do its important work. No money? Then forward this on to your friends, post it on your Facebook page and share it on Twitter.

(Some innocuous fine print: Before I did whatever it is I do now, I worked for years in nonprofit development. I can tell you from experience that the essential, yet un-glamorous, General Operating Fund is overlooked by a lot of grant makers and major donors. Any money we can raise here will be used for those little niceties like rent, paper and postage that keep these fine people doing their fine work.)

Halcyon: Dedicated to those whose bodies have forgotten how to sleep.

This Image is Multi-Pass

How easily I slipped into the calm of somnolence
After your storm left scratches on my face
How peaceful is the ground under my feet
When I’ve landed, and the wind has given up the chase

Lie down and close your eyes

The lights that used to shine outside my window
And the wind that pushed the branches, they’ve all but disappeared
I do not wake up twisted in my sheets
With my sweat dried on me like the night’s souvenir

Lie down and close your eyes
Sweet halcyon

The face of an infant when it’s floating in its dreams
Is like the northwest sea in December
But how blank is my head when I’ve drifted off to sleep and I’ve forgotten all the things
You said you’d like me to remember

With your dreams as my pillow, I slept like that baby
Leave one field fallow for me, and I’ll be there

Now, when you call up to me, I won’t hear the things you say
Because Morpheus leaned down to kiss me
Or is it Set like Death that grips me, shields me from your breath
When you decide you think it’s time to miss me?

Lie down and close your eyes.

Idle hands are the devil’s playthings, so I’m launching a for-no-particular-reason video series within the next couple of weeks. (La-dee-da, eh?) I don’t expect to cross-post here much, but I will whenever there’s a bit of music involved.

Layla Begins

Each episode is 2-3 minutes, so I figured I had no more than 20 seconds for a theme to sum up the spirit of the thing. What is the thing you ask? Why, it’s a Russian-language course of sorts. I’m going for the same æsthetic (not format) as Angry Puppy’s Best Movies of 2008 , and Layla (pictured above) will resume her rôle as Layla (or Лэйла, as the case may be).

[True: I did, in fact, teach Russian in the Before Times, and applied linguistics was, in fact, part of my degree program.]
[False: I will use any of that in this.]

Layla’s Theme

Last night I was fooling around with GarageBand balalaikas (like you do), when I remembered that “The Ballad of St. Maggie” had been inspired by any number of Russian folk songs. You haven’t heard the new chorus, but I used that as a starting point and twisted it a little into:

I think I like it, but I have a couple of days to consider. I’ll post here at least once more when that series starts so you can see how it turns out with the visuals.

PS – Yes, I get ridiculously bored sometimes.

It’s been a bit quiet here lately, but I come bearing gifts, so be nice.

The Distractions: I’m in the process of moving from the East Village to (ta-da!) Alphabet City. OK, that’s actually still in the East Village, but every block in lower Manhattan seems like a new city. And, hey, coffee is now 65¢ again!

Kodos Loves and Fears This Park

Why does this affect you, dear listeners? I’m still moving things, and it seems that every time I get the urge for playing, I’m missing some necessary component for this thing I do here, like a guitar or a microphone or a Morn action figure.

The Offering: As a penance or a mitzvah (your choice), I dug through the archives for some old Archy and Mehitabel tunes, and voilà: “Thank You”. I swear Alex made it a bit too high for me on purpose. He had some story about wanting to force a vulnerability into the vocals, but he’s a bit of a sadist, so decide for yourself.

You can hear a few more Archy and Mehitabel tracks on Last.fm. If you’re very nice, we may have a surprise for you within the next couple of weeks.

For the adventurous, here’s an organ version of “Thank You” that we recorded (probably) after some drinkin’. At least that’s the excuse we’re sticking to.