Only two days left!

http://lollapalooza.mp3.com/feature/2007lollapalooza/?band=MOXIEPLEASE
There are only two days left in the contest and we have a long way to go, but we can do it with your help! Please vote, tell someone else to as well, and thank you so much for what you have done already!

wha wha

mewsing

Evan and I have stripped to our boxers, and Jamie is the only one still fully clothed. We’ve all created miniature sweat swamps in our respective seating arrangements thanks to a combination of a faulty A/C unit and a sweltering heat. We’re down twelve water bottles; we have about five more hours to Buffalo. We now take rest stops at least every hour to give the engine a break. The Catskills + Funkwagen + 1000 lbs of equipment = Trouble.

As it turns out I’ve been living off of pizza and honey nut cheerios. I don’t think Andy would be living anymore without his mulit-vitamins. Too bad he ran out . . .

Last night at the Tudor Lounge we played another really sweet show. The venue was pretty small which was fun . . . and really loud. A lot of people stood outside to listen. There was a great juxtaposition between the crowd that the band before us (Purple Monkey Dishwasher) brought, and the regulars at the club. There were also a lot of people that Jamie affectionately calls “hippies,” mainly because they had dreds, piercings, danced a lot, and smoked marijuana on the sidewalk directly outside the door. “It’s Buffalo, what else are you going to do?”

These “hippies” absolutely loved our Funkwagen. In fact, we had difficulty leaving because they kept coming inside to check her out and pay her compliments. I guess they really liked our music too? One guy literally told me he was inspired, and asked if he could come with us (Of course I said yes, but I think he has a day job holding him back). I found that to be a great compliment, because inspiring people is indeed one of our goals as a band and in life in general. When did you last feel inspi(red)?

And in other van news, we almost ran out of gas for the first time, which let me tell you, is a thrilling experience. I was meditating at the time but apparently this is how it went down: We leave the bar and pass two gas stations that are closed. We’re on empty. We get on the highway and get off at the first sign of a gas station. It is also closed. WTF. We continue to drive. Everyone is getting nervous and Jamie is freaking out. Ten minutes, nothing. Fifteen minutes, no sign of fuel. Twenty minutes, the engine starts “pinging” and Funkwagen shudders like a man with hypothermia. She’s giving it all she’s got but she doesn’t have much left.

Two minutes later, we hurtle haphazardly through the exit coast into a gas station, finally stopping at an odd angle next to the pump, just moments before disaster.



New Photohunt high score: 485,000 (at Kenny’s Castaways?)

Two Shows

In the past couple days we had two AWESOME shows in Delaware and Long Island. There is something inexplicable about playing for a crowd of utterly unfamiliar faces. On the one hand, I feel like restricted by the desire to prove that we're an incredible band, but on the other hand I feel even more free to play and act however I want. It's also incredibly rewarding to create an enrapt audience out of strangers who might just want to relax and drink at a bar for the night.



I love playing at the small bars because I love meeting the people afterwards. We also get to see some good shows- tonight's bands were badass and "Code Anchor" reminded me of my favorite groupo Sevillano "O'Funk'illo." This evening people also starting spontaneously dancing to our music, which has always been one of my favorite things about playing live. Just knowing other people dig what we do gets me so pumped up.

I'll try to post some footage that Priya took at the show (Yeah Priya and Laura came with us and it was sweet!) but right now the camera is destroying tapes so I have to take it to anger management class. In the mean time, enjoy this video of our take on "Idioteque."



I also want to thank you all for continuously voting for us on Lollapalooza's "Last Band Standing." As I make this post, we have had 565 votes, which is amazing. Keep up the good work! I think we can make it to the top 100 by the end of the month, but we need all the help we can get. Tell your friends, make a Facebook Event, etc. Andy and I were just talking about how we'd sort of be technically opening for Pearl Jam...

Also, keep making those small changes and inviting others to join you, and post some of your thoughts on this blog in the comments section. In fact, please make more comments in general. I love feedback and interaction, so post away.

youth is the engine of the world

It's 7AM and I watched the sunrise. I just got done meditating and I had a small and simple revelation that I want to share with you. As friends of mine I am going to ask you to do two things. The first is a personal favor that acts as a metaphor for the second.


I'm going to ask you once again to vote for Moxie on the website http://lollapalooza.mp3.com/feature/2007lollapalooza/?band=MOXIEPLEASE so that we can play at Lollapalooza.
And I'm going to ask you to change the world, starting with yourself and in baby steps.

Let me explain before I lose your attention. In this Lollapalooza contest, we only need to get in the top 100 to make the next round, which means we only need around 1500 votes. If only half of you vote and also convince someone else to vote, and you do it every day for the next 10 days before the contest ends, we'll easily make it. 1500 votes seems like an insurmountable number, but if I can convince most of you to help us, and if I can convince most you to invite others to do the same, the task will be completed with ease.

In the same way, if I can convince most of you that together we have the power to make massive change in the world, we can do it with ease. It doesn't take all of us doing massive things, in the same way that this contest is not won by one person casting 1500 votes. We only have to take a few small steps together, and MOST IMPORTANTLY to invite others to take those steps with us. Like dominoes or a spark or ripples in a pond, if we can incite those around us to act differently in small ways we WILL make a big impact.

What do you think is wrong with the world today? Where can we make a difference? Depression, obesity, poverty, energy crisis, civil rights for women, gays, minorities - the list goes on and it all seems too overwhelming to deal with. Just like 1500 votes in 10 days seems impossible. But there are two very small things we can do that will make all the difference in the world.

First, make the change in yourself. (Cast that vote, in the metaphor). Depression? Smile. Obesity? Choose for yourself to only eat organic. Poverty? Donate your change to the beggar. Energy? Turn off your lights and computer when you're not using them, etc. There may be better ways, but start small!

Second (and this one is by far the most important), you have to encourage other people to do the same. If you can get one other person to make that small change, and they can get only one other person, who gets one other, it will end up being huge. This step is deceptively simple, so I suggest this. Make a public declaration somewhere of what you think needs to change and what tiny act you will do to change it. Then invite others to join you. Put it on your answering machine, your away message, your facebook profile, your door, your hallway. You can post it on my blog as a comment, you can send me a message and I'd love to talk about it.

My revelation was simple. I realized that we, as youth, are the most powerful people on the planet today. I realized that we are on the brink of a million possibilities and we're letting opportunity slide by us ignored, or shunned by apathy and a false sense of helplessness. Maybe we all think it's impossible, maybe we all think someone else is already taking care of it.

So here's my small change: I'm getting vocal. And I'm asking you to do the same.

If we don't do something, someone else might. They might not. On the other hand, if we take small steps, I guarantee you something big can happen.

peace and love to you all. Enjoy your lives!
jordan

multimedia

I love playing live music. It makes me really happy.


Our lovely Funkwagen is still not yet road ready so we rented another Enterprise cargo van. It's pretty funny because there are only two seats so every time we pass a toll booth or a cop the two people in the back with the equipment have to hide somewhere so we don't get ticketed. Thus far we've gotten away with it. Anyway in case you never saw on the photobucket account, this is what happened to Funkwagen:

Also, I uploaded some new photos. Unfortunately my camera was out of battery for the entirety of our time in D.C., but there are some fun ones from Mississippi.

“Hold on there’s a band staying in my house”
-Evan's sister to someone on the phone

Lollapalooza

Vote for us so we can play at Lollapalooza! I recommend doing it once a day.

I was talking with Betsy and Casey the other night and something they said gave me a great idea. It has nothing to do with Moxie. It would be an online idea space - starting at Rice (maybe www.rice.edu/ideaspace) and later the whole world. People post their ideas for improvements and additions to rice, and what they've done towards getting it accomplished, so that the knowledge we acquire doesn't pass with graduation and ideas that are good but unfinished don't die before they fully mature. I'll make it happen once I finish this project www.betweenaduck.com but encourage anyone else to run with it as well.

Anyway, Andy wants me to tell you that he got his "Adbusters" magazine stolen before he even read one page. The end.

snapshots from D.C.

Like photos in front of memorials, here are some snapshots stories set in D.C.

The show is supposed to start in 5 minutes – Evan, Andy and I have just bought a permanent marker at CVS and are crammed in the one-toilet bathroom giggling. We’re trying to duplicate the “B” inscribed on Evan’s hand so the bouncer won’t ID me and realize that I’m underage. Another success.

Andy, after we found a glorious non-vegan pizza place: “I’m just going to go out and knife someone and drink their blood.”

We rented the van from Enterprise for three days. Enterprise closes at 6PM. Yesterday at around 7PM we realize that it has already been three days, and we have to get the van back to Baltimore. With delighted surprise I report that Enterprise is an extremely chill company and didn’t give us any hassle.

Maggie to Jordan: “Yeah but you can do that because you’re a musician”
Jordan: “I like that a lot, no one’s ever called me a magician.”
Maggie: “ . . . well that’s because people are stupid.”

Tonight we got hit on by three incredibly drunk and gay black men. They were nicest strangers I’ve met in the city.

Jordan, to some bar in a desperate last-ditch attempt book gigs for next week:
“We’re not normally a punk band, but we’re incredibly versatile and could do punk covers of our own songs if the crowd doesn’t dig what we normally do.”

Tell us your thoughts. Here are some questions to ponder that have come up in conversation recently:
Does your vote matter?
Can one person make a difference in the world?
What makes you satisfied?

p.s. the show was wonderful and I loved seeing everyone that came out to it. I don’t write much about the shows because writing about our performance usually isn’t as expressible or comical or interesting as all of the other things that occur to us. Plus we’ve been recording most of them and plan on putting the recordings online soon. But above all else Moxie is like the Matrix – no one can be told what Moxie is, you have to experience it for yourself.

Another sunrise

How often do you see the sun rise? This is probably my fifth or sixth in the past two weeks. Aparently Evan's grandma was amazed at our schedule - she must have forgotten that we're in a band.



Tonight's show was fantastic, and I find New York fascinating. We went to Times Square afterwards and the giant M&M's enthralled me. I'm so pumped about D.C. later today. So anyway the show - the four of us are definitely getting in the groove together. Andy is finding his footing on bass and Jamie actually knows the names to our songs now!

Ah yes you're probably wondering how we even made it to New York without Funkwagen. We ended up renting a van from Enterprise. It's navigational capabilities are significantly more sick-nasty, but the comfort level has dropped. There are only two seats, so when we brake sometimes massive bass amps slam into the small of my back. Speaking of slamming into things, I forgot to mention that the night before Funkwagen's transmission decided to cross the river Styx and never look back we were in another accident.

So I'm casually driving in Atlanta, Georgia, around 11PM on a Saturday night. Suddenly a white Jeep crosses FOUR LANES on the highway, apparently intending to plow into the side of our lovely lady Ms Tahtkraft. Jamie is screams and I yell unimaginable profanities. I can't switch into the other lane because I'm in a massive airport shuttle and I don't want to pwn another car chilling in my blindspot, so I brake and swerve as much as a can. The jeep clips the front end and teeters madly off into the distance ahead of us. Still cursing, I try to speed up and see who the guy is but of course Funkwagen is wounded and in no shape for a high speed pursuit. A copper passes us but doesn't turn his lights on. Aparently he didn't notice the hit and run.

I pull off to the side of the road, and miraculously our only damage is a dent and a missing brake light. We still have the headlight, the bumper and hood are unscathed, etc. Before it sped off Jamie noticed that Jeep got pretty beat up, while our hardy and courageous Funkwagen sustained only minor injuries. A fitting vehicle for a band dubbed Moxie indeed.

Marooned in Maryland

It's 4PM on Monday afternoon and we're cruising through the tunnel under the Baltimore Harbor in Maryland. We've been on the road for twenty hours and have only about four left until our final destination in New York City. Funkwagen is having a lot of trouble accelerating.

One minute later, the engine temp arrow leaps frantically to the "H." I start cursing as thick gray smoke begins to stream out of our tailpipe. I coast to the nearest exit and while desperately changing lanes. We're going about 15 mph and cars are building up behind us. We're on an overpass and incredibly there is a shoulder for us to pull onto. At this point the thick foreboding haze is billowing out from under the hood and permeating the interior. The stench of burning oil is frightening and I seriously think the car is going to explode. Throwing it in park we leap wildly our the bi-fold doors into fresh air. I rush to the hood to let out the smoke and see a pool of dark oil accumulating underneath the engine.

Eventually the smoke clears and the tow-truck comes. I'm thankful that Jamie is an AAA+ member (the + gives you 100 free miles of towing). He knows cars and he's certain that the transmission has finally given out. Oh Funkwagen I pray that you will heal.

Jamie and I are in the tow truck while Evan and Andy wait on the highway for a cab. Suddenly the driver curses. We turn around and to our great surpise Funkwagen is no longer with us. As we went up the hill she somehow slipped off the tow-truck and careened over a guardrail and a parked car in a parking lot. We couldn't help it, Jamie and I just started to laugh. I guess Funkwagen just wasn't getting enough action or had a lot of subconscious issues to play out today. Ironically, she crashed into the parking lot of a mechanic that specializes in transmissions!

Meanwhile, Andy and Evan are getting accosted by the local police. While they wait for their cab (which never came, Aerocab sucks), an officer of the law runs their IDs and requires a great deal of persuasion to believe that our beloved Moxie mates are not really grafitti artists. What? That doesn't even make sense. To cap it off, he doesn't offer them a ride. Luckily, Alex, the owner of Majestic Automotive Repair kindly offers to pick them up for us. He also later drops us off at the hotel where I currently type this blog.

Check back soon for videos of the damage and the towing, and perhaps some elaboration of details. Of course the question now is, what the hell are we going to do? We have a show in NY on Wednesday and another in D.C. on Thursday. I had to cancel two shows we were working on for the weekend but might get some happy hour type gigs added in Baltimore since that seems to be where we'll be. The question of course is, how are we getting our equipment to the gigs? Doc my roommate from Spain has offered to pick us up, we might rent a car, we might rent a uhaul for Ned's parents car. Any ideas, suggestions? What do you think of our adventures so far? What would you spend your time doing if you were carless (and rather the opposite of careless) on the North-Eastern outskirts of Baltimore, MD?

Have you checked out our moxieplease.blogspot.com?

Highlights from Mississippi: (other than the aforementioned story)

- Laser tag: I totally got first place and as a team we owned those twelve year olds
- Benny's Boom Boom Room and their free beer
- Hiring Julie as our booking agent
- Julie busting Evan' head open

I have to learn how to post videos without linking them. More soon

It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your Moxie

Okay so last night’s show was great. Way to go Julie for setting it up. The venue used to be a motel, so you go in to this funky bar area and then you walk down a narrow hallway for about thirty feet with little rooms branching off of it (three of these narrow rooms were girl’s bathrooms) until it opens up to the stage area bespeckled with columns erected in seeming disregard to structural integrity. It was a lot of fun to play and the crowd definitely dug our style and starting grooving along with us. We had a drunk older man “pole dance” on one of those haphazardly placed columns, and another buy us drinks. The guys in the band that played after us, Decifer, were really nice and I appreciated playing with them.

Last night we crash at a friend of Julie’s house in Hattiesburg. By the time we get there everyone was passed out. We commandeer an empty room and set up shop. We are the brink of sleep when suddenly a random drunk guy waltzes in and flops face down on the bed between Jamie and Evan. Andy and I giggle uncontrollably into a pillow.

He suddenly realizes that he is not alone in the bed. He looks left and right.
“There are two guys in my bed. This is so GAY. . . who are you?”
Jamie: “Jamie.”
“Who are you?”
Evan: “Evan.”
“I don’t even know you . . .” he mutters and he gets up and leaves.
All four of us burst into maniacal laughter.

He returns three minutes later:
“Yall aren’t bangin in my bed are you? ‘Cause that would be NASTY.”
Jamie: “No we were just asleep”
“I mean I just saw you putting your pants back on and I mean please tell me you weren’t hooking up.”
Jamie: No, I don’t sleep fully clothed

. . .pause . . .

“One, two, three, four, five. It would be great if four, or five of you left right now.”

. . .pause . . .

Andy: “Yeah could we sleep on your floor?”

I’m going to Jackson . . .

We got booked in a fever
Hotter than Funkwagen’s temp
We’ve been driving to Jackson
Ever since that fan shroud’s in

We’re going to Jackson, we’re going to mess around
Yeah we’re going to Jackson, look out Moxie’s in town

Andy was more or less certain that we weren’t going to make it to our gig tonight in Jackson Mississippi. Funkwagen’s tune-up was supposed to be done in a day, but then the mechanics realized we needed a new fan shroud. Apparently you can only get one of these in Chicago. Apparently you can’t drive to Mississippi without a fan shroud. Apparently, (or by the grace of God) you can make it to Jackson even if you leave 25 hours later than your original plan.

Oh yeah let me introduce you to our two new members: Jamie Zimmer, our new drummer. He has the quote of the day. “I don’t like beer. Or wine. I only drink liquor. I’m high maintenance.” Let me also introduce you to Andy Whitten, our new bassist, formally the drummer of the band Moxie. For three nights in a row, he slept naked with Evan.

New Orleans by nightfall, Houston by sunrise

You know you’re on tour when:

You only eat one meal a day
You shower once every three days
You sleep in a closet that doubles as a band practice room
You sleep entirely on other people’s couches
You introduce yourself by your web address
Your schedule consists of only four things: driving, performing, sleeping, and booking
You think that this sort of lifestyle is “living the dream”

Our talented trio has intrepidly overcome the first wave of paucity and unprepared ness and has now settled in a lush River Oaks pool house to lick their wounds and ready them for the rest of the daunting summer that beckons so innocently. To ready our trusty steed for the challenges that await us on the treacherous thousands of miles of uncharted pavement, we must install a new radiator and battery. To bring the glory of Moxie to all the tribes of the north, we must exchange hours of radiant sunlight for the dim glow of our laptops to book the stages of our conquest and alert the people of our eminent arrival. And to give to the deep night the conversation and laughter it so thoroughly deserves we had to celebrate. Playing games of skill, swimming, imbibing, cooking, and finally dreaming as the sun slipped unexpectedly through the shutters of the Lexington house to tickle Evan’s eyelashes.

Check out our videos on photobucket. There are some funny clips, like this one of Gabe singing.



Quote of the week:
(My aunt, with sarcasm, in response to the fact that we did not have a place to stay in New Orleans)
“I’m sure there are plenty of unoccupied houses you could sleep at”

bumper sticker brainstorm

The other night we were brainstorming bumper sticker ideas. Most of these would be followed by www.moxieplease.com in small lettering beneath. Let us know which ones you like the best.

I've never been to www.moxieplease.com

my kid can beat up your www.moxieplease.com

support our moxie

i went to www.moxieplease.com and all i got was this lousy bumper sticker

like orgasms? (( www.moxieplease.com ))

my other vehicle is www.moxieplease.com

join the funkwagen

if you can read this, you're not blind

if you can read this, good job!

if you can read this, congratulations! want a sticker?

in a pickle? get out! (( www.moxieplease.com ))

ex president william h. clinton hates moxie

sleep naked

sleep vegan

we're on the pill. (( www.moxieplease.com ))