Gary Owen's Blog

Well, well, well! It's been so long!  Hoping this message finds you all feeling groovy. With that in mind, take a meander at my new website. Yes, please do. :) Gary Owen - Musician

Yes! Summer is on it's way! With that, let's celebrate by singing along with this groovy song from The Monkees new album "Good Times!"

Thanks to everyone at CTV for helping me with this. :)

My Facebook Artist page is now up and running. Click here:   Gary Owen Facebook Artist Page

Here is a video montage sample of some of the music I perform.

"Sea Of Tranquility" hails from one of my favorite Gordon Lightfoot LP's:  "Dream Street Rose" (reached #60). The hypnotic melody- with it's wistful and clever lyrics- describe life in and around nature (forest, rivers, ocean). Lightfoot has a knack for clearly describing all the colorful elements like "old rusty nails" or "where the varmints hang out". Quite an ethereal tune and one of his best. "Dream Street Rose" (1980):

It seems the "Winter Of Discontent" is doing it's best to hang on like a vice grip. This didn't stop Mette and I from meandering to nine different states within a week- and though it seemed as if it was warming up- the weather keeps falling back into February mode. I guess the best way to deal with it is just that: deal with it. Let's hear another bright and sunny tune. Maybe it will inspire Mother Nature to allow Spring to come in full blast. Sing it Simon, Crosby and Nash............ Here Comes The Sun (Simon, Crosby & Nash)

Lots of music this week. Between trekking up to Smallwood, New York for a benefit show (two miles from the original Woodstock site), rehearsing and meandering about the region, my blogging has become- for the moment, de-blogged. With that in mind, let's fill the void by listening to this cool, rare, late period, sung-by-Robbie-Krieger Doors track from their last LP "Full Circle" (1972): Four Billion Souls - The Doors (1972)

Some of my favorite gigs have been performed in backyards, living rooms or even high atop the Swiss Alps (yes, I have done this). That coziness which comes with setting up in someone's household usually leaves me with a euphoric feeling of satisfaction. Just prop me up in the corner near an electrical outlet and out of everyone's way and let me strum. For me, this makes for a wonderful evening- especially if it's amongst a fun, receptive audience. Another fun time is around an outdoor fireplace during the Autumn months. This is my favorite time of year. Hence the title of my first CD. These shows usual take place far away from New York City, although, I have been known to find a few here at home. Outdoor Summer gigs can be a lot of fun- but if it's really humid- then setting me up away from sunlight with a strong electric fan or in the air conditioned house is preferred. Naturally, Winter gigs are held indoors but I have done some crazy nights in Pennsylvania where th...

Here is a piece of video I took during my drive cross country in 1996. The highway is I-40 West, towards Albuquerque, New Mexico. Had some fun with the audio / visual so it would resemble an old super 8 film and a vintage monophonic AM radio.   The song is "Point Me In The Direction Of Albuquerque" by The Partridge Family (1970). Click here for "Point Me In The Direction Of Albuquerque"

A while back, I created a 43 track compilation of Bob Dylan covers by various artists. I tried to keep it as chronological as possible but a few tunes just needed to be side by side. This collection makes for a wonderful soundtrack to a drive to nowhere. One of my favorite pastimes is to get in the car, press play and go. "Songs By Bob Dylan" - Various Artists Disc 1: 1. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - Peter, Paul & Mary (1963) 2. Farewell - Judy Collins (1963) 3. The Times They Are-A-Changin' - The Seekers (1965) 4. It Ain't Me Babe - The Turtles (1965)  5. Close The Door Gently - The Silkie (1966) 6. She Belongs To Me - Barry McGuire (1965) 7. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - Them (1966) 8. Like A Rolling Stone - The Young Rascals (1966) 9. One Too Many Mornings - The Beau Brummels (1966) 10. Mr. Jones (Ballad Of A Thin Man) - The Grass Roots (1966) 11. Boots Of Spanish Leather - Joan Baez (1968) 12. You Ain't Going Nowhere (...

Friday and Saturday were the usual cozy gigs at Jimmy Maxx and Veranda. Always a good time at these venues. Sunday night was amazing at the Starting Point in Bayonne, NJ. From start to finish, the place was mobbed with screaming, whistling, happy faces who requested and sang along with all the tunes. The volume was up and I wound up staying for an extra 1 1/2 hours. No complaints from me. It was a wonderful weekend, indeed. :)

This past October, I spent a wonderful weekend performing at the Beatles festival high up in the ski-resort town of Beitostølen, Norway. This was a big departure from the likes of Beatlefest and Abbey Road On The River as it's much smaller and personal. Met many nice people like Terje- the person running the convention- and was given the chance to sit down with renowned Beatles author Mark Lewishon. Some interesting Beatles-related tidbits were discussed over a nice dinner. Ola Furu- a Beatles record collector- was displaying his collection. He specializes in all the UK pressings of the "Please Please Me" LP and had about forty copies showcased! He also had all the uniquely compiled Norwegian 45's which command a hefty sum these days. Scandinavian pressings- especially Norwegian- are not common at all. I was given the chance to really unload on some of the more obscure material that nobody performs. That was a major rush for me as anything interesting and different...

One of my favorite pastimes is performing tribute shows. The band I am a part of- The Blue Meanies- have done a few interesting performances of this type. We've done Monkees, Kinks, CCR, British Invasion and obligatory Beatles tributes. Sometimes we'll do an entire album by whichever artist we choose. For Abbey Road On The River 2011, we performed the entire "Ringo" album- including the non-LP "B" side "Down And Out" . Click on the links to hear "Have You Seen My Baby (Hold On)" and "Down And Out" from that show: Have You Seen My Baby (Hold On) Down And Out

A fun weekend of gigging. Friday was a wonderful gathering of friends at Simmy & Hal's Groovy Winter Festival. One of those cozy "set me up in your living or dining room" shows. A few people brought their guitars and others took over vocal duties on various songs. Wound up staying later than planned which always makes for a good time. Saturday was Joyce's Tavern. Some of Friday's attendees were on hand and the place was aglow with happy faces. One thing is for sure, I never get tired of performing for a room full of Beatles fans.

My first trip to Scandinavia was in February, 2000. I spent an entire month gigging in Copenhagen, Denmark. The info for this gig was given to me by my fellow musician friend Will Hoppey who was brave enough to take that first step towards something so vast and unknown.  Anyway, this month marks 15 years since my first tour and I thought I'd use this post to thank all the good people of Scandinavia- especially Norway- for making my time there wonderful. I always feel welcome and thoroughly enjoy performing for you all. Here is a gorgeous tune by Norwegian band "The Hellbillies" titled "Den Finast Eg Veit" ('The Finest I Know'). Tusen takk, Scandinavia.

One of the biggest selling CD's in history is The Beatles album "1" (released in 2000). This is a compilation of number one hits from the US and UK respectively. Essentially, this collection expanded upon and replaced the October, 1982 album "20 Greatest Hits". Certain tracks were not released as singles in the UK and various tracks did not reach #1 in either country. This resulted in a few anomalies on both the American and British versions of the "20 Greatest Hits" album. The Australian pressing went a step further by adding a three song EP to the LP which was titled "23 Number Ones". I love this kind of stuff, ya know. :) Anyway, I have created a unique version of "1" based on the number one hits in Norway. Unlike the official pressing of the album, I have utilized the correct monophonic 45 mixes for everything applicable (19 of the 21 tracks). Makes for a superior listening experience along with some strange and interest...

'Twas a rather groovy gig at Jimmy Maxx tonight. The highlight was performing "Porpoise Song" for the chosen few who know it. No complaints from me. I am getting the hang of this blog thingie. Very nice, I say. :)