News

News

King Mixer Releases New Anthem Honoring Chicago Cubs

We DID it.

The Chicago Cubs won the World Series on November 2nd, 2016, and you are alive, right here, right now, to bear witness.  To celebrate this truly monumental occasion King Mixer hit the recording studio in October during the Series, and in a marathon 14 hour session, recorded ‘We’re Goin’ All The Way!‘ to musically will the Cubs into winning the World Series.  After 108 years, the 2016 Chicago Cubs went on to do just that.  This is our song about that. 

Contributors to this recording include:  King Mixer (all vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, bass), Matt “Nelly” Nelson (keys and synths)                        studio owner/engineer Craig Williams at Dr. Caw Recording, and oh yeah: Randy Antlept (Drums) has been a beer vendor at Wrigley Field for 37 years (that’s not a typo). Randy generously took part in the recording of ‘We’re Goin’ All The Way’   during his one “day off” from running beer, between Series Games 2 and 3.  Randy gets the game ball.

But wait…there’s more! We have a fantastic video for the song, produced in real time as this saga unfolded (and in record time) by the talented young upstart Mr. Michael Filek, a film major Freshman at Columbia College Chicago. Mike and his crew did an outstanding job out in the field and in the editing room, all between Game 4 and Game 7.   Take a look.

As the dust begins to settle from the aftermath, now is the perfect time to reflect on our recent glories. Get the track, HERE.  Proceeds from downloads of this song going to Cubs Care charities.  Congratulations, Chicago Cubs: World Series Champions 2016!  Ok! Let’s get some runs!

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King Mixer at Taste of Chicago, Friday July 8th 2:30PM

Summer’s here, and the time is right…for taking a long lunch if you work downtown!

King Mixer is excited to be performing at Taste of Chicago this Friday July 8th, on the ‘Rock n Roll’ stage from 2:30 – 3:40PM.  Head on over to the corner of Columbus and Balbo for an hour of King Mixer music in the (hopefully) sweet sunshine of the great outdoors in the fine city of Chicago!

We had a tremendous turn out for the King Mixer album release show last month at Martyr’s in Chicago.  Once again the core band of Red Pop Fury will serve as the King Mixer band, joined by some very special guests this Friday. C’mon out to The Taste!

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KING MIXER RECORD RELEASE SHOW @ MARTYRS JUNE 18

 

Hear ye hear yeKing Mixer’s ‘Hang On’ album has found a launching site at Martyrs in Chicago on June 18. It’s about guitars and harmonies, wild behavior, birthdays and brethren, a live horn section and various surprise musical guests, coming and going together in celebration of a project which began exactly two years ago, this month.  I’m excited to to launch this music into the world like the screaming newborn spastic it is, as we raise the roof as one, like proud drunk parents.

Also on the bill: The Phil Angotti band.  Phil Angotti is my doppelganger, my compadre, the musical yin to my yang. When Martyrs asked if I had an opening act in mind, I immediately said “Phil.”  The man has the dual-vocal capability of a solemn angel like Elliot Smith, or the razor-cut grit of a McCartney “Helter Skelter”, which Phil conjures at will, repeatedly, without fail. The bastard. I still don’t know how it does it.  We’ve traveled together to Liverpool, England, and back, in the name of vintage guitars, scouse accents and actualizing the dream. Many can testify to the joy and energy Phil puts into his musicianship, along with his band, but for those who don’t know, June 18th is my chance to convert you.  Lord knows me and Phil shall cross paths on stage more than once on this night.

Also confirmed:  King Mixer will be graced with the presence of power pop royalty during our set, with an appearance by the legendary Cliff Johnson of Off Broadway.

The first 50 people in the door will receive a free copy of  ‘Hang On’, the new LP from King Mixer (preview the full album here).   It’s all part of the King Mixer launch party and we aim to mix it up!  So ring your sitters, bring your sisters and drag your most skeptical pals to this party.  They’ll be thanking you for weeks afterwards, or your money back. See you ’round the clubs!

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Album Funding Goal Reached! (Surpassed, actually)

GoFund campaign complete! It is with sincere gratitude and great enthusiasm that I can announce the fundraising goal for the King Mixer album has officially been reached! Surpassed, actually!  This was made possible by a friendly donation from someone who opted to hire me for a house party at the ‘Gold Event’ level, via GoFundMe.com. I’ll play a summer bash for them in the months ahead, meanwhile the band is rehearsing for the album release show while I launch press releases to media outlets big and small about the release of ‘Hang On’, from King Mixer.  Date and venue for the release show is being worked out this week!  You can listen to the King Mixer singles off the album HERE.  Thanks to all who backed this project, and we look forward to playing the songs live, with you in the house, very soon! Stay tuned, boppers…stay tuned.

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King Mixer Album To Drop This Fall

Anything worth doing takes time and care.  That’s what they tell us, anyway.  In the case of the King Mixer debut, I’ve found this old adage to be true.  Over the course of the  past year and a half, this record has taken many turns (ouch!), songs have shape-shifted, lyrics have been trashed and rewritten, great musical guests have stepped in and out, songs have been selected, recorded and dropped, sonic directions rerouted.  All in the name of creating my best work yet.  So in that spirit it makes perfect sense that the record, originally to be titled “Music On The Bones”, would suddenly receive a name change at the final hour.  Literally during the mastering stage.

You have to listen to the wind when making an album.  What you thought you were writing about isn’t always something to get locked into.  By the time you’re ready to go  public, many of the thoughts and circumstances which initially inspired the music have given way to a more modern feeling or tone.  There were strong starts…then sudden stops while making this record.  Then we’d start up the engine again…get it rolling along…and due to  somebody’s schedule change or a momentary  drop in budget…stalled again.  Then the mixing of the record.  Mixing, mixing, always King Mixing with Reuben Baird at Chicago Sound Lab for months at a time, all through last winter. Then I finished mixing several final songs off the record myself, in my home studio.  This took awhile.  I’m not much of a tech guy, I have minimal gear and I mix things more or less on instinct, trial and error, and you know, with my ears.  Meanwhile my album backers were getting antsy.  Fair enough.    Amen.  So as the King Mixer album drew to a necessary conclusion last month, in it’s final stages, I decided to listen to the wind and title the album both what I’ve been saying to people in recent months, what our production team repeatedly stated over the course of the past year, and also what I’ve been feeling and saying to myself for awhile now:  ‘Hang On’.

I’m excited to announce the King Mixer album ‘Hang On’ is currently being replicated for CD and will be available in CD and digital formats in October 2015.  Keep it here for details on a Chicago release show and more!  Almost there…Hang on!

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Debut Single Just Issued!

The debut single from the upcoming King Mixer full length album is now available!  Stream & download HERE.

Recorded partly at Chicago Recording Company and also at Parka Studios in Berwyn, IL,  ‘Zookeepers’ (side A) and ‘45′   (side B) marks the launch of new King Mixer music in 2015.

Both a CD single and a vinyl 7″ format will be released in the coming months.  Meanwhile you can enjoy both tracks digitally HERE  and HERE

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Produced by ace sound designer/audiophile Christian Cullen along with King Mixer, both Zookeepers and 45 are standout meditations on the subject of father time and paradise perhaps lost.  There’s a psychedelic quality to both tunes, but when paired together each song has its own unique individual energy which may wind up being the standard for King Mixer music:  Same songwriter, same producer, same studios, same time frame = a deliberately different vibe, striking in both songs.  45 was originally billed as the official A side, but fans who opted into crowdfunding this project got a sneak preview of the singles and now insist that Zookeepers take center stage.  Both sides beckon repeated listening.  Download now and feel free to comment on which side you prefer~

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Music On The Bones

King Mixer is both band name and my personal moniker for all my original music.  You can read all about it in the ABOUT section of this site.  Music On The Bones is the name of the upcoming album from King Mixer, poised for release in summer of 2015 with subsequent tour dates to follow .  I’m excited about this new collection of edgy guitar driven rock songs I’ve been working on for the past nine months!  This baby is about ready to pop…  Rock music driven by vocal harmonies and the quest for inclusion in The Great American Songbook.  Songs to sing along with in the car that will haunt you in your sleep (as they have haunted me).  Songs of redemption and the notion that your soul just may be awakening from a deep slumber, RIGHT NOW.  That’s Music On The Bones.  Did we crack it?  Only you and time will tell, but the first single will give you a taste of what’s to come:   ’45′ will be released (naturally) on 7 inch vinyl in early 2015 (along with its B side, ‘Zookeepers’).  Listen and download the new singles HERE
Looking forward to bringing you the new album this year!
All the best,
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