Songs From The Garden, limited edition CD, available now!

It’s Catursunday. And the Russ Ellis CD album is now available for sale thru our wonderful Bandcamp, campers. It’s the whole “Songs From The Garden” LP plus the Oom Chugga Challenge remixes, in a fab “eco-pack” designed by Katie Hawkinson with cover art by young Dex Ellis. A heartfelt Berkeley Cat thanks to all the marvelous musicians and singers who created this unique record album, and everyone who picked it up and gave ‘er a spin online. Did I say “record album?” I did. It’s all online for listening, and you can still download it for free, and now if ya like, you may procure one of the 300 physical units (did I say “units?” I did) in all of existence, in time for the holidays! That is all 😽

This Place Isn’t Here Anymore

Sometimes songs are their own best description, and I think that is the case here. I had fun making this, and I am still fascinated and surprised by it a few weeks later. Based on real events, of course. Hope you enjoy.

This place isn’t here anymore
This place isn’t here anymore
This place isn’t here anymore

The Bank of Nowhere closed all the accounts
All transactions are fraudulent now (all the cards are cancelled now)
Plastic pink flamingos flying south
This place isn’t here anymore

This place isn’t here anymore
This place isn’t here anymore
This place isn’t here anymore

Schools are empty, the golf course growing wild
There’s no water in the old swimming hole
There’s no drinks at the bar where our story’s told
This place isn’t here anymore

Junior says they don’t know what to look for
I used to know just right where we are
Now I’ve lost my way in a self-driving car
And this place isn’t here anymore
It’s not here anymore
This place isn’t here anymore
It’s gone for sure
Oh, this place isn’t here anymore

Eric Din – acoustic guitars, electric bass, vocals, production
Thomas White – drums

© 2021 Eric Roy Dinwiddie
King Roy Music, BMI

Violent Order – new album hot off the presses from Matte Martin!

We are over the moon excited about this new release from Matte Martin. The lad ensconced himself in his home studio over the last year or so of societal hellfire and lunacy, and has emerged with this self-produced epic. By Interweb magic, it is but a click away in the Bandcamp widget below. If you dig it and buy the download, the dough will go straight to Matte’s own paws and reward him directly for his efforts. Lyrically original and unique, musically adventurous and unexpected at every turn, a brilliant follow-up to 2020’s amazing Bridge LP, we are thrilled to present, Violent Order, available to the entire known universe now on Berkeley Cat Records.

– Eric Din

Never Ending Streaming and Beaming

BCR is hyper-thrilled to share this hyper-link to hyper-stream FAVES’ beautiful new single, Never Ending.  Beaming more warmth and light into the Interworld, with a rock and roll message of eternal love.  Because that’s how we do, round these parts!  Enjoy, share at will, and you can read more about this fab track and the fine fellas who created it, right here.

HATT Streaming and Beaming

Hungry All The Time is now LIVE in all your favorite streaming gizmos!

Here’s a link to the links.

“HATT” was the abbreviation as we worked on this song, sending the tracks back and forth through the ether like critters in a Star Trek transporter. Would they materialize intact? Or would they mutate into evil, snarling beasts? We were lucky, or skillful, or both, and all the parts landed as intended and indeed the final picture was bigger and better than we’d hoped.  Made by these wascals:

Jacob Aginsky – piano
Steven Bernstein – boutique brass
Eric Din – background vocals, acoustic & electric guitar
Steve Lew – bass
John Mader – percussion
Thomas White – drums
Damon Wood – lead vocals, electric guitar

Written and composed by Damon Wood
Mixed by Damon Wood & Eric Din
Produced by Eric Din
Mastered by Myles Boisen
Photo by Jacki La Pointe

© 2021 Damon Wood

 

BCR Catnip Alert – Russ Ellis in the News

We are delighted to find this article in KQED’s site:
Russ Ellis Cut His First Album at Age 85, and It’s A Bop
It’s a Bop. It is most definitely a Bop.
Today, 9:40 AM, catch Russ Ellis interviewed live on KQED Forum!
88.5 FM in the Bay Area, or online at NPR.org.
(UPDATE 8-28-2021: The audio is there too, now. Give it whirl)

Here’s the paper copy of the Sunday Times I managed to find yesterday.

And the article remains online, presumably until the cows come home. That’s a long time, presumably.    Go Russ!

 

Caturday Report

Been a meow-filled week or three over in Berkeley Cat Records international HQ (not an actual place)

Items:

Russ Ellis featured in the New York Times
(wait.. what?!)
Yes Gwendoline, the little paper in New York.
We are delighted, flabbergasted, and pleased.
It’s part of their It’s Never Too Late series,
and you can find this wonderful article by Chris Colin here.
Really an inspiring interview, and the comments are a fun read too.

FAVES new single Never Ending is live in streaming services! And Bandcamp! And here’s a cool video of the guys recording the song.

Matte Martin has a new album coming out in like, minutes! Here’s a fun video preview of what he’s been cooking up for us.

Eric Din has released a new song called Fear Of Everything which is about fear of (wait for it..) everything! Din created this with Jay Lane and Dave Shul, and he’s so excited about it he’s started talking about himself in the 3rd person again. We are concerned. The song is here.

Comeback Pete is on the comeback trail with a massive remix of “Mankind” by the aforementioned Eric Din. A footnote (pun accepted) – Larry Lynch of FAVES added the live acoustic kick drum track to this. With his foot. I note.. ba da ping, I’ll be here all week. Save the planet.

The Uptones recent early recordings album landed in this Brooklyn Vegan list of 64 Essential Ska Albums from-1964 To Present. We are thrilled and honored to be in such fine ska company.

What else?

Vote NO on this stupid CA recall nonsense!!

Lastly, importantly, here are some adorable kittycats watching dominos fall.

That is all.