Norman's Rockwell

Hey Soul Mates, lots going on in RushHourSoulLand. We've been listening to the latest mix of our rerecording of A Talent For Loving . In a word: SLAMMING! It's big. We're going to make a real run with this track in the UK. Doug predicts 14 weeks at the top of the charts. Hello! I have to, on behalf of the band, thank a very select group of people without whom our video project would not be happening. They have all made a sacrifice for Rush Hour Soul (and our fans) by contributing heavily from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Rush Hour Soul is extraordinarily grateful to have such supporters and the future of the group has been secured by their generosity. They are: Nathan Kelsey (please visit sponsor link: KS1 Security ) Pat Vail Herb Kelsey, Sr. The Tokahutas George Christo, Jr. The Kutacs The Rolstons (please visit sponsor link: Free Heart Farm ) Many more of you helped us on our way to the UK back in May. All of you will be remembered by this band. You are tr...

Hey Soul Mates, it's a day in the a/c here in SoCal. Couldn't believe it hit 111 here in North Hollywood on Saturday. As noted in an earlier blog, we've moved closer to the sun. There melts the neighborhood. As a result, there's been lots of indoors time to catch up on popular culture past and present. I don't normally watch a lot of comedies anymore, but I finally saw Anchorman and Pootie Tang . Both, I would highly recommend. Also got around to On The Waterfront . Damn, that Brando (and Steiger) could do his thang. There are so many "classic" films I've never seen. Thank goodness, I got in Pootie Tang. Cole me down on the panny sty. And lots of time spent in the pool. I haven't done this much swimming since I was eleven. I had forgotten how much chlorine straightened my hair. Summertime is always a good time for new pop music. And there's some interesting summer tunage this year: The new Justin Timberlake is the hottest track. SexyBack has...

Hey Soul Mates, but if you put them together they'd be one big dude! Not to mention old as dirt ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHERS NATHAN & HERB!! Wouldn't be here without you. I am the youngest after all. By many, many years in fact. Hope that wherever you are, whatever you are doing that it's fun/relaxing/cool ('cuz it's still dang hot!). I love you.

Hey Soul Mates, Click the title above to hear this blazing side. It really reminds me of a wild, rocking Tom Waits number. I'm only going to have this up here for about 24 hours. It's clipped and ripped for your favorite mp3 player. Save it if you want. Peace to the Bobby Peterson Quintet wherever you are.

Hey Soul Mates, it was a brutally hot weekend in California. The beginning of the week has been filled with little relief. I've been suffering with some heat exhaustion. I can only hope it's a little cooler wherever you are. The band had a great set of workouts this weekend. We rehearsed in 98 degree heat. For real. Working hard for you. Thank the Lord for swimming pools. The drive was long but good. Special thanks to Los Rayos and Sons who helped us fix a flat in the middle of nowhere Sunday night. Good Samaritans are out there. Good karma gone come back to you. Along with going through the set for our next show, we also worked on some brand new material. One of the songs, a dead heavy piece of RHS funk pop ( I Can't Cry For You ) will be debuted at IPO LA on August 2. It's always fun to road test a new tune. Several other songs are taking shape, but they won't be completed in time for the IPO shows. I Can't Cry For You came from Bryan jamming at the studio in...

Hey Soul Mates, well the last of the photos from our first tour of Great Britain are available for viewing. We spent the final day together seeing sights. We began the morning at EMI's Abbey Road studio where the Beatles made 90% of their records. Thanks to Bryan, we got to visit the actual recording studios where the Fab Four worked. We started with #1, where lots of musical scores have been recorded including Star Wars and Raiders Of The Lost Ark and All You Need Is Love . Then we went into Studio 2 and I nearly cried (again). For some it's walking into St. Paul's or the Louvre or the Capitol Hill Rotunda or seeing the Grand Canyon next to the Great Wall. For me, it was all those wrapped into one. A sanctified space in which to pay homage. Name a Beatles song, any song and it was probably put on wax in that room. She Loves You, Hello Goodbye, Help! , even The Word , which we covered during our tour. Bryan and I had been singing Good Morning, Good Morning from Sgt. Pepp...

Hey Soul Mates, now you can get a sneak peak of what our video (actually, film) for "A Talent For Loving" looks like! Check out the newest pictures on our home page. They cover the first half of the shoot at London's Bedford . The crew includes Director William Archer ; Director of Photography Dennis Madden and actress Sarah Monrose . We filmed almost all of the promo at the venue, with some outdoor scenes at Tooting Bec Common. No pictures of the outdoor location, but you'll get a good sense of the main set, the Bedford's Globe theatre. We absolutely loved the international crew: Brits, Italians, French, Americans. The DP, Dennis was a great character with a really good feel for the flow of the song. Our hand-picked director, Will, was superb at handling the shoot and properly motivating his cast. Sarah, who is stunning, was a major surprise. Best of all, everyone really seemed to enjoy the song. The video should be making its premiere on rushhoursoul.com in a ...

Hey Soul Mates, last night, I actually paid to see a movie in a theatre for the first time in 6 months. Went to see Superman Returns and it was quite tremendous. I urge anyone interested in seeing it to do so before anyone gives away the plot twists. Yes, there are actually plot twists. The story picks up where Superman 2 left off, but takes place in the present day. Lex Luthor is out of jail, Lois Lane is about to win a Pulitzer and Superman split the planet for 5 years. What I will tell you is that Brandon Routh (the new Superman) does a great job filling Christopher Reeve's boots. Parker Posey is funny as Lex Luthor's not-so-bright girlfriend (a combination of Miss Tescmacher & Otis), in the worst wigs and wardrobe you've ever seen. They must have pulled her costumes off the extras from the original '78 Superman. But the topper here is scene-stealer Kevin Spacey as Lex. He brings comic timing along with his John Doe (from Se7en ) menace . Everytime Spacey was...

Hey Soul Mates, it's the 4th of July. Time for grilling and chilling by the pool. Hope you have a safe and happy one. If you are one of RHS' friends on myspace, look out for this. I claim full responsibility. She should go down in history like Samuel Adams, Susan B. Anthony and Ben Franklin as a great American. Now get out there and rejoice: Lil Kims is FREE!! Love, Power, Peace and Independence

Hey Soul Mates, We are proud to introduce Radio Rush Hour Soul . The debut track on it is our live performance of Fall Out . It's still in beta mode for us, so bear with us. Our goal for it is to play a whole jukebox of live, studio and rare Rush Hour Soul cuts. We'll also be adding snippets from interviews and spoken messages from the band from time to time. Today's tour pictures are from day 2 in the recording studio. This was the day for vocals. I did a lot of work on the tracking. Master takes, backing vocals, harmonies. A lot of experimenting and hot performances. Then the boys joined in to record the choruses. Lots of fun and a little goofiness. I am partial to our "BoyzIIMen" shot. There are a couple of pix of the surroundings including Bry down by the riverside. No sword and shield, but he's got his beer and iPod. Hope you all are enjoying the 4th of July weekend. Now that the Radio is up and running and pix are posted, it's time to take a dip in ...