December 2011 was a wild musical finish, especially since Mick Hargreaves & The King Guys were able to return to the Grey Horse Tavern (Bayport, NY) and stand up for all that is good at a performance on Friday, 12/30/11. You were SO there for me at the worst of times in 2011, so you deserve news, and stuff. Here's an update.
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Twenty-Twelve begins with a light shining at the end of the
medical
paperwork tunnel, and even good news perhaps. It's been difficult
pouring over the bills, forms, opening mail, essentially re-playing
everything each time. I got a lot of help from Mom and Dad. Some of the
last red tape involved, such as that which needs to be sent to the NYS
Crime Victims Bureau, is being completed this week, and when that dust
settles, much more will be known, and haggling with medical creditors
will commence. This part will be settled way before the criminal case,
trust me. Then a pony will come.
I'm physically fine, feeling great, doing everything I want to do. However, being a
victim of violent crime and coming so close to losing so much, so quickly... means you can't help but see things a lot differently.
Things previously viewed as vital become meaningless. Television. The "10 Items or Less" express lane. Most magazines. The surfing "scene".
Things formerly taken for granted become powerful. Stuff kids say/do. Raisin toast. The "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" chord changes. Calling to say hello. Writing stuff down. Surfing.
The bizarre journey through 2011 was made infinitely
easier by the support of so
many people in so many ways; the card sent, something said on
the phone, a visit, post in the internet, a movie sent,
the book loaned, a song played, the time you came and hung out for a
while, the benefit you played and/or helped organize, the joke you made
about me getting attacked followed quickly by "sorry Mick, too soon?"
(this Hangdogs on-stage gag never gets old, by the way). There's gonna
be a lot of thank-you cards (with trinkets maybe, even) to send out this
year, and
they are coming, but in the meantime, a continued, gigantic, THANK YOU.
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Meanwhile, getting ready to book a lot of solo and full-band shows for 2012, the Lantern Sound Recording Rig is making some good things, and the musicians known as "The King Guys" (Michael D. Bifulco, Gary Dawson, Don Mangels, Jeff McLary, and sometimes even Sister Jen on backup vocals) will continue to grace the stage to help bring my songs to life in the New Year. I'm pushing to complete work on the Redemption Center II release as soon as possible, and my segment contribution to Chris Butler's Major Glitch is already in the can, awaiting release, to be accompanied by a promotional film, which is also finished. I've even been playing the "Crystal Ball" at shows, a song largely written by Joe Delia, with a bit o' help from me.
Get your tickets now: NYRMA presents The Elvis Show 2012 at the YMCA Boulton Center Theatre (Bayshore NY) on Saturday January 28, 8pm. This is a particularly meaningful event to me, as it benefits emergency food supplies courtesy of the efforts of the Rock CAN Roll organization, and it will sell out for sure. Tickets Link
http://mickhargreaves.com