12/9/08: MAI ON THE TONIGHT SHOW / RECORDING WITH WILLY PORTER
There's a "/" in the subject because we're actually doing both at the same time. No, Mai doesn't have a freaky doppleganger clone-droid. For the past week, we've been holed up in Milwaukee, working with Willy Porter on his next record. Super radical. But yesterday, Mai had to fly back to L.A. because she was asked to play cello with Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson on The Tonight Show!
Watch the show tonight (easy to remember), that's Tuesday, Dec. 9th. Sara and Ingrid will be singing "Winter Song," a song they wrote together and that's featured on the album "Hotel Cafe Presents... Winter Songs." The Tonight Show airs on NBC at 11:30/10:30c. You can also watch it online at www.nbc.com.
Meanwhile, Mona, Becky and Chaska will be watching the show from a cozy hotel room (or possibly bar) in Milwaukee (it's 15 degrees here and dumping snow). But working with Willy has been nothing short of amazing! We've been fans of his for over ten years, so we're beyond honored, and totally geeked to be working with him in his studio. We've spent about a week recording vocals, percussion, cello, bass and sitar.
See photos in our "Recording with Willy Porter" photo album.
12/08: INTRODUCING GIRLS ROCK SEATTLE!
Many of you probably know that Raining Jane has been involved with Rock n' Roll Camp for Girls, in Portland, Oregon for the past three years. We've volunteered at summer camp, played benefit shows, worked with Fender to have guitars and amps donated, and we wrote a chapter of their book. We're happy to announce that we're now also working with Girls Rock! Seattle, a brand new non-profit operating independently of the Portland camp but adhering to similar goals. In a nutshell, the mission of Girls Rock! Seattle is to build positive self-esteem in girls, and encourage creative expression through music.
This Friday, December 12th, Girls Rock! Seattle is throwing a launch party and fundraiser. It's an all ages show at The Vera Project (in Seattle of course), with performances by Seattle-based bands The Dutchess & The Duke, Angel & Panda, Another Perfect Crime, Kusikia and DJ Shani Thunders. Raining Jane members will be there to support the cause (Mona's the emcee!). It's going to be an fabulous night of music, festivities and like-minded people coming together to support a common mission, so please join us! Doors open at 7:30pm and tickets are $10, with a big chunk of funds going to Girls Rock! Seattle. Buy tickets now at www.ticketweb.com. Similar shows will be taking place all over the country on the same night as part of a 50 Shows in 50 States tradition, benefiting the Girls Rock Camp Alliance, of which Girls Rock! Seattle will soon be the newest member.
Don't forget to spread the word to your peoples in and nearby Seattle!
For more information, and to find out how you can be involved, send an email to info@girlsrockseattle.org, and visit www.girlsrockseattle.org.
10/30/08: RAINING JANE ON AMERICAN AIRLINES and MORE YOUTUBE VIDEOS!
Hear Raining Jane on American Airlines in November and December! Television isn't the only place you may encounter RJ tunes these days. Two Raining Jane songs will be featured on the Paste Beat inflight audio channel on American Airlines during the months of November and December! In November, "Incline" will appear in the playlist, alongside artists such as The Weepies, Dr. Dog and The Rosebuds. In December, you can hear "Browntown" used as background music for host Gary Thompson. The two-hour Paste Beat program will play on every American Airline flight around the world, and is a collaboration with Paste music magazine.
New Song "Paper Cut" & Live Videos From The Moore Theater, Seattle
Watch Raining Jane perform their new song "Paper Cut" as well as classics such as "Wyoming Sky," "Desperate Sails," "Pinball," and "Browntown" from their Oct. 15th performance at the Moore Theater in Seattle, WA. Videos are up on YouTube now. This show was part of the tour their are currently on with Sara Bareilles and Marc Broussard. Click on the links to go straight to the video.
Wyoming Sky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqKku5MktS0
Pinball
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfZYb4xfzvg
Browntown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXlqdNpbnjE
Paper Cut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdfXxUpgnKo
Desperate Sails
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLDI3DxKLWQbr>
10/30/08: RAINING JANE ON "GREY'S ANATOMY"!
Tune in to Grey's Anatomy tonight, Thursday Oct. 30th, and you'll hear music by Raining Jane! Our song "Prelude" will be featured in this week's episode. "Prelude" is the first song on the record we released earlier this year, "Paper Nest." You can buy the music from www.rainingjane.com, or iTunes. Grey's Anatomy is on ABC, 9/8c.
We'll be playing a show in Detroit that night... and looking for a TV. Someone TiVo the show!
8/27/08: RAINING JANIE'S GOT A PUN
Good Day Dear Friends!
The fall tour has officially begun. And so has the blogging season (embarrassing).
Sooo we are back in the lady van. She has been renamed "the thrust shuttle" for this tour. Just kidding. We actually named her "vag-van." Just kidding. We totally named her "easy ride-her." Just kidding. We really named her "Camper Van Beaver Dam." Unfortunately, I'm serious this time.
Somehow we ended up with a burned mix of Aerosmith's Greatest Hits in the van. And oddly enough Chaska LOVES to play it while she drives (the word "oddly" was used as a literary device). When "Janie's Got a Gun" comes on she starts doing some faux gun shooting choreography. It's a sight to be seen. I am a big fan of the Aerosmith songs "Sweet Emotion" and "Love In An Elevator." Who doesn't want to get busy during a 13 second elevator ride to the mezzanine level? Only a dude. And that dude looks like a lady (named Chaska).
We are rocking a mini college tour for a few weeks, kicking off in Massachusetts! Then we'll head back to the west coast to meet up with one of our musical heroes, Willy Porter. He is an incredible singer-songwriter and for any guitar nerds out there, SHOW UP. This guy will bring you to tears (sexy ones). We will be opening the shows and then sitting in with him for a few songs (yeah, I'm sort of bragging).
And even sexier is our tour with Sara Bareilles and Marc Broussard in Oct/Nov across this grand nation. Gross-face. More on that later.
So, what have you been up to? Keep in touch you a-holes. We miss you. Hope to see you this fall.
xo
mona+raining jane+camper van beaver dam=steven tyler
8/9/08: FALL TOUR WITH SARA BAREILLES!
We are so excited to be embarking on a full month of shows with Sara and the boys!! Hope to see you out there... Check the dates and get your tickets!!
October 11 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
October 17 Vancouver The Vogue
October 18 Spokane, The Knitting Factory
October 22 Dallas, TX House Of Blues
October 28 St. Louis, MO Pageant Theatre
November 2 Nashville, TN The Ryman Theatre
October 9 San Diego, CA Spreckels
October 10 Las Vegas, NV The Pearl
October 14 Portland, OR Schnitzer
October 15 Seattle, WA The Moore
October 20 Denver, CO The Paramount
October 26 New Orleans, House Of Blues
October 27 Birmingham, AL Alabama Theatre
October 30 Detroit, MI Fillmore
November 3 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
November 5 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
November 6 Providence, RI Lupos
November 7 Atlantic City, NJ Music Box
October 23 Houston, TX House Of Blues
November 1 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room
5/27/08: OR, WHATEVER
1.5 weeks left on this tour. I think we have decided to name this the "or, whatever" tour based on a personal ad we read in the Centralia, Washington Penny Saver:
SINGLE RETIRED white male seeking female horse riding companion, or whatever. Call between 6pm-8pm. Randall.
Weird things happen on the road.
Like a dude walked up to me in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and said, "hey, you signed my nipple in Fargo. Thanks for that." I paused and then responded with a, "Oh yeah. That was a crazy night." Apparently I just signed his t-shirt... near his nipple. But as soon as he said that, I definitely created a scenario in my head where I actually signed his bare nipple. So adorable of me. I should probably go home soon. Delusions, delusions.
We are in the middle of two solid weeks of shows in the northwest. So happy about it! We will be playing springfest style nooners (sexytime) so, early mornings and sunblock will be the protocol. I'll try to keep you updated on how many hot dogs I eat this week (two so far).
In other news... we're getting ready for our fancy CD release party in LA. You should come. We will be wearing matching hotpants and a lady comedian will be kicking off the night (Alexandra McHale). Our super-talented friends The Rescues (Kyler England, Gabriel Mann, and Adrianne) will be performing and hot-ass Jessie Payo will close the night! Oh and a special guest appearance by some homemade delicious cupcakes and brownies. No joke. Come early. I'll be covered in frosting by 9pm.
Deets:
JUNE 3rd Molly Malone's 575 N. Fairfax L.A., CA $8 / 21+
Can't wait to see you Los Angeles. Kiss me on the mouth when you see me, or whatever.
Mona
3/18/08: RAINING JANE FEATURED ON JASON MRAZ'S NEW EP "WE SING"
Back in January 2007 Jason Mraz invited us down to his studio to write and record some songs together. We happily agreed! Since then we've collaborated on a number of songs, over the course of several sessions, and now you can hear the result of this partnership. Yippee!
Today Jason is releasing the first in a series of EP's leading up to his full-length release in May. The first EP, "We Sing" features a version of a song we co-wrote together, "A Beautiful Mess" with us playing the role of backup band! A different version of the song will appear on his album in May, so this is your opportunity to hear RJ playing with Jason Mraz on this song. Buy and learn more at: www.jasonmraz.com
3/18/08: "GIRLS ROCK!" ROCK CAMP DOCUMENTARY IS OUT - GO SEE IT!
In the summer of 2005, Becky and Mona spent a week volunteering at Rock n'Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Oregon. Coincidentally, a documentary ("Girls Rock!") was shot at the camp that year, and the that movie has now been released in cities all over the U.S.!
Raining Jane started their relationshiop with the camp in 2005. It was also that year that they were able to secure a huge donation of guitars and amps to the camp from Fender. In 2007, all four members of Raining Jane went back to the camp to volunteer for a summer session.
Girls Rock!, an independent documentary, is awesome, first of all, AND it could use all the support it can get. Check out this link to see when and where it's playing hear you and go see it! Mona and Becky are in the film for a couple seconds!
www.girlsrockmovie.com/special/screenings
From The New York Times:
"Young women find expression for more than their music in "Girls Rock!" a jubilant documentary about a place where power chords and empowerment go hand in hand... Emplying an amiably chaotic visual style that includes crude animation and campy postwar hygiene films, they record the battle to wrestle girl culture from the hands of Paris and Britney with the enthusiasm of true believers." -New York Times
2/10/08: IT'S HARD TO BE NICE IN THE WINTER
Sitting in the back seat, feet kicked up on our file cabinet full of binders, drinking a cup of some easy breezy breathe easy herbal tea and organizing raining jane photos to update our myspace page and website. We have some gems to share (read: really embarrassing photos of us for you to make fun of). I thought I could take a breakski and do a lil' bloggy-time (kill me).
Some quick notes on our adventures so far:
1. Mai got bangs! (can you believe its 1 on the list? They ARE that cute.)
2. Chaska is currently driving on Interstate 80 East through the state of Indiana, going 30 miles per hour with the hazards on. The road signs read minimum 45 MPH. We say eff 'em. 30 miles per hour just feels right.
3. Today we finally stopped at a cheese shop in Wisconsin. Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha, Wisconsin to be exact. It was Becky's wish to go on her Birthday and then that damn "storm" hit last week. I didn't think a little horizontal snow could keep Ms. Brie Cheese Becky from her Sharp Cheddar, but it did. So, today we celebrated her birth and lactose tolerance and ate some fresh cheese curds in her honor.
4. Back to the van-ironment. I don't want to harp on the cold. But, friends, it's so cold it literally hurts my eyeballs. It's so cold (that's when you say, "how cold is it?) Chaska's cheeks are chapped from loading the car for 10 minutes this morning. And, It hurts my heart and eyeballs when the Weather Channel says that "your highs for today will be 0". Who says that? The same channel that plays that awesome upbeat muzak that warms up any negative 20 wind chill in your soul. It's so cold (now, you) the guy at the liquor store said not to keep our Vodka in the car. The Vodka you usually keep in the freezer. Consider my toes right now. If the car is too cold for Vodka, then what about my TOES!!!? I need a cocktail. I promise this will be the last of the cold talk. It's not like our car doesn't have a heater. But, does it blow cold air into the middle and back row? Yes, yes it does. Mai is wearing 3 pairs of pants today. Long underwear is now considered our "sexy lingere". Get out!
5. Our friend/incredible comedian Alexandra Mchale (check out our Top 8) is kicking off a website called www.townhouse84.com on 2/15/08! She flew out to Waukesha, Wisconsin yesterday to come and hang with us at Carroll College and get some ridiculous footage of us to feature on the site. We spent the afternoon gabbing about normal stuff like car maintenance and shopping for our fave road snacks. It's gonna be a hoot.
I am going to be better about giving you updates more often. You deserve it.
xo
mona
2/05/08: EXTREME JOURNAL ENTRY
Everyone's going for the extreme these days. Extreme sports, extreme supreme cafe java lattes, exxxtreme deodorant, extreme folk-rock ;) ...don't we all just want to take it to the limit? The extreme limit. For the past four years we've been driving around this country, dipping our toes into the extreme here and there. We've driven through blizzards; we've stopped in the mountain passes to put our chains on; we've even driven 26 hours in one day (wait a minute...) to get to a show. And in those four years, we've never cancelled a show. Through sickness and in health, for better or for worse, we've been committed to the shows we've booked and somehow always managed to show up. Possibly disheveled, but totally present. That was true until yesterday. And then again today. Sorry to anyone at Saint Mary's of Minnesota and Concordia University who were planning to ignore the "severe weather" advisory to come out and see us play. Good news though-we're rescheduled for May when we can all hang out in tank tops and flip-flops!
Currently, we're holed up in Des Moines, Iowa where a foot of snow is expected to fall today. If Mona's mom was here and for some reason she decided to go outside, she'd be 1/4 covered in snow. That's not funny. Good thing she doesn't read these things.
Mai and Chaska are in the hotel room working on the artwork for our upcoming EP!! Yes, it's coming! The tracks go to mastering TOMORROW! We're hoping to have it all packaged up with a red bow and ready for your ears by March 4th!! We're extremely excited to finally share some new music with you all! Stay tuned for more on that...
Mona and Becky are out trying to get the fender that's falling off our trailer to stop falling off our trailer. We tried to drive with the tire lock on yesterday. Some might say that is a bad idea. We would like to advise you that it is an extremely bad idea.
Sending you all love... send us some sunshine?!
rj
JANUARY 2008: WELCOME BACK!
Welcome back to Jane's Journal! It's been a while since our last entry, but we're excited to be back and hope you will stay tuned as we update you from the road. Yes, we're back on the road for a 5-month National Tour. Look out America, here we come! We'll be hitting colleges and clubs across the country, so check the GIGS list for details and tell a friend. In the meantime, we are thrilled to announce the Release of a brand new EP! Produced by Brad Gordon this collection of songs is one we're especially proud of. We hope it's all you've been patiently waiting for and more! And now... without further ado.... Jane's Journal 2008!
| |