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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Wendy and Lisa: Leaders of the Revolution

Eddie Santiago wrote a terrific article called “Leaders of the Revolution” regarding the flawed music industry, how the big label record companies ‘did not know what to do with Wendy and Lisa’, and how their model of music distribution should be a model for record companies.

Below, Mr. Santiago describes what sets Wendy and Lisa apart from other artists and what contributed to the success of their album, White Flags of Winter Chimneys.

“However, it is Wendy and Lisa’s willingness to share that “skin” with fans that sets them apart from other artists who have used the Internet to distribute music in 2009. This year, Wendy and Lisa made themselves accessible to fans alike via Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. They played shows and then hung out with fans. They drafted their fans to make a video for "Salt and Cherries." They made paid content and free unreleased music available on their website. They hosted radio podcasts that included new music from innovative artists and interesting conversations. They used these forums to answer questions about their music, their personal lives, and their time with Prince and the Revolution. And they did so with an appreciation and respect for their fans and at some risk to themselves… “

“That authenticity makes Wendy and Lisa’s efforts to promote White Flags of Winter Chimneys just as important as the album itself. Fans had already respected their musicianship and enjoyed their personalities. Their honesty, openness, and willingness to be accessible made experiencing their music even more alluring. It may not be possible to quantify the results on a Billboard chart or with a platinum record plaque. However, is clear that they (and their team) worked hard to get their music to their fans and their fans love them for it.

Of course, fans can’t wait to hear what Wendy and Lisa will have to say, musically and otherwise, in 2010. And if record companies are still around in the next decade, they would be wise to follow these leaders of the revolution.”


The article is short but very well written and informative. Give yourself a treat and read the rest of the article here: Leaders of the Revolution

However, Mr. Santiago failed to mention an integral part of the success of White Flags of Winter Chimneys; their manager Renata Kanclerz.

Lisa Coleman also realized the omission and left the following comment on the website:











I second Lisa’s sentiment! I have had the pleasure of following the evolution of White Flags of Winter Chimneys since Wendy and Lisa mentioned that they were working on the album during the writer’s strike. Since the release, I have also had the pleasure of watching some of the distribution process as an ‘outsider’. Without a doubt, Renata Kanclerz was a driving force in the success of the album.

In interviews, Wendy and Lisa have given Renata credit for creating the distribution template that was followed for the release of WFOWC: The album was released in several stages. The first stage involved selling digital copies of WFOWC through a distributor (in their case, Topspin Media). Then, in the second stage, the proceeds from the digital release went to fund the physical release of the CD and vinyl versions of the album which occurred several months later. The digital album itself was offered in several different formats; MP3, Apple Lossless, and FLAC. The physical album was offered as a CD or an amazingly beautiful colored vinyl. Renata, along with Wendy and Lisa themselves (as well as members of their team), was responsible for stuffing envelopes with CDs, albums, stickers, and other goodies that would eventually reach us fans. In the third stage of the process, Renata has ensured that “White Flags of Winter Chimneys” and a re-release of “Girl Bros.” are available for purchase through their website, iTunes, and Amazon (as well as for free via such sites as their wendyandlisa.com, iLike, Last.fm, etc.).

Creating the album is only half the battle, however. Without figuring out a way to reach fans and to spread the word about the album, White Flags of Winter Chimneys would have been a great album that was stored in a bunch of boxes in their studio.  Again, Wendy and Lisa’s manager proved invaluable in getting the word out. Through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, 12 Second TV, YouTube, etc., Renata ensured that Wendy and Lisa would have direct access to their fans and vice versa.

Through these venues, fans such as myself, were able to speak directly with Wendy and Lisa; something that could not have been done 20 years ago without actually meeting them face-to-face or sending fan mail. Cutting edge technology was effectively utilized to ensure that fans were kept up to date with what was happening with the album, interviews that Wendy and Lisa were conducting, and just the (often very funny) day-to-day events surrounding Wendy and Lisa. In addition to providing information, social networking sites, such as Twitter, were used by journalists, bloggers, and podcasters to set up interviews for Wendy and Lisa. I have witnessed quite a few individuals Tweet Renata about setting up an interview and have watched those interviews come into fruition.

Not only has Renata been a professional liaison between us fans/writers/journalists and Wendy and Lisa, but she has also been a wealth of information about the ladies. There have been quite a few times when I or other fans have had questions and was able to get answers directly from Renata (no matter how crazy the question).

In addition to being a source of information over the past year, Renata has also improved The Official Website, http://www.wendyandlisa.com/, as well as given us a Wendy and Lisa iPhone App, given us free tracks (“OH WOW” and the “Sweet Suite King Britt Remix”), cool widgets such as the Facebook Widget and the Wendy and Lisa RSS News Feed found on this blog (middle column), and great t-shirts that we can purchase.  At one point, we could even purchase autographed posters from Wendy and Lisa with whatever personalized message that we wanted! How many other artists offered to do that? And last, but certainly not least, I can not forget to mention the amazing privilege it was to be a part of Wendy and Lisa’s “Salt and Cherries” video.  Again, Wendy, Lisa, and Renata went out of their way to ensure that us fans were made a part of the creative process. Allowing fans to be a part of the video was a unique idea and something that a lot of artists do not have the courage to do. Thanks for giving us fans the opportunity!

As I stated earlier, producing a successful album is really a two-part equation. The first equation entails (obviously) putting together a well-made album. Wendy and Lisa definitely did their part in ensuring that White Flags of Winter Chimneys was a beautifully crafted, moving, and inspiring work of art. However, the album would have just been a beautifully crafted, moving, and inspiring work of art that no one ever heard of if it was not for the second half of the equation: The business side. This is where Wendy and Lisa’s manager, Renata, worked amazingly hard and did an incredible job in ensuring the album’s success.

In Leaders of the Revolution, Mr. Santiago wrote that it is “clear that they (and their team) worked hard to get their music to their fans and their fans love them for it.” As a fan, I would like to say that I do love you guys for reaching out to us fans, for making us feel that we were a part of this amazing process, and for letting us get to know you a little better. Also, Thank You Renata for all of your hard work and spoiling us fans! It is clear to us fans that "their team" consists primarily of you and we truly do appreciate everything that you do for us!

I would also like to thank you for the highlight of my 2009: Meeting Wendy, Lisa, Renata, and Julie! Thank you for the opportunity! It was something that I will truly cherish forever!

Here’s to an amazing 2010 and your continued happiness, success, and music! CHEERS!!!

Wendy and Lisa’s “White Flags of Winter Chimneys” Makes Best of 2009!

Although Wendy and Lisa's “White Flags of Winter Chimneys” (WFOWC) came out over a year ago (Dec 2008), the album made the ‘best of’ list for 2009 from several sources!


For example, OrlandoWeekly.com listed WFOWC as part of their ‘Rest of The Best (Music of 2009)’







































[note: picture altered to display WFOWC]


In addition, Jason Ferguson listed WFOWC as one of his favorite albums in 2009 in blurt-online.com’s ‘REVENGE OF THE WRITERS: Best & Worst of 2009’ feature.








































[note: picture altered to display Jeff Ferguson’s list]


WFOWC took Musicwhore.org’s #9 spot in his “Favorite Edition 2009: Quarter Final” list of favorite new releases.










































In addition, fan bloggers also took note of White Flags of Winter Chimneys.

Hipsterdad’ listed WFOWC in his top 10 favorite albums of 2009.


























Soquoted.blogspot.com listed WFOWC in the 2009 listing of “A decade: Music I Enjoyed





































and finally, Jeffrey Anderson listed WFOWC as the #1 LP (vinyl) release of 2009 in his "Best New LPs of 2009" list!






































Congratulations to White Flags of Winter Chimneys for making the top albums of 2009 lists!  The honors are well deserved!

If you have not yet had the opportunity to listen or purchase White Flags of Winter Chimneys (digital, CD, and vinyl versions available) click here: Wendyandlisa.com

Friday, December 11, 2009

Wendy & Lisa at the Women In Film Panel!

As first reported here: Wendy and Lisa at WIF and later here: Wendy and Lisa at WIF Follow-Up
on October 28, 2009 Wendy and Lisa were part of a panel discussing ‘Music In Film And Television’. The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) recently published a brief article about the panel discussion. Below, appears a snippet of the ASCAP article. You can read the entire article here: ASCAP Women In Film


Excerpt of ASCAP Article:
“On October 28, 2009, Women In Film (WIF) hosted a panel focusing on music and songwriting in film and television, with featured speakers Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman (aka Wendy and Lisa, the ASCAP composers behind Heroes and Mercy) and PRS film composer Helene Muddiman (who scored the feature film Skin), among others. Moderating the panel was WIF board member Lisa Gewirtz.

The round-table discussion addressed the challenges facing female composers in the male-dominated film and television music world. As Melvoin put it, "Unfortunately as women composers we have to work twice as hard to achieve our goals." “
To read the article in its entirety, click here: ASCAP Women In Film

Thursday, December 3, 2009

SpinOFF Returns This Friday, December 4th!

Come one, come all to another exciting episode of SpinOFF! Come join Renata (Wendy & Lisa’s superb manager) and Felacity Dickman for two hours of music from around the globe! Both Renata and Felacity are great at finding new groups for us to check out (as well as old ones too!). In addition, if listening to great music on luxuriamusic.com is not enough, Renata will often let us know if there are free downloads from the groups that she plays! Bonus!!!!


So, come join the SpinOFF party on Friday, December 4th from 9-11pm (PST) on luxuriamusic.com! Not only will you have fun listening to good music but immense excitement will ensue in the chat! There’s no telling what we will talk about in the chat and it is *always* fun!

To see more about the SpinOFF program, click here:  SpinOFF Radio #003

To see when the show will air in your part of the world, click here: Time and Date

Fun Poll: Pick Your Favorite Wendy & Lisa Album!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Join DJ Wendy For A ‘Hot and Fuzzy’ Friday on Girl Bros Radio Tonight!

Stop by luxuriamusic.com on Friday, November 20th (9pm PST) and join DJ Wendy for a ‘Hot and Fuzzy’ Friday extravaganza! She will be playing great music (as usual), providing interesting conversation, and having a fun time in the chat!


To read the amusing write-up about DJ Wendy’s pre-Halloween party, click here: DJ Wendy Halloween Show

To see when the show will be aired in your part of the world, click here: Time and Date

I hope that you can make it to the show! It is always an extremely fun, entertaining, and exciting 2 hours!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Congratulations to Wendy and Lisa for Making OUT’s 100!

The Dynamic Duo are members of The Class of 2009 OUT 100!  As you know, the ladies did a wonderful interview for OUT.com this year.  If you have not read the interview, it is a MUST read.  Even if you have read the interview, it is definitely worth the re-read. You can check out the article here: The Revolution Will Be Harmonized


Also check out the terrific picture below courtesy of OUT! Wendy is hardly recognizable! Along with Wendy and Lisa are fellow nominees, Pansy Division’s guitarist and lead singer Ginoli and singer Alber.


                              Photographed by Jason Bell in Los Angeles.  Courtesy of OUT.com

To see the complete write-up of this special nomination, click here: OUT 100 Class of 2009

Once again, I would like to congratulate Wendy and Lisa for their nomination. With the amazing amount of talent that they have, they more than deserve it!  It is great seeing them get a least a fraction of the recognition that they deserve! Thanks OUT!!!

Heroes CD Available on ITunes!!!!

You can now purchase a copy of the Heroes Score on iTunes!  If you are a fan of the show, then you should definitely check out the Score CD! 

You can purchase a copy of the Heroes Score, via iTunes, here:  Heroes Score iTunes

OR

If you would prefer, you can purchase a copy of the Heroes Score, via Amazon, here: Heroes Score Amazon

Thursday, November 12, 2009

DJ Lisa’s MusicLAB Is Back, Friday November 13th!

This will be one Friday the 13th that won’t be bad luck because DJ Lisa and MusicLAB are back! This edition of MusicLAB will feature Part II of the First Concerts series, plus some poems, some stories, some music and lots of chatting with the Girl Bros, Wendy and Lisa!


So, instead of vacationing at Camp Crystal Lake this Friday the 13th, stop by luxuriamusic.com and experience some great music, great stories, great conversation, and great chat!  It will be all of the fun of Friday the 13th without the maniac in a hockey mask wielding a machete ;)

To read more about the show, click here: MusicLAB

To find out the time/date the show airs in your area of the planet, click here: Time and Date

Thursday, November 5, 2009

SpinOff Returns This Friday, November 6th!

Wendy and Lisa’s manager, Renata, and fellow Girl Bro. Felacity Dickman will return this week for the second episode of SpinOff! If you joined the ladies for the premier broadcast of SpinOff, you were treated to great tunes from the 80s, 90s, and brand new artists! The music was wonderful, the conversation was great, and the chat (as always) was entertaining! So, sit back, relax, and spend your Friday evening (Saturday morning/afternoon for some of you) with Renata and Felacity! You won’t regret it!

To see the time that SpinOff airs in your area, click here: Time and Date

Monday, November 2, 2009

Wendy and Lisa At The Women In Film Panel on 'Music in Film and Television'

On Wednesday, October 28th, Wendy and Lisa, along with Helene Muddiman, Lisbeth Scott, Hillary Thomas, and Lisa Gewirtz, discussed their experiences of being women in the scoring industry for film and television.

grenniMedia wrote a brief summary of the Women In Film Panel on ‘Music in Film and Television’. Unfortunately, the brief summary did not include many quotes from Wendy & Lisa, however, it did provide a nice picture of the ladies with the other panelists.

Below, is an excerpt of “The Sound of Gender: How Women Composers Vigorously Maneuver Hollywood’s Show Biz” by grenniMedia along with a picture of the panelists also courtesy of grenniMedia.














Photo Courtesy of grenniMedia

“In my opinion music is gender free so why should female composers get treated any differently than their male colleagues?” a woman in the audience commented at the speaker series panel - Music in Film and Television - organized by Women In Film. The five female composers who made up the panel at El Torito Grill in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, October 28, all nodded their approval. “Exactly right,” composer Wendy Melvoin agreed. “But unfortunately as women composers we have to work twice as hard to achieve our goals.” Melvoin knows what she’s talking about. Even though she and her musical partner Lisa Coleman used to work for none other than Prince it took them years of knocking at doors in Hollywood before they got their first composing gig. Today, “Wendy & Lisa” are scoring the Emmy-winning NBC drama Heroes, Showtime’s critically-acclaimed Nurse Jackie and NBC’s new drama Mercy.

To read what the other panelists said about music in film and television, please read the rest of the article here:  The Sound of Gender

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Girl Bros Radio: DJ Wendy – Pre-Halloween Show (Friday, Oct 30th)

Stop by luxuriamusic.com on Friday, October 30th (9pm PST) and join DJ Wendy for a pre-Halloween extravaganza! She will be playing great music (as usual), providing interesting conversation, and having a fun time in the chat!

Please note that the time in the U.S. has not changed yet (Daylight Savings Time will end, in the U.S., on Nov. 1st [when clocks are turned back]).

To read more about DJ Wendy’s pre-Halloween party, click here: DJ Wendy Halloween Show

To see when the show will be aired in your part of the world (including the time changes), click here:  Time and Date

I hope that you can make it to the show!  It is always an extremely fun, entertaining, and exciting 2 hours!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Wendy and Lisa Nominated For A Hollywood Music In Media Award

On November 19, 2009 Wendy and Lisa will be up for a Hollywood Music In Media Award for their work composing the score for the hit TV show Heroes!

As stated from the Hollywood Music In Media Awards website:
The Hollywood Music In Media Awards (HMMA) will be presented Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at The Highlands in the world famous Hollywood & Highlands / Kodak Theater complex in Hollywood, CA. This red-carpet event features live performances, award presentations, a VIP reception and banquet dinner catered by Wolfgang Puck™. Click Here for Complete Details!

The Hollywood Music in Media Awards recognizes and honors the music of visual mediums, the talented individuals responsible, and the music of independent artists from around the globe.

Wendy and Lisa are nominated in the "BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - TV" category.  Below is a list of all the nominees.

Lisa Coleman & Wendy Melvoin - "Heroes" (NBC)
Nathan Barr - "True Blood" (HBO)
Shawn Patterson - "Titan Maximum" (Adult Swim)
Dan Licht - "Dexter" (Showtime)
Danny Lux - "The Good Wife" (CBS)
Chris Lennertz - "Supernatural" (WB)

Click here for a list of all of the Visual Media Nominees

Let us all wish Wendy and Lisa luck on winning this much deserved award!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Wendy & Lisa Appearing at ‘Women In Film’ Panel and ‘Music In Media Interactive Conference’ – Stop By And Meet Them!

In the next couple of months, Wendy & Lisa will be speaking a several events regarding the score composition work that they do for Heroes, Nurse Jackie, and Mercy.


On October 28, 2009 (from 6pm-8pm), the dynamic duo will be speaking as part of the Women In Film Panel dealing with ‘Music In Film And Television’. In addition to Wendy and Lisa, other panelists will include Helene Muddiman, Lisbeth Scott, Hillary Thomas, and Lisa Gewirtz.

The following information was supplied by the Women In Film Website :

RSVP to: 323-935-2211 to purchase tickets. Questions? Email info@wif.org
Cost: WIF Members $20 / Non-members $50 / No-host bar
When & Where
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: El Torito Grill, 9595 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

The Wendy & Lisa Official Website is offering special discounted tickets at $35 (normally $50 for non-members). To see how to obtain the discount, please visit their website: Wendy & Lisa Upcoming Events


Next, Wendy & Lisa will also be appearing at the Music In Media Interactive Conference. The conference runs from Friday, November 20th through Sunday, November 22nd. Wendy and Lisa will participate in a panel on Sunday, November 22nd (3:15 pm -4:15pm) entitled “Composers: Scoring Big Time in Film, TV & Video Games”.

The following is a description of the panel from the Conference Schedule

"The top composers of our time give you the inside scope on what it takes to land the dream gig of a lifetime. Scoring Film, TV, Video Games and other media can be the most lucrative professions in the business, and one of the most demanding. Success in this field takes more than just talent and being able to write. Find out how YOU can catch a break and what to do with it when you do!

Steve Chagollan - Moderator / Variety Magazine
Nathan Barr (True Blood, The Dukes of Hazzard, Hostel, Club Dread, etc.)
John Ottman (Superman Returns, Astro Boy, Fantastic Four, The Usual Suspects, etc.)
Jim Dooley (Pushing Daisies, When a Stanger Calls, The Da Vinci Code, Obsessed, etc.)
Lisa Coleman & Wendy Melvoin (Heroes, Mercy, Nurse Jackie, Crossing Jordan, etc.)"
You can receive more information about the Music In Media Interactive Conference and register for the conference here: Music In Media Interactive Conference

If you can make it to either of these conferences, stop by and say ‘Hello’ to Wendy & Lisa! They are truly nice to their fans and would love to meet you!

Make sure and receive additional information from the Wendy & Lisa Official Website

Thursday, October 15, 2009

SpinOff Premiers This Friday (October 16) on Luxuriamusic.com!

What do you get when you mix Wendy & Lisa’s manager, Renata, and Luxuriamusic.com personality, Felacity Dickman? You get SpinOff; a brand new show on Luxuriamusic.com! The show will feature an eclectic range of music that will be sure to test your musical knowledge and to keep you entertained for the entire two hours. If you caught the Girl Bros Radio show last month with Lisa and Renata, then you will have an idea of what to expect with SpinOff. Renata came up with most of the music for that show and many of you enjoyed the great ‘cover’ segment!


Of course, in addition to the great music is the always interesting Luxuria chat! Last week, during the chat, topics ranged from scary movies, to cancer, to religion. There is no telling what will be discussed on the chat, BUT it is always interesting!

So, stop by Luxuriamusic.com on Friday, October 16th at 9pm (PST) to be entertained by great music and great conversation courtesy of SpinOff!

To see when the show will be airing in your section of the world, click here:  SpinOff Time

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Wendy & Lisa Deserve Additional Score Release!

As some of you may know, Wendy & Lisa are currently the score composers for 3 shows: Heroes, Nurse Jackie, and Mercy. Although the dynamic duo has released a score for Heroes (which can be purchased here: La La Land Records or Amazon Heroes Score), they have created additional wonderful score which has not been released and is not available to us fans.

To remedy this travesty, I am asking fans to help campaign to have more score released by Wendy & Lisa! Basically, if you have a little time and an internet connection, I am asking that you send Showtime and La-La Land Records (who released The Heroes Score) a polite e-mail explaining how much you love the Nurse Jackie and Heroes scores (respectively) and how nice it would be to have the score music released (additional score in the case of Heroes).


  • La-La Land Records has a contact e-mail address where you can request that additional Heroes score be released: info@lalaland-ent.com
Please note that neither Wendy nor Lisa have anything to do with this request. This is solely a grass-roots effort by the fans to get more of their score released! I have already sent in my request e-mails, will you?

If you would like to have more information on Wendy & Lisa as score composers as well as wonderful samples of their score, please go to the pages on their Official Website, here: Wendy & Lisa Composers  and here: Wendy & Lisa Score Samples

If you would like even more samples of score from shows past and present, please visit the ‘Our Scores, Themes, Cues’ playlist here: Wendy & Lisa’s You Tube Channel.

If you do decide to campaign for more Wendy & Lisa score, I THANK YOU very much in advance!!!

Monday, October 5, 2009

MusicRX Finds a Wendy & Lisa ‘Hidden Treasure’!

After he ‘totally missed it’ for 10 years, Mog blogger, MusicRX describes how he found the Girl Bros album. In addition, MusicRX also gives a very good brief review of the album. It is wonderful to hear that, even after 10 years, this beautiful album is still finding new fans! YAY!!!
*********************************************************************************

A Hidden Treasure

I know... you're saying, "is he nuts?" Well, I would have said that too.

Before this week, I only knew of these gals as former Prince prodigies and cast offs, who do Prince like dance pop. Well I was wrong. They released this album about 10 years ago and I totally missed it.

But, it's a wonderful rock album. At times, it is Heart/Bangles like, others times it's more Joni Mitchell and Steven Still like. The vocals are not pretentious and oft times haunting. It also gets a bit psychedelic too. I really like what they do on this album and wanted you to hear this unexpected treasure.

To see the rest of the post and to hear a few tracks from the Girl Bros album, click here: MusicRX_Hidden_Treasure

Fans (and King Britt) React to Wendy & Lisa’s Sweet Suite Remix!

In the week following the release of King Britt’s ‘Sweet Suite Remix’, fans have posted the track on their blogs and have given the remix good reviews! Below are several great comments from King Britt himself, the ‘Tress for Breakfast’ blog, and the ‘Time To Play B-Sides’ blog.


On his blog, King Britt wrote: “I cant believe it myself. I have worked with Wendy and Lisa. Whoa!.... Enjoy kids!” 


Trees for Breakfast writes,
“Are you ready for 10 minutes of pure, cosmic dopeness? This was a treat to behold earlier today and I couldn’t let the day pass before sharing it. First off, if you don’t know who Wendy & Lisa are, please do your research immediately. They have just blessed the blogosphere and the Internet as a whole with a remix project they are working on. One of their first collabs comes via Philly’s own King Britt. I can’t describe it any better than they did: “a slippery, dark, under-the-covers remix.” I’m gonna need to lay down and close my eyes to this one. Incredible.”
You can read the rest of the post, here: Trees For Breakfast_SweetSuite


Time To Play B-Sides writes,
“The fine folks in the Wendy & Lisa camp are giving away a remix of my favorite track on the new White Flags of Winter Chimneys album “Sweet Suite.” Done by the Philly DJ/Producer King Britt.
The 9:57 track reimagines the stripped-down, dreamy, slightly melancholy track that I think could have sat alongside tracks on Parade into a downtempo electro number. On the album, “Sweet Suite” has a bit of a reprise of “Balloon” as a way to tie off the album tidily. This remix spends no time in the reprise, but breaks down the main theme in a very different light.
The track was debuted on the 9/4 episode of Girl Bros. Radio at Luxuria Music at which point I found out that the track would be made available, and here it is! According to the e-mail that was sent out today this is part of a White Flags of Winter Chimneys Remix Album they are working on! Very, very cool! (vinyl, please!).”
You can read the rest of the post, here: Time To Play B-Sides _SweetSuite

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Brand Spanking New Wendy and Lisa Music - Sweet Suite (King Britt Remix)!!!

Wendy and Lisa (and their amazing manager) were wonderful enough to give us another free and amazing download!  Below, you will find the incredibly smooth and mellow remix of ‘Sweet Suite’ (from the White Flags of Winter Chimneys album) by King Britt. You can read more about the remix here: Sweet Suite (King Britt Remix)

Click on the player below to hear the amazing remix!




Click the 'I Love Remixes' button below (with a valid e-mail address) to download the *free* sweet remix!


MusicLAB Returns this Friday, September 25th!

Girl Bros Radio returns for a second week in a row! This Friday (September 25th), DJ Lisa will be returning for another great episode of MusicLAB, on luxuriamusic.com (at 9pm PDT)! You can always count on Girl Bros Radio to provide an auditory array of wonderful music as well as interesting stories and wonderful conversation!

In addition to the splendid music and conversation, there is always the ever interesting luxuriamusic chat room! The chat conversations are always amusing and you never know what we will end up discussing! I highly recommend you stop by, listen to some great music, and have fun chatting with us!

To read the very funny promo about the MusicLAB episode and too see a hilarious picture of Lisa in action (Geez! She must have a good sense of humor), click here: MusicLAB-September 25th

To find out when the show airs in your area, click here: TimeAndDate.com

Monday, September 21, 2009

Wendy & Lisa - Spectrasonics Super ‘Heroes’

In an ‘oldie but goodie’ short interview, Wendy & Lisa do something that you rarely hear/see them do: advertise! In this brief interview, the Dynamic Duo talk about using Spectrasonics instruments. Spectrasonic is a company that develops sampled sound libraries and software instruments.  Below is a quote from the interview where Wendy discusses how Spectrasonics impacts their Heroes score work:


Wendy Melvoin told us, “Spectrasonics has helped us create sonic landscapes that are mind bending and other-worldly. The score to Heroes is full of Atmosphere, Trilogy and Stylus RMX. Spectrasonics instruments are an integral part of the Heroes score. We trust and use them every week!”
To read the entire interview, click here: Spectrasonics - Wendy & Lisa

At the end of the article, there is a link to a video entitled ‘I Need Love’. According to the article, the following individuals play on the video (excluding Wendy and Lisa, of course):

(Chris Bruce - Guitar, Mike Elizondo - Bass, Joey Waronker - Drums, Susannah Melvoin - BG Vox, Cole Ynda - BG Vox, Greg Liesz - Pedal Steel Guitar)

Unfortunately, the link is no longer active (this interview took place in the year 2007). However, the video can now be found on YouTube and can bee seen below:
 

Thursday, September 17, 2009

DJ Wendy Back At The Helm This Friday on Girl Bros Radio!

Friday, September 18th, on luxuriamusic.com (at 9pm PDT), Wendy Melvoin will be returning as the HDJIC (Head DJ In Charge) of Girl Bros Radio! The first hour will feature “the very coolest non-lame '80s music”. During this hour, Wendy will share with us her favorite tunes of the 80s. Tune in to see if you agree with her OR if she left out that one song that was quintessential of our life experiences during the 80s ;) The second hour will feature some of DJ Wendy’s favorite new tunes!

So... spend your Friday evening (or Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon) with the Girl Bros!  Get a nice glass of wine/water/soda/Gatorade/coffee, relax, listen to some great music, and come visit with us in the chat! As always, the chat is always a fun experience. You never know what topic we will end up rambling about :)

To read more about DJ Wendy’s show, click here: Girl Bros Radio - DJ Wendy

To find out when the show airs in your area, click here: TimeAndDate.com

Thursday, September 3, 2009

MusicLAB Is Back Again: Friday, September 4th!

DJ Lisa will be returning this week for another great episode of MusicLAB, September 4th, on luxuriamusic.com (at 9pm PDT)! Lisa always showers her listeners with a wonderful variety of music along with interesting conversation.

In addition to the splendid music and convo, there is always the lively luxuriamusic chat room! There is absolutely no telling what we will talk about in the chat! I highly recommend you stop by, listen to some great music, and have fun chatting with us! You won't regret it!

To read the very funny promo about the MusicLAB episode, click here: MusicLAB-September 4th

To find out when the show airs in your area, click here: TimeAndDate.com

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Fans Post The New Wendy & Lisa ‘Salt & Cherries (MC5)’ Video!

Here are a few blog mentions from Wendy & Lisa fans regarding the ladies brand new video ‘Salt & Cherries (MC5)’ Video!

In his ‘Fierce Fridays’ series, John G. wrote a brief blog post about his love for Wendy & Lisa as well as their contributions to the music/television industry. Below is a snippet of his blog post. You will have to click here to view the rest: ‘Fierce Fridays: Wendy & Lisa’.


“If you think you only know them as "those girls from Prince & the
Revolution", you are mistaken. Their brilliant collaborations (Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day and Parade) with Prince might have thrust them into the public eye and Pop-consciousness but Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman established themselves as greatly skilled innovative artists in their own right long, long ago.

If you're not already a die-hard fan, as I am, it is possible that you might not be aware that they've released 5 studio albums (yes, I still say "album") since their Revolution days...“


‘Play B Sides’ also posted the video and had some very nice things to say about the ladies.

"One of the great records of this year for me is the new Wendy & Lisa joint White Flags of Winter Chimneys. It is a self-released record, and the promotion and distribution is handled by their little-but-mighty camp. Talking with them earlier this year I could get the sense that this release and their truly-independent approach to managing their careers was going to be a developing blueprint that other acts could look to for inspiration. They twitter, they blog, they podcast, they Facebook, they Amazon.com.


Today they released the video to the rawking “Salt & Cherries (MC5)” which features Wendy & Lisa in a live setting interspersed with fans lip-synching to the song. They asked for submissions from fans and they apparently got some really creative results!"

To read more and to see the video, click here: Play B Sides - Salt & Cherries

(Note: If you have trouble viewing this link, go to the ‘Play B Sides’ home page and scroll down to the August 12th post: Play B Sides Home Page)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

MusicLAB Is Back: Friday, August 21st!

DJ Lisa will be back behind the turn-table and mic for another episode of MusicLAB, August 21st, on luxuriamusic.com (at 9pm PDT)! This episode will cover the second half of the ‘Stage Fright’ series. If you have ever (or think you may ever) suffer from stage fright, you should definitely hear what Lisa, Wendy, and fellow fans recommend for overcoming that annoying obstacle to our success :)

So, stop by, kick back, listen to some great music, and participate in the luxuriamusic.com chat! It is always fun time! I am sure that you will not regret taking a listen!

To read more about the MusicLAB episode, click here: MusicLAB-August 21st

To find out when the show airs in your area, click here: TimeAndDate.com

Monday, August 17, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!!!

On this special day, August 17th, a very special person was born: Lisa Coleman!

I would like to send my heartfelt congratulations to you on your special day! You are truly a nice, compassionate, and kind person who always gives 100%! I hope that you have an amazing day today! Try not to work tooooooooo hard, and try to have as much fun as you can with the wife and kid! Birthdays only come once a year, ya know!

I wish you all of the love, happiness, and peace in the world!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!!!!!!!!!



Glitter Graphics & Comments

Lisa Coleman Writes About Being on Peter Himmelman's Furious World!

Lisa Coleman was nice enough to take the time out to write about her (and Wendy's) experience being on Peter Himmelman's Furious World (June 2nd). If you do not remember (or missed the interview completely), Peter Himmelman has a web show where he interviews stars (i.e. Wendy & Lisa) and performs some pretty funny sketches. During the interview, the ladies spoke about the music business and even performed live, acoustic versions of Balloon and Mother of Pearl!

Below, is an excerpt of Lisa's reflections on what it was like to be on the show. Following the excerpt (and link to the actual article), you will find the video of the show... in case you missed it.

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The Furious World as Told by Me, Lisa (on behalf of Wendy and Lisa)
Wendy and Me (Lisa), Wendy Melvoin and me (Lisa Coleman), aka Wendy and Lisa (me), had the fabulously VIBRANT honor to appear on and around Peter Himmelman’s “Furious World” last month and it was an experience I/we won’t soon forget.

We did not know what to expect. We had seen the show a few times on the interwebz and knew that Peter was genuinely funny, and very talented. We thought there would be a casual hangout kind of attitude about the whole thing, and… well… we were wrong! I mean, we couldn’t have been more RIGHT, or should I say, it was more like there was an INSISTENCE of casualness that was thrust upon us the moment we walked in the door.

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My favorite quote from Lisa's memoir: "Peter would stop them [his band] and say with great authority that they knew that one enough and he didn’t want it to be over rehearsed! Like a good lover, he didn’t want to rush to the summit. . . so to speak."

Ha... that is definitely Lisa! You can read her reflections, in their entirety, here: The Furious World As Told By Lisa

Below, you can view the episode of Furious World that featured Wendy & Lisa as guests.



PS: Thanks to Wonderfaller for submitting Lisa's article!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Salt & Cherries (MC5) Video!

Align CenterThe wonderful new Wendy & Lisa 'Salt & Cherries (MC5) video has been completed! The video not only features the ladies, but it also features us fans (including myself). It is amazing that Wendy & Lisa not only make themselves accessible to us fans but include us in their shows (MusicLAB - Girl Bros Radio) and, now, their videos! They serve as a great example of artists who know how to interact with their fans!

Check out the Salt & Cherries (MC5) video and subscribe to their YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/girlbros


Updated Wendy & Lisa iPhone App Available

The new and improved Wendy & Lisa iLike iPhone App is now available from iTunes! The updated app now includes pictures, video, blog, and a Fan Wall that allows avatars.

You can download the Wendy & Lisa: Official iLike App from here: Wendy & Lisa App





Friday, July 31, 2009

Wendy & Lisa called 'geniuses' by Nurse Jackie Creator!

Linda Wallem and Liz Brixius, the co-creators of the great Showtime drama, Nurse Jackie, were recently interviewed by AfterEllen.com about their hit show. The interview is very interesting and is worth the read! For example, Wallem and Brixius discuss their past relationship together and their ability to work together post break-up (hmmm... that story sounds a bit familiar). They also discuss the representation of gays and lesbians in television as well as their close friendship with Melissa Etheridge.

During the interview, the Nurse Jackie creators also compliment the ladies who write the score for the show, Wendy and Lisa. Below is the excerpt where Linda Wallem talks about having the ‘geniuses’ score the show as well as how Wendy and Lisa reacted to the last 4 episodes of the show! After reading that, I can’t wait to see those episodes!

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Excerpt from ‘Interview with "Nurse Jackie" creators Linda Wallem and Liz Brixius’:

LW: One of my favorite things is that we have Wendy (Melvoin) and Lisa (Coleman), who do our music. We love them and still can’t believe we have them. They’re just geniuses.

One of the most fun things was when Lizzie and I went over to their studio and we had just finished shooting and brought the last four episodes over and sat there and watched them with Wendy and Lisa. They hadn’t seen them and hadn’t scored them yet.

So we’re sitting there and Lisa’s jaw is on the floor and Wendy is saying, “Jackie! No!” It was hilarious and thrilling to see their reactions.

So I’ll just say that the last four episodes kind of blew Wendy and Lisa’s heads off, and I think they will for everyone else too. I don’t want to give anything away, but it’s great. And it sets us up beautifully for what’s going to happen in season two.

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As previously mentioned, you should really read the interview in its entirety! It is very candid, interesting, and insightful. You can find the article here: Interview with "Nurse Jackie" creators Linda Wallem and Liz Brixius


(site last visited: July 30, 2009)

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Sountrackgeek.com gives The Heroes Score A Geek Score of 9!

Recently, Jorn Tillnes of Soundtrack Geek conducted a very nice review of The Heroes Score CD (2009). Tillnes writes about his initial disappointment with the release of the Heroes Soundtrack (2008) (Note: the ‘Soundtrack’ and the ‘Score’ are two completely separate CDs) because of its lack of original music (i.e. the score) featured on the show. Tillnes then writes about his happiness at hearing that Wendy & Lisa released the Heroes Score earlier this year: “Not long ago, I heard about the score release which I couldn’t be happier about. I got exactly what I wanted, nay craved, last year, when reviewing the original soundtrack to Heroes.”

Tillnes concludes the review by stating that “[e]ven though Heroes might not be as great as it used to be, the music is really intriguing. It really fits the show well (at least the first season) and the style is great. It’s ethnic and can be quite dramatic. Wendy & Lisa did a great job and I would love to hear music from the third season as well, even though I’m not so into the series anymore. I wish they had a theme for Nathan though, that would be interesting.”

Finally, Tillnes gives The Heroes Score CD a 'Geek Score' of 9 (out of 10)!

To read the entire review, please click here: Soundtrack Geek Heroes Score Review

You may purchase a copy of The Heroes Score (2009) at either of these sites: Amazon - Heroes Score (Note: Amazon labels it the ‘Soundtrack’ but it is actually the score) OR La La Land Records - Heroes Score


(site last visited July 30, 2009)

Lisa Coleman's MusicLAB Returns (This) Friday, July 31st!

Lisa Coleman’s radio extravaganza, MusicLAB, returns on Friday, July 31st, at 9pm PST(Click here to see when the show will air in your area: Time and Date) on luxuriamusic.com! In case you have not had the pleasure of listening to MusicLAB, it is a bit different from DJ Wendy’s show. Of course, as on Wendy’s show, there is still a wide variety of great music, however, Lisa’s show also features US FANS! Prior to the show, Lisa will give us a topic. We then call in (she gives us the number) and we put in our two cents worth! Our recorded memories, opinions, etc. are then played back during the show! It is a neat and cool idea! This week's topic features 'stage fright'. I, myself, have never had stage fright (I stunk so much in the acting dept. that I was actually never given a part in a play), but I look forward to hearing other people's stories!

As usual, in addition to the great music and radio convo, there is THE CHAT!!! Luxuriamusic.com has a chat room (you should register to use the chat beforehand, if you haven’t already) where we tend to talk about anything and everything. Recently, the chat also has become a ‘family affair’. In earlier chats, Wendy’s sister, Susannah, has stopped by and during the last Girl Bros Radio chat (July 17th), Lisa’s sister, Cole, stopped by to say hello to her sis and us! The chat is always a LOT of fun and you never know who may enter the room to say ‘hi! So, if you have the time, make it to MusicLAB this Friday! It is ALWAYS a lot of fun and I’m sure you will have a good time!

If you have missed any of the previous Girl Bros Radio programs, you can download the podcasts from Luxuriamusic here: Girl Bros Radio Podcasts

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

25th Anniversary of Purple Rain

If you have not noticed the proliferation of magazine and internet articles discussing the movie ‘Purple Rain’, then you may not be aware that July 27th, 2009 marked the 25th anniversary of the movie premier! As a result of Purple Rain’s silver anniversary, those involved with the movie (except, of course, for the star) have done interviews recounting the making of the movie and its impact on the record industry as well as its impact on pop culture.

In my opinion, the most thorough interview has come from Spin Magazine (July 2009 issue). Unfortunately, as of the date of this post, the interview has not been reproduced on-line, however, the article interviews pretty much everyone from the Revolution as well as those responsible for the creation of the movie.

Until that article becomes available, however, you can read and listen to several good interviews on Purple Rain discussed by... (drum roll please) Wendy & Lisa!

The Minneapolis Star Tribune conducts an ‘Oral History’ of the Purple One as told by those closest to him (at the time). The interview covers the Purple Rain premier, the Oscar win, Under The Cherry Moon, and the rise and fall of The Family. Contributors to the ‘Oral History’ include Wendy, Lisa, David Z, Eric Leeds, and Paul Peterson. To read all about the Purple Rain premier as well as funny antidotes of the Oscar win, head over to the following article: An Oral History/ Purple Majesty


Chicago Public Radio’s “Sound Opinions” also decided to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Purple Rain by conducting a ‘Purple Rain Album Dissection’. The ‘Dissection’ includes a very nice Wendy & Lisa audio interview in which they discuss how they both ended up joining The Revolution, their inputs on Purple Rain, their influence on ‘The Kid’, as well as the kind of music they listened to during the Purple Rain era. The actual Purple Rain segment of the audio begins around the 5 minute mark. Wendy & Lisa’s interview begins at the 11 minute mark and lasts for about 20 minutes. You can listen to (or download) the entertaining audio interview here: Purple Rain Album Dissection

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Wendy & Lisa Talk About Scoring Virtuality

Oops! I don't know how I missed this interview! The Good Ship Phaeton interviewed Wendy & Lisa about their 'Virtuality' scoring gig. During the interview, the ladies discuss how they landed the gig, the 'feeling' that they hope to convey through the score, and their feelings about the show!

I actually watched the 'Virtuality' pilot today (I'm a little late, I know) and thoroughly enjoyed it! It felt a little slow in the beginning (I guess all shows have to be, initially, so that the audience can be filled in on the background), however, by the second half of the show, I was entranced! The second half developed a lot of mystery and someone (not saying who) dies!

At the time of this post, the show has not been picked up by any network :( It is a shame! This show looks very promising and I REALLY would like to know what happens! Like I said, the show ended with a lot of mystery and suspense... It would be nice to see how the plot thickens and turns out!

My theory on why the show has not been picked-up is that it is, perhaps, a little to 'progressive' for some of the prime-time networks :/ The show features an inter-racial couple (Black and Asian) along with a gay couple on the ship. To mature adults, neither of these factors are a big deal. However, after Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction', it seems that a good proportion of the television-viewing audience is not composed of 'mature adults'. Anyway, I hope that one of the major networks can get past those issues (if they are issues) and will realize that the show presents a very intriguing story line that can capture a major viewing audience (much like the TV series Lost).

I have rambled too much! Here is The Good Ship Phaeton Wendy & Lisa Interview: Good Ship Phaeton Talks to Wendy and Lisa

Friday, July 17, 2009

Girl Bros Radio, Something Old/Something New, and Largo!


GIRL BROS RADIO

Girl Bros Radio airs again tonight, July 17th, at 9pm PST (Click here to see when the show will air in your area: Time and Date) on luxuriamusic.com! This go around, DJ Wendy will be controlling the mic and spinning the tunes. There has never been a Girl Bros airing that I did not enjoy! Wendy always plays great (and a good variety of) music and the chat often gets pretty crazy! In addition, Wendy's "partner in crime", Lisa, will be chatting with us! Please stop by and enjoy the good music and crazy conversations!

Please note that luxuriamusic.com has recently made improvements to the chat and website. If you have not already set-up an account, please do so prior to the show (to be on the really safe side, give yourself 30 minutes) so that you can sign-in and join the chat when the show begins. It may be a good idea to log-in to the chat, prior to the show, even if you have already set-up an account.

SOMETHING OLD/SOMETHING NEW

Wendy & Lisa have a newly released incredibly funky track on their website! The track comes from the Town and Country Club (London) performance in 1989! The track is titled ‘Oh Wow’ and lives up to its name! You can check it out by clicking on the 'OH WOW' button below or by checking out the Wendy & Lisa Offical Website: Free MP3 of OH WOW (Note: In order to successfully download the track, you will have to provide a VALID e-mail address).

OH WOW!




LARGO!

Wendy & Lisa have announced a NEW upcoming concert at Largo at The Coronet on Saturday, August 1st at 9pm! The ladies truly have a wonderful show and if you don’t believe me, just check out my review of their last concert below. If you are anywhere near the area or if you just want a really cool vacation, I encourage you to check them out! You can find additional details of the show by checking out The Wendy & Lisa Official Website.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Wendy & Lisa at The Largo, June 27th 2009 – My Memoires

If you ever get the opportunity to see Wendy & Lisa, live in concert, DO SO! You will be glad that you did; even if you have to travel cross country to do it!

On Saturday, June 27th, Wendy & Lisa performed at Largo at The Coronet Theater! Largo is a very small and cozy theater that seats almost 300. I think that I have been to movie theaters that seated more people. However, the smaller venue meant that every seat was a good seat! I was sitting in the 3rd row 3 seats from the left! Perfect!

Right before the show, we were instructed not to take photos & to not turn our phones on. Initially, I thought that the inability to Twitter was going to be excruciatingly painful. However, I soon realized that this was for the best. The venue is so small and intimate that any flash would have definitely disrupted the band. The inability to tweet, text, or take pics definitely meant that everyone in the audience could focus on the great music and truly enjoy the moment.

The stage featured a big screen in the background with two smaller PCs up front. One PC scrolled through some of the pics found on the Official Site (as well as additional pics not on the site) while the other scrolled through a screen saver.

Here's a very fuzzy picture of the stage (courtesy of my cheap camera which apparently takes fuzzy pictures when you don't use the flash in a dark room):
















The stage set-up consisted of Lisa (on keyboard/guitar) on the far left, followed by Greg Leisz on pedal steel, Susannah Melvoin [Bramhall] & Libby Lavella (background vocals), Jeremy Stacey (on drums), and Chris Bruce (on bass) at the far right. Wendy, of course, stood front-center stage.

Here is the set list from the Official Website:

1. Waterfall

2. Lolly Lolly

3. Reaching One

4. Balloon

5. Invisible

6. Red Bike

7. Niagra Falls

8. INSTRUMENTAL (w&l, no band): the Guise of Love/You and I/Jonathan

9. All I Wonder

10. Waiting for Coffee

11. Love Song (Elton John cover)

12. Love and Trouble

13. Mother of Pearl

14. But Not For Me (Jazz Standard)

encore: 15. Are You There? (Dionne Warwick cover)


Throughout the show, the large screen in the background featured vintage video footage. The footage featured a lot of video from the Civil Rights era (1960s) as well as video of a young Fidel Castro and other 'less serious' footage.

For me, some of the most memorable moments of the concert actually resulted from some of the footage. Specifically, the footage played during the performances of Invisible and Red Bike made me see those songs in a completely different light. Image Wendy singing 'Invisible... I will not be' while, in the background, civil rights pioneers like Huey P. Newton and Martin Luther King are marching in the background defying to be 'invisible'. Also, there was a truly perfectly timed moment when Wendy was singing Red Bike. At one point, she was belting through the chorus "I'm freeeee" and in the background there were young African-Americans holding up 'Freedom Riders' signs. The background video was perfect during those two songs and completely put a whole new spin on their meaning for me. It was a great moment!

Another memorable moment occurred during the performances of 'You and I' and 'Jonathan'. Prior to these songs there was a lot of jovial back-and-forth between Wendy and Lisa. However, during the performance of 'You and I', I could definitely notice a change in Lisa's demeanor. She got really serious during the performance of 'You and I', which I just attributed to the fact that it IS a sad song. However, while she was singing 'Jonathan', she started to cry and you definitely knew something was not right (it definitely wasn't part of the show). Now, I sincerely hope that this does not come off being mean because it definitely is not my intent. However, the performance of 'Jonathan' was like emotional tennis for me. Lisa began crying during the song. However, Wendy was doing her damnedest to make Lisa laugh and cheer her up. So, I look left and see Lisa crying (sad), then I look right and see Wendy making all kinds of funny faces at Lisa (funny). Look left again and Lisa is still crying (sad - she doesn't see Wendy). I look right again and Wendy looks like she is mentally willing for Lisa to take just one look at her so that she can make her laugh with crazy facial expressions (really funny). So, I look left, sad, and then look right, happy. It was truly like a weird sad, happy, sad, happy tennis match. In the end, Wendy lost: Lisa never looked at her. However, through much concentration, Lisa got through the song and let us all know that a close friend of hers had died that week (sad again). I do give Wendy tons of credit, however, for truly trying hard to make her friend laugh! Her efforts did not go un-noticed... well, it did with Lisa... but not me :)

As for the music... it was GREAT! I was curious to see how the music would be played with a band considering their music is so complex (especially the music from White Flags). Songs such as ‘Niagra Falls’ sounds like there are at least 8 different instruments on it. With a 5-piece band, I was wondering how they would make up for the additional instruments. However, they definitely pulled it off! The songs sounded mostly the same except the ‘layered’ sounds were replaced by more complex chord arrangements from Wendy on guitar. I am sure that statement would make more sense if you could hear the music (hint hint for a live album). I t is hard explaining in words what you can truly only understand with your ears. There is older live footage of Wendy & Lisa on YouTube that will definitely give you an idea of what I am trying to explain (albeit inadequately). However, some of the songs were stripped down and were actually made more beautiful as a result.

Almost (but not quite) as enjoyable as the music is the banter between Wendy and Lisa. They are like female versions of Laurel and Hardy. They are constantly joking with each other which makes the 'down times' (like when Wendy is toning her guitar) much more pleasurable. For example, when introducing each other, Lisa called Wendy her 'Evil Half'. There was this truly horrible 'Ukrainian Whore' joke which I won't repeat, but they both should be ashamed of themselves :) After performing 'Invisible' Wendy proceeded to tell a story about getting kicked out of a restaurant in Nice, France for ordering a salad (the horror). Throughout the show, Lisa kept joking that a toy bus that was sitting on her keyboard was their 'tour bus' until they could get more funds. Clearly, I am not making it sound funny, but take my word for it; they were FUNNY!

Another pretty funny moment occurred after 'Niagra Falls'. There was a quiet moment (when Wendy is tuning her guitar) & someone yells out 'play Stones & Birth' so loud that we all hear. Wendy takes a moment to think and realizes that she can't remember the lyrics. So then someone in the first row proceeds to sing the song out loud. Wendy kinda remembers some of the lyrics but then forgets again. At that point, Lisa says that 'No!' they can't sing the song and we all laughed.

One of the cutest moments during the show happened at the very end. During the final moments of the show, you can see this hand (holding a camera) sticking out of the curtain on the right side of the stage. It turns out that the hand belonged to Doyle Bramhall II who was taking some video of his sister-in-law and wife. At the end, Wendy also brought out Susannah's oldest daughter out to say 'Hi'. It was a true family affair! Speaking of Susannah, she was her normal terrific self during the concert! You can always tell that she really enjoys singing when she performs. As usual, she was in 'the zone' singing and dancing during the concert. She is always fun to watch during shows and this was definitely no exception!

As if the great concert wasn’t enough... there was a Meet & Greet after the show! Immediately after the show, people began lining up to meet Wendy & Lisa. Unfortunately, I did not see this line until it was about 20-30 people deep! Anyway, I made my way to the end of the line and enjoyed The Largo pictures and artwork until... it was my turn!

This was my first time meeting Wendy and Lisa. It’s funny, on Twitter, I have had conversations with other fans who have not met them. We had a discussion on whether we would be nervous meeting them. I think I was the only one who said that I would not. True to my word, I wasn’t nervous but I think that my lack of nerves had much more to do with a lack of sleep than the circumstances at hand.

When I get to the table, Lisa sees me and mouths “MIKDEV!”, which is freaking awesome! That is the power of social media! ‘Mikdev’ is my Twitter name and I’m guessing Lisa recognized me from Facebook. It honestly never occurred to me that they would recognize me or know who I was but, perhaps, I was momentarily caught up in the Twighlight Zone :) It is a testament to how they actually pay attention to us fans. Truly amazing! Lisa was also kind enough to mention that she enjoyed (and thought was funny) the pics that I have posted on this blog (look to the right).

The first thing that I ask is whether I could take a picture of them and, of course, they said ‘Yes!’. So, I go behind the tables (where they were sitting) and get the biggest hugs (and kisses) from both of the ladies. They are soooo nice! No one should ever feel nervous around them because they seem like they are two of the nicest people on Earth. They very quickly put you at ease and make you feel comfortable. They were nice enough to take a couple of pictures with me and then I ask them to sign my poster, to which Lisa said ‘No!’ She was obviously kidding!

After taking the pics, I move back to the other side of the table and as Lisa is autographing my poster, I am face-to-face with Wendy Melvoin! As a second testament to how much they pay attention to their fans, Wendy proceeds to tell me that she read one of my blog posts and had a question for me. WTF?! I’m thinking “OMG! I wasn’t expecting questions!” Wendy recalls, in a blog post, that I mentioned how I kind of ‘lost track’ of them at one point and then ‘discovered’ them again. She asks me, basically, how I lost track. I tell her that I listen mainly to 'Urban' radio and that I remember the first two albums were played on Urban radio. However, since the 3rd and 4th albums were ‘alternative’, I never really heard about those albums (note to self: when speaking to favorite musicians, it might not be good to mention the fact that their albums have not gotten enough radio play).

So, I think that the questioning is over, but then she asks me how I managed to ‘find them’ again. In my mind, I am saying ‘WTF?!’ again because I have no idea how to answer the question. I mean, I understood the words and what she was asking me, but I was clueless on what the answer was (which is sad given that I wrote the blog post). So, I proceed to tell her that I had lost track of them after ‘Fruit At The Bottom’ but found out about ‘Eroica’ and ‘Girl Bros’ through the Internet. In my mind, I am thinking ‘Whew! I got through that question without saying anything stupid’.

Well, Wendy then proceeds to ask me what made me purchase ‘Eroica’ and ‘Girl Bros’. Again, “WTF?!” came to mind and I wondered if I could just donate a kidney rather than risk sounding stupid (again after the radio play comment) by rambling off a crazy answer because I’m not sure of the 'actual' answer. Well, I proceed to ramble! I enter into ‘fan mode’ and start talking about how ‘wonderful their music is’ and how ‘complex and layered it is’ and how ‘I bought the albums because I knew that I would enjoy them’... and on and on and on! I’m not sure what happened; maybe I started to make Wendy a little uncomfortable with the adulation or maybe she realized that my consistent rambling wasn’t getting her any closer to an answer. However, she finally said ‘Thank you’ and that I had answered her question. Thank Goodness!!!!!

Even after that mini-inquisition, Lisa, Wendy, and I still managed to talk a little bit about Pres. Obama and Girl Bros. Radio. Apparently, Wendy was thinking that it would be a good idea to let us call in LIVE on the radio. I second that idea! It would be fun, and she could ask us fans some really, really, complicated questions that really aren’t that complicated but, because we are actually on the phone with her, would seem really, really complicated and we could ramble crazy fan-induced compliments that really don’t answer her questions but somehow satisfies her curiosity :)

As you can tell, Wendy and Lisa were very generous with their time and were very patient speaking, taking pictures, and signing autographs with each of us. I seriously doubt that you will find many musicians willing to take as much time out for their fans... especially at a Meet and Greet where some musicians would usher you in and out in about 5 seconds flat.

I can't say enough times how enjoyable and how much fun the show was! It was well worth the cross-country trip and I would strongly encourage everybody to try and see Wendy & Lisa perform live! You definitely will not be disappointed! It was an amazing show and I am grateful to have been there!

If you DO manage to see them on Aug. 1st, here is some advice:
  1. Come prepared with a few compliments. No matter how hard/easy the questions are that they may ask, you can easily get out of answering them by dishing out a few compliments.
  2. Don’t be afraid to bring your ‘good’ camera! At The Largo, they do not appear to mind if you bring a camera just as long as you do not take pictures during the show! I wasn’t sure, so I bought my cheap compact camera, which was a mistake since I could have taken much better pictures at the Meet & Greet. So, bring your nice big expensive camera... just don’t take any pics during the show :)

Here are a few pictures along with the cool poster that they signed!


THANK YOU Wendy & Lisa for the great memories!!!









































































Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Wendy & Lisa Talk About Heroes, Each Other, & Prince

In a very nice (short) interview for echoes.org, Wendy & Lisa talk about creating the score for Heroes and how there was not a special effects machine during the first season! So, many of the effects came from them!

In addition, they speak briefly about their 22-year relationship and playing for hours in 1 key during Prince rehearsals!

Again, another great interview by the ladies. Click here to listen: Echoes Wendy & Lisa Interview


(site last visited: July 8, 2009)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Temp Technorati Post

This is just a temporary post to complete Technorati registration:

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Saturday, July 4, 2009

Wendy & Lisa IPhone APP Available!!!!

A brand new IPhone APP is available featuring our very own Wendy & Lisa!!!

The App is FREE and contains music from White Flags of Winter Chimneys as well as their (and fan) Twitter Streams and a few games!!!

Below is a screenshot of the ITunes App page. You can also find additional information regarding the App at the AppShopper page.


Two New WFOWC Reviews This Week

This week, Wendy & Lisa's White Flags of Winter Chimneys received two album reviews which were both very positive (which can only expected).

The first review comes from Pampelmoose.com. Below is a brief excerpt.

'Thankfully for Wendy & Lisa, the years have been kinder to them than they have to their former employer, musically speaking, as evidenced by this, the duo’s first album in a decade. Their approach to songwriting hasn’t altered much, but the work on White Flags feels as mature and fully formed as ever.

It’s an album that is instantly recognizable as a byproduct of the duo’s adopted hometown of Los Angeles, bearing the sun-baked haziness that has marked so many of the best pop records to come out of the city. It’s there in the rambling tempo and sparkling cool of songs like “Red Bike” and “Invisible”, as well as the album’s overall relaxed, yet assured tone.'

To read the entire review, click here: Pampelmoose WFOWC Review
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The second review comes from the Feminist Review blog. Below is a brief excerpt of the review.

'White Flags of Winter Chimneys is all about atmosphere, which is to say it’s thick with textured vocal and string arrangements that form a kind of cloudy yet bright mixture of sounds. Though containing only nine songs, this album is both energetic and sprawling, making it a kind of mini-epic. The opening track, “Balloon,” is an ethereal, almost childlike, meditation that gives way to the choral and guitar-heavy pop ballad, “Invisible.” There’s something ominous about “Niagara Falls,” in which Wendy and Lisa hauntingly repeat, “It looks so small from here/Please don’t help me.” Despite their sweet and smooth voices, there’s a sincere melancholy that comes through.'

To read the entire review, please click here: Feminist Review of WFOWC

(sites last visited: July 4, 2009)