From the Hart

Moving!

2010-10-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

For those who follow, this blog is being moved to http://erikhartley.tumblr.com/
I will be moving some posts as time goes on, but in the next few weeks this blog will no longer be active. Please join me, follow me and enjoy.

-E

FREE NEW EP

2010-05-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, due to a personal emergency I am flying to Detroit and will not be able to attend the North Shore Folk Festival. I know this may anger some, but I hope that you can find the kindness to forgive me and respect my decision to be with my family.

As an apology, I will be offering a FREE, NEW 3-SONG EP. Providing all goes to plan, the site should be up in about a week. All anyone must do is email me their interest, and as soon as the site goes live, I will respond with an individual CDBaby download code to each email received.

Keep Smiling.
-E

Humility T-shirts moving into production!

2010-01-31T14:10:00.000-08:00

Erik Hartley's "Humility Series" T-shirts are now in production! Available designs include "Guitarded," "Drumass," & "Basstard," all courtesy of Orangehart Merch.

Please review the images below and register your pre-order interest on the provided form!

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://erikhartley.wufoo.com/forms/m7x3k1/" title="Humility T-shirt Pre-Order" rel="nofollow"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Fill out my Wufoo form!&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Keep smiling.
-E

Poetry 5

2010-01-27T16:44:00.001-08:00

Emerald Love Letters:

Your eyes take me back
to the days
of my youth
an existence of calm
purposeful ignorance
but as those times slim
quiet to a small hum
the memories become
lost in the fog of progression
succeeding and fleeting moments
all in the steps of sand
washed by tides of time
as the world grows
expands around me
i lose more of my easy days
when my age was closer to birth
than death
still i press on
hoping to keep my mind
until he and i slumber in darkness
and i remember that simple winter
when my own
laid first on yours of emerald

New Album Announcement 2

2010-01-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

So it's been months since my last posting, and I've been getting emails from everyone asking where the new album is. Unfortunately, the answer is probably not what most would like to hear. Due to personal reasons, the initial venture with Studio Minx has been put on permanent hiatus.

However, it is with great pleasure that I announce a rebirth. I cannot reveal all of the details of the project yet, but I promise this marriage of musical talent will include musicians of old, musicians of new, instruments barrowed and a lot of rockin’ folk blues.

All right, so that was super corny, and I didn’t even have a good line for “silver sixpence in her shoe,” but you get the idea.

All joking aside, what I can tell you is that I will be working with a well-known LA singer-songwriter, who is one of my personal favorites, and recording at MixOne Studio in beautiful, sunny, Mission Viejo, CA.

Keep smiling.

New Album Announcement

2009-07-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been hectic, but exciting. I have started recording on two new album projects. The first to be released will be With a 'K', a full length project featuring Jeff Link and Justin Sharrow of the Grand Rapids band Brena. It is being recorded at Minx Studios, just outside of Detroit, and produced by Mat Halliday, of The Jacets fame.

The second album Roll Out of Bed will be a solo project, that is a bit more involved than The Boston Sessions. With a release date later in the year, it too will be produced by Mat Halliday at his Detroit studio.

Below you can see the announcement video placed on YouTube, along with a few photos from the first day of drum tracking. As you can see, I was having too much fun with my swivel chair.

Photo: Sherry Kraft

Jeff Link, Photo: Sherry Kraft

Poetry 4

2009-06-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

The 12th:

Dreams may come
in waking moments
assigned as
fleeting memories
and disbelieving happenstance
formed into our past
life and imagination
intertwine
and what is real
is no longer
what was a dream
comes true

Nightmares
these are blocked
pushed out of existence
unwelcome and bothersome
but dreams
the times
when we wish the truth
could be bent

not all are roses
fairy-tales and fantasy
some are mere hints of
love songs
and poetic verse
eloquent stories
that can still contain somber endings

you may not get the girl
but that's not always the goal
the moral of the story
it's not always about getting
what you want
it's letting go
realizing what is right
growing as an individual
knowing what is best
for who you feel is best

to have loved and lost
is simply the paradox
it should never become a comparison
of which hurts less
or more
it is the experience
the ability to open yourself
present your being
to gods and humans alike
and put yourself in harms way
be willing to take it
and take chances with your feelings

I have stood
proud
at my chopping block
walked a straight path
without waver
and stared my reflection down
the mirrored blade of my demise
losing my head
my heart
and yet
i still stand
hurt, but strong
honored to have a dream be my reality

and I will do it again
like a moth to the flame
never to wake from
the evening
of three
after my birth

What's a wuh-hore?

2009-06-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

The ordained fortune cookie profits have always had interesting insight into how I should live my life, but yesterdays revelation into the life of hooking is a choice I'm not sure I'd be willing to entertain. Turning tricks could be fun, sure, but where exactly am I finding this great fortune?

-E

P.S. "In bed."

Poetry 3

2009-05-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

Emerald Love Letters:

Your eyes take me back
to the days
of my youth
an existence of calm
purposeful ignorance
but as those times slim
quiet to a small hum
the memories become
lost in the fog of progression
succeeding and fleeting moments
all in the steps of sand
washed by tides of time
as the world grows
expands around me
i lose more of my easy days
when my age was closer  to birth
than death
still i press on
hoping to keep my mind
until he and i slumber in darkness
and i remember that simple winter
when my own
laid first on yours of emerald

A Thoroughbred Gift Horse

2009-05-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

While having a drink with a friend out on the patio of a local restaurant, eating some chips and salsa, a local homeless man walked up and asked if we could spare some food. I smiled, and reached for a handful of chips, only to have the unfortunate gentleman stop me with a disapproving scowl. "No," he demanded, "I want like a steak or a hamburger and fries or something." Unfortunately for him, I didn't have the money to buy anything else for myself, let alone someone else, so i had to turn him away.

After he had left, my date and I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation. And yet, as I looked back at the resolve of that man, I began to question my own initiative and goals in life.

Perhaps, we as people are too complacent when we should be asking for more of ourselves. Gift-horse be damned, people, demand a burger.

-E

The Green...ish Room

2009-05-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia, "the most widely accepted origin of [the phrase green room] dates back to Shakespearean theatre. Actors would prepare for their performances in a room filled with plants and shrubs. It was believed that the moisture in the topiary was beneficial to the Actors' voices."

So, if that's true, what would a room filled with...

...naked women...

...vagina-like vases...

...and fetus-plates be called? Because, I'm not so sure the term "pink room" is something that everyone would be comfortable with.

Though, some did seem entertained by the idea...

...but giant vaginas may not be everyone's aesthetic.

-E

Poetry 2

2009-04-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

Quick Love Note:

You hold my hand
As I hold yours too
and as our lips finally touch
my mind tip-toes through
The miles in between
the words I, love and you
deferring to dreams
where my soul cries true
our lives leave time
amidst words we've said
faltering from empty space
until we embrace again
leaving plans to weather
fearing the faith in never
oh how we fail to remember
staying two steps ahead of forever

Killing with Kindness

2009-04-22T23:31:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that came out to the Ypsilanti show tonight, and express a very sincere thank you to a gentleman by the name of Tom.

Tom, went out of his way to show his appreciation tonight and could not have had kinder words to say. He was generous enough to pay more than necessary for my EP, and was a pleasure to talk to. I hope I've made a fan out of you, Tom, and again thank you for all of your kindness.

Can't wait for tomorrow in Detroit. Keep smiling.

-E

Happy Feet

2009-04-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

It was 70 here in Michigan (for a day), and like every year, when the bitter cold finally breaks, socks and shoes make their way back into the closet, and sandals take over the foot game.

Normally, while performing, I try my best to retain what small bit of professionalism I have. Unfortunately for me, however, on the way to the Intersection this past Thursday, I had forgotten a pair of shoes to change into.

Everyone seemed to get a kick out of poking fun at my "hippy-esque" performance. But no worries, I wont be making a habit of it.

-E

The Cookie Told Me So

2009-04-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

You know, sometimes I doubt myself—it's only human, I suppose. Still, it's nice to know that when those days come along, and I'm wallowing in a double-order of food-court Orange Chicken, that out there in Asia somewhere is someone with a genuinely kind heart, giving me the pep-talk I need.

-E

P.S. "In bed."

From the Future

2009-04-05T12:37:00.001-07:00

Whenever I perform at the Future Gallery...

Photo: Sherry Kraft
...it seems there is always something interesting to be seen:

Photo: Jessica Soulliere
Charles Bronson, for instance, made a wonderful "Andre The Giant à la Sheppard Ferry," appearance.

Photo: Jessica Soulliere
And the event was evidently sponsored by Honda, and their new robot.

Photo: Jessica Soulliere
Still, it was good to know that if you were looking for a way out, even if you were afraid of death...

Photo: Jessica Soulliere
...someone was there to help you along.

-E

Poetry 1

2009-03-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

Moments in Time:

there are moments
i wish i could live again
no change
no alteration
whether sad or elated
they were perfect
just as they were
i would relive them
infinitely over
until memories were like movie screens
as if they weren't already

the first kiss on the bus
the second spinach slab
to the left
lacking restraints
no precautions
for when she leaned in
to kiss my cheek
her lips made soft
by dime-store lip smackers
I smiled
still, at the thought of how
she became my girl next door
even before she knew
what it meant to be one
so long ago
20 plus years
she was perfect then
before the tainted additives
of adulthood
i would go back in an instant
for the innocence

the picnic in the grass
the park void of weekend warriors
with weather, just right
and a dress
she never wore
polk-a-dot holiday paper
around a perfect gift
but at the wrong time of year
i wanted out
to leave
fleeing from something
serious, responsibility
far beyond my years
but as sheets parachute
perfect landings on crisp morning dew
there was nothing else
only us
hiding from rainfall
matched only by tears
I would go back in an instant
for my first love

our first serious kiss
like kids we were
on the playscape
wrapped in each others hips
as we made loveseats
of weather treated timber
high above
everyone else
except a cousins discourtesy
strolling we happened on horses
how you cooed
flowing between tall grass
and apple blossoms
like a set from
Romeo and Juliet
until returning to the castle
where i became the playscape
arms became chin-up bars
how you laughed
as i strained against them
i would go back in an instant
for the comfort of my insecurity

khaki shorts
and pine polos
never made fantasy fodder
but a cute model
an empty room
filled with empty hearts
they made up for the lost romance
of my daydream
she was beautiful
an angel
easily turned evil
by the Missouri heat
I was on business
soon made hers
12 working hours a day
made infinitesimal
by those beyond
blissful and achingly ideal
I would go back in an instant
for her lust

moonlit galleries and lemon martinis
on cool California beaches
early morning breakfast
perched upon cliffs
overlooking the ocean
spying early divers
as seals surfaced
from the cold fall deep
we scaled weathered rocks
to drier sands
for photographic memories
smiling as tides scrambled
up the softened pitch
slow arcs that led
to the only thing matching
her brilliance
never had she looked so beautiful
so happy
bundled in an emerald vest
and a hat we had bought
it became the last time we held each other
so happy
without sorrow
I couldn't have asked
for a kinder day
I would go back in an instant
for the warmth and comfort of her heart

vacation
my escape to the apple
from my sorrows at home
sickness and failure
she was my guide
my love
and we explored both
every minute was exciting
lights and music
thousands of people
energizing thousands more
yet the company of one
was all that was necessary
to send senses flying
through waxed earthen canvases
guitar-hero violins
and spring time piers
watching birds of prey
circle drums circles
and old friends
of both bronze and flesh
I would go back in an instant
for the lesson of communication

i no longer push
for new love
impatience replaced by experience
excited for new memories
though, if lucky enough
to create scenes of past
with yesterdays brush
dare i paint over old canvases
i am the artist, afterall.