Cole Menarez: News

Hello All,

I am still in Louisiana working on the katrina recovery effort for one basic reason - I need money to fuel my hazy drinking binges. Actually, I just got married, and though I have been known to enjoy a cocktail, the binge has never been appealing to me. It's usually more of a sprint. that said, I do believe that Life and Death are in the power of the tongue, so allow me to re-direct this News Flash...

I am socking away some cash working as a consultant to the Governor's Office in the State of Louisiana. Big deal. It's a nice break, but, i am heartbroken that I have sidelined my musical career over the past year. At least, the heartbreak has led to some great songwriting sessions in my apartment wedged between a rock quarry on the River, the TNT Welding Shop, and the Exxon gas refinery behind me. The train howls all night long, and lends a certain melancholic romanticism to the solitude. Ahh, the beauty of sadness.

So, now that my new wife, Kathleen Ann McGinley (whom I affectionately call MIGS) has become incrasingly agitated at our long-distance romance (since we have bourne the slings and arrows of this outrageous arrangement for 5 years), I am ready to move back to Raleigh, NC, and dump some cash into some serious recording for the purpose of landing another publishing deal, and beyond. And, I'm going to track down some soulsters and get a band going. No FUBAR's either.

So, if any of you readers out there (dubious, I know) are Managers, Producers, Arrangers, Sound Engineers, or Agents, (or if you know of anyone who fits those desriptions), get it in gear and contact me. I'm ready to make it happen!

Dear Friends,

I have been working 60 plus a week here in Louisiana, helping to build a division of government for the Governor's Office. It's just a small part of the total picture, but I've come to experience that truly the path to hell is paved with good intentions. It's been a lonely, frustrating time for me here, with little time for music or creaativity. Right now, I live wedged betqeen a gas refinery and a rock quarry, with the train tracks running right next to my window. The earth shakes the sky it seems.

I believe my work has ahad a positive impact, but the ability of any democracy to address the needs of its people is tied to a certain type of risk tolernace - in this case, government agencies are guided by regulations that themselves are designed to limit the liability of the governemnt to the people, with less provisions for service to the affected population. Protecting the government apparatus from the needs of people is critical, because the government and the people maintain a fundamental mistrust of each other - if left unchecked, the government will never stop intruding into private affairs, and the public's demands on government will far exceed the capacity of government to address needs equitably.
The point to all this is that Katrina victimimization started with the levee failure, but grows in severity through the intractable positions of uncooperative agencies. Unfortunately, both the levee failure and the beurocratic wrangling are both within our ability to prevent.

So, here I will end the diatribe, listen to the whistle blow from the approaching train, and hope that I can return to play music for you soon.

Tomorrow morning I leave for Louisiana. I'll be working on reconstruction projects with the Governor's Office to help the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Katrina. My home base will Baton Rouge, with frequent trips throughout the state.

Aside from the humanitarian work, I have some gigs set up in New Orleans, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge. More on that later. But, as some of you know, I am beginning a new chapter, and am moving ahead with great anticipation, full of hope and faith. I welcome the challenges, and relish in the uncertainty. But, as always, I am strengthened by your kind words, so keep em' comng.

If anyone out there has any insight for me on LA, feel free to chime in. That offer does not include Cazin, Ashe, Cedola, Gail, Peacock, or, of course, J. Lastra!

I am back in the studio working on my next release. "D'arcangelo" is in the works. The record will be a departure from the "Threadbare" project - the music is ripe with up-tempo alternative rants, fat commercial hooks and even some gospel and blues inspired piano ballads in the spirit of Ray Charles and Van Morrison.
Get ready for something special. I'll let you all know the second it's done!

Cole

Everyone,

Threadbare is now available for digital download at iTunes. Simply click Buy. The iTunes link will take you directly to Threadbare. Download one cut or the entire album!

Thank you all.

Cole

Today I got a call from a friend working in Iraq. He invited me to come over and work with him in a humanitarian aid mission. I am thinking hard about it. I'll be able to play my music, and hopefully bring a little joy to the Iraqi people. Of course, most will not understand the lyrics, but music has a way of reaching out anyway.
So, for anyone who reads this excerpt, let me know what you think, and feel free to offer up any ideas, advice or opinion for my journey.

Cole

Greetings Everyone!

I want to run a new fundraising concept by each of you. It's called a "commercial co-venture".

Please send me your feedback, and let me know if you know of any fundraising specialists I can contact.

As you all know, top artists put on benefit concerts or tours in order to raise money for certain charities. Their
popularity allows them to easily put the word out to the general public to
generate interest.

As an emerging artist without much name recognition, I have the idea of going directly through the charities and non-profits themselves to reach each of their donor constituencies.

My goal is to contribute a generous portion of each sale of my music, both physical CD's and digitial downloads, to every charity and/or non-profit possible.

I see the artist-charity co-venture as something groundbreaking, in that the artist and the idea could be promoted as a creative component to a charity's ongoing fundraising efforts/campaigns.

As such, each charity, etc. could promote
my music, and essentially give its donors an opportunity to give in support of artists and a creative new
fundraising method.

So, tell me what you think!

Look for me and my unforgettable sister Katie Colmenares this weekend, as part of the Bern's and Side Bern's Restaurant caste of characters.

I am lining up some shows as we speak. Katie will have lots of my CD's to give away, but only if you promise to come see me peform or at least visit my website.

Remember, I have lots of new material on my site. I recommend "I Slip, I Run" for a soulful travel song, but check out "Brother Loves You" for a stripped down confession of love and commitment to my blood!

I want to let everyone know that I plan to come home to Tampa to play some shows. I would greatly appreciate any offers of help passing the word around. I do not have dates set yet, though it's looking like March/April.

But, keep all your critiques coming in. It really i about the relationship I have with fans and friends.

Last, ut not least, keep on telling your friends to go to my site, ad check out my music. I have several new tracks on the way!

Thank you all !

Hey Everyone!

I want to thank each of you for all your inspiring and insightful comments about my music. I take each one into consideration, and that's why I want to invite each of you to send in your thoughts about what song or aspect of my music touches you the most.

I am starting on a new project and doing quite a bit of soul-searching on the direction for the record.

Usually, when I write a song it just comes to me, more like its already written and being channeled to me somehow. It just sort of appears, and I wonder "how did that happen?'".

But, I want you all to be a part of my "stream of consciousness approach". Let's get together on some ideas,a nd I promise to consider them all. From there, we'll see together what the songs become.

Thank you all.

May God Bless Your Hearts and Minds.

You should have seen Cole's show outside of Santa Barbara at the Cold Springs Tavern last month. Not one to talk much between songs, but if you get a chance to talk with him off-stage, he is a loveable and intense man who loves a good story. A real provocateur I might add.
He's headed to Raleigh, NC this February, so check out his site for show dates and venues.

If you love an artist who will pour it all out by the camp-fire or as a headliner for a tour debut, this is the guy.

Andy McGinley
AJM Promotions
Ventura, CA