Western Masochist is finally here. Thank you for your patience and for paying attention to the nonsense I create. I couldn't do this without you. I'm grateful that you've built me to this point in my career and I'm excited to share this album with you all.
A few nights back, I was drinking a porter at Bukowski Tavern and feeling really grateful for the work that bartenders do.
Bartenders have kegs of beer. They tap those kegs. Then, they pour beer from those kegs into glasses and serve them to people of all walks of life.
I like beer. But do you know what I like more than beer? LOVE. I love love.
A thought struck me.
We are all individual kegs of love. Some of us pour our love freely and serve it regularly but many of us are untapped love. Love is certainly subjective. However subjective, though, it may be, love is often overcomplicated by societal norms. For example, why don't we show regular love to strangers?
Is there a good reason? Are we too scared to be that vulnerable? Are we too caught up in ourselves to care? Are we too busy to notice the people around us on a daily basis? Do we even know how to communicate love to strangers?
My idea is to attempt simplify that communication process. Mind you, this idea can't work for everyone. In an ideal world, it could. I know as well as anyone else that the world isn't black and white. There's a lot of gray area. Some people love their space and want strangers to leave them the fuck alone. I get that. I respect that. There is literally nothing wrong with that.
My idea played out like this: I wanted to give people the opportunity to tap their own love while also tapping a communal love that exists in the light underneath all of us. So to simplify: FREE HUGS!
Giving out free hugs is NOT an original idea, nor is bartending. I'm fully aware of that.
However, I'd love the idea of being a server of love. A lightning rod for community. So, I'm dedicated to making #617PDA (Boston Public Displays of Affection) a regular occurrence.
Inspired by the incredible November Project (thanks Brogan and Bojan!), I want to create a love movement in greater Boston. I want to create a flow of positivity that you can rely on. I want to serve Boston love as much as possible.
If you want to be a part of this, hit me up. It's going to be free. It's going to be fun. You won't be able to stop smiling. Your heart will grow 3 times its size.
I did a test run today. In less than 5 hours, I hugged over 100 people. I met Cambridge City Counselor Jan Devereux. Rory and Megan from Live Alive in Central Square joined me for a picture and gave me a Love Alive smoothie. Boston Police officers gave me a group hug. A wonderful gaggle of kindergarteners smothered me at Park Street. My man Steve Furqueron joined me for the Back Bay to Park Street leg of the mission.
Let me tell you something. This feels good. I want you to feel this way.
You deserve it.
Let's spread some free love. Keep an eye on #617PDA
If you've seen me anytime in the last couple of weeks, you might have noticed that I've been riding the lighting. I'm antsy with positivity. I'm giddy with life.
About a year and a half ago, Jeremiah Jordan asked me when I was going to do my first stand up album. I told him that I didn't know and that I was probably going to wait until someone asked me to.
I'm paraphrasing but he said something along the lines of "I'm asking you to. Let's do it."
It had never dawned on me that I could just take a big step like this on my own.
Christ, I guess I've got the resources and the material. Why not? And there I went.
I was half way to becoming a true Western Masochist.
I contacted management at the beautiful Majestic Theater in West Springfield (my home town) and they were extremely accommodating. We scheduled two shows on September 29th and we recorded both of them. What resulted is an hour long album / special which will be available for full video download through Vimeo Pro and a modified audio version of the special which will be available for download on many audio platforms. The album drops on Valentines Day. I think that's appropriate for the masochists out there. Each version of the album will be $10. You'll also be able to buy individual audio tracks for 99 cents.
I'll be teasing and promoting the album for the next two weeks before its release.
In the meantime, I have to share overwhelming gratitude to the people who helped make this happen.
Jeremiah Jordan is an incredible friend and the owner of Clyde Media Productions.
Without his push, his expertise and his undying support of his friends in entertainment, Western Masochist doesn't happen. He was the direct catalyst for this project. Everyone needs a shove like Jeremiah in their life. I'm happy he shoved me. While we're talking about him, if you watch the video and wonder how it looks so professional, Jeremiah and Clyde Media are how it looks so professional. Check out Clyde Media's website for some of the other amazing projects they produced.
Steve Sarro is a remarkable artist, musician and composer. He's an extremely talented music director at ImprovBoston and an absolute wonder of a human being.
He mastered the audio on both the audio and video versions of the album.
If you're wondering why it sounds amazing, that's on Steve.
Calvin Swaim, unbeknownst to me prior, was contacted by Jeremiah to create the intro and outro graphics for the video download. Calvin and I did some improv and theater together about 10 years ago at ImprovBoston and now he's kicking ass down in NYC. I was blown away by how much I loved the original graphics he made.
Tristan Tash is my best friend. He's also the deviant behind Acid Zoe, an electronic music project born in Springfield, MA. The tune you hear behind Calvin's graphic is an Acid Zoe original. Many thanks to T for his musical contribution.
The album cover is a picture of me when I was young trying to cheerlead. It was taken in Cape Cod in 1984 or '85. Boston comedian Justin P. Drew told me that's the picture I needed to go with and he was spot on. Western MA comedian Julie Waggoner discovered the perfect font and we landed on the cover.
I want to thank the Majestic Theater staff for believing in me enough to give me their theater for a full night. If you've never been, it's a big enough space that it feels like a production and it's an intimate enough space that you feel like you're one with the audience.
I want to thank my Mom. Man, oh, man. What we put each other through to get to this point and here we are. Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting my insanity. It's not always easy but it's always real. Your heart bleeds for your children and everyone knows it. I'm a very fortunate son. I love you.
I dedicated this album to the memories of my Uncle Joe, my Nana and TC Cheever.
Three people who built me, believed in me and inspired me and ultimately still do every single day.
Beyond everything else, I want to thank my family, my friends and everyone else who came out to the recording. The support I've felt in the last two years has been life changing. The way you people lift me up keeps my blood flowing, keeps my heart beating and keeps my smile wide. I'm proud to be a part of your circles. I'm lucky to know each and every one of you. I promise to stay grounded and have your backs through and through on my journey. The people in my life are a constant source of light, an unconditional source of motivation and a bottomless source of happiness. I am filled with love.
I've got your backs. #DJBThereForYou
Love yourself, take care of each other and follow your fucking dreams.
