Gift giving is a tricky beast. You really want to show your love, but sometimes the options can get pretty darn old. Chocolates, flowers, and scarves are all so been there, done that, a thousand times over since the beginning of time. Add into the mix that the most meaningful gifts are also charitable ones, and you can be in a complete bind.

Fear no more! While waiting for my morning Americano (because, yes, that is how I roll…), I came across this small bit of genius. Christy Turlington has done amazing things for Every Mother Counts. If you aren’t familiar with this organization, watch this video. Actually, watch it even if you are. It is that good.

This leads us to the Every Mother Counts and Starbucks joining forces. When you buy this special compilation CD, 8 bucks go straight to the organization. Plus, the music is ridiculously good. Seal, Eddie Vedder, Paul Simon, Lauryn Hill….and on and on. Every song is good, the cause is great, and your mom will be smiling to boot.

How’s that for Mother’s Day 101?

You’re welcome.

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I’m a ridiculously unabashedly HUGE Jenny Lawson fan. You should ALL be following her amazingly witty and irreverent blog and get her new book ASAP. It is that good. But you know what has me going absolutely hog wild? This new musical collaboration has me swooning in SO MANY WAYS. You see, when Jenny’s thoughts are put to music (by the superbly talented Lori Henriques), amazing things happen. Seriously, like in a sea parting, traffic stopping kind of way.

You don’t believe me?

Listen HERE. This song is totally NOT for kids.

I brought Lori into the minivan to ask her a few questions. Be warned, Jenny Lawson. The minivan will get you next!

MB: How the heck did this collaboration happen?

LH: Jenny heard my songs for children on Sirius XM’s Kids’ Place Live. Thanks to Mindy Thomas (what an angel!) taking a chance on them about a year ago, they’ve been in regular rotation, and radio play has led to so many lovely emails from teachers and parents. (NOTE FROM MINIVAN BLUES, LORI IS AMAZING!) One night I received an order from Jenny for my album, and at the same time got an email from her thanking me for my music bringing her and her daughter together. She mentioned casually that she was a blogger, so I looked her up and was instantly hooked. Her blog reminded me of some of my earliest songs, which were for grown-ups, and had grown out of my early therapy sessions. She started encouraging me to post them on Youtube, to get a Twitter account, and to write a musical. Ha! She’s very much a cheerleader, in her blog and in her life. So, in one of her emails she suggested we collaborate, but said she was overwhelmed at the moment with her book, so we’d have to do it later. That email came on the very day she’d posted her poem “Everyone Says Fuck Off” on Youtube. After hearing it and reading her email, I thought, wow, that poem would make a great waltzy parlour song. So I wrote her an email saying that, and she responded in all caps: THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. This is really my first collaboration like this, and she is the perfect writing partner. At one point I asked if she was okay with my changing a couple little things to make the meter match up, and she gave me complete freedom to change anything. Of-course the changes were miniscule, but that kind of creative freedom really helps drive the quality of a song. She’s just awesome in every way. It took me awhile to get it recorded because I heard those extra little glockenspiel parts in my head, and really wanted the circusy feel they would add, so I had to get help from my friend Peter Suk, who has a recording studio and lots of production experience. And even though she was excited to hear the song, she was totally patient.

MB: How do you put something like “Everyone says fuck off!” to music?

LH: Honestly, I just thought about the phrase “Everyone says fuck off!” and about Jenny’s high, sweet voice and it just came waltzing into my mind. With words that strong, the funny choice is to make the music happy and carefree, right? But it’s crazy how a melody can come dancing in, and sometimes I feel a little mystical about it, vis-a-vis composing in general. Like, I just heard Roseanne Cash talking about trying to “lift the veil” on these questions, and everything she was saying was exactly how it feels to me. So this must be the way it is with songwriters, hearing voices in our heads. But I think if I would analyze this particular song, I could point to my exposure to musical theatre (Sondheim, Richard Rodgers), Julie Andrews, and Jacques Brel. And, yes! Oy. Whenever I’m working on a new song, the melody is on constant replay in my mind, as I make little subconscious adjustments, and also just because with every new song I feel in LOVE with it. I guess that kind of serial monogamy is what it takes for me to finish the song. But it gets really intense, because once in awhile a melody is so demanding that I’m literally singing it in my sleep, and it feels like it’s happening all night long. And in the morning, I feel pretty tapped out. This nightly song-on-repeat continued for a few days on “Everyone Says Fuck Off” and I was very happy when it finally left me alone. So, I do commiserate with your situation.

MB: Have you and Jenny considered that this might be your ticket into the birthday party circuit?

LH: Ha! Yes, this could be my entrance to the birthday party circuit. I played several house parties (for grown-ups) when I lived in Los Angeles, but haven’t taken it up since moving to Portland. This could be just the ticket!

MB: What’s next?

LH: From the beginning of our connection, Jenny began encouraging me to write a musical, which I have thought about doing ever since I began writing. And then at some point we realized maybe we could write a musical together, based on her life. My mom just bought me her book. (That’s a whole other interview: my very supportive mom.) So, I’m looking forward to getting inspired by it. The other day I read her piece about “Amelia” in Oprah.com. Then, the very next day during my piano practice, without even thinking about it consciously, as I was improvising, I started hearing a song about Amelia! I got so excited, I emailed Jenny, and she responded that she couldn’t wait to hear it! So, you see, she really gives me all this freedom. I wasn’t even thinking of writing it without talking more with her about it first, but she was already handing it over for me to just go for it. That kind of faith in people is what she shows in her blog, and it’s the way she really is, one-on-one. I just love her. And I’m so thankful for the chance to collaborate with her! May it be a long and productive relationship.

AMEN! Two amazing and highly talented people deserve one another!

Give their new CD a spin, and you will be absolutely pumped. Creativity will course through your veins and you may be inspired to hop on your dusty beach cruiser and take it for a spin. Your kids can come too, of course.

Wanna check it out for yourself? Email eva@minivanblues.com and tell me if you’ve ever had a lemonade stand. Winner will be chosen at random. Lemonade recipes are optional.

Okay, so we got a bit lost on the way down. Note to self: there is a North and South Mission. Ooops. But once we got down there, the party was just getting started. Caine was ready and waiting. His dad, George, greeted all of the customers with a smile. George just couldn’t believe how big everything had gotten since the movie went viral. He feels like Caine’s personal assistant, and the kid’s got a ton of obligations, after school, of course.

The beauty of seeing the homemade cardboard arcade games in person is too cool. The pieced together scotch tape, the calculators, the metal claw, the energy and excitement. It’s all there. It’s so darn awesome. All of it.

If you’re local, head down there. The directions are on his website, Caine’s Arcade.

If you’re not, be inspired. Watch the video again, and then go make something of your own…with cardboard.

Me and Caine:

My little man giving the metal claw a go:

Here is the 411: (a long time ago, before Siri, it was all about 411, we have to honor our roots)

KindieFest: A Family music concert featuring: SteveSongs, Bari Koral Family Rock Band, Moona Luna, WeBop, Big Bang Boom, KBC KIDS! and Apple Brains

Sun, April 29, 2012

Doors open at 11:30. Show starts at noon

Buy Tix HERE

I love The Pop Ups. They are a whole lotta indie love. The songs are Brooklyn infused flavor with rock awesome creative energy. I have found myself listening to Radio Jungle all alone in the minivan. Why? Because it’s that good. It really is. My kids are obsessed with the song “Pop Up City” which has such an Echo and the Bunnymen flair. “Box of Crayons” reminds me of George and the Purple Crayon reinvented hipster style. It doesn’t disappoint. Far from it.

Wanna hear for yourself? email me at eva@minivanblues.com and tell me why you want to win a free copy of one of my favorite kindie bands of all times.

Grenadilla, the fabulous band with the funky Cape Town grooves, is BACK! I am digging their new CD so much. It makes me want to get up and dance. Seriously. You will find your toes tapping, fingers snapping, and head shaking once you give these jams a spin. Do yourself a favor and get this CD. Now! What are you waiting for?

For all of my LA peeps, Laura is doing a FREE show at one of my favorite stores, Dragonfly DuLou  on Sunday, February 26 at 2 pm. You do NOT want to miss it. Laura is a highly talented, energetic, and all around rad musician. Her CD is absolute bite sized goodness. My only complaint is that it ends!

click here