December 21, 2004

The holidays are quickly approaching us, so with all of the hustle and bustle that is the holiday season, I would like to wish you all a wonderful holiday and festive New Year!   With that being said, let's kick back and enjoy a little R&R for this edition of XOCH Notes!

Had a terrific time celebrating Vince's birthday on Friday at The Loft in Poughkeepsie!   Nothing is quite like a Murphy's Law show.   Gotta love their stage antics and personally, I really respect their "I don't care what you think" attitude!   Also, we got to check out Soul for Sale and Eradicate who played earlier slots on the Murphy's Law bill - great sets you guys!   Terrific, get the crowd going energy!   We also checked out Aeris' set at Club Crannell - tight set with tons of fun energy!   Vince certainly enjoyed the evening, as did I.

Then it was off to the Big Apple on Saturday for a live appearance on WBAI radio.   We got to the station around 11:30AM to load in the equipment, and for sound check.   We went live around 1PM and I played six songs with my full band.   I think it went very well, especially considering it was our first gig playing together ever (we only rehearsed four times before the show!).   I figure you have to get through your first gig sometime, and what better way than on the radio, right?   Nothing like a little pressure!   All kidding aside, I want to thank my boys Vince, Gary, Anthony & Eric for a great job!   I would also like to thank Dread Scott Keyes and the entire staff at WBAI for their hospitality, support and for the opportunity to come perform on the station!   WBAI also re-broadcast my performance the next day, Sunday (12/19) from 8:30 to 9AM which is very cool!   So, show your thanks to a great station like WBAI and check them out on the web at http://www.wbai.org.   While you're at it, request your favorite XOCH song!

I will be in NYC live at The Continental on Wednesday December 29.   I hit the stage at 9:45PM with my band for a full electric performance!   This is a free show (NO COVER!!), 21+ please.   Let's kick off the New Year early!

I have finally been able to get into my page at My Space - yay!   To those who have asked to be added as friends, I have finally been able to do so!   I appreciate your patience with regards to this matter.   So everyone, stop by MySpace (music) and add yourself as a friend!   http://www.myspace.com/xoch.

Last but not least, I have just learned that one of my songs will get a spin on 98.1 WKZE tomorrow night 12/22 between 7 and 9PM, on their specialty program called "Off the Beat-n-Track Radio Show", hosted and produced by Todd Mack at the Off the Beat-n-Track recording studio in Southfield, MA.   The show spotlights music from independent artists from throughout the country with the first hour dedicated to artists residing in the WKZE listening area (Litchfield County, CT; Berkshire County, MA; Dutchess, Columbia, Ulster, Orange, and Greene Counties, NY) and beyond.   I'm not sure what song they will spin, so let's all tune in together, show our support for indie artists, and find out.

That's it for today.   Happy Holidays everyone!   Until next time, ROCK ON!!!

December 7, 2004

Lots of cool things to share with you all!   Just in time for the holidays, too!

Effective today, the evolution of XOCH is officially here!   My new CD 'Cabaret" is finally out, and my webmasters and I have been hard at work revamping my website, and today the new site is live!   As with everything in life change is a necessity, and I felt it was time to give the site a new look and feel.   Please enjoy it - new pics, new samples, full song giveaways, new lyrics, and lots of other new stuff.   Please write me and let me know what you think - your feedback is greatly appreciated!

Great NEW news!   I have just learned that a 40-45 second clip of my song "My Desire" will be featured in the DVD release of the MTV hit reality series "Laguna Beach", in Episode 6!   Coooooool!!!!   The scene that features my clip is a non-dialog scene, so it's just me and the waves!   The DVD of the entire first season is set for release in early 2005.   More to come......

Electric XOCH will make its brand new debut on Wednesday 12/29 at The Continental, 25 3rd Ave @ St Mark's Place, in NYC.   Our set time is 9:45PM.   No cover charge, all ages!   I am looking forward to ROCKIN' OUT, full force with my new boyz - Anthony Cucurullo on guitar, Gary Mendes on drums, and Eric Hoffman on bass, as well as my buddy and partner Vince Ripper!   After a long Autumn of auditioning we have finally had our first rehearsals together, and I'm very excited about playing with a full band of talented musicians again.   I just want to thank my boyz for their hard work!   You guys, my friends and fans, are gonna dig this new line up because it is the best one ever!   So come to the gig at the Continental, and celebrate the New Year early with my new band, Big Apple style!

Birthdays are coming!   Happy birthday to my partner Vince Ripper on December 17th, and Happy Birthday to ME on December 24th!   Yes, that's right, Christmas Eve.   A perfect birthday for a goddess....

Rock ON my bitches, and I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and New Year!

November 30, 2004

Whassup everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!   I have always thought of Thanksgiving as sort of the calm before the storm known as the Holiday Season.   Well, I'm glad to see you all safely recovering from your food coma!

The show at The Alphabet Lounge in NYC on 11/17 went very well! It was the first show that Vince and I played with our new lead guitar player Anthony, and I thought he pulled it off like the true pro that he is!   I just want to thank Anthony again for such a great job!   Gary, my drummer-in-waiting, was so kind to come down to NYC with some friends, so I have to thank Gary for his band brotherhood spirit and for bringing some wonderful people to the show!

Speaking of new band members, I am so excited to say that "electric" XOCH will be back on December 29th at the Continental in NYC!   Got a kickin' new line-up, we're working it, and we'll be ready to rock out in just a few weeks.  Oh YEAH!!!   Check out my GIGS page for more details.

Anyway - after the Alphabet Lounge show, it was off to Club Crannell in Poughkeepsie on 11/19 for what had to be the best time ANYONE in this area has had at a show in a long time!   The HVScene Unplugged show was totally off the hook!!  What I really loved about it was that it was a wide variety of normally incompatible musical genres, and we all got to share the bill together by everyone's agreement to play acoustic.   This was truly a memerable moment not just for me, but for all of the other bands, the fans, and other patrons and supporters of this scene!   Since some of these great performers and bands were out of their normal element by playing acoustic, I figured I'd be a good sport about it and do something a little different myself - I sang a touching rendition of the South Park classic "Kyle's Mom", with a surprise hardcore middle section that we wrote specifically for this performance, and dedicated it to all my friends on TheHVscene Message Board!   I want to take a moment and thank everyone who made this show happen - Plasmud and TheHVscene Crew, Club Crannell and their staff, Juan and Jef from Rhythmden, all the bands - From Sinking, Escalus, 100% Used, Eradicate, Armed Suspects, The Anti-Socials, Ideal BrainTonic, In Itself, Chris Cubeta & the Liar's Club, and last but not certainly least, my boy Vince Ripper.   Without Vince pushing the local promotors into this kind of scene unity show, it would have never happened!   XOCH as a project cares about the local scene here, and it is so terrific that many of you do, too!   So, if you want to support the music in our area, and get up to the minute local coverage of the Hudson Valley Music Scene, please stop by thehvscene.com.

And if that wasn't enough, the last two Sunday nights (11/21 and 11/28), my song "The ONE" was spun on 92.7/96.9 FM WRRV's new music program, "Now Hear This".   I would like to thank the WRRV staff, Boris (Program Director), and Simon (Music Director) for their support of my music, and of our music scene around here, and also DJ Schwenker for his kind words during the program.   XOCH takes over the radio airwaves once again!

THE NEW WEBSITE IS READY!   Over the next few days, you will start to see some dramatic changes around here!   Keep checking back over the next week for a cool new look and site design!   While you're at it, keep your eyes open for some brand new MP3 samples from my new CD "Cabaret", some hot new photos in my completely revised Gallery (including several alternate "Cabaret" CD front covers), and several full-length MP3 giveaway songs, including the special Holiday Version of my song "The Fool's Dream".   Hey, it's the holidays - I gotta give something to all my little Xoch children, right?

Don't forget to make a date with the Devil tomorrow night, Wednesday 12/1!   I will be perfoming at 13 Little Devils, located at 120 Orchard Street in the lower East Village, NYC, for a rockin' acoustic set at 8PM!   Please join me for an awesome time in NYC!   Check out my GIGS page for more details.

Well, it's been great to catch up with all of you!   Until next time...ROCK ON, my bitches!

November 18, 2004

My Bitches!

It has been a blast taking my CD release on the road!!!   I have gotten to meet so many cool people and played some great venues and I just want to thank everyone for their continued support!

And speaking of support, I want to thank Robert Lachman of Pulse for such a great interview in Poughkeepsie's Weekly Beat!   I appreciate the hometown love!   It was truly a pleasure to speak with him about my new CD and upcoming shows.   To check out the interview, please stop by my Reviews page.

Don't forget, this Friday I'm playing at Club Crannell (my set time is 9PM)!   Witness history in the making with the first ever "The HVScene Unplugged Show"!!   10 bands, multi-genres, all acoustic! Check out some the area's best bands (Eradicate, Armed Suspects, In Itself, From Sinking, Ideal Brain Tonic, Escalus, The Anti-Socials, Chris Cubeta, 100% Used and yours truly!!!) at this rare event!   This is something I have never seen here in this scene (sorry I couldn't resist!), so I'm honored to be a part of this terrific event!   Come out and show the United Hudson Valley Scene some love and support!!

"Cabaret" is now available for purchase online.   Check out my CD page to order one!

Want a free copy of my new CD?   Anyone who attends my show in NYC next Wednesday (11/24 at 13 Little Devils - 8:30PM) to see me, gets a free copy of "Cabaret"!   My gift to you, so come party in the Big Apple and let's celebrate Turkey Day early!!!!

Check out my new page at www.myspace.com/xoch.   Add yourselves as my friends, and I'll do the same for you!   Props to my bro Scotty Violence for his assistance and advice in helping me set up my account.  While you are visiting myspace, check out Scotty's great Oi!/punk band, Armed Suspects.   Thanks so much Scotty!

More changes to come on my website!   Keep checking over the next few weeks for some new photos, new MP3's from Cabaret (sorry they are not up yet!   Very soon!), a new front page, and some other surprises!   A very special Thanks to my webmasters and dear friends, Jonathan and Cary, at Diverse Productions for their hard work and dedication to my project.

That's the haps, my bitches!!   See you Friday night!!!

ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!

November 5, 2004

October 7, 2004

My Bitches!   I thank you sincerely from the depths of my heart for your patience in waiting for my latest entry!   I have been caught up in quite a whirlwind with many things going on!   It has been extremely exciting, so sit back, relax, and enjoy as I fill you in on what I have been up to.

Let's see where to begin.   Ah yes.   Club NY on September 30th.   Very cool venue in Middletown, NY.   I had a great time performing an acoustic set and I want to thank Scotty "Salty Dog" Violence for putting the show together, Jim Choprocker for the jokes and the drinks, the great bands I had a chance to share the bill with (Johnny Thursday & the Friday Knights, and Feedback), and to my fans who stuck it out late night style - Ian, Vin, and Chris from Severed Ties (great hardcore band from Orange County, NY), and Pete and Linda of 5 Cent Mary (My Bitches!!!), a fantastic rock and roll cover band, also from Orange County.   Thank you for making the first Thursday Ladies Night at Club NY so much fun!

I've had some change here on the homefront.   A little "movement" within my backing band, if you will.   I want to wish my former bassist John Fox and my former guitarist Dan Lagana much success in their future endeavors, and I thank them for working very hard for me, and for being a part of one of the best live bands I've ever had the pleasure to play with.   Thanks guys, and good luck!   Vince Ripper and I are moving ahead with plenty of great acoustic shows while we audition new players.   Unfortunately I've had to cancel my upcoming gig at Don Hill's in NYC (sorry Nikki!), but "Electric Xoch" will be back - bigger, better, and badder than ever - in about 2 months, so watch out!

Speaking of upcoming acoustic shows - got a bunch coming up through the month of November.   I will be on WVKR (91.3FM) 11/3, at the Cubbyhole on 11/5, and even at DCC (Dutchess Community College) on 11/11, along with some other great stuff later in November.   About that DCC show on 11/11 - it is open to the public, free admission, and most of us have the day off because it's Veteran's Day!   So now you know what to do on Veteran's Day!   That's right!   Honor our Vets and ROCK OUT with me!!!!

This semester at DCC, I am taking Intro to Theater, where I'm studying the various concepts of theater (playwriting, design, directing, and acting).   It is so awesome to re-learn this stuff again and it always feels good to go back to your roots.   So, one of the assignments is to compose what is known as a "Ten Minute Play", which is essentially a Playwright's audition.   I have been hard at work developing the storyline and I'm now focusing on composing the dialog.   I'm hopeful that I will get the chance to perform it.   Very soon I will be able to add Playwright to my resume!   I will definitely keep you posted with details.

Just signed a little deal with Enterprise Records out of Beverly Hills, CA for some licensing opportunities for my songs.   Another movie soundtrack or commercial would be nice, don't you think?   More on that in future Xoch Notes!

Also, the best news of all! My new EP "Cabaret" is just weeks away from being released!   "Cabaret" will contain 6 brand new songs plus 3 previously released free bonus tracks (when 6 was 9 - thanks Jimi!), and some great new artwork.   The new EP is currently at the manufacturer (thank you Disc Makers!) and I can't wait for you guys to hear it!   It's the best work of my career, and I think you'll love it.

Also, look for the evolution of XOCH as I will be updating my website over the next few weeks.   New CD, new look, new concept!   Change is good!   Better yet, change is essential!

Take care!   ROCK ON!!!!!

September 16,2004

Had a blast performing live and spinning songs of my new CD on WVKR last night!   I want to thank Marc Stuart (the ultimate cherry popper - haha!) and Scene Unseen for having me on the show and for allowing me to continue my September Scene Unseen ritual of inappropriate topics and subject matter (What?! Nostrils are a completely appropriate orafice to discuss on radio!)   It is so awesome to be yourself and be accepted for it!!   I also want to thank my boyz Vince, Rockstar Dan, and J Boogie Jr. for a great time and performance in the studio - YOU GUYS ROCK!

Come out to the Cubbyhole Coffeehouse at 44 Raymond Avenue in Poughkeepsie, NY this Friday night (tomorrow!) and join me and the boys for an acoustic performance beginning at 9PM!!   There is no cover charge and all ages are welcome to attend this special event!!   For more info on the show, please visit my Gigs Page.

This just in - the September 30th show at The Alphabet Lounge in NYC has been cancelled.   I apologize to all my NYC fans, but the good news is I will be back in NYC on Thursday, October 28 at Don Hill's (511 Greenwich St) for an 8PM set, so come take a bite out of the "Big Apple" with me!

'Cabaret' is coming soon!   Keep checking back for more info!

Short, simple & sweet!   Keepin' My Bitches informed on all the latest!   ROCK ON!!

September 10, 2004

WEST COAST XOCH in the house!!!!!!!!!   I'm back home from magnificent Sun Valley, Idaho!   I had the most awesome time there - the weather was perfect and I had the opportunity to meet so many cool people!   Words can't describe the way I felt being there, so kick back, relax (guy!), and enjoy as I do my best to put words to my emotions.

On Wednesday, I left NY and embarked on a cross country journey to the magical place known as Sun Valley, Idaho.   I arrived in Boise, Idaho around 11PM that night and from the airport, it was a two hour plus drive to Sun Valley.   So really, I arrived in Sun Valley at 1AM (MST) which is 3AM (EST)!!!   Crazy!   Anyway, after finally passing out, I awoke the next morning refreshed and ready to begin my adventure in my quiet little mountain town.   Throughout the week, I got to go into town and meet some of the local people, had awesome food (West coast people eat WAY healthier than on the East coast) and I even did a photo shoot for my upcoming EP "Cabaret" - I created such a stir in town - I guess people in Idaho have never seen provocative clothing worn in public before!   I have so many people to thank for making my trip such an enjoyable experience - Biz & Kelly (ASSES!!!!), Ron and Kathy from the NexStage Theatre (thanks for use of the dressing rooms!) Lenny Joseph and Tom from KECH FM, Emily (Whassup girl?!), Adryan (thanks for the party), Eric, Shannon and young Emily (sweetie!!), and the entire SV crew for showing me the best time, and for allowing me to shake up your town a bit!

While in Idaho, I also made it a point to check out Bruce Willis' club The Mint in Hailey, Idaho, which is about 15 minutes away from Sun Valley.   For those of you who may not know, Hailey, like Sun Valley, is the "winter wonderland" of the stars - Arnold, Demi, John Kerry (just to name a few).   Bruce and his band had a gig on Sunday night at The Mint, but I learned that the venue doesn't allow cameras inside.   It would've been cool to get some pictures of Bruce in action.   Oh well!

But now, I'm back in NY and getting ready to ROCK OUT acoustic style for my next few shows - 9/15 at WVKR 91.3FM on the Scene Unseen program at 7:30PM, and then on 9/17 at The Cubbyhole Coffeehouse (9PM).

My new EP "Cabaret" will be ready in just a matter of weeks!   There will definitely be some surprises in store, so keep checking back for all the latest from the greatest!!!

ROCK ON my Bitches!!!!

August 30, 2004

Bitches N' Ho's, Ho's N' Bitches!!!

It has been a little while since my last entry and I know you have all been anxiously awaiting my next entry!   I appreciate and thank you for your patience.   Got some things to share with you, so I will get right to it!

Had an awesome, KICK ASS, high energy set on Thursday 8/26 in the Big Apple (more like the Big Lizard - haha!) at the Lizard Lounge.   I want to thank everyone for coming out to the show!   It was a great pleasure to entertain you and there is nothing like the energy of a NYC crowd!!!

Then on Friday, I decided to show some local support and went out to the "Big Will Benefit Show" at Club Crannell.   For those of you who may not know him, Will is an avid supporter of live music in the area and was seriously injured in a car accident a few weeks back.   The HV Scene and Rhythmden Productions, along with many bands including Red Devil Suit, Blood Shot Hooligans, Robots and Empires (formerly When Dreams Die) and others, all helped make the night a success, and it was really great to see everyone come together for Will!   Will, I wish you a speedy recovery!

I have a special announcement to make - I would like to congratulate Gary Mendes on becoming the new drummer for XOCH!   Welcome aboard Gary!   Our former drummer Mark Massey has had to leave the band due to personal obligations (his last show was the Lizard Lounge on 8/26), but it's all good and we love Mark!   Mark was great with us, and we thank him for the time he spent jamming with us.   Now a new chapter will open with Gary, and myself, Vince Ripper, John "J. Boogie, Jr." Fox, and Rockstar Dan Lagana are all really looking forward to rockin' the future with him!

I also want to thank everyone who auditioned over the last month, for taking the time to learn the material and to come and play with us.   You are all very good players, hard workers, and wonderful people, and it was really hard to choose just one of you for the position.   I thank you humbly and sincerely for your interest and efforts, and it was truly a pleasure to meet and work with such great people!

On Wednesday 9/1, I'm heading out to Sun Valley/Ketchum, Idaho for a week!   I'm very excited because I will be seeing two very good friends who I have not seen in a long time.   While I'm out there, I will be doing some promotion for my CD along with spreading the XOCH prophecy, so it should be a blast and I'm totally looking forward to going out west!   Sun Valley here I come!

Just a reminder that on Wednesday 9/15, I will be live in the WVKR (91.3FM) studio for the Scene Unseen program.   Tune in beginning at 7:30PM for a full hour of XOCH!!   Scene Unseen airs from 6-9PM every Wednesday.   For more info, please visit http://www.sceneunseen.org/.

Then on Friday 9/17, join me for a special acoustic performance at the Cubbyhole Coffeehouse (44 Raymond Ave. Poughkeepsie, NY, near Vassar College) beginning at 9PM.   This is an all ages show (yay!!!) and best of all, no cover charge!   For more info, please visit my GIGS page!

.......the evolution of XOCH has just begun........

August 9, 2004

Whew! What a crazy couple of weeks!!   I hope everyone is enjoying the summer!!

First off, I want to extend my regards and condolences to my guitarist Vince Ripper, whose mother passed away on July 28, 2004.   She was just 58 years old and died very suddenly and unexpectedly, yet peacefully.   I want to personally thank all the fans, friends, and musicians who have extended their condolences and well wishes to Vince and his family during this very difficult time.   You are so appreciated!   Marie Rose DiGiorgio, 7/6/1946 - 7/28/2004.   May she Rest in Peace.   We will all miss you.

The Chance 7/30 - A great and totally awesome show!!!   I want to thank all the bands on the bill - Chris Cubeta, Parlor, Blue Funke, and Aisle 9 for such an incredible night of live, original music!   I also want to thank all the wonderful fans, new & old (whassup Sarah "Baby Gurl"!!!) who came out to make the show a success!!   It was truly a pleasure to entertain you all!!   There are a whole bunch of photos from this show on my PHOTOS page, courtesy of Plasmud and thehvscene.com (thanks Plas!), so go and check 'em out!   I also want to say a very special and heartfelt thanks to my band for this show - Vince still played the show even though it was a very difficult day for him, and the rest of the band came together in love and support for Vince during his time of need.   So - Thanks to Vince Ripper, John Fox, Dan Lagana, and Mark Massey for all of your love, dedication, and support.   A girl could not have 4 nicer bandmates, and I love you guys!

On Saturday 8/7, it was off to Kingston, NY for a gig at Rosita's!   K104 (WSPK 104.7FM) was on hand at the event.   I want to thank my fans for coming up to the Kingston area to ROCK OUT with me!!!   I also want to thank Rochelle, K104, and the staff at Rosita's for being so supportive of me and my music!

I'm finally back in the studio on Wednesday 8/11 to finish laying down final guitar and vocal tracks on "Johanna's Cafe".   I can't wait to get back to work on this song again because it will be so much fun to let loose in the studio!!   The new CD is close to being completed and I am anxious to share these new songs with everyone!   Please keep checking my website for details on the upcoming release of my new EP CD, "Cabaret", as well as a soon-to-be completely revised website to celebrate this forthcoming release!

My next live appearance will be in fabulous NYC at the hot up & coming venue The Lizard Lounge on Thursday August 26!   I hit the stage at 9PM.   So come on down and party with me in NYC my BITCHES!!!!!!   For more info, please visit my GIGS page.

Until next time, take care and ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!

the evolution of XOCH has just begun......

July 26, 2004

WHASSUP?!!!!!!

Fun, fun, fun boys & girls!   The boyz and I had a kick ass, high energy set rockin' NYC last Thursday 7/22 at Don Hill's!   I want to thank all the fans who came out, and also Nicki Camp from Don Hill's for having us on the bill!   We will return there soon!

On Saturday 7/24, we played a house concert in Stormville, NY.   The weather was perfect for an outdoor gig and we had such a blast performing!   We played a couple of hours of originals, and we also threw in a couple of cover songs and had some guest musicians come up and perform!   So, I want to thank both Ace Marshall and Stacey Steele for rehearsing your ASSES off (seriously you guys!) along with Chris & Dina (the fine hosts of the party) for the opportunity!

Want XOCH to come ROCK OUT at your house?!   Send me an email at xochmusic@yahoo.com and I will get back to you with all the details!

And since I'm thanking people from everywhere - I want to say thanks to my #1 fan from the UK - Dave Smith (aka Rockin' Weatherman!)   Dave writes me almost every day!   His enthusiasm, support, and love for music is contagious and truly awesome!   International fan fare is an incredible thing - Thanks Dave!

Getting ready for another live show this Friday 7/30 at The Chance in Poughkeepsie.   Some great acts are on the bill - Chris Cubeta, Parlor, Blue Funke, and Aisle 9.   Discounted tickets are still available while supplies last, so send me an email if you want a ticket!   For more info, please visit my GIGS Page.

Until next time - ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!

...the evolution of XOCH has just begun...

July 14, 2004

ROCK AND ROLL week my Bitches!!!   Awesome show at the Cubbyhole last Friday!   I want to thank all of you for coming out and sharing a beautiful summer night with me & the boyz!!!!!   I also want to thank Lee Brown who is the owner of the Cubbyhole for his hospitality and for being an avid supporter of the music scene!!   I have another acoustic appearance this Friday for the "Hear It (kinda) Loud Magazine" Acoustic Show at the Boone Dog Coffee House on Main Street in Brewster, NY, so be sure to check it out!!   I also have full electric performances at Don Hill's in NYC on July 22, a House Concert/Private Party on July 24, and at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY on July 30 (discounted tickets are available for $5!).   Plenty of chances to come out, beat the heat, ROCK OUT and celebrate summer!!   For all the details, please visit my GIGS page!!

Tonight, I'm in the recording studio!   I'm really excited about recording and working with my Producer Chris Cubeta again!   Tonight, Vince and I will be laying down some scratch vocals and rhythm guitar in order to get the drums tracked, and we'll build it from there.   I will be doing the rest of the session over the next week or two between my upcoming shows.   The song is called "Johanna's Cafe" and it is the final song to be recorded for my upcoming EP CD release "Cabaret".   The EP will contain 6 brand new songs, and maybe a surprise bonus track or three.   That's right boys and girls, you heard it here first!   Once this final song is completely finished we'll do a new photo shoot for the cover, and then press up some CD's!   With some luck, my second CD will be out and available before Labor Day weekend, right in time for the European release of my first CD "The ONE" (allegedly coming out in Europe this month).   Please keep checking back for all the latest from the greatest!!!

Want to be a part of Team XOCH?!   I'm currently looking for people who are innovative and motivated to be my Street Team!   No experience is necessary, just a desire to work, love of music, and a little creativity!!   Please feel free to email me at xochmusic@yahoo.com for more information!

That's the haps!   Until next time, ROCK ON!!!

...the evolution of XOCH has just begun...

July 2, 2004

WHASSUP!!   I have to say, what a killer set at CBGB's Wednesday night!!   The boyz and I totally ROCKED the HOUSE and mesmerized the crowd!!   YEAH!!!   Screams of "ENCORE" could be heard for minutes after my set, and I think it was our most kick-ass show ever!   I love the energy of CBGB's because it is a such a great stage to play!   I want to thank all my wonderful NYC friends for coming out to the show and for making my night so special!   It was a pleasure to see you all there - Thanks!!!

And in local news - I have a full page feature in today's edition of the Poughkeepsie, NY publication, The Poughkeepsie Weekly Beat.   The Weekly Beat is a weekly newspaper distributed throughout the Poughkeepsie Area.   Check out what Vince, John, and I had to say about the local scene with writer Darren Ratner.   Thanks Darren for taking the time to speak with us, it was such a pleasure!   You will be able to check out the feature within the next few days when we post it on my REVIEWS Page.

Lots of new live pictures lately, on my PHOTOS page, with even more to come in the next few days!   Have ya seen 'em?

I have two acoustic performances coming up - Friday July 9 at The Cubbyhole Coffeehouse (44 Raymond Ave in Poughkeepsie, near Vassar College).   Show starts at 9PM and it will be a rare 2 set acoustic performance, performing all of the songs from my CD "The ONE", all of the new songs coming out SOON on my forthcoming EP CD "Cabaret", some unreleased originals, one Butch Walker/M3 cover song (haha), and even some old Fuzzies favorites.   Been awhile since I did 2 full hour long sets, so don't miss it!   And on Friday July 16 I will be performing with the "HEAR IT (kinda) LOUD Magazine" acoustic showcase show at The Boone Dog Coffee House (Main St, Brewster, NY), set time 7PM.   Also on the bill is Park Ranger, Long Divide, Mikey Hyde, Fair St. & more!   Best of all, admission to both of these acoustic shows is FREE!   I'll get back to rockin' out at the end of the July with several full electric band shows at the Chance in Poughkeepsie and Don Hill's in NYC, but for the next week or so, it's acoustic time!   For more info, please check out my GIGS Page.

ROCK ON MY BITCHES!!!!   Have an awesome weekend celebrating Independence!!!!!!

June 21, 2004

WHASSUP MY BITCHES!!

Well summer is officially here!   It's the time of year when everyone looks forward to going out and about!   So why not spend your summer ROCKIN' OUT with me?!   Got some shows coming up for all you social butterflies (Sunday June 27 @ Club Crannell & Wednesday June 30 @ CBGB's!), so please visit my GIGS Page for all the details!

I kicked off my first weekend of summer with a night on the town with the girls!!   On Saturday evening, I was partying in Poughkeepsie with my crew at The Matrix!   Me and the girls tore up the dance floor and had a blast (Lois-love your horns baby!   Such a bad girl!!) doing so!   K104 (WSPK FM) was in the house for the K104 Saturday Night Dance Party!   Some of the fellas in the club were having a little too much of a good time!   Heather & Harmony had to practically fight this one guy off of them.   He wanted to dance with them so bad that he was rubbing up against them like a Chihuahua in heat!!   Down boy!!   It was so hysterical!!!!   So I want to thank my girls (You ROCK BITCHES!) for an awesome night out!!

Stay tuned for all the latest from the greatest!   I will be going back into the studio sometime in July to record one more track, so look for an upcoming CD release from me later on this summer!   Take care and ROCK ON!

...the evolution of XOCH has just begun..............

June 3, 2004

My Bitches!

I has such a blast playing live on WVKR's Scene Unseen program last night!   Thanks to all who tuned in to check it out!   I also want to thank Marc "Cherry Poppin" Stuart and his crew for their hospitality, and for being fans of my music and avid XOCH supporters!

Got some live dates coming up.   This Saturday 6/5, I'm at the American Cancer Society "Relay for Life Benefit" at The Dutchess County Fairgrounds at 3PM.   This is a 24 hour walking marathon that runs from 7AM Saturday to 7AM Sunday with many local businesses participating in the event.   So come out, support a great cause, and show a girl some luv!

On June 30, I'm at CBGB's for a 9PM set!   What better way to kick off the summer than a show at a legendary venue in NYC!   Yeah baby!   Come take a bite out of the big apple with me!!

Don't forget to request XOCH on the following internet radio stations:

http://www.mwbmusic.com/MWBRadio/playing.html
http://www.crumbs.net/
http://www.mojomusicstudio.com/

Stay tuned for more...

...the evolution of XOCH has just begun...

May 26, 2004

WARNING!!!   This entry may not be suitable to anyone who has any morality, dignity, or authoritah!

This entry is dedicated to four young boys who live in Colorado and who aren't afraid to speak what's truly on their minds!   I also dedicate this entry to my favorite heavy, hard rockin' band - DVDA!

You may not know, but I'm a HUGE (like Cartman's FAT ASS HUGE) fan of South Park.   I enjoy tuning in to the show any chance I get!   It's the most hysterical show on TV and this season is the BEST by far!   I have no particular character that is my favorite (although I know everyone's obvious favorite is Cartman) because there are so many to choose from (Towelie, Saddam, Satan, Jesus, Super Best Friends, Timmy, Jimmy, Chef, Terrance & Phillip, Professor Chaos, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Slave, Lemmiwinks -I could go on - seriously, you guys!   This show has warped my fragile little mind!) If you have not, do yourself a favor and check out the show!   And if you're feeling extremely ambitious, go through my column here over the last many months and see if you can locate all the hidden South Park references and phrases!

I want to give a shout out to my aging liberal hippie friends Biz & Kelly who have the pleasure of living in their quiet, little, podunk, white trash mountain town!!   I sincerely hate you guys!   SUCK MY ASS!   You got served!!   Oh yeah!   Now it's ON!!!!!!

I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the 4th season on DVD.   Hurry up already God Damn it!   Must go, must buy!   I have to buy it!   Buy, buy, buy!   The DVD!

Well I hope you enjoyed my ramblings as much as I did writing and reciting them!!   I figure I would give you all something a little out of the ordinary today.   And if you don't like it, you can ...(as Cartman would say) "suck my balls!"

More to come!

...the evolution of XOCH has just begun...

May 17, 2004

Friday night's show was killer!   It was my first electric show in seven months and I feel like it was the best show of my life!!   I want to especially thank my boys - Vince Ripper, Rockstar Dan, J-Boogie, Jr. and Mark for your awesome presence and performance during the set!   You guys are my idols!   I want to thank my fans and friends for coming out and sharing a great night of live music and entertainment with me!   I also want to give thanks to The HV Scene for coming out to shoot some pics of the show.   You can check out 19 photos from my show in the Gallery at http://www.thehvscene.com/.   Go take a visit there and support the music scene in our area!

And in other news, I'm pleased to announce that I have just signed with renowned music industry veteran Paul Ewing of Wings Music Entertainment, Ltd. as my new Manager.   Paul has had an extensive 30 year gloried career as a major music industry player - as a Vice-President at Warner Brothers for 18 years, and as a General Manager with EMI for many years before then.   Paul is a great guy and I would like to thank him for joining "Team XOCH"!   To contact Paul Ewing, email him at wingsmusic@aol.com.

Got some live events coming your way!!   On June 2, tune in to 91.3 FM WVKR's Scene Unseen program and check out XOCH live in the studio for a special acoustic performance!!   That's right!   A full hour of XOCH dominating the airwaves!!   And on June 5, join me at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY at 3PM for the "Relay for Life Benefit".   All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society for research.   Together, we can make a difference (make a better place for you and me!), so come out and support a great cause and have fun!!!!   And on June 30 at 9PM, I will be rockin' CBGB's at 315 The Bowery, NYC with my good friends Blue Funke (they go on at 10).   This show promises to be a really special show for me, so come on out and ROCK THE HIZOUSE with me and the boys!   For more info on upcoming shows, please visit my GIGS page.

That's the haps!   More to come soon!

The evolution of XOCH has just begun......

May 4, 2004

WHASSUP?!!!!

I had such a blast at the Cubbyhole Coffeehouse on Saturday!   The place was packed and people started gathering around outside the door on the sidewalk just to check out the show!   It was an honor to play to such a wonderful, enthusiastic crowd!   I played the first three songs off of my CD "The ONE" (The ONE, You & My Desire) along with five new songs that I recently finished in the studio (Not That Kind of Girl, Indigo Song, Best I Never Had, Yesterday & Cabaret).   There are some people I would like to thank for helping make the show a success: first, my BOYZ Vince Ripper, J-Boogie Jr. & Rock Star Dan for a tight, kick ASS (seriously you guys!) set, Chris Cubeta, Todd Mihan & Danny Lanzetta of Galuminum Foil for sharing the night with us, Lee Brown for making the Cubbyhole such a great venue for live music, and last but certainly not least in my book, THE FANS!!!!   Thank you all for a wonderful show!!

Looks like I have a show coming up at The Chance Theatre in Poughkeepsie on Friday, May 14 opening up for former Epic Recording Artist and national act The Radiators.   Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or The Chance Box-office.   This will be my first electric show since October 2003, and this one will be with my brand new live band!   For more info, log on to http://www.thechancetheater.com/ or call (845) 471-1966.   So come and ROCK OUT WITH ME BITCHES!!!

.....the evolution of XOCH has just begun .......

April 19, 2004

Whassup y'all?!!!

I know it's been a while since I made an entry, so I appreciate your patience!   As the old cliche goes, good things come to those who wait!!   I have a few cool things I'm dying to share with you guys.

First, you can catch me live in action once again!   That's right boys and girls, XOCH has a couple of shows lined up, so mark these dates on your calendar -

Saturday, May 1, 2004 for an acoustic show at The Cubbyhole Coffeehouse (44 Raymond Ave Poughkeepsie, NY).   My good friends Chris Cubeta and Danny Lanzetta are sharing the bill with me.   Show starts at 9PM.

Then Wednesday June 30, 2004 I will be ROCKIN' OUT electric style at the legendary CBGB's (315 The Bowery, NYC) for my first full electric band show since October, 2003!   So for all my NYC fans who have been asking when I'll be back, your wish has been granted!   Come on out and show a sista some luv!!!

Next, I want to give a shout-out to a few friends who have been auditioning and rehearsing with me to perform as my new live band - of course, my co-writing partner Vince Ripper on Guitar, as well as "Rockstar" Dan Lagana (of "Loose Marbles/Gravity Krush" fame) on Guitar, John Fox (of "3 Up 3 Down" fame) on Bass, and Marc Massey (of "Feed the Rhino" fame) on Drums!   We have been hard at work rehearsing to get ready for my upcoming shows, and everything is going great so far!   I'm very excited to get back out there and entertain you all!

I have a great new review of my CD "The ONE" to tell you about!   I would like to thank DiscoveringArtists.com for their kind words and great comments about my CD.   The review is now posted here on my site, so take a minute and go to my REVIEWS page to check out what they had to say!

Lastly, the UK release of my CD "The ONE" has been pushed back a bit, and will be released sometime in May (exact release date is currently unknown).   Now and Then Records has secured a new distribution company, and I have been told that it will be a much better situation for all involved!   Now and Then Records is due to make a major press release about this very soon, so hang tight everyone - as soon as I have more information and an exact release date, I will be sure to let you know!

Stick around for more after these messages .......

Until next time...ROCK ON, my Bitches!!!!!!!

April 1, 2004

Rock & Roll weekend for me, baby!!   I hope that you all had a KICK ASS weekend!

Recap of the weekend - After working so diligently in the studio over the last 3 weeks, I decided that I needed to take a break and I went out to support my friends who were playing at The Chance Theatre in Poughkeepsie, NY last Friday night.   I had a great time getting out and seeing everyone ROCK OUT!   "Aisle Nine" opened the night with a great high energy set of Modern Rock material!   Next to hit the stage were "Dolor" who played some seriously intense Hard Rock.   Next on the bill were my good friends "Gravity Krush" who play Modern Rock with a straight up Rock feel!!   Rockstar Dan of Gravity Krush was so sick that night, but he managed to pull through the set and put on a great stage show!   Then "Chris Cubeta and the Liar's Club" hit the stage and closed out the night with an awesome set of some straight up Rock!   It was really a good line up and all the bands styles of music complimented each other well!

I'm happy to announce that as of yesterday, I have five new songs completed for my next CD ("Best I Never Had", "Not That Kind of Girl", "Yesterday", "Indigo Song", and "Cabaret")!!!   I'm very proud of these new songs and I want to thank Vince Ripper (my guiding force!), Chris Cubeta (you da man!), Todd Mihan, Jerry Terwilliger, Frank Carillo, John Fox, Amber Fox, and Magdalena (Bitches N' Ho's 4 ever!!!) for all your help with this session!!   I'd also like to thank our co-writing pals John Casulli and Kevin Slover for assisting Vince and I in writing two of these five songs, John on "Best I Never Had", and Kevin on "Not That Kind of Girl".   It was truly a pleasure to work with you all, and I thank you for sharing this experience with me!   I will have some samples up very shortly, so please keep checking my website for more details!!

In other news, I'm pleased to announce that my interview with Nicky Baldrian of AORDreamZones.com is now posted on my site.   Thanks, Darling Nicky!!   Please visit the REVIEWS Page to check it out!

Last November, I had signed a Management contract with John Hendrix.   Due to a number of circumstances, we have mutually agreed to part ways, and it was an amicable separation.   I firmly believe that as one door closes, another door opens, so I'm pleased to announce that I am once again a free agent!

Lots and lots of stuff coming for you!!   Don't forget the April 12, 2004 UK release of "XOCH - The ONE"!   Keep checking back for all the latest from the greatest!

ROCK ON MY BITCHES!!!!!

March 23, 2004

I have been having a blast ROCKIN' OUT in the studio!!!!!   The tracks sound really amazing!   I just finished all of my main vocals during yesterday's session.   I even got to do not one, but three(!!) clarinet parts on "Cabaret".   I brought in my best friend Magdalena to do some baritone sax on "Cabaret", and it was so much fun to play those horn parts!!   Magdalena and I go way back, and we used to play in the High School band together!!   We were totally cracking up between takes, but the part sounds awesome and we really had so much fun playing our old instruments again!   Long live the Bitches N' Ho's Symphony!!!!!

I also had another very special guest in the studio last week, a great guy named Frank Carillo.   For those of you who don't know Frank, he's quite famous and a career musician.   He had 2 albums out on Atlantic Records in 1978/79 under the band name "Carillo", he played guitar on the first two Peter Frampton albums, he has written for Carly Simon, he worked extensively with a well-known European female artist named Anouk, and many, many other wonderful career highlights.   Frank is well-known and well-respected in my region as a master of many instruments.   Our Producer Chris Cubeta is great friends with Frank, so we decided to bring Frank in to take advantage of some of his unique talents.   Frank played Tamboura (an Indian resonant instrument) on "Indigo Song", and on "Cabaret" he played a Laud (a Spanish 12-string "mandolin-ish" instrument), as well as an acoustic guitar track performed on my "Little Martin" mini-acoustic guitar.   Frank was GREAT, and it is an honor to have him play on my songs.   Thanks Frank!   You guys will love it!

I'm back in the studio again on Thursday March 25th to finish up the final touches (backing vocals, percussion, etc.), and on Sunday March 28th, we will be mixing and mastering the five tracks at Millbrook Sound Studios.   It's so nice to work hard toward something that is important to you, because it gives you a real sense of accomplishment when it's finally finished!

And in other news, I recently did an interview with Plasmud of TheHVScene.com.   The interview is posted on their site.   I want to thank Plasmud for taking the time to speak with me!   I appreciate The HV Scene for all their support of music here in the Hudson Valley of NY!!   Visit them at http://www.thehvscene.com/.   The interview is also posted on my REVIEWS page.

I also did an interview with Nicky Baldrian of UK-based melodic music website, AORDreamZones.com.   As my CD "The ONE" is set to be released in the UK in just under 3 weeks (April 12, 2004!), Nicky wanted to give me a little pre-release publicity!   This interview should be posted within the next couple of days at both AORDreamZones.com, and on my REVIEWS page.   Thanks Nicky!

That's it for now!   Until next time my bitches,

ROCK ON!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

March 17, 2004

What's the haps, freaks, friends and fans?!   I have been busy, busy in the studio!   I have chosen five GREAT new songs that I'm working on for this session.   The songs are "Indigo Song", "Not That Kind of Girl", "Yesterday", "Best I Never Had", and "Cabaret".   Chris Cubeta is producing the session, and for the uninformed, he also produced the first three tracks on my CD, "The ONE".   Todd Mihan and Jerry Terwilliger are also making repeat performances on this session by playing tracks on the recording.   I'm very excited about the new songs!!   On Sunday night, Jerry laid down drum tracks to the five songs and man do they ROCK, BABY!!   Some really innovative stuff on a couple of the tracks, too.   Oh YEAH!!   Did you guys know that Jerry was signed to Island Records a few years ago with a band called "Pound"?   Yep, that's right!   Pound even had their song "Upside Down" as the featured song during halftime at the Superbowl a few years ago.   Todd Mihan and Chris Cubeta are no slouches either!   And, of course, add myself and Vince into the mix and you're looking at the makings of a GREAT recording.   I have a few surprises in store too, and here are a few small hints - harmonica, tamboura, stand-up bass, clarinet, string sections, and some other very cool things as well.   This recording session is breaking all of the previous rules I had, and it is definitely the evolution of XOCH!   The new recordings are really going to turn some heads.   Believe me, you'll see soon enough!

We are back in the studio tonight, and the next several nights, for more tracking!   I just love the studio because it's so exciting to watch songs develop from a basic acoustic guitar chord structure and a vocal melody, to a full scale "in your face" production!

Also, I have a new press piece for you to check out!   I have a front page interview/feature on the website Talentbox.com.   I would like to thank Voytek at Talentbox for taking the time to speak with me!   Please check it out on my REVIEWS page.

Some advice for indie artists - spend the time and the few dollars needed to file copyright forms on your music, because it just may come in handy one day!   Keep track of any and all publicity, sales, radio play and web traffic that you have, because that may also be helpful.   And don't be afraid to stand up and shout if you hear something that sounds like your song, because you just might be right!

A cool reminder - My CD "The ONE" is set for release in the UK on April 12, 2004!   To all my fans in the UK waiting with bated breath, I thank you for your support!   For more info on the release of "The ONE" in the UK, please visit Now & Then Records at http://www.nowandthen.co.uk/, or keep checking back here for all the latest news!!

Keeping it short and sweet!   ROCK ON MY BITCHES!!!!

March 4, 2004

My Bitches!   Lots of tasty treats to share with you guys!

Besides studying my ASS off (seriously you guys!!   I'm taking World History in college!) I have been preparing for my upcoming studio session.   On Monday 3/1/04, Vince and I had our first pre-production rehearsal with Chris Cubeta, our Producer, to determine which songs will be recorded, as we get ready to begin my next CD project.   After presenting 8 new songs, we narrowed it down to 5 for this particular session!!   The songs that we will be recording are all new, and they are - "Not That Kind of Girl", "Best I Never Had", "Indigo Song", "Cabaret" and "Yesterday".   I think the new material are some of the best songs I have ever written, and I can't wait to begin recording!   Our next pre-production rehearsal is tonight, and we will begin tracking in the next week or so.   I'm very excited about these 5 new songs and I will definitely keep you all posted with details of the entire recording process!   We're hopeful to have the entire session finished by the beginning of April, and then I'll have some great new songs to show you all.

In the meantime, if you need some mental stimulation, check out my new CD review in the national music industry trade publication, Music Connection Magazine!   This is my very first review in a national level print magazine here in the US, and I'm excited about that.   You can check out this great review on my REVIEWS page.   I want to thank the CD review committee at Music Connection for their kind words, and I also would like to personally thank Daylle Deanna Schwartz for putting me in touch with Music Connection!   Belief, determination and positive energy REALLY does go a long way!

As you all know, I'm a firm believer in free expression, so I encourage you to feel free to write me and share your ideas!   Sometimes it's nice to know that there are people who do appreciate creative efforts!   I will always take the time to respond to every email personally because your feedback is important to me!   Thank you so much for being the best fans a girl can have!

Lastly, I would like to wish a very special young man a Happy 12th Birthday today, March 4th.   Happy Birthday, Vinman!!!

The evolution of XOCH is just beginning, so keep checking out the site for all the latest from the greatest!!!!

ROCK ON!!!!

February 18, 2003

Whassup!!!!!!

I know it has been a while since I did an entry, but I have a few cool things in the works.

Songwriting for my next CD has been going extremely well!   As an artist, it's extremely important to me that I create new works, with new meaning and inspirations and not re-hash the same old songs with different titles.   Don't get me wrong, it's not always easy to create, but if you are patient and remember to enjoy the process, it's truly a fulfilling accomplishment!   I know you guys are going to really enjoy the new stuff, so I will keep you all posted.   Several new songs should be recorded and available for listening by April, so keep checking back......

At the moment, I'm currently looking for some out-going, friendly peeps to start up a Street Team.   If you enjoy going out, meeting new people, and have a passion for music, then please email me with your info (name, age and where you are located) and I will get in touch with you with more info!

There is a brand new music magazine here in the Hudson Valley, NY. It's called "Hear It Loud!", and the first issue is currently on newsstands all around this region.   I want to thank Jeremy for including a live photo of me in the first issue!   This magazine should help the Hudson Valley music scene grow, and I want to wish Jeremy and his staff tons of luck with their new venture.

My SONGS page has been updated once again!   The live bootlegs and the Christmas song have been taken down, and new samples of 11 songs from my CD "The ONE" are now posted.   Now those of you who have not yet purchased "The ONE" (what are you waiting for?!?!) can get a taste of the entire CD.   Check it out, and get your copy NOW!

That's it for now!   Keep checking back here for all the latest news in the world of XOCH.

ROCK ON, MY BITCHES!!!!

February 3, 2004

What's the Haps?   A quick update for today -

February is in full swing!   I have really been enjoying this songwriting time, and I have several exciting new songs in the works!   In the last 2 weeks alone I've written 4 new songs, and the new stuff is just awesome.   It's so much fun to try all sorts of new ideas, and to be creative!   At this point, I'm not even sure what new songs we will be recording in March, because they are all so good.   I promise you friends and fans will be very pleased with what's coming on my next CD.   I simply love and enjoy the entire writing, recording and studio process, so I can't wait to start recording!!

In some VERY exciting international news, I finally have a European release date for my CD!!!   "The ONE" is now scheduled to be released in the UK and Europe on April 12, 2004 by Now & Then Records.   So to all my European fans - look for XOCH in a store near you, coming very soon!

In some cool cyber news, CRUMBS Radio has chosen my song "My Desire" as the #2 song of 2003, in their Top Ten Tracks of 2003 List!!   "CRUMBS" is an acronym that stands for "Capitol Region Unofficial Musicians and Bands Site".   The 'Capitol Region' refers to the NY State capitol city, Albany, NY, and the surrounding areas - basically, the site covers indie music and artists from all of upstate NY, except for NYC.   Considering that there are so many great bands and artists in this region, I feel very honored to have my song "My Desire" chosen as the #2 song of the year (especially considering that CRUMBS did not even receive my CD until October/November of 2003!).   I want to say thanks to Andy Gallo and CRUMBS Radio for their great support of XOCH!!   The Top Ten Tracks of 2003 are counted down daily on CRUMBS Radio, so check these guys out at Crumbs.net.

A quick plug for a great and informative music industry book - The book is called "The REAL DEAL: How To Get Signed to A Record Label", and it is written by an excellent author, Ms. Daylle Deanna Schwartz.   This book is a MUST READ for ANYONE trying to get their music heard.   The book is published by Billboard Press (publishing company for Billboard Magazine), and it is simply a great, easy to read, and very informative book on trying to make it as an indie artist.   Many top industry names are interviewed in the book, and the advice that Daylle gives her readers is just golden.   So, go to your local bookstore and pick it up - you just might learn something!

That's it for now!   Please check back here for all the latest in the world of XOCH!!   ROCK ON!!

January 29, 2004

Alright, my Bitches!

What a fantastic show at The Chance on Saturday!!!   I want to thank you all for coming out and making it what it was, and that was a GREAT NIGHT OF LIVE MUSIC!!!!   I want to say thanks to all the artists that I shared the bill with: Chris Cubeta and the Liar's Club, Danny Lanzetta, 3Up 3Down and Stonehaven.   It was truly a pleasure!!

Saturday night began with load in and sound check.   When I got to The Chance for my sound check, the place was freezing!!!!!   It couldn't have been much warmer inside than it was outside!!!!   So instead of letting it get to me, I set up shop (Merch).   Then it was off to the stage for sound check.   Side note - I want to thank Rob at The Chance for the amazingly well heard vocal sound!

Doors opened at 8:30pm and Stonehaven opened the night with a great set of originals and covers.   Then it was my turn to the hit the stage.   When I got up there, I could almost see my breath it was so cold!!   So for the first song, I ended up wearing my jacket.   By the time I was done with the first song (The ONE), I finally felt warmer than I had felt all night!!!!!   I even played a brand new song I had just finished writing called "Not That Kind of Girl" which I plan on recording in the studio soon.   Overall, I really and thoroughly enjoyed ROCKIN' the HOUSE acoustic style!!

Next up was Chris Cubeta and the Liar's Club.   Chris and his band are very talented, so I always enjoy checking out their set!!   They played a brand new song that night (I really liked the song, now if only I could remember the name - sorry Chris!).   Then Danny Lanzetta came up and did some spoken word towards the end of Chris' set, which I think really adds a unique twist!

And last but certainly not least was 3Up 3Down, who closed the night out with some choice 70's Hard Rock Covers from the likes of KISS and early AC/DC!!   They were a very tight and well rehearsed crew.   Definitely fun music to party to!!

I also want to thank all my friends and family for coming out to the show on Saturday!!   I appreciate you all so much!!

Some cool new tidbits:

Have you seen the new intro to my website?   Cool, right?

I have just lowered the price of my CD "The ONE" at cdbaby.com.   You can purchase the CD for the new low price of $11.99.   So show a sista some love and buy it already!

Thanks to famous Rock and Roll writer Dave Reynolds (Classic Rock, Kerrang!, Fireworks) for picking me as one of the Top 10 Artists for 2004 on his personal website, Reyno-Roxx.com.   I can only support Dave in this very insightful decision (hehe)!   To see Dave's list, go to his site, click on the "Notes" button, and then go to the January 1st, 2004 entry - you'll see!   Thanks Dave!

These are the last few days that you can check out my 'live bootleg' songs, and also my Christmas song, on my SONGS page!   As the holidays have passed, it's time to pull down the Christmas stuff until the next holiday season.   As far as the 'live bootlegs' go - well, they've been up for awhile now, and I'm going into the studio very soon to track a few of them for my next CD, so it's time to take these raw versions down in anticipation of some great new recordings.   Only a few more days left, so check 'em out while you still can!

A special thanks to a great friend of mine for handing out my CDs and packages to many music industry people at the MIDEM Music Conference in Cannes, France this last week.   Lots of European, Australian and Japanese Music Executives are listening to XOCH right now, and that is simply awesome.   I will protect my friend's anonymity and not reveal her name here (sorry about that guys, but she's kinda famous), but she's a big XOCH fan, and I just wanted her to know how much I appreciate her hard work on my behalf, and her confidence in me and my music!   Thanks so much!

My website traffic is crazy lately!   It's nearly doubled in the last 2 months!   Lots and lots of people coming through the site these days, and that is very encouraging.   See - I told you that the XOCH Prophecy would spread throughout the lands!   Get Ready!!!

Gigs will be sparse for awhile because I'm in some serious writing mode right now, and I want to concentrate on that for the time being.   Over the next few months I will be doing a LOT of recording - many acoustic demos, and several full blown, album quality band tracks as well.   Busy, busy, busy!   I'll pick up a gig here and there, but I won't be going at it full blown until after the Spring.   Don't worry, it will all be worth it when you hear the new songs, and hopefully I'll be able to get something out there soon.

Lots of VERY cool things coming!   Stay tuned for more details.   Until then -

ROCK ON!!!!!!!

January 22, 2004

WHASSUP my Bitches, Hos & Bros?!!!!

Welcome to another edition of the infamous XOCH Notes!   A couple of goodies to share with you all. To kick things off, I have yet another excellent new CD review for you to check out.   The wonderful staff over at The Hudson Valley Scene (thehvscene.com) were so kind to surprise me with a CD review of "The ONE"!   I want to thank Plasmud and the crew over at The HV Scene for the great things they said about me (not that any of it isn't true - ha ha!).   To check it out, please visit my REVIEWS Page.

Looking for an escape from this cold week of hell?   Why not come out to The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY this Saturday night and catch a live night of great music!   I will opening the night with a special acoustic set (with Vince Ripper and Kevin Slover backing me up on two acoustic guitars), followed by Chris Cubeta & the Liar's Club, along with 3Up 3Down.   Doors open at 8:30PM.   This will be a great show and a lot of fun, so you have to be there!   "I have to buy a ticket, got to buy one, got to buy, buy, buy, buy!".   For more info, please visit my GIGS Page.

So, the recording session is booked!   Beginning in mid-March, I will go into the studio to begin recording several tracks for my next CD.   I am planning on doing 5 songs for now, and hopefully I will be able to finish the rest of the album later on this year.   Chris Cubeta will be producing (he produced "The ONE", "You", and "My Desire" from my first CD, "The ONE"), and I am really looking forward to it!   What a GREAT band I've assembled for these sessions, too!   This should be the best session of my career to date, and I can't wait to show you all!   More on this in upcoming weeks.

Please keep checking back here for all the latest from ME!!   I welcome you to contact me anytime via email because I love hearing from the BEST FANS IN THE WORLD!!!!

Well, this concludes another fun-filled and informative edition of XOCH Notes.   Thank you for tuning in!   See you all on Saturday night!

ROCK ON!!!

January 9, 2004

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BITCHES!   I hope you all had a blast getting blasted!!

Ah, 2004 and a new beginning!   It's the time of year when we often reflect on all the events that have transpired over the course of the last year, so my first entry of the new year will be a recap of 2003  -

JANUARY 2003

I began 2003 being chosen for Rhythm and News' January Budweiser Band of the Month.   I was also chosen as the Hudson Valley, NY's Best Alternative Band and received 2nd place for Favorite Web site by voters of the Rhythm and News Annual Reader's Poll.   I then got my first radio play of the year by being featured for a full half hour segment on George Fletcher's "On Stage" program, which aired on 96.9/92.7FM WRRV.   On January 15th, my song "The ONE" was added to the Alternative Addiction Unknown Top Ten at AlternativeAddiction.com, and on January 16th, my CD first became available for sale at CDBaby.com, thereby making that day my official release date!   It was sometime in early to mid January (I don't remember exactly when because so much was happening so fast!) that I was contacted by well known UK Rock Writer Dave Reynolds (Classic Rock Magazine, Kerrang!) for a CD review and feature in his column in an upcoming issue of Classic Rock.   Nice way to kick off the year!

FEBRUARY 2003

Well, after my dear friend Dave contacted me, I suddenly found myself being contacted by many other writers and various professionals in the music industry, many from the UK and other places in Europe, like Belgium, Germany and France!   I had a great CD review at AORDreamZones.com, and I was featured in the Artist Spotlight at Indie-Connections.com.   I also had a CD review on MelodicRock.com, based in Tasmania, Australia, which is THE largest music web site in the Pacific Rim.   My song "The ONE" was hanging strong on the Alternative Addiction Top 10 Unknown Bands list.

MARCH 2003

By far, one of the more eventful and exciting time periods!!!   My CD review and feature that I did with Dave Reynolds was in the March issue of Classic Rock Magazine, and this was the very first time I received any significant press outside of the United States.   I was interviewed by even more writers and websites, and I was also the winner of AORDreamZones.com's Unsigned Band contest, where my song "My Desire" beat out 9 other songs by various artists from around the world!!  I also received a front page feature on Soundwerkz.com, a very well-known A&R website.   By this time, my song "The ONE" had begun to move up the ranks at AlternativeAddiction.com.   A bit more awesome CD press, too!

APRIL 2003

In a whirlwind of a development, I signed a Distribution/Promotion deal with well known UK indie label Now & Then Records for my CD "The ONE", although the CD is still unreleased (more on that later!)!   Even more European publications began to write about me as the XOCH prophecy began to spread across the oceans into different countries, and a CD review was featured in the European publication PowerPlay Magazine.   I also entered my 4th and final month on the Alternative Addiction Top 10 Unknown Bands list, an accomplishment that not many can say!

MAY 2003

My song "The ONE" was featured on the compilation CD sampler #6 that came with issue #12 of the UK publication Fireworks Magazine.   The CD was distributed at the annual GOD's Festival which is a huge, three day event of live music held in England, and my music was being played between bands during the entire festival!   I received several more front page features on various music websites.   The buzz about XOCH was really starting to kick now!!

JUNE 2003

Storyline Records posted a great review on their website.   Worked on some writing and networking.   All work and no play won't make XOCH a dull girl!   Even more web features on even more music sites!

JULY 2003

Started getting radio play on some stations around the USA, like KABU 90.7FM in Saint Michaels, ND, KGVA 88.1FM in Harlem, MT, KMHA 91.3FM in Newtown, ND, and in Dallas, TX, as well as a few other stations throughout the Southern and Mid-Western US.   I was featured on the "Addiction V.2" compilation CD released by AlternativeAddiction.com and Abray Records which was sent out to radio stations throughout the country and featured several national acts.   And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I was contacted by Bruce Mee of Fireworks Magazine for a huge interview piece to be featured in an upcoming issue!

AUGUST 2003

More radio time!!   At the beginning of the month, I was asked by local station WPDH 101.5FM to play their annual Roof-A-Thon benefit, where all proceeds go to benefit MDA.   I also did a live 1-hour interview via telephone for a web radio program called ArtistFirst.com.   Even more various radio play throughout the midwestern US.   And to finish out August, I was asked to be the featured spotlight guest for a live-in-the-studio performance on a great program called "The Studio" Independent Radio Show (currently syndicated to over 80 stations world wide!) in New Hampshire, where I debuted a few brand new songs for my next CD!

SEPTEMBER 2003

September was an incredible month for me!   My song "The ONE" was featured in the Lifetime Television Network Original Movie "Sex & the Single Mom" (world premiere was 9/8 at 9PM) and was heard by millions of people at once!   I was one of three featured artists at MidwestBands.com for their annual "Girl's Rock" month!   MidwestBands.com also posted their incredible review of "The ONE".   Definitely generated some interest my way!

OCTOBER 2003

This is generally the time when things in the industry slow down a little, but it's the perfect opportunity to get a lot of behind the scenes activity done.   I did an interview with Dave Reynolds for his new web site Reyno-Roxx.com.   I was also asked by Mojo Music Studio, creators of "The Studio" Radio show, to be on their 2nd annual Christmas Compilation CD, "Do You Hear What I Hear, Too?", and I got a great CD review in SoundCheck Magazine!

NOVEMBER 2003

My song "The Fool's Dream (Christmas Version)" was featured on the Mojo Music Studio compilation CD "Do You Hear What I Hear, Too?" which was sent out to radio stations all over the world.   For a change I received some local press, with a great CD review from Chronogram Magazine!   I took an awesome and very special vacation trip to Mexico, and to top it all off, at the end of November I signed a long negotiated Management contract with John Hendrix.

DECEMBER 2003

I had a great CD review featured on RikksRevues.com (which I didn't have a chance to mention until now - thanks so much Rikk!).   Also, my interview feature in Fireworks Magazine came out mid-December.   Since the magazine is bi-monthly, it covers Dec2003/Jan2004.

So as you can see, there were many exciting developments in the world of XOCH this last year.   At the end of 2002 I told you all that in 2003, XOCH was going to take over the world.   Well I may not have done that literally (hehe), but I certainly got myself and my music all around the planet, just like I said I would do!   2004 only promises to be better!!

I begin 2004 looking forward to the 'very soon to happen' European release by Now and Then Records of my CD "The ONE", a brand new Manager who is already working on some very exciting new opportunities, and a few other surprises you'll be hearing about soon.   2004 also looks to be the year that I will play my very first shows overseas in the UK (according to my friends at Now and Then Records, that is!), which is something I can't wait for!   And, I will begin recording tracks for my next CD beginning in March.   Not a bad agenda for the end of the first week of the year, right?

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped make 2003 a terrific year for me; first off my partner-in-crime Vince Ripper, the wonderful and talented musicians who played on my CD and who back me up live, the great bands and artists I had the pleasure of playing shows with (Gravity Krush/the Loose Marbles, Chris Cubeta and the Liar's Club, Zero260, Human X - You guys are all awesome!!), Joe Sofio, John Hendrix, Ron Bienstock, my AWESOME webmasters (Jonathan & Cary - THANKS FOR YOUR ENDLESS WORK!!!), Now & Then Records, the very awesome Mr. Dave Reynolds, Nicky Baldrian, Bruce Mee, Marc Stuart of WVKR's Scene Unseen (91.3FM), Mark & Jenny of MidwestBands.com, Dru and Chad at AlternativeAddiction.com, Rob Gilmore, Coop and Mad Mikey, The Mojo Music Studio crew, George Fletcher, Kurt Torster, Rob Evans, CDBaby.com, Luke at LukeHits.com, all of the great websites and bands that I cross-link with, and most of all, ALL OF YOU - my wonderful and supportive FANS!!   You guys KICK ASS!!!   I have the best fans any artist could ever dream of!   I wish you all a great New Year!   So keep checking back here for more in 2004!

ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!