| what the hell is all this? | what's this about a tour? |
the rocketnovember 5 1998
Frequent loop magazine contributor Hugh Brown, also known as Upstairs Hugh, has come up with his second indie release, glowing. Chock full of self-penned folkie nuggets and a cover of "Buffalo Stance," the album does not contain a track that makes reference to Scientology - he's not that dangerous....Available to buy soon.
the loopjanuary+february 1999 (special vancouver's most dangerous issue)
So let's assume that you're one of the great unwashed (and as a man who showers rarely, I mean that in the nicest possible way, I assure you) who doesn't know me personally, and that you've maybe stumbled across my site while looking for salsa recipes or the chords to Saturday In The Park. You're probably wondering just what the hell is going on. "This Upstairs Hugh," you're saying to yourself, "is he man or mouse?"
Welp, truth be told, I'm another one of those damned singer-songwriter types who scraped up enough money to put together a CD, and I'm confident/cocky/arrogant enough to think you need to know about it. (You do. Trust me.)
What do I sound like? Just think of your favourite solo singer-songwriter, and I betcha I sound just like them. Amazing coincidence, no? Musically it's me and an acoustic guitar, strummety-strum. Lyrically, Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies is probably my biggest songwriting influence (because he ROCKS, that's why), with Bruce Cockburn, Mark Eitzel, Lou Barlow and Vic Chessnut right up there too.
But wait...where are my manners? Welcome to my page. Throw your coat on the bed and have a look around. You'll find the usual vanity publishing bits: pix of me, facts about me, songs by me, and the occasional heavily-edited review of me ("Upstairs Hugh...is...[good]." -- Rolling Stone). Naturally, only the extremely high quality of everything I produce could possibly justify all of this.
(translation: um...hi there. that is all.)
(tr: eat my dust, indie rock!)
(tr: woop! woop woop!)
First up is the official release do ("Glowing: It's Pronounced Par-Tay.") on Saturday January 30th, eight 'til late. Check out the where next? page for directions to my friend Aaron's place.
(tr: my parties always rock. ask anyone. and sarah mclachlan might be there. allegedly.)
Next gig is on Thursday March 18th, at Vancouver's Bamboo Cafe. I set up the PA, play for two hours, bus some tables, neuter a cat, and eat flaming pizzas. It's all live. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.
(tr: better than a monster truck rally any day.)
(tr: help me survive y2k by sending me your valuable American dollars!)
(tr: hot 'n' juicy real audio! come and get it!)
Happy 99, everyone! Hope everyone had a good time at deep high noon. Myself, I waited three days and developed a back spasm to bring in the new year. Fun! Fun! But now I get to take lots of drugs and wear a bag of frozen peas around my lower back while keeping an amusingly pained expression on my face. This means I won't be playing at The Living Closet at La Quena this Saturday like I'd hoped. Next month for sure, though.
(tr: leroy, hand me my scratching stick.)
Everyone keeps asking me when the cd will be in. The answer: some time before the end of the month. I hope. And yes, there will be a party. So much for a small, intimate soiree, though...version 1.0 of the guest list has 134 people on it (!).
(tr: soon, precious...soon!)
(tr: hi kevin!)
I've got lyrics all typed up now. I wasn't going to put them in, except that I really wanted to be in the running for next year's Nobel prize for literature. Turns out you need a website for that. Who knew?
(tr: like a small book, only without the distracting continuity.)
The li'l asbestos-filled packet arrived at Magnetic Air's fine Burlington facilities intact. With any luck I should have cds in a month.
(tr: soon i'll be pestering everyone i know to follow through on their rash, alcohol-induced promises to give me money. no one will be safe.)
(tr: i just finished recording some songs in my living room. i make cds soon.)
All I have to do now is wait for the li'l piece of paper saying I've paid my money to cover a certain song, and the duplication house will leap into action. Heavily-trained technicians will lovingly craft and shape my album and then deliver it to my door.
(tr: i've always wanted to cover "Buffalo Stance"...now I get to flog 500 copies of it, too.)
Like I mentioned above, it looks like I should have my album some time in January or February. After a small release party for a few friends, I'll be shopping around for gigs and preparing for a summer of travel and open mics with my best friend.
(tr: pearl jam wants me to open for them on their next tour, but i'm thinking of turning them down for the Alannis gig instead. but the party is still gonna be small. i'm a down-to-earth kinda guy.)
