Interview: Sara Hickman

Sara_blue_guitar_thumb.jpgThe question I wanted to ask Sara Hickman but didn't was, "So when do you sleep?" Because with all things Hickman does on a regular basis, it seems like the answer might be, "Every other Thursday between 2 and 3 AM in months with the letter 'e'." It starts out with the music -- she's been recording and touring for nearly a quarter-century (I always loved her debut Equal Scary People) and making music for families, starting with the release of Newborn in 1999, followed by Toddler and Big Kid. But in addition to that she paints, advocates, and for those of us who've met her, even briefly, is a force of nature for positivity. Now she'll be spending the next year as the Official Texas State Musician, using her musical bully pulpit to promote, among other things, making music as families through her Family Time Rocks. Aaaaaannnd, she found time to answer a few questions. Read on for more details on Family Time Rocks, her musical upbringing, and teaching her kids to sing in three-part harmony. Zooglobble: What were your first musical memories? Sara Hickman: My mom says I was singing before I was talking, humming little notes and melodies. But I distinctly remember sitting with my tape recorder, around age 6 or 7, and writing songs, making up commercials, creating skits a la Carol Burnett, recording and laughing myself silly. I also remember getting on stage at 7 or 8 and singing, for the first time, on a microphone (wow! -- it was an epiphany to be amplified!) and on stage, singing in a school contest and winning first place for the poem about the bald eagle (I was the only one to sing their entry). I recently found a RECORDING of me singing the song as a child on an old cassette!!! When did you decide that you wanted to make making music your career? I just always knew. I never thought about doing anything else, although I did have a huge interest in paleontology and becoming an underwater architect! What prompted you record (and more importantly, release) your first kids' CD, Newborn?

Concert Recap: Randy Kaplan (Phoenix, Nov. 2009)

Randy_picking.jpgWhen I was putting together my recap of Doug Snyder's performance here in Phoenix a week or so ago, I realized that I'd totally skipped providing a recap of Randy Kaplan's show here back in November -- heck, I hadn't even uploaded the videos from the show. So there's little I can say about the show three months after the fact other than: 1) Kaplan's a really good live act, and 2) he played some new songs. That's right, Kaplan's got a new album coming out this spring, but even last fall he treated the Phoenix crowd to some new songs, including the one below, which, appropriately enough for the desert, featured cacti. Randy Kaplan - "I Like Cacti" (Live) [YouTube]

Video: "And Mom and Kid" - They Might Be Giants

I'd been waiting for the right hook (i.e., something visual or tangible) to talk about the Rosie O'Donnell-produced documentary A Family is a Family is a Family. After all, it featured music from They Might Be Giants, Elizabeth Mitchell, Ziggy Marley, and Brady Rymer, to mention a few folks who travel in the kids music world. (And, hey, my own family's non-traditional in its own way, so, yeah, always good to see those sorts of families get some screen time.) And now it's here -- They Might Be Giants' theme song for the program "And Mom and Kid" has been posted to you tube. I like the song -- font nuts will, well, go nuts. They Might Be Giants - "And Mom and Kid" (Theme Song from "A Family is a Family is a Family" [YouTube]

Video: "Colonel Purple Turtle" (Live) - Rocknoceros

Rocknoceros has been prepping their next album Colonel Purple Turtle, and some of the songs are starting to make their way to a broader set of ears. Gwyneth captured the band at their sold-out Jammin' Java show this weekend, including this track, whose main melodic guitar line and title lyric will enter your brain and pretty much never leave. So watch this at your own risk. Rocknocers - "Colnel Purple Turtle" (Live) [YouTube] One other (previously) live cut recorded by Gwyneth after the jump.

Video: "Got a Little Ghost" - Caspar Babypants

Chris Ballew has very talented friends and acquaintances. First this, then this, and now he's got a third Caspar Babypants fan-made music video to share. Unlike this morning's video, this new one, for "Got a Little Ghost" off his More Please! disk, is pretty simple (hello, Billy Kelly!) but also darn cute. Caspar Babypants - "Got a Little Ghost" [YouTube]