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66 Days on Route 66
“66 Days on Route 66” revitalizes the American road trip, as seen though the lens of an Australian singer-songwriter navigating a new identity in a new land. “66 Days on Route 66” puts international best-selling Australian musician, Grayson, on the classic American road trip for an unforgettable inside look at his adventures while traveling gig to gig at over 50 live shows at various venues along the old mother road. Starting in Chicago, Illinois on July 8, 2011 then motoring west through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and ending in Santa Monica, California on September 11, 2011, the tour passes through 100 towns & cities en route. “66 Days on Route 66” is both a video series and live music tour that pieces back together the forgotten trail. Capturing Grayson’s experiences candidly in documentary-style format “66 Days on Route 66” re-personalizes legends from the road, gig by gig, town by town, story by story. International chart-topping artist Grayson, pens the next sentence in the nation’s narrative about our love affair with this most musical of highways, bringing his natural, bright folk/rock sensibilities to the festivals, radio shows, saloons and cafes along the way. And he will see this frontier in the way the original migrants of the Dust Bowl might have seen it—through the lens of someone navigating a new identity in a new land. Offering his fresh perspective on traditional Americana, “66 Days on Route 66” gives a front row seat to Grayson’s landmarks in search of the people living, working, and succeeding at the time honored American dream. The journey will chronicle not only Grayson’s discovery of the behind-the-scenes America that we don’t really know, but also his own self-discovery, as he learns more of who he really is, as a musician, as a visitor, and as a human being. Through a series of vignettes and short-take interviews, Grayson will share his perspective and views of the American Dream, Route 66, and not just what he is offering to America through this tour, but what he believes America offers up to him in return. There are Main Streets and Wall Streets; roads not taken and roads to success, but there was and will only be one Mother Road. In a time when people’s most poignant moments are often shared only within the labyrinth that we know as the information superhighway, “66 Days on Route 66” reminds us to return to the beauty of the original American highway — our glorious Route 66. Grayson’s tour gives us access to 12 major areas from America’s heartland to the West Coast. “66 Days on Route 66” will spend time in:
However, it’s the stops in the smaller towns along the way where the tour provides a passage way to untapped markets:
Grayson secures advertising visibility to groups that may otherwise be over-looked. Smaller towns will embrace Grayson’s attractive Australian accent and magnetic personality providing a direct connection to a hard to reach audience. For sponsorship opportunity or to schedule an interview w/ Grayson, please contact: Download this press release in PDF format Route 66 PDF |
Grayson - Introduction by Jake Moss Ether World MagazineAt the end of the 1780s Europe exported rabbits to Australia as a form of food for the settlers. This ended badly with a whole lot of cute furry creature humping and producing copious amounts of bunnies. They became a pest. It now seems that Europe has a similar problem with Australians invading the continent – it’s actually revenge for
the whole rabbit stuff up. Grayson is one of them. After having his debut album, Grayson’s background is thus: a singer/songwriter fellow, Grayson spent time snorting pop rock tunes off of his guitar in different toilets (think Train-spotting) around Europe. Once he returned to his native country he found himself frustrated with the narrow Australian music scene (in which finding a record deal can sometimes be like finding water in its red centre), and thus decided he would have to leave again in order to be heard. His next stop along his fun and frolics across Europe is Vienna. His music plays like a quality moustache, it prickles and tickles your ears, induces a rash that stays with you and is a style that has been around for decades - pop, rock and indie. Holding myself back from the term ‘mainstream’, there is something about his music that is familiar and he seems to borrow directly from those that influence him. "I listen to anything poppy, hooky and catchy and that reflects in my music, I loved the Goo Goo Dolls and John Mayer when growing up," he admits. He is capable of formulating that sought after moment in pop rock music in which melody freakingly aligns with masterful song writing and a buzzing voice press the pause button and sigh. In his opinion, this process comes on all fours, "I think finishing a new song could be compared to an animal giving birth in the wild. It either develops into an amazing unique thing or its weakness will be discovered overtime and it will die and never get played or survive in the wild". Funnily enough, here we find ourselves back at the furry humping funny business again. "The last song I ever write" infuses something special in which he claims the grimy artistry of pop rockery as his own, eroding it to a smooth wave with his spectacular vocals. Skip to the next track, he cracks open the sensual tune "Today" which makes you feel all warm inside like a tea cosy on a teapot. He is a storyteller with most of his lyrics being drawn from his everyday ruminations, for example, "in some town with a funny name, where people stare at me and think I’m strange." That’s got to be somewhere in Europe. Expect to see him in Café Kafka on the 11th of June; you have no choice in the matter. I mean, how often do you get to see a little furry rabbit hump, play the guitar and sing all in sync!? watch out Austrian girls!!! |
Stand Clear For The Rising Mick
When Newcastle muso Mick Edser moved to Ireland in January to record an album, he had one major goal: "to come back to Australia with at least a top 100 song". Edser, who is known in Ireland as Grayson the name of the group in which he used to play with his twin brother Tony - has not only claimed a top-40 spot but an independent hit as well. The first single Stand Clear, off his new album, debuted at 37 in the mid week commercial charts and is the number-one indie download online, according to downloadmusic.ie. "I am receiving airway on major stations, which is great" Edser told The World from Ireland today. "I heard the song the other day driving to a gig which got me in the mood for playing". The 27 year old moved to Ireland to record the album During his time in Ireland this year Edser has toured with popular Irish band, Aslan, played solo gigss across Europe and held CD Launches in Prague and Budapest. "I will be missing Christmas this year back home with my family, as I will play Vicar Street on December 27 in Dublin" he said. "It's the best live venue in Dublin and I'll be supporting Aslan. It will be massive". Edser will return to Newcastle in mid January to recharge the batteries and get ready for a big year. It will include big support slots around Australia such as Jimmy Barnes in March more shows in Europe and a possible tour of the US. Grayson was named after street in Kotara where Mick and his twin brother grew up. |
Balancing Act"If balancing a career as a teacher and musician is a challenge, it’s well worth the effort", says Michael Edser. I completed a double degree – Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Teaching Primary at the University of Newcastle in 2006, specialising in physical education and music. Before and during university, I’d always performed, playing guitar and singing my own original music in pubs and clubs all around Australia, including opening shows for major acts such as Daryl Braithwaite, Rick Price and Ian Moss, just to name a few. When I finished university, I taught music at a boy’s school in Sydney. I was teaching full-time, but still somehow found the time to perform three or four times a week, and record my first extended-play (EP) disc. In 2007, I took up a Music position in two schools in Newcastle that essentially provided release time for my full-time colleagues. I was getting a pretty encouraging response to my first EP, and so began to write more of my own material. By 2008, it made sense to take the first term off to tour Europe. I played gigs every chance I got along the way. It’s amazing how it works. During the tour of Europe I was spotted while playing a gig in Ireland and signed with the Rifle Range Records label to record an album this year. I spent the rest of 2008 spent the rest of the year 2008 touring New Zealand and the east coast of Australia, then much of this year touring Europe before recording in Ireland. I’ve also had gigs with Irish artists including Aslan, Mick Flannery and Bagatelle, and performed at festivals and for radio and television. Balancing the two careers has been a challenge at times, but a lot of the work you get as a musician is on the weekend. School holidays are also a great time to hit the road and tour. Teaching could take me around the world, but not quite in the same way as music can. I’m looking forward to passing on some of the knowledge I’ve gained from my experiences with students. The importance of music in the curriculum can’t be stressed enough. Music is often pushed aside and can be a neglected key learning area. Music really helps those students who learn better when a creative teaching method is applied. Too often, it’s taught using outdated and stale methods and if it’s taught badly, that’s a shame because music creates such a positive learning environment. The majority of students are fascinated with performing music and as a teacher it’s a great skill to have in the classroom. Michael Edser is a teacher, singer and songwriter, performing under the stage name Grayson. His debut album, "Somewhere In The Night, is available nationwide this month. The single, "Stand Clear", was released in October. |
