tag:kylerightley.com,2005:/blogs/latest-news?p=3Blog2024-03-07T10:08:27-06:00Kyle Rightleyfalsetag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/73632342024-03-07T10:08:27-06:002024-03-07T10:08:27-06:00Spiralhead EP coming March 15<p>Announcing the release of a new EP, Spiralhead, on March 15!</p><p>Spiralhead is a short collection of guitar and synthesizer improvisations recorded over the last 6 years. I go through phases of recording at home for fun, and I've built up quite a bit of material. Spiralhead comprises some of the more ambient, improvisational, and relaxing pieces in my collection. This is something you'll listen to right before going to bed maybe.</p><p>One common thread goes through this work. None of these performances were captured with any real thought given to releasing them into the public. I was simply creating music for its own sake and my own enjoyment. In some cases, I was testing out a new piece of gear or trying to determine if an old microphone was working properly (it wasn't). You will hear plenty of mistakes, both in the performances and in the recording techniques. But something about these recordings keeps me coming back as a listener. Because I was so present when I made these, I think there are some magical moments of serendipity that wouldn't have happened if I had been more structured in my approach. I love this music for all its flaws- especially for its flaws.</p><p>I've found that listening to Spiralhead to get it release-ready has cultivated some patience in my life. I hope you can find something you enjoy in it.</p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/135822/d82677eee4eeb46a4151f97f0a1ea41a72d7ff66/original/spiralhead.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" height="2518" width="2518" /><p>Tracklisting:</p><ol>
<li>Temple I</li>
<li>October Light</li>
<li>Compassion</li>
<li>Temple II</li>
<li>Garden of Fears</li>
<li>Yoga Pants</li>
<li>Firewall</li>
<li>Temple III</li>
<li>Rain Shadow Stretch</li>
</ol>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/72945592023-10-27T13:12:57-05:002023-10-27T13:12:57-05:00Madison Area Music Awards 2023<p>Big, heartfelt thanks to everyone who voted for me this year! I ended up winning:</p><p>Instrumentalist of the Year<br>Folk-Traditional Song of the Year ("Leave the Light On")<br>Hard Rock/Modern Song of the Year ("Dark Streets")<br>Euphonium Player of the Year<br><br>I'm always happy to support the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://themamas.org/winners2023.php" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Madison Area Music Association</a> and their mission to enrich kids' lives with music education! </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/72360112023-07-02T13:53:30-05:002023-10-16T09:46:40-05:00Interview with Aldora Britain Records<p>I did an interview with UK-based Aldora Britain Records, a record label and e-zine publisher. You can read the complete interview <a class="no-pjax" href="https://bit.ly/aldorabritainrecords-magazine-105" data-link-type="url">here</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Leave the Light On<br>KYLE RIGHTLEY is a creative mind without a pause button. Having trained as a classical musician, Kyle went on<br>to explore his jazz flare and influences before becoming a member of award winning groups such as The Big<br>Payback, Driveway Thriftdwellers, The Civil Engineers, and Beefus. On top of this productivity, Kyle’s prolific tendencies have led to a blossoming solo career. Most recently, he has committed The Hum to tape, an eleven-<br>track record that saw the light of the day in the first half of 2022. This set highlighted further sides of Kyle’s creative edge, venturing into the realms of crunching alternative rock, storytelling Americana, and progressive<br>art pop. Kyle’s free-flowing and genre-defying approach is the real appeal of The Hum, allowing the album to stand above its peers. In recent months, Aldora Britain Records caught up with this contemporary singer-<br>songwriter to reflect on his journey so far, specifically focussing on his most recent solo record. That conversation is published here for the first time.<br><br>Aldora Britain Records: Hello Kyle, how are you? It is a true pleasure to be talking to such a creative contemporary<br>songwriter. I am a big fan of what you do! I was wondering if we could start off by stepping inside the time machine. What are some of your earliest musical memories and what was it that first pushed you towards pursuing this passion of yours?<br> </p><p>Kyle Rightley: I am doing well, thank you! I really appreciate the vote of confidence. I credit my parents’ love of music for shaping my path. My earliest musical memories were singing along to the music my father played on the home stereo when I was a kid. The two artists that I remember really having an impact on me were Neil Young and Sting. Growing up, I developed other interests as well. But music really became the primary focus when I was a teenager, and I haven’t looked back since!</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/70272242022-07-30T11:53:16-05:002022-07-30T11:53:16-05:00More press for 'The Hum'<p>Big big thanks to Andy Moore and Tone Madison for running a feature about my new album! Here's a snippet:</p>
<p>"No matter who he performs with—and he plays with quite a cross-section of acts in Madison’s music community—your eye is always drawn to Kyle Rightley on stage. The lanky guitarist hovers above his bandmates like a sky dancer, one of those inflatable waving tube men you see in front of used car lots. Of course it’s not his tall, wide-eyed good looks that get him gigs. It’s versatility and something extra he says he’s always had: musical empathy."</p>
<p>Read the full review <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://tonemadison.com/articles/kyle-rightley-finds-his-own-through-line-on-the-hum/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/68896712022-02-05T14:53:11-06:002022-02-10T16:06:38-06:00New studio album- THE HUM- out April 1st<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/52e91ff6a382a8a04d6fb717127cf9c52c9819cf/original/the-hum-cover-image.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Tracklisting:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">1. Rabbit Hole <br>2. Under Our Noses <br>3. Shattering Sky <br>4. Game of Voices <br>5. Victim Without a Crime <br>6. Dark Streets <br>7. Come Up for Air <br>8. You Will Know <br>9.What’s Good for You <br>10. Actually Living <br>11. Leave the Light On</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">THE HUM was written and performed by Kyle Rightley <br>Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Kyle Rightley <br>Photography by Jim Barnard <br>Design by Kyle Rightley</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/68567252022-01-01T13:57:17-06:002022-01-01T13:57:17-06:00Happy New Year!<p>Hello all, </p>
<p>Well, it’s a new year. I hope 2022 brings peace, calm, and maybe a reprieve from this pandemic.</p>
<p>My biggest news is I’ve completed my second full-length album under my own name. The album is called The Hum. It’s going to be released on CD in the next few months, depending on venue availability and covid numbers. It will be on streaming services on April 29. </p>
<p>The Hum is made up of 11 songs written between 2018 and 2021. Despite the span of years, it still feels very much like a “pandemic record” to me. If you’ve been to any of my solo shows over the last few years, you’ve probably heard some of the songs. But a lot of the material has never been performed. The track listing: </p>
<ol> <li>Rabbit Hole </li> <li>Under Our Noses </li> <li>Shattering Sky </li> <li>Game of Voices </li> <li>Victim Without a Crime </li> <li>Dark Streets </li> <li>Come Up for Air </li> <li>You Will Know </li> <li>What’s Good for You </li> <li>Actually Living </li> <li>Leave the Light On </li>
</ol>
<p>Look for a single or two to drop before the album release. I’m excited and a little nervous to get this music out into the world. It’s definitely a departure from my last solo album. I feel that it’s a very important statement for me to make personally. I hope you like it, and if you don’t, that’s fine. I’ll keep you posted as details come together. </p>
<p>In the shorter term, I do have some January shows on my calendar. One of my favorite local bands, Wurk, is hosting a unique residency at the Harmony Bar every Friday in January. Two of my groups will be participating: The Civil Engineers on January 14 and The Big Payback on January 21. Check out the Facebook event <a contents="page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2691405511165107" target="_blank">page</a> to see what it’s all about. </p>
<p>In other news, Driveway Thriftdwellers have started working on new music that we intend to release in 2022. We have a ton of promising songs and song fragments. We’ve been working fast and trying not to over-think decisions. If early sessions are any indication, you can expect something heartfelt and maybe with a little less polish and sheen than our last album. </p>
<p>That’s all for now. Here’s wishing you a happy and healthy year! <br>Kyle</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/66985002021-07-26T13:03:20-05:002021-07-26T13:03:20-05:00Press for Warrior Songs, vol. 3<h2>Vietnam vets, songwriters team up for meaningful CD </h2>
<p>By Gayle Worland, July 25 2021 <br>Originally published in <a contents="Wisconsin State Journal" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/music/vietnam-vets-songwriters-team-up-for-meaningful-cd/article_b9720034-8abc-5e61-98f9-24b880e59ef9.html?fbclid=IwAR2_3lXtOEs0XgZM656UHez72gcfRbwYMsaGA-1LumoUVnW1RehyFvXGDeQ" target="_blank">Wisconsin State Journal</a></p>
<p><span class="font_small">“<em>Seawolf 7-6</em>, the mesmerizing Rightley-Martin song, is one of 14 powerful and moving performances on “The Last Thing We Ever Do.” Rightley weaves together the magical revelations of Martin, who, he writes, “came back to a country that didn’t understand me.” </span></p>
<p><span class="font_small">In Vietnam, Martin the magician had astonished the local children, one of whom went on to save his life. For years after that, he had to revisit a dream that returned again and again, set during a military conflict when his helicopter was about to be shot down. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_small">“I labored over the lyrics,” said Rightley, a multi-instrumentalist who won the 2018 Madison Area Music Association Award for Country/Bluegrass Album of the Year. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_small">He met Martin only through long-distance calls to hear his story. The two continued to confer by email and phone as the song started to take shape. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_small">“It is one of several interesting projects I’ve done, but it also made an impact on me because I’ve never heard a story like that,” said Rightley, whose song was engineered by Landon Arkens at Blast House Studios. “I wanted to get it right.”</span></p>
<h2>Musicians and veterans join forces for catharsis on ‘Warrior Songs’ album </h2>
<p>By Cameron Cieszki, July 24 2021 <br>Originally published in <a contents="The Cap Times" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://madison.com/ct/entertainment/music/musicians-and-veterans-join-forces-for-catharsis-on-warrior-songs-album/article_4b170804-7150-5699-9a2a-724bf9529f2b.html" target="_blank">The Cap Times</a> </p>
<p><span class="font_small">"<em>Seawolf 7-6</em> is a melancholic, jazzy track performed by singer/songwriter, educator, and classically trained musician Kyle Rightley, based on the testimony of U.S. Navy veteran Bill Martin, founder of the Veterans and Patriots Performance Group."</span></p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/66978022021-07-25T12:23:27-05:002021-07-25T12:23:27-05:00Warrior Songs, vol. 3<p>I am very proud to once again be a part of a Warrior Songs album. I wrote and recorded a song called "Seawolf 7-6" for the upcoming Warrior Songs vol. 3, "The Last Thing We Ever Do." This song tells the story of Bill Martin, a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam conflict who performed magic shows for the local children in the villages of the Mekong delta in his downtime between missions. </p>
<p>I recorded my song at Blast House Studios with the expert help and guidance of Landon Arkens. Joining me were John Christensen on upright bass and Michael Koszewski on drums. I feel extremely fortunate to have such wildly talented people willing to play and record my song!</p>
<p>I'll be playing two events to celebrate the release of this compilation CD. A fundraiser at the Bos Meadery in Madison, and the actual CD release party at Turner Hall in Milwaukee.</p>
<p>In the meantime, you can pre-order the CD and learn more about the Warrior Songs mission at https://warriorsongs.org</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/13286e715b6b1b5bb94929570674e6b2e8c3c9a3/original/216189590-3718458224920247-201450364537447916-n.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/7733256ad8d3be3506a2069cc0eb959554f8fa69/original/warrior-songs.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/66264982021-05-10T11:33:55-05:002021-05-10T11:33:55-05:00New shows!<p>After more than a year of isolation, I finally have some real shows in the coming months! As my bands and solo endeavors slowly come out of hibernation, keep tabs on my <a contents="shows" data-link-label="Shows" data-link-type="page" href="/shows">shows</a> page to stay up to date. Meanwhile, stay safe and get your vacinne if you are able!</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/64612092020-10-22T12:48:30-05:002020-10-22T12:49:29-05:00Actually Living<p>I'm very pleased to share with you a brand new original song! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/565080b185eaf78b5acfc8f336c05b440467aab9/original/actually-living-cover.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Sometimes songwriting is trying to freeze one ordinary day into a monument. This day happened to be July 14, 2020- still the salad days of the pandemic but with a certain sense of weariness creeping in. I had been reading about how, as citizens, we’re just not equipped to make the safety and health decisions we face on a daily basis. It was a nice sunny day but the sound of fighter jets roaring overhead lent an air of apocalypse that felt strangely appropriate as I carried on my daily tasks. And suddenly, the lyrics of this song just kind of appeared in my notebook, as well as a vision for a video single. </p>
<p>I really like this song because, well, it just feels like me. It’s maybe an acoustic folk song at heart but it felt natural to incorporate brass choirs, synth bass, drum machines, and a jazz guitar solo. Oh, and I used my Silent Brass euphonium mute as a hand drum. Ultimately, it’s about embracing the day to day tasks that might seem boring, but really… that’s what life actually is. </p>
<p>Special thanks to the Dane County Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission.</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/63339112020-05-28T20:03:26-05:002020-05-31T14:47:29-05:00Live Stream #2<p>I'm doing another solo show from home! I'll be streaming live to my Facebook <a contents="page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/KyleRightleyMusic" target="_blank">page</a>, then uploading it to my YouTube <a contents="channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvnpK5j5z-8WNs9KpPSNxw?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">channel</a>. The show is this Thursday, June 4 at 6pm CDT.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/93fd5c201868b7c356b751bb9322a5f31ea54117/original/live-stream-2.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/62934912020-04-24T15:22:38-05:002020-04-24T15:22:38-05:00Facebook Live performance<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/5f632872b91271d00de7b837395c0c601223ff00/original/fb-live-poster.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/58013222019-06-23T15:41:30-05:002020-04-24T15:20:09-05:006-23-19<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/39a2450b67be70a76076790299a9a9e3b6dd05cc/original/fisher-king-poster.jpg" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Kyle Rightley<br>Solo acoustic show<br>Fisher King Winery<br>Saturday, July 6 <br>5-7 pm<br>Free show, all ages</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/55931292019-01-12T15:46:32-06:002019-01-12T15:47:35-06:00January update<p>Warm wishes for 2019, everyone! </p>
<p>My big long term project for this year is a new solo album. I've been writing bits and pieces for it since the autumn, and now I'm trying to clear some time and space to really sink into the process over the coming months. I have a working title and a vision for the album that is slowly coming into focus, but I'm not quite ready to share that just yet. Mostly because it's still early in the process and things might change. </p>
<p>But I will give you periodic updates! Possibly in video form.</p>
<p>In the meantime, I've got my <a contents="gig calendar" data-link-label="Shows" data-link-type="page" href="/shows" target="_blank">gig calendar</a> more or less up to date. I'm really excited for Driveway Thriftdwellers' self-titled vinyl release next weekend. This is the first time I've been on vinyl! We'll be at Anodyne Coffee in Milwaukee next Friday, January 18. Details <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/driveway-thriftdwellers-record-release-show-with-coyote-brother-hayward-williams-and-j-hardin-tickets-53266710164?aff=aff0bandsintown&fbclid=IwAR1M93IFAGc7Y0zgJQUQ9c8BZnQQntyN8fyLhuKxRMYnm9GD_pZA2hbIVPU&appId=fdhnerfcnpr-nneba-pbyyvaf-lrtj&comeFrom=267&artist_event_id=100612953" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>
<p>Later in the month, The Civil Engineers will be hitting the road with Wurk for a mini-tour. Hopefully we'll fare better than the poor dude in the poster:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/1d5428b3eeb3bdd72d618b08481147949f253ef1/original/48914042-2269738189711405-4304745935805612032-n.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_xl justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I also just finished a composition for Five Points Jazz Collective called <em>Start Somewhere</em>. Stop by the Mason Lounge on a Tuesday evening and perhaps you'll hear it! </p>
<p>That's all for now. Cheerio!</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/53763272018-08-06T12:20:38-05:002018-08-06T12:20:38-05:00Next solo show<p>Hi friends,</p>
<p>It's been a crazy busy summer between The Big Payback's two RESPECT shows (one was at the Majestic Theater in Madison, and a similar event is happening in Michigan this weekend), Driveway Thriftdwellers finishing up our new album, and tons of shows between all my bands. </p>
<p>I'm happy to announce a solo acoustic show! I'll be providing brunch music at Porter, a unique coffee shop and restaurant in the historic train depot on West Washington Ave. Their <a contents="menu" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://porter-coffee.com/" target="_blank">menu</a> looks amazing, by the way. I hope you can make it!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/b5312c7d2b1f6b46b8e77ddf0fac234348ad40de/original/14900392-1637276696570792-7348841498943047168-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Kyle Rightley @ Porter<br>Saturday, August 25<br>10 am - 1 pm</strong></p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/53136592018-06-23T13:20:18-05:002020-03-07T17:06:15-06:006-23-18<p>What a week! My album "Making Home" won the Madison Area Music Association award for country/bluegrass album of the year! And The Civil Engineers also took home pop/R&B album of the year! Thanks for the votes! It's an honor to be part of the Madison music scene. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/3578ac25e00c0704e313a881d3cc80852e6fbd44/original/35885805-10156604606401977-2892263902345691136-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Apparently, I was holding the award backwards for this picture and they had to flip the image. But don't pay too much attention to that. :)</p>
<p> </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/51891872018-04-18T16:56:50-05:002018-08-06T12:06:41-05:004-18-18<p>Snow day!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/1a127bcb7cc8f24967c20a08e021ad1c5fd7e8c6/original/img-0274.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Lessons are cancelled, and I'm home writing music and drinking tea. Kind of an unexpected activity for late April, but I'm rolling with it. I've gone into full-on winter mode. Snowed in, staying snug and warm.</p>
<p>I'm working on new music that will be playable solo as well as with my band. I'm using the dobro mostly. I'm going to work a little dobro set into my next solo gig, which by the way has just been confirmed as May 22 at the Up North Bar. More details coming soon!</p>
<p>I also recently wrote a song for The Civil Engineers. We're working on lyrics for it, and you'll be hearing it probably at the next show. It's sounding pretty awesome so far.</p>
<p>Take care and be good,<br>Kyle</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/50918062018-02-21T15:21:13-06:002018-03-15T09:47:06-05:002-21-18<p>I've got exciting news!</p>
<p>I'm going to be playing my solo music... with a band! Like, a real band. It's a 3-piece group I'm putting together with two friends that I've really enjoyed playing with over the last few years. Eric Shackelford (drums) plays with me every Tuesday night at the Mason Lounge with the Five Points Jazz Collective, and he also plays with local legends Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo. Lucas Koehler (bass) has played with me in both Five Points and The Big Payback, and he's been a fixture of the Madison jazz/funk scene for a while. </p>
<p>We had our first rehearsal this last weekend, and I'm excited about the possibilities. Both these guys are very capable on their instruments and great listeners to boot- a combination I always look for in musicians! We'll be rooted in the kind of folk/Americana sound from my solo records, but we'll be exploring other musical territories as well. </p>
<p>Right now, we're called the Kyle Rightley Band. I guess that name is pretty self-explanatory, if not a little dull. I was going to try to think of something better, but time got away from me, and now it's on the poster:<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/911e2b2b4aee20de4512fd682fc83c2b4748bb2f/original/27655110-1571529109597464-8205077740670842555-n.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />...which brings me to the gig! The (for now) Kyle Rightley Band will debut on Saturday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day) at the Frequency. Zach Pietrini put together this bill, and he was nice enough to bring me on board. Thanks, Zach! I've also played with The Lone Canary before, and I look forward to hearing them again.</p>
<p>I hope to see you there!<br>Kyle</p>
<p> </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/50188332018-01-11T13:55:14-06:002018-01-11T13:55:14-06:001-11-18<p>So, it's a new year. I hope you're having a good one so far. <br><br>Personally, my 2017 ended up with clutter and chaos. Don't get me wrong- I was thrilled that December was filled with so many meaningful musical experiences. My CD release show, the Beefus Christmas special, the live video recording of the Civil Engineers at the Harmony Bar (footage still in post-production by the way, but it looks and sounds very promising), student recitals, the usual Tuesday night gigs, and one or two Thriftdwellers shows sprinkled in for good measure. But playing in so many different projects can sometimes feel like working ten different part-time jobs: a never-ending list of scattered tasks to perform with little sense of focus or purpose.<br><br>I still really love what I do. I'm working on ways to continue enjoying it while leaving space for creativity and sanity. I have all kinds of music brewing inside, but I need to spend some time preparing myself and my space before I dive into new music. One approach that seems to be helping so far in 2018 is focusing on small tasks. Getting my car washed, organizing my work space, fixing little things that have been bugging me but that I've been too busy to get to, etc... It's kind of crazy how I get almost the same level of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment from going through a drawer and throwing away old documents as I get from writing a new song. </p>
<p>Of course having complained about not enough focus, I can tell you that I'm going to be working on lots of different music in 2018. I intend to keep writing acoustic songs in the vein of my solo albums. Driveway Thriftdwellers will record our second album this spring. I'd like to write for groups I already play in like Five Points and The Civil Engineers. The Big Payback is starting up again after a little break, and I'd like to write for them again. I also want to work on something entirely new. Something direct, dark, and primal. I don't know exactly what yet, but I can feel it in there.</p>
<p>God, I also need to get outside. Rain be damned, I might go for a walk today. Then, back to the ol' to-do list.</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/49208972017-11-06T12:15:13-06:002017-11-06T12:15:13-06:0011-6-17<p><span class="font_regular">I'm excited to share the artwork and track listing for my solo album!</span><br> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><strong>Making Home</strong></span> <br>Coming December 13</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/91771feb86ccc721e85614a1acff5d1646ca3403/original/making-home.jpg?1509991561" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">1. Deep Runs the Well<br>2. Dumb Tragedy <br>3. What Would Love Say? <br>4. Thirty <br>5. Fender Princeton Reverb <br>6. Old Mercury <br>7. Stranger Without You <br>8. The Rain Upon the River <br>9. Don’t Talk to Me <br>10. From Home to the Heartland <br>11. Making Home </p>
<p>These songs were written in the 2015-2017 timeframe, with “From Home to the Heartland” being the earliest and “Making Home” the most recent. The album deals with relationships, politics, and personal hang ups. It was made at home.</p>
<p>CD release party Wednesday, December 13<br>Mason Lounge, 416 S Park St. <br>Free show</p>
<p>I'm going to do what I can to make this a really cool and special night of music. More details coming soon!</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/48885032017-10-12T10:49:06-05:002018-04-20T12:31:57-05:00Dumb Tragedy<p>New single out today!</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/346567164&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>"Dumb Tragedy" is a vision of a world where there are only two people. At first, they cooperate. They are able to share resources and responsibilities. But as time goes by, each becomes more stubborn and set in their ways. Because the population is only two, each person represents the moderate and the extreme in every position they take. A divide opens between the two, and it grows wider with each passing year. The planet hurtles into oblivion while the two lonely armies wage their wars.</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/48770662017-10-04T13:04:52-05:002017-10-05T14:40:04-05:0010-4-17<p>October is here! I've got a very exciting and eclectic month in the works. Apart from the usual Tuesday night gigs at the Mason Lounge, here's what I've got cooking:</p>
<p>On <strong>Friday, October 6</strong>, I will release the first song from my new solo album, <em>Making Home</em>. The song is called "Deep Runs the Well," and it will be on my <a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> and <a contents="Soundcloud" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://soundcloud.com/kyle-rightley" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> pages. I'm going to be releasing songs every Friday in October to lead up to a November album release. I'm bursting at the seams with this new album- I can't wait for people to hear it! I'm just finishing up some details, and I'll post cover art and track listing very soon.</p>
<p><strong>The Civil Engineers</strong> are pleased to be playing D14 Brewery's 3rd anniversary on<strong> Saturday, October 7</strong>. Specialty beer releases and re-releases will be on tap for the occasion.</p>
<p><strong>Driveway Thriftdwellers</strong> return to Club Garibaldi in Milwaukee on <strong>Friday, October 13</strong>. We had a great time playing here earlier this year, and we're happy to be back. Opening for the Zach Pietrini Band. </p>
<p>I'm pulling double duty on <strong>Saturday, October 28</strong>. <strong>The Civil Engineers</strong> will play during the day for Octopi Brewing's anniversary party. We're the go-to brewery anniversary party band! That night, I'm going to be playing in a No Doubt cover band for Freakin' Halloweekend at the High Noon Saloon! After weeks of debate, we've settled on calling ourselves <strong>Glow Doubt</strong>. There will be day-glo. There will be glow sticks. There will be costumes, and maybe even some antics. It's going to be a party.</p>
<p>That's it for now. Stay safe, eat something homemade, and enjoy autumn while it's here.</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/48393352017-09-10T17:05:27-05:002017-09-10T17:05:27-05:00The challenge of slowing down<p>Hello readers and listeners,</p>
<p>Whoa! It's been a while. I'll jump right into it...</p>
<p>I am currently up to my ears in a new solo album. It's going to be called <em>Making Home</em>. I realized that my last solo acoustic efforts (<em>Raven Steals the Moon </em>and <em>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</em>) are getting to be three years old! It doesn't seem like that long ago, but the calendar doesn't lie. I didn't really intend to have such a break between releases, but I got pretty busy with other musical projects for a while there. In fact, when I look at it now, I realize that since those solo releases, I have contributed original material to four full-length albums, two EPs, and one compilation CD. Not to make excuses, but I feel like that's a pretty legit reason to put the acoustic solo stuff on the back burner.</p>
<p>But that is changing! <em>Making Home</em> is going to pick up right where the solo EPs left off. Because I blew a lot of my budget on recording albums for various bands last year, I'm doing as much of this one by myself as possible. Like <em>Raven </em>and <em>Pines</em>, this album is being recorded with gear that I own or borrowed. I'm tracking myself and I'm going to attempt to mix it by myself as well. I have 11 songs lined up. I might use all of them, but I also might cut one or two and save them for later. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/215905c0896cd3a91332b73f2d44ecb441c10317/large/img-0202-1.jpg?1504723484" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_small">Fiddling with lyrics </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>Ok, let's talk timeline. So, I always get really impatient at this stage of the process. I've been sitting on this music for years (in the case of a couple songs), and all I want to do is finish it up and get it out there. But I'm finding that I really need to resist that temptation. I'm at the tail end of the tracking stage and the beginning of the mixing stage. Now is when I actually need to slow down. The more care I can put into every stage of the process, the better the whole thing is going to be. I also find this part of the whole process to be the funnest. So I'm going to try to allow myself to actually have fun and let this music come together in a natural way.</p>
<p>I had a thought this morning. If I give myself the rest of September to finish up the creative work for the album, I'll be in good shape. That means getting the music completely finished, as well as working on artwork, layout, revamping the website, and getting my whole social media game up-to-date and snappy. I can spend the beginning of October getting physical CDs made, jumping through all the hoops to get my music into all the online places it needs to be these days, and maybe making a little noise to try to get some press. So I'm looking at a late October or early November release. That's not too close to the holidays, and it still counts as a 2017 release, which is important to me.</p>
<p>I will say that the overall quality is a step up from the 2014 EPs in every way. It might not be George Martin in Abbey Road, but I think it's pretty good for what it is. I'm getting better and better at every step of the process- from the songwriting to the recording to the post-production. If you liked my previous solo efforts, I think you're going to like <em>Making Home</em>!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Over and out,</p>
<p>Kyle</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/46753032017-04-18T12:28:46-05:002017-04-18T12:28:46-05:004-18-17Driveway Thriftdwellers have been invited to appear on Radio 88.9's <a contents="414 Live" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://radiomilwaukee.org/discover-music/category/414-music-live/" target="_blank">414 Live</a> series this Thursday! Details from the event page:<br> <p>This Thursday at #414Live, we're excited to host alt-country band Driveway Thriftdwellers for an extended 414 Live session - and our friends fromSummerfest with a special announcement! </p>
<p>The Summerfest crew will announce the stage headliners for the Johnson Controls World Sound Stage with 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, and bring along their street team to hand out tickets and t-shirts! </p>
<p>Doors @ 5 p.m. <br>Performance & broacast @ 5:30 p.m. <br>Extended off-air set @ 6 p.m. <br>Summerfest stage lineup @ 6:20 p.m.</p>
<p>414 Live is presented by Milwaukee Bucks. </p>
<p>With support from: <br>Milwaukee Brewing Co <br>Hi Hat Lounge & Garage <br>Riviera Maya Milwaukee</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/45273712016-12-27T16:37:05-06:002016-12-27T16:37:05-06:0012-27-16As 2016 draws to a close, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be a part of the Madison music scene. Here's all the local music I was involved in making, bought, or was given this year:<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/5c46b46b67bf1230519adf05cb90d39d22391009/original/unnamed.jpg?1482877531" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Of the CDs I've bought, a couple that stand out are:<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Major Vistas</strong>- Minor Anthems.</span> A really tasteful mix of original tunes from this jazz trio. Their music is groove-driven and accessible, but still sophisticated. Mike Zirkel's mix really brings the playing to life.<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Blueheels-</strong> Get Lonely.</span> Excellent release from this veteran Madison rock band. The songs are direct and to the point. Quirky and heartfelt vocals, clever word play, and some great guitar and keyboard tones are held together by a muscular rhythm section. <br><br>Of course, I am also very proud of the CDs I contributed to this year:<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>The Big Payback-</strong></span> Animal Brain<br><span class="font_large"><strong>Driveway Thriftdwellers-</strong></span> Cutover Country<br><span class="font_large"><strong>Beefus-</strong> </span>Wrong Number of Heads<br><span class="font_large"><strong>Beefus-</strong></span> Jeezus Fetus Repeatus<br><span class="font_large"><strong>Warrior Songs-</strong></span> Vol. 1<br><br>Thank you, local musicians and friends, for such a great musical year! See you on the next time around.<br><br>Kyle<br><br><br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/44658302016-11-14T11:54:09-06:002016-11-14T11:55:57-06:00The Big Payback- Animal Brain CD release shows!The time is almost here!! The Big Payback will play two shows this weekend in celebration of our new album, <em>Animal Brain</em>!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/9e1abad636a8fcdb12ca312c04c6cae8a04ea5fa/large/animal-brain-cd-release-poster-1.jpg?1479145865" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/6affd8ec3a82976eadf5f6251eccd228ef95a3e8/original/source-poster.jpg?1479145951" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/44456812016-10-31T13:48:15-05:002018-06-23T13:13:57-05:00Warrior Songs CD Release Party<p>Hi there,<br><br>I will be participating in Jason Moon's Warrior Songs CD Release Party this Saturday. I'll play a short acoustic set, including "Brothers," the song I wrote for Warrior Songs Vol. 1. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/54f54dc44a732a3cb8d84c862e203f2c9194cb91/original/warrior.jpg?1477939384" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Local Sounds Magazine has written a nice review of the compilation album. Here are some excerpts:<br><br> </p>
<hr><p> </p>
<p>It took five years for the veterans advocate group and local nonprofit Warrior Songs to get to this point. They spent two full years organizing; setting up their Board, devising their curriculum and resources and obtaining 501(c)(3) status. That itself is a reflection of their intent and commitment. Their mission – to help veterans heal from the wounds of service through music and the creative arts – is a noble one and it lands on both sides of the fence. Veterans have an outlet to help them cope while the general public has access to programming that help them understand veterans’ plight. </p>
<p>The intent and commitment reside largely from the experiences of its President and Founder, Jason Moon who, after a failed suicide attempt and a PTSD diagnosis, turned to music to provide an outlet for his struggle. In 2010 he released his first recording while performing for veterans in particular and the public at large all around the country. The response was so encouraging that his burgeoning realization that his music was helping others to cope and educate themselves led him to undertake his newly-found mission.<br> </p>
<hr><p><br>Madison’s Kyle Rightley (who is also a member of no less than seven bands including the Civil Engineers, the Driveway Thriftdwellers, Beefus and the Big Payback) contributes “Brothers,” a muscular slow burner with tremolo guitars that contribute significantly to the song’s dark subject matter. This track is one of the album’s strongest with clear and powerful production and featuring Blueheels members drummer Adam Cargin (also Williamson Street Drumworks) and bassist Landon Arkens (also Blast House Studios head engineer).<br> </p>
<hr><p><br>You can read the entire review <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://magazine.localsounds.org/2016/10/30/various-artists-if-you-have-to-ask-warrior-songs-vol-1/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/44194512016-10-14T12:37:50-05:002017-01-15T18:49:34-06:00Animal BrainThe Big Payback will release our second album, <em>Animal Brain</em>, on November 18!<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/a11c17a882ae72618ba44d4bb8b13ee943524975/original/tbp-animalbrain-cover4web2.jpg?1476466461" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;"><em>Animal Brain</em></div>
<ol> <li style="text-align: left;">Running with the Fire </li> <li style="text-align: left;">I Want to Give (My Love to You) </li> <li style="text-align: left;">Crosstown Traffic </li> <li style="text-align: left;">Romeo Knows </li> <li style="text-align: left;">Power to Let Go </li> <li style="text-align: left;">Animal Brain I </li> <li style="text-align: left;">Mauna Ulu </li> <li style="text-align: left;">Above the Rain </li> <li style="text-align: left;">Greenblood </li> <li style="text-align: left;"> Animal Brain II </li> <li style="text-align: left;"> Friday Night Phase </li> <li style="text-align: left;"> Animal Brain III</li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: left;">We've got a CD release party booked in Madison at the Knuckle Down Saloon for November 18. I truly can't wait for you to hear this epic album! Lots more details coming soon.</div>
</div>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/43263112016-08-15T17:56:28-05:002017-01-15T18:49:34-06:008-15-16Hi there,<br><br>I am very happy to announce that my country/Americana band Driveway Thriftdwellers have released our debut album! It's been a long time coming, and it feels really good to finally get it out into the world.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/b0afbf8e37b67ec82a35453e2870ef0bdaa2403f/original/dt-cutovercountry-albumcover-large.jpg?1471300928" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>The album is called <em>Cutover Country</em>, and it features 11 original songs. You may recognize "When the Dam Comes Down" and "Before Too Long" from my solo EP <em>Raven Steals the Moon</em>. It's been great to hear the full band versions of those tunes. The whole record has a very organic sound to my ears. Most of the instruments were recorded live in the Dojo Studio's large space. Very little editing was done on the tracks. No pitch correction, not much processing. With the exception of a few overdubbed keyboards and "aux perc," as they say in the industry, the album feels like it's just the band in a room with you.<br><br>We will be celebrating the new CD with two different album release shows this weekend. On Friday, we will be playing at Anodyne Coffee in Milwaukee. Then on Saturday, we'll be at the Frequency here in Madison. Also, we recorded some stripped-down live versions of a few of the songs for WVMO Monona. They will be playing the songs, as well as some interview segments, all week at 98.7 FM here in the Madison area. You can stream the station live at <a contents="wvmo.fm" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://wvmo.fm" target="_blank">wvmo.fm</a><br><br>I'm very glad to be part of this album. Thanks for reading/listening! Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/43014092016-07-29T17:34:29-05:002017-01-15T18:49:34-06:007-29-16<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/53825310c538c18d614db8f7b66e7105889fe18d/original/wnoh-fc2.jpg?1469831495" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>New album from BEEFUS!<p>A heart-wrenching tale of time traveling dictators, meat by-products, alien butt probes, secret FBI operations, and adult undergarments.</p>It's available in physical form and digitally <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/beefus5" target="_blank">here</a>. Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/41746392016-05-10T19:46:08-05:002016-05-10T19:46:08-05:005-10-16Hello humans,<br><br>I've got a couple quick updates for ya before I run off to the Mason Lounge for Tuesday night jazz. I mentioned before that I've contributed a song to the upcoming Warrior Songs CD. This is a project conceived by my friend Jason Moon to benefit veterans. They have a <a contents="GoFundMe" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.gofundme.com/WARRIORSONGSVOL1" target="_blank">GoFundMe</a> now live, so please consider donating to this important cause. I even appear in the video:
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="justify_center" frameborder="0" height="395" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I2BSYutlUJo" width="595"></iframe><br>In other news, I'm happy to announce that Driveway Thriftdwellers have a shiny new website. Check it out <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thriftdwellers.com/" target="_blank">here</a>! You may notice that the first single released for our upcoming debut album is When the Dam Comes Down, one of my own. The single version is likely not the final mix, but I think it sounds pretty great. The album will be called <em>Cutover Country,</em> and it drops August 19. <br><br>The Big Payback has loads of <a contents="shows" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://bigpaybackmusic.com/shows" target="_blank">shows</a> coming up. Additionally, we're getting back into the studio in 2 weeks time to finish up lead vocals for our second album. That one's also slated for a fall release.<br><br>More updates soon! Thanks for caring.<br><br>Over and out,<br>Kyle<br><br><br><br><br> </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/41163582016-04-01T17:18:37-05:002016-04-01T17:21:11-05:00Happy April!It's April! Let's get those April Fool's Day high jinx out of the way right off the bat:<br><br>I'm moving to Antarctica to start a new band called Doomed Plumage. We play a new style of music called penguin-core. I will be the only human in this all-star lineup of Antarctica's hottest (or coldest) penguin musicians. Watch for our lead single, titled "Wish I Could Fly," to be released in August.<br><br>April Fools! Oh, I bet I got you good. Well, now that that's out of the way, I assume I've earned your trust back. Here's what's really happening...<br><br>My April is kicking off with some cool shows. Tonight, <strong>April 1</strong>, The Big Payback will be playing our first gig at Madison's Knuckle Down Saloon. Tomorrow, <strong>April 2</strong>, Driveway Thriftdwellers will spend the day working on our upcoming debut album, <em>Cutover Country</em>, before heading to the Blackhawk Country Club to play a Parkinson's benefit. Then on <strong>Sunday, April 3</strong>, I will be playing trombone and euphonium with the Charlie Painter Quartet at the Brink Lounge for the Madison Area Music Awards (MAMAs) finalist party. It's shaping up to be a very busy but very cool weekend!<br><br>My next performance is <strong>Tuesday, April 5</strong> at the Mason Lounge with the Five Points Jazz Collective. We start things up around 9 pm, so you'll have all day to vote before coming out. The Five Points play at the Mason Lounge every Tuesday night. If you haven't heard us yet, come check it out!<br><br>Recently, I have been playing guitar with another Madison soul/pop band called <a contents="The Civil Engineers" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thecivilengineers.com/" target="_blank">The Civil Engineers</a>. They have some really cool songs and a fun live show, and I'm looking forward to performing with them. We'll be playing at the Cavalier Theater in La Crosse on <strong>April 9</strong>. Following that, we'll be in Milwaukee at Steny's on <strong>April 16 </strong>and in Chicago at Reggie's Rock Club on <strong>April 22</strong>. <br><br>Finally, I will be entering the studio on <strong>April 8</strong> to record a new song I wrote for a very special project headed up by my friend and collaborator, Jason Moon. I'll be able to give you more details about it soon, but the end product is going to be a very unique and powerful collection of music. <br><br>Hopefully I'll see you at one of these events. Meanwhile, I wish you a happy spring!<br><br>KRKyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/40467032016-02-17T15:18:48-06:002016-02-17T15:18:48-06:002-17-16Hello lads/lassies,<br><br>I've been asked about the meaning of my song "EMT/empty" from <em><a contents="Human Oscillator, vol. 1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://iosongs.bandcamp.com/album/human-oscillator-vol-1" target="_blank">Human Oscillator, vol. 1</a>, </em>so I thought I'd take some time to explain it.<br><br>The title of the song was inspired by a personalized license plate that read "EMT GAL." I had driven behind this same car twice in two weeks on my way to my Tuesday night gig at the Mason Lounge, and it stuck with me. For reasons unknown to me at the time, I wrote something about "me and the EMT gal" in my lyric book. Now, I realize that my girlfriend might have some things to say about such a cryptic line. Fortunately, she is a writer herself. She understands the nonsensical ways inspiration can hit!<br><br>About a year later, I needed lyrics for an electronic song I was making for an (io) release. I came across that line in my notebook, fitted it to the vocal melody, and suddenly my song had meaning! In my mind, "EMT/empty" tells the story of a hapless and probably deranged man who is obsessed with a medical technician. He dreams of a life with his EMT girl, even though she wants nothing to do with him. Ultimately, the only way he can get close to her is by needing her medical training. In his desperate state, he does something to inflict serious harm to himself (use your imagination), and ends up in the back of an ambulance with the object of his desire.<br><br>The first half of the song reflects the character's manic personality and unhealthy obsession, underpinned by hospital beeps and respirators: reality breaking into his daydream. The second half of the song turns into an ambient depiction of this poor fellow fading away and ultimately dying by the side of his beloved EMT girl. <br><br>For the gear nerds out there, most of the sounds were generated by Reason 7's software synths and drum machines. I also used a lot of Arturia plug-ins, specifically Moog and ARP emulators. The long sample of the guy talking at the end is from Alejandro Jodorowsky's movie <em>Holy Mountain</em>. I think this might be the first piece I've done that has no guitar whatsoever.<br><br>Once again, I am indebted to an anonymous collaborator. Thank you, EMT GAL! I hope the story in this song never happens to you.<br><br>Kyle<p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1655498187/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1051324150/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://iosongs.bandcamp.com/album/human-oscillator-vol-1" href="http://iosongs.bandcamp.com/album/human-oscillator-vol-1">Human Oscillator, vol. 1 by (io)</a></iframe></p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/39683152015-12-31T08:00:00-06:002017-01-15T18:49:33-06:00Happy New Years!Hello friends,<br><br>I hope all of you are having a warm and happy holiday season! I write this beside the fire in my hometown of Cortez, Colorado. Outside, the snow has been falling off and on (mostly on) for days. Our family friend describes it as a "marshmallow wonderland."<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/23e55af939c82725a6c0d2eed4cd01aefd263841/medium/kyle.jpg?1451425914" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><br><br>My 2015 was filled with lots of performing, writing, and recording. I composed and arranged my first jazz big band piece, wrote numerous acoustic songs, released a <a contents="new EP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://iosongs.bandcamp.com/album/human-oscillator-vol-1" target="_blank">new electronic EP</a> as <strong>(io)</strong>,<strong> </strong>and laid the groundwork for future projects. Between all my bands and my solo exploits, I have big plans for the new year!<br><br>First up, <strong>The Big Payback's</strong> second full-length CD will be released in the spring. Followers of my blog will know that we accomplished much of the recording last fall. We have some more work to do with mixing and touch-ups, but the lion's share of the task is behind us. I am truly excited for this release, and I can't wait for you to hear it! Second, <strong>Driveway Thriftdwellers </strong>are set to record our first album at Dojo Studios in Madison on the weekend of January 8-9. It will contain all original material, including full band versions of my songs "Before Too Long" and "When the Dam Comes Down." I am also recording trombone and glockenspiel on the new <strong>Beefus</strong> CD, entitled <em>Wrong Number of Heads</em>. In addition to all that, I intend to record a full-length CD of solo material in the vein of my acoustic EPs. <br><br>2016 is also shaping up to be a busy year performance-wise. <strong>The Big Payback</strong> is kicking off the new year with a performance at the <a contents="Isthmus Wisconsin Funk Fest" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://majesticmadison.com/event/isthmus-wisconsin-funk-fest/" target="_blank">Isthmus Wisconsin Funk Fest</a>. This will take place at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, January 9. The first <strong>Driveway Thriftdwellers</strong> gig of the year will be at the Ice Cold Beer Fest in Minocqua on January 30. Keep watching my <a contents="website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.kylerightley.com" target="_blank">website</a> for solo acoustic gigs- I really enjoy them and I plan to book more soon! And of course I will continue to perform with the <strong>Five Points Jazz Collective</strong> every Tuesday night at the Mason Lounge on Park Street.<br><br>It is a thrill to spend so much time working on music, and I'm very grateful that I get a chance to do it. Thank you for your support! May your new year be full of music, love, and happiness.<br><br>Kyle<br><br><br><br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/39654592015-12-17T01:14:01-06:002015-12-17T01:15:10-06:00New (io) EP released today!<p><em>Human Oscillator, vol. 1</em> is a 4-song EP by (io), my side project. The palette is mostly electronic, with tones of ambient, jazz, experimental, and pop coming through occasionally. You can hear it over on the <a contents="(io) Bandcamp page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://iosongs.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">(io) Bandcamp page</a>.<br><br>The music might not be to everyone's tastes, so stream it before you decide to buy it. Personally, I had a lot of fun working in different mediums and trying new sounds. I feel I've created music unlike anything I've done before, and I'm proud of it. I hope you find something in it that speaks to you!<br><br>Thanks for listening,<br>Kyle<br><br><br> </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/39392122015-11-28T15:04:18-06:002015-11-28T16:17:54-06:00Human Oscillator, vol. 1<p>My electronic/progressive project, <a contents="(io)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://iomusic.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">(io)</a>, returns with an EP of all new material! <i>Human Oscillator, vol. 1</i> will be released digitally on December 18 through <a href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/">Bandcamp</a>.</p>
<figure data-orig-height="1104" data-orig-width="1104"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/cdb20719b05551c40c24f743a8cedfdb/tumblr_inline_nyjlldA6q61r0z34y_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></div></figure>
<p>This EP will contain 20 to 25 minutes of new material. (io) has always been a kind of sonic laboratory where I can try out weird ideas that don’t fit into my other projects, and <i>Human Oscillator</i> is no exception. The sounds range from electro pop to ambient to electronic-tinged fusion jazz. </p>
<p>My ethos for this project was to work quickly and trust my instincts. Each song definitely has its own unique identity, and you can almost hear me “oscillate” between one extreme idea and another. This music is a departure from what I’ve done previously with (io) and with my acoustic songs, and it will certainly not be everyone’s cup of tea. Personally, I see it as a snapshot of where my creative process is now and some hints of possible future roads I may walk.</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/39223042015-11-10T10:52:06-06:002020-04-24T15:21:05-05:00Light Our Village in Blue<p>Hey there,<br><br>The Waunakee Tribune ran a <a contents="story" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.hngnews.com/waunakee_tribune/news/local/article_df8bea10-8253-11e5-9a96-f3da1a01dc17.html" target="_blank">story</a> about the piece I composed for World Diabetes Day! Check it out below:<br> </p>
<hr><p><span style="color:#696969;">Posted on Nov 5, 2015 by </span><a href="http://www.hngnews.com/users/profile/tribnews"><span style="color:#696969;"><em>Roberta Baumann</em></span></a></p>
<p><br><span style="color:#696969;">Since the 19th Century, musicians have expressed their deepest emotions – misery, joy, love and despair – through the blues.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">The blue circle is also the global symbol chosen by the International Diabetes Federation to represent World Diabetes Day, as it signifies the unity among nations in the effort to reduce the disease.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">And so on Nov. 14, World Diabetes Day, the Waunakee Lions Club has organized a blues concert to help spread awareness.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">The Madison College Big Band will perform a free concert from 7-8:15 p.m. at the Waunakee High School Performing Arts Center. And concert-goers will hear the premier of the song, “Diabetes and Me,” written especially for World Diabetes Day.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">The Lions Club commissioned Madison musician and music teacher Kyle Rightley to write the piece.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">Rightley plays in the band, The Big Payback, with Madison College Big Band director Jamie Kember, he said, and had written songs for that band.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">Rightley describes “Diabetes and Me” as a “jazz waltz.”</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">“It’s a little like a blues song. The verses follow a blues format. Blue is kind of the official color of this event.”</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">The song will feature the full big band with a vocalist singing.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">Rightley said the lyrics deal with the symptoms and management of diabetes.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">“From there, the song talks about managing the disease and arming yourself with knowledge and doing your best to live a healthy lifestyle,” he said.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">The World Diabetes Day event begins at 6 p.m. at Waunakee High School with free diabetes screenings and informational booths. During a reception following the 7 p.m. concert, Rightley will autograph programs.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">The event is part of the Lions Club’s Operation Diabetes Blue, which also will feature 70 village light poles downtown lighted in blue during November. Residents are also asked to light their homes in blue to recognize the need for diabetes awareness.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">The Leo Club, the high school chapter of the Lions Club, has sponsored other events to raise awareness of diabetes.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">On Nov. 17, the Waunakee girls’ basketball game will also have a diabetes theme, sponsored by the Leos Club.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#696969;">Diabetes affects nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States, and the number of of youths with type 2 diabetes is projected to increase by 49 percent over the next 40 years, according to the American Diabetes Association.</span><br> </p>
<hr><p><br>I'm really looking forward to this event on Saturday. It's been a pleasure to work with the Madison College Big Band to bring this piece to life.<br><br>See you there!<br>Kyle</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/38631382015-09-22T12:52:14-05:002021-09-13T13:44:08-05:009-22-15<p><br>Hello friends,<br><br>I hope this message finds you enjoying the waning summer. I feel like September has flown by, and I'm doing my best to appreciate what's left of it. <br><br>I'd like to tell you about some exciting things coming up this fall. First of all, I'll be playing trombone and euphonium with Charlie Painter and Friends at the UW Memorial Union Terrace<strong> this Friday, September 25</strong>. It's for the "Behind the Beat" jazz series, and we're happy to be a part of it. The show goes from 5 to 7 pm. Come kick it on the terrace while it's still nice out!<br><br>On <strong>Friday, October 2</strong>, I will be playing an acoustic set at <a contents="Wild Hog in the Woods" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.wildhoginthewoods.org/" target="_blank">Wild Hog in the Woods</a> with <a contents="Jason Moon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.jasonmoon.org/" target="_blank">Jason Moon</a> at 8:00 pm. Jason and I met about a year ago, and he's been gracious enough to invite me to participate in this gig. We'll be debuting a couple songs that we wrote together, as well as playing a bit on each other's songs. The event is at the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center. <br><br>The Big Payback is thrilled to be playing a very special installment of <a contents="MadCity Sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.overturecenter.org/events/madcity-sessions-clyde-stubblefield-and-friends" target="_blank">MadCity Sessions</a> on <strong>Thursday, October 8</strong> at 6:00 pm in the Overture Center lobby. The event is called "Give the Drummer Some," a tribute to local legend Clyde Stubblefield. Clyde is best known as the original "funky drummer" in many of James Brown's hit songs. We will have the honor of performing with James Brown alums Fred Wesley, Jabo Starks, and Fred Thomas, as well as the funky drummer himself. Like all MadCity Sessions, this is a free performance!<br><br>I will be participating in a panel discussion for Writer's Life at Madison Area Technical College's downtown campus on <strong>Thursday, November 5.</strong> This particular discussion will focus on the music careers and writing processes of local songwriters. The event runs from 7 to 8 pm. <br><br><strong>Saturday, November 14</strong> is another big day for me. As I've mentioned in a few blog posts on my website, I've been commissioned to compose a piece for jazz big band in honor of World Diabetes Day. The piece is called "Diabetes and Me- Light Our Village in Blue," and it will be premiered on November 14 by the Madison College big band. We had our first rehearsal on it last week, and it went well! The November 14 concert is free, and it takes place at the Waunakee High School's Performing Arts Center at 7 pm. Pre-concert activities start at 6. I've put a ton of work into this thing, and I'm very excited for its world premiere!<br><br>On top of all of this, The Big Payback is finishing up tracking for our second album. We will enter the mixing phase very soon, and we hope for a release in early 2016. I contributed all the music this time around, and so far everything is sounding really good. I also continue to write material for an eventual full-length solo acoustic album. I can't wait to share all this stuff with you! <br><br>Whew- that's it for now. Catch ya further on down the trail.<br><br>Kyle</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/38453302015-09-07T12:04:51-05:002017-01-15T18:49:33-06:00Kyle's studio diary pt. 5More progress has been made on the new Big Payback album!<br><br>This weekend, we had two more six-hour sessions with Landon at Blast House Studios. We wanted to get the tracking 90% finished with these sessions. The main focus was getting all the horns recorded, and we ended up accomplishing that and more!<br><br>We had 5 songs on the docket for the horn session on Friday, and we hit the ground running. For our first album, <em>Overture,</em> we had put all four horns in the same room so they could stand side-by-side like a live show. We tried something different this time around. For editing purposes, we isolated each horn player in his own cage... err, booth. I don't think it diminished the sense of ensemble between the musicians, and it gave us a lot more flexibility when seeking the best take from each player. <br><br>Present at the sessions were Jamie Kember (our fearless leader) on trombone, David Buss on bari and alto saxes, Tony Barba on tenor sax (and a clarinet solo!), and Eric Siereveld on trumpet and flugelhorn. We ended up finishing the first day of recording ahead of schedule, with only 4 full songs remaining to knock out the next day.<br> <div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/7bdc0328edabac1fbfc68062d9c9d868f5b8a9b2/medium/10592667-10156858851503125-6797661465143458346-n.jpg?1441644357" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">The trumpet book, complete with an old setlist and a pamphlet about the history of Lincoln High School in Manitowoc. Because why not?</p></div><br>The second day of recording also went smoothly, with only a slight hiccup. A rescue operation. Basically what happened was... I got locked in the bathroom. Something got stuck in the innards of the door locking mechanism, and it's thanks to the ingenuity of Landon and Tony that I'm even here today to type this story! They had to slip a screwdriver under the door so I could take off the handle from my end. My ordeal lasted all of 4 minutes, but it felt like... well, about 4 minutes. Always keep a screwdriver handy, I guess!<br><br>The horns finished up all their parts with time to spare. We also had time for Peter to lay down another solo on Fender Rhodes, Jeff to overdub a few bass parts, and me to take another crack at a guitar solo. We finished the day with background vocals on "Crosstown Traffic" and "Running with the Fire." <br><br>All that remains is lead vocals on I think 2 or 3 songs, and a smattering of backing vocals and aux percussion. Then it's mixing time!Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/38065862015-08-06T13:57:25-05:002015-08-06T13:57:25-05:00Kyle's studio diary pt. 4Yesterday was the final full day of rhythm section tracking. I declare it a success!<br><br>Knowing the full band would show up at 6:00, we started around 4:00 by recording Leah's vocals over the best take of "Running with the Fire" from the previous night. Listening back to our hurried performance, it definitely sounded better than I feared. Once the vocals were finished, the song started to take shape. However, I was still a little unhappy with my own performance on the song.<br><br>We had just enough time to re-do an out-of-tune guitar part on "Greenblood" before the rest of the band arrived. We knew that we had 6 hours to cover 5 songs, which is pretty tight considering the length and complexity of a couple of them. We had our work cut out for us! The band immediately went to work like the absolute pros that they are.<br><br>Thankfully, the rest of the night went like clockwork. We started with the 3 remaining songs with vocals. Leah sang in her isolation booth along with the rhythm section in the main room. We also had Jamie, Dave, and Eric Siereveld playing horns in another room. They were there to provide cues and energy for the rhythm section, and their real takes will be recorded later. <br><br>As I mentioned earlier, the songs we saved for the last day were generally the ones that we were most familiar with. It really showed in the session. We made short work of even the most difficult parts. I was constantly reminded of the talent in this band. I am so fortunate to have a chance to play with the absolute best musicians around. Hats off!<br><br>Amazingly, we finished up the remaining 2 instrumental tunes with time to spare. We recorded an idea for a segue between songs, and Jeff and I even had some time to take another couple passes at those crazy difficult bits in "Running with the Fire." Poor Landon will have quite a few takes to sort through on that one.<br><br>Here's what we have left to do: horn parts, probably one more session with Leah to finish up vocals, maybe a few solos, and then some icing on the cake stuff (aux percussion, backing vocals, etc...). That seems very manageable to me right now. <br><br>We also have a lot of footage to sort through, thanks to Elizabeth. So far, it seems like we're doing this album the right way. I'll keep updating this diary as we proceed, so stay tuned for more in a few weeks! <br><br>Kyle<br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/38046322015-08-05T11:55:27-05:002017-01-15T18:49:33-06:00Kyle's studio diary pt. 3<span class="font_regular">The album is one day closer to completion. Things that didn't sound like much are now starting to sound like actual songs!<br><br>Yesterday's recording session began with lead vocals. Leah tackled "I Want to Give (My Love to You)" first. It's probably the poppiest song of the bunch, but it has a couple curveballs. I think we were able to capture some good dynamics in the vocal performance.<br><br>We followed that with the new tune, "Above the Rain." Again, this is a brand new song that we've never actually played from start to finish as a whole band, so my rough demo is the only guide we had. Dave Buss appeared halfway through the session and remarked that it was nice to finally hear someone other than me sing that song. I agree with him completely! Leah really hit her stride in the dramatic ending. <br> </span>
<div>
<span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/54358/bafaf80b1121505a9a9951a3b5e4c27c35748a94/large/unnamed-1.jpg?1438793355" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular">Landon working his magic at the board, me having fun in a swivel chair</span></p>
</div><br><span class="font_regular">After recording vocals for "Greenblood," we found ourselves behind schedule. With only 90 minutes remaining, Jamie and I made the call to get the rhythm section to attempt "Running with the Fire." It's a pretty ambitious challenge, but we figured we'd be better off using the full 90 minutes to get one song than picking an easier song and ending up with 15 minutes of useless leftover time at the end of the night. That one came down to the wire. The session was hurried and a bit stressful, but I think we managed to get everything we needed. I feel OK about it right now. Time will tell.<br><br>It wouldn't be a true recording session without some of that pressure. We have 5 songs yet to record today. Fortunately, we'll get to focus on getting full rhythm section takes for the majority of the evening. No set up required, just plug in and play. It's a time crunch, but worrying about it won't help anything. As Jamie reminded me, we now have the most difficult material under our belt. All we can do give each song our best and see where we end up.<br><br>Onward!</span>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/38023402015-08-04T02:42:41-05:002015-08-04T02:42:41-05:00Kyle's studio diary pt. 2Day One of recording is in the books! I'm too wired to sleep just yet, so here's a blog entry for your amusement.<br><br>Things went very well! We had 6 hours booked, and we used every minute. It probably took us an hour or an hour and a half to get everything set up and ready to go for our first take of a song. That is very fast actually. We credit our engineer, Landon Arkens, with having as much as he could set up and ready to go when we walked in. It helps that we've worked with him before on three separate occasions. <br><br>Present at this session were Jamie, Joey B, Peter, <a contents="Ben Ferris" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.bferrisbass.com/" target="_blank">Ben Ferris</a> (on bass), and myself. Ben has played with us before, and Jeff is finishing up a tour with Harmonious Wail. So Ben agreed to play a few songs for the session before Jeff returns tomorrow. One of the realities of playing in a 9-piece band made up of professional, working musicians is that you have to be flexible with personnel. The Big Payback has an extended family of musicians that we rely upon for gigs as well as studio dates. It means we get to work with a broad range of talented people, which is not a bad situation at all. Ben did a top notch job on some tough material tonight, keeping a bouncy forward energy while locking in tightly with Joey B. Thanks, Ben!<br><br>Jamie was there to play some throwaway trombone tracks as cues, but his actual parts will be recorded with the rest of the horn section in September. He also acted as producer, cheerleader, and pizza orderman. The rhythm section all sat in one room (amps in separate rooms) and played each take together. We try to get as much of a "live band" feel as we can in recording sessions. Things are overdubbed usually because of logistics or studio isolation issues. Rhythm section in one chunk, horns in one chunk, vocals either separately or with rhythm section, then a few scattered solos and overdubs. <br><br>We had 3 songs on the docket for tonight, and we managed to knock them all out. One of them is brand new to us. We've never played it live, and it's one of the more complicated pieces I've written for the group. As expected, it took the most time to record. We had to break it down and build it back up section by section, but it didn't take us too long to get it figured out and put together into one whole.<br><br>I'm really looking forward to hearing how this particular song ends up. I'm a little nervous actually. I've demoed the piece with MIDI instruments and my own guide vocals, but that's the only time I've actually heard it from start to finish. I guess it's always a leap of faith to write music for a big band like this. You never know how your weird ideas are going to translate. But if tonight is any indication, this new one might be a keeper. The song is called "Above the Rain." <br><br>Ok, that's all for now. Day Two lies ahead of us!<br><br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/38015242015-08-04T01:50:01-05:002017-01-15T18:49:33-06:00Kyle's studio diary pt. 1Hi there,<br><br>Kyle here. The Big Payback enters Blast House Studios today to begin work on our second album! I'm trying to keep something like a studio diary as we go, so keep checking this blog.<br><br>I started today feeling pretty prepared for the sessions. Definitely more prepared than last time. I'm sure there's still plenty of time for things to go wrong, but right now it seems like we have a chance at some smooth sailing. I got my guitars all re-strung and prettied up, and I've made sure every other piece of gear is working properly. I've been practicing the songs, working on sounds, programming pedals, deciding on tempos, and generally just immersing myself in the tunes.<br> <div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/c3428a22b3e4465daca075575a802f4768ef7542/large/dsc00002.jpg?1438670744" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">I'm even pulling out this old guy for the wacky pitch bending part in 'Greenblood'</p></div><br>The songs on the album this time around are all mine, with the exception of one cover tune that I arranged. The first of the original songs, "Friday Night Phase," was completed over 5 years ago. I actually remember finishing it up while we were recording <em>Overture.</em> It's been very interesting going over the songs I've written for the band in the last 5 years. They almost play out like a diary, and my life has had some twists and turns and ups and downs. The moods and subject materials comprise a very mixed bag. <br><br>I'm really excited to get started on this project. I love being in the studio- it feels like my most natural habitat. Even when the hours start stretching longer and longer at the end of a session, I usually seem to have a good time.<br><br>Oh, I am also going into this session armed with video cameras! Well, Elizabeth will take care of most of the filming. But on the days that she can't be there (like today), I'll get a chance to try out my own budding skills as a documentarian. Ok, "budding skills" might be a stretch, but I do know how to turn the camera on and how to zoom in. That's gotta count for something!<br><br>Stay tuned for more!<br>Kyle<br><br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/37807342015-07-16T17:44:23-05:002017-01-15T18:49:33-06:00The artist behind "Audrianna"I've finally met the artist who inspired me to write "Audrianna!"<br><br>Those of you who have seen one of my solo shows have probably heard the story of the song that was based on a painting I saw at Art Fair on the Square. In a <a contents="blog post" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://kylerightley.com/home/blog/evolution-of-a-song-audrianna" target="_blank">blog post</a> I wrote last year, I had this to say about it:<br> <div>
<em>"One painting immediately drew my eye. It depicted several children flying through the sky on a magic carpet. One girl stood bravely at the "bow" of the carpet, apparently navigating through the ethereal landscape. The image stuck in my mind, and inspired my new song's protagonist a few days later. If I would have known the painting would spark a song, I would have remembered the artist's name. As it is, I have only my memory of the image. Thank you, anonymous collaborator!"</em><br><br>Well, Elizabeth and I went back to the Art Fair on the Square this year with the hope of finding this person. Not every artist comes back every year, and we were starting to lose hope after our initial sweep of the exhibits. But when we were about to give up, we came across a booth with a familiar style. We were in luck! <br><br>It turns out that "anonymous collaborator" is actually Sarah Kaufman, a wonderfully talented painter from Nashville, Tennessee. We asked her about the painting in question. It had been sold to some lucky soul, but it was printed in a children's book Sarah had recently published. <br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/3ba08b726bd4d557483f628fded1d71969b5196b/original/unnamed.jpg?1437086124" class="size_orig justify_center border_" />That's it on the left page. The children are actually on a flying leaf, but my memory had turned it into a magic carpet. <br><br>As if it wasn't enough to inspire a song, Sarah generously gave me a copy of her children's book, <em>The Circus.</em> I will treasure it! She has several images up on her website <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.sarahkaufmanart.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. I recommend you check it out.<br><br>Thanks for the inspiration and the book, Sarah! I'll keep an eye out for you at future art fairs.<br><br>Kyle<br> </div>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/37690562015-07-07T15:10:05-05:002017-01-15T18:49:33-06:007-7-15Hey all,<br><br>I've been up to all kinds of trouble lately! After a busy weekend of gigs and complicated logistics, I'm sitting down to catch my breath and give you some updates.<br><br>The new Telecaster performed admirably at both the Driveway Thriftdwellers' show at Summerfest and the opening set of The Big Payback's show up north*. The guitar is awesome in so many ways. It plays well and has a great tone that can cut through anything, but it's the little things I really notice for some reason. It stays in tune no matter how much I bend strings. The volume knob is smooth and doesn't crackle, so I can actually do volume swells. Both pickups have equal output. <br><br>I still prefer the warmer sound of my PRS for most Big Payback songs, but the Tele is going to be a workhorse for the Thriftdwellers and future solo ventures. Behold its glory:<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/b1469486fbeb9421e918d598afd322ae6ef5b42a/original/11063623-877819755619048-1470925205550426641-o.jpg?1436298728" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>In other news, I am busy working on my first commissioned piece of music. I am writing a song to be performed by the Madison College Big Band for Diabetes Awareness Day in November. It will feature a singer with big band accompaniment, and the lyrics will deal with diabetes awareness, prevention, and management. Those are some pretty specific requirements, so I'm giving myself plenty of time to work on it. I've never done this kind of thing before, and I shudder to think of putting it off until the last minute. I have about 3 months until the final draft is due, and I'm working on it bit by bit whenever I get a chance.<br><br>I also continue to add to my acoustic solo repertoire. My plan is to stockpile material until I feel I have a full album's worth. I plan on booking some gigs pretty soon. I have also been getting a couple conversations going with other musicians about collaborating on my solo material. We'll see where this ends up!<br><br>In the jazz world, I'll be playing the usual Five Points gig tonight as well as a gig with Charlie Painter and Friends at Merchant this Thursday. We're adding Chick Corea's "Spain" for tonight, and it's kicking my ass so far. I'll take another stab at it before the show.<br><br>Alright, that's all I got for now. I'll catch you further on down the trail.<br><br>Kyle<br><br>*"Up north" is a geographical term used by Wisconsinites. We think of everything north of us as one place.Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/37532902015-06-24T13:47:27-05:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:006-24-15It's been a busy week for gigs! The weekend started with a Driveway Thriftdwellers gig in Wausau.<div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/37131a8b67cea8caf9da2c6039eacbe907e8d86d/original/11219444-965492333472404-7943709402662133011-o.jpg?1435171221" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">We particularly enjoyed the drunk sound enthusiast who spent 10 minutes fiddling with the knobs on the bass amp at this gig. But overall, it was a very fun night. The next day, we ended up even farther north, in Minocqua.<br><img class='size_l justify_center' src='//s3.amazonaws.com/content.sitezoogle.com/u/135822/cad4cc8bcb1d66df263cb9855097ba4c77231ca4/original/1276105-965492403472397-1507053718618216874-o.jpg?1435171363'><br>It's always fun to play at the Minocqua Brewing Company, and we had a fantastic and supportive crowd! We even had time to enjoy the nice weather on the dock before the show.</p></div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/565d0612a7d67b0533fbc858ddc664ab3be3ab76/original/1902761-964617580226546-86897512773329976-n.jpg?1435171125" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Finally, I played a solo acoustic show on Sunday for part of Make Music Madison. <br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/a83cf9f5cd0496bc6e6d8d56b1e6fbf3379ebf39/medium/10676390-10206316825272272-657225621759328785-n.jpg?1435171474" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><br>Again, the weather was nice and the crowd appreciative. I also met some other local musicians- always a good thing!<br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/37256372015-06-02T12:52:27-05:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:006-2-15<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/316a4618633d33fb3356a7b2df192354c117f1f0/original/1186218-953482948006676-3662960816499692673-n.jpg?1433267409" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><br>Driveway Thriftdwellers bring their brand of alt country to Racine. I love playing with this group, and this is a FREE show!<br><br>Friday, June 12 9:00 pm<br>George's Tavern<br>1201 N Main st<br>Racine, WIKyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/36676002015-04-20T14:42:16-05:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:004-20-15<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/9f5fe42ad3cd5d802b179b6b737a1a1b8d5cb0cb/original/5-1-15-poster.jpg?1429558607" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><br><a contents="Madison Songwriters Guild" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://madisonsongwriters.com/" target="_blank">Madison Songwriters Guild</a> Showcase w/ Kyle Rightley<br>Friday, May 1<br>7:30 PM<br><a contents="Tuvalu Coffeehouse" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.tuvalucoffeehouse.com/" target="_blank">Tuvalu Coffeehouse</a><br>300 S Main St, Verona, WI<br>$5 suggested donation, $3 students/seniors<br><br>I have some <strong>brand new</strong> music to debut at this show! I'm really looking forward to it.Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/36651962015-04-18T15:00:31-05:002015-04-18T15:00:31-05:004-18-15All kinds of exciting things are in the air! Here is a list of things I'm feeling grateful for at the moment:<ul> <li>Spring. This goes without saying for anyone living at this latitude. It seems like just yesterday that it was painful to be outside for just a minute. Now it's beautiful! </li> <li>Commissions. Yes, I have recently been approached to write my very first commissioned piece of music. I will have more details soon, but it's pretty cool to be paid to write something. Songwriting used to feel like a dirty little hobby that I kept to myself. Now it feels legitimate!</li> <li>Students. Between working with kids at Mt Horeb High School last weekend with The Big Payback and my guitar students at Prairie Music and Arts, teaching has been very rewarding lately. It's something I truly do enjoy.</li> <li>Finally, I'm thankful to YOU for voting me into the final round of the Madison Area Music Awards...</li>
</ul>...which brings me to my "shameless plug" (is promoting oneself really supposed to be shameful? - I'm learning that it's the only way to get anywhere as a musician these days). I am a finalist in the Madison Area Music Awards (MAMAs) in two categories: <strong>Country/Bluegrass Performer</strong> and <strong>Brass Instrumentalist.</strong> <br><br>I would LOVE you if you voted for me one more time. Just click your way over to the MAMAs <a contents="official website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.broadjam.com/mama/" target="_blank">official website</a>, log in or make an account, and look for the aforementioned categories. If you voted in the first round, your registration fee is waived. If not, your $5 will go to help put an instrument in the hands of a kid who might not otherwise get one. Winning a MAMA award would mean a lot because it would add legitimacy to my name and help me to book venues that might not consider me otherwise. Your support is appreciated.<br><br>I'm also performing at the <a contents="Madison Songwriters Guild" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://madisonsongwriters.com/" target="_blank">Madison Songwriters Guild</a> showcase on Friday, May 1 at <a contents="Tuvalu Coffeehouse" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.tuvalucoffeehouse.com/" target="_blank">Tuvalu Coffeehouse</a>. I'll be sharing the evening with another local songwriter, and there will also be a short open mic. Things get rolling at 7:30 pm. <br><br>Cheers,<br>KyleKyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/36275762015-03-27T13:31:11-05:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:003-27-15Hello internetland,<br>I thought I'd just give the ol' blog a quick update. Earlier this week, I finished up a wind band arrangement of one of my newest Big Payback songs, "Power to Let Go." The Payback will be participating in the Mount Horeb Viking Band Show on April 9, 10 and 11. Part of what we're doing is playing a song with the full combined wind band. It was pretty fun to dust off my old college orchestration book and write parts for flute, clarinet, horn, and the like!<br><br>Members of the Big Payback also participated in the Capital Conference Middle School Jazz Fest last weekend, which was a lot of fun. We got to work with some great middle school jazz musicians. And thanks to the wonderful Elizabeth Galewski, we got some nice photos from the event! Here I am pointing at something:<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/fd541cafd1db2ba52da35830487feec200fe4a60/original/10653452-10205612117615021-8973525730213952810-n.jpg?1427478876" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>I am now technically on spring break, and I'm really looking forward to using some of my free time to write music. It's been a challenge to find the mental and physical space to do that lately. I will have some time this week! I was going to type something about how a lot of people in our society seem to need to be busy in order to feel happy, but I don't have time. I'm too busy! <br><br>Happily yours,<br>KyleKyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/35310112015-02-14T17:47:05-06:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:002-14-15Happy Valentine's Day, lovers and loners!<br><br>It's been a great weekend for me so far. Last night, I played with The Big Payback at the Hard Rock <span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">Café in Chicago. It was overall a really fun experience, although our set got cut a little short. Ah well, what can you do? The stage was nice, the staff friendly, and the crowd was dancing. I can't ask for much more.<br><br>My girlfriend and I spent the night in Chicago, and so far today has been a laid back mix of eating, driving, reading, and researching posol</span>é recipes. Tomorrow is my turn to cook. <br><br>Musically, 2015 is shaping up to be pretty full-on. This is what is tentatively on my plate for this year:<ul> <li>Recording a new album with The Big Payback, hopefully to be released this year</li> <li>Organizing an acoustic solo mini-tour back home to Colorado in May</li> <li>Writing and recording a few more acoustic songs, probably to be bundled with material from my EPs and released as a full-length CD</li> <li>Writing material for a totally new solo album, to be recorded professionally later</li> <li> Hopefully putting together some sort of small 3 or 4-piece band to give my solo music a wider range of venues</li>
</ul>That should keep me busy for a while. I'm excited to see how this all shapes up. <br><br>In the meantime, I'm happy to announce that I'm up for several Madison Area Music Awards (MAMAs) this year!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/e19f751bbb124bdcbb16913271aa02ffb03ad0cc/large/mamas-logo2.png?1423957409" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>If you like my music, please consider voting for me at this <a contents="website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://themamas.org/awards/" target="_blank">website</a>. Your $5 registration fee goes to help provide resources for youth music programs. The first round of voting ends on March 9. I'm up for:<br><br>Artist of the Year<br>Country/Bluegrass Song (Audrianna and Before Too Long)<br>Folk/Americana Song (Before Too Long and Dear Gravity)<br>Pop/R&B Song (Audrianna)<br>Unique Song (Dear Gravity)<br>Country/Bluegrass Album (The Bleak, Barbarian Pines EP)<br>Folk/Americana Album (The Bleak, Barbarian Pines EP)<br>Country/Bluegrass Performer<br>Folk/Americana Performer<br>Male Vocalist<br>Guitarist<br><br>If you think I'm deserving of any of that, give me a vote! I'd deeply appreciate it.<br><br>Alright, that's enough for now. Take care!<br><br>-KRKyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/34650602015-01-13T18:24:38-06:002015-01-13T18:24:38-06:001-13-15Howdy folks,<br><br>Here's a video of "Audrianna" from my recent solo show at Crescendo Cafe. Enjoy!<br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="UKFxtJcpQVY" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/UKFxtJcpQVY/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UKFxtJcpQVY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="400" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/34486982015-01-01T18:28:28-06:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:00Happy New Year!Happy New Year, everyone!<br><br>Wow. 2014 was a big year for me. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone who showed me support. Thank you!<br><br>2015 is off to an awesome start already! I played a fantastic gig at the Edgewater last night with The Big Payback. That will go down as a truly memorable New Year's Eve.<br><br>And I just learned that Maximum Ink magazine ran my interview with John Noyd. Thanks, John! Here's the article:<br><br><b style="padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5em;">Five Favorites: Kyle Rightley</b><br>A friendly Q & A with local musician Kyle Rightley <hr size="3"><img src="//www.maximumink.com//images/kylerightley.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Kyle Rightley" /><br>CD: The Bleak, Barbarian Pines <br>Record Label: <a href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/album/the-bleak-barbarian-pines-ep" target="_blank">self-release</a><br>Artist's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/kylerightleymusic" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br>by John Noyd<br>December 2014<p>One might not guess hearing Kyle Rightley’s windswept folk guitar trimmed in mandolin and graced with a clear calm voice that the talented singer-songwriter spent time in the nine-piece funk and soul band The Big Payback, attends Tuesday night jams every week at Madison’s Mason Lounge playing trombone and euphonium with the Five Points Jazz Collective and produces electronic prog-rock as (io). Having dropped two solo acoustic EPS in 2014, Rightley kicks off the new year’s new feature where we ask local talent what are a few of their favorite things</p>
<p>MAXIMUM INK: Do you have a favorite story of a musician helping another musician?</p>
<p>Kyle Rightley: I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of other musicians! Specifically, music professors from my college days helped shape my playing and musical philosophies. John Stevens at UW-Madison was a mentor and role model for me. And my involvement in every band that I’ve ever played in happened because of another musician giving me a chance. Even if I doubted my own abilities, my band mates seemed to believe in me.</p>
<p>MI: What’s your favorite thing about the local music community?</p>
<p>KR: That kind of ties in with the first question. Madison’s music community is knit very tightly. One might think that local musicians compete against each other for gigs and exposure. That might be true to some extent, but a victory for one musician is a victory for all local musicians. If a venue hires a band or solo act and the night goes really well, that venue is going to be more likely to hire other musicians on other nights. I think we all understand that to a degree, so there’s a great deal of camaraderie among Madison musicians.</p>
<p>MI: What’s your favorite song these days?</p>
<p>KR: It would be hard to pick just one. My all-time favorite songs are “Dogs” by Pink Floyd, and “Canada” and “Funeral” by Devin Townsend.</p>
<p>MI: Who’s the favorite one in your family?</p>
<p>KR: Well, that’s a loaded question! My brother’s girlfriend is a flight attendant, and she’s hooking us up with cheap plane tickets to South America in January. So even though she’s not technically family, she would rank pretty high on my “favorites” list currently.</p>
<p>MI: Where’s your most favorite place to write music?</p>
<p>KR: I’m lucky enough to have a music room in my place right now. All my instruments and recording gear live there, so that’s my creative space right now. But it can also be really fun write lyrics or music out in nature (when the weather is nice, of course)!</p>
<p>For more information check out www.kylerightley.com and catch Kyle along with Hugh Trimble January 10th at Madison’s Crescendo Espresso Bar & Music Cafe.</p><a contents="Link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.maximumink.com/index.php/articles/permalink/five_favorites_kyle_rightley/" target="_blank">Link</a> to articleKyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/34107072014-12-17T14:07:12-06:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:0012-17-14Just two days until my debut solo performance! <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/04309923e1808891eb0d1e520aeb61ce303fea87/original/tuvalu-coffeehouse-12-19-14.jpg?1418846779" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>This is a FREE show, so bring your friends and enjoy a hot drink and some acoustic music! Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/33103392014-11-20T17:32:35-06:002014-12-02T12:28:02-06:0011-20-14Hey folks,<br><br>I'm sitting in a coffee shop with the sun beaming in the window and the fireplace blazing. Wisconsin has taught me to truly treasure warmth.<br><br>It's been a while since I revved up the ol' blog. Wheels have been turning! The feedback I've received from my EP has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you all very much! I'm humbled.<br><br>I've been keeping myself very busy lately. Two new Big Payback songs are in the works. They're polar opposites of each other. One is written in a specific genre, and is quite formulaic. The other is not really concerned with fitting into a genre, and I'm giving it the freedom to go wherever it wants. I'm finding that the two different songs are justifying each other. I'm more willing to take risks with Song A when I know that Song B plays it safe. And I'm not afraid that Song B is too predictable because I know that Song A is anything but. My listening also sways from one end of that spectrum to the other.<br><br>In addition to those songs, I've been collaborating with other writers on new material as well. I had a session with Jamie Kember (trombone player in The Big Payback) a couple weeks ago. Despite playing in a band together, we've never really written together. It was a learning experience for the both of us. A few more meetings will hopefully flesh out some of our ideas further. I also started writing a song with <a contents="Jason Moon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.jasonmoon.org/home" target="_blank">Jason Moon</a>, a great singer-songwriter I met recently. I really liked his approach to writing lyrics, which is much more fluid and fast-paced than my own. I'm looking forward to seeing how all this new material turns out!<br><br>Finally, I have started preparing for my upcoming solo acoustic show at <a contents="Tuvalu Coffeehouse" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.tuvalucoffeehouse.com/" target="_blank">Tuvalu Coffeehouse</a> on December 19. It will be my first solo show ever! And to put even more pressure on myself, it's going to be recorded. Yay pressure!<br><br><strong>Kyle Rightley @ Tuvalu Coffeehouse and Gallery<br>Friday, December 19<br>7-9 PM<br>Free show, all ages</strong><br><br>Alright, that's about it. I'd better get home before the sun goes down.<br><br>Thanks for reading (or skimming)! Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/32503742014-10-25T14:56:01-05:002017-01-15T18:49:32-06:00Interview in Madison's Isthmus publicationWhoa! I'm also happy to announce that <em>Isthmus</em> published an interview with me in the latest edition. <br> <hr><br><br><span itemprop="name" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 3.1em; line-height: 1.1em;">Kyle Rightley launches a folk-driven solo act after five years leading the Big Payback</span>
<div style="width: 586px; padding: 0px 0px 1em;"><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 2em; font-style: italic; line-height: 1em;">Rugged individualism</span></div><span style="font-size: 1em;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><a href="http://www.isthmus.com/search/searchAuthor.php?authorID=787" style="color: rgb(1, 82, 152); text-decoration: none;">Julia Burke</a></span></span> on <span content="2014-10-23T00:00:00-05:00" itemprop="datePublished">Thursday 10/23/2014 </span></span>
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<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;">Low guitar notes cut through the sound of falling rain in the opening lines of "Song for the Flatirons," a pretty and wistful highlight of Kyle Rightley's latest EP. Titled <i>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</i>, the album is the Madison artist's sophomore solo release, but it doesn't sound like the work of a green musician.</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;">In addition to serving as guitarist, singer and songwriter with the nine-piece funk and soul band the<a href="http://www.bigpaybackmusic.com/" style="color: rgb(1, 82, 152); text-decoration: none;">Big Payback</a>, Rightley's found time to drop two solo EPs this year. It looks like more are also on the horizon.</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;">"The acoustic singer-songwriter thing is still new for me, and I'm just now realizing that there are people who want to hear my music," Rightley says. He's trying to book more solo shows to build momentum for this part of his music career. Meanwhile, he continues to perform with the Big Payback, who'll celebrate their fifth anniversary at the Frequency on Thursday, Oct. 30. Rightley also plays trombone and euphonium every Tuesday night at the <a href="http://www.isthmus.com/theguide/venue.php?venue=3378" style="color: rgb(1, 82, 152); text-decoration: none;">Mason Lounge</a> with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fivepointsjazzcollective" style="color: rgb(1, 82, 152); text-decoration: none;">Five Points Jazz Collective</a>.</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;"><i>Isthmus</i> chatted with Rightley about his budding solo career and the ways visual art and poetry inspire his music.</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;"><b>What's made you so prolific this year?</b><br>If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be releasing music under my own name, I wouldn't have believed you. Everything just fell into place. It started with a few of the bands I play in going into writing and recording mode. The Big Payback recorded one of my songs, "Romeo Knows," which was validating.</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;">I wrote and recorded an acoustic song, "Before Too Long," in January. I played it for friends and family, and the response was very positive. People started asking me if I was going to start a solo career, so I thought, "Why not?" With "Before Too Long" as a model, I assembled a small collection of songs that became <i>Raven Steals the Moon</i>.</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;"><i>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</i></p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;"><b>Where does the title <i>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</i> come from?</b><br>It's a line from a Robert Service poem called "The Pines." I was lucky enough to go on a rafting trip in the Yukon Territory this summer, and "bleak" and "barbarian" are the perfect words to describe that landscape. So for me, the title describes personal memories from this year, almost like a diary entry.</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;">Service is adored in that area [of Canada] and we kept running into his poetry. There's even a brewery that prints his verses on their beer cans. My first exposure to his work was... during the long van ride from our lodging to the put-in at the top of the Alsek River... The driver was a spirited outdoor enthusiast who told us stories of local life and history. Out of the blue, she started reciting a poem. It turned out to be an excerpt of "The Spell of the Yukon" by Service. I loved the imagery, and the flow and rhyme scheme sounded like a country song to me. When I got home, I researched the poem and was happy to discover it is in the public domain. The song the poem inspired is also titled "The Spell of the Yukon."</p>
<p style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.949999809265137px;"><b>What other artists inspired you when you were creating <i>Bleak</i>?</b><br>Another song, "Audrianna," was sparked by a painting at this year's Art Fair on the Square. It showed a group of children on a magic carpet flying through the sky, with one girl standing at the helm and navigating. I liked it immediately, but it wasn't until a few days later that I thought to make up a story for the little girl, so I don't know the name of the artist. I'm hoping he or she will be back at the art fair next year.</p>
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</div><a contents="Source" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.isthmus.com/isthmus/article.php?article=43835" target="_blank">Source</a>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/32503702014-10-25T14:49:13-05:002014-10-25T14:49:13-05:00Hometown loveI'm excited to report that the local paper in my hometown of Cortez, Colorado ran an article about me! Check it out!<br> <hr> <p class="articleText" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">Singer-songwriter Kyle Rightley, originally from Cortez, recently released his second solo acoustic EP, “The Bleak, Barbarian Pines.” The year has proven to be a prolific year for Rightley. His first solo acoustic EP, “Raven Steals the Moon,” was released in April.</p>
<div><p>Many of Rightley’s songs are inspired by his childhood home in Colorado. The bouncy tune “Before Too Long” reminiscences about the Ponderosa pine and mountain mahogany of Colorado’s forests, foothills, and canyons. The hard-driving “When the Dam Comes Down” imagines the fate of the Colorado River. A melodic instrumental, “Song for the Flatirons” began its life while Rightley was an undergraduate at the University of Colorado Boulder. Inspired by the famous sheaves of rock that jut out of the Earth, he wrote this song as a salute to the town’s dramatic backdrop. He graduated from CU-Boulder in 2007.</p></div>
<div><p>“I got the urge to write and release this music after spending a lot of time in the recording studio with some of my other bands,” Rightley said. “It was validating when The Big Payback recorded one of my tunes, and I really admired the work ethic of Beefus, which put out two full albums in only six months.</p></div>
<div><p>“The process for these solo releases started when I wrote and recorded an acoustic song, ‘Before Too Long,’ in January,” he said. “I played it for friends and family, and the response was very positive. People started asking me if I was going to start a solo career, so I figured, why not? With ‘Before Too Long’ as a sort of model, I assembled a small collection of songs that became Raven Steals the Moon.”</p></div>
<div><p>Perhaps best known as the guitar player and lead songwriter for The Big Payback (an award-winning jazz/funk/R&B orchestra,) Rightley’s compositions have twice been finalists for Madison (Wis.) Area Music Awards (MAMAs). This self-taught guitarist has also been nominated as Guitar Player of the Year.</p></div><br><a contents="Source" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://cjweb.sx.atl.publicus.com/article/20141023/LIVING/141029838" target="_blank">Source</a>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/32356302014-10-16T12:27:44-05:002021-09-13T13:45:28-05:00Evolution of a song: Song for the Flatirons<p>This instrumental track on <em>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</em> EP began life about 8 years ago. I was living in Boulder, Colorado, going to school and playing in a band called Silent Earth. We played a mixture of progressive rock and metal with some jazz and funk influences thrown in. I mostly played electric guitar in the group, but I played acoustic on a couple tunes as well. One of them was an instrumental I came up with called "Song for the Flatirons." <br><br>Anyone who has been to Boulder knows the Flatirons. While these rock formations are pretty small compared to other Colorado mountain ranges, they're a prominent feature in the landscape near Boulder and a nice reminder that mountains are nearby!<br><br><br>In my time at the CU-Boulder music school, I came across many pieces of music that were inspired by the Flatirons and other local mountain ranges. I joked that every musician or artist who came to Boulder created something to salute the Flatirons, and this song is my own addition to the collective heap.<br><br>The Silent Earth version of my song was very acoustic guitar-driven. The bass player and drummer (Shawn Briardy and Eric Simley) were very tasteful. I think they added some light accompaniment to the fast section towards the end of the song, but they demonstrated great restraint. Unfortunately, no recording of the song exists from that lineup.<br><br>I became reacquainted with the song in the winter of 2013 while visiting my brother in Boulder. The house we were staying in had a beautiful view of the Flatirons. One morning, I borrowed an acoustic guitar and played the song as the sun rose. My girlfriend encouraged me to record a solo version, and so here it is! This song brings back many happy memories of Boulder and my bandmates in Silent Earth.<br><br> <iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3905002995/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=402137855/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/album/the-bleak-barbarian-pines-ep" href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/album/the-bleak-barbarian-pines-ep">The Bleak, Barbarian Pines EP by Kyle Rightley</a></iframe></p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/32202902014-10-06T20:11:47-05:002014-10-07T01:39:32-05:00Evolution of a song: AudriannaThe last song written for <em>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</em> began life as a painting.<br><br>It was a couple months ago, when the temperatures were still nice. We spent a nice, lazy afternoon at Madison's Art Fair on the Square. One painting immediately drew my eye. It depicted several children flying through the sky on a magic carpet. One girl stood bravely at the "bow" of the carpet, apparently navigating through the ethereal landscape. The image stuck in my mind, and inspired my new song's protagonist a few days later. If I would have known the painting would spark a song, I would have remembered the artist's name. As it is, I have only my memory of the image. Thank you, anonymous collaborator!<br><br>In the early stages of the song, I knew I wanted to start the lyrics with the character's name. The melody dictated that it needed to be four syllables. So, I Googled "four syllable female names" and chose "Audrianna." Of course, Google was convinced that I was a father-to-be. Every ad I saw for the next week was baby related!<br><br>The music and lyrics were completed fairly quickly after the initial spark, though I did leave a few holes until the last minute. The lyrics for the "one by one, we'll take to the sky..." part were not actually written until about 30 minutes before the vocal was recorded. I had been struggling to write words to put in that section of music, so I gave myself a deadline. Sure enough, I thought of something!<br><br>The instrumental skeleton of the song is the acoustic guitar, with mandolin and electric guitar fleshing it out. I have some footage of the recording session here:<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="7LE9WHGpHCU" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/7LE9WHGpHCU/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7LE9WHGpHCU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="400" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br>I have footage of the vocal session as well, but the girlfriend has advised me not to post it due to how goofy I look. Probably a good idea.<br><br>The finished track is available <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/track/audrianna" target="_blank">here</a>. Thanks for reading!<br><br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/32112342014-09-30T16:33:35-05:002017-01-15T18:49:31-06:00The Bleak, Barbarian Pines EP is out now!<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/album/the-bleak-barbarian-pines-ep" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/5a1e53cd39e6b4b2d967fa7a293ab03a4379c4d2/medium/the-bleak-barbarian-pines.jpg?1412112778" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a><br><br>It is with a humble and reticent heart that I release The Bleak, Barbarian Pines into our noisy world. The five songs that make up this online EP have been tumbling around in my conscious and subconscious mind with increasing urgency these last months. It’s finally time to let them out!<br><br>Musically and lyrically, this EP picks up where <em>Raven Steals the Moon</em> left off. The texture is dominated by acoustic guitar, but electric guitar, mandolin, and other sounds have seeped into the cracks and pores.<br><br>Some notes about the songs: the lyrics of “The Spell of the Yukon” and the title of the EP were taken from the poetry of Robert Service. “Song for the Flatirons” is an instrumental that I wrote while living in Boulder, CO, probably around 2006. This is the first time the piece was recorded. “Audrianna” was inspired by a painting I saw at the Art Fair on the Square in Madison. I didn’t know I was being inspired to write a song until days after the fact, so I didn’t get the name of the artist. Thank you, whoever you are!<br><br>Speaking of thanks, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Elizabeth Galewski for designing the cover, providing advice throughout the whole process, and generally just believing in me. Thanks also go out to my family for the continued support, all the great bands and musicians I collaborate with regularly, and everyone who bought the last EP. Cheers!Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/31939432014-09-18T20:50:31-05:002014-09-18T20:50:31-05:00The Bleak, Barbarian PinesFall is upon us!<br><br>I really can't complain right now because after a sudden cold spell last week, the weather has warmed up beautifully. I've been busy at work on my new collection of songs, but not too busy to ignore the soft afternoon sunlight and the early stages of yellow on the trees.<br><br>Speaking of trees, the title of my upcoming EP is <em>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</em>. It's a phrase from a Robert Service poem. I have been working day and night on the thing, and I must say it's starting to sound pretty good. As I mentioned earlier, one song ("The Spell of the Yukon") is pretty much finished. The other 4 tracks are in good shape. A couple of them still need some backing vocals, but I should be able to knock those out in a few days. After that, I put on my mixing hat and try to coax the best sounds out of each of them. <br><br>I'd say the new material is similar in tone and instrumentation to <em>Raven Steals the Moon</em>, though maybe a little more somber. It feels appropriate that <em>Raven Steals the Moon</em> was released in the spring and <em>The Bleak, Barbarian Pines</em> will be released in the autumn. <br><br>With only 12 days left in September, it will be a chore to get it done by the end of the month. But I still think I can do it. And if not, it will be released in early October. It's not like I have a record label setting the deadlines, after all. <br><br>I am also going to be performing some of this acoustic material very soon. Solo at first, and then we'll see how it goes from there. I'll keep you informed! <br><br>Back to work!Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/31706972014-09-04T00:41:46-05:002017-01-15T18:49:31-06:009-4-14Recording continues!<br><br>August was a bit of a crazy month. The move and the busy gigging schedule made the recording take a back seat for a few weeks, but now I'm back on track!<br><br>I'm getting settled into the new place and I've got my music studio looking pretty slick. It's a very comfortable and spacious room, but the hardwood floor creates some acoustical problems. I'm looking into studio foam and bass trap options for the long run, but I'm finding that improvised solutions are working for now. Today I created a makeshift vocal booth in the closet. My girlfriend's winter wardrobe is actually pretty effective in sound absorption!<br> <div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/9b513f15663614b2ed06b932dd963cfc4fc7aed0/large/dscn0485.jpg?1409860094" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">The new digs</p></div><br><br>I've decided to put one song in the express lane and get it (nearly) completed before fleshing out the others. The lucky song is called "The Spell of the Yukon," and I should have a rough mix done by tomorrow. It will probably be the lead-off track for the EP. This song is a first for me- instead of writing lyrics myself, I took existing poetry and set it to music. I repeatedly ran into the words of Robert Service earlier this summer on my rafting trip in Canada, and his flow and rhyme scheme seemed to suggest music. Working on this tune has been a fun way to commemorate the experience. <br><br>I still fully intend to have the EP completed in September. Hold me to that!<br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/31214422014-08-03T18:11:17-05:002014-08-03T18:11:17-05:008-3-14It was been a very productive weekend. In addition to playing a fun gig with The Big Payback at the Summerset Festival of the Arts, I recorded all the acoustic guitar tracks for the new solo EP! <br><br>This release will contain 5 new songs. I have a folk-country song, a dreamy pop tune, a spacey minor-key ballad with an unusual structure, a bluesy funk song, and an instrumental. I'm thinking of it as a follow-up to <em>Raven Steals the Moon.</em> Taken together, the two EPs will sort of make side 1 and side 2 of a full album. I've really been enjoying working in small batches like this. It feels less ponderous than taking on a whole album's worth of material at once. <br><br>I've been pretty pleased with the sounds so far. I used a nice Audio Technica condenser mic to record the acoustic guitar. I'm also working in Reason 7 for the first time. I've had Reason 4 for years, so I'm comfortable with the fundamentals of the program. <em>Raven Steals the Moon</em> was all done in ProTools, but my new computer is not a fan of ProTools. Oh well- Reason comes through again! It's been a treat to record full takes of a song at 48k, 24-bit resolution without a single pop or hiccup. A huge improvement from my old set up!<br><br>I'll leave you with a video from my session. This is the middle section of "Dear Gravity," the unusual ballad I mentioned earlier. Right now, this is probably my favorite song on the EP. I think I was able to capture something really haunting and unique. Enjoy!<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="wFoCwA6TfBQ" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/wFoCwA6TfBQ/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wFoCwA6TfBQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/31177552014-07-31T22:29:00-05:002021-09-13T13:46:52-05:007-31-14<p>Tomorrow is a big day! My girlfriend and I begin moving into our new place, and I begin recording my second solo EP!<br><br>The packing is too tedious to blog about, but I'll keep you updated about my progress on the EP. I'll be renting an SM81 condenser microphone to get good acoustic guitar sounds and recording some basic rhythm tracks. I have 5 songs (mostly) completed. I'm still working out an ending for "Audrianna," but hey, I'll figure it out, right? I sure hope so.<br><br>I got the rattling problem in my guitar fixed, so it's all good to go. It turns out it was a loose bracing. I also picked up this handy little book to assist me in my unskilled mandolin playing:<br><br>Ahh those were the days. Sitting about in the parlor, strumming mandolins and growing mustaches. <br><br>Goodnight, everybody.<br> <br><br> </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/31064432014-07-29T18:59:00-05:002014-07-29T19:00:00-05:007-29-14Hi there, friends!<br><br>Things are quickly falling into place for my next acoustic solo EP. In fact, I just finished writing a second verse to a song called "Audrianna." It's shaping up to be a light, poppy little song with a feel-good chorus. It was inspired by a painting I saw weeks ago at Madison's Art Fair on the Square. I don't know the name of the artist, but thanks for the idea!<br><br>In addition to "Audrianna," I have four other songs written and ready to go. However, something in the headstock of my acoustic guitar is buzzing on certain notes, and I'm going to have to resolve that before I can record. I'll take it into a shop tomorrow and pray that it's a quick and simple fix. I'd really like to be recording basic guitar tracks by Friday.<br><br>Now, back to writing lyrics. Hello, thesaurus! Hello, rhyming dictionary!<br> Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/30217182014-06-17T13:26:43-05:002021-09-13T13:41:21-05:00The Plan<p>The blog might not indicate it, but I've been super busy. Between gigs and recording sessions with the Big Payback, Driveway Thriftdwellers, Charlie Painter and Friends, Five Points, and Beefus, I've had a pretty full schedule. Not to mention teaching, writing, and preparing for an upcoming adventure:<br><br><br>One week from today, I will be leaving to raft the Alsek river in Canada and Alaska. This will be a 2-week journey through a wilderness of glaciers and mountains. I can't quite bring myself to believe that I'll be seeing views like the one above in about a week!<br><br>When I return, I will be in writing/recording mode. I plan to have another acoustic EP released in August or September as a follow-up to<em> Raven Steals the Moon</em>. I already have one new song completely written and another well on the way. I'm hoping that some of the grandeur of the Alsek river seeps into my new material as well. <br><br>That's the plan anyway. You'll be hearing more music from me quite soon!<br><br>Cheers<br>Kyle</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/29267122014-05-07T15:08:55-05:002021-09-13T13:47:30-05:005-7-14<p>Alright, here's a quick update. I just got done with a session on this new jazz tune, and I think it's going to be called "Animal Brain." It's a very spastic piece- sometimes playful, sometimes dangerous. Kind of like the cat that is currently shedding on every piece of clothing and gear I own.<br><br>Now I'm off to teach lessons for the day, then it's a rehearsal with Beefus. Today I will also pick up my new reverb pedal, built for me by my friend Ben Johnson (and his son Charlie) from a kit from <a contents="Build Your Own Clone" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://buildyourownclone.com/" target="_blank">Build Your Own Clone</a>. I'm very excited to try it out!<br><br>It will end up a gloriously neutral gray box, unless I paint something on it. Any ideas?</p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/28881892014-04-21T22:43:37-05:002021-09-13T13:47:49-05:004-21-14<p>It's been a very busy few days!<br><br>I've been hard at work on new music. Most of my creative efforts of late have been directed toward a new fusion-y instrumental piece for The Big Payback. We are playing Jazz at 5 in August, so it would be nice if we had some music that was, well, jazz. We do have several jazz and world-inspired tunes, but this is an opportunity to write music even further in that direction. I'd also kind of like to end up with a basic lead sheet so that other groups could play this song. We'll see.<br> </p>
<p>I started this piece by writing a bunch of random 4 and 8-measure phrases in related key areas without giving any thought to how they'd link together. I ended up with a lot of cool but unrelated ideas (and, as usual, a lot of crap too). Now the process is kind of like assembling a musical jigsaw puzzle. A theme and a title suggested themselves today, and now an overall order is becoming clear. It's great when that happens!<br><br>I have another R&B-influenced Payback song in the pipeline as well. And a really sad acoustic song presented itself the other day. Like an old man, world-weary kind of sad. I don't know where that came from. Anyhoo, my hope is to get the two Payback songs finished in the next couple months before leaving for vacation in late June. I would also like to have some more solo acoustic material at least started by that time, as I'd really like to record another few songs for digital release.<br><br>Oh, and I listened to the new Ulver/ Sun O))) collaboration today. Good stuff. It's great to cleanse your palette with music in a completely different style.<br><br>More ramblings soon...<br><br><br><br><br><br><br> </p>Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/28703242014-04-14T22:38:28-05:002017-01-15T18:49:31-06:00Evolution of a song: Raven Steals the MoonThe title track of my acoustic EP was the most difficult to write. Other songs on this release were written very quickly, with a sort of single-brush-stroke ease. For whatever reason, the method I used to write "Raven Steals the Moon" was much more tedious and involved. I think that this approach was actually necessary for the song's narrative development. Though it was a major headache, I'm glad that I took the time to chisel away it bit by bit until I could see its shape.<br><br>"Raven" started life as just an idea. I had watched <a contents="The Fast Runner" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atanarjuat:_The_Fast_Runner" target="_blank">The Fast Runner</a>, an independent movie made by Inuit filmmakers and actors. The story is a retelling of a Native American legend that seems Shakespearian in its scope and drama. It was a reminder that the land we currently call "home" was taken from people with a whole culture and literature of their own. I wanted to let some of those legends and stories seep into my music. Besides, I had just written "Before Too Long," a very personal song. I wanted to write about someone else, and narrative songs always fascinated me. Not everyone wants to hear about my own life!<br><br>I checked out some books of Native American folk tales from the library. Some stories were very simple and straightforward. Some were bizarre and twisted. I realized that there was not one single tale that would make an appropriate song for me, so I combined a few and added my own elements. I leaned toward Trickster tales, as the Trickster figure (sometimes a coyote, raven, snake, or other beast depending on the culture) has always been very interesting to me. A Trickster is sort of like the Joker, Wile E. Coyote, and Glenn Quagmire wrapped into one very cunning but often unfortunate fellow.<br><br>The music started with the odd-metered chorus, the first thing you hear in the song. As you can tell from this early scratch track, the tempo was initially slower and the chord progression was more involved.<br><br><iframe frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/144724204%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-bOBoM&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>When writing the verses, it seemed like I would completely throw away the chord progression and melody and start from scratch every single day! I had a rough idea for the lyrics and the story I wanted to tell, but I couldn't seem to find music I was happy with. This early version sounded a bit too much like Dylan's "I Shall be Released" to me.<br><br><iframe frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/144756350%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-HFlod&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>I had a general idea of the characters and the story, but the exact wording in the lyrics also seemed to change daily. Here's a page from my notebook:<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/135822/503db8fd7ff7265aa0317c29605534287a42029f/large/img-0619.jpg?1397514175" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br>I liked to get a rough recording of myself playing and singing the song at the end of every work session so I could listen to the most current version of the song the next time I worked on it. Even as the tune neared completion, I was still changing things every time I played through it. I captured an "a-ha!" moment in this particular recording.<br><br><iframe frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/144756394%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-gYRMN&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>After a ton of tweaking, I arrived at the <a contents="final" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/track/raven-steals-the-moon" target="_blank">final</a> version. I guess some songs write themselves in an hour, and some take weeks. "Raven" was definitely the latter.Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/28608902014-04-11T13:00:00-05:002014-04-11T13:02:15-05:004-11-14As I launch my new website and solo recordings, I feel squirmy and anxious. Self-promotion is not something that comes naturally to me, and I suspect this is true for many musicians. I have to remind myself that this music is not <em>me</em>. I was the one who birthed it, but now it has a life of its own. It could not have existed without the people and circumstances in my life that enabled its creation.<br><br>Speaking of which, this would be a good opportunity to thank some people who helped make <em>Raven Steals the Moon</em> a reality. Every song on the EP features a beautiful antique mandolin that was generously given to me by Roger and Gloria Brinkmeier. That instrument has really shaped the direction of this music. The cover art was made by a Canadian woodworker. He maintains a blog <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://dannyscarvings.blogspot.com" target="_blank">here</a> and graciously let me use his work. Thanks Danny! Members of <a contents="Driveway Thriftdwellers" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/drivewaythriftdwellers" target="_blank">Driveway Thriftdwellers</a> have been very supportive of my song <em>Before Too Long</em>, and we've recorded a full-band version that will soon be appearing on an upcoming demo. I have drawn a ton of inspiration from David Byrne's fantastic book <em>How Music Works</em>. And of course my wonderful girlfriend <a contents="Elizabeth Galewski" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.elizabethgalewski.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Galewski</a> has been an ever-present source of encouragement and advice. <br><br>Thank you, thank you, thank you! Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/28603742014-04-10T12:59:41-05:002014-04-10T12:59:41-05:004-10-14My new solo EP <em>Raven Steals the Moon</em> is now up on <a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://kylerightley.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>! This is a very exciting (and nerve-wracking) thing for me! <br><br>This project is an experiment of sorts. I recorded these 4 songs in my home with a modest amount of basic gear. I tried to keep things acoustic, earthy, and raw. <br><br>The goal of this EP is to gauge YOUR interest in my music. All money I make from sales of this music will be put into a "solo career" fund. My goal is to use the money and momentum generated by this EP to put together a small group of musicians, play some gigs, and ultimately end up with a professionally-recorded full-length album. In keeping with the raw, earthy nature of this music, I'd like that album to possibly be a multi-track recording of a live performance. I also think that's a cool way to get an audience involved in an album. I love listening to old jazz records from live shows!<br><br>Thank you for your interest in my music! I hope to continue exploring this vein of songwriting and performing.Kyle Rightleytag:kylerightley.com,2005:Post/28526522014-04-08T00:32:53-05:002014-04-08T00:32:53-05:004-8-14Welcome to my official website! My own little 40 acres of bandwidth! Now I suppose I need to put up content and words and stuff. That will be coming up soon...Kyle Rightley