Hello, St. Louis!

So after the bumpiest flight ever, (I swear I was scared there for a bit) I made it safely to St. Louis. I got to my hotel and opened the curtains in my room to see this great view of the St. Louis Arch! Very cool. Thought I would be here tomorrow and realized my flight was today so here I am a day early from my performance tomorrow. Might head down there tonight and see some of the musicians I know down there.

I have been getting some great responses to the previous blog entry today (which, to me, is fast!). I appreciate everyone’s honesty and I have to say that the Marine Corp mom who I mentioned before, wrote me back after I wrote her an email explaining the song, and agreed to misunderstanding the song. I think it is a great quality to be honest about how you are feeling and admit that you might be wrong. I feel like that sometimes; I feel the need to stick to my guns even when I know I am wrong as if I have to follow through to “win”. I am done with those days and appreciate this woman writing me back. Great character.

Alright, time to answer my emails!!
~Eric

Clearing Up The “protest Song” Or I Just Got An Angry Letter..

Wow, I just went out to see my friend’s band play tonight and hung out with friends before I head to St. Louis. I came home and checked my email before I went to bed and then checked my myspace mail.  I was half asleep reading it when I came to a letter from the mother of a Marine Corp mom. She was writing telling me how upset the “Protest Song” (which I put up on my page about 5 hours ago because of all the Pridefests I’ve been playing at this month) made her while taking a few stabs at me for ”having no respect”, ”not liking myself”, and ”being stupid”. In the past, I have received some negative comments (of course, who doesn’t?) but this is my first straight-up angry email about a song of mine.

I feel the need to clarify this song.  Here are the lines in question:

“I am not a soldier, I am just an honest man, living out my life, the best way that I can, I’m not reporting for duty, I’m not recruiting myself to join armed forces that don’t want me, unless they need my help.

General, I’m quite capable, my strength is my proof, are you afraid I’d try to sleep with every soldier in my troop? Are you afraid I’d be the hero that you are looking for? and you’d have to thank my faggot ass for winning you, your f#ckin war?”

This section was not meant to denounce the military in general but protest its discrimination of gays and lesbians. It is silly to think that the LGBT community cannot serve our country. I come from a military family and respect those who fight for our country, I just don’t agree that the LGBT community should just say, “Oh, well…I guess it’s not for us”. I agree that we should all have the same choice just like any straight person to join the armed forces and not feel like we will end up a victim of a hate crime or feel the need to stay closeted until our service is through. I have met many gay and lesbians who have served in the armed forces, many who have come up to me after the song and told me how much it meant to them.

I feel bad that a song of mine that is meant to empower those who are discriminated against made someone’s mother cry, but if this song is misunderstood, I can’t be to blame for that.  All I can do is clearly state is intentions and the rest, I guess, is out of my hands. I just hope those that need to hear this song, do.

Ok, just had to get that off my chest……:)~Eric

“protest Song” Up On Myspace!(and New Pics!)

Photos taken at Tulsa Pride (holy crowd, Batman!) by the great Liz Ingersoll

Hey, my friend!

Just in time for Pride, I have added “Protest Song” on my myspace page (www.myspace.com/erichiman)! Please add it to your page and show this world that some of us don’t sit on our asses and wait for others to tell us what we can and can’t do!

Hell yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ok, I think I got my point across:)
~Eric

Louisville, Baltimore, To Nyc For A Party (a Garden Party:)!

Oh, yes! This is me and Ted Allen from Top Chef/Queer Eye For The Straight Guy/Chef/etc. fame! I performed in NYC on Monday at Garden Party, an LGBT tasting event that was hosted by the very funny comedianne, Kate Clinton (she was so sweet to me!) and also brought out Andrew Cohen (VP of Programming at Bravo! and also hosts the reunion shows, too):

(me and Andrew!)

Let me back up a few days for you real quick:

What???

I first started out the weekend, flying to Louisville, KY and ran into other out singer-songwriters, Josh Zuckerman and Gregory Douglass and publicist, Stephen Schulman. We had all met on different occasions, so it was great to catch up with them all in one place. That night, Josh was performing and we all had to be in the big gay parade. Very strange waving to people like Anne Hathaway in the Princess Diaries hearing folks go,”Hey……whoever you are”! It was fun and actually had some people who knew my music and called out to make requests. On Saturday night, Gregory and I performed. The crowd was amazing and fortunately I played a bit while the sun was a bit out and when night fell it got even bigger. I met some great folks at the merch table afterwards and headed back quickly to get some Zzzzz’s (well, Gregory, Glenn, and I got some sushi on the way back right before I went to sleep).

Got about 3 hours of sleep and then had to get a ride to the airport to fly to Baltimore on Sunday. I got off the plane, got into a big black SUV and headed off to the hotel then Pride. The park was buzzing by the time I got there, and within minutes found my friends, Cas and Randy. Tom Goss was onstage at the time and good to see him again after we toured together this past spring. I hit the stage not long after, breaking a few strings but making the most of it with originals and covers. Saw some interesting folks at Pride like Jim Hall (one of the most heavily tattooed person I’ve ever met) here:

After getting some sleep that night, I got up on Monday and took the Amtrak train from Baltimore up to NYC. I met not one but three interesting women (Hey S, Brenda, and Lola!) and sold 2 cds on the train! I got into Penn Station and headed over to the Chelsea Pier where they had the event, Garden Party. I was super early so I walked around and talked to everyone from the Showtime channel booth people to Gloria, the woman who was running a booth advocating a successful drug for those who are HIV+. By 5pm, food was being served (my favorite? The sweet potato ravioli with Cream Sauce from the Catirella booth!). The Spotted Pig had a tomato basil soup served as cold as gazpacho. It was good, too. Kate Clinton hosted and then one by one, the entertainers played (even saw a friend of mine Robert German who played as well, and Stewart Lewis who I met that night). I took the pics above and had a great night.
Tuesday, I was back on the plane home and got right back into my routine this morning (wake up, gym, tan (its a new thing for my white, white-ness), eat and work. Now, I have to get some more gigs for this fall. Psyched to get back in my car and out of the airports.

As I am sitting here writing this, I am watching Larry King. He just did a commercial for LKLalert..text messaging alert for up to the minute info from Larry King. His show, to me, is not an alert based show. Top Chef is,ha. J/k. But seriously, that is wierd to me.
I do have to say that Luke Russert is on (son of the late Tim Russert). What a strong guy! I don’t think I could keep it together as well as him these past few weeks. Also so sad to see George Carlin go. What a thought-provoking, funny man.

Time to get some more work done and answer some emails. talk soon and hope u dig the pics!
~Eric

My “once Upon A City” Interview About “resonate”

Hey there!

Hope you are enjoying the longest day of the year! I’m here in Louisville, KY about to play Pride tonight. Tomorrow, I fly to Baltimore, take a train to NYC and fly home on Tuesday.Whew…I am exhausted just writing that,ha.

I just got this link from my friend in Des Moines, Shadley, who just started this interview series called, “Once Upon A City”. I was the first one he posted and here is the link:

http://www.onceuponacity.com/musepaper.html

It has to be the first in-depth interview about the songs behind “Resonate”. Hope you like:)

~Eric

I’m A Country Music Star!.. I Think..

Well, I guess it is true. Ever since I got this motorcycle and started hanging out in Nashville, my time has come. I googled myself the other day to see if an article I was in had appeared (Windy City Times in Chicago actually!) and found my new cd, Resonate, featured on CMT.COM. I have finally made it!… I think. Check it out: http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/himan_eric/artist.jhtml.

I am back home from Spokane, which was a great time! I spent some time with my friend, Bob, and ended up on her motorcycle, my first ride on one EVER. I was psyched and had her take this pic. Don’t worry though, I am not going anywhere in this pic, it was taken with me just sitting on it. THIS is what we had to wear before heading off. Safety first!:

This weekend, I am traveling to three places. First, I am off to Louisville, KY for Pride there, then it is off to Baltimore for Pride, and finally NYC for an event called Garden Party. It is a food event (did someone say food?!!) where I will be performing alongside special guests, Ted Allen (Queer Eye For the Straight Guy), Andrew Cohen, senior vice president of Bravo, and host Kate Clinton. Very psyched for this event. Good food and some great music.

Now, back to the booking board where I am planning this fall already. No sleep for the weary, well in this case, the work horse. Ain’t nobody else gonna do it,ha. Time to get my butt back out there. After all this personal training, at least it will be in shape,ha.
~Eric

A “two Spirit” Day

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of going to the LGBT Youth Center, Odyssey in Spokane (where I am at right now). I played for them and also got to hear a Native American speaker, Steven Barrios. He spoke also last night at the Museum and Arts Center about “Two Spirit” people. Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-Spirit. It is really neat to see how the LGBT community was embraced in the Native American community and the Two Spirits had a purpose before many of the Tribes were westernized and outsiders tried to get rid of them (sicking dogs on them, etc).

Many Two Spirit groups around the country to reclaim their place in the Native American community. I found Steven’s lecture really interesting. I think the youth group did as well.

Today, I am performing over at the OutSpokane Festival! I have stuck to my diet and exercise plan and trying to stay away from the food I craved that was not very good for me (ie. the chinese restaurant around the corner with the Sesame Chicken begging me inside,ha).

Time to drink some more water! (Anybody have any Diet Dr. Pepper???? j.k)~Eric

In Brooklyn…i Mean, Spokane, Wa!

Well, here is a picture I took with my fancy new phone (the Palm Centro-thanks, Cas)! I can report from anywhere now with this phone and here is proof. This is a pic I just took myself (I’m impressed with it for taking it myself,ha) sitting here in the Brooklyn Deli…… IN Spokane, WA. I flew out of Tulsa this morning at 6:42am and here I am in Washington now. I love it here, though my allergies miss being back in Oklahoma. My nose has been running all the way here from Tulsa. YUCK!

I am about to go perform a quick set over at the LGBT Youth Center here in a bit. Then tomorrow I play at the Festival for Spokane Pride. Then it is back to Tulsa to rehearse the new band. Trying to get some shows in and around Oklahoma so hopefully it will be a band-er summer (my little pun!).

Ok, time to check into the hotel. Have a great weekend wherever you are!:)~Eric

Tulsa Pride 08 Video!

This past weekend was Tulsa Pride and it was insane. It was actually the Block Party put on by the Oklahomans For Equality the weekend before the actual festival. I decided to book the show with my band in town (Ted Scott on electric guitar, Jimmy Adams on bass, and Angel Adams on drums). Though the sound was a bit wacky, you would have never known from the crowd reaction as you can see in the video; people all the way up to the stage. We played mostly my originals and threw in a few covers (not on camera sadly). All in all, it was quite fun so thanks to all those who put on the party!

In other news, I have been getting a few inquiries about my music video for “Little Boy Blue” since it has been up on LOGO and on my myspace page. I wrote the song about a transgendered boy I met on the road when I was touring LGBT centers that housed minors who have been kicked out of their houses for being LGBT. The video is a take on the story that is closely related to the subject of the song but not direct. The director and I came up with the treatment for it and I am proud of the final product. The video is not autobiographical. It is meant to show how I connected with the subject of the song. The events that take place did not happen to me. I am not trying to shy away from the video by saying this, just trying to be accurate. I was not thrown out of my house when I was young or beaten up for not taking drugs. I hope that the video sheds light on some of the things I wanted to express in it and overall it has been getting great reviews.

OK, whew…heavy subject there, on to the next bit of my business….I hired a personal trainer today! Yes, it is true. I am beginning to feel like when I step into the gym, I haven’t the slightest idea of what I am doing. Ever since I took over the ship of my business, I leave little time when it comes to taking care of myself. When Cas was in town, I was telling her that I felt like I wasn’t taking the time to eat better or work out more since I started the booking, publicity, distribution, etc. SO! Today, I found a great trainer to help me get back to my old self and kick my butt into shape. I honestly didn’t think I was that bad, until I was told today to write down everything I ate. Everything I’ve written down today is good for me and I have been doing well, it is just everything I WANT to eat now that I have to look at it staring me back from my food diary. You don’t know how many times I walked by the jellybeans that Ry bought today and left sitting on the counter. Painful.

Ok, off to go eat some more healthy things and drink enough water to fill me up that I don’t want jellybeans.
~Eric

“protest Song” Live In Detroit!

Hey there!

Just thought I would throw this clip up of me performing “Protest Song” at Detroit Pride. The audience was awesome there and really responded to the song! Check it out: