Anthony Neff: News

Well, the new CD is getting close to finished. Here's a status of each of the songs that will appear on it. There's also a brief description of what some of the finished songs sound like - part tongue-in-cheek, part true...

ROPE (Killin’ Me Slow)

Additional Musicians: Kenny Roby - guitar; Scott McCall - lead guitar; Davey Bartholomew - bass; Stephen Gardner - drums

Status: (2/9/09) 90%: Recording basically finished; needs mixing

Sounds like: The Clash meets Gary Wright

THE LADDER

Additional Musicians: Kenny Roby – guitar, percussion, backing vocals; Scott McCall - lead guitar, loops; Davey Bartholomew - bass; Stephen Gardner - drums

Status: (2/9/09) 85%: Needs additional percussion and mixing

Sounds like: U2 meets the Atlanta Rhythm Section

STILL SO GONE

Additional Musicians: Kenny Roby – guitar; Scott McCall - lead guitar; Davey Bartholomew - bass; Stephen Gardner - drums

Status: (2/9/09) 90%: Recording basically finished; needs mixing

Sounds like: Neil Young meets Jesse Winchester

HEART TURNS BLACK

Additional Musicians: Kenny Roby – organ, backing vocals; Scott McCall - guitar; Davey Bartholomew - bass; Stephen Gardner - drums

Status: (2/9/09) 85%: Needs additional percussion and mixing

Sounds like: Late 70s Rolling Stones meets Elvis Costello

COMPANY TIME

Additional Musicians: Kenny Roby – guitar; Scott McCall - lead guitar; Davey Bartholomew - bass; Stephen Gardner - drums

Status: (2/9/09) 85%: Needs backing vocals and mixing

Sounds like: Ramones meets Eddie Cochran

DEVIL’S CAR

Additional Musicians: Kenny Roby – organ; Scott McCall - lead guitar; Steve Grothmann - bass; Ray Duffey – drums; Ray & Charlie Roby – handclaps & heys

Status: (2/9/09) 90%: Recording basically finished; needs mixing

Sounds like: Rob Zombie meets Chris Isaak

LONG WAY FROM LOVE

Additional Musicians: Kenny Roby – guitar; Scott McCall - lead guitar; Davey Bartholomew - bass; Stephen Gardner - drums

Status: (2/9/09) 70%: Needs Synths & percussion, mixing

Sounds like: Townes van Zandt meets Jimmy Jazz

PUT ME DOWN

Needs re-done; going in a different direction from original version

AMERICAN FIRE

Not started; will be mostly acoustic

LAST WALTZ

Not started; will be mostly synth-driven

HOME

Not started; will be mostly acoustic

Since this is supposed to be the season of peace and goodwill, I want to pass this along:

http://www.ucc.org/100Kforpeace/
This is an effort underway by the UCC to raise $100,000 for much-needed food, water, health care and education for war-affected Iraqi families displaced in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. In conjunction with this, the UCC has a drive to lift 100,000 prayers of support for military personnel serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere this Christmas. Finally, they are attempting to spearhead 100,000 in-district visits, letters and calls to the local offices of our Senators and Representatives. Find out more about the effort at:

http://www.ucc.org/100Kforpeace/
In conjunction with this, I have a couple of new holiday songs posted on My Space - "Peace on Earth" and "P-E-A-C-E" (a children's song).

http://www.myspace.com/anthonyneff
Check them out. If you want a CD with these songs on them, send me an email. All I ask is that you participate in the 100,000 for Peace effort in some part. If you do, let me know, and I'll arrange to get you a CD.

Sir Walter Records and the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association have teamed up to bring you "Have A Holly Raleigh Christmas," a collection of original holiday music performed by local Raleigh NC area bands. Proceeds from the purchase of this holiday CD will benefit the Commmunity Music School through the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association Community Fund.

Anthony's song, "To Believe", is featured on the CD, and can be heard at http://www.myspace.com/anthonyneff.

Full track list for the CD:

Track Song // Artist:


01 Last Month of the Year // The Capitol City Five
02 Carol of the Bells // PCB Trio
03 Under the Mistletoe // Vaughan Penn
04 Wintercolors // Bill Leslie
05 Big Red Guitar // The Rare Grooves
06 Golden Cradle // Winterbourne
07 Silent Night // Stephen Ineson & Karen Delahunty
08 Breaking Up Christmas // Martin & Johnson
09 Away In a Manger // David Dyer & the Crooked Smile Band
10 Frosty the Snowman's Trip to Kerry // Rob Sharer
11 Christmas Noise // The Feargall Family
12 To Believe // Anthony Neff
13 Holiday // The Magic Babies
14 Beautiful Star of Bethlehem // Nixon, Blevins & Gage

For more information, including where you can pick up a copy of the CD, go to http://hollyraleighchristmas.org .

For more information on the Community Music School, whose mission is to provide quality music instruction to children from low income families
in order to enhance their lives through participation in the music community, go to http://www.cmsraleigh.org .

The demo of Anthony's new song "American Fire" is one of the songs featured on Neil Young's Living with War Today site.

Neil has assembled a collection of contemporary protest songs, on a page titled "Songs of the Times". Select Anthony's song, and you are directed to the MySpace page where "American Fire" plays.

http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/lwwsongspage.html

After the Holocaust, after Kosovo, after Rwanda, the world resolved "Never again." And yet, as of today, 2 million+ people in the Darfur region of western Sudan have been uprooted from their homes by widespread violence. As many as 400,000 people have been killed by ethnic violence or have died from hunger or disease. The Sudanese government has supported this ongoing genocide and has consistently denied the atrocities.

Learn about a petition drive in support of NC legislation that requires North Carolina divest public monies from corporations that continue doing business with the Sudanese government. Learn more about the events in Darfur and help make a difference by taking a stand against genocide.

http://www.ncdivest.com

Check out Anthony's My Space page at www.myspace.com/anthonyneff .

In addition to song downloads and blogs, Anthony will be posting new demos on that site from time to time.

Anthony will begin hosting a new open mic at Raleigh Music Hall on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 (9:00pm).

Raleigh Music Hall is located at 14 W. Martin Street in downtown Raleigh...and was formerly open as Martin Street Music Hall. The re-opening as Raleigh Music Hall took place in February 2006. The venue is being launched and run by Rob Farris, who booked Martin Street for a time and ran sound as the club's production manager. Rob also produced both of Anthony's CDs.

The new venue is set up perfectly for both rock acts and acoustic performances. Come on out and share your talent...or come and listen to some talented musicians and songwriters. This ain't no American Idol.

Unfortunately, the January 12, 2006 performance scheduled at the Cave in Chapel Hill is being cancelled due to illness. More performance dates will be scheduled once Anthony is recovered and back on his feet.

My thoughts, hopes and prayers go out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Please do whatever you can to help out...the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity are both worthy organizations that could use your support in their efforts.

Check out www.cdbaby.com where you can find a listing of CDs that, when purchased, will donate all profits to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts (including both of my CDs).

Chase Your Burden received a 4 star review from the Roots Music Report.

The review and a link to the Roots Music Report web site can be found on the Press/Reviews page.

Anthony's song, "Generation X-istential Blues", is featured on the new Shut Eye Records compilation "United State of Americana, Vol. 2". The compilation was just released in May, and is already making noises on the Americana radio charts. Read more about it at www.shuteyerecords.com

From Smother.net (Editor's Pick):

If you’ve been paying any sort of attention, you’ll remember our previous discussion of Mr. Neff via his “Generational X-istential Blues” album just a short couple of years ago. I know I remember Anthony Neff’s sincere voice and knack for marrying the sounds of country, Americana, and folk for his own unique tone that he sets with gusto. This album is even better than the last, picking up from everything he did right there, and peppering it with a new fondness that will have the young and old alike yearning for more. Producer Rob Farris’s wanton use of ½” tape makes this album even more memorable with its rustic, folk appeal that gives it hometown quality with big-budget sound. This is one singer/songwriter that everyone should be following like some fanatical rabid fan.

- J-Sin

The first CD Release Show for "Chase Your Burden" will take place at the Cave in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, March 1, 2005. Kenny Roby will also be performing, and the show will start at 7:30pm.

Anthony's newest CD, "Chase Your Burden", will be released on March 1, 2005. Recorded on 1/2 inch tape in the living room of producer Rob Farris, "Chase Your Burden" is a mostly acoustic CD - featuring Scotty Miller on electric guitars, Rob Farris on keyboards and broom, and Kristine Drugan on backing vocals. Track listing:

1. Only a Dream
2. Chase Your Burden
3. Old Friend
4. Sweet Revolution
5. Say Hello to Goodbye
6. Bug Inside a Jar
7. Fire & the Flame
8. Tremble When You Shake
9. Downside
10. Even Angels
11. You Should See My Girl
12. My Heart Won't Let Go

Sound clips from the new CD are available on the Music page.

Clips from 5 songs off the new CD, "Chase Your Burden", are now available in the music section of this website. You can hear clips from:

Only A Dream
Chase Your Burden
Old Friend
Sweet Revolution
Say Hello to Goodbye

The CD will be available by 03/01/2005.

Anthony's song, "Generation X-istential Blues", will be featured on the next compilation disc from Atlanta label Shut Eye Records. The compilation is titled "The United States of Americana, Volume 2", and will be distributed in April 2005.

Past compilations from Shut Eye have featured recordings by Jay Farrar and Norah Jones.