October 31, 2008

     The big election is next week. And where I live, it's getting really ridiculous. There's a song on my new CD called "No Man's Land" (you can listen to it here) where I pretty much described what it's like to be the kind of person who just loves people -- when everyone seems to hate each other.

     It seems like if you're a democrat, you think that all republicans are bigoted, Bible-thumping racists. And if you're a republican, you think that all democrats are drug-addled, anti-American socialists. Both statements are, of course, ridiculous.

     Sure, there are extremists like that. But most people are not like that. Most people are good, nice people. I have friends on both sides of the fence. We all do. And I love them all. And I get along with them all.

     We all want a better America -- we just disagree on how to get there. But no matter where people stand, I make it my business to love them all, even if I disagree with them.

     I'm so tired of feeling like everyone in our country hates the other side. Both parties are guilty. It's as if they've forgotten that we're all Americans.

     Thank God the election is next week. Hopefully, no matter who wins, we'll all take a deep breath and relax, and be grateful that we all get a say in what goes on in our country. 

     Wherever you happen to fall, make sure you get out there and vote. And even though I'm not thrilled with either candidate (for the record, I count myself a Libertarian), I'll be braving the Michigan cold on Tuesday morning, grateful for the opportunity to participate in the process.
 

September 30, 2008

     Tomorrow is October first. (Let me say that again.) Tomorrow is October first. How is it that summer always tricks us into believing it will last forever? I think about time constantly. It's fluid. And I don't care what the self-improvement gurus say -- it's unpredictible. One moment it's a wall stretching to the sky; the next it's a fleeting memory growing ever distant. I don't get it, but what I do know is that we need to make the most of it while we can.

     So what does October bring? Cool weather. Rain. Beautiful fall trees. Fall is actually my favorite season. It also brings election season this year (ugh); it brings the students back to U of M (which makes for a much more interesting atmosphere downtown); hopefully it brings the completion of my new album, Apathetic Sunday; it brings my brother's birthday (my brother and I have some cool birthday and holiday traditions, and we always have fun); and I think that's about it.

     But what's really weird is how we go from barbecues at the beach to staring down the barrel of the holidays in the blink of an eye. In just a few weeks Halloween will be here... and once Halloween's over, it's time for Thanksgiving, and then we're right into Christmas. Sometimes it seems like October first is followed immediately by January first.

     I should clarify, too, that this is all good stuff. Life is exciting! I thrive on constant activity, and while I dig the relaxing mood of the summer, something about the hustle and bustle of the upcoming season is very appealing to me.

     My advice? Don't blink, because you'll miss all the Kodak moments.

May 5, 2008

     TOM PETTY! Man, wow! I've always dug Tom Petty, but lately I can't seem to stop spinning his stuff. The "Damn the Torpedoes" album is so cool. Of course, there are the hits that everyone knows (Refugee, Here Comes My Girl, Even The Losers, Don't Do Me Like That), but there are two underrated gems on this disc: Shadow of a Doubt (A Complex Kid) and You Tell Me.

     I probably listened to You Tell Me 50 times in the last 5 days. What an amazing song. Just the way that it's seething just below the surface, but keeping its cool outwardly. There's a subtle aggression to the song that is really incredible. And I think the thing I admire most is the way the band works together to create the vibe of the song. There's a ton of open space in the production, leaving room for each instrument to have its say, giving the impression of a smoky barroom confrontation creeping toward the edge. I could go on an on about this one song, but I won't. Just do yourself a favor and check it out.

     Tracks for the new CD are almost done. Just vocals and a couple of guitar solos to go, then a day or two for mixing/mastering. In June, we're filming a couple of music videos (plus a video for "Song For My Parents" from the Shadows CD), then in July I'm taking a few weeks off before hitting up the coffee shops in August. I'm already working on my setlist for those shows, and I'm adding in some older tunes I haven't played in a long time, which is cool. It's always fun to dust off the old stuff, especially getting reacquainted with the lyrics, and thinking about where my life was when I wrote them.

     Speaking of dusting off old stuff, I posted a music video we made with my old band, Scrub, back in the day. It was either 1999 or 2000 when we filmed it. Scrub was a funny thing, because I was the drummer in that band. Weird, huh? I'm not much of a drummer, and lead guitar has always been my thing, but playing in Scrub was fun. Unfortunately, drummers don't get a lot of time in videos, so you don't see me playing all that much (but yeah, that is me behind the drumkit), but there are some cool shots of me with the band hanging out in the local haunts. Funny, we actually filmed some of it at the Drowsy Parrot, where I still play pretty frequently. Click Here to watch it now!

     On a different note -- make sure you're enjoying springtime! It's easy to get busy with the details of life and miss all the awesome stuff that's happening: flowers blooming, grass greening up, the air smelling sweeter, the sun getting warmer... Take the time to enjoy this stuff, even if it's just a few minutes every day -- and I promise you'll be glad you did!

ikh

April 9, 2008
     I'm finally finishing up a different CD that I've been working on for a couple of years now. It's straight ahead rock, maybe kinda similar to Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, the Stones, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill... you get the idea. Gritty, blues-based rock. These are songs I've been working on, re-writing, and improving since 2006. This album won't take long to complete; hopefully it'll be done by the beginning of May!

     On a totally different note -- one of the coolest parts of spring is getting back outside to run! During the winter, I do sprints indoors -- but it's so much better being outside in the fresh air, especially when my blood is flowing, my senses are heightened by adrenaline, and I'm able to really immerse myself in God's awesome creation!

March 22, 2008                                                                                     

     March weather is crazy! On Friday, we got about 6 inches of snow -- and on Saturday, it was 40 degrees, and a lot of the snow melted. It's supposed to be in the mid 50's later this week! I love the unpredictability of Michigan weather!







December 15, 2007                                                                              

   Man, you guys rock! Thanks to everyone who has bought the new album, and for all the emails and myspace messages about the album. I've been getting requests for press kits from the U.S. and Europe, and the buzz is growing! If you have a magazine, website, or radio program and want a press kit for review, email me directly at ian@iankeithhafner.com and I'll get one out to you right away!

   In January, I'll be filming a video for "Marching On," and there will be a video for "I Bleed For You" in March. I've only done one music video before (back when I was in Scrub, and we did a video for "Sunday Best"), so I'm excited for the opportunity.

   If you haven't checked out the new songs yet, stop by my Myspace page and you can listen to two complete songs! Be sure to drop me a note to let me know what you think...

ikh

December 1, 2007                                                                                

   It's done! The album I've been pouring my heart and soul into is finally complete. I feel pretty drained right now, and really glad that people are finally going to get to hear these songs.

   My favorite two songs on the album are "Cast Another Stone" (a bare knuckled, in-your-face look at Hollywood politics set to furious heavy metal) and "I Bleed For You" (a depiction of the ultimate sacrifice, with gut-wrenching emotional drive). You can listen to both on my Myspace Page.

   But I love them all. This record is really heavy and intense. And you won't find any of the depressing, negative, victimized lyrics that infest much of today's music. My songs are meant to inspire people to take action...to fight for what they believe in. (And -- you won't find profanity, glorification of drugs & violence, or any of the other garbage that people call "lyrics" these days.) My lyrics are intended to lift people up, give them strength, and make the world a better place.

   I hope these songs mean as much to you as they do to me...

ikh