So the theme song had gone over so well with Alison that she’d already asked for a closing song before the theme even made it on air, and a few days later followed with a list of seven segments that would be recurring on the show. “But only if you want to!” she assured me, much to my amusement.

But nothing beats getting the reply, “I LOVE THIS!!!” and that, combined with my own love for coming up with the goods ensured that I’d be doing more songs alright.

Indeed, between original compositions and a few fan requests for renditions of popular songs with re-worked Alison Rosen lyrics, I submitted 14 recordings in just the first six weeks.

I should point out that there was no payment for any of this, nor was I expecting any. She was having as difficult a time making ends meet as I was. I would have to make due with payment in the form of her undying gratitude, my own satisfaction at having added something important to the show, and whatever benefit might come from exposure to her fan base. The last part, I knew would pretty much be limited to the friendships attained, no small thing to me anyway, but of course, her mostly male demographic wasn’t going to translate into a fan base of my own. It isn’t always a man’s world. Being a good looking chick opens a lot of doors. But I knew that, and it was cool.

So I started going through the list and knocked off a few things in time for the next show, beginning with a request from dedicated Rosenfan Boinkity who had come up with pencil dance lyrics to go with the old 80s hit “The Safety Dance.” I also decided to submit a sound effect for use during the “Deleted Tweets” segment for lack of any particular inspiration at the time. But I did get a kick out of setting up a microphone over the toilet in an attempt to capture a good flush! That one didn’t quite catch on. Perhaps it was a little too good.

During the March 24th show, Alison and an admittedly inebriated Dustin surprised Boinkity with my recording of his clever “Safety Pencil Dance”, and also unveiled the amazing toilet flush sound effect!

The Alison Rosen Show (Closing Song)

I had sent Alison her new theme song on March 6, 2010 and she presented it on the show for the first time on March 10th. But it was actually on the day before that, March 9th, that she emailed me, “And you know what would be great?!!…”

A closing song, maybe something softer to wind things down. Yes, within 3 days of receiving her theme song she was ready for more. “The woman’s a glutton for punishment.” I thought, scratching my head. By the 14th, she would give me a list of 7 additional songs to write, but we’ll pick up on that next time.

Anyway, a glutton for punishment indeed. Or maybe that was me. One of us was a glutton for punishment.

I tease. It was a fine arrangement that we were both perfectly happy with.

I forwarded the closing song request to the part of my brain that seems to come up with these things, and it responded with a mid tempo swing blues. “Hey, do you know about the Alison Rosen show” I mumbled to myself as I chugged down to the store stepping to the beat. The neighbors called the cops yet again.

Once released, I went home and recorded it the same as I had the theme song, first programming drums, bass and horn hits on the keyboard, and then performing it live on guitar and vocal while shooting the video.

A happy accident occurred in doing the drum track. While making the two measure drum pattern, I accidentally hit a tom instead of a snare on 2 of the first measure. “You know, I like it!” I said to myself, looking around to make sure no one in my empty house heard. Here’s that video and song, actually an edit of takes one and four.

And if you’re also a glutton for punishment, here’s the entire session of four takes. Strange video gremlins hindered the beginning of take four.

Finally, we have the self-serving music only highlights from the St. Patrick’s Day show, including appearances by guests Canadian comedian Andrew Hunt, and the amazing and beautiful Koryn, who has an uncanny ability to understand exactly what my songs are about mere seconds into hearing them for the first time, as she will demonstrate here, and again in future shows.

So write a theme song for Alison Rosen.

Alison Rosen… theme song… write… song… write write write… song song song…

Actually, I pretty much came up with it right away and then thought about whether or not I liked it for a couple of weeks. I knew it had to be upbeat, like a wake up call, but as tempted as I was to make it heavier and more akin to something The Angoras (Alison’s old punk band,) might have done, I also knew that jingles tend to be a little less on the rock, more on the melody, so I tried to land somewhere in the middle. After a couple of weeks I didn’t hate it, so I guessed it was worth going for.

But it was a tough call. I knew that it was the high pressure song. The opener has got to be good. Mind you, this was all self-imposed pressure. I could have just never mentioned it again and Alison wasn’t going to bring it up or anything. But that’s what I do, after all. I live for an opportunity like this. It’s two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and I’m at the plate looking to hit one out. And the pitch…

Strike three!!!

No, but I did have another dilemma. My recording studio was on the disabled list, to keep with the baseball vernacular. I had a song, but now needed to find a way to record it. I’d recently been making videos by taking the audio straight from the PA head that I used for gigs. So I programmed the drums and bass on my trusty Korg T3, and performed the song live.

This isn’t the most interesting video in the world, but it is quite literally the recording session for the song. Take two is the version that Alison uses on the show every week, and in her opening credits. Obviously, I was trying for the same thing each time, concluding with a dumb grin on my face. (Note to self. No more ending song with dumb grin.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWgyoMHCvLQ

All that was left was to make an MP3 of it to give to Alison, and hope she didn’t hate it! This involved a process too ridiculous to go into, but I figured out a way, and the rest was history. I was rewarded beyond my wildest dreams when she unveiled it on the next show while cutting out a big heart and playing it over and over for everybody.

And she still loves and plays it today, and words can’t even express how great that feels.

February 17, 2010 – A date that will live in…

Well, I don’t suppose this date will live in infamy, as the FDR quote goes, but as dame fortune would have it, it was the date that I became the second official Fan Phone Call on the Ustream show, “Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend.” This was one of a number of new features that Alison had decided to add to the program, and I was surprised to be offered the opportunity so soon.

The first call had been to the man known as “Ted,” one of the first, if not the first Rosenfan, who commonly went by variations on the name such as “YourBFFTED” and “TedBGoodlove” and “InTedWeTrust”. Well, I’m not so sure about the last one, and as I understand it his name isn’t actually Ted. Hell, he might not even be a dude as far as I know! But none of this had hindered me in any way from taking his/her tweeted specifications for a country song and turning it into “Let’s Drink” the month before. I made this impromptu video of myself performing it, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlTKnVlL1xE looking decidedly raggedy, unshaven and as forlorn as possible. The Tedman approved, as did Alison.

But at this beginning stage in the illustrious history of the fan phone call, (before the names were chosen randomly from slips of paper in a double boiler,) it was decided that callee #1 would choose callee #2. Evidently, others who were much higher in the pecking order than I weren’t quite ready for that great responsibility. In other words, they were chicken shit.

Followed was a thoroughly enjoyable (well, for me anyway,) conversation with Alison and her good friend, steady sidekick, and fellow writer Dustin Goot that went for a good half hour. They got to the bottom of this Trappdog guy, forcing me to tell them all about my life and times, my 6 year stint at Newsday, my year as Exalted Ruler of the Elks, and how I came to be a musician.. I was sobbing and defeated by the end. But I also seized the moment, doing my Cookie Monster and Kermit impressions, as well as singing a quick verse of Elvis Costello’s “Alison,” a particular favorite of hers for reasons that elude me.

And at the end of the call, after confessing my love for Alison as required, she subtly “hinted” that she might need a theme song for the show, in case I happened to write one. Did I? I can’t wait to find out in the next installment!

In the meantime, if you’re of a mind to, you can check out my 3 part Fan Phone Call with Alison here.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONTzx5rfPsA

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzUJAW_E2J0

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz2G4avYG2I

Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend

Ustream became a more interesting place when Alison Rosen became its new best friend. Called “the future of tv” by noted tech mogul/ movie producer/ former AOL CEO Barry Schuler, http://barryschuler.posterous.com/is-alisonrosen-the-future-of-tv in 2010 Alison Rosen moved her community of followers to a place where she could show off her considerable skills as talk show host and comedian to a world wide audience.

Fans could enjoy direct interaction with their new best friend, typing their questions and comments in the chat room as Alison lounged in her apartment, often solo, sometimes with one or more of her many talented friends, offering an inviting alternative to the usual commercial infested wasteland that is modern TV.

Famous friends like actor-comedian Michael Showalter and musician Andrew WK began stopping by for visits, as did an increasing number of up and coming actors, comedians and musicians. They could plug their current projects in the laid back environment, shoot the breeze, or maybe join Alison in one of her amazing “pencil” dances.

She was creating her own brand. Even talented fans were getting involved. Artist Keith “Kez” Wilson provided her with a distinctive logo, ready for use on t-shirts, buttons, coffee mugs. The hostess with the mostess with the famously long and straight black hair who loved puppies and ducklings and often donned silly over sized sunglasses was growing in popularity.

All that remained was to sit back and watch as the show expanded, and her star continued to rise.

Beauty, brains, humor, what’s not to like about Alison Rosen?

Like many others, I first saw her on Fox News’ late night show, Red Eye. As one of the lucky original viewers, I was pleasantly surprised that the network had managed to come up with something good this time after a couple of pretty obvious and lame attempts at launching a cutting edge comedy/news show.

The difference was in its being centered around a group of magazine writers who brought a new approach to the medium. Seemingly less sophisticated in presentation, it came off like a bunch of former college pals reuniting in their basement hangout to talk about current events, exchange barbs, and to do so in decidedly naughty ways. They seemed to revel in their status as the unloved child; ignored, underfunded, disrespected, and free to get away with whatever hi jinks they wanted. And we were in on the best kept secret on TV.

Alison was there at its inception contributing to the naughtiness. Behind the scenes, she was coming up with some of the trademark conventions such the popular double entendre introductions, and on camera, she appeared regularly as a guest, showing off her quick wit, child-like enthusiasm, and friendly smile.

I was still working at Newsday at the time, socking away some cash, and readying myself for the leap into the internet age. I had a lifetime’s worth of songs that needed to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting public. I commonly googled interesting people to see what they were about, and sometimes to learn from what they were doing.

I searched Alison, and immediately became a fan. Her charm translated well from the small screen to the smaller screen. There was quite a history to the woman. Many years as a writer for OC Weekly and Time Out, and contributor to Rolling Stone, The NY Post, Page Six Magazine, Vibe, Spin, Maxim, The Village Voice, People and Seventeen.

She had made numerous TV appearances including the weekly segment “Best Bets” that ran on New York’s WNBC-TV from 2005 to 2008. She appeared on A&E’s “Biography,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Hannity & Colmes,” E!’s “Chelsea Lately,” Fox & Friends,” Fox 5’s “Good Day New York,” the CW 11 “Morning News,” the CBS 2 News “This Morning”.

She had even played guitar in a punk rock band.

Significantly, she was active on her web site and blog, sharing her views, humor, interacting with commenters. I was along for the ride as she progressed from blog to vlog. I learned where everyone was hanging out on the internet, such as Facebook and Twitter. I found myself a part of her little community, making friends with my fellow followers from across the country, and being introduced to Alison’s cast of characters of friends and family.

And then, somehow, I ended up writing Alison Rosen songs.

Greetings!

Here you will find the stories behind, and links to the songs I wrote and recorded for Alison Rosen’s web show, “Alison Rosen is Your New Best Friend.”

Post #1: Alison’s “Trappdog”

So which do you want to know first? Why Alison Rosen? or Why Trappdog?

Trappdog it is!

For the answer to the question, “Why Trappdog?” I refer you to the scene in the movie “Animal House” wherein Bluto (John Belushi) is handing out fraternity pins to the new pledges and bestowing upon them their new Delta House names. He approaches freshman Larry Kroger (Tom Hulce):

Bluto: Your new Delta name is… Pinto
Larry Kroger: Why Pinto?
Bluto: BELCH.. Why not?

The less interesting answer is that when I started following Alison Rosen’s blog, in order to be able to comment, I had to register one of my own, which I’d named “Trapp.” Some months later when signing up for twitter, Trapp was already taken. Since I was already using a cartoon drawing of a dog that I’d created as my avatar anyway, I decided to tack the “dog” on the end,  hence Trappdog. Simple as that.

But I like Bluto’s answer much better.

Why Alison Rosen?

Well, Bluto’s answer pretty much works for everything, but since one doesn’t write and record over a dozen songs for the reason “Why not?” I suppose I should offer something slightly more substantial in the way of explanation. I’m not completely certain I know the answer myself beyond that for a variety of reasons, it seemed like the thing to do at the time!

But let us return to those thrilling days of yesteryear and maybe we can discover the answers together, while I regale you with my wonderful songs and stories!

Next time.