Happy October!!!!

Hi Everyone,
Hope you all had a fantastic summer and are looking forward to the lovely change of season that is approaching.
I love Texas (Dallas) to be specific and September makes it a whole year calling Texas my home. I have to say I'm digging the fall weather that is slowly creeping in - summers here are pretty crazy hot here.

I have so much news, I don't hardly know where to start, so forgive me if I'm a bit all over the place trying to catch you up on all the fun music and JEM stuff Forgive me if I'm repeating anything I may have covered previously.
.
March I was a guest at All-Con in Dallas Texas a really fun Pop Culture convention and I was a celebrity guest representing my work on JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS - it was really a great show and so wonderful to meet all the JEM fans there and I got to see and autograph some of the beautiful new collector JEM dolls while I was there - pretty cool!!.


April and May,  I was working on tweaking my brand new material for my 3rd album and come JUNE,  I was off and running, back in Los Angeles for a crazy week to record vocals for my new album with the wonderful talented producer Dave Polich who produced my record  "Somethin' Good" back in 2011. Record release date for my third album is pending as I have so much going on right now. Dave also has been incredibly busy on the road himself as keyboard programmer for David Foster and The Cure and many others. I love, love the new songs on my record and I can't wait to share them with you guys but timing is everything so I'll keep you posted!!


You may have heard some of the music from my album "Somethin' Good" on TV this year too! Dave and I landed some cool licensing stuff - "Hands on me" was used on the TV show "Hollywood Heights" and also on Bravo's new show "Eat Pray Love" and "I got everything" was used on the TV show "Bad girls club"
JUNE MY BIRTHDAY
was TRULY OUTRAGEOUS!! a whole lot of JEM fans got together on the Jem community message boards and in secret arranged with my Mom to surprise me at my Birthday dinner in Dallas. Jem fans drove up from Houston and different places in Texas and after my wonderful Italian Birthday meal I was ushered by my family onto the outside porch for Bday cake and there sitting with big smiles were all these amazingly wonderful Jem fans to surprise me. Well I was floored enough just by them showing up for me like that but what transpired was so wonderful and humbling it brought me to tears. I was read this amazing letter which I've included below and they had all gotten together along with many unseen faces in the JEM community
 jemcon
and bought me one of the new collector JEM dolls from the Hasbro / Integrity doll line. I also received an amazing framed collage of many moments at All-con and a brilliant orignal piece of art of ROXY from The Misfits!!!
I am still beyond touched by their kindness, Ashley and Bobby, and Amy and everyone else that drove down and participated in buyin my beautiful Jem doll -  to make my birthday the best ever - this one goes down in the record books for sure!!!

JULY
When I got back from LA I started doing some shows with an awesome Pink Floyd Tribute band called 
Bricks in the wall  
(The sights and sounds of Pink floyd)They are the longest running Pink Floyd tribute band in the US and it takes 13 of us including pro sound and lighting crew to pull of this amazing 2 hour production. I have the joy of contributing background vocals to the project and have been having such a great time with everyone involved. What an awesome group of talented musicians and singers - here is a video of the girls Tiffany Belle, Rachael Bean and myself sharing the iconic "Great gig in the sky". 
 


Back in Texas In JUNE of this year was and invite into a brand new project singing lead vocals for a really fun original rock band called
LYDIAS LIBIDO.
(OFFICIAL WEBSITE)
 
I got an email from a sweet JEM fan saying she had a freind here in Fort Worth who was looking for a female lead singer. I arranged to meet with the wonderful Gary McGrath the MD of the project and turns out he's a Grammy award winning producer writer, worked with Bon Jovi, The Monkey's, Def Lepoard, Queensryche, had a gold record in London for his album "The McGrath Project"  and the list goes on and is an amazingly talented writer/producer/musician.
We met and clicked right away and once I came on board, we moved on things so fast - we wrote and recorded the entire Lydia's Libido debut album in 4 days. Then we released it online in July and sold 4000 units in our first two weeks out which was beyond encouraging. Gary even had a running bet with his friend Richie Sambora that he coudn't pull it off in the time frame - Gary winning the bet, ended up with this truly fantastic guitar from Richie - not sure what kind it is but It's pretty sweet!
The four other crazy talented musicians in the project were already in place - Dean Minnerly (Keys), Andy Weaver (Drums) and Shawn Iaeger (bass). Gary quickly under his lable 4818 Records booked  our first live show in Los Angeles in July and we had a whirlwind few days there

(here is a video montage of our whirlwind trip shot by our drummer Andy Weaver) 
that included playing live, press and radio and photo shoots and also
4 Days in LA with Lyidas Libido

we shot our first two official videos.
Official video "Steal your soul"
Official video "Release Me"
- A special shout out and thanks goes to our unofficial 6th bandmate
 Xanthia Pink

otherwise known as makeup artist queen, hairstylist, cupcake gifter, bomshell pinup girl, spirit lifter - We love you Xanthia!!! Thanks for being my cheerleader and making me look and feel beautiful!!!

October
Lydias Libido is now two weeks away now from an 11 city tour and we couldn't be more excited!! Dean and Shawn are moving to Texas as you are reading this, Gary is helping drive the Penski and finally we will all be a band here together and will start rehearsals for the tour asap.
Starting October 16th we go to Waco TX, then Fort Worth, then St Louis, then onto Cleveland, OH, Chicago,IL, New York, New Mexico, New Orleans, Houston, Austin and possibly more dates to come - check our Lydia's Libido tour schedule on our official site for dates, times and venues.
We also have been writing more material for the tour and will be adding 4 brand new songs to our set and plan to release an EP by Christmas of Brand new Lydia material.

December
I'll be performing in Houston and then Dallas at the famous HOUSE OF BLUES December 20th and 21st with "Bricks in the wall"


NEW YEAR 2014

So much exciting stuff with the band, my solo stuff (new album) and also lot's of really great opportunities to meet the truly outrageous JEM fans around the country. Some of these conventions will include a live concert with LYDIAS LIBIDO!!!
KEEP CHECKING MY CALENDAR FOR MORE EVENT DATES BUT SOME ARE LISTED HERE
Tune Toon Terrer - CO
All-Con - TX
Lone Star Comic Con - TX
Texas Comic Con - TX
San Diego Comic Con -CA
Central Comic Con - KS
Dragoncon - GE
Jemcon - Toronto, CANADA

So I am hoping I haven't completly overwhelmed you with all of this, It's actully been fun for me to reflect on all the hard work and tireless persuit of my dreams that is availing so much fun stuff this year and into next. So many wonderful souls have helped make this year really special so here's to all of you!!! You really made a difference


Much love guys,
Stay outrageous!!
Sam xoxoxoxoxo