The Bramblemen

Secret Theatre To Have Launch Party for 'Fast Train' 9/5
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by BWW News Desk



The Secret Theatre and Artistic Director Richard Mazda are proud to present a CD / Video Launch Party and Concert for "Fast Train To Memphis", the new CD by The Bramblemen, on September 5, 2008. Featuring ten original songs written by Rich Bloom ( Guitar and Vocals), "Fast Train To Memphis" combines elements of early R&R, Rockabilly, Country and R&B to create an album with real Rock & Roll flavor for the modern era. The CD features the talents of Steve Holley (Wings drummer), Bill Cunningham (Box Tops bassist), Ian Lloyd (Stories "Brother Louis", Foreigner, Bryan Adams), Producer Richard Mazda (Wall of Voodoo, Fleshtones, Nick Cave, The Fall, AWB, JBs), Kramer (Prod. Urge Overkill's "Girl You'll be a Woman Soon" "Pulp Fiction Soundtrack'), Emory Joseph (writer for Bonnie Raitt), Eric Ambel (guitarist for Steve Earle & Joan Jett' BlackHearts), Jon Graboff (guitarist Ryan Adams), Tommy Frenzy (Tuff Darts) and Stefan Mazunik ( great sax player with NYC Bands, Gato Loco and New York Howl).Produced by Harley Fine, Richard Mazda,and Rich Bloom "Fast Train To Memphis" contains ten Rich Bloom original songs and two videos produced and directed by Richard Mazda.

The CD Launch Party will feature live music by The Bramblemen, acoustic sets by Harley Fine and Michael Aguirre of The Blisstones, The Bramblemen's two new music videos directed by Richard Mazda, free food, and a complimentary "Fast Train To Memphis" CD. Free cocktails from 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Free beer and wine all night. To R.S.V.P. please email: THEBRAMBLEMEN@YAHOO.COM

The Secret Theatre was opened to the public on September 5, 2007. The studio's conception and construction enabled Artistic Director and Owner Richard Mazda to fulfill a life long dream. Its inaugural show, Atonement, written by Joel Schatzky and directed by Rich Ferraioli, is a deeply touching story of a terminally ill man who must make peace with both his past and present. We strive to enrich the New York theatre scene by fostering a unique, creative environment in Long Island City, an ideal location for such a venture. An up-and-coming area with a vibrant, burgeoning art scene, Long Island City is home to P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Silvercup Studios East, the Noguchi Museum, the Socrates Sculpture Park and The Queens Players.

The Bramblemen started as a project to record a soundtrack for a movie treatment that Rich Bloom was writing. It continued on when Rich Bloom re-kindled his working relationship with NYC prod. Harley Fine, who had been in previous bands with Bloom. Bloom and Harley Fine had worked in bands in early 80's where they played in clubs like CBGS and attracted the attention of Shawn Colvin's early mangement. Bloom continued to work with bands (including Bramblemen drummer Ed Watkins and Garland Jeffries guitarist Alan Freedman) playing clubs like Kenny's Castaways and the Bitter End. Bloom was working in the graphics field, producing soundtracks for sales meeting presentations and rock concerts including The Clash's historic run of shows at Bond's and Public Image Ltd. at Roseland. It was here he got to work with famed prod. Stewart Lerman (Dar Williams, Jules Shear) on these projects when both were starting out. Lerman produced a song that Bloom co-wrote with keyboardist Benny Harrison that featured the talents of legendary Rascals' Eddie Brigati and Gene Cornish and sung by Harrison. Bloom dropped out for many years before starting the Bramblemen in 2006 with Ed Watkins, Michael Bodycomb and later Evan Mazunik.

For more information: www.myspace.com/thebramblemen



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- BroadwayWorld.com

Richard Bloom returns to his musical roots
Written by Julie Weisberg
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
When Richard Bloom was a young musician living in New York City in the early 1980s, he was part of the lively Lower East Side’s artistic community — playing in bands that gigged at the legendary CBGB’s and rubbing shoulders with the members of influential alternative music groups such as Talking Heads and Television.

And while starting a family and a successful career as a Fairfield County Realtor slowly drew him away from that scene, the longtime Greenwich resident now finds himself returning to his musical roots with the formation of his new band, The Bramblemen.

The group released its first album, Fast Train to Memphis, recently with a CD launch party at Long Island City’s The Secret Theatre.

All 10 songs on the album were written by Mr. Bloom, who also served as the record’s executive producer.

The singer/songwriter said the entire process of writing, recording and now promoting his first CD has been a satisfying experience for him artistically.

“I am very pleased with the album,” Mr. Bloom said.

The idea that first launched The Bramblemen took root three years ago, when Bloom was working on a screenplay with one of his co-workers at the time.

The storyline revolved around a former rockabilly singer who had had hit songs, but then faded out of the public spotlight, only to decide to return to the American music scene again many years later.

“So I thought, ‘Well, maybe I should write some songs for a soundtrack to go with it,’” Mr. Bloom said.

Although it had been several years since he had seriously focused on writing and playing his own songs, he said it didn’t take long for the music bug to bite him again.

“When you are a creative person, you always have things going on in your mind,” he said, adding that while the film project eventually ended, he kept on writing songs.

So, he decided to record them.

“I had five songs that I had done. And I went down to a studio in Stamford,” Mr. Bloom said. “And they came out really well.”

Looking to take the next step, as well as to continue to rekinkle that creative spark he had re-ignited from his musical past, Mr. Bloom tracked down one of his college friends and bandmate from his Lower East Side days: Harley Fine.

“I decided to reconnect with him, and I found that he had established himself as a producer in New York,” Mr. Bloom said.

The two had worked together throughout the 1980s. At one point, they attracted the attention of Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin’s early management. The band recorded a single, but eventually broke up.

Afterwards, Mr. Bloom — who first began playing the guitar at 13 after his family moved from New York City to Westchester County — continued to work with other groups and musicians throughout the late 1980s (including current Bramblemen drummer Ed Watkins), playing clubs like Kenny’s Castaways and the Bitter End in Greenwich Village. But none of the groups lasted for long.

“Eventually, we started drifting apart,” he said. “And then I stopped (playing music) for a long time.”

But now, with a handful of new songs, the duo of Bloom and Fine decided to revive their musical partnership, working together on two more songs, with Bloom writing and Fine producing.

“We had a great working relationship,” Mr. Bloom said.

Happy with the results, the two decided to continue their newfound partnership and record an entire album.

The project, which resulted in Fast Train to Memphis, attracted a wide variety of musicians — each one offering his expertise and enriching the record’s eclectic musical tapestry.

“We have a nice mixture of established names and young talent,” Mr. Bloom said. “And that’s something I am proud of.”

Mr. Bloom said his family support has also been an important catalyst to his return to music.

He and his wife Linda, a real estate appraiser, have two children. Their oldest daughter, Annabelle, 19, is a sophomore at Principia College and their youngest daughter, Elisabeth, 15, is an honor student and a sophomore at Greenwich High School.

With the CD finished and released, Mr. Bloom said The Bramblemen were preparing for a mini-tour of the greater New York area.

In the meantime, he will continue to promote the album — and write songs.

“We are slowly building this thing,” he said. “And I am waiting to see the next wave.”






- Hersam Acorn Newspaper Group