Diamondhead is a 6-song EP that I wrote in my hotel room on a recent trip to Hawaii. I'm as proud of it as I am of any of my three NMK albums, maybe prouder. It feels somehow more personal.
I experimented with a few different ideas before I finally settled on the overall theme and vibe for the album. I wanted it to be a snapshot of where I was at that time in my life, visiting Hawaii for the first time.
While there, we took a ferry out to see the Pearl Harbor memorial. It was incredibly moving, and I was struck immediately with the gravity of that day. Enough so that I immediately returned to my hotel and wrote Ghosts Below.
You can buy Diamondhead either as a digital download, or a physical album on CD. A limited edition-handmade CD with lyric book was made in an edition of 50, but sold out almost immediately. .
You can get the album in most of the places you buy music, including the following:
I have recorded three studio albums as No More Kings with my friend and producer Neil DeGraide, but Diamondhead is my first solo album. I am extremely proud of it, for many reasons, not the least of which is that it marks the beginning of a new season in my life.
Until recently, I had never been to Hawaii. And suddenly in the last two years, I've gone three times. On my most recent trip, I was compelled to work on music in my hotel room. With the view of the Diamondhead crater out my hotel window to inspire me, I wrote the rough sketches of the six songs that would become the Diamondhead EP. Each song captured a feeling that I had being there on the island, away from the mainland. When I got back home, I immediately worked the songs up into full demos.
My friend Bill Zappia plays keyboards in the Terry Fator show band at the Mirage. He is also the Musical Director. And as such, Terry and I have relied on him countless times to work up beautiful arrangements to songs we had written for the show. Each time, we were astounded at how good Bill's arrangements were. I knew that I wanted to work with Bill on something for a long while now, and with Diamondhead in my pocket, that chance was now.
I had intended to make music videos for each song, but as is my custom, I got distracted by something shiny. I did manage to pop out this lyric video for Back to You.
I’m planning a remix EP to feature remixes, live versions and alternate takes to come out sometime next year. Hopefully I’ll put together a few more videos for that.
I wrote a little bit about making this video here: back to you blog.
(Above) The limited edition CD sold out almost immediately. I love making hand-made, special versions of my albums. I also made one for my album In Measured Hundredweight. I want these versions to feel very special and unique.