You know, there is nothing quite like rereleasing new old things with a new old name and then trying to act like they're new. They're not—yet they are depending on who you are.

While I'm sure that less than one percent of the total human population knows me, there is also 99.5% of a human population that doesn't even know I exist. I'm targeting them, but I'm writing to you, the .05%. Confusing? Where are these percentages coming from? Yeah, I confuse me too, and I have no idea—it's just math. But, let's proceed anyway. Just act like you understand this half-wit-crossed-eyed buffoon putting one word in front of another like they mean something. He's got a good heart. I promise. Pat him on his head, give him a cookie, and he's back to typing. Delicious cookie, by the way.

So, I made this video with my friends. It was under the name The Hawkline Monster. But, I went back to using my own name, Mike Vitale. So, I had to re-upload it to my new old Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/mikevitalemusic

I took down the old video, which had a lot of views. I don't want to have two videos for the same thing. That's confusing—like this blog entry. ~~So, I'm going to donate my old new Youtube Channel and its contents to science~~. Wait, Science just got back to me, and said, "we're good," so scratch that last sentence.

I'm following suit with all of my online streaming services as well. This may take a week or two to fully happen. I'll let you know when I get 'er done.

In the meanwhile, I appreciate your patience. You can find anything and everything concerning me at Mike Vitale Music. When I play by myself or with myself, I am Mike Vitale. When I've got all my friends playing in the band with me, like this video above, we are Mike Vitale and The Hawkline Monster. The cast of musicians playing with me in the studio and at live shows, is a revolving door or awesomeness and I am grateful for their immense talent and wonderful hearts. Every song I write is only as good as the people playing them with me, and these guys are amazing. My undying gratitude to them for our friendship and epic musical orgies. I would compare us to the movie "Caligula," but I've never seen that movie, so it would be coming from a place of ignorance if I did—so I won't.

That's it for now. Love you!

- Mike

I am trying to eat a bowl of oatmeal right now. If I were to be completely transparent, this is posing a challenge for me today—eating I mean. I am full of anxiety. I am about to put myself out there as I used to do, for years. This starts off as a frightening experience. I have been here before; I have been there before; and it is comforting to know where this road leads: to good places. Life is about taking risks. All the fun stuff resides on a horizon, riddled with land mines of mistakes on its forefront, on a field of hard work. In recent years, I have stepped on quite a few land mines.

I was spilling all of my emotional entrails and sharing a lot of what I was feeling right now, on this very page, for the past hour. However, the delete key on my keyboard has replaced the many paragraphs I had just written, with this sentence. Now I am here. I have managed to finish the bowl of oatmeal and I feel a bit better.

I used to do this a lot. Journal my thoughts, I mean. I might again because I find it very cathartic.

Believe this, because it is true: I stopped posting these journals (blogs) because my roommate told me he thought it was "kind of lame." He had his reasons for sharing his thoughts on the matter. Who is to say whether he was right? I can say that words are powerful, both my own and everyone else's. What I give credence to is my own decision, though. In hindsight, I believe I shouldn't have listened to him. Only I know what works for me.

Forgive me for not sharing all that is running through my head this afternoon. I need to get back to what I am working on. I am putting together a Patreon account to help fund more live recording videos on Youtube. When it is completed, I will try to remember to post a link to it here. In the meanwhile, here is a link to my Youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/mikevitalemusic

Should you happen to find something to like on there, I would be honored to have your subscription and your attention.

I just completed making a video that I worked very hard on. The recording was effortless because Frank handled that, but mixing the audio myself was very difficult (it took me nearly 3 months). We have performed this song many times together live, so no rehearsal was necessary.

The finished product is what it is. It's a song I wrote called "Fool For You." I recorded it live with my friends Frank, Tom, and Brad. My friends Damian and John did the filming and the lighting for it. They are all amazing artists and I absolutely adore making creative stuff with them. The Patreon account is to help fund that desire. People deserve to be payed for their talents and the money is going to them. It will pay for rehearsals, production costs, audio mixing, video editing, and hopefully studio time. I would like to focus exclusively on new material I have written, which will require rehearsals before recording the song live. It will also ensure faster turnaround of a finished product. Here is what we made together:

This, what I am writing, is for you as much as it is for me. If I were to keep it to myself it would just be for me. I prefer this though. Thank you for taking the time to read it. I have much to share with you.

xoxo

- Mike Vitale

Rereleasing Old New Things?

The First (sort of)