THE VOICE OF VINCENT

A Revamped Website, Own a Piece of St. Jimmy & Discounts to ''Sleeping Beauty Wakes''

2011-05-09T05:33:00.000-07:00

The glow of my MacBook Pro's screen stares me in the face at 7:22am on this Friday morning. The almost-all-the-way-dimmed display isn’t enough to stop my eyes from burning and watering, thanks to both the early hour and the spring bud-break. The desire to compose something that's informative, inspirational and yet also honest is feeling like a daunting task and my thoughts are all over the board. Perhaps because my morning caffeine hasn't yet kicked in... or maybe it’s the result of last night's beverages. I suppose I could be distracted by Miss Kate's new morning ritual of running laps around the flat. Or is it simply because I'm journaling from a location that feels somewhat uninspiring? Don't get me wrong, my new surroundings are beautiful-- even breathtaking-- yet something here feels a bit empty, placid and ultimately isolated. Perhaps not smelling bus fumes and hearing sirens from cop cars below my window at all hours of the night makes me feel like I'm in a suspended place in time.

I'm writing "newsletter-to-be” text this morning from Princeton, NJ, my temporary home for the next several weeks. Some of you may know that my lady and American Idiot heroine, Aspen Vincent, is playing the lead in a new musical called Sleeping Beauty Wakes, which is being mounted by the reputable McCarter Theatre. As a result, I'm currently splitting my time between NJ and our home back in Manhattan. I've decided to take the next several months to work on new material for my next record while Aspen retakes her proper position as a leading lady here in Princeton.

While I'm on the subject of "SBW", the incredibly generous PR department of the McCarter is offering Tony Vincent fans/newsletter subscribers a discounted ticket price for Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday performances. The show has already been getting great reviews and it's definitely something to catch before it continues its run at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego this summer. The details follow in the "coupon" below...

Although the change of location hasn’t exactly brought the creative focus I was hoping for, I am quite excited about a recent development. I’ve recently reconnected with an old friend and songwriter named Martin Santti, a Swedish gent who is currently operating out of Ireland. He and I are in the early stages of passing ideas back and forth, and the collaborative energy that we both feel has been infectious and inspiring. As this process continues, I will of course keep you posted about our progress together. (Also, for all you gear-heads, I’m sharing an image-- with details below-- of the mobile set-up I'm working with in Princeton while I'm away from my main home-studio.)

MacBook Pro 15" Intel Core i7, 2.8 GHz, 8GB

Metric Halo's ULN-2 2D+dsp w/ the Jensen mod on channel #1
Focal CMS40 Monitors
Neumann TLM 102
(2) G-Tech G-RAIDmini Hard Drives (one for streaming samples, one for tracking)
Gretsch G6120TV Brian Setzer Hot Rod w/ TV Jones® Pickups
AKAI's MPKmini keyboard
Macally's 7 port USB 2.0 hub
Wacom's Intuos3

Various VSTis and plugins from Arturia, Camel Audio, FabFilter, FXpansion, iZotope, IK Multimedia, LinPlug, Loomer, Modartt, Native Instruments, reFX, Sonic Charge, Spectrasonics, Synapse, Tone2, Toontrack, u-he, Waldorf, Waves, XILS-lab, and more.

Since leaving American Idiot I've been doing a lot of soul searching , reading, writing, and most recently, working with the talented web designers and programmers at czustudio.com to revamp my website. We've completely redesigned tonyvincent.com and it's now live and ready for your viewing pleasure. The new site is really slick and incredibly logical to navigate through. It’s now easier to view specific pages, to place product orders, and to get the current low-down on what I'm up to. (The home page even includes a real-time Twitter feed.) Drop us a note here and let us know your thoughts on the changes we’ve made. Also, while you're on the new home page, click the "Like" icon in the black Facebook "social plugin" box to get status updates automatically delivered to your Facebook page. And, as always, if you’d like to follow me on Twitter, I can be found at @TVofficial. 

In other news, you may or may not know that when an actor finishes his or her time with a Broadway show, they are allowed to take their "show shoes"home with them. When I decided to leave American Idiot this past December, I chose to keep the boots I wore onstage as St. Jimmy-- specifically because I wanted to use them as a vehicle to give back to the theatre community. When it was announced that American Idiot would finish its Broadway run on April 24th, 2011, I decided to set up an online auction for the sale of the original Broadway St. Jimmy boots. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the non-profit group Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a remarkable organization that provides assistance to people living with AIDS and numerous other health issues. (For more details on the many programs that BCEFA assists, visit BCEFA or http://www.broadwaycares.org/mission_statement). You can find auction details and place your bids at: http://webstore.com/id=8381459. Bidding has already begun and the auction will close at 10am on May 25th. Again, all profits from the sale of this collectible piece of groundbreaking Broadway theatre will be going to BCEFA. Please bid high and bid often to support an organization that helps so many in need.

 With that, I'm off to get back to being creative... or destructive-- however the spirit leads. Don't forget to get your discounted tickets for Sleeping Beauty Wakes, and I thank you in advance for bidding generously on the "St. Jimmy boots". BCEFA and all those that benefit from their assistance thank you as well.  

Best to you all-- always,

A Wine Revelation, The Royal Mail and A New Band?

2011-02-21T07:27:00.000-08:00

When you're not in the habit of having two days off in a row, one can honestly forget what an actual "weekend" is— or simply choose to block out the fact that ANYONE has a weekend at all just to make yourself feel less robbed! Since being part of Green Day's " American Idiot" for the past 18-or-so months I haven't had the opportunity for much down time, apart from a small vacation that Aspen and I took in early October of last year. Many of you know that I chose to leave "American Idiot" at the tail end of last year to refuel: to spend more time immersed in my hobby of photography and to focus on writing my own music again. It honestly didn't hit me until late this past week that I DO have the ability now to take advantage of an actual weekend and enjoy what this city has to offer. So, this past Saturday, I decided to take my camera outside and spend some time shooting, and to drop by a Saturday tasting at one of my favorite wine shops in New York—Union Square Wines & Spirits.

I'm going to admit here that much of the time I purchase wine in multiples (either from WTSO, Lot18, Cameron Hughes— all offer solid wines and brilliant prices). The result of this kind of buying habit is that I drink many of the same wines in repetition— losing out on several of the great benefits of drinking wine: the adventure, the romance... the chance to experience bottles that are esoteric, that require thought and, occasionally, completely blow you away. It's part of what makes the world of wine so enchanting and addicting, and I've been missing out on that in a major way. (As a side note: If you haven't ever tasted a wine that triggers something in your soul, the description above may sound a bit dramatic. However, once you have experienced that first sip of fermented brilliance that truly takes your breath away, you'll never view wine the same way—trust me).

I'm going to humbly admit something else here: I've never given much credit to wines from the American Northeast— not even the frequently talked about Rieslings from the Finger Lakes region of NY State. This is primarily because my experience with them has been very limited, and I must say that after yesterday's tasting at USW, I'm wishing I wouldn't have waited so long to explore these wines.

I believe I have mentioned the gifted winemaker Abe Schoener and his exploratory and often opulent "Scholium Project" wines) in the past. He, along with the famous Napa winemaker, Robert Foley, have gotten together with a Brooklyn, NY winery to produce some absolutely delicious juice. These talented men are using North Fork fruit and bottling it under the name Red Hook Winery. I believe their production is quite small, and I'm not sure how available Red Hook Winery wines are across the country, but if you see one— or multiple varietal offerings— pick up a few bottles and you will be shocked at what California winemakers can do with Northeast grapes. Awesome, awesome stuff.

Ok, I'm not a wine blogger, but this tasting was just too cool to not mention without a good bit of detail. I'll switch gears now from my recent wine revelation to something that has recently reared its head career-wise, and has begun to come into fruition over the past few weeks.

Long-time friend of mine and killer singer, Kevin Max (of the band DCTalk), phoned me up out of the blue several weeks ago. He and a mate of his have been working on a project that has changed directions several times since its original inception almost a year ago. Knowing that I've been greatly influenced by bands from the "New Romantic" music era (such as Roxy Music, David Bowie and Duran Duran) Kevin extended an invitation for me to join his work-in-progress band, currently working under the name Bad Omens. Although my music career has always been as a solo artist, I have lately been toying with the idea of changing direction and cloaking my music in a band format, which would lend itself perfectly to the style of music that I want to produce. Kevin and I spoke on and off for about a week, and after thinking about it for a few days, I phoned him up and told him I was in. Even though we are still in the early stages of fleshing out exactly what the sound of Bad Omens will be, (we're heading to Los Angeles this week to start the writing process) we're both incredibly excited about the potential of a vocally driven, Brit-pop/synth-rock focused band. Also, there's a chance that I may join Kevin onstage for a couple songs at the Viper Room (viperroom.com) on Sunday, March 6th at 8pm (see schedule here)— as he already has a date booked that evening. We may do something cover-wise or, perhaps if by that point we’ve written a song or two under the Bad Omens umbrella, we may test them out on the crowd. If you're in the LA area, you just might witness something very cool in this early gestation period of the band. I'll keep you posted as details sort themselves out.

I also want to make mention of something that I personally never dreamed would happen in my life. The Royal Mail (of the UK) is issuing a collection of stamps based on musicals that have been staged in London's West End. There are eight stamps in the collection, and "We Will Rock You" has been chosen as one of the stamps— complete with my backside and fist in the air. (The original image that is on the WWRY poster/audio CD has been used from when I opened the show in the West End in 2002. I'm totally gobsmacked— and, being the anglophile that I am, I'm hoping that this will convince the Queen to grant me dual citizenship! The stamps can be viewed and ordered via this link here.

Many of you in the theatre community are aware of a non-profit organization called Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. It truly is an amazing consortium that helps people in need who are dealing with HIV and AIDS, as well as other health issues. "BCEFA" raises money through large-scale ticketed events during the year, personal contributions, yearly theatre-attending audience contribution drives, and auctions. One of their auctions is called "Broadway Bears". BCEFA has Broadway costume designers create custom outfits for stuffed teddy bears that are dressed as characters from various currently running shows on Broadway. This year, they have elected to include a "St. Jimmy Bear"— sporting embroidered replicas of my personal tattoos as well as the signature St. Jimmy 1/2-head of hair. It's actually a very cool bear, and Billie Joe Armstrong, Melissa Etheridge and I have all signed it. (These two stellar rock stars have played the role of St. Jimmy since my departure.) If you'd like to place a bid on the bear— knowing that your money is tax-deductible and is going to an amazing cause that helps many people in need of help, head over to see the bear here.

In closing I wanted you all to know that the talented group of web-designers at CZU Studio (czustudio.com)— (the team who created my personal website at tonyvincent.com)— are starting to take on new clients. I've been working with them for almost 10 years and I truly can't say enough about how talented and innovative they are in the world of design and coding for top-notch web sites. Their personal one-on-one service is the best I have ever dealt with. Their clients have included Fortune 500's, NGOs, banks, car manufacturers and artists, but don't let their high-end roster deter you from contacting them. They will work with you to give you a site perfectly suited for your needs. (We all know that in this day of online-everything, everyone needs a website— whether you’re an artist, crafter, business owner, a non-profit organization, or in the medical field...) Perhaps your friends or parents are looking for a new designer and host for their website. CZU Studio can be found at czustudio.com and they can be contacted directly at dlas@czustudio.com.

Perhaps I'll be seeing some of you soon in LA. If not, stay tuned for more information on the Bad Omens front. This could be a very dangerous force.

Always,

Tony VIncent on a limited edition UK/Royal Mail Stamp

2011-02-03T11:22:00.000-08:00

Many of you first "discovered" Tony Vincent when he was cast as the lead character of "Galileo Figaro" in London's West End production of the Queen musical We Will Rock You. We have just been notified that a forthcoming issue of British postage stamps depicts We Will Rock You and Tony Vincent to be issued on February 24th, 2011.

"I'm incredibly humbled and excited to get wind of this! Not only did I have to perish to get on a postage stamp, but, being the Anglophile that I am, I'm hoping that this will give the chance of a dual citizenship!" says Vincent.

Information about the stamps and ordering them from England's Royal Mail can be found at the links below:

Musicals Stamps Set
Musicals Presentation Pack

Musicals Stamp Cards (8 in set)

Radio host Deb Colitti interviews Tony Vincent

2011-01-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

Tony Vincent's one-on-one interview with radio personality and entrepreneur Deb Colitti airs online at Life On Purpose this Wednesday afternoon (January 26th, 2011) at 1pm EST. Also, the interview will be archived at debcolitti.com or on iTunes & Stitcher.

Moving Facebook Locations, The September Issue Of Vogue, AOL Music's "Sessions" and the Near-Fatal Onion Ring Coma

2010-09-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

Monday, September, 6th--

Labor Day started exactly the way I wanted it to. Today I finally had an opportunity to have a true lie-in and reap the benefits of a fantastic food coma caused by a truly amazing meal last night. Chef Jeff, Sommelier Theresa E. and Sr. Waiter Tom L. at Porter House New York gave Aspen and I an evening that we will remember for a very, very long time. (Not only was the food absolutely amazing, but the views from the 4th floor of the Time Warner Building are some of the best in Manhattan--overlooking Columbus Circle and the lower west corner of Central Park.) I had brought a special bottle of 2005 Dominus Estate that Dominus' Tom Mostero gave me while I was performing "American Idiot" in Berkeley several months ago and couldn't wait to have the opportunity to pair it with some fantastic beef. Upon initial opening, the bottle showed a nose that was powerful, with ample fruit and black cherry notes, and as it opened up it became even more amazing. It had initial layers of sweet cream that were a welcome surprise, black fruits ultimately developing that pencil-lead-thing that I truly love about brilliantly made Cabernets. The chewy yet round tannins of the wine paired brilliantly with our filets that were cooked perfectly. The thing that killed me, however, was Porter House's onion rings. If you have been a reader of this newsletter for some time, you know that I'm an onion ring freak-- always on the search for the best. Last night's didn't disappoint. PH's rings are 1/2" thick, deliciously sweet and are coated in a batter that is crispy, flakey and yet still delicate. And people, don't you dare ask for ketchup or any other condiment-- these slices of sweet-crispiness are ones to indulge in all on their own. (OK, I will admit to throwing a few grinds of black pepper on them...) But I digress. This isn't a food blog, but a newsletter about what is going on career-wise. (How, though, could I not throw in some recent and memorable food/wine story?!?) Porter House is a restaurant you all MUST make a point to visit. Get ready to embrace a very special dining experience!

Aspen and I had set aside last night's date for months. It was a night of celebration for powering thru the opening of "American Idiot" on Broadway, championing on during NYC's humid summer months and then welcoming in my favorite time of the year. (The Labor Day weekend in America tends to unofficially bring down the curtain on the sweltering months of summer heat and welcome in the deliciousness of autumn.) The last several weeks have been quite full-on inside (and outside) the "American Idiot" camp.

To begin with, I had the opportunity to make my Vogue debut after being invited by the renown fashion mag's Grace Coddington to be part of the 2010 "September Issue" in a photo shoot highlighting this year's "Fashion's Night Out". (If you don't delay, you can still pick up the September Issue at your newsstand or reputable bookstore right now.) The shoot, called "On The Town" consisted of models, actors, musicians, athletes and big whigs of the culinary world, all shot by be cutting- edge and gifted photographer Steven Meisel.) Also, you can check out a video of the actual shoot here.

Before I continue, I want to bring to your attention to a rather important happening: I AM MOVING MY FACEBOOK ACCOUNT!! Long story short, Facebook put a cap on the number of friends that I can accept several months ago-- so I have decided to create a "Like" account that will now be THE location in the Facebook world to receive my latest personal and career updates. Understand that I will be CLOSING the current Facebook account, so if you don't want to be left behind, you will NEED TO ACT SOON by taking a few seconds to join the "Like" page at: http://www.facebook.com/TonyVincentOfficial so that you can be kept in the loop of day-to-day updates. Once you're on the page, simply click on the "Like" box-- as shown with the orange arrow below-- and that's all you need to do!

If you don't sign up at the prior link, you will no longer receive any postings or the daily musings that I've been adding to the current account. (I'm sorry that I've got to do this, but don't blame the messenger...) Keep in mind that this new Facebook location will be secondary and complementary to my official newsletter that you are currently reading. If you're down with receiving the most up-to-date info on all things "TV", I'd love for you to let your friends know that they can easily sign up to receive these journal updates delivered straight to their in-boxes. All they have to do is enter a few bits of info at:

Also, as you visit www.tonyvincent.com, you may notice that Tania and Douglas at czustudio.com have done some fantastic updates to the site in general. This should make listening to music, viewing images and moving around the site much more streamlined. Drop me a note and let me know what you think of the updates! Personally, I'm very excited about the results.

Just a couple weeks ago, the "American Idiot" cast was invited by AOL.com to be part of their "Sessions" feature on their music-focused arm of their website. (AOL's Sessions is a streaming online video program that highlights bands in an intimate setting-- much like what PBS's "Sessions on West 54th" or MTV's "Unplugged" programs have been in the past.) You can check out my performance at: http://www.tonyvincent.com/media. Click on the "video" tab on the right-hand side of the window. You'll can then scroll to the "AOL Music's 'Sessions' " menu on the left-hand side. Also, you can view the entire special here. This was truly exciting to be a part of because the "American Idiot" cast was the first non-pop/rock act to ever be highlighted on the webcast. Very very cool.

Finally I want to thank all of you who have sent letters, written encouraging emails, (sent wine!) and taken time to hit up a performance (or several) of "American Idiot". We're changing the way theatre is being experienced 8 times a week and the response has continued to be endorsing, energetic and emotional. You all are keeping our movement alive and I can't thank you enough.
I'm looking forward to seeing you on the new Facebook page and, until next time, be well and embrace life to its fullest-- especially while indulging on onion rings and a choice bottle, of course.

Always,

Tony Vincent dons Chanel in the 2010 September Issue of VOGUE!

2010-08-16T01:44:00.000-07:00

Tony Vincent dons Chanel in the 2010 September Issue of VOGUE. As New York (and the world) gears up for a glittering night of shopping to celebrate Fashion Week, reporter Robert Sullivan and world-famous fashion photographer Steven Meisel hook up with an array of talented actors, musicians, athletes and other professionals that form the star-studded cast of fashion's night out. Don't miss the 16-page spread in the 2010 September issue of VOGUE (USA) which features "Recording Artist Tony Vincent in Chanel"!! --due to drop at your local newsstands and bookstores this coming week. (And yes, Chanel does a truly chic sasquatch...)

The English Holidays & The Idiots take on "Super Broadway" and the Grammy's!

2010-02-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

It feels like a year has passed since the last newsletter was sent out. So much has happened in the past 2 months that my brain is reeling from all the activity. While the end of the year enjoyed a nice, relaxing taper, January-- and the first few weeks of February-- ramped up into such a frenzy that my OCD scheduling-issues have been firing overtime.

(photo credit: Mercer Photography)

As many of you know, as you attended the concerts, during the month of December I hooked up with Spike Edney and the SAS Band for a few gigs just outside of London. It had been two years since I had been back to my "second home", so I arranged to stay several extra days with a dear friend. When not rehearsing for the Christmas gigs, I spent most of my time out and about London with my camera and the new, brilliant Nikkor 70-200mm VRII lens that I had only just (read: FINALLY!!) received from Adorama. There is a multitude of amazing architecture to photograph in that city, and when you combine the way the English celebrate the Christmas holiday with the beauty of London, it's impossible to run out of things to capture. You know, I honestly don't believe that anyone "does" Christmas better than the English. Nearly every building has its facade decorated with lights, wreaths and ornaments. People enjoy deliciously spiced mince pies and robust red wine seems to flow endlessly during the innumerable holiday lunches at pubs and restaurants. No one there even pretends to be sober during the entire month of December. Then there's the whole Dickens thing to boot. It's hard for your spirits not to be raised just walking the crowded streets and browsing the outdoor markets.
Damn I love London.

(photo credit: Mercer Photography)

After I returned to Las Vegas, Aspen and I decided to have a quiet Christmas on our own and enjoy the first bit of down time we'd had since our time in San Francisco/Berkeley. But the stillness of the holidays would soon come to a screeching halt-- because right after New Year's Day it was announced that the Berkeley cast of American Idiot would begin devouring Broadway on March 24th from the house of the St. James (or what I'm choosing to call "the St. Jimmy") Theatre.

(photo credit: Brian Estrada)

This exciting news initiated the immediate pack-up of our apartment in Las Vegas and the return to our beloved "home-home" of New York City. Some of you may not understand that a move to-- or simply within-- NYC is truly an ordeal and a royal pain. Finding an apartment in the city is a very difficult thing to do, and finding the "right" place can be next to impossible. Ninety-nine percent of the time you end up having to make concessions about your initial wish list (things like room size, laundry in the building, an elevator, proximity to the subway, etc). Fortunately, the planets were in alignment (and the market in a good place) and we found an amazing home while spending just a few days on an apartment hunting trip in the city. We immediately hired a moving company (http://www.unitedvanlines.com/mover/), let them load up our belongings about a week later, and flew to JFK... arriving to an empty apartment that we began painting at 9:30pm the night we arrived. (Truly, I'm not joking.) We spent the following 22 days painting our new home and making it look amazing.

In the midst of the "paint-athon" we (the cast of American Idiot) were invited by Green Day to perform with them on the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards telecast. The cast had already been given the honor of tracking a single of "21 Guns" with the band before we left Berkeley, but this, my friends, raised the bar 10-fold! (I'm sorry, did you say "The Grammys"??) This announcement launched a very, very quick organization of flights, costume fittings, hotel bookings, rehearsal scheduling, etc. Between rehearsing for two days, staging at the venue, and the actual performance, we were only in Los Angeles for about four days. The Grammy weekend happened so fast that we were all suddenly back in NYC wondering if it had all just been some crazy dream. But no, 'twas no dream. You can catch the performance right here. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you BJ, Mike and Tre. (On a side note, check out the "21 Guns" video that was shot during our company's recording session in Berkeley. If you tear up easy, don't say I didn't warn you...)

Presently, we're spending our workdays straddling between staging/music rehearsals at a space in midtown and tracking the cast album down at Electric Lady Studios. Green Day's gifted engineer Chris Dugan is behind the console... which means that this record is going to completely slam. I'll of course keep you all posted about a specific release date, but I'm crossing fingers that we could see a mastered album completed by the time we open in April.

The announcement of "AI" opening on Broadway has resulted in a massive number of people inquiring about tickets. Up until this point only American Express cardholders could purchase tickets (it's good to be the king!). But, starting Sunday, February 14th-- beginning at midnight-- tickets go on sale to the masses. You'll be able to grab tickets thru Telecharge or by calling 212-239-6200. Off the record, I'm advising people to choose seats either house-center or house-left. When you see the show you'll understand why.

Finally, mark February 21st on your calendars. The New York Times has named yours truly as one of the "Faces To Watch" on the stage this spring. The issue drops the morning of the 21st, so check it out at your nearest news stand.

Thank you for all the emails and Facebook messages since AI's announcement that we're rolling onto Super-Broadway. Yes, we're bypassing "Broadway". Looking forward to seeing you all at the "St. Jimmy".

Peace,

UK Performance Dates, Never Saying Never and the Final Bow for Berkeley's American Idiot

2009-11-30T04:05:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that the Thanksgiving holiday has already come and gone. I've been spending this family-and-food-centered American holiday with my parents (in New Mexico) and am taking a few moments to reflect on what an amazing ride the past five months have been. Little did I know that while I was packing up my home in New York City this past July-- to permanently relocate to Las Vegas-- I'd soon begin rehearsals for what has become the most talked about piece of theatre and sought after ticket in the United States. Green Day's American Idiot became a Tour de Force in Berkeley, California and it was thrilling to watch the public and press respond in such positive way to one of the most brilliant pieces of theatre I've ever experienced.

I have to be honest here-- for me it was only slightly emotional when American Idiot took its final bow at the Berkeley Rep on November 15th. I say that because the production is slated to move to New York City in 2010. The producers of this show want to remount it in just the right performance space in Manhattan-- which isn't available at the present time. They realize that the vibe of the space-- both the house as well as the stage-- is crucial for "AI"'s message. The readers of this newsletter who saw the Berkeley version know what I'm talking about. The way that the music comes at you while the towering set throws its images in your face is very specific and pointed so that an audience member experiences the full gamut and impact of this production. We were blessed to have a theatre that was perfect in Berkeley, California. The producers-- as well as Green Day-- know how important this is and they won't settle for anything less than giving each audience member the maximum experience possible. As an actor, I'm very thankful that the supporters and creators of this show care that much about this piece. I will, of course, continue to keep everyone posted as to when the trigger is pulled for the Broadway version of American Idiot.

Now that the Berkeley version of American Idiot has come to a close, I'm excited to have the opportunity to, once again, join the SAS Band in the UK during the middle of December. I will be hooking up with Spike and all the SAS gents for two dates this Christmas season--December 17th and 18th. My good friend Ingrid Eiersland has already started spreading the word to her subscribers at tonyvincentworld.com. After many questions and much encouragement from my UK friends regarding my return to the UK, I'm thrilled to head your way for some kick-ass Christmas rock'n'roll. Details from the SAS website are as follows:

December 17th at The Lighthouse, Poole, Dorset, UK
The Lighthouse
21 Kingland Road, Poole, BH15 1UG, tel. 0844 406 8666

Featuring: Chris Thompson, Graham Gouldman, Kiki Dee, Paul Young, Midge Ure, Tom Robinson and Tony Vincent.

Doors: 7:30pm
Advance Price: £25 + Booking Fee
Door Price: £27 + Booking Fee

Tickets for this gig can also be bought from The Brook Box Office.
1pm-7pm, Mon-Sat
Tel. (023) 8055 5366 or 24hrs on-line via: www.the-brook.com

and...

December 18th at Bisley Pavilion, Nr Woking, Surrey, UK
Bisley Pavilion
National Shooting Centre, Queens Road, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0NY, tel. 01483 489 270 (venue) or 01483 488 488 (hotel), www.bisleypavilion.com

Featuring to date: Chris Thompson, Madeline Bell, Graham Gouldman, Midge Ure and Tony Vincent

Doors open 7:00 pm
Ticket price: £27.50 (incl VAT), students £15
Tickets for this gig can only be booked through the SAS Band office.

For ticketing information head to www.sasband.com and point your cursor to the "gigs" page. I'm really looking forward to seeing my UK mates at both of the gigs. We're even planning a small meet-and-greet after the December 18th performance. I will be posting further details about this event on my Facebook page, and I know that Ingrid will also be posting bits on her site. If you haven't signed up for Ingrid's media blasts, head over to www.tonyvincentworld.com and sign up.

If you've been a reader of this newsletter in the past, you know that when I decided to relocate to Las Vegas this past summer, I said that the New York chapter (or book in some perspectives) of my life had come to a close. I was set on making the desert my new and permanent home. It made sense career-wise. It made sense to be moving west and closer to family. But, in the past several months, I've been having to eat a dose of humble pie. Aspen and I are looking to return to New York in late December / early January and we are THRILLED to be returning to what feels like the most "home" we know. We're excited to see where God and our careers take us-- this is yet another testimony that making definite plans in one's life causes God to laugh hysterically. I'm pretty sure of it.

I want to wish each and every one of you a very, very blessed Christmas season. I look forward to seeing my UK mates on the 17th and 18th of December and hope that I'll be able to see the rest of you soon--when American Idiot explodes onto the New York scene in 2010.

In closing, as Christmas approaches I want to let the new subscribers know that my most recent record "A Better Way" makes a great stocking stuffer and is available from cdbaby.com. You can also digitally download the project from the cdbaby.com site or thru Apple's iTunes.

Merry Christmas everyone~

The Idiots, Richard Avedon and The Best Cup of Joe...

2009-10-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

If you live anywhere within 400 miles of San Francisco, California-- or near theatre hot-spots like New York or London-- there's no doubt that you have been met with an onslaught of press regarding Green Day's "American Idiot" at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. And, if you are a fan of Green Day in general, you know that fans have been flying into northern California from all over the world to catch this spectacle.

(Tony Vincent and Billie Joe Armstrong backstage at American Idiot)

I have to say that this experience has been one of the most amazing rides I've ever been on. Not only was the production extended before we even opened the show, but "AI" has been the top-grossing production in the 41-year history of the Rep. Putting aside the massive success of the show, I have never been a part of something so special, unique, visceral, full-on and creatively fulfilling. Crafting a show from the ground up is a very unique opportunity for any actor to be a part of, but working with a creative team that includes Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer, Olivier-winning movement director and choreographer Steven Hoggett, and brilliant music director and arranger Tom Kitt is truly priceless.

(Scenes from Green Day's American Idiot at Berkeley Rep)

It's difficult to put on paper-- or even articulate verbally-- what “American Idiot” is on stage. It's a deliciously loud, visually hypnotic, skillfully crafted story delivered thru the brilliant music of Green Day’s “American Idiot” and “21st Century Breakdown” records. I'm playing a role that I thought I'd never find. His name is St. Jimmy and he's the alter ego of the central character, "Johnny" (played by "Spring Awakening"'s Tony Award-winning actor John Gallagher, Jr.). He's dark, manipulative, and manic. He's a bit like Judas. A bit Bowie. A bit Robert Smith. And a bit Sid Vicious all rolled into one. Every night on stage St. Jimmy gives me a gift in a way. He gives me a vast landscape to fill and to bring to life-- a specific character to embody. He also gives me a certain space where a personal part of me is able to come to life-- a part of me that's refreshing to feel, thrilling to bring out, and physically exhausting all at the same time. Perhaps I'm getting a bit too metaphysical here, but if you've seen “American Idiot”, you know what I'm talking about.

Many people have emailed or Facebooked me the question, "Is the show going to Broadway!?" All of our company is crossing fingers that we will have a Broadway-debut some time in spring of 2010-- but nothing has been set in stone as of yet. Stay tuned for further info at my site (http://www.tonyvincent.com/news). Until that time, you still have until November 15th to catch this show at the Berkeley Rep. Click here for dates, times and tickets.

While I've been living in San Francisco, I've tried to get out as much as possible to get a feel for the city. Like many major metropolitan cities, San Fran provides opportunities to see serious art installations and historical, world-renowned landmarks, and is arguably one of America's culinary centers. SF is a big proponent of the Slow Food movement-- "...good, clean and fair food. [They] believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work." That sounds nice and wholesome at face value, but because many of the restaurants here adopt this philosophy, their cuisine is breathtakingly delicious, fresh and beautiful. If you find yourself visiting San Francisco any time in the future, you must check out restaurants Zuni Cafe, Chez Panisse, and Bar Jules,--which has just been named one of Food and Wine Magazine's “10 Best Restaurants in America”. (Many thanks to documentary director Doug Hamilton for pointing me in the direction of these meccas of deliciousness!)

(Several San Francisco must-sees)

Along our culinary adventures, Aspen and I stumbled upon this small coffee shop that's not far from where we live. It's called Philz Coffee and they brew authentic Turkish coffee "one cup at a time". Folks, I swear to God I've never found a place in America who makes a better cup of coffee. The coffee is so smooth-- deep in flavour without being bitter. There's a slight creamy layer on top due to the way their baristas craft each cup. People, I'm not joking-- there's all this talk that Blue Bottle is the king of the bean in this city-- but that's most likely because those people haven't treated themselves to a cup of Philz.

Most people don't know that I spent some time working with a very gifted photographer a few years ago. During that time I got seriously bit by the photography bug. I have spent a lot of time shooting over the past year and when I heard that Richard Avedon was showing at SFMOMA, I jumped at the opportunity to see his work one-on-one. I'm not sure if this collection of his work will be traveling to other MOMAs or art galleries around the country, but if it does you really should take some time and check it out. If not, you have until November 29th to view it here in San Francisco. (SFMOMA is also showing an 80-minute documentary on his life that's a must-see.)

Also, I wanted to make mention of some news that was just sent over to me yesterday from TVW (http://www.tonyvincentworld.com). It seems that there's a petition in the works to bring me over to the UK as a guest artist for the annual SAS band Christmas gig. I'd love to join up with Spike’s All Stars again for some serious kick-ass concerts in December-- so, if you'd lend your name to the pot, I may be seeing some of you in the UK very very soon! Click here to send word to the SAS camp!

(a special birthday gift from many of you-- thank you!)

Finally, while this is long-overdue, I wanted to send a very special thank you to everyone who contributed to the brilliant birthday present. The wines have been drinking amazingly!! Thank you for your sincere kindness-- you all really kick ass!

Hope to see you soon-- either here in Berkeley as we finish our run with “American Idiot” or over in the UK this December.

Best to you all-- always,

Green Day taps Tony Vincent

2009-07-12T02:52:00.000-07:00

It's 113F. I forgot just how hot that temperature felt until today-- it's the hottest it's been since I arrived in our new home-base city of Las Vegas, Nevada. We successfully got our New York apartment purged and packed up within a week while we tried to enjoy our last moments as "locals" in the place that's known as "the center of the world". As I type this newsletter, I still can't really believe that I've left the city that I love so deeply. At the moment, I kind of feel like I'm on tour or on some sabbatical of sorts. Ever since I was a little boy, NYC is where I always wanted to live, and for the last 13 years, it's been the place that I've felt honoured to call "home". That being said, New York summers are even more brutal than the ones in Las Vegas, in my opinion. The memory of standing on a subway platform with 98F temperatures combined with 90% humidity makes me feel blessed that I'm in the dry heat of Vegas. And the idea of having a relatively mild winter is a welcomed thing after spending the last one performing in Chicago and Boston. Even those cities' locals said that the winter we experienced was totally brutal-- the worst they had seen in 12 years. So, in light of the weather comparison, it makes moving here a bit easier. Also, Aspen and I have wanted to have the opportunity to plant roots here for quite some time-- as we really dug our time here during the US run of "We Will Rock You"

The beautiful Red Rock Canyon
just a stone's throw from our new home in west Las Vegas.

If you received the last newsletter, you know that I spent the month of May in the brilliant country of Estonia. It was an amazing time. I had the opportunity to perform with some very talented musicians, dancers and singers. Also, we had the privilege of having Estonia's Prime Minister and President in the audience. The concert theme was built around a futuristic love-story, nodding a bit toward the "We Will Rock You" story line. It was two acts of Queen music-- telling a story of love fighting against the demise of humanity. It was really a great experience-- singing some of the best songs ever written and holding court with 15 straight sold out shows.

While Aspen and I were packing up our apartment in NYC, I got a phone call to come in and be seen for the new Green Day opera-- based on their record "American Idiot". At that point I was completely unaware that Green Day had teamed up with Tony Award winning director Michael Mayer to develop a stage production of their Grammy Award winning rock record. For those who don't know the "American Idiot" record, Green Day took inspiration from concept records byThe Who, as well as musicals including "West Side Story" and "Jesus Christ Superstar". It was a bold move by the band to do something in that genre, but boy did it pay off-- selling over 14 million records worldwide. Anyway, the creative team had done two workshops of the "opera" over the past year-- and decided to put it on its feet this fall at The Berkeley Rep beginning September 4th. From what I understand, the entire show had been cast for quite some time-- apart from this one character called "St. Jimmy"-- an alter ego of the principle male "Jesus of Suburbia". The storyline nods to the likes of the film "Fight Club", where a man (played by Edward Norton) has a psychological melt-down against the consumer-based machine of America. Mr. Norton has an alter ego (played by Brad Pitt), who encourages him to create this underground "boys club", in which the members take an oath and sign-up to be part of an army, whose goal is to take down the credit card companies and erase the debt that is owed by basically every single individual on the planet. I'm not sure if the Green Day opera's theme is as carbon copied as the film's, but the main role relationships (Edward's, his alter ego and their girlfriend, played by Helena Bonham Carter, are very similar in nature from what I'm told.

So, long story short, I had 3 auditions in New York and 1 in Los Angeles... and I received a call that Billie Joe Armstrong (lead singer and lyricist of Green Day) and Michael Mayer had tagged me as the man for the role of St. Jimmy. I'm thrilled to get an opportunity to work with the band and Michael on this project-- and to experience this process from its beginning stages. Green Day has been publicly talking about this project for quite some time, and there is great anticipation for the show-- due to the current high-profile status of the band and the history of success stories associated with director Michael Mayer ("Spring Awakening", "Thoroughly Modern Millie"and "Side Man").

The show begins previews on Friday, September 4th at The Berkeley Rep Theatre. It's set to close October 11^th, with a possible 4-week extension. If you wanna see this show, I'm thinkin' ya best get your tickets ASAP. If this production explodes like Duncan Sheik's Spring Awakening did, this is going to be the hottest show to see on any American stage this year. (Tickets will be available from the Berkeley Rep Theatre web site at berkeleyrep.org closer to the dates of the performances.)

It feels very strange to be leaving the new "home" that we've JUST established, but duty calls and I'm chomping at the bit to participate in a full-on rock-opera. I leave Monday for a two-week creation-period at Vassar College's New York Film and Stage school. We'll be working with the band and Mr. Mayer during these initial two weeks-- solidifying the complete production before moving the show to Berkeley, CA.

I hope you all get an opportunity to come out and see the production-- and, hell, Berkeley is so close to Napa you have no excuses not to make a weekend out of it! (Who can go wrong with Green Day and nice California Cab!?)

And, just so you don't forget, you can still get all records of mine at cdbaby.com (www.cdbaby.com/artist/tonyvincent) for ONLY $5/CD (if you purchase ANY 3 CDs on the cdbaby.com roster!) Keep in mind that we won't be manufacturing any more physical discs-- so, once they're gone...

Best to you all-- always,

Manic Searches & $5 Blowouts!

2009-04-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

Greetings all-

I know that I just put out a recent newsletter (http://tonyvincent.com/news), but some exciting things have reared their heads, spurring me to put out another. So, while Aspen and I are in the midst of a 2-week family-hang in San Diego-- here's what's going on.

One of the most exciting things I want to announce is a new (blow-your-mind) internet search engine. My South African web designing friends Doug and Tania Czuszak (of Motorola, Spoig and tonyvincent.com fame) have been working over the past year on a new search engine that leaves Google searches in the dust! They have built an engine that actually uses ALL search engines in the cyber-sphere (engines such as Yahoo.com, Ask.com, Windows Live, Wikipedia and more) to deliver the most links for your inquisitive minds to explore. "It's a single search that gives you immediate access to the top searches and related websites for your desired country and category." Check out doo-go.com (at http://www.doo-go.com), then tell all your family and friends about it!

The next thing I want to notify you of is that I've decided to join up with CD Baby's infamous 3-for-$5 record sale! I'm now offering a special-priced multiple-record buy at cdbaby.com so that if you order all 3 of my first records (Love Falling Down, Tony Vincent & One Deed), you will get them for only $5 each!! (Keep in mind, this only applies to the physical CDs and not digital downloads.) What a great time to get these records for your personal music collection (if you've yet to do so), OR to stock up for future gift-giving! Just head over to cdbaby.com, select all of the first 3 records of mine, and upon checkout, you will see that the list prices have been reduced to only $5/project! (Also, if you're interested in other indy projects, some other cdbaby.com artists are also participating the 3-for-$5 album buy. This means you can select any cdbaby.com artist who's offering their records for the 3-for-$5 special and when you buy 3 of these specially-priced records at one time, you get them all for only $5 each!! -- Time to discover some new music me thinks!)

Before I forget, I want to make a small web-link correction that was incorrect in the last newsletter. The proper Facebook link should have read (http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Vincent/775583289). It seems that the Facebook logo had the proper link imbedded, but the text hot-link was incorrect. Forgive me.

Twitter-Twitter-Twitter! I want to let you all know that you can now follow me on Twitter. Just head over to http://www.twitter.com, log into your Twitter account, click on the "Find People" link at the top menu bar, and type in "tvtalks" in the search box. Twitter me up and I'll let you voyeurs know what's going on in my day-to-day life.

Finally, I wanted to let you all know that the indy film that I acted in and worked on musically last year (Freud's Magic Powder or The Discovery Of The Oedipal Complex) has launched a kick-ass website at www.freudsmagicpowder.com. The creative team and web designers have put together a really comprehensive site that articulates and shows (via images and sound) exactly what this captivating film is about. And, if you have any desire to hear the track that I performed on and wrote the lyric for, head to "The Music" link in the lower right-hand side of the main page and click on "Ending Theme". I assure you that this lyric and vocal will raise a few eyebrows! Also, don't forget to check out the "Behind The Scenes" images for the occasional mustache-encrusted Conquistador, Tony Vincent.

Hope everyone is doing well! Don't forget to check out www.doo-go.com and to visit cdbaby.com for their 3-for-$5 CDs!

Peace and grace always,

pack that bag: a gig out east and a move out west!

2009-04-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hello hello-

I know I've been a bit incommunicado over the past few months, but there's been several things brewing that I couldn't dialog about-- until now. I always want things set in stone before I post them or send them out in a newsletter. So, now-- as of two days ago-- I can let you all know some of the exciting things that are going on.

First off, after this Boston leg of Dirty Dancing, I'm heading back to Estonia to headline a really cool

project. Choreographer/Director Mare Tommingas and

Musical Director Tarmo Leinatamm-- along with Producer Paavo Nogene-- are the creative team behind "Queen: The Doors Of Time"-- a futuristic ballet set to the music of the rock band Queen. I will be headlining this string of 15 performances, being joined by Rolf Roosalu, Tanja Mihhailova, Noorkuu & the Vanemuise Balletitrupp. Some of you may know that I've performed in Estonia before, working with the talented Paavo--so you know that this event is going to very very cool and very full-on! If any of you happen to be in the Tartu area of Estonia during the later part of May, you must come check out these shows. Be assured that they are "guaranteed to blow your mind"! (Check out the "shows" page at www.tonyvincent.com for more information.)

Second-- and this is a big one-- I'm leaving New York City and moving back to Las Vegas, NV. To make a long story concise, Aspen (my wife) has recently signed a contract with Cirque du Soleil to be one of the 4 female vocalists in their new "Life Of Elvis" production set to open in the new City Center property later this year. Many know

that I met my wife when she played opposite me in the Vegas incarnation of “We Will Rock You”. To our surprise, Aspen and I grew to love Las Vegas during our time there, and in the end, we didn't want to leave when the show finished its run at the Paris Las Vegas hotel. Both of us are from the west coast of the United States and we have always longed to be closer to our extended families. Unfortunately, the planets didn't align to let that happen in 2005. Since returning to New York City, however, we have been looking for opportunities that would take us back to "The Strip". Now, as of only three days ago-- when Aspen inked her deal with Cirque-- we begin planning the logistics to leave the city that I've called home for 13 years and permanently relocate to "Sin City". If you would, please pray for Aspen and I-- there are so many details that we have to deal with that it's seeming a bit overwhelming at the moment. We would both be truly grateful.

So, being that I'm going to be doing a lot of traveling over the next several months-- most of the time with my Mac Book Pro-- I wanted to mention something to the readers of this newsletter. This past winter, when I was on a train in Chicago, I saw this gentleman with a very-very-cool laptop bag. I'm kind of a bag/luggage snob and the style and ergonomics of this bag fascinated me. I casually got closer to him so that I could read the logo on the bag-- which read bbp. I pulled out my mobile and texted myself the name of the company to see if I could find them online when I returned to my flat.

When I returned home, I booted up my comp and googled "bbp bags". I began reading about this company and started viewing several styles of bags and computer sleeves that they manufactured and I was sold! I had been needing to replace my broken-down laptop bag and this was EXACTLY what I was looking for. You all MUST check out this site-- not only because these are the coolest, most comfortable and ergonomic bags I've ever seen/used, but because I contacted the owner of the company and he has offered any subscriber of the tonyvincent.com-newsletter a 10% discount! All you need to do is head over to bbp bags (http://www.bbpbags.com/), chose any non-clearance item, enter in the code: "-------" on checkout and you're done! (They even have free ground shipping-- so you can't lose!).

Next, I wanted to let you know that a new re-mastered version of the A Better Way-EP is up at cdbaby.com for digital download. (It will also be up on iTunes within the next month or so.) I always felt that a couple of the tracks on the EP were slightly slow in tempo and needed a bit of caressing to really pop. I contacted Grammy-award-winning mastering engineer Dominic Maita, and he and I took a bit of time to get the tracks to sit exactly where they should have sat from the get-go. I'm thrilled with the results and I think you will be as well. So, if you haven't yet grabbed a copy of the A Better Way-EP--or want the latest and greatest version of the project, head over to http://www/cdbaby.com/tonyvincent and download the digital version now! (There will NOT be a hard-copy of this updated project-- it will only be available for digital download.)

Finally, I wanted to let you know that after many requests, I'm putting up a proper Tony Vincent Facebook account. It can be found at: Tony Vincent's Facebook Acct. This will be a much easier way to personally be in touch with you all-- so, friend me up and drop me a note. I'll be able to keep you all abreast of day-to-day things that I'm involved with as well as respond to personal messages.

With all that said, I'm off to start packing boxes to ship to Las Vegas and to pack my kickin' ppb bag for the flight out west! Please stay in touch!

Peace and Grace,

Chilly, Zesty & Hairless Holidays

2008-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's 6:10am. From a window in our 32nd floor Chicago apartment I watch the wind toss small flakes of falling snow between the tall buildings. The frigid lake-effect temperatures have officially staked their claim on this city and from the looks of this week's forecast, more of the frozen ice crystals will descend. We were blessed with a long and very mild autumn, but it's difficult to remember what those days felt like as the now biting winds dry and crack any exposed flesh.

Even though walking the downtown streets now requires several extra minutes of layering winter-wear, the weather hasn't diminished my love for this city. Aspen and I have been here nearly 5 months already and have really been enjoying our time. We both can't get over how clean the downtown is, how much art is out in the open and how genuinely friendly the locals are. As many of you know from reading my last newsletter, we temporarily left our home in New York to open the first US company of Dirty Dancing. After a lengthy rehearsal and tech period, the show is now up on it's feet and playing to sold-out houses 8 times a week. It's such a great feeling to be part of a show that's fresh out of the gates and receiving rave reviews from ticket buyers. It's even more of a thrill to be able to perform with Aspen again-- as it's been over 3 years since we last shared the same stage. (3 years!!-- where has the time gone?)

Many of you know that apart from performing, another passion of mine is wine. Well, now that the show is up and running, I can spend more time in the kitchen-- cooking up dishes that pair with it. Yep, I'm coming clean-- I'm also a foodie. I grew up in an Italian family and with a mother who was (and still is) a queen in the kitchen. Ever since I left for college, I've spent time tinkering with recipes and calling her for advice and guidance. From then on, whenever I would go home, I would schedule time with her in her kitchen. I've spent years reading cookbooks like they were "the classics". Actually, I discovered after reading the big "go-to" cookbooks (like The Joy Of Cooking & Mastering The Art Of French Cooking), there's actually another type of cookbook that's written in a memoir format which I find really addictive... but I'm getting off topic a bit.) Now, instead of flipping thru pages of thick reference-cookbooks, I've become addicted to online food blogs.

Recently, I've made the acquaintance of a really cool food-blogger named Cory at zestycook.com. Cory "writes daily recipes that focus on healthy, easy to prepare recipes that can be followed by anyone. In other words, recipes for the rest of us." While I do like the occasional recipe challenge, I don't always have the time to invest in the prep or the procedure of an intensive culinary escapade. So, Cory's site is a brilliant go-to for solid recipes that I can use on a daily basis. If you're looking for some kickin' recipes for "the rest of us" head over to Cory's site, subscribe to "Zesty" for his frequent recipes, and drop him a line. He's truly a class act! (and his recipe for Bacon Topped Macaroni and Cheese is slammin'!)

Also, I wanted to let you know that my good friend Ingrid (at tonyvincentworld.com) is in the process of revamping her site. Ingrid has the most extensive collection of past and present TV-stuff of any site out there (including mine, embarrassingly so...). So, if you've yet to join her site's newsletter or Facebook page, you should totally subscribe if you wanna be in the know about what's going on in my career. (The new site should go live in the early part of next year.)

Before I forget, I want to introduce you all to a new addition to our family. After waiting many many months, Aspen and I have finally been able to bring home a beautiful 3.78lb bundle of joy. Her name is Miss Kate and she has truly taken our hearts. She has now set up her own Facebook page and is looking to meet exciting individuals. If you've got it goin' on and you're looking to meet a very interesting being, friend her up!

Finally, as Christmas approaches I want to let the new subscribers know that my recent record "A Better Way" makes a great stocking stuffer and is available from cdbaby.com. You can also digitally download the project from the cdbaby.com site as well-- as many overseas fans can't download the project on Apple's iTunes.

I want to wish each of you the merriest of holidays and a very blessed Christmas season. I look forward to meeting some of you in the next two cities that Dirty Dancing will be sitting down in-- Boston and Los Angeles. Check out the "shows" page on tonyvincent.com for more details.

Best to all of you-- always,

Christmas Newsletter Signup ...

2008-12-09T18:42:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

I'm getting ready to put out a new newsletter this Thursday. In case you don't get these updates-- head to the TV Mailing-List and add your email address. And, no, we don't give these addresses to anyone-- they are just for us!

Merry Christmas

Tony Vincent

thanksgiving blessings ....

2008-11-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

Wishing you and those close to you the very happiest of thanksgivings.

God bless you all.

A fairy tale, a dirty dance and a little bit of the white stuff...

2008-07-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello hello-

I hope this edition of TV-news finds you all well and enjoying the summer weather. As much as I preach my continual bliss-filled testimony about my city, I have a love-hate relationship with New York in the summer. I absolutely love what the city has to offer socially during the months of May thru August-- Shakespeare In The Park, The Bryant Park Summer Film Festival, special events at Lincoln Center and various museums, as well as the onslaught of street fairs. The down-side to living in the city during the summer is the relentless heat. Being that summer is probably the most touristy time of year, I'm sure that many of you know what I'm talking about. There are very few things that are more exhausting than waiting for a late train on a subway platform, basking in the temperatures that reach 100+ degrees. That, and the fact that this concrete jungle reflects the sun's rays with exponential intensity, can indeed wear an individual out on a daily basis. Unless you work at an indoor job--and never choose to take a lunch break-- it's a constant battle to stay cool and dry.

It's been an interesting summer for me. Late last year, the main computer in my studio bit the dust due to a power surge in the pre-war building I live in. I thought that I was pretty protected with the power converters and surge protection I was using at the time. Unfortunately, it seems-- after APC negated my replacement claim-- that I was simply drawing too much power from the 2 back-up power solution units that sat behind my main tracking/mixing area. Months went by, due to the holidays and getting married, and I hemmed and hawed about what to do regarding replacing the computer (which was now not worth the repair cost). Whenever upgrading a computer, it's always a battle of "Should I buy now?" "Will apple come out with an upgraded processor in the next month?" "Does it matter if they do?" "Will it be a big enough speed-bump where the extra $ would be a sensible move?" --Anyway, after a long stretch of time, I decided last month to upgrade my studio's (now defunct) dual G5 to a slammin' dual quad-core Intel Mac Pro with a 30" Cinema Display. It's been 4 weeks since getting "her" set up and I've pretty much not been able to leave my studio. I'm daily blown away at how streamlined my writing has become. The jump in speed actually humbles me, mystifies me and brings me to my knees... (okay, can you tell I'm a bit of a tech-head?)

ANYWAY... back to the focus of this newsletter. Gigs.

The first thing I want to mention is...-- I'm going on the road! Actually, both Aspen and I are leaving New York to be part of the first US company of "Dirty Dancing" (The Classic Story On Stage). --and before you all start writing me cheeky emails, no, I'm not going to be dancing in this production. I'll be the main male vocalist-- basically the soundtrack to the show. We're both really excited to be part of an original company again, to leave the heat of New York City and to be able to sing together. We start rehearsing July 28th in Chicago and have our first performance September 28th at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. We'll be in Chicago for 6 months before heading to Boston’s Opera House in February 2009. I'll keep everyone posted as to specifics and more details as they come down the pike.

Second, I want to draw your attention to a YouTube link. Last year I had the opportunity to work with a very talented photographer and director named Gerald Slota. (Gerald and I first worked together on the "A Better Way" video in 2004). Gerald asked me to be part of a short film that he had written and had been working on for quite some time called "Fable". The concept of this film stemmed from a collection of photos that he had shot a few years prior to the writing and filming of the actual piece. After working thru bits of the script in Manhattan, we took the shoot up to Woodstock, NY for a couple days of actual filming. You can view the trailer at Fable Trailer. Drop your comments on the YouTube site as well as on Gerald’s home page at geraldslota.com. It's dark. Creepy. --very cool.

(Boy With Pin In Forehead and Untitled by photographer Gerald Slota)

Finally, one of the most enjoyable parts of my summer was acting in another short film earlier this month. The film is called "Freud's Magic Powder" and is directed by the incredibly talented Swiss director Edouard Getaz. Many people aren't aware of this, but Sigmund Freud's early work toyed with the effects that cocaine had on the intellectual properties of man. In this film I play the role of "El Conquistador"-- a rather ambiguous figure and a man that truly intrigues Freud. One of the coolest parts of this project was that I got the chance to work with a French composer to write the lyric to a musical dream-sequence piece that I also appear in. The song itself is the soundtrack behind this trippy-nightmare and, from the bits of film that I viewed after the shoot, I can't wait to see it in its final state! Edouard will be showcasing this film at film festivals all over the world later this fall and early into next year. We're all crossing fingers that this gem will be picked up for a full feature-length film. When I get the schedule of the film's viewing schedule, I'll let everyone know. (In case you happen to be in Cannes during May 2009.)

(Photo of Sigmund Freud, 1938)

In closing, know that my thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been effected by the massive flooding in the mid-west United States and all the fires that are swallowing up large sections of the dry western parts of our country. Many God keep each and every one of you safe.

Always,

tv

P.S. As I was in the middle of editing this newsletter, I took a brief break and headed up the street to get my mail. In the bulk of magazines, bills and advertisements, there was a hidden package slip in the stack. I signed the slip and handed it to José behind the counter in exchange for a heavy cardboard box. I brought the box back to my flat and opened it to find that it was an early birthday present-- from many of you!! A very kind note along with 6 bottles of brilliant wine wished me a very blessed birthday. I found out that this gift of "six continents of wine from six continents of fans" was orchestrated by the brilliant Ingrid Eiersland over at Tony Vincent World. Ingrid, thank you so very much for your continual support and encouragement. And to the many of you who had a hand in this truly special gift- thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is such a special gift-- and one that I will remember long after the bottles have been enjoyed. You all have blessed me so much.

...has spring really sprung?

2008-04-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Where to begin, oh, where to begin...

I suppose the best place to start is at the top of the year. Even though I sent out an Easter greeting, I have been quite absent on the newsletter-front during the first quarter of 2008. (Is it really almost May?!) So, I believe it’s time to update you all on everything that has been going on in my life and career.

The main reason that I’ve been pretty MIA is because during the first week of January, I tied the knot with my beautiful fiancé. We were fortunate enough to spend much of December enjoying the festive winter-vibe that is so special to this city. As many of you know, New York turns into something very precious during the holiday season. Not only is Rockefeller Center jammed with tourist and locals alike-- trying to get a view of the year’s colossal Christmas tree, but twinkle-lights don apartment windows and bistro awnings all the way down the island. There really is a shift that takes place in people’s hearts here from the moment the Macy’s Day Parade trudges down 5th Avenue. Many of you have visited New York City, but if you haven’t visited during the Christmas season, you really must make a point to do so at some time in your life. Try to come with family or someone you’re in love with. This place is too special in December to experience on your own.

On New Year’s Eve, Aspen (--my new bride) and I boarded a flight to Albuquerque, New Mexico to spend the new year with my family and to get ready for the wedding. We chose to have a very intimate and low-key ceremony in my parents’ home. It was important to us both to keep it small, and having only our immediate family members in attendance gave us a day that truly couldn’t have been more memorable and precious. Aspen looked absolutely stunning and we were able to experience the day without worrying over centerpieces, bridesmaids’ flowers or seating arrangements. We literally had the ceremony right in my parents’ living room-- family seated comfortably on couches and chairs around the room. After the service, it was a brief time of pictures and then off to a brilliant evening of wining and dining. I think Aspen and I are still a bit dumbfounded about how smooth the afternoon and evening went. We are left with very special memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. After the time we spent in New Mexico, and a brief honeymoon in Napa, we returned to New York.

Now that we’re back, I’m writing and looking at options that will keep me singing and acting and mainly operating here in the city... I’ll, of course, keep you all updated.

In the mean time, there’s some cool stuff that I wanna mention. We’ve created a Facebook page for fans-- a place that everyone can get updates, purchase music and so on. The Facebook Fan page will be the main place to find out career updates on this fast growing social networking site ... so drop by and on the right-hand column click on “Become A Fan”. One relatively new feature on Facebook is a video blogging addition built right into the interface--very cool. So, look for periodic video blogs and such.

Jumping off the Facebook topic now to direct you all to the new TV-YouTube channel created by the official fan site - tonyvincentworld.com. You MUST see this! It's the most kickin' TV archive! Video and audio of past television / radio interviews and performances -- the whole gamut! I’ve viewed things about myself that even I didn’t remember being part of! So check it out and subscribe to this new TV-channel to receive instant email notification as more videos get uploaded!

Also, there’s a cool music-centered site that I want to draw your attention to called iLike. Many of you all already know about it, but in case you don’t, drop by the TV iLike page. iLike is like an online talent agent scoping out tunes and concert happenings from all over the world and personally makes recommendations just for you-- as per your listening/viewing history. Their by-line...“Over 20 million people use iLike to share music tastes and playlists, and to learn about new artists and concerts together.” I’ve been turned onto some very cool things that I would never have found because they are so under the radar. So, drop by the link above, sign up, and get ready to expand your music experiences.

Finally I want to thank all the fans who sent in personal fan pics to be put up on the TV-MySpace site. (click here and scroll down to view the slideshow on the right-hand side.) Drop by the site and check out how my hair has morphed from year to year! (I’m surprised I still have any left after what I’ve put it through!) Pictures are still being accepted in case you’d like be included in the page’s MySpace.com slideshow.

Thanks to the many who have sent notes, emails and texts of encouragement-- as some of you already knew about the nuptials prior to this newsletter. They were truly a blessing to us both.

Until next time--always,

Easter Blessings

2008-03-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

friends -- it’s been awhile since i’ve sent out an update--but i wanted to wish you and your families a very blessed easter holiday.

keep your eyes peeled for a newsletter in the next couple weeks!
always,
tony vincent

Post-Thanksgiving Thanks

2007-11-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and hello~

Instead of writing a preemptive Thanksgiving-day greeting, I decided to instead write a post-Thanksgiving newsletter. I hope that everyone had a really special and blessed day of thanks this past Thursday and that all bellies were satisfied and hearts remain full. If you reside outside the states, I hope that this message finds you all well and gearing up for the Christmas season!

I'm excited to be writing to you all for a couple reasons...

First off, it's official that all Tony Vincent records can be purchased now thru iTunes! Love Falling Down, Tony Vincent, One Deed and A Better Way can now be downloaded online beginning today, November 27th. This is a great thing because as there's no way to reprint these projects once the hard copies are gone (which they almost are), they're gone for good! You can get them from iTunes by clicking the link above, or by doing a search via the search box of your iTunes application. Of course the physical records can still be purchased while stocks last thru CDbaby.com. (Can we say stocking stuffers??)

Secondly, is there anyone out there who has a young sibling, niece/nephew, or knows a young child begging to learn how to play the guitar? Well, look no further than this kickin' toy by Fisher-Price called: I Can Play Guitar. Not only is this interactive guitar game a great primer for kids to learn rhythm, chord structures and theory, it will be me who will actually be the one teaching them! Yes, it's true. I, Tony Vincent, am the voice of "I Can Play Guitar". Last year I had the opportunity to work with Fisher-Price on this interactive-axe by being the voice that guides the young guitarist thru different environments until he or she becomes the ultimate guitar-god! They'll be ready to start shreddin' by simply plugging the guitar into their television. No other equipment is needed! (except maybe a set of headphones for the parents).

So, with those two updates, I want to send my very best to you all and your families. This has been a very exciting year for me with the release of A Better Way-- and I can honestly say I couldn't have done it without all the encouragement you all have sent my way.

May God bless you all and keep you well during this very special time of year.

Always,

Tony Vincent

TONY VINCENT’S A BETTER WAY IS OUT!!!

2007-09-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Dear friends-- IT'S OUT!!

The EP "A Better Way" is available RIGHT NOW via cdbaby.com IMMEDIATELY!! So head to A BETTER WAY right now and be the first to download my latest project!!

I am so excited to get this out to you all-- and to future fans. YOU are the reason this is out now and I encourage you to tell all your friends, family and acquaintances about this project-- as well as blog about it on your individual sites. THIS WEEK is crucial for downloads and orders.

I thank you in advance for your encouragement and support. You all are the best fans an artist could ever hope to have. Enjoy the brand new TV-EP!

God bless you all.

Best,

Tony Vincent

Watch Your In-Box!!

2007-08-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I want to use this opportunity to make everyone aware that A BETTER WAY-the EP will officially be out mid-September! I'm very excited to finally get this project out to you all! Many of you already know, it was YOUR encouragement that moved me to put it out on my own and make it available thru CDBaby and Apple's iTunes.

In light of this release, I want to ask you all for your help in advance. Whenever a record first hits retail (via digital download and thru physical retail outlets), the first week of release is VERY VERY important. So, I'm reaching out to you all to be official Tony Vincent Street-Team Members-- to spread the word to family, friends, blogs and your other circles of influence. I have been blessed with fans like you who have given me so much love and support over the years. You have shared how previous projects and live performances have helped many of you in times of struggle. I believe that this project is set to continue to do that exact same thing-- helping people heal and grow from the honesty of this record thru the words, melodies and emotion in these songs.

So, start spreading the word now!! Tell people to sign up for the monthly newsletter to make sure they receive the official announcement of the new Tony Vincent release, A BETTER WAY!

Always,

Tony Vincent

A Pretty Good Month and the Release of the EP (Finally!!)

2007-08-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings to everyone from the south-east united states beach community. It's been a bit more than a month since temporarily relocating to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and, finally, I think I'm beginning to get into a groove in this crustacean-laden land. During my time so far, I've hooked up with a couple of people in the local wine trade and actually just held a wine tasting class for about 12 cast members 2 weeks ago. (Who doesn't dig a bit of grape edja-ma-cation??) The weather has been unusually cool for this time of the year (thank God!) and I was just blessed to have my family out this past week to catch a couple of my gigs. A pretty good month so far.

It's been a very laid-back process of getting material integrated into the 2 shows here. (The Carolina Opry has 2 distinctly different shows--each performed 3 times per week.) I'm presently doing 3-4 songs in each show. The song choosing process began when the music director and I started to dialogue about what songs we might put into each of the two shows. We'd then focus on one tune, rehearse it a few times with the band and see how it landed. Then, if we felt strong about it, we'd try it out in a live performance. If the song went over well over the course of that week's performances, we'd most likely keep it in. If it didn't we'd look at something else to replace it. Each song went thru this process and it's taken us almost a month to build up to the current state of material. I think that now, most things are settled and we're rockin' in a way that's very fresh for the "CO".

I have spent a great deal of time during the downtime between performances, and have made the executive decision to put out the EP--A Better Way--under my own label. In about a month's time, ABW will be available for purchase from tonyvincent.com, CDBaby.com, as well as for digital download from Apple iTunes, Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, and more. I've been encouraged to put it out by you fans and feel that now is the right time to do so. I'm extremely proud of this project and want to make it available to you. Something that adds to my excitement is how amazing the packaging of the EP looks! Design gurus Tania and Douglas Czuszak have created a piece that would cause major labels to enter a bidding war to have their talent and ideas on staff. (You all can check out the talents of T&D at www.czustudio.com.)

Finally, I wanted to thank all people who helped make my birthday so special this year. The cards, notes and gifts were a major source of encouragement--you all must have sensed that I was growing a bit homesick for my place in NYC. You all and my mate Gary Vaynerchuck at WLTV made this year very very special. (check out episode #281).

Thank you all... and until next time--be well.

Always,

blown away...

2007-07-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

friends--
i'm totally taken aback at how many people dropped me happy birthday wishes here. you guys kick ass!! i felt so much support and love-- yep, you all blow me away.
many of you have read about my mate gary vaynerchuck @ wine library tv... here's a little video blog that tonyvincentworld.com and gary v. put together. check it out! WLTV Episode 281.
blessings you guys!!
tv

first week at the beach...

2007-06-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

well... i've been in myrtle beach for a week as of yesterday. i've actually not seen much of the beach itself yet, but am having a great time with the company at the CO. some very talented singers and musicians are helping make performing a joy.

just wanted to send out to you all on this rainy south carolina afternoon.

best
tv

Fine Wine, Rock'n'Roll and the beach-- What could be better??

2007-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and hello! I hope this finds everyone healthy and feeling the sunshine, having already fired up the grill a few times! It’s been kind of a whirlwind over the past 3 weeks, i’ve been bouncing around several cities and solidifying plans for the summer months.

As you know we had a showcase this past month which was really well attended. Thanks again for your support and words of encouragement. I’ll keep everyone posted as to what happens next with this project. We’re in talks about licensing it and i’ll make sure all of you are kept in the know...

Since the last newsletter, i’ve had some time to do some really cool things. At the end of May (... i can’t believe we’re in JUNE already!!-- crazy), i traveled to London to attend an event put on by Decanter Magazine. (Decanter is a UK based wine publication -- much like Wine Spectator here in the US.) I had the opportunity to take a “masterclass” on Australia’s Penfolds winery hosted by winemaker, author and custodian of Penfolds Grange, Peter Gago. He took 200 attendees on a virtual tour of the Penfolds estate and the various vineyards across Australia that they source their grapes from. A tasting of 9, 1991 vintage wines then followed. Good times!

During the same week, a dear friend ventured to London to celebrate his birthday. We hooked up at a brilliant restaurant called “sketch” for a stunning meal. (click on the logo below to be taken into what sketch is all about: eat. music. drink. art. brilliance!) We then had the chance to catch a Meatloaf concert at Wembley Arena so that we could support my Las Vegas WWRY counter-part and girlfriend, Miss Aspen Miller--who’s presently singing with him.

After the London adventures, I returned to New York for about 36 hours before heading to Chicago for a benefit concert. The event was to celebrate the opening of a new building for the organization called Center On Halstead. I was invited to join a company of past RENT actors and provide the entertainment for this beautiful gala event. Instead of doing the normal 2-Act play, we performed the music in much more of a concert-type setting. I donned the Roger Davis pin-striped pants and joined fellow RENT-ees- some of whom I hadn’t seen in years. So, not only did it feel fantastic to revisit those songs again, but it was a great “mini-reunion” of sorts.

Also, on the evening prior to the benefit, I had the chance to hook up with the brilliant and somewhat irreverent gents at 3wineguys.com. If you don’t know about them, you should TOTALLY check out their podcast and website. These guys proclaim that they are “wine drinkers” as opposed to “wine tasters” and they have a totally kickin’ way about describing wine in a fun, entertaining and very down-to-earth manner. You have to check these guys out! Tell ‘em I sent ya. (no, I don’t get kick-backs... I’m just a total fan!) And if you want to hear a bit more about our evening, check out their blog on June 9th, 2007, entitled Wow! What A Week!

Finally, I want to update you on a performance opportunity I’ve decided to do for a few months this summer. From late June thru September 5th, I’ll be relocating to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to guest star at a venue call the Carolina Opry. This very successful performance space has been around since 1984 and provides first-class entertainment to the locals and hundreds of thousands of tourist that flock to the beaches of SC.

I’ll of course be continuing to shop the recent project and continue to write while i’m there, but I am really looking forward to getting out to perform again. If you have plans to travel this summer, check out the Carolina Opry and what I’ll be up to. I would love to see you all out there--so check the schedule for specific performance dates and times.

Many blessings to you all-- cheers!

tv

Newsletter: May, 2007

2007-05-15T00:00:00.001-07:00

Hooray hooray—the first of May!! - OK OK, so technically I'm a bit late but I've been a bit out-of-pocket as I was prepping for last weeks showcase. However, sincere May-greetings to you all anyway and an official welcome to Spring's warmer weather.

The band and I took to "Stage 3" at a rehearsal space in the Chelsea section of New York City last Thursday and performed for a small selected group of music industry guests. The turn out was solid and we sounded amazing! It truly was a breath of fresh air to get out of our cocoon like phase of rehearsing and metamorphoses into a performing entity that actually plays for live people—even if industry people occasionally tend to be a bit stuffy in those kind of environments. (Gotta keep that game face, you know....) I'll be keeping everyone posted as we move forward on this...

Many people know I'm quite a wine advocate. It's been a passion of mine for about 12 years and I refer to myself as a "continual student of the grape". Going to tastings, visiting wineries/winemakers and seeking out wine bars is one of my favourite pastimes. As a result it has enabled me to meet and/or be introduced to some very special individuals. One of these such individuals is Gary Vaynerchuk. Gary and I met a few years ago and I cant say enough good things about this gent. He is a total class act, he runs one of the coolest wine shops in the States (and on-line at winelibrary.com), is on the cutting edge of internet marketing as an entrepreneur and as an entertainer in his own right.

On February 21, 2006, Gary launched a video podcast that has completely exploded all over the world. These video-blogs are amazing resources for learning about wine, how to buy wine, what bottles are worth their asking price to what aren't etc. He is so committed to this that he holds on-line tastings nearly every single day from his office in Springfield, NJ. In just over a year (237 episodes later and counting) Gary has indeed helped "change the wine world". His passion and love for wine is only trumped by his love for his family and friends.

Last week on "WLTV", Gary and his team gave his site a complete revamp and featured the song "Anything But Me" as an opener and closer to the show. Drop by and check out this episode #236.

And while you're there subscribe to WLTV and join me and countless others enjoying the daily wine-nuggets of brilliance—and and tell 'em I sent ya. Perhaps I’ll get free shipping for life! (—what do ya say, g!?)

Cheers~

tv

...hooray hooray the first of may!

2007-05-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

...ok-- technically the 15th, but a new newsletter will be up by this evening.
new york is starting to feel the heat-- welcome to summer!
i hope you all are well.
peace and grace
tv

state of the "nation"

2007-04-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

ladies and gentlemen...

let me start off by thanking the many of you who helped the "a better way" video take the 6th week public-nod as the favorite video of musicnation.com's video competition. after being contacted by musicnation.com, they have stipulated a boiler-plate contract that can in no way be negotiated or changed in order to continue in the competition. after we dissected the terms of the fixed deal, and discovered that i would essentially sign my career over to a "development deal" (upon winning), it would be the worst possible decision for me after working so hard on this EP and establishing such an amazing support group thru past concerts and theatrical productions.

so, it's an unfortunate situation, but it has shown amazing strength by all of you who took precious time and voted in such a dedicated fashion.

thank you for showing your support. now it's onward and upward as we look to an early-may showcase.

many many blessings to you all.

tv

ONLY TWO DAYS!!

2007-03-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

HELLO AND HELLO!!
dear friends--you all have been AMAZING this past week!!-- yet, it still looks like video--a better way--is being closed in on by video #2! :-/ we've only got two days left for this week's voting-- (which, if we win, will pull our video and send it into the semi, finals!!)... but we need to keep at it! the race is massively close... -- so tell you family and friends to keep voting daily! -- heck, blog about it! let's take the week!
you all rock!!
blessings!
tv
--- how to vote? / what are we talking about??? ---

voting tips from the people at MUSICNATION.COM

Make sure you're reminding friends, family and FANS to vote for your video DAILY by visiting http://pop.musicnation.com/v9a8
OR
by texting v9a8 to NATION (628466).
Send out bulletins, newsletters, make sure people remember!

Newsletter: March, 2007 "the heat is on ....."

2007-03-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

…and in more than one way!

This morning I woke rather early, went to the bathroom to throw some water on my face and brush my teeth—yet, mid-brushing, I started to smell something, the distinctive smell of an electrical fire. Sniffing the air, I couldn’t tell exactly where the metallic-odour was coming from. Fearing that it was coming from another apartment in my building, I ran into the hallway but there was no smoke and the intense fregrance that I smelled while in my bathroom seemed to diminish. Heading back into my bedroom I heard a HUGE explosion—from outside my bedroom window (which incidentally faces the street). Drawing the blinds I was shocked and surprised to find an automobile engulfed in flames— not 20 yards below the window!!

My flat is on the 2nd floor of the building and, from my bedroom (and living room), I look down onto the street. From there a huge cloud of thick, black smoke towered up from the automobile as it became consumed by fire. For 30 seconds all I could do was stare. As I shook my head back into sense, I quickly grabbed my camera, opened the window and stole a few shots of the soon-to-be molten-car. After snapping off a few images, I stood and watched as the people started to accumulate down below. As the flames licked over 30 feet into the air, I could only wonder where on earth the fire department was!! The massive black cloud billowed upwards and towards my apartment building as the wind blew—snow flurries following the gusts into their heated death.

Finally, after 40 minutes—and several explosive “booms”—the fire department (FINALLY!) showed up in two trucks and put out the flames over a course of 25 minutes. It was haunting watching this automobile—praying no one was inside and watching as a crowd gathered down below. Thank God later that afternoon I found out that no one was injured and that the Cadilac-combustion started with a small electrical fire. But, because the NYFD took over 40 minutes to arrive on the scene, the car gave up its life—completely (as you’ll see in the images). (Good Morning!!)

The heat is on, also because the original video of “a better way” has been submitted into a contest sponsored by the site MusicNation.com. If you have been a subscriber to the blog on my MySpace.com page, you are already aware of what’s been going on. For those who still need to subscribe, let me tell you that the supporters on MySpace.com are nothing short of AMAZING!! In a matter of only 4 days, “a better way” has moved to the #1 position in the “pop” music category—amongst the already submitted 375 videos.

Many have already viewed this video directed by the very talented visual-artist Gerald Slota. Fortunately, even though it was shot some time ago, it’s gaining an amazing following! The contest is in it’s 6th week and will continue for an additional 6 weeks. The cool thing is that people can vote for the video EACH DAY until the contest ends! So, I’m coming to you, requesting your (daily) vote—as well as asking you to let your family, friends and work colleagues know how they can help us continue to hold the #1 spot! We still have 6 weeks which is actually a great deal of time for these kinds of things… so we need to hit this full-throttle! To register and vote, head over to MusicNation.com.

Also, to bring you up to speed on the music front, I, along with friend and incredibly-talented bass player Jeff Allen, have put together a great group of musicians to showcase the new material. The line-up is as follows: Andy Ascolesen: drums; Andy Stack: electric guitars; Dan Kajeckas: acoustic guitars; and Jeff Allen: bass. We’ll be rehearsing for the next several weeks and then will schedule one—or possibly a couple—showcase date(s). We don’t know if these will be closed or open to invited guests, but I will let everyone know if we need to pack-out the rehearsal space for these limited and crucial performances—as record companies are already showing interest.

I thank you for taking time to register and submitting your votes for our video but most of all your continued support. I’ll continue to blog about current events on my myspace.com page (at http://www.myspace.com/tonyvincent ) so, if you’ve still yet to sign up there, take the opportunity now and join the people who are finding my drivel entertaining.

I hope you, your friends and your families are well. And, I’m looking forward to hearing from you on my MySpace.com page.

Many many blessings—always,

tv

you all are amazing!!-- (and just a reminder...)

2007-03-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

people-- you truly blow me away! i have been so humbled by your quick responses to the "video competition" going on by MUSICNATION.COM. (we're presently at the #8 postition!!!) in case you all haven't voted today (as you can vote DAILY)... here's the info from musicnation.com one final time.
blessings.
tv
--
voting tips from the people at MUSICNATION.COM

Make sure you're reminding friends, family and FANS to vote for your video DAILY by visiting http://pop.musicnation.com/v9a8
OR
by texting v9a8 to NATION (628466).
Send out bulletins, newsletters, make sure people remember!

Please Take 10 Seconds to Vote!!--only got 2 days left!!! :-/

2007-03-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

there is a video competition going on-- and i am really needing all your help out there. i have submitted the original version of the song "a better way". the competition is run by MUSICNATION.COM... but you can vote for my specific video here.

just do a quick sign-up and you should be able to vote quickly...--just chose the number of "stars" and you should receive a "thank you" notification. and you're done! :) ACTUALLY YOU CAN VOTE DAILY!!!!

would you all take time and do this a.s.a.p.? (voting ends in only 2 DAY LEFT!!!) i'm late signing up-- and we've got a lot of catching up to do!! so invite your friends to take time and vote as well!

my continued thanks to you all.
blessings,
tv
--
some suggestions from the MUSICNATION.com peeps...
Make sure you're reminding friends, family and FANS to vote for your video DAILY by visiting http://pop.musicnation.com/v9a8
OR
by texting v9a8 to NATION (628466).
Send out bulletins, newsletters, make sure people remember!

A Brilliant NY Saturday...

2007-02-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

After being away for over five weeks, it feels amazing to be back in new york. --and it's the Saturdays like today's that rekindle my love for this city. In an attempt to put my body back on east-coast time, I got up relatively early, ate breakfast and hit the gym. Walking over the 3 avenues to the 3rd-floor "sweatshop"—my still-groggy senses came to life as the crisp winter air filled my lungs. After a 5 mile run and some light strength training, it was back to my flat for a shower, two cups of coffee, return a few emails, a myspace check-up, and then head down and catch the subway for a 12-noon appointment. After that Central Park South stop, I headed over to Westerly Market to grab some supplements I was low on. The natural foods market was bustling with still-bundled weekend shoppers and it felt a bit like they were giving vitamins away... Grabbing what I needed, I headed over to the downtown-L.

Getting out and the southwest-end of the Union Square, I was greeted with an amazingly clear-bleu sky. The air was fresh and the sun caused all the subway travelers to squint as they exited the dark under-city. Looking at my Treo, I noticed I was a bit early for today's 2pm. With the extra time, I wandered around the park, looking at vendors selling local produce, homemade cheeses and baked goods, handmade wares, and flowers. The Union Square Market is always a gratifying part of a lazy Saturday morning, but at the tail end of winter--or the middle of fall—there's something rather undefined and special that make it feel romantic.

My 2pm appointment was at Union Square Wine & Spirits for a tasting. Frequently I get emails sent to me from localwineevents.com —making me aware of various wine happenings in the city. (Check it out and see if some groovy things are being poured in your city/town…). Three importers/distributors were pouring some fantastic juice this afternoon! I'm sure many of you know that most of the time tastings will have one single producer/distributor showing 2-4 wines from their portfolio. Little did I know that there would be three producers at today's event—and with that 17 different wines being highlighted. There were some BRILLIANT things being poured from all areas of the world and at all price points. Italy, Spain, South Africa and France were the biggies today. Most of the time I'm a big proponent of "new world"-styled wines. Big wines from America, Australia, New Zealand, etc. But over the past few years I've noticed my palate appreciating the "old-world" more and more. There were 4 wines that really wow'd me. (Di Majo Norante 2003 Ramitello, Sierra Cantabria 2001 Reserca, Numanthia 2003, and the Chateau Péby Faugers 2003 St-Emilion.) Most of the wines I tasted were out of my price-range—but that's what makes tastings like these so cool. I would rarely get to try these wines outside of this kind of environment. If you're just getting into wine, I can't encourage you to seek out tastings in your area—that's what got me hooked 12 years ago. Don't get me wrong, however—there are some amazing wines out there within everyone's reach! (one of my top-4 was $12.99—which I'm sure can be found for less outside NYC.)

After going thru the wines--and making a few new friends along the way--I was off to grab a late lunch from Whole Foods to take back to my apartment.

Presently I'm sitting down to enjoy some TV, my chicken-spinach-mushroom and baked tofu salad, and a bottle of sauvignon blanc from USQ—procrastinating the 3 loads of laundry that call to me from the closet door…

tv

p.s. Btw, for the many of you who wrote in with concern—worry no more. Santa will be just fine this coming December—seems that I merely snacked on a relative of his leading sleigh-flyer on the Finnair flight.

Travel drama and Rudolph…

2007-02-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

My recent month-long Estonia stay was truly a delight. Apart from the sub-zero temperatures that were pretty constant through out the full four weeks, I haven't had such a solid amount of down time to be reflective, revived and at the same time blessed with the opportunity to perform. The talent of the other soloists, the orchestra and the entire production crew was top-notch and of the highest level of professionalism. The hotel staff at the Savoy (in Tallinn) made my lengthy stay feel like I was coming home after each performance in the various cities where we were performing. Also, I made some new friends, toured some beautiful and historical churches and museums as well as had some brilliant wines. Life doesn't get much better. During the flight home, however, is where the bliss began to end.

The flight pattern home consisted of two legs-- a quick 30min trip over the Baltic Sea into Helsinki; a change of planes into New York's JFK. After landing in Helsinki, however, our one hour layover turned into three due to technical problems with the aircraft. Then after the eight hour flight into NYC, all gates were occupied with grounded planes due to weather—making it impossible for us to deplane. As a matter of fact, our plane sat out on the tarmac for over three hours. So the 8 hours of flying turned into more than a 13 hour crusade home. Travelers on American Flight 181 weren't happy at all. The one redeeming thing about the Finnair flight from Helsinki to New York was the food and beverage options. Now, I don't eat red meat very often—even as much as I truly love it—but there was an item being offered that I couldn't pass up trying. Believe it or not, reindeer (smoked reindeer to be specific) was served as a starter during the late-lunch menu. Never having had the opportunity to taste reindeer before, I couldn't pass it up. Let me just say, if you do eat red meat, you MUST try it!! It was very lean and very flavorful—not at all the gamy flavour that I was expecting. Sliced thin like prosciutto, it was truly delightful. (In the end, I requested 2 servings of the reindeer starter and passed on the three quite heavy options being served as mains). Pairing Rudolph with a few glasses of a fantastic spanish red (J & F Lurton, '01 Excelencia) was most likely the only thing that kept me sane during the three hour sit-down on the tarmac at JFK.

Unfortunately, the travel issues didn't end there. The following day I was scheduled to visit my best friend in Los Angeles. But, even after checking with weather.com from the moment I woke—finding all planes set for on-time departures—I arrived at the airport only to find that all flights out of New York to LA canceled. So, as soon as I arrived at JFK, I quickly found myself loading my bags right back into a taxi and on my way back to my apartment. Hoping on my mobile in the cab to get the next available ticket out, I was gutted to find out that the earliest I could get to LA wouldn't be until 2 days later.

So, that's where I am tonite. I leave again in the a.m., crossing my fingers that I'll actually be able to get to LAX w/o any further drama. Your prayers are greatly appreciated! --i'm dying to get to LA!!!

Keeping it all together…

2007-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Being a frequent traveler, I pride myself on stellar packing skills when it comes to my luggage. I've learned what works and what doesn't. How best to pack for shorter travel and efficiently for longer periods. But one thing that I have never been able to successfully do is keeping individual pairs of sox from distributing themselves throughout the entire suitcase by the time I reach my final destination. I have, however, had a brilliant revelation this week on how to tackle this mystery!

Many of you know that I've been in Estonia for nearly a month now and this week I had come to the realization that if I didn't tackle some laundry, I'd be forced to get that new swimsuit after all (refer to blog "…left my speedo at the dry-cleaners").

I bagged all the dirty items in a few of those plastic hotel bags, properly filled out the laundry slip and dropped them off at the front desk before 10am early-morning pickup. Returning to my hotel room later that afternoon, I found my clothing neatly hung in the closet in several clear-plastic garment bags. Even the many t-shirts had their own hanger. Along with the garment bags was one grocery-type bag hanging from one set of hangers. Inside the bag were my sox all individually paired, but-- get this-- they were all "saran-wrapped" in one nice little bundle! At first glance I chuckled at how ridiculous it looked. But as I split open the synthetic packaging, I realized that I had just found the solution to my "wandering sox" dilemma!!

I'm sure some of you have maybe seen this simple way of clumping small items of clothing together and/or that most of you think that the -25C temperatures of the Baltics have gone to my brain… but, sometimes it's the little things in life that leave us empowered.

…with hints of cherry.

2007-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon could possibly rank as one of my top-10 afternoons ever! Many of your know that 2nd to music, wine is my passion. One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to set out and find hidden gems—restaurants and shops—that are dedicated to wine. I googled "wine shop Tallinn" and located a place about 15 minutes from my hotel. In Vino Veritas is this brilliant and quaint wine shop run by two men- Michael (the store owner) and sommelier Raul.

I entered the 20"x25" shop, was greeted by Raul and was immediately offered a glass of a few bottles they were pouring that day. I settled on an Italian Nebiolo, sat down at one of the 2 3"x3" tables and then the dialog began. After quick introductions Raul and I started discussing where we each were from, about our families and our individual wine history. After the odd customer came in and out of the shop, he offered to show me the shop's cellar and proceeded to tell me about the history of this gorgeous 14th century house that this wine shop called home.

You all MUST check out how quaint this place is by going to the site mentioned above—and click on the Estonian-language-links on the left hand side of the page. I tell you, I never thought places like this still existed. It was like I stepped into a Dickens' novel.

For over four hours Raul and I talked about the wines we were drinking and gems that we just couldn't forget. Him expressing the elegance and refined cuvee of French wine and me introducing him to hidden and esoteric gems coming out of Australia, Chile and America that rarely—if ever—make it to Estonia. Truly it was one of the most magical days I have ever had… Thank you Raul. Thank you!

...left my speedo at the dry-cleaners

2007-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

...while here in Estonia, I'm hitting this brilliant gym called Kalev Spa ... it's trully cutting-edge-- gorgeous equipment and there's this amazing pool (like a 2x olympic) with water-slides all over... and while the water-slides are calling out to me, they only allow speedos to be worn in the "waterpark"... it's a shame i only brought my trunks.

-20C and counting....

2007-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

As I watch snow fall outside from my hotel room onto a quiet street in the "old city" section of Tallinn, Estonia, the coloured lights that are still strung from the recent Christmas holiday reflect upon the soft blanket of whiteness. Apart from a single automobile that slowly passes by, I see no movement from the third floor window. It's -20C. It's 3:22am.

My body clock is completely backwards. Even after staying awake upon arrival just a few days before, I'm back operating on New York time for some strange reason. I've got to sort this out prior to this weekend, as I have the third of 8 sold-out shows this coming Sunday.

I arrived in Estonia this past Thursday for a day of rehearsal before the first 2 performances in the quaint college-town of Tartu. This 125,000 person city combines its historic architecture with cutting-edge technology. The people are warm and most speak English as their second language-- fortunately for me, because I'm a bit rusty on my Estonian. The shows in Tartu went extremely well and it feels great to be performing again! I'll give an update as to the rest of the Estonian shows in the next newsletter.

A few updates and some odds and ends...

I've been spending a good bit of time rehearsing with the band back in New York. Things are sounding great and the new songs are killer in a live setting. I'll be hitting it hard again with the guys when I return to the states.

Many fans have written in requesting that I take a bit of time and blog-- at least while I'm the road to give little updates OF daily happenings. Being that I'm quite poor about getting even a monthly newsletter sent out, I find this a daunting task... Still, I'm gonna give it a go. If you want to subscribe to the blog, I'm going to do it thru my MySpace site. Keep in mind that you need to establish a MySpace name for yourself-- which is free and painless. Then just click on "subscribe to this blog" right below the "upcoming shows" section. (It's located mid-way down the right-hand side of the page.)

Also, I want to thank the many of you that attended the SAS gigs this past December. I debuted "Winter" with Spike and the band and was really encouraged by the response! It's always a bit of a nail-biter for me when playing a new song live, but I felt really blessed as to the feedback you showed. So, many many thanks to you all! For those who couldn't make any of the shows, you'll be pleased to find new photos taken by the very talented Mr. Xavier Vila (xaviervila.com). You can check them out at tonyvincent.com under, you guessed it, "pictures".

Before I wrap this up, I'd also like to thank the many people who sent Christmas wishes this way. I was with my family in New Mexico thru the holidays, so was greeted with them when I got back to the city. I was truly touched and blessed by the things that you wrote. -- Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I think that's it for the moment. Keep spreading the word and don't forget to check out my attempt to blog on MySpace.com.

Until next time... Always,

tv

Newsletter: November, 2006

2006-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and hello—to the new “signees” and especially to the long-time subscribers who have wondered what on earth has been going on with us at tonyvincent.com and why the absence of activity on the site. In short, we’ve been not only revamping the entire site, but moving it to a new server location as well. The process meant we were locked out of doing periodic updates to the existing site. Bottom line: the new place will be more current, creative and truly user-friendly. It’s been a full-year in progress—and a long one at that!

After winding up the Las Vegas production of We Will Rock You, I made a conscious decision to return to my first love– singing and songwriting. With that decision came some big adjustments, including setting aside the theatre/actor hat I’d been wearing for several years so that I might solely focus on making my own music, which I’ve been longing to do for quite awhile. I’ve loved headlining some amazing musical theatre productions the past few years, working with everyone from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Queen––but the pull to return to doing my own thing has been too strong. So, I returned home to New York City earlier this year to start writing again and to begin assembling the right team of collaborators to help make it happen.

First up, a former college mate, Adam Anders, who has become a very successful in-demand producer for major record labels all over the world. Even with his busy schedule, we were fortunately able to start fleshing out some creative concepts and direction for the new project. Next on board: an enormously talented indie-songwriter named Nate Campany. Instant chemistry made it clear early on that this project wasn’t going to be something just for my own listening pleasure. The songs were very good—incredibly solid—and yet coming from an honest and vulnerable place. We knew that this stuff had/has serious potential. I was singing more naturally and from a place that I had rarely been able to go in the past—and it felt nothing short of amazing.

Meanwhile, I got together with long-time friend and trusted web designer and photographer Tania Van Den Berg, to start revamping the entire tonyvincent.com site. This was a new era. One that would focus on music, and the singer/songwriter behind it—and do it a very classy and user friendly way. The result is something we’re all very excited about… If you dig the new design, too, please drop Tania an email. The woman is a true artist, always full of ideas and enthusiasm, and I couldn’t feel more privileged to work with her. (Thank you, “TV”!)

In regards to the content of the new site, you will notice upcoming performance dates for the months of Dec ’06- Feb ’07 on the “shows” page…

Also, in celebration of the new site launch and new music focus, we’ve made major, serious price reductions on all merchandise on the site. So if you’re looking for those stocking stuffers, now is the time to get them! (…and of course, keep in mind that we ship worldwide!!)

Finally, you all will be the first to hear snippets of the new material that is located on the home page as well as the media→music page.

So check it out! I’m extremely excited about this project and feel that it’s some of my best work yet. Can’t wait to share it with you. Finally, make it a point to please keep spreading the word about the new tonyvincent.com site (and encourage them to subscribe with their email address to receive this newsletter). Also, don’t forget the recent MySpace site.

This is an exciting time for us all—and I can’t thank you enough for all the comments and emails that have been sent in encouraging me to keep pressing on. God has truly blessed me, often through your words and the time you’ve taken to drop me emails and share your hearts and prayers.

Many blessings to you all… always,

tv

A NEW PROJECT AND A NEW LOOK...

2006-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

hello hello!

gothem has been under dark clouds and rain for the better part of the week -- and it's felt a bit like we by-passed autumn altogether and headed straight into winter. nonetheless, we are not allowing the climate and barometric pressure to sideline our agenda. i am excited about a few things that i wanted to share with you all.

some of you may have caught wind that i'm presently working on a new EP. i'm working with the very talented producer, adam anders and a fellow songwriter named nate campany. nate and i have been working on new material for the past few months and are very excited about what we've turned out. these two gents are amazing talents, and the three of us have just recently returned to nyc after doing basic-trax in nashville, tennessee. we still have quite a bit of work to do, but we feel in our gut that this is going to be a very special project.

in preparation for the new EP, we're also utilizing the amazing talent of our trusty web designer, tania van den berg -- who built the present tv-site as well as incorporated some of her own amazing images displayed all over tonyvincent.com. (i.e. she was the photographer on the december 2002 nyc photo shoot. -- how could we not use you, dear, tania!?!?) she's a total rock star when it comes to concept, design and web authoring.

finally, we did a photo shoot this past weekend with a photographer named alicia hansen. if you haven't heard of her, you will. she's brilliant and you'll definitely want to check out her work at aliciahansen.com. so, even though tomorrow is labour day in the states (a national holiday) we're back to the grind at pulse music.

thanks to all of who have directed people to the MySpace site. (and keep telling your friends about us!! -- our fan base is increasing in a major way due to you all!) it's presently the only way we can communicate with you until the new site is up and running. the old site is still up accepting new guestbook subscribers and fulfilling merchandise orders -- but we're using the MySpace site until the new site is lookin slick and we're ready to debut the new tonyvincent.com. stay tuned!!

thank you ALL for your prayers and encouragement.

god's blessings on you all.

always,

tony vincent

ESTONIA IMAGES AND VIDEO...

2006-08-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

many of you know that i had a one-off gig in tallinn estonia last week and apart from my lack of sleep on the red-eye over-- and it taking a toll on my body the entire 4 days-- it was truly an amazing time. the group of talent was top-notch and paavo-- the concert promoter-- was truly a class act. the venue was a massive ampitheatre called the "tallinn song bowl"... and, for our gig, the place was jammed with over 21,000 people! a totally humbling experience. (btw... STING, who was playing the same night as us, had an attendance of a mere 6000 ;) )

if you wanna check out some images head to:
pics
or see a short video clip of a song, check out:
video

many blessings to you all...
i'll post again soon.
peace.
tv

TV hits MYSPACE.COM

2006-06-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

yes yes... it's indeed about time to get an official MYSPACE site set up. we're working hard on getting it slick, smart and up-to-date-- so we appreciate your patience. this site will not replace tonyvincent.com, but will be a supplement and a way to get the message and the music out to more and more individuals. thank you all so much for your support and i encourage you to tell your friends to request a friend-add as well as to subscribe to the TV-blog. (click on the myspace.com logo or copy and paste http://www.myspace.com/tonyvincent). we'll be putting the latest news right here!

blessings...

tv

let us all remember...

2006-05-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

this weekend --and specifically this coming monday --we celebrate and remember those who have given their lives for the freedoms that have blessed our country.

did you know memorial day, originally called decoration day, began as a tribute to those who died in the america civil war? although it has evolved into the three-day memorial day weekend and is generally regarded as the official kick-off to summer, it's important not to forget the original purpose of the occasion. this memorial day-when it's 3pm where you live-pause for a moment of silence out of respect for those who have given their time and lives to preserve the our liberty and freedom.

if there's a national cemetery near you, you may also want to take a trip this weekend to witness the rows and rows of flags marking each headstone of a soldier who sacrificed his or her life. yesterday, my parents and i had the opportunity to take a 50-minute car ride and visit the santa fe national cemetery where both my grandfather and great uncle are buried. as the thousands of small flags waved in time to the breezy afternoon air, it was nearly impossible not to be filled with pride, gratitude and humility as we gazed across the vast hillside of headstones.

so while you all are polishing off that 4th slice of watermelon, let us not forget to give thanks for the way god has lavished freedom upon our nation.

finally, if you all would like to take a personal role in standing for freedom, please come along side me, sean hannity and others to support a brilliant organization called “the freedom alliance scholarship fund”. the freedom alliance scholarship fund honors the bravery and dedication exhibited by americans in our armed forces who have sacrificed life and limb by providing educational scholarships to their children.

"freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. it is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again." -- ronald reagan

may god bless you all,

tv

a blessed easter weekend...

2006-04-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

spring is finally starting to rear its head in NYC and central park has begun to exchange its winter browns for brilliant greens. there's something very special about the newness of spring and the feeling of starting afresh. i hope you all are getting the chance to share this very special week and weekend with the ones you hold close. may the lord bless you all.

happy easter-- for he has risen!
tv

holiday blessings to you all...

2005-12-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

dear friends,

i just want to take a moment to wish you the very best this holiday season. it's hard to believe another year has passed. my time in las vegas has come to a close and i have just recenly returned to my home in nyc. there have been many triumphs, struggles and lessons learned over the past 12 months and i wouldn't trade a moment for anything. one of my year's biggest enjoyments was having the chance to meet many of you. thank you all for your continual encouragement and support.

i wish each and every one of you the most precious christmas season and to all the ones you hold dear.

see you in '06!

tv

new TV merch, hong kong and ... a new band!??!

2005-09-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

autumn is in the air. summer is beginning to relax from throwing down its intense heat on the vegas landscape and the seasonal fragrance of drying leaves flavours the air. the sensation of cool sunsets signals that daytime sunlight will begin to decrease and that the thanksgiving holiday will be here before we know it. i love fall and all the changes it brings.

fall changes aren't solely seasonal for me this year, however. in light of my departure from WE WILL ROCK YOU LAS VEGAS just a few weeks ago, i have found a new home. no, i'm not planning on moving to another flat or physically leaving vegas just yet-- the 'new home' i speak of is more a place where creativity will be challenged, flourish and find a new residence. a place where new dynamics will give way for creation to take hold. i have teamed up with two brothers (originally from toronto) to form a band. it's a very exciting time for all involved. at these early stages we are mainly focusing on writing. and, because we're at this infant state, i would humbly ask that you remember us in prayer as we work to write and look to find a home for our project. hard work, cohesiveness and prayer will indeed birth amazing material!

recently i had the opportunity to return to my home in new mexico to celebrate my grandmother's 85th birthday. while at home, i had the chance to clean out a storage space and find some cool things from the archives from 'the tony vincent-emi recording days.' if you go to the tv store, you will see some cool new merchandise that won't be available ever again! from a pro-mo dj cd tray-card pack to a LFD (love falling down) wall poster- there are some very cool things that are now online. and, just to let you know.. once these items are gone, they are gone! they won't be available again, so don't wait to place your order now!

finally, i've been invited to be part of a series of concerts in hong hong. i'm heading to asia to headline 4 shows-highlighting how music paints emotions thru great storytelling. songs from RENT, JCS and WWRY will be performed along with other selections from various theatrical productions. i'm blessed to get to work with other talented artists in this event-and, if you're planning a trip to hong kong during the first half of october, check out the musical moments link or the shows page at tonyvincent.com.

in closing, thank you for joining me in helping out the individuals that have lost so much due to hurricane-katrina. i was blown away how people from all over the world have helped give aide to that part of the united states. let's continue to keep them all in our prayers as they rebuild their communities.

many blessings,

tv

people needing people...

2005-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

dearest friends, in this time of great tragedy, please join with me in doing what you can to help the victims of the hurricane Katrina disaster.
blessings--tv

URGENT NOTICE!!

2005-07-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

FINAL TONY VINCENT PERFORMANCE IN "WE WILL ROCK YOU" MOVED UP TO THIS SUNDAY, 7/24!

dearest friends

i wanted to get this urgent news emailed out to you all as soon as i possibly could.

i know many of you have made travel plans to come to las vegas and have purchased tickets to attend my final performance in WE WILL ROCK YOU at the paris las vegas hotel on sunday, august 14th.

sadly and unfortunately, the recent harrah's entertainment merger with the paris hotel property has resulted in a change of plans for MY FINAL PERFORMANCE, WHICH NOW IS SCHEDEULED FOR THIS SUNDAY, JULY 24TH, at 2:00 PM!

here's the background story, if you're interested.

at the moment, our show has a running time of just under 2 hours. harrah's has required that our production of WWRY meet all casino regulations of 90-minute-entertainment performances. (WWRY seems to have been the exception to the rule on the strip.) that means our show will be going through a transition phase for next few weeks-daily implementing script changes until a virtually new show is completely ready to make a big-splash for the 1-year anniversary on august 16th.

news of the new owners' demands for this change came completely out of the blue late yesterday, but i wanted to notify you all as soon as i possibly could. i'm saddened that many have already RSVP'd to our press department and have made arrangements to come out for the planned meet-and-greet event on aug. 14. obviously, that's not going to happen.

however, i would like to at least have the opportunity, after this sunday's 2:00 show, to thank and meet anyone who is already planning to attend. you all are the reason i am here and the reason that i have chosen to use my talents to bring hope and encouragement. i apologize to those who have already booked flights and tickets, but i'm hoping that-if you so choose-you can make arrangements to get your hard earned money back from the box office as well as your travel accommodations.

god bless you all and i hope to be able to at least see some of you after THIS SUNDAY's 2:00 SHOW, JULY 24TH, in the lobby of the auditorium at the theatre des arts. (there is no need to RSVP for this last minute meet-and-greet this sunday at 2pm.)

sending much love, hope and wishes for you to hear my heart,

always,

tv

meet-and-greet...

2005-07-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

grace and peace to you all from las vegas~where the temperatures seem to be breaking heat records daily! (yes—the thermometer topped out at 117F yesterday! what would we do in this city without central air?)

as my time with WE WILL ROCK YOU comes to a close, it’s been a blessing to read the many emails and letters from individuals who have been so encouraging as i switch gears to focus on my personal music career. my experiences with this production have been amazing and i’ve gotten the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing people along the way. from london to las vegas—it’s been a privilege to meet so many of you and shake your hands.

if you have had the opportunity to attend the las vegas production, you are most likely aware that there is no specific “stage door” at the paris las vegas. and after receiving so many emails from people who have booked tickets for my last performance (sunday, august 14th @ 2pm), i have gotten together with the show’s press department to set up a meet-and-greet after the show. i am looking forward to this special time to personally meet and thank you all for the support you have shown me this past year.

in order to make this post-show event a success, we first need to find out how many people will be attending the sunday performance and will plan to attend the meet-and-greet. the press department has been gracious enough to help out by providing an email address so that we can get a head-count of the people who would like to attend.

so, if you know you’ll be my last performance and would like to attend, please RSVP by sending your name(s) and the number of people in your party to: wwrypress@mixedm.com. as we get close to the performance, we will be sending out emails with specific meet-and-greet details.

i look forward to meeting you and to this opportunity to personally thank you for your continued support and encouragement you.

god bless you all and don’t forget to bring sun block!

always.

tv

a season of change...

2005-06-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

yesterday (june 21st) was not only the first day of summer, but also the day marking the 1-year anniversary since we started rehearsals for the vegas production of wwry. it’s hard to believe that yet another year has gone by so fast. no matter how i try to remain the in moment, i’m always amazed at how quickly time passes.

as i look back on the year i can’t help but feel grateful. it has been a thrill to bring wwry to the states. it’s been a huge privilege from birthing the piece in london and then transferring it to a u.s. stage. not only has it been refreshing to sing these timeless songs again, but also exciting to get the chance to do an out-of-the-box “rock theatrical” with a new group of artists. not only that, but i’ve been amazed at how much support my fans have shown me. individuals have traveled from as far away as europe and japan to see me in this version and i am completely humbled that you all would do such a thing. i know a lot of artists say that they have the best fans around… but, that’s probably only because they haven’t been introduced to mine. thank you all for your letters, emails of encouragement, your travel sacrifices—and of course the gift of the grape. i appreciate you all so much—words simply don’t do it justice… but, i humbly thank each and every one of you.

with all that being said, i believe that my time with wwry has come to an end. sunday, august 14th will be my last performance with this production. over the past year i’ve been spending a lot of time praying and talking with some close individuals about what should be the next step in my career. after an amazing year, i’ve come to a place where focusing on my own music needs to be the thing i concentrate on next. i’ve received so many requests from around the world about doing another record that now i believe is the time to aim for that goal. your words of encouragement and the feeling i have in my soul have led me to take that leap of faith and pursue a music deal once again. it’s been several years since my last project and a lot of life has been experienced during that time. a lot of struggle, hope and love have dotted the path i’ve walked and i believe that it’s time to express some of those things. i leave wwry with a great feeling of doing good work and an excitement of what’s next to come.

again, i thank you all for your love and support and i would request that you continue to hold me in prayer as i plunge into the uncertain waters of the future. …well, maybe sending prayers in combination with wine wouldn’t hurt either!

god bless each and every one of you. i will continue to update you all on new opportunities as they unfold.

always,

tv

a triumphant opening...

2004-11-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

well, it's official. we will rock you made its official debut wednesday night, september 8th to a very pumped and excited crowd on the las vegas strip. it was an invitation-only performance-which usually means that the audience will be filled with individuals who are either family, friends or others attending out of duty because of someone they know who's involved with the production. much of the time the 'duty-attendees' are not what i would call incredibly receptive or as accommodating as the ticket-buying audience. this time, however, things bucked the norm. it was a night of celebration-- not only did the show and cast deliver an amazingly strong performance, but many in the audience attended simply to remember just how amazing the music of queen really is. brian may, roger taylor, ben elton and robert de niro attended the performance, all to show their enthusiasm and support by sharing the final curtain call with the company of actors and musicians.

the real fun began post-performance. for the show's after-party, the paris las vegas hotel set up two festival-type stages outside their open pool area (atop the 3rd floor of the hotel) where the rock'n'roll continued. artists and musicians such as meatloaf, steve vai, steve lukather (toto), kevin dubrow (quiet riot), chad smith (red hot chili peppers) and nuno bettancourt (extreme) all participated in the post-performance 'all-star-jam' with brian and roger. quite an opening night party indeed!

so, we are officially open and kickin' it in america. thanks to all of you who sent best wishes to show your support of our opening. your encouragements were truly humbling and i thank you from the bottom of my heart. your support is crucial-especially to a performer who once again has moved a long way from home to work on a project-so keep those cards and letters coming! (of course, parcels and bottles of good wine will not be turned down!)

for your information, my new mailing address is:

TONY VINCENT-- WE WILL ROCK YOU
C/O GILL THEATRICAL MANAGEMENT
3325 W. ALI BABA LANE, SUITE 607
LAS VEGAS,
NV 89118

it's hard to believe that i've been away from new york for nearly 3 months. i feel very fortunate, however, that i've already been able to find a church home, a dependable dry cleaners, a whole foods market, a legit italian deli and a fabulous wine shop. (i ask you: what more could a person possibly need!?!?) also, after years of living in 2 cities where public transportation is the best and often the only way to get around, it feels fantastic to drive again. there's something totally satisfying about driving around with the windows rolled and tasting the delicious fresh night air of the desert. i feel very blessed to be in this place in life, and your thoughts and prayers have certainly added to my sense that all things as they should be for now. and, too, with our performance schedule set in stone for the next couple months, i can start to focus on interests apart from the daily rehearsals.

finally, before i forget, please note that there has been a slight change to the we will rock you performance schedule. check the shows page at http://www.tonyvincent.com and see if this affects advanced tickets you may have booked. if it does, call the box office at the paris las vegas and they will be happy to accommodate you.

thank you all again for your support and your love and your prayers. it was an amazing night on the 8th-and now it's time to continue rockin' "sin city" for the good.

peace and grace-always,

tv

p.s. while i seldom promote other artists on this site, i must turn you all on to the latest record by tears for fears. roland orzabal-the chief songwriter of the duo-has had tremendous influence on me as a songwriter, and this most recent project is something i can't get enough of. so, take a few moments and visit tearsforfears.net and grab a listen of a few of the tracks. or, better yet, head to your local record store and pick up a copy of "everybody loves a happy ending"-you won't be disappointed!

WHERE MAGAZINE LAS VEGAS

2004-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

greetings to all... i hope this finds you well and bracing the summer weather wherever you may be. prayers have been going out to all those who have been effected by the hurricanes in florida and the fires in california. while homes and cities may have been effected by these drastic events, i so hope your families and friends are all alright. homes can be replaced... families cannot.

on a lighter note, it looks like we landed the cover of las vegas' leading tourist magazine! the publication is called WHERE and i wanted to invite you all to check out the cover shot and the article located on the PICS link at tonyvincent.com.

we have been in previews for the past two weeks and the show has already received 5-star reviews! check out the most recent review by the LAS VEGAS SUN newspaper.

we'll continue to keep you abreast of all las vegas WWRY happenings and other music adventures that are in the works.

many blessings-- always,

tv

breaking ground-- this time on american soil

2004-06-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

thursday. june 18, 2004. 4:44pm. flight number 477 from jfk to las vegas, nevada. at 31,000 feet in the air, i'm anxiously anticipating what will happen when we touch down. you see, in less than 2 hours, my life will change drastically (again!) compared to the past 6 months since my return home from london to new york city.

in a word: VEGAS! yes, it's true-i have been cast to perform in the first u.s. production of 'we will rock you', scheduled to make its american debut on september 9th, 2004 (previews begin august 19th) at les theatre des arts in the paris las vegas hotel.

i'm thrilled for the opportunity to be a part of this new company, as well as to help birth the first american production, building on my two years' as galileo figaro in the original west end hit in london.

knowing that wwry would be coming to the states this year, i nevertheless was happy to finally be back home and perfectly at peace living in new york, resuming my songwriting and working to find a new label home for my record.

a couple months ago, however, something changed. i began to get 'cabin fever', so to speak-- that now-familiar but always annoying restlessness that so often plagues artists and other creative types. most of all, i missed performing live. so, i began to pray about it: was this the unwelcome but inevitable restless spirit once again? or a new opportunity being set before me?

'long-story-short', discussions were initiated with the show's producers, and two weeks ago i was invited to join the new company and begin rehearsals with the las vegas cast on June 21st.

suddenly, i found myself packing up once again-this time, to head back out to the desert and mountains of my beloved american west: closer to family and friends; a decidedly different lifestyle; an opportunity to meet and work with new people; and the challenge of helping to bring queen's incredible music, production and drop-dead rock-out fun that is wwry to one of the great entertainment capitals of the world!

but, most of all, the way in which i believe god so clearly opened door after door in leading me to make this decision, has given me a new excitement about what i do as an artist, validating for me yet again that i am blessed with one of the greatest jobs in the world.

and so, now the work begins. i would therefore ask that you please keep me and all those involved with this project in your prayers. we've got a very short time to get this show up and running and can, as always, use all the prayer we can get: specifically, for health, safety and a smooth transition from rehearsals into performance.

WATCH THIS SPACE for more specific details are available re: performance schedules, dates, ticket info, etc. for now, i just wanted to keep you all in the loop, share the good news and thank you for your continued support and prayers.

i hope this finds you well and look forward to seeing you 'in the house' at we will rock you-this time on american soil.

blessings-always,

tv

spring has finally sprung...

2004-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

greetings to you all from a (finally) thawed out manhattan. over the past few weeks trees have begun to bloom and the smell of fresh cut grass in central park has started to wake the native’s winter-wearied senses. as many of you know, new york city is a city of extremes, and here, even the weather follows suit. each calendar year we are thwarted with severe cold in the winter months and brutal heat in the summer. fortunately, we do get a few weeks between seasons where the air is sweet and cool and the colours of the city vivid and soothing. right now we’re in the midst of one of those transition periods. people are walking the streets in larger numbers and taking the time to replenish the magic that they felt about the city before work and apartment hibernation.

this opening banter may seem a bit fragrant (pardon the purposed botanically-directed adjective), but i make mention because, like the cycles of seasons, everyone goes thru periods of change in their life. last year at this time i was busy performing 6 nights a week in London; and, now, for the past few months i've been back at home-mostly holed up in my apartment and in a couple studios-examining my life and heart and trying to capture all that's been going on and translating it into song. while i believe the material is really beginning to take shape, i’m getting antsy to sing and play live again.

fortunately, the itch to perform was scratched a bit at the beginning of last month. i was invited by queen keyboardist and b3 extraordinaire—spike edney—to play two shows in london. not only did i get to be a part of an event that benefited the a fantastic charity (mercury phoenix trust), but i got to play with some very talented musicians and singers. the real highlight for me, however, was the warm reception that i received by you amazing fans in the uk! i was totally blown away at how gracious you all were to me. it had been months since i had been on a stage and you all made me feel so welcome and right at home. thank you all who turned out to the gig and thank you all for helping benefit a great organization. (from the volume of the crowd, i presume that means you had a pretty great time...) pictures from those performances will be up and online very soon. stay tuned.

also, tonite, the performance itch will get another slight tickle. i’ll be performing a new song with a friend of mine downtown at a place called arlene grocery. (check the “shows” link on http://www.tonyvincent.com for specific details.)

i know this is a brief update, but i must try and attempt to get a few hours of sleep before tomorrow’s gig. i did, however, want to quickly thank you all for your emails and letters of encouragement that you’ve sent over the past few months. while i’ve been keeping my nose to the grind stone writing and trying to find a home for this record, your words have been the thing that has helped lift my spirit and keep striving to make this project something special.

i hope that where ever you are you take a moment to notice the change of this spring season. i pray you all good health and a time where new life brings joy to your souls.

always,

tony vincent

tony vincent returns to london

2004-03-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

tony vincent will be returning to london to perform at the mercury phoenix trust benefit '04. the actual event will be april 3rd at the shepards bush empire. (a warm-up-- and more intimate gig-- will be april 2nd.)

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

2003-12-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

all the best to everyone this holiday season. may the grace and peace of the lord fill your hearts this time of year.

see you in 2004!

many blessings-- always.

coming back (taken aback)

2003-12-01T00:00:00.001-08:00

there was a time when i thought it would never arrive. that 3rd saturday of november long seemed like a mirage in the distance-something never to be reached. but, like so many hopes that we often suspect won't actually materialize, the big day finally did arrive-and what a day it turned out to be!

november 15th, 2003, was a day i will dearly remember always. not only did it mark the end of an important and exciting chapter in my life, but it also will represent forever a testimony to how some very special people can truly give lasting encouragement and hope to others- two things with which YOU, my co-workers and fans, have graced me.

my time in london was amazing in every respect. during the past 21 months i have experienced extreme excitement, landmark opportunities, fatigue, sickness, surgery, love, musical challenges, appreciation, encouragement, and many more emotions and events. i've been able to work with very talented individuals. i've been able to grow in my faith. i've been able to share the gifts i've been given. and, perhaps most importantly, i have been ministered to by other people and their gifts. 'we will rock you' was an adventure i will always regard as the stimulus that revived my love for acting, and which challenged and stretched my musical abilities anew.

in short, the evening of november 15th, 2003-my final london performance in 'we will rock you' will remain with me as something very, very special.

if you are reading this and were one of those who attended that special sold out show, you know how amazing the evening was. you, the audience, were nothing short of brilliant. your energy was felt on stage in a major way-and, i believe, you saw performances that day that were at once electric and never to be duplicated. no boasting intended, but the entire cast was simply on fire with the exceptional uniqueness of these final performances together. i personally felt an extraordinary rush of emotions on stage that night such as i have seldom if ever experienced. that show was about you, the audience, and how we, the company, appreciate you and what you have given us over the past year-and-a-half.

so, for myself, i thank you from the bottom of my heart.

another exciting surprise that night was the unexpected invitation from senor luis alvarez (producer-director of the new spanish production of 'we will rock you') to come to madrid, see their show, and then perform 'we are the champions' and 'bohemian rhapsody' with their company. so, on a break-neck 20-hour jaunt, i flew to madrid on sunday, november, 23rd , accompanied by my mother, who had traveled from new mexico to see my last two shows in london. we both were thrilled to see the spanish version of WWRY, and i was personally blown away at the chance to perform at the world-famous teatro caldern. there have been few times when i have felt so overwhelmed, to the point of speechlessness, by the grace of others. luis, you and your gracious family and associates, your musicians and actors all were such a blessing to me. i thank you all for the opportunity to perform with you. muchas gracias y hasta la vista.

and so tonight, i write to you from my flat back in new york city, reflecting on the journey WWRY has taken me. i have been encouraged by you and will always remember your kind support throughout my time away from my home. i thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and know that it won't be long before we meet again in another venue. may god bless you and keep you safe.

finally, in response to some questions that many have sent in:

yes we now have a p.o. box set up in case people want to send items via snail mail. the address is:

tony vincent fan mail
809 w.181st st. #156
new york,
ny 10033

others have also asked about ordering past recordings and other merchandise. our online distributor, CDstreet.com, ships all over the world. so, if you're in germany or japan or wherever, you can order online no matter where you live.

until next time -keep rock'n'roll alive.

always,

tv

end in sight ...

2003-10-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

after living in london for 19 months, it's time for me to pack up and move back to the states. many of you know that saturday evening, november 15th will be my final performance in the role of 'galileo figaro' in "we will rock you" on the West End. knowing that date isn't far off, my mind has already been spinning: what will the process of packing up and returning to nyc actually entail? how long will take? what does the future hold?

my time in london has been amazing for many reasons. not only do i feel blessed to have had the opportunity to open a brand new show on the West End-but the most kickin' show on the West End at that! our rock-theatrical defied the critics' reviews and became a huge hit. the brilliant material, a talented cast and company, the support of the most amazing fans in the world-the show has it all. we stepped out with a fresh new comedic rock show in the midst of many other performance stages in town where musical-revivals and straight plays dominated in numbers. Surprise opportunities such as: the queen's jubilee: party at the palace; party in the park, several BBC performances including the famous 'michael parkinson show' were sweet additions to the intense ride of we will rock you.

additionally, the time living abroad has given me time to learn a great deal about myself. because the role of 'galileo' demands so much, any potential social life had to be side-lined. this time of relatively quiet solitude also has given me a chance to read some amazing literature and focus on my life from a very still position-apart from this gig's 6 night-a-week schedule! it's amazing what happens when you are reduced to being quiet. if you received my previous email, you'll know that God has been doing something to my heart and my life that is grounding me in a fresh way. (if you didn't receive it, you can read it by going back to the 'news' section and click on the subject heading called 'never touched the ground...'.) He has shown me how faithful, real and present He is in day-to-day living more than ever before. the thing that has been such an amazing encouragement to me is how many of you have responded to my expression of these things. what a blessing, to hear how many of you have been praying for me or have also been encouraged to seek and find that God is not the distant figure that many of us grew up believing. the truth is that He is close and wants a personal relationship with each of us individually.

i also get to take away some really great memories, tastes and sights that this city and its environs have had to offer. the architecture, the art, the history. dining on real fish-and-chips. my new obsession for stocking caps, scarves and apparel from quiksilver, fox, trans nine, paul smith, costume national and nicole farhi. and last but by no means least, the many friends and acquaintances who have been such an encouragement to me.

thank you all for your support and prayers that you have given me while i've been away from home and for being so warm in welcoming me to your world of theatre! i will go home remembering these many things fondly and want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. hopefully, it won't be too long until i return to one of your stages again!

so, what's next on the horizon?

the amazing experiences i've had with 'rock you' notwithstanding, it's time to move on. an artist needs to continue to grow and be stretched. some very cool things are on the horizon...

first and foremost, i must finish the record/album i held under my arm when i arrived. this is priority number one. i thought that by moving to london and being with this high-profile show, i would be able to simultaneously work on both projects. little did i know that in order to make 'galileo' truly happen every night, i'd have to put much of the recording work on the back-burner. now it's time to complete it.

secondly, by doing this show, i'm now willing to admit for the first time in many years that acting is something that i truly enjoy. i'd always tried to bury the desire i had to be a serious actor-even though it was a large part of my life while growing up in the states. i always wanted my songwriting and singing to be what i was noted for first and foremost before i ventured into the professional acting world. additionally, i'd always considered myself strictly a 'dramatic-actor.' but after working with ben (elton), my eyes were opened to the world of comedy. i have a newly revived desire for acting to be part of my future career path as a result of this show as well be it dramatic or comedic.

thirdly, i've been meeting with a gentleman who heads up a non-profit organization called "artisan". for the past couple of years, he has been publishing a small journal called "backstage" which has focused on encouraging london area Christians involved with 'media arts and entertainment' (i.e., advertising, the corporate and artistic sides of film, tv, radio and music-basically anyone who is involved in entertainment as a career). his ultimate desire, however, has always been for this publication to grow in a way that would link Christians involved in media arts in los angeles, new york city, london and tokyo. the company will focus primarily on a quarterly publication under the company's name ("artisan") that will be officially launched on february 20th, 2004. (a web site will be launched in conjunction which gives additional information and special features apart from the print version.) issues such as ambition, rejection, touring and self-promotion will be just some of the topics discussed in the publication. i've been asked to contribute by writing as well as to sit on the board of this organization. i am very excited to see what God will do with something like this as a source of encouragement and support for believers in major cities around the world. i will keep you all up-to-date on this project as it unfolds.

lastly, i continue to remain open to where God leads me and i ask for you all to continue to keep me in your prayers. the unknown future can be quite daunting much of the time, but i feel in my heart that this is the right thing to do, and what God is leading me to do.

again, i can't thank you all enough for your support while i've been away from home. i will hold you all very close to my heart and will look back on this time as one of the highlights of my life. hopefully, i'll be back here soon doing my own material on stages close to where you all live.

many blessings-always,

tv

never touched the ground ....

2003-09-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

greetings and blessings from back on uk soil! many of you on this side of the pond have been aware that i was out of the show (WWRY) for nearly two months due to some preventive surgery on my left vocal fold/chord. a fantastic surgeon in london performed the operation at the end of june, and then i returned to new york city to remain under the care of my ENT as well as a highly regarded voice specialist. the surgery went very well, and although the healing process took somewhat longer than i'd hoped for, all is well, thank the LORD, and i was able to return to the dominion theatre monday night of last week.

at first, i was reluctant to attempt singing the amount of music and intensity of the material in the show. you see, up until my return to the show, my time spent with my speech therapist in nyc was nearly all dedicated to re-learning how to simply speak properly without putting excess strain on the vocal chords. that had to be done in order for me to even begin testing my voice again. so, i returned to london without much singing at all...

after studying the script over the weekend and a two-hour rehearsal monday afternoon, i became painfully concerned about the number of details in the show that i simply couldn't remember; blocking, dialog, so many details; and I was scheduled to go on that same night.

fortunately, i'm very blessed to have a special group of people who have committed to pray for me. so, after rehearsal, i shot off a quick prayer request by email and then spent some serious time in prayer myself-completely realizing that there was no way i could do this show without God doing something very supernatural. i knew I could not do it on my own (i never can), and that i needed God in a major way.

i write this message to you all so that you may, too, be encouraged. for when it was my turn for my entrance, i felt like i was scooped up and that my feet never touched the ground. i was filled with something that i can't honestly articulate. gaps in the show that i had completely forgotten came back to me without my even having to think about them. dialog and blocking seemed to simply... happen! the reason that i have no choice but to share this with you all is because this was a day that i will never forget and i want you all to hear how it impacted my heart and my soul. God moved in such a major way i have to give Him every bit of the credit. yes, i have been given talents by Him as well as the freedom to use them any way i choose... but, after knowing that i could simply not do this on my own and, thus, had no choice but to completely depend on him, my soul was filled in a major way as he carried me through when the burden seemed its heaviest.

my time in the states was very precious and a great time of rejuvenation. my time here, this time, has been a spiritual revitalization in a very, very real way. so, thanks to all of you who sent get well cards, beautiful flowers and words of encouragement. all were so warmly received and each was a very encouraging 'welcome back' to me.

now, i just want to answer two questions that keep coming up via this web site or via post.

-- my last performance with WWRY will be at 7:30pm on saturday, november 15, 2003.

-- you CAN order my music from this site and have it shipped world-wide. (visit the store section)

finally, i've just been notified that i will be performing along with the cast of WWRY at this year's TOTALLY LONDON - COVENT GARDEN FESTIVAL. (...from celebrity 'shop assistance' to great food, street performance to crafts, the packed programme from 7 september to 14 september has something for everyone--or so the promotion site claims.) we'll be performing at 4pm. the massive festival organized by the mayor of london is a week chock full of performing artists, television, film and theatre celebrities who will be donating their time for charity. for more information check out the TOTALLY LONDON site.

in closing, it's great to be back at the dominion-and, again, i can't thank you all enough for your love and support. hope to see you all this sunday afternoon!

always,

tv

:30-spots and down-time

2003-06-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

greetings and peace to you all from the home of the tennis mecca - wimbeldon.

this is the big week of the world renowned tennis championship and we are blessed here in london with warm sun and blue skies. in fact, it feels like we are experiencing an extra dose of summer - which seemed to completely pass us by last year. while i won't be attending any of the courtside activities this week, it's a joy to walk about the city without the hassle of carrying around an umbrella and to smell the sweet summer air and feel the warmth of the sun for a change.

things continue to buzz in we-will-rock-you-land. now having played 405 performances to 405 standing ovations, and having been seen by more than 800,000 people, wwry celebrated its first anniversary this past wednesday, june 18th. the anniversary has also been recognized by the addition of an 8-meter (like, over 30-feet!) tall statue of queen rock legend freddie mercury, whose 'we will rock you' spirit, it is said, now surveys all of london's west end theatre district from on high, above the marquee of the famous dominion theatre in tottenham court road. the freddie likeness provides london with a new landmark honouring the fabled freddie whose flamboyant presence continues to rove the great venues of the world.

meanwhile, to add to the 'second smash year' excitement, television adverts abound; wwry publicity posters literally wallpaper the underground tube stations. locals as well as tourists from all over the world continue to pack the dominion for a night of unconventional theatre and a mega-dose of full-on guitar-driven rock'n'roll.

in fact, it seems that audiences are being freed not only by the powerful music of this show, but by also by their ability to now to actively participate! yes, wwry's merchandise kiosks now further fan audiences' enthusiasm nightly through the sale of many-coloured glow sticks to wave to the music during the show. (i guess fire codes prohibit lighters from being used - sorry, bic...) last night, there were so many neon sticks waving in time to the music, it looked like the reflection of a cityscape at night as i looked out into the otherwise-darkened house during the show's encore of 'bohemian rhapsody'; a very trippy site from the stage.

there isn't a single show in the world that does what we do in the realm of theatre - at least for the moment; productions of the musical will open in australia and spain this year and in moscow, italy and broadway usa in 2004. it's exciting to continue to play to sold-out houses and to participate in such an innovative production. you fans have been amazing and make it a joy to come to work each night! that being said, it's time for me to give these vocal chords a bit of quality r & r. i will be away from the dominion from june 30th-thru-august 4th. i'm excited to spend time with my family and state-side friends, do some songwriting, run in central park...and get my fill of sushi back in the concrete-jungle of manhattan. i appreciate the many letters of encouragement and individual stories about how wwry is helping give people an extra bit of joy from day-to-day life. know that i will be back in august refreshed and anxious to continue to share these great songs with you.

in closing, there have been some site additions at tonyvincent.com. we have uploaded the :30 television spot advertising the london show as well as the spot announcing the show's debut in australia - both in quicktime format. (click on the image to go to the video page of the site.) also, in the pics section, we've put up images of the latest cd booklet and traycard of the v2.0 wwry live cast recording. check 'em out and let us know what you think.

have an amazing july and i'll see you back on stage in no time.

many blessings to you all - always,

tony vincent

albuquerque's tony vincent steals the show in london

2003-03-29T09:51:00.000-08:00

Saturday, March 29, 2003
By David Belcher
For the Journal

LONDON—A little guy from Albuquerque with a huge voice is all the rage in London's West End.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We Will Rock You," the Queen musical
WHEN: Mondays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with a 2:30 matinee on Saturdays (and a 2:30 matinee the last Wednesday of every month)
WHERE: Dominion Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, London
HOW MUCH: Approximately $20 to $100. Call Global Tickets at (800) 223-6108
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony Vincent, an Albuquerque native and La Cueva High School graduate, plays the male lead in "We Will Rock You," the phenomenally successful West End show based on the music of the '70s British rock band Queen.

Vincent isn't some lost-in-the-shuffle chorus boy — he is the lead character and belts out several solos with amazing energy and enthusiasm.

And belting it out is what "We Will Rock You" is all about. This show is definitely not from the "less-is-more" school of theater. The thousands who flock to the cavernous Dominion Theatre nightly aren't looking for usual London theatrical offerings of Shakespeare or Gilbert and Sullivan. They want rock 'n' roll and huge production numbers — and they get it.

What they don't get, unfortunately, is a coherent or terribly inspired story. Vincent plays Galileo Figaro (cue first Queen song), a rebellious youngster in a futuristic police state on Planet Mall (once called Earth) where all music is illegal.

He and his friends have heard of a historical phenomenon called rock 'n' roll and legend says that an ancient god's ax lies buried deep within a rock and was placed there for future generations who would need it for inspiration. A rebellious group of Bohemians (cue second Queen song) are looking for a hero to find this fabled ax and play the ancient rock songs (I guess future generations think that axes can make music).

An evil "Killer Queen" (cue third Queen song) who runs Planet Mall is hot on the Bohemians' trail in a good-vs.-evil, boy-meets-girl plot that has a completely obvious ending.

During the show, Vincent's character falls in love with a sarcastic young Bohemian named Scaramuche (cue fourth of 30 Queen songs in this show) who cracks bad jokes and spews attitude but really has a soft side so that, I presume, she can sing a couple of Queen ballads.

Scaramuche, played by Hannah Jane Fox, may be the most broadly drawn and obvious character in musical theater history — an Eliza Doolittle for the punk generation. Ben Elton, who wrote the book for the musical, must think every theatergoer needs the clichéd implacable character with a hidden heart of gold.

"We Will Rock You" was originally conceived as a musical to chronicle the dramatic life of Freddie Mercury, Queen's flamboyant lead singer who died of AIDS. Perhaps the show's creative team, which consists of two Queen band members, didn't trust that audiences would want to see Mercury's life put on stage, so they opted for a thin plot line disguised as a musical.

In its current incarnation (there is a sequel planned already given the enormous box-office numbers), "We Will Rock You" has a few standout performances, a lot of double-entendre jokes that border on bathroom humor, a serious lack of inspired choreography by West End veteran Arlene Phillips but solid direction by Christopher Renshaw, and some genuinely jaw-draw-droppingly bad plot devices.

Just try to explain the set design and concept behind "Fat Bottomed Girls." Olivier Award-nominated Sharon D. Clarke, who plays the Killer Queen, brings something new to several songs, including a smooth, jazzy feeling with "Play the Game," Mercury's cynical yet hummable tune from 1980.

Given several downfalls, it's undeniable that "We Will Rock You" has its charms, and Vincent is certainly one of them. This is the kind of singer any producer would want in a show. He's energetic and passionate — and his voice is suited to the glam rock music that Queen perfected.

His cartoonish portrayal of a spastic, rebellious musician is theatrical indeed, if perhaps a bit affected. But Vincent is a singer by training. His roots are in Christian rock and his current aspirations are in pop music, so Vincent clearly knows his way around a song.

This was evident when he portrayed Judas in a disastrous Broadway revival of "Jesus Christ Superstar" a few years back. His performance was genuine and low-key in an over-the-top production. The same can be said for "We Will Rock You." Vincent finds genuine moments in a pretty false-noted musical.

For all of its problems, "We Will Rock You" is the future of musical theater. "Mamma Mia," an international runaway hit, incorporates the music of ABBA into a rousing but totally uninspired evening of theater. "Movin' Out," currently on Broadway, uses Billy Joel's and Twyla Tharp's choreography to thrillingly chronicle youth in the 1960s and '70s. And "Taboo," the musical about the life of Boy George, is also a big hit in London and slated to come to Broadway.

But this new brand of musical theater has its merits. Audiences clearly respond to hearing music that they associate with their past. Many theatergoers can't relate to the music of their parents or grandparents such as Gershwin or Cole Porter — it's simply not part of pop culture.

But radio brought rock 'n' roll to millions in the last 40 years and this clearly is the emotional pull when paying up to $100 a ticket. For those of us who grew up listening to Queen, it's impossible not to tap along to "Another One Bites the Dust" or "Crazy Little Thing Called Love."

What's unfortunate about "We Will Rock You" is that the great Queen songs are far better and more dramatic than the show. There are a few exceptions, most notably when Vincent is belting out "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the title song near the end of the three-hour show. This is when "We Will Rock You" feels like a rock concert, which is what many of us in the audience would prefer: a great singer like Vincent paying homage to a great singer like Mercury.

Forget the gobbledygook story of "futuristic police state on faraway planet where good triumphs over evil amid passionate tale of star-crossed lovers." Wrap some dancing and great voices around good music. Don't dumb down to the audience. Just give us rock 'n' roll — there's no better theater than that.

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TONY VINCENT WINS BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL...

2003-02-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

dear good friends,

i'd like to take a moment to thank you. with your help, i have been named "best actor in a musical" in the London Theatregoers Awards competition sponsored by whatsonstage.com.

for me, the most exciting part about receiving this award, and what makes it all the more prestigious in many ways, is that the contest was exclusively driven by the public-- all the way from nominations last fall through the final voting this winter. after all, outside of our passions, the public, the fans, the theatre lovers are the reason we artists do what we do. and, as WWRY has proven once again, it's the people, not the critics, whose opinions really count-- we've been sold out at the box office for months and continue to be the #1 show in london.

and, while most of the "high-profile" awards (i.e. oscars, tonys, etc.) are voted on by relatively few industry insiders, such is not the case with this award. so, many, many thanks for your kind and enthusiastic support! i'm grateful to all those here in london and all over europe who have made me feel so welcome and accepted on the dominion stage. and a very special thanks to all my friends in the states-- especially you who journeyed the many miles across the pond to see the show in person. it has made me feel very special and supported and i want you to know how much i appreciate you.

(for complete award results, check out http://www.whatsonstage.com/awardwinners)

meanwhile, on the record front, the wheels continue to move slowly, but there is progress to report. over the past couple of weeks, sony and we have agreed to a plan for launching in may the first single from the new record. the label's brainstorm marketing idea is to release it first in the uk/europe because of the incredibly high profile "we will rock you" presently enjoys over here.

finally, as you may know, i have decided to continue with "we will rock you" for an additional six months-- staying with the show until late october. this will help facilitate finishing the record's single for release while i'm still able to perform in london seven shows a week (aaaargh!) i'm fairly sure that this will be a very strenuous time-- recording during the day and performing at night for awhile... sounds like a good opportunity to once again request your prayers for focus on the work, for my health and stamina, and for patience and kindness as i deal with the many... ummm--'unique' personalities involved in all this. to be sure, it's an exciting time-- a high adrenaline time for me-- and all the more reason i ask for your support and prayers to help me do the very best job i can, while keeping a realistic perspective (this can be such a fantasyland business).

again, thank you so very much for the award and your cherished encouragement. i look forward to what the next six months will bring, and i promise to keep you all posted as each new puzzle piece is placed.

be well-- always,

tv

a new year... a new site!

2002-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

welcome to the brand new online home of tonyvincent.com. a lot has gone into rebuilding the entire site from the ground up, and i'm really excited for everyone to see just what we've been up to. designer tania van den berg has helped create a site that's visually very cool and extremely easy to navigate through. (she also took part behind the lens on our latest photo shoot in november back in new york city.)

take some time to cruise around our virtual world and let us know what you think via our guestbook. and if you give the transformation a thumbs-up, tell your mates to drop by and check us out!

site improvements include:

-effortless overall navigation, seamless and extremely friendly;
-faster streaming audio and video (via realplayer and windows media player);
-brand new pics and an entirely new system for categorizing and viewing images;
-updated performance of "bohemian rhapsody" at the "queen's jubilee";
-guestbook redesign that makes it a breeze to sign up to receive up-to-date news and other highlights;
-easier on-line ordering of music (shipped worldwide).

before i go, some recent announcements from Queen that may interest you...

"tony vincent has been nominated for best actor in a musical for his role as galileo figuero in the queen rock theatrical "we will rock you". other cast members and the show itself have also been nominated in this 'theatregoers choice' competition, which is sponsored by the website http://www.whatsonstage.com in london. it's now up to YOU the public to help "we will rock you" take home these prestigious theatre awards. if you haven't already voted, head over to http://www.whatsonstage.com/vote and send your fellow "we will rock you" friends there to vote as well! we're neck-and-neck with other performers and shows, so every vote counts!

"also, whatsonstage.com just interviewed tony vincent for their site's monthly feature, "20 questions". prominent west end stars are grilled on topics ranging from career goals and highlights, to favorite aftershow haunts, to some interesting personal stuff as well. check it out at http://www.whatsonstage.com/20questionswithtv."

well, i hope that this recent holiday season was a blessing and that you were able to spend some down-time with family and other loved ones. i want to personally wish each one of you a very prosperous new year and the very best of what 2003 will be bringing.

always,

tv

NOVEMBER 11TH-"WE WILL ROCK YOU" HITS STORES!

2002-11-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

greetings and blessings to you all from a very damp and cold central londontown. things have been busy on all fronts, but the reason for this update is to let you all know that (finally) the music from "we will rock you"--the rock theatrical--hits stores on monday, november 11th. i've had the privilege of hearing a pre-release of the record this week, and i'm truly excited for you all to get to experience this music not just from inside the dominion theatre.

the thing that thrills me the most about this album is that it was recorded completely live during three separate performances. everyone wanted to retain the excitement and the magic of the live performance of our show. we felt this could only be accomplished if we recorded the project completely live. brian may has been painstakingly working on this record in his studio-- making sense of the hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of recorded material that went to tape.

not only does the recording showcase the amazing talent of our cast and band, but it also breaks the mold of the standard "cast album." it is a full-on rock/pop record-- one that is not only an amazing sounding album, but is also vibrant, exciting, full of emotion and incredibly moving. listeners will get to experience much of what the audience does each night at the dominion theatre. when you hear it, i think you'll agree that a new standard has been set for cast albums; the bar has been raised.

spread the word. let your family and friends know that monday, november 11th is the magical day!

(for those of you who live outside the uk and western europe, please visit http://www.queenonline.com to see how you can get your hands on a copy and place your orders for the holiday season!!)

also, on friday, november 15th, we will be performing on the bbc's huge charity telethon here in the uk called "children in need". this organization "...provides practical and lasting support to thousands of youngsters aged 18 and under, including those that have disabilities or psychological disorders, and those who have encountered serious illness, abuse, poverty or neglect... making a positive difference to children's lives." we will still be performing our normal show on the 15th, but we'll then move on to the bbc studios to perform what at the moment stands as: "another one bites the dust", "we will rock you" and "we are the champions." rumor has it that even brian may and roger taylor will be joining us...

so, mark your calendars:

"we will rock you"-- the rock theatrical album in stores nov. 11th

bbc's "children in need" telethon nov. 15th (check your local listings for specific times)

thank you all for your continued encouragement that you've sent in (via mail or the website). and to those who are new to this list, let me personally welcome you and thank you for hopping on board! -- get ready for what looks like an amazing next 12-months.

more to come soon.

always,

tony

...just another day at buckingham palace??

2002-06-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

when first offered the role of galileo figaro in the london production of 'we will rock you', i had no idea the opportunities that would follow. joining wwry's extremely talented company of actors, dancers and singers, and working hand-in-hand with roger taylor and brian may (two of the surviving members of the legendary rock band queen) was just the beginning - admittedly, an incredible beginning. since our opening on may 14th, i also had the chance to perform with these amazing guys on 'the parkinson show' on the bbc (with an audience of some 8-million viewers, it's the most-watched tv interview show in the u.k.)

as if all that weren't enough for even the most star-crossed among us, the greatest thrill of all for me happened this past week.

never in my wildest dreams could i have anticipated being a part of what will go down in history as one of the most high profile live concerts in history; queen elizabeth's golden jubilee 'party at the palace' (ie, buckingham palace, also known hereabouts as 'buck house'). it's been estimated that an audience of 200-million people worldwide will have seen the event when all is said and done!)

the entire weekend was a national holiday celebration of parades, street festivals, special events, and music! there was something for everyone, beginning with saturday night's 'promenade' of classical music and opera performed in the palace gardens for 12,000 lottery-won ticket holders. then, on monday night, the huge 'party at the palace', a three-and-a-half hour live arena-style concert starring some of the biggest names in rock and pop music in the world-- sir elton john, tony bennett, ricky martin, eric clapton, ozzy osborne, annie lennox, queen, phil collins, brian wilson, sir paul mccartney and many. (the word 'extravaganza' comes to mind, but this isn't supposed to be an 'advert', as they say over here.)

when queen's brian may opened the event from atop the palace roof by performing a breath-taking guitar solo of 'god save the queen', the crowds below went ballistic. even for us few americans at the event, it was impossible not to get choked up at the history and enormity of what we were all a part of that night--- to thank and celebrate britain's humble monarch, queen elizabeth ii.

for me personally, the rarity of performing on the same bill with artists of this caliber made it a once-in-a-lifetime special night. i was both honored and freaked when brian may asked me to 'front' queen, taking freddie mercury's place to perform 'bohemian rhapsody' (aka 'bo rap'), the band's spectacular trademark set piece number. (which song, by the way, was just named the most popular single record of all time in great britain!)

not only was this something for page one of my personal scrapbook of special performances, but (historical note here) this performance was actually the first time 'bo-rap' has ever been done live in its entirety. it's true - the band never performed the song live because it would have taken 35 to 40 live voices on stage for it to sound like the record - we had 38 singers from the wwry cast and made it happen!

okay, so how thrilling was it to perform the most popular single of all time in front of the royal family - in the buck house garden - as well as 12,000 concert attendees at the palace? plus an estimated million others in the street outside the palace gate? not to mention the 200-million others watching it live on tv from the bbc around the world? (except, for some reason, in the u.s. don't even ask.) not a shabby way to celebrate both the queen's jubilee as well as the major impact british artists have made in pop music over the past five decades.

but, possibly the most amazing part of the night for me was the spectacular finale to the program. sir paul mccartney closed the evening with several beatles songs, inviting all the performers that night to join him on stage for 'all you need is love' and 'hey jude'. the beatles' record, 'hard days night' was the first 'album' i recall hearing as a very young boy, and was enormously influencial in interesting me in a career in music. and now, some 20+ years later, to perform some of those very songs with sir paul himself definitely qualifies as a moment that will stay with me for forever...

many of you may have caught the special production aired on vh-1 in the states the other night. unfortunately, only 2 hours of the 3-1/2 hour concert were shown. many artists were cut for the us version to fit it into the time that vh-1 had slotted for the show. we certainly encourage any and all of you to call and/or e-mail vh1 to let them know of your disappointment. we were fortunate, however, to track down a link from the german tv network whose coverage did, thankfully, include 'bohemian rhapsody' and the rest of the queen material. therefore, on our website, we've just now added streaming video of that performance; it's on the home page at http://www.tonyvincent.com. check it out in case you didn't get to catch it live in your part of the world.

news: a new dvd of the 'party at the palace' is being put together even as i type this. we'll let you know as soon as it's available in stores, which should be soon!

also on our site, we have added new pics provided by the bbc from the 'party at the palace' gig (http://www.tonyvincent.com/pics_palace.cfm) as well as some shots of the performances of 'we will rock you' and 'we are the champions' from the bbc's michael parkinson show. check it out, too (http://www.tonyvincent.com/pics_bbc.cfm) and, please-- no hair questions, okay?)

lastly, welcome all new subscribers to the site! over the next few months our website will be redesigned, with some major changes to the overall feel and look as well as some very cool new additions. stay tuned and keep checking back with us so that we may keep you posted up on new news and information.

many blessings to you all.

always,

tony