Hamell not only records music, performs live, does independent writing, he also paints. All of the images below, and many you see as the accompanying artwork on the digital releases, are Hamell paintings. These vary in size and price, but are all acrylic on canvas. Hamell paints scenes inspired by the 'underground' and 'disenfranchised' of our society. Ed uses bold and bright colors in his paintings which contrast the darker subject matter, championing the underclass, drawing you into the characters he depicts, endearing you to them and sparking emotions one might not anticipate.Hamell is also available for specific painting commissions. For serious inquiries to purchase Hamell original art contact Emily at hamelltv@gmail.com
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about
The Red Marty character was really a combination of a couple of guys that I used to know back in my Upstate New York crack bar days. Between the two of them, all the facts are true. I had the verses written, but no chorus. Phil Nicolo, the producer was pretty bored with the song, thought it dragged, and I asked him to give me recording, without the chorus obviously and leave an 8 bar space there. I went back to Motel 6 at midnight having worked since 10A.M. and write three different choruses for Phil to choose. He choose one the next day and we went to work. Eric Bazilian, who had had massive success with The Hooters and was currently enjoying success having written Joan Osbourne's "What If God Were One Of Us?" was intrigued with me having heard the 'John Lennon' track that Phil played for him. He said he wanted to play somewhere on the album. I knew Phil had a lot of respect for him so I called him and asked that he somehow save the track, I desperately wanted the song on the album. He came in and played the piano, electric guitar and saxes! How's that for a contribution? He did it all quick too if I remember...and the track came to life, Phil loved it, Robert Christgeau chose it as a stand out track in The Village Voice and the fact that it actually saw the light of day was hard fought...but I was determined!!
lyrics
I had a friend Red Marty and he smoked a little crack, and he stole his mother's TV and his friends all thought him wack, but I wasn't married to him, or related or depending, though I used to hang out with him but you know I can't defend him. We'd go drinking on a Monday we'd go drinking by the wall, we'd go drinking on a Tuesday we'd go drinking at the mall, we'd keep drinking, drinking, drinking and when Wednesday come around we'd be stinking stinking stinking and by Thursday we'd fall down, we'd be up on the weekend, Friday happy hour, down on a Saturday, our breath would make you cower, we'd keep drinking on a Sunday until we found the floor and I miss that mad Red Marty and I don't drink anymore...
Over, over, over he'd say...his prayers...his way.
He'd get up on his soapbox and Red Marty would start saying, "How come we hire teachers, and we don't want to pay 'em? And they got some beat up Oldsmobile now what kids gonna listen? But a corrupt fuck that makes the big bucks sits in a car that glistens?" I'd say "Marty, Marty, Marty, man, no one wants to hear this!" but he'd get all the redder and he'd bang the bar with his fist, "And the TV shows a nose job of the rich and lazy and we clamor for the details, and we rush that shit like crazy, but kids would dig the teacher if she's sportin' her a Benz, and then there's education, and then the hatred ends!" By the time that he got finished that whole damn bar was sore, and I miss that mad Red Marty and I don't drink anymore.
It was getting to the point when Marty'd come around, everyone would be hidin' everyone would duck down. He'd go on and on about parents, you get 'em into meetings, and you license 'em and train 'em it would cut down on the beatings, he's go on and on 'bout drinking how it is a disease and we keep on jailing sickness and we'd see in centuries and when you hoped he'd shut up he'd say something dumber and things was getting mighty weird and I left that town that summer. And I thought I might meet smarter men, at least somewhat more sane, and I got a call last Friday Marty blew out his own brains. I keep searchin' for these men and I meet men galore and I miss that mad Red Marty and i don't drink anymore!
Hamell on Trial is loud, fast music informed by politics, intelligence and a wicked sense of humor.
1995-Mercury
Records-Big as Life, The Chord is Mightier Than the Sword.
1997- Choochtown
2003-Righteous Babe Records-Tough Love
2005, Songs For Parents Who Enjoy Drugs.
2007-“The Terrorism Of Everyday Life,” (Edinburgh Fringe Herald Award)
2012-New West Records -The Happiest Man Alive....more
I love the Jordan Lake Sessions albums, they're so ALIVE! I'm excited to listen to these versions of my favorite songs forever and ever, and always max out my Mazda's speakers on the sax parts. grenadinegrace
