Smoking Popes on Dirt from the Road podcast
Matthew Caws (NADA SURF) on Dirt from the Road podcast
Podcast: Live from Mexico City w/ CANSECO + TECHNICOLOR FABRICS
Broadcasting live from Mexico City with two prominent indie bands in the national Mexican music spotlight; Canseco and Technicolor Fabrics. The first half features Canseco live from the historic cafe, Farmacia International. Second half features Technicolor Fabrics live from Chapultepec Park in Mexico City.
HORSESHOES and HAND GRENADES on Dirt from the Road podcast
Brendan Bond (Black Pumas, MLV) on Dirt from the Road podcast
WHAT ANXIETY and DEPRESSION WANT YOU TO DO (It's Hard to be a Person blog)
Juliana Hatfield on Dirt from the Road podcast
NEW Single: "I Should've Listened to Ferris Bueller" feat BARENAKED LADIES co-founder Steven Page
Last year, Newski uncovered old notebooks of song ideas from two decades ago while still in high school, including early lyrical ideas for the "coming of age" tune "I Should've Listened to Ferris Bueller" which is now the lead track to "It's Hard to be a Person: the Soundtrack to the book." (The book is a collection of Newski’s quirky illustrations making fun of his own anxiety and depression, offering hacks and ideas to feel better in your brain.)
While Newski and his collaborator Spatola were finishing the song, Newski reached out to Steven Page to see if he would guest-vocal on the track. Page replied within 10 minutes and had vocal parts done within 48 hours.
FIRST BOOK ANNOUNCED: It's hard to be a person
*My first book It’s Hard to be a Person: Defeating anxiety, Surviving the World, and Having more Fun is up for pre-order. (pre-order includes tour poster & stickers) Official release date is June 22.
“When I’m on the road doing comedy, half my job is anxiety. Brett’s book is a great tool for how to use that energy. And the best part is, when I’m too lazy to read, I can just look at the pictures.” -Charlie Berens, Manitowoc Minute
“I love how easy Newski makes it to plow through the dark stuff with some well placed humor and grit.” -Stelth Ulvang (of the Lumineers)
Years ago, somewhere on the Internet, I posted a few dumb drawings making fun of my own anxiety and depression.
Photo - kelly bolter
The response to them was warmer than anticipated. So I kept going, and after about three years of drawing, I had enough drawings for a book called It's Hard to be a Person: defeating anxiety, surviving the world, and having more fun.
Humor has always been a primary mode of therapy for me. I still make fun of my own anxiety and “depresh” as catharsis. I sing about it on tour, talk about it on my podcast, and draw pictures of it here in this book. Putting my formerly-private-feelings out into the world has been tremendous therapy for me, and I wish I would’ve done it sooner.
Over the span of many years, I’ve been illustrating the “hacks”, “strategies”, or “exercises” that have worked best for me in combating the struggles in my head. More than anything I want this book to be useful for people.
I’m not a doctor, just a person who spends too much time in my head. The objective of It’s Hard to Be a Person is not to give unsolicited advice, but to hopefully save you some headaches on the long n’ winding road of life in your brain.
*The book is accompanied by 8 all new SONGS! “It’s Hard to be a Person: soundtrack to the book” on CD (out steaming 6-22).
*special thanks to Anna Sacks, Ramshackle Press & Nomad Union for helping get the book out.
BIO:
BRETT NEWSKI is an alternative songwriter, illustrator and podcaster based in Milwaukee, WI, USA. He has been featured on Rolling Stone, NPR, American Songwriter, SiriusXM, Boston Globe, and Paste.
Newski has played alongside acts like Pixies, Violent Femmes, Courtney Barnett, Manchester Orchestra, Better than Ezra & New Pornographers. He continues to tour over 100 dates per year.
Newski's podcast Dirt from the Road also dives into mental health boosts. Guests include Stelth Ulvang of The Lumineers, All American Rejects, Dashboard Confessional, Guster, Heartless Bastards, Verve Pipe, Toad the Wet Sprocket and Frank Turner. Hear here: https://brettnewski.biglink.to/dirtfromtheRoad
