Diary Of Amy Rigby
Amy Rigby
Art, aging, identity and overalls. What happens when you realize this thing you started doing for fun in your twenties is your life's work? Amy Rigby has been writing, performing and recording her transcendent songs about the everyday for years, first with bands Last Roundup and the Shams in NYC’s East Village, then as a solo artist beginning with Diary Of A Mod Housewife up through The Old Guys and 2020 single “Vote That Fucker Out” with sometime duo partner Wreckless Eric. Her first book, Girl To City: A Memoir was published in 2019. Her new album Hang In There With Me com...
Episodes
Once More For The First Time
Getting the spiritHope it's not too late for a holiday story, a bus ride in the aftermathAnd a few notes of a UK Christmas classic
Every Picture Tells A Story
Learning to love the story the picture wants to tellTime for a new photo means one more chance to be kind to ourselves, or I was so much younger then, I'm older than that now.A little instrumental expression, I've been immersed in book writing and publishing for a while and trying to remember how to play
Open
When young blood is nearing forty...listening to Lily Allen on the train and the beach. Thinking about playing an open mic, and working up a song.And stay tuned for Girl To Country: A Memoir podcast!
Oh Go On Then
Some trifle. A period of adjustment — BritishismsA classic Doc Marten monkey boot, I believe English policemen used to wear these
Don't Fall and Don't Lose Your Glasses
A US tour recap...Mass Pike rest area memories, my daughter's wedding, gigs and old familiar places(I can't remember where this photo is from!)
Stage Fright
Trying it on...A trip to Liberty, preparing for the role of Mother of the Bride.This was a nice chance to use a Shams track, called Dressed To Kill.
Feels Like Home
Sense memory past and present...Played a festival, went boating, finished a book, had a barbq—my first English summer.
An Excitement of Peaches
Good things about growing old(er)Summer in England: gardens, peaches and pulling the plug on Too Much early (too early?) and a poem about being here: A Yank In North Walsham
The End...At Last
All the English summer stuff (bits n bobs?) and advice for my new memoir I didn't know I needed from Keith McNally. Plus a bit of a Pulp cover.
This Whole World
I was going to talk about summer in England, but Brian Wilson is gone, every fan has their own Beach Boys
For Better Or Wurst
On the rails...with my first episode in almost a year! Out playing gigs in Sweden and Germany; thinking about Jill Sobule (recorded a bit of one of my favorite songs of hers, felt like I could've written it myself), toughing it out and working on things.Hope you're hanging in there - thanks for finding me here again.
I'm An Organ, You're An Organ
Unexpected endingsGoodbyes of all kinds as Eric and I pack up to move. I've included a bit of an old live track from a legendary show at the Mercury Lounge in NYC circa...1994 (?) put together by dear recently departed Jeremy Tepper and his band the World Famous Blue Jays - giving it my best blues rock shouting to keep up with what must've been about ten musicians onstage. Everyone chose or wrote a song in keeping with the theme Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, glad I have this memento from a fun era...ps there is no organ (but a helluva lot of saxophone)Thanks for listening!
Are You Ready For The Country
A visit to the county of Shropshire and a 70th birthday makes me think about the past, long ago and more recent.Eric's pal Dave loves Neil; a cool record store encounter...includes an old favorite.
Your New Life Starts Here
Putting a house up for sale to move across the ocean, trying the change on for size...Soon to be an All American Alien Girl - nothing a little Roger Miller won't fix.
Blowing Up
A momentous occasion for me, a brand new single and video ON A LABEL (Tapete). Nerd alert! The nuts and bolts of Dylan In Dubuque- song, recording and video. What inspired it, how it got made and out into the world.Hear the demo turn into the record before your eyes or ears! Thanks for listening, you can find the full Dylan In Dubuque single here: https://orcd.co/amyrigbyand video here: https://youtu.be/D9iTxYcrB5A?si=if7xdlXuBfSxxAl3
Last Exit In New York
A drive back home from an NYC gig...feeling that nostalgia you get when you know you're leaving.O'Jays, Nazareth, and a little Wreckless Eric in the background.Thanks for listening!
Factory Of Dreams
Getting photos taken to publicize a new album, it's almost like being in showbiz. Looking forward to my release date in August 2024, and looking back at an album photo shoot for The Sugar Tree (a fan on Bandcamp calls the cover "one of the worst I've ever seen"! I agree that's one awful font but Jim Herrington's photo is quite striking)Nashville in the year 2000, with an excerpt from Girl To Country work in progress and a snippet of music from that album.https://theamyrigby.bandcamp.com/album/the-sugar-tree
I Got You
A catalogue of everyday moments as Eric and I prepare to sell this house and move on.Suggested tag for this piece on WordPress was...Jesus? Does kinda feel like our fate is in the hands of the gods.Affection for this place we've called home for almost thirteen years.Stuck a rough demo of a song -in-progress on the end: Too Damn Late To Call It A Day
The Keeper Of Time
Letting go...it's a process.Cleaning up to try and sell this house there's a lot to sift throughSaw Lenny Kaye play his great song The Things You Leave Behind last week but I cover a different song here, one I heard for the first time in a long time as I sorted through my old CDs.Thanks for listening!
I Can't Quit You
It's Never Too Late To Do A LittlePlanet Fitness, 30-Day Sketch Challenge, guitar dreams all attempts at self-improvementSunny Side of Heaven from Bare Trees fumbling attempt Thanks for listening!
Harmony/Memory
January, radio and IG posts from the 30A Songwriter Fest get me thinking about David Olney .Includes a song Life Is Change that's on a demo/rough collection Cut Two
Michigan Sourdough
The taste of travel...and Babs riding shotgun.Songwriting camp on the shores of Lake Michigan and heading west to Chicago listening to My Name Is Barbra all the while.Bit of a rough demo from a song camp prompt: Build A Better Girl, notes from a reluctant stage mother
Room At The Top
Border crossings, house concerts, Michigan and good ole Tom Petty.Wonder which snippet of a cover I recorded for this one?
"The One"
What makes an article of clothing special? And does it work to try and duplicate the magic?Hope the power pop community will allow me the cover song at the end of this, it couldn't be helped.
Occasional Gravitas
Peering into the void and...it's not so bad! A trip to Manhattan with a silk scarf around my neck.I turned a rehearsal tape for a recent Burt Bacharach tribute show into a song for this episode with a slight geographical adjustment: Do You Know The Way To...Avenue A?
Drive
A trip to Nashville and AmericanaFest feels almost like coming home.Includes a new song
Hold Me
Storage space reverie...This one cried out for the Lenny Kaye song I recorded for Little Fugitive, "The Things You Leave Behind" Thanks for listening!
Day Tripper
They say a change will do you goodI love talking to strangers...being in England...taking it easy.Sorry for the occasional pops on here, without my usual set-up for recording. The music is a little bit of a demo "Life Is Change". Thanks for listening!
About A Bird
I wrote this in my journal a few days after my dad Philip McMahon died. Writing is one way to begin processing this inevitable but epic loss at least a little bit. I read it at his funeral.I also wrote this song. A friend asked if we were going to play any music at the funeral and that led to me scribbling down these words and trying to come up with a suitably Irish melody. If my dad's in the waiting room of heaven, I hope they won't hold any of this against him.Philip McMahon, Aug 22 1927 - Jul 16, 2023
Eat A Peach
Sweating, drowning and...waving - waiting for summer to start, really start.Includes a rough beginning of a new song, as referenced in the story.Thanks for listening!
Here's Where You Belong
Gigs are what life makes them. We lost our dear music friend Scott Schinder two weeks ago. He wrote about music and shared what he loved. He and I saw so many shows together. This one's for him.Live audience recording of Here's Where You Belong, thanks to Henry Laura
Loving The Alien
Travel with my husband Eric can be entertaining. And does a rental car make the couple?I cover a song I shouldn't have dared, it was fun!
Window Seat
Going west and then east, thankful to be traveling.Couldn't resist this cover to end the show.
Gimme A Slice
Doing what we always do isn't second nature anymore...Thanks for listening! The song I included here seems to be having a moment right now. Apologies to the other A & E !
My Own Shoes
Owning up to being female, live Everything Is Fine podcast event and...shoesSongs in this episode-Invisible from Middlescence- WTICBIYS from A One Way Ticket To My Life (80s/90s 4 track demos)
Forever Mom
Going to see Magnetic Fields makes me fall in love with the live music experience all over again. Sitting at the kids table. Feeling protective.I felt so inspired and learned & recorded a fave MF composition for this. Thanks for listening!
Manny More...Ann Dothers
Being where you are...Festival billing and getting on with stuff.Includes a cover of a Traveling Wilburys song I always dig when it comes up on long drives. I'm no Jeff Lynne but it was fun to have a go!
Dear Mistress Fantasy
Have you been watching Daisy Jones and the Six? It's great fun to dream about swilling champagne in the recording studio - the reality is often a lot more mundane.(A) pot on the porch is as crazy as it gets around here.With apologies to CS&N!
Enough For Now
Glad to be working a little, just a little glad to be working.Includes a snippet of a difficult song I'm trying to learn. It may take a while!Thanks for listening.
Let The Monkey Roll
A visit from a toddler. Learning life skills never stops - and where did those waffle irons go?This episode includes a bit of a rough demo for a song I wrote called Kid Again.Thanks for listening!
Playing The Artist Card
The benefits of sticking to it...A good time in FloridaNo extra music this time - I am really trying to get the second draft of my book finished so a little pushed!Hope you enjoy this episode.
This Time
Internal monologue as I get ready to fly down to Florida. Lucky to be going! Trying to make the most of this thing called life. I include a song I wrote on the plane three years ago flying back home....
You Wear It Well
Dressing for the long game. I try to find clothes for Eric's daughter's wedding and realize that as the years add up we're just lucky to be around for the celebrations.Musical bit here in tribute to a recently departed genius of song...
Here In The Vestibule
Time change and times change: Joyce; Sally, Frank & Emma...and Dad.Track in this episode Not Dark Yet
The Ex
A short tale about keeping the fantasy alive.Includes a demo of a new song Gimme BangsThanks for listening!
My Secret Stevie Life
Wanting to be real, and good - and maybe to hug a tree...with the great Stevie Nicks as guide.Songs in this episode: Invisible & a snippet of Sorcerer (Stevie cover)
Clean Laundry
Dad, and dealing with dementia. Writing and music are the only ways I can make sense of any of this right now. Hope maybe this helps someone else to deal.Music inspiration from Mississippi John Hurt
Murray Hill Take The Wheel
"...and I think my spaceship knows which way to go." Sometimes a trip to Manhattan and some good old classic rock is what it takes to make it through.Traffic, and Traffic. Music in this episode - you get one guess.
Giving It All Away
Dropping some of the heavy weight of stuff I've been carrying around forever. Should be easy to get rid of most of it...right?Heard this JJ Cale song when I was thinking about archives and career ephemera and it felt just perfect.
LOST/NOT LOST
Vanity, tragedy and everything in between. Prayers to St. Anthony. Worked in a new song demo (spot the Spinal Tap reference). Shout out to my invisible friends Kim and Jenn at Everything is Fine podcast.