The Dani & The Mad Men Channel on Youtube

No production crew, no edits and one take videos of Dani & The Mad Men.

2 new songs just uploaded.

https://www.youtube.com/user/daniandthemadmen

I dare you to tell a friend..

-Dani

Live Video of Dani & The Mad Men..

This wasn't handed to me, this also wasn't something that happened overnight.  This is not something that is going to hold your already deminishing attention span because there is no production crew behind it.  Its real and its honest.  Theres no glitz or glamour, no cutting and editing.  Its one take at its purest moment (something we take for granted).  

Its not auto-tune.

Theres no production crew.

However I will tell you what it is.. 

It is Dani & The Mad Men.    

Click and become a fan http://www.youtube.com/user/daniandthemadmen?ob=0&feature=results_main

Now please show your support and like Dani & The Mad Men on Facebook and on Youtube, and thank you for your continued support on this blog.  

I Missed You.

Its been a year and a half.  Even when I was on stage then I was a pussy and held back.  Not sure entirely why but I was untrained and under practiced.  I didn't lock myself in the bathroom for half the day, I just didn't have enough drive or disciple.  I was in the wrong place and singing from a place that didn't mean anything.  I was just a likable voice but nowhere on was an emotional vulnerability, you saw no scares.  You felt no pain, you didn't believe me.  You just listened but I didn't move you.  I didn't go into your chest and touch parts of your heart you didn't know existed.   I didn't make you think anything, I didn't challenge you enough.  I read words on paper, there is such a difference.  HUGE difference.

Now I know I have a long road ahead of me.  I did one live performance at a small venue for about 60 people, but all I know is something is different.   I feel something different, I move different...I feel my story being told and although fucked up we all share in it.  I believe it and too often in this world we tend not to believe.  I could hear a pin drop, I could hear someone breathing to the left of me.  I could see everyone in the front row, I felt the heat of the lights on my face.   I was home..

The truth remains though and there is one honesty to this story and that is that I am not myself when I go too long without the stage.   I'm not me.  Without it I feel as if I'm a shadow of myself.  This is awesome because it makes me want to seek out every stage, big or small.  I don't care, I just want it.  Audience or not (although it helps).

I couldn't rehearse anymore, I couldn't repeat the lyrics any more then I did.  I couldn't help the butterflies right before I was called up.  I couldn't fight the intense feeling of pride that I had created something.  The first is always the weirdest but from the moment I opened my mouth, I was at home.  A home I hadn't felt in a year and a half.  I missed it.  I was scared of it but I also intensely missed it, its shameful that I would go so long.  I had to go through this tho, the fact remains I wouldn't take any of it back.

My mother said "You are not Justin Bieber, your words come from a different place, a place that lasts."

Sing from that place.
Believe in that place.
Go to that place.
When on stage stay there in the place that makes you feel vulnerable but yet alive.

And never stop searching for that next stage.  PERIOD.

Hitting The NYC Stage on 02/16/12

Its been a long road.  Not only was I mending a broken heart but also going through 4 stressful moves and out of all of this I created Dani & The Mad Men.  We have been writing original music since December  (13 songs down) and now its time to go live around Manhattan.  This journey has taught me so much about strength and overcoming fear while always trusting your instinct.  Its about putting heart and soul back into music and sharing with others in our struggles and heartbreak.  Its saying that most stuff in this life isn't easy but you can go through it one step at a time while creating something beautiful for yourself.

Timing is everything and it's neither for you or against you..it just simply is.  I am beyond ready to showcase this moment with the world.  I am not fearful or shy neither embarrassed or doubtful.  I am not the Danielle I was 6 months ago, I am Dani.  The Dani that sits up at night writing music, that records on one take, that has been on stage at the Grammys (in spirit) and that will stop at nothing for the sake of my dream.

We hit the stage on Thursday and finally I wont be singing into a hairspray can in front of the mirror.  I am ready and deserving of this little thing I call Dani & The Mad Men.  Watch out the hard work starts now..

http://soundcloud.com/daniandthemadmen10

Real, honest, and ready..

Manhattan Your Also A Real Ahole

So I know I rant and rave about how fucking cool Manhattan is and from the depths of my heart I truly do love this city although there are many things I dislike.  It's not easy sometimes.  There is many sides of New York and there are some weeks that make me want to scream.  Most days things work but then there are moments that make me wonder what its all for (then I'm reminded, music of course).  I did come here for a reason after all.

It kinda starts out like this.  Moments before the subway arrives your metro-card just decides to stop working, the subway leaves and now your card works and the next train is 20 minutes away. Lovely!  So you decide to go grab a coffee while you wait and the cashier says 10.00 dollar card minimum and you have no cash.  Perfect! Then it starts raining and you failed to grab your umbrella because it was 50 and sunny moments ago. Come on!  Then it feels like everyone and their mother doesn't notice you enough to not bump into you. Fu&^*!

Disclaimer:  I would like to think that I exercise patience in almost every area of my life but then I have days like this and want to curl up in a ball and never leave my front door.  It is easy and then you get into the grind that pisses you off.  I can laugh as I write about it now and perhaps in everyones life we encounter these precises moments to make us want what we want more.

I'm not giving up on anything but in the mist of these kind of days I hit a point where I stand still in the mist of the bustle and breath.   I stop square in the middle of everyone (which is probably adding to their frustration and is highly annoying) I stand still.  Even if it's in the middle of an intersection (which is very unsafe) but whenever I feel myself wanting to punch my fellow neighbor square in the face I know it's time to stop.  It's time because it's such a mind set game.  When things are starting to crumble, it starts to downward spiral and then that's all your focusing on is the mess.   Then you see a complete stranger sleeping in garbage bags over a gutter and things don't seem so bad after all.  That's when I place my 5.00 latte and 6.00 scone next to that guy.  And head back down the nasty stairs to my now delayed subway cart.  Then I smile and start singing.  Singing in my head that is.  The subway arrives and a nice stranger gives up their seat for me during my 45 minute commute.  Not so bad after all.

So I can see now that it would be easy for this city to break someone.  I know both sides and overall NYC has been kind, for that I am thankful.  We all have moments, but these moments are reminders for us to slow down and practice kindness and patience.  There's no need to rush I believe that is what breeds greed and lack of consideration for others.  I need people on my side more then anything right now but I'm not going to pretend that NYC doesn't piss me off at times.  The bustle, the being away from family is the hardest balance for me to find.  Its all part of following a dream, its all part of wanting  something.  Its part of the journey that I wouldn't give up for anything.  On these days just smile.

My feet are where they belong..