let the countdown begin

V-DAy

happy valentines day from your favorite band the WILLOWZ.

art art art art art

today was "constructive" to say the least. there was some heavy lifting and manual labor going down in the East Village of Manhattan today. we made a hot ass art rack that we are very very proud of but we didn't realize that we completely unorganized all of sweet sweet Heidi's paintings. tell us what you think of it.

I guess we could have worse problems in our band

Chris Brown and Rihanna are sluggin it out with each other, thats normal we all do that. but! mahfukuh got in a 3 hour slow speed car chase in the streets of LA in his Bentley.
sounds familiar

sleep is something we do not know

so.........it turns out that we have been going about this whole sleep thing completely wrong. We have all become full blown insomniacs, I looked up tips for better sleep and they are exactly what I don't do. Here's the problem, I like the way I live my life but it is also impossible to do anything normal during the day when you go to bed at 6:45 every morning and sleep til at least 3pm. Here are 10 easy sleep tips for the normal world that I will be trying starting tomorrow. wish me luck.

i literally don't do any of these things. i got some changes to make

* Go to bed and get up at about the same time every day, even on the weekends. Sticking to a schedule helps reinforce your body's sleep-wake cycle and can help you fall asleep better at night.
* Don't eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. Eat a light dinner about two hours before sleeping. If you're prone to heartburn, avoid spicy or fatty foods, which can make your heartburn flare and prevent a restful sleep. Also, limit how much you drink before bed. Too much liquid can cause you to wake up repeatedly during the night for trips to the bathroom.
* Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. These are stimulants that can keep you awake. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, and smoking in bed is dangerous. Avoid caffeine for eight hours before your planned bedtime. Your body doesn't store caffeine, but it takes many hours to eliminate the stimulant and its effects. And although often believed to be a sedative, alcohol actually disrupts sleep.
* Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful. Don't exercise within three hours of your bedtime, however. Exercising right before bed may make getting to sleep more difficult.
* Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Adjust the lighting, temperature, humidity and noise level to your preferences. Use blackout curtains, eye covers, earplugs, extra blankets, a fan, a humidifier or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
* Sleep primarily at night. Daytime naps may steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to about a half-hour and make it during midafternoon. If you work nights, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight, which adjusts the body's internal clock, doesn't interrupt your sleep. If you have a day job and sleep at night, but still have trouble waking up, leave the window coverings open and let the sunlight help wake you up.
* Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. Features of a good bed are subjective and differ for each person. But make sure you have a bed that's comfortable. If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. Children and pets are often disruptive, so you may need to set limits on how often they sleep in bed with you.
* Start a relaxing bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This may include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. Relaxing activities done with lowered lights can help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleepiness.
* Go to bed when you're tired and turn out the lights. If you don't fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes, get up and do something else. Go back to bed when you're tired. Don't agonize over falling asleep. The stress will only prevent sleep.
* Use sleeping pills only as a last resort. Check with your doctor before taking any sleep medications. He or she can make sure the pills won't interact with your other medications or with an existing medical condition. Your doctor can also help you determine the best dosage. If you do take a sleep medication, reduce the dosage gradually when you want to quit, and never mix alcohol and sleeping pills. If you feel sleepy or dizzy during the day, talk to your doctor about changing the dosage or discontinuing the pills.

does Scientology work?

Heidi got gangrene in her arm, it started falling off 3 days ago but then she found a book about dianetics and focused all her mind power to healing power and now her arm is back. maybe it was the antibiotics, maybe it was luck, maybe it was the ghost of L. Ron Hubbard. But the important thing is that her arm grew back! I think we should look deeper into this Scientology thing and find the truth.

here's a list of famous Scientologists this many famous people can't be wrong.
* L. Ron Hubbard - best-selling science fiction author; founder of Scientology
* John Travolta - actor
* Chick Corea - influential American jazz pianist and composer
* Brandy (Norwood) - R&B singer, actress
* Tom Cruise - actor, movie star
* Nancy Cartwright - voiceover artist best known as voice of "Bart Simpson" on The Simpsons
* Jason Beghe - actor
* Xavier Deluc - actor
* Jason Dohring - actor
* Michael Fairman - actor
* Geoffrey Lewis - actor
* Christopher Masterson - actor
* Danny Masterson - actor
* Haywood Nelson - actor
* Eduardo Palomo - actor
* Jeff Pomerantz - actor
* Patrick Renna - actor
* Giovanni Ribisi - (a.k.a. Vonni Ribisi) actor
* Michael D. Roberts - actor
* Bodhi Elfman - actor
* Jason Lee - actor and professional skateboarder
* Kirstie Alley - actress
* Mimi Rogers - actress (2nd generation)
* Anne Archer - actress
* Jennifer Aspen - actress
* Catherine Bell - actress
* Erika Christensen - actress
* Jenna Elfman - actress
* Katie Holmes - actress
* Kimberley Kates - actress
* Juliette Lewis - actress
* Priscilla Presley - actress
* Leah Remini - actress
* Marissa Ribisi - actress
* Michelle Stafford - actress
* Karen Black - actress
* Kelly Preston - actress
* Kate Ceberano - actress and musician
* Judy Norton-Taylor - actress and musician
* Lisa Marie Presley - singer; daughter of Elvis Presley
* Billy Sheehan - rock and fusion bass player
* David Campbell - musician
* Dave Davies - musician
* Isaac Hayes - musician
* Nicky Hopkins - musician
* Mark Isham - musician
* David Pomeranz - musician
* Rob Thomas - musician
* Patrick Warren - musician
* Edgar Winter - musician
* Beck - singer (a.k.a. Beck Hansen)
* Carina Ricco - singer, actress, composer
* Gloria Rusch-Novello - singer, writer, composer
* Karen Nelson Bell - producer, director and musician
* Robert Zoller - author
* Floyd Mutrux - screenwriter, director, producer
* Terry Jastrow - TV producer and director
* Peter Medak - film director
* Carl W. Rohrig - (a.k.a. Pablo Roehrig) painter
* Franca Cerveni - radio and television announcer
* James T. Sorensen - photographer
* Keith Code - motorcycle racing instructor
* Megan Shields - physician and author of health books, incl. Arthritis: The Doctor's Cure, etc.
* Chaka Khan - singer
* Sonny Bono - singer ("Sonny and Cher"), U.S. Representative
* Mary Bono - widow of Sonny Bono; U.S. Representative
* Heber Jentzsch - President of the Church of Scientology
* Ernest Lehman - screenwriter of The Sound of Music
* Greta Van Susteren - host of On the Record with Greta Van Susteren new show on FOX TV
* Werner Erhard - former Scientologist who founded est
* David Miscavige - important Church of Scientology religious leader; chairman of the board for Religious Technology Center
* Jim Johnson - owner and founder of Mr. Jim's Pizza chain
* Lee Purcell - actress, Big Wednesday, etc.
* Michael Wiserman - Predator 2, etc.
* Gary Imhoff - actor; Thumbelina, etc.
* Manu Tupou - actor and acting teacher; Hawaii
* Dror Soref - director; The Seventh Coin, etc.
* Amanda Ambrose - singer, vocal teacher
* Milton Ketselas - one of Hollywood's most successful acting teachers, who heads the Beverly Hills Playhouse
* Jim Rogers - celebrity producer, manager (ex-husband of Mimi Rogers)
* Linda Blair - actress best known for The Exorcist
* Arnaud Boetsch - tennis player
* Darius Brubeck - musician, member of "Brubeck Band"
* Sharon Case - actress
* Glenn Zottola - trumpeter
* Andrew Loog Oldham - writer
* Dick Zimmerman - celebrity photographer
* Jeffrey Tambor - actor
* Eddie Deezen - actor
* Corin Nemec - actor
* Anita Mally - actress, screenwriter
* Julia Migenes - opera singer
* Lightfield Lewis - actor, director
* Charles Lakes - Olympic gymnast
* Laura Prepon - actress
* Helga Wagner - jewelry designer; dated Prince Charles and Sen. Ted Kennedy
* Deborah Rennard - actress
* Sofia Milos - actress
* Placido Domingo, Jr. - singer
* Robert F. Lyons - actor and drama teacher
* Carolyn Judd - ad writer and producer
* Paul Haggis - screenwriter, story editor, TV producer
* Josele Garza - racing car driver from Mexico
* Lenny Macaluso - musician, songwriter, producer
* Phillipe de Henning - racing driver, fashion designer
* Milton Katselas - acting teacher, director
* Maxine Nightingale - singer
* Mario Feninger - composer and concert pianist
* Jeffrey Scott - script writer, grandson of Moe Howard
* Pamela Roberts - actress, clothes designer
* Elena Roggero - Italian singer, songwriter
* Karen Nelson-Bell - producer
* Lamia Khashoggi - wife of wealthy and famous Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi
* Noelle North - dancer, voice-over actress
* Misha Segal - composer
* Andrik Schapers - singer from Netherlands
* Cass Warner - writer
* Jason Lee - actor ("Chasing Amy")
* Michelle Stafford - actress ("The Young and the Restless")
* Denice Duff - actress ("The Young and the Restless")
* Lynsey Bartilson - actress ("Grounded for Life")
* Tom Fair - (a.k.a. Tom Feher) lyrcist for the 60s rock group the Left Banke
* Moon Martin - rock star; "Bad Case of Lovin' You"
* Clive Clerk - actor, singer
* Jim McMullin - actor
* Michael Wiseman - child actor ("Predator 2")
* Ludwig Fisher - actor and artist
* Ryan Paris - singer, musician
* Michael Schnitzler - violinist
* Peter Winsnes - actor
* Eric Sherman - director
* Peter Schless - composer, synthetisist and producer
* Diana Venegas - beauty queen; Miss Venezuela; lace-gowns boutique in Beverly Hills
* Jackson Sousa - Hollywood celebrity trainer
* Michael Sellers - concert pianist
* Susie Coelho - actress
* Hans Gunter Arenz - race car driver
* Fermin Sanchez - race car driver
* Kit Carson - motorcycle racer
* Al DiMeola - jazz musician
* Janet Greeson - owner of Diet Centers
* Willie B. Wilson - oil billionaire
* Tony Morales - drummer with the Rippingtons
* Hossam Ramzy - North African percussion ensemble leader, played with Peter Gabriel
* Amanda Rice - (formerly "Raven") stripper; previously Kiefer Sutherland's girlfriend

Ted (Loren) Ted cut off all his hair

So........around 6:43am last night i was woken up by someone falling over their bed next to me. it's Ted. but something is different about Ted, what could it be?......he turns the lights on and BAM! his hair is braided. it's still braided and it gave me nightmares. not kidding. I had a dream that I was in a town in Vietnam and there were loads of kids hunting me. i was goin vigilante on their asses though. breakin arms and bustin caps. then I got on a darjeeling limited type train that broke down and all the child murdering fun started again. compound fractures all over the damn place. I'm sorry to anyone who read this hoping it was Willowz related and not just my weird post wake up rambling but I think it's important for anyone to know that if you braid your hair it will give your friends nightmares.
enjoy xoxo

WE ARE THE WILLOWZ

Heyyyyyyyyyyyy!
We just finished recording our 4th studio album with Stuart Sikes. It is in the can now and we are waiting to do what ever it is we are supposed to do while we are waiting for our record to come out.
Richie has recorded a solo album which is coming out April 7th, which he is self-releasing and selling through his website and itunes.
Jessica is trying to finish her album but Richie keeps trying to convince her to add more instruments to her album. Jessica will also be self releasing her record. We don't have a date for Jessica. It will be finished when she says it's finished.
Richie and Loren, (Ted) just finished the Barracks album with their friend Eve.
It is really good. We will give you more info as we are made aware.
Will is busy working on his homework. He is trying to solve the credit crisis in America and in the Willowz.
Anyway our new record is our favorite record to date. We are very happy with it.
We will keep you posted.
If you would like to be added to our mailing list please send your email to thewillowz@gmail.com.

heavy metal rulez

i can't stop listening to MEtal

the roster is almost full

we are trying to get a tour booked for this spring/summer. playing the game and trying to get the album mastered.

this song should help a bit.

Back to Practice

we are back in upstate new york today for our first practice since recording the album in Dallas. we're also gonna take some pictures in the snow it would be cold for most but Ted is cloaked in red velvet so he will be fine. this song is a good one.

back from Dalla$

we are all finally back from Dallas after 2 weeks of blazing hot tracks. everything sounds amazing and we can't thank Stuart Sikes enough. but now we have to start getting ready for SXSW and preparing our body, minds, and souls for the 4 day hell ride that awaits us in Austin.

maybe listening to this will help

Willowz do math rock on Electric Six tour

WILLOWZ AT SXSW WITH VIMBY

The Willowz love SxSw and Vimby. If you haven't been to a vimby party yet- they are the best. VIDEO IN MY BACK YARD.

Paul Kostabi Willowz Producer organizing Earth Day event

Not only is our long time producer Paul Kostabi one of the most talented producers, musicians and painters around. He is now organizing an event called peace by piece where he and other people and artists will be creating the longest assembled canvas in the shortest amount of time for earth day on April 19th in Central Park New York. There will also be free music, free sushi, poets and other things relevant to Earth Day.


Paul Kostabi Assembles 1000 Artists for World's Longest Canvas

Artists Call. April 19th 2008 Central Park NYC 72nd street Bandshell. Paul Kostabi assembles 1,000 artists canvases in celebration of earth day, this piece will be the worlds longest canvas ever assembled...rsvp paulkostabi@gmail.com come and paint in the park, a 6x6 inch square will be provided. Music and art all day 12-7PM spilling over into 4/20 as part of Green Apple in another part of the park. http://www.peacexpiecelive.org/

WILLOWZ PLUGGING AWAY

All our shows have been going great and most of them have been sold out.
We are the Fury joined us a few days back.
We kidnapped the Golden Dogs drummer and we are holding him for ransom.
Our tour manager Travis has developed Narcolepsy and falls asleep at a moments notice, as illustrated below.

We got to the club early so we had time to sound check and get a bite to
eat at panera bakery. Electric six ate there too. Richie was
dissapointed because he ordered broccoli cheese soup instead of clam
chowder. Aric also felt the same about his clam chowder, so they traded
soups.
Richie threw an apple at ted. The show was really great, I was
really sad to see the golden dogs play their last show on this tour.
Three of the golden dogs got up on stage with us on the end of our set
for our james brown cover. I ended up with beer all over my face
because when I was bent over backwards stuart poured beer in my mouth,
but it went up my nose so I spit it everywhere.
After the show all three bands took a group photo. And there were a
couple throws of dice in the corner.
And with all said and done, we now got an extra drummer for a little
bit. Good ol' taylor from the golden dogs.
--willowzbsplyr

WILLOWZ IN ORLANDO NOVEMBER 24TH

The tour has been going great. Electric Six is a great band and the Golden Dogs are amazing.
We spent our Thanksgiving at Ted's family's house. They put us up on our previous tour in Florida. The shows have been going great. This tour has been a lot of fun with no drama. All of the bands get along so well that we couldn't make drama if we tried. Electric Six had Thanksgiving at Cracker Barrel, we were with Ted's family's and we don't know where the Golden Dogs went but they are Canadian anyways.
The Golden Dogs drop off the tour after tonights show and we will be joined by a band called We Are the Fury.
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR OUR VIDEO AT SUBTERRANEAN FOR VIDEO OF THE YEAR!

LAST NIGHT IN PHILADELPHIA

Last night we played Philly which is one of our favorite cities to play. It was the first night of tour and it was great to see all of our fans at the show. Philly is a great place to play because it is one city that really loves music. Richie didn't get kicked out of the Khyber this time around which was great. We were really happy to meet up with a great band from Canada, the Golden Dogs. Electric Six was great as usual. Our merch dude was a no show so hopefully he will hop on board today.
Today We will be at the Middle East. We love Cambridge. One of our favorite bloggers always come to our shows in this great city. Ryan's Smashing Life!

WILLOWZ HAVE LEFT LOS ANGELES

It's Saturday and we have just left for our first show with Electric Six which is in Philadelphia on Tuesday November 13th at the Khyber. We are driving straight through, our first rest is Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jessica is in Detroit and is going to meet us at the show. We have a new merch guy, Kristopher Massey. We are happy to be back on the road and are happy to be playing with one of our favorite bands Electric Six and our new favorite band the Golden Dogs. We are a little nervous because the Golden Dogs want to share equipment so that the change over between sets will be easier and quicker. Their manager called our manager and our manager was to scared to tell their manager that Aric smashes everyone's equipment so she had to dance around the subject- hopefully all will work out. Who knows maybe Aric will stop smashing equipment on this tour. We hope so, especially since we don't have any more equipment for him to destroy. Anyway we are back out on the road and hope you all can come out to see our show. We have been working on our new album so we might be playing some new tunes as well. We also want to thank everyone that has helped promote the upcoming shows and put up posters for us.
Love Willowz