11.06.06
Another Tour page update. Only one show in November but a couple closer to Christmas, and of course NYE! Happy (early) holidays....

7.24.06
The Tour page is updated again. Three shows this week so check 'em out. Also the new song "Jaywalkers" is in the Music section. This one is getting played out at every solo show and gets a pretty good reaction (think acoustic Postal Service) so hopefully you dig.

5.18.06
To all of you complaining about the HUGE gaping LACK of updates here on the Red Perspective page... point taken. And finally the situation is remedied... Slightly. The Tour page has been completely overhauled and updated with ALL our summer tour dates.... The BGCB in its various incarnations, along with a few Rich solo shows here and there. And just to annoy some of you further, new lyrics to songs you haven't heard yet are in the Music section. But no actual "Music." All things in time.
Hopefully the next update won't take quite so long, but no promises....

12.18.05
So I finally feel like I'm in the Christmas spirit. A good service with candles and luminaries will do that to you. And with a week to go... Not too shabby, as noted songwriter Adam Sandler might say. So the new blog is my personal picks for the best music of 2005, and if you're one of the few who values my opinion, I hope there's some worthy choices on there for you. Check it out in the Journal section.
And yes, Craig & Frank & myself are doing three shows this week, Wednesday through Friday. If you're in Charlotte I hope you get to come out to at least one. If not, we NEED to see you at Tyber Creek for New Year's Eve then... Tickets are $40 in advance with all the alcohol you can consume. For many of you, a real bargain.
Have a safe and joyous Christmas! God bless!

11.29.05
Hello. Long time. My fault I suppose. I've been on a writing tear so I suppose I should probably play some original shows so you folks can hear the same things I do?.... The new lyrics are in the Music section and they're pretty varied: "Below The Ice" is very moody and building and probably comes from listening to a lot of early Peter Gabriel. "Passenger Seat" was done (I thought) two years ago but I didn't really like the way it came out... so one day in the fall I went back to it and changed most of the music, the lyrics not so much (although half a verse is gone now)... so, 50% new I guess... and I've played it out a few times already, so it's getting better. And "1399-1 (The Fabulous Abby)" just appeared while I was at my parents' house for Thanksgiving, but the riff had been around for a while... It's very simple and very catchy... But everything in the song is from 10 years ago, when I was living in the 1399-1 house in Clemson... filtered through 10 years of hindsight I suppose... The original title for a day was "1399-1, or The Fabulous Abby, or All Names Changed To Protect The Guilty"... which is another way of saying that I know who the Fabulous Abby is, and no, her name's not Abby.
There's also a whole bunch of new BGCB dates on the Tour calendar. Please note we're playing three Christmas shows as part of the "24 Hours Of Festivus." Yes this is Craig's doing. You know you love it.
If I don't see you personally, have a Merry and Wonderful Christmas. I'll see you all in 2006....

10.6.05
OK I'm a slacker and probably a bad person too. In my defense I have been playing some solo shows at the Wine Vault... some guerilla style with almost no advance notice. So you had to be in the right place/right time. I hope to get back to the Muse soon as I have a few new things that you guys should hear. Some reflective, some angry, some sad. Mostly sad.
I've also published a couple new Journal entries so head on over there and see what you've been missing. At the very least you'll know where all my time goes....

6.14.05
There's a brand new song in the Music section. It's called "All This Useless Beauty" and it's one of those you write to keep from screaming. Literally fell out of me as I was driving and I kept having to pull over so I could write the words down and most of it wound up on the back of a warranty card in my glove compartment which was the only scrap paper I had and meanwhile I kept playing this one song by this Irish band Bell X1 over and over and so the chords are simple and don't change much and it's about as sad as anything I've written in a long damn time.
It was a bad drive.
The only one who's heard it so far is my good friend and roommate Kevin. He caught the first-ever run-through back at the house as it was spilling out of me after that car ride. He thinks it's incredible that a song can just appear out of nowhere as I open my mouth and I agree. On the rare occasions it happens, it is pretty amazing... A gift from God above, as it were.
Of course every circumstance around it feels more like a curse. And I'd just as soon write some happy songs every now and then, thanks.

Okay, this is turning into a Journal entry so that's where it's going now. Enjoy the lyrics. I'll be back at the Muse soon and probably play it then.

5.02.05
Thanks to Craig for catching the bad Journal link in my previous update. When in doubt, always hit that Menu to your left there....

4.27.05
Hello and welcome to another infrequent check-in. Updated the Tour page with a lot of May dates including one at The Evening Muse on Saturday May 7th. This will be the first time I've played the new original stuff in public, so that should be cool/interesting/exciting/scary. I'm gonna throw some more lyrics in the Music section as well. AND there's a new Journal entry that's suitably haphazard.

2.08.05
Great to see some old and familiar faces showing up as Craig & I start playing low-key acoustic shows around Charlotte (and elsewhere). Some of you want to see the original shows return too. And the webpage updated frequently. And a new CD. Well... All things in time, I guess. I can't begin to put a timetable on any of those things, but I have updated the Tour page with the newest dates for Craig & myself, and I will promise to keep those more current. And it's not the same as the actual songs themselves, but there's a few new sets of lyrics in the Music section. Be forewarned as there's quite a bit of darkness in those new ones (even by my standards). But it's something new, so hopefully some of you will like... and let me know what you think...

12.13.04
New Tour dates for some Craig & Rich shows here in Charlotte.

11.26.04
The Journal section now redirects you to my brand-new blog. Hopefully this will motivate me to post more frequently for you guys. No promises though...

10.13.04
As you might've noticed, I've been breaking a bit from playing and touring. Hence the reason for less shows and less emails. When I write and record some new songs, I'll be back out and will be sure to let you all know. In the interim, I'll be sticking close to Charlotte and staying pretty low-key. Thanks to everyone for your incredible support in the past year and look for new material soon!

8.17.04
Sorry it's been so quiet on the home front. It's been that kind of summer! A few things: BGCB (AKA Backyard Green Cover Band, AKA Craig + Rich + Frank) will be performing on the Hearst Tower this Friday night, 6-9 PM. There is a cover but I'm not sure what it is. Sorry. And StrudelFest is still going on in Columbia, SC on Saturday, but Red Perspective will NOT be performing due to a last-minute schedule conflict. We'll be back in Columbia in September, though, but try to go out Saturday and support the other acts regardless!

6.15.04
The Evening Muse show this Friday night in Charlotte will not be with Teddy Goldstein and will start earlier (8 PM) and cost less money ($5). So you got that goin' for you... which is nice...

5.23.04
Sorry about the lack of main page updates for so long! Shows are still being played and emails are still being sent, so come out and see the new material. We should be finishing up recording in June, with the CD release occurring soon after. And a very special congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Frank & Cathy Bloom, who were wed last night in a small ceremony in Greensboro, NC. We love you guys and have fun on the honeymoon!

3.28.04
Pics from the Hala's Grill show last night are now up in the Pictures section. A big thanks to Chris Hinch for taking these (before his own set!).

3.26.04
There was a "secret solo show" at Rodi in Gastonia, NC tonight... sort of. Actually it was a very last-minute gig that came off surprisingly well. Video footage may be up on Rodi's official site in the coming weeks, but no other taping... sorry. You can check out the Setlists archive and see what you missed... and probably get annoyed at me all over again.

3.14.04
A big "Thank You!" to everyone who came out to the show with Matt Wertz last night. What a great crowd! In case you missed it (or maybe you want to relive it?), we just posted the entire show in MP3 format in the Vault. Please download and trade it to as many people as you know! Also, a reminder that the show from 10.25.03 will be coming down pretty soon due to space restrictions, so grab it now if you haven't already.

3.13.04
New Journal entries are up. And stay tuned for a giant download in the Vault tomorrow!

3.08.04
As promised, the live version of "Northern State" from the 2.19.04 show is now up in the Vault.

3.02.04
The new songs just keep on coming! "Lights" was recorded today in about four hours or so, and, except for Frank's drum track, it's basically done. Lyrics are now up in the Music section. A new MP3 of "Northern State" from the last Muse show will probably be going up this weekend. Still not sure if it's gonna make the album, so take a listen and tell me what you think.

2.21.04
Much love to everyone who was at the Muse on Thursday... you got to hear a brand-new song performed for the first time anywhere! For the rest of you, lyrics to that new one ("Grace") have been posted in the Music section, along with the lyrics to "Passenger Seat" (played once) and "Waiting For The Never" (not even a week old). And there's some more Journal entries too, mostly on these new songs. Enjoy!

2.01.04
Thanks to everyone, new fans and old, who came out to the Greenville show on Friday. Further musings on the event have been posted in the Journal section. Also, the Alejandro Escovedo Benefit show has been rescheduled for Sunday February 29th. Hope to see you there!

1.25.04
Due to inclement weather, the Alejandro Escovedo Benefit show schedule for today has been postponed. It will take place at the Double Door Inn at a later date, so we'll keep you posted.

1.14.04
Red Perspective has just been added to the lineup for the Alejandro Escovedo Benefit show, taking place at the Double Door Inn in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, January 25! For those of you who don't know the music of Alejandro, he was one of the pioneers of the modern Americana movement and a huge influence on bands like Whiskeytown. (That's him singing on "Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart," from Strangers Almanac.) Alejandro has been hospitalized since April, and, with no health insurance, friends and fellow musicians are holding benefit concerts to cover his medical costs. If you'd like to know more or make a donation, please go to Alejandro Fund.com.
As for the concert itself: Doors open at 4 PM and tickets are a $10 donation, but please contact the Double Door to make sure, as that information may have changed. Rich and Frank of Red Perspective will be one of the first acts going on around 5 PM, so get there early. And be sure to stick around, as the event's lineup includes a virtual "who's who" of Americana in the Carolinas, including Caitlin Cary, The Houston Brothers, Gigi Dover, Les Dirt Clods, Sea Of Cortez, and many more!

1.09.04
Live MP3s of "Trouble" and "Half Moon" from the "Winter Storm" show at The Visulite Theater on Dec. 4th have been added to the Vault. And there's finally a new picture in the Pics section.

1.05.04
Well, you asked for them, so here they are... Rich's picks for the Best of 2003 are posted in the Journal section. If you want truly instant gratification, just click here and get them instantly. There's also a few new Tour dates (with more on the way) as well as the lyrics to brand-new song "Northern State" in the Music section.