Some of you may know that Emitt Rhodes and I are very good friends, and  
that I've recorded with Emitt  and did a show with him in L.A. back in  
1997 for the Poptopia Festival. But since I moved back east in  
mid-2002, I only get to see him when I go back to L.A. for a few weeks  
in the winter every year.

I saw Michael Coxe's posting on Emitt recording a new album, so I  
thought I'd report on what's been going on with Emitt.  After our 1997  
show, I kept trying to motivate him to keep writing and think about  
doing a new album. While living out in L.A., Emitt & I often talked  
about him doing a new album and for Permanent Press (the label I had  
owned). Emitt seemed to be heading in the right direction for awhile,  
but then nothing progressed.

When Emitt & I got together at his studio back in December 2008, he  
played me the 4 new songs (and we played them together a number of  
times), he had just started to work out and was about to record them  
with some new people he recently became involved with who turned him on  
to Matt Malley, former bassisst &  co-founder of Counting Crows. It's  
at Matt's studio where they are recording the 4 new songs.

The songs were well-structured and very memorable. While not as poppy  
as Emitt's early work is known and praised for, they do have more of  
the old Emitt influence than the direction of some of the songs he was  
writing and played for me back in 1996-2002. I was glad to see him  
heading that way again. For the last few years, Emitt's been mostly  
into just playing his new keyboard and playing it "like a madman."
You will like the new songs....if they ever do come out.

Hit the link below for some news updates & links on Emitt Rhodes & Ray  
Paul at
the Beatles Examiner website. (find it down a few paragraphs)

www.examiner.com/x-2082-Beatles-Examiner-y2009m6d23-Beatlenews-briefs- 
for-624#comments

More ER/RP news...

While I was out in L.A., and because of my association & friendship  
with Emitt,  I was asked to take part and was interviewed for a new  
film/TV Documentary that two Italian filmmakers are now putting  
together for Italian TV on Emitt. They also plan to show it at an  
upcoming Hollywood music-related film festival. Their plan was to  
premiere it in Hollywood this summer, but they may not be finished with  
the editing. So, keep an eye out for it if you're in L.A.

And lastly...I recently recorded the Emitt composed-song 'TIL THE DAY  
AFTER" for the upcoming
(I'm still hoping it comes out) Emitt Rhodes Tribute CD, "Rhodes Of  
Perfection" that is or at least was scheduled to come this year on my  
good friend Walter Clevenger's label, Brewery Records.
Hey Walter...what's the holdup?

Anyway...I know there's a lot of Emitt fans on the Audities list, so I  
thought I'd weigh in with
some updates. Thanks for listening.

Ray Paul

www.myspace.com/raypaulonline

www.permanentpress.net/raypaul.htm