Alan Semerdjian

Human intelligence. I think that's what we will all be after in a few decades. That's what we will listen for in the sounds that surround us. That's what we will look for in the words that move us. What is the difference between the machine and me? The machine and we? I pledge to continue to make human things for as long as I'm on this planet.

It's late in something.  Meaning a night or a meal or a drive or a season.  There's a hint of change in the air fused with desiderium.  What is it that you long for?  Is it the freedom in between ordering a meal (or waiting for the pot to boil) and everything that comes in that space?  Is it happiness?  Is it the clean break?

There are roads on which we travel that never change in front of our eyes but are hardly ever the same when we return to them.  There are questions that will always linger.  Why are…

What I learned from touring this summer and every summer, actually, and every show and reading and art event and thing that makes people go: It's that there are all of these little communities around us and made up of us and that maybe it's our job to be aware of these communities and the people in these communities and how these people interact and how they make meaning, their interests and proclivities, their fears and loves, and how we're alike and how we're different and that maybe we need to make…

So Quiet Songs for Loud Times is officially in the world, and I'm thinking about what this means.  It means I'm blessed, first and foremost, but also cursed with the strange kind of incessant doubt about how and when the work will get to you, dear reader...if at all.  What are these little dreams we make when we wake?  And what do they do when we're not there?

This summer I have shows here and there and big big hopes and a pocket full of poems that will be shaped and kick and scream and "be hard" as my…

it's on its way...the new new. it's called quiet songs for loud times. and i'm hoping you'll love it and listen to it a million times and share it with friends and stream it when you listen to things that stream and learn the words and love the art (thanks aram and luke and especially dennis) and make it your own. and for the first time ever a collaboration with a wonderful label interested in new songs. i'm getting over my fear of commitment. here we are. more news to follow.

My good friend Scott coined the term.  And here we are.  Fall breeze in the air.  Notions of school and education swirling like future leaves around piles.  I'm still a teacher.  I still make music.  I'm writing a bunch.  And learning tons about relationships.  I want to tell you all about what I'm learning.  The new record will come out this fall.  I promise.  Thanks for the support.

Thinking back on the last year goes something like this: "where am i again?  who am i?  why haven't i made a new record in a while?  boy, was that tour with mike something special!  why have i been writing more prose than poetry?  why can't i hang out with all those interesting new facebook friends and fans of my work?  what does 'hang out' mean these days?  i should reinvent the web page.  i should integrate everything better.  i will.  i will.  i won't.  i won't.  the relationship is the supreme…

Oh blog...who reads you? Who stays up late or wakes up early or finds time in the in between to stop by and say hello I'm coming to you now because I want to think out loud about a few things. This summer I have no new CDs, yet I'm planning on playing a bunch - with my old band Surreal (and our friend Carol Thomas), with my personal band on a few occasions, with my dearest old pal and fantastical guitarist Mike Bloom, and with some eccentric space explorers of the universe called free jazz and noise…

It's right around the corner. I could smell it. It's the year...saying bye bye. It's the weather in New York City. It's the indecisions and the decisions in mid-dance. It's your favorite song on repeat. It's reflection. It's perfect for songwriting...and column writing...and poetry writing...and (sure, why not) comment writing (on student papers)...and blog writing...and _________ (fill in the blank). What are you writing? I'm curious New songs in 2011? A Little Beauty? Something called Rogue…

So here is the first ever Alan Semerdjian Web Page Blog Entry. I'm thinking tonight about how far we've come. I remember sitting around with Ian, Tom, and Dan and pasting together "ransom-note-style" fliers to (literally/physically) send away to friends and fans. We used stamps Tonight I want to say thank you to people like yourself who come here to read a blog entry. I like you. I do the same thing at my friends' pages and the pages of folks whose work I admire. Cheers to doing this. I hope it…