Friday, April 16, 2010

New music: the ultimate bumout-blocker.

Dig it - Measure's posted a couple of great new tunes to sweeten the sound of life on earth. Hit up their Myspace page and watch yourself continuously hitting "Play" long after you're supposed to be back at work.

Not sure what medium I'll be using to entertain you next, but regardless of which project comes to fruition I'm fairly certain I'll be working "I Wanna Know" & "Make You Love Me" into it somehow.

I don't know how these guys keep writing songs better than their last. Laura & David are two of the most gifted artists I've ever played with or whose music I've had the pleasure of scripting television to. Talk about healthy competition...it's enough to make a guy come out of retirement and start writing songs again.

Friday, April 2, 2010

OFFICIAL PRESS STATEMENT re: INTO THE DRINK

Hi, gang:


A ton of you have reached out to me looking for a response to recent events so out of respect to so much concern and support, I’m finally breaking my silence. I’ll try to keep it brief, but you know me – I’ve never been brief about anything. I don’t even wear briefs.

Sometime around 7:30 last Thursday night my mom was kind enough to forward me the oh-so- delightful “Lowdown” she received as a faithful member of the Liquidassets.tv mailing list. I hadn’t seen it yet. Quite frankly, it was only a little over 6 hours earlier that I had been fired as host of Into The Drink, a show I was given the very unique, 12-episode pleasure of writing, directing and hosting.


I’ve had better Thursdays.




I can certainly understand why a lot of you would come away from last week’s formal statement with more questions than answers:

“LiquidAssets.tv, producers of "Into the Drink," has announced that after careful television market research and industry analysis, it has decided to appoint Nick Lucey as the new host of the dive travel television show for Season Two.”

I don’t know if this is true or not. All I can say with certainty is that this information was never brought to my attention. Maybe “industry analysis” did indicate that a show airing in 65 million homes across the United States and in several major foreign markets required a complete stylistic overhaul, a veritable reconstructive surgery of scripting, directing and on-camera talent.
Regardless, I don’t think it warrants debate - ultimately the fate of Into The Drink rest in the hands of the people it always should have: the viewing public.

I won't put on a macho facade for you; anyone who's seen the show knows that wouldn't fit quite right on me, anyway. The truth is I am deeply hurt by both the way it went down and the fact that a few decided for many that it had to go down at all. Creatively, Into The Drink was my baby. I wrote it, directed it, hosted it, even meticulously picked the majority of the music for it. To have that taken away from me – just as I felt I was personally reaching a point where I could deliver an even higher standard of programming to you – is a real bummer. I’m not angry; just sad.

There is no merit in pointing fingers or casting aspersions; we all fall short of the Glory. The remaining crew have my absolute blessing as they forge ahead without me. I wish all of them luck in their endeavors, whether it be with Into The Drink or any other projects they choose to undertake. Each of the Liquidassets.tv crew brought to the table an essential set of skills the others did not have and worked tirelessly with those skills to bring Into The Drink to the millions of homes it is now currently airing in. They all equally deserve the opportunity to reap what they've individually and collectively sown and I would never stand in the way of that.

Bands, sports teams and TV shows regularly adapt smoothly to changes in the lineup. We all know I’m not deficient in the ego department but I’m not so vain as to think that Into The Drink can’t go on to become a global sensation either in spite or because of my removal from the equation. I’m hoping it goes off like gangbusters, because the world needs this show. It’s also
highly plausible that the world needs this show with a host that is less of a smartass. Although I have to admit…that was my favorite part of the job.



When I look back over the last two years of working on Into The Drink, I feel an intense amount of gratitude. God has blessed me with every desire of my heart and I have been to places and seen things that, in many cases, I didn’t even know existed. I have been transformed by the experience. I’ve come out a different person than I went in, and in the best way possible. I’ve
realized more dreams in a year than most people do in a lifetime. Professionally, this has been the most rewarding experience of my life. To look back in regret simply because my shift is over would be ungrateful. Then my folks would give me an earful about being ungrateful, and I’d just as soon avoid that altogether. It’s been a rough week as it is, you know?

I want to thank all of you, and I mean that sincerely. I have met hundreds of people over the course of shooting this initial season and whether we spent 30 seconds together in an airport or weeks living next to each other on an island in the middle of the ocean, each and every one of you has left me with something. Each of you have, in your own unique and special way, helped to mold and shape me into the man I am today. That man walks boldy into the next chapter of his life and for that I cannot express my appreciation enough. You have afforded me a great life.

That any person would believe in my talent enough to give me a single cent of their hard-earned money or a second of their very valuable time is touching in a way that I will never be able to fully articulate. There are moments when I think about it that I swear my heart is going to burst. The love and support that you have all shown me both during my tenure as host of Into The Drink has been overwhelming. I used to think that all I owed you was my best effort; now I realize I owe you that and a big, warm hug.

It’s Good Friday. The day better than any other to reflect on how lucky we are to be afforded the gift of Grace. For me, it’s also a solemn reminder of what it is I am truly defined by.

My 7-year old earns his Orange Belt in karate next Saturday. He also has a girlfriend who, apparently, is a great kisser. Suffice it to say joy is manifesting itself in areas of my life I was neither expecting nor could have imagined would come so soon. I have no reason to believe it won’t continue in more ways than I can comprehend.




I love you all. Thank you for being my friend.



With a grateful heart,





-Aaron