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Welcome to the Nowhere Motel
Release Date: 6/23/09
Album Genre: Indie
Total Tracks: 11
Total Time: 35:19
Hear Song Song Samples
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Even though the debut record by Greg Koons and The Misbegotten won't be released until May of 2009, that doesn't mean downtime this winter.

A 40 date tour in February, March, and April covering half of the US (featuring Greg Koons solo acoustic) has been booked to get things rolling. Details of the tour are available here exclusively on Myspace.

The record entitled Welcome to the Nowhere Motel will be released on Kealon records and distributed in North America via MRI/RED. The record was co-produced by Matt Keating and Adam Lasus (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Yo La Tengo) and was recorded at Fireproof Studios in Los Angeles.

Born to a truckdriver and Vietnam veteran in Harrisburg PA, Greg first started playing guitar when he was fourteen and has never looked back. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles CA to attend the Musician's Institute. To make ends meet he took work as a housekeeper at the notorious Chateau Marmont hotel on the Sunset Strip. It was there between doing laundry and cleaning guest rooms, Koons first honed his skill at writing lyrics and matching them with music, often on the lobby piano at night.

Upon heading back to the East Coast, he spent many years performing in both tough, small town bars and in larger cities as a member of Bad Cat Friday, cementing his reputation as a great songwriter who was able to vocalize the hopes, disappointments, and other experiences of his audience.

Welcome to the Nowhere Motel epitomizes a labor of love and showcases Koons poignant and melodic songwriting. In collaboration with a slew of outstanding musicians including co-producer Matt Keating on piano, organ, and backing vocals, Jason Mercer on bass (Ani DiFranco, Ron Sexsmith), Jordan Richardson on drums (Ben Harper & Relentless 7), Duane Jarvis on dobro (Frank Black, Lucinda Williams), and Kirk Swann on guitar (John Wesley Harding), the result of this endeavor is an organic folk album with pop sensibilities and boasting beautifully constructed melodies.

"Making this record has been the most exciting and meaningful experience of my life," Koons explains. "I was determined to write an album that was a reflection of the resliency that I saw in many people that I have met along the way in life, especially those people that wear their elegance on the inside."

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 23/03/2006
Band Members:

Greg Koons: Lead and Rythm Guitar, Vocals, and occasionally drunken dancing.

Various members of the Misbegotten that jump in at times, both w/ studio and touring, are as follows:

Kirk Swann: Guitar
Ken Knowlton: Guitar
Jason Mercer: Bass
Vin Hunter: Bass
Matt Keating: Keys, Acoustic Guitars, Back up-vox
Jordan Richardson: Drums
Mark Brotter: Drums

Influences: Hank Williams, Sr., Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, U2, Willie Nelson, Cash, Shane McGowan and the Pogues, Eugene O'Neill, John Steinbeck, Thoreau, Roy Orbison, Brian Wilson, booze, Tom Waits, Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle.
Sounds Like:

"This guy believes in his songs." (Five out of five.) NPR (Paul Ford)

"...an alt-country craftsman.." The Philadelphia Inquirer (May '09) Michael Harrington

"Gritty...strong tunesmithing and melodies. We have on this disc something of a musical movie. The currently running 'The Wrestler' comes to mind. It is in some way a window into the hearts and lives of the broken and misbegotten." Vermont Times Argus (Feb. 09) Art Edlestein

"I got some great tracks from pillaging the SXSW 2008 list of six word reviews......highlight if highlights is probably this alt-country chap, Greg Koons." View From Here (Mar. 08) Sean Murphy.

"Los Angeles Looks Prettier on TV has that rare element of a catchy chorus combined with plenty of expository details." Songs Illinios
"Koons senses with the skill of a practiced pro that, that beyond Top 40, the key is to paint emotional portraits to explain the state of love and a bone deep longing in a fractured world." Venanago

"This PA-based singer-songwriter has a rapturously beguiling vocal delivery that is instantly (if only slightly) reminiscent of both Dwight Yoakam and the late. great Townes Van Zandt, and an impressive grasp of what it takes to cross hard-scrabble roots-country and neo-hillbilly with Byrds-ian power-pop.......gritty and sweet at once." Connect Savannah (Apr. 09) Jim Reed

"He offers a vulnerable intimacy in his lyrics that many musicians claim to have but few master...Koons paints a scene with his singing that sends his audience wherever he wants them to transport." Encore-Wilmington NC (June '09) Shane Arthur

"Koons has already garnered a legion of fans from the public and media, who are drawn to his rustic topics and honest lyrics." New Hampshire.com (May '09) Aaron J. Weiderspahn

"Koons has moments of trail weary brilliance that could console the ..Grievous Angel." Seven Days, Burlington VT (May '09) Dan Bolles

"This Nashville-based Pennysylvania native writes remarkably senstive, wry, and tuneful country songs. 'New Boyfriend' perfectly encapsulates the feeling of seeing your ex with someone that's not you, and 'That's Not Me' is a sonic out-of-body experience looking at the drunken aftermath of such a sighting." Wilmington Star News (June '09)

"Los Angeles Looks Prettier on TV is a modern day songwriting classic." The Little Lighthouse, Cleveland (Apr. 09) Stanislav Zanbic

"His acoustic style sounds like a country- fried Tom Petty." Creative Loafing Charlotte (Jun. '09)

Kealon Records: 40 West 27th Street 7th Floor New York NY 10001 Brian Long at [email protected]

Publicity: Good Stuff PR att. Shari Lacy 221 Prospect Avenue Franklin TN 37064 Tel-615-525-5303 [email protected]

Booking: [email protected]

Record Label: Kealon Records- 40 West 27th Street, NY, NY. 10001
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Partnering with Sneak Attack PR and Good Stuff PR for Release of "Welcome to the Nowhere Motel"

Hi all.I'm proud to announce that Kealon Records will be partnering with Good Stuff PR out of Nashville and Sneak Attack Media out of NYC for our upcoming CD, "Welcome to the Nowhere Motel." Available...
Posted by on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:21:00 GMT

102.9, WDVX Knoxville Spinning "Welcome to the Nowhere Motel."

Hi all.I just got back from spending some great time down south. I want to thank everyone at SCAD radio in Savannah for inviting me to do an interview at the station. (Especially Isabelle.) Also, Kare...
Posted by on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:45:00 GMT

"Welcome to the Nowhere Motel" Review from Connect Savannah

Hi all! Here is a link to a new CD review of "Welcome to the Nowhere Motel" from Connect Savannah. Thanks Jim and hopefully I'll see you on Tuesday! All the best, Greg Koonshttp://www.connectsavanna...
Posted by on Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:43:00 GMT

Four CD release shows, four cities (NYC, Philly, Harrisburg, Lancaster)

Hi all.The last year and a half has entailed flights back and forth to record and mix the CD in LA, SXSW, mastering the CD in NYC, and countless shows from Austin to Portland. (Not to mention meeting...
Posted by on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:18:00 GMT

April 18th - Record Store Day- in-store performance at Disc Exchange in Knoxville

National Record Store Day was started in 2007 to celebrate the 700 independently owned record stores around the US. Sponsored by Warner Brothers Records, it is a great day of live music, food, and dri...
Posted by on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:24:00 GMT

"Welcome to the Nowhere Motel" review by The Vermont Times Argus

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20090220/FEATURE... Nice write up from The Vermont Times Argus
Posted by on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:27:00 GMT

Buy MP3s and CDs of "Welcome to the Nowhere Motel"

Happy New Year all! I hope that everybody had a great holiday season and wanted to let you know that our new music store is now up on our Myspace site. Buy CD's or MP3's...
Posted by on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:35:00 GMT

Thanks all and see ya in ’09!

Hi all..... After 32 shows, 15 states, and two months on the road the Autumn tour is now officially over. The truck is back in the garage, albeit looking terrible (there are a few ...
Posted by on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:35:00 GMT

The road goes on forever and the party never ends

Hi all!I'm in Philly right now. Just played a show last night at Fergie's Pub on Samson St. and will be heading to the Catskills. I wanted to thank everyone that came out to the shows in Carrboro, Cha...
Posted by on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:39:00 GMT

New Songs Up from Upcoming CD

Ola! I hope that everyone had a great summer and is ready for Autumn! There are a lot of GKTM things on the slate for this upcoming year so I hope to see everyone out on the road ...
Posted by on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:28:00 GMT