Jeff Speaks

This section is devoted to my thoughts, feelings and opinions.  They're yours for free, while supplies last.

June 29, 2007--Our Bar Beach gig in Port Washington NY has got to be my favorite all time gig that I have ever played. I got to sing the national anthem in what I thought was about 10,000 people sprawled over a beach. I was told later the actual attendance was 60,000. I nailed the sucker. The band sounded awesome. Elliot was in rare form playing in his hometown, (the Brooklyn area). What a cool town with cool people. I love New York. The crowd response was great. 

The pictures below were taken at our sound check The entire beach was filled the show began.

This is stage left (from the vantage point of being on stage), right where I was.

Elliot Lurie

Craig Williams

Yours truly --Note the cops and baricade behind me. They were there to stop the thousands of fans from mauling me (lol)!!

Eric Mackey--Eric took the pictures by the way--Nice job Eric.

I took this one of Eric--The sun went down slightly for a moment, resulting in a darker image.

April 13, 2007--Happy birthday to Al Green (61), and original Looking Glass bassist, the late Pieter Sweval. Pieter would have been 59 years old today.

December 30, 2006-- Happy 59th birthday to Jeff Lynne. 

Plenty of good stuff coming in the new year: a new release by yours truly as well as Population 3 (possibly, although I said that 5 years ago), and lots of other stuff. ...stay tuned.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! 

GO TO 11 In 07!!!!

Until then have a nice day. 

December 22, 2006--Whoah it's been a while since I've update this ole site. Yes I'm still alive in case you're wondering. Of course you can't be too sure. This could be someone else typing you know (lol). Lots of good stuff happening. Coming soon is www.lookingglassband.net. This will be the official Looking Glass site. It will have all the good stuff: sound files, pictures, video, etc.

Happy holidays to all!!!!

April 22, 2006--Happy double nickel birthday to Paul Carrack ...a big influence of mine. Plenty of site changes coming soon...all for the better...including a live section for downloadable promo...(I almost typed "porno"...Freudian slip). This will make it easier for live concert promoters to get my info. without having to wait for me to send it. It's better for me because I won't have to spend a lot of time preparing packages....a pain indeed.  

February 15, 2006--happy birthday to the beautiful and talented Melissa Manchester.

January 11, 2006-Happy New Year everyone!! Lots of good stuff going on. This year already looks like it will be full of exciting activity...more to come.

September 30, 2005--Happy birthday to my late Grandpa Joe Marciano. He would've been 94. From pictures I've seen of him he resembled the late Robert Palmer. Ironically they both died at the same age of 54. 

Plenty of recording and writing going on at the moment. Much of this will be released in 2006 and 2007.

August 23, 2005--Happy birthday #56 to Rick Springfield

I know this page has been turning into the birthday club. I plan on changing that. I will also include very important matters that can change the course of your life such as: are Brittney's breasts real? Will Brad and Jen get back together? (LOL)

August 15, 2005--Happy birthday to good 'ole mom...she remains ageless.

August 2, 2005--Woah!! It's been a while since I spoke in this section. I didn't have much to say...or maybe I was speechless...I still don't have much to say!!

Happy birthday to Andrew Gold.

Happy New Year Everyone!!

January 7, 2005-Happy birthday #57 to Kenny Loggins

December 30, 2004-Happy birthday to Jeff Lynne (57). 

I would like to take this time to thank all of the writers of the Detroit News and Macomb Daily who helped spread the word about the recent success of "Everything Must Change". Neal Rubin, Steve Bitsoli and Dorothy Bourdet--you were great. Also much thanks to all of you who emailed the stations and thanks to the stations for playing the song....I feel like a giving a Grammy speech or something.  Maybe I should break down and cry and go over my allotted time  (LOL). That would be difficult since this is the web. It's been a surprisingly stellar year for my family and I.

Here's to a new year for you full of love, joy and excitement. As Jeff Lynne would say "Hold on Tight to Your Dreams". And as Billy Joel once said, "Don't take s$%#t from anyone!!" 

October 21, 2004-Happy birthday to my nephew Cody, 12 years old. Happy birthday (10-04) to my other nephew Conner, 8 years old. Happy 40 birthday (10-14) to my cousin Craig. Happy birthday to my wife Dahna (ageless beauty). 

The war thing. The election thing. The media trial thing. So many opinions, so little typing patience. Oh yeah...the Bill O' Reilly thing. While I might not always agree with his view points, I feel sorry for him if he's innocent. But if he's not innocent, he's the dumbest jackass on the planet. How could he not think this would come back to haunt him. What an idiot....but only an idiot if he's guilty.  To the best of my knowledge he hasn't denied the charges either. Which head did the thinking to be revealed...details at 11.

August 11, 2004-My web site is five years old today. It will start kindergarten in a couple of weeks. Some of you may argue it has been in kindergarten since it started. Thanks guys....a reflection of its owner no doubt.

Happy 55th birthday to singer/songwriter Eric Carmen. Happy 50th birthday to singer/songwriter Joe Jackson.

February 12, 2004-Happy 52nd birthday to Michael McDonald

March 24, 2003-Happy 30th Anniversary today of the release of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon". Hard to believe that was 30 years ago. In my estimation this is not only represents Floyd's finest hour but is also one of the best classic rock albums ever. Judged by all of the records it broke for sales and airplay (it was on the charts for something like three years) others feel the same way I do. It was one of those few albums you could listen to from beginning to end without skipping a track. they just don't make them like that anymore. 

March 21, 2003-"Life During War Time...give me some groceries, some peanut butter..." I can't help but hear that Talking Heads song in my head over and over as we have 24 hour coverage of the war on all the major channels. Even Ted Koppel schlepped his arse over to Baghdad to report coverage. Isn't that grunt work for a guy of his stature? I like the freaky, jumbled ways things look and sound from the long distance video feeds. 

Happy birthday to Bittersweet Alley's Gary Spaneola. Gary is 45 today. 

January 14, 2003-Happy New Year Everyone!!!! May your new year be filled with enlightenment. Happy birthday to Natalie Rittinger 01-03. She turns 1 year old today. Happy birthday to fellow band mate and hit maker Jim Gold (01-14). Jim's age shall remain anonymous. I'm not even sure he remembers. Hey the 70's was a wild time.

November 2002- Happy Thanksgiving everybody!! It's been a while since I updated this site. Fatherhood has been keeping me really busy. I plan on still making an effort to keep the latest and greatest things posted in a "timely fashion"....As you can see lately, I use that term loosely. Plenty of things happening including my newest music company, "Musicom". This company is a music services company that will feature services in live performance, promotion and software training related to music, web and business. More on that later. I plan on dedicating a whole section of my web to Musicom. I still have plenty of work ahead of me. 

PLEASE CALL THE RADIO STATIONS AND REQUEST MY SONGS!! Thanks in advance.

Other stuff-I plan on including more family related stuff on the site as well: pictures, stories, etc.

August 11, 2002 Happy birthday to my web site...It's 3 years old today. Happy 53rd birthday to my music idol Eric Carmen.

July 4, 2002 Happy birthday AMERICA!!

June 2002

Happy birthday to: My brother Rob (June 6th), Population 3 guitarist Mark Szymanski (June 10th), Todd Rundgren (June 22nd), Todd is 53, according to my Pop Hits book. 

May 2002 

Happy birthday to Jewel (24th) 28 years old, and a whole list of family members and friends too numerous to mention...including PAUL PRICE who turns 40 friggin' years old. There's a lot going on this summer...stay tuned. 

January 2002

Happy New Year everyone!! May you live out all of your dreams this year.

1-05-02 Welcome to the world Natalie Ann Rittinger. My sister gave birth to her first child.

1-17-02 Happy birthday to the late , great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He would've been 73.

1-20-02 Happy birthday to 10CC Singer/Guitarist Eric Stewart. Eric is 57 today. 

December 2001

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY CHANUKAH, HAPPY QUANZA EVERYONE!!

I hope I got all of them. If I left any holiday out, insert above.

Jeff 

12-24-01

December 13th-Happy birthday to my late Uncle Joe. He would've been 90 on this day.

December 18th-Happy birthday to my Dad.

December 21-Happy Birthday to the late great Frank Zappa. He would've been 61.

George Harrison 1943-2001

I wish I wasn't writing this by-line. I wish it had said that George Harrison was recovering. However George said it best when he said, "All things must pass". Still it's very sad. George's music with and without The Beatles was the soundtrack of my youth. I get visions of my late uncle Joe's farm styled home in Farmington Hills with the sound of My Sweet Lord or Give Me Love playing in the background as I rode Uncle Joe's tractor over the sunny summer landscape. After my uncle Joe passed away a developer came and bought the land. However the memories live on in old films, videos and fond memories. The same applies to George. It's the legacy that he left behind that makes a profound impact on us. George stood for peace, love and optimism. His music and ideology will live on forever. 

November 2001

Happy birthday to my sister-in-law Michele. She turns 40 years old today. Is she a Scorpio or a Sagittarius? It differs depending on what astrology book you read. Maybe she's a Sagicorpio....or maybe a Scorpitarius. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

October 2001

10-02-01 Happy 40th birthday to the incomparable Dave Rynski-mechanic supreme, funnyman and a cool songwriter too. 

Music

The recording and mixing end of Lehman's Terms will be completed this week. The graphics, reproduction and marketing preparation will take place over the next few months.

The official release date is 6-22-02.

Computers

I have been planning to open an academic and computer tutoring business. I will start it out as a side venture sometime in 2002. 

(September stuff)

9-23-01 Happy B-Day to my Aunt Marilde, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Julio Iglesias and anyone I've left out.

Well since I've last updated this page, on August 15th, it would be an understatement to say a lot has happened. Our whole world has been shaken by something that still seems so surreal. Let's all pray for those victimized and that those responsible are taken into justice.

On a more positive note, it sometimes takes tragedies like this to make us stronger, wiser and to re-assess our often muddied value system. I have a sneaking suspicion that we will come out of this a stronger nation. Maybe the first step to ending hatred is knowing why it exists in the first place. Just a thought.

Jeff Lehman 9-23-01

Self Professed Philosopher El Grande

August stuff (pre-War)

8-13-01 Happy 50th birthday to Dan Fogelberg.

8-14-01 Happy birthday to David Crosby man...he's like a far out 60 years old today.

Happy birthday to that wild and crazy guy Steve Martin-Steve turns 56 today....well excuuuuuuuse me!!

8-15-01 Happy birthday to good ole Mom--she remains ageless.

7-24-01 Happy Birthday to Actress Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman)

Lynda turns a very well preserved 50 today!! I haven't found and official Lynda Carter site yet. Let me know if one exists. She's a beauty and possibly my favorite actress.

6-8-01

Wedding Stuff

Hurray!! Dahna and I tied the knot. I am officially an ex-single guy. The ceremony went beautifully. Thanks to everyone who attended and/or showered us with gifts. I'm in the process of trying to invent a way to make this money and gift showering thing happen more often. If you feel you must, please keep sending money and gifts. It goes to a great charity. The Association For the Capitalistic Advancement of Jeff Lehman....er.....Dahna and Jeff Lehman...whew!!...glad she wasn't looking when I typed.

At the risk of turning my site into a family slide show, I will have pictures of the ceremony and reception on this site...probably in about a month or so....I might even create a wedding section. Don't sound so excited.

Music Stuff

There is only two more songs left for Lehman's Terms. These will hopefully be wrapped up before the years end.

I am still recording with Population 3. From a timing standpoint, it's running neck and neck with Lehman's Terms. They may even be released simultaneously...way cool!

Kevin Holevar, my mix engineer and co-producer informs me he has just mixed a new song for Eminem. 

Computer Stuff

This site will be going through major renovations around January 2002. I am going to be redoing a lot of the pages and will be including some animation, new sound files, (no more wave, all mp3), maybe a video file or two and a whole interactive Lehman's Terms section....Oy!!

6-1-01

Happy 50th birthday to my uncle Paul.

Music

One True Love, my song for Dahna is completed. It will be premiered at our wedding, June 8, 2001.

On a less positive note, I guess I won't need to brush up on those ELO songs after all. After placing a call a few months back to ELO/Jeff Lynne manager, Craig Fruin in California, my inquiry to try out for the group resulted in a polite "get lost buddy". I was told they were "fully staffed". I was surprised to find out that the new version contains two guys from Warren ,MI; the Bissonette brothers, Greg and Matt--Warren High alumni and former members of David Lee Roth's band.  

Yeah, Yeah there's a group out there called "Dream". I know what your thinking. Besides being young, sexy, female and talented, they are using the name of my old band, circa 1985-1990. Many people have been asking me about this one. More details coming soon......

2001 isn't even here yet and already the year is full of excitement!! I'm getting married in June. ELO with Jeff Lynne will be releasing a new album and touring...oh yeah...and I'm releasing "Lehman's Terms"......finally, while I'm still young (so I use the term loosely)!!

I am currently 75% finished with Lehman's Terms. I think the entire project should be wrapped up around May. When all the tracks are through, I will be updating the currently existing sound files. There will be a contest to pick the tracks that will be promoted as singles...stay tuned. I've found from past experience that others are generally better at picking the winning tracks over me. I'm too close to the project to observe it from a fresh, first time perspective!! I'M TOO DAMN SELF CRITICAL TOO!!!! 

The Cub Koda Memorial is on indefinite hold until more information is finalized with School Kids Records.

Check out the what's new section for all the news that's fit or unfit to print.

10-9-00 HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY TO THE LATE GREAT JOHN LENNON

Since I am such a Beatle maniac it's only fitting that I should offer my wishes. If John were alive today, I'm sure a reunion (full blown tour, CD and all) would have taken place. It would've been interesting to see what kind of music they would've made.  

On this Day---Tales of Past Glory

On 12-3-93 Jimmy Kaye released "The Long Strange Journey", an album that I produced and engineered. The record didn't do quite as well as I had hoped. But it showcased a very energetic and well written Jimmy Kaye. The production was very clean and a big sound was achieved with a combination of digital and analog equipment. I liked the record. Because this was the heart of the grunge era, many of the publishers, record companies and artists that I presented this record to criticized it for the very things that I liked about it. "It was too clean", "Jimmy sounds too much like Axl Rose".....(I'm still trying to figure that one out). How can a guy with a baritone Springsteen, Darius Rucker (Hootie & The Blowfish) type voice sound like a guy with a high screechy voice?!!!! 

I guess I should have kicked up the mid ranges, muddied the guitar distortion and had Jimmy wear a flannel shirt and work boots on the cover. Maybe it would of sold. Maybe it was the producer......Nah!!!!

Jimmy is a great musician/writer. I would love to work with him in the future. Even if I don't, I hope he continues to write, record and promote his music.

New Sections

Hey you're the audience. If you have an idea for a new section, let me know. Have it your way, right away. This is McWeb page baby!! Wait a minute. I think that's a Burger King ad!!

Well, that's all for now. 

Last updated: 06-29-07