The Yellow Box is an art-rock power trio from New York’s Long Island. Our sound is defined by our instruments, talents, and influences. Featuring vintage and modern synthesizers, melodic bass lines, angular Chapman Stick work, precision drumming, and powerful, soaring vocals, The Yellow Box is following the path first discovered by the likes of Yes, Genesis, Rush, and ELP. Join us on this musical journey. The Yellow Box is the new generation of art rock.

Read more about the band, or about Charlie, Chris, or Rich. Or download our mp3s!

E-mail us at chris@, charlie@, or rich@ theyellowbox.com.

Charlie and I arrived safely in Bethlehem, PA yesterday for NEARfest X. I don’t know how many of us there are who have attended all ten, but I’m proud to be a part of that group.

I bought a new 55-200 lens for my Nikon D 40, and I’m taking some nice pictures. However, and I’m pretty upset by this, the hotel we chose only has paid wi-fi (not to mention a room with one king-size bed. We won’t be staying in the Red Roof Inn again.) So I won’t be able to post any pictures until I get back (I’m writing this post on my phone); then, once we get back, it’s the last week of my summer class, and so I’ll have to grade a lot and make a final. So, look for pictures Thursday or Friday.

If you’re here at NEARfest, by the way, come visit me — I’m selling Liquid Tension Experiment merchandise.

I’m a bass player.  And I’m a blogger.  Some genius at Electro Harmonix seems to think that I will be overcome with pride and self-importance when I see this pedal in the music store, and part with my hundred bucks (probably more) as an involuntary reaction to the awesome power of marketing.  Don’t sit by the phone, OK?  Electro Harmonix Bass Blogger Distortion Pedal » Music gadgets

Baseball Prospectus’ Joe Sheehan responds to Omar’s utter failure to lead a team; once again, I couldn’t have said it better myself.  Baseball Prospectus | Unfiltered

I have no words.  The fact that Omar fired Willie is stupefyingly ridiculous on its own.  The absolute lack of class, much less sense, that he displayed in doing so, is maddening.  I hate Omar Minaya, and the Wilpons, with all the energy I have left to spend on the 2008 Mets, which isn’t much.
As usual, the FAFIF guys are in my head, feeling what I’m feeling, and explaining it with eloquence.  Faith and Fear in Flushing :: Classless & Clueless Clownery

When the 2007 season finally careened off the road and into a tree (thanks to Glavine overcorrecting at the wheel), I was pretty certain that Willie Randolph had to go.  A couple of older, wiser fans talked me down from the ledge through October and November, and helped me realize that at least half of the problem was general manager Omar Minaya, for not giving Willie the tools he needed to win.  Also, they told me, Willie is still a young manager, with a lot to learn, and won’t it be nice when he applies his lessons in a Mets uniform.

Then the present season started, and seemed to pick up right where it left off.  The Mets are currently two games under .500, with no clear sign of improvement.  (I was hoping to see Pedro right the ship Saturday night, but it was never going to happen with this much rain coming down:

At least Pedro did his job yesterday.)  During this first third or so of the season, I’ve been pretty hard on Willie, maintaining my position that it’s his job to rally the troops.  But a new truth has been dawning on me lately: it seems now that a lot more than half of the problem has been Omar and his bosses at the top.  Why was it a good idea to start the season with a 42-year-old left fielder?  Or a gimpy 38-year-old second baseman?  Is it anything more than good luck that Mike Pelfrey, who lost seven last season before his first win, has been reliable?

Lately, the tables have completely turned for me.  Over the past two or three weeks, all the Mets writers seem to have noticed (other than that the Mets keep losing) is that Willie ought to be fired.  What’s worse is that Omar and the Wilpons have done virtually nothing to quell the rumors.  Willie Randolph has turned from bumbling, unengaging incompetent to pitiable victim, seemingly knowing that he will be fired, but not knowing when the ax is coming down.  I actually feel bad for Willie. And it’s not like this whole fiasco has been a reassuring factor for the team that just can’t seem to win; you think they’re a little distracted by all this?

So, where does the blame lie?  Well, with everyone, of course — players, field manager, general manager, owners.  But who carries the most blame?  After these past couple of weeks, I think the front office needs to take a good look at itself, and address the problems there, before it starts cleaning house among the uniformed staff.

I went to Best Buy today to buy a memory card for my phone.  I was holding a 2 GB card and a 4 GB card, wondering if the Palm Treo 755p could handle a 4 GB card, and decided I needed to look the answer up.  So, I had the following conversation with an employee on the floor:

Me: Do you guys have a computer hooked up to the Internet, so that I can look something up on Google?

Him: What site are you going to?

Me:  Google.

Him:  Yeah, but what site are you going to?

… awkward silence …

Me:  I don’t know yet.

Thankfully, a more clueful employee intervened at that point.

This is a pretty serious downer.  Jon Anderson is sidelined with “acute respiratory failure” after a severe asthma attack, and his doctor has told him not to sing for six months.  We’re all pulling for him, and we hope the band gets back to work soon.

Thanks for 15 great years of eating quarterbacks for lunch, Michael.  We’ll miss you.  It’ll be a crime if the Giants don’t immediately retire your uniform number #92.  Michael Strahan Announces Retirement

Original Rush drummer John Rutsey died over the weekend, at the all-too-young age of 55.  Rush is one of the bands that all three of us in The Yellow Box place in our list of all-time favorite bands, if not in our list of heaviest songwriting and playing influences.  And while I think it’s fair to say Rich doesn’t exactly sound like John Rutsey, if Rutsey hadn’t recorded that first album with Ged and Alex, they would never have been picked up by Cleveland DJ Donna Halper, and none of us would have heard of them, and I wouldn’t be presently coveting a Geddy Lee Signature Jazz Bass.

And when I think of all the other bands who would either sound completely different, or just plain not exist — Dream Theater, Coheed and Cambria, Metallica, Tool, and countless others — well, I had to listen to that first Rush album on the way into school today.  Rest in peace, John, and our condolensces to the Rutsey family.