This Life

Marc on "This Life"...

"This Life" is a culmination of my life experiences from the past several years.

After recovering from my health crisis (covered on my Bio page) I have had many realizations about acceptance and tolerance. I spent a great deal of my life being very self critical and constantly wanting to control my world. This, of course, was a fruitless endeavor. I would continually attract situations and scenarios that aided in my disillusionment of this way of being. The summit of all these experiences being my health crisis that nearly took me off the planet permanently. It was THE WAKE UP CALL OF ALL WAKE UP CALLS for me.

I am forever grateful to have gone through all that and come out the other end with more understanding about "This Life" that I create and have a deepened sense of responsibility of it for myself and everyone that I am blessed enough to have in this life.

I want to personally thank, first and foremost, Barry Bergman, for his humanity, worldly brilliance, and most of all his love and friendship. Rich Mercurio for his friendship, generosity and extraordinary sense of rhythm and music. Daneane Gallardo for her commitment and passion in putting together my new website. Andrea Phox for the photos. Jamnow.com for the worldwide debut of songs from "This Life". Paul Prestopino, Kevin Kavanaugh, Tabitha Fair, Erich Wald, John Munro and Joel Kaminer for their musicianship, love and support of "This Life". And last but not least all the thousands of fans that have been requesting and patiently waiting for the release of "This Life".

The rest of the list will appear in the CD credits.

Thanks for continuing to tune in.
With Love
Marc

Life is but a Dream Revisited

As I was preparing to mix "This Life" I was feeling that something essential was missing in the sound of the recording. I learned all I know about modern recording working with analog tape machines and mixing consoles. In 2000 I sold most of my analog gear on ebay and purchased a Pro Tools Mix 24 plus TDM system. Fortunately, I kept a few choice pieces from my analog museum which I have been utilizing once again on a regular basis.

In the digital age of recording there are great advantages. But I was feeling some of the disadvantages. Very strongly in fact. Digital recording is more pristine sonically but lacks the character that the old school analog sound has. That led me on my quest to find an answer. The answer came when I decided to blend the old with the new, a Trident mixing console and an old Studer 2 track tape machine to complement my DAW(digital audio workstation).

A marriage made in heaven. I was so impressed with the difference this combination made in the sound of the mixes on "This Life" that I decided to completely remix "Life Is But A Dream". After reinvestigating those sessions from 4 years ago I realized that I was in a different head space musically.

As I was mixing I started rethinking the arrangements and replacing musical parts. I even resang quite a few of the songs. Finally I decided to completely rerecord "Back When They Were Playing Our Song" and "Watchin' The World Go By". "Where Do All The Daze Go" is all new except for the drums. I left "Gravity" off because I didn't feel that it fit in with the new sound of the album.

Rich Mercurio (My co-producer on "Life Is But A Dream") came in and generously gave of his time and played on all of the new tracks.

After completing the mixes and getting very encouraging responses from my manager Barry and some close industry friends, I decided to release it as a new CD. It is called "Life Is But A Dream Revisited".

As a special bonus to fans I decided to give it away as a free download with the purchase of This Life or the original Life Is But A Dream.

When you listen please take note of the sonic and musical differences. I would love to hear from anyone that has any comments about what you like or don't like about this "revisited" version as compared to the original. But most of all I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed the recording process.

Credits

Basic Tracks Recorded at Dubway Studios Engineered by Jason Marcucci assisted by Mike Presta,Shoko Watanabe,Gabriel Pantoja and Leslie German
All overdubs recorded at Mondo Melodies except for keyboards on "everybody got somethin' to say " recorded at Rob Arthurs studio
all tracks for Prime Time TV and Where Do All The Days Go Recorded at Mondo Melodies.
photography by Barbara Engel


Produced by Rich Mercurio and Marc Ribler
Mixed and Mastered By Marc Ribler

all songs written by Marc Ribler
published by mondo melodies/wood monkey music
copyright 2003,2007

Musicians
Rich Mercurio- drums, background vocals and programming
John Conte-bass
Rob Arthur-keyboards
Marc Ribler-guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass, mandolin and drum programming
Background Singers-Barbara Engel,Matt Hand, Jim Deresz andTina Kruse


song order
1-identity crisis
2-(back when they were) playin ourr song
3-life is but a dream
4-prime time tv
5-everybody's got somethin' to say
6-it ain't me
7-right in your backyard
8-turn this world around
9-I won't give up
10-learnin to laugh it off
11-watchin the world go by
12-where do all the days go

Life is but a Dream...

Marc Ribler - Brooklyn Born Beatle

...Thus was born the album. And like every Dream album, it takes time to get it right. "The title song was written in 1997 when I lived in Manhattan and I was going through a bit of a stressful period: financially, spiritually and philosophically. The bulk of the album was written in the last couple of years and there are a couple of tunes that I wrote 9 years ago - i.e. 'Right in Your Backyard,' 'Watchin the World Go By,' and 'Everybody's Got Somethin to Say.' 'Prime Time TV' was also written then and funny (or sad) enough, the second verse about Saddam Hussein is still as relevant today as it was then.

It Ain't Me "I started recording the album in October of 2002 and completed the mixes in May 2003. I co-produced the album with my close friend, Rich Mercurio who also plays drums on the tracks. Rich and I met in 1996 and we've always spoken about working together - finally, the time was right.

"I've always produced my own recordings by myself and I was feeling like I needed to hear an outside objective view on the treatment of the production of my record, and Rich was the absolute right person for the job. We've always had a very honest, uninhibited communication line between us and we've always had great musical chemistry. So I thought it'd be a great experience, and it was. Aside from the fact that he's one of the finest drummers in NYC."

One of the best songs on the album is "Prime Time TV," which, unfortunately, every couch croucher can relate to. Marc explains that "it is the story of and impact that TV has had on me and how in the 70's things were simpler - without the internet or 500+ cable TV stations or the media blitz and big brother living on every street corner and in our living room curtains."

It's not as strong as it sounds. There's nothing too heavy about the album. This is entertainment. But there is pain in birth. "The songs 'I Won't Give Up,' 'Learnin' to Laugh it Off,' and 'Gravity' were inspired by a near fatal illness that I experienced in 1999-2000 that, Thank God, is far behind me now. All of the songs are inspired by my search for truth and the deeper meaning in why things are the way they are in this life. And also not taking it all so seriously, as I am more than capable of doing.

"They also deal with obsession and addictive behavior such as in 'Identity Crisis.' But it all comes down to the fact that I am so grateful that I was blessed with the gift of songwriting. When I'm in the process of 'doing it' (the writing), I don't usually know where I will end up or what great insight I will find out about myself or the human condition, but in the end I realize that without having this process to vent and discover myself, I don't think I would be 'here.'"

There's more to primal therapy than just creating the tunes. Marc and a crew of three others replicate his arresting song catalog onstage. "I also do all the originals solo with an acoustic guitar and a loop box that I create accompaniment with on the 'fly.' This helps recreate more of an ensemble type of sound without using prerecorded tracks or sequencers (which I find to be sterile and uninteresting). The cool thing about creating the loops live is that each song is always fresh and spontaneous as far as tempo, feel and dynamics. It makes it more interesting and creative for me when I do solo gigs and the audience wonders where all the sound is coming from." (more...)

A few words in review...

A bit of what the music world needs.
Reviewer: Eric

This album is truly a masterpiece. It is pleasing to find an entire album of quality music that one can enjoy and relax to.

Worth the wait....
Reviewer: Steve Marcus

Super sounds from a great musician. This is definitely worth the wait for all fans (some of us have waited thirty years !!!). Captures the essence of many different experiences and synhtesizes several music styles and influences. Great vocals and a superb talent for guitar and arrangment.Get a FEW today--they make excellent gifts!!!!

An excellent debut album...
Reviewer: Barry Rosen

I defy anyone into 70's rock to listen to Life is But a Dream and not come away humming 4 or 5 tunes. An excellent debut album...Marc sounds a lot like Tom Petty at times and there are memorable hooks galore on this CD. I can't wait for his next release. Bravo!

Pay by Check

To order CDs by mail and pay by check or money order, please send to:
Mondo Melodies
P.O. Box #6
Bradley Beach NJ
07720