New Manual Scan Release !

OB Farmers Market Set

Bart Mendoza took part in an a jam session at the OB Farmer's Holiday Drive on December 11. Other participants included Greg Vaughan (guitar), Annie Rettic (violin), Sppike Mike Muellenberg (bass), Sandra Herrera (vocals), Jeffrey Bloom (drums). Here's what they played.

1) In Your Arms (Mendoza / Morris)
2) Warm This Winter (Hunter / Barkan)
3) Wonderful Christmas Time (McCartney)

True Stories Recording Session

True Stories entered Pacific Beat Studio on December 11 and recorded three songs with producer Alan Sanderson:

After Awhile (Mendoza)
Hope Springs Internal (Fleminger)
Cast No Shadows (Mendoza / Castillo)

The line up consisted of Bart Mendoza (vocals/guitar), David Fleminger (vocals /keyboards), Greg Smith (drums/ vocals) and Scott Mathiasen (bass), with numerous friends in attendance including Sandra Castillo, Lori Aguilar Wilson, Billy Tisch, Sppike Mike Muellenberg etc. No word on when the tracks will be released, but a new album is expected in 2020.

Beatles Fair Set List

True Stories played thier annual Beatles Fair set on December 7 at Queen Bee. The band featured Ron Silva on bass and a set of rarely covered Beatles / Solo tunes + a few related songs. David Fleminger also sat in with event headliner Blac Rabbit on "Don't Let Me Down" and "Come Together," while Bart also played "Bad To Me" and "In Your Arms" on the acoustic stage.


1) Venus & Mars / Rock Show
2) Every Night
3) I've Just Seen A Face
4) Come and Get It
5) Too Many People
6) Only A Northern Song
7) Glass Onion
8) Jealous Guy
9) I'm Only Sleeping
10) That Means A Lot
11) Urban Spaceman
12) I Must Be In Love
13) No Matter What

Manual Scan Demos Collection Due Soon From Bickerton Records!

New Compilation! Power Chords Harmonies and Mistletoe II

A new compilation, Power Chords Harmonies and Mistletoe II, is out now from Spain's SNAP! Records - Available from thier Bandcamp page or on CD, the album features a wonderfully eclectic playlist, with 21 tracks. The album features a True Stories ballad, "Winter Star" and The Shambles live in studio acoustic duo (Bart Mendoza & Kevin Ring) version of "Warm This Winter," recorded for DJ Tim Pyles 91X-FM radio program, The Pyles Sessions. Other artists include The Tourmaliners, The Eddies, The Cherry Bluestorms, Yeh Yeh, Jeremy, Skid Roper, Lolas and many more!

 Snap!! Records Spain / Power Chords Harmonies & Mistletoe

Neil Innes Interview

San Diego Troubadour December 2019

A Conversation with Neil Innes: Oh Hello!

Read Here:

https://sandiegotroubadour.com/neil-innes-oh-hello/

Beatles Fair Interview w/ San Diego Union Tribune 12/03/19

The December 3 edition of the San Diego Union Tribune includes a feature on Beatles Fair 2019 by George Varga. This includes an interview with Bart Mendoza.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/Beatles Fair 2019

True Stories / San Diego Beatles Fair 2019 - December 7

True Stories will be performing a special set of solo Beatles tunes and music from related bands at the 2019 San Diego Beatles Fair! For this show the band will feature Bart Mendoza, David Fleminger, Greg Smith, Billy Tisch and Ron Silva. www.sandiegobeatlesfair.com

Writing Round Up!

Here are some recent articles penned by Bart Mendoza:

San Diego Troubadour:
The Story of Queen Bee Cultural Center / Alma Rodriguez
https://sandiegotroubadour.com/its-all-the-buzz-queen-bees-celebrates-its-10th-anniversary/

North Park News:
Interview with Lisa Domkat of Manzanita Blues
Manzanita Blues

Peninsula Beacon:
Rock Icons show preview with interviews: Jerry Raney / The Beat Farmers, Jack Butler and Jack Pinney / Glory and Richard Livoni / The Blitz Brothers
www.sdnews.com/San-Diego-Rock-Icons-show-coming-to-Winston-s-?instance=most_popular1

Uptown News:
Interview with cellist Sophie Webber
 Cellist celebrates new album at St. Paul’s Cathedral

Peninsula Beacon
Interview with Tim Norton of Moves Collective
Ocean Beach's Moves Collective closes tour at The Holding Company

True Stories - Extra Gig! November 11 at Grand Ole BBQ 1 - 4 p.m.

True Stories will be playing a last minute show at The Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs in El Cajon, CA on Monday November 11, from 1- 4 p.m. - A mix of covers and originals, free & family friendly - the band plays outdoors on the patio stage. www.flinnsprings.grandolebbq.com

Coming soon...

New songs?

Manual Scan debuted two new songs during thier September 27 appearance at The Adams Avenue Street Fair- a new original, "Shooting Star" and a cover of The Angels "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?" Meanwhile on October 16, True Stories debuted a new original, "After Awhile." A recent acoustic demos list from Mendoza included the songs "The World To Me," "Dim Images," Empty Spaces," "You're Gonna Miss Me," "Cast No Shadows," "First Thing," "Plastic Girl" and "She's Like Christmas," amongst other potential new tunes for the bands upcoming album.

Johnnny Valenzuela and Andy Rasmussen / San Diego Troubadour

Bart Mendoza has penned his 11th cover story for the San Diego Troubadour, on Johnnny Valenzuela (The Sleepwalkers) and Andy Rasmussen (Action Andy & The Hi-Tones). available in the November 2019 edition. This issue also includes Bart's article on the story of Alma Rodriguez and Queen Bee's Cultural https://sandiegotroubadour.com/johnny-valenzuela-and-andy-rasmussen-twisted-trails-and-two-fisted-tales/

True Stories at the Rivera Supper Club November 15

True Stories returns to the Rivera Supper Club on November 15, for two sets, with lots of news tunes in the mix - two sets starting at 9 p.m. / 21 and up.

Herb Alpert Interview

Bart Mendoza interviewed Herb Alpert in the September 16 edition of the Peninsula Beacon
Herb Alpert / Peninsula Beacon

Manual Scan at the Adams Avenue Street Fair September 21 - Free!

Here's a poster for this Saturdays Manual Scan show at the Adams Avenue Street Fair:

Recent Articles

Here are links to recent articles penned by Bart Mendoza:

La Jolla Villlage News: Evan Diamond & The Library to Play KAABOO
Evan-Diamond & The-Library-to-perform-at-KAABOO

La Jolla Village News: Inaugural Taste of New Orleans Festival
Del-Mar-Fairgrounds-to-host-inaugural-Taste-of-New-Orleans

San Diego Troubadour: interviews, with singer-songwriter Lori Aguilar Wilson and Phil Lozano of Bump City Brass, plus reviews of Julia Othmer, Gangstagrass, Popdudes
https://sandiegotroubadour.com/five-questions-with-phil-lozano-and-lori-aguilar-wilson/

North Park News: A spotlight on Mike Ruggirello
www.localumbrellanews.com/mike-ruggirello-a-multi-faceted-guitarist

Peninsula Beacon: A spotlight on Carlos Rodriguez
The-Carlos-Rock-Experience-to-play-Winstons

Peninsula Beacon: Chris Leyva named Beatles Museum Ambassador
Chris Leyva-named-ambassador-for-Beatles-museum

33 1/3 House of Dreams Pre Show Event

Bart Mendoza attended a pre-show event on August 10 for the new play 33 1/3 House of Dreams at San Diego's Lyceum Theatre. Here he is with Chris Montez ("Let's Dance" etc) and Kathy Young ("A Thousand Stars" etc)

True Stories set list August 8 2019

Here's what True Stories performed on the Spyderpop Showcase at Tio Leo's in San Diego:

Cant Seem To Make You Mine 

In Your Arms 

Who Will Play Us In The Movie? 

Bleeding 

You’re Gonna Miss Me 

I Woke Up In Love This Morning 

Hearts On Sleeve 

You Still Take My Breath Away

Runaway

Comet’s Tomorrow 

Leave My Kitten Alone

Bart also sat in for these two songs:

The Jeremy Morris Band  - "It's Getting Better"

Bill Lloyd - "What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding?"

Bill Lloyd & Bart Mendoza - Photo by Vania Zamora

Danny Wilkerson, Bill Lloyd, Jeremy Morris, Bart Mendoza 

Photo by Steve Thorn

33 1/3 House of Dreams Pre-Show Discussion

Here are photos from last night's 33 1/3 House of Dreams Pre-Show Discussion. L-R Rep Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse, George Varga (SD Union Tribune), Bart Mendoza, Chris Goldsmith (Belly Up Entertainment) - Courtesy of Vania Zamora

New House of Dreams Poster

A new image with details on the August 8 pre-show music discussion:

Spyderpop Records San Diego Showcase Aug 9 with Bill Lloyd, True Stories etc

True Stories will be part of a Spyderpop Records showcase at Tio Leo's on August 9, part of a great bill that includes Bill Lloyd, Lannie Flowers, Danny Wilkerson and Jeremy Morris. Its a free matinee show happening from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. www.tioleos.com

Paul McCartney Petco Park 2019 / 2014 - An In Depth Look

From Facebook: My latest for the San Diego Troubadour - I take an in depth look at Paul McCartney’s June 22 concert at Petco Park, pose Five Questions to Russell Ramo of The Routine, and ask Southern California musicians: Who Is Your Favorite Cartoon Character? Including: Taryn Donath, Savannah Philyaw, Alicia Previn, Danny Green, Christina Bulbenko & Rex Broome of The Armoires, Michael Jay Dwyer, Mel Hintz, Brian Witkin of Cambrian Shores, Donna Larsen, Scott Mathiasen and more:

Read it here: https://sandiegotroubadour.com/paul-mccartney-returns-to-petco-park-2019/

 

and here is Bart Mendoza's in depth look at Paul McCartney's previous visit to San Diego in 2014:

https://sandiegotroubadour.com/paul-mccartney-in-san-diego/2014

Coming Soon: Neil Innes interview

Via Facebook: Bart Mendoza interviewed Neil Innes (The Rutles, Monty Python, Magical Mystery Tour Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, etc etc) for an upcoming issue of the The San Diego Troubadour. Here he is with Innes and journalist Sandra Castillo

Photos Courtesy of Sandra Castillo

Bart Mendoza on the Palapalooza Podcast

Bart Mendoza was a guest this month on Palapalooza, a podcast hosted by Troy Cook. 

At the end of the segment, he performs acoustic versions of 

"In Your Arms," and "You Still Take My Breath Away."

Palapalooza.podbean.com / Bart Mendoza

"33 1/3 House of Dreams" Pre show panel

From Facebook: "On Thursday, August 8 Bart Mendoza will be part of a panel with George Varga and Chris Goldsmith, interviewed by Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse before the nights performance of "33 1/3 - House of Dreams" at the San Diego Repertory Theatre 7 p.m. prior to the 8 p.m. show. 

33-13-HOUSE-OF-DREAMS-2019

Manual Scan July 19 / Himmelberg's set list + article link

Here's what Manual Scan played on July 18 at Himmelberg's + a link to a spotlight on the show from The San Diego Reader:

Sandiegoreader.com/news/2019/jul/18

I Can’t Don’t Want To Faster /

Nothing Can Be Everything  /

Fire /

American Way

I Aint Got You /

I Can Only Give You Everything

New Difference /

For Those

Like Wow Wipeout /

She Said It’s Late

In Your Arms  /

A Short Spiral 

I Can’t Let Go

Nothing You Can Do /

She’s So Fine /

Innocence Becomes You

Blood and Roses

Jungle Beat

Change

Mystery Dance

Come See Me 

Plan of Action