Keeping with our annual tradition, I’m announcing this year’s Christmas gift, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”. Giving these ‘gifts’ each year is Michelle’s way of saying thank you to her fans and showing how much she appreciates your continued support and kind words through the years. We hope you enjoy this year’s song, because we all had a great time producing it.

Download: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

“We?” you say? As in, more than just Michelle and myself? That is because the official members of the unofficial Michelle Cross band took a part in recording this. Henry Jansen (drums) and Tom Heslin (bass) stepped up and laid down an awesome rhythm track for this song, taking it a lot further than we had originally envisioned. Usually the Christmas gift is meant to be a quick, Michelle-only, affair, but they were available and willing and it would have been foolish not to take advantage of their skills.

Which brings me to my final point, before I sign off… just why were they available? Well, in November we started putting together songs and making a plan for a new Michelle Cross album. We’ve been talking about it forever (pretty much since “Smoke Like Perfume” came out) but we’ve now actually started working on it. Henry and Tom have put down tracks for three songs (besides “God Rest Ye”) and we have at least 3 others almost complete. So we’re well on our way. Hopefully over the next few months you’ll be seeing more consistent updates from us. We have some pretty exciting ideas we want to share, so stay tuned.

Thanks again and happy Holidays!

Mathew Prock

I hope you are all well!

I have to tell you – I haven’t been working on music whatsoever for a loooong time. That can be a good thing sometimes… I find I can come up with a fresh lil‘ melody much quicker when I’m away for a while! But in other music news, my darling theater friend just got in touch with me – he just started his own progressive opera company! I will post the details as soon as I get them. So I’m telling you this because A) he’s LOVELY and B) we’re talking about finally bringing my Rock Opera to life!! I love him… So there’s hope yet. Does anyone out there play a sitar?

So I’ve been away from the ivories for a bit because of my latest obsession – my new COMPANY!! I can’t believe it’s real. I’ve finally done it! So please visit www.monkeyinthemiddleco.com?? It’s all my paper dolls? Do you remember me talking about them? I talk about them allll the time in real life. So I finally built up a large enough inventory – it took me years. Let me add – the first BATCH is available currently. I have some huge ones that I’m getting professionally scanned on a “drum scanner”. Doesn’t that sound huge? So as always, stayed tune.

In the meantime, I’m going to ask Matty Poo to just put up all the things he has of me up onto this site. I know he’s got a bunch!!!

Thank you XOXOXOXO!!
Mz. Monkey

KISSES!
Mz. Monkey

On the first day of June, I said that I would.
By the Fourth of July, I changed my mind.
January came sooner than I thought I’d like it to.

And the Lion of March, he led me to May.
And all through the rain, I slept by him -
But by the full moon of June, he said he couldn’t stay.

And all the time in the world will never change the outcome.
I’m not sure which way to go, but the Spring will bring me home.

On the verge of November, I called out to him.
But still he remembered April’s sins.
Oh, what I wouldn’t do to be with you for the Rest of Days!

And February came, with no Valentine Crusade.
I was thinking all day, I was stupidly thinking all day -
I was waiting all day, but nothing came.

And all the time in the world will never change the outcome.
I’m not sure which way to go, but the Spring will bring me home.

August Moon…
September soon…
Will I see you?
August Moon.

For future updates, make sure you subscribe to Michelle’s YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/michellecross01

Thank you SO much for your support and encouragement – you are truly friends of mine and I only hope to meet you all one day!!

LOVE you!
Mz. Monkey

Saturday, April 26 2008 – 8PM
Elbo Room, Chicago (Lincoln & Diversy)
773-549-5549

Here are some flyer images for you all (click on the images to see a larger size):

So I finally landed a gig!!

Saturday, April 26 2008 – 8PM
Elbo Room, Chicago (Lincoln & Diversy)
773-549-5549

I’ve been practicing everyday in hopes of playing a perfect show for you all!! Please come if you can!

XOXO!!
Mz. Monkey

I hope you are all well! Matty Poo and I scratched our heads over what we should do for the holidays. Well we missed Christmas – so just in time for New Years, I wanted to share this little song here Matty Poo recorded for me like, a year ago I think… I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for this song. I sang it at my brother’s wedding. If I can find a picture, I’ll try and put it up. I’m sure I’ll be frozen in some weird position…

So I wish I could hurry my ass up! While I work on that, you guys have a successful New Year n’kay?! New Year’s is such an inspiring time of year, don’t you think?

XOXO,
Mz. Michelle

P.S. to B: This is your cue… kisses:D

P.P.S from B: Here it is, darlings–exactly what you’ve all been waiting for. Michelle covered “Faithfully” by Journey. Your life’s about to get a whole lot better. You can thank us later, after you’ve recuperated.

Hope you enjoyed your visit. Maybe we’ll have some news soon to keep you coming by.

Also, dearest ones, there is new content! I’ve worked up some simple wallpapers of old photographs of Michelle. Light editing, rotating, fiddling, and voila! It’s not magic, but they’re pleasant to look at, yes? Do I win something? No cookies please.

If you’re the sort to poke around you may notice that the blog archives are still reflecting the old website. I am not sure why this is as the archives are supposed to be automatically converted into the new design via Blogger upon publishing. Apparently Blogger is either broken or slow. Let’s pray for slow as I do not have it in me to work up a good mad. A mild annoyed I can do, but a good mad is simply out of reach right now. Never fear! I’ve figured it out. I am a delirious genius!

That’s about it, folks. I’ve worked tirelessly for a total of two nights, am hopelessly in love with how clean the site looks, and am possibly a bit delusional from the sleep deprivation I’ve managed to give myself. So, having said that, and being extremely clever, I am off to bed.

Enjoy!

[Edited to add: Apparently this site is so far only optimized for IE 7 and Firefox. I'm working on fixing it so that it atleast renders properly in IE6. Sorry about that everyone!]

[Edited to add again: So far I cannot fix it so that IE6 renders the exact same way. My only option is to remove the two top and bottom borders where links and copyright information sit. I think, however, that for the meantime I am going to leave it as it is and encourage the Internet Explorer v6 users to upgrade. If something comes to me in the middle of the night, I will get out of bed and work on the site some more. Thanks everyone.]