Would you please stop talking

Ernst Hayim aka "Dilettante" and "Would you Please Stop Talking?" is a song-writer who invests considerable energy in layered lyricism. A rhythmic self-taught guitar player, Ernst also plays the harmonica, keyboards and Appalachian dulcimer.

Ernst is also a writer and a teacher. He happens to have graduate degrees in Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, and Economics (in progress).

I bought my first guitar in 2001, it was a Johnson Acoustic that served as an excellent ornament for the dirtiest corner in my living room. Finally, after months of gazing at the beautiful finish, I took it to Colorado in the boot of a rental car in case I was inspired. As anticipated, that trip proved fatal for the guitar. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened to my musical aspirations (well okay, not quite the best, watching "Don't look back" was far more significant).

I've been writing since I was 10, some garbage, the occasional work of significance and lots of repetitive tripe. As an overqualified 28 year old in the midst of an ever-dwindling job market, I have plenty of angst, which often motivates me to write. Since I only write when I'm angsty, you might get the impression I'm a pretty morose guy. That isn't entirely true. I have good days too. You just don't hear from me on them.

Not currently. I'm far too lazy to haul my ass out in the cold to play 2 song sets after waiting for over 2 hours. I'm an amateur.

Special moments include singing half a set with Scott Sebastian and Todd Courson in a smoky old bar filled with has-beens out in the middle of Nowhere, Iowa.

Bob Dylan (the 1960's young, virile, irreverent version, not the still-in-existence human version), Pink Floyd, The Doors, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Beth Orton, Interpol, Explosions in the sky, Soundgarden, The Shins, Ben Harper, Radiohead, The Strokes, Joe Henry, Califone, Me'shell Ndegeocello, the Eels, Neutral Milk Hotel, Essex Green, Ladybug Transistor, the Velvet Underground, Ani diFranco, Michael Sheehy, Tom Waits (did anyone see that terrible movie, "Wristcutters"? WTF was Waits doing in that trainwreck), Bob Marley, the Editors, Don Henley, Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel (yes, that terrorist's old band), Guns and roses (for having the balls to er, put their balls out there), Lisa Gerard, Daniel Johnston (for allaying my fears about shitty recording standing in the way of strong songwriting), Janis Joplin, the Beatles, Oasis, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (try singing his melodies if you want to feel inadequate), The Kinks, Tindersticks, Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Neil Young, The Who, Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits, Red House Painters (it is indeed possible for beauty to come from wallowing in self-pity), Califone, Mark Lanegan, Belle and Sebastian, Iron and Wine, Porcupine Tree, Marillion, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant , Prince, Eddie Vedder , T Bone Burnett (who has had a significant influence on my production tastes), Adam Kaspar, Brendan O'Brien, Eric Clapton, The Black Keys, Jimi Hendrix, Counting Crows, The Black Crowes, Soundgarden, Mos Def, Tupac Shakur, Wes Anderson

... and countless others that don't come to mind right now.

Takamine EAN40c

Vinci Acoustic guitar

Piedmont Blues Harmonicas

Appalachian Dulcimer of unknown origin

Samson G-Track USB Condenser microphone

Audio-Technica at4047 Condense microphone

Squier'51 electric through a

digitech RP150 effects pedal

TubeMP studio

Acid Pro

SoundForge

Sampleswap.org

If you're religious (or a neo-conservative TeaBagger), you might be offended by some of my lyrics.