Yes, Pristine is alive! I’m glad to finally be back after my very extended break. I’m continually grateful for your continued support and readership, which makes this job such a fun one. Housekeeping on this site needs to be done (with the ads, etc), so bear with me for the time being.

In other news, Josh has just performed in last night’s Emmy Awards, singing a medley of TV theme songs. Did you know that Josh studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University? His actor side really shines through in his performance.

I’m also quite psyched that Mad Men, one of my favourite TV dramas, has taken out the Best Drama Series award. As you might know, one of its lead actresses, January Jones, used to date Josh. The Groban history aside, January is stunning as Betty Draper. She plays her role with great restraint and carries off her costumes perfectly.

Hi my dear Grobies!

Just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know what’s going on. I hate falling behind in my updates, but I’ve been overwhelmed recently: stories to write, books to read, places to go. I’ve got drafts sitting here ready to be posted but I’ve also got plans for this website. It’s not so much a makeover, than a new voice for GrobanWire.com. As well as bringing you Josh updates, I’d like to share some of my thoughts on his new blog, etc. Another possibility I’m quite excited about is deconstructing some of Josh’s songs, such as Starry, Starry Night (a personal favourite).

In addition, I’m bringing an increased focus on fans such as yourself and other musicians. So send me your stories (and photos, if you like). Readers are always sharing with me stories of how Josh has touched their lives in different ways. I’m not Josh Groban, but I can certainly try to get your stories heard, especially now that he has a blog of his own.

As a writer myself, I try to support artists around the world. That includes indie musicians. Several musicians, who count Josh as one of their influences, have written to me before. It would be a great honour to help them get their music out. If you’re a musician, tell me a little bit about yourself, how Josh has influenced your sound, perhaps a music sample for readers to check out, a photo and a link to your own website.

Some people have also suggested opening up comments. I was reluctant to do that before as I wasn’t sure if there would be much traffic in terms of comments. However, I’m happy to give it a try. So, while you won’t see any updates for a while, rest assured that I’ll be working to continually improve this site.

As always, you can reach me at pristine@grobanwire.com.

Josh’s dog, Sweeney, named after the eponymous character of the musical Sweeney Todd, has long been a mascot for diehard Groban fans. DogChannel.com reports that the Wheatan terrier regularly goes on tour with Josh, who says:

The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco takes the cake. They had two bowls of treats ready and a giant dog bed. Sweeney jumped on it and was like, “Mine!” They had a gourmet dog menu with fresh chicken and rice dishes. I thought, “Am I really going to pay $30 for room service for my dog?” Then I said, “You know what? It’s not like a cat with nine lives.” So yes, he was spoiled.

A celelebrity gossip column recently asked Josh, “What’s the most unusual place you’ve ever picked up a girl?”

Josh’s response:

At the top of the London Eye, you know that Ferris wheel thing? I happened to be sharing a pod with a really beautiful girl, and it actually ended up being a very romantic kind of place.

I’m so excited to share some news with you! Angela, who runs Wentworth Miller 101, one of my oldest affiliates, has awarded GrobanWire.com her Site of the Month award. I’m really honoured to have my site recognised by a site as great as Angela’s. So, thank you to Angela and you, loyal reader, for supporting my site over the past few years. Even when I sometimes lose motivation, your enthusiasm for Josh Groban and his music keeps me going!