Monday, November 30, 2009

...and then there was one.

The mad rush that was this past month of recording sessions, rehearsals, finalizing details and whatnot is over. Now I can focus on finishing the tracking/recording of the new expunk disc which will need to be ready by Dec. 18th for the show at Jukes with HTAFM, Charles The Osprey, and Chugger. Just saw the article in Music Revue on expunk and it looks good. Very happy with how the article and my *gasp* camera phone/photoshop group picture turned out. No choice there, so just chalk it up to a time crunch. Should be a fantastic show and the album is very close to being complete. Some minor adjustments and a final guitar track and the last song to be mixed will be complete. Here's to hard work and accomplishments. Perhaps after the Christmas season I may just go into hiding for a couple of days. Nevermind, I can't. I'll be making sure to relax as much as possible though when time permits. I want to save all of these recordings/pictures/articles for a day when I can show them to little ones and say "See? This old man may be a sore for site eyes, but he tried to do something with the time he had." In third person just like that.

Chance Jones, Ghost Heart, Trophy @ intersection

The album release show went amazingly well. Got the vinyl just 12 hours prior to the doors opening for the show. Attendance was close to 400 and so many of my favorite people were there having a great time. I felt I played well for both the Trophy and Chance Jones set. Listened to a recording that Steve from Trophy had captured via his microtrack set back at the FOH sound booth and it sounds great! All of the vocal harmonies came through fantastically which is what we were very focused on. Ghost Heart put on a performance that I think blew a lot of peoples hair back. It was solid and translated well to the crowd with excellent response. I had a near-illegal amount of fun that night. It far exceeded even my best expectations and I got to see myself on vinyl that I performed on/recorded for the first time in my life. You can't buy that kind of fullfillment. Rock.

Friday, November 27, 2009

...and the show is tonight...

Chance Jones, Ghost Heart and Trophy are playing the Intersection in just a few hours and I am impatient. Really hoping for a big turnout and am really excited to see so many great friends as well. I'm afraid I will be overwhelmed by the amount of people I need to say hi to and share a drink with! This show is going to be out of control fun... chomping at the bit...

Thursday, November 19, 2009

A lot of great things going on...

I don't even know where to start. I've been playing in a few various bands throughout the past 8 or so years and this seems to be the most exciting time for me in terms of accomplishments as well as networking with so many fantastic musicians on a daily basis. I've played in bands starting on guitar and moved on to playing mainly drums now as well as recording any other various instument I can get my hands on. I'd like to think of it as jack of all trades master of none. Bands I have played in/currently play in are as follows: Joyride, Trophy, Expunk, Heavier Than Air Flying Machines and Chance Jones. I have also done a slew of side projects that include Slamm Dunk, Sonic Thrust, and most recently a hard rock group consisting only of myself on all instruments called Battle Tested War Elephants. Currently, I am active with Chance Jones, Expunk and Heavier Than Air Flying Machines. I am recording an album for Expunk as well as a 4 song demo for a local group/friends Ghost Heart. Within a month and a half I am to complete 2 cds, play 4 shows, have 3 band practices a week, work a full time job, hang out with my wonderful girlfriend, make time for my cat Ted From Accounting, and attempt to maintain a healthy social life. Two of those shows are album release parties. This upcoming Saturday will be a fun show with HTAFM in which I play drums. Upbeat noisy riffy junky rock kind of thing. Then it's doing some more mixing in a session with Ghost Heart Sun. afternoon and playing a benefit show with Chance Jones at Billy's lounge from 5-6 with practice with them directly afterward. Next week Friday brings the album release show at the Intersection for Chance Jones' 'The Incident at Primrose and West.' It will be available on vinyl with download code or CD. This is the first time I have ever played on/helped record an actual vinyl record. I can't wait to get it in my hands. I will be pulling double duty for that show as the opening acts are Trophy and Ghost Heart. I will be playing drums and bass in Trophy and drums in Chance Jones. I HAVE to have the Ghost Heart demo completed a couple of days prior to that show so they have something to hand out as they have no recorded music available thus far and people DEFINITELY need to hear what these guys can do. Amazing music indeed. After that, continued focus is again on completing the mixing for Expunk's 'Time As Faust' album. The album release show is Dec. 18th and I will be pulling double duty at this one as well. Supporting acts are Charles The Osprey, Chugger, and Heavier Than Air Flying Machines. Drums in HTAFM and guitar in Expunk. What a great show that will be. Theres another show around then I think, but I'll work on finding out that info when I can. Last night I was approached by Adam about recording on a compilation of various types of music by bringing in my own song and having a few very talented musicians/engineers assist me in making the best out of it that I can. This will be down at The White Lodge Recording studios. I know all of the guys there and this will be a fucking riot for sure. They do great work down there. There's a lot more going on but I'm not sure as if I care to type anymore right now. Life is good.