...And Mods For All

Couldn't help the 1989 Metallica reference for the title of this post. Those things happen. In any case, I once again have gotten very hyped about some modifications I wish to do to my Made in Mexico(MIM for the forum lingo enabled) Fender Stratocaster guitar. I have in the past done a few things to beef the ol' axe up including the following:

1. Replacement of stock tuners with Sperzel Locking Tuners
2. Replacement of stock nut with LSR Roller Nut
3. Replacement of stock bridge sections with graphite bridge sections
4. Replacement of bridge position pickup with Blue Lace Sensor pickup
5. Replacement of middle position pickup with Gold Lace Sensor pickup

Next up is working on the primary tone of the guitar as a whole. This involves several very simple modifications that, with a few basic materials being handy, can be done at no cost whatsoever. Others not. First is removing the plastic plate from the back that covers the tremolo springs. Done. Next is:

1. Removing the neck to assure it is wood to wood contact on the heel of the neck as well as the neck cavity on the body. Sand off any paint, stickers, etc.
2. Removing the bridge piece and sanding off the paint underneath that for a nice clean connection to the wood. (I found this great article about all of this and it said that Eric Johnson has this done to all of his Strats. Interesting.)
3. Purchasing higher grade wiring cable for under the pickguard and replacing the cheaper stock stuff.
4. Purchasing adhesive copper shielding tape to install on the back of the pickguard and electronic cavity then running a ground wire to it.
5. Purchasing a 3 pin 4 amp toggle switch and wiring it appropriately to the neck pickup and 5-way selector as well as drilling a hole in the pickguard for said switch. This will make it possible to use the bridge and neck pickups at the same time as well as all 3 pickups at the same time if desired.
6. More down the road, I would also like to install an onboard effects pcb under the pickguard for fun. I found a site that builds compact electronics specifically for this application.
7. There are numerous other replacement components and things to do as well, but I already have a lot to focus on. Here's to hoping I get my ass in gear...

The End and The Beginning '09-'10

The Expunk album has been all wrapped up and the show went really well. Had a good set with HTAFM to open the night and enjoyed a great night of entertainment in general. Gave out approx. 48 Expunk albums throughout the night, so you can't go wrong there. There's a lot of great things planned so far for this upcoming year as well. I went out to the Meanwhile to have a few drinks after CJ practice with Josh and Mike last night and we were joined by Melissa a little later as well as a few other friends. We went over some things coming up, shared several laughing fits and had an all around great time. I guess I will be playing around in all three current bands I am involved in within the first month of the 10! I'm very excited about the bands that we get to play with as well. This town has a great collection of musicians and I find myself fortunate to be able to share the stage with them. Also, I have found out that we have a confirmed show in Chicago on April 10th which is my dirty 30 birthday. This is going to be one helluva time. I get to see Chicago friends, and hopefully family from Milwaukee as well! I threw together a list off the top of my head of shows going on in 2010. Also awaiting a nominations listing for the Jammie awards coming up in February. Looks like fun...

Jan. 9 - Expunk @ Mulligans w/ Fainting Generals & Lazy Genius

Jan. 13 - HTAFM @ Mulligans w/Ghost Heart & ?

Jan. 14 - Chance Jones @ Founders with AB & Coconut Brown

Feb. 16th - Chance Jones @ The Intersection for WYCE Jammies XI

Apr. 9 - Chance Jones (TO BE CONFIRMED KZOO SHOW)

Apr. 10 - Chance Jones @ Red Line Tap Chicago

Apr. 29 - Chance Jones @ Billys with AB & Coconut Brown

June 19 - Chance Jones @ Founders Fest

Upcoming things in the key of radical...

Dutch Pink

AB and Coconut Brown

A couple of things. Namely shows. Coming up on Dec. 18th is the expunk show for the album release which I am extremely excited about. Charles The Osprey, Heavier Than Air Flying Machines and Chugger will round out an immensly fun evening. Plus, it will mark only the second actual live performance by expunk in the current lineup. Looks as though Chance Jones is to be playing a show this Sat. at Mulligans. Very smoky small but great venue for fun factor. CJ will be sharing the stage with Dutch Pink, a band we were fortunate to play a show over a year ago from Detroit. Great energetic musicians with engaging songs. It also doesn't hurt that they're all stand up gents.

Also, check them out at http://www.myspace.com/withagainst
Next, through an email from the boss man Chance, it has been confirmed that Jan. 14th at Founders will feature Chance Jones and AB and Coconut Brown. We played a benefit a couple of weeks ago and when AB went on after us, my body couldn't stop moving. Holy shit these guys are legit. Authentic hip hop that forces a thorough ass shakin'. Live horns, bass, guitar, kickin' drums, programmer/dj, and rhymes being spit faster and more fluid than you can handle. Here's a little of them playing at the Intersection:

You can also check them at http://www.myspace.com/abandcoconutbrown
Exciting times as the Chance Jones album is out there for the pushing and we turn our heads to blowing it up outside of Grand Rapids as well. Until then, it's day by day, show by show. Whack 'em n' stack 'em.

...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.

...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...

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.