A little self-indulgence about one of my bands
So my main band is really getting things fired up again and I am pretty excited about it all. I just moved (again) and am now all settled in and can devote more time to playing music again…original music. Sure I love doing my Motorhead tribute band but there’s nothing better for me than to be a part of an original band.
The main project that I have been a part of for almost 3 years now (*gasp* has it really been 3 years?) is with a phenomenal guitarist named Doug Morrison. Doug was one of those LA guys his whole life until moving to Austin, Texas right around the same time I did a little over 3 years ago. I think we both arrived here within a few weeks of each other. Doug’s background includes playing in Neil Turbin’s post-Anthrax band in the mid 80s which also included Dave McClain from SA Slayer and Machinehead. There are a few good big hair shots of him on Neil’s page. Doug was a graduate of GIT in LA and graduated with Paul Gilbert and taught there with him around the same time.
We’re an instrumental 3-piece and I would say the best comparisons to the music are to Eric Johnson, Steve Vai with flashes of Allan Holdsworth and Akira Takasaki (in our heavier moments).
So if you’re into instrumental guitar rock, shred etc, check out the stuff @ our Myspace page.
We finally secured a great drummer and will be playing out again hopefully by the end of this month. Our last gig was over a year ago and it’s about time again. Auditioning drummers was a bitch. What a bunch of monkeys. I was a drummer for most of my musical life and damn if I would have ever shown up to an audition as unprepared (or untalented) as many of these guys did. What was great was the lashbacks we would get when Doug would let them know they wouldn’t get a 2nd audition or accepted into the band. Hilarious stuff.
We’re finally getting the album done as well. Drum tracks have been completed for over a year and Doug is finally laying down guitar tracks. My bass stuff should follow soon for the tracks that I am to appear on.
Metalhead Turns 40
When I was 10 I had some sort of vision, dream, sighting, whatever, that I would be dead by 40. It stuck in my head all these years. Since that 
year, I was never one to want to celebrate my birthday. One reason is because of the silly fanfare that comes with such things. I mean really, it is just another day. While I don’t celebrate, I always call my mom and thank her for having me.
I don’t mind celebrating other people’s birthdays. If they feel the need to make an event for it, I’m in. We humans are social creatures after all. This year I decided to throw myself a 40th birthday party. To be truthful I’m uncomfortable about the whole thing. I think it’s a bit narcissistic. I probably am to some degree anyway.
But to be honest, I really never did think I’d make it to 40. Well, it’s still 3 days away so there’s still time to not make it. If for some oddball reason I didn’t make it to forty, at least I’d die with no regrets. I’ve lived a pretty good life. Accomplished almost everything I ever wanted to. Lived and loved. It’s been a good run.
If I make it to Saturday (2/27), then I’ll have to come up with a new game plan. Especially with my 30s being a pretty incredible decade, the best one so far. I’ve always lived as if this day or week is my last. No matter what some silly vision I had 30 years says, today just could be the one. We have little control over that.
In the end, happy birthday to me. It’s been nice knowing you.
UP THE IRONS.
HAMMERON – Nothin’ To Do But Rock
Here’s one that I don’t really have any connection to but up until this week has been sitting in my collection for a few 
years. Hammeron hailed from Chicago and the singer, Brian Troch, sang on the first 2 releases by Cyclone Temple. Apparently he did a stint in Znowhite as well, who of course became Cyclone Temple, so the math works, eh?
This is not a great album by any stretch of the imagination but if you liked that dude’s voice on the CT stuff, you’ll dig this probably. Straight up US metal.
When I saw Cyclone Temple in 1994(?), he was already out of the band. Didn’t matter. They were awesome live.
This never came out officially but I picked it up from Europe as a bootleg on CD.
Maybe you’ll get a replacement, there’s plenty like me to be found…
Today I am ecstatic. I just learned that Elton John is coming to Austin @ The Frank Erwin Center on April 10, 2010. Tickets are $45-$125, 
which is pretty cheap all things considered. I’m definitely going. Sure, it’s a greatest hits tour, but many of those hits came from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road which has been a lifelong favorite of mine and I’m sure to hear several from that record. Like seeing Iron Maiden the first time, I’m sure this will be a memorable show.
As I have stated before, my older brother Robert was a big influence on me musically when I was a kid. he got me into KISS, Alice Cooper, RUSH, Judas Priest, Uriah Heep and yes, Elton John. Similar to what I wrote about in the Alice Cooper blog a while back, this album takes me back to far simpler times. Either living in Camelot (yes, that was the name of our neighborhood) or on the farm, this album was listened to a lot by my brother and me. It always takes me back to those good times. It still amazes me how music can connect like that. Even siting here just thinking about the intro to Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding I have goosebumps and am even getting a little choked up. How un-metal of me! But facts are facts. Music gets me emotional…or rather I get myself emotional to music. However one wants to look at it.
His collaborations with Bernie Taupin have been phenomenal. On top of that, Elton is a great performer. Flamboyant, funny, talented.
Seeing Elton live will close my concert circle a little more…you know…that list of bands that you always wanted to see but never got to. Elton is one of them. What’s even nicer is that I’ll be able to walk to the show…5 blocks!
Selling part of my CD collection
I’ve been waffling on this idea for a few years now but have taken the decision to sell about half of my CDs, 700 or so. While I like everything in my collection, so little of it gets listened to regularly so I will digitize and sell them off.
Certain things will stay like Iron Maiden, original pressings of Fates Warning’s Arch era. Tons to let go though.
It’ll be interesting to see what stays and what goes…what I can and can’t live without.
The Metal Files 
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