I'm Really Bad With Titles...

I'm also really bad at starting out my blogs...but hey look!! I seem to have gotten one started!

Before I go and get all talky and drive most of you away...I managed to find time to complete my bandcamp site. Bandcamp is very nice and simple. All digital downloads with links to buy a physical copy from CD baby if you're so inclined to do so.

Ok...on with the show....


I've been pretty busy the last few weeks, mostly with that whole being a father and having a job kind of thing. It's been four and half months since Octavius was born and it's true...this time goes by way too fast. He has changed so much in such a short time. But I won't bore you with my views on fatherhood.



But I will post some pics:



Octavius three days old on his last day at the hospital:




Octavius a few days ago:



So...how do I find time to practice? A chore for music types who also happen to be parents to be sure. Well, I've set aside one day a week for myself, with about an hour or two to work in. It's not much and the writing process has been slowed down somewhat but, I've gotten enough material for another project, so I'm ok with the current state of things...

I've also started to use that time to practice with drummer Dave Kontak. I've known Dave for a few years and used to play in a death/black metal band with him called Into Nothing. The first track on his myspace called Into Nothing is a track I produced and played on oh so many years ago. He's a great drummer with a lot of good things ahead of him.


SO yeah...I've decided the next CD will not only be solo bass. You must be asking, "but Steven, you've been pushing this solo bass thing for quite some time now...a drummer you say?" Yes. The truth is, I'll still do a majority of solo shows , but I also would like to have a drummer to bounce things off of...like rocks and other trajectory type objects. I also would like to groove. The loop can be restricting in some cases, and the more complex the device and the more intrusive the technology, the less I can actually enjoy what I'm doing without worrying about the loop crashing and burning. I'm a scatterbrained type of Joe...So the more buttons I have to click the easier it is for me to be confoosed.

Not to fear though...I already know the third will be a solo disk again, as I've already got the idea for that one. But I digress...

And in other news... for those who missed it and might find it as neat as I did, No Treble: The site for Bass Players featured my video of Concluding Remarks a few weeks back. They had some pretty nice things to say too. CLICK HERE to see the video. A Big Thanks to them!


So how about a few highlights from the basement?

Dave Kontak on drums and me soloing too much:



Dave Kontak on Drums again while I beat up on my bass and look at my loop station like WTF?:





That's about it for now...I think. I've been watching "Crimewave" while doing this so I'm sure I left something out. Check out the youtoobyness of a "Crimewave scene!

When Moshing had an Anthem...Plus...More Bass Stuff! Well at least bass themed....anyway.

So yeah... The Bass Blast is tomorrow. I'll post pics and whatnots and things after it's all said and done.

I'm on twitter...you can read all the riveting things I have to say from my twitter feed over there on the right. That would be that'a way ----->

Anyhow, After youtubing my way through memory lane looking for "Old Skool" metal to point to for #musicmonday...(you've got to have the hash mark or you fail, It's all about the hash marks apparently) I came across this:

Testament- Souls of Black. Can't embed it but here be a link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqiTNHJVp9E

Which lead to this: Exodus - The Toxic Waltz




Then This: Megadeth - Peace Sells



Which then led to many, many other things...some of which were rather embarrassing and perhaps a blog about the embarrassing music I listened to is in order...at least for penance...a sort of public flogging for all of the horrible music I used to listen to...except for these songs... they rock. \m/ <--- That's so freakin' metal! Grrr!

What's my point? Well, ignoring Exodus....Souls of Black and Peace Sells were two songs I just had to learn when I was a yute. Exodus is with us today simply to remind us how to mosh.

Are they truly "Old Skool?" That's up for debate...It is a touch disconcerting to hear 80's music on the oldies station....perhaps it is "Old Skool."

Anyhow...All this was inspired by some twitter discussions and I thought I'd go ahead and blog about it. (I would include the discussion but I've no idear how to do that.) There are more bass centric old skool metal songs out there to be sure....Some more have already come to mind. But in the interest of attempting to make this blog an interactive experience...does anyone who just might be reading have any songs and experiences to contribute to the list?

R.I.P. Darwin...

Today is a sad day...Darwin my tree frog...died. He was a good tree frog and ate many crickets in his day. He lived a long life and well...contributed many frog noises to the household. No signs of illness...he just...croaked.

He was partially responsible for my contribution to The Chain Tape Collective project "Bugs." I recorded the crickets he later ate and warped the sounds into a track which is included as a free download from The Chain Tape Collective.

Let's remember Darwin in all his cricket eating glory, by listening to Martyrs and Saints

Oddly I have no pictures of him, so this will have to do.

Darwin looked just like this, and was just as big:


Thanks for the croaks good buddy...