Drums and bass are DONE! Finished about 4:00pm MT and then hit Buckies. Incredible work by Brutha T., Kim and Anna. This whole CD is way more organic than the last one in that we’re throwing alot of arrangements together on the fly. We’ve gotten into a melting pot flow that sees us speaking a combo of Italian-inflected, Filipino-accented English with a side of French, Gaelic, Danish and frantically hilarious sign language. We’re talking about doing the next CD in Scotland (which is a plan Jag & Salem have had for quite a while now) and Kim wants to record one in the Philippines, so that takes care of the next two. (It’s a healthy sign when you’re in one album to be looking forward to future ones.) Ale has editing to do and we’ll dig into guitars in a couple of days.
Quotes:
“STARBUCKS??!?!?!” Ale
“...no really?!?! There’s Starbucks near here?!?!?” Ale
“Hurry up Todd!! Starbucks man!” Ale
“Tim Hortons.” Kim
“I even surprised myself!” Jag
“You all look so good. Must be the Canadian air.” Ale (He’ll say ANYTHING to get a Starbucks coffee....)
“But! Have you ever seen him NAKED?!?!” Ale
“That’s the stupidest question I’ve ever heard.” Salem
“Who fed Shanti broccoli?” Todd
"Masarap!" Kim
Reply
Ok, it’s not quite tomorrow but who’d know? WHAT a day. Sometimes you crawl uphill both ways. Lots to work and re-work on Laughin’ All The Way To Heaven, a tribute to Sensei Hughes. Took us forever. Todd rocked so hard when he’d came in exhausted to start with. These are drum tracks we’re laying right now, in woodshed format. And he sweated hard doing the Gods of Rock proud. We’re tracking bass at the same time; Kim works very fast and efficiently. Speaking of bass, Anna Portalupi, European rock female bassist extraordinaire laid tracks for her guest song today. Won’t tell you the name since it’s a mystery cover tune that’ll be a bonus track. It was a cool change of pace for everyone. Anna’s a fireball.
Quotes:
“Todd. I can dish it out but I can’t take it.” Ale
“Sorry! Was I sleeping? Do it again.” Ale
“Again?!” Everyone
“That’ll be the guitar solo.” Jag to Kim
“Congratulations man.” Kim to Jag
“Thank YOU.” Anna
“I’m going to sleep.” Everyone
Reply
Woodshedding. Ale & Anna arrived early evening Monday and we started with an 8:00am Tuesday breakfast meeting. Actually we started the minute we stepped in the door Monday. The living quarters of the studio are now a studio. The front entry way is studio. The hallway is studio. There is only Studio. All is Studio. (Except the kitchen!!! Remember this is 1ST and food is sacred business...:)) With a few technicalities we didn't start to really roll until about 4:00pm. Lots of starts and stops and sending two of our favourite runners (K & SP) out for a myriad of things. Jag finally bought a new Marshall. Of course. Dude coulda saved us HOURS if he would've done that a long time ago.....Laid more than one drum and bass track so even though we started late, we finished ahead. Sounds like a 1ST record. :) Finally shut down before we had any bylaw issues and to give Todd, our Warrior Drummer a rest. That’s alot of physical work for so many hours and as always he brings it all. Anna and Ale are graciously putting up with all attempts to speak their gorgeous language and Anna’s English blows our Italiano right out of the water.
Quotes:
“The ducks swimming in the pond are quite brotherly....” us to Anna (We were trying to say, “Welcome to Canada Sister. We hope you enjoy your stay.”)
“Where’s my sporran?!?! And no. I will NOT touch the chicken!” Todd
“I think I’ll sleep out here with my new Marshall.” Jag
“Please. Who ARE you poossees?” Ale
“Se ne vada Maestro Pericoloso.” Salem
“???....Non posso credere que questo.” Anna
“Batman.” Kim
Right now it's 6:00am of Day 2. See you around midnight....
Reply
Well the rehearsals are coming down to the wire! We go into hard woodshedding for the first two days Ale's here and then it's drums, bass, gutars, vox, mountians. That's ALWAYS how we make a 1ST record. :)) Thanks a bunch for all of the kind emails so many of you are sending about so many silly things. ;)
Reply
Heads up everyone...we've pulled out of July 24's Hog Wild Party. It's a LOOOOONG crazy story- with crazy being the operable word believe us!- but to start with here's a copy of the email that went out this morning...
Hey Rockers,
We're sad to tell you that we've had to pull out of the July 24 (tomorrow's) Hog Wild Party for The Fallen Soldiers Memorial Benefit. It's a very VERY long (and bizarre) story but short version is it became apparent that the show was falling apart to the point that there there was a question about whether there would even be a safe stage to perform on and finally, even by 11th hour, the flights weren't booked for headliners Bernie Marsden and Alessandro Del Vecchio! (If you recall we were to be Bernie and Ale's band for the night in addition to doing a 1ST show.) Well, they woke up in Europe this morning and found they couldn't even get on a plane! And they wanted to. We ALL wanted to do this show for you and the troops. In fact Bernie called Salem and expressed his strong desire to come here and rock for Canada again.
The show is still on as far as we know but for anyone who was going just to see us or Bernie Marsden and Ale Del Vecchio, and wants a refund here's one link with ticket refund information:
http://www.celebrationoflifebotanicalgardens.com/index.php/replacing-your-commonwealth-tickets
If you purchased your tickets through Eventbrite, we understand you need to get your refund from them: http://rideforourtroopshogwildparty.eventbrite.com/?ref=elink
Please accept our apologies for this fiasco and inconvenience and if you still go to Hog Wild, have all kinds of fun!
We'll be rocking live for you soon. We promise!
Reply
Weeeeeeel....we were confirmed to be the warm-up act for Bernie Marsden-Whitesnake who is headlining the show we're doing July 24. AND we've been invited to be in HIS band for the evening, to play his show as well as ours!!! This is just such a privledge that they are no words...but wait...it gets better....
Janis Joplin's band Big Brother and The Holding Company are playing a sold out show in Edmonton the same night and Salem has been invited to sing a song with them too!!! Can you say "Livin' A Lifetime in One Night"?!?!?! It's not absolutely official since Big Bro and Salem have to meet that day and see how their chemistry is- musicians are organic people (especially the 60's San Francisco ones :))- but rumour is this is likely a green light. Won't there be some cool rock in Edmonton that night?
After that show we settle into more rehearsals for the new CD. ALe & Anna are coming to Canada to holiday in Aug. and then he'll distance produce us from Europe in the fall. We all figure we need some time off so we're taking some time in the mountains together.
Stay tuned Rockers....
Reply
...only crazier. Hard to believe eh? Last year we were prepping to work w/Ale and Glenn. This year we're prepping for a new CD, releasing an "old" CD (called "1st" and it's out anyday now) getting the promo in Europe for "1ST", and needing to have our set together for the show at Commonwealth Stadium in July. It's May 24 and we still have almost half the songs to finish arranging and demoing by May 31. Today Salem lays vox on 2 demo tracks and we get a pile of promo kits out to Riccardo in Europe for the Euro campaign.Just buying the ink for the printer can put a person in the poorhouse these days, not to mention Canada Post costs. And it seems they offer LONGER delivery times. So par for the course in the 21st Century- you pay more and receive less.?!?! Deep breath now...the truth lies in the challenge.
The new material is more political and more hopeful all at the same time. It's harder rock, some of it faster and of course there's a blues ballad. What is rock without blues?
Reply
Ya...where ARE we at? We just got booked for a really worthy concert at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Canada for The Fallen Soldiers Memorial. The video is filmed- now we wait for Mark to edit it. "1ST" (the first CD) is in the process of duplication. Salem has the second CD written though not yet completely arranged. Ale will be pulling the gloves off for that one. He and Salem are having secret emails about both of their visions for it. One thing for sure, we need to take everything to the next level since that's one of the things recording is all about.
Reply
Ok. We've just finished the graphics for 1ST (that's our acronym but it's also the title of the new CD if you're just jumpin' in). Ya, we're FA-OOOOOLS who did that ourselves. We now have a whole new respect for GA's. Jee-ZUZ!!!! not too much blood was shed....Salem did an interview with DJPJ www.radiougly.com It'll air on Apr. 14 around 12:30noon PT & podcast after that. We're about to start work with Euro publicist Riccardo Canato for 1ST. Looks like we film more footage for the video of Free Will May 1 & 2. Likely will finish it then and there. Kim is in TO talking to Universal so when he returns it will be a study in economics & theory of knowledge to see what a major's take on us is. Rock Deep!!!!!!!
Reply
Euro deals in the works....let's envision a positive outcome for all parties!! Yesterday Ale went ballistic. We think he's overworked. Salem now calls him Maestro Crazy Horse... speaking of her, she's pumpimg out the tunes. She's like a hit machine. Someone should give her a big phat publishing deal...
Reply
One Soul Thrust / Blog
Buckies Baby!!!
Drums and bass are DONE! Finished about 4:00pm MT and then hit Buckies. Incredible work by Brutha T., Kim and Anna. This whole CD is way more organic than the last one in that we’re throwing alot of arrangements together on the fly. We’ve gotten into a melting pot flow that sees us speaking a combo of Italian-inflected, Filipino-accented English with a side of French, Gaelic, Danish and frantically hilarious sign language. We’re talking about doing the next CD in Scotland (which is a plan Jag & Salem have had for quite a while now) and Kim wants to record one in the Philippines, so that takes care of the next two. (It’s a healthy sign when you’re in one album to be looking forward to future ones.) Ale has editing to do and we’ll dig into guitars in a couple of days. Quotes: “STARBUCKS??!?!?!” Ale “...no really?!?! There’s Starbucks near here?!?!?” Ale “Hurry up Todd!! Starbucks man!” Ale “Tim Hortons.” Kim “I even surprised myself!” Jag “You all look so good. Must be the Canadian air.” Ale (He’ll say ANYTHING to get a Starbucks coffee....) “But! Have you ever seen him NAKED?!?!” Ale “That’s the stupidest question I’ve ever heard.” Salem “Who fed Shanti broccoli?” Todd "Masarap!" Kim
Reply
Loadin' 16 Tonnes
Ok, it’s not quite tomorrow but who’d know? WHAT a day. Sometimes you crawl uphill both ways. Lots to work and re-work on Laughin’ All The Way To Heaven, a tribute to Sensei Hughes. Took us forever. Todd rocked so hard when he’d came in exhausted to start with. These are drum tracks we’re laying right now, in woodshed format. And he sweated hard doing the Gods of Rock proud. We’re tracking bass at the same time; Kim works very fast and efficiently. Speaking of bass, Anna Portalupi, European rock female bassist extraordinaire laid tracks for her guest song today. Won’t tell you the name since it’s a mystery cover tune that’ll be a bonus track. It was a cool change of pace for everyone. Anna’s a fireball. Quotes: “Todd. I can dish it out but I can’t take it.” Ale “Sorry! Was I sleeping? Do it again.” Ale “Again?!” Everyone “That’ll be the guitar solo.” Jag to Kim “Congratulations man.” Kim to Jag “Thank YOU.” Anna “I’m going to sleep.” Everyone
Reply
\m/ The Family Is Together
Woodshedding. Ale & Anna arrived early evening Monday and we started with an 8:00am Tuesday breakfast meeting. Actually we started the minute we stepped in the door Monday. The living quarters of the studio are now a studio. The front entry way is studio. The hallway is studio. There is only Studio. All is Studio. (Except the kitchen!!! Remember this is 1ST and food is sacred business...:)) With a few technicalities we didn't start to really roll until about 4:00pm. Lots of starts and stops and sending two of our favourite runners (K & SP) out for a myriad of things. Jag finally bought a new Marshall. Of course. Dude coulda saved us HOURS if he would've done that a long time ago.....Laid more than one drum and bass track so even though we started late, we finished ahead. Sounds like a 1ST record. :) Finally shut down before we had any bylaw issues and to give Todd, our Warrior Drummer a rest. That’s alot of physical work for so many hours and as always he brings it all. Anna and Ale are graciously putting up with all attempts to speak their gorgeous language and Anna’s English blows our Italiano right out of the water. Quotes: “The ducks swimming in the pond are quite brotherly....” us to Anna (We were trying to say, “Welcome to Canada Sister. We hope you enjoy your stay.”) “Where’s my sporran?!?! And no. I will NOT touch the chicken!” Todd “I think I’ll sleep out here with my new Marshall.” Jag “Please. Who ARE you poossees?” Ale “Se ne vada Maestro Pericoloso.” Salem “???....Non posso credere que questo.” Anna “Batman.” Kim Right now it's 6:00am of Day 2. See you around midnight....
Reply
Prepping for the CD
Well the rehearsals are coming down to the wire! We go into hard woodshedding for the first two days Ale's here and then it's drums, bass, gutars, vox, mountians. That's ALWAYS how we make a 1ST record. :)) Thanks a bunch for all of the kind emails so many of you are sending about so many silly things. ;)
Reply
What Happened July 24
Heads up everyone...we've pulled out of July 24's Hog Wild Party. It's a LOOOOONG crazy story- with crazy being the operable word believe us!- but to start with here's a copy of the email that went out this morning... Hey Rockers, We're sad to tell you that we've had to pull out of the July 24 (tomorrow's) Hog Wild Party for The Fallen Soldiers Memorial Benefit. It's a very VERY long (and bizarre) story but short version is it became apparent that the show was falling apart to the point that there there was a question about whether there would even be a safe stage to perform on and finally, even by 11th hour, the flights weren't booked for headliners Bernie Marsden and Alessandro Del Vecchio! (If you recall we were to be Bernie and Ale's band for the night in addition to doing a 1ST show.) Well, they woke up in Europe this morning and found they couldn't even get on a plane! And they wanted to. We ALL wanted to do this show for you and the troops. In fact Bernie called Salem and expressed his strong desire to come here and rock for Canada again. The show is still on as far as we know but for anyone who was going just to see us or Bernie Marsden and Ale Del Vecchio, and wants a refund here's one link with ticket refund information: http://www.celebrationoflifebotanicalgardens.com/index.php/replacing-your-commonwealth-tickets If you purchased your tickets through Eventbrite, we understand you need to get your refund from them: http://rideforourtroopshogwildparty.eventbrite.com/?ref=elink Please accept our apologies for this fiasco and inconvenience and if you still go to Hog Wild, have all kinds of fun! We'll be rocking live for you soon. We promise!
Reply
Playing with some Mighty Rock Giants!!
Weeeeeeel....we were confirmed to be the warm-up act for Bernie Marsden-Whitesnake who is headlining the show we're doing July 24. AND we've been invited to be in HIS band for the evening, to play his show as well as ours!!! This is just such a privledge that they are no words...but wait...it gets better.... Janis Joplin's band Big Brother and The Holding Company are playing a sold out show in Edmonton the same night and Salem has been invited to sing a song with them too!!! Can you say "Livin' A Lifetime in One Night"?!?!?! It's not absolutely official since Big Bro and Salem have to meet that day and see how their chemistry is- musicians are organic people (especially the 60's San Francisco ones :))- but rumour is this is likely a green light. Won't there be some cool rock in Edmonton that night? After that show we settle into more rehearsals for the new CD. ALe & Anna are coming to Canada to holiday in Aug. and then he'll distance produce us from Europe in the fall. We all figure we need some time off so we're taking some time in the mountains together. Stay tuned Rockers....
Reply
This Year Feels Like Last Year...
...only crazier. Hard to believe eh? Last year we were prepping to work w/Ale and Glenn. This year we're prepping for a new CD, releasing an "old" CD (called "1st" and it's out anyday now) getting the promo in Europe for "1ST", and needing to have our set together for the show at Commonwealth Stadium in July. It's May 24 and we still have almost half the songs to finish arranging and demoing by May 31. Today Salem lays vox on 2 demo tracks and we get a pile of promo kits out to Riccardo in Europe for the Euro campaign.Just buying the ink for the printer can put a person in the poorhouse these days, not to mention Canada Post costs. And it seems they offer LONGER delivery times. So par for the course in the 21st Century- you pay more and receive less.?!?! Deep breath now...the truth lies in the challenge. The new material is more political and more hopeful all at the same time. It's harder rock, some of it faster and of course there's a blues ballad. What is rock without blues?
Reply
Where We're At
Ya...where ARE we at? We just got booked for a really worthy concert at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Canada for The Fallen Soldiers Memorial. The video is filmed- now we wait for Mark to edit it. "1ST" (the first CD) is in the process of duplication. Salem has the second CD written though not yet completely arranged. Ale will be pulling the gloves off for that one. He and Salem are having secret emails about both of their visions for it. One thing for sure, we need to take everything to the next level since that's one of the things recording is all about.
Reply
Phew!!!!!!
Ok. We've just finished the graphics for 1ST (that's our acronym but it's also the title of the new CD if you're just jumpin' in). Ya, we're FA-OOOOOLS who did that ourselves. We now have a whole new respect for GA's. Jee-ZUZ!!!! not too much blood was shed....Salem did an interview with DJPJ www.radiougly.com It'll air on Apr. 14 around 12:30noon PT & podcast after that. We're about to start work with Euro publicist Riccardo Canato for 1ST. Looks like we film more footage for the video of Free Will May 1 & 2. Likely will finish it then and there. Kim is in TO talking to Universal so when he returns it will be a study in economics & theory of knowledge to see what a major's take on us is. Rock Deep!!!!!!!
Reply
Europe Calling Ale Screaming
Euro deals in the works....let's envision a positive outcome for all parties!! Yesterday Ale went ballistic. We think he's overworked. Salem now calls him Maestro Crazy Horse... speaking of her, she's pumpimg out the tunes. She's like a hit machine. Someone should give her a big phat publishing deal...
Reply