The year started out busy and hasn't let up at all, and that's even with leaving one band! I'll try to break this down in a sort of "year in review," as well as a little looking forward to what is already looking like a busy 2023! So, here we go!
LIMEROCK:
Since joining Limerock in April, the band is really gelling and sounding like a pretty solid unit, and it's only getting better. Took me a few gigs to settle in to the group, as 4 of the guys have been playing together for nearly 20 years. I'm kind of filling the role that I had in Dirk Diggler (no news on that front, and I've kinda given up on DD), where I'm not only playing bass and singing, but I'm also doing some of the frontman bits as well. We're adding some really cool songs into the set, and getting all "modern" by all of us using in ear monitors in our live shows. Basically what that means is less PA on stage, and I don't need to bring both of my bass cabs on shows unless totally needed. Already have a few shows lined up for 2023, and I'm really looking forward to what's coming up!
ELECTRIC MAYHEM:
2022 ended up being a busy year for EM. The most fun part of those shows was getting a presence down in the Keys. It's a very cool vibe playing down there, and the people are super cool. We added Brian Smith on keyboards, and the band has turned into a pretty rocking little group. 2023 also looks to be a busy one for EM, in fact we already have show dates going all the way through NEXT December! Daisy and I share the frontman/woman duties, as well as sharing lead vocals now. We're already planning on adding a bunch of new songs into the show, and it's gonna be fun to see where this band (like Limerock) ends up going...
SOLO SHOWS:
Haven't done a whole lot of solo/duo acoustic shows since this summer, but I'm doing a short acoustic show at my "day job" on December 10. There is a "winter bazaar" going on and I was asked to play for it. So on that day I'll be doing a double header as far as gigs go. I play at the school from 11-1, and then that night I'll be with Limerock over at JP Mulligans. Make sure to look at the Upcoming Gigs page, I have all my 2022 and all my known 2023 dates already up! I also expect that I"ll be doing more acoustic shows again this spring/summer.
SOLO ALBUMS UPDATE:
Lots of cool news here! I'm a little over half way with my goal of getting all 28 of my solo albums up on streaming sites. THANK YOU DISTROKID.COM!!! The albums that are up are the following:
"15 Minutes"
"Campfire Sessions"
"IRL EP"
"Project 26"
"25@50"
"Universal"
"The Book"
"Storytime: Prequel To The Book"
"The Reinvention Of Bad Intentions"
"The Light At The End"
"Bones 'n Stones"
Go and purchase/stream them at your preferred site! I have another 17 to go to get up, and I'm in the process of getting them ready. I'm going to try to get them up in 2 "album dumps" before the end of the year. It's taking a little longer to get them set up due to having a busy gig schedule, and the files for these remaining albums (all older going back all the way to 1999) got a little lost in the shuffle of a computer issue I had during the lockdown. I'm having to go and manually rebuild the folders with the songs all in one place. Basically I'm playing Indiana Jones on my computer and backup storage! Not sure if getting all these albums up will make me rich or famous, but at least anyone who wants to hear my solo stuff will finally be able to hear it. As far as making the Conspiracy Incorporated stuff available, I really haven't had a chance to sit and think about it yet. I have the monster 4 disc long "On The Side" album/box set, and a mostly completed (shorter) second album in the can. So we'll see what happens with that project...
In even cooler solo album news, I have FINALLY started work on Album #29! There is one song completed as of this typing, and another mostly done, as well as a ton of riffs/fragments/arrangements/random lyrics all floating around. I'm shooting for having it done sometime in January/February. I have my Xmas break coming up and I hope to make a beg dent in the production/recording during that time as I only have a couple shows during the break. Can't say a whole lot about it as it's still very early in the process, but I can say that the finished song is really cool, I may even play it at my acoustic show this weekend...
INCOGNITO REUNION ALBUM NEWS:
There is news!! As you've seen here, the 3 of us have been trying to get together to do a new album for a while now. There are a few songs floating around in various stages of completion as well. The news that I have is that we are seriously looking at our schedules to try to make the recording sessions finally happen. I usually do a summer camp job over the summer, but I am taking this upcoming summer off for some family stuff and to also try to make this happen. Right now we're seeing what dates we can get to work and then we'll go from there. It will likely take a while to get something together, but the 3 of us are all committed to try to make this happen. Stay tuned! Also, maybe make "Abuse Your Delusion" available for streaming...?
OTHER PROJECTS:
As far as other projects go, I'm going to see what can be done as they come up. If the Incognito sessions happen, I may try to work with my friends Karl and Pat on the project that we have been trying to get off the ground. I'm pretty sure that I'll be doing some stuff again with Deb Desilets in the near future. Last time we spoke she said she wanted to get back in the saddle again as far as collaborating. I still have to get my "Electric Symphony" released as well, and I'm hopefully going to be starting work on my orchestral symphony this year as well.
The other project that I have already started working on is a soundtrack to a novel that my daughter is working on. This is going to be a lot of fun if we don't drive each other crazy first LOL!!
I think that covers most of what I've been doing this year and what is coming up. Got to see a lot of amazing concerts this year:
Def Leppard/Motley Crue/Poison/Joan Jett
Testament/Exodus/Death Angel
KISS
Iron Maiden/Within Temptation
Metallica/Raven
W.A.S.P./Armored Saint
Machine Head
And now I get to finish out 2022 and start to look forward to 2023! Not sure if I'll have another update on here this year (still trying to get a Discography page up here), so in case I don't write here again before the end of the year, THANK YOU for whatever support you've shown me, Happy Holidays, and let's all have a fantastic New Year!
THAT IS ALL...TB