Well it seems that I've been busy as usual and out of touch here on Myspace.  My post a few ago talked about the (last) new Alliance album.  That was called Road to Heaven and it received the best reviews of all our work.  We are now starting our next one the week of 10/26/09.   For the first time we have a lot of songs ready to go and just have to work out the arrangements.  I'll let you know how it's going.  I promise.  Well, I'll try to.  The studio has been so busy this summer.  I had Anna Taylor over from England to do her first album.  I also had The Wildman down from up north, Scoot Mathes,doing his first album. It's been a big year for working with new artists.    I've been in another Mother Goose Rocks childrens album for months and have also written and performed on a new album by Pangaea drummer Andi Schenck under the band name Roan Soul.  Look for the new video and songs on Myspace soon. I produced Dazz's 3rd album early in the year and it has been nominated for a Grammy in several categories.  I have Tempest in for a month coming up.  I'm not sure which album number this is but I've produced a lot of records for them.  They continue to be one of my favorite acts to work with.  At the beginning of the year my solo album, The Dividing Line, was released on Frontiers Records out of Italy and that sparked a lot of new interest in my music.  That album has been nominated for a Grammy in two categories.  It's nice to be nominated but getting to that next level of the finals is almost impossible.  But - - it feels good anyway.  It helped create one of the busiest concert seasons for me between playing with the Greg Kihn Band and the Robert Berry Band shows this summer.  There is much more to say but I'll leave it at that for now.  Thanks for checking in. 

As I began writing this new post I was surprised how long it's been since I have written.  Time flys when you're having fun.  As of the first of the year I have been working on finishing up the 3rd Alliance album.  A few weeks ago (the 2nd week of April) the band got together at Soundtek and recorded the last 4 songs.  David brought in his first song that he has written outside of the band.  It really sounds great.  Fitz layed down some incredible keyboard parts.  Really inspired us all.  Gary, as usual, played some of the best guitar on record.  He always comes up with just the right part and also remains true to what he really loves to play.  So now it is up to me to finish up the vocals, do the mix and get it ready to send off to Escape Music for release.  In the mean time Escape is releasing a double boxed set of all our previous recordings.  It will be a special edition, double digi pak with all remastered tracks, new art and inclusive of all bonus tracks.  32 songs in all.  Some of the best work all of us has ever been involved in.  We are very proud of it.  It will be a limited edition promo to lead up to the new album.  By the way the working title for the 3rd album is 85.  85 is the year we all first met.  It is the year that Sammy went to Van Halen and it is the address of the studio where we do our records.  And it is the age at which we figure we will record our last album.  Wishful thinking on our part.  In other musical news, I have signed a new solo deal with Frontiers Records of Italy.  I am very excited about this and will start recording as soon as Alliance 3 is done.  I have already written a few songs and I am so happy the the creative juices are flowing again. 

I'll try to stay in touch a little more. 

Robert

Again, I've had a very cool week at the studio.  Folk legend Joan Baez came in to sing a song for the new John Mellancamp album.  She was truely a lovely person and did a great vocal on a new song called Jim Crow.  As far as producing, I am finishing up the music on an album for Christian rock artist Katie Brady.  Katie has written some really incredible, heartfelt songs for her first solo effort.  Last weekend I was the musical director for the San Jose Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award presentation.  Not many people think of San Jose as a rock and roll mecca.  But starting in the 60's bands like The Count Five, Syndicate of Sound and People had top ten records and were based in San Jose, Calif.  In the 70's the Doobie Brothers, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham had hits, in the 80's (myself) and Danny Hull with Eddie Money and the Doobie Brothers, in the 90's Da Da and Smash Mouth.  Well need I go on.  We are proud of our heritage and I was honored to be a part of it.  This week I have also been cutting tracks for the next Alliance album.  It will take a few months to get done because of my busy studio schedule at Soundtek, but it will be finished by the end of the year.  All drums by David Lauser, guitars by Gary Pihl and bass by me are finished.  Fitz has keys to do and I have to finish up all the vocals.  (which includes still writing a few more lyrics)  But so far, it will be our best effort.  I'll try to write sooner next time.

This has been an exciting week for me at Sountek.  I finished the second music score for National Semi Conductors big sales event,  installed a second ProToolsHD accel system in studio C, started working on finishing the 3rd Alliance album and went to see my good friend Carl Palmer's new band play in San Francisco.  Had a great visit with Carl and was really impressed by his band.  Also it has been 18 years since we had a band together and he is still at the top of his game.  Fit, articulate and playing better than ever.  A true inspiration.  Makes me want to get out and exercise a bit.  (yuk)    And to top it all off, Greg Stone at our top local radio station Kfox is playing the @#$$%^ out of my new Prime Cuts release.  I was pleased to hear how well it sounded coming over my car radio.  It's been a good week. 

Hi all.  I've been promoting my new album and it seems like the writers are getting into it.  Today David from Dim Lights drove down from Yuba city for an interview and studio profile.  He is a bit of a speed demon so the cops pulled him over and --- well you know the rest.  So that one will have to wait.   Google my name and you should find some of the latest reviews.  I'm going to try and keep this thing updated with my goings on.  So ------ Today I scored a video presentation for National Semi Conductor.  Powerful, driving piece of music.  I hope to post these types of things on my web site soon.  I get a kick out of doing them and very few of you ever get to see the results.  Check out the video vault at Robertberry.com   You'll see some of my music videos so far.  Let me know what you think.