I've finally got my ass in gear and started to organize material for my first record. I'm not sure if I'll be tracking it in my home mini-studio or at a place in town. I don't have much of a budget but I figure I'll start creating basic tracks when I get the chance and shop it around a little.

If anyone out there reading this is a drummer in the Calgary area and you're interested in playing some percussion on my mainly acoustic record, let me know. I might track everything myself (using only handrums), but some tunes probably need the kit. I'd also love to collaborate with a guitarist or bassist who shines in the stoner metal/psychdelic/pink floydian realms. There are some breaks in some songs that could use a few tripped out solos and maybe we could work on some instrumental stuff.

I'm sure you'll all be surprised that I'm planning on recording both a Roy Orbison and a Lefty Frizzell cover. Not my usual deal, but I'm branching out, I'm looking into maybe doing some other covers too, maybe not for the album, but B-side shit, stuff to practice my sound etc...  Maybe I'll even play a live show one day *turns beet red*, why am I such a pussy?

I feel like this new mellow lifestyle that I've settled into has really given me a new kind of strength. Gradually, I'm feel more passionate about all of the important things in my life, and strong enough to succeed.

I dug up a track for you, a Smashing Pumpkins cover I recorded last year. I didn't think it was all that good when I made it, but now it sounds ok to me, minus a few blemishes.

Next, I might try to record myself playing live using my digital camera on video mode, I'm kinda impressed with the sound quality I can get out of it. The technology has come a long way hasn't, maybe I'll do a video blog or something one day, when I really have something to talk about.

love and cheers,

S.w.

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I removed the track, I have some new stuff I'm working on that's going up soon. If you want it email me and I'll send it

So, I made it to Calgary safe and sound, via Las Vegas. We got an apartment lined up for next month in a nice neighbourhood called Hillhurst, right accross the bridge from the core of the city. And what a city, Calgary, it's bigger than you might think, a real boomtown that just keeps growing. Some of the people here are pompous jackoffs (maybe because people here make a lot of money), and others are crack-addicted low-lifes (another consequence of the socio-economic dynamics of a boomtown?), but for the most part the people here seem like decent, normal Canadians.

There's a transient feeling here, an unsettledness that is rare out east. Many people have moved here from all across the country and the world, seeking opportunity for the moment, but perhaps not a home for life. I suppose I'm in that boat as well, but I'm trying to further my understanding of what it means to be a Canadian in this place. By now, I guess I see the whole country like a hometown, but I've never lived in western Canada. I'm embracing the experience for now and I hope it will help me creatively.

The art scene in Calgary is pretty weak, but there's some interest. I think culturally the city is evolving very quickly right now in an effort to keep up with the drastic increase of the population, but it is decidedly behind the curve. Artists who grow up here often take off for Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal in search of a better scene and those who grow up elsewhere seldom choose Calgary as a home. I'll let you know more about the pros and cons of the scene in the future.

As for my own projects, right now I'm planning to make a record. I have a few tunes chosen and I need to get settled into my new place and get to writing and practicing before the concept really takes shape. I actually have two album concepts in my mind that likely cannot be merged, so I have my work cut out for me. Recording will likely cost some serious coin, if I want to do it right, so I need time to save up some cash. One thing is for sure, in my life I want to record a few decent records, but I'm not in a rush.

Thanks to you few who came out to check out my set at Zaphod's on June 16th. I was really nervous and I'm glad you got to see me pull it off. I think I was starting to like it up on stage, and after each song I would look out and see a few more faces. That was nice cause I felt more and more as the set went on that I was actually being heard.

special thanks to Slo'Tom who was handling the board. You made my day by handing me that CD recording of my set, I'll be uploading a track or two soon.

love and cheers,

S.w.

I played at an open stage last night here in Ottawa and it was a lot of fun. I did the songs, 'The 21st Century' and 'Hide and Seek'. I made a mistake picking the second song because it's a brand new tune and I kinda forgot some of the parts on stage LOL, but I saved it.

Rasputin's Folk Cafe (located on Bronson near Carling) is a cool little place to hang out if you are in Ottawa and want to experience some live music. I guess they've been hosting open stages and jams and shows there since around the time I was born, so it's become quite the institution by now. I'd like to play there again one day. It's nice place to get your feet wet on the stage with a very receptive audience, and you might meet a few interesting characters as well, we did.

lyrics from my song 'Hide and Seek':

Come on out / come on out to play/ the moon is right/ for a little game
some of us are hiding/ some of us are seeking/ some of us are thirsting/ some of us are sinking

well allright!

we're not the only ones with the right to be safe!

Come on out / come on out to play/ I'll bring my gun/ and I'll bring my ways
and we'll blacken the earth in a great disgrace/ before we learn the truth/ that we can all be free

we're not the only ones with the right to be free...

Looks like I'm going to go to LA for awhile in July. I'm going to be doing a lot of gambling but I hope to also get to work on a record. In the meantime I've recorded a few new demos ... 'pre-production models' I guess you could call them, trying to teach the riffs to a few friends and see if we can make something of it in the studio one day soon, before I leave. The songs are 'The Drum' and 'Never Say Never' , let me know what you think.

love and cheers,

S.w.