O.K…It's been like six months since my last blog…I just can't believe how time is absolutely FLYING by…and time is the one thing that we all have to be very aware of, and use it as wisely as we can…because WE NEVER GET IT BACK!
The word BLOG means "web log', and people who spend all day doing this must not do anything else except type all day….Hey, I think it's great to communicate and keep everyone informed of what's been going on, BUT…I just have too much going on all the time to "web-log" it on a daily, or even weekly basis. I guess right now, we're looking at bi-annual blog…Man, I gotta do better than that, right?
So anyhoo, racing around as usual, just like everyone else…I've noticed a dramatic increase in my productivity and general hyper-speed multi-tasking-never-sit-down-to-eat disposition in the last 2 years (this is when I gave up alcohol)…and to make up for this, I've at least doubled my Starbuck's intake, which explains my mach 10 on/ off switch…I'm either going mach 10 or I'm asleep…ON or OFF, no variable speeds here. Such is the nature of the obsessive/ compulsive behavior of many individuals who spread their artistic expressions with the masses…proud to be part a part of it my friends.
Still cool is the whole "Old School Thrash" resurgence, I've been having a blast with all of it…My pride and joy (and 4th child) BORN IN THE BASEMENT has been SO well received, I'm truly blessed to getting such positive critique on something that Lori and I didn't really give all that much thought to, or even devote that much time on…hey, I guess it was just "meant to be". Definitely pop back in to the main website, the reviews and links (to more reviews) have been greatly added to and updated: www.ratskates.com/impressed.htm. And if you didn't already know, it is now available in your local music/ video store (or what's left of them) through the folks at the MVD Entertainment Group, www.mvdb2b.com, as well as Netflix, Amazon, F.Y.E., Barns and Noble…pretty much everywhere, which is again cool…
Another cool thing: CONCERT.TV will be broadcasting a 16-minute "Born" highlight piece from March 1st – March 31st. CONCERT.TV is FREE to view on-demand music television network that programs memorable performances, compelling documentaries and unique originals for subscribers of Comcast, Cox, Insight, Charter and DirecTV, channel 1829. To check for availability of CONCERT.TV on your local cable service, look in the on-demand listings or visit them online at www.concert.tv. Tell your friends, okay? Cool…
IMHO, I think that film festivals are mostly an ego-stroker and a waste of both time and money in the business of independent filmmaking, BUT…we were approached by a couple European festivals that have been really down with showing our DIY Basement flick, so what the heck…MUSIC DOC (Sweden) http://www.musicdoc.se and FESTIVAL FILMER LA MUSIQUE (Paris, France) http://www.filmerlamusique.com are screening it in March and April, respectively.
I'm doing a very cool guest hosting spot for 95.9 WRAT-FM (New Jersey) with my friends Keith Roth and Aimee Kristi. (Yep, that's right…W-R-A-T. The jocks over there and the locals around here all call it "THE RAT", so I guess I'm Rat on the Rat.) We're doing a special show I dubbed "Thrash Metal Roots" that will be aired on their phenomenal program "The Electric Ballroom" on Sunday March 16, 2007 at 10pm EST…and it will also be streamed worldwide on the web via www.wrat.com, by clicking "Listen Live". This is gonna be killer…I picked out about 20 songs; whether it was punk, metal, rock or hardcore, that really had a HUGE impact on all of us musicians who were part of the Thrash movement in the 80's…no "Breaking the Law" nonsense, but killer stuff like "Dissident Aggressor"…Hell YEAH, metal for Muthas cuz! The real deal here, a great ride back in time to "the day" and the stuff that mattered…and will always be the best…(remember singing?)
I'll also be chattin' with DJ Will at KNAC in Los Angeles on his show "The Vault" on Sunday, March 9 at 11:45 PST, 2:45 EST. www.knac.com We hung for a bit in L.A. last May at one of the Get Thrashed festivals, it was a very cool hang indeed…I think we'll probably just share some "old school" head stuff, we tend to get pretty opinionated in our old age ("old" is a bad word…how 'bout "well-experienced"?)
I did the ROCK SOLID PRESSURE (with J-Rock and Patty The Radio Girl) nationally syndicated FM radio show as well, that was broadcast on their syndicated stations on Monday 2/25…If I had this blog out earlier, you guys would have known about it! It was great, (but too quick), those two are a very cool duo, J was "I can so relate dude", and Patty just loved the dungeon stuff…and I loved her Florida accent. Also rapped a few days ago with a SUPERIOR journalist, Mr. Ray Van Horn, for his site "The Metal Minute" www.rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com. Ray is one of the most articulate and well-versed journalists out there, along with DX Ferris, who just completed his book, "Slayer/ Reign in Blood" of which I am proud to have helped him with…the release date is in April, pre-order it on Amazon…Speaking of Amazon: thanks to Sue Spera and EVERYONE who put forth their time and efforts in posting those kind words in your reviews…I sincerely thank you guys…you're the best! And per the special reminder, thanks to Dawn at The Metal Web for all her efforts on an earlier interview…Thanks Dawn, Thanks Dawn, Thanks Dawn, Thanks!
And hey everyone, I'm in another film: THE LAST BASTIONS OF ROCK http://www.myspace.com/lastbastionsofrock directed by Urban Blight Film's Fritch Clark. He and his crew recently shot some interview footage of yours truly over by The Court Tavern in East Brunswick, NJ. This is a very cool cultural-demographic-type look at the once-thriving New Jersey and tri-state area club scene and how the drastically changing economy led to its virtual demise. All of us born-in-the-60's boomers will eat this right up, back to the 18-19-20 year old mindset of the tri-state area club scene…unprecedented fun times that were had by all…and fortunately I survived through it to talk about them 25 plus-years later.
Some other stones that we're slowly chippin' away at include a new book by Steven Blush (on the history of New York Rock), a Twisted Sister film/ documentary by Andrew Horn (His funding is on hold, of course) and our collaboration with Mike Hannon on the Kick Ass "re-visited" project (The passing on of our friend Bob Muldowney was particularly hard on Mike, who had worked w/ Bob since the magazine's inception. Mike is very close to the Muldowney family, and has been crucially supportive in helping Mrs. Muldowney through this difficult time).
We recently met up with Rob Bolger, (Energy-Music-Films) who is directing a new documentary with a very cool theme, titled "Behind The Suit and Tie" http://www.myspace.com/behindthesuitandtiefilm, http://www.behindthesuitandtie.com
I'll be appearing in that as well, and we're currently in talks on bringing Kundrat Productions editing and graphics work to the film…either way, it's gonna be very cool, (have I over-used "cool" in this blog?) the inner-workings of the music business/ recording industry is a topic that is LONG overdue for some serious, possibly revealing discussions…I have QUITE a bit to say here, and I CAN"T WAIT to say it, with all due professional respect and without the spin, of course.
The inclusion in Wikipedia came out great, very cool, I think…thanks to all the "citators" who helped to do this right: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Skates
I would also like to thank Joey Z. (Life of Agony), Nick Douglas (Doro), Ross The Boss (Manowar), Jay Jay French (Twisted Sister), Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper) and Vernon Reid (Grammy-award winning guitarist of Living Colour) for helping David Ellefson and I with our project that I spoke of in the last Blog…Wait!…what kind of project, a CD? A show? a jam? A movie? WHAT PROJECT!?!?!…Sorry people… I still ain't sayin' NUTHIN MORE until I get the business logistics worked out. But it came out freakin' spectacular, it was tons of fun with MUCH more to come…HEH! (that's a James Brown "HEH" by the way).
And to all who have asked (and are asking): no, I do not know when Get Thrashed will be coming out, (but, we WILL be doing a big Thrash special for Rock Hard in GREECE for this) and no, I didn't make it to the last Overkill show at The Starland Ballroom. I had another commitment, and couldn't work it out…it's a shame I disappointed them. And, I also missed the Exodus Show at BB Kings. Sorry Gary and Tom, I was looking forward…I had an Alzheimer's moment when Steve hooked me up w/ the passes, I was still snowboarding in the Pocono mountains, and had to travel back to NJ in the snowstorm up there.
Also, FYI: I'm doing my best to reply back to all the kind MySpace messages, but as I said in the beginning, my life's pace leaves my typing time at a minimum. Sorry guys, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE all your efforts to write…THANK YOU.
Until next time…God Bless, good health and happiness…and be cool, go skate a pool.
Skates