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Heroes & Thieves



Last Updated: 11/3/2009

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Status: Single
City: Fargo
State: North Dakota
Country: US
Signup Date: 12/5/2005

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009 

Current mood:  excited
Category: Music
Hello Folks!

If you wanna see an awesome show,and be part of our first music video in 3 years, and be the very first to hear our new single (for which the video is being shot), and get in on a little BYOB action to boot then please join us Friday night at Johnson's Barn!

We really need your help to make sure we pack the place and make the new video look awesome! So, we've added some bonus's should you decide to pitch in and come out to the show.

First and foremost, the first 500 people that come to the show get a copy of our brand new CD "Rise and Shine"! On top of that, we're giving away over 50 October Road t-shirts throughout the night as well.

But wait. . . . . there's more!!!! The Budweiser Girls are coming on out to make the evening even more awesome, and they'll be spreading the joy with some free Budweiser goodies as well!

Most important, this is an all ages show. Seriously, all ages!! 1 to 100!!

In all seriousness, we're hoping this new single and video will raise us to the next level. We have the most awesome fans, and you've never let us down, so we're hoping you'll come out and make some noise with us Friday night!
Currently listening:
If We Ever Make It Home
By Wade Bowen
Release date: 2008-09-30
6:11 AM 
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Monday, October 19, 2009 

Current mood:  artistic
Category: Life
Hey Everyone,
Rather than talk about our exploits from the weekend for this week's blog, I'd thought I'd share with you some thoughts that have been rumbling around in my head as of late. For me, music is about changing someone's life. I write hoping someone out there will have a better day after hearing one of our songs, or find new meaning in their life just as I have listening to songs from Roger Clyne, Wade Bowen, and many other artists I hold dear. In this note there's some observations and humor, even a little politics, but mostly it's a view on life I've recently come to grasp after years of wandering and searching. Those of you who are October Road fans are very important to each of us guys, and I'd like to share a little bit of myself so you can get to know me a little better, and I hope you'll leave a comment or two in return.  
And please note; I'm feeling my inner Thoreau here this afternoon, so forgive any over exemplification on my part:)
It is so very true that being able to be a professional musician, and make a living at it, is an awesome way to go through life. And it's always important to thank every single hard working person that comes to our shows and spend what is increasingly becoming a rare commodity; "disposable income" to stay and dance the night away. And I'm not just talking about the joy of performing on stages big and small, or writing songs that mean so much to us, and then watch them mean so much to so many others as well. For me, one the of the greatest parts of doing exactly what I've always wanted to do comes from what I call the "small things".
There are moments in all our lives where everything just feels settled; feels right. It can come from seeing a newborn smiling, or just noticing the way your true love looks in a single ray of sunlight. It can be that perfect run you took this morning, or the first time you buy a brand new car. Sometimes it's even as small as getting a fresh cup of coffee just when you need it. As a songwriter I try so very hard to capture those moments and turn them into poetry. Using words to paint a portrait for everyone to see, and then carry the message through melody and harmony. I fail far more often than I succeed, but I seemingly can never turn away from the process. As if an angel continuously carries me back to the well and asks me to drink again.
This past week we put on more than 1100 miles over the course of a few days. Our journey, if you will, spanned the state of Minnesota and half of North Dakota. The scenery crossing from Fargo to Duluth was astounding as we experienced the plains and woodlands of the state where I was raised. The leaves were vibrant and plentiful, and once again as we slowly climbed I-35, finally looking down upon Duluth-Superior, the horizon did not disappoint. Luke and Ty, both first timers to the region, erupted almost simultaneously "is that all water" as Lake Superior loomed large in the windshield. The hills, the cobblestone roads, the kindness of a people whose will has been forged by the bitter cold of Winter, and the shear beauty of a community with a long and winding history. We were all quite saddened to leave on Thursday morning and head back to Fargo; a town from which we hail and give our dedication to, but for which let's be honest, scenery she hath not!
On Friday we traveled a road we know all to well to Minot, ND for some shows at Dae Udder Place. The shows were awesome, but what struck me most was how I hadn't noticed the simple things all along the drive there. The mom and pop stores in towns with less people than my apartment building, the ranches and farms all along the way, continuing a way of life that I suspect many people in New York and Washington fail to notice exist whatsoever. I was stunned when I realized that there's a serenity to being in those places. A anesthetic to the stress that city life takes on us all. A reminder of my days growing up in a town of 600 people, and how carefree those days were. Not just because of the reckless abandon that youth allows, but because of the positivity and simplicity that is held in such places. I realized that I can't wait to get on the road every week not only because I miss the smoke and lights, the thumping drums, and the roar of a crowd, but also because of the lives we see as the white lines fade behind us and the miles roll through the odometer.
I turned 31 this past June. For most people it's a minor milestone and one which is all too quickly surpassed by 32, and then 33, and 34, and onward and upward. Each passing much to quickly, and seemingly faster every year. For a musician, it begins the realization that the dreams formed from years of watching CMT and MTV, from hearing and watching our idols, from the positive reinforcement of family, friends, and peers, is fading, and fading quickly. It's facing the fact that if we can't earn a record deal in the next 2-3 years, it probably will have to be a dream unfulfilled, and a new life track established. I used to fear such thoughts. Consuming myself with minor tasks and meaningless hobbies in order to ignore what is almost certainly an inevitability for 99% of working musicians. But recently, these scenes of beauty and simplicity are moving my spirit, and making me see that it's the journey that is what matters and not the destination.
For the nest 2, or 3, or 4, or heck, maybe even longer if my body is strong and my will unbroken; I will get to spend days upon days on the road with my closest friends. I'll sing my best and write from my heart to as many people who want to listen. I'll meet thousands of people, maybe even millions, and I'll travel many more miles than most people will in a lifetime. I'll cherish my nights off and fill them with music, love, and laughter. I'll go see my friends bands, and even my adversaries, always learning, always seeking greater knowledge. My life will be full of all the things that matter to me, just as it has been for such a long time, unrecognized and unacknowledged. The journey will continue, and it will build and break me, fulfill and drain me, up and down, up and down, and up and down until the good lord choses another path for me.
Each of us has such a wonderful life no matter our hardships. What a wonderful country we live in where we can experience the freedom to speak our minds and seek the best for ourselves and our families, while also learning the difficult lesson that sometimes there are consequences for doing such things. Some of us begging for reform, some longing for calmness and the status quo, all of us wanting a better life, all of us wishing for a simpler life. Left or right, Democrat or Republican, I wish we would all take a moment to find the gray in each of us; the common ground so often abandoned yet welcoming us back at any time. The end of rhetoric and posturing, and the beginning of a true conversation about how we can all come together and make this country great, and not "great again" as our politicians are so often asserting. Because perhaps we never were great. Perhaps we were always polarized antagonists with hidden agendas, looking out for #1, and not really caring for our neighbor as nature asks us to do. Perhaps our task should not be to seek the past but finally succeed in what our founders dreamed we could be. And today, I find myself thinking that answer lies not in the big questions, but in the simple things we encounter everyday. Giving to a food bank, babysitting the neighbors kids, mowing an elderly persons lawn not for profit, but because it's what we should do.
I find myself writing more and more about our lives collectively, and less about the fantasy of perfect love or the typical "good time" country song. I'm throughly enjoying where I'm at, playing in the band of my dreams with guys that are at the top of their game, but more importantly, are truly good hearted people. I hope you haven't minded me getting a few things of my chest and out of my cerebellum. Hopefully I cleared enough room to write a new song tonight!!!
This week we're at the Shooting Star casino Thursday through Saturday and then back up to The Long Haul Saloon for another "Sunday Funday" with Mandy and her awesome staff! And be sure to mark down October 30th and clear your schedule for our show at Johnson's Barn in Arthur, ND. We're shooting our music video for "Gonna Have a Good Time" that night and need everyone who can possibly make it so we have a bunch of good folks for the footage.

Sincerely and God Bless, Shawn ....
Currently listening:
Rollercoaster
By The Randy Rogers Band
Release date: 2004-08-24
7:47 PM 
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Monday, October 12, 2009 

Category: Life
Hey ya'll!
We had a hell of a weekend. Friday night we partied at O'leary's after the Twins pissed it down their leg. What the hell? How do you blow a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 9th? Everyone at O'leary's was in prime binge drinking mode after our big loss to the Yanks. Hey win or lose, we booze!
Saturday night we were in Pelican Rapids for Oktoberfest. Need i say anymore? We play this every year and we always love it. Small towns just seem to have more fun than anyone else. The Staff was so cool. Thank you guys for treating us so warmly and spoon feeding us beer all night! We luv ya!
Last night we were in Grand Forks, at the Longhaul Saloon. We are building a Sunday night country thing out there and it is going to rock. If we build it, they will come! We had our good friends from Grand Forks Sound and Light bring out their new toys and run sound for us. Holy hell. This system was worth more than your average yearly salary in ND. 26000 watts of power, and completely ridiculous and awesome at the same time. I could literally feel wind coming from the sub woofers. Totally serious. It was insane!!! Now i just need to figure out how to bring these guys on the road with us!
After the show we went to Stamart for the after work feast. This place has more crazy shit hanging on the walls than anyplace in the world. Completely worthless stuff that you can't help but buy because it seems like a really good deal. They literally sell swords and crazy stuff like that, but it is not locked up in a case. It is just sitting out in the open waiting for some psycho to come in and start pillaging the place with their own merchandise.

Luke and Joe had the $10 Stamart challenge with Shawn and myself standing by as the judges. The goal is to see who can buy the most useless stuff for under 10 bucks. It was pretty damn close but Luke took the prize because he just happened to find an entire box of little dwarf figures with two heads for like 4 bucks. Joe came up with an ugly hat which read "Bite Me" on it. A feather duster, a bean bag ashtray, and a mini buffalo piggy bank. All totally worthless.
Luke came up with a toddler size shirt which read " I have tatoos in places you'd like to lick". That was a good powder keg in it's own right, but it didn't end there. He got a Tree ornament that didn't come with a hook, and 10 trinket two headed monsters. Luke Wins!
After the competition, i had to listen to the two haggle and trade each other this garbage like it was fine china. I have never laughed so hard in my life!
This week we are heading out to the U of M Duluth on Wednesday. Then on Friday and Saturday were are going to be at Dae Udder Place, in Minot, ND.
Hope to see you there.
Later,Ty
8:53 PM 
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Saturday, September 12, 2009 

Current mood:  artistic
Category: Music
Well Folks,

There's a big announcement coming very soon that I can't quite spill the beans about yet, but I can give you some more details about our upcoming music video. First and foremost the video is going to be shot on October 30th @ Johnson's Barn in Arthur, ND. If you're never been to a barn dance at the Johnson farm, then you need to mark it down on your calendar for that reason alone. On top of that, we need your support so you definitely need to mark it down. We're hoping for a live audience of at least 300 people and more if possible.

We'll be doing our regular show for the majority of the night, and will be performing the song we're doing for the video about 7-8 times throughout the night, but never back to back to make sure the show keeps moving. When we're shooting footage for the video we'll make an announcement that we're doing so and then all you all need to do is get rowdy and rambunctious while the cameras roll.

That should be easy enough considering our new single and the song we're doing the video for is called "We're Gonna Have a Good Time" It's our most upbeat rockin' tune yet and we're exceedingly excited to present it for your approval. The new song isn't on the new October Road album, which brings me to my next piece of exciting news.

Even though we just put out our last album "Rise and Shine" in May, we're going to be putting out a new album in December as well. With Luke's addition to the band we would be foolish not to take advantage of his amazing skills and get that talent on tape! The new album is going to feature a couple songs from "Rise and Shine" reworked and re-recorded and then a bunch of new tunes as well! Excited is just not nearly a good enough word for how, well, excited we are to be heading to back to the studio with Luke pounding on the skins!

We're gonna get the promotion going for the new video starting October 1st so be sure to spread the word to everyone you know! We're checking into the legality of a couple things we'd like to do to give you more incentive to come out. First of which is the possibility that we can provide FREE BEER the night of the shoot. Johnson's Barn is a BYOB show so we just need to make sure that everyone involved with the show is protected from liability in case a few people get out of control. Once we get that established, we're hoping we can make it happen. Again, no promises, but we'll do what we can.

Second, we're looking into getting a couple free shuttles to and from Fargo to make things even more safe for everyone. There will be a $5-7 cover the night of the show as Johnson's Barn does need to keep the pigs and cows fed. . . . .literally, but we're hoping the free beer and shuttles will make parting with the couple dollars a bit more palatable.

Finally, this is an all ages show everyone! That's right, if you've been unable to make it to a show because of being under 21, this is your chance! Again, we'll have much more info for you on October 1st and we're hoping to have our big announcement ready as well on that day!

Talk to ya soon!
Shawn
6:56 PM 
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Tuesday, September 08, 2009 
Hey everyone!
I have just now got around to writing to ya'll because I haven't been able to make a cognitive thought since last week.
We had one hell of a road trip last weekend that ended with us way down in Chadron, NE. Wrecker's Road house played host to October Road, and this place was a perfect fit for us. It has a gear head inspired atmosphere and a killer staff; did I mention the food kicks ass to? October Road loves this place and can't wait to get back down there.
After the show we went to some mom and pop hotel chain that for all intensive purposes was really nice. That niceness wore off right about the time I got the 10 A.M. wake up call from the lady at the front desk informing me of the 10:30 checkout time. This wouldn't be that big of a deal if we hadn't gotten there at like 5 A.M. She obviously wasn't a fan of the Noon checkout time movement. I am calling my congressman.

Half the fun of being a musician is just getting to the show. We blew out a tire on the trailer somewhere in the middle of South Dakota. It was like that scene from Christmas Story when Ralph's dad was frantically trying to change the tire in record time. Lots of swearing,grunting, and when all was said and done Luke got his mouth washed out with soap for dropping the F Bomb. He said that he learned it from Joe, so we called his mom and she is probably going to wear his ass out when he gets home!
I had never been to Sturgis before. so Saturday was pretty damn cool as far as I was concerned. The Loud American ruled. I love it,love it, love it! Try the steak tips for cryin' out loud and they make a Jack n' Coke that comes in a Big Gulp cup. Two of those baby's and you might want to clear your schedule for the rest of the evening.
The Loud American treated us like royalty and they have probably the most attractive staff in the world! We are going to be back in November, and I can't wait.
The next day we started to make the trek back to Fargo. It should have taken 8 hours, but we managed to stretch it into 12. Shawn manned the helm while Luke, Joe, and I took a few sips from "Grandpa's Ol' Cough Medicine" and enjoyed the scenic tour, then managed to hit every bar on the way back! It was like a vacation, a dysfunctional one at that, but still a nice Sunday drive with my best friends, and a cooler of beer!
This week we will be at the Windbreak Saloon Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Please come out and show some love. We are celebrating Luke's Birthday this weekend. Come out and buy him a shot.
This is also Shawn's send off party before his surgery next week. He is getting his sinuses fixed and maybe even a breast augmentation if there is enough time.
Later,Ty.
5:08 PM 
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Sunday, August 16, 2009 

Current mood:  animated
Category: Life
Hello,

No, no, no folks this isn't a old school Shawn rant like those I would be more likely to post about any number of things I would have spouted off about a couple of years ago. Instead I was just moved today to write a little personal note to everyone. Perhaps it is my age getting to me, or just the calmness that has finally arrived to my life after 3 years of struggle, but I find myself a tad bit sentimental, and certainly grateful to be able to write this note today.

First, I cannot express to you the gratitude that Joe and myself have to everyone who has stuck with October Road since our first shows in 2004. We were fortunate to play with a number of talented musicians as we tried to figure out this whole music industry thing. Those first few years were a ton of fun, but we were reckless and rambunctious, and it took the wisdom that time reveals to get our heads on straight and find the right guys to really make October Road become the band we always wanted it to be.

Ty and Luke are truly gifts from God and I find myself constantly smiling on stage as I am continuously wowed by the talents that these gentlemen display on a nightly basis. And even after nearly five years, I am still wowed by Joe on each and every night. There's a plethora of married folks who sadly can't say the same about their spouses after that length of time:)

What we're trying to do is bring to you show that is ever changing, evolving, and always exciting to watch. We're trying to write music that has the potential to change someone's life, give insight to this journey we're all on, or even just brighten a day. Whether we succeed or not on a national level is yet to be seen. There are so many factors that go into whether an artist or band is allowed the luxury of a mass audience, but one thing is for certain, we will certainly try.

I strongly encourage you to come and see the new October Road. I assure you that "disappointed" is not a word that will roll of your tongue after the show. And if you have a couple of extra bucks please pick up the new CD at a show, or download a track or two from iTunes. If the economy has got your wallet on lock down, just have a listen to the songs @ www.octoberroad.net With that, I recommend enjoying this beautiful day and hope to see you all very soon.

Sincerely,
Shawn
Currently listening:
Off the Hillbilly Hook
By Trailer Choir
Release date: 2009-06-09
11:37 PM 
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Sunday, August 16, 2009 

Current mood:  awake
Category: Life
Hey everyone!
We just got home this morning from Corcoran Days at about 6 A.M. I am still sitting around in my tighty whitey's trying to recapture some sort of proper circadian rhythm.

Last night was very cool. Even the flippin' rain couldn't stop the masses from partying. We had a bucking machine, a trailer of beer, fireworks, and good friends to share the evening with. What more do you need? Thank you Corcoran for having us and a special thanks to Ci Ci, (i hope that is how she spells it), for taking such good care of us.

Thursday and Friday we were with our friends in Grand Forks, at the Long Haul. We managed to keep our clothes on this time! Mandy and the crew kept the beer fountain flowing for us as usual! Thank you guys! Also we need to thank our good friend Marlon for helping out with the sound for us. The room is kinda a bitch to mix, and Marlin tamed the wild beast!
The new lineup transition is going quite well. Having Luke on board is a refreshing breath of air. He is a character to say the least. The whole package; funny, smart, hard working and talented. We have already started recording each night to go back over on the drive home and listen to what the show sounded like. The good , the bad , and the ugly. It is a very un-forgiving way to really stand back and listen to what it sounds like, and it doesn't lie. I am starting a compilation of Ty Taylor's Greatest Shits On Guitar Vol. 1 ! Yeah, it happens, some times you crash and burn! But then again sometimes you melt faces!

It is this new approach to the band with this new work ethic that is going to push this band to the next level. Hell, even out tear down and set up times are cut in half with Luke on board. We are moving more as a machine instead of a one legged man! We are beginning our move to take the music world by storm, and we can't wait to leave our mark!

This week we are headed to Dae Udder Place in Minot, ND on Friday and Saturday. Then on Sunday we are going to be at the Windbreak right here in Fargo. Please come out and see the new lineup. You won't be let down, I promise!

Later Ty.
Currently listening:
Back When I Knew It All
By Montgomery Gentry
Release date: 2008-06-10
11:31 PM 
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Wednesday, July 15, 2009 
Howdy one and all!!!

I trust that everyone is doing well out there in the real world. Me, I am stuck in this damn computer typing my life away.

This has been a wonderful week for October Road. Well wonderful for morale, but lousy for weather. We still had fun though. Thats the joys of living in North Dakota.

We started out in my home town of Stanley, ND, on Friday. I haven't played there since I was like 15. Aside from the fact that you could see your breath in the air, it totally rocked. Western ND parties their asses off because they are so starved out there for live music. When i still lived there, there was a ton of awesome bands that melted faces off, now there is just a handful of bands left, as live music seems to have taken hind tit to D.J's, and karoke contests. It all has it's place, but i would highly urge parents to buy their kids real instruments instead of RockBand video games. I'm not saying, i'm just saying!

The next night at Turtle Lake went wonderfully until we actually had to start playing. Mother nature hurled a curve ball that just about hit us in the cherries. We did the express tear down and beat the old girl at her own game; then we ran like sissy girls because there were tornadoes heading straight towards us. Hey, i only talk a big game, but i know when to run like hell!

Monday night we played at the Red River Valley Fair after Trailer Choir. Again, the weather was questionable at best, but it actually cleared up right before we played. Then it got nasty out right after we tore down. Crazy! We also had one of the greatest guitar players known to man kind come out to hang for a while. Mr Mark Sissel, who is playing with Trailer Choir, and also Western Underground stopped by for a couple drinks. For those of you not familiar with Western Underground, they were Chris Ledoux's band for sixteen years, and they are still performing together, and still rockin' faces off. Check them out and demand that they get up here to do a show.

We played with Luke at the fair on Monday night. For those of you who don't know him yet, Luke will be our new drummer officially on August 3rd. I have been personally waiting to perform with Luke for about eight years, as him and i have lots of history together. For those of you who came out to the fair on Monday, you got a glimpse of the new October Road lineup. It feels like a worn pair of shoes that you could run in all day long when the four of us perform together. We just "gel" in a way that is almost scary.

Again, we can't thank Chance McMasters enough for saving our asses when he stepped up to fill in with us until Luke fulfilled his current obligations. Make sure to stop by Drum Services Inc. to say hi to Chance and drool on his remarkable line of high end drums and amps.

This week we are headed up to Anoka, MN, to perform at Serum's, on the 16th. Then we are off to Elk River, MN, for the Sherburne Co. Fair, on the 17th. On the 18th, we are in Detroit Lakes, MN, for the Northwest Water Festival; did i mention it's on the beach!!!! It will be absolute mayhem, i promise.

Later,Ty.
7:09 PM 
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Monday, June 29, 2009 
Hello everybody!! We just put the cap back on one hell of a fun weekend. We basically got home at like 6 A.M. Sunday morning and slept for a couple of hours and then we were off to do our photo shoot with "The New October Road" lineup. Not going to lie,we are pretty damn sexy!!! Today is the day that we are going to announce who the new drummer is, but that will come later in the day so as to add an element of suspense! On Friday we made the hike down to St. James, Mn, where we celebrated Pioneer Days. It was totally worth the drive. It was also hotter than all hell but none the less, a very good time. And guess what; No Rain!! Woo Hoo! The next day, we meandered our way up to Big Lake, Mn, for the coveted Spud Fest. Man do these people know how to party. When we got there, we were greeted by one of the head honchos putting this little shindig on. He promptly led us to the BBQ pit where he unveiled what amounted to probably no less than half a heard of cattle, spread out over like five smokers. Joe and myself were instantly in fat boy heaven drooling over the Texas brisket that had been slow cooking since 5 A.M. Being a humble host, the head Chef ripped me out a handful of meat, and i was instantly in love with Big Lake! Thank you Big Lake for spiking my odds of dieing from heart disease at a young age! Man, killing yourself never tasted so good! Pass the gravy! As you may have heard, October Road has gone through a few changes lately. We have had the wonderful privilege of sharing the stage with a very good friend and fellow music junkie, Mr. Chance McMasters. Chance saved our collective asses when we needed him to jump on and fill in this summer to keep October Road rolling until our new drummer fulfilled his prior obligations. He jumped in head first and put his personal life on hold,not to mention his personal business, Drum Services Inc. For this October Road would like to thank him. We instantly gelled together and we have a very good vibe on the road. Thank you Chance! I now have the distinct pleasure of announcing the new October Road drummer. This is a man that happens to be one of my closest friends in the world. I met this guy eight or nine years ago at a party at Moorehead State. We played together in the band Subzero together and have lots of shared memories and countless miles and hours together. His family has become my own extended family and i think i have spent more holidays with them than my own family. There is literally NO other drummer in the world i would rather play with than this guy. This mystery man just so happens to be Luke Smillie. Currently of the Roosters. Formerly of 3 Dollar Molly, Sassy Jones, and Subzero. He is kid tested and mother approved and will be the final puzzle piece to complete this band. This is literally my dream band, and we will be officially kicking off with the new lineup on August 7th, on the We Fest main stage. We are expecting a show like no other, and a work ethic that is untouchable. We are very pleased that Luke is joining forces with us to take over the world! This week we will be performing at the Park Rapids Rodeo, on Friday, the 2nd. On the 3rd, we are heading to Powers Lake, ND, for a street dance. Then on the fourth, we are off to Faulkton, SD, for Wild West Days. We will be putting on a few miles this week, but half the fun is just getting there! Well, that is about all for now. Later,Ty.
8:13 PM 
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009 

Current mood:  adventurous
Category: Music
Hello Folks,

It's been a little while since I jotted down my current thoughts and wishes, so i thought now would be a good opportunity being the that heat index is thwarting my desire to talk a nice run in the sun!

As Ty previously mentioned in "wang chung : a story of survival in weather's harsh reality", okay I added the last bit, we did have a great time this past weekend. The March of Dimes folks were very understanding when we told them that the night would need to be called off because of the downpour that had occurred shortly before show time. I'm sure we look like a bunch of lightweights when such occurrences, well, occur, but trust me when i say that the other option was risking many, many, many thousands of dollars in gear if we proceeded. I believe our decision was justified when a second downpour started, literally, as we were putting up the back of the trailer after loading our gear through six inches of standing water. Such is life I suppose.

Happily, we moved to a new location north of town and did it up acoustic style to about 40 or 50 of the heartiest "Perhamians" and also some good friends who came from D.L., Vergas, and even Fargo. The Bud Light's were chilled to perfection, and the evening concluded as it should have after a rollercoaster ride of events. . . . .slightly drunk, halfway soaked, and fully tired! It was a great time and I hope you'll all send a donation, as we have done, to the March of Dimes folks there in Perham to help them out since their fundraiser was literally swamped thanks to mother nature:(

Saturday in Felton was as it should be in small town Minnesota. . . . . .Bring Your Own Beer/Whisky/Jag. . . .and full of rowdy, good time people! The street was packed, the music was loud, and once again I remembered exactly why we do this. We spend 8-9 months of the year having a good time on a smaller scale. The Summer brings out the sun, the fun, the people, and a reckless abandon that we all yearn for from time to time. Just seeing so many smiley faces and people singing along pulls on my heart strings and propels me to work harder and harder to make sure our music is heard by as many people as possible. Side note : next single from the new album? Probably That's The Kind of Love We're In! People are loving that tune!

This week finds my at home plotting the concise and complete takeover of the world. We're practicing with our incoming drummer tonight, who we'll be announcing next week, and also with Chance on Thursday. We also just ordered up new merch and next week we'll have new pictures up featuring our new drummer, and also some cool shots with Chance as well! Big changes are coming for October Road, beginning on August 1st and running until September. Obviously I cannot share with you what they are now, but I predict it's gonna shake up a lot of stuff when it happens!

I'd like to tell you a bit more about our new drummer, with more information coming next week when his super secret identity is unveiled. His code name is "Two Drop Sheet Rock" and he's a guy we've been chasing for more than three years, and without a doubt is one of our closest friends. His talent and ear for music stretches far beyond being a drummer, and his addition is going to propel this band to awesome heights! We can't wait to get going with him starting in August!

I also must share with you that Chance has quickly become a very close friend to each of us as well. What an awesome guy to hang with and rock tunes with on the weekend. To call him a "fill-in" would do him a great dis-justice, so we've decided to name him an official October Road member, even if it's only until August. It's a right he deserves and we thank him again for playing with us this Summer!

With that I hope to see some of you in Saint James on Friday and Big Lake on Saturday! We played both events last year and had a blast! I expect the same will happen this year as well!

Please keep requesting "I'm Lost" on Froggy 99 or your local station and thank you all for your support!

Sincerely,
Shawn
Currently listening:
Free
By Gavin DeGraw
Release date: 2009-03-31
10:10 PM 
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