I'm slowly getting all my "ducks" in a row for my next road trip. I'm totally excited for this one as I get to drive down, (taking photos all the way) to Northern California where I meet up with two of the foremost night photographers/light painters for a weekend photography workshop in a massive junkyard in Pearsonville. To learn anything from Troy Paiva and Joe Riefer is an honor in itself. Check out Troy's work at www.lostamerica.com.

After the workshop is finished it looks like I'll be spending a couple weeks in Vegas before meandering my way home, again taking time to put my camera through it's paces and use some of the new knowledge I have from the workshop.

Check out my new website for the best shots of the trip in a couple of months. www.waynestadler.com

Giddy-Up!! I'm now going to the first show of the tour as well as the third show...and for those of you with tix to the 28th show, it's not the first show anymore!

The Police are playing a "fan club" only show on May 27th at GM Place and I have my seats in section 118. I week of sheer music bliss?...I think so!!

I heard the most ridiculous statement about the recent massacre at Virgina Tech. When asked about the gun laws and the "right" to bear arms, some moron actually said that if the students at VT were armed maybe they could have protected themselves.

It's this idiotic mentality that has started this mess in the first place. When is the US going to wake up and realize it's not the wild west, this isn't a goddam Segio Leone movie for fuck sakes!

Serious change needs to be implemented. Now with the possibility that I may be a Nevada resident in the future I'm just a little concerned. Something needs to be changed, and quick, before Charleton Heston crawls out of his cave to arrive in Virgina for a conveniently placed and timed NRA rally.

A Canadian who's quietly waiting for CNN to start tying video game violence to their reports on this. You know it's coming.
 

As some of my close friends already know I'm back in a band, at least temporarily. They have me on waivers until I make my move to Las Vegas which if all goes well will happen summer 2008.

I've been rehearsing with The Capitals here in Vancouver for the past few weeks and we're getting ready to do up some rock and roll shows. Even going to make a short trip back to Calgary,  my home of 7 years. Watch for us there early May.

Here are some dates, hope to see you all out!!

Apr 19 2007 - The Backstage Lounge, Vancouver, British Columbia
May 3 2007 - The Canmore Hotel, Canmore, Alberta
May 4 2007 - Tongue N Groove, Lethbridge, Alberta
May 5 2007 - The Marquee Room, Calgary, Alberta

So I've succumbed to yet another internet blackhole. I've been uploading my photos to the newest internet hotspot that is FLICKR. Yes, their ability to make it so fucking easy to upload and categorize photos and have them seen by many has lured me in and I can't escape.

I've added a bunch of sets, some older shots and a bunch from my recent time in Las Vegas and the area. Come to FLICKR, check out my photos, join and leave comments. Do It!

Giddy Up!!!!

 

GOT 'EM!!

I was able to get through the fanclub presale bundle and landed myself two tix on the floor, row 28 for the second Police show here in Vancouver.

Twenty three years I've been waiting for this. This past week after not getting through for tix to the first show I've been going mental, tempted to pay through the nose for some tix from some scalping fuckwad on craigslist but I waited.

I used to play along to Police tunes when I was young and learning to play drums. Stewart Copeland has always been an influence and now, FINALLY I can see them live.

Today is a good day!!

 

Yes, after the Grammy opening last night and other media spewage today, all the signs are pointing to a real Police reunion tour. It's even been said that the Tour opener will be here in Vancouver on May 28th.

The boy are apparently rehearsing here at one of the large film studio lots so it makes sense to start here.

No I have to nail down when tickets will be on sale. I will be the geek in line for hours for this show. Fuck Yeah!

Anyone who knows me knows that I would be the first guy to stand in line for days to get tickets to a Police reunion show. I heard from a friend that this may be a dream coming true this year. As much as I'd like to think it'll happen it's looking bleak, just like any other time that the subject has been mentioned.

Even though it's the 30 year anniversary of the band's first single and A&M records has some marketing plans in the works for this summer I don't actually believe that there will be any sort of reunion tour.

I decided to google this subject and the only thing I could find that confirmed anything in either direction was this:

POLICE DRUMMER SAYS STING WILL NEVER GO FOR A REUNION
By: Bruce Simon

Rumors are circulating that Police will reunite in some form this year to mark their 30th anniversary, but drummer Stewart Copeland is skeptical about Sting's willingness to go along. In an interview published at the Uncut magazine website at uncut.co.uk, Copeland said, "I'm a film composer and I have to (be) very careful about what I do within that... (but) being the drummer in a rock band is just for fun and I can do that any which way. A Police reformation wouldn't compromise me at all, but for Sting, it would be a step backwards. He has another brand name -- which he's had for some time now, of course -- which is 'Sting,'and he's concerned with taking that forward. For Sting, a reformation would be a career move in the wrong direction, but for me it wouldn't be any career move at all. I guess (guitarist) Andy Summers is somewhere between those two points."

While he'd be happy to do a reunion, Copeland did reveal that he's past wondering about the band and the history. He said, "Editing the Super-8 footage for my DVD (Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out) really didn't make me feel nostalgic, although there were a few surprises there. What really struck me was how cheerful it all was... Sifting through the footage really punctuated the whole Police experience for me, and now I feel that the circle is complete. Before, I always felt like there was some kind of unfinished business but, having made the film, I'm completely cured of the Police."

Copeland added, "We were lucky to get our eight years and five albums out of Sting, because the Police was a great fit -- musically, all three of us excited each other -- but being a member of any band was not part of Sting's personal makeup... At first, that wasn't a problem, but it became more and more so as time went on and he stuck it out for eight long years. Sting made all those compromises that you have to make when you're a member of a band, rather than the band."

Stewart Copeland's brother Miles Copeland, who was also the manager for the Police and for Sting, told us that he can't imagine Sting saying yes: "Sting doesn't want to do it. He's done his thing, and for him it would be admitting his solo career wasn't as big as the Police and he had to go back to that. And he'd hate, he just hates to admit something like that."

There's been no official word that the group will reform, though there are strong rumors about live shows in the U.S. and U.K this year.

January 08, 2007

Well that's it, 2006 is officially history. I can't say it was a bad year but it wasn't great. It was bittersweet at the best of times. I started the year off in love with the most beautiful person I've ever known, didn't have much love for myself but loved her. Soon found myself in love but not "in love", of course that soon ended as the other aspects of my life simply sucked me dry through most of the year which I later realized really took a toll on anything that WAS good. I battled the urge to simply give up. On the advice of the forementioned beautiful person I started throwing random things out to the universe for no more than curiousity sake. All of a sudden I started getting phone calls, calls that initially didn't seem to go anywhere but then one day they snapped into place. With that I ended up in Las Vegas for the final three months of this past year. I was given the chance to work for a good company, I was appreciated, I was welcomed and I quickly realized that I was actually worthy of making a living doing something I enjoyed doing. In the three months I was there I created bonds and friendships not working relationships. I became part of a team all working towards a common goal. In the meantime I found myself being able to pay my bills, pay off debts and actually enjoy having a little extra money in my pocket.

I returned home just in time for Christmas and was able to have my friends over, whom I missed immensely. I was able to give them a few small gifts that I had found in my days away that I wanted them to have. Still, essentially, I am alone.

Tonight, (or this morning) in my semi drunken state I realize I am not alone, I am lucky. I have great friends, great ex girlfriends, great family and great opportunities on the horizon. I simply have nothing to complain about.

I want to shine in this new year and in that, I hope it gives everyone around me the inspiration to shine in their own way. This year I am coming through like a bull through a china shop, I am going to try anything and everything that I want or feel at the time. I want to connect with people, I want to evolve as a human, as a man and as a friend.

This year I will be me. Confident. Secure. Loud. Loving. Forgiving and downright fucking obnoxious. This year I will not take "no" for an answer, I will not let life pass me by, I will not be idle. This year I will kick open every door and if perhaps it's to do nothing more than let my friends pass on through ahead of me then great!

This year is a turning point point and will become the marker on which I recognize my connection with what is truly important.

To all my friends, my family and hell yes even my enemies, I love you all and wish the best for you this year. ...cus god dammit you're gonna need it to keep up with me. ;)

Cheers to all, Happy New Year!!

Well I'm settled back into my little bachelor pad once again, at least for awhile. The job in Vegas was awesome and hardly close to completion, I still have lots of work to do and will be doing it from home for the next year or so while we work out details to move me down there permanently. I'll be bouncing back and forth, making trips down every month or so. They really want me as part of their company and I'm honored and thankful that they want me. It was an awesome three months and I look forward to becoming a solid part of the team there....and Hey, it's Vegas!

Home is good, standard rainy cloudy grey winter days in Vancouver but that's what I expected. Just got most of my shopping done and prepping for a night of libations with my friends and some gift exchanging.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope to talk to all my friends over the holidays as I've missed everyone.

Cheers!

W

Thanks to a two day fight with the flu I wasn't able to go to the Wolfmother show I'd been looking forward to. Ironically, as it usually happens, now that the show is pretty much over I'm starting to feel a little better. Tomorrow night is the first night of a two day Christmas party that the company I'm doing work for is holding at Caesars Palace. Should be kind of fun to meet some more people. I wanted to get out and find a nice jacket but this flu cut those plans short too.

Anyway, not much new, getting anxious to come home for a bit as I miss everyone, still no news on what the plan is for January, we'll see.

Until next time,

W