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March 31, 2005
VERY STRANGE INDEED!!
The Napster thing last night was a strange event, to say the least. First of all, they had me giving out MP3 players with Nick Lachey!!! Then, most of Mel's was separated from the counter by a huge black curtain, so the 'celebrities' were in the back, and the real people that had been lining up for hours, were in the front, unable to see or talk to anyone in the back. Then they dragged us out into the front part for five minutes to give a few players away, and then it was back behind the curtain. Hardly 'Come and hang out with us' like the commercial said!! Dont get me wrong - the Napster site, and the MP3 players they have are really nice, and the whole idea of checking out the new music by downloading it from the Napster site is really good. Its just that the event at Mels seemed so ....... weird!! I got out of there after doing my bit behind the counter, and as my car arrived, Jezzi called over and I got to take a few pics with her and some other people STILL waiting in line to get in!! So that was nice to meet her - but the fact that she was still waiting in line to go inside a small, partitioned off bit of Mels, to get an MP3 player that wasnt there (they didnt bring enough to give out!!!) left a bad taste in my mouth.
So we all went down to Shamrock Tattoo's and hung out with Colin for a while. Shot some pool, nearly got back in the chair for more ink (my hunger took over and dragged my ass out of there before I did something stupid - like get MOM tattooed on my chest!) and just hung out for an hour or so. A good end to a bizarre night.
Thank you to everyone for the explanation of the chocolate bunnies and the eggs - we are a very strange planet!!
Jay - It was the Sony 55" - Pretty cool watching movies on it, and ridiculous to play PS2 on it!!
Kim - LOVE the Rocktober idea!! It should be an international law that the whole month is the month of Rock!!!
Willd - NICE dunks!! And you know, with the guitar competition. Its not ONLY people in LA. Its just that if you are listening on the internet (which has a three minute delay) how can you be the first caller in with the three right questions? We will ask the last question on Saturday, and the first caller with all three correct answers wins the guitar. Its not that we are excluding people, its just that the Station is only an LA station. Dont shoot the messenger!!!
Ylais - The Dancing Holiday!! Count me out - I wouldnt even dance at my own wedding!! Actually, Slash persuaded me to have ONE dance with my new wife - he told me it would be advisable not to deny my new bride a dance!! How do you disagree with such a legend??!!
OK - thats my midweek roundup. Gotta get stuck into my day here. Working on the equipment and travel details for the Doheny New York trip (which is a LONG job) and I believe we are finishing up Jerry Cantrell's parts on the Camp Freddy album this afternoon. Just waiting for Mike Clink to call me and confirm it all. So have a great day everyone, and I'll be back soon.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 09:02 AM | Comments (11)
March 29, 2005
RUBY TUESDAY
And I'm back!! Another glorious morning in sunny Los Angeles - the weather is really weird right now. We get bright blue skies and hot sun shining ..... with one black cloud raining down at the same time!! Lots of rainbows - Ronnie James Dio is loving it!!
OK - enough with the terrible jokes!! Whats been happening? Well, CFR on Saturday pushed the envelope a little, forever to be known as The Sperm Show!! Discussions on how much sperm we ejaculate during a lifetime, and constant Pat O'Brien jokes ...... ('You're SO fuckin HOT!!) put us in an area we havent been in before!! Not sure if it went down well or not - but we had a blast doing it!!!
Yesterday was a studio day for me - spent the afternoon in Brad Spalter's studio, here in LA, working on this song for a friend of ours that is doing a TV show. Kind of a hard-edged pop rock song - sounds pretty good. Brad does a lot of R+B and Hip Hop work, so the studio was full of rappers, lyricists, and had a 'hang out' feel to it - great vibe. And interesting for me to work in, as its normally all about the guitar with me!!! We'll see how it turns out - I am back in there tonight to mix the track and its done.
I also took a trip down to Adidas yesterday (MASSIVE thanks to Alice - Thank you sweetie!!) who hooked a brother UP!!! I came out of there with a bunch of really cool sneakers, and a few OG three stripe tops. Very cool - maybe I'll get out of the Nike Dunk fixation and move onto the Adidas Forum - very comfortable sneaker, and available in a ton of colors.
Sue - I will try to remember to do a playlist from CFR each week, starting this Saturday. It can get pretty hectic in that room, but I will do my best. I'll then post it here every Sunday morning. Good idea!!
Jezzi - The Mel's Diner thing is tomorrow (March 30th) from 7pm - 9pm. You dont need tickets - Its just an informal hang, and a chance to win some shit.
Jay - Toes would definately be stepped on if I was 100% with my answer. Lets say that I am not sure about the term, 'Musician'!!! Talented? YES, absolutely. You ever see DJ AM do his thing? Its awesome - and I have seen many DJ's do stuff that would take me a lifetime to learn how to do. They are creative, talented and the ones that actually MAKE music as well are definately musicians. But some just mix records together ....... not too sure what to call them!!!!
Kim - VERY cool info about the GTA game for PSP. I am sending an enquiry email today!! I SHALL go to the Ball!!!
OK - so a question before I get outta here. Easter. What is the deal with Easter? Can someone PLEASE tell me where we get chocolate eggs and bunny rabbits from? And if you invented your own national holiday, what would it be called, and what would it involve? What would the symbolism be? Remember the Seinfeld with the alternative "Festivus" holiday? Pure Genius comedy!! Whats your holiday?
I am off to FINALLY get the big screen TV today - cannot wait to play Shadow Of Rome on that thing!!
See ya'll soon. (And by the way - I know I've used todays pic before - I am backing up a drive and thats the only pic I have on this computer!!)
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 07:17 AM | Comments (20)
March 26, 2005
SHE CRIED....MORE, MORE, MORE!!!
So Mr Billy Idol ROCKED the hizzy last night at The Roxy. Pretty much a scene on the Strip last night, there was a line of people outside the club that stretched all the way down Sunset. Indie 103.1 were broadcasting the event so TK and Steele were wandering around outside. I met a few people that I knew and made my way inside and up to my table. Down went the lights, and they hit the stage. Crystal clear sound, great lights, and the intimacy of a small venue made it all seem like a very special event. He played all the hits, and a bunch of songs from the new record (which all sounded great - perfectly at home next to the classic Idol tracks) and Steve Stevens ....... well, what can I say about my boy Steve? He is THE most amazing guitarist to watch - NO mistakes, an incredible tone, and mind-bending solos that seem impossible to play, and yet, are still VERY tasteful. No Vai or Satriani here - Steve is the master of playing JUST the right thing at JUST the right time. What a great show - I had a blast.
Today is our Camp Freddy Radio day - and Dave will be there with me. I'm excited to see him, cos it feels like ages since we did a show together. So I will get my playlist together and try to pull out some great music for you all.
Bobbi-O - Yeah I think you are right. My love of the Pistols extends beyond the music. Its because I saw first hand, how they upset SO many people. I mean the Royal Fucking Family were speaking out against them. Thats pretty impressive when you are 12 years old and watching the Prime Minister of the country getting all upset about a BAND!!!!
Eric - I did get a PSP but its not arrived yet!! I am on the edge of my seat waiting for it. I have friends who already have one, and those things are pure genius. I think I'll get mine next week, so expect days of silence from me while I stare at yet another screen!!!
Ylais - I was blown away when I read Steve's post on his site. Thank you for posting that link and alerting me to what he had written. I had no idea. But he is a wonderful guy, and I emailed him straight away to thank him.
Zannebee - I love that 'Peace, Pot, Microdot' thing!! Not my bag - I'll take the Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll - but I smiled when I read it. Microdots always left me foaming at the mouth, hidden under a couch somewhere, convinced the hamsters were coming to get me!!
Matt - Yes, I am extremely busy most of the time. But what you have to understand is that I believe in doing as much as possible for the people that come to shows, buy records and support a band. I GENUINELY love everyone who stays around here and posts. You all make me want to continue making music. Its not easy - Doheny would love to be signed and making a record right now. But this business is tough - we will get it done, but the long process of getting there is made SO much easier by having people like you guys supporting us. RESPEC' to the Doheny Family.
Flaming Heart and Electric Mayhem - A bit of the old 'liner never hurt anyone, right? I have been known to indulge!!!
OK people - I have drivelled on enough for today. Time to fire up my I-Tunes and put a playlist for tonights show together. I feel a little Crue, a little Idol, and a little Doheny coming on!!! Todays pic is from Jenni Kaynes fashion show - and the cute french bulldog is her dog, Mr Jack. Isn't he the BEST!!
Have a great weekend everyone, and I'll see ya soon.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 08:30 AM | Comments (11)
March 24, 2005
ROCK IS DEAD......I DONT THINK SO!!!
Motley Crue, baby. What a great show. They played for two hours, and just about every song you could wanna hear. Mick Mars shuffling about the stage, looking frail, but playing everything just perfectly. Nikki Sixx - the rock God that he is. Tommy flying about the place on wires, playing different kits in different parts of the arena...... one on the stage, and two about thirty feet in the air!! And dear ol' Vince. Looking better, thanks to his extreme makeover, and singing as much of the stuff as he could manage. He got out a few pure Motley screams, but missed a few too. But he did a great job overall. And the Pyro - Jesus Christ, the Pyro. Better than most New Years Eve celebrations Ive been to see!!!
The band (love em or hate em) are a pure Rock N Roll extravaganza. And for that alone, they deserve respect. The fact that they actually sounded strong, played the right set list, and rocked hard for two hours is all icing on the cake. Shout At The Devil, guys!!
Today I am in a studio, working on a song for a friend of mine. Its attached to an up-coming Reality TV show and of course, I cant say anything right now. But the song is a good one, and I get to co-produce it as well. Hopefully, the show will be a go, and I will be able to tell you more details. But suffice to say that I am greatful that today is another day I get to play guitar.
Its the Billy Idol thing at the Roxy tomorrow - another cool show to look forward to - and then its CFR on Saturday, and I spoke with Dave ..... he will be joining me. Good news. So we will do the second Gibson Guitar Competition question (Dave got all carried away with his beautiful guest last week and forgot to ask it!!).
Wow - I really got some amazing responses to those last two questions. First of all, in case you were wondering, I am The Stones all the way. Its basically the good guys vs the bad guys. The Beatles were fantastic, but they were the nice guys. The Stones, on the other hand, were the guys your mother warned you about - and that is ALL I needed. So its Keith and Mike for me. The other question was based on the time I was in WH Smith in Oxford St in London (it sells magazines and stationary, for those of you not living in the UK) and this really beautiful older woman, dressed in a business suit, walks up to me, and says in a really nice, well to do accent, ....'Excuse me Sir, but do you know if they have any Marijuana in this store?"!!!!!!!! TOTALLY blew my mind!! Anyway ....... before I forget - a massive shout out to Leon 'Sex With Her Makes My Back Burn' Pennington - anyone who comes up with that lyric from a Cult song deserves to be here!! Welcome, Sir.
Bobbi-O - Well spotted. It was, indeed, Mr Keidis who found himself in a spot of agro at the fashion show. But all's well that ends well.
Acacia - Dropping your purse is a good one!! Any gentleman would stoop to help you.
And Jay - If you, for ONE moment, think that I am going to ask, The Pistols or The Clash? then you are mistaken Sir!! That is the most commonly asked question that gets me all riled up!! No competition. Yes, The Clash were a great band, but in reality, they were a different animal entirely to the Pistols. The whole 'One Album, 14 Month career' thing that the Pistols did, makes them the most important Punk band, bar none. No-one who continued/evolved/tried to sell records is even in the same genre!!! There - I have said my piece!!
OK - I have to get moving. I LOVED everyones Sav-On answers, and I will be keeping one ear to the ground when I am shopping in there from now on!! Have a great day everyone - and thanks all for being a part of things here. I will drop more details of what Doheny are doing in New York nearer the time - for now, keep listening to Indie 103.1 for details of the April show that we are doing at The Gig. We are thinking of re-vamping our image - check out todays pic for a taster!!!!
Peace Out People
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 09:57 AM | Comments (18)
March 22, 2005
ALL QUIET AROUND HERE
Well the Camp Freddy show at the weekend was a strange one. We played at the Rock N Republic fashion show - while the models walked!! Dave was unable to make it so we asked Steve Jones, Billy Duffy and Jerry Cantrell to cover Stage Right, and had the Cypress Hill guys, Mark McGrath and Josh Todd as guest vocals. It was a short set - five songs while the actual fashion show happened, and then immediately afterwards, another four. The event was held at the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City on one of the huge soundstages they have there. And the runway for the models was a huge X shaped thing, with the band onstage at one end and a massive screen behind us showing the models as they walked. We opened with Love Removal, with Jerry, Billy and myself playing guitar, and Josh singing. The sound was great, and the band sounded tight. We had to fill the gaps between the songs with noise (so that the models werent out on the runway in silence!) and we kept them really short, so we went right into Man In The Box, God Save The Queen .... it seemed to be over before it had begun!! After the models had finished, we did Ballroom, Rock Superstar, Pretty Vacant and Sedated - and that was that. Home James!!! I missed doing the Radio Show, and I listened to Dave and Steve do a wonderful job while I was in the trailer at the gig.
It seems like its 'Back To The Future' with the gigs this week - Motley Crue tomorrow, and Billy Idol on Friday. Both gigs will be a LOT of fun. Steve Jones is getting up and playing with Idol at The Roxy - so if you are in town, get some tickets. And the whole Motley thing is great - Ive already seen them on this tour, but there are a bunch of us going down to the show tomorrow night, so maybe I'll do a full Motley report afterwards!! Now where are my spandex pants? And can we stop at the market and get a cucumber or two?
OK - not a lot to report, so Im gonna ask a question and see if there are any of you lot left out there!!
In fact I'm going to ask two questions. The first is a simple one - but the answers will be very telling ...... The Beatles? Or The Rolling Stones? Easy. Lets see what you think. And the second is a fun one, but I am probably leaving myself open to some abuse!! You are walking around the Sav-On store, and you run right into me, pushing a cart and searching for the weekly supplies. What's the first thing you say to me? I'm basing that one on something that happened to me once. I'll tell you after I see what you guys say.
I am off - I have rambled on enough - I am spent - I am done - I am absolutely finished!! Cant wait for rehearsals later - I need to turn up and play!! See you guys soon.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 09:41 AM | Comments (28)
March 19, 2005
FASHIONISTA
Last night was pretty cool. Our friend Jenni Kayne showed her Fall 05 collection at the Mercedes Benz event in LA, and it was a great turnout. Billy Duffy and myself went down to check out the proceedings. I was seated next to Brandon (Mr Incubus) Boyd, who was a lovely guy. We hit it off and chatted about all kinds of stuff during the evening. That guy has a great band, and is very down to earth and personable. Respec' Mr Boyd!! Jenni's clothes looked awesome and the whole event was a huge success. After the show, there was a scuffle between a friend of mine and a security guard, so the adrenaline levels rose a little while I dived in to the pushing and shoving and helped him get out of there without too much drama. Once the excitement had died down, it was off to the aftershow party - a very 'adult' dinner catered at a house in the Hollywood Hills. Of course, Duffy and I couldnt wait to eat, so we stopped off for some fries on the way. Billy went on to Jerry Cantrells party and I made my way to Jenni's dinner. A nice soiree, with a bunch of good people.
Today, Camp Freddy are playing at the Rock N Republic Runway show. Its a small set, while the models do their thing, and we will play a few more numbers once the fashion part has ended. But its not the full-on CF madness today. Just a few friends jumping up with us and the normal great rock songs. Dave wont be joining us tonight (we are all bummed about that) but he will be in the studio working on the TPC record, and possibly running from there to the radio show, so that we dont have to air a re-run of an old show. We are gonna miss you Dave - if you feel the urge, break out and drive down to the show and surprise us all!!!
I'm glad that the fashion week is only once a year. Its pretty crazy - a lot of fun, but it kind of wears you down after a while. I'm looking forward to rocking out tonight, but it will be a nice relaxing Sunday for me, thats for sure. Maybe I'll get stuck into Jezzi's present - my 40th anniversary edition of Stig Of The Dump. And I am sure that I will attempt to finish the PS2 game Shadow Of Rome that I have been playing forever!! The game just goes on and on and ........ yeah, you get the picture.
So I hope you all have a fun day - me, I am off to soundcheck in a while, and get my game face on!!
See y'all soon.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 09:22 AM | Comments (8)
March 18, 2005
STIG ARRIVES HOME!
Well, top news of the day is that I visited my mailbox yesterday, and to my utter surprise, there was a 40th anniversary edition of my favourite childhood book, Stig Of The Dump waiting for me!!! Thank you SO much Jezzi – that was really unexpected and totally sweet!! I will be reading that again with so many memories – very cool indeed. If you guys haven’t read that book, go find it and give it a go. It’s the greatest story of childhood innocence and fantasy that was ever written (short of Peter Pan, maybe). Anyway – thank you again Jezzi – you ROCK!!
OK – whats been going on? Well, I hung out with Dave for a while last night, and the guy really has stopped smoking!! I have so much respect for him, and I know its only a matter of time before I have to quit too. He seems to be coping, and the more of my friends that stop, the more I feel like a fucking Pariah, lighting up around them. When I’m ready – I’m ready ….. but all power to Mr N.
The fashion shows and parties have been fun. The Adidas store thing was very cool – all old school sneakers and Steve Jones and Kelly Cole spinning the tunes. And last nights Marc Jacobs event was incredible. Hundreds of thousands of red and yellow roses everywhere, great food, great tunes, and my wife and I hanging out with Francis Ford Coppola!! I couldn’t believe how cool he was – just interested in what we both did, shooting the shit etc. I just kept thinking – “Hearts Of Darkness, Hearts Of Darkness”!!!
Its been a busy week and its not over yet – our friend Jenni Kayne has her runway show tonight, so I will be scooting out of Doheny rehearsal and hot-footing it across town to get down to that one. And a certain Mr Cantrell has a party later tonight which I know I’ll be attending – so its another full one today. And Jay – to answer your question – my wardrobe does tend to swell a little during Fashion Week!!
Bobbi-O – Yeah, the Hamptons vibe is cool every year. It does take a lot of cash to get Freddy on a plane and anywhere other than LA, but who knows? Someone might make the right offer this year. We’ll see.
DaveC – I actually get to play guitar most days. I do practice when CF are playing, as I run through the songs and learn them (which is always good practice – learning how other people play stuff). And I am constantly writing new Doheny stuff, playing on sessions, doing shows etc. So I get to brush up on my playing daily. Oh – and I have to admit that Butterscotch Angel Delight hasn’t made it to the States yet – I occasionally get a craving for that mound of E numbers and MSG!!!
Alright folks – I am working on a tune for a TV thing here at my studio, so I have to put a couple of hours in before Doheny rehearsals and the madness of the evenings festivities. Check out the very cool MYF dunks - I already have my order in, and you can get these from their site. The weekend is here again, so have a good one, and I will be back with a report very soon. Thanks to you all – and don’t forget – if you cant stay out of trouble…….cause as much as you can!!
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 09:16 AM | Comments (4)
March 16, 2005
FASHION WEEK
Is it really wednesday already? God, where does the time go? Its Fashion Week in LA yet again - it seems only a short while ago that Doheny played at the Rock N Republic show but it must be a year ago. Anyway - it is really funny around here right now. There are events, shows and functions ALL DAY AND NIGHT for a whole week. The fashion scene is like none other - immensely creative and outspoken designers all descending on Los Angeles and fighting to be the number one runway show. Monday was the launch of the new Sony PSP, and they held a fashion show to celebrate. Designers included J-Lo, Jenni Kayne, Henry Dwarte and Baby Phat. It was an incredibly lavish affair, and as well as showing their clothes, the designers had made exclusive cases for the tiny games machine. Very cool idea. Tonight is the Adidas thing, tomorrow is a Marc Jacobs show, friday is all about Jenni Kayne, and Saturday ...... well, Saturday is the Rock N Republic fashion show, with Camp Freddy playing!! Dave will be doing guitar overdubs on TPC record, so he wont be at the gig (we are all bummed but totally understand) but Chaney and Perkins will be there, along with Duffy, Cantrell, Jonesy, Mark McGrath and Josh Todd. Its a small set, with a few close friends.
The Doheny show at The Viper in May is not happening, as we will all be in New York that day. BUT - we can confirm that we will be playing a show at THE GIG on MELROSE on SAT 23rd APRIL. We will be going onstage at 10.00pm sharp. TK from Indie will be DJ'ing before and after we play, and Chris Wyse's band, Owl, will be playing at 9.00pm. Chris has played bass in Camp Freddy before, and I played his band last week on CFR. I am very happy that we have a show on the books - seems like forever since our last gig. We want to do one or two before we go to New York. So there you have it. We rehearsed yesterday, and despite all of us being tired, we sounded good. We will definately be playing a few songs that we havent played live before. A couple of brand new ones, and a couple that we just havent got around to before.
Amber - The guitar competition is open to anyone. The problem is that the radio station is only a local one, so if you listen on the web, there is a time delay. Not much chance of calling in on the third week and being in time. But we have two of these Epiphone guitars, so maybe we will hold a competition on the site for the other one later. And if the winner cant get into the station, we would of course, send the guitar to them. Its just that the third week question is going to be asked and THEN everyone will call in and give us all three answers. So apologies for the seemingly 'Californian-Only' nature of the thing - its cos the radio show is a Californian one!!!
D-Wez - Good question about the money. Lets just say that Camp Freddy seems to be the only band of its type around, and therefore there is nothing to compare our fees to - we do get paid very well. BUT we also do a LOT of charity / free stuff. So it balances out.
WP - Obviously, its all Gibson live, and mainly the same in the studio. I do bust out a Telecaster for some stuff in the studio, and I also dig out an Ibanez RG760 if its needed (the locking Floyd Rose thing!!)
Lisa - The point of a showcase is to impress someone. Could be a manager, a label, agents ...... its a way of getting the band in front of business people who usually dont go to see bands play live. (Believe it or not, the guys in charge in this business dont actually like going to gigs!!!)
OK - so I have to do a bunch of tests on some new equipment that came in for my studio. Its all been put in the racks, and now I get to spend a few hours playing around with it and learning what it all does!! Then this afternoon, it will be work in the office - phones and emails about the upcoming Freddy and Doheny stuff, and then its off to the Adidas party. Steve Jones is spinning the tunes there, so it should be a great laugh. Thanks to everyone for your posts - I LOVE reading them. And apologies for not posting sooner - the week is already running away with me. New equipment, fashion shows, rehearsals, phone calls ....... its all go 'round 'ere, mate!!!
Have a great day and hopefully get to see some of you at the show in April.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 08:31 AM | Comments (12)
March 13, 2005
SUNDAY SIESTA
Yesterdays CFR was great fun. With Dave off the nicotine for a few days, he had energy to burn, and we both bounced off the walls for a couple of hours!! We started the Gibson Giveaway with the first question, so if you have the answer, write it down and listen to next weeks show for the second question. And we played a bunch of great songs – I managed to squeeze in a little Pitchshifter, for our very own Mr Clayden. A song called Whats In It For Me, which I actually performed with the band on a few occasions. I love the song and wanted to give people who haven’t heard of ‘Shifter, a taste of what they sounded like.
Today is a fully fledged ‘Day Off’! Nothing to do at all. Which feels great. A little Shadow Of Rome on the PS2 – might go and buy a new cellphone – you know, a general ‘fuck it, lets go spend some money’ kind of day. And as next week is full of fashion shows, Doheny rehearsals, and a Camp Freddy show (private fashion show appearance, I’m afraid), I think I’ll make the most of the quiet time today.
Lets have a little fun here – I wanna see how everyone thinks a whole day off should be spent. What do you lot do when you don’t have to go to work, there are no errands to run, and no one is demanding any of your time? Is it a good book on the couch? Is it shopping? See who can come up with the most interesting way to spend a whole free day.
I think going to see Constantine should definitely be a part of it – so maybe I’ll do that today. Although Dave attributes that movie to helping him quit smoking……. I’m not ready yet!! Help!!
Ylais – A showcase is kinda like a small, 6 song gig, with an audience of about four people!! You set up, and play a few songs as if you are performing live, but there are only your management, and a few business types watching you. Very difficult to find a vibe!!!
And more Doheny merch will be around in a few months.
Bonita – I don’t know when or how the Gibson SG bidding starts, but I will find out from Gibson and let you know.
Kim – Sorry about the lack of Skindred. I tried to find the song but had no luck. But MASSIVE respect to you for staying off the cancer sticks. Its hard, I know.
I’m outta here – just wanted to check in and say hi. Todays pic is another from the Native Instruments shoot. Have a nice, relaxing Sunday.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 10:12 AM | Comments (20)
March 11, 2005
METALWORK 101
Its rehearsals again today, and we will be working on some specific songs as we are planning a showcase type thing for some labels soon. So we will be working on getting the best songs as tight as we can. My friends at Audio Technica sent us a bunch of vocal mics, so we will be able to dial in not only Jons voice, but mine and Seans as well. And I am hoping that we take delivery of a new bass stack as well. Tech 21 in NYC do this awesome looking bass stack called the Landmark 300 and I’m hoping we are going to be able to try one out for a couple of weeks and see how it sounds.
Next week is LA Fashion Week (where does the time go?! Doheny played the Rock N Republic show last year …… has it really been a whole year??!!) so I am sure there will be a bunch of events to attend and stories to tell.
Regarding the Deep Purple DVD that Jon asked about – The Doheny Message Board on the main site – www.dohenymusic.com - is now fixed and we are back to normal service. So why don’t you post a message for Jon on there, and bug him until he tells you all what it is??!!
Matt – I have no idea what PWEI song you are referring to, but if you find out, let me know. Their favourite lyric of mine was …..”Big Mac, Fries to go, gimme Big Mac, Fries to go” !!!!
Loved all the childrens books you all mentioned. I have read most of them (I used to read so much more before there were computers. Now I read the Yahoo News Page and a bunch of emails!!) I did read the spate of music bios from last year (Tommyland, Daves one, the Ramones one) but I really should start reading more. The last books I really got into were the Terry Pratchet Discworld things …… oh yeah, and all the Harry Potter books!!!
Apologies for not checking in sooner. Its been an ‘up and down’ few days, working on the next Freddy show and this Doheny showcase thing and I just haven’t had time. I will be back in the morning for sure. Anyone in LA wanting a cool show to go to tonight should be at The Key Club for Ian Hunter. He was the singer in Mott The Hoople (who sang the Camp Freddy favourite, All The Young Dudes) and he still puts on a great show. Have a great day everyone and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!!!
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 07:20 AM | Comments (18)
March 08, 2005
SHADOW OF ROME
OK - its rehearsal day today (although I have to admit that for the first time in a long while, I will not be attending!!) I know the rest of the guys will be working hard tonight, ironing out kinks and bugs in the tunes. I, however, have something I need to do, and will not be able to join them. Never mind - they'll probably all have much more fun without me saying "STOP!! Do it again - can we just change this one little bit ...... for the 30th time!!"
I am so happy that everyone seemed to like the acoustic version of "Machine" that Jon and I did on CFR this week. The full band version is just so cool - I cant wait to play that live. The plan is to have Part Of The Machine, California and the other new one, By My Own Design, all worked up and in the set by the next gig. And it looks like we will be doing just that.
Jezzi - you made me laugh!! Yeah, the fisheye lens in that pic makes my feet look HUGE!! I have said before, I take a US size 9 shoe - but that lens has given me size 13's!!!
Ylais - You are absolutely right. We never actually asked a question about the guitar!! So we'll start that this coming Saturday.
Junebug - Oh My God. Silver and Blue Cowboy dunks would RULE!! I wonder if they exist?
Kim - I didnt know about Tommy Vance. RIP Tommy - you brought us much music, and had much style. You will be missed.
OK - Shadow Of Rome on PS2. I CANNOT stop playing it. Set in ancient Rome, its a murder mystery written around the death of Julius Caeser - and you run around Rome and the surrounding countryside, fighting everyone, hiding in prisons, sneaking into the Senate ....... er...... does this make me a nerd??!!
Whatever - if you are a gamer, go get this game. Its so much fun. In fact - I have to dash off now - need to bone up on my Gladitorial Skills before a big game in the Amphitheatre. Oh God - I really have lost it!! Have a wonderful day. And out of interest - the question I was asked about my favourite childhood book was great. Stig Of The Dump ruled my world when I was 6 years old. What was yours? What book took you to that wonderful Peter Pan world where it all seemed so real? Lemme know......
Oh, and todays pic was taken a few years ago, backstage after a show. I cant quite remember why these guys all had toilet roll wrapped around them (which possibly explains what state of mind I was in at the time - no memory of it at all!!) but I came across the pic and thought it was funny.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 09:57 AM | Comments (21)
March 05, 2005
CFR SATURDAY
The weekend is here again and tonight's CFR should be a lot of fun. Steve Issacs from The Panic Channel, and Doheny's Jon Clayden will be our guests, and I am sure that, as in recent weeks, acoustics will be present, and songs will be sung!! Looking forward to that.
Yesterday I did a very cool photoshoot for a company called Native Instruments (see todays pic). NI make a bunch of really cool virtual instruments and software for those of us that make music with computers. So we did a shoot at Doheny's rehearsal room yesterday, and the photographer turned all the lights off!! I thought she was joking, until she brought out a huge flashlight and wandered around, shining the light on different parts of me and the equipment. The results, as you can see, make for very stark lighting, and a very cool vibe. Check out NI's website - http://www.native-instruments.com - and get yourself some sweet programs. Tweak out for hours!!! Oh, and check out the brand new Raiders Dunks I'm wearing - got them yesterday (the rare Black/Silver combo that I have been searching out for a couple of years!!) The search for the Purple and White Dunks, as well as the Black and Yellow ones still continues.
Things are quiet around here right now (which I suppose I should be greatful for - there are many times when I am complaining that I have too much going on!!). But in true Billy Morrison style, when its quiet, I get bored. And boredom is damaging for me. Doheny are waiting for our lawyer to report in with news of progress on the deal front, and although I was booking a couple of shows yesterday, they aren't for a while. Camp Freddy might be playing in April, but again, its not confirmed and not for a while, so I cant get stuck into that either. There are a couple of unrelated projects also out there in the 'ether' of life, but it seems that everything is taking its time, so I suppose I need to just kick back and relax. Get into the battle for the swamplands in Killzone - maybe start racing the secondhand Mitsubishi 3000GT that I have in the garage in Grand Turismo 4 - and maybe, JUST maybe, finish the videos that I have had half finished in the studio computer for months!!!
Jay - Actually, I do see CF releasing a single to radio. We have no idea what, until all songs are finished, but yes, I believe we would put a song out to radio and see what happens. Maybe we'll even make a video as well!
WP - Aaahh, the old Aviator stricks back!! Yeah, I used to rock the Aviator style (HAS to be the OG Rayban) but these days, I prefer the slimmer design. Chanel and Dita do great glasses.
Jezzi - Great question! My favourite childhood book would be Stig Of The Dump. They dont have it here in America - its a UK thing. I always wanted to be Stig!!!
Sue - That is pure GENIUS. Tasting musical notes??!! What I wanna know is.....what notes constitute Strawberries And Cream? I'll write a 10 minute song that ONLY has those notes in them. Or maybe the chorus will be notes that taste like Mixed Vegetable Curry from Flavor Of India on Santa Monica Blvd!!
Lisa - Jesus!! I know hundreds of songs on acoustic. The problem is remembering what songs I know when I actually go to play one!!
The chat is on for tomorrow at 7pm LA time. I hope some of you can make it - its usually very hectic, very funny and very informative. I know that Jon, Sean and myself will be there. Tony and Colin are computerless, so dont expect the rhythm section!! I'm off - see you on Indie 103.1 tonight. I believe Jon and I are going to attempt to do an acoustic version of our new Doheny song, Part Of The Machine. Hmmm.......how does that one go again??????
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 07:38 AM | Comments (14)
March 01, 2005
FLOWER POWER
Good morning everyone! First of all I have to thank you all for the kind words about the radio show on Saturday. It just isnt the same without my boy Dave or Dono, but Billy Duffy stepped in at the last minute and we had a lot of fun. I just figured that it was better to do a show, than to air a re-run. So we winged it!! The acoustic stuff was a laugh - yes, I was nervous to do Rain, but hopefully it sounded ok!! We got to spin a bunch of cool tunes and hang out together for a couple of hours. And it seems you guys liked it - I am very happy about that. Word on the street is that this coming weekend we are back to normal, with Steve Issacs and Jon Clayden as guests. Looking forward to that.
Yesterday was a day of editing at the Camp Freddy studio with Mike Clink. And I am happy to say that we made a lot of progress. We now have three songs ready to mix. The plan is to do one more day of editing next week and then take four songs into a studio in the hills to mix them. They really do sound great, and I cannot wait to have a mix to play on the radio. I believe Dave has one more solo to do, and then we will be done on those four tracks. We've tracked 16 songs though, so its gonna be a while before we are finished!! I think we just want to finish the first four so that we feel we are making progress!! Its a long process - but worth the wait.
Doheny are back in the rehearsal studio tonight. Hopefully we will continue to get the new ones up to scratch and we will decide where we want to do some shows in LA. More news on that when we make our minds up!!!
Not a lot to tell right now - its definately a studio week - Camp Freddy Album, Doheny Demos with Jon, Doheny Rehearsals. I might go and see the Brides Of Destruction tomorrow at The Key Club but thats about it. I started playing a PS2 game called Killzone and I think the way this week is looking, I might have it finished by Saturday!!
Jezzi - The 'guest' on the love sack is my beautiful wife, Jennifer!!
Kim - Send me a CD and I will give it a listen.
Julia - Welcome back from the land of fries and snails!! Where's my string of onions?
Steven - LA shows for Doheny will be happening soon. Just trying to work out where we wanna play!!
Thats it for today - have a great week and I'll be back in a day or so to pose a few questions to you all for the weekend. Its always fun reading your answers!! Till then.....enjoy the new direction from Doheny as seen in todays pic - its FLOWER POWER DOHENY!!!
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at 08:48 AM | Comments (11)