Billy Morrison: March 2008 Archives

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March 31, 2008

SEVEN DAYS TO STIMULATION

Even though I keep promising V-Blogs, I STILL haven’t found any time to edit one together! I have enough stuff to do two or three with all the current activity going on around here. But the sweet dichotomy is that when I am busy enough to be filming shit for V-Blogs, I don’t have any time to actually edit the footage and turn it into blogs!! So you’ll have to trust me that I am actually filming stuff, and I will get something up when I have a free day. Looking at my calendar, that’s a week today – next Monday!! Haha!!

I have been in three recording studios in the last seven days, recording and mixing five songs for two different projects. It’s a little hard to keep track of what studio, what song etc. But I am having a blast. The whole EP project thing with Patrick is turning out so much cooler than I ever thought – we are in a studio in the Hollywood Hills, and the studio and the engineers are just CRAZY!! And I mean that as in crazy GOOD! The studio is one of the best I have ever seen, and the guys working on this project with us are ridiculously fast, professional and know music. The four songs that we are recording are sounding fat, meaty and really dynamic. I am completely happy with the sound (a little different from Diablo but not a huge departure) and we are back in on that project from Wednesday through to the weekend.

Before that, I am in the Sunset Marquis again with my old pal Jed Leiber, putting the finishing touches on Evergreen. This song was written by Jed, myself and Jon Clayden, back in the Doheny days, but it is such a strong track, that we have resurrected it for 2008. Seeing as I have a bit of solo action happening this year, along with the fact that the people who made “Basement Jack” – one of the movies I was in – loved the track and wanted to use it for the end title credits, helped us decide to re-record the vocals with me singing instead of Jon, and re-do the drums with Charles. We started a mix yesterday and I am back in today in an hour or so. I estimate that the mix will be finally finished by the end of play tonight. When the movie comes out (I have no idea when that will be!!) this song will be released as a solo single from me, with a killer video to match.

And finally, today marks the SEVEN DAY COUNTDOWN (depending on how you count!) towards the release date of STIMULATOR – the Billy Morrison solo album. Next Tuesday April 8th, the album will be available on I-Tunes worldwide, and I will also be putting together a VERY LIMITED number of hard copy CD’s, glossy photograph and Stimulator Tee Shirt packages. These will not be repressed or printed, and there are only 50 packages in total. I have sold nearly all of these on pre-order alone!! And I am overwhelmed at that – thank you. So if you do want a package (they will all be individually signed and numbered), they are $50 each, and you should follow the steps outlined below.

STEP 1: Log on to MySpace.Com and send a friend request to MySpace.com/BillyMorrisonMusic.

STEP 2: Once you have been added as a friend, you can send a message using the MySpace Message service, and order your limited signed, numbered package. You will need to include a valid email address as part of your message.

STEP 3: You will receive an invoice from Paypal, sent to the email address that you included in your MySpace message. Once you have completed the payment, your package will be sent by Priority Mail.

Easy, right? So as you can see, those three solo music projects, along with the usual Camp Freddy Radio show on Indie 103.1FM, the upcoming Camp Freddy shows at The Roxy, and a few other things, are keeping me pretty busy! I like it, I am totally and completely humbled and blessed to be this full up with things that I enjoy doing, and I wouldn’t change a thing. But sometimes I think about a scuba diving vacation in Belize, or even a weekend in the mountains…….and then the phone rings with someone asking me to be involved with some project/idea/album/film/website, and I snap back into real life again!! Maybe after the summer. Gotta dash – cardio is calling. Thanks to Ambersonian for the Camp Freddy Knitting Factory pics.

Peace

Billy

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Posted by vivelerock at 08:49 AM | Comments (20)

March 25, 2008

BACK IN THE SADDLE

I should start off with the PreOrder situation for the limited edition package of Stimulator. I was not clear before and have already started to receive pre-orders ...... so this is how we are doing this. Starting now, you can add yourself as a friend on www.myspace.com/billymorrisonmusic and send me a MySpace message with your email address included. This way I will put you on the Pre-Order list. This guarantees you a package. Then, after April 8th release date, I will email everyone on that list an invoice through Paypal. Once I have received payment, the package will be shipped. Orders are already coming in, so let me stress that I have only 75 packages maximum. I will not repress the CD or reprint the tee. The package is $50 and everything is signed and numbered. Once all 75 packages have been sold, the album will ONLY be a digital download. The picture has nothing to do with anything - its just a gratuitous shot of me with some Ice Cream!!!

I am back in the (studio) saddle again this week. We tracked drums yesterday for the forthcoming Billy Morrison solo EP and it went great. I would estimate that this will be a Fall release, but who knows right now. I am concentrating on actually enjoying the process of recording the songs. The drums went down easily and sound totally rocking - thanks to Dave Beyer and Charles Ruggiero, both of whom contributed their skills at hitting things really loudly in time!! Patrick and I have co-written three of these songs and we also laid down a cover just for the hell of it. Now we move studios and begin all the bass and guitars. This will take a few days, so we will be importing all our various heads, cabs and guitars into the next studio, and basically camping out till its done. Pics and video will be forthcoming!!

Questions: Let me see....

Jay and Mary both ask 'business' questions about the 'Stimulator' album being released as a Billy Morrison album. The short answer is that in the late 90's, the album masters ownership reverted back to us as the artist. "Pay Off someone?" Um.... No payoff needed!! I have had no reason to put the album out, but 2008 seemed like the right year to me. Seeing as Terry and Jason are both in the UK doing their thing, and I had already planned a bit of a solo thing, I emailed them with the idea of releasing our long lost opus as a Billy Morrison album - to bridge the gap between the Diablo album of last year, and the new stuff that I am recording now. They both agreed it would be a good idea, so here it comes!

Kate and Beth both ask about the VIP Camp Freddy packages. I believe they will be $250 for all five shows, signed goodies and meet and greet soundcheck. Details are being worked out now but they will probably go on sale on April 1st - the same as the ordinary tickets.

Danni - GREAT question! My absolute favorite Bond theme is - 'We Have All The Time In The World' - sung by Louis Armstrong in the bond film, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'.

Sarah - I think I was 9 when I first picked up a guitar. It was all downhill from that point! Haha!

Mike - Well, other than Sorum's new shop, I would suggest The Grove shopping center. You can get it all there. Or just hit Rodeo Drive and get the Amex out!! True Religion, Rock And Republic, Sorum/Noce. Job done!

I think I got all the questions. Thats pretty much it - I better get off and write some fucking lyrics here! I'm singing these songs soon, so it would really help if they had some words! As per usual, our boy from across the pond, Mr Podcast Paul, has made our Podcast available this week. The Punk Rock special from last Saturday is now up on the Podcasts page of this site, and available from I-Tunes if you subscribe. I am gonna leave you all with this thought. Even though we are not advertising who our guests are for the month of May, I can tell you that it is looking like these gigs are going to be VERY special. I am getting excited just watching it all come together - we are definately pulling out all the stops and our friends are really helping us bring rock and roll back to the Strip. GET YOUR TICKETS.

Billy

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Posted by vivelerock at 10:58 AM | Comments (11)

March 21, 2008

THE POWER OF MYSPACE

Another update for you all. And a few questions answered – which reminds me……lets do a Q+A again. Fire away with your questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. But I digress…. First and foremost – The Camp Freddy shows at The Roxy. These five shows are shaping up to be the most exciting rock and roll the Strip has seen in a LONG time! Tickets will be on sale soon at $20, PLUS it seems that we will be putting together a very special VIP package as well (don’t tell me I don’t listen to your comments!!!) – entry to all five shows plus a bunch of other stuff including a personal soundcheck/hang out type thing. More details soon, but there will be a VERY LIMITED amount of these packages available for the month. Also, we have the competition to open the evening currently running – for all local bands, check out the Roxy website, and submit your band. We’ve had a great reaction so far, and more submissions are coming in daily. We want YOU to open for us! And regarding the 30 day policy they have going on – nothing to do with Camp Freddy…..that’s the venue’s usual policy and we don’t really get a say in that sort of stuff.

Also – I want to tell you all that I will be selling a LIMITED, SIGNED, NUMBERED package of the forthcoming Stimulator album. I will only be doing this through the MySpace site – so make sure you request an add at - www.myspace.com/billymorrisonmusic - then send me a MySpace message that includes your email address and you will receive a PayPal invoice. Once that is paid, the special edition package will be sent. I will open this system up once I have all the items together but I am planning on a hard copy CD (limited to 75 copies), a tee shirt (again, limited to 75 shirts) and a glossy pic – all signed, numbered and dated. Price will be $50. I WILL NOT BE REPRESSING THIS CD so these are the only hard copies that will be available. This offer will be announced in full detail when I open it up during the week of release. The digital version of the album will be available on I-Tunes on April 8th. And Beth.....er......there IS a store button on this very page!! Not the biggest or best stocked just yet, but I'm working on it! Also, a couple of other quick answers - Paul, the album will be out......when we finish it!! Haha - we are in no hurry. Maybe more tracks in movies this year, though. And Will....um...no, I don't have that track. I will search it out.

Finally, I can tell you that…..well, why don’t I just copy the press release…it’s so much easier!! Here …… SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 20, 2008) — The fourth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert, honoring legendary artist Alice Cooper and renowned guitarist Slash, will be held on May 9, 2008, at The Music Box @ Fonda, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. All proceeds will benefit the MusiCares® MAP Fund, which provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment regardless of their financial situation. The benefit is sponsored in part by the Gibson Foundation. The evening will feature a buffet dinner and performance by all-star group Camp Freddy (Chris Chaney, Donovan Leitch, Billy Morrison, Dave Navarro and Matt Sorum) along with some special guests. In addition, the evening will feature special performances by Cooper and Slash. A range of other artists and special guests will be announced shortly. We are very happy to be able to help MAP and be a part of the celebrations that evening. More on this one later.

And there you have it. That’s some of the news in my world today. Oh, and while you are adding yourselves to the BillyMorrisonMusic MySpace profile, why not add to the newly renovated Camp Freddy MySpace profile too. We are instilling new life into the place so that we can stoke the fires for these upcoming shows. Come join in. There are a few other things happening as well, and this week in fact has been a busy one for me. But that’s how I like it. Onwards and into the weekend for an all new CFR with Dave – and this week, I believe it is gonna be the PUNK ROCK SPECIAL. Now THAT is a language I understand!! See ya soon.

Billy

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Posted by vivelerock at 10:37 PM | Comments (13)

March 18, 2008

OPEN FOR CAMP FREDDY IN LOS ANGELES

So it seems we have a bit of a competition happening here in Los Angeles! As previously reported, Camp Freddy are playing five shows at the world famous Roxy Theater here in LA during the month of May. Every Thursday to be precise. And we have decided to run a competition for local bands to get the opening slot. The Roxy are hosting the competition on their site, and the details are as follows: Send all submissions to RoxyContest@mac.com. You MUST include: three songs, 2 YouTube videos, a MySpace page or a website, a mini-bio and a photo. A radius clause will be in place so the bands performing cannot have anything booked for 30 days within a 30 mile radius. Bands must be available to play any of the five Thursdays in May. Submission cut off is March 27th, 2008…and winners will be notified April 1st, 2008. For more information, CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE COMPETITION ON THE ROXY WEBSITE. That's all I got for you right now, but stay tuned for some details coming soon on how to order a very limited, signed and numbered hard copy of the forthcoming Billy Morrison album, Stimulator, released April 8th.

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Posted by vivelerock at 02:08 PM | Comments (7)

March 15, 2008

CHARITY AT THE FACTORY

Last night, Camp Freddy played a show at the Los Angeles Knitting Factory in Hollywood, in aid of 'Give Me Shelter' - a charity that helps foster kids. We had a great night, and a bunch of friends joined us to help us rock. Brett Scallions, Mark McGrath, Warren De Martini, Stephen Perkins, Billy Duffy, Corey Parks, Terri Nunn and Lemmy all got onstage during the night and jammed with us. Linda Perrys band also played and they did a fantastic set of all Led Zeppelin songs. I did shoot some footage and we got some of the actual show on video as well, so take a look at the V-Blog above. And YES - it is also going up on my YouTube channel for those who have trouble viewing these videos. Every time Camp Freddy does a gig, I have the best time and I know we are all looking forward to the five shows we have coming up at The Roxy in May. Thank you to everyone who helped make last nights show a success. Special thanks to Johnny N who took this great 'vintage look' pic below - The anarchy shirt with the cream Les Paul...2008 going on 1977!

I am beginning the countdown to April 8th - the day that 'Stimulator' gets released worldwide on I-Tunes. Thats the name of the Billy Morrison album that I have decided to release now, while I record and mix completely new solo material here in Los Angeles. The Stimulator album gets its name from the band that made the record in the late nineties - myself singing and playing guitar, along with Jason Bowld and Terry Warville. The album was never released and although some of the songs have been knocking around the web for a while, the whole 14 song album has never been released. So I figured that even though it was recorded a few years ago, the songs still sound great, and that it was worth putting out - so here it comes! I am, in the meantime, in the studio writing and recording new material with my song writing partner Patrick Cornell. We are planning a series of four song EP's, to be released over the course of a few months. I'll fill you in on more details as we progress, although I can tell you that two of the titles will be "Be Yourself", and "Felt Good The First Time". A David Bowie cover might sneak its way on there as well!

So - Old music being resurrected, new music being recorded, a month of live Freddy, a movie being produced, another in the pipeline (don't ask just yet), a radio show .... I think its time for a bit of video gaming, courtesy of ARMY OF TWO!! Haven't fired it up yet, but I am gonna give it a couple of hours right now. Camp Freddy Radio is on tonight as usual, and I can tell you that 10,000BC is NOT WORTH SEEING!!! So disappointed with that film. Never mind - tomorrow is "The Bank Job" and Jason Statham can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. And in case you were wondering what the picture next to this paragraph is .. it was an amazing cake that was in our dressing room last night, with the poster to the gig in icing on top! I managed to resist the temptation, only to pull over at the market at 2.00am and buy a pint of Ben And Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream ..... and eat it ALL when I got home. Oh well. Finally, huge thanks to Ylais for the Butterscotch Angel Delight - If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right!

See ya

Billy

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Posted by vivelerock at 04:26 PM | Comments (10)

March 10, 2008

MODERN PRIMITIVES

Checking in on this sunny monday afternoon. And I am currently enjoying the air conditioned comfort of the house in the desert and looking out at the 100 degree heat of the afternoon desert sun! Back in LA tomorrow for a day or two of song writing and demo recording to get my first few solo songs ready to record at the end of the month. I have also been working on a video concept for a song called Modern Primitives from the forthcoming Billy Morrison album, 'Stimulator', being released on April 7th. It should be suitably hard hitting (and stomach churning if I have my way!) and will compliment the songs social commentary on 'personal body modifications'. If you haven't seen the book, "Modern Primitives" - GET IT! It used to be banned (although I cannot imagine that it is STILL banned in this modern age) and it was my gateway into piercing, tattooing, scarification and other rituals. It will introduce and educate you into some of the seminal figures of that scene. Required reading for everyone over fifth grade!

The weekend's CFR - Gay Jam Special! - is now up on the Podcasts section of the site. You really owe it to yourself to check it out, as we took the whole 'special show' concept to the next level. Even though we don't have the music in the Podcasts (legal reasons, but quite frankly I'm ready to say Fuck That!') you'll still get a sense of where we were at on Saturday night!! Also the pics today are part of the new Cult magazine, Sacred Soul, that features an interview with me, and a bunch of Circus Diablo stuff, along with (of course) a whole load of Cult related articles and pics.

Finally, if you are in the LA area on Friday night, Camp Freddy are playing at The Knitting Factory for the charity, 'Give Me Shelter' - for more details, check out www.theknittingfactory.com. Tickets are $35 dollars and we will have our good friend Steven Perkins behind the kit, as Matt is out with Velvet Revolver in Europe. He will be back in time to join Freddy for the month of shows at The Roxy in May. Thats all I have for you today - I think I am going to go check out the new George Romero zombie flick, Diary Of The Dead. Being a huge 'Dead' fan, I am excited to see this movie, AND I am excited to be appearing on a panel at this years Fangoria Convention at the LA Convention Center...because George will be there as well. Cant wait. So thats it - I'm off. Love you all.

Peace

Billy

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Posted by vivelerock at 04:06 PM | Comments (9)

March 06, 2008

PROJECT THIS!

Its a really quick check in from me - feels like forever since I updated this site but its actually been less than a week! I am in one of those phases where its all talk and little action. Projects up the ass, but all in various stages of development. Its the worst stage of the process for me. The one thing that is happening right now that I am excited about is the recording of the first Billy Morrison solo material. I am booked to record at the end of the month and have the tracks written and ready to go - although release is a way off yet because there are other things happening like the Freddy shows, a movie I have, and a couple of other things. I will schedule a proper release when I can actually put a bit of time behind it - the "Stimulator" album release is out on April 7th but has been on my shelf for over 10 years! So its pretty much a stop-gap until my new material sees the light of day. But this new stuff is sounding great - strong riffs and a much more personal lyric - I am excited to see how the first few tracks sound. V-Blogs for sure from the studio at the end of March.

And thats all I got for you - today I have another development meeting for another project.....ho hum, it all sounds SO Hollywood!! Don't get me wrong, I understand that all the meetings have to happen, but its the terminology that gets me because everyone in this town throws words like "project" and "development" around all day long. But I suppose when you are starting things, those words apply. So let me join the ranks of Tinseltown and tell you that ...."my people are doing lunch with the VP of development so we can take the projects into production".....AAARGGGHH!!! Oh, and todays pic has nothing to do with anything I wrote today! Its just my latest acquisition - another choice piece of original Jamie Reid artwork - the ubiquitous God Save The Queen flag (I already have the red white and blue one), but in the lime green colorway. LOVE IT.

Peace

Billy

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Posted by vivelerock at 08:51 AM | Comments (8)

March 01, 2008

SIX YEARS

Its a little bit like 'dog years' being married in Hollywood. Today is our 6 year wedding anniversary, but around here, it seems that every year married in Tinsletown is worth 7 normal years!! So in actual fact I am celebrating 42 years of marriage!! Its a weekend with no work. And after I have posted this, I am gonna shut the computer down (yeah, RIGHT Billy!) and spend the weekend with Jenn and a couple of friends. A bit of Pilates and Cardio, a nice meal or two, and a beautiful sunset in the hills where we will be later today. CFR is taped tonight BUT you really should check it out ....Dave and I decided that the Hair Metal Special that we did in January was so much fun that we are doing it once a month. And tonight is the February edition of "The Red Light Specials" - music that you are gonna turn DOWN at a red light! We pulled out some CHOICE hair metal and had more than a discussion or two on the subject! 6pm till 8pm on Indie 103.1FM or www.indie1031.fm.

I got the Circus Diablo "Rock And A Hard Place" gameshow footage, and I will attempt to get it up on the MorrisonTV YouTube site as soon as I can. I think the show is still airing on DirecTV Channel 101 so if you get that, check it out. Still working on all the upcoming Camp Freddy shows - its a lot of different songs we'll be learning so make sure you hit The Roxy and The Knitting Factory and get tickets. And the rest of it all can wait until next week. I'm done. Time for a decent coffee and a day with my wife. About time.

Peace

Billy

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Posted by vivelerock at 09:08 AM | Comments (15)