Studio Time

One of these days, I'm going to have a house studio on demand. I get ideas floating in my head, and then I get lazy to try to record them, so I just hope I'll remember them. The good ones will stick right? I need to be like the Beatles and have a studio engineer 24/7. Something like on the left would be greatly appreciated.

My band spent some time last summer in the Lodge Recording Studio here in Indy, and I enjoyed it. I actually got to run the mixing board while recording my parts. It was a lot of work to do both, and what not, but it was very worthwhile. I know I can do it, and it's something I want to do very soon. Also, I mixed my own band's stuff, so all the time I spent learning really payed off. We put together a six song ep that we're all happy with, and you should get your hands on soon.

In the meantime, keep the rocking coming.

My view on the music world

So I know I've titled this blog spot "Music, Music, Music", therefore I need to state my views on music. It's a blog and I can express all the views I want right? I don't think I've really written down how I actually feel about, but I have definitely talked about it a few times with people.

First off, I think you need to do it for the right reasons, which is getting your songs out there and passing along messages in whatever way you can. Music needs to express something and shouldn't be there just to hear in the background. That's how I want to write most of my music, and all the bands I listen to always seem to have songs that say something to me. The best songs send chills up my spine, and I think oh man that singer is singing to me. What a great feeling to have.

It's like when I'm playing with my band, and I see a fan say "oh I love this song." That person relaying to me that they love a song of our own is the greatest compliment. Of course I know the songs are good or else I wouldn't want to play them out in public. To have other people outside us acknowledge that is amazing. I hope that I can continue to grow in a songwriter sense. A little off topic, but that's how my brain works.

Back to other things about music: I think the song has to be good musical. There has to be great guitar riffs somewhere, a great drum beat that you can beat on your steering wheel, and great vocal delivery. Yea those are pretty simple ideas to have in a song, but not many bands can pull it off. have you looked at some of the "popular" bands, like nickelback? Do they really follow any of that criteria? I guess it goes back to the idea when it comes to music, just don't follow any guidelines. Except with them, it's write one big hit, and make lots of money off of it. What a way to get your band go? Blah!

Give me touring, give me giving out music for free, spreading the word through fans, making a cd for under 1,000 bucks, more touring, more spreading the word, and just making it on your own the best way you can. I don't think now you need to be on a major label to make it somewhere, and you can get by with touring and making cd's. Back in the day, you needed those major labels for the cash flow, but if you're band is that good, people are gonna find it with all the means of technology now.

Overall, I don't know where the industry is because I don't keep up with the mainstream. I know of artists, but couldn't tell you what they sing or what their hit is. I just stick to the bands that I know, and if that makes me a music snob, so be it. I am going to find those artists I can relate to, and not listen to some cookie cutter band.

Melt your face later,
Stephen

Where do I start?

Sometimes I get these ideas, and think I should really do this. So hence why I want to start blogging. Get some ideas out there, hope some people read them, and want to discuss them. I crave social interaction. Sometimes I just go without any sort of contact with people, and it's kind of depressing. With all the forms of communication, you think you would at least get a text, an email, a facebook chat, or something. So I'll just talk to myself via the power of the blog. You'll enjoy it if you really know me, and if you don't, well then you'll get a sense of who I am. That's a goal for this right? Show me the real me behind the computer screen. So I'll use this as my introduction to myself.

I'm Stephen, 28 years old, from Indianapolis, living in Indianapolis, and making it by each day. I work as a teaching sub, which isn't a bad job since I work 8-4, come home, and don't have to think about it till the next day. I can focus on the things that are really important, music, internet, video games, and such. HAHA. Aren't those the basic needs of life right now??? Anyways...getting back to the subject, I've always lived here in Indy, and I think I'll stay here. It just suits me, and I hate when I hear people say "Oh I need to leave" "This place has nothing to offer me" There is plenty to do here, you just gotta look and find it. It's like life you gotta set out to do something and do it. There's your life lesson for the day. You're welcome.

What else can I tell you about myself? I play in a band, Okay Death Ray. I play guitar and sing in this face melting group. We have a good number of originals, and are always talking about some song to cover. Mostly it's all about our own music, but hey it's fun to try someone else's song too.

Go give us a listen, and let me know what you think.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Okay-Death-Ray/68419878475
We started up playing with our current drummer about a year ago, and have played some shows here in town. We're looking to keep playing out, and record a cd, and melt faces.

Also, I love to play board games, PS3, surf the net, listen to music. All the usual stuff a 28 year old would love to do. I like to think I'm a bit out of the ordinary, but then I look and I realize I'm just me. Nothing wrong with that. I think Netflix is nice because I like to just sit and watch movies. Stupid comedies are the favorite, and especially John Hughes films. I still have to watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off every time it comes on. I also own some classic cartoons from my childhood like Thundercats, GI Joe, Transformers, and even Doug. Who didn't love that classic Nick show?? Man I'm starting to run out of ideas already to tell you about me! I think this is a fine finish for a first time blogging. I don't know how often I'll keep this up. I will start posting some album reviews, and music talk in general because I do love discussing that. If you want to pass along blog ideas, go for it.

Now I need a catch phrase: how about "melt your face later."

Melt Your Face Later,

Speckzy Stephen