Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 9:31 PM from Vancouver
Not too much to report, being home is a beautiful thing and the more I tour the less I want to leave the house when I get back! Got a chance to see my best friend from high school, Clint Danroth, and get some more tattoo work from him. He is world class and I have another couple of sessions to go before it's done. I will post pictures! He just opened his second shop in White Rock BC, I highly recommend him, his website is http://craftsmantattoos.com Also working on setting up my own studio at home. Tackling the learning curve of Pro Tools and gear gear and more gear! Merry Xmas everybody!
Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 06:30 AM from Tokyo, Japan
Note to self: update website. Finally have a second to chill in my hotel room in Tokyo. Wow, what an amazing country this is. I think we could all learn from the Japanese. I cannot believe how clean and well organized this city is, and there's over 30 million people here! The show last night was absolutely amazing. We played a club with no pyro, video, or big stage, and it might have been one of our best nights ever. The enthusiasm of the crowd was stunning. So glad we came, and we'll be back! It was a pleasure to be back in Australia also. The fans never disappoint, always so welcoming. I was honored to do an in-store meet and greet with Kosmic Sound in Perth and Drumtek in Melbourne. Thanks so much to those great shops and the fans that made their way out there to say hi! Had a chance to hang with one of my favorite keyboard players, Phil Turcio and his friend, the amazing drummer Gerry Pantazis in Melbourne. Can't wait to start working on the album I will do with him, just have to find the time!! Rehearsing in Auckland was a treat also, and we were proud to have our first headlining show there at the Vector Arena. Oh yah, those kiwi's know how to party!!!
It didn't seem like a long break in between the US run and Australia. I was in the studio for two weeks with a great artist. I can't spoil the surprise yet as to who it was, as he is going to prepare an official press release soon. All I can say is that the songs are amazing, I'm still listening to the rough takes just because I enjoy them so much! One more show in Tokyo tomorrow and then back home! Off until the new year, woo hoo! Going to get some more tattoo work from my old friend Clint Danroth at Craftsman Tattoo in White Rock BC. I'll keep you updated!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - 11:14 AM from Saratoga Springs, NY
So we're playing in New Jersey last night and bust out into Highway to Hell and out of nowhere Ace Frehley from KISS walks on stage and rips out a guitar solo. How random and awesome is that?! Also awesome was working with the good folks at Nikon. They all came out to the Jones Beach show and we set up a camera on the drum kit. SLR specialist Mike Corrado took some great shots which I posted. They gave me some great camera gear and I'm going to try my best to learn how to use it all. Got to hang with Dom Famularo again in Long Island, man that guy is awesome!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009 - 6:48 PM from NYC
Okay okay, I’m getting pretty terrible at updating my site. What can I say? Life gets in the way! It’s all a blur, what happened? Hmm, well the first two legs of the tour in the spring we’re great. Other than the fact that myself and half the crew got a nasty flu. Going from the frozen tundra of Canada in the winter to overnight spring weather in Oklahoma tends to be hard on your body. I remember not remembering what was happening on stage during two shows, thank God for muscle memory! Lost my voice at the Dallas show too, that really pisses me off when that happens. Buy hey, the show must go on! I recorded a couple of songs with Faber Drive on my short break in Vancouver at the Armory Studios. They are sans drummer at the moment so I helped them out. It was a fun day, I think there’s some footage on YouTube.
My next break was really hard for me, my best friend in the world, my cat Nikko, died of fatty liver disease. That was the worst, having to put him down. Any animal owner would understand. I liked him more than most people! I made a tribute iPhoto album to him because he was rad! Next we went to the UK and did a bunch of press, and then six shows. I love it over there! Dropped a camera on my foot though and I think I broke my toe (it was a nikon D300 with a huge lens, very heavy!), it kinda hurt during the London 02 show where we shot the video for Burn in to the Ground. Strangely enough, it was one of my better shows. Go figure?!
And just when I thought I would have a relaxing June off my house sold unexpectedly and I moved, everyone knows what a chore that is! Plus I’m type A so everything just had to be right before I came out on the road again. I swear I tore my achilles tendon during the move, thankfully I can drum okay, and it was my left foot! So hear we are, back out on the big summer tour! I promise I’ll try my best to keep some regular pictures and updates coming!
Sunday, March 01, 2009 - 7:18 PM from Toronto, Ontario
The second I walked onto the tour bus the memories and a feeling of calmness flooded me. The home away from home. Finally after press tours, rehearsing and living out of hotels and suitcases, there's the stability of the good ol' tour bus. Funny to think of a glorified RV that way, but on the road, it's the biggest piece of consistency available. We started rehearsing in Nashville a week before the first concert date at the Sommet Arena. We were in a giant room right next to the arena attached via the backstage corridors. During the week there were hockey games, the WWE, and Motley Crue among other things going on next door. Nothing to distract us from rehearsing! Our new stage is ridiculous. We crammed in into this room from wall to wall. I can't give away any tricks, but it's worth seeing, we've gone yet another step further. I'm sure at this rate our next stage will be able to time travel.
These first couple of weeks are challenging, we have new songs, new production, new staff, and new gags. It's very exciting, and it keeps us on our toes, as we cannot slip into auto pilot seeing we can't remember what happens next! The first night was a blast, it's always a shock to leave 'real life' (grocery shopping, home depot, mowing the lawn) to playing a drum solo on a high tech stage in front of 15,000 people while 20 foot flames scorch my back. Oh and to make it more surreal, Wayne Gretzky came into our dressing room to say hi before the show. It was good to see Theory of a Deadman when they opened up for the Crue. Man have they grown. I started touring with them after they first came out, and the evolution is amazing. They kick ass live now more than ever and their new drummer Joey Dandeneau is slammin'. Check them out! Got to hang with Derico Watson and David Northup after the show, awesome guys and awesome drummers.
Lexington was a fun show, although we had a couple of hiccups. It's to be expected this early in the cycle, but I'm pretty sure the fans had a good time! Joe Louis Arena Detroit, Rock City, what else can I say? Great crowd! We play the Air Canada Center tomorrow night in Toronto Canada. There should be many a friend and family member there to hang with. I have posted some new pictures so check them out under the Dark Horse album in my photo section.
Monday, February 02, 2009 - 10:36 AM from Vancouver
Two weeks to go before rehearsals start. Time to break out of the holiday frame of mind and shake the rust off! I'm in heaven right now, my job is to wake up and practice. Getting the new songs down, a new solo, and just enjoying the time to practice new techniques and ideas. We shot a video for I'll Come for You last week, should be out in Europe as we speak. It's nice when a video is shot in Vancouver, not much of a commute! Couple of changes to the kit this time around, added a 6 splash and an O-Zone crash to the left of the hi hat. We have an entire new elaborate stage and production. Very excited to check out what's in store for us, from the sounds of it, the fans will not be disappointed!
My dream list is complete, from the time I was 13 I wanted to be on the cover of Modern Drummer, and in the February '09 edition my dream came true! Check out my photo section to see some of the shots that the talented Ash Newell took. All of the backgrounds are real, that's all within an hour and a half of my house. If you haven't been to Vancouver, you should! Just make sure it's in July or August, when it's not raining 23 days on a row. Also, a band I recorded with last year called Burn Halo, is soon to release their debut album. Check them out: click here it's great stuff and they were a blast to record with!
Here's a picture with me and a pirate for no reason other than the fact that pirates rock.
