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AUG 2018 Welp – here we are – FIVE flipping years
since my last update.
Now, in my defense, FB is now far more the norm in terms of reaching folks for shows, etc. However, in light of some fun
stuff that has happened over the past year, I thought I would update this old webpage. So, where to start… First and foremost, I have been
playing – pretty consistently actually. I have done a few different records (sorry…. “recordings”….
I am showing my age…) for some random folks, and up until last summer, Exit 232 was still taking random shows. I had
a wonderful time backing Nashville singer/songwriter Ed Skibbe for a good solid 18 months as well, that ended with a killer
show at The Soiled Dove. Ed is still out there doing his thing acoustically (with my long-time friend and bass player Spencer
Pyne), now based out of Arizona. Give him a listen! www.eddyroswell.com So, almost exactly 2 years
ago I got an email – an email I had been hoping to get for a loooooong time. Mark and Chris from The Trampolines had
decided to reunite for a one-time acoustic reunion show with our pals The Samples. This was a pretty big deal, and people
(myself included) came out of the wood work to see them play together again. The place was packed. As expected, the show went
very very well. This lead to some small cracks in the walls that had kept the band apart. Fast forward another full year to
last August. I get the call from Mark. 3 of the 4 original members of the band are in for reunion show – are you interested/available…………….. HELL YES! With the full support of my loving
family, the band moved into a killer sound stage and started the fairly intense 11 week process of relearning all of our material.
Being that the last record had a lot of keyboard parts, TD moved to keys (his main instrument) and we were blessed to get
Brian Chamblis to play bass. Brian was the bassist for the tramps after TD and I left – he is killer – and part
of the family/legacy of the band. The situation literally could not have worked out any better. We were off – however,
the premise again was just a one-night reunion show in December…… I can’t tell you how much I missed (and quite frankly
had forgotten) the intensity of this band. We don’t call it in. We work on it until it is right. As well, this band
is very honest with each other – sometimes almost brutally. This is not hobby time with some pals having a few beers.
Come prepared, know your part. Regardless of anyone’s opinion of the end result, this band puts in the time. It is awesome.
(on a side note, back in the day we would rehearse 3-4 nights a week, and it was not rare to do an additional 2 hours the
morning before a show.)
So – On to the Dec 1 show. It was killer. Us and our pals The Samples. We played pretty well, and hanging out with Sean
and the band was nothing but fun. Scott Davies (their drummer) is one of the nicest guys out there (killer player too) and
Trevor Huster *almost* succeeded in getting me to shoot whatever I was drinking out of my nose several times. The man is funny
as hell (and a killer player as well). The band(s) played and the party raged on long after I left until the sun came up.
Just a great night. Then the phone rang again…. Our one-time reunion somehow turned into a full summer
schedule. As any player will tell you, rehearsals are all neccissary and good, but playing shows it what really gets a band
tight. As I write this, we just finished our final summer show last week, and if I may be so bold, we were a flipping MACHINE.
So, we moved
out of our sound stage and planned to kick our heels up for a while. .... And that brings this weird little webpage up to date. Gotta call out my lovely Amy in
all of this. I was gone a lot, and she was nothing but supportive. She and the girls (who are so grown up now) came to several
shows – which just made things awesome. Love you Aim – so so much. The band, as a whole, was surrounded by family all summer
– everyone from Marks parents and fam to Chris and Kelly’s tiny little ones. it was just great. Needless
to say our back stage “antics” were a tad different from our last go round……. Ha! Chris, Mark, TD, Brian –
thanks for all the fun. Love making noise with y’all. Gotta talk about gear just a tad (I am who I am….) I used the original Masterworks
kit for all of our summer shows. I am embarrassed to say it has not been out of its cases for close to 2 years. Man that kit
sounds and plays great. It should – you can get no better than a masterworks. However………. Amy got us killer seats for Garth
Brooks a couple years back. I could tell something was strange with Mike’s kit, but I couldn’t put my finger on
it. Then, at a peak moment – BAM – the kit lit up from the inside! The shells were translucent and jammed full
of LED lights. It was KILLER. Then, my Amy made a massive error in judgement. She leans over, and in front of all of our friends
says. “wow – you need a drum set like that!”. BIIIIIG MISTAKE. El Scotto was on the phone the next day!
As has always been the case in the past, Pearl took great care of me. They built me a frosted finish Crystal Beat kit in my
usual 3 up 2 down configuration – and jammed it with LED’s. it is ridiculous… in a good way.
Man I love gear…..
One
last note…. Guess what?
….. as of yesterday, the phone is ringing again! Stay tuned!!
SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 (I know, I know…….)
So so so many changes
in my world – and in quickly going through them in my tiny brain, only the good ones are coming to mind. Hooray. Okay – music junk first.
Not playing much (other than with myself – haaaaa…. whatever.). I know pretty much exactly what I am looking
for in a band – from the type of material (some *slight* flexibility about this) to how many times I want to rehearse
and play (NO flexibility about this). Apparently, my realistic attitude about playing music is not the norm among many of
my peers – something I just don’t always understand. Even when I was 100% in the game and playing was my #1 priority,
as y’all know, I still had other interests besides music. As well, as I continue to age, I simply have no interest in
being around the scene anymore. Don’t mis-interpret - hanging out with the guys from my era in the scene is awesome
(I had a fantastic time doing that last week!). However, hanging out with the 20 somethings and what they consider good music
is not my idea of fun. We all “age out”. It is what it is. You try and hang on for a bit, then you accept it and
move on. This would lead one to believe that there are a pile of fantastic players out there that simply do not have the time
(or energy) to rehearse three nights a week and play a show every weekend. Soooooo…. where the hell are they all???? I have been looking for a late
70’s into the 80’s rock band (no disco). When I say rock, I literally mean any sub-genre of rock from that era
– everything from Aerosmith, to Van Halen, to The Knack, to Rick Springfield to Journey, to Boston, to Led Zep –
the list is flipping endless. Radio rock, classic rock, hair bands, skinny ties and power domes. I have contacted and been
contacted by a few different bands that are close to being a spot-on match… hooray! But then the schedule discussion
happens and it tanks. I am sorry – but after some initial work, real players in my age group should be able to pull
this stuff off (WELL) with 1-2 rehearsals a month. Not a week - a MONTH. As well, per the above
diatribe, I have a life that I enjoy very much. I want to be in a band that adds to that enjoyment – not one that detracts
from it. This being the case, I would be very happy playing a show every 6 weeks or so. Perfect. Keeps it fun, makes me look
forward to it, and keeps it from becoming a burden. I mean c’mon – it’s a flipping cover band. You are not
going to be famous – hell, you wont even be respected by the “real” (original) musicians in town. It is
for fun. Don’t get me wrong, the band must be good (I wont play for a crappy band). But again, at our age and experience
level you should not need 2-3 rehearsals a week. And, unless you are doing it to make a living, there is no such thing as
being a “serious” cover band. Be good. Have fun/no drama. Perfect. I wish that Exit 232 played more. It is just so fun and
easy with guys I love to death. Spence, Michael and Ed have some cool projects going. Unfortunately it has not been a good
fit for me material wise. That type of disconnect is not a big deal – just a chocolate and vanilla
type thing. With time so limited, at this point I want to make sure I am playing as much for me (the type of music I want
to play) as I can. So
that’s that. If you come across any band that is looking – drop me a line. I will give you the usual 30% management
fee of the proceeds from my take on the first show! Ha! As far as non-music banter/updates – things are good. Busy busy at work.
Still playing with cars weekly (the shop/car collection is really top notch). Went out to The Goodwood Revival in the
UK (http://www.goodwood.co.uk/revival/welcome.aspx). Saw some amazing machines and had a blast running around England. Love London. The ladies are growing up fast
and are just awesome. Izzy is following in moms footsteps and is becoming quite the swimmer and equestrian. Mia is all about
anything relating to princesses (for a while I was referred to only as a “commoner”). Amy is still putting up
with me (thankfully!). Love her more every day. Can believe we started dating 10 years ago and have now been married for 8.
Cool stuff. I am blessed. I
spoke to Mark from The Trampolines a couple of months ago. Told him I was 100% in for a reunion show. He said there had been
talks about doing something toward the end of the year. Fun! Lets see – what else… Oh – the entire Schroeder tribe headed out
to O.C. for my Grandmothers 100th b-day (awesome!) and just last month I got a new nephew (Cameron – as in
Fry… get it?). SOOoooOOooOOoo….
After a year and 9 months, I finally get this page updated. I will try and update some pics too. Not sure if this site is
really worth the effort anymore. Back in the day, it was fun chatting with folks as the band was running around. Obviously,
time has impacted my ability to get stay current. Hell, I am only on Facebook maybe once a month, and that is usually just
to look at pictures that Amy posts!
Thought for the day (year?): “This t-shirt is an exact replica of my
inner structure. In green.” - N. Tufnel _______________________________________________________________________________________________ OLD NEWS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ JANUARY 2011 EXIT 232 REUNION SHOW!!!! Thats right - the boys
are having some fun THIS FRIDAY - JANUARY 28 from 7-9pm at SOLID GROUNDS in Littleton (http://solidgrounds.org/) Our
schedules only align 2-3 times per year, and rarely in the Denver-Metro area. We are very excited to have some fun with "all
y'all"! So,
if you want to come out and have some fun with the old gang (key word being "old") we would love to see you. It
is an early acoustic, all ages/family freindly show at a great place. AS WELL - it looks like we will be doing a
good our old fashioned BIG gear, LOUD (and very fun) show in STEAMBOAT SPRINGS on MARCH 4! Check in here
for details as the date gets closer! OCTOBER 2010 I am trying – I swear!!!! As per my previous entry,
I want to re-tool the car junk on this web page. There have been some really
neat additions to the collection, as well as FINALLY making some progress on the Martini 914-6 –
something that has been really dragging. I promise to get pictures/headings updated shortly. Here is a little
bit of an overview of what has been going on…
New Additions: -
1958 Porsche Carrera Speedster Replica – This car looks SO good, but I chased
my tail for weeks trying to get it to run correctly. Found out that the timing marks (that were
done manually by the engine builder) were off significantly. Silver over black
leather. Did a pile of cosmetic stuff to it (mostly to make it as correct as possible).
Only 800 miles on it since it was built in 2008. If you looked at the “always watching”
section of this page, this has been on the list for some time. -
1946 Triumph Roadster – this may be the coolest car in the collection (well, maybe the 3rd
coolest…). It is a beautiful art deco design, featuring the British
version of a rumble seat (a “dickey”)
that even has its own windshield. When I first saw it, I never would have
guessed it was a Triumph. In fact, if someone had said, “hey you
need to come look at this cool Triumph” I would have calmly replied that there is no such
thing as a “cool triumph”. Black
on tan with 4” wide whites (white walls). Simply beautiful. Hard as hell to drive
however – not only is it right hand drive, but it is also a 4 speed on the column.
-
1948 Morris Minor Low Light convertible – This car has been on display
at a local museum (The Forney Museum). It is micro. It is running a flat head 4 cyl
motor that looks like it came out of an old tractor. Only 13 of these cars were made/imported until
the feds deemed them illegal due to how low the headlights are on the body. It is an older restoration that needs to be gone
through, but it still looks great – it even has semaphore
turn signals and rear wheel spats. It is black over an apple green interior. It is still wearing
the original British manufacturer license plates from when it was brought over in 1948.
-
1953 Jaguar C type replica – As you know, the D-type has been in the collection
for a bit. On the quest for parts, we were introduced to an absolute master craftsman out of Idaho
who was reproducing the rarest of parts. Well, it just so happened that he also builds factory spec C-type replicas.
He actually uses the factory blue prints! We hopped a plane for a visit (got to see
the Potato Museum!). After a bit of haggling the deal was done. As of this writing the build has been going on
for 4 months. I have no idea of the delivery date, but am keeping my fingers crossed for Christmas.
The progress pictures are nothing short of stupendous. I guess that’s what happens when a
former military nuclear technician decides to build cars.
So there are some teasers. Again, sorry for the delay – as usual, it
is all about finding the time to do “stuff”. I did get good and sweaty
behind my kit this week – twice in fact! Also located a simply killer Phil Rudd
replica kit for a pal to give his son for Christmas. Oh, and I am almost done restoring Jerry Lee’s
’68 Mod Red Ludwig standard – it really looks fantastic! So
yes, I am still poking around/lurking in the shadows of the drum world.
My goal is to be playing as soon as I can get my fat ass into my leather pants from the 80’s. As far as other music
stuff goes, I unfortunately have some bits of bad news. D. Scott Morris – a well known local
guitarist for the Flash Mob, and also a simply great guy lost his battle with cancer
last month. He was so young – so so so so sad. We were not really
close, but every time we spoke you would have thought he knew me my whole life. He
treated everyone this way. I need to try and be more like him. RIP my friend. Another downer
is the demise of my former band The Trampolines. Mark and Chris were had very strong personalities,
and there were definitely some rubs once in a while during my time with the band, but they were more like watching
brothers get annoyed with each other. They complimented each other so well, and based on the success that the
band had, it just seemed to work – kinda like Keith and Mick or Steven Tyler
and Joe Perry. I don’t know the particulars, so I am not even going to try and
guess the reasoning behind the break up. All I know is that I have never known - let alone
been a part of – any band locally that was so close
to really making such serious waves (look at my past posts).
Even though I have not been involved with the band for a couple
of years, it always made me feel good when I would read about them in the paper, or get
the random email/text about where they were playing. Thanks for the fun times gents. I think
I will pull out some of our t-shirts this weekend….
On a family note – BIG news!!! Izzy got up in the middle of the night
all by herself and used the potty! Could the end of using “pull-ups”
actually be in sight? As well, my lovely bride kicked ass in the Denver Marathon – way
to go babe!
“and that, my friends, is the REST of the
story…….” -Paul Harvey
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ JUNE 2010
Reflection,
reality, drive and a lack of interest…..
that pretty much sums up this little note. With time being so short anymore, I obviously have not
been in the world of 3 rehearsals a week and shows every weekend for some time. I loved the “franticness”
of those days very much – to the point that I overlooked, ignored
– or even simply accepted - lots of drama/politics that is the reality
of playing in bands. It didn’t matter, as again, the end result was always a
blast – pretty much an addiction. After I stepped back from that ledge something
very very important was lost – my drive. For 30+ years I was on a quest when it came to music,
always looking at what was needed to get to the next level. When I relegated myself to random fill-in and studio
gigs in 2008 and started looking for a fun cover band, not having any goal other than
simply banging out the tunes didn’t keep me very motivated. Being that my initial
delve into that world was with a simply terrible project (gotta love ego’s
that have no basis…) my drive to continue doing that sort of shtick was
less than ever. I toughed it out, and was lucky to meet some great players and play some great shows the
past couple of years. But the fire was gone. Don’t get me wrong, I still absolutely love playing,
I just have no interest in the work it takes to get a project out and moving forward. As many of you know, to
do this the right way takes hours of behind the scenes work over and beyond the time
spent at rehearsals and actually performing. I just don’t have the time (or interest)
in doing that anymore.
The other thing that I have lost interest in is our local music scene. It
just seems blind to the realities of our geographic location. Some of this stems from what some bands deem as success. I played
in a band for a few weeks who’s main goal was to play a weekend
night at Herman’s. That was where they set the bar –
at a bar (ha!). I actually thought that was very sad. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about a
fun night at an old haunt, but for that to be the end goal? Sorry, I need more than that. As well,
Denver is a geographical disaster. We have no other major markets anywhere near us. As a local, you are doing
well to get out to Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico, etc on a regular basis – and those
are long hauls to not exactly major markets either. I have met and seen so many bands in the past
few years that never leave town, yet state they “are serious”
or “trying to make it a career”. I don’t
get it. If you are a hobbyist that likes to play a random show around
town, that is absolutely fantastic! But if you are telling folks you are serious and trying to make a go
of it – yet have not played outside the Denver metro area (Fort Collins does not count...),
well, you lost me. I know we are in the world of the internet now – hey great
– but how many other bands are on MySpace?
Just a couple… I also see a lot
of simply lazy bands that don’t take the time to research this market –
and then bitch about not getting any shows – or worse –
complaining about the bands that do work hard and land good gigs. I know there will always be a disconnect
between the art and the business behind creating a band, but at least take responsibility
for your own end result. It is not another band or the venues fault that no one comes to see your band
– it is all on you. As I have drifted further
form spending all of my waking hours with musicians, I have also been exposed to a very harsh reality. 95% of folks have absolutely
no interest in local original music. They will pay big to see bands they know (national acts/well known locals) but if they
go to a bar that is charging a cover to see and unknown original
band (or - in todays world - THREE unknown local bands, each only playing 45 minutes…),
they will go somewhere else. The cover bands seem to fair a bit better. The other thing
is how folks wish to spend their down time. If someone has worked all week and wants
to go hang out with pals on a Friday, 95% are not going to
any place that has a band. They want to be able to relax and chat with
friends. I am slowly becoming that person as well –
unless Wanker is playing and I can get a kitchen pass!! My reality is simple. I am 41 and I live
in Denver. I will never again be in a situation where I weigh the pros and cons of quitting my day
job and going on the road, or even sitting up all night assembling a million press kits. Will I
continue my plans for building the new studio/rehearsal space at the new house? You bet. Will I play in band
– hell yes. Could joining another band be 5 years away? Absolutely. Does this
make me sad? Nope. In fact, the basis of this little rant came after flipping channels late last night and stumbling
across a re-run of The Real World on MTV. Nothing like hearing yourself on TV to start reminiscing
in the past (something I am prone to do anyway!). I feel very blessed. The shows I have been lucky enough
to play, the folks I have met, and the players I have shared this little journey with
have been nothing short of a true blessing (correction... MOST of the players - ha!).
Hell, I played a fantastic acoustic show with Exit 232 just last month (Tom even flew in from N. Carolina).
I was able to play great songs with fantastic pals in front of a great crowd that even included my beautiful
wife and two little girls (Izzy even climbed up on stage and sat on my lap for a few songs). No drama, just an
absolutely perfect night with the folks I love the most. We are hoping to do this 2-3 time per year - how
could I ask for anything better than that? (unless Bob quits Wanker – then all
bets are off...) So, to wrap all of this up, yes, you will not be seeing me out and about with a truck full of gear very
often. However, as Nikki Sixx said “I still burn”. I am focusing
that energy on my other passion – cars. This is actually a much
more social atmosphere for me verses being a player. I spend time at the shop with
my bro and Pop, the kids can come down, I am not getting home at 3 am and there is no age limit for the “shows”
we participate in. I am usually at the shop on Thurdays. If you wanna get dirty and
eat fast food with greasy fingers drop me a line. If you are proficient with Jaguar, Porsche, MG or Healey, I
will even pick the tab!!! I will update the site soon with some car junk/pics. Some
cool stuff has gone on in the past few months! Ps. I did just assemble all the shells I need for another drum set - yeah, I know... I am a
freak show. Pss. Nicky Stiff turns 50 in August….How
the hell did THAT happen!!!!!!! Love ya Stiffy…. no one grabs
an ass like you my freind.... ___________________________________________________________________ JANUARY 2010 Yep.... flippin 2010. How did that happen?!!
Our holidays were FAB. Spent some time up at the Keystone pad
- but it was too cold (WAY too cold) to actually ski/play in the snow. Santa brought Izzy and Mia a kick ass quarter
scale drum set!!!! I think Mia is a natural. Mom and Dad got a treadmill. My folks gave me the greatest gift. Any male kiddo
who was between the ages of 5 and 10 during the mid-70's would know it well - a Evil Knievil stunt cycle!!!!! You know the
one - with the hand crank on the side?! Cant wait for the snow to melt!!!! My "prog" project is on a bit of a hiatus for a bit. Our bassist still plays music
for a good part of his living in another band. They had some personel changes and need to get everyone up to speed as of yesterday.
This actually worked out great for me, as I was contacted to do a couple of random shows that require my attention.
ALSO......... I just started with a GREAT new project that I simply cannot wait to get out live and have some serious fun.
Are you ready for this? Wait for it........... here it comes...... almost there........... A B-52's TRIBUTE BAND!!!!!!!!!!! I am having a BLAST!!!!!! Our "Kate", "Cindy"
and "Fred" simply NAIL it. I leave rehearsals with a sore face from smiling and laughing for three hours at a time.
Shows will hopefully start mid June. Oh, and for those of you who know my gear whore past, I will be building a new kit for
this gig.... it will be smaller - but absolutely obnoxious! Well, it's late and I am old. Time to strap on the cpap machine and Darth Vader myself to sleep.
Sounds sexy, huh...... Happy
New Year!
___________________________________________________________ OCTOBER 2009 Had some fun reconnections so far this month! Also want to send out some "thank yous"... So, my former killer guitarist from the recently
deceased 80's hair band (Andy) called on a guitar body that was listed for sale on our local
craigslist. When he went to look at it, he and the "seller" hit it off and started
gabbing about music junk. Somehow, my name came up - surprising to the
"seller"....... that's because the seller was my former partner in crime (and legendary guitarist)
from the actual 80's - Randy!!!! I received a very strange email from Andy, however, it referenced things only Randy would know. Then
I noticed the name/email address that was copied. I could not believe it! Randy was an idol to me (a real one - not to be
confused with the dorks on the TV show). He simply shredded. He also
had the look, personality and truly lived that life. Not only could he play, but he was equally talented in actually building
and modifying guitars. I
was able to speak to them both together in a crazy fun phone call (they were both at the
same party). It made my whole day. Even though I have not spoken to Randy for some time,
having that much history doesn't go away. As well, even though I have
only known Andy for a short time, he is simply a great guy. To have both of these
friends really is simply "f-ing"
awesome. The
other thought is how stupid good an 80's hair band would be with both of these guys on the
same stage.... I
owe Randy a lot. Without his influence and exposing me to "the
seedy underbelly" of what our local rock scene had to offer, I don't think playing
drums would have ever evolved to anything more than just another activity. Even though I
had been in several bands prior to meeting him, he really stoked the fire. Thanks my friend.... My other fun hook up came by way of that ridiculous Facebook site.
I grew up in Orange County, CA - before terms like "O.C." were
invented (manufactured). I had a killer childhood - in fact lets back up a step
- I will give Facebook huge credit for allowing me to reconnect with some long lost pals
from that era. One of the guys I hung out with was Eric Rallison. I loved going to his house, as all of the siblings were
just a touch nuts. We are talking smoke bombs in the house, spaghetti throwing. "upside down bikes" type
crazyness. LOVED it. Eric was probably a bit scary to adults, as he was wicked smart at
anything he decided to focus on. He had an older sister named Stacey. She had more athletic
letter awards on her walls than I have ever seen to date. She was also seemingly not afraid of anything -
especially if she deemed the end result fun (or funny). She was coooooooooooool
- especially to those of us younger than her - and, quite frankly, she was a terrible influence. Ha!!!
Shit, as I write this, the stories going through my head... most having to do with her car
- and realestate signs.... awesome. Okay okay - back on point...... Well, she was also a drummer. When she decided
that she was not all that into it these drums ended up with her little brother (my pal)
Eric. Again, not so much interest there from him. After earning 35.00 the following summer,
those drums came to MY house (see the Slingerland link). Stacy and Eric were absolutely the beginning of my music career.
If Stacey had not allowed me to bang around on those drums, I never would have caught the disease that pretty much directed
my life up until 2006-7. Steak and Eric - I cant thank you enough. One final thing -
heading to NAMM this year!!! NAMM is the biggest music industry manufacturers convention of the year, held in good old Anaheim.
Everyone goes - including most of their
current product endorsers. This will be my first time out there in a very long time (since
99 I think). It should be more fun than previous times however. Before it was all about business -
being seen, being cool, making contacts, getting deals. This time is will be just fat old Scotto, looking
at cool new gear, grabbing some schwag and being a drum groupie looking for autographs.
Hopefully I will see some familiar faces at the Pearl and Tama booths as well. Gonna
see my Grandmother and some other Socal family too. So, hows that for some catch up! Sorry for the lack of posts. My
time for this stuff is scarce. I love spending time with my girls. Had a little scare with Mia last week - all is fine
- but things like that sure remind you not only to keep your focus, but how lucky I am to have what I do.
As
far a current music stuff, Rue Mystic is still looking for our 4th guy so we
can get out and play some shows. Lots of kissing frogs - not that some of those frogs were
not great folks/players - just not full on "princes"
in terms of what we are looking for. Ha! It's fall
- best time of the year. Y'all get out there and enjoy it!
___________________________________________________________ Ju
ly 17, 2009 Bottom line: I am having a blast with the new gig (Rue Mystic). Music is way different, but has already received
some great response from several people I really respect in the scene. To be "retired" from playing and to find
this kind of project is a blessing for sure. Check out the link above. The webpage is still under construction, but the tunes
are up and the feel of the page is awesome - all done by our lead singers wife. GREAT job Holly!!!!! Thats it for now - short and sweet. I am bushed, and as usual,
I have a 100mph weekend coming at me. nighty-night.....
ZZZZZzzzzzzzz.... __________________________________________________________________
June 19, 2009
Howdy.
Well, I have some bad news since my last post. The first issue was the death of a pal and local music icon Marvin "Henchi"
Graves. Henchi is the second person who has passed away in the past six months from my ski industry days. We lost Shane McConkey
earlier this year as well. For those of you not from Colorado, you probably never heard of The Freddi & Henchi Band -
but you (and millions others) should have. They had everything in place back in the 70's to be the next Earth, Wind and Fire
or The Commodores. They ran in the same social circles as The Eagles and famed musician/producer Quincy Jones. For some reason,
they never quite got over the hump and into stardom. He had some amazing stories. I was lucky enough to meet him while working
at Volant Skis many years ago, and then even luckier to get the opportunity to play with a reformed version of the band on
a few occasions. They were great. Henchi had some major highs and lows in his life, but was simply a great person. After a
long bout with cancer, he passed on June 8th.
Shane passed at the end of March due to a ski base jumping equipment
failure, causing him to become tangled in his parachute. Lots of folks know of Shane due to his fame as a free skier (he HATED
the word "extreme"). Those of us from the Volant days knew him in a different way. He was our second sponsored athlete
who we met when we did a combined photo shoot with Spyder back in 1991. He was just a pizza delivery guy from Vail, who got
his initial brush with fame after he stunned everyone by pulling a back flip on the final jump of a televised pro-mogul tour
event. They disqualified him and pulled his lift ticket. So he borrowed someone else's lift ticket, made his way back up to
the top and proceeded to do the run over again (Including the same back flip) - except this time he was buck nekkid! HA! think
he remained banned from ever holding a season pass at Vail until the day he died. He was also my roommate multiple times at
the yearly SIA ski trade show in Vegas. I have a video tape of him jumping off the top of the then uncompleted Mandalay Bay
hotel with his parachute. He still owes me a pair of socks..........
Both Henchi and Shane will be greatly missed.
As an insignificant cherry on all of this, the hair band lost our guitarist Andy - he just decided to go back to school
- don't worry! Unfortunately he and Brian (our singer) were my reason for staying with the project. Brian and I decided to
see if we could find a bassist and guitarist, but it just wasn't happening. I was bummed. However ..... (good news finally!!!!)
I was able to hook up with an original/cover project that I have really been enjoying. The originals are a bit "prog"
- but nothing like "math rock". The cover tunes include bands like Rush, Tom Petty, David Bowie and even some Pink
Floyd. In 4 weeks we have more material worked up and ready to go than any band I have played with in the past year. It's
both refreshing and challenging.... And FUN! The new DW/pdp kit arrived last month - it looks killer - but sounds like SH!+.
Kick drum isn't bad - but the rest of the kit needs heads for sure. It aint no Pearl, thats for sure....
So, lets
end on that happy note.
Go call any pals you havent spoken to for a bit - RIGHT NOW.
_____________________________________________________________
May 4, 2009
Sorry for the delay - been doing other stuff - all of which seems to have some sort of tie into cars.
So, lets talk cars for a change.....
The "CAR STUFF" setcion of my little internet world is horribly
dated. There have been some new additions and some sell offs - it's all good. One car that is finally back in it's stall is
the 57 Jag xk140. SIX YEARS have been spent on this sucker and it will be back in it's home hopefully next week. It was a
100% full frame off/every nut and bolt restoration that came out great. Another very new addition is the 67 etype convertable.
This just happened last Friday. It's restoration is about 2500 miles old. She is beautiful and fast - especially for her day.
The Martini car was on the chopping block for a bit, but a trip made to Atlanta to buy it's replacement did not go as I had
hoped, so it will be around for a while - I am even doing some un-needed fun work on the car for the first time in some time.
The only bad car news (other than the Atlanta trip) was that my truck was broken into last week. All they stole were
my tennis shoes. I wish they would have just asked, as it would have saved all of the hassels of getting the window replaced!!
DRUMS...
I really REALLY want an all white (including the hardware) Pacific 805 - with a 24" kick. It is
a lesser quality kit than I would usually pine over - but it just looks SO cool. It would be perfect for the hair band!! Dont
get me wrong, it sounds pretty good(it is birch), I just have never been a fan of DW, and Pacific is their "B" level
brand. We'll see. I would trade my ELX/SRX shell pack for one, so drop me a line if you are interested and have the goods
to trade.....
Scotto's personal quote of the day:
"Hello, is this Slim for Life? Do you have an emergency
room?"
____________________________________________________________
January 28, 2009
Nobody
told me that adding an additional kiddo actually TRIPLES the amount of work! I am a diaper master.....
MUSIC -
YES... M U S I C.
The hair band is coming together great. I swear our guitarist (Andy) and our singer (Brian) are better
than the guys they are emulating. Andy simply shreds - and makes it look so easy. We are doing songs by bands like Lynch Mob,
Extreme, Van Halen and Living Color - bands that had absoulte guitar gods in them - and Andy just nails every lick and solo.
Brian could easily replace Axl Rose or even Tom Kiefer from Cinderella. At nearly 40 years old his ability to hit Bazz's hi
notes in the Skid Row tunes we do always blows me away (and makes me smile!). Progress is steady, but not rushed - just some
old guys having some fun. I wont lie, I leave our 3 to 4 hour rehearsals pretty beat up. It has been a while since I have
had to play that hard for that long - which is funny, having been known as a hard hitter all through my career. Say what you
want about music from that era - but the bottom line is you had to be able to keep up to play it - or simply be super wasted
(no comment...)
Hopefully me and the guys from 232 will be doing a charity gig in May, as well as some other random
Steamboat shows (that place seems to be our new home-base).
I will post the schedule as soon as things are booked.
You should probably start digging for your acid wash jeans and snake skin cowboy boots pretty soon (don't lie - you know you
still have some of that stuff somewhere..........)
Oh yeah... DOKKEN IS AT THE GRIZZLY ROSE THIS MONTH!
\m/ rawk.
____________________________________________________________
December 7, 2008
SHE
IS HERE!!!!!! Mia Josephine - 8lbs and 20" long... and PERFECT!!!!!! Mom and new little one are doing great, and Izzy
seems to be all about her new little sis... what a great Christmas!
Merry Merry from our little clan!
____________________________________________________________
November 26, 2008
I decided to use the exact
date in this post as it is important... my little girl Izzy turns 2 today!!! She has been such a blessing. The simplest little
"hi daddy" can pretty much turn around the worst day. Love you "Bit"!!!
As far as music stuff
goes - the new band lives!!! We have been rehearsing in a great rehearsal space/sound stage. I will post some pics (somwhere
- not sure yet). Our bass player is still in route from NYC, so the rehearsals have been more nuts and bolts/shaking off the
cobwebs from these old tunes, but it has been fun. Our singer Brian simply kills it. To be our age (we are all within a few
years of each other) and to be able to hit those 80's hairband notes is impressive. I think he pulls off Sebastian Bach better
than "Bazz" himself. VERY fun!!
I am really looking forward to future shows.
Also, I did a full
Exit 232 reunion show on the 15th up in Steamboat (yep, Tom even flew in from North Carolina). We had one "rehearsal"
sans Tom that was just a *tad* rough - ha! However, when the lights came up, it was 10 years ago all over again. We simply
killed it. I could not beleive how well the guys sang and played together. To top it off, we even did our usual three and
a half hour show without a single break. Yeah, that hurt a bit the next day! I had several comments on how it reminded some
how I did not smile once playing music over the past year (for those not in the know, you can read about that disaster below).
I guess I made up for all of those less than fun moments - man did I have a great time!!! I should have known it would just
take spending time with great musicians who are ever better freinds to re-energize my batteries a bit. There is a link to
one of our older performances on my site, check it out!
Well, tomorrow is Turkey Day. There is not enough room
on this page to tell you how much I am thankful for. Amy and Izzy make my world. New baby is less than two weeks away - I
know that she will just add more fun to our little family.
I know, I know, not a very "sex, drugs and rock
and roll" entry. You know what? Thank God for that.......
Happy Holidays from me and my fam to you and yours.
-S
____________________________________________________________
September (almost OCTOBER!) 2008
Man - where to start.... I have had 45 days off with no band politics, or having to deal with someone that is only
famous in their own eyes - it has been WONDERFUL. I got a ton done around the house. The garage shop is DONE (even the custom
counter tops). The new storage shed was done two weeks ago, so the Porsche is back in it's home. Even the pictures are hung.
It really makes the new pad feel even more like home. Even had time to go see 714 and the boys at Wanker's show down at Hermans
where I ran in to the infamous T.D. (spectacular former bassist of The Trampolines). Yep, it has been very very nice. As well,
Izzy's vocabulary never fails to shock me (and make me laugh!).
Take a gander at the new "Slingerland"
link! after 2.5 years, my first kit is all restored. I am very proud of how it came out. Looks very cool up high in our main
living room too - something that was Amy's idea by the way...
I have been going back and forth with a new band
- I hope it pans out. I LOVE the material, and the guys seem like really nice guys. It a project from scratch, so lots of
details to get through before it is off and running.
Amy and I are celebrating our 3 year anniversary - sooooo
great!! Time has really flown these past couple of years. Based ont he past, I cant even imagine the adventures we have in
our future. The cool part is that she was around for much of the great music stuff that we did with The Trampolines. I will
never forget her beating up the guys from Big Head Todd to sign up for our mailing list when we opened for them. She had no
idea who they were! Or her comment on the "bald guy with the crooked nose"...... yeah, that would be Kenny Aronoff
babe...
HA!!!!
NOVEMBER 15 - STEAMBOAT SPRINGS - EXIT 232 REUNION SHOW!!!!
(how cool is that!)
"So he's from out of town... dont be such dicks!!!"
-Farmer Ted, 16 Candles
____________________________________________________________
August, 2008
Not everyone has experienced this, but I think most of us in our life will go throug it at least
once - cutting ties with a certain person/persons because they detract from your world vs. enhancing it. I am not talking
about being mad at someone over some issue, I am talking about something far more deep than that. Trust me, when it happens
you will know. It is a real drag - especially for me personally as I really enjoy interesting people. I guess there is "good"
interesting and "bad" interesting. In my case I tried to be patient. Unfortunately everytime we made any strides
or found common ground, this person would then seriously let me (and others) down - or simply embarrass us terribly. The crazy
part is that most of the disconnects were based on ethics and character - things I consider so very important. No one is perfect
(Lord knows I am the perfect example of that!!!). But in this situation, I could not stand by and overlook things. The only
redeeming thing is that I really dont hold to much of a grudge. As time goes by, if in the future things change (karma is
a bitch), chances are I will welcome most anyone into my world.
This months title: FREEDOM.
Sub-Title: I
am thankfully looking for a new gig.
One thing is for sure - as the saying goes "once you think you have seen
it all...". Lets just say that I had more success painting houses over the past year than playing music - and I didn't
paint any houses. Oh well. My good pal "714" and I were chatting about this last week, remebering when there was
nothing that could keep us from a rehearsal or a show. We both have had a rough year, and we are desperately trying to get
back to the fun that we know exists out there.
Thank God the musicians in this last band were such great folks. Heck,
if our guitarists wife had not been involved, we would have never played a single show.
FOR THE RECORD - I would like
to publically say THANKS to all of the promoters that allowed our little no-name band to play this past year. You not only
took a chance booking us (our demo stunk), but treated us great as well. It was very appreciated.
I would also
like to thank Mr Corn, M.E., Gunny Jeff, Uncle Ed and Eric the Great for being so much fun to play with, and Ms Marce for
all of the hard work booking and managing the day to day stuff. If Marce and Jeff had not picked up a seriously "dropped
ball" we would not have participated in the music showcase convention and we litterally would not have had single show.
Simply a great group of folks all the way around.
Now, on to some fun stuff...
I am already in talks with
some guys about a new project - hopefully one that is very loud and driven by a shredding guitarist (hmmmm... I wonder what
my buddy Chris C is up to...). Until then, I will finally get some time to spend with the fam. Need to hit the pad up in the
mountains and spend some time on my mtn bike... I am sooooo fat right now.
Other fun news - my 20 month old daughter
seems to love playing drums! She plays nearly every day. Santa may have to get a kit together for her.
Have a good
rest of the summer folks. As always, thanks for the emails.
"eat more chiken..."
-Cow
____________________________________________________________
July 2008 -
Wow. Did you ever have one of those stretches
where everything happens all at the same time? We just got through with one. Man - that was work. We sold our home in 3 days
- which was great - except that means we had to move much sooner that we thought. As well, the little one caught a stomach
bug from her daycare provider - which means taking time off of work (a WEEK!!!) and of course this all happens at the end
of the quarter at work (crunch time). I actually cancelled a rehearsal for the first time ever. Yep, it was that crazy. The
American Idol thing has played two or three shows since my last post. No total train wrecks - but close a few times. I think
there are a few issues at work here: Not enough rehearsal time, not enough chemistry between the players and not enough experience
fronting a band by our singer. Items one and three can be fixed easily - they both require the same thing... time. The chemistry
thing is a different animal. Being that this is a temporary deal, I think we all look at it differently. Some have used it
to get on to "big" stages (I guess big is relative...). Others are into the cash, some into just using it as an
excuse to get out and play once in a while (I think that is me). There is no real dedication to the end result. I have less
than 30 days left with the group and am looking to lay low and actually enjoy summer with the girls. I have also been in contact
with two 80's hairbands and I am really hoping something comes from it. RAWK \m/.
We are still unpacking boxes
at the new pad - it is KILLER. Lots-o-room to build out a new rehearsal space in the basement too.
So, come out
and see us if you get a chance. Here are the last dates:
- Wednesday, July 16 - Anderson Park, Wheatridge - 6:30
to 7:30
- Wednesday, July 30 - Adams County Fair, 9:00 - 10:30
- Friday, August 8 - Douglas County Fair, 9:30 -
11:30
"This is an exact replica of my inner structure... in green."
-Nigel Tufnel
____________________________________________________________
MAY (almost June!) 2008 -
Well, this
past weekend was the first outing of the new project. We through a big party, invited all we could and played our first show.
The overall result was positive. Lots of rough edges, and some issues with things being a bit fake/contrived. We can easily
get through the rough spots, and the other? Well, I am certain that time, a good dose of reality and some karma will take
care of that. I probably wont be there to see it - in fact I am positive I wont, as my last day with this band has already
been set. I have something very important to do after that...... start getting ready for BABY NUMBER TWO!!!!!!!
Yep -
just as Izzy is getting off of bottles and diapers, we get to do it all over again... except this time we get to move as well!!!
It was a total shock to both Amy and I. But the timing is not terrible and I do think Izzy needs a little bro or sis. So,
everything in stride. Playing in this coutry band has also given me some new insight on music in general. If I am going to
relegate music to a hobby status for a while, I need to be playing stuff that I enjoy, with players that are in the same realm.
I am a rock guy. A killer 80's metal tribute band would be AWESOME. I want to play stuff that makes me smile - even laugh.
I would kill to get Bobs gig with Wanker too. I have also realized that I need to relax. The Trampolines were a very high
water mark for me. We were awesome - but we worked hard to get there. I need to remember that to be that good requires time
that I dont have (piles and piles of rehearsals and shows). Therefore, I cannot get upset/stressed when I am playing in a
band that is lucky to get in one rehearsal a week and is not at the level I became accustomed to when I was with The Tramps.
"Lighten up Francis"...... I gotta change my mindset - but it is very very hard. A large part of my enjoyment comes
from being proud of what the band is creating. The upside is that the musicians in this band are great folks - them and their
"brown liquor"...
Other than that, per my last posting, got some shows to focus on. Hopefully we will
be as good as we can be!! If you attend, please pull me aside and say hi. I love putting faces with the emails I get.
- Remember to let your concrete cure for 48 hours prior to sealing and painting.....
____________________________________________________________
APRIL, 2008
Yep...... APRIL!!!!!! I am soooo sorry for the lack of updates. Time has really gotten away from me.
Well, the American Idol band continues to try and get its "stuff" together. Hopefully the pressure of upcoming
shows will smooth over the (many) rough edges. I have a long history with two of the other members, so I know how they do
under pressure - they can bring it for sure. The remaining players are total pro's, so as far as that piece goes, I am pretty
confident. We'll see how the vocals shake out. I am guessing that the killer harmonies I am used to are probably a stretch
at best.
Whats that? Did I say upcoming shows? Yep - ready or not, this thing will be in public on several occasions!
MAY 17 - Our "pratice party". Live from our killer new rehearsal space in Denver. Details to follow
JUNE 14 - Parker County Festival - Parker, CO, 5:30pm, FREE, All Ages
JULY 12 - Rhythm on the River - Longmont,
CO, Noon to 1pm, FREE, All Ages
JULY 16 - Anderson Park, Wheatridge, CO, 6:30pm FREE, All Ages
JULY
30 - Adams County Fair, 9:00pm (following the rodeo) FREE, All Ages
AUG 8 - Douglas County Fair, 9:30pm, FREE,
All Ages
.... So, thats it so far. We have lots of tentative dates out there - but as we all know, they dont mean
squat until El Scotto is listed on a contract!
Other than that, all is well with the fam (Izzy finally got some
teeth!). My lovely bride is swimming in a masters racing program - so dont piss her off if you are around a pool.
I am on a binge diet (down 13 so far - 300 more to go...). I wish somone would invent no-calorie mexican food.
Currently on the I-Pod: Lynch Mob!!! To bad George didn't get this album out before the sad, angry, dirty, flannel bands
came out. Great stuff.
PEACE OUT - whatever that means.....
-S
____________________________________________________________
DECEMBER 2007:
I love the holidays - always have, always will. With Izzy being a whopping 1 year old, and with
the entire fam getting together, this year should be really fun. It will be a white Christmas, even if we dont get anymore
snow. However, the weather report is calling for two more storms between now and then, including one on Christmas eve. Yep,
I am looking forward to it for sure.
The new project is plodding ahead slowly. We still havent totally finished
the CD and we will be down for a few weeks while the lead singer is over seas. We will be shooting our first on location video
pretty quick, and seem to have some very strong in-roads into the the Garth Brooks camp. We'll see.
I have also
been having some recent discussions with The Trampolines! I loved playing with those guys, and never would have left if the
schedule thing could have worked. Now with Amy and I getting the whole Izzy thing down, there may be a chance of getting back
out there with the guys.
What do you think of the new colors on the webpage? I am no web designer, so it is what
it is......
Gotta jet, have a lunch appointment with "714", the lead singer from Wanker - or his alter
ego "Jerry". We'll see who shows up! It's bowl of meat Thursday.....
Merry Christmas!
"'ave a good time, ALL the time..."
-Mick Shrimpton, Spinal Tap
____________________________________________________________
OCTOBER 2007:
Well, things are plugging along with the new project. We have some very large hurdles to overcome,
primarily how to get ourselves on the national radar when we are technically a local band - that has no interest in playing
bars. The initial plan is to get in to as many of the local summer festivals as possible. That is fine with me as they are
fun to play. This means that we need a demo as of yesterday, as the submission dates for these shows are coming up quickly.
So, Spence and I laid down a pile of tracks last night for the demo EP. It was a late night, but I am pleased that we got
it done in one sitting. As a point of reference, it took Spence and I two days to lay down the tracks on the last 232 album
- and that was after a good 2-3 months worth of pre-production work.
I have spoken to some experienced pals about some
of these hurdles we face and there are two that concern me. The first is not being a normal bar band that builds a fan base
and basically works it's way up. The second issue is that we are a country band. Country is dead in the water in Colorado.
There is really only one decent place to play, but they fall under the Clear Channel unbrella. They could care less about
anything local. As many of you know, the Trampolines were dialed in - record companies were calling us and we still never
got over the hump (yet!!!). This new project has none of the pull that The Trampolines had, only the American Idol angle.
In my opinion, we need someone to really buy into this thing who is a very strong and experinced manager/promoter?booking
agent. We'll see. At the very least I am having fun playing with some old pals a few times a week.
As far as other
news, the fam is awsome. We will be spending any free time at the new house in the mountains, as well as the holidays. I am
really looking forward to it. I still cant believe my 10 month old daughter has an unrestricted season pass to all of the
Vail owned ski areas! Ha! We just ordered her her first Norwegian ski sweater. She also gets to experience trick-or-treating
for the first time this year. I think I am going as Britney Spears - so I will need to bulk up a bit....
Yep, it's
a banner year around our house - I feel truly blessed.
Wanker has 3 shows coming up - so you have no excuse not
to see them. Slags.
Brussel Sprouts suck.
____________________________________________________________
AUGUST 2007
Well, I took the gig. I am now playing for a former American Idol finalist!!!! (I wont drop
names.....yet.)
I LOVE the material and the other guys in the band are great. It includes some long time pals from
232, as well as Jeff Norman. We may also be brining in a "bit" player to do keys/mandolin/back up vocals. This is
being assembled as a show band for the main purpose of getting "Mr Idol" into the spotlight. That being said, I
am guessing we will only be playing high profile showcase shows, and would not be surprised if many of them were out of state.
We are working hard to get everything put together so we can start playing out by October. As always, I will post the schedule
here. I am really looking forward to this! I may need to go back to my old look - maybe if a get a really bad hair cut Amy
will *make* me shave it all off again!!! hmmm.......
Thought for the day:
If only Mama Cass had shared that
sandwich with Karen Carpenter....
____________________________________________________________
JULY 2007
Well, I did it. I FINALLY have a recording credit on a WANKER record!!!! They are my favorite local band - simply
brilliant. Granted, my credit is only "drunken background yelling", but hell, I'll take it!
232 Has a
show in Steamboat next week - always fun to make noise with those guys.
I was contacted about playing for a former
American Idol contestant - no no no, not Clarkson. She still won't return my calls. (C'mon Kel, was it really my fault about
the hotel room mix up? How many times can I apologize? Geeez, get over it. It's not like I took pictures or anything... ;)
).
Other than that, just having a nice summer with the family. I put up some recent pics of Izzy under the "Bio"
section - soooo cute!
I think I need to start a tribute band - I am thinking 80's era. Email me your suggestions
**WHICH REMINDS ME** please note my new email address!
"it's never too late to work 9 to 5..."
- Paul Stanley
____________________________________________________________
- MAY 2007
Hi
All! I finally put up some new pics.... check out that page if'n ya want....
Also - I just put up a video link
page down below. The reason? I stumbled upon an Exit 232 video on myspace that we didn't even know existed! Kinda fun....
Here is an updated Tramps Schedule:
- Apr 27 2007 8:00P Buffalo Gap - Portland, Oregon
- Apr
28 2007 8:00P High Dive - Seattle, Washington
- Apr 29 2007 8:00P 12 Galaxies - San Francisco, California
- Apr 30 2007 7:30P Soho - Santa Barbara, California
- May 1 2007 8:00P Room 5 Lounge - Hollywood, California
- May 19 2007 7:00P TRAMPOLINES DVD/CD RELEASE PARTY IN DENVER!!! Bluebird Theater - ALL AGES - Denver, Colorado
I actually answered a craigslist ad - for an 80's hair metal band!! Nothing to report yet, but I would be
lying if I said I wasn't hoping something comes from it. For those of you that read my last entry, you know I really miss
that era - tons of fun for sure!!!
ALSO - I AM LOOKING FOR A DRUM. I know, I know - why would Scotto the gear whore
need another drum. Well, here is the deal... I have at least one drum from litterally every drumset I have ever owned - except
one. It was a junk CB700 that I bought when I was in a bind. Traded the whole kit to Bob Rupp for some new hat cymbals as
I recall. Well, now that playing has been made secondary to some other things, I am going through gear, pictures, etc, etc
and putting together sort of an archive. I would really like to have at least one CB drum from that era. So, here is what
I need: a early 80's CB700 in any color ( I will re-wrap it - however, wine red would be perfect!!!). It MUST have the transitional
lugs. They are very big and have a raised round area in the middle - if a lug was laying on it's side it would look like this...
[o] (hows that for art...)
If you see or have any, drop me a line (and don't tell my wife!)
Have a good spring
everyone....
____________________________________________________________
- MARCH (almost April) - 2007
So, here is some new Tramps news! The boys are doing great. TONS of shows and another west coast tour are already
on the books - all of this on the heels of a great South by Southwest showcase down in Austin. Unfortunately, going forward,
yours truly will not be with them. You have no idea how sad this makes me. I have a spectacular excuse however... Amy and
Izzy. I cant tell you how great it has been with new baby. People seemed to think I am leaving due to the work/support needed
at home or that Amy doesn't want me playing as much. This is so far from the truth. I WANT to be there - it is sooo awesome!
Besides, lets face it, becoming a rock star after age 25 is tough. At 38, well lets just say it's a "tad" tougher...ha!
Also, I am a poser. Yep, full on - I admit it.
I became the level of player that I am out of a love for
the scene - not just a love for music. I wanted to be a rock star first and a musician second. Unfortunately (or fortunately)
that decadent life of the 80's isn't out there anymore. It's different now - darker, more serious - and the lables are not
throwing as much money around. My mentality was to play shows that allowed fans to forget about the real world for a while
- no politics, no world issues - simply a time-out from all of that. I wanted the Van Halen mentality - "it's a Friday
night - lets party!". It just doesn't exist like that anymore.
So, all these things combined has lead to me calling
it quits with The Tramps - at least for a while. My batteries were getting a tad low anyway. I will continue to post the Tramps
schedules and news. Heck, they are some of my closest freinds! You will probably see me back in the shadows of a show here
and there, but for now, I am just going to do the Exit 232 thing for fun (www.exit232.com) and be the best husband and dad
I can. It's weird to both feel really good and really sad at the same time. I did do all the pre-production on the new Tramps
CD, and as well, there is a really cool live DVD being released in the next 6 weeks, so there is that to look forward too!
I have also been chatting with a few other guys that are in my same situation - but that is top secret stuff - at
least for right now......
"peace out"....
____________________________________________________________
- January 2007
As you may or may not know, I spent an very long time playing with a very successful band
called EXIT 232. We played nearly every big name venue and festival in the state without ever being a "bar band".
We put out some great cd's as well. While there were good players in this band, the real magic was our relationships with
each other. We really got along well and really had a great time on stage - people really picked up on this and our shows
were simply really fun.
The only reason 232 faded was that our lead singer had moved to Steamboat and our keyboardist
was commuting in from North Carolina - the logistics just got too crazy.
Thats when I got tapped to join the freight
train known as The Trampolines.
Well, as luck would have it, schedules of sort of come full circle. Even though
we have not played a show in over two years, 232 still gets booking requests. So, we decided to have some fun
"beeg
kees, leetle kees, leetle kees, beeg hug..."
- The Nacho
____________________________________________________________
- December 2006
She is here!!!
Elizabeth Grace Schroeder - "Izzy"
Born 11/26/2006
7lbs 13oz
20.5 inches long
Momma and Baby are doing simply awesome. "The Drummer" is going to
be "The Father" for a bit. Yep, I am really taking some time off - I even was able to talk the Tramps into using
a fill-in for the New Years Eve show. Just our little family for the holidays - it's really really great.
Thanks
a million for the nice emails - sorry for any delays in responding. I will admit to being a tad out of my element on this
adventure!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!
-S
____________________________________________________________
- November 2006
Bunim/Murray just picked up The Trampolines CD.... we will be on MTV's "The Real World"
and on a new Oxygen network show call "Bad Girls" that is being produced by Oprah.... no big deal or anything.....................
s i g h *...
Oh, I sold the Roto-tom kit. I just updated that page with some cool kit configurations, courtesy
of the DW Kitbuilder.
Gotta go figure out how to install a baby car seat!
____________________________________________________________
- October 2006
I am tired... really tired. Things are really good, but I am really looking forward to some down
time before baby comes. I have backed out of The Late Models due to time issues (Jerry Lee will now be doing double duty -
vocals and drums!) but chances are you will still see me at random shows yelling "hooray!" from the shadows.
I also have this "itch" to build a new drum set. Interestingly enough, I was approached by a drum manufacturer
at the South Park show who wants me as an endorser. I love the product, but they are a tiny little company - which
raises some concerns on warranty issues and getting replacement parts quickly. As well, Pearl has done so much
for me that I really am very much in their camp. However, my main guy Carl is no longer there and in some ways I am just another
face in the crowd. Not sure what to do.....
Be Good....
____________________________________________________________
- September 2006
So much for that vacation.... Amy is gonna kill me....
Here is the tentative Trampolines
schedule for October (makes me tired just to type it.......)
- OCT 6-7, The Fox Theater, Boulder, CO w/The Bodeans
- OCT 11, The Fox Theater, Boulder, CO w/ Marc Broussard
- OCT 12, Cervantes, Denver, CO w/Marc Broussard
- OCT
14, The Walnut Room, Denver, CO
- OCT 17, The Fox Theater, Boulder, CO w/Mat Kearny
- OCT 20-21, The Little Bear,
Evergreen, CO w/The Young Dubliners
- OCT 25, The Fox Theater, Boulder, CO w/Citizen Cope
*phew....*
Some of these are still in negotiations. I will firm it up in the next couple of weeks, so check back! We start pre-production
on the new CD next week.. I am SO dead...
Here is some fun news! We found out........
IT'S A GIRL!!!!
... which has lead me into my next hobby - collecting guns... big scary ones...
____________________________________________________________
- August 2006
Here is the August Schedule - get to play with the Exit 232 guys again this month (we had a great
reunion show up in Grand Lake a couple weeks ago!). Also, my new side project "The Late Models" is hitting the stage
as well. According to Colorado Music Buzz Magazine The Late Models are a "geriatric Denver supergroup" - HA! It
is made up of Jerry Lee from Wanker, Jim Swanson from The Rock Advocates, Marty Poteet from Sticky Fingers and good old me
(I am the youngest - did I say how much I enjoy that?!?!?!). Our first show was with the infamous kings of the 80's Denver
music scene - Dick and the Chicks! It was really fun.
Anyway, here is the schedule - come on out and say hi!
AUGUST Tramps Schedule (except where noted):
-Aug 11 - Connor's/MIDWEST MUSIC SUMMIT Indy, IN - 10:45pm
-Aug 18 - Showbox Theatre - Seattle, WA - 8pm
-Aug 19 - Imbibe Lounge - Portland, OR
-Aug 21 - Soho - Santa Barbara,
CA - 7pm
-Aug 24 - Hotel Cafe - Hollywood, CA - 8pm
-Aug 25 - THE LATE MODELS - Toad Tavern - Littleton, CO -
9pm
-Aug 26 - Toad Tavern - Littleton, CO - 9pm
-Sept 9 - SOUTHPARK MUSIC FESTIVAL Fairplay, CO - 4pm
-Sept
10 - Rumor has it that we will be on VACATION for a while (like through the holidays!) to rest and ....*ta-da!*.... record
a new CD!!!
(you have heard the KILLER live cd ....right?)
Eat your vegetables....
-S
____________________________________________________________
- JUNE 2006
Here is the Trampolines schedule
for June:
- June 5: Walnut Room, Denver, CO - 9pm, $7
- June 9: Hyperactive Music Festival, Alb, NM - 8pm, $10
- June 10: Pride Fest, Alb, NM - 2:15, FREE!
- June 10: Kelly's Bar, Alb, NM - 8:30pm, $5 (accoustic)
- June 15:
Gothic Theater, Denver, CO - 9pm, $12
- June 22: City Lights Pavillion, Denver, CO
Here is July:
- July
7: The Launch Pad, Alb, NM - 8pm
- July 8: D Fest, Tulsa, OK - 8pm
- July 14: MIX 100 Radio Summer Concert at Confluence
Park, Littleton, CO - 6pm
- July 25; Red Rocks, Morrison, CO - 8pm
Other news -
1. I painted my downstairs
bathroom and installed a new toilet.... it's rad.
Keep checkin in!
____________________________________________________________
- May 2006
Sooooooo, hows this for news....... Scotty "the Drummer" just found out he is going to be
Scotty "the Father"! HOLY CRAP! We are due in the fall - Amy is doing great. I am SO excited! Man oh man - do I
have a lot of things to get done in the next few months....
... I did already find some killer temporary tattoos
however. They closely match my real ink - wait till the family gets the baby's first pictures!!!
(I said I need
to be more responsible - not boring!). I wonder if Recaro makes a leather baby seat for the Porsche?
Hmmmmmm......
I am off like a prom dress..... laterhosen.
____________________________________________________________
- APRIL 2006
Well, The Tramps are continuing to kill it. We have had some great shows over the past couple of
months, including a simply spectacular night at The Gothic Theater. The second leg of the Hotel Cafe Tour was as successful
as the last, as was the trip back down to New Mexico. There are two shows in Iowa this weekend, however in light of the tornado
damage, they may have to be postponed. Those poor folks got it pretty bad. I am headed to LA at the end of the month with
Amy to celebrate my Grandmothers 93rd birthday and see family. It's been a while since I have been to the beach. We are going
to do some "touristy" stuff too! Having not lived there in so long, I no longer feel like a tool for going to Disneyland,
etc. Last time it was Beverly Hills and lunch at the Ivy. I think this time it will be Universal Studios and a chili dog!!!!
Nothin but class baby - heck, I play drums, what would you expect? *burp*
"Be excellent to each other....."
- Ted S Preston, Esq
____________________________________________________________
- FEB
2006
Wow - sorry for the long delay. It has been a tad busy. The Hotel Cafe Tour was a great success. Mark was able to
get some very high level industry people to attend the Hollywood show. Mark and Chris bumped into Queen Latifa (sp) while
doing some shopping in LA - now there is a trio!
We have had some great local shows since then - two at the Walnut Room
one at The Toad Tavern and a simply great time at The Fox Theater in Boulder. It was our first headlining show up there -
such a great place. There was also a lost weekend spent in "the land of enchantment" - but you will have to talk
to Todd about that!
Our next two shows should really be great. On March 17 we will be with our pals Hello Dave back at
the Walnut Room then a big night on March 24th headlining The Gothic. The Tramps leave the following morning for the second
leg of the Hotel Cafe Tour, getting home with just enough time to do laundry and head to Chicago for some shows with our pals
in The Nadas and another show with Hello Dave. The plan is to be out of state until June or so. We'll see how it all shakes
out.
Sooooooo... come out on the 17th and the 24th if you are local. If not, look for the band in your area soon.
This is kind of fun... The Trampolines CD ended the year ranked at number 21! Other than The Fray, we were the only
Colorado band to chart. We out sold artists like Springsteen and Kanye West - not to mention that the cd had only been on
sale since August! Not bad...
Wanker Rules!
____________________________________________________________
- November 2005
Lots to catch up on.....
I wont lie, this is getting a tad scary for big old ugly me. We
have now been in the top 10 selling cd's in the region for 19 weeks. Obviously that has been getting us some major attention.
We have had several meetings with most every major label (Warner, Capitol, Def Jam, Sony). However, the best was a random
phone call from a smaller label that really liked our stuff. Their owner called and said his name was "Dave" and
he would like to set up a meeting when he was "in Denver on business".... it was fricken Dave Matthews! We are still
in negotiations/talks with everyone, not sure how it will all pan out. As well, we have been in talks with a few different
folks who would take over some of the management aspects of the band (Mark is simply swamped). We are headed to Albequerque
(sp) to meet with them next weekend, as we have a couple of shows down there.
TOUR NEWS!!! Yes kids, we will hopefully
be in your area soon. We will be with Aimee Mann starting in California in January, working our way toward Texas - we need
to be in Austin in March for the big South by Southwest festival. Then on to Nashville, Minneapolis, Chicago and New York
- *maybe* a quick jump into Florida - not sure yet. Here are the firmed up dates as of right now:
- Jan 23: Room 5,
Hollywood, CA
- Jan 24: So Ho, Santa Barbara, CA
- Jan 26: Hotel Cafe, Hollywood, CA
Here are our remaining
Colorado Shows prior to leaving:
- Dec 10: ROCKFEST, Hermans Hideaway, Denver, CO (drop me a line for 50% off tickets).
- Dec 15: Live on MIX100 with Dom and Jane. Tune us in at 7am (ouch!) for your rush hour commute!!!
- Dec 16th: The
Soiled Dove
- Dec 31st: New Years at the The Hard Rock Cafe! Denver, CO
- Jan 7th: The Fox Theater, Boulder, CO
Yep, we're pretty busy!
I did throw up the "money shot" from our sell-out headlining show at Red
Rocks!!!! yeah, that didn't suck......
I will post more as I get them scanned.
Hope you all had a great Turkey
Day!
-S
____________________________________________________________
- SEPT 2005
Things
are continuing to gather steam - it's really crazy! So here is the skinny: We charted NUMBER 1 on regional Soundscan!!!!!
For three weeks we have been in the top 7 in terms of sales. This unheard of for a local unsigned band. It has caught the
attention of several major labels, one of which actually sent representatives to our last show at The Southpark Music Festival.
Another interesting call came directly from indie label owner Dave Matthews himself - that was pretty neat. We will see where
it all goes......
Get to take some time off this month - Amy and I are getting hitched on the 24th, then headed
to Oktoberfest is Munich! She is simply the best - a far better person than me in every way. I am lucky beyond words.
____________________________________________________________
- AUG 2005
Hi All -
Well, here it
is in a nut shell..... WE SOLD THE PLACE OUT!!! Thats right - Red rocks was at FULL capacity for our show on August 2nd. The
after show cd release party back stage was nuts. Watch the pictures section for some killer pictures (I posted the only one
I have so far). It was truly a magic night. Thanks to all who made it that way! On August 19 The Trampolines will be with
James Taylor at Fiddlers Green/Coors Amphitheater!
- June 2005
Some other fun news - my new Pearl Masterworks
kit arrived last week... simply a killer drum set in every way possible. Watch for pics under the "Pearl" menu option.
____________________________________________________________
- MAY 25, 2005
Here is a list of
my current shows with The Trampolines:
May 26 - The Soiled Dove
June 4 - The Peoples Fair (11:30am) THEN>>>
Red Rocks with Big Head Todd (5pm?)
June 16th/17th - The Lodo Music festival
July 8 - "RockFest" at
the Soiled Dove
July 16 - with Colin Haye (formerly of Men at Work) at
the Soiled Dove
Aug 2 - Red Rocks!
CD release party back stage following the show.
If you get to a show, please come up and say hello! You can also
chat with the guys on our myspace.com site www.myspace.com/thetrampolines
__________________________________________________________
Note to self: STILL need to buy a dictionary (dik shun ehr ree).
Random post of the day - YOU NEED TO GO
SEE A WANKER GIG.
www.wankertunes.com
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