Recovering!

As you may already know we've cancelled at least 5 weeks of our Spring Tour to help flatten the curve of Covid-19. We had no idea what was going to happen and frankly we were pretty scared of loosing 90% of our in come for at least a month and possibly more. We knew that canceling a large section of our tour and the uncertainty of when we'd be able to return could possibly cripple our jobs indefinitely. We turned to you asking for donations and we're so excited to say that we recovered almost the exact amount of income for the first week of cancellations so far. We're blown away! We have a long way to go but your donations and encouragement give us hope that we'll all get through this together! Thank you so much!

Last Week's Contributors!

Here's our new contributors for this week...Thank you so much!

Steve B, Nancy B, Peyton S, Robin, L, Eva N, Colby W, Rachel E, Daniel K, Alicia R, Mary B, Toni V, Angela C, Alexis R, Coleen K, Mercedes H, John & Laura L, Sherry S, William H, Morgan J, Alexandra M, Robert D, Tina L, Shawn K, Duke S, David M, Alfonso B & Gena V!

So, If you enjoy what we do and find even a little value in it please consider donating $1, $2, $5, $10, $20 or more while we adapt the types of content we can provide for you during this quarantine and after. 

Adapting

Covid-19 has hit the live entertainment industry really hard as most artist have cancelled their tours until further notice. We've also noticed in our community it's also hit the service industry especially hard too. It's really cool to see people coming together to support each other. A lot of local restaurants are offering delivery, curbside pick up, gift cards coupons, etc to stay in business. We're really proud of businesses that have closed down their normal operations and have adapted so the rest of us can still feel normal. It seems like it's more important now than ever to keep those things in our life.

For us and so many people this quarantine has been a little bit of a wake up call. We live in a fast pace digital world. Uber, Amazon, self check kiosks. People in general prefer having things done faster and online. We don't think that businesses need to adopt an entire new model to compete with bigger companies and automation but implementing services that adapt to how life is now, quarantine or not will definitely give us an edge in the competition and still maintain our soul.

We love making music for y'all! Although we've had to cancel our physical tour for the next month (and possibly more) through your donations last week we were able to continue to make music and conceptualize new ways to stay connected with you even though we can't physically be with you right now. We've gotten to work in the studio putting the finishing touches on a few new songs that we can't wait to release and developed a new weekly content program that in addition to the Van-Philosophy Blog will include a weekly VLOG and even a few live stream performances that we're excited to show you! Here's our first episode! We also have it as a podcast (player at bottom of this entry)!

Surviving

We'll be streaming our first Free Virtual Concert and we feel it's only fitting to do it live and unplugged on our front porch (weather permitting) like true Georgia boys!  Make sure you tune in live FRI 3/27/20 at 7pm on our Facebook Page so you can participate, chat, request songs and have a drink with us (It's not like we'll be driving, lol). If you can't make it we'll have it available for you to stream anytime the following week.

Check out this beautiful 1964 Gibson B-25 on loan from a friend for our upcoming FB live stream!

This will be the first of many and we're excited to get creative and make each Virtual Concert with a unique tone and setting. With your continued support we hope to continue live streaming and virtual concerts even after the quarantine as we get ready to hit the road again with a storm (whenever that may be). We have a lot more planned for you over the next few months! Email us with suggestions! We'll give our contributors first dibs and then open it up to suggestions from Facebook, Instagram & YouTube.

We're sure you've been reading countless articles about COVID 19, toilet paper shortages and DIY hand sanitizer recipes so we're not going to make this week's blog about it. There's a lot of mixed information going around about the severity of the illness and who is most at risk. We're urging all of our fans, instead of forming opinions about the virus, to look at the facts compiled by the CDC, updated every 14 hours and follow their guidelines to the best of your ability. Here's the link: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov

Cancelling 5 Weeks of Our Tour... At Least

We're full time independent musicians. So, that means 90% of our income comes from playing shows. We've learned that no matter where a musician is in their career income will flow in this order: Shows, Merch, Licensing, Royalties (income from streaming). The decision to initially cancel 5 weeks of our Spring Tour (which you can check out HERE) and assessing if we'll need to cancel additional weeks going forward did not come lightly. We'd be lying to you if we told you we weren't scared. We're unsure if we're going to be able to continue making music and have it be sustainable. If you enjoy what we do and find some value in it we'll tell you how you can help in just a bit.

We're Afraid The Universe Is Doing Exactly What We Tell It.

We didn't expect we'd be forced to take extended time off the road but we have said out loud a few times over the last year, whether jokingly or in frustration, "I need a fucking break!" We can't help but imagine the universe laughing and saying, " Here's your 'fucking break!'" We're not going to beat ourselves up over it and we don't think you should either if you've ever found yourself saying something similar.

We're going to take this time to work on new music and few other types of content that we've been wanting you to see but "Just didn't have the time." We hope that you're able to do the same in whatever capacity you can. Many of us are losing something but maybe we gain something along the way.

As artists, we rely so much on your support. If you enjoy what we do and it benefits you even in small way, please consider making a donation of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20 or more so we can continue making music during what may turn into a long time off the road.

We had a blast last week in Carrollton, GA! Thanks for coming out! It would have been awkward without you. If you haven't gotten a chance to see a show at The Carrollton Forum you should check out their calendar and catch a show. We've put a lot into developing our own production but what these guys have put together is insane and dwarfs ours by comparison. We hope to be back soon!

Last Minute Additions.

We announced our Spring Dates last week. If you haven't gotten a chance to see where we'll be heading you can on our Tour Dates Page HERE. We're really excited about what's coming up! We're happy to announce that we added a last minute date for this Thursday in Clemson, SC. Check out our Tour Dates Page for details.

If you've had trouble keeping up with our Tour Dates there are a few ways to keep it easy and not have to worry about getting spammed or having to wade through our social media (although if you want those links we made a cozy Social Directory Page HERE). One way is to sign our mailing list. It's on almost every page of our website but it's the first thing on our Home Page: www.roshambeaux.com . You'll get direct access to this blog each week sent right to your email and we'll also let you know when a show is coming up in your area. Another cool way is through the App "Bands-In-Town." It's available on Google Play and The App Store and it's a must have to stay in the loop for everything to Major Festivals and Concerts to keeping up with your local music scene. You'll never find out that band you like was in town last week if you have it. If you like going out to see live music you definitely should have it on your phone. Just be sure to follow us on there too since we told you about it :)

Nice To Finally Meet You!

We had a really cool experience meeting a fan at last Saturday's show. Which honestly, if we can break the 4th for a moment, feels really weird to say. We don't feel like the type of people that have "fans." We make music at our houses and record what we come up with really late at night and feel lucky that people want to hear it. If there's ever a crowd, no matter the size, we don't feel like we should stay strangers. We need a better word for y'all. Let us know if you think of something that sounds right.

Anyway, we got to meet someone who's had a CD of ours in their car for awhile now and had never been out to a show. We know that's probably not a big deal to most top 40 artists but it was nothing short of humbling hearing someone say, "It's nice to finally meet you!" He explained that he borrowed Illuminaughty from a friend a few years ago and when he saw we had a show coming up in his hometown he bought two tickets. We didn't want to look like dorks but it took a lot to not freak out and jump up and down and scream "It's nice to finally meet you too! You're why we play music!" We'd probably play music anyway but it's not the same if it's not for somebody else. Who knew one of the coolest moments we've had after a show came from someone borrowing a CD?

We have a few CD's of our first album in stock. Click the image above to view in our shop.

We were reminded that all of our actions no matter how small are sacrifices and if those sacrifices are not for someone else they mean nothing. See you soon!

All photos by Roshambeaux

Spring Tour Dates Announced!

We still have a few dates left on our Winter Tour but we're really excited to announce our set of dates for Spring! You can get more details about each show on our Tour Dates Page HERE. We can't wait to see you!

In The Studio.

We got to spend a lot of time in the studio this past week. We love being on the road but it's really great taking time off to work on new music. This week it was mostly vocals and drums. We got a really cool mic on loan from The Maelstrom. Thanks y'all! We can't wait for you to hear what we did with it. Right now, we're planning on releasing another single sometime in April. If you're not already on the mailing list you can sign up HERE.

We'll fill you in on more details. We're really excited! We have a few other songs recorded and a few more that are ready to track in the coming weeks. We have a bunch of plans for releasing all new kinds of content this year. It can feel a little overwhelming but we find making checklists and staying hydrated helps a lot.

Georgia and Weed.

Right now, legislation (House Bill 847) is pending that will criminalize the possession and transportation of hemp flower in Georgia. Last year Georgia legalized hemp and hemp derived products as long as the product is below 0.3% THC (the part of weed that gets you "high"). In short, you can buy weed in Georgia as long as its not really strong. Because of this legalization Georgia residents now have access to a vast array of high quality, regulated and tested CBD (the part of the plant that doesn't get you "high" but has other medicinal value) products. CBD is Federally legal and subsequently is legal in most States.

Basically, the State is now effectively saying that they don't want to train law enforcement to be able to tell the difference so we need to criminalize a Federally legal plant. The bill is vague. It suggests that being in possession of ANY leafy green substance is subject to a criminal charge. What if you buy fresh basil at the grocery store? We're not sure and that makes us nervous. 

We feel like not only is this bill a HUGE step in the wrong direction for Cannabis Law but it's also lazy and a slippery slope. If we're unwilling to aid law enforcement in knowing the difference where will it lead? For every CBD product in Georgia there is a THC product in Colorado. Do we criminalize CBD products too? What about vitamins gummies and brownies, lol?

If you live in Georgia and think this is stupid idea you can do something about it and it's easy.

NORML has a pre-wriiten letter that you can send to your specific representative. AND if you don't remember who you're representatives are, they'll look it up for you and send it to them for free. It's ridiculous how our representatives seem to make it harder and harder to have the public get a hold of them and this is a great work around. So, if you live in Georgia and are or know someone who finds relief with CBD or hemp products. Click HERE. And tell our law makers to oppose Georgia HB 847. It takes 15 seconds (or 4 if you have 5G).

Shout out to Alpine Dispensary for bringing us up to speed. Check them out! 

All photos by Roshambeaux
Additional photo credit: Alpine Dispensary, Helen, GA

Touring In The Winter 

Having a winter tour is a weird coin. On it's head it's dangerous, cold and miserable. Loading out in cold rain, warding off winter depression and fighting germs when your body's primary focus is keeping warm can really take it's toll on a musician. On it's tail there are opportunities that aren't normally available. Music venues are more likely to take a chance on a new band. There's less digital noise and event congestion. Most importantly, we're able to rescue each other from the inevitable boredom that sets in from "Cabin Fever." There's only so many things on Netflix you can binge on before your insides start to itch. We hate that feeling and we can tell a lot of you do too. We're so glad that our job is to relieve each other of that! Thanks to everyone that came out in the snow, cold wind & rain in Virginia Beach, VA, Southern Pines and Boone, NC last week! We know it sounds dumb but you made our Winter feel not so cold. We hope you feel the same!

Must... Stay... Awake!

A lot of our life is spent driving late at night to get to the next town. Sometimes staying awake can be a challenge. Before the world of 4G streaming we used to keep each other awake by coming up with ridiculous math problems and try to solve them in our heads. It's actually pretty effective. It's one of the reasons why we named our last album "After Math." If you haven't had a chance to to listen to get a copy you can on our Shop Page. You can also stream it on a few platforms listed below. Just be sure to put it on a playlist, hit repeat and tell your friends. We'll get paid eventually :)

8 Things We Learned From The Bhagavad Gita

This last week to stay awake we've been streaming readings from The Bhagavad Gita, an ancient but strangely practical guide to life according to Hindu theology. Neither of us are very religious and we hadn't been familiar with it. We were very surprised at how hard it hit us. Frankly, there were things we needed to hear, especially as musicians. We're excited to continue studying it. We are by no means, whatsoever, even suggesting that we are experts on any subject written in this book but here are a 8 things that we took from it so far. 

1. Being jealous and making things about you will not make you wise.

2. Every decision you make will either be a failed attempt rule over creation or to benefit it.

3. Praise does not come from your ability to do a good job it comes from the mercy of others.

4. Being attached to things won't make you happy & you're depressed because you're afraid of losing things you don't even own.

5. All of your actions no matter how small are sacrifices. If those sacrifices are not for others, they are meaningless.

6. Your attitude is the only thing that will make you happy and you are in full control of it.

7. You. Exist. Right. Now. Take some time to think about that.

8. Your ego makes terrible decisions.

Picking Venues

We usually have our own methods in choosing what venues to play but lately the best experiences have come from people suggesting places to play. Last week we played two places we would have had no idea about unless you told us about them. With only a few dates left on our Winter Tour (which you can check out HERE) we're planning on announcing our Spring dates next week. We still have a few dates left to fill so please let us know about some places you think we should check out in the comments below. It's always exciting getting to play new places and if you love them we know we will too! We're taking the rest of this week "off" to get a few more tracks done in the studio and hopefully shooting some video too. See you soon!

All photos by Roshambeaux
Additional photo credits: AstroKapoor "Bhagavad-Gita-Yagya"

To be honest, last week was a little overwhelming.

If you checked in on the blog last week: We're sorry. Kyle finally ended up catching that damn virus that's going around and we figured since we put it script form before, here's act two.

J's Got The Flu (and now, so does Kyle)
(ACT 2 SCENE 1)

Kyle: So... quick question.

J: What's up?

Kyle: I've had a fever all day. I feel like I want to rip out my lungs and If I stand up my entire body yells at me until I lay down.

J:.. So what's your question?

(A PAUSE that honestly wasn't THAT long but long enough to be awkward... It was probably the time it takes to read these few sentences. So like eight or nine seconds, tops? The word "Eternity is hyperbolic... but it felt that way.)

J: Kyle?

K: Sorry, I took some NyQuil. What were we talking about?

J: That you have the flu and you need to lay down for the next few days and try keep fluids in you?

Kyle: Was it this bad when you got it?"

J: Yep

(So we skipped the blog last week)

We made it to our shows though!

We started off in Clemson, SC at this bar called Loose Change. Its one of those gems that hits capacity around midnight. It's always shoulder to shoulder with people who's only goal is to get down like James Brown and the stage is floor level. The energy there is incredible! It's amazing that nothing got broken and it's weird saying that with huge smiles on our faces! It was a crazy kick start after both of us getting over the flu. If you were at that show you're a rockstar! Things were non-stop from there through Gainesville, GA and Anderson, SC the next two nights. Thanks to everyone that came out! Specifically, two people we'll tell you about in a bit. It was a little overwhelming us not quite being 100% but we think Dayquill and you're smiling faces more than made up for it!

How We Write Songs.

Some of you have been messaging us to talk about how we write songs. We can't say we have a specific method but it's usually that one of us has a basic idea of a part. Sometimes that part is a beat. Sometimes, it's just a few lyrics or a melody. We rarely bring anything to the other that's almost finished (but, it's happened a few times). Most of the time it's us joke singing to each other in the van. If one of us can get something stuck in the other's head then we usually run with it. A lot of the rest of it is written in the studio. If it has a good flow we'll just start recording parts. Some end up in the song. Some we laugh at and delete. It's always fun. As far as arranging everything and getting things to flow we just try to make sure it makes sense in our own heads. We've found out that caffeine is good for when you absolutely know for sure what you're part is and other stuff is for when you don't.

Meeting Authors

As musicians, it's really cool to meet other artists. Especially artists that make things that are totally different from what we do. To us, it's so cool when people write books. We get locked into a method of telling stories that can be absorbed in about three and a half minutes and the words barely take up a page. It's impressive talent to write a book. We're a little envious. Maybe we'll try one day. That being said we got to hang out with two authors after Friday night's show. It's so much fun getting to hear about other people's art. We haven't gotten a chance to read these yet but it was so much fun hanging out with them we have to give them a shout out.

(Click Images to View Them On Amazon)

We're getting ready to head back out on the road today after a couple of days off. We'll see you in Virginia Beach, VA, Southern Pines & Boone, NC! You can check the Tour-Dates Page for details and the rest of our winter dates. See you out there!

All Photos by Roshambeaux
Additional Photo Credits include
1918 Flu St Louis Dispatch (via The New York Times)
Drag You Down, Nathan McCullough
Grandpa's Farm. Steve Bishop- Amazon.com
 

We've been playing music together for almost 10 years so we've seen each other throw up a few times.

There's this thing that performers have in the back of there head when we feel like we might be getting sick. It's called "Stage Health." It's basically like a countdown clock on a bomb. We know exactly how much time we need sometimes down to the minute. We stock up on all the weird pain and cold medicines we can hardly pronounce and our bodies give us the exact amount of adrenaline needed to play the show... and then we'll be worthless until we recover a few days later. Patton Oswalt describes this perfectly in his bit "The Worst Show I've Ever Done." You can watch it below.

We've had plenty of situations like this and we've been lucky enough to only have to cancel a handful of shows since we've started playing music together.  Unfortunately, last week was one of those handfuls. "The Stage Health Counter" usually only works if you're already in the town where you're performing and you feel the initial wave rush over you. We were a 4 hour drive from the next venue and we knew we had to cancel. For your reading pleasure, here's how it went down in script form.

J's Got The Flu
(ACT 1 SCENE 1)

J: "So... I'm sick..."

Kyle: "Like, 'I have a cold', sick or 'I've been throwing up all night and should have told you earlier,' sick?"

J: "The second one."

Kyle: "Jesus!"

J: "Engh... Stage Health?"

Kyle: "Do you think you can kick it in four hours with a shitty nap in the van and more Dayquill than it says to take on the bottle?"

J: "Uh... ..."

Kyle: "Which we can totally do but honestly, you look terrible...  Is it getting better or worse than when it first came on?"

J: "Oh dude! Like... WAY worse..."

Kyle: "I put a gun to your head and say you have to play a two and a half hour show tonight. What's your initial response?"

J: "Throwing up and hiding in a corner."

Kyle: "Yeah.. I'm gonna call the venue."

Kyle emailed the agent, called the venue and DM'd the headlining band.

Everyone was very understanding. We're very fortunate to work with some really awesome people! We made the dreaded "We hate to do this" posts on social media but were overwhelmed with your comments, support and personal flu remedies. Here are just a few things y'all said.

We love you all so much! J is doing a lot better and we're ready to get back on the road this Valentine's Day. You can check out the rest of our Winter Tour Dates on our Tour Calendar Page HERE. Do you have any flu remedies that do the trick? Please let us know in the comments section below! 

All photos by Roshambeaux.
Additional photo credits for this entry: The CDC "The Flu 1920"

Relax, we're fine.

We love Florida. Mostly because something crazy almost always happens. The weather was awesome down there last week (obviously). Although, a few people we met out and about would give us the whole 'look left, look right' and say "It's getting a little chilly isn't it?" That very well may be but earlier last week it was 20 degrees in GA so 60 degrees felt awesome!

When we were prepping for this section of our Winter Tour we had a date fall through. It happens every once in awhile but we don't think we'll ever quite get used to the panic when it does. We scrambled and made a few calls but no one we were really connected with had the date available. Just when we figured we'd have to bite the bullet one of our agents in the region checked in just to see how things were. We chatted about our plans for 2020 and mentioned we had a date fall through. "Oh, I can help. We just picked up a bunch of new venues."

We picked up a show at a relatively new place that opened OCT 2019 in Neptune Beach called The Local. It was a weather permitting outdoor show but we figured "How often does it rain in Florida at the beach?" We decided to go for it and checked the weather before we left. It seemed like we were in the clear.

Aaaaaaand... It Rained. A good bit too.

All of our equipment is electronic so it just CAN'T get wet. We arrived at load in and talked to the venue manager. She said, "It's your call but I think if we wait an hour it will clear."  We waited an hour and stared at different weather apps on our phones. It was really hard to tell what was going to happen but after an hour the sky looked like this.

The staff got a crew together with squeegees and leaf blowers to dry up the stage and it didn't even sprinkle the rest of the night. Sometimes things just work out and we were reminded that no matter what happens it's always important to be grateful. It was a really nice chill show. We got to meet some new people during intermission and saw some old friends too.

When A Few Hundred People Chant "Get The Fuck Off The Stage!"

There's this really cool music venue in Jacksonville Beach called Lynch's that we've hit a few times before. It's a gem. It's ALWAYS packed when we're there. So, we've learned over our time out on the road that if you're in a packed music venue in Florida (at least in our personal experience) something's probably gonna happen. The show's energy was ridiculous! There were hundreds of people shoulder to shoulder getting down and singing along. Towards the end of the show one "bro" decided that he needed more attention and jumped up on stage drunk AF.

Now, we'll let you in on a little secret. It's never OK to do that BUT if you just HAVE to, if you make sure you're off in 1.7 seconds, people won't be too pissed. This guy lingered. Took pictures of the crowd, tried to take selfies with us, did his best Ric Flair impression. All that stuff. The nearest Security guard tried his best to get to the stage but he already had his hands full and was just a little too far away.

Our new friend ended up jumping off stage, making it to the bar, making it back to the stage and getting back up. Honestly, we were kind of impressed but people were pissed. We tried to play it off since it was our last song. Everyone in the front was trying to get his attention. We asked him if he played bass but he was just in his own little world, spilling his drink and tripping over invisible objects. We caught eyes with enough people and figured we could pull something off if we all did it together. So, on beat, the bridge of our last song went like this.

"Everybody! We're pretty sure this dude doesn't play bass.
 So we need you're help getting him off the stage.
 Can we do it?
 We can?
 Alright,  all together now...

 Get The Fuck Off The Stage! Get The Fuck Off The Stage! Get The Fuck Off The Stage!"

It's took just about everybody in the room but we finally did it. He looked at his feet went to Kyle for the world's most awkward high five and stumbled off stage almost taking a dual 15 speaker with him.

That being said... We can't wait to be back in March. Be sure to check out our Tour Dates Page HERE for the rest of our Winter Tour Dates. Thanks to everyone that came out and supported us! If this is the start of 2020 we can't wait to see what else happens! Have you been to a show with unexpected "Guest Artists?" We'd LOVE to hear about it in the comment section below! See you in Cornelius & Woodstock this week!

Photos by Roshambeaux
Additional photo credit "Angry Mob & The Internet" By Isaac Botkin

It's funny, it seems like if you think about something long enough it seems to just show up.

At the time we were touring in J's Jeep Cherokee pulling a 5x8 trailer and we'd about gotten just about all we could out of the vehicle. Jeeps with straight 6's are great but there's no way they're made for what we put it through. We were on the road in between shows when we came up on an old church with two Ford Club Wagons parked out front with bright orange "For Sale" signs hanging in the windows. We drove passed a little ways not thinking too much of it when one of us said, "Do you think all this gear weighs about as much as 15 old ladies on their way to a prayer meeting?"

"Dude, we should turn around."
At least just to look. We knew the Jeep only had so long before it gave up. We pulled in and took a look at them. "The white one is in rough shape but this silver one looks brand new." We took some measurements and the phone number. "We can come back out this way next week if it pans out."

We called the church and the Reverend explained that the Good Lord said the choir needed new robes, the pews needed reupholstering and selling a van or two would would be just enough to get it done.

It needed a few repairs but it was exactly what we needed. We assured the Reverend we wouldn't use it to play "that Devil's Music." He laughed and smiled. "Just not on Sundays."

We took it to the shop, gave it a tune up, brakes, new tires, a new battery and a tougher radiator and we had our first "Business Vehicle." It seemed to validate what we were doing. Before the Jeep we packed everything we could in a Buick Station Wagon (yes, the one with the faux wood). It was one of those little things that made us feel like career musicians and not a "local garage band." It's been really good to us over the years. We've seen a lot of the country in it, written a lot of songs in it and spent long nights thinking about where our place is in this crazy ass world. We are so grateful for her. She's changed our lives. She's the unsung hero of the road. If the day ever comes, it'll be hard to let her go... Besides everything in it is basically new at this point, lol.

Working With Other Artists.

We love making art and it's really cool to see other people make it as well. Last week Steven from Silent Professional Photography took some really cool shots of our show at The Loft in Columbus GA. You definitely need to check out his work. It will make you smile and smiling is good for you. You can check out more of his work on Instagram HERE. Give him a follow!

    IG: @silentprofessional_photos
 

Back On The Road!

We really enjoyed our time off the road and getting to spend the holidays with our friends and families. Our Fall Tour wore us out so we were grateful for the rest but we did miss you. We're overwhelmed with y'all! We hit the road last week to start out this new decade's first few show's. Thanks to everyone who came out in Charlotte, Salisbury and Southern Pines NC! The first week of a new tour can always feel a little rough when you've been on break for a few weeks but y'all made it feel easy. You're awesome! We have a few days off and we're headed to Huntsville, AL, Columbus, GA, Neptune Beach & Jacksonville Beach FL. You can check out the rest of our 21 date Winter Tour on our Tour Calendar Page HERE. We're excited to be back on the road feeling refreshed, hitting some new places and visiting some old favorites.

We put the van through Hell last tour so we gave her a pretty solid overhaul in the shop during our break: Fresh brakes, a power steering pump an array of fluid flushes, a whole new rear end later and she runs like new! Our mechanic got everything done really quickly and apparently in a rush cracked his head on the van's undercarriage and has the 7 stitches to prove it. We're glad he's ok!

We spent some good quality time in the studio over the break.
We got A LOT of tracks done for 3 new songs and we should be ready to announce another release soon! We're really excited with what we were able to lay down and we think it's our best work to date. We can't wait to share it with you! We'll have a little preview of what we've been writing at our live shows this tour so you don't have to wait for an official release.

Winter Funk and Holiday Blues in the Music Industry.
We're sorry for the puns but if you've worked in any part of the music industry you know that Winter can be frustrating, depressing and just plain old weird sometimes. Everyone's trying to balance the dichotomy of being really slow and really busy at the same time. One week it's being bombarded with emails leading into weeks of radio silence because everyone's on vacation to a hectic week catch up, cancellations due to ice storms and the cycle continues. If you don't catch the wave just right you'll be starving by Spring. We're really lucky that everything came together for this tour. It wasn't always that way. Do you get the same feeling with what you do? We'd love to hear about it in the comments below. We think we're getting back into the normal rhythm of things. We hope you are too!