Several weeks ago I was standing in a hotel room and happened to look in the mirror. I had forgotten an important part of my childhood. When I was a boy, I dreamt of a zipper down my back. I knew of a man inside me under my skin. I wished I could let him out. I wanted to remove my coat of skin so I could wash him. His body had been covered in dirt and grease. His eyes sunk deep in his head and his eyebrows furrowed. His skin was blemished and his hands cracked and broken. He was working so hard. I could see him behind my own eyes. I wanted to sit him down and serve him anything he needed. I would give him water and a razor to shave, and scissors to cut his hair. He would feel a little less brutal to me if only he wasn’t covered in all this dirt and shame. I thought I could make it better.

I had forgotten.

But he is here now. I can feel him surfacing. That space between my blood and skin is massive, big enough for a complete angry giant, faster than all of us. My fear has grown because I have not served him. My only hope is that he has grown with me and suffered. Maybe now he will have some compassion. Maybe now his hammer will not fall on me and break my legs. Why why why did I ignore? I had the chance to reason and get out of a debt I was incapable of paying. Time is a funny thing. Everyone knows its too slow when your young and too fast when your old. My only excuse is that my imagination was so strong that I was able to block it out.
So all has not been forgotten. I must go now. My time to fix and calm has come and gone 3 times too many. What choice do I have? I have tried now for weeks to rationalize my situation to the behemoth. Standing and fighting is no good. But running only makes it worse. Stand and face your punishment my friend. You have had…a good run.

What the hell the tortured boy was feeling, I am not sure. "Why am I here?" Maybe because I made a life on not standing up for myself. Anyway Mark knew what I meant. It wasnt the sort of question about the meaning of life. Literally what am I doing here RIGHT NOW! In this moment of my life. I was standing in downtown Sydney Aus. on a very busy street. I was trying not to get run over because I am constantly looking the wrong way for cars. This is now a flash moment. I am stunned. Life changing daily affirmations are just that for me. Everyday. So why is this different? To answer that without burying myself...I have to go back to March of this year. Our record cycle started out with some uncertainty. Combine that with a very rigorous tour schedule and little sleep. But then Rose, our long time manager and friend was diagnosed with lung cancer and reluctantly had to tell us.

Rose has been our rock. She wont let us slow down or have it affect our career. She never asks for help and told us not to worry. So we did our best to make her happy and respect her wishes. So on we go. Lots of shows, some 7 in a row. All leading up to the release of Vena Sera. Fly shows, home shows, tv shows, showcases and some stressful press shows. Busses broke down, drivers changed, crew changes and gear problems. Some alcoholism, one vicatin OD and the mother of band problems, being robbed of everything. We had nothing. Not a guitar, a stick or a pic. But our crew worked 20hours a day for 8 days and got every favor called in. People still got pissed and one station even dropped our single because we postponed the show. What is a band supposed to do?

Rose didnt let on that her treatment wasnt going well. She still maintained that we should see her after this tour. I should have known. But she talked about our plans for Chicago and how she was moving there soon. She was really looking forward to getting back to a big city. She lived in NY for 30 years. It was a little strange to be away from that. We were planning a big party for after we got back from Australia. She said she needed that time to recouperate. So on that Sunday, I talked to her and said goodbye and left for a 24 hour flight. Off we go.

Dave from the Butterfly Effect picked us up in Brisbane and we had 2 days to get acquainted with the city and the jet lag. Its very pretty here. The cities are clean and the people are nice. The kids like rock music. The country is beautiful and like nothing I have ever seen before. We met great people and had some best shows ever. But its hard to communicate when you are in a foreign country, and we had a huge problem with phones. The time difference is 15 hours as well. We got a message that Rose had taken a bad turn. We called right away. I could here the distance in her voice. She tried to tell me everything was ok. Then we got cut off. I couldnt get back ahold of her. I tried and tried and tried. We should have left right then. She passed away the next day.

Bill called us early to give the bad news. Our hearts broke. We were so far away and couldnt be with any of our friends or family. I wanted to go home. We had a show in Brisbane that night. Pete was already sick and we were defeated. We had a problem with our monitors and petes guitar amp. Halfway thru "I get it" Petes voice gave out on him completely. He walked off stage. He said "I cant do it. I have nothing." People chanted "bullshit". Everyone has a bad day and this was ours. We went back out and finished the set. What else could we do?
I am sorry that this is one of my memories of our tour in Australia. But it is.

Rose treated everyone in her life like gold. Especially us. I miss my friend. She never spoke one hard word to us. Always encouraging and loving. Selfless and fun. If she was around then it was a party. She worked in the music business for most of her life and affected everyone she met. Roy Orbison sang her songs. She was never cheesey and always stylish, never paid anyone lip service. She was the best judge of character anyone ever knew. She didnt fall off the turnip truck...she jumped off. She will be missed every day by everyone that loved her. And everyone loved her. We love you Rose. Rest in peace.

It sucks cancelling shows. I know it sucks for people who paid for a ticket and made plans to go to a show, but its also a huge let down for us. We had to cancel 5 shows because all of our gear got stolen, and now we had to cancel our show in Myrtle Beach because Pete has the flu. We really are sorry for missing these shows and we will make them up. Pete is the one guy in the camp that CAN'T play when he is throwing up. I know I have done it. Dean has a puke streak so he never yaks. We tried to make Pete better but we just plain ran out of time. So...sorry folks. We will make it up though. Thanks for being understanding.

In some good news, the new single is coming out on June 12th. It will be the song "I Get it". I know its a weird song for us but after Pete wrote the melody it really got stuck in our heads. A lot of our friends say its the best song on the record. We are all hoping people get it and it makes an impact at radio. Its a little difficult because rock radio has been disappearing. Its up to all of us rock lovers to keep it alive. And in other good news, we managed to recover some of our gear. We got the trailer back, as well as our Mesa amps and in ear monitor system. We also got some personal property back, so thanks to all of you who wrote in and helped out. We didnt get the guitars back though. Also most of the drums. But its still more than we expected.

We are also getting ready to go to Australia in July to play to a bunch of people who have never heard of us. Its very much a new beginning. Literally starting over. I love going to new countries and learning about other cultures. We also like trying new beer. I am going to try to treat it like a vacation and take a chance to look around. Its just cool to get the chance to go to the other side of the world.

I guess I will get back to Pete now. I am going to go to the CVS to get him something to settle his stomach. Peace and Cheers to you all. Sam

and........there it is!

we have created a new site for all your chevelle wants, well merch related wants.
www.getsomemerch.com

we have added some new stuff, and more cool stuffs on they way...

get some...
cause, sometimes, we listen.

Well now after almost 6 weeks of touring on this record I am finally able to take a break and relax. Releasing a record is a crazy busy time. Our schedule got a little hairy there for a while but now its cool. We have had some changes to some things. Sooner is now working for Linkin Park and then moving to do Rage Against the Machine. We are very happy for her and we look forward to when she can come back to us. Sooner is a great lighting designer and she has made us look good for many years. So thanks Sooner and cheers.

Our record released 2 weeks ago and we are happy to say that we were number 12 on the top 200. I am told that we were the only rock band in the top 15. This is good news for us but a little tough on rock bands right now. So for all you musicians in rock bands, keep it up so we can bring rock back to where it belongs. Also, thanks to everyone who bought Vena Sera and made us look good. Its good to see that there are still so many fans of good music. Rock music is what has inspired me all these years and I WILL NOT LET IT DIE!

On Friday April 13th we had our first "black cat ball" in Chicago and it was amazing. The place was packed and we were able to play a nice long set. We also played 2 new songs (brainiac and I get it) and people sang along super loud. I love playing the Riviera. Its a great old theatre with so much atmosphere and history. It usually sounds good too. All of our shows have been bringing out some great people and we have also been able to say hey to you guys after the show. It was harder on Evanescence because of security and I never really know it we made an impact if I cant talk to anyone. Finger Eleven is off in Canada for some time now and they will be back in a few weeks. We have all become pretty good friends and they are a pleasure to tour with. Pretty good at Halo too. The Strata boys are taking on main support for the next couple of weeks. Make sure you get to the show early to catch them. Stratas new record comes out in July so look out for that.
All right for now. Peace and talk soon.

Beginning a tour and getting into the swing of things does take some time. We have just finished 8 in a row (including shooting a video) and finally have a day off to get our heads together and catch up on personal stuff and all the things that keep a life going. The 3 of us have been sick too. The other night during the Tempe show I had to run off the stage to throw up my guts. I did feel a little better afterwards and finished the show. These headline dates we are trying to do at least 16 songs and that takes a lot out of Petes voice. We will always play right up to the point where he starts to lose it. It helps a lot with Dean singing some of the chorus parts. Pete also has me singing parts in Another know it all and The Fad. Screams take it out of you. I think that is actually what made me throw up.

Touring should be through June, and then we are probably going to do some Europe stuff. We will then come back and do a full fall tour with production and some new bands. We are right now looking for an opener and main support for a fall tour. It gets hard because there are some really good bands but they are also really green. We will figure it out.

Vena Sera is about to come out and I am excited because people will finally know some of these new songs. We are only playing a few of them since no one knows them yet. We have 11 more Evanescence shows then its onto all headlining and radio shows. There are a bunch of shows that are sponsored by radio and those are fun because we get to play in front of HUGE crowds and play with bands we dont usually see. Its always fun to do something different.

I have an idea for a promotion too. I want to do a Halo tournament with a bunch of people who want to play with us. You will see more of these things as we do them with radio for promotion and stuff, but also we would like to do an online promotion with XBOX and kill some people online. Are you in? I will start working on it.

Thats all for now. Peace and cheers yo. Sam

I have seen some questions.
1. The version a lot of people are playing of "well enough alone" is an edit that is not on the new record. It is a necessary evil to have "radio edits" but the station can (and is encouraged) to play the full version.

2. All the singing and harmonies are Pete. While Dean does have a pretty voice and is a great singer, Pete prefers to do it himself.

3. All the singing is actually Pete and there are no effects. With the exception of reverb and those kinds of things, the effect that is being talked about is actually 2 and 3 part layered harmonies. It does seem to be deeper but that is why Elvis is so good.

4. The song "wandered" has been renamed "midnight to midnight" as Pete likes to name songs something other than a lyric if possible and not too confusing.

5. That youtube video of him pissed about almost getting hit with a beer is funny. It was one of those days. I think its cool that he didnt walk off stage because of one dude who thru a beer. By the way, several other things were thrown during that time and that one just set him off. That was a pretty hardcore show full of metal. 7dust was actually headlining.

6. The songs are in 2 tunings. A# and Drop B. For all who Tab.

7. I promise that "well enough alone" is 1 of 3 lighter songs on "Vena Sera".

8. Vein liquid is correct.

9. The drum corner is no more. I need to do something more specific. Its also hard to post stuff I am working on. Writing out drumming is weird. I thought maybe I will do a youtube on how to play a couple of songs. My take anyway.
10. This is a good one. Finally to answer your questions about why we are adding tracks to CDs. You would not be surprised to find that records are not being bought as much as they used to be. Retailers are now asking for extra things to get people into their stores. Unfortunately, these songs dont make a band any extra money. Bands make money per record, not per song. The exrta song just helps get the retailer to put the record in the store. It just makes it easier to find. We also didnt have any more songs to be able to give each one a different song, so we had to go back and write and record some more. We are working on that right now and should be back in a studio in Chicago in the next 2 weeks. We are not trying to get anyone to buy more than one cd, and you will see this extra song thing happening a lot more as people try to come up with new ways to get consumers to buy a record instead of just downloading it for free. The world is changing and we must change with it. Hopefully finding ways to make it better. Ultimately, we get to write and be artists and that is fine by us. So thanks for your witty comments and for being smart enough to ask questions and not just accuse. We have smart people on this site and I am happy to be part of all that is this Chevelle.
So if your wondering, yes I do read what you all say. Sometimes. Give me a break. Peace.

So now its official that we are going out with Evanescence. Those guys have been really good to us and we are very happy to be joining them. The tour with them is about 3 weeks but we are going to start out about a week early and do a couple of shows to get back in the groove of playing live. We are working on that now so I will post it as soon as I know. We are also planning world tour dates right now, so all of you in Europe and Asia will be seeing us sometime this year.

We are back of course rehearsing and working on some special songs for different album releases. I think its pretty cool when bands add songs to the records. A different song for Best buy and Target and one maybe for itunes. The whole website and merchandise areas are being rebuilt to add some more stuff too. So much going on...so little time. Sorry so short but I gotta get some stuff done. Peace yo.

The holidays are over and so is my vacation. It was great to be with our family and have a nice normal time without having to travel back for it or travel away the next day. After about 4 months of pretty heavy concentration on this record (vena sera) it was good to just relax. We put a small studio in Petes house so he doesn't have to walk all the way to the south wing now and a couple of other projects as well.

When we finish a record there is this overwhelming sense of relief, but only for a minute because the urge to play the music and start touring comes on strong. People dont buy records automatically because they like the last one. At least I dont anyway. This record has to be good on its own just like anyone elses band needs to be. I can say that I love these songs. And thats good because I have to play them for a long time. One of my favorite lyrics is "still learning what chaos kills". When I listen to the songs I am sure I have a different idea of what they mean than what pete actually was writing about. I suppose we all do but its funny to me when I ask him if something means something and he looks at me like I have some something on my face. "How did you come up with that"? he asks. "Is that what it sounds like I'm saying? I have to start drinking less man!" The bar in the studio wont help that.

11 songs is what we did and no acoustic song this time. Sorry to disappoint but we all have to move on. The last record was an exercise in a lot of things, and we have specifics we wanted to try on this one too. Pete focused a lot on melodies. When we were in Virginia he worked 10 or 12 hours a day on each song just finishing lyrics and trying new things to make the song even more interesting. Being a lyricist must be like being a poet. Especially if you dont fill in the gaps with a lot of "ya's" and "baby's" and the ever popular "jump". We all expect more out of Pete and thats a good thing.

We have recently started to rehearse for an upcoming tour and Dean and I are really trying to make it happen. It gets tiring having to carry Pete...but Dean has big shoulders and he never complains. He's a rock. We would like to be out doing shows in March and we have a possible support tour that might work out for that month. Then we will be out to headline and put on a proper show.

In short personal news, I have found out the I can watch all the episodes of "Top Gear" on Youtube so now I dont have to move to England to see Jeremy Clarkson wreck a bunch of supercars. I want that job. Somebody should give me a show where I get to drive and beat on crazy cars for everyone who wont ever get to do it in there lifetime. This is it. My second calling.

I am sitting behind the mixing console and looking out at the ocean while Pete is singing the song "antisaint" at the top of his register. The waves are rolling in, as is the fog, and the atmosphere is thick with the stench of vibe. I feel a slight break from the unknowing and low tone depression of everyday unfloated dreams of "real" life. Does this make sense?

For years my kick drum has reminded me that this is not real life, but a temporary sanctuary from the daily grind that was construction worker, ice cream maker, printer and various other Toys R Us related jobs.

The truth is that it is not temporary, but it is for sure a sanctuary. I hear all the time how music saves lives and "if I could just go on tour I would be happy". This may be true. But what I KNOW to be true is that whatever it takes to keep you alive for a little longer is probably a good thing. (As long as its not hurting you or anyone else). I would have run myself into a wall with a helmet full of C4 explosive if I didnt realize at an early age that there is more to life than disappointment. Plus C4 is hard to come by. That being what it is, I move on...to what moves me. Music to drive fast to. Music to inspire a feeling. Hopefully something positive and new. Work out a little harder, push a littler longer and definately drive the point home.

Am I making myself clear?

So I have a good excuse for not posting in a while and also for not answering the questions that have been sent yet. Its true we have been busy tracking these songs and that we have been going out to clubs and other events in the evening. We went to a UFC fight with some of our friends and it was crazy fun. We are definately going to go to more of these events. Our friend Josh (who is a crazy good fighter) helped get us some seats right up front. I could almost get some blood on me. If you like fighting (professionally) you should check out his site Kos-check.com. It helps get a little aggression out in a positive way. So thats my excuse. I have been busy making a record and new friends. But I am here now.

We have been living in the Palms hotel and everyone is taking great care of us. Thanks so much to Gavin and George for hooking this up. The Palms is opening a new venue soon and we are going to try to play it early in the next tour. We are already thinking about who to take out with us. Maybe a comedian named Paul hughes. If he's nice to me.

We have 11 songs in the can and Pete is right now working on guitars with Elvis and Dave. I am going to post some pics of the studio and of the guys working. This place is really nice to work in and there really is so much to do that you almost never have to leave the hotel. Petes birthday is coming up in the next 3 days and we are going to have a little party for him. I got him some fake flowers and chia pet. Dean got him a garden weasel and a potato gun. Neeraj got him a case of Krunk. Everybody loves Pete.

We also started drinking a new drink. Lil' Jon got us into Krownk. Krunk and Crown. JJ is going to market it to all the kids early next year. So thats that. This record should be out in March we hope. That means we may be back on tour in Feb. Not a lot of time off but its good to work and I love my job. Thanks to everyone at Studio at the Palms and to Gavin and George Maloof for making it such a pleasant stay. Thanks also to Zoe, Samara and Neeraj. You all run a great studio and we will definately be back to record another time. We made a lot of friends in Vegas and have had a great time recording and trying new things. I will talk soon. And thanks JJ. Cheers yo.

I dont want to bore anyone with the day to day grind, but I have to say that I am excited about the 3 new songs we have gotten together since we have been out on tour. Its a little bit of a chore to make ourselves go work on songs when there are so many distractions on the road. We can sample the local cuisine, see all the interesting places in town, visit all the water and amusement parks in the area. Just about anything there is to do during the work day when your not at work. You know how it is. Halo 2. KILL KILL KILL

Some friends of mine have also showed up and let me take their exotic cars for a spin and spend some time driving. Thats another thing I miss when Im traveling. Although sometimes Caleb lets me drive the bus for a few hours late at night. Hes a pretty good sport about that.
I have gotten a few shirts that I can wear on stage. Some people have really thought ahead and had some good ideas. Keep them coming. I want to make a whole collection. Thanks to everyone who has taken part, and to those who have probably tried but it hasnt worked out.

It looks like we will be recording at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas sometime towards the end of the year. We had a tour through the studio and the whole place is amazing. Then Gavin Maloof let Peter and I take his Lamborghini out for a spin. Hes a very cool and trusting person, and we thank him for showing us such a good time in Vegas. I imagine many nights of craziness with Gavin and JJ during our recording. Its good to look forward to each thing in our musical careers, and its good that things are always changing and staying interesting.

I am going to try and post a picture of me driving home from our studio in Chicago, if it looks good. I like it because it reminds me of my other life as a song writer. So here goes. Cheers and come and say hi to us after the show. I hardly see anyone anymore.

I think we just wrote the best song we have ever written. And I have an idea.

In the tour section of our website you will find the name of each venue we are playing. I thought it would be cool if anyone wants to send me a T-shirt I could wear at the show in your town. It can be a high school or college shirt with your school name on it or the schools, or whatever you see fit. School sports are good, and the chess team is rad. I think the school thing is funny, but if anyone has anything better than thats cool too. All you have to do is pick out a shirt, get the name of the venue we are playing and look up the address. Just address it to Chevelle Production, care of Sam Loeffler and it should get to us. Now remember that anything can happen, and its possible that a package will reach us too late or not arrive at all, so dont send anything thats too important to you. A couple of guidelines...
1. Im not a huge guy, so send smalls or mediums.
2. please oh please make sure its washed. Its ok if it smells pretty like a girl, we like that.
3. Any color but gray if possible. And dont send me your gym uniform.
4. Also, send the shirts in envelopes, not boxes. It will save money and not freak anybody out.
5. no puffy shirts. Thats not how we roll.
6. They can be used shirts, preferably one that you have worn, but new is also acceptable.
7. I will not be able to send it back after I have worn it, as it will be permanently stinky.
I will do my best to wear the shirts every night. The only problem is if there are more than one. I guess I could do a wardrobe change mid show or maybe convince Dean and Pete to wear a shirt as well. This is a cool thing so dont let me down yo.

And the good news in our camp this week is that Elvis will be producing our record again. We love Elvis and know he will do a great job as always. So do your best or worst and again I say...Cheers yo.

A possible name for this record is "your terrible memories". It may be a little negative but its still a good title. Makes you think many things at once. We are working on the 8th song right now and we will also be working on the road. We are doing a first on this tour and bringing a bus just to work on demos. And maybe have a few parties too. I cant say enough good things about the Nickelback band and crew and its really cool that they are letting us have so many extras on this tour. So we will see what happens and what influences us during our travels. We also have good news as far as who will produce this record. I will let you all know when the deal is done. I also want to thank Jef Moll for working on studio stuff with us. It takes a lot of people to make a record so i appreciate everyones help. I will let you all know when more good things happen.

I have realized that I would be in trouble half as much as I am if I just kept my mouth shut. This is most of my life summed up. I am my own worst enemy.
This is what alcoholics refer to as "a moment of clarity". Oddly enough, I was drinking at the time I had it. But still...I write on.

No longer am I happy not adding to the world and being a self involved minivan driver in the left lane. I want to make it better for people. Or at least for someone.

So it is time for us to once again add some art to the world. We all need to feel like we are productive members of society and I am no exception. That is why we are working so hard to write songs that we like and are proud of. Its at the point where we could just write anything and put out a record, but when something really represents you it takes more time. We have 6 songs in demo form and another 3 that we are working on now. Nothing is more important than a song that makes you want to drive fast and punch people in the neck. (As far as music goes anyway). Dean and I are working on bridges and transitions within Petes writing and I feel like this is going a different way. When drums and bass lock up together and have their own swing its like a song within a song. We also have our own fills and accents so Pete can concentrate more on singing. Petes singing is also at the top of his range which is different in itself. Its a good feeling when songs are at a place where I am excited to start playing them for people. Maybe we will play something different on this tour than we did last time.

In my personal life, I am excited about the UFC fight on July 8, and the Formula One race is at Indy on Fri. This is all good fun, but so is poking someone in the eye with a sharp stick. Try it if you dont believe me.

We will also be adding some live songs from the Chicago show hopefully this week. I also saw a whole new spread for this site with a bunch of new photos that we took in NY. Our friend Daragh shot us in an old ship on the water and they turned out kind of creepy. Creepy cool though.

So stay cool and drive right, and I will write again soon. Cheers yo.

I thought maybe it would be nice if Dean had some of his own words. So ladies and gentleman, here is Dean making a guest appearance. Sam

I can't help but feel terrible for causing so many people to swear, but it could be worse, it could be the gratefulchevelle band. Though it would be tough to throw down with my two good fingers, I would have done it for you guys. Common sense prevailed however and the result is a tour that starts aug 9th. It's to bad that taking hydrocodien and watching the history channel isn't a paying job, cause Id hire a staff. There isn't much one can do with one hand, besides bocce ball and pocket pool. Somehow I find that this was a good time to hurt myself, it's given Sam a chance to focus on his real passion of making fun of me, beekeeping, and also for Pete to continue inventing addicting snack food [tabascorn] Im hooked. Besides, the album is that much closer to making your ears bleed. For anyone wondering who Ambi is, she is Natalies new dog. Her pastimes include pooping in tight circles that resemble stonehenge, and chewing on my good hand. So happy grilling and pour one out for your hommies. Thanks for all the support. Dean

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Dean cut up his fingers on his left hand. As a punishment, we made him get stitches without any pain killers at all. We also had the doctor berate him as he stitched him together. This isnt his first time taking on serious pain though. I found out that he once had a root canal without novocaine just to prove his manliness. This works for me. Im scared as hell of him. So we are going to miss a few shows. We will keep you updated as to which ones they are.

On a lighter note, I joined an organization called NESBA and had my first event on sunday. Basically, its sport bike riding on race tracks. Its a really good time and all the people who run it are in it for the right reasons. My friend Tony P and I got up at 3:30 in the morning to make it out to blackhawk farms raceway and ride in the rain. The regulars told us that the rain days are a good time to work on your skills and not push yourself to go fast. I still got lapped though. I couldnt get past the feeling of the small skateboarding accident that I had a few days earlier. I hit the ground pretty hard...and that feeling kept screwing with my head. Then, wouldnt you know it that one of the control riders for NESBA high sided as they passed me and crashed really, really hard. She was knocked clean out for about 2 minutes. I pretty much lost my nerve for the rest of the day after seeing that in front of me. I dont know her name but I hope she is alright. As I get older (23) I do seem to be aware of my mortality more and more often. I was going about 110 mph down the straight and thinking about slowing down. In the old days 135 mph was no big deal. I need to get back on the horse and throw caution to the wind. Whos with me? Wanna fight? WHAT KNIFEY SAY?

Next week we should have most of 6 songs finished. There are still lyrics to be added and other little parts to work out, but its all very promising. Theres nothing more defeating than a clean slate, so Im glad our slate has some writing on it. I will try to get pete to post some lyrics on the myspace page. I am also going to post a photo of Pete singing in the studio and some other pics from our days there. I will see if it works. Peace out and stop watching T.V. and get a hobby. Lazy ass.

FX has a show called "Rescue Me" and it has just topped my list of shows to kill yourself to. Why is it that we love a good train wreck? Its always more interesting to hear the bad things that people are going through, or even better if you get to watch it happen. It probably feels good to me to know that I am not in that situation. It could be me but... Sad.

I want to post some photos of the studio where Pete, Dean and I are spending our days working. I will try to figure out how to do that. Pete and I did a little race last week too. If any of you saw us on 94 wednesday night at around 11 weaving in and out of traffic then I apolagize for the crazy driving. Chicago to Milwaukee is only about 90 miles or so and its amazing how fast you can make the drive. Im a safe driver though, so is Pete. Be safe. Call your mom.

Man, I dont post enough on this board. But I had to tell you about last night. Mark and I met up with some friends (Geno and company) and went to see Dredg at the Metro. The show was inspiring to say the least. Dino consistantly hits the snare drum with a pummeling downstroke, and still has time to add little nuances to each song to change it up. Gavin has no lack of in hand live vocal effects as he moves around the stage. He is a great frontman, with just enough earnest to keep me wondering what he will do next. One of the things I like so much about those guys is that their real personalities are the ones you see on stage. Drew is driving the ship not afraid of anything, and Mark plays his guitar with the passion of an allergic swatting at a bee. I am inspired to write and play the music I love. Thanks to you guys for keeping the bar so high. That was one of the best shows I have ever seen. Thanks to Mike McGee too. He set us up as usual. I will write more tomorrow. Drive RIGHT. Sam

We barely made our plane on Friday morning, and then it was delayed because of Chicago winds. Lovely. But we are home, going to Walker Bros. pancake house, visiting various friends and family and planning the next wave of song writing and touring. The tour was really good for all of us. Its good for Dean to be getting his touring legs and he is a stronger player every day. The Nickelback guys and their crew were great and gave us anything we needed. We went out and shot the T-shirt cannons a few times and spent as much time relaxing as possible.(skateboarding) This was one of the most fun tours we have done because it was so low pressure. I was happy how many of our friends came out and supported us up front. We love to see familiar faces.

Now we are ready to write again. So thanks to Chad, Ryan Dan and Mike for everything. I also want to thank our crew for being so pro. Mike, Francois, Cris and of course Natalie, our tour manager. It takes a lot of people to make these things happen and I am glad we have these people to add to our growing list of friends we work with. We have to find Natalie an end of tour gift, and its got to be good or she will kick my ass. She knows where we live.
On Wednesday Pete, Dean and I are doing an add for Rolling Stone magazine for RayBan sunglasses. We are shooting in a couple of locations around the city. Its a great opportunity and the list of people that have done it before us is pretty incredible. I am not much of a fan of putting my face up as an ad, but Jenee thinks Im hot so...whatever. I am also working on putting a lot more photos up from this tour and some others that have been lurking around. We also have more live songs with video from the last Chicago show. That will be up shortly. And that first photo from March was a mistake. It should have been an archive shot. We will fix it if it isnt fixed already.
So thanks to everyone who worked, and thanks to everyone who came out and saw the show. We will be doing it again soon. Maybe sooner than you think. Cheers yurgonadiemofonigdeanladensemiautosamictoesukashuuicideYo.

There comes a time when everyone needs change. For us, it is a constant thing to be evaluating what we are writing about and what we are as a band. Some things are big changes, like changing a member or writing a polka record. But some things change just because they have been there so long. I am talking about the toolbox that was in every shot, every video and every show with us for the last 6 years. This is the first time that we have not taken it out with us.
People may think it doesnt matter, but to us it is an end of an era. It supported Pete (literally) in a way only a good box can, and we are sad to see it go. So what was it for anyway? Comfort. Like a woobie or ducky or a pacifier to keep you calm. Everything is okay if Ducky is there with you to remind you of your home. At one time it carried important parts of the show that we could not be without. Later, we had to much to fit in it and it to had to be carried in its own case. A case for a case. Fitting...or fitted it may be.
At the end the box contained only weight and a few bits and pieces for spares. Not that exciting but then again it was functional. So, that is that. It sits at home with us in the studio as we struggle to write music we love.

While in South Carolina we recieved a letter about our shirts and merchandise. The people complained that we didnt have enough choices. It is true that this is not our tour, and how many pieces that can be sold on tour is negotiated by management before it starts. Thats why there are only a few choices of shirts. You can always look the the stuff up on our site and buy it direct. Its cheaper too. I think its time to revamp the whole thing anyway.

This tour is going great, and I want to thank everyone who joined our myspace page in the last 2 weeks and tell you all to hold fast. We are getting someone to help us with all that. We had 2 days off and went out to NY to take some photos for the website and for new press photos. We met this dude named Daragh from Ireland and after the photos we went and hung out at a couple of bars. The Irish can drink. Natalie, our tour manager met Mr. Peterman from Seinfeld and made us all crazy the rest of the night. Its good to have our sister out with us to push around.
The new songs are coming together live and we have gotten some great complinents as to where we are headed musically as a band. All the Nickelback band and crew have been great and thanks to Steve for the late night hang out on the off days.
Thats the news. Now where am I.

Its a little weird not talking to people after the shows. We are usually parked back in a parking lot where no one knows to find us. I think its hard to say hey and get an autograph from us on this tour. We will be back around though on a headline tour and you can always find us there. I am ready to play new songs every night. Its a great feeling trying new things and building something that lasts. So thats where I am. Peace out yo.

So we pulled off the show last night with nary a hitch. Petes mic slid a few times and we had some problems with tunings, but other than that we had a great time. The new song "humanoid" went off well too. We will also play another song tonite called "straight jacket fashion". Thanks to zebra 0278 for reviewing the show and the great photographs that are connected to that post. Its rad when people take the time to do things like that. There were a couple of rusty parts but that is to be expected at the first show. There is a giant stage that is in a T fashion for walking out into the crowd, but we were told not to really use it. Its good to be respectful of the bands around you. Everyone is very professional and really nice on this tour and we would like to be the same to all of them.
The warm weather is rad and the enviroment good, so I guess I better put my time into something good like skateboarding and other outside activities. Dean plays a lot of bass during the day ( in between Halo with me) and Pete works on songs and plays guitar in the bus. Touring is like a little vacation for me. I miss my home but I also miss touring when I am at home, so this is good. I can also work on drums as much as I want. Although I didnt bring a practice kit this time so I am sort of limited to my practice pad.
So cool...I will try to write something about the show every day and keep it interesting. Stay dry and keep the drinking to a min. Cheers yo.

We are working on 2 songs to play live on this next little run. I am kind of excited to play something new. Finding inspiration to push you all the time is important and it helps to play new songs. Before every show it is good to remember why your there. I guess that I am attracted to drumming because of the challenge, and that ultimately drives me to to push the songs forward.
This tour is going to be different for us on a personal level too because our regular touring crew has taken other jobs. We have a whole new staff. Everybody seems good though, so dont get alarmed if you cant find someone you know from our camp. They will be back another time.
Also, I want to say good luck to our friend Larry Foyt who is racing in the Daytona 500 this weekend. Larrys our bro, yo. Cheers. And good luck to Dale Jr. too. We are talking about Pete playing Dale's Budweiser guitar on this tour. I saw that Dave Grohl plays one too. I guess all the cool kids shop at the same place. More later.

Breakups are messy. People react way too quickly. Dealing with knee jerk reactions is probably harder than dealing with the actual breakup. I say this knowing full well that I AM A WALL PUNCHER. Or at least I was back then. Now I choose to be smarter and wiser and wait for the right mindset to make the best decision.
I do miss the old days though. The days of yelling and crashing and punching about the place. The time when there was immediate satisfaction and the heat from my red eyes could cook eggs from across the room.

Now its just sadness and regret. I can actually sit here and remember all the things I did wrong. The worst part about it is that no amount of anything will change it now. Its already been said and done so many times that it has lost its real meaning, and the words have no impact anymore. Either way, for what its worth...I am sorry.
But breakups and heartache and just plain general discomfort are what many good songs are made up of. I guess if we stop growing we wont have anything to write or scream about. Emotion is good if it can be channeled in the right direction. Keep that in mind next time you feel like punching the wall. Punch a piano instead. But dont think of me. I have enough problems. Peace out.

When your on tour, you want to be writing. And when your writing you want to tour. Its just that way. So now we are preparing to tour during our writing cycle and we are a little thrown off. Or maybe its the grey days. (Is it Jeff?) I love Chicago even with the winter. This city really gets behind you faithfully. That being said, I was reading on the MetroChicago site and the Double Door site about the history behind these places and noticed that there was no mention of our band at all. We played 10 shows or more at each of these clubs. Hell, the double door was the first club in the city we played and it had only been open for a few months. 50 bucks a night back then went a long way. Im not bitter, I was just proud of making it in this city and proud of being part of the music scene and I want us to be remembered as having been there. We still go to those places and see bands randomly, and still pay to get in. Mostly because paying is easier than trying to convince some huge dude at Metro security that your supposed to be on the list. But the good intention is what counts...right? I guess I will see you on Friday night at some club.

Pete and I have decided to start a daily (or so) blog to keep everyone informed about what we are up to and how the record is going. (Finally, I have somewhere to rant about the problems with the airlines and traffic congestion.) So for my first entry, I will tell you all that we are writing and and practicing with our new bass player Dean, and its going great. We have all been friends for about 13 years and have always worked on music together, so its been a good fit. Very natural. Dean likes candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach, so when you meet him make sure you offer him at least one of these. To break up the writing process and blow off some steam, we are going to do a tour as a support band in March. Its good to just play music and drink some beer once in a while. When we come back in April we will continue working and put out a record as soon as we can.
On a personal note, I have been restoring to race mode a 1974 yamaha rd350 motorcycle in the studio while Pete is working on lyrics. He hates it when I bang on my drums while he is trying to think so I had to get a project to keep me from constantly trying to wrestle him when he is standing at the mic. So if anyone knows anything about motorcycles and has some tips and or parts to offer, let me know. I will put some pics on the site as well as some of Pete singing. Maybe a couple of what the studio looks like inside.
Good. My first entry. So carry on and remember...the left lane is for passing. Peace out my brother man. Sam