Cross Roads

Hello again,

Well there has been some mix up on who was to write the next blog for Desolate Rage. With all the summer excitement, birthdays and other shit it was totally lost on me that it was my turn. So here we go!

We were scheduled to play this Friday Aug 1st with the Agonist at The Rock pile west venue but that feel through due to some unforeseen scheduling mishaps. It’s kind of shitty as I was looking forward to seeing their new singer in action for the first time. But such are the ways of the music business.

There is a silver lining to this situation as we have been added to the Sept 6th line up for The Catalyst show featuring our friends from My Hollow as well. Also held at The Rock Pile west. We have been away from live shows since March. It has been another tough year for this group. Seems to be our calling card as of late. So we are looking to get our chops up for this gig. A few other out of town shows are in the works, to be announced once we get the details.

The short term plan is to finish a 4 song EP that we have decided to work on. It will be theme oriented, loosely based on the 4 Horseman of the apocalypse. One song for each rider. I know, it’s not the most entirely unique theme but I don’t really give a fuck. 4 more songs are all that I really care about. The theme is just that, a theme! Just looking forward to the writing process. Two songs are for the most part completed. Only some fine tuning remains. On to the next two I suppose.

Cross Roads,

I am personally at a cross roads. I only speak for myself on this part.
Recently I find myself lacking in motivation to keep going in the music business. The long story short I have been involved with bands and playing live for exactly 20 yrs now at the age of 34. I have played hundreds of shows over the years, from dives to out door venues with thousands of people. I have pretty much done it all over the last 20 years with the exception of making it big. I came to grips with that likely hood years ago. So the issue with me is why should I continue to play live shows? What is there to gain? In the end bands make no money, you’re lucky to make enough coin to cover gas, in some cases we end up paying to play. WTF is that about? So after so many years of this how much is enough? I am struggling with that answer. I love playing music with the guys and always will and I know that if I walk away from it I will regret it. But again how much is too much? We are all married, have mortgages and some of us have kids myself included. At what point do you let go? I have seen pretty much every band that started back when we did fall to the passage of time. We are the last of that era still doing what we do. Its fucked let me tell you. Every so often musicians come to this point in their lives and people in general where they dig down and look at themselves in the mirror. It happens to us all and it’s happening to me now. I remember back to when I was 19 going on 20 that year I played over 150 shows and this year we have played only 3. That is a huge contrast, could I play that many shows now at this point in my life, fuck no! That would not be possible in any way. Do I want to play more than 3? Yes I suppose. But I keep asking myself why? It’s a question that needs to be answered sooner rather than later. I can tell you this, my drive for writing and jamming with the guys has not wavered and likely wont. I just have to convince myself that playing live is still worth it. The way the market is these days that will be a tough sell.

Anyways, I did not write a blog for a few weeks and the result is I can’t shut up.


Have a nice weekend

Till next time

Jeff