Slow Your Roll

Hello to all,

It's been a while since I posted a blog, just been trying to enjoy what little is left of the summer. Yes, another summer is passing us by and we're getting older (seeing the glass half empty I guess lol). At 34, I can honestly say I forget my age sometimes and I can't believe how the years pass so quickly, it seems like just yesterday I was in  grade 9-1st period drafting class where I met that long-haired kid next to the window who is now my bass player. Yup, I knew him as the dude who didn't say much but showed a me and a buddy of mine how hard his head was when a kid got mouthy with him so Jeff decided to smash his head into a sheet of wood to scare his ass, you can say that kid didn't bug him again. Jeff and I really got to know eachother in music class where he was on the bass guitar(of course) and they put me on drums (I sucked at the clarinet). He played in a band at the time and I'd always bug him about him looking for a drummer, we got so bored in music class so our teacher was cool enough let us both leave the class and go play our own music in the school auditorium, it was pretty cool. You could say that's where Jeff and I clicked so to speak, the rest is in the books. Oh, and I forgot to mention he is stubborn as fuck...…stubborn…..as……fuck!

Now there's Jorge......picking on the grade 9'ers  at Bathurst subway station after school pretty much sums up my first impression of him. Although it wasn't until years later would I end up playing alongside him, destiny I guess. I met Nelson through Jeff in grade 10, back in the DKR days. He was always calm and laid back and loved his music, little did I know fast forward almost 20 years and here we are looking at the same ugly mugs we looked at back in the days. It's been a fun ride and  I'm hoping the ride doesn't end for a while. 

There you go folks, some info you may or may not care about that you never knew, just a little glimpse in the history of DR.

Enjoy the rest of the summer, before you know it we'll be freezin' our ass off again in minus 30 degree weather, up to our asses in snow, where the only sunburn we'll feel is that of the windchill smacking us in the face. I like to be positive you know.

If you were tired of this hot summer I bet your thinking twice right about now:)

Until nextime,

Marco

Road Trippin'

Hey All,

Hope everyone is having a great summer and trying to enjoy these days as they only seem to be around for a short amount of time. I just got back from a 4 day motorcycle road trip with some family and friends and had a blast. It was nice to be able to ride and just enjoy the moment and let the thoughts run through my mind without any real distractions. Life's short and you have to enjoy every minute of it while it lasts cause once it's gone you can kiss it goodbye!

We've been spending the summer working on some new material as Jeff eluded to in last weeks blog and so far it feels pretty good. It's a four-parter and theme based and to be honest that's not something we've ever done so I'm pretty excited to hear what the 4 songs together sound like. We've finished 2 and have 2 more to go so we'll soon see. As for the show front we had to pull out of the show with the Agonist which sucked but we've been able to re-tool some things and we're playing with The Catalyst and My Hollow on Sept. 6th so I can't complain. There are a couple of other shows that we're working on and we'll keep you posted as soon as we know but for now come on out to The Rockpile West on Sept. 6th and check out some killer bands that night
Cheers and more to come in the next few weeks
J

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

Daddy's Little Drummer

Hello to all, 
For you soccer fans out there, I hope you've all been enjoying the World Cup as it's been pretty interesting. Many of the European teams are out of the tournament including my team (Italy) and my band mates (Portugal) respectively. It's funny how so many of the good European teams are out, seems to me it's rigged as so many South American teams have suddenly made it to the next round. Anyways, may the best team win.
On another note, it was my youngest daughter's birthday this week and I thought I'd surprise her with her first drum-set. The look on her face was priceless, she wasted no time and smashed those drum skins with a huge smile on her face! I must say, it makes this dad proud to see his daughter so eager to play the drums and who knows, by the time she's five she may even kick my ass on them! 

The drum manufacturers sure have come a long way in the way they produce  beginners drum-sets let alone a drum-set for toddlers, and the finish on them isn't bad either. I think every kid should have a shot at least on one instrument, music is just as important as anything else in my opinion. My dad always supported me in music and it meant a lot to me, it helps to know you have that support. I remember when we use to practice in my garage in the dead of winter, my dad insulated the whole garage for us not to freeze our asses off, that was pretty cool. Looking back now I don't know how we did it but I guess you'll play in almost any condition when you love your music.
I want to wish my daughter a happy 3rd birthday! 
Daddy loves you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCO!!!!

We just want to wish our brother behind the skins a Happy Birthday!!! Lucky prick that we aren't having a show for yours, cause it would be a storm of surprises for you! Cheers from all of us at DR

From 'Merica with Love

What's Up Everyone,

    Writing this from Florida as I packed my bags and came down here for a week to get some sun and relax a little. Hanging here is nice and the weather is beautiful! It is hotter than hell but the sun is shining so I can't complain.
    Last week we spent a lot of time working on some of the new material and working out the kinks and it feels like it's starting to take shape. We've been spending a lot of time talking about the direction of the new song(s) and what we want them to sound like (None of us want it to be the same as the last set of material we wrote) and how we're trying to evolve but still have our signature sound on it so it is interesting to see the direction we're going in and how we're trying to get it down just right! We spent many years writing the first 2 albums as "Condemned" and then spent another 5 or 6 writing "Evolution's Mistake" so to start writing so quickly the last thing we want is to have another Evolution's Mistake on our hands…and that's the difference when you aren't signed and don't have to go on tour for 2+ years to promote the album. We've always seen writing as an evolving process and (at least for me) a way to challenge ourselves as musicians and as a band.

    I'm sure sooner or later we'll be out there playing at least some of the new stuff….maybe even on August 1st with The Agonist but we'll see how it's coming together closer to the date…

Cheers everyone and I'm off to the beach!
J

Hand Jobs for crack…M'kay

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