Back to freelancing after parting ways with the guys I was playing with for the last year. Feels good to have some new projects on the go and some summer fun planned.

Have some guitar effect pedals that I am working on modifying and have a guitar that I am finishing up as well. Should be a good year for getting some stuff organized and done.

Rock on

Last week was the 2nd anniversary of my father's suicide, for whatever reason it is really hitting me hard this year. We didn't have much of a relationship, but he was still my father.

I am looking forward to playing some shows with Meltdown this summer, first one coming up is for Canada Day at Triangle for Pioneer Threshermans Association. Taking it pretty easy this summer as far as work goes, more drumming...less plumbing!

 

Life has been good the last few months, no much work and the band is rehearsing and playing pretty regular. It feels great to be back playing on stage, I sure missed that! Have been back to working on rudiments and other basic skills on the kit and feeling like I am moving forward again, this is awesome. I think I am finally playing with a band that I fit in well with, i am a pretty basic player that is big on groove and not all about flashy thousand note fills for no reason. These guys seems to appreciate that, so all is moving along well. We play more rock than country which is definitely ok with me too!

Just for those that didn't notice the drum is a modern snare drum and not a traditional drum. This is to represent my passion for playing the drumset in a modern music setting. I wanted the art to look similar to a dreamcatcher, thus the other items hanging off the drum hardware in the same manner items hang from a dreamcatcher.

The Drum is considered one of the three major sacred objects in Cree and Algonquin tribal teachings, along with the Pipe and the Eagle feather. Traditionally, when a drum is at rest, it is wrapped or cradled in a blanket as a sign of respect for it's Grandmother spirit. So that is why it is wrapped here.

The Drum and it's related music are regarded as powerful healers, and songs are always part of any medicine ritual, with the drumbeat signifying the heart of Mother Earth. So, in keeping with that, Grandfather Bear is the keeper of magic, medicine, music and mystery in the west, the direction that holds the power of healing, regeneration, sleep and most importantly Dreaming. I chose the Grizzly paw print to symbolize these principles on the drumhead.

The arrow head symbolizes work, labour and perseverance.

The claw represents protection of my spirit from negativity and destructiveness.

The Medicine pouch is there to show that I am a traveller, collecting new power from the weight of life's experiences, storing that power within myself and releasing some of it as creative energy through the pursuit of my music.

Eagle feathers are of course pretty much self explanatory , however, I chose to use three here, to represent the three ages of mankind, youth, adulthood and elderhood. This is more of a European concept, and native culture rarely uses the number 3, but I thought that it would be a good symbolic balance to remind me that I am a walker of two roads at the same time.













































Rock on

Played our first show with new bass player Joel and had a great time. Looks like this band is going to be a steady lineup for a while now, everyone is pretty stable with family and jobs and such. We will be honing the song list and getting more shows booked asap.

I am headed to Edmonton on Tuesday to get some work done on my back, yuck. Hopefully this helps with the discomfort and life will get back to some semblance of normalcy as far as sleep patterns and my ability to walk and stand.

My dog Tucker is right around 98lbs now and just a big bundle of fun and loving. It is pretty cool to have someone that is happy to see you ALL the time!

Rock on

Well, it seems we are on the prowl for a bass player. We are easy to get along with, no big egos and we enjoy learning new songs. Tell your friends and family, send us your poor, your hungry, your sober...........

Happy New Year! 2011 is going to be a great year, I can FEEL it! My company has been doing pretty well, and I am looking forward to playing some more drums this year. Winter time is the time that I get to do some practicing and playing without work getting in the way of the REAL fun. WHOOP!

Wow, it has already been a month since my last post. Too much plumbing work, and not enough drumming time lately. I have been busting my ass for quite a few months now in hopes of not having to work during the coldest months of the winter. Things are looking positive in that respect. WHOOP! I have been making a little list of some newer country songs that will be fun to play and not as tired as some of the "classics". Hopefully once the new year rolls in we will start rehearsing on a regular schedule again, everyone in the band has been pretty busy with life.

My big puppy Tucker is 96lbs now and holding there for the last month, might gain another 15-25lbs over the next couple years I am told. He is a riot, first thing in the morning he lays belly in the snow on the deck to cool off. THEN he goes for his morning constitutional, he just loves the cold.

Should be getting some work done on my back sometime in the new year as well. No surgery, but some injections and perhaps some nerve ablation.

Keep rockin!

It has certainly been a fantastic few weeks as far as weather goes, good timing for the end of construction season. Things have been going reasonably well with clearing up my work load and slowing down a bit. I have my new studio desk and computer set up and ready to roll. I will be picking up a good set of recording studio monitors over the next little bit and getting ready to concentrate on recoriding and playing my drums this winter.

Tucker is doing well and has definitely gained his winter coat in the last few weeks. What a great companion for work and throughout my day, lots of fun and a great de-stresser.

Keep rockin

Meltdown's first gig went over pretty well. We had a breaker go and kill half the lights and the guitars on the stage during our first song. It was dealt with quickly and we carried on rocking the crowd at Canyon Creek bar. We played some really tight sets and generally had a good time. I couple hiccups here and there, but hell it happens first time on stage I guess. I played well and had a great time, this will only get better with time.

Looks like Kyle has moved to B.C.....again. I don't know what is going on over there on his end, no communication at all. I guess I can safely write off all the time and all the money I put into that project. Not the first time, probably not the last time, but still a disappointment.  I wonder some days why I have chosen this path of being a musician. I have to count on at least two or three other people to be on the same page to make any musical project work, hahaha! It's madness I tell you, if I could do this myself without needing to rely on other people I would.

Spent a good part of the last couple days reorganizing my basement and getting my new studio desk assembled and wired up. I am going to make sure to keep busy with internet collaboration. Having everything set up and to be able to record without major wiring a routing will be nice. Got the desk with the add on reference monitor pads as well.

 

          
 

Hey hey! I am sure glad that winter is coming up quick! It will be an end to construction season and tons of time to be playing my drums, recording and gigging. It's been a REALLY busy summer with plumbing work, busting my ass all summer will hopefully give a LOT of time over the winter to be playing. There seems to be a shortage of tradesmen in my town, my phone has been ringing off the hook since spring thaw.

Working with Blaine and Rick from Slave Lake and Rob from High Prairie here has been a blast the last few months. We are playing our first show on October 30th in Canyon Creek near Slave Lake. We have a great list of songs and have a lot of fun playing them, pretty low stress when you are playing with people of this calibre. The songs come together quickly and sound great too!

My dog Tucker is now closing in on 100lbs! He is a big hairy dog that LOVES people, he is pretty awesome. Life is good, music is great.

Wow, it's been a while since my last post......I gotta get better at this!

The songs that Kyle Lamb has been working on are in the mixing stages at Beat Productions studio and will be sent out for mastering after that. Once the songs are finished and we have a product to promote we will find some musicians and hit the road.

I am also working with some guys from Slave Lake, 40 Below is the name of the band as far as I know.... It is a great list of classic rock, blues and newer rock stuff, should be a fun time to play on stage. Great musicians and serious about making it sound as pro as possible.

My local band has pretty much detonated I think. Two of the guitar players have quit and I don't have any real leads on other local players.

My dog Tucker is 68 pounds now, he loves to hang out with me and is a lot of fun to have around.

Work is work.......and my back is the same, I need to tour. This plumbing thing is for the birds! Haha!

Rock on,
James

Well, since my last post the lineup in Kyle Lamb's band has changed a couple times. Seems like we are getting back at it again, hope we can get some shows in soon. Looking forward to performing these songs for a crowd!

My dog Tucker is 5 months old now and weighs 47lbs! He is a great work companion and is a pretty mellow dog at home, just wonderful to have around.

Keep rockin, I know I will....

James

Hey hey! Lots of action since my last post! We gained a guitar player and bass player, then lost them both 4 days before our first rehearsal. Oh MAN musicians are sometimes challenging to my patience. Just a couple days ago I met a guitar player in Grande Prairie that may be a good addition to the Kyle Lamb band, or at the very least be a contact that can lead us towards other players in the Grande Prairie area. Kyle is meeting with him on Monday evening, things are once again looking like they are moving forward....YAY!

My furry friend Tucker the Bernese Mountain Dog had is last set of shots a few days ago and is now over 25lbs! He is gonna be a monster, and he is smart too. He knows how to sit, stay, come, and shake hands. He is also crate trained and can pee on command, just like me.........hahahah!

Looking forward to the next few days and things are gelling with getting this band off the ground and work towards playing some shows this summer.

Rock on,
James

Here is a link to Kyle Lamb's Myspace page, he has put up a few of the newer tunes and they kick ass! He has been in contact with some local musicians in Grande Prairie and things are looking good for getting rehearsals going soon.

I have also been doing more recording with my friends from Before The Fire and should be getting some final mixes of a couple songs up on their Myspace page within a week or two. Life tends to get busy around here when I most need the time to be mixing! There is a rough mix of a new song called Contrite on their Myspace page. Final mix is in the works now that we have a bass line and I have had a chance to assemble my new studio computer. Check it out if you like metal

I also received probably the coolest present ever for Christmas from my family this year. They got me a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog pup.....I pick him up on the 23rd of this month!

































They are an absolutely gorgeous breed with a wonderful temperment, I am looking forward to having a  buddy to hang out and play with my family!

Rock on,
James