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

Well, it's been a fair while since my last post. I lost focus through the last half of 2009 with the suicide of my father, death of my grandmother and my dog. Kinda like I was living in a bad old country song for a while there.

The good news is that 2010 is shaping up to be a busy year musically for me....YAY! I have started working with a Grande Prairie area artist by the name of Kyle Lamb and that is looking like a great project with some serious goals. The new music he has shown me is damn good and has what it takes to be played alongside and top name country artist. This will be my main focus for 2010 and as time moves on and the band lineup is finalized I will have regular updates here about rehearsals and recording.

I am also working with some local musicians here in High Prairie towards having a cover band with the goal of playing locally as the chances come up. So far that is going well and we should be ready for some shows come springtime.

Thanks to a wonderful family and some counselling I am back to enjoying what my life is and looking forward to working my butt off this year with good friends in great bands!

I would imagine I would be wise to make a New Years Resolution to update this site more regularly.......haha! I am sure now that there are some musical projects on my plate there will be more regualar updates!

Rock on,
James

Just finished two days with Seven Beckham getting some amazing tattoo work started.  I will post up some photos as soon as it is healing up. Probably one of the nicest guys I have met in a LONG time. Sorta renews my faith in people. I was getting a bit jaded over the last few months with my interactions with the general public. Nice to meet a genuinely nice guy with no agenda.

It has been a totally strange, confusing year for me with the suicide of my father in the early summer knocking me for a loop. Just recently my Grandmother that raised me passed away as well. To top that off while I was at the funeral home making arrangements for her funeral our family dog of eight years died. Man, what a crazy time. I think I am on the upswing again and looking forward to getting out and doing some auditions this winter if the opportunity arises. I really do miss performing on stage, though I am having fun  recording and collabortating with fellow musicians online.

Rock on,

James

I have been recording some cover music with some friends over the internet over the last couple weeks. Doing some Dire Straits and Van Halen.....it's been fun. Maybe along the way we will start writing some original stuff too! I have certainly discovered over the last few months with regular recording time that my computer needs to be replaced! Next on the list is computer shopping.

Rock on,
James

Just back from a trip to Edmonton to see The Cult play their Love album as well as some other classic tunes. The drummer was great throughout and I had a great view! I didn't realize until Ian Astbury introduced the band that it was John Tempesta sitting behind the kit. Great show, bad sound.........as usual for the Venue at River Cree Casino. I guess it is just a big tent, probably an acoustic nightmare.

Rock on,
James

Got three drum tracks done for some sessions on Indabamusic.com last week, looks like this week will be pretty busy with work. The good thing is that I have the work I guess, and it's great money for not much time invested. Looking forward to having a few days off in a week or so to do some more recording. I am really having fun with different styles of music and learning some recording and mixing skills along the way!

Rock on,
James

My father took his own life at the end of May at the age of 59. Without music and support from my family the last couple months would have been difficult to get through. I have been going back and listening to some of the music I found comforting throughout my youth and those songs still calm and reassure me. More than anything I have realized that I should spend more time on the passions in my life and just the necessary amount to earn money.

Music=Life

Rock on,
James

Leaving town for a couple weeks of camping and travelling throughout Southern BC and Alberta. The dog is kenneled and the plants are watered! Looking forward to picking up my daughter on the 22nd and heading to Calgary for a reunion of sorts with the people we all met at Choices last summer. Hard to believe it has already been a year! I will have my phone with me and will be checking mail when I can.

Rock on,
James

Got back on my mountainbike today and put in about 13km. It kicked my ass after being so laid up over the late winter-early spring! Feels good to be able to work without too much pain, as well as having energy at the end of the day to put some time in on the drums. Looking forward to a couple weeks holidays, then back to work to earn some money so I can have some time to work on a some new musical projects. Life is grand.



Rock on,
James

P.S. Twitter me........ http://www.twitter.com/thunder_sticks

Hey hey!

It's been a wierd month or so since my last post. My father took his life and it took me a while to get my head around that. I should be posting more regularly now that I am back on track.

I finally got my tattoo started with Sean at Pagan Tatu in Edmonton! The black and the shading is done, just need the color work finished.  Hope to have that done when I get back from BC in late July-Early August.

I have been talking with my friend in Saskatoon again, hope to have a band situation rolling by the fall, I  miss the stage!

Rock on,
James