Soon to Return

I’ve been absent for some time now.

Soon to return.

Farmers tans and Airplanes

Lately I feel like I have been in a food coma.  Yes, that is correct I said food coma.  It’s that feeling that you get when you look down at your plate, it’s half eaten, you are full but you finish off the rest just to prove to yourself that you are all that is man.  Well, ok that last remark was a bit outlandish but you get the point.  By the way I am blaming my lack of blogging on the food coma.

EARLY RISER

It’s 8:03 in the AM and I have been up and at-em since about 6:01 this morn.  I’m not sure what it is about being woken up from the alarm and not being able to go back to sleep.  I’m sitting in front of the television wasting my life on netflix and internet marketing.  As most of you probably know by now I am doing music full time but what you may not know is that I have two business that I am starting as well.  One is off the ground and the other should be following very shortly.  Music is what I love to do, there is no question about it but it is by no means paying the bills just yet!

In-Transent

About a month ago I moved from my little condo in uptown Houston to a temporary home out towards Katy.  I say temporary because my roommates (Frank the tank and Tiffany) and I are getting a house within the next few weeks.  I’m looking forward to this house for a lot of reasons, but the main one is that I will finally be able to bring Sydney back home with me.  Frank the tank and Tiffany have two pups, one is a great dane and the other a wiener dog and my little lab, Sydney loves them both!  My parents have been keeping Syd while I am in between houses for the most part, but Chelc has had her for the last week or so.  I swear she likes that dog more than me, but honestly who can blame her!

THE terror....better known as Sydney

I am beyond lucky to have such wonderful people surrounding me.  From my family to my band to my girlfriend to my roommates and friends.  There is no way I would be able to do half of the things I do without all of you guys.  You should know that you are all much appreciated.  More than you know.

Skydiving VS. Sky-dying

Apparently I am going skydiving on Sunday!  This should be exciting since I have never really been one for heights.  I figure they will have to kick me out of the plane, but once i’m out i’ll be loving every minute of it!  It’s one of the things on “my list”.  So in less than a week I’ll either put a check mark next to skydiving or die trying.  Either way I suppose it’ll get checked off!

Here’s to skydiving and not sky-dying…

I have had such a great week.  From Sunday morning bike rides with Chelc to farmers tans from outdoor family reunions, it’s been fun.  Hats off to you last week and hopes of another great one starting now.

Take A Look Around

I’m coming at you live via pool side. Downloading tunes and making what could very well be a failed attempt at losing some of my milky white exterior. The waters are alive with ankle biters this afternoon. Do kids not go to school anymore or has home schooling become that big of a fad. Either way, it’s a gorgeous Texas day today. We have some of the best.

Things have been pretty hectic lately. With finishing up our record, being between homes and the just the daily grind it begins to take it’s toll. So when I scored a ticket to Buzzfest I jumped on the oppertunity.  I needed to see some live music.  See I have never been to Buzzfest, but being a lover of music I couldn’t turn it down with the lineup they had this year. Before you start forming any opinions on my musical taste you bunch of haters allow me to say one thing….don’t knock it till you try it!

Being a product of the 80′s means that i’m a rocker from the 90′s. I grew up during the grunge movement with the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. Whereas my musical taste have evolved I have by no means tossed aside the tunes that started me on this melodic journey. I remember the first time I heard Korn…they literally blew my mind!  This past Sunday the infamous dude-bro fest that is Buzzfest invaded Houston.  Normally I would not be interested but this year the lineup consisted of Cage the Elephant, Flyleaf, Deftones, 30 Seconds to Mars, and Limp Bizkit just to name a few.  Let me just say that Wes Borland is an animal.  the guy is truely a performer.  Off stage you would catch him wearing nothing special, you’d probably mistake him for a concert goer but on stage was a different story.  The guy was painted gold and wearing wolf fur.  Seeing these guys live was the highlight of my night. 

There is a change in the air, I can feel it.  The picture doesn’t look exactly the way it will, but the ingredients are all here.  I would love to be able to peak into the future and see where my brothers and I will be.  If only I had a third eye.

cheers to you mom

I feel like the walking dead.

Today has been one of the longest, most taxing days of my life. I’ve averaged about four hours of sleep a night for the past few days, and today I worked some hardcore manual labor from 8am-7pm. I’m beat, yet can’t seem to sleep. This is my curse.

Right now i’m listening to one of LightParade’s songs, “Find Your Way Home”. Our producer sent it over to make sure all of the parts were there and we were happy with everything. Well I can sure as hell tell you that I am happy with the cello! You could probably just hit delete on the rest of the tracks and I’d be just as happy hearing it alone! Seriously though, hats off tom my band and our team….simply amazing.

There is something about strings that really make a song come to life. They literally evoke emotion, and scream color. Have you ever seen an orchestra or symphony perform? I remember my first time and it completely blew my mind. So when we were told that live strings would be recorded on our songs I lost it. I mean, I distinctively remember the sun shinning a little brighter that day! The only way I can sum up this track is with the word, epic. Call it cliche if you will, but just wait till it leaves your ears drunk with feeling of euphoria.

Enough of music talk. Let’s talk about how my mother will be graduating with her masters from the University of Houston in a couple weeks. Did I fail to mention that it is with a 4.0 and she has already been offered a job there. I swear that woman is amazing!

Cheers to you mom.

Beauty Moving

This morning I am running on a few hours of sleep.  This morning my thoughts are heavy.  This morning my mind is racing.  This morning I feel very much alive.

My wheels always seem to begin to stir when there is a lack of sleep, or when there is just the right amount of whiskey involved.

Ever since I can remember I have been consumed by music.  Truth be told I am not too sure where my love for it came from.  Mom and dad where no more musically inclined than the radio they turned on, but every time they did my mind lit up a bit more.  I think the best comparison I can give is that of a drug.  Once it’s running in your veins it’s all you feel, want, need and you are always left wanting more.  Now don’t go getting the idea that I keep needles next to my bed or anything.  A drug can be anything.  My point being that music is just like that drug coursing through your veins.  It’s sweet, it’s elusive, it’s the next best thing to heaven.  Sometimes it’s an escape.  Sometimes it’s an outlet.  Most times it’s your cure-all.

I recently stumbled upon some old blogs of mine.  It’s always interesting to read what you had written years ago.  As I read my random posts it brought me back in time, and for an instant it reminded me of a life once known.  It was like I had my own personal time machine.  My subject matter was about as random as a fish without water.  looking back I can’t help but smile reading it now, but when I originally wrote it there were never a truer word spoken.  I suppose some day I will do the same thing with these ramblings.  See that’s the thing about the internet, it’s like the tattoo you wish you’d never gotten…it’s so permanent.

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Here is an artist I have listening to a lot lately.  If you like heart-felt folky songs that show no prejudice for sunny or rainy days, take a listen.

click for melodies by Tyler Burkum

“I hope you’re happy, go ahead and tell yourself that you’re free.”

guitars, rocknroll and a neon fanny pack?

It’s 2 am and I just walked through the door of #22.  I had a show tonight and for some reason I have the hardest time keeping my eyes open while on the road, but can’t seem to pull them shut when I cozy up in my queen size.  It’s really a bit annoying.

Tonight’s show was pretty interesting.  The crowd was great, but it seems that we had one technical difficulty after another.  I really wish things would have went a little smoother, but we made the best of it.

Tonight's venue

Oh yeah, we also played with some great bands tonight.  Hats off to all of our new and old friends Adelaine, Gatlin Elms and Iowa Park.

Here is a shot from our last studio session where we recorded guitars.  Monday is vocal day, and Wednesday is strings day.  To say that I’m a little excited about recording violins, cellos, etc… is an understatement!

Jer laying some mean guitar

And here is a good one for you….haha!  Not only did Tyler find a fanny pack from the 80′s, but he also felt the need to sport it with no shirt….out of control.  Ladies, eat it up.  Gentlemen, I’m sorry you had to see this.

Tyler and his Vegas fanny pack

Studio day 2: bass guitar

6 hours of non-stop tracking in the studio will wear a person thin, especially when all you have consumed is a couple of rather large cups of java.  That’s been the picture of my life for the day.

Tyler and Jer insisted that the birds come out to celebrate a great day of recording

We are recording 3 new songs this go-around, and I must say they are turning out great!  Collectively these songs will showcase the stylistic variety that is LightParade.  I really can not begin to tell you how much I want you all to hear these tunes.

sometimes I whistle when I play....or so the picture says

Right now I just pressed play on Pan’s Labyrinth.  I still remember the day it came out.  I rushed to Best Buy to pick up my copy only to come home and find out that it was in Spanish.  I remember being so irritated that I had accidentally purchased the spanish version of the movie and not the English one.  Little did I know that was the only version.  Funny thing is, it was such a good movie that I almost never realized I was reading subtitles.

Anyways, here are a few more pics from my studio session.  In a couple more days we finish guitars and begin vocals. Good times ahead.

LightParade studio session April 2010

some of the gear we used

http://www.trishbadger.com Copyright Trish Badger Photography 2010

Thanks to Ryan Owens for lending great gear and an even better ear throughout the session.  Ryan plays for the Robbie Seay Band. Check them out, and buy their latest record…it’s great!

Robbie Seay Band

“I am the mountain, the woods, the earth. “

Return to roots

This morning I woke up in my old twin bed located in what now is a spare bedroom at my parents house.  The smell of coffee luring me from my slumber at a bright hour of 6:30 in the a.m.  The thing about it is that I don’t even mind being up this early, actually I kinda prefer it.  There is something about getting the day off to an early that start that just makes you feel a little more accomplished.

I came down to visit my parents for a few days.  It’s easy to let time slip away between visits.  Any given week, dad and I talk about 4 or 5 times, but when mom calls to see how I am doing I know it’s past time to come down.

These flowers look like hanging blue bonnets. My parents back yard

Maybe it’s the Texas roots coming out in us, but every time my family gets together we feel the need to light up the BBQ pit.  Yesterday was no exception.  It was great spending the afternoon with the fam and a few friends.  The only one missing was my sister and her little angel.

Sydney lies at the door with hopes of being on the other side of the glass

Today I am going to visit a very special lady, who unfortunately has not been in good health lately.  Grandma is a ripe ole 92 years old.  Take a minute and think about that…92 years, walking these roads, living this life, loving your loved ones.  That is such an overwhelming thought to me.  I have no idea what age I will make it to, but one thing that I do know is that I wish to have such a fulfilling life as this dear woman has had and continues to have.

Here are a few friends of mine who’s music I have not been able to stop spinning.  I hope you enjoy them half as much as I do. (click the photos for tunes)

“All of these dreams that we’re chasing keep us awake and alive.”

My first ever video shoot

What a day…shoot what a week….hell what a month!  I just finished shooting LightParade’s  live video for a Serial Box session.  I’m sure you are probably wondering what exactly a Serial Box session is, well let me enlighten you.  The Serial Box is visual media group that takes a more stripped back look at a bands music.  For instance with us, we shot a live video of 3 songs that we redid specifically for the Serial Box session.  So not only will you have the album version of the songs, but you will also have an acoustic as well.  Today’s session was a lot of fun and I cannot wait to hear how everything turned out.

We had an opportunity to work with some crazy talented people today, and here are a few photos that were snapped during the process

running through a few of the songs backstage before the shoot

evidentially I needed to have my bass turned up

Setting up for the shoot

someone snuck a photo during a break

If only this old piano sounded as good as it looks

So far this month we have had a photo and video shoot.  Next up on the list is a little studio time.  We start recording 3 new songs beginning this Tuesday.  Expect to see some more photos and even possibly a video or two if you play your cards right.

Photoshoot is a wrap

I’ve finally arrived back in Houston after 13 hours on the road. This last trip to Nashville was a quick one. We spent more time on the road then we did off of it.

The shoot with Cowart went great! There should be some proofs for us to look at within the next week or so. Cannot wait for you all to see them.

Here are a few iPhone pics I snapped from yesterdays session