hey everybody!
just wanted to check in and bring everyone up to date on what’s going on with me and everclear….i know it’s been a long time….so this going to be nice long blog
first of all, i hope everyone out there is getting through this miserable year…i know sometimes it looks like you are playing twister all by yourself(lol) ….but it doesnt have to look pretty…. whenever this is over,(and it will be)…whoever is still standing,….wins!
i want everyone to win
so,….im sure most of you noticed,….davey,sam,josh and tommy are not in the band anymore….without getting into specifics,……it had run it’s course….some guys left because i wanted them to,….some guys left because they wanted to,….it is what it is….you all know that this is and has always been my band….is was time to move on….i truly wish them all the best in everything they do
the good news is that before we parted ways,…we recorded a new record!….it’s called “in a different light” and it comes out 10/6/09
it’s a collection of new versions of 9 everclear favorites, that are both more acoustic and closer to way we play these songs now,….i was trying to walk the line of putting more emphasis on the vocals and lyrics by turning the guitars down a a bit…but trying to keep the emotion and intensity up….this album is still very rock and roll
i have included 2 songs that have never been on an everclear album,….”here comes the darkness”…which we originally recorded for “welcome to the drama club”,……we re-recorded the drums(with tommy) and re-mixed the whole song
the other “new” song is “at the end of the day”…which i wrote back in 2004…and it ended up as a duet i did with marion raven…and was included on her cd…hardcore everclear fans probably have heard that version….but this is the way i always intended it to sound….hope you like it
i am so fortunate to have an amazing new group of guys in everclear now,..
we have have done a few shows before our 1st tour in october and people have been loving it….let me introduce them…..
on bass i was lucky enough to finally convince my old friend freddy herrera to join the band….i have known freddy since 2003 when we toured with his band the exies
he’s a great guy and an amazing bass player and singer…incidentally,…i’ve been trying to get freddy in the band since 2004…..he also is going to start doing a tour blog after every show,…
on drums we have jordan ploskey,…he’s originally from long island,ny but has been in la for while….he toured with perry ferrell and has played with a lot of different projects in the la scene…..he brings an old school punk/rock energy back to the band
on keyboards we have sasha smith, originally from northern california, sasha is singer/songwriter that is doing the lion’s share of harmony vocals in everclear,
he is by far the most eclectic musicians i have ever played with, not to mention one of the nicest guys i have ever met….
last but not least,….we have the fabulous johnny hawthorn on guitars and backing vocals…..johnny is originally from the philidelphia area, but has been in la for years
he is a muliti-instrumentalist that has toured for years with “toad the wet sprocket” writes,plays and sings in the johnny hawthorn band, as well as playing with various
acts in and around los angeles…..i cannot wait to get these guys into the studio early next year to record an all new original record for our new label …429/savoy
we will post more new pics of us as they become available
i have been writing a lot lately,…. and intend to make a new record that reflects all the different changes i have been through, both personally and musically…i want it to be melodic,minimal and weird,…as well as getting back to everclear’s rawer alt-rock roots
as most of you have seen,…we are finally touring again,…with the first leg focusing on the northeast in october….we are going to tour this record 2 to 3 weeks every month for the next 4 months….so if your city isnt on there yet, please be patient
….we will be putting up the dates for the november leg as soon as they are confirmed
also,….some of you might have caught a show or two on my solo tour in march/april…i hooked up with ed kowalczyk from “live” for a show,and we had so much fun,we decided take it out on the road with leigh nash from “sixpence none the richer” on the “open wings and broken strings” tour….stay tuned for more dates….
…….2009 has been a year of changes for both me and the band,….new guys in the band,….a new album,…a new label,…new management…..vanessa and i were expecting a new baby this year as well so we moved into a bigger house but sadly we lost the baby in march…..other than that, the family is great,…anna started her senior year in high school and arizona (or “az” as we call her) is almost 2 now and growing like a weed
i want to apologize for not writing more this last year,…i have been in a weird place…
but i am super excited about the new band and the new songs, and looking forward
to the shows and seeing all of you.
all the best to everyone!
art
