Reviewing 2009
Right off the bat... 2009 was the best year of my life. There's no doubt about it.
For personal reasons as well as for my drumming career.
2009 started off fairly slow with several pending gigs, the usual teaching and recordings but no major recording or touring plans or exciting trips booked...
But everything turned around in May. First I got a call from a good friend, asking me to join a new band. Even though the band broke up before releasing any material, I spent a good part of the summer jamming, writing and recording with the guys, and I had a blast. The last time I had been involved in an original project in which I was completely involved in the songwriting, and songs were born out of jamming, was The Saturnine (2003-2004). It opened up my eyes and my playing. I felt like I found that last little piece of my own musical identity. I hope we'll be able to release the material one day.
Then came the call from Lita Ford. A day and a half to learn a whole set, and then running all over Europe and the US for 3 months. It was a dream come true. A dream of which I had gotten a taste many times before... I have toured many times, but always driving around in vans, sleeping at motels or people's houses, and playing clubs. Rarely ever e real crew, apart from maybe a tour manager and one backline guy. The other taste I had gotten several times before was the odd big open air festival with my previous bands and Bumblefoot. But this time it was the whole package. Huge festivals (smallest crowd of 5000, biggest somewhere in the 30,000 region). Nice hotels, professional crew and management, amazing fans. And... GOOD GEAR. When you're a headlining band and you get to set up, sound check and tweak everything and no one touches your gear for the rest of the day... that makes a difference. And so does a professional crew who double as a group of great friends on the road. When a hihat stand is broken, "I'll get you a new one right away" also makes a drummer much happier than "That sucks. We don't have another one". Not to mention eating decent food every day (and some ridiculously awesome food as well... Greece!). Traditionally, you eat crap (fast) food on the road, which makes it hard to stay fit and focused. It was an incredibly enjoyable experience. I am extremely thankful to have gotten this chance and can not wait to do it again.
Back home, I have done some awesome recording projects in the past year as well. Several records for which I recorded drum tracks at my own studio in 2008 were released in 2009, and I'm very proud of them. 2009 also marked the completion of my first full production. I produced a 7-song album with my good friend and amazing singer Ariana Shore. We started working on the album in January 2009, and completed the mix in December. I'm extremely proud of the album and all the people that played on it. We're hoping to release it in the spring.
2009 was also a very special year for me on a personal level. I met the girl of my dreams in 2008, but it wasn't until the summer of 2009 that we both realized we should be together. Jen and I found a beautiful apartment in Queens later in the year and we've been living there happily since. A huge upgrade from my previous dorm-style room! I'm having a blast cooking and baking with Jen every day (my second passion!), and sharing my love for music with her. Life with her is so much more beautiful.
The year ended with a visit to Holland where Jen and I spent the Holidays with my family. My little nephew and niece are the most adorable kids I have ever known, and they bring me so much joy. It was a magical week, and the cherry on the cake of 2009.
2010 promises to be even better, and I have never been more excited.
See you at NAMM!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
d.
For personal reasons as well as for my drumming career.
2009 started off fairly slow with several pending gigs, the usual teaching and recordings but no major recording or touring plans or exciting trips booked...
But everything turned around in May. First I got a call from a good friend, asking me to join a new band. Even though the band broke up before releasing any material, I spent a good part of the summer jamming, writing and recording with the guys, and I had a blast. The last time I had been involved in an original project in which I was completely involved in the songwriting, and songs were born out of jamming, was The Saturnine (2003-2004). It opened up my eyes and my playing. I felt like I found that last little piece of my own musical identity. I hope we'll be able to release the material one day.
Then came the call from Lita Ford. A day and a half to learn a whole set, and then running all over Europe and the US for 3 months. It was a dream come true. A dream of which I had gotten a taste many times before... I have toured many times, but always driving around in vans, sleeping at motels or people's houses, and playing clubs. Rarely ever e real crew, apart from maybe a tour manager and one backline guy. The other taste I had gotten several times before was the odd big open air festival with my previous bands and Bumblefoot. But this time it was the whole package. Huge festivals (smallest crowd of 5000, biggest somewhere in the 30,000 region). Nice hotels, professional crew and management, amazing fans. And... GOOD GEAR. When you're a headlining band and you get to set up, sound check and tweak everything and no one touches your gear for the rest of the day... that makes a difference. And so does a professional crew who double as a group of great friends on the road. When a hihat stand is broken, "I'll get you a new one right away" also makes a drummer much happier than "That sucks. We don't have another one". Not to mention eating decent food every day (and some ridiculously awesome food as well... Greece!). Traditionally, you eat crap (fast) food on the road, which makes it hard to stay fit and focused. It was an incredibly enjoyable experience. I am extremely thankful to have gotten this chance and can not wait to do it again.
Back home, I have done some awesome recording projects in the past year as well. Several records for which I recorded drum tracks at my own studio in 2008 were released in 2009, and I'm very proud of them. 2009 also marked the completion of my first full production. I produced a 7-song album with my good friend and amazing singer Ariana Shore. We started working on the album in January 2009, and completed the mix in December. I'm extremely proud of the album and all the people that played on it. We're hoping to release it in the spring.
2009 was also a very special year for me on a personal level. I met the girl of my dreams in 2008, but it wasn't until the summer of 2009 that we both realized we should be together. Jen and I found a beautiful apartment in Queens later in the year and we've been living there happily since. A huge upgrade from my previous dorm-style room! I'm having a blast cooking and baking with Jen every day (my second passion!), and sharing my love for music with her. Life with her is so much more beautiful.
The year ended with a visit to Holland where Jen and I spent the Holidays with my family. My little nephew and niece are the most adorable kids I have ever known, and they bring me so much joy. It was a magical week, and the cherry on the cake of 2009.
2010 promises to be even better, and I have never been more excited.
See you at NAMM!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
d.
Lita Ford tour
Aaah a couple of minutes at the hotel in Florida.So I happened to be hanging with Ron (Bumblefoot) this past weekend when he got a call from Lita Ford's management, saying they needed a guitarist, bassist and drummer for the upcoming tour. First show Friday. Everything was confirmed on Sunday night, and Ron and I basically skipped 2 nights of sleep to learn the set. Flew out to Lita's yesterday (Wednesday) to rehearse. Teamed up with bassist P.J. Farley, who absolutely blew us away. This should be a fun tour.
First show tomorrow (Friday) in California. Complete list of dates is on my schedule page.
I'll be posting updates from the road on Twitter (which you can also follow on the home page of my site).
Hope to see some of you at the shows!
d.
