Well it has been a while since I’ve updated this site, aside from the record collection anyway. Things have been busy and time seems like it’s moving too fast sometimes. For the first time in four years, as of this week, I’m not working full-time. I switched to “per diem”, which basically means I can pick up shifts whenever I want. I couldn’t have worked it this last semester, with having an internship and all. Speaking of school and internships, the Winter semester ended about a month ago for me, and I finished with a 3.3 GPA. Pretty sweet. This was my first week of what will be my final semester. And tomorrow I’m starting my internship at Audio East, which is a live sound company in Lowell. I’ll be doing sound for fake Elvis, at the beach. The fun never ends.

Now Denial has been making continuous progression in songwriting. We have three new jams, and I feel like each new one we write is the best song we’ve ever written. I can’t wait to play some shows so we can rock them live. We’ll be playing out more this Summer. As for Facemelter, the artwork will be done at the end of the month. Then the CD’s will be pressed while we’re doing the LP packaging, and it’s looking like sometime in July will be when both formats are available.

I’ll be moving in August, when our lease is up. Staying in Lowell still though. Actually, it’s weird, my parents are also moving. It’s just weird because I lived in that house for about 21 years. Anyway, things are going pretty good right now. I’ll be happy when this month is over though. I’m planning on some awesome things this Summer.

Current playlist

• Thrice - The Alchemy Index
• Botch - We Are the Romans
• Soilent Green - Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction
• Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
• Face to Face - Ignorance is Bliss
• Austin Lucas - The Common Cold
• Torche - Meanderthal
• Melvins - Nude With Boots
• The Gloria Record - Start Here
• Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

Despite the problems that keep throwing themselves in front of me this year, I’m pretty happy for once.  So I’ve just been pushing on through.  I have to get all of my wisdom teeth removed, which is going to totally suck, I’m sure.  Not only that, but I have to do it on my vacation.  I was going to go to Chicago, or Canada, on my vacation, but now I’ll just lay in bed taking painkillers probably.  Oh well.

I’ve been getting together with Jared and Adam to write new Now Denial songs for the past few weeks, and that’s going rather well.  I’m really excited about our new material as we progress in a slightly different, heavier direction.  Also, I just got 500 copies of Facemelter on vinyl in the mail not long ago.  Now we’re just waiting on the artwork to be finished, then it will be good to go.  I can’t wait.

I actually started to write songs of my own again as well.  Shortly after my last post, I wrote and recorded this song called “On the Inside”, which you can check out by clicking here.  It’s kind of a creepy pop song, or something.  I don’t know.  I like writing songs that make you uncomfortable, it seems to be what I’m best at.  Anyway, I’m going to continue writing what I can and eventually do something new with all of it.  I think I’ve ditched the idea of re-recording old stuff with a full band.  Though I might keep a couple of those songs to use in my new project.

Life has been pretty good lately.  Aside from the constant work and school, my free time has been well spent.  And I’ve been feeling better all around because of that and other things.  I’m going to see The Loved Ones, La Grecia, and The Ergs at the Middle East this Saturday.  Should be a good time, I’m looking forward to it.  So yea I guess that’s about it for now.  Take care.

Current playlist:

• Coalesce - Functioning on Impatience
• The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
• Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary
• Thrice - Vheissu
• The Loved Ones - Build & Burn
• Built to Spill - You in Reverse
• The Thermals - The Body The Blood The Machine
• Cursive - Happy Hollow
• The End - Elementary
• Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Well this year has gotten off to a much better start than last year. I’m pretty hopeful that this will be a better year for me. Perhaps going into it with that mindset will help it become a reality. Either way, I’m pretty happy right now. And I don’t get to say that very often.

Anyway, I started the Winter semester last week. I only have two classes due to time constraints: Advanced Hard Disk Recording, and Physics. It’s strange getting back into physics… I haven’t had that class in 8 years, I haven’t even had a math class in 6 years. So this will be quite a challenge, but I’m up for it.

I got the Now Denial ‘Facemelter‘ test presses in last week, and they sound awesome! I’m so stoked to finally have a good sounding recording of us on vinyl and in my hands. So that will be pressed very soon, I just need to send them different center labels. Also the artwork and packaging are coming along.

That new movie Juno is great, I’ve seen it twice already. I’m really into it. Just thought I’d mention that.

It’s such a strange feeling not to know where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing in a year… or less than a year really. In about 7 months, I’ll be done with school and my lease will be running out. So really, anything could happen. I guess that’s a good thing, having the future be pretty open. The anticipation and uncertainty just leaves me a little nervous. But that’ll keep me on my toes, so let’s hope I don’t fuck up my future. Ha.

There’s not much going on as far as musical endeavors in my life right now. With Now Denial being as we are, and with nobody else around to play music with, I’ve just got nothing much. I have a lot of good ideas, just not a lot of motivation to record them. Maybe I’ll start doing that more. Or perhaps even try and get something together with other people. Anyway, that’s about all for now. Take care.

Current playlist:

• The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
• Engine Down - Demure
• Saviours - Into Abaddon
• Truckfighters - Phi
• Zookeeper - Becoming All Things
• Radiohead - The Bends
• LaSalle - Expedition Songs
• Unsane - Blood Run
• A Global Threat - Where the Sun Never Sets
• Kid Dynamite - Shorter, Faster, Louder

At long last, the semester is over, and while I was worried about my grades, I came through with a 3.4 GPA this time. Not too bad. Now I’m on vacation from school until January 9th. And after tonight, I’m on vacation from work as well until late next week. A slight reprieve from the constant troubles of life.

I’ve got some things to do in the mean time. I’ll be finishing the LifeAlive website sometime soon. I’ll be recording Adam’s Apocalypsongs in the next couple weeks. I’ll hopefully get a chance to do some more writing of my own.

Now Denial played a few shows, but now we’re taking a break from shows again for a little while. The vinyl version of Facemelter is being pressed now, I should have test presses here in the next few weeks. The artwork should be done by the end of the year, and then the CD’s will get pressed as well. While all that is happening, we’re continuing to write new material, there are two new songs already.

I’ll be glad when this year is over, as it’s been probably my worst year ever. Or at least the hardest to get through. I made a lot of changes last year, but this year made a lot of changes to me. Anyway, I’m fixing a PC to sell right now, so I’m going to finish doing that, then drink coffee and watch season 3 of Lost.

Current playlist:

• Able Baker Fox - Voices
• Black Mountain - In the Future
• Amorphis - Silent Waters
• Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today
• HIM - Venus Doom
• Coheed & Cambria - No World for Tomorrow
• The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee
• Samiam - Astray
• Hot Water Music - Forever and Counting
• Jets to Brazil - Orange Rhyming Dictionary

Well it has been a hell of a month.  Just when I thought things couldn’t get more weird and stressful, they did.  But hey, I’m not here to complain.  I’m still alive, so that’s something.

Now Denial played our first real show in almost a year on the 20th at the Worthen in Lowell.  The show was great, a lot of friends showed up, some from far away.  All the trouble of booking and running the show was worth it to play out again, and to see great bands (They and the Children, Call it Arson, Bread & Roses).  Many thanks to Paul from Tor Johnson Records for working the door for me.  The man is a life saver.  Anyway, we have another show booked, this time at another place we haven’t played in quite a while: Great Scott in Allston.  That will be with The Big Big Bucks, and a few other bands.  Good times will be had, I’m sure.

I’m halfway through the fall semester now and it is getting pretty rough.  Making time for class, projects, studio time, work, sleep, design projects, and everything else has been increasingly difficult.  I’ll be glad when it’s all over.

Lowell seems desolate these days, I don’t see much of anybody.  And I haven’t been spending much time in Boston aside from school-related things.  My personal recording has halted progress altogether as my life has gotten so busy and I haven’t been able to reach certain people about certain recording-related things.  I don’t know when things will pick up with that.  Hopefully all this pressure lets up soon so I can carry the weight of all of this.

Current playlist:

• Coheed & Cambria - No World for Tomorrow
• Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 & 2
• Saves the Day - Under the Boards
• Small Brown Bike - Dead Reckoning
• Waxwing - For Madmen Only
• Jesu - Lifeline
• Cave In - Jupiter
• Uncle Tupelo - Still Feel Gone
• Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
• Young Livers - The New Drop Era

It’ll be October in a few hours.  My favorite month of the year, not just because of my birthday, but just the weather and everything.  Anyway, everything is still really hectic and I don’t have much down time.  Now Denial is writing new material, and like I mentioned before, we have a show on the 20th of October in Lowell, which will be our first real show in almost a year.  The artwork will be done by the end of October, so expect a release of mid-to-late November.

As far as my new material, the plan has changed somewhat.  I’m going to record the drums at the Art Institute, since I have the resources, I might as well use them.  Then I’ll still go out to the cabin in Pelham for the guitar and vocals, get some privacy and really get everything right.

School is incredibly taxing this time around, but I’m getting by.  I’ve also been working on  graphics and a whole new website for Life Alive, which is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant downtown.

I gave in, in a way, to the whole social networking craze and got myself a Facebook account.  I don’t really know why, just bored I guess.  That’s all I got for now.  Take care.

Current playlist:

• The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine
• The Big Big Bucks - Rabbit Rabbit EP
• Jesu - Silver
• Capricorns - Ruder Forms Survive
• Zombie Apocalypse - This is a Spark of Life
• Nightwish - Dark Passion Play
• HIM - Venus Doom
• Down - Over the Under
• Pedro the Lion - Winners Never Quit
• Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass

I didn’t get to record this weekend as I’d planned.  Instead I had to cancel most of my plans to get school projects done.  I feel like I didn’t even have a weekend.  And here I am, tossed back into the work week once again.  A twelve-hour shift tonight, then some sleep… then off to Brookline to do another recording project.  Then back to Lowell to work.  This cycle will repeat with similar circumstances, indefinitely.  I’m getting fucking tired.

Now Denial got together today… well I guess it’s yesterday now… either way, we wrote a new song for the first time in well over a year.  Really like a year and a half or more.  The new material rips, and we have more in the works.  The record is close to being pressed now, though the artwork is at a standstill for right now.  I just booked what will be our first show since last November.  It’s at the Worthen in Lowell.  You can see the flyer, listen to all the bands, and get directions by checking out the e-flyer, right here.

I hate being so busy this time of year.  I love this weather, and it only really stays this way for a month or so.  Oh well, things aren’t so bad.  Life is interesting, and busy.  Better than a couple years ago.

Current playlist

• Down - Over the Under
• Iron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog
• Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
• HIM - Venus Doom
• My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River
• Acid Bath - Paegan Terrorism Tactics
• High on Fire - Death is this Communion
• Pygmy Lush - Bitter River
• 88 Fingers Louie - Back on the Streets
• Strikeforce Diablo - The Albatross and the Architect

Well vacation is over, I had my first class this morning and it was pretty haggard.  Looks like this is going to be a rough semester.  Very informative, I’m sure, but rough.  This has been a very strange week, I’ve had such a weird schedule of waking and sleeping that sometimes I wake up and it takes me a minute to figure out what day it is and if it’s day or night.

I’ve got a new design project that I’m excited about.  I’ll be doing the new website, as well as graphics for promotional materials, for LifeAlive.  If you’ve not heard of it, LifeAlive is a great little vegan/vegetarian restaurant in downtown Lowell.  This should be completely done by the beginning of October or soon thereafter.  Actually another website I’ll be working on is for Adam’s label, Intense Human Victories.  That one will also be done by the end of the month, provided I get the graphic that I need sometime soon.

Now Denial is doing well, and we’ll be playing shows soon.  Just as soon as I can book them, and a couple of awesome shows are already in the works.  We’ve even begun to write new material.  And I still plan on recording more of my own music in a few weeks.  I fixed up the music section of the site with a new kind of media player, and posted some random stuff of mine, including some demos.  Also I just got a new outboard processor for reverb and compression for which I am very stoked.

The weather is getting cooler and I’m liking it a lot.  These next few months are my favorite time of year, by far.  I hate that I’m often too busy to enjoy it, but I try to take the time when I can.  I’m in a strange part of life, so many problems, but so much opportunity as well.  Though some things haven’t changed.  I still don’t get to see enough of my friends.  I still regret that some friendships have deteriorated, and I still hate that I can’t change anything.  Such is life, I suppose.  People come and go.  Some stick around.  Some move to other places.  Anyway, I’ll be in Lowell for at least another year.  I honestly can’t even guess where life will take me a year from now.  Things could be completely different.  I’ll just hope any changes are for the better.  Until next time, take care friends.

Current playlist:

• The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
• Spoon - A Series of Sneaks
• AFI - The Art of Drowning
• Neurosis - Given to the Rising
• Made Out of Babies - Trophy
• Zookeeper - EP1
• Corrosion of Conformity - In the Arms of God
• Cross My Heart - s/t
• Call it Arson - The Animal Strings Album
• The Get Up Kids - Woodson & Red Letter Day

So, another new site design. I think I’m happy with this one, so I’ll stick with it. There are a few bugs I’ve yet to work out, but that’ll be taken care of in good time.

Anyway, much is happening these days. I finished recording, mixing, and mastering Adam’s music for the split LP this weekend. I just need to master The Informant’s songs and it will be all set to get pressed.

I’ll be recording the rest of my own material in September with my good friend Mike Tucker on drums. After that, I’ll be turning my attention towards writing new Now Denial songs, and writing for another project that is more on the melodic rock side. I’ll also be heading back to school in another couple weeks. So I will be very busy.

Oh, I suppose I should also mention, I’m looking to sell my current guitar set-up: A Sunn Model-T Re-issue half-stack. It’s from the late 90’s, after Fender bought out Sunn. It’s very hard to find the head with the matching cab. They look fucking awesome, and sound equally as awesome. If you want to see it, try it out, or just buy it flat out, then get in touch with me ASAP. My contact email is in the menu above. I’m also looking to buy an original Sunn Model-T head if anyone has one.

Current playlist:

• Baroness - “The Red Album”
• Coalesce - “Salt and Passage”
• Aereogramme - “Seclusion”
• Unsane - “Visqueen”
• Gratitude - “Gratitude”
• Cephalic Carnage - “Anomalies”
• Jets to Brazil - “Orange Rhyming Dictionary”
• Greenleaf - “Agents of Ahriman
• Tom Petty - “Highway Companion”
• The Loved Ones - “Keep Your Heart”

Wow it’s been a while since I updated this thing. I’ve since finished the summer semester with a 3.8GPA, and then had an awesome 11 days with absolutely no obligations to work or school.

I recorded some more songs… sort of a digital-only release I suppose. It’s called Disquiet, and it’s just all acoustic. Sort of a precursor to the recordings I plan on doing sometime soon, with keyboards, percussion, bass, etc. You can download the new stuff as individual songs here, or all of it as a zip file here. You can see the cover over to the left. Not that it will be printed on paper or anything, but it needed artwork, I thought.
In other recording news, Adam Caires and The Informant are releasing a split LP, and I’ve been working on that with them. I’ll be doing all the recording, mixing, and mastering. In fact, we just finished recording the last of the vocals for The Informant tonight. I’ll be adding some piano to a spoken-word track, then finishing the mixing and mastering. And sometime soon I’ll start recording Adam’s songs.

In the past couple months there have also been a few life changes for me. I decided that I don’t want anything to do with anti-depressants ever again, so I made the semi-rough transition off of that shit. I also decided that eating better and exercising is important, so I’ve gotten into that as well. Hopefully I’ll be better off for it.

Now Denial has been rocking steadily since the beginning of July, and we’ll be playing our first show this Friday in the place where we began… a basement in Lowell. Granted, it’s a party/show at which it will just be friends. It’s sort of a going away party for our good friends Josh and Theresa, and a welcome back party for our friend Tone. But we’ll be playing shows in other places soon enough. I’m setting up a show in Lowell for October, and one in Haverhill probably around the same time, though possibly late September. And as far as the new record goes, Rick will be working to finish the artwork later this month. Then it will be pressed on vinyl and CD with the help of Tor Johnson Records, Gatehouse Anchor, and Hi from Camp Icarus Recordings.

I start school again in September, so I’m trying to just take it easy as much as I can for the rest of August. I doubt I’ll update again before then. But this site will be getting another makeover in the foreseeable future. So check back for that.