Aug 23, 2017

Thank You, My Unpaid Minions!

Wow!  I have been overwhelmed by the incredibly kind and inspiring things people have said in response to the mini documentary Brian Quast put up on YouTube!  You guys really know how to make a girl blush, though admittedly I embarrass quite easily.  It has even prompted some flattery from family members who have never been able to fully relate to what my passion has been for my entire adult life.  I have always been "Stephen" to them, not a drummer, not a musician, just "Stephen".  That's fine by me, too.  I do come from a musical family, but we are family first and foremost.

I was very excited to do the documentary with Brian but as a rule I don't like to talk about music or work with most people.  I feel like everyone is quietly rolling their eyes when I tell them I am in a band.  The film gave me an opportunity to reach people in a completely different way, and sharing what inspires you is ultimately what writing music is all about.  My parents raised me to never brag and I can't shake the feeling that I am trying to sell people something when I talk about the bands or about drumming.  There is a part of me that feels as though I am saying "Ooooh, look at me and how cool and edgy I am." whenever the conversation veers into my history with music.  I despise that feeling.  I can have those conversations all day long with other musicians because our experiences are somewhat universal, but I try to avoid talking about being in a band with people I meet unless they seem genuinely interested or curious about what it is like to play music.  I can remove myself from all of my insecurities here at The Poundry because I know that everyone who visits the blog is specifically interested in what the bands are doing and what my own perspective is about being a musician.  I suppose it is almost like having an alter ego.

Now, onto some band/drumming news:  

1) The Loincloth album is scheduled to come out in a month.  I did my first interview for it the other day.  I enjoy interviews.  I typically give lengthy response because I assume the interviewer is genuinely interested in what we have to say in large part because of how long we have been under the radar.  That holds true for Confessor as well.  There are almost always questions that you can tell have been on the interviewer's mind for years and I love being able to satisfy their curiosity. 

2) My GoPro camera came just a few days ago and  I am taking it down to the space later tonight for the first time to begin playing around with the room and the lighting so that I may begin filming different beats in Confessor and Loincloth tracks, as well as some of the polyrhythms and exercises I use to push myself down the path of metal obscurity.  After Brian and I finished the documentary he let me use his own GoPro at the space and I was very pleasantly surprised at how well the built in microphone picked up the drums.  If I can get good footage and audio without having to spend a small fortune on extra gadgetry I will be a very happy hombre. 

3) Our sweet little Bella is accepting leading roles now that she has tasted fame with her brief appearance in the documentary.  No nude scenes, please.  

Thanks again to everyone who has watched the documentary and especially to those of you who have shared it with someone or posted some of the kind comments I have seen.  I don't do Facebook but every once in awhile Chris Nolan, of Confessor guitar fame, will send a screenshot if there is a particularly funny or personal comment.  You guys are too kind!

Expect more drum videos in the very near future.  Sheltonian Dominance is gearing up, so 'Prepare Yourself'!

Sorry, the nerd in me couldn't resist...







5 comments:

  1. Hey Steve. I loved the documentary. Any glimpse into that world is very much appreciated. Your drumming blows my mind every time I see footage of you playing. Really looking forward to the Go-Pro footage too
    I have the Loincloth album ordered anyway, so really looking forward to that!
    All is well here. Everyone says 'Hi' : )

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  2. Greetings, Minister of Death! I believe that if you go to YouTube and pull up the documentary you will see the video of you playing the intro to Condemned on the side. We are on the same page, bro'! I am happy to share that sliver of fame with you! Plus, you did a bang up job with the intro. Part of what I love about drumming is how it feels to get something right. Did it feel good to nail the intro? Can you still play it? If you are considerably less of an embarrassment to be seen with than I am there might be a couple of guys who would be interested in talking to you about playing in Loincloth. I have to plan my GoPro assault so there are plenty of clips available when it comes out. I look forward to seeing you play some of them as well. How tall are you? Maybe you could be my body double, or a stand in. Hello back to all in Limerick! I've seen more Andy Lee videos. Wicked left!

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  3. Some people might be fooled into thinking I deserve to breathe the same air as you..I definitely do not haha
    I would need to practice that intro again I think. I still have my notes though. I don't practice drumming even nearly enough these days.
    I made about 10 attempts at that intro. Each one got progressively worse so I just went that first attempt in the end. I was happy to get that far. Its definitely not perfect and probably a little slow in tempo I think, I didn't play to a click or anything, I was just happy to be playing something that resembled the Condemned intro : )
    Yeah, Limerick has it's fair share of local heroes. A big rugby and boxing city. And a city big into its music too. Including an all day metal festival twice a year. Free in, mainly Irish acts with maybe a biggish named headliner from somewhere in Europe that happen to be in our neck of the woods around the same time.

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  4. Actually Keith, in the age of Sheltonian Dominance air will be free to all who agree with their benevolent ruler... Me. As Minister of Death you will fully understand the price of disagreement and you will no doubt opt for the Agreement Package, which will provide you with free air. It will be the same free air I will breathe. Water will be given out on a merit system.

    Your playing seems on in that video when I watch it, so as far as I know we are the only two people on earth who have performed it correctly. Only "clickers" use click tracks, and who wants to be one of those? Wait, we used a click track on the last Loincloth album. Hmm... maybe "clickers" aren't such bad people after all. Tannon recorded his guitar to a click track first, and I recorded to them both after that. I guess that means Tannon is a "clicker" and I made lemonade out of lemons. Does that make me sound cooler? Playing to a previously recorded guitar track was really weird and at times pretty uncomfortable. I hope I never have to record that way again!

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