Hey Folks!
It’s been too long, and I’m sorry! Things are as crazy as ever around here! And I’ve been wanting to write you all and update you because we have been working like crazy and we have so much exciting stuff to tell you about, but the thing I’m realizing about the music industry is that nothing is ever confirmed until the very last minute. Please don’t interpret that as a jab at the industry, I love the industry, and in many ways I love how on the fly it is because that’s pretty much how I live my life too. It’s exciting! But the downfall is that I don’t want to make promises that I can’t keep when I’m announcing the latest news, and when things are always so up in the air, the risk is very much present. So, in my typical fashion, I’m going to stick to the hard facts. Here goes!
In August, we’re planning to be on the road. The good people of Team SGS have been working feverishly to make this a reality. The plan? Team us up with an amazing solo performer headliner extraordinaire and stuff us all in a van. Then, send us to the East coast and make us play our way back to Windsor. How cool is that! Pretty cool right? Well, it will be even cooler when you know just who this headliner is! And even cooler than that when you see what cities we’re hitting! As soon as I get the go ahead to spill the beans on this thing, I will let you all know immediately! I promise. I expect the news to come down the wire pretty soon, so keep those retinas lubricated and focused for more!
Backtracking to June and July, we’ve been working non-stop in both Windsor and Toronto. We’ve been teamed up with a great producer, and we’ve been just writing, and writing, and re-writing, and writing some more. It’s so much fun and so frustrating simultaneously. It’s fun because we’re creating of course. And I can’t speak for the entire band, but I think they’d back me up when I confidently say that you are going to love our new material. We’re very proud of it! It’s frustrating though because we just won’t settle. When a part of a song, regardless of how infinitesimal it may seem, isn’t perfect, we just won’t let it go. Maybe a cymbal isn’t splashy enough, maybe a piano blinks, maybe a bass doesn’t walk far enough, maybe a guitar doesn’t melt your face to a significant enough degree, or maybe a lyric is borderline racist. Whatever it is, if it isn’t exactly what we want, we duke it out. We form alliances and turn on each other. Or, most appropriately we just don’t stop talking it out, even if we’re in the van with our instruments packed up, or in Shane’s basement at four in the morning while Erik is trying to sleep and Iain is watching Pengu reruns. We are living with these songs! And the thing about working with a producer is that we’re basically just adding one more member to the band who is more talented and knowledgeable in the songwriting department than we are, so it’s one more opinion that has to be satisfied. A producer is a lot like a personal trainer really. To achieve the results you want, you have to do all the work. The trainer is just there to motivate you and keep you focused on your goal. So I guess what I’m saying is that we’re working really hard to make sure that our next record surpasses all preconceived expectations. And we’re scheduled to begin recording this month, so it won’t be too long until you can hear what we’ve been working so hard on!
But let’s get back to the facts! We have a show this Friday! With the very cool Andrew Austin. I was watching Ferguson the other night and a Ritz cracker commercial came on. “That sounds just like Andrew!” I said to myself, and I looked it up and it is! So, you know that commercial for crackers with the adorable song in it that you love so much? Well we’re playing with that guy Friday night at Maxwell’s Music House! Maxwell’s Music House is one of my favorite venues in Southern Ontario, and just an excellent place to see a band or a songwriter. If you come out this Friday, you can see a band and a songwriter! Wicked cool.
And more good news, we’re playing The Erie Shores Wine Festival in September! We’ll be playing September 11th at 5:45PM, and this show will be all ages. Of course, if you’re of age, you know, it’s a wine festival. So, bring your drinking hat. Even if you’re not into our music though, The Erie Shores Wine Festival showcases amazing Canadian talent ever year. In past years they’ve had my favorites like Bedouin Soundclash and Serena Ryder. This year they’ve got Steven Page, Sloan, the devilishly handsome Pat Robataille and even the handsomely devilish Michou! S’gonna be good. Real good.
Alright gang, well I’m going to leave it there. I’ll drop another note soon with some more good news. Definitive news! News that you can take home to your mama.
Love,
// JerBear
