Hey Guys… This is one of those emails that talks about all the important shows we’ve got coming up. Sure, EVERY email we send talks about all the important shows coming up, but the next 2 weeks are even more important and special. We’ve got a “showcase” show coming up on January 30th in White Plains at the Thirsty Turtle. We’re playing for some of the most important industry people that we’ve ever had the chance to play for. We’re going down to the show on a big Yankee Trails bus and there’s room for about 40 more of you. We all know we play so much better with your support in the audience and so it’s needless to say that we’d love for all of you to be at the show. If you’re interested in going, please go to the merchandise page of our www.tenyearvamp.com to reserve your spot asap.
Here’s the deal we can offer… $20 will get you down and back and we’ll pay your cover charge into the club. You must be 21+ and you can bring coolers on to the bus (no glass please). We’ll leave the old Sam’s Club parking lot (at Crossgates Commons (Albany NY) behind Walmart) at 6pm sharp on Saturday the 30th. We should be home by 2:30am or so. We’ll be playing an original show at 10:30pm and we’ll have time to hang out afterwards and watch one of downstate’s best cover bands, Green Machine.
If you’re not able to go on the bus, you’ll have the chance to catch us as we rehearse the set/songs at one of our next three shows. This Friday, we’ll be at the Last Resort in Schenectady – this will be the first show in the Capital Region where we’ll be trying all our new “live” things and rehearsing for the show. This Saturday, we’re headlining a benefit for Hanna’s Hope at Northern Lights – see our website for all the great bands lined up that night – we’re scheduled to go on around 10pm for an hour set. It’s a fantastic cause so please come out. Get there early! And next Friday, we’ve got our final rehearsal at the Roadhouse in Colonie. We’ll be giving away free CDs and shirts at all shows!
Please come say, and save your seat on the bus asap!
Debbie, Mark, Andy, Greg, Tim
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Debbie: 2010
Happy new Year !!! Hope everyone had a fun and safe new years eve. We got to have this new years eve off. it was GREAT !!! not that i don't love playing NY's Eve...but it's sure nice to just get to enjoy it.
Mark should be sending out an "end of the year wrap up" real soon to everyone on our mailing list. I got to read it first and MAN...we had a BUSY 2009 !!! I didn't realize all the things we did. I thought quitting caffeinated coffee was my biggest accomplishment in 09...turns out it wasn't !! : ) 2010 is gonna be even BIGGER !!!
Mark should be sending out an "end of the year wrap up" real soon to everyone on our mailing list. I got to read it first and MAN...we had a BUSY 2009 !!! I didn't realize all the things we did. I thought quitting caffeinated coffee was my biggest accomplishment in 09...turns out it wasn't !! : ) 2010 is gonna be even BIGGER !!!
Debbie: 12/17/09 - Raise your voices !!!
So tonight we have back up singer auditions. Billy, who has been our back up singer, not only has a beautiful new born son, but also got a job promotion. So...he's put in his "two weeks notice" and that's why we're looking for the back up singer. Billy will always have a home on stage with Ten Year Vamp whenever he wants to....but, we need someone who can be with us more regularly. So...tonight we look for a voice. We've gotten a LOT of interest in the position, and we decided to have 2 'rounds'. The first will be an informal interview, where we get to know the person and they get to know us. If they're still interested in auditioning...and if we think they'll be a good fit for 10YV...then the 2nd 'round' will be the actual audition. We're only going to audition the people who are a great fit for 10YV. If someone doesn't get called back, it doesn't mean they weren't an amazing person...it just means there was someone else who was more ideal for what we need. I think our biggest issues is going to be availability.
No one realizes how time consuming being in a working band is. We have absolutely no lives. We can't go out with our friends and we barely ever see our family. When my best friend of 10 year bought her first house and was having a house warming party...I couldn't go. When my sister was getting married (and I was the maid of honor), I couldn't go dress shopping with her, I couldn't go to the bachelorette party or any other event besides the wedding. When my grandmother had her 80th birthday party, I was the only one not there. If we get sick...we can't call in sick for work...we just bring the "puke bucket" on stage with us. For the holidays (Thanksgiving, etc)...we always have a show the night before, so we're all so tired we can't enjoy the holiday. Or for those days that everyone loves to party...halloween, St Patricks day, New Year eve....we work. I'm not complaining cause I've gotten used to it (and so has my friends and family). I'm just saying I think the hard part of finding a back up singer is finding someone who is OK giving up all these things.
Also... if it's a girl we add (and I think it will be, because we're looking for a higher voice), then her boyfriend or husband or partner will need to be OK with her "being a rockstar". I can imagine that it's not easy dating someone in a band. We're never around, we're always at bars and clubs, all eyes are on us, we stay in hotels and are gone for days at a time, etc.. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that we find someone who is up for all this.
No one realizes how time consuming being in a working band is. We have absolutely no lives. We can't go out with our friends and we barely ever see our family. When my best friend of 10 year bought her first house and was having a house warming party...I couldn't go. When my sister was getting married (and I was the maid of honor), I couldn't go dress shopping with her, I couldn't go to the bachelorette party or any other event besides the wedding. When my grandmother had her 80th birthday party, I was the only one not there. If we get sick...we can't call in sick for work...we just bring the "puke bucket" on stage with us. For the holidays (Thanksgiving, etc)...we always have a show the night before, so we're all so tired we can't enjoy the holiday. Or for those days that everyone loves to party...halloween, St Patricks day, New Year eve....we work. I'm not complaining cause I've gotten used to it (and so has my friends and family). I'm just saying I think the hard part of finding a back up singer is finding someone who is OK giving up all these things.
Also... if it's a girl we add (and I think it will be, because we're looking for a higher voice), then her boyfriend or husband or partner will need to be OK with her "being a rockstar". I can imagine that it's not easy dating someone in a band. We're never around, we're always at bars and clubs, all eyes are on us, we stay in hotels and are gone for days at a time, etc.. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that we find someone who is up for all this.
Monday, December 7, 2009
12-7-2009: Live Broadast TONIGHT
TONIGHT, at 7:30ish, we’ll be live on www.justin.tv - There’s a link to us at the top of their home page. Tonight’s show is FLY92.3’s Annual Jingle Jam. We’ll be playing with Sean Kingston, Jason Derulo, and Push Play, but ONLY our show will be broadcast live. If you want to see the entire show, you’ve have to show up in person… Jillian’s of Albany. Ok, got it? So tune in to www.justin.tv sometime between 7:30pm and 7:45pm EST to catch our set live… and we only have a 15 minute set, so you won’t have to miss Heroes.
Later in the week on Thursday night, we’ll be at Hot Topic in Crossgates Mall (Albany NY) for an acoustic set. The show starts at 7pm and we’ll be selling & signing CDs afterwards. Don’t forget Ten Year Vamp CDs make fantastic Holiday gifts! :)
Finally, on Saturday night, we’re back in Clifton Park, NY at Trickshots for a full 4 hour regular show. It’ll be our last show in the Albany area before Christmas…
Later in the week on Thursday night, we’ll be at Hot Topic in Crossgates Mall (Albany NY) for an acoustic set. The show starts at 7pm and we’ll be selling & signing CDs afterwards. Don’t forget Ten Year Vamp CDs make fantastic Holiday gifts! :)
Finally, on Saturday night, we’re back in Clifton Park, NY at Trickshots for a full 4 hour regular show. It’ll be our last show in the Albany area before Christmas…
Thursday, December 3, 2009
3 Big Shows and Microsoft Windows!
Hey Guys…
It’s that time we need your help again… this one is REALLY IMPORTANT. Microsoft Windows is giving away a FREE Ten Year Vamp song - THIS WEEK ONLY. If we’re one of the top 7 bands with the most downloads, we get a big paycheck and tons of fantastic exposure. We just need everyone to download the song… even if you already own our new album, please download the song because it’s the only way your vote will count. You need a myspace, facebook, or twitter account in order to vote (AND IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE OF THOSE ACCOUNTS, YOU CAN VOTE MORE THAN ONCE!!!!). Please help… we very much appreciate the time anyone can take to help us out. Please go here to place your votes: http://www.reverbnation.com/playlist7
(If you can’t click the link, just cut and paste it into your browser!)
Tomorrow night (Friday), we’re back in Worcester MA! We haven’t been there in a few months, but this time we’re playing at Tammany Hall - three bands will be opening for us, The Turkeys, Chase Haven & Switchblade Suicide. We’ll also have some special CD and t-shirt give-aways! Saturday, we’re back at the Last Resort in Schenectady. With lots of parking in the back, Last Resort never fails to be a good time. Again… special CD and t-shirt give-aways... perfect for Holiday gifts! :)
Monday, we’ve got a HUGE show with FLY92… it’s the annual Jingle Jam Concert! This year we’re playing with Sean Kingston, Jason Derulo, & Push Play. We start up the night with a short original set around 7:30pm. You can get tickets from FLY92 or Jillian’s of Albany, but you’ll save $5 if you get them ahead of time. This is a great show to come to and see these National artists up close and personal. You can’t get this close anywhere else, so don’t miss this opportunity.
BUT… for those of you “out-of-towners” who can’t make the show, our set will be broadcast LIVE on www.justin.tv. Watch our website for more details... or just tune in at showtime (likely 7:45 EST). We’ll tweet the details before the show… if you’re not subscribed to get our tweets, go here: www.twitter.com/tenyearvamp (and then go vote for us, see above :)
Other Cool Stuff This Week:
Debbie is featured in an Interview with 5 “Up-and-coming” female fronted bands. Go Here: http://iamthetrend.com/2009/12/01/whats-a-girl-to-do-an-interview-with-5-up-and-coming-girl-bands/
We were the featured band on the home page of www.102xfm.com, but it’s gone now. :(
And we’ve got some other awesome stuff in the works but we’ll let you know as it gets worked out.
Don’t forget to vote!!! And please tell your friends!!!
It’s that time we need your help again… this one is REALLY IMPORTANT. Microsoft Windows is giving away a FREE Ten Year Vamp song - THIS WEEK ONLY. If we’re one of the top 7 bands with the most downloads, we get a big paycheck and tons of fantastic exposure. We just need everyone to download the song… even if you already own our new album, please download the song because it’s the only way your vote will count. You need a myspace, facebook, or twitter account in order to vote (AND IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE OF THOSE ACCOUNTS, YOU CAN VOTE MORE THAN ONCE!!!!). Please help… we very much appreciate the time anyone can take to help us out. Please go here to place your votes: http://www.reverbnation.com/playlist7
(If you can’t click the link, just cut and paste it into your browser!)
Tomorrow night (Friday), we’re back in Worcester MA! We haven’t been there in a few months, but this time we’re playing at Tammany Hall - three bands will be opening for us, The Turkeys, Chase Haven & Switchblade Suicide. We’ll also have some special CD and t-shirt give-aways! Saturday, we’re back at the Last Resort in Schenectady. With lots of parking in the back, Last Resort never fails to be a good time. Again… special CD and t-shirt give-aways... perfect for Holiday gifts! :)
Monday, we’ve got a HUGE show with FLY92… it’s the annual Jingle Jam Concert! This year we’re playing with Sean Kingston, Jason Derulo, & Push Play. We start up the night with a short original set around 7:30pm. You can get tickets from FLY92 or Jillian’s of Albany, but you’ll save $5 if you get them ahead of time. This is a great show to come to and see these National artists up close and personal. You can’t get this close anywhere else, so don’t miss this opportunity.
BUT… for those of you “out-of-towners” who can’t make the show, our set will be broadcast LIVE on www.justin.tv. Watch our website for more details... or just tune in at showtime (likely 7:45 EST). We’ll tweet the details before the show… if you’re not subscribed to get our tweets, go here: www.twitter.com/tenyearvamp (and then go vote for us, see above :)
Other Cool Stuff This Week:
Debbie is featured in an Interview with 5 “Up-and-coming” female fronted bands. Go Here: http://iamthetrend.com/2009/12/01/whats-a-girl-to-do-an-interview-with-5-up-and-coming-girl-bands/
We were the featured band on the home page of www.102xfm.com, but it’s gone now. :(
And we’ve got some other awesome stuff in the works but we’ll let you know as it gets worked out.
Don’t forget to vote!!! And please tell your friends!!!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
11-29-2009: Free Ten Year Vamp Song From Microsoft… Plus Other Good News!
Yup… This week, beginning 11-30-2009 at 11am, for one week only, Microsoft will be giving away free downloads of our song Another Try. We’re not sure how it works, but it’s supposedly part of a new way to experience music with Windows 7 called Playlist 7. If anyone has Windows 7 and can find our song for download, please email us and let us know! (The song is only available for 1 week… after 8 weeks, the bands with the top downloads will become a Microsoft Featured Artist!)
In other good news, instrumental versions of our songs, Never Know, One Night Ticket, and Rockstar we’re sent to a major cable network to be used in their programming! AND the regular version of Never Know has been picked up by MTV for use in their programming. That’s all we know about these right now… we’ll keep you posted if and when we find out more!
Debbie 11-25-2009: How bout dem Giants?
So it's Thanksgiving already. Tonight is our 500th show. Man...that's crazy. This is like the roughest night ever for me. I always go down to my mom's for Thanksgiving (down in NYC)... and the festivities always start at 10am. That means I have to leave Albany around 8am. So...given the fact that it takes me a good hour to get ready in the morning, I have to be up by 7am. That SUCKS...because I won't even be home from tonight's show until around 4am...so we're talking like 3 hours sleep.
But...none the less...I'm looking forward to it.
I hope everyone joins me in putting any thoughts of diets out the window, and just eating until your little hearts are content tomorrow. Any Giants fans out there ? Hopefully we'll squeeze out another win this week.
Also....for anyone who likes to tan (in the Albany area)....there's a GREAT tanning salon over in Troy called Rosie's Tanzmania. I'm not into tanning because of the whole cancer thing and the fact that it gives you wrinkles....BUT...they just got this great spray tan thing. I was totally not into spray tanning and I thought it would make me look orange... BUT!!!...to my suprise I got perfect color. It looks like I just got back from vacation. It was easy, my tan looks great, and you'd never know it was a spray tan. Anyone interested in getting a tan (without exposing themselves to the tanning rays) should DEFINETLEY check out Tanzmania over in Troy. Also, if you bring in a few cans, they'll give you $15 off your tanning purchase (Cans for Tans).
But...none the less...I'm looking forward to it.
I hope everyone joins me in putting any thoughts of diets out the window, and just eating until your little hearts are content tomorrow. Any Giants fans out there ? Hopefully we'll squeeze out another win this week.
Also....for anyone who likes to tan (in the Albany area)....there's a GREAT tanning salon over in Troy called Rosie's Tanzmania. I'm not into tanning because of the whole cancer thing and the fact that it gives you wrinkles....BUT...they just got this great spray tan thing. I was totally not into spray tanning and I thought it would make me look orange... BUT!!!...to my suprise I got perfect color. It looks like I just got back from vacation. It was easy, my tan looks great, and you'd never know it was a spray tan. Anyone interested in getting a tan (without exposing themselves to the tanning rays) should DEFINETLEY check out Tanzmania over in Troy. Also, if you bring in a few cans, they'll give you $15 off your tanning purchase (Cans for Tans).
Monday, November 23, 2009
11-23-2009: More Good News For Us This Past Week!
We're currently signing contracts with Hot Topic... they'll be placing our CDs in some of their Capital District stores! If you need a great gift for the Holidays, stop by Hot Topic and ask for a Ten Year Vamp CD!
We just received another fantatic album review from Guitar International. "Filled with catchy riffs and heavy grooves, the album easily proves that it can stand next to any top-40 album on the charts today." Go here to read the entire review: http://modernguitarist.guitarinternational.com/wpmu/2009/11/20/tyv/
We just received another fantatic album review from Guitar International. "Filled with catchy riffs and heavy grooves, the album easily proves that it can stand next to any top-40 album on the charts today." Go here to read the entire review: http://modernguitarist.guitarinternational.com/wpmu/2009/11/20/tyv/
Last but not least... Capital District website www.518fever.com has awarded us Best Band! We love those guys - please check out their site. Thanks to anyone who voted for us!
Don't forget this Wednesday night is our 6th annual 'Homecoming' show at the Bayou Cafe in Albany. A great night where everyone from over the years stops in to hang out and say hi. If you're thinking about coming, please come out early so you don't get stuck in line. And for anyone who wants to come out early and wear a Ten Year Vamp t-shirt, we're buying the beer! (Yes, you can buy a shirt when you get there). The party starts sometime around 8pm and the beer offer is good until we hit the stage or kill the keg. This show will also be our 500th show!!! so please come out and celebrate with us!
D - 11/20/2009 - Goodbye Sweet Sweets....
So we've already begun talks of our next music video. We were talking to Platform 1 Entertainment and they're interested in helping us with promotions for it. (Check out Platform 1's artist roster here.... http://platform-1.com/mm_artist_roster.php ). Killer roster!! Needless to say, we're psyched about it.
BUT!!!... the song we're using for the video is "Pleasures (that I Call Mine)". If you haven't heard it...it's about female sexuality. (go here to download it... http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pleasures-that-i-call-mine/id334147222?i=334147344 ). Needless to say, this video is gonna be SEXY as hell. What that means for me is say goodbye to the sweets and fatty foods and time to tone up. So...from now until video production (which probably won't be for another 2 months or so), I'm watching what I eat and putting my treadmill to good use. This video is gonna be HOT.
BUT!!!... the song we're using for the video is "Pleasures (that I Call Mine)". If you haven't heard it...it's about female sexuality. (go here to download it... http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pleasures-that-i-call-mine/id334147222?i=334147344 ). Needless to say, this video is gonna be SEXY as hell. What that means for me is say goodbye to the sweets and fatty foods and time to tone up. So...from now until video production (which probably won't be for another 2 months or so), I'm watching what I eat and putting my treadmill to good use. This video is gonna be HOT.
D - 11/4/09 - the cold dark nites are upon us....
So Halloween was fun. Our good friends Muffy and Mamie managed to disappear AGAIN this year. They drive down to see us from Plattsburgh every Halloween...and every Halloween I look up halfway through our first set and they're both no where to be seen. This year, they got kicked out. Nice job ladies : ) Next year, we're gonna stick you at a table and you're not allowed to move. Lol. So...lots of great announcements coming up. A Blood Lust Ball (on Friday the 13th of Nov) to kick off the New Moon Premiere. There will be a private screening on the Thursday it opens at Midnight. The first 92 people at our show will get tickets to the premiere screening. The Blood Lust ball will be at Envy in Albany. Vampire costumes are encouraged. Also...another major concert announcement coming your way soon which will include 10YV. Listen to FLY 92.3 for the announcement over the next few days.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Halloween Party Saturday at Jillian's of Albany
Hey Guys…
We just received another great album review… 10 out of 10 from the Gulf Cost Music Review! (http://gcmusic.tmblr.net)
If you haven’t seen Video Episode 39 from our CD release party, you can find it on our website as well as YouTube.
This Saturday night we’re making our annual Halloween stop at Jillian’s in Albany. There is not a better spot in Albany to go for a Halloween party. Last year, we dressed up as Wizard of Oz characters… what do you think we’ll do this year? Come by and find out. And we’re bringing a bunch of new songs… at leaqst 6 new songs never played at Jillian’s before!
We still need your help! Magic Hat Beer is having a huge contest to find a band to sponsor. We want to be that band, but we can’t do it without your comments and votes. So please go to the link below and leave a comment for us. The deadline is rapidly approaching and we’re starting out way behind a bunch of other bands. But it’s easily within reach if a bunch of you will help out! Please forward this to your friends and ask them to vote as well! We appreciate any support you can muster!
http://magichat.net/ontour/bands/ten_year_vamp_0
We just received another great album review… 10 out of 10 from the Gulf Cost Music Review! (http://gcmusic.tmblr.net)
If you haven’t seen Video Episode 39 from our CD release party, you can find it on our website as well as YouTube.
This Saturday night we’re making our annual Halloween stop at Jillian’s in Albany. There is not a better spot in Albany to go for a Halloween party. Last year, we dressed up as Wizard of Oz characters… what do you think we’ll do this year? Come by and find out. And we’re bringing a bunch of new songs… at leaqst 6 new songs never played at Jillian’s before!
We still need your help! Magic Hat Beer is having a huge contest to find a band to sponsor. We want to be that band, but we can’t do it without your comments and votes. So please go to the link below and leave a comment for us. The deadline is rapidly approaching and we’re starting out way behind a bunch of other bands. But it’s easily within reach if a bunch of you will help out! Please forward this to your friends and ask them to vote as well! We appreciate any support you can muster!
http://magichat.net/ontour/bands/ten_year_vamp_0
Wake Up Dead 10/25/09 12:30 am Andy
What a phenomenal weekend. "Big Sexy" Greg Nash and I drove to Plattsburgh whilst listening to the Megadeth catalog in chronological order. You should have seen the looks on the other drivers faces watching us play air guitar and "rock out" all while swerving in and out of lanes. Dangerous I know but well worth the risk. Plattsburgh is always a good time and they really treat us well there. I slept about 4hrs this weekend and I think I'm coming down with something so I'm off to sleep!
10-18-2009 Mark: Sunday Night
Spent the afternoon with Jeff Knight out in the cold. Jeff directed our Never Know video and he asked me to play a role in this short film he's working on. It's been almost 20 years since I did anything like that... the rest of the guys on the set were very patient with me remembering my lines and keep them straight while trying not to shiver at the same time. It should be prety cool by the time they're done.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
We’re not sure if you guys have been keeping up with the What’s New page of our website lately, but lots of good things are falling our way. Last week, our drummer Greg, won the Drum Off Competition at Guitar Center… in November, he heads to Brooklyn to compete in a National semi-final round. And this week, Greg has a blog on the Modern Drummer website. www.moderndrummer.com (scroll down on the right).
Last week, we received another great review of our new album from UC Radio in LA:
“I was blown away by this band right away… The first time that I heard the lead singer Debbie Gabrione’s voice, I was hooked. They got great songs, excellent lyrics, great melodies, and like I said, Debbie’s voice just ties it all together. The album Don’t Act Like You Know Me, is solid all the way through… I ended up buying the album and wanted to play almost every song on the show today... On top of it all, Debbie is just f&%$in’ hot... This is a top of the UC Radio List recommendation.”
New photos, as well as Episode 39, are up on our website. Episode 39 is from our CD release show at Vapor in Saratoga (Our next Vapor show is coming up on Nov 6).
And we still need help getting a sponsorship from Magic Hat Beer. Please go to the link below and leave a comment for the Magic Hat people, letting them know we’d be great band to sponsor. We’re making great headway, but there are still a ton of bands ahead of us. Seems like lots of those bands have their friends posting a comment every day. We’re not sure if quantity counts, but it sure looks good, so we still need your help! http://magichat.net/ontour/bands/ten_year_vamp_0
And last but not least, this weekend, we’re headed up to Plattsburgh for 2 shows at Olive Ridley’s - we’ve added a handful of new songs to the set, so we can’t wait! And if you’re not going to be in Plattsburgh this weekend, stop by Jillian’s on Friday night. Our good friend, Chris Dukes (from Moxie), has a big CD release show - it’s a killer CD so stop by and pick one up!
Last week, we received another great review of our new album from UC Radio in LA:
“I was blown away by this band right away… The first time that I heard the lead singer Debbie Gabrione’s voice, I was hooked. They got great songs, excellent lyrics, great melodies, and like I said, Debbie’s voice just ties it all together. The album Don’t Act Like You Know Me, is solid all the way through… I ended up buying the album and wanted to play almost every song on the show today... On top of it all, Debbie is just f&%$in’ hot... This is a top of the UC Radio List recommendation.”
New photos, as well as Episode 39, are up on our website. Episode 39 is from our CD release show at Vapor in Saratoga (Our next Vapor show is coming up on Nov 6).
And we still need help getting a sponsorship from Magic Hat Beer. Please go to the link below and leave a comment for the Magic Hat people, letting them know we’d be great band to sponsor. We’re making great headway, but there are still a ton of bands ahead of us. Seems like lots of those bands have their friends posting a comment every day. We’re not sure if quantity counts, but it sure looks good, so we still need your help! http://magichat.net/ontour/bands/ten_year_vamp_0
And last but not least, this weekend, we’re headed up to Plattsburgh for 2 shows at Olive Ridley’s - we’ve added a handful of new songs to the set, so we can’t wait! And if you’re not going to be in Plattsburgh this weekend, stop by Jillian’s on Friday night. Our good friend, Chris Dukes (from Moxie), has a big CD release show - it’s a killer CD so stop by and pick one up!
10-18-2009 Mark: Sunday Night
Spent the afternoon with Jeff Knight out in the cold. Jeff directed our Never Know video and he asked me to play a role in this short film he's working on. It's been almost 20 years since I did anything like that... the rest of the guys on the set were very patient with me remembering my lines and keep them straight while trying not to shiver at the same time. It should be prety cool by the time they're done.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
We Need Your Help Again... and 2 Albany Shows This Weekend.
Hey Guys… Lots of stuff this week.
Tomorrow night, our drummer Greg Nash, is competing at Guitar Center on Wolf Road in Colonie NY for a Nationwide drummer competition. Tomorrow is round 2. We’re gonna be there to support Greg and we’d love for all of you to come out too! We already know he’s the best drummer on the East Coast - it’s time the rest of the country find that out! Soooo… Guitar Center, Wolf Road, 7pm.
Friday, we’re at the Bayou in Albany and then several hours later, we’re playing a special acoustic show at Macy’s in Colonie Center. At 11am will be playing a bunch of our original songs and 2 hand-fulls of cover songs that we DON’T play with the full band. It’s a big charity day at Macy’s so come out and support!
And more importantly than all that, we need your help! Magic Hat Beer is having a huge contest to find a band to sponsor. We want to be that band, but we can’t do it without your comments and votes. So please go here: http://magichat.net/ontour/bands/ten_year_vamp_0 and leave a comment for us. The deadline is rapidly approaching and we’re starting out way behind a bunch of other bands. But it’s easily within reach if a bunch of you will help out! Please forward this email to your friends and ask them to vote as well! We appreciate any support you can muster!
Tomorrow night, our drummer Greg Nash, is competing at Guitar Center on Wolf Road in Colonie NY for a Nationwide drummer competition. Tomorrow is round 2. We’re gonna be there to support Greg and we’d love for all of you to come out too! We already know he’s the best drummer on the East Coast - it’s time the rest of the country find that out! Soooo… Guitar Center, Wolf Road, 7pm.
Friday, we’re at the Bayou in Albany and then several hours later, we’re playing a special acoustic show at Macy’s in Colonie Center. At 11am will be playing a bunch of our original songs and 2 hand-fulls of cover songs that we DON’T play with the full band. It’s a big charity day at Macy’s so come out and support!
And more importantly than all that, we need your help! Magic Hat Beer is having a huge contest to find a band to sponsor. We want to be that band, but we can’t do it without your comments and votes. So please go here: http://magichat.net/ontour/bands/ten_year_vamp_0 and leave a comment for us. The deadline is rapidly approaching and we’re starting out way behind a bunch of other bands. But it’s easily within reach if a bunch of you will help out! Please forward this email to your friends and ask them to vote as well! We appreciate any support you can muster!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
10-7-09: Mark
8:55pm Wednesday night. I'm sitting on the couch watching the Science Channel and going over my lines for this short film I'm going to be in. We start shooting soon and I get to play the main bad guy!
I just finished editing the latest video Episode. Episode 38... all I can say is that it's a classic. I hope everyone can appreciate it as much as Andy and I do. :)
I just finished editing the latest video Episode. Episode 38... all I can say is that it's a classic. I hope everyone can appreciate it as much as Andy and I do. :)
Friday, October 2, 2009
10-2-2009: All Kinds Of Good Stuff Today
Wow... all kinds of cool things going on for us the past 2 days!
Highlights from our Crash Mansion show last weekend at MEANY Fest is now up on YouTube. Go HERE to check it out!
We're in a big article in today's TIMES UNION. Check it out HERE!
We've been named Artist of the Month over at Wildy's World! Go HERE to see that and go HERE to read our 5 star album review!
Our song Say That You Made Love For me has been climbing the Indie Charts at WhoTune in Australia. Today, we hit #1! Go HERE to check that out.
And last but not least... our first acoustic show in years is in less than 3 hours at the Hot Topic in the Saratoga/Wilton Mall. 6pm start time... and then off to Sandy's Clam Bar for another fun night.
Monday, September 28, 2009
You Can Tunafish But You Can't Tunabus Andy 9/28/09
I'm on the emotional roller coaster of a lifetime. First, I was going to the Times Union Center to see WWE RAW and now I can't go. Then I could go and now I can't. Being a responsible adult is overrated. Thankfully I will be in a confined space with Mark for several hours tomorrow on our pilgrimage to VuDu Studios for another round of abuse. Thanks to everyone on the bus trip this weekend it was like two 12 cut pizzas.
Debbie - Monday Sept 28
So MEANYfest was this past Sat and it went GREAT. The bus down to NYC was a blast. We got down there and got to watch 3 other bands compete before we took the stage. Our fans were the loudest and the best. We had about 60 people come out to support us, and they were so loud it felt like there were 300 of them !!! We had a great show and even got to do an encore. The announcer said that in MEANYfest history, they've never "let" a band do an encore...but because people wouldn't stop chanting "TEN YEAR VAMP", they let us come back on to play an encore. It went really well. I also got to chat with a rep from Island / Def Jam, who said he was very impressed with our show, our fans AND our "Album Project". The night really couldn't have gone any better. We're DEF gonna do another bus trip to NYC real soon.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
9-24-2009: Never Know on TV
Hey guys we are excited to let you know that our video for Never Know will be airing on IndiMusic TV on October 3rd at 2:00AM on WLNY 10/55 airing in NY, NJ and Ct available in 7 million homes. After airing our video will also be available for viewing on www.Indimusictv.com. Please watch and then go to www.Indimusictv.com to register and vote for our video.
9-23-2009 Mark
So Larkfest was last weekend. We had such a great time… the weather was beautiful and we finally had a chance to play for a ton of people who have never heard us. I’d like to consider our show successful because we sold over 100 CDs within 45 minutes of the end of our set. Later that night, we played at the Washington Armory during the Roller Derby games. It was fantastic playing on such a huge stage (if any band was made to play huge, stadium sized stages, it’s us!)
So Larkfest went pretty smoothly… excluding Andy and Greg almost getting towed from their “Artist Parking” spots, Billy’s wife and newborn getting shoved from in front of the stage, and Debbie’s guitar not making a sound for her solo intro of Say That You Made Love To Me. But it was nothing we couldn’t handle, and overall, it was a great day. I finally got to see the Erotics play… and to see them cover Pat Benetar and Scandal was priceless! They were awesome! It was great to see so many special people in the crowd wearing 10YV shirts - I wish we could play Larkfest every year, but it will probably be some time before we get to go back. Thanks Lark Street and thanks WEQX!
Watch our website for photos and videos from the show.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
09/16/09 Andy: COME N GITYA SUM-O-THIS
Jesus this has taken me forever to write. Mark mentioned to me the idea of writing up some of my musical influences and it turned into a research paper. I felt like I needed to type up every single major musical event I could recall but realized that would be incredibly dull. But something really cool came out of this. I thought long and hard about music and what it's done for me. I have so many great memories attached to this list……..it reads like the story of my life. I could spend forever talking about all of this great music so here is the short list
Beastie Boys-Licensed To Ill
Black Flag- Damaged
Boston
Boysetsfire-After The Eulogy
Candiria-300 Percent Density
Cannibal Corpse-Vile
Cave In-Beyond Hypothermia
Charlie Parker
Converge-When Forever Comes Crashing
Corrosion Of Conformity-Blind
Crowbar-Time Heals Nothing
Death-Human
Def Leppard-Hysetria
The Dillinger Escape Plan-Calculating Infinity
Down-Nola
Dr. Dre
Earth Crisis-Destroy The Machines
Earth Wind & Fire
Eric Johnson-Ah Via Musician
Exodus-Force Of Habit
Extreme-3 Sides To Every Story
Fight-War Of Words
Fireside-Do Not Tailgate
George Duke
Godflesh-Songs Of Love And Hate
Gravediggaz-6 Feet Deep
Guns N’ Roses-Appetite For Destruction
Hatebreed-Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire
Helmet-Betty
Herbie Hancock-Man Child
In Flames-Colony
James Brown
Jeff Beck-Blow By Blow
Jimi Hendrix-Band Of Gypsy
Joe Satriani-Surfing With The Alien
John Coltrane-Blue Train
John Scofield-Pick Hits
Judas Priest
Life Of Agony-River Runs Red
Living Colour-Stain
Mahavishnu Orchestra-Birds Of Fire
The Mars Volta
Megadeth-Peace Sells But Who’s Buying
Mattias la Eklundh-Freak Guitar
Meshuggah-Destroy Erase Improve
Metallica-Master Of Puppets
Miles Davis
Mos Def-The New Danger
Motley Crue-Girls, Girls, Girls
Nailbomb-Point Blank
NeurosisThrough Silver In Blood
Obituary-World Demise
Overkill-Horrorscope
Ozzy
Ornette Coleman-The Shape Of Jazz To Come
Pantera-Vulgar Display Of Power
Poison-Look What The Cat Dragged In
The Police
Primus-Sailing The Seas Of Cheese
Prince-Purple Rain
Pro Pain-The Truth Hurts
Prong-Cleansing
Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation
Quicksand-Slip
Refused-The Shape Of Punk To Come
Rollins Band -Weight
The Roots
Run DMC-Rasing Hell
RZA
Sepultura-Arise
Sick Of It All-Scratch The Surface
Slayer-Live Undead
Sly & The Family Stone
Snapcase-Progression Through Unlearning
Suffication-Pierced From Within
Testament-The New Order
Tool-Opiate
Toto-Toto IV
The Used
Van Halen
Vison Of Disorder
Wes Montgomery-Full House
Winger
Wu-Tang Clan-36 Chambers
Beastie Boys-Licensed To Ill
Black Flag- Damaged
Boston
Boysetsfire-After The Eulogy
Candiria-300 Percent Density
Cannibal Corpse-Vile
Cave In-Beyond Hypothermia
Charlie Parker
Converge-When Forever Comes Crashing
Corrosion Of Conformity-Blind
Crowbar-Time Heals Nothing
Death-Human
Def Leppard-Hysetria
The Dillinger Escape Plan-Calculating Infinity
Down-Nola
Dr. Dre
Earth Crisis-Destroy The Machines
Earth Wind & Fire
Eric Johnson-Ah Via Musician
Exodus-Force Of Habit
Extreme-3 Sides To Every Story
Fight-War Of Words
Fireside-Do Not Tailgate
George Duke
Godflesh-Songs Of Love And Hate
Gravediggaz-6 Feet Deep
Guns N’ Roses-Appetite For Destruction
Hatebreed-Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire
Helmet-Betty
Herbie Hancock-Man Child
In Flames-Colony
James Brown
Jeff Beck-Blow By Blow
Jimi Hendrix-Band Of Gypsy
Joe Satriani-Surfing With The Alien
John Coltrane-Blue Train
John Scofield-Pick Hits
Judas Priest
Life Of Agony-River Runs Red
Living Colour-Stain
Mahavishnu Orchestra-Birds Of Fire
The Mars Volta
Megadeth-Peace Sells But Who’s Buying
Mattias la Eklundh-Freak Guitar
Meshuggah-Destroy Erase Improve
Metallica-Master Of Puppets
Miles Davis
Mos Def-The New Danger
Motley Crue-Girls, Girls, Girls
Nailbomb-Point Blank
NeurosisThrough Silver In Blood
Obituary-World Demise
Overkill-Horrorscope
Ozzy
Ornette Coleman-The Shape Of Jazz To Come
Pantera-Vulgar Display Of Power
Poison-Look What The Cat Dragged In
The Police
Primus-Sailing The Seas Of Cheese
Prince-Purple Rain
Pro Pain-The Truth Hurts
Prong-Cleansing
Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation
Quicksand-Slip
Refused-The Shape Of Punk To Come
Rollins Band -Weight
The Roots
Run DMC-Rasing Hell
RZA
Sepultura-Arise
Sick Of It All-Scratch The Surface
Slayer-Live Undead
Sly & The Family Stone
Snapcase-Progression Through Unlearning
Suffication-Pierced From Within
Testament-The New Order
Tool-Opiate
Toto-Toto IV
The Used
Van Halen
Vison Of Disorder
Wes Montgomery-Full House
Winger
Wu-Tang Clan-36 Chambers
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Greg 9-16-09: "I'm going to do this..at loud volumes..in public..until I die..no matter what"
My Name is Gregory Nash,I reside in upstate New York. Over the years I've played in a very wide variety of bands, each with different styles and influences. This experience has led to a unique approach to the drumkit and to playing music in general. Among the artists I've recorded and toured with are Jeanne French(CBS), Soul Session, and Sirsy. I am currently the full time drummer for Ten Year Vamp, a popular female fronted modern rock band that tours the East Coast and Northeast constantly. We just released our debut CD and I'm incredibly proud of it. Playing with such talented musicians has also given me the opportunity to share the stage with such acts as Cheap Trick, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Paramore, Blues Traveler, Collective Soul, Junior Walker, Susan Tedesci, John Waite and many others. I am also set to release an E.P for my original band THE PAIN, featuring Leo Curley of Biohazard on guitar and Bob Horvath on bass.
It took me years of playing many different styles and "driving the bus" for bands that span the genre spectrum. I am a hard rock drummer and always have been, this was solidified on my 8th birthday when I received the spectacularly packaged 'KISS Alive 2'. From the moment I heard the roar of the crowd and the opening chords of 'Detroit Rock City' it was clear what I needed to do with my life. I have worked a plethora of odd jobs; kitchen, painting, janitorial, ect all to fuel my true passion, playing and creating music. I would play with any band, anytime, anywhere. I've played in soul, jazz, metal, funk, reggae, alternative, folk, pop, blues, thrash, country, and of course rock bands, and I believe every drummer should try to experience playing as many styles as they can. That gives you the chance to apply these aspects to your own playing and help make your drumming more unique, thus making it truly YOUR OWN style.
Eventually I landed in a spot in which I can utilize all of my experience and concentrate it to my true niche and love; hard rock.I've been playing for 17 years and I've never been playing better, I have more passion than ever before. I've passed up incredible employment opportunities and financial advancements in order to stay loyal to my dreams of being a successful musician, I'm more driven than ever before because as I age I get to apply all the things I've learned over the years, and I'm surrounded by incredible and respectful musicians. I cannot stress how important it is to play with the RIGHT people, both musically and socially. If you are in a negative or limiting situation, with stagnant, dead-weight players, run, don't walk to a more positive situation.
To fill up my empty calendar dates I put together and play with tributes, to honor and recognize how much these bands influenced my life and career. I'm the drummer for tributes to Aerosmith, Kiss,Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Led Zeppelin.
Over the summer of '08 I performed a series of dates on Van's Warped Tour with Blase Debris(Altercation records) which resulted in a full endorsement from Shine Custom drums and Stagg cymbals, (these cymbals are incredible, check em out) I also teach and can be found hosting the weekly open-mic night in my hometown of Colonie New York, when I'm not on the road with TEN YEAR VAMP or THE PAIN.
The main point I'm trying to convey is that if you love what you do and you have passion for playing music, don't let anyone or anything stand in your way, whether I'm rich or poor I will always have my music and creativity, the drumset provides an endless world of possibilities and can be an incredible source of comfort and inspiration. The only place I truly feel at home is behind the kit, and I would't give it up for anything in the world. As Nikka Costa, one of my favorite artists simply puts it "KEEP ON PUSHIN'"
"Gregory Nash's track record speaks for itself... endlessly versatile, contagiously dynamic, his unorthodox technical approach gives a mesmerizing weight to the staggering chops that have become his calling card. Watching Nash go to work on a 4-piece kit is like watching a decon foreman testing his equipment in preparation for the destruction of a sports arena. Gloriously inglorious." -Bill Ketzer, Metroland
D - Sept 16
Not sure if any of you read our "what's new page", but Ten Year Vamp entered the Australian Indie charts at #16, and we're now ranked #3. That's freaking great !!!! The CD has been selling amazingly, and everyone seems to love it. If you don't have a copy of our CD yet...go to www.dontactlikeyouknowme.com and buy it. If you don't have plans for THIS SATURDAY (Sept 19th), come see us at Larkfest. We'll be opening for MOBY. We go on around 1pm, on the Madison Ave stage. AND...if you really want to TRY and keep up with us, we have a second show the same day, 3 blocks down...at the Armory. I'm THRILLED to play the Armory. I saw 2 of my favorite bands there....Paramore and Jimmy Eat World. So it's gonna be cool to play the same venue : ) There's still a few more seats on the bus to NYC for next weekend. In case you don't know, we're a "Special Guest" at this year's MEANYfest in NYC(Musicians and Emerging Artists in NY). A few years ago the "Special Guest" was Halestorm...and now they're signed to Atlantic. So come see us kick some NYC ass !!!
Boats & Larkfest - Albany NY & Johnstown NY
This is a ‘Billy Fuccillo’ HUGE week for us.
4 show in 3 days.
Thursday night, we’re playing on the Dutch Apple Cruise boat leaving Albany at 7pm sharp. This is our first ever boat show, so we’re not sure what to expect. It will be a very different and intimate performance from us. Tickets are still available and you can get them at the boat before we depart.
http://dutchapplecruises.com for directions and info.
Friday night we’re at Patricia’s in Johnstown NY. It will be a CD release party for us out there and we’re coming armed with tons of songs we’ve never played out that way!
Saturday, we’re finally playing Larkfest. After years of trying to get on the bill, we’re finally going to hit one of their main stages. We’ll be on the stage at Lark & Madison. We start at 1pm with a pretty cool 2 person intro, so don’t miss it. Hang out with us afterwards… we’ll be handing out all sorts of cool 10YV stuff including some pretty cool “never released” 10YV posters!
Then you’ll have about 4 hours to walk down to the other side of Lark Street, catching Bell X1 and Moby along the way. Head on into the Washington Armory for the first game of the women’s roller derby 2009 season! We’re putting on a full 1 hour set inside before the game, plus some fun stuff in-between rounds, or periods, or sets… or what-cha-ma-call-it - Anyway, we hear these games are killer and tons of fun, so come on out. We may even be recording the show for a special release.
As for new CD release news, we’re getting tons of great responses from all over the world. In Austrailia, the new album is currently at #3 of an independent music chart. See here: http://www.whotune.com/#page=top20
If you’re interested in seeing what else is out there, stop by the FIND US page on our website and click a few links! http://www.tenyearvamp.com/find_us.html We’re still trying hard to catch up with updating them all!
Watch the What’s New page of our website for all the latest places to find us!
Next week, we’ve got a CD Release show in Schenectady at one of our favorite places to play, the Last Resort. And then on Saturday we’re taking another “soon to be famous” bus trip to NYC. We’ve haven’t done one of these in a long while and we can’t wait. We’ve still got about 10 seats left on the bus if you want to go, reserve your spot asap. We’ll be leaving Crossgates Commons around 4pm, and yes, the entire band will be on the bus. The show is at Crash Mansion in NYC, and the show is for MEANY FEST. This is a huge competition that includes somewhere around 400 bands. The last 2 times we entered, we ended up as finalists. They year, we’ve been invited as a special guest. We’ll be performing for the NYC music industry so please come out - we need your support! Reserve your spot on our website: http://store.tenyearvamp.com
And lastly… 2 more shows to plug this week. Our favorite drummer, Greg Nash, is hosting an Open Mic Night at the Fuller Roadhouse Grille TONIGHT (Wednesday) and on Saturday, he has a third show after we get done at the Washington Armory… He has a Black Sabbath tribute show, also at the Fuller Roadhouse Grille… show time for that one is 10pm.
4 show in 3 days.
Thursday night, we’re playing on the Dutch Apple Cruise boat leaving Albany at 7pm sharp. This is our first ever boat show, so we’re not sure what to expect. It will be a very different and intimate performance from us. Tickets are still available and you can get them at the boat before we depart.
http://dutchapplecruises.com for directions and info.
Friday night we’re at Patricia’s in Johnstown NY. It will be a CD release party for us out there and we’re coming armed with tons of songs we’ve never played out that way!
Saturday, we’re finally playing Larkfest. After years of trying to get on the bill, we’re finally going to hit one of their main stages. We’ll be on the stage at Lark & Madison. We start at 1pm with a pretty cool 2 person intro, so don’t miss it. Hang out with us afterwards… we’ll be handing out all sorts of cool 10YV stuff including some pretty cool “never released” 10YV posters!
Then you’ll have about 4 hours to walk down to the other side of Lark Street, catching Bell X1 and Moby along the way. Head on into the Washington Armory for the first game of the women’s roller derby 2009 season! We’re putting on a full 1 hour set inside before the game, plus some fun stuff in-between rounds, or periods, or sets… or what-cha-ma-call-it - Anyway, we hear these games are killer and tons of fun, so come on out. We may even be recording the show for a special release.
As for new CD release news, we’re getting tons of great responses from all over the world. In Austrailia, the new album is currently at #3 of an independent music chart. See here: http://www.whotune.com/#page=top20
If you’re interested in seeing what else is out there, stop by the FIND US page on our website and click a few links! http://www.tenyearvamp.com/find_us.html We’re still trying hard to catch up with updating them all!
Watch the What’s New page of our website for all the latest places to find us!
Next week, we’ve got a CD Release show in Schenectady at one of our favorite places to play, the Last Resort. And then on Saturday we’re taking another “soon to be famous” bus trip to NYC. We’ve haven’t done one of these in a long while and we can’t wait. We’ve still got about 10 seats left on the bus if you want to go, reserve your spot asap. We’ll be leaving Crossgates Commons around 4pm, and yes, the entire band will be on the bus. The show is at Crash Mansion in NYC, and the show is for MEANY FEST. This is a huge competition that includes somewhere around 400 bands. The last 2 times we entered, we ended up as finalists. They year, we’ve been invited as a special guest. We’ll be performing for the NYC music industry so please come out - we need your support! Reserve your spot on our website: http://store.tenyearvamp.com
And lastly… 2 more shows to plug this week. Our favorite drummer, Greg Nash, is hosting an Open Mic Night at the Fuller Roadhouse Grille TONIGHT (Wednesday) and on Saturday, he has a third show after we get done at the Washington Armory… He has a Black Sabbath tribute show, also at the Fuller Roadhouse Grille… show time for that one is 10pm.
Monday, September 7, 2009
9-7-2009: New Stuff
The CD has been selling well and we're getting great review from around the country! Also lots of new stuff up on the website... new photos in the Tour Scrapbook, our Show Calendar page has been updated with all of our current 2009 dates, and our Merchandise page has been updated with all our new t-shirts (except for the limited "classic rock" styles - those you can only get at shows). We also updated our Find Us page with some of the more important places around the Internet you can find us - check them out and leave them comments!
Be sure to stop by The Mothpod this week! The Mothpod is a great Indie music podcast, and the Mothman himself had a lot of great things to say about us. Go here to listen to it (we're first up!): http://www.mothpod.com Episode 152. We're also the Moth Pick Of The Week! :) "This is a fantastic album... An album you've got to check out" -Zack "The Mothman" Daggy. And be sure to leave him a comment or send him an email!
We also just started a new contest for anyone on the Street Team. Log in at ReverbNation.com for details. If you're not on the Street Team, and would like to be, go here for more info: http://www.tenyearvamp.com/join_us.html
And don't forget the big shows coming up (Just a few are listed below)::
Sept 17: Ten Year Vamp Booze Cruise (Get Tickets)
Sept 19: Larkfest 1:15pm on the Madison Ave. Stage
Sept 19: Washington Armory at 6pm - Opening Night for the Albany All-Stars Roller Derby!
Sept 26: MEANY FEST, Crash Mansion NYC 10pm
Oct 2: Hot Topic - Wilton Mall 6pm - Special Acoustic Show
Oct 17: Macy's - Colonine Center 11am - Special Acoustic Show
Oct 31: Halloween at Jillian's of Albany 10pm
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Albany & Plattsburgh Shows! + Bus & Boat Trip Info
Hey Everyone!
Sales of our new CD are going well, and requests are coming in from all over the world for promotional copies… and our music video just got selected for a National television program and Spike.com! We had a killer road-trip weekend last week… photos from the crazy party going on at the Black Bear in CT can be found here: http://www.blackbearsono.com/photos.php Special thanks to the Dale Miller Restaurant in Albany NY who fed us the most amazing meal after our show their last Wednesday night… we can’t wait to go back!
And if you haven’t heard about some of our big shows coming up… Thursday Sept 17 we’re playing on a big boat from the Dutch Apple Cruise lines in Albany NY. Boat leaves at 7pm. You can get tickets from the Show Calendar page on our website or at one of our shows this weekend!
September 19th is Larkfest 2009. We’re scheduled to play early… 1:15pm on the Madison Ave. stage. Come out to hear all of our new songs… and later that night, we’ll be at the other end of Lark Street in the Washington Armory for the opening day of Roller Derby season! We open up the festivities with a full 1 hour set at 6pm before the action takes place.
September 26th is MEANY FEST in NYC… We were finalists for 2 years straight in one of the country’s biggest Battle of the Bands… this year we were asked to headline… and showcase our new album for NYC’s music industry. We’re going down on a big Yankee Trails bus and there’s plenty of room to come with us. Actually, we’ve only got about 12 seats left so if you want to come along, go to our website asap to get tickets.
THIS FRIDAY, we’re home at the Bayou in Albany, and bringing 5 or 6 new songs that we’ve never played there before. SATURDAY is the last night of the season at the Naked Turtle in Plattsburgh NY and they’ve asked us back again to close things down for the Summer. This will certainly be the most crazy night of the Summer!
Don’t forget to go to our website and get yourself a few of our new albums!
Sales of our new CD are going well, and requests are coming in from all over the world for promotional copies… and our music video just got selected for a National television program and Spike.com! We had a killer road-trip weekend last week… photos from the crazy party going on at the Black Bear in CT can be found here: http://www.blackbearsono.com/photos.php Special thanks to the Dale Miller Restaurant in Albany NY who fed us the most amazing meal after our show their last Wednesday night… we can’t wait to go back!
And if you haven’t heard about some of our big shows coming up… Thursday Sept 17 we’re playing on a big boat from the Dutch Apple Cruise lines in Albany NY. Boat leaves at 7pm. You can get tickets from the Show Calendar page on our website or at one of our shows this weekend!
September 19th is Larkfest 2009. We’re scheduled to play early… 1:15pm on the Madison Ave. stage. Come out to hear all of our new songs… and later that night, we’ll be at the other end of Lark Street in the Washington Armory for the opening day of Roller Derby season! We open up the festivities with a full 1 hour set at 6pm before the action takes place.
September 26th is MEANY FEST in NYC… We were finalists for 2 years straight in one of the country’s biggest Battle of the Bands… this year we were asked to headline… and showcase our new album for NYC’s music industry. We’re going down on a big Yankee Trails bus and there’s plenty of room to come with us. Actually, we’ve only got about 12 seats left so if you want to come along, go to our website asap to get tickets.
THIS FRIDAY, we’re home at the Bayou in Albany, and bringing 5 or 6 new songs that we’ve never played there before. SATURDAY is the last night of the season at the Naked Turtle in Plattsburgh NY and they’ve asked us back again to close things down for the Summer. This will certainly be the most crazy night of the Summer!
Don’t forget to go to our website and get yourself a few of our new albums!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
8-19-2009 Greg: Influenza
8-19-2009 Greg: INFLUENZA
The first song I can recall ever hearing (besides lullabyes n such) is Frank Sinatra's "Let Me Try Again" blasting out of my parents room while I bounced around in the crib. I can still hear the strings clearly and my mom singing along with 'the voice' at the top of her lungs. Sinatra was always present in the house but what really influenced me at a young age is the music blairing from my 3 older brothers' rooms... this is the 70s, Ladies and Gentlemen,(dating myself), for this was a world where KISS roamed the earth as horror comic book heroes, Alice Cooper outdid the foursome all on his own with the spectacular 'Welcome to my Nightmare' touring stage show, the true master of theater and rock n roll......... Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were still on smack, and still writing great songs with no outside help (I really wish they'd relapse), Led Zeppelin were absolutely destroying every venue Peter Grant could book (and every hotel room as well), Mick and Keith were lamenting Taylors departure and breaking in 'the new boy' Ronnie Wood (he's still called 'the new boy' today, 33 years later). Stevie Wonder was making the greatest recordings of his career (in my opinion, of all time). E.L.P., Yes, and King Crimson were releasing masterpieces each vying for the progressive crown, the latter appropriately taking it IMHO. Judas Priest were finding their image and Black Sabbath were losing control of their batty frontman while RUSH were giving the finest performances of their career. The ladies were kicking ass as well, Carly, Joni, Carole, Aretha, Nina, Chaka, all making major impacts on female artists who would still influence me immensely today.
This is just a small example of the vibrant and exciting music scene that was the 70s and still my favorite period in popular music. The 80s were like kryptonite to artists like Stevie Wonder, Alice Cooper, and many more. I have to say I didn't enjoy any of the new MTV stuff and synthesiser music, I missed real drums and keys, and felt very little emotion or inspiration from any of the new age bands. I was barely pubescant and I knew I would always prefer 'the old stuff'. The main saving grace for me was the growing metal and thrash scene, bands like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Slayer, Kreator, Overkill,and many more made up for the horrible failure that was MTV and gave us a break from pastel colors and brought it back to black. The 90s are known for grunge and modern alternative rock and I must admit it took a while for me to break the 'I only listen to old stuff' routine. I have a big appreciation for bands like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and although not a Nirvana fan at all, I really like the Foo Fighters. I developed a huge taste for female singers in this period (playing drums for Jeanne French didnt hurt). I am a huge fan of Tori Amos (over 1000 tori songs on my ipod) and I also rather enjoy Fiona Apple, Heather Nova, Nikka Costa, Concrete Blonde and many more. The more I age the wider my influences range and I appreciate being in a band with so many diverse influences. I think that all adds to the finished product. I also appreciate the respect I'm shown by Deb and Mark to make my own musical decisions be it tracking or live. I've never had that kind of mutual respect in a band. I'm usually handed a list of 'do nots' before a gig or recording session which ultimately hurts the performance. The case with Ten Year Vamp is the opposite and the result is the best drums Ive ever played and the best tracks I've ever layed.
Here are some of my favorite albums off the top of my lid.
Kiss-Alive
The Rolling Stones-Exile on Main Street
Stevie Wonder-Songs in the Key of Life
Alice Cooper-Love it to Death
Frank Sinatra-Watertown
Tori Amos-Boys For Pele
Slayer-Reign in Blood
Megadeth-Peace Sells
E.L.P.-Tarkus
King Crimson-Red
Chick Corea Ackoustik Band-Alive
Return to Forever-Romantic Warrior
Iron Maiden-Killers
Judas Priest-Unleashed in the East
Yes-Tales From Topographic Oceans
Temptations-Ball of Confusion
Steely Dan-Aja
Sheryl Crow-The Globe Sessions
Jeff Buckley-Grace
Nikka Costa-Pebble to a Pearl
Prince-Musicology
Mick Jagger-Wandering Spirit
Black Sabbath-Sabotage
Stormtroopers of Death-Speak English or Die
Miles Davis-Bitches Brew
Mother Love Bone
Sacred Reich-Ignorance
Witchfynder General-Death Penalty
Aerosmith-Rock in a Hard Place
Ace Frehley-Ace Frehley 1978
Motley Crue-Too Fast For Love
The Police-Synchronicity
Jeff Beck-Wired
Barry Manilow-Live 197
Anthrax-Spreading The Disease
James Brown-Live at The Apollo 1968
Fastway-We Become One
Concrete Blonde-Walking in London
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles-Dealing With It
Led Zeppelin-Presence
Deep Purple-Machinehead
Camelot-soundtrack with Richard Harris
RUSH-Carress of Steel
Madonna-Like a Prayer
Styx-Pieces of Eight
Bill Withers-Live at Carnegie Hall
Bee Gees-Best of
Billy Joel-The Stranger
Elton John-Madman Across the Water
Wasp-Wasp
VoiVod-Dimension Hatross
Veruca Salt-American Thighs
Cheap Trick-Live at Budakon
Venom-Welcome to Hell
Triumph-Allied Forces
There's a few anyway,I also like classical, lotsa jazz and even a lil opera.
My lil Marianne is also a huge influence and inspiration, not to mention her mama Monica.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Billy - 8/6/09
I grew up listening to the heavies. My father was a baritone and sang military marches and some of the less intense numbers from the Methodist hymnal, but for some reason he felt compelled to buy me my first Kiss album in the 3rd grade. A short time later he bought me AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock, and out the window went the law degree right there. I never even had a chance. From there it was Aerosmith, Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, Sabbath, Alice Cooper… and in the 80’s it was Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica (holy crap – I saw them for 6 bucks in a Scotia bowling alley in 1984), Slayer, Raven, Saxon, Exodus, Motorhead, The Wildhearts, Accept and on and on. Despite all of this, I was lucky enough that through the years many friends, teachers and drumming heroes stressed versatility, both instrumentally and in terms of musical genres… which luckily allows me the amazing fortune to share the stage with the lads (and lady) in Ten Year Vamp. I’ve also had great experiences playing jazz, funk, Latin and LOTS of dance music.
This, however, has not gotten in the way of my penchant for a bit of the old Hessian warfare, as we folks from Colonie (the second largest township in the US, incidentally) like to say. The future of the hard stuff is in great hands, with bands like Mastodon, The Sword and Lamb of God carry, under a blazing light, the tradition into the new millennium for scores of new, unwashed suburban maladroits who still enjoy a good fistfight with the old man over the last Meister Brau on the front lawn.
Yet, as years go by and the joints in my hands and knees heal much more slowly after such endeavors, I started to elevate the music of my working experiences and committed to learning more about what makes some of it so good and some of it so eye-wateringly terrible. I suppose on a much more subconscious level I wanted to focus on the less corporeal attributes of heavy metal and more on the “logistics of aesthetic” (metal or not) for lack of a better term. Who the hell really knows? But, what I found was a TON of great music out there that, when deconstructed, internalized, owned… not only made me a better musician, but a better human.
And, this also reaffirmed across genres what I knew all along with heavy metal. That is, for every good band – whether you like country or jazz or acid Latin disco fusion with a twist of lime – with there are about 100 really, really, really shitty bands trying to do the same thing. This is why conveniences like iTunes and in-store sampling is like manna from the heavens… you can separate the wheat from the chaff pretty damn fast. Never mind all those people who say you need to let an album grow on you. Man, we ain’t got time for that now. Not in this age of permanent accessibility, people getting pissed at you because you don’t text them back right away, egregious deadlines based on the speed of the information highway and not on human mercy. Naw… hit me hard and fast. Rip out my heart on Track One and show it to me as I slide down the wall. I’m so caffeinated right now I can’t even tell if I’m being sarcastic or not!
I know, I know. By now you’re saying… “Bill. Where the hell, exactly, are you talking aboutgoing with this?” Fair enough. This is my long-winded way of saying there is just no way that I can come up with my Top 10 favorite albums of all time. Or a Top 50, or a Top 2 for that matter. When I was in high school back in 1935 my friends would come up with these lists and debate the merits over much malt liquor but I could never do it. It changed every day… I would have made a list every day. To me it was about reflecting mood, about work, about repetition and vagaries of thought and experience. It was about the daily soundtrack to the movie of my homeless life. Waking up in your own bed and fixing yourself a screwdriver on a Sunday with no one else around requires the Scorpions’ “In Trance.” Waking up behind the backstop of a West Albany ballfield on Everett Road requires Kris Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” It’s a living, breathing thing.
But what I can do is show you what I’ve been into lately, and there’s no doubt that many of these do reflect CD’s that float in and out of my Top 10 on the regular. Looking at this short list, I noticed that I have a thing for transitional albums in many cases. Recordings that marked a pivotal juncture in a band’s career, where there was really no turning back, where the band realized, “Uh-oh, how are we supposed to top THAT?” Well, there’s always law school.
For your consideration.
Alice Cooper – Love it to Death
Aerosmith – Rocks
Max Roach – Percussion Bitter Suite
Black Sabbath – Volume 4
Saxon – Wheels of Steel
Hank Williams III – Straight to Hell
Grateful Dead – Wake of the Flood
Kiss – Dressed to Kill
Tito Puentes – Dance Mania!
Kyuss – Welcome to Sky Valley
Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band – Seasons of Change
Sloppy Seconds – Destroyed
Clutch – Blast Tyrant
The Beach Boys – Spirit of America
Led Zeppelin – Presence
Styx – Crystal Ball
Thin Lizzy – Fighting
The Beatles – Revolver
Tommy Dorsey and His Clambake Seven -
The Supersuckers – The Evil Powers of Rock and Roll
Ramones – Rocket to Russia
Pat Travers – Go for What You Know… Live!
NOFX – Punk in Drublic
Corrosion of Conformity – Wiseblood
Pink Floyd – Mettle
Scorpions – Tokyo Tapes
Lamb of God – Ashes of the Wake
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Second Helping
Jason and the Scorchers – Both Sides of the Line
Motorhead – Bomber
Frank Zappa – Apostrophe
Black Dahlia Murder – Black Dahlia Murder
Judas Priest – Sin After Sin
Mulatu Astatqe – Ethiopiques, Volume 4
At the Gates – Slaughter of the Soul
Black Sabbath – Sabotage
AC/DC – Let There Be Rock
Chick Corea – Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
Bette Davis – This is It!
Metallica – Kill ‘Em All
The Toadies – Rubberneck
Faith No More – The Real Thing
Alice Donut - Mule
Accept – Restless & Wild
Cheap Trick – In Color
Neutral Milk Hotel – In an Aeroplane Over the Sea
Green Day – Dookie
Prince – One Night Alone… Live!
Neil Diamond – Just for You
Miles Davis – Four and More Live
Buddy Rich Big Band – Keep the Customer Satisfied
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – Mosaic
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Thursday in Albany NY - Friday in Chicapee MA
Thursday Aug 6 - Bayou Cafe, Albany NY (8pm)
Friday Aug 7 - Maximum Capacity, Chicapee MA (10pm)
Wow... We'll finally be releasing our 1st full-length studio album 2 weeks from Friday! Keep watching our website, Facebook, and MySpace pages... we'll be posting lots of new stuff every few days from here until the CD release party at Vapor in Saratoga NY on the 21st.
Also check our Show Dates page for the big shows coming up... 2 festivals the last week of August and a boat cruise and a NYC Showcase bus trip in September! Reserve your tickets from our website now!
Thursday this week we're at the Bayou after Alive At Five... Air conditioning AND no rain in the same place... plus Ten Year Vamp. Why go anywhere else? :) Friday night we're at Maximum Capacity in Chicapee MA - it's our first time at this club so we can't wait... the first show we play at new clubs are always our best. And to top it off, a cool band called Kill Shot is opening up the show for us.
Friday Aug 7 - Maximum Capacity, Chicapee MA (10pm)
Wow... We'll finally be releasing our 1st full-length studio album 2 weeks from Friday! Keep watching our website, Facebook, and MySpace pages... we'll be posting lots of new stuff every few days from here until the CD release party at Vapor in Saratoga NY on the 21st.
Also check our Show Dates page for the big shows coming up... 2 festivals the last week of August and a boat cruise and a NYC Showcase bus trip in September! Reserve your tickets from our website now!
Thursday this week we're at the Bayou after Alive At Five... Air conditioning AND no rain in the same place... plus Ten Year Vamp. Why go anywhere else? :) Friday night we're at Maximum Capacity in Chicapee MA - it's our first time at this club so we can't wait... the first show we play at new clubs are always our best. And to top it off, a cool band called Kill Shot is opening up the show for us.
Monday, August 3, 2009
8-3-2009 Mark: Ten Year Vamp Influences?
So I’ve been spending all my time lately working on our new materials… all the album artwork, new posters, new fliers, new promo photos, new website stuff. Every time I scratch something off the list, two or three new things get added. Today I was speaking with Laura from 15secondpitch.com. Our PR Firm has us working with Laura to help perfect our bio for all our new promo materials. Anyway, Laura asked me who the band’s influences are. We actually get that question a lot. That’s such a strange question for us - it’s very hard to answer. We all grew up as die hard music fans, but our tastes were (and still are) extremely varied. As individuals, we don’t necessarily listen to Pop Rock stuff, but when we come together, it’s what we do best.
So, I’ll ask everyone in the band to list their favorite music… whether it be their favorite albums of all time, or songs… or just what they’re listening to now… or whatever else they can think of…
Here’s mine…
Top 10 Favorite Albums of All Time:
1. U2 - The Joshua Tree
2. Prince - Purple Rain
3. Waterboys - This Is The Sea
4. Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
5. Billy Joel - The Stranger
6. Prince - Sign of the Times
7. The Alarm - Declaration
8. BoDeans - Outside Looking In
9. Queen - Live Killers
10. Robbie Robertson - Self-Titled
11. Tom Petty - Damn The Torpedoes
12. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
13. Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
14. Kid Rock - Cocky
15. The Police - Synchronicity
16. Five For Fighting - America Town
17. Counting Crows - August And Everything After
18. The Beatles - The White Album
19. Aimee Mann/Supertramp - The Magnolia Soundtrack
20. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
21. Lifehouse - Who We Are
22. Crowded House - Woodface
23. Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
24. World Party - Goodbye Jumbo
25. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Pale
26. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Fear
26. Styx - Caught In The Act
27. Resolve - Jack
28. Neil Diamond - The Jazz Singer
29. Rod Stewart - Absolutely Live
30. REM - Life’s Rich Pageant
31. Fleetwood Mac - Rumors
So, I’ll ask everyone in the band to list their favorite music… whether it be their favorite albums of all time, or songs… or just what they’re listening to now… or whatever else they can think of…
Here’s mine…
Top 10 Favorite Albums of All Time:
1. U2 - The Joshua Tree
2. Prince - Purple Rain
3. Waterboys - This Is The Sea
4. Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
5. Billy Joel - The Stranger
6. Prince - Sign of the Times
7. The Alarm - Declaration
8. BoDeans - Outside Looking In
9. Queen - Live Killers
10. Robbie Robertson - Self-Titled
11. Tom Petty - Damn The Torpedoes
12. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
13. Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
14. Kid Rock - Cocky
15. The Police - Synchronicity
16. Five For Fighting - America Town
17. Counting Crows - August And Everything After
18. The Beatles - The White Album
19. Aimee Mann/Supertramp - The Magnolia Soundtrack
20. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
21. Lifehouse - Who We Are
22. Crowded House - Woodface
23. Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
24. World Party - Goodbye Jumbo
25. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Pale
26. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Fear
26. Styx - Caught In The Act
27. Resolve - Jack
28. Neil Diamond - The Jazz Singer
29. Rod Stewart - Absolutely Live
30. REM - Life’s Rich Pageant
31. Fleetwood Mac - Rumors
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
July 27, 2009 Debbie; Monday afternoon
Wow. It's been a long time since I've written anything.
We've had things backwards for the past month or so. Normally, we spend SOO much time gigging and traveling and being "rockstars"...and the minority of the time is spend doing band business 'stuff'.
But...for the past month, it's all been band business. You guys all know by now, that we do everything ourselves and we're doing the "wave of the future" thing, by NOT signing a record contract and doing it all ourselves. So, the past few weeks/months, we've all had our "business" hats on and we've been hard at work at our game plan. Here's what it looks like;
1. write killer songs...check,
2. preproduction....check,
3. Record Killer Album....check,
4. come up with album name and album art...check,
5. get top of the line music video...check,
6. get CD mastered and send off for duplication...check.
All this has taken up so much time and energy, that we've had nothing left in us to give at a show...which is why we haven't had many. Now that it's all done, we are RARING to go.
This past weekend, our shows kicked ass. It's like we're a whole new band.
Personally, I feel more professional now that we've done all we've done in the past few months. I feel like I’ve learned a lot…about music, about myself, about this band, about each of the guys, about our songs, etc. We spent so much time with these songs, that I feel like the songs are my best friends, and getting to play them just feels so much better then it used to. I feel like we have a whole new energy and freshness. We still have LOTS more 'business stuff' to do, but most of it can be done in our free time and won’t require us to lighten our gig load.
For those of you who don't know...we're releasing the album August 21st, and then going to the next step of our evil plan to take over the world...which is get our songs on the radio and sell CD's like crazy. That in itself requires SOO many things...you have no idea. But...at least we can get back to gigging. So... take a look at our gig calendar and come out and see us. We have tons of new originals, new merch...and I even got bangs :)
We've had things backwards for the past month or so. Normally, we spend SOO much time gigging and traveling and being "rockstars"...and the minority of the time is spend doing band business 'stuff'.
But...for the past month, it's all been band business. You guys all know by now, that we do everything ourselves and we're doing the "wave of the future" thing, by NOT signing a record contract and doing it all ourselves. So, the past few weeks/months, we've all had our "business" hats on and we've been hard at work at our game plan. Here's what it looks like;
1. write killer songs...check,
2. preproduction....check,
3. Record Killer Album....check,
4. come up with album name and album art...check,
5. get top of the line music video...check,
6. get CD mastered and send off for duplication...check.
All this has taken up so much time and energy, that we've had nothing left in us to give at a show...which is why we haven't had many. Now that it's all done, we are RARING to go.
This past weekend, our shows kicked ass. It's like we're a whole new band.
Personally, I feel more professional now that we've done all we've done in the past few months. I feel like I’ve learned a lot…about music, about myself, about this band, about each of the guys, about our songs, etc. We spent so much time with these songs, that I feel like the songs are my best friends, and getting to play them just feels so much better then it used to. I feel like we have a whole new energy and freshness. We still have LOTS more 'business stuff' to do, but most of it can be done in our free time and won’t require us to lighten our gig load.
For those of you who don't know...we're releasing the album August 21st, and then going to the next step of our evil plan to take over the world...which is get our songs on the radio and sell CD's like crazy. That in itself requires SOO many things...you have no idea. But...at least we can get back to gigging. So... take a look at our gig calendar and come out and see us. We have tons of new originals, new merch...and I even got bangs :)
Sunday, July 19, 2009
7-19-2009 Mark: Can't Wait For The CD Release
So I've spent this beautiful entire Sunday prepping our website for the CD release. It's was a long day of cropping photos and editing website code. To make things a little more interesting, I was watched a Tom Petty Soundstage, a Daily Show episode, Urban Cowboy, and a Meatloaf documentary called, Meatloaf: In Search of Paradise. The Meatloaf thing was great - watch it if you have the chance.
Anyway we've got soooo many new photos to add to the website (I think we're up to over 18,000 total). Michelle's been taking photos at all the shows as usual, and Julia Zave came out to Pearl Street 2 weeks back and has got some great ones. You can check out our Tour Scrapbook page right now to see Andrew in is 4th of July Day Uncle Sam suit! The rest of the new photos won’t be up on our site for another week or so, but somehow those crazy kids at the Ten Year Vamp myspace fanclub page got a hold of some of the behind-the-scenes photos from our video shoot with director, Jeff Knight. I grabbed the photo at the left from them. Go to http://www.myspace.com/tenyearvampfanclub to see more from inside a huge Yankee Trails bus garage! And speaking of the video… Debbie and I have seen some early rough cuts and it’s looking fantastic. Watch for that coming soon too.
So now that most of the photos are done, I can move on to item #4 on our list of things to do before the CD release… there are 56 things on the list.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Previous Band Blogz from www.tenyearvamp.com
Bring That Beat Back-Andy 07/08/09
So we just got some mixes back from The “Magic Man” Mike Watts and everything is slammin. I really do think that he has tiny elves living in his Pro Tools system. Do you think they will get co-producer credits? Had a great time this weekend in Glens Falls and Lake George. Just one question for the folks who run the festivities; no fireworks on 4th of July, WTF?!?!?!? I was saddened to think that during my usual 18 minute guitar solo there wasn’t going to be some kind of explosion or colorful light display. Sure I’m over it now but it was tough to take at first. Now that would have been a good weekend for most bands but we had to have a video shoot as well. That was something. At one point during the 19 hour shoot I mentioned to Mark that I hadn’t had a break yet and his response was “Do you want me to find some other under age boy to do what you do? Get me a drink”. Michelle was on hand, not to take pictures or video, but to follow behind me feverishly, catching all of my rock and roll ideas. Sure, she could have spent her time doing something more significant but then again I did have some great ideas. Now if everything goes according to plan I will be playing guitar in one scene and be a white tiger in the next. If that idea gets shot down, the video will still be pretty cool… I guess….
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Mark - July 7, 2009
Well I’ve been crying for the past hour… watching a TIVOed Michael Jackson memorial. I missed it as it aired live. Debbie and I had one of our regular “band meetings” this afternoon at Chili’s in Clifton Park. We asked Andrew to come by and help us figure out how we’re going to improve our live show and bring the new originals to life. The TVs were on behind us… Kris Jansing from MSNBC was navigating the events of the day. I can remember back when Kris Jansing was Kris Kapistachi (sp?) here on WNYT channel 13… back when I was lying on my bedroom floor listening to my 45 single of Rock With You. I’m sure I didn’t really understand the words but the groove of that song just went through me - it still does. I can remember pulling my Thriller record out of the gatefold sleeve. The record had this plastic sleeve around it instead of the more typical paper sleeves. It really bothered me that the plastic sleeve would just never slide into the album jacket correctly. I loved that album. I can remember several of my friends gathering around the TV with my father and brother to watch the world premiere showing of the Thriller video on MTV. That was so cool… mixing movies and music together - what a crazy idea!?!?! I never would have guessed that 26 years later I’d be playing an acoustic guitar in the front room of the Bayou Café with some crazy girl who couldn’t stand still and sing at the same time :) - and that’d we’d be playing an acoustic version of Thriller. I guess there are probably very few people in the world who don’t have Michael Jackson memories. It’s just sad that it takes this to remind of all of those good times.
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Debbie: June 29th, 2009
So I had to sign on and just say how excited I am about this album being done (we finished recording on Thursday of last week). I was thinking this morning, I don't think I've been this excited my whole life. I can't wait to have this CD. You know when you're going on vacation, and like you're supposed to be excited as you get closer and closer to the trip, but you're really not excited until you get to the airport and are sitting on the plane. Then it all sets in. That's how I'm feeling right now. The excitement is just starting to kick in. All the recording is done, and we're just waiting for our amazing producer to mix and produce everything. We're going down to Long Island for one last trip later this week to pick up the CD. Then we send it off to be mastered and copied....then we can get it to you guys (late August). I just can't wait to listen to it. We've only heard the songs a few times...as we're recording our parts...so even WE haven't heard the completed songs yet. What I HAVE heard has been sooooo good. I just want to get a copy so I can listen to it in my car with the windows down. My excitement is so intense. I'm sincerely counting down the minutes until we go get the CD.
---------------------------------------------
6-16-09 Mark: Vocals Day One
So before I start this blog entree, please scroll down and read Bill’s last entree. It’s so freaking funny. I’m still laughing like 5 hours after first reading it…
Today was “day one” of recording vocals for the new album. It’s now after midnight in Freeport, Long Island and I’m sitting in the studio lounge watching the History channel. Debbie is asleep on the leather couch next to me, under 2 blankets and wearing this ugly ski hat with the flaps that cover her ears (I think Scottie gave it to her). She has her Blue Blower next to her, blasting on the highest setting to drown out the house music leaking through from “Studio A”. Yup, you all know the “Blue Blower” - that thing on stage each night that keeps her hair floating in mid-air… Well not only does it keep her hair from sticking to the sweat pouring down her face, but it also allows her to sleep in all the paper-thin walled hotel rooms we have to stay in.
Anyway, we arrived at the studio this morning around 10:30am after a 3 hour drive from Albany with 30 extra minutes of lovely Long Island traffic. Our Producer, Mike Watts, was hoping to get through 3 songs, maybe 4 if we were lucky. You see, Debbie has got to sing through all the parts of each song like 4 or 5 times perfectly, so they have plenty of “good stuff” to choose from when piecing together the final vocal tracks. Well not only did Debbie get through 3 songs, but she got through 8! Yup, 8 songs. Our engineer, Rich, said that he’s never worked with anyone who’s gotten through that many songs in such a short period of time. I’ve been saying for over 6 years that Debbie is a true “rockstar”… and today, in her most un-rockstar peronsa and attire, she proved it 150%. Yes, we all know that we (Ten Year Vamp) go a little overboard marketing ourselves using Debbie as the sexy woman lead singer with the big boobs; she takes A LOT of flak for that. And she deals with it all knowing that we have to do what we have to do in order to get noticed. But today… BUT TODAY…. Today, Debbie proved what every person who regularly comes to our shows already knows - that beyond our marketing “gimmicks,” Debbie is bursting with honest talent, and she is exceptional at what she does… period. This album will finally prove that fact, once and for all.
Debbie and I have been working towards this point for almost 6 years, through over 460 shows, and I couldn’t be more proud of my “little sister” than right now… even with her snoring over Blue Blower and the flat vocals leaking from “Studio A”. I just hope this album gives us the opportunity to go further… so she can really show the world all that I know she has inside.
I should sign-off now so I can get some sleep so that I’m fresh in the morning… but I already know I’m not going to be able to fall asleep for hours…
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6/13/2009 - Billy: LAND SHARK!
Has anybody noticed how desperately un-photogenic I am? Good lord. Most of the time at the microphone I look like a huge underwater beast with a commercial-weight fishhook in my mouth, getting pulled to the lake’s surface by some unsuspecting angler. (“Pickerel?” asked Larry, hopeful as Earl dragged the lumbering beast toward the bow. “Nope,” Earl replied with disdain. “Percussionist.”)
When I was a longhair, I could at least partially obscure the fact that I bear an uncanny resemblance to, oh, Freddy Krueger. Or the guy from Midnight Oil. Or the guy from The Hills Have Eyes. But alas, these days are long gone. Good thing I can sing.
---------------------------------------------
Previous Blog Entrees at www.tenyearvamp.com
So we just got some mixes back from The “Magic Man” Mike Watts and everything is slammin. I really do think that he has tiny elves living in his Pro Tools system. Do you think they will get co-producer credits? Had a great time this weekend in Glens Falls and Lake George. Just one question for the folks who run the festivities; no fireworks on 4th of July, WTF?!?!?!? I was saddened to think that during my usual 18 minute guitar solo there wasn’t going to be some kind of explosion or colorful light display. Sure I’m over it now but it was tough to take at first. Now that would have been a good weekend for most bands but we had to have a video shoot as well. That was something. At one point during the 19 hour shoot I mentioned to Mark that I hadn’t had a break yet and his response was “Do you want me to find some other under age boy to do what you do? Get me a drink”. Michelle was on hand, not to take pictures or video, but to follow behind me feverishly, catching all of my rock and roll ideas. Sure, she could have spent her time doing something more significant but then again I did have some great ideas. Now if everything goes according to plan I will be playing guitar in one scene and be a white tiger in the next. If that idea gets shot down, the video will still be pretty cool… I guess….
---------------------------------------------
Mark - July 7, 2009
Well I’ve been crying for the past hour… watching a TIVOed Michael Jackson memorial. I missed it as it aired live. Debbie and I had one of our regular “band meetings” this afternoon at Chili’s in Clifton Park. We asked Andrew to come by and help us figure out how we’re going to improve our live show and bring the new originals to life. The TVs were on behind us… Kris Jansing from MSNBC was navigating the events of the day. I can remember back when Kris Jansing was Kris Kapistachi (sp?) here on WNYT channel 13… back when I was lying on my bedroom floor listening to my 45 single of Rock With You. I’m sure I didn’t really understand the words but the groove of that song just went through me - it still does. I can remember pulling my Thriller record out of the gatefold sleeve. The record had this plastic sleeve around it instead of the more typical paper sleeves. It really bothered me that the plastic sleeve would just never slide into the album jacket correctly. I loved that album. I can remember several of my friends gathering around the TV with my father and brother to watch the world premiere showing of the Thriller video on MTV. That was so cool… mixing movies and music together - what a crazy idea!?!?! I never would have guessed that 26 years later I’d be playing an acoustic guitar in the front room of the Bayou Café with some crazy girl who couldn’t stand still and sing at the same time :) - and that’d we’d be playing an acoustic version of Thriller. I guess there are probably very few people in the world who don’t have Michael Jackson memories. It’s just sad that it takes this to remind of all of those good times.
---------------------------------------------
Debbie: June 29th, 2009
So I had to sign on and just say how excited I am about this album being done (we finished recording on Thursday of last week). I was thinking this morning, I don't think I've been this excited my whole life. I can't wait to have this CD. You know when you're going on vacation, and like you're supposed to be excited as you get closer and closer to the trip, but you're really not excited until you get to the airport and are sitting on the plane. Then it all sets in. That's how I'm feeling right now. The excitement is just starting to kick in. All the recording is done, and we're just waiting for our amazing producer to mix and produce everything. We're going down to Long Island for one last trip later this week to pick up the CD. Then we send it off to be mastered and copied....then we can get it to you guys (late August). I just can't wait to listen to it. We've only heard the songs a few times...as we're recording our parts...so even WE haven't heard the completed songs yet. What I HAVE heard has been sooooo good. I just want to get a copy so I can listen to it in my car with the windows down. My excitement is so intense. I'm sincerely counting down the minutes until we go get the CD.
---------------------------------------------
6-16-09 Mark: Vocals Day One
So before I start this blog entree, please scroll down and read Bill’s last entree. It’s so freaking funny. I’m still laughing like 5 hours after first reading it…
Today was “day one” of recording vocals for the new album. It’s now after midnight in Freeport, Long Island and I’m sitting in the studio lounge watching the History channel. Debbie is asleep on the leather couch next to me, under 2 blankets and wearing this ugly ski hat with the flaps that cover her ears (I think Scottie gave it to her). She has her Blue Blower next to her, blasting on the highest setting to drown out the house music leaking through from “Studio A”. Yup, you all know the “Blue Blower” - that thing on stage each night that keeps her hair floating in mid-air… Well not only does it keep her hair from sticking to the sweat pouring down her face, but it also allows her to sleep in all the paper-thin walled hotel rooms we have to stay in.
Anyway, we arrived at the studio this morning around 10:30am after a 3 hour drive from Albany with 30 extra minutes of lovely Long Island traffic. Our Producer, Mike Watts, was hoping to get through 3 songs, maybe 4 if we were lucky. You see, Debbie has got to sing through all the parts of each song like 4 or 5 times perfectly, so they have plenty of “good stuff” to choose from when piecing together the final vocal tracks. Well not only did Debbie get through 3 songs, but she got through 8! Yup, 8 songs. Our engineer, Rich, said that he’s never worked with anyone who’s gotten through that many songs in such a short period of time. I’ve been saying for over 6 years that Debbie is a true “rockstar”… and today, in her most un-rockstar peronsa and attire, she proved it 150%. Yes, we all know that we (Ten Year Vamp) go a little overboard marketing ourselves using Debbie as the sexy woman lead singer with the big boobs; she takes A LOT of flak for that. And she deals with it all knowing that we have to do what we have to do in order to get noticed. But today… BUT TODAY…. Today, Debbie proved what every person who regularly comes to our shows already knows - that beyond our marketing “gimmicks,” Debbie is bursting with honest talent, and she is exceptional at what she does… period. This album will finally prove that fact, once and for all.
Debbie and I have been working towards this point for almost 6 years, through over 460 shows, and I couldn’t be more proud of my “little sister” than right now… even with her snoring over Blue Blower and the flat vocals leaking from “Studio A”. I just hope this album gives us the opportunity to go further… so she can really show the world all that I know she has inside.
I should sign-off now so I can get some sleep so that I’m fresh in the morning… but I already know I’m not going to be able to fall asleep for hours…
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6/13/2009 - Billy: LAND SHARK!
Has anybody noticed how desperately un-photogenic I am? Good lord. Most of the time at the microphone I look like a huge underwater beast with a commercial-weight fishhook in my mouth, getting pulled to the lake’s surface by some unsuspecting angler. (“Pickerel?” asked Larry, hopeful as Earl dragged the lumbering beast toward the bow. “Nope,” Earl replied with disdain. “Percussionist.”)
When I was a longhair, I could at least partially obscure the fact that I bear an uncanny resemblance to, oh, Freddy Krueger. Or the guy from Midnight Oil. Or the guy from The Hills Have Eyes. But alas, these days are long gone. Good thing I can sing.
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Previous Blog Entrees at www.tenyearvamp.com
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