Showtime.

Also,
Some of Taylor Doyle's new songs are up on his myspace page.
(myspace.com/therdkm)

Love,
Steve Believe.

Rockstars In My Kitchen.

I feel pretty lucky that my favourite musicians are my best friends. It means that I get to see my favourite bands without having to pay a 20 dollar cover charge, I get to listen to their records without having to blow my pay check at HMV, and I get to watch as they write new songs and grow and change.

Right now two of my favourite people (and favourite songwriters) are releasing a split record together. Taylor Doyle and Travesty. Tay's side of the split is done and Travis is currently recording his half. Both sides include the best songs either of them have ever written.

Photo by RosieToes
Taylor is a very shy and timid person and watching him perform (or even listening to his recordings) is such a brutally honest experience. It's almost as though you are catching a glimpse of something no one was see. Musically he is tough to describe. His songs always have huge melodies and seem very straight forward on the surface, and yet they are so intricate and noodley. Taylor really grabs me with his lyrics. He writes about his friends and love and loss, but in a poetic way almost reminiscent of E.E Cummings of T.S Eliot.


Travesty is hands down the best banjo player I have ever heard. He is so passionate when he plays that it's hard not to loose yourself in his brand of old-timey plucking. His yelp sounds like a 30's blues legend. Despite being a master of traditional folk and blues tunes, Travesty doesn't subscribe to the cliche of just singing about trains and whiskey. He sings about what he knows and his internal struggles, and this boy has seen and been through a lot.


Love,
Steve B.

I Can See My Breath Inside My House.

Brrr.

Well it's been almost two months since I last posted anything on the blog and I'd like to say it's because we've been so incredibly busy with the collective that I haven't had time to sit down and update this thing, but thats not really the case. The truth is things have been kind of slow moving and I've been kind of lazy. Jobs and bills and mental health.

That being said there are some wonderful people working incredibly hard to make things happen. Taylor Doyle is done his half of a split record with Travesty (Thanks to the acclaimed producer Jawsh Carson). Mistake Makers are preparing to play their first show in mid November along with Stagnant Stars. Poems are being written and read.

October was swell and chilly. The Halifax Pop Explosion Zine Fair was great. We met a lot of great artists doing some really great stuff. (However the tables that were ran by punks appeared to be the only people actually expressing enjoyment. Hipsters are generally fine people, they just need to lighten up. I mean come on, free vegan burritos?!)

Jawsh spent a lot of early mornings (after getting off the backshift), mixing and mastering tracks, including a Know Hope For The Skids song that will be on a G20 benefit comp. that I'm really excited about.

The month was rounded out with a really wonderful Halloween show at the flood house with Taylor Doyle, Travesty, The Rumble Strips (a new incarnation of Whimsy and Spite that sounds nothing like Meatloaf), Steve Believe and The Emotionally Crippled Narcissists, and Snail Party. There was ridiculous costumes, raining chocolate, Pumpkin puns, and sing alongs. My camera died around 8 o'clock but Rosie Toes has some great footage on her blog. (http://unbeatablehigh.blogspot.com/)

My fingers are frozen now, so I'm going to go cook something in the oven for the sole purpose of warming up. I will try and be more "punk"tual with updating this thing as to not let down my many blog followers (mom, dad).

Love,
Steve Believe.

No Sleep, Just Paint.

Things are happening, Slowly but surely. Mistake Makers are now a 4 piece, and include Jawsh Carson on bass, and Rosie Toes on keyboards. The world of pop punk and experimental waffle recipes will never be the same. We've been building up a collection of art pieces to sell at our table at the Halifax Pop Explosion Zine Fair (October 23rd). Daily jam sessions are taking place. And most exciting of all... Taylor Doyle and Travesty International are working on a split cassette/cd that is set to be released by mid-October as well.


Love,
Steve Believe

Stagnant Stars.

Last night (Sept 11th), Stagnant Stars played at a benefit show for G20 protesters legal fees at Doomwood Castle. I took some pictures to prove to the world once and for all that Taylor is more attractive than all the members of Hanson combined, and Jawsh is in fact a ghost.



I need sleep, I think.

Ahhhh.

Love,
Steve B

Distro.

Distro-ing at Stagnant Stars show tonight. All proceeds going to support G20 protesters.
Love,
Steve B

Waiting For Earl.

After months of hesitation and procrastination, I've completed a collection of poems from the "dark ages" of my life. It turned out to be a pretty emotional project and a bit of a struggle to finish, but now that it's complete I feel relieved. Now I can move on to better, more positive stuff. It's 27 pages of poetry about being sick and scared. PWYC.


I'm also still looking for more contributions for my graphic novel (see "Lets Talk About Sex" post). If anyone is interested please email or mail your story as soon as possible.

This weekend will be spent sending out mail, and if hurricane Earl doesn't knock the power out we will be recording Taylor Doyle's solo cassette. Bring on the rain.

Love,
Steve.B