Hey all
Well it’s been a real busy week. I’ve been furiously booking our CD release tour, lining up PR for it and the release and getting track sequences done for mastering. Oh, and figuring out artwork. The artwork has been agreed on for the album. It is going to be titled “Redemption”. Lots of play on words going on here folks. think about it. So far the stuff Rob Scullion at Scholl Defining Image has shown us has been kick ass. We’re going with an old school ‘record’ kind of look with the packaging with a killer pic from our Mississippi trip taken by Bruce Devlin.
Well, as the title of this blog indicates ole Ruby as a new radiator in her. Fortunately it blew on the last day of the warranty so it saved me a few bucks. Something else has already gone wrong with the heater switch though, getting it looked at monday AM. Should be warranty as well. I guess she took me seriously when I told her if she got us through that last Canadian tour and back from Mississippi she wouldn’t owe me anything. Time to search out a new Bastard mobile and retire Ruby to the grocery van.
Most of the dates for my solo tour in March are up on www.myspace.com/rossneilsen check em out and spread the word for me if you can. I’m REALLY looking forward to some solo stuff and the two weeks at the Olympics will be a great practice run for the tour. I will miss the Bastards but it will be nice to have some alone time in Ruby again. I’m reminded of the almost two years i spent living out of her traveling around. The Cons of that (no closet to put anything no regular place to go home to) are gone as I have an Apt not so it’s all PRO’s now!!!! Lot’s of think time!
While I am in Ontario the Canadian Music Week Conference will be going down in Toronto. I usually don’t take part but this year my Distribution Label has landed me a showcase. We’re just waiting to see if we can include the bastards and have a sort of ‘preview’ of the new record. Fingers Crossed! Slash (formerly of Velvet Revolver & Guns n Roses) will be there too! I’m gonna do my best to track him down as he is one of my biggest influences for guitar!
Most of april we’ll be hanging about Fredericton getting ready for the fourth National tour in May/June. Really looking forward to the release of ‘Redemption’. Can’t wait to see how people react to its rawness! Tentative release date will be May 4th. Keep your fingers crossed that all goes as planned and it gets out then! In the mean time Early Grave is available at all retail outlets. f they don’t have it in stock please make them order it through Universal/Thorny Bleeder Records.
Yesterday I was at my pal, Ethan Young-Lai’s (of the most incredibly awesome band Sleepy Driver) House. Ethan is a bit of a producing whiz and he is working on the new record by Mark Roberts, another great friend and fellow New Maryland-ite. I was lucky enough to be asked to put some harmony vocals on a couple tunes. The tunes sound great. A real mix of John Prine and John Hiatt. Look forward to that stuff coming out this year folks!
I’m going to enjoy a rare friday night off tonight and hit the movies! Tomorrow we rock the Thirsty Boot Lounge at Crabbe Mountain again. 3-7pm. Great fun is had here folks, even if you are not skiing. So get on out!!! Moday we will be performing at the Snooty Fox at 10.30pm. I think this is our last Fredericton performance for quite some time so come on down and have a pint with us ok?
Thats all for now, see ya soon
MB