Post by brandi on Sept 24, 2007 5:16:04 GMT -8
Hi ya'll, long time no see . . . as usual, . . . sorry, . . . one day we'll find a manager, I hope. (*sigh*)
We've been looking long and hard over the last few months, and thought we had one, but alas, nothing. . .It's quite difficult really, trying to manage the band, and the tours, and play in the band, and make an album, and mix the live one, and rehearse, and so on, and so on . . . Please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to complain, I wouldn't trade a single day of it, it's all part of life's rich tapestry! However, after 5 years of keeping up this tempo I am begin to feel a wee bit knackered. Still fine and dandy, just a bit tired of spending ¾ of my day on the telephone, and quite ready to spend more time actually playing . . . not to mention talking to ulot a bit more !!! . . . (I guess if anyone has any suggestions feel free to send me a message, that is, if you know anyone crazy enough to take on a job that has a lot of work, for not a lot of pay . . . though you would get to travel ‘round the world, I guess that’s a plus, but I have a feeling I’m probably the only one silly enough to do it (glutton for punishment I guess).
Anyway, enough about all that. I figured since we’ve actually got two seconds to ourselves, I’d pop in and let you know where our heads are at these days. I hear a lot of worry from people, “What are they going to do ?”, “Are they going to stay together?”, “What’s the deal with Joie?”, “Who is this other bass player?” . . . so I figure I should probably answer a few of these questions. . . here’ goes:
Question 1). Will they stay together/ why not start a new band, or change the name, ect. . .
Back when the line up changes first started happening we asked ourselves this question, and the answer we came up with is: This music is Ed’s music. Yes, various people have come and gone over the years, and contributed bits to the writing process (not necessarily, out of need for writing assistance, but mostly because, some tracks are fun to write by yourself, but a lot are wicked fun to write with other people.) We thought about starting a new band, and still playing the old music, but then we figured what’s the point in that, we’ve just finally built up a loyal fan base, and then no one would know who we are all over again. Also, (much to fear of most of you) Ed & I did entertain the idea of just throwing in the towel on all the efforts and energies it takes to keep a band & crew happy and paid, and just hopping on the band wagon, with Steve & Miquette, and Merv & Joie, and taking the nice easy road of having a new two piece ensemble under a different name. (Which in the end we decided to as well, but not instead.) . . . So in the end, we came to the conclusion that 25 years worth of blood, sweat, & tears, and all that beautiful music was just too much to say goodbye to. I don’t know about you but, as a fan before, I wouldn’t care so much who was in the band, I would still go see Ozrics and personally enjoy the music much more than pretty much any band I can think of. Ed’s music has a style of its own, and for me, there’s nothing else like it, and nothing else we’d like to be doing. I don’t think there has ever been a band that has gone 25 years without lineup changes, especially one that works as constantly as Ozrics. So, as long as Ed & I can still play our instruments, we will continue to live, eat, sleep, and breath this band.
Question 2). What’s with Joie? . . . Joie is, and will always remain to be one of the most beautiful people I have ever met in my life. He’s selfless, honest, caring, helpful, and so sincere, we love him to bits. We have and will always continue to look to him as a role model on how to treat people. Unfortunately Joie is so sweet, helpful, and caring that he can’t say “no” to anyone . . . and in the end he finds himself stretched so thin that he couldn’t accomplish in three weeks what he’s meant to do in a single day. I know the feeling myself, but I don’t have a 3 year old & a 10 year old to look after, and I’m only in 1 band, not 20. Having the children, trying to juggle two different worlds, plus all the other bands, and working on top of it, makes going away for three weeks at a time impossible for Joie these days. (more or less trying to learn all the tracks Ed has written since he and Merv first left the band !) Joie is always more than welcome to come play whenever it fits in with his schedule, and we are SO happy that we at least got to record this DVD with him, it’s an honour and a privilege to have him appearing on it.
Question 3). Who is this new bass player ? . . . Well, first off his name is Vinny, (he puts on the Eastern Haze Festival) and he’s not so much a new bass player, as he is an old bass player. (Sorry Vinny), I don’t mean old like age-wise, I mean old as in he was the first bass player to take over after Roly went into the hospital. At the time, after much deliberation, Zia actually won the role of Ozrics permanent bassist over Vinny, which was rightfully so as Vinny hadn’t been playing for long at the time. . . However, fast-forward 17 years, and Vinny has been playing everyday since, (even when he’s planning a festival, he still played 3 sets there!) . . . and it turns out he’s gotten pretty ***k*** good ! Not to mention, he’s also one of the loveliest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, (perhaps a bit rough around the edges, but lovely none the less . . . as some of you may know, I’m a bass player, that’s my principal, comfortable place. I first got into music synthesis 12 years ago, when I got to Berklee College of Music. I was accepted as a bass player, and on my first day there, I walked into the synth labs, and decided never to leave. I got myself a Peavy Cyberbass, (midi bass) and I don’t think I saw the light of day of the next 4 years. Now, fast-forward 8 years, I finally find myself playing bass in my favourite band in the world, the one thing I’ve said would be my dream come true since I was 12 years old. Suddenly, this bassist walks into our life who is ***t hot, knows all the tracks, always does the right thing in a jam, is eager to help, bubbling over with enthusiasm. . . . and he makes us feel like we’re kids in a new band all over again. So as you can see, it was a hard one for me, but I now pass over my deeply cherished crown of Ozrics bass player, to Vincent Shillito a wonderful bass player, and a wonderful person. Also, my age old dilemma of “Am I a bassist or am I a synthesist?” is finally answered for me, and it’s obvious to me now that I’ve been programming and sampling, writing and recording keyboard parts for Ozrics for five years now, and it’s actually getting to be a bit too much for another keyboardist to try and follow, we spent 6 months trying to teach another keyboard player how to play Jurassic Shift and in the end they still couldn’t get it. (Not to mention they told us that it wasn’t their fault, it was that we wrote it wrong ! =) I guess what I’m saying is I think I have about 25 sounds to use in Jurassic alone, and the only person who knows where they are, is myself. The keyboard parts in this band could be considered fairly random to most keyboardists, unless you know the music inside out, and with Joie unable to tour, I now see where my future lies. . . and I promise to make them as mental, spacey, and ridiculous as possible !!! . . . on that note, I’d better go, I have some kotos, and gargling mutants to get into my sampler before wednesday !
I hope and trust you will all give a warm welcome to Vinny, he’s been a like a blessing to us so far, and we’re already starting to wonder what we would ever do without him.
Thanks to you all for all the support over the last 25 years, and here’s to the next 25 !!! (Eh?!?)
Love & Light ! x x ~ brandi
We've been looking long and hard over the last few months, and thought we had one, but alas, nothing. . .It's quite difficult really, trying to manage the band, and the tours, and play in the band, and make an album, and mix the live one, and rehearse, and so on, and so on . . . Please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to complain, I wouldn't trade a single day of it, it's all part of life's rich tapestry! However, after 5 years of keeping up this tempo I am begin to feel a wee bit knackered. Still fine and dandy, just a bit tired of spending ¾ of my day on the telephone, and quite ready to spend more time actually playing . . . not to mention talking to ulot a bit more !!! . . . (I guess if anyone has any suggestions feel free to send me a message, that is, if you know anyone crazy enough to take on a job that has a lot of work, for not a lot of pay . . . though you would get to travel ‘round the world, I guess that’s a plus, but I have a feeling I’m probably the only one silly enough to do it (glutton for punishment I guess).
Anyway, enough about all that. I figured since we’ve actually got two seconds to ourselves, I’d pop in and let you know where our heads are at these days. I hear a lot of worry from people, “What are they going to do ?”, “Are they going to stay together?”, “What’s the deal with Joie?”, “Who is this other bass player?” . . . so I figure I should probably answer a few of these questions. . . here’ goes:
Question 1). Will they stay together/ why not start a new band, or change the name, ect. . .
Back when the line up changes first started happening we asked ourselves this question, and the answer we came up with is: This music is Ed’s music. Yes, various people have come and gone over the years, and contributed bits to the writing process (not necessarily, out of need for writing assistance, but mostly because, some tracks are fun to write by yourself, but a lot are wicked fun to write with other people.) We thought about starting a new band, and still playing the old music, but then we figured what’s the point in that, we’ve just finally built up a loyal fan base, and then no one would know who we are all over again. Also, (much to fear of most of you) Ed & I did entertain the idea of just throwing in the towel on all the efforts and energies it takes to keep a band & crew happy and paid, and just hopping on the band wagon, with Steve & Miquette, and Merv & Joie, and taking the nice easy road of having a new two piece ensemble under a different name. (Which in the end we decided to as well, but not instead.) . . . So in the end, we came to the conclusion that 25 years worth of blood, sweat, & tears, and all that beautiful music was just too much to say goodbye to. I don’t know about you but, as a fan before, I wouldn’t care so much who was in the band, I would still go see Ozrics and personally enjoy the music much more than pretty much any band I can think of. Ed’s music has a style of its own, and for me, there’s nothing else like it, and nothing else we’d like to be doing. I don’t think there has ever been a band that has gone 25 years without lineup changes, especially one that works as constantly as Ozrics. So, as long as Ed & I can still play our instruments, we will continue to live, eat, sleep, and breath this band.
Question 2). What’s with Joie? . . . Joie is, and will always remain to be one of the most beautiful people I have ever met in my life. He’s selfless, honest, caring, helpful, and so sincere, we love him to bits. We have and will always continue to look to him as a role model on how to treat people. Unfortunately Joie is so sweet, helpful, and caring that he can’t say “no” to anyone . . . and in the end he finds himself stretched so thin that he couldn’t accomplish in three weeks what he’s meant to do in a single day. I know the feeling myself, but I don’t have a 3 year old & a 10 year old to look after, and I’m only in 1 band, not 20. Having the children, trying to juggle two different worlds, plus all the other bands, and working on top of it, makes going away for three weeks at a time impossible for Joie these days. (more or less trying to learn all the tracks Ed has written since he and Merv first left the band !) Joie is always more than welcome to come play whenever it fits in with his schedule, and we are SO happy that we at least got to record this DVD with him, it’s an honour and a privilege to have him appearing on it.
Question 3). Who is this new bass player ? . . . Well, first off his name is Vinny, (he puts on the Eastern Haze Festival) and he’s not so much a new bass player, as he is an old bass player. (Sorry Vinny), I don’t mean old like age-wise, I mean old as in he was the first bass player to take over after Roly went into the hospital. At the time, after much deliberation, Zia actually won the role of Ozrics permanent bassist over Vinny, which was rightfully so as Vinny hadn’t been playing for long at the time. . . However, fast-forward 17 years, and Vinny has been playing everyday since, (even when he’s planning a festival, he still played 3 sets there!) . . . and it turns out he’s gotten pretty ***k*** good ! Not to mention, he’s also one of the loveliest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, (perhaps a bit rough around the edges, but lovely none the less . . . as some of you may know, I’m a bass player, that’s my principal, comfortable place. I first got into music synthesis 12 years ago, when I got to Berklee College of Music. I was accepted as a bass player, and on my first day there, I walked into the synth labs, and decided never to leave. I got myself a Peavy Cyberbass, (midi bass) and I don’t think I saw the light of day of the next 4 years. Now, fast-forward 8 years, I finally find myself playing bass in my favourite band in the world, the one thing I’ve said would be my dream come true since I was 12 years old. Suddenly, this bassist walks into our life who is ***t hot, knows all the tracks, always does the right thing in a jam, is eager to help, bubbling over with enthusiasm. . . . and he makes us feel like we’re kids in a new band all over again. So as you can see, it was a hard one for me, but I now pass over my deeply cherished crown of Ozrics bass player, to Vincent Shillito a wonderful bass player, and a wonderful person. Also, my age old dilemma of “Am I a bassist or am I a synthesist?” is finally answered for me, and it’s obvious to me now that I’ve been programming and sampling, writing and recording keyboard parts for Ozrics for five years now, and it’s actually getting to be a bit too much for another keyboardist to try and follow, we spent 6 months trying to teach another keyboard player how to play Jurassic Shift and in the end they still couldn’t get it. (Not to mention they told us that it wasn’t their fault, it was that we wrote it wrong ! =) I guess what I’m saying is I think I have about 25 sounds to use in Jurassic alone, and the only person who knows where they are, is myself. The keyboard parts in this band could be considered fairly random to most keyboardists, unless you know the music inside out, and with Joie unable to tour, I now see where my future lies. . . and I promise to make them as mental, spacey, and ridiculous as possible !!! . . . on that note, I’d better go, I have some kotos, and gargling mutants to get into my sampler before wednesday !
I hope and trust you will all give a warm welcome to Vinny, he’s been a like a blessing to us so far, and we’re already starting to wonder what we would ever do without him.
Thanks to you all for all the support over the last 25 years, and here’s to the next 25 !!! (Eh?!?)
Love & Light ! x x ~ brandi