While I am working on new songs for a potential 2020 release, I decided to take a trip back in time (with my Kia Soul, not a DeLorean) and revisit some earlier songs that haven't seen sunlight in a while. I am all about moving forward but today the mood struck that some songs deserve a second life. So here you go...
First thing I had to do was remaster the songs as technology back in the early 2000s was not what we have today. Some of the tracks definitely sounded a bit flat so I found a website to remaster things. It was definitely a bit tough, couldn't get around certain fidelity issues but these tracks sound a bit more lively now. There will be some inconsistencies but I don't think they will deter you from enjoying the music. I called this project REFURBISHED because that's what I did, right? I spruced up existing music, gave it a new coat of paint (or at least used a Sharpie), and figured you all wanted to hear what I sounded like back in the day.
The first three tracks are from the rare demo "The Pink Album" (was never an official release). This was the demo that made the guys at Ibanez say "We have to give you a deal!" I did this demo with the intention of saying "I had fun trying to make it in music, so here's something so weird, you won't like it." But darn it, Ibanez liked it!! Listening back to these songs, I am jealous of how ambitious I was with the music. Definitely not dinner music, that's for sure.
"I Play Guitar" and "Strange Weather" are both from my debut cd TWISTED METAL which came out in 2003. I recently did "Guitar" live and it still held up great. Next up is a heavy ditty called "Schizotherapy" from the 2004 cd ALL WIRED UP. I was definitely going for a Meshuggah vibe on that one. Strangely enough, right before I released this song, a band called Slipknot released a song of theirs called "Duality". I thought "GREAT...now people will think I ripped off Slipknot!" I was trying to sound like something off Meshuggah's CHAOSPHERE album. That's my story and am sticking to it!
"Burn The Sky" is from the 2005 cd JUPITER RETURN. This is the only song that I perform live still from this album. Another track from the same album "Whatisthis" is on here too but it's a LIVE version!! I don't have many live cuts if you can believe it, but this was from a show I did back on November 3, 2007 at a now-defunct club called Axis Lounge (Carlstadt, NJ). This is definitely heavier (and faster!) than the studio version, that's for sure. And yes the crowd is sparse...Van Halen were playing the same night at the now-defunct Izod Arena. I guess Van Halen are a little more popular than myself...
Last cut is a live version of the title track to TWISTED METAL but..wait a minute!! This is from THE VERY FIRST LIVE SHOW that I ever performed as Steve Bello! The date was October 15, 2004 at A's in Bergenfield, NJ (another club that's gone...what's going on here?) and I am surprised at how HEAVY this version sounds, given the time frame. I can go on and on about everything that happened that night but I will spare the details. Safe to say that this is (maybe) a piece of history right here. Was interesting hearing how green I was, even though I thought I was SO with it. Ah youth...
And there you have it. A little retrospective, something to surprise you (and/or make you laugh), while I prep for new music. Now I can forge ahead...
Time for pizza!
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