BUZZHEAD REPUBLIC

Billy and Steve (Child Safe Government Approved version)

2015-02-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

Billy and Steve for the Black Swan

2015-02-10T11:52:00.001-07:00

Music DIY, The Long Road, and Shopping Record Labels

2013-12-20T00:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I last posted an update on the band so here's the short short version.

After the release of our latest EP, Black Swans of Chaos Theory, we have been submitting it to various music labels. Specifically, ones that are offering development contracts and seed money. The band is also continuing to learn some of my older songs as well as collaborating on some new ones. If all goes well, we will start playing live again soon! I'm greatly looking forward to it since it has been nearly two years since my last live performance. Boy, time flies when you're busy honing your craft! I spent the last six odd years learning about mixing and mastering, reading music, writing songs, and pretty much doing all that I can in a DIY manner. I even played in a church band for a couple of years to learn more about song composition, music theory, reading music and learning other styles of music that I hadn't yet learned, i.e. Jazz, Gospel, etc.

Now is the time for further development with help from outside, more experienced people. Hence the search for a good development contract. I'm ready to get out there and kick some butt again! I had a lot of fun touring for many years with my previous band, and even playing a few solo shows when I first started this Buzzhead Republic "band". But now this"band" is a BAND and it is time time time (can I say time enough times?) to get kickin' again! This next year will be one of our best years yet, and just the beginning of many more to come.

A last note. I want to send out a congratulations on a new album release to one of my former band mates. I don't want to mention names unless he okays it (we didn't go our separate ways on the greatest of terms). But he knows who he is, and if he happens to be reading this, Congrats man. I wish you all the best!

Oh, one more, a last, last note. I also went back to school but not for an art degree or anything related to music even. I'm studying Radiology. The idea is that even if I don't land a music contract, I will have the funds when I graduate to further my DIY music endeavors. One way or another the world WILL know who I am, and who Buzzhead Republic is! A contract would be the most ideal because the other way is the long road, but either way, it is only a matter of time!

God bless! Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year or whatever it is you like to do in this season. I don't care what as long as you're happy and blessed (can't we all just get along?).

THE CREATOR OF - YESTERDAY Morning drive in Tokyo:Thanks cat2525jp

2013-12-19T23:02:00.001-07:00

www.youtube.com/embed/q8nK_JKC56c
Good music. Reminds me of my driving video (the one I made for "Square Peg In A Round Hole").

2013-11-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

I got a nice review today of my new EP!

Post by Spread the word of good newer grunge bands.

Check out my new album Black Swans of Chaos Theory distributed by TuneCore and live on iTunes!

2013-11-06T04:57:00.001-07:00

Check out my new album Black Swans of Chaos Theory distributed by TuneCore and live on iTunes!

A Good Day

2013-01-07T02:27:00.000-07:00

I'm just sitting here with my bass guitar in my lap typing and listening to good tunes. Today was a great day for no particular reason other than it was. I don't want the day to end so I've stayed up late even though I'm only going to get a few hours of sleep before work. I think this is a good time to share some of the music I'm listening to right now. These are just some of the songs from my Rooster Rock compilations that I make from time to time. At some point I will dedicate several blog posts to those compilations, but for now enjoy these.

This Smashing Pumpkins song is not the one I have. I have the much rarer demo of this demo version that has decaying tape problems. I got it off of a CD that was made from the old demo tapes. I like my version because of the falling apart sound created by the decaying tape. Unfortunately, I can't find it online. This was the closest to how it sounds. This recording also has a guitar lead that is not in the version I have.

St. Vincent (Annie Clark)

2012-12-15T01:23:00.000-07:00

Her latest music is making me think of Cowboy Bebop. This is the easy listening music of the cyberpunk future dystopia.

Music Updates

2012-12-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have posted anything specifically about my music. Over this last year I have finally gotten down the production side of things (that is producing decent sounding songs in an apartment environment) but have had moderate success with my vocals. I was finally able to get better equipment that made my vocal recordings clear enough to hear what was wrong. Through trial, error, and reading advice from pros I have learned a lot about recording techniques that strengthen the diaphram and make my vocal clear. Things no longer sound muddy or drowned out by music. I'm still working on not holding back. Because I live in an apartment and do a lot of my recording at night, I am often self conscious of being too loud. However, to get past this, I just belted it out during the day today instead. After some takes and honest criticism from myself and friends it is clear that my vocals are better but they are just slightly flat, occasionally, really flat. Sometimes, I'm able to get things perfect, but not as much as I want. I've thought about auto-tuning but I really don't like the sound of it even if it's making slight adjustments. I've also thought that maybe over time practice will make my voice better. Practice definitely will help but I think I should get lessons to teach me where the notes are, so I can really feel it instead of just guessing. I say guessing because it is hard to find the right pitch when you're hearing it through your inner ear. Being taught that alone will make everything that much easier. I can't afford lessons, but I've been producing some songs for a singer, so I'll just ask for lessons from him in trade for my work.

I have a lot of new songs but I've been holding out on releasing them because I want to do things right and with more discipline from now on. I bought a drum-set so that has helped a lot in making my songs sound fuller. I'm still hoping to get a bass guitar soon because that's the other essential part of the backbone of a song. Again though, the biggest thing is my vocals. I really want to get them better and I'm sure I will. I just have to be patient with myself as I'm working on them. As one of my friends said, I'm great at expressing myself , just my delivery is a little off. It will all come together eventually.

Best of all, I am having more fun than ever!

-Rooster

Monday Night Grunge Fest (part 2)

2012-12-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

The next guy has unfortunate hair.

Still.

Monday Night Grunge Fest (part 1)

2012-12-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

This next one by Nirvana is a great example of how fun they were. Very little of Top Of The Pops was live, so they never pretended it was. Here they are screwing around and complete making fun of the illusion of "Rock Star". There are even cover and tributes of this version of Kurt's singing.

Music Videos for the Last Day of November

2012-11-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

In my last posting there was a cover of The Pixies' Where Is My Mind?, so I've decided to start today's set with the original.

While I'm at it, here's a live version of one of my favorites of theirs, Gigantic.

Okay, on with the set...

This one by Fluffy had a music video but it is hard to find. I have a copy of the video on a VHS tape. Eventually, I'll upload it.

Music Videos for the First Saturday After Thanksgiving

2012-11-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Some Videos For Saturday Night

2012-11-17T23:31:00.000-07:00

I just found out that Chevelle covered the previous song:

Sabrina [1954]

2012-10-13T03:08:00.000-06:00

Some YTMND's

2012-10-11T10:34:00.000-06:00

Going To the Store

United States of Reducto

Woah! You're In A Wheelchair

Skit Skat Kat

Goldblum Retriever

The Baxter [2005]

2012-09-30T21:48:00.003-06:00

A movie about guys like me. I never was a "Baxter" ...until one day I woke up and realized that I had become one. At some point it happens. I definitely relate to the "Baxter" in this movie, Elliot Sherman; and I can definitely see myself falling in love with someone like Cecil Mills. I highly recommend this movie to single 30 somethings.

...For guys like us, there is hope.

Matthew Dean Shaffer #15

2012-09-29T17:36:00.000-06:00

Remarkable!
...It was the neighbors basement.
Once again I could use their VHS without them knowing.

Alice In Chains - Facelift [1990]

2012-09-27T10:37:00.000-06:00

Obi-Wan Escapes with the Waffles

2012-09-27T09:43:00.003-06:00

Obi-Wan Escapes with the Waffles

Aimee Mann - I'm With Stupid

2012-09-26T06:35:00.000-06:00

Videos from the I'm With Stupid album circa 1995:

...I should note that the first video is one of the reasons why I'm in love with the 90s woman. I was 16 in 1995 and I guess women like Aimee shaped my ideas of beauty.

The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen

2012-09-26T06:07:00.001-06:00

Videos from the Gentlemen album circa 1993:

Is It What You Hoped For?

2012-09-26T05:57:00.000-06:00

Grunge Is the Soundtrack of Fall

2012-09-25T05:42:00.000-06:00

It's worth noting that most of these songs came out in the 1991-92 season. The feeling of Fall was definitely a common theme in this period.

Dead Poets

2012-09-20T22:14:00.000-06:00