Motherhood and Metal

I use the word Metal lightly. I picture air quotes every time I use it in reference to our music.

This is my mental image of "Metal"

We walk a fine line of being too hard and being not hard enough depending on the company.
We often get stereotyped as only liking metal even by our close friends.
Just because we play hard music though, doesn't mean that's all we listen to or like.
Brian and I have pretty eclectic tastes in music. We are able to share new music with each other on the regular.

Music has been an essential part of our lives. We met on our way to a Crystal Method concert. Our first conversations were of bands we liked and cd's we wanted to swap. Then after being together for only five months we ended up in a band together and now our second band is celebrating it's tenth year.

Our son is growing up in a much more musical household than we did. He sings more than he talks. He hears us singing certain songs and will get them stuck in his head all day.

I ran across this awesome interview with Brody Dalle about her view on motherhood and it speaks volumes very similar to my own.

From the same site I found this article called Music Of Motherhood.

One of my favorite lines
"Facing the motherhood music means looking at ourselves honestly and openly, and embracing, exploring, and navigating the wide-range of motherhood experiences life casts our way."

My soundtrack is much different from my mother's. I've recently been able to see the lessons and the strengths she taught me that for so long I didn't give her credit for.

Each of us has a different soundtrack defining us but it's in our similarities and sharing of experiences that joins us.

How has being a parent changed you?

School of Hard Rocks: The weirdest road trip

Being a band that can play an out-of-town show successfully is a hard task. Especially when the town you're playing is Hollywood. We had played the Whisky A Go Go back in 2004 and had an amazing experience.
We played in Anaheim in 2009 and had a great experience as well. In 2010 we played in Sacramento which was our best out of town show ever.

In the last nine years things seem to have changed a lot on the Sunset strip.
We had a weird but fun experience last weekend playing at The Roxy in Hollywood. The travel and hanging out with our band mates and friends who joined us was the best. We had a great time riding in a van together and chatting.

When we got to Hollywood the atmosphere was so different. The people at our hotel were rude, the waitress at the Rainbow Bar was super rude, and the crowd at the Roxy was mixed. They had booked us on a show with a bunch of bands who were way younger and radio pop. We're hard rock/metal and their crowd, I'm sure was scared of us.

What's funny though, we're not hard metal wearing corpse paint and leather spikes, but we're hard enough to scare some twelve year old Paramore fans.

We played, we drank, we went back to the hotel.

On our way home the van time was cool. Although we were totally grossed out by a lady in her twenties driving next to us who was picking her nose AND ATE HER BOOGERS. Two of them. After she looked at them.

Overall the experience was a learning one. We have been playing some pretty great shows here at home and the last few have been phenomenal sometimes it takes a road-trip to clear your senses and appreciate the scene at home.

After months of planning, booking, promoting and four hours traveling it's over now and we can say we played the Roxy.

We're gonna focus on new songs, better shows, and a music video now.

June in the Desert

I knew while we soaked up the cold gray May of the Pacific Northwest that our home in the desert would soon be scorching hot and as soon as that plane landed we were hit by the wave of dry heat.
This is what June brings in Vegas;

• Facebook posts of car thermostats that break 120 degrees.
• Hot leather car seats that burn legs wearing shorts or dresses.
• Lots of iced coffees, popsicles and smoothies.
• Late afternoons and weekends in the pool.
• Really awesome shows to play and to see.

We have a busy June planned. We play tomorrow night at the Las Vegas Country Saloon with Fear Factory and next Friday we take a day trip to play the Roxy in Hollywood.  If you're in Southern California and want to see us click here for $12 tickets.  Make sure you say you're coming to see .bipolar.

We're working hard to promote the show and get the word out which sometimes feels like a full time job. 

There's a great bunch of shows coming to town this Summer. 

Some free shows on Fremont street and shows at my favorite venue the Cosmo pool. 

We will be travelling a bit this Summer too. Getting away from the heat sometimes is the best way of dealing with it. 

I hope everyone has great Summer plans.