March
22nd, 2008
Lord
have mercy, I haven't updated this site in almost 5 months.
Main reason being, MYSPACE is easier to update and streamline.
So down the road, until this site undergoes a complete overhaul
I will be using the B.Dean
Bassist MySpace page as my main site. If anyone reading
this know's a dope yet reasonably priced web designer, holler
at me.
Until
then here are some of the highlights of what's been poppin'
the last 5 months.
First
of all, as a result of the jaunt to NYC for the CMJ music
festival, I inked a sponsorship deal with
Spector Basses, one of the leading bass manufacturers
in the world. (If you click the link and scroll down a bit
you'll see my mug on the artist roster. It's still a bit
surreal to me.) Spector happens to be home to my favorite
bassist, Mr.
Doug Wimbish. Some of my other favorites such as Rex
Brown (Pantera, Down) and Robbie Merril from Godsmack are
also endorsed by Spector. I am overjoyed and honored to
be affiliated with them.
I
also inked an endorsement deal with an upcoming local string
manufacturer - SFarzo
Strings I'm stoked about this because it helps out some
cool local folks who make a good product and I can stop
breaking the bank buying strings!
As
far as gigging goes, I was lucky enough to do a 3 week European
tour with the incomparable Kofy
Brown. It was such a blast and I can't wait to do it
again. All of the cities were fun but the highlights for
me were Zurich, Amsterdam and particularly Vienna. Vienna
is sooooo enchanting - I almost stayed there. We got to
perform in a fabulous museum, The Leopold, which is located
in Viennas famous Museum Quartier. The crowd was incredibly
vibrant and we did two encores, largely in part to the fact
that the fans PHYSICALLY wouldn't let us off stage, in their
exuberance they actually blocked us from leaving the stage.
It was an awesome experience! We've also been hard at work
laying tracks for the next record SOUL ROCK that should
hit the streets sometime this summer.
A
couple of weeks ago I travelled to Miami with Bay Area folklorist/singer
songwriter AMY
TOBIN . After two years off the grid, we dusted off
our charts and theatrical chops to bring the Purim favorite
"The Esther Show" back to life. As usual, it was
an unorthodox, challenging and successful.
Now
for the happenings with my main group, A
BAND CALLED PAIN . At the moment we're gearing up for
next weekends, San
Diego Indie Music Fest. It should be quite a trip. 70
bands on 7 stages, plus a mini film festival, dance troupes
and lots of other candy for the spirit and soul. In about
a months time on April 18th we'll be part of a local show
at The Rock it Room in S.F. that's going to stellar. It's
honestly, one of the best local bills I've seen in a while.
Also on the bill are:
BLAXMYTH,
a 2007 Bodog Battle of the Bands finalist who was also voted
L.A's best hardcore band of 2007 by the Rock City News.
RE:IGNITION,
a well known Bay Area powerhouse that features former members
of Skinlab.
HELLICIOUS
- an energetic, hard rocking new band on the scene gets
it all started.
Also
on the horizon for summer is a gig at the AFRO PUNK FESTIVAL
in Brooklyn come July. Other possiblities are the Vancouver
Music Festival as well as a show at the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame in Cleveland,OH.
Now
to address what's crackin in the studio. As I've mentioned
a few times in previous transmissions, we've been hard at
work, tracking for our upcoming album Beautiful Gun. We
have 22 tracks done and ready to be mixed. Of course, all
of them won't make the cut, but the fact that we have that
many quality tunes to choose from bodes well for the cd.
The anticipation is building and we're quite psyched to
get the record out to the masses.
A.B.C.P.
has also gotten some good press the last few months. We
got a huge write up in of all things, BLACK
TAIL MAGAZINE. I won't be sending that one home to Mom,
but what can I say, Sex and rock and roll have and will
be joined at the hip forever. We also got a short but very
sweet write up in the new music section of METAL
HAMMER MAGAZINE, of of the biggest periodicals dedicated
to heavy music in the world. That one I will be sending
home to Mom!
There
you go folks, those are the major happenings in the life
of one, B.Dean Bassist. As I said, I'm looking to overhaul
this site and won't be referencing it as much until that
occurs, but still feel free to look around.
One
Love........Dark Kent
October
25th, 2007
Still
buzzing from our X Fest gig, last week we hit New York City
to perform at the world famous CMJ Music Conference. Although
it was a club gig and we didn't perform for another 13,000
folks, there was no let down to be had, we still had a blast,rocked
the hell out of Ace of Clubs, a cool little spot in the
East Village, and let our spirit infect all in attendance.
Catchin' a vibe in New York was great and inspiring and
we'll most definitely be back to take another bite out of
the Big Apple. Slowly but surely, we'll make the fast paced
New Yorkers remove their blinders and show them how the
left coast rocks. It is inevitable!
October
10th, 2007
Wow! Right now we're riding a serious buzz that we hope
never leaves. On Oct. 6th at X Fest in Indianapolis we played
to our biggest crowd thus far - 13,000 plus people! The
crowd's reception was absoulutely amazing. Multiple mosh
pits, crazed crowd surfing, women flashing the band and
festive autograph signing. I've said it before and I'll
say it again - Rock and Roll Rules!! The fans gave us an
unprecedented measure of love and we want to thank everyone
in the Indy area for that. We will definitely be back as
soon as possible. It was also a watershed moment for us
because as the only unsigned band on the bill, we rose up
and proved to some of the big boys that we feel right at
home rocking a big stage. You can check out some photos
via this link http://www.musicpix.net/gallery/Pain
Until I get them posted on my site(an entire website revamp
is in the works) you can check out more shots at the ABCP
MySpace page.
September
10th,2007
Had
a festive gig at the Rock it Room in San Francisco over
the weekend and we shared the bill with the always cool
Rubber
Side Down and one of the craziest bands I've seen in
a long while - WESLESTER
These cats are absolutely amazing musicians. Cool songs,
crazy chops, confidence and showmanship. Bad asses for real.
Check em out when you can.
The
rest of this month we're dedicating to preparation for our
huge upcoming gig on Oct. 6th @
XFest 2007 in Indianapolis. Smashing Pumpkins, The Bravery,
Fuel, Alter Bridge and more. This will be a monumental gig
for us. Our gig @ the CMJ
music conference on Oct. 18th will also be a big one
for us. Looks like in October it will be time to ride! I'll
see you on the flip.
August
28th, 2007
Damn,
its been 2 months since I've written! The grind is all-consuming
at times I suppose.
Since
my last transmission, my comrades and I in A
BAND CALLED PAIN had our cd release party at SLIMS and
it was quite a night. We had a great turnout and the support
bands, FLEXXBRONCO
and
TURN ME ON DEAD MAN were stellar as well. We rode the
emotionally charged wave of the that show all the way to
the stage of the Red Devil Lounge where we, along with the
rip-roaring DOLORATA
and SISTAS
IN THE PIT transformed that small club into a fierce
and fast flowing fireball of rock excess. We had an absolute
blast! Just to give you a heads up about the SISTAS,
they are the first all black, female rock and roll band
that I've ever heard of and it's about time. They also toured
with IGGY POP AND THE STOOGES earlier in the year so you
know that they've got it crackin'. I've had the honor of
performing in the lead singer of the SISTAS, Kofy Brown's
soul band for the last few years and I can tell you first
hand how much of a joy it is to work and perform with her.
Speaking of, we recently finished mixing 3 tunes for an
upcoming album entitled SOUL ROCK. You can check out one
of the tracks, "My Own Time" at Kofy's
Myspace Page
The
big news of the last few week is that A
BAND CALLED PAIN has been invited to perform at X-FEST
2007 in Indianapolis on October 6th. Also on the bill
are THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, THE BRAVERY,FUEL,ALTER BRIDGE,
HURT, SICK PUPPIES, ANOTHER ANIMAL (Godsmack minus Sully
Erna), and BLACK LIGHT BURNS (Wes Borland from Limp Bizkit's
new band). Needless to say, this is a big festival and will
more than likely be the biggest crowd we've played for.
The venue holds 18,000 and when we hit the stage 3rd the
place won't be near capacity but a few thousand at least
will be there......HELL TO THE YEAH!
A
couple of weeks following X-Fest we have another high profile
event as we travel to New York City to perfom at the world
famous CMJ
Music Conference on October 18th. We'll be gigging in
NYC that Friday and Saturday as well but the details are
TBD. Once again, can I get a HELL TO THE YEAH!
Oh
yes, amidst all the excitement, I forgot that we have an
upcoming gig on Sept. 8th at the Rock it Room in San Fran.
Peep the schedule for details.
That's
what's up. Holler when you hear me.
DARK
KENT
June
26th, 2007
The
A.B.C.P.
show @ The Whisky A GO GO was off the chain. We had a great
turnout and the performance followed suit. It was the most
fun I've had playing in L.A. in years. After the show we
did a photo shoot for Chopperhead
Magazine. The only photo I've seen from the shoot looks
way dope so if the others can compete, it's all good. We're
supposedly going to be on the cover, but we'll see.
We're
now poised to parlay the momentum from that show to the
real biggie....Our Broken Dreams cd release party on July
14th @ SLIMS.
Broken Dreams goes national on July 10th and SLIMS is the
perfect venue in S.F. to get the ball rollin'. The fabulous
FLEXXBRONCO
and TURN
ME ON DEAD MAN are also on the bill. Come on out and
throw up your horns for local music at it's best.
That's
what up and I'll see you @ SLIMS.
DARK
KENT
June
10th, 2007
What's
the happs humans?.....As for me, the boys in A.B.C.P.
and I are gearing up for our show this weekend at the world
famous Whisky
A Go-Go in Hollywood. Friday night, June 15th we'll
be there for the second time lighting a fire to thangs.
The energy ripple of L.A. is always fun to experience.....for
a few days.
As
previously mentioned, BROKEN DREAMS is being relesed nationally
by Universal on July 10th and we're psyched for that. The
ad campaign has gotten us some decent radio play nationwide
on indie, college and mainstream radio. Needless to say,
we hope this trend continues. Another tidbit which should
help our push towards the summitt is an article written
about us on the MTV 2 Headbangers Ball website. You can
peep the article here. HEADBANGAZ
FOR LYFE
Speaking
of websites, last week we launched the new www.abandcalledpain.com!
Check it out or be destroyed!!!! Just kidding, I really
love you all very much.
That's
all for now, gotta go, and I hope to see you sooner than
later.
DARK
KENT
May
7th, 2007
Last
month was a fun and very productive month indeed. A
BAND CALLED PAIN played a couple of gigs at joints we
hadn't been for a long time. The first at The Kings Inn
in Fremont,CA and the second at The Bourbon Street Bar and
Grill in Concord,CA. The reason we hadn' t been to either
club in a while was due to crappy club management and sound
systems. Both clubs went through overhauls in both areas
so we gave them another shot. Although skeptical, we actually
had fun at both venues.
Our
most important local gig in sometime went down at SLIMS
on April 27th.
SLIMS is one of the premier venues in San Francisco
so we were really looking forward to getting in there and
putting on a good show......which is exactly what we did.
The draw was good an we played one of our best sets ever.
It was fiery and professional and the crowd's response reflected
just that. We would really like to thank fellow bands on
the bill, NUMIC
and STAGNANT
for putting in such hard work to make it such a great
night.
This
month A BAND CALLED PAIN only has one gig. We're part of
a 10 band metal festival called SLAMFEST
that's happening on May 19th in Santa Rosa, Ca. Gigging
in the afternoon, outside is always fun.
Studio
wise, we've finished all of the tracking for the first batch
of 13 tunes for our second album. Now we're going to crank
it up and write more tracks to round out what we have to
choose from. Right now, we have a lot of mid-tempo rock
tracks, a couple of ballads and a couple of thrash tunes.
This next writing session is geared towards the fast heavy
stuff, cuz afterall we are A Band Called PAIN!!!!!
STAY
TUNED.....BROKEN DREAMS NATIONAL RE-RELEASE DATE IS SET
FOR JULY 10TH!!!!!
Til
soon................................................Dark
Kent
April
12th, 2007
Let's
see, what's been happening since SXSW. Not much really.
I'm back to the grind, doing more tracking with A
BAND CALLED PAIN for the forthcoming "Beautiful
Gun" record. Wait a minute, there is one bit of big
news. Our first album "Broken Dreams" was picked
up for distribution through Hiero Imperium, a subsidiary
of Universal Records. This distribution deal, plus the video
should really help increase the visibility of the band and
help get the ABCP machine up and running at full speed.
In
the live realm, we'll be all over the Bay Area in the next
month with a couple of shows in San Francisco, a couple
in Concord and one in Petaluma. Should be a lot of fun.
The main gig we're promoting is the Friday, April 27th show
@ SLIMS
in S.F. This is one of the premier venues in S.F. so we're
hoping to pack it and excuse my French, "Turn the Mother
Fucker out!!", and give notice to other top tier clubs
in the city that ABCP is ready for prime time.
Oh
yes, the ABCP website is undergoing a serious overhaul and
should be launching very soon. Within a couple of weeks
I'd imagine.
That's
what's up.......holler at 'cha boy!!
Dark
Kent
March
20th, 2007
Got
home a couple of days ago from performing @ SXSW in Austin,TX
last weekend and I must say that it was a great experience.
A sleepless fun filled weekend for sure. Our label,TALKING
HOUSE PRODUCTIONS threw a wonderful shindig which showcased
21 of the Bay Area's best bands...Kudos to them. The party
was fun and our set was cool despite a slightly funky (and
not in a good way) live mix. Then again, the soundcrew had
to deal with 21 bands and a delicate time frame so perfection
wasn't to be expected. As advertised SXSW was a crazy and
epic music industry event - all music, all the time for
4 days. Lots of great bands, hustlers, hangers on, prodigys
and producers at every turn. Any musician has got to make
their way to this event before they kiss the grave.
What
else has been poppin'?...I did a gig with the incredible
KOFY BROWN @ Brunos a couple of weeks ago which was
a lot of fun. Performing with dynamic front people is a
joy and Kofy is that times 10.
No
gigs scheduled for a few weeks, but in the meantime A BAND
CALLED PAIN will continue moving forward with the recording
of our new album. Working title "Beautiful Gun"
due out sometime this summer I'd imagine. Oh yes, I almost
forgot. We received the final edit of the music video to
the tune "The Pieces" and it looks fantastic!
Shot on 16mm by a wonderful crew - it looks as cool as anything
you'll see on MTV. The video as well as our 3 tune promo
release will be available at our next show which is tentatively
scheduled for April 13th. On a similar tip....a new
photos array is on the ABCP website so peep it.
That's
all for now my friends. Til we chat again.....stay fly.
..................................DARK
KENT..............................S
Feb.
11th, 2007
Once
again, too much time has elapsed since I've updated the
news portion of the B.Dean musical circus. Speaking of updates,
new photos will be here soon. Let's see, what's been up
the last couple of months?....The big news is that
A BAND CALLED PAIN will be perfoming @ arguably the
biggest music festival in the United States, SXSW
in Austin, TX. The festival runs from March 14-18 and our
showcase is on March 16th. We're going down in conjunction
with a party our label, TALKING
HOUSE PRODUCTIONS along with Anchor Steam beer and Peet's
Coffee is throwing. The party will consist of 22 San Francisco
bands bringing the best the city has to offer to Texas.
The event has cleverly been dubbed SFXSXSW.
Peep the link for the lineup.
A
large part of gearing up for SXSW has been getting our 3
song demo recorded, mixed and mastered to present to the
industry big wigs. The music sounds boombastic, ultra-professional
and most importantly, kicks complete ass. The full album,
due out in late April or early May will be crushing. Who
knows, with a little luck, our lives could change for the
better very quickly.
That's
about all that's crackin' at the moment. Until the next
time we speak - keep it light and keep it loving.
B.Dean
a.k.a Dark Kent
December
1st, 2006
Happy
Holidays friends and freaks alike. Let's see, what has happened
since I last spoke with you....I'll start with the October
6th shindig @ the world famous Wafield theatre in San Francisco.
The production company the boys in A
BAND CALLED PAIN and I recently signed with- TALKING
HOUSE PRODUCTIONS had an industry coming out party of
sorts and it was off the chain! Performing on that stage
was quite a rush, but that was only one part of it. We got
to share the stage, not only with our label mates, but also
with some musical heavyweights - Robert Trujillo and Lars
Ulrich from Metallica - Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum
from Guns and Roses - Scott Weiland from STP/Velvet Revolver
- Mark McGrath from Sugar Ray - Chester Bennington from
Linkin Park and Joe Satriani to name several. 2 instrumentalists
that also performed that I was honored to meet and chat
with were one, Kai Eckhardt - undoubtedly one of the best
bassists in the world. And two, the legendary Dr. Fink,
now former, but longtime Prince keyboardist.
What
a night indeed. For more details and pictures of the evening,
peep this link TALKING
HOUSE ROCKS!!
What
else....our second album is well underway as the drum tracking
and editing should be done around December 11th. This first
and vital step has been completed ahead of schedule. It's
nice being in a band with people who when it's time to work,
get their heads right and knock it out.
On
the live front our last 2 shows of 2006 should be rippers.
Dec. 8th at the Uptown with WIRE
GRAFITTI and SOMETHING
FROM THE PLANET HELL will have a little something for
everyone. I've mentioned this before, but SOMETHING
FROM THE PLANET HELL IS the best band I've heard in
a long time........check 'em out before I have to wound
you!
December
9th we will be hitting at one of S.F's hottest new spots
- CRASH
The event will be their "Naughty" Xmas party entitled
HARD EIGHT. We will be the only band that night, but they're
will also be a fashion show, dj's and an appearance by the
Surreal Devil Girls. You know you want to be there.
That's
all for now. On a personal note, I turned 38 last week and
I feel better than ever. I hope you are feeling just as
dandy. I'll see you in the pit.
B.Dean
Sept.
18th, 2006
September
started with a bang as A
BAND CALLED PAIN rolled into Hollywood on Labor Day
and set one of the most infamous stages the Sunset Strip
has to offer - The
Whisky A Go Go - on Fire! It's always fun to play L.A.
because of the ever present energy ripple of dreams - broken
or in motion. In the City of Angels, folks are going for
the gold and that vibe always takes my performance up a
notch. Anyone at the Whisky that night saw exactly that
from me and my bandmates. On the flipside it's also nice
to come back to the one and only, roots rockin' Bay Area.
Rollin' over the Bay Bridge seeing the S.F. skyline after
a long drive is still comforting and inspiring after 13
years in my adopted home.
September
has and will remain a mellow month in terms of live perfomance
but that's only because.the boys in A.B.C.P.
and I started recording for our 2nd album at Talking
House Productions - . We finished recording one song
which is going on a sampler to be passed out at a party
entitled "A Tribute to S.F. Music, Past and Future"
being thrown by Talking House in conjunction with The
Recording Academy a.k.a. The Grammy Folks @ THE WARFIELD
on Oct.6th. At this party over 2000 record execs and industry
folk will be in attendance and yes, we get to perform as
well. Only one or two songs, but it's still a great opportunity
to turn some heads. For all the info you can peep this link
www.thpro.com
That's all for now my people. Whatever you do, do it with
love and always, always - . BEWARE THE POACHERS.
B.Dean
August 2nd, 2006
What
up my wonderful and weird amigos! A 2 month hiatus from
the scratch-pad is now over. It was a busy couple of months
as well. Particularly in July where A.B.C.P.
broke into some new markets, ranging North to Santa Rosa
and Cotati and as far South as Fresno. In Fresno, we opened
for one of the freshest, baddest bands we've seen in a long
time. SOMETHING
FROM THE PLANET HELL. We'll be trying to bring them
to the Bay Area as soon as possible. When they make it up
this way, it's a must see......I'll repeat, it's a must
see. Until then, peep the link.
The
best part of July was the fact that after an 8 month hiatus,
we got our man Tony Providence back on the drum kit. Tony
is a RIDICULOUSLY good drummer, and as a bassist I'm in
heaven when he's running the show. After a month of shows,
we're once again fully operational.....like the Death Star
baby, turning stages into Alderaans at every stop. I've
got to give big ups to one of the hottest younger drummers
in the Bay - the wonderful Akili from PORNO
PANDAS who held it down for us in Tony's stead. Without
him, the house of ABCP may have crumbled. Check out the
Pandas when you have the time.
This
month, we only have one show slated. Thursday, the 24th
@ The
Rock It Room in San Francisco. Strangely enough, we
don't often gig in SF so we want to make this one bangin.'
We haven't played in SF since June 1st since we demolished
the stage @ The Red Devil Lounge with our ass kickin compadres
COAL
PITTS WASH
What
else? Oh yeah, a couple of weeks back, the boys and I had
a band field trip to San Jose to witness the Unholy Alliance
Tour featuring 2 of my favorite bands of the moment - LAMB
OF GOD and MASTODON,
as well as the incomparable SLAYER. All of the bands were
fantastic, but LAMB OF GOD just put it down! In my estimation
they laid claim to the throne of metal......the shit was
just crazy.
That's
all that's on my mind at the moment. Since the Earth just
shook about 10 minutes ago, (A 4.4 if I heard the newscaster
correctly) I'm feeling the urge to go outside and stand
upon the essence of rock and roll. Do you feel me?
Til
soon,
B.Dean
May
31st, 2006
It's
been a minute since I've scribbled for you but not alot
has occured. A few gigs here and there. One gig of note
was an A.B.C.P.
gig in Reno. The gig itself was a disaster because the promoter
was cracked out and the whole evening was an unorganized,
logistical nightmare. Oh well, such is life in the arena
of rock and roll. The ride up and back was a blast though.
It was the first band trip where all members and crew travelled
in the same vehicle and I haven't laughed that hard in a
long ass time. To say that my bandmates are characters is
the biggest understatement of this young century. A few
gigs are on the dockett for June. Make an appearance if
you can and we'll share a club soda....a double perhaps.
The
new record is a bit closer to being finished and some really
good news may be right around the corner. You'll have to
check back to see how the cliffhanger resolves. Hopefully,
it will be a doozie.
That's
all for now. A quickie as it were, but who doesn't like
a quickie once in a while.
B.Dean
April
5th,2006
First
of all, today would have been my Fathers 73rd birthday,
but he died from a heart attack,19 short years ago in 1987.
He never saw me play the bass, but I'm sure he knows somehow
that I'm holdin' it down. Anyway, I just want to give a
shout out to Frederick Louis Dean , because he meant the
world to me.
Since
my last transmission I'm 10 pounds lighter and ready to
rumble. A
BAND CALLED PAIN is now 9 songs deep into our second
record, which will include a ripping thrash homage to the
Tuskegee
Airmen. If you ain't hip to them, check out the link.
Even in 2006, as an all-black rock band we still encounter
folks who don't particularly dig our presence just as they
didn't the Airmen's. Obviously, war and the music biz are
drastically different but the underlying vibe of intolerance
is the same and just as annoying and disrespectful.
That's
all for now, just a couple of things on my mind. Check the
calendar and come to a show. If not ours, check out another
underground show. Music,dance,film,theatre....whatever.
See how the other side rolls, it will do you wonders.
Peace,
B.Dean
Feb
14,2006
Happy
Valentines Day people,
Since
we last spoke things have been pretty mellow with only 2
live shows. However, I did some recording with EENOR
and KOFY
BROWN. The sessions were lively and I had blast. Good
tunes will be available for consumption shortly. A
BAND CALLED PAIN has also been hard at work in the studio
with almost 6 new tracks for the new record already completed.
Watching our guitarist Shaun Bivens work his magic as a
studio engineer is amazing and inspiring.
The
next month my live schedule will pick up again. Starting
this weekend, ABCP will be hitting the stage every weekend
for the next 5 weeks, so peep the calendar and bring your
ass to a show. San Francisco, Berkeley, Alameda, Oakland
and Sacramento......come and get some!
As
promised, the March issue of Guitar
Worlds Bass Guitar Magazine contained a column on yours
truly. I was quite excited ( not nearly as much as my Mom
was though) as it was a great article (with photo) that
will give myself and ABCP some great exposure. Until you
run out to your local vendor and pick up the issue, you
can check it out at the new ABCP
forum.
That's
what's crackin' folks. Until we meet, put some butter on
your bread and roll.
B.Dean
January
11, 2006
Happy
New Year to my favorite freakies. I hope your holiday season
was as good as mine. I got some great family lovin' in St.Louis,
MO - Lawrence,KS and Washington,DC and I feel sufficiently
recharged for 2006.
What's
on tap for 2006 you ask? On the live side of things A
BAND CALLED PAIN will be my main focus. We should be
on the road, tearing shit up by summertime.
Recording
wise a few things are happening:
1.
A Band Called Pain will hit the studio to begin recording
the follow up to "Broken Dreams"
2.
I'll be laying down tracks for the baddest soundscapist
on the West Coast -
EENOR
3.
Recording for East Bay soulstress
KOFY BROWN'S new record "Soul Rock" commenced
in December and we'll hopefully have the album knocked out
by summer. We also recently received some recordings from
last years tour of Europe and some of the tracks may go
on the record also or comprise an album all it's own.
4.
This recording is finished but I forgot to mention it. I
recorded several bass tracks for the debut record of Amy
Tobin and Kevin Carnes new project entitled A
LITTLE FRICTION.
This
last little tidbit is quite exciting, because I've never
been in a magazine. But in the February/March issue of Guitar
Worlds Bass Guitar magazine, a small column about me
and A BAND CALLED PAIN will run in the "Rumblings"
section, which features up and coming bassists and their
bands. I'll certainly get a kick out of seeing myself in
a national publication, but more importantly I hope the
readers check out A.B.C.P. The magazine hits newstands mid
January.
As
you can see, it's already on and crackin' for 2006. I'm
ready to do my thang and I certainly hope you're excited
to do yours.
Until
Soon,
B.Dean
November
8, 2005
Hey
Folks,
Sorry
that I'm a bit late with this months newsletter but October
was a bit maniacal with gigs, work and moving out of my
apartment of 12 years. All I can say is that the new tenants
better burn a lot of sage in that place. Anyway, I'm now
living alone and similarly, I've scaled my projects down
to one - A BAND
CALLED PAIN This isn't to say that I won't do any other
gigs, but my definitive focus will be with A.B.C.P.
Let me tell you why.
Basically,this
is the band I've been searching for for years. I'm digging
it from every standpoint. From the music to the business
side, I'm simply having a blast with these cats. I feel
like I've been reunited with my long lost misfit cousins
and we're having the time of our lives catching up and sharing
our tales through song.
I believe that October will prove to be a landmark month
for A.B.C.P. As many of you know, our tune, HOLY, is on
the soundtrack to the motion picture, SAW 2. SAW 2, as well
as the soundtrack hit stores Halloween weekend (insert subliminal
message to go buy it here!) and in conjunction with the
release we played a show in Hollywood at the Knitting Factory
and then went to Las Vegas to attend the premiere party,
rub elbows and schmooze with the big boys. SAW 2 was the
#1 movie at the box office that weekend, grossing more than
30 million bucks. I hope the soundtrack has similar success,
and with artists like Marilyn Manson, Queens of the Stone
Age and Nine Inch Nails involved, it has a good shot. Anyway,the
trip was a lot of fun and I think we're now on the radar
of some of the right folks. Regardless of what happens,
the time to push is now, hence my decision to narrow my
focus. By the way, I got to meet one of my favorite musicians
of all time, MeShell Ndegeocello in LA and then hang out
with more of my favorite musicians, MUDVAYNE, in Las Vegas......I
want to do stuff like that every night for the rest of my
life.
That's
all for now my friends. We don't have many gigs booked for
the rest of the year, but that's ok because the groundwork
has been laid for 2006 to be on fire. Until then, I'm going
to prepare my body and mind by enjoying my new bachelor
pad;taking in some way overdue home vibes when I go to St.Louis
for my Mom's 70th bday;then kicking it in the Chocolate
City known as Washington,DC for a New Years eve wedding.
Congrats Jen and Adam! With that being said, I'll holla
in January.
Until
then,LOVE, LOVE......LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.
B.Dean
October
5, 2005
September
was a lovely month indeed. Had a great gig with EENOR
which featured the return of the sexy as they wanna be XOX
burlesque. Playing great rock and roll with gorgeous,scantily
clad women.....yes my life sucks. I also had a cool gig
with Kofy Brown, who is hands down, one of the most experienced
and best performers in the Bay Area. We also started recording
tunes for a new album due out Spring 2006.
Once
again though, most of my time was spent rockin' with the
hardest working brothers in the Bay Area.....A
BAND CALLED PAIN. Mid month, we had a landmark gig as
we opened for rock legends Living Colour. It was a special
night for all of us because the man who started Living Colour,
Vernon Reid also started the
Black Rock Coalition in NYC in 1985. Providing a voice
for many black rockers who couldn't get heard otherwise.
20 years later, the need for such an organization is still
vital. Why the hell society still views black folks that
dig rockin' out as strange, is ridiculous to me, but then
again, humans have never been known for having sense. Anyway,
it was an honor to share the stage with them. It was a particularly
special night for me because Living Colour's bassist, Doug
Wimbish has been without a doubt my favorite bassist for
years. Getting to meet, hang and participate in an evening
of music with him was incredible. I was beaming for days.
The
show itself was electric as A.B.C.P.
played a ripping 45 minute set that had ours as well as
Living Colours fans going cuckoo. Afterwards, Living Colour
hit the stage and proceeded to roast the place. 2 and a
half hours of expert musician and showmanship left everyone
inspired.
Similar
to the previous couple of months,October will also be dedicated
almost entirely to A.B.C.P.
with 6 more gigs - peep the schedule. Of note,on October
26th we'll be gigging at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood
in celebration of a tune we landed on the soundtrack to
the upcoming horror flick, SAW
2. Also on the soundtrack are, Mudvayne, Marilyn Manson,
The Used, The Queens of the Stone Age,Papa Roach, Skinny
Puppy, and Sevendust to name a few. Yes, yes ya'll.....it's
time to shine!
Copies
of the debut record, Broken Dreams have been selling well,
which is tre cool. You need to get yours now. You can purchase
one via the website www.abandcalledpain.com
or better yet, bring your ass to a show, get your blood
pumping, and buy one there.
That's
all for now my friends. Throw up your horns and have some
fun, for the hour glass takes no prisoners.
B.Dean
September
5, 2005
Wassup
Folks,
August
was a painful month....with A
BAND CALLED PAIN that is. Aside from one spirited gig
with Kofy
Brown, my full attention was with A.B.C.P. A couple
of fun roadtrips to Reno and Modesto made the band tighter,
personally and professionally. As did competing in Sammy
Hagar's battle of the bands. We lost in the semi-finals.
A free vacation to Cabo Wabo would've been nice but c'est
la vie. The month culminated with a ferocious gig at Blakes
in Berkeley.. We almost set that place on fire, I kid you
not.
They
say that things occur in 3's and we at A.B.C.P. received
good news in that exact bundle this month.
1.
Our debut cd, "Broken Dreams" hit the street.
17 songs of top notch rock...pick up your copy now.
2.
We landed a track on soundtrack for a major motion picture,
SAW 2, www.saw2.com The
sequel to the perfectly creepy SAW. Other bands on the soundtrack
are:
The
Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Marilyn Manson, Nine
Inch Nails, Slipknot, Mudvayne, The Used, Revolting Cocks,
Buckethead, Trvium and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
As
you can see there's reason to be excited. This soundtrack
could really help us make our way into the public's consciousness.
3.
Last but not least, on September 14th, we will be opening
for rock legends Living Colour, @ The Independent in San
Francisco. This should be quite an evening with the torch
being passed from one generation of black rockers to the
next. It's not often that a black rock coalition vibe hits
the Bay Area, but here's your chance to experience it. For
more info on the Black Rock Coalition check out my links
section.
That's
all for now. thanks for your support over the years. I know
as the years roll on, it get's harder to hit the clubs,
but I'd love to see you in the crowd sooner than later.
B.Dean
August
4, 2005
Knee
Deepians,
July
was busy and fruitful as expected. I had 6 gigs with the
most fierce band in the Bay Area, A
BAND CALLED PAIN. Including an amazing set at the 107.7
the Bone, outdoor bash in Half Moon Bay. Playing outdoors
is always a treat, but this one was particularly sweet because
a portion of the show was on live radio and we got to do
a short interview afterwards. Big ups to Billy Steel at
107.7 for supporting A.B.C.P. If you havent checked out
this band,peep the schedule and make it a point to do so.
Stunning in sight and sound. Speaking of sight and sound,
the debut album BROKEN DREAMS will be out August 23rd so
pick it up!!
I
also had a couple of gigs with my other band, also fierce
is it's own way, EENOR.
The folks who witnessed our set at the intimate Xenodrome
last weekend got their monies worth for sure.
Finally,
I had the pleasure of playing the North Beach Jazz festival
for the first time with Joyo
Velarde. A gorgeous day, gorgeous folks and great music.
I wish all my days could be as such.
Pero
Agosto esta aqui, and there are new adventures to be had,
so peep the schedule and come participate in one with me.
Until
then, your partner in crime.
Bryan
L.B.Dean
July
4,2005
Greetings
my fellow freaks,
June
was a relatively mellow, but productive month. After a couple
of more gigs with A
Band Called Pain I'm fully comfortable with the tunes
and we're ready to support the upcoming debut album with
ferocity. The album is due out August 23rd so stay tuned.
Speaking of A
Band Called Pain, we have quite a busy July with 8 gigs.
The July 22nd gig is a live radio broadcast on 107.7, the
bone.Check the schedule page for all the details.
I'll also be prowling the stage with the rockin' ass trio
EENOR
a couple of times, notably,Thursday, July 14 at the Independent.
We're part of a bill that includes the wonderful groups
Loopstation
and Griddle.
I'll
round out the month gigging at the North
Beach Jazz Festival on July 30th with the tempestuous
Joyo Velarde.
Also,
my first magazine article hit news stands. It was a bass
guitar review for the July/August issue of Guitar
Worlds Bass Guitar Magazine. The article is entitled
"Southpaw's Revenge". I certainly got a kick opening
the mag and seeing my writing all glossy and errrrthang.
Hopefully, this will be the first of many.
On
a less joyous note, the summer European tour with Kofy Brown
was cancelled, but that's the way the cookie bounces eh?
However we began recording 4 tracks for a new record which
is cool.
That's
the deal....I'll see you at the spot.
B.Dean
June
1, 2005
Wassup
Folks,
May
was a good month indeed.
I had
a wonderful gig at Brunos with Kofy
Brown. We played 2 electrifying sets which got my blood
pumping for our summer tour which begins in late August.
I also
had my second gig with my new found love, A
Band Called Pain. This gig was much more solid than
the first and as my comfort level with them increases so
will our success. I'm telling ya'll, this band is going
to be a monster and I'm fortunate and ecstatic to be a part
of it. We have a headlining show @ Blakes, in Berkeley on
Saturday, June 18th and if we draw well it should help us
land some better gigs. With that being said, your support
would be greatly appreciated. So for those of you in the
East Bay, come on out and help us rock your neck of the
woods. To my fellow San Franciscans, take the trip across
the bridge, out of the fog and spend the evening getting
your metal on!
Furthermore,
I'll be performing with the always interesting Amy
Tobin for the Jewish harvest holiday of Shavuout. Come
and see the sunrise in a totally different frame of mind....trust
be,it will be fun.
Last
but not least, I'll be on the scene with EENOR
as the month winds down. We're sure to have some new fangled
musical treats for you so check us out.
Oh
yes, I almost forgot. On June 7th, a gear review I wrote
for Guitar
World's Bass Guitar Magazine hits newstands. I'm pretty
excited because this is my first review, so If you're so
inclined, pick up a copy.
That's
wassup. Until we meet.......Shine-o-Myte
B.Dean
May
5,2005
Wassup
Folks,
Most
of April was spent getting up to speed with my new project,
a soulful and ripping metal quartet,
A Band Called Pain. After spending hours learning the
tunes we had our first gig on April 22nd at Bourbon Street
Bar and Grill in Concord. Despite the faulty stage monitors
and the fact that our set was cut to only 30 minutes, we
still ripped it up. This group emanates an intense amount
of energy and I can't wait to see where the music takes
us. After the release of the debut record in a month or
so we'll be gigging as much as possible in support. In the
meantime we're only slated for one gig this month.
I
will also be performing this month with Kofy
Brown. This will be our first of several gigs before
we return to Europe late summer. Dates have been booked
in Slovenia, Holland, Germany and Switzerland thus far and
more countries will hopefully be added.
On
another note, I wrote a gear review for Guitar
World's Bass Guitar magazine, a national publication.
The article will be out June 7th. Peep it if you get a chance.
That's
what's happening in my world. Holla at cha boy at let me
know what's goin' down in yours.
B.Dean
