Your brother looks like a hooker too.

So Stolen Bike Crusade started back in 2000. November to be more exact. December 8, 2000 was out very first show (after which we began the long, winding path of new members) on what is now WUML, and what was then WJUL, guests of the show that will always be "Live From The Fallout Shelter". It was a new endevour that we all had hopes for, but that most of all we did because it was fun and we liked to create music. Be the music good or bad, (and you talk to those of us from the early days we would probably discuss the older songs as....underdeveloped seems a fair word) we were creayting and having fun and that was the important part.
It's now June of 2006. This makes the band officially my longest relationship in my still short life. It's astounding that through the breakups (one of which fueled half of the first SBC record, the other major relationship having fueled almost exclusively another two years of music after that) with female sin my life, even when it has at times seemed t be on life support, this band has been the most solid, rocksteady thing I've had.

Someone asked me earlier this week, as I am now also a member of Bury the Needle, which band I liked more. THis is honestly and wholly an unfair question for many reasons. Mostly though because really when you create music with other people, the outcome of that creation realy can be attributed to your children. You don't play favorites with your children. Certainly at certain times, becaus eof the ways the songs make you feel, you may be more fond of something in one song then another, but goinbg back listening to old songs today, I realized, warts and all, I'm proud that SBC was able to create these thigns that, at least in some people we've heard from, creates a visceral feeling that is hard to explain but involes emotion and thanks from the part of the listener.

You work hard over that period of time to craft these things. And over time I know I've learned and become a much better singer and lyricist. But at the end of the day all the becomes important are the end product you produce, and how you interpret that end product when youa ttempt to recreate it live.

People often ask when is it the right time to give up...break up the band so to speak. We're in the enviable positon in this band that we are all friends (mind you friends who sometimes lose touch with each other over a period time because smetimes communication is just hard to come by), and nt only friends but people who seem to connect when we get in a room. ALthough we haven't practiced in almost seven months, haven't played a show in six, and probably haven't all been in a room togethe rin at least a couple months, when we get togetehr and practice, it's like home again. The songs fit like a snug glove....the commeradirie and inside jokes begin again in an instant. And it makes you feel good again.

People talk about this elusive "rock star dream". It's all bullshit and none of it means anything. The record industry has deteriorated to a point where it's next to impossible to have a hit anything anymore. So all you do is expose your music to as many people as possible and hope it graps on to a few. You mentally move on at a certain point but realization of reality and actually doing what youw ant to do are completely non-exclusive.

I see bands now who hype themselves up and think they're going to live this rock star dream, get signed to a major label, be on the cover of rolling stone, get their own Gucci ad and it makes me sad. Because these are the people who have forgotten what the music meant. IT's not about who can help witht he most shows, it's not about banner ads, it's not about photo shoots and who produced your new album to make it all sqeaky clean and compressed sounding. IT's about playing the music...it's about people hearing the music. People who don't want to be press whores don't seek it out.

I recently heard Iggor (new spelling) Cavalera describe that he was leaving Speltura because he had lost the fire. That's incredibly disheartening to hear a founding member of one of your favorite bands has lost the fire to create anymore. Frightening because if it can happen to him, it can happen to anybody.

Which brings me full circle. Novermber of 2000 to July of 2006. Bigger bands lasted half that long. And while I can't predict the future or what will happen, I can say that one thing practice tonight taught me was that I haven't lost any fire. As a matter of fact I have more fire to do more things, if anything. facets of all the bands I love the different facets and ways I can express myself differently through the stylistic changes of each the band sI'm in. It makes each wholly unique, but not in a way that I have to think about...not in a way where I have to conciously change. It all happens organically. If I could be in 12 bands right now I would for that reason alone.

3 will just have to do for now.

Currently listening :

The Sufferer and the Witness
By Rise Against
Release date: By 04 July, 2006