 |
|
 |
| discography |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| drumming |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| cd's & dvd's |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| FAQ, press |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| pics, video |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| los amigos |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| What's New |
|
| June 30, 2007 |
|
Hello!! New site with updates coming soon....until then, you can still buy my CDs and DVD at special discount prices here.
|
|
|
| April 8, 2006 |
|
Hello!!!
It's been a while but I have been very busy. Which is good. So here is what I have been up to lately.
In February, I was lucky enough to go to Montlucon France to participate in J.F. Miguel's drum weekend. It took place at this fabulous old chateau called Chateau St. Jean. Along with a whole bunch of other great French drummers, we ate (amazing food and wine, YEAH!! I love that part) and gave drum clinics-master classes. There was a big show on Saturday night when all of us drummers played for a very nice and patient crowd. They stayed up until 4am listening to us. So I need to give huge thank yous to J.F. for taking such good care of me and showing me a great time. J.F has built a nice drum school in France and his drum weekend is the biggest there. WELL DONE J.F.!!!!!
Just this past March I was in Italy to play at the DISMA music fair and to do a few other drum clinics. Big thank yous go out to all the people at M. Casale Bauer. What a great group of people to hang out with and work with. DISMA is a big music fair like NAMM or MUSIC MESSE just on little smaller scale. But still very crazy with all of the people looking at the gear and playing everything in site. Everyone at M. Casale Bauer made the show for me go so smoothly. I was having a lot of fun while they were all working like mad. I met and played with some amazing musicians. What a good time. And yes there was even more great food and wine. WOO HOO!!! Big thanks go to Andrea Ventura for driving me everywhere, translating, and just being a great guy.
Before I move on I also would like to thank Mapex Miles from Mapex in Taiwan. He worked hard getting these trips together for me and I am sure he has enough to do with his job already. So THANK YOU again Miles!!!!!
There are a couple of new CD/DVD's out now that I have the privilege to be a part of. The first is from Tears For Fears. It is called "Secret World" and is a combo CD and DVD. the DVD is the whole show we did at the Parc des Princes, Paris, 18 June 2005. It was a big festival in front of a big crowd. Those kinds of gigs are great fun. The CD has the same show live (Although I must admit it doesn't sound nearly as good as the audio on the DVD and it is the same show-not sure what that is all about) plus it has 3 bonus tracks. One of which I am playing drums on. The song is called FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER. With all of the playing for TFF I have done over the years that is my first official studio track for them. We recorded the drums at Rich Mouser's place. So check that out if you can. The DVD looks and sounds great. Order the DVD now from fnac.com in France or worldwide from eil.com.
The second CD is from The Rubinoos. The CD is called "Twist Pop Sin" on the Vivid Sound label from Japan. You can purchase that from all of the usual CD sites on the net. I have been playing and recording with Jon, Tommy and Al for a number of years now and it is good to see their music getting out there. So if you like fun old school pop music this is the stuff for you.
Last but definitely not least is Spock's Beard. We are getting ready for our first tour of the USA in what feels like forever. I am really looking forward to these shows. And then right after that we are in the studio to start our new CD. We were going to start the new CD before the tour but we are going to wait until right after so we will be nice and tight as a band before recording. I think that will be great, Usually we get together to learn the songs for a couple of days then go in and start. Never really having the chance to get really warmed up before recording. So this will be a nice change.
OH wait before I forget, I am going to be playing with Fates Warning at the Rock Hard festival in Germany on June 4th and to warm up for that the will be 2 shows in LA at the Galaxy Theater on May 31st. and at the Knitting Factory on June 1st. So if any of you are around any of those dates please come out and say hi.
OK that is it for this update. All the best!! - NDV
|
|
 |
| playing at the DISMA Music Fair |
|
 |
 |
| DISMA Music Fair |
me & J.F. Miguel |
|
|
 |
| Drum clinic |
|
 |
 |
Tears For Fears
"Secret World" |
The Rubinoos
"Twist Pop Sin" |
|
|
 |
| Recording a TFF track at Rich's Studio |
|
|
|
 |
J.F. Miguel's Drum Weekend
at Chateau St. Jean |
|
 |
| Audience at the Drum Weekend |
|
 |
| Andrea Ventura at The Colosseum, Varona, Italy |
|
 |
| Being a dork |
|
 |
| Me in Bologna |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| January 31, 2006 |
Hello everyone,
OK. We are now officially excited about the gigs in May. I know we're not getting everywhere and are missing some great cities, but we finally have someone booking good shows for us and we will hopefully be in your town soon. But if you live anywhere near the places we are playing, then come on out and rock with us! It's going to be a great time. Jimmy Keegan is all clear for the gigs too. We very well may do a new tune or two. By the time we are doing those gigs we should be right in the thick of recording our new CD, so hopefully we will be able to share a thing or two with all of you.
Up to the present now, I wanted to let all of you living in France or Italy that I will be coming over to do some clinics and drum shows.
The first is at Château St-jean. A drum Weekend put on by Jean-François Miguel. JF sent me the promo poster for the show and it has a phone number you can call if you are in the area and would like to make it out. It looks like it will be a lot of fun. On Saturday night there will be a big party and I will be doing a longer set.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The next clinics are in Italy. First I will be at a music convention called DISMA. Here's the web site: www.dismamusicshow.com.The dates for that are March 11,12,13 & 14. I've never been to that convention so I don't know much about it, but I will be playing 3 times a day there. Then, on the 15th,16th,and 17th, there will be regular drum clinics. I am still waiting to get all the details on those clinics with the times and places. I will have that very soon and put those up here on the site.
I was working on material to play on these dates last night and came up with some cool stuff. Whenever we mix our CD's, I always have Rich our engineer make copies without drums just for situations like these. I put together a great SNOW medley, along with pieces from Octane, Feel Euphoria, and "V".
So come out and say Hi if you can. All the best, NDV
Click here to enlarge the poster.
|
|
|
|
| January 17, 2006 |
| Hello everybody,
If you saw my last update I mentioned that I am now doing some work for a company called Sonic Reality. The company motto is "SAMPLE EVERYTHING." They do that and do that as well as anybody ever has. Their sounds are amazing. Along with IK (The company that makes Amplitube, Sampletank, and Sonik Synth plus other great plug-in instruments) you can have some amazing sounds in your own songs.
One of the new products SR is coming out with is called "Studio Profiles." I was very honored to be asked to be a part of this product. Here is a short description of what it is directly from SR:
Studio ProFiles™ are multitrack and stereo loop libraries of top-quality drums, percussion and other instruments recorded in professional studios with some of the best session musicians in the world.
Dave Kerzner (the big boss man!! I played with DK in Kevin Gilbert's band back in the day) along with engineer Mark Hornsby came out to LA and we went into the old Lawnmower and Garden Supply Studios and recorded me playing all kinds of stuff. Concentrating on lots of progressive rock styles, odd times, and other straight rock grooves. It was really cool because Dave rented all kinds of things for me to hit. I had a giant kit around me. It was fun. I now know how Mike Portnoy feels surrounded by his enormous drum kit. Anyway we got some really great things that day and you can get them all very soon on my Studio Profile. SR has recorded some other fantastic drummers for this series also. Including "Jerry Marotta" (one of my absolute favorites!) I am not sure of the exact release date of the Studio Profiles but to gear up for the NAMM convention here in LA this week SR has made a Special Edition Studio Profile you can purchase from www.esoundz.com it has a little bit (if you call 4 gigs of stuff a little bit) of everything on it. Here is the direct link esoundz.com
I'm pushing this product here not just because I played on it, but because it is pretty amazing. If you make music using a computer and you can't afford to hire a pro drummer for your session then you need this product. You can actually mix full drum kits that lock up to the tempo of you song with ease. Not just stereo loops but full drum kits. Sometimes up to 18 tracks just for on drum kit. You can pick what mics you want to use. How the kit is mic'd. A vintage sound, a modern sound, whatever you need. Plus, with all of the great drummers they have on the roster plus more to come, you can get the style you are looking for to make your music come alive.
That's my sales pitch for today. Seriously this product is great.
All the best everybody. Stay tuned for more. - NDV
|
|
|
| January 14, 2006 |
|
Dear One and All,
Spock's Beard, along with other great artists have contributed to the "After the Storm" project. This CD is to help support the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. The album is set for release on Tuesday, January 17th, 2006 and they have begun taking orders. All proceeds from the sale of the album will go to Habitat for Humanity for Katrina victims. Disbursements will be made quarterly from the "After the Storm" savings account they have set up through NEARfest Records. Spock's has contributed a previously unreleased live version of "Shining Star."
We should all definitely buy a copy of this CD to help out some people that still, and for a long time to come, will need the help. Here is the official press release from NEARfest Records:
"AFTER THE STORM" KATRINA BENEFIT ALBUM AVAILABLE
Pre-ordering is now available for the "After the Storm". The price for this special 2CD compilation is $20.00 plus shipping and handling. The album is set for release on Tuesday, January 17th. Pre-orders will be fulfilled upon receipt of payment and then sent out for arrival as close to the release date as possible. Payment is accepted via PayPal, credit card (using PayPal without a membership), check or money order. Thank you for supporting this effort and the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Please go to nearfestrecords.com to place your order.
SUMMARY
"After the Storm" is an effort by the progressive rock community to do its share to help out the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. All of the artists involved have graciously donated music to this project, and many have contributed previously unreleased live or studio material, including New Orleans' own Woodenhead. The costs of manufacturing have been donated by NEARfest and NEARfest Records and all proceeds from the sale of this unique compilation will be donated to aid the survivors of Hurricane Katrina through Habitat for Humanity.
|
|
| TRACKLISTING |
|
|
|
Disc One:
1. Echolyn, "15 Days"
2. Happy the Man, "Ibby It Is" (Live)
3. FM, "Random Harvest"
4. Camel, "After All These Years"
5. Mike Keneally, "Time Table"
6. Spock's Beard, "Shining Star" (Live)
7. IQ, "Chemical Rain"
8. Kraan, "Silver Buildings"
9. Mostly Autumn, "Ghost in Dreamland"
10. IZZ, "My River Flows"
11. Nektar, "Phazed by the Storm"
12. Sean Malone, "Grace" (Live)
|
|
Disc Two:
1. Kansas, "Song for America"
2. The Flower Kings, "A King's Prayer" (2005 Remix)
3. Woodenhead, "Buzz Beat" (Live)
4. Djam Karet, "The Shattering Sky"
5. Neal Morse, "Sleeping Jesus" (Live)
6. The Muffins, "Essay R" (Remix)
7. Caravan, "Love Song with Flute" (Live)
8. Änglagård, "Gånglåt från Knapptibble"
9. Little Atlas, "On and On"
10. Arjen Anthony Lucassen, "Pools of Sorrow/Not Over You"
11. California Guitar Trio, "Zundoko Bushi" (Live)
12. Pendragon, "Sou' by Sou'west"
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Producer: Gayle Ellett of Fernwood Pacific
Executive Producers: Chad Hutchinson and Robert LaDuca
Mastering: Gayle Ellett and Wayne Yentis
Artwork/Layout: Michael Bennett
Manufacturing: Action Duplication
Further details online at nearfestrecords.com
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
News Archive - 2005
News Archive - 2004
|
|
