New Music Out Today!

#newmusic from Devil Met Contention is out today!

The Milwaukee Record did a nice feature on it here: http://milwaukeerecord.com/music/devil-met-contention-take-chance-new-sound/

Buy it online or please stream the living bejeezus out of it on #applemusic #spotify #googleplay or wherever you get your stream fix from. (Are we on tidal? Maybe?)

For the Drum needs:

I used a Yamaha Absolute Maple Hybrid kit 22×14, 12×8, 16×16 and the snare was a 14×7 brass owned by Howl Street studios with wood hoops and a Big Fat Snare Drum snarebourine on it. Cymbals were my super special Impression Leon series icon 21 Ride, 15 HH plus 19 and 20 Jazz series crashes. Aquarian modern vintage II heads were used in the kit for that nice fat thump!

That’s basically my live set up now, which looks like this:

A Night at the Movies

Our video for “Used to Be” is being was featured at the Milwaukee Film Festival during an evening dedicated to music and film partnerships.

Here’s a video feature on the directors Jessica and Quinn, who did such an amazing job and made us feel like family.
http://musemke.com/blog/2016/9/23/not-just-for-la-mke-film-w-jessica-farrell-quinn-hester

“Fire” – a response to recent events in Milwaukee

fire_artwork
Fire is a reflection on the American struggle for peace and equality in Milwaukee WI

lyrics

Pulled over in the night
Two men in a car near midnight
Waiting for a fire in Milwaukee

For a purpose yet unknown
But the bullets they were thrown
Starting up a fire in Milwaukee

Gasoline is burning bright
Silhouettes run in the light
And your heart breaks in two for another
Another mother sits at home
She is waiting all alone
Cause her boys not coming home tonight

They say “he had a gun”
They ask “why did he run?”
Driving with a stolen gun Milwaukee

But its really not the case
When the law gives to the chase
Is it Judge, Jury, and Execution in Milwaukee?

Gasoline is burning bright
Silhouettes run in the light
And your heart breaks in two for another
Another mother sits at home
She is waiting all alone
Cause her boys not coming home tonight

Gasoline is burning bright
Silhouettes run in the light
And your heart breaks in two for another
Another mother sits at home
She is waiting all alone
Cause her boys not coming home tonight
Cause her boys not coming home tonight
Why’s her boy not coming home tonight?

credits

released August 14, 2016
Vocal, Music & Lyrics by Ehson Rad
Guitar by David Schuyler

Looking Back on 2013

ILC-bodysnatchers-cover

I was updating the Video of the Week page and Discography page recently and realized I had a pretty busy year. Lots of shows with MMTU, a few with Sulek and another great ILC show at COLDWAVES II this year. Also got to sit in with my pals Zach Steinback, Michael McDermott* and 1913 playing a little cajon and percussion. And I had five different projects release this year! It’s crazy how fast this year went by and I think I’m going to do a 12 Days of Christmas type review of my top 12 favorite shows of the year.

In the meantime, Let’s plug some product- they make great stocking stuffers!
Mike Mangione and The Union: Red-winged Blackbird Man (CD 2013)
ILC: Body Snatchers (CD 2013)
Rally and Sustain: The Cracknation Documentary (DVD, 2013)
Rally and Sustain: Cracklogues and Tour Logs (book, 2013)
Justin Heron: The Justin Heron EP (digital, 2013)

*maybe? haha

Revisiting the past and celebrating old friends

Rally and Sustain DVDOver a year ago, I lost a great friend and musical brother, Jamie Duffy. We called him Kidd because he was the youngest but also he was the new guy to join up for our great Acumen adventures back in the 90s.

Losing Jamie was (and is) awful but it inadvertently gave birth to a reunion of musicians and celebration of his life in live, video and print formats. In September, we had our big COLDWAVES show and just last month, we wrapped up the DVD/book combo of Rally and Sustain which helps tell our story and also show mow much we still miss our Kidd.

We had a movie screening in Chicago and played a few tunes with friends both old and new and we’ll be rolling out another COLDWAVES show (aptly named COLDWAVES II) at the end of September. Music and stories are all we have and we’re going to make the most of it to keep him alive in our lives and our hearts.

Here’s some video from the music after the movie screening**:
Stone Farm

To learn more/ buy “Rally and Sustain”:
http://rallyandsustain.com/

**Incidentally, as with all Acumen/ILC shows, When drumming, I’m playing lefty on a righty kit. Some things will never change.
The gist of the show was to revisit an old show that we did where we turned off all the noise makers and just did the songs live with acoustic instruments. That incarnation was christened ‘BBQ Tragedy’ so this is technically a renunion show haha.

Recording Time!

In the studio in Iowa City this week with the legendary Bo Ramsey (look him up he’s got Grammys all up in his jammies). Brought a whole mess of drums including the following:
20110901-103231.jpg

Taye StudioBirch 12, 14, 16, 22 (Autumn Red)
Ludwig 6.5 x 14 Black Beauty, 5 x 14 Supra with a SuperHoop
DW 4.75 x 14 Maple (Red Sparkle)
Gretsch 6.5 x 14 New Classic (Vintage Sparkle)
WFL 24 x 14 vintage Duco kick
Spaun 12 rack tom and 5.5 x 14 snare (birch with wooden hoops)

And a ton of cymbals that I’ll post soon!