Rite of Passage

It's beginning to become crunch time to complete this EP.  We only have one song left to mix and then we'll go back and listen to everything again and then on to mastering.  Alot of time has been put into mixing each song and making it sound exactly how we want it to sound.  The hardest part aside from getting all of the instruments to sound good together, is adding effects to vocals.  We like to use reverb and delay effects in a few songs.  We have to decide how fast we need the delay, how many repeats.  Sometimes it's really hard to actually create the effect you hear in your head.  Once we finally get the results we're looking for we really start to see the way the album is going to turn out.  BearKnuckle feels this album is going to be very "professional" sounding and as if it were made in a really nice studio and made by some really over paid producer.  This is album is totally produced, recorded, engineered, mixed, mastered by BearKnuckle.  The equipment we have is just good enough for us to scrape by and make something that is worth a shit.  I am playing the opening track "Rite of Passage" over and over and over and over.  Nick and I wrote this song together, or the main parts of it atleast, when we were 15.  It started out totally instrumental and contained only 2 of the actual riff's from the song you'll hear on the album.  This was like our first "real" song,  and surly the only song that stuck with us from back then.  We had written a few other songs before that, but those were all eventually overlooked.  This song which was written by inspiration from at the time Nick's new flanger pedal, we originally called the song "Flange".  The title "Rite of Passage" wasn't thrown in until we started demoing it with our first band Sanus Valde.  Though we never ended up using the song with Sanus Valde for the short career we had, it's now definitely my favorite BearKnuckle song!  I feel like the name of this song is relavent to many aspects about the album and all of the work being put into it.  This album really is our rite of passage so to say into a new caliber of life for us.  For Nick, Willie and I we never have released music that we are actually getting such a good response from, and never had something to really be anticipated by the fans.  This is our first real fan base.  We want the rite of passage to move forward with our career and our music and adulthood.  This rite of passage is how we are going to prove ourselves to the world.  Being that this song is so old, it's like it was meant to be on this album.  This band was meant to happen, this rite of passage is imminent.  I am in love with this band, and this album and this happenstance.

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle
www.bearknuckle.bandcamp.com

DIY

I'm sitting here listening to our latest mix of our next single we're going to release.  It is an awesome feeling hearing the final product.  Considering I've never really heard a solid recording of this song until now, and I'm really impressed with what we as a band can put together and all collectively produce.  It gives me high hopes for our album and our future.  It feeds the burning need to create.  We have had this song arranged for over 2 years and now it is finally going to see light in a recording.  This gives me so much satisfaction.  I'm going to gloat here.  I'm really happy with what we are going to be releasing. I'm really happy about this album and I think you are all going to love it!  This only makes me more exciting about recording our next album, and hearing all of these new songs on through speakers.  All I do is music, I stay up to late hours at night creating music.  So when I'm finally able to hear it on a real recording, it's what I have been trying to accomplish from the beginning.  Everything that I write is intended to be recorded.  Recording comes to no permanent satisfaction.  There is always something I'd like to change on my bass line or how i sing a melody or anything at all really.  Something always needs to be louder, or something always needs to be turned down.  I'll never know the true way I want to hear a song.  I guess that's the hard part about recording.  Mixing and mastering, are the hardest task because everyone wants to hear a song differently, and will have a different reaction to a certain mixing style.  The whole band sitting in the room together mixing the song makes a huge difference in the way it turns out.  We are all put forth various ideas of how we think it should sound, and then it becomes the final product.  I suppose we will all collectively become better at mixing by the time we are done with this album, and moving into the next album, we will have alot more experience together with recording and mixing and the whole long process that brought us all closer together.  Our collection of studio gear will continue to grow so we'll surely have a better sounder record the next time around; but for this current album we used everything we have, which just got by.  We will continue to get by on our own making records.  Hit us up if you want help making a killer record!  BearKnuckle Productions here we come.

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle
www.bearknuckle.bandcamp.com

Music is my religion

At what point did music become my way of life and what I live for?  When did music become my life and my pretty much my wife.  I can remember many of the songs from my early childhood, when I was maybe four years old.  "Zombie" by the Cranberries was really popular back then, I heard that song all the time.  It's like one of my first memories ever possibly.  I remember when I was in second grade, age 7, a friend named Zieke said I should listen to Hanson.  So Nick and I got "Middle of Nowhere" for Christmas that year.  We loved those guys when we were young.  They were very inspirational to us.  I think these were the first jolts of musical inspiration that I ever had without even realizing it.  Later on in fourth grade we were given the opportunity to play in the elementary strings band.  Nick chose cello and I chose violin.  We kept up with practicing for maybe one week if I remember correctly.  We lost interest by fifth grade.  Our friend Kevin also turned us onto the band Limp Biskit, we rocked "Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water" to no end.  Though I'm a little ashamed of that now lol.  It wasn't until sixth grade when I really started venturing into more music.  Linkin Park came out around then when I was age 11 and I didn't know any better.  Me and Nick both listened to the "Hybrid Theory" album alot.  In that same year we got into other bands like The Gorillaz , the song "Clint Eastwood" was very popular on the radio.  Also in that same year Mom and Dad introduced us to Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix.  From there that would shape my musical palette for the better, forever.  Around 8th grade when I was 13 I started listening to Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine heavily.  The next year is when I picked up bass guitar.  I started getting into so much music, too many to list really.  That is when every band I listened to became my new favorite band.  I was so receptive to music, especially with learning how to play bass.  Audioslave and Soundgarden were my top bands, and I also started getting to Mile's Davis with the "Kind of Blue" album.  Soon after that I got into Jaco Pastorius, which is when I decided to really be a bass player I'd say, that same year is also when I met a teacher at the National Guitar Workshop named Bill Kratz, who really inspired me to strive to become a professional musician.  I learned so much about music in his class, and I feel that class equipped me with everything I needed to continue to be receptive musically and really be able to understand music to it's core.  That was right when I turned age 16, and from there on I became the musician I am today.  I will forever continue to evolve as a musician/artist/person and I will always grow into the next version of myself.  This blog entry is dedicated to music, my religion.  A universal language, with no wrong sentence.

thanks for reading, and get ready for our album release in March!


-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle
www.bearknuckle.bandcamp.com

Alive Today

Right here we stand alive today
Right here we stand alive today
From hand to ground you hear us pray
Right here we stand alive today

Just waiting for a new day
With righteous path for no fame
For all that we do pay
I just wanted to say

We plan on passing by your way soon
As soon as I find my way home
No design, or members to folder
There is no reason at all
The one you seek with promise and virtue
Will rid your pain in one call
Open your eyes and you'll see our real
Escaped from life and walls

I've got alot to say, but I don't you're listening
But you want to stray from everything that keeps control of you
This time I can't say that I didn't have a better try
This way let's run for our lives and we'll continue living what we call life

My mouth is sour from the taste of this textured bullshit on your tongue
I have a broken frame with an imagine of your one track mind
The hate you feel for me only comes from deep inside yourself
The that you take up is subject to change without my premise

We can, we see
We can, we see
We can, we see
We can, we're free

  

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle
www.bearknuckle.bandcamp.com

The world sucks!

Finding peace within a society that is money hungry, is nearly impossible.  Quality is no longer an attribute in production.  In the case of the Gorilla Music Battle of the Bands, talent, and quality and originality are not factors in which this competition is judged.  In fact this competition is not judged at all.  It is all based on a yell off, which has no justification to the most talented band.  When your time slot is based on ticket sales, that are incredibly over priced and the yell off isn't until midnight, it's a wonder only the last 3 bands to perform make top 3.  They sold the most tickets, so they have a crowd at the end of the night to participate in a yell off to determine who wins battle of the bands.  Also when all of these bands are high schooler's that are age 16 and under, and can invite a whole school and church to their show, then a band like ours who doesn't have the convenience of selling tickets to your school, has no chance in winning a competition that isn't on talent at all.  I don't see how the promoter's of Gorilla Music and proudly present a battle of the bands as if it is a talent competition.  Acting as if it is such a great opportunity to play the Masquerade.  I have played the Masquerade multiple times, it's nothing new or exciting.  This business of promoting a battle of the bands is just a money hungry scam in the end.  It's not fair to judge a competition only with a yell off, when most of these bands have probably only played 5 shows in their lives.  A battle of the bands should be judged, with actual judges who determine if the bands who perform are professional, and well rehearsed.  I would just like to use this blog to discourage anyone from accepting any offer's from Gorilla Music.  They went home with a pocket of cash probably upwards of $6000.00.  Now I know they paid alot of that money to the Masquerade for letting Gorilla Music use the venue.  My point of the whole thing is to show how unfair a so called "talent" competition is.  It's not about talent, its about money and that is the problem!  I just want to express my anger in the utter waste of time that this Battle of the Bands was.  I mean sold a few shirts and made a few fans, and we got to play Heaven, woah bigggg deal.  We could have played a better show that would have been more real to our hearts.  We are happy for the response from peers and our overall performance on Sunday night, but we are angered with the sheer scam that Gorilla Music presents.  SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM.  FUCK YOU

bye guys

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

This year

This year is going to be kicking off for BearKnuckle.  The album is on it's way in March, as well as a mini tour of the southeast.  We plan to book more small tours through out the year.  This is something we are all incredibly excited for.  We cannot wait to go to somewhere unknown to us, where no one has heard us.  There is nothing like rocking a brand new crowd.  The feeling when you see people listening to you and knowing they have never heard or met you before is amazing.  This is why having a high energy and dynamic performance is important.  The music is one part of it all, but putting on a show that people remember is the other half of it.  We are greatful for the fans we have made over the last year and all of the face's we see at every show.  Now the goal is to make more fans outside of Atlanta, that we can continue seeing at those shows aswell.  Our show last weekend at BeAtlanta was incredible.  It had been a while since I'd seen that many people packed into that house.  I don't think I've been so sweaty on stage before either.  We hope BearKnuckle's shows will only continue to get bigger, better and wetter!  We are in the process of booking our album release party and trying to decide a line up.  We know there will be four acts total.  We also know we want it to be free entry, so we can make sure everyone can come!  Once this album is done we are going to start writing and recording our next album.  We already have some material written.  I can see it's going to have some new sounds for BearKnuckle.  The main purpose of all of our music to express clear, true, organic emotions through our sounds.  We have alot of emotions to express so just keep listening.  We are excited for the new year and all that we have planned.

signing out

love
peace
happiness
and
metal


-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

Great awakening?

BearKnuckle started our set at midnight and it was explosive!  The whole crowd was moving to every song.  Everyone gave really great feedback.  I say this was a good first show for the new year.  This marks a year completed as BearKnuckle, and it really shows us how much our drive and love for this band has paid off.  I can only imagine this upcoming year will bring us much more success and enjoyment with the band.  I feel like if we continue to associate with the people in this music scene that we genuinely like and are friends with, we will continue to prosper.  Atlanta's underground rock music scene is incredibly diverse and welcoming as an audience.  It saddens me that this scene is not recognized very far in the more mainstream world.  I have had this very strong underlying feeling that I cannot explain for quite a while now.  I feel like its a feeling that convey's something big to me, and I like to think that it is representing the success of this market in Atlanta.  I wonder if maybe this great awakening that many people talk about that was supposed to be happing in 2012, could be maybe that the music in this market will start to come to the surface.  Maybe people are going to wake up and realize that the majority of the music on the radio is just fabricated mashed up bullshit that we are told to like.  I feel like there is another revolution coming.  I hope it means a change in the mainstreams pallet.  I know people are going to have to get tired of hearing disco bubble gum pop all the time.  1's and 0's are going to get old soon.  People want to hear real instruments, playing real live music.  Nothing can replace the feeling of emotion that a person conveys when they play their instrument.  We at BearKnuckle promise our music will have emotion, from anger to love.  Our performance on stage will convey our spirit's.  Keep your head's up in 2013.  BearKnuckle plans to maul this town.  Figuratively speaking of course.

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

Practice makes perfect?

Practice makes perfect right?  What part of practice are we talking about here?  I am referring to rehearsals and band practice, or whatever you like to call it.  I have practice in about an hour, and right now I am awaiting to drive over.  Some of the most important practice for music is actual practice with your band.  There is much that goes into being able to play with a band.  It's funny all of the practicing you do on your own will only reflect so much on how actual band practice goes.  Everyone in the band has to be familiar with the music and have practiced on their own.  I honestly don't do alot of rehearsing on my own outside of band practice, unless I'm not familiar with the music, but that is really only for last minute fill-in gigs.  Recently I had a fill-in gig with a hiphop artist named Micah Brown.  I had to learn 3 songs in less than a week.  That really isn't all that hard to do, but getting tight with the band took every last minute we had to rehearse together before the night of the gig.  I had a very tight drummer to play with named Brandon, he made the practice go quite smooth for me.  If I am able to lock in with the drummer with ease, then practice and playing the music will go well for me.  I learned all 3 of the songs, the night before the first rehearsal, then we had 2 other rehearsal's before the gig.  Luckily with hiphop music, it doesn't have much as far as changes in the bassline, other than not playing at all in some part of the song.  So the songs are fairly "elementary" to learn at the last minute.  The part I like most about learning new songs for a last minute show, is the amount of stimulation my brain feels.  Having to practice and "cram" these new songs in is a very tedious and time consuming process.  In addition to learning these songs, I sort of have to get used to performing them, and being comfortable rocking out on stage with them.  In other words, I don't like to just stand still on stage.  For me now, rehearsing feels like playing a show.  I'm very comfortable on stage, and I rarely get intimidated on stage.  But there are those shows, where you're just like "woahhhhhh".  The show I played with Micah Brown had between 300-400 people, and that was a very nice crowd to see.  The room was full.  It all sort of adds to the high of playing music.  My point that I am trying to make though, is that when rehearsing you need to give it your all, just as much as you would in a live setting.  If you want your shows to feel authentic then you need to make your rehearsals authentic.  I am going to be on my way out of the door soon to go jam out in a mess of psychadelia with Rainbow Bridge.  This has been another look behind the scenes of a musician's world.  Also,  I will try to have more daily blogs, maybe after christmas season is over at my other job in the "real" world at the UPS Store.

<3

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

Manipulating Inspiration

  I was feeling lazy yesterday so I didn't write a blog entry.  Also I didn't really have any inspiration to write.  Inspiration is incredibly crucial to my creative process.  It all comes from a feeling that tells me to create.  I have my good days, and my bad days when finding inspiration.  Part of being any kind of artist is learning to manipulate your inspiration to create a picture from with-in.
  My creative process never really has a method behind it.  When I'm coming up with musical ideas, it's usually all by accident.  Most of the time I will be improvising a solo melody or just a rhythmic pattern, that will turn into the actual chord progression.  Often times I will be at work, or just outside away from my bass and I will suddenly start thinking of a melody in my head, and then come back home and try to figure it out on my bass.  One thing I always usually do, is record a video/audio track so I won't forget how to play it!
  When writing you have to let the music take you to the next part of the song, using your most subtle energy to blindly search for your creation.  It is exactly like an artist painting their painting, or a writer creating a story, or a chef creating their meal.  Using your own intuition you create something totally new.  The only real preparation you have behind creating a musical piece, is the practice you have already put in prior to that point.  All of the practice you have experienced will remain in your subconscious.
  For me part of practicing is not only learning music theory and all of the scales and what not, but actually learning every song you hear.  In my earlier days of practice I would sit and with my Ipod on shuffle, learning every song that came on.  I would spend many hours doing this, which all helps me still today.  I feel like before you can really create the piece you want, you have to learn what other musicians are doing; to fully understand where you're going to go.
  In my musical lifetime i have written probably hundred's of songs, just from sheer vamping and improvising.  Though most of them don't even turn into songs because I forget how to play them haha.  The one's that turn into song's are those of real inspiration, that makes me create this song.  The song's that don't become songs, were more like the proceedings to these fully created ideas.  Sometimes I am unable to pull all of the pieces together, until years later.
  Most of my writing is focused on BearKnuckle right now.  I am giving myself a very large picture to paint.  I don't want to limit myself to something too broad.  BearKnuckle is sure to be very diverse with our music, while still having something familiar and signature about our sound.  From my writing, to the contributions from the rest of BearKnuckle, there is nothing we can't create.  We are one mind, guiding ourselves through inspiration.  Thank you for reading!  This concludes my entry on manipulating inspiration.

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

Music to my ears

When is music, not music anymore?  This is an incredibly subjective question to begin with, but I will tell you what is not music to my ears.  If you listen to most top 40's pop radio today, you will notice most of the music has taken a very techno influenced avenue.  All the songs have the same 2/4, pouding kick drum beat.  The reason for this is that, most of the music is written in a computer program, where the "producer" which is commonly mistaken for "composer" these days.  Most of these songs don't even have a single key change, there might just be 8 measures where they drop the beat, and call it a bridge, and chorus might just be the same thing as the verse, but with a synthesizer melody played along.  All of this music is usually just the "producer" playing a 4 measure phrase, and then looping it for 3:10 seconds to call it a hit single.  I feel this technique to create "music" leaves the songs very sterile and lifeless, with minuscule amounts of emotion.  It is hard for me to connect to music that doesn't present any sort of life to me.  To me real music has blood, sweat and tears behind it, and you can hear the real live instruments and the voices behind the sounds that are created.  The top 40's pop is not what I'd call music, it's more just instant gratification.  It gives the listener, nothing to grab onto, it's just made for keeping less musically inclined listeners entertained.  Right now I am listening to Bill Evan's Live At Art D'Lugoff's: Top Of The Gate [Disc 2].  Which just happens to be running from last night, and music like this is such artwork.  It's a live album for one, so its totally in the moment, and it's just amazing how tight this band is.  Now aday's a live show with alot of these pop singer's is just someone lip syncing over a back track, and the band and almost there for looks.  That takes away so much from the live show.  There is no room left for improvisation, nothing spontaneous.  One point with playing in a band like BearKnuckle, is really trying to put fourth a high energy live show.  For me being a musician, performing live is about the best fun I can have with music.  Being able to create something, that is perfectly spontaneous and in the moment is something that is unparalleled.  The moment creates a whole energy that the audience and I can share, and energy and is incredibly spiritual.  People feeding energy to produce a spiritual moment.  That is church for me...hahahaha.  BearKnuckle loves to perform live, and we love seeing all faces, new and old at our shows.  We love the energy that is in the air, and all the things that come with it!  WE LOVE YOU!!!

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

Why so heavy?

Why all the metal?  Why do I enjoy the heavy side of things when it comes to alot of music?  I mean I love many forms of music, from very light and elegant sounding music, to the most brutal heavy death metal.  Metal to me is a very expressive form of music; it really does take a certain person to like it though.  I feel that many things about life and the world are very dark, and sometimes very evil; and metal is something that I can relate to, from these feelings.  You are able to release your dark side so to speak, which for me brings out alot of my energy in general.  The musicians who write metal music, are playing things that make them feel a certain way; and that most definitely conveys into my feelings.  Part of the sounds that BearKnuckle creates, are very heavily influenced by the metal genre.  It's something that is deeply rooted in our playing styles and our personalities.  The need to be heavy!!  Though we also have a soft side and like to incorporate that aswell.  My personal favorite metal bands are Opeth, Mastodon, Gojira, and Isis.  I also love early metal bands such as Black Sabbath, UFO, and Deep Purple.  I will admit, there is alot of metal music that I don't like at all, but it's mainly the way the music is conveyed to me.  I feel there is alot of metal music, that is completely ignorant of melody, and I do not like those bands usually.  Melody has to exist for me to enjoy something, even drums can be melodic.  Everything has to do with phrasing when writing music.  Everyone is receptive to a different sort of phrasing.  Everyone has their own feeling.  The majority of music lover's, do not appreciate metal music.  With all of the screaming and growling, no one wants to listen to it!  You have to allow yourself to dig past your initial feeling of the sound.  Metal has all of the melody that less "brutal" forms of music have.  To me, metal is a complete evolution of music, especially when looking back at music like jazz music, where much of the music is played quite fast, sometimes reaching tempos incorporated in metal music.  Alot of metal music slows down to an almost blues like tempo, and really can reach your soul.  I suppose the point of this whole post, is really to speak out for metal music.  I feel like it is the bastard child of many listening palettes.  Metal needs to be appreciated.

Thanks for reading!

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

Communication

I think with BearKnuckle being the name of this blog; I suppose, that it may sorta of be like my pen name.  I (Rory) will probably be managing this blog most of the time anyways.  I just got done jamming on my drum set for about 2 hours; and for me drums are so inspiring, especially when picking up my bass afterwards.  Sometimes I go long periods of time without playing drums and focusing on guitar more; but in the end, I always come back to bass.  Surely bass feels more like home because thats what I learned music on.  The thing is, when you play other instruments; it gives you so much perspective on how to compose ideas.  Having a good understanding of music theory makes picking up other instruments almost like an instinct.  Music theory is essentially a way to verbally communicate a music idea without having to play it, but also the concepts of music theory are basically the "rules" of music.  I feel like part of becoming a well rounded musician is learning these "rules".  It's almost like being illiterate and being ignorant to proper every day vocabulary and communication.  Knowing these rules will make communicating through music all the easier.  Part of knowing the "rules" of music theory, is also knowing how to break the rules.  Most of the time when I write music, I am always trying to break the rules; it really helps to create a very diverse song; with very offsetting feelings in the music.  I have found hardest part of theory, is keeping yourself from thinking about the theory concepts too much, and finding yourself stuck, and confused.  Theory is really only guidelines to keep in your sub-conscious while you are playing.  If you thinking about it too much while you're playing, you will surely find yourself stuck.  The point of music is to play what you feel, and thinking about theory while you're playing will most definitely take away from your feeling, and your spermatic impulse to improvise.  All of what I am saying is much like talking to someone, and when you stutter trying to say a word or you are trying to think of what word to use in mid sentence.  You have to just let yourself talk for you instead of actually thinking about talking.  Don't let the music theory do the talking, let your self, your'e being, your heart do the talking.  If you feel it, it is supposed to happen.  Sort of like, if it sounds good, it's right.  Alot of music is written like that.  If it works it works, even if it is breaking the "rules".   This has been my rant on music theory.  I think I've run out of things to say about it for now.  Don't want to give myself a headache.  Thanks for reading!

-BearKnuckle
facebook.com/BearKnuckle

New blog!

Hey everyone!

Rory here, bassist and one of the vocalist's for BearKnuckle. Not only is this my first ever blog that I've written, but the first of many for BearKnuckle.  The content of this blog will be very broad, ranging from our music, other music, and all things far and between.  As a band, we are very amused by pretty much everything, so we will write about everything!  I personally have been playing gigs on the music scene since I was 17, and I feel in the last 5 years I have gained alot of experience, and I've enjoyed every minute of it.  Music is my life and it always feels so great to have positive feedback about BearKnuckle.  I put in alot of time writing and arranging music, to contribute to BearKnuckle.  So for me hearing good feedback about our music, is of the highest monetary value.  Me and my twin brother Nick (guitarist for BearKnuckle) have been writing music together since we started playing our instruments at the age 14.  We started our first band during the end of our senior year in high school, called Sanus Valde, we released a demo album, but never really went very far with it.  Aside from starting a band in high school, we also made two very good friends Willie "Fune" Williams (Lead singer of BearKnuckle) and his brother Chad Williams.  To this day, we are a tight group of friends.  Before co-founding BearKnuckle, Willie was primarily a hip-hop artist, performing regularly on the rap scene.  Being such great friends with me and Nick, we all wanted to have a band together someday.  Even when we were in high school, we always thought it would be great.  Over the last 2 years, our fantasy has slowly turned into reality.  After spending over a year searching for a drummer, we finally landed one off of craigslist.  That drummer is Donny Dey, our current drummer and co-founding member of BearKnuckle.  Over the last year or so we have been writing and performing music together, and we are currently recording our debut album; which we hope to have released in February.  BearKnuckle is my baby, and of all the bands I play with including Craigger White band, Rainbow Bridge, KDence, Micah Brown, and all the fill in gigs I do; BearKnuckle is home for me.  It is where I really put all of my passion and time.  BearKnuckle has goals, we want to go places, and we want to take all of you with us too!  So here is to the climb, and to our first blog!

Stay classy Atlanta

-BearKnuckle

facebook.com/BearKnuckle