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4/4/2011
If you missed us on the Homegrown show, you can now download or listen with the links below:
Download (right click and "Save As"):
Segment 1
Segment 2
Segment 3
Listen Now:
3/18/2011
King's Row will be the featured guest on the "Homegrown" show on 93.5 FM out of the Lake. The program showcases local music and airs at 11 AM Sunday morning. During the 1 hour show, they will feature music from our new CD as well as several interview segments. It should be fun at least...
If you can't get the station in, it can be streamed here
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2/28/2011
CDs have arrived! You can get them from anyone in the band for $5 starting later this week. If you can't wait, here are the best links again:
DOWNLOAD from CD Baby ($5) OR BUY CD from CreateSpace ($10)
Let us know what you think about it!
2/16/2011
Looks like we're about 10 days from receiving our shipment of "Unbroken" CDs. If you just want to download or, like us, are just excited that it's out there, you can find it for download at Amazon, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, etc. We recommend going to CDBaby because it's not only the cheapest price ($4.99) but it's also where they take the least amount off the top. Hopefully we'll sell a few and maybe get the word out to a few radio stations!
We're going to start writing the next CD this Friday. Should be fun!
Dale
1/31/2011
FINALLY!
Well, after being home sick a few days which afforded me the freedom to sit down and mix music all day, the final mixes for the CD are finished! Pending a final band review this week, we should hopefully be able to send out materials for getting CDs made sometime next week!
In the meantime, we've added a new "Unbroken" page to the site where you can get full song previews, stories behind the music, song lyrics, and leave feedback.
12/28/2010
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM KING'S ROW!
Just another quick update for anyone who's paying attention. While there are still a scant few parts to be recorded or re-recorded, I've started mixing the CD and things are sounding pretty good already. Chris still has a few leads to get finished and I have some miscellaneous backing vocals and guitar parts to tidy up. Otherwise we're slowly moving along. Hopefully, sometime soon....................
11/23/2010
The Subtle Art of Slow Progress
I know I keep saying this, but we're almost done with the new CD. Keep in mind, we're a band that only gets together for six hours at a time every two weeks. Put all that into consecutive 8 hour days, and that means the CD has really only taken about 3 months. So, I would say we're doing very well! Jim Brown is done and is concentrating on his wife and family, Jim Hare has two songs and one bass solo left to record, Chris is down to about five solos, and I've started mixing finished songs while polishing up some keyboards and backing vocals. I won't propose any sort of new time schedule or give ourselves a deadline but I will say that it won't be long now...
In the mean time, I've updated our eShop to include the "Glory" mp3 download through Amazon and CD Baby (also available through iTunes).
Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving to all!
9/26/2010
"If you want the glory..."
The last time the band got together, Jim let us know that they were playing "Glory" before South Callaway football games and many people were asking for CD's. So, they're on the way! I worked over the last week to finish up a good, solid mix of "Glory". Since "Change" is all recorded and ready we've included it as the b-side. Also, after "Transition" I noticed several little things in "Second Class" that bothered me (mostly to do with the drums), so I re-recorded the drums and remixed the song. It's mostly a promo CD for people who just want the football song and not necessarily the whole CD, but maybe with a bit of a preview of the new CD and one song from "Transition", it will work double duty as a promotional tool for the band. I've uploaded the artwork and will be sending out the CD masters tomorrow. Hopefully, we'll have CDs ready to sell for the next South Callaway home game on October 8th!
The CD tracklist will be as follows:
1. Glory (Single Edit) 4:21
2. Change 6:27
3. Second Class 7:12
4. Glory (Extended Version) 8:09
9/4/2010
Calling all male models!
Well, not exactly... But last week it was time for another King's Row CD cover photo shoot. In true DIY fashion, I bought some cloth from Hobby Lobby, set it up in my living room, and grabbed some lamps for lighting! We took a number of photos (highlights of which can be found on the "Images" page) all on a stunning blue background. If you think that the background is gawdy, well it's meant to be so that we can cut out the background easily in Photoshop. We had a good night taking pictures with numerous glass heads, in our King's Row workshirts, and just being our normal, dorky selves. After pictures were done, Jim Brown did a few more vocal parts. Jim Hare decided to leave early but when he left, he forgot that Jim Brown's van was parked behind him and he plowed right into the thing. Needless to say, the night came to an abrupt end.
Since then, I've been working on keyboards and finishing backing vocals for "Unbroken" and Chris did his guitar parts for "Change". The CD cover is coming along nicely and is on pace to be done long before the CD itself.
See you next time! - Dale
8/24/2010
Another week gone by and what do we have to show for it? Well, Chris finished up his lead guitar for "Glory", then we mixed it down and made a few different versions for the South Callaway football team. Soon that will be in the hands of Jim which means it will officially be delivered to the team soon. However, now that it's done, Chris and I have agreed that we can do better so they're getting an even extra special version because the album will have different lead guitar!
I took a vacation day last Friday to stay home and work on music. I re-recorded guitar for "Change" and made it a lot tighter, then remixed the vocals for the instrumental. Then, I got started on doing vocals for "Choose Your Weapon". This is a very old song dating back to 2003, when we began to work on "Transition". It's gone through a number of changes but is still a very heavy song and is most interesting because it features lyrics written by me, Chris, and Jim Hare one night many moons ago. The lyrics center around the idea of weapons being more than guns and knives with phrases like, "The hollow-pointed words of your apologies." It has turned out very cool and I like the lyrics a lot.
Because the vocal approach to this song is very aggressive, I am doing the lead vocal parts in the verses and Jim Brown sings the chorus. I spent the day screaming my vocals, layering different tracks, and then doing harmonies for the chorus. In all, I think it turned out pretty well. I've uploaded a short sample of my vocals from that day, although without the music it won't give you an accurate picture of the song itself (which is kind of the idea-to get you excited but keep some mystery and suspense).
Choose Your Weapon Vocals Only
This week, we'll be getting together to take pictures for the CD artwork. We have several glass heads we'll be bringing with us along with the infamous King's Row work shirts and our all-out creativity. It should make for an interesting session. I'll try to post some subtly revealing tidbits after it's all said and done for anyone who's watching.
Until then! - Dale
A Sign of Things to Come?
8/14/10
Chris has officially begun working on lead guitar parts! Our basic working pattern at the moment is this:
I work to finish up backing vocals, keyboards, and polishing rhythm guitar and drums for a song. Once all those elements are in place, Chris begins working on lead guitar.
The first song to be completely finished will be "Glory" (aka "The Football Song"). Jim's wife Dena approached the band last year about writing a song for the South Callaway football team based around a chant the team does before the game. We started writing but weren't able to record it for last football season. However, we might actually have things ready for this year!
The song is SUPER heavy, played on a 7-string guitar that is tuned down to low A. It was very difficult keeping the guitars and bass in tune at that low of a register but sheer will and determination got us through! We actually incorporated soundbites of the team chant from a video we were given then made it sound even bigger by adding about 20 tracks of extra vocals. The lyrics play on the theme of an athlete being a warrior and the rigors of mental and physical preparation for battle. I think it ends up being a very good metaphor for football and adds to the overall aggression of the song.
Chris started on his lead guitar last time we got together and although only about half finished, I can easily say that his parts took the song up several levels. He should finish up his lead guitar for "Glory" next Friday and then we'll be able to get a mix of the song togehter for the football season.
Instrumental Vocal Section
In the mean time, I've been working on keyboards for "Sleepwalking" and vocals for this album's instrumental, "Infinite" (yes, I said vocals for an instrumental). We're also hard at work on the artwork for the album. As soon as we get a few things finalized maybe I'll post a few preliminary pictures!
Until next time! - Dale
Studio Update
7/25/2010
Jim Brown came out again this weekend and finished up all of his vocal tracks. The main work he did was on the song "Glory", a roaring football anthem for which he laid down 15 tracks' worth of vocals. Through the rest of the weekend, I finished things up on the song adding another 10 tracks or so of vocals to give it a very large sound. We're rounding the corner for the home stretch but we also added a bit more work for ourselves. We made an executive decision to take the song "Sketches" off of the current CD, opting instead for three shorter songs that would give the CD more overall balance. The three new songs all feature lyrics written by Jim Brown (his first for King's Row) and feature a few more ecclectic styles. "Anchor" is a straight ahead rocker with a Badlands type sound. "Love Denied" is a blues-rock song with King's X style vocals. "Take Me" is a heavier song styled after Sevendust but with very melodic vocals and orchestra type keyboards. Hopefully, the result will be a CD that has a better balance of styles because we were noticing many of the songs were long and progressive. We write songs in many different styles and would rather have our CDs show all of those facets rather than just a few.
As for the future, I'm hard at work on backing vocals and Chris will begin his lead guitar the next time we get together. We're going to try to pick a song each time we get together and finish all of the parts for that one song. That probably puts us on track for Christmas time to be finished, but as long as it's right! We're already discussing cover ideas so a photo shoot will be in the works very soon! I'll let you know when I find out more! - Dale
Studio Update
7/2/2010
It feels like we're in the home stretch! Jim Brown came out last weekend and finished vocals on all but one of the songs. I also threw in a few background vocal parts and I think things are going to thicken up pretty nicely. He's going to come back in a couple of weeks hopefully to finish up the last of his parts. Then it will just be a few keyboard parts and all of the lead guitar! Even though it doesn't sound like much, it will probably be Sept/Oct before we're completely finished (and I think that is an incredibly hopeful estimate).
Studio Update
5/26/2010
Still working on bass and keyboards. Jim recently finished bass on "Choose Your Weapon" and the as-yet-untitled-instrumental and started working on a bass solo that will be featured in "Test of Faith". I've been working on keyboards using a combination of a keyboard and the guitar synthesizer. The hardest part is finding the right sound for everything. As soon as bass and keyboards are done, Chris will start working on lead guitar parts and I will get to work on backing vocals. So, everything is coming along nicely but at the usual King's Row snail's pace.
In other musical ventures, I've personally been pretty enmeshed in listening to new music. I've recently discovered the bands Taking Dawn and Mutiny Within, both of which are heavy bands with a good mixture of aggressive and melodic vocals. I've been enjoying the new Spock's Beard CD whose influence will show up all over future projects. I also recently purchased new live albums from Extreme and Mr. Big both of which are not only excellent but a good blast from the past. All of this has led me to start writing some new music on the side that I'm very excited about but that will all have to happen at another time.
In the mean time, if you're checking out the site (and you're not one of us in the band), sign the guestbook to let us know you've been here!
Dale
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It's been over almost a couple of years since we've had a website but we're back in business! We are hard at work on a new CD, tentatively titled "Unbroken". It features 9 songs and looks to clock in close to 80 minutes. Building on the production and songwriting of "Transition", we hope to make it sound bigger and the songs are definitely more progressive and heavy. It will still be diverse so there will hopefully be something for everyone on it. Currently, we have completed drums, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, and most of the bass and vocals. We're working on keyboards right now and Jim Brown is coming out this week to do a few more vocals. We're working at our usual snail's pace but we're getting there!
Dale
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