7k Band Member Blog

778 days

2010-11-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

Greetings readers! Let's make up for lost time....

The other day, in passing, a friend asked "How's the band?" I paused for a moment before I offered my response. "This is the busiest we've ever been without the word 'busy' meaning we're playing tons of shows," I said. Later that day I realized how contradictory my reply seemed. Naturally when we think of bands, we think of shows. Busy bands must be busy playing lots of shows, right? Well, not exactly.

In late 2007 we started our quest for NACA. Insanely long and complex story made more digestible: NACA is an organization divided into geographic regions affiliated with all universities and colleges that functions as a marketplace for providing schools with entertainment of all kinds including: comedians, poets, motivational speakers and (you guessed it) BANDS. Upon discovering NACA, thanks to our Producer and friend Eric, our minds were blown. We quickly realized how many opportunities could be around the corner and frankly, how much WORK needed to be done. We were in the middle of recording our 'Signature' EP and were behind schedule. We actually had to start over after all of our initial tracks were lost in an unfortunate hard-drive crash. As excited as we were to get involved with NACA, the delay caused us to miss our submission deadline and forced us to wait a year.

During that time we finished the EP and began planning how best to position ourselves in terms of entertainment viability within a flourishing college music market. Conversations bubbled in person, percolated over conference calls and flooded hundreds of emails about things like image, logos, photography, artwork, fashion and it all felt so weird. September 6, 2008 (1/778) we had a CD release show for the 'Signature' EP at our beloved Spark Lounge and that was the last 7k show where anyone saw the old logo, the big purple drumkit or the three of us perform without our now-familiar matching ties and vests. Fittingly, that is where this story truly begins.

The months following that show were different. The holidays came and went. Emails generally had MP3 attachments of rough song ideas or artist renderings of things in different color schemes. We entered the studio with new songs that came to life as they were being recorded. We decided on a new logo after consulting attorneys. We went shopping together on Rodeo Drive in search of a 'new look'. Things were different and they were starting to feel a little less weird. Not unlike a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, we had transformed.

One thing we realized is that in this day and age very little happens by accident. When you turn on your TV or listen to the radio everything that you're experiencing was designed to give you that experience. In our time since creating and releasing the 'Signature' EP we had started actually designing 7k.

A key element in our design for NACA was shooting a music video for our then-new single "My High Life". Not only is it a submission requirement, a music video is the most complete modern time capsule marrying everything NEW: music, image, fashion, etc. Making the video was a fun and labor-intensive venture. Seeing the finished product was sort of our collective 'a-ha' moment...and no, I'm not referring to the 80's band that played 'Take On Me' (though that is another cool video).

Our applications and submissions were under review. Everything was in place and then (cue dramatic music here) it all hit us:

David- "Does it hunt?"
Jeff- "Will they buy it?"
Corey- "Can I play drums in this?"

It was time. In June of 2009 we were finishing a new recording (7k) and so began 'The Summer of Test Shows'. We played ten shows that summer which featured new music and unveiled the new look. June 20th at Harry O's was the first time anyone saw us in our matching ties and vests or heard live versions of songs like "Little Bit More" and "My High Life". Between shows we were like mad scientists. We tinkered with everything from the setlist order to subtle changes in our individual versions of 'the look'. Meanwhile, our NACA applications had been accepted and we were planning our first National tour which would span 7 weeks and take us as far East as Hartford, Connecticut. The new look and the new music, here at home, were a hit. Now it was time to take the show on the road....lots of roads, actually.

October 3, 2009 we had a CD release show for our new record '7k' at Spark Lounge in Anaheim. The next day we packed the trailer and slept in our beds for the last time until Thanksgiving. October 5th, we kissed our loved ones and cried as we climbed onto the bus.

The triumphs and tribulations of any band's first 'real' tour were well-documented throughout my blogs. When we got home, after rebuilding our personal lives, it was time to leave again. In February, we were flown to Indiana for one show at Valparaiso University which I also blogged about. By April, you guessed it, it was time to leave again. For Jeff, David and myself it was truly exciting to hit the road for our second National Tour. A 5 week tour which started in Oklahoma, ended in Connecticut and spanned over 8,000 driving miles was truly the pinnacle of 2010. There are blogs extensively detailing all that too. Upon returning home, we couldn't bring ourselves to rest. Less than two weeks past before local summer shows were booked. Then, emails started choking my inbox with MP3 attachments of new song ideas.

The summer came and went. On October 23, 2010 (777/778) we entered the studio to begin recording our new single "I Will Hold You Up" and the very next day 7k performed at the wedding of some of our dearest friends. Through this era we played a total of 45 shows, 19 of which in our home state of California. What an amazing journey this has been thus far, and we feel like we're just getting started.

Each of us loves each of you. Thank you for being what you are to us.

Love,
David, Jeff & Corey

THE SHOWS:
09/06/08 Spark Lounge- Anaheim, CA
06/20/09 Harry O’s- El Segundo, CA
06/24/09 Blue Café- Long Beach, CA
07/10/09 Paladino’s- Tarzana, CA
07/12/09 Blue Café- Huntington Beach, CA
07/14/09 Gallagher’s Pub- Huntington Beach, CA
07/29/09 Blue Café- Long Beach, CA
07/30/09 Cat Club- Hollywood, CA
08/03/09 Skinny’s Lounge- Hollywood, CA
08/09/09 Blue Café- Huntington Beach, CA
08/11/09 Good Hurt- Los Angeles, CA
10/02/09 Back Alley Bar & Grill- Fullerton, CA
10/03/09 Spark Lounge- Anaheim, CA
10/08/09 KOB TV “Good Day New Mexico”- Albuquerque, NM
10/08/09 Monte Vista Fire House Brewery- Albuquerque, NM
10/09/09 Mooney’s Pub & Grill- Norman, OK
10/10/09 Joe Momma’s- Tulsa, OK
10/15/09 NACA Mid-Atlantic Conference- Lancaster, PA
10/22/09 Wander Inn- Mishawaka, IN
10/23/09 Scatz Nightclub- Madison, WI
10/26/09 Kingstead- Bloomington, IN
10/27/09 Max’s Place- Bloomington, IN
10/28/09 Vernon Club- Louisville, KY
10/29/09 NACA Mid-America Conference- Covington, KY
11/07/09 Campbell Room- Worcester, MA
11/12/09 NACA Northeast Conference- Hartford, CT
11/20/09 Scatz Nightclub- Madison, WI
02/06/10 Valparaiso University- Valparaiso, IN
02/26/10 Back Alley Bar & Grill- Fullerton, CA
02/27/10 Spark Lounge- Anaheim, CA
04/09/10 Mooney’s Pub & Grill- Norman, OK
04/10/10 Joe Momma’s- Tulsa, OK
04/15/10 Adrian College- Adrian, MI
04/17/10 Marietta College- Marietta, OH
04/20/10 Wander Inn- Mishawaka, IN
04/22/10 Ohio Dominican University- Columbus, OH
04/23/10 Jake’s Nightclub- Bloomington, IN
04/24/10 Vernon Club- Louisville, KY
04/28/10 Alvernia University- Reading, PA
04/29/10 Penn State University Berks- Reading, PA
05/01/10 Central Connecticut State University- New Britain, CT
06/26/10 Back Alley Bar & Grill- Fullerton, CA
07/24/10 Back Alley Bar & Grill- Fullerton, CA
08/28/10 Back Alley Bar & Grill- Fullerton, CA
10/24/10 Hacienda- Santa Ana, CA

UPDATE: Dark Side of the Moon

2010-07-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Howdy 7kers! I know, I know....long time no bloggy blog. I'm truly sorry and promise to check in more regularly. In case you're new to the blog I'm Corey, the drummer/avid blogger, go back and read through my 'tales from the road' series for a chuckle as well as a detailed play-by-play from various points in both of 7k's US Tours. I am climbing the walls over here and thought I'd blow-off some steam in our beloved blog. Cool?

The three of us are in the 'valley' in terms of any traditional album cycle. The 'peak' in that cycle for me personally is a two-way tie between recording and touring since I love both equally. For now though, we're in that 'dark side of the moon' phase where we rarely see one another which is really tough since we were basically joined at the hip for 30 days on tour in April. Imagine being in the same room with your two best friends for five weeks straight...720 hours in a row! Then POOF! ...nothing (insert queasy feeling here). We played a 4 hour show a couple weeks ago in Fullerton (see new pics) and that was quite literally the most time we'd been together since early May! I had seen Jeff and David in person just TWICE before that show since getting home from tour. We had a post-tour meeting over dinner (said with sarcasm: complete with spreadsheet analysis) and one rehearsal to knock the rust off before the show. That hardly constitutes as satisfactory for me. I suppose there are hundreds of reasons to be in a band, but some of my favorites are the musical bond, the camaraderie and the friendship. What I'm sayin' here is: I MISS MY BAND; I MISS MY BOYS!!

Admittedly, 7k got lucky. We had the opportunity to see much of this country TWICE in support of our most recent CD. That was really cool, and a pretty rare occurrence for a band at our level. Getting re-acclimated to home-life was certainly tougher this time around knowing the 'valley' was upon us, though I don't mean to paint such a grim portrait- each of us has been busy.

For David, it has meant time to dive into something he really enjoys: producing loops. David is the mastermind behind all things soundscape. Between you and me, it's a gigantic can of worms that most professional bands have to come to grips with at some point, and let's just say that 7k is TRULY STOKED to have a Jedi Master-Ninja Guru-Super Hero like David Neil Black!! Long story short, he busts his butt creating additive musical ingredients that are lightly sprinkled into every 7k live performance. And by 'lightly' I mean, you may not even know they're there...but if they weren't there you might find yourself furrowing your brow wondering 'hey, what's missing?'. And, not to burst your bubble or anything, every band you've seen perform live in the past 5-10 years is doing this unless they're actually paying additional musicians to play with them onstage (or just offstage so you don't see them). Want proof? YouTube Green Day from their 'Bullet in a Bible' tour. All those cool songs you loved from 'American Idiot' are being reproduced flawlessly thanks to...ooooopps....extra musicians onstage. Anyhow, with that little newsflash out of the way....David has also been busy being a rockstar. He did a SPECTACULAR promotional photo shoot with Paul Rivera with all of his beloved Parker guitars and H&K amp. The photos are stunningly bitchen and find David smiling wider than ever. As if that weren't enough, the folks at Brace Wireless have a new product (which Jeff & David helped to beta test on tour) about to hit shelves that feature a live photo of David rocking right there on the package!!! Seriously, it seems like his face should be plastered on a Wheaties box month. Kudos to my brother David.

Jeff has been a busy fellow too. As of this blog, he's currently enjoying Jamaica with his lovely wife. Before he left, and when he gets home, Jeff can be found writing new music, or writing new music, then writing new music, or doing yard work, tackling various home improvement projects and hanging with his menagerie of animals...and friends, for that matter. Enter 'traditional'. When a band gets home from tour, they traditionally write new material, record new material, do a promo push for new material, then tour. Traditionally, much of the genesis of a great hit song comes from the experience of one individual that can be universally translated to many individuals (Ex. 'Every Breath You Take' The Police or 'With or Without You' U2). That said, Jeff regularly keeps track (by voicenote in his phone usually) of life's little incidents that he finds particularly inspirational. On a side note, if you drop Jeff's phone JUST RIGHT, it'll actually start playing all those voicenotes loudly on speaker phone. It is as uncomfortable as it is hilarious. Anyway, Jeff sits down, not unlike a painter selecting colors from a pallet for his next painting, and combs through all his ideas, then starts to paint....err...write. Enter 'unorthodox'. One thing we've grown accustomed to within 7k is an unorthodox approach to songwriting thanks to a concept introduced by our Producer, Eric Rathgeber. Generally speaking, David and I aren't exposed to the song ideas until we reach pre-production. In a sense, we are musically ambushed by dozens of musical ideas at once (since we've never heard them before). The process keeps us unbalanced and on our toes. We are sharp as we constantly try to grasp new things and we relish in the organic, ever-evolving flow of giving life to new songs. For Jeff this is arguably the busiest time in the cycle as he spends MOST of his time locked away writing and writing and writing and writing. Typically, our goal is to enter pre-production with 30 song ideas, so as a songwriter, maybe this is Jeff's favorite time...but you'd have to ask him. :) We look forward to hearing all the neat little things swimming around in Jeff's head and adding all the things swimming around in ours. My guess is Jamaica will inspire tales of love and sunshine...sounds great! In any case, the initial writing phase is a herculean task to be sure. Kudos to my brother Jeff.

As for me, life has been full of surprises. The first (and biggest) surprise technically happened while 7k was still on the road, but the day after I got home, we welcomed a bundle of joy, an 8 week old black lab pup. She has certainly kept me busy as her 'ball of raw energy' puppy craze is in full swing. I'm a proud dad even though she was apparently stuck in fast-forward over the past 2 weeks, gaining almost 10 pounds and morphing into a small dog rather than a puppy. Why do I get the feeling she'll be pleasantly ginormous? Another surprise came in printed form, published, that is. Months ago I sat down at my computer and typed a document outlining some of the drum-related injuries I've had over the years and what I recently discovered to avoid further injury. On a whim, I emailed the document to the managing editor of Drumhead Magazine. I was flattered to read in an email that they planned to publish my document as a featured article in the 'avoiding injury' section. To hold a physical copy in my hand (pg. 74 of the issue with Greg Bissonette on the cover) was truly thrilling. I am proud to be a member of that community and would jump at the chance to reach out to help my fellow drummers...so it was truly a delightful surprise. I've also kept myself busy behind the drums too, a pre-requisite for my personal sense of balance. If I'm being particularly snarky (yep, that's a real word) those around me generally recommend some quality drum time. My other outlets to reduce snarkiness, as many of you know, are video games and sports as I am 7k's resident gaming junkie and selective sports nut. Since my beloved PS3 died on tour, my hockey team made an early exit from the playoffs and we're in the midst of the excruciating drought before football season begins, I've discovered new levels of quality drum time. Needless to say, I've tinkered a lot, rebuilt my mixer box and added some new 'toys' to my drum set-up. In the coming weeks I'm set to be joined in the studio by Chuck, a drummer buddy, to start reviewing ideas for our drum/drum project and by Jeff to revisit rhythm section rehearsals...but to me it all just feels like chomping at the bit.

I sit here finishing off this blog, looking down at my feet. As I click my heels together three times, I wish to look up and be playing drums somewhere...anywhere. This evening, I'll blissfully blast away behind the kit for a few hours and as many times as I can squeeze in before the next show, and the next. All the while I'll be thinking about regular rehearsal schedules, pre-production and wondering 'are we there yet?'

Love.

Til next time,
Jeff, David & Corey

Tales From The Road: Rewind, Reese's, the Hobbit Bridge and the Home Stretch

2010-05-01T07:00:00.001-07:00

Well, here in New Britain, Connecticut the scent of blossoming trees is on the breeze and Spring is poised to be in full swing. Before I get into the most recent of shows, there are two tasty tidbits I mistakenly left out of my last blog. That said, allow me to 'click' the rewind button, just for a moment.

1. Back at the KOA campground in Madison, PA I did a cool thing. As you may remember, we had been there 6 months earlier and I enjoyed a solo hike where I snapped a few nice pics of rainy, wintery, fallen leaves, etc. Anyway, while doing so (last year) I had my iPod with me and enjoyed Gavin DeGraw's record 'Free' while I hiked. I thought it would be fun this time around to listen to the very same record while starting my hike from exactly the same spot. I did, and was continually amazed by the beautiful changes a new season had brought to my path. The soundtrack highlighted different things this time, like the sunlight shimmering off the surface of a nearby lake. I noticed horses grazing everywhere and beautiful flowers. It was such a neat way to see the same place in two different seasons....a place far from home that I may never find myself in ever again. :)

2. While at Ohio Dominican University, in Columbus, OH I sat in the student center and sipped coffee while I prepared for a unique morning. We were set to play in Bloomington the next night for Little 500 and one of the most popular Bloomington radio stations, B97 had scheduled a live radio with ME to discuss the show. There were all these specific instructions....one minute before nine, text '7k' to this number, then call immediately after....I felt like James Bond. Although before my spy mission was to begin, I had to make a call of a different sort, since that day was my nephew's 6th birthday. After he and I chatted about pool parties and tee-ball, I proceeded to call B97 for the interview. It was a blast, as Josh probed about 7k and plugged the show. As it turned out, Josh from B97 broadcast live from Jake's that night as I made my second appearance on the radio. It was great fun.

"Hey, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter," is sort of the famed Reese's quote and honestly, that's how we all feel about Pennsylvania. There is a really special blend of New England and Midwest that exists that we've never seen anywhere else. Admittedly, when traveling Eastbound INTO this gorgeous state, everyone must endure the four tunnels of death (see last year's blog) but it's WELL worth it. Obviously those tunnels wouldn't be a problem for the average vehicle, but maneuvering a 40ft bus and trailer through them feels like trying to shove a tennis ball through a McDonald's straw. Anyhow, the weather was DROP-DEAD-GORGEOUS and truly epitomized Spring. The people were very sweet, helpful, easy-going and receptive. The shows were two of our favorites so far.

Show #9 we rocked Alvernia University in Reading, PA with our friends SAFETYSUIT. The show was held in a very large gymnasium and the students flooded the stage when we asked for dancers. It marked our first time performing in a gymnasium and were pleased by the arena-like sound and light show. Afterwards, we were famished, so we went to an all-night diner with friends and headed for the hotel. Each of us where wiped-out and went to our rooms to dump video and crash. Oh yeah, with 4 cameras rolling at every show, we all have cameras that need to be charged while video is saved to our hard drives. The only time we have time....is when we're sleeping. We met in the lobby for a delightful breakfast and didn't have to check-out, for a change, since show #10 was also in Reading, PA at Penn State University Berks.

The PSU Berks performance was their VERY FIRST concert and we feel VERY fortunate to have been a part of this special event. Just like the previous night, we were on the bill again with our friends from Nashville, SAFETYSUIT. We pulled the bus up behind the outdoor stage and were met by a gaggle of friendly students. After hugs and handshakes the entire group headed for our pre-show dinner. It was great to relax, laugh, answer questions and sign autographs with the other patrons of the restaurant wondering who the heck we were. Arriving back at the stage, it was time to load-in and soundcheck. Both went off without a hitch and we were ready to hang on the bus for a bit....just then we were told of a bunch of contest winners that were anxious to meet us after the show. A 'meet & greet' had been arranged for those students to get on the bus after the show to hang-out, get autographs and photos. Wow. As we took the stage, a beautiful Spring night breeze whisked by and the lights came up to reveal a seemingly endless crowd. From the very first note, they were wide-eyed and cheering...but then the fun REALLY began. After getting a handful of students onstage to dance and sing along, it was clear that the audience had been stirred into a frenzy of fun. One gal in particular had her iPhone and took a few videos that can be viewed on our FB page and on YouTube. As we stepped off stage, a line formed at our merch table. We posed for photos, sold merch and signed autographs for two solid hours. Police officers stood by for safety and ended up using their flashlights to illuminate all the stuff we were signing. It was bananas. The 'meet & greet' on the bus was fun as we answered questions, shared concert stories, argued about pro football and took photos. We returned to the hotel and collapsed. Whew!

The setlist was the same for both shows:
LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
WRONG GIRL
REMEMBER ME
BAD ROMANCE
I GOTTA FEELING
HOT IN HERRE
DISPENSE
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF

Our trek toward Connecticut was a seemingly simple 4ish hour drive. Thus far, Emily (our Brit-tinged GPS) has set our course pleasantly through farmlands and outskirts. Well, not this time. In hind-sight, it would've been wise to choose a model that had a 'truck' or 'rv' or 'bus' mode. That said, obviously, ours does not. So, in not accounting for our vehicle HEIGHT (which is a whopping 13 feet, by the way) we were led down the path of doom. I was behind the wheel and David was my faithful navigator. Shortly after passing through a bit of New Jersey, we were darting through a bit of New York. Following Emily's route we took a ramp that clearly said 'PASSENGER CARS ONLY'. I thought it was odd, proceeded with caution and noticed a narrow roadway ahead. With clenched jaw and David's encouragement, I 'threaded the needle' as we like to say and all was well. We all figured the 'passenger car only' thing referred simply to the narrow passage and for 20 miles or so, we were right. With Jeff in the back and David grabbing a snack, I noticed a white sports car in the lane next to me. He was going the exact same speed as I was, flashing his lights, honking his horn and screaming at the top of his lungs. I could only look over at him very very briefly as I drove, and I couldn't decipher what he was trying to convey. His sunroof opened and his fist pumped repeatedly skyward, then my stomach sank. I thought maybe I had mistakenly cut him off and he wanted to attempt to kick my ass. Freaked out, I yelled for Jeff and David to come up and look over my shoulder to try to figure out what was up. Jeff thought maybe the guy was trying to tell us there was something wrong with the bus. Just then, the guy sped up and swerved in front of me. We saw his hand poke up out of the sunroof again, only this time he was frantically pointing toward the side of the road. I was still thinking maybe I had irked him in someway by mistake. Then I saw it in the distance, the ominous yellow caution sign. As the numbers came into focus, I stopped breathing. The sign warned that an upcoming bridge had a low clearance of 8ft. 8 inches. Oh, so THAT'S what 'passenger cars only' means. The road made a gentle bend and another identical sign came into view. I also noticed an exit sign and hoped with every iota of faith it was BEFORE the low bridge. I honked my horn twice and waved as if to say "Oh, got it. Thanks SO much!" and then I saw the bridge. It was a beautiful stone archway with a stereotypical Hobbit vibe. Seeing Frodo and Sam trotting across it wouldn't have surprised me one bit...but enough of my daydream....there was the exit ramp ONE HUNDRED FEET before Frodo's death trap. We exited into two-way, rush-hour traffic further exacerbated by road construction and noticed our savior pulled off to the side. We pulled behind him, still holding our breaths and sweating bullets. Jeff hopped out to hug and thank him and I overheard him in his uber-stereotypical NY-meets-Joe Pesci voice say, "Yous guys almost freeakin' died back there." He continued almost as if it was a Saturday Night Live skit with directions back to the REAL interstate. Personally, I had a knot in my stomach for 3 hours. It was horrendous and stressful...and needless to say, this will be Emily's last tour with 7k.

Tonight marks the last show of the tour and the beginning of the home stretch for us. We perform a 4 hour show in the student center of Central Connecticut State University tonight, head to the hotel and begin our COAST-TO-COAST drive tomorrow morning. So far, this tour has been the experience of a lifetime...AND we are excited to return home to loved ones, the beach, showers.......the list goes on and on.

Til next time,
Jeff, David & Corey

Tales From The Road: Jaws Soundtrack, Rockstar Parking Battle & Tennis Skirts.

2010-04-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

With lots of catching up to do, I'll skip the set lists in this blog, as by now I'm sure you've discovered our magical pattern. On that note (pun fully intended), our version of Lady GaGa's 'Bad Romance' is continuing to blow minds and we're still quite amazed by the unexpected response to our version of Cheap Trick's 'I Want You To Want Me'. Since my last blog, we've played 98 songs over the course of 4 rockin' shows, another good reason to skip typing the set lists for each into this blog. :) Oh, and if you're like us, keeping track so far, we've played a grand total of 215 songs this tour. Cool!

Show #5 found us in our favorite, small neighborhood bar called the Wander Inn just outside South Bend, in Mishawaka, Indiana. We discovered the stereotypically Midwestern watering hole during our tour last fall and were elated to return. Oddly enough, the routing of this tour originally had us missing Mishawaka until I saw a forwarded email out of the blue from a guy named Rich. Apparently, after having a BLAST last fall with us he took it upon himself to track us down and lobby for our return. He visited our website right about the time our spring tour dates were announced and started the ball rolling. He sent an email to us and also emailed the bar owner requesting another 7k performance. From a business perspective, with the demand in place it was time to get our supply in gear but honestly, our hearts led us to book another show at the Wander Inn. Our experience last year is still one of our fondest memories and we simply cannot say enough about the AWESOME people that frequent the decidedly Cheers-like small town bar. We saw many familiar faces and were surrounded by many new friends at the merch table during every break. Like last year, the crowd begged us to finish off the night with ANOTHER SET of our original songs. We were more than happy to oblige and continue to feel lucky about being asked back. Having the chance to spend more time at the Wander Inn on this tour (and not breaking my foot this time) was a treat we'll cherish until next time.

Show #6 was at Ohio Dominican University, or lovingly 'ODU'...almost a displaced Garfield reference everytime I say it. Another show on another breath-taking Midwestern college campus on another gorgeous Spring day...WOW!! We arrived Wednesday afternoon for our show Thursday night in the Student Center. A campus safety officer escorted our bus as we pulled into a long row of empty parking spaces near the fitness center reserved for school athletes. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, with a delightful lunch in the student center after a tour of the building and some show planning. Sitting on the bus, adjacent to the beautiful tennis courts we happened to notice the ODU Women's tennis team about to begin practice. There is something pleasant about tennis skirts, sunshine, ladies playing tennis and an overheard comparison between teammates about strapless bras and sports bras. After reading a book for a bit, I curled-up for a nap to the sounds of quickly skidding sneakers and the unmistakable chorus of tennis balls bouncing from racket to clay to racket to clay to racket....and so on. We woke the next morning, show day, and the lads hit the gym while I strolled around campus clicking photos of architecture and flowers. I also got a guided tour of one of the main academic buildings and an exquisite theater. We began our load-in about 3pm, set-up, set lights, soundchecked and headed for dinner. The students in attendance had a ball as we blasted our way through a 3 hour show. They sang and danced, had fun onstage and cheered loudly after every song. Although the student center was supposed to be closed and vacated by 11pm, the students flocked to the merch table to get their hands on their very own 7k gear, or have a photo taken with us, or get an autograph....or, most commonly, ALL THREE. ODU showed us a great time and a ton of school spirit!! Columbus, Ohio was beautiful and the students ROCKED!!

Show #7 is where the rockstar parking battle took place....well, kind of. Jake's Night Club in Bloomington, Indiana was a hot bed of inebriated merry-making during the uber-popular 'Little 500' weekend. The entire downtown scene bubbled with non-sober shenanigans as our bus pulled-up in front of Jake's. On a weekend like that, many popular acts roll into town, many of whom require a space to park a tour bus. In this case, 7k was added to that list and had previously arranged the City to cone-off a 60ft area at the front curb of the venue. As it turns out, Snoop Dogg was set to perform nearby and the after party was scheduled to be in Jake's just as we were finishing. Presumably, his audience was fun, gigantic and intoxicated although I'm not sure where he got to park his pimped-out bus as we beat him to the prime spot. As I stepped out of the bus, I was informed Snoop Dogg's bus maybe parked there too. I surveyed the PACKED curb, our sexy bus with trailer and replied with a smile on my face simply "Not today." Ding, thanks for playin' Snoop. We proceeded to load-in and the crowd proceeded to bump and grind, onstage during our SOUNDCHECK! Little 500 is to Bloomington what Marti Gras is to New Orleans and everything was CRAZY right from the get-go. The show was a blur of music, dancing and onstage sing-alongs. Everyone had so much fun and there were even a few that had too much fun. It was truly a night to be remembered and marked the VERY FIRST TIME 7k concert tickets were available through Ticketmaster. I will be framing mine for sure. What a memory and a milestone.

Show #8 was our third show, in a different city and state in three days. We arrived at the Vernon in Louisville, Kentucky and were tired. Walking through the door, though, gave way to excitement as we saw the venue. You may remember last year's tour we played at the Vernon and were set up straddling a bowling lane in the popular bowling alley upstairs. We played as bowlers flanked us- it was awesome. This time, however, we were the featured headlining act downstairs in the very Sunset-strip-in-its-heyday club. After our soundcheck we were met by my Godfather for a tour tradition of sorts- dinner a block away at Sergio's. Boasting thousands of different kinds of beer you've never tasted, much less heard of, Sergio's is an experience not to be missed. For Jeff and I it's like giving a chocoholic keys to the Hershey factory. For David, his true rockstar status was honored as he sipped a bottle of his favorite wine...a bottle he WALKED IN with. The food and drink were the perfect preamble for a memorable show. Serpent Wisdom, a talented local, eclectic, super-fun act brought their crowd and set the tone for a great evening. We took the stage and played a spirited set of originals with two slammin' covers, 'Life is a Highway' and Prince's 'Kiss'. At one point, Jeff came toward the drums and scooted back near me to rock-out. In the dark, his shin unknowingly gave my mixer/click station a gentle nudge (a bit of 7k humor) and it nearly toppled to the stage. Hurriedly I reached over, mid-tune, to catch it and everytime Jeff trotted toward me for the rest of the show I was overwhelmed with the music from 'Jaws' as I anticipated my gear hitting the deck. LOL. The crowd enjoyed the show, clapping and singing along....many of whom were familiar with 7k from last year's performance. After the show, Nick (famous producer, Louisville resident and sound guru at the Vernon) informed me that he had recorded our performance in what he called "an insane set". The digital files should be waiting in our inboxes when we get home....with any luck, we'll have a few great live tracks available in the not-too-distant future. Sound cool?

We enter the home stretch this week, with three HUGE college shows on the East Coast. Before we do, however, we are taking care of our bodies (and our laundry) recouping in our favorite KOA campground for a couple days in Madison, PA. We were here last year and we fell in love with the grounds. This time around, it's rainy and a bit chilly, but we're making the best of it eating Jeff's famous chili, drinking David's jet-fuel coffee and enjoying two care packages from my loved-ones. One included the movie 'I Love You, Man' (hilarious...a must see for sure) and the other, a fine bottle of Four Roses Small Batch (the REAL crown jewel of Kentucky). Here's to no alarm clock, no driving, no loading......at least for a couple days.

Til next time,
Jeff, David & Corey

Tales From The Road: me-o-MI-OH

2010-04-18T04:06:00.000-07:00

After an abbreviated and rare spell of post-show insomnia I'm here once again blogging a fun-filled, jam-packed update...this time from my very own huge hotel room in Marietta, Ohio. Today's magic number is 67. That's how many songs we've cranked through (two shows) since my last blog and doing so has afforded us a couple days rest in East Sparta, Ohio (about a hundred miles from here) at one of the most beautiful and picturesque KOA campgrounds we've ever seen. You may remember reading about it in my blogs from last year's tour. One word: WOW! Jeff, David and myself are truly looking forward to taking it easy and catching up on life a bit (it's one of the things that seems to disappear while working out here on the road).

Before I describe the shows, I have to say that pictures don't even begin to do justice for either of the beautiful campuses we found ourselves on this week. None of us had even BEEN to the state of Michigan before parking the bus in the sports complex parking lot on the campus of Adrian College in Adrian, MI. The campus, which boasts many buildings from the 1880's alongside state-of-the-art buildings fashioned with an old school aesthetic. Everything intermingled with beautiful trees, spring flowers blooming and sprawling foot-paths. The other campus we marveled at was that of Marietta College in Marietta, OH. We strolled through campus late Thursday afternoon to find a good spot to park the bus and were simply AMAZED by the architecture. The brick work and attention to detail of every building was staggering. The school logo, an elegant M C, is chiseled in a crest atop each building and the grounds are laced with fairy tale-style green grass, rolling hills and small bubbling brooks. Both campuses were simply breath-taking and, with no offense to our respective alma maters we agreed that if we had to do college over again, it would be a toss-up between the two campuses.

Show #3 at Adrian College had a neat twist. We were put-up the night before and the night of the show in a two bedroom guest house on campus behind the Admissions Office. With the bus parked on the other side of campus in the sports complex lot, we got a ride to the house with our luggage from campus police. What a sight it must've been to see three road-weary rockers helped into a campus police SUV by a uniformed officer. LOL. After a good night's sleep, we all explored the campus. Jeff and David got in a workout in the gym while I sat under a tree to read a book. It was peaceful and really prepared us for a hectic night. With narrow streets and smallish parking lots, our load-in distance was long (which means we had to carry, push, stack & pull all our stuff a long way). We were perfectly cool with that and decided to get an earlier start than normal. Incidentally, that distance always seems twice as long AFTER the show, so we woke up the next morning being sore in places we didn't know existed. LOL. Anyway, back to the show...we were in this giant ballroom which sounded like an arena. The bass swelled. The guitars and vocals soared. The drums sounded huge and epic. Students shuffled in and weren't shy about having a good time. Darting right to the front of the stage, they sang, jumped onstage, danced and had a blast! At one point, a campus dance group showed up and stirred everyone into a frenzy with coordinated dance routines to nearly every song we played. It was bananas. Here is the set list:

LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF
THIS LOVE
HOLIDAY
BAD ROMANCE
DISTURBIA
TWIST & SHOUT
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
LIVIN ON A PRAYER
AUTHORITY SONG
KISS
BILLIE JEAN
AMERICAN GIRL
ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL
I GOTTA FEELING
BEVERLY HILLS
I KISSED A GIRL
WALK THIS WAY
SUMMER OF 69
I WON'T BACK DOWN
STARLIGHT
USE SOMEBODY
SWEET HOME ALABAMA
YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
WHAT I GOT
LOVE SHACK
CLOSER
BROWN EYED GIRL
FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES
HOT IN HERRE
POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME
SWEET CAROLINE

Show #4 also had a twist, well, many twists actually. Playing DURING THE DAY is always a trip. I remember heading to dinner afterwards wondering how it could be possible that everything was packed-up and that we were done already. Truly an odd sensation. The show, though, was extraordinarily fun as it marked the first official outdoor festival-style show 7k has played since reforming as a trio. It was cool (and a bit jarring) to look out and SEE everything: the grass, the huge inflatable slides, the beer garden, the food tents and padded jousting......yes, American Gladiator-style huge-Q-tip jousting. It was awesome. Earlier in the day there was a 34 team mud volleyball tournament, so muddy people were running around having a great time. The festival, called Doo Dah Day, kicked-off with fellow SoCal rockers We Shot The Moon (from San Diego). They rocked the college students, who were clearly in party-mode for about an hour, and then we took the stage. Students everywhere in brightly colored Doo Dah Day T-shirts, with the obligatory mud spatter of course, rallied near the front of the stage throwing frisbees and footballs while singing every word. It was a little cool and windy at first, but as the show went on, the wind died off, the temperature warmed to perfection and the crowd roared in a way only made possible by a combination of a beautiful spring day, a couple cold drinks and fun rock music. Here's the set list for that show:

LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF
THIS LOVE
HOLIDAY
BAD ROMANCE
DISTURBIA
TWIST & SHOUT
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
LIVIN ON A PRAYER
BEVERLY HILLS
I GOTTA FEELING
I KISSED A GIRL
USE SOMEBODY
STARLIGHT
ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL
YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
WHAT I GOT
CLOSER
BROWN EYED GIRL
HOT IN HERRE
SWEET CAROLINE

Well, I'm off to meet the boys for breakfast and then we'll push on to our beloved campground. We're stoked to finish off watching the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy while munching on leftovers from yesterday's healthy and GORGEOUS catering table. With a sincerely satisfied sneer, I'll just say this doesn't suck. :)

Til next time,
Jeff, David & Corey

Tales From The Road: The Sequel

2010-04-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

From our bigger and better bus at one of our favorite KOA campgrounds in Joplin, Missouri, I offer a kind 'hello' while launching this blog series. 1,737 miles and 50 songs under our belts we've reached our first official day off. In so many ways this tour is 'the sequel' and in others it most certainly is not. By this time during our last tour we were already knee-deep in bus troubles, ready to chuck our GPS unit into the nearest lake and I had already earned a Master's Degree in the fine and intriguing art of duct tape repair.

So far, the new GPS has been refreshingly accurate and quite pleasant actually with our GPS voice choice: Emily- the quaint Brit. It's decidedly strange to be so far from home and to recognize so many people and places. We find ourselves in various states of deja vu as our 'road blur' begins to take hold. One quick stop found us standing in the very same Braum's in Amarillo. For those who don't know, Braum's makes the best chocolate malts on planet Earth and their ice cream cone logo, neon sign is nearly irresistible. The 'blur' has us second-guessing what the actual day of the week is and will certainly get worse as the tour progresses. Soon enough, we'll actually have to have lengthy discussions to try to pinpoint what day it is. That sensation is becoming more familiar...and that is weird.

Show #1 at Mooney's in Norman, OK was fantastic as everyone showed up wearing their 7k gear from last fall. We realized it had been six months to-the-day since we had rocked Mooney's. WOW! Many familiar faces came up to us smiling in anticipation of another fun night with 7k. Our new merch display bubbled with fans before the show and then it began- an epic show:
LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF
THIS LOVE
HOLIDAY
BAD ROMANCE
DISTURBIA
TWIST & SHOUT
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
LIVIN ON A PRAYER
AUTHORITY SONG
KISS
BILLIE JEAN
AMERICAN GIRL
ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL
I GOTTA FEELING
BEVERLY HILLS
I KISSED A GIRL
WALK THIS WAY
SUMMER OF 69
I WON'T BACK DOWN
YOU REALLY GOT ME
STARLIGHT
USE SOMEBODY
SWEET HOME ALABAMA (OKLAHOMA)
YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
WHAT I GOT
LOVE SHACK
CLOSER
BROWN EYED GIRL
FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES
HOT IN HERRE
POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME
SWEET CAROLINE
TAKE IT OFF (AGAIN)

Show #2 at Joe Momma's in Tulsa, OK was also exactly six months later and it too was a blast. We shared the stage with good friends The Parakeet Chiefs right after enjoying the best pizza in Tulsa. Joe Momma's friendly staff treated us like kings and made our pre-show tummies very happy! Tulsa is a notably progressive and diverse lot and the downtown area buzzed with the start of their local Tulsa Drillers baseball season. After the game ended, folks poured into Joe Momma's for some grub and some rock n roll. We happily delivered on the latter:
LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
WRONG GIRL
REMEMBER ME
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF

We pulled into Joplin this afternoon for some relaxation and weren't here ten seconds before an Olympics-style sprint to the showers. Certainly, a good hot shower remains the most highly sought after commodity on the road. After cleaning up, we bounced around, strolled through the beautiful campsite and marveled at the drop-dead-gorgeous spring weather. Tonight, dinner, a couple cocktails, laundry and a movie...........oh, and a trip to the fireworks stand next door. Last time we were here, we were chilled to the bone but this evening we plan to take advantage of a fun spring night.

Flip flops, sore muscles and shorts- this drummer's a happy camper. :)

Til next time,
Jeff, David & Corey

A Rambling Astronaut

2010-03-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

The rocket sits, idle on the launchpad. To onlookers it appears as such, but for the three soon to be thrust into orbit it appears differently. For David, Jeff and myself we share a certain calmness inside our chaotic pre-launch week(s).

Our routine gets thick right about now while each of us 'gets in the zone' and attempts to juggle more flaming bowling pins than we're used to. We have our usual rehearsals which tend to be more labor-intensive along with everything from buying a new GPS to reconstructing our new touring merch display and launching our online store to fine-tuning our brand new touring PA system. David has been a busy bee finishing the production of new loops and climbing 'tax mountain' trying to get 7k's tax-related business affairs settled early (since we'll be mid-tour by tax day). Jeff discovered his 'band nutritionist' hat again and has begun meal planning for the entire tour while doing merch organization/inventory and memorizing complex vocal arrangements. I hunted for our new tour bus and finalized insurance and pick-up details last week, all while sketching the alterations I'm making to road cases this weekend before our big loading day.

We've added a few new, top secret cover songs to our ever-expanding pool of fun covers for this tour, and we've revisited some older 7k material in hopes of clearing some cobwebs. A revived version of 'Wrong Girl' surprised us and has made its way onto the setlist for a few shows on the tour- we're excited. The new cover songs are as challenging as they are a BLAST to play!!! We keep thinking outside the box, trying our very best to bring an extraordinarily fun, interactive rock show to everyone. Four cameras and a beautiful digital audio recorder will follow us around this time, so we hope to have some fun stuff to show you all when we get home.

The weather on the last tour, found us bundled-up, buying jackets, sporting beanies and cursing our wiper blades. This time around, in addition to the usual I'll also be packing shorts, flip-flops and keeping my fingers crossed. Our bus, is bigger, better and newer which should hopefully limit the number of mechanical challenges we faced last year. See any reference to St. Louis in previous blogs, LOL. Incidentally, new wiper blades were installed on our new beast last week. Aside from the chilly, wet weather and mechanical difficulties the only other element we're aiming to reduce on this tour is a faint sense of aimlessness. Last time around, we might as well have been orbiting the moon. It was a brand new experience. It was our first time in a rocket. We'd never been to most of the places we played. We determined where to sleep some nights totally on the fly. That sensation is both freeing and restrictive. In planning the logistics for this tour, we've plugged-in target cities and sleep cities for every night. Because of that, this tour is more concise and well-planned.

With everything I've said, I am now officially, completely freaked out. Until writing this, it hadn't really hit me that a week from tomorrow we'll be rolling for our target sleep city: Tucson, AZ. Now I have the frantic urge to start jotting lists of things to pack, things to be sure not to forget, things that I need to buy before leaving (my Mom's voice now: don't forget your vitamins...oh and buy some airborne). Yikes!! I re-realize every-other nanosecond, that packing for a month-long road trip is almost entirely different than the junk you fling into a duffel for a weekend in Vegas.

Oh, and one more thing. A conscious choice I make about two weeks before leaving is to really flip my memory bank in my brain to 'record mode'. I photograph stuff that I normally wouldn't. There's my bed--click. Here's the street I live on--click. Look, a beer on the counter in my kitchen--click. Mid-hug, no matter who it is, I close my eyes and tell myself 'remember this'. Special moments when sun shines, slight perfume, brief eye contact, a kiss and hair grabbing onto my somewhat unshaven face like velcro as we pull away to say 'goodbye' for the day, the little voice in my head screams 'are you recording this?'.

When I was a kid, I thought orbiting the moon was going for a ride in outer space and being in a touring band was simply playing a bunch of shows.

"7k rocket, you are cleared for launch. Initiate launch sequence on my mark in T-minus 192 hours and counting."

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ...TOUR!

2010-03-04T07:37:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, Jeff, David and I would like to thank all of you for coming out to the shows last weekend, clearly you had as much fun as we did. You may have noticed cameras everywhere at both shows, and then again, you may not have noticed since our new HD cameras are literally the size of an iPod. Film director Sam Lembeck offered his expertise and vision to help us test different camera positions for use in our next music video. We plan to shoot many hours of performance footage on our upcoming US Tour. Who knows, maybe even a bit of footage from last weekend will make the final cut.

We've officially shifted gears into tour-prep mode, although preparations for this tour should be a bit less intensive as our last experience taught us SO much. We're adding a few more songs to accommodate some of the longer shows and I'm determined to completely overhaul the 40 song set list we took on tour last year. We're also excited to be taking out a bigger, newer bus this time. We've got quite a few dates booked at various university campuses and we're stoked about being able to play in places we've never been. In about a month, the rubber meets the road as we depart April 6th. Again, we'll be playing all the way to the East Coast with our last show of the tour in New Britain, Connecticut. Click 'tour' for a complete list of dates.

When we get home in May, our plan is to have a big, fun summer filled with lots of shows!! We had so much fun playing at Back Alley and were overwhelmed by the crowd and management response. Currently, a regular gig there throughout the summer is one thing being discussed. Another branch of that discussion involves doing many other similar shows in venues throughout Orange County. So, bring your sunscreen for your summer days on the beach and your thirsty singing voices for your summer nights with us at the shows.

Last weekend's power-packed shows also marked a few milestones for us. In back-to-back nights, we played 49 songs!! I can only think of maybe ONE other time we've done that in Orange County (just before the last tour). Two milestones within that, though, really made last weekend special for us. One, was that we were joined onstage by our dear friend Carlos Rivera, Jr. for an improvised funk jam and blistering version of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'. It was a heartfelt blast as each of us sported Cheshire Cat-like grins. The other was, I performed a dueling drum duet with comedic twist, alongside my good drummer friend Charles Wiley to open the Spark Lounge show. It was truly a thrill for me to think outside the box and explore some new sonic territory. In doing the drum duet, my total for the two nights jumped to 52 songs. That was certainly a first for me in Orange County and Spark Lounge added another diverse opening act to its list of performers. Incidentally, you can watch the 3-part drum duet video by clicking 'video'.

Seeing all the familiar faces along with all the new faces, it's obvious the 7k family is still growing. As per usual, we had a blast and again, we have YOU to thank. We're so glad you all had fun and we look forward to doing it again this summer!!

Love and rock music.

Til next time,
Corey, Jeff & David

SETLIST FOR 7k's MILESTONE WEEKEND:

-fri-
LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF
I KISSED A GIRL
THIS LOVE
POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME
LET'S GET IS STARTED
BEVERLY HILLS
STARLIGHT
DISTURBIA
TWIST & SHOUT
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER
I WON'T BACK DOWN
ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL
IMPROV FUNK JAM (w/Carlos Rivera, Jr.)
BILLIE JEAN (w/Carlos Rivera, Jr.)
YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU
HOLIDAY
FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES
BROWN EYED GIRL
HOT IN HERRE
SWEET HOME ALABAMA
LOVE SHACK
WHAT I GOT
SWEET CAROLINE
-sat-
DRUM DUET SONG 1
DRUM DUET SONG 2
DRUM DUET SONG 3
LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
SOLID WALLS (acoustic)
WRONG GIRL
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF
STARLIGHT
THIS LOVE
POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME
HOLIDAY
WALK THIS WAY
WHAT I GOT
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
HOT IN HERRE
SWEET CAROLINE

Airplanes, Taxis and Vans...Oh my!!

2010-02-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

4:40am my alarm went off one week ago today. I admit it, I had no idea where I was at first. Then it hit me, I slept in David's living room, on his beautifully modern red, surprisingly comfortable couch after Jeff and I arrived late the night before. The three of us zombies scurried around gathering our luggage and gear, then darted for LAX. After checking luggage and a few flight cases with gear, we made our way to Starbucks for some much needed caffeine. After spending $14 on a cup of coffee and a water, I believe I began talking in complete sentences for the first time that morning. Anyhow, we hopped on the plane and were pleasantly amused by the comedic delivery of the usual emergency exit, seat belt mumbo-jumbo. The three of us drifted off into iPod land and ripped through a few free snacks. Although I've seen 'Fletch Lives' upwards of 40 times, I watched it again on my iPod and laughed almost to the point of an accidentally empty bladder. It was spectacular. As the landing gear touched-down at Chicago-Midway, we knew our adventure was JUST beginning.

We met each other at the Baggage Claim (a little 7k humor for ya) and grabbed all our stuff. We flagged down a large taxi van and were ready to head for the van rental place. Interesting that a large taxi charged more...for fuel apparently, as the driver stood there and WATCHED me load and unload the entire taxi. We got our big van, plugged in our GPS (which we now officially despise) and made our way into downtown Chicago where S.I.R. is located. They've got locations all over the country and they rent gear to bands. When Muse comes over from England to play one TV show, Saturday Night Live for example, S.I.R. provides all their gear. We got there and each of us nearly drooled 8 gallons as we looked around to see all the immaculate, cool and vintage gear. Thankfully, the only thing preventing us from drooling was the temperature in Chicago....it was freezing cold, so each of us had a big icicle hanging from our lower lip. A staging area had all our gear in road cases. We initialed the invoice, loaded the van and set-up our rental gear return drop-off time.

Tempted as we were, we didn't smash the GPS to bits. It continued 'acquiring signal' convinced we were near Disneyland, so we wisely switched to Google Maps on Jeff's Blackberry. We headed down the same highways we did late last year on tour and all agreed it was nostalgic. The skies were cloudy, but dry, as we made our one hour trek to Valparaiso, Indiana. Arriving at our hotel around 5pm, about 5 minutes from the Valparaiso University campus, our stomachs rumbled simultaneously with hunger. Luckily there was a Red Robin in the same parking lot. We each went to our own rooms to freshen up, met in the hallway and went to dinner. After enjoying a great meal, relishing in smooth travel and a couple beers, all the exhaustion caught up with us. Personally, my head hit the pillow well before 9:30pm.....I know, I know....very UN-rockstar.

Friday morning we all slept-in, a very rare occurrence for we three lads. I flipped on the TV to catch the local forecast...gulp...snow was on the way. After a flurry (pun intended) of text messages, we headed for a local favorite breakfast spot (thanks to a tip from our waitress the night before). We ate a gloriously-Midwestern meal that totally eliminated the necessity for lunch and then ran some errands on the way back to the hotel. One stop was at the Harre Union where we were scheduled to perform that night. We walked through the Union and saw lots of 7k fliers for the show, located the HUGE ballroom where the show was to be and then found the ever-important freight elevator and loading dock. At this point, the sky was no longer dry as a light snow began.

We drove back to the hotel frantically making phone calls to adjust our load-in, sound-check and dinner times in preparation of potentially dangerous driving conditions. After shuffling times around, we returned to the hotel for a couple hours before load-in. While in my room, my eyes ping-ponged between Law & Order: SVU on TV and the snowflakes continuing to fall outside my window.

We walked out to the van for our quick but snowy drive and load-in at the Union. At this point, Jeff was boyishly fascinated by the snow, shuffling his feet to make that winter sound and gleefully giggling with wide eyes. He looked at us, David glared back with an almost-puzzled smirk and I simply growled like a caged badger.

Our load-in went beautifully as we set-up on the largest stage any of us had ever been on. Rental gear is always a challenge due to lack of familiarity, so everything took a bit longer, but after everything was set-up we were pleased. The sound company arrived and set-up a gigantic sound system. We ran a sound check, made some tweaks, ran another check and were floored by how epic everything sounded. The wonderful Valpo (that is what the students call it) staff took us out to dinner, where we enjoyed some warm pasta. It was a fitting meal, as the snow continued to fall. Grrr. Then we briefly returned to our rooms to shower and change. One hour til showtime.

We arrived back at the Union, stepped onstage and plowed (pun intended) through 23 songs. The students sang along and danced their hearts out. It was truly a sight. We challenged the students to see how many of them would get onstage with us to sing the last song of the night. Much to our surprise, nearly 30 students came up and joined us, making it impossible for me to see Jeff or David. With all visual cues out the window, we played the last chorus multiple times and every time the students cheered more loudly..."Sweeeet Caaaroline.....Bah, Bah, Bah...." After the show we signed autographs, took tons of photos and hung out with all our new Valpo friends. In short, everyone had a blast...Oh my!! We hope to see our Valpo friends again soon.

Saturday morning, we started our journey home. For details, start with the second sentence of the third paragraph...and read backwards. Well, that's how it felt anyway. LOL.

Til next time,
Corey, Jeff & David

VALPO SETLIST

little bit more
california is the end
what you do
my high life
dispense with the pleasantries
turnin' it up
take it off
i kissed a girl
this love
pour some sugar on me
let's get it started
beverly hills
starlight
disturbia
twist & shout
life is a highway
livin' on a prayer
authority song
billie jean
are you gonna be my girl
hot in herre
love shack
sweet caroline

Tales From The Road: Reflection, Reaction and Wrap-up

2009-12-02T11:19:00.000-08:00

A week ago the 7k tour bus rolled into its resting place and we arrived in a place previously referred to as 'home'. The fact is, it is still home but it seems foreign at first.

There was much work to be done before the three of us could begin to settle into our 'old' routines. We unloaded the trailer at Spark Lounge which in itself was a jarring experience. It still smelled how it did at our last show before we hit the road. There were 7k pub coasters, matchbooks and cocktail napkins with a thin layer of dust littering all the tables. The stage was empty. The trash was full. It felt post-apocalyptic. After stacking road cases and other gear in the center of the room, we motored to Jeff's house where our vehicles were parked. We moved our cars, unhooked our newly-empty trailer, scooted it into the side yard and made our way to the bus.

Through 7 weeks, our personal items had found their way into every nook and cranny in the bus. We filled everything from trash bags to milk crates with all our belongings and made piles in our cars and on the sidewalk. It felt sad. It felt like moving out of your Freshman dorm room. I remember mumbling out loud, "DVDs, socks, gum, hats, magazines, beef jerky, toothpaste" as I tossed each item into the same bag. I'm not sure there has ever been another time that those assorted items ended-up in the same Hefty bag, except for maybe the dorm room move-out scenario. After all our things were off the bus, the time had come to clean it thoroughly. Again, through 7 weeks, our personal 'stuff' had found its way into every nook and cranny. We meticulously cleaned every square inch of the interior of our beloved bus (which we rented and had to return, by the way). An hour went by and everything was gleaming. We stepped back and admired our efforts before stepping out for the last time.

The bus was clean and fresh, while we were dirty and not-so-fresh. The bus was empty, and so were we. The three of us stood there beside our bus, beside ourselves. Honestly, we didn't know what to do. We attempted to shake hands and wish eachother well, but ended-up in a loving but smelly three-way man-hug as if we had just won the SuperBowl. We each mumbled a collage of mostly vowels and looked up as we separated. We wept.

Forty-nine days straight...I'll let that sink in.

We spent forty-nine days together. We saw things, heard things and experienced things we'll never forget that shaped us as a band, as friends and as individuals. We'll all say, "WOW! The shows, the people, the places, the food, the conversation, the laughs..." and we'll say it with verve. With fondness (even more than before) we grinned at eachother and parted company.

Hopping into my Toyota 4Runner, felt as though I was squeezing into a Mini Cooper. Darting in and out of traffic was as much dreamy as it was nauseating. It was weird. I kept searching the dashboard for the back-up cam to check on the trailer. I kept marveling at how small the steering wheel was. Again, the word 'weird' is really the best I can think of.

When we left for tour, so many 'lasts' collided with so many 'firsts'. I remember my 'last morning' waking up in my bed. The mental snap shots of our room, our bed, her hair and stepping into the shower are still vibrant to me. The 'first night' on the road, the 'first movie' on the bus, the 'first meal', 'first show', etc. are all still so fresh. Getting home, though, felt like a dream. It was wavy, like Deja Vu on NyQuil. I kept wondering when I'd have to get back on the bus and if it weren't for the Thanksgiving Holiday I certainly wouldn't have known what day of the week it was.

Now here I sit, days later pecking away at work reflecting on the whole thing. I don't know where to begin when people ask me "Was the tour awesome?" or "Isn't it great to be home?". In a word, YES. Yes, the tour was awesome, and yes, it is great to be home. In two words, YES BUT. Yes, the tour was awesome, but I can't believe how little time we actually spent onstage performing. Yes, it is great to be home, but we can't wait to go on tour again.

Frankly, we spent more time driving (more than 8,000 miles to be exact) and more time sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots than we did onstage. That's the part of touring that we never realized. No matter how many shows are booked, we'll always spend more time loading-in, setting up, breaking down, loading-out, driving, eating and sleeping. And honestly, it isn't 'home' we miss; it's all the people and the little things...

We missed our beds.
We missed our showers.
We missed our loved ones.
And, we missed YOU.

Now that we're here in our beds, in our showers, with our loved ones and visiting with you...

We miss tour.

This is life.
Life is good.

Til next time.

Love,
C, J & D

Tales From The Road: Tribulation, Triumph and Trekking Westward.

2009-11-18T07:37:00.000-08:00

I write this from the most familiar of settings: a Wal-Mart parking lot. We're in Elyria, OH just outside Cleveland although the 'where' is less important to us these days than the 'when'. Each of us can vouch that Wal-Mart parking lots look frighteningly similar no matter what city you're in. We're particularly fond of the 'Supercenter' variety since they're generally open 24 hours a day and allow overnight RV parking. That way we can shop and use the facilities at any hour of the day. If you're wondering why we're 'just outside Cleveland' the answer is simple: we happened to find the ONE Wal-Mart Supercenter that doesn't actually allow overnight parking of any kind. We were, in fact, kicked out. The security guards were nice enough, but seemingly over-equipped sporting what looked to be holstered firearms and bullet-proof vests. Maybe we mis-judged that area of town, or maybe someone's on a very serious power trip...either way we find Elyria quite suitable. We may also be heading back into Cleveland to rock a show tonight. While we await word from our contact, we plan to sit here, enjoy the rain and watch a movie or three.

I suppose being asked to leave that parking lot in Cleveland could be considered tribulation, but our challenges and adversity has come in all shapes and sizes on this tour. Our bus trouble has been well-documented. Our hearts all ache equally and long for home. We've all had the sniffles, sore throats and what we've lovingly referred to as 'tour cough'. Financially, touring is a challenge to say the least. Trying to fund a home life and a road life simultaneously is daunting. Each of these tribulations, though, has given way to triumph. The three of us have learned more on this tour than we ever imagined and admittedly many of the triumphs were unexpected.

Watching our fanbase grow has been both pleasing and surprising. Hearing people's reactions to our music was almost completely shocking. Those who've purchased our latest record have been verbal and effusive. Some people have claimed that 7k is their new favorite band. (gulp) Wow! Another unexpected triumph was having to re-route the end of our tour to include another performance at Scatz in Madison, Wisconsin. Many of you know how special Madison is to me, being my hometown and all, but being asked back ON THIS TOUR is huge. Rick, the owner, enjoyed our performance there last month and asked us to fill the opening slot for a national act (Midnight to Twelve) this Friday. Establishing a relationship with a guy like Rick at an AMAZING venue like Scatz will have impact on the rest of our career. As I've said before, Scatz is essentially Madison's answer to the House of Blues. It is a venue we WILL return to dozens and dozens of times. Talk about unexpected....WOW! Another genuinely unexpected triumph came in the form of wide-spread interest. We interfaced with over 200 colleges during our three NACA conferences on this tour and dozens have already started drawing up contracts to have us perform at their school next year. We're already slated to open for another national act (Safety Suit) at a number of Spring shows on the East Coast. Each of us has been greatly impacted by this tour and it is certainly time to return to our beloved California. Fittingly, it will mark '...the End' of our tour (just a bit of 7k humor for ya).

Heading through upstate New York, through Erie, Pennsylvania and along Lake Erie into Cleveland we realized that for the very first time on this tour, we were traveling West FOR GOOD this time. Every other time the compass read 'W' we knew we'd eventually be retracing our paths to find ourselves in another Eastern city and then another and another. Well, not this time. We are inching homeward. The only steps we retrace now are the steps we took to get this far from home. Our smiles widen while we lick our chops, ready to rock Madison again and hit the road trekking Westward. We'll be home to enjoy the holidays with our loved ones and then it'll be time to plan the next tour and the next. 7k has changed forever but we're still the same, I promise.

Until next time...

Love,
C, J & D

PS- A few other unexpected triumphs:
1. Laughter from Ren & Stimpy DVD box set.
2. Satisfaction from the best coffee on Earth made by Jeff & David.
3. Appreciation for folks in the service industry who are actually good at their job.

Tales From The Road: Here are a few of our FAVORITE THINGS.

2009-11-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

Well, here we sit in the Boston/Cape Cod KOA campground and I thought it would be fun to post a few favorite things. Obviously, with 5 weeks under our belt we've enjoyed lots of stuff on the bus...

WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO:
Rush
Muse
Led Zeppelin
311
Third Eye Blind
Queensryche
Dredg
Disturbed
Metallica

WHAT WE ARE DRINKING:
Coffee (weak)
Coffee (strong)
Coca-Cola Zero
Jeff's berry-banana-protein-peanut butter smoothies
Diet Pepsi
Water
An occasional beer, usually Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra or Sierra Nevada Porter
Four Roses (a gift from Kentucky for very special occasions)

WHAT WE ARE EATING:
David's soon-to-be-famous Oatmeal
Jeff's bad mofo chili
Summer sausage
Fruit
String cheese
Raw almonds
Turkey wraps
Soup
Delivery pizza (who knew they delivered to campgrounds?!!? BOOO, there goes the diet)

WHAT WE ARE WATCHING:
Music DVDs- Rush, John Mayer, 311
Movie DVDs- 300, Transformers 2, Transporter 3, Waiting & Joe Dirt

WHAT WE CRAVE DAILY:
Long, hot showers (individually of course...LOL)
High quality coffee

WHAT WE DO BESIDES DRIVE & PERFORM:
Talk & laugh
Search for Wal-Mart (one of the best places to park this beast)
Spend time on our computers catching up with emails & following up with show booking
Organizing & uploading photos/videos
Spend time on our phones catching up with life & loved ones
General bus maintenance & cleaning

WHAT WE ARE USING REGULARLY:
Febreze
Caffeine
Duct tape (the good stuff)

I suppose that's a brief and accurate glimpse inside the bus....until next time.

Love,
C, J & D

Tales From The Road: A BLURRY FLURRY WITH A SIDE OF GOAT.

2009-11-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'll attempt to pick up where I left off, although it feels like we watched Transformers 2 about 8455 days ago.

Honestly, we enjoyed some 'down' time in that beautiful KOA campground in East Sparta, Ohio. We cooked, we did laundry, we cleaned, we plotted, planned and laughed. Frankly, that is the part of this whole thing that has surprises me most- the three of us are (still) getting along famously. Sure, there have been some tense moments, but each of us understand the exhaustion we're feeling. We may get upset, but those instances have never lasted longer than 5 minutes. Mostly we disagree about what day it is, where we are, how many days it's been since we took on fresh water in the holding tank of the bus or our last satisfactory shower. We are blurred. This past weekend actually marked the first stretch on the tour where we didn't have any shows booked. We ended-up in Worcester, Massachusetts and enjoyed the company of some of Jeff's close friends while hiking at Purgatory Chasm State Reservation. It was nice to get out of the bus and get some exercise for a change.

Later this week, we head to Hartford, Connecticut for the final NACA conference and then we'll be cruising through the Midwest to rock Cleveland, Chicago and Madison before make the trek home. We are looking forward to Hartford as all the NACA conferences thus far have helped to shape 2010 in terms of touring and the growth of 7k. Returning again to my hometown to rock Scatz will be another treat as the last show of the tour.

Before I continue, I must clarify the goat reference. The bus holds X gallons of fresh water for washing dishes, washing our hands, flushing the toilet and lastly, showering. All the water that goes down those drains is held in a holding tank that holds Y gallons of used water. Since human beings generally eat more than they shower in any given day, washing dishes, washing hands and flushing the toilet are unavoidable priorities. Since emptying the 'used' water tank can only happen in designated areas (usually truck stops or campgounds) and we've been driving A LOT you can all now safely assume the 'used' water tank is full. Before you get grossed out, just think of it as mostly cold soapy water. It's not really gross and we wisely made a rule on this tour before we even left: ONLY #1 IN THE BATHROOM ON THE BUS. So, now you can see...it's really not smelly or gross......BUT it's also obvious that showering has nearly disappeared from the priority list. All in all, it's a pretty simple equation and it's result is easy to understand (especially after a long hike)- the three of us smell like goats.

The ripple effects of being out here are amazing. We've watched our Facebook friends spike, our MySpace friends spike, our 'High Life' music video views jump over 1100 and tons of comments about all the photos and video blogs we're posting. The acoustic video version of 'High Life' from the bus is up and it caught fire....65 views in 2 days! I speak for Jeff and David when I say that 7k has the greatest fans ever. Thank you all for everything you do and every person you pass 7k along to. Our fans inspire us each and every day in the most unexpected ways. Again, we thank you.

One last thing before I go: We miss home. We comfort each other while being this FAR away from home. A couple days ago we saw the Atlantic Ocean while crossing a bridge in Connecticut and it hit us like a ton of bricks how far away we actually are. Our homesickness isn't sad most of the time. The best way I can describe it is we're ready. The three of us are ready to return home, to our routines and to our loved ones. There have been some genuine sad moments when one of us is thinking about someone special (just typing that brought tears to my eyes) but we all know that this is what we 'signed up for'. Furthermore, the three of us know we'll need to get used to emotions like these and how to deal with them. We love you all and couldn't do this without your love and continued support.

Our plan is to win over one state, one city, one venue, one song at a time.

Until next time...

Love,
C, J & D

Tales From The Road: Point, Pucker & Puking.

2009-11-02T14:24:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, it's been too long since my last blog. A thousand apologies.

Since our last episode, the rain has actually stopped from time to time, we've played a few unbelievable shows and rocked another regional NACA conference. All that is fine, but first things first...

If you're in the driver seat of the tour bus, it's certainly the point position. You wield all the power because you can see the mirrors and the back-up cam. Although it takes a lot of getting used to, it is one of the preferred seats in the house while moving.

If you're in the passenger seat (the 2nd captain's chair near the dash) you're clearly in the pucker position. There's nothing quite like going over a suspension bridge, sitting in pucker position while David drives and happily asks the question "How is the view over there dude?" Little does he know that from where I sit it appears that our tires are a nanometer from the cement side and our side mirror is casting a shadow on the river 700 feet below as it reaches over. Seriously folks, pucker is an understatement. Driving through construction and narrow one-way downtown streets (or God forbid, BOTH simultaneously) is a nail biting, breath holding and eye squinting fest just as you see the guy trying to get out of his car which is parallel parked just ahead. The scene is quickly transformed to silent Hail Mary's and hopeful wincing. Yeah...PUCKER.

If you're on either couch or at the table, chances are you're trying to work (while moving) you're in the puking position. As you might imagine, attempting to read a laptop screen while landscape whizzes by sideways is a little queasy to say the least. Now add rain, construction and a GPS unit that we're all ready to skip across the next lake and things are very nearly vomittus maximus.

I wish I could've blogged more since my last posting, but I must admit, thus far the tour has been an endless exercise in exhaustion vs exhilaration. We've all consumed more coffee and more BAD coffee on this tour than ever before in our lives. We've all experienced some pretty serious pangs of homesickness. The three of us miss our loved ones and think of home...and of the little things like our cars, our beds, our pets and our electric toothbrushes. Oh...and the beach. Oh...and the gorgeous California weather. Oh..and..........I could keep doing that for hours.

The shows have simply been AWESOME. South Bend, Indiana was an absolute blast as we rocked the Wander Inn Tavern on the owner's birthday. He insisted that we play our original set twice and the packed crowd loved every second of it. Madison, Wisconsin was a treat as we rocked the stage at Scatz (the equivalent to House of Blues, Anaheim). I had family there and the owner FLIPPED OUT and demanded we re-route the end of the tour to enable a REPEAT ROCKING. Obviously, we'll oblige. I lovingly played the last two songs of our set 'Dispense' and 'Turnin' it Up' in my Green Bay Packer jersey (no, not THAT jersey). We hung in my hometown with family for a couple days and then headed for Bloomington, Indiana to spend time with dear friends and the King family. Our show at Max's Place positively WENT OFF and featured the youngest and most talented 7k dancers yet. All of the King Kids and their pals rushed the stage and romped around...a true delight. After Indiana, it was time for Louisville, Kentucky. One of the most FUN and unique shows in 7k history, we were set-up on an Oriental rug spanning two BOWLING LANES at the Vernon (America's 3rd oldest bowling alley). Imagine the late night rock n' bowl that you've all done at home, but with the music provided LIVE by 7k. It was awesome and our QSC sound system sounded simply ARENA-LIKE. Interestingly enough, the bowling alley is connected to a 4 story historical mansion, which the owner lead us through room by spooky room. WOW! And, before I forget, Sergio's. WOW and WOW and WOW!! Sergio's is a little place a couple blocks from the Vernon. My Godfather, a Louisville resident and huge 7k fan took us there for a pre-show meal and a beer...or 4. Sergio's has over 1400 beers. Yes, you read that correctly. The owner (fluent in at least 3 languages) had a story for each and we sampled dozens. It was the most amazing exBEERience of our lives.

We now sit at a KOA campground in East Sparta, Ohio and just like clock-work, the rain has resumed. We're getting comfy and ready for tonight's movie: Transformers 2.

Will blog again soon...see all the pics on the Facebook page.

Love,
C, J & D

Tales From The Road: Tunnels, Twinkies & Trade Shows

2009-10-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Well as usual, I don't know where to begin. I am sitting in our hotel room in Lancaster, PA about to check-out which signifies today is Sunday morning. I'll rewind the tour log to share how we got from my last update til this one, and I'll fast forward a bit to give you a glimpse of the week to come.

I wish I was kidding when I mention that the days run together and that it genuinely takes several minutes to figure out what day it actually is. That said, I don't remember when what will undoubtedly be called 'The St. Louis Fiasco' truly occurred. Monday and Tuesday, or Tuesday and Wednesday is by best guess. The St. Louis Fiasco involved a 27 hour repair to some electrical weirdness on our bus. Previously, I suggested the fix to the intermittently flashing dash and lights would be easy. I was unbelievably wrong. So much so that we ended up sleeping in the bus overnight, locked inside the RV repair place only to have another group of mechanics troubleshoot and attempt repair the next morning. Needless to say, we were all feeling a little 'grrrr'.

When we finally did hit the road after getting everything worked out, we had essentially lost 2 days. Luckily, we hadn't booked shows so we didn't have to exacerbate the fiasco by having to cancel shows too. Knowing that we needed to be in Lancaster, PA by Thursday morning, we had A LOT of ground to cover. We all consumed a bunch of coffee and hit the road. We took a break and slept at a truck stop in Spiceland, Indiana (that is really what it was called) and woke up VERY early to continue our Eastward trek. It was very cold and persistently rainy when we woke (and hasn't stopped even as I sit here days later). We topped off our fresh water, emptied our waste tanks and fueled-up (none of which were fun in the freezing rain) and hit the road. We drove through the rest of Indiana, Ohio, the tip of West Virginia and into Pennsylvania. Personally, I've never seen such beautiful farms, streams or fall leaves. I was clicking photos through the window constantly to try and capture the reds, oranges and yellows. I'm not sure if I was successful, but will upload the photos anyway.

As my driving shift started I had the (insert sarcasm here) utter delight of driving through a half dozen tunnels entering Pennsylvania. That might not sound like a big deal, but when the tunnels are 3 miles long and you're still getting used to driving a 34 foot bus with a 10 foot trailer...and you really feel like driving 28 miles per hour but the truckers behind you would rather do 80.........uh...........YIKES. The first tunnel alone, I think I gave birth to 33 purple twinkies and possibly doubled that number with each tunnel that followed.

Arriving in Lancaster was great as it marked the first time we've checked into a hotel on this tour. I'm not embarrassed at all to admit that each of us took 47 minute showers. We did that, partially because we were grimy, but mostly because we have a limited water supply on the bus and the hot water heater has been renamed 'the thing that attempts to heat the water to a temperature of hot but falls quite short to offer tepid showers at best'.

After our lengthy showering and such, it was time to get set-up for the trade show. We've traveled with a booth and as many of you know, is the purpose of this tour. I suppose I could blog for days about the inter-workings of NACA, but I won't. I'll encapsulate the experience by saying that we met representatives from over 70 universities on the East Coast and garnered SERIOUS interest from a dozen or more. Oh, and by 'serious interest' I mean actual contracts. As of right now, we're slated to be back here on the East coast in April of 2010 and will be rocking on many college campuses. We've also relished in the opportunity to meet and network with other artists that are quite literally at the top of their game. When not at our booth (that area is only open during certain blocks of time) there are showcase performances happening along with networking banquet-style dinners. I can certainly speak for the three of us when I say we've made some connections that are sure to impact our future, and we've added some new friends and fans.

This week holds a few question marks. For me, the biggest is 'WILL IT EVER STOP RAINING?' We've agreed that today is football and laundry day. We're going to find a place to watch our teams and then burn....errr.......wash our clothing. We'll also need to top off fuel and fresh water on the bus and will likely resume travel tomorrow morning. We perform in Madison, WI, my HOME TOWN this Friday night and have just firmed details for our Bloomington show. We will also likely be picking up a show in Chicago and South Bend this week.

As per usual, each of us is missing home and our loved ones. We feel victorious and exhausted, and it's only just begun. We wish you the best and thanks for reading.

Love,
C, J & D

Enjoying the Ride

2009-10-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Jeff here. Just want to take a minute to acknowledge Corey, who has been a faithful and prolific blogger and I am so grateful for him! We all have different responsibilities on the road, and mine have prevented me from making direct contact with you all and I have missed you!

That said I'll attempt to give you a peek into our world on the road. Physically, it has been a roller coaster of exhiliration and exhaustion. You know those press releases that say "The members of Oasis cancelled their show due to dehydration and exhaustion?" I totally understand that now. The physical challenges of being on tour have been the most surprising. First, lack of sleep. Time just effing disappears on the road. It takes twice as long to do anything. Showering, getting clothes out, brushing teeth, making coffee - this part of touring is more like camping than staying at a hotel. One drive is 9 hours, the next is 3 - the schedule changes every day, with merciless disregard for our need for sleep, relaxation, or food.

The effects are not all negative! Having a kitchen in our bus has been a BLESSING. I am the tour chef, and I've been making the healthiest food we can muster on the road... lots of low-carb low-fat turkey wraps, chili with fresh ingredients, chicken breasts and broccoli, etc. We all love greasy burgers and fries - but since that's quite literally ALL that's available outside this bus, whenever we have the chance we load up on fruits, vegetables and lean protein. I've been making smoothies every morning while David makes the coffee and Corey transforms our bus from a bedroom to a lounge/office. The division of labor creates some routine and we take great comfort in these. Yesterday I found my pulse slowed down about 20 bpm when I had a chance to wash dishes and wipe down the counter. The little veins of domesticity that run through this bus have become oddly comforting to me. The bus has become literally our home away from home - and it has been very nice to walk out of venues in 3 states and head upstairs to our "home." The scenery changes, but it remains the same.

Another physical challenge? Unloading & setting up a full battery of light & sound equipment ON TOP of all our amps & regular gear... THEN playing a four hour show... THEN tearing it all down, packing it up, and loading it into the trailer. In Albuquerque the venue was across the street and up 2 1/2 flights of stairs from our parking spot. From start of load in to the time we were finished packing up was 9 HOURS. That was after a 7AM wake up call for our TV appearance. So yeah, physically, I have NEVER EXPERIENCED such exhaustion. And I was worried about where to find a gym? My shoulders & chest are bigger and I'm losing weight. And there aren't even drugs involved!

The shows have been INCREDIBLE. As I meet dozens of people from all these places I've never been, it is transforming my experience of being an American. In "Turnin' it Up" I wrote, "We're all the same and we just want love." I was speaking about my friends and family... but as I meet hundreds of strangers, and we turn them from indifferent or hostile audience members to partying friends, I realize how true that is for EVERYONE. Listening to David's incendiary guitar playing while thumping away on my beloved p-bass in time with Corey's bombastic, unstoppable drumming, I get to wail away on a microphone while leading crowd after crowd of strangers in a celebration of love, power, and community.

The other ultimate highlight has been spending time with two of my best friends in the world. David Neil Black is one of the most sensitive, insightful, intelligent people I've ever met. Corey's perceptive wit continues to impress me, and both of them leave me laughing so hard my sides hurt multiple times a day. I'm not kidding when I say that my ab workout has become obsolete. I've had two spit takes - one beer and one water.

I miss my family, my friends, my dog Zeppelin, my cats Knack, Six and Dottie, but mostly I miss my BEAUTIFUL WIFE. Every day I'm gone I become more and more aware of what a wonderful life I've been blessed with, and what a privilege it is to just get up and be with all the people in my life. I'm also feeling very fortunate to spread that happiness across the country.

With love from the tour bus, currently parked at a truck repair shop in St. Louis, Missouri,

Jeff :P

Tales From The Road: Thunder Nuggets, Blinking Lights and So Whats

2009-10-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

Okay. Wow. Geez. I don't even know where to begin...really.

Road blur has already set in and we've almost argued over the concept of what day it actually is. As I type this, I'm listening to Rush on my iPod in the bus. We're parked in an alley behind tonight's venue in Tulsa, OK called Jo Mamma's. Nice stage, our name on the lighted marquis and our posters...uh...well...posted. Yay! So, since I'm here in Tulsa, it must be Saturday and that means I'm a bit overdue for an update.

Thursday morning we showed up at Channel 4 in Albuquerque to tape a segment for a show that is set to air later this month. We had a blast. During the interview, we also performed an acoustic version of 'My High Life' that had everyone smiling. Afterward, the host Mary Anne took us and our AWESOME PR gal Bianca out for a lovely lunch in old town Albuquerque. They're known for their green chilies and we couldn't help ourselves...YUM. When we get our copy of the video, we'll post it.

We headed to the venue and found parking to be an all-out NIGHTMARE. A major rookie mistake really proved to be a challenge: we didn't properly scout the parking lot we pulled into. It was a narrow parking lot with what looked to be an outlet driveway at the opposite end...UH...WRONG!! In case anyone is interested in the math- narrow lot plus long bus plus one driveway plus the simple fact that this thing is nearly impossible to back-up equals A REALLY LONG AND FRUSTRATING AFTERNOON TRYING TO GET OUT OF A JAM. And to say the least...that's what it was.

That night we played at the Monte Vista Fire House grill. The crowd was more energetic than we were after the parking fiasco and a two hour load-in up three flights of stairs. But, we fed off their energy and everyone had a blast. There was a gaggle of students from Kentucky in town that promised to catch us again in Louisville later in the tour. Honestly the crowd was singing louder than I've ever heard and judging from the looks on the faces of the bartenders the bar did well....very well.

Leaving Albuquerque, and very tired, we noticed our lights blinking intermittently again....oh yeah, we were pulled over for that somewhere between Flagstaff and the New Mexico border. The Officer was very nice and helped me trouble shoot the issue...although we were unable to fix it. "Drive with your hazard lights on from here on out," he said as he shook my hand and left. Just one more thing for us to deal with on our upcoming couple of days 'off'. On the way to Oklahoma we saw lots of dead things on the road, a lot of construction (not fun in a long bus with a trailer and blinking hazards) and...........wait for it............THUNDER NUGGETS. Earlier in our drive, David had mentioned to Jeff and I that the thing on the shoulder of the roadway is called a 'rumble strip'....ya know that annoying noise your tires make when you get over too far. Anyhow...the tour bus has encountered the rumble strip quite a few times in getting used to the width of everything and later, when trying to recall that term, Jeff said "Geez the road here is so narrow, I keep hitting the....the....uh.....what is that thing....uh......THUNDER NUGGETS." We all laughed until we nearly peed our pants....only furthering our continual tire contact with the thunder nuggets...er....rumble strip.

Last night we pulled into Norman, Oklahoma to rock Mooney's Pub. The drive from Albuquerque to Norman was our longest on the entire tour. It was roughly a nine hour drive and guess what? We forgot about the SECOND time zone change of our tour which actually made it a ten hour drive and made us an hour LATE for our show. Yikes. We loaded-in quickly after getting to pull the bus into a FIELD next to the club. It was a welcomed change from the weird narrow lot in Albuquerque. Anyway, we loaded-in and everyone in the place ended-up onstage. One of the owners actually shook her money maker and SANG a few songs with us. We have tons of great photos and plan to upload them soon, we promise. After the show, we stayed in the bar to discover the ultimate lethal raddness of their signature shot called a 'So What'. It has recently been trademarked or patented or whatever you do with a drink...it is Southern Comfort, Watermelon and Red Bull. Needless to say, we slept very well. We woke up, in the bus, in the field, loaded-out and rolled onward to Tulsa.

Both clubs are already begging to have us back. Let's see if we can keep that streak alive.

More to come soon...I promise. Now...shower, dinner, sound check.

Love,
C, J & D

Tales From The Road: Duct Tape and Such.

2009-10-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Corey here, and as promised, here is the first installment of 'Tales From The Road'. Rolled safely into Phoenix last night around 8:30 and had the chance to sit with some of my family. After some great food, a few laughs and a couple cocktails we retired to the bus for our first night's sleep...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Jeff rocked the first driving shift and was the first to be challenged with the 'we're widening the off ramp but currently things will resemble going through a funnel since we have to put up all these concrete barricades' scenario. He soldiered through like a pro, although I must admit, there was NO conversation and we all may or may not have peed just a bit.

David was up next and noted that driving the bus resembled the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction at Disneyland. He was the first to have to deal with the cross-freeway traffic. That coupled with other vehicles whizzing by really cranked-up the pucker factor. David proved to be road-worthy in every way.

As for me, I got a the triple-threat: nighttime, traffic and construction. Needless to say, the 'yikes factor' was continually increasing.

It has already been an adventure and we'll certainly be posting photos as soon as we can. We all marveled at the panoramic view of the mountains on our way into Phoenix and the harvest moon. The windshield is so huge it's like watching an IMAX scenery movie. Currently we're heading for Flagstaff for a bit of lunch and then it's onto Albuquerque for our TV appearance and show tomorrow.

As for the duct tape, I'll just say this- it is truly the fix-all, must-have tour necessity thus far. The gaping hole in the fiberglass body of the RV thanks to a certain oblivious pre-tour driver had to be duct taped closed to avoid the wind-makes-hole-bigger experiment. We're all thankful for duct tape and hopeful that said gaping hole stays the size of a sleeve of Oreo cookies.

...speaking of Oreo cookies....

Talk to ya soon!

Love,
C, J & D

Pre-tour Confessions

2009-09-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

My oldest friend (and new Dad!) Scott, brought to my attention that I have not contributed properly to this blog. As the tour countdown clock ticks relentlessly away, I feel the pressure of time squeezing my brain and my heart, like water balloons hovering over the keyboard of a borrowed laptop. The signs of leaving are everywhere: giant tour bus parked outside, huge trailer with 3' 7k logo in the side yard, piles of lighting and PA equipment all over the studio, and a giant vacuum where all my money & free time used to be. Even my pets seem to know I'm leaving. Typing this paragraph has been a battle of wills with my youngest cat Knack, who is alternately passionately hostile and aggressively amorous.

Going on 7-week US tour with my band has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I am inspired, excited, terrified, and prematurely homesick. I can hardly believe everything we've accomplished. Everything seemed impossible from the front side and miraculous from the back.

I'm consistently shocked at how different this already is from how I imagined it, but equally surprised at the parts I enjoy. Probably the most powerful part of this thing so far is that I've really become present to how much I love my wife, my friends, my band mates, my family, my dog & cats, and all of you. I am going to miss all of you. Parting is such sweet sorrow, wrote the bard, and I'm getting equal doses of the sweetness and the sorrow.

The next blog entry will likely be from the road! I will see you out in the U.S. somewhere!

2009-09-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Well, here I sit frazzled, jumbled, excited, anxious and scared out of my mind. We embark on our U.S. Tour 12 days from right now. I'll blame my utter lack of regular blogging squarely on the complexities of tour planning. It's safe to say that the enormity of it all has swallowed the three of us whole at times. Unified and galvanized we're all beginning to grin and lick our chops. Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to launch 10 random tidbits for the sheer fun of it, than once we're on the road, I pledge to keep up with the regular blogging in my series called "Tales from the Road". For now, on with the randomness first 10 things to come to mind...

1. I am listening to, being inspired by and loving: the new Dredg record, the new Third Eye Blind record and the new Muse record.

2. I happen to think the 'Big Carl' at Carl's Jr. is a homerun.

3. If you wear a baseball hat and tuck your ear inside the headband, you've clearly missed the point.

4. While on tour I will miss my bed, my girl and the beach.

5. If your pants sag showing the waistband of your underwear and you're wearing a belt, you've clearly missed the point.

6. The amount of time that we'll actually be performing is such a small percentage, I am planning to relish in the sights, sounds and experiences of a cross-country drive with two of my very closest friends.

7. K

8. I'm proud of all we've accomplished and think our Spark Lounge Kick Off Show is the ultimate culmination of all our efforts, new RECORD, new MERCH and all that goes along with being with our supportive friends and fans. Please come.

9. I was brought to tears when I learned we'd be playing a show in my hometown of Madison, Wisconsin.

10. Stop watching the news. Go live your life and be a good person who contributes and experiences love.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

2009-08-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

I wonder how it felt the day McDonalds was able to hoist the 'Over A Million Served' sign. In terms of service, I don't have an exact figure for how many people 7k has reached. I can, however, boil it down to how many states we've played in: 5 (CA, AZ, NV, NM & TX). I'll even take a stab at how many cities we've played in: 34 (from 5.7.05 til present). Considering the bulk of those cities are located in our home state of California, it's safe to say 7k is a regional band. Regional would be one click past local since we've lugged our gear and struck a chord or two across state lines. As you may know, we leave for tour 7 weeks, 4 days from today. When we return home, right before Thanksgiving, we will have logged over 8,000 miles and added 29 new cities in 15 new states (OK, MO, IN, PA, OH, WI, IL, KY, MD, NY, MA, RI, CT, IA & NE) to our growing list of experiences. Geographically-speaking, it's plain to see that by the end of this year 7k will be classified as a national band. If regional is one click past local, than national is decidedly a quantum leap. My family has asked on several occasions 'how's the tour prep coming?' and I've nearly developed a twitchy little tick when faced with formulating a cogent response. It's basically like planning a wedding with all the details and intricacies except the wedding lasts 51 days instead of a long weekend. Oh, and there are 3 bridezillas instead of just 1. Going on tour is a momentous occasion to be sure, and we have YOU to thank. Guess who has kept us going this long? ALL OF YOU!! That said, we thought it would be fun to bring the loving 7k community together to celebrate. We will be having a SEND-OFF SHOW AT SPARK LOUNGE SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2009!!!! The new record and TONS of new 7k merch will be available. Doors will open @7pm and it would be wise to get plenty of rest that day and cancel all plans for the following day. Our goal is to make this the funnest (that's right I am using 'funnest') Spark show yet!! Who's in? Send us a message with your email address and we'll start sending invitations. We absolutely cannot wait to see you all!!

Love,
Corey and my fellow bridezillas

BLINK 183

2009-08-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Lots of things go by in the blink of any eye, and for me it's shows. Seriously.

It seems like yesterday when we loaded the 7k 'shows' section of this website with tons of summer shows. As I type this it looks like there are only two left. WTF?! Two shows?? Really??

Sure, I remember loading-in to all the venues, the shows, the stage lights, the sweaty post-show hugs and each drive home...but it all just literally ZIPPED by. Everything is sort of smudged together in my recollection as if it were one big show.

So here I sit, sipping my coffee almost sad that our summer of shows is nearly over. I can't be totally sad, however, as I look ahead to our upcoming MASSIVE tour schedule (all the way to the East Coast). The three of us are very excited, freaked-out and antsy. In finishing off our summer, we'd love to spend some time with YOU before heading East. C'mon out to our show in Huntington Beach this Sunday for some fun. We've certainly got a trick or two up our sleeves and let's face it, SUNDAY is still part of your weekend!! Don't forget to bring your singing voice (you'll sing the bold stuff).

"Woohoo, I want to spend my high life with you.
Let's go, before I hit another low."

Oh, and if you heard a rumor about the Spark Lounge '7k tour send-off' show on October 3rd........................................it's true. :)

Rock it.
-Corey

space invaders

2009-07-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

I personally believe that 40 years ago the United States sent astronauts to the moon. I also personally believe that the video footage is authentic. The fact that there is a growing number of people trying to disprove the authenticity of that momentous event in history is personally offensive to me (Corey). I won't speak for anyone but me. It pisses me off.

40 years ago today, we landed two men on the moon and we were the first country to do it. There, I said it. Furthermore, I believe it. In this case, as in many cases, perception IS reality. What this country (and the rest of the planet for that matter) perceived at that point was that the United States was a force to be reckoned with, a World Power and a country at the cutting edge of...well...everything. Afterall, we had two US Citizens WALKING ON THE SURFACE OF ANOTHER PLANET! I realize they were unable to utilize Twitter to relay their every move, nor could they upload mobile pics to their Facebook pages, but you can bet your next paycheck Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin experienced what only 12 human beings have ever experienced!!! Just sit with that notion for a second. I don't know about you, but I feel like waving an American flag while saluting it and singing the National Anthem at the top of my lungs followed shortly thereafter by eating a slice of apple pie and getting the letters U S A tattooed on my forehead. The sense of PRIDE I have in my country when I think of our spacemen walking on the moon is overwhelming. It FEELS good because of how I perceive it. That IS reality to me. People sitting around and trying to poke holes in that is counter-productive, potentially hurtful and borderline UN-American.

Don't believe me? Watch this.

Disneyland is no more magical than Knott's Berry Farm or Magic Mountain. Arguably, Magic Mountain is the most magical since the word 'magic' appears in its NAME. But really, all of those places are basically amusement parks that have some REALLY amazing visual stimuli mixed with various physical stimuli. And since an ice cube costs $74.99...how is it the HAPPIEST place on Earth?? A steakhouse where all the food is free while they wax your car and change your oil for free would be a FAR happier place. Sorry, maybe I went too far. In all seriousness, you'd save more money ordering pizzas and having a pool party for your kids where everyone comes inside to watch all the Harry Potter movies back-to-back-to-back. That would be a VERY, VERY HAPPY PLACE all the way around (far happier than Disneyland any day of the week). Disneyland is a supremely overpriced, germ-laced real estate phenomenon with fabricated and/or digitally enhanced replications of fantasy items as seen in Disney movies since movies had color and sound (and before). That didn't feel good, did it?

Perception is the ONE AND ONLY thing that makes Disneyland the happiest place on Earth. Somewhere along the way as a kid, as an adolescent or as a parent you perceived your experience to be magical. It was so magical, in fact, some of you might have even SKIPPED to your car afterward. How many of you bought that ridiculous hat with your name and mouse ears?? How many of you actually sought out some random dude in a Mickey Mouse SUIT to have your photo taken?? Some of you have paid big money to have an ANNUAL PASS because you can't get enough of the magic. That magic feels pretty good, thanks to your perception.

Don't spend your time poking holes in perception unless the perception is visibly detracting from someone's life. Notions of Disneyland's magic and the miraculous walk on the moon's surface are uplifting and inspirational...so leave 'em alone.

There is far too little magic in the World today. There is far too little magic in people's eyes these days. Whatever people find magical is a real source of light and happiness for them and as long as it's not hurting anybody else, we should be accepting of their source of magic.

Disneyland is magical to millions of people.
Landing on the moon 40 years ago was magical to an entire planet.

Go find some magic. I would recommend you stop watching the news immediately...you won't find any magic there.

Love.

application required

2009-07-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

Sure, I enjoy being one of the [Boston accent here] 'smaaat kids' now, but remembering past events such as high school it wasn't always like that. Or was it?

Some say 'with age comes wisdom'. The only thing I've become wiser about is application. I didn't APPLY myself in high school. Wow, just typing that made me feel like a guidance counselor for a second! Furthermore, it was easy to look around and count the kids who apparently WERE applying themselves since their names appeared on prestigious lists like the Honor Roll. I wasn't knocking those students, but admittedly I wondered what they were doing differently. Granted, they were generally in the habit of doing ALL of their homework and even doing extra credit assignments but there had to be more to it than that, right?

Well, not really. As it turns out I could've applied myself and joined my fellow classmates on those glittery lists. I find it terribly intriguing WHAT people apply themselves to and WHAT their motivation is for doing so. Sometimes it is fun to wonder what became of all that application. Are those academic over-achievers now esteemed CEO's and distinguished members of Congress? Are any of those athletic letter-jacket guys playing pro ball somewhere? Are the students that were members of the yearbook committee now publishers or web designers or those people with the really annoying Myspace pages with 889 photos and sparkly backgrounds? Then there are the unsung heroes of application: the geeks, the nerds and those creepy triplet girls. Are they now running the Googles, Microsofts and Apples of tomorrow?

I remember being younger and being jealous of all these people and recently, I ran into one and it simply rocked my world!!

The conversation started very typically when I learned that she attended a prestigious college, drives a nice car, owns a home in an affluent community, is happily married and has two wonderful children. Frankly, given my memory of her in high school, I would've expected no less. She was popular, smart as a whip and was one of the girls you had to muster up enough courage to ask her to sign your yearbook at the end of the year. I was the kid in the marching band. See where this is going?

After viewing a handful of pics on my Facebook page, she said the unthinkable to me, "I wish I would've applied myself like you did." She drew the conclusion that I must've applied myself to drumming at an early age, and boy was she right. To me, I never viewed it that way. I always thought of application as 'using what you've already got' rather than 'working on something you've got a little bit of'. In my eyes, the kids who were ALREADY smart applied themselves and got good grades. The kids who were ALREADY good at sports applied themselves.....and so on. Their results were so measurable. Good grades, winning games, scholarships to college, etc. Being a guy on the drumline was never measurable (nor is it until you sell millions of records, win a Grammy and appear on Saturday Night Live as the musical guest that Jennifer Aniston introduces).

Sure I got a scholarship to college to play drums (very unexpectedly), but it just didn't seem as impressive (to me or anyone else) as an academic scholarship to Princeton or a football scholarship to Notre Dame. Since my college days I've played drums...lots of drums...and I find myself here. I'm in a place where within the last couple years I've developed a voracious appetite for reading books about thinking, marketing, psychology, phenomena, logic, statistics, probability and outliers. I've realized that I can digest and am interested in all kinds of complex information. Basically, I'm the smart kid that convinced myself that I was the dumb kid. I had fooled myself. What a dirty trick! By a chance meeting with an old high school classmate it was as if I had followed the path she figured I would, just as she followed the path I figured SHE would.

What's the point of my blog? Apply yourself. Apply yourself at all times. Apply yourself at all times to something...anything that YOU feel is important. Don't allow anyone to diminish the importance of that which you have chosen to apply yourself to. And above all, don't allow YOURSELF to diminish the importance of that which you have chosen to apply yourself to.

Application required to live the life YOU want to live.

My take on the Actors Studio interview

2009-07-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

I loved Corey’s blog so I’m copying it.

What is your favorite word? Right now, in print, it’s “Paraphernalia.”

What is your least favorite word? “Can’t.”

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? The feel of a Fender P-Bass in my hands, the possibility of making a difference, and the Microsoft Windows commercial where the little Asian girl clicks to make the picture of her pet fish Dorothy “much better.”

What turns you off? Irresponsible profiteering.

What sound or noise do you love? The clanging of pots & pans and opening & closing of kitchen cupboards, hushed conversation, and the popping and hissing of a percolating coffee maker in the morning, as heard through a slightly open bedroom door on Christmas morning.

What sound or noise do you hate? The cry of a smoke alarm, proclaiming the impending death of its battery.

What is your favorite curse word? Mother@#$@%

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? International Spy, Novelist, or Wizard.

What profession would you not like to do? Airline customer service rep.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Welcome! Wow, you’re having a great hair day! Your orientation schedule is full. At 7 it’s coffee & corn meal mush for breakfast, then you’ve got a few hours in the Endless Hall of Fender Basses Throughout History, some time in the Infinite Chuck E. Cheese style Ball Pit, then lunch with Sting and J.K. Rowling (they’ll beat me there.) After that it’s a run in the brisk afternoon air with our army of Labrador Retreivers, some video game time, then a writing/jam session with Sting, Danny Elfman, Elvis Costello, and Billy Joel. Then dinner with Jack Nicholson and Danny Elfman. Then you’ll catch a movie with whoever’s available, and you’re playing at the Sky Dome arena at 10. Your wife should be along in a few years, once your grandchildren have had a chance to win their second Academy Awards.

Inside the Actor's Studio with: Corey Manske of 7k

2009-07-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you've ever watched the program 'Inside the Actor's Studio' with host James Lipton, you know he asks every guest the following survey developed by Bernard Pivot. I'm always fascinated by the answers people give, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Enjoy.

What is your favorite word? COALESCE

What is your least favorite word? THE 'N' WORD

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? PERSONALITY, INTELLIGENCE, GOOD STAGE SOUND, WELL-TUNED DRUMS, PIERCING SNARE DRUMS, WIDE-EYED LABRADOR RETRIEVERS, KISSING AND LINGERIE.

What turns you off? HATRED, SEGREGATION AND INEQUALITY.

What sound or noise do you love? THE GLUE SEPARATING IN THE COLLAR OF A SNARE DRUM HEAD BEING CRANKED.

What sound or noise do you hate? PEOPLE SPOUTING THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND/OR POLITICAL OPINIONS (SINCE BOTH ARE PRIVATE MATTERS).

What is your favorite curse word? MOST CERTAINLY THE 'F' WORD

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? ACTOR OR UFC FIGHTER

What profession would you not like to do? ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH TAXES, TEETH OR POLITICS.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? HAVE A SEAT BY THE TV, HERE IS A BOTTOMLESS BOWL OF THE BEST MAC & CHEESE YOU'LL EVER EAT, THE GAME IS ON AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE PACKERS ARE ENJOYING THEIR 77TH STRAIGHT UNDEFEATED SEASON....OH, BY THE WAY YOUR SOUND CHECK IS IN AN HOUR.

ROCKY ROAD

2009-07-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

You may or may not know this, but we're preparing to hit the road later this year. We'll be gone for a whopping 51 days and will experience a gorgeous FALL SEASON in regions of this country that NONE of us have been before! As exciting as this is, believe it or not, it is very bittersweet. Sure, we'll be away from loved ones and away from home, but that's not what will make the road rocky.

We're touring as a part of NACA which would take a series of lengthy blogs to explain sufficiently. The short story is we'll be performing in showcases and interacting with college students at conferences in convention centers. We'll be at three four-day conferences: Lancaster, PA, Covington, KY and Hartford, CT. The purpose of the conferences is to book us for a LARGE SCALE college campus tour for 2010. So, those of you with a calculator have figured out that 12 of 51 days will be spent doing the NACA conference stuff. What about the other 39 days?

Here's where things start to get rocky.

As a three-piece band, we've never ventured outside our home state of California. That said, it seems California is actually the BEGINNING rather than the END (a little 7k humor). What that means is we aren't a 'proven commodity' yet. Sure, you and your friends like 7k, but what about the rest of the United States? Now factor in the cost of fuel, not drawing an income from our day jobs and our need to consume food. See where I'm going with this? Don't feel bad if you don't...I'll explain.

Things are officially very rocky at this point.

Thanks to the current state of the music business, and the known fact that only a 'proven commodity' makes money playing original music on the road, 7k will be performing many COVER GIGS while on tour. That means we'll be playing your favorite AC/DC song, your favorite Journey song and dozens of other songs you enjoy singing and dancing along to while slightly or massively inebriated. Oddly enough, the classification 'proven commodity' doesn't apply to a traveling cover band. Even more oddly, clubs of all shapes and sizes in every city imaginable pay BIG MONEY (relatively speaking) for cover bands. If you can rock 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' and kick out a snappy version of 'Jessie's Girl' people will have fun, buy multiple drinks, cheer loudly, make-out with strangers and vomit in the parking lot. Most people would prefer to repeat that string of events in that order over and over again. Clubs pay bands to be the entertainment and evidently that entertainment consists of the same 50 songs whether you're in Omaha or Dallas or Boston or Daytona Beach.

It's no secret for 7k fans that 7k is not a cover band at heart. Although everyone knows of our genuine aim to please. It's also clear that this tour is the gateway for us to be able to tour next year. The tour next year will consist of mainly 7k getting paid good money for playing 7k songs with a cover gig here and there for some extra money. So this time around, we'll do what we need to do no matter how rocky the road. The way I see it, if you're trying to jump from trapeze 'A' to trapeze 'B' you'll be in mid-air, between the two, holding on to nothing for a short period of time. For 7k, trapeze 'A' is being a LOCAL band, while trapeze 'B' is being a NATIONAL band.

My guess is this won't be our last rocky road and I'm okay with that.

Someone asked me the other day what my goal for 7k is. An impressive answer sprung from my mouth before I knew it: "U2. U2 is my goal for 7k."

The adventure continues.

7k field trip to Third Eye Blind

2009-06-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

Last night David, Corey and I met at the Palladium in Hollywood to take in the final show of Third Eye Blind's pre-album release tour. The show was truly extraordinary, and I was left completely inspired watching Stephan Jenkins draw the crowd in and wrap them up in a comforting blanket of music. Half way through the show, after playing some of their hits and some new unheard songs, the four band members gathered around an old duct-taped couch (which had appeared during a partial blackout) for a 30 minute acoustic set. They started with "Palm Reader," with Stephan on drums and Brad (drummer) on acoustic guitar - it was fantastic. During the first encore they played a rare track, "God of Wine," and a gentleman in front of me literally broke down in tears. I was moved watching his girlfriend comfort him, and I was touched by the raw healing power of music. I was, of course, totally excited to hear all the hits - but the highlight for me had to be Stephan on guitar & vocals and BRAD on keyboards (the guy is UNBELIEVABLE)doing a rendition of the rare full lyric version of "Slow Motion," a ballad from the perspective of a "young urban psycopath." The new tunes piqued my curiosity, and the show ended with an a capella singalong. Awesome work, 3EB, thanks for the inspiration!

two day show....kinda

2009-06-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 6am, my alarm jolted me out of bed after a couple obligatory visits to the snooze button. A lot of the usual stuff followed shortly thereafter: shower, clothes, coffee, driving and another hectic day at the office. With me so far? Good. 4pm rolls around and I drive home slowly due to typical Southern California traffic. With every intention of taking a nap, I get home and am unable to sleep. Hmmm, what to do? If you guessed Madden, give yourself a gold star. 50 minutes later, after whooping Minnesota 35-17, it was certainly nap time. I closed the curtains, shut the door, cranked up the fan, set an alarm for 8pm and crawled into bed. Somewhere along the way I am joined by my favorite napping companion, my napping mentor as a matter of fact- she's a pro napper. My alarm wakes me (again) and I lay there watching tv for a bit (apparently it was turned on mid-nap by the pro). After a long, hot shower, I put in the big earrings (sorry...REALLY big earrings) and proceeded to my closet to find my 7k attire, or APPAREL if you will...LOL! I tied my tie as I walked to the kitchen to start my coffee. The smell of coffee further spurred my same-day deja vu. 9:15pm as I hopped into my truck and headed to the venue. I made a promise to myself that I'd avoid cussing in the blogs on this page, which forces me to skip telling you about parking at the venue. I unloaded, staged my stuff on the patio of the Blue Cafe and greeted some faithful friends. Coming to see us play in Long Beach, late on a Wednesday night is surely a sign of true love. After some chit-chat and a beer to counteract my coffee, we loaded-in, sound-checked our gear and dove right in. According to my onstage iPod (which generates all our tempos, like a digital metronome by the way) we started playing at 11:23pm. We struck our last notes 45 minutes later. So you see, the show started on a Wednesday and ended on a Thursday. And, THAT'S a two day show...kinda.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone that came out to see us last night/this morning. It means more than you know.

Love.

Latest Video Blog

2009-06-23T08:45:00.001-07:00

Jeff walks to fight cancer!

2009-06-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

Support the fight against cancer!

Greetings friends! I have a commitment to MAKE A DIFFERENCE and I need your help. I am walking in this year’s RELAY FOR LIFE to honor my Aunt P., a cancer survivor, and to raise awareness for the Global Warming Crisis.

Please visit my website and make a donation in honor of a loved one!

Learn more by visiting my page at:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09CA?px=11811891&pg=personal&fr_id=13924

Thanks for fighting with me!

Love,

Jeff

Gather 'round with your juice boxes...it's story time.

2009-06-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE
A story about 7k making a record, by Corey Manske

Shortly following the Grand Opening of Spark Lounge and releasing their ‘Signature EP’ the emails started to fly. It seemed more new 7k music had begun to bubble under the surface. Embracing the combined coolness of his Blackberry voice recorder, a Korg digital recorder and the technological wonders of email, Jeff started sending musical snapshots of the ideas that were overflowing, and keeping him awake at night, to David, Corey and Eric. Even with brief glimpses, it was clear that 7k was about to experience an eventful and much-needed growth spurt.

Producer Eric Rathgeber quickly ear-marked three songs and pre-production began. Having never played the songs together, 7k and Eric gathered at Spark Lounge one beautiful Sunday afternoon to see if they could ‘catch lightning in a bottle’. Hopping onstage, the boys were all smiles as it had been months since they’d played together. Traditionally, the band warmed-up by each member picking a song. After cranking through ‘Wrong Girl’, ‘California is the End’ and ‘Make it Up’ they were ready to poke around with the new stuff.

Not unlike a first date, the first couple passes through the new songs were tentative and exploratory. After a dozen passes, suggestive chatting and a dozen more, everyone smiled. A round of celebratory beers cracked open and studio time was booked. Yep, it happened that quickly!

A few weeks later, on a damp Friday evening, Jeff and David arrived at Cement Records to record reference tracks. They plowed through the three tunes, playing to a click track, in about 40 minutes. That Sunday morning, Corey arrived with drums, and a myriad of liquids to keep him rocking, to meet Eric. After setting everything up, mic placement, getting tones and a brief lunch break, he ripped through the tracks one after another. Eric watched from the control room as Corey pounded in his usual focused, deliberate and passionate fashion. Sunday evening came, and the drums were done.

Over the course of the next couple months, Jeff and David both enjoyed their chance to do their thing in the studio. For the first time ever, 7k recorded their parts privately, separately and secluded from one another. With the drum tracks recorded, Jeff arrived with his bass to record bass tracks. He was battling the flu and could barely speak (much less sing) after losing his voice…so a chance to just play bass was a welcomed change! Jeff had crafted punchy, meaty bass parts and Eric enjoyed watching Jeff challenge himself and give amazing bass performances. As for David, he came into the studio with his usual brand of melodic wizardry to add to the mix. As per usual, reading the Wall Street Journal between takes, David had prepared zillions of melodic tidbits while Eric requested a zillion more on acoustic guitar, the two spent a bunch of time together and were like pigs in mud. After kicking the nasty flu bug, Jeff returned to Cement Records to deliver his best vocal performances ever. Adding to his unique style, Jeff effortlessly injected warmth and sincerity into the sweeter, more conversational lyrics.

Entering the mixing process, everyone was ecstatic about the music. Sitting in the control room, Eric and David grinned from ear-to-ear as Jeff and Corey head-nodded infectiously to the beat. Everyone was mouthing the words and whaling away on their air guitars. And there it was- lightning in a bottle.

Ducks. Rows. Shows.

2009-06-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday folks!

For the better part of a year we've been busy getting all our 'ducks in a row' so-to-speak. I won't bore you with all the lengthy details, but rather I'll offer up the end result: we've got ducks, rows and (most importantly) SHOWS!! We had a long and productive rehearsal yesterday and plan on much of the same for the remainder of the week. There is an ever-growing list of shows on the home page, most notably OUR FIRST SHOW which is next Saturday in El Segundo. If you click the 'youtube' button on the homepage you can enjoy our latest VIDEO BLOG. We're excited for the show and have a few surprises up our sleeves. After having seen a few shows at the Blue Cafe in Long Beach, it's been on my personal list of venues I'd really like to play and NEXT WEEK WEDNESDAY we'll be rocking there- yay! We're really looking forward to seeing you all at the shows!! How about you leave your ducks and rows at home and come on out for some fun!!

-Corey

iPod equals closet

2009-06-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ever had that experience of looking down as your thumb whirls 'round the scroll wheel on your iPod? It's like the proverbial gal standing in the mouth of her gigantic closet, which is packed with more clothing and pairs of shoes imaginable. We all know what she blurts next, "I have nothing to wear." Well that's me. My closet is my iPod. I zing through 44 zillion songs and have that look on my face as if the trash is starting to smell. Well yesterday, I had had enough. I hopped online, went straight to iTunes and bought some new music. This morning I'm enjoying new music by the likes of Chickenfoot and Dredg. A 7k favorite for some time, Dredg released their new record this week and I just couldn't help it. Chickenfoot is the latest 'super-group' with singer Sammy Haggar (Van Halen), guitarist Joe Satriani (solo), bass player Michael Anthony (Van Halen) and drummer Chad Smith (Chili Peppers). Yay for new music. Yay for iPods. Yay for closets. Well...where else would you put all that stuff??

Rehearsals, shows & video blogs....oh my!

2009-06-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

Howdy Hey Everyone-

First things first, you'll be pleased to hear Jeff has won his battle with the vocal monitor, David has thwarted his gnarly amp problems and my ankle pain is now only recognized as mild, all of which are positive developments in Rehearsal Land from last week. We did, however, finish off last week's rehearsals with a strong performance. This evening we hit it hard again and I'm so excited I feel like a kid waiting at the entry gate of Disneyland for the first time.

The list of shows grows. I smile all the while. I'm actually toying with the idea of revealing the set list before the show. Ah yes, the joys of contemplation.

All I can say about video blogs is stay tuned. If you haven't visited our link on Flip Cameras yet, go check it out. These things are really cool.

Don't cry for me Argentina. My ankle thing is nothing to worry about. As always, I'm committed to playing my butt off and I've had to deal with worse. My goal is for YOU to have a great time at the show and I won't let a pesky ankle get in the way. Some of you may've heard my 'dislocated finger before House of Blues show' story or my 'threw out my back before a 3 hour show in Flagstaff' story. If you haven't, maybe they'll appear in blogs to come. :)

Have a wonderful day everyone!

-Corey

Rehearsals and such...

2009-06-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

Rehearsals and such...

Hi everybody! Corey here, just thrilled to be blogging and prepping for a show...yep, a show. You may or may not know it yet, but there are upcoming 7k shows, the first of which is June 20th. As details trickle in and you mark smiley faces on your calendars I just wanted to give you a peek into rehearsals. Sound like fun? Good.

Last week, like a bear coming out of hibernation, 7k yawned and shuffled into our first rehearsal in....well....a long, long time. We smiled at one another as we peered with wonderment at our equipment. As we looked over the 15 song playlist with that 'how does that song go again' look the cobwebs started to clear. We blasted through all 15 much to our surprise and delight. Some were rougher than we figured, while others were magical. Whatever YOUR favorite 7k song may be....yep, we played it. We felt like a 7k cover band as we zig-zagged through both new and old stuff. It was exhausting and nearly-satisfying. Thankfully, we rehearsed the next night too.

As we slipped into our second rehearsal, it felt good. Technical troubles and sound system mumbo jumbo aside, we had a tiny helping of that 7k swagger coupled with some sweaty smiles and elated eye contact. We cranked through the playlist remembering many of the twists and turns we used to really love on the 7k roller coaster. In short, we had a blast and started to resemble kids on Christmas morning.

Last night we were ready like race horses in the starting gate. Rehearsal #3 began and we hit the ground running. We started to poke around with set list suggestions and show ideas. There's a show right around the corner, and we can taste it.

Tonight we'll kick off rehearsal #4. David is dealing with a tricky amp dilemma, Jeff is frustrated with a faulty vocal monitor, I'm experiencing a great deal of physical pain in my right ankle and yet the three of us simply CANNOT WAIT to play music together.

All is well good friends....all is truly well. See you all at the show.

Rock it,
Corey

7k has a blog!

2009-06-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Greetings 7kers!

I am thrilled to be sitting here writing this, our first real blog in almost a year. The last 18 months has been such a trip, it's hard to find meaningful words to express it. David, Corey and I have been working harder than ever before to create new music & all the condiments that go on it - videos, pictures, a new website, a real BLOG, new myspace & facebook pages... we even joined TWITTER. Yay technology.

Our work, however, pales in comparison to the contributions of our dear friends and supporters, who really made this all possible. We would like to name and recognize some of those people here:

Eric Rathgeber
Christine Cassidy
Scott Sanford
Liz Sanford
Curtis Andersen
Kristin Gust
Jim Gust
Rene Bordelon
Lindsay Lusk
Ami Garvin
Jeanette Gonzales
Kathleen White
Our Parents & Family

7k really belongs to all of you - those listed and those reading this.

So without further ado, please DIVE IN and re-unite the 7k circle!

Jeff, David & Corey