Though I haven't got the chance to put as much time on the solo album as I could wish for the last weeks it's moving forwards. The rhythm guitars and drums are more or less recorded by now (more or less because parts are always rewritten and changed along the road) and I believe 8 out of 12 songs are completely finished recording-wise by now, except maybe for some vocal retakes. Next week Andy and I will start recording the bass on the last tunes and I've also booked in a couple of studio-hours to work on some vocals. So despite everything things are moving in that corner.
When it comes to rehearsals and playing live I will all of a sudden find myself in the middle of a storm in a couple of days. On Monday when I'm back home to Stockholm I'll have to throw myself deep into both the Lizard Eye and the Straight Eight Diablo live sets and remain down there 24/7 for the next week and a half.
On friday (25th) Lizard Eye has the gig in Upplands Väsby and I haven't played those tunes in almost two years and we'll only have time for one night of rehearsals, so need to get myself into that. My bro and drummer Ralph Rydén has made the tough decision to leave the band due to personal reasons and we'll be doing the gig with Mr Peter Hermansson (John Norum, Talisman, 220 Volt) on the drums - which will be exiting indeed (and with only one rehearsal!).
Straight Eight Diablo got pulled into a really exiting gig that we just couldn't turn down at the real cool medieval bar and restaurant Sjätte Tunnan in old town in Stockholm on what we in Sweden call Valborg (on april 30th). It'll be a real cool way to start off the S8D train, a bit earlier than we planned for, but we'll get it all together. I mean the last S8D gig some two years ago, the very first S8D gig ever, we hardly rehearsed at all, I mean the songs weren't even finished, so this is the real first S8D gig, the launch presenting the band, and the music as well since we haven't, and probably ever won't, record it in the traditional way in a studio - Straight Eight Diablo is a live band and that's it as it is for now. Hopefully this means that a bunch of Straight Eight Diablo live dates will follow now that the train is rolling.
Last week we also managed to squeeze in a solo band rehearsal as well - loads of fun and sounded beyond anticipation - I mean it was about two years ago since all the three of us was in the rehearsal together. We'll however be taking it slow and put the time on finishing the album, which will have Andy and Vesa on all bass and drums. But I believe we'll might be putting together a live set in the summer or in fall and then take it out live on stage, as has been the plan for a long time.
Anyway really looking forward to loads and loads of guitar playing the upcoming weeks - and singing since Fred and I split the lead vocals in S8D - and the gigs and hopefully even more gigs and getting closer to finally finish the recording of my solo album.
There's some new items in the Saari Shop at Zazzle, we're building it up as we speak, so you might want to check it out and maybe even buy stuff and support us:
Now I'll just continue chilling, well I'm actually getting some work done but taking it easy while do it, a day or two more up here in beautiful Hälsingland - what feels like the calm before the storm.
Peace
Peace
/PM
