Wet Dreams and Big Boners?!?

It’s 2:45 in the morning on Sunday Nov. 6 and the owner of the Café, ‘Shadow’, walks up to me and hands me an envelope with our evenings wages. We share a laugh when I look down at the envelope to see how he has marked it up. I thank him, we exchange thoughts about shows for the Spring semester and I get back to loading up the trailer.


We had been slotted for the duration of the night at the Café in the desolate yet charming Macomb, IL. Macomb is home to many but mostly the crowd is made up of WIU students many of whom have started frequenting Model Stranger shows when we make the 250 mile journey due Southwest.

Our set for Saturday evening had begun shortly after 9 pm and wrapped up around 1:30 Sunday morning just before last call. It was an enjoyable evening that was unfortunately cut a tad bit short due to an unseen attack of the killer migraine.


Shadow decorates our payment envelope.. hmmm.

  Needless to say this is how we do it in when we are in Macomb. It is an all night affair every time. Although it is a taxing endeavor to take on the undeniable amounts of free alcohol and lengthy set obligations, we are tested in different ways then with a normal 45 minute set.



We remind ourselves at the onset of the night that these are marathons not sprints.

The night before we had performed in Springfield on our way down. This gig we also performed 4 hour set. Following our performance we drove to Macomb and arrived at 4 am. We parked in the Walmart parking lot and took a nice rest in preparation of the nights festivites. It was chilly in the van and I woke up with a nasty headache that later would develop into one of the worst migraines I have ever had.

The majority of our Saturday day was spent inventorying and reorganizing our Model Stranger Merchandise in the parking lot of the local Walmart. We now have this extensive selection of Model Stranger tees since we back filled our older designs. Also added some hoodies to our arsenal this time around!

Taken from the back of the van.. Blurry, we know.

The first 2 sets were great and were highlighted by the debut of some new Model Stranger songs. Many patrons crowded the dance floor and showed us how to do the twist. Wish I had more pictures of that but I was busy rocking.  Other highlights included the Fressos' sending us a Jameson shot nearly every 4 songs. Biggest regret of the night.. not drinking a Quaalude.

It was during the 3rd set of the evening that I was attacked by the previously mentioned killer migraine. Singing with a migraine would be enjoyable if I was a deranged masochist who loved bringing pain to myself by singing to others… Although I guess it is better than bringing pain to others by singing to myself. Every beat of the drum, line of a verse, strum of my guitar and the the thumping of the bass was a nauseating trigger that eventually caused us to end the show 2 songs early. My oh my. What a night.

We are rounding up some dates and planning a healthy and valiant return in the Spring! Thank you to all our fans in Macomb for a fantastic semester and a load of great memories!


 

 

 





Some Recording Pics

 

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Recording Update 01/16/2010

Day #...We're Not Really Counting

Ever wonder what a band does for/during their recording process?  I mean, there's obviously your standard protocol but we all have our own little quirks.  Well here's a sneak peak into Model Stranger's recording world.

We have been at it in our personal practice space for quite some time working on pre-production to make sure everything is just right so that when we go into the studio we are 110% prepared.  How can someone be over 100% you ask?  Well, Vincent, Stephen and I have had some long, long, loooooong nights so we know we're going to reach beyond that 100%.  Hell, I fell asleepsitting up on the couch a few nights ago and awoke in a daze at 6am and had no clue what was going on or where I was and Stephen's snoring was rattling the walls.  It was brilliantly nerve wracking.

Vince has been quite the addition to Model Stranger's recording process. (Yes, that IS in fact Hustler on the piano bench.  We're a bunch of young men, what do you expect?!?!?!).

Stephen and I recorded Shaky Coma at our studio and did all the pre-production and overdubs there for A Boy and His Crown as well.

Well, we now have another interested person to record with which is just another weapon for the Model Stranger army.  Vince will get this funny face while listening to a take and look at me with a 3 year old's smile and say, "Man, I REALLY want to put a vibraslap there!"  I smile back :).

We have been working on rearranging some familiar songs as well as writing and preparing new ones.  Not only are you going to hear a new Model Stranger album but there will also be some demos and alternate versions of songs that will be exclusively released with certain promotions.

We will be having long nights from here until January 22nd when we actually go into the studio to start recording all of the rhythm tracks.  But that doesn't mean the long nights end there.  We have deadlines to meet and I'll be damned if something is going to stop us.  Here's a picture of me completely

delirious at 2am from Thursday night's LONG session.

We are extremely excited about this record and the
progress that we are making.  If you know where our recording studio/rehearsal space is at we'll be locked in until Monday evening.  Come drop in, say hello and have a laugh with us.  Or a beer.  Or some pizza. You may want to bring both of the aforementioned just to be safe.  We are hungry and thirsty young lads. Much love and more updates on the recording process as it moves along.

`Kevin James


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Make sure you've become our Facebook Fan, MySpace Friend, Twitter Stalker and Website Junky. Why, it's more fun that way of course! Invite your friends to do the same...no Bogarting Model Stranger!