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Sweet Home Savannah

Greetings Blog readers! Aaron here. We just returned from sweet home Savannah after playing this weeks Rock-n-Roll Marathon for 23,000 participants. I should clarify, its actually not home to any of us, infact I don’t know that any of us have even been there before. But lets not get wrapped up in technicalities.

We got a lot accomplished this weekend as a band. Maybe because Stu couldn’t come so we weren’t distracted by the scent of freshly baked cookies, that little Keebler elf.

Started writing a new song in the hotel room all while giant planes and helicopters flew over to land at the air force base 20 yards away.  Good times.

We arrived at the gig at 7:30am. Yes…a.m. Not very “rock band” is it? I didn’t even know 7:30 a.m. existed! Whoever booked this gig has a big pair of giblets asking a rock band to show up anywhere before 1 o’clock in the afternoon. Whatever, we musn’t grumble.

Here are some pics.

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Oh and Mark felt the need to leave the stage and let the sound guy at the event play a 20 minute guitar solo while Rob and I played the same damn riff over and over and over and over again. Don’t worry, he at least took the time to capture it on video.

Until next time friends…

Carpe diem,
AF

 


New Shows…Finally

Well, we promised we would come back to Greenville, SC and we are – Oct. 7 at Gottrocks, followed by Oct. 8 in Raleigh at the Ampitheater with the singer of Live, Ed Kowalczyk!

Before all that, we will be playing in Dayton, OH while we are finishing up some tracks for the new CD at In The Red Studio. Come see us at Setters and help us raise some cash for Coley and her surgery.

It’s a great reason to come out and enjoy the music!!!

See you at the show!


What a night in Greenville!

You ever have one of those great weekends? Well that was this weekend for me and the rest of the band.

It didn’t start so well because I have been on 3 prescriptions for what everyone is calling TB – but it’s just a very annoying cough and inability to talk. Then we found out our bass player Jason couldn’t make the trip to SC for the show. Soooo….

We got a couple hours to “Practice” before the show where we figured Robert would play bass and I would play guitar and we would just rearrange some songs.

OH YEAH BTW, this is our drummer Aaron’s 2nd show.

I think we’ll be fine…

I don’t really get nervous for shows but there was a slight, no, large chance for a trainwreck to occur – the kind of trainwreck that would be talked about for years. Remember, for this show, we are opening for Rob and Stu’s other bands who are legends in SC and this is our first time in Greenville.

So when the lights went down and the stage lights came up, I was shocked to see the Handelbar nearly full already, for the opener. CRAZY!

The show went better than I could have imagined and the crowd was the most fun I’ve played for in a very long time. So a very sincere thanks to everyone who made it out that night.

Temple of Thieves followed us and featured Stuart on guitar and played a really technical metal style that is going to be huge. Great songs combined with a multi-media show were more work than I can imagine and made for a great show.

Then Noxious played their final show. Noxious featured Robert and Stu as well as Chief who introduced us all. That band is a polished national act that is a legendary act in the region and it is really easy to see why. Their show topped off a magic night.

I can’t remember being stopped after playing more than I was Saturday night. Everyone I met – Shelly, JJ, Steve, Kim, Jay, Alex…(I could keep going forever) made me feel like I was like talking to an old friend.

So we will definitely be back to Greenville, SC very soon. You all made us feel very much at home and that means a lot. A night well worth remembering!

Cheers!


Sick of being sick….

So I am officially tired of pills, kleenex and bathrooms…I saw it coming though. Everyone around has been sick and although I have been able to avoid it, a flight to LA and Ft. Lauderdale did not help.

So here I am surrounded by used kleenexes, remotes and animals that want to play and I can’t do anything but watch TV – FRUSTRATING! Especially when I have the tracks to a brand new song waiting at the studio for me as soon as I can sing, no talk again.

Frustrating…

Doc says I am 7 days into a 10-14 day deal – any suggestions?


Damn allergies

I used to have allergies really bad. Fall allergies. The first few weeks of school were usually pure hell. My eyes would water like I was crying for my Detroit lions on a Sunday. And unfortunately the totally uncool travel Kleenex pouch was never far behind.

So when I started college in Florida it was a brand new day – no fall allergies! New school, new opportunites and new best friends. Pat, rik and brad were my new trouble makers and each were a great introduction to the world. Pat was from new York, rik was from Michigan and brad was from Ohio.

Brad was my roommate and obviously Who I had the most in common with -except for his love of country music. But by the end of that first year I knew Randi Travis far too well and all words to “family tradition.”

Now I consider myself an optimist. A glass is half full guy. But I am nothing compared to brad. That even continues through the past few years when he battled cancer. If you just talked to him you’d never tell how much of a pain he was living with, nor would you doubt that in a few weeks he’d be back in his truck driving down the road.

But unfortunately, the road just ended – if you ask me, many miles short of where it should have.

There is no doubt in mind that only brad could have taken this trip and left all of us that knew him with more than just a ton of great stories that still make us laugh, but a lesson on optimism, positive thinking and stubborness.

Thanks brad, at least you can listen to bocephus all day long now.

Damn allergies.


Meanwhile, back at Midway…

There has been a lot of  airports, rental cars, TSA pat-downs and hotel rooms, but it has all been worth it. On the 11th, y’all will see the band and it’s brand new member Andy Freeman. Here’s a little bit about Andy.

Andrew will be the touring Guitarist and Back Up Vocalist for
The Offspring on their 2008-2009 tour for their latest release
“Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace”.


Check out Andrew’s latest music project,
Soapbox Conspiracy. The band features:
Shane Vetter – Guitars (X-Days of the New)
Johny Chow – Bass (Cavalera Conspiracy, Fireball Ministry, X-Systematic)
Jay Bomb – Drums (Sex Slaves)
Stay tuned for more updates!


Andrew has performed on three tours as the lead vocalist with legendary Dokken / Lynch Mob guitarist George Lynch. Including a much talked about feature on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and a headlining show at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA.
The Lynch band has given Andrew the opportunity to perform with great musicians such as Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath/Dio), Marten Andersson (Lizzy Borden, Starwood), Rob DeLucca (Spread Eagle, Ours, Sebastian Bach), John Macaluso (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TNT), Michael “FRO” Frowien – Drums (Lynch Mob / War & Peace).


As the guitarist, songwriter and producer for the Massachusetts band Thirty Stones. The band enjoyed success having their CD Canvas, produced by Zuess (Hatebreed, Shadows Fall), chart as high as 5 on FMQB’s Metal Detector and CMJ Crucial Spins. The band performed 250 plus shows in 2003, appearing with bands such as Sevendust, Staind, Shadows Fall, Powerman 5000, Dope, Non-Point, Hed PE, and Lacuna Coil among others. Thirty Stones were also featured on 10 different compilation CDs released by Cleopatra Records that included legendary artists Iggy Pop, Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin).


Andrew handled guitar duties and songwriting on Blockk 16′s Too Brutal for Radio. The CD also featured Chris Caffery – Guitar (Savatage, Trans Siberian Orchestra) Rick Skator – Bass (24-7 Spyz / Bad Brains) and Ray West (Spread Eagle). The CD is distributed through Century Media and was 4 on the CMJ Crucial Spins Most Added chart. The band just completed a short east coast tour with legendary metal band, Y&T.


Don’t try this at home…

I know many of you have already seen or heard about my new cast. To set the record straight, this is how it happened.

The shop where we practice is huge. So we are surrounded by PA speakers/cabinets/amps etc. I am not a big fan of rehearsing…who is really? So, sometimes I do little things to make the time a little more interesting. Sometimes it’s changing the words in a song, Sometimes it’s throwing picks at people and sometimes it’s climbing and jumping off stuff.

So…

As one song ended, I think it was Drowned, I jumped to perfectly time the crash at the end with my perfect 10.0 landing. The timing was right, the landing was wrong.

When I landed, I was leaning too far forward. My feet hit the ground and I heard a “pop,” …that was my achilles.

So 3 hours later I rolled out of E.R. with a splint and an appointment. Today was the appointment and an introduction to my first of 3 casts. I’ll post some picts on my facebook page so you can enjoy the new fashion.

So when you see the show in the next 8 weeks, you’ll know why I may be moving (or not moving) a little differently.

So, kids, learn from the entire cast of Lorenzo…don’t try this at home.


3:03am at Dayton International Airport

So last night, after the the bus dropped me off at the airport for my 5:30am flight, I had a chance to blog a bit from my iPhone…3 attempts and 16 hours later, after deleting the completed blog twice, I am again trying to put into words how great last night at Riverbend with the Stone Temple Pilots was…

First, let me thank our incredible crew – as always, making it far too easy to look professional. Thanks to Martin, Flounder, Ron & Stuckey. Great job as always.
Next the real people that made the night happen – Eric Kretz, and The STP guys. Thanks you so much for inviting us on the bill…and it was great hanging out afterwards. Everyone at Riverbend that was so accommodating Mike, Laura Laurie – thanks so much. Also a quick thanks to everyone at Live nation – you all do a tireless job and we are glad you let us be a part of it…

Most importantly, thanks to all of our new friends…We signed more autographs and took more pictures than we have yet. So thanks to everyone who stopped by the 96Rock tent or grabbed us as we were walking by, especially…Jordan, Scott, Chris, PandaBoy, Bawls and Jessika with a “K.” We can’t wait to get back to Cincinnati and see you all again.

So thanks to everyone involved in making it a very special night – cheers!


Overnight Prints!

If anyone needs business cards, postcards or brochures, you must check out overnightprints.com! We just printed our 8x10s with them and they are incredible and cheap! Check them out!


It’s going to be a busy Summer!

Well as Summer swings into high gear this weekend, we just got word of a few new shows in June. The highlights are our headlining show in Cincinnati June 12th at Riverstar and June 20 at Belterra Casino in Indiana with the Big Show MMA.

Speaking of the Big Show MMA, Lorenzo is now the Official Big Show Band! This means that aside from hearing our song as the opening Theme song, you will be hearing us throughout the show and seeing us live at every Big Show MMA event!

It’s going to be a great summer!


We’re still here…but we’ve been busy

Just got back home after a couple days in the studio. We are re-recording a few tracks from the last CD and adding 5 new songs including “Wonder” and “The Truth.” Feel free to post your favorite Lorenzo songs and if there are a few good ones that we are forgetting, we’ll add them too.  

We will finish new stuff as soon as possible. Hopefully we will be done tracking by the end of February so look for a sneak peak around then or listen to “The Truth” and “Wonder” now at our myspace page – let us know what you think!

www.myspace.com/lorenzolounge


Ok, so I’ve been busy…

I’ve taken my break. Played with the dogs, now it’s back to work.

It all started when I got a call from Stuckey our road manager. He said that Steve and Jason from Lowa were interested in playing with me if I wanted because Lowa was taking a little break. Honestly, I never thought it would happen and dismissed it as “that would be cool but…” But as one door closes, another one opens.

Friday, October 3rd is a day that I have been looking forward to since I opened the rehearsal doors and met some new friends. Let me tell you a little about them…

Jason and I had talked between shows when Lorenzo toured with Lowa. It really seemed like we were living parallel lives. He had played in Grip, Inc and the Allknowing and made his great reputation by being a solid player and great showman. 

Steve Jacobs has toured with Testament, played in Man Made God and other bands before Lowa. He is a true professional and an incredible drummer.  

When I first got to the shop to meet and rehearse, it was just me on guitar and the new rhythm section – holy shit they blew me away. We could have played a show that night!

Meanwhile…Martin, our Guitar tech called and said he may have found a guitarist. He was playing at the Shadowbox Cafe and asked if he should see if he was interested in joining the band. Long story short…he did and he was and now he is our lead guitarist, D. V. White.

Finally, Jeff played bass in a prior incarnation of the band and is one of the best musicians and vocalists I have ever met. He is the icing on the industrial-strength metal cake.

So 3 practices later…October 3rd at the Madison theater, Covington, KY.

I think this is the start of something big!


We’ve been better…but don’t worry…

Ok, so I had to tell this little story because we were all laughing about it at practice last night.

Curt wasn’t feeling well (among other things) but like a trooper he still played on…We had to play without Jeff because he has some wrist problem that is keeping him from bending his wrists and therefore playing guitar/bass anything. So we looked over at Rob…

 

He said, “I’m fine.”

After a moment, he jumped back in…

“Wait, I have Lyme disease.” 

Regardless of the fact that most people would remember say, if they had a life-threatening illness, but it seems to be no big deal to Rob. Turns out that he is on antibiotics or whatever and he should be fine – as fine as possible I guess…

 

I am doing fine (Jinx), so I will keep you all posted on everyone’s medical charts.

Marko


Lorenzo – Under New Management!

We are very proud to announce that Lorenzo has signed with Busy Boy Productions for their Management. 

BusyBoy Productions was formed in 1997 and is headed up by Jack Paar. Jack has quite a history in the music and film industries, starting in the business in 1967. His cousin Jack Paar hosted the Tonight Show before the Carson days. In 1997 Jack met up with two guys at a tire shop in North Hollywood, there names being Lizzy Borden and Alex Nelson of the band Lizzy Borden. Shortly after that Jack Paar was asked to do the stage productions for Lizzy Borden at the Reseda Country Club and The House of Blues in California and with the success of those shows BusyBoy Productions was formed. There after BusyBoy Productions worked with quite a few world class music acts, some acts that followed are Slash’s Snake Pit, W.A.S.P., Lizzy Borden, Asia, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Berlin, The Fixx, The Pretenders, The Outfield, Motley Crue, Mushroomhead, Starwood, Gene Simmons of KISS, Alice Cooper, World War Three, Mandy Lion, Grand Funk Railroad as well as BusyBoy’s current line up. 

 

BusyBoy Productions has a force of power house music engineers, producers, directors, stylist and marketing specialist to take the artist to the next level. Currently BusyBoy is working with famed music producers Sean Beavan (No Doubt, Marilyn Manson), Micky James (Criss Angel), Tommy Nelson (Elvis Presley) and three time Grammy winner Tony Daigle. Film Producers and Directors include Vaughn Juares, Rick Fuller (Matchbox Twenty, Bare Naked Ladies), Michael Bodnarchek (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Band Apart) and creative director Michael Niesen. Stylist include the beautiful Heather Shore and the fab hair stylist Kevin Griffith. 

 

Look for a new video and songs from Lorenzo very soon!

 

www.busyboyproductions.com 


A busy weekend – shows, videos, limos…

So we played a couple shows last Friday and Saturday and woke up bright and early for the live shots for our video shoot on Sunday morning.  We were really lucky…the day was a perfect 70 degrees in December (I love December in the Carolinas!). We shot some performance stuff in the middle of an empty field way out in the country. It is amazing how much you have to shoot for a 3:14 minute video.  Then, it was off to the soundstage. I attached some picts so you can see what it looked like…I wish every show could look like that! Next up is the storyline footage. Director John Upchurch and his assistant Darren, will shoot that stuff soon. I’ll see if I can get some picts from that too.So enjoy the pics and we’ll let you know when the rest of the video is done. Live stagedrumsStageDaniel & Rob live 2field 1


Hangin with Bucky

Part of our road crew is out with Bucky Covington, Jason Michael Carroll and Cole Deggs on the “Raising the Bar Tour” while we are doing the local in-store thing and last night they made it to Raleigh. So I decided to go say hi.

And I will tell you what…it was a great show! Who would have thought those 3 bands could sound as big and energetic as the rock bands we play with? I didn’t! The pace was packed (I wore cowboy boots) the bands played cover songs by Pink Floyd, Poison and REO Speedwagon. Crazy!

All-in-all it was a great night. I did my share of drinking with my new friend Paul from VIP Coach. So if those bands come through your town – it is def. a must see – Plus all the guys are incredibly cool, funny and possibly professional drinkers…

Till next time…
Marko


The end of the year…the start of something big

Welcome to our new blog from the road! From now on you will be able to hear directly from us on what we are doing, where we’ve been and what weird thing Curt has done that day.

Aside from our NEW WEBSITE, www.lorenzolounge.com, and a brand new Blog…we are getting ready to release a new version of the CD with new mixes, solos and surprises. As soon as we get a release date, you will read it here first.

So stay tuned, and check back every day to see what we have been up to!

Marko


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