Looking forward to 2014, reflections on 2013

2013 year has been one of the best years of my life both musically and personally.  Although J was born in 2012, I feel as if I got really got to 'know' him this year and he has really developed his own personality.  I traveled to the birth place of surf music and performed with some of it's progenitors alongside some of my heroes and influences.  Not only that, but The Mystery Men? had the opportunity to play throughout California meeting friends new and old, having many worthwhile experiences along the way.  The band also recorded and released it's debut full-length album, "Sonos Delirium".  I had not one, but two opportunities to serve as producer on projects for Kill, Baby...Kill! and Gemini 13.  One of my best friends flew me to Colorado to perform classical guitar at his mountainside wedding overlooking Crested Butte.  I had over 40 performances this year including festival dates with The Mystery Men? North Carolina and Florida,  successful Christmas shows in Tennessee with the Silent Knights, and I even served bass duties for a Beach Boys cover show in Southern Florida.

Although 2013 may be difficult to top, I believe a great many thing to come in the new year.  MOONBASE has studio time booked for our upcoming full-length.  I'd love to do even more producer work in 2014 and have already been tapped for several projects.  The Mystery Men? will be performing at the final Hukilau in Ft. Lauderdale.

Video from Chad Shivers and the Silent Knights holiday performance at the Earl 12/13/13

The Beach Boys Christmas album in it's entirety

The Ventures Christmas album in it's entirety, featuring the Jingle Belle Dancers

The Silent Knights:
Chad Shivers - Guitar, Vocals
Nicholas (Nick) Bazemore - Vocals, Guitar
Matt Lawley - Vocals, Guitar
Matt Steadman - Bass guitar
Eric "the talent" Balint - bells, percussion
Sean Zearfoss - drums

The Jingle Belle Dancers are Cherry and Mo.

The Ventures / Beach Boys Christmas @ the Earl 12/13

This year marks my fourth, The Silent Knights third, performing the Ventures Christmas Album at the Earl.  This year we've decided to 'venture' out and do our own show and added the Beach Boys' Christmas Album as well.  The incredible Grinder Nova will open the show.  Tickets can be found at Ticket Alternative.

Producer for Gemini 13's upcoming EP

Later this month, I will be returning to the role of producer for Gemini 13 on their debut EP!  They are hoping to record three songs with the Mystery Men?'s own Jay Wallace.  Gemini 13 is an up-and-coming trad surf combo from Atlanta.  Stay tuned for more updates on the project and in the meantime, Gemini 13 can be found on both ReverbNation and facebook.

Mention on Luxuria Music's Fiberglass Jungle podcast

Fiberglass Jungle's Jonpaul Balak presents the very best in recordings that fall under the wide instrumental Surf Music umbrella. This base encompasses the “pre-surf” instrumental Rock n’ Roll tunes of the late 50s, the classic “First Wave” originators of the early 60s, the “Second Wave” bands of the late 70s and early 80s, the crossover, genre-blending “Third Wave” bands of the 90s, the cutting-edge, description-defiant melting pot of current-day innovators, as well as a healthy dose of Spaghetti Western, international styles such as Japanese Eleki and Finnish Rautalanka, Surf-Guitar-based Exotica, Easy Listening, and Crime Jazz.

This podcast has been quite supportive lately, playing tracks from both the Squares and the Mystery Men?  The most recent episode from 10/12/13 played a track from the album I produced earlier this year, Kill, Baby...Kill!'s "Corridor X", followed by a mention of my name!  

Please be sure to check out Fiberglass Jungle.

The Mystery Men? @ the Knockout (San Francisco) 8/7

w/ Rocketship Rocketship and Buzzy Frets.

Archive footage of The Squares at Dotties in 1998