Your chance has arrived. Now take advantage of it!

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   I think it's obvious that I was not able to keep my promise of posting blog entries more often. I just have so many responsibilities at the moment, it is difficult to maintain a blog.
   However, I do believe that since our last show was a private affair, I promised that you all would have the chance to see us perform again soon. Well, that time has come.
   Sunday, December 11th, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Streetwise Music Instruction is hosting a performance at Amos' Southend, and we were invited to headline the whole show. And how could we pass up that opportunity? So there it is. We will be the last band of the night to play, going on at probably about 8:15 pm.
   This show is a pretty big deal for us, considering that our last show at Amos' Southend (which was also our first) did not go so well, sadly. This will be our chance for redemption in the eyes of a venue which we happen to like very much. So please, come to the show and enjoy yourself! We plan on putting on one heck of a show, with lots of familiar S.I.Q. music as well as some unexpected bits thrown in. Tickets will be $7 presale, $9 at the door, and there is a $2 surcharge for anyone under 21.
   Just to give you a progress update on how we are doing in the studio, here's a list of where each song is at this point:
Track 1: Finished recording, needs mixing
Track 2: Done
Track 3: Done
Track 4: Almost finished recording
Track 5: Needs recording
Track 6: Needs recording
Track 7: Needs recording
Track 8: Needs recording

   And finally, as I always do, here is some music to jam to. I just bought the new Andromeda album a few days ago, so here is Lies R Us.

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. Bassist

You're the Freakin' Bassist!

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   We have had a busy, but very rewarding weekend. Phil, James, and I hit the studio on Thursday to finish the leads, intro, and outtro for track 1. It was very productive, and we decided that James' solo in that song is probably the best on the album, at least in the way of technicality and difficulty. It is really shaping up to be one of my favorite songs that we have written so far.
   Friday evening and Saturday morning hosted practices at Paul's, the last two before our show Saturday evening. We focused very hard on making sure that our chops and our newer music was very tight.
   We got to the gig at about 8:00 PM. It was a private party, hosted by a friend of Ashton's step-dad, Jerry. The "stage" area was in the back yard, but we had plywood to set the guitar and bass stacks on and a home-made drum riser for the drums (thanks to Jerry and Ashton's brother Greyson!).
   Now for my analyzation of the show itself.
   We split our entire performance into four separate sets of about 20 to 25 minutes each. Mostly, this was done in an effort to make it last from 9:00 until 12:00, but it had the ulterior benefit of allowing us to warm up our hands between each set. It was cold! And we can hardly play with gloves on.
   This was the first show I've done utilizing my new Mesa/Boogie bass head. It proved its worth in gold; it was powerful enough to keep up with the cranked guitar stacks and the mic-ed drums, and it still kept its tone. I was getting a really fantastic growl out of it, especially when I used my lower strings.
   The crowd was definitely not a prog-crowd. Most of them (from what we could tell) were Country or Southern Rock fans. Fortunately for us, there was enough alcohol going around in the audience that we had them cheering without having to compromise our musical integrity. (Note to self: Progressive Metal takes intoxicated people on a wild ride.) However, this is not to say that we were not asked to play some Country music. One particular gentleman in a cowboy hat asked us before each set if we knew any "sweet home country music", and we politely told him that we are not a country band. In response, he would start singing country songs at us, as if to jog our memory. Keep in mind, many of the people at this party were not in control of all their faculties, so I doubt he knew what he was even saying to us. The only time when alcohol ever became a problem was when a few guys got behind the mic in the stage area and stumbled dangerously close to my pedalboard and amp. Just for good measure, I don't think I moved more than 15 feet away from my stuff for the rest of the night after that.
   All things considered, we put on one heck of a show. Nothing diminished our energy nor disrupted the vibe that we were all getting. For that, I want to thank/congratulate my band brothers for that. Way to go guys! We received rave reviews, and I even had some people come up to me and compliment my playing, which I greatly appreciate. "You're the [freaking] bassist aren't you? Dude, you [freaking] rock, man."
   The money that we were paid for the show is going straight toward studio time for the album. We are gonna knock it out!
   I was going to write something philosophical here, but it is looking like it is going to be a late night for me, so I'll skip on that.
   However, I am not going to close this entry without leaving you some music to listen to. Here, James found me this band recently, and I really like them.

Enjoy!

Cole Millward
S.I.Q. bassist

Greetings from Beyond the Computer Screen!

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   We five in the S.I.Q. machine have all been so very busy over the past couple of months. Most of what we are doing, however, is a lot of the same stuff over and over to achieve our goal, which is why there hasn't been much for me to tell you. At this point, though, I have enough happenings to update you on to make this post very interesting, and hopefully exciting, for you.
   First, an update on our album. We are still in the studio recording and mixing, working our collective butt off to produce the best possible product. We have already released two singles from the album to show you just how much progress we have made. The two singles are "Slightly Out of Breath," and a re-recorded version of "Stasis." "Stasis" is one of only two songs from our 2010 demo CD that will be making a reappearance on the album. Can anyone guess the second? Post which one you think in a comment. Also, take the time to go and listen to both singles. You can listen to them either on our info page on facebook or on our reverbnation page, both links of which are listed here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/SIQ/270139033114?sk=info
http://www.reverbnation.com/sinq
   Here is an updated list on the progress of each song in the album:
Track 1: Being recorded
Track 2: Released as a single
Track 3: Released as a single
Track 4: Waiting to be recorded
Track 5: Being recorded
Track 6: Waiting to be recorded
Track 7: Waiting to be recorded
Track 8: Waiting to be recorded
We will release the official track list (song titles) soon.
   A few of us in the band have had gear upgrades since my last post. Phil now owns an OLP John Petrucci style guitar, which sounds terrific, and it even has him eyeing the real thing, the MusicMan John Petrucci guitars. As for me, I have finally achieved something I have wanted since I learned what good bass amps sound like: a Mesa/Boogie bass amp. The specific model is the Mesa/Boogie Basis M2000. It has two preamps (one tube, one solid-state) built into it, and both have a ridiculous amount of tone-shaping options to them. This works perfectly for me, being a "tone-monkey." I have sold my solid-state Peavey amp, but my Peavey 4x12 bass cab is still up for sale. I plan to purchase one more Mesa cab, then my Mesa stack will be complete.
   For anyone who did not understand a single word of that whole paragraph, I have new stuff, and it makes me happy.
   And now for some music sharing. I haven't been listening to a lot of new stuff lately, but since my last entry, Dream Theater released their new album, A Dramatic Turn of Events, so I am going to post my top songs off the album.

Bridges in the Sky

Outcry

This is the Life

Breaking All Illusions

   But really, the whole album is fantastic. I highly recommend it to everyone. Go buy it, and support an amazing band.

   Everyone have a great evening. I hope to be writing with the same frequency as before. Be on the lookout!

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. bassist

How excited are we? VERY excited.

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   Yes, it has been just a little while, so there is much to tell. Firstly, my reason for not posting an entry for a while: college.
    As some of you may know, I graduated high school last year, which means this year, I join the multitudes of college students trying to prepare themselves for a lifelong career. My goal is to go to the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA, but since that will require miraculous funding, I will be attending Central Piedmont Community College here in Charlotte until I have adequate money to achieve my goal. While at CPCC, I will be studying for an Associate's in Fine Arts (with a focus in music, obviously). This semester, I will be taking four general education classes, as well as Jazz ensemble. Class starts next Monday, so I am getting anxious. I think at this point, though, I am about as prepared as I am going to be.
   Things have been going well in S.I.Q. world. I received my new effects processor pedal, and have already achieved some fantastic tones with it. I even used it to re-record my part in one of the two singles that we will be bringing to you soon. Speaking of which, all recording for them is completely finished, so now we move on to mixing. It shouldn't be too long now, before you are able to play them in your car or on your iPod to get psyched up for the whole album.
   After three weeks of not having a drummer at practice, we are finally going to have Paul back in the rehearsal room. Surgery, vacation, and work have all kept him unavailable for practices. This Saturday, however, we will all be jamming again, and we have A LOT of new song riffs and ideas that all need to be played out. This makes us all very happy.
   Dream Theater's new album comes out in just over a month! I will certainly be buying it the day it comes out. The moment it is announced, I will be on iTunes. Or maybe I should buy the CD...
   Now that all the news is done, it's music sharing time. Here's what I've been listening to this week:

"Moonrise" by Nevermore. Thank you Phil for letting me borrow James' CD.

"A Change of Seasons" by Dream Theater. This one's a bit of a long one, so if you're going to give it a listen, get comfortable.

"Fatal Tragedy" by Dream Theater. Really, I've been listening to this whole album, so go check it out. It's a must listen.

"Cage of Me" by Andromeda. The guys will agree with me, this one is a proggy adrenaline pumper.

"One Winged Angel" from Final Fantasy: Advent Children. It is simply awesome.

For those of you going to college this year, I'm right there with you. I wish you all the best!

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. bassist

A New Turn of Events pt. 2

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   Production on the upcoming album is progressing smoothly. Recording for the two singles we will be releasing is finished (Well, 99.9 % finished. I may need to re-record a bass track for one of them), and mixing will occur hopefully within the next two weeks. Following those, we will continue recording and mixing the rest of the songs in the tracklist. Be on the lookout for those two singles; we believe you will enjoy them immensely.
   This week saw a fortunate turn of events for the guitar section of S.I.Q. While in Guitar Center this past Saturday, James was selected by the GC manager to be Charlotte's "Hometown Hero." This means James' picture was taken and will be featured on the Charlotte Guitar Center website soon. Also, Phil got some new gear, in the form of a new multi-effects pedal. I have already heard some of the simple effects he has gotten out of that thing, which leaves me excited to see what he can create with time and a little effort.
   Paul was a little less fortunate this past week, as he underwent surgery that left him unable to play drums while he healed. He should be back in shape in time for our next practice session this Saturday. Still, keep him in your thoughts as he recovers.
   As for me, I have been struggling with one of the most proggy riffs I have ever encountered. Phil wrote it a few weeks ago, but he wrote it in Drop D tuning. I am attempting to play it in standard 6 string bass tuning, and I am slowly conquering it. You can be sure that you'll hear it on a future album, and most likely in multiple shows beforehand. (I know this whole bit isn't really important news, but I just thought I'd share, as it is something of interest to me.) Also, within the next week (I hope), I will be receiving in the mail two items that will make my life easier and my music sound better respectively: an Android-powered tablet (thanks to my uncle, who graciously gave it to me and even more graciously fixed it when I did something to make it not work) and a new multi-effects pedal. As a matter of fact, the pedal is the bass version of the new guitar pedal that Phil got.
   Just like most people my age, I am going to be attending my first semester of college starting in only a few weeks. I will be attending Central Piedmont Community College, and will be aiming for an Associates in Fine Arts (focusing in music, of course). This means that in my first semester, along with all the general education classes, I will be joining a jazz ensemble. I am especially excited about that, as I have begun to experiment with and learn about jazz within the past few months. In particular, I have been paying attention to the bass playing art of Jaco Pastorius. Here's a video to show why he is becoming an idol of mine.

Pretty sweet stuff right?

   It is at this point that I will also share with you all the other music that I have taken a special interest in over the past week or so.

"Long Way Home" by Seventh Wonder

"Fireroses Dance" by Vanden Plas

"Supremacy Our Kind" by Pagan's Mind

"Crack the Meter" by Jordan Rudess, the keyboardist for Dream Theater. I actually have this album because my sister bought it. So nice to have a sister that also likes prog!

Here's a bit of an unusual one for me:

"Blackest Eyes" by Porcupine Tree. 

And lastly, this:

A good quality live version of "On the Backs of Angels" by Dream Theater. MOST excellent.

I would actually like to close this entry with an invitation to any readers of my blog. I share a lot of my favorite music with you, but never get to hear what you listen to. Here's your chance. Post a song or band that you like in a comment. If I have not heard it/them, I'll give it a listen. 

Have yourselves a nice end to your summer!

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. bassist

Solving the Riddle

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   Big week for us in S.I.Q. land. We had the first of many recording sessions for the new album on Friday, and it went swimmingly. We started by doing scratch tracks of all of us playing together so that we could have something to listen to as we re-recorded our individual parts. We did this for two songs (songs 2 and 3 on the tracklist). We picked one to work on, and I went back and fixed any mess-ups I might have made in recording the original track. Paul didn't have to redo anything because he got it all right on the first go. (Doesn't that tick you off??) After I finished all my little adjustments, Phil and James re-recorded their rhythm tracks, doubled them, and then James laid the leads over top. We even had enough time left after that to do vocals as well, which Ashton later told me he wants to redo. Next Friday, Phil, James, and Ashton will be going back to the studio to do guitars for the other track, as well as vocals for both.
   Yesterday, we had a writing session at Phil's house, and completed a song, the first track to be on the album as a matter of fact. The song had been close to completion for a while and just had a few bits to clear up. Sadly, Paul was unable to attend the writing session (day jobs, gotta love 'em), so we have to show the finished song to him and practice it with him before it will be studio ready.
   After much consideration, we have decided to cut down the number of tracks on the album from 9 to 8. I can't give out the tracklist yet (as much as I may want to), but I can give you an update on where each song is in relation to being recorded and ready to be released.

Song 1: Needs drum part, practice, recording, and  mixing
Song 2: Needs re-recorded vocals and mixing
Song 3: Needs guitar tracks, vocals, and mixing
Song 4: Needs recording and mixing
Song 5: Needs practice, recording, and mixing
Song 6: Needs finishing, lyrics, practice, recording, and mixing
Song 7: Needs recording and mixing
Song 8: Needs recording and mixing

And we are also brainstorming ideas for the title. All the song names have been decided.
   It is really an exciting and inspiring experience for the five of us. Even more ideas for future music are sprouting in our heads.
   Strangely, I don't really have any new music to show you this week, and for that I apologize. Go have a look at my list of artists that I listen to, and pick one or two to listen to. That should be satisfactory. Until next time!

Cole Millward
S.I.Q. bassist

It's All Coming Together.

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   A lot has happened since my last entry. The primary reason for my internet silence is that I have been on vacation in Southport, NC, with my family for the past 5 days. Now, however, it is time to once again get you all up to date on the goings-on inside the S.I.Q. camp.
   A week ago, last Tuesday, we performed at Jortsfest in Cornelius, NC. I am not going to sugarcoat it; It was one of the poorest playing experiences we have had as a band. I am not blaming the management, because it seemed like the coordinators of the event were honestly doing their best to make sure it went over well. I am not admitting the fault was ours either, because we still played our setlist near perfectly. It just was not our day.
   When we arrived, we discovered that there was no house sound system; the venue was an old movie theater with the first few rows of seats removed from each individual theater to make room for a makeshift performance space, and the only supplied sound system was a small P.A. to amplify vocals. Amplifiers and drums went un-miced, which made a solid, well-mixed sound all but impossible to achieve. Also, the band that went before us went well over their allotted time with their setlist, and made no effort to quickly load up their gear to make way for ours. Already stressed because of this, Phil and I were further frustrated when we found that the power cords for our amps would not easily reach the power outlet, and James encountered difficulties when he broke a string while warming up (fortunately, Phil had spares of all the strings, and was able to supply a replacement). Probably the greatest inconvenience was during our first song, Stasis, when Paul broke the head on his snare drum. To top all of this off, the temperature inside the venue was sweltering hot, leaving us all sweat-soaked.
   Not our best show, to be sure. I will say that it still benefited us, as Paul has now played a great show with us, and a not-so-great show with us.
   All of our fans who attended still said that we put on a good concert, so perhaps all these peeves are in our own heads. We will be endeavoring even more now to put on nothing but good performances for you, our fans.
   Now for the real news. Are you ready?
   We are reentering the studio this coming Saturday, July 9th, to begin the long process of recording our first, yet untitled, full length studio album. We are planning on a nine track setlist, including two re-recorded songs from our demo. We will be keeping you up to speed on our progress through my blog, our facebook page, and a possible video documentary. Who is excited? Aside from us I mean.
   Along with the album, new merchandise is in the works.
   Speaking of new music, how about I share some with you? I'll start with the one that excites me the most.

A single released from Dream Theater's upcoming album. This song is called "On the Backs of Angels".

Thanks to Phil, this is "And the Maiden Spoke", by Nevermore.

"Rush of Silence", my favorite track from Vanden Plas' The Seraphic Clockwork.

And those are really all I have for today. Keep an eye out for all the upcoming news on our album, and I will post again when I return from vacation. 

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. bassist