Dear God, Cole, Stop Gushing!

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   I am typing this after having just come home from playing a show at Tremont (which I am going to assume that most of you have already heard about). It was a fantastic 30 minutes. Yes, sadly we were only given a time slot of 30 minutes to play, but in that small time we just about brought the house down! It has been too long since we have heard applause like that. Really, I have a list of our top shows so far, and this ranks very high among them. There was our first show at Tremont, which was a battle of the bands for Gorilla Productions, there was the first time we played at the Money in Rock Hill, there was the show that we played at Amos' at the Lake, and there was this one. In fact, I am inclined to believe that overall, this may have been our best show yet. The crowd was sizable, we had no stress on us, and we played all our music flawlessly. Oh! And Phil, James, and I were wireless for this show, giving us great mobility. And of course, Paul...Paul was just fantastic. So tight the whole show, hitting everything spot on, and he looked like he was having a good time too. I honestly cannot wait until our next show, if it's going to be anything like the time we had on stage this evening.

Our setlist was as follows:
Stasis
Wash Away
Nightmare Lullaby
No Pockets

And on No Pockets, we pulled a bit of a surprise out for our audience; Ashton did a saxophone solo during the jazz breakdown section of No Pockets, right before my bass solo. It's rare, getting applause in the middle of a song, but we sure got it there! And that is enough to make a musician's heart sing.
   The whole show was caught on video camera, and should be up on Youtube within the week.
   Also, we got interviewed by Amanda Caines with Shutter 16 magazine (and formerly from Tattermask). That should be showing up pretty soon as well. I will post a link on here when it does.
   For my bass players out there, I just want to say that my bass tone this evening made me very happy. It was  punchy, but not too bass-y. It was pretty much perfect. That's a tone I've been striving for a long time to get.
   So what's next on the to-do list for S.I.Q.? We are playing at Jortsfest in 10 days, on June 28th, and hopefully we'll have a longer set then. Also, we are going to focus very hard on finishing the songs for the new album. We have them almost completed, there are just some pieces that need to fall into place. Recording will hopefully commence in July.
   And finally, I will close by sharing with you the music that I have been listening to this week.

Blind Faith by Dream Theater

Power of Mindscape by Pagan's Mind

The Hidden Riddle by Andromeda

Rush of Silence by Vanden Plas

King of Nothing by Stratovarius

   I wish you all well, and I hope to see you at a future show. 

   God bless.

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. bassist

Thoughts on Conceptual Collections of Musical Works

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   This Saturday's show is creeping closer and closer, and excitement in the S.I.Q. camp is mounting. We had a pretty fantastic practice this past Saturday, quickly running through the longer and more difficult songs that we intend to play. We also had time left over to to a bit of writing, which gave us a breath of fresh air from continually rehearsing our older songs. The new music is sounding just as heavy as before, but even more progressive. You will be hearing it on our first album for sure!
   We still have many tickets for this Saturday's concert at Tremont still left to sell, if you haven't picked yours up yet, please contact us any way you can. The money we make at this show will be going to the production of the new album, so that is your extra incentive to come out and hear us play! Tickets are $10 pre-sale, $12 at the door, and there is a three dollar surcharge for anyone under 21. Doors open at 4 pm, and the show will most likely start at about 5.
   Here's some news that I, personally, am excited about. Dream Theater (in case you are not aware, my favorite band) has released the title and track list of their next album. The title is "A Dramatic Turn of Events" and the track list is as follows:

1. On the Backs of Angels
2. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
3. Lost Not Forgotten
4. This is the Life
5. The Shaman's Trance
6. Outcry
7. Far from Heaven
8. Breaking All Illusions
9. Beneath the Surface

There has been much talk among Dream Theater fans about this release. The main speculation is that the track list suggests that this album is a concept album, and that the title is in reference to Mike Portnoy's departure from the band. Whether all this is true or not, I know that will enjoy whatever they come out with.
   While I'm sort of on the subject, I wanted to share my knowledge and thoughts on concept albums.
   A concept album is a record that generally follows a story or set of ideas, making all the songs have a collective meaning. There are two different types of such records, the first being the story album. This classification encompasses such works as Dream Theater's "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory", Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II", Seventh Wonder's "Mercy Falls", Threshold's "Clone", and Iron Maiden's "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", and usually tells a story, complete with characters and a plot. Such albums are great examples of a bands songwriting and instrumental prowess, as both lyrics and lengthy musical movements are used to portray emotions that all tie to a single set of events. However, the downside to story albums is that it is difficult to just pop in a CD and listen to only one or two songs from them. It's like opening a book and reading two random chapters then putting the book down. It is wise to have a lot of free time when listening to a story album.
   The second type of concept album is more abstract. The songs on this kind still follow an ideal, but they are not  connected by a story. Examples of abstract concept albums are Andromeda's "The Immunity Zone", Pagan's Mind's "Enigmatic: Calling", Circus Maximus' "Isolate", Symphony X's "Iconoclast", and (my personal favorite) Dream Theater's "Octavarium". In all of these, the songs are connected by nothing more than a theme spread across every song. In the special case of "Octavarium", the listener doesn't even realize it's a concept album until they listen to the last track, which unites all the tracks in one overall concept. Unlike a story album, you can listen to one or two songs on an abstract album without feeling completely lost, and usually the songwriting is just as well done.
   I love both types as long as they sound heavy and proggy.
   I hope you have been educated by this. As always, let me know in a comment if there is anything you disagree with.
   See you Saturday! Here's a music video to keep you happy until then.

This is "Alley Cat" by Seventh Wonder

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. bassist

The Measure of a Band

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   We are still getting prepared for our upcoming shows at Tremont and Jortsfest. Paul is getting his chops for our selected songs down, James got a pedalboard on which to keep his various pedals and footswitches, and Phil and I are getting used to our new wireless systems. We aim to make the coming shows as entertaining and exciting as possible. Tickets for the Tremont show are available now, and are $10 presale, $12 at the door. All five of us have tickets, so get in touch with any one of us to get yours before the show.
    You all know this story. You go to a show, and a band gets up on stage. The drum kit is a trashy 3 or 4 piece set with cracked cymbals, the guitarists have banged up gear that doesn't look like it will create sound at all, much less a pleasing sound, the Bass player is wearing a cheap four string and playing with a pick (sorry, I am a little biased there), all the members are dressed as if they were randomly selected off the street, and when the singer opens his mouth to start singing, the sound of vomiting comes out. It is at this point that several members of the audience decide to sit this one out, and go outside to chat idly.
   Here's another story: A band gets up on stage, and they automatically exude an aura that practically speaks the word "unified". They all help each other get into place, the drum kit, guitar gear, and bass gear looks well taken care of, and when they begin they begin to play, people start tapping their feet, headbanging, and having a good time.
   I have had both experiences, as an audience member at several shows. It asks the question, what makes a band good or bad? What sets some bands above the rest?
   First, a band needs to be well practiced. WELL practiced. If tempos are constantly changing unintentionally and the players are hitting wrong notes frequently, then the band will sound unprofessional.
   Secondly, a band needs to be unified. Bands sound best when all the members are playing together, not when some members are either showboating or turning up really loud to make sure they are the ones heard. I had this issue in my youth band for about a year or so. People where only focusing on what they were playing and not to what the band sounded like as a whole.
   Along with being unified, a band needs to have a similar look, whether that means black tshirts and jeans (pretty much how we do it) or an old school early 1900's look (I am of course referring to a favorite local band of mine, Case Federal and the Agents). If everyone is wearing different styles, then there's a look of chaos on the stage, and chaos is a band's worse enemy.
   A very important thing for a band to have is something unique about their style, about the way they play their genre. I have nothing against death metal, but when such bands don't put something unique in their music, it sounds the same as all the other stuff. There must be something to keep the audience's intrigue. Once again, I'll us Case Federal and the Agents as an example. They used metal distortion and rhythms, but they had a saxophone playing the rhythms right along with the guitar! That may be a bit of an extreme example, but you get the idea. Do something different, and people will recognize you.
   Band members should take care of their gear. I understand that some bands like to smash their instruments and stuff like that, but the amps and drums are the things providing the sound. If they're not taken care of, they won't behave the way they're supposed to.
   Lastly, a band must be exciting to watch. The players should move around, interact with each other, and interact with the audience.
   This concludes my rant. I hope you have enjoyed it, and that you agree.
   Speaking of good bands, it is time for me to share with you what I have been listening to since my last post! I'd like to start with one of my personal favorite local bands. I didn't even know they had this song recorded until yesterday!

"Shadows" by Luna's Lament. This is one we like to headbang to whenever we see them play live. Props to you Kim, Morgan, Chandler, and Michael!

"Frequency" by Vanden Plas. Still listening to this band, and learning to love all of the songs from this particular album.

This song, "Raw Dog" by Dream Theater, has actually been out for a while. It was featured on the God of War III soundtrack. I've been going back and listening to it, as it is the most recently released song by Dream Theater.

Pagan's Mind released their new album!!!! This is "Eyes of Fire" from Heavenly Ecstasy. Phil, James, and I have already been enjoying this one immensely.

We hope everyone out there is doing well, and we hope to see you at Tremont in two and a half weeks!

Rock on \m/

Cole Millward

S.I.Q. bassist

The Fifth Horseman Arrives!

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   I know it was announced several days ago, but I was unable to log in to my blog to embellish upon it then so here it is: We have found our new drummer. His name is Paul Wood, and he is the secret drummer we have been auditioning most steadily for the past two months. We did audition several other drummers, but we didn't get quite the same feeling with them as we got with Paul. He is stylistically very different from Corey; First and foremost, he is a rock/metal drummer, but he has been handling our odd time signatures and uncommon arrangements with gusto. Also he gets along with us very well. We have already introduced him to Q'doba, the source of our creative juice, and he has gone there with us numerous times already.
   So, now that S.I.Q. is whole again, we can move forward more quickly toward our goals. Two shows are set in stone for the coming month of June: June 18th at Tremont music hall with 3 Remain (the winner of the last battle we did), and June 28th at Jortsfest. Also, we are resuming work on our first album. Now that we have a drummer we can make our newly written songs more solid. Recording is going to start within the next two months.
   I am still selling my 4 and 5 string basses. Once again, if anyone is interested, just contact me over facebook or email.
   I haven't bought any new music since my last post, but I'll just say that I have been listening to Seventh Wonder frequently. I like them a lot, especially their bass player (duh). He is a complete virtuoso. I've heard him play along note for note with some of the guitarist's solo lines. The only thing I'm not so sure about is his tone. I can tell that his pickup balancer is set such that there is an equal balance between the bridge and neck pickups; It occasionally sounds messy, even though his technique is impeccable. Oh, and their singer is fantastic!
   Well, I speak for all of us when I say I hope you will come to see us at our upcoming shows. We would love to see you there!

Cole Millward
S.I.Q. bassist

A Tale of Two Basses

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   Missed us? We miss you too. It has been quite a while since we last played a show, and according to possible plans, it may stay that way until June. We are working on one show date during that month, but any shows beyond that are uncertain. We have decided to put our full attention and resources behind writing and recording the album that we keep telling you all about. It is indeed taking a while, simply because our schedules outside S.I.Q. are a bit demanding. Two of us (James and myself) are preparing for our graduation from high school, which is quite time consuming. Add day jobs on top of that and you can see why it might take us a while to get all of our album material written! We are very close to completion though. There are only 3 more songs for this specific album that require completion. We will then spend many months in studio recording and preparing it for its ultimate release. My own ears have heard how eager many of you are to hear more than just the 5 songs on our demo CD. Just be patient with us, and we will deliver, we promise!
   In other news,I have decided to sell my ESP Ltd f-104 4 string bass and ESP Ltd f-155DX 5 string bass. I have kept both in top condition, and they look and sound just as good now as they did when I first bought each of them. My reason for selling them is simple; I just don't play them anymore. With the arrival of my 6 string early this year, I found myself using them less and less. I would rather see them being played by a fellow bass player than collecting dust on my wall. I also have a hardshell case (which either one will fit in) and a gig bag. Send me an email if you are interested.
   And now for my favorite part of these entries! The part where I share all the new music I've been listening to with you! Here are the bands that have been inspiring me as of late:

Holes in the Sky by Vanden Plas, off of their latest album "The Seraphic Clockwork". Good song, good album. Generally very dark sounding, yet epic and grand.

Welcome to Mercy Falls by Seventh Wonder off of their third studio album "Mercy Falls". I like them, because they have a Circus Maximus sort of feel, if maybe a tad bit heavier. The chorus of this song especially has the choir sound that Circus Maximus achieves in many of their songs.

One More Time by James LaBrie off of his latest solo album "Static Impulse". I'm not usually a fan of screamed/growled lyrics, as they can ruin a song (or a band) if used too much. In this album however, I feel that the growls are tasteful, and used well. I also have to say, most of the choruses on this album are divine.

Another Existence by Age of Nemesis, from their "Terra Incognita" album. The whole record is full of my favorite kind of prog: eerily harmonic vocals and intense instrumental bits. Not to mention epic choruses!

And I'll end this section with a song by a band that I know I am going to become a cult follower of...

Nemesis by Bad Salad. Honestly, these guys are the next Dream Theater. They already have all the proper instruments! (Look up more of their videos, really, the bassist and guitarist are using the same guitars that John Myung and John Petrucci use.) The song is long, it has great harmonic vocals, and the instrumental parts are to die for.

   Ok, I'm done geeking out now.
   If you are interested in either of my basses, like I said, contact me via email. Or Facebook if you so choose, I'm on there as well.
   Keep rockin! We know you guys are good at it!

Cole Millward
S.I.Q. bassist

Cole Goes to Hollywood parts 4, 5, and 18

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   I returned home from California this past Tuesday, but I'll still fill you in on the second half of my trip.
   On Saturday, my uncle and I went to a Prince concert at the Forum. What a show! Chaka Khan was the opening act, and I was quite enthralled by her bass player. The guy was playing a 6 string and was tearing it up! Funk/ Soul may not be my personal style of music, but dang, I know a good bass player when I see one.
   When Prince took the stage, the whole place erupted. Everyone in the audience was singing along with the songs (I sang along to the four that I knew) and feeding back a really positive vibe. When the show "ended", he Prince was called back out for an encore (surprise, surprise), and upon finishing it, he was called back out again. He must have played at least 6 encores. Needless to say, by the time I walked out of there, I was exhausted from all that positive vibe!
   On Easter Sunday, I ate brunch with my uncle and several of his friends, including the friend that works for Warner Bros. He gave me some feedback on our demo, saying that we had a very distinct sound, especially with Ashton's voice.
   On Monday, I became a legal adult. Yes, I finally turned 18! I celebrated by going to Amoeba music (basically just a giant music warehouse) and getting two more Dream Theater live DVDs, then going to house of pies. I also visited the Guitar Center in Studio City, where I found the 5 string version of my dream bass guitar. Here is a picture, please ignore the wacky face that I am making in it.

   Getting to play that bass pretty much made my trip complete, just saying.
   I flew out of LA to Charlotte on Tuesday, as I said, and have been getting back to business since. I re-strung my 5 string and my 6 string and I'm ready for practice/writing/jamming this coming Saturday.
   Upcoming shows are in the works! Keep an eye out for info.

Cole Millward
S.I.Q. bassist

Cole Goes to Hollywood parts 1,2, and 3

Hey S.I.Q. fans!

   I am writing this from Los Angeles, California. This is my third day of my trip, and it is quickly turning into my best birthday present ever.
   But I'll start from the beginning.
   The flight here was...a flight. It was 5 hours of nothing special. It did give me a great opportunity to just listen to music however. I get very few chances to just sit down and listen to all the multiple facets and complexities of the music of my favorite bands. A few songs that I found myself particularly enjoying were "Sheltering Skies" by Threshold, "Nemesis" by Bad Salad, "Another Existence" by Age of Nemesis, and "Alien Kamikaze" by Pagan's Mind.
   When I landed (about 10:00 AM California time, 3:00 home time), my uncle picked me up and we went back to his house to relax for the rest of the day. Thus ended the first day.
   Day two was definitely a busy one. My uncle and I visited a friend of his who works for Warner Bros. studios. We got a tour of the lot (HIGHLY interesting by the way) and ate there as well. As we ate, I talked with my uncle's friend about S.I.Q. and our music, and (having the foresight to bring a few along with me) gave him one of our demos, which he said he might use as a temporary soundtrack mix for the screener of a movie he was working on the post production of. Very exciting, because if the director likes the music enough, big things could happen for us.
   Following our adventure at Warner Bros., my uncle and I drove to the Sam Ash music store in Cerritos, CA where the "Metal Masters" clinic was being held. I was excited about this in particular because Mike Portnoy, former drummer for Dream Theater, was one of the four artists hosting the clinic. His performance was excellent, and he also gave this speech, which I captured on video camera:

   After the performance was finished, I got the tremendous honor of meeting him at the signing table. He gave me a signed poster and also signed one of the S.I.Q. demos I had with me. Sadly, because the signing line was so fast, I was unable to give him a demo and explain myself. Nevertheless, I was immensely satisfied just to meet him.
   Today, day three of my birthday week in Los Angeles, was fantastic. I got to visit the Hollywood Guitar Center, which, while cool, was a little disappointing. It being Hollywood, I expected it to have a wider variety of instrument brands, but sadly it did not. Here is my analysis of the bass section on video:

   Shame, no ESPs.
   I took pictures of the rest of the store, including a whole section of John Petrucci signature Musicman guitars, but I do not have the proper cord to upload them from my camera. They will have to wait.
   Following Guitar Center, my uncle and I went to the Musician's Institute, the music college that Phil, James, and I all wish to attend when James and I graduate high school. I was given a tour of the facilities (which I have nothing but praises for) and got to talk with the director of admissions about some of the options that the school provides with regards to an advanced education in music. It's a very exciting prospect for S.I.Q.'s future, one that we will be exploring and discussing in depth.
   Even while I am here in California, back on the east coast my fellow members of S.I.Q. continue to work towards the solution to our drummer situation. They have auditioned a new possibility, and continue to jam with a drummer that we have been auditioning for close to 5 weeks now. We just want to make sure we find the right guy.
   Tomorrow will yield more experiences for me to share with you all. Keep an eye out!

Cole Millward
S.I.Q. bassist