Monty's Update
January 2008....Happy New Year! Well, let's hope it's a happy one. I personally am hoping for good things and much rocking. It's already off to a good start with the first video from Crunchy, which can be seen on Youtube or my myspace site. It's for the song, Freakboy, and it's mostly live footage from numerous Crunchy shows.
September 2007...Hey, hey! Just a short update to say I've posted the lyrics to Loserville. I chose not to put the words in with the cd artwork this time, and a lot of people have asked me where to find them. So, feel free to read them or print them out. Thanks for caring...and I appreciate all the positive feedback on the new cd.
July 2007...I thought for awhile this day might never come, but it is with great excitement that I say THE NEW CD, LOSERVILLE IS FOR SALE! Yes...It's been recorded, mixed, mastered, and printed up for your listening pleasure, and you can order it now here at MontyColvin.com. At the moment, it's the ONLY place you will be able to get it, but I do have plans to get it on Itunes in the coming weeks. For those of us who still like to hold the physical cd in our hands, place your orders now, using your credit cards via PayPal. Anyone who would like to order through the mail, you can send a check, money order or hard cold cash to: Monty Colvin PO Box 1259 Liberty, MO 64069. If you'd like your copy of Loserville signed or personalized, just drop me an email or note with your order. I aim to please!
I also have some new KILLER Crunchy t-shirts for sale, so check those out too. Special thanks goes out to Gregg, who printed the shirts. He does great work, and you should check his site out Limelightgraphics.com if you need any shirts for your band, etc.
Crunchy will be playing some shows in August. Check my Myspace page for dates...and while you are at it add me as your friend!
April 2007...Yeah, yeah...I know it's been a while since I've updated the ole' website here...but I've been busy I tell ya! The new cd is almost done, and I'm hoping to have it mastered in the next couple weeks. You can check out some of the tunes at my myspace site. I know I always think the new cd is the best thing I've ever done...but this REALLY IS the best thing I've ever done...in my humble opinion! It better be good. I poured my heart and soul into it for the past 4 years. It's definitely a return to the heavier sound of my past, but I've held onto the melodic side that has been on all the solo stuff thus far. I've received really good feedback from people on myspace, and picked up some new fans/friends who had never even heard of my previous bands. It's always hard to make everyone happy with what you do....and I guess that's why you just have to try and make a piece of art that makes yourself happy.
Over the past few months, I've also put together a new line-up to play some Crunchy shows. Joining me this time will be Matt Tebow on guitar and backing vocals. Matt is a great guy and an awesome player. He is also the lead guitarist and singer for the band, Tunghook. On bass will be Andy Francis, who also sings harmonies. Matt and Andy have played together in the past, and their chemistry has been a great addition to the band. Once again, on drums will be Rodney Caylor, who has been the with me for years now. Our first show will be Friday, April 13th at Park University in Parkville, MO. It's all ages, with Crunchy and Tunghook....so, bring your kids...and bring your earplugs! We're gonna rock some new tunes, as well as some GC stuff most of you will know.
August 2006...Just a quick update to tell everyone I'm finally on myspace.com. People have been telling me I should get on there for some time now, and I'm glad I did. It's been a great way to catch up with friends, fans, and bands, and it's actually been a lot of fun. I've been writing frequent blogs, and I'll be talking more about the new cd as it approaches. I've also put a couple demos of new songs that you can check out while you are there. So, look me up at myspace.com/montycolvin. Click here to go there now. Thanks to everyone who has already added me to their friends list, and left all the cool comments. Talk to ya soon!
July 2006...Believe it or not, I'm STILL working on my next cd. The good news is, I think I'm almost ready to mix. It's turning out to be a 15-song, concept album...yes.."Rock Opera" if you will. I know it's taken me a couple years, but it will hopefully be worth it. If you liked the stuff I wrote on the last few GC cd's, you're gonna like this. It's along the lines of stuff like The Machine Fish Suite, where the songs form a story. The music is still very melodic, but the whole mood of the cd is much darker than the first 2 CRUNCHY cd's. A lot of the songs are tuned down to C, and most of the tunes are riff-driven rockers. It's still a weird mix of things...but you will definitely hear some crunch in this CRUNCHY.
I've also been doing some artwork to keep myself alive. A few months ago I got hired by the Lyric Opera House here in Kansas City to do a couple of huge paintings. I really enjoyed painting them, and you can check out the pictures here.
I also went to the Warped Tour this summer when it came through K.C. I couldn't pass up the chance to see Helmet and Joan Jett on the same day. Underoath also played and as usual, they ruled!
Finally...make sure you check out a website called Musicmayhem.com. They gave my Clown School Dropout cd an awesome review...and therefore, they also RULE!
February 2006...I didn't have much planned for my birthday last week, except watch the N.B.A. all-star game with some friends and relax. I got up early that day and started programming some drums in the basement studio, when I received notice a real estate agent would be changing my plans and would be by in an hour to look at the house. I shut everything down and went to Target for a couple of hours, only to find out the next day that the smarmy, little agent thought our house looked like a "bachelor pad". Well, forgive me Mr. Agent dude! Just because I collect action figures and the walls of my studio are purple, doesn't mean someone won't buy the house. I know we live in a beige colored world, but there has to be someone out there with some imagination.
And I guess I look at music the same way. There are times when I ask myself why I still write and record, and still want to perform. But it's what I do. I still love making music. I still wake up with songs in my head...new ideas...new melodies...and I've still got to try and write a killer riff. And the fact that I live in a beige world with a beige music industry, just makes me want work harder...and want leave it painted purple!
I've worked on this new cd for 2 years now, and I don't know if anyone will like it...but I do. I don't care if it's too "heavy" for someone...or too "pop" for someone else. I could care less if it fits into a category. And if no one ever hears it...it has still served it's purpose. And these days, that purpose is to add pleasure, some hope, and relieve pain from life.
December 2005...Oh, yes...It's that holiday season again. A time for spending money you don't have...seeing people you'd rather not see...and stressing out over just about everything. I somehow thought it would be a great time to put my house on the market and add to the pressure of the whole experience. For anyone familiar with the pain involved in selling your house, you'll relate to the frustration of dealing with some of these psycho real estate agents. They somehow work under the assumption they can barge onto your property without notice and toss you off the premises. But in the spirit of the season, I'll try and hide my true feelings and act like it's all good...When in fact, if I get any more depressed, I may start my own death metal band! Ahhh...It sounds fun, but I'll probably just stick to what I do.
The good news is, (depending on how you look at it) we all made it through another year. I had some good times playing a few CRUNCHY shows. We're taking some time off right now, but hopefully we can get out again in the coming year. I'm still working on the new cd, but I'm not sure when I'll have it done. I've written and recorded around 30 songs for it, and it looks like this cd will have 15-17 tunes on there. I've got an offer on the table from a distribution company to put the new cd in stores. That could be very cool...but I'll have to let ya know what happens on that later. But until then, you can still order the first 2 cd's from this website.
Another great and irritating thing about this time of year is all the "count down" shows on TV. You know the ones...VH1's Top 40 videos of the year, etc. I always sit through them and at the end realize I can't stand 38 of those songs. Not that I'm a music snob. I love all kinds of stuff. In fact, my taste can be as bad as anyone. I just don't like MTV or some magazine telling me what was good. With that in mind...here's MY picks for favorite cd's of the year. Take em for what they are worth...MY opinion.
My favorite cd of the year was and easy pick this year...
1. UNDEROATH...They're Only Chasing Safety. Not only does that cd totally ROCK, it makes me cry just about every time I listen to it. Emotional...intense...and amazing vocals and melodies.
2. ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS...Move Along. If you love melody..and Cheap Trick type stuff, this album is for you. Great songs and harmonies.
3. ATREYU...The Curse. Great metal-emo-vampire epic.
4. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE...The End Of Heartache. Just check out the guitar sound on this disc. Great metal stuff.
5. EMANUEL...Soundtrack To A Headrush. No..They are not a Christian band.
6. COLDPLAY...X &Y. No..I'm not gay. I just loved this cd...that's all!
7. TEGAN AND SARA...So Jealous. 2 sisters from Canada with little munchkin voices.
8. EIGHTEEN VISIONS...Obsession. Remember Saigon Kick? This kind of reminds me of them.
9. IRON MAIDEN...Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. It's an older album, but I forgot how good it was.
10. THE WILDHEARTS...As far as I know, they didn't put out anything this year...But if they HAD, it would have made my top 10!
OK...That's it...I hope everyone has a great holiday! Thanks again to everyone who came to a CRUNCHY show this year, bought a cd, or commissioned me to do a painting. You may not know it, but it all helps keep this music alive...and I REALLY appreciate it!
July 2005...This update is all about plugs. I'd like to start by plugging my own band. CRUNCHY played the Sonshine Festival last week. (Check out the pics.) I was expecting some cooler weather in Minnesota, but it felt like 150 degrees on the HM stage. None the less, I thought we rocked and I had a great time like always when I get on a stage.
The second plug is for October Guitars. They recently sent me one of their 12 string basses, and it's a beautiful piece of axe! (Check out the pics.) You can also find out more about these great instruments at www.12stringbass.net. It's a cool website, and I've written some columns for them on equipment and the music industry. Feel free to check those out while you are there.
If you are looking for a good read, check out the Ray Bradbury autobiography, penned by my good friend, Sam Weller. I met Sam years ago when he wrote an article for Metal Edge Magazine about Galactic Cowboys. We've been friends ever since, and this book is HUGE! Way to go, Sam The Man!
Just when I thought there was nothing good in the hard rock/metal genre these days, I've found some new favorite bands. If you like some melody with you screaming, check out Atreyu and Killswitch Engage. The Curse and The End Of Heartache are amazing cd's. I also would suggest the new cd by Underoath. I caught them at the Warp Tour last month and they rule. Great hooks, mixed with a lot of passion.
Ok...that's it for the plugs. I will now return to my basement and continue working on the next CRUNCHY cd. I've shopped the demos to a few labels and the responses has been good. I guess we'll see what happens. I may end up putting it out on my own label again. Either way...thanks for your support, encouragement and emails! Talk to ya soon!
March 2005...CRUNCHY took the month off, but I'm posting a few pics of the gigs we played in Feb. Check those out at CRUNCHY Live.
This summer we'll be playing the Sonshine Festival in Wilmar, Minnesota on July 16. We played there a few years ago, and it was a blast. For more information on the festival, check out sonshinefestival.com.
I'm still writing and recording the next CRUNCHY cd. I'm really pleased with the way it's going, and it's got a little harder edge this time. It's also taking the shape of a "concept" album of sorts. Yeah...I know... Green Day..blah, blah, blah. But I grew up listening to TOMMY by the Who, and I still love albums like Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche. Anyway, it's back to some of my GC roots, and I think you guys are gonna like it.
February 2005...We had a good show at Jilly's in Kansas City a few weeks ago. I had a couple of people tell me that we sound like Galactic Cowboys. That's a switch from the earlier comments that said we sounded NOTHING like GC. But whatever...It is what it is and it's fun!
Speaking of GC, it was nice to see that the Cowboys were in Hit Parader Magazine's Heavy Metal Encyclopedia. Say what you will about commercial success, the band apparently left some kind of mark...and I think that's pretty stinkin' cool!
Here are dates for the next 2 CRUNCHY shows:
Feb. 20th.....William Jewell College....Liberty,MO
March 3rd....Davey's Uptown...Kansas City, MO
January 2005...As we say goodbye to another year and welcome 2005, I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who ordered Clown School Dropout. Thanks so much for your support! I'd also like to say how much I appreciate your emails. I know it would be just as easy for you to go on a message board. Thanks for taking the time to write me personally with your kind words and encouragement. But don't get me wrong...If it weren't for message boards, where else could a person with a clever screen name tell the world "What's In My CD Player"? With that in mind...here's what was in my cd player this year:
1. Story Of The Year-Page Avenue...I loved this cd. Great songs...great harmony vocals.
2. Coheed And Cambria-In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth...This cd grew on me and ended up being one of my favorites of the year.
3. The Wildhearts-Riff After Riff...No list of mine would be complete without a WH cd on it. A master of songwriting, Ginger never fails to come through with the goods.
4. Helmet-Size Matters...It's good to have one of my favorite bands back.
5. Iron Maiden-Somewhere In Time...I know it's an old cd, but it's a guilty pleasure I am proud to admit.
Hope everyone has a great 2005! If you can make it to a CRUNCHY show, stop by and say hi. We'll be playing January 18th at Jilly's...Broadway and 19th Street in Kansas City, MO.
December 2004...CRUNCHY played in Nevada, Missouri, where I spent my high school years. It was a great show and I had a blast returning to my old stomping ground. Apparently some of the people from My School weren't as excited to have me come back as I was. Seems someone at the high school found the words "Clown School Dropout" offensive. I guess "Dropout" was too "negative," and they had the posters taken down at the school. However, nothing like a little "controversy" to bring out a lot of high school kids to the gig. We rocked...they had fun...and as far as I know, nobody got hurt. Check out pictures of the show.
When you look at the pictures of the last show, check out the new CRUNCHY backdrop behind the drums. If you are interested in a backdrop for your band, drop me an email! I can make one for you, too!
Don't forget...Crunchy cd's make excellent stocking stuffers!
Have a great Christmas everybody!
Monty
November 2004...Crunchy will be playing November 27th at the Fox Theater in Nevada, Missouri. 110 S. Main. We should be going on around 9pm and it's an all ages show.
We're booking more shows, so stay tuned for future dates.
October 2004...If I was more of a "computer guy", I would probably update the site more often. Fact is, I still hate computers, but I understand they are a necessary evil these days. I mean, I HAVE to use a computer to set my Fantasy Football team roster, so I suppose I should be able to update my site more often than every 5 or 6 months...so once again...I apologize. From now on I'll do better.
Thanks for your emails asking me what's going on. I've actually been pretty busy the past few months putting together a new live version of Crunchy to play some shows. And I'm happy to report the new band is ROCKIN'! We played our first show Oct. 25 here in Kansas City. It was an outdoor festival and I'll have to say, it was a blast. Check out the Crunchy Live page for pictures and profiles of the new guys. The set list for the first show was...
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Let's Go!
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All Day Sucker
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Fake
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A Different Way
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Love Comin' Out of Our Ears
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Missile Silo
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Swimming In December
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Aftertaste
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Internalize
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Bill
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T.I.M.
Galactic Cowboys fans will notice we're doing a few songs off the Let It Go cd. I had originally intended for those songs to be on a solo album, so I thought it would be fun to do them live now. And I was right...they fit right in with the other Crunchy tunes. Songs like Internalize and T.I.M. are just perfect for the live show, and it's great to be able to play them for people finally.
I've also been recording what I hope will be a 3rd Crunchy cd. I have no idea when it will come out, but I'd say it's at least 3/4 done.
In other news...Just for fun, I've been co-hosting a local sports talk-radio show, called the InZone, on 1140 am. I got to write and record the theme song for the show and we manage to sneak in a few other Crunchy tunes for bumper music.
That's the news for now...but stay tuned for upcoming shows. Take care!
Monty
May 2004...Greetings once again! I recently went to Chicago and Milwaukee to see the Wildhearts open for the Darkness. Both bands and both shows were great, but the Wildhearts were freakin' amazing. I got to hang out for awhile with the main man, Ginger. (Check out pics.) Nice to report that he's as nice a guy as he is a musical genius.
I'm in the process of putting together a band to play some CRUNCHY gigs. If you are a guitarist who can sing background vocals...if you live in the Kansas City or surrounding area...and you'd like to have some fun jammin' on some CRUNCHY tunes...then email me at the address on the website.
Talk to ya soon!
Monty
January It's 2004...Here's to a new year, new opportunities, and good stuff happening in our lives. As I heard Tom Hanks say in Cast Away last night, "You never know what's going to drift into shore." No matter what it is that you are doing...Hang in there and believe!
In summary: 2003 ended on a good note for me. I released the new cd in October...Wrote a new column for 12stringbass.net...And did another installment of the GasFist comic strip for HM magazine. Not to mention the contract and commission paintings I do on the side, it's been a busy year. Thanks to everyone who ordered cd's, t-shirts, and paintings, and thanks for all the encouraging emails, too!
For what it's worth (and as if someone cares) here are some of my favorite cd's this year...
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The Wildhearts-The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed
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Billy Talent-Billy Talent
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Disturbed-Believe
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Diffuser-Injury Loves Melody
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Diffuser-Making The Grade
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Cold-Year Of The Spider
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The Darkness-Permission To Land
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Thrice-The Artist and The Ambulance
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Neil Morse-Testimony
Talk to ya soon!
Monty
October 25, 2003 When I'm not recording cds, I'm also the illustrator for America's #1 college magazine, Gravity Magazine. They were nice enough to include a CRUNCHY song on their free download cd "Gravity Free Burn Volume One. You can download and hear the entire song, Psycho Ex-Girlfriend. Click it out! We've also added some Mp3's to the site. Click here for a few more tunes.
October 20, 2003 If you liked All Day Sucker, you'll like the new one, too, because it's just as melodic as the first. Style wise, the new cd is not a total departure, but it does rock harder and overall it is more aggressive and ambitious. Some of the lyrics are a little darker, but I tried to keep my sense of humor the past 2 years while dealing with life's downs and clowns.
Thanks for all the pre-orders we've received . Kyle in Hawaii and John in Ohio were first in. For you cool guys about to rock...We Salute You!
We'll be adding sound bites this week, so you can get a preview of the cd. You can't really capture all the twists and turns without hearing the whole thing, but you'll at least figure out it's not a Slayer album.
October 2003 The new CRUNCHY cd, Clown School Dropout, will be available Oct. 30. We will begin taking pre-orders Oct. 15...which, for the moment is the only way to get it. So, what does it sound like? Well, take Cheap Trick, Metallica, FooFighters, and Ramones, and throw 'em into a blender. Then add some Beatles harmonies, and you're starting to get the idea. At the end of the day, it's only rock-n-roll...and if you are into melodic hooks, slammin' riffs, and distorted bass...you'll like it.
August 2003 Hey! I'm wrapping up the recording part of my 2nd Crunchy cd. All the guitars, bass, vocals, keyboards, etc. were recorded in my very own Freakboy Studio. I'll be mixing at Grey Wolf Studio, again, with Jeff Scheetz at the controls. Speaking of Jeff, be sure to check out his new cd. JeffScheetz.com It's a bluesy thang, and Jeff completely shreds on guitar.
In other news...check out 12stringbass.net. Those guys have been so supportive, and have even asked me to write a column for the site. So, look for Monty's Random Bits of Genius for tips on recording and the music biz in general. And yes, the name is tongue-in-cheek, so don't get all bent out of shape.
As usual, nice to hear from everyone via email. And always, you guys rule!
Talk to ya soon,
Monty
June 2003 You musician-types should check out 12stringbass.net. It's a cool website, and I'm featured this month in the interview section. The guys who run the site are class individuals and they really know their stuff. Galactic Cowboys fans should enjoy the interview. It covers some of the reasons why I got into playing multi-string basses and tips on recording them.
Monty
March 2003 I'm happy to report that I've started laying tracks for the next cd, and things are going really well. (Check out studio photos!) Rod Lincoln from the band Shooting Star is playing drum tracks, and he is great in the studio. Rod is a true pro, and the drums are rocking.
I'm currently working on the guitars and bass. The whole process may take awhile, but it's gonna be a cool cd when it's done.
Thanks for all the nice emails I've received from everyone out there. It's been good to hear from old friends from GC days, and from new people, too. If you emailed me and didn't hear back, my reply probably got lost in cyberspace. I make a point to answer everyone, so don't take it personal. I tried!
Monty
December 2002 It's the end of another year and the beginning of a new one, and I'm all for that! 2002 was...well, interesting for me. I had my share of problems, starting with the demise of SAR records. But I won't bore you with the details. Let's just say I learned alot...grew as a person...grew closer to my wife and daughter...and found out who my friends were and weren't. I also spent much time in the basement writing new songs and recording demos. The result was a fresh batch of tunes dealing with love, deceit, psychos, goths, vampires, suicide, determination, gossip, romance, back-stabbing opportunists, misfortune, fun, pain, and the pursuit of happiness. No sex or drugs, but lots of rock. And with that being said, you can expect a little more "crunch" on this cd. It's still melody-driven, but the Monster Bass will return, and I'm planning to beat your face in with the guitars. There's no band, so it's going to be the full Monty. I've hired a studio drummer to do the drum tracks, and I hope to start recording this thing in January.
Happy New Year! Talk to ya soon!
Monty