It's about time

Greetings Friends, Family, Fellow Countrymen, Countrywomen, and all other Beings (Earthly and otherwise),

As you may know, I and my bandmates spent some time living in Canada, working on the album of our lives (so far). Together, the three of us wrote and recorded what I personally consider to be our best work and ultimately our greatest album to date.

Despite successful tours and TV placements, there have been a lot of unfortunate and uncontrollable events this year (personal, interpersonal, financial and legal) that have delayed the release of our album, halted our live performances and landed us on an indefinite hiatus. Though there are no scheduled performances, I have been pursuing the release of this album, which is (in my expert opinion) the greatest bunch of songs you've never heard in your life!

Today marks a momentous occasion! I am extremely happy to announce that as of now (11.03.09), all 12 tracks from the album called Vaeda - "Unsafe at any Speed" are available for download on Amazon.com and iTunes!


BUY IT NOW ON iTUNES!
Amazon.com -> http://www.amazon.com/Unsafe-At-Any-Speed/dp/B002TSMJVE/ref=dm_ap_alb2?ie=UTF8&qid=1257210935&sr=8-1

iTunes -> http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=336868822&s=143441

Please take a moment to download the album right now... I mean it... GO NOW!

Thank you all for your continuing support, it means the world to me.

Peace, Love, Rock.

Aristotle
VAEDA

SO...

I haven't really had a blog entry in a while... What's there to talk about anyway? I've been too busy, but that is not to say I don't love you anymore.

Blues Clues...

I was recently asked to play a show with the blues artist Patrick Droney. He's still in high school, but plays the blues like he's been working hard labor for 50 years. It's quite uncanny.

It's been years since I delved into that particular musical style, some would say that I have a particular aversion to the blues... one of those some being me... but hey, why the hell not!? I mostly lean toward more experimental bass playing, but it's always fun to flex the old musical chops now and then. Plus I'm excited about getting back on stage. These last few months have been the longest I've gone without performing music publicly for the last 8 years, so it's about goddamn time. Oh yeah did I mention that we're opening up for Bernie Williams? He happens to be The Greatest Jazz Guitar Player [***who used to play for the New York Yankees] EVER!

Bernie Williams looking tough AND jazzy at the same time.

It's going to be at Westbury Music Fair, a decent sized venue, so get your tix now!

VMA play by play

The tribute to MJ was stellar and got me a little choked up - which for me is as close as I get to crying my eyes out like a little baby.

Oooh, Taylor Swift wins the first award of the night... wait! What's this? Kanye West doesn't approve? Is he taking the microphone away from little Taylor!? What a jerk! He officially has no class.

Phil Collins is this good...

I often forget of what an amazing drummer Phil Collins (yes THAT Phil Collins) is, but then I watch videos like this one...

I'm quickly reminded that, oh yeah, Collins did get his start in music as the DRUMMER for Genesis with Peter Gabriel as the lead singer.

Now you have to take into account that during the 70's prog-rock era, Genesis was definitely very 70's and way proggy.

When Gabriel made his exit, Collin's decided to step up and take over all the vox duties... and to saw much greater success with Genesis than Gabriel ever did... even if there were a few cheese moments...

I must say, I am very saddened to learn that due to a spinal condition, Phil Collins will no longer play the drums.

Era... Rest in Peace, eraaaa... Ted Kennedy.

This, I believe...

Music has the power to change hearts.
Hearts can change minds... and
Minds can change the world.

-Aristotle Dreher
VAEDA

Fun and X GAMES

I saw my friend "Honkey" Lange MCing the Simon Mall Tour outside of the Roosevelt Field Mall yesterday and had a jumpin' good time.

Honkey called me up onto the ramp for one of the crazy BMX stunts. This is where he explains to me that the legendary BMX freestyle cyclist Dave Voelker will attempt to jump clean over my noggin. I'm sure they had to account for the extra inches of fro. The following is a frame by frame Zapruder Film analysis of The Lord Dave Voelker trimming my fro.

This was absolutely insane! These guys are out of their minds when it comes to doing freestyle stunts! Not too many people can say that they've been jumped over by the legendary BMX freestyle biker Dave Voelker. It's a charmed life.

Paula Ab-Fool!

Paula Abdul has decided not to come back to American Idol this upcoming season. I must admit, she definitely adds to the entertainment value of the show with her incoherent psychobabble. She's the Anti-Simon in that her critiques make no sense and they are way too nice.

I predict that she will somehow find her way back to the show... at least I hope she does. If the producers know what's good for the show, they'll give her a nice big fat raise.

Jon & Kate plus HATE!

Douche...

with a capitol BAG!

Seriously, looking at Jon Gosselin one automatically thinks "what a prime specimen of humanity, we need more people like this to populate the future, get this guy to procreate!"

Is it not apparent that a parent he is not?

It sort of reminds me of the movie Idiocracy, where only stupid people keep reproducing giving way to a future of retarded people.

I'm not really sure of the appeal of this popular TLC show, or even why Jon & Kate Gosselin decided to have 8 children all at once. Jon is off jetsetting with other women while Kate is at home potty training 8 babies. I guess the world always needs a new K-Fed, but in this scenario J-Gos is playing more of a Brittany Spears role.

Lady Gaga is the new Madonna

That's right, I said it. You heard it here first.

Lady Gaga knows exactly who she is (even if we can't figure it out) and what she's doing as far as self promotion. I can get behind that. I'm completely in awe of her Elton John-esque costumes and her Madonna-like attitude. She uses her sexuality to her advantage, (even if she is a bit of a buh-buh-buh-butterface, buh-buh-butterface) AND she is a good musician who writes good music. For you haters out there, I'm sorry but y'all can go take a ride on a disco-stick because I guarantee that Lady Gaga will be around for quite a while.

I'm this much of a dork...

I fell off my couch and started frothing at the mouth when I saw this preview the other day...

My New Obsession...

Here I go again...

I had a blast hanging out with my boys in Pop Evil last night as they opened up for Whitesnake and Judas Priest at the Chevrolet Theater in Connecticut. I first got there while they were doing a sound check, I am a bit of a techno-gear slut, so it was fun to look at all the cool equipment their using...

Pop Evil did a kick ass job winning the crowd after a few songs then continued on to tear it up for the rest of their set. Tony, the lead guitar player, does an insanely awesome solo as part of the show, which really kicks the audience's ass in the face. Matt bounced around the stage, Dylan held it down on the drums, and Dave rocked out with his mohawk out. DJ Donnie D was missed as he wasn't on this leg of the tour but hopefully he'll be back soon.

Leigh really worked the hell out of the crowd and toward the end of the set, Pop Evil threw in a chorus of Pantera's "Walk" right in the middle of their hit song "Hero"

When the set was over the crowd was on its feet as I looked on like a proud parent. I love those guys and think they are doing a super kick ass job. I really miss being out on the road with them.

Afterward I hung out on their bus for a bit, where I discovered that Dave has a Tinkerbell night light in his bunk with sheets, blankets and a pillowcase to match! Hilarious. Oh yeah, after this picture was taken, Dave gave me his leather belt with a huge inscribed metal belt buckle.

Those guys are awesome.

Check out Pop Evil on myspace-> http://www.myspace.com/popevil


Dave Coverdale up to his pants in antics.

Whitesnake was thoroughly entertaining and well aware of their own absurdity. One of the highlights was the 10 minute guitar battle which displayed a blistering barrage of impossibly fast soloing between the two guitar players. Dave Coverdale worked the crowd like a veteran and indulged in all of his trademark moves. The whole crowd sang along to their classic hit "Here I go again!"

Priest rocking some British Steel and up to their buds in studs.

Three songs in, Priest launched right into breakin' the what??? "BREAKIN' THE WHAT?!!!" That's right, "Breakin' the law!" They did their synchronized head banging and rocking back and forth while playing that famous riff, which was a lot of fun to watch! The crowd went crazy during and after every one of their songs, and I even got to watch a bit of the show from the side of the stage!

Billy Mays - End of Days?

As he travels off into the great big infomercial in the sky, we remember the master Pitchman himself, Billy Mays. As co-star of the hit reality TV show Pitchmen, the boisterously blaring Mays could really yell you... er.. I mean sell you on any product out there!

RIP Billy Mays

What a crazy week this has been! I can't believe all of the bad news of these celebrity deaths. Who is next?

RIP MJ

Michael Jackson 1958-2009

I have always admired Michael Jackson's discipline and originality. What made him unique was not just that he could sing and dance, it was that nobody else could do it quite like him. If I've learned anything in life it's that you need to be different. You need separate yourself from the pack when it comes to whatever you do... and make it look easy.

Ed McMahon | 1923-2009

Great guy that Ed McMahon. Always searching for stars, knocking on their door and surprising them with a giant check and constantly laughing at their bloopers and practical jokes. We'll miss you and with that I say HEY-OH!

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland

FIRST LOOK!

It's hard to imagine anyone else besides Burton directing this movie, though I'd be very curious to see what David Lynch would have done with this Lewis Carroll classic. I'm sure it would have gone on way too long and not made any sense, but still would have been awesome for some reason...

Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter.

Helena Bonham Carter as The Red Queen

Anne Hathaway as The White Queen

Mia Wasikowska as Alice

Tweedledee and Tweedledum

THIS JUST IN...

MEGAN FOX IS HOT!

Film at 11...

It Won't Rain All The Time...

So we're in a recession. We may even be in a depression. It's late June and here on Long Island it's rained for 22 days straight. It may sound pretty sucky but it's times like this that make me more motivated than ever. If only people were more like me. :) On second thought, I'd hate to be sitting behind me in a movie theater.

What I mean to say is that it has to get better from here. Am I right?

So what to do? Write a song, or make a painting, or write a blog. Reconnect with the people that matter in your life. Your family and your real friends are the ones who will support you through anything. Associate with those who crave joy and success rather than commiseration and chaos. Breathe the fresh air and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Be honest with yourself, and everyone around you. Be open to what the universe hands you. Be resourceful.

It's unfortunate what other people may do in desperation. It's been my experience lately that they often make things worse for themselves and everyone around them. Lift your friends up instead of dragging them down with you. If you are on your back laying on the ground, you can look up at the sky and know that there is infinite possibility right in front of you.

It's important to maintain the integrity of your character. You may be surprised at how fast people seem to change when faced with adversity. People will show their true colors, and a lot of the time, those colors suck.

People respect when you stay true to character. If you have no respect for yourself, nobody else will respect you either.

Though times are tough, and it may seem that there is no end to these dismal days, keep your chin up because it won't rain all the time.

Summer Movies

I saw The Hangover last weekend. Finally an original movie in Hollywood! Expect to see sequels. I must admit I did not expect this movie to be as good as it is nor did I expect to laugh my ass off. I am currently assless on account of all the laughing I did at this movie.

This is probably going to be the best movie of the summer so save your 11 bucks for The Hangover. Transformers 2 looks like it's going to stink like an enormous steaming pile of dead fish on top of hot garbage. I only say this because like the mythical King MidASS, anything Michael Bay touches turns to poo. Transformers was like watching a 2 hour car commercial. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to offend the makers of car commercials here, because they tend to have more of a compelling story than this movie had...

I vow to never see Transformers 2... but don't hold me to that as I can easily get sucked into movie hype. I eventually caved and saw Terminator Salvation. The director, McG, has the directorial depth of a dinobot.

*** SPOILER ALERT! ***

When the CGI Arnold Schwarzenegger shows up as the T-800 toward tend of T4 it's kind of hokey. Yeah, it's nice to see that Arnold's image makes an appearance, but we're taken right out of the movie at this moment and reminded that this is really just an obligatory nod. Terminator Salvation lacked the vision and sheer logic of he first 2 movies. McG doesn't really tie this movie into the series in a crafty way.

In the remaining 2 sequels that are to come I think the writers should take it from me here. When the Resistance inevitably infiltrates Cyberdyne to send Kyle Reese and the Terminator back through time to protect his mother and his juvenile self, they should do it all in one mission. That is to say, don't make it so simple to break into the technologically superior enemy base and travel through time. Economize...

I say they should simply have Kyle Reese infiltrate cyberdine, help reprogram the T-800, then send himself back to 1984 (T1) and the T-800 Terminator back to 1991 (T2) all in one mission from the same point in the future... make sense? (Oh, and let's just forget about T-3 alltogether... please? can we? Okay if he must, just amend my plot proposal to include the third turd of a Terminator movie)

Just consolidate their mission, ya know? Make it actually seem like they only have one chance to get it right!

So just take it from me Hollywood, it would make so much more sense and be way more compelling.

Music and Business and the Music Business

Music comes naturally for me. It always has and presumably always will. Hand me damn near any instrument and within the span of 30 seconds I'll be serenading you with Mary Had A Little Lamb.

I have no problem with business. In fact, I excel at matters of fact and logic. The problem is that businesses are run by people and people generally are NOT GOVERNED BY LOGIC... Especially in the Music Business. This really gets under my skin, courses through my veins and makes my brain explode.

As a musician, I have vision which may or may not always be right, but it's [usually] a clear vision regardless. Business people tend not to see what is clearly good unless it
"falls out of the sky lands on their face and starts to wiggle." [-Dan Akroid] That is to say: bad business men.

My music is like a gorgeously delicious looking cake that sits unscathed in the middle of a room full of starving people at a gala event. Everyone is afraid to take the first piece but as soon as someone does, the entire cake is promptly devoured leaving absolutely nothing in its place.

I understand that this all may sound cliche, which leads me to my next point. Most people are cliche. They do what you expect of them. If you expect very little, that's what you'll get. I expect great things of others as I expect great things of myself. This is a tall order my friends.

There are few great people in this world, so when you find one, stick with them. I can't begin to tell you the value of honesty, trustworthiness and loyalty. These are unreachable ideals for some, but for others a no brainer. If you find these people in your business, you're a lucky bloke.

Palin Comparison

Recently David Letterman told a funny joke (albeit in poor taste) about Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol. The implication being that Bristol, who is an 18 year old mother, is therefore promiscuous and should stay away from philanderers like Governor Spitzer and Alex Rodriguez.

Ha-ha-ha!

Somehow Sarah Palin twisted the late night gapped tooth jab into an accusation that Letterman was joking about the statutory rape of her 14 year old daughter, Willow.

Wtf? Really?... SERIOUSLY?!?

This is obviously the cynicism of the Republican party in full effect. Sarah Palin is either dumber than we all thought or she's hoping that we're all dumber than she is.

I would have understood if she had just said "Letterman is a loser and his jokes are not funny," but to try and convince people that he's some sort of sexual predator is more ludicrous than the time she tried to define the Bush Doctrine.

Letterman has since apologized, but I think we all deserve an apology from John McCain for choosing her as his running mate and making us all aware of the heat seeking missile of embarrassment known as Sarah Palin.

Remake, Adaptation or Sequel

Ever get the feeling that every single movie that comes out these days is completely unoriginal? It's because people aren't willing to go see something new! I once spoke to a guy who edits theatrical trailers and he said that focus groups respond better to previews that show every major plot point of the movie. He also said people won't go to see a movie if they don't know that it has a happy ending before hand. This is why a movie trailer is generally 5 minutes less than its corresponding theatrical release.

Where's the originality? I'm someone who is very proud of my individuality and what I consider to be originality... But the entertainment industry is teeming with lemmings who are incapable of recognizing unique genius when they see it. Hollywood is always hedging its bets.

Let's take a look at some of the major movies that are coming out this summer...

1. Wolverine (Sequel to a Comic Book Adaptation)


2. Star Trek (Remake and Sequel)


3. Angels and Demons (Adaptation and Sequel)


4. Terminator Salvation (Sequel)


5. Night at the Museum 2 (Sequel)


6. Land of the Lost (Adaptation of a TV show)


7. Transformers 2 (Sequel to an Adaptation of a Cartoon based on a Toy)


8. Ice Age 3 (Sequel)


9. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (Adaptation of a Book and a Sequel)


10. G.I. Joe (Adaptation of a Cartoon)

If an original movie is able to make it, expect there to be umpteen sequels. You can also expect to see other movies with the exact same premise. For example, last year Adam Sandler came out with Bedtime Stories - (A family comedy about a hotel handyman whose life changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true.) Not to be outdone this summer we have to endure Eddie Murphy's "Imagine That."

Caine came and went...

(RIP Caine)

David Carradine died from an apparent act of auto-erotic asphixiation in Bangkok, Thailand last week. Well, if you're gonna go, you might as well go out with a smile on your face!

Carradine was best known for his roles as Caine in Kung Fu, and the bad ass Bill in the Kill Bill movies. He'll now be best known for he liked to do in Bangkok hotel rooms.

What completely blows my mind is not the fact that he was found dead in a Bankok hotel room with his hands bound behind his back while wearing a wig, high heels and stockings... it's the fact that David Carradine was the older paternal half-brother of Robert Carradine of Revenge of the Nerds fame!

Who knew????