Calabrese In Anaheim

There we were, driving down the CA I-5. The new Son Of Sam cranking on the stereo, just 10 minutes away from the venue when SMASH! The impact felt as if someone was jumping on the fender of the van. I looked into the rear view mirror where I saw Dave, wide eyed, trying to quickly put on his seat belt. Dave was looking out his window, I followed his gaze and noticed the trailer fish tailing left and right and then spotted a little sports car, missing a front bumper, spinning out of control. I stepped on the brakes, which calmed the wild trailer and pulled off onto the shoulder.


As we stepped out of the van, cars sped by on the highway, unaffected by our presence. I saw the young driver in the other vehicle checking on his car, he looked OK, I could tell his airbags were not deployed. Taking a look at our own damage, the trailers rear passenger tire was flat and the axle was bent. I started to walk towards the other vehicle. A witness in a white truck told us how a red SUV cut off the sports car, which caused the sports car to swerve and run into our trailer. Of course the red SUV drove off like Godzilla, oblivious to the damage they left behind. As the witness told us his story, right next to where we stood, a Toyota was rear ended on the highway. The young girl in the Toyota pulled to the shoulder as a light brown lawn care truck, with a crushed bumper and grill, drove away. Two guys in the front seat were yelling at the girl as they passed. The kid and I looked at each other knowing we were not standing in a safe place. We agreed to meet up at the nearest parking lot and left.

To my surprise the kid was waiting for us at the parking lot. He even helped us change the tire on the trailer. While retrieving the jack from the trailer we discovered Davey's drums were scattered in the trailer and the drum hardware had punctured a hole in the wall. As we jacked up the trailer we noticed how bad the axle was bent. Like a drunk leaning against the trailer, the tire tilting outward, exhausted from the bender. Once the spare was secured, the wheel didn't rub against the wheel well and we felt no obvious vibration from the trailer as we did a test drive. We felt safe so we rode the rest of the way to the Grove.


If you've ever been to Disneyland out in Anaheim, CA you've probably drove past The Grove. The facility is amazing; it's huge, clean and the stage crew was attentive and professional. The Grove had actual dressing rooms with a couch, mirrors, lights, food and a shower...a fricken' shower! I felt like Frank Sinatra. After we uploaded the equipment we were told the show was sold out (The Grove has a capacity of 1,700). On the surface, this sounds kick ass, but I should mention we were added to this show as a last minute replacement for T.S.O.L. Tiger Army booked 5 nights in a row at the Grove and ticket holders chose this night because of the line up.


So when we hit the stage we played to a sea of blank faces and TSOL shirts! The whole audience stood silent, arms folded, judging our every move, our every note. Their faces all said the same thing "Who the Hell are you and what did you do to TSOL?!" I'm telling you, this crowd was rough -- wiping my ass with sandpaper would have been more pleasant!


I'll admit it's been a while since we played for 1700 strangers and I was out of practice. When we first started the band, every show was a fight to win the audience. I've now formed a habit of feeding off the crowd and normally the audience knows who we are and are energized. So this night on stage I felt like my life force was being drained. The audience, an army of energy vampires, pulled my invisible kite strings as I flapped in the wind trying to keep from crashing. Near the end of our show, a pit finally broke out and I had the ability to start running on stage.


When we completed our set and walked off stage that dressing room felt like a fun house "Hall of Mirrors," claustrophobic and stuffy.Even though the show was tough for me, we did manage to impress some people and we even made new fans that night. Working to win over new fans is just as important as rocking out with the already converted -- it's just not as fun!


-Jimmy

Two Nights With Tiger Army

Day 1

"You guys better keep an eye on your van, this part of Fresno at night attracts a lot of crack heads and homeless." And that's how the promoter greeted us at the Fresno, CA show at the Exit! I assured him we knew the drill and we'd make sure to keep an eye on the van. "This is the kind of neighborhood we're pretty used to playing," I told him, "We know when we're getting close to the venue when the houses have iron security bars and there are more homeless people than street lights!"

When they showed us where to set up the merch table, Tiger Army's merch had already arrived before they did. Tiger Army had 23 boxes of shirts waiting for them as they pulled into the parking lot. They had so much merch that at the end of the night, they asked if we could take some of the boxes and a hand truck to the next venue. We were happy we could help. Oh, yeah, by the way...if anyone is needs a Tiger Army shirt we have a few for sale!

Living in the desert, we're usually the last band to complain about heat. Playing shows in Arizona gets you ready for any non-air-conditioned venue but this night was just outright stupid hot. By the end of the show, Davey looked like he just climbed out of the pool after swimming laps. I should have known something was up, when the security guard working the side door in the main room sat in a chair with two fans facing him. Fans that I suspect were meant for the talent on stage, but who am I to question security! I did find a fan backstage, though, to put on the stage while the Memphis Murder Men played, but of course, there weren't enough electrical outlets to plug into. I all could do was hold up the limp electrical cord so the guys in the band could see I made an attempt to bring them some air!

All in all, it was a great show. Tiger Army and their road crew were cool guys. Very professional.

Relaxing in the glamorous backstage area.


I do have one complaint, though. My guitar strap did fall off during the show. It wasn't just the strap, but the screw that held the lock onto the bass. A very annoying situation which caused me not to move, for fear the strap would fall off again. Good thing the heat was keeping me from jumping around anyway. I made sure to duct tape my bass at the end of the show.

We met a lot of great people at the show. Even the fabled Elvis Trooper, made an appearance! We met him at DragonCon last year, and he came out to support the Calabrese Crew.

And no, unfortunately, he was not in uniform.


Day 2

We were bummed we were only asked to play these two shows, but very grateful they asked. Tiger Army has a really great draw and they do especially well in Phoenix. When we got to the Marquee, I knew it was going to be a good night. The sound board, which is usually in the middle of the floor, was moved to the back of the venue, which meant they expected a lot of people.

Being in a band with your brothers can have it's trouble. Earlier before the show, I got into an argument with Davey and lost my cool. In my rage I decided to go Chuck Norris on the side of the van. I changed my mind mid-kick and tried to correct my aim to hit a tire. I almost hit my target but instead I smashed the top of my foot against the wheel well. F***ing ouch! If you were at the show that night you might have noticed me limping on stage, and well, that's the reason why! In my embarrassment ,I told people that I smashed my foot moving the bass amp but the truth is I'm an asshole!

We arrived extra early at the venue to backline the gear and take our time setting up the merch. I talked to the lighting and sound guy about what we needed. At some venues it's tough to get the attention of the stage hands. Hell, some places we play don't even have a stage! But these guys were attentive and willing to work with us.
The doors opened at 7pm, and a stage hand told us Tiger Army wouldn't arrive till 8pm. Wow, what pompous rock stars I thought! We show up hours before the show and they just stroll in and set up after the doors open. I later found out from the Tiger Army merch guy that the tires on their trailer exploded. They were sitting on the side of the I-10 half the day waiting for the replacements. Crap, I felt like an asshole again!

The crowd was on fire and the adrenalin helped me push through the pain of jumping around on my bruised foot. I almost felt good enough to jump off the drums but I didn't want to push fate. We played for 31 minutes, but it felt like 10. I know it was a good show 'cause people I never met before were buying me drinks and treating me like royalty. When Tiger Army dedicated "American Nightmare" to us during the show our cool points rose +5.

The next day I could barely walk on my foot, so I went to the Emergency Room to get x-rayed. Luckily it wasn't broken, just bruised...like my ego!

-Jimmy

How much Soul do you have?

They say only the Devil can collect the souls of the living...I
disagree! We have collected a few ourself! People think we're
megalomaniacs but let me ask you this -- how many souls has YOUR band collected?


What do we plan on doing with these souls? The possibilities are endless, but we are hanging onto them for a rainy day. So when the time comes and we need some quick cash to upgrade our equipment, we might sell them to companies like the WWYS (www.wewantyoursoul.com) or we could sell them back to the original owners (Ebay has currently banned the sale of souls).

I know, I know, we could eat these souls and gain immortality, fame and fortune, but that would be cheating. We want to do things the old fashion way -- with blackmail, bribes and threats!


Here's a sampling of the souls we've gathered when suckers...er, people joined our Fan Club, "The Young American Mystic Cult Of Horrors." Names have been removed to protect these soulless beings!


1/3 of this Soul is mine but the bastard wants it back when he dies! What a tease! (We still have not signed it yet.)
One Soul coming right up!

This is signed in blood, nice!

This guys signed over his "living" soul to a "Calabrese brother", now we have to fight over it!
How cute she's giving us her soul, collection to be made upon death, I can't wait!

I'm pretty sure this contract will hold up in court, just try and take it back buddy.

Nice and simple.


Feel free to send us your Soul, no membership required, we'll take good
care of them!

CALABRESE/Spookshow Records
P.O. Box 93817
Phoenix, AZ
85070-5070

-Jimmy

The Occult Practices of Song Crafting

Currently, we are writing songs for our third full length CD (yet to be titled...are you ready for another contest?!) and my thoughts are obsessed with the occult practices of song crafting. From my experience, there is no right or wrong way to write a song. All the musicians I've work with have their own system. What I’m about to share is what works best for my brothers and I -- the Calabrese way!

Digging For Bones

I like to describe song writing as paleontology (archeology sounds cooler but that science doesn't study fossils). When inspiration strikes, it's as if you've just uncovered a dinosaur bone. That riff that you discovered is exciting because you know it's just one part of the whole skeleton. The next step is to keep digging around on the fret board until you come across the rest of the skeletal remains. This can take a few hours, a few weeks or a couple of months. The hunt can be exhausting but once the skeletal structure is unearthed, it's extremely rewarding.



The Skeleton Hunt

When I write a song, I usually write it on an acoustic guitar. Since I play bass, it’s hard to flesh out a song with just a bass line. I usually expose an intro or a verse first. Never a chorus, since the chorus is so powerful, it’s hard for me to write that. If I think I have written a chorus it usually turns out to be a verse. I also like to name the song with a working title. The working title sums up what that song should sound like or an image it should represent when finished.

The best way that I remember riffs and vocal harmonies is to record them. I always keep a tape recorder next to me when I mess around on the guitar. I used to believe that if I can't remember what I wrote, the next time I sat down to play, then it must've not been good. Wow, that was a stupid idea! Sometimes the riffs are just improvised. So when I listen back at a later date, I discover riffs I don’t even remember playing. That’s always a fun and often disturbing experience. Plus, when you record yourself, you have the chance of picking up E.V.P.s!

I've noticed that when you try and write a song together as a band, by jamming out each part, it takes longer. Not that we haven't done this in the past. It seems more expedient and less frustrating when you do your homework and present song parts to the group. I must admit its more mystical when I play a random bass riff that inspires Davey to play a beat, and then Bobby jumps in to complete it with a sweet guitar solo.

Fusing The Bones Together

We've discovered that our favorite song structure is the ABACB song structure, or the Verse/Chorus/Verse/Bridge/Chorus. When a song is in this structure, it flows smoothly. We've broken this structure for some songs, sure. Not all songs fit this model. Sometimes they call for something different.

Like I mentioned earlier, the verse and intros are the easiest to write. It’s the chorus that’s the hardest to figure out. We usually end up re-writing the chorus a few times as we play the song together as a full band.

The bridge section is also the last piece of the puzzle, and it’s usually a group effort in writing the bridge. I consider this part the most collaborative part because it could never be achieved by one person alone. Bouncing ideas back and forth until the bridge starts to pan out can take time, but when done properly is really fun.


Adding The Reptilian Flesh

Whenever inspiration strikes, I write down lyrics on drink coasters, scraps of paper, notebooks, whatever. I have folders of lyric ideas and scraps of paper kept in a drawer. I might hear an interesting line from a TV show, movie, in conversation, on the radio, in books...anywhere, really. When I take out the guitar to write a song, I put all those lyric shards in front of me. I read those words while trying to discover a riff, searching for the perfect match. This is how I put together my verse for "Your Ghost." Sometimes the melody of the line writes the lyric. Those words I randomly choose can be polished into a worthy verse, that's how I wrote my verse for "Vampires Don't Exist".


Hint: When you listen to our songs, you can figure out who brought the song to the band. If Bobby sings the first verse, he probably introduced the song. Or If I sing the first verse, it's mine. Most of the time it's true!

When Dinosaurs Roam The Earth

When a song is completed and the music is working, I get chills playing the tune. I look at my brothers and think, "Where did this song come from?" When I feel electricity in the air, that’s when I know we are on the right path!


I try and let my musical tastes dictate if a song sounds correct. The many years of listening to Danzig/Misfits/Samhain have played an important template to compare our music. I first discovered Danzig in high school when someone said I sang like him. So when I looked into this Danzig character, it was like fire discovering wood. It was fate, like a Catholic school kid discovering the joys of sin!


Behind The Songs

I thought I'd share some thoughts about a few of the songs we've written.

"Come Alive" -- This was an older song I wrote on my own before the band Calabrese was formed. I wrote it in my apartment in Illinois on a 4 track. I probably scared the neighbors as I yelled, "Monster Monster Come Alive!" The chorus riff was different back then, but the main verse was established as a launching pad for the version we have today.


"Midnight Spookshow" was one of our first songs that we re-wrote the chorus at least 3 times. All the lyrics on that song are from 1950’s spookshow taglines. These are all actual ballyhoo lines assorted in an entertaining fashion.


"Zombie I" is our ode to George Romero, also one of our first songs we wrote together that survived the beginning of the band. (We wrote some really bad songs back then) During this stage of the band we would just sing without any idea of what we had in mind, letting the universe guide us. Guess what was on our mind…zombies!

"Blood In My Eyes" -- I wrote the chorus and verse on a small child's acoustic guitar, the kind you find at the swap meet. Playing on different instruments inspire me and forces me to play inventively. The lyrics on this song was provided by our sister Margy, who has since been un-inspired to write us anymore lyrics. Damnit!


"Death Of Me" was a song that started with only a verse. Together as a band, we discovered the chorus by just playing it over and over 'til we had something. I knew we had a good chorus when I left practice with the melody stuck in my head. I sang it in the car the whole way home.

"Backseat Of My Hearse" -- This song started with that cemetery surf guitar sound. This was one of easier songs that wrote itself. The chorus came from a line I wrote down, which I discovered in my massive pile of lyrics.


"Eyes Down" was inspired by the band Type-O-Negative. We wrote this as a very slow dirge. I don’t think we had the patience to play music at such a slow tempo, 'cause as you can hear on the recording (and mainly at our live shows) we tear through that song!


"Death Eternal" was written in the living room of our folks house. That summer, the AZ heat was too intense to practice in the garage. We must have been practicing with the TV on because the inspiration for this song was the "Teen Titans Theme Song" (Puffi Ami Yumi and Guitar Wolf...how cool is that?) Don’t ask me how the song evolved into the finished product, but I’m glad it took a more evil twist.




"Inside This Coffin" was the first song we wrote after recording "13 Halloweens." Actually, the song was completed while we were still in the studio. We thought this song was more complex than our previous songs. We liked how the music was heading in a more technical direction. This song is the link between the first 2 musical phases of the band.

"Saturday Night of The Living Dead" was inspired by a random lyric of the same name. I handed Bobby a handful of lyric fragments, and this one line inspired him, and now we have this killer song.



"Voices Of The Dead" -- This was our last song to write for the album, "The Traveling Vampire Show," and it straight up almost destroyed the band! We wrote this song only a few months before our scheduled studio time. The song was complete, but Bobby hated the chorus, and I was fighting to keep what we wrote. The morning after a show in California, a heated argument broke out in the parking lot of a roadside diner. If we weren't brothers I’m sure this would have broken up a weaker band, but somehow we worked through it. We changed the chorus to Bobby's suggestions and "Voices Of The Dead" turned out to be one of our more popular songs off "The Traveling Vampire Show." To this day, I still hold a grudge against Bobby…revenge will be mine, Bobby…revenge will be mine!

For me, the song writing proccess is the most rewarding part of playing in a band. I thrive on this creativity and I’m the most happy during these times. It's supernatural, how random notes pulled from the ether can forge a song. Songs powerful enough to inspire people to sing along and connect strangers from all over the world. Someone told me that they thought music was my religion, and looking at how I describe song writing as a spiritual endeavor, I think she was correct. I praise thee, Gods of Rock!

-Jimmy