The PenIs Mightier

Hello everybody and welcome to HAIR IN THE AIR, The Official Blog of 3D In Your Face.  Before we get into this weeks blog I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your support last week.  Together we helped raise a little over $2,700 for The Sunshine Kids Foundation.  That right there is positive action at it's best.  The 3D In Your Face Army has always surprised me but this outpouring of generosity hits me right in the heart.  Thank you again from all of us.  This week we are begining to pick up steam towards the spring and summer tour.  This Friday, Feb 27th at The 21st Saloon will be the last show in February and will be the last show of the winter tour.  After this we start gearing up to make the move to outdoor shows, festivals, and bike rallies.  To be honest with you I can't wait.  Earlier this winter I bought a brand new bass amp and I haven't even been able to turn it up past three yet.  Come on summer.  This week we are teaming up with our good friends at Pink Shugar Gourmet Candies to bring you our official last show of winter.  These fine candy gurus will be spinning cotton candy and introducing us all to some of there new lines of tasty sweet treats.  Prepare for sensory overload (That's those zip-up masks right?).  HAHA.

Last Friday during our load in at The 21st Saloon I took a call from a record company that is potential interested in signing 3D In Your Face to their roster of bands.  I don't want to say to much yet because there is nothing set in stone.  That being said we are currently working on our follow up to "Midnight Devils".  Writing songs is something that doesn't really come as easy to me as it does I feel to others.  There is no magic voodoo that makes the words fit into the song.  But then again I believe that every songwriter creates in his or her own style.  Mine happens to be long hours spent toiling over a few words that I need to tie a verse or chorus together.  The pressure is there and I often push myself to get a song finished so I can bring it to the rest of the band in order to start the next step. Much like everything else in band life there is a process or chain that you need to go through in order for a song to see the light of day.  For me this is how the process unfolds.  First you need an idea or a phrase that you feel sums up an emotion that you wish to express.  Then I simply write down the idea and work on putting a melody to that idea.  This part gets a bit tricky because you have to be able to show the rest of the band musically what it is you want them to play.  I then begin writing ideas and words on a single piece of paper, cutting them down to the exact lyrics I want to use in the song and that also fit within the music.  Confused yet?  Below is a picture of the original "Forbidden City" lyric sheet.

Currently I am working on a song that is kind of a narrative, it tells a story about my life.  I was challenged to write a short story about what it was like for me coming of age in Fremont, NE.  The sights, the sounds, the feelings of 18 years old and no place to go.  I am taking the lyrics for the song directly from the story and placing them in order in the song.  There is a beginning a middle and an end.  This is a very different style of writing than I am used to but the process has been very enlightening.  Instead of searching for words that I think sound good, the words are already there I just have to arrange them to fit the music.  The songs is very heartfelt and means quite a bit to me and yet it's only just words written down on a piece of paper.  I only hope that the emotion carries through when I present it to the rest of the band.  Not only is the song about me but it's about everybody that grew up in a small town listening to Rock N Roll music.  I think that each and everyone of you will be able to relate to this song.  Most of all I hope my friends that were around at that time realize that I tried to document our struggle during those formative years and how it shaped the rest of our lives.

ALWAYS LOUD
FOREVER PROUD

Sam Spade

Spreading A Little Sunshine

Hello everybody and welcome to HAIR IN THE AIR, The Official Blog of 3D In Your Face.  I hope everyone is having a great week.  Get your rest because you are going to need it. Summer tour is right around the corner and once Feb. is over things start heating up.  This week we are very pleased to announce that we added one more show to the weekend of fun.  First of all I want to let you know that both shows we are doing this weekend will be going to benefit The Marchi Gras Foundation for the Sunshine Kids.  This is the real deal.  This is our chance to give back and help people with our gifts and talents.  Our first show is Friday, Feb. 20th at The 21st Saloon.  We will be taking donations on stage and at our merch table that will go to support the Sunshine Kids.  The Marchi Gras Foundation will be sponsoring Friday's show.  Saturday, Feb. 21st we will be headlining the Marchi Gras Pump-Up show at The Chrome Lounge.  It has been 3 years since we have set foot on the stage at The Chrome Lounge and we are beyond excited to show you people what we have been up to.  This show is also in support of the Sunshine Kids Foundation.  For only a $7 donation you will get the chance to enjoy three great Rock N Roll bands and do your part to help out these amazing children.  This weekend isn't about us, this weekend is about doing something good for someone else.   It's truly an honor for 3D In Your Face to be able to give back.  We have always said that we are nothing without our fans and I am very proud to say that I know 3D In Your Face fans have the biggest hearts.

Upon deciding what I wanted to write about I was working on a few different things.  I have begun writing a song about growing up in Fremont, NE.  I am going about writing the lyrics a bit differently and I thought that would be pretty interesting to share.  I think I will save that for next weeks blog.  This week I want to write a little bit about our home away from home The 21st Saloon.  This bar has been the biggest supporter of 3D In Your Face and the 3D In Your Face Army for nearly 3 years.  Before Scott, the current bar owner took over things were a lot different than they are now.  When we first walked into the bar we weren't greeted with smiles and warm hello's.  We weren't greeted at all but told to move all the couches off the stage to make room for our equipment.  Good freaking morning.  At first it seemed like we were paining the bar staff by being there at 3 in the afternoon.  We couldn't make noise, couldn't move any of the lights, and forget about the fog machines.  There were no flyers, no social media support, and no support from the owner.  You don't want me to go on the "bar owner supporting and promoting the bands that are booked" rant.  I could write a freaking novel.  Needless to say we toiled at this bar for sometime before we finally saw any glimpse of success.

Then there was a change and Scott took over the bar and I actually found a bar owner that believed in helping promote shows as much as I did.  The idea was to make a live venue and a show that people would want to come to week in and week out.  The first changes began with the staff.  Scott has always hired the brightest and best bartenders and waitresses I have ever met, and I go to a lot of bars.  I don't want to make the Cheers comparison but I will.  Then we noticed the flyers hanging on the wall and the social media push on Facebook.  Scott has been willing to work with us on every idea we have brought into him.  A residency show is a very tough thing to do and to keep it fresh and interesting is essential.  We are constantly changing the set list, lights, and production to keep fans on their toes.  We want fire. "No Problem".  We want a rope swing "No Problem".  We want to use your office as a dressing room.  "Don't sit in my chair and we wont have problems".  The partnership 3D In Your Face has with The 21st Saloon is unlike anything I have ever seen in Omaha.  No bar or club or band can even dream of competing with us, and I'm not just saying that because I am biased.  Don't forget about Thursday Blues Night.  The 21st Saloon has come a long way and so has this band.  We are finally starting to see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel but I don't want to jinx that.  I have played in clubs all over the country and can safely say that Scott and The 21st Saloon is the real deal.  A music venue ran the way a music venue needs to be run.  It's a breath of fresh air and it's a beacon of hope shining brightly in Omaha, NE.

ALWAYS LOUD
FOREVER PROUD

Sam Spade

Red Carpet Bound

Hello everybody and welcome to HAIR IN THE AIR, The Official Blog of 3D In Your Face.  Wooo can you believe it's already Feb.  Where does the time go.  We are already starting to gear up for the summer tour.  After one hell of a weekend last week, the boys and I are ready to take on our home town.  This is another huge weekend for us.  First thing's first we are throwing our second annual Valentine's Day Ball this Friday, Feb. 13th at The 21st Saloon.  Love is in the air and we are sucking it in long deep and hard.  This Sunday we will be taking to the red carpet for our third trip to the Omaha Entertainment Awards.  This year, much like last year, we will be being transported in style by our wonderful sponsors Party Express Bus Nebraska.  The voting is done and there is nothing left for us to do but show up and make one hell of a hairy scene.  I can't wait.  Not to be out done by this week but next week we have something very special for you to look forward to.  We have signed on to be the headlining act at the Pre-Marchi Gras fund raiser being held at Chrome Lounge on Saturday, Feb. 21st.  But don't worry if you can't make Saturday the party on Friday at The 21st Saloon will be sponsored by Marchi Gras and we will be taking donations to help out the Sunshine Kids.  More info on that next week but mark your calendars.

First of all I want to apologize for the length of last weeks blog.  I realize sometimes I can get a little ranty, but hey this is our blog and when I feel passionate about something I just can't help myself.  I will try and contain my rambling this week.  As I said earlier this Sunday we are gearing up for our third visit to the Omaha Entertainment Awards.  Much like the Grammy's this is an award show for artist and musicians in the Omaha area.  We get the chance to rub elbows with our contemporaries, take a bunch of pictures, and mostly just laugh a whole lot.  I say this every year but I don't really care if we win so much as we keep getting the invite to come back to the ceremony.  The winners are voted on by a panel of judges and that right there puts a sour taste in everyone's mouth but that comes with the territory.  There are no hard feelings.  I love going to the ceremony.  Just imagine a room full of people and when we walk in the needle scratches and everyone stares at us.  That's pure fun.  The most important thing is that we have been nominated by you, The 3D In Your Face Army, three years in a row.  Now I didn't get into Rock N Roll to win awards.  Every time we sell a CD, our song is played on the radio, or I see people in the audience singing our songs that is the biggest reward I could ever receive.  The judges will have their opinion and I respect each and everyone of them.  I'm not here to tell you which band is better or worse.  I am here to pure and simply express the music that is flowing through my veins.

I wrote a few years back that "we would be the Rock N Roll representatives at The OEAA awards", but I find now that I was mistaken with that statement.  We are sitting in a room full of the brightest Rock N Roll representatives in the city.  Artist, actors, musicians, photographers, poets, the list is endless.  In the scheme of things we are all creating Rock N Roll and I will be damn proud to be sitting next to each and everyone of them.  Win or loose, the point is that we are all there to celebrate the creative spirit.  We are all there to celebrate Omaha and all the things we have achieved over this last year.  I hope that I get the chance to attend the OEAA's every year just to prove that the Rock N Roll spirit is alive and well.

ALWAYS LOUD
FOREVER PROUD

SAM SPADE

Sometimes You Sleep With The Guitar Tech

Hello my heavy metal family.  Welcome to HAIR IN THE AIR, The Official Blog of 3D In Your Face.  I would first like to start out by saying sorry that I missed last weeks blog.  I ran out of time but that is no excuse to leave you hanging.  So I have an extra special blog for you this week.  Let me get the formalities out of the way first.  We are only doing one show this week and it's a doozy.  Friday, Feb 6th we are throwing the official afterparty celebration for the Night Ranger/Quiet Riot show at The 21st Saloon. Admission to our show at The 21st Saloon is free when you present your Night Ranger/Quiet Riot ticket stub to the door guy.  With that being said you never know who might show up.  This week we are trying something a little new, exciting, and different to keep you people on your toes.  We are throwing the first official 3D In Your Face Garage Sale.  That's right this Friday will be the first time in history that we are raiding the closets and drawers at the 3D In Your Face studios and everything is for sale.  Also we will be bringing in collectable stuff from our other bands including Justin Morgan, Bandit Sound, Officially Terminated, and Pranxter (maybe even some Zwarte stuff).  Look forward to seeing old t-shirts, 8x10's, tour flyers, cassets, cds, mic stands, guitar strings,stage clothes, set lists, Frank (maybe).  Everything will be for sale and we will sign it all.  There aren't to many other bands that can pull something like this off.  Bring your bargaining skills because it's you against Sweet D.

Last week I realized what I wanted to talk about and I just didn't get the time to sit down and write about it.  So I wanted to give you last weeks blog and kind of update it.  As most of you know last Saturday we traveled north from Omaha, NE to Sioux City, IA.  I love going to Sioux City because everytime we are there something crazy happens and I always walk away with a story.  This trip was no exception.  Going back to the days of my first band, Officially Terminated, Sioux City was always a great road trip for us.  It afforded us time together in the van and a new crop of kids to bond with.  We used to play Legion Halls and clubs all over the town.  I remember playing a big show at this punk rock club in Sioux City.  We showed up on time but the doors to the club were locked and the owner wasn't answering his phone. Some of the guys busted in the door set up the PA and we ended up playing the show anyways.  One time we picked up a hitchiker from a show in South Dakota.  He promised us that he lived in Sioux City.  Upon arriving in town we quickly discovered he had no idea where he was staying.  We ended up driving this stranger around all night long looking for his house.  Eventually we had to insist that he exit the van because he still had to get back to Nebraska.  I seem to remember a show where we ended up at a house party.  The only thing I remember is that we ripped the mailbox off of this house as we exited the party.   The ill gotten mail box ended up being the receptial of our band pornography collection inside of our touring van.  At one show we met this amazing touring punk band that really opened our eyese to the possibilities of our music.  The band was called Subincision and they gave us one piece of advice, "Never break up.  Even if you suck, you'll eventually be know for being the band that never broke up".  Subincision broke up a year later.  In Bandit Sound the drummer and I decided that we wanted to hit up the local strip club but didn't want to pay the cover.  I had this brilliant idea of saying that we were on the Nickelback tour that was in town and the road crew sent us down here.  Worked brilliantly except for our Nebraska IDs.  The story that takes the cake is the night before we played Awesome Biker Nights.  Our sound guy at the time got really drunk.  I mean Tequilla wasted.  We all went to sleep on our bunks.  Around 6 AM the entire bus was woken up to said sound guy urninating on a sleeping Sniper.  He claims he took a wrong turn but I'm not sure I believe that story.  Needless to say the guitars were pretty loud in the mix during our performance.

Like I said earlier this trip to Sioux City was no exception.  I busted my ass promoting this event.  It was quite an honor to return and debute 3D In Your Face at The Chesterfield.  I pulled out all the stops and along with a few friends we publicity bombed the town.  Check out my interview with Nakia Brown of Sioux City Now right here.  Check out my interview with Chris Braunschweig of The Sioux City Weekender right here.  Unfortunately due to a blizzard that hit the town right around 6 PM things were a little bleak.  The show was great and I was still blown away by the people that did show up.  We truly have some amazing fans but it could have been a huge party.  Needless to say I had a blast, we played, and loaded out.  The snow was thick and our sponsors Joe and Alyshia from Party Express Bus Nebraska graciously bought us a hotel room to crash in.  Half of the guys and the crew loaded up the trailer and slowly journey back to Omaha.  Sniper, Matt, and I stayed in Sioux City for the night.  We ended up at The Perkins, which seems to happen more now that ever in my life.  Just as our chicken fried steaks were arriving a fight broke out in the dining room.  Chairs went flying.  People were screaming and there we sat with our leather jackets silently eating our dinner salads.  Back at the hotel we check in to a luxurious room with only two beds.  I opted to take the floor and let the other guys have the beds.  To my rescue, our guitar tech Matt offered to share his bed with me.  I tried to fight it but we ended up two peas in a pod.  The exhaustion caught up with everyone and there wasn't much left to do but crash.  "The echoes from the amplifiers ringing in your head".  Sioux City I love you and can't wait for the next time we meet.  Thanks for filling up my story book tales of your wonderful town.

ALWAYS LOUD
FOREVER PROUD

Sam Spade