News and Commentary

12/04/08
New Year, new stuff, new world. OK, so the scene is changing. As it always has and always will. So it's survival of the fittest. Bands have come and gone but more than often, members have simply recycled into new cofigurations. What I'm hoping for (and what 'we' as Permanent Rercords and the Hillside Posse are working hard to bring about) is a new global stage for us all, using our great little toy called the internet. I live and die by my internet connection. And with it I can see across the world (often in real time), into concerts and shows where fans swarm the fields, their numbers too great to count accurately. I want to use the internet to bring their attention here. Because as I hope you will agree (by what Dungeon TV has offered thusfar) that there is some serious talent in our neck of the woods. I've bet a lot that Hillside will be a major portal for that to happen. But in order to do that, I've got to make sure there is product on the shelves to sell. So to that end, you will notice several new records available for sale soon, more DungeonTV additions and more. So tell your friends, tell your neighbors - I wanna get lots of traffic through here! 
In the meantime, Happy New Year everybody and call me when you're ready.

9/7/07
The next round of DungeonTV is posted, so check it out (click here) if you haven't already. Now that I have stuff figured out, additions will be made very regularly so stay tuned!

8/19/07
The Dungeon's kickin' good, some great nites some slow nites, but LOT of great talent has come through. And now you can see it for yourself since I have finally birthed the somewhat reconfiggerd media room where I've got a bunch of new videos posted. I know things have taken longer than I had planned, but at long last the system is running and so if you want a DVD of a show, they will be available for a modest fee - just let me know. If I get a good response and the system proves profitable, I'll set up a system where you can buy a dvd of your choice of your favorite sets or songs performed at the Dungeon... that would be cool, right? I think so. Anyway, it's Dungeon mania here. Just trying to get the word out about our new little fortress, so tell your friends, tell your neighbors.  

7/20/07
You may or may not have noticed I'm trying to get video content squeezed onto the site - it's my opinion that this is a REALLY important thing to do so that we can start showing our madness to anyone in webland. So to that end, please let me know what you think about the vids (and let me know if they don't work on your computer or whatever...) and I'll strive to get the best stuff from the Dungeon, the hill and other exotic destinations streaming for your viewing pleasure.  A quick tech note about that - I'm working to make all the video stuff in Quicktime format so that both mac and pc users can see them. But please make sure your browser is up to date and you have the latest Quicktime installed so that everything on your end is kosher.  And come back frequently cuz there's LOTS of stuff to be posted soon!

6/13/07

So we made it through the opening show at The Dungeon - I can't thank everyone enough for all the support. Nika and Pablo (The Junkyard Saloon and Dungeon owners) bent over backwards to make us feel at home and to let us combine our visions with theirs for what will no doubt be an Orlando fixture for local original music for a long time to come.  And just so that no dust collects on the still-warm floor of the Dungeon, we'll be doing the first of our 'regular season' shows on Friday night with us (that would be Lost In Progress), Bottom Feeder, and South Of Steel... Sort of a mini re-cap of Saturday.  And speaking of which, here's a quick little video postcard from Saturday...  Dungeon postcard.mpg   

In the studio, things continue to crank along. There's a new Discordia instrumental that will melt your face, some hip-hop courtosey of MoreLess and a haunting cover of 'Remedy' by Da Rat Pack. Check out the listening room for samples. As always, there's lots of fun stuff scattered about the site, so check around... maybe you'll see yourself!

<<< A long 6 months pass until I can finally edit my website again. So updates will be a regular thing once again...yay. (no thanks to Earthlink and their Phillipine tech support) >>>

11/13/06
So you may have noticed that it's been a while since things have changed around here (let's just say my computer hacking tool of choice has become a hammer - but that's another story) but despite my lack of hacking, there has been lots of  behind the scenes progress made. First and foremost, Permanent Records has finally let loose it's first official release... our own Gas Jackson is proud to offer Public Service Announcements to the world. It will be available for online sale here shortly, but until then, you can grab it at any one of Gas'ss'es numerous upcoming live shows... But I warn you now - it's a pretty raunchy... so you'll LOVE it!!
There's lots of new music coming out of the studio besides Gas Jackson's sweet cuntry twangz. For you metalheads, Opening Death's Eyes and Discordia have both finished up new tunes that will kick your ass sideways. And of course there is the perennial monolith hanging over my head which is the Locals: Live at the Haven DVD. I know everybody's all but given up on us, but the project has NOT been forgotten (blame Gas... he wanted his record done first, and I just can't say no to the big galoot...) and getting the DVD done is now a top priority. Of course Lost In Progress continues to bubble below the outer skin and we have officially branded the mighty SteveO as our new bass player, so now it's time to get to writin' some new damn songs!! So welcome Steevie - good to have you aboard. Now as for the immediate future, I'm gonna take a quick nap since I haven't slept since before Gas' album was recorded, so just give me a minute here and Hillside's gonna dump a big ol' load of juicy bits on you real soon. I want to thank everybody for the support, patience and beer. We've had quite a year and the next one really looks to be one for the books! So whether it's from behind the drums, the console or the bar, .. I'll see you out there!!

8/5/06
OK, lots to address - First a giant holla to my brothers and sisters in the Killjoy family for their hospitality after our most recent show, and as usual, full props on a terrifying show. Always a pleasure.  And the other bands shook the walls equally well - Amnesty and Ekotren - it was an honor to perform with you guys and I'm already ready for the next one! And to that end, there have been many questions about Daddy, as some of you noticed that our vocalist tonite was 6ft nine...  well, sadly for us, PJ 'Daddy' Maclay has decided to pursue his professional street luge career and has left the band to begin training for making that perfect run down the Matterhorn.  We wish him all the best. So hence Gas Jackson on bass and little brother Paul on vocals (c'mon folk, seriously, give 'em a round of applause - they did great didn't they?). You may note the Lost In Progress tour schedule still has plenty of dates for this round, and rest assured, we WILL be out there makin' it shake... So come out and shake with us!  Let's see what else?...  Oh, yeah, and a big welcome to the Hillside posse for Opening Death's Eyes - they came and banged out a track that you can hear in the listening room and if you like it, please give them some love on the Myspace (you do know about the Myspace don't you?).  And if you don't like it... well... you best check yo head. Anyway, that's it for the moment I think.  Thermal count is rising in perpetual writhing...

7/20/06
A quick heads up if you're looking to record at Hillside... BOOK SOON! The rates will be going up as of August 1st from $150 per song to $200. Why you ask? Well, because of Hillside's new-and-improved recording setup (pictures coming soon) which makes your experience here even better! So if you want to save some cash, then CALL NOW and confirm your booking with Hillside before 8/1/06... otherwise, you have to admit that $200 is still a great price - especially considering what you get for it - great sounding music produced in a comfortable environment (did I mention to pool?) . So call and reserve your time now!  we now return you to your regularly scheduled program...

7/12/06
As usual there's LOTS going on, most notably, Permanent Records would like to welcome Gas Jackson as Lost In Progress'esess new labelmate - he's kind of hard to explain, so just go to www.myspace.com/permanentrecordsorlando to see for yourself. Meanwhile, we're chugging along on the Haven DVD - a monster project, but it's coming out pretty kool. Just need a little more time...mega thanks to everyone for their patience - we think it's gonna be well worth the wait!  Also meanwhile, Hillside 2.0 is up and running, and so Cabal and The Bad Caterpillar Experience have already laid down tracks :)  Anyway, back to it - see you in the trenches! 

5/01/06
OK, so maybe 2 weeks isn't gonna happen, but I'm hammering hard on the Haven video pile, so standby, but I didn't want to let this time go by without giving a shout to the survivors of Livestock 06! 3 days of unadulterated mayhem centered around heavy music and very relaxed rules. Oh yes, there was the good, the bad and most certainly the ugly. But really the bad was very minimal and mostly it was good people having a great time. Killer weather (the good killer kind) for sitting around, drinkin', and rockin' out!! And we did just that. So thanks to my homies for the all the grub and music - it's a weekend I'll remember for a long time. May King Looney find his elusive Rob Zombie cover band...
So now it's back to work on video stuff. Dance monkey!

4/12/06
Wow. What a great weekend! Thank you to EVERYONE who made it out to the Haven (and/or Slingapours) - I'm still recovering myself.. But seriously, the Locals: Live At The Haven went off surprisingly smooth and it was obvious that a good time was had by (just about) all....  2 FULL nights of great live music, it really was a delicious buffet of metal from the appetizing Ekotren in the first slot on Friday to Equinox's final dessert Saturday nite with the big, black cherry on top! And just in case you missed it, we got it on tape and a video from each band will appear on Permanent Records' upcoming DVD, LOCALS: Flashback To The Haven.... available as soon as I can edit down all the tape! (clips will be released as soon as bribes start filtering in) But it's gonna be great - 13 bands, 13 videos - all homegrown Florida metal. And if you're in one of the bands, just hang tight - I'll contact you about your particular video when I'm working on it. I'm looking at about 2 weeks or so to get this thing ironed out, so I'll be holed up in the lab for a while with this. Until then, check out the new pics in the gallery.  Kelly, hold my calls...

4/5/06
Things are kicking into high gear as we approach the kickoff of the big DVD show coming up at The Haven on the 7th and 8th. I made some changes to the final lineup below, so just make note that what is listed below is the final schedule as of 4/5/06.  I hope everyone has their bus passes cuz it's gonna hit HARD! A serious thank you to the Ridgeport Pub in Naples for the kickin' meal and spot to play - not too many bodies hittin the floor, but the few of us who made it had a good time (due in no small part to the free grub). Needless to say I'm a little short on time, but we're kicking ass and will have a BUNCH of new music videos featuring all sorts of heavy music! Hope you see you there and/or on the playback!

3/14/06
hey race fans... the official lineup (although still subject to change) for the Locals Live at The Haven bonanza is as follows...
Oh, and to the bands who haven't sent in your admission fee yet, please do so ASAP, or you may not be on the bill. click HERE for more info.
Friday  4/7
8:00  Ekotren (naples)
9:00  Dummo (orlando)
10:00  Blood By dawn (daytona)
11:00 Amnesty (tampa)
12:00 Divine Proportion (orlando)
1:00    Killjoy (orlando)

Saturday 4/8
7:00   Bottom Feeder (leesburg)
8:00   Nilmorta (orlando)
9:00   Psudonym (tampa)
10:00 (un)SAID (orlando)
11:00 Lost in Progress  (orlando)
12:00 Fable (new port richey)
1:00   Equinox  (orlando)
We consider each and every one of these bands to be our friends and brothers, all fighting in the trenches together to further our cause and craft. It will be an honor to perform with you.
A serious congrats goes to Bottom Feeder for kicking it into high gear at the Hard Rock Legends Battle Of The Bands and taking first place!! My spies tell me it was another solid performance.... I can't wait to see you on the 8th! 
In other news, Ignid is embarking on a whirlwind tour up to New York and PA and points south and finish up a week or so later at the Backbooth.  Should be fun!  Here's the schedule as it stands...

On top of that there are lots of Lost In Progress shows coming up, so check us out!

2/21/06
UPDATE: The LOCALS DVD show has now been officially scheduled in on April 7th and 8th at one of our favorite places to play... The Haven in Winter Park. Known for being a 'haven' for Heavy Metal, this place has always welcomed us and let's make it a great weekend for all! For more information and to submit entry fees, click HERE...
There will be at least 12 bands performing in total, most of which are of the metal denomination, and we will have compilation cd's featuring the whole roster, AND each set will be filmed for a DVD to be released shortly after. So this is a pretty big deal for everybody and it'll be a lot of work, but I foresee MUCH fun as well, so I hope to see everyone out there!

2/7/06
Let's see... So Jacksonville was... interesting. I'm just gonna leave it at that. But holy frijoles - Bourbon Street!! Hundreds of people, metal mayhem for hours, and more than a few shots of Jager. It was good stuff. It's good to have Daddy back - and he was definitely ready to go. So thanks to Unspoken, Clenchfist, Fushumeng and especially our brothers in FABLE for the fantastic opportunity to be heard by so many. I love nights where we actually sell merch...   Next up is Dukes in Winter Park on the 10th, and speaking of which, the LOCALS LIVE show has been postponed due to scheduling/venue issues - It will NOT be held at Dukes - but we'll let you know what's going on as soon as we know.
Hope everyone had a good Super Bowl - you can't win 'em all I guess... hahahaha...

1/23/06
zzzzzzzzz.... hm... ?.. oh, hey - Ok, so I'm finally recovering from the holidaze. I hope everybody had a good end of the year - it has been more than a little busy here - Let's see,... what's going on? First off, hats off to Steve's Redhouse in Leesburg for hosting a fantastic show the other night. 8 bands, basically all rock/metal with the exception of my brothers from Ruffin' It who dropped the crowd cold with their universal elixir of blues, rock and perhaps a dash of country. This was their first live show as a unit and it was great to see how much everyone really liked the music. But let me tell you, there's a LOT of metalheads in Lake County! It was way cool to meet up with so many friends, new and old - we had Cabal representin' - good to see you gents, sorry it wasn't onstage..., of course VocalDrop laid down a solid set (despite the smoke billowing from the PA!), Eleven 29 - sorry I missed the set but their myspace tunes rock... Last Summer Lost,.. damn, my head is spinning... Anyway a great night and I'm thinking that because of the success, it will be done again soon. And Sonny said we should be able to get a slot on the next one - that would be sweet!  
Ok, anything else? Oh, well if I haven't blabbed enough about the Redhouse, well I need only go back to the night before when we played at the Seabreeze Metal Lounge in Daytona and I could type another novel about how kick ass all of THOSE bands were... (well, with the exception of the mediocre set we played - Daddy's still not 100% so he took the nite off and PJ kicked it up a notch with his backups to try and fill in. A valiant effort brother, but I think we can all agree that we still need Daddy :)    Anyway, we played, then our asylum-escapee kinfolk D.E.G.A.S. - ALWAYS a good show - then Hogan's Adopt-A-Band beneficiaries Unsaid (remember that name because they're gonna go places - great sound, very digestible - so hopefully the radio will be good to them). To round out the nite, H.A.S.H. stepped up and they blew me away.  Really good dynamics. Super sludgy breakdowns, then really unique melodic stuff, then solid mid-pace heavy.. it's good stuff, check em' out. So that was Daytona. I have lots of video footage from these and other nites which will materialize in various forms soon, check back every so often.  We're gearing up for a few road trips to jam with some of our bros in the field - next up is Jax with H.A.S.H. again, so come out, come out wherever you are! Daddy took the Seabreeze night off and we bagged the Club Connection show so that he could be full-force for the Jax show, and if you think he was clawing the walls to get back in the mix before... well... let's just say he's about to punch his way through now. Something about 'On like Donkey Kong...'.  So anyway, the schedule is looking more solid and I can't wait to see everybody out on the road (or here on the hill for that matter!), tip a few beerz, make some noise, break some stuff...  ooh, that reminds me, I have to go fish that amp out of the pool...

12/12/05 
As you may have noticed, Lost In Progress has resumed booking, starting with our first time back out on Friday, December 30th at the Haven. Notice our return to New Port Ritchie when we hit Bourbon Street again.  Tampa-area favorites FABLE have graciously hooked us up once again at that incredible club and we plan to hit it with everything we got!  Daddy's about finished with his little vacation, but now we have to get him detoxed from soap operas.  In other news, Ruffin' It has just finished their 10-song offering of rock-fueled blues, ... or maybe it's bluesy rock... I don't know. But I gotta say, it came out pretty damn juicy (if I do say so myself), so I hope everybody likes it.  A few selections from the album will be available in the Listening Room for download as soon as I can figure out where the hell I put the mp3 files....

11/12/05

So they unzipped Daddy a good few inches, inserted a garden hose, and drained a few quarts or so of goo out of his lungs and side and tossed him out on his ass 3 days later (something about verbally abusing a nurse...). But he's back home now and coming through strong (and now he's really pissed), so I would suggest stocking up on protective gear if you plan to attend any or our Triumphant Return Tour show dates (to be announced as soon as Daddy can take a punch). But seriously, P.J. just needs to rest now as he continues to recover from surgery, so he'll be at the apartment for a while. (hey somebody give him some binoculars, we'll make a Hitchcock movie!) Hopefully he won't push it until he's ready. Cuz once he's back to full (or even close enough)... be advised, it's on. But he's home now, resting somewhat more comfortably and is no longer spitoon-reliant. Shoot him a call or I can get e-mail to him, or send some nice flowers or candy...and of course, cash donations to The Daddy Foundation will be gratefully accepted.

Another hot nite in the cool town of Daytona - we were scheduled to play, but since Daddy's on vacation :), Hogan and I just went and hung out and chilled at the Seabreeze, drank beer and took in some awesome heavy stylings...D.E.G.A.S., Killjoy, Blue Collar Addict, Enuff Said - the house rocked! It was cool hanging with Rebecca and the Daytona crew, and extra nice to have our homeboys Killjoy around - knowing we share the pain of the long drive home.  In the meantime, P.J. was pimpin' The Haven in Orlando, so if you were in either of those clubs tonite, hopefully you were at least offered a free DVD. If you would like one, you just have to come out to a show or call Hogan or me. But that's just a sampling of some old school stuff - the new music and vid package is in the works, so we're writing and recording as we go. Ok, sun's coming up - gotta go.

11/5/05
Ok, as many have heard already, Daddy's in pretty rough shape at the moment. Hooked up to all kinds of tubes and clamps and pumps and laying in a paper robe - kinda freaked me out. But the good news is that the surgery is done and now it's just wait and everybody lift a collective glass to cheer on his immune system to keep the infection on the run and let him heal. Daddy, we miss you - I miss you - now quit screwing around and get back here so we can work on this album! (damn... anything for a vacation...)
In other news, 'NUFF SAID, a fantastic bluesy rock band from a little farther north is working on a 10-song thingy that's gonna be my new favorite for quite a while - it's good stuff and these guys REALLY have the blues! More on that soon.  Until then, I have to go wax my thumbs, so I'm out.

10/8/05

Gig night. I'd have to say it was a good nite. Our brothers (and sisters) from Fist2Face, Divine Proportion, and Killjoy really represented tonite. Thanks to you all for the love - we kind of had a tough set with lots of 'technical difficulties', but we made it through ok. Daddy feels good about the show too. He literally has a bloody microphone grill imprint on his forehead. He'll be healed up by next show and with a whole new set of issues. Thanks to my bandmates for jamming with me tonite - much respect and love... and HAPPY BIRTHDAY P.J.!!!!! Here's a few shots from tonite...

10/2/05

Whew!... let's see.  Hectic schedules have only allowed us a few practices but a BUNCH of live shows lately, and it's been awesome! Jamming with my brothers onstage, drinking with my brothers offstage (viva la WALL OF BOXES!). We did quite a few nice gigs these past weeks and I want to shout out to all who know who they are and thanks for the love - I love back. Particularly the Dead Gospel crew, you guys know how to bring it and I can't wait to hit ATL! And let's not forget Fable - Pt St Ritchie is the SH@T! 

The band is in the writing and recording phase right now, several new LP songs have been brought out at these past shows and it sounds like you all like 'em,,, so get ready for more. And everyone seems to get the vibe on the 'Rise' video despite it's um... rawness, so I guess it's time to start on a REAL video (oh this is gonna be a good one) - and I'll be in it -yay! So despite some 'technical delays' caused by everything from smoking computers to frisky tortoises, the band is on a good track and new stuff is coming!

And hey to my man Tony at N-Vision Productions who is trusting me with his dream and helping me with mine.  He's got kickass setups that are perfect for your next wedding, funeral, bar mitzvah or concert! If you need any of that kind of production - he's the guy to see.

I'll have some new pics up soon so come back soon! later E

9/12/05

OK,.. let's see.. from the flight deck here, it's Eric. What's up?

Alright, we're kicking this band thing into gear - the Clermont/Orlando veteran band  has foolishly absorbed yours truly as their chosen s(k)inman.  Just one word.. MUAHHHHAHAHA. With our powers combined, this thing could go nuclear. (just watch out for the toxic waste... we do tend to leave a bit of a mess...)
So anyway, download all of the old lost in progress stuff through the studio section of the site to hear the recent past of the band featuring my predecessor, my friend - with top regards and love - SUDI. You can get the video for 'Rise' which I made before I was in the band, and it came out pretty cool (for no budget, no planning, and lots of beer) and we're well under way with new recordings, video, and yes, DVD! So until then, go and check out the show schedule to see when we're playing and come check out the damage we can do live - I'm tellin' ya.. I loved watching this band (even) before I was in! haha.  But seriously. Enough plugs. I'm just stoked to be a part of this beast.

Anyway, there's gonna be lots ready soon, so check back and you can hear and see for yourselves!
Later!

E

and here's a few of the promo pics we did just for fun...