STG Music

Voices In My Head (Blog)

The Blog has moved

Posted at 02:50 PM on July 13, 2009

I moved the blog over to a Blogger account. I was getting too much spam over here and Blogger has good spam filters.

So, check out http://seangill-insidemyhead.blogspot.com/

I'll leave this one up as an archive. If anybody cares. which they don't.

In the meantime, have some widgets:

And life continues to be rather busy. I am in the midst of a recording session at work and I've been at the office all sorts of odd hours. I have an acoustic show this Sunday. I don't get out acoustically as much as I used to. Mastering on the Strange Land cd is 99% done and I've nearly finished the artwork. Strange Land will also be heading to Detroit next weekend for one, maybe two shows. Thanks to Tiles for the invite. I'm also settled in pretty well at my new apartment. At least enough to get done what needs doing. I haven't hung my pictures yet though.

A (not so) brief update

Posted at 08:39 PM on January 15, 2009

Hey all... well... if anyone reads this. If you do, thank you and please leave comments. big grin

I've had a busy couple of months since my last post here. I'm still posting regularly at the Progrockin' Blog. I've been busy putting the finishing touches on the new Strange Land cd. We did some re-tracking and re-mixing in December and we are having 3 tracks mastered for a promo EP that we should have out in a few weeks. As for the full cd we're still trying to find a label that will support us in the release. If not we have some backup plans. We just think it would be nice to have a little help this time around. It's hard to survive in music for ten years, let alone as a 3 piece. We have just as much work as any band but we have fewer people to spread it out to. As yes, though largely unmarked We passed our ten year mark. It was the end of November if you count it from the time I joined the band and the name changed. Another ten year mark we're looking at are our first live show (March 17th 1999, yes St Patty's day. Live on UWW television... complete with strippers. That's a story for another blog).

Over the holidays I had some time off and I started recording my next solo cd. This one will be acoustic and will be the first time I'm recording any of my vocal songs. I've been singing for a long time but I've never been confident enough to record my singing. Well, now is the time. I've got backing tracks for 5 vocal songs done. I'm planning to mix vocal and instrumental about 50/50. I have about 12 vocal songs I can pick from but only 2 instrumental tunes finished. Time to get writing.

Not that there isn't a lot of writing going on. Even though Catharsis hasn't been released yet Strange Land currently has 4 new song on the cooker. Look for one make it's live debut at our February 21st show. I'm also writing for Plank Road Publishing. That's where I do my day job as a music engraver. I've had a few tunes published now, children's music believe it or not. I'd like to write more but since I don't really like people to begin with it's a challenge to write for kids. And my mood hasn't been helping.

I don't know how writing it here affects anything, but it's information about me and I suppose if you are reading this you actually want to know about me. I am officially divorced. As of January 7th 2009. I spent a year and a half trying to save a marriage that was probably doomed the moment my wife said she wasn't sure if she loved me anymore. I tried. I spent a lot of energy over that time and I know it affected every aspect of my life. The details don't need to be relayed here. It's enough to say that I had a very bad year last year.

I have been seeing someone. It took a lot of thinking to decide that I was even in a place where I could pursue a new relationship. She makes me happy. She's smart and cute. And she doesn't make me cry. We both want to work toward something long term but for now, not crying is enough for me.

A slight adjustment

Posted at 09:49 PM on November 11, 2008

So, when I started this blog it was called "I Hope I Offend You" and in many ways I still hold myself to that. I want to make people think. I want people to question everything with a critical eye. And getting you to do that involves nudging, cajoling and sometimes shoving you forcefully out of your comfort zone. I also still expect to run across things I just want to rant about.

On the other hand, I am a musician. I indirectly make a living at it and directly express myself through it. If I want to increase the number of people who hear me and potentially increase the number of people who buy my music I have to consider myself a product. I have done a lot of the things indie musicians do these days including myspace, facebook and other sites. And I got spread to thin. I have essentially abandoned my myspace page and I'm going to focus on this one more as a place for everything. I took the shotgun approach (lots of sites) and got nowhere with it. So I'm trimming down. The myspace page is still there, I'm just going to more or less ignore it. Email me here, find me on facebook if you want to get a hold of me.

Currently Listening To:
Wake Pig
3
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Yeah, I've been around and do one small thing

Posted at 09:08 PM on October 30, 2008

It's been a long and trying 5 months since my last post here. I do have a facebook page and tend to keep my current activities up to date there. I have more or less finished the new Strange Land cd, there are a few tiny details about the music to tweak and we are hunting down record label leads. I have been writing for a prog music blog. I joined the Julie B Well. I've know Julie for a long time and I'm honored that she asked me to be part of her music. It's challenging and very enjoyable. And it's nice, for me, that I'm not in charge. Strange Land is very much a collective and it requires equal energy from all 3 of us. The Well feels to me like a jazz combo with a band leader. I get to just play my guitar and I get a lot of freedom. Work has been plenty busy. Late summer through fall is our busy season. I have however recently become salaried. Yes, I don't get paid overtime, but I have a lot more freedom when we are not busy. I will also have my 3rd song published in the magazine I work for later this year. It's a great opportunity they have given me and I am glad to have another creative outlet.

One small thing: Don't doubt the little things you can do for the environment. Yes, everything helps. Focus that willpower and do it. I finally got some reusable grocery bags. I was shopping one day and just thinking about how many bags I use in a year. I usually use 2 each week, so thats 104 bags a year. Just for me. Just for groceries, not counting the odd trip to Target or Best Buy. Yes, the plastic bags are useful for other things but I sure don't need 104 of them. It seems like a lot of people know about doing the little things but they just can't bring themselves to it. Maybe somebody has to be first, and maybe that's me at the store I go to. I bought the bags about a month ago and have yet to see anyone else using reusable bags. But maybe people will see me using them and think "Hey, I really should do that too." Well, what are you waiting for?

Every scar is a lesson learned

Posted at 10:59 AM on May 02, 2008

How much pain can one person take? I can apparently take much more than I thought. And still come out better for it. Oh, there will be scars. But they will be mine. I have the strength to grab every thought that comes into my head and examine before I react. Let go of the ones that hurt and interfere with moving forward through life. We can all do that.

These are some of the lyrics from Someone Else? by Queensryche. They seem to fit me today.

All my life they said I
was going down,
but I'm still standing,
stronger, proud.
And today I know there's
so much more I can be.

From where I stand at the crossroads edge,
there's a path leading out to sea.
And from somewhere
deep in my mind,
sirens sing out loud
songs of doubt
as only they know how.
But one glance back reminds, and I see,
someone else not me.

Yep, still kickin?, and I still want to piss you off

Posted at 06:13 PM on April 28, 2008

Well, its been a long time since I posted. I have been utterly swamped between work and Strange Land. But work is letting up a little. Strange Land is finally reaching the end of the album creation process. Still plenty of grinding work to do, but at least I can see the end coming.

Had a lot of stuff personally to deal with in the past year and I won't go into detail here but its enough to say that its affected all of my activities to an extent, more so recently than before. But don't worry, I'm still cranky, don't like people and I have not found religion. In fact, I dislike it more than ever. On the upside, I found a cool Milwaukee atheist group to meet with from time to time. If you're going to be in a minority its good to band together even if its just to have dinner and bullshit about your job. We don't have agendas, sometimes we talk politics, sometimes about someone's kids. We're just regular people who happen to be atheists.

Read a good quote today though I can't find it now. Not sure of the source but it was something like "Just going to church doesn't make you a christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car." So there. Put up or shut up. Or something.

And just a quick note about logical arguments.

1. The burden of proof lies with the proponent of a position. This is how criminal trails work, this is how scientists test hypotheses. You say something is, you need to back it up.

2. Faith is not proof. Just because you say so doesn't make it so. Just because someone else said so doesn't make it so. You need evidence that would be unchanged whether humans were involved or not. Fossils would still be the same if we weren't here to find them.

Please read that over and over again. Some would try to foist the burden of proof on atheists but as one who is the opponent its absurd to think I need to prove a negative. So stop taking the coward's way out of the argument. You might not need anything more than faith personally but if you're going to try and convince me you'd damn well better have more to back it up with.

ProgBlog #3

Posted at 03:55 PM on January 31, 2008

My Brain Hurts and I Like It!

I have often said that hurting my brain was a hobby of mind. Though complex math escaped me in high school I was always good with biology, chemistry, physics and art. I do enjoy simplicity as well. Simplicity can be relaxing, efficient, and perfect if done with the right intent. I like having the refuge of some simple art and music to turn to when I need it. Yet the simple thing I like still make me think. I'm not into mindless tv, for example.

I think that I am a prog musician because early in life I found a desire to push boundaries.

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Pet Peeve #4

Posted at 12:41 PM on January 27, 2008

Stupidity. Ok, I know that one is rather vague... lets narrow it down. People who do really stupid things without considering the consequences to themselves or others. Here is a recent example: A few weeks ago I was on my way to rehearsal in Racine. On I-94 near the airport I saw a guy driving a beat up Chevy Blazer. He was driving a bit slower than the rest of us. As I passed him I saw that both of his front wheels were bent inward about 10-15 degrees! What in the f'n world makes somebody think that its ok to drive a car in that condition! Maybe drive it to the shop, but not down the freeway at 50 miles an hour! The best thing that I think can happen to people like this is for them to crash and die and not take out someone else with them. Thin the herd. Unfortunately these types do often take other people out. Oh, it gets better! Yesterday, on my way home from rehearsal I saw the same guy driving the same vehicle, still with the same problem! I admit I don't know a lot about cars. Somebody please write me and tell its ok to drive with your wheel bent in the wrong direction. This is probably completely normal. I bet the wheels move into this position for better aerodynamics! I bet my car does this too, I just don't see it from the outside, right?

(yes...sarcasm...)

ProgBlog #2

Posted at 05:23 PM on January 24, 2008

As in politics, all music is local

I'd like to share my thoughts on the state of live local music. I'd really love to hear Ray's European take on this, and feedback from anyone who's thought about live music and local bands. Every band is from somewhere and we all start as local acts. I live in Wisconsin. At one time Milwaukee was a hotspot for live music as I'm sure many cities were. At one time live music was a primary form of entertainment for people. It was for hundreds of years. That all began to change?

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