Addicted to Octane

The 'Singles' Scene

2009-03-23T11:12:00.004-04:00

Division band meeting last night which meant a lot of administrative stuff, some jockeying for action items, reviewing schedules, etc. The interesting part was the philosophy discussion on marketing a band's release schedule in the modern, digital age. There are two conflicting views. Let me explain both.

First, the traditional album (or CD or cassette) model; go into the studio, record 10-12 songs and release them as an entire album with flow, potential an underlying theme and maybe even a story that weaves all the songs together.

Second, release songs as they're completed, one at a time or in smaller groups, so that they become more easily accessible and the band stays on the charts or in the minds of fans more consistently.

The problem with the first model is that fans who want to buy the song that they love must buy the disc. The proponents of digital distribution call this the "two good songs cost you $17 at Best Buy" model. The issue with the latter model is that the band becomes a singles band. The album flow is gone (and Noodles argued that it has been dying since CD's were released and people could skip songs without effort). The band may release three songs at a time, but (as Mike pointed out), going back and listening, the band repeatedly writes the same three or very similar songs.

There is a happy medium between the two models and that's where Division is at the moment. We'll be researching and experimenting with different distribution models until we have our happy hybrid approach. We'll also be playing live @ JAXX Nightclub with Evergrey on May 27th. That's going to be a lot of fun.

So, from all that discussion, here's today's question. Did you ever buy an album or a cassette and listen to it for a specific song? I'm guessing you have. If you listened to a few songs to get up to the one you were hoping to hear, did any of those other songs become your favorite later on?

If the answer is yes, I'd love to hear specifics (and so would the proponents of the album model). Stay tuned this week for a guest you won't want to miss.

One love,

nK

Bleak before bleak was cool

2009-03-11T13:40:00.003-04:00

Lords and Ladies of the Court,

The following is a list of words which I could go decades without hearing. Please adhere to these rules and refrain from usage of these terms until this decree has been lifted:
"economic downturn", "financial crisis", "bailout", "stimulus package"*, "layoffs"**,"foreign dependency" and "recession".

*(including all emails about male enhancement and discount adult DVDs)
**(unless in the context of the Good Times theme song....R.I.P. Esther Rolle)

I've heard them all, and I've heard them enough. Including these terms in every conversation does nothing to promote positive thinking, and keeps everyone miserable. So, that's it. They're gone from my vocabulary until I'm talking to my grandkids about the horrors of the early 21st Century.

I like bleak. I like dark. I like ominous. (I also like spicy tuna rolls, but I digress). I was fortunate enough to receive a pre-release copy of Jack Kilborn's novel, "Afraid". It is all these things in abundance. I'll get my horror and suspense from great writing and great music. That's enough for me. Besides, the characters in "Afraid" are much more likeable than talking heads like Wolf "Show me the burning bodies" Blitzer.

Horror has played a large influence on my writing, both as a novelist and as a lyricist. As we continue the vocal sessions on the upcoming Division CD, "Control Issues", I'm delighted to dig into the macabre and sadistic. This CD is largely a compilation of stories, each of which has its origins in something dark and frightening. Some folks use music to help them write (myself included). In this case, I've used books and movies to help me write the music that inspires books and movies. Art comes full circle, and in this case, that circle has burning candles and chants to evil spirits involved.

I hope to have some great new tidbits of information to you this month about music, writing, writers and some special announcements. "Control Issues" is still being created. If you'd like to hear some of the songs performed live, check out the Division site for show details.

In the meantime, stay so black that people may ask "how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black. " as Nigel would say.

One love,

nK

Recording: Psychosis, Pin-Up Models and Profanity

2009-03-01T18:38:00.002-05:00

Just arriving home after another solid recording session for the upcoming Division CD, "Control Issues". Mike (Blevins) and I had three uninterrupted hours to bang through material and, other than the threat of snow and making one another laugh, we managed to stick to the schedule.

Maybe it's coincidence, or maybe not, but the last two songs that I've gone in to record are both songs about a slow and steady descent in which the person singing the song crosses over from normal to psychopath. Mike, who is engineering the disc, was really helpful with some ideas on how to deliver melody lines, how many harmonies lines to have and how hard to hit them. I think his guidance has helped to deliver more of the 'slow burn' journey instead of me just delivering each line as hard as possible. He really understands dynamics, and probably missed his calling. He could be a great director in Hollywood...in the demented, Kubrick, "no you can't go to the bathroom" kinda way.

Today's song was ".45 Intent", about a young man who gets the girl of his dreams only to find out she's not what he wanted at all. It's sort of like "Blind Date" meets "The Tell Tale Heart". The entire song came from a line that crept into my head while I was at a goth bar in Louisville: "In this bar surrounded by the ghosts of Bettie Page". The pin-up queen has since left this life and I'm not sure if that's profound or I just sort of want it to be as an artist.

The song also features optimal placement of the F word. Shocker.

Division is performing in two short weeks at The Broad Axe in Hagerstown, MD. March 14th will be our first trip to the place and we welcome anyone who wants to come down, check out the new tunes and have a drink. Till then, back to work, slackers! Be careful in the snow!

One love,

nK

Billy Blanks' Big Adventure

2009-02-03T21:18:00.003-05:00

Ok, this story doesn't really feature Billy Blanks doing ANYTHING, but he is involved...that evil mastermind!

Sybir and I were workin' out at our favorite gym, Powerhouse Gym (UN-official gym of Just Wanna Play) and I noticed that the wave master they usually have on the ground floor was gone. (A wave master is like a heavy bag used for punching and kicking, but it has a base typically filled with water (or sand) to weigh it down.) How did I notice it was gone? It was pretty easy. This particular wave master is BRIGHT yellow, with the Tae Bo logo and silhouette of Billy himself on the side.

The investigation ended quickly when I saw said wave master out by the dumpster, which I found curious. While the pad is pretty beat up, the base and core of the thing were in good shape. I asked Kelly about it and he said a new one was coming in and there wasn't any room. Eureka! I instantly thought of bringing it over to The House, Inc. and adding it to the exercise equipment available to the kids there.

Here's where it all goes awry. See, I was under the assumption that moving it out to the dumpster had involved removing some of the water from the base to cut down on the weight. Wrong, Cat. Very, very wrong. So, let's just say the first two attempts at getting it into the truck were not only unsuccessful, they were downright comical.

Anyway, after dumping out a bunch of the water, Sybir and I got the thing into the truck, delivered it to the kids at The House, and called it a night. I learned the important lesson about picking up heavy, wet objects after doing chest and abs, and anyone watching got a good laugh.

In other news, Sybir and I continue to grow our nutritional supplement business at a good clip and welcome anyone with health concerns to contact us or to take a look at the Wolfpack site. If we can help you get well, we're happy to take the time to assist. JWP is not playing on February 21st, so stay tuned for a make-up date. Division is recording and will next play live on March 14th. More to follow.

Okay, off to write.

One love!

nK

What Kind of World Do You Want?

2009-01-21T21:24:00.003-05:00

What Kind of World do You Want?

Pretty simple question for most people, I'm sure. It's the "and how would you make that happen" part that stumps folks.

This is the very question posed by John Ondrasik, singer from Five for Fighting, in the group's song, "World". John and his team put together a website to help make a difference. It's named whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com. It's a video repository where viewers can go and watch user-posted videos. For each viewing, a dollar goes to an associated charity.

I was made aware of John's amazing site from Lowen & Navarro's fan club. One video on the site is the gathering of ALS-diagnosed individuals singing the chorus to the song, "Learning to Fall". That's the title song from Lowen & Navarro's most recent CD, and was inspired by Phillip Simmons' book of the same name. Want to check it out and help out ALS research, click HERE.

I managed to get corporate approval for a video of the amazing SE Volunteer Day back in October. I'm hoping to get it posted (it's uploading on another computer as we speak). Once it's up, I'll update everyone on that very cool event and who and how we helped.

More to come...

One Love,

nK

He who limits his interests...

2008-12-29T21:45:00.009-05:00

For those who visit this blog regularly, first of all, thanks. Second, it's no surprise to many that I'm a big fan of the legendary Vincent Price. I was searching for a good quote for BNI a few weeks ago and ran into a great one which I think sums Vince up pretty well. His words: "He who limits his interests, limits his life." Gotta love it. Especially from a guy who was a stage actor, movie actor, radio talent, chef and art collector (among other things).

I've learned a lot from Sybir in our time together and thankfully, I'm still learning. This week has been focus through meditation and concentration, with lessons from Bruce Frantzis and Dr. Andrew Weil. Before this, I would stumble sometimes into the periods where I gave myself information overload and largely lost sight of the identity I was trying to synchronize with through the white noise...that I created!

Now that I have the pathway to keep my head above it all, I'm working on prioritizing things and making sure that the most important things get to the forefront. For instance, it's more important to make sure Pup gets to school on time than it is to stay up writing interview questions for the star of "Return to Sleepaway Camp." (Crap, I have to get those done this week...)

As everyone is making resolutions, try to use these two different but complimentary ideas in place. Research and expand your interests. At the same time, focus on who you are and who you strive to become. Very often, you'll find the two ideas aren't so far apart after all.

Thoughts?

One love,

nK

Friday Morning...Already?

2008-11-21T00:16:00.002-05:00

As economists call today's situation anything from a crisis to a recession to a downturn, I've found a few of us willing to cry B.S. on any of those titles. Look, I've seen the problems that people have. My mom has to work when she should be retired. People with no ability to support local live music can't afford to go out a night a week anymore. It sucks, but it's not an absolute.

While I've watched big companies claim they no longer have budget for this or that, I've watched just as many small companies or self-employed people willing to spend a few extra dollars. Why? Because if they get sick, their business makes ZERO. That's it. Zilch. Kaput. Nada, senor.

If you are in control of your destiny, whether that is a business, a personal goal, a fitness goal or anything to advance you in your life path, being forced to the sidelines isn't an option. Let's talk about how we can work together to ensure your physical, mental and natural health. There's too much at stake in this doom and gloom society, and hey, it hasn't even snowed and turned the beltway into dangeresque central yet!

One love!

nK

Pennsylvania in the Fall

2008-11-11T21:21:00.002-05:00

One of the worst parts about having a sales support job is that I get to travel. One of the best parts of having a sales support job is I get to travel.

In this case, I write to you from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on a cold night. The brilliant light of the full moon is lighting the rooftops, but unfortunately, there are no super heroes or super villains in skin-tight cat burglar outfits to watch. Instead, there's the sound of the couple (at least a couple) in the room next door, and the occasional train whistle. Yes, I said Pennsylvania.

I'm originally from Philadelphia, and while Harrisburg isn't exactly the Philly suburb, it's great to hear the accent and dialect I was born into. A long sandwich isn't a sub here, it's a hoagie. A slice of pizza is a slice of pie, and a soda is a coke, regardless of the brand in the can.

I get to hit Hershey, PA tomorrow, home of the very fun Hershey Park. Of course, just as my last few visits, Hershey Park is closed when I come here, so I'll have to forgo the roller coasters for a few extra hours in the Passat. There are enough stretches of I-270 or route 15 that I can make it a roller coaster ride anyway.

Division is recording guitars and that means it'll be time for vocals soon. We're excited about our progress and I think those of you who have heard us will agree that the latest disc is the most like our live performances. JWP returns to rehearsal this week (full rehearsal that is. D's new baby, my trip to New Orleans and election night kept us from having a full roster the last three weeks.)

Everything else is chugging along as well. The day job is a bit headstrong more than just plain steady. School is tough during the winter months when it's dark so early you feel like a vampire just trying to research. It's just a two-day trip and I'll be back home post-rehearsal tomorrow night. Hopefully I'll see some of you under the same full moon.

One love,

nK

All present and accounted for.

2008-10-26T23:26:00.005-04:00

Everyone survived the Halloween party...or so I hear. After dealing with children for much many more hours than I thought possible, the adults descended into a low key party featuring a meat tray and Leslie Vernon.

Let me explain.

After testing for a new belt in Tae Kwon Do on Friday night, my blushing bride and I decided that a party for the kids was a great idea. This way, the kids could have an extra chance to wear their Halloween costumes. Great idea, except there were like 18 kids. with cupcakes. and lollipops. in costume.

I had the honor of playing Spider-Man for the little ones, and it was an absolute blast but there isn't much ventilation when you're the web-swinging, wall-crawling hero of comic book lore. So, four hours or so were enough for me to call it a night, throw on my Tampa Bay Lightning jersey and host the adult-only party.

The adults, much lower in volume level and blood pressure than the kids, celebrated a night out with a viewing of The Addaams' Family, Tales from the Crypt, and a personal favorite, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Trust me, horror fans, Leslie is worth buying and watching on DVD. Check out my interview of the lead actor over on Horrorview.com.

This week it's more day job stuff, followed by some rehearsal, maybe some recording, trick or treating and the premiere of Ninjas vs. Zombies on Halloween night! Be careful, my ghouls and ghoulettes!

One Love!

nK

Caped Crusaders & Everyday Heroes

2008-10-24T21:38:00.003-04:00

My graphic novel kick continues. In addition to The Walking Dead, Awakening, some of the classic Spider-Man novels, and a great Iron Man book called "Extremis", I found a cool compilation called "Batman: The Long Halloween". Man, that one has everything. More villains than you can shake a stick at, a bizarre murder case, organized crime, Harvey Dent and a great film noir feel. I highly recommend it.

As for the undead, Division has apparently found our niche. In addition to submitting a song off of the upcoming Control Issues CD to a zombie movie soundtrack, we were also asked to write the theme song to a comical undead flick titled Dead Sucks. We're wrapping up some of the writing and I expect that one will see the light of day in the next month or so, so keep your ears peeled for news on that front. Division's next gig is at The Clubhouse with Cab Ride Home on December 19th. It's going to be a mess. haha.

As for everyday heroes, moms and dads and regular folks (no, I will not use any "First Name" the "Blue Collar Occupation" titles here), I had a chance to be a part of an amazing effort during my recent visit to New Orleans. 165 volunteers put in eight hours each to help rebuild Laurel Elementary School. That's no small feat! It was a wonderful experience and I feel that I'm a better person for being a part of it. Kudos to all my co-workers who made that a success.

I realize this is more of a "What I've been doing" post than a "What comes next" post, but hey, I wanted to turn everyone on to some good reading and brag about some of my friends. Who can blame me...they're awesome!

One Love!

nK

PS - The Spider-Man/Black Cat story, "The Evil that Men Do" is another winner. Check it out.

Iron Man is Cool

2008-10-01T20:39:00.003-04:00

There's just no doubting it...Iron Man is cool. The movie was great when Sybir and I first caught it in theaters, and we picked up the DVD yesterday so we could watch it with our son. It's got enough humor and action to fill up the entire running time, and there's not a lot of violence. Most, if not all, of the deaths happen off-screen, kind of like the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Iron Man is a good flick about a human who embraces technology to make a difference. Wow, and here I am working on a book (my fourth) about a Metahuman who had technology forced on him and is trying to do his best to figure out if he's good or evil, or whatever. It's always fun to look at other "hero" offerings (comics, movies, novels) and compare and contrast. With Iron Man and Catwalk, it's pretty easy. Both are humans driven by high-tech gadgetry. They both have a conscience driving their actions. They even both have beautiful, highly intelligent women working closely with them and providing emotion to the story. (That's not original, I have the same situation at home!)

Here's the difference. Iron Man is a fighter jet. He's a sleek, supersonic, high-flying, heavily armed speedster. Catwalk is a sportbike. He can't fly, but he can motor fast as hell, he's agile and quick, and his only weapons are things he carries (guns, the self-defense baton, etc.)

I think the series has plenty of action in it, but it's a darker world he plays in. I used to equate Catwalk as part Spider Man, Blade Runner and Akira, but I think there are definitely similarities to Iron Man, Batman and some of the old school film noir characters as well.

As for real life, the Health and Wellness business is growing with some great folks coming on board to grow our businesses together. The day job is pretty hectic this week with a lot of travel (I was in frickin' Newark this morning). JWP plays this Saturday. Divsion plays next Friday with Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle.

Comment or message me for show details.

One Love!

nK

Two More Days

2008-09-18T23:25:00.002-04:00

We're just two days from the Rev Your Engines 2008 event. 90% of me is really excited. 10% of me is relieved. For those of you who have done a fundraiser, you completely understand that last statement.

Anyway, the event includes a motorcycle ride, live music, face painting, an appearance from Slapshot of the Washington Capitals, temporary tattoos, race cars, fire engines and more. if you're in the DC area, come on out. Details here.

As for all the other things, they're sort of on hold for the next 48 hours. I'll update once we're on the other side.

One love!

nK

I Am Available!

2008-09-09T14:12:00.003-04:00

No, I'm not suddenly single. I am still happily married to Sybir and that ain't changing until one of us is brought back from the dead as a horrible pile of rotting flesh hell-bent on eating the living.

What? Too soon with the zombie talk? Sorry. I'll save that for the end.

By available, I mean there are more ways than ever for my friends, fans and family to get a piece of me. In addition to this site and the official Nick Kelly MySpace page, there are now official Nick Kelly FaceBook and Twitter pages. Plus, there's Instant Messenger, Email, phone, etc etc. You'd think for a guy who is into so many things, I'd be hiding behind a keyboard and making sure no one could find me. That doesn't really help any of my efforts succeed. Tim Sales is right - it's all about communication.

So, here's the update from Camp Kelly on the current fronts. We had a great recording session on Sunday night with Division. We are almost done the song, "Feast", which is about the aforementioned zombies. I had a fun time writing that one, including a conversation with Ken Foree, who starred as Peter in the original "Dawn of the Dead".

The next public appearances are September 20th for Just Wanna Play at the Rev Your Engines 2008 charity event to raise money for Stop the Silence. We're having a motorcycle ride and a family fun day to help build awareness and donate to prevent and treat child sexual abuse. It's a great cause and will be a fun day. There's all sorts of stuff for the kids to do. We look forward to seeing you there.

The next Division gig is October 10th with Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle and Manticora. That's right - both Savatage singers I've been compared to will be performing!

Finally, Sybir and I have starting building up our health and wellness business (as stated last post). A few of you have listened to what we're doing, and a few have joined the cause to "Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health". (Dr. Myron Wentz, Ph.D.)

Feel free to contact me on one of the many channels (new or old).

One Love!

nK

The Opportunity That Will Change Your Life!

2008-08-31T21:25:00.002-04:00

You didn't really buy that, did you? Opportunities don't change people's lives. People change their lives. Opportunities, at best, provide the catalyst for change, and most often, people willing to change make the opportunities anyway.

Sybir and I are finally home from an outstanding convention in Utah. Yes, I said, outstanding and Utah in the same sentence. We had the chance to meet with many other small business owners in the wellness industry, and came away positive about the changes that we're going to make in our lives to take advantage of the opportunity before us. And by "us", I mean my wife and me, and everyone reading this blog who might have the slightest interest in owning their own business, having more time with their children, making sure their parents can live in peace, or even just having the desire for better health.

My brother, DB, and I debate about a lot of things, but there's one point we repeatedly agree on and openly brainstorm on. If you want to be financially free, you have to own something. More specifically, you have to own something that's making you money. Otherwise, you're tied to a desk or a business, or the books, and it's no different than working for someone else. You're slave to your own businees, instead of slave to someone else's.

I had a chance to watch a line-up of brilliant financial minds this past few days. Tim Sales (author of Brilliant Compensation), Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad), Robert Allen (author of Multiple Streams of Income) and Paul Zane Pilzer (author of The Wellness Revolution). That was just the guest speakers. I won't even list the presenters from our networking group. It was a fantastic dynamic of different minds and messages, and with each, I seemed to realize what I'd been missing.

Opportunity knocks sometimes, but not always. In this case, it's been sneaking around my house for about seven months. My wife has been working on this business while I've remained blissfully ignorant, working on band stuff, my day job, and charities. It took everything I've mentioned to open my eyes.

Why now?

It's easy. Taking the steps now to increase this business (and yours) is the right move. The wellness industry is poised to be a Trillion dollar industy. That's why it makes money sense. Our product offerings help people improve their health with vitamins, essential minerals, foods and nutrionals that no other company can offer. That's why it makes product sense.

My son is four. I don't want him to work until he's in his mid-thirties before he understands money and the dynamic of the rich and poor in America. My parents are in their 60's. There's no reason they should still have to work. I'm making it my goal to get financially free, so that they can enjoy their lives, instead of commuting, answering phones, undertaking needless stress, and then give a third of their money back to the government.

If you've read this far, you probably have a similar vision of your own. You don't want to spend three hours a day in the car. You don't want to tell your child she can't have something after she's done her chores and earned it. You don't want to watch your parents struggle because the economy took a nosedive. Maybe your reasoning is different.

Message me. Email me. Call me. If your health and your family are important to you, give me a listen. I'm not asking you for millions, or to put your savings on the line on some longshot. I'm going to tell you exactly what my wife and I have done, and offer you the same chance at financial freedom. If you don't call me, expect a call. This is a chance to change lives for the better. I'm not going to pass it up.

One Love!

nK

Heaven on Earth and Hectic Planning

2008-08-24T17:23:00.003-04:00

Critics will tell you that multi-tasking is less efficient than being focused. This week, unlike most, I'm inclined to agree. Usually I'm a proponent of mentally investing in different directions but over the past few days, I think I'm a little too scattered.

It's been a while since my last post, so let me try and put it into perspective. My last post was before a Division gig, which was an absolute blast. Check out the post-show blog over on Division's MySpace page. After that, we had a band meeting to try and solidify our to-do lists, recording schedule, marketing opportunities, goals and plans for the next few months. That filled our brains up, as well as our calendars.

I went to Bermuda for five days with Sybir. It was amazing. We went kayaking, mountain biking, snorkeling, sailing and drinking...did I mention drinking? It was a refresher that I didn't realize I needed until I was there.

While in Bermuda, I finished up Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" novel. I'm excited about getting a chance to see him speak next weekend. I also finished "Heaven and Hell" which is Don Felder's book about his time with the Eagles. As a lifelong Eagles fan, I wasn't necessarily surprised, but I enjoyed it immensely, and it provided a new perspective on some of the songs.

Just Wanna Play had our first gig at Yak-a-Doo's in Fredericksburg the night after I got back. It was an absolute blast. I think reading Felder's book is helping me devote more attention to my musical practice. Tonight is a Division rehearsal.

I managed to get some writing in the last two nights, as well as finish drafting a paper for school and returning to Tae Kwon Do class. Oh, and I met Chris Flick, creator of the web comic Capes & Babes. I'm really not sure where I am at the moment, so maybe if I figure it out, I'll let you all know. Till then, it's back to planning the Rev Your Engines 2008 event.

Musical Mayhem!

2008-08-07T23:08:00.002-04:00

Well, with less than a week before the upcoming Division gig, we found out we would be headlining. Turns out the national act had logistical issues. Bummer for them, but hell, that means we get to sell cheaper tickets, and we get the whole stage. Awesome!

We'll be playing Saturday night at Jaxx in Springfield, VA. We have some new songs plus some surprises so don't miss out!

On the writing side, I finished up the first edits on the third Catwalk book and began some preliminary ideas for Book Four. This one can get really seedy if I allow it to, which of course means I will. That means some interesting research though, so someone anchor my soul to the white light before I go into the abyss :)

Okay, I'll blog more after the Jaxx gig. Really, don't miss it. It's going to be primal.

One love,

nK

Batter Up!

2008-07-17T23:29:00.004-04:00

It's the heart of summer and we're celebrating baseball style!

Just Wanna Play, the party band I'm in with some great friends and better musicians, is performing before and after the Potomac Nationals baseball game Friday night, July 18th. We are going to immerse ourselves in the baseball experience and just enjoy the heck out of it, and I think anyone who comes out will love it, too. It's ladies night, so the grrls get in for free. They're giving away hats, and college kids are a buck off, and the young'n's get to run the bases. Info on the gig and directions are available HERE.

Ok, more on JWP. We're still looking for sponsors and vendors for our September 20th Rev Your Engines event to benefit Stop the Silence. We need help to raise money for this worthwhile cause - stopping child sexual abuse. Anyone interested in volunteering, sponsoring a kids' activity, or setting up as a vendor, drop me an email at Nick@CatKlaw.com. We managed to line up a few more gigs as well, so expect much more on the JWP front.

Division, my metal band, is not taking a break either. We're performing August 9th with Metal Church and again October 10th with Jon Oliva's Pain. Busy Busy Busy.

Life is as insane as ever, and it's only partially due to reading really graphic and twisted horror anthologies. The latest is Dark Arts Books' collection, Like a Chinese Tattoo. It features some of the most bizarre storytelling I've ever read. If you have a weak stomach, do two things. One, don't read it. Two, go to confession and light a candle that there's no one weird enough to buy the movie rights.

Alright, it's off to organize stuff for the gig and the Braveheart Ryderz BBQ on Saturday.

One Love,
nK

Fireworks and Frustrations

2008-07-06T22:23:00.002-04:00

The holiday weekend is coming to an end, and despite the rain, we've had plenty of fireworks here. It's looking like the rescue project dog we invited into our home has been discovered by its original owners. That may sound great up front, and I agree he deserves to be in his real home, but I have no idea how to translate that to a four-year old boy. Our little guy is likely going to be heartbroken, but then again, he routinely surprises me with his intelligence and empathy.

It's back to regular rehearsal for Division in preparation for our August 9th gig with Metal Church. We're rusty, to be sure, but we've got some lofty goals and I think we'll surprise a lot of people come showtime.

I'm wrapping up the second round of edits on Catwalk:Messiah which then goes into the hands of some fellow writers for constructive criticism. Then it's time to make the choice: shop it or find an agent. We'll see how that unfolds.

Ok, plenty more on tap between a class final in Criminal Procedure tomorrow, work from my day job and JWP gearing up for a set of gigs in the next two weeks. More to follow.

One Love,

nK

You Can Help Missing Kids!

2008-06-09T15:30:00.004-04:00

One of my many hats is that of the Chief Technology Officer for CatKlaw, Inc. We're a small company helping normal people understand technology and build their businesses up using technology for organization, marketing and communication. Sounds pretty dull, right? Actually, it's pretty cool when you can enable a small business owner to be successful and not go work for "the man".

We held a training session last week about the Code Adam program from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. This program trains employees on how to handle an incident if a child goes missing on the premises. It's pretty straightforward, but the bottom line is that the employees are looking, not just the concerned parent. That's only one way a company can help keep children safe. Other programs include the Amber Alert system, Missing Children web page gadgets, and the Poster Partner Program. Check out the link for some of these programs HERE.

CatKlaw's annual charity event this year is Rev Your Engines, to benefit Stop the Silence. The event will be held on September 20th at Parkway Ford in Woodbridge, VA. Drop me a line or stay tuned here for more information. We're also happy to announce that we are in the initial stages of establishing a nonprofit corporation to assist in the protection, education and training of children. Stay tuned for more on that.

Ok, it's off to the new Powerhouse Gym for Mind-Body Fusion class tonight.

One Love!
nK

Gone Gone Gone...Been Gone Too Long

2008-06-05T22:48:00.003-04:00

Did I really just reference Chiliwack lyrics? Yeah, I guess I did. There's a clear sign I've been spending too many hours watching the bug zapper and drinking Jack Daniel's.

Things are going slow and steady here at Camp Catwalk. The edits for Lineage were completed a while back and I'm bringing myself to rinse off the scalpel and take a run at Messiah before I start shopping for an agent. I've learned so much from some of my fellow writers like Joe Konrath and Heather Brewer, and I'm excited to be taking the step into full-fledged novelist.

Both JWP and Division are recording and I finally have the home studio set up the right way, so it looks like I'll be cutting vocals for most of June and July, while juggling the family, writing, the day job, and all the other band necessities like management, booking, networking, artwork, layouts, web design and more. If that sounds incredibly busy, let me reinforce this: EVERYONE in Division is doing at least as much as I am. There is so much going on behind the scenes right now to make the upcoming CD as great as possible. We're very excited about the chance to have a killer product that shows our identity and our passion as effectively as possible.

Just Wanna Play's new demo is really coming together also. We're saddened at the closing of a number of places we have played in the past or were planning to play in the future. Bogey's and O'Meara's come to mind immediately. With the economy in the tank, these places are going under and live music is suffering as a result. God forbid we get to the point where artists will only stream shows and not tour because the expenses outweigh the turnout.

Okay, one last check of school work tonight (Criminal Procedure - gonna be a tough one!) and then it's off to crank up the tunes and kill orcs. Oh yeah, I got talked into playing Lord of the Rings Online, which is a great game. Now I just need to find a pill that gives me eight hours of sleep.

One Love!

nK

A Tribute to the Lord of the Dead

2008-05-05T20:34:00.002-04:00

Most people who know me know my love of the horror film genre through its many iterations. There are so many instantly recognizable horror icons; Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Barbara Steele, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff...Claude Raines. But of them all, if I had to pick a favorite, it would most likely be the delightful Vincent Price.

Among his many talents, Price was a gourmet chef, a stage actor and an art collector. And so, in my pursuit to emulate the man I'd consider an entertainment hero, I decided to repeat something Price did in his lifetime. Cook a gourmet meal? Purchase a Rembrandt? Take the stage in a dramatic one-man show? Nope, none of those things.

I bought a bug zapper.

For those who remember Price's brilliant Citibank commercial circa 1985, the image of Vincent smiling with glee at the deaths of insects is priceless. For those who don't, it's linked here.

Now that the shows are behind us, Division is hunkering down to get the final sessions recorded and begin editing the upcoming CD, Control Issues. We've made sure to record video of some of the sessions, and we'll be posting a recording diary blog on the official and MySpace sites.

In the interim, it's repetition to cut down time on the clock once we're there. Special thanks to everyone who made the show at Mac's The Club last month. It's the last one for at least four months. See you guys on the web or maybe at Jaxx?

One Love,

nK

How to De-Vegas Your System

2008-04-27T12:46:00.004-04:00

And so I have survived five days in Vegas, and one night in Essex, MD.

I'm not sure which was harder on my health.

Vegas was an interesting combination of experiences. Let's see if I can recap the agenda as accurately as possible. Monday, I flew out, landed, checked in to the Venetian, and headed up to meet the impromptu band, Sales Machine, for a five-hour rehearsal. It was pretty grueling, but it gave us a few rays of hope that we might actually be able to pull off the gig we were scheduled to play.

Tuesday started with a two-hour rehearsal before team meetings and the best introduction to a sales conference I've ever seen. We had a flag ceremony and welcomed the athletes from the Special Olympics that the company is sponsoring this year. After a few hours in meetings, it was one more rehearsal, after which, we felt like we actually had a chance of not sucking too bad.

Wednesday included meetings and classes all day, after which, we headed to the big room to prepare for the gig. When I say big, picture a convention hall. This place was HUGE. There were eight soccer matches going on as part of a round-robin tournament. There was food, beverages, air hockey, human bowling, pool, ping pong, a batting cage, and more...plenty more. In all, there was somewhere around 2200 people in the room.

The stage setup was unbelievable. There were two separate risers (drums and keys), a big screen TV, great light show, as many mics as we needed, six monitors and even tele-prompters, which we didn't use because we're idiots. haha. We played a 45 minute set, with some issues opening and closing songs cleanly, but in all, it was pretty damn good.

A few songs on the list: The Heart of Rock n' Roll, I Want You to Want Me, Jenny (867-5309), What I Like About You, Twist And Shout, Money (That's What I Want), I Feel Good, Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Secret Agent Man, and Soul Man.

As you can tell, we were all over the road. We had two guitars, drums, sax, bass and two vocalists. (And yes, Malena, your tambourine got to play Vegas!) It was fun. Everyone seemed to appreciate us, since I didn't pay for a drink the next two nights. (And didn't have another one for two more nights after that! haha)

The rest of the conference went well. I was pretty much beat by Friday. We got up at 6 am Saturday (to the sound of a few guys and a paid escort in the next room) and flew home. Only, I didn't fly home. I flew to BWI, met the guys in Division and played a gig with Black Widow USA. Many thanks to the great support we had there, plus the Sudafed, Excedrin and Usana vitamins that got me through the show.

It's so great to be home. Today is all catchup time (479 emails!), so anyone who dropped me an email or MySpace message, standby. I'll get back to you soonest.

One Love!

nK

Gigging in April...No Foolin'!

2008-04-09T00:18:00.002-04:00

There was a five-week stretch last year that included a very odd sequence of shows for me. Apparently, that full moon is back again, because April is proving to be a very strange month for this performing artist.

Tonight, Just Wanna Play scrapped rehearsal for recording, and it was a productive (if way late) kind of night. We got the music recorded for six songs, with a few more and vocals planned for the next session. This means the long-awaited new demo will be available soon, so keep your ears tuned to the JWP MySpace page.

Now, the weird stuff. I'm supposed to be doing a guest spot on someone else's show this week. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I'll mention that it's a band that hangs out with Division A LOT...and it's a very appropriate tune for us and them. So that's Friday night (at Jaxx). Then, here comes the big news...

I'm playin' VEGAS!

Yep. I'll be singing and playing guitar (guitar, not bass..eek!) at a sales conference in Vegas that includes roughly 4500 people. It's with a made-up band, and we get one rehearsal before the gig. Expect horrible things, but I'm excited. I've never played Vegas before. Maybe I can channel some Dean Martin and get all boozed up and be the next big star. Or, I could suck. Whatever works.

I fly back from Vegas on the 26th...with four hours to spare before I'm supposed to be on stage with Division. That show is going to be fun. It's a CD Release Party for Black Widow USA, and we're doing a new cover, and a song we haven't done in a few years. I expect a fun, and tiring time.

I'm not sure yet if it tops last year's stretch, which included a bar gig, a car show, a gig at an elementary school, and an open house for a custom home builder, but it's going to be a fun month. Be safe and be well.

One Love,

nK

Leather, Lead and the Undead

2008-03-23T22:40:00.004-04:00

I'm still working on edits of Catwalk:Lineage, including a fresh visit to some vampire scenes. It's always fun to try and figure out where your vampires fit in the grand scheme of fang-toothed evildoers. In this case, I think Lineage minions (not the elders, they're different) fit somewhere between the hordes in Underworld, the colorful beasts of Vampire Hunter D, and the feasting brood of 30 Days of Night. They certainly don't have the elegance of Anne Rice's brood, that's for sure.

They have the Underworld fashion sense, and feature lots and lots of guns, that's for sure, but a different education. So, at any rate, Cat's story is wound around a vamp war in book two, and it's a lot of fun.

Also in the postmortem category is the subject of one of the upcoming Division songs. I'll go as far as to confirm rumors that we do indeed have a zombie song on Control Issues CD. Previews will have to wait, but if you want a glimpse into how your might sing it, go watch Romero's Dawn of the Dead.

From a writing standpoint, I got introduced to F. Paul Wilson's series of Repairman Jack novels. Good stuff.

Okay all, you're supposed to be writing, marketing or being generally productive right now. Don't let me interrupt.

One love!

nK

Indiana Jones and the Morbid Speed Metal Band

2008-03-12T22:49:00.005-04:00

This post is going to be totally random...no, not totally, but enough that it makes very little sense to anyone sober. I logged into my obligatory MySpace page (yes, you have to have one if you're in a band, write, act or are a webcam chick). I got to see an in-screen scene from the new Indiana Jones movie, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". Is that for real? I don't have a problem with a 60+ year old guy cracking a whip and beating on fake Nazis, but the title?

Did they go dumpster-diving behind J.K. Rowling's mansion?

That title is pretty weak. Right along the lines of, oh, I dunno, Attack of the Clones? That doesn't work for a multi-billion dollar movie franchise if you ask me. Not when there's a Nickelodeon game called Jimmy Neutron: Attack of the Twonkies. It's bad. It's comical. It's like the Tribbles on the old Star Trek. Or like when Frank Drebin from Police Squad would get a towel thrown in his face and wrestle with it for twenty seconds like an Alien facehugger.

Skip that. That wasn't bad. That was priceless.

So, where the hell is the title of your blog coming from, Cat? Oh yeah. Division is playing on Saturday night at our club sweet home, Jaxx. We'll be on stage with some very thrashy and heavy bands, including Arsis, Veil of Maya and Skeleton Witch. We'll also be following our buddies in Cab Ride Home...slightly unsober since 2006.

So...if you were one of the Hollywood folks churning out remakes or rekindling old movie franchises, what would you call your latest project?

One Love...

nK