9-27-2011 --- We are almost ready to hit the road! Thanks for all the good luck wishes, the Crankstead has seen many friends and family stopping buy with care packages, anything from salsa to champagne to bring with us on tour! We are so lucky to have such awesome people around us. A bunch of people have asked us to keep them in the loop about our trip so Rachel made a new blog titled "Leavin' This Town." Fitting right?! If you get a chance, bookmark that sucker, the address is: http://leavinthistown.blogspot.com. Thanks again for all the support you guys, It's super bad ass that we will be traveling in a "Fan Owned" RV! We'll see you the beginning of November! In the meantime, keep the shinny side up!
9-25-2011 --- I added a new Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders video to the site this morning! The video was recorded at Lee's Liquor Lounge the night of the Junkyard Rhythm CD release party, check it out in the Video section!
9-21-2011 --- The last run of T-shirts is nearly sold out, I guess people like wearing my screaming face! Anyway, I printed a new run this week. Inspired by the request bomb The Current flyer I made back in July they are by far the coolest design yet! Check it out in the Merch section of the site!
9-19-2011 --- What an amazing tour send off show last night, holy crap what a blast! The River City was hoppin'! A huge thanks to everyone who came out, a special thanks to Fenchy, Keith and Pat for playing as the Gear Grinders and a very special thanks to Ronnie and Dave, Anita K. , and Courtney and Sarah.... you know why! I'll see you all back at the River City Saloon November 6th!
8-18-2011 --- Neighbor Boys is going to be played on The Current's Local Show which airs this Sunday between 6-8pm! The request bombing campaign was a success! Just do me a favor and continue to send them requests when you're tuned in and wishing they were playing Crankshaft! The only way my tunes will ever get into their rotation is if there are semi-frequent requests. So log on to www.thecurrent.org or dial 651-989-4893 and when they answer tell 'em, "Play some Crankshaft, because I need to BOOGIE!" Thanks again everyone!
8-16-2011 --- Thanks for request bombing The Current yesterday! I got an encouraging email from Mary Lucia and a nasty one from Mark Wheat, so I guess that's something! I'm still waiting to hear back from the local music director to see what he says about the whole deal. Thanks everyone!
8-9-2011 --- Thanks to all my fans, I have a Tourmobile! It's a 1987 Toyota Dolphin and tomorrow it will be going on a diet to become a lean, mean, tourmachine!
7-31-2011 --- The support yesterday at CRANKFEST was almost overwhelming! It's both humbling and flattering to me at the same time, from all the people that worked the event to the people that donated items for the bake sale and the silent auction, and the musicians that came and played, THANK YOU A BILLION! The benefit raised nearly $4,000! I owe you all big time!
7-15-2011 --- I printed 1000 request-bomb The Current leaflets, please come out to any show to grab a couple to hand out to your friends! The current has had my new album since April 1st and they still haven't played a single track... NO HOLD BACK... ALL ATTACK, AUGUST 15th!
7-7-2011 --- I've got five shows set in stone for the National tour! It's going to be awesome!
6-22-2011 --- Minneapolis TV featured the Neighbor Boys music video on their spring roundup! Check it out: www.mpls.tv
5-18-2011 --- HOLY CRAP! Junkyard Rhythm is #18 on KVSC's top 30 albums this week! This is the best news I've heard all year! Please call in and request Crankshaft and The Gear Grinders! (320) 308-5872. Let's try get to #1 next week! This is too cool. BOOGIE!
5-9-2011 --- The music video for Neighbor Boys is nearly done! Should be uploaded to YouTube within the next week!
4-28-2011 --- I have new hoodies, tanks, and T-shirts!
4-20-2011 --- I started doing radio station callbacks today and so far five stations have added Junkyard Rhythm to their rotation! WSSB 90.3 - Orangeburg, SC. WRLR 98.3 - Chicago, IL. KCSS 91.9 - Turlock, CA. WKDU 91.7 - Philadelphia, PA. WTJU 91.1 - Charlottesville, VA! If you live around the area of any of these stations please call in and request Crankshaft and The Gear Grinders!
4-12-2011 --- I sent out four rolls of super 8 film to get developed and scaned to high-def digital for the Neighbor Boys music video today and added some of the photos Trixie Longstocking took during the video shoot to the Photos section!
4-2-2011 --- I mailed out 117 envelopes stuffed with cds to 102 college and independent radio stations and 15 different review publication sources today. Holy crap, I'm so excited! Look out world, here I come!
3-19-2011 --- The votes from the CD listening party are in! Here's how you voted: 16 THE CURSE, 15 SOLID GONE (BIG SUNGLASSES), 12 NEIGHBOR BOYS, 11 LEAVIN' THIS TOWN, 9 SCRAP COLLECTIN' MAN, 8 327, 4 I'M A CHAINSAW, 4 MOTORCYCLE WOMAN, 3 PHANTOM RING, 1 I'M OVERHEATIN'. Thanks for coming to Avant Garden and voting! Looks like the radio singles will be The Curse, Solid Gone and Neighbor boys! Rachel and I will be sending the CDs out to over 100 indie/college radio stations by April 1st!
3-13-2011 --- This is really nerdy but I gotta say, last night I got to play a Johnny Winter signed guitar at the Bayport BBQ show I played and it was awesome! I have been a fan of his first two albums since I was 15. I had no idea how bad ass my amp can sound when the guitar I'm playing has a hot pickup in it.
3-5-2011 --- I ordered four rolls of Super 8 film yesterday to shoot another music video, THIS TIME ON REAL FILM! Trixie Longstocking and I will be shooting it together and Henry Reich (the director of Pine Box Rottin') will be doing the editing from Los Angeles where he is going to film school at USC School of Cinematic arts!
2-15-2011 --- Crankshaft is the featured artist for this months HERO Magazine! Thanks you guys!
2-5-2011 --- Trixie Longstocking and I went out to Blumer's Auto Wrecking in Isanti today to do the Junkyard Rhythm album cover photo shoot! The photos turned out awesome! I added some of the shots to the site, check them out in the Photos section.
1-27-2011 --- After four months in the studio Trent and I finished mixing the new album today! The next step is the artwork, and man do I got a cool idea for the album cover! Thank you so much Page Burkum, Pat Nudd, Clint Larson, Johann Swenson, Jeremy Krueth, Kashimana Ahua, Javier Matos, Mr. Mark Vetch, Elmer "Danger" Johnston, Johnathan Kennedy, James Jimmyapolis Wallis, Keven James, Keith Boyles and Bruce McCabe for recording on it!
1-21-2011 --- Yesterday I went down to Trents To start mixing the Junkyard Rhythm album, should be finnished next thursday if every thing goes smooth.
1-6-2011 --- The last studio session for the new CD is TODAY! Bruce McCabe is going to be recorded playing piano on "Neighbor Boys" and Keith Boyles is going to play upright bass on two tracks. I still have to record vocals on "Praying For Snow" and "I'm a Chainsaw." It's going to be an action packed day.
12-29-2010 --- The Pine Box Rottin' music video was uploaded to YouTube today! ~ Enjoy!
12-18-2010 --- I got an updated mix of the whole album from Trent today and man, I gotta say... I'm supper excited to get it finished now that I've heard it in it's entirety. There are some kinks to work out still but it's refreshing to hear that when I'm in the studio I'm way harder on my self then I should be. Recording is an emotional roller coaster and right now I'm riding high!
12-8-2010 --- Jimmyapolis sounded so good in the studio I decided to have him back to record on one more song called "I'm Overheatin'." We also finished up a song called "Give Me All Your Money" by adding slide guitar, hand claps and a tambourine.
12-2-2010 --- Productive day recording electric bass and random rhythms for the song "Junkyard Rhythm" percussion items include a tin watering can filled with broken glass, a drum stick hitting the "Suckin' Gas & Haulin' Ass" gas can, 3/8 steel chain dropping on 18g steel, a hammer smashing the 18g steel with 3/8 chain on top of the steel sheet and a drum stick hitting a empty High Life bottle. Oh, and hand claps of course.
11-27-2010 --- Today Trent and I are going to be recording Jimmyapolis (James Wallace) and Jonathan Kennedy. Jimmy will be playing two sax parts thanks to The Schwalbes lending me an alto sax and Jonathan will be recording trumpet.
11-18-2010 --- Started the day recording guitar and drums with Jeremy Crete at 11 a.m. for the tune 327 followed by a seven hour upright bass session with Mr. Mark Vetch! 11 hours in the studio! Eating BBQ beef take out in styrofoam box for dinner is where it's at!
11-15-2010 --- Javier Matos recorded harmonica on four tracks today. Solid Gone is one of the tracks his playing will be the most highlighted, I didn't know harmonicas could even make those notes! He also recorded vocal accompaniment parts for a tune I wrote called "I'm a Chainsaw."
11-9-2010 --- Last night Kashimana Ahua recorded some female vocal parts for the new album and pretty much blew both Trent and I away! If you're ever in need of a good female vocalist look her up!
10-12-2010 --- So, I got a rejection letter in the mail today from the Anoka Halloween Parade Committee. I'm kinda bummed, if you are too let them know! parade@anokahalloween.com
9-29-2010 --- Three days and over 230 takes later all 14 of the drum and guitar tracks are done for the new album "Junkyard Rhythm". Thank you Trent, Clint, Page, Johann and Pat for your help!
9-10-2010 --- Suckin' Gas & Haulin' Ass is being repressed for the second time! I just ordered another 1000 CDs from CopyCats!
9-6-2010 --- Thanks to the help of Grant Wibben the '59 has a trailer hitch receiver! I'm almost ready to pull a float for the Anoka Halloween parade!
8-17-2010 --- Crankshaft is the featured artist for the sound track of Field and Streams Hookshots episode 3, Season 2: Louisiana Bull Redfish