Thursday, April 8, 2010

IT'S SEXY TIME!

Hello all,

Well - It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.....GOOD NEWS......

The new website is up and running right now!!!! We are still smoothing a few things out but for the most part it's pretty functional. You can also listen to the entire album on line right there AND ther eare two free dowloads of our live albums. So what are you waiting for? head on over and check it out. Let us know what you think!!


Now the sad news.....due to the format of the new website it kinda makes ole blogspot, right here, unnecessary. SO.....unless I can't access the inner workings of the website, It's unlikely that there will be much action from this blog from here on in. Oh, wait, no, no, don't get upset I know you love it, and I love it too! Think of it this way, I'm not moving to a new Province, or even a new city....Just a new apartment.....You'll get all you're blog needs met and be able to read about our ludicrous exploits all across Canada, right at WWW.ROSSNEILSEN.COM as we tour this great land in support of our new member of the Bastard disco-graphic family - REDEMPTION.

As the next two weeks fly by our press machine will be activated....What's that you say? Well, if you can't stand to hear my voice or grow easily tiresome of looking at my handsome mug then you'll want to stay inside, not read the paper and rarely turn on the radio/tv or open the paper. We're about to head into full PR swing for our April 24th CD release at The Delta Hotel (7.30) and that means we'll be exhausting every option we have to be able to spread the word!!!!

I must agree, even though I like the sound of my own voice and do swoon a wee tiny bit when passing the mirror, even I can grow tired of the press machine. So I can relate, and apologize in advance, if, every time you turn around I'm there yammering about our new record etc!
The best thing to do is Join us in our plight for sonic domination!!! Spread the word! Rejoice y'all! It's time to ROCK!!!

In seriousness, thanks for all your support lately, means a lot to us! We hope we meet your expectations and then blow them away! See ya over at www.rossneilsen

Ross & the Bastards

Monday, April 5, 2010

Coolest bunny on the block

Mr Solid!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Does your drummer make delicious beer?

Dear Singer Songwriters.... does your drummer make delicious beer? What's that? oh, you don't have a drummer? Pity.......Mmmmm beer.
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Going Postal

Yesterday was one of those days that straight up kicked my ass. Not much went right until after supper. The day time was filled with frustration after frustration. Now that I'm into a new day I thought y'all might enjoy a story from yesterday.

Earlier this month I mailed out a cheque to CMRRA. These folks are the organization you pay when you record someone else's material on your record. We re-cut Commit a Crime for the new album REDEMPTION so I had to pay a small fee. While in Toronto I mailed the cheque thinking it would go right through as the CMRRA office is in Toronto as well. No brainer right? stamp...in the mail away it goes. Well I have been watching my bank account to make sure I know when the cheque goes through. It hadn't. I thought that was weird.

Yerterday wen I checked my mail I noticed a familiar looking envelope in my PO Box. It was the check I mailed IN Toronto TO a Toronto business. It had a rubber stamp on it that let me know I had places insufficient postage on my letter. I owed them another .65 cents!!!! WTF?????

ARE YOU KIDDING ME CANADA POST?

They mailed the letter all the way back to NB from Toronto for another 65 cents? WOW. HELLOOOOO - this is the department of redundancy Department calling Canada Post. You guys are ridiculous.

This little event blows my mind. I don't understand how a company can be so adamant about 65 cents to the point where they spend the $$$ on sending it 1400kms!!! Way to go Canada Post. You guys Suck.

Love
MB

Sunday, March 28, 2010

1095 Days Ago.........

.........I was just finishing my fist solo tour of Ontario. I played a some of the same venues this past tour. Over the past three years I've been very fortunate to become real good friends with a lot of the people who run the joints I work at. This makes my life so much easier. Folks like Steve in Picton, Jay in Toronto, Ian, Andrew and Mike, also Torontonians, Geoff in Tofino....But it doesn't stop there....I have also met people at shows or in my travels who have become amazing friends. These people also make life easier. Folks like Allison in Collingwood, Uncle Pat and Aunt Denise in Trenton, Jo and family in PEI. Again there is more....folks who run their own dreams in whatever business they provide the public have aided me time and time again. Folks like Jamie and Randall at 6Colour Copy, Randy at Trius, Gary from the Mountain Chicken, Kevy from the Herring, Carter from TradRoots, and many many many more awesome folks like them.

Being able to travel and play music is a real dream come true for me and if it weren't for a cast of aids a mile long I would never be able to pull it off. Friends, bar owners, fellow musicianeers all over the country make it possible by giving me gigs, food, shelter and all kinds of other unmentionable things.

I have seen the Country coast to coast (many times). I have journeyed to mystical places of legendary proportions that I once only read about and thought, "Man that would be a cool place to hang". I have pulled myself up out of chaos time and time again to stand on the wood, grass, dirt, cement, flatbed truck - behind my microphone to sing/hide/entertain/lie/tell truths I would never tell anywhere else - and it is all because of the amazing support I have from the most incredible team of people, all laying it on the line to help in some way.

I like to remind myself this time every year to say thanks to you all. I get real nostalgic when I tour Ontario this time of year all by my lonesome cause that's sort of where it all began. I had just quit my last 'real job' three years ago when I did my first trek up there. So it's easy to remember who makes it all happen for me when I travel through those parts and catch up with all the great peeps.

This past year has been the best yet, but also the most challenging, in many ways. I have been presented (and created) many great opportunities/difficulties and have done my best to capitalize/overcome on them. I had to be creative financially and have learned many hard, valuable, lessons along the way. I keep these experiences with me always so that I may have insight into my next challenges/opportunities when they appear.

2010 has already been incredible between the Mississippi trip, Olympics and another successful solo trek. If 2010 is going to top itself over these first three months then I await with great anticipation. Really, I feel like a kid peeking around the corner on xmas morning to see what could be there for me. Whatever it is, no matter how difficult to assemble, I know that I will rock the shit out of it. Why? Because I have YOU to help me. Thanks for being there.

Ross