27th July 2009: Monday Mosh #12
Hi everyone and welcome to the latest Monday Mosh. As usual we’ve had a busy week with Grave Forsaken, and I’ll use this update to fill you in on the details.
Firstly, we are pleased to announce that will be playing at Blackstump Festival in Sydney this year. This has been on the cards behind the scenes, and it’s great to be going back. It looks like we will be playing on the Friday night of the festival. The date will be October 2nd. We would urge all our East Coast supporters to make the trip to stump and catch the band. It will be our first show out of WA for two years and we absolutely can’t wait. It will be a very exciting 2 ½ months as we prepare for the trip and the show. Also we are very much looking forward to catching up with our friends in the other bands – it should be a terrific event. The lineup includes Synnove, Fearscape, InExordium and Dei Elithaeon, so it will be an utterly cranking evening. Being over here in Perth we sometimes feel isolated. Heading over to Sydney for this gig is a great thing for a band like ours.
The sessions at Fattdog are going really well. Dave put some drums down on Saturday, and I’m looking forward to hearing what he came up with (I wasn’t there). I will possibly go into the studio tomorrow to do some arranging with Daniel. A song I have written called This Dying Day has a basic set of riffs, but I’m trying to decide if it should be a snappy 3 minute thrasher or an epic. It could go either way at this stage. Whatever the case, I’m really happy with how it is coming along.
We recently recorded a cover of Bought By Blood by Deliverance for an upcoming Christian metal Realm tribute album. We are very happy with the recording. It features Dan Holmes of Templar on guitar, and it could be the best thing ever recorded under the Grave Forsaken name! We’re really that happy with it. There’ll be more details as I get them, but the song has been submitted to Arttie, the organizer of the project.
We have a rehearsal tonight at my house. With the news of stump it will good to throw around some setlist ideas and get into the vibe for the trip. Looking forward to catching up with boys in a couple of hours time!
This week we are streaming This Day Forth in it’s entirety again. All the songs have had a good number of plays now, so I’m putting it up from start to finish again. Head over to the official site and have another listen.
The next gig is looking like it will be on September 12th at the Castle. There may be a chance we will do a youth group gig in August, but I’m still in the planning phase of that one. Whatever the case, we are looking to do at least a gig a month for the foreseeable future. So for the Perth supporters, there should be a real opportunity to check the band out over the next few months.
I’ve put up a new Mosher Crew download in the members area this week. This one is a vintage performance of Light The Hall from 2005. This is actually recorded live in the studio by Ben Travia. It is historically significant for the band because it is the very first thing we recorded in the “Beside The River Of Blood” sessions. We were VERY raw in those days, so don’t expect a sonic surge of power. It does capture an enthusiastic band very keen to get working on an album. The funny thing is that Light The Hall never made the album in the end, though a crisper version than this did appear on the Horror And Sadness EP. Still, it’s a song we occasionally bring out live, and indeed we have named the upcoming online live album “Light The Hall!” after the song. It’s an old favourite of mine. Maybe we need to record a definitive studio version of the song one day. Hmm.
Well, that brings me to end of another week. Check out the download Mosher Crew, and check back in next week! Seeya then.
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
20th July 2009: Monday Mosh #11
20th July 2009: Monday Mosh #11
Here we are on another Monday. I’m a school teacher and due back today. We are very lucky as teachers because we get all the holidays that the kids get – it’s certainly nothing to complain about. Yes the job can be stressful at times, but what job isn’t? I want to go on public record that I really enjoy being a teacher. It is a very fulfilling job and I love it. I particularly enjoy being able to influence young people, and perhaps point them in the right direction from time to time. That is the purpose at least!
I’ve got to confess, there is not much to report on the Grave Forsaken front this week. Part of doing a weekly update means that some weeks will be quiet. But please read on anyway, because I’m sure I’ll come up with something interesting and bloggy.
Elias and I went into Fattdog on Wednesday to record some riffs and do some arranging with Daniel. It’s fair to say that these sessions with Daniel are really developing nicely. I’d even say that they are actually developing into a cohesive album. We have always tried to release something each year, so the goal is to have another studio album sometime during 2010. We recorded the first album between September 2005 and September 2006 on and off. It was a really difficult process and wore our patience very thin. All the songs were written before going in, but we didn’t record in an actual studio. It was done in various houses and churches all across Perth. Hence the somewhat inconsistent sound of that album (still, I’m extremely proud of it). The second album was recorded at Fattdog between April 2007 and February 2008. Again, we took a whole year to record, but at least there was a consistent venue. We are extremely happy with Destined For Ascension, and I actually feel it slipped the radar a bit last year. I still enjoy listening back to it, and captures that original line up at our peak. This Day Forth was recorded between April and October 2008. It was done over a much quicker time frame – indeed most of the raw tracks were laid down in a little over 2 weeks during April. That entire process is documented on the bonus DVD that comes with Soundmass orders of the new album. We deliberately recorded it quickly to get a very early 80’s raw thrash feel. Based on the reviews, we certainly achieved that. The only problem is that a lot of reviews are attributing the raw feel to poor production, and while they are entitled to their opinion, it was exactly the sound we were looking for.
With all this in mind, we have approached the next album very differently. Seeing as there is no rush to record something, we have opted to build an album from the ground up. Elias had already recorded a batch of 10 demos late last year. We have literally been going into Fattdog and laying down guide riffs based mainly on the demos Elias has come up with. Dan has then been offering his advice on arrangements and making changes where necessary (like any good producer should). Simon has been adding some guitar work and Dave has then been recording a drum track using Daniel’s Roland electronic kit. From there, I have been writing lyrics for the songs. Normally with GF songs, the lyrics and riffs come at the same time, so it is a slightly different way of writing. Once I have a rough set of lyrics I have been recording them and then taking mixes home and working on the vocal patterns and phrasing. We don’t even have enough songs for an album yet, but we are getting close. It is beyond doubt that some of the material already recorded will survive and actually make it onto the next album, however we won’t rush anything. If a take needs to be rerecorded, or I come up with a better vocal phrasing, it will be redone. It is such a different way of working for us because in the past the songs have been written and arranged prior to recording them. These songs are virtually being written in the studio. We know the next album has to be out of the box, and we are working hard to ensure when it does come out, it will represent the best of us. Each album has been a gradual improvement over the last, and this will be no different.
Speaking of the new song and riff ideas, this months edition of Mosher Crew Confidential is now available for download from the members area of our website. The edition gives you a few snort snippets of some of the stuff we have been doing, as well as a bit of a look at some of my raw songwriting ideas. My 1 year old son Aaron also makes his first appearance on a Grave Forsaken video since GFTV episode 3. Regular followers of our shows can see how much he has grown. Kristy and I are extremely proud of the little fella. If you’re interested in accessing Mosher Crew Confidential simply sign up to the Mosher Crew (for free) and you can check out the ever growing catalogue of downloads available from the members area.
The other thing I have been doing is continuing the mix for our online live album “Light The Hall”. I was getting a lot of high end buzz on the guitars which was annoying me. As this mix has been a learning experience for me, I was able to have a play with the EQ on the guitar. I think I’ve solved 90% of the problem by cutting out some of the offending frequencies. It’s pretty amazing what you can do with plug ins and effects. While you can’t actually change the raw performance (well you can, but I want it to be authentic), you can change some of the technical aspects of the recording. It’s fair to say that the Byford venue we recorded in was not designed for heavy metal live albums, but to me that is part of the beauty of the process. I figure that learning my way around the software and mixing desk on this project will stand me in very good stead for producing a future GF album myself. Working with Daniel is terrific, but the drawback is time, money and distance. I foresee a time when all our studio material is recorded at my home studio. That is unless we start selling a lot of albums and can afford a bigger studio. GF is what it is, and we are fully dedicated to making it the best it can be with our resource constraints. This is not a whinge, because I fully accept it, but the cold hard reality is there is no money in this scene for most bands. It is an expensive hobby for most of us. I think through a combination of talent and luck, the best bands make it to some degree, but it seems most bands are only ever one poor album away from losing their entire fanbase, and being back in the garage, or split up entirely. It can be an extremely taxing and frustrating undertaking.
Take our gig last Saturday night. It was a low turnout and the band wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders. You do sometimes drive home wondering if it is worth the time, money and effort. And the end of the day it is all about ministry for us. Just being representatives of Christ in the local metal scene is enough, and there are times when I need to remind myself of that. In some small way we are making a difference for God, and that makes what we and other Christian bands do worthwhile. So when your favourite Christian band hasn’t played many shows recently, or hasn’t put out an album for a while, or have some lineup changes, just remember how taxing it is for them. We choose to do this because we love serving God this way, but it certainly isn’t a lifestyle for everyone.
One thing I’ve always said to our supporters is that we are here for the long haul. There will come a day when we don’t put a new album out every year, and there will times when we don’t play live for 6 months, but everyday I try to do at least one little thing to move the band forward. Whether it’s writing a Monday Mosh, or editing a new GFTV episode, or contacting a promoter about a gig, I’m always pushing this thing forward. I accept that what we are now is what we might always be, but there is always hope that something will breakthrough. Maybe a support slot on a big tour, or a sudden surge in interest in one of our albums. The point is, none of these external factors will stop Grave Forsaken continuing. I say this because all the bands that have been meaningful to me over the years have stuck it out through the years. Kiss, Mortification, Iron Maiden to name a few. They just keep rolling on determined, and I find inspiration in that.
So, in a slow news week, I’ve managed to write possibly the longest Mosh yet. I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading, and you’ll hear from me again next Monday.
God Bless and Mosh On
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Here we are on another Monday. I’m a school teacher and due back today. We are very lucky as teachers because we get all the holidays that the kids get – it’s certainly nothing to complain about. Yes the job can be stressful at times, but what job isn’t? I want to go on public record that I really enjoy being a teacher. It is a very fulfilling job and I love it. I particularly enjoy being able to influence young people, and perhaps point them in the right direction from time to time. That is the purpose at least!
I’ve got to confess, there is not much to report on the Grave Forsaken front this week. Part of doing a weekly update means that some weeks will be quiet. But please read on anyway, because I’m sure I’ll come up with something interesting and bloggy.
Elias and I went into Fattdog on Wednesday to record some riffs and do some arranging with Daniel. It’s fair to say that these sessions with Daniel are really developing nicely. I’d even say that they are actually developing into a cohesive album. We have always tried to release something each year, so the goal is to have another studio album sometime during 2010. We recorded the first album between September 2005 and September 2006 on and off. It was a really difficult process and wore our patience very thin. All the songs were written before going in, but we didn’t record in an actual studio. It was done in various houses and churches all across Perth. Hence the somewhat inconsistent sound of that album (still, I’m extremely proud of it). The second album was recorded at Fattdog between April 2007 and February 2008. Again, we took a whole year to record, but at least there was a consistent venue. We are extremely happy with Destined For Ascension, and I actually feel it slipped the radar a bit last year. I still enjoy listening back to it, and captures that original line up at our peak. This Day Forth was recorded between April and October 2008. It was done over a much quicker time frame – indeed most of the raw tracks were laid down in a little over 2 weeks during April. That entire process is documented on the bonus DVD that comes with Soundmass orders of the new album. We deliberately recorded it quickly to get a very early 80’s raw thrash feel. Based on the reviews, we certainly achieved that. The only problem is that a lot of reviews are attributing the raw feel to poor production, and while they are entitled to their opinion, it was exactly the sound we were looking for.
With all this in mind, we have approached the next album very differently. Seeing as there is no rush to record something, we have opted to build an album from the ground up. Elias had already recorded a batch of 10 demos late last year. We have literally been going into Fattdog and laying down guide riffs based mainly on the demos Elias has come up with. Dan has then been offering his advice on arrangements and making changes where necessary (like any good producer should). Simon has been adding some guitar work and Dave has then been recording a drum track using Daniel’s Roland electronic kit. From there, I have been writing lyrics for the songs. Normally with GF songs, the lyrics and riffs come at the same time, so it is a slightly different way of writing. Once I have a rough set of lyrics I have been recording them and then taking mixes home and working on the vocal patterns and phrasing. We don’t even have enough songs for an album yet, but we are getting close. It is beyond doubt that some of the material already recorded will survive and actually make it onto the next album, however we won’t rush anything. If a take needs to be rerecorded, or I come up with a better vocal phrasing, it will be redone. It is such a different way of working for us because in the past the songs have been written and arranged prior to recording them. These songs are virtually being written in the studio. We know the next album has to be out of the box, and we are working hard to ensure when it does come out, it will represent the best of us. Each album has been a gradual improvement over the last, and this will be no different.
Speaking of the new song and riff ideas, this months edition of Mosher Crew Confidential is now available for download from the members area of our website. The edition gives you a few snort snippets of some of the stuff we have been doing, as well as a bit of a look at some of my raw songwriting ideas. My 1 year old son Aaron also makes his first appearance on a Grave Forsaken video since GFTV episode 3. Regular followers of our shows can see how much he has grown. Kristy and I are extremely proud of the little fella. If you’re interested in accessing Mosher Crew Confidential simply sign up to the Mosher Crew (for free) and you can check out the ever growing catalogue of downloads available from the members area.
The other thing I have been doing is continuing the mix for our online live album “Light The Hall”. I was getting a lot of high end buzz on the guitars which was annoying me. As this mix has been a learning experience for me, I was able to have a play with the EQ on the guitar. I think I’ve solved 90% of the problem by cutting out some of the offending frequencies. It’s pretty amazing what you can do with plug ins and effects. While you can’t actually change the raw performance (well you can, but I want it to be authentic), you can change some of the technical aspects of the recording. It’s fair to say that the Byford venue we recorded in was not designed for heavy metal live albums, but to me that is part of the beauty of the process. I figure that learning my way around the software and mixing desk on this project will stand me in very good stead for producing a future GF album myself. Working with Daniel is terrific, but the drawback is time, money and distance. I foresee a time when all our studio material is recorded at my home studio. That is unless we start selling a lot of albums and can afford a bigger studio. GF is what it is, and we are fully dedicated to making it the best it can be with our resource constraints. This is not a whinge, because I fully accept it, but the cold hard reality is there is no money in this scene for most bands. It is an expensive hobby for most of us. I think through a combination of talent and luck, the best bands make it to some degree, but it seems most bands are only ever one poor album away from losing their entire fanbase, and being back in the garage, or split up entirely. It can be an extremely taxing and frustrating undertaking.
Take our gig last Saturday night. It was a low turnout and the band wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders. You do sometimes drive home wondering if it is worth the time, money and effort. And the end of the day it is all about ministry for us. Just being representatives of Christ in the local metal scene is enough, and there are times when I need to remind myself of that. In some small way we are making a difference for God, and that makes what we and other Christian bands do worthwhile. So when your favourite Christian band hasn’t played many shows recently, or hasn’t put out an album for a while, or have some lineup changes, just remember how taxing it is for them. We choose to do this because we love serving God this way, but it certainly isn’t a lifestyle for everyone.
One thing I’ve always said to our supporters is that we are here for the long haul. There will come a day when we don’t put a new album out every year, and there will times when we don’t play live for 6 months, but everyday I try to do at least one little thing to move the band forward. Whether it’s writing a Monday Mosh, or editing a new GFTV episode, or contacting a promoter about a gig, I’m always pushing this thing forward. I accept that what we are now is what we might always be, but there is always hope that something will breakthrough. Maybe a support slot on a big tour, or a sudden surge in interest in one of our albums. The point is, none of these external factors will stop Grave Forsaken continuing. I say this because all the bands that have been meaningful to me over the years have stuck it out through the years. Kiss, Mortification, Iron Maiden to name a few. They just keep rolling on determined, and I find inspiration in that.
So, in a slow news week, I’ve managed to write possibly the longest Mosh yet. I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading, and you’ll hear from me again next Monday.
God Bless and Mosh On
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Sunday, July 12, 2009
13th July 2009: Monday Mosh #10
13th July 2009: Monday Mosh #10
G’day everyone, and welcome to the Monday Mosh. First of all we’d like to thank the people who came out for our album launch on Saturday night. I have to confess, I was disappointed with the turnout for the event, but these things happen sometimes. There was a high profile metal gig just down the road, and that certainly impacted the numbers. The good news is that 52 people came through the door, and this covered all the event costs. The Grave Forsaken set was beset by the dreaded “technical difficulties”, but on review of the video, it was barely noticeable. The biggest problem was me stepping on Simon’s guitar lead and knocking out his sound during a crucial section of “This Day Forth”. Sorry Simon! I will say it was tough day for the band, as we had a rehearsal in the afternoon, and didn’t hit the stage until late. Everyone was quite tired by that stage. Once we had a few difficulties during the set, the mood was down a bit. Still, a gig is a gig, and we are very thankful for the opportunity. We also got a multitrack recording of the gig which will be mixed this week. Look out for some of those tunes to be up on the website at some point in the future.
Onto some really cool info that a few of you have been curious about. As regular readers will know, we recorded a gig last July and have been mixing it on and off ever since. I’m very pleased to announce that this gig will be released online as our first live album “Light The Hall!” on September 28th. The band is 5 years old in September, so we figured what better to way to celebrate than by releasing our live album online. So here’s the deal – the album will be available as a “pay what you think it’s worth” download. This means you can download it for free, or you can donate a sum of money to the band via paypal when you access the download. The download will be initially made available only through the members area, so if you want it first, you need to sign up to the ever growing Mosher Crew through the official website (which is free anyway). Included with the download will be a pdf of the CD booklet and insert, so you can print your own hard copy of the album. If there’s enough interest, we will print a run of the album in physical form, but we’ll wait and see how the downloads go first. We are really looking forward to making this release available in this format, and hope you’ll enjoy the album. The setlist covers our entire 5 year history, including a version of “Wasting Power” from the latest album, which obviously hadn’t been released at the time of the recording. All the favourites are there, such as “The North Wind”, “Death On The Cross” and “Warriors Of Light”, so be sure to download your copy on September 28th!
On the subject of the live album, this week we have a new episode of GFTV that documents the mixing of the recording here at North Wind Studio. Head over to the following URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBm2xc3XRhY to check it out. Alternatively, just type in Grave Forsaken TV into youtube and you’ll find links to all 10 GFTV episodes. While you’re there, check out some of the older episodes as well. It’s a lot of fun putting together these GFTV episodes, and we obviously hope you guys enjoy the insight into the band.
Elias and I are heading out to Fattdog this Wednesday to work on some new arrangements with Daniel. While the reaction to This Day Forth has been mostly positive, there are definitely areas we can improve in on the next Grave Forsaken album. Shreds has come up with some of his best riffs ever, and we are really enjoying putting them into solid song structures. Daniel is so much fun to work with, and all of us just cherish our time at Fattdog. Not to mention that Daniel always has plenty of great advice for me now that I have my own studio at home. He really gives us the confidence and self belief to put together some really cool stuff. You should check out his band Templar if you haven’t already. Very awesome indeed.
That brings me to the end of yet another mosh - what are we up to now, 10? It’s just crazy that it’s been 10 weeks since I started. Well, here’s to many more, and we’ll catch you all again next week.
God Bless and MOSH ON!
G’day everyone, and welcome to the Monday Mosh. First of all we’d like to thank the people who came out for our album launch on Saturday night. I have to confess, I was disappointed with the turnout for the event, but these things happen sometimes. There was a high profile metal gig just down the road, and that certainly impacted the numbers. The good news is that 52 people came through the door, and this covered all the event costs. The Grave Forsaken set was beset by the dreaded “technical difficulties”, but on review of the video, it was barely noticeable. The biggest problem was me stepping on Simon’s guitar lead and knocking out his sound during a crucial section of “This Day Forth”. Sorry Simon! I will say it was tough day for the band, as we had a rehearsal in the afternoon, and didn’t hit the stage until late. Everyone was quite tired by that stage. Once we had a few difficulties during the set, the mood was down a bit. Still, a gig is a gig, and we are very thankful for the opportunity. We also got a multitrack recording of the gig which will be mixed this week. Look out for some of those tunes to be up on the website at some point in the future.
Onto some really cool info that a few of you have been curious about. As regular readers will know, we recorded a gig last July and have been mixing it on and off ever since. I’m very pleased to announce that this gig will be released online as our first live album “Light The Hall!” on September 28th. The band is 5 years old in September, so we figured what better to way to celebrate than by releasing our live album online. So here’s the deal – the album will be available as a “pay what you think it’s worth” download. This means you can download it for free, or you can donate a sum of money to the band via paypal when you access the download. The download will be initially made available only through the members area, so if you want it first, you need to sign up to the ever growing Mosher Crew through the official website (which is free anyway). Included with the download will be a pdf of the CD booklet and insert, so you can print your own hard copy of the album. If there’s enough interest, we will print a run of the album in physical form, but we’ll wait and see how the downloads go first. We are really looking forward to making this release available in this format, and hope you’ll enjoy the album. The setlist covers our entire 5 year history, including a version of “Wasting Power” from the latest album, which obviously hadn’t been released at the time of the recording. All the favourites are there, such as “The North Wind”, “Death On The Cross” and “Warriors Of Light”, so be sure to download your copy on September 28th!
On the subject of the live album, this week we have a new episode of GFTV that documents the mixing of the recording here at North Wind Studio. Head over to the following URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBm2xc3XRhY to check it out. Alternatively, just type in Grave Forsaken TV into youtube and you’ll find links to all 10 GFTV episodes. While you’re there, check out some of the older episodes as well. It’s a lot of fun putting together these GFTV episodes, and we obviously hope you guys enjoy the insight into the band.
Elias and I are heading out to Fattdog this Wednesday to work on some new arrangements with Daniel. While the reaction to This Day Forth has been mostly positive, there are definitely areas we can improve in on the next Grave Forsaken album. Shreds has come up with some of his best riffs ever, and we are really enjoying putting them into solid song structures. Daniel is so much fun to work with, and all of us just cherish our time at Fattdog. Not to mention that Daniel always has plenty of great advice for me now that I have my own studio at home. He really gives us the confidence and self belief to put together some really cool stuff. You should check out his band Templar if you haven’t already. Very awesome indeed.
That brings me to the end of yet another mosh - what are we up to now, 10? It’s just crazy that it’s been 10 weeks since I started. Well, here’s to many more, and we’ll catch you all again next week.
God Bless and MOSH ON!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
6th July 2009: Monday Mosh #9
6th July 2009: Monday Mosh #9
Here we are again for another Monday Mosh. The weeks just seem to roll by so quickly. It’s hard to keep up! Thanks to you all out for regularly visiting the website and myspace site, our hits on both are creeping up nicely. I’m really excited about the idea of a regular update – people really seem to be following what’s going on.
We have a full on week ahead of us. Next Saturday is our This Day Forth album launch. We are busily preparing ourselves for that. If you are a Perth mosher, it would great to catch you at the Castle next Saturday night. Rowland Gwynne has organized a particularly strong lineup. We have Archaic, Mhorgl and Psychonaut joining in on the festivities. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $10. We will also be getting a live recording of the gig and at least 3 camera angles, so it’s very possible that this show will see a release of some kind or another down the track. It is very exciting, so head down to the Castle on the corner of Stirling Street and Newcastle Street, Northbridge!
There has been a lot of interest in our live recording from last July. For months now I’ve been promising some kind of clarification over it’s release. This weeks edition of the Mosher Crew newsletter will contain some exciting information on the release, and I will make that info available in Monday Mosh #10 next week. So stay tuned for that. I’m listening to a mix of the recording as I type and I’m just so happy with how it has come out. Yes, it is raw and contains mistakes, but it’s also 100% live and real, which is very very cool. We have some really exciting plans for our live material moving into the future.
Yesterday afternoon we hit the studio to record our cover of “Bought By Blood” by Deliverance. We are recording the song for the Christian Metal Realm Deliverance tribute CD. I’ve gotta say, I was completely blown away by the sense of purpose and focus we had as a band yesterday. Sure, there was the usual jokes and laughs, but the vibe was just sensational. Our producer Daniel did a terrific job. Many of you will realise Daniel is from Templar, who have put out a couple of releases now. He is an amazing talent, and he’s actually the one who worked out the riffs to the songs (as well as playing guitar on the track). Matt couldn’t make the session, so he justs needs to lay down a bass track, and the song is essentially done. Simon, Elias and Daniel all play a lead on the track, while I cut a vocal. Dave was also there, and he put down a great drum track. All in all it was a terrific afternoon. Weapons Of Our Warfare is one of my favourite albums of all time, so it truly was an honour to pay tribute to the record in this way. I just hope if Jimmy Brown and George Ochoa ever hear our cover they will appreciate our interpretation of the song. I used to listen to that CD in high school. I never dreamed I would be recording a song from it one day for a Deliverance tribute. The Christian Metal Realm have been posting songs for the tribute on their myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/christianmetalrealm so head over and check what the other bands have done so far.
On the subject of tributes, our version of “The Destroyer Beholds” for the Mortification tribute album has been submitted to the organizers, so we look forward to that CD coming out. I don’t have any solid release details for that one, but I will let you all know as soon as I have something to report. I’m really happy with our version, and all this recording of covers has got Elias and I talking about doing a Grave Forsaken covers album. We used to talk about this a bit on the Centurion Outpost forum, but the dream has never been a reality until now. One way we could do it is to record a cover song every couple of months and then put something out when we have 8-10 tracks. I’m not familiar with all the copyright stuff we’d have to do in order to make that possible, so I’d need to do a bit of research. If anyone has done something like this, please drop me a line via email to let me know how you cleared the use of the songs.
I’m trying something a little different for this weeks website stream. Instead of streaming an entire album, I’m going to stream 2 songs from This Day Forth each week for the next four weeks. I’ve decided to play some stuff that hasn’t been on the myspace site, so this week we’ll start with Affluenza and Death Undone. Check them out!
Well thanks again for checking in to the Mosh. Mosher Crew members will be receiving this months newsletter in their inboxes with this update. I hope you all have a great week, and I’ll be back with more randomness in 7 days (as well as a new episode of GFTV!)
God Bless and Mosh On
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Here we are again for another Monday Mosh. The weeks just seem to roll by so quickly. It’s hard to keep up! Thanks to you all out for regularly visiting the website and myspace site, our hits on both are creeping up nicely. I’m really excited about the idea of a regular update – people really seem to be following what’s going on.
We have a full on week ahead of us. Next Saturday is our This Day Forth album launch. We are busily preparing ourselves for that. If you are a Perth mosher, it would great to catch you at the Castle next Saturday night. Rowland Gwynne has organized a particularly strong lineup. We have Archaic, Mhorgl and Psychonaut joining in on the festivities. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $10. We will also be getting a live recording of the gig and at least 3 camera angles, so it’s very possible that this show will see a release of some kind or another down the track. It is very exciting, so head down to the Castle on the corner of Stirling Street and Newcastle Street, Northbridge!
There has been a lot of interest in our live recording from last July. For months now I’ve been promising some kind of clarification over it’s release. This weeks edition of the Mosher Crew newsletter will contain some exciting information on the release, and I will make that info available in Monday Mosh #10 next week. So stay tuned for that. I’m listening to a mix of the recording as I type and I’m just so happy with how it has come out. Yes, it is raw and contains mistakes, but it’s also 100% live and real, which is very very cool. We have some really exciting plans for our live material moving into the future.
Yesterday afternoon we hit the studio to record our cover of “Bought By Blood” by Deliverance. We are recording the song for the Christian Metal Realm Deliverance tribute CD. I’ve gotta say, I was completely blown away by the sense of purpose and focus we had as a band yesterday. Sure, there was the usual jokes and laughs, but the vibe was just sensational. Our producer Daniel did a terrific job. Many of you will realise Daniel is from Templar, who have put out a couple of releases now. He is an amazing talent, and he’s actually the one who worked out the riffs to the songs (as well as playing guitar on the track). Matt couldn’t make the session, so he justs needs to lay down a bass track, and the song is essentially done. Simon, Elias and Daniel all play a lead on the track, while I cut a vocal. Dave was also there, and he put down a great drum track. All in all it was a terrific afternoon. Weapons Of Our Warfare is one of my favourite albums of all time, so it truly was an honour to pay tribute to the record in this way. I just hope if Jimmy Brown and George Ochoa ever hear our cover they will appreciate our interpretation of the song. I used to listen to that CD in high school. I never dreamed I would be recording a song from it one day for a Deliverance tribute. The Christian Metal Realm have been posting songs for the tribute on their myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/christianmetalrealm so head over and check what the other bands have done so far.
On the subject of tributes, our version of “The Destroyer Beholds” for the Mortification tribute album has been submitted to the organizers, so we look forward to that CD coming out. I don’t have any solid release details for that one, but I will let you all know as soon as I have something to report. I’m really happy with our version, and all this recording of covers has got Elias and I talking about doing a Grave Forsaken covers album. We used to talk about this a bit on the Centurion Outpost forum, but the dream has never been a reality until now. One way we could do it is to record a cover song every couple of months and then put something out when we have 8-10 tracks. I’m not familiar with all the copyright stuff we’d have to do in order to make that possible, so I’d need to do a bit of research. If anyone has done something like this, please drop me a line via email to let me know how you cleared the use of the songs.
I’m trying something a little different for this weeks website stream. Instead of streaming an entire album, I’m going to stream 2 songs from This Day Forth each week for the next four weeks. I’ve decided to play some stuff that hasn’t been on the myspace site, so this week we’ll start with Affluenza and Death Undone. Check them out!
Well thanks again for checking in to the Mosh. Mosher Crew members will be receiving this months newsletter in their inboxes with this update. I hope you all have a great week, and I’ll be back with more randomness in 7 days (as well as a new episode of GFTV!)
God Bless and Mosh On
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Monday, June 29, 2009
29th June 2009: Monday Mosh #8
29th June 2009: Monday Mosh #8
Welcome to Monday Mosh #8, which in reality should be called Tuesday Mosh #1. Yes, it was inevitable that one of these weeks I wouldn’t get a chance to do the Mosh on a Monday. Apologies to all for the delay. I’ve had a very busy couple of days, not to mention coming down with a bad cold on Thursday. Suffice to say this is the first time I’ve been on the computer for a number of days now. All is good however, and I have some interesting updates for you all.
I’ll start with this month’s Mosher Crew download. I was thinking during the week, “What can I make available?”, and then it hit me. I could put one of the songs from the old Katara EP up. My band before Grave Forsaken was called Katara, and in 2001 we recorded a 4 track EP called “Welcome To Katara”. Believe it or not, we actually did this with Daniel Holmes, our current producer. The song I’ve put up is called “Crux Of My Dreams”. Some keen listeners may even recognize some elements of the song that were used later in Grave Forsaken. The line up for this recording was me on vocals, Matt on bass, Ben Travia on guitar, Chris Connor on guitar and Luke Battistessa on drums. If you aren’t a member of the Mosher Crew and want to check out the song, simply join up for free through the Mosher Crew section of our website. The mp3 is available in the members area now.
We are having our “This Day Forth” album launch on Saturday July 11th at the Castle in Northbridge. The last gig there went really well and we’re hoping for 100 or more punters to come down to the album launch. We have a stellar line up booked - Archaic, Morghl and Psychonaut. It promises to be a huge night. Entry is $10, or $15 dollars with a copy of This Day Forth. If you are in Perth it would be great to see you there. We are in intense rehearsal, and will cranking out Holy Blood and Mother Of Harlots live for the first time. Can’t wait!
Elias and I have been quite busy on Monday nights lately. As I’ve mentioned in previous Moshes, we are constantly composing and demoing new material. This particular material we are working on is really exciting, and has an epic feel to it. We are actually considering doing an album project separate from Grave Forsaken some we can bring in some more diverse influences. We are still in the planning stage, but we think it would be a great idea to record tracks here at my home studio and then make them available to you all via download. The first song we are working on is called “In The Beginning”, and we intend to make it next month’s Mosher Crew download. As we talk more, I will keep everyone informed as to the progress of this project via the Monday Mosh. I mean who knows, maybe it will evolve into a Grave Forsaken album, or perhaps it will go on an entirely different tangent. It’s hard to know, but it is exciting waiting to find out.
Our Grave Forsaken work at Fattdog Studio continues to go well. We have arrangements for 5 new Grave Forsaken songs sorted out, with a few more in the pipeline. I’m currently working on vocal lines and lyrics for the songs that we’ve arranged. It is without doubt the most intensive songwriting process we’ve ever put ourselves through. There is a real emphasis and quality riffs and arrangements. It is fair to say that up until now most of our songs have developed in a fairly organic way, in that we build them up in the rehearsal room and then record them when the time comes. We know that the next Grave Forsaken needs to have killer song writing and production, and we are putting a lot of time and effort into getting the song development just right. I definitely feel we have improved with each album, and I really want the follow up to This Day Forth to be a further improvement. The new songs are 100% thrash in the Mother Of Harlots and No News vein. That is definitely where the band is headed over the next few years.
Thanks again for checking in, and once again, my apologies for the delay. I will endeavour to ensure that next week we are on schedule.
God Bless and MOSH ON!
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Welcome to Monday Mosh #8, which in reality should be called Tuesday Mosh #1. Yes, it was inevitable that one of these weeks I wouldn’t get a chance to do the Mosh on a Monday. Apologies to all for the delay. I’ve had a very busy couple of days, not to mention coming down with a bad cold on Thursday. Suffice to say this is the first time I’ve been on the computer for a number of days now. All is good however, and I have some interesting updates for you all.
I’ll start with this month’s Mosher Crew download. I was thinking during the week, “What can I make available?”, and then it hit me. I could put one of the songs from the old Katara EP up. My band before Grave Forsaken was called Katara, and in 2001 we recorded a 4 track EP called “Welcome To Katara”. Believe it or not, we actually did this with Daniel Holmes, our current producer. The song I’ve put up is called “Crux Of My Dreams”. Some keen listeners may even recognize some elements of the song that were used later in Grave Forsaken. The line up for this recording was me on vocals, Matt on bass, Ben Travia on guitar, Chris Connor on guitar and Luke Battistessa on drums. If you aren’t a member of the Mosher Crew and want to check out the song, simply join up for free through the Mosher Crew section of our website. The mp3 is available in the members area now.
We are having our “This Day Forth” album launch on Saturday July 11th at the Castle in Northbridge. The last gig there went really well and we’re hoping for 100 or more punters to come down to the album launch. We have a stellar line up booked - Archaic, Morghl and Psychonaut. It promises to be a huge night. Entry is $10, or $15 dollars with a copy of This Day Forth. If you are in Perth it would be great to see you there. We are in intense rehearsal, and will cranking out Holy Blood and Mother Of Harlots live for the first time. Can’t wait!
Elias and I have been quite busy on Monday nights lately. As I’ve mentioned in previous Moshes, we are constantly composing and demoing new material. This particular material we are working on is really exciting, and has an epic feel to it. We are actually considering doing an album project separate from Grave Forsaken some we can bring in some more diverse influences. We are still in the planning stage, but we think it would be a great idea to record tracks here at my home studio and then make them available to you all via download. The first song we are working on is called “In The Beginning”, and we intend to make it next month’s Mosher Crew download. As we talk more, I will keep everyone informed as to the progress of this project via the Monday Mosh. I mean who knows, maybe it will evolve into a Grave Forsaken album, or perhaps it will go on an entirely different tangent. It’s hard to know, but it is exciting waiting to find out.
Our Grave Forsaken work at Fattdog Studio continues to go well. We have arrangements for 5 new Grave Forsaken songs sorted out, with a few more in the pipeline. I’m currently working on vocal lines and lyrics for the songs that we’ve arranged. It is without doubt the most intensive songwriting process we’ve ever put ourselves through. There is a real emphasis and quality riffs and arrangements. It is fair to say that up until now most of our songs have developed in a fairly organic way, in that we build them up in the rehearsal room and then record them when the time comes. We know that the next Grave Forsaken needs to have killer song writing and production, and we are putting a lot of time and effort into getting the song development just right. I definitely feel we have improved with each album, and I really want the follow up to This Day Forth to be a further improvement. The new songs are 100% thrash in the Mother Of Harlots and No News vein. That is definitely where the band is headed over the next few years.
Thanks again for checking in, and once again, my apologies for the delay. I will endeavour to ensure that next week we are on schedule.
God Bless and MOSH ON!
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
22nd June 2009" Monday Mosh #7
22nd June 2009: Monday Mosh #7
I sit here on a freezing Sunday night in Perth typing out this week’s mosh. I’m feeling kind of relieved because this is the only task I’ve set myself this week. I’ve been insanely busy at work, and last week I was on school camp down in Albany, I think around 4 or 500 km’s south of Perth. It was a good week, but it’s straight back into the Monday Madness tomorrow.
This week we are streaming our 2008 album “Destined For Ascension” from our website in it’s entirety. I hope you all enjoyed having a listen to “This Day Forth” during last week. I’ve had a look at the hit counter, and quite a few people had a listen. Obviously we’re hoping that translates into some more sales, but at least people can have a listen before making up their minds.
I’m just in the final stages of putting together our merch and mp3 store. I’ll let you know when it is up, but it will be very soon. We’re really looking forward to being able to sell downloads direct from the site. We have lots of cool things we can do with this. Stay tuned.
Sometime in the next few moshes I will be able to give more details about our live release. This has been an ongoing project for sometime, and as we’ve been promising it will see the light of day in some capacity. I have been delayed in the mixing process as a whole stack of other stuff has been taking my time, but rest assured it is coming. It looks as though we will be experimenting with a “pay what you like” setup through the Mosher Crew Members page. Essentially, we won’t set a price for the recording – but if you want to make a financial donation to the band, you will be free to contribute some money. It will be interesting to see how that approach goes.
This afternoon the band met again at Fattdog Studio to work through some new riffs. These latest riffs are a direct follow on from the thrash approach on This Day Forth. As always, I’m very excited to hear some ideas come into fruition. I was listening to some bouncedowns tonight as I marked my year 10 exams and there was distinct Slayer vibe going on. We seem to be heading more and more in that direction. These songs are still incomplete, but these days I like to give the tunes a lot of time to mature. Lyrics will be challenging as Tim is no longer in the band and he used to write a lot of the lyrics. There is a bit of a theme of destruction coming through in the fragments I’ve written so far, but at the core of it all is hope through Jesus. I have been taking my video camera to all the sessions, so maybe there is material for another doco if all these ideas come together to be the next album.
Elias and I have been working together on a Monday night on some other ideas as well. We are best mates, so we love just sitting down, talking rubbish and recording demo’s. We like to keep busy, and you never know where the next song is coming from. If we can get one of our demos to a reasonable state tomorrow, I’m going to make it the Mosher Crew download for June. Just remember these demos are not Grave Forsaken songs just yet, simply ideas for future projects. Elias and I have literally dozens of song ideas recorded in various states of completion, but many of them never see the light of day. Perhaps you guys can be judge of what should go through to the next round!
As I’ve been away all week, I don’t have a great deal more to report on. Keep the website visits coming – last week was the highest average in the history of the site. Also, I’m still answering a number of emails that have backed up from last week, so if you haven’t heard back from me, you will shortly. Thanks for your continued support. Oh, and check out Boarders – I finally got their album last week and it is killer. Soundmass have some in stock – support them and buy a copy!
Until next time God Bless and MOSH ON!
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
I sit here on a freezing Sunday night in Perth typing out this week’s mosh. I’m feeling kind of relieved because this is the only task I’ve set myself this week. I’ve been insanely busy at work, and last week I was on school camp down in Albany, I think around 4 or 500 km’s south of Perth. It was a good week, but it’s straight back into the Monday Madness tomorrow.
This week we are streaming our 2008 album “Destined For Ascension” from our website in it’s entirety. I hope you all enjoyed having a listen to “This Day Forth” during last week. I’ve had a look at the hit counter, and quite a few people had a listen. Obviously we’re hoping that translates into some more sales, but at least people can have a listen before making up their minds.
I’m just in the final stages of putting together our merch and mp3 store. I’ll let you know when it is up, but it will be very soon. We’re really looking forward to being able to sell downloads direct from the site. We have lots of cool things we can do with this. Stay tuned.
Sometime in the next few moshes I will be able to give more details about our live release. This has been an ongoing project for sometime, and as we’ve been promising it will see the light of day in some capacity. I have been delayed in the mixing process as a whole stack of other stuff has been taking my time, but rest assured it is coming. It looks as though we will be experimenting with a “pay what you like” setup through the Mosher Crew Members page. Essentially, we won’t set a price for the recording – but if you want to make a financial donation to the band, you will be free to contribute some money. It will be interesting to see how that approach goes.
This afternoon the band met again at Fattdog Studio to work through some new riffs. These latest riffs are a direct follow on from the thrash approach on This Day Forth. As always, I’m very excited to hear some ideas come into fruition. I was listening to some bouncedowns tonight as I marked my year 10 exams and there was distinct Slayer vibe going on. We seem to be heading more and more in that direction. These songs are still incomplete, but these days I like to give the tunes a lot of time to mature. Lyrics will be challenging as Tim is no longer in the band and he used to write a lot of the lyrics. There is a bit of a theme of destruction coming through in the fragments I’ve written so far, but at the core of it all is hope through Jesus. I have been taking my video camera to all the sessions, so maybe there is material for another doco if all these ideas come together to be the next album.
Elias and I have been working together on a Monday night on some other ideas as well. We are best mates, so we love just sitting down, talking rubbish and recording demo’s. We like to keep busy, and you never know where the next song is coming from. If we can get one of our demos to a reasonable state tomorrow, I’m going to make it the Mosher Crew download for June. Just remember these demos are not Grave Forsaken songs just yet, simply ideas for future projects. Elias and I have literally dozens of song ideas recorded in various states of completion, but many of them never see the light of day. Perhaps you guys can be judge of what should go through to the next round!
As I’ve been away all week, I don’t have a great deal more to report on. Keep the website visits coming – last week was the highest average in the history of the site. Also, I’m still answering a number of emails that have backed up from last week, so if you haven’t heard back from me, you will shortly. Thanks for your continued support. Oh, and check out Boarders – I finally got their album last week and it is killer. Soundmass have some in stock – support them and buy a copy!
Until next time God Bless and MOSH ON!
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Sunday, June 14, 2009
15th June 2009: Monday Mosh #6
15th June 2009: Monday Mosh #6
Welcome to another edition of the Monday Mosh. This is Vaughan here, and I’m having a particularly good weekend (I’m writing this on Sunday afternoon). We just had our first gig with Simon on guitar last night, and I have to say it was great success. The gig was organized by Rowland “ironguardian” Gwynne and held at the Castle. 79 payers came through the door, which is quite good for one of these local Perth gigs. We were all very happy with the way we played. I think the dynamic of having 5 of us on stage really worked well, we were able to interact in a really fun way. I have to admit though, I wasn’t physically ready for the demands of being sole lead vocalist – without the safety net of my mike stand and guitar I got quite breathless quite quickly. Still, it was a lot of fun and we all pushed through. We played an 8 song setlist, kicking off with Warriors Of Light, then Wasting Power, The North Wind, Harder To Hate, No Eye Has Seen, Perish The Thought, This Day Forth, finishing on Death On The Cross. This week’s edition of Mosher Crew Confidential features some backstage footage of the gig, as well as our full performance of This Day Forth from the night. If you’re not a member of the Mosher Crew, make sure you join up and check out the video. We are looking forward to the next show on July 11th, also at the Castle. That will be a This Day Forth album launch, so it will be good to see some more of you Perth Moshers down there.
We are very excited to be able to do this – with thanks to our great friend Adam who runs Soundmass, we are bringing a full stream of “This Day Forth” in it’s entirety on our website. That’s correct folks, we are streaming the entire album from www.graveforsaken.com for your enjoyment. So head over to the site (if you’re not already there now), have a look around and have a listen to the album. Of course, if you enjoy what you hear, head over to soundmass.com and purchase a copy. There are still some copies of the album with the bonus DVD available. I have received a number of emails from people who have the DVD and they all love it – it’s the best insight into our band you will get.
On the subject of the website, I’m pleased to say that this Friday just gone we had our best day yet for unique hits. Thanks to the efforts of Soundmass and all of you guys, word is spreading about the album, and we are seeing results first hand with website visits (and myspace hits). At the end of the day, it’s about getting the gospel out, the only reason we have ever done this is to present Christianity to as many people as possible. As I’ve always said, we plan to be in this for the long haul, and hopefully we’ll be able to reach many more people in the future. One online radio station that has played us is the Refinery Rock ( www.therefineryrock.com ).We’d really appreciate it if you could head over there and follow the links to request songs from the new album.
We are asking a big favour of all our supporters out there. We have recently entered ourselves in the Australian Metal Awards. This is a prestigious competition organized by some heavy hitters in the Australian scene. The website is www.australianmetal.com.au and you have to follow the mainsite link to get to the voting page. To maintain the integrity of the vote, the page does require a sign in. We are in the “Best Live Band”, “Best Live Clip”, and “Best Album Cover” categories. We would really appreciate you all heading over to the site, creating an account and putting in a vote for us. It would be a big deal for our standing in Australia if we could score well in these categories. I know for a fact that some of you people in the Mosher Crew have already voted, thanks so much for that.
I have been in contact with the Blackstump organizers this week. Things are looking pretty positive about us going over there this year. We’re particularly excited about catching up with the East Coast Mosher Crew members. We have a good contigent of supporters over there, and we can’t wait to bring the show over. Also, I’m particularly looking forward to catching up with our good mates in Fearscape. If a metal night does go ahead, it will be an event not to be missed. As we get more details I will continue to update you on the situation.
Well, that just about finishes the mosh for another week. I need to let everyone know that I’m on a school camp this week, so I won’t be able to answer any Grave Forsaken email in that time (unless they have web access at the campsite). I talked last week about God teaching me patience. Well, what’s been really interesting is that in the weeks since Simon came into the band, we have had a series of gig opportunities come our way with absolutely no instigation from me. We’ll tell you more about those as they solidify. The thing is, I often run around like a headless chook trying to contact this church or that pub to enquire about gigs. I really felt God tell me that “what I’ve got is what I first must be” (paraphrased from Pushin’ Broom by Tourniquet) so I made a conscious decision to pull back, and be patient and wait. Well, some great things have happened. Now I’m definitely not saying sit back and let God do the work, but I truly believe there are times when we have to hand control over. Everyone who knows me knows I like to control all aspects of the band, some would even call me a control freak, so it has been really humbling and really difficult to take a back seat. But like I said, a string of opportunities have popped into my inbox during this time. To me it’s proof positive that God is in control. I think we’re onto something with this 5 piece lineup, and I for one am excited about the future. You’ll all hear from me next Monday.
God Bless and MOSH ON
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
Welcome to another edition of the Monday Mosh. This is Vaughan here, and I’m having a particularly good weekend (I’m writing this on Sunday afternoon). We just had our first gig with Simon on guitar last night, and I have to say it was great success. The gig was organized by Rowland “ironguardian” Gwynne and held at the Castle. 79 payers came through the door, which is quite good for one of these local Perth gigs. We were all very happy with the way we played. I think the dynamic of having 5 of us on stage really worked well, we were able to interact in a really fun way. I have to admit though, I wasn’t physically ready for the demands of being sole lead vocalist – without the safety net of my mike stand and guitar I got quite breathless quite quickly. Still, it was a lot of fun and we all pushed through. We played an 8 song setlist, kicking off with Warriors Of Light, then Wasting Power, The North Wind, Harder To Hate, No Eye Has Seen, Perish The Thought, This Day Forth, finishing on Death On The Cross. This week’s edition of Mosher Crew Confidential features some backstage footage of the gig, as well as our full performance of This Day Forth from the night. If you’re not a member of the Mosher Crew, make sure you join up and check out the video. We are looking forward to the next show on July 11th, also at the Castle. That will be a This Day Forth album launch, so it will be good to see some more of you Perth Moshers down there.
We are very excited to be able to do this – with thanks to our great friend Adam who runs Soundmass, we are bringing a full stream of “This Day Forth” in it’s entirety on our website. That’s correct folks, we are streaming the entire album from www.graveforsaken.com for your enjoyment. So head over to the site (if you’re not already there now), have a look around and have a listen to the album. Of course, if you enjoy what you hear, head over to soundmass.com and purchase a copy. There are still some copies of the album with the bonus DVD available. I have received a number of emails from people who have the DVD and they all love it – it’s the best insight into our band you will get.
On the subject of the website, I’m pleased to say that this Friday just gone we had our best day yet for unique hits. Thanks to the efforts of Soundmass and all of you guys, word is spreading about the album, and we are seeing results first hand with website visits (and myspace hits). At the end of the day, it’s about getting the gospel out, the only reason we have ever done this is to present Christianity to as many people as possible. As I’ve always said, we plan to be in this for the long haul, and hopefully we’ll be able to reach many more people in the future. One online radio station that has played us is the Refinery Rock ( www.therefineryrock.com ).We’d really appreciate it if you could head over there and follow the links to request songs from the new album.
We are asking a big favour of all our supporters out there. We have recently entered ourselves in the Australian Metal Awards. This is a prestigious competition organized by some heavy hitters in the Australian scene. The website is www.australianmetal.com.au and you have to follow the mainsite link to get to the voting page. To maintain the integrity of the vote, the page does require a sign in. We are in the “Best Live Band”, “Best Live Clip”, and “Best Album Cover” categories. We would really appreciate you all heading over to the site, creating an account and putting in a vote for us. It would be a big deal for our standing in Australia if we could score well in these categories. I know for a fact that some of you people in the Mosher Crew have already voted, thanks so much for that.
I have been in contact with the Blackstump organizers this week. Things are looking pretty positive about us going over there this year. We’re particularly excited about catching up with the East Coast Mosher Crew members. We have a good contigent of supporters over there, and we can’t wait to bring the show over. Also, I’m particularly looking forward to catching up with our good mates in Fearscape. If a metal night does go ahead, it will be an event not to be missed. As we get more details I will continue to update you on the situation.
Well, that just about finishes the mosh for another week. I need to let everyone know that I’m on a school camp this week, so I won’t be able to answer any Grave Forsaken email in that time (unless they have web access at the campsite). I talked last week about God teaching me patience. Well, what’s been really interesting is that in the weeks since Simon came into the band, we have had a series of gig opportunities come our way with absolutely no instigation from me. We’ll tell you more about those as they solidify. The thing is, I often run around like a headless chook trying to contact this church or that pub to enquire about gigs. I really felt God tell me that “what I’ve got is what I first must be” (paraphrased from Pushin’ Broom by Tourniquet) so I made a conscious decision to pull back, and be patient and wait. Well, some great things have happened. Now I’m definitely not saying sit back and let God do the work, but I truly believe there are times when we have to hand control over. Everyone who knows me knows I like to control all aspects of the band, some would even call me a control freak, so it has been really humbling and really difficult to take a back seat. But like I said, a string of opportunities have popped into my inbox during this time. To me it’s proof positive that God is in control. I think we’re onto something with this 5 piece lineup, and I for one am excited about the future. You’ll all hear from me next Monday.
God Bless and MOSH ON
Vaughan and Grave Forsaken
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