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| FIRELOGG NEWS | ||||||
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News Archives August 2001 Santa Monica, CA - The first in a series of FireLogg live shows have played throughout August, with most of the shows taking place across the west side in Santa Monica and Venice. Ken's thoughts: "...the Am service at Metro (my home church) was really, really cool. I always enjoy playing worship for the home team, especially batting lead-off for Pastor Shipp's message. It was really special, as this was our first worship service with the full band. The Metro sanctuary is on a sound stage, so the sound was amazing. Looking back at the board and seeing George gives me great confidence that everything is going to sound great. It lets us relax and just play and minister through the music..." Photos of the service on are the FireLogg website, sort of mixed in with the other pictures at firelogg.com/pix.html Mike adds: "...we also played a Friday night for this group called Metropolis. What a great crowd. We couldn't find a Tim for bass that night, so it was just me and Ken. We rolled in with the FireLogg Lounge. Sort of a Story-Tellers meets Unplugged vibe. We built this whole elaborate living room set... basically we stole half of Ken's living room and just moved in - lamps, tables, easy chairs, oriental rugs, plants, etc. It was such a cool vibe - just hanging out, making music, talking with the crowd... it was great... I liked Ken's chair so much I made him an offer. Cheap SOB wouldn't take it, though... The August Metropolis show also marked the first showing of FireLogg Multimedia - a series of projected images, animation and lighting that are designed and built around the songs and the dialog. Ken shares, "...our goal is to integrate projected video and still images into the smaller venue shows - basically taking a stadium-type show to the coffee house. There's no reason that we can't roll in with theater-type sets, video and lighting to bring a quality product to the small venue. We just throw the video against any available wall or ceiling... its very neat. Mike and I love going out with just the two of us... the intimacy with the audience is great, but the added dimension of a full stage set and the multimedia program just enhances each show. It makes these small engagements a really big event..." FireLogg also played at MRJ - a coffee house in Santa Monica. It was the second of the Unplugged-Storytellers shows. Ken on the MRJ show: "Mike pulled out that ol' Yamaha acoustic guitar from Hawaii, and tuned it way, way down to "J" or "L" or some wacky tuning. That guitar was just rumbling as we pulled out a lot of our favorite covers for the MRJ show... songs like Changes by Bowie, In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, No Myth by Michael Penn and, of course Come Away With Me by Undercover, just to name a few. It was like playing at home in my own living room... actually, just like it..." There will be more of the FireLogg Lounge shows to follow. Be sure to check out the website at firelogg.com/livefire.html to get the dates and times. top of page July 2001 Santa Monica, CA - FireLogg.com launches. After completing two new CD's simultaneously, Mike and Ken have launched the FireLogg website. Rob Dominguez of Gray Space Design has been selected as the FireLogg webmonster. He has done work for many local artists, as well as international superstar guitar god, Tracy G. "...Rob's work is great..." Mike stated."...he's versatile, indi-friendly and a part of the FireLogg family. The work he did on Tracy's site, tracyg.com, is just awesome. Our site is coming along great..." Future enhancements include an eCommerce section for buying anything from FireLogg CD's and other merchandise, to jet airplanes, kidneys and corneas. Ken chimed in, "...Our site is more than a shameless pimp of our music. Its really a community outreach. I mean, really - where else can you get a kidney on the cheap these days? And c'mon, have YOU priced a cornea lately? I figure I got two of each, so why not help out a listener or a fan. That's just me... I'm a giver..." Mike and Ken have begun rehearsals with Tim Rood on bass guitar. MasterBasser Rood will be handling Bass duties for the FireLogg shows in August. Mike questions, "what's with all the Tim's on the bass... first Tim Jaquette on my stuff, then Tim Gaines on the FireLogg CD's, now Tim Rood for the Live Shows... What, Tim Conway wasn't available?... I can see it now... Dorf on Bass August will be a busy month for FireLogg with the show schedules, the ongoing work on the site and writing for the next project. Currently, the next FireLogg CD is planned to begin pre-production in the Fall of 2001, for a January or February 2002 release. top of page June 2001 Santa Monica, CA - The first two FireLogg CD's have been completed. "Tree" and "Petrified" have been mastered and will be going into production and packaging later this summer. Michael Beatty: "...we hooked up with Nancy Matter over at Moonlight Mastering in Burbank, CA, and it made all of the difference in the world..." Ken continued, "...she's a total pro. She's accrued quite a body of work, especially all of the Disney stuff she's done. Nancy is really indi (independent artist) friendly and she understands what we're trying to do here. She has a great ear and was wonderful to work with..." Mike finished: "Nancy's hot, her cat is psycho and her work is excellent... that's what we need in a mastering studio... that and lots of M&M's... be sure to check out her site at moonlightmastering.com... Nancy's lookin' fine..." The vision for FireLogg and for Firelogg.com is to present the very regional music of a very regional band. FireLogg is all about growing up in Southern California and being honest in the music. Ken and Mike added the tag "So Cal Music" to the marketing and merchandising of FireLogg to help communicate the regional feel. Ken says, "...it's about So Cal, man. Its about being barefoot 365, being on the beach at Thanksgiving and just playing your music outside. The acoustic Guitar is the front instrument on these two CD's, as Mike's fat Guild really communicates that So Cal vibe we're looking for..." Mike went on: "Simple songs for simple guys. We strum, we pound, we sing. We can take this music anywhere - from the big halls and arenas to the local coffee shops and right on the street. It just fits... it's So Cal Music..." In June, Ken and Mike went out and around So Cal and took photos for the site and for the records. Ken on the photo artists: "The Beatty's are great photographers. Stu's got a great eye. I love working with this guy. He's been shooting photos of Mike and I for years. His sister, Jessica handles most of the set up, prep and coordinated the locations. She and Stu really took some great shots..." Also included on the site will be lots of local landmarks and places important to Mike and Ken: from the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, to an old church by Mike's place, the San Gabriel river to Venice Beach. Work continues on the site as copy is written and photos collected. The site will launch in early July. top of page May 2001 Santa Monica, CA - Kenneth Kopp and Michael Beatty ("FireLogg") have at last begun laying tracks for their latest work. According to Ken, "...all of the drum tracks are completed, Tim came in and was awesome. It's so great working with him. Now, its Mickey time!..." Mike says "...the Dodgers are playing well, the Lakers are surging, the music kicks - what's not to like about being a So Cal...? These things are gonna rock." FireLogg have selected 14 songs for the two works, tentatively named "Tree" and "Petrified". According to Ken, "...there is definitely two separate personalities in the music. Petrified will feature the accumulation of pain and personal struggles. Its going to be an intensely personal body of work. Its definitely not about chicks and cars, that's for sure..." Mike went on, "...Tree is all about new wine. We have these worship songs that reflect the So Cal vibe we grew up with. The wonder and depth of His creation is so huge, and living in Southern California we're just surrounded by it all the time. This work of worship represents a melting of the different styles and worship artists we grew up listening to..." As FireLogg is completing the projects next month, a website and merchandise line will soon follow. The Web site (www.firelogg.com) will feature more than just a place to buy CD's and other stuff. "...cash is cool, but there's a lot we want to say, and the site is the perfect place for it..." Ken, added. Mike finished with this: "...look for in-depth pages talking about the stories behind the music, lots of pictures, personal biographies, links to our favorite sites and of course, tons of smack..." top of page March - April 2001 Santa Monica, CA - Michael Beatty and Kenneth Kopp ("FireLogg") have solidified the studio and the line up for their new collaborative work. The project will be recorded at the "G-Factory" studios in La Puente. Guitar virtuoso, Tracy G will be engineering and recording the work. Mike has recorded several albums there, and believes it will be the perfect place to capture the FireLogg sound. "...Tracy is always able to get a great guitar tone and a really good overall mix. He's recorded several of his own projects here... I'm glad the scheduling worked out perfect..." Rehearsals have begun for the project, as Mike and Ken have lined up Tim Gaines for Bass Guitar duties. "Tim has played with us several times in one capacity or another over the years..." Mike added. "He's rock solid, a great player and brings new ideas to the songs. He will add so much to the project, we're very glad to be playing together..." Song selection continues and will not likely be finalized until the sessions begin. However, there are now not just one, but two records planned. "There's just flat out too much good stuff for only one record." says Ken. "If we put out one 12 or 13 track record, the price will be prohibitive to a lot of people. We're going to put out two smaller releases - maybe 5 or 6 songs each. This way, we open the door for more people at our local shows to take the music home with them..." FireLogg is scheduled to start recording in May. Many Mansions Media will be handling the promotion, PR and photography. The record label will be Splintered Music, the music group of Many Mansions Media. top of page January - February 2001 Santa Monica, CA - Kenneth Kopp and Michael Beatty are teaming up again for a new work. Their new collaborative effort will be focused around Mike's soulful vocals and acoustic guitar work and Ken's strong drums and ethnic percussion. The duo is currently writing songs for the new project, named "FireLogg" and anticipate to begin pre-production on the first recording for release in summer 2001. FireLogg's music will be a blend of folk, gospel and groove. Ken described the new music like this: "We're basically Acoustic guitar melodies supported by slammin' drums... Mike's voice has never been better, and the hooks written into the songs are great... did I mention the drums...?" Mike added, "Most of the songs are done, and its time to get these things on CD so we can get out and start playing..." Look for the latest FireLogg release summer 2001. top of page |
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