I hope everyone had a happy Halloween. New treats (and one big trick) are coming soon. I’ll keep you posted.

Jason Felt and I are discussing a new Asbestos Felt release this summer.  Maybe we can even get a real drummer this time. Or at the very least, maybe I’ll program more than two fills on the drum machine.

If I ever [...]]]> This year, expect new releases from The Running Gags and Dead Is Punk.

Jason Felt and I are discussing a new Asbestos Felt release this summer.  Maybe we can even get a real drummer this time. Or at the very least, maybe I’ll program more than two fills on the drum machine.

If I ever stop acting like Nathan Explosion and deleting project files, maybe a slow trickle of GreenAdder stuff will come out. I said maybe.

A D E by The Running Gags

Last week, I spent some time recording with Brady and George.  We put together a small offering of short, simple and stupid songs – just the [...]]]> For anyone who didn’t know, here’s the current lineup of The Running Gags:

• Brian Gag – Guitar / Vocals
• Brady Cheeseburger – Bass / Vocals
• George Woodbridge – Drums

Last week, I spent some time recording with Brady and George.  We put together a small offering of short, simple and stupid songs – just the way punk rock should be.  I’m going to spend a bit more time mixing everything together, but expect at least a 4-song EP.

Expect us to sound a lot more like our early three-piece years, and not so much like when we were a four-piece band.  I’ve gotten better at both playing and recording since then, though, so don’t take that as a bad thing.

The final product will be freely available on the Internet.

The “backpack studio” has been a dream of mine ever since I got my first four-track.  How cool would it be if I could record anywhere I wanted?

Now I have that.  Pictured:  Line 6 Toneport UX1, Zoom MRT3B drum machine, Tascam DP004 four-track recorder, Korg KO1 Kaossilator, Skull Candy headphones, Toshiba [...]]]>

Backpack Studio

The “backpack studio” has been a dream of mine ever since I got my first four-track.  How cool would it be if I could record anywhere I wanted?

Now I have that.  Pictured:  Line 6 Toneport UX1, Zoom MRT3B drum machine, Tascam DP004 four-track recorder, Korg KO1 Kaossilator, Skull Candy headphones, Toshiba laptop.  I have a few other odds and ends that go in the backpack as well.

I quickly realized how expensive that would be.  If only I had a guitar to start [...]]]>

The first guitar I ever owned

I’ve become somewhat of a gearhead, at least as far as my limited resources will allow me to.  A couple weeks ago, I began to think of how cool it would be to build my own guitar from scratch.

I quickly realized how expensive that would be.  If only I had a guitar to start from instead, and just restore it…

And then it dawned on me.  The first guitar I ever owned has fallen into a state of disrepair and neglect.  It’s certainly seen better days.  Not only have I had this guitar for over 20 years, but this is also the guitar I played the first-ever Running Gags show with.  This guitar means a lot to me, but for a while, I forgot it even existed.

Yes, for the past few years it’s been relegated to take up space in my closet, not being played or cared for.  And that’s not cool.  This guitar has been with me for 2/3 of my life, and in return I’ve treated it rather unkindly.  Well, no more.

Slowly I’m going to begin squirreling money away, bits at a time, until I’ve restored this guitar and made it everything it could be.

I’ve added it up.  I should be able to get it done for around $100-120, as long as the neck is still salvageable.  Those tuning pegs and the nut have to go.  And pretty much all of the electronics (including the humbucker) are getting replaced.

This is the guitar I learned to play on.  This is the first guitar I ever owned.  And as far as I’m concerned, $120 is a small price for an old friend.

Most importantly, I’m not doing this to cause any drama in the scene. That’s the last thing I want. I [...]]]> Either in person or on the Internet, I’ve come across a few people who aren’t quite sure what to make of the resurrection of The Running Gags. I’d like to set a few things straight.

Most importantly, I’m not doing this to cause any drama in the scene. That’s the last thing I want. I hold no animosity toward my former bandmates. I certainly hope they don’t hold any against me. Anything that happened between us was over ten years ago, and as far as I’m concerned it should stay there.

The idea to bring back The Running Gags after a 10-year hiatus came as a series of conversations with friends. I’d play them a song I wrote. They’d say, “that sounds like a Running Gags song.” Of course it does. I’m Brian Gag. Eventually I decided I was going to just record an album all by myself, playing all the instruments. I’d call it “The Running Gags,” and then release it.

But what I missed most was playing shows. I missed the Port Huron music scene. I missed being able to warble off-key and slam barre-chords for a half-hour every few weeks.

So through a series of even more conversations, I wound up with two bandmates. We still haven’t officially practiced yet due to everyone’s busy schedules, but July is looking better. To tell the truth, I’m feeling a bit antsy. I want the new Gags to be something I do, not something I just talk about.

Certain people are wondering what the new Gags will sound like. The Running Gags essentially went through two incarnations. One was a sort of garage-punk massacre, and the other was a Ramones-core sound. Despite popular opinion, I have no problem with Ramones-core. But don’t expect many songs in that vein.

As with anything else, the new songs have evolved through a series of conversations. As it happened, I was lamenting the loss of the old “Lookout” sound. Particularly I was missing the sounds of Squirtgun, MTX, and yes, I’ll say it: early-era Green Day. I told a friend that I missed that sound. I said I wished a new band would pick up that mantle. He said, “dude, aren’t you putting together a band?” He’s very wise.

I’m hoping, however, that I’ve attained a higher level of lyrical maturity than when I was some 19-year-old kid.

So that’s that. Expect a lot of “chord solos” and less songs with puerile subject matter.

I’d like to play a few shows now and then, release a few recordings, and that’s that. Bob has two jobs and Tim already has another band, so I don’t expect the new Gags to be anyone’s full-time band. I would just like to play a show once every few months, have some fun on stage, and maybe release an EP every now and then.

I’m not exactly sure what anyone could infer out of such a crude drawing, but I’m sure you little scamps have vivid imaginations.  But just for a moment, let’s assume this means something.

What could it possibly, mean, though?