One NEW song EVERY Sunday in 2010!!!

I am writing and posting one NEW song EVERY Sunday in 2010! The songs will be available for purchase on Facebook as singles. Albums will be available on itunes say... every twelve weeks. You can listen to full songs on myspace. Here are links:
HAIL THE SOUND on myspace
HAIL THE SOUND on facebook









Check out KEV's new song!

Hey everyone! Give my new song "Sunset" a listen and leave a comment! Music is my passion! What good is any passion if it is not shared with others? It will only take a few minutes! heck, right-click, download it and put it on your ipod! Show it to a friend. Copy it and share it with a friend! Just tell them that it is Hail the sound, kvon's band! Click-e Click-e on the link-e!
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SUNSET"

I got a gig!

I gotta gig.... I got A gig! I have mentioned before that I do a lot of hired gun work as a musician. I prefer to play in one band, tour and rock original material but due to the flaky nature of musicians, being a working musician seems to be the best bet for the "now". I still write my own original material, practice and perform daily but the gigs as of late have been of the musical mercenary verity. This week I got a call to play rhythm guitar for a local mega church. I asked them if we could play a few Dead Kennedys tunes and they just stared blankly. (I didn't Really say that, but if I did they would have ben like "whaaat".) [-kong fu panda] I am not much for organized religion but these people are good hearted, I like them. :) Mainly I am a drummer. This week is different because I will be playing the six string axe! I am excited. Wish me luck!
Rock it!

The best days are here!

I love composing all kinds of music. I like experimenting with different styles and attempting different feeling. I love skateboarding, I love springtime and I love working for myself / working from home. I also love making movies. There is a whole lot a love in this post (sans Zeppelin). Today was a double stoker with a mellow session in the morning and an all out ramp assult in the pm. Here is a vid from the morning.

NOTE: The file may take a few minutes to load. It's 90 megs. This was all shot in 1080p full HD. The file you will see has been scaled down but is still pretty high res. I am looking for ways to make HD small in file size. Sorry! :)

I can't change the world... but I can skate it!

It has been "the week of dental work". My head aches and I feel like I am chewing aluminum foil. Skateboarding might be the last thing on the list of things to do for someone in my condition, however, Skateboarding is a huge part of my well being. I want (need?) to skate daily.

I hauled my new camera out to the mini tonight and set up a few tripod shots. I am borrowing some inspiration from MC. Many skaters are artists. Skateboarding is in many ways a physical art-form.
The surface of the ramp is in bad shape. I was able to repair it enough to skate it but it skates slow. I am not complaining I am just glad to be skating.

Click here to see a larger version of the video.

little help from my friends

It's almost Grand Opening time for "The Recording Studio". "The Recording Studio" is the name of my new studio on main street. Yes, I decided to go with a name that was hyper conceptual and obscure. Now I humbly call on the talents of my friends and family... Lend me your advice and perspective regarding my new T-shirt design. Have a look at some of my design concepts and let me know what you think!





All design and content herein ©kvon 2008

What? The Hail!

Hail the sound is a three piece (for the moment) band from Western Colorado. Rocking in the style of "polka-country-gangsta rap". Hail the sound is every musical genre you despise. Boowhahahahaha! My wife thinks the lead singer is hot so she snapped this picture. HAIL THE SOUND!

Going crazy is

This event is crazy in the fact that... it... never... ends. Yesterday was nonstop physical labor. We loaded in gear, lots of gear, tons of gear... tons of my gear... (I sort-a wish to sell everything and own nothing, but that is a different story). Today is a weird contrast to yesterday. All of our gear is in and working, so now my crew and I just sit here and make sure it keeps going. But this is no ordinary three hour rock show.... no this just keeps going... its the energizer bunny of gigs. Originally they booked me for 72 hours strait but when they found out we would be here a day early (to set up) they decided to tack on another twelve hours or so. So yeah.. these people are a little crazy. They are nice crazy people though and this event, (loco as the concept seems) is effectivly giving attendees freedom to experience it in whatever way feels right to the individual. They do have limits however. Apparently there is no "Naked worship" allowed. I was almost kicked out for that. I said I didn't want anything to come between me and God... but they had other ideas. I really need to get out of here for at least a few minutes! Enjoy the above mac book pro low-fi shots of me and my close friend Seth going stir-crazy in the green room.

Remote blogging is!

I wish I could hang out with my family, skate and play music 24/7 but sleep is good and eating is good... Got to pay the bills! Life requires a house and food. :) I am just thankful that my day jobs (and night jobs) are along the lines of my passion(s) This week I am providing sound reinforcement, some back-line and audio mixing for live webcast and Satellite broadcast of an event that will go 72 hours with out break. Our client is a huge church in Colorado Springs. We have a lot of clients that are churches. I don't mind. They are often more polite than bar owners and the events are non-smoking. :) Here is a Mac book pic of me at the sat broadcast mix station. I am using two of my Roland VS-2480's for mixing. The 2480 is designed for recording but I like the the features for live mixing things like sat and web broadcast. I'll post some more pics of our gear and adventures later.

HAIL THE SOUND

Hail the sound is my band. I mean, I play in several other great bands but Hail The Sound is my deal. Adam (my cousin at left) has been playing drums for Hail for almost three years. Asylum 9 (my brother Philip at right) has been playing bass for Hail for about five months. We practice every morning (mon-fri) at 7am. I love playing and writing music. I shot this quick pic of hail the other day in my garage while we were loading gear. The random crap in in the background is testament to my crazy life of "american dream meets skateboard, rock-star want to be". One thing is for sure... I hold onto my passions and I find a way to make an unlikely situation work for the best! Ya know..... I wouldn't have it any other way!

"And now... The best band in the known universe!"

Mute Math IS. I have seen Mute Math live in concert three times. I hope to see them again soon. I walk away from the show thinking "I can do that. Why, WHY haven't I been doing THAT all along?"
-kvon

Music Wednesday (on Thursday)

I didn't get this post in yesterday like I had hoped. Music is one of those things that is hard for me to talk about (now my wife is laughing hysterically). I have SO much to say about music that I don't even know where to begin. Call this post an attempt to organize my thoughts into a crooked line of misfits.
Without any further ado here are ten (this one goes to eleven) albums that have shaped the Vekster's musical taste.

1. Def Leppard, Pyromania
One fifth grade day while riding the bus to christian school I found myself ordered to the front of the bus as punishment for questionable behavior. Mr. Miller the bus driver / principle must have felt a little bad for scolding me. He cleared his throat and made a cavalier attempt to relate. "So, what is your favorite song?" he exclaimed while making a sweeping bus turn onto Broadway. "Rock of ages" I stated with the excitement of a cow in mid graze. "Ooo that's a REAL goodie!" he asserted. I had to snicker. He was referring to the famous hymn and I was referring to Def Motha frekin Leppard! Pyromania was the first full album I owned (sort of). My friend dubbed me a tape from his record.
2. Duran Duran, Rio
I have many fond memories of riding that bus to Cornerstone Christian School. One day a cute classmate turned to her friend and said "Simon Le Bon's voice is soooo sexy!" That was it... I have been a Duran Duran fan ever since.

3. The Beastie Boys, License to Ill
This album changed everything. I bought the record from a kid at school. I made a dub tape for my walkman. I used to ride my Skyway TA out the airport and back listening to that tape over and over. My favorite song was "The New Style"

4. Dead Kennedys, Give me convenience or give me death.
"Hello, I'm punk rock, I'm going to destroy everything... so we can start over... and maybe do it all right this time". Punk Rock is misunderstood, misinterpreted, misappropriated... and I LIKE IT! Life Sentence is by far my favorite track. The words are so fitting. I have been known to do a pretty good Jello impression.
5. The Cure, Standing on the beach
The Cure, The Smiths, New order, Depeche mode. I listened to a lot of Collage radio through this time. I skated, I played drums in a few bands. I drove a Subaru wagon. Good days!
6. The Cult, Electric
I hear this album and I think "Summer" (the season). The whole album Rocks ( except for the last song) Possibly the most listened to album I have ever owned. I want to learn Duffy's solo on "love removal machine". I have tried to cop it but somthing is not quite right. Someday I'll get it down.
7. Jane's Addiction, Nothing's Shocking
When you hear the intro to mountain song, you just go "YES!!!" "Down the beach" Is an audio picture. The bass guitar work on this album is so musical and signature. I love to play along to this album on bass guitar.
8. Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate machine
Trent Reznor: another one on my list of people I would like to work with. The first time I heard this album I was hooked. It was permanintly installed in the tape deck for several months.

9. Helmet, meantime
This album is rock. Its hard, musical, unique, flawed, real and it's the best music to go with a good day of snowboarding.
10. Mute Math, Mute Math
Mute Math is the most creative group of musicians in the world today. the only thing wrong with this album is that they did not re-release "Reset" again on this album. Mute Math possess a supernatural ability to take you on a journey of epiphany.

11. Oingo Boingo, Boingo Alive
Danny Elfman. Danny Elfman. And then there's Danny Elfman. My good friend Travis H introduced me to this band. I thank Travis for much of my musical exposure. I can't think of one band that Travis introduced me to that I didn't like...except for maybe "the meatmen".
Wow, I didnt even get to mention Fugazi, Bad Brains, Public Enemy, skinny puppy, front 242, The Dead Milkmen, mae, orange 9mm, Ulrich Schnauss, The Sex pistols, the Ramones, Midnight oil, Men at work, Bob Mould, nitzer ebb, The Ministry, wall of voodoo, Billy Idol, Uniform Choice, T.S.O.L, G.B.H, the Circle Jerks, Filter or the list goes on forever. Thank God for the Ipod. Now all my music can live together in harmony!
-k

What? about kev

I love music. I think I have written some where in the neighborhood of 50 songs in the last two years. I am always trying to get better. I am always fighting frustration. My biggest project is myself. I don't want to pass my frustration on to my kids. I use everything in my life as motivation. I am trying to relax. I enjoy a glass of cabernet to assist, but I will never rely on wine to relax. I believe there is more. I think God is different, bigger, better than church. I think we know less than we could imagine. I have no desire to argue religion or politics... I'll right a song and crank it to 11! I have no person on a pedestal. I am very thankful. I take nothing for granted. I am perplexed by the shortness of life. I am looking forward to not worrying. I want to build a vert ramp and catch big backside airs! I want to spend more time with my kids. I want to snowboard more with my wife. I want to tour the world. I want to play concerts at all the great venues. I want to discard bad habits and form new good practices.

Autumns Chase photo Dorsey Coe

Autumns Chase had a meeting last night. For ruffly 8 months we have enjoyed a relatively relaxed approach to the band. Now it has reached that point where everyone is either wanting to quit or get serious. I enjoy playing in Autumns Chase. I have more than my share of other musical projects going on and I have to turn down offers weekly. So, going into the meeting I was to be happy either way. Everyone seems to want to take Autumns Chase to the next level. Cool! It will be interesting to see what this great group of guys accomplishes together. You can check out older stuff from Autumns Chase at myspace.com/autumnschase We should have some new stuff up in a week or two.

Me on myspace

Take a look and listen to the official Kevin Decker myspace page. I will regularly update the pics and music as I make progress on my next solo album. The current main picture was shot by my wife Sarah!

Les Paul Fetish

There is no substitute for a Gibson Les Paul Standard! A Les paul custom, classic or studio will simply not do. Here is a shot of my two lp standards. The black is a '98 and the Honey Burst is a 2001. They are not vintage but they still do it for me. The black has PRS Dragon 1 pick-ups. I like the dragon 1's but I would trade them for a set of PAF pro's in a heart beat. The honey burst has Alnico 498 and 490T's. I dig these pickups! They are not as hot as the burst bucker pros that come with the new lp's but I like the tone better. There is nothing like a Les Paul through a Marshall JCM 900 on eleven. I am a Rocker at heart!

My solo shot for Autumns Chase

So I have been playing drums for Autumns Chase. I love playing with these guys. We got out west of town on old hwy 50 for a fun photo shoot. This shoot brought about another chance to work with my good friend and photography buddy, Dorsey Coe. Photography is another one of my passions. I have learned a great deal of what I know from Dorsey. This photo was shot with a Nikon D200. We used a Alien Bees b-800 with a 60 inch soft box to illuminate me. Photo Dorsey Coe.

Gear junkie?

I have lots of gear... maybe too much gear. I decided that I need to spend more time practicing and less time searching for gear. Sorry ebay, sorry craigs list, forgive me pawn shops and yard sales... we're now on a break. BTW, anybody know where I can score a TR-808?