ONE WOULD THINK…

Wow we are nearing the end of July but fret not, there’s still more summer to be had. This has been a great summer and year overall for me, even with the setback of my alternator draining my wallet. What are ya gonna do?

I know what I’m doing!!!

The dates above are for August shows. Yes, the July 31st at Charley’s Tavern is still on but since that’s happening next weekend, it was best to show next month’s schedule. With the exception of The Beacon, these are new rooms/outdoor events for me. And one would think “Hey you toured with legends, opened for huge bands and you still get excited about these places?” Actually I do!

Truth be told, I would see bands at Shortways and ask myself “Why am I not playing here?” Granted, it’s not Stone Pony but you know what? I’m still playing! I’m lucky to still have the passion for music, and while my ambitions have shifted/changed over time, the spark is still there. I admit that when I started playing live again and did covers back in 2021, my thought was “What is going on here? I should be THE Steve Bello!” but I had grown tired of that. No more stress, no more pressure, am more relaxed than ever. It shows in my playing and in the way I carry myself.

Some guys are bitter because “I used to open for so-and-so, now look at me.” I felt like that for a little while back in 2021, but over time realized that I’ve still got my chops, endorsements and hair in tact. Not bad for someone nearing 57! While I’m still excited to get DOWN TO THE METAL mastered and out the door soon, it’s not at the forefront of my mind. HUH?! Well, before you assume the worst, let me say this…

I am proud of this upcoming album for a variety of reasons. The biggest and boldest step was that I finally made an album FOR ME FIRST. I never did that before. Was always thinking “Will this be well-received?”, “Will this win me new fans?”, “Am I going to win awards?” Those ships sailed. Granted, I want and hope people will like it as much as I do. Mike and I had a lot of fun making the album, and it will show when someone slips the cd in or listens on a streaming site. The sounds JUMP out of the speakers, leaving no breathing room. Each song is a different journey but arrives at the same destination: it kicks ass.

Is my heart in the cover world? At this point, it’s safe to say that I finally fit somewhere. As I stated in the last blog, the metal/original world never truly accepted me because I never wore the uniform or read the same scripts as everyone else. I still love the music, and will show support from where I sit. But I was shown a new environment, and had to finally be open to it. And because I embraced things, new doors opened and invited me in. Past rooms kept squeezing me out.

I am itching to get back out there starting July 31 and then pounding it out every weekend (with one break between the 15th and 28th). The 29th was added on this week, and that’s cool. Should a gig happen during my little break, I will be ready.

I’m more ready than ever before.