Last day of recording is always bittersweet. You spend months rehearsing, planning, inflicting self-doubt, and then you lay down tracks for an eternity. You are excited but at the same time, can’t wait for it to end. And when it ends…

You think “That’s it?”

Today I threw down solos for seven of the eight songs (one only needed Hendrix-style feedback, so I made noise for one tune). And like most sessions, I approach this one with caution. Did my homework, carved out ideas but told myself “Don’t get too attached!” Thankfully, a majority of what I played worked out quite well. Very smooth, to be honest. I noticed my playing is moving into slightly different terrain. I could be wrong. But Brian even pointed out that what I played had a lot of feel yet added the shred when necessary.

Am I…gulp…maturing?!

Mike and Brian offered pointers when something was going right. The criticism was very constructive (was waiting to hear “Dude, that sucked!”) but every so often, I would play a line and they would look at me like “You really wanted to do that?” HAHA! Face it, I am a quirky guitarist, not abstract like Buckethead or Robert Fripp, but enough to throw people off the trail. I refuse to be boring, that’s for sure. One solo in particular is going to make some people stare at their speakers or earbuds in disbelief. It’s not a shred solo but…you’ll hear.

And when the last solo was recorded, we closed up shop and I packed the gear back in my Titanium Tour Bus. This feeling of elation washed over me but also that feeling like “Wait, it’s OVER?” Kind of like when you can’t wait for Xmas morning and then it’s Dec 26 already.

Mike will start mixing the album in two weeks, which is a great approach. Gives his ears time to adjust to reality before being bombarded with the progressive funk metal mayhem.

But I am sure I will find something to blog about in the meantime 😉

On June 10, I will be going back to Bandmother Recording for the final session. Will be laying down guitar solos for the ninth album. And with each album, each song I approached with the same question:

“What would (insert guitar god) do?”

Each song is unique unto itself (much like the guy who wrote the songs) so it’s not feasible to play the same type of solo every time. Which poses a challenge, both good and bad. We all envision ourselves playing these mind-bending, jaw-dropping solos like our heroes. And yet we listen back and think “What’s missing here?” When we should be saying “Hey, that’s ME!”

One tune on the new album is a steamroller akin to Judas Priest/Metallica with touches (more like heavy poundings) of Deep Purple. So will I do a solo like Glenn Tipton, Kirk Hammett, or Ritchie Blackmore? The answer is…well, I have to play what feels good, and that Mike and Brian will say “That’s a keeper!”

Another is very funky ala Living Colour meets Led Zeppelin (not bragging because I can back my words up). So what will that solo sound like? I really don’t know. But with all the songs, I have been working on little vignettes here and there, not being particularly stuck on an idea. Things definitely change from my house to the studio (maybe when I drive through Rutherford into Jersey City?) Even if I have concrete soloing ideas, when you’re in a room with other people, someone is bound to say “I don’t know, man.” It can be defeating but I’ve learned to switch on another part of my brain and think “Well, here’s another solo!”

And then there are the moments where I, or someone, will say “Step on that pedal” and the whole thing changes. Even the simplest idea can sound wacky with the right noisemaker.

For me, the best solos are the ones where whomever is engineering the music shakes his head and says “WTF was that?!”

In any event, I will be happy when the last solo is recorded and we can all say “Recordings are done!” Then of course it’s onto mixing, mastering, picking out the first single (so many choices) and hoping people will buy the damn thing. I am realistic in that what I do has a very narrow market. I will never sell a boatload of cds but the ones who buy my music really matter, and truly enjoy it.

Even if it is strange and quirky 🙂

The album is 3/4 done as of today. Solos will be thrown down in two weeks, which is cool with me. Did this the last time, worked on ideas at home, and then had them under the microscope during recording.

Oh fun!

The last melody was recorded today and it was definitely a challenge. My idea didn’t work for the main riff but the second one clicked. Mike sang some notes to me and I replicated them, then he said “Try this rhythm” and after a few minutes (well, more than that), the main melody was good to go.

I love a challenge?

Afterwards, we made noises on some tunes. Little fills, pick scrapes, outer space effects, you name it. Even got to dial in my inner Hendrix for one tune (hope Jimi approves up there). The day wasn’t as long as the previous session, and that was good. Got a lot accomplished in a few hours and even enjoyed some sunlight outside the studio.

I am pleased with how things are going. This trio is definitely the strongest-sounding, and once you hear the first single (I have to pick it!), you will be knocked out of your chair. Or something. It’s definitely THE heaviest album to date, for me at least. It’s not Slayer-heavy but it’s pretty crushing.

Now to write a tune like Slayer…hmmm…

The saga continues…

Laid down all the rhythm guitar parts, as well as some surprise sounds, this past Wednesday. Everything was pretty smooth, felt great to grind the crunchy riffs…and some funky ones too!

Worked on guitar melodies today and, ummm, hit a few snags along the way. But I gotta keep movin’. Was hoping Steve Vai’s fingers would magically come up through the fretboard. But he’s on tour so I have to use my own fingers in the meantime.

Being a musician is an interesting thing. We create and record music in isolation, and then expect the world to like what we do once we release it. Whether we struggle to make the notes work, or everything fuses together beautifully, one thing is certain: We hope people connect with the songs in some way.

The album is more than halfway done, which is great. I’m going back on Friday to finish melodies and then review everything. Mike and Brian have been assisting me with ideas, saying things like “Think of lyrics and who would sing them” and “Make it sound like a violin.” I try really hard not to be wedded to my melodies because things can change on the fly. And things did change! I was rewriting melodies, throwing previous ideas in the trash, and having to brainstorm new things. This is what you do when you want the music to connect with others. There has to be a happy balance of what I like and what I think the public will like.

I can say this: the new album will make heads turn!

This past Friday and Saturday, my trio spent many hours in Bandmother Recording recording more parts. This weather has been perfect though.

Studio tan!

Brian recorded all of his bass parts over the course of a day and a half. He knocked out seven of the eight songs Friday (from 11:30 til 7:30!) By the eighth song, we were all spent so we broke for the rest of the night. This morning, Brian nailed the eighth tune (the one with TC Tolliver) and after listening to all the drum/bass tracks, we agreed they sounded thunderous.

Which meant it was my turn in the hot seat.

After chasing tones for about an hour, we finalized something that was totally crushing! And yes, Orange amps are the gear of choice. Did three songs virtually spotless, and then added some interesting surprises before calling it a day. We did not want to spend another 12 hours staring at the same four walls. Don’t get me wrong, Mike’s studio is really cool: Bandmother Recording but after so many hours, we like sunlight!!!

Next two sessions will be this coming Wednesday and Saturday, so we’ll see what we can accomplish. It really has been pretty smooth sailing doing this album. Everyone are on the same page, the bad humor is flowing, and the music is really cookin’. And isn’t that why we do music in the first place?

Get back to me on that.

I am writing this blog on Saturday April 29, 2023. You will see this published on May 6 when the next album is about to be recorded.

The above pic features all eight of my albums, soon to be nine. Some people have asked if MOOD SWINGS was my first album, and understandably so. When I tell them it’s my 8th, they say “Wow really? I had no idea.”

I need to fix that.

It’s not anyone’s fault that people aren’t aware of my discography. Granted, some of these albums are long out-of-print. I didn’t even expect to make two albums, let alone almost nine. The first cd TWISTED METAL was initially done purely for Ibanez clinics…twenty years ago!! It came out October 4, 2003 when I debuted it at Rondo Music (Union NJ) in front of a crowd who looked at me like “I never heard of you.” After that day, things took on a life of their own. I thought back then “Okay so I will do this cd, sell it at clinics, and then wipe my hands clean and call it a day.”

Not so fast.

It was also on that date when I officially became an endorser for Ibanez guitars. It was a new chapter in my life…a VERY new chapter. Suddenly I felt vital and, yes, important. I felt unstoppable. I was never taken seriously (and in some ways, am still not) but when that deal happened, all bets were off. No longer was I the “delusional dreamer”. So between that and the release of TWISTED METAL, I wore my Superman cape.

My creativity began to blossom since the deal happened. I wrote a second album ALL WIRED UP. Then a third JUPITER RETURN. You see a theme here? Had it not been for the guys at Ibanez saying “You’re in”, I doubt very strongly that I’d be forging this so-called instrumental career.

So here we are, 20 years later. Still with Ibanez. Still writing and recording music. Still the same hair. Musicians have come and gone in my life but somehow I still press forward. And when you read this, I will be in the studio with Mike and Brian working on opus nine.

Time to be taken more seriously, people…

Breathe deep…we have one more rehearsal next week.

And then it’s album time.

Tonight was of course amazing. Now it’s crunch time. No nail-biting but still those feelings of “This is really happening” are, well, happening. Picked apart some of the songs, made the tiniest changes but will definitely improve the material. Mike and Brian make this the heaviest line-up to date. (Weight has nothing to do with it!)

Since it’s THISCLOSE to recording, now we zero in on little fills and whatnot. If something works, we all look at each other in approval. If not, we go to Plan B or throw something out entirely. If it doesn’t make our ear hairs stand at attention, get rid of it. Period.

Also have to work on song arrangement for the album. I can make things flow nicely but these guys have ideas, and I am willing to listen. One thing is certain, I know what will be the first song and the last. The rest, well we have to juggle around and see how things go. There’s some crushingly heavy (there’s that word again!) songs, a couple that are a bit more commercial, and one spacey ballad of sorts. I also wrote an acoustic tune, first one since GO BERZERK! (2011) and if the guys think it fits, great. If not, I will release it as a non-album single maybe next year.

Of course once everything is recorded, mixed, and mastered, I have to think of what to release for a first single/video. So many ideas but one will be THE FIRST. This won’t be easy.

But it will melt your speakers 🙂

I really wanted to go to NAMM last week.

But the gods had other ideas.

Waiting for my Ibanez badge to come through the email like a kid at Xmas morning…nothing…nothing. Am I going? Was I let go? A few days before the show, I decided to check my spam folder.

HUH?! The badge went there?!

I wrote the gang at Ibanez and explained what happened. Of course, even if I wanted to go, it wouldn’t have been feasible. Racing around to get things squared up is not something I’m good at. I am more methodical (for a musician?!) So hopefully next year I will be able to go.

In the meantime, since there was no rehearsal last Wednesday (bassist Brian Smith had a birthday!) I decided to drive up to drop in on my friend Wendy The Metal Mistress, and just chill there for a few hours. Thankfully she and her boyfriend were cool with me showing up spontaneously. For once, it worked to my advantage. Did an impromptu “interview” live on the air, talked about the nomination of my single “Pieces Of Light”, as well as getting ready to record the ninth album soon. Wendy and I always have a blast on the air, can riff back and forth like Lewis and Martin (am I really dating myself here?) and it’s more of a relaxed chat than a proper Q&A.

This week will be back to rehearsals, smooth out some rough spots yet still keep things a bit edgy. We have two or three more to go and then when our friend/second engineer CJ Scioscia says “Okay, we’re rollin’!”, all the hard work will pay off.

In the words of Ol’ Blue Eyes: “Boys, time to make an album!”

A few weeks have gone by and not a blog in sight. Am sure you were all breathing a sigh of relief. I really had nothing new to talk about.

Until now.

All was quiet for a while. But then this showed up on my Facebook feed:

“Pieces Of Light” is up for nomination in the Male Single Of The Year category!

Since there’s no new album for a while, I am glad this ambient little ditty is getting some attention. (Don’t all of us musicians love the spotlight?)

Voting is going on until April 30, so go to this link and get crackin’:

ISSA Nominations

Good luck to all the nominees in their respective categories!!

Hmmm…I’ve not posted anything since March 5. Am I losing my touch?

Nah, just really had nothing to talk about.

“What? You? Steve Bello? Always flapping his gums and typing his fingers off? Nothing to talk about?”

Truth be told, been busy with 30 students, rehearsing with the band (and hopefully locking in a recording date), filling in with cover bands here and there, and dealing with seasonal depression.

Blunt enough for you?

Now that Spring is officially here (but not totally out of the woods yet), I can enjoy more walks, look forward to leaves blooming on the trees, and feeling inspired by the sun’s presence.

Do I sound metal?

But one thought has been on my mind for quite some time: This thing called music. What exactly is it about music that creates so many reactions and opinions? We need music to help us function, get us through rough times, whether we listen to the radio or pick up an instrument. There has to be some sort of connection happening, or else the music is meaningless.

Being a musician for more years than I care to admit, there’s always going to be a suspended state of adolescence. Some call it “Peter Pan Syndrome”. Whatever the case, music keeps me vital and (dare I say it) happy. And it is true when they say “Youth is wasted on the young.” I might be on my fourth mid-life crisis now but those feelings of impatience and being undaunted still fuel my passion.

I no longer feel the pressing need to rush things to satisfy my ego but am very excited to get my hands dirty with the recording process soon. I finally accepted that I’m this strange/quirky/esoteric guitarist that will always be in my own lane. I’ve grown more confident as a guitarist over the years, know what works, what flaws need fixing. Listening to the new rough demos still gives me those chills like when I recorded on a band’s demo for the first time way back in 1988. And while some people thought I would either mellow over time or “get this out of his system”, the opposites are true. The music is WAY heavier and more in-your-face. I still have some piss and vinegar in me (along with the coffee this morning). Hard to believe that my first solo album will be 20 years old this October (and there’s another anniversary along the same time frame too). And I’m still chasing elusive tones, creating something out of nothing, hoping a scant few people will shake my hand and say “Wow this is great stuff!”

And yes I still have the dream of getting a song in a SpongeBob cartoon. If Pantera, Twisted Sister, and Motorhead did it, I can too.

Any takers?