I had a pleasant surprise this week. Ella over at Orange Amps sent me an email saying the new Super Crush 100 is ready to be shipped to my house.

Well alrighty then!!

UPS brought it to the house Friday night but I didn’t get to play with it until Saturday. Yes I was pained. I made a video showcasing the clean tones (which are GORGEOUS) and the heavier tones (which are KILLER). But of course, the video I made came out with a lower volume.

Can’t I do anything right?!

So today at rehearsal, I got to put this amp head to the test. It did NOT disappoint. I don’t know how we didn’t walk out of rehearsal feeling some sort of vertigo. Brian Smith (bassist) even told me that he had to turn UP because I was so loud. Oh I like the sound of that…

After rehearsal, I asked Mike to film a bit of me playing nice and loud. So the video above was done in one pass, totally off the top of my head. Yes I make silly guitar faces (who doesn’t?!) but one thing’s for certain…this amp flat-out ROCKS!!!

I play fast, yes?

Wow, it’s been 19 days since I typed a blog. Did you miss me?

Don’t answer that.

This year is starting off on some good notes for sure. As you see above, my song “Force Quit” debuted at #3 on Banks Radio in Australia! Took a while to get moving over there but it finally happened. I am grateful that the people down under liked the song well enough to make it chart so nicely.

And I posted on the PRESS page another first: I was interviewed by Caroline Paone for Guitar Girl Magazine. Yes, you read that right. The interview took place over two days back in December, between emails and phone calls. It was the most relaxed interview I was ever part of. We talked about the obvious things such as the new album MOOD SWINGS, as well as my gear. But of course, the highlight was women in music and so far the response to that from friends and fans has been amazing. I’ve been doing interviews for many years and this, I feel, is the best one I’ve done to date. Here’s the link if you wish to peruse it: Steve Bello Guitar Girl Magazine

But wait there’s more…

I will be playing more shows with the cover band Naked Glory starting on January 29th. Shows are posted on the UPCOMING EVENTS page. One of their guitarists stepped down so I was asked to step up, and I obliged. I am working on getting a couple of shows with my trio soon, so keep an ear and eye out for those!

One more thing (I sound like Columbo)…

Expect a blog soon about my new Orange Super Crush 100 head! The UPS driver should be dropping it off today and I will put it through its paces this Sunday at rehearsal.

Okay time for coffee…

Here we are, a couple of week into the new year, and it’s been brutally cold in New Jersey. Not as cold as some parts of Canada, but enough to make me annoyed!

At least playing in front of a loud amp keeps me warm.

We had two rehearsals so far this year, and they have been nothing short of amazing and LOUD! Finally added the eighth song to the roster, so now I can make a proper set list because…wait, what’s that…?

Yes, I will be looking into live shows starting in April. Because of Mike and Brian’s schedule with their own band Attacker, I have to be mindful of when they can or can’t be available. Not that I am looking to book a ton of shows, but want to find ones of quality. I know that sounds a bit pompous but, speaking for myself, I’ve paid my own dues a few times over.

It was nice playing the eighth song (which I won’t name yet), as I had not touched it since 2019. These guys haven’t played it at all until today HA! So as it stands, there will be four songs from MOOD SWINGS, one song from three previous albums, and one non-album single. Now it’s time to ramp things up!

But first, a nap.

Here we are, one week into 2022 and things are already weird. Well, they always were but now it seems like we’re entering the Twilight Zone.

Where’s Rod Serling?

Anyway, some of you may roll your eyes when I get excited about new gear but I have to toot Orange Amplifers’ horn as always. Back in September, they debuted the new Super Crush series of amps to replace the original Crush series. Yes, I bought the CR120H when it came out back in Feb 2014 (and that was when I officially became an artist endorser/ambassador for Orange!) So when this emerged, along with Ty Tabor of King’s X making demo videos, I had to write my rep Ella Stormark over in England about this.

But…

She said because of shipping issues, none will be in the States for a while.

But…

On Wednesday this week, she emailed me and said to order one as they might be here in March at the earlier, or May at the latest. So needless to say, I filled out the form, and while it won’t be in my hands for a couple of months, I will be the proud owner of a new Super Crush 100-watt head!

(Trivia note: Ty Tabor and I were the first two artists to get CR120H’s when they debuted…the perks of being endorsers!)

And on a somber note, it’s been two years since the world lost a true giant in Neil Peart of Rush. Instead of being bummed, I am cranking Rush all day in my earbuds and telling myself “You still have miles to go to be as good as THAT band!”

Even Linus misses Neil…

Nice way to end 2021 with my album MOOD SWINGS coming in at #4 in Denmark!

Also heard Jerry Declet at Metallicave (Cranium Radio) say that this album is in his top 3, along with the bands Nuse and Cassius King.

I feel vindicated!

But I also feel grateful that people like YOU made this album a hit, and continues to do so.

THANK YOU and Happy 2022!

While these are nice…

And these are cool too…

This is most important…

Let’s hope 2022 is an improvement over the past couple of years!

Well, normally I would be heading to Jersey City for a rehearsal but instead, I headed straight home after giving a lesson.

Such a jarring feeling!

It’s nice to have the two-week break before rehearsals commence on January 2nd. It’s also equally as nice to have people ask “So when you are playing shows?” I can only hope they mean it when I advertise for gigs around March/April 2022. Whatever the case may be, I cannot wait to hit the stage with the most muscular and heaviest rhythm section I ever stood next to: Attacker drummer Mike Sabatini and bassist Brian Smith!

As for Naked Glory, I am on-call in case their guitarists cannot do a show. I am definitely on board for at least one but am not saying much. I’ve had other cover bands ask me to fill in but my schedule is crammed between teaching and two bands. Feels good to be wanted though. If a situation arises and I can help someone else’s band out, fine. But I make no guarantees.

Also trying to get more promotional work for MOOD SWINGS. Hard to believe the album is four months old! Considering how I didn’t think I was going to get even one song off the ground, I am astounded at how things came together so quickly when Mike uttered the classic line “Send me the songs.” In this industry, you have more flaky musicians per square inch but when you find the one or two that put their money where their mouths are, it’s the best.

And yes I’ve been writing new riffs…imagine that.

And there you have it…a brief clip of today’s rehearsal, the last one for 2021. Decided to film a bit of “Stranded On Pluto” from MOOD SWINGS, and of course the Attacker rhythm section of Mike Sabatini (drums) and Brian Smith (bass) are, to put it mildly, “killing it”.

We are going to resume rehearsals in January 2022 with an eye (and ear) towards March/April shows. We have seven songs down pretty good, and an eighth one in the queue for when we come back. Each rehearsal is getting tighter, yet more comfortable.

Oh and heavier too 🙂

You are watching a teaser clip of the song “Force Quit” from the new cd MOOD SWINGS featuring the rhythm section of NJ metal band Attacker: drummer Mike Sabatini and bassist Brian Smith!

We have been rehearsing very hard (but having SO much fun at the same time!) I asked if we could film a bit of a tune and they agreed. So this is something to hopefully make you pine for us to play live in March/April 2022.

And we will!

Finally got around to taking a group portrait featuring all eight of my studio albums. Is eight enough?

Nah.

Hard to believe that my first cd TWISTED METAL was done way back in 2003. And here I am, promoting MOOD SWINGS, which came out August 25 this year. I imagined back in 2003 that maybe I could squeak out two albums and be done. Guess the muse had other plans?

The slightly ironic thing is that TWISTED and MOOD both have me on guitar and bass, as well as whomever was on drums (Darren Patrick on the first; Mike Sabatini on the latest). So it kind of bookends, if you ask me.

Will there be a 9th album? At this stage, I am going to say yes but it won’t happen for quite some time. My original plan was to put out an album a year, like Motorhead or Black Flag (how punk!) But I guess it’s more like Boston or Def Leppard…whatever works! Quality can’t be rushed. I am writing new riffs, nothing is finished, nowhere close. But it’s nice to pick up a guitar and something new falls out. I may not perform as much as I used to, but I will always be creative.

That will never stop.