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.

If you told me last year that I would have a new album out, a new signature pick, rehearsals with two bands and another guitar in 2021, I would have said “Really, dude?”

But what a difference a year makes.

In this picture, I am holding an Ibanez Mikro, which is a short-scale guitar that is a great travel guitar for when I teach. And don’t be fooled, this thing RIPS! Has a great variety of sounds. And…it’s PURPLE! I had a full-sized purple RG years ago when I played with TM Stevens but sold that because I needed the money. This little axe jumped out at me two weeks ago, so I slapped some cash on it to make sure nobody else walked home with it. Picked it up on Black Friday (I don’t miss retail one bit!) and threw on some new GHS Strings. Set the neck up, and it plays like butter. What a fantastic little machine!

I will be winding down rehearsals soon as the holidays are upon us. Got one more with my trio, and we will pick back up on January 2nd. Hoping to land a March 2022 show, see how things play out. As for Naked Glory, there’s two more before the Dec 11 show in Jackson. After that, the band have gigs with their own guitarists, so I get to hang back. But I am on-call in case someone can’t do a gig.

As you can see, my life (and basically everyone else’s) has gone from zero to 100mph in one fell swoop. Only now I pace myself better. No more being in 65 places at once and even better, no more being stuck behind a desk, being bored out of my mind.

I don’t miss sales at all.

• 

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I can finally announce that a new endorsement deal happened as of November 12, 2021. I am now a signature artist with Pick Guy, Inc. based out of Detroit, Michigan!

After many years with another pick brand, it was time to move forward. I chat with Carson Randolph, the owner of Pick Guy, and he was very receptive to my having a signature Steve Bello pick. As you can see in the two photos, my image is on one side, and my actual autograph is on the other. The only change I had to make was the size. It’s slightly larger than what I was using but I adapted quickly.

And the best part? It glows in the dark!

These picks are not for sale through the company but if anyone is interested, I am allowed to sell my “inventory”, if you will. I got to put this pick through its paces tonight at a Naked Glory rehearsal and while it was strange to use a slightly bigger pick, it felt very natural after a few minutes. When I have rehearsal this Sunday with my trio, then I will really do some major shredding with it.

So, there you go! I finally have a signature pick.

Dig in!