How we got here...

I am not sure who you are reading this.   This is the short story of how SHIROCK arrived today.  

Years ago my (Chuck Shirock) parents believed...maybe belief came later.   They began by accepting and encouraging.   I remember my father telling me "you don't have the natural ability to take you there, you will have to work 10x's as hard to get there."   I have always   been one to rise to a challenge more because I am arrogant than anything else.   So I worked and a dream was born.  

Years later I met Pap.   Dreams were born long before her, but she actually believed they were achievable.   I let her in like no one before.   My ridiculous big ideas.   I fearfully let her in and she believed, so I believe.   She convinced me that what was unattainable is attainable.   She carried this burden behind me and would not let me stray, forever calling me back to the reason why I began.   So we started.

Now there is a growing family of friends surrounding and building alongside me.   Because she believed, many believe in what should have been left long ago.   While life and time wear down those around me; for better or worse the dreams are bigger than ever, and still she believes, so I believe.  

Thanks to Pap, Dad, Sarah, Scott, Luke, Adam, Derek, Tyler, and everyone else who believes.

love: chuck

i am in seattle right now on my way to meet with a potential producer for our record. it's 8am, i went to bed at 3:30am and had to get up to leave for the airport at 4:30am...not a lot of sleep, but the morning (when you catch it) is beautiful. i love looking out on the open flat runways...i had an idea with pap one time about doing a video for "new solution" or "say it out" somewhere in an open space like the fields of an airport. for me i feel something bigger is here when i can see...i am reminded that this world is som much bigger than i often think. so many more people.

when we're driving on tour or somwehere throught the open fields and pass those small houses on those country roads, pap always asks & wonders what those peoples lives must be like. most of the time i feel like it would be horrible to live there. secluded and detached from the rest of the world. but sometimes i wonder if those people have figured it out. they are not chasing things, rather they are just content with who, what, where they are. that's the goal for most isn't it? to be happy & content? somehow in the midst of all this hurrying and chasing things, a few people move out to the middle of nowhere and find what the rest of us spend our lives chasing. maybe i'm wrong, probably...remember only 1 hour of sleep...if i had to choose a place to live in peace it would be aberdeen, scotland. but knowing me i would feel too detached, like i was missing something, and i would move to london or something.

love: chuck

p.s. we are trying to make a flash video game for you on our website. but for the time being play some games here: teagames.com (i suggest any funky truck or any game where you're a motorbike)

pap & i are in a plane right now flying to columbus, oh. the time with family is so refreshing. it is rare these days that a family stay together much less close.

we're talking to producers now and getting ready to head into the studio soon. we're really exited about moving forward with all of these new songs that you have not yet heard. there's a few that we're trying to wrap up before we go in to record, just so we have all of the options...but with or without them, the record is looking really strong. i'm not sure how many songs will be on it as of now, but already we're going to have to cut a few out. i have this idea (it might only work if we stay independent, or if we work it into a contract with a label)...but my idea is that all of the "b sides" that don't get on the "real" record i'd like to release for free online...maybe a special download section of SHIROCK.net or somehting. but all of these songs are so important to me & us, and it would be ashame if you never heard them, and we never performed them at shows. anyway, that's what i was thinking...

i've got to go, talk soon.

love: chuck shirock

where have i been? just over a month. it's so scarry how time rushes at you and then passes you with no concern for your plans. it's reckless and i hate it more than anything. the constant pressure and worrying. i say relief will come when we get there, but i don't know. time won't stop so i can't imagine relief. it's the feeling of being restless.

anyway, it's funny that the last entry i wrote here was about "still young" and today i just finished the new version of "still young." the demo is not totally done, but the first mix is done, so we're nearly there with it. like i already said, sometimes a song is simple. it's easy and writes itself. it's natural. other ideas are so hard to figure out. "still young" has been really hard. but now that it's done (for now) i'm moving on to the next song. "god's children" has been an idea for a long time now...a few months. i'll keep you posted on its progress. pap & i also finished a song called "man inside" that we played at our nashville show at 12th & porter...you can hear a little bit of it HERE. (it's some live footage from the show.)

in other news, we've been moving forward working out the producer we will be working with on our upcoming record. we're really excited about heading into the studio to do this record...it won't be long now! we're going to be doing a few shows now, nothing extensive...but keep checking back, we'll be updating our myspace & shows section on this site with incoming dates. pap's been filming some of our time recording demos, so we'll get those up online soon also!

love: chuck

well it's been an interesting last couple of days. this new song "still young" has been so hard to figure out. i guess i approach the writing process like it's something i have to figure out. the words and the music are all there. i feel like there is one way that it's all supposed to go, and my job is to figure it out. to solve it. and "still young" has been a tough one. maybe the toughest yet. it's been so hard because i have so much running through my mind. my journal is filled with pages that jump from one thought to another, and because of that the lyrics and the songs i'm working are suffering because too many ideas and emotions are getting pulled in the same song, and then no clear idea or emotion is communicated. most of all i am not content just to write. i need a purpose. the main reason i write is because it is my outlet to be honest. for some reason (probably because pap claims so) i believe that if i am honest and open with my life and my thoughts it will move other people. so i try to do that. that's really all i can offer. but it's such a struggle with me to be honest. the truth is i have this war within myself where i want to be honest, but in the same breath i want to be different. i want to have it all together or at least i want everyone to think that i have it all together. so that is the truth. and that's coming out some in these new songs.

fears about time and getting older. uncerntainty about who i am and who i set out to become. a lot of questions and searching for reasons and answers these days. trying to understand.

anyway so that's what's happening with me. i am excited for you to hear these new songs though. when we do them right they lift off. so hopefully we'll be in the habit of doing them right. i want you to hear them how i hear them in my head. that feeling of complete freedom. abandon. recklessness. honesty and passion.

i love you: chuck

so we've been working through some of these new songs now...today i came back from the studio and played pap a song possibly called "we're still young" or something...anyway it was funny because she did not like it at first. she's heard it and worked with me a ton on it, but all we've ever done is on piano, and today i came back from the studio 7 with a weird techno version. it was as close to real drums and feel as i could get on the beat machine. not close enough to give a proper idea though. anyway it started bad, she did not really like it and was "suprised" by the direction i took the song. (it's one of her favorites so she's particular about it.) at the end of the night though we were dancing to the new techno song in the living room. so it ended well and we love the song now. the version that i made today might end up being the re-mix version down the road...we'll let you know. first we have to do the "real" version, with drums and such, then we'll give you the re-mix link on here and you can download it, take it to you club you love and blast it. until then, keep in touch.

love: chuck.

cold tea is the worst...especially when it was meant to be hot. i've got cold tea now.

we're still writing new songs...hopefully not too much longer. though we love this part of what we do i think as a whole, our favorite part is performing. i don't know, i guess i go back & forth a bit. i do love writing and creating new things. but live is so different. it's such a leap for me to go from introspective writing & creating to performing. it's and odd job we have.

pap & i were talking yesterday. SHIROCK is not a band for cool kids. it's really not. as hard as we try it cannot be because i was never a cool kid. school i was just on the outside. now in nashville there is the cool circle, and we are not in it. at times we all wish were, but we aren't. i don't know why but i am glad we are not. i've never been cool enough. and i don't think the band will either. you cannot be both totally honest and still "cool." you cannot put yourself out there and show people the mess you've made of yourself and all your big ideas and still be considered cool. we give it a good shot sometimes though! all the glasses and stuff. but don't be fooled, pap isn't. we are not cool. but we are real.

SHIROCK is band for people who want to feel something. we want to feel something when we play and write. that's how we know if a song is good. if it moves us. a good song is only a good melody and the write chords. but a great song is like an inspiring book or something. it moves something in your heart. that's why writing can be so hard for us. it's easy to have a good memorable melody over the right chords. but it's hard to express honest words with emotional melodies that capture certain emotions over the right chords.

anyway we'll have some videos and pictures of our writing and studio stuff up really soon. so read on.

love: chuck

so by the month now eh? sorry it's been so long. i have been in a different place for a long time now. what is important has not been evident to me. all i've thought about was work and the future. john lennon said "life is what's happening when you're busy making plans." i believe it. and i don't want to wake up one day wondering what happened the first quarter of my life. so i'm in this constant chase to make a difference. to leave a mark. the goal was always to touch people. in my heart this is true. in my mind it is sometimes. more often i have selfish ambitions. fame to be honest. the moments that mean the most are not when some business contract is signed, or someone "high-up" thinks i've written something worth letting the world hear. it's none of what they say it is. rather it is when an email comes through about a song helping someone get through the death of a friend. or when someone is hurt and they now have hope.

everything burns has always been this "idea" just floating around in my head. if you've been at a show you might have heard me stumble through an explanation of what exactly it is. maybe it is not a thing. maybe it's simply and idea. it's realizing what matters. different for everyone. no right answer. but know this, for me fame burns. it ends. i am not an artist to seek the approval of someone. i have no idea what i am talking about. i'm just thinking here instead of somewhere else private.

i read and watched some amazing things last night until 7am. i got lost on radiohead's website, and learned so much from the dialog. links to articles about war, the future, the climate...fish and rice - sized implants for tracking people.

i have been reading martin luther king jr.'s speeches and writings lately. it amazes me hearing how relevant so much of what he said, thought, wrote and believed is today. "where do we go from here?" he asked at the beginning of the end of the civil rights movement. to me it seems that we have not gone far at all. i love what he says about the way america is viewed. pap & i were talking earlier about all this stuff. and most of it is so big that it seems unaffected by one or two people. sometimes it seems like there is no chance, and therefore no reason to try. but then again martin luther kind jr. was just a man. honesty, brutal honesty set him apart. he said what most people thought, and few were daring enough to say.

honesty is what we (I) have always strived for. sometimes i am honesty with you and myself. most times (especially as of late) i am too busy trying to be cool to be honest. that is honest. the truth is that i have never been cool. i was not when i moved to america. i was not when i was in high school. i tried hard, but was always just on the outside. i don't know if i was during college. i didn't talk to many people then, and i don't now. i do know that in nashville there are cool people. and it's a waste of time. i am not one of them, and thankfully cannot be even if in my heart i long to be, my mind will not allow me. i wrote this in my journal: my mind knows to be true what my heart cannot or will not believe. i know being cool will last only until you are too old to be cool. i know that at the end of the day how i look is meaningless, and only people matter. but my heart longs to be seen as cool. all day i compare myself to what everyone else thinks is cool. more than what's "cool," it's more what people define as meaning in life. i don't know what i think. all i know is that i started this because pap told me that i can connect with people and throught that connection i can help people somehow. and foolish as i was and still am, i believed her. i still do. she says we can change things. now my mind is the enemy. my heart believes what my mind calls foolishness. time is unrelenting. i am afraid of time. i am afraid of changing. i am afriad that i will never make any sense of all of this. i'm afraid of getting old. i'm afraid of how you see me. i am a prisoner to my fears. but from now on i will be honest. that will be the difference.

love: chuck.

well we we in florence, al last night...i wish every town was like florence. we have the best time playing there. thanks to everyone who came out for the show, and to Lorien & Eyes Around for letting us get on the show. we had a great time...the best shows aren't always the ones with the big stages, amazing sound and blinding lights. sometimes the best shows happen because of the audience. when the music means as much to you as it does to me, that's when lift-off happens. so thanks florence for listening and more for believing. we love you and we'll be back soon. keep in touch friends.

love: TURBO=======>speed.

(p.s. oh and thanks for letting us test out the new song on you, we'll keep testing the new ones in florence. talk soon)

tonight we played last minute in bowling green, ky...what a fun show. it was foggy, kind-of raining, everything was pretty much wet, and the stage was outside, no cover, late and everything against us & the fans...but one of the best SHIROCK shows lately i'd say...at least from my stand point. "more than entertainment" i always say. but it's easy to forget what that means...some shows "lift off" and other don't quite make it. we always do our best, but it's out of our control. and it doesn't matter how hard we try, sometimes it just happens, and tonight, against everything it happened. so thanks to everyone who stuck it out, and cheered us on, we had a great time, and will be back soon.

love: TURBO=======>speed

We are very excited about this new show thing...ABC's "What About Brian" using "Rain" is really cool...we've been working a lot on website stuff, and developing IROCKclothing right now. Also we've been rehearsing, and Pap & I have been writing some more songs. There a new one that she sings called "Silver." I love it, I hope you do too when the time comes...also there's another one that we don't know the name for just yet. Either i know the name right off, or i can never figure it out...so this one is a hard one. maybe PAp has some ideas...New Solution was a name before it was a song. an idea before anything else...then we just unpacked it. same thing with Everything Burns. hopefully we'll have a few other placements coming up soon...it's not our main priority right now, but it's great promotion, and it helps keep us going because it supports everything else financially...tell us if there's any cool boutique stores by you that you want IROCKclothing in. and add IROCK on your myspace page if you have one. keep in touch friends...

love: TURBO=======>speed.

(+++++++) replaces the stripes. the stripes were used after us by a nemsis. one we admire...but they still had to go.

well we got back today from our show in cincinnati, oh. we had a great time. a little rain can't get us down. it was nice to have some cooler weather also. we were excited and very honored that everyone came out to the show. and thanks to the press in cincy for all of the support. read what they wrote about us in the press section...we'll have it up in a day or two. anyway, pap & i are working on some other new songs, we're planning on being in the studio again sometime soon. oh - other news: "I'll Take Rain" has been licensed by ABC for the show, "What About Brian." we're not sure yet when it will be airing, but they have said it will be for a wedding scene...so that's pretty exciting. we'll keep you posted when we find out more. also if you have a good radio station near you that you want to hear SHIROCK on, email us (info@SHIROCK.net) and we'll have a CD of the new stuff sent to them. keep in touch friends, it won't be long now.

love: turbo=======>speed

okay, the recordings are done now...they're up on our Myspace page. we also have new FREE ringtones on the page as well. check those out for sure. so what's been going on...since being in the studio we're taking some time to write and hopefully record a few other songs. the purpose is for the business side of it all...we're working toward taking all of this to the next level. we will be playing shows, but just as many as usual. the good news is that we will be tracking a lot of songs. 2-4 at a time hopefully. we'll keep you posted on here as to what's going on with the business stuff. these 4 new songs that we just finished are being passed around through our attorney and our management right now, so we'll be getting responses from that stuff really soon, and then we'll go from there. thanks again for your support, hopefully we'll see you soon. keep in touch always.

love: TURBO=======>speed

okay...i'm sorry that this goes so long in-between entries...soon we will have new info on here everyday. we have just been traveling a lot,and there's been so much going on, that it's been hard to find the time to write on here, myspace.com, and in the forum...but nontheless, i'm sorry. newest news, we're heading into the studio in 2 days (sunday) to record some songs...some you've heard and a few you never have, but will. we're very excited to be back in the studio, and it won't be long before you'll have some new songs to learn. keep in touch friends.

new recordings will include: "you keep me singing," "no one's going to drag you down," "new solution," (maybe these ones:) "everything burns," "IJM," "to those who see," and a new one that doesn't have a name yet.

love: TURBO=======>speed

okay, pap and i are in scotland right now...a lot of stuff has been going on right now, i'll have to fill you in a little later more, but check this out. the band SHeDAISY wore our new SHIROCK band t-shirt on the CMA (Country Music Awards) in Nashville at the Arena, a few days ago! it was aired on CMT (Country Music Television). we think this is really funny. here's the photos from the show...

hope you guys think this is as random as we do...

love: chuck.

so new photos from the basement...new t-shirts that actually say "SHIROCK" on them. (some of you have been asking...) some new songs basically done...a new house and more things happening. right now we're working with our booking agency on putting together some summer tour dates...the end of June is the first short batch, and then all of July we'll be out, and then the first of August we'll be out again for a week or so. please be checking here in the shows section and on our myspace.com page...we do our best to keep them updated with what's new, and where we'll be. i'd also like to thank our summer interns who will be and have been, helping with a lot of stuff. nathan, rick, scott and catherine, you are very much appreciated. also this is exciting. we're building agarage/rehearsal space at the new house. so sometime this summer when it's all done we will have some garage shows in nashville...these will be open and free, all ages of course. if you're around you should come, it will be fun and warm. well keep in touch, it's been pretty busy in the SHIROCK world, lots of transitions. we'll let you know as we learn more.

love: chuck.

here's some pics from our April 1st show in Huntsville with our good friends Eyes Around. our plan is to be taking photos at every show so we can keep you informed about how it's all going...we will be taking video at some shows also...live videos posted in the forum...
love: TURBO.

***all photos in this entry taken by: KorKeya for ThaLoft.com

turbo in action:


derek:


the loft venue:


the crowd (huntsvillians):


SHIROCK: alive


the new merch set-up: (for those of you who have yet to see it...click the picture to go to IROCKclothing.com)

more good news...there's a few new videos up in the forum from saturday night at 12th & Porter. enjoy.

love: turbo.

link:
http://shirock.net/vineforum/viewtopic.php?t=24

what has been going on...well we a new touring van/trailer. if anyone is interested in buying our red trailer we are selling it. please contact info@shirock.net if you are interested. in other news we are booking for may & june right now, if you want to have SHIROCK come to your city, email booking@shirock.net and we'll get on it. we just put some videos up online (in the forum), soon we will have a video section on the main menu page. i hope all is well for you reading this...we have had a busy last couple of weeks. we're excited about the upcoming shows, we love being on the road. we'll keep you updated, and keep in touch friends, we love talking with you...

love: chuck.

well we were in ocean way yesterday tracking "you keep me singing." it will be done next sunday by 10pm. and we will get it posted on our myspace.com page and some other places. keep in touch friends. talk soon.

love: chuck.

road journal.
by: gatch & derek.

road journal continued.
01.27-28.06
Bowling green/ Louisville KY

Okay, so this weekend we were in Kentucky for a show in Bowling green at Spencer's coffee house and a show in Louisville at Headliners. Both shows were good. Thanks to Casey and Steve for driving up from Alabama. Shout out to Koufax and Local Shots!

Now to the business at hand...
This week we bring you an interview with SHIROCK bass player and party planner, Derek Blank

Gatch: Derek, lets start with an easy question, Why is there a gap in the New York skyline, is it a structural problem? geological? Historical? Theological?

Derek:   The gap between lower Manhattan and the Upper Westside owes wholly to the fact that the bedrock on Manhattan Island is deeper in the center than on the Northern and Southern tips.   The cost of sinking support pylons into the topsoil prohibits the construction costs of a building. I don't even want to consider the safety implications.   Remind me again why I just play bass? I should be decoding DNA somewhere.

Gatch: That's interesting. I had a rock polisher when I was a kid. You could pick up rocks from your yard and put them in this tumbler, then in 29 short hours you had smaller, somewhat smoother rocks to give as presents.

So, Seriously, how many red bulls did we drink at headliners this weekend?

Derek: We had at least a case between the two of us, and another half for the ride back.   To answer your question, at least like 25.

Gatch: This weekend we had at least 3 different conversations about marsupials first at the science museum and then at breakfast the next morning, which cute mammal would you most like to have for a pet and what would you put in its pouch?

Derek:   I would choose a Koala for their extreme cuddleablity.   Their pouch would be filled with cereal.   I think I saw this on Fear Factor one time.   If not then it is a great idea.   I once saw someone drive a car into a pool four times on that show.   That is a personal lifegoal of mine.   Preferably not my own car.  

Gatch: We dominated at many things this weekend, if not everything and everyone that our shadow crossed. Can you think of three of these things?

Derek: Easily.   1.   Energy drink consumption.   2.   Consumption/Distribution of Useless information   3.   Drunk-driving simulators.

Gatch: Thanks Derek. You solved many of life's mysteries for our readers. Next time we hope to bring you "The Rhythm Section Review" in podcast form.

Go big or Go home,

Adam and Derek
( "The Rhythm Section" )

02.03.06
Columbia, MO

If you are ever in Columbia Missouri check out the Martini Bar. It's a super hip hang out, it would make you think you were in the trendiest night club in some secluded private street of Ibiza, not a strip mall in the "show me state". We had a green room tonight, it was not literally green but it had all the comforts of home, if your home was a 5'x6' closet and all you owned was a futon and a disco ball. Tonight we received our first sincere encore. Thanks To Doc and the Staff for a fun night.

02.04.06
St. Louis, MO

When you drive into St. Louis you kind of feel like you should have just stayed home. We got to St. Louis early and checked out the arch. Who knew that elevator rides to the top could sell out? Instead we went to the Jefferson Westward Expansion Museum located 40 feet underneath the arch. I highly recommend avoiding it. Mostly it's these animatronics Indians explaining proper buffalo skinning techniques and the adventures of Louis and Clark. Not the old superman show the WB, but those two guys who discovered Seattle and founded Starbucks. We were looking for food and heard about a restaurant called "showme's" It looked innocent enough. Kristen jokingly remarked how much it looked like a strip club. Little did we know but Showme's is just a Midwest rip off of Hooters. Within seconds of entering the doors, Pap was pushing us out, our retinas, burned by the hot pink rays shooting out of   the waitresses booty shorts. She show was crazy, pants were taken off, slow dances were had, much craziness ensued. Thanks to The Fourth of July and Hunters and Gatherers for playing. You need to check out both these bands, amazing.

St. Louis arch: c.shirock

02.05.06
Somewhere in Illinois

What's up team. Derek here.   Today is Super Bowl Sunday, Go Seahawks.   We write to you on the road from the van, vainly scouring Southern Illinois for any food that isn't catfish.   I happen to love catfish, but the rest of the band doesn't share my sentiments.   This is my first visit ever to the Midwest, as I amazed at how flat everything is.   It's only been a few days from home, but I'm starting to miss sweet tea and the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee.   We had a great weekend, tiring, but we played some great shows.    The events that transpired last night (The Billiken Club, St Louis Univ.) were absolutely inexplicable.   Dual encores, shirts v. skins, definitely had to be there.   The band has taken a new fancy in the after-hours MTV series "Date My Mom."    In parting, I leave you with the words of our new friend/heart surgeon Doc: "What happens in Missouri stays in Missouri."

okay. so merry christmas and happy new year friends. sorry it's been a while since the last entry...life has been getting so busy and it's tough to keep up. so i will pretend that nothing has been missed. pap and i (chuck) just got back today from LA. we had a wonderful time with some new friends...pat, tyler and nick. so thanks guys for hanging with us, we had a wonderful time and pap would move there now if she could. hopefully we will see you again soon. our driver to the airport was john lennon's body guard/best friend. and we met a japanese guy from Hiroshima...that was completely mind boggling. i had so many questions...but i was scarred to ask. i don't believe a city could ever fully recover from a bomb like that. well, we are back now, we were gone for under 24 hrs. i think. friday we're off to bowling green, ky...then saturday at Headliner's in louisville. there are many things going on with SHIROCK lately...EVERYTHINGBURNS.org being a huge one. getting this whole thing off the ground is a lot of planning and more work. but i believe that people need a resource they can go to so that they can find out who is doing what in their community to better the poverty/homeless situation. especially people in our generation (assuming you are in my generation.) all we can do is provide the information to point you in the right direction...beyond that it's up to you. we're still working on the website. it's up, but there's little content on it right now. we're also working hard on the IROCKclothing line. (IROCKclothing.com) we're working on some new bags, shirts, etc...we'll keep you posted. so far in the testing phase everything is going really well...it has far exceeded our expectations here in nashville. we're planning on branching out more regionally soon. but it's just more work to be done. we will also be adding more to SHIROCK.net soon. a better picture page. maybe with sections, like: live, studio, road, promo... anyway. i hope all is well for you. i hope to see you soon. keep in touch. and we should start to use the forum.

love: chuck.

road journal
by: gatch.
12.09.05

Bands:
Shirock
Eyes around
The arrival

Our past two shows have been in Alabama, the home state of Shirock bassist and resident fact checker, Derek Blank. Its quickly becoming my favorite state that starts with an A. If anyone tells you the Flying Monkey is just an old burned out warehouse, they are dearly mistaken. It's also a music venue and a bookstore and looks like a prison. Here is a little history about the flying monkey.

"The Lowe Mill was built in the early 1920's. Originally a cotton mill, it was the largest, if not only factory supplying boots to the army during the Vietnam War. Today it is home to 2 music venues, a book store/coffee shop and an art school. "

I know I'm the only one who cares about the rich heritage of Huntsville Alabama but deal with it.

The show was good, the bands were good, the fans were awesome, the heaters sucked. Two chest bumps awarded to Bandito Burrito for fine authentic Mexican cuisine after the show...and let us not forget the pleasant aroma of commercial grade disinfectant that made that made me think I really was in Mexico.

-Gatch

road journal
by: gatch.
12.03.05

B ands:
Shirock
Lydia
Eyes around

Who new Florence Alabama could be so fantastic? 65 degrees at night, horse drawn carriages with bells, giant all meat sandwiches and one of the sweetest venues we have played in. The Nolen Cole art gallery is not unlike the art galleries Shirock is accustomed to playing in, except there is a bar and a PA system and smoking and not that much art really. There was no stage so we got to be right at eye level with all of our friends and see exactly how unimpressed they were with my stick twirls and rock faces.   However, we felt like movie stars at a nudist beach as two or three different people were shooting paparazzi style pictures of us. I developed a mild case of epilepsy. Look in the media section for a few new ones.   It was a long week for Derek and I as we are going through finals, but we were fueled by red bull and pure passion for melting faces with drum and bass jams. Chuck and Kristen got back this morning from Louisville at 4am and still had the stamina to drive to Alabama for another show. Hi fives all around for laying it on the line for the sake of Shirockism. Next week we have a few more shows with our friends Eyes around from Alabama. Stay tuned to Oprah's TV network "O" for some Shirock songs. If I meet her I'm asking for a new car.

-Gatch

Good show tonight, thanks to the Favorites for having us and the Radio Café for putting up with our loud rock music. It was probably the smallest room we have ever played but intimacy on stage is good. Thanks to my friend mark for Drum tech-ing and spreading rumors at the bar.

Peace: Adam

I think I got 3 hours of sleep last night. The ride home from Ohio last night was long and I spent most of it doing homework. So my energy and attitude was less than spectacular today as we drove to Knoxville. Old town is a super sweet area in Knoxville TN with lots of cool shops and restaurants and artsy shops attracting 30 something women that wear all black pant suites. We played with our Nashville friends Popular Genius who have the sweetest 15 passenger van ever. No joke, they have a propane stove in the backseat and cook while driving, as well as a full 27inch TV. I'm not kidding. When we found an air freshener in the rover we thought Xzibit had pimped our ride while we weren't looking. Knoxvillians are nice and love music so we were happy to play and look forward to coming back. I think we are going to retrofit a george forman grill in the glove the box of the Rover for next weekend.

Peace and love: Gatch

Despite our deficiencies and our human nature, things turned out well tonight. We Left the rehearsal space kind of late today. We were suppose to be in Cincinnati Ohio at 8 for a show at 9 and Cincinnati is about 5 hours away but we thought it was only three and a half or 4. So we were already screwed. We called our booking agent Jen and she started working everything out for us. We ended up missing our first show but Jen worked it out for us to play at a place called Jekyll and Hyde which ended up being a lot better than the outside stage we were scheduled for. So after we fought off a tow truck driver from taking the rover we had to haul all of our gear 3 block to the front of the venue. Luckily some guys and girls that came to check out the show were nice enough to push some Shirock road cases. Many thanks to Andy, Dave, and Mike and all the girls they brought for giving us a hand. After we loaded everything up 3 flights of stairs we finally got to play at midnight. The show was good, really load and lots of fun. Thanks to Chris for doing sound and helping with the gear, thanks to Jen for booking it and keeping our car from being towed, thanks to Mandy(?) for yelling into that headset microphone and fixing all the problems we made. And thanks to Emma the owner of Jeklle and Hyde who helped fulfill my life long dream of riding in a old service elevator packed full of gear, nearing death with every passing moment.

The moral of the story is, even if you screw up huge and arrive 3 hours late, everything will work out. I don't really think that's true but if we are 3 hours late again I'm going to quit and play pro soccer.

Love: Adam (drums)

people need our help, if you can.

Day 1
Winston-Salem North Carolina
Thursday, August 18th

After 7 hours of driving from Nashville we got to Winston
Salem, a real hippie/art town in the middle of North
Carolina. We played at a venue called The Garage run by
one of the nicest ladies in the world named Kathy. The
venue was super sweet, great PA, cool stage but no A/C.
Kathy had the largest collection of box fans I have ever
seen. The show was good; all ten people really liked it.
The Tin Foil Stars played after us and played some good
blues/rock music. There was this cigarette type machine at
the venue that had these little boxes of art, some were
pictures some were tiny sculptures. I consulted Derek on
which one I should buy and we narrowed it down to a
woodcarving and this „peep show‰ kaleidoscope thing.
After Kathy put in her two cents we went with the
kaleidoscope. I put in my $5 token and anxiously pried
open the box to reveal a little optical piece that shows a
picture of a black man when you hold it up to the light.
He‚s not even doing anything, just standing and looking at
you. I took a picture with him.

Kathy let us crash on the floor at her house and her mom
made us a delicious breakfast the next morning. And after
a quick trip to the „band and orchestra‰ store to replace a
string Derek savagely shredded the night before, we were
off to Penn State.

Day 2
Penn State
Friday, August 19th

I think it took like 8 hours to get to the venue but it
seemed like an eternity. So we get to the venue, its called
The Arena and not only is it a hip college scene music
club, but also a bowling alley, oh and also a nasty hotel.
We walked in to find the owner of this entertainment
trifecta and met a guy named Frank, or Fred maybe. And
he told us he never talked to our booking agent, didn‚t
know we were coming and wasn‚t going to pay us
anything. Also a hotel room will cost $30 and comes with a
plague of flies and only one towel. The sound and light
guys, Mike and Jeff were great. Mike used to do sound for
Def Leopard so flying faders for Shirock was pretty much
exactly the same. We opened for The Poptart Monkeys,
They played two amazing sets of sweet cover songs. They
had tons of energy, perhaps because they are endorsed
by red bull or perhaps because of the overwhelming
amount of sexual tension between the singer and the 50
girls in the front row. PTM are some of the nicest guys
ever. They invited D-Rock on stage to play AC/DC‚s „Back
in Black‰ complete with 80‚s rock wig and finishing out the
whole set with the sexiest slow jam licks this side of the
Mississippi

Day 3
Columbus Ohio
Saturday, August 20th

Another thrilling morning in the van for 5 hours, Fueled by
starbucks Shirock presses on to the hometown of
Keyboard/singer Pap. On the way there I was awakened
by Chuck screaming at a GIANT FALCON standing in the
middle of the road. The gatekeeper to the buckeye state.
The bird was about 4 feet tall and tried to slash our tires
with his talons. Our show was canceled so we decided to
start getting some of our CDs in the music stores. We met
lots of nice emo kids at cd warehouse. Derek and I were
chilling with two homeles guys in front of a record store,
one was named Jeremiah. Derek laid down some beats
while Jeremiah freestyled about topics such as; his name,
„gospel flow‰ and his name. He said Derek‚s beats weren‚t
tight enough so we left and bought posters at the record
store.
After a delicious dinner at Chipotle, Pap and Chuck went
to visit some family while D-Rock and I went down to High
street to find something to do. We got a bit lost but ended
up walking around Ohio States Campus looking for
parties. None were to be found but we did come across a
bubble Tea place. Bubble tea is like a Japanese smoothie
but it has your choice of Boboa (tapioca spheres) or this
jelly fruit in the bottom and you suck it through a giant
straw. So we got two and enjoyed them over a rousing
game of Jenga. There was a Japanese movie on the TV,
some sort of Dance Music concert with appearances by
Aqua and Aha. While waiting for the other half of the
band, Derek and I appeased our cultural addictions by
going to the Hookah Bar just two blocks away. We
smoked about half an apple Hookah before Chuck and
Kristen showed up and we took some pictures.

We ended up going back to the Bubble Tea place to get
some more drinks and pot stickers. We iced some local
kids in another game of Jenga, go Shirock GO! Our night
in Columbus came to a close and we rested for the last
show of this tour in our hometown of Nashville.

Day 4
Nashville TN
Sunday, August 21st

Shirock had a fun night in East Nashville a the 5 spot. The
sound was amazingly awful, there was 5 house speakers
but on one worked, on the left side. It didn‚t matter, we
rocked hard. So hard, an overhead microphone fell on
Adams head causing instant nausea. Nausea is just a
byproduct of rock and roll. Thanks to everyone who came
out!

by: adam gatchel.

i just thought you all should know that TURBO JUST BEAT FUNKY TRUCK!!!!! there are only 10 levels. now you try.

funky truck

yo. we want you to know that now on this page, and the "shows page," the dates and the thoughts will be going the other way...that means that the most up-to-date info. and even future shows will be up at the top, and the oldest ones will be down at the bottom. thanks everyone, we hope that doesn't mess up everything for you. love, SHIROCK.

please visit our myspace.com page and get everyone you know to be our friends...we're taking over myspace...we're going beat TOM!!!

hello friends of SHIROCK. we are very sorry that we haven't been keeping you updated as often this month...we have been traveling a lot, playing festivals and everywhere else in the planet it seems like. there is a lot to fill you in on though so are you ready? the most recent big news is that last week SHIROCK was a part of the highly esteemed "All About Music Film & TV Conference" here in Nashville. we played alongside about 14 other amazing bands/artists for Music Supervisors from LA (the people who choose the music for TV & movies). we were privileged to become friends with some of these people and very honored to perform for them last friday evening at Nashivlle's 3rd & Lindsley. the show went very, very well...one of SHIROCK's best i might say, and the response was overwhelming. so we will be keeping you posted with up-to-date info. on what TV/Movie's you will be able to hear SHIROCK on. one song that chuck co-wrote with Jeremy Lister and Jeff (lead vox. from "Number One Gun"), will be used in the NBC show "The West Wing." Details about when that will come about will come later. in other news, SHIROCK was in Harrisburg, PA on Saturday for the Millenium Music Conference/Festival, and then in Louisville, KY on Sunday for the Thirsty Melon Music Confernece/Festival at the Six Flags place. so we spent a lot of time in the car this weekend. let's see...we're also working on getting some songs into ring-tones for all of you tech-crazy people that know how to use your phones properly, and we're still working on getting the website updated with massive new links to videos, news, radio station playlists...lots of neat stuff. soon we will also have new t-shirts. but the next couple big things are radio, music video, and possibly recoring a few other new songs, for some TV/Film opportunites. as far as the video, we are hoping to shoot a music video in the next month or so...if not a studio music video than at least a few rough live videos that we will post in the upcoming "video" section. we will also have a few live tracks that we recorded at the showcase last friday here in town, when SHIROCK played for the TV & Film Conference. we are also in the process of designing a few different options for the CD packaging for "The Sputnik Sessions." some of you may have already seen them somewhere. the 3 new singles that are on that CD will also be avaliable on itunes rather soon for your downloading convienience. ummmm, adam got the "best spirit" award for our last few days, though derek fought hard for it. BUT, because adam ditched us for some beautiful babies at six flags, he forfeited the award, and it was then passed on to derek, who because of his effort deserved it all along. ummmm, i cannot think of much else that is new...oh, SHIROCK did an interview with a very nice lady name Katie to help get the word out about our playing in the Millenium Music Conference/Festival. that interview/story can be found here. so thanks katie for that press, and helping get the news out about SHIROCK in the harrisburg area. well friends, more info. to soon follow. we have a few new dates added, and many more coming in, so please make sure that you are checking the "shows" section frequently for updates, and we will be sending out more emails to keep you up-to-date as well. and one more thing, please tell your friends about SHIROCK, and get them on here (SHIROCK.net), and also SHIROCK's Myspace.com page, www.myspace.com/SHIROCK. we need as many friends on there as possible, because one of our big goals it to help boost SHIROCK's internet presence, and get the good news out. also find out about interent 2, i think it's coming and it will be global. love, ..:SHIROCK:..

the show in Atlanta was so great! since we updated this last we have performed two acoustic/keyboard shows, both of which were very successful and so fun for us! the first was at Frothy Monkey in Nashville, and that was very fun. thanks to our friends/fans who came out to that show, it was great to sing for you. then on last Friday we were at CJ's Landing in Atlanta and that was amazing! it was great to meet new people and share our songs with them. thanks also to fellow Nashville-people Undershade, you guys did a great job, and we look forward to playing with you again. and also a huge thanks to Wilson Empire, it was a pleasure to have met you guys and Bobby and Christina, you both were so kind. this being our first trip to Atlanta, we loved it and have decided that we are going to be performing there about 1 time per month. listen for SHIROCK on 99X in Atlanta, and we will see you soon...plans are in the works for a possible Atlanta show May 20th, and SHIROCK will be at 10 high Club on June 7th...SHIROCK will also be at Smiths Olde Bar coming this summer as well...thanks again everyone in Atlanta, we had a great time, and can't wait to see you again. love, SHIROCK.

...:also look for Chuck and Kristen on the cover/cover story of this month's Nashivlle Scene:..and you can also see Chuck and Kristen with friends Josh and Annie Reeder in Nashville's City Paper, from the Fashion show out in Franklin a few weeks ago. love, SHIROCK.

we did an interview for the Bowling Green College paper, and it got me thinking about the freedom that comes when you realize that "Everything Burns." there is something hauntingly beautiful, simple and freeing when i think about this idea. "Everything Burns" is a song of ours written a while ago, we don't typically perform it, but maybe we should. i think it was one of the most honest and true songs i've ever heard. i'd like to share it with you. so here's the lyrics, i'll work on a good demo for you, and i'll post it in the music section as soon as i can. i hope you all are enjoying life and using your time wisely. i love many of you, and i pray for you. i'm sick right now, and i'm scarred of having to go perform in ohio because i'm not sure if my voice will be up to it, so if you would, pray for me also. here's the lyrics to "Everything Burns." talk to you later friends...

"Everything Burns" c.shirock

everything burns / everything burns / everything burns up in the end / leave it and be / believe it and see / leave it and breathe / take what you need / then do what you please / and be who be / cause everything burns / everything burns up in the end / leave it and be / leave it and see / leave it and breathe / take what you need / do what you please / be who you'll be / cause everything burns...

(few words, but true. in my humble mind.)

01.10.05