March 2 Make-Up Show

Hey - just a quick update here. As I mentioned in the previous post, our February 22nd show was cancelled. We were lucky enough to get it rescheduled - to March 2.

So, mark your calendars: Saturday, March 2 - Rule 17 and Sex Knuckle at JT Cigarro (Rule 17 opens).

Show starts at 9:30.

 

Original songs and a schedule update

Band rehearsals are kind of funny. Some times, you just wind up rehashing stuff you already know just to prove that you still know it. Some times, you run through a set in preparation for a show. Some times you do a lot of work and make very little headway, and other times you get a whole lot of work done. Those are the best ones.

Today, we learned an original, currently titled "I Am Your Shadow". That's subject to change, but the lyrics are written, song is arranged, and we can start and end it at the same time. It's a bit of a landmark for us, because for the first time since 2007, we are closing the book on working up new original material.

That's not to say that "this is it". There's probably a good 10 or so other tunes that we could work up, and we probably will start on that later this year some time. But, we had decided some time ago that when we had over 45-50 minutes worth of "new" material, it was getting to be time to concentrate on releasing an actual album rather than constantly bombarding our audience with new unfamiliar songs.

So, we've come to a point where we can start shopping for a studio, concentrate on further honing the tunes we have, and start recording later this year - probably around summertime. We have no real plans yet regarding how we intend to do the full release. Obviously the classic "CDs at shows" approach will be back, maybe a few online retailers, probably get it on Itunes and that sort of thing.

Now, on to the schedule: we had been booked to play at JT Cigarro on February 22nd. That won't be taking place, as they got LA Guns for that night. So, our next appearance will be on March 23rd with Red Lamb. For those who don't know, that's former Anthrax guitarist Danny Spitz's band. It'll be at the Nestor.

Until the next update, later gators

Travis 

Rick's Recap (now with video!)

Ok, it's been a couple days since the Rule 17/Vindictus show at Rick's. It was a really fun last hurrah for Vindictus who we've played with quite a bit over the years.

Our set was the first we had played since last November, as we took December off. It went off pretty well, though. The fun thing about openers is that you can kind of concentrate more on the dynamics of the set rather than just set lengths, as often gets to be the case when you're doing the "dance band" rotation (set, break, set, break, set, end).

This time around, we decided that we definitely had to do what tunes Troy, Dave, and I had done at the first 7th Seal show. Unfortunately, of those songs there are only a couple which have survived over the last 8 years. The only original at the time was "Original Sin", and one of the covers was "Children of the Sea". Dave's wife caught video of Children of the Sea (a.k.a. "Chicken of the Sea".

At the end, I grab a pitcher of water (the post-Dio water grab - that tune does a number on me), and keel over laughing because Aaron requested "Psionic Illuminations" by the Lord Weird Slough Feg, which was also played at the first 7th Seal show (and he guessed it, too).

Another one that we had been batting around for quite a while was Powerslave by Iron Maiden. If you have 2 lead guitars, it's hard to not play a lot of Iron Maiden - it's kind of like having an Ortega Taco Kit and not making tacos. This was technically the first new cover tune since 2007, and it actually went pretty well for us only having run through it 3 times.

Vindictus played 2 sets, had a bunch of guests on stage, and a good time was generally had by all. We in Rule 17 would like to wish our Fargo metal cohorts in Vindictus (all members past and present) the best in their future endeavors. We've shared a lot of stages over the years, and have really appreciated all of the good times we've shared since 2005.

Travis

Vindictus at Rick's, Jan 26

Ok, the holidays are over, and the time has come to get off our collective duffs and deliver some metal to all of you good folks in the Fargo-Moorhead area. On January 26th, we will be performing with Vindictus at what will be their last show.

I originally meant to get this blog out sooner, thinking I might have some pictures from past shows with Vindictus. Couldn't find them, but I bet they'd be pretty funny.

I think 7th Seal first played with Vindictus back in 2005 at the old Eastgate as part of a multiple band thing. Since then, we've played with them roughly 40,000 times (give or take). We played with Vindictus at the second-to-last 7th Seal show, it was with Vindictus that we played the first show as "Rule 17" not quite a year ago, and now we'll be playing with them for what is their final show.

There's always something that sucks about a band calling it a day, but at the same time 9 years is an incredibly good run for a metal band in Fargo. So we're happy and honored to raise the horn (and the volume) with these guys one last time. Skål!

A Little Something For Christmas

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. We recorded a few tunes during a rehearsal back in September. One was "Beyond", which we've posted before, and since that turned out pretty decent, I figured I'd put this one out there as a little Christmas gift for those who've supported us through the past year.

The song is called "Awake". It was the first song that we worked up together, at the tail end of the "7th Seal" era. At the time, it was called "Blood" and had a totally different set of lyrics that I just couldn't finish. We played it at the final two 7th Seal shows, and have done it at every Rule 17 show. When we recorded the 3-song demo back in 2009 (the one with Act of Defiance, In the Wake of Fear, and Waste Away), we inexplicably didn't record this one. None of us can really remember why we didn't.

So here it is: Awake


Lyrics:

It's another grey-skied monday morning
It's another day and a deeper rut
Fake fluorescent daylight is burning in my eyes. 
This boring life could drive you nuts. 

Time keeps moving faster, you're here and then you're gone
Life is getting shorter but death lasts just as long

We awake, running headlong into life, we learn the world is ours to take. 
We arise, throwing caution to the wind just to live before we die. 

 A second life is waiting for me
Beyond a painted western sky
Burning through my senses, it stimulates my soul
The body ages but the spirit's never old

I (Travis) take the first solo, Troy takes the second solo. 
Obviously, we decided to throw a couple extra guitar tracks at this one. Why not? 
So there you go - have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
 

Gig Recap: The Garage

Last night, we did a tripleheader at the Garage Bar in Moorhead. This was our first time at the Garage as a headliner - and actually, our first time as "Rule 17". For those who haven't been there, it's been completely remodeled since back when it was Pistol Pete's. New stage, new PA, new lights, etc. It's nice in there. They cater to a combination of original bands and cover bands, which I would imagine makes for a pretty interesting dynamic night to night, but the flexibility of venues that host original bands is part of what makes multiple band shows like this doable.

First up was Sex Knuckle, who should be familiar to rock fans in the F/M area by now. We've done a few shows with them by this point and will undoubtedly be doing more in the future.  This was probably the best I've heard them collectively play - they were great.

Next up was Phoenix Rising. I've heard the album tracks and the demos, and was pretty impressed, but I had never heard them play live. If you get the chance to see these guys, take it. Hopefully, they can get a few more things set up here on the south side of the state.

We got started some time before midnight, and played around an hour and a half. I obviously can't give an audience level view of it, but everything seemed to go as usual with one difference...
...we had dancers.

I've been in bands where people would come up and dance, and none of them did a Testament cover. In this instance, it was during "Waste Away" - which has to be the hardest thing we do to dance to. It's a gauntlet of tempo changes. It reminds me of a time back when we were known as 7th Seal that a couple danced for about 5 of the 10 minutes that the song "7th Seal" lasted. I guess people love a challenge - and I have to admit the strong urge to chuckle every time I say "thank you dancers".

So, that's the end of Rule 17's headlining gigs through the end of 2012. I'd especially like to thank all of our friends/fans who come out and support us, tell their friends about us and really help us bring people out. In a world where people are increasingly inundated with information, the value of word-of-mouth keeps getting higher, and so for those of you who help us out we'd like to give a big "thank you".  

About the Song: Beyond

Last night, I uploaded a new tune for the first time since 2009. Those of you who have seen us playing over the past year are well aware that we have quite a bit more than 3 songs, but we just hadn’t gotten around to recording them...until September...and that was accidental (kind of).

I’ve mentioned in previous posts about how we used to do the equivalent of “boombox” recordings to get arrangements right. We have a little more accurate system now, which we tested back in Sept. Throw mics on the drums, take lines out of the amps, and there you have it - recording with decent enough quality so you can get a decent grasp of how a tune is. This is something that we intend to work into more of our rehearsals, so we should be able to get a little more sample music out there before we settle in and go for a full-length.

So, without further ado, here’s “Beyond”.

I originally wrote this song back in 1999 or so - it was part of the “lost album” that I’ve mentioned before. I had been thinking back on that period, and figure that of all the tunes, this one fit in best with what we’re playing now. The opening riff was reworked. The chorus and middle section were entirely rewritten. The lyrics are completely different, as are the vocal melody lines. The solo section goes back and forth between Troy and me. As always, it will be interesting to see how these sections develop as we keep working with it live.

Lyrically, the song is about...something. I’m actually not totally clear on what this tune is about. I’ve always dug the lyrics to “Hang ‘em High” by Van Halen, and kind of tried to cop a bit of that vibe on this one.

Some are born in fortune's hand, 

but that was not his fate. 

Everything he has, he had to take

All he owns is on his back.

His hands are leather-hard

This man with nothing has everything in his power. 

Night falls quickly. The dark clouds push the light away. 

Face the cold wind, push on through to day. 

Beyond the dark horizon

Beyond these barren plains

Beyond these fields of lies and empty nights

The world waits a lifetime away

He gazes 'cross the blackened sky

beyond the windswept plain, 

steps outside his shelter into the rain.

A little step to infinity

Another step towards death

He won't avert his eyes or hold his breath

If you figure out what it’s about please let me know.