The latest news is: My first solo CD PHHHP! has finally been released on 'real' disc. The "new" CD, entitled 'PHHHP! Plus', combines the "PHHHP!" recordings (previously only released on high quality CD-Rs) with 12 additional cuts from my pre-WATCHTOWER days.
I've been getting e-mails for years about properly releasing 'PHHHP!' on CD from people that had cassette copies of these songs some twenty years ago. I was hesitant for a long time because I was more interested in releasing new music rather than resurrecting the past. Eventually, I considered doing a digital-only release but I know a lot of fans, prog and metal fans in particular, still want that physical CD rather than just an MP3 for their iPod. So I came around to the idea of pressing up product after all but adding bonus tracks to really make it worthwhile. I started to go through old boxes of tapes and found stuff I didn't even remember I had - tunes I recorded on my older brother Ralph's four-track machine over at his apartment while he was away at work, tunes I had written right after getting my own four-track, including 'Ants On My Windshield' and 'Fishies On Leashes' (originally written for my FATES WARNING audition ca. '86), which features my brother Bobby on drums, and a bunch of other unreleased tracks that were recorded before I joined WATCHTOWER. None of these 'PHHHP! Plus' tunes were ever played with a band because either there were too many guitar parts, or because it was coming from a totally different musical perspective. If anything this was SPASTIC INK before there was SPASTIC INK.
For ordering details, go to Ron Jarzombek - PHHHP! Plus.
When I first started putting these guitar instructional DVDs together years ago, I was planning on having one video. Well, due to having too much material to cover, one DVD turned into two, and now we are looking at 3 DVDs! The first covering use and abuse of scales, the second on timing, and the third on 12 tone variations. I don't have a timeline on when any of these DVDs will be completed and released. Seems like when I get caught up with one of my band/project recordings, the DVDs get pushed aside. First, I put the DVDs on hold to complete the BLOTTED SCIENCE recordings, now my main focus is WATCHTOWER.
Here's an 8 minute clip of what you can expect: Ron Jarzombek - Oscillation Cycles
Many thanks to all the fans who picked up the BLOTTED SCIENCE CD 'The Machinations Of Dementia'. This was my first venture into death metal, and judging by all the positive response it proved to be a great move. It also led to a few guest appearances of recordings by OBSCURA and ODIOUS MORTEM. For me, it was also a cool experience because I got to write and work with one of the leaders of the death metal world, Alex Webster. And who would have thought that a full recording can be accomplished without one rehearsal! We did finally play some of the material live in Tampa 8 months after the CD was released, and got a pretty good feel of what it would take to pull off in a live sitation. Hopefully that will happen after we complete a second Blotted disc. We do have a very specific concept in mind, but haven't had a chance to write music together due to Alex's CANNIBAL CORPSE schedule and my writing and recording for the next WATCHTOWER disc.
Tampa rehearsal pics Speaking of WATCHTOWER, things are moving at a steady pace. We are doing our best to finish up a 62 minute, 11 song disc, are having bi-weekly rehearsals, drum studio sessions happen bi-monthly, I personally work on the material nearly everyday (recording guitars, drum production, etc.) and we're slowly chipping away at the wall that we've been unable to tear down for the past two decades. The good news for me is we've dropped tons of material that was written during our "loss of musical direction" period (which led to the inception of SPASTIC INK), leaving us with music that we are all quite happy with, and hopefully will totally satisfy the fans who have waiting so long for this to come out. No release date will be given at this time. What is confirmed is WATCHTOWER co-headlining the 13th edition of the Keep It True Festival in Germany in April of 2010. Visit the official KIT MySpace for more info.
Quite a few people have asked about the guitar that I'm using in the DVD and BLOTTED SCIENCE rehearsal clips. I have ditched all of my old strat shaped guitars and now only play my custom designed guitars. As of now I have built 3 guitars: a black 7-string with red blots, a red 6-string with black blots, and a purple 6-string with yellow blots. The 7-string that I'm playing in the BLOTTED SCIENCE rehearsal videos is the same exact guitar but the maple fingerboard has been stained black. I used to only play light colored necks but switched to black because fingers show up much better, especially on videos. Go to Ron Jarzombek Custom Guitars for more info on my guitars.
On a "personal" note, my local Rush tribute band EXIT STAGE LEFT has recruited a new bassist. It's great to be playing again with my dear friend Pete Perez who has totally kicked his personal demons, and is playing again at the extremely high level that he did when we recorded the SPASTIC INK records. Nothing but the best to our ex-bassist Jack Peterson who moved back home to San Francisco.
Be sure to check out the MySpace pages Ron Jarzombek, Blotted Science, and Eclectic Electric Music for info on distributors and where to get my CDs online as well as links to the official YouTube channel and the BLOTTED SCIENCE Facebook page. I also have a personal Facebook page at facebook.com/ron.jarzombek where updates are posted regularly. NOTE: THIS is NOT an official RON JARZOMBEK page and I have nothing to do with it.
Thanks!Sept. 15, 2009
1. 'PHHHP Plus' released on September 15
2. Instructional DVD sneak preview
3. 'The Machinations Of Dementia' recap & update
'Oscillation Cycles' live
'Laser Lobotomy' live
4. WatchTower progress & festival booking
5. Guitars, guitars, guitars........
6. Exit Stage Left......... enter Pete Perez!
7. Miscellaneous links
Ron
