2024 was arguably the busiest year I’ve had in music. For doing this all around my more than full-time job running ChutingStar and precious time with my family, it’s only by the love of my Google Calendar that it all works out.
2024 ODD Music Highlights
- 36 Shows in 4 States
- 2 Tours
- 5 Albums Released
- 3 Online Interviews
- 4 Active Bands
Most of my time and energy went into Red Hot Empty, which is now in our 3rd full year, and 2024 was full of new music and some of the most fun we’ve had putting on shows. In February, we released new songs Peckish and Crankshaft Sensor ahead of our full album release in July, True Pecking Order. This album was completely recorded at GTown Studio, and then mixed/mastered by Ben … a complete DIY release. In February, we also released a full live album, Prolegomenon, from the B-Side of our Corridors vinyl put out by Analog Revolution. We played 20 shows in Georgia and Alabama with some of our faves being Dead Echo, Mayhem House, Star Bar, Moonshadow Tavern, South Bend Commons, The Masquerade and Atlanta Utility Works. Midway thorugh the year Violet Opal aka Doctor Deathray took over on bass taking our sound to the next level. We finished recording our first single, World of Calamity, with the new lineup in December. World of Calamity will be released February 1st everywhere, followed by the full album, Ghost Roads, a few months later. The year was capped off with a Bands & Hands event at an amateur boxing ring with bouts and sets all night long … such a pure Atlanta music scene event.
Following some drum tracking work for The Mcmansions at the end of 2023, I joined the group full-time in 2024. We made quick work of our time together this year putting out the Four Eyes EP in May followed by a full length album, Invasive Species, in August. I recorded both albums at GTown Studio and did the mixing for both releases. We played 12 shows in just a few months, including an epic night at Smith’s Olde Bar with the Gabaghouls as well as two outdoor shows in downtown Acworth. In November we finished recording our next single, BFF, which has yet to be released. The band went on hiatus in December when our lead singer and songwriter, Dan Messenger, decided to pursue a new project.
In July, I connected with JJ Roetting to start playing tour dates for his new project, Jon Q Public. I ended up playing on 2 tour runs in the Cincinnati/Kentucky area, including one night on a riverboat cruise along the Ohio River!
My high school punk band, DFL, worked with Jack Endino to remix, remaster and release our 2nd album, Movement, which had only previously been available on cassette. Movement was released streaming everywhere in May and is now available on CD and 10″ clear vinyl! While remixing Movement, we found 4 unreleased DFL recordings from a 1988 session at Reciprocal Studios. Three songs were complete and one was missing vocals. We’re in the process now of finishing out that last song and releasing a brand new DFL EP, All Jack’d Up, in 2025!
In February I was interviewed live online by Picks N’ Sticks Music Studio followed by an online live appearance on Mark Sugiyama’s Eclectic Arts Media in April. Red Hot Empty was interviewed a few times for Record Plug Magazine throughout the year. We were in the January print issue that focused on a benefit show we played for local musician Bryan Caruso. Sara was interviewed on the Record Plug video podcast in May and we were just interviewed in December for a feature print article coming in February 2025.
My 3rd solo album, a follow up to That GTown Sound & By The Numbers, that I hoped to release in 2024 was delayed due to the other projects above, but it’s coming along! I’m now shooting for a Summer 2025 release, tentatively to be called Funk Drunk. This album is inspired from my funk roots when playing with my Seattle buddy Blake Micheletto in Mushmouth and 420 Love in the 90s. The elements of some the new songs were posted on my social media last year as they were created or recorded.
In 2024, all of my solo vinyl releases as well as releases for Red Hot Empty, DFL and Black Moses were stocked and sold at local record shops, such as Criminal Records, Retrosound Records, Housewolf Records and RocknShop Cartersville. Seeing others enjoy the music created has been amazing.
A HUGE thank you to all of you that attended a show, purchased some merch or just streamed some of my music! I’m working to bring so much more to you in 2025. Hope to see you at a show this year, and stay in touch with several new releases on the horizon!
Peace, Love & One Drummer Drumming…