The Fallen Angel (DEMO)

Hey everyone,

I figured I would give the "heads up" to those of you who do not frequent the Myspace page (which can be found at www.myspace.com/planetgeminidoom) that I put up a new Demo of a song entitled "The Fallen Angel". It is a very "spacey" sounding song and is a VERY rough mix demo. I spent a lot of time in the studio this last week and literally just wrote that song and recorded it yesterday.

The production is so/so. It needs a little work. To me it sounds like a cross between Zeppelin and Pentagram maybe with a little Floyd thrown in there.

I'm liking it a lot so… check it out
Sincerely
H

Pearls of Wisdom

Hello everyone

I've been getting a couple of e-mails lately asking "how do you go about doing this or that?" and I have one universal response for everything. It's not only about music but I believe it's the key to life and happiness in general.. are you ready?

Find what works for you... and exploit the hell out of it.

There it is.. there is no other way to say it really. I practice like a maniac when I can't do something... it's just the way I'm wired. With that being said someone else might need a more strict time setting. Like "okay I'm going to practice this everyday when I get home from 6PM-6:30PM..etc". There really is no "key" to anything. I might have to practice 12 hours to get something that someone else will get in 1 hour. It's just the way it works.

When I wear the producer hat during recording I will always give someone a "pearl of wisdom" that makes them say "whoa I never thought of doing it like that" and don't get me wrong that's always great… but if you only practice what someone else suggests to you. You will never elevate yourself to a level above that person teach.

Try everything!
If it's recording make sure you read up on what the masters have to say. There are webpages like www.recordbetteraudio.com or there are TONS of Podcasts out there that will help you find the sound or technique that you are looking for… my only suggestion I can give is.. once you find it… open it up.. see how/why it works. Try deconstructing the idea and find out WHY it did what it does.

I truly believe the same thing for life in general. (not to sound to motivational here or anything) but I get so many people saying "Man your job is awesome, your life is so stress-free…etc" there is a reason behind that.. I saw a way to improve things in my life and I did it. There is no "can't" and once you start understanding that you'll understand that life is only what you put into it.

(God I am sounding preachy).

Anyway.. as for my guitar sound. I use a lot of different techniques. I mic a Marshal Half Stack with an SM57 off axis (about 45 degrees or so) I keep the mic about 1 inch away from the cone. Sometimes I also set a "Room mic" which is in the back of the room for natural reverb… I will ALWAYS record a direct track. Using a direct box right into the board. I truly believe that gives off frequencies that you just can't get from a mic. You definitely can OVER do it but.. it always helps to have more tracks than less.

I have had songs where I have done 4 guitar tracks (all playing the same thing at different eq frequencies) but… personally I tend to just stick with the solid 2 guitar tracks and a Solo track (or 2 if there are harmonies)

For vocals I double track a lot. Or sometimes I'll single track and copy the track and move one a couple milliseconds ahead to give that "slapback" delay. It adds a doubling effect without it sounding to "chorus". Doubling is really a skill a singer needs to develop. If I am recording a singer who is unsure of himself I'll often record him once.. and mute the track and tell him to re-do it.. and see how it sync's up without him knowing.

Drums are a completely different matter and to be honest I can't give much advice for those besides… Less is more when it comes to a drum kit. I have a HUGE kit… it's not needed. Whenever I have someone record I basically strip the kit down to a 3 piece. Just because most drummers don't need all the bells and whistles and you're basically wasting time getting all of the mics sounding good when all you need is..

1 bass drum mic (don't cheap out on this)
2 for the snare (over and under)
1 for each tom (Rack & Floor)
and 2 overheads (remember to be careful for phasing out on the mix)

now… my kit (as it stands right now is mic'd)
1 bass drum mic (I don't remember the model number but it's a Shure.. it cost me about $300 it nice..)
2 SM57's for the Snare Drum (over and under.. I actually duck tape the sides of the 57's to stop as much "rattling" as possible)
4 SM57's for each tom (10,12,14,16)
2 Overheads (Cheapies… Shure PG something er others..)
and 2 more 57's for Over the Hi Hats and Under the Ride.

I mix my drums this way… (as far as faders go.. I'm going to use %)
Bass Drum 80%
Snare Over 35%
Snare Under 45%
Overheads (Panned to the Left and Right 90%) 20% (each)
Toms 65% (I do tend to take the lower toms down sometimes)
Hats 10%
Ride 10%

Advice for DRUMMERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (please read)
> I'm not saying that a metronome is the end all be all.. but.. if you can't play to a solid rhythem… LEARN!... Or you're going to find yourself paying a lot more money in the studio. I love the sound of a live band recording but some drummers just need to be grounded.. and some people need to punch and it's almost impossible to punch drums that are not to a metronome.. so LEARN!.. that goes for guitarists and bass players as well… if you can't play to a click track… sit down and work on your rhythm it's badly needed.

> Bring an extra snare head into the studio (or an extra snare would be even better if you have one) It's sad to say but some snares just don't sound right when put to tape. Some are pingy and annoying (see Lars' snare on St Anger).

> Learn how to tune your drums! I have had some drummers come in.. sit down and there drums have sounded like absoleute dog shit… This includes a couple of people who were playing for over 20 years. Your drums should SING in the studio… fucking throw out those O rings.. in the studio you're better duck taping any unwanted noise away.. but you should always have a little over-hum that continues after you hit that drum.. (no rattling… that is bad).

GUITARISTS (and bassists for that matter)
> when you know you are going into the studio be sure to restring your guitar the night before. Use that "String Ease" shit.. Put the strings on and tune the guitar about a half a step higher than you normally tune.. spray the strings and let it sit over night.. wake up in the morning and tune the guitar properly.. fact is.. your strings have just been stretched and will produce a much better tone and a much more solid sustain. IF YOUR STRINGS ARE MORE THAN 2 WEEKS OLD… RESTRING!!!!!!

> bring a spare set of guitar strings.. (and maybe even 2 extra high E strings just in case.) you never know.

VOCALISTS
>Bring (or make sure the studio has) sprite or some light carbonated beverage. Sounds crazy but I've seen sprite save a lot of vocalists when their voice was dying.
>Drink hot tea and do vocal exercises 30 minutes to an hour before going into the studio. Even if you're a screamer.

 

DEFUNKED MYTHS

Myth: "I don't know why I can't sing this… I sound much better while playing guitar/bass"
Fact: No, you've always sounded like that you just didn't hear yourself because you were too busy playing guitar. Your voice doesn't change.. your comfort level does.

Myth: "We can just punch that… right?"
Fact: No! a lot of times you can't punch something without it screwing with the timing of the song. It is just a fact of life… sometimes you'll save more time re-recording something than working with something that starts off broken.

Myth: "I want my friend to come in the studio.."
Fact: NO you don't.. too many cooks spoil the soup… Fuck when I have a band in here.. if I notice that they are harping on the singer.. I will kick the band out and work with the singer one on one.. if the band doesn't like it… then find another singer.

Myth: "I just want to play around and experiment"
Fact: NO…. that is a job for you at home.. not in a studio where you are paying by the hour. You should KNOW what you're going to do when you go in.. or.. invest in a studio because with recording gear prices as low as they are you really can do this stuff yourself.

Myth: "I don't want to record direct.. I like my guitar sound"
Fact: You sir are an idiot! I understand you love your sound.. I understand it's a part of you… and you don't want to abort your baby right… right!?... well.. you don't have to.. but.. understand that technology has progressed and there is a lot to be said for getting those "direct channel" frequencies… Sometimes a blasting guitar is not going to mesh well with a microphone.. and .. well.. you don't want to record your guitar at low levels.

Myth: "Compression and Gate should be on EVERY TRACK!"
Fact: this is a HUGE misconception when it comes to recording. Compressing tracks tends to destroy important frequencies. (especially low end) Compressing bass guitar is VERY tricky.. and should only be done by a professional. Keep in mind. Your master will be compressed… and tweaked to high heaven.. so you're not hearing a final product at all.

That is all for now.. I hope this post helps someone..
Just please remember what I'm saying here… Explore every option. When I began playing drums I was taking advice from every side.. even moving my drums in uncomfortable setups because "that's the way Oly Olson played it" or.. "that's the way Vinny Appice suggested"… here's the thing.. Oly and Vinny are both light years ahead of me… but… the fact remains that… we are different people.. and we all learn different ways.. and have different positions we like to sit.. watch people bowl. When you first learn to bowl you copy what you are taught.. within' 2 or 3 times going back you start to find what works for you… so in turn.. life… is like bowling..

Don't be a gutterball!
(that wasn't even planned.. HA!)
Hope you are all well
H

Planet Gemini March Update

Hello everyone,

I know I haven't had all that much to say in the last couple of months and it really is for good reason. I haven't been working on Planet Gemini material all that much. I've been wearing the producer's hat much more than the artist. Both are fun and don't get me wrong I'm not complaining at all but, I feel it is time to start heavily working on the next Planet Gemini album.

I have some great ideas that I've been throwing around but haven't really taken the time to polish much. Songs that I have floating around at the moment are "Hole in Heaven", "The Book of Red", and "The Cellar". I'm sure you can tell by the album titles that this is going to be a bit more of an "occult" driven album. I've been watching a lot of old movies about "the devil" and "possession" and I must admit it is really affecting the way that my music is coming out. Demos I have floating around are much more… experimental but I'm sure they'll heavy up nicely once I take the time to layer and play with things.

I don't like naming an album before it is released but right now I am referring to the album as "The Book of Red". Again, that is nothing set in stone but I have a feeling that it will all work itself out in due time.

 

*Release date*
Okay, as of right now I'd like to say that I should have the album done by early summer. However, as you all know sometimes I get a little sidetracked with other bands coming in and whatnot so I'm not 100% sure about anything. I will say this however, the 4 or 5 songs I am contemplating putting on the album are all 8-10 minutes long. So it's not going to be a short album by any stretch of the imagination. There will be no cover song on this album as I do plan on pressing it fully.

*Cauldron of Fuzz VI*
I can say this.. if the new album lasts beyond summer I will be putting it on hold to work on the next Cauldron of Fuzz installment. I REALLY enjoyed the last Cauldron of Fuzz (which can be downloaded for free here on the webpage). For those of you who have written me about "A Time Before Time" you'll be happy to know that there is going to be a lot more songs like that. I've been rehearsing the Cauldron V stuff a lot. I really wouldn't mind doing a "Live" recording of a Planet Gemini set for everyone who is clamoring to hear the stuff live. I have some friends that I jam with that would be happy to be on a PG recording. My only issue is playing the old songs without Josh feels kind of weird.. especially because the bass player I've been jamming with plays much more technical than Josh did and it sounds a little different.

*New Demos*
I'm going to take the time to upload some new demos sometime in the next couple of weeks. Due to the popularity of "A Time Before Time" I figured that I would put up the original demo. It's not too different but it really gives you an idea of how I write vocals. The demo track has the original improvisation. I have a couple more gems I would like to release and maybe for the heck of it I'll release a new track in demo form or something.

 

So hopefully you can see that everything is back on track. Expect a re-launch of PlanetGemini.net in the coming months with some new content. Also… let me know if anyone would be interested in a podcast of sorts. I'm not looking to talk 100% about Planet Gemini, but about recording techniques that I use and how I go about getting certain sounds and certain ways to record different singers. As always your best way to reach me is by e-mail hellion@planetgemini.net

Never fear I'm not looking to do the next "Ask a Ninja" or anything.. (which is fantastic by the way)
But I know there are some great audio podcasts that really help people that are just getting started.. and while I don't consider myself a professional or anything, I have worked with many seasoned pro's who have taught me many studio tricks… Music to me should be shared and as musicians we should ALL be about sharing techniques and making all of our material better.

 

Thank you all so much and I look forwarding to hearing for you soon~!
Sincerely
H

Still Alive!

Hello everyone,

Well it's my first update in quite a while. After a terrible bout with influenza I haven't found myself in the studio all that much and I haven't really been very creative at all. When I am going into the studio it is to record some other bands projects and whatnot. So in the longrun there really isn't much to report on the Planet Gemini front.

I have a couple tracks written and demo'd for my next release but I'm not 100% sure if it is going to be the material that I want to be released next. I am more of a "free spirit" when it comes to music.. just taking it as it comes.. I'm recording anything and everything that is in my head. Not all of it is coming out "metal" so I'm polishing those songs and I'm going to keep them for my own benefit. The Next PG album must be heavier and more brutal than the last… that's always the goal.

I hope all is well with all of you
and I will talk to you soon
Sincerely
H

COFV – Reviewed (Stonerrock.com)

One of the MAJOR disadvantages to doing and online release of an album is that the media (whether it be print or online) tend to not review your album. I can't really explain why… I would probably break it down to reviewers don't really get paid to do what they do so they like to have a retail copy of the CD to keep as "payment" for their hard work. Personally, I can understand that theory however, I frown slightly on it due to the fact that sometimes I would just rather put out material online than spend the money printing it. So… if you are a reviewer or know someone who reviews material.. please take this stuff into consideration. Not just for me but for other bands.

One webpage that did actually take notice of Cauldron of Fuzz V is my good friends at STONERROCK.COM. These guys have taken an interest in Planet Gemini since it's inception and I'm quite lucky that Dan and crew are all open minded to my "underground" type philosophy.

The following is a review for "Cauldron of Fuzz V: Sometimes it Comes Back"

Planet Gemini - Cauldron of Fuzz V: Sometimes It Comes Back
Reviewer: Joel Geraghty (StonerRock.com)
Label: WoeconstrictoR Records
Release date: October 31, 2007


The very definition of a solo band, Planet Gemini is a one-man show owned and operated by the capable and talented Hellion. He sings and plays all the instruments in addition to recording, mixing, producing, and releasing everything himself from his home studio. After putting the next planned LP, Wicked, on hold for the time being, H's urge to create was so powerful that he wrote and recorded the newest installment in Planet Gemini's annual Cauldron of Fuzz Halloween series in less than three weeks and was still tweaking the record the night before its free release via download on the band's website.

Cauldron of Fuzz V: Sometimes It Comes Back is a guitar-heavy album with riffs, solos, leads, and layers galore as it retains the heavy traditional doom slant of Gemini's previous recordings on tracks like the pummeling "Ritual Evolved" and the sludgy "Demonic Wall," while "The Start of My Demise" is an upbeat rocker with a groovy stoner vibe. The record also admittedly marks a more experimental direction to explore the limits of what a studio-only band can do, without any limitations or concern for whether or not the songs can be replicated live in concert. Trippy vocal effects and ethereal psychedelic elements are woven throughout the two back-to-back epics of the album, "A Time Before Time" and "Temples of Infinity," which combined clock in at approximately 18 minutes, but the journey is satisfying with the brilliant use of light and shade. H approaches his music as art and it shows. These are my two favorite songs from the lot and I am intrigued by the hint of H following this path on his next project.

Evident from the perfectly-titled lead off track, "Ritual Evolved", Cauldron of Fuzz V represents the evolution of the player behind Planet Gemini as H's primal, authoritative drumming has vastly improved and his bass lines are so meaty you could eat them for dinner. The guitars soar and H's distinct vocal s t y l e sounds better than ever. A blazing cover of Pentagram's "Day of Reckoning" caps off the album, paying tribute to one of Planet Gemini's primary influences. Don't let the "free" price tag fool you, this isn't something that sounds like it was thrown together and recorded in somebody's half-assed basement studio. Planet Gemini is serious business and Cauldron of Fuzz V: Sometimes It Comes Back is the pinnacle of one man's vision.

I would like to take the time to thank Joel (AKA Chrononaut) for reviewing the album. It's very much appreciated.

Sincerely
H

Less Crazy Post… Holiday Wishes…

I figure after that completely insane rambling post I would follow up with…

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Hehe..

In all seriousness though… I have a friend who went under the knife last week and I just want to wish him the best. Justin here's to a quick recovery! *Raises glass* With so much metal in your veins you are basically indestructible and never forget that!...

To everyone else… Have a WONDERFUL holiday.. Take time to appreciate all of your loved ones and just enjoy the season for what it should be. A time where everyone is a little nicer to everyone else. I don't like the commercialization of Christmas but, the theory behind it and the true meaning is there… if you peel through the 20,000,000 layers of wrapping paper it's hidden under. I have so much in my life to be thankful for… and it's times like this that remind me of that.

So to all of you who visit the webpage, listen to the music… read my psychotic ramblings…
… Happy holidays!
Sincerely
H

Q&A: Questions, answered in an ungodly insane detail~!!!111

I've been getting a fair amount of e-mails lately asking me some PG related questions so I figured I would take the time and answer them here for all of you who visit the webpage…

Kay, this turned out to be a VERY LONG drawn out diatribe.
Reader warning.. my rambling gets rather insane at the end!

But, it's all my story and as always I try to be as much of an open book for you as possible.

Question: I was wondering if you've changed your mind about releasing Wicked and can I have a copy of the demos?

Answer: This question came to me in multiple forms to be honest, I'm kind of paraphrasing here for the sake of multiple responses. No, I haven't changed my mind about Wicked just yet. I do listen to the demos often. I love them and really think that it's going to make a great album but, the time isn't right. When Josh left the band it kind of left a bad stigma on that album for me and while it was all written by me… it was written in a very dark place. It's not that the material isn't good or I'm "insecure" of people hearing my emotions.. It's just that.. for this material to be put out there… it needs to be put together perfectly. The major problem with the release was that the first 6 or 7 songs are the best shit I've ever written. But, the last 3 felt a little like filler to me, and I just can't allow that to drag down the rest of the album. As far as letting people have demos. I've put up 3 or 4 tracks on my Virb page www.virb.com/planetgemini you can feel free to check them out there, however I am not ready to post anything quite yet. It's just not ready. Trust me you'll know if/when I'm ready to put it out.

Question: Why did Josh leave the band?

Answer: I've gotten this question a couple of times over the last year or so and always kind of steered clear of it, but I suppose that in the interest of "full disclosure" I can talk about it I do warn you… be prepared for a book.

Josh is…well.. Josh and to understand what I mean you have to know the guy. He bottles a lot of stuff inside and one of the things he was bottling up was the fact that Planet Gemini wasn't as much his dream as it was mine. We all get to a point in our lives where we evaluate what we've done and I feel that Josh decided that Planet Gemini was becoming more of a hassle and wanted to concentrate more on other facets of his life.

Now, to understand the ill-will of the situation is to know that… we started on many new endeavors and he never said anything BEFORE making prior commitments. Example: we started recruiting bands for a record label we were starting. All the while he never said ANYTHING about his discontent with me and music and things in his life that he needed to change. As a result of this I ended up screwing over some good people who made plans to travel to my studio to record. (which I actually still feel guilty about to this day) and well… lost my best friend… which was kind of .. unrecoverable.

On my birthday this year Josh came to my house (the first time I saw him in almost a year) we sat on my front porch and talked/cried/talked for a while. I don't know what the conclusion was to be honest but, Josh and I talk every now and again now. We've actually jammed together once but to be honest I just don't have that connection with him anymore. I love the guy, He was like my family for 10+ years… and like family if he ever needs me I'll be here. With that being said "you can never go home again" and in his defense… he doesn't want to. He's moved on and started his own life that is on a completely different path than mine. He is a very good guy and I will always cherish the times we spent together and the things he did for me. I think it summed it up when we spoke a couple months ago and he was like "There was one point where I would have taken a bullet for you… isn't that kind of screwed up?" and I felt (Shit, I think I still would for you…) but, alas time moves on. Life is different stages, different places that we all leave behind… (I'm sure I can quote a dozen lyrics of mine to summarize my emotions on the matter). All that matters in the end is that Josh is happy.

I think that in the end this was the best for all parties. I always go back to one of the last phone conversations we had when I basically said he should leave the band. He claimed "You were always Planet Gemini" and… he was right. I always kind of thought Planet Gemini was about 2 guys who just loved the music and creating… but the more I thought about it. Josh never really LIKED creating. It was almost a chore for him to learn bass parts. I recently have been working with a friend of mine Greg who plays bass and we sat down and wrote some stuff and he's like "Yeah! Let me try my fretless bass on this… *records it*… okay let me try it again cleaned up a little..etc" and like.. that NEVER happened with Josh. Josh wanted to record and be done. He would never lay down a "temp" bass track and then go back and clean it up… he just wanted the song done and put out. (which is why a lot of my old PG demos have no bass on them). So I guess the old Planet Gemini was one guy pouring his soul and passion into his music… and his best friend hanging out, throwing out ideas, coming up with a few melody lines and whatnot. I'm not understating Josh's purpose in Planet Gemini because.. when he left the band I must admit that I had a very hard time writing in a new totally different way. He did Planet Gemini for me… as a friend… and for that I thank him. Out of that my vision was born.. and he'll always be a part of what this band is. I'll never be able to listen to songs that Josh wrote (Taste the Smoke, My Black Cloud, Holy Father..etc) and not think of how much I enjoyed the time we spent in the studio just being complete goofs. It is a little tainted knowing that he was miserable for the last couple years of PG… but… I have all of these amazing memories of me and my best friend hanging out… almost like a journal… it's all there on 13, CoF, Supergod and COFII. Fact is.. after those albums I started to want the band to sound better/be more professional. I started wanting to tinker with different sounds. Josh was NOT a fan of playing around with things. He said many times "if I had my way we'd have like 10 albums out a year. Everything we wrote we get put out" but, I was very much the buffer. If there was something I wasn't feeling or I thought could be done better. I would axe a song and Josh was be very agitated with that. Josh was miserable during Wizards Blood. I didn't see it at the time but, looking back at it now I understand it. We recorded Wizards Blood twice for the most part. There was a lot of shit going on with Micing the drums. I was basically learning how to play a real kit (because the older stuff was done on an electric drumkit.. and well.. it is much easier to play when you can edit the midi if something goes wrong) and it was driving him nuts that I'd have to play a song 100 times to get the drums right.. hehe

Again, I'm sure Josh could tell you a million more reasons and maybe someday he will… but for right now I will just say this. The Josh era Planet Gemini is and always will be very special to me. It's when I had my brother by my side. It was much easier standing as two than standing as one. I was much easier having someone telling you "That riff is fucking awesome dude!" as opposed to writing by yourself.

Question: What is holding Wicked back?

Answer: It's really the setting.. The circumstances where a lot of Wicked was written was very insane.. and it's something I need to.. recapture..

For a while my studio became a very dark, lonely place. So dark in fact that I started going in there with no lights on. I was writing music in complete darkness. For those of you who don't know me you must understand the situations in which I write music. I basically close my eyes and just let whatever comes out.. come out.. I started going into the studio for very long stretches of time. (12-14 hours a day) I would hear sounds of things moving upstairs and just pretend it was someone around me. I called him "Grim" it was my "Josh-replacement" he was my devil on my shoulder. While he never really spoke to me I would imagine him in the corner of my studio (behind a curtain that I have up). I never wanted to look behind the curtain because… if he wasn't there I'd be alone again. My only friend… Grim.. My God of Red. Let me start this story at the beginning so you all have a full understanding of where I'm coming from (so no one comes along and puts me in a padded cell hehehe).

I was recording a song which would be entitled "Minus". This song was basically the first track where I started envisioning "Grim" when I closed my eyes. For those of you who know the story of Cauldron of Fuzz III will understand how I came to envision him (for those who don't.. read the Cauldron 3 discography page.) Minus's lyrics were completely improvised and they were written for me… to me.. by me.. as strange as that sounds. Believe me… this song was one of the most supernatural feeling songs I've ever written. It haunts me to listen to it. Chills me to the bone to hear the devil inside me speaking…

The Lyrics to the song are…
Your mind is fading away, I spin around and I can't control
This world of horror we made, another sinister, afterglow
Toy warrior crumble in fear, You're screaming out no one cares at all
Your bravery drown in your tears, denial of heaven's so beautiful
So let it sweep you away, the movement seems so peaceful but…
It's human nature to betray, We'll come together.. now move along.

This was my acceptance into Josh leaving the band. The last line was "We'll come together now move along…" and it was my mind giving me someone. Someone to lead me down this twisted path.. and I followed. The next song I wrote was "The Beast on Your Back" I wrote this immediately after I "found" Grim. But, it was not what I was expecting. The beast was about every fucking good thing that music has given me. Every empowering thing that Planet Gemini has given me. "This circlet of silver that I behold may be all that's keeping the devil inside me at bay" (Basically saying screaming into this mic and creating this music is what drive me.. keeps me sane.. makes me happy.. and makes me who I am). "My children of fire, unhealthy desire… may the beast on your back never die".. it was me… telling me not to lose this, not to forget what passion I had for this. I needed that "mental" cheerleader.. someone to… encourage me. "Grim" although he just lived in my mind (and I realize this.. I'm not crazy..heheh).. was making me feel like I had someone to share my music with.

Me, personally I don't write music with the thought that hundreds/thousands of people are going to hear it. If I did that I'd probably go crazy and never release anything. I write for me. At the moment.. and when you hear a Planet Gemini song you are hearing moments of my life. When my lyrics and music delve into insanity.. you can believe I am putting myself there as well… But, isn't that what an artist always does? We drive ourselves crazy for our craft, and above everything else. I consider myself an artist. (I won't be cutting off my ear anytime soon but… you get my point). One of my proudest moments was when I got back reviews from Supergod and Wizards blood… and people said "You can feel the soul and passion in this music"… Because.. I mean this 1 million percent. I pour myself into my music. I alter my state of mind to fit the music. I change who I am to sound the way the song is telling me to sound. Am I crazy? I don't think that there is a question about that. But, I have moments of craziness.. controlled insanity. So… okay.. if you're still reading this.. you are officially a true Planet Gemini super fan.. hehe or.. like to see someone deconstructing themselves, either or.

So yeah… Wicked was written under a very crazy veil. One that I must recapture and.. personally Grim isn't talking with me at the moment hehe. I want to become a better musician before finishing this album. There are drum parts on Cauldron of Fuzz V (Which can be downloaded for FREE in my downloads section) that I could have never done on previous albums (especially drum-wise). I really want to incorporate more.. power into Wicked. In the end I feel confident it will be released. It's just a matter of time.. and my state of mind.