Aw, shucks.

Jim, the most esteemed commander of Strike Base Alpha (known to most civilians as the neighborhood bar, Cheers 2 U), said some pretty nice stuff about us recently.


Witness the warm fuzzies:

Johnny Raygun is a high intensity, high energy band with a unique blend of their own unique styling and a hint of 90's memories. No matter what the crowd brings, or how many are in attendance, the feel is they are giving a performance for a sold out stadium. Their obvious dedication to their trade shows in the tight-knit sound that comes from the three-piece group. These friends of the audience are transformed into highly concentrated musicians. The band is always prompt to performances and usually set up hours in advance so as not to spend countless minutes performing sound checks and other technical whatnot's when everyone else is ready to rock out. If you are as completely done with the crap they play on the radio these days as I am, then you are sure to enjoy these guys. They bring the crowd, the talent, and they ROCK THE HOUSE!!!!!

-Jim Keener (Owner: Cheers 2 U)

Citizens, I'm not sure if you're counters, as I am, but that was FIVE (5) exclamation points.The esteemed commander is not effing around.


We'll be playing the man's birthday party on January 27th, 2012, at Strike Base Alpha.

Reunited and it feels so good!

Today: the first time we all picked up our instruments together since JULY.
Not much else to report, just that it went really, surprisingly well.
I love that about our band.

Zach out.

Preview!!!!!

After hours of tweaking the final mixes for our first album the night before Thanksgiving, we're finally done! The album will be called We Should've Done This Years Ago and is going to come out sometime in January. Here's a preview for all you patient and loving followers, a song called Push --> Shove. Enjoy!


Push Arrow Shove by Johnny Raygun

Oh, and if you didn't know, we got our name back! Go buy some Johnny Raygun comics and give that awesome guy some money!

For now, we're working on photos, art, and printing to get this new album into your hot little hands, and of course, there will be shows, shows, shows at around the first of the year. Hang in there, citizens! We're on our way back to you!

Stay tuned!

Citizens!
Exciting news! Keep on the lookout for a sneak preview of our new album!
Could be this weekend...could be TONIGHT!
You never really know.
Stay on your toes, you sweet Raygun lackeys!

You guys. Busy.

And when I say, "busy," I mean, "with things besides The Raygun."
And we're very sorry about that.
But we've picked up recording again, hardcore, as of two weeks ago, and what do we have to show for it? Vocals almost done! That's right! We should be wrapping this thing up in about two weeks. I'm not putting you on, I mean it. Two weeks for the main bits of recording, and then we'll just have to go back over the thing with a fine-toothed comb. How long that'll set us back, I can't say—but we are getting close, I promise.
It's really coming together, and we're all pretty proud of what we've got so far.

The next big hurtle? Album title. Not a clue there. But it's getting right down to it, citizens. We'll have to decide sometime soon, and you know us; when have we ever disappointed you? I mean, aside from blowing right past our August deadline for the album. Oh, and besides that one time where we didn't play a show for like a year. Those don't count.

Anyway, it was good catching up with you. Say hi to your mother for me.

Zach out.

all work and no play

Is Pippy really done? only "Times vs Tables" will tell.

Zach's version of The Wonder Years theme song...

"Watch what you do with that thing attitude."

For those keeping score at home, the original goes

"What would you do if I sang outta tune."

Close but no cigar.

Pippy didn't know.

Pippy: I didn't know we talked about cheese.

It's like this all the time.

Me: it's Rob Dougan. He's like Bryan Adams if he was worse.

Jono: nah, he's more like Bruce Springstein if he was better.

LOLZ.

Recording Update: "Get A Snack"

Everybody, everybody: DRUMS ARE DONE! It's up to the editor's hands now. Let's break down what you're going to hear...5 or 6: Sessions over a month and a half, 5: average FULL takes per song (probably drove pippy and Zach crazy), 4: broken sticks, 1: shredded stick that still is playable, countless times: Zach made me stop because he didn't have the click track on or a recording track wasn't armed ETC.

Recording this time around has been a lot of fun. We have a song called "...Collector" that has been in our cannon, laying dormant, for about 3 years recently Zach had changed a few things around and brought it to us...much to my chagrin, we played it live a few times and it just has never gelled. Now it's gooey...much to my chagrin...again. But this version is really new and we never spent a whole lot of time on it. I didn't know what was going on. I was flying partially blind what with Zach signaling me for the changes however I believe the crescendo to the song is all the better for it. at the end I was playing so hard it almost sounds like we're bringing on a small Apocalypse.

Since drums are done, we've been working solidly on Pippy's bass. and he's been rocking it. I don't know if it's already been said but the sound that Zach and I have given him is really, really great. I won't give away our secrets but it's pretty cool. Pip only has 3 songs left to record..unless Zach decides he wants pippy to redo others...which might just be likely. Should that happen, I'm pretty sure Pippy will put Zach in a world of hurt when it comes to recording guitars.

Hopefully we'll get some pics and all so you can see the progress instead of just reading it.

We're getting closer, guys.

oh and don't forget: We have a show at Cheers 2U on July 8th. LET'S CELIBATE AMERICA!

I feel like you have a right to know:

I'm doing a lot mixing and test recording in my underwear, so if you're listening to this album and parts of it seem remarkably sexier than others, you'll know why. wink.


Zach out.

We Proceed Without Mercy: Another progress update.

Citizens,

we've accomplished much since last we spoke.
Here, look:

See? If you'll notice, that leaves three drum tracks and we'll be done. Just one more solid day recording, and we're golden as far as drum tracks go! Huzzah!

Meanwhile, I continue to be The Worst Engineer Ever, and the guys are also toying with the idea of dubbing me The Worst Musician Ever, which would be like winning an academy award for me—it's an honor toward which I strive daily.

Keep checking back here every week or so—we're bound to have something delicious here one of these days.

Zach out.

THE RELENTLESS MARCH: The Raygun's recording progress

Heya Raygunauts,

I pondered the best way to communicate to you our progress in our recording adventures. The indisputable answer came to me almost immediately: infographic.

We're not yet ready to release the track list—we don't want to give too much away much too soon. But I can tell you that right now we're thinking it'll be 13 tracks. And here's where we are on it:

So there you have it. Seven completed drum tracks. Six to go, two of them already with scratch tracks.

Manning the console while Jono was recording yesterday, I had a crazy moment of realization. I've known Jono a long time, and I've seen him record several times, the last time was almost three years ago. You guys, Jono is crushing it out there. He's grown so much as a drummer, even since a couple years ago. Comparing him to High School Jono, it's like not even the same guy. I recognized as we were writing these songs that Jono's drum parts were tasty, but since we were all playing together, I wasn't really as available to appreciate what he was doing. Sitting back and watching him, and then hearing it later in mixing, has been a real pleasure, and I'm grateful that I finally get to do it. The same goes for Pippy—when we're playing together, I'm concentrating on my own part and I don't get to focus on what Pip's doing. I can only really tell if he tries something that sounds bad or doesn't really go with the song. Getting to hear his final bass parts has been so awesome. And I think the bass sound we're engineering for him is gonna knock your socks off. Deep and edgy. And I've barely mixed him, either.

I've done a couple of test mixes with test guitar mixed with final bass and drums for a couple of tracks. These are sounding way, way better than anything any Raygun fan has ever heard. I think you're gonna like this thing we're doing.

If all goes well, we'll finish tracking drums on the first week of June, bass the week after, guitar maybe a couple weeks after that, and vocals probably another couple weeks after that. We might be looking at releasing this sometime in August. I know, I know, it seems like foreverrrrrrrr, but that's just the way it is.

Til next time,

Zach

The Worst Engineer Ever/Guitarist, The Raygun

Recording Journal: TORNADO SIRENS!!!

Sunday was the second day of recording. Everything went MUCH smoother this time. Drums were tuned, Mics got replaced, Sounds achieved perfection, Zach said Zounds*. So we had to redo what we did last time...but we got twice as much done at least as far as drums. We also put bass on 2 songs.

We've even started thinking about sound effects. Pipp says TORNADO SIRENS!! I'm Leary and Zach is off being the Worst Engineer ever. That title is all in good fun but seriously, we wasted a lot of time because he forgot to remember settings.

I really thought, Zach would take this Journal and he's more than welcome to take a stab at it but he just took too long. But then again, he's doing a lot.

*...That didn't really happen

Recording Journal: First Day

Wow! Finally, eh? Today was the first day of recording for our twelve song album. I'd say it went well. At the last minuet we decided to get instrument stuffs and all so that everything sounds bright and shiny and new. It cost us several hours of recording but it was well worth it. With no EQ or adornments at all, these drums sound thunderous. The only thing that sucks about today is the late start we had. I did get one song done. I tried for a second one but Jury is still out on that. I kind of felt bad for Pipp because he was sat behind the computer pressing the record button. Next time I think he'll get a break.

Alright, When there is more stuff to report...You better believe I'll be telling you about it...Unless Zach beats me to it.

C'mon: installment one

Wait-- so in that universe Bradly Cooper has all the potential and knowledge ever? Sir, I can not believe your movie...not at all.

Lykke Li

Have you heard of her? I saw her on Conan a few weeks ago and I can't get this song outta my head.

Man, this video is trippy.

This one covers covers.

I've been asked why I lobby for the covers I choose to. I don't suggest all of the covers for the band, but a lot of times, the covers I do pick are pretty far out of our genre (whatever that is). The thing is, if there's, say, a pop song I like, it's not really strictly about the song. At a certain point, sometimes as quickly as the second listen-through, I start to hear the song not as it is, but as it could be. Eventually I reach a point where I'm barely hearing the song as it was recorded—I'm hearing it as I would record it. When we decide to do a cover for a song that's out-of-format, that idea of what it should sound like is then filtered through the realm of what's actually possible with a three piece band in a live situation, and there you have it.

Like with Tik Tok, the verses are way dumb, but the parts where she actually starts singing, there's some meat there. Not intellectually—I mean musical meat. Yes, there's musical meat to be found in some Kesha songs. I imagined that song slower—way more epic. And it seemed like an okay idea. The way we do it live didn't quite turn out that way—it's not a huge production—but we still shook the song up a little bit.

Zach out.

The Raygun's St. Patty's Day show - The set list

In case you missed part of or all of the show last Friday, here's our set list in all its glory. It's come to our attention that a lot of people don't even know what kind of stuff we play. These sets don't tell anywhere near the whole story, but it's a start.

Set I

TIMES VS. TABLES

DA CLUUB

BACK IN 2 YEARS

CLINT EASTWOOD IS SAD (Metallica/Gorillaz mashup)

TIK TOK (Kesha cover)

NO ONE BUT NO ONE

POLLY THE TICK

WHIP IT (Devo cover)

GIN & JUICE (Snoop Dogg cover)

WHITE WEDDING (Billy Idol cover)

SUICIDAL BRIDAL SHOWER

CAPTAIN & THE EAGLE

Set II

GOT A LIVE ONE

THE BED INTRUDER SONG (Antoine Dodson cover)

PUSH-->SHOVE

JAM-->KASHMIR (Led Zep)-->SPITSHINE

TOPPLED GOD

HELLA GOOD (No Doubt cover ft. Haley)

BLACK SHEEP (from the Scott Pilgrim Soundtrack ft. Haley)

WOULD? (Alice In Chains cover ft. Haley)

ANEURYSM (Nirvana cover)

OKAY, THE NEWS

PURGE

WHY A GOOD COLLECTOR NEVER STOPS COLLECTING

Set III

BUDDY HOLLY (Weezer cover)

BULLS ON PARADE (RATM cover)

THAT ONE JAM (INSTRUMENTAL)

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (The Police cover)

CHERUB ROCK (Smashing Pumpkins cover)

ZERO (Smashing Pumpkins cover)

YOU

PUSH IT (Garbage cover ft. Haley)

ZOMBIE (The Cranberries cover ft. Haley)

POKER FACE (Lady Gaga cover ft. Haley)

HORSE WITH NO NAME (America cover)

COME UNDONE (Duran Duran cover)

COMFORTABLE LIAR (Chevelle cover)

TRIUMPHANT PELVIC THRUST

Hm. We sure jammed in a lot of covers in that last one. We likes 'em.

Another Spectacle Tonight!

Citizens! Raygun hits the stage in less than five hours! Hope you're tweezing, waxing, getting pumped, and pre-partying right now. You gotta make the most of these moments, you know? We're playing at Cheers 2 U, the bar we've come to think of as home base. Although it's only been three weeks since our last show at Cheers, we've still got some new stuff to show you, so come on out, it's gonna be a good time.

Want to walk 5K?

As you may know, The (almighty) Raygun will be preforming the after party@ Brian O'Neils Irish Pub for Houston City Dance Tutu 5K benefiting Camp Hope. If you just want to have a beer and watch the event unfold, you're more than welcome to, BUT if you actually want to run or walk, you can signup here. (psst. click the word "here")


WARNING: It's not free to run or walk BUT the money goes to a great cause!

Okay, (we have) the news.

Hey there all ye faithful,
This is a general update for all you concerned citizens. Where are we going? What are we up to? Well here it is:

Friday, March 18th:
All night long at Cheers 2 U.
You heard me, boys and girls, we're doing it again! Just when you thought you'd recovered from the last one! Come check it out because we will have new material for you...and plenty of tried-and-true stuff, too.

Saturday, March 26th:
Brian O'Neils Irish Pub
5555 Morningside Drive
The Raygun hits the stage hard at 12 noon. Razor sharp.
The Raygun will be following a special dresscode for this show, which is all ages—as family-friendly as we can ever possibly be—and we hope to see everyone there because it's for a good cause.

After these dates, we'll be going on lockdown for at least a few weeks while we go about the dark and mysterious work of recording a full length album. We'll be doing this 100% on our own, so it's probably going to take a while, but hopefully we'll have some delicious, succulent tunes for you by this summer.

We're also jawing a bit about what kind of merch we want to put out, so something like that will probably happen soon. Again, definitely by summer, and that's when we'll be setting up lots and lots of shows, hopefully, at various places in various capacities.

Zach out.

Alright, alright, Okay.

One show down, two more to go! For those that don't know, The Raygun played at Cheers 2U last Friday night. It was a good show. There were new-ish songs, days old cover songs, and a singer more feminine than Zach and myself put together (I know, it's very hard to imagine.).

So Now we are going to gear up for our next 3 hour event at Cheers 2U...ST. PADDY'S! The Friday after ST.Paddy's day (Mar. 18th) We'll do it all again. This Paddy's show will not be a carbon copy of our last show either. We'll add some new covers and maybe new originals...but don't hold me to the originals. Writing new songs in a month is like driving a cougar (cat) to Africa. You'll have to figure out how that is.

Alright guys, That's enough from me. If you came out, we are so happy you saw us and we hope you liked us.

We'll see you in March.

Five days and counting!

Citizens! we hope you're all getting very excited for the epic night just over the horizon! Five days is all that stands between us and audio-annihilation (the good kind)! We're introducing ten new songs to the mix, and they're all guaranteed to adequately stimulate you. If they do not (unthinkable!), then there will always be plenty of alcohol and remarkably interesting people (all citizens are) to jaw at.

We're playing all night long, so if you can't make it right at nine, don't sweat it. Just come on by and see what's up, there's no cover and the drinks are cheap—you've got nothing to lose. Swing by 14023 Westheimer to see what everyone's so hot and bothered about. We can't imagine a world in which you'd regret doing so.

See you on the 25th!

The Raygun, signing off.

I'm in a band; of course I have opinions on the Grammy awards.

I've never been clear on whether or not I should be taking the Grammys as some sort of barometer for the state of music today, or if I should just ignore the whole thing and let them have their fun. But lets say for the sake of argument that the Grammy awards does actually have a finger on the pulse of modern music:

I would be forced to conclude that the whole idea of music is on life support.

BORING is what I'm saying. If boring things actually endowed a person with strength as opposed to sapping them of it, I would be so strong I could flip a fire truck. That's how bored I am with all the artists at the Grammys.

I mean it, too. I'm not just talking about popular music as delineated by the monikers "Pop" and "Country," I mean the representatives from each category were just so weak. 

Congratulations to Arcade Fire—I'm not trying to take anything away from them, they work hard and their tunes are... well, they're their tunes. It's just that they're boring. What's way more disappointing is that Neil Young and Iron Maiden each won a category. Really? No better offerings than them?

Weak.

Zach out.

Dear DJs:

Like so many other things, a good DJ is something you may not fully appreciate until you're subjected to a bad one. Being, like my band mates, exceptionally white, I'm not big on dancing. So my exposure to DJs is/has been limited, and my experiences with them have been unremarkable. But holy crow, I was just at a function in which a DJ was involved, and I've come away with some notes.

Dear DJs:

Be very careful about how you use your strobe light. 
Here's a general rule of thumb: Do not use your strobe light during songs which have no beat. For example, Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" would be (and was) a bad song to have a fast strobe to. Or any strobe at all, really.

Pay attention to what songs can and cannot successfully bleed into one another.
If I notice that you've slowed down track A over a just a few bars in a desperate attempt to get it to match the tempo of the upcoming song, you've failed. That is, of course, unless there's a huge payoff, and then only if the decrease in tempo sounded intentional.

Keep the momentum going.
Playing the Cupid Shuffle right after the Cha Cha Slide was probably a good move, but after that, you should probably continue to play songs that people know. Unless you're trying to clear the dance floor.

Speak as little as possible.
Sometimes speaking will be necessary, like when you have to tell people their cars are about to be towed. There will, however, never be an appropriate occasion to say, "the night is young, and so are we."

-------

All that said, The Raygun actually has a resident DJ, and that's Pippy. DJ Pippy if you're hip. DJ Longstockings if you're nasty. And Pip is a really great DJ—and now I really appreciate the difference. You can hear the Pipster in action on Thursdays from 9–11pm, at http://67.23.43.73:8000/listen.pls.

So you know, most of the really awesome mash-ups we've done so far have been brought to our attention by Pippy—another advantage of having a DJ in the band.

Zach out.

Break it on down, Brit.

What up with Britney Spears and breakdowns these days?

AND WHAT'S UP WITH THEM BEING TOTALLY AWESOME?!

Z

New Developments

Beloved citizenry:

We've added some super-old tracks on the page that invites you to kindly "cram it in your ear."
Seriously, you guys, these tracks are like four years old or more. In song years, that's like 90. But, if you ask us, they're the kind of 90-year-olds that still know how to party.

If you happen to like 'em, you can download them and look forward to hearing all of these tracks at our next show.

If you don't (you've got a lot of nerve), no worries, we've got lots of newer songs!

The Raygun, signing off!

Welcome Citizens!

Boys and girls of all ages! Citizens! welcome to The Raygun's web log. This is one of the main locales which you'll be able to visit if you want Raygun propaganda lobbed in your direction. We'll be posting news, news about shows, further details about news about shows, news about random thoughts we may have had while in the john, and other sorts of things that we might call news but only because, given the times we live in, anything can pass for news. And you'd better believe The Raygun ain't above it.

So that'll be exciting for everyone.

For now: SHOW POSTER!

See you there, e'erbawdy. We've got lots and lots to show you, even if you caught our last show at Cheers 2 U. This show's gonna totally own.

The Raygun, signing off!