Hang Em' High

Whew....well after the smoke has cleared, I think we're all here and in one piece!! What a weekend in Dallas. In case you've been living under a rock for the past 6 months, let me fill you in.

Snake Skin Prison was invited to play this year's Ride for Dime. You can find out more about Ride for Dime HERE ... but in a nutshell, it's held in rememberance of one of Heavy Metal's greatest Dimebag Darrell (guitarist for Pantera, Damageplan, and Rebel Meets Rebel). It's a biker rally/charity event where proceeds go to charities that Dime approved of:

LITTLE KIDS ROCK
Ride for Dime Scholarship Fund

If you don't know who Dimebag is or anything else about him, please unsubscribe from my blog...I'm joking!! You can find out all you want about Dime HERE along with other tons of stuff on line, just by googling his name.

Okay, moving forward.

RFD 2011 was AMAZING. I don't have a negative thing to say about it. We played to a full house, played an amazing show, and had an amazing time. Got to see some old friends and meet tons of new ones...not to mention selling almost all of our merch!! I would like to personally thank Rob Eichelberger (prez of RFD) and the rest of his crew, along with Trees in Dallas for providing us with such an amazing experience.

Playing Ride for Dime and rocking that crowd the way Snake Skin Prison did only confirms what I already knew. SSP is a force that's growing by the minute...and when I say by the minute I literally mean I have to put my cell phone on silent because it will drive me crazy buzzing and singing everytime someone joins our EMAIL LIST , Friends me on Facebook, or shakes my hand at a show with a smile from ear to ear...

*side note: Did you know that my goal was 1500 emails by the end of this year and we have already busted 3k?? That's a lot of emails!!*

I'm not always as vocal about what we have going on behind the walls of SSP HQ, but I can tell you this, we are getting ready to hop into some pre-production for our new material and are looking forward to dumping that on ya like a nice big hot pile of ... well Metal!

I think I'll quit cramming that down your throat and let you see for yourself...





Jose Mangin of Sirius Radio Introducing SSP

Now this fine looking gent is my good friend Matt Martinez front man for Cowboys from Hell Paso ... kick ass dude! CHECK EM OUT

Rita Abbott (Dime's Ol Lady) was in the house taking time to grab pictures and talk with everyone...this is one strong gal folks...you better believe that!




So that's what we did this weekend...

Remember, leave nothing behind, cause nothing brings doubt -

Da Hillbilly Ninja

Vulgar Display of Sweat!

So, Satan called and wants his weather back - Facebook post I saw LOL.

But seriously..he did. I mean it's hot folks. It's been over 100 degrees for like 3 months. When I moved down here, I recall hearing people say, "You get used to the heat." Well, to those non-Texans out there, let me tell you, you don't get used to the heat you get used to being hot. Just like if you were to cut your arm off, you wouldn't get used to not having an arm, you'd get used to working without that arm. Wait does that make sense...I think my brain is fried...sorry.

Moving on...

Last night, I want to say in the midst of the heat and the sweat, was a very much needed breeze of relief in this rock n roll heart of mine. Among the days of bullshit bands, bullshit music, bullshit radio...last night proved to me one thing...and I'm about to tell you about it.

I remember once in conversation with Paul Bassman, former Damageplan/Drowning Pool manager, he said, "Matt at the end of the day, the cream will rise to the top." He was referring to music, and regardless of gimmicks, marketing ploys, advertising stunts, parent's money...all that crapola is great and extremely helpful, but as my mother would say, "The PROOF is in the pudding"

Last night, I went to check out Volbeat @ Emo's. It was outside, it was 107 degrees, and Lonestar Tall Boys were $3. I was expecting uhmmmm...30-50 people...maybe 100...and what did I get?



A shit ton of peeps...ON A TUESDAY!!

"So Matt...why does this provide you with a breeze of relief???"

Cause...that showed me that Metal is alive! Metal is here and not going away. I was happy to see Austin supporting Volbeat, from Denmark, a touring band. I was just telling someone, "Man I bet they get here and have shit crowds compared to playing overseas..." and what happens?? Austin slaps me in the mouth with an ice cold Lonestar and says...'FEEL THE METAL!'" LOL...

I was very proud of My Music Scene showing up and supporting. Hell yeah!

It was an awesome show, no fancy lights, no go-go dancers, just straight up metal. Plain and simple. I also had a good friend tell me, "If there are 20 doors, and you continually knock, eventually one of those doors will open." and my football coach, Donnie J said, "If you play hard you make your own luck." I know I've said that before and I'm sure I'll say it again. But the point I'm making is, the music will make or break you, regardless...however I suppose that's why they call it the 'music industry'.

Of course what would I know?? I'm just a geetar picker from WV...


(our crowd from Red Eyed Fly last weekend)

So I guess what I'm saying is...."Hey Bullshit Music and Musicians...you might want to check your rearview...cause there's about to be some Metal up your A$$"

When Nikki Sixx was asked about the resurgence of Motley Crue, he said, "The Music never left...you did...now you're coming back."

Or in the words of our man Big Vin (who was @ Emo's last night)



1....2...Barbecue


Adios Amigos!

MB