Motel Tan!!

Man...I'm so busting at the seams to tell you about the CD Release...but I have to wait just a tad bit longer...can't release the info just yet...but when I do it's gonna be the CATS ASS!!

CD's should be ready for pick up any day.
I have an email in for our Merch as well.
I got a small clip from the Music Video.

Man when this hits...it's gonna go off like an Atom Bomb...at least for me...and that's all that matters...yourself...eff other people's thoughts and feelings.


JOKE!

Alright, moving on...this past weekend was a great weekend, decent little show in Fort Worth and a Face Melter at the Dirty Dog. Lights were flashing as was womerns breasts...Sexy Bill climbed up on stage and played "Moonshine Shake" with us...



It was a total blast.

Great Crowd...Great atmosphere...regardless of how many shit shows you play, empty bars you rock, late night drives you make half awake...wondering why in the EFF are you doing this to yourself....it only takes one moment...when the Bass drum hits...Keef's standing on the bar across the room...I raise my hands and everyone screams...at that moment...it's all worth it...I'll drive to hell and back for that feeling...and something tells me I just might.

GET EXCITED...CD RELEASE...OMG!!!FTW.....FML!!!



"I like to play"-Garth

\m/

burn baby burn

I come to you today from the 180 degree sauna of gold's gym. Its quite sad to sweat out the love juice, but I'm all about new beginnings! Speaking of Love Juice, its a hit in WV!! Be sure to get some in your life!!

So I approved the artwork for the new album, it looks pretty sick!! Gonna be very proud to get this one out to the public. I remember when we finished "Get Bit!!" And I was listening to it, I thought, "Matt, how in the world are you going to top this??". And call me crazy but don't call me Shirley I think we have :) .

As for the release party I am working on that as I speak, very anxious to throw the biggest party ATX can stand.

We have practice tonight, in which we are working on some new cover material and the high life population in south austin. Tomorrow we travel to fort worth and saturday we are at the dirty dog for Sexy Bill's bday.

Some of you might not know Sexy Bill....but he is one of my best friends. He has truly been there for me when I needed (along with his hot wife famous amos!!)....and trust me, I'm somewhat of a needy guy! So come out and celebrate with me!! Its gonna be the tits!!!

Asta la vista!!

Mb

5 Oclock Somewhere!

Well...after spending a week in the Motherland (WV)...my hillbilly ass is back in ATX...just in time for some killer shows with SSP.

Friday night we travel to San Marcos to play Gold Crown Billiards:



And then on Saturday...a fitting coming home show @ Red Eyed Fly:



So after resting the mind the body and NOT the Liver...it's time to put the rubber to the road and get some!!

I always enjoy my trips back home to WV. I'm a firm believer I am who I am because of where I'm from. I know that sounds like a DuH statement, however, you can never forget where you're from. And traveling back to WV for a week at a time once every several months keeps me grounded.

I probably drank more than should be allowed, but you have keep it honest...and the more things change the more they stay the same.

To all my Familia and Peeps in Tha Dub V...I love ya and will be seeing ya soon...to the Familia and Peeps in the ATX (and the rest of this great state of Texas)...Hold on...it's about to get very interesting :)

cheerz!
mb

Sometimes I don't know if I'll make it...

Another week has come and gone...since my last post...and I'm still just as funny and good looking as ever...if not getting better!! This week has proved to be a busy one, with my second guitar lesson lined up for this Thursday and 2 killer road shows staring me back in the face. Friday we travel to Spring Texas (North Houston) to play the 19th Hole Bar and Grill (202 Sawdust Rd)...then Saturday we lay rubber up to Arlington to headline Dreamworld Music Complex.

A cool side note, we're traveling with our new southern rock amigos... The Bayou City Outlaw Band...really cool dudes and some foot stompin, shotgun pumpin rock n roll...check em out HERE

Then it's on to Tuesday (6/29) where we open for Jackyl @ the Scout Bar in San Antonio...and this my friends is probably gonna scar San Antonio for a while...so...I'm not held responsible for anything...well actually I'm responsible for a lot...so let's fire it up!!




I have the pleasure of travelin back to the mother land soon...I'll take a shit ton of pictures for you to check out...and I might even post a good ol' Dub V lunch from time to time.

I found it quite ironic, the last trip I took home was right before, what I thought...was the shit before the storm...I had to figure out how to get our Album recorded...where to get it recorded..how to pay for it...and hell...had to write some more music!!

Well since then, we got the album done...with some pretty bad ass music...got a music video shot...and are pulling bigger and better crowds than ever...

Now...my plate is even more full...with getting this CD Released...Video Released...New Merchandise...Future Tour Plans...and making sure the world has enough Love Juice!!

But I often say, "You wanna know why The Lord made these shoulders so big?? So they can carry the weight of the world!"

"Sometimes I don't know if I'll make it, Sometimes I wished I could walk away; Sometimes I don't know if I'll make it through...but you know I'm gonna do it anyway!!"

-Till the Bitter End-
\m/
MB

Country Boy Can Survive!!

Well I weighed in at 196 the other day...down from 215...I was curious about the weight loss. I work out 5-7 days a week combining weight training and cardio/sauna. I eat fairly healthy when I can, and drink only the finest of spirits. But I was curious...something else is helping...then it dawned on me. We played 2 shows this weekend, Friday and Saturday during ROT Rally...and for those of you that braved the Son's of Anrachy....you experienced the grave heat...well my friends I sweat worse than 2 rats doing the humpty in a wool sock!! After both shows, I was completely soaked...head to toe. So...when you think this Rock N Roll is all Lonestars and Limos...it's not...it's a lot of work! But I love every second of it...I ain't gonna lie.

Alright, moving on...last night I experimented with my new Adult Beverage, "SSP LoveJuice"...here's a pic:









It's Red g2 (low calorie Gatorade) and Crystal Head Vodka...and it's awesome! I drank on that last night and must say I awoke revitalized and refreshed, ready to take on the world and all it had to throw at me.

So Speaking of ROT...that was an experience, Dirty Dog on Friday and Maggie Mae's on Saturday...pics are coming so hang tight, but both shows were amazing!

SSP is off this weekend...show wise, however I am never off...Monday I had my first vocal consultation and today I'm having my first guitar lesson. You can always be better...bigger faster stronger...the moment you stop growing is the moment you become obsolete.

Alright...this has been a short but sweet one...have a good week...and be sure to come to a show!!

Long Legs and Burgundy Lips

Well...this past weekend, I had 6 hours of sleep in 36 hours! Luckily for me there is plenty of time to sleep when you're dead. :)

Friday I put the rubber to the road and drove to Dallas, where I finished up my parts in the upcoming video for "Alcohol of Fame". It's gonna be pimp...I'll leave it at that...straight up PIMP!! The guys @ Dream.Work.Conquer Films are bad ass...here's some shizzle for that nizzle:











So the plan is to have this Video Release in conjunction with CD Release...aiming for late summer...It's gonna be one helluva show...so I will def keep you in the loop.

ROT Rally is here again...and it's raining like a bitch! Should make for an interesting week. Booze...Babes...Bikes...Wet Roads...SSP @ Dirty Dog on Friday Night (8pm) and @ Maggie Mae's on Saturday Night (7-9)...













Also...a show I'm super pumped to play:



So...the future is bright for SSP...so bright I gotta wear shades. And in the words of Jimmy V...


Never Give Up!

Asta La Vista!!

MB
\m/

Can't Always Get What you Want

"Living my Life just as fast as I can, I'm a loaded Motha-Trucka with a drink in my hand, I'm gonna do it all day so we can do it all night, I'll be burning these bridges everything is in sight!!" -Liquor Roulette

Oh...if it isn't Wednesday again...half way through the week. I hope everyone had an awesome Memorial Day, and I hope they paid respect for our Service Men and Women that have helped protect this beautiful country.

With that being said, I decided to give my respect to our soldiers as well. Our troops are very important to me, having had several very good friends and some family members serve in the armed forces. I've mailed my share of care packages overseas hoping they didn't find the moonshine and whiskey I packaged (that's a joke...maybe).

And if I had it my way...and one day I just might...I would see to it that those that pulled their time in the military would be able to retire and not have to work after wards...I mean they are giving their life for us...for crying out loud. Now I might not be the most political minded person in the room, but I'm sure if we can afford to pay our presidents $400k a year for the rest of their life...surely we can shoot our soldiers some cheddar after serving 20 years...

Either way, I'm just a rocker...with a hankering for a high life, so they probably won't listen to me...yet :) ... I told you how we played in San Angelo not too long ago. I do my best to remember the troops, and actually give them a cheers...after doing so, we finished the show and I was loading up our stuff and this guy comes up and says, "Hey man, my name is Nathan, and I'm an Iraqi vet and I wanted to give you something. I know that you guys are out there busting your ass day in and day out bringing us awesome rock n roll, and don't really get a lot back...you're giving us alot, but not rec'ing the same in return. So I wanted to give you this, it's from Japan, and I got it when I was going through Okinawa. It's one of their oldest forms of money and it says a bunch of stuff about Faith and Hope...but I can't read it (I thought that was funnY)." I thanked him and he was on his way.

So after all this guy has been through, he still had the respect to look at me....Matt Ballengee from WV...the High Life Drinking, Cheap Cig Smoking, Dirty Joke Telling hillbilly...that I gave a lot and didn't get enough in return...this coming from a Soldier!! I was blown away, because actually we do get alot in return...but we're in no way shape or form on the same level as a United States Serviceman/woman.

I thought I would share that story with you, for it's things like that...that I come across and save. I have a box in my apartment with all kinds of things I've picked up in the short 3 year life of SSP...so one day when this whole shithouse burns to the ground...I'm going to pull out everything, spread it all out on the ground...and each piece will tell a part of this wild journey I've started. I can't guarantee it will be good, but I can guarantee it will be interesting!! And that my friends...is payment enough.





HERE's to HONOR!!