Erick Bieger

It Begins

// May 24th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // C6M, Music

It’s now real – we’ve officially started recording Anything/Everything, my first studio recording since 2000 and my first full length release since 1996. This project used to have a working title of Pellentesque Convallis and started with me asking some friends over at C6M for some song titles, basically a cheap attempt to combat some writer’s block.

Now, Anything/Everything (that name may still change) has become an eleven song concept album and contains some of my strongest material to date.

Here’s the tentative track listing thus far:

01 | The Giant Tire on Outer Dr.
02 | Peeking at Bathsheba
03 | Story of Now
04 | At Least We Tried
05 | Four Days of Steady Rain
06 | Twenty After, Twenty Of
07 | Beautiful Distraction
08 | Aspirin & Razorblades
09 | 3rd Street (Promenade)
10 | Anything/Everything
11 | Denouement

Coming soon – Inside the studio: Day 1

EB

Pellentesque Convallis

// October 23rd, 2007 // 3 Comments » // C6M, Music

What?

Yep, that’s the working title of my new project. A few days ago I posted a thread on C6M asking people to post some creative and original song titles. I was going to take the ten best and write and record them for a free download at the end of the year.

Well the folks over there went crazy. They gave me so many good one that I’ve turned the project into a double album, the first half of which will be done before 2008 hits. It’s going to be a lyrically driven project and stripped down musically, with most songs being just acoustic guitar and vocals. Realistically, that’s the only way to do this and get it out on time but the more important reason is that creatively I want to focus on the soul of these songs and bring out the heart of that.

The name of the project was one of the recommendations I received and I’m using it as the title because it really describes the soul behind what I’m doing. The phrase Pellentesque Convallis is one of the many nonsense phrases that you see on unfinished websites to fill in where real text will go. It very much represents the stream of consciousness approach that I’m taken to the lyrics.

Without further ado, here’s the song titles for Pellentesque Convallis:

My Morning Hooker
Aspirin and Razorblades
Nobody Likes a Winner
3rd Street (Promenade)
Ciudad De Los Diablos
Anything, Everything
The Giant Tire On Outer Drive
At Least We Tried
Four Days of Steady Rain
Tom Mix Wept
Everything’s On Fire (It Must Be October)
Your Canadian Girlfriend
McKenna’s Song
Peeking at Bathsheba
First Touch
Fading Porchlight
US-23
A Transient Superstition
Twenty After, Twenty Of
You Don’t Have To Work Blue

I’ll keep you updated!

EB

WE! ARE! ND!

// September 3rd, 2007 // 1 Comment » // C6M, Friends, Sports

I have returned!

My journey with Conor to Chicago/South Bend to watch the Irish open the season against Georgia Tech was about the best trip ever. Yeah, the Irish lost (33 to 3 – ouch!) but nothing compares to being in Notre Dame stadium for a home game. Along the way, we hooked up with Bill and Charles from C6M for continued good times. Here’s a brief pictorial journey:

The Drake Hotel in Chicago. Our $800 a night base camp:

The Holy Place – Notre Dame stadium:

Touchdown Jesus:

Hail Him:

The Golden Dome:

Mary, atop the Dome:

The calm before the storm:

Charlie Weis:

The enemy:

The ND mascot:

A sacred moment:

The dream come true:

Charles, me, and Bill in all our handicapped glory:

The spoils of war:

EB

One Down, Five To Go…

// January 11th, 2007 // No Comments » // C6M

Did anyone notice that I actually followed through with one of my resolutions? C6M is back up! The big question still remains though – will I ever update it beyond the latest article?

EB

2007

// January 1st, 2007 // 2 Comments » // C6M, Family, Health, Music, Prose

Can you believe I’ve blogged every day this year so far? Enjoy it while it lasts, crack smokers. You can thank Stuart for this timely entry – he decided to tag me for some New Year’s Resolutions. Bastard!

I’m glad he did, though. I was reviewing last year’s resolutions and it was the first year that I actually kept some. Most likely that was because I made many of them achievable. This year, I’m resolving to complete even more. Let’s see what’s on the agenda for this year…

1) I resolve to see 199lbs. Last year, I resolved to see 210 (from 265!) and I got my wish in May. The sad thing though was that I then transferred to a new institution that came with its own Southern cook. Hello, 235! I can’t feel guilty though – I’m finishing 2006 weighing far less than I began it.

2) I resolve to relaunch C6M. When the magazine went down late last spring, it was only supposed to be for two or three weeks. My biggest disappointment from last year is allowing it to stay down for as long as it has. I’ve waited too long for an “upgrade” that may never come – it’s time to show our face again.

3) I resolve to abandon my personal debt. Thanks to DST, the bride and I are so close to being debt free it’s not even funny. For the first time in longer than i can remember, I can see the finish line. Time to finish strong.

4) I resolve to return to the stage.  In 2006, I played my first concert in five years. This year, I vow to do at least two.

5) I resolve to continue my novel. In November, I finally started work on a story that’s been in my mind for years. To top that, it’s actually good! I’ve set some attainable goals too – just 1,000 words a month.

6) I resolve to return to church…and stay this time. Last year we went back to church after too long of an absence. Then (of course) life happened and we stopped. This year, we’re going back to stay.

That’s it for now. Wish me luck!

Oh yeah, and Mark…Tag!

EB

Spicier Than A Wasabi Shower

// February 12th, 2006 // No Comments » // C6M

The C6M Valentine Day update is live. It may be one of our best ever. Shannon contributed an amazing article as well.

Word of warning – it’s downright saucy. Check it out…

EB

Do You Hear What I Hear? (Probably Not)

// December 15th, 2005 // 2 Comments » // C6M, Music

In a week and a half, C6M will be listing the top ten albums of 2005. Jacob’s doing the main list but my top ten will also be included. I can’t vouch for Jacob’s picks – but mine are all must-buys for the year. Since no one actually reads my blog, here’s my list in advance:

01) Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel The Illinoise!
02) Shooter Jennings – Let’s Put the O Back in C untry
03) Waking Ashland – Composure
04) Coldplay – X&Y
05) The Choir – O How the Mighty Have Fallen
06) Jack’s Mannequin – Everything in Transit
07) Mae – The Everglow
08) Embrace – Out of Nothing
09) Copeland – In Motion
10) The Glitterati – S/T
11) Our Lady Peace – Healthy in Paranoid Times

Yes, I realize that there are eleven albums in my top ten.

As the bone said to the dog, “You can chew me.”

EB

Reading Rainbow Coalition

// November 24th, 2005 // No Comments » // C6M, Family, Prose

Updated the article page with two new works of greatness. Check out my review of Comin’ to Your City by Big and Rich as well as my Xbox 360 Review. Both are on C6M.

Shannon got published at C6M as well. Her Queen of Your Castle article is a must read for all husbands. Looks and brains – now that’s a winning combination!

EB

The Missing

// November 13th, 2005 // No Comments » // C6M, Family

Sorry about being MIA for two weeks – I’ve been quite busy.

The re-launch of Circle Six Magazine was a big success. We’re getting more daily visitors than ever before. This should swing us strong into the New Year! If we keep up our current pace, we’ll have over 100,000 visitors for the year with over 6 million hits. Those type of numbers blow me away. It seems like only yesterday when i emailed five guys and told them my idea…

On the family side of things, this is me:

All kidding aside, while I am wiped out at the end of every day I truly have never been happier. Shannon and I must have sold our souls somewhere along the line because our kids are PERFECT. I keep waiting for the invisible hammer to fall but it never does. Kenna still never gets jealous and couldn’t be a better big sister and Kyla is the most laid back baby ever. Maybe even since Jesus.

All in all, it speaks volumes about Shannon and the time she spends with the kids. She is so sacrificing but you would never know it. If she gets frustrated, I really don’t see it – she always has a soft voice for our two girls. I’m extremely blessed to have such a grace filled wife. And my daughters are blessed to have such a kind hearted and giving mother.

Now, back to sleep…

EB

Black on White

// November 13th, 2005 // No Comments » // C6M, Prose

I posted another link on the article page. This one was for The Seven Virtues Part 4 – Benevolence, an eight part series I’m doing for C6M.

EB