NEVERMORE guitarist Steve Smyth has issued the following update on his end-stage kidney failure:
"This has been a delayed update, not because there wasn't anything going on, but lately due to one fact; some 'news' I was supposed to have received last week sometime.
"On to that first; I don't want to go into detail on what this 'news' is about, but suffice it to say that I have been informed that again, this 'news' will take another few weeks to come back to me. The best I can say is, I'm anxiously awaiting this 'news', and once I have it, I'll post an update on here!
"Thank you to all of you who consistently send me supportive e-mails, and well wishes via my MySpace as well! You guys are awesome, and I really appreciate it! Speaking of my MySpace page, there's some new stuff on there in video form right now, and more to come in the near future! Take a look!
"On that subject, we're getting ready to launch some videos (mpegs and what-not) from various points in my musical history, and this should begin to come to fruition starting this week. Footage from TESTAMENT, DRAGONLORD, VICIOUS RUMORS, and even my BLACK SABBATH/OZZY tribute, SWEET LEAF, will soon be featured in the videos section of my MySpace page!!! (as well as making their inevitable way to YouTube!!!). Not all are complete songs of course, but we're working on that angle as well. I am actively searching for anyone who has digitized a very hard to find (and, I think, out of print) home video I was a part of: VR 'The First 10 Years'. It was only done on VHS, and I can't seem to find it anywhere. If you have it, please contact me, I need to talk to you!
"Onto THE ESSENESS PROJECT. Well, it's been a few months, and in that time, due to reasons I'll explain in a minute, we've gotten things honestly down to… one song left for me! I know that sounds odd, in two months' time, to only be down to one song, (we had 4 to go last time I left an update), but as we've gone along, there have been things that have affected maintaining a regular daily schedule with tracking this monster, Steve Hoffman's schedule (he's a bass teacher, and busy with symphony works as well!), and some recent health issues for me (nothing I couldn't fight and win along the way) that resulted in a few delays over the last few months here. But, we're in there on a pretty regular schedule again, and now it's down to one, and on to final overdubs. In this last session, we're putting down some 'extras,' some ear cookies. I don't want to give away what we're going to put down either, so you'll have to wait and hear it!
"Man, have I learned a lot through recording this album!
"We're now looking at mixing this sometime in the fall; this is being worked out this week, and I'll have an update with info as to who's mixing in the next update. I've got my eyes on a couple of great engineers here in the Bay Area, one who most 'guitar afficiandos' would know of… we'll see what works out. Stay tuned!
"On other fronts, the 'Metalocalypse' (AKA DETHKLOK!!!) episode I did voice overs for, along with Michael Amott [ARCH ENEMY] and my 'metal brother' Warrel Dane [NEVERMORE], made its debut a few weeks back! Hope you all were able to catch it, and enjoyed it! I had a lot of fun doing it, and rumors are that they're making Season 2 as we speak. Man, that show kicks ass!
"I did go to Gigantour 2 in Oakland as well, when it came through town. What a great concert that was! Very inspiring to see a lot of great metal up there on one stage! I had a great time, visited some good friends backstage briefly, but I was there to see some metal! Truly a great bill Dave [Mustaine] put together for this!
"Now, on to one important subject, one of which I have received lots of e-mails, forum posts, and MySpace messages about as well: guitar lessons! My plan is now complete, and I will be giving entire details in a separate post later this week, but I am ready to start these lessons at the beginning of November!
"Are you guys ready?! I am!
"That's all for now. Stay tuned, as there's lots more coming soon!"
