Guitars and Pedals

Hey guys, this is Kirk. So, this last weekend I finally got to catch up on a few things that I have been meaning to do.  First off, I cleaned up and reorganized my pedal board.

It was a mess before, I didn't think to take a before picture.  Now it is all nice and organized.  It makes me happy lol.  And it should make shows go a little smoother since I was able to condense some of my setup.

So after I finished my pedal board, I worked on my Fender Jaguar.  I have been having problems with it causing major feedback and sounding very weak.  So, I figured out that raising the pickups might help.  When I finished that, I plugged it in, turned up the volume and rocked out.  It sounded much better. Hopefully you'll be able to see it a show pretty soon.

My last task was to set the intonation on my Gibson SG (Scott isn't the only one that has an SG).  I had already started messing with it a few months ago, so I knew I couldn't make it any worse, and I wanted to continue learning how to do it by actually doing it.  I know it's not perfect and a professionally could do a much better job, but I'd like to think it's pretty close.  So now that it is all set up, I may put it in my rotation of guitars I play at shows.  We'll see how it sounds at practice.

So that was some of what I did with my weekend.  Also, I should mention that all this was inspired by a website I recently found -  www.tonereport.com.  There is a "Do It Yourself" section that tells you how to improve and do almost anything to a guitar that you could want. Anyway, that's all for now.  Later y'all...

THE ORANGE BLOG back online!

Hey everyone, we apologize for the lack of updates on THE ORANGE BLOG over the past few months but we've been super busy doing things outside the digital world. After another round of amazing shows around Texas we are headed to California at the end of May to film our first music video for the single, "Mr. Moneymaker"with music video producer and newly relocated Los Angeles transplant Dina De La Roche. We are departing on May 25th and will be sneaking in a very special show at The Silverlake Lounge in L.A. with our old friends Kill The Dance Floor! Our first full length record is finished and being mixed. We are sending it off for mastering in the coming weeks. A tentative record release date is looking like the first week of September. In the meantime we have booked dates  in Austin, Tyler, Ft. Worth, Dallas and of course Los Angeles over the course of the summer before it's release.

      We have discovered a great crew of bands while playing around Texas these past few months you should check out. There is a great band from Tyler called Babe that have an incredibly awesome and original sound. They remind me a bit of Animal Collective but with more guitar sustain.  We played with Babe at Click's in Tyler TX recently and they were nice enough to put my sister and I up for the night after an awesome party that lasted into the wee hours of morning. The drummer Dan let us crash on he and his roommate's couches after we spent the early hours of morning talking and sharing music. One of his roommates looked familiar and then it turned out that he was the old bassist for the band Eisley. That sense of old-school community that some musicians still have is really an awesome thing. It makes playing shows on the road so much more fun and exciting and we really appreciate it.  Not many bands are like that these days.  Babe will be performing with THE ORANGE in Dallas at Double-Wide July 5th. Don't miss them!

      So SXSW 2014 was kind of strange this year to say the least. After THE ORANGE played The Curtain Club early this March, our bass player Jason Jessup and his girlfriend Lisa were in a terrible car accident on the way home. Jason messed up his hand and almost lost all of his gear. It's really a miracle he wasn't seriously injured the car looked so awful. What an terrible way to end such an awesome action packed night. I swear it felt like the room was moving the crowd was so wild. Jason and Lisa were okay but needed rest. The next night we played acoustic at Lola's and opened for the legendary Ian Moore. Originally we were scheduled to play electric but with Jason still at the hospital  that wasn't really an option. We played our acoustic numbers that night and the crowd really seemed to enjoy the set.  After that gig I set off for Austin just to enjoy SXSW.  It was not exactly a planned trip and hotel rooms were probably sparse so I called my old friend William and stayed with him a few days. The night I arrived William and I were walking down 6th Street to East Austin when we saw an arsenal of firetrucks and ambulances race down the access road off 35. We wondered what all the chaos was and then later that night when we got back and flipped on the TV we saw the awful news. Two people killed on the scene and 24 others injured as a DWI offender broke through barricades and ran over SXSW concert goers by Stubb's and The Mohawk. It was unbelievable because William and I were thinking of heading that way right before it happened. We were just incredibly fortunate not to have been involved or even worse.  Over the next few days SXSW goers seemed to try and have a good time but something strange and terrible hung in the air which kept moods somewhat subdued. William introduced me to this awesome band from Philadelphia named Nothing and they had recently signed to Relapse Records. They were incredible. They sound like a mix of My Bloody Valentine and Poison The Well if could imagine that. Other highlights of SXSW was running into Damon Albarn (singer of Gorrilaz, Blur, ect.) and not saying anything! I wasn't sure if it was him or not! and then having a beer at the bar of the Driskal Hotel and William and I listening to a couple of journalists interview the lead guitarist of Gorillaz / bassist of Beady Eye less than 2 feet away. I wanted to say hi, but didn't get a chance these guys were firing questions off at him so fast! Oh well, it was cool to see him there anyway.  Overall we had a good time but next year THE ORANGE will be playing.

   After SXSW I came home and started working on the mixing process for our new record and somehow we all wrote three new songs ("Skin", "Push", "The Drift"). We played all three at both Three Links with Spacecamp and then again at Trees with Team for both bands CD Release parties. Both shows were a lot of fun and filled with surprise attendees that I haven't seen in years. That always makes me feel good.  Overall we feel these three new songs are really the future of THE ORANGE and are written in the best way possible, all members contributing. All three will be featured in our July 5th set at Double-Wide.

    So that's pretty much it from our side of the pond. I think we as a band are just ready to finally release this record and get things rolling later this year. Thanks for being so patient with us and for the absolutely awesome amount of support both fans and friends of the band shower on us. It really helps keep things moving. If you're in the Los Angeles area, come see our debut and maybe you can be in our new music video. The first round at Silverlake Lounge is on us!

-Scott
ORANGE HQ

THRWD Magazine gets down with THE ORANGE

THRWD Magazine and THE ORANGE have teamed up to bring you the best music in Dallas hosted at the coolest rock club around. While local favorites THE ORANGE are putting the final touches on their first full length record, Party Static and Cutter are holding steady as the hottest acts in Dallas and happen to be featured in THRWD magazine's next edition. Meanwhile Slumberbuzz have been asked to join the party as the champion band of the ever growing Ft. Worth music scene. Opening the night are the new Dallas based psych band The Pillars. Get there early for drink specials and stay late to hang at the THRWD art party upstairs in the loft and see THE ORANGE. See you there Dallas!
21+ $10 17+ $13
www.curtainclub.com

-ORANGE HQ

THE ORANGE Christmas Extravaganza! @ THE GRANADA December 15th 2012 (FREE TICKETS)

Hey kiddos, how the hell is everyone doing? We here at ORANGE central have been working hard at Reel Time Audio in Denton laying down the most delightful sounding album this city  has seen released since Flickerstick dropped Welcoming Home the Astronauts in 2000! I'm serious, this record is going to be sheer gold. Wait and see, you're going to love it. We've also played a few gigs here and there lately. More home town gigs than normal for us so lets recap. Double-wide was a pretty damn excellent show, especially when the lights went out and the crowd sang the chorus of Cityscape to us three times before it all kicked back on. That show was the most fun I've had in years. Lots of close friends, cheap drinks and one hell of a loud time. Then of course there was the acoustic one we did at Trees. What an intimate little scene we had that night. For an acoustic show I must say there we're well over a hundred people there. Buddy Neighbors, our new friend with the voodoo blues chops filled in on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Mr. Moneymaker to make the two tunes just scream. Cody sang lead on two Peace of Mind and All Going Down. Then we talked Chicago Dan into playing a rain stick and my sister Melissa to hop on the clarinet for Into Me. What a fantastic night. After that show we headlined the big room at The Door in Dallas a week later. We all got a little...wild that night...to say the least. THE ORANGE was loud as shit! I got a message from a friend on Facebook that was standing too close to the stage the next day. Apparently we were rocking so hard she blew out her left ear drum and had to visit the doctor. So I guess that means THE ORANGE is louder than KISS, must be those VOX AC30's. I also jumped off of the drum riser that night, landed funny in my boots and fractured my leg. I walked with a limp for a few days after the show but have managed to walk it off with the help of a few bottles of wine and Chelsea boots. Rock N Roll my friends..Rock N Roll. So for all of you fans and friends alike, THE ORANGE has something very special in store for you this holiday season. To show our appreciation for all the support you give us and loudness you receive from us, we are giving you a free show at the GRANADA!!! December 15th!! THE ORANGE CHRISTMAS PARTY!! Since you all have been good little boys and girls we will be playing TWO sets which shall include just about EVERY ORANGE SONG EVER! All you need to do is send an EMAIL to me (Scott) and I will mail you tickets to our big Christmas extravaganza! I need to know how many tickets you want and WE ARE NOW TAKING SONG REQUESTS! Send your requests and ticket inquiries to reach_scotttucker@yahoo.com
Thanks and have a great holiday season,
See you at The Granada December 15!

Here is a great review  from the Trees gig from our buddy Jordan at The Music Enthusiast

After they finished, I ducked out and headed to another venue one street over. Nothing against the other bands that were playing, but I wanted to see this other band more and if you want to know more about that show, I’ll have a review of it up soon.

I got back right when David Cote was finishing his set, which meant The Orange was up next, and they were the band I was most intrigued to see. If you don’t know The Orange, they aren’t really an acoustic band. They’re high-energy Rock with even a Psychedelic flare to it, so they were definitely going to be out of their element this night.

The Orange began with only three of their members on stage, singer and guitarist, Scott Tucker, guitarist, Kirk Livesay, and drummer, Cody Waits. However, Cody wasn’t doing anything with percussion, instead, he too had an acoustic guitar. They were also joined by the skilled harmonica player and their go-to guy of sorts, Chicago Dan. It sure looked like it was going to be different, and it was, as Scott announced their first song was called, “We’re All Going Down”, and Cody sang it. It was a bit weird to see Scott relegated to being a backing vocalist, but on the flipside, Cody has a really great voice. I was kind of surprised, since it’s easy to think of him as just being a drummer, since that is his typical instrument, but this made it clear his talent goes well beyond that. Their next tune I believe was titled, “Peace of Mind”. Cody again acted as the main singer on it, though it was more co-sung between him and Scott, with the two voices mixing perfectly. I think it was after that song Cody took over his normal role of adding some beats, while they welcomed a guest musician to the stage. His name was Buddy Neighbors, and according to Scott, he’s a legendary Blues guitarist. Scott also said something along the lines of he was the best musician he knew, then added, “…Right after Chicago Dan.” “This is an old Orange song…” he went on to say, telling everyone it was “Kiss, Kiss. Bang, Bang”. For the record, that is one of my all-time favorite Orange songs, like, top three, and it had been years since I last heard it. I never forget about, though, and hoped it would sometime find its way back into the set, as some of the songs off their EP had done after the band got back together. Anyway, the song was every bit as good as I remembered, even done acoustically, and like so many of the bands other songs, it is insanely catchy. At this point, Jason Jessup made his way down the stairs from the green room and to the stage, to add the sounds of his bass to the bands new single, “Mr. Moneymaker”. It was (obviously) toned down, and did lack the high-strung performance that usually accompanies it, but that didn’t mean it was any less good. Upon finishing it, Buddy left the band, while Kirk switched out his guitar for a cello, and Chicago Dan also helped turn the show on its head, by using a rain stick instead of his harmonica. Scott’s sister, Melissa Tucker, also joined them, and she brought a clarinet into the mix. Not that they didn’t have it before, but all of that made sure they had my undivided attention. I missed the name of this last song of their 27-minute long set, but it was truly gorgeous. It didn’t sound like your standard Orange song, but that’s okay, because every band needs to do the occasional song that breaks the mold they cast themselves into, and this one accomplished just that. It was just outstanding, and a most excellent way to cap things off.

I mentioned they were going to be out of their element this night, and while they were, they didn’t at all seem it. Instead, they appeared completely comfortable performing the songs in this setting, like it was something they had done dozens (or even hundreds) of times before. And to be totally honest, I did have some reservations about how this was going to go, but quickly realized I had no reason to have those thoughts. Actually, I’d like to see these acoustic shows become more of a semi regular thing, because in some ways, this was one of the best shows I’ve seen them do.

As of right now, their next show on the books is going to be a FREE one at Sundown at Granada in Dallas on Saturday, December 15th. They are also currently in the studio working on their debut full-length album, so why not go pick up a copy of their first EP, “A Sonic Collection of Stories from La La Land”. That way not only will you have something to whet your appetite for their full-length, you can also help get a little money in their pockets to help with the cost of making a record.

Scott
(p.s. No Special Edword songs...unless you beg)

THE ORANGE Live Acoustic at TREES, Friday October 26th (No Cover)

Thanks to everyone for helping fill our show last weekend at The Double-Wide. The best part was when the power went off, the crowd turned on the camera phones and sang the chorus of Cityscape to us three times! What a fantastic show, not to mention Party Static and Obscured By Echoes were some of the best bands we've ever played with. Way to kill it! Next up, Clint Barlow at Trees asked THE ORANGE to be part of a very special show he is throwing called, "Trees Powered Down". The show will feature the best local bands playing rare acoustic sets. The songs shall be recorded and featured in a super-cool compilation CD Trees will be releasing at the end of the year. The date of our show is Friday, October 26th. The best part..No Cover! If you enjoyed our last acoustic set at The House of Blues in August, you don't want to miss what we have in store for this one. Legendary blues guitarist Buddy Neighbors will be filling in with us for the occasion and he is not one to be missed! In other news the record is coming right along. We will be posting studio pictures later this week. Everyone be safe.
THE ORANGE

THE ORANGE Update: Trees, The House Of Blues, The New Record and A Great Book To Read!

Photos By Gabe Guevara

                                           

Ladies and gentleman. The date is September 20th and the past few weeks have been a whirlwind of music, good weather, bad weather, books and Rock n' Roll antics. First off, I have to thank everyone for helping us have such a fantastic run of sold out shows lately. It's been crazy. We've been playing 3 new songs that are coming out on the new album and the response has been fantastic. Mr. Moneymaker, Valium and I Want A Girl have really received a wonderful reception. We are still working on the new record with Eric Delegard at Reel Time Audio in Denton and we couldn't be happier as a band. Yes, our shows are wild and you never know what's going to happen either during or after and ORANGE gig but that's just Rock n' Roll and honestly we embrace it. The Bowling for Soup guys were all sweethearts and very nice to play with. Trees was top notch and the crowd was electric. Various clips of THE ORANGE playing our set have been posted on YouTube by different audience members. Pretty cool stuff too. To check them out just type: "THE ORANGE DALLAS TREES" under the search engine and a few different ones should pop up. Also our new Tshirts and hoodies seem to be selling pretty well. Even I have to admit they are the coolest Tshirts this band has ever produced. Over the course of the past few shows we have also had some professional photographers come and shoot us and what they have done has been great. Thanks to Jana Moore, Gabe Guevara and Jenna. Here are some of our favorites.

                                

Photos by Jana Moore

The night we played at Trees, Eddie Henderson and our buddy Dave Ramsey filmed the show and put together this really great video of various clips and songs from the gig. Not a bad little piece of video editing if I may say so myself.

 

After this weekend I received a book in the mail that had been ordered for me as a gift. The book is entitled, " Bit Of A Blur" by the English band Blur's bass guitarist, Alex James. The book is fabulous. I can't put it down. I recommend it to anyone who ever wants to play in a band or is currently in a band... ever. I've really grown to think that Blur is probably one of the three best bands of the 1990's. Their story is fascinating. Whether or not you like Blur's music you should read this book.

Last but certainly not least I have had several Emails from fans and friends that are just now discovering THE ORANGE and want to know where to buy or download our music. The link to our last EP is right below. Simply follow the link to itunes and don't be fooled by the other Orange bands! We're the only one worth buying a record from!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/a-sonic-collection-short-stories/id279937986

 Everyone have a safe and fun weekend and We'll be seeing you soon at The Doublewide in October!

www.double-wide.com

500X Gallery Members Show: Awesome Sculpture by Jonathan Snow

We were hanging out last night around Deep Ellum and went to a few art openings and came across this awesome sculpture titled, Inside by 500X Gallery Member Jonathan Snow. The amount of detail inside the head is really stunning. There is a miniature diorama of a hallway with doors and working lights and everything. You can interpret the hallways of the mind whichever way you want, it's just really cool. Go check it out if you have a chance. It's even better in person. I think the group show runs until the end of the month. The sculpture is priced upon request.
www.500X.org