| Current Projects |
| R&T Pianist/Vocalist/Instrumentalist Pat King in his compelling portrayal of "third tree" in an Evanston production. |
| Marty's Meandering Page Links |
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| 10/31/02 HALLOWEEN SHOW CANCELLED R&T's planned Holiday Bash was cancelled upon realization that all band members are several states apart. 10/29/02 RE-RECORDING, NEW ALBUM NEWS Despite the late-summer collapse of recording plans, R&T frontment Mike and Pat have announced that renewed plans to get into the studio are underway as we speak. According to a recent press release, the duo intends to re-record The Evil Parade almost in its entirety sometime during December, and hope to master and re-release it sometime before April. The duo also intends to work on Pedro Gonzago in the ensuing months, hinting that this year may hail two releases, with the second being their newly unconcept album, which will contain songs such as "Ye Olde Cartwheel Machine Shoppe" and "Faux Pat." The two intend to use local recording studios and swap their music and overdub to try to create an expansive, explosive sound. With any degree of luck, chaos will not reign supreme. 8/1/02 ALBUM UPDATE Big news from the studio. First bit of news is that there may BE a studio: Jeef Lorsen Records has opened up as a possibility, and Mike and Pat have acknowledged that they are in talks to propose a request to see if they can use the space, maybe. Meantime, the shape of the album has changed dramatically. While the album will include Evil Parade-influenced songs ("Ye Olde Cartwheel Machine Shoppe" was too golden to give up, says Pat), it will not be a concept album, and will not deal with EP themes entirely. Rather, the album will try to broaden the topics and consolidate the styles that R&T work with. Several preliminary tracks have been laid down, with lyrics partially written, or not started at all. The album is now expected to include a tribute to the assumed-dead Gordon; the song is the only non-EP song to have been completely written thus far. More news as the album takes shape; the final recording is hoped to be complete by the end of next week. 6/29/02 ALBUM UPDATE R&T checked in today to inform the site of their progress in the recording of "Pedro Gonzago." According to frontman Mike Rosenwinkel, the duo was "kinda afraid that it might be a bit complex, but we can probably handle it. We can handle anything, we're Rosie and the Trucks." The group also announced that, in the intrest of ethnic accuracy, several songs will be recorded in multiple language, including the perplexingly named "Uncle Dog's Magical Transformation." The album is still in a writing phase, with at least two songs written and several more in the process of being written. The project, Pat assures us, is "even more solid and smooth than the original was -- not to say that the original wasn't brilliant, this just happens to be a bit more polished." The album may go into rehearsals by July 5th or 6h, according to the latest estimates. As of now it is unclear whether Tom Lundin, the engineer of the first album, or Mike will be heading up the tech aspects of this production, but already plans are in place to create a new, more clean sound for the album, including an innovative concept Pat has put forth cryptically referred to as "notebook drums." 6/7/02 IT'S OFFICIAL! In an announcement last week, R&T frontmen Pat King and Mike Rosenwinkel set forth their plans for a new joint venture retaining the title "Rosie and the Trucks." As anticipated, they will reunite in the recording of "Evil Parade 2: Pedro Gonzago, El Cheese Bandito!" The aura of secrecy around the project is palpable, but the premise seems to fulfil expectations: Evil Steve and his minions have escaped to Mexico and set up shop by the World's fair. Marty pursues them and a mysterious man named Pedro Gonzago joins him in his fight against Steve. Several details are being held secret for now, such as Marty's physical shape (last we saw him he was a dog), who exactly Pedro is, and what the outcome of the album will be. R&T have laid out a more thoughtful process for the new album, putting more time into crafting the songs prior to recording. Pat encouraged people to think of it as The Who going into the studio to record Tommy: focused, working largely from pre-planned music, and on a lot of drugs. The album is expected to be completed in mid-July, when its release will be timed to coincide with a re-release of the original Evil Parade. R&T hinted that there may be bonus materials on the rerelease, with Mike even going so far as to suggest that it may be largely rerecorded for this release. 5/30/02 NICKEL'S CURRENT LOCATION Gordon is promoting his new film "Dodgeball!" with a tour of Appalachia. GENERAL RUMORS There have been talks of an Evil Parade Reunion Tour, but as yet the timing has not worked out. With any luck, Rosie and the Trucks will take to the vacant parks of America sometime in the next few months, but until then their avid fans are more than happy to bask in the creative genius of their solo efforts. |
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| R&T Drummer Gordon Nickel trains for his Apalachian journey. |
| R&T Guitarist/Bassist/Vocalist Mike Rosenwinkel tries his hand at 4/4 time on the snare drum... to no avail. |
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