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Yesterday at the end of our weekly business meeting over bacon and eggs I asked Kizamu if there’s anything else that needs to be done and he said, “Write a blog post. You haven’t done one in a long time.”
And a long time it has been – I realized I haven’t written a blog since we released the official music video for “First Avenue” back in May! And so I sit here at my desk thinking about all of you who continually support our music, the message, and the movement (I’m closing my eyes, trying to imagine all of you in the front row as we drop into the first song of a set) as I write this brief look at highlights over the last few months.
I still remember the morning of May 17th. We were up at 7am on just a couple hours of sleep and no coffee when we released our first official music video to the world. And I remember a huge smile came on my face when the first comment was posted by the first person to watch the video after it went public – one of my students from the Service Board. Tito Martinez. Mahalo braddah for the humbling reminder that we will always be teaching artists – it is a blessing to have the privilege of serving the next generation of builders and movers through music.
We have never seen as much traffic and as big a response as we did when the “First Avenue” official music video was released. Currently, it has been viewed in 103 countries and has generated more conversations (and sales!) of our music than anything else we’ve done. And so, in addition to the new music we’ve been working on in the studio, we have also been working on new music videos! We recently did our first remix of a song off World War Free and have been shooting the video for it in spurts throughout the summer. The final scene will be shot on our forthcoming trip to Hawai`i in early November.
We’re sitting on a bunch of new songs, a couple of which you may have heard live at the show we did in Seattle opening for Michael Rose with Sly and Robbie. Now that was an experience! Warming the stage for the reggae legends (it was pretty much a Black Uhuru reunion) was an incredible honor and very humbling. I remember hiding out near the far left corner of the stage, my eyes fixed on Sly as he unleashed each rock solid pattern after pattern on the drum kit. Robbie’s bass tone was huge and shook the walls of Neumos. It was surreal and I will never forget that night.
The new songs we played at the show will make their way onto a new EP that we are smack dab in the middle of recording and mixing. It’s been a while since we released some new material. Too long. We know. But with all the time that has passed we have been experimenting with our recording process, working out of three different studios, a cavalry of hard drives, and scrutinizing every sound that passes through the board. What you will soon hear will be different from anything we’ve put out thus far. We are so excited! This is a new phase for Kore Ionz and we hope you’re ready for a ride!
We hope to see many of you in Seattle on Friday October 25 at Nectar Lounge with New Kingston (Collie Buddz backing band) and Kid Hops, and in Honolulu on Friday November 8 at Next Door. More announcements coming soon. Much love!
Pak
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
