Beckond Blog: Tuesday, August 12, 2008

South Weber Daze
Current mood: jolly

Have you ever been on the job, in church or school, or standing in the middle of a crowd of people, and suddenly you look down and you aren't wearing any pants? Have you ever sat down to Thanksgiving dinner only to find there is no turkey? Or even worse, have you ever busted open a Twix only to find one crispy cookie topped with a caramel nougat and dipped in rich milk chocolaty goodness? I hate that.
In each of these experiences, you know something is supposed to be there, and the absence of that thing makes you feel weird. Such was the plight of the BECKOND boys on Saturday, August 9, at our South Weber Days gig.
The day before we had an amazing practice, and were excited to get out and play for our family, friends, and fans. Upon arriving to South Weber, we were standing in front of the stage where we would play, and discovered we were not wearing pants. Actually, we discovered the people who provided sound had no monitors, no microphones, no extension chords, no power strips, no mic stands, and basically no clue as to why we were not impressed by their sweet sound-system.

They finally dug up some wireless mics, and we decided to improvise. Trent set his half-stack behind the drums so Brody could hear him play, Brad was off to one side with his equipment facing Brody and I, my amp was in front of Brody's kit so I could hear what I was playing, and poor Jared had to sit down by the mixing board with his keyboard so they could hold one of the wireless mics above the keyboard's speakers. It was pretty ghetto, but to be honest, I had a blast!

A lot of old friends who I haven't seen in years came by to see us, and we added three new additions to the band! Three pre-teen kids came up and asked if they could come up on stage. Wish granted, and the rest of the time they head-banged and mild-moshed on stage next to us. We are thinking of making them a permanent addition to the band, and may try giving them tambourines or kazoos to take our music to the next level.

To all of you who came to support us, we thank you. To all of you who were patiently waited for us to set up our gear, who came up and told us you enjoyed the show, or who have been with us all the way, YOU ARE THE BEST!! Thank you for your support.

Special thanks and hearty shout-outs go out to Brandy Lee for taking amazing photos; Trevor Hansen for keeping us sane and taking care of the nitty-gritty; Michael Illum for use of his truck; Joe Facer for recording video of the show; Kelly Mikesell for running 100 yards to his home to grab us extension chords and power strips; Marc Uhrey (my dad) for running home to get a mic-stand; Ryan Stringham for being my mic-stand during Broken; Every single person who turned out to see us; My band mates for being good sports and enjoying the curveballs we've had thrown at us.

We are going to be working on some recordings, and we have some more shows in the mix, so stay tuned!

Now, I think it's time for me to go and put on some pants.

Beckond Blog: Monday, August 04, 2008

Song Lyrics
Category: Music

I wrote this blog to give people an idea what I'm singing about. Maybe someday people will actually be able to hear me singing?

BROKEN

I wrote these lyrics while thinking about an indigent man that Yuni and I would always see outside of the grocery store we go to. He had a piece of cardboard that read, "Disabled veteran. Please help." People would avoid him by driving out another exit or not looking at him, which made me realize how we are sometimes like ostriches. "If I don't see you, that means you don't exist." In a way, we all have situations where we are disabled ("broken") just like the man outside of Smiths, and people look the other way. I wanted to explain in these lyrics how we have the tendency to see what we want to see, or not see what we don't want to see.

(Verse 1)
I alone, the one you won't look at on the street
Just a man abhorred by this society
It's so easy close your eyes
And you'll see I'm not really there

(Chorus)
The face of the faceless
The eyes of the blind
A man broken
Beyond the lies
And the hate in your eyes
I stand broken

(Verse 2)
I alone, the one
You chose to never see
Vacant eyes that hide
Sheer animosity
It's so easy
Close your eyes
And you'll see I'm not really there

(Chorus)
The face of the faceless
The eyes of the blind
A man broken
Beyond the lies
And the hate in your eyes
I am broken

* * * * *

NEW WAVE

One of the reasons Trent and I became friends so quickly years ago is because we both share a love of cars. Not just any cars, though. They have to be fast! We made up our own little racing club called "Facehater Racing," mostly to mock this group of high-school kids that formed their own racing club called "Team Red." So, in the chorus where I sing "facehater," it's mostly just an inside joke.

(Verse 1)
Smell the smoke
See the steel
Touch the chrome
Feel the wheel
Two on the strip
Spin tires for grip
Then pull back

(Bridge to chorus)
It's time to put your money where your mouth is
I see the fear in your eyes, though you talk big
So shut your mouth, get in the car, let's do this

(Chorus)
Facehater
Facehater
Give me power
Give me speed
Give me everything
I need

(Verse 2)
Drop the clutch
See the scenery blur
Hear the scream
Of the engine's thunder
They're head to head
Burning through tread
Eating track

(Repeat bridge to chorus)

(Repeat chorus)

* * * * *

SLIM JAM

I spent four years of my life in Mexico. I love that country and its people. Everyone knows that there are hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants living here in the US. In my job, I work with many of these people. Some of them have shared with me their stories about when they crossed the border. One man explained to me that there was one stretch of the journey where he had to climb over the cadavers of people who didn't make it and were left to die in the desert. Heavy stuff. Thousands of families are divided because of the illegal crossing into the US, but the reason for coming is always the same: to find a better life. In the process, wives and children are left behind, and sometimes forgotten. It's pretty sad.

(Verse 1)
Tread softly, for you tread on my dreams. Tread lightly.
Move quickly, and place your every step exactly.
Speak softly, and try hard not to breathe too loudly.

(Bridge)
I'd give anything
I'd give everything

(Chorus 1)
All that I ask
Just give me the chance
To see my life through some other eyes
Through some other eyes

(Verse 2)
Suddenly, you realize that your wife and family
Have sadly become no more than just memories.
The irony—with them your life was full, now you're
Empty.

(Repeat bridge)

(Chorus 2)
All that I ask
Just give me the chance
To live my life on the other side
On the other side

(Sung through extended bridge)
Through some other eyes . . .
Through some other eyes . . .

(Ending)
Don't let me fade, now . . .
It's all I ask
Don't let me fade, now . . .
And don't just let me slip away
Don't let me slip away

* * * * *

EXILE

I met my wife while working on my graduate degree in Mexico. We were married, and I eventually brought her back to the US when I was hired at my job. She wanted to go to an English-speaking ward (congregation) when we arrived to SLC. After going there only a few times, it was very apparent how superficial people's "good intentions" were, especially with my wife. They treated her very poorly, but always with smiles and seeming politeness. Hiding behind their facades, their words dripped with honey while inside they boiled with poison. Plaster saints thinking they were perfect saints.

(Verse 1)
Smiling faces feigning friendship
In a place that should feel like home
No more than bogus kinship
Concealing gnashing teeth and foam
Is this really what you teach?
Do you practice what you preach?

(Chorus)
You preach of virtue
You preach of brotherhood and love
Paint yourself holy
First in line for Sunday worship
You live a plaster saint
So take your friendship

(Verse 2)
Smiling faces hiding loathing
Using truth to conceal your lies
Dressed in religious clothing
I see indifference in your eyes
Love one another
You say it with your tongue in cheek
You call me brother
Then turn around and call me freak

(Chorus)
You preach of virtue
You preach of brotherhood and love
Paint yourself holy
First in line for Sunday worship
You live a plaster saint
So take your friendship

And take your "innocence" and "charity"
I don't need your fake interest
It's all hypocrisy

You think you're right,
But you can't see you're all blind
You can't see . . .
Me

* * * * *

EMPTY V

My grandpa was my best friend and hero. He passed away while I was doing my graduate studies in Mexico.

(Verse 1)
Seasons change—scenery turns to shades of rust
Heroes fade—their body's grounded turn to dust
A eulogy honoring a man so brave
I gaze upon his coffin in an open grave

(Verse 2)
In solemn reverence, I stand amidst the bitter cold
And quietly watch as grass, and earth, and leaves of gold
Cover up a man whose life gave me the chance to live
And whose death stained my memory

(Chorus)
And for just a moment, I felt time stand still
A hush of reverence cross the sky
And I know somewhere in heaven I heard an angel sing
I heard an angel cry

(2nd Chorus)
And for just a moment, I reflected on this man
His image flashed across my eyes
How could you leave me here alone?
You were my hero!
But even heroes die

* * * * *

6-4-4

A song about overcoming weakness, trials, you name it.

(Verse 1)
Breathe in deep
Shake it off
Your mind needs focus
Now's the time
To react
This is your moment

(Chorus)
Oooooh!
Innocence
Oooooh!
Innocence

(Verse 2)
Step by step
You advance
Into the fire
Breathing in the flames
Of your desire

(Chorus)

(Verse 3)
Look ahead
Pay no mind
To what's behind you
Sweat and pain
Are your friends
They're what define you

(Chorus)

* * * * *

WHIT

I'm going to stop telling people what this song is about because I want them to have their own interpretation of its meaning

(Verse 1)
In the darkness I can hear you standing o'er my bed.
I can't see you, but I feel your steps inside my head.
It's three and thirty in the morning; night is black as sin.
Still I hear your lifeless movements, my nerves are wearing thin.
As trepidation pours over me, all I want to do is go to sleep.

(Chorus)
Sleep I will forsake
Or slowly go insane
You keep me awake!
You keep me awake!
¡Jamás dormiré!
You haunt me . . .

(Verse 2)
And I know you flash a toothy smile, because you know full well
That your illness is my weakness; I have to lash out before I burn out!
And your ever-present, never-ceasing racket has bored a hole in me.
All I want to do is go to sleep.

(Chorus)
Sleep I will forsake
Or slowly go insane
You keep me awake!
You keep me awake!
¡Jamás dormiré!
You haunt me . . .

Beckond Blog: Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tribute to You
Current mood: thankful
Category: Sappily thankful Blogging

Before I start this blog entry, I would like to personally thank each and every person that has come out to support us at South Ogden Days and The Avalon Theater. We truly have the best family and friends in the world. THANK YOU so much for helping us to make our music work. (High-fives all around!)

In other news, we have a new addition to the band who has taken on a lot of responsibility and helped us move forward even faster. Trevor Hansen, longtime friend of the Wintle boys, has agreed to be our manager and has wasted no time in getting things done. He was a driving force in our Avalon gig, and is pulling strings left and right to get Beckond on the map. When you see him, give him a "good game" and tell him he's a stud.

For those of you who couldn't make it to the shows, let me give you a little recap. The South Ogden show was supercalifragilisticexpiali-SWEET!! A lot of people turned out, and we felt like we were clicking on all cylinders. We had some frustrations about the show at the Avalon, but all-in-all, the response has been positive. Once again, we have the greatest family and friends in the world.

If you missed the Avalon show, Comcast will be playing it on Comcast On Demand in about a month. You just go to music on the menu and search for the program "Band Wagon." The more people watch us, the better off it is for us, so tell everyone to check us out (and to wear dark glasses to soften the glare from my forehead . . . yeouch!!).

Where this is the first time I've been in a band, there are a lot of things I hadn't experienced until now: the adrenaline that surges the veins when stepping on stage, the camaraderie felt between band members after a great show, the anticipation of putting your creations in front of people you may or may not know and waiting for the reaction, saying stupid things between songs . . . (You can't win them all!) Everything about performing is exhilarating! Seeing people's reaction to all the hard work makes it worth it.

There is this feeling I can't quite describe when Trent and Jared play the intro to Silent Scream and then the entire band explodes into Broken. From that point until I have the honor to join Brody on the drums at the end of Whit, I feel alive. I have the great honor and privilege to play with four extremely talented musicians. It's a great feeling.

Those of you who have been with the band since the beginning recognize the old favorites (even though they are different), and have seen the band progress and change. Now, we are proud to show old and new fans alike the new music we have been working on, and are even more exciting for what is to come. It's time to get on this train now, because it's going to be a fun ride.

We have big plans for the future and are excited to have all of you along with us. Thanks for the words of encouragement. Thanks for driving long distances to see us. Thanks for BEING there! You all rock!! (Except for that one kid that said singing sucks and that I should scream. To you, I say: SHUT UP, FACEHATER!!)

Can't wait to see all of you at our next show!

Ryan

(After reading this, does anyone else feel like singing camp songs and hugging random strangers?)

Beckond Blog: Sunday, May 11, 2008

First Show Is in the Books and My Neck Hurts!
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Music

Beckond's first gig with the new lineup is officially in the books. Hooper was definitely not ready for the face-melting wall of sound their cows were going to be hit with. I heard some dairy farmers had to sell butter the next day instead of milk because their cows' udders were shaking so hard from the blistering frequencies of two axes, a bass, keys, and a monster drum-kit that their milk churned to butter. Boo-yeah! Hooper Butter-Churners UNITE!!

We were all very excited to finally play a show. Two flatbed trailers were placed together to make a stage behind our host's home, and we spent a long time setting things up, checking levels and mics, etc. The band "Coveting Aymie" opened up with three of their songs and got the crowd ready for us. They were good sports, and their guitarist hooked me up with some ibuprofen to calm ann emerging headache. Needless to say, good guys all around.

The time finally came, and Trent started playing the opening riffs to Silent Scream. As soon as the first heavy chords broke in, I realized I was witnessing a long-time dream of mine coming true.

Our set including some old favorites as well as a couple of newer songs. The set included Broken, Exile, Slim Jam, New Wave, Empty V, and Whit. To be honest, playing was a little difficult due to sound and light issues, but all-in-all, those in attendance seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves.

The night came to a close way too soon, but the adrenaline pumping through my veins wouldn't let me sleep for another couple of hours. Plus, I head-banged so hard I think I partially screwed my neck off. I couldn't move the next day! I'll have to start doing some exercises, starting slow with head-swaying, move on to bobble-heading, then do some no-no-no's, and ease in to straight on banging!

Everyone who took the time to catch the show: THANK YOU!! You rock!! We'll be playing again soon and throwing out new tunes to make things interesting.

Stay tuned to this blog for Beckond updates, shows, etc. Something big is starting! Make sure you are a part of it! See you soon!

-Ryan

PS. I heard butter is half off in Hooper for a limited time . . .

Beckond Blog: Monday, May 05, 2008

Beckond Revamped: First Show!
Current mood: rockin
Category: Music

Hello Family, Friends, and Beckond Fans:

How is everyone doing? Ryan here. I've been meaning to do this for a while, but have not gotten the chance to do so until now. My first show with Beckond is coming this Friday. I feel electricity in the air and am eager to go out and "melt some faces" with some heavy rock & roll. It has been a pleasure playing with Brody, Trent, Brad, and Jared; four talented musicians with a love for music. I feel honored to share a stage with them.

I would like to formally introduce myself and tell you a little about me. First of all, I'm not as mean as I look in our pictures. I'm much worse. When I'm not venting anger through heavy riffs, I'm kicking kids off of their bikes and stealing suckers from toddlers. I intentionally change lanes without using my blinker, and I like to yell "NOT" at the end of all my sentences. I ocassionally walk up the down escalator, and always try to offend people with my harsh language. Don't come around me if you don't like hearing words like "stupidhead" or "uglyface."

To be honest, I'm a little kid trapped in an adult body. I love being around people and having good, wholesome fun. Music has always been an outlet for me, and being a part of Beckond has been a great way to shove frustrations into lyrics so I can sing them out. I've been singing since I was 3, thanks to my brilliant mother. I began playing guitar with the sole purpose of singing love songs to girls, and because you can't carry a piano with you anywhere you go.

My musical influences are quite varied. I listen to a myriad of different styles of music (except country), but my favorite bands are Breaking Benjamin, Thrice, Mew, Dave Matthews, and Jars of Clay, with a number of Mexican rock groups mixed in. I think my voice has the same quality as Dan Haseltine's from Jars, but dig it when people can sing like James Hetfield (which I cannot). I think my voice gives Beckond a different sound, and hope you all like it.

I am married to a beautiful mexican girl named Yunuen. She is without doubt the best part of me. I met her while studying a master's degree in interpretation and translation in Guadalajara, Mexico. I currently work at Primary Children's Medical Center as a medical interpreter, and I love what I do.

Cars are my passion. Trent and I became good friends while working at an undisclosed government job, mostly due to the fact that we share so many common interests--namely fast cars. We would spend countless hours discussing and comparing different cars in our little tuner minds. Time well spent! Trent is a man I deeply admire.

I am stoked for our upcoming show and hope you can all make it! We have been practicing hard to bring you all a tight show with new songs, and new versions of Beckond songs you already loved. So, keep your calendar open for this Friday, and please come up to me and say hi if you get the chance. I'm the mean looking bald guy that tries to play guitar as well as Trent.

Wishing you well,

Ryan

Yuni's Graduation: July 29, 2008

Yuni looked so pretty in her Cap'n Gown . . . er, cap and gown.  (Yarrrrr!)

Tan bonita.  Tan inteligente.

I'm so proud of my espocha hermocha!

Brother and Sister Berry

Ricardo and Bethany Oporto, Kenya and Victoria

Oscar and Carol Mancilla

Rick, Yuni's ESL teacher

DANG IT!!

I got a speeding ticket yesterday. It is my very first. I felt really bummed about it, but figure the 82 dollars I had to pay will probably plant a flower somewhere in Salt Lake County, so I actually did the city a favor! Anyway, the ticket experience will be filed under "Suckage" in my list of life experiences. Boooooo to the man! Booooooo!