Hello Kiddies,
Pekado here once again, I have deiced to write today about what the lyrics and music are about vin a summery of CD (… and so they say we are destroy our youth?). I will also explain the meaning behind the art piece that I created for the front outside layout thru the rest of the physical CD as it comes out into the public eyes.Making this blog the first of many that I am hoping to share in the experience of D.I.Y.ing an album. I want to explain as much as possible, from the processes of writing the lyrics, to the troubles of composing the music behind bars. Closing out with the why we named the album what we did and the how I came up with who to use to distribute and drop this full length album as it is called in the music industry via Inter-net. In doing so, perhaps I can help show the reader, musicians (and) or manager/promoter what it takes, that even though it might not be easy, it is still is better to do it yourself then to loose your rights, your royalties, creative decisions and the ideas.
Is it not better for an album to come from the band and its members? To know that the reason the cover looks like the way it dose is that the musician came out with its vision.More important than that to know that what ever money it took what ever hard work was done by the musician for You (The Fan) to enjoy the magic that comes out of the speakers when you play the music of your favorite band than having it come out of someone who thinks they know what the people want. If that were the case then why not ask the people what they want thru Social Media. In these modern days of the World Wide Web, all we need is a computer and the desire to accomplish, if you want it, then all you need to do is get it, believe me we did just that. I strongly believe that if you put the work in and show determination, any door will and can open. In basic, we would like everyone tobe able to place them selves in the seat of our band and see what it took us.Now everyone’s road to where we are now has been different and so what I am writing is only one sided “Mine.” Therefore, one must understand even though this is personal experiences blog if looked at as in a general state of struggle to create, publish and distribute an album. Anyone can see that whoever plan to do an album on his or her own without the help of a Major label,Indie Label or proper financial suitabilities. Will have to go thru some if not many types of hard ship in getting everything to create a professional album and more importantly to be able to distribute it to more places than your local shops or the live shows where one performs can be tough. Moreover, to find away to place the album on sale in iTunes, Amazon MP3 InterPunk com,Reverbnations and Facebook for world to also buy especially if the band is not known. However, That is a whole different blog of its own which should be written in a later time, for know we will focus on the trails and tribulation it took to put this album together.
This albums’ music has been placed together with the combination of both the quick lip lyrical styles of BenT. Lee who is from the gutters of Houston, TX and screeching non-understandable sounds of me, Pekado, I am from the brutal streets of Los Dos Laredo (however, mostly the TX side) but live in the Houston area. Most of my lyrics where written in three places. One and two being my (Pekado)’s prison cells in Richmond, TX at Jester 1 and Jester 3 and the third places being at ATC, (Austin Transitional Center) in Del Ville, TX back in 07- 08. Songs like under the carpet, which speaks of my transition from a 92 pounds of strung out junkie to a 145-pounds of prisoner, or Rats and Roaches, which originated as a song that was going to be an introduction song for everyone in the band. However, it seemed perfect the way we wrote it giving everyone in the band a chance to write a song about ourselves in the future. Other songs like Trash and Treasure, which speaks of my on going struggles with poly-use of heroin and my co-dependency addictions and issues. On the other hand, Pay 2 Play which speaks about my dead mentally and physical abusive parents and their in-subordinates in parenthood and how it can be related to having to pay a venue or promoter to play music and be a musician for a living. Finally song like “One Day Down”,“Is they’re anybody out there,” and “Rhythm, Riot, Revolution”, songs which show a more political side of the bands feelings to social ideals and modern economic situations.
Now as for the music, it was all written during my vacation times out of the prison units and squatting adventure thru the United States and Mexico. However, if not for contributions on bass made by Krusty Kyle who is also from Laredo, TX however,subsides residency in San Antonio, TX. In addition to the melodically evil blast beats and offbeat on temple ska rhythms of SicFul who was born and also lives in San Antonio, TX. Which is what gives SKCITSSA that recognizing fusion sounds of punk/crack rock steady, chun tado style, ska-core, metal and Latin music with my Spanish singing and guitar playing. Our music sound can only be defined as Dirty South No Skool’ Ska. Even though most of the original versions of the riffs where written during my transferring from Federal to State prison units, one can hear it in the sound of the music. It has a sound of desperation, anger, confusion, betrayal and hate in it with sprinkles of a state of downward spiral into conformity. Which where some of the feelings I carried with me during my stay in those facilities. Moreover, by combining the reggae and Latin sounds which I grow up listening to with the fast pass raunchy punk sounds that I had grown up playing during my homeless junkie years.Skcitssa has been able to force fit together theses sounds with some melancholy, self-loathing and anti- government and anti-boarder songs that can be heard in obvious through out the album. A perfect example to this is the song“ Sin Fronteras”, which translates to “Without Boarders”, to which expresses our dislike of the fences around our southern boarders and what it truly stands for, (A modern day Berlin wall.) a form of separating family.
The art for the album came from a remark that was said to Krusty, BenT Lee and I on one of our preshow hangouts with Blowout, our ex-trumpet player from Laredo, TX. He was explaining to us on how people of our past where still commenting very negative things about us like: SKCITSSA was nothing more than a bunch of worth for nothing junkies who where doing nothing more than destroying the youth. Because we force feed drugs, corruption and anarchistic ideals to everyone we know and being so amusing it became something automatic to name the next album that. Therefore, when it came to the art and having that in mind I decided to use computer art and photos instead of paint,ink, pencils clay or stencil. By using the programs in adobe creative suit 5 I could put together a piece of art that would explain how it could be worsted than us spreading a little anarchy in the world. I would not call me an expert but I can say that I wont get lost in the programs like Photoshop, Illustrator,and InDesign I can say I am good enough to offer my assistance to anyone who might need or want it just email me. What I was attempt to suggest by form of visual designs and photos that to blame us for corrupting our youth is as outlandish as to say that this alter-version of an atomic modern society can be considered a paradise.
Know on the issue of distributing for any young band is hard even if on a Major Label.Therefore, the only thing I could think of using live performances to push on line distributions of the album. Which on this album we used Reverbnation’s pay for a year of online distribution including with sales on interpunk which is for those who do not know a online distribution company. That with the sending the album to promotional company and collage and Internet radios stations. I will also attempt to use Facebook as a marketing process however,live shows is still the highest seller of all our merchandise. In closing, I hope I have stuck alittle interested in the album and become interested on buying it once it is announced to be out on sale. Moreover, remember that this is the first of many blogs describing the process it has taken us to create the album… and so they say we are destroying our youth?
Asta manana
Pekado
H.O.Rod
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