October 28, 2008
Clear some space on your iPod...With the release of their debut album [sensoria], the guys in the band wanted some way to show their appreciation to all of the family, friends, and fans who supported them and gave them words of encouragement during the three years spent creating the album. Headend has released the following three tracks from [sensoria] as high-quality (160kbps) MP3 files to the general public for FREE download:
- Salvolatile (9:42)
- Twilight (8:05)
- Fractured (2:00)
That's nearly 20 minutes of music from their 62-minute debut album that is yours to enjoy without spending a single penny! To get your free tracks, simply head over to the MP3 Download page from the navigation menu links above or click here to be taken to the downloads. And if you're feeling generous, maybe you'd like to leave a nice message for the band using our special Contact page. Cheers!
October 23, 2008
Request your favorite Headend tunes 24/7...We are very pleased to announce that our friends over at Prog Rock Radio have added [sensoria] to their rotation. Fans can also request any of the songs from the album to be played live on the air. Each week at 4:00 PM (Eastern) Prog Rock Radio will countdown the top ten most requested songs of the week. So why not head over there now and dial up a little Headend? You can even dedicate the track to someone if you'd like - and we can't think of a better way to show that special someone that you really care!
October 8, 2008
We have them, we promise...A number of fans have notified us that the [sensoria] page on Amazon shows that the CD is out of stock. An ordering glitch is to blame (the first shipment sold out very quickly), but rest assured that there are plenty of CDs available for fans to order. Amazon orders will be fulfilled on time and another shipment of CDs for Amazon to keep in their inventory went out the door today.
As you may have also noticed, we have a brand new look around these parts. We're adding content on a daily basis. The Audio page contains all-new previews of the full-length tracks on [sensoria]. We're going to be adding a band biography shortly. The Discography page now features lyrics and the band's own studio notes for some of the tracks (with more to be added shortly). The storefront (which will accept major credit card, PayPal, and check card payments) should be up and operational within the next week. And we understand that the guys will be doing a couple of radio interviews to support the launch of [sensoria] over the coming weeks. More to follow on that shortly...
The reaction to the album to date has been incredibly positive, and the band would like to thank each and every fan who has checked out their music and picked up a CD. Please be sure to tell your friends about the album as well.
October 6, 2008
The wait is nearly over...-- Headend will release their debut album [sensoria] tomorrow. The album can be pre-ordered on Amazon right now. The album will be released shortly on a number of online music stores included iTunes, Rhapsody, and Napster. The album has already been made available for purchase and download on eMusic if you can't wait to get your hands on it. We know we can't.
October 3, 2008
Our ship(ment) has come in...-- We have just received word from the guys in the band that the first shipment of the new [sensoria] CDs has just been received by the record label. The debut album from Headend will be released on October 7, 2008.
Audio previews of the album have been posted to the MySpace and Facebook sites for listeners to enjoy, as well as in the Audio section of this site. In addition, the band has posted previews of all nine album tracks on this site in preparation for the launch of [sensoria].
Finally, the band informs us that they have just updated their MySpace page with some of the new artwork from the album and a new blog with some of the album particulars. Joe and Ray have asked us to pass along their sincere thanks to all of the family, friends, and fans who have supported and encouraged them during the three year journey to reach this point.
September 30, 2008
'Ascend' on the air? The nerve of them...-- Michael Dunn, a DJ who works at Planet Nerve 8 internet radio station broadcasting out of the Great White North (that would be Canada), recently played the track 'Ascend' from the forthcoming [sensoria] album during their one year anniversary special (congratulations to Planet Nerve 8 radio!). If you would like to listen to Mr. Dunn's broadcast containing 'Ascend' you can click here. Although the Headend portion of the show doesn't occur until around the 46 minute mark, we would encourage you to listen to he entire broadcast, as Mr. Dunn does a very nice job introducing all of the songs. Mr. Dunn was also kind enough to grant the band permission to use his comments and review of 'Ascend' for their various media and press kits.
P.S. Yes, he DID butcher the band's name, but Joe and Ray got a good chuckle out of it - after all, there is no such thing as bad PR.
September 15, 2008
The OFFICIAL release date for sensoria...-- Headend and its record label Meniscus Music are very excited to announce that the debut album [sensoria] will be released on October 7, 2008. The CD duplication and package printing efforts are ongoing at this time, and it is expected that the first shipment of CDs from the manufacturer will occur on or around October 1, 2008.
The [sensoria] package will consist of a six-fold Digipak container with a six-fold color booklet. The CD contains nine tracks that span a total of 62 minutes in duration. Audio previews can be found in the Audio section of the website. The nine tracks on the album are (in order):
- Salvolatile
- Twilight
- Fractured
- Meniscus (The Boundary Between)
- Cryptomnesia
- Nine Days Wonder
- Origins
- Alternate Ending
- Ascend
We understand that the record label is currently making arrangements with Amazon, Target, iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic, Napster, CDBaby, and others to distribute the album. We will have more information as the release date of the album gets closer.
April 14, 2008
A little something to get you through your 1040 forms...
-- On the eve of Tax Day here in the United States, the guys in the band have made availble the full-length final version of "Origins" as it will appear on the sensoria album for streaming on this website (visit the "Audio" link to the left). The song clocks in at a tidy 10:24 (in the typical Headend style) and features some of Ray's finest guitar solos to date. For all of you who waited until the last minute to do your taxes, at least you can listen to some new Headend material to get you through the night.In other news, the album release date is rapidly approaching (tentatively scheduled for June at this point) and the band has already begun working on the artwork for the album packaging. Meanwhile, the final recordings sessions for "Ascend," which is the final full length track to be recorded for the album, are progressing well at this point. We can tell you that the song is markedly different from the (painfully) early demo version posted in the Audio section (thanks to a sneak preview provided by the band) and will clock in at around seven minutes in length. There is definitely a very upbeat mood in the studio as the guys are finally on the cusp of a three year writing and recording effort for sensoria. Watch for the official release date to be posted here as soon as it becomes official.
And finally, the Headend website that you've come to know and love is in the process of getting a MAJOR facelift. The new website design will follow many of the stylistic themes of the album artwork and will launch when the new album is released. As usual, the guys in the band are trying to come up with ideas for the new website to increase their interaction with the fans and to provide glimpses into the everyday activites of Headend. Watch for the website re-launch to occur sometime in June with the album release...
January 27, 2008
Sense the motion, mostly forward (these days)...-- We are very excited to announce that Headend has just released the FINAL mastered version of "Meniscus (The Boundary Between)" as it will appear on the [sensoria] album. You can listen to the track using the "Audio" link above. With the addition of Meniscus to the website, headendband.com is now streaming over 35 minutes of music as it will appear on the forthcoming album. What other band gives so much and asks so little in return?
While the Fall 2007 release didn't happen as they had hoped, the band is making great forward progress these days and plans to have the recording sessions for [sensoria] wrapped up within the next few weeks. At this pace, we are projecting an early Spring release of the album (just in time to give as a gift to all those dads and grads). And if you'd like to leave a note of encouragement for the guys in the band (and they ALWAYS love hearing from fans of their music), just click on the "Contact" link above. There you will find several ways to get your feedback to the band. Enjoy the new music!
December 1, 2007
The excitement of the world as its bathed in Twilight...-- We are very excited to announce that Headend has just released the FINAL mastered version of "Twilight" as it will appear on the [sensoria] album. You can listen to the track using the "Audio" link above. At this time, however, the band has not decided if they want to offer Twilight as a free MP3 download. Stay tuned for more information on that.
We can also report that Joe has (obviously) begun working on the final mixing and mastering process for the tracks that have been fully recorded to date. These songs include "Twilight," "Nine Days Wonder," and "Salvolatile." Joe has a mastering station set up at his residence that allows him to work on the tracks even when he is not in the studio. The band is currently in the middle of re-recording "Origins" and "Meniscus" and hope to have those sessions completed during the holiday season. The last track scheduled to be re-recorded for [sensoria] is "Ascend." The "Gear" page will be updated shortly to cover all of the hardware and software used by the band during the recording of the album.
Finally, for those who have not yet visited the Headend MySpace page, Joe has been posting journal entries (blogs) that cover the various experiences he's had while working on the album with Ray. If you have not yet viewed the entries and are curious as to the inner workings of the band during the creative process (and who wouldn't be), then pop on over to their MySpace page by clicking here. The latest album journal entry was posted online today.
October 30, 2007
All treat, no tricks...-- The band has released a "working demo" version of Twilight to the website as streaming audio. The band has stated that the mix levels are still not final and that there are still a few parts (extra guitar effects and the final vocals) that will be completed during the next session. In the meantime, however, they wanted to release the demo to prove to fans that they are in fact still working on the album (things have been quiet around here lately). Also, with Halloween upon us, the band wanted to say "Trick or Treat!"
With the work on Twilight nearing conclusion, the band is happy to report that the writing for the album [sensoria] is complete. Nothing remains to be written musically or lyrically at this point. The band will be re-recording Origins and Ascend for the album, but there is nothing new that needs to be added for those tunes. It is looking like a (late) Fall 2007 release of the album may still be quite possible. The final track listing and approximate running times (the order has not yet been determined) for [sensoria] are as follows:
- Ascend (6 mins)
- Meniscus (6 mins)
- Nine Days Wonder (15 mins)
- Origins (10 mins)
- Salvolatile (10 mins)
- Twilight (8 mins)
The guys have informed us that the album will also feature some "interstitial and segue material" in between some of the tracks, but we have no further detail at this time. It looks like they want to save a few surprises for the album release.
July 3, 2007
Last one to the Audio section is a rotten egg...-- The band has released what they dub to be the "final demo" version of Salvolatile to the website as streaming audio. What Headend deems to be "final demo" versions are typically very close to what will be going down onto the album with the exception of a tweaked guitar solo, an overdubbed synth texture, or a redone vocal part. So with that in mind, we suspect that the version available here (well, not RIGHT here - it is over in the "Audio" section) is pretty close to the version that will appear on [sensoria] when it is released later this year.
Joe and Ray have also asked us to pass along their very sincere thanks to all of the friends and fans who have downloaded the Nine Days Wonder MP3 so far. The reaction has been very positive and they are considering offering more tracks from [sensoria] in the near future. They also appreciate all of the comments and message from their friends over on their MySpace page.
June 29, 2007
"And we dub thee..."-- We have three important news items to pass along to all the friends and fans of Headend out there. Let's start with the big news first, shall we? Joe and Ray have settled upon the name for the new album (and it is NOT "Headend"). The debut album from Headend will be titled (drum roll please)...
: s e n s o r i a :
The band has received the first shipment of t-shirts featuring the new album name. The [sensoria] graphic logo on the main page of this site is based on the design used for the front of the t-shirts. The back of the shirts feature a lyric from one of the songs (we'll let you figure out which one) which the band felt summarized their experiences while working on the album. We are currently working with our merchant service provider to finish up the development of the Headend online store so that fans may purchase the t-shirts (and, eventually, the album as well). We expect to have the online store open within the next two weeks.
And as if that wasn't enough news for one day, the band has decided to offer fans the chance to download MP3s of selected Headend tracks from the new album for FREE. Visit the "Audio" page (from the link above) to find out how to get your free Headend MP3 download. All MP3s are encoded at a high-quality 160 kbps bitrate for a great listening experience. Time to clear some room on your iPod...
April 18, 2007
A rose by any other name...-- Although it has long been assumed that the upcoming debut album from Headend would simply be named "Headend," it seems as though the guys may have had a change of heart. In a visit to the studio recently, I noticed a small whiteboard with a number of names written on it. Some of these were crossed out and a few had been circled. The guys would only say that they were considering a different name for the album instead of "Headend." They did mention, however, that an official announcement regarding the name of the album would be made within the next couple of weeks. Could this mean a new name for the album??
In other news, the first two Headend t-shirt designs have been completed and approved by the band. The shirts are expected to begin printing shortly and should be in stock within the next three to six weeks. The Headend online store (available from the link to the left) will be opening up shortly to allow fans to purchase the t-shirts and (eventually) the debut album. More info on the new merchandise to follow shortly...
April 15, 2007
Not just musicians anymore...-- We'd like to pass along a bit of Headend news of the type that we're fairly certain you won't see on many other band websites. It has come to our attention that Ray and Joe can both officially add the title of "inventor" to their names. The United States Patent Office has issued a patent for an application they had submitted several years ago (yes, the USPO is really THAT slow) based on special video processing modes developed by Joe and Ray for television displays.
We were planning to list the actual U.S. patent number in this update, but unfortunately it is way too easy to discover the guys' home addresses with just that little shred of information and a web browser. We will tell you, however, that the U.S. patent number ends in 734. Happy hunting!
April 8, 2007
From Gators to Tigers...-- Joe and Ray took a short break from the studio this week to meet with executives representing an emerging record label (which cannot be named at this time due to legal considerations) in the Atlanta, GA area. Never ones to resist the chance to mix pleasure with business, they attended the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game between the Florida Gators and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Monday night and also spent Saturday at the Augusta National Golf Club to catch the third round of the 2007 Masters Tournament. They signed memorabilia for fans lucky enough to spot them at both sporting venues.
The guys are now back at home and working once again in Headend studios. They have informed us that the writing is now complete on the track "Salvolatile" and they have begun recording the final demo of the song. It is estimated that the full final demo version of the tune will be available by the end of the month (both on headendband.com and on their MySpace page). We will post the announcement here as soon as they release the song, so stay tuned!
March 21, 2007
And on the 10th day we listened...-- It is finally here!!!
Headend has just released the FULL final demo version of "Nine Days Wonder" as streaming audio. The song can be found in the "Audio" section of the website. Joe and Ray have asked us to send along thanks to all of the fans who have stopped by the websites and especially to those who sent in the very positive emails and messages. The guys definitely appreciate all of you out there who have taken an interest in the music.
The band has also begun working with some graphic design companies on the first of three anticipated t-shirt designs in advance of the release of the album later this year. There is no planned availability date for the first of the t-shirts yet, but as soon as we know, we will post the information here.
March 3, 2007
Audio made easy...-- All audio clips have now been moved to the "Audio" section of the website. The music player will continue to populate the bottom frame of the site so that you can listen while you surf. Additionally, extra information about the tunes and the clips themselves have been added to the Audio section as well. Just slide your cursor up top and click on "Audio" - it is just that easy!
The guys in Headend have also announced their intention to post the "final demo" version of Nine Days Wonder sometime this week. Final tweaks are planned to be completed in the studio this week. They will be posting it here on headendband.com as well as on their MySpace page.
February 23, 2007
TheirSpace, plus the next track release...-- Headend has expanded its presence on the world wide web in advance of the summer release of their debut album. Not only can fans continue to check in here with the band at the trusted www.headendband.com location, but they may also swing by Headend's "summer home" open now on MySpace. The band invites all users of SoundClick and MySpace to stop in and visit them, leave comments, and invite them as friends (they always enjoy hearing from other music lovers). The URLs are:
http://www.myspace.com/Headend
http://www.soundclick.com/HeadendThe guys in the band have been making an effort to spend as much time in the studio as their schedules will allow these days. They are pleased to announce that they will shortly be posting a final demo version of "Nine Days Wonder" here and at the other two website locations. "NDW," as it is affectionately called, is the centerpiece of the new album and (according to Joe) the track that is most representative of the Headend approach to songwriting. The track clocks in at about fourteen minutes and twenty seconds and features some of the bands finest musical and lyrical efforts to date.
Said Bluefin: "NDW is our commentary on the vast range of emotions that we experience every single day. It was a truly collaborative writing experience between Ray and myself, and we're very proud of the song. We worked through a lot of ideas and tried to pull out the pieces that we felt were the most interesting, both musically and lyrically. We sincerely hope that the fans will enjoy it as much as we do."
February 2, 2007
Maybe Phil just wanted to meet the band...-- The guys in Headend would like to wish everyone out there a very happy new year! It has been quite some time since we have been able to post any news updates about the band. Rest assured that they continue to work on their debut album as time permits. Between hectic travel schedules, family responsibilities, and promotional duties for the upcoming album, the guys have not had as much studio time as they would like. However, I have had the chance to hear some of the tracks and I think it is safe to say that fans will enjoy this album. The tracks cover a wide range of musical styles and soundscapes that require multiple listens to capture all of the nuances.
As you know, today is Groundhog's Day in the United States. According to the legend, if a certain groundhog (famously known as Punxsutawney Phil) sees his shadow when he comes out of his hole on February 2, we can all expect six more weeks of winter weather. Joe and Ray of Headend were invited to the ceremonies to witness Phil's prediction firsthand (he didn't run back into his hole). Ray had this to say: "Joe and I had often talked about doing a concept album based on the adventures of Punxsutawney Phil. Today we had a chance to see just how ridiculous an idea that really was." Joe was quick to nod in agreement.
July 29, 2006
The interview...-- As we've been reporting for some time now, Headend has been hard at work in the studio creating their memorable debut album. Numerous hours have been poured in the writing and recording of the new material, including many late nights tinkering with interesting effects and different mixes behind the digital audio workstation. From what we have seen so far, this is definitely a labor of love for the guys in the group.
Several days ago, I popped down to the studio around 1:00 AM one morning to find Ray and Joe still hard at work mixing one of the new tracks for the album. They graciously agreed to a short interview that will allow the fans to get a quick glimpse into the creation of the new (and as of yet untitled) album. The interview can be found here.
May 11, 2006
Back in the USSR (with apologies to McCartney)...-- Headend took a break last week from their writing and recording sessions to attend a charity event in Vladivostok. The purpose of the event was to raise global awareness of the desperate situation of the Amur leopard, which is a critically endangered feline species found in Eastern Asia. The event was attended by roughly five hundred celebrities, political leaders, and activists from around the world.
The band members were on hand to honor the efforts of the Amur Leopard Conservation Support Program, and even performed a new track from the forthcoming album for the pleasantly-surprised people in attendance. Headend is now back in the studio and preparing to record the final versions of the tracks for the new album.
April 4, 2006
Track listing for the upcoming album...-- Headend is heavily engaged in the writing process for their debut album. We have a partial listing of the new tracks that have been written or are nearly completed at this point. These should only be considered "working titles" and may not necessarily be the final track names once the album is recorded and mastered. And so, without further delay, we present the partial track listing for the upcoming album:
- Ascend
- Sixteen Silver Salamanders
- Salvolatile
- Origins
- Agnostic Diagnostic
- Nine Days Wonder
March 8, 2006
Making progress...-- Headend is currently in the studio working on their eponymous debut album. The band has finished writing four new tracks and is putting the finishing touches on two additional tracks. This album will be Headend's first release of completely original material. Check back here for updates as they are available.
January 31, 2006
And now the quest begins in earnest...-- The band has entered the recording studio to begin working on the debut album. The band is planning to have the album ready for release by the end of the summer.
December 12, 2005
A close call, and the arrival of Simmons...-- Headend has recently returned from a three month visit to Nepal where they sought solace and inspiration for their upcoming debut album. The band worked briefly as shirpas guiding rock-climbing expeditions in the mountainous regions of the small Asian country. Joe had a close call when several rocks loosened by climbers came loose and fell toward him. Luckily, he escaped with only a few cuts and a badly bruised shoulder, but he will be fine for the upcoming studio sessions. Ray also came back with a new pet: a juvenile male mountain goat named Simmons.