SiMent's News Update

If you were at the final show, you probably remember the multimedia presentation that played on the big video screens right before the show. And if you didn't make it, I think you get the idea of what's next.

Now, up for download is a 5.8mb Flash movie (swf) of that presentation. Featuring plenty of never-before-heard audio tracks, many from a time period when we barely knew what we were doing, as well as some new pictures.

This was created solely by Ralph's brother, Chris Thompson, as a tribute to Brian and the band.

Click here to view the presentation (Flash 6.0+ required) (also: do a "[right click], Save target as..." to have it for ever and ever).

Go here if you need to get yourself a free copy of the Macromedia Flash player.

The entire new EP is up online in MP3 format for you to steal in the audio/video section.

Also, five quicktime videos from our final performance have been added, just in case you missed the show -- also in the audio/video section.

Well that certainly was fun, wasn't it?

Thanks for being with us through the years everyone. To say it was a lot of fun would be a gross understatement.

This won't be the last news update though. We have tentative plans to put a box set together with lots of fun stuff on it.

PS: Remember, if keeping up on Dave's new songs and projects is something that sounds like fun to you, don't forget to go to www.toastworks.com

The show is booked. We will play our finale show at Toad's Place on the 13th of January in about a month and a half.

Now, we make sure we're rehearsed, as well as make sure our six-song CD is ready for the show.

More news will come as it becomes news. We're all very stoked.

After an absurdly long delay, the ball is officially rolling.

Our last show will be played at Toads Place in January. Somewhere in the first two weeks of January. Exact date not known yet. Mailing list people will be the first to know, so sign up if you aren't already.

Provided we get our way, Saffron will be playing on the bill with us, as they are our old school sister-band (two of them are actually sisters, too!).

We've asked Bryan Schwartz to step in to fill Brian's shoes for the night. He graciously accepted. I think Bryan Schwartz has heard our songs more than anyone in the universe (yes, even band members) as he recorded and mixed our album, 'Do You Like Me?' in 2000 and 2001.

At this final show, we will be releasing a limited number of copies of a six-song EP (as yet untitled) of brand new material recorded by Ralph, Jay and I. It features songs you may have heard at the last several SiMent shows: "Freak Me Out", "Daydreaming", "Erin, don't walk away"; a song you may have heard Vitamin Tramp play: 'Niether of us knew what I was trying to say', a song you may have heard me play: "You Close By", and a brand-spanking new song penned by Ralph (which could very well be our swan song): "The next big thing", a light-hearted song about every small-time band's struggle towards success (sound familiar?).

We still have about 250 copies of our 2001 album that will be on sale at the show, and we intent on having at least 100 home-pressed copies of the new EP on sale at the show. Orders will be taken online for these new CDs after the show if you couldn't get your own copy.

ALL of the proceeds from this show will be donated to Brian McGarry's memorial fund.

So, again: Sign up on the mailing list to make sure you know what's happening, ok?

Happy turkey day, all.

SiMent still exists.

Our web site disappeared for a week or so, and as you can tell, it's back up, and partially working.

Many of you are asking when the last show's going to be. My answer is I don't really know. I'm personally busy as hell. I'm finishing up my last semester at UNH (taking 21 credits.. ouch). So I'm really too busy to plan something like this.

In the meantime, we're finishing up the last CD. It's going to be a 6 or 7 song EP with new and old stuff. A guest bassist on each track. So far, Stacy of Precious Johnson (and formerly of the Fryalators) has put down her bass part for "Daydreaming". Other people lined up to lend their talent are Austin (of Vinnie's Address), Grimm (of Amnesty Underground), Todd (of the Limit), Bryan Schwartz (Producer of Do You Like Me?), among others.

But screw that! The big news?!?

Ralph's gonna be a dad again! Yeah-huh! Ralph and his beautiful wife Susie will be expecting a bouncing baby boy come June!

So that could delay the show even more... We apologize.

We want to play as badly as you want to see us... so I guess that's a sliding scale there.

I'm keeping busy, musically, with a few bands I play in. Check out www.toastworks.com for my latest.

We'll definitely be in touch.

Finally. Relaxation. Life's been busy.

Ralph got married. Congrats to Ralph and Susie! Very soon thereafter, Ralph came down Milford way. Jay, Ralph and I got together and played some music, and it felt great. It had been too long. We learned a new song of Ralph's, and a new song of mine. We talked about the next CD we're going to make. It might be a 6 or 7-song EP, and it might be a full length incorporating some older, almost forgotten-about songs.

Either way, it's gonna rock. We've got plans on recruiting some local friends/talent to help out on the bass parts, but that's all in the works. But the good news is that it's all in the works!

A mere four days after Ralph's wedding, Ralph played best man to Kevin and our good old buddy/official roadie, Kevin got himself married, too! Congrats to Kevin and Juliette! Check out some preliminary candid shots from both weddings.. Real shots (courtesy of Jay and Shari, of course) are on the way.

Ralph is on his honeymoon right now, but the wheels will again get rolling once he's back in the northeast.

Dave: Whew.. Finally a breather for me. I've been rather busy with several bands, and for the first time in maybe a year I don't have any shows booked. I'm very excited to be attending Ralph's and Kevo's weddings in the next couple of weeks.

Ralph of course has been busy preparing for this very momentous occasion, and Jay has been consistently busy with his flourishing photography business.

We've been throwing around lots of ideas for this last CD we're going to put out. What songs will be on it? How many songs?

I've also taken on the increasingly daunting task of compiling every tape and CD of audio that SiMent has ever recorded. Ancient practice tapes, live tapes, old masters, rough mixes, alternate mixes. Click this for a giant image of the image of the tapes on the opening page.

Seems like a lot of hoopla for a band that noone's ever heard of, eh? We've had a long career, and it's truly been some of the best times of our lives. We want to compile all of our audio into something a little more digestible so we can try and relay our experiences to you and show you all just how much fun it's been.

We are currently shooting for August. August is the magic month. We'd like to have our finale show at Toad's place then, simultaneously releasing our finale CD. And then we call it a day. We only wish Brian could be here to see our grand finale.

I want to have a SiMent box set ready for our last Toad's Place show. I'll probably have about 10 or 15 of them for the show for about $30 each, and the proceeds will of course go to Brian's Memorial fund.

In the meantime, check us out at Fenway!

Jay, Ralph and myself have spent the last few days with Brian's family and a huge amount of our friends.

At this point in time, I would say Brian is more friend to us than bandmate. However, the day I asked Brian and Ralph to come over to my house and bring their instruments, I barely knew either of them.

Ralph, I knew from the area BBSs (old school local-area AOL thingeys) for maybe a year or more, through our uber-roadie, Kevin May.

Brian, though.. well all I really knew about him was he was a really funny guy that played the bass and liked Primus.

The friendships that grew out of this band are among my best friends of all time. I'm glad you all got to know him, and only wish all of you could have known him as well as we did. Ralph, Jay and Brian are all brothers to me.

SiMent has been a band for over seven years. We all saw each other turn from nutty teenagers to all-out adults. We all saw each other graduate high school, go away to college, (some of us) graduate college, get jobs in the real world. Seven years is a little bit over a THIRD of our lifetimes right now. We're all so young, but have experienced so much together.

Lookin back, we had our high point back in 1999 or 2000. Those were some great times. And although we haven't done a whole bunch in the last year, we're not done just yet. Jay, Ralph and myself have agreed to continue with recording the last handful of songs we've got. And when they're done, they're yours. After all, we'd be nowhere without you all.

We all miss Brian dearly, and deeply thank you for seeing some of you in these last several very difficult days for all of us.

We'll be checking back in with you soon.. don't go anywhere.

-Dave (Jay and Ralph.. and Brian, too)

Bonifide proof we could've been millionaires today if we copyrighted that stupid phrase.

Preproduction is beginning to happen on the new set of recordings we're going to make. It's gonna be a shiny recording. Very shiny.

There will be a big Holiday-season party at Stacy's house. Everyone's invited. Come on down! Ask us for details.

News has been archived, a new history section has been added. Pictures have been scanned and are on their way up to the site. With any luck, there will be twice as many pics in the history section as there are now.

We're still kicking. Yes. True. Kicking it at old school.

Well, it's partially true. I (Dave) have pretty much completed a home studio in my room here in Milford. And in this studio, SiMent will record a "follow-up" "EP'" to their "critically acclaimed" "full-length 2001" release. That had to have been the most cliche statement this band has ever made. But, statement, it is. And we will stick to our guns.

We'd like to see it released somewhere in the fall.

We would also like to announce a photo contest!

The winner for each category shall win one of the following:

You can scan and email us your contest-winning photo, or freak us out completely by showing up at random and handing them to us in person.

We had a nice little Independence Day party in West Haven. Hope all you attendees enjoy your new CD.

We've done a little housekeeping here at the website. Worked in some new links and lyrics. Keep your eyes peeled for more new mp3s to come.

Vitamin Tramp shows are a-coming... SiMent shows, with any luck, are a-comin' too!

We uploaded "Andrea" to our mp3.com site. We recorded this back in early 2001 during the album recording sessions, but didn't quite finish it. But we bring it to you for your listening pleasure! So, listen to it, ok?

While there unfortunately isn't a lot of SiMent news to report, we'll report some news anywho. SiMent was supposed to play a show in Rhode Island, alas due to a previous commitment, Brian couldn't do it.

Vitamin Tramp to the rescue! Ralph and Dave, wielding guitars and basses, along with Joe (the artist who formerly carried our crap around) will rock the Rhode Island house known as Sal's in Johnston. Come one, come all to the smallest state in the Union -- home to all kinds of great things like.. well.. come on down!

Also check out Precious Johnson on June 1st and 6th in Danbury, and with any luck, on tour in late June and early July.

Also, there's plans in the works to have some kind of coffeehouse show with Saffron and Vitamin Tramp -- always a good time.

I guess the biggest news is we have another show! Yes'm, we're heading back to the Madison Arts Barn for another show. It's gonna be really really big this time. A really really big shoe.