Gabe Soriano: NEWS

Yesterday was a great day. A day that I am proud of. Yesterday, I digitally released my first full-length album as a solo artist. Throughout my life, I have recorded with many bands in many places: sweaty hardcore in a living room, spicy funk in a garage, poppy ballads in a soundproofed room in Hollywood. And with each new recording, I learn something more about the process. Music is a beautiful art, and when you play music live, you are serving it raw, upfront, un-edited. It is a once in a lifetime performance every time you perform because you never go back to it, you can never replicate it. When you create music in a studio, you are taking every aspect of the song and analyzing it over and over and over because it will last your entire lifetime, and (hopefully) then some. The studio is where music merges with permanence. Most people that buy a CD never see the band live, and if they do it is usually only a handful of times in their entire life. What people go back to is the recorded material… the records. That is why records are so important: they create a bookmark for the life of any musician. Look at Bob Dylan. That dude has so many fucking albums, it’s crazy. And in each album you can hear his progression… his descent into music and into himself. Many bands have been able to showcase this progression in their albums: Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Thrice, Incubus, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, etc… Most of the time, bands and singers are revealed for who they truly are in the studio.

“The Sailor & The Siren” was born in December 2009. I had come back from tour a couple of months prior, and I received some very sad news: my grandmother was dead. Her name was Bobbie Grinstead and she was a wonderful woman. She lived a modest life and took joy out of little things like her Chihuahuas and the color pink. She was a strong believer in the Christian faith and she died peacefully. My grandmother left me $5,000 when she died. I couldn’t believe it. Here I was, in debt from tour and freaking out about having to pay rent in a week when all of a sudden, a check arrives at my house for five grand. I thought a lot about what I wanted to do with the money, what my grandma would have wanted me to do with the money. I realized that the best thing I could do would be to do what I love: create music. All in all, I spent around $3,000 to record this album. I spent about 20 days in the studio over the course of 7 months. There were times that I was so frustrated and impatient with the album. But then I realized that I have all the time in the world to make it right, and it’s not done until it feels done. The album is finally complete over half a year after I began recording it.

All of the songs from the new album are available for free download in MP3 form in the music section of this website. If you downloaded the old versions of the 3 songs I put up a couple of months ago, you should delete those and download the updated versions. Thank you all for your support over the years. This is definitely my best work so far and I hope that I can say that next time around too. Please feel free to email me at gabesoriano@hotmail.com with any comments, criticisms, checks for $100,000... Whatever you want!!!! Be on the lookout for the next tour and… no… could it be??? Yes… The first Gabriel Soriano DVD. Effing ay cotton… effing ay. Xoxo Guuuuaaabbo

FIRST AND FOREMOST, to anyone who cares, I apologize for the lack of updates since December. It's been about 5 months since my last blog and a lot has happened since then and I fully intend on boring you all to death with the details reaally soon but for now........

NEW MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As the ridiculous title of this mini-blog exclaims, I have some brand spankin' new music to share with all of you. Now I know I was supposed to be done with the album like 2 months ago but this is my first full-length album and I want to make sure it is as perfect as I can make it. I am seriously only $350 (two-studio days) away from finishing the album. I plan on officially finishing the album by the end of this month, then getting the physical pressing of the CD completed by the end of summer. But for now, head on over to the MUSIC section of this website and check out the 3 new songs I posted. Even those ones aren't finished, but they are the closest to being done. Thanks for your time, stay tuned for a real update. xoxoxo Guabbo

I’ll start this off by saying I should have written this a month ago. I had every intention to come home from tour and write an epic blog about my journey and summarize my experience into some over thought metaphor but the truth is I just haven’t had the time. Actually, that’s a lie. I haven’t had the desire. No. Wait. That’s a lie too. The honest to god tall-and-skinny of it is that I’ve been afraid to write this. I’ve been afraid that I’ll fail to do justice to what I’ve been through. I fear that somehow, the very essence of what I’ve seen will be lost in translation. It’s funny. I’ve been home for a month and now, for some reason, I have begun writing this and far be it from me to stop. So, here goes….

Doing two tours in a row was definitely a massive endeavor. A lot of people have the misconception that touring is all booze and women and rock n’ roll. Well maybe it’s that if you’re Kings of Leon or Aerosmith but when you’re Gabriel Soriano it goes a bit different. Many, many nights are spent cold, hungry, broke, tired, uncomfortable, and alone. The part of it that is actually enjoyable is playing music and traveling. The small commodities that we take for granted seem like decadent luxuries on tour. But the lack of those things is not even close to being the focus of this undertaking. In fact, their lacking is much like a fasting. When you fast, you allow yourself to purify. You allow your mind to step away from survival mechanisms and step into a world of new awareness, new priority. You give yourself the chance to see past your next meal and to not be controlled by your hunger. And that is what touring is, the chance to look past money or comfort or even basic hygiene. It’s the chance to really absorb your surroundings. A soft sunset over the Oregon coast. A windy afternoon atop a hill in San Francisco. A gloomy rain falling on Seattle. All of these things are sharper, clearer, when they become your nourishment, when they become your reason to wake up. And there is no familiar bed in between. Hell there isn’t even a bed at all. More like a fold-out backseat bench that’s been in use since 1995. There is no comfort, no souvenirs, no appetizers. There is no separation between days and nights other than music. There is no separation between places other than a road passing by your windshield. And all of these things are basically moments; a sequence of events chopped up into what’s important. They are the moments that act as bookmarks in your life. The moments that divide the flood of images and sounds you experience everyday. They are the moments that remind you that you are capable of appreciating such beauty and contrast. I’ve been blessed to see this small stretch of Earth. I know there are places considered to be more majestic and romantic than the Pacific Northwest but nevertheless, I have felt grace in her arms.

I know I have a tendency to speak in broad terms, trying to encompass the entirety of whatever I’m trying to convey in a simile, a sentence, a written image. I know when I speak in specific detail, I tend to overstate the sentiment, over-describe the description. But trying my best to balance my words in between these two extremes, I can honestly say that every day of the tour was a blessing, a prayer to the soul, an unpaved road. When I close my eyes, a series of images flickers before me. I see a hot chai tea latte set against the backdrop of a flooded sky. I see a crowded bar serving as a halfway station for lovers and fighters. I see a thousand year old tree, standing as an anchor for the sky. I see Seattle, steaming at the cracks like a kettle. But all of these things are fading too. They are cooked down and reduced, condensed, evaporated into a flutter of words that I’ll tell my friends to convince them I was there. Jesus Christ is that the best we can hope for? A fucking story? A show-and-tell? But then I remember that these things actually happened. I remember that my friends and family were the last thing on my mind when I was booking the tour. I remember that I am chasing my own dream for my own life. Any details that become faded by passing days are mere shadows, silhouettes, remnants of a memory. But the most important detail remains: I took an abstract concept out of my head and thrust it into this world, turning it into a reality that I lived and breathed. Something I could touch and taste and smell. And even though the feeling of the steering wheel is gone from my hands, the taste of Oregon rain is gone from my tongue, and the sound of a San Francisco morning has faded from my ears, I can still FEEL these things. I can still FEEL what I felt when I was out there, carving my way through the thick earth.

The drive home was insane. Trevor and I played a show on Friday, October 16th in Seattle, WA. We finished up around 10:00p.m. and decided it would be best to make the 1200 mile drive back to Santa Barbara, CA immediately. Why?! Why not? I got some coffee, Starburst, and beef jerky and proceeded to drive south on I-5 throughout the night. I listened to about a dozen albums in entirety as I drove through Washington and Oregon, ending with the album “Vheissu” by Thrice. If you haven’t heard that album then you’re a fucking moron, but for those of you that haven’t, the album ends with a song called “Red Sky” which talks about a blooming dawn that brings redemption to the enduring struggle brought on by darkness. And wouldn’t you know it? Right as the song comes on, I see a sign that says “Welcome to California”. I keep driving, curving with the road, the song slowly builds, louder, my van is hugging the edge of a small mountain, the chorus begins… “Can you see the sky turn red? As morning’s light breaks over me”… my eyes see a tiny sliver of light slipping into the sky, followed by another, and another, until the entire sky is just a dream. You know that time of morning that comes right before you actually see the sun? The moment where it could easily be sunrise or sunset, the moment when the sky really shows you her palette? That’s the moment I was drowning in, 5:50 a.m. at the top of California watching a new day unfold before me. The first day where I could look back and say “I did it.” And I guess, in the end that’s what touring is. Something to do. Something that I do. Something that will always make me feel fulfilled and accomplished and redeemed. I had already driven 8 hours; 13 hours later, I was home.

All in all, the tours were a success. I sold some CD’s, made some videos (more of which will be posted soon), met some people, saw some sights, wrote some songs, couldn’t ask for more. There were so many people who helped me along the way it would be almost impossible to list them all and I won’t even attempt to right now because it’s late and I’m tired. As for future plans, I am very excited to say that I will be heading back into the studio in two days to record my debut full-length. It’s going to be about love, life, loss, and everything in between. I am very excited to be getting some new music out there. The songs will be posted before Christmas. Until then, I will be playing a few shows in Southern California before the end of the year. Next tour is scheduled for June and should go all summer. I hope to see you all again next year, and now, to leave you with a little Longfellow:

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust though art; to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Time: 10:43 a.m.
Date: Oct 13th, 2009
Place: Jobin and Wischey’s Back Patio
Soundtrack: Dave Matthews Band – “Why I Am”

Even as I begin to write this, I can tell it’s going to be an endurance test. This is my last day in Portland, Oregon and there is no doubt that it has gotten progressively colder since we first arrived. I remember driving into the city, after hours on the I-5 winding through trees and mountains, and seeing the first of the many bridges that connect Portland to itself. When you first catch sight of Portland, it almost doesn’t seem real. It’s like driving into Vegas after hours on the I-15 staring at nothing but dry deserts and shards of towns, then all at once, seeing the orgy of lights that dance with each other like slow fireworks. Portland is like that, only instead of fireworks and sins, it is comprised of candles and dreams. Don’t get me wrong, Portland has its fair share of sins, only here, it seems like those sins are part of the cycle. Even staring at the downtown skyline seems like an indulgence, a submergence in beauty and excess and sounds and smells that can be all too overwhelming after a day spent in a smelly van, counting the miles, watching the world slip by from behind a dirty windshield. But nevertheless, Portland is always a warm smile when you get here. Even if it’s your first time here, you will feel welcomed and at home.
Our Oregon shows have been mixed. Some good, some bad, some in between. But all in all, this has been a good experience. It’s always a crap shoot when you are an unknown, a new ghost in an old town, a bright chord amidst deep and ancient harmonies. Just thinking about all the musicians and artists and poets and dreamers that reside here can make your head spin. But for this brief moment, I am part of them and they are part of me. Call me nostalgic, call me a fucking hallmark card, but I really feel connected to this place. A couple of days ago, Trevor and I had the fortunate experience of traveling with the Valerio family to the Columbia River Gorge. If you have never seen this place, there is no way you will understand what I am about to describe. Imagine every shade of green you can possibly visualize and put them all next to each other, a stark contrast of continuity. Imagine a curving dirt trail that does all but carry you to the top of what seems like a Disneyland ride, a vast mountain covered in trees, cooled lava, fuzzy caterpillars, trickling streams, raging waterfalls, perky tourists. The Gorge was created by a flood of melting ice that tore through the rocks and trees to create the second biggest waterfall in the country (actually right now it’s the BIGGEST waterfall in the country because Yosemite is all dried up until winter). You climb and climb and climb some more, occasionally stopping to peer over the edge of the trail to see how far you’ve come, most of the time looking up at the endless tree line to see how much further you have to go. Running beside you is one of the waterfalls, tumbling over rocks and fallen trees, a seemingly endless surge of energy. When you see the source of the water, you can’t believe it… All of that gushing water, spewed out into the world by the tiniest spring. If it weren’t pointed out to me, I would have completely missed it. And in that moment, I realized that life is a lot like that spring: the same repetitive action, over and over, gushing out into unknown terrain while never fully realizing the vast impact it has created. I like that. I like that a lot. The idea that your actions may seem like only ripples, but further down the trail, those ripples become waves that are admired the world over. Keep on walking up that trail, keep on pushing to the top and you will see the whole series of lakes and streams that make up the veins of the river. You get to Devil’s Rest and you are sweating and cold and hungry and thirsty and eager to see what lies beyond the next curve. You push on until you are most certain your knees are going to give up, your thighs are going to burn right off, your throat is going to dry and your hands are going to freeze. Then, almost hidden from the world, you come to the top of the waterfall. You watch the water as it flows to the edge and then jumps off, flying through the sky for what seems like hours, turning that raging river into a cloud, a misty embrace that tickles your soul. And then you realize something: you are here, I was there, I am here, we all are. This isn’t something to pass the time, this is something to keep the time from passing.
Tonight, we’ll play at the Capitol Bistro. We’ll drink cold, cheap beer and fill our bellies with beef and cheese and we’ll sing songs old and new. We’ll flutter through the ears of those around us, eating dinner, drinking wine, having the same conversations. Only tonight will be our last show in Oregon, tonight will be our farewell to this gorgeous sliver of earth. Then we will pack up, we’ll sleep tight, we’ll be cold and tired. We’ll wake when the sun rises and make the 3 hour drive up to Seattle for one last hoorah before returning home. And when we get home, we’ll indulge ourselves, we’ll tell stories, we’ll exaggerate, we’ll look at pictures and we’ll remember. We are on the brink of the past right now, and by that I mean that all of this will soon become a memory, no longer the reality that we have lived for weeks. This will all become a snapshot, a photo album, a video clip. This will all become my yesterday. And when we look back, trying hard to piece the details together, trying hard to convey what we’ve seen to others, we will see the world for what it is… a gift.

Time: 12:40 p.m.
Place: Old Soul Coffee, Sacramento, CA
Accessories: A damn good Chai Tea
Soundtrack: Thrice – “Circles”

This place smells like a combination of bacon and cigarettes. All around me are students studying, old men reading newspapers, and children testing the edge of their parents’ patience. Last night was a cold one, a stiff ground on which dreams don’t easily come, but then again that’s van life for you. Thank god for my van, that fucking beast. It carries me through the world like a goddamn battalion, like a steel entourage. But it’s not the most comfortable sleep in the world; sometimes it’s downright awful. But it’s better than a cozy bed coupled with un-realized dreams. It’s better than a pile of cash coupled with no memories. At least here I can wake up and feel strong, I can feel as if my endurance of this tour has somehow given me purpose, given me hope. I still can’t believe this is my 5th tour. I remember my first tour, almost 3 years ago, and how naïve I was to the ways of the road. But now I feel at home, I feel fulfilled and bright and alive. And with every slow morning, every whisper of the world that creeps in to wake me from my sleep, every note plucked from my body and plunged into strangers, I feel almost complete. Almost.

Time: 1:49 p.m.
Place: Key of C Coffee, Ashland, OR
Soundtrack: Richard Cheese – “Wonderwall”

This place smells like cabbage borscht and cold coffee. Sitting next to me is Trevor fucking Zinn who apparently doesn’t know how to read in his head without whispering the words out loud. Another coffee shop but this time it’s a day later and I’m in Oregon. Just pulled in this morning after spending the night in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Yreka, CA, about 40 miles south of Oregon. I can’t express to you how excited I am to be back in Oregon. This state is amazing, so fresh and crisp, so bright and bold, so refreshing and so beautiful. Everyone should find their way to Oregon at least once in their life. I know this may sound blasphemous after my last blog, but it’s quite possible that I like Portland more than San Francisco. I know, I know… But honestly Portland is the best of all worlds: the metropolitan allure, the hacky-sack hippy parks, the organic rebel sidewalk culture, the tragic theater light parade, the gourmet aroma of sizzling slivers, the winding mountain taste test, the fresh squeezed shuffle of the streets. Portland is a safe danger, Oregon is a sweet mother, cradling the northwest like a sleeping newborn. But if all of these pretentious metaphors don’t work for you, then maybe this will: Portland SINGS.
But enough of this free advertising for Portland. Either you’ll go or you won’t and you’ll like it or you’ll hate it. As for me, I’ll always love this place. It’s amazing how comfortable you can feel when you’re so far away from anything familiar or secure. Granted, I’ve been here before so there is some recognition, but I have yet to sink into this place. When I come here, I feel like I am picking up where I left off, like I am printing an old roll of forgotten film. Jesus Christ I am fucking starving right now and this You-Tube upload bullshit is taking forever. Oh well, it will be worth it. I am craving soup right now… hot hot soup. Delicious creamy broccoli cheese chicken soup. Tonight we’re playing Liquid Assets Wine Bar for a couple of hours, hopefully we’ll sell some music and make some money. Our last three shows combined totaled over $500 in profits so we are pretty stoked; I just wish we didn’t have to spend so much money on gassing up the wagon. But it’s all good, it’s all great actually. And best of all, it’s all open. Wide open.

Time: 1:29 am. September 30th, 2009
Setting: San Francisco, CA, USA
Location: Will Abramson’s Back Patio
Soundtrack: Noisettes – “Always Remember Me”

This town is full of ghosts. Every street you walk, every face you see, every sound is a bookmark of the past. I swear to god this place is a movie set. You envelop yourself in its’ serenity, its’ beauty, its’ utter majesty, and that’s just what this place is… majestic. I’ve been to San Francisco a few times before today, some when I was a child, mostly on tour. Shit, I was even born in Berkeley, I suppose that’s why I feel such a connection to this place, so close to the portal from which I leapt into this world. Ok, sure, I may sound a bit too deep, trying too hard? Who cares, I am trying to focus on the city lights that lay below me… like a million candles withered to the wick and at the end, it seems this city is always about to collapse and rebirth itself. Fragments. Either way, it’s a warmth, a smooth wind across your face, a love letter to the soul, a postcard, a silhouette, a magician. This place can be whatever you want it to be. Keep on walking in one direction and you’ll find yourself in straight up paradoxes. Completely separate pockets of life totally intertwined, yet completely independent of each other. But even that independence is intertwined with its’ separate pieces. And what are all of those pieces but shards of the oversoul, that great force that drives us, that sprouts, that breathes, that shines.

Golden eyes peering over calm waters Prayers being sung through the pulsing beat of the streets, all of them a transport, a rocket ship to wherever you want to be. Are you gay? Are you black? Are you rich? Are you asian? Are you homeless? Are you white? Are you scared? Are you tired? Are you addicted? Are you broken? Are you born? I’m sure that everyone and anything can fit into whatever it wants to. And I guess that’s why I like it here. This place is so accepting, so redeeming, yet so unforgiving, This place is a bomb that has been peaking for decades, and it continues to blossom over itself again and again. This place is a mirror, a descent into your self. Some would say it’s a microcosm of the universe., some call it home, some see it as a cemetery, some see only the lights, the smiles, the whites of the eyes, and some will always regret this place. As for me, I see myself as a piece of my here and now. I see myself as a serpent unto this city, sliding over its’ skin like a legless prophet.

When all is said and done, I will have a past. I will have a story, a song, a myth to weave into the mouth of the world, and I will be forever grateful for this window, this vision of the world as a puzzle, constantly being put together and torn apart by the egos of men and the faith of the pure. And when the sun rises tomorrow, I will feel awake, alive, alert, and thankful. Thankful that I was able to see my life for what it was: a blink, a whisper, a smell, a taste, a star, a mystery, a fog, a memory.

Haven’t even read everything I just wrote…. Essentially once long dribble. But I guess that’s what I was going for, the un-interrupted emotion, the un-bridled scream. In any case, I will be gone tomorrow, and this will be another “last night in the city”, and I will be on stage and I will be bare and loud and soft and scarred. And when this is over, I will look back and say that I became what I could, I will peek into the past and find myself in this place, on this bridge, in this cup, on this hill, thinking of her, under this light, beside the glow, and I will know myself as another. I will become the stranger and I will do it all just to crumble, just to taste the remnants of this beautiful place. I know I’m leashed, I know I’m frail, but I also know that I am capable. I know that I am here, and I know that I will always be a slow breath, a soft tongue, and warm hands… this is home.

Hello there my wondrous compadres,
So I know I should have posted this at the end of my last tour but what can I say, shit happens, or doesn't, who knows... anyways the Martyr For Hire Tour has come to an end. Thank you to everyone who came out to my shows and purchased my cd's and gave me a place to stay or a bowl to smoke or a beer to drink or a plate to eat or all of the above. Also a big thank you to myself for rocking so hard.
After the tour ended, I had about a week off during which I played 4 shows with the band and 1 show with just me and Trevor (Zinn of Wrong Again). Then, Trevor and I embarked on the Dead Poets Tour about a week ago. If you are going to be near any of the spots we are playing, I encourage you to come out. Also, we are still trying to book shows in Oregon and Washington so anyone with any pull in that area should contact me.
This current tour is sponsored by Dead Poets Apparel, a kick-ass clothing company that you can check out at www.deadpoetsapparel.com Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from all of you very soon. And if anyone wants to send me a shitload of cash and booze and gas cards, that would be sweet... I mean really effing sweet...

So guess what?!?! Effing radiator on the Deathstar finally gave out and sprung a leak. Now my van cannot drive more than 10 minutes without steaming up and overheating and shutting off... Aaaarrrrggghhhh! My sincerest apologies to Eclectic Books in Murrieta and Terraza Grill in San Luis Obispo for having to cancel my shows. Sorry to all of you who were planning on coming out as well. I promise I will make up the shows soon!
So now what? Dropping my car off at the mechanic today. Hopefully will be ready tomorrow, then off to play Grover Beach tomorrow night, fingers crossed... Then I'll be able to complete the rest of the tour, granted my fucking alternator doesn't decide to dump out on me. Well what are you gonna do, right? Gotta roll with it. Everyone that's ever toured always has the whole "car break down machanical shit" story. I guess it's some sort of initiation...
Here are the dates of the tour. I'll keep you updated if there are anymore cancellations. Effing ay cotton, effing ay.

So we'll start this one off with the last subject in the header: Self-Doubt. Well... fuck. It's too easy to get caught up in self-doubt. I know, believe me. It's such a weird dichotomy: to be full of confidence, yet full of doubt. The fear of failure constantly looming over my head, the almost paralytic feeling of unfulfilled capabilities and potential. I guess what I'm really getting at with all of this is that I'm scared. I'm turning 25 years old in 3 weeks. Everyone tells me otherwise, but I feel that the clock is ticking faster and faster. It seems like my window of opportunity is quickly closing. I mean, the music industry isn't usually too keen on signing old wash-ups. So unfortunately, if you haven't made it by the time your 30, your chances are pretty fucking slim to say the least. And with every passing year, I feel like I am not only getting closer to my goals via albums and touring, but also getting further away from that prime age that allows those goals to materialize and become something tangible. I feel like I am a huge pitcher of wine, eager to pour myself into the mouth of the world, only not being able to do so because, well, pitchers can't move. They need someone to pour them. And I pray that I will be recognized by a talent scout or an agent or a producer as a unique musician with a fucking plethora of sound inside me. And hopefully they'll tip that effing pitcher. But until that happens, I'll remain a self-doubter. Sucks, right? Well look at it this way: If you wanna be a doctor or a truck driver or a teacher, there is a set path to follow. Society says, do A, B, and C and you will get to D. Not only that but you can monitor your progress and see how far you've come and how much further you have to go. Music, or the entirety of the arts for that matter, is so vague and ambiguous in it's path. I mean, there are douche-bag fashion queens out there that couldn't play a G-chord for the life of them, that have never booked a show, that have never toured independently or released albums independently, yet they are at the top of the charts, praised by the masses as being genuine hard working musicians *cough* Lil' Wayne *cough*. And all the while, there are FUCKING GENIUSES roaming about un-noticed, molding our common idea of sound into something that has never been heard before. Ahhhh fuck it, this is way too much downer shit. Ultimately, everybody is responsible for their own life and their own perception towards it. But damned if it doesn't get discouraging along the way...
Anyhoo, onto the rest of the blog...
WEBSITE! Back up and running! Download all my songs there for free. Any and all info can be found there. Sign my guestbook!
TOUR DATES! Still finalzing some dates but I can tell you I already have about 20 booked and only like 5 or 6 more to go. Will post as soon as possible!
RECORDING! Going into the infamous Love Juice Labs with "Wrong Again" in 2 weeks to record a 6 song ep. Effing a cotton, effing a.
FULL-ON LIFE GOALS! Succeed in music. Respect and love myself and others. Understand the world as being a tangible reality by which we affirm our combined spiritual destiny. Experience the spectrum of existence. Appreciate the moments in between the moments. Stop drinking soda.
More to come soon. In the meantime, please be kind to yourself and to each other. The world is big enough for everyone. And now to end my blog with a quote from myself:

The beauty of life is that, through free will, there is destiny. - Gabriel Soriano

Pretty fucking sweet huh? Oh and by the way, Wischmeyer, if you're reading this, SIT!

Hey there everyone,
Well I think it's been maybe 7 months or so since I wrote a blog updating anyone who cares about what I'm doing. So if there is anyone out there who is lying in bed, alone at night, thinking to themselves "I wonder what Gabriel fucking Soriano is doing with his life right now", here is your answer:
On January 13th, I moved from Riverside to Santa Barbara to join the band "Wrong Again", fronted by my brother-in-law's brother, Trevor Zinn, but I just call him Dell or Dell Dubes. So anyways, I've known everyone in the band for a couple of years and we've all hung out and played shows together and what not and we decided to join forces and see what happens. The band (minus the drummer, Hayes, who may or may not be comfortable at this moment) were all living in a house together along with Boogie and Greenery. They had some extra space in the garage so I said "berzerker" and moved my shit in and here I am, living in a garage and working at a sandwich shop. I won't say the name but it rhymes with Jizzno's. The band consists of myself and Trevor acting as duel frontmen, both alternating leads and rhythm guitar, Cayton Erhard on acoustic rhythm guitar, Niels Rassmussen on bass, and Matt Hayes on Drums. We play a mixture of funk, blues, rock, and reggae. We are hoping to get into the studio soon and then head out on a tour mid September. So what's with the Love Juice Sessions you ask?
15 months after initially recording the songs for my latest ep, I finally got through the whole process of finalizing the mixes, doing additional recording, creating and finalizing the artwork, saving up the money to press it, submitting all the stuff to the cd company, and having it shipped out to my door, YESTERDAY. Thank God. I am so so so relieved and excited. It will soon be available for physical purchase through cd baby like "Into The Noise" and "Demo 2005" and also on my website for free download. But Guabbo, what's up with your effing website, it's been down since last year?
Money. Bottom line. When I went on the American Vagrant tour, I spent all my money on the road and when I got back I was hella broke and the website fee was the last on a very long list of shit to get organized and paid. But not to fear darlings. I promise on my widdle gingers that I will have gabesoriano.com back online by June 6th. Then you'll be able to download all my music for free and share it with your friends. And their friends. And their friends. And their friends. And their friends. And their friends. And their friends. And their friends.And so on and so on and so on... Then I'll be set. So what's next on the horizon for goobers solo career? Glad you asked...
I am planning my next tour that will take place before my tour with "Wrong Again". I am going to post the dates by the end of June but for now I can tell you that it will begin August 14th and go until September 6th. This will be my 4th tour performing with my loop station, and my 3rd tour done completely by myself. I am really excited to be getting back out on the road again. I hope I get to make some new fans and see some old friends. So is there anything else you want to add to this little schpiel Gwuuuaabbo?
Actually yes: The ultimate plan for this year is to complete at least 2 tours (a 3rd one is in the works as well but that's for another blog) and then to get back to Santa Barbara to start saving money and begin pre-production on my upcoming full length which will be out by next summer. But that too is for another blog, for now, let's just stick with what we got.
So that about covers it. Hopefully I'll see you all at a show sometime soon. Lookout for an update on ordering "The Love Juce Sessions" online. And for christsakes Kiefer Sutherland, sign me to your label! Thanks. Bye.

Yo yo yoyo’s,
Well, the American Vagrant Tour 2008 has come to an end. I want to take some time and tell you about my adventures on the road. I am going to be doing a series of blogs over the next couple of weeks with drunken ramblings and journal entries depicting my 43-day tour in which I played 32 shows across 3 states living in my E150 van named the Deathstar. There were good times, better times, and cold beefaroni. Also, I sold every single one of my CD’s that took on the road with me! That’s right, 500 copies of “Into The Noise” and “The Love Juice Sessions” gone; in the hands of various folks up and down the west coast.
Plenty of stories to come soon, but now, I want to take some time to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this tour. I have met so many amazing people along the way that I can’t even begin to list all of them. But there are some people that come to mind that I would like to acknowledge while this experience is still fresh in my memory. Got to give a big shout out to my boys in Wrong Again: Trevor, Cayton, Neils, and Matt, you guys are my brothers and my boys and we are going to ass-rape the world with our rock-n-roll. Thanks to every promoter, venue owner, booker, and bartender that helped get me a show. Thanks to all the fans from my last tour that came out; it really touches me that you remembered me and made an effort to come out and see me again. Thanks to all the bands and performers alike that I played with. Thanks to everyone at Last Stage West, great fucking food and sound and vibes. Thanks to everyone at Mongo’s for the drinks and hospitality. The fans at Red Rock Coffee, you guys made me rich!!! Big shout out to Shannon Barclay for letting me shower and crash and showing me around the city. Your like a big sister  The ladies at Downtown Joe’s for dancing through my whole set and buying my CD’s. Brandy at the 300 Room for a warm bed and hot shower, you’re awesome to the third degree. Tim Looper and everyone else at Constable Jack’s, thanks so much for everything; delicious food and a great family atmosphere that I needed at just the right time. Thanks to Beer Dawgs for rocking the shit out of the place and bringing the audience. My surrogate parents in Sierraville, Mark and Leslie, I love you guys, thanks for the hospitality. Mike and Cynthia Bennett and Mountain Music Company, you guys were so awesome for putting me up and feeding me. Another super huge huge huge mega colossal thanks to Mike for giving me a bass when mine took a fat dump on me. Everyone at the Zephyr Lounge, especially Nick and Nicole and Jackson and Strings. Nicole, you gotta put your art out there and we’re gonna start with an album cover  Everyone at Four Pints in Carson City for taking care of that drunk asshole and hooking me up with desperately needed cash. You guys were honestly so sweet, thanks so much. Everyone at Waldo’s in Klamath Falls, especially Cromwell for hooking me up. Thanks to the staff at Coffee House Café. A big thanks to Richard and everyone at Artichoke Music; such a great venue and attentive and warm audience. You guys really got something special. Everyone at The Buffalo Gap in Portland, especially Melissa and Leslie, thanks for listening to my music and paying way too much for my CD’s, you girls rock!!! Thanks to Kurt for coming out to two Portland shows and taking pics and buying me beer, you are too nice my friend. Huge thanks to Ash Street Saloon and King Carlos and The Heirs of Eiffel Tower. Ginormous thanks to Kim Delacy of King Carlos for giving me a hot shower after 16 days of not showering and a hot meal and a comfy couch. You were one of the coolest people I met on the tour so “Welcome back to Neverland Peter Pan!” Also thanks to the dude from Muddy Waters for hooking me up with coffee and a delicious sandwich. Big thank you to Ried for being a beautiful friend and introducing me to a beautiful hot dog and a beautiful piece of paper. I need another copy buddies! Thanks to my girl Kate Bennett for encouraging me and believing in me and letting me use her PA. And last but not least, I have to thank my loving family. My mother Esmirna for always being there for me and supporting me and giving me whatever I need whenever I need it. My sister Vanessa for always pushing me to continue and strive and helping me to see the brighter side of life. Trenny Poo for making sure my windows are clean and being the best goddamn cog in the history of salty water virgin crabs. And my Widdle Yinyers for her smelly butt-hole kisses. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!
So what’s next for Gabriel Soriano you ask??? Well, my first priority is to press “The Love Juice Sessions” as soon as possible. I will be hosting a huge party/fundraiser/show at my mom’s house in Riverside, CA on November 1st in hopes to raise money for the show. Anyone and everyone are invited so please come out if you are down to support the cause. Once I get “The Love Juice Sessions” pressed, I am going to go kamikaze style in submitting the EP to record labels. I have to ink a deal soon if I want to get to the next level. There is only so much I can do on my own, without proper management and distribution. Come November 4th, I will be moving to Santa Barbara and shacking up at the Wrong Again house. Ultimate debauchery to definitely ensue. Then during the next couple of months, I will be booking my 4th tour tentatively styled “The Bohemian Walking Shoes Tour” or “Lifestyles of the Poor and the Nameless Tour” or maybe even “No Money, No Friends Tour” but either way it is going to kick ass. I will be going to Texas and back over the course of 8 weeks. My new life plan is to tour every two months for two months, so I will end up with 6 months of touring and 6 months off the road, every year until I get signed or die. Come summer time, I will be doing another West Coast tour hitting up CA, NV, OR, and WA. Until then, my friends, I will be finding God and working out. Again, thank you to everyone who has been a part of the tour, whether in the audience or behind the scenes, you were all so important in making this tour happen. Thank you. –Gabriel Soriano

Hey everyone,
I've got 4 minutes left on my kinko's card. First off, thanks to everyone who has come out to my shows and all my new friends and fans. i promise I will respond to all of your email when i get hom. Secondly, with the help of Mrs. Jen naragon, I've been able to add some Washington dates to the tour!!! Look out for about 3 more to be posted in the next couple of days. See you soon. -Gabriel

Hey everyone,
It's 3:48a.m. and like an idiot I waited till the night before my tour begins to send off the last of my press packets. I am burning CD's right now and I realized I haven't really told you guys and gals what's going on with the tour. I am about to embark on my third tour as a solo artist. My first tour with Trevor Zinn, "First Timers Tour" was in March/April of 2007. My second tour was a solo tour called "Path of the Sun Tour" which was in Jan/Feb of 2008. Now my third tour, "American Vagrant Tour" is going through Sept. 2008. I can't explain how excited I am right now. I feel like it's Christmas Eve. I feel so grateful that I am able to do this. And I really hope that anybody out there is even remotely near a show of mine will try and come. I really want to meet each and everyone of you so feel free to email me or call me. My contact info can be found at gabesoriano.com and I encourage all of you to hit me up and come to a show.
Now some of you may have noticed some changes in the songs in my music player. With help from my best friend Warren Brown, I was able to vamp up the record with some backing vocals, percussion tracks, keyboard tracks, and even a friggin harmonica track. Like always, all of my songs are available for free download at my website.
Last week, I also had the honor of taking Top Ten slots in both the Funk/Groove/Soul and Southern Rock/Blues Rock channels at Ourstage.com. I am still hoping to get the $5000 grand prize so I encourage all of you to go check out Ourstage.com and discover some great music. I was also fortunate enough to be on both the Unisgned Artist Showcase and the Top Ten Countdown at West Side Will Radio. Thank you to all those who voted for me and big thanks to the crew at WestSideWill.com.
Last but not least, there is a possibility that I will be playing guitar with a very accomplished, talented, and well-established band soon. When I get the final verdict, I'll give yo all the details. In the meantime, check me out on tour. Thanks again. Hope to see you soon. -Gabriel

Last Wednesday, July 30th, I turned 24 years old. The next day, I was lucky enough to wake up and see that I was voted number 1 in the Funk channel. I can't express how excited I was. This is truly an honor. And to be voted number 8 in Rock, well let's just say I had to change my jeans ;) Again thank you all so much for voting for me. It really makes me feel good, like people are actually listening to and enjoying my music. Big shout outs and congratulations to my friends Cobalt and the Hired Guns for grabbing number 1 in punk/ska and Erik Baker for grabbing number 1 in acoustic.

On top of a number 1 channel prize and a top ten slot, I also was very surprised to receive another email telling me that my song "This Time" off of my new ep "The Love Juice Sessions" was voted number 6 on West Side Will's Top Ten Countdown! I seriously could not believe it, all of this happening at the same time. I am so stoked so again, thank you to all who voted for me. Check out more info at www.westsidewill.com. Also please feel free to head to my website and download "The Love Juice Sessions" absolutely free of charge. Thanks again! -Gabriel

Wassup brothers and sisters,
I just recieved word that I was voted number three on West Side Will Radio Top Ten Countdown! I am so excited and grateful, thank you to West Side Will Radio and to everyone who voted for my song. Check out the whole broadcast at http://www.westsidewill.com/radio/index.php and discover some great music. This is a great site and I am proud to be a part of it. Thank you thank you thank you! -Gabriel

Hi everybodhee!,
Today, I am very lucky to be featured in the Unsigned Artists Showcase on West Side Will Radio at www.westsidewill.com. Go to the site and check out my tunes along with all the other artists. Then vote for your favorite song (hopefully mine) and the winner will be featured on Friday night's program. This is a cool new site I found so please check it out and support the underground. These guys are out of Chicago so you gotta dig that. Peace biznitches. -Gabriel

Yo yo peeps,
I am very honored and excited to have been voted in the Top Ten two months in a row at www.ourstage.com!!! May 2008, I was voted 6 in Singer/Songwriter (Male). In June 2008, I was voted 9 in CMJ. Thanks to all that voted! I've still got songs in competition so please take a moment and go to www.ourstage.com and vote for me. Bands are starting to get noticed through this site, it's spreading like herpes. Lots of good music to discover and tons of great prizes to win. So vote for me so I can play at CMJ or SXSW. Keep it real. -Gabriel

Hey folks,
I know I'm a bit late in posting this but I wanted to let you all know that my song, "This Time", garnered the 6 spot in the Singer/Songwriter (Male) category at www.OurStage.com for May 2008. It's out of like a thousand entries so it's pretty cool. Also, this month I am currently 9 in the CMJ channel. Voting is still open so go do it now! -Gabriel

Wassup losers,
Just wanted to let you all know that songs from "The Love Juice Sessions" will be featured tomorrow on KCSC, a student radio station at Chico State, CA. Go to www.kcscradio.com and give it a listen. It is streaming radio so if you have Windows Media Player then you should be good to go. The show is called "The End Is In Sight" and is hosted by DJ Fathead. So give it a listen, call the DJ, request my shit, send emails, all that good stuff. This summer, I am really gonna try to break in to the college radio circuit, followed by a college campus tour in the Fall. So please help me out by requesting my music on this and any other station. Peace out fuckahs. -Gabriel

Hi everybodhee!
My brand new EP, "The Love Juice Sessions", is now available for free download in the player above. This is my 2nd EP and 3rd release overall. As usual, I play all instruments and sing all vocals on the recordings. These new songs are a big departure from my previous effort, "Into The Noise", which was more rock oriented, distorted, heavy, and very busy. "The Love Juice Sessions" is a more mellow, calculated, and deliberate effort to showcase my songwriting abilities in addition to my skills as a musician. This new CD won’t be pressed for at least a couple of months cuz I am broke as shit, so this may be the only time in awhile that you’ll be able to get these songs. I encourage you to download them and make copies for your friends, and if you so desire, leave me a comment and let me know what you think about them. A new tour is in the works for September/October so be on the lookout for that. In the meantime, I invite you to please enjoy "The Love Juice Sessions". Peace. -Gabriel

p.s. I’m going by Gabriel instead of Gabe. Make a note of it beotch.

Oh yeah. That’s right. You read it correctly biznitch. Two of my songs are gonna be in the new movie, "Frankenhood", to be released by Lions Gate!!! Did you hear that? Fucking Lions Gate. Check out all the info at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051226/ there is no trailer or poster yet but it will be coming soon. I’m not sure whether this is a dvd or theatrical release, but either way, it’s got Charlie Murphy, Eddie Murphy’s brother, playing the title character! Huge shout out to Holocaust Will for hooking this up. All of you better rent, see, and buy the effing shit out of this movie if you know what’s good for you. Alright, I gotta get going now. My awesome Mommy of the world is going to take me out to sushi to celebrate and I am trying to get faded first. So yay me, I hope everything works out. Love, me ; )

Well ladies and gents, I have just finished my second tour titled "Path Of The Sun", which was a totally inappropriate title seeing as how I toured in the middle of effing winter. I can not even begin to tall you how cold I was for most of the time on the road. But thanks to some good friends and family, I was able to make this thing happen. This was hands down one of the best experiences of my life and I have countless stories to tell for years to come. I met some random characters along the way and I have made new friends all across the beautiful state of California.

Now to clear some shit up before I get started... Originally I was scheduled to tour from Jan 12th to Feb 13th, making the tour 25 shows in 32 days. Some of you may have noticed that I did not play the last week of my scheduled shows back in Socal. There are a lot of reasons for this, the main one being that I have been violently ill (coughing, throwing up, which killed my voice) since Santa Cruz (which was almost 2 weeks ago) and I fucked up my foot jumping off cars in Long Beach (long story). Anyways, I was not in any sort of condition or mindset to finish my remaining shows, so I opted to not play at all rather than play a week's worth of shitty performances. I know, it sucks, and I'm sorry. But one of the main reasons was also that I played such a killer show in Santa Barbara (my last show before I came back home) and I knew that I wouldn't be able to top it. I wanted to end on a high note and I did which was more than I could have ever hoped for. A BIG HUGE PETER NORTH CUMSHOT THANK YOU to the boys in WRONG AGAIN for giving me the best show of the entire tour by letting me open for them at their CD Release show. If you haven't heard their debut full length, "Right For The First Time", then you're a fucking idiot. Also props to all the other bands that night: D.E.A.D. Fresh and Natural Incense, you guys made it happen.

I also would like to extend a sincere and grateful THANK YOU to Clark Barclay and the Barclay family. They provided me with a warm bed and a warm shower and warm meals everyday for almost a week while I was doing my shows in Central California. Clark's mom hooked me up with everything I needed and was very generous and hospitable so thank you thank you thank you. I also gotta give props to Shannon Barclay (Clark's sister) for being super cool, showing me around the Bay, buying me meals and drinks, and for giving me the FLAT OUT BEST jacket I have ever recieved. Also her friends are so fucking hot, it's totally ridiculous. I will now take this time to declare my love for Shannon's friend Laura, and if she's reading this, just know that I will marry you someday. Ok, that wasn't wierd or anything right? Let's hope not.

Also I gotta do a separate paragraph to give props to Dago, the lankiest most awkward most hilariously oblivious to his own genius can't even begin to describe how funnny he is mother fucker. I'd also like to say that Dago bitched out and went to work when I begged him to call in sick so we could do drugs and walk around San Fran. What a guy. Love you pal!

There are so many people to thank and give props to but I think they know who they are. Hopefully they do, but just in case... The staffs at Full Circle Brewing in Fresno, The Silver Fox in Bakersfield, Mongo's in Grover Beach, Mountain Charley's in Los Gatos, Dan Brown's in Palo Alto, Red Rock Coffee in Mountain View, Sid's Place in Sierraville (you guys fucking rock!), Grant and Green in Frisco, Bocci's Cellar in Santa Cruz, the Frog and Peach in SLO, Jay, Brandon, Henry, fucking Nico (you better save me a piece of that corn!), Holocaust Will, Dell Dubes, Matt Damon, Cayton the Rapist, Matt, Charlie, J9 and Rachel and Rachel's folks, Sean, Chris Ayer (check out his music, really bad ass) and so many other mother fuckers that are evading my memory right now. Thank you all so much for making this tour happen. I couldn't have done this without you. Oh shit, I almost forgot: Trent and Vanessa and Mom for loaning me money to make it through. Oh shit, a HUMONGOUS THANK YOU to Brad for letting me use his van for the tour. And last but not least, every promoter/booker/whatever that got me a show. Anyone I forgot, you suck, just kidding, I love you. Thanks to all!

Ok, I have been typing this for so long, I don't even know how long this thing is now. Probably way too long. Is anyone reading this? I dunno. Fuck it. New tour in the works for September/October! This time it's gonna be about 6 to 8 weeks and I WILL be travelling out of state so all you mother fuckers better watch out. Hope to see you on the road, and again Thank You to everyone that helped me make this happen. I am more grateful than you will ever know. Time to get crunk.

Hi everybodhee!!! First thing's first, Turn Of Fate is no more. After a few months and a good single, shit just hit the fan and in the end we parted ways. It was fun while it lasted and we wrote some awesome songs that we'll never get to record, but all in all it was a good learning experience. I have respect for everybody in the band and this is all for the best.

Now onto the tour, as of now, I am beginning the tour January 12th and ending Feb 8th. I am playing 24 shows in 27 days, and I am hoping to make it 28 shows in 28 days. But we'll see in what happens. But I am really looking forward to getting back out on the road and rocking out for all of you. I am looking forward to meeting new people and mooching off them. And I am really looking forward to ricking out at the CD release show for "Wrong Again" on Feb 2nd. It's gonna be a hoot. Check them out at www.myspace.com/wrongagainsb when you get a chance.

Last but not least, Bradley Bowden, or as we in the industry like to call him, B Money, and I are starting a rock band called "Elderchild". Oh yes young ones, it was be a rehashing of the epic rock bands of the past that could command a packed arena with their musical greatness!!! We are going to envoke a new sound of rock, blues, funk, and anything else that tikles our fancy. Be on the lookout for a demo and somee shows in April 2008. Until then, I hope to see you all on the road. Peace mofos!

Alright so you may have noticed a surplus of shows recently posted in my calendar. Well my eagerly anticipiated second tour is kicking off January 11th 2008 and will go until Feb 10th 2008. This tour is going to be an expansive exploration of California with a couple of Nevada dates thrown in and hopefully a couple i Arizona. I am currently booking dates to fill in every single night in my 31-day trek across the west. So if you or anyone you know can help me out in booking some shows, please contact me at gabesoriano@hotmail.com

Now onto Turn Of Fate: Some of you may have heard rumors about what's been happening with the band and whether or not we broke up. The truth is that we are still a band and we are going to continue to perform and write songs. Our drummer Brad left the band to pursue other musical projects (Brad and I've got a couple of songs in the work as a side project). Turn Of Fate is now playing with Dre, a drummer from Wildomar who just moved back from Florida to pursue music in Socal. We are going to play the 2nd Round Finals for Bodog Music Battle of the Bands on Dec 11th at The Derby in Los Angeles and we are also playing tonight at the Saddle Ranch at Universal Citywalk. You should definitely come che-ch-che-che-che-ch-check it out.

Last but not least, I know I've been talking about releasing another EP soon and a CD sampler and all that stuff and I'm going to do that very soon but all my cash is getting tied up into this tour and I'll be lucky if I make it through the whole thing on what I've got saved up for it. But I've already got the songs, the order, and the name of the new ep. So as a sliver of info, I'll give you the absolute final name of my next ep................ I II I. If you can figure it out, say it in the guestbook or give me an email. Speaking of which, I'd totally like to see more entries in the guestbook so if you really love me you'll totally tickle my fancy and let me know you stopped by. Thanks.

Well hopefully I'll see you all at one of my shows. Take care and stay tuned for more info, pics, shows, and merch coming soon.

So there has been some serious shit going down lately. I know, it's been a long time since an update but things have been happening fast. First off, I've sort of been taking a break from my solo shit (aside from my resident gigs every Wednesday at Kelly's Bar in Chino, CA and every Thursday at Shamrock's in Chino Hills, CA), in order to focus more on my band Turn Of Fate. We have been doing very well lately. Our single "Little Miss Rosie" has been getting airplay on KROQ's Locals Only and we've been getting great response at our shows. As a result, I've had to put my solo recording projects and tour on hold for the sake of the band. I'm sure that each and everyone of you out there will love our music so give us a listen. Also, we're in the works of organizing our first tour as Turn Of Fate so be on the lookout for that. Also, please request our single "Little Miss Rosie" on KROQ. Tell the beautiful Miss Cat Corbit to play our song. Alright, I'm tired now. I promise I'll update more in the future.