News & Updates

We're driving through the state of Kansas right now. If you look at a map of the state, you'll see Salina right in the middle. We're pretty much right around there. The absolute middle of nowhere. I keep seeing weird, small billboards that look like they were made and erected by hand with creepy right-wing, Christian fundamentalist messages like, "Jesus is here." and "Repent." Also, I just saw a billboard that said, "2nd Friendliest Yarn Store in the Universe". Cool.


So I put out a question on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/spickler) asking what I should write about in this post. First response was "tour stories". So let's talk about Vegas. I had never been until a few days ago. We played Chain Reaction in Anaheim on the 20th and had the next day off, and then played in Vegas on the 22nd. So naturally, we headed to Vegas on the 21st to get loose. Let me reiterate; I had never been to Vegas before. It's not quite for lack of want or opportunity. I've sort of wanted to go and could have gone any number of times before now (and almost did, once. I think.), but there's been a fear in the back of my mind about it for quite a long time. I am a man with...vices. Practically all of which are, if not legal, readily available in Las Vegas. I've had thoughts of me going there and then just disappearing off the face of the earth. Use your imaginations why. I've probably pictured it already.

In the end, however, I am still alive. Sort of thankfully, I only had about 30 expendable dollars with, so I really couldn't go all that crazy. We headed out around 11pm. We gambled a little bit (have you played casino war? wtf.), drank a lot, went here and there, and then I ended up back at our hotel's casino floor around 5am at a poker table by myself, up to about $50. The drinks kept coming, and the poker table got shut down, and so I found myself at a $5 blackjack table. Soon enough it was noon and I was drinking bloody mary's. Somewhere around 12:30 I was out of money. At one point I had $75. At another I had $10. Then I was up at $40. And a minute later I'm done. Back to the room at 12:30. Asleep by 2pm. The end.

I would like to return to Vegas with more money, but that's probably a bad idea. If I gambled and drank for 13+ hours on $30, things might go incredibly wrong with more money. We'll see.


The next suggestion I got to write about was Lost. I'm a huge fan. So are Gary, Kristian, and Alex. We've been talking about what it's going to be like when the series is over. What a huge void will be left in my life. Alex says watch Flash Forward, but reallly... nothing will ever be the same.

I think Sawyer will die. I think Kate may die. I think possibly Sun will die, and Jin will have to go back to the real world to take care of the 3 year old daugther he has never met. Jack will probably stay on the island as the new Jacob. Is he not acting a bit more Jacob-ish lately? Hell, look at their names. Jack. Jacob. Is that not obvious enough for people? Cheesy? Yes. Would I put it past the Lost writers? Nope.


Ryan Fox wants to be mentioned this time. If he has facial hair right now, he should definitely shave it. Get some loafers, Ry.


What the hell is going on with the weather here at the end of April? It fucking snowed in Denver last night. I'm not ok with that. It's been windy and cold for weeks. I want SUNSHINE. I want to be wearing shorts and tank tops and flip flops. I'd like to be able to be strapped to the roof of the van and get a fucking tan while we drive for hours across the most boring places in the US. I miss Florida sometimes. Put me poolside for a few days. I look great with a tan.


Arizona. Kinda got nothing to say about it.
We leave for Europe in exactly one month.
Tweet at Joel McHale from NBC's Community and E!'s The Soup and tell him about me. Tag it with #spickler. Tell him I need to be on his show.
#spickler is just all the ridiculousness, eccentricities, and awesomeness that is me. Use your imagination.

Anybody want any advice on anything? I'm good at that. Come ask me shit at the merch table. I'll answer anything. Or even ask me on here. I'll help you out. Spickler's advice column. Make it happen.





Catch us on our upcoming tour with Terror, Kiss, Rihanna, and The Moody Blues. We'll be everywhere. Ok bye.

Quit asking me to blog! Do I come up to you when you're not doing a goddamn thing and say, "Hey do this thing you said you'd do"? NO. I DON'T.

Why is it still cold in April? I want the Florida sun right now. Madison, Wisconsin is windy. So was Elgin and so was Chicago. My hair is just a mess. I kind of look like I haven't slept in a few days. Or that I have ONLY been sleeping for a few days. Not sure which.

So we've got a bunch of house shows coming up. I'm going to go crazy and hang from ceiling fans and then jump through windows and blame it on stray dogs. I've seen it happen, so why not? Wear your best party clothes. Use your own discretion as to what I mean by that. Here's the scoop:

Sun Apr 11 @ House of Wang in Moorehead, MN
Mon Apr 12 @ Ghost House in Lincoln, NE
Weds Apr 14 @ The Basement in Ogden, UT
Thurs Apr 22 @ The Bunkhouse in Las Vegas, NV
Sat Apr 24 @ Gold Manor in Albuquerque, NM
Mon Apr 26 @ Salt Water Taffy House in Kansas City, MO

All other shows are like normal. But those are all house shows. Not to be confused with old, limping doctors. Who I've been told I look like. But there is no relation. Moving on...

So Robbers is just GREAT. Very groovy type band. I highly recommend checking them out. http://www.myspace.com/robbers/

Here's a list of things that make me laugh:

• "I am Carl Brain"
• People farting in their sleep
• Telling someone that they are whatever the last word they just said.
• The word "mofongo"
• Sex Drive. "WHERE DO YOU LIVE?!"
• Science
• My brain. I'm my own biggest fan.
• People doing impressions of me.
• Texting people with lewd lyrics. Generally from R&B songs.
• Animals wearing clothes. But more than just a shirt or something. Hats and glasses are a plus.
• The Chapelle Show sketch that includes, "I wonder what Arsenio's doing right now?" and "I'M THE BLACK SHEEP, I'M THE REAL BLACK SHEEP"

So I'm at a place called the Goodman Community Center. And I keep thinking it says Goddamn Community Center.

Carter Breazeale.

Later.

Sooooooo....how was everyone's day?

I've meant to write but I've just been buried in paperwork for the past 19 days. I mean, it's been crazy around the office. It is our busy season, after all. So you'll have to forgive me.

Ok, enough with the cute business metaphors. Whatever. I haven't written. I tried to at one point, and was almost done with a post, and then I accidentally clicked away from the page and lost it all. That made me pretty mad.

So what's been happening. Let's see...
We're on tour with The Wonder Years. That's fun.

A steam pipe burst in the room we were sleeping in a few weeks ago. That was fun too.

Played a place in Newport, KY (it's just outside of Cincinnati) that the Rat Pack used to perform at. That was really cool to me.

Lost is in full swing. Always a plus. It's annoying to have to try to catch up to it a day or two after it airs, though. Especially without other people talking about it. Alex is still trying to catch up to current anyway. He's on season 4 and wasn't floored by my favorite episode, The Constant. That Penny and Desmond scene at the end there is such a tear-jerker. Desmond rules. I'm trying to think of ideas for a Lost tattoo.

Harvest of Hope was pretty fun. Saw Leatherface almost insight a riot. Security shut their set down and Frankie Stubbs said, "THERE'S 3 OF THEM AND 600 OF US," and I just stood behind the stage going, "Wow... this is going to happen. Holy fuck." The set was great regardless. Matt Pond PA was wonderful too, though they played nothing off of Emblems. PS - hippies fucking suck.

Upcoming shows:
March 20 @ The Soapbox in Wilmington, NC
March 21 @ Legitimate Business in Greensboro, NC
March 24 @ Webster Hall in NYC
March 26 @ Looney Tunes Records in West Babylon, NY
April 3 @ Ethical Humanist Center in Garden City, NY (Long Island) - THIS IS THE TROUBLED STATESIDE SHOW. CIS is gonna play stateside start to finish.

I'm pretty stoked on that one. GET TICKETS HERE. IT WILL SELL OUT.

After that we're back out on the road for most of April with a band called Robbers. Then in May I think we'll be out with someone who I'm not sure I can reveal yet, but I'll just say they're pretty swell. And then we get to go to Europe, which I couldn't be more fascinated and excited about.

Ok I've got pretty much nothing else to say.
All I've been listening to is Blacklisted - "No One Deserves To Be Here More Than Me" and The Antlers - "Hospice". That's all any one ever needs to listen to from here on out. And the new Crime in Stereo. But that one I hear live every night, so that's different for me.

Ask me things on my formspring to pass the time.
Follow me on twitter.

Don't forget to write.

The NYC record release show has been rescheduled for MARCH 23rd. It's now ALL AGES instead of 19+. All previous tickets will be honored. Also, The Wonder Years are on the show too.
 
Good talk. See ya out there.

The United States has just lost the hockey gold medal game at the Vancouver Olympic games.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday's shows have all been canceled and rescheduled. We're now playing The Middle East in Boston on Tuesday, and then The Note in Philly on Wednesday, and then tour picks up as usual as you can see on the tour dates page.

I'm drunk. Today is Sunday. My nipples are hard.

We have added the rest of our headline shows with The Wonder Years to our tourdates page.  We are also going to be playing Harvest of Hope festival this year!  as well as a special in store at Generation Records on feb 23rd.   West coast all the rest of the US/World... we are coming soon.

Have you heard Drugwolf yet? It's track 2 on the upcoming album and it's been posted on Crime in Stereo's Myspace. I think it's a great song. Definitely helps people feel and hear what direction the new album is going in. 

Another song's going to be released in a few weeks too, before the album comes out. Should definitely give people an overall feel of the scope of the record.

I'm pretty certain that fans of Crime in Stereo, old and new, will be pleased this year.

Tour announcements!

 We're back on the road in March with support from Philadelphia's The Wonder Years. Check the tour dates section for the first batch. Only a few can be announced right now, but I'll be adding to it all the time as I get the go ahead to.

 This should be a good year.