Day 1 at the office!

So, I was put to work today! Haha! It was my first day in the office! There's so many different components to this project its crazy! In the office there's lots of things going on and everyone has multiple jobs. I learned that its really important to stay current and have a huge knowledge of everything pertaining to the music industry. Which is a very extensive list. I also learned a lot about social networking and how literally everything is on the internet now! I spent today flipping through music magazines, researching, blogging, and taking pictures with the dancing monkey. It's a very different atmosphere in the office than it is hanging out with the band, but it was still a lot of fun. It was really cool being a part of this side of things. I'm loving this project more and more!


xxxxx
Bethany

The Newbie!

Heyo! So my name is Marissa. I am the newest member to The New Admirals and I am sooo excited to be working with these talented and awesome group of guys. Hmmm a little bit about me... well I am originally from Scottsdale, AZ and moved to LA about a year and a half ago and I LOVE it out here!!! The energy and people and hustle its all great. Music has always been my life. My first on stage experience I was 5 singing in front of 500 people and have been loving the stage ever since. I grew up doing musical theatre and once I hit high school was instantly addicted to writing music and playing in bands. I was lucky enough to be on some amazing tours throughout the west coast including Vans Warped Tour and have played with some awesome people in my short life of 21 years. Anyways there is a little taste about me I will keep it short and sweet but much more to come!

Peace out!
<3 Marissa DuBois

It's Me

Hi! I'm Bethany! The "mentee". I'm so excited for this project with the New Admirals! When I met them all the first time, I knew it was going to be so much fun to work with them. They were really welcoming to me and seemed just as excited as I was to be doing this.
I had an awesome time the other night with the band. My job was to take pictures during their rehearsal! Seems easy enough, but they have so much energy when they play, it's impossible to take a clear picture! Half of them turned out blurred but I got some pretty good shots.
Here they are!

First Gig!!!

So The New Admirals are playing, I would call a "warm-up gig" at a great friends wedding but every bit as important as the rest of our future gigs. It's gonna be a nice treat for all us after all the hard work of getting this amazing project right to share with all of you. It's the first one and we're all super stoked. We'll obviously have photos and hopefully some fun stories to share after Sunday. Not only that, Leigh got a new guitar. The music geek in me is always stoked about new, old, and unique instruments. I'm happy for him.

Tune in next week when we start demo tracking. Cake Live will be there to share the experience too. We'll have some videos, photos, and more stories.

-Roger

And then there were...Five!

Meet The New Admirals

from left to right
Marissa DuBois - Vocals
Leigh Walker - Lead Singer
Roger Halecky Jr. - Bass
Jake Coco - Drums
Simon Hedman Davies - Lead Guitar

The New Admirals Twitter

Hey there!

So I just created a Twitter account for the band, please follow us for more news about The New Admirals and Cake Live .

www.twitter.com/TheNewAdmirals

Tonight we had another rehearsal with the band, and it's sounding great, feels like we are really getting it together.

Next week we are aslo meeting up with Cake Live and our mentee Bethany, looking forward to it.

Take it easy

Past, Present, Future..and you!!

So here I am in Los Angeles, California, United States. It's the best state for sunshine in the country and LA is one of the best cities in the world do just about anything that tickles one's fancy. This place puts the jam in my jelly roll!!

Anyway enough chuckle, My name is Roger M Halecky and I am the one and only blonde (at the moment) and bass player in The New Admirals. I grew up in Mesa, AZ. It's on the outskirts of Phoenix, AZ-United States & about 6 hours drive time east of this cool and fun city that I currently reside for the past 7 months.

Just about this time last year, I needed a really good excuse to get out of my home town & move to this city because Mesa isn't exactly the place to follow your dreams..or feel good about future goals that aren't just average for that matter. I pretty much had to fight fight my way out of there. My goal at that time was to just get here by any means necessary, but I needed a reason to be here. I didn't just wanna come here blindly and "see what happens" if that makes sense? I decided that going to music school was my vehicle and purpose to learn some things and start my life. It's safe to say "Welcome to my Life" is the slogan for my experience so far. That should also put in perspective how much of soul eating, dream crushing, non-motivating place I come from.

So my bags were packed! After the huge hassle of student loans, cashing out retirement funds, help from my wonderful family, and calling in favors from just about everyone I know; I made it and I haven't looked back & got back into the school routine. Shortly after I met Leigh Walker through a friend of a friend in a bizarre sequence of events and he was in need of a bass player for his band. Naturally I thought, "Wait a minute, I'm a bass player?" I immediately fell in love with the songs and Leigh's passion and drive for music and hunger for success. After about a week, I joined the band.

Not long after Simon Hedman joined the band as a lead guitarist along with Jake Coco who has been the drummer for quite some time now. We are now an established quartet who hang out together and talk everyday. When I think about where I was a year ago, it blows my mind. I moved to LA, started music school of which has taught me truck loads, found a great band with great songs, killer musicians and overall great people that I have the upmost respect for. This goes for everyone involved as well..you all know who you are Ha!

I guess this brings me to now. I am checking goals off my bucket list left and right, and to think this is only the beginning. I'm living my dream as you read this. If I must give any advice it would be to reach for the stars and keep reaching till the arms fall out of there sockets, anyone who says otherwise should commit suicide. Think where you were a year ago and where you can be a year from now. It's your life and no one else's so find your vehicle to get ya there! If you can, give someone a lift to where they need to go too because, there's room in you car, don't be a jerk! Haha!=)

I had fun writing my will and testament to the future and I look forward to doing more of this. I can't wait to share The New Admirals with the best of all of you and the rest of the world. That's my reward so stay up on everything New Admirals. We all look forward to paying it back to everything involving Cake Live as well!

Welcome to my Life! and why not...Welcome to yours too!!!=)

-Roger M Halecky Jr.

Simon's story...

Hey there!

So, this is also my first time blogging, gonna be interesting.

I guess you want to hear who I am and what I do...

My name is Simon and I am the lead guitar player in The New Admirals, I'm originally from the south part of Sweden and I've been living in Los Angeles for he past 8 months. The journey so far has been amazing, the meeting of new people, and the feel of the industry and it's opportunities.

Here is the version of how I became a member of the band: I met this girl Siri Sjöberg, who asked me if I would be interested in playing guitar for this band The New Admirals. So I got to listen to some songs and thought they sounded great, couple of days later I met up with Leigh Walker (the lead singer/guitarist ) who told me about this band and his ups and down in his life, I was amazed what he gone through and the fact the he never gave up was very inspiring to me. After a couple of rehearsals he asked me if I wanted to become a part fo the band, and I think you can figure out the answer to that question!

The boys in the band are amazing, love their attitude, the burning passion for music and the drive to success.

So this was my first few words about this whole project. We will of course keep you all posted on what's going on with the The New Admirals.
Take it easy!

/Simon Davies Hedman

Leigh Walker: Dreams and Convictions

Ok So this is my first Blog under Cake Live... Where do I start..

My name is Leigh Walker and I'm the lead singer and guitarist of the band THE NEW ADMIRALS. I'm originally from Sydney, Australia and moved to Los Angeles just over a year ago to pursue my dream of playing music.

This last year has been a roller coaster ride full of highs and lows but I feel  their is finally some light at the end of the tunnel. My band is my life and if you judge someone's dream by how much they have given up I can honesty say I've given up everything to make my dreams come true.

From leaving my friends and family behind, to having my original band KISTONE fall apart just as we were on the verge of signing a record deal when i first moved to LA, nothing has deterred me from pushing forward with my goal of making great music that can help inspire people all over the world.

Life has not been easy in LA. For a year I was unable to work, and I now had to start a new band from scratch. This was very disheartening as I had my dreams right in front of me and in an instant it was taken away. In addition in the past three months my Japanese Aunty passed away and I could not make it home to Australia for the funeral.  To make matters worse, our rehearsal studio got broken into and all of our equipment got stollen. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, some of the band members I was working with had to leave due to circumstances in their own lives. A question for the Universe: Why does bad luck always seems to come in multiples of three?

With only a half empty glass I decided to grab it with both hands and fill it up to the top. I was not going to let anything stop me from doing what I love. Even with no instruments and no money, I was going to make this happen.

So I opened myself up for the possibility of miracles appearing in my life. Sure enough right on que my life changed. Through a friend who went to Musicians Institute (MI), I was introduced to two musicians who would lead me to the path to gold. When I met Simon Davies-Headman and Roger Halecky Jr., it was love at first sight.  Simon is a talented and determined Swede who plays guitar and sings. Roger is a groovin bass player originally form Arizona. The two of them joined myself and, my last remaining band member, the very loyal, and incredibly talented Jake Coco. Jake was one of the first musicians I had paried up after moving to LA. Jake has stood by me through a lot of these highs and lows. Jake you are awesome man!

With the help of Simon lending me his back up guitar and being able to borrow some friends guitar pedals, the four of us have been rehearsing around the clock. We are now putting together the final piece of the puzzle-- A female singer with a big voice who plays piano. Stay tuned.

Another miracle has been Sarah Mason from CAKE LIVE.  We met through mutual friends. I had heard about her mentoring program and it was something that I was very passionate about. CAKE LIVE takes kids ages 10-17 who have a passion for the creative arts and a need for a mentor. They match the kids with up-and-coming artists and a Creative Arts for Kids Expression (CAKE) PROJECT is born. The project is mutually beneficial--helping artists like me give back and giving kids the opportunity to learn from our experiences. Sarah has been  amazing and I can't thank her enough. I hope I can be as big an inspiration to my mentee as Sarah has been to me.

Stay tuned for more updates on THE NEW ADMIRALS and CAKE LIVE...

Who knows where this will go but my heart is beating fast.. I'm living life, and feeling alive!

CAKE PROJECT: The New Admirals - Rehearsal time

Rehearsals are going great! The sound is really coming together. Check out pics from a recent session.

Leigh Walker, Lead Singer, Guitar

Simon Davies Hedman, Lead Guitar

Jake Coco, Drums

Roger Halecky Jr., Bass

The New Admirals. The Real Deal.

For more information on this project, visit http://www.cakelive.com/music

Bringing Funny Back - The Laugh Pack

CAKE LIVE welcomes its newest Mentor - Bruce Fine ladies and gentleman!


Bruce Fine knows funny. The Massachusetts native's streetwise style mixed with his boyish looks and charm has won over audiences across the country.  He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , Comics Unleashed, and was also a popular semi-finalist on NBC's Last Comic Standing. His TV credits include King of Queens, My Wife and Kids, and the "Build-a-Bear" campaign. Next he stars opposite Chevy Chase in the new HOTEL HOT VACATION a sequel for the popular VACATION franchise. In addition to his extensive comedy and acting chops,  Bruce is an Emmy nominated television Producer. His latest venture,  an All-Star Comedy show entitled THE LAUGH PACK, brands him as true entrepreneur.


Bruce Fine’s THE LAUGH PACK, is the future of comedy. With the introduction of THE LAUGH PACK Bruce has created a new model for "the comedy club".  Bruce was inspired by the famed Rat Pack and their ability to display the passion for the show itself, headlining the "talent" whilst serving up great food and drinks. The "comedy club" has traditionally put the spotlight on the club owners leaving the comedians to fight for their spot on the marquee and comedy club goers to wrestle with exorbitant parking fees.  THE LAUGH PACK changes all this.


In order to reclaim the important elements of the comedy club-going experience, Bruce created a nomadic gang of the best comedians in the city, and travels to some of the finest venues (currently in Toluca Lake on Sunday evenings) giving audiences an evening a great evening of comedy and dining experience.  “THE LAUGH PACK is all about quality." States Fine. "Quality places, quality food and drinks, quality service and a quality show.”  


Each show consists of a rotating cast made up of three of the best comedians around Los Angeles paired with a singer; the exact opposite composition of the Rat Pack. “If you’re looking for first class entertainment and first class dining and cocktails," proclaims Fine, "then come out to THE LAUGH PACK show. We're bringing funny back"  


CAKE LIVE is excited for this new partnership with Bruce Fine and THE LAUGH PACK and welcomes them to mentorship!


THE LAUGH PACK performs every Sunday at D’Cache Lounge in Toluca Lake, doors open at 5pm, show starts at 7:30pm. For more information and tickets visit the website THE LAUGH PACK.

Live from Coachella!

CAKE LIVE Music Director, Lori Schaffhauser hit up Coachella. Here's her playlist.

Audience by Cold War Kids

Dog Days Are Over by Florence and The Machine

Spotlight by Mutemath

Sun Hands by Local Natives

Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

Epic by Faith No More

Rock Co. Kane - De La Soul

Heavy Cross by Gossip

White Lies by RX Bandits

Clap Your Hands by Sia

Cars by Gary Numan

I Feel Better by Hot Chip

The Underdog by Spoon

Yo Lo Tengo Lo Mio by Yo Lo Tengo

Black Swan by Thom Yorke

1901 by Phoenix

Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz

Don't Let Me Fall by B.o.B.

Tessellate by Tokyo Police Club

Through Being Cool by Devo

Intro by The xx

Feel It(Three 6 Mafia vs. Tiesto) [with Sean Kingston & Flo Rida]

Thieves by She & Him

Flash Delirium by MGMT

Uprising by Muse

Percussion Guns by White Rabbits

Life Story by Jason Bentley

Die by the Drop by The Dead Weather

Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z

The 16th Hour by deadmaui5

Dreams by Passion Pit

First Train Home by Imogen Heap

Lips Like Sugar by Echo & The Bunnymen

Oxford Comma by Vampire Weekend

People Say by Portugal The Man

I Know What I Am by Band of Skulls

Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear

Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap

Dog Days Are Over by Florence and The Machine