Hey everyone.. it's me, Kevin.. you'll usually know that it's me because I do this sorta broken up not full sentence kind of thing when I write with the couple of dots after each line.. like so.. just is easier for me.. my last name is Roentgen.. correctly pronounced (rent-gehn) usually only by Germans, doctors or scientists (see 'Xray').. however, I'm quite used to various pronounciation attempts and won't hold it against you if you say it like 'rowenetijun?' or something.. just so long as you try..
So, this is Praying Hands.. and I have to say first off.. that I've been trying to find a way to say the following that would NOT offend anybody.. after way too much thinking about it.. and way too much writing.. this is what I've finally come up with.. ready?.. PRAYING HANDS IS ABOUT MUSIC.. it is NOT affiliated with NOR does it endorse any one particular religion or lifestyle.. in other words.. ALL are welcome.. there you go.. phew..
That being said.. sometimes Praying Hands is me.. and sometimes Praying Hands is me and my friends.. usually my co-producer Noah on drums.. who happens to be one of my bestest friends.. like a brother.. and then there's Ray.. one of the greatest guitar players I've known.. also like a brother.. oh, and there's Pedro who I borrowed from Porcs and Colorir.. two fantastic Brazilian bands.. and let's not forget Stevie D.. long time homie of mine.. me and Stevie been bangin' around this town together for many many moons.. he is awesome.. usually busy playing guitar in his own band.. but made the time to play bass and guitar for a few L.A. gigs.. not to mention co-wrote two of the songs on The Acoustic EP with me.. speaking of.. The Acoustic EP is five songs that Noah and I produced together at his studio called White Buffalo.. in our native home of Los Angeles.. check out the website for more info.. theprayinghands.com
So.. a little background.. well.. I've been playing in bands since I was a little kid.. 12 years old to be exact.. we were called Black Taxi.. I still think that's one of the greatest names ever.. we played a mean-ass version of "Takin' Care of Business" by Bachman Turner Overdrive.. we ruled.. we played the school talent show.. plugged two guitars into one little Gibson amp turned up to 10.. and blew it up somewhere around the guitar solo.. our bass player Alfi had to carry us home for the final chorus.. the kids loved it!..
Since Black Taxi I've played in several bands.. most of which were so far under the radar.. with names like Low Profile.. and Shel Shoc.. purposely spelled wrong 'cause that's what ya did back then.. anyways you've never heard of these bands.. unless you went to my high school.. I eventually put together a band called SOUL.. many people said we were "AMAZING!".. and that we "should've been HUGE".. I would say we were something very special.. just as beautiful..as it was tragic.. legends in our own time, and minds.. eventually signed to, and dropped from Elektra Records.. devastating.. (sigh).. SOUL still lives very close to my heart.. a long story.. with a sad ending.. maybe someday I'll tell it.. so, the other band some of you knew me and Noah from was American Pearl.. we did a few cool things together.. like.. signed a big record deal with Wind Up.. who actually put the cd OUT.. had a song on the certified-gold soundtrack for Scream 3.. opened for KISS!.. played Woodstock '99.. played arenas around North America, like and including Madison Square Garden.. toured Japan.. and so on.. good times.. ran it's course though.. and so here we are..
Noah and I started recording songs we had been writing towards the end of American Pearl.. in a little studio we were renting in Atwater that used to be the Beastie Boys studio and former headquarters for Grand Royal Records.. cool spot.. anyways.. Noah went to Prague to work for three months.. I moved into a tiny bungalow in Laurel Canyon.. I learned a little bit about recording with Pro Tools.. and when Noah got back he moved into the place that became White Buffalo and began work on producing a record by a then little known Hollywood band called Orson (I really like these guys!).. around the same time he and I started recording the songs that would become the Praying Hands EP.. as well I started my own label.. Aceyboy Records.. named after my best friend.. my 11-year old black lab-shepherd-mix-mutt Ace (miss you, loverboy).. if you look really closely you'll find his handsome face at the center of the Aceyboy logo.. look for a full length and full band Praying Hands album coming down the pike... for now you can check out The Acoustic EP.. so.. did you get all that?.. oh yeah, and now I live in London, England.. trip out.. so, thanks for listening.. thanks for being a friend.. and thanks for your support.. see you all soon.. ;)
Best..
Kevin
