I’ve been working with Steve Vai on various online music experiements and one night, I really just had to share what it’s like to be around such a brilliant musician… Watch this

-The equally hot & arguably as trendy, Los Angeles

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Rise & Shine neighb’s! (link)

This month marks my fifth year of living in Los Angeles. In some ways, it feels like a few decades of hard-work complete with it’s excitements and letdowns, discoveries and daunting but new opportunities. I get to make music in this community and I wouldn’t trade being here for any other experience. Unless we’re talkin’ about this guy’s.

I hope you enjoy my first music video.

Playing with Jane and David of The Black Heartthrobs is satisfying for many reasons:

They’re of the rare breed of musicians who can throw a Hefty™ bag filled with vegetable soup out of a four-story building onto the sidewalk and have it sound musical, they have an amazing studio filled with electronic candy & they frequently break into Rush songs (below). We’re playing Thursday at The ArtWalk in Downtown LA and again in Anaheim next week. Check us out, shorty.

Update: Thanks DLTA Tonight for the post!

-Andy Alt

Upcoming dates::

Sep 6, The Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA 12:30 AM

Sep 25, Whiskey a Go Go, West Hollywood, CA 12:15 AM

Oct 3, M.E.A.N.Y Fest ’09, New York, New York 11 PM

Oct 4, Arlenes Grocery, New York, New York 11 PM

Oct 24, Rusty’s Surf Ranch, Santa Monica, CA 11 PM

My drink tickets are your drink tickets, friends.

About Mia: A post-melodramatic, straight-to-the-point musical seamstress, she reads and interprets people almost instantly. We have been performing together for a few years and not once has she entertained the offer of someone else doing the business end of things. Mia brings high-production value to her shows, band, bookings, finances, web presence, video content, and music.

We have a series of performances coming up, including a performance at The Apple Store this Saturday, August 1, a CD Release Party @ The Chaimberlain Hotel (invite only) and a few other places where your feet won’t stick to the ground while listening. Check us out and pick up a one of these for a one of these.

In 1983, Thomas had an accident on his scooter and was taken to the hospital. Later, when he was resting at home, Frank Zappa & Steve Vai came over to check up on him. As Thomas explains, “They were asking me if I was OK– and I really believed I was. Then someone said something about velcro and I asked ‘What’s that?’ Everyone in the room looked at each other and the next thing I knew, I was downtown LA getting a plate in my head.” — “I like going to the airport,” he smirks.

Out of all the adventurous & well-traveled road-dogs I’ve ever met, Thomas surely has the biggest heart. When I lost my wallet one night at The Fatburger, he was the one to suggest we dig through the parking lot dumpster at 5AM. When that proved unsuccesful, he scurried into his closet and came out with a metal shoebox filled with wallets. He offered me to take any one in the box– including one his deceased father had given him as a teenager. Or one he bought on tour in Germany with Frank. I picked an unsuspecting wallet (thinking I might lose it –again) and the first thing that was done was it underwent (you guessed it) velcro-ization! I cannot ever pay a library fine for fear of being cursed at by every bookworm in the joint as they hear the “fffffrrrrriiiippppp!” of my wallet being pryed open.

Thomas Nordegg is a good guy to have in your corner. He could be an arrogant prick & shut his doors to needy broken-string bastards like me but instead, he’s wholesome and generous as he casually mentions he’s currently working on projects with Steve Vai, Dweezil Zappa, John Petrucci & various musical equipment manufacturers.

I can’t leave out the fact that everytime Thomas has come to see Zack and I play, at the end of the show, he tells us to talk and network with everyone as he packs up our gear. When I open my gigbag and pedalboard case in the morning, it is like unwrapping a present on my birthday– everything is neat, tidy and proper. Thomas doesn’t mess around. He doesn’t have the time. Here’s a picture of Thomas riding an electric scooter around the Custom Shop at Ibanez, doing 90 MPH.

I’m a Los Angeles based Guitarist, Photographer, Interactive Marketing Director & Cinnamon Toaster Strudel connoisseur. As a guitarist, I’ve found myself playing with the likes of The Roots, The Black Keys, Poogie Bell, Clipse, Poogie Bell, Gina Schock of The Gogos, Interscope Records, FOX’s “Back to You”, Walt Disney/Miramax Studios, Epic Records’ “Shut Up Stella”, USA Television Network, Long-Term Relationship (feature film), Zack Wiesinger, Ashley Mendel feat. Ben Kenney, Mia Sable, The Black Heartthrobs, Poogie Bell Band, Travisty Theory, Margot B, Blitz The Ambassador, Becky (Keanu Reeves’ post-Dogstar project), Joe & The Jungle, Henry Johnson, Jimmy Bruno, Joe Negri, Roger Humphries (Horace Silver), Tara Johnston, 2nd Day Crush, Genevieve, Beyond Bob, The Dirges, Trevor Jennings, Dallas Reeves, Hope Easton, Ana Popovic, Bobby Selvaggio, Barry Zweig, Ron Anthony,  American Idol finalists Shane Simon & Gina G.

As an Interactive Marketing Director, I’ve worked with bands and brands such as Steve Vai, Ibanez, Guitar Center, Fender Musical Instruments, Guitar Center, Ovation/Adamas Guitars, Favored Nations, Intel, Belkin, Sun Microsystems, PayPal, Lamps Plus, Simple Green, Bonne Bell, Openeco.org, St. Bernard Project, Zapzyt, Dixon Drums, Worst Case Scenario, University Games, eJamming.com, UCSD, Gibraltar, Deca.tv & Reunion Blues.

I refuse to define myself as one or the other and it’s led me to where I am now. (Candid) photo by Brantley Gutierrez.