THIS IS THE...

DEC, 2005

NEW Christmas Song! On Sunday the 27th of November, 2005 Mike had the idea to write a Christmas song. Clay had suggested writing one last year with the title "Christmas Girl". This new song, now fleshed out as "Last Christmas Girl" was written and demo-ed the next day by Mike in the morning. He then emailed the backing track to Clay at work and by that night Clay had fleshed out the vocal melody and the lyrics and recorded all the vocal parts. He then emailed the tracks back to Mike and Matt added drums on the 30th and Jack added bass the same night. Mixed and mastered on that Thursday and uploaded to the band's MySpace site on Friday, it took them a total of 5 days from conception to execution of a completed master. And, to be so bold, it's a pure pop masterpiece! Sleigh bells, stacked harmonies, 12-string guitars, pounding drums all combine to make "Last Christmas Girl" a song to share with your friends for the holidays. And it's Stratocruiser's gift to you! You can listen to it on the Stratocruiser MySpace site or download it here. CD-R copies with artwork will be available at the band's Dec. 17 show in Greensboro.

Rick Miller's sweet & light Les Paul was used ony many tracks. Mmmmm, yummy!	Rick in the control room at Kudzu Ranch! (click for larger)
On July 17th, 2005 Stratocruiser visited the studio of Southern Culture on the Skids' guitarist Rick Miller for some recording and overdubbing of some new material. Kudzu Ranch Recorders is a full-service analog facilty with 2" tape as well as Pro Tools and heaps and heaps of goodies including Rick's amazing selection of weird & vintage guitars and greasy fried tube amps. The huge tracking room makes for enormous drum sounds & "lively" guitar tones. The band recorded 12 songs for a future release. The tracks have now been dumped down into Pro Tools for overdubbing at Vista Point. No word on a release date. Some of the new songs have crept into the set like "Saw Your Picture" and a new version of Mercury Mission was also laid down. Stay tuned! KUDZU RANCH | SCOTS
Guest Keyboardist(s ) for next record Guesting on the new record on keyboards is 17-year-old wunderkind Rhett Huffman from Burlington, NC.Rhett has already mastered many instruments and can thrash out tasty Hammond licks and even arrange horns and strings. Photos from the Urge Overkill Show Stratocruiser opened for Urge Overkill on October 31, 2005 here are some photos of the band backstage (some in costume) and other photos of the band. Urge put on an amazing show and Stratocruiser rocked mightily as well. There are also some pictures of Urge on stage. Mike even got drafted to be their guitar tech!	Stratocruiser Adds New Bass Player Jeremy Boomhower has relinquished his first chair bass player position in Stratocruiser. Jeremy is so busy with wedding plans, 2 jobs, 4 bands and more that something had to give. Enter Jack Getz who moved to NC from Las Vegas in 2003. Jack answered an old ad for the position just after Jeremy joined in August, 2004. The band kept his number just in case and sure enough, Jeremy couldn't make a gig in October due to scheduling problems so the band brought Jack in to play one show. Hitting it off with the other guys and posessing a SOLID groove on his trusty four string Fender, Jack also sings tight backups, Because the bands records are packed with harmony vocals a solid singer is what the band needed. The band wishes Jeremy well and he will appear in a backup role and he will also be on many selections on the new record. His pogo-ing stage maneauvers will sadly be absent, but the band sees rocking days ahead with Jack.

SEPTEMBER, 2005

Live "Bootleg" CD Released
A special limited edition live "bootleg" CD comprised of recordings of two Stratocruiser performances from this past spring is now out. This release will only be available via the web and at shows. The recordings were made direct-to-hard disc recorder by our friend Larry Tucker. There is are no overdubs or fix-ups except for some editing here and there. This is a "warts-n-all" rendering of the band in their prime element - on stage. Click here to listen & buy.

SEPTEMBER, 2005

Stratocruiser is pleased to announce the imminent release of a BRAND SPANKIN' NEW slab of VINYL! Round, 7 inches across and with a great big hole in the middle, this recording features two of the latest creations from team Stratocruiser. "Smell of Success" is a newly recorded song featuring the most excellent drummer from Velvet, Zsolt David. The B-side, "41 Times", is a leftover Suburban Contemporary track that was left unfinished until just a few weeks ago when Clay added a wonderful vocal. Then Mike slathered a whole mess of guitars all over what had just been a scratch track. Top it all off with some really fine drumming from Robbie Rist.

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MARCH, 2005

Lose a drummer, gain a drummer.
It's with great sadness that Jim McPhail was was forced to leave the band to take a job in another land. We will miss Jimmy as he was a ferocious skins pounder and the "finest smellng man in rock". We wish Jimmy all good things and safety in his new venture.

After holding auditions, Stratocruiser has selected Matt Brown as their new drummer. Matt plays with Yep Roc Recording Artists Two Dollar Pistols as well as with other bands such as 40 Ounces (with whom Jeremy supplies his bass playing acumen).

Matt endorses Saluda Cymbals. Click here to see his profile page on the Saluda site.

OCTOBER, 2004

New compilation tracks!

Just before the release of their second CD, Stratocruiser has leaked out two new tracks, both of which are NOT on Suburban Contemporary.

This is Sparklefest 2004, a compilation of bands playing the Nortch Carolina pop/rock festival features a new composition entitled "Mercury Mission". You can only get the CD at the event and at a few select locations around central NC.

Bullseye Records of Toronto Canada has issued a new Beatles tribute entitled "It Was 40 Years Ago Today" and Stratocruiser appears on the bonus disc which is free with intitial orders. Their version of "I Call Your Name" was recorded in 2002 ith Ronald Tucker on vocals and Glory Fountain's John Chumbris on guitar.

DECEMBER, 2003

Stratocruiser signs with Zip Records of San Francisco!
Stratocruiser, a North Carolina-based pop-rock group has inked a deal today with ZiP Records of San Francisco. ZiP will release Stratocruiser's new CD, "Suburban Contemporary" officially on November 2 of this year. ZiP is a label that specializes in melodic rock music with leanings towards classic sounds from the '60's and '70's. ZiP has offices and disribution in Australia, Spain, Sweden, Britain and the USA through Burnside distribution. "Suburban Contemporary" will be available in all these areas.

Also, the band has signed with Wizzard-in-Vinyl of Tokyo, Japan for the Asian release of "Suburban Contemporary".

Stratocruiser starts touring to support "Suburban Contemporary" in September.

OCTOBER, 2003