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December 10 , 2002
As announced here last month, 's classic debut album Cold will be reissued in early 2003 in a joint release by API Records and the New York-based punk label Can't A-Ford Em Records. This CD reissue will mark the first time Cold is available in it's original form as an official release on CD. Until now, the Cold album in its original form has only been available on cassette, although the band did consider releasing the album on vinyl back in 1990. In addition to a complete digital remastering and a restored track order, a never before available stereo edit of the early track 74 Words will be included in this new reissue.

Patrick Bamburak, currently in the studio co-producing the upcoming Tim Keyes solo album Sketchbook, will executive produce the remastering session for the Cold reissue. Joe and Teresa Gutsick are designing the album's artwork, based upon the original artwork Joe created for the proposed vinyl release of the album from 1990.

We will post more information on the Cold reissue in the coming weeks.

Friends and fans of are also reminded that Music Is Freedom continues to be available for FREE direct from API Records. Music Is Freedom makes the perfect holiday gift of music, to be sure to get your copy today. - Newsdesk

December 5, 2002
Give the gift of music this Holiday Season!

Friends and fans of are reminded that they can receive a FREE copy of Music Is Freedom direct from API Records. Music Is Freedom will remain available for FREE only as long as supplies last, so be sure to email API Records for your copy today! Visit the Music Is Freedom page at API Records for more information on this special project. - Newsdesk

November 18, 2002
On Sunday, November 18, Patrick joined Funhaus singer Michelle Aversano for her performance in Staten Island, New York, at an awards/fundraising event for NAMI, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Among the award recipients was Sylvia Nasar, author of the book, A Beautiful Mind, upon which the Oscar-winning film was based. Michelle and Patrick performed an acoustic version of Leave My Tears Alone,from the Funhaus album. The Funhaus CD was also available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Staten Island chapter of the NAMI organization. - Newsdesk

November 5 , 2002
The Newsdesk caught up with Patrick to review some brief news bits:

Patrick continues his work at API Studios producing and performing on the upcoming Tim Keyes solo album, Sketchbook. "Tim's new album is a very intense record," Patrick told the Newsdesk. "It's been an incredibly rewarding project to work on, and I can't wait for people to hear it."

The next project booked on the API Studios schedule is the new album, Big Top World. "Moving from Tim's record right into the next album is perfect for me. Music is alot like sports, so when you have been training hard and are in fighting shape, there's no better time to jump in the ring!" Patrick said.

In addition to their work on the new album Big Top World, Patrick and Joe have also begun work on preparing the classic album Cold for reissue on a punk label based in New York. All of the tracks will be remastered for the reissue, and the CD will also feature the never before available stereo edit of 74 Words, (see News, April 11, 2002). "The reissue will be a joint release between API Records and Can't A-Ford Em Records, which is a new punk label run by Patrick Stanley. Joe and I are very excited about getting the Cold album out to new audiences," Patrick said. Cold will be released in early 2003. More details on the reissue will be posted here at baitoven.com.

The Music Is Freedom CD continues to be available for FREE, direct from API Records. The MP3 of the track My Only Friend is one of the top downloads at API Records' website, so be sure to check it out and order your FREE copy of Music Is Freedom.

On the MP3 front, baitoven.com has recently logged some of its highest MP3 download statistics since the launch of the site in January 2000. Work goes on behind the scenes for a full redesign and relaunch of baitoven.com. "The website is our primary form of communication with our friends and fans. Joe and I are amazed at the world-wide reach of baitoven.com, so we're really putting alot of thought into the redesign of the site, " Patrick said. "Joe and his wife Teresa are the masterminds of baitoven.com so all of the compliments that I frequently receive on the site's design should really go to them. Their ideas for baitoven.com V2 will take it to the next level."

And finally, the album September is available as an import to our friends and fans in the UK from Amazon. Visitors from outside the United States can check the availability of the CD catalog through their local Amazon branch. Both September and Ugly Songs are available throughout Europe as imports. Friends and fans in Europe can also check the page at www.fusic.com for local information. Any questions regarding the availability of the CD catalog can be directed here. - Newsdesk

September 10 , 2002
The Newsdesk has been receiving a number of questions about Joe Gutsick as of late. We sat down with him, and posed the more common questions to him:

Is it difficult to play drums in a band with no full-time bass player?
Not at all. I've been playing drums that way since day one, and the majority of my time playing drums was without a bass player. I think if I had started out playing in a band with a bass player, and became accustomed to a more conventional rhythm section, it might be a bit of a shift for me. When I started to play in a band with a bass player, my approach to drum arrangement didn't change at all. I actually prefer writing the drum pieces against the lead instrument...

How did you get that cymbal sound in Voice of a Generation on the Ugly Songs CD?
If you're referring to the overall tonal quality of the cymbals, that answer's easy: the cymbals were cheap pieces of crap!

I'm guessing, though, that you're referring to the cymbals during the chorus. I'm alternating sixteenth notes between the bell of my ride and the bell of one of my crashes. The ride was a generic 21" cymbal with a very trashy sound, and the crash was a rather thin 14" Camber cymbal. It had very little sustain, and the bell sound was markedly different from the ride's. I play the bell of the ride, the snare, and the crashes with my right hand and the bell of the crash with my left hand. If I remember correctly, I believe I'm playing quarter notes on the high hat with my foot.

Have you played double-bass drums on any of the albums?
I have, but not on any songs that made it to our CD releases. I used double-bass drums on the songs Love Games and Twenty-Fifth during the Naked and World sessions. I will probably be using a double-bass fill in Unsaid, which is slated to appear on Big Top World. Most of the songs in the catalog don't lend themselves to double-bass patterns, so I haven't been using them.

In some of the older photos I've seen of bait-oven, you have your drumset onstage sideways. Why did you set your drums up that way?
Impressionable youth?

When was called Shockwave, I was listening to a lot of Kiss, Stryper, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, Frehley's Comet, Van Halen, and similar bands. I saw that Bobby Rock had cymbals behind him in the Boys Are Gonna Rock video, so I put a crash behind me. Seeing how I only had one crash at the time, it was pretty impractical, so it didn't last long. Robert Sweet configured his kit - which was a lot larger than mine - sideways, so I set mine up that way, too. That didn't last long, either, since I wasn't able to see much from that vantage point. You can only stare at a wall for so long!

Have you been in any other bands besides bait-oven?
If you don't consider Shockwave - which evolved into - I was only in one other band. I was going to Virginia Tech when a friend of mine, Mike Joncas, approached me about forming a hardcore band. Our first show was October 1990, and we played together for two years. We played a fairly even mix of originals and covers, and we covered bands like The Misfits, Agnostic Front, Minor Threat, and Insted. We recorded a five song demo in 1991, and a ten song album in 1992. If you're able to get a hold of one of the ten copies of the album, you'll be able to hear some of my double-bass work! Good luck finding one, though!

- Newsdesk

September 10 , 2002
Hey, it's Patrick checking in. I've been really busy lately working on a host of musical projects. As you may have read here on baitoven.com, I'm currently in the studio producing and performing on the new Tim Keyes' solo album Sketchbook. We're having alot of fun doing this album, from Tim pulling out his vintage Korg and ARP keyboards to my cutting bass and guitar with amps and instruments from API Records' sizable collection of vintage gear. We're very happy with the work we've done so far, and I think that this album will be Tim's best yet. Check out the News section at the API Records website for some pictures from the studio sessions. For the gear-heads out there, in the picture I'm holding a Fender Jazz bass that is the best bass guitar I have ever played in my life! I'll be using that same bass on the upcoming album Big Top World.

The API Records website also features the track My Only Friend as an MP3 on the Music Is Freedom page. The Music Is Freedom CD continues to get positive responses both from our friends and fans, and from people within the entertainment industry. Most recently, on the strength of the Music Is Freedom release, API Records was approached to lend its artists to an upcoming major label project. I joined a group of musicians from the API talent roster to perform a song selected for the album. We'll share more details on the track when the project is released by the major, but as a first bit of information, I'm singing lead vocals and playing all guitars and bass on the track.

I'll be back soon with more news. Thanks! - Patrick

August 30, 2002
The New Jersey Historical Society is mounting an exhibition called Changed Lives: New Jersey Remembers September 11, 2001. has participated in the Changed Lives project through the inclusion of the Music Is Freedom CD in the Changed Lives archive. Patrick Bamburak has also contributed a personal recollection of the events of 9/11 to the Changed Lives archive. Friend and fans in New Jersey are encouraged to visit the exhibition and support the efforts of the New Jersey Historical Society.

The exhibition location and hours are:

The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, NJ 07102

September 11, 2002 through December 7, 2002 Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 5pm

Admission is free and open to the public

In other news, Patrick continues his production and performance work at API Records on the upcoming Tim Keyes solo album. Upon completing this project, Patrick will turn his attention to his work with Joe on the next album. Remember that you can still get your FREE copy of Music Is Freedom direct from API Records. - Newsdesk

August 15, 2002
has selected a new preferred online vendor for the September and Ugly Songs CDs. CD Connection orders direct from 's online distributor The Orchard, and provides the best availability and some of the lowest prices on the Net for the CD catalog. Be sure to check them out!

Also, remember that the EP Coming Attractions and the FREE Music Is Freedom disc can be found online at API Records. - bait-oven Newsdesk

August 7, 2002
It's Patrick here, with a follow up to the Music Is Freedom Q&A that we received about the song Hands of Time, (see July 2, 2002). I found an old lyric notebook of mine from 1995, and it has an earlier version of the song in it. I'm still looking for the original version of the lyric, (from 1992), but I thought I'd share this middle version in the meantime. If you want to hear the final version of the Hands of Time lyric, get your FREE copy of Music is Freedom direct from API Records. By the way... the song was originally called Roll Back the Hands of Time.

1st verse:
I'm going down to the ocean
I've got my suitcase in my hand
I'm just leaving it all behind
She said you can't roll back the hands of time

2nd verse:
She said she read it in the Bible
It said to love, you must know thyself
I know I am different than before
I know I can't roll back the hands of time

Chorus:
Still my love lives in my house
But I don't sleep there anymore
She's barred the windows
And locked all the doors
To sweep away the memories
Like pictures scattered on the floor

3rd verse:
She said I have to leave tomorrow
And put my suitcase in my hand
It's better to go and leave it all behind
You know you can't roll back the hands of time

And so there's a version of the lyric in it's "middle" form. It's a few steps away from the original, but not quite "finished". I'll keep digging in my archives, and I'll be back again soon with the original version of this mysterious song featured on the new CD, Music Is Freedom. - Patrick

August 6 , 2002
Patrick is currently in the studio at API Records, co-producing and performing guitars on the new Tim Keyes solo album. After the completion of that project, are next on the API schedule for studio bookings. 's upcoming album, Big Top World, will be their first full-length release under the band's new agreement with API Records.

Additional quantities of Music Is Freedom will be available for FREE at Vintage Vinyl, in Fords NJ, later this week. Remember that you can also get the FREE disc online, direct from API Records.

For friends and fans visiting Vintage Vinyl, don't forget to check out the complete CD catalog, which is available at the store. Also carried by Vintage Vinyl is the new API Records release, Funhaus, which features Patrick Bamburak from as song co-writer and performing all guitars.

Rebekah Zelman-Doody, who was a member of in the early 1990's, will be joining the band in the studio to work on the upcoming album, (see News post, April 25, 2000). is looking forward to reuniting with Rebekah in the studio: "Rebekah has an incredible voice, and she adds a whole new dimension to the bait-oven sound," Patrick recently said.

The rough demos for Big Top World are complete, and copies of the demo have been pressed on CD. "The distance between Patrick and I have made preparing for Big Top World a little challenging, to say the least," Joe said. "Patrick has been working on the song arrangements, and sends the rough cuts to me so I can write the drum pieces and familiarize myself with the material. These demos bring us one step closer to recording the album and getting the new material to our fans." - Newsdesk

July 23, 2002
In their continuing work on the upcoming album Big Top World, recently completed a rough demo version of the entire album at API Studios.

"The demo versions of the songs that were cut at API will be used as the guidelines for when we start to track the album versions of the songs," Patrick told the Newsdesk, "but nothing is set in stone. We have the songlist set, and the writing is finished, but I still have a few ideas that I'm working on from a production standpoint."

"I'm really looking forward to hearing Patrick's demo of the album," Joe says. "We've been jamming most of the songs in our studio here in Virginia, but recording a album is a very dynamic process. In many cases, we're rearranging songs while we're recording. It'll be interesting to hear how the arrangements have developed over the past few months, and to see how they will change between now and the time Big Top World is released. This album is a long time coming, but I know the final product will be well worth the wait."

Meanwhile, as the band works on their next album, fans can still get their FREE copies of the Music Is Freedom CD direct from API Records. - Newsdesk.

July 2, 2002
The Music Is Freedom Q&A's continue...

Q: I thought you said you only had two songs on this CD. Isn't the last song you? It says .
Patrick: Yes... there's a little mystery going on there. There are four songs credited to on the Music Is Freedom CD. Two of them, Free and My Only Friend, were newly recorded by Joe and I at the end of 2001. The new recordings were done specifically for the Music Is Freedom CD. The other two songs, Hands of Time and Modern American Love Song, are versions of songs that were produced and "regrooved" by Tim Keyes. On those two songs, I sing and play guitar, while Tim Keyes did the keyboards and drum programming. Those recordings are from sessions done in 1995, about a year after the original release of the September album. There is actually a complete "regrooved" version of the September album in the API Records vaults recorded by me and Tim Keyes that has never been released. Hands of Time and Modern are from that album. We felt that Music Is Freedom provided a good opportunity for those recordings to see the light of day.

And just to clarify what we mean by "regrooved" when applied to the songs: fans are most likely familiar with the term "remix," which means that either the whole or parts of an original recording are remixed and enhanced to create a different version of a song from its original form. A "dance remix" is probably the most common example. When we use the term "regrooved," what we mean is that the entire song is re-recorded in a different style from the originally released version. None of the parts from the original master-tapes are used in a "regrooved" version. It's more like an artist doing a cover version of their own songs in a different style. My vocals and guitars on the Hands of Time and Modern "regrooves" were cut just for those recordings.

Q: I thought I knew all of the songs, but I've never heard of Hands of Time before. Was that on an earlier album?
Patrick: I'd have to go back and check my papers, but I'm pretty sure that Hands of Time dates from 1992. It actually could be earlier than that. The song went through a few different versions before settling into the form it takes on the Music Is Freedom CD. I was writing it during the time Rebekah was working with us, '92 through '93. I know that Joe and I jammed versions of the song a few times, and Rebekah and I did as well. I guess it just wasn't ready in time for the original version of the September album in 1994. I'm going to go and find the original lyric and we'll post it here on baitoven.com. Now that I have revealed the existence of the unreleased "regrooved" September album in the prior Q&A, I can say that in 1995, I rewrote major portions of the original lyric and music during the sessions that Tim and I did. So, in a way, Hands of Time is a song from an earlier album, except that the album has never been released.

July 2, 2002
API Records recently conducted a brief interview with the members of to get their thoughts on the Music Is Freedom project and the band's upcoming album, Big Top World. - Newsdesk

API: What are your thoughts on the response to the Music Is Freedom CD?
Patrick: I'm very happy with the response. People enjoy the music, and I think they have reacted positively to the fact that the disc is a free gift of music. The project was based on the very simple concept of celebrating freedom of expression. Any other meaning that people may derive from the songs, or any value the disc may have to them, only goes to show the power that music has in our lives, especially in these uncertain times. To me, it will always be a special project because of it's intent and also because of the work behind the scenes from the artists and the staff at API Records to make the album a reality.

Joe: The response has been great. They've been very receptive to the concept behind the project, and it has gotten them excited about the next full-length studio album.

API: What can fans expect from 's next project?
Patrick: We have many things planned for the near future, since 2002 happens to be 's 15th anniversary. Foremost among them is the new album, Big Top World. We'll be shooting video while working on the album for a documentary and we have alot of footage in the vaults from our original lineup, with Joe, Bob, and me. There's the possibility of that type of stuff ending up on baitoven.com. We also have the redesign of baitoven.com, which is Joe and Teresa's domain. We'll be booking time at API Studios for the editing of the 74 Words track (see April 11, 2002 News post - Newsdesk) and we have some surprises in store for our friends and fans regarding our first album Cold. After the release of Big Top World, we'll also be announcing our first live dates in over 8 years, so that will be exciting!

Joe: Well, as Patrick mentioned, we have a number of projects in the works. I think the fans will be pleased with the new site when it is finally released, because it will provide a wealth of information and downloads not currently available, as well as more ways to interact with the band and other fans. From speaking with our fans, I know that they are all anxiously awaiting the next album, since it has been a number of years since has released a full-length CD of all new material. We've been working hard on selecting the right selection of songs for the CD, and I think it'll be the best album we've ever produced. And the songs that don't make it on the CD? Well, we're thinking about making the best ones available to you as well, perhaps exclusively through our web site.

June 21, 2002
This weekend, Vintage Vinyl in Fords, New Jersey will be receiving two more cases of the FREE Music Is Freedom CD. The first quantity of CD's were taken by the customers very quickly, so if you are in the area and you'd like your FREE copy of Music Is Freedom, you'll need to act quickly. You can also get a FREE copy of Music Is Freedom direct from API Records.

As a reminder to the friends and fans of , you can receive a FREE copy of Music Is Freedom autographed by both Patrick Bamburak and Joe Gutsick by e-mailing the band and joining the STREET TEAM. As a member of the STREET TEAM, we encourage you to spread the word about , the Music Is Freedom project, and the band's official website, www.baitoven.com.

The Music Is Freedom Q&A's continue...

Q: How long will Music Is Freedom be available for FREE?
Patrick: The CD will be available "while supplies last". The initial pressing of the disc was 1000 pieces, so the plan is that once all of those discs are gone, that will be it.

Q: Has either member of been to Ground Zero in New York or to the Pentagon?
Patrick: I've been to the city (NYC) many times since 9/11, but I haven't actually gone to Ground Zero. I did go to Liberty State Park in New Jersey in October to pay my respects. Of course, from all over the area I live in, you can't help but notice the hole left in the New York City skyline where two of the tallest buildings in the world used to stand. Buildings can be rebuilt though, it is people that are irreplacable.

Joe: I've been to Liberty State Park and took some photos of the new skyline. We had some typical tourist photos we took from the same location years ago, and I wanted to take similar pictures for a side-by-side comparison. I have them both in my office so everyone can see how drastically the Manhattan skyline has changed, and so that they don't forget the lives lost that day.

My wife and I have also been to the Pentagon. All I have to say is that the television coverage wasn't able to adequately convey the magnitude of the devastation. It was really unbelievable.

Q: Do you think that musicians or the entertainment industry have done enough to respond to 9/11?
Patrick: I think that all types of artists, from independent artists to people in the various segments of the entertainment industry, tried to respond as best they could given the magnitude of the events. For me, The Concert for New York was an important response. In the end though, I think it is the individual response of the average American that is most important. We saw it in an almost comical way with the vote recounts in Florida in 2000, and in a tragic way on 9/11, that every person matters. Our society is the sum of all of us.

Joe: I think they, and everyone else in the country, are doing enough. The best thing to do is to continue on with our lives as we did before. We can mourn those lost and remember that tragic day, but we should go on with our daily routines. Let them know they can't break our collective spirit or alter our way of life. - Newsdesk

June 6, 2002
We're back with more Music Is Freedom Q&A's with the members of :

Q: How come you aren't selling the Music Is Freedom CD and donating the money to charity?
Patrick: That's a very good question! To begin with, the only reason why we are able to distribute Music Is Freedom for free is because all of the people involved in the project, including our friends at API Records, donated their time and money to make the CD a reality. As for using the CD to raise money for the victims of 9/11, it's not realistic to think that as independent recording artists we'd be able to sell enough CD's to make a significant donation to charity. One of the strengths we Americans have shown in the aftermath of 9/11 is how many of us offered help through direct donation to charities. In the end, Music is Freedom is just a simple gift of music to our friends and fans.

Q: Don't the members of live near both Washington & New York? What role did that play in starting the Music Is Freedom Project?
Patrick: There are literally millions of people in the New York/New Jersey area who have been directly impacted by the 9/11 attacks. My own personal experience has served to strengthen my resolve that I never forget what happened that day. Life goes on, but that doesn't lessen the tragedy of 9/11. One of the things I remember from the recording of Free and My Only Friend is the ride down to Virginia for the drum session. When we left NJ driving down the Turnpike, every car, including my own, and every overpass, had American flags on them or U.S.A. signs. There were weren't as many flags in Delaware, but once we got into Maryland and closer to Joe's house in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia area, all of the cars again had flags on them, and the overpass signs were back. I think it is interesting how we used our cars and highways to express our patriotism. That's classic America.

Joe: Honestly, my living in the metro-DC area didn't impact my decision to take part in this project. I would have been just as pissed off about what happened regardless of where I called home. Releasing Music Is Freedom, to me, was one way of giving the one-fingered salute to the cowards who did this. It was a way, albeit probably an insignificant one, of showing that we will not change our way of life because of what happened.

June 5, 2002
For our friends and fans who are residents of New Jersey, I ask them to check out the New Jersey Historical Society website. The society has begun a project called Changed Lives: Understanding New Jersey in the Aftermath of September 11th. The goal of this project is to assemble an archive of photos, printed material, personal stories, and objects, related to or inspired by the events of September 11th. is proud to participate in the Changed Lives project through the inclusion of the Music Is Freedom CD in the Historical Society's archive.

I strongly encourage our friends and fans from New Jersey to participate in the creation of this archive and to support the New Jersey Historical Society as they perform this important work. Thanks! - Patrick

May 29, 2002
The famous Vintage Vinyl in Fords, New Jersey, now has limited quantities of the FREE Music Is Freedom CD. The initial supply won't last long, so if you are in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by and get your copy ASAP. Remember that you can always get your FREE copy of Music Is Freedom direct from API Records. - Newsdesk

May 22, 2002
With the release of the FREE Music Is Freedom CD, the members of have been getting some questions about this special project mixed in with the feedback they always welcome from their friends and fans. We thought that the Newsdesk would be the perfect place to share some of the questions and answers with the growing community of fans. Also, don't forget to become a member of the Street Team to receive a FREE autogaphed copy of Music Is Freedom. (Be sure to write the words "Street Team" in the subject of your email and include your mailing address.)

Here are a few Q&A's...

Q: Why did you make the disc available for free?
Patrick: The guiding principle behind Music Is Freedom is that it is a celebration of the basic human right of freedom of expression. That right is strongly protected here in America, but is tragically considered to be a threat in many parts of this world. Everyone involved with the project, from the API Records organization, down to the artists, donated their time and resources to make this dream a reality. It is a gift of music and just something positive to do in these uncertain times.

Q: Will Music Is Freedom be available for free at any record stores?
Patrick: Yes. As stores begin to carry the disc, they'll be listed both at baitoven.com and APIRecords.com. Right now, we're in the process of making the distribution arrangements with a select group of record stores on the East Coast. I'll personally be walking copies into my favorite store, Vintage Vinyl, in Fords NJ. You can always get the CD directly from API Records as well.

Q: Music Is Freedom features performances contributed by many artists. Who are some of the people involved from , Funhaus, the Tim Keyes band, and Frenchman's Hill Band?
Patrick: , of course, is none other than Joe Gutsick and me. As for Funhaus: Michelle Aversano sings lead vocals, Tim Keyes is on keyboards and backing vocals, and I play all guitars. We're also joined on the Funhaus tracks by some great session players. They include the newly signed API recording artist Tara Casadei on backing vocals and the percussionist JR Thompson. Tim Keyes makes a return to his solo recording career with his track. Tim's brother Joe Keyes provides the awesome drum performance on that recording. Frenchman's Hill Band features two more of the Keyes' brothers: Jim Keyes on vocals and guitar and Jon Keyes on drums. Rounding out the FHB lineup are James Dryer on bass and Mike Pittman on percussion. We also fortunate to have the great work of the engineer and producer Kevin Ferd represented on the album. Meg Poltorak, the executive VP at API Records, directed the front office portion of the project. Music Is Freedom is a great team effort in every respect, and I'm proud to be a part of it. We'll return soon with more Q&A's.

Q: How do you see music as a positive action against the threat of terrorism?
Patrick: To me, America's greatest strength has been our right to free speech. Having freedom of speech and freedom of thought in this society has allowed our country to reach the pinnacles of human acheivement in the arts, sciences, and government. America is not perfect, but the freedoms we practice here, and in all countries where freedom is promoted and protected, are our best hope for the future. What better way to celebrate freedom than to make music? - Newsdesk

May 7, 2002
Now that Music Is Freedom is available to the public for FREE, both baitoven.com and APIRecords.com will be publishing details of the newly launched Music Is Freedom Campaign. What is the purpose of the Music Is Freedom Campaign you may ask? Simply put, it is to distribute as many of the FREE CD's as possible. What better way could there be to celebrate our music and our freedom in these historic times?

is organizing it's own Street Team to participate in the Music Is Freedom Campaign. Our friends and fans can become members of the Street Team simply by e-mailing the band. Write the words Street Team in the subject line of your email and send us your mailing address in the body of your email. As a member of the Street Team, you will receive a FREE copy of Music Is Freedom autographed by both Patrick and Joe of . Your e-mail address will be added to the Street Team mailing list and you'll receive special e-mail updates from about the Music Is Freedom Campaign.

Once you have your own copy of Music Is Freedom, what should you do next? Street Team members can participate in the Music Is Freedom Campaign simply by spreading the word and letting their friends know how they can get their own FREE copy of Music Is Freedom. In classic American style, the Music Is Freedom Campaign is a grassroots movement, using word of mouth and sneaker power to get the word out. So don't hesitate to join the Street Team and get your own FREE copy of Music Is Freedom autographed by both members of ! - Newsdesk

April 25, 2002
As you may have seen on our home page, the long-awaited Music Is Freedom compilation CD is back from the pressing plant and is available to the public. You can't spell "freedom" without "free"... and that's what this CD is! Head on over to the official API Records Music Is Freedom page to claim your own free copy and hear an MP3 copy of My Only Friend.

Patrick and I are hard at work on the next full-length release, Big Top World. In my own completely unbiased opinion, I have to say that the album will kick major ass!

We've also started preliminary work on the redesign of our humble home on the information super speed bump. We've been digging through the archives to put together as comprehensive a site as we can. Some things to look forward to:

- MP3 samples of all songs released on CD
- an expanded image library spanning the past 15 years
- audio commentary from Patrick and I on each of our releases
- message boards, mailing lists, and guestbooks, oh my!

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Hope to see you there when it's up and running. - Joe

April 11, 2002
There's been a recent discovery in the tape archives that may interest some of our friends and fans. For those of you who own the Ugly Songs CD, there is a track on it called 74 Words. The version of the song on the CD is actually a mono audio track lifted from an unreleased music video that Joe and I edited for the song way back in 1990. The reason why we had to use the mono version for the Ugly CD is because shortly after the master recording was made, (in 1988 I believe,) I mistakenly recorded over it when I loaded the tape upside down in the 4-track machine! Luckily, I had already made the mono mix of the song for the video, so all was not completely lost, only mostly lost! There has never been a stereo mix of the song available.

The other day, I was in my studio going through tapes, making new digital mixes of old demos and unreleased material, when I stumbled upon the original 74 Words master tape! I was able to find an approximately 1 1/2 minute fragment of the song that I was able to digitally remix to create the first stereo version of the song ever!

This leads me to the good part... I'm booking a session over at API Studios to create an edit version of 74 Words, where we will take the previously released mono mix and insert the stereo fragment into the song to create a composite version that will recreate as best as possible, what the original version sounded like. We'll keep you updated on the progress of this little mini-project here at baitoven.com, including release information once we make the new edit version of the song available.

And remember, Music Is Freedom is coming very, very soon! - Patrick

February 20, 2002
On the heels of the most recent Patrick Bamburak internet sighting, involving the WWF wrestler Chris Jericho, we've had some questions concerning another website that features a concert review written by none other than - Patrick Bamburak!

Patrick originally posted this information on baitoven.com concerning his contribution to John Waite's official website back in April of 2000.

"For fans of the music of John Waite, (remember Missing You?) check out his official website at www.johnwaite.com. If you follow the link to the Fans section, then click on Experiences, AND FINALLY click on Patrick's Experience, you'll find a little piece contributed by ME about a Bad English concert I saw while in college at Montclair State. Not only was John Waite in top form at that show, but Neil Schon was simply great. While you're over at the "on-line music vendor of your choice" buying the CD September, be sure to check out the John Waite catalog. I recommend When You Were Mine."

When asked about this latest internet sighting by the Newsdesk, Patrick commented, "Well, I guess I get around!" - Newsdesk

February 15, 2002
As API Records prepares for the upcoming release of the special Music Is Freedom compilation CD, member Patrick Bamburak recently visited API Studios for a final listen to the finished CD master.

"The CD sounds great," Patrick said. "All of the artists contributed really strong material to the album and I'm very happy with the finished product."

In addition to the Music Is Freedom listening session, Patrick was also involved in preliminary discussions concerning the forthcoming album, Big Top World, which will be 's first full-length album released under the new agreement with API Records.

"We are at the phase in the project where we're scheduling our bookings for the Big Top World sessions at API Studios," Patrick reported to the Newsdesk. "We'll be recording all of the drums at API Studios, while the rest of the instruments and vocals will be recorded at both my studio and at API's."

In other news, Patrick recently shed some light on the connection to an old internet post made by the current WWF Undisputed World Champion (& hard rock afficianado,) Chris Jericho. The Commentary, written by Chris Jericho for his official website, has resurfaced on a fansite on the Internet.

"This will sound like Six Degrees of Separation, but here is goes: back in early 1998, Chris Jericho was just launching his official website. He and I had been in contact with each other concerning a link that I had asked Chris to add to his site, linking to Michael Sweet's official website. Michael Sweet is the former lead singer of the eighties metal band Stryper. At the time of my communication with Chris, I had been offering some assistance to Michael as he was shopping for a record deal for the album that would eventually become Truth. Michael's album was released last year on Restless Records. I knew Chris was also a Stryper fan, and he was a rising star in the wrestling world, so I thought that both he and Michael would benefit from crosslinks between their sites.

"During this time, I ended up sending Chris a tape of entrance music I recorded, that is actually based on the guitar riff from the song Cold. Chris was wrestling in WCW back then, and the entrance music that WCW provided him was quite lame, to say the least. I sent the recording down to him and Chris was nice enough to thank me in the Commentary section of his website. Recently, the Commentary mentioning me has turned up on a Jericho fansite and I've been getting questions from people asking if I'm the same Patrick Bamburak that Chris is thanking. So the answer is, yes, it is me." - Newsdesk

February 7, 2002
2002 is shaping up to be a pretty busy year in the world of . One thing worth mentioning about this year is if you do the math, 2002 marks the 15th anniversary of the founding of by Joe, Robert Medvedz, and me. The best way our friends and fans can experience what the past 15 years have been like for is by checking out the Ugly Songs and September CDs. Ugly Songs documents the best of our recorded work from the first phase of the band, with the original lineup of Joe, Robert Medvedz, and me, while September is a specially enhanced CD re-issue of our classic 1994 album, originally recorded by Joe and I.

Of course, we shouldn't forget the Coming Attractions EP. Available online from API Records and Vintage Vinyl, Coming Attractions is a special preview of three songs destined for the next full-length album. (Coming Attractions also comes in a pretty cool cardboard mini-album jacket, just like the lp's used to back in the day!) And we move forward... the upcoming Music Is Freedom compilation CD will soon be released by API Records. As we've said in previous News items, Music Is Freedom features two new tracks (Free and My Only Friend,) recorded specifically for this special release, as well as two "regrooved" versions of the songs Modern American Love Song and Hands of Time. Music Is Freedom will be available for FREE directly from API Records, as well as from select record stores. We'll post at baitoven.com all of the information you'll need to get your FREE copy of Music Is Freedom once it is available. Keep checking back with us here at baitoven.com for all of the latest information concerning our upcoming releases on API Records and updates on a host of other projects we have going on in the world of . All the Best!!!!! - Patrick

February 6, 2002
API Records recently conducted separate interviews with Patrick Bamburak and Joe Gutsick concerning the new Music Is Freedom compilation CD and ’s upcoming projects with API.

Interview with Patrick Bamburak

API: Explain a little bit about the Music Is Freedom compilation CD and how came to be involved.
Patrick: Well, after September 11th, I felt that I had to do something musically in response to this horrible attack on our freedom. I’m not in the army, so I can’t go and fight, but I feel I can still take some sort of action through music. I didn’t necessarily want to write a song about it, since I think I need some distance from the events to be able to even attempt that. I mean, on that day I saw the aftermath of the Towers’ collapse with my own eyes as I was speeding home on a highway in New Jersey. It was only about 20 minutes after the second tower fell. It’s obviously a very personal issue for most Americans.

So Joe and I talked and we agreed to schedule a session so that we could record some new music.

I called Tim Keyes at API Records and told him that Joe and I had an idea of pressing a three-song single, that we’d distribute for free. I wanted to give a gift of music to people, just to celebrate the fact that our society is such where someone like me can decide to write a song, share it with the public, and I don’t have to worry about being thrown in prison by some fanatical regime. We take our freedom for granted. I know I do.

Tim and I bounced the idea around a little bit, and it soon expanded to a concept where we’d include all kinds of music from the various artists on API. It’s ended up to include 10 songs. And it will be available for free, a gift of music.

API: You are involved in more than just the music on Music Is Freedom.
Patrick: Yeah. Joe and I recorded two new tracks: Free and My Only Friend. I’m also a co-writer and I play all of the guitars on the FunHaus tracks. FunHaus is a project that Tim and I did with a singer named Michelle Aversano. We have an entire FunHaus album completed that should be out early this year. And there are also two additional tracks that Tim “regrooved” that I sing and play guitar on. Those two, Modern American Love Song and Hands Of Time, are from some sessions that Tim and I did a few years ago. I think those two versions fit well with Tim’s new solo track on Music Is Freedom. There’s sort of an overlap there, a kind of morphing of Keyes’ production style with my lyrics. They are songs presented from a different point of view.

API: Music Is Freedom is ’s first official project with API Records.
Patrick: Yes. I’ve had a great relationship with API for many years, primarily as a songwriter and session player. It goes back to ’95, when we sent the cassette version of the album September to API, and they contacted us back.

All of the CD’s so far, have been released through our own CastleGar label and distributed by a company called The Orchard. The whole organization is totally independent. But, we were shopping for a deal for our next album, and in the end API Records was the best choice for us. I approached Tim about bringing the next album to API, and he was real enthusiastic about it.

API: What can we expect concerning the next album?
Patrick: Well, Joe and I have spent a lot of time and energy on moving up to a higher level than we had operated at before. We launched the website, (www.baitoven.com) and have released two full-length CD’s, (September and Ugly Songs) that were intended to reintroduce our back catalog to a larger audience. This past summer, we released an EP called Coming Attractions, previewing three of the songs we’re going to put on the new album.

We want this next album to be a step forward for us in every respect. That’s why we wanted to have an established label behind us. API Records was a perfect fit for us.

Songwise, I’ve matured as a songwriter, and both Joe and I have grown as musicians. I want to give the new songs a bit of the harder edge we had on our first album, Cold, combined with the depth in songwriting that we had on September. We also want it to sound great sonically, which we know we’ll get by tracking it at API Studios. It will be interesting. We’ve been working toward doing this next album for a long time now. It will be worth the wait.

API: Can we expect any solo projects from you during 2002?
Patrick: Definitely. I’m trying not to have too full a plate, but I like to keep busy musically. is a top priority of course. Not only do I believe that Joe and I will deliver a great album this year, but I hold out hope that somewhere down the road, Robert Medvedz will rejoin us to restore the original lineup of the band for an album, tour, or something. I think there is a still untapped potential in that form of . Buy the Ugly Songs CD and you’ll get a sense of what I’m talking about!

I’m going to start working on a solo album in my studio in the near future and have it out sometime this year. I work on all kinds of music, and I think there’s room in my life to balance a solo career with my career in . I’m only just beginning the writing process on the solo stuff, so it is a bit early to really talk about where it is going or what it will be like.

And I’m sure I’ll be doing more session work at API as well.

API: Any parting thoughts you’d like to share with the growing community of fans?
Patrick: Well, I’m sure that most fans know by now that I’m never short on thoughts of any kind! I’d just like to say thanks for their support of baitoven.com, be sure to visit the API Records website (www.apirecords.com) for information on how you can get your free copy of Music Is Freedom, and to keep an eye out this year for the new album. Be good to one another too! Thanks!

Interview with Joe Gutsick

API: Explain a little bit about your experience contributing the new tracks to the Music Is Freedom compilation CD.
Joe: Actually, it felt as though I entered a time machine and traveled back ten years or so!

When first started recording music, we were each going to different universities in different states. The only time we had to record anything was during spring and winter breaks, and we'd usually try to hammer out as many songs as possible during that time. When we tracked songs for the Naked Singularity and World Is Gone double album, we recorded almost all twenty-plus songs in a few days. Some of the songs were completely new to me at the time. Patrick would play the different parts - verse, chorus, bridge, solo, etc., and then we'd set to recording. Sometimes we'd just record one take. I believe this was the case for the Thought Crime song trilogy and Saints and Sinners.

Music is Freedom was recorded in pretty much the same fashion. I was somewhat familiar with the arrangement of My Only Friend, but Free was more or less new to me. We jammed the song once or twice, and then started recording. I think we went with the second or third run-through. Then it was on to the next song! We recorded the rough guitar track and the drum track for the two songs in a couple of hours. It was a different approach from what we took when we recorded September, but I think it gave it added a real “live” feel to the songs. You’ll probably notice some subtle differences in these songs when they’re tracked for Big Top World.

API: What type of impact on the entertainment industry do you think this current threat to our freedom will have?
Joe: Unfortunately, it seems that the knee-jerk reaction of the entertainment industry is to protect us all from real life. I understand music and movies can be used as a form of escapism, but digitally removing the World Trade Center from movies serves no useful purpose. People shouldn’t be conditioned to forget the old New York City skyline.

API: Your drumming is a key ingredient to the signature sound that has. How has your style evolved over the years? Who are some of your influences?
Joe: Well, my style is pretty much a combination of the music I’ve listened to over the years. Patrick had an idea of putting a band together, and we figured I could try my hand at drums. My uncle, Allen Miller, lent me an old Rogers four-piece kit to play on. I kept it a lot longer than I think he expected, but during that time Patrick and I would jam for hours every day. We started playing covers, but soon began working on original songs.

We were both listening to a lot of classic Kiss, Stryper, Van Halen, Frehley’s Comet, that kind of rock music, and our songs and playing reflected that. I borrowed quite a bit stylistically from Peter Criss and Robert Sweet. When we started broadening our musical horizons, Patrick brought the Police and Sting into the fold. I was hooked! I really dug what Stewart Copeland was doing - the way he fused reggae, ska, and punk together. Dream of the Blue Turtles was just released a few years earlier, and I was in complete awe of Omar Hakim.

I tried to emulate some of Stewart’s and Omar’s chops. I started playing fewer fills on the toms and snare and incorporated more high hat, ride work, and ghost notes into my playing. I think this is the point where Patrick and I really started to form our own groove, and our sound as a band started to develop. Each new Sting release exposed me to even more phenomenal drumming, and more sound textures. Manu Katche’. The god himself, Vinnie Colauita. I tried to emulate their chops and work them into some of our songs.

I think another driving force in the evolution of my style - and the defining element of our sound - has been our approach to song arrangement. Patrick is usually playing guitar or piano when we’re working on new songs, so the “rhythm” section of becomes the guitar and drums instead of the more conventional bass and drums. The drum arrangement, from the kick to the high hat and fills, follows the lead of the guitar. The lead instrument plays off of the drums, and vice versa, which I think produces a more open, more musical quality to the rhythm section.

As for influences, the short answer would be “anyone I’ve ever listened to.” But if I were to narrow it down to a select few, I’d say Stewart Copeland, Peter Criss, Manu Katche’, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Can’t play anything like these guys, but I try to emulate their style whenever possible.

API: You are also the main force, along with your wife Teresa, behind the imagery associated with , designing the album covers and the official website www.baitoven.com. Tell us a little bit about that creative process.
Joe: Teresa is more of a driving force than I am when it comes to the design of the CDs and web site. I offer suggestions that she expands, and improves, upon.

We basically try to build upon a single theme or piece of artwork. For the September CD, Patrick and I were trying to design a unique packaging for our cassette tape. It borrowed from the Soul Cages’ environmentally friendly packaging. The design of the package lent itself to a “widescreen” image, so that when the package was completely open, you’d see one seamless piece of artwork. I had an etching of Teresa’s that fit the bill perfectly. Not only was it the right scale, but the imagery of the artwork meshed quite nicely with the mood of the album. I even commented to Teresa that Touch My Soul had a line “I will take you to my castle on shore,” and the etching featured a castle on a shore! You couldn’t ask for a better coincidence!

Then she told me it wasn’t a castle, but a church in England. So much for the link! We still refer to it as a castle anyway.

We had been kicking around a number of ideas for the Ugly Songs compilation. We wanted to go a different route from the somber tones of September, something that fit with the more light-hearted nature of the album. Bob Medvedz had designed a shirt many years ago that featured an oven on a hook, playing on the whole pun. That illustration became the design focal point for Ugly. The thought was to keep the artwork…playful, for lack of a better word.

Coming Attractions was based more on a theme than an image. The CD is billed as a preview to Big Top World, so we built upon that theme. The artwork attempted to graphically depict that this CD provided a preview, or an admission, to Big Top World.

API: You’ve mentioned redesigning the website in the past. How is the site changing?
Joe: Well, currently the website is our main outlet for communicating with our fans. We want to redesign it so that the content is more dynamic, more visual, and more interactive. We’re looking into adding the customary guestbook, a full-featured message board, and mailing lists. We’re also shooting for a design that makes the site easily extensible - now I’m sounding like a programmer! What I mean is, we want to design the site so that it can easily expand to include all of the new projects we’re working on, as well as any non- endeavors. We’re working on conceptual designs and artwork now. Hopefully the site will roll out soon.

API: Any parting thoughts you’d like to share with the growing community of fans? When we first started a band together back in the mid-80s, I never imagined that we would have people in other countries listening to our music. We’ve had visitors from France, Germany, England, Japan, New Zealand… you name it. It’s fantastic. I want to thank them all for visiting our little corner of the internet, and hope that they keep coming back. There’s going to be a lot going on in the world of in 2002!

January 9, 2002
The new Music Is Freedom compilation CD from API Records has been mastered, and is ready to go to the pressing plant. Among the many great tracks on the disc are two brand new  songs, Free and My Only Friend, recorded in sessions held specifically for this special release. Once the CD is released, it will be available for FREE online by visiting API Records' website. We'll post specific information on how to get your FREE copy of Music Is Freedom direct from API Records once it is available. The Music Is Freedom CD will also be available as a FREE gift at select record stores throughout the country. We'll publish a list here at baitoven.com of the store locations when the CD starts shipping.

January 2, 2002
It's a new year and, in what looks like the beginnings of an annual tradition, reflects on 2001: