Val Halla – My Journey to Rock N Roll Heaven

Halla halla, its fall… for real!

I’m back in Saskatchewan and the entire way across Canada I could definitely feel and see the seasons changing.

It was quite beautiful really.  The unfortunate part was that I wasn’t able to enjoy myself quite the way I would have otherwise while traveling through the Canadian Shield, as i was stuck with Pneumonia ever since (Canadian) Thanksgiving weekend.

By the time I got to my home province of Saskatchewan, where I was scheduled to have just one day off before continuing on with the tour heading west, I was barely able to breathe let-alone sing.

I had to make the call to cancel the rest of the tour, including the scheduled music video for The Bad Girl Touch we were in the middle of raising funds for.

I was disheartened to say the least.

But I know it was the right decision as things had got pretty bad for me health wise.  I won’t be any good to anyone as an entertainer, musician, songwriter, or friend, if I am unable to breath, speak, think….LIVE hopefully many more years to come.

So anyway, health is important.  Never take it for granted.  And take care of each other and be concerned with each other’s health.  We all deserve the chance to live our lives, no matter what our job or financial state.

Because I’ll tell you… I’m about as broke as they come!  But I work just as hard (if not harder than some) tas every 9 to 5-er that I know.

Anyway,

the positive news is that I am slowly and steadily improving.  Its not going to be anything I can just get over in a day and hit the road again…. but at least I’m starting to get my lungs back!

I want to thank everyone who pledged towards the music video we were going to shoot with a breast cancer awareness/tribute to the fight theme.  The project has been postponed for now, and no one who pledged was actually charged any money… but we do thank you for your intent and hope that in future we will still be able to count on your support.

I also want to thank everyone who has helped us or supported us (myself and the boys in the band whatever line up that may have consisted of at the time!) in the last 2 years.

We met so many amazing people on all the tours, both in Canada and the U.S. (and all those we met from outside those 2 countries as well).

We couldn’t have done it without you, I couldn’t have done it without you, and you’re really the whole point to it all.

At this time I’m going to be taking a break from the road as its been about 2 years straight and obviously my health was starting to suffer from the harsh reality of touring lifestyle.

I am NOT giving up though or giving in.

I have decided to take at least the next 6 months off though to concentrate both on my songwriting (for a new album!) and also my guitar playing (this thing is just getting started…)

I hope you will understand and I still love hearing from everyone when they say “Come back to Austin!” or “Come back to Phoenix!” or “Come back to Spokane!”

I will aim to get back to see everyone though it may be some time before I am able to get back to yall.

In the meantime, please trust that I am using the time wisely, I will come back 10 times stronger, and 10 times more musical, and 10 times a better person for it

Tristan has been working NONSTOP on his drumming as well. Its been very inspiring for me to see.  He’s going to do some brain melting of his own to you the next time you see the show

Now that we’re back in Regina, we’ll be able to jam out again with our good buddy Ron Lawson who rocked the Nugent tour with us on Bass.

So rest assured lots of music will continue to happen, but this Dark Sister just needs to stay in the same place for a little while and plot my next assault on the unsuspecting commercial dynasty of the music business today.  

I will be sure to send updates all along the way, and my facebook page has always been the easiest way to stay up to date with what is going on.  If you don’t already have me on there just go to http://facebook.com/valhallamusic for my fan page.   and http://facebook.com/valhallaonline  for my actual account.

I’ll update the blog often to, and maybe use it a little more as a personal journal while i’m on my 6 month mission of discovery, blues brothers style

http://blog.valhallaonline.com

The only show I will still be performing from the tour dates will be my hometown show on November 9th at the King’s Head.  I expect to be well enough by then to finish the two years of touring off with a bang!

Thanks again to everyone for the last 2 years.  Its truly been magical and one day I hope I can write a book about it because its been just as MIND BLOWING!!!

Get ready for updates from the lab!  On to the next phase!

Buh-buh-buh-baby, you just ain’t seen na-na-nothin yet…

your friend,

Val

P.S. I’m currently sitting here writing this with crushed garlic plastic wrapped to the bottom of my feet.  If you can believe that?? LOL.  I’m not usually one for the “alternative methods” but at this point, I’m taking on this illness as a mission as well.  The mission is to get healthy again, rid the bad from my body, learn to live better not just in body but in mind, and then come out swinging on the other side, mightier than I ever have been before.  If that means being garlic toes tonight, so be it!   haha.

Hey Halla Halla Halla,

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!!!!!!!!

WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS PROJECT!!!!!

A MUSIC VIDEO TRIBUTE TO WOMEN WHO ARE FIGHTING OR EVER HAVE FOUGHT BREAST CANCER, CREATING AWARENESS, BUT ALSO CELEBRATING THE COURAGE, STRENGTH, & BEAUTY THEY UPHOLD THROUGHOUT THEIR BATTLE!!!

So we are sitting stuck at $755 in pledges so far… there’s only 17 days left for us to get to $5,000 but I haven’t given up yet, and I hope you won’t either!

Time to rally!

If you are even able to spare $5 please give! We’ve had people who at least give $5 and it adds up I promise! $10 or $20…anything you can give!

And if for some reason you find yourself in a position to give $5,000 or you and a group of people can pool it together, not only will you receive a Carparelli Arco F1 electric guitar which is going to be the featured guitar in the music video, but I will personally SHAVE MY HEAD in the video (and in real life too!)

We have awesome rewards at every different level of donation, so please come check out the website and see what is going on!!!!

THIS IS THE LINK!!! PLEASE CLICK HERE:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1753013509/the-bad-girl-touch-val-hallas-breakthrough-music-v

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED, AND IF FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD, AS IT IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!!!!!!!

(Below I will copy & paste the press release should you want to send this to any contacts in the media you may have)

Friday October 7th – 2011 For Immediate Release

In Conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Val Halla Gives Away Special Shoes, A Carparelli Guitar, Personalized Songs, or Signed CDs & Will Even Shave Head for Pledges!
Looking to Raise Funds by Oct. 25th Deadline
through Kickstarter.com for Breast Cancer tribute music video
“The Bad Girl Touch”

Saskatchewan recording artist and “Gruntry Music” singer/songwriter Val Halla has taken on a fundraising project through Kickstarter.com, in hopes of raising $5,000 by October 25th, 2011 to fund production costs of a breast cancer tribute music video for her song “The Bad Girl Touch.”

The music video will be dedicated to women who have fought, are fighting, or ever will fight Breast Cancer, and will be a celebration of the strength, courage, and & beauty these women uphold during their battle with the disease.

Kickstarter.com, which is a website devoted to funding creative projects through gathering pledges from supporters, allows for varying reward levels for people who choose to donate to the project. Val Halla has 18 different reward levels, beginning with a signed poster, moving up to things such as Cds, signed drumsticks, a postcard personally written, her signature Reebok hightops, a song to be written for the person of your choice, and finishing at the highest levels with a Carparelli Arco F1 Guitar, and even the promise to shave her own head for a $5,000 donation.

The video itself will showcase a theme of celebration and focus on a positive message of survival and courage. The video will be directed by Tim Fassnacht and produced by 7 Thirty Three productions out of Los Angeles, CA. This is the same team Halla worked with for the 2010 released music video “(Stay) I Wanna Be With You)”

Pledges must total $5,000 or more by October 25th. No one donating will actually be charged the amount pledged until October 25th, and they will only be charged what they pledged should the full $5,000 goal be reached.

The Kickstarter page for the project where pledges can be made is located at:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1753013509/the-bad-girl-touch-val-hallas-breakthrough-music-v

For more information please contact Val Halla directly: val@valhallaonline.com

Halla halla halla!

So let me cut right to the chase since there are so many things to cover! its been SO BUSY which is good.

I had my car robbed in Connecticut but I don’t hold it against them

GPS was stolen and some cool clothes I had decided to treat myself to in NYC… big mistake.  I should have been content with dirty tour scrubs and I wouldn’t be out the money AND the clothes. ha.  Lesson learned, buy new things AFTER tour to reward yourself for making it home alive

FIRST THINGS FIRST!

I’m in Saint John, New Brunswick Canada tonight, where the first show of the Canadian tour will happen tomorrow night (or tonight depending on when you read this) at The Bourbon Quarter.

I am doing this Canadian tour in support of a single that has gone to country radio as well (who knew, I’m country I guess? lol.  I haven’t changed anything I’m doing, I guess we’re just seeing how the rest of the world wants to classify me? i dunno… meh!)

ANYHOO!  I do want people to hear the music though, regardless of what its called… so please stay tuned in the coming weeks when i send out request lines and emails.  We very well could push this song into the stratosphere!!….of Canada… it smells like Bacon up there!

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!

I am in the running (currently tied for first place) for the XS New Artist of the Month.  It is a pretty important radio station in Ontario that will give the winner some pretty heavy airplay, and further exposure.  Since I’m trying to get my song moving up the charts in Canada, this is pretty important right now.

PLEASE TAKE ONE SECOND TO CLICK ON THE LINK AND VOTE FOR ME! I beg of you? I’ll bribe you with Canadian bacon?

Here is the link. I am listed about half way down:

http://ckxsfm.com/2011/09/newartist991/

NOW FOR THE MOST EXCITING NEWS!

We will be shooting a music video for my song The Bad Girl Touch (finally!) this coming October AS LONG AS we can raise the $5,000 to do it!  In the grand scheme of things this is still A STEAL OF A DEAL as I have the kind folks at 7 Thirty Three Productions donating their time.

We still do need to hire other crew folks and cover hard costs of equipment etc.

we have set up a fundraising campaign through KICKSTARTER.com (and I shot a video in my hotel room tonight to try and discuss with you why I am doing this!)

I have ALL KINDS of cool rewards listed.   Everything from the cool reebok sneakers I have been wearing (they are discontinued and were a signature piece of apparel on every tour i’ve done in the last 3 years!)

to the dress I wore in the last music video designed by Heda Hann…..

TO A CARPARELLI ARCO F1 GUITAR!! It’s going to be the featured guitar in the music video, and I will sign it and send or even, personally deliver, it to the person who donates for it!

PLEASE COME CHECK OUT THE KICKSTARTER site and see what it is I’m trying to do and why!

CLICK HERE:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1753013509/the-bad-girl-touch-val-hallas-breakthrough-music-v

even if you can only spare $10 or $20, EVERY SINGLE LITTLE BIT HELPS!

I’ll try to send another update in not too long… let you know how the radio stuff goes and where we are in the campaign for the video.

We have until Sept 30th to get votes in for the radio contest, and until Oct 24th to get $5,000 in pledges for the music video.

If we don’t get the full $5,000 in pledges, none of the donations are charged to those who pledged, and we unfortunately will receive ZERO funding.

So its all or nothing here friends.  Let’s pool together and make a cool video that hopefully will change the face of music right now.  I want to be able to say what I want as an artist, and not depend on “the man” to be heard. i want to inspire others to be themselves and be unashamed about it.  Stop hiding, stop apologizing, stop living in fear.

Rock N Roll isn’t dead, they’ve just had it locked away in the basement for a few years now, tied up in a straight jacket, hoping that no one will hear its roar while the kid pop stars and the autotune money chasers parade around upstairs.

So its time to start a fire in the basement, and burn the house down, then emerge from the ashes SANS straight jacket, and rule the earth once more

See what I’m sayin!

Stay safe out there!  Take taxi’s and buses if you’re drinkin, and Happy Hockey Season!

-Val

P.S. Tour dates for Canada are below, and more and more are being added so check back to http://valhallaonline.com/shows.php   often for the updates

Val Halla Canadian Tour Dates:

Tues Sept 27^th – Bourbon Quarter – Saint John, NB

Wed Sept 28^th – Moncton Ale House, NB

Thurs Sept 29^th – Red’s Corner – Montague, PEI

Fri Sept 30^th – The Alibi – Charlottetown, PEI

Sat Oct 1^st – TBA – Halifax, NS

Mon Oct 3^rd – Grumpy’s – Montreal, QB

Tues Oct 4^th – TBA – Ottawa, ON

Weds Oct 5th – TBA – Kingston, ON

Fri Oct 7^th – The Spill – Peterborough, ON

Sat Oct 8^th – Atria Bar – Oshawa, ON

Sun Oct 9^th – Codrington Community Centre – Brighton, ON

Tues Oct 11^th – C’est What – Toronto, ON

Weds Oct 12^th – Loplops – Sault Ste Marie, ON

Thurs Oct 13^th – Jack’s – Thunder Bay, ON

Fri Oct 14^th – Jack’s – Thunder Bay, ON

Sat Oct 15^th – Sam’s Place – Winnipeg, MB

Mon Oct 17^th – Mainliner Pub – Medicine Hat, AB

Tues Oct 18^th – Whispers – Lethrbidge, AB

Weds Oct 19^th – TBA – Kimberley, BC

Thurs Oct 20^th – TBA – Kelowna, BC

Thurs Oct 27^th – Falconetti’s – Vancouver, BC

Sat Oct 29^th – Cat & Fiddle – Port Coquitlam, BC

Sun Oct 30^th – TBA – Victoria, BC

Tues Nov 1^st – TBA – Kamloops, BC

Weds Nov 2^nd – Rockwater Bar & Grill – Golden, BC

Thurs Nov 3^rd – TBA – Calgary, AB

Fri Nov 4^th- TBA – Red Deer, AB

Sat Nov 5^th – TBA – Edmonton, AB

Sun Nov 6^th – TBA – Saskatoon, AB

Weds Nov 9^th – King’s Head Tavern – Regina, SK

Request Val Halla’s NO PLACE album on your local area radio – Here are the phone numbers of stations that are playing it!

Hey friends,

I’m in portland, oregon right now sitting at the Twilight Cafe & Bar enjoying a nice rum and cola beverage, getting ready to see our stellar rhythm section perform one of their face melting MOLTEN LAVA shows!

While sitting here, I figured it was a good time to send some information out to you regarding our radio campaign.

I’ve never done one of these before, but I figured it was worth a try to see where in the country people are groovin on Val Halla tunes.

from the first few weeks we have some information as far as where the album has been added, and how often it is being played (Light rotation, medium, or heavy).

I’ve tried to include that info for you as well incase you are interested at all! We still have another 4 weeks to go where we expect and hope that more stations will be adding the album to their playlists. And we hope that those stations where it has just recently been added or is being played in light rotation, will see an increase in plays as well.

So if you would like to request to hear a song off of NO PLACE, please feel free to call or email the station in your area and make a request!

the more it gets played, the more people have the chance to hear the music, and the more likely we will be to come back to your area of the country on the next tour! We want to play to people who dig the music you see!

Request lines are listed under the state the station is in! Only Ontario has picked up the album so far in Canada, but in the next 4 weeks we hope to have more stations added in Canada that we can tell you about!

P.S. EVERYONE IN SASKATCHEWAN, CBC Radio has been playing songs off the album so please go to them with your requests!!!

Take care folks out there! Rah rah rah Vancouver Canucks! Bruins fans I have always loved Boston as a team, but this year I have to unfortunately cheer against them. But let’s all stay friends and look forward to one heck of a Stanley Cup series this year

P.P.S. the Trailor Park Boys were doing comedy next door to where we are last night in portland. It was $35 tickets and alas we could not afford to go. But felt great to feel their presence in Portland!

Canada:

Ontario – 3

CHUO – Ottawa, Ontario (light)
613-562-5967

CILU – Thunder Bay, Ontario (added)
request@luradio.ca

CSCR – Scarborough, Ontario (light)
416-287-7049

United States:

Alabama

WLJS – Jacksonville, AL (Added)
256-782-5592

Arizona – 2

KAMP – Tuscon, AR (Light)
(no number provided)

KJACK – Flagstaff, AR (Added but no Spins)
no number provided

Arkansas – 3
KBBI – Homer, AK (added)
no number provided

KEUL – Girdwood, AK (light)
907-754-2489

KHNS – Haines, AK (Medium)
no number provided

California – 5

KCSB- Santa Barbara, CA (added but no spins)
805-893-2424

KCSS – Turlock, CA (medium)
209-667-3900

KKSM – San Marcos, CA (just added)
760-736-8375

KGAR – Lemoore, CA (HEAVY)
no number provided

KMUD – Redway, CA (light)
no number provided

Colorado – 7

KAFM – Grand Junction, Colorado (light)
970-241-8801 ex.1

KOTO – Telluride, CO (Added but No Spins)
970-728-4333

KRCX – Denver, CO (light/medium but down from 2 weeks of medium)
303-964-5396

KRFC – Fort Collins, CO (Added)
970-221-5065

KRZA – Alamosa, CO (Added)
719-589-8844

KSJD – Mancos, CO (Light)
970-564-0808

KURA – Ouray, CO (light)
no number provided

Connecticut – 4

WNHU – West Haven, CT (Medium)
203-934-9296

WSIN – New Haven, CT (Medium 3 weeks)
no number provided (not on spread sheet)

WXCI – Danbury, CT (Heavy)
203-837-9924

WWUH – West Hartford, CT (Light)
860-768-5913

Delaware

WVUD – Newark, DE (Light)
302-831-2701

DC
WRGW – Washington, DC (Light)
No number provided (not on spread sheet)

Florida – 2

Osprey Radio – Jacksonville, FL (Added)
904-620-2908

WNSU – Fort Lauderdale, FL (Light)
954-262-8460

Idaho

KBSU – Boise, ID (added)
no number provided

Iowa – 3

KALA – Davenport, IA (added)
(563) 333-6216
kala@sau.edu

KURE – Ames, IA (Added)
515-294-9292

KWLC – Decorah, IA (light)
563-387-1240

Illinois – 7

WIDB – Carbondale, IL (Added)
618-536-2361

WHT – Chicago, IL (light 2 weeks in a row)
No Number (Not on spread sheet)

WXAV – Chicago, IL (Light 2 weeks)
773-298-3375

WLCA – Godfrey, IL (light)
618-466-8936

WMXM – Lake Forest, IL (Added)
847-735-6038

WRDP – Chicago, IL (added)
773-325-7341

WRSE – Elmhurst, IL (Added)
630-617-3220

Indiana – 3

WMHD – Terre Haute, IN (added)
812-872-6924

WECI – Richmond, IN (Light)
765-962-3541

WCRD – Muncie, IN (Added and NO SPINS)
765-285-9273

Kentucky

WWHR – Bowling Green, KY (Light)
270-745-5350

Louisiana – 2

KNWD – Natchitoches, LA (Light)
318-357-5693

KXUL – Monroe, LA (Added)
318-342-5985

Maine – 5

WBOR – Brunswick, ME (Light)
207-725-3250

WERU – East Orland, ME (Light)
207-469-0500

WMEB – Orono, ME (Light)
207-581-2333

WMHB – Waterville, ME (Light 2 weeks)
207-859-5450

WMPG – Portland, ME (Light 2 weeks)
207-780-4909

Maryland

XTSR – Towson, MD (Light)
410-704-5309

Massachusetts – 4

WKKL – West Barnstable, MA (Light)
508-375-4030

WTCC – Springfield, MA (Light)
413-716-2781

WCFM – Williamstown, MA (Medium)
413-597-2197

WSHL – North Easton, MA (Light)
No Number (Not on spread sheet)

Minnesota

KFAI – Minneapolis, MN (light)
612-341-0980

Missouri

KMNR – Rolla, MO (light)
573-341-4272

Montana

KDWG – Dillon, MT (light)
406-683-7156
kdwg@umwestern.edu

Michigan – 4
WMTU – Houghton, MI (added)
906-487-1600

WUPX – Marquette, MI (light)
906-227-2348

WHFR – Dearborn, MI (Added)
313-845-9676

WLSO – Sault Ste Marie, MI (Added but No Spins yet)
no number provided

New Jersey

WMCX – West Long Branch, NJ (Light 3 weeks)
732-571-3493

New York – 12

WMVL – Purchase, NY (Light)
914-323-3204

WRPI – Troy, NY (Light 3 weeks in a row)
518-276-6248

WRUR – Rochester, NY (Light)
585-275-9787

WHRW – Binghamton, NY (Light)
607-777-2137

WSIA – Staten Island, NY (Light 2 weeks)
718-982-3060

WARY – Valhalla, NY (Light)
no number provided

WCVF – Fredonia, NY (Added)
716-673-3420

WCVM – Morrisville, NY (Added)
315-684-6358

WCWP – Brookville, NY (Light)
516-299-2626

WDWN – Auburn, NY (Added)
315-253-0449

WPNR – Utica, NY (Light)
315-792-3062

WEOS – Geneva, NY (Added)
315-781-3897

North Carolina

WASU – Boone, NC (Added)
828-264-4905

North Dakota

KNDS – Fargo, ND (just added)
701-231-6703

Ohio – 5

WJCU – University Heights, OH (Added)
216-397-4438

WBWC – Becca, OH (Light)
440-826-7846

WCBE – Columbus, OH (Added)
614-821-9223

WMCO – New Concord, OH (Added)
740-826-8907

WOUB – Athens, OH (Added)
740-593-1771

Oklahoma – 2

KRSC – Claremore, OK (Light)
918-343-7913
requestline@rsu.edu

KXZY – Stillwater, OK (Added 3 weeks with no spins)
405-744-8274

Oregon – 2

KPUR – Forest Grove, OR (light)
503-359-2200

KEOL – La Grande, OR (light/medium)
541-962-3333
91.7keol@gmail.com

Pennsylvania – 5

WRKC – Wilkes-Barre, PA (Added)
570-208-5821

WPTS – Pittsburgh, PA (Added)
412-383-9787

WIXQ – Millersville, PA (Light)
717-872-3518

WLVR – Bethlehem, PA (Light)
610-758-3913

WARC – Meadville, PA (Added)
814-322-5275

Tennessee

WUTK – Knoxville, TN (Light)
865-974-2535

Texas – 5

KANM – College Station, TX
979-458-5266

KSHU – Huntsville, TX (Medium)
936-294-4400

KSYM – San Antonio, tX (Light three weeks in a row)
210-486-5796

KTSW – San Marcos, TX (Added)
512-245-3485

KUIW – San Antonio, TX (light)
210-805-5849

Utah

KWCR – Ogden, UT (Light)
801-626-8800

Vermont

WGDR – Plainfield, VT (Added but No SPINS)
802-454-7762

Virginia – 2

WCWM – Williamsburg, VA (Light)
757-221-3268

WLUR – Lexington, VA (Medium)
540-458-4995

Washington

KAOS – Olympia, WA (added)
360-867-5267

Wisconsin – 8

WMUR – Milwaukee, WI (Light)
no number provided

WORT – Madison, WI (Added No spins)
608-256-2001

WMSE – Milwaukee, WI (Added)
414-799-1917

KUWS – Superior, WI (Medium down from Heavy)
800-300-8530

WRNC – Ashland, WI (Light)
715-682-1342

WRST – Oshkosh, WI (Medium)
920-424-3113

WSUP – Plateville, WI (Light 3 weeks)
No number. (Not on spread sheet)

WWSP – Stevens Point, WI (Added)
715-345-2696

So we’re an hour and a half outside of Reno, Nevada. We have been driving west since leaving Toledo, Oh yesterday around noon. It is currently 9:24pm at night (12:24am in Toledo….a good 36 hours since we started our journey in the van).

This past Saturday night we opened up for the Rock N Roll legend and super hero, Alice Cooper. It was an eye opening night, seeing the sheer spectacle of his show and how that added to the overall experience of GREAT live music.

Tristan is a huge Alice Cooper fan since his dad had been a huge fan as well, and put him on to Alice’s music at an early age. It was a great night of reflection and celebration for Tristan and his family, and all of us in the band included. I’m personally thankful to Tristan’s dad for giving him proper schooling in Rock N Roll or I wouldn’t be so lucky to have such a great drummer to rock out with each and every night ☺ I know his dad probably had something to do with how we got booked to open for Alice Cooper in the first place, and that he is smiling down with pride right now at what his son has accomplished.

Our set went great and included our slow blues song “Drink My Life Away” (which features Elliott Randall of Steely Dan fame as the last song on our album No Place) for the first time at a large scale show like this. This song will probably find its way into the set more and more now though as it has become a band favourite! I also get to rock a guitar solo right in the middle of it which I have to say I just LOVE doing these days!!!

After the show we were escorted onto Alice’s tour bus to meet the dark master himself. What a nice guy he is! We chatted with him for 10 to 15 minutes or so and he complimented te band a few times to our great joy! His parting words were “keep going no matter what!” and “We’ll see you out there again sometime!” Very positive words to hear!

Special thanks to our friends Alexis LaPorta, Megan Severance, Kayla Moss, and Diana Bryson who came out to help us sell merchandise at the show. They were great sales women and great supporters and friends to have their with us, and share in that awesome night.

I’ve gone through one complete round of antibiotics already still trying to fight off my strep throat. I was sick for 2 weeks before I made it to a doctor, and then I got these antibiotics which I took for 10 days, only to remain ill with a very hoarse & scratchy throat each night after I was done singing. Thank goodness my voice seemed to hold out every night still while we did our set though. Must be the rock gods smiling on me again. So now I’m on round 2 with a stronger antibiotic so let’s hope this does the trick….

I’m quite exhausted but still loving life. Tristan and Liam are both great travel companions and bandmates so it makes a 40 hour trip in the van a breeze.

I will try to post our Alice Cooper pictures in the next few days. I had a great moment of “We’re not worthy” captured on camera in honour of the many many hours my sister and I spent watching Wayne’s World over the years, idolizing Alice Cooper as a rock icon and dare I say it ROCK GOD.

Even though Saturday was supposed to be the end of the world, I had no fear working up to our 6pm sound check that day, even when I found out 6pm was supposed to be the hour of the RAPTURE! I’m pretty sure if there is any person on this earth one would want to be in the company of at the time of the Rapture, Alice Cooper would be a first choice for many! ☺

Talk soon friends, hope this finds you well and happy Victoria Day to those in Canada!

-Val

Upcoming shows in Oakland, CA. Modesto, CA. Portland, OR. Spokane, WA. Tacoma, WA. Seattle, WA. and Western Canada.

Please check http://valhallaonline.com/shows.php for shows dates and venues.

Happy Easter and Happy Hockey Playoffs!

We are somewhere between Lancaster, PA and West Haven, CT listening to the Flyers vs Sabres Hockey game.

This time of year is always great because we’re getting to catch what we can of Hockey playoffs, and we get to attend the Launch Music Conference in Lancaster every year. It is one of my favorite music conferences to go to, and Lancaster County is one of the coolest places in the country. I have to say we are heading to Connecticut feeling refreshed after a ripping show last night at Lizard Lounge, and a great breakfast made by our friend Kyle this morning.

We had a scare being surrounded by a few tornados down in North Carolina last week while driving from Fayetteville to Raleigh. They touched down all around us and we saw the unfortunate aftermath, but I’m thankful the band and the van, our Tennessee Tanya, are all safe and sound.

Big news this month of course was the announcement of the Val Halla show on May 21st which will be at Centennial Terrace in Sylvania, OH (just outside of Toledo). The icing on the cake for this show is that we are opening the show for recent Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductee ALICE COOPER.

THIS IS A HUGE SHOW to us. Getting to work with the greats who have come before you is a chance to honor your rock n roll heroes. I never thought when I was 11 years old watching Wayne’s World and seeing Alice Cooper stand in front of Wayne and Garth as they bowed “We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!” that one day, I too, may have to declare my unworthiness before Alice! J

We’re also still trying to organize for our fundraising push for The Bad Girl Touch music video. We will not be able to do it the weekend of May 20th in L.A. now because that is when we will be in Ohio opening for Alice Cooper. So the video has been delayed only for a short time. We will be selling off a couple of my guitars… and Acoustic Epiphone and a Fender Telecaster, both of which were featured in promo photos for the Bad Girl Touch tour. I will let you know when we have more on this, as I’m not sure right now where the website will be to donate, donate for rewards (tshirts cds etc), or donate for a guitar.

Stay tuned!!!

We have plenty of shows left on the tour, so please check the schedule to see when we are coming near you!

Happy Easter and stay safe and well! Go Canucks Go! Go Predators Go!

-Val

Hey guys and gals,

this will just be a quick one (don’t I always say that, and it never quite is?)! I NEED YOUR HELP! This is for BOTH Canadians, and Americans, or any nationality at all really!

I am applying for a “Culture On The Go” Grant again this year. This is a really cool grant the government of my home province Saskatchewan gives. They will award you with some money to pursue a tour, in the name of creating awareness of our Saskatchewan culture, or even in the name of experiencing other cultures to bring back new knowledge or outlooks to Saskatchewan!

Really this is about sharing artistic works, AND learning from each other. Our province is GIANT…almost as big as Texas I believe… however only 1 million people live in the whole place! The biggest city being about 190,000 people!
So because of this I think it is very important for people from here to have an avenue to get their creativity out on a national and/or global scale, and I think its very cool when someone down in McAllen, Texas can vibe on someone’s work, who is from way up here…even above North Dakota! There is a lot of desolation with that much wide open space, but there is NO SHORTAGE of creativity!

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HERE IS WHERE YOU COME IN!!! If you have the time, and you fancy yourself capable of writing a quick note to the Saskatchewan Arts Board, who decide whom will be awarded these grants, I am looking for fans who could write a quick message either describing how a Val Halla show positively impacted your community, or your family, or your friends, or you personally! And even if it wasn’t a live show, perhaps it was a song, an album, or even a music video you saw.

(You can send letters of support or recommendation to val@valhallaonline.com

Please include your NAME – email – a phone number if you would like. THE CITY AND STATE YOU LIVE IN. And what you do for a living! If you like you can include things such as AGE, or if you are a musician, or if you once were a musician, or anything more about yourself that you feel would help back up your point of view, or that you would like them to know about you!)
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I am going to be getting some letters of recommendation and support from some people in the music industry as well, but I thought it would be really cool this year to include some from fans. That way I can show how the year of touring we did this past year in 2010 was not all in vain… or at least I hope it wasn’t!

It is sometimes quite a struggle as a Canadian to tour in the U.S. and keep the budget in the black and out of the red. I’m sure its quite a struggle to do that even if you are FROM the U.S. But I can honestly say that I have learned SOOOOO much about American culture in the last year. I’ve gone coast to coast and from north to south, and everywhere in between! That Johnny Cash song when he’s singing “I’ve been everywhere man”….I bet I can check off more than half of the names of places he lists now…. I’d bet I’m around the 65% area Hopefully I’ll get them all one day!

Just to add the final crushing blow on my point, I’ll tell you that the great Joni Mitchell was from Saskatchewan, as was the recently deceased funny man Leslie Nielsen. REST IN LAUGHTER MY FRIEND! The fellow who produced the last two Ozzy Osbourne albums is the multi talented Kevin Churko from Saskatchewan! And if you’ve seen SLASH on tour recently, you’ve seen his bass player Todd Kerns who is also a SASKY and one hell of a musician!

There are many more talented people still in Saskatchewan who continue to call it home, which is even more of a reason to lay down some serious pathways between Saskatchewan artists and other artists all over.

I know everywhere I’ve gone, there have been great conversations, we’ve compared notes on political systems, health care systems, radio stations, popular bands, the weather, the money, funny expressions like how I say “EH” and “PAAAAHHsta” instead of “PAW-sta” and how you guys say “Ruff instead of RoooooF” and I call a napkin a “serviette” LOL.

More than finding things we laugh at, and finding things we agree on, I really enjoy hearing the things that are different from the way I was raised. It is GREAT to hear another’s opinion, from someone that sees something differently, AND ACTUALLY HEAR IT. There is more to be gained, and to be learned about the world in general if we can actually LISTEN to the people who disagree with us. I’m not saying to agree with everyone, because most of you know I still have no problem making an argument for myself But I’ve remained very close friends with some of the people I disagree with the most, and that I think is something that is worth celebrating in these times. I have some great American friends of all different political backgrounds & ideologies. And being able to put music first, and our passion for doing something good for each other, above the bickering and name calling that so often seems to come with differing political views, is to me what real pride and real freedom is all about.

Freedom to truly believe your best friend is out of their mind, and still rock n roll together is one of the greatest things I’ve found about America and Canada both.

So in the name of the great cause of Rock n Roll, which probably needs us to fight for its life now more than ever, I’m asking for anyone’s help who has something to say! If you can write a letter of recommendation or support for another Val Halla tour to come to the U.S. or to your area where ever you may be, please write it to the attention of the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

Please send it to val@valhallaonline.com

I thank you in advance if you take on this cause!

In closing I will say this, that regardless if we receive this grant or not, we WILL be coming back to the U.S. starting in March for our 2011 Spring tour.

Some dates are already posted, more will be posted soon! So please check back often!

And I hope to see you all again very soon! After this next one… I think it’s time for another album So if this is my last chance to be playing the No Place album, you best believe its going out with a bang!!!

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Happy Valentines Day or Anti-Valentines day, depending on which you celebrate

ROCK N ROLL LIVES, BIEBER OR NO BIEBER!!!! Irrelevant!

-Val Halla

Val Halla Interview published December 1st with Brian Tucker from The Wilmington Star News.

http://wae.blogs.starnewsonline.com/13726/val-halla-rocks-bottega-dec-7th/

“Rocker Delivers Songs, Inspirational Message to Students” – Article from the Journal Star – Peoria, IL. Oct 2010

http://wae.blogs.starnewsonline.com/13726/val-halla-rocks-bottega-dec-7th/

“Rockin Blonde Val Halla Returns with Dependable Band, New Album” – The Sound – Central Iowa’s Independent Weekly. November 25th, 2010.  By Michael Swanger

http://www.dmcityview.com/2010/11/25/music/sound.html

Video Interview with Stubble Music Zine right before the Santa Cruz show – August 2010

http://stubblemusiczine.com/2010/11/27/val-halla-interview/

Interview in Brink Magazine from Orlando, Florida with Amanda Sixx

http://issuu.com/brinkmag/docs/oct_brink/11?viewMode=presentation

Interview by Helen Marketti for the North Coast Voice – Cleveland, Ohio – December 2010

http://www.northcoastvoice.com/PDFs/VOICEv10-22.pdf (Page 20)

Photos and review from “Rock Hunger” show in Calgary, Alberta, Canada put on by UnratedMusic.com

http://www.unratedmusic.com/on-location/rockhungerconcert/