NO . The Balls have not broken up … we all adore each other and will play again when the stars align ……rest assured .
Making a living as an artist is a many splendor-ed thing . By “splendor” , I mean it’s fuckin’ HARD . To make ends meet you have to grow , flow , starve and sprint your whole working life . In my twenty years as an independent artist , I hadn’t done so well until the last six or seven , where I finally earned a pretty decent wage . However , up until only THREE years ago , I was still shlepping drinks as a part time bartender at Dante’s .
James , Davey , Brian and myself are so grateful that we did so well for so long , a fun band of great friends traveling together around the world …. it’s the best time any band could ask for . Fuck fame and riches and contracts and cred … we had a BLAST just making music and getting up to mischief on and off stage . Let the “OMG SERIOUSLY?!” haters hate . We rule and they can suck it .
The Balls did very well for a long time , creatively and financially , but family life and work life takes priority sometimes and we all respect that . It’s really hard to keep a band going and everyone gainfully employed , paid and insured . Marriage , kids and real life peek in and need to be dealt with ….. so we find other ways to sing , play , make and rock while our brothers are working on other parts of their lives .
A band is a family and a business . With The Balls it was , and always will be , family first . So , no , we haven’t broken up . True we are not playing very often and may go a year or so without playing together . But , as I said at the top of this , we all still adore each other and love playing music together , so it’s really only a matter of time .
Thank you all for caring about us as much as you do , we think you’re pretty awesome too .
See you out there .
xoxoStorm
……..phew!
well, all right! there’s hope for me to catch a full-on Balls show yet!
Long live the family balls!
Thank you Storm , realitty is , too many people ignore it . This is what makes you guys what you are.
Thanks for the post. I have wondered about this myself. I have had quite alot of fun at the Balls shows I have went to. This band opened up the world of Portland clubs for me and I am forever grateful. The music in this town is awesome and your band is right up there at the top. The four of you are all very unique and cool people too. Live your life, get inspired, find joy and when you feel like it take the stage and blow our minds. The Balls always did (and will do). Your fans will always be here when you need us….Best wishes to all of you and thanks
Brent
So, where do we see you, Storm?
My sister made it as a working “blue collar” blues musician for 20-some-odd years too, so I can totally understand where you’re coming from. You do it not for fame and money, but because you love to make music and to entertain. You love to see the crowd grooving to the beat that you are creating in the now. You do it for those moments when everything else falls away and its just you and the music, and you put everything you have into pushing that feeling of euphoria out into the crowd, sharing the moment. My sis found another outlet for her creative drive and is now a chef. I see you doing the same thing with acting, and I think its great!
Annnnd Storm & The Balls fans all across the land, breathe a HUGE sigh of relief. Long live Rock n Roll! God save The Balls!
I saw you perform at Barbattis maybe 5 or 6 years ago. The group I was with found like $80 that night, just random money was raining down. Also saw your kick ass performance in Cabaret, you rocked like hell!! Keep it rockin’ girl! I don’t get out much, it seems like when you are involved it’s always a smokin’ night. Kisses!!