well, i really should have kept you all updated, right?

first things first. i finished the tattoo...about a month ago. and i totally owe you all a picture of it.

it's really quite amazing what an artist can achieve.  this is a side-by-side shot of the paul steck painting and shaun oldershaw's version on my back.  what a wonderful job.  it really couldn't have turned out any better. and to think, i was worried about getting a tattoo so emotional to me.  ophelia makes me strong and lets me get a new start.  thats just what i did.  i started music again, and i feel like i'm home again. i knew something was missing from my life, and it was music.

speaking of my music....something i've been waiting a long time for happened today.  today, my "single" was released on iTunes.  Sure, I have no "label," but who needs one of those. I really did this for myself, and i'm still working on the full album for myself.  You can download the track on iTunes (search for artist heilige) or amazon.com (make sure youre searching MP3 downloads).

furthermore, i've been working with a band, well i'm in the band. it's called fictile shine and we finally have a drummer.  drew is awesome. i really feel like i've known these guys my entire life. i really hope everything works out and we continue to play music for a while...i'm hoping we'll eventually get into shows again and i can have an awesome creative outlet.  i need music. it needs me.  so i want to get another tattoo....right now i have no tattoos that symbolize music or germany...probably my two favorite things. shoot me some ideas.....

and finally....next wednesday i'll be featured on stephanie kuehnert's blog for women who rock wednesdays.  she's interviewed some really cool people (think auf der maur, mike ness, civet...)

i'm so excited that stephanie is taking the time to do this..she is a great individual.  i preordered her new book. i'm just so damn proud of her.  really, i've only known her like 7 years, but i just feel like a proud parent or something that she gets to live her dream and make a living at it.  congrats to stephanie, who never ceases to amaze me!

ophelia part 2

so i'm probably 65% done on ophelia, and i couldn't be happier. shaun really did a great job and made his own little interpretation. it is so awesome. i will share the incomplete pics with you. all that's left is the remainder of hte shading and some color.

tattoos and such

well, some things really are exciting.

-i'm meeting with someone who i think will be a good musical companion tomorrow. although, i don't feel like getting my hopes up to be let down. so i'm going to go, jam, hang out and make sure everything clicks. if so, watch out st. louis...and the rest of the US as well!

-i'm getting a most awesome tattoo soon. it's my first "hardcore" tattoo. it will be by shaun at cheap trx (shaun did the latin on my back). it's ophelia drowning herself. things don't have to have a personal meaning, but this one slightly does, but also slightly is just plain awesome. it will be on my back and the first round of tattoo-in will be sept. 21. it should take two full days.

-things are going well with the music, and that's realy all i can say. i wrote two more songs as i'm going through this shit personally. but i guess it does help me write. the songs are "the ending" and "in pieces." i'm assuming they will both be on the album (it's still pretty early in the game). i'm proud of both of them.

also if things work out the way i want them to, i will be travelling to rome for my 3rd wedding anniversary next year. which is so exciting.

they say you're too bright

so i put some new sound files on my myspace. one is my cover of "Use Once and Destroy" by Hole. The other new one is "War Of The Roses" from my CD.

take a listen: http://www.myspace.com/heilige

workout jamz

i made a sweet workout playlist. it's great for a 45 minute cardio workout:

1. Zwan - Lyric
2. Britney Spears - Gimme More
3. Audioslave - Dandelion
4. Radiohead - Just
5. Muse - Apocolypse Please
6. Audioslave - I Am the Highway
7. Muse - Plug In Baby
8. Britney Spears - Heaven On Earth
9. Radiohead - Creep
10. Regina Spektor - That Time
11. Courtney Love - Never Go Hungry Again

segs in the city

i went to see sex and the city tonight. it was delightful to see my favorite show again. it was also pretty predictable, i don't want to give away any spoilers, but you can just wiki it and find out.

it got me thinking about my friendships. let's leave it at that.

use once and destroy

i finished my acoustic version of "use once and destroy" for the Holelive.com Tribute Album Volume 4. How exciting.

I'm working on finishing "Orleans Avenue" and "War Of The Roses" for my album.

I'm pretty sure "Bullet to the Heart" is finished. So here is what the final tracklsting will be:

1. Burned At The Stake
2. Orleans Avenue
3. Bullet To The Heart
4. Karl Von Cosel
5. Guillotne
6. Ophelia
7. War Of The Roses
8. 23 Knots

weekend update

so my new project is being a producer. yes, i am producing the new single by Heavy J and Smoove Tron. They were over in my studio this weekend and we got some rough cuts done. It's really unbelievable.

On a much less gangster note, i did start an account at www.ratemymusic.com
here: http://rateyourmusic.com/~jstalin

Also, congrats to my friend Stephanie Kuehnert. Her second book sold to MTV Books just last week. I had an awesome time with her in the STL this weekend. She is a super-b individual, and I am definitely proud of her! If you're interested, her first book comes out in July. Here's the Amazon.com link to preorder or learn more about it:
http://www.amazon.com/Wanna-Be-Your-Joey-Ramone/dp/1416562699/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197308263&sr=8-1
Or visit her website (Shout out to me for designing it!):
http://www.stephaniekuehnert.com

welcome.

so here i am. i bought in.
nothing left to fear
but fear itself.

and i knew i'd take the knife
i knew i'd see an angel
'cause they're all over this damn place
sometimes i can't make them go away

your god's in his limo
sippin his champagne
my god's living your life
don't you wish you'd seen it?
lightning in the clear blue sky?
death in all this light.
somehow it doesn't seem right.


it's still a work in progress.
much like life itself.