News Archive
News Archive
Read up on some of the latest events surrounding the band. This page is updated regularly and will contain links to any related pages on the site.

July 2008

MindShifter Update!

Stockwell and Saunders have been working on the next record, to be titled MindShifter - and have 70% of it complete. "There's been a bit of a break the last couple months - Jason has been on tour with Queensryche, and I've been upgrading the studio - replaying guitars, remixing completed tracks and starting to record the final pieces," explained Stockwell at the end of June. "We're very happy with the progress so far - and expect to have it ready for release end of the year. Of course, the record company may hold it back until '09 ... we'll see!"

Of course, Zack Reinig has been involved along the way, and is expected to mix.

Oct 2007

Jason Ames and Ted Stockwell creating together again!

Jason and Ted have begun work on their next offering. "It's great to be back in Seattle. What we have started is exhilarating and just sounds great! It took some work to make this come together, but it was, well actually I should say, it is worth it!", Jason chuckled. "We've been communicating between Europe and the North America for the last 2 years, talking, throwing ideas back and forth and building a catalog. It's time. We don't have a release date, but hopefully this will be ready for sometime next year." Stockwell explained.
Apr 2007

Short Update

Videos for both Changes and Tempus Fugit are live on treason.net and YouTube. Check them out! New Day, Loyal, Machine Messiah, Tempus Fugit and Changes - all rehearsed for the ill-fated More Drama Tour, were performed live by the original White band January 28th, 2005 at the Premier in Seattle and are now available on demand in video format.

Ted stopped by the Muse Research booth at the NAMM show in January of this year with Billy Sherwood and Tony Kaye of Circa to see long time friend Bryan Lanser, VP of Business Development at Muse Research. Ted has been an endorsee of Muse since the company's inception.

Dec 2006

Production & Archive News!

Happy Holidays! As the year winds to and end, some archive video and audio from the Loyal vault are live on treason.net and YouTube. Loyal itself is live in Quicktime and Windows format - there are also Large Format versions. Audio mixed includes LIVE versions of Tempus Fugit and Changes. Look for videos for both Changes and Tempus Fugit coming soon.

Ted completed a number of productions this year working with drummers Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting, Jeff Beck), Ben Smith (Heart, Cyndi Lauper) and Lou Molino III (Trevor Rabin, Julian Lennon), bass players Andy Stoller (Tracy Chapman), Billy Sherwood (Yes, Conspiracy), John Giblin (Phil Collins, Simple Minds) and guitarist Jeff Fielder (Sera Cahoone). More as these releases make their way to market.

Rehearsals had started earlier in the year in Los Angeles with core band members Billy Sherwood (lead vocals, bass), Lou Molino III (drums), Dan Schmalley (guitar) and Ted Stockwell (keys) in preparation for taking Billy Sherwood's version of Pink Floyd's THE WALL on tour. Tony Kaye, Keith Emerson and Geoff Downes had all expressed interest in rotating thru the guest keyboard slot playing along with Ted. "The idea was to take a core band out along with a handful of rotating guest players - however, due to Billy's schedule and those of a number of the guest players, the tour was scrubbed before announced. From the rehearsals that were had, it would have been a show not to miss!", Ted explained.

Jason Ames Saunders has recently finished his next solo album and is completing negotiations with management and labels. With both Ted's and Jason's schedules keeping them in different parts of the world, their new release has been elusive. Both are intent in finding time to allow for completion of their next collaboration.

Jan 2006

Feb 2006

Happy New Year 2006! The year of the dog!

Happy New Year! It's the year of the Dog! 2006 promises to be a wonderful year filled with music, loyalty, happiness and peace. We wish you all the best in this time of new beginnings.

It was a year ago that Loyal made its stage debut. Hard to believe that another year has gone by. January 28th, 2005 was the debut of Loyal as performed by the original White band. Played in front of the largest crowd White has played to date, much of Loyal, material from Yes' Drama and songs from 90125 were played to a crowd of more than 800 (some estimates placed the number at 1100). A video retrospective of this period is in the works. "It was a very happy time for the band - its fun to look back at the footage and relive those memories," Ted commented recently.

The Videos Page has also been updated to include Machine Messiah in both Quicktime and Windows Media formats.

Loyal - Ted has been in contact with a bunch of industry friends who will be participating on this album, we'll save the surprises for the release date. It's looking like fall 2006 for the launch. Several more new tracks have been written and many of the existing tracks have been reworked. As previously mentioned, the same production team that put together the 2004 album has been brought back to improve upon their work.

Apr 2004

Jun 2004

New Album, Band and Tour Rise out of Merkaba Ashes!

Exciting news to pre-announce. A new band, tour and album are set to head out on a world tour shortly after Yes complete their current outing.

As foreshadowed in the last update, Merkaba has morphed into something new. Band name cannot yet be disclosed, however a world tour with Chris Squire and Billy Sherwood (Conspiracy) and the Alan White Band [working title] featuring Alan White, Ted Stockwell, Karl Haug, Kevin Currie and Steve Boyce is in the works for end of the year 2004/2005. The tour would feature both bands playing from their latest releases (The Unknown for Conspiracy, and Loyal [working title] for the Alan White Band [working title]), as well as a joint set featuring a selection of rarely played Yes material featuring members of both bands on stage together.

Yes management, 10th Street, feels the latest material is ready for radio airplay and very strong. Tracking will be complete mid June with Zack Reinig and Ted Stockwell scheduled to complete mixing shortly afterwards.

In other Treason alumni news, Jim Dixon's Isolate has completed tracking. Zack Reinig is also scheduled to mix this release in the fall. Of course, with this push to get these two releases out the door, and Karl, Jim, Ted and Zack's time constrainsts, the third Treason record remains incomplete.

Jan 2004

Mar 2004

Karl Haug Joins Merkaba in the Studio!

Karl Haug has been asked by Alan White to contribute in the studio and beyond on the Merkaba project. Karl has contributed slide electric guitar to the track Burn All the Maps, a Steve Boyce compositon. The track is a very up and energetic full band piece that fits very well into the new direction of the band. "It's great to help out Alan and the guys - and it was nice to get the call", Karl commented. Steve Boyce concurred, "Karl is just a great player and a great guy."

Zack Reinig has completed mix on three more tracks - Loyal (Stockwell, Currie, White), Rite of Rain (Stockwell, Currie, White) and Burn All the Maps (Boyce, Edens). Alan will be back to finish off New Day (Stockwell, Currie, White) before starting rehearsals with Yes at the end of March. Current production also includes Following You (Boyce) and Mighty Love (Boyce). In other production news, Alan has a close friend and industry legend remixing both DreamAway and Shine(Burried Treasure) to provide an alternative soundscape for the band. Commented Zack Reinig, "It's always great to have new ears on material and to move it forward. It raises the bar of the final product." The band is awaiting for the results with baited breath.

"The album is shaping up to be very strong, and the feedback from management, industry and everyone who has heard it has been incredibly positive. It's definitiely a new, delicate, yet powerful sound. We may even have to change the band name to reflect the strength of this project!", commented Ted recently.

Stay tuned!

Sep 2003

Jan 2004

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2004 - a new year, and (soon) some new releases!

Ted and Zack have finished mixing the 1st half of the new Merkaba album, tentatively entitled The White Album. 5 songs are completed, including Shine (Buried Treasure), DreamAway, Love Will Always Return, What Love Is and Shapes.

Merkaba is:

Kevin Currie Lead Vocals
Steve Boyce Bass, Guitars, Vocals
Ted Stockwell Keyboards, Guitars, Percussion
Alan White Drums, Percussion, Vocals

The White Album should be completed recording and mixing by end of March, and available to all shortly after that. Shine (written by Stockwell, Hogan, White) has already been previewed by Alan White on Seattle radio stations and will soon be heard nationwide on XM Radio in January. Check Alan's website for details.

Jul —
Aug

2003

Alan White All Star Band

.Aug 26, 2003 - Mars is the closest to earth in centuries, and the Alan White All Star Band took the stage for the first time! The band featured Alan White, Ted Stockwell (Treason - keys), Steve Boyce (Merkaba - guitar, vocals), Kevin Currie (Merkaba - vocals), Roger Fisher (ex-Heart - guitar), Jim Cliff (ex-Richard Marx - bass), Goldy McJohn (ex-Steppenwolf - keys), Shelley T (vocals) Janet Foos (vocals, keys), Aury Moore (vocals) and Reek Havok (percussion). Most of the players had never played together before and many had never met, yet after a 4 hour rehearsal covering a number of Yes, Heart, John Lennon, Steppenwolf, Spencer Davis Group and a couple of standards, the group took the stage for a 90 minute set. Opening with I'm a Man, Love Will Always Return and Imagine the outdoor venue was a celebration of humanity as far as the eye could see.

A couple of numbers featured two guitar and keyboard players, however after a close to full band start, various members worked in differing combinations to pull of the momumental task of such a diverse setlist. Of course Roundabout, Owner of a Lonely Heart and All Good People were played to represent the Yes portion of the set, with Ted Stockwell holding down the keyboard duties.

The show was such an overwhelming success that there is talk of a December tour. The entire show was recorded by a TV crew, although release specifics are currently unavailable. Check Alan's site for all the details.

Apr —
Jun

2003

Treason albums available at CD Baby!

CD Baby, a leader in independent music distribution, now carries the entire Treason catalog online, and will soon make Treason available on Apple Computer's remarkable iTunes Store

Treason: spinning Treason: treason

Ted has been continuing writing and tracking for Treason's forthcoming 3rd album, Elemental. Stockwell has been working with with old friend Ted Hunt and they have invited Heart Drummer Ben Smith to join them on completion of Heart's current tour. Rythmn section tracking with Ben will begin in September. Zack Reining continues to co-produce with Ted Stockwell.

With two shows under their belt, Merkaba continues in the studio. A planned 3rd live appearance with Alan White and Ted Stockwell is rumored to be in August 2003. Shows in May were fantastic, with the fans telling the band it was the best version of Merkaba ever! Merkaba played in front of an estimated crowd of 2500 for their first show, and a sold out crowd of more than 700 in Seattle. Alan and Ted have played on six tracks so far, and tracking will continue in August during Alan's scheduled break from Yes.

Jan —
Mar

2003

Projects continue - inside and outside of Treason.

Alan White, Steve Boyce and Ted Stockwell have been working hard on the new Merkaba album. Alan has been tracking rock solid, incredible drum tracks, and Ted has been adding keys and guitar. Did you say guitar? "To give the tracks a little different flavor, and to work with the keyboard parts I've been adding, I have been playing both acoustic and electric guitar on some tracks. I've been having a ball, and I think everyone is pretty happy with the state of things", Ted commented recently. Alan summed it up a little more concisely as "slammin'".

To see how this new expanded Merkaba sounds, Ted Stockwell and Alan White will be performing live with Merkaba at the end of April and beginning of May. Follow this link for more info. Seattle Performance Tickets here.

In other project news, Zack Reinig and Ted recently had Ben Smith (Heart) over to Treason Studios adding drums to a project of Zack's. "Ben is a real solid drummer and he gave life to a this project. Doesn't hurt that he's a fun guy to hang with too!", Zack said of the session.

Tracking continues for Elemental. There are lots of tracks, well over two hours of demos and tracks in various states. With Ted's involvement in Merkaba, Jim Dixon's involvement in Isolate and Jason Saunders new solo album out (link here) - it looks like Elemental may be delayed for a bit. Stay tuned for more develeopments.

Jul —
Dec

2002

Projects, projects, projects. Treason has been working both in and out of the studio. Let’s catch up.

Jim Dixon’s band Isolate has been working feverishly on material for their debut album There is Only Technology. The band consists of Jim on Bass and Vocals, brother Pete on guitars and youngest Dixon, Will on drums. Isolate have spent much of the past six months polishing demos, and the first weekend of December they entered Treason Studios to start production. Jim is helming the band as producer/engineer, leaning on some old friends for a bit of advice here and there. Isolate is dominating current wall of sound along the vein of Disturbed. “It’s great to be tracking at Treason Studios, and working with family. This is a project I’ve looked forward to for a long, long time and it’s great to realize a dream.” Jim said recently.

Meanwhile Ted Stockwell has been lending a hand on keyboards to friend Ted Hunt. Some of the songs that Ted Hunt is completing include Believe and Moment in Time, tracks that the two had worked on before the debut Treason album. Ted Hunt has worked on 13 tracks and completed most of the tracking at his own Gator Studios. The two Ted’s are having a great time updating some of the old songs, and working on some new ones. “Ted Hunt is an incredible talent, and time has only made him better. His voice and guitar sound better then ever. It’s a real pleasure to work with him again”, Stockwell commented.

Ted and Steve Boyce are also planning to work together to complete the next Merkaba album. Ted will add keyboards to some of the tracks and there has been some discussion of mixing at least some of the album at Treason Studios. Alan White (Yes) has already contributed most of the drumscape to the recording.

Sue Ennis has been working with Ann and Nancy Wilson on the forthcoming Heart album. She has been immersing herself back in her roots and finds the reunion invigorating.

Zack Reining has just returned from a two-month stint with Black Heart Procession. Zack mixed their most recent album, and then took to a US tour recreating his work nightly in clubs across the nation with them. Zack said of the tour, “It was an incredible experience, yet it was a lot of work. The band played to a wonderful reception, and I think we did a good job pulling off a live performance of the recorded material.

Finally, Pete Stern, Zack and Ted have been writing, tracking and realizing Elemental. “There are four songs that really work well together and we’re all really happy with currently. We have a bunch of other material, some leftover from Spinning. At this point, however, we’re liking the new direction and seem to be headed to re-inventing the band a third time”, Ted remarked recently. Pete added “We’re in the midst of creating a real vibey, moody record. It’s not so much of a rock-star outing as it is a glimpse into our soul. It’s very cool, and personally, I feel it’s the best work we’ve done.

Apr —
Jun

2002

Alan White (Yes) completed tracking drums on his second contribution to Elemental. The track, which is yet to have lyrics, was written by Stockwell, Sherwood and White. This is Alan and Billy's first venture writing with Treason. In addition to writing, Billy Sherwood (Yes, World Trade, The Key) has agreed to contribute Bass Guitar. "I'm excited to have Alan White and Billy Sherwood contributing to Elemental. Both musicians contributed to Treason's debut, and to have them writing and performing on this new material feels like a homecoming for us" Pete Stern recently commented.

In other news, the first Femme Fatale track written by Sue Ennis and Ted Stockwell, entitled Thunder, is nearing completion. Koshala has been recruited to handle the vocals. The song is smooth groove oriented and will be submitted to Hollywood for consideration for upcoming TV programming. Sue and Ted have a couple others in the works, also targetted at television programming.

In other film news, Stockwell has reported that he has pulled out of continued scoring for Liz Latham's latest film entitled "God's Perfect Hate" about the death of James Byrd Jr. in Texas. Ted commented, "I'm deeply saddened to have to discontinue my involvement, but scheduling has moved against us. I wish Liz the best in her effort to complete a worthy cause. Themes written in anticipation of the first cut may find their way into other projects I'm involved in."

Jan —
Mar

2002

Ted Stockwell did an hour television interview in March. The taping was for a pilot series entitled Fresh Ground : Conversations with NW Artists. The topic was longtime Heart, Lovemonger and Treason writer, Sue Ennis. The series is being created for both Bravo and VH1. To find out more, send email to FreshGround.

Tracking has started on Elemental. Zack Reinig, Ted Stockwell, Pete Stern and Chad Kunesh (Healer) have begun to work on the intial recordings. Currently, Ted and Pete have been playing all instruments, with Chad Kunesh (who helped out with Guitar on Spinning) back to handle the 'edgier' rythmn guitar tracks. Alan White (Yes) is slated to be behind the drums in April, and John Giblin has also agreed to help out again with bass. Sue Ennis has completed the first new lyric for the track Flesh to Bone.

The other members of Treason will be contributing as tracking progresses. Elemental is expected to be complete in 2003.

The European press was busy in January and February, Germany's Rock Review and Vampster checked out Spinning. Rock Review stated "Treason work their mixture of Hard Rock and Metal giving a rough, undeniable charm to this disk ...", while Vampster raved "...the musicians in the band are masters, with Jason Saunders being undisputed as a first-class vocalist ..."

NEW LOCATIONS to get Spinning
United States:

Yahoo Music

CDNow!

Nightmare Records

Circuit City

Europe:

Amazon UK

Amazon Germany

Nov —
Dec

2001

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Treason sincerely wishes that 2002 is a year of progress, fulfillment and accomplishment.

The end of 2001 was the start of a busy time for the members of Treason

Ted Stockwell has been busy writing with Sue Ennis on both the next Treason album (code named Elemental), as well as a new, as of yet unnamed, band and album fronted by a female singer. Hmmmm .... Stay tuned.

Both projects are in play, as well as scoring for Liz Latham's latest film entitled "God's Perfect Hate" about the death of James Byrd Jr. in Texas.

Jim Dixon has been working on a new album for his sideband IsoLate. Demos are complete and tracking will start soon. IsoLate is a comprised of Jim Dixon on Lead Vocals and Bass Guitar, Pete Dixon on Guitar and Will Dixon on Drums.

Jason Saunders has been working in Italy on a new album collaboration as well as making some appearances fronting the Voodoo Roosters - his blues band.

Karl Haug continues to be a fixture in the Seattle area doing sessions, solo shows and working on a solo album.

Pete Stern has been keeping the beat, attending to his family and gearing up for the next recording sessions for Treason.

Zack Reinig has been busy putting out albums by Suitcase and Jen Wood at Treason Studios, and is gearing up to working with Goeff Tate, The Minds and Black Heart Procession in 2002. Of course, he continues to work with Ted, Sue and Jim on all current projects.

Treason sends its best wishes for a Happy New Year to all fans around the world.

    Sept —
    Oct

    2001

    What can be said about the current events of the world that hasn't already been said? The shock, the pain, the sorrow, the fear, the anger, the anxiety, and the defiance. The list goes on and on. To help with that anger, to salute the fists raised in outrage, Treason sends it's Silent Prayer.

    To quote :
    Better watch your back tonite
    I'll be tracking down your light
    I'm there when you turn around

    Cleaning up, sterilizing
    Wiping up a parasite and
    I'm moving you out of town

    Treason sends its prayers, thoughts and heart out to everyone effected by these recent events.

    July

    2001
    Update

    New stations adding Silent Prayer in the third week of July are XFM Vancouver, BC;WXNR in New Bern, NC; WXQR in Greenville, NC; WAVF in Charleston SC, and Extreme 107.3 in Victoria BC, Canada. Cold Tears has been added by WFSR in Louisville KY, and WYKT in Joliet IL in the same period. Our sincere thanks to these and all stations adding Treason to their regular rotation.

    These sites have now added Spinning to their shelves. CD's are immediately available for sale :

    Congratulations to Molly and Jim Dixon who welcomed son Maxwell Enzo Dixon on July 20th. This is Jim's first time entering the new arena of fatherhood. We all wish both Jim and Molly all the best. We are happy to know that the next generation will have the same genetic pool of awesome bass talent as we have. Way to go Jim!

    May —
    June
    2001

    Spinning availabity is building. The album is now available at the following locations online as well as a number of their physical locations :

    Check your local record store
    for Spinning as well as Treason's debut album.

    In Europe Spinning and the Debut are available from Rising Sun Records, Germany.

    Radio is starting to catch the buzzzzz as well. The following stations are spinning Silent Prayer :

    KNSX - St. Louis, MO; WBCN - Boston, MA; WFBZ - La Crosse, SC; CKMS - Toronto, Canada; CJAY - Calgary, Canada; WVXM - X Star Network (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana); CKDU - Halifax, Canada; Power 97 - Winnipeg, Canada; KMRX - Tulsa, OK; WAVF - Charleston NC, Extreme 107.3 - Victoria BC, Canada

    And these stations are spinning Cold Tears
    WKZQ - Myrtle Beach, SC; MIX 99 - Toronto, Canada; CJAY - Calgary, Canada; WFSR - Louisville, KY; WLPW - New York; WGRG - New York; WIPS - New York; WIRD - New York; WYKT - Joliet IL

    March —
    April
    2001

    Treason has returned from a brief European tour. Check out some of the photos of Jason and Ted in Italy, where the band played a couple of intimate shows, talked with the press and continued conversations with a number of labels. Currently Spinning is available through Rising Sun records in Germany - although talks have continued with Edel in Paris.

    Present with the band was Waterstreet's Peter Novak, on hand to shepherd the band through the business end of things. Peter took the guys through Amsterdam, various stops in Germany, Rome, Milan, Prague and Paris. The tour was great and the band had the chance to meet and talk with a great number of the wonderful press and fantastic fans. They will be sure to be back! Be sure to follow the coverage in a number of European magazines and newspapers, which should be on newsstands in the upcoming months.

    Treason had a great time on tour, and currently Ted Stockwell is back in the studio again, using his time off to write and record some new material. Besides getting ready for the next Treason album, Ted has been asked to score a film on the Olympic Wheelchair Rugby Finals which took place in Sydney, Australia. Scoring will begin soon.

    Treason's Silent Prayer has moved into the top 100 on mp3.com. Check out mp3.com/Treason and all the radio stations playing tracks from Spinning.

    Monday May 7th, 2001 Treason will be featured on Calgary's CJAY92 "On the Verge". Ted Stockwell will be interviewed and several tracks will be played from Spinning. Check out the webcast, May 7th at 10:00pm PST at www.cjay92.com. Preview the songs at mp3.com/Treason.

    January —
    February
    2001

    Spinning has been released. Check out your local record store starting March 6, as well as the Amazon.Com and MP3.Com to get your copy. Treason's debut album is also now available from Amazon.com

    Check out Waterstreet's coverage on Spinning, including a video for Silent Prayer.

    Speaking of video, Silent Prayer has been captured in image. Director Jonathan Edwards spent January and February working with Ted Stockwell in creating a visually impactual representation of the song. The project decided to work from stills of the band performing live as well as in the studio to give life to their first single. "I'm very pleased with it", says Stockwell, "it has a unique look and feel and gives a peek at the many sides of the band." Currently web sites in addition to Waterstreet have expressed interest in it, as has MTV.

    What's next for Treason? Stayed tuned .... it's big!

    October —
    December
    2000

    Treason has been busy playing a few surprise shows, finishing recording a new track in a quick visit to the studio, and finishing final cover art for the soon to be released Spinning.

    Treason wowed the crowd by playing a few songs from their debut album and playing almost the entire soon to be released album. The band looked relaxed and enjoyed playing to the packed house in November. Says Pete Stern, "It was great to play the new material for the fans – it felt great."

    In studio News, the band was back in Canada working with Lloyd Walker at Random Access Studios. Zack Reinig, Lloyd and Ted Stockwell have completed production and mix on the first single Silent Prayer, co-written by Sue Ennis and Ted Stockwell. The song is very aggressive and radio ready. It will be released in slot one of Spinning. The song plays off the bands passion and aggression to take the listener on a very current journey. "We definitely like hard and edgy, but it’s the melody and the lyrics that make the songs appeal to a wide audience," says Dixon. "You don’t hear great melodies in music today."

    Icon Imagery’s Tony Goedde has been working hard with Ted Stockwell finishing the visual face of Spinning. "It’s got a very clean look to it, yet there’s a depth there that captivates the imagination – it’s cool," says Ted Stockwell. Previews of the new cover will be available in the photo archive shortly. Be sure to watch for it.

    Waterstreet Media has been in talks with several labels discussing global distribution of Spinning. The SFX Radio Network will also be helping out with national radio promotion in the new year. Look for Spinning to be finally available end of January 2001.

    August/
    September
    2000

    We keep posting the reviews as they come in and they're still rolling in. Check out the new September and October reviews on the expected Reviews page.

    The local Seattle shows have finally begun! More shows have been added and more will continue to come so keep checking our On The Road page to see the details of shows in the next few months.

    The band is also back in the studio working on a few new songs, one of which might make it on the final release of the "Code of Silence" CD. We think it will add even more flavor to the songs released.

    Speaking of the "Code of Silence" CD, it's no longer titled "Code of Silence." The new name will be "Spinning" with completely new cover art throughout. It's a great new cover and will be available when the release comes out in January. The original cover and title from the promotional release will be out of press shortly.

    June/
    July
    2000

    Rave reviews continue to pour in for Code of Silence. "...this amazing effort by what I believe is one of THE up and coming rock bands of the new millennium." Check out more where this came from on the Reviews page.

    After much preparation, Treason is gearing up for local shows in Seattle. Check our On The Road page to see the details of shows coming in September. You won't want to miss these.

    We've added and changed the MP3 sound clips from the new CD on the Recordings page. We'll continue to update the available MP3 files from time to time.

    Treason is also very close to a distribution and promotional deal with one of the largest distribution companies in the industry. There are some exciting things brewing in this area and we'll let you know how they turn out as soon as it happens.

    April/May
    2000

    The first reviews of Code of Silence are starting to be released! The band is pretty excited to see such great reviews come from respected rock magazines. We've posted them on our Reviews page. You gotta check 'em out.

    We've also added some MP3 sound clips from the new CD, Code of Silence. You can download and listen to them from the Recordings page. We'll change what MP3 files we have on that page after a bit so check back to see any new sound clips.

    Treason is now working on a self-produced video of live performances and other scenes for a couple of the new songs. A link to these new videos will be posted soon. Also, check out the Band Bio pages to see short clips of each guy in the band... Hang on, they're not quite here yet!

    After working with several managers and marketing companies, Treason is gearing up to tour Europe, Japan, and South America in the fall of 2000, with other touring in the United States surrounding these countries. We'll keep you posted with all the locations as they unfold. It's still quite a project to get the Treason show on the road.

    February/
    March
    2000

    Promotional copies of the Code of Silence CD are finally in our hands!! Talk about an incredible feeling of accomplishment. This represents many, many months of very hard work on everyone's part. Check out all the details on the Recordings page. We don't have audio clips yet but they are coming soon.

    Rehearsals are going great and we've started to book some initial shows for late April and early May. Check out a few pictures of the band at rehearsal in the Photo Gallery.

    Meetings with potential managers and record companies have started to heat up. We're excited and cautious about the future with a record company, as our goals are to have national and international distribution and tour near and far to support our new CD.

    Jason has just returned from a few weeks in Italy where he had several interviews with music magazines and promoters. Who knows, Treason just might be on a tour of Italy later this summer.

    December 1999/
    January
    2000

    Code of Silence is complete! Three masters (one from Bob Ludwig/Gateway Mastering Studios, and two from Joe Gastwirt/Oceanview Mastering Studio) are to be delivered to the band mid January. Both Bob and Joe are top of their field, so the band will have a tough time picking the one to be pressed. One of Joe Gastwirt's masters is using the same machine used by the Beatles and Pink Floyd for all of their best known works.

    Initially, a pre-release for press, record companies and family will manufacture about 500 copies. This will not be available for public or radio, however. Once negotiations with the record companies are complete, that record company will manufacture, promote and distribute Code of Silence. Currently nine record companies have stated they want to sign the band.

    Rehearsals have recently begun for the new album. Keyboard sounds, MIDI routings and rack layouts are also being worked out. It's quite a project to get the Treason show on the road.

    On the related Treason projects front: Ted Stockwell will be working with Ron St. Germain and Zack Reinig on the upcoming Creed single Arms Wide Open in Florida the first part of February. Ted will be playing keyboards, and contributing to production. Also, Yes will be releasing Live in Japan which was co-produced, co-engineered and recorded by Ted Stockwell in October of 1998 on the final Open Your Eyes tour show. It features the current Yes line up playing in fine form.

    October/
    November
    1999

    Mixing is heavily underway at Long View Farm Studios in Massachusets, with some initial mix passes sounding amazing! After the long process of transferring tracks recorded in ProTools onto the 24-track Studer tape machine, we're really excited to hear how great the songs can sound. The Saint is steadily working his magic on every song.

    The band was also asked by Bob Ludwig, (the mastering engineer who's work reads like a who's who of rock bands today), to master the final mixdown of Code of Silence. The band is still working out the details for this.

    A long and useful photo session was completed for the new CD in Seattle by a great photographer, Mark Van S. Mark's work can also be seen in photos of Soundgarden, Sarah Machlachlan, Jim Rose, Goodness, etc. The band is very happy with the results and a few of the photos are available in the Band Bios section.

    Rehearsals for live shows coming up in January 2000 will start in early December. Check out the On The Road section for show dates in the northwest as they are established and future tour dates following.

    September
    1999

    It's now official. Jason Saunders has joined the band as our lead vocalist! It's been great in the studio and now we can't wait to get out and play some live shows with Jason. Learn more about him on Jason's bio page.

    Ann Wilson has layed down her vocal tracks with Jason on Cold Tears. It was great to hear the two of them harmonizing in the studio and the creative input she had for the song. Nancy Wilson is scheduled for acoustic tracks on Mephisto later in October.

    We have completed the preliminary mixes for all of the songs going on the CD and Ron St. Germaine is visiting Treason studios to verify our raw tracks before his final mix begins in November.

    The band is holding a private CD screening event this month at a Seattle area cafe. We are looking to get feedback on many aspects of these new songs and the CD in general from industry people, friends and fans.

    August
    1999

    The band couldn't be happier that all of the basic tracks for Code of Silence are DONE!! Some of our songs have evolved during the studio sessions and the results are incredible. Our friends Ann Wilson, Alan White, John Giblin, and Igor Khoroshev have all layed down their tracks and we'll be recording Nancy Wilson, Jon Anderson, and Larry Gowan within the next couple of weeks.

    We've also started doing preliminary mixes of all the songs for an upcoming pre-mix private listening party. We need to make sure any thoughts our friends and some of our fans might have about the material is heard before the final mix has begun.

    Speaking of the final mix, we've set a date for the middle of November to start the mix with Ron St. Germaine at a world class studio just outside of Boston, MA. Ron is excited to get started and get the tracks transfered from ProTools to the 2" analog tape machines he'll use during mix down.

    Jason has asked to join the band and we're working through some contract issues to make it official. He's been a great fit with the band in the studio and we're looking forward to working with him for a long time to come.

    Another magazine review from our first album, Treason, has come in from overseas, Sound Barrier Magazine (UK) and Spin City Magazine (Belgium). You can read this review here.

    July
    1999

    Treason is a few weeks away from completing all tracking on the 18 possible songs recorded for Code of Silence!! Fewer songs will actually make it on the CD so we are torn as to which ones will be held — we're attached to all of them and want everyone to hear them all. Making a CD we will be proud of has been a long process but the results are now showing through.

    A preliminary mix was done and mastering at OceanView Digital Mastering completed on the first 6 songs with great results. We needed to make sure we had all the elements for a powerful sounding CD. Depending on legal constraints, we may be able to put a sound clip from one of the songs up in the Recordings section sometime soon.

    We're excited to have more of our friends playing as guests on the CD. The plans include Ann Wilson on a lead vocal duet with Jason on 'Cold Tears', Nancy Wilson on mandolin and acoustic guitar on 'Mephisto', Jon Anderson (Yes) on backing harmonies for 'Kali Ma', Billy Sherwood (Yes) on acoustic guitar on 'Mephisto', and Igor Khorochev (Yes) piano on 'Mephisto'.

    We have decided on a great mix engineer with a proven track record for our new CD. Ron St. Germaine is currently schedulled for mix at the end of September. Ron has been the mix genius behind some great recordings from bands like Soundgarden, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour, 311, and Tool.

    June
    1999

    It has been a very long month of tracking all of the instruments for Code of Silence. Drums & percussion, bass, and most of the guitars and keyboards are now complete. Whew! Jason has been amazingly fast at laying down lead and harmony vocals with great power and soul — better than we expected.

    Preliminary mixes of the first 4 songs are complete and ready for some test mastering at OceanView. The band is very happy with the results — the aggressive and punchy sound we have been going for is coming out in our recordings. Keep checking the Recordings page for a few sound clips. They're coming soon...

    The search for the right mix engineer to match our new sound has also begun. Some well-known names have come up and we are exploring as many good fits as possible.

    Finally, through many good friends and professional contacts, we have started to establish meeting dates with several record labels in regards to the marketing and distribution of Code of Silence. Most of the meetings will occur in August. We want the right company to believe in our new CD and give it the international support it deserves.

    May
    1999

    Tracking continues at Treason Studios, using the latest digital 24-bit ProTools 4.x system. This is where the guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals are being recorded. Sound bites from the new CD will become available soon, so keep checking the Recordings page for those links to show up.

    Long time friend of the band, John Giblin, has played on a couple of bass tracks for Code of Silence. He is truely a great bassist who's playing can be heard all over the music industry on CDs by Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Simple Minds, Kate Bush, etc.

    Treason is excited to have begun work with Jason Saunders for all lead vocal tracks on Code of Silence. Jason's recent work with Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche and TeleVoid) and rock/blues band, the Voodoo Roosters, is incredible and its been a natural fit for him to work with Sue Ennis (see 'April 1999' below) on the vocals for Code of Silence.

    We're also thankful to have found local sound engineer Zack Reinig for his studio talent as well as his great attention to detail. (Hmmm. Must be the way his ears are shaped... ;) Zack has worked with some incredible bands as a house engineer at Bear Creek Studios in Woodinville, WA.

    A possible distribution and promotion deal and national and international tour plans are really starting to form. We are getting restless to get on the road and play our new material.

    April
    1999

    We have been constantly working on our new CD, using a current working title of 'Code of Silence'. These new songs represent some of our best work to date as we were all instrumental in conceiving, developing and arranging the songs. The foundation tracks (mostly drums and some rhythm tracks) were recorded on an amazing Studer 2" 24-track tape machine at Bear Creek Studios in Woodinville, WA. A place where some incredible albums have been recorded by Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, and Pearl Jam.

    Alan White from Yes, has once again blessed the new CD with his legendary drumming on Mephisto. Thanks Alan!

    Treason enlists Reek N. Havok to help us get an incredible drum sound. As a drum and sound technician, Reek has worked with Motley Crue, the Pointer Sisters, and many other companies such as E-MU and Microsoft.

    The CD promises to be heavier, more refined and best of all, we love the feel and power of these new songs. Check out the Photo Gallery to see some images from the recording sessions.

    March
    1999

    Treason and vocalist Brian Michalski have decided to part ways and take different musical paths. Musical interests and direction had evolved enough to where it made sense to not continue working together. We wish Brian the best of luck and success in his new musical project(s). Treason is now working with various local and international vocalists to explore the best fit within the band and our sound.

    We have begun working closely with Sue Ennis, (from Heart and the Lovemongers), on vocal melodies and lyrics. Sue has come up with some incredible material to enhance and bring out the strength of our music.

    Treason is heavily in pre-production on our new songs for the upcoming CD, Code of Silence.

    1998 and
    early 1999

    After many months of playing shows, writing, arranging and recording, Treason releases their first CD (Treason) on their own label in January of 1998. It is sold through several Internet music outlets, including Minstrel Music. This CD features guest appearances from Alan White and Billy Sherwood from Yes, and was mixed by Billy Sherwood. For more complete details about this CD, refer to the Recordings page.

    Treason plays several live shows around Seattle with material from the new album. Great crowd response at the Offramp, the Odyssey and from a sold out show at the Sit-N-Spin.

    A steady flow of great reviews from the CD have started to come in. We've included all the reviews we know about on the Reviews page. If you know of any other reviews or would like to review our CD(s) for publication, please contact Treason at Treason@treason.net.