What's up, everybody!...sorry for the long time between updates, what can I say Gomen nasai!

Well, I'm currently in Japan getting ready for the next leg of the B'z Live Gym Action tour (with my old band mate Barry Sparks on bass no less!) but I thought I'd catch you up on what's been going on in my world and what's coming up next.

First of all, my brothers-in-'Squad, Jeff Kollman and Christopher Maloney, finally made it over to Japan mid March to join me for the first ever COSMOSQUAD tour on J-Land shores. It was only 3 dates/6 shows?at Live Square 2nd Line in Osaka, Shibuya Duo Music Exchange in?Tokyo, and Musician's Institute, Tokyo, but it was awesome to say the least!?? We had a blast playing our tunes for the first time ever in Japan. Make sure to check in 'Pics' section on all our individual MySpace pages for photos of the event(s).? We did video some of the shows - maybe some of it will make its way onto a future DVD.

Speaking of DVDs - the first ever COSMOSQUAD live DVD is about to be unleashed! YESSS! We're just adding a couple of extras and our editor/man-in-charge, Sir Maloney, is tweaking the last details?and then it's off to the manufacturer's. The heart of it all is our Musician's Institute show from last October which turned out really cool. I'm very excited for it's release.

We're looking to get started on the next COSMOSQUAD album early next year - can't wait! And this time we'll have Christopher on bass with us from the get-go. In the meantime, make sure to pick up a copy of our latest CD, 'Acid Test', if you haven't done so already and check out the live videos of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn9n-1tt9qs">NuMena</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLzzkcpniP8&feature=related">The Spy Who Ate Her</a> from the Baked Potato. Visit www.myspace.com/officialcosmosquad and www.cosmosquad.com for the latest from the?'Squad universe.

As for the B'z Tour 2008' - as I mentioned earlier... It's going to keep me busy in Japan all the way into the fall.? We started off in February playing Theaters up and down and everywhere, on all 4 islands of mainland Japan. As I'm writing this...(last production rehearsal for the Arena shows today....INSANE! - Cho-Sugoi!!) We'll graduate to Arenas for the next leg and will close things out with a massive 20th Anniversary stadium trek in September. Also, I just?got out of the studio with B'z a few weeks ago after tracking the latest single/video 'Burn', which came out on April 16 and is already #1 on the national charts.

While on tour with B'z this summer, I'll be doing drum clinics all over Japan. I don't have exact dates and stores/venues yet but they'll be posted as soon as things get confirmed.

And last but certainly not least:? "GO-FLAMES-GO!!!!"

Hey all!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I just spent some R&R/family time back East after finishing up the first leg of the YOU ARE I AM tour opening up for Daughtry in the US. We are starting back up next month for another 10 days worth of dates (see tour dates below).

Lots to tell you about on the B'z and COSMOSQUAD front: B'z have just released their new single 'Super Love Song' (I play on the song 'Friction') and the upcoming full-length 'Action' is scheduled for December 5 release. This is the band's sixteenth full-length original album and the second part of the band's twenty year anniversary campaign!

To top things off, B'z were recently inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk, the first Asian rock act to be so honored. Mainmen Inaba Koshi and Matsumoto Takahiro were on hand at the Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd. for the ceremony. Congrats, guys! I'll be back playing with B'z in 2008 for the 20-year anniversary tour which promises to be the biggest ever, with shows scheduled to run from January all the way into October! Can't wait!

Speaking of touring - I'm extremely happy to announce that we will be visiting Japan with COSMOSQUAD for the first time ever. We have several shows in the works for mid-March - stay tuned for exact dates and venues! Also, look for a COSMOSQUAD live DVD of our recent Musician's Institute show in early '08 - our bass player, Christopher Maloney, is editing the footage as we speak. Should be very cool!

If you haven't picked up a copy of our latest CD, 'Acid Test', yet - check out the teaser on my personal MySpace page or the band's MySpace. We also have shirts for sale and you can even get COSMOSQUAD ring tones for your cell phone now! Go to www.myspace.com/officialcosmosquad for all the info and links!

YOU ARE I AM December tour dates:

12/13/07 The Norva
Norfolk, VA

12/14/07 North Charleston Performing Arts Center
North Charleston, NC

12/15/07 Ovens Auditorium
Charlotte, NC

12/16/07 Timmons Arena
Greenville, SC

12/18/07 Hard Rock Live Orlando
Orlando, FL

12/20/07 Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, TN

12/21/07 Greensboro Coliseum Complex
Greensboro, NC

12/22/07 Greensboro Coliseum Complex
Greensboro, NC

See you on the road!

Shane

COSMOSQUAD launching back into orbit with 'Acid Test'; September performance clinics announced

Heralded Southern California-based metal fusioneers COSMOSQUAD, featuring acclaimed guitarist Jeff Kollman (Glenn Hughes, UFO) and Canadian drummer Shane Gaalaas, (B'z, Diesel Machine), have returned with their fourth album, 'Acid Test'. It marks the group's first studio effort since 2001's highly regarded 'Squadrophenia' which firmly established the band as one of the
premier progressive instrumental acts on the scene.

Described by Kollman as "purposely textured, moody, multi-layered, and compostional", COSMOSQUAD's expressive fusion of dark, ethereal textures and brute, metallic force are a far cry from the million-notes-a-minute mindset the genre is often associated with. "'Acid Test' is not just a guitar record. It really is a collaboration between Shane and myself", states Kollman emphatically, who co-produced the album with Gaalaas at the drummer's Crumb West Studios in Simi Valley, CA . "The songs are focused on vibe and mood and go beyond mere shred and improv. It has those moments of sheer chops as well, but that's just another element that comes into play. The song is really at the center of what we do."

'Acid Test' is the first COSMOSQUAD effort without co-founding member, Barry Sparks, whose bass duties have been filled by a trio of capable, well credentialed players in Paul Shihadeh (Scott Kinsey), Kevin Chown (Uncle Cracker, Edwin Dare), and the group's latest full-time addition, Christopher Maloney (Dweezil Zappa, Hardline). Explains Gaalaas: " Once we started recording, we spread the tunes around to our revolving cast of bass players and everybody came through with some great playing." In addition, the album also features keyboards by Ed Roth and Jono Brown.

The 'Acid Test' track listing read as follows:

01. NuMena
02. The Spy Who Ate Her
03. Lubitorium
04. Bedbucket
05. Goathead
06. Hindenburg
07. The Long Walk Goodbye
08. Swink
09. Grossalicious

COSMOSQUAD is gearing up to hit the road in support of 'Acid Test'. "This is not a 'project' or a group of session players getting together in between other work," explains Kollman. "This is a band in the true sense of the word. We are dedicated to continue working and writing together and to taking our live shows to a whole new level." COSMOSQUAD will be kicking off their 2007/'08 tour with a performance at their favorite Los Angeles area club, the world-famous Baked Potato, followed by a string of performance clinics in the Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin area. The exact dates are as follows:

Friday, September 21 (9:30pm)
Baked Potato

3787 Cahuenga Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604

Wednesday, September 26 (6:30pm)

Guzzardo Music

3010 Charles St.

Rockford IL 61108

Check it out, peeps! I have just posted a 3-minute teaser medley of the new COSMOSQUAD record 'Acid Test' on my MySpace page www.myspace.com/shanegaalaas hope you like what you hear! The CD is going on sale May 28 here in the US via Jeff Kollman's Marmaduke label and Japan will have it June 6; it will be on Zain/Big M.F. who also released the earlier Cosmo studio albums as well as all my solo stuff. We are celebrating the new release with a Friday, June 1 show at the Baked Potato, 3787 W. Cahuenga Blvd., Universal City, CA; Christopher Maloney will be joining Jeff and myself on bass. So c'mon down and drop some Acid with us, will ya! See you there! Shane

Hey everyone:
Just a quick update from yours truly on what's been going on......................
For one, we havefinished recording and mixing the new COSMOSQUAD record, titled 'Acid Test.' We recored at my studio, Crumb West Studios in Simi Valley, between February and April and I co-produced alongside my bud/guitarist/partner-in-crime Jeff Kollman. This is our first album together as COSMOSQUAD since 'Squadrophenia', way back in 2001. Right now it looks like we'll be releasing iton Jeff's label Marmaduke in North America (as early as May 21) and Zain/Big M.F. in Japan; still looking if there is anything out there for us in Europe.

I'm really stoked to havethis new record coming out- it's been way too long! It seems thateverything came together very naturally and it was a lot of fun to collaborate with Jeff again. I think wetake the listener on quite the journey throughout 'Acid Test.' Epic songswith lots of movement, heaviness, some greasiness, and an amazingballad from Kollman that really sets him apart from other guitarplayers. The playing is certainly elevated a notch but we stillretain the classic 'Squad vibe - the stuff that made us famous, ha ha!"

Unfortunately, we're missing Barry Sparks on this one who played on the band's firstthree records. We tried our best to get Barry to put down some tracksfor 'Acid Test' but with him living out of town and being the road warrior that he is we just couldn't line it up scheduling-wise this time. But, as some of you know, we'd been doing live gigs with a revolving cast of bass players anywaysoonce westartedrecording we spread the tunes around and everybody came through with some great playing. So it all worked out well in the end.

Sharing bass duties on 'Acid Test' are Jeff, Christopher Maloney, Paul Shinadeh and Kevin Chown. Keyboardsaresuppliedby Ed Roth who plays on five cuts, and Jono Brown, who does a lot of workwith Jeff these days, including the recent Garmin GSP Superbowl commercial.



The 'Acid Test' track listing reads as follows:
01. NuMena
02. The Spy Who 8 Her
03. Lubitorium
04. Bedbucket
05. Goathead
06. Hindenburg
07. The Long Walk Goodbye
08. Swink
09. Grossalicious

Stay Tuned...Shane

Hey everyone!

First off I want to wish all of you Happy Holidays and best wishes for the new year.

Here is what's up.....JEFF KOLLMAN's 'Guitar Screams Live', which is now available. We - Jeff, myself, Paul Shihadeh, Kevin Chown, Christopher Maloney, Ed Roth, and Lao Tizer - recorded this one last spring over the course of 2 nights at the Baked Potato. Included are tracks from both Cosmosquad records, the JKB disc, and Jeff's last solo album, 'Shedding Skin', as well as renditions of 'Clap Hands' ($ign of 4, Tom Waits), 'Jerusalem' (Mogg/Way), and 'Fool For Your Stockings' (ZZ Top). Some great jams captured here. Go to www.jeffkollman.com for more details



For live stuff c'mon on down to the Potato on December 30 for our 'Guitar Screams Live' CD release party. Let's ring the old year out in style!

Also, I'll be doing some shows at the 2007 NAMM Show with Jeff and Kevin Chown on bass. We'll be at the Fender booth for 3 consecutive days starting Thursday, January 18. We'll try to post a schedule of exactly when we're playing. For those of you who can't be there in person, Fender will be broadcasting all the goings on live on the internet so tune on in.

Just out! 12/20/06 new B'z LIVE-GYM 2006 'Monsters Garage' DVD :
http://bz-vermillion.com/english/top/



Also, Jeff and I have been working on tunes for a new COSMOSQUAD record and hope to have our road warrior pal Barry Sparks join us in the studio in the foreseable future. Can't wait for that one to come together - it's been way too long.

Peace!!
Shane

CHECK OUT MY NEW MySpace: www.myspace.com/shanegaalaas

Hey everyone!

Greetings from Japan - I can't believe it has been so long since the last update. Where to start....OK...doing another round of live/TV dates with B'z all summer. I have also been doing my solo thing. After releasing two solo albums, 'Primer' in 2003 and 'Hinge' in 2005, respectively, I was really eager to get a live band together and rock these songs on stage in front of people. So I did. The result is 'Live In Osaka' and was released on June 20 on Big M.F. in Japan. The tracks were recorded live last year at a 'SG LIVE' show in Osaka (Pan Hills). I'm playing guitar and singing and had 3 cool Japanese cats, Schon (g), Akihito Tokunaga (b) and Kaichi Kurose (dr), help out. We jammed songs off both my solo records and also added a re-mix of 'Error Humanize' as a bonus track. The exact track listing reads as follows:


+To The Ground
+The Lost Weekend
+Hearing What You Said
+Error Humanize
+Broken Stranger
+L.A.C.A.
+Just Like You
+Sickify
+Funny People
+Time to Feed
+The Wave
+Inside Out
+Error Humanize (0-six mix)


The best place on the Net to buy a copy of the disc is www.cdjapan.co.jp/(mint)/detailview.html?KEY=ZACB-9024 ; they also carry all my other releases at affordable prices.
Please check it out...

In between B'z dates I'll be doing some radio promo appearances and drum clinics around Japan. You can catch me in Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo on the following dates:



Radio promotion:

8/18 ZIP-FM 'J-FRIDAY' (Nagoya)
11:30 - 11:45
DJ: James Havens


8/18 RADIO-I 'Coconut Drive' (Nagoya)
14:00 - 14:20
DJ: Vance K

8/25 FM-COCORO 'Radio City' (Osaka)
DJ: Mojo



Drum clinics:


8/21 Club Zion (for MI Japan, Nagoya)


8/24 ESP Musical Academy (Tokyo)


8/25 Wild Music School (Tokyo)

8/30 MI Japan (Osaka)
13:00 start

Finally, on the B'z front - things are going amazingly well once again. We are doing the 'Live Gym '06' summer tour playing SOLD-OUT Dome shows supporting the brand new album, 'Monsters Garage', which currently sits at #1 on the Japanese charts. also, including the lead-off single, 'Splash', which debuted at #1 in early June and is the band's 42nd (!) consecutive Number One hit. Life is good!



B'z LIVE-GYM 06' "MONSTER'S GARAGE"

6/29 Yokosuka Geijyutsu Gekijyo
7/2 Amami Bunka Center
7/5 Nobeoka Sougou Bunka Center
7/7 Yamaguchi Shimin Kaikan
7/9 Music Station TV Show
7/10 Nagaoka-shiritsu Gekijyo
7/14 Morioka Shimin Bunka Center
7/15 Yamagata Kenmin Kaikan
7/23 Sapporo Dome
7/29 Fukuoka Yahoo Japan Dome
7/30 Fukuoka Yahoo Japan Dome
8/10 Tokyo Dome
8/12 Tokyo Dome
8/13 Tokyo Dome
8/19 Nagoya Dome
8/20 Nagoya Dome
8/26 Osaka Dome
8/27 Osaka Dome
8/29 Osaka Dome

NETWORK LIVE
9/1 Nanba Hatch

Jeff KOLLMAN & Friends

Shane Gaalaas - drums
Paul Shannon - bass

and sitting in............

Lao Tizer - keyboards
Mark Renk - vocals
Christopher Maloney - bass
Kevin Chown - bass

Thursday, May 18
2 sets starting at 9:30pm
The Baked Potato
3878 Cahuenga Blvd W., N. Hollywood
Ph.: (818) 980-1615

Saturday night's alright for shredding.....


Cosmosquad
Jeff Kollman - Guitar
Shane Gaalaas - Drums
Kevin Chown - Bass

& Special Guest on Keyboards - Ed Roth

Saturday, April 1
2 sets starting at 9:30 PM
3878 Cahuenga Blvd., N. Hollywood
Ph.: (818) 980-1615. Two sets starting at 9:30pm

Come down and check out COSMOSQUAD at the Spud !!


Jeff Kollman - Guitar
Shane Gaalaas - Drums
Kevin Chown - Bass

Thursday, March 2
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, N. Hollywood, CA
Ph.: (818) 980-1615. Two sets starting at 9:30pm

Welcome To The New Site!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to one and to ALL!!

Avaliable NOW!!

Just released!!! ‘CRUMB BROS’. Crumb Bros. is a band of just that...crumb brothers. They have survived, even flourished, in this business of music on the bits and crumbs of others....using duct tape and ingenuity to bring their music to the surface...

Collectively, Crumb Bros. is mark renk (vocals), jeff kollman (guitars, bass) and shane gaalaas (drums). The live band includes kevin chown on bass.

Their debut record "the state of your mind" is a true melding of renk and kollman's writing styles, with the strong musical presence of Shane's drum stylings. Songs from the likes of bands who tend to stay around for awhile - not trendy, yet current, because good doesn't require an era...good is just good.

Click Here for Track List and Samples

last show in 2005.........!

Wednesday, December 14

COSMOSQUAD

Jeff Kollman * Kevin Chown * Shane Gaalaas
2 sets starting at 9:30pm

The Baked Potato
3878 Cahuenga Blvd W., N. Hollywood
Ph.: (818) 980-1615

Pick up Jeff and Shane's latest, CRUMB BROS. - 'State Of Your Mind'

at the show or online at
http://www.jeffkollman.com/merchandise.html

Shane will be performing at the Montreal Drum Festival in Nov., view the link for details. http://www.montrealdrumfest.com.

Check out the feature article in the latest issue of Drums Etc.

Welcome back the one-man musical army! After stepping out front and center with his critically acclaimed 2003 debut solo album 'Primer', L.A.-based Canadian jack-of-all-trades, SHANE GAALAAS, is unveiling his sophomore disc, 'Hinge', on April 6, blasting the world with another multi-faceted slab of high energy modern rock.

In part conceived in various hotel rooms throughout Japan while touring with B'z and brought to life at Shane's Crumb West Studios in Simi Valley, 'Hinge' continues where 'Primer' left off and touches on everything from metallic bludgeon riffola ('To The Ground', 'Funny People'), to Beatles-esque acoustic pop ('Just Like You', 'Til Forever Ends'), grinding Electronica-infused grooves ('Sickify'), and anthemic big-hook rock ('The Wave', 'Inside Out'), before closing things out with the experimental 'Respect the Zamboni' (can't have an album without at least one hockey reference when you are an NHL-crazed Canadian, eh?).

While Shane again handles everything from lead vocals to guitar, bass and keyboards, he made a concerted effort to bring his main instrument more into focus this time around, most notably on the manic 'Funny People', blastbeats and everything. "The feedback I received on 'Primer' made me realize that a lot of people get my albums because they enjoy my drumming and want to hear more radical playing", says Shane. "On 'Hinge', I spent more time making the grooves and the parts speak out. When I recorded 'Primer', I was so excited about guitar and everything else that some of the demo drum takes would end up being the final track. Sometimes it works, sometimes you just don’t have time to go back and re-do it. I’ve always felt it important to play drums for the song but this time around I wanted to give the drums more juice. It’s a balance thing; I think on this one I get the best of both worlds without compromising the song."

Check out these 'Hinge' mp3 samples To The Ground Just Like You Funny People Hearing What You Said Sickify Broken Stranger The Wave

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Hello all!

Just a quick update on what's been going on in my little universe between take-offs and landings and a little R&R (Costa Rica is amazing.....!).

After spending half of 2003 in Japan touring with B'z (pick up the latest live DVD ‘Typhoon’ to get a glimpse of what goes on at these stadium shows!), part of it with my COSMOSQUAD bud Barry Sparks on bass, and releasing my first ever solo album, 'Primer' (available through this website), I took some time upgrading my studio, Crumb West, and inaugurated it with several different projects I've been working on.

I recorded drum tracks to 4 B’z songs at Crumb West (not to be confused with Jeff Kollman's Crumb East, about 25 min. down the road), two of which, 'Banzai' and 'Arigato', became singles and went to #1 in Japan. Incredibly, 'Arigato' is their 28 (!) consecutive Number One hit on the Japanese charts!

Finally! New DIESEL MACHINE (the band way ahead of its time!) is in the works. As some of you know, the band came to a halt a while back for a couple of different reasons. Our bass player Rich (Gonzales) got into a terrible motorcycle accident, which put him in the hospital and rehab for months. Then Pat (Lachman) moved out to Dallas to join Vinnie and Dime from Pantera's new band, Damageplan. Well, I'm happy to say that Rich will be part of this new record - he has amazed us all with his incomprehensible strength and determination to get better and not let this situation get the best of him. Pat has been working on the guitar tracks out in Big D. We should have it all wrapped up by the New Year. This record will be off the frikin’ @#%&*##!!

I've also been doing a very cool thang called CRUMB BROS., a smokin' new band with Jeff Kollman, Mark Renk on vocals, and Kevin Chown on bass that came together late last year. Musically, it's unlike anything I've ever done - dark, moody, yet very soothing. Great songs! We've started to play around L.A. a bit, at places like the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal City and the House of Blues to show our faces after spending several months putting together the album, tentatively titled 'Recycled Influence.' We don't have a deal for it yet but it should be out sometime in early 2005. 

I also laid down a few drum tracks for Jeff's new project JKB (Jeff’s just killing this one, man!) The album, 'Bleeding the Soul', is out now so go have a listen over at www.jeffkollmanband.com . Also, BARRY SPARKS has a new solo record called ‘Can’t Look Back’ which is fantastic. I jammed out 6 drum ditties on it. Check it out at www.barrysparks.com . And look out for an amazing bassist/singer songwriter, CHRIS MALONEY. I played on his first record, 'Control', and just did the tracks for his new album - gonna be cool! Go to www.chrismaloney.com .

I also spent part of the summer in Japan doing a drum camp, which was a blast. I'll be going back to Japan before too long for more things....


Last but not least, I’ve been writing some new shtuff for another… maybe…. I’ll keep ya posted!!!

10/4, good buddy, over and out!

Who luvs ya!
Shane

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Hello you guys.. well, I just came back from Japan on an invitation to a very special event nestled quaintly among the Niigata mountains called 'The Summer Drum School'. I must say I had an awesome time! It was 4 days of non stop fun and drums. I made some great friends and met some amazing Japanese Drummers that I never knew existed. The one and the only Hiro Tsunoda, who with such expertise and style, hosts the event.. man.. what a great player/personality and has a wonderful family to boot. If that wasn't enough, I had the honor of meeting and jammin' with one of my all time favorite musicians Dennis Chambers, ridiculous!!! Here are a some candid shots from the affair.


UPCOMING SHOWS:

COSMOSQUAD

Jeff Kollman - Guitar
Shane Gaalaas - Drums
Chris Maloney - Bass

Thursday, August 19
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, N. Hollywood, CA
Ph.: (818) 980-1615. Two sets starting at 9:30pm

CRUMB BROS.

Mark Renk - Vocals
Jeff Kollman - Guitar
Kevin Chown - Bass
Shane Gaalaas - Drums
Stephen Anderson - Guitar

Sunday, August 29
Hard Rock Cafe
Universal Citywalk
Showtime: 10:00PM / All Ages!
$8 cover or $6.- if you RSVP with us by Saturday, the 28th.

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