Hi friends!

Bill Berends here, reporting from lovely New Jersey. It's been some time since I've had anything to say to you, but if you're anything like me you're 6'2" and have dreams of flying! Seriously, you are probably enjoying the summer after such a long, brutal Winter and chilly Spring. At least I hope you are! I hope you had a nice holiday and New Year and that 2014 is going your way. Wow... it really has been a while!

Last November I told you I was taking a break from live shows to concentrate on creating new music and that's exactly what's been happening. Over the course of the past eight months or so I have written a ton of new music and am now in the process of recording and fine tuning these exotic new sonic creations. I had hopes to release something by now, but I can't rush the muse. I plan to have something new for your ears before the end of summer, so more on that to come shortly. I am determined to not let two full years go by since the last album was released!

On to today's news... I wanted to let you know that Prog-core Live radio in Montreal is featuring yours truly this evening, Wed. July 30th, in a show aptly titled "BILL BERENDS "BRAINSTORMIN' & IN HIS DREAMS" - We look at Bill's work with the band "Mastermind" and also at his solo career". Pretty cool, right? I thought so too! In fact, I think more radio shows should be called that! The show is on at 8pm-10pm NYC-Montreal time tonight, so I hope you can tune in for a listen. Since it is out of Montreal (Canada) it will be Francophone friendly, a mix of French and English. Should be interesting! I should have paid more attention in French class in school. Here are the details...

LISTEN HERE: www.925.nock.ca/ - Wed. July 30th, 2014 @ 8pm-10pm EDT
CHATROOM: click on CLAVARDAGE which is French for CHATROOM! (I learn something everyday!)
FACEBOOK: JULY 30, 2014: BILL BERENDS "BRAINSTORMIN' & IN HIS DREAMS"

Also, later this week on Friday night, August 1st (I can't believe it's August already!) Friday Night Progressive aka "FNP" internet radio will be playing some of my music as well. They tend to air a lot of Mastermind, so listen in to find out what! That's Friday Aug. 01, 2014 starting at 9pm NYC time. Here is the info you need for that...

LISTEN HERE: www.fridaynightprogressive.com - Fri. Aug. 1st, 2014 @ 9pm EDT
CHATROOM: fridaynightprogressive.com/?page_id=2
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/groups/fridaynightprogressive/

Many of you have heard some of this music I would imagine, but more listeners shows public interest which means more future airplay, so your support is important. You will be rewarded it the afterlife and possibly in this life as well for such good karma! Thanks!

I posted a musical progress report on the BB web site a while back talking about what's been up, so please stop by for a quick read of the news section, here... billberends.com/#news. I apologize for being silent for so long, but I did promise you wouldn't be bombarded with useless mailings! As for live shows, nothing is currently booked but I am starting to feel some cabin fever, so that may change. You will be the first to know! Also, list members will be the first to hear new music when it is ready, so hang in there, it won't be too long now. I may even put up some demos or work-in-progress just to show you I have not been slacking all this time. Really! I've only been slacking part of the time. It's a musician thing, just ask around. ;)

I'd like to welcome several new members to the list and sincerely thank everyone who has purchase a CD or download these past few months, both MASTERMIND and my solo stuff. Thank you! Every dollar helps more than you know and is being funneled back into new gear which was sorely needed for the more electronic type of direction I have been going in, including a new Roland keyboard controller and an Akai APC MIDI controller. These were necessary as a some of the old synth gear is a bit out of sorts. I am also in the market for a VERY FAST & reliable Windows laptop computer, so if anyone has a line on some kind of bargain or maybe even selling their old machine (or might care to donate one), please let me know. I am a generation or two behind in that area.

In closing you don't think I'd let you go without some music, did you?! Here is the last offical MASTERMIND recording we did in 2011 exclusively for the Lion Music Japanese Tsunami Benefit CD. It's a funky little instrumental with myself and my brother, Mastermind drummer Rich Berends. I hope you enjoy it. Links to purchase the CD are in the video description. All proceeds go the the JP Red Cross...

MASTERMIND - Time Stands Still

That's it for now. Enjoy the rest of the summer and see you online!

Bill Berends

In My Dreams I Can Fly available on CD Baby
Mastermind online store [ Nimbit | Bandcamp ]

billberends.com
mastermindband.com
berendsbrosband.com