Photo by: Greg Raspet

Sounds

...from the Stage and Studio

Where do I even start? I got my first instrument, a Univox Mosrite bass, at 13. Never figured out how to tune it until 15 and could barely play by 18. I'm a slow learner apparently.

At 21, I signed my life away to a label that allowed me to make my 1st proper recordings in a real studio and earned the bragging rights of having Isaac Hayes on a track to boot! Holy shit did I learn a lot then.. Ended up joining and touring with all my friends and their bands around that time and felt the pull from inside to express more than I knew how through just bass.

I was fortunate to be surrounded by helpful (although maybe reluctantly) friends and fellow musicians that fostered and encouraged my 'hunt and peck' approach to learning new instruments, recording techniques, gear, and ways to express what was calling from inside me. I'm eternally grateful. All of those adventures have led me on a crazy journey that 12-year-old-me would be high fiving current-me over. I've played and recorded with friends, heroes, and found a voice I'm comfortable with.

Photo by: Andrea Wittgens

In no particular order, here's short list of somewhat recognizable musical allies I've found myself shoulder to shoulder with, from the stage and studio, over the years:

James Hall
The Afghan Whigs
Larkin Poe
Marilyn Manson
Skid Row
Mastodon
Ours

For the curious, check out https://www.discogs.com/artist/3474742-Bruce-Butkovich for a more extensive list of shit I've done.

Below are my bands and projects I'm actively involved in (at least the ones I can link on Bandcamp!).. Enjoy!

All Horns and Halos!

James Hall & The Steady Wicked

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  1. 1
    Where I Am 3:51
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  2. 2
    Purrr... 3:05
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  3. 3
    Bomb The Bridge 3:12
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  4. 4
    The Jesus Gonna See You Naked 5:08
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  5. 5
    Talk About The Good Things 3:31
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  6. 6
    Love's On Trial 3:07
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  7. 7
    No Answer 3:59
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  8. 8
    She's So Nautical 2:17
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  9. 9
    The Devil Beats His Wife 3:01
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  10. 10
    Darlene 3:32
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  11. 11
    Throwing Shadow 2:58
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  12. 12
    Love Reigns Supreme 3:28
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  13. 13
    I Wish I Thought Of That First 3:10
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  14. 14
    All We Got Is Each Other 2:56
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Tether

James Hall & The Steady Wicked

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Tether: A 7 song companion album recorded during the same sessions that conjured Electric Hex.

The darkest night of Electric Hex gives way
to the cleansing light of Tether's new day.
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  1. 1
    We Belong Together 3:08
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  2. 2
    Dance With The Dead 3:34
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  3. 3
    Love Come Rescue Me 4:11
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  4. 4
    Roustabout 2:30
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  5. 5
    Bad Choices 2:49
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  6. 6
    Keep On Driving 3:51
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  7. 7
    There Is An Answer 3:29
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the Futura Bold (Deluxe Version)

the Futura Bold

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  1. 1
    Euro Skank 3:28
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  2. 2
    Deadbeat Brother 3:50
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  3. 3
    Shooting Star 4:00
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  4. 4
    Evil Twin 4:18
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  5. 5
    Room To Room 4:20
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  6. 6
    Begin Again 3:55
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  7. 7
    Witchboard Operator 4:37
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  8. 8
    Assassination Row 4:04
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  9. 9
    No Future Kid 4:27
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  10. 10
    For The Riches 6:49
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  11. 11
    2,000 Volts 4:38
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  12. 12
    Consenting Adults 4:39
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  13. 13
    Good Times 3:49
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  14. 14
    Love And Forgiveness 5:32
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Love On Holiday Vol.7

Holiday Music Motel

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Over the course of a week in early February of 2018, thirty songwriters huddled up in the warm confines of The Holiday Music Motel in Sturgeon Bay, WI to take inspiration from local visual artists in a one-of-a-kind pairing of image and song. The participants played a nightly game of spin-the-bottle to randomly select groups of 3 writers and one
Over the course of a week in early February of 2018, thirty songwriters huddled up in the warm confines of The Holiday Music Motel in Sturgeon Bay, WI to take inspiration from local visual artists in a one-of-a-kind pairing of image and song. The participants played a nightly game of spin-the-bottle to randomly select groups of 3 writers and one visual work to provide the muse for a new collaboratively written song. Artwork was displayed at a week-long pop-up exhibit at Door County Makers Space; songs were performed on Feb 9th and 10th at the historic Third Avenue Playhouse. Herein lies the recordings of those songs created during that frosty magical time from a motel snugly tucked midway up the thumb of Wisconsin’s Door County island peninsula.

Special thanks to: The Holiday Music Motel, Steel Bridge Radio, Third Avenue Playhouse, Making Sausage Music, Teresa Young, Teflon, Door County Screen and Sign, Tony Menzer, Sturgeon Bay Music Exchange, Ty Helbach Photography, Door County Makers Space, Chris Opper and Door County Short Film Fest, Kelly Avenson Photography, Painted Recordings, Mark Theide, Jon Calhoun of Econo Foods and all of the wonderful people who helped to feed the artists, take tickets, hang posters, shared photographs, and on and on and on… the outpouring of support we receive is essential to making it happen. <3 <3 <3


Recorded in February of 2018 at The Holiday Music Motel and Tambourine Collaboratory in Sturgeon Bay, WI by Steve Hamilton, Steve Smith and Bruce Butkovich. Mastered by Steve Hamilton at Makin’ Sausage Music. Cover art by Carley Baer. Package design Greg Welch. Air traffic control and artwork curation by melaniejane. Produced by pat mAcdonald.

HolidayMusicMotel.com


Engineers:
+ Steve Hamilton
% Steve Smith
^^ Bruce Butkovich

** Visual Artists

To view artwork online, please visit https://www.holidaymusicmotel.com/loh2018artwork
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  1. 1
    The Sea And The Sky 2:46
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  2. 2
    You Make Me Happy 4:02
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  3. 3
    Wish I Thought Of That First 2:48
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  4. 4
    The Golden Age Of Tinsel Town 3:29
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  5. 5
    Opposites Attract 2:21
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  6. 6
    Alice's Garden 3:29
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  7. 7
    Super 3:13
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  8. 8
    Animal 2:32
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  9. 9
    Under Lock And Key 3:53
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  10. 10
    Nothin' Turns My Lock Like Your Key 3:27
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  11. 11
    Unlocked 2:48
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  12. 12
    What Love Is 4:21
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  13. 13
    Live Together 3:57
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  14. 14
    Prince of Turtle Island 3:55
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  15. 15
    Sweet Baby Doll 3:45
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  16. 16
    Darlene 3:26
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  17. 17
    Cattail Moon 2:38
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  18. 18
    Hide N Seek/Throw U Away 6:11
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  19. 19
    Rain Down 3:09
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  20. 20
    Stars 4:03
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  21. 21
    My Aveline 3:37
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  22. 22
    Move Me 3:11
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  23. 23
    Stars On My Money 2:38
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  24. 24
    Chasing The Flame 2:50
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  25. 25
    Little Grey Dress 4:20
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  26. 26
    Slowdown 3:40
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  27. 27
    Ecotone 3:39
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  28. 28
    Spend It 3:16
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  29. 29
    We Can Pretend 3:44
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  30. 30
    Mine, Yours, And The Truth 2:39
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  31. 31
    Firefall 3:41
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  32. 32
    Insignificant Other 2:42
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  33. 33
    I'm All Burn 3:33
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  34. 34
    The Masterpiece 4:54
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  35. 35
    Mike Riley (My Heart Is A Flame) 1:32
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  36. 36
    Aveline 3:38
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  37. 37
    The Astounding Everyday 3:02
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  38. 38
    Star Money 3:07
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  39. 39
    Never Gonna Live In The Blue 2:37
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  40. 40
    Break It Down 3:06
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Love On Holiday Vol.6

Holiday Music Motel

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  1. 1
    Love's On Trial 3:08
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  2. 2
    Come Join The Show 3:31
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  3. 3
    Burn 3:21
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  4. 4
    Campfire 3:07
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  5. 5
    Under The Moon 3:23
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  6. 6
    Pure Garbage 2:44
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  7. 7
    Recondo 3:06
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  8. 8
    One By One 2:58
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  9. 9
    Lurking For Love 4:00
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  10. 10
    I Shine For You 3:52
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  11. 11
    Superpowers 3:19
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  12. 12
    Rabbit's Foot 2:23
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  13. 13
    Untitled 3:27
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  14. 14
    Not Today 3:24
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  15. 15
    Skyline Blue 3:05
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  16. 16
    Warped Tour 3:39
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  17. 17
    Drive 3:04
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  18. 18
    November 3:36
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  19. 19
    Love's Illusion Shattered 2:35
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  20. 20
    Dead To Me 2:28
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  21. 21
    Cruel On The Inside 2:20
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  22. 22
    Tough Love 3:26
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  23. 23
    I Dare You 2:55
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  24. 24
    Gold Star Surprise 4:13
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  25. 25
    Breaking My Heart Over You 3:17
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  26. 26
    When All The Love Is Gone 2:01
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  27. 27
    I Warned You 1:45
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  28. 28
    No Going Back 4:06
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  29. 29
    Lay Low 4:12
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  30. 30
    For Elena 2:43
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  31. 31
    Joke's On Me 2:11
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  32. 32
    Good Enough 3:44
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  33. 33
    Key To My Survival 3:33
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  34. 34
    No Son Of Mine 4:18
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  35. 35
    How Long Is Never? 2:41
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  36. 36
    Nature Owns The World 3:29
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  37. 37
    Manipulation 4:05
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  38. 38
    Worst Enemy 4:14
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  39. 39
    Songs Of Lunch 2:46
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