This is West Coast, yo… news from our US office. Rumblefish and Spineshank have been busy this past week whilst their respective upcoming releases are both nearing completion. Rumblefish: Speaking with guitarist Jason DeCosta just moments ago (approx 7:50pm EST), he finds himself en route to NRG Studios in the Valley, stuck in traffic. “Overcast, totally New York weather right now,” he tells…yeah, just like NY weather, ceptin’ it’s probably 80 degrees warmer… This past Friday (Feb 7) he and the boys had their inaugural photo shoot, for their upcoming Exit Highland release. The shoot lasted 13 hours, starting at 11am and ending at 1am. True. “We shot everywhere,” Jason explains, “Highland, 7-11, above the freeway, at On The Rox…” Additional photos for CD package imagery was shot the following day. Oh, back to the NRG Studios situation. Jason is heading there as that is where their album is being mixed. Andy Wallace previously mixed the songs “In My Head” and “Wait,” both of which he apparently nailed. And now at NRG, Jay Baumgardner is mixing the remaining nine songs. “Jay started two days ago, already mixed ‘Believe,’ working on ‘Stumble And Fall’ today.” Mixing of the Rumblefish debut should be complete within the next couple of weeks. In other Rumblefish news, they are playing at the Key Club on the 28th of this month, and then at the Roxy with Cottonmouth Kings on March 8th. Spineshank: Spineshank’s upcoming release is following the same pattern. Their third LP, Self Destructive Pattern, is currently being mixed by Scott Humphrey. As well, Spineshank too had their photoshoot last week. The shoot, headed by photographer Matthew Welch, took place in a big warehouse in downtown L.A. However, do not expect that usual gritty, metal, dark look of past Spineshank photoshoots. Word has it the shoot location was connected to the album package vibe…think madmusician’s diary… more to crome…