NEWS 2004 - 2006

UPDATE - December 3, 2006 -- It's hard to believe it's been so long since our last update here at STOF, but there has been nothing new to report.  Until now, and we are happy to share a couple of new (old) things with you.

First of all, we recently received an email from some talented fans who wanted to share their ode to DriveSHAFT.  Eda and Ezgi Koyagasioglu live in Turkey, and they've recorded a gorgeous cover of "Saved", the Pace Brothers original that popped up last January.  You can find their version here.  The beauty of their version rivals the original, we think.  Thanks so much Eda and Ezgi for sending it in!

And secondly, in the spirit of the holiday season, we would like to announce a Charity Auction on eBay.  Have you been wondering what to get for the DS fan in your life who has everything?  We think we might have something right up your alley.

It was a year and a half ago that Jill ran into Liam at a charity event in Los Angeles.  Since he was generous enough to take a moment to give us an exclusive interview at that time, we asked him if he would be interested in helping us raise money for another charity, this time benefiting musicians.  He graciously agreed, and autographed a limited number of DS CD covers for us to auction on behalf of Music Rising, which helps rebuild Gulf Coast music programs in schools and churches that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

We will be using eBay's certified auction program, Mission Fish and 100% of the money raised will go directly to Music Rising.  Since its inception in November 2005, Music Rising has brought aid to over 2,000 musicians, helping them regain their livelihood and find their way back home.

So, if you're looking for something a little different to give as a gift this year, or would just like to have a small piece of DriveSHAFT history for yourself, please click on over to our auctions on eBay.  Liam autographed and numbered 5 copies each of the CD test covers for DriveSHAFT, Oil Change, and the (You All) Everybody single, and each auction winner will receive a snapshot of Liam signing the CDs to prove their authenticity.  Bid early and bid often, and be sure to tell your friends.  It's for a great cause!

UPDATE - January 25, 2006 -- And so another year begins in STOF-land.  We hope everyone's holidays were safe and happy.  You DS fans have been a busy bunch during our mini-hiatus, haven't you?  So let's get to it.

L I Z A  G H O R B A N I  is a fab new entertainment site that has loads of interviews and concert reviews from around the world.  They recently posted an article called "Brothers In Arms", in which the following question was posed: "What happens when you go from sharing a bedroom to sharing a stage?"  It covers all the biggest bros, from the Everlies and Davies' to the Stinsons and Reids.  But where are the Brothers Pace?  Though they were not featured in the original publication due to "time and space constraints" (whatever), we have received a copy of the original unedited version. You can find the Liam and Charlie bits in our Press section.

Over the holidays, we were digging through some old boxes and unearthed a long-lost treasure.  We don't know what happened to the sleeve for our copy of the limited edition 12-inch "Out of Time" single, but we've still got the delicious vinyl, an image of which we share with you here.

Also, be sure to check out the Tribute section, as we've added some more memorials sent in by DS fans from around the globe.  Not to mention the new additions to the fan photo section.  Got ink?

And finally, is anyone else here a fan of the musical stylings of Mr. Benjamin Folds?  Like, to the point of being a card-carrying member of his fan club? We know, not a lot of crossover between the DS and BF5 crowds.  Or so one would think.  But!  Did any of you all everybody get the fanclub holiday single last month? You see where we're going with this, right?

For those of you not in the know, one of the perks of being a member of the Ben Folds Fanclub is this cute little 45 they issue during the holidays every year.  It usually features a bunch of random stuff, like long, rambling answering machine messages from Ben's dad or old school radio commercials for Schlitz Beer.  The fun part is, none of the tracks are ever listed.  So it's like a big mystery, trying to figure out where a certain snippet came from or whose voice is singing that weird song.  One year, there was even a clip of Ethel Merman covering Guns 'n' Roses.  "Sweet Child o' Mine" never sounded so good!

Anyway, this year's holiday single featured a few lines of a quiet, hopeful song that sounds like it's being performed by the bastard child of Charlie Pace and Ben Folds.  The musical style is so different from DriveSHAFT that you would never mistake it for a Pace original.  Except for the voice.  It's so Charlie!  But how can that be?  Is it a long-forgotten outtake from the Oil Change sessions?  Or were he and Ben working on a secret project in Australia together at some point?

The thing is, we don't even care.  We're just thrilled to hear Charlie sing again.  Even if it is for just a few bars.  And the fact that the lyrics are so bittersweet makes it all the more powerful.  Just think, he could have been covering "Mr. Brownstone".  And that would just be wrong.  About as wrong as the notion of using "(You All) Everybody" to sell diapers.  Thank goodness that rumor never proved to be true, eh? *shudder*  You can find the clip in the download section here.

Enjoy! 

UPDATE - September 21, 2005 - Wow.  Has it really been three and a
half months since our last update?  Dag, yo.  Where did the summer go?  Instead of subjecting you to an essay entitled "What Jilly and Marie Siu Did On Their Summer Vacation", why don't we check in with Zap? He's been pretty busy recently, and he's got some advice for all ya'll (everybody).  Never, ever, take a road trip with Sinjin.

While those two were making beautiful music all over the States, Patrick was taking in some live music back home.  He braved the crowd at Live8 and agreed to write a review for STOF.  You can find it in the Press section. While you're there, be sure to click around, as we've spent the last few weeks uploading old press clippings and fan encounters recently sent to us by DriveSHAFT packrats fans.

In fact, allow us to thank everyone across the world who has sent in magazine articles and local press coverage of the band, helping us to continue to provide the most comprehensive library of DS articles and interviews available on the intarwebs.

Don't believe us? Where else are you going to find all the lyrics from not only both official DriveSHAFT releases, but also Charlie's solo album? Or screen captures of (You All) Everybody from MTV's Making the Video? Not to mention the very cute Puma Beat article from 2000, and the very French Rolling Stone Profile from July 2002, and the very entertaining concert review of a 2002 Amsterdam gig.  And just to prove we're not without a sense of humor, we've even posted a less-than-flattering review of a London show from the Summer of 2002.   Also be sure to check out a small blurb about a fan gathering that marked the one-month anniversary of Charlie's disappearance.

Speaking of anniversaries, we're sure you're aware that tomorrow marks a very sad day for DriveSHAFT fans everywhere. We can hardly believe it's already been a year since Charlie went missing.  At times it seems that it's only been 40 days since the disappearance of Oceanic Flight 815.  (Maybe 43, tops.)  But to realize that a whole year has passed?  Woah.  We know you will each have your own way of honoring Charlie's memory.  As for us, we'll probably just spend tomorrow listening to the records, looking at old concert photos and remembering all the good times.  And sending positive thoughts out to Charlie's friends and family, as well as the loved ones of all the others who were lost on September 22, 2004.

UPDATE - June 9, 2005 -- Small update this time around. Keen-eyed DS fan Chad forwarded us an article addressing the financial difficulties Oceanic and other airlines are facing in The Wake of Flight 815. And another fan created a slideshow in honor of the band, which can be found on the Tribute page. Aaaand, that's about it really.  Keep those cards and letters coming, peeps. We're interested in any other info out there that may have passed us by. And as always, we are still accepting pics of people rockin' their favorite DS garb for our Fan Pics section.

UPDATE - June 1, 2005 - Sweet fancy moses, things have been busy around here lately!  Guess we have Jilly's interview with Liam to thank for the recent influx of visitors to STOF. You can find the audio clip here. Thanks again to Liam for taking the time to share his feelings about Charlie's disappearance.

We know many of you, like Liam, are still confused as to what could have possibly happened to Flight 815. It's like a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma surrounded by black smoke. We wish we could point you in the direction of some answers, but all we've got are questions. We recently discovered that Oceanic Airlines has ceased all operations "due to financial difficulties in the wake of the Flight 815 tragedy." Not that we should look to an airline website to give us any information on what may have happened to Charlie and the other missing passengers, but it's the closest thing we have to news, so we thought we'd share the link.

Speaking of sharing, a few DriveSHAFT fans have recently created visual homages to Charlie, which we have added to the Tribute section. If you are similarly inspired, feel free to send your contribution to jill[at]driveshaftband.com. Thanks to everyone for your continued support of our site. It's been great to talk to so many other fans over the past few months. Your kind words mean a lot to us. And even the not-so-kind words are good for a laugh.

UPDATE - April 21, 2005 - Jilly recently attended a charity auction in Los Angeles to benefit the Children's Defense Fund. As many of you know, Liam became involved with a similar Australian charity, NAPCAN, after the birth of his daughter Megan. When Jilly realized that Liam was also in attendance at the event, she asked if he would mind taking a moment to record a message to DriveSHAFT fans. He generously obliged. You can find the audio clip, transcript and photo of Liam and Jill here.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Liam for taking the time to speak with us. As ever, our thoughts are with his family, as well as the rest of the band.

UPDATE - April 5, 2005 - Hello everyone. Sorry it's taken so long for us to update. We could offer any number of reasons for the radio silence over the last four months: the hectic holiday season, our busy schedules, lack of new info. Each one is valid, but none of them get to the core issue. Full disclosure? We simply couldn't face making another Keep Hope Alive post. After the shock of Charlie's disappearance wore off, the denial kicked in. We decided that taking a break from Second Tour of Finland would be for the best.

But as the six-month anniversary of the Disappearance of Flight 815 has come and gone, we think it's time to get back in the game. Since there is next to nothing new to report from the DriveSHAFT camp, we've created a few new areas on the site.

There have been several media mentions of Charlie's flight, which we are beginning to compile here: Flight 815?. And we've added a section for fan photos, so if you've got any snapshots of you and your peeps decked out in DS gear before a show or something, send it our
way so we can post it here: Fan Pictures.

And we know you were probably missing out on your monthly Zap fix, and he's missed you too.  So head on over to Zap's corner for a peek into what life is like as a member of the DriveSHAFT posse in  Stringing Me Along.

Finally, we spent a bit of time giving the site a face lift. Now it should be easier to find your favorite flavor in the STOF box of chocolates. But we lost the guestbook in the switch-over, so apologies to all you loquacious guys and dolls who've been trying to solve the problems of the world through guestbook banter. Guess you'll just have to start from scratch, kind of like building a new society from the ground up. As ever, we welcome all comments and suggestions at jill[at]driveshaftband.com and/or mariesiu[at]driveshaftband.com. And if you have any navigation or coding questions, feel free to direct them to our new webmistress, webmaster[at]driveshaftband.com. Cheers..

UPDATE - December 8, 2004 - Happy Birthday Charlie, wherever you are. Zap has marked the occasion with a look back at how he and Charlie spent the last several months before Charlie went missing. Read his thoughts about the recording of Pente in Pace's Folly.

UPDATE - December 2, 2004 - Sadly, this week's update contains no new information about the continuing search for Charlie. We are still hoping to have some good news before the end of the year. But we have received an email from drummer Patrick Gleason, regarding the recent passing of John Peel. His memories of one of the most influential men in the British music scene can be found on the . Why not read it while listening to your favorite copy of the PeelSessions?

Also, be sure to check out Zap's corner for his latest musings on the state of . Zap sez: I can hear your little voices: "What next, Zap? What next?"" What's next, indeed.

UPDATE - October 20, 2004 - Our Australia/New Zealand correspondent, Lexi, has just provided us with an exclusive fan report. It appears as though she may have been one of the last people to see Charlie before he stepped on the now-missing plane. Her story can be found on the Fan Encounters Page.

Lexi also provided us with an article that she wrote about the Big Day Out Festival back in 2001 that was lost in the Great Chicken Pot Pie Crash. Take a look and remind yourself of the joys of the DriveSHAFT tour. That's also located on the Fan Encounters Page

UPDATE - October 13, 2004 - It seems that we've all been feeling a bit lost since we heard the news about Charlie's disappearance. Early on, we thought we'd be posting daily updates about the search efforts. But as the days went by, it became more and more apparent that new developments would be few and far between. In this case, no news is certainly not good news. This does not mean we have given up hope. We know that DriveSHAFT fans around the world join us in sending our love and positive thoughts to Charlie and the rest of the band and their families.

Today we're breaking our radio silence to bring a little Zap into your life. A few weeks ago, we would have predicted that this month's update would find him dishing about possible tour dates. Instead, he's talking about what things we can't bring ourselves to think about. "As I'm sure every one of you in the DS world knows, there's a little something on our minds."

UPDATE - September 27, 2004 - Due to the recent increased media coverage of DriveSHAFT, we've been receiving email from fans around the world who have contributed several new articles, interviews and fan reports from the past few years. Check out the Press Page for these recent additions.

UPDATE - September 26, 2004 - As the search for Charlie continues, our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in DriveSHAFT's extended family. Over the past couple of weeks, fans from around the world have contacted STOF with their memories and stories. Marie and I have set up a page -- Charlie Remembered -- to share these contributions with everyone. If you have any photos or recollections you'd like to share, please feel free to send them in. We will get them posted as soon as possible.

UPDATE - September 23, 2004 - We've just learned that Charlie was aboard a plane that has been reported missing somewhere in the South Pacific. We have gathered the following information from various media sources covering the supposed crash and rescue effort:

Oceanic Flight 815 was flying from Sydney to Los Angeles when it mysteriously disappeared from radar at approximately 3:24pm, September 22, 2004. All attempts to contact the crew were unsuccessful. The plane is assumed to be downed somewhere in the area northwest of Fiji.

According to the passenger list, Charlie Pace was sitting in seat 29C. He was in Australia, presumably visiting his brother, who moved there with his family last year. Charlie had also recently played a few small gigs around Sydney. Evidently, Liam was not traveling with him on this flight, though there had recently been unconfirmed rumors that DriveSHAFT would be touring the States as a support band in the near future. So far, neither Charlie's family, nor any members of DS, have made a formal statement. Oceanic's release to the public said only that they were making every effort to locate the plane. Stay tuned to CNN and other news services for further information. And of course, we will keep this page updated with info as we receive it.

Go here for the poster that we created. Help us find him.

UPDATE - September 19, 2004 - Attention all Aussie fans! Evidently, Charlie has broadened his little UK-only solo tour to include other lands. Unsuspecting patrons of a Sydney pub called The Hope & Anchor were treated to a surprise solo performance by none other than Mr. Pace himself last night. After his impromptu gig, he hung out with a few fans. When asked if he had plans to do any more shows while he's in town, his response was typical Charlie: "The best laid 'plans' of mice and bassists often go astray..." So if you're lucky enough to live in or around Sydney, we suggest that you keep your ear to the ground for any news of Charlie coming to a pub near you. And who knows? He might even have a "special guest" at his next gig. After all, Liam does hang his hat in Australia these days!

UPDATE - August 15, 2004 - A little bird tells us that DriveSHAFT might very well be coming to a town near you in the not-too-distant future. We've seen the speculation going wild on the message boards, so we just wanted to make a quick post detailing what we've heard.

There has been no new record deal. There is no new DS album. But, evidently, there was enough buzz created by Charlie's solo EP PenteDriveSHAFT's first tour in over two years. Even though it's not a headlining gig, it's still live DS shows, which would be fucking fantastic. We're not at liberty to mention by name the band they might be opening for, but it rhymes with "Meat Coat". Just sayin'.

UPDATE - August 3, 2004 - We are pleased to announce a new feature here at STOF, a little something we like to call "Zap's Corner". Contained therein you will find all sorts of juicy tidbits from the man, the myth, the machine: Zap Quinnell, DriveSHAFT's Road Chief Extraordinaire. What's the first thing ol' Zap would like you to know about himself? "I would like the record to show that I was not involved in the incident with the goat." Suuure, Zap. Whatever you say!

UPDATE - July 4, 2004 - Are you sitting down? Seriously? Don't just say you are if you're really not. Because, HELLO, we have news for you. And not just any news either. We're talking Big News. Ready? Okay, here goes... CHARLIE HAS RECORDED AN EP AND PLANS TO PLAY SOME GIGS AROUND THE UK IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. We are as stunned as you, believe us. Since when did Charlie turn into like, Brian Fucking Wilson? Evidently, Mr. It's-All-About-The-Music-MAN has finally put his studio time where his mouth is. Can we get a HELL YEAH?

Seriously, this came out of nowhere. This is the first we've heard about it! Then again, what kind of noise would the making of a self-produced EP create? A question for the ages, that. Right up there with "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" Actually, that could be the title of one of Sinjin's experimental albums... "One-Handed Clapping".

Getting back to Charlie, though. His five song EP is called Pente, and it's only available at his live gigs which, as of right now, seem to be in the UK only. Luckily, we've got friends in middling places, and we snagged a copy. Check out the Discography Page

UPDATE - June 20, 2004 - Happy Father's day to Liam Pace and Patrick Gleason, the rockinest daddies we know. Even though they haven't been doing that much rockin' lately. At least not in the public eye anyway.

UPDATE - June 9, 2004 - Sorry friends, but once again, we've got nothing new to report. You know, it can be a pretty tricky business running a website for a band that doesn't record albums or tour. /Captain Obvious

UPDATE - May 19, 2004 - Hey you know what? We totally forgot to mark the occasion of STOF's fourth birthday last month. So, er, Happy Birthday STOF! Hopefully by this time next year, there will have been some actual NEWS to report. Not to mention an ALBUM and oh, you know, TOUR.

UPDATE - March 17, 2004 - Another St. Patrick's Day has come and gone, with no word about a new DriveSHAFT record or tour. Nothing to do but raise another pint to the lads, wherever they may be. Cheers, mates.

UPDATE - January 5, 2004 - Happy New Year! Here's hoping that 2004 brings nothing but good things to us all. Like a new recording contract for DriveSHAFT? And a new album? And a tour? Pleaseohpleaseohplease?

However, just because the boys haven't been keeping us busy doesn't mean that we have been slacking off. Check out the Gallery Page for some recently uploaded 'artistic' photos.

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