As you should know by now, the members of As Yet Unbroken are men of varied talents. And Mark T. Zeilman, our co-founder and bass player, will be putting his talents on display once again when his latest solo art show opens at the new home of Place Gallery at 1551 S. Commerce St. in Las Vegas, on Friday, Sept. 3. Called “Masterpiece,” the art exhibit features a series of paintings and drawings building a narrative that’s also collected in a comic book of the same name, itself being released to the public that night as well.

What does this have to do with As Yet Unbroken? Well, the rest of the band will be on hand to help celebrate the debut of Mark’s new show, as we’ll all take the stage after the reception to perform a full-on set for free. Yep — fine art, comic books and rock ‘n’ roll. What more do you need? And it’s all ages! So, you know, come on down, hang out, and get your culture on!

The reception starts at 6 p.m., AYU goes on about 10 p.m., and we expect to see each and every one of you there. Huzzah!

Voting ends June 30 at midnight, so get yours in today!

After many months of auditioning people with stringed instruments, Peter had the right combo of shiny toys, tattoos and talent (but mostly shiny toys and tattoos) to fill the big shoes left behind by our pal Rick Epse last fall. Born in California and bred in Texas, Peter brings not only furious guitar playing skills, but also an extensive background in sound design, audio production and all-around badassery. When he’s not searing ears with AYU, Peter breaks out the electronic beats as one-man act Sursum.

You can check out Peter – as well those other guys, Tim, Mark and Pj – up close and personal at several upcoming shows in Las Vegas, including Boomers Bar on Sunday, June 27, and the Aruba Hotel on Friday, July 2, where AYU returns to the N.O.I.S.E. stage for First Friday multi-sensory experience. We have new songs, new looks and new moves – you won’t want to miss out.

But fear not! As Yet Unbroken is here to remind you that through the power of rock ‘n’ roll, there is salvation! We have seen the future, and the future is … pretty friggin’ rocking.

2009 was a good year for the band overall. We had some great gigs, topped the Las Vegas Weekly’s MP3 download charts more times than we can remember, and even got a little bit of media love here and there. Sadly, toward the end of the year, we experienced some personal loss within our ranks as well as a shake-up in the band’s lineup itself, as we parted ways amicably with guitarist and all-around tall guy Richard Espe.

Instead of rushing out to fill those big shoes left behind by Rick, Tim, Mark and Pj regrouped and took advantage of the time away from gigs and rehearsals to start writing and recording brand-new material. And what do you know? It’s working. You may have heard some buzz about new song titles such as “Post Life Society” and “Disaster Remedy.” We’re close to finishing the recording of these tracks, and we have even more on the way! Every week seems to yield exciting new developments.

Of course, you folks don’t just want to read about these new songs – you want to hear them! And they’re coming, we promise. But even as we flesh out these groovy new tunes, we’re going to need someone to help us bring them to life in a live setting. Yes, it’s finally time to put out the call: We are officially looking for a new member. Ideally, a person who can play both guitar and bass, though a guitarist alone will suffice. They must be awesome, have their own gear, live in Las Vegas, and be available for practice, shows and recording.

If you know someone who fills the bill (or is it YOU?!), drop us a line at asyetunbroken AT gmail DOT com. And please help spread the word – post about this opening on your MySpace, Facebook or Twitter feeds. Because the sooner we fill that spot, the sooner we get back to rocking your face silly the proper way: up close and personal.

Stay posted to our own Facebook page for the latest updates, though of course, we won’t neglect the MySpace kids. And if you’re really a fan, subscribing to our YouTube videos is a must as well.

That’s it for the State of the As Yet Unbroken Union 2010. Be good to each other, and let’s make 2010 the YEAR OF AS YET UNBROKEN.

WORD.

In the meantime, we brought you a present: One of our newest songs, the haunting and hypnotic “Bad Blood,” presented to you for the first time on video. This performance comes from our show during the fall Neon Reverb music festival at the Thunderbird Lounge inside the Aruba Hotel. We hope you enjoy it, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Come out to the Thunderbird Lounge inside the Aruba Hotel (1215 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. for the opening night of Neon Reverb, Las Vegas’ downtown music festival. We’ll be playing with The Black Jetts and Collinz Room for your rock ‘n’ roll enjoyment. All this for only $5, to boot! So if you’re 21 or older, get your butt downtown and we promise to get your ass moving.

Update: The Black Jetts unexpectedly canceled, so cover is only $3 now. And it starts at 10 p.m. There you go.

Oh yeah, and we have pictures from that show if you haven’t seen ‘em yet!

AYU’s single “Alone” has already been spun on Area 107.9’s Sunday-night show “Local 107.9,” and just a few weeks ago, our latest cut, “Almost Gone,” got some airplay love on Laurie Steele’s “Homegrown” show (also Sunday nights) on KOMP. But who wouldn’t love to hear us go into regular rotation on either of those shows … or beyond?!

What can you do? Easy: Send an e-mail to Local Show Joe and Laurie Steele requesting — nay, demanding! — to hear more of As Yet Unbroken on their respective shows. It’s the right thing to do. And we sure do appreciate it.

We’ve got you covered. Join us on Friday, July 3 at the Aruba Hotel (1215 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) at 10 p.m. for N.O.I.S.E., a monthly gathering of musicians, artists, performers, wizards and mages. There will be music. There will be drinking. And there will be you, all rolled up in a snug blanket of rock ‘n’ roll awesomeness. Also: You can personally buy your pallet’s worth of AYU stickers. What more could you need?!

If you find yourself hungry Tuesday night and want your dinner accompanied by original, live music, then we suggest you come on out to Gallo’s. It’s located at 3250 N. Tenaya Way at Cheyenne Avenue in the Target shopping center, just off the I-95. The show starts at 8 p.m., and the $10 cover gets you all-you-can-eat pizza and pasta, bottomless soft drinks, and if you’re 21 or over, your first beer or wine free. Really, how can you beat a deal like that? The nearest casino buffet will cost you $15 easily, and won’t be accompanied by the soothing sounds of modern rock. It’s a no-brainer.