CENTER STAGE with

Something PiCaSo

Chuck Bechard has been making music for nearly 20 years and is the driving force behind the band Something PiCaSo. Something Picaso debuted their first album "Into the Light" in 2006. The album featured 10 tracks that highlight Bechard's songwriting chops with tunes like "Waves Fall" and "Just the Same" about the tragedy at the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas. The reaction to "Into the Light" was amazing earning the band a Spotlight feature in the Dayton Daily News.  

With the bands success came opportunities. While preparing and writing for Something Picaso's follow up album Bechard was approached by the band The Whiskey Bombs for lead vocal and 2nd guitar duties. Chuck accepted the challenge and embarked on the new and exciting adventure. The band hit the ground running, writing and playing gigs in and around the Dayton area including Mic Montgomery's legendary Canal Street Tavern. 

I asked Chuck what it was like to play at Canal Street back in the day. Bechard said, "We were asked by another band to open for them on like a Tuesday. There were not a ton of people there, but we did get a live soundboard recording of the night, so that was great. Playing Canal Street was really special. Having grown up in the area, this was like a rite of passage. It was like really making it. It was my first and only time playing there and I still hold that gig dear."

However as often happens, life gets in the way of our dreams and the project was shelved for various reasons. I asked if he had any regrets about his time with The Whiskey Bombs? "The Whiskey Bombs were a great moment in time. NO REGRETS! I had the chance to stand on a stage with friends, make music we really loved and play Canal Street. The beautiful thing is that Something PiCaSo will always be here. The way NIN will always be there for Trent, PiCaSo is my baby that is here when I need it.

Bechard's longtime friend and Something Picaso contributor Keith May was also delving into his own projects releasing two albums. May's debut called "Balladeer" spotlights Keith's guitar prowess and songwriting abilities with tunes like "Hypnotize" and "Past Life". His sophomore release "176 Daughters" came out in 2015 and explores May's acoustic side with songs like "My Angel" and one called "The Dark Cloud" that I've play more than a few times since discovering it.

With Bechard's focus back on songwriting the time had come for Something Picaso's sophomore album "Is There Anybody Listening" It's a great listen from start to finish. Bechard seemed to simply begin where he left off with gems like "Drama Society" and the hard hitting tune called "What the Hell". The follow up album came in the form of "Who Watches the Watchers". Bechard's songwriting style has a way of engaging the listener, giving you a mental image of its message. Listen to the first line in the track "Lonely Among Us" and you know, "We see them on the street and we pass on by. The ground beneath our feet, yeah is where they reside." The title track is another rocker and now a favorite in my playlist.