The Piece Of The Action trilogy

The Piece Of The Action trilogy is an ongoing studio album cycle by the American-South African band The Infection.

This is the band's first album since going on a hiatus back in 2004. This was the band's last album as The Infection announced the new band name to Blue Ink. This was also the last studio album to feature Sandy Cheeks as she was pronounced dead on July 14th of a heroin overdose.

Vol. 1: Piece Of The Action (2017)
The Infection was a rock band that formed in 1993 by SpongeBob SquarePants and adding Sandy Cheeks and Patrick Star, ever since the band formed. They were living in San Diego, California until their hiatus in 2002 when the band decided to go on a hiatus and announced in August 2004 that they're moving to Johannesburg, South Africa. On August 27th, 2016, The Infection announced that Patrick Star is rejoining the band and will start recording their new studio album in February. On February 2nd, 2017. The band announced that the 5th album will have 10 songs and a bonus track, 6 days on February 8th, 2017. Sandy Cheeks, bass player of the Infection announced that the 10 new songs were demoed on a 4-track cassette recorder and re-recorded the songs. On February 25th, 2017. The Infection's manager announced that the new album would be called "Massive Library" but 6 hours later, the Infection announced that the actual album would be called "Piece Of The Action". Some of the songs like "Rock N' Roll Superstar", "You Can Be The Guy Who Wants Everything" and "Evil Spirits" have a sound clip from Coast To Coast AM - 02/25/2017 with Jimmy Church saying "We're coming to you live from the massive library" and apparently, the band added the clip and repeating the same words "Massive Library", the idea came after listening to several Marilyn Manson albums that had backward masking and some other stuff. and in the song "Piece Of The Action", The band decided to add 2 clips from Marilyn Manson's "Smells Like Children" and "Antichrist Superstar" with a reverse guitar in the background. At the ending of the song "Nevermind", you can hear the Coast to Coast AM host's voice in a different pitch and tempo. Sandy Cheeks said in a statement on February 27th, 2017.

"The reason why we are adding clips from Coast to Coast AM 02/25/2017 and others is to understand that America is being controlled by the Illuminati and the alternate titles contain subliminal messages."

And then around February 26th, 2017. SpongeBob SquarePants was having complaints of stomach pain in his lower abdomen and left the band temporarily and left Yolandi Visser in charge. Vol.1 was released on June 3rd, 2017 and received mostly positive reviews from music fans and critics, Metacritic left Vol.1 an 89/100 rating.

Promotion for Vol 1.
According to Sandy Cheeks, before her death in July. There was a promotion for Vol .1 which was a collection consisted of acoustic tracks recorded in Spongebob's room. Some even dating back to 1982. The production quality ranged from abysmal to okay on these tracks. "Man on the Moon" has since become a fan favorite and is the only song off of the compilation to be released before the compilation itself, appearing on the Dan Johnstonefish album "Space Scallops"

Vols. 2 & 3: Love-109/Legend of the Realms (2017-present)
On July 1st, 2017. Sandy Cheeks   announced that the band was going to be changing the band name to   Blue Ink and   released a statement.

"Over the last 23 years, we were known as the Infection but it's now time to move on and we will be changing our band name to Blue Ink after the Vans Warped Tour is over and also, We will be signing a new record deal with Warner Bros. Records and it has been an honor to work with Reprise for the past 23 years. I want to thank you guys for your support."

And the next day on July 2nd, 2017. They signed with Warner Bros. Records and several days later on July 14th, 2017.

Sandy Cheeks died of a cocaine overdose on July 13th and was rushed to a New York hospital hours after the band performed at Darien Center, Blue Ink's band manager Randy Washington released a statement 4 minutes after Sandy was pronounced dead. "We are deeply in shock that our longtime bass player Sandy Cheeks passed away this morning at 9:46 am. She will be heavenly missed by our band members."

Just a few days after Sandy's death, SpongeBob SquarePants announced his return to the Infection after having an unknown illness that he was having and on July 18th, it was announced that SpongeBob has colon cancer and that the band manager Randy Washington said that SpongeBob would still perform but won't be able to do recording sessions with the band for a while and the next day, the band announced they are cancelling the rest of the 2017 Vans Warped Tour shows due to SpongeBob's battle with Colon cancer as his playing time is limited, the band released the 18 studio tracklist for the new studio album on July 24th, 2017.

On August 8th, 2017. The band manager Randy Washington announced that SpongeBob's colon cancer has reached to Stage 3 meaning that he won't be returning to the band until late-December and the next day, the band announced the name of Vol. 3 titled "Legend of the Realms" and it would have 14 tracks, on August 14th. They announced the song titles for Vol. 3 and SpongeBob would be returning in Vol. 3 and in mid-production of Love-109. On August 15th, it was announced that Legend of the Realms would be a predecessor to the 2003 unreleased double album Disparate Realms II and announced the release date for June 25th, 2018. On August 17th, the band announced that they will begin recording Vol. 3 in February 2018.

On August 25th, the band manager Randy Washington announced that Vol. 3 is the last volume in the Piece of the Action trilogy and several days later, SpongeBob announced on Twitter that he is going to return on Decermber 23rd.

Band Members

 * SpongeBob SquarePants - lead guitar, lead vocals (Vol. 1 - present; Inactive as of July 2017 due to colon cancer; he would return in Late-December.)
 * Sandy Cheeks - bass guitar, backing vocals (Vol. 1)
 * Shirley Manson - bass guitar, backing vocals (Vol. 2 - present)
 * Patrick Star - drums, percussion (Vol. 1 - present)
 * Yolandi Visser - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (Vol. 1 - present)

Vol. 1: Piece Of The Action

 * 1) Rock N' Roll Superstar
 * 2) You Can Be The Guy Who Wants Everything
 * 3) Evil Spirits
 * 4) Marijuana
 * 5) Piece Of The Action
 * 6) Trying To Get Away
 * 7) Nevermind
 * 8) Electronic Asshole
 * 9) Diamond Ring
 * 10) Better Than America
 * 11) Don't Understand (bonus track)

Piece Of The Action singles:

 * 1) Don't Understand (released February 25th, 2017)
 * 2) Rock N' Roll Superstar (released June 3rd, 2017)
 * 3) You Can Be The Guy Who Wants Everything (released June 9th, 2017)

Vol. 2: Love-109

 * 1) Straight Up
 * 2) Live and Learn
 * 3) Love-109
 * 4) Faithful Friends
 * 5) Ask Your Question
 * 6) Don't Try To Apprehend Them
 * 7) A New Direction
 * 8) Secret Realm
 * 9) Weary Spirit
 * 10) Way To Paris
 * 11) Airborne
 * 12) Kick It
 * 13) Undercover of Darkness
 * 14) Deadline
 * 15) Life Is Love
 * 16) Never Stop
 * 17) Like A Bomb
 * 18) Pixieman

Love-109 singles:

 * 1) Don't Try To Apprehend Them (released August 25th, 2017)
 * 2) Love-109 (released August 29th, 2017)

Vol. 3: Legend of the Realms

 * 1) Crash Course (The Year of Hell)
 * 2) Drivin' Hard
 * 3) Bi-Polarized
 * 4) Gazing Out
 * 5) Legend of the Realms
 * 6) No Man's Land
 * 7) Shove It Up, Jupiter
 * 8) Didn't That Count
 * 9) Extreme Sport
 * 10) Infected Stuff II
 * 11) Pushing It To The Limits
 * 12) He Said She Said
 * 13) Livewire
 * 14) Shoot the Moon

Legend of the Realms singles:

 * 1) No Man's Land (released September 4th, 2017)

Intro

 * 1) Rock N' Roll Superstar
 * 2) Heaven At Last
 * 3) You Can Be The Guy Who Wants Everything
 * 4) Evil Spirits
 * 5) Marijuana
 * 6) Magic Tricks
 * 7) The Traffic Jam
 * 8) Transgressions
 * 9) Infected Stuff
 * 10) 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
 * 11) Connected
 * 12) I Don't Give A Damn
 * 13) Come On Tom, Really?
 * 14) Say It
 * 15) A Number Of My Lifes
 * 16) The Address Is On My Brain
 * 17) Tonight, Tonight (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
 * 18) Monster
 * 19) Blood
 * 20) Running
 * 21) Victory Is Ours
 * 22) I Have Lips
 * 23) Beetles
 * 24) Rampage
 * 25) Lost City
 * 26) Piece Of The Action
 * 27) Trying To Get Away
 * 28) Nevermind
 * 29) Vaccine Slaughterhouse
 * 30) Network
 * 31) Take A Look Around (Limp Bizkit cover)
 * 32) Secret Realm
 * 33) Love-109
 * 34) Mustang Rider
 * 35) Electronic Asshole
 * 36) Back Again
 * 37) Another Year, Another Life
 * 38) 24 Years Ago
 * 39) Spank Thru (Nirvana cover)
 * 40) About A Girl (Nirvana cover)
 * 41) Wake Me Up When September Ends (Green Day cover)
 * 42) Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day cover)
 * 43) Holiday (Green Day cover)
 * 44) Today (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
 * 45) Bullet With Butterfly Wings (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
 * 46) Quiet (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
 * 47) Diamond Ring
 * 48) Hack Jack
 * 49) The Only One
 * 50) Stop The Madness
 * 51) Don't Try To Apprehend Them
 * 52) Better Than America
 * 53) The Bridge Is Falling
 * 54) What To Expect

2017 Vans Warped Tour

 * June 16, 2017 - Centurylink Field North Lot, Seattle, Washington
 * Notes: SpongeBob SquarePants was very ill and announced that he wouldn't perform for the next few weeks.
 * June 17, 2017 - Oregon State Fair, Salem, North Carolina
 * Notes: Nevermind was not played.
 * June 21, 2017 - Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico
 * Notes: Sandy Cheeks was overdosed on cocaine just 3 hours before the show started.
 * June 22, 2017 - Fear Farm Festival Grounds, Phoenix, Arizona
 * Notes: The Only One, Hack Jack and Today was not performed.
 * June 23, 2017 - Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
 * Notes: Rock N' Roll Superstar was not played.
 * June 24, 2017 - Utah State Fairpark, Salt Lake City, Utah
 * Notes: The Address Is On My Brain was not played.
 * June 25, 2017 - Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
 * Notes: Sandy Cheeks overdosed on cocaine again.
 * June 27, 2017 - Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
 * Notes: Someone threw a shoe at Yolandi and told the person to get out from the show.
 * June 28, 2017 - Zephyr Field, Metairie, Louisiana
 * Notes: Sandy joked after "Today" saying that there were a couple of vampires at the show from True Blood.
 * June 29, 2017 - Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, Georgia
 * Notes: You Can Be The Guy Who Wants Everything was not played.
 * June 30, 2017 - Tinker Field, Orlando, Florida
 * Notes: First performance of the new song "Don't Try To Apprehend Them."
 * July 1, 2017 - Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg, Florida
 * Notes: The band covered another Smashing Pumpkins song "1979".
 * July 2, 2017 - Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Florida
 * Notes: First performances of "Magic Tricks" & "The Bridge Is Falling" since August 6th, 2003.
 * July 4, 2017 - Legion Stadium, Wilmington, North Carolina
 * Notes: Rock N' Roll Superstar was not played and first performance of "Diamond Ring".
 * July 6, 2017 - PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
 * Notes: First performances of "Vaccine Slaughterhouse", "Mustang Rider", "Network" since May 28th, 1994.
 * July 7, 2017 - BB&T Pavilion, Camden, New Jersey
 * Notes: "Better Than America" was not played.
 * July 8, 2017 - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, New York
 * Notes: During the show, Yolandi Visser was hit by a person throwing cigarette buds so she told him to get out of the show or else she'll come after him.
 * July 9, 2017 - XFINITY Theatre, Hartford, Connecticut
 * Notes: Sandy Cheeks said to the audience "Comcast sucks, AT&T is better" after playing Bullet With Butterfly Wings and had a standing ovation.
 * July 10, 2017 - The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton, Pennsylvania
 * Notes: Band covered some Nirvana songs during the show, Sandy Cheeks overdosed on cocaine just 15 minutes before the show started.
 * July 11, 2017 - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, Virginia
 * Notes: Bullet With Butterfly Wings was played for 15 minutes because Yolandi Visser was doing random guitar solos.
 * July 12, 2017 - XFINITY Center, Mansfield, Massachusetts
 * Notes: Today & Bullet With Butterfly Wings were both played for 15 minutes just like at the July 11, 2017 show. The audience reportedly told Sandy to make fun out of Comcast and she listened to them by saying after a song that Comcast sucks, Band also covered another Smashing Pumpkins song "Tonight, Tonight".
 * July 13, 2017 - Darien Lake PAC, Darien Center, New York
 * Notes: Sandy Cheeks used heroin 3 hours after the show ended and passed out and was rushed to the hospital. The band released a statement following her medical emergency. "Our longtime bass player Sandy Cheeks was rushed to the hospital after she passed out doing heroin, we decided that she would not join the rest of the Vans Warped Tour." The next day on July 14th, Sandy Cheeks was pronounced dead in her hospital bed and the cause of death was Opioid overdose and the band released the statement on the day she died. "We are deeply in shock that our longtime bass player Sandy Cheeks passed away this morning at 9:46 am. She will be heavenly missed by our band members."
 * July 14, 2017 - KeyBank Pavilion, Burgettstown, Pennsylvania
 * Notes: The band paid tribute to the late Sandy Cheeks by playing a couple of songs from Green Day.
 * July 15, 2017 - PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, New Jersey
 * Notes: Yolandi Visser said after playing Bullet With Butterfly Wings, she felt the ghost of Sandy Cheeks and told the audience "A ghost touch me, i think it was Sandy."
 * July 16, 2017 - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland
 * Notes: "Rock N' Roll Superstar" & "Electronic Asshole" were not played.
 * July 18, 2017 - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
 * Notes: First performance of "Heaven At Last" since January 21st, 2004. The band played 4 songs "Another Year, Another Life", "Back Again", "24 Years Ago", "What To Expect" from the unreleased double album Disparate Realms II for the first time. SpongeBob announced after the show that he's been diagnosed with Colon cancer.
 * July 19, 2017 - Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
 * Notes: Show ended early after playing "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and due to SpongeBob's limited playing time.
 * July 20, 2017 - Klipsch Music Center, Noblesville, Indiana
 * Notes: Band's last show performing at the 2017 Vans Warped Tour and performed 2 songs from the upcoming studio album Love-109 and the last show under The Infection band name.

Tour Members - June 16th - July 13th, 2017 Tour Members - July 14th, 2017 - July 16th, 2017 Tour Members - July 18th, 2017 - July 20th, 2017
 * Yolandi Visser - rhythm guitar, lead vocals
 * Sandy Cheeks - bass guitar, backing vocals
 * Patrick Star - drums, precession
 * Yolandi Visser - rhythm guitar, lead vocals
 * Shirley Manson - bass guitar, backing vocals
 * Patrick Star - drums, precession
 * SpongeBob SquarePants - lead guitar, lead vocals
 * Shirley Manson - bass guitar, backing vocals
 * Patrick Star - drums, precession
 * Yolandi Visser - rhythm guitar, backing vocals

The Secret Realm Tour

 * August 12th, 2017 - Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California (Outlands Festival 2017)
 * August 13th, 2017 - Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California (Outlands Festival 2017)
 * August 21st, 2017 - Electric Factory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 * August 26th, 2017 - The Venue, Orlando, Florida
 * August 29th, 2017 - Grand Stafford Theater, Bryan, Texas
 * September 2nd, 2017 - Columbia City Theater, Seattle, Washington
 * December 28th, 2017 - Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
 * December 29th, 2017 - Paramount Theatre, Denver, Colorado
 * December 30th, 2017 - Bassline, Johannesburg, South Africa
 * December 31st, 2017 - Wits Theatre Complex, Johannesburg, South Africa
 * February 18th, 2018 - The Metro, Chicago, Illinois
 * March 3rd, 2018 - Rogers Centre, Tornoto, Canada
 * March 9th, 2018 - Greek Theatre, Berkeley, California
 * March 10th, 2018 - Verizon Center, Washington, DC
 * March 11th, 2018 - The Waiting Room, Cape Town, South Africa
 * March 12th, 2018 - KeyArena, Seattle, Washington
 * March 13th, 2018 - House of Blues, San Diego, California
 * March 14th, 2018 - Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
 * April 14th, 2018 - SAP Center, San Jose, California (Vol. 2 release party)

Setlist (Secret Realm Tour)

 * 1) I Beg to Differ
 * 2) Bad Manners
 * 3) Rampage
 * 4) No Man's Land
 * 5) Shove It Up, Jupiter
 * 6) Crash Course
 * 7) Drivin' Hard
 * 8) Don't Try To Apprehend Them
 * 9) Undercover of Darkness
 * 10) Magic Tricks
 * 11) Blood
 * 12) The Traffic Jam
 * 13) Rock N' Roll Superstar
 * 14) Marijuana
 * 15) Message To All The Realms
 * 16) Welcome To Rock Bottom
 * 17) Transgressions
 * 18) The Address Is On My Brain
 * 19) Why Did This Happen
 * 20) The Bridge Is Falling
 * 21) Throwing Rocks In The Sea
 * 22) Faithful Friends
 * 23) Deadline
 * 24) Infected Stuff
 * 25) Infected Stuff II
 * 26) Pushing It To The Limits
 * 27) Diamond Ring
 * 28) Piece Of The Action
 * 29) Evil Spirits
 * 30) Shoot the Moon
 * 31) What To Expect

Setlist (Outlands Festival 2017)
Tour Members (Outlands Festival 2017)
 * 1) The Bridge Is Falling
 * 2) Straight Up
 * 3) Live and Learn
 * 4) I Don't Give A Damn
 * 5) Rock N' Roll Superstar
 * 6) Diamond Ring
 * 7) Piece Of The Action
 * 8) You Can Be The Guy Who Wants Everything
 * 9) Evil Spirits
 * 10) Welcome to Rock Bottom
 * 11) Transgressions
 * 12) Magic Tricks
 * 13) Secret Realm
 * 14) Don't Try To Apprehend Them
 * 15) Demon of the Century
 * 16) The Traffic Jam
 * 17) I Have Lips
 * 18) Undercover of Darkness
 * 19) Marijuana
 * 20) Pixieman
 * 21) Size (Give Me Your Coke Size)
 * 22) Connected
 * 23) Infected Stuff
 * 24) Heaven At Last
 * 25) Throwing Rocks At The Sea
 * 26) Drumstick
 * 27) Running
 * 28) Today (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
 * Yolandi Visser - lead guitar, lead vocals
 * Shirley Manson - bass guitar, backing vocals
 * Patrick Star - drums, precession