CVNW July 2013

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Also in this issue…

Van’s Warped Tour Photos Acoustic Minds Interview Metal Exiles!

News you can Use and more...

From the Desk of the Pres Another month passes by, June brings with it the heat of the summer and the concerts and car / bike shows that take place.

The President gets a chance this issue to sit down and spend some quality time with the boys in One Gun Shy, a hot rock group taking the Seattle music scene by storm.

Also this month, CV NorthWest and PureSin Photography bring you an incredible set of pictures from the Van’s Warped Tour stop in WA state. Not to be outdone, our friends at SM Photography give us the Fail Safe Project and Seven Cycles.

We also take a definitely left hand turn and talk to the Price twins, Jenni & Amanda, from Acoustic Minds...millennium pop EDM is not what we’ve brought you so far, but that’s no reason not to support the band and show the ladies love.

Metals Exiles wears a different hat this month by reviewing a concert by Oleander.

We talk about the value of CPO, give you MATH and talk about car loan terms, and bring you our regularly schedule tattoo display-fest.

Enjoy!

Cover Rock Calendar One Gun Shy News you Can Use Pure Sin @ VWT Drumiture Babe of the Month Metal Exiles: Oleander SM Photography!

Gear the Pros Use Acoustic Minds Ask the Master Is CPO Right for You? Tattoo Gallery

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CV NORTHWEST MAGAZINE © 2012-13 is published monthly and NO reproduction of content is permitted without Publisher’s prior approval. Publisher assumes no financial responsibility for the errors in ads beyond the cost of space occupied by error; a correction will be printed. Publisher is not liable for: any slandering of an individual, or group as we mean no malice or individual criticism at any time; nor are we responsible for the opinions or comments of our columnists; and promises, coupons, or lack of fulfillment from advertisers who are solely responsible for the content of their ads. Publisher is also to be held harmless from: failure to produce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond control; all suits, claims or loss of expenses; this includes but is not limited to, suits for libel, plagiarism, copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a persons name or photograph.

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She's Not Dead Crazy Train She's Not Dead She's Not Dead Witchburn She's Not Dead Witchburn She's Not Dead Delaney & Paris Highway Star Madame Torment She's Not Dead Witchburn Gold Dust Metal Shop Metal Shop Prophets of Addiction She's Not Dead Splintered Throne Splintered Throne Stolen Rose Witchburn One Gun Shy Cyanida Prophets of Addiction Stolen Rose Oriya Prophets of Addiction Delaney & Paris Stolen Rose

Sally O'Malley's Rapid City, SD Estacada Big Bang Estacada, OR Chesterfield Sioux City, IA Big's Sports Bar Sioux Falls, SD Tony V's Everett, WA the Dalles House St Croix Falls, WI the Sports Center Yakima, WA Guest House Watertown, SD Tiger Bar Portland, OR the New Copper Penny Portland, OR the New Copper Penny Portland, OR Showtime Bar & Grill Burns, OR Analog Lounge Portland, OR the New Copper Penny Portland, OR Lakewood Waterfront Festival Lakewood, WA Lakewood Waterfront Festival Lakewood, WA the Hub Bar & Grill Centralia, WA Hamley's Saloon Pendleton, OR Oak Grove Bar & Grill Oak Grove, OR Oak Grove Bar & Grill Oak Grove, OR the Tiger Bar Portland, OR the Center Spokane, WA Trattoria Amante Issaquah, WA South Point Casino Las Vegas, NV Bubba's Roadhouse Sultan, WA 45th Street Pub Portland, OR One Eyed Jack's Lynnwood, WA One Eyed Jack's Lynwood, WA Tiger Bar Portland, OR OR Brewers Festival Portland, OR

One Gun Shy, but all guns blazin’! This rock quartet from Seattle make a mark in the music scene almost overnight; so primed and ready were they that soon after they formed in 2011 they released their first CD, “After the Rain”. Having carved their sound around the Seattle and surrounding areas for the past two years, and thus proving that fans enjoy what they have created, the guys are looking forward to unleashing more music to the world soon!

CV NorthWest’s Pres loads all barrels with the boys from the band...

<CV NW> Tell us about the evolution of OGS, about the bringing together of this lineup. <Chris> Bobby and I got together initially and decided that we are going to form a working commercial hard rock original act that will be viable in the Mainstream Rock Market. From there we instantly started working on song ideas Bobby had worked up and some that were just ideas. So we put that in the Garage Band format and started with some rough demo‘s to give to potential players for audition purposes. After running ads for players, going through different guitar players we finally settled on Nate and a guitarist Chris. <Nate> I saw the ad on Craigslist...eventually. I clicked on a link called ‗Casual Encounters‘

and there was a bunch of weird no choice but to jump on the stuff…and then the ad for this rhythm guitar spot to enhance the band. sound that we were trying to achieve! <CV NW> Almost answered the <Oliver> It‘s weird, I also anwrong ad, eh? swered an AD on Craigslist in the <Nate> Yeah! Kidding of course, I "Casual Encounters" section and just answered an ad for a serious ended up meeting a great singer guitar player who liked Slash with some really good songs – the (Guns and Roses, Velvet Revolver) ―casual encounter‖ was disappointand Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge, ing though. Good thing I know Creed). I went over to Bobby‘s how to play a little bass. house one morning and recorded a guitar solo demo. I think they <CV NW> Any particularly interasked me to be in the band later esting story on how the name that week. came about? <Chris> Because we wanted the <Chris> Yes actually back to the two guitar line-up, we were think- story regarding the guitar posiing Nate on Rhythm and Chris on tions…when Chris didn‘t work out Lead role. Chris eventually didn‘t I came up with the name ―One Gun work out and we moved Nate to Shy‖, as we are one guitarist shy! the lead guitar role. Bobby, who <Oliver> I always say it's a harken played a little guitar anyway, had back to the old west when you‘re

down a man that you‘re a gun shy...cause we tried to be a 5 piece band and it never worked out for various reasons so we were always "One Gun Shy". Plus the numerous other cool names we came up with were taken....of course.

<CV NW> What is it about this lineup that you guys think works so well? <Chris> Well, first off we like a

lot of the same styles musically! <Oliver> Right, most of the time we have the same goal for a song; that it kicks ass and be listenable to the musician and the fan. <Chris> That transforms into to some great magic when you‘re writing songs. Also, we are all perfectionists when it comes to our craft, which is important to achieve the sound we‘re after! Not to mention helps us out for the live performances as well! But don‘t get me wrong, it isn‘t all work and no play, we just try not to take it too serious but still remain true to our art! <Nate> We agreed up front that everything would be very democratic. We vote on (almost) everything. So it‘s helped us to continue pushing forward thorough any bumps in the road. <Bobby> Nate‘s makes a good point, we really are team players that put music before personal egos. <Nate> And I think it keeps every person happy about the band‘s direction. There‘s not any one person who has the reins and gets to call the shots. Also, we have a strong mutual respect for one another, as musicians and as people. We enjoy each other‘s company. Being in a band is just an enormous group project, so it helps to like the people you‘re working with. <CV NW> What are your musical influences? <Bobby> Too many to list them all, but my top three vocal heroes are Freddie Mercury, Myles Kennedy, and Chris Cornell. I have too many bands I love to ever try to list them, but in today's music scene Alter Bridge does it for me better than any other. <Nate> I love Metallica, Led Zep-

pelin, and U2. Those are about the least creative answers in the world.

But I think all three of those bands have carved out sonic territories that are all their own, you know it‘s them as soon as you hear them.

And there‘s an energy, passion, and fearlessness in that music that I have always loved. <Chris> My musical influences are wide open and I love anything that is great! I was trained in jazz and

the drum kit! It didn‘t help that John Bonham had entered my psyche and taken over! <Bobby> I have many other passions and interests. I am a high school history teacher and love to learn new things and show them to the next generation. I caught the "rock bug" when I was about 12 with CCR, Skynyrd, and Zeppelin...I never looked back after that.

concert band so I like diverse rhythmic patterns. I take a little from all the music out there and that seems to hone my songwriting artistry! Led Zeppelin was a huge influence on me, especially John Bonham. He just hit the drums with a power and conviction that I believe makes up a large part of my drum style! A number of other drummers can also be of note…

Carmine Appice, Shannon Larkin, Tommy Lee, Scott Phillips and even our local boys Michael Derosier and Scott Rockenfeld. I use a lot of different things and make it my own. One thing I do is I ―play for the song.‖ <Oliver> Top 5 Bands for me still too this day are Foo Fighters, Korn, Fuel, 311 and LIT. <CV NW> Did you have any other interests growing up besides music? When did you hit that wall and say “yeah, I want to rock”? <Oliver> I have been acting since I was 16 and this is another expressive way to be creative and fulfill other artistic endeavors. <Nate> I wanted to be an actor for a while too. I was a theater dude in

high school. I wanted to move to Cali and do the whole thing for a while. Then I got really into playing the guitar in college. I‘m sort a late bloomer in guitar terms. I didn‘t really fall in love with playing the guitar until I was about 19 or 20. <Chris> That point happened when I was fifteen and playing drums behind my dad! I was playing C&W at the time. We were opening for a handful of nationals like Lee Greenwood, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. I just felt like I could do so much more on

<CV NW> What do you think is the biggest appeal to your fans of OGS? <Nate> That‘s a tough one to answer - why do people like you?

Ha! I suppose we try to follow the now tried and true formula of all rock bands we look up to. On one hand, write as good songs as possible and make the best recordings of those songs as possible. On the other hand, put on the best live show possible. <Oliver> Easy…a diverse CD and kick ass live show of hard rock songs but some softer songs for the ladies. <Chris> Well that would have to be our catchy songs! (I would hope?) But what a lot of friends, fans and even bands that have

played with us just seem to always say that we are just nice guys! Just trying to keep it real! <Bobby> I would like to think that our fans appreciate that we are just regular guys that talk about issues that face many people. We have a sound that we try to shoot for, but we are also not afraid to push ourselves and our genre further. <CV NW> One of the words I’ve seen to describe the band is “cohesive”, which is really a compliment to a band still in its younger phase; how were you able to fall into step so quickly and, it seems, so easily? <Nate> That‘s a nice thing to say.

We‘re quite clear on what bands we like and what bands we don‘t like. We want to fall within the sonic territory of bands like Metallica, Godsmack, Alter Bridge, Velvet Revolver, etc. We‘re clear on being melodic hard rock with no screaming, and the occasional gutbusting solo. <Bobby> We were very sure to get the right people in place right from the beginning. I think this is the key to musical and personal cohesiveness. <Chris> A lot of the initial steps were helpful when I first started to book this band in the beginning.

Our first show was a national show I was able to get through knowing

the promoter that used my last act ―Dysinformation‖ quite a few times for events in the past. As you know or maybe don‘t know, ―Dysinformation‖ was on the A&E television show ―Knievel‘s Wild Ride‖ which aired for over a year and a half here in the states and internationally! We were on over eight episodes and a large portion of my songs were used in the show! So it really is who you know. A lot of the photos and photographers were all done through my bro‘s that I‘ve used before in the past. It also helps to be a ―Go Getter!‖ Or as my Dad used to say…‖the squeaky wheel gets the grease!‖ <Oliver> *cough* Someone yelling like a dictator...‖Practice, Practice, Practice‖.

to do at that point was make sure we were tight and our songs segued together nicely! I didn‘t want some of the newbies to get nervous! <Oliver> I think we were a pretty good opening band show for our first time out. Maybe a little fast on some songs but a good representation of what was going to come....I'll give it a 90%.We got the jitters out in a good way. <Bobby> I think that we did a very good job for our first show. We knew that we needed to get out there and get the jitters out of the way. I was very excited to start playing with these guys, and it continues to be a blast! <Nate> The first show? I was nervous, but I don‘t think I forgot anything. It‘s taken us some time to feel more comfortable together <CV NW> Tell us about the first on stage. But we hit the ground show of OGS, about how you felt running with gigs. I think we startgetting ready to play with this ed gigging shortly after I joined. group of guys… <Chris> As I said prior our first <CV NW> Do you have any parshow was a national show opening ticularly memorable shows? for ―Smile Empty Soul‖, a great <Oliver> Hell yes I do....our 2nd band who had a few hits and are show we got cut off the stage 25 still out there doing it! All I wanted minutes into a 40 minute set after

announcing we have 2 songs left.

Power cuts out and over the house monitors we hear "Uhhhhh no you guys are done" and then the bed of music gets louder and we‘re left holding our johnsons like ―WTF just happened‖. Sadly we had audio recorded that night so we can relive the moment anytime... LOL <Bobby> I really enjoyed playing the shows we played at Hailey's in Everett...I am super bummed that it closed. <Chris> Well one does come to mind when I think about it. We were doing a show with Madlife, a SoCal act and couldn‘t believe how unbelievably tight and flawless our show was that night! We were on fire! After walking off stage one of the Madlife band members told me ―great set!‖ So that right there made it all worth it! <Nate> We headlined the Hard Rock Café a few months ago. That was really fun. We played with some great bands, (Kiss the Gunner‘s Daughter, Stonebender) and we had quite a few people turn out.

Everything felt good and sounded good, you can‘t ask for much more. <CV NW> What is one of the craziest things a fan as done at a OGS show? <Chris> Well, that would have to be when this crazy drunk came out on stage and ran across running from security. I just watched as they literally tackled him! Too much Jäger I think. <Bobby> One lady drove nails up her nose at our merch table to try and gross me out...weird. <CV NW> …words escape me… <Bobby> Yeah, I know. <Oliver> Buy Tickets too our next 3 shows in a row. Probably crazy but a very cool gesture. <Nate> One show I tried to let

some kids in the audience strum my guitar as they were reaching out for it during a guitar solo.

Seemed cool in theory, but the solo certainly fell apart. <CV NW> When the band writes a song, are there any particular inspirations? <Chris> Inspirations…that would have to go back to what we grew up listening to individually! We each bring our own twisted style to

each and every song we do. Of course when I bring a song to the table I reference certain styles and artists to each member so that they can get a sense of what is going on in my head musically! <Nate> Those three bands I listed before are always the guiding forces. But I like a lot of different kinds of music…jazz, blues, even Celtic music. But those influences don‘t come out in our writing (yet). <Bobby> Whatever that particular person is going through and experiencing at the time. More and more inspirations are coming up the pipe.

“After the Rain” very quickly after forming, how were you able to gel so quickly – most bands have to ease into a comfortable rhythm before undertaking such a task. <Nate> The guys had a very wise philosophy from day one of my joining the band. It was that we needed to get a physical, tangible product as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would be much harder to

promote the band online, get shows, or even create fans who like our live sound but wanted to hear a record. There were times in the last year where I was certainly pushed to the limit because recording an album professionally is a costly endeavor in time and money. But it was also a lot of fun <Bobby> I had written the songs before the band was formed, and after we formed everyone just did their job and molded their parts into more unique and better versions that I could do alone. It was nice to have some things in the bag beforehand. <CV NW> The band released <Oliver> All the songs were writ-

ten and in fine form. <Nate> Yeah, it sure helped that Bobby had all of the songs written by the time I joined. I just had put guitar solos and layers over the top of his ideas. <Chris> Yeah that was just some serious rehearsals and preproduction…a LOT of preproduction! Plus it really helps to know what you want a particular song to sound like prior to tracking. That really takes the guess work out of it! <Oliver> We figured that after some live playing and song tweaking let‘s be that band that records a full 13 song CD and try to surprise a lot people with a full length CD. Everyone's ears have a lot of options on our CD too choose from. OGS? <Oliver> Honestly, I wish I knew <CV NW> Do any of your songs exactly, but it‘s good and bad I speak to you on a personal lev- guess. No matter how much we soel? cial network it still seems a chal<Bobby> I would be a fake if they lenge every week to get a packed didn't. I wrote all the lyrics on the room of people willing to come out first album. and see you once, let alone twice. <Chris> Quite a few actually! To <Chris> I think it has brought a be honest a large portion of these face to us as an artist so our fans songs lyrically could have and and friends can see what and who probably has happened to all of us! we are in a non-threatening and <Nate> I‘ve always said I appreci- very approachable way! Also it ate Bobby as a lyricist. ―Good to be does make it easier to reach larger Lonely‖ is one of my favorites he‘s volumes in a fan sense! written. You can tell he‘s channel- <Nate> Well I wouldn‘t say it‘s ing real pain in some of the words changed anything per se, because he‘s chosen. It‘s about how he‘d we‘ve always operated in the social rather be alone than in a relation- media world since we started. ship with a certain person. I‘ve Maybe if we‘d formed in 2005 we been there, and felt that many would have had a learning curve times. getting online, but since we formed <Oliver> I always have my five in 2011, we‘ve always tried to use favorite to play. Don‘t want to say social media to our advantage. But which ones they are…it‘s my self- there‘s still a lot more to be done. ish secret.

Our next venture is creating more of a video presence online. It‘s <CV NW> You guys are pretty pretty apparent to us that in today‘s active on social media, how has world, if it‘s not talked about it changed music in the world of online (a show, a recording, a vid-

eo), it might as well not have happened. <Bobby> I wish I knew more about technology that's for sure! I am humbled with how little I know sometimes! <CV NW> Tell us your view of the Seattle rock scene? <Chris> The Seattle scene is very diverse musically which a good thing! I hope that will make us stand out! There are a lot of great acts out there! A lot of great bands have come from Seattle to conquer the rock market! Look at Heart, Queensryche, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Candlebox and don‘t forget Nirvana! A lot of talent here! We hope to continue the trend. <Bobby> We are blessed and cursed at the same time to be in this scene. There are so many talented bands in this area that demand attention. We really have to put our best foot forward all the time to keep up. <Nate> It‘s diverse but tight knit.

There are a TON of bands around

town…and a ton in the south end (Tacoma, Puyallup, Fife, etc) as well. There are talented people all over. So it‘s intimidating in a way, because you‘re constantly reminded of much competition there is if you want to set yourselves apart.

But at the same time, we‘ve formed some great relationships with a number of local bands, and that‘s very rewarding. <Oliver> It‘s crowded but really good. There is an abundance of talent here in Seattle and it only keeps growing. There might come a day where there's more bands then venues. It‘s a strong rock community that should've had a few national breakouts by now. <CV NW> Tell us about the process, and the feeling you have when you’re holding a hardcopy of “After the Rain”. <Oliver> Elation, Immensely Content. <Chris> Well from recording at Robert Lang‘s to One Shot Studios, to mastering at RFI, to coming up with the cover art to the photo shoot to the graphics…when I hold a finalized copy of our debut album I feel relieved! Plain and simple… relief! Looking forward to the next one though! <Bobby> I could not be happier with the musical process that we formed as a group. We have a great team/family outlook, and I am very proud of our work on this album! <Nate> There was about a week where I stood back and felt proud of the accomplishment of having an album. But to me, the album was always a means to an end, not the end itself. The hope is that the album is one of many, and that the future ones are better. It is nice that I‘ve had something to give friends and family. When you say you‘re

in a band, everyone wants to know commercial that tends to lean towhat it sounds like. Having an al- wards what‘s on the radio for me! bum is a way to make that happen. What‘s relevant? I believe that it is just a matter of time and we hope <CV NW> Dylan Fant said that Dylan will change his opinion! But you guys are almost but not then again that‘s one opinion! quite “radio friendly” but your music is still incredibly popular <CV NW> Who would be that and moves your fans, talk about “OMG” band to tour with for the decision to n o t OGS? <Chris> First and foremost would “commercialize “the music. <Bobby> I have little respect for have to be for us Alter Bridge! people that play music they don't <Bobby> For me...Alter Bridge. like just to make a buck. Everyone No question. has choices in life, and personally I <Chris> Then there‘s Shinedown choose to do what I love regardless <Oliver> Yeah, a Shinedown tour of what other people think. I do en- would be all that. joy "commercial" rock, so some <Chris> Also Three Days Grace, might think that we are trying to be Stone Sour, Disturbed…there is a "radio friendly", but truly I am lot of great bands that are in our making the kind of music I want to, wheelhouse! I would love to tour and I don't care if it is what the with even OZZY! Before he packs it up! Just even a short leg tour! mainstream says it should be. <Oliver> I think we‘re radio <Nate> We really look up to the friendly...easily. There are no band Alter Bridge. That would swear words in the songs. They probably be it for the group. But have a solid pop formula writing to for me personally, U2 or Metallica some of them. "Dear Ra- would be an even more pie in the dio......please notice us and listen. sky dream.

People still love rock music and <CV NW> Where are you in the need radio formats too hear them journey of OGS? in. Enough with the four country <Oliver> "Hanging on for dear life channels in every city". with a smile". <Nate> The thing is unless you make country, techno or indie <Chris> I‘d say we are in stage two. Stage one I‘d say is releasing shout-folk music, you‘re not going a full album; stage two is doing to be radio friendly. We don‘t think video…we are starting to work on we‘re way off in left field as far as that as we speak! appeal is concerned. But we just <Bobby> We are still in the beginwant to be a rock band. It‘s the muning of our journey. Can't wait to sic we love. We don‘t think that eliminates an opportunity for gain- see what else we can do as a band! <Nate> We are just trying to get ing an audience. Rock‘s not dead, better every day as a band and perit‘s just under the radar. sonally as a guitarist. Sometimes <Chris> When someone says comthe progress is slower than I‘d like, mercial, what does that mean? I but that‘s life. It‘s a fun process believe we are commercial! It just though. needs to get out there more! More air time! When you are talking <CV NW> We’re halfway through

2013, what has been exciting so far, and what’s coming down the pike for the band? <Chris> 2013 has been a very exciting year! From the album being released, to radio airplay globally to our CD Release party! Very cool year for us thus far and it‘s not over yet! We have a lot of shows and events that are coming up for us still and look forward to each and every one! But I am really excited about touring! But will discuss that at a later time! <Nate> We have a few immediate goals. We‘re looking to get some exciting video content online soon.

And we‘ve already written about 20 songs that could make a second album. But the constraints on that are time and money, which for us are more limited than inspiration. But that‘s a good place to be I suppose, rather than the other way around. <Bobby> Recording the album was a great time, and we are getting ready to do more. I can't wait! Stay tuned! <Oliver> Be prepared for "heavy new material that is more riff rock oriented and makes you want to bang your head...in the sweetest way of course"

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ONE GUN SHY… Bobby Znak - Vocals/ Rhythm Guitar Chris “Wombat” Womble - Drums/Percussion Nate Bushmaker - Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals Oliver Spencer - Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals

Vancouver, WA

At KOUV we believe in keeping it local 24/7 by supporting Northwest music and businesses

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Important Financial Information CV WorldWide offers some information on automobile loan terms...

How long should my car loan be?

When it comes to buying a car, most people have an idea of what monthly payments will fit their budget, and that's what they target when they're making a deal. But this monthly payment mentality is making car buyers lose track of the bigger picture: the total cost of the car and the length of time it will take to pay it off.

Edmunds data tells the story: For the past decade, the average car loan term has slowly crept past five years, and is now close to five-and-a-half years.

Thirty-eight percent of the auto loans in 2012 had terms of five-and-a-half years to six years. And 12 percent of the loans were for terms of six to seven years.

"Consumers are battling two things," says the director of automotive credit at Experian. They are trying to get a good interest rate and a reasonable monthly payment. But sometimes the five-year loan has a monthly payment that is too high for them, and they end up financing for a longer term, even if it costs them more down the line.

Is there any benefit to having a seven-year car loan? Aside from having a lower monthly payment, no. In fact, there are many reasons why you shouldn't choose such a long car loan term.

Higher Interest Costs The longer you finance a car, the more interest you will have to pay on it. Edmunds recommends a five-year loan, less if you can manage it. Here's how the numbers look when you compare a five-year loan to a seven-year loan.

We chose a 2013 Honda Accord Sedan EX-L V6 with navigation for our example. Its True Market Value (TMV速) is roughly the same as the average price of a new car in 2012. Edmunds data shows that the average down payment in 2012 was $3,435. We entered those numbers in our loan calculators. After tax, title and the down payment, the total amount to be financed is $30,266.

The average interest rate for a four-and-a-half to five-year loan in 2012 was 2.69 percent, according to Edmunds data. That person would have a monthly

payment of $540. The finance charges over the life of the loan would be $2,115.

Contrast that with a seven-year loan. The interest rate would be higher, according to Edmunds data: 4.9 percent for loans of six to seven years in 2012. It's common for longer loan terms to carry slightly higher interest rates. The monthly payment for a seven-year loan, $426, would be lower than for the five-year loan. But the finance charges for the loan would be $5,548. That's more than twice that of a five-year loan.

It is easy to see how someone could be lured by the appeal of the lower monthly payment afforded by the longer loan. A buyer would "save" $114 per month in car payments, but in the long run he would pay $3,433 more in interest than if he'd chosen the five-year loan. Plus, he'll have two more years of car payments.

Negative Equity A new car typically depreciates about 22 percent in its first year. At the beginning of a car loan, the buyer is typically "upside down," or "under water," meaning he owes more than the car is worth.

The situation is made worse if the buyer hasn't made a large enough down payment. Based on Edmunds data, most people aren't making a big enough down

payment to keep from being upside down longer than necessary.

The time it takes you to get "above water" and build equity in the car will vary, based on the car you bought and how much of a down payment you've made. But one thing doesn't vary: the longer your car loan, the longer it will take you to build equity.

When you have no equity in the car, you can't sell if it you need the money in an emergency: if your other bills get out of hand or you lose your job, for example. It also gives you fewer options if you get tired of the vehicle. A buyer will only pay you what the car is worth, not what you owe on it. You're stuck with the balance of the loan.

Similarly, if you get into an accident and the car is totaled, the insurance company will only pay you what the car is worth at the time of the accident.

The remainder of what you owe will have to come out of your pocket.

Car Fatigue We love our cars when they are brand-new, but when romance fades, we're anxious to trade them in for something else. The average trade-in age for a car in 2012 was 5.9 years: It's not what you'd call an enduring relationship.

If you have a seven-year loan and get the itch to buy a new car around the average six-year mark, you'll have to wait another year to buy. The other alternative is to roll the balance of the loan into your next car purchase. And that's a bad idea, adding up to an even longer loan commitment and higher monthly payments.

Contrast this situation with buyers who've chosen a five-year loan. At the average trade-in mark of 5.9 years, they have already enjoyed almost a year

without car payments and have the freedom to sell the car whenever they want.

Low Resale Value Resale value is another reason to steer clear of extra-long car loans. A five-year-old car is more desirable and more valuable in the used-car marketplace than a seven-year-old vehicle.

At five years, a car has lost about 55 percent of its new-car value, says Edmunds director of remarketing. A seven-year-old car has depreciated by about 68 percent.

In other words, the Accord in our example will be worth roughly $14,787 after five years. It drops to $10,515 at the seven-year mark.

A dealership will likely give you more money for the five-year-old car. At that age, it's a great candidate for the certified-pre-owned process, which means the dealer will have a more valuable car to sell.

On the other hand, a seven-year-old car is right on the edge of no longer being an acceptable CPO car. Further, if it has too many miles, it won't qualify.

That means you will get far less for the car as a tradein.

Common Sense Alternatives Let's say you want to buy a new car, but the monthly payments that are being quoted for the usual five-year loan are too high for you. That may be a sign that you're shopping outside of your price range.

Stick to cars at the lower end of your range and you should be in good shape. Once you have an idea of what you can afford, make sure you get preapproved for your car loan before heading out to the dealer.

You also could consider buying a used car. Interest rates are a bit higher for used cars, but since the cars cost less, there's less to finance and the payments will be lower.

Final Tip While it is important to know what you can afford in terms of monthly car payments, that shouldn't be your only measurement of a good car loan.

Take a look at all the numbers in the sales contract so that you are fully aware of what you are paying for the car.

Turning old instruments

into art!

Instrument Art is something Terry at Guinner Graphix has been doing for years for many people that have a love for instruments. Terry has found, since being back in California, that local music stores have a endless source of instruments to bring back to life. He will personalize your drums, guitars, and any instrument you

have. He is currently working on a Mandolin Jewelry Box, a custom base for a member of the all-female band Zepparella, a commemorative CV WorldWide guitar, and somebody even asked him to do something with their piano! He can make a piece of furniture out of an unusable or unwanted instruments, he does it all.

To contact Terry, visit:

www.Drumiture.com

Terry has now expanded his repertoire to include different instruments, everything from mandolins to guitars of all kinds, making custom pic guards and head stock art. He is constantly on the go, working with different vendors and personalities to generate great art pieces, many for charities.

Terry is also the nicest guy in the room, always willing to help people out

Terry‘s hope has always been to work with many wonderful people in many creative and unique ways, and in accomplishing that he is living his dream. He loves to save vintage or valuable drums in any way, using them to make individual, personal, one-of-akind pieces, his skill and perfection borne of his love of drums and art. Saving drums, meeting great people, helping those in need, and creating some very unique drum furniture is, to Terry, his life‘s calling, and one can see the passion and skill in his work.

In Terry‘s words; ―to be able to save these drums and unwanted instruments or cherished mementos and see the appreciative faces of the people for whom I have made them is what truly makes me happy. I‘m excited to say that Drumiture has many new clients contacting me daily, and the donations of numerous unwanted instruments, which I see as ‗unfinished art‘, is helping me make my dream come true.‖

Brandi

Oleander/Track Fighter @ Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, CA

by Jeffrey Easton

This month we take a slight left hand turn from our normal top notch interviews from Metal Exiles and give you a concert review...Jeffrey took to the Ace of Spades in Sacramento, CA to attend the Oleander show, with opening act Track Fighter...

Finally, rock heroes in the form of Oleander were back and back with a vengeance. Their new record, Something Beautiful, is an amazing piece of work and they were debuting it here at Ace Of Spades in their hometown of Sacramento. Its always great when the hometown boys make good, and one of the best examples of that is Oleander. Not only do they have an impressive body of work, their new album adds substantially to that and the title track is sure to be a rock staple for years to come.

Before Oleander hit the stage, their heir to the Sac throne took command of the festivities, and that band is Track Fighter.

Armed with a nasty EP in the form of Revenge they bludgeoned the fans until they could take no more.

T.J. Chopelas is the ring leader with the microphone (and megaphone for that matter) and he owned the crowd, bringing the crowd into their world as he sang in desperation. Whipping out material like L.A., Revenge and Change The World they informed those who were present that they will not back down and will own the rock world. If these guys do not make it something is indeed sion on the record but it is solid wrong with rock’s ears. from first note to last. The show Oleander, holy shit, they are broke open in a big way as their really back. After dealing subse- oversized “video producer” came quent records that put the music out to introduce the band amongst world on their ear they took a laughs and screams and then we break, clear their minds and get on had them, Oleander, and they with their lives. Now that they caused a frenzy. Fight, the heavy have put it back together they re- as nails track from Something grouped, wrote and recorded what Beautiful, was the first salvo ofis their best album to date with fered from the band and the fans Something Beautiful. The title screamed bloody murder. Just as track alone was worth the admis- quickly as the fans get a taste of

the new record they hit the past hard with stand out tracks Don’t Break My Fall and the personal Down When I’m Loaded. By now the band is firing hard and Thom-

as Flowers has complete control of the crowd and that’s when he said “we have a new single” and AOS erupted because they knew they were going to play the title track, Something Beautiful. This cut is receiving massive airplay and the fans knew every word as they screamed along to Thomas’s every word.

One of the better moments was hands Of The Wheel from Joyride. An amazing track from a straight forward rock album and what was supposed to be a final salute from the band. They went further back with the massive fan favorites Why I’m Here and I Walk Alone as well as Halo and Unwind. They burned through more cuts from the new record because you know they have to and want to so Daylight

and Never Too late were offered up to massive fan reaction. This was an amazing night for hard rock with the kings of the Sac throne giving to the fans once more and

with a successful album burning the charts, many more times to come.

Official Oleander Site

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F AM ILY DO G S N EW L IF E SH E L TE R 9 1 01 S E S t a nl ey A ven u e P o rt l a n d, O re go n 9 72 0 6

D o n at i n g t o F am i l y D o g s F a m i l y Do g s New L i f e i s a 5 0 1 c 3 n on pr of i t o r ga ni za t i on su p p ort e d so l el y by ou r ad o pt i o n f e es a n d by d on a t i on s f r om t h e pub l i c.

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Gear the Pros Use!

When asked about my philosophy in drumming or my approach to drumming, I always like to share a few things that I think are most important.

I think the most important thing is the song. For a drummer, complementing a song can be a difficult task.

Human nature makes you want to shine as an individual and I think a lot of musicians try to shine by showboating their skills in the wrong places.

I think the vocals are the highlight of most songs and a drummer should never do anything to drown out a vocal part.

It is very easy to do too many drum fills as well. I try to use drum fills to bridge the verses and choruses and also for entering and/or exiting the middle eight section of a song. I don't always do this, but it is my goal.

I also think a drummers meter is important. As drummers we are always going to fluctuate here and there but the timing in a song can make it or break it. Keep in mind we are only human and it is very easy to race in a song when performing live. Using a click when you practice is very important. I find it to be a great tool in making me a more focused drummer.

Drums Mapex Saturn Series - Birch shells lined with maple interior Clear black laquer finish over wood grain Snares Mapex Saturn - 6x14 - Birch/Maple Pearl Session Custom - 6x14 Maple Pearl Steel Piccolo - 3x13 Pearl Steel - 7x14 Toms 8x8 - Rack Tom-tom 8x10 - Rack Tom-tom 8x12 - Rack Tom-tom 8x13 - Rack Tom-tom 14x14 - Floor Tom 16x16 - Floor Tom 16 - Roto Tom 20x22 - Bass Drum Cymbals HH - 13 - Zildjian A Custom Projection Chinas - 4x's - 12, 12, 14, 15 - Zildjian Splashes - 3x's - 6, 10, 12 - Zildjian Crashes - 4x's - 15, 15, 16, 18 - Zildjian K Series Ride - 20 - Zildjian Hardware/Accessories LP Latin Percussion Cowbells 3x's Toca Wood Blocks 3x's Gibraltar Rack Mapex Hardware DW-5000 Double Kick Pedal Pearl Eliminator Double Kick Pedal Roc -n- Soc Throne Pro-Mark 747 Drumsticks - Hickory/Oak Remo Emperor Drum Heads/Tom toms/Kick Drum Remo Coated Power Stroke Drum Heads/Snares

I also think power drumming and finesse drumming are crucial to a song, and combining the two is important.

Two of the greatest examples of Power and Finesse playing in Rock drumming would have to be John Henry Bonham and Alex Van Halen.

Well, there you have it. This is only my opinion and a few of my approaches to drumming. You can always learn from others so pay attention to every drummer you hear. You can learn what TO do as well as what NOT to do.

In conclusion, It's all about the song, not the individual musician, NEVER take away from the song.

OWEN BRYANT, drummer for Electro_Nomicon P.S. I also think it is important to have two drum kits: one large kit and one small kit. Trading off on different types of drum set ups is a great way to develop new techniques.

Keep in mind, without passion, you have nothing!!!!!!!

Thanks for having me in this issue of CV Northwest, Always a pleasure. Peace, Out!

E_N is with No Remorse Records and sponsored by High Voltage Music, Valholl Brewing, Fingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Duke Design Studio, & Rocket Queen Promotions.

Gear the Pros Use! ‗JT‘ is a classic ‗Jack of all trades‘ guitarist who hustles the spectrum of rock, blues and country music. ―I grew up a rocker, did time in jazz college, but drifted over into the blues and Americana. I teach cool kids and usually play with 3 to 5 bands at a time, as much as possible. I get to carry an electric guitar to work everyday, instead of a briefcase… boo ya‖!

Jason is not only an excellent and versatile musician, he‘s a friend and used to be my guitar instructor. He was a great teacher, and the fact that the Pres is kind of crappy at playing guitar is in NO WAY due to Jason‘s ability, but mostly my laziness and sloth. I miss our fun lessons!

Guitars: 1995 American Fender Stratocaster. (Sunshine) Texas Special neck, Seymour Duncan JB Jr. middle, stock bridge. People give me crap ‗cause I have a humbucker in the middle, but it gives the out-of-phase positions a bolder and louder tone. I set the bridge to float pretty high with a short bar ‗cause I use my whammy a lot. Mmm… whammy bar!

1994 Epiphone Sheraton II. (Shirley) Gibson P-94 neck, DiMarzio PAF bridge. Middle is a delicious blend. Sperzel tuners. Both of my main guitars I set up to have as wide of a range between bright and dark tones as possible. Versatility!

Amps: Fender Super Sonic – 60w, 1x12‖ combo, JJ tubes - The original with 2 clean channels (Vibrolux & Bassman), and a burn channel that is extremely flexible, from classic bluesy to high gain, and lead boost. I LOVE this amp!

Fender Prosonic – 60w, 2x10‖ combo, JJ tubes - Has one of the loudest and full clean channels I have ever heard, drives pedals great. Has a higher gain distortion that makes this a killer rock amp. I can set it next to any half stack, and it always keeps up! For bigger gigs, I run both amps in stereo. It‘s like a love seat of tone!

Effects: Pedaltrain deck – Crybaby, Ibanez TS9, Fulltone OCD, ZVex Box of Rock, Boss EQ, Danelectro Dan-Echo, Boss Tremolo, Boss Super Shifter.

Strings: Ernie Ball Slinky (10-46) Picks: Dunlop .71mm. Purple alligators! I like the texture…

Jason ‘JT’ Thomas – currently with: Franco Paletta & the Stingers - Blues L‘ Eighties Nite – 80‘s dance Sons A Bitches – Country/Rockabilly Myrrh Larsen – Art pop

T W O

F O R

T H E

P R I C E

O F

O N E...

Identical twins Jenni and Amanda Price have been singing together since the age of 3, a journey that has led them to a full time career in music. They have travelled the US through 47 states and over 170 cities, and in 2013 have have a packed touring schedule including festivals up and down the west coast, wineries through-out Oregon and Washington and plans to tour to Europe. They play as a duo, trio and their full 5 piece band wowing audiences all over the world.

The Pres had a chance to chat with the front-women of AM, but didn’t even attempt to tell them apart...they are passionate about their music and a joy to speak with...

<CVWW> Tell us who’s in the band and their role. The band focuses around the ladies, but let’s also give props to the boys in the band.

Amanda Price singer, songwriter, guitarist, momma bear Jenni Price singer, songwriter, ukulele player, mob boss Aaron Altemose singer, songwriter, keyboardist, producer, womp maker Josh Lorenzen bass guru, space inhibitor, portal creator Josh Burns drums, electric drum pad, hair flipper professional, animated maniac <CVWW> Tell us about the evolution of AM, of putting together THIS lineup. <Jenni> Amanda and I have performed many different genres as Acoustic Minds. We started off as a duo, then trio acoustic act, mostly playing open mics, coffee shops, small venues and bars.

Thru the years we have transitioned thru many styles; blues, jazz, R&B, rock, down tempo, we‘ve done it all, but we‘ve always had this sense of not reaching our full potential or true sound. <Amanda> We have played with tons of different

artists over the years, the most recent group came together from a brutal transition and having to face the harsh reality we may need players that we had never met! <Jenni> We had released 5 CD‘s under Acoustic Minds and each CD was completely different.

We found ourselves in the summer of 2010 band-less, and ready for a change; being big electronic music heads we had a dream of bringing those elements to our show with live instrumentation.

We went on a search (actually an audition process), seeking a keyboardist, where our guitarist had been and a new bass player with more electronic wompy bass skills. <Jenni> We were turned on to many incredible players but felt the best fit with Aaron and Josh. At the time we were working with a stellar drummer Chris Matthews who had been with us two years prior and seen the transition and vision of where we wanted to take the music and was not afraid to embrace the new with us.

2012 was a tough year for all of us, change was imminent and with that, we had to say good bye to Chris our drummer and hello to new drummer, Josh Burns, a utility man of all trades. He played a live kit, but was able to incorporate his electronic pad and with being a DJ had all the mixing skills we were in need of to really blow the lid off our new sound.

In July of 2012 we released our 6th album, Electric Sol, with a sense of rebirthing that WAS Acoustic Minds to the NEW AM. We still brought the elements of RnB and pop to the music but now there was a definite electronic current flowing thru us and showing with the music being written. <Amanda> It‘s been a beautiful journey and throughout it we have found our true musical voices.

Each person brings a little flavor to the group. <Josh L> The twins have had this group going for quite some time. The direction of their music wasn't something that I would have normally been drawn to, but I ended up falling in love with their personalities first. I moved to Portland in hopes of finding better music opportunities. I was introduced to the twins via a mutual friend and the rest was history. I was open to new things, and I knew that regardless of the type of music, I wanted to play with them. We instantly got along and in a matter of a few months or so we started collaborating on our ideas and the music grew into something I loved.

your spouse and best friends but never really know what it takes. It takes a special group of people who can both work and play in an efficient manner. We have built a relationship that allows us to be close like family, but also bust out the hard stuff when it‘s needed. I think this is the number one reason why we work well. We love each other whole heartedly as well as respect each other‘s time enough to keep most of the emotional BS that comes with that type of relationship out of the picture. <Aaron> We all have a similar ear for music. Since I joined this group, we've progressively changed over the years from the twin‘s folk-like pop sound to a new hybrid of dance and electro-pop with all of us.

The transition felt right for all of us. Forming a band and then sustaining it is by no means an easy task.

We have our differing opinions and don't always see eye to eye, but at the end of the day we'd rather over communicate and speak our minds. It‘s sometimes messy but It‘s worked for us for many years.

<CVWW> What do you think it is about this group that works so well? <Jenni> There are soo many things about the group that work well.

First, we are all so different, I bring the soul, and grit of R&B with a sexy electronic power woman vibe.

Amanda brings more of a folk, raw, rock lyrical emotional style to our songs.

Aaron, brings classical piano and string instrumentation crossed with synth and wompy bass elements, as well as an incredible ear for producing, songwriting, singing and engineering most of our recordings to date.

Josh Lorenzen brings the wall of sound bass, with his new instruments the KORG and NOVATION he is quickly proving to be a dynamic duo to Aaron in the creating and mixing process.

Josh Burns, being seasoned in every genre, touches on the rock, dubstep, trap styles bringing tasty new sounds to every song Together we literally have such a wide background that brings out a goody bag assortment of genres crammed together on a beautiful canvas that is AM. <Josh L> Playing music with close friends can be a challenge. We all love to hang out with our friends and jam. People love the idea of being in a band with

<CVWW> Any special process or cool info about where the name came from? <Amanda> Acoustic Minds came from the raw form of acoustic music. It‘s hard to put into words that feeling when you see a live band and the tone of the music just grabs you. You call it goose bumps, hair standing up on the back of your neck, whatever it is, it‘s magic. We never wanted to lose that quality in our music. So with the evolution we still bring that

feel inspired when you are close with 4 others that are equally as passionate as you. The ideas really never stop flowing, and come from every direction. <Aaron> I know that I have difficulty with "down time," so I find melodies and lyrics mainly when I'm driving. I'm typically blasting a track with no vocals with the windows down and in that split second, between stoplight and freeway, a melody or a catchy hook comes to mind. Other times, it‘s completely organic and we have locked ourselves in the band's practice space. One of the Josh's finds a new sound or groove, and a song takes shape. ...my heart will beat, in extreme pain, love, or lust...it is the strongest organ in my body...loving with every ounce of me...

<CVWW> Who are your musical influences? <Amanda> I am a huge Joni Mitchell fan! Love her, element but we have made anthems. It‘s all about but that was in my youth more. Now I listen to a lot anthem music and creating that passion in each live of independent artists. One of my favorites is our hoperformance. This year we are using the abbreviated mie from the bay Hopscotch. She has it and it inform of our name a lot more, like dance ‗til the spires me to hear her electronic soul explode. Music ―AM‖! is in a wonderful space right now. We are just riding the wave. <CVWW> What do you think appeals to your fans <Josh L> ENDLESS… I listen to different types of music daily based off of mood. I don't discriminate most about your music? <Josh L> The diversity of genres covered. We play any kind of music, and appreciate it all. If it feels electronic music, but switch it up every song. Having good, I'm listening. members that are all from different backgrounds allows us to keep coming up with an original sound. If I <CVWW> Being twins (many people would say were our fan I‘d appreciate the originality of the “duplicates”), what part of your personality do group. While at the same time realize the similarities each of you bring to the music of AM? between AM's and modern music. <Amanda> Although we are twins and very similar, <Amanda> I think our fans love our music because we are still so very different. Jenni is a power house. it‘s powerful. It has a message and it grabs your heart Get her in the right space and she will make anything and may caress, stroke or pummel it. Either way it‘s happen. I am more soft and subtle. When we write unique and full of emotion. sometimes we write for each other. Sometimes we don‘t even plan it, it just works out that way. <CVWW> Where does the inspiration to write music come from? <CVWW> Tell us about a typical AM show, how do <Amanda> My inspiration to write comes from my the fans react to the music? How do you want day to day life. them to feel? <Aaron> Yes, life is a big inspiration. I guarantee <Jenni> A typical AM show generally starts off with there's never a dull moment between the 5 of us and us as a trio, (Jenni, Amanda and Aaron) our lives.

We give the audience a taste of three part har<Amanda> I tend to write about never giving up on monies, warm them up with a bit of synth and dash of the people you love and staying strong in this crazy pop. As the show goes on we try to tell a story with world. Keeping your dreams in the forefront is the each song that is like turning the page to your favorite key to manifesting the life you want! I believe you story…each song has a specific meaning that carries can be anything you set your mind to. thru to the next. <Josh L> We obviously love what we do, and are The fans generally react with shock and awe at excited to try new things. It makes it really easy to first and after a few songs we get them moving which

doesn‘t seem to stop until we are done with our set! <Amanda> Our shows can be pretty epic. The fans don‘t really know what to do at first. There is lots of staring and then they hear the WOMP and can‘t help but shake something. That‘s my goal to get them move-move-moving! <Jenni> These songs have come from such an emotional place deep down inside each of us, and if we can touch someone that is listening where they feel that, then our job feels done.. it feels complete. It‘s such a rush. <CVWW> Tell us about a one of your most memorable shows. <Amanda> My most memorable shows happen when we have no expectations. Those can be tricky and it seems like the best space can come from incredible sound and maybe a mediocre crowd. It doesn‘t always have to be the most packed show that creates the best space. I would probably choose one of our many shows at the Oregon Country Fair if I had to pick one. The space there is so beautiful and the people are manifesting their lives right in front of us. It‘s nothing short of magic. <CVWW> AM has been around since 2002, how do you keep it going, how do you stay motivated after your success? <Jenni> AM HAS been around a loooong time…I‘m not gonna lie, it is tough sometimes to stay motivated.

You do not always feel supported or loved by your peers (being artists surrounding you) or family and friends. We always joke we will have our greatest hits album out before being ―discovered‖. <Amanda> After many moons performing I think the change of music as well as the varying artists we lend our backing vocals to create a unique and ever growing motivation. It‘s like if I get burned out on AM songs Jen and I go tour with Jah Sun (reggae) or Marv Ellis (hiphop) or Lafa Taylor (trip dance/dub).

It‘s amazing to think we have such a ‗jukebox‖ arsenal. That keeps it fresh and writing with the band is so fun. My sis and I LOVE creating new music. <Jenni> When I think about it, it truly IS the support from our family, friends and fans that keeps us motivated…AND the music of course. My sis said it perfectly and I think about this a lot ―music is like our life raft in the ocean (LIFE) and each song we write is just one more floaty closer to shore.‖

<CVWW> How hard was it to make the first album, tell us about the challenges and the feeling of satisfaction when you are holding that CD in your hands. <Jenni> The first album (or 6th album) seemed like an eternity to get finished, although the tracking and recording was a quick three days out in Washougal at THE FARM RECORDING STUDIOS, the mixing and editing of the tracks were literally pulled out hair by hair, if that makes sense.

Let me go back and say, we were in a Battle of the Bands competition for the entire year of 2011. We competed thru 7 different battles to be crowned the winner December 28th, 2011. With that title we were awarded a day in a studio and a professional music video. We were stoked! Ilko Major, owner and engineer at THE FARM RECORDING STUDIOS, donated his time to us and we busted out 6 songs in 3 days!

He was a dream to work with and the studio was the real deal!

It was quite the feat, and I‘m sure Ilko gained some grey hairs thru the process, but we are eternally grateful for his time and work with us! Aaron, our keyboardist, also took on the role of mixing.

This would mean countless hours of work, edits and starting from scratch many a time until we were satisfied with the final product just WEEKS before the CD was due to be released; it literally was like birthing a child, growing pains, deep breathing, and lots of love and hugs to each other to get thru it.

But the pure satisfaction of hearing the final product and feeling that CD in our hands was well worth it.

We had an excellent CD release in Portland July 2012 at the Star Theater to 200 of our closest friends and from there the CD just took off into the sky.

<Jenni> For me, so many of my songs speak to me on a personal level…being one of the major writers in the group, many of these songs were constructed and written from my personal experiences. ―Say When‖ for example; my sis, Aaron and I wrote about the struggles and hopes of making our dreams a reality. Amanda and I took the plunge and quit our day jobs in August of 2008 and this song truly reflects the sheer will and determination of telling yourself every day you can and WILL make it. I picture this song relating to anyone with a dream, that young child who says ―Mommy, I want to be a prin<CVWW> Any of cess, ballerina, paintyour songs speak er, singer, photograto you on a personpher, artist, doctor, al level? teacher, when I <Josh L> I think grow up‖ you name that lyrics can be init and it shall be, the terpreted in an endpossibilities are endless amount of ways. less when it comes Obvious themes in to our dreams…and songs can narrow we are living proof ones interpretation that with hard work down to a point, but and dedication they it doesn't stop there. can come true.

I can relate with all ―My Life‖ of our songs in a was written sort of way, but don't necesas my Mary J. song, sarily think I'm feelit was as if I was ing the same thing telling anyone the writer is. It‘s all (haters, lovers) that up for grabs. If you this is me, a natural can relate to a few woman, who was words or lines, or raised and living exeven the whole track, actly as she should then it more than and not afraid to saclikely spoke to you. rifice even what was They all speak to right for her hopes me. and dreams. This song moves me in a way that when <Amanda> Right now a song called ―Not Giving Up‖ is speaking to me. I am newly single and I think I sing it I feel charged or powered up if you will, and the important thing to remember about loving some- ready to face anything. I hope other women are inspired to take their dreams to the next level and make one and creating space together is that even with space apart that love can still live. Bringing it back to them their everyday reality. ―Denial‖ was more an emotional letdown that not giving up on the people you love no matter the had happened to my sis and me in early 2011, we cost. This song tears at my heart strings and was written from a super dark place but it also reminds me were literally traumatized over losing a friendship and could only express how we truly felt thru song.

I can withstand ANYTHING! Many musicians will relate to this, as sometimes we

cannot tell others how we really feel and music can then turn to therapy and healing for us. I remember it started out as NANANANA‘s thru out the entire song, like telling this person NO NO don‘t leave. The words literally created themselves. ―Beautiful Night‖ was written at Oregon Country Fair 2011 at the midnight jamtastic set with Reeble Jar at Reefer Camp. My sis and I were the last artists to come to the stage to ―jam‖ there was a crowd of over 2,000 beautiful faces shining and smiling right at us…I instantly heard the words in my head. There were a billion stars in the sky the vibe was so high, literally. The words just came out, ―It‘s a beautiful night, I can see all your faces shining so bright we got something for you, can you feel it, can you feel it!‖ The crowd went wild!! It was one of the best shows I can remember to date, I still get chills when I think back. It was an energy current flowing off each person and swelling to the stage like a huge wave! <CVWW> Where have you found the rowdiest fans? <Jenni> There are rowdy fans everywhere!! I‘d like to say our hometown is the rowdiest but honestly there are many places that can compare, Eugene always shows us so much love, LA and Austin have given us tremendous outpours of encouragement and rowdiness, so to speak… <CVWW> You’ve been singing together since you were 3, did I read that right? Over the years, have you also sung solo for a spell? <Jenni> Yes since we were little 3 year old girls at church for the Greater Gresham Kids choir.

We really have never sung solo. I mean we sing our own songs on stage so I guess that counts, but up until this year we have always sung together… <CVWW> Have you both always been interested in making music, or were (are?) there other interests? <Jenni> I think I have always known this was my path, my mom says since I was 4 years old I was telling her I was going to be a big star. I know my sister it took a little bit of convincing to get her on the same page; she was shy as a child and teen and music really broke her out of her shell! <Amanda> There was a time when I wanted to be a

writer and even wrote a short story that was pretty good… <Jenni> It was excellent! <Amanda> Thank you! I also went to college to teach. <CVWW> How did you gravitate to this type of music – described by you as “soul & new millennium dance pop”? <Jenni> This style has been in our brains and veins since we were about 20 years old… many, many moons ago. <CV WW> HAH! 20 years old wasn’t that long ago…except for old coots like me. <Jenni> I remember wanting to spin drum and bass and be the first woman to sing soul music over it, shortly after Aphrodite, Kosheen, & Sonique broke out in the underground dance scene. I never gave up; it may‘ve taken a while to find the right fit, but I believe this is the right fit for the music we want to create… <CVWW> How often do you play the “twin trick” with people, switching up identities? <Jenni> HAHA ok this twin question gets asked a lot. <CV WW> …and now just one more time…. <Jenni> We have NEVER played the twin trick, as kids and teens we looked SO alike that many could never tell us apart. We were also interested in different things, ie; I took Spanish, Amanda took French, I was great in math, she was excellent in writing. There would have been no hope for us to switch classes as we were never on the same exhilarated path. :) Being a twin is all I know, many ask what it is like and I ask what is it like not to be a twin?

It‘s like having a best friend (and sometimes enemy) right by your side, never being alone, always having someone to rely on that knows you better than you know yourself.

Singing with my twin is the most special gift and I feel so blessed to be able to share a stage and the moments of song with her. Sometimes I find myself writing parts that sound like Amanda - I‘m like ―wait a second I can‘t even sing that high‖ and it sounds JUST like Amanda…that trips me out, how different yet alike we both are. It is just special and I am so thankful to have my best friend and sister apart of this journey, of expressing our passions thru music

and hopefully motivating others to do the same.

Oh, and NO boy tricks either, we both have SUCH different taste in men! NO way! Ewww! <CVWW> 2009, Portland Music Awards, AM is voted “Band of the Year”...how does that validate all your hard work? <Jenni> Ok, the 2009 PMA was insane and awesome and totally unexpected. I remember thinking that title was gonna get us so far, but really it is just an award on our mantle at home and hasn‘t changed us as a whole at all. It felt validating that the fans and friends got behind us and voted us ―Band of the Year‖ but it just made us realize how much harder we needed to work. It pushed us to break out of the blues, rock, jazz box and into outer space. <CVWW> Did you feel as though you’ve “made it” with that award? You’ve been putting out great music since, it seems as though you are not resting on your laurels. <Jenni> Definitely do NOT feel like we‘ve made it yet. We are on our way and on the right track, but there are many things we need to get our team more solid. We are on the hunt for a good manager, PR person, booking agent, and a label behind us for distribution - especially in the electronic, soul, woman fronted vein.

sippi Studios and a European tour in the works, we can only go up from here! <CVWW> What are the big plans for the rest of the year? Where can people find you on tour? <Jenni> Fall/Winter of 2012-2013 present have been busy-busy with 5 successful tours to Southern California, 12 showcases in Austin at SXSW, and a sponsorship from Chipotle! Our music was selected for Women of Substance Radio and they are currently playing 3 of the 6 EP tracks in weekly rotation as well as one of our live tracks from the Live from the Living Room album! Plus we have 16 new songs written and recorded. <Amanda> AM is on the lookout for a booking company. We have always done all of this on our own and 2013 is about creating the TEAM to get us to that next level. 2000 Thir-TEAM, that‘s our anthem!

Next big show is Aaron‘s solo album release as well as AM‘s new single release ―Love Somebody‖, it‘s going to be at Mississippi Studios July 3rd!! Marv Ellis is coming to play too with his new band!! Jen and I will of course sing with everyone that night! <Jenni> Photo Shoots, Music Videos, Single Release Tour thru out the West Coast, European Tour to promote the new release, possible showcases at NXNE in Toronto, CA and showcases down in LA for FALL.

<CVWW> You’ve been favorably compared to You can always keep up to date with us at Lauryn Hill & Bonnie Raitt, does that intimidate www.acousticmindsmusic.com you? Those are big shoes to fill... <Jenni> When we read that review in regards to beLike us at www.facebook.com/acousticmindsmusic ing compared to Lauryn Hill and Bonnie Raitt this Add us on twitter at www.twitter.com/acousticminds was of course a HUGE compliment. My influences are very much these woman so for people to hear them in our voices was the best! Sure, I admit it was definitely intimidating but awesome to know others heard what I love so much about these woman in our voices. <CVWW> Where do you feel you are in the “journey” of Acoustic Minds? <Jenni> I feel we are at just the beginning of our journey with AM. It‘s been a bumpy ride, but I think we have smoothed out the kinks and are on the right track to some big opportunities. With our Single Release party scheduled for July 3rd in PDX at Missis-

ASE Certified Master Rick McDonald offers his advice on YOUR questions...

I just replaced my front brake pads and rear brake shoes and now i have a horrible grinding sound. What could be causing this? I removed both rear drums and made sure that they were centered and it is still making the grinding sound. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m at a loss on what to do now. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Grinding sound after brake replacement? Well it does not say if the rotors and drums were resurfaced, can you tell which end of the car the grinding noise is coming from? If you can tell which end I would look very closely for any signs of metal to metal contact. I do not know what kind of car you are driving but I have herd grinding type noises come from the rear brakes on some of the late eighties to nineties GM mid-size with drum rear brakes, especially when cold and in damp climates. I have thought it was possibly moisture in the brake shoes because after a few applications the noise is greatly diminished. All that being said a really close visual inspection including removal of the brake pads if needed is warranted. The most common types of brake materiel are organic, metallic and ceramic. Sometimes the type of pads can add to noise issues be sure you are using what is correct for your application. I hope this helps.

My car gets stuck at 2000 rpms when driving. If you gas it hard it is fine. If you let off the gas and ease in to it it gets stuck there again. Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shake runs good just gets stuck at 2000 rpms.

The car still accelerates when stuck but to get it to go over 2000 rpms you have to punch it.

I am sorry but I need a lot more information; what kind of car are we working on, is it carbureted, is it fuel injected, what year. The reason is some cars use linkage or a cable to control a carburetor or throttle body. Now quite often there is no direct connection to the throttle body, acceleration is electronically controlled using a sensor to measure accelerator pedal position then the computer controls the throttle opening, so to be fair this can be somewhat simple or quite complex and need some sophisticated equipment to test. If you can tell me the car or truck I will see what I can do.

My husband disconnected the AC in the car and after that, for about a month I was hearing strange soft squealing/humming noises. The other day he went to start it and the main belt snapped. It was shredded. He went, got another belt and that shredded after running 15 seconds. Any suggestions?

When you say he disconnected the a/c what method did he use; unplug the compressor or get a shorter belt and re-route the system? Anyway I do not think the a/c removal was the cause of the belt failure, most likely something is failing in the pulley system causing either misalignment or some pulley has stopped moving which should be very easy to check. If you can see all the devices operating on this belt look to see if they are in alignment and the if you can by hand turn each one make sure they move freely it may be the a/c compressor that is the trouble. I hope this helps to assist you in your diagnosis, good luck.

We can all agree, it‘s a tough world out there, the economy is sluggish, incomes are down, unemployment is too high; we‘ve all felt the pinch. Many of us, when it comes time to purchase a new vehicle for the family, are now thinking about used/pre-owned vehicles rather than brand new ones. And in response, many automobile manufacturers have introduced ―CPO‖ programs, or ―Certified Pre-Owned‖, ostensibly to indicate a vehicle that meets the manufacturer‘s criteria for quality in a used vehicle.

This month we examine the question of whether CPO is good for you.

When is buying a certified pre-owned car the right thing for you? To decide, you first need to understand the differences among used cars.

Older cars that are traded in when a new one is purchased become part of a dealer's used-car fleet and, as a rule, the dealer keeps the good ones and disposes of the bad ones.

For decades, used cars were seen by many consumers as piles of junk looking for a home.

To them, "used" meant "abused." Then along came a wise marketing type who sought to change that image by calling used cars "pre-driven" or "pre-owned."

The change made it considerably easier to sell the cars, as dealers went from selling someone else's trouble to selling someone else's treasure.

The pre-owned car got an even greater image boost when Mercedes-Benz began selling "certified" pre-owned luxury cars in the late '80s. For years, consumers had suggested car dealers inspect trade-ins for damage and make repairs before putting them on used -car lots. Dealers, however, said that would be too

costly and time-consuming.

Then manufacturers decided the time had come, and automakers came up with the idea of having dealers inspect and repair trade-ins before reselling them, but with an added bonus that made the venture worthwhile — dealers would inspect and repair the cars out of their own pocket, and the factory would then offer a warranty on these "certified" preowned cars.

There are differences to understand among certified used cars. There are certified pre-owned factorybacked programs and certified pre-owned dealerbacked programs. The biggest difference is that factory-backed programs offer a warranty that's backed by the factory at no cost to you, while with dealercertified programs you usually have to buy an extended warranty from the dealer to ensure coverage. "'Factory-backed' also means they are warrantied at any dealership selling the same brand anywhere in the country," said the president of CNW Marketing Research. "Dealer-certified means they have to be brought back to the selling dealership."

So why should you consider a certified preowned car?

"Because it gives you another option when buying a car," said Rob Gentile, director of web product management for Consumer Reports. "The average price of a new vehicle today is almost $30,000, but a certified pre-owned car gives you an alternative option to buying a new vehicle — an affordable way to save money by purchasing a car that's been inspected,

repaired and warranted."

The key to certified pre-owned vehicles is that, unlike other used cars, they have been inspected, repaired and given a factory-backed warranty. The price of the car rises to defray the cost of those perks, but the higher price is offset by the consumer's peace of mind.

Auto industry experts estimate that up to 1.6 million of the 17 million used cars sold by dealers each year are factory-certified, and that 20 percent of shoppers who are happy with their used car will buy the same brand when they choose to buy a new car.

"Factory-certified has become very popular," said the former president of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, which represents more than 500 new- and used-car dealers in the Chicago area. "One reason for offering certified pre-owned cars is that it's a way for automakers to keep you in their family. If they attract you into a pre-owned car and you're happy, you eventually will buy the same brand when you purchase new, and they are hoping for repeat new-car sales."

Monoprice specializes in a wide variety of electronic cables, home theater equipment, networking and IT gear, mobile accessories, and other computer components and tech equipment. Customers can easily navigate their website and choose from among more than 4,300 Monoprice branded and nonbranded products offered at very affordable prices on its website.

Metal Messiah Radio is a twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week, international internet radio station. Metal Messiah Radio had DJs from all over thh world, spanning FIVE of the seven continents, all bringing you the very best music to get you through your day, no matter what time zone you are in. The station is dedicated to bringing their listeners the very best music there is to offer because we areâ&#x20AC;Ś

YOUR METAL MUSIC MESSIAH!!!

Unsigned Bands - want air play? send your MP3's to music@metalmessiahradio.com LISTEN to us @ http://metalmessiahradio.com/community/ FIND us @ http://www.facebook.com/MetalMessiahRadio