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WHO THE #@%! IS
HEAVY HONEY?! Also in this issue… Pickin up LOOSE CHANGE MYSTIC Photography Van’s Warped Tour Photos News you can Use and more...
Cover Photo by Fred Morledge; PhotoFM.com
From the Desk of the Pres Summer has come full swing in Vegas, and it’s hot; that is to say, don’t crack an egg on your hood, it’ll fry right up! This month CV SW heats up with an in depth interview with HEAVY HONEY frontman London Mace...an incredible person and mind, it is a must read. Mystic Photography brings her keen eye to Trapt & Systemec, with a little Laura Wilde thrown in (and who wouldn’t mind a little Laura?) The Pres plops down on the couch and finds a little LOOSE CHANGE; the Tonan brothers along with buddy Brandon Hall are reviving the Vegas punk scene!. PureSin Photography give us his day at the Van’s Warped Tour, bringing us several bands in action through the day. Brandi, our first Babe of the Month in a few issues, comes to us via Houston, TX. We discuss whether CPO is right for you when purchasing a used car, we also take you through the math of car loan terms. Enjoy!
Cover Rock Calendar HEAVY HONEY Is CPO Right for You? Drumiture MYSTIC Photography Gear the Pros Use Babe of the Month: Brandi LOOSE CHANGE Ask the Master Van’s Warped Tour Feature Las Vegas Nightlife Auto Loan Term Analysis Tattoo Gallery
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Like a crushing symphony, our kingdom comes. A holy daze our wicked wonderland. We are the true believers. One under the stars. <CV SW> Alright, tell us who is in the band and their role. The Band consist of: London Mace - lead singer, rhythm guitar, Rich Burnett - lead guitar, Pedro Sison - bass, and David Ivy - drums. HEAVY HONEY is the brainchild of London Mace, and has been his project from the start. London started the band back in the day in order to get the music that was in his head out to the world. In the beginning, London played coffee houses and bookstores on acoustic guitar, working hard to get his songs to the public. During those early years, London spent time recording his music, playing all the individual parts himself purely out of necessary. “For the most part,” he said, “I released the first three albums this way”. His desire to play in a rock band brought about the need for additional members. He’s played with a ton of talented people in HEAVY HON-
EY, people who brought their own particular style and inspiration to the live performances. “I am eternally grateful for that” London says, “playing live is something I cannot do alone; sure, I can write the songs but the BAND makes them come alive.” <CV SW> You have gone through some changes over the years – band names, line ups – tell us about the journey of THIS group of artists. I've known Richard Burnett from the very start of this band. An acting friend of mine, Eric Cattani, Rich's brother, introduced us in order to help me perform HEAVY HONEY's first live show at a Harry Potter book release in 2005. Rich had his own band *13Miles+ at the time and wasn't able to join HEAVY HONEY until just recently. Rich is a friend, a brother, and multi-talented artist/musician. David Ivy and I met after the departure of our long-time bassist,
Natalie Dunn. He said, "if you need a bass player, I'm in." He played bass for a couple shows, but when I heard him on drums that was all she wrote. He's a genius musician all around, but HEAVY HONEY needed him most on drums.
Pedro Sison was playing in the band "Blandini" when I first saw him on stage. Blandini is a power trio and one hell of a rock band. One night while I was watching them in pure awe, Jeff Blando *lead guitar player for Slaughter and the Vince Neil band+ invited me to sing a few songs with them. According to Pedro, he was impressed by me and knew we would be friends. Funny thing is, Pedro was burnt out on rock and when I initially asked him to join the band, he actually said no. So, I asked him if he would play one gig with us, and that gig apparently converted him into a 2H True Believer, because after it, he said yes!
<CV SW> I heard there’s an interesting story behind the name? How did you arrive at it, what does it mean? My wife and I were talking about potential band names, and one of them must have struck her because she said "Wow. That's really heavy, honey." Those two words hit me right away and even though it wasn't official until a few weeks later, internally, I just knew that was the name. I love it because the dichotomy allows me to write heavy songs and sweet songs. Very much in the same way Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin said his band name did for him. There are a lot of bands with this great Ying Yang quality: The Sex Pistols, Guns N Roses, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Iron Butterfly, Iron Maiden and so many others.
<CV SW> You also started off playing a variety of musical styles, but settled on rock – why? I have always been a fan of so many different kinds of music styles, and as a songwriter, whatever comes through, comes through. I feel like I'm only one half of this song writing process. The other half is the universe and that I can't take credit for, but I am very grateful that it has chosen me to be its fountain of music. As for rock, Why not rock? I mean it's f**king ROCK! It's awesome, and it's so passionate to play <CV SW> What is it about this on stage. group that works so well, in your London had a creative ability opinion? from a very young age. “I was the kid In my opinion: the pure love of the music. We are all big fans of who drew really well or was interestgreat music, those that have created ed in the creative arts”, he rememgreat music, and the music that has bers. At 4 years old, he heard the influenced our lives so deeply. That Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album, and delove, sincerity, and passion comes cided to be a drummer; but somethrough our music, and the fans feel where around that time, his older brother Shay came home from a KISS it and celebrate it.
concert and, in his words, “BAM, I fell madly in love”. London put on his mother’s high heels and some of her makeup, trying desperately to become Ace Frehley. A family friend noticed and gave London an electric guitar to complete the ensemble; but his brother borrowed it so much London decided to give it to him. Around nine years old his mother gave him a super-8 movie camera, and his love of film started. He begged his mother for a keyboard in order to create original music for his films. London’s early films were, in his own mind, pretty good for a 10 year old boy. “I even had one of them played in front of a group of up-andcoming Hollywood directors at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel,” he recalled. Then at sixteen, he met a girl who was really into music and she played guitar. London knew the only way he could impress her was to start actually learning to play music. So, he started writing her songs on the keyboard. Over the years they were together, he started plucking away and began writing songs on her guitars. "Art" in some form has always
paid the bills over the years. He is a professional graphic artist by trade, an inspiring filmmaker and screenwriter, as well as a singer-songwriter in a rock band. Not a bad gig if you ask us. <CV SW> Who or What are your musical influences? My mother, Anna Black, first and foremost, but also the entire world of music that surrounded me growing up: my mother gave me blue's, jazz, gospel, funk and R&B, my two older brothers Shay and Victory gave me rock and metal, my older sister, Kelle gave me folk music, Bluegrass, singer-songwriters and all things psychedelic. As a kid, my original preference was orchestral and soundtrack music from John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith and the like. By the time I hit my teens, I fell in love with, punk, new wave, ska, rap, and country. I love it all. This might sound funny, but when I listen to certain sections of orchestral music, it hits me so hard, in the same way rock does, that I tear up. Music is powerful shit.
song and wanting to write something that good. It usually never turns out sounding like the "inspirational song" but the influence was there. Sometimes, it's just picking up the guitar or sitting at a piano and start playing and then wow, something comes through, and then it's hurry up and hit record before it's gone.
<CV SW> Do any of your songs speak to you personally? They are all “your songs”, but are there any that really resonate in your soul? <CV SW> It seems that music is in The song, "Soul Selling", just your genes…tell us about how your mother, blues singer Anna Black, encouraged you growing up. Did she push you into music once you caught the bug? Yes, my mother was the catalyst along with the rest of the family, into being very musical. It was easy to be influenced by them all, but she always encouraged me to pursue what I was passionate about. Be it art, film or music. <CV SW> When you write music, where do you draw your inspiration from? It can be anything really, but sometimes it's hearing a fantastic
because it seems that it was the catalyst that got people excited about HEAVY HONEY. It's one of the oldest songs we sing in the lineup and a 2H True Believer favorite. It also reminds me of my wife, very much so (in a good way). I have to say every song is special in one way or another. But, there is a new song off the new album, that's very special to me. It's called, "If I had You Back". It's a song co-written by Brian deBecker for his son Caleb who passed away earlier this year from cancer. He was nine years old. Brian is a close friend of mine, and plays drums with HEAVY HONEY once in a while. He asked me to put music to some words he had written about his son. I could tell this was his way of healing, so I wanted this song to be very special. I ask him if he wanted it to be a ballad? He said, "No. I want it to be intense, the way I feel right now, and strong the way my son was in life." Brian plays drums on the track and Jeff Blando is making a special appearance playing lead guitar as well. It's a very moving song and the words can relate to anyone feeling a loss of a loved one or lover etc. I feel very honored to have been a part of this song and to have it on this album as just one more way of continuing to celebrate the life of this amazing young man Caleb deBecker. <CV SW> How has the band & sound changed, if at all, over the years? I would hope that I have gotten better at singing, showmanship and songwriting. As far as the band itself, HEAVY HONEY has changed members many times over the years which always changes the charisma of a band, the way you relate to the others as you play live or rehearse etc.
Everyone brings their own style and personality to a band and that shapes things differently, sometimes in ways you never imagined. And that's what's so awesome. That's why I would prefer to play with someone who might not be technically perfect, but with whom I can connect musically; someone who can feel and anticipate each other on stage. The vibe we share definitely outweighs someone who is technically perfect but who doesn't jive with the band. <CV SW> Your onstage showmanship is incredible, have you always had that flair, that kind of sexy rapport with the audience? I think my sense of showmanship has always been within me, but it definitely had to be nurtured, cultivated and sharpened over the years. I had the privilege of training with "The Second City Improv" and even became a cast member in a show on the Las Vegas strip called, Scriptless. That really helped me a lot to become more professional with how I related to an audience and made me very comfortable on stage. I never get nervous before a gig or while I'm on stage. I feel very much at home on stage and a lot of that comes from my training at SC. It really helped me, doing 6 to 8 shows a week in front of hundreds of people for about a year. Little trivia here: Two of my teachers at SC were Jason Sudeikis of Saturday Night Live and movie fame as well as Kay Cannon, Emmynominated writer and producer for the NBC series 30 Rock. As for the sexy rapport…it must be the music. <CV SW> What are your impressions of the Vegas music scene? How would you like to see it change, if at all? Is the business side of things as hard as I hear? First, this is a town full of ex-
tremely talented musicians and bands. Second, it's a town that is all about cover bands and casinos and musicians who need to make money to pay the rent. The second seems to overshadow the first. It's hard to play anywhere worth a damn if you don't play covers. And it seems that almost every venue that comes along, big or small (for original acts) can't make it work in this town and within a year are gone.
“Here's the issue in Vegas...the casinos for the most part cater to tourists and tourists usually don't want to see a band they don't know who are playing songs they've never heard.” So original bands don't get much love, if any, from the big casinos. And when they do, it is usually set up for failure. Example, Monday nights from 9 to midnight…the problem with this is that tourists don't know you, and don't care to take a chance to go see you and your local fans have to work the next day since it's Monday, so they are unlikely to make the casino show either. This, of course, leaves only the
local bars. Because they cater to "locals" the pressure is on, for you, the "original band" to bring in a lot of people. The catch is that because you are not a big name, you will be put on a weekday showcase for all local acts and you'll be playing with other local acts, all hoping to bring your followers. But, you have to do this while you try to create a following. You bring family, friends, people from work....Yeah, they are gonna come see you once in a while but not every show. Plus it's still a work night, they've already seen you several times this month, and they've paid out anywhere from $5 to $20 every time to come see you. And even though they are all very sincere in supporting you and your band, it's unreasonable to expect them to come to every show. The Catch-22 is, Bands need to play (a lot) to get popular and hone their live presence, but they can't get booked a lot because they are not popular yet and don't have the big fan base (yet) needed to make the clubs happy and making revenue. Often, the venue gets mad because you're not bringing in enough people which means they are not making any money and so you don't get asked back. Or worse, you are asked to "pay to play" - guaranteeing the venue their money. In the end, being an original band in Vegas, is a lot of hard work and perseverance, and even then, it often still comes down to that big break. <CV SW> Your wife, Reagan, stars with you in the video “Soul Selling”. How did asking her to be in the video come about? Is there any awkwardness or oddity to having your wife in a music video? Reagan used to be in HEAVY HONEY for several years before it was necessary for her to focus completely
on her acting career. Not only is she one of the biggest supporters of HEAVY HONEY, but, she is my sounding board for new songs and new ideas for videos, etc. Her being an actress, made it seem like she was the logical choice to have in the video. She is my muse and to me, she's always been fucking sexy hot. There is no awkwardness at all. It is quite the contrary, really. Reagan is a professional actress and when you are creating a music video, what you want is a professional. Reagan brings her "A" game to every project and you never have to worry about whether or not she knows what she's doing. It's actually easier being husband-and-wife because we get each other so well and usually know where each other is going with an idea without having to talk about it much. It's quite wonderful to work with someone you respect, care for and trust while working on / creating something that is very personal to you. Behind the scenes note: Doing love scenes with your wife is cool but trust me, it's still work. You have to remember, it was only her and I creating this video, so we were the ones doing the lights, the camera, and the acting.
is what I do. Don't get me wrong, I like my voice a lot, but I had to work hard to get where I am and to sound like I do. Whereas my mother, Anna Black, has a voice straight from God, and she can just open her mouth and the angels sing. She is a true natural vocal talent, 100%. <CV SW> Simon Cowell called you “the worst band since Guns n Roses” – how does that motivate you moving forward? You couldn't ask for a better compliment. I love Guns N Roses.
thing you practice or does it flow? I get in trouble with that sometimes because some people would like me to stay with just one voice. What they have called my "real" voice. I've always thought of myself as a good singer, but not special in any way, more of a showman than an impressive voice talent. That being said, I remember reading a quote from David Bowie who said he liked to use his voice like an actor. Changing it to fit the meaning and/or feeling of the song. I like to feel that
<CV SW> Have you guys stayed local to Vegas, or have you had the opportunity to branch out to other states to play? We've played LA, Hollywood, Sunset, and been broadcast live worldwide. We are very excited to tour more of the country and hopefully the rest of the world very soon. <CV SW> Do you have any memorable gigs? I bet that singing “Shout” with Otis Day was pretty exciting. Too many memorable gigs, both good and bad, to mention here, but yes, it was an honor and brought joy to my heart to sing alongside a legend like Otis Day. He is the real deal and a true gentleman. And I am privileged to call him a friend.
<CV SW> Speaking of Reagan, how has her support enabled you to soar with 2H? HEAVY HONEY would not be where it is today primed for global success without Reagan Pfifer. Her work ethic is second to none. She is my best friend who It is a famous shirt worn by Keith believes in me as much as I believe Richards of the Rolling Stones that reads, in her. “Who the f**k is Mick Jagger?” I thought <CV SW> You have a versatility it was funny and showed my wife who suggested that I should make some with my in your voice in how it changes own name. People seem to like it. I just on many songs, is that somethink it's funny.
<CV SW> You’ve also shared the stage with Vince Neil – what do you take away from an event like that, from someone like Vince? It's a moment that makes you feel anything and everything is possible. One minute you're at work, and doing your day job, and the next minute, you are on stage singing Motley Crue songs with Vince Neil.
sees me in the audience, we make eye contact, he smiles, knowing what's about to happen, at which point, I proceed to charge him like a bull, and jump from the foul line ala Michael Jordan, hitting him so hard we both collide into his bass amp which falls over backwards with us as well. It was a good thing he was in a punk band, because when we got up, his bass was broken, he had some serious marks on his back, but he had a huge smile on his face like all was right in the universe once again.
I have to say I was a little intimidated. I thought for some reason he was going to get mad at me and kick me off stage. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I felt he would see me as a nobody and say to himself, who the f**k are you to share the stage with me? I'm Vince Neil! But when I tried to leave the stage after singing just one song, Mr. Neil actually asked me to stay for a second song! After the gig, he even told me I was good. Again, anything and everything is possible.
After our set, I went and asked him what the fuck? He was very drunk and quite happy as he said, he was just feeling the mood. He could tell I was a little upset by his actions, and explained, "I didn't mean any harm by it. I'm sorry if I upset you. Why don't you punch me in the face as hard as you can and we will be even. Yes?" After considering it, I told him, I'd rather wait until he was on stage (his band was up next) and tackle him when he was least expecting it. So, it's the end of his set. He's playing bass in only his underwear <CV SW> What about maybe one of and probably weighs 130 pounds. He the craziest things a fan has done during a 2H show? There has been a lot of crazy shit that has gone down before, during, and after our shows. But the first thing that comes to mind is an incident when I was singing the song "All To You" (a slow song) at a show and was on my knees, with my eyes closed being very moody, when out of nowhere a guy from another band playing that night, full on tackled me. I was flattened by this guy not to mention shocked and a little confused/upset. This is not something you usually (or ever) expect during a show.
<CV SW> Do you think there is a lot of turnover in the music scene now? How do you think Heavy Honey has survived this long? Yes and no. The Rolling Stones are celebrating 50 years. HEAVY HONEY has survived this long and will continue because I'm in it for the music and the joy of making people happy. As long as I am able to do that on any scale, I will. To London Mace, HEAVY HONEY relishes in a good show, in connecting with the audience. To him, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the reason you play live; to make people happy, to feel their emotion, to get caught up in the joy. He says
he can sense when the audience feels the excitement HEAVY HONEY puts out on stage, their love and enthusiasm for music, and knows that excites the people. It’s a good thing. When you ask him about if he feels as if HEAVY HONEY has “made it” in music, London gets reflective on the situation. “It’s a relative term. Just being able to write and play music, to be able to stand in front of an audience, that’s ‘making it’ to me.” Delve further, and you’ll find that he believes there are different levels of what people consider “making it”. London continues; “Some bands tour the world and have platinum records, number one hits, millions of dollars and legions of fans around the world and never feel like they've made it. They are still unhappy inside. What they need is insatiable.” “So, I try to be grateful for the little things. And sometimes the little things are everything to me. When
you see someone else singing your song back to you, that's making it. When someone asks for your autograph, when someone takes the time to stop you, shake your hand or give you a hug and say you were great or I had a great time tonight, whenever you hear your song on the radio, or see someone wearing your T-shirt. It’s great when someone comes to your show, just to see you play. Whenever I find out we've sold a song on iTunes or an album, even if it's a free download, it means the world to me.” Playing with such talented band mates, sharing the stage with so many other talented people, knowing that I am on the same stage as all those that rocked that stage before me, being able to produce music with my mother and the rest of my family, working with amazing people/studios like Kane Churko at the Hideout Studios. Having anyone from around the world tell you that they love your
music and it brings happiness to them. That, to me, is making it. <CV SW> When you have that type of perspective, what else can you possibly want? What else do I want...? I want more of the same; bigger shows, more people to entertain. Touring the world, seeing the rest of this great planet, with all its different cultures and people, having the opportunities to make them all happy. Making a good living while doing what you love to do. All of the above is what I would like. HEAVY HONEY has already made it, now it's just a matter of scale. But, know that I am happy right now and that's making it. <CV SW> Sum it up, where do you feel you are in the journey of Heavy Honey? I'm a really big fan of Tolkien, so to use a Hobbit metaphor, HEAVY HONEY is "Bilbo" and we are about to
leave the shire on a great adventure! <CV SW> Open-ended question brother… <CV SW> Social media is so popuDream tour: AC/DC when Bon lar today, tell us how you feel it’s Scott was alive and they were crushbecome useful for Heavy Honey? I ing audiences with their unbelievable see you’re pretty active, do you see energy. it as necessary or as a necessary Bands today, living and tourevil? ing: U2. It beats putting flyers on every car by hand every Friday and Satur- <CV SW> Well, it’s nearly summer, days are hot, music is getting hotday night. LOL I love being able to talk to ter, what’s in store for Heavy Honpeople all around the world. Some- ey for 2013 and beyond? one can tell us something here in Las New album, new record label, Vegas, and someone from India or new videos, already added new band Morocco, can tell us that something member (Pedro Sison). New tour! we said or that a song we did made them happy. That's more good than <CV SW> Anything you’d care tell us about the new album in the evil. fall? <CV SW> If you could open for anIt's called CRUSHING SYMyone, could you pin it down to a PHONY and it has some very special single band? guest appearances from some amazLiving or dead? Broken up or ing talents / friends; Kane Churcko, still together? Kevin Churko, Jeff Blando, Jason Con-
"PREPARING YOU FOR GREATNESS"
stantine, Vladimir Lacas, Brian deBecker, Otis Day and more. It's being co-produced and mixed by Kane Churko / The Hideout Studios, Juno Award winner who has worked with, In This Moment, Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Death Punch and Jake E Lee's Red Dragon Cartel. It features 11 new songs, and a bonus track of our song, Superlove, played acoustically. It's being released worldwide by our new record label, Dust On The Tracks Records, and I am very excited and proud of this album. I can't wait for the world to hear it. Basically, it's kickass!
Real. Loud. Aggressive. Metal.
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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."
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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.‖
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-ofphase 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
Brandi
‘ Young, talented, fast, loud, REAL punk rock, anti-pop punk rock, down to mosh, down to party. LOOSE CHANGE is making a splash in the Vegas punk scene; they like to play loud fast music and they want you to have just as much fun at our shows as they have. They are all about turning it up LOUD and getting the pit started. In their own words…”DRINK A BEER,SMOKE A BOWL,GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD... ” et kept falling out I joked around with name spare change, loose change and it kinda stuck from there <Brandon> Yeah, it‘s really not exciting…some change fell out of David‘s pocket while he was thinking about band names and he said, ―Damn loose Tell us about getting together, the evolution of change!‖ Bingo. this lineup. Who started the band? What was the process of getting you guys together? <Brandon> I was in a band throughout high school. Two weeks before I graduated we broke up. I tried to find bands for a couple years, but nothing happened. David and I had been talking about starting a band for a while. <David> Ultimately, it gelled at Brandon‘s house one day at a BBQ. Brandon approached me and my brother about playing together; we originally wanted to do a chill, kinda sublime style music. <Brandon> Yeah, we were all sitting around a fire in my backyard where David and I talked to Andy about playing the drums and he was in. <David> So we got together at Andrew‘s and my house and that‘s the start of Loose Change -been jamming in the kitchen ever since. <David> We looked for a lead singer for a little while until we got tired of not having any vocals so Brandon and I took on singing. We do need to give thanks to their dad, Lee Tonan, he graciously Who is in the band, and what is their role? David Tonan – Guitar/Vocals Brandon Hall – Bass/Vocals Andrew Tonan – Drums/Vocals
allowed us to practice in the kitchen of his home. That’s where Loose Change was born. -Brandon Hall
Any big story about the how you guys named the band? <David> Me and Brandon were working for his dad Who are your musical influences? one weekend at his rental house and we were talking <Andrew> Speaking for myself, I can definitely say about names and a bunch of change I had in my pock- that my first introduction to rock music in general was through KISS. I have so many influences but
Did you guys have any other interested growing up, or was it always music? <David> I‘ve always liked to work on cars and same with my brother Andrew. Music has always been in our live we‘ve all been in bands before but nothing that did as well as Loose Change. <Andrews> Dude, this was it for me personally. I never wanted to do anything else. <David> Looks like I stand corrected. <Brandon> When I was a freshman in high school all I wanted to be was a professional fisherman, but I‘ve also wanted to be a rock star most of my life. I felt the most comfortable rocking out, head but some notable ones are Glenn Danzig/Misfits, banging, having a blast and watching people have fun KISS, Dead Kennedys, and Black Sabbath. The list in the pit as much as I do. could go on and on. <David> I have a bunch of heavy metal guitar influ- How long did you work together before your first ences like Pantera, Iron Maiden, and Slayer, but I also show? Were you guys nervous, waiting to head get a lot of my influence from the older raw punk bands like GBH, Black Flag, Misfits. Anything loud onstage? <Brandon> We were together a little over six months and fast, really. <Brandon> For me, it‘s Rise Against, Rancid, A Day before our show. to Remember, No FX, Red Hot Chili Peppers and <David> Right, I think it was 6 or 7 months before we did our first show. We were booked on a show Sublime with Nino Zombie, ‗Roid Rage, and Lambs to Lions; we loaded everything, we had PA, amps, mics, What do you think is Loose Change’s appeal to drums, everything. We found out the show been canthe punk fans of Vegas? celled when we got to the venue! Luckily the guy that <Brandon> We are fast, heavy punk rock who like to helped get us the show immediately called another get in the pit and have a good time. We want the au- venue and got us set up but it was an adventure for dience to have as much fun as we do on stage. our first show everybody running around making <David> We‘re straight to the point. We don‘t really phone calls stressing out. have a stage act, we get down to business when it‘s <Brandon> I‘ll admit I was a bit nervous; it had been our time to play. We try to play as many songs as three years since I was last on stage. There is always possible when we‘re on stage anything to keep the that ―first show‖ anxiousness because you don‘t crowd going and the mosh pit rollin‘. know how people will respond to new material. <Andrew> The raw, realness of our music, we‘re creating a voice for people like us who are sick of the Any memorable shows up until this point? bullshit shoved down their throats by life in general. <Brandon> That first show was the most memorable Our music helps them get away from all that stuff and for me because we had planned to play at Buzz BBQ cut loose. for a couple weeks. It was set for a Saturday night at
8:00 pm. We arrived early to set up, but when we got there, they told us the show was cancelled. We were bummed, but our friend Greg from the local band Lambs to Lions made a phone call to help us find another venue to play that night. We met him at the Underworld to see if they could work us into the lineup. After waiting about 20 minutes they told us, ―you‘re on in 10 minutes.‖ We ran out to the van, pulled out all of the gear and rocked out at one of the best shows. <Andrew> Our latest Double Down Saloon show was AWESOME... That was one hell of a crowd. We feed off of the crowd as far as energy. The crazier and louder they get, the crazier we get on stage. <David> I think the best show we had so far was our first show at Cheyenne Saloon. It‘s a club on our side of town so all of our friends and fans were able to make it out - we packed the house and blew the roof off the place, it was awesome! We had people moshing all night we had a lot of support that show we killed it. The mosh pit gets pretty intense at your shows, have you noticed any real craziness while playing? <David> Craziest thing I‘ve seen is a guy on another guy‘s shoulders in the pit, that‘s about it. One night our crazy ass bass player jumped off the stage while still playing and got in the pit with everyone for a minute. <Brandon> HaHa. The pit gets pretty intense, but not too crazy. What I like most about punk rock pits is that when you fall down, someone picks you up. No one is there to hurt each other, they just want to have fun. <David> That‘s the basis for all our music; when we write a new song we always ask ourselves would we pit to this, does this make me wanna move. <Andrew> I think shows need to be intense like that, it makes them that much better. Nothing like ripping out a song that gets that crowd moving. It‘s really something to watch from my point of view behind the kit.
er. The first punk bands I ever heard were Lower Class Brats, Misfits, Cheap Sex, Dead Kennedys. I just got hooked into this music. <David> In middle school I used to hang out with a bunch of guys we would all skate and listen to the Misfits, Lower Class Brats, Cheap Sex; ever since I‘ve always been a punk fun and a huge metal fan. My friend josh and my little brother got me into the Misfits in 8th grade and been rocking ever since.
When you sit down to write a song, where does the inspiration come from? <Brandon> Usually when we get ready to write a song we already have an idea of what we want the song to be about. Most of our songs start with one of our instruments playing a riff, if we like it, we use it. Then lyrics are written and are about what about what‘s going on in our lives, the country, or something stupid or funny. <Andrew> When I write lyrics it always comes from what I feel. I just look around at what‘s going on around me. It all really just comes from life. <David> Agreed, whatever is on our mind, usually it has something to do with who pissed you off last or what‘s bugging you, be it Wal-Mart, fast food compaWhy punk? Where did your interest in that mu- nies, bums begging for change on the side of the sic genre start? road; we use whatever comes to mind and try to be as <Brandon> I‘ve always liked fast hard music, from original as possible. hardcore to scream to real fast punk rock. Also, I‘ve How do you guys go about writing punk songs? always loved the pit. <Andrew> For me it started when I was young- <Brandon> David usually comes up with heavy riffs
to start us out on some of our songs. When it comes to writing lyrics, he is an expert for writing comical lyrics that both rhyme and have great meaning to the songs. He also helps manage the band by setting up shows and running errands. Secondly, we have Andy who lays down some fast, straight forward punk beats. He keeps us excited and playing faster and getting the crowd involved. Without Andy keeping the beat fast and steady, we wouldn‘t be able to keep everybody moving. He also helps with songs and lyrics, social media, emails and merchandise designs. As for me, Brandon Hall on vocals and bass guitar, I come up with swift, fast and heavy bass intros and keeping them steady throughout the song. I supply the van to move our gear from practice to shows to run errands and book shows. I also help write song lyrics. I guess you could say it‘s a team effort.
media (FB for example), how do you think that has helped the band, if at all? <Andrew> Social media is a great asset in the times we live in now. We do Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and ReverbNation. It really does help us reach more people. We want to be available to everyone. <Brandon> It has helped the band tremendously. It allows us to post about upcoming shows, upload pictures, communicate with fans and share our music. We are able to share about our band to more people every day. It is a great advertisement tool to share our love for music with everyone. <David> Actually last show we had two guys come up to us and tell us they found us on Facebook and drove all the way from Colorado to Vegas to come watch our set, it was awesome. So I‘d say Facebook has definitely helped us out; we just recently started a Twitter and Instagram account as well. Trying to Any of your songs speak to you guys on a per- spread the name however we can. sonal level? <David> I think all of our songs speak to one of the What is your view of the Vegas punk scene? members at least; ―Change the Channel‖ is about re- <David> Its thriving imo. People just need to see the ality TV (I can‘t stand 16 and Pregnant, the Kardashi- work all the bands and people put into the scene out ans, all the BS they put on TV for the youth to look here, it‘s ridiculous; and we all try to help each other. up to). ―Fat Food‖ I know speaks to Brandon for his One thing that is kinda sad is there‘s never really hate of McDonalds and the fast food restaurants and been anything for kids 18 and under to do in Vegas; if ―Government Deliquencies‖, which my brother start- we had a better all ages venue I think it would be the ed writing during the election, well, you can figure spark we need to ignite it out here and grow the local that out. I think all our songs have a personal mean- scene. ing or reason behind them <Brandon> The Vegas punk scene is still alive and <Andrew> Yes, ―Government Delinquencies‖. I remember sitting in a truck after the last election, thinking of how screwed up everything is in the country. I started writing some lyrics, then brought what lyrics I had to the guys and they wrote more lyrics for it. It‘s a great big F**K YOU to the government and all politicians who take advantage of us every day. At least that‘s how I see it. I see that you guys are pretty active on social
kicking. We are enjoying every minute we can. And all of the new local punk bands are helping to keep it alive with their unique styles of the genre. <Andrew> There are a ton of great bands in the scene. It‘s definitely overshadowed a bit, but it‘s really great, lots of good people and hopefully we all can help make it bigger. CVSW met you guys at the Total Chaos show; they are pretty big, what does playing with bands who’ve played internationally like TC show you guys? <David> It‘s an awesome feeling even if you‘re the first band on the bill it‘s always awesome to play with the touring acts. Makes you feel like just putting 110% into everything when you get to play with internationally known acts. <Brandon> It was inspirational to perform with such talented musicians that have toured the world. It really makes you bring it when you‘re performing. <Andrew> It shows to just keep it going, no matter what anyone tells you. That‘s what it‘s all about.
going anywhere but up from here. Okay, so we’re basically a year (or so?) into Loose Change, it’s mid-2013, what the plan for the immediate future? <David> Full Length CD, west coast tour if possible and whatever anyone wants to offer, we‘re always open for new stuff, we‘re ready to take it and run with it! <Andrew> More local shows of course, possibly a tour in the coming months. Keep on writing new music. We are in the process of working out a deal with a very popular punk website to distribute our Protect That Penny E.P. I really can‘t elaborate on that too much right now. We also have a new CD split we recorded some new songs for. That will see a release here soon. Also, we are working on some new merchandise. <Brandon> Keep on doing what we are doing by playing music, rocking out at shows and most importantly having fun. Hopefully we will play some out of state shows and maybe a tour.
If you had one band to open for, who would it be? <Andrew> The Misfits. <David> Metallica…sold out at Thomas and Mack. That‘d be my dream show, I think we would be a good fit to open for them and maybe play a couple songs with them too. HaHa! <Brandon> Rise Against. They have a very fast, heavy alternative punk rock sound. They also have a huge fan base. Where do you guys see yourselves in the journey of Loose Change? <Andrew> I see us out there touring the world doing our thing, bringing real punk rock to the masses… keeping it alive and well. <Brandon> Hopefully making a living playing music, enjoying myself rocking out. If I can make enough to support a family, it would be awesome and a dream come true. If not, I enjoy every minute of it. I am not doing this for the money, I am doing this because I love to play music. <David> Just staying with it; if we get big that‘s great if not it‘s still fun. We‘re all in it for fun but we can‘t https://www.facebook.com/LooseChangelv do it for free forever; I think we‘re doing good so far, http://www.reverbnation.com/loosechangelv we‘ve been around about year we have a new 4 way split coming out with False Cause (Face First records) we have a couple big shows coming up I don‘t see us
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.
Outta The Black continued their pursuit of making sure every ear is ringing when leaving venues. They brought an onslaught of debauchery back to Vamp'd and the Count himself, Danny Koker, joined them on stage as well. Some more original material was served up for the fans and they brought the house down with another unparalleled performance. Their next appearance at Vamp'd, scheduled for July 13th, will be another first. They will be performing on the same bill with the other Vegas phenom, Smashing Alice, which will bring their modern and progressive covers to Vamp'd to compliment Outta the Black's down & dirty debauchery. This will be a show for the ages and should bring an attendance level which just could possibly rival the turnout at the Memorial Event for our lost brother, Dave Sabatino, that I believe took up every square inch of Rocking Warriors as well. They are still a confloor space in the entire building. stant presence down at the Fremont Street Experience on Wednesday nights and are definitely Smashing Alice took their usual turn in worth the trip down. line, playing Vinyl Club at the Hard Rock, to the New Band on the block 'Between A Rock' hundreds of Electric Daisy Carnival goer's, prior + featuring Jimmy Crespo (Aerosmith, Rod Stewto their departure to the event. Rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC; out in 110 degrees at Rockin Jay's Comedy Show's anniver- art, Billy Squier), Louie Merlino (Beggars and sary party at the Rumor Hotel Pool and also Thieves), Jeff Tortora (Blue Man Group, Tinniplayed a benefit at the Cheyenne Saloon for the tus), and Wayne Carver (Flash, Quiet Riot) took the Vamp'd stage and rocked the house with their new dose of rock. These guys bring a new and unique sound to the Vegas stages, I cant wait to see and hear more of them. Dirty Pairadice, Systemec & Dinner Music For The Gods rocked the damn roof off of Vamp'd on the 21st with another unbelievable show. The performances just keep getting better from these 3 bands.
A Las Vegas Legend, Bud Mickle has been performing all over the valley for years at places like Tommy Rocker's, Tuscany and the Pioneer Saloon. Bud has recorded a CD and will be having a CD Release Party at Tommy Rocker's in July. Stay tuned for more info on the event. Acoustic Arena continues their 'Friday Night Residency' at Shakespeare's Grill & Pub in Henderson. It's a great spot to just chill with some craft beers and the trio puts out some good tunes in a space not accustomed to bands performing. LVCS down on the Fremont Street Experience continues bringing touring acts in along with supporting the Local Music Scene. Jack Russell's Great White, the Bullet Boys, RATT Tribute 'Out Of The Cellar' are just a few of the shows that came during June. The Gold Mine keeps bringing the music on Thursday Bike Nights with Kill Jimi rocking the house recently. John Zito Band packed the house on a recent Friday Night and it seems the Gold Mine wants to become a player in the Local Music scene.
Speaking of Fremont Street, the Arena Tribute has been rocking the stages down there for what seems like 2 years now, and the crowds just keep coming.
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.