CVSW June 2014

JUNE 2014

THE Custom Lifestyle Magazine for Custom Vehicle and Music Enthusiasts

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Contents...

Rock Calendar

3

News You Can Use - Cars: 10 Fuel Efficiency Myths

10

Order in the Chaos; Brien DeChristopher’s Music Blog

20

Las Vegas Nightlife; Kevin Lastovica

22

CV NorthWest Brew Crew: a Guide to PDX Beer Week

36

News You Can Use - Motorcycles: Helmet Cams

38

Tattoo Gallery...readers send in pics of favorite tattoos

40

Jamie Paulus Pure Sin Photography, always up for bringing us the BEST of the Spokane concert scene, blows our minds with pics of none other than TESLA & Switchfoot.

Page 24

Sherry Keith Mystic Photography in Concert puts you front and center for the Civil Unrest tour; including a concert write up from magazine friend Dawn Sawmiller.

Page 12 CV Southwest Magazine

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<CV WW> Tell our readers who is in the band and their roles because you have an impressive group of artists…

Stacey Blades: Let It Rawk is an all-star 80‘s metal review featuring quite a few different guys from the genre. From time to time we have a rotating line up.

So we have me on lead guitar, Stacey Blades. We have Oz Fox of Stryper on lead guitar, Jeff Duncan from Armored Saint on lead guitar, Sean McNabb from Dokken on bass, Eric Brittingham of Cinderella on bass, Scott Coogan from Brides of Destruction and Ace Frehley on drum sand Jimmy D‘Anda of Bullet Boys on drums, and we have Jamie St. James from Black N Blue and was also in Warrant for four years on vocals. Not all those people are on stage at the same time, but we‘ll mix it up from time to time because everyone else is in their significant bands.

band and what was the catalyst behind it?

SB: I actually came up with the idea, it‘s a very stylized show and I actually created and produced it. I came up with the idea last year. I thought it was kind of a unique idea where I wanted to do a band with guys from the genre but make it a unique experience. with a really cool set list and have it very Sunset Strip themed.

There is a lot of video production when we can use it if the venue has the video screens then we can use it in the show and it has just kind of started morphing into this thing. When we first played in January in Vegas the chemistry was so good with the guys it was like we had been playing for years, so I was like I have to write music with these guys. So that started taking shape a d we just released our first single American Rebels May 6th on Itunes and Amazon and it‘s getting great reviews and it‘s a fan<CV WW> Tell us about the tastic song, and we have also inbeginning, who founded the corporated another new song into

the set. It‘s a really fun experience everybody involved has a blast and it‘s a great group of guys there‘s no ego‘s and we just have fun and everybody is such an amazing musician that it really translates on stage. It‘s like a machine and people are like wow and it‘s like their heads were just ripped off. <CV WW> Tell us about the journey to find the right combination of musicians..

SB: It‘s guys I have known for years, so I kind of handpicked them. Due to their musicianship and their personalities and friendship I have had with them over the years . It changed quite a bit because when you are trying to put something big like this together it does take time,it did not happen overnight. It was a year in the works. Again it‘s juggling schedules and things and it‘s all a part of the whole ―Let It Rawk‖ thing. That is also kind of the appeal, because at one show you may have, for example we are

playing the Whiskey in June and it will be Jimmy D‘Anda, Robbie Crane, Jeff Duncan, Jaime and myself. So you are going to get different guys, and the set list will change a little, so we will do some Bullet Boys and we will do an Armored Saint song, so that‘s kind of cool. When you see it‘s not going to be the same thing every time. This is what makes this really cool idea keeping fresh because it‘s not like you‘re seeing the same thing over and over. It‘s like a best of everything so to speak. <CV WW> Tell us about the name, how did you come up with that?

SB: Ya know, I didn‘t want to call the band so and so all-stars or that type thing because then that kind of labels it out. I wanted to do something that was universal.

My idea is I‘m branding ―Let It Rawk‖. Like the change in rock itself by spelling it RAWK. My wonderful friend Brook McKeg who is an incredible artist, she came up with the logo and it‘s

such a great looking logo and the brand, and we have a nightclub as well here in Vegas that we do every Wednesday as well with my buddy Johnny Rude. It‘s a cool line up we do every Wednesday, there is no bands or anything ,just a DJ we do at a place called The End Bar not far from the strip . It‘s great, ladies drink free 8-10pm, there is never a cover charge, and we have a DJ that spins just all cool rock from the 70‘s, 80‘s, 90‘s and beyond . It‘s a great thing and we are in our 9th week now. <CV WW> We take it that is going very well then?

SB: Yes, next thing you know there will be ―Let It Rawk‖ Salsa o r s o me t h in g l ik e th a t . *Laughter* Or peanut butter...*More Laughter* <CV WW> What were your initial thoughts when creating the band? As you said this a Metal Review and not your typical cover band. How do you think it will fare in the pretty high quality music market?

SB: When as I sold it as a show it

was like this a cool idea because you have guys that were in that era and scene and they are seeing these guys play songs from those respective bands and catalog ,and they are getting a stylized show and what‘s cool is like the entity factor, it‘s like here you got all these really cool great guys all in one band and they are putting on this stylized show and they get some original music too and you can feel the chemistry between those five guys on stage and it makes it a unique experience .

The three shows we have done already people are like man you sound like you guys have been playing for years ,so I could not be more happier with this and it‘s been a lot of work and still is but I‘m really excited to see how this is really taking off. We have tour dates all the way through October so I am stoked! <CV WW> Who do you count as your musical influences?

SB: It‘s all pretty much the same stuff with most guys my age, I am 46 now and I grew up listening to The Stones and Kiss, The Eagles, Rod Stewart, all that

great 70‘s stuff. Then when I was a young teenager, 15-16 it was that first wave of L.A. Metal, Motley, Dokken, Ratt and Wasp.

That stuff just struck me and I was like ―this is amazing‖. Great times to grow up, being 15-16 that stuff changed my life. <CV WW> What do you hope to accomplish with this project?

SB: Well, we want to continue touring and making more music, keep releasing singles. I want to continue branding it. We are hoping to see the ―Let It Rawk‖ Nightclub eventually morph into our own place. I have a lot of great ideas and I want to build an empire with this. What‘s great about it is it‘s so universal and this music is timeless. <CV WW> What motivates you to keep improving and to keep expanding your horizons as mu sician s an d a ban d?

SB: I think you have to not so much reinvent yourself, but you always have to stretch out to new avenues . I have never been one to be complacent and do the same thing over and over and

over again. For me when that starts happening I lose interest. I always have to be changing things or writing new material, stuff like that. What‘s cool with this is I feel kind of reborn. Like that teenager, I have been playing for years but this has kind of reenergized me. I am playing so well right now and I am having so much fun playing with these guys and that transcends, even with the other guys in the band.

We are just up there smiling and laughing and having such a great time, so that motivates me when you are in a really positive situa- nately making a record is like a tion . vanity project now and it sucks that‘s a reality now. It kills me to <CV WW> Exactly, and that’s say that because I love making important that you guys are hav- records. It‘s an amazing process, ing a good time because then the the creativity seeing it start from crowd see’s that too and they the very first beat or chord or voreally dig that. cal and watching it blossom into SB: Absolutely! a full album with a producer, it‘s an amazing thing but unfortu<CV WW> Although this is a nately we live in an age of digital Metal Review and you have music and that‘s a reality and we mentioned you guys are putting have talked about this and said out singles, is there any plans to let‘s just test the waters with this and put out singles because we do a whole album?

SB: I have thought long and hard want people craving more music. about this and you know unfortu- You never know we may end up doing an album, I would love to do that but for right now I think we will keep releasing singles every 4 or 5 months. <CV WW> While all bands want to be successful are you prepared for the success this will br i n g y ou gu y s ?

SB: Oh well hell yea. I mean everything takes time and to be successful you really have to put in 150% to anything whether it be your song writing, guitar playing, your show, your band and I have always had that mentality. It‘s always been ―strive to be the

best‖. So yeah, bring it, I‘m ready! The other thing is too, coming out of L.A. Guns after ten years, people were very curious. What is Stacey going to do now, what does he have up his sleeve. It‘s not easy to re-establish your career and reinvent yourself after people have known you for certain things for many, many, years. It‘s tough, it‘s tough. It‘s a lot of patience and it‘s a lot of ―here is another day‖, ―today‘s a new day‖. I‘m really, really proud of what I have accomplished and how this is developing. <CV WW> How has the response been so far from the shows you are playing?

SB: Great! Like I said this is fairly new too as well. We‘ve only done three shows, but the three shows we have done have been

amazing. We have more dates coming up. We are playing the Whisky June 26th, back in Vegas on the 28th, then we go do a big outdoor show in Chicago on July 3rd, lots of great stuff happening, lots of outdoor stuff, the midwest in August as well as some shows in October and we have more dates coming in. So it‘s getting a great buzz, it‘s fun to see this thing build. It‘s like we are getting on surfboards, let‘s ride that wave. <CV WW> Let’s talk about the music industry today…and social media…music distribution is much different now, do you see that as progress? The ability to market/sell individual songs, does that benefit the industry as a whole?

SB: It‘s a double edged sword.

Unfortunately as a music indus-

try we are not seeing sales like we did 20 years ago. It‘s changed, people don‘t buy albums or CD‘s anymore, but the music industry did that to itself. It‘s almost bit them in the ass for all the greed and wealth that it was 25-30 years ago. To an artist selling 200,000 is mega successful where back in the 80‘s that was a question of oh you are not doing very well ,so it‘s an interesting flip side to where sales as a whole as records have changed drastically . I think in a positive way though you have all the social media to where you can use that to your advantage. The days of going out to get the big record deal, those are gone. It‘s tough but you have to roll with the punches. As a new artist there are a lot of great avenues because you don‘t really have to rely on record companies anymore. There is YouTube and

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happening. <CV WW> We know you have only played three shows so far, but have you had any particularly memorable shows to date?

Why was it memorable; good OR bad.

SB: Yeah, I think the show in Vegas last Saturday at Vamp‘d on the 17th was just magical. The band was just on fire, the sound and the energy coming off stage people were just having a great time. We really made an impact with that show. We can‘t wait to take this thing out to the midwest where people are just going to go crazy. That was an amazing CD Baby and all these other me- show that night, Friday night was dia outlets like Facebook and good too, but Saturday night at Twitter you have the power now Vamp‘d really stood out. to get your music out there without relying on other people. <CV WW> Vamp’d really is a great place to play. <CV WW> With Social Media SB: Oh yes, totally! platforms…savvy PR tools or necessary evil? <CV WW> What can fans exSB: It‘s both. It depends how you pect to see at a show? do it too. It can be limited, it can SB: It‘s a high energy show and be a lot of exposure for you, but the catalog is great and if the venat the same time it‘s like you are ue supports the production will the promotion tool so to speak. see some great imagery. As we But on the flip side with bands that have been around forever from the 80‘s that are still putting out music your selling 14,000 albums and that‘s with a little bit of promotion so people really are not buying a lot of music these days, that‘s the downside of it, people are downloading music for free and that is the drawback.

It can be changed, it can be changed. The music industry can start putting out albums again, vinyl and take away singles completely, which would force people to buy albums like they used to for decades, but I don‘t see that

build this thing we are going to keep making it bigger and bigger and bigger. It‘s going to be a great experience because you will hear a song from Black N Blue or this song and people are really digging the two original songs and you just see some great musicianship. So it‘s like you are seeing all these bands in one show.

So that‘s what‘s cool about it. <CV WW> How do choose the songs that you are playing?

SB: It was just a collective How do you guys feel about this, obviously we don‘t want to a lot of obscure stuff, so we do some hits and some well-known songs but there were also the well-known songs that were not really big hits where people are like cool you guys are playing that, so that‘s kind of the idea too was not to do the typical ‗Sweet Child Of Mine‘ and tracks like that but we did not want to go to obscure. So far so good the set list is going over really well. I don‘t want to give it away because then it gives away the show. <CV WW> How much pressure

really really cool, you have a very unique thing here, and I am like that was the idea from day one .

This is going to be a really unique experience. So to hear that from the fans I could not be happier.

is there to “produce” with every new musical offering?

SB: There is a lot of pressure because at the end of the day you want it to be successful, you don‘t want it to be a flop. What you put in is what you get out. I put a lot a lot of work into this, so to see this flourish now is really rewarding. People are translating and it‘s really cool because people are coming up to us and saying what you guys are doing is

<CV WW> It’s still very early, but where do you see the band in where do you see the band in 3-5 years? Idealistic and realistic?

SB: Still out there making a really cool show and in a few years I really want to step up the production and just build this into an empire and to keep having fun and keep playing shows and bringing this to wherever we can worldwide. I‘d like to take this around the world to Japan and Australia and to South America because it‘s such a universal thing and I think it really translates musically with the bands and the genre and that‘s the plan, World Domination. *Laughter* <CV WW> Any final words you would like to convey to your fans?

SB: I could not do this without the support of the fans, I want to

thank the fans so much, I love them dearly ! The support from everybody involved, the band members, our agents at Evergreen Music Network and for just allowing me to do this and create this machine. It‘s wonderful, I could not be more grateful!

Remember: When In Doubt...

Blue Blood Metal - Wearable Art

Top 10 Fuel-Efficiency Myths

By Doug Newcomb of MSN Autos No matter what the current price of gasoline, savvy drivers are always looking for ways to get the most miles from each gallon. But many fuel-efficiency tricks that may have worked years ago for vehicles equipped with less sophisticated components simply don't apply in today's world of computer-controlled automotive systems. And some, upon closer inspection, never did make sense. Take a look at the top 10 fuelefficiency myths to discern fact from fiction.

A tank nearly full prevents evaporation While not letting your car run low on fuel may be a good idea if you're traveling in an isolated area, the thought that a fuel tank more full than empty will prevent fuel from evaporating inside the tank is off-base.

Cars of yesteryear may have allowed gas vapors to escape into the air, but fuel systems in modern vehicles are designed with vapor recovery systems. Some vehicles with pressurized fuel systems even display a check engine light if the gas cap is loose, missing or not properly sealed.

Manual transmissions get better mileage Years ago, your transmission choices were usually a 5speed manual or a 3-speed automatic. Manual transmissions almost always achieved better mileage because a reasonably skilled driver could control engine revs through efficient shifting. But today's high-tech automatic transmissions are typically more competent and efficient than a driver using the combination of a clutch and stick shift. Few Americans learn how to properly drive a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, and given that a "stick" is usually reserved for high-performance cars, it's difficult for the average driver to squeeze the best possible mileage out of a car with a clutch.

A dirty air filter leads to lower mileage The engines in older vehicles pulled air straight through the air filter into the carburetor, so a clogged filter could affect gas mileage to some degree. But today's advanced engines have a computerized engine control module (ECM) to precisely regulate the air-to-fuel ratio. In a modern vehicle, air goes through the filter and then through a mass airflow sensor that lets the ECM gauge the airflow and adjust the fuel accordingly; less airflow means less fuel is sent to the engine. While gas mileage may not be affected, dirty air filters can lead to sluggish acceleration.

Shifting into neutral at stops This is a myth that may have applied when engines required carburetors. Today's vehicles have computerized fuel-injection systems that sense if an engine is revving above idle when you ease off the accelerator. If that happens, the fuel injectors shut off, so gas is no longer injected into the engine, even if the car is still in gear.

The only thing you accomplish by constantly shifting Filling up when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooler gets you more gas in and out of neutral is premature wear on shift compo- For years, a myth has persisted that if you buy gas in nents. the cooler part of the day â&#x20AC;&#x201D; say in the morning during

summer — you get more for your money, since a cooler liquid is denser. This theory may sound plausible when you're at the pump during the heat of the day. At filling stations, however, gasoline is almost always pumped from storage tanks underground that are naturally insulated from large temperature swings. Because of this, any slight change in the temperature of the gas is so small you wouldn't notice any appreciable savings.

Cruise control saves gas Since a vehicle's cruise control system is designed to maintain a constant speed, most drivers assume it will help them save fuel. On long highway trips on generally flat terrain, that may be true. But you've probably experienced the sudden acceleration that cruise control systems create when confronted with an incline in elevation. That rapid acceleration burns a lot of fuel, as if you mashed the gas pedal yourself. An alert driver anticipating an upcoming incline will typically apply pressure to the gas pedal slowly as needed to maintain speed without the sudden engine revs caused by cruise control.

Fuel additives can increase mileage Consumers in general and car owners in particular always want to find some magic fix in a bottle. That's why a typical auto-parts store usually has an entire shelf dedicated to various potions promising better mileage. While fuel-injector cleaners may lead to better fuel economy if the ones in your car are dirty and clogged, other fuel additives — even if they work as

any needed repairs, you shouldn't see any noticeable decline in fuel economy. Regardless, some of maintenance items to address as a vehicle gets older include dirty fuel injectors, defective oxygen sensors, worn spark plugs and plug wires, and a defective or leaky gas cap.

Topping off the tank helps gas mileage Do you continue to add gas to your car even after the gas-station pump automatically shuts off, indicating that the tank is full? Many people think that by topping off their tanks they're getting as much fuel as possible into the car and thus can go just a bit farther between fill-ups. The reality is that after your tank is full and your gas nozzle shuts off, any additional gas is drawn into a gas station's vapor recovery system — and back into its storage tanks. And according to AAA, you could even damage your car's evaporative emissions system by topping off your tank.

Lowering a truck’s tailgate improves mileage Drivers of pickup trucks have long assumed that lowering the tailgate is better for aerodynamics and therefore improves gas mileage. But according to Diane Bloch, an aerodynamic-performance engineer for General Motors, driving with the tailgate up is actually more aerodynamically efficient. She says that as air flows over the truck, it falls over the cab and pushes forward on the rear of the truck. The benefits of that airflow are diminished when the tailgate is down. Bloch says that replacing the tailgate with an aftermarket net is worse than having no tailgate at all; she compares it to a boat advertised — probably would not save enough to cover dragging a fishing net through water. their added cost. To help protect consumers, the Federal Trade Commission has a website dedicated to the doubtful claims of "gas saving" products.

Gas mileage drops as vehicles age If you don't maintain your vehicle, of course its performance will degrade and so will fuel efficiency. But if you keep your vehicle properly maintained and see to

Industrial Rock was alive and well inside Club Vinyl at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when Wayne Static brought his solo project along with bands Otep, Dope, Smile Empty Soul, and Thira for only the second night of the Civil Unrest Tour on May 9th, 2014.

This may have only been the second night of the Civil Unrest Tour, but the bands were in full swing for what turned out to be a rowdy night inside Club Vinyl.

Sometimes, when so many bands join together for a tour such as The Civil Unrest Tour, the complaint is that more time is spent setting up and tearing down for each act than the band actually spends on stage.

The opening act, Thira, warmed the crowd with a very brief set which seemed to be over before most of the crowd had made their way in. The next band up, Smile Empty Soul, brought a refreshing change from the other acts with their bluesy sound and was received well by the rowdy industrial rockers in the crowd. From the first song, ―Black and Blue‖, it was apparent these guys would be different. The band engaged the crowd with such songs as ―Loser‖, ―Chemicals‖, and ―Bottom of a Bottle‖. Smile Empty Soul may have been a different type of act from the rest of the bands on the Civil Unrest Tour, but they were a refreshing change of pace.

Dope was the next act to hit the stage. Dope are some hard core industrial rockers whose brief but high energy set left many in the crowd hoping that they would return soon with a chance to do a more full set.

Otep would provide direct

support for Wayne Static. With their hard core front woman, Otep has what almost could be considered a cult following. People either love them or have never heard of them. There was no doubt this would be hardcore as the band all hit the stage wearing masks and performed opening song ― Eat the Children‖. Otep connects well with the younger, metal core types in the crowd. They would continue with songs like ―Crooked Spoon‖ and ―Blood Pigs‖ during which the female front woman would actually place a pig‘s head on a swiveling prop. Otep would also have a little more extended set playing ―My Confession‖ and ―Apex Predator‖ for all the Randy Orton fans in the crowd, before leaving with ―Confrontation‖.

Wayne Static and his solo act was the headliner that the crowd waited patiently for this evening and as always, Wayne Static would not disappoint. Static X fans had noth-

ing to worry about on this evening, as every single song that Wayne would perform was a Static X staple. Wayne Static exemplifies industrial rock with his coveralls and hair standing straight up. Wayne‘s solo project would blitz the crowd with huge Static X hits to open the show ―Push it‖ and ―I‘m With Stupid‖. In all, Wayne would perform a full set of eighteen Static X hits including ―Wisconsin Death trip‖, ―December‖, ―Cold‖, and ―Black and White‖ before exiting the stage.

The band would return to the stage for two encores ―Destroy All‖ and ―Cannibal‖. If you are a fan of hard core industrial rock, then Club Vinyl on May 9th, 2014 inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was definitely the place to be. Wayne Static and friends would not disappoint and remind us all why Static X will always be remembered amongst the best industrial rockers of their time.

Dawn Sawmiller

YOU WANTED THE BEST, YOU GOT THE BEST...

A HUGE thank you to Traci Smith for allowing us to experience this show and bring it to you!

Order in the Chaos Helpful Guitar Tip #2 - The Dream/Know Your Role One of the most distressing and disturbing dreams I have ever had was when I dreamed we all lived in a world without music. Where all ears stopped caring to hear it, musicians stopped playing it, and teachers stopped teaching it.

Not in that order, mind you, but you get my drift.

Unfortunately, that dream, while perhaps not overly true to form, IS coming to bear. But, only in the aspect of the musicians these days. The fact that less and less of them actually take the time to rehearse both personally AND with their band. Resulting in sub-standard performance and product... thus, resulting in less palatable ear candy to the listener.

If you are a Guitarist: Practice your scales WITH A METRONOME! You can't expect to play on time with a real drummer if you don't work at it. Practice your chords. Practice your phrasing. And know your gear. But most importantly, play from your heart AFTER you learn your scales, chords, and timing. In the words of Paul Gilbert, "You have to know the rules BEFORE you can break them.

I may not be the fastest or most eloquent guitarist out there... but I DO understand the importance of these points. And while my solos may not be Yngwie-fast... at least they have feeling. More than I can say for most pro-level guitarists in the Industry-led music scene today. It doesn't matter what genre of music you play, playing from the heart will always prevail... and doing so with SKILL and ARTICULATION from years of hard personal practice will pay off BIG. If you are a Drummer: Welcome to the only position in the band who's performance CANNOT be copywritten. There, you heard it from me so you no longer have to be kept in the dark on why YOUR royalty checks might be lower percentage than everyone else's.

But, learn your kit. Learn your timing, and learn how to make good decisions when behind the kit (Don't be afraid to study the classics like John Bonham, Keith Moon, Charlie Watts, etc. Trust me, they played with more heart and soul than ANY of your present day drummers.

Practice your rudiments. Practice your rolls, etc. Keep up on it, and when alone... you got it... PRACTICE WITH A FREAKING METRONOME!!!! You have a very important job... to keep everyone else ON TIME! And, if you REALLY want to be a pro... rehearse and perform with your band with an in-ear click. It adds consistency and better precision with your audience.

If you're a Bassist: Learn your bass.Learn your Scales, Triads, Hand Positions, Pedal Tones, and timing. And for Heaven's sake... stop playing along with the guitar line. It is lazy and while it might be appropriate in certain key parts of a song, you gotta get out of the habit and give the listeners a break and add some flavor to the band's sound and product.

Learn how to stick in the pocket. Work with your drummer. I can't tell you how many band situations I have been in where I would leave the room and come back fifteen minutes later to a silent rehearsal space.

The drummer sitting behind his kit picking strips of wood off his sticks, and the bassist quietly trying to figure out that elusive Entwistle lick. Play together... even add a night where you and the drummer get together for an hour or two... it will bless your band's rhythm section greatly and will make YOU almost indispensable.

If you are a Vocalist: You have one frigging job to do... and that is to SING. Then do it. And stop being absent to practice, showing up late to the gigs, skipping sound checks and then bitching about how terrible your stage sound was, etc. Just SING! Very few singers I have ever come into contact with have been responsible and respectful enough to the band to be punctual and rehearse with them on a regular basis... unless, of course, they are in charge and ruling the band with an iron fist. And, trust me, that's no good either The fact of the matter is, you are the voice and face of the band. The band's job is to make YOU look good. But if you don't SOUND good, you've failed right out of the gate.

I'd like to say, you that you should leave your arrogance, conceit and ego at the door, but we should ALL recognize and understand that those three very important things are what make you a singer. And, without those three things, you will probably never see a bigger stage and, thus, bigger audiences.

Practice your voice exercises, practice singing from the diaphragm, and practice your skills at working with others... and yes, important yet silly as it sounds, practice your stage persona. It's extremely important to be an EFFECTIVE front man. That is part of your job. Engage the audience, and kick their ass... that's what they are there for. They are not there to be ignored or put to sleep. Talk to them, invite them into what you are doing. Drag them into your drama in the songs... Don't just yell at them, bore them, or talk TOO much in between songs.

These things might appear to be my opinion, but if you tried to be a musician instead of just a guitarist, singer, drummer, bassist... you might get a LOT more enjoyment from your experience. And doing these things are a proven and tried way to make music not only better for the performer, but more importantly better for the LISTENER. Give it a shot... test me, and tell me it doesn't work. But, focus on yourself, and don't worry what everyone else is doing... shoot, you just might outgrow your band and move on to bigger and better things... that's what personal growth is all about, but don't obsess about what is not, but rather what is NOW, and make it better... growth should come naturally.

Brien DeChristopher is the guitarist and primary songwriter for Seattle Seale-based hard rock band "Agents Of Chaos". He has played in numerous live and recording bands over the years where he has logged countless hours on stage in live performance, and studio recording time.

You can see this and other Pearls of Wisdom online at http://www.blogster.com/briendechristopher/

Todd Kerns, from the hardest working band in Vegas, the Sin City Sinners and more recently with Slash, invaded Vamp‟d on a Monday night for a little party marking the One Year Anniversary of „Borrowing Trouble‟s‟ release. Any night of the week you never know who is going to be coming through the doors at Vamp‟d.

Speaking of the Sinners, they are still rocking the Show Room at South Point on Friday nights and following the „Axl Rose Karaoke Show‟, I mean the „Guns-N-Roses‟ Residency at the Hard Rock. The Sinners have their own mini-residency at Vinyl, just outside The Joint.

The „Redline‟ boys, members of the RedhawkDays „Driver‟ band, took the stage at Legend‟s Bar & Grill, giving the place one more notch on the “Local Scene” belt. It‟s only a matter of time before this venue will bring in all kinds of bands with their easy east side location and their cheap drinks. Keep an eye on this place.

Local‟s favorite John Zito and his band of the same name, tears up the stage at Vamp‟d Wednesday nights. Everyone needs a mid-week escape and seeing the John Zito Band will definitely set things straight until the weekend. „Driving While Blind‟ with Kelly Dorn, lit up the Bounty Hunter Bar down in South Vegas. Every so often the Bounty Hunter brings in talent like Dorn and his band and when they do, the small setting is definitely one of the best places to be in south Vegas.

Another band of die-hard rockers that have been playing Vegas for what seems like decades, Rik „Stix‟ & Sean „DJ Yo Mama‟, from „Nuff Said‟, have taken their party to damn near every bar that would have them in Las Vegas over the years. They are known as one of the best party bands in Sin City for a reason. Now The Plaza Hotel & Casino has requested their party to bring the „Nuff Said Army‟ in for a few

weekends of debauchery. If you have not partied with these guys, you are missing one hell of a bash.

Speaking of Las Vegas Legends, a blast from the past, „Tarah Grace & the Magnetics‟ took the House of Blues stage to bring some of the „Hall of Fame‟ sound back to a Vegas stage. It seems they still have a following after all these years because the place was PACKED! Johnny Lust is at it again and taking his „Playground‟ band to an unusual venue on Tuesday nights. Down in Henderson just a few miles east of the Airport, Joe‟s Crab Shack has developed a sort of „Party on the Patio‟ event and it seems that „Playground‟ is fitting right in.

Johnny Roxx takes his band „ROXX‟ down to the Sand Dollar, as everyone knows the place, for Rockin‟ Wednesday nights. Another midweek Rock Night to make the week that much shorter. The place hasn‟t been the same since Wendy was behind the bar, but Animal and the boys might funk things up just enough to make it fun.

Burn Unit opened a Friday night stage at Vamp‟d for another hell-rsaising night of ass-kicking rock from the boys of „Outta The Black‟. There are reports on lingering hearing loss from multiple guests that attended this show.

The following weekend, those with ringing ears ventured out for some more damage when The Bones opened up for the hard rockers „Smashing Alice‟. The SA boys never take it easy on anyone. Just curious if some of those dials were really turned up to 11.

One of the hottest new bands in Vegas, „Electric Messiah‟ brought their show to the Vamp‟d stage, opening for the All-Star Metal Review, „Let It Rawk‟. Needless to say, the place was a madhouse and set the bar just a little higher for those wanting to perform there.

THE PEOPLE NOW are a cutting edge, cause-oriented rock band and nonprofit that hails from the music mecca of Seattle (WA). This band’s blend of wellcrafted, intricately constructed songs and thought-provoking lyrics is what draws their distinction from bands of the same genre. Seattle Rock in Surround Sound. A musical and visual explosion: The People Now synergize punchy, melodic, powerful songs with modern technology to create a listening experience like no other.

<CV WW> Tell our readers who's in the band and their role: Jonny: Jonny Smokes plays guitars and sings, programs lights, designs artwork and gets things done now.

Dagna: Dagna plays bass and does backup vocals.

Garth: Garth is allowed to sing lead vocals, write super-rad guitar lines, and is generally disappointed by how modest his band mates are in listing their tasks, because they all forgot to mention: kicks ass, makes water boil when they pick up their instruments, blow minds, break hearts, part seas, and generally acts as an agent of

―awesome.‖ Timothy: I play drums and program the audio visual portion of the live show as well as record and help produce our music. Sometimes I talk in third person, but he isn‘t feeling like it today. Oops. <CV WW> Tell us about the beginning, who founded the band, what was the catalyst behind it?

Garth: The People Now began as most things do: a concept, a spark, and a restaurant napkin. Back in 2004, I met Tim through our social networks on

the restaurant strip of Seattle‘s UDistrict, and we have been making music and creating ideas ever since. Though off and on mostly part time/practice stuff for years, the band became serious with the addition of equally serious players later in those years as well as like minds that were socially conscious. The catalyst that catapulted all of this into where we are now was a combination of clarity in our musical identity, being launched forward by the skill additions of our recent members, the opportunities created for us by management (Emerald City Musicians), and the momentum of being able to use our music to help, as well as inspire, others.

Timothy: The beginnings started in a ceiling-less (and probably haunted) basement in a falling apart old house in the Seattle University District whilst playing shows in run down bars and venues and now fast forward ahead to owning our own recording studio and practice space to touring Italy and playing the iconic Crocodile to the Showbox. It‘s been a

long journey here, but through all of it for me it has always been about a raw passion for making music. I simply can‘t not do it. <CV WW> Talk to us about the journey to find the right combination of musicians …

Jonny: I saw the band twice before joining and every time I was like, ―damn, this is the kind of band I want to be in.‖ I think the law of attraction completed my journey from there.

Dagna: This is something that every musician has different experiences with. Some are lucky enough to have a great life career with their junior high buddies, and some never find that chemistry with anybody. Most of us really have to go through many bands before finding the right vibe. I see a great potential in this mix that we have in The People Now. It is like a tiny eco-system that feeds off of itself. Being friends is the most important thing to keep the band together. <CV WW> Tell us about the name, where did it come from?

Garth: The name ―The People Now‖ stems from this same idea of our music and message. Music – the one thing common in the common man, has always united people. In any environ or time frame, there is the song of ‗everyday lives,‘ and each is as artistic and unique as any radio hit. As individuals, we are all singular, just like every single moment is like no other. We. Are all. The People.

Now. <CV WW> What were your initial thoughts on creating the band, how did you think you'd

music. I can‘t NOT want find solutions for human problems. I can‘t NOT want to share these notes (music)/notes(thoughts) with others, and work relentlessly on mastering this craft to give people something unique and unforgettable.

fare in a pretty high quality music market?

Jonny: In all humility, we are always striving to be better with every performance. Seattle IS an incredibly high quality music market, and we are blowing people‘s expectations every time, so I feel like we are on the right path.

Garth: We can only do what we can‘t not do. I can‘t NOT play

<CV WW> Who do you guys count as your musical influences?

Jonny: Fates Warning, King‘s X, Pink Floyd Dagna: I grew up listening to Scorpions. A lot. And then I discovered metal- I am a big fan of melodic metal bands, like Nevermore, Opeth, In Flames, Fates Warning, and Symphony X. Garth: I am influenced musically by almost everything I hear people talking, gears grinding, bells tolling, colors and patterns, random sounds, silence. It‘s kinda cool trying to hear the music of the world. My greatest inspiration is my brother, Cliff - a superior musician to me in every way.

Timothy: Refused, The Mars Volta, System of a Down, Baroness, McTuff, The Mothership, yadda yadda yadda. Really anything, but I tend to lean more in the heavier progressive direction these days. Pink Floyd will always be the band that taught me to love the theater of a musical performance which is something I strive to bring to our own shows. <CV WW> Have you guys always wanted to play music, or were there other interests when you were younger?

Jonny: I was about to become a commercial artist out of high school, but thought better of it

when I interviewed several working designers who were all obviously miserable…

Garth: Hahaha, that‘s rad!

Jonny: Yeah, so I followed my heart and kept my art to myself.

Dagna: Being a musician has always been a burning desire of mine. Other things and interests have tried to take over here and there, but this one still lingers…

Timothy: I started hitting pots and pans with spoons when I was barely able to walk. I learned to play piano by memory when I was 6, learned to play violin when I was 8 and learned to play drums when I was 9. I pretty much always wanted to play music. <CV WW> Some of you have been in other bands before this one, tell us about those?

Jonny: Both Dagna and myself worked together as a touring band for Nevermore/Sanctuary vocalist Warrel Dane‘s first solo album ‗Praises To The War Ma-

chine‘. I will be involved with his next solo album as well, so perhaps we will be able to tour together.

Dagna: One of the most recent bands I would mention ‗One Undone‘, where Tim and I first started working together. We didn‘t go further than Seattle local scene but we recorded an album that I am pretty proud of - ―A Fire Under the Ocean‖. Jonny and I met working for Warrel Dane‘s solo project as his touring band and bonded enough on the road to want to play together again :) I have also filled in for Jim Shepperd as a touring bass player for Nevermore, right at the end of their existence.

Timothy: I played for Seattle band called Rad Touch for a number of years. It was a sort of heavy sometimes ―mathy‖ 3 piece that leaned toward punk and hardcore influence while also hitting on majorly melodic and comedic vocals about life and love. It was a band with a cornu-

copia of influence but ridiculously fun to play in. Dagna joined a band I was in called One Undone replacing Garth who was the original bassist. We melded really fast to form a solid rhythm section that continues to pummel the audience today! <CV WW> What do you hope to accomplish with your music, what message do you try to convey?

Jonny: I want to inspire people to be brave, to stand up and stand out. Make even the smallest difference for the better.

Garth: Artistic and mental freedom for myself and my audience. <CV WW> What motivates you to keep improving, to keep expanding your horizons as musicians and a band?

Jonny: Seeing players like Steve Vai, Jeff Loomis, Adrian Legg.

They just keep getting impossibly better and better…

Garth: Twofold - people have always encouraged me, in their own struggles as well as their successes, to pursue art and expression - I gotta deep love for humanity, in all its wretched beauty. And to quote Rage Against the Machine - ―Whenever you see a cop beatin‘ a guy; wherever a hungry newborn baby cry; whenever there‘s a fight against the blood and hatred in the air;‖ That makes me want to write music you can shake your ass, your fist, or both to. <CV WW> What is it about THIS combination that you think works so well?

Jonny: Mutual respect and hard work ethics.

Garth: Passion, tolerance, and impossible talent.

Timothy: Passion, passion, passion. We also all have our own skill sets (outside of playing our instruments) and are very good at using them all to make a whole.

90s throw back time! We‘re like the power rangers when they like all come together ‗n shit! <CV WW> In the end, while all bands WANT to be successful, are you prepared for the success this will bring?

Jonny: More than ready! Bring it!

Dagna: While it can be a weird concept at times to think about, it‘s something that has always been in the back of my head, so yeah, I can say I am more than prepared!

Garth: Wait, musicians are successful? :) Timothy: Absolutely! But no matter what the success there will always be sacrifices and sometimes you have to burn down your house to build a better one. You‘ve always got to be prepared for change in order to better your life.

What kind of pressure do you feel, if any, to produce a successful record?

Jonny: I just want the performance to capture the best of our musical skills and still feel as alive as we are on stage.

Garth: There are a lot of musicians out there, many who are geniuses, some self-proclaimed virtuosos, some not as accomplished, and still undiscovered gems of talent. Every note, I want to have meeting, have purpose. The pressure comes from

within, a damn hot furnace hopefully there‘s enough of it to sparkle up all this coal we call music into a diamond that an audience can truly get behind. <CV WW> How will you decide which songs to release as singles?

Garth: I‘ve got this weird notion that albums are dead. Sign of the times, bygone era, romantic retro, no attention span, perverse business world, Twitter - call it what you will, the iceberg has splintered. This is not a bad thing; I think it‘s simply change. To me, all songs are singles - a continuous stream of them. Like water coming out of a faucet through a strobe light: you can see it‘s actually not a stream of water, just thousands of individual droplets so close to-

gether, they appear to be a stream. Song, album, single, box set, stream - its all music to me.

Timothy: Because of the digital age people have less and less attention span. Usually the song that acts like a theatrical trailer is the best. Short, high energy with dramatic dynamics and a simple rhythm. We aren‘t writing music to fill that criteria but sometimes a few songs will just come out that way naturally. Those are usually the best bets. <CV WW> How has the response been so far from the shows you are playing?

Jonny: Feedback from my most critical friends has been that this is the best band they‘ve ever seen me in. I trust that they like it, since they‘ve torn up past projects…

Dagna: It seems like people are a little shocked and emotional after seeing our live show, which is the exact response we‘re striving for, and is the most rewarding for us as musicians, too. <CV WW> How important is it for fans of the headliner to come early to see the opening band, to support them?

Jonny: VERY IMPORTANT! Why show up late to a movie, watch the fight scene, and leave before it is over? We work hard to play shows with bands that compliment each other, and we want other band‘s fans to be exposed to us just as much as we want our fans to see other artists we enjoy.

Garth: There‘s this great Internet Meme, where old school comic book Batman slaps Robin in midsentence, and people photoshop

in the talk bubble. Well, Robin asks Batman ―What time does your band play ton...‖ WHACK! Batman backhands the foo‘ and says ―You show up early and support ALL the bands!‖ <CV WW> Let’s talk about the music industry today…and social media…music distribution is much different now, do you see that as progress? The ability to market/sell individual songs, does that benefit the industry as a whole?

Dagna: I am very much a traditionalist and see the individual song market as a setback. There was just so much magic to having to buy an entire album, with artwork, the credits, all the info you would find in the back of a CD. It was more of a bonding experience with the band. You would

HerringBone Anatolian Shepherd & Border Collie Mix 9 weeks old Male 13 pounds

be exposed to their entire vision for the album. This is all gone today.

Jonny: While the sales and exposure outlets are incredibly diverse, and the freedom to be your own artist is very liberating, the drawback is that we now compete with millions of other acts with the same platforms, so it can be more of a challenge to rise to the top. It just pushes us to be the very best we can in the end. The stereotype of ―lazy musician‖ does not apply to anyone who has even a small bit of success nowadays. Only the hardest workers rise above.

Garth: If the ―industry‖ can be made up of individual musicians that are no longer forced to bottle neck their art through a distributor to reach markets, I‘d say that‘s an exciting thing. Moreover, I‘m less interested in how the

heart. Trends fade, heart is forever.

Garth: The ―core‖ sound isn‘t any one trend, genre, fad, or single to me. The core is genuine, and the future is full of, as of yet, undiscovered genuine music. No need to go back to any good ole days, or stare sideways at how todays are both amazing and empty, but to go forward and find music. I think that happens in every ―now.‖ old dynasty of Music Industry was always looking for ways to ―make‖ people pay for music (hence profit), and more interested in a New Industry that looks for ways to ―allow‖ people to pay for music. <CV WW> Social Media platforms…savvy PR tools or necessary evil?

Jonny: ...a little of both in the right/wrong hands, right?

Garth: A new twist on an old song. <CV WW> Today, the music world is dominated by the Cyrus’ (and her tongue) and the Biebers…never one to shy away from controversial questions, do you think Rock has to climb to the forefront again?

Jonny: Rock may have fallen off of TV and radio in the USA, but when I tour Europe, I feel that rock and metal are just as strong as pop. Even though the media tries to ignore it, the rock fans still do far more good for the economy by attending clubs and bars than Cyrus fans do by watching Disney all day. Live music is a billion dollar annual industry in the Seattle area. I

don‘t think the pop diva‘s contribute more than 5% to that…

Garth: To make a beautiful, fragrant, and unthinkably radtastic garden, where flowers and trees and happy little blossoms grow all cray cray - what do you need bags and bags and bags of? <CV WW> Is it hard to look at that and stay true to your core sound? Or do you think they will all fade away and it’ll be back to old fashioned ass kicking rock again?

Jonny: I just write from my

<CV WW> Do you guys have a favorite place to play?

Jonny: Earth. My best shows are always on Earth.

Timothy: Not really. But I miss the Fun House... <CV WW> Have you had any particularly memorable shows to date? Why was it memorable; good OR bad.

Jonny: Opening for Fates Warning in Seattle was a dream come true. They are my heroes and we really killed it that night. And I got to run lights for them using

our setup. I was a kid in a candy store!

Dagna: Yes, definitely the Fates show. I think our music, while not in the metal genre, appeals to a lot of metal heads with the softer metal taste. We got the best response yet at that one show.

Also for me personally, there are two other shows that I just need to mention. Playing with Nevermore on the first 60,000 Tons of Metal cruise was unforgettable. I played with one of my all times favorite bands, on the outside deck with the sun going down and the ocean breeze in my face for 2,000 metal heads. RAD! The second one, I got to play on stage with Uli Jon Roth when he came through Seattle. He‘s a true inspiration for me. I grew up listening to my Scorpions tapes on repeat, and the 70‘s era is my favorite, which Uli is so responsible for.

Garth: I had a blast playing the Layne Staley Tribute in Milan, Italy. Me and Tim had spinning heads.

your music that you feel appeals to fans?

Jonny: I feel The People Now has the right balance between great songwriting and excellent musicianship, with sonic diversity. Not boring, yet not over the top, and always changing.

Dagna: I also think the songs have great energy. The songs are intense at times which keeps you interested. Also, the fact that Garth‘s vocals are so awesome.

He sings with a lot of personality and gives it his 100% and I think that is the most important aspect of a good rock song.

Garth: Diversity.

We, as a group, are so very different as individuals, that that comes out in our music. The listener will always have something new to hear, and will be given what they expect (a genre) in way that they don‘t (beyond borders).

oil as a country, and selfdestructive to its citizens, it has such great wealth beyond its resources: biodiversity, history, and resilience. This song is about how the people of Nigeria must steal crude oil to survive, and it is also an example of how we, The People Now, can use music to help others by spreading the word. I am a servant of this quote, ―The only thing necessary for Evil to prevail is for good men to do Nothing.‖

<CV WW> How have you guys grown as a band and as musicians?

Jonny: I joined just over a year ago, and I‘ve seen the band step up in every possible way as performers and entertainers. We are a family and a team, and I am always proud of and inspired by these people.

Garth: I feel like the music of <CV WW> What can fans ex- The People Now come a LONG ass way from its origins. After pect to see at a show?

Jonny: 4 people giving 110%. working with legends such as produ cer To by Wright That is like 440%!

(Metallica, Alice in Chains, Garth: No bullshit.

Timothy: I‘m the technician so here is the technical answer. 5.1 surround sound, live interacting HD projection, full Iron Maiden like and of course us playing our hearts out. In short, something you don‘t have time to process until it‘s over.

<CV WW> Do any of your songs speak to you on a deep personal level?

Garth: ‗Steal the Black Bread‘.

Through my study at the University of Washington, I discovered the enormous turmoil the country of Nigeria has suffered through a series of complex social and polit<CV WW> What is it about ical problems. Exploited for its

Korn, etc.) at Robert Lang Studios, sound engineer Robert Reams (co-founder of Neural Audio and Surround Sound), and also some tough but necessary advice from producer Scotty Olson, the maturity of the music has excelled to the point where we can continue to add elements of the musicianship we love so much without alienating our audience. It‘s an awesome parameter that is rife with creativity. <CV WW> Where do you think you are in the journey of The People Now? Garth: Forward, the only Direction.

Timothy: I always feel and I think always will feel like we are in the middle. There is always the past and there is always the future. There are moments of high‘s and accomplishment but

the challenge of becoming better new musical offering? is what drives my passion for life. Garth: I feel it from within, as I said in another question, but also <CV WW> What other bands from without. These people I do you guys listen to during play music with? They have downtime and relaxation? more talent, skills, and experiJonny: I relax to Jack Johnson ence in one finger than I‘ve got in and Mozart, also Michael Hedg- my whole body. I hope that evees and Jim Matheos. ry song I bring to the table for the Garth: I‘m diggin‘ this new Seat- band to craft, polish, change, and tle band from members of Minus improve inspires them first and t h e B e a r c a l l e d foremost, and each song I feel ―DustMoth.‖ They and ―Helm’s should be ―better‖ than the last Alee,‖ along with ―The Mother- (for whatever the word ―better‖ ship‖ are HOT Seattle music means, right?) right now - they make the palms sweat. <CV WW> It’s still very early, Timothy: I can‘t get enough of where do you see the band in 3The Mothership right now. I al- 5 years? Idealistic and realistic? so love to catch local jazz shows Jonny: In a bus, on a stage, and at the Sea Monster in Walling- all over the world making people ford. Specifically McTuff. smile.

Timothy: Traveling the world <CV WW> How much pressure doing what I love making music. is there to “produce” with every

<CV WW> What are your plans as far as touring, anything in the works? 32.

Okay, what’s in store for the remainder of 2014? What other big projects are in the works?

Garth: Through our own investment and construction, we have completed our new studio, Huge Studios™, built with our own hands, sweat, tears, and likely a lot of beer. This year, The People Now are gonna rock our world audience with new music in surround sound, and recording has already begun! A quick click to follow us on Twitter, subscribe to us on YouTube, or like us on Facebook, and you‘ll know the moment we post new music. Personally, I am so flippin‘ excited for the latest from TPN; it‘s got booty like a ferris wheel, it‘s got the shape of a tornado

lookin‘ for an RV Park, it rocks twice as much as half a steel bunny, and its full bodied and juicy like a Washington Cabernet: its "huge."

One thing we are very excited about is a collaboration between ourselves and internationally acclaimed Seattle film director Sandy Cioffi. Her award winning documentary "Sweet Crude," about the struggle and violence that the peaceful natives of Nigeria have suffered due to Big Oil exploitation in the last 30 years, inspired the writing of our single " St eal t h e B lack Bread." We will be creating a viral video campaign with footage from her documentary in music-video format, and using social media and YouTube to spread the word on this vital human rights issue.

Stay tuned

for #blackbread. <CV WW> Any final words you would like to convey to your fans?

Jonny: Email us! I love to chat and share music with fans! tpnfanmail@gmail.com Garth: Only with You is there We.

We. Are All...

will run this year‟s La Folie through a Randall. If you are wondering what a Randall is device that can instantly infuse any beer with any sort of complimentary ingredient.

Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom June 12th 5-11pm of course Portland is known for being weird and for its amazing beers. In this event they are combining the two with the Double Mountain Tap Takeover and Cluster IPA release and the Ride Your Bike bottle release. Ok so Portland is most definitely weird; have a few beers and then try riding your bike will be tried during this 11 day event at some point without a doubt and we hope to get some of it on film!

PDX Beer Week, June 5th to June 15th, 2014 looks to be eleven days of beer bliss. There are multiple things to do each day. We combed through the calendar of events and have picked out the things we plan on going to. You will need to check the web site for full details, but we will give you a sampling!

Alameda Brewing Tasting Night, June 5th 5-7pm there will be a sampling of Yellow Wolf Imperial IPA, P Town Pils and other finely crafted beers.

Art & Beer: The drunken Cobbler June 13th 6-8:30pm at the Portland Art Museum this is the event we really can‟t wait to go to. We have been to the Portland Art Museum on many occasions but never to have beer. The Drunken Cobbler is an 18th- century painting by Jean-Baptiste and inspired this event. Visitors will be able to sample five local beers. Museum staff and the participating brewers will explore the painting, the process of creating the beers and the project‟s trajectory as well as the parallels between the science of preserving art and the brewing process. After the presentation and tasting, event goers can visit the Museum‟s galleries. This event will be sure to have not only good beer and art but will be a little more refined than just the normal beer tasting.

Eastside Slide: Beer and Booze Showcase, June 6th 47pm a place to find massive amounts of free samples from some of the neighborhood breweries and distilleries of the WOSC neighborhood, No admission. Ok, so if this doesn‟t grab your attention, keep reading. Seriously, all we had to hear about were the free samples!

The Playboy of the Western World red Ale Fest June 14th 3-7pm these brews have strayed off the beaten path to Beer Week Kickoff Brunch June 7th 10am-12pm Port- titillate your taste buds. Irish Beer, Guinness Stout and land Beer Week officially kicks off with a beer brunch Harp Lager are all big beers in Ireland, but the most popuwith beers from some of our favorite brewers as well as lar ale is said to be Red Ale Beer and we are looking forthe first chance to try the official Salt & Straw Beer Ice ward to trying some and getting a little more information Cream and official Beer Donut from Blue Star Donuts. on this strange brew.

Beer vs. Cider & Cheese Pairings June 8th 6-9pm this head-to-head show down between two of the tastiest bev- Luncheon withththe Lion; Firestone Walker Invades Sarerages we have ever tried being paired against cheeses aveza June 15 12-3pm if you are looking to take dad somewhere different this Father‟s Day, then this just may selected by the Cheese Monger of Cheese Bar. be the thing. David Walker of Firestone Walker Brewing WOSC + 10 Barrel June 9th 8am-5pm WOSC will be Company will be here with some of FSW‟s award winpouring a beer cocktail (didn‟t know there was such a ning beers and will be available for casual conversation thing) made with 10 Barrel Cucumber Crush and a local and will be speaking on some of the beers. sprit as the house cocktail of the week. This sounds so unAgain, this is just a small sample of the events at this usual we have to go for a drink, or maybe two. year‟s PDX Beer Fest. If you want to see them all, and for Infusion Illusions; Randall Night with Monkey Paw prices (some events are free) go to your favorite browser Brewing (Portland Debut) June 10th 5-7pm yet another and look it up. There is something for every beer lover night we are looking forward to (Just one of 11) San Die- during this 11 day beer extravaganza. go‟s Monkey Paw Brewing‟s Brewmaster along with its owner will be in town for this event, and will be running Remember not to drink and drive! Looking forward to seeing some of our readers at this beer-of –a-good- time! their Sweet Georgia Brown through a Randall.

Sweet and Sour Summer June 11th 5-7pm New Belgium

Vin & Zack

A generation ago, historic rock artists like Alice Cooper, David Bowie, and KISS showed fans that they were not living in the 50's or 60's anymore. These legacy bands incorporated stunning imagery and stage theatrics to elevate the standards of rock performance worldwide. Many 90's bands like Marilyn Manson, Slipknot and AFI continued the tradition in spirit, while blazing their own sonic trails. Now, a generation later, M!SS CRAZY, hailing from California, is still fronted by lead vocalist Markus Allen Christopher.

Bringing back hard rock in a big way and with a vintage sound that has been missing in music today,M!SS CRAZY's sound is a collection of the best rock bands of the 80's, part Def Leppard, part AC/DC, part Cinderella, part RATT, and even some KIX, and all of what real rock fans loved about the music plus that stunning imagery that ruled radio and stages worldwide. With 5 album's under their belt, M!SS CRAZY is bringing back the sound of excitemet into jaded music fans around the world and staying strong to the influences of hard rock which clearly shows in the M!SS CRAZY sound.

M!SS CRAZY will be touring in 2014 so be sure to join the M!SS CRAZY Army. We welcome you to the family here. Add us to get updates on all the M!SS CRAZY happenings and check out our website, www.misscrazyrecords.com, for merchandise, tour info, artist roster, music samples and much more. We welcome your comments and try to respond to as many as possible when we're not on the road or in the studio. Well, actually, we've been known to respond from the road and studio as well, because we just love you guys!

Helmet Cameras 101: A guide for getting started with a Helmet Camera Getting into a Helmet Camera may seem like a bit of an undertaking, but it really isn't bad at all, you just have to do a little planning. There are only three basic requirements: a Helmet Camera, a recording device, and a way to store the equipment safely while it's in use. Afterwards, it just a matter of what you want to do with your footage.

Helmet Camera You can go to Google and type in Helmet Camera and you'll find a bunch of different sites dedicated to Helmet Cams. It's enough to say that there are quite a few options out there, and in the end it's your call. Western Power Sports and Lockhart Phillips also distribute Helmet Cameras now, so you can also order one from your favorite dealer as well. No matter which Helmet Camera you choose, you're going to need batteries, most likely either eight AA's or a single 9V. The AA's can last between 5-10 hours and the 9V lasts 15-20 hours, so know your ride and prepare accordingly.

Another Option: Lose the Batteries Depending upon what you're riding you might want to consider a Motorcycle Camera instead of a Helmet Camera. The Motorcycle Camera runs off of the vehicle battery, which saves your Duracell fund. Additionally, an on-bike mounting system lets you store everything on your bike which means you can avoid the 80's jokes about your fanny pack. Google can be used here as well to locate the various Motorcycle Camera retailers.

Recording device If you have a recording device already, then be sure to check with your Helmet Camera manufacturer to see if your device is compatible with their camera. In most cases, as long as your device is capable of dubbing from another video source (you can look this up in your manual if you're not sure) then your system is most likely compatible.

If you happen to be in the market for a re-

cording device then you need to decide between a digital camcorder and a personal media player.

Pricing is a moot point as either can be found in the $200-$250 range. The pros and cons of each are laid out below: Digital Camcorders vs. Personal Media Players Camcorders – The DV-AVI setting of the miniDV camcorder offers the highest quality setting you can get for your Helmet Camera. The camcorder is also the only device that is capable of hosting a LANC input, which is a remote start/ stop button. That being said, the camcorder is also fragile, bulky, and the costs of media can add up.

You will also need to consider the additional requirements when it comes to getting the footage on to your computer (discussed below).

Personal Media Players – Personal media players are extremely compact, lightweight, and durable. They allow you to record your Helmet Camera footage directly to compressed mpeg4 format, a standard ―computer ready‖ video file, via an internal hard drive or removable Compact

Flash. The quality, however, is not quite as good as miniDV and battery life can be a challenge if you cannot make use of the car adapter.

Which One to Get and Where to Get It Camcorder – If you are in the market for a camcorder, then use your manufacturer's camcorder list as a guide and search through online deal sites like Pricegrabber or Newegg for the best deals.

The LANC input is also noted on most lists, so be sure to take that into account as well.

Personal Media Player – If you want a PMP, then eBay is going to help here. On eBay you can find refurbished units for brands like RCA's Lyra or the Archos and save a bunch of cash over getting a brand new unit. Most refurbished units will come with a new warranty from the OEM so your risk is minimal. There is also one PMP that records to removable memory. Mustek's PVRA1 can be found at Sam's club online for un- thank me later when your videos are hiccup free).

If you opted for the Personal Media Player instead der $100. of the camcorder then you can go ahead and save Storage yourself the trip to the store. Your files can be This can be any combination of what you want, transferred via USB, and the compressed video is have, or need. If you're involved in water sports more manageable, so no extra RAM is required for then you'll want to get a waterproof case, such as a handling your file.

Pelican case. If you're into endurance sports and you need a water bladder, then be sure to get a Video editing pack with a little extra storage space. For the rest Most computers have Windows Movie Maker of us any old fanny pack will work fine (note: which will do fine for basic editing functions, such smaller = tighter pack = less bouncing and shifting as cutting dull spots, adding sound, and stock video mods like brightening. However, the videowhile pack is in use). philes of this world are probably going to run out Sharing and drop $800 on Adobe Premiere so they can If you only want to replay your videos on your TV, drool over the 1 million tools that they'll probably then you can skip this section as any recording de- never use. But hey, they like the security of knowvice will have A/V output cables that can be at- ing that the fish-eye-disintegration-mezzotinttached to your TV for direct video playback. How- adjust tool is there, just in case they need it. ever, if you want to share your files online, edit About the Author: Jason Green wrote Helmet your footage, and/or burn CDs or DVDs for oth- Cam 101 to aid those interested in recording their ers to watch, then you're going to need a computer. experiences. Costly mistakes and unnecessary purThe choice of recording method from above will chases can make getting a Helmet Camera more drive how much computer you're going to need. expensive then it has to be, this guide was meant to Computer needs – A firewire card is required to get help enthusiasts avoid the common pitfalls. Jason footage off of a miniDV camcorder and onto your is a closet videophile and currently writes the news computer. These can be obtained online or at any blog for Twenty20, a company that sells Helmet big-box chain for under $25. Install is easy, so don't Cameras and Motorcycle Cameras. pay anyone to do it, please. And since you're already opening your computer, go ahead and buy Jason Green via WhyBike.com, reprinted with peryourself a big old stick of RAM as well (you'll mission