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Rick Bowers and the Saints of Main Street will on Main Street (of course) as they make a rare venture out in town to perform their original style of music. The band and their fearless leader will perform August 7 at Clydes (on Main Street - duh).
enigma
Around the World of Islam in Three Days In the last weeks of July 2015 a Muslim young man in Chattanooga murdered four U.S. Marines and a Navy Sailor. An act of jihad no doubt. Oh, not according to our President, who is forever saying Islam is a religion of peace. In fact he once said, "Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance." Most Americans cannot imagine our leader saying such a thing.
4. Idaho Muslim Wanted to Detonate Bomb at Park During July 4 Celebration... I don't know about you, but I'm just not seeing the peace and tolerance the President sees. 5. Massachusetts Convert to Islam Indicted on Jihad Terror Charges... once again terror charges aren't exactly peaceful or showing tolerance.
Let's take the first three days of this week as a random example. Here are headlines from around the world. We'll first look at plots news and plots uncovered in America, then the world. America...
the White House has with Islam. Are we paranoid here in America? Let's look at three days in the world of Islam around the world.
Guantanamo Inmates on Jihad Terrorism Charges... How could that be? Our Commander in Chief assured us it was safe to release these folks down in Gitmo. He gave The World... us his word even. Just like 'you can 1. Canada: Muslims Planned to keep your insurance' it would Infiltrate Synagogue, Murder seem. Jews... our neighbors to the north are having some trouble dealing 6. Fierce Fighting between Chadian with Islam's tolerance and peace. Army and Islamic State in West Africa... Islamists fighting in Chad, 2. India: Islamic Jihadists from a poor country with enough trouPakistan Screaming "Allahu akbar" bles for a century or more. Storm Police Station, Murder Six... Peaceful? Sure doesn't seem so, Why India? When has India both- does it? ered anyone? Peace? Tolerance? Hardly. 7. Somali Jihad-Martyrdom Bomber held German Citizenship... Another 3. Nigeria: 10-year-old Female bomber who comes from yet Islamic State Jihad Martyrdom another country. There's that equal Bomber Murders 14 at Crowded opportunity all over again. Market... What religion, or for that Peaceful, tolerant, not on your life. matter what organization, would Preach Hate against The UK and It's support kids blowing themselves to Fine - Attack Halal Meat and End smithereens? Hardly peaceful. Up in Court... Seems their tolerance of someone not agreeing with their 4. Somalia: Islamic Jihadists Murder 'meat' is another tool they can use 12 with Bomb Outside Mogadishu to practice their brand of 'peace'. Hotel that Housed Qatar, Egypt, Our President also said, "Islam is and China Embassies... Well, they not part of the problem in combatare equal opportunity, haters. Even ing violent extremism - it is an indiscriminately attacking other important part of promoting Muslims in the process. Do you peace." Sure don't see it myself but wonder yet what the White House you decide. Just three days of see this 'religion' that they protect headlines from around the world it so much? of Islam in 2015.
6. Georgia: Note Left on Soldier's Car, "Mohammad Will Show No Mercy On You"... now we're not sure who left that note but seems to be probable cause it was a Muslim. If you're uncomfortable with it, toss it out. We still have 1. DHS Secretary to Muslims: What another interesting one from Islamic State is Doing "is no part of Georgia. your Religion"... that's odd for the head of America's Department of 7. Georgia Muslim Gets 15 Years for Homeland Security to tell Islam Trying to Join the Islamic State; what their religion is or isn't? Just Wrote "one of my greatest desires odd. is to kill Zionists... Wow! Neither tolerant or peaceful. 2. Converts to Islam Wanted to Kill Jewish Children to Fight 8. Florida Muslim Arrested in Islamophobia... is that tolerant? Islamic State WMD Plot; Wanted to Peaceful? Oh, there's more. "destroy America" and "cook American[s]... in Cages"... Now 3. Miami Muslim Wanted to Shoot that's pretty heartless. Hardly tolPeople in Stadium to Create Chaos erant or peaceful. in City... think about that. Tolerant? Peaceful. Doesn't seem Keep in mind these news reports so to me. are from three days in July. Makes you wonder about the love affair 5. Belgium Arrests Two ex-
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AUGUST 6 2015
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- Ed Kugler
Dear Rocco, My best friend plays electric guitar like a God. I’m sure he will be a famous rock star when we grow up. I’m afraid that once he becomes famous, he will not give me the time of day Should I find a more reliable friend? Is there anything I can do to make sure we remain friends even after he becomes Dee aarr RRHH D Whhaa tt ddoo yy oouu eexxppeecctt?? OOnnll yy aa dduum W mbb-- famous? aass ss w woouulldd ppaayy tthhaa tt m muucchh ffoorr aa BR pphhoonnee tthh aatt w w iill ll bbee rr eeppllaa cceedd ii nn ss iixx Dee aarr BBRR moonntthhss oorr aa yyee aarr bbyy tthhee nnee w m w aa nndd D iim mpprroovvee dd vvee rrss iioonn.. II gguuee ssss tthheeyy ’’rree JJuuss tt bbee hhiiss ffrr iieenndd.. OOddddss aarree nnoott iinn mii nngg aa ccaa llll ee dd ssm maa rr tt pphhoonneess bbee ccaauuss ee yyoouurr ffrrii eennddss ffaavvoorr ooff bbee ccoom tthh eeyy’’rr ee ss m maa rrttee rr tthhaann tthhoossee w whh oo ffaam moouuss rr oocckk ss ttaarr .. II hh aavvee aanndd hh aadd ffrr iiee nnddss w whh oo ccaann ppll aayy m muu lltt iippll ee oow wnn tthhee m m.. iinn ssttrr uum meenn ttss bbeett tteerr tt hhaa nn m moosstt ffaam moouuss m muu ssii cciiaa nnss w whh oo w woorr kk rree gguu -Dear Rocco, wii tthh m moosstt bbuu ssii nneess ssee ss I’ve got a great girlfriend and all, llaa rr jjoobbss.. LLii kkee w muu ss iicc w woorrll dd iiss vv eerryy ppooll iittiiccaa ll but I have noticed more and more tthhee m w ss oom mee oonnee hh ee that she drinks a lot. I didn’t pay aanndd iiff hhee ddooee ssnn’’tt kk nnoow wii llll pprroobbaabbllyy ee nndd uu pp aa nn aavv eerraa ggee attention at first because of the cir- w mee.. cumstances we met, but I never see JJooee llii kkee yyoouu aanndd m her out without a drink in her hand. She readily admits to blow- Dear Rocco, ing it out on the weekends. It has- I have been in a wonderful relan’t affected her work. She’s never tionship with the man of my late and when she has had too dreams now for three years. We much to drink she’s good about not are not in any hurry to get married; driving, always calling a cab or me however, we do share a home. In for a ride. Do you think there is December of 2008, his 20-year-old son came to live with us because he any reason to worry? got in trouble with the law. In the LP beginning, it was okay, no real problems. However, since April, DDee aarr LLPP W eell ll uu ssuu aall llyy tthh eerree aarree rree aassoonnss aa nndd when he found out that he was not W ggee nneerr aa llll yy tthheeyy aarr ee nn’’tt gg oooodd ffoorr going to jail, things have been horss oom mee oonnee ddrr iinnkk iinngg aa llll tthhee ttiim mee.. II rible. He takes things from the woouu lldd kkee eepp aann ee yyee oonn hhee rr sshh ee m w maayy house without asking and doesn’t bbee ddeevvee llooppiinngg aa ddee ppee nnddee nnccyy pprroobb-- return them. He sleeps all day, llee m m tthhee nn aaggaa iinn ss hhee m maayy jj uu sstt bbee leaves dirty dishes in the sink, eats nearly all the food, has his girlbblloow wii nngg ooffff aa llii ttttllee ss tteeaam m.. Dear Rocco, A friend of mine just got the new iPhone. Since he’s gotten it he acts like a jackass. Why do they call these devices “smart phones” when it seems like everyone that has one is a dumbass? RH
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friend over all the time, and she does the same. She even washes her clothes here. The fact that they have sex in his bedroom doesn’t bother me, but when they have it all over the house, it does. He orders pay-per-view movies all day long (the last cable bill was $249) and, trust me, I have only told you the tip of the iceberg. His dad has told him over and over to get a job and he says that he is looking (but he is not really). I haven’t said anything to either of them, because I love my man and it is his only son. When I did mention it, my man just said he “would take care of it”… His Dad keeps on him but is not consistent about it. I am finding that I am more angry and frustrated now then happy. When I ask my friends, they tell me to give my man an ultimatum because it is my house also. Jeez, how can I ask a father to choose me over his son, doesn’t feel exactly like the best thing to do. This is such new territory for me. If you were the father in this situation… how would you like this addressed to you? Any advice on how to solve these fami-
AUGUST 6 2015
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ly issues? JM
DD eeaarr JJM M JJee ssuuss!! YY oouu rr eeaa llll yy nneeee dd ttoo ssii tt ddoow wnn aa nndd ttaall kk w wii tthh bbootthh ooff tthheem m.. IIff tthhaa tt ddooeess nn’’tt w w oorr kk II w woouu lldd ccaanncceell tthhee ccaa bbll ee aanndd oonnll yy bbuuyy ffoooodd tthhaatt II kk nnoow w tthh ee ssoonn w w oonn’’tt eeaatt.. SSoooonneerr oorr ll aatteerr tthhee ddeeaa ddbbee aatt ppiiee ccee ooff ss hhii tt w wii llll ggee tt tthhee ppooiinntt tthhaatt hhiiss ffrr eeee rrii ddee iiss oovvee rr.. IItt ssoouunnddss ll iikk ee yyoouurr bbooyyffrrii eenndd ddooeess nn’’tt kknnoow w hh oow w ttoo hh aannddllee hh iiss kkii dd aa nndd ddooeess nn’’tt w waanntt ttoo bbee tthh ee bbaa dd gguuyy.. HH ee nnee eeddss ttoo ggrroow w aa ppaaiirr ooff bbaall llss aa nndd ppuutt hhiiss ffoooott ddoow wnn oorr aatt ll eeaa sstt ii nn hhiiss ss oonn’’ss aa ssss .. IIff nnoott II gguuaarraa nntteeee tthhee ll iittttll ee sshhiitt w wii llll ggoo ttoo jj aaii ll.. Rocco is a common sense, tell-itlike-it-is, no-nonsense kind of guy offering real advice on any subject put before him. Why pay thousands of dollars on a high-priced therapist when he’ll straighten you out for free. If you’d like advice from Rocco e-mail him at goaskrocco@yahoo.com or drop him a line at Ask Rocco c/o Enigma P.O. Box 825 Chattanooga, TN 37401.
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Take the day to relax and pamper yourself. Some of the best opportunities will crop up if you keep an open mind. You can meet potential new mates if you socialize with friends. Look into real estate.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Your partner may make you feel jealous and unloved. Mingle with those who can help you get ahead. Brunch, a long walk, or a quiet dinner will secure your position in the relationship. Major job changes or opportunities to get ahead profesYour lucky day this week will be sionally are apparent. Sunday. Your lucky day this week will be TAURUS Tuesday. (Apr. 21- May 21) Use your charm, but don't sign or CANCER agree to anything. Don't divulge (June 22-July 22) secret information. Your lover may Enlist coworkers in order to get the feel rejected. Rely on yourself and job done on time. Try not to be too you will look good to superiors. harsh with loved ones; there will always be two sides to an Issue. Your lucky day this week will be Entertainment should include sports Sunday. events or physical activities. Your domestic scene could continue to be
in an uproar this week. Your lucky day this week will be Thursday.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Put your plans into motion by presenting your intentions to those who should be able to give you financial support. Your high energy, original ideas, and excellent memory will aid your accomplishments. Spend some time with the one you love. Pleasure trips will be satisfying. Your charisma will no doubt attract a lot of attention.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You really can't do anything to change matters this week. Someone you care about may not be too well. Difficulties with female members of your family may result in estrangement's. You may need to make a choice. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. Your lucky day this week will be Monday. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) VIRGO Help elders get their personal (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) papers in order. If you can't get Draw up contracts regarding your ahead in the company you're with, personal situation. Get back into a perhaps it's time to move on. You routine that promises a better look- will enjoy socializing and unusual ing, more aware individual. Chances forms of entertainment. You should are they are jealous. Problems with consider submitting some of your fire, gas, or oil may cause disrup- written work for publication. tions and annoyances. Your lucky day this week will be Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. Friday. AQUARIUS LIBRA (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You can form new partnerships, but Invite friends in for a visit. Take care don't move too quickly; things may that arrangements to spend quality not be as they appear. Stomach time together are made in advance. problems could prevail if you Deal with the needs of children and haven't been watching your diet. You get into groups that deal with self will have splendid suggestions for awareness. If you try to manipulate fund raising events. You will also emotional situations you will find encounter individuals who can help yourself alienated. you further your goals. Your lucky day this week will be Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. Friday. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You need to spend some time pampering yourself. Beware of individuals who are not that reliable or well known to you. Your energetic personality will make you the center of attention at social gatherings. Take the time to help old friends or relatives who have had a stroke of bad luck. Your lucky day this week will be Sunday.
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PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You like to stay busy and now is your chance to do just that. Your communication skills may win you points. Do not get involved with individuals who are already committed to others. Take time to find out all you can. Your lucky day this week will be Tuesday.
POLITIC$ I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve put the following words in a column. It gives me no pleasure to repeat them. In fact, it makes me frustrated and a bit nauseated. Regardess, here goes: Politicians don’t run our country. The businesses, special interest groups, and wealthy individuals who own our politicians run our country. Jimmy Carter, one of our least effective presidents and one of the most honorable men to ever live in the White House, commented on our political system recently while on Thom Hartmann’s
syndicated radio show. He want and expect and somepulled no punches… times get favors for themselves after the election’s …”It violates the essence of over.” The former president what made America a great believes the “political country in its political sys- bribery” is especially ramtem,” said Carter. “Now it’s pant when incumbents face just an oligarchy, with unlim- challengers who can’t offer ited political bribery being the same quid pro quo benethe essence of getting the fits to their financial backers. nominations for president or “The incumbents, Democrats to elect the president. And and Republicans, look upon the same thing applies to this unlimited money as a governors and U.S. senators great benefit to themselves,” and congress members. So now we’ve just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who
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Paul E. Burke Sr. Publisher D.A. Weinthal. Editor-In-Chief David Huff Managing Editor Chris Eason Photo Editor
Contributing Editors: Mark Haskins, Jim Sells, Mark Bedford. Chris McKay, David N. Marks, William Alexander, Dave Fernandez Founder: D.A. Weinthal Like us on Facebook ENIGMA
AUGUST 6 2015
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he said. “Somebody’s who’s already in Congress has a lot more to sell to an avid contributor than somebody who’s just a challenger.”… …The incumbency advantage is most obvious in the House of Representatives. Going back to 1964, no less than 80 percent of House incumbents have won reelection in any election cycle. Incumbents are also overwhelmingly
favored in Senate races, but by a narrower margin. The Senate re-election rate occasionally dips below the 80 percent mark, but not by much. The notable exception is the “Reagan Revolution” of 1980, when a little over half of the incumbent Senators were re-elected… …The incumbency advantage is also huge in presidential elections. The aforementioned President Carter and George H.W. Bush are the only one-term presidents since the Bicentennial. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama all won re-election fairly easily. We’re at the end of a 24-year cycle where a two-term Democrat was followed by a two-term Republican and then another two-term Democrat. You’d think that
such a cycle would lead to the election of another twoterm pachyderm (I had to write that… just for the rhyme) in 2016. But with so many GOP primary con-
tenders (the current count of “serious” candidates is 17, but over 30 hopefuls have declared), there is no clearcut favorite yet… …Billionaire Donald Trump is leading in the polls so far, but Jeb Bush has an over-
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whelming lead in political contributions. Political contributions don’t mean much to Trump so far, since he’s loaded. But if Jeb doesn’t inject some charisma into his
recent slippage in the approval polls. Bernie Sanders’ grass-roots efforts are gaining in visibility, but still trailing significantly in terms of campaign dollars. The wild card in the Democratic deck is Joe Biden, who might yet decide to run…
…I’m so frustrated by the political bribery in both parties that I might just pick a poorly funded candidate and vote for him (or her). It might be a “wasted” vote, but you can reasonably argue that campaign, the smart money most votes are wasted when might jump over to Trump… our elections are bought and paid for by the big-dollar …On the Democratic side, donors… Hillary Clinton is still the overwhelming leader in - Mark Bedford fundraising… despite some
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ARLINGTON, Texas - A Texas woman said disaster was narrowly averted when a birthday party guest noticed a pair of scissors in the store-bought cake before her mother put her face into it. Yoly Nava of Arlington said her brother purchased the $59.99 cake from the El Rancho Market in Arlington for the weekend surprise party for their mother, and they were about to have the guest of honor dive face-first into the cake as part of a Latino tradition when a guest
noticed the blades of the scissors sticking out from the dessert. “What if those scissors would have been pointed up and I would have hurt my mom? Trying to make something good, I would have hurt my mom,” Nava told CBS Dallas/Fort Worth. Nava posted a video of the cake and its unexpected ingredient on Facebook. She said the store gave her a replacement cake, which she then discovered contained what appeared to be a human hair. A manager for the El Rancho Market’s corporate office contacted the family to apologize. Nava said she doesn’t want
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any compensation from the company, she only wants the store to make sure its employees are properly trained. “I think it’s enough. Scissors to me, that could have been an eye or something,” she said. Marcos Rubalcava, a spokesperson for the El Rancho chain, said the incident is under investigation. “We are in the process of investigating this incident,” Rubalcava told the Arlington Voice newspaper. “No matter what the situation, our policy is if something was done incorrectly, we want to rectify the situation with the customer.”
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SWANSEA, Wales - A convicted drug dealer from England refused to travel to Wales for his sentencing because he can’t understand the local accent. Dwaine Campbell, 25, pleaded guilty to heroin possession with intent to supply after he was arrested in Aberystwyth, Wales, with 51 packages of heroin and he spent seven days in custody before being moved to a jail closer to his home in England’s West Midlands. Janet Gedrych, Campbell’s lawyer, said he missed his sentencing hearing Monday at Wales’ Swansea
Crown Court because he refused to leave his jail cell. Gedrych said Campbell did not want to return to Wales for his sentencing because he couldn’t understand what people in Aberystwyth were saying due to their Welsh accents. “He is worried that if he is sentenced here he will end up in a jail in Wales and have the same difficulties,” she told Wales Online. Judge Peter Heywood said Campbell’s sentencing has been rescheduled for next month and he will conduct the hearing over a video connection “so he can stay in the West Midlands.” OMAHA, NE - An Omaha man’s desire for his wife burned a little too hot last week, setting his home on fire. Well, maybe it wasn’t exactly desire. Probably more like spite. But spite can get pretty hot too. It all started when firefighters responded to a house fire around 11:30 p.m. According to an Omaha Police Department report, a woman outside the home, speaking through an interpreter, told police that her husband set the fire. Apparently, 36-year-old Gilberto Garcia had spent the evening arguing with his wife. The fact that he had been drinking all night probably didn’t help either. The woman said that when she went to bed, her husband followed her and began making sexual advances. After spurning her husband’s advances, the woman went back to sleep only to be awakened by the
smell of smoke. She told police that she found her husband in a bathroom closet setting fire to her clothes. It seems no fight is so bad as to preclude a little nooky. The woman and her three children got out of the house and she called 911. Firefighters determined that a fire in a closet had been intentionally set, and Garcia has been charged with first-degree arson. He faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted of the felony charge. Which seems odd to me since he (supposedly) owns the house. HAFRSFJORD, Norway - The groundskeeper of a Norwegian golf course said a mystery pooper targeting course holes must be a man “because the poos are too massive to be from a woman.” Kenneth Tennfjord, groundskeeper at the Stavanger Golf Club, said he has been finding human feces and toilet paper in course holes since 2005. “He has a couple of favorite holes,” Tennfjord told the Rogaland Avis newspaper. “And we know it is a man because the poos are too massive to be from a woman.” “He poos only on weekdays. On weekends I have never found poo on the golf course,” Tennfjord said. He said the fecal discoveries are usually accompanied by used toilet paper. Steinar Floisvik, managing director of the club, said the mystery pooper used to arrive via bicycle. “In the early morning dew we observed bicycle tracks on the course. Footsteps
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showed that he had done his business, and the bicycle tracks disappeared back the way they came,” Floisvik said. Frode Jormeland, another groundskeeper, said the club installed high-powered spotlights to discourage the defecation, but the poop-etrator disabled them. “He climbed up a tree next to the lights and wriggled far out on a branch and dismantled the spotlights. How he managed the feat without electrocuting himself or falling is a riddle,” he said. Floisvik said the pooper’s motives are unknown. “Our idea is that it could be someone who, for unknown reasons, hates the game of golf. Alternatively, the person may have a fetish or suffer from mental problems,” he said. WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A young wedding guest desperate to catch the bride’s bouquet was caught on camera dropping a baby to dive for the flowers. The video, filmed at a wedding in New Zealand, features a young girl holding the baby among a group of women waiting to catch the bouquet. The bride throws the bouquet, and the young girl quickly drops the baby in favor of diving backward in an attempt to snatch the flowers out of the air. The young girl is unsuccessful, having lost out to a much taller wedding guest, and picks up the seemingly uninjured infant. The video’s description says the baby is the young girl’s sister and was not
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harmed in the filming. “Note: the baby was not harmed in the video,” the uploader wrote. GREENWOOD, SC - When you are a naive (and horny) young man, a woman of experience can get you to do some bizarre things. Usually those things involve anal sex and dressing up like a bellhop or a cabana boy, but it is not unprecedented that such a manipulative relationship should lead to murder. But if you are going to murder someone for your lover, you should at least make sure you are murdering the right person! A precaution the young man in today’s story apparently did not take. 41year-old Karlita Desean Phillips of South Carolina was estranged from her husband, and she found comfort in the arms of 17-year-old Tavirous Settles. But Phillips wasn’t satisfied with her illicit affair. She wanted her husband out of the way, and she wanted her lover to take care of it for her. Unfortunately, Settles did not make a very good hit man. Police said that instead of his lover’s estranged husband, Settles killed her husband’s brother, 31-year-old Jamil Phillips, by mistake; ambushing him in front of his home. The prosecutor said that Phillips was convicted of accessory before the fact of murder and soliciting a minor to commit a felony. She was sentenced to life in prison. The teen was sentenced to 45 years.
Better Off, Lvl Up IIM M PPRRO OVV CC O OM M EED DYY CCLLU U BB (Atlanta) Kevin Smith N AASSH N HVVIILLLLEE M MU UN NIICC IIPPAALL A AU UD DIITT O O RRII U UM M (Nashville) “Ink-N-Iron Festival” Three Times Bad ASSCC EE N A ND D AAM MPPH HIITT H H EEAATT EERR (Nashville) The Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson IIRRO ON N CC IITT YY (Birmingham) Christina Perri TT H HEE N NIICC K K (Birmingham) Nashville Pussy
JULY 31 & AUG 1
RODNEY PERRY
BOUNCE TV'S "OFF THE CHAIN- LIVE " WITH RODNEY PERRY. FUNNYMAN RODNEY PERRY HOSTS BOUNCE TV'S ORIGINAL STAND UP COMEDY SHOW OFF THE CHAIN. FEATURING SOME OF THE FRESHEST NEW FACES OF COMEDY AS WELL AS SOME FAMILIAR NAMES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. IT'S ALL ABOUT BIG LAUGHS, GUT-BUSTING JOKES AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FUN! BE PREPARED TO STAND UP AND FALL OUT AS EACH COMIC HITS THE STAGE ON OFF THE CHAIN AT THE COMEDY CATCH.
MO M ON ND DA AYY A Auugguu sstt 1100
AUGUST 2
JERRY HARVEY
SEEN ON THE LAST COMIC STANDING HE BEGAN HIS CAREER IN COMEDY IN 2004 PERFORMING FOR LOCAL FIREFIGHTER AND EMS BENEFITS AND EVENTUALLY HIT THE STAGE IN CHATTANOOGAS NUMBER ONE PLACE FOR COMEDY "THE COMEDY CATCH." JERRY IS THE WINNER OF THE SOUTHEASTERN FUNNIEST PEOPLE SEARCH V 2010 AND COMPETED IN LAS VEGAS` ONLY STAND UP COMEDY FESTIVAL THE WORLD SERIES OF COMEDY IN 2012 MAKING IT TO THE SEMI-FINALS. HE HAS PERFORMED WITH, HOSTED AND FEATURED FOR THE LIKES OF JOHN WESLEY AUSTIN, KATHLEEN DUNBAR, DEAN NAPOLITANO, LANDRY, ANTHONY PADILLA, JANET WILLIAMS AND MANY MORE.
AUGUST 6-9
ALICE WETTERLUND
ALICE "PRETTY-IN-A-NOT-SHITTY-WAY" WETTERLUND HAS PERFORMED HER NON-YELLING BRAND OF COMEDY ON STAGES SUCH AS COMIX, BROADWAY COMEDY CLUB, UCB THEATERS, SAN FRANCISCO'S PUNCHLINE AND THE HOLLYWOOD IMPROV, AND ON CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED SHOWS INCLUDING COLLEGE HUMOR LIVE, BIG TERRIFIC, AND MELTDOWN. SHE HAS ALSO PERFORMED NATIONALLY IN FESTIVALS SUCH AS BRIDGETOWN, MOON TOWER AND WOMEN IN COMEDY, AND FREQUENTLY TOURS WITH COMEDY CENTRAL ON CAMPUS AND WITH GIRL CODE/GUY CODE ON CAMPUS. SHE WAS A NEW FACE FOR THE 2013 JUST FOR LAUGHS COMEDY FESTIVAL IN MONTREAL AND WAS ON THE OFFICIAL LINE UP FOR FOX’S 2013 NIGHT OF COMEDY IN LOS ANGELES.
AUGUST 13-16
LANDRY
LANDRY IS DOWNRIGHT HILARIOUS AND YOU’RE SURE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME ONCE YOU SEE WHAT HE DOES ON STAGE. HE HAS BEEN APPEARING AT THE CATCH FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS AND EVERYONE WHO SEES HIM SAYS YOU NEED TO BRING HIM BACK, SO WE KEEP DOING SO.
AUGUST 20-23
KURT METZGER
BESIDES REGULARLY PERFORMING IN NEW YORK CITY'S PREMIERE COMEDY CLUBS, KURT METZGER'S CREDITS INCLUDE PERFORMING ON “LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON,” COMEDY CENTRAL'S "LIVE AT GOTHAM," SHOWTIME'S "WHITE BOYZ IN THE HOOD" AND VH1'S "BEST WEEK EVER." IN 2011, KURT RELEASED HIS FULL HOUR CD "KURT METZGER TALKS TO YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT SEX" AND WAS ADDED TO COMEDY CENTRAL'S "HOT LIST." KURT HAS HAD HIS OWN HALF-HOUR SPECIAL FOR "COMEDY CENTRAL PRESENTS," HAS APPEARED ON COMEDY CENTRAL'S "IMPORTANT THINGS WITH DEMETRI MARTIN," AND IFC'S "Z-ROCK". HE ALSO VOICED THE CHARACTER, RANDALL ON COMEDY CENTRAL'S "UGLY AMERICANS." PREVIOUSLY, HE'S WRITTEN FOR "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW," VARIOUS CELEBRITY ROASTS ON COMEDY CENTRAL, AND SEVERAL OTHER SPIKE AND VH1 PROGRAMS. HE IS CURRENTLY A STAFFED WRITER ON “INSIDE AMY SCHUMER” FOR COMEDY CENTRAL AND IS A CONSULTING PRODUCER ON “THE APPROVAL MATRIX,” AN UPCOMING SERIES FROM NEAL BRENNAN FOR THE SUNDANCE CHANNEL. KURT IS ALSO A PRODUCER ON THE UPCOMING JIM NORTON TV PILOT FOR VICE. IN THE ACTING WORD, KURT RECENTLY GUEST STARRED ON AN EPISODE OF “INSIDE AMY SCHUMER.”
FOR UPDATES, DISCOUNTS AND FREE TICKETS, TEXT COMEDYCATCH TO 99000
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This week’s calendar covers events from Thursday, August 6, through Wednesday, August 12. We would be happy to publish your free listing in future Billboards, space permitting. Simply mail us the information so that we have it 7 days before the publication date. A photograph may be sent with the announcement. Send information to: Calendar Editor, Enigma, P.O. Box 825, Chattanooga, TN 37401 or e-mail to calendar@enigmaonline.com. All dates subject to change without notice.
TTH HU URRSSD DA AYY A Auugguu sstt 66 TTH H EE CCO OM MEED D YY CCA ATT CC H H (Chattanooga) Alice Wetterlund BBU UD D’’ SS (Chattanooga) DJ Hammer TTRREE M MO ON NTT TT A AVVEE RRN N (Chattanooga) Songwriters Showcase CCA AM M PP H HO OU USSEE (Chattanooga) Open Mic RRH HYY TT H HM M && BBRREE W WSS (Chattanooga) Upchurch the Redneck CCA AN NN NEE RRYY BBA ALLLL RRO OO OM M (Nashville) The Aquarium Rescue Unit VVA ARRII EETT YY PPLL A AYYH HO OU U SSEE (Atlanta) Dark Star Orchestra TTU U RRN NEERR FFIIEELL D D (Atlanta) Billy Currington
FFRRIID DA AYY A Auugguu sstt 77 TTH H EE CCO OM MEED D YY CCA ATT CC H H (Chattanooga) Alice Wetterlund RRA AW W (Chattanooga) DJ Barnaby RRH HYY TT H HM M && BBRREE W WSS (Chattanooga) Departure, Matt Stephens Project WO W ORRLLD DO OFF BBEEEE RR (Chattanooga) Dave Matthews Tribute Band CCLLYY D D EE’’SS (Chattanooga) Rick Bowers & the Saints of Main Street JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH H EEM M IIA A (Chattanooga) Bluesfrog, Scarlet Love Conspiracy, Georgia Rhythm Crickets N’’ A N AW WLLIIN NSS (Cleveland, TN) Convertibull NA N ASSH H VVIILLLLEE M MU UN N IICC IIPPA ALL A AU UD D IITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) “Ink-N-Iron Festival” Merle Haggard, Three Times Bad BBIICCEE N NTT EEN NN NIIA ALL CCA APPIITT O O LL M MA ALL LL SSTT AATT EE PPAARRK K (Nashville) Reverend Horton Heat August 7 RRYYM MA AN NA AU UD DIITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) Alice in Chains WA W ARR M MEE M MO O RRIIA ALL A AU UD D IITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) “Happy Together Tour” The Turtles feat. Flo & Eddie, The Association, Mark Lindsay, The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams, The Cowsills ASSCC EEN A ND DA AM MPPH H IITT H HEE A ATTEE RR (Nashville) Counting Crows, Citizen Cope, Hollis Brown TTEE N NN N EESSSSEE EE TT H H EEA ATT RREE (Knoxville) “Weird Al” Yankovic TTH H EE IIN NTT EERRN NA ATTIIO ON NA ALL (Knoxville) 10 Years, Nonpoint, The Family Ruin, Awaken The Empire FFO O XX TTH H EEA ATT RREE (Atlanta) My Morning Jacket, Mini Mansions BBU UCC K KH HEE A AD D TT H HEE A ATT RREE (Atlanta) Col. Bruce
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Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit TTH H EE EE AARRLL (Atlanta) Nashville Pussy ATTLLAAN A N TT AA BBO OTT AAN NIICC AALL G G AARRD DEE N N (Atlanta) Colbie Caillat GEEO G O RRG GIIAA W WO ORRLLD D CC O ON NG GRREESS SS CC EEN NTT EE RR (Atlanta) Steve Harvey FFRREED D RRIICCK K BBRRO OW WN N JJRR.. AAM MPPH H IITT H HEE AATTRREE (Peachtree City, GA) Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood WO W ORRK KPPLLAAYY TT H HEE AATTRREE (Birmingham) Asleep At The Wheel
SSA ATT U U RRD DA AYY A Auu gguusstt 88 TTH H EE CC O OM M EED D YY CCAATT CC H H (Chattanooga) Alice Wetterlund RRH H YY TTH HM M && BBRREE W WSS (Chattanooga) Velcro Pygmies RRII VVEE RRFFRRO ON N TT N NIIG GH HTT SS (Chattanooga) The Whiskey Gentry, The Mules JJJJ..’’ SS BBO OH H EEM MII AA (Chattanooga) Dead Soldiers CCH H AASSTT AAIIN N PPAARRK K (Atlanta) ThePianoGuys FFO OXX TT H H EEAATT RREE (Atlanta) My Morning Jacket, Mini Mansions TTH H EE M M AASSQ QU U EERRAAD DEE (Atlanta) “The Wrecking Ball” AAARRO A ON N’’ SS AAM M PPH HIITT H HEE AATT RREE (Atlanta) Chaka Khan TTO OW WN N CC EEN N TT EERR PPAARRK K (Suwanee, GA) Soul Asylum NAASSH N H VVIILL LLEE M MU UN NII CCIIPPAALL AAU UD DII TTO O RRIIU UM M (Nashville) “Ink-N-Iron Festival” Three Times Bad RRYY M MAA N N AAU UD D IITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) Alice in Chains ASSCCEE N A ND D AAM MPPH H IITTH H EEAATT EERR (Nashville) Steely Dan, Elvis Costello GRRAAN G ND DO OLL EE O O PPRRYY H HO OU U SSEE (Nashville) Alison Krauss, The Cox Family, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers SSA ATTU U RRN N (Birmingham) Good Old War
SSU UN ND DA AYY A Auugguu sstt 99 TTH H EE CC O OM M EED D YY CCAATT CC H H (Chattanooga) Alice Wetterlund SSK KYYZZ O OO O (Chattanooga) DJ Exphacter JJ..JJ..’’SS BBO OH H EEM MIIAA (Chattanooga) Chuckie Campbell and the Faction CCH H AASSTT AAIIN N PPAARRK K (Atlanta) Steely Dan, Elvis Costello TTH H EE M M AASSQ QU U EERRAAD DEE (Atlanta) “The Wrecking Ball” Coheed And Cambria, Desaparecidos, Thrice, Glassjaw, American Nightmare, Basement, Cave In, The Appleseed Cast, Knapsack, Modern Life Is War, Yuck, Foundation, Make Do And Mend, Girlpool, Frankie Cosmos, You Blew It!, Mutoid Man, Superheaven, Beach Slang, Microwave, Somos, Big Jesus, Free Throw, The Weaks, Slingshot Dakota, Northbound, Whirr,
AUGUST 6 2015
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TT RREEM MO ON N TT TT AAVVEERRN N (Chattanooga) Trivia Night TT H HEE O OFF FFIICC EE (Chattanooga) SpeakEasy FF O OXX && H HO OU UN ND D (Chattanooga) DJ Exphacter BBJJCC CC CC O ON N CCEE RRTT H H AALLLL (Birmingham) My Morning Jacket, Mini Mansions
TTU U EESSD DA AYY A Auu gguusstt 1111 TT RREEM MO ON N TT TT AAVVEERRN N (Chattanooga) Open Mic w/ Mike McDade EE XXIITT// IIN N (Nashville) KMFDM, Chant, Inertia TT H HEE BBO OW WEE RRYY (Knoxville) Nashville Pussy BBLLU U EEBBIIRRD D CC AAFFÉÉ (Nashville) Will Kimbrough, Brigitte DeMeyer
WEED W DN NEESSD DA AYY A Auu gguusstt 1122 RRAAW W (Chattanooga) Open Jam JJ ..JJ ..’’SS BBO OH HEE M MIIAA (Chattanooga) Big Shoals, GA Brown BBRRIID DG GEESS TTO ON NEE AARREEN N AA (Nashville) The Charlie Daniels Band, Travis Tritt, Montgomery Gentry, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kentucky Headhunters, The Outlaws, Lee Roy Parnell FF O OXX TT H HEE AATTRREE (Atlanta) Culture Club EE D DD DII EE’’ SS AATT TTIICC (Atlanta) Howie Day AAARRO A ON N’’ SS AAM MPPH H IIH HEE AATT RREE (Atlanta) Incubus, Deftones, Death From Above 1979, The Bots CC IITT YY W WIIN NEE RRYY N N AASSH H VVIILL LLEE (Nashville) Macy Gray
UPPCC O U OM M IIN NG G EEVVEEN NTTSS TT RRAACCK K 2299 (Chattanooga) The Lacs August 13 H EELLLL AATT TTH H H EE M MAASSQ QU UEERRA AD D EE (Atlanta) The Dickies August 13 WO W O RRK KPPLLAAYY SSO OU UN ND D SSTT AAG GEE (Birmingham) Macy Gray August 13 TT --BBO ON NEE’’ SS (Chattanooga) Georgia Pine August 14 BB&&BB M MAARRIIN N AA (Charleston, TN) Convertibull August 14 CC H HAASS TTAAIIN N PPAARRK K (Atlanta) Gipsy Kings August 14 CC LLA ASSSSIICC CC EEN N TTEE RR (Athens, GA) Robert Randolph & The Family Band, The Georgia Flood August 14 ASSCC EE N A ND D AAM MPPH HIITT H H EEAATT EERR (Nashville) Needtobreathe, Switchfoot, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Colony House August 14 CC IITT YY W WIIN NEE RRYY N N AASSH H VVIILL LLEE (Nashville) Howie Day August 14 RRIIVVEERRFF RRO ON N TT N N IIG GH H TT SS (Chattanooga) Hank & the Cupcakes, Glowing Bordis August 15 JJ ..JJ ..’’SS BBO OH HEE M MIIAA (Chattanooga) Mythical Motors, Hog Pig, Vamptones August 15 AAARRO A ON N’’ SS AAM MPPH H IIH HEE AATT RREE (Atlanta) J. Cole, Big Sean, YG, Jeremih, Bas, Cozz August 15 FF RREED DRRIICC K K BBRRO OW WN N JJ RR.. A AM MPPH H IITTH H EEA ATT RREE
(Atlanta) Peter Frampton, Cheap Trick August 15 RRYY M MAAN N AAU UD DIITT O O RRIIU UM M (Nashville) Meghan Trainor, Charlie Puth, Life Of Dillon August 15 MAARRAATT H M HO ON NM MU USS IICC W WO ORRK KSS (Nashville) Between The Buried And Me, Animals As Leaders, The Contortionist August 15 ASSCC EEN A ND D AAM M PPH HIITT H HEE AATT EERR (Nashville) Idina Menzel August 15 WO W O RRK KPPLLAAYY TTH H EEAATT RREE (Birmingham) Howie Day August 15 TT H HEE IIN NTT EERRN N AATTII O ON N AALL (Knoxville) “The Summer Slaughter Tour” Arch Enemy, Of Osiris, Veil Of Maya, The Acacia Strain, Obscura, After The Burial, Cattle Decapitation, Beyond Creation August 11 MEE M M MO O RRIIAALL AAU UD D IITT O ORRIIU UM M (Chattanooga) “A Prairie Home Companion” Garrison Keillor August 16 CC H HAASSTT AAIIN N PPAARRK K (Atlanta) Jim Gaffigan August 16 TT H HEE TTAABBEE RRN NAACC LLEE (Atlanta) Meghan Trainor, Charlie Puth, Life Of Dillon August 16 VVA ARRIIEETT YY PPLLAAYY H HO OU USSEE (Atlanta) Howard Jones August 16 SSYY M MPPH HO ON N YY H H AALLLL (Atlanta) Engelbert Humperdinck August 16 ASSCC EEN A ND D AAM M PPH HIITT H HEE AATT EERR (Nashville) Peter Frampton, Cheap Trick August 16 CC IITT YY W WII N NEERRYY N N AASSH HVVIILLLLEE (Nashville) Rickie Lee Jones August 16 TT H HEE W WO OO OD DSS AATT FFO ON N TT AAN NEELL (Whites Creek, TN) Damien Rice August 16 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Solid Ghost, R’lych August 17 TT H HEE TTAABBEE RRN NAACC LLEE (Atlanta) Brandon Flowers August 17 BBA ARRK KIIN NG G LLEE G GSS TT H H EEAATT EERR (Chattanooga) Danny Kroha August 18 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Kerchief, Sirai Vessel August 18 BBRRIID DG G EESSTT O ON NEE AARREE N NAA (Nashville) Def Leppard, Styx, Tesla August 18 ASSCC EEN A ND D AAM M PPH HIITT H HEE AATT EERR (Nashville) Sublime with Rome, Rebelution, Pepper, Mickey Avalon August 18 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Jamaican Queens August 20 CC IITT YY W WII N NEERRYY N N AASSH HVVIILLLLEE (Nashville) Firefall August 20 PPU UBBLLIICC SSQ QU UAARREE PPAARRK K (Nashville) “Live On the Green, Lord Huron, Shakey Graves, Elliot Root August 20 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Kip Bradley, Organ Stills August 21 DU D UM MPPYY ’’SS (Ocoee, TN) Georgia Pine, Ramble in the Attic August 21 CC H HAASSTT AAIIN N PPAARRK K (Atlanta) Lyle Lovette August 21 EED DD DIIEE ’’SS AATTTT IICC (Atlanta) Marty Stuart August 21 VVEERRIIZZ O ON NW WIIRREELLEE SSSS AAM M PPH HIITT H H EEAATT RREE AATT EEN N CCO O RREE PPAARRK K (Alpharetta, GA) Alabama Shakes August 21 CC IITT YY W WII N NEERRYY N N AASSH HVVIILLLLEE (Nashville) Kevin Nealon August 21 HAA RRRRAAH H H ’’SS CCH H EERRO OK KEEEE CC AASSIIN NO O (Cherokee) Joan Jett & the Blackhearts August 21 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Rims and Keys August 22 RRIIVVEERRFFRRO ON NTT PPAARRK K (Chattanooga) “Southern Brewers Festival” Hard Working Americans, The Motet August 22 PPH HII LLIIPPSS AARREEN N AA (Atlanta) Luke Bryan, Randy Houser, Dustin Lynch August 22
CCH HA ASSTT A AIIN N PPA ARRK K (Atlanta) Air Supply August 22 ATTLL A A AN NTT A A BBO OTT A AN NII CCA ALL G GA ARRD DEE N N (Atlanta) Melissa Etheridge August 22 VVEERRIIZZO ON NW W IIRREELLEE SSSS A AM M PPH H IITT H HEE A ATTRREE AATT EEN N CCO O RREE PPA ARRK K (Alpharetta, GA) Yes, Toto August 22 RRYYM MA AN NA AU UD DIITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) John Hiatt, Taj Mahal August 23 CCII TTYY W WIIN N EERRYY N NA ASS H HVVIILLLLEE (Nashville) Gin Blossoms August 23 IIRRO ON N CCII TTYY (Birmingham) Hard Working Americans August 23 BBIIJJO OU U TT H HEE A ATTRREE (Knoxville) Blues Traveler August 23 GRRA G AN N FFA ALLLLO OO ON N (Chattanooga) Lost Element August 24 TTRRA ACC K K 2299 (Chattanooga) Blues Traveler August 25 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH H EEM M IIA A (Chattanooga) Underwear Comedy Show August 25 VVEERRIIZZO ON NW W IIRREELLEE SSSS A AM M PPH H IITT H HEE A ATTRREE AATT EEN N CCO O RREE PPA ARRK K (Alpharetta, GA) O.A.R., Brynn Elliott, Allen Stone August 25 TTH H EE CCO ON NCC O OU U RRSS EE (Knoxville) Reel Big Fish August 25 FFRRA AN NK K LLIIN N TT H H EEA ATT RREE (Franklin, TN) “Gallagher’s Jokes On You Comedy Tour” Gallagher, Artie Fletcher, Bob Nelson August 25 CCH HA ASSTT A AIIN N PPA ARRK K (Atlanta) Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra, Eve 6, Uncle Kracker August 26 CCII TTYY W WIIN N EERRYY N NA ASS H HVVIILLLLEE (Nashville) Steep Canyon Rangers August 26 TTRRA ACC K K 2299 (Chattanooga) Gent & Jawns, Meaux Green August 27 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH H EEM M IIA A (Chattanooga) Diarrhea Planet, Music Band August 27 MIILLLLEE RR PPLLA M AZZA A (Chattanooga) “Nightfall Concert Series” Escondido August 28 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH H EEM M IIA A (Chattanooga) Brightside, Liferoot, Doyle, New Planet August 28 CCH HA ASSTT A AIIN N PPA ARRK K (Atlanta) Boyz II Men, Bell, Biv DeVoe August 28 VVA ARRII EETT YY PPLL A AYYH HO OU U SSEE (Atlanta) “Gallagher’s Jokes On You Comedy Tour” Gallagher, Artie Fletcher, Bob Nelson August 28 ATTLL A A AN NTT A A BBO OTT A AN NII CCA ALL G GA ARRD DEE N N (Atlanta) The Mavericks, Los Lobos August 28 GEE O G ORRG G IIA A TT H HEEA ATT RREE (Athens, GA) Corey Smith August 28 ASSCC EEN A ND DA AM MPPH H IITT H HEE A ATTEE RR (Nashville) Old Crow Medicine Show August 28 RRYYM MA AN NA AU UD DIITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) Rob Thomas August 28 TTH H EE BBA ASS EEM MEE N NTT EEA ASS TT (Nashville) The Dexateens August 28 IIRRO ON N CCII TTYY (Birmingham) The Dirty Guvnahs August 28 RRIIVVEERRFFRRO ON NTT N NIIG GH HTT SS (Chattanooga) Samantha Fish, Austin Nickels August 29 DA D ALLTT O ON ND DEE PPO OTT (Dalton, GA) Ramble in the Attic August 29 AA A ARRO ON N ’’SS A AM MPPH HII TTH H EEA ATT RREE (Atlanta) Nickelback, Lifehouse August 29 CCH HA ASSTT A AIIN N PPA ARRK K (Atlanta) Rick Springfield, Loverboy, The Romantics August 29 SSYY M MPPH HO ON NYY H HA ALLLL (Atlanta) Keb’ Mo’ August 29 GEE O G ORRG G IIA A TT H HEEA ATT RREE (Athens, GA) Dirty Guv’nahs August 29 RRYYM MA AN NA AU UD DIITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) Social Distortion, Nikki Lane, Drag the River August 29 ASSCC EEN A ND DA AM MPPH H IITT H HEE A ATTEE RR (Nashville) Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra, Eve 6, Uncle Kracker
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AUGUST 6 2015
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August 29 TT H HEE CCO ON NCC O OU URRSSEE (Knoxville) Strung Like A Horse August 29 SSA ATT U URRN N (Birmingham) The Dexateens August 29 PPH HII LLIIPPSS AARREEN N AA (Atlanta) Motley Crue, Alice Cooper August 30 HEE AAVVEEN H N AATT TTH H EE M M AASSQ QU UEERRAAD D EE (Atlanta) Earl Sweatshirt, Remy Banks August 30 CC H HAASSTT AAIIN N PPAARRK K (Atlanta) Rob Thomas August 30 ASSCC EEN A ND D AAM M PPH HIITT H HEE AATT EERR (Nashville) ZZ Top, Blackberry Smoke September 1 O AAK O KM MO OU UN NTT AAIIN N AAM MPPH H IITT H HEE AATTRREE (Pelham, AL) Chris Brown, Kid Ink, Omarion, Fetty Wap, Teyana Taylor September 1 PPH HII LLIIPPSS AARREEN N AA (Atlanta) Madonna September 2 TT H HEE CCO OU UN N TTRRYY M MU USSIICC H H AALLLL O O FF FFAAM M EE A AN ND D MU M U SSEEU UM M (Nashville) Roseanne Cash September 2 IIRRO ON N CC IITT YY (Birmingham) Jonny Lang September 3 TT --BBO ON N EE’’ SS (Chattanooga) Ramble in the Attic September 4 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Behold the Brave, The Gills September 4 MAARRAATT H M HO ON NM MU USS IICC W WO ORRK KSS (Nashville) ZZ Ward September 4 IIRRO ON N CC IITT YY (Birmingham) GWAR, Butcher Babies, Battlecross September 4 RRIIVVEERRFFRRO ON NTT N N IIG GH H TTSS (Chattanooga) Stokeswood, Remembering January September 5 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Great Barrier Reefs, Dynamo September 5 BBRRIID DG G EESSTT O ON NEE AARREE N NAA (Nashville) Kelly
Clarkson, Pentatonix, Eric Hutchinson September 5 ASSCC EEN A ND DA AM MPPH H IITT H HEE A ATTEE RR (Nashville) Widespread Panic September 5 AA A ARRO ON N ’’SS A AM MPPH HII TTH H EEA ATT RREE (Atlanta) Chris Brown, Kid Ink, Omarion, Fetty Wap, Teyana Taylor September 5 SSA ATT U URRN N (Nashville) X September 5 WO W OLL FF CC RREEEEK KA AM MPPH H IITTH H EEA ATT RREE (Atlanta) Morris Day & the Time, Con Funk Shun, Lakeside, Zapp Band September 6 CCII TTYY W WIIN N EERRYY N NA ASS H HVVIILLLLEE (Nashville) X September 6 CCEE N NTT EERR SS TTA AG G EE (Atlanta) ZZ Ward September 7 TTH H EE N N IICC K K (Birmingham) Sleepy Kitty, Brier September 7 MA M ARRA ATT H HO ON NM MU USSIICC W WO O RRK KSS (Nashville) Purity Ring September 8 GEE O G ORRG G IIA A TT H HEEA ATT RREE (Athens, GA) X September 8 EEXXIITT //II N N (Nashville) Andrew W.K. September 9 IIRRO ON N CCII TTYY (Nashville) Purity Ring September 9 TTEE RRM MIIN NA ALL W WEESS TT (Atlanta) X September 9 TTH H EE TTA ABBEERRN NA ACCLL EE (Atlanta) Rodrigo y Gabriela, Todd Park Mohr September 9 CCEE N NTT EERR SS TTA AG G EE (Atlanta) Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Ecstatic Vision, Ruby The Hatchet September 9 TTRRA ACC K K 2299 (Chattanooga) GWAR, Butcher Babies, Battlecross September 10 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH H EEM M IIA A (Chattanooga) Brave Baby September 10 AA A ARRO ON N ’’SS A AM MPPH HII TTH H EEA ATT RREE (Atlanta) Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Eric Hutchinson
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September 10 AVVO A ON ND D AALLEE BBRREE W WIIN NG G CC O OM MPPAAN N YY (Birmingham) Umphrey’s McGee September 10 CCO O TTTT O ON N--EE YYEE D D JJ O OEE ’’SS (Knoxville) Shooter Jennings With Waymore’s Outlaws September 10 PPU U BBLLIICC SSQ QU U AARREE PPAARRK K (Nashville) “Live on The Green” Rodrigo y Gabriela, Delta Rae, JD McPherson, Kopecky, Humming House, Civil Twilight September 10 JJ..JJ..’’SS BBO OH H EEM MIIAA (Chattanooga) Los Colognes September 11 BBRRIID DG GEE SSTT O ON NEE AARREEN N AA (Nashville) Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, Sam Hunt September 11 TTH H EE M M AASSQ QU U EERRAAD DEE (Atlanta) Reverend Horton Heat, The Adicts September 11 SSYYM M PPH HO ON NYY H HAALL LL (Atlanta) Dwight Yoakam September 11 VVA ARRIIEE TTYY PPLLAAYY H HO OU USS EE (Atlanta) Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Xylouris White September 11 TTH H EE FF O OU UN ND DRRYY (Athens, GA) Shawn Mullins September 11 IIRRO ON N CCIITT YY (Birmingham) Earl Sweatshirt, Remy Banks September 11 TTH H EE CC O ON N CC O OU URRSSEE (Knoxville) J.J. Grey & Mofro September 11 JJ..JJ..’’SS BBO OH H EEM MIIAA (Chattanooga) Megan Saunders and the Driftless, The Sweet Sisters, Rye Baby September 12 MEEM M MO ORRIIAALL AAU UD DIITT O O RRIIU UM M (Nashville) The Avett Brothers September 12 CCO O BBBB EEN NEE RRG GYY PPEE RRFF O ORRM M IIN NG G AARRTT SS CC EEN NTT EERR (Atlanta) Josh Groban September 12 PPH H IILLIIPPSS AARREE N NAA (Atlanta) Ed Sheeran,
AUGUST 6 2015
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Christina Perri September 12 AAAARRO ON N’’ SS AAM MPPH H IITT H HEE AATTRREE (Atlanta) “One Music Fest” The Roots, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Wale, Big K.R.I.T., A$AP Rocky, Janelle Monáe, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Scarface, 8Ball & MJG, Jidenna, Sza, St. Beauty, Raury, Deep Cotton, Roman GianArthur, The Internet September 12 EE D DD DII EE’’ SS AATT TTIICC (Atlanta) Angie Stone September 12 4400 W WAATTTT CC LLU UBB (Athens, GA) Best Coast September 12 PPU U BBLLII CC SS Q QU UAARREE PPAARRK K (Nashville) Ben Folds, All Them Witches, Anderson East, Elle King, Kaleo, Lennon & Maisy, The Districts September 12 TT H HEE IIN N TTEE RRN NAATT IIO ON N AALL (Knoxville) Buckcherry, Saving Abel, Of Texas September 12 BBRRIID DG GEESS TTO ON NEE AARREEN N AA (Nashville) Ed Sheeran, Christina Perri September 13 TT H HEE M MAASS Q QU UEE RRAAD DEE (Atlanta) “HardDrive Live Tour” Tremonti, Trivium September 13 ASSCC EE N A ND D AAM MPPH HIITT H H EEAATT EERR (Nashville) Daryl Hall & John Oates September 14 EE XXIITT// IIN N (Nashville) Swervedriver September 14 VVA ARRIIEETT YY PPLLAAYY H HO OU USSEE (Atlanta) Snarky Puppy September 14 TT H HEE CC O ON N CCO OU URRSSEE (Knoxville) Three Days Grace September 14 VVA ARRIIEETT YY PPLLAAYY H HO OU USSEE (Atlanta) Blues Traveler September 15 TT H HEE TT AABBEERRN NAACC LLEE (Atlanta) Three Days Grace September 15 IIRRO ON N CC IITT YY (Nashville) Steve Earle, The Mastersons September 15
MAARRAATT H M HO ON NM MU USS IICC W WO ORRK KSS (Nashville) Earl Sweatshirt, Remy Banks September 15 TT H HEE N NIICC K K (Birmingham) Skinny Lister September 15 IIRRO ON N CC IITT YY (Birmingham) Blues Traveler September 16 GEE O G ORRG G IIAA TT H HEE AATTRREE (Athens, GA) Diarrhea Planet September 16 4400 W WAATT TT CC LLU UBB (Athens, GA) Swervedriver, Gateway Drugs September 16 O AAK O KM MTT N N.. AAM M PPH HIITT H H EEAATT RREE (Pelham, AL) Van Halen, Kenny Wayne Shepherd September 17 PPU URRG G AATTO O RRYY AATT TTH H EE M M AASSQ QU UEERRAAD D EE (Atlanta) Skinny Lister September 17 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) SOCRO CD Release Party September 18 RRYY M MAAN N AAU UD DIITT O O RRIIU UM M (Nashville) Billy Idol September 18 EEXXIITT // IIN N (Nashville) Kap Slap September 18 SSCC H HEE RRM MEERRH HO ORRN N SSYY M MPPH HO ON N YY CC EE N NTT EERR (Nashville) George Benson September 18 CC O OBBBB EE N NEERRG G YY PPEERRFFO O RRM MIIN NG G AARRTT SS CC EEN N TT EERR (Atlanta) Kristin Chenoweth September 18 SSYY M MPPH HO ON N YY H H AALLLL (Atlanta) Seth MacFarlane September 18 PPIIEED DM MO ON NTT PPAARRK K (Atlanta) “Music Midtown” Elton John, Drake, Alice In Chains, Hozier, Kodaline, Jenny Lewis, Tove Lo, Catfish And The Bottlemen, August Alsina, Metric, Elliot Moss, Jamie N Commons September 18 CC A AM MPP FFEE SSTT (Camp Blue Ridge, GA) Cold War Kids, Hey Rosetta!, Langhorne Slim, The Whigs, Margo & the Pricetags, Alanna Royale September 18 HO H OM MEE RR H HAAM M IILLTT O ON N AAM MPPH H IITT H HEE AATTRREE (Knoxville) Warrant September 18 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Bombadil, Kingsley Flood, Antrony D’Amato September 19 MAARRAATT H M HO ON NM MU USS IICC W WO ORRK KSS (Nashville) Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Xylouris White September 19 CC A AM MPP FFEE SSTT (Camp Blue Ridge, GA) Cold War Kids, Hey Rosetta!, Langhorne Slim, The Whigs, Margo & the Pricetags, Alanna Royale September 19 PPIIEED DM MO ON NTT PPAARRK K (Atlanta) “Music Midtown” Van Halen, Lenny Kravitz, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Billy Idol, Sam Smith, Run The Jewels, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Colony House, Icona Pop, The Airborne Toxic Event, X Ambassadors, Panic! At The Disco, Elle King, New Politics, Alessia Cara, Vance Joy, Vinyl Theatre, Rozzi Crane September 19 VVEERRIIZZ O ON NW WIIRREELLEE SSSS AAM M PPH HIITT H H EEAATT RREE AATT EEN N CCO O RREE PPAARRK K (Alpharetta, GA) Kip Moore, Dierks Bentley, Maddie & Tae, Canaan Smith September 19 ASSCC EEN A ND D AAM M PPH HIITT H HEE AATT RREE (Nashville) Loretta Lynn, Steve Earle, Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt,Eric Haywood, Nikki Lane September 19 LLEE G GAACC YY AARREEN NAA AATT TTH H EE BBJJCC CC (Birmingham) Ariana Grande, Prince Royce September 20 CC A AM MPP FFEE SSTT (Camp Blue Ridge, GA) Cold War Kids, Hey Rosetta!, Langhorne Slim, The Whigs, Margo & the Pricetags, Alanna Royale September 20 JJ..JJ..’’ SS BBO OH HEEM M IIAA (Chattanooga) Awkward Sex and the City - Comedy Showcase September 21 CC IITT YY W W IIN NEERRYY N N AASSH HVVIILLLLEE (Nashville) Samantha Fish September 21 BBRRIID DG G EESSTT O ON NEE AARREE N NAA (Nashville) Ariana
Grande, Prince Royce September 22 RRYYM MA AN NA AU UD DIITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) Indigo Girls September 22 FFRRA AN NK K LLIIN N TT H H EEA ATT RREE (Franklin, TN) Restless Heart, Charlie McCoy, Michael Lington September 22 ASSCC EEN A ND DA AM MPPH H IITT H HEE A ATTRREE (Nashville) Daryl Hall & John Oates September 23 RRYYM MA AN NA AU UD DIITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) Kacey Musgraves September 23 TTH H EE LLIIBBRRA ARRYY TT H H EEA ATT RREE (Hoover, AL) The Blind Boys of Alabama September 24 4400 W WA ATT TT CCLLU U BB (Athens, GA) Helmet September 24 GEE O G ORRG G IIA A TT H HEEA ATT RREE (Athens, GA) Beats Antique September 24 HIIG H GH HW WA ATTTT (Nashville) Steve’n’Seagulls September 24 TT-- BBO ON NEE ’’SS (Chattanooga) Georgia Pine September 25 BBRRIID DG G EESSTT O ON N EE A ARREE N NA A (Nashville) Taylor Swift, Vance Joy September 25 TTH H EE LLIIBBRRA ARRYY TT H H EEA ATT RREE (Hoover, AL) The Blind Boys of Alabama September 25 TTU U SSCC A ALLO OO O SSA AA AM M PPH H IITT H HEE A ATTRREE (Tuscaloosa) The Spinners September 25 TTH H EE TTA ABBEERRN NA ACCLL EE (Atlanta) Nick Jonas, Bebe Rexha September 25 JJJJ..’’ SS BBO OH H EEM M IIA A (Chattanooga) WAXFANG September 26 TTRRA ACC K K 2299 (Chattanooga) Beats Antique September 26 BBRRIID DG G EESSTT O ON N EE A ARREE N NA A (Nashville) Taylor Swift, Vance Joy September 26 PPA ARRK KA ATT H HA ARRLLII N NSSD DA ALLEE FF A ARRM M (Franklin, TN) “Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival” Wilco, Weezer, Sheryl Crow, Cage The Elephant, Neko Case, Iron & Wine, Dr. John, Punch Brothers, Trampled By Turtles, Saint Motel, Madisen Ward And The Mama Bear, Joe Pug, Holly Williams, Will Hoge, Elel, Guthrie Brown, Kingfish September 26 TTH H EE TTA ABBEERRN NA ACCLL EE (Atlanta) J Balvin, Becky G September 26 CCH HA ASSTT A AIIN N PPA ARRK K (Atlanta) Janet Jackson September 26 PPA ARRK KA ATT H HA ARRLLII N NSSD DA ALLEE FF A ARRM M (Franklin, TN) “Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival” Willie Nelson, The Decemberists, Band Of Horses, Jimmy Cliff, Dawes, St. Paul And The Broken Bones, Chris Stapleton, The Lone Bellow, Lucius, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Charles Bradley, Nikki Lane, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, John & Jacob September 27 PPH HIILLII PPSS A ARREEN NA A (Atlanta) Marc Anthony, Carlos Vives September 27 VVA ARRII EETT YY PPLL A AYYH HO OU U SSEE (Atlanta) Yo La Tengo September 27 RRYYM MA AN NA AU UD DIITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) Kraftwerk September 27 ASSCC EEN A ND DA AM MPPH H IITT H HEE A ATTEE RR (Nashville) Janet Jackson September 27 SSA ATT U URRN N (Birmingham) Gene Ween September 27 PPA ARRK KA ATT H HA ARRLLII N NSSD DA ALLEE FF A ARRM M (Franklin, TN) Willie Nelson, Charles Bradley, The Decemberists, Wilco, Trampled By Turtles, Dawes September 28 TTH H EE EE A ARRLL (Atlanta) Albert Hammond Jr. September 29 TTH H EE TTA ABBEERRN NA ACCLL EE (Atlanta) Charli XCX, Bleachers, Robert DeLong September 29 VVA ARRII EETT YY PPLL A AYYH HO OU U SSEE (Atlanta) Lucinda Williams September 29 EEXXIITT //II N N (Nashville) Albert Hammond Jr.
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September 30 TTH H EE BBAASSEE M MEE N NTT EEAASSTT (Nashville) MuteMath September 30 RRYY M MAA N N AAU UD D IITT O ORRIIU UM M (Nashville) George Ezra September 30 EED DD D IIEE’’ SS AATT TT IICC (Atlanta) Mother’s Finest September 30 VVA ARRIIEE TTYY PPLLAAYY H HO OU USS EE (Atlanta) Lucinda Williams September 30 TTU U RRN N EERR FF IIEELLD D (Atlanta) Sam Hunt October 1 CCA ALLEE D DO ON NIIAA LLO OU UN NG GEE (Athens, GA) Gringo Star October 1 RRO O SSSS’’ LLAAN ND DIIN NG G PPAARRK K (Chattanooga) “Three Sisters Music Festival” Dismembered Tennesseans, Mae, Hot Rize October 2 RREE D D CC LLAAYY TT H HEE AATTRREE (Duluth, GA) Bob Mould October 2 TTH H EE TT AABBEERRN N AACCLLEE (Atlanta) Brandi Carlile, Torres October 2 CCH H AASSTT AAIIN N PPAARRK K (Atlanta) K. Michelle, Azealia Banks October 2 VVA ARRIIEE TTYY PPLLAAYY H HO OU USS EE (Atlanta) Lucero October 2 ASSCCEE N A ND D AAM MPPH H IITTH H EEAATT EERR (Nashville) Lynyrd Skynyrd October 2 VVO ON N BBRRAAU UN N CC EEN N TTEE RR (Huntsville) John Prine, Jason Isbell October 2 ALLYYSS RRO A OBBIIN N SSO ON N SSTT EEPPH H EEN NSS PPEERRFFO O RRM MIIN NG G ARRTT SS CC EEN A N TT EERR (Birmingham) Chick Corea and Béla Fleck October 2 RRO O SSSS’’ LLAAN ND DIIN NG G PPAARRK K (Chattanooga) “Three Sisters Music Festival” Dismembered Tennesseans, Frank Solivan, Michael Cleveland And Flamekeeper, Front Country, The Travelin’ McCourys October 3 SSCCH HW WAARRTT ZZ CC EEN N TTEE RR (Atlanta) Chick Corea and Bela Fleck October 3
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CC EEN N TTRRAALL PPAARRK K (Atlanta) “Afro-Punk Festival” D’Angelo, Thundercat October 3 VVIIN NYY LL (Atlanta) MuteMath October 3 TT H HEE TT AABBEERRN NAACC LLEE (Atlanta) Collective Soul October 3 CC A AN ND D LLEERR PPAARRK K (Atlanta) Gringo Star October 3 CC IITT YY W WIIN NEE RRYY N N AASSH H VVIILL LLEE (Nashville) Bob Mould October 3 RRYY M MAAN N AAU UD D IITTO O RRIIU UM M (Nashville) Brandi Carlile, Torres October 3 CC O OU UN NTT RRYY TTO ON NIITT EE TTH H EEA ATT RREE (Pigeon Forge, TN) Ray Stevens October 3 CC EEN N TTEE N NN N IIAALL O O LLYYM M PPIICC PPA ARRK K (Atlanta) Foo Fighters October 4 IIRRO ON N CC IITT YY (Birmingham) Brandi Carlile October 4 AAARRO A ON N’’ SS AAM MPPH H IITT H HEE AATTRREE (Atlanta) “Funny Or Die Presents The Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival” Aziz Ansari, Amy Schumer October 4 TT RRA ACCK K 2299 (Chattanooga) Godsmack October 5 BBRRIID DG GEESS TTO ON NEE AARREEN N AA (Nashville) Foo Fighters October 5 SSCC H H EERRM MEE RRH HO O RRN N SSYY M MPPH HO ON N YY CCEE N NTT EERR (Nashville) K. Michelle, Azealia Banks October 5 G EEO G O RRG GIIAA TT H H EEAATT RREE (Athens, GA) Minus the Bear, O’Brother, Aero Flynn October 5 TT H HEE TT AABBEERRN NAACC LLEE (Atlanta) Disclosure October 5 TT RRA ACCK K 2299 (Chattanooga) Rhiannon Giddens October 6 D && LLIIN 33RRD ND D SSLLEE YY (Nashville) The Chris Robinson Brotherhood October 6
ODE TO PUCK (He was a good dog)
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MONEY MANAGEMENT
FINDING THE RIGHT CHARITY Donating to a charity is a great thing to do for many reasons, most importantly because it's helping out others in need. By making the decision to donate to a charity you are making a great decision. However, the next step is hard: deciding the right charity to donate to. There are so many charities out there, which is great because they are helping out so many people in need and giving resources to many different causes. However what's the right charity for you to donate to? Here are few steps to help you in finding the right charity. First and foremost choose a problem or cause that you care about. Sounds easy enough? However, there are so many charities out there, this only begins to narrow the field.
in life sometimes charities seem too good to be true. That being said look for things such as excessive salaries. For example an executive director whose paycheck takes up a large percentage of the organization's budget. Another red flag would be if a charity asks for cash.it should want its records to be traceable and clean, which means that cash is a not a good idea. A check or a credit card is considered the best way to make If the charity is local, look into a donation. meeting with the director. If the charity is larger, email them At this point, if you haven't with any questions or concerns already, meet up or call your you might have. Asking ques- finalists. Every organization has tions is essential in learning more about the charity. This brings me to my next point, Look for Red Flags. Like many things Second, decide if you want to invest globally or locally. While local charities seem to work on a smaller level scale, they are more personal. Global charities also have their benefits. Thirdly, DO YOUR RESEARCH! After the first two steps you have narrowed down the playing field. Now it's time to do your own research on these charities. Some things you might want to look into are
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staff or volunteers who can talk to you about its goals and how they're reached. Take advantage of this. Another great way to check them out is to spend a day volunteering. This gives you a hand on experience about how the organization is being ran. Finally get started early. Before the end of the year many offices are closed which will make getting information harder to do. Most importantly, choose what speaks to you. Whichever charity you choose, you are going to be doing good
- Andrew St. Charles
British rock band The Herd, causing them to go unheard…also this week, Johnny Cash guitarist Luther Perkins dies in a ring of fire of his own after falling asleep with a smoldering cigarette…
the auto in which he’s riding is struck by logs rolling off a truck...he emerges from a coma after four days, minus his sense of smell…
11 997755:: Stevie Wonder’s smelling the green when he inks a $13 million, seven-year recording contract, a record-setter for its time…this same week Hank Williams Jr. tumbles 500 feet down a Montana mountain...after two year’s worth of surgeries he’ll resume his 11997700:: Janis Joplin springs for a career… headstone to mark classic blues diva Bessie Smith’s grave...the 11 997799:: A benefit is held for the singer was one of her idols… widow and children of the late Little Feat singer-guitarist Lowell 11997722:: Paul and Linda McCartney George... members of Little Feat, are busted for pot possession fol- Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, lowing a Wings show in Nicolette Larson, Emmylou Harris Gothenburg, Sweden...the couple and Bonnie Raitt are among the is fined and released… performers…
11996699:: Photographer Iain Macmillan catches four lads from Liverpool in mid-stride as they traverse a London crosswalk...the photo will become the cover for Abbey Road…
11 993377:: A patent for the original “frying pan” electric guitar is granted to George Beauchamp, a Hawaiian musician living in Los Angeles…by mounting a pickup on his acoustic lap steel he’s credited with creating one of the earliest electric axes…originally developed in 19311932, Beauchamp didn’t get a patent till 1937, allowing other manufacturers to jump into the fray…
11996600:: 25,000 copies of the deathrock single “Tell Laura I Love Her” by Ray Peterson are destroyed by England’s Decca Records after a critic deems the song “too tasteless and vulgar for English sensibility”...it’s interesting to speculate what that critic may have made of Ozzy Osbourne or The Sex Pistols a little later on…
11996644:: The Rolling Stones know 11997733:: Stevie Wonder is seriously 11 998833:: David Crosby gets a wakeup they have arrived when they get injured in North Carolina when call when he is sentenced to five the chance to hang with two of their idols, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon while recording at Chicago’s Chess studios...the band’s name was taken from a song by Muddy…
11 994499:: Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five record “Saturday Night Fish Fry,” one of the earliest R&B songs cited as a forerunner to rock ‘n’ roll…as the swing of jump blues gives way to the four-on-thefloor rhythm patterns of rockabilly, teens everywhere will kick up a 11996655:: Mike Smith of The Dave Clark ruckus in the name of rock ‘n’ Five suffers two fractured ribs when he’s pulled off the stage by roll… an enthusiastic fan… 11 995577:: ABC TV’s American Bandstand with its forever-young DJ, Dick 11996677:: George Harrison hangs out at Clark, makes its national TV a love-in at San Francisco’s Golden debut…having songs played on the Gate Park...he’s less than enchantshow will have a huge impact on ed, recalling “It was full of top 40 sales in coming hideous, spotty little teenagers. It decades…this same week John turned me off to the whole Lennon and his band, The thing.”...this same week a fan Quarrymen, play their debut date stows away on The Monkees’ tour at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, a plane … the girl’s father vows to venue devoted to jazz and skif- have charges brought against the fle...after the band performs band for transporting a minor “Come Go With Me,” Hound Dog,” across state lines… and “Blue Suede Shoes,” irate club owner Alan Sytner sends a note up 11996688:: Performing at the Sunbury to the stage reading, “Cut out the Jazz and Blues Festival in England, Jerry Lee Lewis whips the crowd bloody rock!”… into a frenzy that turns 11 995588:: Billboard publishes its first ugly…three injured players are Hot 100 chart...Ricky Nelson’s forced to leave the stage, an assis“Poor Little Fool” nails the top tant loses four teeth, and a sixspot… inch scaffold coupling pin is thrown through the bass drum of ENIGMA
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years in prison on cocaine and firearms charges…he had dozed through much of the trial…he’ll be released this same week in 1986… 11 998844:: “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr. is the Billboard #1 pop hit...Parker is later sued by Huey Lewis who claims the tune is a ripoff of his “I Want a New Drug”...the case is settled out of court with the proviso neither party talks about the terms...in 2001, during an episode of VH1’s Behind the Music, Lewis reveals that Parker paid up to settle the case...Parker then sues Lewis for violating the settlement deal… 11 998855:: Introduced to the benefits of owning publishing rights by friend Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson purchases the ATV music catalog, which includes 251 Lennon/McCartney songs, at auction for $47.5 million...McCartney and Yoko Ono had attempted to purchase the songs only to be outbid by Jackson...McCartney and Jackson’s friendship comes to an abrupt end… 11 999900:: During a New Kids on the Block concert in Montreal, armed robbers make off with souvenir stand proceeds totaling $260,000…that’s a lot of tee shirts!… 11 999922:: Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro dies from cardiac arrest triggered by an allergic reaction to the insecticide he is spraying in his garden…this same week, citing a sore throat, Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses cuts short the band’s set in Montreal...many of the 55,000 fans in attendance riot...this is a fitting end to a concert in which Metallica had also cut short their set after singer James Hetfield suffered third-degree burns from a pyro effect…
11999966:: Former Motley Crue singer Vince Neil runs into trouble at an Indiana club date...after starting the show four hours late, Neal pulls the plug after just three songs saying he is feeling ill and suggesting that the audience of “rednecks” doesn’t appreciate his talent...a riot by 500 surly ticket holders is narrowly averted by the prompt arrival of the cops…
crowd...however the audience viewing at home on AT&T’s Blue Room website are treated to 16 seconds of silence when the company providing AT&T’s feed pulls the plug on the audio stream...later AT&T is apologetic...commenting on the censorship, guitarist Mike McCready writes, “When one person or company decides what others can hear, that is totalitarian thinking”...this same week, Queen guitarist Brian May hands in his astronomy PhD thesis—36 years after abandoning it to join the band…
11 999999:: After running into legal roadblocks, the leading record labels drop their suit against Diamond Multimedia, makers of the Rio MP3 music player...they had charged that the device would encourage online piracy… 22000088:: The Police cap their 150show world tour with a two-hour 22000000:: The Jimi Hendrix estate suc- tour de force at Madison Square cessfully evicts the holder of the Garden...the first Police tour in 20 web domain jimihendrix.com… years, it had started shakily then gained momentum as it went 22000044:: The Dave Matthews Band is along...reflecting on early shows, sued for dumping human waste drummer Stewart Copeland says, from its tour bus into the Chicago “At the beginning, we were crap. River and onto a sightseeing boat Each one of us had our own opinthat happened to be passing ion of what was wrong, which below…the band’s bus driver is ultimately convicted of the disgusting deed… 22000055:: Leonard Cohen files a suit against his former business manager charging that Kelley Lynch ripped him off for $5 million from 1994 through 1999 while Cohen was chilling in a Buddhist center…also this week, FCC chairman Kevin Martin announces that his agency is investigating payola by record labels following Sony BMG Music Entertainment’s $10 million settlement with the state of New York over charges that the company plied key radio stations with lavish gifts and money to get its releases played...artists benefiting from Sony’s generosity include Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Avril Lavigne, Maroon 5, Franz Ferdinand, Good Charlotte, Gretchen Wilson, Audioslave and Celine Dion…
11 999955:: Deadheads everywhere mourn the death of Jerry Garcia…the Grateful Dead front- 22000077:: During Pearl Jam’s set at man succumbed to a heart attack Lollapalooza, Eddie Vedder sings, in his sleep at a rehab facility… “George Bush, leave this world alone” to rousing cheers from the ENIGMA
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could be summed up as ‘the other two guys’”…this same week Jackson Browne sues Senator John McCain for unauthorized use of his song “Running on Empty” during the 2008 presidential campaign…the following July McCain settles with Browne for an undisclosed sum plus an apology…the singer relishes the moment remarking, “Getting a politician to admit they made a mistake is one the hardest things in the world”… 220011 00:: In yet another case of a political piracy, Don Henley reaches an undisclosed settlement with U.S. senatorial candidate Chuck DeVore who had parodied a couple of Eagles songs he then posted on YouTube…”All She Wants to Do is Dance” was turned into “All She Want to Do is Tax,” and “The Boys of Summer” became “The Hope of November”…the hope faded, however, when DeVore failed to win the California Republican primary…
Coheed and Cambria Explore the Final Frontier A concept album is a studio production where all the music and lyrical ideas spring from a single concept that unifies the theme of the story over the course of the record. Throughout the ‘70s, English progressive rock bands ruled the day with the impressive music they created. Bands like Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, ELP, the Alan Parsons Project and Pink Floyd created epic masterpieces that have stood the test of time. With the advent of the ‘80s, the concept album, along with the bands that thrived creating them, became nothing but wonderful memories. The industry gave way to formatted radio stations ruled by three to four minute songs.
Certainly there were some breakthrough instances in the ‘80s, like the brilliant Operation: Mindcrime from the Seattle-based group Queensryche, but outside of that one moment in the sun, concept albums were pretty much relegated to footnotes in history. It took the group Coheed and Cambria in 2000 to take the audacious step of reviving the lost art of creating a single-themed record. Front man Claudio Sanchez was the mastermind behind the science fiction epic he constructed under the guise of Coheed based around a fantasy he conjured up called the Amory Wars. To date, the band has recorded eight full-length albums within the framework laid down by
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understatement to say the group has taken its fan base on one heck of an astral ride the past ten years. No matter how you look at it, space has indeed been the final frontier for this progressive rock How these sci-fi novellas came band. about is best answered by m aall w waayyss ccuurrii oouuss aabboouutt aa ddii rree cc-Sanchez’s partner in musical crime, II’’m guitarist Travis Sever. The two ttii oonn aa bbaa nndd ddee cciiddee ss ttoo ppuurrss uuee oonnccee musicians have been together tthheeyy hhaavvee ffii nnaall llyy ffiigguurr eedd oouutt tthhee whhiicchh iiss since they were teenagers growing rr iigghhtt ppiieecc eess ttoo tthhee ppuuzz zzll ee,, w maakk eeuupp ooff tthhee ggrr oouupp ii ttssee llff.. up in New York. Twenty years tthhee m later, the two are still knee-deep W Waass ii tt tthhaatt eeaa ssyy ffoorr yy oouu ttoo bbuuyy ii nnttoo m ccoonnccee pptt in the fantasy land Sanchez creat- CC ll aauuddii oo’’ss aa ss ttrraa ll aa llbbuum w hhee nn hhee pprree ssee nntteedd iitt ttoo yyoouu ed. It would be somewhat of an vvii ss iioonn w
Sanchez’s ongoing storyline. He has also captured the adventures in comic book form and strong rumors of a full-length motion picture abound.
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bbaacckk aatt tthhee ttuurr nn ooff tthhee ccee nnttuurr yy,, oorr iinnttee nnssee aa ss w wee llll aass ccoom mppllii ccaattee dd.. IItt ddiidd yyoouu ee vveenn ccaarr ee?? bbeeccoom meess eess ppee cciiaa llll yy ddiiffffii ccuull tt w whheenn yyoouu w w aa nntt tthhee ccoo m mppoossii ttii oonnss ttoo TTrraa vvii ss SSttee vvee rr –– I have known ssttaa nndd oouutt oonn tthheeii rr oow w nn w wii tthhii nn tthhee Haa ss Claudio for so long, I was intrigued ccoonntteexxtt ooff tthhee pprr oojj eecc tt iittss eell ff.. H m ffoorr yyoouu aatt by the idea when he presented it tthhaa tt bbeeeenn aa pprroobbllee m meess ?? to me. Claudio is comfortable as ttiim the lyricist for this band, and he likes to write that way. It also No it hasn’t. To be honest with makes for a relaxed atmosphere when it comes to writing songs. He likes to speak using real life metaphors, but in an entirely different way. That’s where the concept came into being. In a lot of ways, I think this world that Claudio created was his way of getting over being shy. He didn’t have to wear his heart on his sleeve with the lyrics he came up with. He was able to reveal crucial and extremely private aspects of his life through the eyes of a fictional character. I instinctively knew that working with Claudio on this project was the right move because it would add another dimension to our band. The concept really you, we have never really centered helped people get into Coheed and the music around anything like Cambria, and they are still with us that. Each song within the overall eight albums later. context of an album is built to stand on its own. With us, the difWrrii ttiinngg tthhee m W meedd m muuss iicc tthhaa tt ss ppaannss ficult part is putting the finished aann eennttii rree aall bbuum m,, aass ooppppooss eedd ttoo songs in order so it makes sense to rr aannddoom m ii nnddii vvii dduuaall ttrr aacckk ss ,, ii ss the listener. That’s when it gets
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tricky. Claudio often comes to our writing sessions with a song already completed. All we do is add our parts to what he has done. If I am writing a guitar part to Claudio’s songs, what I’m trying to do is compliment his vocals. If we have a special thing going on with the riff, I tend to do whatever I can
The concept is added after we have written the music. Claudio will write lyrics after we have composed the music that ties everything together. From someone on the outside looking in, what we do appears complicated, but it’s not. Our albums are never a concept when we write the music. The themes come afterwards. We figure the music out first then Claudio paints lyrics around it. There will be times where we are recording a grand part of a song, like a longer piece such as “Gravity’s Union” on Descension. Claudio was actually explaining to us what was going on while we were actually recording it. There are times where I will be writing riffs while Josh (Eppard) is doing something with the drums. Once the story is explained to us, we understand the reason we’re going in a particular direction with the music.
so I don’t interfere with his II tt ssttii llll ss oouunnddss ccoom mppll iiccaa ttee dd!! singing. It’s a rarity in this business, that’s II’’m m ss ttiill ll ttrr yyiinngg ttoo ffii gguurree oouutt w w hheerree for sure. tthhee ccoonncceepptt ooff tthhee aallbbuum m aa ccttuuaa llll yy ccoom mee ss iinnttoo ppllaa yy.. LLooookk iinngg aatt yy oouurr aallbbuum m ccaattaall oogg,, ii tt rr eem mii nnddss m mee aa lloott ooff w whhaatt RRuusshh ddii dd Let me confuse you even more. ii nn tthhee ‘‘7700ss .. N N eeii ll PPee aarrtt w w oouull dd ccoom mee
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uupp w wii tthh tthhee ssee ffaa ssccii nnaattiinngg llyy rrii ccaall ppaass ssaa ggeess .. TThhee cchhaall llee nnggee ffoorr GGee ddddyy LLeeee aa nndd AAllee xx LLii ffeess oonn w waa ss ttoo w wrr iittee muussii cc eeqquuaall ttoo tthhee w m woorr ddss PPee aarrtt hhaa dd wrr iittttee nn.. II aass kkee dd G w G eeddddyy aa bboouutt tthhaatt oonnee ttii m mee ,, aanndd hhee ttoolldd m mee N Nee iill ’’ss tthhoouugghhttffuull pphhrr aass iinngg w wii tthh w woorr ddss ffoorrccee dd hhiim m aa nndd A All eexx ttoo tthhii nnkk oouutt-ss iiddee tthhee bbooxx w w hhee nn iitt ccaa m mee ttoo ccoonn-ss ttrruuccttiinngg m muussii cc.. II nn aall ll ss eerr iioouuss nneess ss,, CC llaa uuddii oo hhaass nn’’tt m maa ddee aannyyoonnee ii nn tthhee bbaanndd’’ss jj oobb eeaass yy w whheenn hhee pprr eess eennttss tthhee bbaanndd w w iitthh aannootthheerr iinnss ttaall llm mee nntt ooff hhii ss ffaannttaa ssyy w woorr lldd??
OOuuttssii ddee ooff tthhee ffaa nnttaa ssyy w w oorr lldd ing. I don’t care if the catalyst CCoohheeee dd ccrr eeaa ttee ss ,, ccoonnnnee ccttiinngg w wii tthh comes about through words or a tthhee aa uuddii eennccee ii ss vvee rryy ii m mppoorr ttaa nntt ttoo chord from the guitar. yyoouu ii ssnn’’tt iitt?? II’’m m ss ttaarr ttiinngg ttoo uunnddeerr ssttaa nndd w whhyy When it comes down to it, I like yyoouurr ggrr oow wii nngg ffaa nn bbaass ee iiss ppaa ssss iioonn-muussii cc aanndd tthhee bbaanndd people to know that there’s an aattee aabboouutt tthhee m intimate side to all aspects of our iittssee llff.. music they can connect with. I want people to realize it’s not This band puts a lot of emotion some distant universe that they are into our music that we hope fans consistently hearing in the lyrics pick up on. We want people to
cept. A simple way of looking at this song is like this. You are happy to be with your loved ones. You’re driving around the street recalling the many things in life that have affected you. Whether it’s turmoil you survived, or joy experienced, it’s just luck you’re having that moment. Obviously there are more layers to the song than what I just described. There’s a real-time component to the dimensions of the fantasy world we’ve created.
YYoouurr m muuss iicc aall aa ccccoom mppll iiss hhm mee nnttss rr eem mii nndd m mee ooff tthhee ggrr eeaa tt ccoonncceepptt rr eeccoorr ddss ccrree aattee dd ii nn tthhee ‘‘7700ss.. AArrttii ssttss hhaadd ttoottaall ffrr eeee ddoom m ttoo cc rreeaa ttee.. TT hhee rr eeccoorr dd ccoom mppaanniiee ss w wee rree rr uunn bbyy ppeeooppll ee w whhoo aaccttuuaa llll yy lloovvee dd m muuss iicc.. DD oo yyoouu tthhii nnkk tthhee aaffff eecctt tthhee IInntteerr nneett hhaa ss hhaadd oonn tthhee m muussii cc ii nndduuss ttrryy tthhee ppaass tt ttee nn yyee aarr ss hhaass bbrr oouugghhtt bbaa cckk tthhaatt ‘‘ffrree eeddoom m ttoo ccrree -aa ttee’’ aattttiittuuddee ooff tthhee ‘‘7700ss tthhaa tt hhaass aa ll lloow w eedd CC oohheeee dd ttoo ffll oouurrii ss hh ii nn ttooddaayy’’ss eennvvii rroonnm meenntt??
This band has been thinking outside the box from the very beginning. Trust me, after all the albums we’ve created for Claudio’s fictional world, nothing is out of bounds for us. In fact, on the direction we took on Afterman: Descension, it was easier for Claudio to describe his fantasy adventure in words fans can understand. For instance, if he has the skeleton of a song written on an acoustic guitar, we are all going to add what we do and the music will be even more outside the box. When Josh returned to the fold, this band got bolder and even more adventurous with the music. It’s not like Josh stopped playing music the five years he was away. In fact, he has brought a new approach to how we should look at the music. Zack (Cooper) also plays an important role. He’s not only an incredible bass player, but someone you just like to hang out with. Those two bring a whole new perspective to the music and a train of thought we never would have thought of. Coheed is an example of group that has no fear of stretching the boundaries in whatever direction it chooses to go in.
CC llaa uuddii oo iiss tthhee uullttii m maa ttee iiddeeaa m maann wii tthh hhiiss iinnttrr iigguuii nngg uunniivvee rrss ee--ss iizz ee w tthheeoorr ii eess hhee w wrr ii tteess aa bboouutt.. TThhaatt maakk eess yyoouu,, iinn aa ssee nnssee ,, tthhee ddeettaaii ll m maann.. II ss iitt yy oouurr jj oobb ttoo hhuum m maannii zz ee tthhee ss ttoorr iiee ss CC ll aauuddii oo iiss tteell llii nngg w wii tthh tthhee and our music. There is real life llyy rrii ccss?? experience rooted in Claudio’s I do like to do that. When you are lyrics. There are items in every fortunate to work with a gifted song that people can relate to. I songwriter – and that’s exactly find that people will connect with what Claudio is – the challenge different parts of our songs and becomes bringing his work to life. ask us questions about the intent Claudio is really into it as well, of the song when they meet us. don’t get me wrong, but part of my Their interpretation may be way whole thing is I balance out his off, but if a particular section of artistic side. Even though the con- our music means that to them, cept is based in fantasy, my chal- that’s great and they should go lenge is to let our fans know I’m with that. Ultimately, we want out one of the guys wearing his heart songs to evoke an emotion and reaction out of whoever is listenon the sleeve. ENIGMA
On one hand it has, but on the other, all I can say is it has done a great deal of damage as well. Bands have to struggle a lot more and don’t sell records and CD’s like they used to. The Internet has turned this country into what I call the “A.D.D. nation”. Everything is at your fingertips. You can’t really elaborate musically these days without that nagging fear a person will turn you off with the click of a mouse and move on. If you take too much time to explain an album, people are going to quickly go looking elsewhere for music. Coheed is lucky to be a group that people like because of the fascinating concept that continuously runs through our music album after album.
actually think when they hear our music. For instance, on the song “Away We Go”, again from our last album, it started out with a riff I had. Then Claudio wrote all those words around it and built that one short riff turned into a fourminute song. I connected with that tune, not because the idea was sparked by something I had done with the guitar, but for what Claudio did lyrically. I know what he’s talking about, and the funny thing is it had nothing to do with its place in the overall album con-
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TThhee m muuss iicc pprrooggrree ssss ii vvee rroocckk bbaannddss ooff tthhee ‘‘7700ss ccrr eeaa tteedd hhaass ssttoooodd tthhee ttee sstt ooff ttii m mee bbeeccaauuss ee ppeeooppllee hhaadd ttoo pphhyyssii ccaall llyy ppuurrcchhaass ee tthhee pprroodduucctt,, rr eeaa dd ll iinnee rr nnootteess ,, ll ii ssttee nn ttoo tthhee muuss ii cc oovvee rr aanndd oovv eerr aa ggaaii nn.. m EE vveennttuuaall llyy,, tthhee iinnddii vviidduuaall bbeeccaam mee ppeerr ss oonnaa llll yy iinnvvee ssttee dd ii nn tthhee bbaanndd aa nndd tthhee m muuss ii cc,, aanndd ii tt ffoorrm mee dd aa ll iiffee -ll oonngg bboonndd bbee ttw w eeee nn aarr ttiiss tt aanndd ffaann.. IItt’’ss aa ddii ffffee rree nntt eexxppeerr iiee nnccee ttooddaayy.. I sometimes envy bands in the ‘70s because they had the benefit of an unexplored spectrum called FM radio in which to air their music. Bands back then could express themselves with no restrictions on time when it came to creating music. You just wrote the song
until you felt it was complete and the FM jockeys would put it on the airwaves. If you wanted to create a concept record, then you did. Today, if you tried to create music like they did forty years ago, you’d lose people instantly. Despite the negatives, the Internet is also an amazing vehicle as well. It enables you to do so many wonderful things. It’s a great tool on one hand, and a crippling one on the other. There’s an up and down side to everything, where the good is equaled by the bad. As for this band, the Internet allows us to explain our music and give people something extra to look forward to when they see us live. In all honesty, the timing of the Internet’s impact on the music business, plus Claudio’s fascination with comic books, came together perfectly for this band.
TThhee ggrr eeaattee sstt ss ii nnggllee cchhaa llll eennggee aannyy bbaanndd ffaaccee ss iiss m maaii nnttaaiinnii nngg aa rree llaa -ttiioonnss hhiipp w wiitthh iittss ffaannss aa llbbuum m aa ffttee rr aall bbuum m aaffttee rr aall bbuum m.. IInn aa llm moosstt aall ll ii nnss ttaannccee ss,, ppee ooppll ee oouuttggrroow w oorr jjuusstt moovvee oonn aa ffttee rr ss hhoow m wii nngg ii nnii ttiiaa ll ii nnttee rree sstt iinn aa ggrroouupp.. W Whhaatt iiss ffaass ccii -nnaattii nngg aabboouutt CCoohheeee dd iiss tthhee ffaa cctt yyoouu hhaavvee ccoonnvv iinnccee dd yyoouurr ffaa nn bbaa ssee tthhaatt waa llkk iinngg aaw w w aayy dduurr iinngg aannyy ppaa rrtt ooff tthhiiss jj oouurrnnee yy yy oouu’’rr ee ttaakk iinngg tthheem m oonn woouulldd bbee aa m w miiss ttaakk ee.. II tt w waa ss aa bbrrii ll -ll iiaa nntt m moovv ee w whhee tthheerr tthhee bbaann dd ii nnttee nnddeedd ffoorr tthhaatt ss cceennaa rrii oo ttoo hhaa pp-ppeenn oorr nnoott,, bbeeccaauuss ee iitt ddiidd.. That is a happy coincidence my friend. It also presents us with a tremendous challenge. Every album we create is literally, to be continued. That’s especially true when it comes to our double albums. We give our fans sonic cliffhangers, much like they do with scripted season-long television shows that end in dramatic fashion. You have popular programs that always leave you guessing what’s going to happen next so you will tune back in when they return the next season. That’s pretty much a blueprint for what we have done. Gripping people with curiosity is one of our favorite things to do. Some people call us a progressive metal band. Somehow, someway, Coheed has been able to incorporate a rock sound into the lyrical journey Claudio sees in this mythical universe he’s created.
BBeeccaa uuss ee aa llll yyoouurr aall bbuum mss aa rree ccoonn-cceeppttuuaall llyy bbaassee dd,, hhoow w ddii ffffiiccuulltt iiss iitt ffoorr tthhee bbaanndd ttoo ccrr eeaattee ss eett ll iiss ttss oonn ttoouurr tthhaa tt m maa kkee ss eennss ee ttoo yyoouu,, aa nndd
eess ppeecciiaa llll yy tthhee ffaannss .. II w w oouull dd tthhii nnkk In fact, we were really wrapped up tthhaa tt’’ss aa cchhaall llee nnggee aall ll oonnttoo ii ttssee llff.. writing an album when it came time to make the decision to resign Actually, it is not as difficult as you with Sony or move forward alone. might think. This goes back to what I was talking about when it comes W Whhaatt yyoouu jjuusstt ss aaii dd w w oouull dd hhaavvee mm mee nntt ffoorr aa to creating songs that stand on bbee eenn aann ii nnssaannee ccoom maakk ee aa tt tthhee ttuurrnn ooff tthhee their own within the overall con- bbaa nndd ttoo m cept of the record they’re on. We cceennttuurryy,, bbee ccaauussee bbaannddss jj uusstt ddiidd w aall kk aa w waayy ffrroom m aa ll aabbee ll ccoonn-pick songs that we think are going nnoott w to be received the best by the ttrr aacctt ttoo ggoo tthhee ii nnddee ppeennddeenntt rr oouuttee .. audience then base the set list TTooddaa yy,, ii tt ii ss nnoo bbiigg ddee aall .. TT hhee around that. For our current tour, IInnttee rrnneett m maayy ll eeaa vvee aa bbaadd ttaa ssttee ii nn moouutthh aa tt ttiim mee ss,, bbuutt iitt ccee rrttaa iinn-there’s a running concept through- yyoouurr m
out the show. We chose songs we thought people would want to hear. Then we lined them up perfectly to segue from album to album in our catalog. There’s also a visual component we incorporated into the show as well. This tour is the most visually stunning we’ve ever taken on the road. Our set designs are always created with the fans in mind. We also take into account that for some people in the audience, they’ve never heard of Coheed and Cambria and this is their first exposure to us.
TThhee ccoonnttiinnuuii ttyy CC oohhee eedd hhaa ss m maa iinn -ttaaii nnee dd w wii tthh tthhee ss ttoorr yyttee ll llii nngg tthhrr oouugg hhoouutt yy oouurr aa llbbuum m ccaattaa lloogg hhaa ss aall lloow wee dd tthhee bbaanndd ttoo m maa iinnttaa iinn ttoottaa ll ccoonnttrrooll oovveerr ii ttss ccaarr eeee rr.. II’’m m ccuurr iioouuss aass ttoo w whhyy tthhee bbaa nndd ddeeccii ddeedd ttoo eenndd iittss rr eell aattii oonnss hhiipp w wiitthh SSoonnyy aa fftteerr tthhee rree llee aass ee ooff tthhee YYeeaa rr ooff tthhee BBllaa cckk RRaaiinnbboow w .. TThhee AAffttee rrm maann rr eeccoorrddii nnggss aappppeeaarr ttoo bbee rr eell eeaa ssee dd oonn aa nn IInnddii ee llaa bbee ll.. W Whhaatt’’ss ggooii nngg oonn?? Our contract was up with Sony. We could have renewed, or renegotiated with the label, but we decided that instead of going through the process, it would be better if we went the independent route to self-release our music. It’s worked out better for us. Listen, we had absolutely no problem with Sony. ENIGMA
Wait a minute. I never walked away from Claudio.
TThhiiss cchhaarr tt ssaa yyss yyoouu w w eerr ee ggoonnee ffrr oom m 11 999977 ttoo 11 999999.. That’s when we were kids and playing in different bands. I have been in Coheed and Cambria since its inception.
OOnnee ooff tthhee m mooss tt ddii ffffii ccuulltt tthhiinnggss aa muussii cciiaa nn w m wii llll ee vveerr eennccoouunntteerr ii nn hhiiss ccaa rree eerr ii ss ffii nnddiinngg ootthhee rr m muuss iiccii aannss ttoo ppeerr ffoorr m m w w iitthh.. W Whhaatt w waass tthhee moom m meenntt w whheerr ee yyoouu rree aall iizz eedd tthhaa tt w iitthh CC llaa uuddii oo,, yyoouu ccoouulldd bbuuii lldd aa w rr ee llaa ttii oonnss hhiipp,, ll ee aarr nn tthhee ggaa m mee,, aa ddjj uusstt ttoo cchhaannggee aa nndd ccoonnttii nnuuee ttoo rr ii sskk w w hhee nn ii tt cc aam mee ttoo ccrr eeaa ttii nngg muussii cc?? m
Honestly, the two of us have been doing this since we were 13 years old. For better or worse, we have been locked together. No matter what we’ve been through, the two of us have always created something interesting. That is what matters in the end, creating something you’re proud of and then look at each knowing you did something very cool. That’s our payoff. llyy hhaa ss llee vveell eedd tthhee ppll aayy iinngg ffii eell dd tthhaatt Claudio and I are so close, we’re aallll oow wss yyoouu ttoo ddoo w w hhaa tteevvee rr yyoouu llii kkee almost like siblings. To a degree muuss iiccaa llll yy w m w iitthhoouutt bbeeii nngg ddiiccttaa tteedd we are brothers. ttoo.. IItt’’ss vvee rryy ddiiffffii ccuull tt ffoorr aa bbaanndd ttoo ccrree -Record companies can’t back aa ttee aa nnii cchhee ffoorr ii ttssee llff ii nn m muussii cc,, llee tt bands financially the way they aa lloonnee m maa iinnttaa iinn aa nndd nnuurr ttuurr ee oonnee used to. They certainly can’t afford ffoorr aa ss lloonngg aass CC oohheeeedd aanndd CCaa m mbbrr iiaa to fund a promising band to devel- hhaass .. O Onnccee yyoouu ss ttaa rrttee dd oonn tthhiiss ccoonn-op them. Those days are over. The ccee pptt jjoouurrnnee yy,, w whheenn ddii dd yyoouu ffuull llyy day of the platinum album is uunnddeerr ss ttaanndd tthhee rree w w oouull dd bbee nnoo almost over. People will download ttuurrnnii nngg bbaacckk ffrroom m tthhee rr ooaadd yyoouu a song before they purchase the w w eerree oonn?? overall record. The main source of revenue for a band these days it I suspected something like that touring. We’re fortunate Coheed was going on with the recording of can make money when we go on the In Keeping Secrets album. tour. It allows us to work outside When we started work on Good the realm of a record company and Apollo, Claudio had made the comliterally be self-sufficient. We mitment to really dive into the stomake our own decisions and live ryline he had created. The possiwith them – good or bad. I will say bilities were endless and it was that Sony never dictated to this then I knew there was no turning band. They were very open and back. And away we went. good to us. They took a gamble that Claudio’s concept approach CC oohhee eedd hhaass aa cchhii eevv eedd aann eexxttrr aaoorrddii -would work. On the other side of nnaa rryy m muuss iiccaa ll aa cchhii eevvee m meenntt nnoott ss eeee nn the coin, there are a lot of labels ii nn tthhee m muuss iicc bbuuss ii nneess ss ssii nnccee tthhee running scared these days. It’s ddaayy ss ooff PPii nnkk FFllooyy dd.. M Moosstt aa rrttii ssttss complicated what’s happened to ttooddaayy bbeell iiee vvee tthhaa tt ii nn oorrddee rr ttoo hhaavvee the music industry. aa ggrr oow wii nngg ccaa rree eerr ,, tthhee yy nnee eedd ttoo ss eeee tthhee llaa nnddss ccaappee tthhrroouugghh tthhee aa uuddii -LLooookk iinngg aatt tthhee ttiim mee llii nnee ooff yyoouurr ee nncceess ’’ eeyy eess .. YY oouu hhaavvee m maaddee ffaannss bbaa nndd,, yyoouu w waall kk eedd aaw w aayy ffrr oom mw woorrkk -- ss eeee tthhee m muussii cc tthhrr oouugghh yy oouurr eeyyee ss,, iinngg w w iitthh CCll aauuddiioo ffoorr aa tthhrr eeee--yy eeaarr w w hhii cchh iiss aa rr eem maa rrkk aabbllee ffeeaa tt iinn ii ttssee llff.. ppee rrii oodd iinn tthhee llaa ttee ‘‘9900ss aa nndd tthheenn ccaa m mee bbaacckk .. W Whhyy?? Thanks, that’s a great compliment.
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IItt’’ss aa ttoouugghh ee nnvvii rroonnm meenntt oouutt tthheerr ee and I build it from there. Bridges ttoo bbee aann aarrttii sstt nnoow waa ddaa yyss .. between songs are sometimes built conceptually from sound. If you want to talk about music being dicI know it is. tated by what’s going on within the HHaavvee yyoouu ddee vveell ooppee dd aa nnyy kk iinndd ooff story Claudio has written, there’s a ss yyssttee m m ttoo hhee llpp yyoouu ccrr eeaa ttee m muuss iicc lot of passages leading there. That ffoorr tthhee ssee ee ppiicc ss ttoorryy ll iinnee ss tthhaatt is very important and was especially significant with the Afterman CC llaa uuddii oo ii ss pprree ssee nnttiinngg ttoo yy oouu?? projects. However, I shouldn’t It’s impossible to do anything like downplay the importance that that. Like I said earlier, a song may process has played in all our come from a guitar riff or the records to date. I hope I answered skeleton of a song may turn into your question. something completely different Ass tthhee bbaanndd ddeell vveess ffuurrtthheerr ii nnttoo tthhii ss once the whole band gets a hold of A it. There is no formula for inspira- aall tteerr nnaa ttiivvee uunniivvee rrss ee CC llaa uuddii oo hhaa ss tion. It strikes at the strangest of ccrree aatteedd,, yyoouu pprroobbaabbllyy ggeett ppee ooppll ee m oouutt ooff times. I don’t think any of us real- ppiicckk iinngg uupp aa CC oohhee eedd aall bbuum m oonn tthhii ss ly know where a song is going once ssee qquuee nnccee aanndd ll oossee tthhee m we get a hold of it. You would be iinnttee rrss tteell llaarr jj oouurr nneeyy tthhee bbaanndd ii ss H oow w ddooee ss amazed at some of the ways songs ttaakk iinngg iittss ddii ee--ffaannss oonn.. H tthhee bbaa nndd aa ccccoouunntt ffoorr tthhaatt ffaaccttoorr?? have been created by this band. CC oonnccee pptt aall bbuum mss aarr ee jjuuss tt iiddee aass uunnttii ll tthhee m muussii cc bbrr iinnggss tthhee w woorr ddss ttoo llii ffee.. Whhaatt aarr ee yyoouurr tthhoouugghhttss aa bboouutt W bbrr eeaa tthhii nngg ll iiffee ii nnttoo tthhee ll yyrr ii ccss CC llaa uuddii oo w w rrii tteess ?? LLeett’’ss ffaaccee ii tt,, w whhaa tt-eevv eerr hhee ppuuttss ddoow w nn oonn aa ppii eeccee ooff ppaappeerr aa rree jj uuss tt w woorr ddss uunnttii ll iitt ii ss aaccccoom mppaannii eedd bbyy ss oouunndd..
That question only comes in to play if people are paying close attention to the lyrics in the songs. The four of us always want to make sure that every single track on an album can stand on its own within the concept itself. We’ve always felt it was important that the listener connect with the music and the lyrics. We want to make sure our fans are not overwhelmed to the point that the overall recording is bigger than the songs themselves. If you are overpowering people musically, then you’re going to lose them and we don’t want that to happen.
I want you to understand that we care about every song we release on a record. I know Claudio cares about the lyrics. His job is especially difficult at times because he’s juggling the storylines as well. What I, Josh and Zack do is bring balance to the words with music. That’s our job. Josh and Zack lay a w oorr lldd foundation and a groove that’s CCll aauuddiioo hhaa ss ccrree aatteedd qquuii ttee aa w going to carry the song. Claudio ffoorr tthhee bbaa nndd ttoo eexxppll oorree !!
That’s why we don’t want anyone to feel lost. That was the beauty of some of the great bands of the ‘70s who created concept recordings. You mentioned Pink Floyd. They never wrote hit singles, they wrote entire albums and individual songs were pulled from those recordings and turned into singles. There’s no doubt that some of their songs are really overbearing unless you are a real fan of the music. Whhaa tt hhaass CC oohheeee dd aanndd CC aa m W mbbrr ii aa ttaa kkee nn ffrr oom m tthhaatt eerr aa ooff ccoonnccee ppttuuaall -iizz eedd m muuss iicc?? I’d like to think we have a great pop sensibility and know a really good hook. Also, some of our music is just four minutes long. They are easy for people to connect with and fall in love with what they are hearing. Those types of songs are just as important to us as the eight-minute compositions we write that have so many movements in them. That’s how we keep a balance so none of our albums overwhelm people. The truth of the matter is we love to create any type of music we can. A song of ours that has a Police influence, or even a Talking Heads type of influence, is going to be just as important to us as a very long-winded King Crimson type piece. If you look at Pink Floyd, they had a lot of songs that went straight to the point, yet they were all tied together to create this confluent album based on a single concept. The music had hooks, it flowed, and the songs captured people’s imaginations. Like I said earlier, Pink Floyd didn’t write singles, they wrote complete albums. That’s what great musicians do. - David Huff
1. My Morning Jacket 2. Beck 3. Jason Isbell 4. Dawes 5. Ben Folds 6. Albert Hammond Jr 7. Grace Potter 8. Good Old War 9. Muse 10. Modest Mouse 11. Michael Franti & Spearhead 12. Courtney Barnett 13. They Might Be Giants 14. Frank Turner 15. Langhorne Slim And The Law 16. Brandi Carlile 17. Blinddog Smokin' 18. Nick Lutsko 19. Tame Impala 20. Florence and The Machine
ADVENTURE PICKS 1. Coheed and Cambria 2. Hippo Campus 3. Michael Grimm
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Chicago Becoming A Hard Habit to Break The numbers speak for themselves. The Chicago Transit Authority, i.e. Chicago, formed in the apartment of college student Walt Parazaider in 1967, is one of the longest, most successful rock groups in music history. Second only to the Beach Boys in hit singles and album chart success among American bands, this ‘horny’ rock and roll band charted more singles in the ‘70s than any of their contemporaries during that time. Considering how legendary that era of music was in the annals of rock, Chicago’s accomplishments were simply extraordinary by any standards. To date, they have sold over 38 million albums worldwide that includes a dazzling library of 22 gold albums, 18 platinum discs and eight multiplatinum recordings. The group has also notched five No. 1 albums and charted 21 Top Ten singles. In a word, Chicago’s success the past 48
years has been nothing short of James Pankow, trumpet player Lee After the untimely death of Kath, breathtaking. Loughnane, keyboardist Robert Chicago went through a three-year Lamm and bassist Peter Cetera. transition period that saw producer David Foster introduced to the band, a new management team put in place, and R&B singer Bill Champlin added to the band. The moves, which also included the band forming their own label in conjunction with Warner Bros., not only shifted the group’s sound toward a more commercial bent, it literally turned them into superstars once again. Unfortunately, success would cost them dearly. Peter Cetera, who thought his career would best be served as a solo artist, left the band in 1985. For reasons still not clear today, Seraphine was voted out of the band in 1990. The framework of Chicago was iniToday, the horns still remain as tially formed around Parazaider, does the “Saturday in the Park” guitarist Terry Kath, drummer songwriter Lamm. Terry Kath died The past aside, today Chicago is Danny Seraphine, trombonist in 1978 from an accidental gunshot.
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more than just a core group of survivors. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may not think this iconic group with timeless music is worthy of admission, but that ignorance is their loss. When you can still fill major halls and amphitheaters after 48 years on the road, that vote of confidence by the public can’t be ignored, no matter how you count the ballots. No matter how you look at it, this highly regarded musical institution really has become a ‘hard habit to break’.
yyoouurr ggrr oouupp.. DDooeess ii tt yyoouu ssoom mee -- eerraa ttiioonnss.. ttiim meess ?? When you see a person ut their Waa lltt PPaarraa zzaa iiddeerr -- Every once in a arm around their girlfriend or wife, W while, you sit back from painting and you know they are thinking the picture, look at it and go, about a time in their life when the “Whew, what a wonderful thing we song we’re playing meant a lot to have been allowed to do.” My them, that’s special. The payoff father was a 6-6’ trumpet player. every time is the smiles we see in He told me one time that if you’re the crowd. I have to tell you, for complaining about having a gig for me, Chicago is an amazing feat any length of time, I’m going to we’ve been able perpetuate over take you to doctor and have your an amazing span of time. We work head examined. My wife says the hard, we love what we do, and same thing. She’s put up with me most of all we enjoy one another’s for 45 years. When I’m grumbling a company. The four original memlittle bit about the band, she stops bers out of the six still in the band me and says, “Be grateful!” To me, – Robert Lamm, Lee Loughlane, Chicago is sort of an anomaly, and Jimmy Pankow and myself – you a phenomena, we’ve been able to know, it’s a family. Sometimes we continue year after year. For us to fight, but most of the times we all still be able to go out and express agree we have this great love for ourselves and make people happy music, and love what we do. There with the music we play, it really is isn’t a day that doesn’t go by where I don’t say, “Thank You!” remarkable.
II w waass ii nnttee rrvvii eew w iinngg tthhiiss yyoouunngg rroocckk bbaanndd tthhee ootthheerr ddaayy ,, aanndd II ssaa iidd ttoo tthheem m,, ““II ’’vvee bbee eenn oobbss eerrvv iinngg aa nndd wrr iittii nngg aa bboouu tt tthhee m w muu ssii cc bbuu ss iinneess ss ffoorr 3333 yyee aarrss ..”” NN oow w hh eerr ee II aam m ss ppee aakk -iinngg w wii tthh yyoouu,, tthh ee gguuyy w whh oo ffoorr m mee dd CC hhii ccaaggoo iinn 11 996677.. TT ooddaa yy,, yyoouu aarree oonn ttoouurr ppeerr ffoorrm miinngg ffoorr nnoott oonnee,, nnoott ttw woo,, bbuu tt ssttaa rrttii nngg yyoouurr tthhii rrdd ggee nneerr -aattii oonn ooff aauuddiieennccee ss.. IItt ttaakk eess m myy IItt m muusstt bbee nniiccee ttoo kknnoow w tthhee m muuss iicc IItt iiss rr eem maarr kkaa bbll ee w whhoo w w eell ll tthhee bbaanndd bbrr eeaa tthh aa w waa yy w w hh eennee vvee rr II tthh ii nnkk yyoouu ccrree aatteedd rree aall llyy ddooee ss ssppaann ggeenn -- hhaa ss aaddaa pptteedd ttoo aall ll tthh ee ffoorr m maatt aabboouutt tthhee iinnccrr eeddiibbll ee lloonnggeevvii ttyy ooff cchh aannggee ss ii nn tthh ee m muuss iicc bbuussii nnee ssss tthhrr oouugghhoouutt yyoouurr hhii ssttoorryy.. II’’m m ccuurr ii-oouuss ,, ddii dd yyoouurr cchhiill ddrr eenn,, oorr ee vveenn tthhee ggrr aannddkk iiddss,, ccoom mee iinn hhaa nnddyy w whhee nn tthh ee IInnttee rr nneett aaggee rr eevvooll uuttii oonniizz ee dd tthhee muu ssii cc bbuu ssii nneess ss ss iinnccee tthh eeyy llii tteerraa llll yy m
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ggrr eew w uupp ii nn ii tt?? Well, it’s funny thing when you are talking about the Internet. We have a pretty good online presence with our website. With the advent of the Internet, it’s another way for us to express ourselves. It’s a great way for us to test out new music. We’re getting ready to do a compilation Christmas album of the different Christmas songs we’ve done over the years. It is a changing world, and I’m not going to tell you I’m the genius with a computer. I had a techno phobia until my wife backed me into a corner and forced me into getting an iPhone. My children grew up with what’s going on.
SSoo hhaass tthhii ss nneew w ffrr oonnttiieerr tthhee m muussii cc bbuussii nneessss w waass ddrraaggggee dd ii nnttoo bbeeee nn rr eew waa rrddiinngg?? I can sum that question up this way. A few years back, we were playing in New Jersey before about 20,000. I saw a kid in the audience that couldn’t have been more than 15 years old. We were playing, “Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?” Now if we do the math on this young man, I think we can go back
the three generations you were talking about. I just had to know why he was there. After the song, I walked to the front of the stage and said, “Hey dude!” He came over to me and said, “What?” I go, “How do you know this music?” I mean, his parents may not have even been a twinkle in their parent’s eyes when we wrote that song. He goes, “Well, my parents listened to the music, and I had an older brother who turned me on to you. I checked it out on YouTube and I really like your older stuff.” That about says it all! I’m not here to judge what others have done, but to have survived all the trends we have, it comes down to this. Good music is simply, good music and it talks to people no matter how old they are.
FFoorr bbaannddss ooff yyoouurr ss ttaa ttuurr ee,, aa nndd II tthhiinnkk tthhii ss ii ss eess ppee cciiaa llllyy ppooii ggnnaanntt ii nn ttooddaa yy’’ss uunnssee ttttllii nngg w w oorr lldd ooff m muuss iicc,, tthheerree ccoom mee ss aa ppooiinntt iinn aa bbaanndd’’ss ccaarr eeee rr w whh eerr ee pprr oottee ccttiinngg tthhee bbrr iill -llii aanntt ppoorr ttii oonnss ooff tthhee iirr rr eeccoorrddii nngg ccaarr eeee rr iiss m moorr ee iim mppoorrttaanntt tthh aann ccrree -aattii nngg nneew w m muuss iicc.. A Att aannyy ppooii nntt ii nn tthhee ppaass tt,, hhaass tthhee bbaanndd eevv eerr ggrruuddgg-iinnggll yy ffeell tt tthhaa tt w waayy,, ppeerrhh aappss oonn tthh ee CC hhii ccaaggoo 3300 aanndd 3322 aall bbuum mss,, oorr ddii dd ii ff ffiirr ee yyoouu uupp iinnss ttee aadd ttoo pprroovvee ccrrii ttii ccss wrr oonngg?? w With all the hits we’ve been fortunate to make, I’d have to be pretty cavalier to say, “you know what, I want another ten hit records!’ We have never approached songwriting that way. This band was scared stiff with every album we made. We thought, “Let’s try and make some music that we believe in, we want to put on record, and most importantly, enjoy playing for people.” Personally, I’m happy when an established artist has a hit long after it was thought they had run out of steam. With 30 and 32, in my opinion, those albums were hits in my eyes. It didn’t have to register on the charts because at that time, that was the best music written by Chicago, and our best performances. That has been the philosophy of the band after every single album, no matter what point of our career we were in at the time of the release. There are two things this group works really hard on - performance and the music we create. If we felt that either one of those elements were evening themselves
out, or leveling off, we’d step back were swept out the door. We saw that happening and decided to be and reassess what we are doing. TThh ee ss aadd tthh iinngg W Waa lltt iiss tthhiiss .. EEvveenn iiff the masters of our own fate. When CChh ii ccaa ggoo rr eeaall llyy nnaaii llee dd ii tt w wii tthh aann we left Columbia, Chicago started aall bbuu m m aanndd yyoouu ddee llii vveerr eedd ssoom mee -- its own record company. We tthhii nngg ppooss iittii vveell yy aa dduu lltt aanndd w woonnddee rr -- thought if a label showed an artist ffuull ,, iiss aannyyoonnee ggooiinngg ttoo ccaa rree tthh eess ee the door, we’d see if there was ddaa yyss?? TT hhee II nntteerr nnee tt hh aass ooppeennee dd uupp something we could do with them. maannyy ppoorrttaa llss ffoorr ppeeooppll ee ttoo oobbttaa iinn Turns out we were successful doing m that. Label executives would say we muuss iicc.. TT ooddaayy ii tt’’ss aa rr eeaall ffii gghhtt oouutt m tthhee rree ffoorr bbaannddss ttoo bbee hhee aarrdd.. TT hhaa tt’’ss must have a tremendous staff working these artists. The truth aa nneew w rr eeaall iittyy aass aa jjoouu rrnnaa llii sstt II’’m m ssttii llll hh aavv iinngg ttrroouu bbll ee ccoom mii nngg ttoo ggrrii ppss was, we had a guy manning the phones, taking orders and that was wiitthh ttooddaayy .. w it. That’s how we sold the stuff. I think you’re right. There’s a lot of That system made labels nervous, music out there, some of it good, a because our success showed other lot of it bad. Back in days of The groups there was another way. Beatles, you had music that 90 per- Suddenly, you had artists insist cent of it wasn’t so hot, and ten they should own their own prodpercent that was really great. ucts. Labels, however, resisted and Today, I thoroughly believe there is stuck to the old ways. It was nearroom out there for good music. As ly their undoing. Last week, I saw far as how it gets delivered, that’s an artist go No. 1 on the charts and another story. If you speak to they only sold 160,000 units. The record company executives or next artist sold 60, 000. My point is social media people, the music this. The days where a band went business is in a state of flux. gold or platinum is pretty much BBaacckk ii nn tthhee ddaa yyss w whh ee nn CC hh iiccaaggoo over now. ccoom mppii lleedd ffiivvee N N oo.. 11 aa llbbuu m mss ,, 2211 ttoopp W Waall tt,, tthh eerree iiss ss oom mee tthhii nngg ttoo bbee ssaa iidd TT eenn SSiinn ggllee ss aa nndd 2255 ppll aa ttiinn uum m aabboouu tt m muu ssii cc tthhaa tt ddooeess nn’’tt hh aavvee aa aall bbuum mss,, rreeccoorr dd ccoom mppaanniiee ss ccaa rreedd vviiss uuaa ll ccoom mppoonneenntt ttoo ss eell ll tthh ee ggooooddss .. aabboouutt tthhee m muuss ii cc aann dd nnuurr ttuu rr iinngg aarr ttiiss ttss ffoorr aa ll oonngg ttee rrm m ccaa rree eerr .. TTooddaayy,, aarrttii sstt ddeevv eellooppm meenntt hh aass ll iitt -eerr aallll yy bbeeeenn rr eeppllaa cceedd w wiitthh YYoouu TTuu bbee ddee vveell ooppm mee nntt.. YY oouu hh aavvee bbeeee nn aann oobbss eerr vveerr aanndd ppaarr ttiiccii ppaa nntt ii nn tthhii ss bbuuss iinneess ss ffoorr oovveerr 5500 yyeeaarr ss.. HH oow w ddoo yyoouu aass ssee ssss tthhee oovvee rraa llll ii nndduuss ttrryy?? I saw it starting to turn into and entirely different direction around the turn of the millennium. Here’s the thing. When we started out at Columbia in the late ‘60s, they had Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel and Janis Joplin. Now those artists might not sell a ton of albums every time they put out a record, but the executives stood behind the artists and the people in the field believed in them as well. As time went by, and I’d say this was around the time Madonna hit, all the sudden record company attitudes changed. When some type of hot music trend hit, labels had scouts scouring the country looking for performers to plug into that next big thing. Basically, record companies would throw ten artists against the wall. If one stuck, that’s the artist they’d put their promotion money behind. The other nine ENIGMA
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IItt aall lloow wss tthhee ll iiss tteenneerr ttoo ccrr eeaattee tthhee iirr oow w nn ss cceennaa rr iioo w w iitt hh tt hhee m muuss iicc,, w hhee rreeaa ss vvii ssuu aall tteennddss ttoo ddii ccttaattee.. w CC hhiiccaaggoo,, ttoo m mee,, hh aass aa llw waa yyss bbeeee nn ss uubbss ttaannccee oovveerr m maa tttteerr.. H Haa ss tthhaa tt bbeeee nn tthhee gglluuee tthhaa tt’’ss kk eepptt tthhee bbaanndd vvii aabbllee oovvee rr tthhee ddeeccaaddeess ?? I think so. Great music wins out every time, I don’t care when it was written. Listening to music on a record is still an experience to a lot of people. You have to be adaptable in this business. We had our greatest success as a band selling records during the ‘80s because we were willing to change. We even did videos when MTV hit. But here was the thing back then. Many acts became video stars with one catchy song. They disappeared because they didn’t have the music in them to sustain a long-term career.
PPee ooppll ee aarr ee aatttteennddiinngg yyoouurr sshhoow wss w iitthh tthh ee D w Doooobbii ee BBrr ootthheerr ss nnoott ttoo ll ooookk ffoorr w waarr dd,, W Waa lltt,, bbuutt bbaacckk ttoo aa ttii m mee iinn tthhee iirr m miinnddss w w hhee nn tthhee yy w wee rree tthhiinn,, tthhee ss kkii nn w waa ss ssm mooootthh aa nndd tthhee iirr hhooppee ss aa nndd ddrr eeaam mss w weerr ee aa lliivv ee.. D D oo yyoouu ffuull llyy uunnddee rrss ttaanndd hhoow w ii m mppoorr -ttaanntt ii tt ii ss ffoorr CC hhiiccaaggoo ttoo ssttii llll bbee oouutt
tthh eerree ddooii nngg w w hhaa tt ii tt ddooeess ttooddaayy?? Yes I do. From the Internet messages we receive, through letters that I get, people we meet at shows, I know how important this band is to people. We often hear how our music helped get them through the worst part of their lives with our seventh album, or the fourth, you name it. The late Dick Clark said it best. Music is really the soundtrack to our lives. Chicago is perpetuating that soundtrack, and like I said earlier, it’s become a way of life for us. We started out as kids, and we are going to finish this going out kicking and screaming into the night with the greatest blasts of music we can.
TT hhii ss iiss kkii nndd ooff aa llooaaddeedd qquueess ttiioonn,, bbuutt ddoo tthhee m mee m mbbee rrss ooff CChhiiccaa ggoo nneeee dd ttoo aaggee bbeetttteerr tthhaann ii ttss aa uuddii -eennccee ddooee ss.. IIff yyoouu ss uuccccuum mbb ttoo ooll dd aaggee ,, tthhaa tt m meeaannss tthh eeyy hh aavvee ttoooo.. II woouu lldd tthh iinnkk iitt’’ss qquuii ttee aa rree ssppoonnssii bbiill -w iittyy ttoo kk nnoow w yyoouu ’’rree tthh ee bbee sstt hhooppee ooff kk eeeeppii nngg w whh oo tthhee yy oonnccee w w eerr ee aall iivvee ..
question. You just made a statement that has quite a bit if truth written into it. I’ll tell you very frankly, I’m 67 years old. My dad was 89 when he laid the horn down because he couldn’t play gigs any more. He continued to perform for his own enjoyment until he passed at 91. Truth be told, we are kids at heart. No one is being rolled out onto the stage. We aren’t moving slowly around on gold-plated walkers. I like the fact we’re playing, as you said, for our third generation. It makes us feel good that young people appreciate our music and performances. We are out there giving 110 percent and having a great time doing it. That’s the way we’ve played our shows for 45 years. If we can keep the hope alive for those people in the audience to be young for those two hours, fantastic! I want people in our audience to plug into us and go back in time. I want our audience to retain the emotions they go through watching us so they’ll come back and see us again when we come through. Then we’ll give them another shot of our music and the positive energy we have.
Well, I don’t think that is a loaded
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II tthhii nnkk JJii m mm myy BBuuffffee tttt hhaa ss ggoott iitt rriigghhtt w w iitthh hhiiss ggooll ddee nn rr uull ee ooff aall w waayyss ppee rrffoorrm mii nngg hh ii ss ““BBii gg 88”” ,, w whh eenn oonn ttoouurr.. IIff yyoouu’’rr ee ggooii nngg ttoo ppll aayy yyeeaarr aafftteerr yyeeaa rr aatt tthhiiss ss ttaaggee ooff tthhee ggaam mee ,, tthhee rree aa rree ccee rrttaa iinn nnuum mbbee rrss yyoouu sshhoouull dd nnoott llee aavv ee oouutt.. DDoo yyoouu uunnddeerr ssttaanndd hhii ss pphhiill ooss oopphhyy?? Yes I do, I really do. There are certain Chicago songs people want to hear that if we didn’t play them, we would get tar and feathered. Those particular tunes will always be incorporated into the show. There will also be other things during our two hours on stage that might not be as recognizable, but will be enjoyable to listen to. We know people pay good money to hear certain songs. Along the way, we like to give them a musical education - the Chicago way - on other songs we feel deserve their attention as well. It’s a win / win situation all the way around.
HHee rree’’ss oonnee tthhii nngg aabboouutt ss uuccccee ssss ffuull ggrr oouuppss II hhaa vvee yyeett ttoo uunnddee rrss ttaanndd,, eevveenn ttoo tthhii ss ddaayy .. W Whhaa tt iiss tthhaatt ggnnaa w wss aa tt ss iinnggee rrss w w hhee rree tthh eeyy ffee eellss tthhii ss iinncceess ssaa nntt uurrggee ttoo w waall kk aaw waa yy
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ffrr oom m aa ssii ttuuaattii oonn tthheeyy w weerr ee iinnss ttrruu-meennttaa ll ii nn bbuu iill ddiinngg?? II tt nneevveerr w m woorr kkss oouutt ii nn tthhee ee nndd.. NN ootthhii nngg aa ggaaiinnss tt PPee ttee CCee ttee rraa ,, bbuutt yy oouu’’rr ee hhee rree ppllaa yy-ii nngg aam mpphhii tthhee aatteerr ss,, aanndd II hh aavvee nnoo ccll uuee w whh eerree hhee iiss ttooddaayy .. H Haa vvee yyoouu ee vveerr rr eeaa llll yy ffii gguurr eedd oouutt w whh aatt w waass bbootthhee rrii nngg PPeettee ssoo m muu cchh tthhaa tt hhee hh aadd ttoo w waall kk aaw w aayy ffrroom m CChh iiccaa ggoo?? To be candid with you Dave, I really don’t think Pete was happy in the band. Whether you have a group of people you are playing cards with, or even softball, in our case it was music. I don’t want to keep somebody in a band that’s unhappy. He wanted to go out on his own and try and have success. We all figured why have a person who is going to be, and this is not on purpose, but who is going to be a negative force. He just didn’t want to be part of Chicago anymore. I wondered about his decision because it didn’t make any Midwestern sense. It was a real puzzlement at the time because the whole unit worked so well together. Pete’s a fine singer, and in that sense, I can see him wanting to try something different. The thing is he wasn’t inhibited by us from doing a
solo record.
II bbeell iiee vvee ssee llll iinngg 1100 m miill llii oonn aall bbuum mss iinn tthhrreeee yy eeaarr ss w wee nntt ttoo hhii ss hhee aadd.. II aall ssoo tthhiinnkk PPeettee ffeell tt tthhee rr eesstt ooff tthhee bbaanndd w w aass w w eeiigghh ii nngg hh iim m ddoow w nn.. All of us had done something outside the band. In my case and the horns, we had done things for Elton John and Barry Gordy’s Motown acts over the years. Nothing stopped us from doing activities outside of the band. Exposing ourselves to other types of artists, whether it was R&B or Elton’s music for instance, brought that experience back to the band. We’d come back refreshed with a new attitude toward music. Even Robert recorded some solo albums. Here’s the thing. We all made a pact when we started Chicago. As long as you made the band priority, go ahead and do whatever extra curricular activity you want.
CC hhii ccaaggoo hhaass bbeeee nn vvee rryy ccaarr eeffuull ttoo pprree ssee rrvvee tthhee iinnttee ggrrii ttyy ooff tthhee nnaam mee aanndd iittss m muuss iicc.. N N oo ee xx--m mee m mbbee rrss aa rree rr uunnnnii nngg aa bboouutt ttoouurr ii nngg uunnddeerr aa ppss eeuuddoo--CC hhiicc aaggoo bbaannnnee rr .. W W hh aa tt meeaass uu rree ss hh aavv ee yy oouu ttaa kkee nn ttoo pprree -m ss eerrvv ee ppee aaccee iinn tthhee vvaa llll eeyy iinn tthhaa tt rr eeggaa rrddss ss oo nnoo ssppll ii nntteerr ffaaccttii oonnss ccoouull dd ooccccuurr?? You should also add what has the band done to make sure the logo stayed intact as well.
II’’m m ttaallkk iinngg m moorr ee aa bboouu tt m maakk iinngg ss uurree aa BBee aacchh BBooyyss ss iitt uuaa ttii oonn nnee vvee rr ooccccuurr rree dd.. I have to tell you there are groups in Europe - I don’t want to mention names – that are dealing with that stuff right now. These are big groups that have splintered off into different factions where maybe a name member has gone in one direction from the main body. There are even groups touring today that don’t even have any of the original members performing with them. Very honestly, the situation has happened to us. We had to send out a cease and desist order.
YYoouu ddii dd aa ggoooodd jjoobb ooff kk eeee ppiinngg iinn OOvv eerr tt hhee yyee aarr ss,, II hhaavv ee ggrr oow wnn qquuii eett,, bbee ccaauussee II nneevveerr hheeaa rrdd oonnee iinnccrree aass iinnggll yy w waa rryy ooff bbaa nnddss aanndd woorrdd ooff aa ss ppllii nnttee rr CC hhii ccaaggoo bbaa nndd.. w aarr ttiiss ttss tthh aa tt gg eett tthh eem m ss ee llvv eess iinnvvoollvv eedd w wii tthh ppooll iittiiccss .. II’’vvee aall ssoo ggoott-ttee nn rree aall llyy ppii ssss eedd ooffff aatt tthhee m muu ss ii-Well, we don’t ever talk about it. ccii aannss w w hhoo jjuu ss tt hh aavvee ttoo tteell ll tthh ee We’ve also had to keep an eye on w woorrll dd w w hhaa tt tthhee iirr ssee xxuu aall oorr iiee nnttaattiioonn our logo. It has been infringed iiss .. W W hh eenn II llooookk aa tt CC hhii ccaaggoo,, yyoouurr upon. There was a nationwide ggrr oouupp iiss tthh ee ssttaannddaarr dd bbeeaarr eerr ooff pizza operation that tried to use it. ccll aass ss bbee ccaa uuss ee yy oouu ll eett yyoouu rr m muu ssii cc,, There have been other attempts of aanndd cchh aarr iittaabbll ee w woorrkk ,, ddoo aall ll tthh ee people trying to use the Chicago ttaa llkk iinngg ffoorr yyoouu .. TT hh aatt’’ss oonnee ooff tthh ee logo. The four of us own the logo rreeaa ssoonnss II rree ssppeecctt yyoouu aall ll ss oo m muu cchh.. and the music. For lack of a better word, we are responsible for the integrity of what that logo stands Well, I have to thank you for that for, which is substance and music. remark. Obviously everyone is I also might add that Chicago is a entitled to their opinion. When band that is not known for throw- and where they choose to share ing televisions out of windows, those viewpoints is often a sticky heaving furniture threw glass win- subject. If you want to talk about dows, or destroyed bars in hotels. the golden flute or clarinet I played We have always been known as a with the Chicago Symphony, I’d be group that made really good music. happy to talk with you about that. We showed up on time, played and If you and I were just sitting somemade people happy. We are very where over a beer talking, we diligent about protecting what is might get into politics. I don’t think ours, and we have a staff to deal I have the right, or the knowledge with the problems when the need like all these talking heads on telearises. . vision think they do, to discuss it in public. If people believe all the stuff political analysts talk about, BByy tthhee w waa yy,, tthh ee llaa bbee llii nngg CC hh iiccaaggoo we should all probably start digaall bbuum mss bbyy nnuu m mbbeerrss – – ddiidd ii tt jjuu sstt ging a six-foot hole to jump in. moorr pphh ii nnttoo iittss oow m wnn tthh iinngg aaffttee rr Personally, I think musicians aaw whh ii llee oorr w w aass iitt aa ss ttrraa tteeggiicc m maarrkk eett -- should be musicians and leave it at iinngg m moovv ee oonn tthh ee bbaanndd’’ss ppaarrtt?? that. If they want to put their views in their music, then that freedom of speech is a great thing. We have It was me having the classical always considered ourselves to be degree, so I went for the number- musicians first and foremost. ing of the albums. We started doing it right off the bat. Someone in the band once said wouldn’t it be cool II rreeaa llll yy ll iikk ee tthhee aa uuddiiee nnccee ppaa rrttii ccii ppaa-if we are lucky enough to have a ttii oonn ooff yy oouu rr ss hhoow ww whh eenn yyoouu ddoo tthh ee career with ten albums. As you ssoonngg ““II ff YY oouu LLee aavvee M Mee N Noow w.. ”” YYoouu mentioned earlier, our albums aaccttuuaa llll yy hh aavv ee aa rr eeaa ll m meem mbbee rr ffrroom m number in the 30’s now. Chicago’s tthh ee ccrroow w dd ccoom mee uu pp aanndd ssii nngg tthh ee recordings are numbered the same eennttiirr ee ss oonngg.. W W hh eenn ddiidd yy oouu ii nnttrroo-was symphonies are. Beethoven dduu ccee tthhaa tt ss eeggm meenntt ii nnttoo yyoouu rr sshh oow w has his 5th Symphony, 9th, you aanndd w whh yy?? name it. With us, we took a more classical approach to basically chronicle how we progressed from That came about three years ago one album to the next. when we were approached by the American Cancer Society. They had a theme for cancer awareness IItt’’ss aall m mooss tt ll iikk ee aa llll yyoouu rr aallbbuu m mss aarr ee called “More Birthdays.” They aa ssee rrii eess ooff m moovv eem meennttss?? wanted to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. We can all tell stories about loved one’s we Yes. You know, we have talked lost to cancer. My wife’s mother about our albums appearing that and my mom had breast cancer. way as well. In a sense, this band’s Getting involved was sort of a nomusic is a constant a work in brainer. The ACS had created this progress. website to give them an online ENIGMA
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presence, and we suggested people sign up and bid on their site to sing that song with us on stage. All the money raised went to cancer research. The success of the promotion far exceeded our wildest dreams. For instance, I guy is coming to sing at our Los Angeles show after submitting a winning bid of $50,000. Another person went door-to-door in North Carolina collecting money so he could sing with us on stage. He raised thousands. As of now, this particular segment of our show has raised well into the seven figures for the American Cancer Society. The program is near and dear to our heart. No pun intended, but we don’t want to blow our own horns on how successful this has been.
GG iivv iinngg bbaacckk rr eeaa llllyy ddooee ss m meeaann aa ll oott ttoo tthhii ss bbaanndd.. Yes it does. We owe a debt of gratitude to people like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, who take a chance by taking us on the road with them when we first started out. Our motto since that time has been to pay it forward. Moosstt cchh aarr iittyy w M w oorrkk iiss ppeerr ssoonnaall .. II nnoottiiccee dd tthhaatt CC hhiiccaa ggoo iiss iinnvvoollvv eedd w iitthh tthhee A w Arr aa PPaarr ss eegghhiiaann M Mee ddii ccaall RRee sseeaa rrcchh FFoouunnddaa ttiioonn aass w wee llll aass HH aannnnaahh && FFrr iieennddss .. CCaa nn yyoouu ttee llll m mee hhoow w aanndd w whh yy tthhee bbaanndd cchh oossee tthh oossee ttw woo ddiiss ttiinncctt oorr ggaannii zzaattii oonnss?? Our manager, Peter Schivarelli, went to school at Notre Dame. He was also on the football team and played for Ara. Until recently, Charlie Weiss was their football coach. Hannah & Friends is Charlie’s foundation. Peter approached the band with an idea to participate in those charities. In fact, Notre Dame is doing research today on the Niemann-Pick Type C disease. (All three of Parsegian’s grandchildren have the rare disorder.) We were asked by Pete if we’d be interested in helping out. How could we say no to two great ideas?
- David C. Huff Jr.
tion. Located in the old Southern Comfort site if never found traction once it RRU UM MOOUURR HHAASS IITT … … left old town Brainerd, its …As rumoured on original location. these pages a few months …One month after back Chattanooga’s longest Grraatt eeff uull D D eeaadd’’ss running music venue, Rhythm playing TT hhee G “Fare Thee Well” shows in and Brews is shutting down Mii cckk ee yy H Haarr tt, BBiillll after 18 years come the end Chicago, M K K r r e e u u t t z z m m a a n n n n Weeiirr and BBoobb W of September. Craftworks, Maayyeerr holder of the lease decided have joined with JJ oohhnn M Dee aadd && CCoom mpp aannyy . So not to renew it. Actually to form D far there’s only one date on working partner Mike Dougher will be taking his the books – Halloween in talents to the southside and New York City. The Oct. 31 becoming manager of Track show at Madison Square 29’s new smaller 500-seat Garden will consist of two venue called the Revelry sets with most of the materiGrraa tteeff uull Room. And yes the new venue al drawn from TThh ee G Dee aadd songbook. AAll llm maann not only will have Dougher in D Otteeiill charge but custody of the BBrr oott hheerr ss BBaa nndd bassist O and B B u u r r b b r r i i d d g g e e F F a a r r e e T T h h e e e e Weellll W Velcro Pygmies as well. D oogg keyboardist JJ eeff ff / RRaatt D C C h h i i m m e e nnttii are also on board. …Speaking of closings Hill City Pizza one the “Fare Thee Well proved to me once prized northshore has that I’m not done exploring closed their doors. The new rhythmic territory with Miicckk eeyy – I’m recommending nightspot that had a line out M the door less than a year ago that everyone puts their helsuffered from bad ownership met on, because we are going decisions, poor management to blast our way into some as well as poor customer serious drums and space,” Krreeuu ttzzm maannnn said. “And with service. Word on the street is K Maayyeerr riding shotgun with something similar will take M Weir – we’re in good compaits place in a couple of months. Oh well, it was not ny, so to speak.”
set up Murphy Theatrical Group to handle the production. He has not revealed the international creative team NXXSS – The Musical” behind “IIN and not decided if it will have its world premiere in Las Vegas (Murphy opines the musical will be more Las Vegas glam than Broadway), London or Sydney. He said, “It has always been my vision to present II N NXXSS’’ ss amazing songs in a stunning theatrical environment as a testament to this bands incredible catalogue.”
like anyone was going there any way.
…A musical based around the songs and story of NXXSS is set to stage in late …Mocha has official- IIN manager IINN XXSS ly vacated its downtown loca- 2016. CChh rriisstt oopphhee rr M M.. M Muu rrpp hhyy has ENIGMA
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…TT hh ee FFaa cceess will reunite for a one-night only gig in support of stamping out prostate cancer. This time RRoodd SStt eew waarrtt will front the band. The show is part of the second annual “Rock’ n’ Horsepower” at Hurtwood Park Polo Club in Ewhurst, Surrey, Sept. 5. The event is put on by FFaaccee ss drummer KKee nnnneeyy JJ oonneess and his wife, JJ aayynnee, to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer.
…Los Angeles County supervisors are considering banning music festivals from county property after the weekend deaths of two teenagers at an event in Pomona, California. Supervisors on Tuesday ordered the county’s chief executive to look into a moratorium. They also voted to investigate the deaths of two women who attended the HARD Summer music event on county-owned land. Authorities suspect that 19Kaa ttii ee D D iixx of year-old K Camarillo, California, and 18year-old TT rraa ccyy N N gguu yyee nn of West Covina, California, died Saturday of drug overdoses. City News Service says the board was told 29 other festival-goers were treated for drug- or alcohol-related problems and two people were hospitalized in critical condition after falling and hitting their heads. …FFrr aannzz FFee rrddiinnaa nndd and SSppaarrkk ss are bringing their supergroup project to SSppaarrkk ss’’ home turf in October as FFFFSS embarks on its first North American tour. Don’t be fooled by the title of the FFFFSS song “Collaborations Don’t Work.” FFFFSS’’ss self-titled album, which was released in June, received great reviews from many critics saying they dig the team-up of the Scottish indie rock band and the Los Angeles-based art rock duo. As Rolling Stone notes, “Both bands share a wildly eccentric sense of melodrama, which is why the combo clicks” while A.V. Club says, “The only odd thing
about FFFFSS … is that it took so has since I was working in the that his band’s music may long for the two camps to clubs in the ’80s. It’s always have lasted the test of time team up and collaborate.” about a me, me, me thing.” better than that of TT hhee LLyym maann also said that metal no BBeeaatt lleess, RRiicchhaarrddss added: “TThhee …It may not come as longer seemed dangerous to BBeeaatt lleess sounded great when a surprise to anyone follow- him. they were TT hhee BBeeaattllee ss. But there’s not a lot of roots in ing the trials and tribulations of the Rockstar Energy Drink …TT hhee RRoolllliinngg SStt oonneess ’’ that music. I think they got Mayhem Festival that this K Keeiitthh RRiicchh aarrddss has labeled carried away. Why not? If summer’s outing might be the TThh ee BBeeaatt llee ss’’ss Sgt Pepper’s you’re the BBeeaatt lleess in the ’60s, mee ttaall Lonely Hearts Club Band, you just get carried away – last year for the hee aavvyy m ttoouurr iinngg ppaacckkaa ggee.. SSppoorrttiinngg aa widely regarded as a classic you forget what it is you lliinneeuupp tthh aatt iinncclluu ddee dd SSllaayyeerr,, album, as “rubbish”. wanted to do.” He continued: King Diamond, TT hhee D Dee vviill RRiicchh aarrddss, who releases his “You’re starting to do Sgt and first solo album in 23 years in Pepper’s... Some people think Wee aarrss W PPrr aaddaa Whhiitt eecchhaapp eell topping the tick- September, recently spoke to it’s a genius album, but I W et, Mayhem concluded its Esquire, where he described think it’s a mishmash of rub2015 run last night at Dallas’ the SStt oonnee ss’’ height of fame bish, kind of like [RRoolllliinngg Gexa Energy Pavilion. Signs during the mid-’60s, compar- SStt oonneess album] ...Satanic that the summer adventure ing the consequences to the Majesties... If you can make a might be the tour’s swan song effect success had on the Fab load of shit, so can we.” emerged last month when an Four. “A whole roomful of article in the Detroit Free chicks yelling at you is not so If you know any truths, halfPress quoted Mayhem co- shabby,” RRiicchh aarrddss said. truths or outright lies about founder K K eevviinn LLyym maann as say- “Because the year before, the music and club scene ing the festival was “at risk of nobody would look at you. send it to Sissy Vance c/o going away at any given But they talk about us – the rumoursmill@enigmaonline.c moment.” Speaking during a BBeeaa ttlleess , those chicks wore om. late May phone interview, those guys out. They stopped LLyym maann , who created the Vans touring in 1966 – they were - Sissy Vance Warped Tour, talked about done already. They were the tour’s cost and described ready to go to India and shit.” the metal genre as “gray, bald Responding to suggestions and fat.” “The bands at the top all demand a certain level of fee to be on the tour,” LLyym maann said. “Unlike punk The Best of New Wave, Post rock, metal never knows how to take a step back and to Modern Classics and Other move the whole scene forOdd Stuff ward. That’s how punk rock was. That’s how we nurtured punk rock. BBaadd RRee lliiggiioonn would take a little less than they could on their own to bring the whole scene forward, so we could make sure we had a good (touring) package around them. Metal doesn’t seem to have that concern, never has, never Wednesdays at 5pm est. on wawl.org
Retro Cafe
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Chicago & Earth Wind and Fire Leaving ‘Heart and Soul’ Onstage In every sense of the word, the band Chicago and the musically accomplished, critically acclaimed Earth, Wind and Fire, are ‘mirror’ images of one another. Then again, maybe it’s not so much a coincidence since both of them got their respective starts in the Windy City.
And boy did this 15-piece band do their absolute best to bring this house down! They have been friends with Chicago for decades, but they were not going to make it easy for their friends to follow in their musical footsteps on this night. After all Earth Wind and Fire is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Chicago kicked off the set with their hauntingly beautiful classic, “Beginnings”. EWF returned the favor and joined the band on stage for a thoroughly enjoyable version of the song. From that point on, it was time for Chicago to take its audience on a stroll down memory lane, and did they ever. What was interesting about this crowd – and it applies to EWF as well – is this audience was made up on not only first and second generation audiences, but third generation as well. For a grandparent to share this kind of musical love not only with their child, but their children as well is what music really is all about. Unlike Earth Wind and Fire, the vocal duties in Chicago are shared
The thing is, it wasn’t the color of their skin that set these two remarkable bands on similar paths; it was the enduring quality of the music they both created the first ten years of their career that continues to carry them both forward into their fifth decade of entertaining.
and Chicago is not (which further proves just how much of a jok e that institution has become.) EWF did what they have done so well over the past 40 years and simply laid down the funk. Led by the fabled Earth Wind and Fire Horns and anchored by bassist Verdine White and drummer Ralph Johnson, the stage was set for the incomparable voices of vocalists Philip Bailey and Maurice White to do their thing. The magical lyrics these two singers wowed the crowd with song after song after song had everyone standing on their feet swaying back and forth to the electrifying hits that kept pouring off the stage.
That fact wasn’t lost on the capacity crowd at Aaron’s Amphitheatre in Lakewood, Georgia. They cheered after every song, sang their collective hearts out tune after tune, and more importantly simply danced the night away as these two musical icons turned solo sets and onstage collaborations into three hours of mesmerizing performances capped off by a Fortunately for Chicago, EWF made the transition to their upcoming set spectacular finale. a bit easier when they were invited You knew you were going to be in back out on stage for the band’s for one heck of an evening when trio of encore hits, “September”, Earth Wind and Fire kicked things “Sing a Song” and “Shining Star”. As off with their classic, “In the Stone” both bands left the stage, a thoraccompanied by their musical pals oughly drained audience finally Chicago. After both groups gave the had a chance to catch its breath crowd a peak of the collaborative and actually rest up for the second dose of things to come, it was time half of fireworks that was about to come. for EWF to do their solo thing.
by many. Though keyboardist Robert Lamm and guitarist Jason Scheff alternate singing on most of the songs, trumpeter Larry Loughnane sang “Color My World”, guitarist Keith Howland on “Feelin’ Stonger Every Day” and keyboardist Lou Pardini interacting as well. As mentioned earlier, EWF didn’t make it easy for Chicago to follow them on stage. To the delight of the die-hard Chicago fans – and there were thousands – the band decided to open their set with a deep cut, “Ballet for a Girl in
Buchannon” from the Chicago II album. The 13-minute suite, which featured the hits “Make Me Smile” and “Colour My World”, was as exciting and unexpected as one could imagine. It was also an excellent way to set the stage Chicago spent a great deal of time bouncing between the 1960’s and ‘70s including an inspired drum battle drummer Tris Imboden and percussionist Walfredo Ryes Jr. on the Spender Davis hit, “I’m a Man.” They didn’t leave out the important ‘80s material either where Scheff did a great job on the ballads “You’re the Inspiration,”, “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” and “Hard Habit to Break.” Remarkably, Scheff, who joined in 1985 when Cetera left to embark on an ill-advised solo career – has now been in Chicago than the person he replaced. Their
set ended with “Saturday in the Park” and “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day.” Both bands would come out again for the Chicago to end the show in spectacular fashion – sharing vocal duties on one another’s songs; beefing up the horn parts with added brass, and just general controlled mayhem. It was a great way to end the show. Chicago and EWF had both left their ‘heart and soul’ on stage. Just ask any of the sweatsoaked thousands who left the venue smiling.
- Chris Eason ENIGMA
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