Highwire Daze #153

HIGHWIRE DAZE

Sponsored by THE SANDGAARD FOUNDATION

Publisher

Highwire Daze Magazine A General Partnership

Editor Ken Morton

Managing Editor

Danny S. Pasley

Senior Photographer

Jack Lue

East Coast Editor Jupiter Lee

Contributors

Ken Morton, Jack Lue Jupiter Lee, Vivian Ortega James Grover, Joe Schaeffer, Linda Emord, Tony F. Corpse, Alison “MetalBabe” Cohen

Proofreading Editor Jason Harary

Cover Art by Vivian Ortega of So Finch Photography

Cover Photos by Jack Lue and Cheyanne Singleton

HIGHWIRE DAZE

email: ken@highwiredaze.com

Copyright 2024 Highwire Daze Magazine

Opinions

Supporting Noise Pollution Since 1990!

Sketches By The Editor

The Highwire Daze Crew and London

Down In Wuhan

New original 12 song Hollywood Hard-Rock album

Down In Wuhan now available worldwide!

Produced by: Tone Raven

Available Now. Everywhere. World-Wide on all major platforms. iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and CD. youtube.com/toneraventunes

MANAGEMENT-TONE RAVEN MUSIC

Welcome to Highwire Daze Issue #153! And thanks to everyone who visited our booth at The NAMM Show this year. Pictured at left is London (Nadir D’Priest, Andy Hewett, Ronee Peña, Ivan Copelli, Eric Ragno) with The Highwire Daze Crew (Jack Lue, Vivian Ortega, Linda Emord) (and Diane Adams of Diane & The Deductibles). We will have exclusive pictures in this and the next few issues of Highwire Daze. Go to Page 58 to see Part One of our NAMM coverage.

Taking place right before The NAMM Show was the movie premiere of Junction, a powerful film about the opioid epidemic in America. Thomas Sandgaard of The Sandgaard Foundation is Executive Producer on this very special project. Check out our Junction coverage over at Page 60. Thomas Sandgaard would join us a day later for our NAMM Show adventure. Thank you to Thomas Sandgaard and The Sandgaard Foundation for making it possible for us to continue with the print issueand his ongoing efforts to bring an end to the opioid crisis!

The Wright Wave Radio at Live 365

Presented by Jonathan D. Wright

Established October 2012

Playing all of your rock, pop, and new wave favorites 24 hour a day, 7 days a week!

http://www.thewrightwave.com/

Product Review by James Grover

Thumb Fin

This past January at the 2024 NAMM show out in Anaheim California, I was walking the Halls of the convention center and one new company caught my corner of my eye and had to stop and see what their brand was, I immediately start a conversation with “BJ” the CEO of the product and he tells me the name of the product and the function. The name is “Thumb Fin”.

My first question to BJ, “what in the world is Thumb Fin?” so, he explains it to me and I was wow!!... so, I look at the product and it’s an ingenious must have product for all bass guitar players and could be applicable to even regular guitar players depending on styles of music.

This Device is a thumb rest like what you will find on certain basses the only difference it has 2 suction cups attached to it so that you can move it around on the bass since its not permanently attached to the instrument, you can move it to the bridge, middle or neck area so that you can rest your thumb as you tremolo pic or just relax your thumb to the groove. It’s a must have for Acoustic Bass players.

So later in the day I met up with my good friend Bjorn Englen who was the Bass Player in Rising Force (Yngwie Malmsteem). I explained to Bjorn what I had stumbled across at the show. Bjorn was excited about it as much as I was. It’s amazing how something so simple can make a difference in your playing.

I had to ask Bjorn, how did you like Thumb Fin? And he replied: “Small, slick, smooth, Perfect. Can’t believe no one thought of it before!” - Bjorn Englen.

Likes:

What I like is the product work efficiently and inexpensive.

https://www.thumbfin.com/

Reach James Grover at:

https://www.facebook.com/james.grover.311

Bjorn Englen and James Grover

In Musical Orbit by Jupiter

Jupiter at Highwire Daze

Online Crew East Coast Editor

It’s Jupiter Lee - East Coast Editor of Highwire Daze magazine! Check out my record reviews here and be sure to add me on Facebook! Link is at the end of my column...

Battlelines Vega Frontiers Music Srl

From the UK comes the latest offering from rock band VEGA

Having reviewed their previous album Anarchy And Unity (2021) I was anxious to hear their next one. Musicians on BATTLELINES include lead vocalist

NICK WORKMAN, bass guitarist MART TRAIL, guitarist MARCUS THURSTON, guitarist BILLY TAYLOR, and

drummer PETE NEWDECK. Opening with Heroes and Zeros, WORKMAN’s vocals has a very distinctive quality that sets this band apart! The driving force behind these songs are the bass and drums and take on a prominent role throughout this record while vocal harmonies are a big part of their sound. Guitar solos are short and are just a hint of what they are both capable of. The title track Battlelines is already out as a video hit! Embrace The Grey has a uniquely suspenseful section and for me had embers of QUEENSRYCHE Seasoned songwriting skills are quite evident and seem to include input and influences from everyone in the group. I believe BATTLELINES is focused on hit making singles and reminded me of the great album Hysteria from DEF LEPPARD. While musicianship is over the top, I didn’t hear any long guitar or keyboard solos, maybe live. Awesome production will melt your speakers. Released in August of 2023 and crammed with 12 tracks, the 50 minutes went by just like that. You can follow VEGA at this link:

https://www.vegaofficial.co.uk/

JUPITER on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100042121189738

Hell, Fire, Damnation, and SAXON!

Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Joe Schaeffer

Saxon is back, and has unleashed Hell, Fire, and Damnation - their 24th studio magnum opus - now available via Silver Lining Music! Placing the pedal to the metal with killer tunes destined to become genre classics, Hell, Fire, and Damnation presents Saxon at the very height of the creative prowess. Lyrically, vocalist Biff Byford investigates all areas of both history and mystery, with Marie Antoinette, Kubla Khan, the Battle of Hastings, the Salem witch trials and the fight between good and evil on the title track all in the mix.

Highwire Daze recently interviewed Biff Byford to discuss the epic new album, touring with Uriah Heep, their new guitarist Brian Tatler from Diamond Head infamy, memories of Lemmy and the final Motorhead tour, and more!

We’re here with Biff from Saxon to discuss the brand-new album. First of all, Biff, is there any overall story behind the title Hell, Fire and Damnation?

It’s about the fight between good and evil. It’s about a prophecy, basically in the Bible, but prophecies like that are in all religious texts. Yes, it’s a plot between good and evil.

Let’s talk about a few of the other songs on this new album. Let’s go straight to the new single. There’s Something In Roswell. Tell me the inspiration behind that one. I like conspiracy theories. They are interesting, so I wrote one back in the 80s called Dallas 1 PM. It’s basically about a conspiracy. Roswell is set to ground zero of an old UFO crashing, citing campaigns, and from Roswell, we get Area 51 and all the secrecy. It’s pretty cool stuff you get to write about. I’m obviously a believer. There is a good chorus and it’s definitely something Saxon could write, definitely.

A lot of the album has history lessons on it. So, let’s talk about a few of these history lessons so we can educate everybody here. Madam Guillotine, let’s talk about that and the inspiration behind it.

It’s about the French Revolution and they had this contraption called the Guillotine, it’s a sliding blade to chop people’s heads off, and I suppose the most famous woman was the queen of France, that Marie Antoinette. They chopped

her own son and her husband actually and probably all the children as well. So, it’s a bit gruesome, but I wanted to get more of an Alice Cooper vibe so the chorus is quite, “She’ll be pleased to meet you, but please don’t lose your head.” So yeah, I wanted it to be more of an Alice Cooper-style song like, “I wanna be elected”, I think it sounds quite reminiscent of that style that was made famous.

Let’s talk about the Witches of Salem.

I have done a song about the witch trials in England called Witchfinder General, based on true happenings but I thought the Salem witches, I’ve read a couple of things about them, and saw a documentary on TV a couple of years ago. I was watching it during the pandemic, and it’s quite interesting how the paranoia sets in and people’s jealousy and misunderstanding and sort of extremely religious beliefs kill quite a lot of women, you know who were probably innocent people, but it’s quite a good story.

What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming tour with Uriah Heep?

We are obviously promoting the new album, it’s called the Hell, Fire and Chaos Tour based upon our album Hell Fire, and Damnation and Uriah Heep’s current album Chaos & Colour. We are just promoting the album, we’ll be doing some of the big hits, but predominantly it’s all about cheering on the new album - that’s what gives us the opportunity to come to America.

And regarding Uriah Heep, are you a fan of theirs?

Yes, they were a big influence. And I think I saw Uriah Heep in the very early ‘70’s. I used to go see them when I was just some boy playing bass in a band; they were quite big. So yes, I would like to say they were quite a big influence on the band. I love the early stuff, pretty heavy. The new stuff is really cool, I like it, but it’s a bit like Saxon really, you know people like those early albums, so they keep referring back to the Denim and Leather and Wheels of Steel albums. I’m sure Uriah Heep is probably the same.

How did Brian Tatler of Diamond Head become involved with Saxon?

Well, by accident, it just fell into place. I mean Paul got a bit tired of doing the big gigs and playing for an hour

forty-five and sweating and running around and being quite active, and the traveling was getting him tired. So he just said one day after a particularly hot and sweaty gig, “I’m going to retire and I’m going to play some blues music.” So that’s what he did. So we asked Brian to stand in for him on the festivals, and from there, Brian wanted to join the band. We were like, “Really so you could be in two bands at once?” So we said “Yeah.”

Andy Sneap has been working with you. I believe since Sacrifice in 2013. What do you think makes you the band and Andy work so well together after all this time?

We’re friends, obviously, and we’ve known Andy since mostly when he was in the first band he was in, Sabbat, when he was 17 years old. We’ve known him since then, and then when he started moving into producing and engineering, he came and said “I’d like to work together,” so from there came Sacrifice. And that’s the first time we worked with him and we work well together.

What was it like doing that final tour with Lemmy and Motorhead?

It’s sad really, because he was trying really hard to play every night and some nights, he couldn’t play and all the nights he started to play and then had some pain while he was playing and singing - so it was great but it was sad as well. We were touring Europe at the time and we had a break for Christmas and then we were starting again after Christmas in the new year - and he died, shortly after Christmas. We were all quite surprised and sad - but he was very sick, he wasn’t well. If you were talking to him, he was struggling to breathe a little bit sometimes. It’s just sad that he went and then we didn’t manage to finish the tour. We would have loved to have finished that tour because they’d broken America by that time pretty big - so it was fulfilling one of his dreams before he died.

Do you have any messages for your fans out here in the Los Angeles Orange County area who are reading this right now?

I think we had some great times actually in the west coast of America. It’s a pity we are not going on this part of the tour, but the big shows in the ‘80s were around the California area, like Santa Monica back in the day. You can get the new album - buy it, stream it, borrow it, we don’t care. Get all the albums and come see us live!

https://www.saxon747.com/

Martin Barre presents A Brief History of Tull

Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Joe Schaeffer

Martin Barre is the legendary former guitarist of Jethro Tull, whose contribution to the band’s legacy and distinct sound are absolutely massive! In addition to his time spent within the ranks of Tull, Martin Barre has also experienced a brilliant solo career as well as worked with the likes of Paul McCartney! On March 22, Martin Barre and his band will present A Brief History of Tull at the La Mirada Theater! It was an honor to interview Martin Barre via the magic of Zoom to discuss an absolutely amazing career in music!

Read on...

We’re here with Martin Barre, formerly of Jethro Tull. First of all, let’s talk about the show you’re going to be doing in La Mirada on March 22nd. What could one expect from this particular show?

It’s a fabulous show. This is my ultimate take on several projects that have led up to this. I did the 50-year anniversary. I did the Aqualung tour, and this is sort of bringing everything to a nice finish where in many ways, it’s my history of Tull - because it’s the history of Tull from my point of view and my choices. So, it’s not going to be the song selection that is obvious and the same stuff that people have heard before. It’s very fresh, very new, very dynamic. There are lots of changes. Acoustic, instrumental, a lot of textures, keyboards, flutes, acoustic guitars, electric guitars. It’s a big show and still the four-piece band. But I think people would be quite amazed at what we do with four people to put the show together. It’s an exciting show, and it has a bit of everything from over the years.

How did you wind up joining Jethro Tull for their second album, Stand Up, in 1969, and what do you think of that particular album in retrospect?

Well, I think in many ways, it’s Tull’s first album because it was the sort of a jumping-off point for the band called Jethro Tull where everybody wrote and arranged and performed as a four-piece band projecting into the next few years. So it was sort of a very important historical event. Particularly in the States, because we hadn’t played there before. Stand Up marked the beginning of where the music was going to go for the next 30-40 years.

The song Living in the Past, I think was done around or

before the time you joined... I’m not 100% sure if you were on that song, but I know that you’ve played that song a zillion times live. What do you think of that song now in retrospect?

Well, I’m on everything. The only thing I’m not on is the very first album. What do I think of it? It’s a pop song. And it’s a good pop song. We used to play it here and there, over the years. I wouldn’t say it was a number that really brought the house down. And I tried it with my band, and it didn’t really have the pizzazz that I need to qualify for being an asset. So, it’s a bit light. But it did the job. It was a single and it was successful, and it brought the band to the attention of people who then hopefully go and buy an album on the basis of hearing that.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary, released in 1974, is War Child. When you look back on that album, what do you think of it now in retrospect? And of course, the infamous Bungle in the Jungle was on that album.

It was the first album we recorded back in the UK after living in France for a couple of years. A lot of the English bands lived abroad because of the punitive tax laws in England. And we’d recorded quite a few albums outside of the country, but then the government changed, there were a lot fairer tax laws, and most of the musicians moved back to England, thankfully. And that was the first album we recorded back home, and it was a strong album back in the studio where we recorded Thick as a Brick and Stand Up and Benefit. It was all very familiar ground. It was like it was a real homecoming. It had a good vibe to it. You could tell that we had fun making that album.

Do you dislike Bungle in the Jungle as much as Ian Anderson seems to dislike it?

Oh, I love it. I might play it at La Mirada. I might not, but there’s nothing wrong with it at all. And if the audience joins in and sings, it’s even better.

We’re going back to 1984 now and talk about the 40th anniversary of an album called Under Wraps. When you look at that one, what do you think of it now in retrospect going 40 years back?

We see that a lot of these albums are represented in my show, so that would sort of answer your question, but we play two tracks from that album and it’s the acoustic and electric

versions of the title track Under Wraps and they’re great. Dan sings amazingly. It’s a beautiful acoustic song. Lots of subtlety. And then we go straight into the electric version, which is a rock and roll track and it steams along and it’s brilliant.

Let’s go back to 1994 and I believe this is either your first or second solo album, A Trick of Memory. When you look back on that and the fact that you were now doing a solo album, what do you think of that now?

It represents what I was doing way back then. And I can listen to it, and I enjoy it because I can see how it all formulated, but I can see where it has its weaknesses. But I think in the early days of my songwriting, I was a good instrumental writer, but when it came to songs, I was learning. And yeah, it was part of the learning process. I’m proud of all of it. I live and stand by all of those tracks, and in the essence of it being part of my history, then I wouldn’t change a thing. But I hope the next album picks up on the things that I thought could be better. And hopefully, that happens throughout all my solo albums.

sang, it was magic and he sang all the time, playing and hammering away on the piano. And he was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

What was it like winning the Grammy for 1987’s Crest Of The Knave? The Grammys were just on the other night... Well, we watch them, or we try to watch them. Yeah, it’s become a different entity, hasn’t it? I would love to be at a Grammy ceremony now, and I would love to win a Grammy in 2024 because it’s become so publicized. It’s a big deal. And back when we went out, it was a sort of a bit of a novelty within the music industry. So it didn’t pick up on it like it does now. So I think the Grammys and the Oscars and the Emmys and the Tonys that these are all big, big events, really important in the world, in the art world. It’s a shame we were in an era where it didn’t have an impact. However, I have a Grammy and it won’t be going anywhere. It’s on my shelf and it’s brilliant.

What was it like working with Paul McCartney? A lot of people see him as a legend. How did you see him when you were working with him?

A legend. I was in awe of him. He and the three Beatles were my heroes when I was a teenager and starting to play guitar and be in a band. So, everybody looked up to them as being just superstars from the word go. Larger than life people. And yeah, I think I’ve met John Lennon on a TV show. George Harrison, I’ve met because he lived near where we lived in England. But then Paul McCartney, I hadn’t met. I worked and recorded with him. It was amazing. I’m so lucky that I did it and I don’t even have a photo of it. I wish I had a photo. It’d be right on my office desk. Yeah, it was a fantastic week. And he was amazing. He’s larger than life. And then when he

Do you have any messages for your fans who are reading this right now and who are looking forward to the show in La Mirada?

It was such an amazing show last time and the audience was amazing, so it was humbling. And I don’t use that word in a pretentious way. I really felt humbled. And we haven’t played in LA for a long, long time. So, I just hope that happens again. And I’m super respectful of LA, the audience, and the fans in LA. The things we’ve done there in the past have been really amazing. I’ve played great music in California. I’ve listened to great music in California. I’ve had wonderful times there working and playing and being on holiday. Everything is so positive about being there. And yeah, we’re going to make sure we do a great gig.

That’s going to be exciting. I haven’t seen anything involving Jethro Tull since the Roots to Branches tour - the first and only time I saw Tull live. That’s a horrible thing to confess, but it’s true.

No, it’s understandable. But I always like to think that if a couple of people are in town and they walk past the theater and they look up and see us playing - they have no idea who I am or what the music is - and they’ve got nothing else to do, they buy a couple of tickets. And at the end of the night, they’re really happy. And that is where you convert people. It’s never too late to enjoy Tull’s music. And essentially, I’m entertaining people. At the end of the night, I want people to be excited, happy, and jumping around.

https://martinbarre.com/

Into The Dark Void with Asking Alexandria

Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Jack Lue

British rock frontrunners Asking Alexandria kickstarted the new year with an EP highlighting the debut single Dark Void, from their 2023 critically acclaimed album Where Do We Go From Here? via Better Noise Music. The Dark Void EP features five tracks including the original version of Dark Void along with a new radio edit, a stripped-down piano version, and a Sullivan King-remixed version. The emotive and empowering single relates to those battling with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness, while acknowledging the strength it takes to confront one’s inner demons and fight off negative thoughts.

Highwire Daze recently interviewed Asking Alexandria vocalist Danny Worsnop to discuss Dark Void, the upcomimg tour with Memphis May Fire and The Word Alive, his love for country music, and a whole lot more...

We’re here with Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria. First of all, let’s talk about the new EP, Dark Void. Give me the story behind that song and the lyrics. That song was initially crafted and put together by the wonderful Paul Bartolomé, and it was the same as with this entire album, so it’s kind of the same story for every song. The album wasn’t written in the normal way that I work, which is, I’ve always written from a very personal place, and it’s been kind of autobiographical somewhat, and my way of kind of working through things going on in my own life, my own experiences, things like that. This album was very much written as a “one for them” thing, so it was what’s been topically and subject wise, something that fans have seemed to connect to and resonate with over the years. It’s kind of thematically something that fans have talked about and enjoyed over the years from previous work. That was the mindset and the approach to the song, lyrically and sonically.

Where Do We Go From Here, what does that title mean to you? To me, I think of that old song Rock On by David Essex, which is way before your time, but what does that title mean to you?

That’s a song that I was writing for my solo record. I initially didn’t want there to be kind of a slower, softer song on this album at all. I wasn’t sure it was the place for it, but yeah, we finished up and everyone from the band to management to the

band’s label felt like it needed the Danny song. Kind of the ‘me moment’ where I do my thing and they’d call me while I was recording that song at my studio. I think it’s a question we, even if we don’t realize, ask ourselves constantly. The question is we go through life and all the journeys that it takes us on, I think through our successes and failures, that’s the first question that comes to mind. Whether it’s learning and taking another approach to something after a loss or figuring out where to go or what the next obstacle or challenge is after one of our wins. It’s kind of the question of life, I suppose.

What do you think has made you or the band and producer Matt Good work so well together on so many Asking Alexandria albums now?

I hesitate to even kind of reference Matt as producer purely because he’s just been our friend for so many years, but previously to working together, we were just great friends and it’s a real wonderful thing to be able to work together in that capacity, because we just know each other so well. There’s no kind of figuring out how to navigate communication and if someone doesn’t like something, there’s no... “Well, I don’t want to say anything like what if they get upset or I don’t know how they’re going to feel about it....” We’re all so close, we can just talk about whatever and we’re very comfortable telling each other things suck, if they suck and we get to cut through all that, and then it’s also we just get to spend time together, which is obviously a very enjoyable part of it, it makes it less like work.

Were you familiar with Matt when he was in From First To Last?

Yeah. They opened up for us.

What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming tour with Memphis May Fire and The Word Alive?

I don’t like touring. I don’t think that’s been a secret ever, but Mattie and Telle are two of my closest friends in the world, and when people had started mentioning even the concept of a tour this year, I instantly just started pushing for that because in my head I was like, “If I’m going to go on tour, I would love to just do it with my friends so that actually there’s a reason for me to want to be there.” And thankfully, all the pieces came together. I mean, it was talked about happening in a few different timelines, and someone was busy or someone was overseas or was conflicting with another tour, or there

was always something going on, but we managed to find a window that worked for everyone and we were able to pull it off. To answer your question, hanging out with my friends for a month.

Now here’s the inevitable Ben Bruce question, were you surprised when he announced he was leaving the band?

We’d known for a while. This is obviously a conversation that just became public, but it’s one that’s been going on for a long time. I already feel overwhelmed with what we do at times, and I live by myself. I can only imagine the difficulty of doing this with a wife and four children at home who you have to watch them grow up through a phone and spend all your time missing them. I don’t know how the guys do it, but, yeah, it didn’t come as a massive surprise just because of how much we already knew he struggled with that, and he wants to be a dad, he wants to be at home with his kids and with his family and be a husband and a father. Since the day I met him, that was what he wanted out of life, so I’m more surprised that he held on and tried for as long as he did. I mean, I told him the same thing afterward, had all the conversations and stuff. I’m very supportive of it. I think he made the right call and he’s where he feels like he needs to be, and I think I agree with him that that’s the best place for him.

Will you be doing any more solo albums, either country or otherwise?

Yeah. I just finished building this studio that we are in now, and I’m about to get to work on it. Probably in the next few days, I’ll be piecing it together. I’ve been writing it for the last three years, and it’s really been the kind of the secret focus of all my attention for the last three years. I have a great team who we’ve been working behind the scenes, in the shadows, piecing it together, and it’s going to be special, but that’s my focal point for the coming months and whenever it comes out, the year of album cycle, after that.

Have you always been into country music

Yeah. A lot of people often reference the music that I’ve grown up on and talked about, which is a lot of rock and roll, but most of that is stemmed from influenced by or still in the same vein as country music. I mean, Aerosmith has such a country sensibility as Bon Jovi and things like that. I grew up on listening to a lot of Johnny Cash and Shania is the giant part. Yeah, it’s always been something I’ve enjoyed and I love the storytelling. The heavy music thing isn’t where my heart lies. As much fun as we have making it and playing it, if I’m listening to music, it isn’t that, so it’s nice to be able to kind of create music for myself that I love.

Looking back on your time in We Are Harlot, what do you think of it now in retrospect, and would you like to do another We Are Harlot album?

It had been talked about a few years ago, but I don’t foresee

that happening. Aside from just being insanely busy already, I’m not sure I have the mental bandwidth for it. It was a fun time, it was a weird part of my life. I was asking myself if I want to do music at all anymore. There’s a common confusion that I’d left Asking Alexandria to do Harlot, but I was already doing Harlot, it was completely unrelated, it was just a coincidence that those two timelines kind of crossed over in that way, but I wasn’t sure if I was going to do music at all, so that was very much just me having fun and seeing if it was even something I wanted to do. That fizzled, obviously, I’ve still been working with Asking Alexandria since then. It reignited my love and enjoyment for music again at the time, so I’m very thankful for it.

Looking back on that firstAsking Alexandria album, Stand Up And Scream, what do you think of that now in retrospect?

I don’t. I wouldn’t do it again. And if I was forced to with a gun to my head, I would have done it very differently, but I say that I feel like I have to add the caveat of that album is loved and adored by many people, so I don’t want to upset them. It’s not my thing, but I’m glad that it’s been there for all the people that have loved it.

Do you have any messages on Asking Alexandria fans who are reading this right now?

Congratulations on maintaining the medium of reading. I didn’t know people still could read, but it’s nice to know that people can look at these squiggly little shapes with their eyes and decipher my madness into words.

https://www.askingalexandria.com/

The Epic Adventures of Lionheart

Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Joe Schaeffer

Lionheart is a melodic rock band founded in 1980 featuring current and former members of Iron Maiden, Michael Schenker Group, Grand Slam, Shy, Pat Travers and a whole lot more. With their own dynamic legacy of albums, Lionheart present a true adventure for music fans all over the world. Their latest magnum opus is entitled The Grace of a Dragonfly, now available via Metalville! A concept album regarding the triumphs and tragedies of World War II, the passion and conviction found within present Lionheart at their most imaginative and intriguing.

Highwire Daze recently interviewed Steve Mann, the lead guitarist of Lionheart, to discuss The Grace of a Dragonfly, his work with the Michael Schenker Group, his thoughts on vocalist Lee Small’s latest solo endeavor The Last Man On Earth, and other topics! Read on...

We’re here with Steve Mann of Lionheart. Let’s immediately talk about the new album. Is there any overall story or concept behind the album title, The Grace of a Dragonfly?

Yes, there is, most definitely. Right at the beginning of the album, I was thinking, “How can we progress this next album from the previous two that we’ve done in the last few years?” I used to love bands like Genesis and Pink Floyd, the whole idea of the concept album, or Jeff Wayne with The War of the Worlds. I said to the other guys actually, “Who would be up for doing a concept album?”, and Lee said, “I’d love to do one about the Second World War.” He has a great interest in anything that has to do with the Second World War. So, I said, “That’s great. If we’re going to do an album about war, let’s stress the fact that we are anti-war, that we actually don’t agree with war as a way to solve the world’s problems.” We need to be very careful with the lyrics so that we don’t come across as being jingoistic in any way, celebrating the victory of the Allies, and all that kind of thing.

All of us had parents or maybe grandparents who were involved in the second World War so it’s something that was close to our hearts, but we did want to make it an anti-war album and that was that was one particular proviso. The

other was that we concentrated very much on the humane side of war, the people that were directly involved in it, the innocent civilians, the young boys who were called up to the front line, and what a waste of time, money, and above all, a waste of life. We wanted to kind of put this whole idea across in the album and I think it ended up very well that way. Lee came up with the title of The Grace of a Dragonfly and ran it past us and we all said, “Yes, that’s a really great title. It sounds really good. It doesn’t relate to war.”, and he said, “Well, actually, it does because the Spitfire Planes which fought the Battle of Britain and was so instrumental, certainly in England, in fighting the fight in the war, they had the nickname of The Dragonfly.”

We thought that one fits in very well. I then did a bit of Googling and also found out that dragonfly is symbolic or represents transition, change, and spirituality. We thought that this actually fitted in very well with the whole concept of, “We should do away with war and move towards a more spiritual and more peaceful society.” In the end, The Grace of a Dragonfly seems to fit very well.

Would you like to do any touring in support of The Grace of a Dragonfly maybe here in the States?

We would, yes. The problem we’ve had up to this point was, obviously, we had COVID where nobody was going out anywhere. When we didn’t have COVID, all of us were basically working with other acts. I was working with Michael Schenker, obviously. Dennis was out with Maiden United and Rocky with Grand Slam Lee was doing his stuff and Clive as well with his band. We’ve been very tied down with other stuff that we’ve had to do. We’ve had to squeeze Lionheart in. This year, for all of us, things are looking a little bit more lightweight on the live show front, so this year actually could be a very good time for Lionheart to get out there and start doing a few shows. We have one show already booked, which is a festival in the UK in Manchester, the Fire Festival. That is on October 11th. We’re hoping to build a few more shows around that we can get lined out on the road again because it’s a lot of fun. When we start to cook as a band, it sounds amazing. It’s great.

You were recently out here in the States, actually here in Los Angeles, at the Saban Theatre with the Michael Schen-

ker Group. What was that experience like playing here in the Los Angeles area, that theater?

LA is always great. You always know you’re going to get a great audience. Sometimes, it’s a bit like going home because we’ve all spent so much time in LA. Back in the 80s, and a bit in the 90s in my case, when we go back there, we meet old people or friends that we knew back in the 80s and it’s great. It’s always a very special place to play when we come to Los Angeles.

Were you surprised to hear that Ronnie Romero had left the band, and what was it like working with him? Ronnie’s one of the world’s best singers if not the world’s best singer. It was great to have him in the band because he can handle anything. Any of the really high stuff that Graham used to do, he could handle that and he could make his voice sound like Graham. If we did the Gary Barden stuff, he could make his voice sound like Gary Barden. He used to do a great Freddie Mercury, I remember as well. It’s like having Freddie Mercury singing Bohemian Rhapsody next to you. It was quite uncanny. He was a true professional. He was very good. I’m not sure it was exactly what he was looking for.

I think he’s more keen on going out in his own right, doing his own thing, and having his own band. I don’t think he was a hundred percent happy being in someone else’s band, like Michaels’s band. It was great to work with him and I got on with him well, but I think it was time that we had a change. I think he felt it was time that he should move on to other things. We got Robin McAuley back in, which for us was a great move because he’s also the world’s best singer.

I think Robin’s got those years of experience and he’s been with Michael about the same amount of time that I have since 1986, which is a lot of water under the bridge. Whenever Robin comes back, it always feels like a really complete band again, so that was nice.

What do you think of Lee Small’s current solo album, The Last Man on Earth?

I love it. Absolutely love it. It’s so nice because my taste in music is very broad. It’s anything from classical, reggae, Latin American, melodic rock, and heavy rock. I love everything. If it’s good music, then I love it. To hear Lee doing this other string to his bow as it were with this reggae thing... Then, he asked me to do a solo on it and I think that I mastered it too. I thought it was absolutely fantastic. He’s a very talented guy. He’s very humble. Lee never blows his own trumpet, never says to anybody, “I’m great. You got to listen to this.” He always assumes that people aren’t really interested in what he does and he’s a brilliant musician. I think he played most of the instruments on that album apart from guitar. He mixed it himself. He does video editing. Ob-

viously, again, he’s another best singer in the world. He’s a very talented chap and I absolutely love that album. Thought it was great.

Do you have any messages for Lionheart fans here in the States?

I do. Since we’ve been back together again in 2016, we’ve been absolutely blown away by the amount of support that we’ve had. We’ve had so many messages, posts, and comments saying, “I’ve loved Lionheart since the Hot Tonight album came out.” We find it awesome that not just in America, but around the world too, so many people remember us and so many people have stuck by us, gone out and bought the albums, and come to see us play live as well. Obviously, we haven’t played live in America yet. But from our hearts, we can’t begin to say how grateful we are that everyone stuck with the band. It’s really taken us by surprise. We hope that sooner or later if we can start putting some live shows together, we can bring that live show to America if we can find the right promoter. Stand by, keep an eye on the internet, and hopefully, we’ll see you out in LA and across the rest of America at some point with Lionheart.

Lionheart is:

Lee Small (The Sweet, ex-Shy) - lead vocals

Dennis Stratton (ex-Iron Maiden) - lead guitar

Steve Mann (MSG, ex-Liar) - lead guitar

Rocky Newton (Grand Slam, ex-MSG) - bass guitar

Clive Edwards (ex-Pat Travers, Uli Jon Roth & Wild Horses) - drums, percussion

https://www.lionheartrock.com/

Running Wild with Escape The Hive

Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Jack Lue

Escape The Hive is based out of Phoenix, Arizona and recently issued their debut album entitled This Is Gonna Sting! on Vanity Music Group. They’ve made their way to The Whisky in West Hollywood, opening for the likes of the legendary Angel as well as the all girl thrash attack known as Burning Witches Highwire Daze recently interviewed vocalist Michael Thomas Beck to find out more about Escape

The Hive, his previous work with Red Dragon Cartel and Kings Of Dust, playing on the Sunset Strip, and more!

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Escape The Hive, and how long the band has been together. Hey all! I’m Michael Thomas Beck. Vocalist for Escape The Hive. We put out our debut release “This Is Gonna Sting!” on shelves late last year. We released it on streaming and CD in most record stores on Vanity Music Group and Shock Records. And we just released the record on vinyl!

Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?

We are all from all over the country. But we all reside in Phoenix, AZ. Phoenix has always been a “Rock Town”. So it’s good place for us to be, Lol

How did your recent show at The Whisky go and what were some of the highlights?

We recently played with Burning Witches at The Whisky. What a great show! They are a bit heavier than our sound. But the crowd really responded well to us. And they are great people. But opening there for Angel earlier in the year was surreal. A classic rock sound with keyboards and tight harmony is kinda right up our alley. We are all huge fans as well.

What could one expect from a live Escape The Hive show?

Again, we are a 70’s based rock band. That carries over into the live show. Strong harmony vocals, big guitars, a big swing in the rhythm section and passionate vocals are kinda what we hang our hat on.

If Escape The Hive could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?

Well, go back a couple questions and know that Angel is in the mix. Lol

Is there any overall story or concept behind the album title This Is Gonna Sting?

The name definitely refers to breaking free from the norm. Getting away from the constraints and running a bit wild!

What is the inspiration behind the lyrics for the song Separate Lives?

The song is about choices. What would happen if you had

made different choices in your past. And would you still be thinking about those choices now? There are always forks in the road as you go thru life.

One of my personal favorite songs on the album is Watching You, Watching Me. What is the inspiration behind the lyrics for that song?

It’s about a couple growing old together. Looking back at their life and at each other as it happens.

What was it like seeing your release on vinyl for the first time?

Absolutely gratifying. Being in bands in the late 80s and 90s where all releases were on cd and cassette. Especially after growing up in the 70s. The vinyl experience can’t be overstated.

What was it like working in Kings Of Dust and will you be doing any other work with them?

No. I’m very proud of that record. It took an awful lot to get it done. But I’m pretty happy where I’m at!

What was it like working with Red Dragon Cartel?

Pretty cool looking to my left and singing songs I grew up on with the guy that wrote them. Jake is in the guitar hero discussions for a reason.

Are you currently working with any other bands of projects outside of Escape The Hive?

No. We are already working on songs for our next record. Some of which we are already playing live. So come on out and give ‘em a listen!

What’s up next for Escape The Hive?

Lots more tour plans for this year. Probably another full video for this summer. A new single for the next release late this year. And the next record early next year.

Any final words of wisdom?

Thanks for having me. Listen to us on streaming. But if you dig it, buy the CD and/or vinyl. Come see us live! And grab a tour shirt before you leave. That goes for any band you like. It’s essential to the existence of rock and roll these days! And thanks for doing so!!

ESCAPE THE HIVE IS:

Michael Thomas Beck - Lead vocals

A.D Adams - Drums/Vocals

Conrad Varela - Guitar/Vocals

Mike Vars - Keyboards/Vocals

Paul Williams - Bass/Vocals

https://www.facebook.com/EscapeTheHive

Crypta: thrash Metal attaCk on the sunset strip

Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Jack Lue

World-renowned Brazilian death metal unit Crypta made made their way to the Sunset Strip. bringing their Shades Of Sorrow Over North America 2024 tour to the legendary Whisky A Go Go. The night sold out almost as soon as it was announced, and the band delivered the thrash metal attack with a massive amount of artistry and conviction! Prior to their absolutely epic set, Highwire Daze sat down with Fernanda Lira (vocals/bass) backstage to discuss their first ever US headlining tour, the recent Shades Of Sorrow endeavor on Napalm Records, being Ghost approved, the very special admiration they have for their fans, and more...

Introduce yourself. Tell me what you do in Crypta and how long the band has been together. A little background. I’m Fernanda Lira, and I play the bass and I sing for Crypta. And the band’s been around since around May, June 2019, but it’s been announced like, a year later, in around, like, May, I think 2020. But, yeah, we’re going to be five years old this

year. It’s insane. Time flies.

The Shades of Sorrow Over North America Tour, how has this tour been going so far and what have been some of the highlights?

It’s been going surprisingly and incredibly smoothly. It’s been great. Our last tour we did here in the US was super fun until we had a tornado going on and that was a bit traumatic. So, we were kind of like, okay, we hope it’s going to be a good one this time and it’s been amazing. We’re five shows away from the end of the tour and I can only look back and think it’s been great. It’s been super chill, a couple of long drives, but this tour is definitely way above our expectations, mainly crowd-wise.

We’ve been to the US before with Crypta - once on a big tour with Morbid Angel and some other cool bands. So, we knew how our audience was as a support band, as an opening band, but we didn’t know how it was going to work being headliners, so it was amazing to see that we do have a nice fan base

here. They’ve been selling out. I think we’ve got like ten shows that were sold out on this tour. This is amazing.

I’ve never had that in my whole life, so this is just very cool. I personally love touring the US. That’s a fact, I always do. It’s just a whole different vibe. It’s really amazing to me. But the shows themselves have been just awesome. Like people singing the lyrics, selling out the gigs, being so supportive on the merch, and when talking to us, it’s been just great.

What are you looking forward to the most about tonight’s sold out show playing at this iconic venue?

I mean, just by being here, sitting on this couch, being in this dressing room is cool enough. If the night was it, I would be happy enough, because The Whisky, it’s one of the most famous spots for bands and live shows in the whole world. And it’s just home for so many stories and for so many shows from some of our favorite bands.

So, it’s always been a dream, playing here at The Whisky, definitely. And when we got confirmed here, I cried a little bit. I’m a crybaby. I was like, I can’t believe this is happening. Headlining, it’s so cool. And then when I got the news, it was sold out, I had to cry again a little bit. So, I’ll probably cry again on stage.

I have a list of small personal dreams, and I get very emotional every time I cross one out of my list because I’m stepping the stage and sitting on the couch that probably like, lots of cool bands I like did the same, they were here and everything. And playing a sold-out show here and I love LA. I have so many friends coming over tonight. It’s going to be just so cool.

Let’s talk about the album Shades of Sorrow. Is there any overall story or concept behind that title first of all?

Shades of Sorrow was supposed to be a concept album, but I’m highly methodic and we just wouldn’t have the time to do it the way I had figured out in my mind to actually make it a concept album with proper transitions, a proper story or anything. So, I like to call it a semi-concept album because there is a story, there is a subject underlining the whole concept of the album. And this concept is basically, the album depicts a journey through pain. And we all go down that hole eventually. If you haven’t yet, it’s going to happen eventually.

But we’ve all been there, we’ve all had to experience pain and this album talks about this, about a journey through pain. And it talks about the many shades of pain we face. The many different shades of pain, many different shades of sorrow. That’s why the album is called this way. And each song represents a different feeling or a different emotion or a different pain or a different experience. Like Dark Clouds talks about anxiety and panic attacks. And we have Outsider talking about inadequacy and rejection.

We have Lullaby for the Forsaken talking about loneliness and The Other Side of Anger talking obviously about anger and finally, Lift the Blindfold and Lord of Ruins about overcoming pain and finding a calm center in chaos. So, every song talks about a different shade of pain, basically, and it’s just different stuff we feel whenever we’re faced with our trauma like some dark shit. It’s a very personal album.

What was that experience like opening for Ghost? And did you get to hang out with them at all?

Yeah, that was crazy, because before that, we were actually invited for that. There was an article, I think, in Metal Hammer UK, where it’s like, they asked Papa Emeritus. What’s his band pick of the month and then he mentioned us1 He was like, “I’ve been listening to Crypta, the girls are awesome!”

I was like, “Woah, that is huge!” So, we were happy enough with that, to be honest. And then some months later, we got the invitation to actually open for them with very nice conditions in the band’s hometown, which is São Paulo. And that was amazing again because it was definitely one of the biggest crowds we’ve played in Brazil.

So, it was very special in that sense. And after the show, we got to hang out with everyone and they said very nice things about us. They were encouraging us a lot, and we got the info that they themselves approved us being the opening band. So, it was really cool.

Cool. Crypta is Ghost-approved! Do you have any messages for Crypta fans who are reading this in our magazine right now?

Definitely. First of all, thank you for allowing me to talk about

my band and our work. It truly means a lot. I think what you guys do, like media in general, is just, like a very important bridge between us and our fans. I would love to talk about this with every fan, but I can’t. I physically can’t.

So, magazines and radio and everything, you’re a very important bridge between us all. So, thank you so much for having me here, and for everyone who supports Crypta, just thank you so much. I say it every night. I make sure I say it every night. Without you, we’re nothing. If it wasn’t for our fans, I would probably be doing music because I’m an artist, that’s what I like doing.

But having people supporting it and making our dreams come true, I’m only here at The Whisky because of our fans. If I’m affording to be here living my dreams, knowing so many countries around, it’s because of the fans. So, there’s nothing else I could do and say, at least besides saying, like, thank you. Thank you so much for your support.

Thank you for being the coolest. Thank you for being so amazing. Thank you for being. You got us through thick and thin. You got our back when we most need it, and you keep

on doing that. So, thank you so much. And I hope we keep doing a good job that pleases you guys because your support is everything to us.

And thank you for supporting art in general. During the pandemic, we learned that we were able to live without many things, right? Without going to our favorite restaurant, without going to the park, whatever. But we never spent a day without consuming art. Everyone listened to music. Everyone read a book. Everyone watched a movie, a series, whatever, so we could feel how important art is - from supporting us when we’re living through our best and also our worst. So, keep on supporting art. We now understand how valuable art is.

CRYPTA are:

Fernanda Lira - Bass, Vocals

Jéssica di Falchi - Guitar

Tainá Bergamaschi - Guitar

Luana Dametto - Drums

https://www.cryptaofficial.com/

Friday April 26,2024 7:00 PM w/Leatherwolf

Friday June 7,2024 7:30 PM w/ Babylon AD

Thurs Sept 26,2024 6:45PM w/Lynch Mob

Mr.Scary and guitar son Tone Raven, one stage, one night live!

Devon Thompson in Wonderland

Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Jack Lue

Los Angeles is a wonderland filled with magic and darkness, pretty much like the intriguing tapestries presented by local artist Devon Thompson. Unveiling her own imaginative brand of alternative rock, Devon will present a new EP entitled Skin to the world on March 27th via Exquisite Feline Highwire Daze recently interviewed Devon at a Jack Lue photo shoot to find out more about this compelling new artist on the rise...

What do you think about our local Los Angeles music scene and how do you feel you fit in?

I think I’ve found a place of where I belong recently. Actually. I didn’t really think so beforehand, but I think now I found the local kind of Los Angeles rock scene, which has been really cool. So, for me it’s hit or miss. The LA music scene, but you can find there are niches for everyone. So I think I found my niche.

What is the very first song you wrote? How old were you and what was that song about?

I honestly don’t even know. I think I was probably 11. The first song I ever released was my original song called Be Your Girl. I was 12 and I put it out on YouTube about this boy that I liked. I was in fourth grade. So, I liked this guy and I wrote a song about it. I put it out, and I made a music video with my dog in the park.

Did the boy ever hear it?

He didn’t know. He’s never even known it’s about him. I don’t even remember him honestly. I remember his name, but I don’t remember much else about him.

Well, let’s talk about more current songs. Is there any overall story concept behind EP title Skin?

The main theme of all of my music recently has been kind of like Gothic Poetry which is beauty and pain. There’s something ethereal about it. So, Skin is like the largest organ of our body and it’s tough, yet it’s so delicate. You could nick it and it’s bleeding. So, I think that there’s something to say

about that, about the kind of person I am. It’s like tough, like strong yet absolutely not. So, that’s kind of the whole thing around Skin

I Luv You But It Hurts Like Hell. What was the story behind that song?

There’s two meanings: One is struggling with toxic relationships and no matter what - like struggling with addiction, loving someone who’s addicted to something. It’s hard when people don’t talk about it much, but it’s really hard to love someone who has self-sabotaging habits. And then the other meaning of it is oppression and religion. Like having that sort of controversy with loving your faith and or loving God or something. But if you’re gay or something, you’re automatically demonized by that religion, that culture just because of what you are or who you are. It’s like there’s a love-hate relationship with your religion. So it also has to do with that as well

Tell me about the bunny rabbit in the video and what’s it like working with animals in the video?

I love working with animals. I’ve always been attracted to like little creatures, like bats, mice, moths and insects and stuff like that. I really like little stuff like that. So, the bunny is a huge symbol for me because I love Alice In Wonderland. So this video was an Alice In Wonderland sort of surrealist dream and the rabbit is a kind of the sign of like basically, it’s the reaper rabbit we call it. So it’s like death is here sort of. It’s like the death of whatever, your love or the death of whatever you want to think about. So, the black rabbit is symbolistic of that.

So Close. Tell me about the story behind that song. So Close is a lover gone mad sort of fairytale nightmare. One day, she just decides, she wants her lover would look better in a grave with beautiful flowers decorating. It’s a serial killer almost short story and how she just went mad one day. And just decide, just to do it because she thinks that, in a Gothic sense, it would be lovely. Obviously, it’s crazy, but it’s just fictional tale basically.

Tell me about the video and whose the guy in the video?

Yeah. His name is Miles. We met mutually through friends, like probably a year ago. And my friend was just like, “oh, you should use Miles for your video. He’s like, great. He’s perfect for it.” He’s like tall and lanky, and has that look that I was looking for. So it was perfect and he looked great as a dead guy. So [laugh]. Yeah. And he was awesome to work with.

Now you’re going to be playing the Gibson Showroom. What do you like the most about Gibson guitars? You brought one today actually.

Yeah. I love Gibson. Gibson has always been very raw and their guitars are just like, you don’t need any pedals for Gibsons. You just need an Amp, like, the right Amp. But you don’t need anything for Gibsons. You just need their guitars because they make the most quality guitars, out of any guitar brand. Hands down. So they are perfect on their own is the best thing about it.

One of the first bands I interviewed for Highwire Daze was actually Xymox. I saw your open for Clan of Xymox at The Regent. What was that experience like and were you familiar with them before that show?

I was, because they’re kind of like OG goth band and it was great. I mean, I’m not a goth band. I write with lots of gothic poetry and I like gothic fashion and culture and music, but I am not goth myself, soft goth maybe. But like, it was great. The crowd loved me. I think I just really engage with people and make them connect with it. I think people really enjoyed

40

it. We got a great crowd response, so it was awesome.

If you could open for any band or artists, either now or from the past, who would it be and why?

I would love to open for Paramore right now. I would love to open for Paramore. I think I would be a great fit for them or Jack White, I feel like I’d be a good fit for. So yeah, those are two groups that I would love to open for sure. And Fiona Apple, I feel like I would be a good opener for her as well.

What’s up next for you?

I’m going to be releasing a ton of music andI’m going to brand my music and brand myself and let everyone know what I do and what I’m about. So lots of music and lots of shows and lots of music discovery is what’s going to be happening...

https://www.devonthompsonmusic.com/ https://www.instagram.com/devonthompsonmusic/

Everything and more with If Not For Me

Interview by Ken Morton

If Not For Me is a four piece metalcore outfit hailing from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Composed of members ranging from all over the central PA music scene, If Not For Me delivers their own brand of catchy choruses, driving riffs, and hard-hitting breakdowns with an explosive live performance to match. If Not For Me recently signed with Thriller Records, and are about to release their debut full length entitled Everything You Wanted. Highwire Daze recently interviewed Patty Glover and Hayden Calhoun of If Not For Me to discuss Everything You Wanted, signing with Thriller Records, one million streams on Spotify, Taylor Swift, and more...

Introduce yourself and and tell me what you do in the band.

Patty: My name is Patty and I sing.

Hayden: My name is Hayden. I play guitar.

Where is the band based out and then what is your music seem like there?

Patty: We are based out of Harrisburg, PA ,like the greater Central PA area. Honestly, the music scene here is pretty awesome. We come from an area that a lot of really big national acts came from. International acts, honestly. In our general area, we’ve had bands come out like August Burns Red, Texas in July, This or the Apocalypse Other bands like Halestorm and Breaking Benjamin are from our general area. Taylor Swift is from our general area. It’s weird because we’re not in like a huge what you would probably consider a music city. but there’s so many surrounding areas to us that have massive success stories, and even on the local level, the scene is really cool, too.

How did you wind up signing with Thriller and InVogue Records?

Patty: It’s a very long journey.

You just mentioned all the CI Records acts and of course Taylor Swift. I saw Taylor last year, and actually, she was pretty good. I’m sorry, but that’s what I thought.

Hayden: No, that’s fair.

Patty: I love Taylor Swift. I’m not going to lie. I grew up on 90s country, so especially her first couple records, I still jam those to this day. They’re great.

Hayden: The crossover from InVogue to Thriller was definitely a little easier. We obviously had worked with InVogue for about a year, I guess. We put out, I think, 4 singles through them. I don’t know. The same people that own and operate InVogue operate Thriller so they one day called us and was like, “Hey, if you guys are down, we think this is the time to move you guys up to Thriller.” Obviously, we were down for it. We all love Thriller and we love all the bands on it so we’re just really stoked to move forward.

Let’s talk about the upcoming album, Everything You Wanted. First of all, is there any story behind that title and that song?

Patty: Pretty much, the whole album kind of revolves

42 March/April 2024 HIGHWIRE DAZE

around the idea of failed relationships and loss and kind of learning a bit about yourself, who you want to be, who you don’t want to be. It comes from a particular time in my life where I didn’t know who I was or what I wanted. I was making a lot of mistakes in my relationships, and I kind of had to do a lot of stupid stuff to learn about myself and figure out what I wanted. I had to go through a lot of heartbreak. Some of it self-inflicted, some of it not. That’s basically where the record came from, and the name of it comes from, basically, just trying to figure out what you want in life. It also has a bit of like a sarcastic implication to it in the sense where it’s like, “These are the choices you’ve made. I hope you got everything you wanted out of it.” I’m just hoping that people relate to these song. So far, a lot of people have really enjoyed the lyrical content and stuff like that and it’s really resonated with them. I’m really excited to see that because that’s really what I wanted out of this record.

Let’s talk about a few of the songs. Let’s talk about Blameless in particular and the inspiration behind that one.

Patty: Blameless is great. We did that song in Michigan with a guy named Jon Eberhard. He plays in I Prevail and writes for them, and a lot of other bands. We were really stoked about that song, but the inspiration from that song kind of came from a relationship that I was in where things were falling apart, there was a lot of blame being thrown around on both sides, and it kind of got to the point where I was like, “You know, you can you can do whatever you want. You could blame everything on me. I don’t really care anymore.” That was like the attitude of it. It’s basically just about people in our lives that don’t want to take accountability for their actions in the mistakes that they made, and at a certain point, there’s not really anything else we can do with those people, like they’re going to think what they want, they’re going to do what they want, they’re going to blame whoever they want. That song was basically about just letting go of those kind of people and just saying, “I’m cleaning my hands of it. It’s done. You can blame it on me if you want. I don’t really care anymore.”

We’ll talk about one more song, Feel Me Now. Tell me about that one and the inspiration behind it. Patty: Feel Me Now, honestly, might be my favorite song on the record so far. I don’t really know. It’s hard to pick, but that one was also about a relationship I was in. I want this one to be really relatable because it’s kind of like that push-and-pull feeling where you know you’re with somebody and you know things aren’t working out and you know you are only hurting each other, but you still can’t let

go of each other. I feel like that’s a really relatable position to be in, where you’re just kind of like hurting each other, not out of intention but because you don’t really know what you’re supposed to be doing. It’s just hard to let go of that person, even though everything you’re doing is just creating more damage, and you know it. It’s just kind of a rough situation of being on it. I feel like it’s very relatable so I hope a lot of people can you know find solace in that song.

Blameless has over 1 million streams on Spotify, with Feel Me Now closing in on that number. What do numbers like that mean to you guys?

Hayden: Man! It’s honestly super sick for so many people to, like Patty is saying, be able to resonate with the messages of all the songs and stuff. For the rest of us, even Patty too, the songs themselves, the instrumental and melodies, just knowing people listen to them and like them and like them enough to listen to them over and over again is definitely fulfilling. As a band, we really try not to get too wrapped up in numbers because there’s so many different ones that you can look at. Numbers don’t really mean anything, I guess.

Patty: Yeah, it’s really cool to see those numbers going up and up. We’d be lying if we said we don’t look at it sometimes and we’re like, “Wow! That’s really cool!” But like Hayden was saying, it’s something that we try not to get too wrapped up on because at the end of the day, what’s more important to us is our fans connecting with it. Are they coming out to shows, are we getting to meet people, and all that kind of stuff. The numbers could be

as high as we want, but if people aren’t coming out to the shows and showing us that they’re really getting something out of these songs, then it doesn’t really mean as much to us. So yeah, it’s really cool to see the numbers go up. It’s a place that we haven’t really been yet. We’re in uncharted territory like watching all that stuff climb, but yeah, it’s pretty cool.

Has If Not For Me ever played out here in the Los Angeles, Orange County area or is that something you’d like to do?

Hayden: We actually have not played out there. We are planning to at some point. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, but before the end of 2024.

So for those of us who haven’t seen you yet, what could one expect for and from an If Not For Me show?

Hayden: We try really hard and we pride ourselves on our live show. No matter what the venue is, no matter what the sound systems like, or the lighting’s like, we try to give everybody the same show. If we need to, we bring our own stuff. We like to have a really good time. We like to engage with the crowd.

Patty: Yeah, we’re all about energy, honestly. We move around a lot. We do a lot of stuff. I love interacting with the crowd. I love when the crowd is up on me singing the words and all that kind of stuff. We like to have a lot of fun on stage, and like Hayden was touching on the production aspects, we like to put a lot into the production to just give everybody the best show that they can possibly have.

If If Not For Me could open for any band, either now or from the past, who would it be and why?

Hayden: We actually get this question a lot, and probably, the most common answer that we give is Bring Me the Horizon and I Prevail, just because we really admire them as musicians anyways, as we really look up to them as musicians. We like their music, and from a business standpoint, our music is, I guess, in the same ballpark, genre-wise, as like those bands so their fans would be the most susceptible people to become fans of ours.

Patty: If I was going to add anything to that, I’d throw Bad Omens in there as well. It’s because they’re crushing it there. There sound is so cool, and I think we would fit on a bill with them really well. A personal one for me is

Underoath because that’s just a really special band to me. When I was getting into heavier music, they were one of the first bands that I really fell in love with. But yeah, as far as Hayden was saying, we always say Bring Me The Horizon because as far as I’m concerned, they’re like the peak of rock and metal right now. It’s like, “Who is bigger than Bring Me The Horizon?” We got to see them live in Michigan actually last year. The show was insane. It would just be a dream come true to share the stage with them.

Cool. At least you didn’t say Taylor Swift. I had to bring her back in the end.

Hayden: I would open for Taylor Swift for sure. They might not like us but I would still love that.

So what’s up next for you guys in the months ahead?

Hayden: We’re releasing our record Everything You Wanted on March 29th. Hopefully, by the time this comes out, we can talk about some shows that we have planned around that time, nothing specific though. We have some specific things, but we don’t want to talk about anything like that until it gets announced, for sure.

Patty: Yeah, we have the record coming out March 29th, and there will be a released tour based around it that we’re really stoked about, and then for the rest of the year, we’re just hoping to tour as much as we can. That’s what we want to do. We want to put this music out. We want to get on the road. We want to connect with as many people as we can and just get to play new places.

https://www.instagram.com/ifnotforme/ https://www.instagram.com/thrillerrecords/ https://www.ifnotformeband.com/

Last Night of Solace: The Trees in Dallas Interview

Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Cheyanne Singleton

Last Night of Solace is a dynamic metalcore band from Dallas, Texas ready to burst into the big leagues. The band issued their debut full length Too Far Gone last year, and recently released two new singles - Fractured with Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens and Kenopsia Highwire Daze caught up with Last Night of Solace at Trees in Dallas to find out more about this amazing band on the rise...

Introduce yourself and tell me what you do in the band. Kennedy: My name is Kennedy. I’m a guitarist in Last Night of Solace. Me and Jeiden over here kind of swap between leads, so we both do a bit of rhythm and lead.

Cameron: My name is Cameron. I’m the vocalist here at Last Night of Solace. I also do a lot of the pre-production and kind of come up with our demos. I also kind of handle the business aspects of the band as well, networking, all of that sort of thing. Thanks for having us on.

Jeiden: I’m Jeiden. I’m the other guitarist, and I like to party. Just kidding. I don’t party.

Seth Andy: Hi, I’m Andy. I am the drummer. I also do backup vocals, and I do my fair hand in trying to write the music, and I’m happy to be here.

Austin: My name’s Austin and I’m the guitarist that Cameron hit up and said, “Hey, do you want to play bass for us?” six months ago. And I said, “You know what? Absolutely. That sounds like a blast!”

Since we’re reviewing the show tonight, what could one expect from a live Last Night of Solace show?

Jeiden: Well, number one, we can expect Cameron, our frontman, all over the stage. I would be not surprised if he was on the rafters tonight. Next up, we probably have Austin over here. He would also be all over, but due to the fact that he has a bass in his hands, he can’t climb. So no rafters.

Austin: I’ll be in the pit, instead.

Jeiden: Yeah. And then we can expect to see this little guy, Seth Andy over here, on the drums, just fucking going crazy everywhere.

Seth Andy: Sometimes I’ll do a roar or two.

Jeiden: Yeah, sometimes he does a roar or two. He does a

little bit of screaming in the back vocals, and then you can expect me and Kennedy to just try to make all the energy happen, try to keep up with everything, and bring it all together with our guitars. But I won’t lie, some of our parts get a little technical and it gets a little hard. That’s okay. We’re trying.

Select two songs you’re playing tonight and what inspired the lyrics?

Cameron: So a really important one to me is Fractured, the one we did with Kellin Quinn. That song is really personal to me because I wrote it at a time when I had found somebody who I was really close with. Our relationship was almost codependent in nature. We depended on each other, essentially for everything. And then eventually it just stopped working. We ended up changing as people and we didn’t really connect anymore and I lost her. And sometimes when you have somebody who’s so close to you and you lose them, it feels like you’re losing a piece of yourself. It feels like you’re fractured in a sense.

However, that doesn’t define you. No person other than yourself defines you. And you shouldn’t let somebody who’s close to you tell you who you are and define you as a person. That’s what this song is about. It’s about having that loss and then coming back from it and finding your way and finding who you are.

Another really important song to me would be Too Far Gone Too Far Gone is about having people on social media tell you who you are, how you should dress, how you should act, and having to appease them and having to fit a certain demographic, having to look a certain way just to fit in. But eventually, that becomes toxic. Eventually, you lose your sense of self and you forget who you are.

And so that song’s about breaking free from that, ignoring the fame, ignoring all the potential you get out of fitting that demographic, and finding out who you are and finding people who love you for being yourself as opposed to pretending to be somebody.

So you mentioned the song you did with Kellin Quinn. For people who didn’t see this interview last time, what was it like working with Kellin and how did that come about?

Kennedy: We ended up playing So What in the summer of 2023. It was a sick show. So What is a music festival here in Dallas with a bunch of big names on it. Well, there’s a couple stages. There are some metal stages. There are some post-hardcore rock stages and then there’s rap as well. And we played on one of the metal ones. But we were chilling in

the back around the green roomy areas and we saw Kellin Quinn and introduced ourselves to him and we thought he was a really cool guy and asked if he would want to work with us at some point. And he seemed down to do it, so later we hit him up on Instagram or social media. He gave us some information and we emailed him and he ended up really vibing with our music and wanting to work with us. So we got that music going and sent it over to him and the rest is history. Ended up putting down some really sick vocals in a week.

Cameron: So to add to that, I initially emailed Kellin and asked him what he thought of the song. He’s like, “Yeah, the song’s sick. We’d love to work with you on it.” And he said, “Maybe in a month or so, I’ll get back to y’all once I’m back from this trip I’m going on.” And we were like, “Okay, cool.”

go to one of their shows, but to open for one would be even cooler.

So that sounds good to us. But then literally the next day he sent me the stems. He was like, “Hey guys, I just went ahead and hit the song. Did a little bit extra in case you want to use it. I hit the verse. I hit the chorus. Did the breakdown too. Hope you guys like it.” And we were just was blown away by it. It was amazing. And we really appreciated his passion and the quick turnaround. It seemed like he really wanted to help us out and wanted to work with us.

Kennedy: I’ll just add, that I thought he was a really nice dude and I really appreciate him working with us. It was cool for him to go out on a limb and work with a smaller band like us, even though he’s in such a big band like Sleeping With Sirens. So if he ever sees this, we all really appreciate it. And we thought he did a killer job on our song.

If Last Sign of Solace could open for any band, either now or from the past, who would it be and why?

Seth Andy: That would be either Loathe or Invent Animate I personally like those bands because of how I like Loathe because of how diverse their sound can get because they are very pretty and heavy. And I think that we are also very pretty and very heavy in a different way, but we have the same idea of having different genres. And I think we could fit on a Loathe bill really well and I just love Loathe a lot. And Invent Animate, we have somewhat of like a progressive style as well. And Invent Animate is also decently progressive and I think we would fit well on that bill.

Austin: I’m a number one Haken fanboy at heart. I love that band, but it’s not really our thing. So if I had to pick something more in our wheelhouse, I think Darko US would be really cool. They have some really cool music. Would love to

Jeiden: For me, personally, I cannot overstate how excited I would be if we got to open for either Erra or Periphery. Erra is one of my personal favorite bands. Periphery is a close second, and that would be a dream come true.

Cameron: So my top three would be Motionless In White, Bad Omens, and I Prevail. I feel like our music fits a lot of their music and would do really well on those shows. I also feel like our darker tech wear and gothic aesthetic would also fit branding-wise as well with those bands, they’re all great musicians, and it would be really cool to get to work with them at such a close level.

Kennedy: If I had to choose, I’m going to go with two. I’m going to go with one on the more metalcore side, which Jeiden mentioned, definitely Periphery. They’re probably like my favorite band and definitely inspire a lot of what we do here. And then if I was going to go with something a bit heavier, since we do have a bit of deathcore in us, I really like Enterprise Earth, and I think they’d be a sick band to play with. I’ve met all of them a few times, and we’ve talked to them about doing features at some point, so it’d be cool if that ever panned out or if we ever got to be on a show with them.

What’s up next for Last Night of Solace?

Cameron: Last Night of Solace will be taking our sound to a whole new level with all new stage production, a higher standard of writing and recording, and a powerful new emotionally resonant sound. Stay tuned for tour dates and see Last Night of Solace in a venue near you!

https://www.instagram.com/lastnightofsolace/

We Are The Black Things-Stages “Live” 1/25/24

Filling In The Blanks We Are The Black Things

By Highwire Daze Magazine

Santa Ana Rock Bar brings in outfit

We Are The Black Things to it’s town

Warehouse rock club Stages

Santa Ana bring in the goods with Hollywood hard rock band

We Are The Black Things

5 Piece rock n’ roll outfit from West Hollywood California playing live jam packed rolling through

Original rock repertoire with songs like

When Hollywood Burns,and

We Are The Black Things,and their Down In Wuhan stuff

The band is on the Bomb Tour 24 unloading original song cuts like Drop The Bomb etc over the deep dark world landscape we’re living in

Outlining the Covid 19 Vac period caused on peoples lives devastation hopes dreams and business’ down the toilet keeping the fire burning through our music friends

We Rae Owl,Tone,Luthario,Frank and Carrie

We Are The Black Things filling in the blanks of this contract on this stage

We Are The Black Things

Frank Garrett-Bass

Rae Owl Starling-Keyboard

Luthario Mithcho-Turntable

Carrie Cane-Drums

Tone Raven-Guitar/Vocals

We Are The Black Things-TM 2018

Tone Raven-TM 2021

Facebook.com/ravenscrymusic

Contact Booking:toneraven@yahoo.com

Interview with Johnny Andriani

Written by Alison “MetalBabe” Cohen

Photo Credit: Will Vallar Photography

Johnny Andriani is a talented musician who continues to write and record songs. First with The Bane and Sassy Lassy, then The Dwellers, (later Dweller) and currently under the name Johnny Andriani. He has also toured Europe with Marky Ramone, has his own podcast, and has written a screenplay. He is currently working on a double album and has released three singles to date, along with Grimes AI!

Alison “MetalBabe” Cohen: You were signed to EMI with The Dwellers in 1995 and released your debut album ‘Whatever Makes You Happy.’ What can you tell me about that experience?

Johnny Andriani: The easiest thing to say about The Dwellers is that it was a fun band. We had great times, but it was short lived. We’ll always have those memories. There’s not much to elucidate on that subject matter.

Metal Babe: I loved it, and I am so happy it brought me to you, and we are here almost 30 years later! Let’s start off by talking about your brand-new songs “AI Lover,” “Science Fiction Love,” and “Star-Crossed Lovers,” featuring Grimes AI. This is such an innovative idea, and all three are great songs! Tell me how this came about.

Johnny: I saw an article where she was talking about her AI, it’s like a beta thing. They’re testing it out and

seeing how it works. For anybody who wants to use her AI voice, you pay a distribution fee and send in the song for approval. If it gets approved, they put it out and you split publishing 50/50. “AI Lover” her has been out for about seven months, and “Science Fiction Love” just came out recently. It’s a cool concept.

Metal Babe: What are your thoughts on AI taking over the world?

Johnny: (Laughs) I think we have a long way to go. I’ve read what Grimes AI is talking about and this is not the future of music. We still need the human element of feeling to connect with people in order to reach them.

Metal Babe: Tell me about your upcoming album. You are going to release it in two parts, “West of Eden” and “The Last Show.”

Johnny: I am releasing it like a double album. Calling one of them “West of Eden” because it’s hard rock with a little country western and punk, mixed in with a parallel to the story of the bible.

“The Last Show” will lead itself up to just going through life. The song “The Last Show” is about the last show being our final whatever it is when we die. It could be our wake, or our funeral... We are all actors. Like Shakesphere said, “All the world’s a stage.” I even borrowed that concept for a line in the song.

Metal Babe: I agree completely on that quote! You also are starting up a new podcast called “Must Be A Duck.” The first episode was really great. I think you found another calling!

Johnny: The “Must be a Duck” podcast is based on my song called “Must be a Duck.” The podcast is something I’ve been thinking about for years because I have a lot to say. That’s why I write a lot of songs. My podcast is about sharing and connecting with people. I want to connect with people on a subconscious level. I want people to hear my podcast and realize we can talk in a subconscious way. It’s about looking at all angles of existence.

Metal Babe: In addition to writing songs, you also wrote a screenplay. Tell me about that.

Johnny: I did write a screenplay. Let me just say the name of my screenplay and leave it at that. It’s called ‘A Prayer for Rock and Roll.’

Metal Babe: Tell me about touring Europe with Marky Ramone in 2013. How did that come about?

Johnny: That came about through my friend Andy Hilfiger. At the time Marky had Andrew W.K. singing for him in the States, and he needed somebody to sing with him in Europe for six weeks. It worked out perfectly.

Marky asked me if I was a fan of The Ramones. To be honest, I knew of them, but I wasn’t a fan. I always thought they were cool, but learning all the songs got

me to really love and respect them. Marky once explained that Dee Dee was like the little kid storyteller, and Joey loved 50’s music and Doo-Wop. The whole synergy of the band was really cool. I learned a lot from Marky. The funny thing is, he doesn’t even know the songwriter I am. None of them knew the whole me, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even use my real name. I was using Johnny Angel. It went with the whole feeling of punk rock. Although it would have been fun to show him “Rocket Ride” (by The Dwellers) and do that with him. I had a blast doing the songs and playing with them. I learned a lot about perseverance. Marky is such a hard worker, and an amazing drummer.

Metal Babe: I love the videos that I have seen from that tour. I only wish I could have seen it live. I am very glad you had that experience. What is some of the best advice you were given growing up?

Johnny: Well, my mother once said, “If you want to write the best, you read the best.” Years later Del James, who is a road manager for Guns N’ Roses, said the same thing in an article in RIP Magazine. Also, something I always remember is a line that Victoria Wyndham taught me. She was an actress from the soap opera Another World, and she was the manager of a band I played drums in called The Bane. She said “always have your bullshit detector on.” That stuck with me my whole life.

Metal Babe: That is all great advice! What words would you like to say to our readers?

Johnny: Godspeed to all of you. It’s great that you are supporting music and writers, people like Alison, and musicians like myself. Thank you for supporting that in whatever way you are, just by being a fan or being inspired by it. Godspeed to you all and to Highwire Daze. Godspeed to you Alison

Metal Babe: Thank you for your time! As you know, I am a forever supporter and friend and wish you continued success.

Check out Johnny Andriani’s brand new video for “My Saturn Return” (and so much more) on YouTube: Jandriani Music Production

Ruling The Street Scene with Generation Landslide

Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Joe Schaeffer

Generation Landslide from Las Vegas may be a new band but one of the names might be familiar. Lead singer, lead guitarist and main songwriter Anthony White is the drummer for MCA Records artists Cold Sweat in the early 90sand participated in the very first KISS tribute to be endorsed by the actual band themselves, Cold Gin, in which he was “Paul Stanley.” The band is rounded out by guitarist Sandy Stein, bassist Jonothan Swanson, and drummer Trace Lockwood.

In this interview with Generation Landslide, we discuss their recent album, Ruling The Street Scene (Vanity Music Group), their show at The Whisky opening for SteelCity and Roxy Blue, the Alice Cooper connection, and more!

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Generation Landslide, and how long the band has been together

My name is Anthony White, I play guitar and sing. The band has been together since 2020.

Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?

Band is based out of Las Vegas and the music is okay in Vegas but could always be better.

How did your recent show at The Whisky go and what were some of the highlights? SteelCity and Roxy Blue are such amazing bands!

The Whisky show was fantastic, and a lot of fun but also tiring at the same time because for that show, I played guitar in Generation Landslide and then played drums in SteelCity. Yeah I like both bands as well.

What could one expect from a live Generation Landslide show?

A lot of excitement and energy.

If Generation Landslide could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?

I think some of the bands we would match up well with would be - Thin Lizzy - Kix - Y&T

Is there any overall story or concept behind the album title

Ruling The Street Scene?

Yeah the title comes from lyrics from an old Alice Cooper song so I wanted to keep the theme of old school kick ass rock and basically show 4 guys out in the streets just jamming away.

Select two songs from Ruling The Street Scene and what inspired the lyrics?

Are You Out There - is my tribute to the late great bass player Phil Lynott of the band Thin Lizzy

Feel The Sensation - is my take on having a job during the week but when the weekend comes you just let loose at a concert of your favorite band that you’ve been waiting to see.

How close is Generation Landslide to writing and recording new material?

Hopefully this year, some of the material has already been written.

How do you relate to the Alice Cooper song Generation Landslide and has Alice Cooper heard or commented on your band?

I think the song content not only rings true of decadence then and continues in society today. Not that I’m aware of, I would love to see what he thinks of the band.

Are you currently working with any other bands of projects outside of Generation Landslide?

Yeah, as of now I have 5 different projects that I’m involved in. 3 original bands Generation Landslide (guitar) - Cold Sweat (drums) - SteelCity (drums) and 2 local cover bands (Puppet Show) (Limoncello) that I play Guitar in.

What’s up next for Generation Landslide?

Keep playing shows and do the next Single/Video.

Any final words of wisdom?

Life’s too short, enjoy everyday while you can.

https://www.instagram.com/ generationlandslide.899/

A Glamdemic in FerreTT Nation

Interview by Ken Morton

FerreTT has arrived, bringing their own wicked brand of New York City Glam to the world! Their latest album is entitled Glamdemic, now available via the mighty Moribund compound. FerreTT is high energy, mammoth-fun, sexfueled hard rock-n-roll and it’s destined to spread across the entire nation like a sonic plague for the glamnation masses! Highwire Daze recently interviewed Beau Brent, aka The King of the Night Time World, vocalist of FerreTT to find out more about the amazing Glamdemic!

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in FerreTT, and how long the band has been together.

Hello Ken, this is Beau Brent, aka The King of the Night Time World, vocalist of FerreTT. Although FerreTT may be a new name to you, we have been lingering around the New York City underground for over a decade at this point. We self-released 2 full lengths and an EP before Moribund picked us up. This is our first new release since signing with Moribund, although they have re-released our 2017 full length In Through the Out Door and our 2018 EP Snow on FerreTT Mountain previously.

Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?

We are based out of New York City. Most of the current lineup lives in Queens, though Scotty Hart (guitars) is out on Long Island. As you could imagine, the New York City metal scene is pretty robust, but there are not many glam metal bands here, especially newer ones that are coming out with new music. So we kind of stick out. Also, and very unfortunately, hipsters have infiltrated the New York City metal scene quite substantially in recent years. They are soft, pretentious, and offended by everything! Glamdemic, the song, is our battle cry against this false metal invasion!

How do you wind up signing with Moribund Records?

This is a funny tale. So there used to be actual ferrets involved in the operation! I had a pet ferret named Sammi from 2008 – 2015 and then a second ferret named Sid from 2016 – 2023. Sid kind of became Instagram famous with his “Sid the Ferret’s Album of the Day” photo series. I have a GIGANTIC record collection, and essentially, I would take a photo each day of Sid with one of my albums. I would then post said picture on Instagram and tag both the band and label

that released that album. So, one day in 2018, the album in question was a Sargiest album that Moribund had released in the U.S. back in the day. We tagged Moribund Records in the picture, and that is how they discovered our music.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the album title Glamdemic?

I wouldn’t say there is an overall story or concept, but essentially, the album is “fun.” Remember fun? Every song is basically about pounding beers, smoking grass, blasting, lines, and getting ass! One of the songs is about the cult horror movie Motel Hell. The last track, “House of the Holy (Food for the Gods)” is about going to White Castle. As I mentioned previously, the title track is basically a rallying cry against the false metal hipsterfication of metal. In that song, the word “grunge” is essentially being used figuratively, as in reality, we all know grunge has been dead for years!

Is there any story behind the lyrics of your single Don’t Tell Jen?

Shhhhh…….She doesn’t need to know the story.

Select two other songs from Glamdemic and what inspired the lyrics?

Sure, I’ll select these out of a hat and eliminate ones that I mentioned previously. The song Let it All Hang Out on a Saturday Night is about a typical heavy metal Saturday night for FerreTT in New York City. The song Amateur Night is about a fine gentlemen’s establishment on the Nebraska/ Iowa border. Every first and third Wednesday of the month is amateur night!

Who produced Glamdemic and what was it like working with them?

Our former guitar player, TT Benoit, produced and recorded the album. Unfortunately, he kind of disappeared off the face of the earth soon after. We don’t know exactly what happened to him, but we are pretty sure Kevin Sullivan, the former pro wrestler, is involved! The album was then mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swano at Unisound in Sweden.

What was it like opening for Stryper and did you get to meet or hang out with them at all?

Opening for Stryper was pretty great. It was at The Gramercy Theater in Manhattan, and it was probably the biggest show we have played to this date in terms of crowd size. Our setlist was pretty short, but we killed it that night. I was personally really toeing the line between “awesome stage presence” drunk and “black out” drunk, and I toed it perfectly! I wish I could manage to hit that sweet spot for every live gig, but it’s a dangerous game! I briefly met Michael Sweet and Oz Fox that night and took a pic with Oz, but I wouldn’t say we hung out with them or anything. Funny story though, before we signed the contract to play that show, Stryper’s manager requested that we reign it in a bit in terms of lyrics and certain stage banter. I thought that was pretty silly, but since the gig was a huge opportunity and we all love Stryper, we obliged. So, we didn’t play certain songs that night (such as Canadian Hookers) that we usually would play and I was careful not to curse. The thing is, I understand that with certain Stryper crowds, perhaps down south or in the mid-west. But not in New York City. The crowd coming out to see Stryper is New York City is the same crowd that would come out to see Ratt or Dokken. They do not care if I am dropping F bombs up there. But I respected the rules because Stryper rules.

What was it like opening for Grim Reaper and were you able to meet Steve Grimmett or any of the other band members?

Opening up for Grim Reaper was also great. This was the first time we played Gramercy Theater, so it was a big deal for us. The setlist was way longer than for the Stryper show since it was just us and Grim Reaper, and FerreTT actually brought out a ton of fans that night. Since it was our first time playing Gramercy, we were a bit more reserved than we were at the Stryper show in terms of wildness on stage, but it was still a really good show. And yes, we were able to meet Steve (R.I.P.) and his band. They were all great guys!

Have you ever played out here on the Sunset Strip at the Whisky or any of the other clubs?

We have not. How about you help us rectify that tragic circumstance?

What could one expect from a live FerreTT show?

Pretty much what you would think. Fast and loose. Wild.

Lots of antics. The audience is usually pretty hammered. It obviously partially depends on who we play with, but generally, it’s a pretty rambunctious occasion. Sometimes Jason Voorhees makes a special appearance and kills a few people in the audience. Although rumor has it that Farmer Vincent may want to get in on the killing soon too.

Are you currently working with any other bands of projects outside of FerreTT?

I am not, no. But Scotty Hart is also in a badass hardcore punk band called Charged for Battle. They have a record out and are a solid live gig. Our new bassist, Chorizo Del Rio, also plays in a band called Fan Boys. They are coming out with a new record soon. If you are into hardcore/grindcore with elements of punk and death metal, check that shit out!

What’s up next for FerreTT?

Well, we haven’t played live since 2021 and have had a ton of lineup changes since then. In fact, many of the ferrets that played on Glamdemic are no longer with the band. But we have a new lineup intact and I am excited to see what we can do. I am hoping this new FerreTT lineup will be ready to play some gigs by the summer. Forget hope, I am counting on that. I have cocaine to snort and chicks to bang and I ain’t getting any younger.

Any final words of wisdom?

Say you prayers and take your vitamins brother! THE GLAMDEMIC IS HERE!

https://www.facebook.com/FerreTTNation

https://www.moribundcult.com/

A Decade of Minor Strut

Lue

Minor Strut is an independent, alternative rock band from Southern California with members, Coryn Cahill (vocals), Ethan Nguyen (guitar), Marquis Miranda (bass) and Aiden Kunhardt (drums). Hailing from the Inland Empire, Minor Strut has played legendary venues, events, and festivals since 2014. They are an incredibly dynamic group of young musicians writing their own original music and covering some of the most iconic Rock and Alternative artists. With diverse musical interests, Minor Strut spent the last few years working on their sound, and in July 2022 the band released their first single Gotta Tell You. Their music reflects their journey through self-development, growing up and dynamics between friends, family, and relationships.

Highwire Daze caught up with three of the members of Minor Strut at a Jack Lue photo shoot in Downtown L.A. to discuss their 10-year anniversary as a band! Read on...

We’re here with Minor Strut. Introduce yourself and tell me what you do in the band.

Ethan: I’m Ethan. I play guitar.

Coryn: Hello! I’m Coryn and I’m lead vocals. Aiden: I’m Aiden and I play drums.

What goes through your mind knowing that Minor Strut is now celebrating their 10-year anniversary as a band?

Ethan: It’s kind of where our life is now. It’s the only band I’ve been in, and it’s been more than half my life, so it’s just kind of a day-to-day process.

Aiden: Well, me and Ethan have been together for almost 10 years now, but we’ve known everybody else in the band for the same amount of time, so it’s pretty much the same thing celebrating it.

Coryn: It was really cool going from watching them play when I was nine, to seeing all of us grow up around each other. I wasn’t always in the band, but it’s really cool and exciting to have this. It’s a 10-year anniversary. It’s a good point. It’s awesome.

I saw one of your credits is being on the Heidi and Frank show. Tell me a little about that.

Coryn: We ended up submitting our original, Gotta Tell You,

Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Jack

to The Heidi and Frank Show, just to see what would happen because I know some family friends, people that have done so before - other bands. We got a really good response off of the radio play on Heidi and Frank. Everybody there was super excited to hear our song. It’s great. It’s very cool. I was very happy about it. I’ve listened to it on the radio, since I was nine, eight, seven, something like that. My dad always plays the radio in the car so I was always listening to it.

What was it like playing in an iconic venue like the Whisky a Go Go?

Aiden: When you’re young, when we played it, you don’t really know the history behind it. You just hear things, word of mouth, but later on, you grow to appreciate it. It’s a cool venue. I’m grateful to play there any day.

Coryn: Yeah, it’s good roots.

I looked at Spotify and you got a bunch of music there from 2022. How close are you guys to recording new music in 2024?

Aiden: The process is happening right now. We have two in the works and a new one that we haven’t started in the studio yet.

Coryn: We have a new 6-minute long song that we wrote. I’m very excited about it.

If Minor Strut could open for any band, either now or from the past ... Are you all saying Radiohead?

All: Yeah.

Coryn: Cuz Radiohead has been definitely the answer the past couple of months. If not, at least the past year.

Aiden: Not even just to open, just to see them play.

Ethan: Just to see them play, because they don’t tour a lot anymore. We’re just very heavily-inspired by them.

Aiden: Yeah, but a band that’s probably closer to us. I would say, there would be two. The top one for me would be Incubus and then, maybe 311, but that’s a little farther out from what we’ve been writing lately.

Ethan: I think there’s always the Foo Fighters, too.

Coryn: That would be good. I’d be kind of terrified initially, but I would really want to open for Lzzy Hale, Halestorm Anything within the vicinity of. That and Flyleaf / Lacey Sturm. Those are my two major role models. Paramore That is the trio for me. But collectively, Radiohead... or Muse

Be sure to catch the Minor Strut 10 Year Annversary Show on Saturday March 23rd at the Knownski Lounge/Metro Restobar in Pomona!

http://www.minorstrut.com/

The Highwire Daze Magazine Booth at The NAMM Show 2024 - Part One

Written by Ken Morton - Photos by Jack Lue

(Stitched Up Heart and Vixen), Vivian Ortega ( Dark Funeral), and

Linda

Emord (The Swansons)

Highwire Daze had a booth at The NAMM Show - their fifth year in a row - and what an event it was! Featuring live shows and meet and greets, Hall B- Booth 8101 was the place to be at The Anaheim Convention Center. Britt Lightning from Vixen did a well attended signing at the booth, and arriving to show her support was Vixen band mate Julia Lage. A drop in surprise was the one and only Lord Ahriman from the legendary black metal brigade Dark Funeral. Highwire Daze also welcomed The Swansons - a husband & wife all original alternative country pop rock duo for a signing! And closing out Satuday was Mixi and Stitched Up Heart - their second year in a row doing a Highwire Daze meet and greet. More scenes for The NAMM Show in the next issue!

THE SWANSONS

STITCHED UP HEART

JUNCTION MOVIE PREMIERE with THE SANDGAARD FOUNDATION

Coverage by Ken Morton

Junction had it’s premiere at The Harmony Gold Theater on Sunset Blvd on January 24th right in the heart of Hollywood. And although it was the night before The NAMM Show, there was no way I was going to miss a movie that was executive produced by Thomas Sandgaard of The Sandgaard Foundation. A compelling drama about the opioid crisis and its enormous human toll as seen through the eyes of three people: a pharmaceutical CEO, a doctor, and an addict, Junction was written and directed by Bryan Greenberg - who also delivers an absolutely staggering performance as the lead character Michael. Other standout performances in the cast are Sophia Bush as Michael’s exwife, Ashley Madekwe as a morally conflicted clinic doctor, and the amazing Griffin Dunne as the CEO of a powerful drug company. There are so many outstanding scenes to be found in Junction, especially the testimony of Dash Mihok as a man who survives his addiction. The scene where the young son confronts his dad about his addiciton tearing apart the family is also hard hitting! And how the story all comes together at the end is absolutely devastating, as we are all connected as one, fighting (or responsible for) this great crisis in America and beyond!

After the movie, the actors went onstage for a question and answer panel, and it was refreshing to see how passionate and knowledgeable everyone was about Junction and it’s very timely subject matter.

Thomas Sandgaard (aka T-Rock) also spoke, giving us some behind the scene stories on the making of the movie and how The Sandgaard Foundation become involved. Representing The Sandgaard Foundation in the picture

Junction is available for streaming on Amazon Prime!

sandgaardfoundation.org

at left: Board of Directors Joachim Saandgaard, T-Rock, Michael Cress, and Chief Executive Director Kyle D. Henderson

ALBUM REVIEWS

VIOLETTA

Bob Dee with Petro (AMG/Sony)

Review by Ken Morton

Bob Dee with Petro presents the Violetta EP, showcasing one of the most underrated bands on the planet

in their finest hour. Led by singer/guitarist Bob Dee, the band also features TJ Jordan on guitar, Alison Jones on bass, and Scott Campbell on drums. From the opening refrains of the absolutely dynamic single Breathe You In, Bob Dee with Petro present seven sonic reveries that will set the imagination in flight. My Girl is a vibrant track of stratospheric proportions while When The Sky Falls shows just how magnficent Bob Dee with Petro is when presenting a stunning ballad. And be sure to stay until the end to hear the hard rocking refrains of the amazing Voices In My Head and the sweetly infectious Stuck On You. Showcasing Bob Dee’s signature vocals and guitar work, the album also boasts an impressive lineup of guest musicians, including Jack Daley (Lenny Kravitz), Matt Starr (Ace Frehley), Fred Coury (Cinderella), Ivan “the funkboy” Bodley (Humble Pie), and Jakeim Hart (Alicia Keys). Produced by Lou Giordano (Goo Goo Dolls, The Ataris), Violetta by Bob Dee with Petro is not to be missed by all fans of melodic rock and roll!

https://www.bobdeewithpetro.com/

LIKE HEROIN

Danny Goo (Self-released)

Review by Ken Morton

Danny Goo is a post-pop artist on the rise who delivers the sonic goods in

an epic way! His latest single is entitled Like Heroin, and it’s a heartfelt track destined to jangle on in your head for ages. A song this exciting should be all over the worldwide radio airwaves! The video is also absolutely amazing, directed by Johnny Blanford III and Danny Goo. Filmed at the infamous 6th Street Bridge in L.A. and the Knucklehead Club deep in the heart of Hollywood, Danny Goo’s expressive vocals shine throughout this impressive production. Exuding a ton of star quality, Danny Goo is destined to rise well above and beyond our local Los Angeles music scene. Like Heroin is massively addictive, and will surely induce repeated listenings by all who enjoy a superbly crafted pop song. His Butterflies EP showed a good deal of promise, and now with Like Heroin, Danny Goo commences on the next compelling chapter of what will surely be a brilliant career in music. Stay tuned!

https://www.instagram.com/itsdannygoo/

MAGGIE LINDEMANN

Signing at Fingerprints Long Beach, CA March 9, 2024

Coverage by Ken Morton - Photo by Jack Lue

Fingerprints in Long Beach presented a special signing day with Maggie Lindemann in support of her amazing new Headsplit EP. The line was all the way around the block, with fans ready to meet one of the most exciting new solo artists out there today! Photographer Jack Lue from Highwire Daze was also in attendance to document the event. Here is more about Maggie Lindemann from the current press release:

After spending most of 2023 on a sold-out global headline tour, Maggie Lindemann returns with new EP Headsplit which is guaranteed to do just that! The 8-track project is a thrilling ride through the 25-year-old’s heart and soul, laced with an unapologetic attitude and raw emotion.

“The new project was a really difficult one for me in terms of exactly how I wanted it to sound,” Maggie explains. “I’ve been listening to so many different types of music lately, I really wanted to try some new things but not be disingenuous to myself. I was heavily influenced by hyper pop and just cool moody sounds. I think it’s a nice mix of all that’s been whirling in my head.”

Taking cues from the likes of 100 gecs, Superheaven, Hans Zimmer, and more, Headsplit is a kickass high-octane blend of classic Maggie with a twist of what’s next. From identifying the manipulative red flags on “deprecating” feat. siiickbrain and fighting with her inner demons on “hostage,” to being in her feels over a hyper-pop trap beat on “you hold my love,” this EP is a delicious follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2022 debut Suckerpunch

As an added surprise, Maggie is set to perform Headsplit in its entirety Los Angeles’ iconic Troubadour on May 28, 2024. Tickets on sale now!

Tony F. Corpse Reviews

Frozen Charlottes

Wax Venus

Lily Of Ire Records/2019

by Tony F. Corpse

There’s something debauched lurking in Santa Ana, California. It has a proclivity to howl debased words, a pension to craft whimsically decadent chords and transfixing tribal beats. That imperceptible menace is Death Rock band Frozen Charlottes. Formed in 2019 with the objective of pampering the Gothic subculture with lavish compositions, rich in perilous poetics and lushly orchestrated ferocity. This unholy oblation is called Wax Venus. Quite the mysterious title for an album I must admit. First track Lorraine reminds me that Siouxsie and Chelsea Wolfe can cohabitate effortlessly. This song is creepily melodious, even ominous. Beautiful in it’s somberness. Vocalist Janell Grace is demonstrably dour yet dreary and dainty, channeling the suppressed dark passenger in all of us. Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven is a seminal post modern ode to the denizens of psychedelia, it’s shamanic drum intro by Gary Dade sets it’s tribalistic nature in motion. The fearsome screamed refrainWake up, Wake up! dives headlong into a gargantuan attack on the emotions. Born To Lose let’s loose the incendiary. Feral and punkish it exposes the lies of mankind. Exemplary bass work by Robert Rangel features prominently here.The final song The Gift sounds like a luridly funereal end credit to a horror flick. The interplay between keyboardist and guitarist’s Riley Simpson and Chandler Grace weaves inwardly and outwardly as if in an LSD induced trance. My final presumption is that this is acidic and acrid. Beautifully grotesque. And a creation that deserves open ears as much as slit throats.

Joe Normal

Public Works

New Jersey Phonograph Records/2023

by Tony F. Corpse

The passion for purple fashion has been eschewed for tethered and weathered gypsy rags and regalia. Gone are the flourishes of ex band The Zeros, in their place are psychologically mirrored reflections of real life banality turned terror (i.e, soured romance, reminisces, matured rebellion, the wither wall and wonder if it all, etc)

Introduction hymn Small Town Factory contains folksy Jimmy Page chordal structures - scarf included. It recollects the hardships and privileges of past generations and their fortitude in the working environment. John Cougar meets

punk rock ingenuity, indeed. Another exemplary example of the downtrodden somehow triumphing is Setbacks which contains the ever ingenious refrain “I came in early to work, like I do everyday, and was given a notice that they’re moving away, but I’m too young to retire and too old to rewind, and start all over at the back of the line” This is my favorite track. Musically adroit, it benefits from its waltz like, 50’s do wop undercurrent with Bob Dylan vocal enunciations and Welcome To My Nightmare ‘era Alice Cooper guitar harmonies. Other stupendous offerings here include I Ain’t No and We Are The Normal but the album’s golden gem is assuredly The Unsung Heroes That Time Never Knew. It’s frighteningly like a long lost and forlorn cut from Dark Side Of The Moon. Here, Joe’s voice mimics (whether intentional or not) David Gilmores. Almost uncannily. I adore this track’s haunting atmosphere, it’s ode to the cryptic underachievers. The ghosts who trasverse the universe, still seeking adulation and acceptance. Which brings us to the conclusion of this critique.

by Tony F. Corpse

Rebel Rebel

We’re Better Than We Used To Be (And We Used To Be The Best) F.T.W Records/2023

Subjugator’s of the most stoic variety, Industrial/Glam/ Punk progenitor’s Rebel Rebel never left the party. They simply started it, trashed it and are here to reinvent it. Trials and tribulations be damned. Hell, they even halted time itself. RR belongs to the past, present and future and are perpetually molded in their own remarkable universe. So, here we present their latest mad hatter platter cleverly entitled We’re Better Than We Used To Be And We Used To Be The Best featuring 3 brand new S & M spanking cuts.

The EP’s self titled opener blows the door off it’s hinges like a concussion bomb, thrilling you with it’s ominous yet fun demeanour as Jet Jupiter entices you to sing along to it’s bravado laden lyrics. It’s a cogent composition summoning (early) Twisted Sister and Motorhead, courtesy of Teddy Heaven’s blitzkrieg machine gun guitar flourishes.

Are You Ready For The Sunshine” is pure Ramones, albeit dosed up on elephant tranquilizer amphetamines and a surly NWOBHM bent. It even features a children’s choir (shades of Kiss), beaming with singular pride as they shout the chorus in unison. Lidsville rebellion in prepubescent mock shock drag. The third track It’s A Free Country is clever in it’s redundancy. A repetitive chorus (that doesn’t bore us) is the name of the game here, but there’s enough sociopolitical innuendo to go around, making brazen statements about family, friends, our country and even god. But it’s achieved in a positive and self empowered flurry. Like a rock ‘n roll mantra that eschews the negative and revels in the fact that we should all be proud to be free.

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