Last Night of Solace photo shoot with Editor Ken and Vivian So Finch
Welcome to Highwire Daze Issue #155! What a crazy busy month July has been. I spent the 4th of July doing interviews with SLASH and Mark Burgess of The Chameleons. And then in the midst of deadline time for this very issue, I flew to San Francisco to catch Day 1 of the Let Em Cook Tour with Last Night of Solace and Fatalist at The DNA Lounge. The next day I would fly back to L.A. and head over to Chain Reaction in Anaheim for a second round of Let Em Cook! Saturday, Last Night of Solace had photo shoots with Highwire Daze photographers Jack Lue and Vivian Ortega. Then it was off to The Greek Theatre to see The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival with SLASH headlining! After an eventful last few days, here I am on Sunday at drop dead deadline time, finishing up the magazine and writing my column. And tomorrow it’s back to the day job. I am super excited about this issue! So many iconic and up-and-coming artists on these pages! Thank you all for your support! Watch for the next issue of Highwire Daze, out September 20th!!!
The Wright Wave Radio at Live 365
Product Review by James Grover
Line 6 Pod Express
Guitar and Bass Effect Processor
In a day and age of where technology is taking us to new hights in music. Listening to new artists playing new music with cool tones and we stop to wonder and say!.. “Wow that was cool!” However there’s a new POD on the line! And that’s the Line 6 Express.
Line 6 POD Express is an ultra portable amp and effects processor that enables guitarists to take their tones wherever they choose. Simple
controls make it easy to use, while models derived from the Helix family of processors ensure exceptional sound quality and authentic feel. Line 6 POD Express Guitar gives guitarists seven amps, seven cabs, and 17 distortion, modulation, reverb, and delay effects including a looper and it may be powered by three AA batteries or an optional 9-volt power supply that is included.
The Line 6 Express is also available for bass guitar with the same features. If you program you presets in advance you can plug either pedal guitar or bass pedal in a power amp mono or you can go stereo with Left and Right outputs on the unit and your able to use it for live performances. However it’s great for cutting demos or use it to record your next big hit!
The Unit is very user friendly and a lot of fun when it comes down to new tones and effects.
Likes and Dislikes:
Likes: I like that the unit is very compact on which it makes it easy to go to Rehearsal, Studio or on Stage. I also like that is a very inexpensive unit that’s affordable and yet so versatile.
Dislikes: The only dislike I have is none of the local music stores have them in stock however I was able to find a few reputable music outlets online that have them in stock.
https://line6.com/podexpress/guitar-effects
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...
Atlantis Drive Atlantis Drive Pride & Joy Music
Having had the pleasure of reviewing the album Lifeline by LAZARUS DREAM, I was quite pleased to get my hands on this! Musicians include vocalist MARK BOALS (RING OF FIRE), guitarist / muti-instrumentalist MARKUS PFEFFER (LAZARUS DREAM , BARNABUS SKY), synthesist JORRIS GUILBAUD and
drummer MARKUS KULLMANN (GLENN HUGHES, SINNER) . Plunging into track 01 Way Back When, opens with tantalizing keyboards then drums and will pull you in immediately. Vocalist MARK BOALS has a very definitive quality in his voice and reminded me of the great singer IAN GILLIAN. Track 02 Medusa Smile shows another side to them with more of a melodic drumming style from KULLMAN. Track 03 Living For The Moment is already one of my favorites. Track 04 , Brand New Start actually sounds like another band entirely. It has more of a pop/folk type arrangement and showcases their many influences. Track 10 the final tune Heroes is epic and completes the sound and the defining moment of this record. Underlying, always tasteful guitar playing from PFEFFER along with GUILBAUD’s keyboards will give you your hint of progressive rock. Created by MARKUS PFEFFER and reunited with MARKUS KULLMAN , ATLANTIS DRIVE dropped in April of this year, features 10 tracks and will have you wanting more! https://www.facebook.com/atlantisdrivemusic
SLASH:
Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Jack Lue
SLASH needs absolutely no introduction - the legendary guitarist of Guns N’ Roses has been an inspiration to many a music aficionado. And now in the Summer of 2024, SLASH has released Orgy Of The Damned, a blues album, featuring an epic array of iconic vocalists and musicians! SLASH’s
S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival is also making it’s way across the country, an event which included a stop at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles! It was an honor to interview SLASH on the 4th of July, one day before the start of what is destined to be the concert event of the summer! Read on...
You’ve got The Conspirators, you’ve got Guns N’ Roses, what made you decide at this point to start a blues project?
I guess it’s just been sort of one of the things that just popped up in the back of my mind more or less suddenly. And then the urge to do it just got stronger and stronger until finally, I decided, okay, I’ve got a three-week break during the Gun’s tour coming up, and I called Teddy Andreadis (lead vocals, harmonica, keyboards) and Johnny Griparic (bassist) up from the Blues Ball and I said, “Hey, let’s go into the studio and record a bunch of those songs.” A lot of these songs we used to play back in the day. We got together and we spent a couple weeks putting all the songs together and getting the arrangements together and calling singers and doing all that. Then we went in the studio for a week and recorded two songs a day for about five days and it was done.
That’s pretty intense. How did it go recording that many songs and in just a few days?
When you sort of have everything together, it only takes three minutes to record a song, depending on how many takes it is. Two songs a day is actually pretty normal in a live setting, and that’s how this was recorded. All the music was recorded live, plus a couple of the vocals, and so it goes by relatively quickly. Also, we didn’t have more time than a week anyway, so we were restricted by a tight budget.
The rest of the vocals were done at different locations - that took a little longer. I was back on the road with Guns N’ Roses and making arrangements with different singers to get together, mostly after the Gun’s tour was finished, which was like a month later.
Orgy of the Damned, is there any overall story or concept behind that title, especially that amazing album cover?
PLAYING THE BLUES ON ORGY OF THE DAMNED
I think that was really the only title I thought of. I was thinking about how blues music historically amongst the conservative set has always been thought of as “devil’s music” and a bad influence and unsavory and all this different stuff. And I thought, well, if you were to put a bunch of different people together all collaborating on blues music, it would be Orgy of the Damned. That’s just what came to me. Might have something to do with my horror background, I don’t know, but anyway...
And then the concept for the art was influenced by Ernie Barnes famous Sugar Shack painting - which people probably saw it, it was the background painting for the show, Good Times back in the 70s. So, I wanted that kind of concept, so I commissioned a guy,on Instagram to paint an idea that I had in my mind. He was a young guy, so he’d never seen the original Sugar Shack painting, but I sort of spelled it out for him how I wanted this to look.
You have some pretty awesome guests on this album - Iggy Pop, for one. How did Iggy become involved?
Well, Iggy was actually, what’s the best way to put it? He was the wild card. I picked the songs and I picked the singers and had all that done, and Johnny mentioned to me that he read somewhere that Iggy Pop had been interested in doing a blues project or something, but never had done it. I thought that was sort of interesting, so I called Iggy and asked him about it and he said, “Yeah, I just always wanted to do it but never had the opportunity.” I said, “I’m doing this covers record, if you were to pick a blues song to cover, what would it be?” And like immediately he said, Awful Dream by Lightnin’ Hopkins. It was obvious this is something that was near and dear to him for a while. We scheduled a session and went and sat together and sort of made it up as we went along, but it was really fast. We did like two takes of it and that was it.
How did Brian Johnson of AC/DC become involved?
I called him up and asked him if he would be interested in doing Killing Floor, and he was very excited. He told me that Howling Wolf was a huge influence and he used to cover Howling Wolf and others back when he was a kid, before Geordie even happened. I went to Florida with the tapes, and he was like a kid in the candy store singing that song, he had the best time. That was a really important prerequisite for any of the singers on any of these songs, was that they had some history or some connection to the song, because that’s really what made the performance special. They had to have
a relationship with the song - so that they were familiar with it and liked it and so on. I was really fortunate that everybody who sang on the record were very familiar and had a kind of passion for each one of the songs.
What was it like re-teaming with producer Mike Clink on this album?
Man, it was great to work with Mike in this capacity, because I worked with Mike over the years many times. He’s just one of the best producers I’ve ever had the experience of working with in my career, and he’s also probably hands down the best engineer I’ve ever worked with. I knew he was the right guy because he is great at being able to produce a band in a way that he only makes suggestions when they’re necessary, if something’s off time or if there’s a part that’s all right - whatever it is, his constructive criticism is just based on him listening to us playing the music in the live setting and picking out the little thing that need to be worked on, and that’s always been welcomed. He’s never been a producer that tries to put his personal influence - stamp on the material, which is why I’ve always liked working with him. He lets the artist be the artist, but then, on top of it, he’s the right guy to be able to get a very honest sound off of the guitar amp and off the bass and off the drums and vocals. He just gets a really great, pure sound. Probably one of the best guitar recording engineers I’ve ever worked with. Probably last of a dying breed, to be honest. Anyway, that’s why I called Mike, and he did an amazing job just really recording the band in its element and making it sound as good as possible.
to Dust. Have you heard of them, and if so, what do you think?
They’re great! It’s funny, I heard of them prior to him joining the band, but I didn’t know too much about them. But listening to him, they’re great. He managed to fill the shoes of a really amazing drummer that was in the band before him, and so I’m really proud of him for being able to pull that off. Now he’s officially in the band, and they’ve got more tour dates coming up than he could possibly have asked for, and so he’s very excited, and I’m happy for him.
And last question. Do you have any messages for your fans who are reading this right now?
You recently did a show at Amoeba Music over in Hollywood. What was that like, to just strip it down and to play in an arena like that?
It was fun. It was a very stripped-down, acoustic kind of thing. I tried to actually do that in a superior setting as possible and only micing the acoustics, not using the pickups on the guitars, which is great, except for the house guy wasn’t real familiar with that process, but we got through it. It was fun. We’re going to do another one in Seattle in a couple weeks.
What are you looking forward to the most about the upcoming S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival tour, which I think starts tomorrow?
I’m excited about it. We start the first show tomorrow, and we’re playing with Warren Haynes and Eric Gales and Samantha Fish. It’s a really great first show lineup, and I’m excited about it.
Your son, London is now in a grunge project called Return
Well, I’m just excited that everybody seems to be liking the record. It’s been really well received, so I appreciate it very much to everybody who has been so supportive and enthusiastic and what not. It was something that we just threw together for the fun of it, and it was very spontaneous. I guess it wasn’t a lot of analyzing or sort of preparation for this, it was just something that we had fun with, and it’s really ironic that it’s been in the Billboard Charts and all this stuff, so just thank everybody for that.
All things considered, I’d like to be able to do this semi-annually - that’ll be cool to have a festival tour like this on a regular basis. Anyway, we’ll see how it all goes, but it’s good to talk to you, Ken. Thank you.
It’s good to talk to you, too, and who knows - you may have started something really cool with this, so we’ll cross our fingers. Okay. Well, thank you so much. You take care. Take care.
https://ootd.slashonline.com/
VIXEN and the Intrigue of Change: An Interview with Britt Lightning
Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Jack Lue
In this great big world, the process of change is inevitableespecially when it comes to iconic long running bands. And with the addition of new vocalist Rosa Laricchiuta, the legacy of Vixen rages on to stratopsheric proportions. Their very first show with Rosa took place at the Honda Center in Anaheim on June 21st. With all the speculation involving who the new singer would be, Rosa delivered the goods tenfold, and the set was an absolute triumph! A few days after the historic OC Hair Metal Meltdown, which also included Great White, Slaughter, and Quiet Riot, we caught up with Vixen lead guitarist Britt Lightning to discuss Vixen and the intrigue of change. Read on...
Were you surprised at all the online interest and speculation of who the new Vixen vocalist was going to be? I was happy to see so much intrigue and interest around the
lineup announcement, but not surprised because this genre of music is really popular once again, not only with the lifelong fans but also with the new generation.
Describe the rehearsal process with new vocalist Rosa Laricchiuta prior to the show at Honda Center.
We ran the set a couple times and then stepped out onto the big stage! Rosa is a pro and we are all used to doing our homework and showing up and bringing it. When you’re in a band, it’s a team, and if you’re dedicated to the team like we all are, you never want to let anyone down by not carrying your weight. Everyone comes in prepared and knows what we need to know.
What was it like playing such a huge venue with a brandnew singer on board? Any nerves at all?
I had zero nerves with Rosa. I knew she had the pipes and could rock hard and was a true pro. There’s nothing more
empowering than stepping onto a stage knowing that I am surrounded by the baddest women in the biz, and that always puts any nerves at ease.
Does Vixen plan to record new music with Rosa? Hell yes!
What do you think has kept Roxy and everyone else in the band so passionate about keeping the legacy of Vixen alive after all this time?
Vixen has kick ass songs and has always had killer musicians in the band. Still to this day, all-female bands are rare. Jan created something so special, and it is important to honor her and the legacy of what she started. It is important to continue on for the fans and for the new generation and to continue to show girls and women that rock n roll isn’t just a man’s world, and to help prove that you are capable of whatever you dream of.
Are you currently involved with any other bands or proj-
ects outside of Vixen?
I have been doing a lot of writing which has felt great! Right now I have been splitting my time between Vixen and helping to run the Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp and haven’t had much time in between!
Any messages for Vixen fans who are reading this now?
Thank you for your continued support! Change is inevitable in life, and to be able to adapt and continue on in moving times is a survival skill. I am proud that Vixen continues to rock full steam ahead!! See you out on the road!
Mr. Scary and guitar son Tone Raven one stage, one night live!
Wed Nov 13, 2024 8:30PM w/Tantric
The Requiem at The Glasshouse in Pomona on the D.R.U.G.S Tour
Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Vivian Ortega of So Finch Photography
Florida Emo/Goth Rock Trio The Requiem (Damienvocals, Felipe - lead guitar, and Salem - bass) made their way to the Southland on tour supporting the almighty D.R.U.G.S! Opening the night at The Glasshouse in the wilds of Pomona, The Requiem presented a performance filled with passion and intrigue. Unveiling selections from their A Cure To Poison The World debut on Fearless Records, there is no doubt The Requiem has been gaining a lot of new fans on this cross country trek. Highwire Daze caught up with charismatic lead vocalist Damien to find out more about this explosive new band on the rise...
How has the current tour with D.R.U.G.S been going so far, and what have been some of the highlights? It’s been awesome. I grew up with D.R.U.G.S, so getting to see them live every night is definitely a joy, and it’s been an honor to share the stage with them. He has us come out for one of the guest spots on one of the songs that they play, and it’s just been super fun. All the other bands are amazing, too, they’re the nicest people ever. Savage Hands and Downswing, they’ve both become really good friends with all of us, so that’s been a great tour so far. I think one of the highlights is probably going back home playing West Palm with this tour, because I feel like it’s the first really cool thing that we’ve done and that to have all our friends back home and all our fans back home see us on what we’re doing now was very rewarding. And I feel like it was a full circle moment for everyone.
What could one expect from a live The Requiem show on this tour?
I think the one main factor that separates us from a lot of the bands our age is that we really try to put a lot into the look and the energy of the live performance. We try to be as early 2000s as possible, when we grew up watching on YouTube, and what we want to recreate is just kind of a lot of banter, kind of like a laid back performance, not in the sense that it’s boring, but in the sense that we don’t care to be messy when we play live. We just want to bring the energy and try to make it as rowdy as possible.
Select two songs that you’re currently playing on tour and what’s the inspiration behind the lyrics? We’re playing Funeral. That’s one of the songs we’re playing
that most people know because it’s one of our earliest songs. And I think the meaning of that one is cool to me because that one’s kind of all our hopes and dreams put into a song of getting out of our environment and where we grew upand getting out of Florida. I think that playing that song live every night now, it means so much more because it did get us out - it got us out to touring and it got us out to working with a label, and it got us out to having our debut record out. That song has done so much for us. I feel like it’s just super cathartic to get to play it every night because all the meaning of the lyrics - it was hoping to get out, and that’s exactly what it did for us.
Another song is Diary. I feel like diary is our most theatrical song, and the meaning behind that song is pretty cool to me, too. I was very inspired by the story of Elizabeth Báthory, who was a serial killer from the 1600s. I’ve always been fascinated by her story because it’s full of drama and conspiracies. There’s always theories about what actually went down, and I tend to lean towards the theory that she was innocent and that she was framed for other people to take the power that she was holding around that time. That song, I feel like it’s really cool to play because it kind of showcases our more theatrical and conceptual side of our group.
Looks like you’re missing a member on this tour. Yeah. We are.
But you sound great, anyway.
Thank you. Ryan, our fill in - he’s been killing it. He learned the songs with a week’s notice, and he’s just been the coolest.
Give me a little background on Ryan, and where did he come from, what other bands is he in?
Well, Ryan is in Downswing. He was already on the tour. I think our manager Tuck, he was friends with him from before, so he knew we were going to not have Salem on this tour for the majority of it, and so he didn’t want us to backtrack the bass. He’d rather just have us with another member just to bring more energy to the live show. And Ryan was super down to learn all his songs and just help us out as much as he could, and he’s been killing it. I think before being in Downswing for this tour, Ryan used to drive a lot of bands, so a funny thing that I can say about our relationship with him is that he’s been helping us a lot with parking the van in very crazy parking places like Brooklyn and Boston. He’s been very clutch with helping us with that.
And how is he surviving doing two shows a night?
He’s definitely packing every day. He’s a “G” - he pulls through every day. I don’t know how he does it.
What is meant by the album title, A Cure To Poison The World?
A Cure To Poison the World, it’s just basically the loose concept of the record, because that was the name of the first song that we ever dropped. And the story of that song was based on the idea that in a distance or not so distant future there’s this drug that comes out and it kills you, but it makes you feel really good while it does, and then a lot of people become addicted to it because it’s kind of very risky and very fun for them - and there’s an epidemic of depressed teenagers taking this drug and abusing it. Around the time, it was Covid, so a lot of pharmaceutical conspiracy inspired me to just really both build upon that concept and make it fun. And I think that some of the other songs on the record are connected to the loose concept, but some of the other ones are not. That’s why I call it a loose concept, but it was still fun for us to create a little bit of a lore behind the record with that.
songs in this record, we just went for all the genres that inspired us and all the genres that we wanted to do - so there’s some songs that are very punk rock, there’s some songs that are very post hardcore, and there’s some songs that are just fully acoustic. I feel like on the next thing, it’s all going to be more well connected as far as sound and ambience goes, because we’re going to try to go really hard on the post production.
You’ve been on the road for a few weeks. What’s the first thing you plan to do after you arrive home from this tour?
Write more music. Like I said, we’re very impatient to just get back and write a lot more stuff. And also writing with a bunch of people that we look up to and hopefully to get to work on some mixes with some of the people I want to work with.
Do you have any messages for fans or new fans that you’ve been meeting while you’re on the road who are reading this now?
What was it like to create an album in the middle of COVID?
It was great. I mean, for a lot of people, it seems that Covid really was a set back for them, especially bands that were already touring, but because we started around Covid, we started planning and conceptualizing everything through Covid, it was the best time because we were all just at home or hanging out at each other’s homes, working on music and planning everything. It was just perfect for us.
Any new music on the horizon?
Well, the record just came out four months ago, so there’s not much more to that. But we are very impatient, so we’re already writing the second thing, and we’re already conceptualizing what it’s going to be like. I’m writing a story that I hope to turn into a short film that’s going to be presented as the music videos. So all the music videos, I’m hoping to have them all connected, and it’s going to be a short film when you watch them all together. It’s going to be a much more firm concept than the one that we did for A Cure To Poison The World. It’s going to be way more theatrical, way more, I guess, playful than the one that we did - and I guess also a little bit more well connected because I feel like a lot of the
It’s been great meeting new fans. I feel like we certainly have a lot more than we expected we would. It’s been very lovely to get to meet them all. I love anyone who gives a minute of attention to our music, and I really appreciate people connecting with our music because that’s all I wanted, I don’t really care for everyone to connect with it, but if one or two people really dig it and they understand it, that’s all I ever wanted from this, was just to find people I could relate to and find people that I could consider as family beyond blood. I feel like all the people that we’ve met that are there for us that have the same mindset that we do, they look at the world in the same way. It’s just very cool. I feel like we’re meeting our family.
It was great to have you out here in Pomona, in Los Angeles. I think this may have been the first time you’ve ever played out here.
Yeah. We’ve been wanting to play out there for so long. It was such a dream to finally get to play there. And I never knew about The Glasshouse, the venue, and it was such a pleasant surprise. It was a wonderful venue, it was incredible. The crew were all super helpful. The front of house, they were great. It was a great time overall, - a very busy day, but it was great.
https://www.instagram.com/therequiemband/
Into the Arctic Moon with The Chameleons
Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Jack Lue
The Chameleons are an English rock band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, in 1981. Their legacy albums have inspired a wide variety of groups including The Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis, The Verve - even Neige, the founder of French black metal band Alcest, said his playing was influenced by The Chameleons’ dual guitar leads and often names them as one of history’s most underrated bands. The dynamic music of The Chameleons was on full display recently, as local fans were able to catch the iconic collective at The Belasco in Downtown LA. Performing songs from a vast and epic career in music - including their standout new single Where Are You?, The Chameleons set the magical night into the stratosphere. Highwire Daze recently caught up with The Chameleons’ front man Mark Burgess to discuss their visit to Los Angeles, the new single Where Are You?, what to expect from their upcoming Arctic Moon full length, and a whole lot more...
We’re here with Mark Burgess from The Chameleons. First of all, Mark, how did your recent tour over here in the States go and what were some of the highlights for you?
It was really great. It’s one of the best experiences that we’ve had there. So many highlights. I really, really loved all of the places that we managed to get to. Obviously, The Belasco in LA was a big highlight and San Francisco two nights at the Great American, that was a great highlight. But one of my favorite shows was actually in Tulsa where we’d never been before and I loved the venue and I loved the people that ran it, and the audience was a really tremendous audience. They gave us so much energy. I’d have to say that my favourite performance, I think was Tulsa, but we had a great time at the festival in Houston with Twin Tribes and Xymox and a few of the other guys. Altogether, it’s been wonderful. It was really, really good.
It’s been 2001 since the release of any new Chameleon’s music. What made you decide it was now time to reactivate the band and record new music?
We’d been planning it for a while, but COVID got in the
way of it. But that was quite fortuitous because it transpired that since the pandemic and everything, now we started getting back on track for the first time with all the right components in place for it. Obviously, Reg Smithies coming back into the band, who was my original writing partner with the legacy Chameleons back in the day, that was a big factor. But all of the other components are in place now. I think this is the strongest band I’ve ever played with, and everybody’s bringing something to it. We have an American drummer, Todd Demma from Baltimore. The other guys are from Manchester: Stephen Rice, who I’ve been working with quite a lot over the last few years. We’ve had Danny Ashberry on keyboards. It’s just really, really good chemistry and I think the proof of it has been in the writing - everyone’s brought their A-game to the writing, and everyone’s contributing to the arranging and the producing and everything - and it’s really enjoyable and live the band is tremendous. I just think it transpired that all the right pieces fell into place at the right time.
Is there any overall story or concept behind Where Are You? single and EP title?
I’m sure most people can relate to going through life wishing that they could meet their twin flame or their soulmate or whatever you want to call it. I was no different. I got into music with this kind of fantasy in my head, the person that I was meant for would hear the music and come and find me or it would somehow facilitate thatand it never left me - that conviction. It was really about that. Although I have to say that in reality, I think there’s a lot of fantasy involved in that. I think that you can find yourself constantly dissatisfied thinking that the grass is always greener and you can miss what’s right under your nose. But yeah, it’s really about somebody who’s searching for their soulmate, and I fall into that category, I have to say.
What is the story behind the upcoming Arctic Moon album and how will it compare to the classic Chameleon releases?
It’s going to be very different from the legacy Chameleons releases, and part of that was - I was very vocal
that I didn’t want to use that guitar sound that belongs to Dave Fielding because he left the band 20 years ago, and I didn’t want to steal his guitar sound for the sake of appeasing legacy fans. That was one thing. But the other thing is that it’s going to be different because it’s basically apart from me and Reg, it’s a different band and it reflects very much who the band are now. When I say the right components falling into place with these people, what I mean really is that I’m writing with people that we feel can take The Chameleons forward. We don’t really want to sound like we sounded like 20 or 30 years ago. It isn’t going to sound like Strange Times or What Does Anything Mean basically. I imagine it will polarize our audience a little bit, but I have to say that those people that we’ve played some of the new stuff to, and the reaction to the single, especially, it’s been extremely positive in the 99.9%, so that’s encouraging. It’s definitely The Chameleons, but it is different. We feel that we’re taking it forward.
All kind of bands have been influenced by The Chameleons. A black metal band called Alcest has cited you guys as an influence. Have you heard of Alcest and what do you think that you’ve influenced Black Metal? That’s great. I think we’re all influenced by something. Everybody who records and performs at some point were influenced by something. Bob Dylan said it a long time ago, “We’re just links in the chain,” And to be one of those links in the chain is very, very flattering and validating. I think it’s great. That surprises me, obviously. But I think it’s wonderful if we can influence people into picking up guitars and stuff, especially, I’m into guitar music, so any part we can play in encouraging that in younger people and other later generations, I’m all for it. I think it’s wonderful. I’m hoping that this will do the same. I’m hoping that this record will encourage people to want to pick up guitars and use guitars because that’s what we’re about.
One of the interesting guest projects that you did was something called Pocket that Steve Kilby from The Church was also on, and Robin Hitchcock. What was that like?
It was fun. I didn’t actually meet the guy, I was in Hamburg at the time, and he just wrote to me and said, “Would you be interested in doing something?” I wasn’t doing much at the time and I had a load of gear in my study
room and I said, “Yeah, send it over,” and he sent it over and I really liked it. I did a couple of things for him. I think I did two for him and I just really enjoyed it. I just did it and sent him the stems. He took them and mixed it, and that was it really. I wasn’t really that involved in it other than providing the vocals for the backing tracks that he gave me. He did the backing tracks and I just did the vocals and the lyrics. The song that he ended up using was very tongue-in-cheek. It was supposed to be a bit of a comedic thing really and he got that immediately. I remember seeing the video for it and I thought it was really funny as well. It was just something I did that I was fun to do.
Do you have any messages for Chameleon fans who are reading this right now?
I hope that you’ll try and get out and see us if we’re in a place near you and I hope that you’ll really like the new record when it’s done. And I hope you like the new single which came out at the end of May. It’s done very well here. It’s charted here. It’s the first time we’ve had a record that’s charted. That’s been really widely received. All the tracks on the album are different, so you’re not going to get 10 versions of the single or anything like that. The songs are very different, just like they’ve always been on our records. But I hope that they’ll be open at least to giving it a spin, and my hope is that they’ll like it, and I hope that it’s going to bring a lot of people to The Chameleons that probably weren’t at the legacy stuff so much, but kind of like this. Other than that, have a great summer, stay safe and I hope that you’ll come to a show.
https://www.instagram.com/chameleonsbandofficial/
The Lethal Reveries of Riding With Killers
Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Elise Coates
Riding With Killers (RWK) is a Detroit-based trio that stands out with its fresh and unique blend of alt, rock, and metal. Led by Taylor Roberts, guitarist of Taproot, RWK’s sound is a fusion of their past experiences fronting and writing for multiple groups, including Wild Fire and Cathercist. Their latest album Full Circle is a fiery mix of 90’s alt-rock, industrial, and nu-metal, balanced with infectious choruses and memorable guitar riffs. Highwire Daze recently interviewed Taylor Roberts to find out more about the lethal reveries of Riding With Killers...
Introduce yourself, and tell me what you do in Riding With Killers and how long the band has been together. My name is Taylor Roberts. I created Riding with Killers in 2018 after leaving my hometown on the Gulf Coast and my original band of 13 years, which I started in my parent’s garage, and began to make my way to Detroit. I sing and play guitar, and I am the primary songwriter for RWK
Where is the band based, and what is your local music scene like there?
We’re based in Detroit! We have a really cool scene here and there’s so many shows of all genres from local to national and international. It’s a very cool place to be!
Is there any overall story or concept behind the album title Full Circle?
It’s a collection of thoughts and experiences from the past ten years or so of my life and how I’m running the same circles as I was ten years ago but in a much different and bigger capacity. The only difference is that this time around, everything feels right. I’m doing things smarter this time while applying years of hard work and experience, which is allowing me to carve a better path.
Select two songs from Full Circle and what inspired the lyrics.
Don’t Fade Away - This is inspired by my Grandmother
July/August 2024 HIGHWIRE DAZE
being diagnosed with Dementia. I left for a tour in 2013, and my band at the time was in support of Taproot. About three-quarters of the way through the tour, I stopped being able to get in touch and would later find out she was in the hospital. She was a completely different person when I returned home. The song reflects all of our conversations or rather the same ones we have over and over, and watching someone, I love very much fall apart right before my eyes.
Floating is another one I’d pick. We haven’t played that one live yet, and I’d love to start since it’s a bit different and more of a ballad. I wrote that about the love of my life. It was from when we first started dating; we spent two days together in New Orleans. We stayed in bed for almost two days and walked in the French Quarter to break up those times. It was the most at peace I think I’ve ever been, and I wanted to put that feeling into music, and Floating is the result.
Who produced Full Circle, and what was it like working with them?
I worked with Matthew Laplant from Madtown Mix Studios. I’ve worked with him since 2012, so we are very familiar with each other. It was technically our 4th record together. Matt has this ability to push me and get things out of me that I didn’t think were possible. I’ve grown so much as a writer and musician because of our time together.
Has Riding With Killers ever played in the Los Angeles/ OC area, and if so, what was that experience like?
RWK has not, but Taproot recently played The Whisky, and that was my second time playing out there. So, I’ve definitely been in the area and will be coming back to Sacramento for Aftershock 2024 with Taproot, as well as dates in San Diego and Bakersfield! I LOVE the West Coast! Anytime I’ve come out there, it’s always been an incredible experience. On my last trip, I connected with a lot of the staff at The Whisky, my tech Art, who is from the area, a wonderful friend from my school years, Nicole, and a lot of other friends. The views are always incredible, and it feels good to be in the area.
Has Taproot and Riding With Killers ever played a show together, and if so, what was that experience like? It looks like you have one coming up…
We did actually! For Riding with Killer’s Album release show at District 142 and Taproot’s last show of 2023. It was incredible to play two sets in a single night! I was super tired after but I’m down for more nights like that for sure.
Taylor, how did you wind up in Taproot?
My first real tour was in 2013 opening for Taproot with my band from the Gulf Coast. We got to become insanely good friends on that tour and I eventually moved to Michigan some years later to write a record with their touring drummer at the time, Dave Coughlin. Once they found out I lived up here and heard the record I wrote, Phil and Steve reached out and asked if I wanted to join, and I immediate-
ly said yes.
What was it like opening for Sevendust and Tremonti with Riding With Killers, and were you able to meet or hang out with them at all?
It was my first show back after Covid, so I was insanely geeked. I didn’t get to meet Sevendust; they were super cautious with COVID-19, but I did get to hang with Tremonti and his entire band, and they were absolute sweethearts. It was cool talking gear with one of my heroes.
If Riding With Killers could open for any band, either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
Oh, man……. Wow…… I’d love to do a tour with either Ghost or Kittie
What’s up next for Riding With Killers and Taproot?
RWK has more video content in the pipeline, we have an appearance at Havoc Fest w/ Kittie and Cold in Jackson, MI. Opening for Taproot at The Machine Shop in November and small run coming up with Heartsick!! I recently completed the second RWK record so that’s in the pipeline as well!
Taproot has ten shows left this year, including appearances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock. We’ve got club dates coming up with our friends in Nonpoint, Simon Says, Hed PE, and more.
Any final words of wisdom?
Use your turn signal, spay and neuter your pets, go check out Riding with Killers and Taproot both on Spotify, and Apple Music. Love one another and take care!
Howard Jones and ABC will be hitting stages across North America this summer with special guest Haircut 100. The show will feature a dazzling array of beloved hit songs, sure to delight any 80s alternative music fan. Jones will be joined onstage by his longtime stellar backing band: Nick Beggs (bass), Robin Boult (guitar), Dan Clarke (keyboards) and Robbie Bronnimann (keyboards and tech). An electronic pioneer who has been consistently releasing new and innovative music since Human’s Lib in 1984, recent collaborations have included albums with the one and only BT! Highwire Daze recently caught up with Howard Jones to discuss a brilliant career in music. Read on...
What are you looking forward to the most about your tour this summer with ABC and Haircut 100?
I think it’s a fantastic lineup of bands and great night of music. I always love performing, and it’s great to have class acts with me on tour. ABC and Haircut haven’t really toured America for like 40 years or something. So, that’s going to be a really special moment. It’s going to be a great night out. Obviously, people think so. We sold loads of tickets already. So, yeah, it’s great.
Out here in Los Angeles, you’ll be playing the YouTube Theatre. What do you think of the Los Angeles area? I love playing there because, when I look at my streaming figures, it’s always Los Angeles is the biggest city in the whole world for listening to me. Every gig that I’ve done there has been amazing. I was fortunate enough to be here last summer preparing for the tour I did and went to the Greek Theatre to see my buddy, Ringo Starr Ringo invited me up on stage to sing with him on the last two numbers, which was really great. I just felt so at home being there at the Greek Theatre. Then my friends, Barenaked Ladies were also playing there a couple of weeks later, and they said, “Oh, come on stage and play piano for us.” I’ve got lots of friends in LA and I feel very at home there. I’ve had such brilliant shows there. So, nothing but good memories really.
That must have been something when you actually played with Ringo, you were in his band for a little bit. What was
that experience like playing with Ringo?
I wouldn’t be in anybody else’s band, but when Ringo phones up and says, “You want to be on tour with me for 6 weeks during the summer?” It was like, wait, about 2013 or something. I said, “Yes, of course!” What an amazing opportunity to play with all those incredible people. Greg Lake on bass, and Sheila E on drums, Roger Hodgson. It was a hell of a lineup. So a real treasured, cherished memory for me.
Human’s Lib is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Looking back, what do you think of that album now in retrospect and the fact that it’s been 40 years?
Very pleased still with that album. It’s been interesting because recently we’ve just been doing some remixes of the album, some 5.1 surround sound mixes that Steven Tayler, who originally recorded and mixed the album has done. Also my friend, Bob Clearmountain, kindly agreed to do some Dolby Atmos mixes of it. So we’re just releasing that on a Blu-ray disc coming up in the next 3 or 4 weeks. I’ve had to listen to the album and Dream Into Action actually, a lot recently to check that everything’s sounding good. So it’s just really refreshed my memory of how much fun it was making those records and how good they still sound today. They still stand up really well, I think, and have lasted the four decades and still sound good.
We’ll go back 30 years, another one of your albums is celebrating an anniversary, Working in the Backroom, which is more of an obscure album. When you look back on that album and the fact it’s been 30 years, what do you think of it now?
Very cool record. Warner Brothers had decided they didn’t want to sign me for another five. I’d done my 5 albums with them and they didn’t want to sign me. So this was a big pivotal moment for me, that I had all this freedom suddenly to do exactly what I wanted to do and set my own course. So Working In the Backroom was a kind of response to that. That I’m going to be around, still going, I’m going to be making music until I drop. This is the first one of my own label, and so it was a very important album for me. It was great that I got so much support from the fans over that. I’m with Cherry Red Records now. They’re going to be starting to re-release all my Dtox label stuff over the next few
years. So that’ll be probably the first one that we do. When I listened back to it, it was done with such enthusiasm and energy that I’m very, very happy with the way it turned out.
What has it been like working with BT on your recent albums and how did that collaboration come about?
Obviously a huge fan of BT’s work, and I always saw him as a pioneering figure in the dance music and technology arena, which I felt was my place when I started out using drum machines and sequencers and a one-man electronic show. So to me, I related to him as a pioneer of his generation and loved his work. So, got to know him by going to see him in one of the rare concerts that he does. He said that he was at one of my shows in New Jersey when he was 14 years old and got really so excited about keyboards and synthesizers. So we had this incredible thing in common, there was a real connection there. The work that we’ve done together, I’ve been really pleased with, and he loves it as well, and he’s become a really good friend. So it’s great to have friends.
Is there an album called Global Citizen coming out?
Global Citizen is the final part of the 4 albums that I promised to do (with BT). I’ve been a little bit distracted from even starting it because we just did a concert at the O2 and recorded that, and I’ve been mixing that. That’s going to come out just before our shows starting in the States around August. So we’re working on that. Also during lockdown, I did a lot of compositions for piano, and I’ve got my new Steinway here, the Spirio. So I’ve been working on finishing and recording those pieces that I composed. So once that’s out of the way, then I’ll be able to clear the decks and start thinking about Global Citizen. That’ll be the next project.
Your songs such as What Is Love and Things Can Only Get Better and many others are still played on the radio today. Why do you think these songs have resonated with your fans after all this time?
Well, they’re good. There’s no other reason. I guess people think they’re good and they want to play them. What I find exciting is when I go to a supermarket, especially in the States and one of my songs comes on and people doing their shopping in there are singing along to the tracks. I was like, I don’t quite know what to do because I don’t think they realized that it’s me. If I said it was me, they probably wouldn’t believe me. So, it’s always like really fun to do because I do get played a lot in retail environments as well. So it’s really cool.
You know you’ve made it into the big leagues when you get played in the supermarket. That’s for sure. Absolutely. Yeah.
You’ve been recording consistently since your first album and a lot of your contemporaries who started back then really haven’t. What do you think has kept you so passionate about music and about creating music for 40 years and counting?
Well, it’s always what I was meant to do. I started playing the piano when I was seven. So I’ve been playing the piano for 62 years. It’s like, this is my way of communicating with people. Writing songs is what I do, and it’s my passion. I love doing it. I can’t not do it. I think it’s important to study other people’s work, keep trying new things yourself and really commit to what you’re best at. A lot of my work, a lot of my lyrics are about saying to people to do the same with whatever field they’re in, like, really give it everything you’ve got, make great causes, don’t give up on your dreams, and do what you actually would really like to do. Life is short. So there’s no time to waste. Just get on and do what you love. It even doesn’t have to be on a stage at the YouTube Theater. You can play in your friend’s living room, whatever way you’ve got. If you’ve got a talent, share it with us. We want it.
Do you have any messages for your fans out here in Los Angeles who are reading this right now?
I’m just going to say, I’m so looking forward to the YouTube Theater. It’s going to be absolutely packed. We’ve already sold so many tickets that I can’t believe it. It’s only been on sale for 2 weeks. I feel so supported by my fans there, like they’re really out there for me and I promise an absolute killer show.
Back Into The Gap with TOM BAILEY of THOMPSON TWINS
Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by Jack Lue
Tom Bailey and the Thompson Twins recently played a local stop at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood on the Totally Tubular Festival! Also featured on the tour were Thomas Dolby, Modern English, Men Without Hats, and a whole lot more! Celebrating the 40-year anniversary of the iconic Into The Gap release, Tom Bailey and the Thompson Twins performed selections from that album as well as many other fan favorites from a vast and epic career in music. Highwire Daze recently interviewed Tom Bailey to discuss 40 years of Into The Gap, the 30th anniversary of the first Babble album, a look at his solo Science Fiction endeavor, and other topics of intrigue. Read on…
We’re here with Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins. You recently completed the 40th anniversary of the Into the Gap Tour. How did that go, and what were some of the highlights?
It went very well, thank you. And it was an amazing thing to do after 40 years. Some of those songs, I hadn’t performed for 40 years. Some of them had never been performed. So, it was something of an undertaking, and we enjoyed it so much. It’s a new band, of course, and the interpretations of the songs were contemporized, you might say, but very recognizable. And they get a big response because the people who come to those shows remember that album, and they’re mentally, if not vocally, singing along with it.
When you look back on Into the Gap and the fact that it’s been 40 years, what do you think of the album now in retrospect?
Well, it’s one of the ones that I’m most pleased with, from the catalog of output over the years. I think we were at the peak of our abilities in one way or another. And it was also, strangely enough, quite an easy album to make, in the sense that it just flowed out without great disputes or lack of direction or anything. It just was really clear what we had to do, and the focus was there. So, yes.
You have another anniversary that’s happening this year. It’s a 30-year anniversary of The Stone by Babble. When you look back on that and the fact that it’s been 30 years,
what do you think of that album now in retrospect?
And strangely enough, by coincidence, that was the other album, as well as Into the Gap, that just kind of flowed out of the process so easily. I love that record. It was never destined to be a hit because it’s essentially an underground project, but I think creatively it was very satisfying. And I love to hear it now. And it’s a different kind of music; it’s long form. The songs are much longer; they have long introductions. These days, people write pop songs starting with the chorus. Back in the day, in the days of Babble, we would take 3 minutes to even get to the first verse.
Let’s talk about Science Fiction that you released in 2018. For people who haven’t heard it, how does Science Fiction and your solo work compare to what you do in the Thompson Twins?
I’m working in the kind of mainstream pop area again on that record. So, it kind of picks up where I left off with The Twins. And it was relatively easy to make that move, if you know what I mean, because of The Twins. Because of the way we divided the tasks in the three-piece twins, basically, music was my responsibility.
So, it was me doing it and me doing it again on my solo record. So, there’s a great similarity in the process. Science Fiction is a solo record in as much as it’s just me playing anything. No one else is really involved apart from some backing vocals. And yes, I enjoyed writing those songs. Again, it flowed fairly easily. It doesn’t always happen that way, but you’ve actually picked 3 records that were (fun to do).
I believe you are performing Science Fiction live, or you did on the Into The Gap tour. Tell me about that song and the inspiration behind it.
Yes, we often include the song Science Fiction. Well, it’s a funny thing because, as I’ve said in the past, I’m not particularly a fan of science fiction as a genre, because, to me, I don’t read or watch those movies that people would suspect from that song. To me, science fiction is a way of looking at the present because it re-contextualizes the problems of now.
And so, in that sense, I’m a big fan of science fiction or the perspective that it brings. But as you may know, the song
really has another level, another meaning, which is about dragging someone away from their obsession with science fiction and bringing them back to now. That’s really what the song is about.
Would you like to record any other solo music or even Thompson Twins music in the future?
I’m always writing and recording, so there’s all sorts of stuff in the can in various states of repair, and whether or not we make another album, I don’t know. It won’t be this year because Into the Gap is being re-released. It’s been remastered and is coming out in various formats like Dolby Atmos, and stuff. So, I don’t want to get in the way of that. And that’s going to be the big thing for me this year.
Another one of your albums is about to celebrate 40 years, and that’s, of course, Here’s to Future Days. Any plans to do any kind of tour with that?
No, some people have mentioned, “Hey, why not?” But they don’t get much time off these ideas; people do that, but it’s like, we’ll see. I can’t imagine that, performing the whole of the Future Days album would be as easy or as satisfying as it was with Into the Gap, but we’ll see. I’ll have a look at some of that material again and try and include it.
Do you ever hear from Alannah Currie or Joe Leeway from time to time?
Yes, but partly because of the re-release of Into the Gap, there’s been a lot of email discussions going on about how best to do that. But I also caught up with Alannah in New Zealand about a month ago. We had coffee, and she just moved there again, and I was just about to leave to come out on tour. So, we had a meeting and everything was cool. Everything’s good. She seems in great shape, and I think Joe’s happy as well, so it’s good.
Are you currently involved with any other bands or projects outside of what you’re doing now?
Not directly at this very moment, but always part of me is as a gun for hire. I like to do that from time to time. I just played on a couple of other people’s records. One actually interestingly enough, an original Thompson Twins member made an almost kind of an Americana country record. And he said he wanted some keyboards. And so, he sent it to me, and I played piano on it. So, things like that are always great fun.
Tom Bailey, gun for hire. I like that. Occasional gun for hire, we should say.... http://www.thompsontwinstombailey.co.uk/
Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival
Las Vegas, NV., May 26-27, 2024 - Photos by
Starcrawler Destroy Boys
Jack Lue
Doll Riot
Nick Heyward and The Return of Haircut 100
Interview and Zoom photo by Ken
Morton - Haircut
100 Photo by Andrew Cotterill
Nick Heyward and Haircut 100 made one album together in the early 80’s entitled Pelican West featuring classic songs such as Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), Love Plus One, and Fantastic Day. Their time together was short, as Nick would go on to a solo career while Haircut would record one more album with a different vocalist before disbanding. It is now 40 years later, and Nick Heyward has returned with Les Nemes and Graham Jones reforming Haircut 100 and will be trekking across the States as special guests of the Howard Jones/ ABC Tour. The tour has a local stop at the YouTube Theater on August 20th and is not to be missed. When the tour was announced, Highwire Daze caught up with Nick Heyward to discuss the upcoming tour, his thoughts of the Pelican West album today, brand new Haircut 100 music, and more...
What are you looking forward to the most about the upcoming tour with Howard Jones and ABC?
Well, I mean, it’s a thrill. It’s a real thrill to be playing again after 42 years, I think it was the last time we were there together. This is Les, Graham, and I’s dream. Born and made on a coffee table in a ski club in Great Britain in early 1981. It happened and it went all the way to America and it looked like it was going to be huge, then it didn’t happen. But then, here we are 42 years later, and we’re back doing what we wanted to do back then, which was live the dream. And we can’t believe we’re on a tour bus together, the three of us. It’s a dream come true. It’s brilliant.
When you look back on Pelican West in 1982, what do you think of that album now in retrospect?
I think it’s a beautiful piece of work. It’s as fresh as a fantastic daisy. It still sounds exactly as it did the day it was made. Just kind of a burst of optimism and creativity. All the influences of the band are there and they just collided together in a sort of percolated pop funk. Just wonderful. It’s just that that’s the beauty of albums, isn’t it? They
are captured magic. Everybody at that particular time just came together to make it happen. Bob Sargeant, who’d made all The Beat records was in his prime there as well. It’s just a wonderful period -1981 and 1982 were just such a glorious period for all of us.
Is there any chance of new Haircut 100 music on the horizon? Or is that something you’d like to do?
We’re doing it already. There’s a new album being done. We’re doing it the old fashioned way. We’re doing the demos. Then we’re going to go in and record it. Most of the songs are done. We’re going to be playing one on the tour actually, a new song called Plum
Tell me a little about Plum and the inspiration behind it.
Well, it says at the beginning, it’s, “Cover me in Diet Coke. Spray me with your words, kick me into outer space, hit me where it hurts. But the things you say are only a way of withholding love. But don’t push away too much because you’ll push away my love.” It’s just a wistful windowsill moment. It’s about an unloving plum that turns out to be the opposite of an unloving plum. It’s about a loving plum. We’d have plum colored stripes to celebrate.
Les actually played on a few of your solo albums, Postcards From Home and I Love You Avenue. What was it like working with Les again with your solo albums? Well, he was my biggest influence. I mean, he’s like the best player in the world, really, as far as I’m concerned because he plays a part. He just comes up with a part and he sticks with that part. That is the part. That is the best bass line. He doesn’t do normal just choosing the root note. He will play a melody like Ronnie Lane or something. It just becomes part of the song. He’s such the kind of go-to first person if I had a song coming, then it would go straight to Les, like Love Plus One or anything. We’d inspire each other. We play together. He’s always been my first port of call. To be back in a band with him is amazing!
We know that Les was on a few of your solo albums. Did you keep in touch with Graham during this entire time?
We’ve kept in touch with each other. We just drifted apart as well, so a bit of both. The time that we played before we were getting together for the 40th anniversary, and it had been a while. That’s why it was nice to get back. Les, Graham and I lived together above a flower shop in London, on Gloucester Road. That’s why a tour bus will be easy because we just get on, we’ve always got on anyway. You get back and just spend time together and you realize, “This is very easy, isn’t it? This is great.” It’s just being old friends - it’s just the same, time doesn’t exist. You just carry on.
What was it like recording your latest solo album, Woodland Echoes, with your son Oliver?
It was lovely because I couldn’t believe that Oliver had become a brilliant sound engineer. I mean, all those affirmations that I made him do, “I want to be a sound engineer when I grow up,” just worked. “What do you want to be Oliver when you grow up? No, a sound engineer?” There it was. In fact, he’s there. When I look out on stage, Oliver’s normally doing the sound, so it’s great. It’s just like getting to work with your son is another dream come true. I would work with him anyway. He’s a brilliant sound engineer. He’s just like a lava lamp to
have around. He’s just a really calming influence and really well-organized. I’ve learned a lot from Oliver about how to be well-organized. He’s a good filer. He files things away as well and works really in an organized fashion, which is a great help because mine was kind of just more like a similar way to cooking, where everything’s out of the cupboards and just chaos. Then you kind of make something of that chaos. But Oliver’s definitely more orderly, so he’s inspiring as well to work with.
Will Oliver be on the current US tour?
It wasn’t in the budget. I’m gutted, but next tour he will be.
Do you have any messages for Haircut 100 / Nick Heyward fans who are reading this right now?
Thank you. I appreciate you. Because I haven’t exactly been around a lot. I didn’t realize that in my 60s, I would suddenly get this enthusiasm for playing live and for doing so much playing. All the people who have been loving the music over the years, it’s now time to play it for you.
Going Full Circle with Jessie Peck of The Spinners
Interview by Ken Morton - Photo by NAOE
The beloved R&B vocal group The Spinners has issued a brand new album entitled Full Circle. This latest release marks the 70th Anniversary of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group’s formation and is notably the final album from the last original member, Henry Fambrough with members, Curtis CJ Jefferson, Marvin Taylor, Jessie Peck and Ronnie Moss. The album was executive produced by Bernard Grobman and features 10 brand new tracks! The Spinners are now on a North American tour in support of Full Circle, with a local stop at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood on August 31st! Highwire Daze recently interviewed vocalist Jessie Peck to find out more about the making of Full Circle, performing with original members Henry Fambrough and Bobby Smith - as well as his very own clothing store and support of Music Therapy For Veterans. Read on...
What were you doing music-wise prior to joining The Spinners?
Prior to joining The Spinners in November of 2008, actually, I was out of the biz. I was looking for a way back into entertainment and back into showbiz. I had been in a number
of bands - Unique where I sang with Marvin Taylor, who’s a member of The Spinners today, as well as Random X and a few other bands. But it had been a number of years since I had been a radio personality or a singer or anything in the biz, and I was desperate to get back into the entertainment field. So, that is when I happened upon the Spinners audition.
What was it like working with original members Henry Fambrough and Bobby Smith when you first started? The same as it was up to their last days. It was always surreal. There were always teachable moments or, for me, learning moments, but I watched them constantly. I hung on their every word, listened to everything they said. Bobby and Henry would always talk about the earlier days of The Spinners, and I heard some funny stories. Some of those stories I will never repeat, but it was a wonderful experience being a member of the group that had first influenced me to perform as a child and actually being with two original members Bobby Smith and Henry Fambrough. It was amazing. They were great leaders, and I was happy to work with them.
What does the title of the new album, Full Circle mean to you?
It’s just after so many years, with all the changes that have happened internally with the group and with the industry itself, to come back finally with an album that truly reflects the original sound of The Spinners, as well as encompassing that new music sound while still staying loyal to the fans, finally something that they can enjoy from The Spinners that’s new. And from what we’re hearing, they’re loving each and every song. So, that’s what Full Circle means to me: that we’re finally come back again to providing our fans with new quality Spinner music.
Full Circle is the final album with Henry Fambrough on it. What was it like working with Henry on this last album? It was amazing. Henry was as great a singer on the last album as he ever was. We marveled at each and every part that he sang. It was very nice to sit back and listen to his voice. He didn’t do a lot of leads in the concerts when we were performing, so in the studio, he had no choice but to shine, and we had a front row seat to be able to hear Henry in all of his glory, doing what he was known best for: that singing with that beautiful melodic voice of his. It was a great experience.
What goes through your mind knowing that you are involved in a group now celebrating its 70th anniversary? It increases my faith in God, my belief in miracles, my belief that dreams do come true. If I can become a part of a group as huge and as iconic as The Spinners, then anything is possible, and my life has been wonderful. Ever since that miracle, it wasn’t long before I found the girl of my dreams and a lot of other things began to fall into place. Once you realize that you can receive that type of blessing, that you can become a part of something that is so very great, then you realize that basically the world’s your oyster, if you dare to open it.
Will The Spinners be going on tour this summer to celebrate the new release of Full Circle?
We’re constantly on tour. We’re off for another week before we go back out on the road. I’m taking a quick peek at the schedule. In the latest schedule, more shows are popping up. We just finished, by the way, performing at Disney, which we do just about every year and that’s always a lot of fun. But heading back out, we’re starting in North Carolina at Village Park on June 15th, then Arizona on the 22nd, and in July, we’ve got a string of shows, more than ten concerts: Springfield, Oregon; Tinley Park, Illinois; Sugar Hill, Georgia; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Wantagh, New York; Oxon Hill, Maryland; Stockbridge, Georgia; North Wildwood, New Jersey. And that’s all in just one month. So, incredibly busy, and we kind of stay that way. In fact, we’re busier now than we’ve been in my 17 years as a member of The Spinners. This last year and this current year are definitely our busiest years. With that being said, shout out to 21st Century Artist Management, Toby, our manager. Excellent job. Glad you’re on our team.
I wanted to ask you about two of your outside projects. Tell me a little about your clothing design company and how you became involved with that.
Well, it’s part of my shtick. It has been since my radio days. I always say, “Hi, I’m Jessie Peck!” I adapted from that to wearing a t-shirt that would say the same thing, because when I’d say the name, people would laugh. It’s kind of funny because of the way I deliver the name. After a while, fans started asking, “Hey, I want a Jessie Peck t-shirt,” and I thought, “You’re right. If I print these off, no one’s going to wear them but me.” Eventually, I thought, “Why not?”
But I didn’t want to just start a brand with my name and distribute shirts. I wanted it to have a purpose behind it. I wanted to do some good. So, I decided to donate a portion of the proceeds to music therapy for veterans and the Pervis Jackson Jr. Autism Foundation. Haven’t made a ton of money yet, with to the store, but fans are definitely supporting. Family members are definitely buying up items. I have clothing for babies, onesies. I have sports athletic bras and yoga pants for ladies, workout gear for men, thermoses, coffee mugs, the whole nine. All kinds of things. Stop by JessiePeck.com, take a look today and see if there’s something you like. I’m sure you’ll find something. There’s the Duo-69 collection that was created by my wife Regina - hello darling. And the Duo-69 is basically built on the premise of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” There are some beautiful, beautiful shirts that you can look at from the Hive State of Mind collection as well as Duo-69. Just stop by. I’m sure you’ll like what you see there at JessiePeck.com, the Jessie Peck Store!
And then let’s talk about music therapy for veterans and how you became involved with that.
Well, I have a dear friend, Floyd A. Smith Floyd was a member of The Fifth Dimension for a number of years and also does a string of musical shows pretty much on his own. He’s basically a one-man show aside from performing with The Fifth Dimension. He talked to me a lot about his organization. It’s an organization that he started, and it’s called Music Therapy for Veterans. Basically, he goes into the veteran homes, the veteran facilities, and does concerts and performances that are only for our veterans. He talks about the power of music therapy for veterans and those who are coming back and dealing with post-traumatic stress. It’s tough for our soldiers, and we take for granted the ultimate sacrifice they make in order for us to have the peace and liberties that we have in our country. They come back not the same as when they left, and that’s the time when they most need our love and support. Music is a wonderful tool of counseling and healing for many of our veterans.
So, shout out to Floyd and thank you for your efforts on that. You are a wonderful human being, and I support you in any way that I can. In fact, Henry Fambrough, our original Spinner, he was in the military during his early days.
Are you currently involved with any other bands or projects outside of The Spinners?
No, as far as singing goes, I am a Spinner, plain and simple. But I have been, because of my radio days, I have been a voice actor for a number of years. I still do commercials that go all over the country, and now I’m taking the leap over into
movies, animated films. I’ve been reaching out and communicating with some studios, and there’s a brand new demo that I’ve done that’s pinned on my Facebook page. I’m just pushing it out every way that I can to friends and family because you never know who someone else may know. As well as hitting up the production houses and seeking a proper agent that can represent me. If there are any agents out there hearing the sound of my voice, reach out to Jessie Peck!
Movies are what I like to do now aside from being a member of the iconic Spinners R&B group.
Do you have any messages for Spinners fans who are reading this now?
To any fans who are listening to us now, I want to thank you for your ongoing support. Thank you for continuing to love us. Thank you for buying our tickets. Thank you for buying the new music and coming out and selling out shows. Thank you for reaching out to us on social media, sharing the photos and the videos and your memories of Spinners concerts past. Thank you for continuing to move forward with us, and we will always strive to give you our very Spinners best. We love you.
Interview by Ken Morton - Live photo by Jack LueGroup Photo by Danny Tilson
Inimical Drive, the quickly rising heavy rock/metal group from the heart of St. Louis, has set the stage ablaze with the latest single, Victim. This incendiary single was co-written, produced, and mixed by Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz of the acclaimed band Bad Wolves On the heels of their 2023 Inimical Drive EP From Solitude, Victim marks a powerful return for the band in 2024! Highwire Daze recently interviewed Inimical Drive frontman Joel Colby to find out more about this raging band on the rise! Read on...
Introduce yourself, and tell me what you do in Inimical Drive and how long the band has been together. My name is Joel Colby, and I sing for Inimical Drive. I also act as the band’s manager. We’ve been doing the band for close to 15 years now.
Where is the band based, and what is the local music scene like there?
St. Louis, Missouri. The St. Louis music scene is awesome. We have had many breakout bands, rappers, and artists emerge from this city. We were blessed early on into a great music scene with excellent venues packing in some of the best shows we’ve been a part of.
Is there any overall story or concept behind the new single Victim?
The initial thoughts that would become the song lyrically were something very personal to me. In the writing process, it turned into something from multiple perspectives and angles regarding the situation. Ultimately, I chose Victim, as I know so many people close to me who have chosen not to become the Victim of their circumstances. No matter what, that’s a powerful message. You cannot truly move on if you remain the Victim of what has happened to you.
What was it like working with Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz of Bad Wolves on Victim, and how did he become involved with the song?
We had the opportunity to tour with Bad Wolves last summer and began discussing with DL during that time. The tour was sick, and we had been fans of the band and DL for some time already, so the energy was high going in. Daniel is talented at his craft and the whole experience was incredible. We wrote the song from scratch in the studio together and were on another level excited coming out of the studio, DL included. We knew we had done something great together.
How close are you to releasing a new EP or album? We have an EP sitting on deck, waiting to enter the studio. We will wrap that up this summer, returning to work with DL.
What are you looking forward to the most about the upcoming STL Rock Takeover show?
It’s not too far from our hometown, so the support has been incredible. That station was one of the early adopters of the new single, and it has responded very well. We are also playing with our close friends in Fivefold and another young St. Louis band, Wisemary, who is great. We expect it to be a fun one.
What could one expect from a live Inimical Drive show?
We have always had a high-energy live show. No one has ever not had a great time coming to bang heads with us. We have always done whatever we wanted, so we think everybody can get a little bit of everything from a full set. A little heavy, a little rock ‘n’ roll and topped with some sing-along. We have a great time live, and typically, our fans do too. I will most likely throw in a few high kicks for you as well.
What was the experience like playing at the legendary Viper Room on the Sunset Strip?
It was awesome. The show was awesome. The bands were awesome. The crowd was awesome, and the staff at The Viper Room was top-notch. That trip, in general for us, was a blast, and it was a fly date. We had 20+ people get on a flight to take a trip for that show. We’ve got some diehards, and it was just a great time overall. We spent some time writing, recording and living in California intermittently over the years, so it’s sort of felt like reconnecting those dots. Just another of the many great experiences we’ve had together in this band.
If Inimical Drive could open for any band, either now
or from the past, who would it be and why?
Metallica for half and probably Slipknot for Zach, being his favorite band. There are obvious reasons, I presume, but I was heavily influenced by those bands.
Are you currently involved with any other bands or projects outside of Inimical Drive?
This is it. Three OG members and the only band we’ve been a part of. Who knows about the future but until this stops giving this is the band for me. Always though, I have enjoyed creating with others and writing and anchoring down in studio.
What’s up next for Inimical Drive?
Booking now through the end of the year and an even busier 2025 heavy focus on pushing this next batch of songs and more singles coming soon.
Any final words of wisdom?
Be grateful. Somebody has it worse. And of course don’t be the Victim. Sorry, had to.
Blink-182 has influenced generations of pop punk / alternative rock musicians as well as thrilled music fans since their humble beginning in 1992. And in 2024, the iconic original lineup rages on in an epic way, presenting a powerhouse set of tunes encapsulating an absolutely brilliant career in music. After a standout opening set from local heroes Pierce The Veil, it was time for Blink-182 to take over the stage – and the superb songs and trademark antics reigned supreme throughout the sprawling Petco Park in San Diego.
Opening with the rousing refrains of Feeling This from their 2003 Untitled album and then launching into the anthemic fan favorite The Rock Show, Blink-182 was in top form, and proceeded to deliver the show of a lifetime. For those who say pop punk is dead, you would never know it by the multitudes of fans singing along and rocking it hard throughout the entire performance.
Classics such as Stay Together For The Kids, What’s
My Age Again, and All The Small Things were delivered, the timeless selections received rapturously by the audience. Surprises would include snippets of songs from the Box Car Racer and +44 catalogs as well as a mischievous rendition of Taylor Swift’s We Are Never Getting Back Together.
The return of Tom DeLonge has been very well received, and what a stunning grand finale it was to hear the title track of One More Time performed live! Dedicated to the legacy that is Blink and the return of the much-revered trio, One More Time was a powerful way to conclude a wild and wonderful night of music under the stars. Thank you to Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker for the music and memories – and here’s to a whole lot more of Blink-182 in the many years to come!
Also thanks to Live Nation for presenting such memorable events in the San Diego area and beyond!
https://www.instagram.com/blink182/
Review by Ken Morton - Photo by Jack Lue
Rocking At NAMM and KLOS with Dan Sindel
Daze recently interviewed Dan to discuss The NAMM Show, appearing on KLOS, mishaps while opening for the one and only King Diamond, and a whole lot more...
As a veteran of the legendary 80’s LA Heavy Metal scene; Dan Sindel has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in the rock and metal world (e.g. ACCEPT, SAXON, KING DIAMOND, WENDY O. WILLIAMS, RACER X, ARMORED SAINT, FLOTSAM & JETSAM, HELMET, GRIM REAPER, METAL CHURCH, HED PE etc…) and continues to deliver his hard rocking sounds with his new 5 song debut solo EP, UNPOPULAR MUSIC FOR POPULAR PEOPLE Vol. 1. Dan’s in-depth songwriting style is a mixture of the classic rock we all love and grew up with since the 60’s/70’/80’s blended with modern rock aesthetics. (Think Metallica meets the Byrds or Blue Oyster Cult). There’s enough variety to satisfy the most demanding listener. All songs are written and produced by Dan Sindel and feature his trademark layered guitar and vocal sound. Highwire
Where are you based out of and what is your local music scene like there?
I’m based out of the Los Angeles area, specifically the San Fernando Valley. Wait? Did you say “Music scene?” What music scene? Just kidding, lol… Well there used to be an incredible scene in this town when I was growing up in high school in the late 70’s (yeah I’m that old) and it was so inspiring as each high school had numerous bands, very competitive and every weekend you could get a list together of 20 or so backyard parties and each one had a cool band playing the current rock hits not to mention the club scene was banging. I used to be able to see Randy Rhoads in Quiet Riot (years before he joined OZZY), Jake E. Lee was in Rough Cutt, George Lynch had a group called The Boyz, Carlos Cavazo
July/August 2024 HIGHWIRE DAZE
Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Vivian Ortega of So Finch Photography
was in SNOW, all the guitar hero guys that became huge in the 80’s were very influential in my development as a young guitar player. Unfortunately I missed Van Halen playing the backyard parties by just a summer before they became signed and became the biggest band in the world, but this was the type of thing that was going on in the Los Angeles area a long time ago.
The Hollywood scene was just off the hook, didn’t matter what day of the week it was, almost every club was at capacity and partying like no tomorrow, didn’t even matter what band was playing, just a crazy party, it certainly isn’t that way anymore, like a ghost town for the most part but one thing that gives me a bit of hope is that HIGHWIRE DAZE is out there in the trenches covering a lot of younger groups and to me that is a beautiful thing to see that “rock isn’t dead” and there is a lot of amazing talent out there still waiting to be discovered. I hate to appear downcast or disillusioned but I lived through what is called “THE METAL YEARS” of the 80’s and have been lucky enough to share the stage with many top international metal/rock acts and things are just not the same anymore, almost every club has closed its doors or are barely hanging on to stay in business, the record industry collapsed for the most part and all that is left is streaming music which has “zero” personality or feeling of a true connection with the artists, listening to music has become trivialized, at least that is how I see things, “your mileage may vary,” lol.
Is there any overall story or concept behind the Unpopular Music For Popular People Vol 1 EP title?
As an independent artist with limited budget, I have written and recorded tons of my songs into the computer and decided to take a batch of them and bring them up to industry standard and get them out there to see what may happen. I hired a great selection of local LA drummers that were available at the time to go into the studio and replace the software drum loops with real drums and took it from there, re-recorded the guitars, bass and vocals and the first 5 tracks that were finished have become the EP. To be honest at the point of release date I felt a bit discouraged by the state of affairs with the music biz and kind of felt like, “does anyone even gives a rat’s red ass and who’s going to even listen to what I’m doing? 100,000 or more songs a day are being uploaded to Spotify, how can you get heard amongst this tidal wave of music?” I don’t think it’s unrealistic to have these types of thoughts; I’m pretty down to earth about stuff.
Y’know some guys get struck by magic lightning and for whatever reason they get their music heard and go out and get the world’s attention, most others work their tail off with sweat equity with minimal results, and it’s a crap shoot at best for most artists. So I suppose I sarcastically came up with the title “Unpopular Music For Popular People” just to be a dick hahhahaaaa, seriously though I couldn’t be happier with the results I have received thus far.
As of this writing I have done quite a nice handful of high profile internet radio interviews and was even featured last month, May 17th on 95.5 KLOS - THE HEIDI and FRANK SHOW which I would imagine the music was heard by up to a million listeners as KLOS is the biggest rock station in town, that was a thrill and I even won the contest and they voted a “STAY” for me on the “STAY OR GO” contest… Hey, and now I am in the hallowed pages of HIGHWIRE DAZE. It’s all good, good in the hood!!!
Select two songs from Unpopular Music For Popular People Vol 1 and what inspired the lyrics.
The 2 songs that seem to be getting the most attention/airplay are ALL DUE RESPECT and STEPPING STONE although RULE THE WORLD is doing pretty well out there in the universe as well. All my songs are basically taken from life itself, real world experience and honest expression of the human condition for better or worse! No dungeons and dragons, fantasy stuff or songs about Stonehenge lol.
You did a meet and greet/signing at the Highwire Daze Booth at the NAMM Show this year. What was the experience like and what did you think of the NAMM experience overall?
Ken, I am very grateful for the opportunity to have been extended the invitation to have some time at the HIGHWIRE booth at the NAMM show. You and your team are exceptionally cool and made me feel welcomed to be there, it was fun handing out advance CD copies of my EP to anyone passing by. I definitely got strange looks from some people like, “Huh? A CD? What am I going to play this on? I don’t have a CD player anymore!” Oh how the times have changed eh?
If you are reading this and do not know what NAMM is, NAMM is the music industries yearly convention held at the Anaheim Convention Center and it is a time for all musical instrument manufactures, vendors, buyers and rock star/musicians from all walks of life to get together. The main focus is for the manufactures to showcase new product and create sales, but it is a crazy circus and so much fun for everyone there.
You recently made a guest appearance with Guitar & Whiskey Club at the world-famous Whisky on the Sunset Strip. What was that like to hop onstage with GWC?
That was a rush, so great getting up on stage for a few minutes with good friends and rocking some music. Always creates adrenaline which is addicting for sure. The Guitar & Whiskey Club are really cool dudes and a killer rock band, was honored to be invited to jam with them. Jeff Donovan wanted to have me jam with the band for quite a while and we finally got the chance when GWC shared the stage with VAIN from the San Francisco/ Bay area.
What was it like sharing the stage with legends such as Accept, Saxon, and King Diamond? Any stories you could share?
I could tell stories for miles but then I would need my own separate issue of HIGHWIRE DAZE to cover that one - but yeah, I have been extremely fortunate during the METAL YEARS to have shared the stage with so many top artists. One quick story which comes to mind (pun intended) was when my ‘ol band STONE SOLDIER opened for King Diamond. We were a thrash/power metal band and I was head banging so flipping hard that I brought my SS guitar up into my forehead by mistake and cut myself wide open and was bleeding all over like a KISS show, lol I think the theatrics
lent itself well to the aura of a King Diamond show. A blood offering to the heavy metal Gods, lol
Any chance of you performing the songs from Unpopular Music For Popular People Vol 1 live?
It is my hopes to get out there soon; I’m still without a backing band as of this writing. So if you are a drummer or bass player get ahold of me somehow through FB or IG and let’s rock this planet.
Any new music on the horizon?
Absolutely, yes, I am in the process of mixing Unpopular Music For Popular People Vol 2. I have enough material written for another batch of albums and always creating something new.
Any final words of wisdom?
“BE EXCELLENT TO EACH OTHER!” (Thank you Bill and Ted for those timeless words of inspiration) Well as you can see I like to keep things lighthearted and enjoy humor but to wrap this up I just want to thank you Ken and the HIGHWIRE team, you guys do a great service in helping keep the music alive and I hope to see you guys out there in music land soon!
http://dansindel.com/
We Are The Black Things “Live” June 29, 2024 8PM Universal Bar & Grill Hosted By Metal Mayhem Presents
The Rock Band From West Hollywood, California We Are The Black Things!
By Highwire Daze Magazine
The rock to the bone band We Are The Black Things from West Hollywood, California is picking up speed in the modern rock world called”new to them”, the projecting of their new type of modern hard rock and songs that seem to be eerily reaching people in the Los Angeles music scene.
They are Hollywood street rock all the way, ramping up traditional caty hard rock, blues riffs, and bringing them upfront in their new inventive songwriting style. Culminating in the end of the world, this is the best music you’re ever gonna hear rock style!
On the path to rock n’ roll stardom the “Black Things Band”, simplifies the rock steps by staying true to the core vision of song feel and vibe.
On the swath of their “Drop the bomb down in Wuhan tour”, We Are The Black Things are taking their rock n’ roll Hollywood home music to the masses.
Down in Wuhan their current full length album is testimony to the alchemy hard rock rules of a Hollywood guitarist values,with a sense of current events going on in the world today, and that’s what songwriter Tone Raven brings to the songwriting pool, is a smattering of new guitar rock bliss!
We Are The Black Things
Frank Garrett-Bass
Rae Owl Starling-Keyboard
Luthario Mitcho-Turntable
Carrie Cane-Drums
Tone Raven-Guitar/Vocals
MANAGEMENT-TONE RAVEN MUSIC
We Are The Black Things-Trademark 2018
Tone Raven-Trademark 2021 http://www.youtube.com/toneraventunes http://www.facebook.com/ravenscrymusic
Raquel Figlo Public Relations
Raquel Figlo Public Relations is a specialized PR company based in Southern California which highlights clients’ authenticity and expands them to a vast audience. Owner-CEO Raquel Figlo’s dedication to her clients’ branding success offers the personal touch they seek from a boutique publicity firm.
In her 15-plus years of experience within the PR industry, Raquel has worked with clientele ranging from celebrities, musicians, brand creators, influencers, fashion designers, and non-profit companies. It is her passion and firm standing in the hard rock and heavy metal industry attracting established artists such as Blacktop Mojo, Eye Am (featuring members of Type O Negative and Crowbar), OTEP, Cleopatra Records, Steve Zing (Danzig, Samhain, Blak29, Mourning Noise), Nikki Stringfield, Kill Devil Hill and many others. Figlo’s client base is diverse, but her commonality is getting her roster significant exposure and press attention.
The Orange County native (lauded in 2018 by OC Weekly as Orange County’s Rock N’ Roll Publicist) has staked her esteemed career through numerous red carpet events, launch parties and press placements in Metal Hammer, Metal Injection, The PRP, Loudwire, Revolver and Consequence of Sound. Her perseverance in placing her clients in front of respected publications and a wide variety of audiences gives them the personal touch and exposure they deserve.
Figlo believes her innate positivity and optimistic outlook on life makes what she does for a living exceptional. She believes her accomplishments stem from “a combination of being spiritual, doing things you love, having fun, but also staying true to yourself at every level. She states exuberant-
ly, “We are all unique and every one of us can shine. I truly believe this.”
Where did your initial passion for rock and metal come about?
My passion for rock and metal came about when I first heard Black Sabbath on KNAC 105.3 FM which was an L.A. rock station back in the day. When I heard Ozzy Osbourne and Guns N’ Roses, I didn’t know what hit me. It was life changing, I must have been seven years old at the time. When I went to my first concert at 12 years old, I saw Def Leppard and Ugly Kid Joe at the Irvine Meadows in Orange County, California. I knew right then I wanted to be in the music industry. I didn’t know how, but I was determined to figure it out. I made it a lifelong goal to be a part of the community. I attended numerous shows and made friends with bands and venue staff along the way. I went to California State University Fullerton for Communications, which eventually led to my writing for Rock N’ Roll Industries Magazine. All these elements were the beginnings of a lifelong career in music.
What made you decide to become a publicist for bands? It was after years of working for Rock N’ Roll Industries Magazine, which was a nationwide publication, that I decided I really wanted to work with rock and metal bands and help them get to the next level. I had already run a successful entertainment PR Agency. I thought I would start asking bands I knew if they would give me the opportunity to promote their shows and help them with their singles and so on. From there, it grew into a very successful career.
What services do you offer bands who work with you?
I offer bands a full-service PR campaign, whether it is a single release, video release, album and/ or EP release. I require a minimum of two months of publicity services, one month leading up to any release and then a month of promotional work. I think what I offer is fair and I get my clients a wide variety of press placements, reviews, and interviews. One thing I excel at is getting interviews for my bands. I think it’s important for them to talk about their music so they can connect with their audiences. When you work with me, I write your press release, I distribute it, I am very hands-on. I also offer social media services which include a content calendar and an Instagram e-book that has helped me grow my IG following.
Who are you currently working with?
How important are your relationships with the Media?
Each year I keep growing exponentially, but it was working with some amazing bands in 2024 that really took my company to the next level. Some of my clients have included Blacktop Mojo, Jeff Fab (Black Label Society), Charlie Parra del Riego (Chris Jericho’s Kuarantine) and I continue to work with Steve Zing. I love working with female fronted bands like Trashy Annie, OTEP, Andry Lagiou and Nikki Stringfield. It is exciting to help bands of all different levels and I treat them all equally. Some exciting new adventures that have happened this year are booking shows. I had the pleasure working with Boulevard of Eyes (Chloe Trujillo) whom I had open for my client Trashy Annie who is “rock ‘n’ roll country soul.” Representing female artists is important to me, because women rock just as hard as the men do!
Who are some of your previous clients?
One of the bands that really made a staple in my career is the supergroup Eye Am which includes the remaining members of Type O Negative, John Kelly and Kenny Hickey, plus members of Crowbar, Kirk Windstein and Todd Strange. I worked with them from the ground up along with their label, Corpse Paint Records, and we received a lot of attention in big publications such as Metal Hammer, Metal Injection, Consequence of Sound, The PRP, Blabbermouth and Loudwire. We did some cool guerilla marketing in partnership with Metal Injection where we flew out a lucky winner to meet Eye Am in New Orleans during the recording of their second single, “Cryptomnesia.” I am very hands-on with all my bands and do projects like this where we come up with things outside of the box. It makes my job so much more fun and fulfilling.
Thanks to social media, I have been able to make good friends and promotional partners. Everyone says Facebook is irrelevant. I think it’s the opposite. I think most industry folk are online, and I tend to use my Facebook as a place to connect with managers, booking agents, and media where they can see what I’m doing with my bands. My social media is just as important as sending out an email and picking up the phone to talk to the media. It’s important to constantly post everything you’re doing. I’m talking about the big wins and the small wins, and I tell my bands to do this as well. It all adds up. Another thing which is great are the Facebook groups, because they pertain to the genre of the band you are working with and those who know me know I’m constantly posting. Someone is seeing it even if you might not get that “like” on a post. People are still watching what you are doing, so it is important to be social.
How does having good relationships with the Media work in the benefit for your bands?
Having a good relationship with the media is super important. I connect with my media friends on levels other than work. We have a shared passion for this music, and I always catch myself having long conversations with my media friends. Not only about my bands, but also what they are into, what they are listening to and what’s going on in their lives. We even meet up at shows. You must be human in this industry. It’s not all about what you are doing. In other words, it’s not all about “you.” It’s about us as a community and I feel I am very good at that because I am genuine with how I treat my clients and how I treat media and people in general. We’re all here for the passion and love of the music.
How could someone reach you to inquire about publicity services?
If you are interested in learning more about my services, please reach out to me. My email is Raquel@Raquelfiglo. com. I offer a complementary 30-minute consultation where you can ask me anything. From this conversation, whether you are ready to work with me or not, I put together a proposal for you and lay it all out until you are ready to ROCK! You can visit my website to see my testimonials and check out my roster at www.raquelfiglo.com. I love what I do, and I can’t wait to hear from you. www.raquelfiglo.com
Strangeways
The Whisky, West Hollywood, CA., May 20, 2024
spell into the iconic song.
Fast Times at The Whisky is always a terrific way to start out the work week, and on this particular Monday, Strangeways from Los Angeles would kick off the night in an epic way. On the dark alternative side of the spectrum, Strangeways would definitely appeal to fans of bands such as Joy Division and The Cure.
Opening songs Fracture and Carousel sent the house spinning with a sense of imagination and intrigue - and the brilliant sonic artistry kept on enveloping the iconic nightclub throughout the entire set. Their cover of Waving My Arms by The Birthday Party was absolutely inspiring, Strangeways weaving their own magical
Strangeways delivered an impressive show, featuring the talents of Mario Humerez on vocals, keys. and rhythm guitars, Alexander Humerez on lead guitar, Daniel Lujan on bass, and Drake Sherman on drums.
Strangeways clearly left their own impressive stamp on the Fast Times crowd, and easily made some new fans in the process. Expect to hear a lot more from the Strangeways brigade in the future!
Strangeways will be doing a music video premiere / live show at The Smell on October 25th!
https://www.instagram.com/strangeways_official/
July/August 2024 HIGHWIRE DAZE
Review by Ken Morton - Photos by Vivian Ortega of So Finch Photography
ALBUM REVIEWS
Never Arrive, Never Return Cadaverous Condition
The Citcle Music
Review by Ken Morton
Cadaverous Condition from Austria started their reign of auditory madness in the early 90s, issuing their own intensive brand of blackened death metal. It’s been a while since their previous Burn Brightly Alone endeavor for 2011, but Cadaverous Condition has returned to unleash their most staggering effort to date. Never Arrive, Never Return is the name of the latest manifesto, and it presents a band at their most relentless and intriguing. From the opening refrains of the superbly ominous They Came From The Hills to the diabolic entreaties found within The Plow and beyond, Cadaverous Condition slams into the listener with a startling conviction. The Eternal Burial will surely awaken the dead with its pulsating delivery while All The Wrong Turns is sludgy and foreboding. And the reimagined To Be from their 1993 debut album In Melancholy is epic! The state of dormancy has ceased, and with the unveiling of Never Arrive, Never Return, Cadaverous Condition has risen with an all-out vengeance! Presented worldwide via Greek independent record label, The Circle Music!
Rise
Holy Mother Massacre Records
Review by Ken Morton
Holy Mother is a long running heavy metal band featuring the absolutely amazing vocals of Mike Tirelli (Jack Starr’s Burning Star, Messiah’s Kiss, Riot V). Comparisons to Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford may abound, but Tirelli possesses a stunning passion and individuality that transforms any project that he’s been involved with! And with the astounding emergence of Rise, Tirelli and Holy Mother place to pedal to the metal and send it all up into the stratosphere! In addition to Mike Tirelli’s staggering vocal performances, the rest of the Holy Mother brigade absolutely reigns supreme. New guitarist Mickey Lyxx brings a fire and magnetic energy to the proceeding, shredding it all with a massive amount of imagination and intensity. The powerhouse rhythm section is first rate, featuring the dynamic performances of Wayne Banks on bass and James Harris on drums. Here’s hoping Holy Mother make their way across the States to tour in support of the rapturous Rise. One of the very best metal albums of 2024!
World Of Sin Lypswitch Eonian Records
Review
by
Ken Morton
Originally from Orlando, Florida, Lypswitch moved to Hollywood April of 1988. The band kicked and clawed their way around the Sunset Strip packing the usual hotspots such as The Whisky, Gazzarris, The Roxy, and The Troubadour, while frequently playing with bands such as Taz, Liquor Sweet, Blackboard Jungle, Funhouse, Bang Tango and Love/Hate. And now thanks to Eonian Records, all the Lypswitch recordings from that era are available as well as some incredible newer ragers! Classic selections such as the gripping title track World Of Sin, the anthemic American Song, and the down and dirty look at LA in Somewhere, Someplace? should have been all over the worldwide radio airwaves with GnR an the Crüe! And the latest single Get Out - Run is superbly stratospheric! 17 songs in all make up the epic recording, and they sound absolutely amazing! Crossing our fingers for new Lypswitch tunes in the futureand hopefully live shows too!
Victory
Rolling Quartz Mirrorball Music
Review by Ken
Morton
With superb recordings like the Victory EP, Rolling Quartz from South Korea are destined to take over an entire world! The title track Victory is a rocking triumph, showing each and every member raging it hard and heavy! One is another absolutely cause for celebration that audiences will sing along with in a live setting. Stand Up rips it to shreds while Red Wine is wondrously blissfully yet still filled the blistering passages Rolling Quartz is becoming so well known for. Listeners could add their own voice to each and every track, as Instrumental Versions are also contained within. Fans of Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, and New Years Day will be over the moon when discovering the rapturous entreaties Rolling Quartz unveils. Stay tuned, because judging by what’s heard within the powerhouse auditory wonderland of the Victory EP, Rolling Quartz are on their way into the stratosphere of success! And do not miss Rolling Quartz the next time they play here in the USA!
Tony F. Corpse Reviews
Spiter
Bathe The Babe
In Bat’s Blood Hell’s Headbangers/2022
by Tony F. Corpse
Like a vampire rife with riotous emissions singer/guitarist Richard Spider is a rodent in human form, straight out of a technicolor Z grade nightmare. This group is a curious lot, especially considering it’s fouly existence in this age of repressed expression and artistry, mired in the doldrums of mediocrity. But alas, the scolding fires of hell cannot be quelled. Raptorous opener Suicidal Blood Fucker bangs hard, like the last rusty nail being forcibly pounded into your archaic coffin. It’s Bathory like riffage fraught with mid 80’s death punk trappings and fright fueled Hammer Horror fidelity. Transylvanian Night conjures black magic, effectively eschewing the 21st century as it immerses in Nosferatu trappings, trolling for young nubile’s blood, whilst chaperoned by the mystical aura of the moonlight at midnight. And yet, more rabies are spread, as Spiter fangs and bangs their way through Foreshadow (brimming with post punk tribalism) and Full Satanic Power (rife with jackhammer pugilism and pissed intent). Ah yes, children of the morgue, your maker awaits. Fanciful red cape and all.
https://www.instagram.com/spiter666/
Voyeur
First Glance
Yasui Records/1986
by Tony F. Corpse
Let us harken back to Connecticut (circa)1986 and unearth a long concealed gem - Voyeur (First Glance), a shining beacon of glam metal imbiguity issued by Yasui Records and provided by a venerated Hollywood hero who has anchored many precarious vessels of the lipstick, leather and lace persuasion (London, Spiders & Snakes, Hollywood After Dark, etc)
Two songs and an intro are presented here.The intro goes forthwith into Stand Or Fall and showcases guitarist Justin Tyme encapsulating the dynamism and chug-
ging inflections of George Lynch, whilst Bassist John Lione and drummer Tim Yasui tow the line as tautly as a gussied up Glover and Paice. Little ditties like Hot Touch should have made them exalted kings of Tinseltown titillation. Vocalist John Code bellows reputedly soaring melodies admist a panoramic power metal aesthetic, lending credibility to the portrayal of strength and agility so appropriate to this era. A veritable “had a, could a, would a, should a” in the lofty environs of the glam metal pantheon, and a magnificent slab of vinyl that is resolute in it’s inclusion in your record collection.
Witch Vomit
Funeral Sanctum
20 Buck Spin/2024
by Tony F. Corpse
Brought forth by the maleficent winds of an ancient Oregon cemetery, Witch Vomit bring the soiled graveyard dirt and a pummeling agenda that’s buckling under the horrible velocity of death metal valor. No album in recent memory has enthralled my intrepid mind such as this. A sanctimonious oeuvre of sinisterly serrating riffs, pretty yet ominously transfixing interludes, barbarically feral drums and deep, brutish vocal bellows, sounding as if summoned from the hollows of hell. Interlude Dying Embers lurches forth ominously, a harbinger of the fate that awaits. Launching headlong into Endless Fall a song which contains a decidedly frigid aura and rabid duel guitar propositions from Tempter and CL. Blood Of Abomination sprints into killing mode with an abrupt eruption by drummer Filth and proceeds to lay waste to all and sundry. Fortified with D- beat beatings and a frenzied Slayer’esque momentum, this track is as catchy as the bubonic plague of the Middle ages. Certainly though, the contender for most “commercially” viable (de)composition is Serpentine Shadows, and like it’s title’s namesake it slithers through your subconscious, hissing and reminiscing about shining bodies dancing in exhultation upon the ancient hills where corpses lay. Bassist JG’s finger flagellations are optimally frenzied during the briskly paced mid section. But, amongst all of the unhinged buffeting on offer we are treated to a phantasmagorical respite in the form of Abject Silence, a beauteous segue which brings to mind the besotted dead, lying still in peaceful bliss. Title track Funeral Sanctum serves as the ultimate denouement. Harsh, sordid, bereaved and morally bankrupt. The perfect end for a colossal tour de force.
