Rock Voltage, a modern rock and roll magazine profiling local artists and venues in the mid-atlantic region and beyond, welcomes you to its latest edition. We cover the lifestyles of local, regional and national rock stars, plus emerging artists, and offer insider tips on recording and breaking out in the music industry. Readers will also find music, concert and album reviews from our experts at Mid-Atlantic Rock Reviews, local journalists and industry professionals. We will feature exclusive band interviews, contests, reader polls and creative ways to interact with local artists. Rock Voltage was founded on the premise of educating and stimulating the local public about the musical talent that exists in the region. We bring you the very best of a modern mixed-media experience: a familiar magazine reading format, available on your computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device anytime, and that instantly connects to music, videos and your favorite advertisers with a single click.
Groundwire Records and Groundwire Entertainment are the publishing arm of Rock Voltage magazine, providing quality services to artists, consumers and the entertainment industry. Groundwire Records and Groundwire Entertainment are both committed to fairness in business practices and support protection of intellectual properties of the artist. A division of Milestone Media Group, which publishes consumer magazines and expos, Groundwire Records is an independent record label and music marketing company that was created to discover, develop, produce, and publish uniquely gifted local artists and bands. Groundwire Records can be your company that takes care of your music business, allowing artists to concentrate on their creative aspirations and goals. Groundwire Entertainment is a companion company to Groundwire Records specializing in concert promotions, bookings and artist management services. They also produce a wide variety of marketing and image-building products designed to market and promote bands.
Mid-Atlantic Rock Reviews mission is to promote a positive image of rock and roll and to work tirelessly to live up to their motto “Changing the World through Rock and Roll�. MARR works with multiple charities and organizations to promote a positive image of rock and roll and to support their fellow man. Some of these efforts include selling MARR bracelets to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, sponsoring a MARR Rocks for MDA Benefit concert, working with Voice of Warriors and Fallen Blue and supporting multiple other charitable projects. As Mid-Atlantic Rock Reviews enters its third year, the founding couple has expanded coverage far beyond the Mid-Atlantic Region to cover music all over the United States and beyond. MARR has added multiple contributors in the form of photographers and writers who have helped expand their coverage of rock and roll. They have a presence
at live rock and roll shows and major festivals and rock cruises all over the United States. You will always find K-rock and Ms. MARR with the crowd at shows where they meet and greet their readers, followers and MARR Rock Army members. Their unique way of covering music from a fans perspective surrounded by their followers and friends has legitimized their coverage by fans, bands promoters and record labels alike.
Publisher’s Statement: Rock Voltage Magazine,Volume 1, Edition 3 (c) 2013 Milestone Media Group, all rights reserved. No part of this publication, including images, may be reproduced, streamed, replicated, or downloaded for commercial use or re-publication of any kind without the written permission of the publisher. Single downloads for personal enjoyment are permitted, as well as quotations, references, downloads and other reproductions for purposes of reviews or for promoting Rock Voltage or its partners, featured artists, contributors or advertisers. All images and written material are used by permission of the authors or owners, except as indicated, who retain all rights. All linked web sites, videos and music and other files are the property of the owners and we provide links for informational and convenience uses only. No warranty in offered or implied. Plus, we don’t even know if those links will work tomorrow. Let us know if you find dead links, we’ll be glad to correct them.
More information can be found on their Facebook page, Twitter and on their website at www.midatlanticrockreviews.com
All reviews, interviews and editorials are offered for education, entertainment and discussion purposes only. Views held in those articles are solely the opinions of the authors or interviewees, and not necessarily those of Milestone Media Group.
CREDITS Publisher: Mona Freedman Editor: Jay Freedman Jackie Mcglothin–Lead Designer Jennifer Bosse–Graphic Designer Art Direction: Jay Freedman Contributing Writers: K-Rock Ms. MARR Christopher Malone David Schroeder
If you are reading Rock Voltage online then so are thousands of your customers, fans and music lovers. CLICK HERE to download a media kit or contact mona@groundwirerecords.com or 410.549.5490
MS. ROCK VOLTAGE 2013 . . . . . 7 Ms. Rock Voltage is supporting the troops for Fall/Winter 2013.
LANSDOWNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT . . . . . . . . . .16
We had the chance to catch up with bass player, Mike LaRoche, and guitarist, Josh Waterman, from Lansdowne to learn a bit more about them and their bands shift to a somewhat new sound.
A look at the American Rock and Roll band from Baltimore, Maryland, Kill Betty.
DAN JOHNSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 TIPS FROM THE PROS . . . . . . . .27 Mike LaRoche from the band Lansdowne gives tips on how to be the best musician you can be. 2
Drummer for Love and Death, the project created by guitarist and Korn co-founder Brian “Head” Welch, Dan takes some time away from the road to talk about touring, drums, workouts and YouTube.
TAP ROOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Live at the House of Rock!
SILVERTUNG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Introspective of this four man modern rock group, who just released their first full length CD.
POP EVIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 K-Rock counts the reasons why this band is a “don’t miss” act.
CONFESSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 David Schroeder discusses his avid love of collecting music over the years
ROCKIN’ FOR OUR TROOPS . . .32 Bands nationwide support the military.
QUEENSRYCHE REVIEW . . . . . .46
WHAT MAKES A BAND . . . . . . .40
David Schroeder reviews Queenryche's remix of their new album “Frequency Unknown”.
Learn what it takes to be an incredible live band. 3
Taproot: Live at The House of Rock! By: Christopher Malone
In the thirteen years that Taproot has been on the road, they have had some mighty highs! The band’s sophomore album, Welcome, is pushing toward Gold Record status, and their hit single “Poem” peaked at #5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. In 2000 and 2001, they hit the stage at Ozzfest, and since then they have played alongside such notable acts as Staind, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and Flyleaf. All the while, their musical stylings have continued to evolve, most notably with the release of their conceptual sixth album, The Episodes. After having spent over a decade in the music business, it becomes apropos to see how far they’ve come as they launch a tour to celebrate their first album, The Gift, by playing it in its entirety. “Anyone who knows,” lead singer Stephen Richards deadpans into his microphone after wrapping up the band’s second song of the night, Again & Again, “we’re playing our first record all the way through. If not, fuck off…” It’s a hard rock attitude for a hard rock venue, and the crowd is loving it. The band has taken the stage at The House of Rock, a hidden gem of a venue that’s right outside of Baltimore City. The opening acts have done the job of getting the small, but dedicated crowd to loosen up; The Purge Effect provided some laid back, soulful rock, and then Black Angel Down and Dive brought the energy up with lots of volume, lights, and angry guitar riffs. The best of the supporting acts, however, is the act to open the show. Kill Betty opened with a 4
strong thirty minute set, bringing tight songs and a rollicking energy without the benefit of special lighting or fog machines. For a band whose members’ ages average over 40, they’ve easily proven that rock and roll isn’t just a young man’s game. Once the four opening acts have done their time, the headliners take the stage in dramatic fashion. Entrance music, something like what you might hear at a WWE event, plays over the PA, and the audience is screaming when Taproot takes the stage. Richards pours a bottle of water over his head and immediately begins to thrash as the band launches into their first song of the set, Smile. Metal signs are being thrown up, and the crowd is swaying under the waves of hard rocks chords as the ambient blue lights overhead are making everyone glow a brighter and more energetic color. Phil Lipscomb’s bass does a great job of providing the bottom end, cutting through the powerful electric wails of Mike DeWolf’s guitar. Song after song, the band is swaying and rocking to the beat, as Richards does a great job of playing the part of colorful front man. (At
one point in the night, he took the smart phone of a young woman who was recording the concert, just so he could provide her with a close-up of himself and each band member rocking out before handing it back to her.) His voice is in strong shape, alternating between mournful and melodic notes to emotive screams, each of which becomes stronger as the set presses on. He is as personable as he is musical; in between songs, he banters with the audience, and they appreciate it as much as they do the music. “I don’t know a lot about baseball,” Richards quips to one of the concert-goers after wrapping up Believed, “but that’s a cool fucking hat.” (The crowd is cheering, as the Baltimore Orioles have just beaten the Yankees earlier in the night.) “Baltimore is the only city with a team name that blends in with their city name. The Baltimorioles…” The crowd gets louder as he asks, “What the fuck is an Oriole?” A few guys from the crowd are shouting out to him, and he feeds into them with ease. “It’s a South African bird?” The audience responds, and the band launches into the next song, Mentobe.
Crowd participation is a strong part of Taproot’s set. The audience claps along to the song I, throwing their hands over their head, accompanying Richard’s vocals. When prompted, they enthusiastically yell “Hi, Dave!” to fill-in drummer Dave Coughlin before the band tears into their next song, Mirror’s Reflection. At this point, Coughlin has only been with the band for five shows, eight days total, but hasn’t missed a single beat. He plays through Taproot’s first album as if he was the guy who had been in the studio with them the whole time. When the band gets to the final two songs of the night, Day by Day and Poem, he doesn’t show signs of letting up. The crowd is excited from start to finish, singing along to the final number whenever Richards points the microphone in their direction. When their set wraps up, the band reaches out to the audience, posing for pictures, shaking hands, and giving high-fives. There is no encore song, however, despite the fact that many are chanting “We want more!” Like any great rock act, Taproot understands one of the infallible rules of rock music: Always leave them wanting more.
5
An interview with Mike DeWolf of Taproot Interviewed by: Christopher Malone
Mike DeWolf, the guitarist for Taproot, was nice enough to sit down with Rock Voltage Magazine before his show at The House of Rock in Baltimore, MD. In this interview, Mike discusses the writing process for the band’s sixth album, “The Episodes”. Rock Voltage Magazine: Your latest album, The Episodes, sounds pretty unique. It definitely sounds like Taproot’s sound has been evolving, not exactly as “hard-edge” as one might expect. What do you think of that? Mike DeWolf: I think a lot of people think it’s actually pretty heavy. Some people think it’s pretty weird… it varies from person to person. It’s a completely different record for us to make. We basically did everything kind of ass backwards. We decided to write out an entire story first, break it down into ten chapters, or ten episodes, and then write the music to the words, like a score to a movie. The music just came from whatever felt right for the story. That was completely different. We’ve never done anything like that, and that’s why I think that album stands out on its own. RVM: So are you a fan of concept albums? Is that something you’ve always wanted to do, or was it just a spur of the moment sort of thing? MD: It was very spur of the moment. At the time, we were writing “Our Long Road Home”, and we were kind of hitting a dead end. I was watching VH1 Classic documentaries on Pink Floyd and The Who, and I was like, “Man, if we did things this way, if we wrote out a whole story first and then got the music, that would take no time at all!” My theory was if we came up with the story – it didn’t even matter what the story was, this was just an experiment – my theory was that if we came up with that first, then we could bang out a song every day. It probably took us fifteen days to write and demo the entire album, which was ridiculously fast for us. It was refreshing, so we did that right in the middle of another album, and then decided we weren’t ready to release a concept album at that time, so we went with [Our Long Road Home]. Then we released “Plead the Fifth”, and then we finally decided it was time, because we were all still really big fans of it for all this time. RVM: So is it safe to say then that this album was somewhat influenced by Pink Floyd and The Who? MD: To some extent. I mean, I’m not like a huge fan or whatever. I 6
obviously respect both bands, but it was just the idea of it, you know? Just a new way of writing I wanted to try out. RVM: Was everyone a part of the writing process for that? Who’s the lyricist? MD: For the most part, Steve [Richards] writes a lot of the lyrics. On that [album] in particular, Steve and myself came up with the basic story and wrote out all the lyrics. It was just me and him, we did the whole thing and banged it out. RVM: How difficult was that? Sometimes it just feels like you’re just trying to shoe-horn a poem into music. How was that? Was it a struggle? MD: No, it was super-refreshing! With albums previous, we would write the music, and it would take a considerable amount of time to put the words and melodies over music. That took up the biggest chunk of time, so that was my whole theory about doing this album… If we finish all of that first, then the music is going to be nothing, and literally, we wrote and recorded a song each day. RVM: Now, is that a situation where you guys walk away from the table, and maybe you have Phil Lipscomb come in, and he says something like, “I’ve got this really great bass that could go over these words…” or are you all just sitting in a room together, and you’re coming up with it on the spot? MD: For that album, Steve and I pretty much did everything on our own. When we came back to revisit it and re-record it for our current album today, you know, in the studio, everyone had their own ideas and expanded on things, and we kind of had to refresh the sounds, because it was four or five years old at the time. We all contribute. RVM: What’s your favorite song on The Episodes? MD: I love the whole album, but I guess I’ll go with The Everlasting. It’s pretty important to me and important to where was at the time in my life, lyrically. It’s a type of song we’ve always reached for, but never grasped, and with that one, I think we finally got it. I love that one.
Mike DeWolf is currently on tour with Taproot, celebrating their first album, “The Gift”. Check them out on their website at www.taprootmusic.com. You can also find them on Facebook.
Hailing from Maryland, Silvertung is a fourpiece hard rock band consisting of lead vocalist, Speed, drummer, Danno, lead guitarist, ZZ and bassist, Skoot.
and hey, that’s just fine with us!!” The band has just finished their second studio release entitled, “Devil’s In The Details.”
Silvertung brings a fresh, infectious sound The disc will be released on October 15 th to the music scene. The four man modern although they will have copies available at rock band self-released their first full length their October 12th show with Sevendust. A CD ‘The Pawn,’ featuring special release party will be held songs such as the anthemic on October 19th at Rams Head. “I think ‘The Pawn’ “Slow Me Down,” the hard is a great CD,” Speed “Devil’s In The Details” was driving “I Am” and the reflects, “but this produced by Steven Wright, powerful title track “The group of songs is (Slipknot, U.N.K.L.E, Misery Pawn”. Front man Speed definitely special”. Index, Drowning Pool, SR-71, says, “I’m amazed at the Charm City Devils, Avril positive response we Lavigne). On “Devil’s In The Details,” receive from these songs. At every show Silvertung people are screaming “Play ‘Dig,’ or delivers a more consistent powerhouse of ‘Lies’… it’s like they can’t get enough great songs. A key ingredient is the addition (laughs) – of lead guitarist ZZ. 8
of energy from us to the crowd, and then from the crowd right back to us. There’s nothing else like it in the world. When the fans are singing our music, word for word, and their volume is louder than ours… WOW… it doesn’t get any better than that.”
“I think ‘The Pawn’ is a great CD,” Speed reflects, “but this group of songs is definitely special. It’s much more diverse, and ‘deeper’.” Bassist Skoot agrees adding, “I’ve heard other songwriters say that their music has ’matured’… but, for us, we found the confidence to open up and write what we wanted to write, and say what we wanted to say. We wrote songs with attitude, humor, and that will make you cry. Personally, it’s the kind of CD that I’d want to go out and buy.”
Silvertung continue to earn a solid reputation and a growing legion of fans, known as “The Tung Nation.” “We can’t thank our fans enough,” says drummer Danno. “Let’s face it, without them, we are nothing. We always try to spend as much time with fans as possible. Each of us agree that meeting people is really one of the most fun parts of this job. Come out to a show and say ‘Hello’ (laughs).” This is only the beginning… the release of the “Devil’s In The Details” out October 15th, the band continues to write new material… play more live shows… and spread the disease known to their die-hard legion of fans as “The Tung Nation.” For more information, visit their official website: Silvertung.com
Silvertung has shared the stage with national acts: Godsmack, Disturbed, Shinedown, Slipknot, Chevelle, Staind, Papa Roach, Buckcherry, Hailstorm, Adelitas Way, My Darkest Days, Filter, Drowning Pool, P.O.D., Pop Evil, Nonpoint, Charm City Devils, Smile Empty Soul and In This Moment. When you see Silvertung live, be prepared to have your fist pumping in the air and your heart racing. Their musical marksmanship, high energy stage show, and crowd interaction add up to an exhilarating experience. Lead guitarist ZZ has this to say…“we are passionate about live music – the exchange 9
12
Read his articles in the previous two issues of Rock Voltage. Chris Iteen and Bobo are always working it at shows to make sure you see the super live act every night we have come to expect from this band. Behind most great bands, there is a great crew and these guys fit that description. 13
A Fan Friendly Band: Most people who have seen Pop Evil perform live will tell you the same thing. These guys are almost always around after shows hanging out with fans, signing whatever you want signed and more importantly, taking the time to connect with their fans, both the die hards and the new fans. They were without a doubt one of the most fan friendly bands on the Shiprocked cruise last year and were constantly out an about hanging out with new fans, and veteran Pop Evil fans such as myself.
14
by K-Rock
16
Formed in the winter of 2010, Dividing Face brings rock n roll back to its purest form. Blending the sounds of blues, hard rock, classic rock, southern rock, and 80s rock, their songs find a way to connect to their audience regardless of genre. Their lyrics tell stories that people can relate to, but when you listen to the music, it will make you want to groove. Quickly becoming known for their energetic live shows, Dividing Face is set out to complete a mission. That is to rock as many faces as possible and to write the soundtrack of people's lives to help them through their day. So come out and catch a Dividing Face live show and Get Faced!
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DIVIDINGFACE 18
20
CONFESSIONS OF A FANATICAL OBSESSIVE MUSIC COLLECTOR by David Schroeder
Let’s start by stating that there can be a very fine line between “collecting” and “hoarding”. I’ve always been far too neat and organized to be considered a hoarder. No matter how ridiculous my collection has been, it’s always been in alphabetical, chronological order and kept neat and clean. Records in plastic sleeves stored vertically and cds on shelve or rotating towers. The idea is to be able to enjoy what you purchase so you can show it off, or listen to it when you like. I’ve been able to sell, give away, or throw away items from my collection whenever I found it necessary. Keeping something in a way that will eventually ruin it just doesn’t make sense to me. I was born in 1965 (yeah, that long ago) and remember living in the suburbs of Baltimore listening to the radio and getting thrilled by the music that I was hearing. As a kid you're open to anything and everything and you just want to absorb it all and hear as much as possible. You don’t have a prejudice against anything but you form opinions of what you like and dislike through experience. I remember making tapes of songs from the radio by placing my Panasonic tape recorder up to the speaker of the radio and simultaneously pushing down on the 'PLAY' and "RECORD' buttons so I could capture songs that I wanted to listen to whenever I wanted to hear them again. We've certainly come a long way from that primitive set up haven't we? Years go by and I'm making a small allowance by cutting lawns and doing other child slavery chores that parents make their kids do (but I enjoyed it), and I find myself at Golden Ring Mall in Musicland with the desire to buy my first 7 inch vinyl record. Now being the open minded free spirited brat that I was, I decided that whatever was #1 on the singles
chart at the time was what I was going to buy... because it had to be great... because that's how the charts worked (don't miss my hindsight sarcasm there). Now according to Wikipedia, I must have been in Musicland the week of January 31, 1976 (making me the big 10 1/2 years old) because The Ohio Players "Love Rollercoaster" was #1 on the Billboard top 200 at the time and that's what I purchased, and that's where my music collecting was born. Ya know what? That song is still killer! For a while I purchased a variety of different 45's because that's all I could afford; however, in the 6th grade all my friends are talking about this cool band named KISS! So of course I had to be cool also and find out what KISS is all about; so, I saved my allowance until I could buy a full-length album. I'm not sure which KISS album I purchased first, but I was hooked. These four guys (including one spaceman named Ace, who I truly believed was from another planet because that's what the liner notes said, and why would they lie?) were GODS. Whenever I had enough money I was buying another KISS album, and here is where the first of many "collector purchases" happens. I had already purchased the debut self-titled album, Dressed to Kill, Hotter than Hell, Alive, Destroyer, and Rock n Roll Over when I spot this pricey triple album titled KISS "The Originals". I notice that it's the first three albums, which I already owned; but, it came packaged differently, there were cards, a poster, a booklet, a KISS ARMY sticker... how freaking cool is that? Of course I HAD to own it, and I did as soon as I saved to money for it. It wasn’t just the music that I enjoyed, but the complete packaging of how it was presented. 21
So that's how it all began. Luckily for me after a few years of collecting KISS I got into other bands that I wanted to spend my hard earned money on, which in the long run saved me probably millions, because we all know how much there is to collect of those guys… and if you consider all the merchandising that goes with KISS… forget about it! Besides, by this time they were writing crap like “Shandi” and releasing albums like Dynasty and Unmasked that made me cringe with disappointment. Meanwhile other bands like Kansas, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Yes, Pink Floyd, and others had come across my radar and I was collecting and listening to as much as possible. I worked to buy music. When you really get into a band it can lead you into discovering other bands just from doing a bit of research. Being into Deep Purple turned me onto Ian Gillan’s solo albums and his work on Jesus Christ Superstar. Rainbow lead me to discover Ronnie James Dio’s previous band Elf. YES took on paths to discover bands like Badger, and Flash, and also lead to following the individual member’s solo careers and side project (for better or worse). King Crimson’s branches grew into Emerson Lake & Palmer, UK, Robert Fripp’s many projects, Bad Company, Foreigner, and so many more. Learning the “Family Tree” of any given band can be and exciting and costly adventure. To get into all the tangents I have gone on over the years, in the name of discovering music, for whatever reason, could probably fill a book; and I’m doing my best to give you the Reader’s Digest version. I went through a new wave kick for a few years, buying records from bands like The Police, The Cars, Ultravox, Kraftwerk, and the like. But it was the music from the 70’s that seemed to be the root of 22
what I really enjoyed. Progressive, art rock, hard rock, whatever… it was these bands that would influence future bands I obsessed over and it was these bands that I have always obsessed over. The bands I enjoyed had such diversity, style, and uniqueness. If you didn’t grow up in that decade, you might not understand where I’m coming from. Record conventions were like religious pilgrimages for me. Huge rooms filled with so many different dealers and so many records, and music collectables, it was sensory overload, and the hunt was on as soon as you paid the cover fee, got you hand stamped, and entered the room. Promos, bootlegs, picture discs, picture shaped vinyl, posters, autographs, colored vinyl, radio shows… yes, it was heaven. If I left with any money still in my pockets it was just to get a cheap lunch. The 80's found me hooked on hard rock and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Iron Maiden was the band I obsessed over for many years. Derek Riggs was Maiden's Roger Dean and he created one of the best band mascots ever named Eddie who would adorn all the records, doing all kinds of unspeakable acts... EDDIE RULED! Iron Maiden is a collector’s dream band because they released so many formats of their music. There would be a 7 inch single with an unreleased B side, a picture disc 7 inch of the same item, a 12 inch maxi single of the same 2 songs that were on the 7 inch with yet another song or two added, a 12 picture disc of the same thing, and then the full length album which would also get the picture disc treatment... and of course I wanted to own them all. There were also lots of rare early pressings with great picture sleeves and Japanese imports. Just when I thought I had collected everything possible,
there was something else popping up. Howie Horowitz, owner of The Music Machine record store in Reisterstown, MD (and then Owings Mills) would make special trips to Europe and Japan and bring back records I could have never dreamed of finding. Howie would hunt down things for his customers that no one else could get here in the states. My greatest purchase from one of his trips was an original Iron Maiden Soundhouse Tapes 7 inch EP. It was the Holy Grail for Maiden collectors and I owned it. With the addition of The Soundhouse Tapes, along with the Running Free, Purgatory, Twilight Zone, Women In Uniform, and other mega rare Maiden records, my collection probably rivaled anyone else’s in the world at the time. Unfortunately many years later when I was married and money was tight many of my rare items, like the Soundhouse Tapes, had to be sold to make ends meet. You may shed a tear for me now. Vinyl was fun to collect. Big artwork, lyric sheets, gatefold covers. The great bands made the music and art work together and bands like YES had artist Dean, Pink Floyd had Storm Thorgerson (who has worked with so many bands creating iconic cover art and probably the most influential artist in the business) both who created images that blew my mind and I would find myself collecting their posters and images to this day. Roger Dean’s art work lead me to discovering the great band Budgie, at a record convention, who’s album “Never Turn You Back On A Friend” sported an amazing Dean cover. For $2 I took a chance on an album I had absolutely nothing about; but, worst case scenario was that if I didn’t like the music, I still had the great art work. Needless to say, as soon as the needle dropped down on the song “Breadfan” I was hooked. Budgie sounded like a mixture of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Rush and I “needed” their entire catalog ASAP. I was into a lot of bands, and if I liked a band I would usually have to own their entire catalog of music, because I always find it interesting how great bands begin and how they evolve through their career. Before the world wide web, magazines like
Goldmine linked collectors to sellers all over the world. The New wave of British Heavy Metal soon brought about the thrash scene, pushing the limits of heavy metal even farther. Before bands got contracts and released records, fans like me and many of my friends traded tapes with people around the globe in hopes of hearing something new and exciting. The underground tape scene was the way you would first hear bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Death Angel, Exodus, and all the other acts who were trying to make a name for themselves and score a contract. It was especially cool to read about a local band like Have Mercy or Deuce (later to become Tension) in a European metal magazine’s demo section. While still enjoying the bands that I first started collecting my musical tastes were widening and listening to bands like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath helped me get into heavier bands like Judas Priest, then Iron Maiden and Saxon, then all the bands that emerged from the thrash scene. I had amassed an incredible collection of vinyl by this time and the collection was forever growing. Cds were created in 1982 and in a few years changed the market drastically. By this time my vinyl collection was gigantic. At first I really didn’t care about the cd format. I wasn’t into Billy Joel and the artists that were first being released on this tiny little digital disc. I figured it might be a passing phase, like the 8-track. It just didn’t matter to me until all the bands I was insane for started to get released on this new technology. In 1983 I began working at the Record World chain store and I think my first venture into cds was made by purchasing about 20 discs the first day I took that big step. Hey, if you’re going to jump in, you might as well go in the deep end. The next week I probably bought the same amount. I was hooked… again. I was stunned and excited when bands like Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament and Overkill all started coming out on compact disc. Now that I was collecting cds, this just meant tracking down promos, cd singles, European imports, Japanese releases, limited edition releases… just like I did with vinyl. 23
I remember going to see Death Angel at Hammerjacks on their Ultra Violence tour and getting there early with my friends Jim Seay, and Matt Crocco in hopes to meet the band outside in the parking lot. We did. And while Matt had brought his album cover to get signed I brought the cd booklet. The guys in the band had no idea their album was even released on cd. They were totally excited, and even wrote on the booklet “YEAH!!!! THE CD Thanx rage on eternally” – Mark Osegueda. “Death Angel on Compact Disk! Thanks for the support!” – Rob Cavestany “Hope you like this cd! Baltimore Kills!” – Andy Galleon. “Puke ya guts out” – Dennis Pepa (okay the last one doesn’t mention the cd… it’s just cool). Gus Pepa was M.I.A. during the time we were hanging out in their van. Signatures from members of The Ramones, Scorpions, Saxon, Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, Armored Saint, Thrice, Voivod, Tool, and several others are some of my cherished pieces in my collection.
board sleeves (or jewel cases) that get housed inside a special boxes to hold them all, I love these, and even though I already own the original cds, remastered, or reissued cds I find myself buying the box sets anyway Bands like Porcupine Tree know they have a crazy collector’s fan base and Steven Wilson caters to us by creating limited edition releases for many of the album they put out. He knows we will buy the same release in the 4 to 5 different ways it gets released and pay a premium for something truly artistic and impressive. Labels do the same thing, and I find myself buying all the different colored vinyl releases that get pressed all over the world. Voivod’s latest masterpiece “Target Earth” was released on orange, purple, red, blue, and black vinyl along with 4 of 5 different versions on cd. Of course I had to have them all! The Nuclear Blast label did this with many of the Overkill albums that have come out and
I love packaging, and box sets, and have purchased the same music just because it’s presented in a different way. For Pink Floyd, I own the Shine On, Oh By The Way, and Discovery box sets, not to mention the regular cd releases that are contained in these sets, the Immersion Box sets for “The Dark Side of the Moon”, “Wish You Were Here”, & “The Wall”. There are companies that are repacking partial or entire catalogs by bands in mini album card-
I now find myself with the ten inch vinyl for “Live In Oz” in red, blue, beige, copper, and green vinyl. For Overkill’s “Ironbound” double vinyl album I have acquired it in red, dusk blue, grey marble, and black, with the clear vinyl and orange vinyl still on my want list. The Thrice album “Beggars” was released in a variety of different colors and I tracked all them down including the test pressing which brings the 24
total to 10 vinyl records I have purchased just for this one album. Along with collecting music, I’ve also manage to add some really cool memorabilia to my collection. I’ve framed and hung all through my house lots of posters from Storm Thorgerson (Pink Floyd), and Roger Dean (Yes, Asia, Greenslade, and others). Images from bands like Tool, Thrice, Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, Motorhead, Voivod, Megadeth, Black Sabbath, Joe Satriani, Pearl Jam, Iron Maiden, Mr Bungle, Foo Fighters, Mordred, Rush, Clutch, Mastodon and more also fill in the empty spaces. I also have collected some other cool items such as the Rush bobble heads, The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” Todd McFarland figures, Iron Maiden “Eddie” figures & bobble heads, Pink Floyd “The Wall” character figures, and other crazy music related things. There are so many rare things in my collection that I am fortunate to have acquired or received, but a few of the really special items would include: the Pearl Jam “TEN” door mat (which there was only a few made and placed on the floor at various record stores so customers knew where the Pearl Jam record
or cd could be found) – Pearl Jam promotional hanging mobiles for “Vitalogy” and “No Code” – Steven Wilson’s side project I.E.M. “An Escalator to Christmas” in green, yellow, blue, red, and black vinyl of which only 100 of each color were made; but also, Charles from Tone Float Records offered me the white label test pressing of this release and the one of a kind vinyl made with the left over was from each color – Ramones “Mania” autographed by Joey, Johnny, Marky, & CJ when I met them at an in store appearance at Vinyl Discoveries in 1992 – Roger Dean “Virgin” rare poster. So, that’s my story of being a fanatical obsessive music collector. Something that I’m sometimes scared by (especially when years ago my credit card was maxed out because of this desire, although I have since regained control) but something that has always brought me a lot of pleasure, and have been able to make many new friends through the love of music. Besides, music is certainly a much healthier addiction than most other things.
25
All-Star Lessons Presents
“Tips from the Pros” This month’s pro: Mike LaRoche from Lansdowne
Hey everyone : My name is Mike LaRoche from the band Lansdowne. The most important thing you can do to get the best out of yourself and your instrument is to practice, practice, and more practice. Just when you think you are good....practice some more. Note...A lot of people “practice” their bad habits over and over again for years. I feel like after a while players get comfortable and stop challenging themselves, as I myself did at one point. That can cause you to play no better than you did when you first started. I had a very rude awakening when I started recording in professional environments with professional well-accredited producers. I realized very quickly that even though I had been playing for years, I had been practicing the same mistakes for years as well. It made me go back to the drawing board and start from scratch. Don’t be above going back to the basics. Get with a teacher at least for ONE lesson and have them pick up on your bad habits (that you aren’t aware of) and pick you apart. Challenge yourself by learning new songs in a different genre you would never explore other-
wise. You just might be surprised how many doors it opens up for you. A couple years back, we were out on tour with Pop Evil. During our downtime, Pop Evil’s bassist Matt DiRito and I sat down with our basses and would bounce stuff off of each other. He showed me a lot of stupid little things that I could fix such as positioning, techniques and warm ups. Here is one of many warm ups that have stuck with me and still use to this day. G:—————4—2———————— 6—4————————-8—6———D:———-3————3—————-5—— —5——————7————7——A:——2——————-4———4——— ——-6———-6——————-8—E:—1—————————5—3———— ————7—5—————————9Work your way up and down the fretboard with this exercise. You can also try different combinations of it. If you are interested in taking some live real time lessons with your favorite musicians in your favorite bands, head over to WWW.ALLSTARLESSONS.COM and reserve a lesson today. 27
By: K-Rock This Summer, Boston based band Lansdowne released one of our most anticipated album releases of the year with the EP entitled “No Home But The Road”. Lansdowne is a band that Rock Voltage has been following very closely since the release of their last album “Blue Collar Revolver” and a band that we love to see perform live regularly. The band’s breakout popularity is supported not only by the editors at Rock Voltage, but the readers of Mid-Atlantic Rock Reviews turned out in full force in support of the band which earned the band the coveted “Golden Horns Award” for Breakout Artist of the Year in 2012 in their readers poll. “No Home But The Road” marks a turning point for the band musically as they have taken full advantage of lead singer Jon Ricci’s soulful voice in adding a bit of a southern sounding flavor to the new release. If the tune “Mississippi” is any indication of what may come from this evolution we are beyond excited to hear more. This soulful tune is hands down the strongest tune on the record and has Lansdowne fans buzzing in a very positive way. It is easily my favorite tune on the release and may just be the song that earns the guys a shot at a second Golden Horns Award. I asked bass player Mike Laroche and guitarist Josh Waterman about the shift to a somewhat new sound to the band: K-ro ck: The new album is a little bit different than the last one isn’t it? Mik e Lar oche: This time when we went into the studio, it wasn’t like the producer said “this is how you have to sound”, we worked with Mike Watts whose studio is in Long Island and when we got in there he was very encouraging and let us do our own thing...but with his direction. He really let us be free in the studio. K-ro ck: I hope you don’t mind that I say it this way, but it’s kinda cool hearing some guys from Boston do these soulful sort of almost southern tunes.
28
Josh Wa term an: Yeah, it’s kinda weird with the northern/southern rock going on, but with Jon’s soulful bluesy voice that just comes natural to him it ends up working really really well. We all come from different aspects of music and we all have different inspirations. It ended up coming together really well you know...just stepping outside of the box and trying something different and what came out is what a lot of people are saying is their favorite song on the album. (Mississippi) Adding to the soulful stylings of the release is the ballad “New Day” which is another great representation of what Jon’s soulful side sounds like when combined with the classic rockin style of the band. I don’t want to paint the picture that the band has, however, lost their heavy edge, because there are two tunes that are “classic” Lansdowne and showcase the heavier side of the band that is so evident at live shows. “Burn Brighter” has some very cool riffs and has a very memorable chorus that has me nudging the volume up every time I hear it. If you are going to write a heavy tune, who better to have helping out than Dan Donnigan of Disturbed? Well that is exactly what Lansdowne did on the tune “Frankenstein”. Dan joins the guys on “Frankenstein” which is the heaviest tune on the release and a tune likely to get some good airplay on many rock radio stations. In fact I have already spun the tune and continue to spin it on my show, The MARR Army Rock Show on www.digitalrevolutionradio.com Last but not least is “My Disaster” which has a super cool and almost funky riff to it and rounds out an EP release with five unbelievably strong tunes. Without a doubt this release earns the coveted K-rock “must own” status and is one I think is destined to keep the band’s momentum going in an exponential way. Don’t delay in adding this one to your catalog. I absolutely love this release.
29
30
31
Rockin’ For Our Troops: Bands Nationwide Support the Military By K-Rock When it comes to showing support for our military there are tons of groups and organizations who honor our troops in more ways than one can easily count. However, as we travel the globe covering rock and roll bands, it has become apparent to us that the Rock and Roll community lives at the forefront of all of these groups. Everywhere we go we have encountered bands who consistently do amazing things, give of their time and money and urge their fans to do the same in support of our troops. There are some bands who are pretty well known on a national level for doing high-profile things, but what we have learned is that there are tons of bands who are only known in the mainstream music world on a limited or local basis who still do huge things to support our troops. This support comes in many ways. Some bands work with a specific organization. Consider Virginia Beach Band Seven Ten Oil. www.facebook.com/seventenoil Based right in the backyard of Norfolk, Virginia where the legendary Navy Seals operate from, this band has dedicated itself to working with the Navy Seal Foundation by providing music for our troops who work for and with this amazing elite military group. Then there are tons of groups who work with the USO performing for our troops. The USO performances are important because they support not only our troops overseas, but those serving away from home no matter where they are serving. Boston based band Lansdowne (featured in this issue) has even traveled all the way to Afghanistan to play live music for our troops. 32
There are even tours of live music such as the Tiger Cruise which is a cruise sponsored by the Navy where family members can see what those serving on board naval vessels do everyday. What cruise would be complete without music? Baltimore’s Kelly Bell Band has traveled all the way to San Diego just for the opportunity to entertain the troops and even wrote a special song entitled “Don’t Go” while aboard the ship. Other bands will write music for the troops that occasionally makes it aboard a ship or submarine. With a limited amount of music to be played during deployments on these vessels, bands whose music makes it on board often finds themselves with lifelong fans from soldiers and sailors
who rely on their music to get them through. Prospect Hill wrote an amazing tune called “A Patriots Anthem” which was received so well by troops that lead singer Adam Fithian has had soldiers give him their military ring, their coin and many other treasured possessions simply as a sign of gratitude. As we travel the world working for Mid-Atlantic Rock Reviews we view it as our own duty to try to honor the military as well. On a trip to Michigan a little more than a year ago we were approached by a group called Voice of Warriors. www.voiceofwarriors.com The group did a lot of things to spread awareness and support for our troops and truly understood the big roll that rock and roll can play in supporting our troops. When we asked what we could do to help, it became clear that as a media outlet, one of the best things we could do was to help spread the message.
would hold up voicing their support of the troops and have their photo taken with it. We would send the pictures to the Voice of Warriors website so that soldiers everywhere would see the support from bands first hand. We carry our flag with us all the time and have been amazed by the many bands who have posed with it in support of our troops. Here are just a few of those band photos. You can see all of them on the MidAtlantic Rock Reviews Facebook Page under the photo album “Voice of Warriors” However they choose to support them, we continue to be impressed by the unlimited outpouring of support for our troops from the rock and roll community. It is just one reason why we call our fans at Mid-Atlantic Rock Reviews “The MARR Rock Army”. Our salute goes out to all of you who serve or have served, and for all of you who send the support to those troops they so desperately need.
The idea we had was to create a flag that bands
33
34
35
36
Black Dog Prowl 's New
Stirring, Racy
(and Funny) Music Video "No Robots"
Black Dog Prowl premiered the music video for their newest single "No Robots" on May 16th. Check out why these smart, hard-working rockers have been touted as the next rock act to bust out, and please share it with your audience. Black Dog Prowl provide that buzz of real rock n' roll that is getting harder to find these days. What happens when three bandmates realize they are dating the same girl? Things may get messy. The video lays down humorous vignettes of an amorous plot. Go here to see the video and find out: http://youtu.be/2RQUBsyT_w0
"Black Dog Prowl are producing some incredible radio-friendly material whilst still retaining a palpable Classic Rock attitude. Indulgent modern Rock with razor-sharp ambitions!" - Andy Woodcraft, Mojophenia.com
Recent Coverage: The Vinyl District: http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2013/05/black-dog-prowl-the-tvd-first-date-and-video-premiere/ Mojophenia: http://mojophenia.com/2013/05/20/black-dog-prowl-official-music-video-for-the-new-single-no-robots/ Talent In Borders: http://www.talentinborders.net/blog/dc-band-black-dog-prowl-release-new-music-video-for-single-no-robots Links: www.blackdogprowl.com, www.facebook.com/blackdogprowl, www.myspace.com/blackdogprowl, http://soundcloud.com/blackdogprowl 38
by K-Rock
40
41
BIO/HIGHLIGHTS:
LINKS:
ROOTS: 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland: vocalist/guitarist Mike Jazz, bassist Sam Jazz and guitarist David Adari. Drummer Greg Barber joined the band in 2012.
• www.facebook.com/downtoeverything
SOUND: A unique hybrid of rock, metal, jazz, reggae, blues, & funk. Distinctive hard rock melodies with vocals that always emphasize on bringing listeners the “hook”.
• www.youtube.com/downtoeverything
RECORDINGS: Two Eps and one full-length “radio-ready” album titled Second Star To The Right. PERFORMANCES: DTE has shared the stage with Seether, Filter, Crossfade, Young Guns, Sick Puppies, Charm City Devils, KYNG, and Candlelight Red, to name a few. SIMILAR ARTISTS: 311, Foo Fighters, Avenged Sevenfold, Incubus, Metallica
• www.reverbnation.com/downtoeverything
• www.reverbnation.com/downtoeverything/ album/27970- second-star-to-the-right (direct link to stream new full-length album) • www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaya7inMZUM (“Second Star To The Right” Sampler)
CONTACT INFO: Michael Jaskulsky • 3 Hurlingham Court • Baltimore, MD 21208 • (410) 456-7699 • dtebooking@gmail.com
43
45
46
47
48
1341 West Liberty Road, Sykesville, MD 21784