Stitched issue 16

2 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 3

4 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Features

21

70,000 Tons

Epica rockin the main stage at 70,000 Tons of Metal

Interviews

Cover photo by:

Hristo Shindov

10 11 12 12 14 20 20 22 23 24 28 30 31 32 34

Soilwork Pop Evil Devil Driver Assuming We Survive Trippy and Zloz Soulfly Archies Lacuna Coil At The Gates Jasmine Cain Duke Collins Memorial Infinite Spectrum Melissa Maxx Devour the Day Stitched Up Heart

Industry Write ups 38 38 40 42 43 43 44 46 48 49 50 51 52

Megadeth Inside Riot Self Help Muse GreatWhite Red Sun Rising Iron Maiden Havasu Spring Break Generation Axe Chevy Metal Powerman 5000 Disturbed David Gilmour

54 56 57 57 58 60 61 62 62 63 64 66

Cyndie Wade Kenny Leath Music City The Art of Songwriting Know Your Gear ”Head” Book Interview Gear Reviews Drum Courner Music with Michael G Independent Spotlight CD Reviews Follow the Revolution

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 5

6 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 7

Editor’s Words EDITOR IN CHIEF Mike Smothers

mike@rocknrollindustries.com

PUBLICATION DIRECTOR Jessica Johnson jess@rocknrollindustries.com

SENIOR EDITOR Angelica Ulloa

angelica@rocknrollindustries.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR Dea Meeks

How’s it going rockers and welcome to another edition of Rock N Roll Industries Magazine, in every issue we bring you in-depth stories, up front and in your face, plus behind the scenes as priceless moments are brought to life though videos, interviews, photos and sometimes a little paparazzi action. As we all know we don’t remember everything in a day nor can we be everywhere in a day and not making it to a show “can really suck” or maybe just losing out because of out town gigs don’t make it near by, you came to the right place, we’re here to save the day so you can keep track of rock n roll history with us as we all keep rock n roll alive, we thank you all for keeping on rockin’ and welcome to the life of rock n roll industries magazine.

We build every issue from the ground up keeping true to every story we bring for all the rockers to share. It can be the smallest moments that make the biggest impact so sit back and find your favorite reading place and enjoy the journey though rock n Roll Industries Magazine.

Mike Smothers Editor in Chief Follow us Facebook.com/rocknrollindustriesmag Twitter @RockNRollind Instagram @rocknrollindustriesmag

8 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

I like to start by saying thank you to everyone that makes all this happen go Team RNR!! Let’s start off with a dip in the lake at the first annual Spring Break Festival at the Slide Anchor in Lake Havasu Arizona, where we put on live bands, great bbq’s, boating, then topping off the night relaxing pool/spa side, it’s a rockers resort life style. We well be kicking off the second annual Halloween party this October with all the same amenities hope to see you there! Next I have to give a shout to 70000 Ton’s of Metal cruise had be one of this year’s greasiest rockers dream adventures with over 60 bands heading to Jamaica, I didn’t get a chance to be there but my colleague and kick ass partner (oh and beautiful girlfriend) Jessica Johnson and friend and colleague Winnie could go and cover the show “huh” more like a full out heavy metal vacation enjoying an awesome boat with live performances end to end!

For more on this epic adventure check out page 21 on more about this most intense metal show out to sea!

ILLUSTRATOR Steev Moreno

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Steev Moreno, Tony Sinicropi, Matt Upton WRITERS: Raquel Figlo, Stacey Shaw, Manny Rivas II, Michael G Clark, Peggy Murphy, Julian Douglas, WINJOW, Rob Gainey, Alison “MetalBabe” Cohen, Roger Stoddard, Nicole DeMarco, Taylor Hicks, Laura Chen, Sarah Roberts, Scott Schoenkopt, Toshi Iseda, Sandy Martin, Monni McCleary, Tim Phoenix, Ray Laracuente, Raya Morrison, Justin Ingold, Evlin Lake, Billy Zee, Parker Minor, Wolf Navarro, Daniel Hicks, Miranda “Panda” Johnson PHOTOGRAPHERS: Neil Zlozower, Igor Vidyashev, Chad Lee, Leah Burlington*, Alex Kluft*, Jazmin Monet Estopin, Simi Friedman*, Gonzo Sandoval*, Enrique Nuñez*, Cyndi Johnson, Lan Nguyen*, Doug Gouge, Larry Dimazio, Matt Upton, Graham Denzler, Craig Morse, Scott Dworkin*, Neil Lim Sang, Ramon C Ward Jr. * Photojournalists

Advertising/ Intern Inquires sales@rocknrollindustries.com Tel: 909 289 8872 www.rocknrollindustries.com SUBSCRIPTIONS To order by phone: 909 289 8872 To order online: www.rocknrollindustries.com Check, money order, Credit and PayPal accepted.

Subscribers: Please alert us of any changes of address 6-8 weeks before the date of your move. Rock N Roll Industries is not responsible or obligated to re-ship issues missed because of a move we were not informed of.

Rock N Roll Industries (ISSN 2164-9863 print ISSN 2164-9871 online) is published bi monthly, 34955 Cella Ln Yucaipa Ca 92399. Annual Subscription costs $16.95. Submission of manuscripts, illustrations, media kits and/or photographs will not be returned.

The publisher assumes no responsibly for unsolicited materials. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Photo By: Gonzo Sandoval

On the boat in Havasu with some of Nomenclature

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 9

Bjorn “Speed” Strid

By Raquel Figlo The last night of Fear Factory’s Demanufacture tour ended at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood on May 7th, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the breakout album by playing Demanufacture in its entirety.

Burton C Bell’s vocals sounded on point and Dino Cazares was all smiles- having fun with the crowd who was captivated by nostalgic memories of their youth as if listening to Demanufacuture for their first time again.

Direct support of Fear Factory, was Swedish metal band Soilwork. Bjorn captivated the crowd with his stage presence beginning the set at the front of the stage with his foot on a raised platform, and belted out songs from The Ride Majestic. Guitar player Sylvain Coudret’s guitar faces and shapes reminded me of a metal version of Phil Collen of Def Leppard.

The 6 piece band sounded powerful and polished, delivering an energy from the stage that caused the crowd to let out their angst and break into sporadic mosh pits. Their heavier songs from the album The Ride Majestic, are catchy and even poppy at times, compared to their earlier albums that were more abrasive and hardcore. Through out Soilwork’s approximately one hour set, Bjorn Strid’s aggressive power vocals proved Soilwork are a metal band not to be ignored.

Earlier that afternoon I sat down with Bjorn Strid in a trucker themed room tucked away backstage at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood. During our conversation, we discussed labels, yoga, and Soilwork’s musical progression over the years.

Bjorn “Speed” Strid of Soilwork. Is there a cool story behind your nickname “Speed”?

No, it is quite innocent. When I started listening to extreme metal or death metal, I only liked the fast bands. A kid in my class started calling me “Speed” Strid. This was from seventh grade, and it’s still here.

On one of your Instagram photos you have a photo of you doing yoga. How long have you been doing yoga and does it help on tour?

We have been doing a lot of P90x on this tour. The yoga is a part of the routine and it is good because

I feel more energized for the show. It’s is like you are doing two workouts because being on stage is also a workout.

How has the tour been?

Are you glad it is over?

I don’t know, I have mixed emotions about it.

The bands have been bonding so well in this tour. The guys in fear Factory are so amazing.

It is going to be good to come home after seven weeks on the road.

Your latest album The Ride Majestic came out last year. Was that a concept album?

I wouldn’t say necessarily it was a concept album, but it does have a theme of a lot of existential questions. It has a darker atmosphere running through it compared it to our double album The Living Infinite. We went through some really rough times in the studio.

We had some family members who passed away while the recording was going on and it effected us how we approach the recording as well.

There are so many emotions running through each and every song. It is a very special album.

Wikipedia describes Soilwork as a Swedish melodic death metal band. Do you agree?

We are whatever you want to call it. I am over “labels” if they want to call it melodic death metal that is fine. To me, it’s just metal.

How is Nuclear Blast treating you as an artist?

We have been with Nuclear Blast since 2001. We have a great communication with those guys. They still believe in us and are pushing us. Only the first two albums we put out were on a French label called Listenable Records which was also a great start for us.

Helsingborg, the city where you are from, sounds very metal to me. Is there a metal scene there, and if so is it any good?

Its alive and well. There are a lot of young bands How have you seen your music change from coming out of there like Cronus which is a very when you started in 1995 till now? promising band that is from Helsingborg. They are Well it started out death metal. We put all our primal young around 21-22. They sound like Mastadon aggression into the riffs on top of each other and mixed with Metalica mixed with Opeth. Everyone didn’t really know how to create a song. We have else I am a huge fan of Tribulation. Their album grown to be better at expressing ourselves and with Children of the Night in my opinion was one of the song writing. I guess that comes with age, in a way. best albums to come out in a really long time. I It has been an interesting journey and I think we would like to tour with those guys too. are one of the few bands out there in our genre that have been able to develop our sound without losing You did a song with Floor Jansen lead singer of touch with our roots. Our music is very intense and the band Nightwish. How did that happen?

I did a song with her for the Revamp album. She we are definitely not slowing down. reached out to me, apparently she liked my voice.

Soilwork recorded a live DVD Live in the Heart of Helsinki, and I wanted to return the favor and had her sing with us on stage for the song Let this River Flow.

I read a FaceBook post that you are collaborating on a song with Thrown into Exile for their next album. How did this come about?

Mario Rubio reached out to me because I am offering guest vocals work when I am not touring or recording. It is a great way to stay active. He reached out to me and I liked his music so it worked.

What is the song “Death in General” about on the album The Ride Majestic?

This is one of the tributes to my Grandma on this album. My Grandma passed away at 94 years old last year, so this was my tribute to her.

Anything else you would like to share with your fans?

Thanks for keeping up with us, coming out to shows, and buying our albums, we’re still here and rocking.

10 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Miranda Panda

Hanging with Leigh Kakaty from PopEvil we chatted about his new album and new tour, as well as what he is crazy about…

PopEvil was formed by Leigh in 2001 this North Muskegon, Michigan band has four studio albums, one of which “Oynx” includes “Song Of The Year”, number one rock hit in 2013 “Trenches”.

They are currently on tour show casing their new album “UP” and it is a must see!

Your last album“ Onyx” was huge for you guys and you drove right into your new album “Up”.

“Onyx” is very dark and angry, does “UP” portray recovery?

When we wrote the album “Onxy” in 2011, my Dad had passed away.

There was a lot of built up anxiety from the fact that I was here chasing my dreams and I wasn’t home as much to be with him, everyone holds their own demons when they lose a loved one and everyone deals with death differently. Not being there weighed on me hard so when I would go home and he wasn’t there it made me angry, that came out naturally in “Onxy”.

We got into the studio to write “UP” I didn’t have any desire to go there I wasn’t in the mood and I didn’t want to write a dark album, I was just exhausted and worn out at that point.

I was pissed off and upset with life and I wanted to be able to celebrate my Dad’s life, you always hear people saying that you should and be positive but I didn’t know how to get there.

Then with “UP” we started a little differently, the guys went in first with their ideas. Where as normally I would go first and then we come together but I stayed back to let them do their thing while I was spending some more time with my family.

So then I got out to Seattle, which is a new invoroment all together! No snow, thank god! Being from Michigan I was just like please none of that stuff, it was raining but at least there was no snow.

I then took a couple of weeks in LA and “FootSteps” was born, once that

happened there was this whole different resurges. Wow I was having fun again and doing what I should be doing, music. My propose in life and my focus came back, this album I put down the bottle and I haven’t been drinking so I’ve been able to see clearer, sound better and over all feel better. I don’t get me wrong if I’m not working and I want to have a drink I’m going to do it but for the most part I haven’t been drinking and working.

At the end of the day I am blessed to do music for a living and want to be healthy my shows. But yeah “UP’ is the most proud I have ever been of a album so I’m having more fun showing people who we are without having to sound like any other band in the format, we can be us and take a stand out. People may have been expecting another “trenches” song and I was just like, hell no! I already did that, lets move forward and experiment musically to see what we are capable of as a team and as a band, it’ll be interesting to see where we go from “UP” but it was so important to us to leave the old material behind and to start the new album fresh with new ideas. You don’t want to feel like all these old ideas are chasing you and never really progressing forward; never being the person you are in the moment.

It’s exciting for me to be playing new stuff rather then some old riff I’ve been playing forever, know that you are winning on some level is when you are having fun and it doesn’t feel like work but it is work and it’s a lot of travelling away. For me hiding on the back of a bus not talking and resting my voice but it is important to remember that we are having fun.

You recorded the new album “UP” in Seattle and you normally record in Chicago. How was that different for you, did Seattle influence you as it has so many other artists in the past?

I always wanted to record in LA being from Michigan, I always wanted to be in Cali just because when you live in Michigan you always dream about sunny Cali and LA… I don’t know maybe I’m recanted I love LA! Most of my friends hate it, but everything I do and everything I am good at is in LA, the normal life style just isn’t for me.

To me their is something fascinating about LA and so I thought for sure we would record there on this album but as it goes the phone call came in from Adam Casper and if Adam Casper calls you, you go to him! We will go to the moon!

So Seattle it was and I am very influenced by Pearl Jam along with STP, who Adam had worked with in the past.

I always loved how they could rock out and take it down acoustically and I make sure I have that with PopEvil.

We have our heavy stuff but growing up on the great lakes getting the acoustic out and having a good time

with some PBR’s with just my family and friends was important to me to growing up so I wanted to be able to have both sounds.

So we get to Adam and I’m scared shittless, he is so intimating because he has worked with so many great bands! I’m thinking are we going to go there, shit the bed and flop?! And at that point there were no songs, I brought none of my old riffs, threw the notebook out. Well I left it at home…

When you are the main songwriter and you leave all your ideas at home, it’s scary! But I trusted myself, there was something inside that was like this needs to be fresh, it needs to be new for me so I could have a new propose.

Maybe my guardian angels were looking out for me when I made the choice to go there but “Footsteps” was born and it was just amazing.

Everyone in Seattle was amazing and just so laid back, I remember thinking “yeah this city gets it!” They just love music there; it was incredible and gave me a new out look on life.

How would you describe the new album “Up” to your fans?

Ah baby, it’s positive thinking! PopEvil is still rocking and we have plenty of it, it’s about taking a positive approach to rock music. I think it’s so important in this day and age we try our best to support each other, people can be tough and wont always let new things so it’s important to be out there being positive, being supportive of the music. We need to remind people where we come from, the greatest country on earth! We as Americas really promote freedom of speech however somewhere along the way people decided that rock and metal voices matter a little less, it’s changed the way we tour and do interviews. We want to do our part to educated our listeners or your readers to say to them “hey, you matter” “your dollar makes a difference on iTunes, at the news stands at the merch booths, at the shows. Maybe you don’t like PopEvil but whatever band you do like, support them so that we can show kids that playing guitar isn’t playing guitar hero! Playing guitar means saving up for that six string and practice…. It’s hard but it’s easier now more than ever to learn to play with YouTube, you can even video chat with your guitar teacher from your bedroom.

The video for the single “Footsteps” looks amazing! And you have been working with Johan Carlen for a while now, what is it like working with him and in Sweden?

Yeah it doesn’t suck! Such a great team over their Sweden has been great to us and it’s been awesome, we love taking in their culture. With “Onxy” we shot three videos and then we were done, this time we only did two “Footsteps and Waves”. Always amazing work from Juan and we shall we what the future holds for our videos.

Tell us something about Leigh, what are you a freak about?

I love sneakers! I have a ginormous collation; I’ve bought four pairs so far on this tour! I’m ridiculous with shoes; I’m all about shoes.

Some fans had some questions for you….

Colin Burket…If you could work with any Rock God alive or dead, who would it be?

Jim Morrison would have been awesome and Elvis Presley.

Davo Paul…What album do you hope to have on you if shipwrecked?

I’m going to go with some 2Pac, party with some coconuts and go back to my teen years.

James Kvernplassen….. Who is ‘Bosses Daughter” written about?

Remember the movie Weird science?

Any guys dream before he looked at a Playboy, they wanted this dream girl you can have at your disposal and you would just sell your soul for or the beautiful girl in High school you crushed on and never gave you the time of day but if she did she could treat you like juke but you wouldn’t care as long as you could bang her just one time and loss your virginity so that’s the theme there.

Brad J Swenson…. What is your favorite memory with your father and how does it influence your writing.

Oh gosh I have tons, hard on the stop to think of one. I think that the thing most, he would always call and my Dad was from India so he was always over protective. If he was alive he would have called me already today and he always started off… “What did you eat today?”

I’m like “Dad I could stand to loss about five to ten pounds!” I’m fine, I’m spoiled here! But he always was the Dad, my parents were never the friends they were always Mom and Dad. The hat never comes off for them no matter how old I get but Dad was always so proud, he didn’t live to see a number one but he was always chasing it and living the charts with me. He was a gambling guy so he would always be excited “how are the charts?!” so I bet he had something to do with our first number one “Torn To Pieces” was his song. He was a cardiologist and he would always brag to his patients, he was a strong man and saved a lot of lives just a great person that taught us values.

If I could go back and relive a year it would be 2011 before he passed away and make more time for him, giving him extra hugs and kisses and tell him I loved him more.

Now I love singing his song, seeing the faces of others singing and embracing the song with me. I feel like they are thinking about their loved ones and for me being able to have that bound with my fans is really special and because of that it’s let me celebrate his life and having a positive reminded of him everyday, I smile while I’m singing it now.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 11

Tell us a little bit about the album.

Was it recorded in the same studio as a lot of your past albums?

Dez: Trust No One” was recorded at Mike’s house. Mike, the guitar player, recorded the music at his house. Then I recorded the vocals at my house, I also finished the vocals in Florida.

What can the fans expect? I know there’s one song they can hear now or if you buy the pre-album, you can get the one song.

Dez: You can go to www.devildriver.com and buy the record for only $7.99 and the whole band signed it, that’s a steal. That’s a cool thing that the label did, or you can go to iTunes and get a song called “Daybreak” instantly. There’s just something different about this record. “Daybreak” has been going over well. People have a good time listening to that song. Metal Hammer said it’s our best work. The label came back and offered us a record deal.

Your new album came out on May 13,th you originally had it planned to come out on your birthday. What happened? How did it get changed by a day?

Dez: My birthday is May 12th which was a Thursday. It has to be released on a Friday. 6 months ago, my manger- Roscoe, called me and said, “Man I got this great idea. Let’s release on Friday the 13th.

How do you feel about that?” I said, Ah that’s’ lucky!

I call it Lucky 13. Let’s do it! Now it’s cool because other bands are released that day as well. A lot of Metal come out that day. Put Metal on the forefront You’re going to be doing a lot of touring and that day, pick up a bunch of albums and put Metal festivals coming up? on the charts.

Dez: Bunch of festivals in the United States that

we’ve never done….Rocklahoma, etc. We’re going out with Hatebreed as well. Probably about 15 dates 3 days off. Come back for a week or so at home and then go overseas to Europe to do a lot of festivals over there.

Who inspired you when you came up with this project?

Dez: I take inspiration from everything. I listen to everything from Blues to Jazz to Psychobilly. A lot of Punk Rock….Southern California Punk Rock. Inspiration is everywhere. I draw a lot of inspiration from aggressive music. I’ve always been well rounded when it comes to music. I think that’s what creates something new.

How long have you been performing?

Dez: I was in a Psychobilly band when I was 15 called The Screaming Wolves. I was getting tattoos, the whole deal. I knew from a young age that music was what I wanted to do.

What would you say to young artists starting off?

Dez: Stay away from all the pitfalls. Stay completely away from hard drugs. Watch your beers cause it will just make you fuck up and end up in jail…DUIs. Watch the Yoko Onos in the band. Rehearse a ton.

You gotta get a band together and rehearse every single day. You gotta have a unified vision of where you’re gonna go, get some songs. Start booking your local clubs. Wherever you’re at, start selling out that local club. Then from there, spread to the next town. Use your social media for all it’s worth. Hit me up, send me stuff. I listen all sorts of stuff. I listen to demos. I enjoy music. I’m a music fan.

By Jonathan Heier What do you have planned for new music?

Adrian – We have a full length album, but we don’t have a release date yet because we are an unsigned band so everything is timing. Right now it is in the final stages of mixing and mastering so we should get the actual album back pretty soon. We are very excited and very proud of this record, it is very dynamic and we really stepped outside of what we might be comfortable with and we really pushed ourselves on this one. I know I speak for the whole band we are so proud of this record and can’t wait for everyone to hear it and hopefully everyone likes it you know, we love it and hope everyone else does too.

What was your favorite moment of the tour?

Phil – Seeing Attila’s reaction when Ronnie and Falling put like six hundred pounds of packing peanuts in their bus was pretty priceless that was a pretty insane prank, so props to Ronnie for pulling that off. That was one of the craziest pranks I have ever seen. Their bus was entirely full of peanuts.

Adrian – Shoulder height from the very front of the bus to the very back of the bus, I mean nuts, literally nuts. Not many people realize that being in a band takes away a lot of your personal life, but that is what you sacrifice so,

you miss out on a lot of things like friends birthdays, weddings, even your own family stuff. One of the last tours we did Joe’s baby girl was scheduled to be born while we were on tour, but luckily she was born two days before we left. It is one of those things where you know we love what we do so much and if we didn’t we would have been long gone by now. People glamorize being in a band and yes it is so much fun and yes it is a blast, but it is so much work.

Would you like to say thanks to anyone?

Adrian: So many thanks, I mean thank you to any band we every shared the stage with, thank you to anyone who ever came out to a show, ever supported us, ever shared a post, liked a post, who supported any other local bands out there. Thank you for coming out to shows and keeping the scene alive and supporting live music. Huge thank you to our families for taking our shit constantly and our friends, it is not easy on anyone and thank you to everybody that makes this happen because it literally takes everybody to make THIS happen. Fans, family, friends, thank you to anyone that is part of our AWS family and thank you to anyone who supports live music and local bands. We are very appreciative and we can’t thank you enough.

Jonathan Heier

Last year you went out on your first national tour with Falling In Reverse and Atreyu, how did that go for the band?

Adrian (Lead Singer) – It was a blast!

We’ve never done a tour like that, getting to tour the country and play with the bands -it was such a humbling and amazing experience. We gained a lot of experience as all the bands took us under their wing and gave us a bunch of advice and mentored us.

What was your favorite part of the tour?

12 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Phil (Guitar) – It has to be the crowds and all the people in the different cities being cool to us. Getting to play a show every night with my brothers in the band and hanging out with Attilla, Metro Station, Falling In Reverse, and Atreyu, it was surreal, I had to pinch myself. I can’t believe this is my life right now; it was rad, very fun.

How do you really make sure you reaching out to everyone?

Adrian – Johnnyand I from the moment we got to the venue would walk the line for hours and meet every kid and high five every kid, sit there and talk with them for a few minutes. For a band that no one really knows that is huge and a lot of times people still didn’t know we were in a band which was funny. After our set they came up to us and say they didn’t know you were in that band, but that is awesome. Once you make that connection with them outside or before they even see you play for the first time and then you walk out on stage, they see you and they correlate that with a good experience of meeting that person and they support you that much more. That really helped with the crowd experience and interaction. Every member of this band are constantly talking to everyone we can and we encourage kids to stop us and take a picture with us, we love it, we love to meet everyone.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 13

picked up some rock that was laying around and here was Lemmy doing his thing.

TRIPPY - Fuk yeah!

This next shot with the eyeball is killer brotha! Did Lemmy RIP out your eyeball to get this shot?

ZLOZ - (laughs) You’d TRIPPY - When did you first start workin with like that wouldn’t you Trippy. I guess he had the Lemmy of Motörhead Zloz? eyeball. I don’t even know where he found that. He ZLOZ - I started working with Lemmy and Motörfound it somewhere. Lemmy was sort of a jokester, head in 1986. It was the first time I really shot and he had a good sense of humor. It was really them. They were around for a while before that. hard to understand what he was sayI guess in 1986 they had the album that came ing back then. He out “Orgasmatron”. That was a great album. had this Before that they had “Killed by Death” and “Ace of heavy Spades”. Those were great songs, but the producduty tion and the recording was pretty raw to say the engleast. “ORGASMATRON” took a whole new departure for them, and it was really good production and everything. I really liked all those songs on “Orgasmatron”. So they were coming into town and I guess I decided it’s time to do a Motörhead shoot. They came in, and it was the first time working with them.

TRIPPY - Lemmy looks cool as hell holding the stop sign and rock. Was this random or was there a reason?

ZLOZ - It wasn’t shot for anything.

It was just me making the most of what I had to work with. Lemmy just saw some props around my studio. He saw this big stop sign I had, and he picked that up. He 14 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

lish/cockney accent, and maybe if you’re lucky you understood every few words that he said. I know I had a hard time understanding what he was saying.

TRIPPY - Haaaa. That’s funny! Was he pretty cool back then Zloz?

ZLOZ - Yeah, Lemmy was always cool. He was a pretty quiet guy. He wasn’t as wild and crazy as you would think he was Trippy. He was always very professional, and did what I asked him to do.

TRIPPY - Lemmy Rules! This next shot of Lemmy with the peace sign cracks me da fuk up for some reason. Killer shot man! Tell us about it Zloz!

ZLOZ - In 1988 Motörhead was playing a gig at the Santa Monica Civic, and of course I was there. They were getting bigger and bigger. They had three albums in a row that were really big. So I went to shoot them there, and I set up an impromptu backstage shoot.

It’s funny, when you’re a rock photographer sometimes you go places and there’s just really not much to work with.

This was the Santa Monica Civic and was an old venue that’s been around forever. Get-

Neil Zlozower AtlasIcons.com

Hey fuckers! I’m “TRIPPY THE CLOWN” a.k.a “DA METAL GOD”, and if you don’t know me by now then GO DA HELL! I’m here with Legendary Rock Photographer, NEIL ZLOZOWER; hangin at his world famous studio in Hollywood, California and If you don’t know who “ZLOZ” is then YOU are dumb! Look at any cool rock magazine in the past 40 years, and I bet you will see a photo credited to my great pal “ZLOZ”. In every issue of this KILLER magazine, I dig deep into Zloz’s archives and choose my “TOP 5” favorite METAL shots of various artists that Zloz has taken over the years. Zloz then gives us a play by play on WTF went down during that shoot. Usually I choose five different artists for each issue, but this issue calls for change. I decided to pay total homage to LEMMY KILMISTER of “MOTÖRHEAD” who passed December 28, 2015. In honor of Lemmy... LET’S DO THIS!

Neil Zlozower AtlasIcons.com

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 15

Zlozower AtlasIcons.com NeilNeil Zlozower AtlasIcons.com

16 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Neil Zlozower AtlasIcons.com

ting Motörhead or any band to do a photo shoot before their gonna go onstage is not a lotta fun.

Anyway, they had all the pullies for the curtains that were right outside the backstage dressing room and right as they walked out of the dressing room I sorta had my lights set up. I just coerced the guys to do a fast shoot right by these ropes to make it nice and easy for them. This shot of Lemmy doin the peace sign was just one of the individual shots of Lemmy I did. The funny thing I remember is the Santa Monica Civic was a pretty unionized hall; and as we were doing the shoot, all these big fat, overweight Union hands that are over payed and don’t do much work were just sort of hangin around, walkin around, staring at me doin this photo shoot with Motorhead. These union fucks look about as straight and conservative as anybody on the planet, and here’s Lemmy and the rest of Motörhead looking like their gonna kill you, rape your daughter and drink booze all night long. I could tell that the guys in the band were feeling a little insecure or self-conscious doing this photoshoot right backstage there. I’m sure they couldn’t wait to get done with it from the vibe they were getting from the Union hand idiots.

TRIPPY - Haaaa... Now that’s a great FUKIN story Zloz! This goes down in history brotha!

Onto my next favorite shot of Lemmy, Brotha Dimebag, and Jake E. Lee. Bad ass shot man!

What da fuck went down?

ZLOZ - In 1993 I believe JOHN STIX, the editor and chief of “Guitar For The Practicing Musician” had an idea to come up with this for a Randy Rhoads benefit show. They had a couple of them.

They were about a block away from where I’m sittin TRIPPY at the Palace. They had these shows there, and there was a bunch of people

like “Tony MacAlpine”, “Phantom Blue”, and I guess Randy’s mother Delores Rhoads was there. I guess Lemmy, Dimebag, and Jake E. Lee were there and they were gonna play some songs together for a tribute to Randy Rhoads. I did a very fast backstage shoot with Lemmy, Dimebag, and Jake E. Lee for the cover of “Guitar For The Practicing Musician” magazine, and this is one of the outtakes that we didn’t use for the cover.

TRIPPY – All hail Dimebag! I would have killed to see those three kickin ass on stage together at the Palace!

How was it Zloz?

ZLOZ - I don’t even remember Trippy. That was 24/25 years ago. I don’t remember much of that to be honest with ya...

TRIPPY - You were probably wasted FUKUR! Ha ha ha! I dig deep into your archives cuz I want our readers to see some rare photos of yours that have never been seen before. You are history brotha with so much to say about the greats! I fuckin love this next rare BRUTAL shot of Lemmy in the studio!

ZLOZ - Those shots of Lemmy in the recording studio I shot in 2006. You always see live shots of Lemmy, but I don’t think I ever saw any shots of Lemmy in the recording studio. So I called up his manager, Todd Singerman, and I asked him if I could go down to do a photoshoot in the studio while Lemmy was recording his album, and he said “Sure”. So I went down there, and Lemmy was great.

He was always real cooperative. He was a professional, and he knew what he wanted. He knew what he needed to do. He always took care of business, and Lemmy was a great guy actually. I always had a good time working with him.

He had a little sick sense of humor in his own little Lemmy way, but I always got along great with him. Obviously his death was a tragic loss. A sudden tragic loss cuz I guess one day he got diagnosed with cancer, and two days later he died which is in a way sorta cool. He didn’t have some chemo treatments or radiation treatments or whatever you get when you have cancer. He was sorta lucky in that aspect. He got diagnosed, and two days later dead....

TRIPPY – R.I.P. brotha Lemmy. Was that the last time you shot Lemmy?

ZLOZ - I ran into Lemmy here and there, but yeah that probably was the last time I actually shot him Trippy. The thing is,

I try to avoid going to see Motörhead shows live because even with ear plugs in my ears, those nights I’d go home and put my head on the pillow and you just have this solid ring in your head. Ear plugs, no ear plugs, it doesn’t matter because nothing was safe from the loudness of Motörhead.

One of the loudest bands I ever saw in my whole life. I’m surprised Lemmy even had any hearing left. I didn’t talk to him much in his later days so I don’t know how good or bad his hearing was. Just an extremely loud band.

TRIPPY - I know this is “Top 5” but fuck it... I found a sixth shot that’s bad ass so I’m breakin da rules! This photo of Lemmy LIVE is the shit man!

ZLOZ - Thanks Trippy. Lemmy had that unique way of having his microphone above his mouth.

Most singers that sing have their microphones below their mouth, but he always had his above his mouth, and he always looked so cool when he was playing live cuz it was like he was singin up to something. He was very unique. I mean Motörhead was one of the first real, I don’t know what you’d call them. Not thrash metal, not heavy metal.

Maybe brutal metal is a good name, but they influenced a lot of future bands.

TRIPPY - Well said man.. All hail Lemmy and Motörhead! I’m headin to the Rainbow. You wanna come Zloz?

ZLOZ - Nah.. I gotta go home and clean up dog shit and dog piss Trippy.

TRIPPY - (sighs) Guess who’s not gonna be in his spot for me to hang out with?

ZLOZ - Lemmy. Yeah, well he’ll be there in spirit Trippy. He’s still watchin over the place.

TRIPPY - Got that right! Later Zloz. DONE. ZLOZ - DOUBLE DONE To see more of TRIPPY The Clown, go to: www.

TrippyTV.com To check out or purchase Neil Zlozower’s photos, go to: AtlasIcons.com

By Trippy The Clown Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 17

18 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 19

By Enrique Nunez It’s a great afternoon in the city of Angels and Michael, the Archangel has been more popular recently along with hashtags like #Soulfly #Max Cavalera #Metal and of course #Archangel. Max has been around for decades in the music scene and this time, Soulfly’s album “Archangel” (10th in the band’s history) has been received well. As we proceeded to the back side of the tour bus a very welcoming Max awaits for us.

Archangel, we know it has some biblical references. Was it your idea?

We wanted to try something different; we came up with new and different ideas. I’ve been in the metal music scene for 30 years, good and different ideas are hard to come by. I’ve done political albums like Chaos A.D. (Sepultura), tribal albums like Soulfly 1 and Roots (Sepultura), Dark Ages, which is mostly about the death of Dimebag (Darrell), etc. Archangel is a mix, an exotic record with some Old Testament stuff that I found very interesting to sing about like the Sodomites, Bethlehem’s blood, the Babylonians, etc. and some other non-biblical ideas like “We sold our souls to metal” which gave name to this tour. I think it’s a killer song and I’m hoping it becomes some kind of metal anthem. We kick off both the album and show with that song. I think it was the right album to make at the right time. Some bands run out of gas in their tank, not us, we go straight ahead, full force. I think it’s extreme, I like the death/underground aide of it.

The reviews were really good, it kinda shocked me (laughs), I’m not used to that!

certain sounds (making reference to the tribal/brazilian elements) are part of your signature sound. It reflects your heritage. Is that something you enjoy or is it because people I bet there’s some pressure because his last expect it based on your past band? name carries a lot of weight, there’s legacy Many songs in Soulfly are almost like accident. to live up to.

Like the first album, we had a jam session and Yeah, he tries. I’m really glad that he doesn’t songs were born. I’m always thinking what new do the name-dropping and I’m also happy to be element I’m bringing to the band, trying to think doing this with him now. 20 years ago when Zion outside of the box. I’ve done violin, Brazilian perand Igor were born I always thought it would be cussion, I recorded bells in Russia, etc. I like to cool to be doing this with them one day, it was be experimental, I’m a fan of musicians who’ve always in my mind hoping it would happen and done fusions and things out of the norm in their just jam with them. Little did I know it would genre. There’s not much of that in metal and I actually happen. Our relationship is more like figured I could be the guy who does that. There’s a band member to band member, I am used to so much more that can be done and tried. it, I worked with my brother my whole life so it’s not hard to get used to. The chemistry that Igor Amongst all your accomplishments, tell me, (brother) and I have is there, you can’t deny is there something you would like to do that I see Zion (Max’s son) now as part of the it. When we’re together, it’s trouble. There’s a you haven’t (musically speaking)? band. Was it awkward at first to have him in natural vibe, electricity is generated when him Yeah, a dream of mine is to have a metal the band? and I get together, it’s just natural. Like when festival, like Ozzfest. We can’t get into MayAt first I wasn’t so sure about it when he asked we witnessed a pit that had like 2,000 people in hem, Warped tour, etc. they just won’t give us a me to give him the chance. But I’ve always liked it and made you just want to stop playing and chance. So let’s do our own! the risk factor and I thought “Why not? Let’s give enjoy it. It’s very similar now with my son, so, I I want to collaborate with some legends like him a chance and let him try it” and man, he got feel right at home.

Ozzy, Rob Halford or James Herfield. It would really good. Last album he was ok, but Archanmake me very happy to make it happen. gel- he is kicking ass! He really stepped up his In past projects and one song in this album,

Enrique Nunez

game in this album. Many new and challenging things were attempted while recording and it was almost like boot camp for him.

How did the original Archies ice cream truck get started?

Shant: The ice cream truck started first as a crazy idea with me and my brothers who put a fancy paint job on an ice cream truck, and drove it around. We knew what it would do, but we didn’t know how people would react.

Tell us about the store, you have kids play?

20 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Shant: yeah, you have to come into our location in Tustin California during the summer, we have bands play every Tuesday and Thursday. Last year we had 29 bands; we empty out all the chairs. They are 18 and younger kids come in; some are7, 9 - for them to be able to play anywhere other than at home in there living room or the garage at home is huge. So, playing at Archie’s is something else. It’s so much fun and we got some amazing talent here. A lot of restaurants don’t want kids and their store making music because they’re pushing booze, but for me selling ice cream to them and their friends- just makes sense. We have a blast, they play for an hour. I also film them and put it on all our social media so, if you can’t make it to the store check that out.

How did it go from doing a route to the VIP backstage truck?

Shant: We used to drive around a fancy truck with a big old ice cream on top and people weren’t sure what to think at first. Kind of a funny side story of the girl that’s working here right now, used to be one of the kids that would come to the ice cream truck and buy stuff when we would go through her neighborhood. So we did that and within six months, we were doing

ice-cream for the California Speedway in Fontana, they happen to catch wind of us. We did their ice cream for seven years and that was great. We are still in Car shows, birthday parties- then we started doing concerts and celebrity events. Doing photos out in front of the truck autographing the truck started at the speedway. Richard Petty was the first, then people started getting excited. I tell my brother OK this is what we’re gonna do! Going to have a celebrity rockstar VIP, we kept it going and we still keep that going. Got more and more photos backstage, autographs and we kept the photos forever because one day we new we were going to open up an ice cream store and we did a little over three years ago.

The inside of the ice cream store looks like all the ice cream trucks. There’s four trucks and every wall is one of the trucks, a melting ice crea, a comic book truck, a race car truck, and then the RocknRoll lounge.

Tell our local fans of the magazine some of the venues you frequent in Southern California?

Shant: We got the Grove of AnaheimI’ve been with the Grove in Anaheim since they were the Sun Theatre.

House of blues in Anaheim uses the truck, the new observatory in Santa

Ana, The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, The Chain Reaction in Anaheim- for their bands to hang out in, Irvine Meadows that’s the Orange County. Then there’s San Bernardino at the San Manuel amphitheater, and The palladium and the Wiltern in Los Angeles.

If you could only pick one of memory that stands out in your mind, not going asks your favorite because I’m sure there’s too many.

Shant: There is a lot! One was taking Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo to a punk rock store in orange in the ice cream truck. Whenever we do Devo he hangs on the truck, he even likes to take a nap in the truck. One time before the show they had time to kill and we are talking hey in the city of orange there is a punk rock store you want to go when he’s like “let’s go sweet” so we drove to this punk rock store in the ice cream truck and it was fun. Another one comes to mind Billy Squire wanted a ride back to his hotel in the Archies ice cream truck so we left the venue and I took him to the hotel in the ice cream truck. Those are the best things in the world and he was a really really cool guy. There’s a ton of stories because a lot of these guys are really cool.

This cruise always lives up to its name! 70000 tons of FUN! In fact this year it surpassed with a bigger boat then prior years to support the growing audiance and of course had the heavy hitters when it came to music. This cruise featured bands such as Iced Earth, DragonForce, Raven, Insomnium, Cradle of Filth, Epica and Hammerfall.

We got to sit down with Andrea Ferro of Lacuna Coil and Tomas Lindberg of At The Gates.

So what makes this music cruise the best cruise ever? Image going to a music festival that never stops!! Not only that but the boat isn’t divided into back stage and audience, you are at the bar, pool, hot tube, casino, everywhere with the bands. With so many bands in one place there is never a dull moment, here are some of the highlights from each day: Day 1- Board the ship, BAR TIME!!

After hydrating and taking the first of many buffet trips we set sail and the music began, starting off strong with Raven, Delain, Dragonforce, At The Gates, Lacuna Coil, Sodom, Iced Earth, Vador and many more with music wrapping up at

6am! This line up definitely is only for those that are all about the music!! Luckily if you miss a band you get another chance because unlike festivals each band plays twice and for the most part on different stages, this gives you a chance to catch some bands twice! Even kicking back in the side hot tub watching your favorite bands and yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds, trust me.

Day 2- No sleeping in on this cruise bands hit the stage at 10am on the pool deck so grab your swimsuit and head to the pool deck to start the day off right!

Day-3 was a high point exploring Jamaica baby! Shows didn’t start until five so all the bands had a chance to enjoy this beautiful island and… It was Bob Marley’s freaking birthday!!! What a wonderful day to be in Jamaica?!

DragonForce

Day-4 So many amazing highlights on this cruise, amazing people, amazing drinks, amazing food and amazing bands they all bought their A game even if they were playing at 4am! I recommend you go on this boat for 70000 tons of fun!!

Subway to Sally

Iced earth

Epica Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 21

Nervosa

Moonspell

Since you have been on both types of cruises, what do you see differently from the fans?

Andrew: this one is bigger in terms of how many people on the boat and the boat itself is bigger and you see a lot more European people and South America. Well the other one is pretty much American people with a few exceptions. I would say about 80% from the states.

You guys are in the studio right now tell us a little about that?

Yeah we are recording a new album (update: at the time of print the album was days away from release) after the cruise we go back and continue working on the album.

We’re really excited to give me something a little different. Not completely different but a little different, little fresh; you got a new lineup for the record. It’s the first time Ryan’s been in the studio with us, and he’s done a great job. It’s going to be a little bit of a surprise, a little something crazier than usual.

Tell us a little about your songwriting process, because other than most bands of one lead singer- do you guys go backand-forth? How does that change the writing process?

Andrew: we also learned on the way, in the beginning was also strange for us to match 22 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

two different vocalist and two different kind of vocals. Along the way we have learned how to balance everything out and it makesthe best out of both. Obviously we can do different things and add different elements to music, but it took us 2-3 albums before he managed to reach the right balance. Overall Marco the bass player, is the one that wrote most of the music since day one. Christina, and myself come later after he has this music, we work separately on ideas and then we come together, in our little studio in the basement and then we make it a Lacuna coil song. That time we analyze what fits better. We sometimes, change parts, like parts I wrote she sings just because it’s arranged differently and fits better with her voice key. Then it goes the other way as well, Christina comes up of parts that fit better for my voice. Sometimes she has an idea that fits better with a male voice. So it’s very democratic, very open. Marco has a lot to say so if he doesn’t like any of our idea’s sometimes. He comes up with a basic idea and then we go off of it. It’s actually my favorite part of working on a new album. To meet and exchange ideas; create something from scratch. Demoing is my favorite part of the creation, I feel more creative in the demoing and the writing lyrics- compared to the recording which is just the natural step you have to do to put the record out.

Any last words for your fans?

We’re going to be getting back into the studio. Hope you’re going to like the new direction of the band and I’m sure there’s going to be something for everyone. We’re very excited about the new fresh blood we have to bring into this and the new vibe that we’re working out. I’m sure people are going to dig it.

Lacuna Coil

Lacuna Coil & Moonspell by Winnie Flugger

Tell us about some of the other cruises you have been on?

Andrew: We went on the same one 70000 tons about three years ago. One of the earliest editions. Then we did last year on shiprocked which is another cruise more towards American radio rock-bands like Limp Bizkit, P.O.D, Five Finger Death Punch, that kind of style.

Lacuna Coil

At The Gates

We met up with Tomas right after they got off stage with their first show on 70,000 tons of metal. After he signed some CDs, shirts and other memorabilia we were taken backstage to do the interview.

You’re getting great reviews on your new album, how does that make you feel?

Tomas: That makes the record company happy, but what I’m most impressed with is the fans that they embrace the new songs as much as they do the classics. That’s what’s most rewarding for me; To know that they really take it to heart.

Children of Bodom

Tell us the difference between playing on a boat and playing a regular show?

Tomas: I don’t really notice the boat that much, we have done this one and the close up boat in Sweden it’s almost like a European festival in a away, you get a lot of people from different countries. You see the Mexican flag flying, saw a sweetish football jersey, like oh they’re all here, that’s what is most impressive that they get everybody together.

Speaking of jerseys I just watched you get a new one till school about that?

Tomas: brave words The Canadian Metal magazine gave me this hockey jersey with my name on the back. I just came off stage really with wet clothes so it’s perfect timing.

What would you want to tell fans that have been with you all these years?

Tomas: we have the greatest fans in the whole world. The way that they have embraced this record they were great through the reunion years as well I’ve really never seen so much emotions at a death metal show it’s amazing. And then when the record came out the way they had waited for they really wanted it, they wanted to understand what we tried to do.

And that’s why we have the greatest fans in the world it seems like they thought of it the same way as we did. They got the whole concept and everything like that; I mean I’m just very grateful for our fans.

What’s your warm-up before a show?

Tomas: just hang out with the guys, we have a strong bond from all the years that we’ve been together they’re such a good vibe in the band, there’s no special ritual for me, at least and I go on with the same clothesI wore it all day. The tour bus it’s mostly reading.

If you had to pick one what’s your favorite book?

Tomas: that’s a hard one how about 2000 bucks at home. Because of the album being a concept record Argentina literature I have to pick an Argentina writer I guess. Anything from Motocross he has a novel collection; is just amazing, you should read that it’s fantastic work.

Any last words to your fans?

Tomas: We are very grateful to be in this position it’s amazing to plan a

Delain

band with the amazing fans that we got. Thank you very much.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 23

By Missie Tong

It is obvious that you have been influenced by the biker scene, tell us about “Highway Prophet” and how it became associated with SOA, and how that impacted your career in music?

When SOA was originally starting out, they were looking for music from current biker bands because they were wanting to gain credibility and a relationship with the biker community. They included many familiar industry faces in the show itself and the bands were just another bit of familiarity. I submitted 24 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Right now we are seeing the scales tip in favor of women in the hard rock/metal genera of music. Its still a “Boys Club”, but that is changing rapidly...what do you think needs to happen for more equality for women in metal?

I think there’s more equality for women in hard rock/metal than there ever has been. I think if we just stay the course and continue to better ourselves, we’ll naturally be more respected. I mean, you can’t argue with hard work and consistency.

I’ve been fortunate to run into a great deal of really talented girls that can flat out play and sing their asses off. There’s just no denying an inherent talent and everyone respects someone that paid their dues and worked for it.

Being that this interview is part of our Rock Vixen series, showcasing women in rock-what kind of advice do you have for all the upcoming Rock Vixens out there?

I guess the best thing I can offer for advice is to be consistent. I like to make sure that people get

out of a show what they came to get every single time. There isn’t really a rule book for this kind of life, but you just have to be true to yourself and be consistent. It’s what has worked best for me.

What are your influences as far as women in music?

I was surrounded by great musicians and singers during the years I was growing up. Joan Jett was a bad ass, Lita Ford was shredding and Pat Benatar was showing us how to take our formal training from choir and apply it to Rock n Roll. We had the mystery of Stevie Nicks and the maturity of Bonnie Raitt and a bunch of girl bands that were living the rock n roll lifestyle like a bunch of horny frat boys. It was refreshing and fun, and it made us feel like we could be literally anything we wanted to be...even if it went against the standards. I’m not sure which one of those was my ultimate inspiration, but they all played instruments and sang. I realized that no longer would I have to be the “chick singer” of the band. I could be part of the band and that’s exactly what I did. To me, I felt much more deserving of an opinion by being an instrumentalist in our music.

Tell us what you have going on right now with the release of “White Noise” and your current tour.

White Noise is our 5th Independent release and luckily it got the attention of E One Entertainment/ Sony and we are working on a date to release it through them for distribution worldwide digitally.

Our tour season is wide open and we’re taking over our territories again in the motorcycle market. You’ll see us all over the US this year! We have a music video out for our song “Hole” currently and will be releasing our first official single, “Break Even” in the next couple months with a new video to match.

We’re moving very quickly right now.

Any last words?

Are you gonna kill me? That’s usually what they ask you right before they shoot you. Tell my mom and dad I love them.

Missie Tong

turgis, SD is such a beautiful area with a creative and adventurous vibe all around what was it like growing up in such a scenic environment?

I grew up, on the plains on a cattle ranch. I’d never been anywhere else my entire life, so I guess I just figured it all looked the same. It wasn’t until I left to travel the world playing music that I realized how much beauty South Dakota had to offer. Now I really miss it. I’ll always have a spiritual connection with my home. As soon as I cross the Missouri River on my way home, I feel instantly different. It’s like, it’s calling out to you to come home and stay.

I’ve considered moving back from time to time, but it’s not time yet.

my music to their program director and the publications company that was handling the submissions. The song, “Highway Prophet” wasn’t born at that time. I submitted it at a much later date and wrote the song with the show in mind. I felt like it told the story in the best way possible. I’m really proud of that song.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 25

NAMM Weekend

Wrap Up

W

inter NAMM is a convention like no other, not only do you have 4 full days on the convention floor, which has gotten so big it doesn’t even fit in the convention anymore and also takes over the local hotels, but every night there is another After Party/Show/Private event to attend. Here is a small look back of some of the fun we were involved in. The Wrap party hosted by Gig Boss at the House of Blues Anaheim featured some great local artist including Divide the Day, 7 Days Away and As We Were. It was a great way to end show with a chance for the RNR team to be able to hang out and watch our friends put on an awesome show, and because it was open to the public was also a great way for people that weren’t able to attend the convention to catch up with the band and companies involved.

Below are some recaps of companies interviews and Count’s 77 (last issues cover band) from the show. Continuing to the Left are two great events that we were par of this year and are looking forward to again next Winter NAMM.

Peggy interviewed Count’s 77 who was on our current issue of RNR Mag during Namm time, from Las Vegas, Nevada this 1970’s rock genre band was formed by Danny “The Count” Koker. He is the star of “Countung Cars”. The History Channel spinoff of “Pawn Stars”, frontman, The Count is joined on stage by John Zito on guitar, Stoney Curtis also on guitar, bass player Barry Barnes, drummer Paul Disibio and Tommy Paris on the keys.

Stoney let us know his favourite rock club Vamped has great pizza and great staff. Barry and Stoney both agreed that the best band they have played with is Jackle.

Check out Count’s 77 new album, out now!

Angelica and Enrique chatting about Mexican sausage with the Sin Quirin from Ministry and Tony Campos from Fear Factory at the Reunion Blues booth.

Reunion Blues carries gig bags, cases and stands, whatever instrument you are playing Reunion Blues has you covered. Their line of leather cases is high quality and will protect your gear. Artists such as John5 swear by these “I had a lot of them but the Reunion Blues Gig Bags are the best. They are the strongest and most durable that I have ever used.” (John5), Drux from Sunbust has had a Reunion Blue case for many years and Alex Ryan from Hoizer, quoted “As soon as I was introduced to the RB Continental case, I knew I had to have one. It’s pretty amazing that a case can be that lightweight yet so protective” Tim yeung was also hanging out enjoying Namm and seeing friends you don’t normally see, Namm always brings the music industry together.

26 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Our very own journalist Enrique Nunez caught up with Mark Goodwin (drummer for Sick Puppies) at the Masters of Maple Drums booth. The creator of MOM Sahir Hanif and Mark are childhood friends so Mark has been playing a MOM kit for many years and highly recommends this kit.

Sahir started in 2002 based in LA Cali, they make about 50 kits a year all hand made mainly from exotic woods, growing up in Orange County Sahir Hanif has been traveling the halls of Namm and this year his company had their own booth! A very exciting time for any business owner with the passion and commitment to put out a great product.

This year MOM futures a kit made from Brazilian Rose wood a very rare wood and he will only making eight kits, you can also find the Bell Brass which is the kit Mark is super stocked to be playing and a few other kits you can find on online at mdrums.com

She Rocks!

We have come a long way Baby!

-Cyndi Johnson a.k.a CupCake Woman have only had the right to vote since 1920. Just look how Far we have come, It is because of the Women and Men being honored here and others like them that have opened doors for all of us.

2016 She Rocks Awards Honorees:

She Rocks by Angelica Ulloa, NIRMA by:Enrique Nunez

Amy Heidemann of Karmin – Mad Skills Award Jennifer Batten – Icon Award Pamela Cole & Leigh Maples of Fanny’s House of Music – Motivator Award Crystal Morris of Gator Cases – Enterprise Award Cathy Carter Duncan of Seymour Duncan – Trailblazer Award Mary Luehrsen of NAMM and the NAMM Foundation – Champion Award Mindy Seegal Abovitz of Tom Tom Magazine – Dreaming Out Loud Award Chalise Zolezzi of Taylor Guitars – Excellence Award Mona Tavakoli and Becky Gebhardt of the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls L.A. and Raining Jane – Inspire Award Sujata Murthy of Universal Music Enterprises – Vision Award Leslie Ann Jones of Skywalker Sound – Powerhouse Award Chaka Khan – Legend Award Tom Gilbert – Real Deal Award We always enjoy the first class presentation that The Women’s International Music Network puts on but this year the Icon Award went to a mentor of RNR’s Own Editor in Chief Mike Smothers. Jennifer Batten was a big influence on him when he attended MI around the time they moved into their current location.This year’s She Rocks Awards show case was co-hosted by Laura B. Whitmore & Nita Strauss. Nita has been in some of the past issues of RNR and we will continue to cover her success. The evening rocked all night with some of the most talented Female Artists. Do you know a Woman that rocks and has made the Music Business a better place? Go to their web-site thewimn.com and Nominate her, for a chance to perform or get tickets for the 2017 showcase.

Outstanding Guitarist Chris Broderick- Act of Defiance

How many times have you and I protested about arts shared on mass media and those not necessarily reflecting what people like or feel, but rather what the corporations feed us. Yes, it’s something we do, it is not only the truth, but it is also very “rock and roll”, because, c’Mon… we’re REBELS. In times like these, it is when we rise up to the challenge and say “F*ck YOU!” to those manipulated outlets and someone says, “Hey, let the masses (aka “the fans”) decide what they want to nominate and reward. With such vision, the first NAIRMA awards took place at the YOST Theater in Santa Ana, Ca. honoring all independent musicians and their craft.

This first show honored Brian Slagel with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Billy Sheehan (outstanding bassist), Mike

Portnoy (outstanding drummer), Chris Broderick (outstanding guitarist), VARNA (people’s choice award), Element 440 (outstanding live performance), FEAR FACTORY (outstanding album of the year and male fronted group) and NOTHING MORE being the big winner of the night with outstanding vocalist, video and song of the year, amongst many others winners and categories.

Act of Defiance, Element 440, Varna, Screaming for Silence, Seek Irony, City of the Weak, and Agnori provided the sounds of the night, such ending with an epic “Everybody in the crowd come onstage and join us for this last song” invitation at the rhythm and chanting of dozens of voices singing “Let the bodies hit the floor” by DROWNING POOL, this first NAIRMA’s is one for the books.

Enrique Nunez

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine is a proud Sponsor of the She Rocks Awards People’s Choice Award Varna

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 27

By Raquel Figlo

“I lost my son, Duke Collins due to addiction and maybe by saying it, by standing here, despite my nerves, despite my discomfort, maybe I can help someone else.” – Sharon Gibson AKA MamaDuke.

No mother ever wants to have to say those words, but on March 19th at The Underground DTSA in Santa Ana, there stood MamaDuke on stage sharing her story of the loss of her son Wilfred “Duke” Collins one year ago, in hopes of saving one more life from addiction. The event was the Duke Collins Memorial and Concert held in Duke Collins memory and the launch of Bridging The Gap—which aims to help addicts with living expenses during recovery.

Duke was the guitarist in the band Droid and the Dead Lights that he formed with Jerry Montana in 1998.

He was from Huntington Beach and loved by his friends. On March 21, 2015 publicly it was said that he passed away from complications of a car accident, but soon after it came to be known that he died from a drug overdose. That was a reality that was hard for MamaDuke to cope with, but she felt she needed to tell the truth so maybe she might save another life from the same tragic story. The memorial event was put together by MamaDuke with the help of Jerry Montana, Wesley Geer, Brenda Umbrell, Shawn Lenhoff, Mark, Robertson, Ashley Tayler, and many others who deeply cared for Duke and the cause. It was a Benefit Concert with live performances by Death Division, Sunflower Dead & Radiodrone and a onetime reunion of The Deadlights with Sean De la Tour singing (Death Division), All Star Jam Sessions with Bill Hudson from Trans-Siberian Orchestra and many more talented musicians.

There was so much love on the stage and the musicians were singing with passion and from the heart. The Deadlights made new 28 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine I

fans that night including me! I have never heard the music before, but it was great and the crowd loved it. Sean Lenhoff was the MC of the night. He did a great job hosting the event introducing the bands and remembering Duke. At the very beginning of the show, I was told that the Native American dance that took place was a celebration and blessing for all that attended the event and to release Dukes spirit into the afterlife. It was perfect way to start the event because it meant so much to MamaDuke since she is a spiritual woman. Talking to her is very peaceful. She is such a nice woman and has gone through so much pain. This event was to help people who battle with addiction and their families so they don’t have to suffer like she did.

They have a long way to go, but they have the support, love and passion that are needed for something like this to work. Wesley Geer former guitarist of Hed PE and Korn, who started Road to Recovery was a part of the event and helped Sharon with Bridging the Gap. He is also a recovering addict and I interviewed him and Jerry Montana because all three had a major part in the event. My question to all of them was, “What is the difference between an addict and someone who makes bad decisions?” I was curious because many people over indulge and continue to make poor choices. But when does it start to affect your life and you need help?

When do you know before it is too late? They each had their own opinion, but they all agreed there are people out there who want to help, you just need to ask. I have never experienced so much love for one person and for one cause as I did that night and I feel my reason for being there is to share their commitment to helping people with an addiction, not only drugs, but anything that is prohibiting a person from being their best self.

Interview with MamaDuke What is the difference between addiction and making bad choices?

MamaDuke: I am not a professional, I am not a counselor, but I am a mother. I think we all make bad choices, but that does not indicate an addictive personality.

Addiction is a disease. Bad choices are a part of growing up. We all have to go through certain learning paths in order to grow. Addiction is when you lose the ability to keep control. You give up your free will.

When did you notice your son had a problem?

MamaDuke: I started noticing it several years back. My son was a functioning addict. They don’t look the part. They are able to morph and change right in front of you. If it is someone you love, you are going to miss things and they know that and they get really good at hiding it from you. He treated me like a queen, he never raised his voice at me, he never cursed at me, and he would always take me by the arm and guide me. He was never argumentative like one would think a young person on drugs would be.

He was able to change and alter the reality. So about 2009 I realized there was an issue. He went through three bad overdoses. Each time he would feel bad and ashamed because he did not want to be an addict. He was also healthy, he loved everybody and everybody loved him, but the drugs had a grip on him. We talked a lot about his addiction, but we did not talk about the truth and severity of it. He did not want me to know.

Tell me why Bridging the Gap is close to your heart?

MamaDuke: Tonight’s event is the launch of Bridging the Gap. It is exactly what it means. What’s keeping a person going into recovery? If someone said to you, “Pack your bags you are going into recovery today.” What would you say? You would probably say, What about my job? My bills? My rent?

And that’s what Bridging the Gap does, we help addicts with their living expenses during recovery. I have a very strong spiritual belief; everyone that is here tonight is intentional by our creator’s plan.

We call it the “Dukeness.” Everyone here has been touched by the “Dukeness.”

What would you like to get out of tonight?

MamaDuke: I would like to do more of these things because since he passed I have received many messages from mothers asking me how I got through the loss of my son. For the first three months I didn’t know what to do. I had to stand up and stop telling people that he died from the results of a car accident. I had to tell the truth. How can I help you if I am not telling you the truth? I had to be able to say, “My son is an addict.” It was very difficult, but it was the truth and it got me to where I feel now, if I can give two people the courage to say, I am an addict and I need help, than I have two people more than before.

Then they will tell two more people and so on and it will spread. I am hoping from my son’s death I can save a lot more lives, at least put a big dent in it.

Interview with Jerry Montana Where were you when Duke passed?

Jerry: I was just getting back from doing a show with Death Division.

I heard the phone ring and when I saw it was Dukes mom, I knew.

I didn’t even say hi, I said, “He is gone isn’t he?” and she said yes.

I had just talked to him two weeks before and he sounded a little down.

How has this last year been without him and how has it affected your recovery?

Jerry: We discussed recovery a lot. I took over after he passed. I arranged his funeral clothes; I went through his apartment and helped his mother go through everything.

When he passed no one knew from

Jerry Averill

“The Dukeness”

“We are going to do this in honor of Duke, but we need your help.” what. At first we wanted to give him the dignity by not telling people the truth. I think it is important that people know the truth; we don’t want this to happen to other people. He was someone people really loved and he was important.

I think he would have wanted this to have helped other people. He struggled really hard. That’s what got the ball rolling. And she said let’s start a nonprofit, have an event, he deserves something special.

What is the difference between an addict and making bad decisions?

Jerry: Internally, you know if you have a problem if you can’t get your life together. There were times when people brought it up to me, but I was in denial. My father was an addict.

It’s a painful, touchy subject. You hold a lot of sadness inside. It takes more courage to come out and say I am not the center of the universe, I am insecure and I have pain. In the future I need to stay in a good place so when I go, I can leave knowing I did ok and I have a sense of pride and people might say, “Hey that guy was crazy, but he turned his life around and he is actually a good person.” Being a good person is the only thing you leave with because you can’t take your money; it’s just how we treated other people.

incredible therapeutic responses on the brain. We have developed a methodology it engages the whole brain and stops depression and anxiety. It gives the whole spirit a lift. My bottom was no job and no money. I accepted the help, I went to rehab and it worked.

How did you get involved in tonight’s event and what do you expect to get out of it?

Wesley: I knew Duke before the Deadlights. We were both from Huntington Beach. We hung out and had a lot of the same friends.

When he passed I was obviously very sad. It is an interesting story. I never believed in ghosts, but when I meditate I talk to spirits. And one day I talked to Duke. I told him, if he ever needed anything to let me know. He said you need to talk to my mom. I got a hold of his mom and she asked me to help with her non-profit. She had been getting messages from Duke saying we need to connect. So I have been trying to help her get the non-profit off the ground in honor of my friend Duke.

Duke Collins was loved by many special people. It took a lot of courage for MamaDuke to come out and tell the truth about her son.

With the support of friends and family, MamaDuke was able to give Interview with Wesley Geer her son the dignity and peace he deserves. We can learn a lot from It is interesting how you MamaDuke’s love and passion for incorporate music to help human life. If you see someone addicts recover. How did Road to struggling, ask them if they need Recovery start? help and do not give up. It is hard to Wesley: I am a sober dude. When tell when someone is making a bad I was on tour with Hed PE we did a decision or has an addiction, but be lot of stuff. We were killing ourselves strong and know that there is help and I ended up in rehab. There out there like Road to Recovery and wasn’t music in the rehab I was in Bridging the Gap. because in rehab it’s like going to “Bridging the Gap to Recovery school. They have you in different will work hand-in-hand with other classes learning about stuff. I wanted to figure out a way to bring recovery foundations to help put music into those treatment settings, addicted musicians on a path to recovery. We will provide a portion so I created Rock to Recovery. of vital living expenses for addicts What is the difference between an while they are in recovery. We are addict and someone who makes going to do this in honor of Duke, bad decisions? but we need your help. We need Wesley: There are different levels. you to come to our events, donate Sometimes people do addict to our site, if you can, talk to a friend behavior and either change or it gets who needs help, contact us if our worse. So really, you want to tag talking to that friend would help it, watch it to see if it is a problem, them, do something, anything to control it and see if it is getting keep the conversation going. Don’t worse. Then you decide if you need let addiction remain in the dark to change it. If you have difficulty corner of the room, let’s pull it out changing it, that shows you have an of that corner and fight it together. issue. Then you reach out, there are Every tiny step could be one less people who want to help you. life lost to addiction and one less traumatic phone call to another We work with treatment programs; mother. Do what you can, do this for we are not a treatment program. him, for us, for your friend, for the There are twelve step programs music you love, for any reason, but and they integrate us into their do it.” twelve step program. If you are in a rehab twelve hours a day we get And always, let the Dukeness be you playing music because it has with you. - MamaDuke Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 29

YC-based progressive metal group Infinite Spectrum is gearing up for the release of their latest CD and it’s epic! Recently signed to Sensory Records, Infinite Spectrum’s latest outing is Haunter of the Dark, a full length concept recording based on the short story by master of horror H.P. Lovecraft. Laser’s Edge metal division, Sensory Records, will release Haunter Of The Dark on June 24th, worldwide. We sat down with the band to get the scoop on the new project.

We were fans of your last release (Misguided) and see that Haunter is also concept-based. Tell us a little about the genesis of the new disc.

Will Severin (vocalist) brought up the Lovecraft idea as source material.

He’s a Lovecraft fan and he had just gotten distribution for a feature film adaptation of Lovecraft’s The Thing on the Doorstep that he produced and scored, so that started us on the path. Alex Raykin (guitarist), Alex Repetti (bassist), Greg Schwab (drums), and Will looked at a variety of Lovecraft stories and The Haunter of the Dark really appealed to us and seemed like a great fit for our followup disc. It’s a sci-fi/horror hybrid and has a claustrophobic feel to it, as it’s mostly told from a singular point of view. The CD even opens with a bit of Lovecraft narrative to set the tone and bring a sense of mystery and dread to the proceedings before we set off on the dark musical journey of the Haunt-

er of the Dark.

There’s definitely variety in your music.

Musically speaking, there are a lot of influences that the different members of the band bring to the table, so we think listeners will find plenty of variety on the disc. Whether you’re a fan of heavier prog metal like Dream Theater/Symphony X or more of a classic prog fan of bands like Pink Floyd, you’ll find something to like.

What was your process putting Haunter of the Dark together?

We composed the new project over the course of a year and built up some demos before we began tracking the album. As a band we put together the basic instrumentation and structure, then vocals and lyrics were added.

We’ll sometimes shuffle things around to accommodate where some of the melodic content takes things before locking in the arrangements. Finding tones and textures is important to us.

Having Greg’s input with regard to the finished drum performance gave things more of a spontaneous and live feel, which added more visceral impact. The interplay between the guitar and bass of Raykin and Repetti is always key; they look at how the elements work best together. Will brought lyrics / vocal melodies and some additional orchestral/sound design elements to the table. Together with Raykin and Repetti they focused on the overall story arc and how it

communicates through words and music to tie things together.

So, this is your first release on Sensory, right?

Yeah and we’re very excited about it. Ken over at Lasers Edge (the parent company of Sensory) was a fan of our first release (Misguided) and when he heard we were working on our sophomore project he invited us to sign with his Sensory label.

We’re thrilled to be working with Sensory Records and to be part of their great roster of acts.

They’ve been really supportive of the band and the new Haunter of the Dark release. It means a lot to us to be working with a label that brings so much to the progressive rock community.

You guys were pretty involved with the production of Haunter.

Yes, for the recording of Haunter Of The Dark we re-teamed with Grammy award-winning engineer Chris Theis.

He had done our previous CD with us, as well as work for bands like Coheed & Cambria, Sepultura, etc. Chris coproduced along with Infinite Spectrum’s - Will Severin, Alex Raykin, and Alex Repetti. It has a bigger sound than our previous album and a fair share of variety, which should appeal to fans of modern and classic prog.

What’s next for the band?

We’re looking forward to doing some dates in support of Haunter of the

Dark and we’ve been putting in a lot of rehearsal time to get the show tight.

The interplay between the band has continued to develop. There are a lot of time signature changes and drummer Greg Schwab and bassist Alex Retti have worked together in building the rhythmic foundation for the rest of the band. Guitarist Alex Raykin and our new keyboardist/electric harpist Katie Pachnos have been refining their melodic interplay and unison rapid fire lead passages for precision, while vocalist Will Severin mines the vocal passages for just the right balance of emotion and power. It’s gonna be a rocking set and we can’t wait to get the show in front of the fans!

30 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Alex Kluft

M

usink has been an ever growing tattoo convention, music festival and car show. This past year had famous tattoo artist flying in from everywhere, some to do pieces and some to just be there for the event. No tattoo festival would be complete without our friends Sullen clothing being involved, it was nice to be able to stop by there booth that was located right by the entrance to the stage.

Which had something for everyone through out the three day event. Of course it was no surprise that Travis Barker played after all it is his event and of course we all want to see him rock the stage!! And did I mention he wasn’t the only one showing off…His cars were too with a full car show featuring Travis’ vehicles. This years line up also had Snoop Dogg performing his new and classic pieces this show was an awesome trip down memory lane just hearing those songs live brought you back to the first time you hear d them and that is what is so amazing about going to shows like this the memories . And if you where one of the many that got some new ink there those memories will for sure last a life time!!

Melissa Maxx

Flippin the switch on DJ Melissa Maxx of 95.5 KLOS

By Raquel Figlo Radio has changed a lot in the last 15 and I love GNR! I was so scared years since I started. We use to just and I got him for a whole hour as he talk on the radio. Now you are talking picked songs to play on the radio.

Duff is nice, down to earth, smart, and on the radio, answering phones, inspiring. It was so interesting to hear tweeting, Facebooking, and you are his whole history of how he educated taking text. It’s nice because it is real time. I can talk about something on the himself about the music industry and got over his drug abuse. I would totally radio and say “what do you think about that?” and hundreds of people tweet hangout with him and become buds! in their opinion. I think listeners have (Laughs). more of a voice and it is a good thing Tell us about the current changes we are all connected. on KLOS? Are the listeners different in the If you just play music from a certain morning, afternoon and night? era you pigeon hole yourself. We When do you get the crazy callers? don’t want to be an oldies station; I must say I get the craziest callers! we want to be a “ROCK” station and LOS is my go to station when got to do a little of both which was nice incorporate bands from like the 90’s.

The night callers are wild! Let’s say I wake up in the morning and because I love alternative, but I grew 75% are drunk and 25% sound like We are playing new music now from I get ready to start my day. I up with classic. Within a year or two they are drunk. That’s not entirely true, older bands. We just played the new have a stereo in my living room that they were all alternative and I worked Cheap Trick. Rival Suns is a new (giggles). I have the most fun listeners; I have had since I was 13 years old there for ten years before moving to they are just a little looser. I like to play LA band that we love! Our listeners and, believe it or not, the only thing LA. in back and forth banter when I am on said, “We want more rock, we don’t that functions on this stereo is KLOS. the air. just want classic rock.” That is the In the past few months I have noticed How was your first year at KLOS? feedback we are getting and I think How was it back then compared to What is KLOS’s secret for lasting all some programming changes, one of we are doing a good job! People love these years? them being that metal music is played now? the KNAC Salute!

We have a new It is always intimidating being the It is all about adaptation. I think you on the weekends.. Three-hours of show called “Horns up” hosted by DJ new kid on the block. KLOS was METAL hosted by former KNAC DJ have to change. The world changes, Stew who use to work at KNAC. We such a legendary radio station and Stew Herrera. It airs on Saturday your listeners’ change, music changes. debuted that recently and we did a nights from 9:00 to midnight, and plays meeting people like Cynthia Fox was I think you should stay true to your KNAC anniversary show. mostly heavy metal music. New shows intimidating at first, but you learn roots, but you have to adapt to what and you surround yourself with good like Jonesy’s Jukebox and Full Metal people want, and I think we have done Any advice for rock bands that Jackie giving the latest news in metal, people and you learn from good want to get air play? What does the that well over the years. people.

KLOS is opening up to new genres station look for?

Any advice for up-and-coming and making quite the impression on We now have a new local show called What was something you learned journalists? music lovers!

Check One…Two with DJ Shovel. You from your fellow collogues at If I could do it differently (and my can submit your music to DJ Shovel on One of my favorite DJ’s on the station KLOS? parents would kill me for saying this) I Monday nights.

Also Heidi and Frank in Melissa Maxx. She is always funny, Every DJ is so different. I think I take wouldn’t have gone to college to study do a segment called “Should I stay and quick with witty remarks to the a little bit from each person and just radio broadcasting. I think there are or Should I go” in the morning where listeners that call in. Melissa interviews from listening and watching. Some certain jobs (and this goes against local artists can submit their music. some of the top rock stars in the people it is a comfort level. Others are everything kids are taught) you get industry. I thought it would be fun to flip really good with listeners and I like to The music industry has changed so good at just by networking and being much that it use to be about radio the switch and interview her and ask emulate that. It’s like a DJ buffet. I like in the building. People get to know breaking bands and today it is not her some question of my own. to take little pieces from each person you and respect you. So I would have at all. Social media really breaks the given myself a four year head start Tell me about your early experience and make it my own craft. bands now and the band has to do a and not gone to college and started in radio?

I read that you like interviewing lot of the hard work just to get noticed. in radio earlier. Just like anything, the The station I first worked for was a celebrities. Who was your favorite The radio station is more secondary more comfortable you are, the better legendary rock station called WBCN celebrity and why? level to support them. you get. You don’t get better if you in Boston. When I got there, they were I think it was two years ago when I freak yourself out! playing classic rock during the week interviewed Duff McKagen from Guns How has social media affected radio? and Indie rock on the weekends. So, I N’ Roses. I grew up listening to GNR melissamaxx.net 955klos.com

K

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 31

Devour The

My first time seeing Devour the Day was amazing, this band is about two friends not giving up and doing what it takes to be a great band. I was able to catch up with front man Blake Allison, Blake is the original drummer (now turned singer) for Egypt Central and along with Joey “Chicago” Walser they formed DTD in 2012 releasing their album “Time and Pressure”.

They are now touring! Show casing their new album “S.O.A.R”, on stage with Blake and Joey (bass beast) you can find Ronnie Farris on Drums and lead guitar player David Hoffman.

You and Joey are both former members of Egypt Central and you guys are from Memphis, Tennessee.

You and Joey put Devour the Day together in 2013, tell me about your other band members and how did you come up with the new name?

We wanted the band name to represent where we were at that time, with the destruction of Egypt Central the name was a way to keep us on our toes. If we are going to name the band Devour The Day we better keep working everyday to devour the day and it worked!

We picked up Ronnie Farris through our former drummer Dustin, Dustin plays for a few bands like Walls of Jericho. Ronnie comes to fill in for a day and absolutely kills it! So with Dustin having other bands plus Ronnie and Joey hit it off, they share a lot of the same culture, it was an easy choice for us as he fit in and is just a great drummer, better than me!

David Hoffman was a singer for a band I produced in Memphis, his band broke up. He was working at Lowes, I called him just to say what’s up and he told me he hated his life, his girlfriend and was wishing for change. So I go back to Joey and I’m like lets give him a try, as he is an incredible singer and plays great guitar, Joey was in and we had our band.

32 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

These are the best guys I’ve ever worked with, hard working, good people and I’m so proud of them.

Have you been able to keep a lot of the same industry people that you worked with while in EC now that you are signed to Razor and Tie? Yes it’s been great, we have our same manager Dave Cash, our road crew, our lawyer and it’s great! We are all really happy, Dave has been with us since 2011 and he’s a really great guy always has our best interests in mind and protects us.

And signing to Razor and Tie you have your first major label album called SOAR, which stands for Suffer, Overcome And Recover. Tell me about working with Dan Canniff?

He is the best producer I have ever worked with, hands down. He gave us breathers when we needed it, gave advice when we needed, stayed out of the way a lot and let us do our thing, which was amazing! We love Danny with all our hearts and can’t wait to do another record with him because we believe he saved our record, without him I don’t know how it would of turned out. He made sure our record sounded like we wanted it to and let our sound come through, he doesn’t care about what is hot right now and that is great about him.

Suffer Overcome and Recover… Tells us about the suffer, how you overcame and recovered?

Making a record with your close friends is a very daunting task because everyone has feelings and opinions, when these things are rejected in creativity you can take it very personally. Joey and I have been friends for a very long time and have been creating music since we met, we can still have problems when it comes to putting art and work together in a timely manner. So given the time and you feel you know what is best for the song but you are faced with band mates sometimes you have to stop and say hey “I don’t care about the music we are friends” and that is what “Suffer Overcome and Recover” means to us. Just how difficult it was and the pride that was swallowed, the effort that went into making those songs and the realization of Joey and I make better music together than we do apart.

We feel really good about this record and feel it’s the best record we have made so far, very proud and our friendship is stronger.

“Goodman” from the album “Time and Pressure” seemed to really put you guys on the map, how did feel when you realized your career hadn’t ended with EC? It was so vindicating to see people in the crowd singing the song, it was the breath of fresh air we needed! We had been working so hard to just stay happy, we had spent ten years working on something that was just gone and that was the hardest thing. There was nothing we could do about it, we could of gotten a new singer but it was time to try something new and we had been working on songs that I was singing on so we said it’s time for a new band with these songs, with me singing.

We signed with Dave Cash from Fat Lady Music and we started working on Devour the Day, after two months we had “Goodman” and the rest of the record done! And it was better than EC because it was closer to our hearts, it wasn’t influenced by anyone other than Joey and myself and that is important to us.

How was your tour with All That Remains?

It was heavy, the crowd responded to us really well and it was cool! We like riding that line between heavy and alterative, when we get asked to play a metal show so we will bring out a nine-song set of our heaviest.

How about you? Tell us something about Blake? Hobby? Habit?

I’m a movie nerd and I have to have something to watch before bed because I think too much and when I record music I think about movie trailers sometimes, as they are one minute of awesomeness! I love going to see a movie in the theater and everything that goes along with movies.

What Gear are you using?

PRS Paul Reed Smith guitars, funny story as to how that came about….

A guy named Rich Handen a rep for PRS came down to let us try out the guitars; a show with SevenDust but the show was cancelled! Rich told us to keep the guitars anyway, which was super nice. We took some acoustics guitars down to the beach that night and played for the people that were turned away, Rich was there also and we bounded.

Any Advice for other artists out there that haven’t found their prefect band yet?

There is a song by Incubus called “Make Yourself” and that song is very true to the way that the world is, people think that they can go on America Idol and impress the judges and then you have a career. That is just not it!! You have to work everyday at your craft, you have to build yourself, you have to record your own music, you have to pay your band and work together, you can not depend on someone to come in and give you a million dollars with a recording contract to let you see if you make it. It does not work like that. And if you have a problems with finding the right fit for a band there is always a kid in a garage somewhere that’s been playing everyday since he has five and will just come in there and mop the floor with everyone for free! He will just be stoked to be on stage.

I kicked it with the whole band after a brilliant show, they are all super nice! We talked about how much they really appreciate their fans, without you getting up and playing means nothing. Thank you.

I recommend going to a DTD show and getting your face rocked, pick up both their albums. Although the band says S.O.A.R is better I personally enjoy “Time and Pressure” just as much. Check out the video for “Lighting in the Sky” DTD worked with Max Moore and it has a lot of very cool affects in it.

Miranda Panda

Oni haling from Ontario, Canada’s played at the Viper Room on Sunset Blvd, LA. This is a very interesting band; even their name inspires curiosity. In Japanese folklore the Oni is a malevolent shape-shifting demon, spreading pain and misery. Thankfully they did not rain any on us that night, nothing but pure rock!

Vocalist Jake Oni formed Oni in 2014 and although they haven’t been around that long this band is very well put together and a band you should see live, their sound is among the genre of heavy metal bands such as Between

the Buried in Me, The Hero and The Human Abstract.

Martin Andres and Brandon White are Oni’s guitar players, Chase Bryant on bass and Joe Greulich on drums, they are also maybe the first metal band to feature a Xylo-synth player his name is John “D”, which adds an interesting and intriguing dynamic.

These guys take playing music seriously and make sure every show is their best, showing fans they care about them having a great time.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 33

34 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Mixi: This record, and you can tell based off before, my lyrics were a lot darker and I think it was just because of what I was going through and what life was like at the time.

I was in a dark place. And this record was set where perseverance came back. I could tell how I was feeling with the words…it was hopeful…kinda pulling the light from the dark. You can tell from the album artwork that we tried to embody that idea. A lot of people that listen to the music and people in general, that kind of music is special, when you have a negative thing happen in life. I just wanted to try to make that positive. Changing a negative into a positive was ultimately the goal in writing the record.

I noticed your words got a little lighter and the music

got a little heavier. That was kind of a really cool contrast.

Mixi: Yeah, I stopped screaming a lot. We changed the guitars...they’re a lot chunkier now. Everyone wants to make it as heavy as, but when I sing over it, it pops it up a little bit.

What was one of the funniest moments during the recording process?

Mixi: “Monster” was a very interesting recording. The first song we recorded - was like, “OK, big deal.” And trying to make I write a good song for this new label. Everybody’s counting on me. We went into this really weird studio…we only went in there one time…to start the song. You could

photo: Hristo Shindov

new album, “Never Alone”, tell us about the Your inspiration for the lyrics.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 35

“ We don’t plan on ever going home.

So I basically pay rent for my cat.” feel some weird energy in this place. That’s where “Monster” came from. It kinda pulled this beast outta me…lyrically. I don’t know…It could’ve been all the Monster Energy drinks I was drinking. Either that or something weird in that place just took over me.

Where did you record the rest of the album?

Mixi: A lot of it was done at Mitchell Marlow’s house. He was one of the producers; Pasadena and Northridge. So we just kinda went back and forth between them as far as the writing went. We did write with other writers. As a new band we tried to find people that maybe we would click with, but the people we wrote with, everything just flowed so we stuck with them.

Right now you’re currently on tour with Sick Puppies and Lacuna Coil. What’s it like sharing the stage with those guys? Have you played with them before?

Mixi: I’ve never played with Lacuna Coil. Sick Puppies is seriously the sweetest group of people in the whole world, they’ve been so nice. I just wish that they could tour with us forever. I’m probably going to cry at the end of this. I get really emotionally when a tour’s over. You build a family with people. We just connected from the beginning.

What are some of the things you have to have out on the road with you? What’s the one thing you can’t leave behind?

Mixi: I have to have tons and tons of honey and throat coat tea. Going to these places especially in the Spring you can catch colds pretty quick, you gotta make sure you’re not getting sick. A blanket and pillow; Ninja Turtle stuff.

How did you meet your band mates and got them involved?

Mixi: It’s a big city, but it’s a small town. Everybody kinda knows each other. We ended up just running into each other at bars and hanging out. Decker, the drummer, I met him at another music video that he was hired on for. We became friends and then later on ended up working together.

What kind of gear do the guys use to get their sound?

Mixi: The guitar players use ESP Guitars. They are like in love with those things. The bassist uses Ibanez. One of

36 36 Rock Rock N N Roll Roll Industries Industries Magazine Magazine

the guitarists has a Mesa Boogie Cab and the other guitarist has a Nesaboogie head, if they put it together they have a full Mesa Boogie. I use Shure everything. I just love Shure so much. We don’t have any deals or anything with them right now because they’re such a big company but I will not use anything else. It’s reliable.

When can we expect to see some music videos coming out from your new album?

Mixi: We just released “Monster” and I’m sure there will be a couple of more. This year, we don’t plan on ever going home. So I basically pay rent for my cat.

What made you decide to be a singer? How old were you when you started singing?

Mixi: I remember this one moment I was at my grandma’s house and I was really into the Little Mermaid at the time and I was singing Ariel’s song, “A Whole New World” I would go in her pool and go under the water and stay as long as I could under the water and then I’d come back up and sing it from the water. Anything I could sing to I would.

I didn’t take lessons for anything. It just kinda happened.

I picked up a guitar when I was 15. I started writing with that and I just realized I fell in love with the instrument and started writing songs. I didn’t want to be on stage in front of people, but knew that was part of it so I used to force myself to go to Open Mic Nights and play in front of people.

I started at the park so I would kind of be used to people hearing me play. I was really super nervous at first. Now it’s like second nature.

You have a new website, go ahead and give me all your social media breakdowns.

Mixi: www.stitchedupheart.org is the site and that has our Facebook, our Twitter, our Instagram, our Tinder {laughs} just kidding! Actually, some of the boys are on Tinder, girls.

We’re on all the sites like YouTube. So you can find us there.

What’s your personal favorite social media?

Mixi: Twitter’s cool because I can just send people like little messages, “Hey how are you doing?” I think Facebook is my favorite because family’s on it, people that I grew up with like from the beginning. I’m not very good at Instagram right now…I just put little pictures on there.

Mixi: No matter what you do in life, there’s always going to be people and things that are going to challenge you… things that will get in the way…roadblocks. You’re not going to have an easy path. Always do what you dream. Because no matter what, it’s going to be a struggle, never give up. The more you persist and the harder you work, it will pay off.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention for the interview? Anything I missed?

Mixi: The kitten rescue that we donate a percentage of our merchandise sales, it’s www.kittenrescue.org. The new record is the most important thing! We really put a lot of heart into it and we want the people that can hear to hear it.

You’ve got some awesome merch packets going out too. What do you got in all those?

Mixi: I think the shirts on there will exclusively be sold online. Maybe later down the road we’ll sell it. At this point, it’s only online. I’m really excited about this record and I want everybody to at least listen to it. It will be cool if they purchase it because it’s really important to us.

photo: Hristo Shindov

What would you say to aspiring artists that are coming up?

Rock Rock NN Roll Roll Industries Industries Magazine Magazine 37 37

Local Band Trying to Break into Mainstream Music Scene

By Peggy Murphy These days it is tough being a musician in a local band.

There are so many bands that are so good, that it is difficult for any of them to ‘get to the next level’. As an Internet Radio Presenter I know a lot of bands and I play the good ones often on my shows which air three days a week. Occasionally I encounter an exceptional band and when I do, I attempt to do whatever I can for them. Inside Riot, hailing from Redlands, California, is one such local band. The band members are from very different areas of the world including Chicago, Illinois, Cincinnati, Ohio, Portland, Oregon, California and Italy.

By Raquel Figlo

Megadeth shows was a sold out at the Hollywood Palladium, presented by SiriusXM. Joining Megadeth on stage was Havok, Children of Bodom and Suicidal Tendencies. Havok is a new thrash metal band out of Colorado, they opened up the show with Children of Bodon following, direct support- Suicidal Tendencies, known for their mix of punk and metal was the perfect fit to fire up the crowd and get them in a moshing frenzy! An added bonus to the Suicidal crew was legendary drummer Dave Lombardo!

Megadeth started off with the Threat is Real from their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia. There have been rave reviews coming from not only the metal community, but mainstream as well!

Dystopia has been placed number 3 on the Billboard Charts on their top 200 list. It is Megadeth back to their thrash roots and sounding better than ever! Kiko Loureiro of Angra and Tarja is the new lead guitarist, Chris Adler, of Lamb Of God on drums have satisfied the metal gods and completed Megadeth- where we once thought all was lost after the departure of Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover. The band seems happy and when they play on stage there is a synergy that cannot be duplicated. David Eleffson remains a master of the bass. In a previous interview I did with Dave Mustaine, he talks about how happy he is with his band, and it shows on stage. The set list was an excellent mix of classics like In my Darkest Hour, Trust and She Wolf. Halfway into their set they played my all time favorite song, Sweating Bullets from their highly successful album, Countdown to Extinction! Megadeth’s two hour set ended with David Ellefson icon riff for Holy Wars: The Punishment Due! It was an incredible night in metal! All the bands played their best and everyone left satisfied and wanting more! Make sure to look on the Megadeth website to see where the tour will end up in your neck of the woods and pick up the new album Dystopia available now from Universal Music.

This group is hard at it with shows both big and small in and around the Southern California area plus touring the mid-western United States. They have opened for Three Days Grace, Islander, Jack Russell’s Great White, Everclear, Smile Empty Soul, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Hunter Valentine (popular female band from Canada) since their inception at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day, 2013. They released their first studio album and music video in 2014. Inside Riot just completed studio recording for their new album that should be releasing soon. They are scheduled to travel to Chicago, Illinois and Cincinnati, Ohio in July, 2016 and will be playing with Eve 6 this September in Temecula.

Inside Riot won the Guitar Center Battle-of-the-Bands a while back. Fawn told me “winning the BOTB contest really set us on fire (locally speaking). It was a surreal moment and we didn’t have a clue that we would win.

We were a very new band and we just wanted to play our music live and loud.” She even did a stage dive that night.

They were flown out to Hawaii, put up in a hotel and then they opened for one of Fawn’s favorite bands, Everclear.

“Being backstage with the singer, Art was too cool. It was inspiring because he is just a seemingly normal guy, a family man trying to do his thing, just like our band is trying to do. Just like all of us local bands try to do.

Moments like these are the glimmers of light that tell you you’re on the right path.”

I asked Fawn what it was like to be a local musician trying to make it big in the music industry. To this she replied, “In rare, exceptional moments it is surreal and glamorous, but think of it as the coolest full-time job you’ve ever landed. You must be unconventional, unafraid, nonconforming, bold, and constantly evolving because being on the stage is only 5% of the journey. The other 95% is what people don’t see; it’s the blood, sweat and tears, the passion, the surviving, the enormous effort and the MUSIC that continues to fuel you.”

Inside Riot is: David Strickland – Vocals, Guitar. Fawn Nicole Baxter – Vocals, Guitar. Matt McKnight – Bass.

Robbie Lagumina – Percussion. Find them on the web at http://insideriotband.com, They’re worth checking out.

38 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Megadeth by Misael Ruiz, Inside Riot by, Peggy Murphy

Dystopia World Tour 2016: Megadeth, Hollywood Palladium

When asked what genre the band considered itself, Fawn Baxter, vocalist and guitarist replied, “Ha! That’s our hardest question! We’d like to say ‘Alternative Rock’ but that’s overly used and vague so we joke and say it’s something like Hard Rock with killer riffs, pop melodies, catchy harmonies with EDM (Electronic Dance Music) elements and Dance beats”. But to be more concise she added “Hard Rock EDM works, too”.

Find out more and Submit Your Music at www.creativedefensemusic.com

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 39

A Day To Remember Hosts Self Help Festival

by Brandon Stuhl

Over the last decade large music and cultural festivals have become the best way to see a number of your favorite bands. With the average ticket price at the larger venues for any single act and “convenience” fees further jacking up prices, the average concert-goer might as well take that same hard-earned cash and use it for Warped Tour, Knotfest, or Coachella. At least that way audience members are able to see a few bands together.

Enter Self Help Fest, now in it’s third year.

The whole thing kicked off at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino around 1pm, starting with One Ok Rock, from Japan. This 4-piece has been around for seven records, the most recent being 35XXXV (2014). They were one of the most entertaining bands on the line-up. For as pop-oriented as they are, they could definitely swing their axes, and get down-low gritty as they could jump high.

One Ok Rock was indicative of the general vibe at Self Help. While the metal core scene may not generally be characterized by “cheer,” everywhere you turned, you found celebration of diversity and the positive influence these bands have had on contemporary youth culture.

As in the previous two years, there were two stages– the Red (outdoor main stage), and Black (indoor 2nd stage). The Red stage had most of the action and sounded the best since it was outside.

Even for being exposed to the sun all day, the tarmac didn’t get all that hot.

The first band to take the Black stage was Night Verses. I’ll be looking to see them sometime again at a local club, because they are certainly dynamic. They can be delicate and intricate, then big and thrashy.

Tonight Alive, the outfit from down under certainly had a commanding presence on stage. They were probably the most traditional pop group at the festival with songs that fit right into the Radio Disney rotation. They had a visual aesthetic that might remind the moms and dads in the crowd of Missing Persons. While they may have stylistically contrasted rather starkly with the rest of the bands, the crowd was equally responsive. “We stand for personal freedom,” said front woman, Jenna McDougall, with her fist in the air, “Don’t let anyone tell you how to live your life, ladies.”

A few of the other bands on the Black stage were Cruel Hand, and Further Seems Forever, but it was Letlive that drew the largest crowd inside.

The band took the stage, and immediately front man, Jason Butler, hurled himself into the crowd.

Talk about high energy, if Ritalin was a band, it’d be Letlive. For previous bands inside the security crew put a lid on the crowd surfing, but it was inevitable with this group.

Back outside, Thy Art is Murder, Crown the Empire, Issues, and YelaWolf had come and gone. As 40 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

in tempo, colors surprisingly vibrant. At some point massive beach balls were tossed out to the crowd.

These guys know how to put on a show.

With songs like “All I Want” and “2nd Sucks,” it’s no wonder they have a wide following. These kids are battling discrimination and marginalization, and ADTR’s positive message has touched the hearts and minds of many kids. Front man Jeremy McKinnon addressed the crowd, “Each year it get’s bigger. There are seventeen thousand of you hear tonight. We can’t even see the back.” They played one last song before a break, then came back out for an encore, and they, too, dedicated a song to The Ghost Inside, “I Hate this Town.” Much to the joy of many of the more sentimental types in the crowd, they finished off the night with their acoustic song “I’m Already gone,” which segued into a big, anthemic chorus, and enough fireworks that would make any Springsteen fan happy.

They said their good byes and good nights, and as everyone walked back to their cars the house music came back on with a fitting tune, “Hakuna Matata.”

letlive

One OK Rock

August Burns Red

Lan Nguyen

A Day To Remember

soon as Crown the Empire started, almost everyone outside made a mad dash as they flocked toward the stage.

All day I had been asking people who they were most excited to see at the festival, and the overwhelming response was August Burns Red. Right out of the gate, Jake Luhrs growl called the mass of Self Help to attention, and the crowd responded in kind with fists in the air. And of course, it doesn’t get any more hardcore than guitarist JB Brubaker sporting flip flops and shredding on his lime green Ibanez RG. The band’s moto is “Angry music for happy people,” and that is definitely the best way to describe their live show, too. Later in the set Luhrs growled again into the mic, “No!” and the crowd responded, “Living in denial!” Positive vibes all around, even ending their set with “Ghost,” which they appropriately dedicated to the members of The Ghost Inside who are still in the process of recovering from a horrific automobile accident.

The day wore on, the Story So Far and The Wonder Years kept the momentum going, though it was clear many people were in need of a nap as groups started collecting around the pond and merch tables. Then, finally, the sun was gone, a chilly breeze had women hiding mid-drifts under big sweatshirts. The entire crowd was back on their feet and ready for Underoath.

After eight years, though, Underoath was ready to tear up the stage again, and they did not let their fans down. It’s as though someone flipped a switch and electricity started flowing through every person in the crowd. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a couple thousand volts arc to the stage, or vice versé. Wearing all jet black and looking like he came right out of the slums in Blade Runner, frontman Spencer Chamberlain addressed the crowd “Self Help, we are Underoath,” and the crowd cheered. “Let me tell you something,” Spencer continued, “We’re baaaaaack!”

After which they started up their most popular single, “Writing on the Wall.” I happened to be standing near the exit point for the crowd surfers after they’ve been pulled up by security. Twice I saw John Safari, head of the Orange County Music League, come through the gate drenched in sweat. I asked him about it later at a show in Santa Ana. “I couldn’t believe it,” he said, “I was so stoked to see them. Never got the chance before.

First time.”

The whole thing, however, led up to A Day to Remember, the creators of Self Help, and the festival’s headlining act. The photographers weren’t allowed into the pit until after the second song. ADTR went Kiss status and opened their show with a wall of flames. There’s nothing that says heavy rock more than pyro, power chords, and machine gun speed drum fills. These guys may have invited all the other bands, but it was clear who the stage belonged to. The massive “Self Help” banner that had been hanging behind the bands all day long was dropped, revealing a massive video screen. The lighting show was remarkable– all the cues were spot on, the strobes

SteevMoreno.com

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 41

By Billy Zee Muse celebrates more than 20 years together like free electrons feeling out the spheres. Alternative, Muse is becoming a household word. If you look without listening, you will see a band of gents who have raw talent married with imagination; a band who engages audience and technology; challenging the creativity of the crew too. This is a show of epic proportion from a band who is striving for superstardom. It took years for Muse to make waves on this continent, but the Drone Tour is a statement at over a year long and well over 100 dates. If you listen without looking, you will hear signals beyond normal saturation point; swells and currents; dangerous and dynamic. Floating like a drone - a puppet on strings; a world of unfamiliar grooves and pockets exploding into uncharted universes; dignified pop sounds often interrupted by precision blasts capable of dismantling superstructures.

It started getting deep early when the band connected to everyone’s wild side via ACDC and Rush riffs. Toronto wildly appreciated YYZed. Then the masterpiece Citizen Erased took hold of the crowd and by the time Handler started the audience, akin to the holograms, were puppets on strings. These hi tech videos and stage gimmicks’ design was simple and understated. Like Muse, whispers work as well as screams. The show continues to envelope the audience and crescendo into a hit after hit and an utterly supermassive experience.

Literally, Supermassive Black Hole was introduced by the Hendrix Voodoo Child riff. Black Holes and Revelations celebrates its tenth anniversary and is very much a fan favorite. The chants and sing-alongs grew until Starlight - A moment of oneness when the musicians silenced and the stadium was still booming with voices, “Our hopes and expectations - Black holes and revelations” - a very Pink Floydian slip as Storm’s album art reflects the theme. Alien invasion is upon us - Hullaballoons included.

42 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Igor Vidyashev

With eyes and ears all firing simultaneously, the unearthly spectacle is akin to an Orwellian Space Fantasy in which the Heroine and Hero pay the ultimate price to save our souls. These artists are dedicated in every way. They live for the fans and the fans for them. All are one and without all the parts, the sum is zero. This aspect lends cred to the gargantuan popularity and scale as well as street-smart-rockconcert-leading-edge-tech. heavily influenced by friends and former tour mates U2, it’s inevitable. Some say that the stage resembles their friends’ 360 tour stage. Dark and massive- stage in the round; catwalks reaching out to secret elevators, cameras, microphones and a grand piano; and somehow Matt would magically appear. Huge screens of robot faces staring blankly with icy cold glow; drones and space ships literally in your face; holograms inter-jamming with the band; hypnotizing optical illusions on translucent curtains; mystical, magical and unearthly. Dominic Howard’s kit is the centerpiece of the Tron-like revolving stage. Morgan Nicholls the touring keyboarder surfacing from time to time, nearby. In the midst of all the techno the guys in the band owned fans’ robot eyes. When Matt Bellamy got a little medieval on his guitar and Chris Wolstenholme swaggered around with the light-up bass, the crowd was a mass of followers.

By Peggy Murphy Great White’s classic sound and style are very recognizable so when the band starts playing it makes people sing along while wanting to get up and move to the beat. Great White always puts on a great show. Slaughter, the opening band for this particular evening and tour, helped to make this an unforgettable show experience with their energetic set.

Once GW hit the stage the enthusiastic fans crowded up closer to the stage front. There were people from all adult age groups, young and old alike pressing their way to the stage, many of them with cell phones in hand. It was good to see all those folks eager to be at the edge of the stage. It has to be reassuring for a band to see that much devotion from their fans even after 30+ years. The performance was seamless with each band member giving 110 percent of themselves to their performance.

Great White’s set list included some of their newer tunes as well as many of the tried-andtrue Great White Classic oldies like (in alphabetical order) All Over Now, Can’t Shake It, Desert Moon, House of Broken Love, (I’ve Got) Something For You, Mista Bone, Once Bitten Twice Shy, Rock Me, Save Your Love and Step On You. Great White played to a full house, inside the Eastside Cannery Casino and Hotel on Boulder Highway in the Sunrise Manor section of Las Vegas, close to Henderson, Nevada.

The Cannery is located on the site where Nevada Palace once stood before it closed in February of 2008.

You can find Great White on the web at OFFICIALGREATWHITE.COM for more information, concert and tour dates, CDs and merch.

was lucky enough see in Flint, Michigan at the World Famous Machine Shop.

The album “Polyester Zeal” makes you feel stuff deep down inside your toes, I can’t get enough of each and every song. Now saying that the live version is better!!

Miranda Panda

Red Sun Raising really are amazing live and I have been lucky enough to see their show more than once, brilliant every time!

If you haven’t heard of Red Sun Raising from Akron, Ohio by now you have been living under a rock as this band is blowing up! Their album “Polyester Zeal” plays host to two number one songs on the active rock charts, “The Otherside” and “Emotionless”.

They have been touring heavily along side bands such as Volbeat, Halestorm, Shinedown and PopEvil just to name a few, the band was also included on the “HardDrive Live Tour” with Sick Puppies, Stitched Up Heart and Hudson which I

Their set includes a cover of Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited”, singer Mike Protich’s voice easily pulls off the haunting sound needed for this song and is one of the best new front men I’ve seen this year. Mike has a classic rock feel to his singing and I want to take him to karaoke and have him sing some “Journey” or the theme song from the movie “Lost Boys”…. “Cry Little Sister”

by Gerard McMahon. Accompanied by guitarist Ryan Williams with modern guitar work and very original melody’s this is what rock is meant to sound like! Ryan’s teamwork with guitar player

Dave McGarry is tight and they clearly have a great bond, watching Dave switch from an acoustic guitar to electric and start jumping around during the performance of “Emotionless” is great show performance.

High-energy drum fills come from drummer Pat Gerasia that crowd pleaser Rick Miller on bass has a great time with him; they will have you hanging on every beat.

The over all stage presence of this band will stop you from heading to the bar for a other drink as you wont want to miss a lick, this band is entertaining and loves their fans. And guys, I’m sorry….. But this band is a panty dropper… Kaboom!

Rock N Roll RollIndustries IndustriesMagazine Magazine43 43

By Raquel Figlo

Iron Maiden’s “The Book of Souls World Tour” has been going strong, in support of their sixteenth studio album, The Book of Souls. The double album features more than 90 minutes of new material including the longest single track the band has ever recorded and has charted in the number one positions in multiple countries across the globe. On April 15th Iron Maiden invaded Inglewood’s Fabulous Forum with an elaborate stage that consisted of an ancient Mayan temple. The night kicked off with a strong intro of “If Eternity Should Fail” which set the mood for the rest of the night. The excitement was non-stop and filled with explosions of fire and Bruce Dickenson taking over the stage!

The day of the show started out with a parking lot tailgate party hosted by KLOS. The weather was nice and the fans were friendly. The fans who did not enjoy the tailgate party stood in line for more than three hours to get a good spot on the floor, since it was general admission seating. The time had come when the doors opened and the loyal fans rushed in to claim their spot. I chose to take a seat on the second floor but as close to the stage as possible. When I looked into the crowd from my second floor seat, I saw a plethora of cultures, men, woman, and children of all ages. It was a beautiful site and reminded me of the times I would go see Iron Maiden with my little brother who is not so little anymore.

Iron Maiden gave its legendary signal (UFO’s “Doctor Doctor” blaring from the speakers) that the communion was about to commence. The lights dimmed and a single spotlight cast on Bruce Dickenson who rose above a bubbling cauldron. Then the lights turned up and fire exploded from the stage!

In spite of his recent battle with throat cancer, Bruce was on fire and belted lyric after lyric with no hesitation at all! Iron Maiden pulled off a great show once again. They left the crowd begging for more. They wrapped up the show with their self-titled song, “Iron Maiden,” an alltime classic! And just when you thought it was over… Iron Maiden came in strong with a three song set that included fan favorites “ The Number of the Beast,” Blood Brothers,” and Wasted Years.”

Just like my family bonded over the Classic Iron Maiden years ago, Parents are bringing a new generation to their concerts proving no matter how old you are, Iron Maiden is a timeless, house hold name that can be shared by fans of all ages.

44 Rock Rock N N Roll Roll Industries Industries Magazine Magazine 44

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 45

Boats, Beers and Bands: Spring Break Lake Havasu Style!

T

here was fun in the sun over the weekend of April 23-25th as we travelled from near and far to ROCK Lake Havasu City, and get our Spring Break ON! With a line up of various bands and musical performances, delicious BBQ, a very lively group of partygoers, rock’n rollers and family friends, it promised to be a weekend to remember.

The party was graciously hosted by Ryan Dvorak & SLIDE ANCHOR, at 1771 Industrial Blvd., who opened his home’s, and even supplied an extra vacation rental for us. He also supplied the “boating needs” of all the musicians, and party goers, families and friends (that were interested) in fun and frolic on the beautiful, refreshingly cool, Lake Havasu. “Thanks AGAIN, Ryan!”

Our own Editor In Chief took the stage with his band Nomenclature with Mike Smothers (Guitar), Anthony Olivarez (Vocals), Ryan Westerlin (Drums), Travis Janssen (Bass), and last but not least Paul Rush (Guitar). They warmed up the crowd in true RNR fashion, and we expect nothing less from our fearless leader!

Up next was (another RNR family member) Michael G and his beautiful wife, Kimberly, who made the trek from New Mexico to grace the stage, and as always, they didn’t disappoint!

Jeremy Baxter and his two sons jumped up next and played a couple of alternative songs and although his boys weren’t old enough to truly experience “Spring Break” they were old enough to rock the stage!

Other OUTSTANDING artists to take the stage that evening were brothers, Phillip and Gonzo Sandovol, of Armored Saint, Matt Duncan, and Scott MacLaughlin od Dayzero to play a couple tunes.

“GREAT SCOTT’s!!!” 2 also ROCKED! Jim Maropolous (guitar), George Snyder (drums/vocal), Scott Smith,(bass/vocal), and Scott Stankis out front (lead vocals). They did some old favorites (Sabbath, Queensryche and kept the party rockin’, BIG TIME! George Snyder, who came to us all the way from Saratoga Spgs., NY for the weekend, stepped up from behind the drums for a truly great rendition of Udo Dirkschneider, while belting out “Balls To The Wall”… That was GREAT and my dear friend totally NAILED IT! Thank’s, Georgie! Before the night was over we had to have Gonzo up on the set so the band continued with Gonzo driving the kit!!

While I’m not trying to leave anyone unmentioned, if I have, my apologies to you and on behalf of everyone at RNR thank you SO MUCH!! There were so many people who were involved in the planning an event such as this one, so I wanna give a special shout out to Metal Babe, Tami Gould, and Boating Beauty, Bonnie Butterworth... Thank you so much for all that you are and all that you do, because it wouldn’t have worked without you!! To all who came out and pitched in to see this weekend happen, thank you!

Until the next time, Lake Havasu... You ROCK! Christa Dozier

46 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 47

W

hat happens when you get five of the greatest guitar players known to man on the same stage? You get the most incredible shredding you have ever seen and heard, you have to have endurance for this show and have the stomach for thrill riding.

When the show opens you have five guitar legends standing on stage, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi.

All five axe-wielders played their own 3-4 song set, along with a “baton handoff” piece where they were then joined by the next guitarist in line, no breaks were taken although out this three hour show and they all performed solos from very difficult songs with very little effort which was just amazing with an awesome backing band this show is making history.

Each one of these men of rock have defined their own style of playing which others now work from, they are the definite examples. The best parts of the show was when two or more of these styles from the artists were blended together to make magic, very flashy and something you would expect from these greats but to experience it is a whole level of wow!

One of the biggest highlights for me was Zakk

going out into the crowd, posing for selfies, head banging and never missing a note.

When all five members of this tour came together to preform covers such as Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” the stage became a platform for perfection and I have to give it up for Zakk’s vocals on Ozzy songs, on point!

It was a night of epic rock that won’t be matched anytime soon.

48 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Chevy Metal play Intimate show with Dave Grohl When I first heard that the band Chevy Metal would be playing Conejo Valley Days in Thousand Oaks, Ca., I knew it was an event I’d want to be at. The group is a side project of Taylor Hawkins, drummer of the Foo Fighters. They’re a power trio that play classic rock covers with an attitude- loud and rockin’. At that show the guys were joined by most of the Foo Fighters for what turned out to be a legendary show and a chance to see the guys on a small stage in an intimate atmosphere that usually plays stadiums and arenas.

Russ Allup

The weather was a typically perfect southern California day, sunny but not too hot, with a lazy breeze. As we entered and made our way to the area where the bands played, I was surprised at just how small this show was going to be. The area was a fenced off corral, with bales of hay in front of a small stage. At that point I was thinking that if lightning did indeed strike twice and Dave Grohl showed up to play a few songs with the band, this might be a show to remember.

The band that was playing when we entered the stage area was Charlie Overbey and the Broken Arrows, playing to about 50 people. They played solid country originals and were a good band, better that most of the same type bands you’d see at a county fair. I made my way forward and found a prime spot about three people back looking at the center of the stage. After Charlie Overbey finished, a couple of roadies started setting up gear for Chevy Metal. When I saw a roadie plug in what looked like the guitar that the Foo Fighters’ singer plays, my pulse started to pick up a little. I didn’t want to jinx the moment and get too hyped up over something that might not happen. I mean, why would most of the Foo Fighters play a county fair type event when usually they play for 20,000 people every night?

As Motley Crue’s ‘Dr. Feelgood’ blasted over the P.A., Chevy Metal walked

By Russ Allsup onstage and plugged in their guitars.

Then it happened- there was Dave Grohl with a big smile on his face, looking like he was ready to have some fun and play a backyard keg party. The crowd (all 120 or so of us) started going crazy. They came out firing with both barrels loaded, playing a dream set that started out fast and furious and didn’t let up over the course of a staggering 21 song set.

This did turn out to be one of those shows that you dream of, seeing one of your favorite bands (or most of it) in a small setting, playing songs from bands they loved for the best reason of all- just to have some fun!

From the first song, ‘Bitch’ by the Rolling Stones, it was obvious that these guys were on a mission- to have a blast, and take the crowd with them.

After their opening song, they tore through classic rock song after song with a reckless abandon that was about the pure joy of just rocking out.

This turned out to be a show that Foo Fighters fans dream of. At one point, they played 7 of the 11 songs from Van Halen’s first album, playing the entire first side of VH 1 in order, along with the VH classic ‘Panama’.

Other highlights included ‘All The Young Dudes’, ‘Fairies Wear Boots’, ‘The Wizard’, ‘Turning Japanese’ and many more. There was no agenda by the band other than to have a good time, with no rock star egos or big production. At one point near the end of their set, they invited a 10 year old boy to the stage to play drums on the Rolling Stones ‘Miss You’. At that point everyone had big smiles and it was more like a loose garage rehearsal than an actual show for an audience. This was a low key, high energy rock show the way everyone should experience it. It was one of those shows music fans dream of. The band- Drummer Taylor Hawkins, guitar/vocalists Dave Groh, Bassist/Vocalist Wiley Hidden and guitarist/vocalist Mick Murphy destroyed the small crowd that was there to witness history and to just rock out.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 49

50 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

ter known as Spider One) is easily recognizable with his bleached platinum, spiked hair.

When he steps on stage, along with the rest of the hired guns that make up the current iteration of PM5K, he definitely commands attention of the crowd. There was no denying the excitement as green lasers shot from the headstocks of the guitars and heavy power chords sliced through the air. Spider said hello to everyone, “Welcome to the basement party. Keep it down, mom’s trying to sleep upstairs.” It was awesome to see the smile on the faces of everyone in the crowd, which can be a rare sight at rock shows. Maybe it was nostalgia eighteen years in the making.

Or, maybe it’s the novelty of a big rock band in a basement club playing to the 100+ crowd, but this crowd needed to get away from the lower-middle-class concerns that have compartmentalized, and defined daily life. Along that sentiment, what better song for the crowd to sing along to than “Nobody’s Real”? The band delivered straight-forward, grade-A, American space rock that included a vamped funk and hip-hop inspired groove over which Spider repeated “We’re gonna bring it on back.” They finally wound their set to a close with a touching tribute to Bowie and the crowd was invited to sing along with “Space Oddity,” which then segued into “When Worlds Collide.”

Immediately after the PM5K stepped off the stage, the crowd started chanting “Hed-P-E, what!” It took a while for the crews to swap out PM5K’s big, intricate setup for HPE’s simplified, garage-band type rig.

However, as soon as they took the stage, there was no mistaking, these cats bring it.

Watching them do their thing in the low-light, intimate, but raw setting of The Underground basement felt similar to the way the 2am jazz jam sessions in the New York apartments in the 1930s had been described– intense.

Frontman Jared Gomes (aka, Jarhead), is every bit as vigorous live as he is on his records. The crowd was just as diverse, ridiculous, and engaging as the band. In front of me stood a clean-cut father with his t-shirt tucked into his jeans and his eleven year-old son still wearing his school uniform. Next to them was a psychobilly chick with a smoking gun tattoo on her shaved head wearing a napkin for a skirt. All three of them were dancing, hands in the air, cheerful smiles.

Lan Nguyen

T

he Santa Ana local music scene is booming, and it has certainly taken on a unique tenor around 4th Street in Downtown. Some larger spaces, such as The Yost Theater and Festival Hall, have reemerged. This last month Powerman 5000 and (Hed) Pe, veterans of late 90s heavy rock, jammed the hell out of a comically small stage hidden in a new venue called The Underground.

Just to the west of Diego’s Bar on 3rd Street is a lonely door, through which you’ll find a set of wooden stairs that lead down to The Underground. This is the kind of place you expect to see in one of those sci-fi fantasy crossover dramas from the early 2Ks. It’s a sprawling venue, with a long, colorful bar on the south wall, and there’s a single pool table in the farthest corner. The opening act for the night was Black Mirror. They had the kind of stage presence that’s right out of The Crow. Picture black, sun-faded black, and glossy black with filigrees of gothic inspired jewelry– the a-typical, classic goth. With a sound that rolls Rock City Morgue, Ministry, and Manson into one, they had all the bases covered. They performed Bowie’s “Scary Monsters,” much to the joy of a few in the crowd still hugging the walls or sitting down in booths.

Another round of beers, and the next band, Everybody Panic! was up. Their name suggests more popular influences, yet their sound is gritty in a way that, if you closed your eyes, you might think you were at a Type O Negative show. Patrick Nolan, guitarist for the band Haster, happened to be watching the set, and when I asked what he thought, he said simply, “I can’t figure them out.” Frontman. However, with a traditional four piece rock instrumentation, they were solid, grooving, and the bassist, Pat, got to put his hip-length dreads to good use with some old fashioned head-banging.

Depending on your age you may recall first hearing Powerman 5000’s “Drop the Bombshel” while cramped in your dorm room studying for midterms with MTV on in the background. Regardless, PM5K puts on a fun show whether it’s 1998, 2016, or a couple hundred years into mankind’s tenure of space travel. Mike Cummings (bet-

Misael Ruiz

Disturbed returned to their fans after a five-year new album since 2010 titled, Immortalized. Disone of those stops was The Observatory in Santa ahead of time, this was set to be an unforgettable sand Fists and came off strong, as their fans had vid Draiman did a great job of making fans raise ate, Inside the Fire, and Indestructible. Draiman lighters during the acoustic track Darkness and The Sound of Silence. It seems the crowd was parents were in attendance for the show. Disturbed song Down With the Sickness which is of course one that Disturbed has returned, they are more than ready

hiatus. Along with that, they brought their first turbed announced a short run of tour dates and Ana, California. With the show sold out months night! Disturbed started the show with Ten Thoubeen waiting for a long time for this moment. Datheir fists to songs like Stupify; Stricken, Liberwould also have fans hold up their phones and their haunting cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s having the time of their life and even Draiman’s finished the show with their certified-platinum of the biggest metal songs currently known. Now to once again spread the sickness!

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 51

By Alex Kluft Pink Floyd guitarist and singer David Gimour kicked off his “Rattle That Lock” tour at the Hollywood Bowl to sold out crowds. Gilmour played another L.A. show all together the show was 3 hours with a 15 minute intermission. The set list between the shows were the same but the visuals were different. With the Hollywood Bowl being an outdoor venue, the shell had images projected on it throughout the show and the Dark Side of the Moon Prism made of 3 spot lights around the entire venue.

David Crosby came as a special guest on the first night to sing “A Boat Lies Waiting,” “On An Island,” and “Comfortably Numb.” All 3 shows did not have an opening act.

The Forum show kicked off at 8:10 with the band simply walking out on a dark stage.

The first three songs of the night are the first three songs on Rattle That Lock, 5 A.M., Rattle That

Lock, and Faces of Stone. The first Pink Floyd song of the night was none other than “Wish You Were.” Set 1 was 11 songs and included “Money,” “Us and Them,” and “High Hopes.”

6 of the 8 songs in set 2 were Pink Floyd songs including “Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-IV),” “Fat Old Son,” “Sorrow,” and “Run Like Hell.” The visual effects were amazing and Gilmour now 70 is as great as ever. His voice and playing hasn’t changed a bit. This really is the concert of the year to go to. It felt like a Pink Floyd show of the 70’s with the big circle for the screen above the stage and lights effects.

On “Run Like Hell,” Gilmour and the band wore sunglasses. Gilmour came out for a 3 song encore after “Run Like Hell,” of “Time,” “Breathe,” and “Comfortably Numb.”

52 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Alex Kluft

David Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock Tour came to Chicago for 3 nights 2 at the United Center and one at the Auditorium Theater. Gilmour started the show with the first 3 songs of his new album Rattle That Lock which are “5 A.M.” “Rattle That Lock,” and “Faces of Stone.” Followed by Pink Floyd classic “Wish You Here.” If there’s one artist to see this year David Gilmour is the one to go see. The set included a mix of Pink Floyd classics and Gilmour’s solo songs. In total Gilmour performed 7 songs from the new album.

AMPLIFY YOUR ROAD TRIP WITH JUCY!

x4

SLEEPS FOUR

WWW.JUCYUSA.COM | 1800 650 4180 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 53

How did you get started?

"Originally I was painting Christmas ornaments as gifts.

It all started out of frustration because I could not find meaningful, personal gifts for family and friends. I began painting people's houses and pets. After the holiday season I said "well... that's over, what am I going to do now?" I decided to try painting glassware. Wine glasses, beer glasses, shot glasses and the rest is history.

"What I truly love about what I do is the reaction from my customers. My glasses are so custom, right down to attire. Each piece I create is a one of a kind keepsake, and the recipients are always so excited to receive them. I receive the nicest letters, reviews, photos from my clients" Wade continued Cyndie Wade did what any artist does, she kept on chasing her dreams all in the hopes of one day, "I received a phone call from Celebrity Connected, and was invited to be in one of their gift suites in Nashville," Wade said. My custom painted gifts were such a big hit, I was then invited to the gifting events for the Grammys and Emmys in LA. Since that call, her business has flourished. Cyndie's work has been featured on several television shows. Sons of Anarchy, Americal Idol, The Have and Have Nots, Y&R, Vanderpump Rules to name a few. As well as

54 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

the big screen...glasses for Kevin Hart and Ice Cube for "Ride Along 2", and most recently for the cast and crew of the Tupak Docudrama "All Eyez on me" premiering in November.

The Red Carpet has become a second home for the artist.

She's been honored to attend the Oscars, Emmys, Espys, AMAs and Grammy awards.

Cyndie doesn't only paint for celebrities. All of her customers receive the red carpet treatment with her art being shipped worldwide. Weddings are a big part of her business, custom bridesmaid and groomsman glasses.

She continues to custom paint Christmas ornaments for holiday gifting as well as several other custom painted items.

Cyndie is also a musician and has been performing professionally since the age of 15. She is lead singer in two bands located in upstate NY. SRO band, and Jane Doe. "I feel so blessed to be doing what I love. Music and art are my life, I truly love what I do".

For more information, you can visit her website www.cyndiewade.com Find her on Twitter and Instagram @cydwade

Chapters: Dallas, Ft Worth, Philadelphia, Chicago, Florida, Nashville and the UK www.ridefordime.org

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 55

Kenny Leath

by Kelly Koolstra-Aplin

‘Wow!’ I hear people complain about their little, small problems, ‘my friends blah, blah, blah,’ it’s like ‘so what’, you know. These kids, honestly, they are not guaranteed another day to wake up and yet they live their life to the fullest.

Would you say music plays a big part in their lives?

Absolutley yes, it is. And that’s why Kenny’s impressive resume includes when they come and live the dream, I Vans Warped Tour, Warped Roadies, take them up on the stage and I park Sag Aftra, Coachella, Stage Coach, them in a spot and the other kids that Nitro Circus and has also starred in are in wheelchairs too, I can’t help it, the movie ‘Have Love’, Will Travel I gotta put them up there.

(2007) and Broom (2006).

What advice could you give to anyone trying to get into the music He definitely lives an intriguing rock industry? n roll life that many would be jealHave thick skin. Don’t take everyous and envious of! He is known as backstage rock n roll royalty and has thing said to you personal. Learn to joke around because you know, just been recently nicknamed the ‘King of the Roadies’. He has rubbed some day’s you’ll be so bored, that’s gonna make your day, is when you shoulders and is highly respected by some of the biggest bands in the joke around with your work mates and stuff. Just gotta try and keep up, music industry. I can see why he is adored by his fellow peers, fans, and there’s days when you’re sore and tired and wish. Just wishing this was pretty much all the music industry a day off and it’s not, you just gotta that comes into contact with him. push.

You’re currently working at the Vans Warped Tour, but you also Whilst growing up, who were your do Nitrous Circus, Coachella favorite bands and why? and Stagecoach and starring in Led Zeppelin, that is my all time Warped Roadies. Not forgetting favorite band. The Rolling Stones, also an actor which is your favorite growing up. Jimi Hendrix. I have met and why? everyone from a-z probably that’s in I actually like the acting thing, doing the music industry now, but if I could auditions and stuff. That’s fun to me. ever meet Robert Plant. I would The other side of it, I mean it’s fun probably have a loss of words. And I when I work, but it’s work. It’s a lot don’t get that way, I have met movie of work. stars and everything and be like ‘Hey, what’s up? Hey how are you?’ but Over the years you have rubbed there’s a couple of them that I don’t shoulders and made friendships know what I would say. with some of the biggest names in the music industry, who are some What has been the most rewarding of your favourite’s and why? part of your career?

Oh I gotta tell ya, Zach Brown, he’s The most rewarding part of my career really awesome. He is so laid back, is helping out other guys that I have so cool, so non-assuming, just a real worked with, at other venues and cool soul. And, Dave Matthews is such. I’ve seen them and they have kinda on the same page. The funny talked to me and they have expart is he’ll walk up to anybody and pressed, how they want to go further be like ‘Hey’ and they’re just freaking and stuff, I’ve pulled a few through out like ‘Ahhh, it’s Dave Matthews!!’ the hoops and they haven’t let me You know, so guys like that are just down. It’s where I can tell which guys awesome dudes. I feel like they take that actually really want to be in this their music and everything seriously, business and so far probably about but they don’t take themselves seri97% on my pulls that I have helped on and they have helped themselves. ously. They have fun. Which is very I just put the foot in the door for them cool. and they took care of the rest.

Who do you admire and look up to What has been your greatest the most? achievement?

Honestly, out here and especially It’s still in the works right now. on this tour, you know we have the living the dream kids `you know, and Everyone kinda knows my story, you know, I ended up going to prison. I I look up to them because they are was caught up in drugs and a bunch not guaranteed another day on this of bullshit. Cos I thought I was going planet. And yet they’re here with all to be a professional drug dealer and their heart and soul, and they are so I paid the penalty, so I have finally absolutely loving every minute of got all the paperwork done, put it to their life which you know, when you see that, it just takes you away, like court, have a court date on Nov 6th

56 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

and I’m looking at a pardon for my stupidity. So that would be my greatest achievement.

That’s awesome. So getting to your tattoos now, How old were you when you got your very first piece of ink?

I think I was 18 and it was one that was done on my back. The one that no longer resides there. It’s been covered up, but I was 18 and I think my second one was probably when I was 20 and my third one was like at 22 and now all of a sudden I was 24.

I was doing them in a 2 year periods, starting kinda to link them together.

Then I had my little unfortunate deal when I got out of that and then it was just non-stop, I just started going crazy.

So, at the moment I can see you have lots of artwork on you, which one is your favorite?

Probably my wisdom owl under my neck and on the sides of my lower jaw. It was probably the most painful to date, but it’s a wisdom thing for me you know, trying to be smarter.

Do you have any future plans to get more?

Of course. Yes, it’s a sickness now.

I don’t drink or do drugs, so that’s kinda like my new little thing, but they are really painful and they really hurt me, I’m not trying to make myself cry.

Diego, Leo Vin Senor he works out in the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, Frank Lee- I found out he passed away and was very sad to hear that. He was a super cool dude. I wear a rose with a skull and cross bones in the dead center of it, that was his. That was kinda a personal thing. I had a guy give me a Frank Lee pin from when they had the funeral. I have these two pouches on my Harley and I have the pin on that.

After the Vans Warped Tour, what’s the next thing you are doing?

Well, what I have in the books right now in the month of October, I have 3 festivals that last a whole month.

One in Philly, one in Sacramento and the other in Kentucky. So they last around 9 days a piece.

Ok so it’s probably hard to answer, but which bands would make the Top 3 the most fun and entertaining to work with?

Toby Keith, he was amazing. I worked with Avenged Sevenfold, they were really awesome and I’ve done a few others that have been just as fun to work with.

Thank you Kenny so much for your time, I just want to let you know that everyone back in Australia thinks your an incredible humble man and everyone can see how much life and energy you have and you love your job.

Can you name a few of your artists Rock N Roll Industries would like to that have been doing your work?

A guy named Jason Selinas he’s out thank you. at Avalon in San Diego, Ronan HarKenny:Thank you very much. vey from King’s Head tattoo in San

Kelly Koolstra-Aplin

Kenny Leath, when you first lay eyes on him, you immediately think this dude is one badass heavily tattooed looking mother-fucker, that you seriously wouldn’t want to fuck with, but then you actually meet him and start chatting away and you instantly think this dude is one of the raddest guys you have ever met and that it feels like you have known him forever!

Alternative Rock By Parker Minor constructed in renovated lots of the downtown metropolitan areas, there is no other way to build but to build vertically. Nashville is quickly becoming a boom-town destination in the heart of the country. Studies show, a hotel room in Nashville officially costs more than an average hotel room in New York City.

With all of the music venues being constructed, and more planned on the way, Nashville is truly becoming a home for everyone to come visit and be a part of the music. LiveNation’s Ascend Amphitheater is amongst the newest of the ith Nashville hosting so many concerts, venues in the heart of downtown, located right music & entertainment shows, and espe- off of the river-front, making it Nashville’s most cially a city where rock & roll’s presence popular outdoor concert venue.. but don’t foris very noticed, the city’s upcoming communiget, there’s always the streets to play in right?? ties are seemingly based around the alternative In Nashville, it’s totally okay to throw a party in rock scene and trending fashions of Music City. the middle of the streets.. that’s why Broadway The alternative and active rock scene in Nash- is considered a venue, in itself, for special city ville has just as much of a presence as country occasions such as Nashville Predators Playoffs music does in the town. The music scene, in celebrations and New Years ‘Bash On Broadthe fast growing metropolis, is very diverse way’, nationally televised, guitar-drop coverin today’s modern times of the city compared age and music performances. This past 2016 to its past history. Tourism has picked up and New Years ‘Bash on Broadway’ consisted of population growth increases by the day, in Nashville’s very own alternative-rock headliner, Nashville, due to its unique atmosphere and Kings Of Leon. music scene. There are almost 100 people moving to Nashville every day, according to Don’t let all of those large venues confuse you studies performed by nashvillehomeviewer. though.. there is nothing like the smaller, more com, making the need for more living spaces intimate legendary venues in Nashville, such as and sky-rocketing property values. the Exit/In and Marathon Music Works. These Condos, apartments, and office high-rises are two highly sought out venues are ran by owner amidst the development currently in the Music Chris Cobb and Josh Billue, who do a phenomCity. With all of the prime real estate being con- enal job managing the rock clubs. The venues sumed in metropolitan Nashville, and a couple have been a hot topic issue in the city’s media due to larger corporations, such as LiveNation, of more future skyscrapers already being

W

So lets say you’ve written a song you’ve poured your heart and soul into, and the time has come take what you have written and record it.

A transformation will absolutely take place in this process that takes what you wrote on paper, and turns it into a sound recording. The genre will make a tremendous difference in the choices you make in the manifestation of your recorded music.

Be true to your vision and the

requesting to buy the venues out.

Cobb said, “I never did any of this to make money..

I still don’t. I just like it.” Cobb continued, “I like what I do. I have fun.. I enjoy it. I love the music.”After being offered a surreal amount of money

by LiveNation for the rock clubs, that’s when Cobb realized he did not want to sell at all. Live Nation’s interest and bid to the music venues led the club owners to the realization of how valuable the music scene is currently in Nashville, compared to years ago, and that there is no reason to sell at all. Rock n Roll’ lives!

or lower pithed, but, some times it is simply necessary to change keys mid song. In the genre of musicals this is quite common. In some metal, it is also prevalent. A key change, however, does not only pertain to vocals, it also pertains to the instrumental aspect of the song.

It is perfectly awesome to hear the bridge, or the guitar solo, or the outro in a key that is different than the key you started out in. It is a treat for the audience, and brings a fresh and newer quality to the song.

Experiment, explore and play with the idea of key changes. Be open to elaboration and expansion of your vision of the song you have written. Bear in mind, no matter what it is on paper, the end result must be a sound recording that sings to your listener. In other words, acknowledge that music truly is an art form that we relish in listening to. Your audience is not reading a book or a novel, your audience is being captured by sound. Allow your lyrics to be in harmony with emotional content and message your music, and keep the exciteof the song you wrote. However, ment and romance alive in your An alternative to a key change is be open to adjustment. Do not be song by being open to key changes, upset if some lyrics must be cut, in an introduction of an “accidental.”

Which is an exception to the rule. A or accidentals where appropriate. order to make for better and more great example is the children’s song It can be like the dash of cayenne concise musical phrasing. Do not be upset if an extra verse also has “pop goes the weasel.” The “pop,” is pepper in your dark chocolate bar to be cut and, or rearranged. If you on a F# (F sharp) note in the key of or dessert. May sound off, but is a C that the song is generally played unique and intriguing delight for the have a vocalist in mind, whether it in, a key that does not have sharps, senses, and makes for a wonderful is yourself or some one else, also nor flats. The sharp is an “acciden- marriage! be open to key changes. Bear in tal,” that certain brings a pop to an mind that different octaves of the

by Skye Delamey same key will sound higher pitched, otherwise more mundane tune.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 57

58 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 59

“I’m where I’m supposed to be, everything I’ve gone through has made me stronger.”

Brian “Head” Welch

By Angelica Ulloa

On May 17, 2016 Brian Head Welch released his new book With My Eyes Wide Open: Miracles and Mistakes on My Way Back to Korn. You don’t have to be religious or a Korn fan to identify with the struggles and situations that he encountered.

He shares some of his deepest thoughts and as a reader we can’t help, but sympathize with someone at his lowest holding on by a thread, and continues to persuade a better life regardless of how many slaps he gets throughout the road.

I couldn’t help, but stiffen and feel like my blood pressure went up as I read the book..

Brian shares his deepest struggles to help us understand why he made the decisions he madefrom Leaving Korn, to the moment that he comes back. The book isn’t about why he believes in God, it’s about guidance. In hopes to help others that have gone through similar situations of raising a child on their own and prioritizing the life of the child even though they have no idea if they’re doing it right. His love for his daughter was his sweetest motivation of leaving a world that he could have easily lost his life in, until he watches his daughter fall under similar footsteps as his in his past. There are people that used his belief in God to take advantage of him, and not once does he blame or question his faith, instead he continuously hangs on to his life by believing that it will all pass. This book is for everyone and anyone, especially for anyone that questions life itself at their lowest. This book is a great read, it’s a reminder of how fast we can lose all our success with simple bad decisions, but it’s also an inspiration and motivation to hold on to faith or whatever good is left around us to help us through the worse and darkest days, or in this case – years of our life. In this book we learn to never take life for granted, what we have today may not be with us tomorrow, but if there’s one thing for certain it’s that it can all pass; if we don’t give up on ourselves and the chances that may come knocking on our door. We thank Brian “Head” Welch for sitting down with us to share a few words on the making of this book. The book is available world wide and can be found at your nearest book store, or Amazon.com Tell us a little bit about the response you’ve been receiving after your release of your new book “With My Eyes Wide Open?”

It’s crazy because I did not seek this out, both books came from my management. They’re like, “You gotta write a book. There’s a lot of controversy about your decision to leave Korn. Now this book; there’s a lot of controversy surrounding your decision to come back to Korn. Explain your heart in it.” The idea to tell the story of the journey out of Korn and back into Korn- It was powerful. I’m very excited for people to read it. Sharing intimate things about my daughter.

Tell us a little bit 60 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

about how you were able to put that down on paper so beautifully?

Well, I had help. I actually turned the book in and they said, “Uh this is a good start, but this far from done. We need to get the story ark better.” And I was like, “What’s a story arc?” I guess it’s just the flow of the story and how this part goes into that part. This awesome woman, Carol Traver, helped me with the story arc. She helped a lot.”

Tell me about the moments of being a father while trying to be with Korn, then going through those situations and how you had to relate to help her and be a father at the same time?

It was definitely rough. To see my daughter go through the depression… some of the stuff I went through you know. All the fears that I had about my daughter going through with boys...drugs…. depression…all that…I pulled her out of that industry. I left that industry to be with her so next thing you know; I’m watching her go through it. I had to learn about tough love. And that was brutal. I found her some awesome counseling and she’s gotten way better. There’s some awesome people in our life that are just like family to us. It’s really beautiful to see where she’s come. It was hard to watch her break. I had to made decisions to watch her crumble I watched her get put back together too.

How would you say her perspective has changed?

She grew up, ya know? Her perspective is a lot more mature at 18. She’s still a teenager…she’s still my baby. From 13 and a half to 18…it’s a lot of growth. Her perspective still isn’t perfect… she’s still processing stuff. She felt like she had God pushed on her her whole life since she was 6. She wanted to figure out life by herself. When she got real mad at me, she didn’t want anything to do with God. Once she got broken she was like “I need God.” She decided that on her own, he wooed her to him. God is so gentle and just kind.

Maybe you’re doing the worst thing in your life and he’s just like, “I love you. Come to me.” That’s so awesome. So he wooed her.

Would you say that you both bonded a lot more now that she’s understood much more as a grown up 18 year old?

It’s so awesome right now. She’s a late bloomer with driving, so I’ve taught her to drive. She drove me from Indiana to Kentucky and back last weekend. I had to grab the wheel like 4 times.

There were some really close calls. We have a great relationship, we laugh and talk about things.

The place where she goes to school and their counseling helps us communicate because I’m not a good communicator.

Has she read the book?

Yeah she went over the book and had me take out a couple of things. It’s not the easiest thing to share as a teenager. She’s still processing all of that, but she knows it’s good to help people.

What would your advice be for those who are actually encountering money problems, to situations where they’re completely alone and they just want to kill themselves- to just give up?

That’s who I want to write this stuff for! How many times do you hear about people killing themselves because of financial? They lose everything and all the stress and I’m like… “No, you just gotta wait it out. Things come in waves here. The seasons of the climates are signs to us. Winter comes, but the sun shines again. I just want to encourage people where we have balance in this life…we have joy, then we have things we have to overcome…we’re given both to enjoy the happiness and perseverance to overcome.

Did you changed the names in the book?

I did. I also did an audio book. I read it, took me two weeks. It’s hard to read your own book. It gets intense. I can’t even believe I went through that.

What do you think would have happened to you if you didn’t have those royalty fees that came in at just the right moment? Worst case scenario?

I know enough people that know I have a good

heart so I think worst case scenario, I would have gone on a long vacation to my parents’ house. Or I would have called up one of these churches that I know and said, “Hey man, can you give me a job with a youth or do you know any other churches?

The people that believe in God and the other churches that you don’t know, how have they responded to you going back to Korn?

To be totally honest with you…right before this interview, I got a text from a friend of mine saying he couldn’t have me at his church this weekend because of me being in that band. And he had actually counseled me to go back to the band. So I don’t understand what’s going on.

That’s like the second one since my book came out. They haven’t read the book, I think they’re dealing with a lot of suicidal kids and I think they think the music that I play is hurting them, but I’m right in the middle of trying to get to those kids. If I’m not meant to be where I am, put me where I’m supposed to be. I’m where I’m supposed to be, everything I’ve gone through has made me stronger.

How have the rest of Korn members, responded to you coming back?

They’ve responded amazing. They’re happy for me. They’re my brothers and my family. They’re happy to see my daughter and I come through all of that. Jonathan read it just the other day and said, “I’m so proud of you.” They were really mad at me and pissed when I left. Everything came full circle.

Any advice for anyone that you’d like printed?

I just love you all. I’m telling you, a heart can change. Your life can change. You can be at peace and happy if you’re not. If you look at the biggest treasures on Earth, people have to go digging to find the diamonds and the most treasured things. God is like that- he’s the biggest treasure of all and he’s hidden, like those precious jewels. He says if you seek him, you’ll find him…if you desire him, he’ll desire you. It says in the Bible, “Come near to him and he’ll come near to you.” Give him a chance. And for those of you that don’t want it, that’s okay too…I’ve been where you’re at. When I got into Christianity, the media was trying to push good against evil and it’s like- we’re all broken humans on the planet. I don’t want that anymore. I want everyone to come together…positive things could happen.

TASCAM DR-05 This busy Rock N Roll journalist needs a recorder that I can whip out at any given rock show and for this I recommend the TASCAM DR-05.

The size and quality of this portable handheld, easy to use recorder also has a great price.

The DR-05 records in MP3 or WAV format and includes 24-bit/96kHz with high-resolution audio.

A built in microphone can record up to 125dB great for live performances as well as voice recording, you can also add your own microphone through the 1/8” stereo input.

from R&B, to all out heavy metal Pantera style, to country, ballad, beat box, and blues, brushes, funk, hip hop and even a oldies setting... Just with a basic knowledge of pedals, it’s really easy to switch through all of the settings on the Beat Buddy with your foot, you can switch through and select any of the Styles. You can change the tempo and you can change the song.. bpm ect.

When you’re ready to go to the chorus, simply tap the main pedal and it plays you to the chorus, then back on beat every time. You can accent with the left switch on the footswitch, or stop the drums instantly with the right switch, two taps on main switch- brings out the ending in said song.

Beat Buddy

What’s up ya’ll, today we’re going to be talking about the Beat Buddy Mini... now you can’t put your drummer on your pedal board, if you try - it may upset him, but you can; bring along the Beat Buddy Mini pedal that actually sits on your pedal board and takes care of all your drumming needs. Witchcraft you say no...The Beat Buddy Mini....

A simple to use pedal, the Beat Buddy comes in a silver well built, backlit display, single switch pedal form, but I was blessed with the foot switch that allows you to seamlessly toggle back and forth on the settings, tempo and time signature, the unit included a power supply- manual and footswitch cable. Each set bank has 4 separate drum beats for the same genre you have chosen. There really is something for everyone,

Another unique and really cool feature of the Beat Buddy Mini is the light’s change color when you’re ending a song, or going to a transition.

The yellow turns red.. Beat Buddy starts the song, it takes off with a drum intro also. It’s simple to use and would help anyone with their timing if you don’t play with a metronome, then you can’t know, you’re always on time. This is a lifesaver for that alone, I would have to give it a super good rating because this thing is just about as easy as can be and user-friendly as anything out there. So, if you’re looking for a new Drummer or simply want to get your licks tight- check out the Beat Buddy Mini and give it a try, it may be just what you’re looking for in a drummer that won’t eat all your food, steal your girlfriend, or trash your house...Again that’s the Beat Buddy Mini and tell them.”Michael G sent me!” Who knows, if enough of you call, they may give you a discount, or at least a sticker. Great job to the guys and girls over at Beat Buddy.

Michael G out...

5/5

Inside the guts of a DR-05 is a digital and analog circuit board built in separately to improve noise and further decreases hiss, power is sent to the A/D and D/A converter for even more perfect sound. All the power for this in your palm recorder weighing in at 4.1oz comes from two AA Batteries and will record for 17 hours, even in high quality recording settings.

I would also recommend the DR-05 to any musicians wanting to record their live versions of that album with easy play back, you can improve on your sound fast.

Simple to operate, you can quickly adjust levels and any other operations using just your thumb.

Using that same thumb to dig a bit deeper you can find features such as low cut filtering, chromatic tuner and more. The device also has peak reduction; in this setting it will automatically set your recording levels preventing distortion.

Overall I trust the DR-05 to record what I need when I need it, it fits in my camera bag and works great to improve the audio of my videos and more.

Miranda Panda 4.5/5 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 61

Drum

Corner

This lesson, we are digging in with a fun, but challenging rudiment that can spice up any groove...the 5 Stroke Roll. This is one of the first rudiments that I worked diligently on the practice pad with, eventually moving it on to various voices on the drum kit. I noticed immediately how this little 5 note grouping can completely change the sound, feel and overall energy of a pattern. When applied correctly, the 5 Stroke Roll will prove to be a powerful tool in your “bag of tricks”. It’s important to note that the 5 Stroke Roll was implemented as one of the 26 American Drum Rudiments and subsequently added as one of the 13 Essential Drum Rudiments by N.A.R.D. (National Association of Rudimental Drummers). In others words - it’s important to know and master this rudiment...it will only make playing drums that much more adventurous, productive and FUN!!!

To begin with, the 5 Stroke Roll is exactly what it says it is - a 5 note grouping. Stemming from a previously discussed rudiment, the Double Stroke Roll, the 5 Stroke Roll is a 5 note pattern played in a Right to Left or Left to Right passage utilizing a controlled bounce just as we do with the Double Stroke Roll. A simple way of looking at it on paper is as follows: 1 e & a 2 3 e & a 4 r r l l R l l r r L As you can see, in a standard 4/4 bar of music, you begin the roll with the right hand on “1” then

Check out our youtube @RockNRollIndustries for the video lesson

double the right hand with a bounce on “E’ of beat “1”. Next, on the “And” (or upbeat) of “1” you hit with your left hand then doubling it with a bounce of “A”. Finally, hit on the next down beat (which is beat #2) with a firm, louder single hit. Repeat this process by starting with your left hand. If you are new with this particular rudiment, I would highly suggest begin working on it with a practice pad. Dont worry about the tempo...just work on the physical structure of the pattern. Controlling the bounce is very important in making this pattern productive. There will be some cases that you might use your wrist more than a bounce when playing the 5 Stroke Roll on the drum kit, but always make it a priority to control the bounce. This will make for a smoother transition from the pad to the kit.

In my opinion, there are two sources on the drum kit that are easiest to apply the 5 Stroke Roll when first starting out. The snare drum and hi-hat. Simply, take the exercises you are doing on the practice pad and move them to the snare drum. Once you have a good grasp of the feel on a snare, then move to the hi-hat. The practice pad is offering you a “single source” surface....thus the snare and hi-hat are “single source” surfaces as well. Once comfortable playing on these two individual sources - start moving around a bit more and combine them.

Perhaps begin the roll on the hi-hat and end with the 5th stroke on the snare drum. Then play it

reversed...beginning on the snare and ending on the hi-hat. I personally love throwing in the 5 Stroke Roll on the hi-hat...the articulation is more dominant...and when applied while playing a basic hi-hat pattern, the groove is injected with a “spark”....very nice!!

Our Drum Fill of the Lesson and Practice Pad in 5 are all centered around the 5 Stroke Roll. It’s always nice to be able to read about new ideas, but I much prefer to SEE and HEAR something new in action. So, I urge you to check out the accompanying video on the official Rock N Roll Industries Magazine YouTube page...lots of cool and fun playing showing you how to apply this important rudiment in your playing!

Friends, until next time - practice hard...be persistent...and HAVE FUN! -Sulli thedrumcorner@gmail.com

What’s up y’all and welcome to another installation of music with Michael G ...

Today were going to be talking about easy ways to take care of your guitar and keep you sounding great! One of the simplest things to start with the strings, you can decide how long you want to leave your strings on your guitar but usually if you play a lot it’s a good bet to change them every couple weeks, I know people who change them on a daily basis but if you don’t play constantly that’s just a waste. One way to tell if your strings are dead is to try and play harmonics on them and listen to how well the harmonics ring through, dead strings don’t ring! If you have to tune every song that’s probably a good bet that you need new strings.

I constantly get asked by students how to stop that buzzing sound or crackling sound it comes out of the amp? Most of time this is a cheap cord or the wiring has become dirty or come loose, both are simple fixes easy to get done. Sometimes if you have a single coil pickups like a Stratocaster the single coils Buzz that’s why a humbucker pickup is called a humbucker it is because it bucks the humm out of it! By stacking two pickups together they figured out how to cancel the humm, so if you heard annoying pops clicks or hiss show up, check your cable first, if it’s not 62 62 Rock Rock N N Roll Roll Industries Industries Magazine Magazine

there continue down the line, next try to turn the volume of the guitar up and down on your volume knob, If you hear a scratching sound you need to clean the potentiometers, this is also super easy, just takes you taking part of your guitar apart and spraying electrical components with some electrical cleaner, while moving the potentiometer another easy simple job! Sometimes while recording I’ve had to use a power conditioner to clean up the power because the power will actually give off a humming sound! Next in line would be your pedals, check wires, power supply, cables, one little cable unplugged can ruin a show, trust me I know all too well! Many times you can use the electrical cleaner on your amp, but don’t dig so far you void any warranty remember we are doing simple maintenance for your guitar now and then when we’re ready to go! New strings, cable’s checked, pedals ready, amp roaring, power all cleaned up & ready to go out on Saturday night & rock the town! My question for you now rockers is, ‘What are you going to do with it? Now that the power is in your hands!’ Once again this is Michael G saying keep your strings clean and your riffs mean!!! Michael G out.

Independent Spotlight: LUNAR ROGUE

By Peggy Murphy

A

Peggy Murphy

s an internet radio show host who focuses on playing bands that are not signed to a major label I have heard many thousands of these bands over the years. From time to time I stumble upon a band that stands out, as though it were a highly polished gem. In this case the gem would be a well-practiced, tight and professional group of musicians. This doesn’t happen very often so when it does I like to let the band know that I think they have something very special going on. Recently, I decided to feature some of these bands in Rock N Roll Industries Magazine in order to introduce them to the readers.

This will increase awareness of the bands and allow you, the music lover, to have a chance to experience these talented people before they become well-known.

With all that said, please allow me to introduce Lunar Rogue.

Hailing from the Los Angeles area this group was formed in 2011 by singer/songwriter Julia Dettwiler.

Having gone through several line-

up changes since then the current members are Julia Dettwiler – Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar, Jim Briggs – Rhythm Guitar, Rozz Osborn – Drums, Mark Owen - Lead/Rhythm Guitar and Luis Murillo – Bass.

This incredibly well-balanced group has several accomplishments under their belt that includes headlining a benefit show for the Infinite Hero Foundation (www. infinitehero.org) at the Hard Rock Café Las Vegas in June 2015 and winning Hollywood’s ‘Howl at the Moon’ Battle of the Bands in September 2015. Their original Christmas song entitled “Christmas Is Coming” was chosen for Radio KSCR’s compilation called Screw The Holidays Vol. 1 in December 2015 and Lunar Rogue was voted “Top Band of All Time” by Spiderwebradio’s listeners putting the band ahead of Def Leppard, 3 Doors Down, Shinedown, Heart, ELO, Eric Clapton and many other main stream artists. SWR recognized the band’s debut CD

as having produced several #1 hits and having a song in their Top 15 every week for nearly 3 years.

They also pointed out that LR had out-performed all their main stream bands and congratulated them, adding “…a band of this talent and drive only comes around once in a decade”. Music from Lunar Rogue is in heavy rotation in the 2 previously mentioned radio stations as well as Indie104.com and the 365 Radio Network just to mention a few. All these things listed happened during 2015. There are many more milestones from previous years.

As stated in the band’s facebook page bio, “Each member’s unique musical background plays a role

in defining the band’s sound – one that can only be described as no less than kick-ass rock n’ roll.

Influences come from all genres of music ranging from metal to blues; but classic rock, hard rock, and alternative styles are the foundations of the band’s unique sound. Lunar Rogue brings an old school songwriter’s approach to its music, giving audiences a dynamic experience that combines riveting musical performances with songs that express emotions from anger and heartbreak to excitement and euphoria.”

Lunar Rogue may be found on the internet at www.lunarrogueband. com

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 63

CD Reviews Gore

Deftones Score 10 of 10

“Gore”, Deftones’ eighth studio album is a calm reassurance that the band has not deviated from their style of music, yet despite their established position as the metal band we have known and loved over the course of 20 plus years, still manage to astonish. The album has been beautifully crafted leaving you with a sense of intimacy and eager to experience live; an exceptional addition to their discography collection. Every song on the album has been gracefully engineered to compliment the band member’s artistry without empowering one another, you will not

SKUMLOVE

Genre (s): CYBER PUNK, ROCK, METAL, INDUSTRIAL Band Members:

SKUM LOVE- VOCALS, ELECTRONICS,RING LEADER ROBYN SIN GUITARS DB- BASS, BACKING VOCALS GARRISON- GUITARS RATTAN- DRUMS Featuring Tommy Victor, Tony Campos, Burton C. Bell, Dino Cazares and Marc Thwaite

resist closing your eyes and groove to the beat. Just as what they’ve put together in the past, you will discover melodies that cannot possibly exhaust the ears. In my humble opinion, and I think many would agree, Deftones is one of the most admirable, poetically put-together, experimental metal bands of all time, not selling out to mainstream and always making it feel personal with the fan base they’ve built throughout their career.

Bravo Deftones! I look forward to their next album and the next.

Sinister Minister

I love listening to bands I haven’t herd of before and SKUMLOVE is one of them...

shout out to Mr. Bill Metoyer, his metal magical touch is legionary to this album...

To find out a gent by the name of Skum and his band SKUMLOVE have a new album that came out on 6/6/2016 named SINISTER MININSTER; to be exact- a record release party is planned to be held at the Whisky in Hollywood on 6/6/2016 @ 7pm, so, catch it if you can!

Favorite tracks are; #8 The Infected and #9 Know your Enemy

SKUMLOVE”s SINISTER MINISTER album, featuring special guests Burton C Bell (Fear Factory), Dino Cazares (Fear Factory), Tommy Victor (Prong), Tony Campos (Ministry, Fear Factory), Mark Gemini Thwaite (Mission UK, Peter Murphy) and produced by Roman Marisak and mastered by Bill Metoyer. A

The remix idea is interesting, five remixes!

Stitched Up Heart Score 9 of 10

by: Cyndy V. Lazalde

Never Alone Los Angeles based Hard Rockers, Stitched Up Heart have teamed up with Another Century to release their ‘must have’ album that has the potential to make this quartet well known world-wide.

The album starts off with “Finally Free”, a dynamic tune recorded by producer Mitch Marlow and captured on video by director Ron Underwood. Before the track ends you are aware that this vocalist has one of the most beautiful voices in rock today. There is so much feeling in the presentation of the lyrics and their meaning in every track that you can’t help but feel what was felt when the songs were written. As “Monster” slowly fades in, you begin to experience the darker side of Mixi. The angry vocals grab your attention until you’re transfixed, then slowly release you from their hold with a soft, sweet heavenly sound that soon gives way to the anger again.

“Catch Me When I Fall” draws you in to a helpless, pleading cry for help. “Event Horizon” is another track that showcases the dynamics of Mixi’s vocals. “It’s So Easy” is how we all wish every relationship could end. Brilliant concept!

“Never Alone” is a sad yet up-lifting song of

Genre (s): Alternative metal, Experimental rock, Space rock Band Members:

Abe Cunningham − drums Stephen Carpenter − guitar Frank Delgado − samples, keyboards Chino Moreno − vocals, guitar Sergio Vega − bass

by: Daniel Hicks

Score 9 of 10

Track #6 Love Scars smooth’s out to a great ballad and adds a nice contrast to this album.

Track #7 Disease, and track #10 Son of a Gun are mosh pit ready, love it...

Track #11 Darling Lil Devil MGT REMIX sounds great and is my favorite out of all the remixes. Over all, SKUM, you did a great job on this album. ROCK!

by: Peggy Murphy hope where “Now That You’re Gone” leaves behind a feeling of desolation. The upbeat feel of “Turn You On” brings you back up from the previous tune’s low swing with vocal mood swings that stimulate emotions. Dynamics return in full force with “Bleeding Out” which addresses subject matter that is far too familiar in our society. Physical abuse is never okay. The entire CD keeps you on a constant emotional roller coaster that you wish would never end.

I listened to this album repeatedly and heard devilishly-angelic vocals that were dynamic yet well controlled. Pitch and volume changes seemed effortless. The accompanying instrumentation was flawlessly well executed, perfectly complimenting the broad range of sounds Mixi uses throughout the album.

Out of a possible 10, I gave Stitched Up Heart’s “Never Alone” a 9. This band is going to go right to the top with this release.

Never Alone is the group’s sophomore release and the debut with Another Century Records, a division of Century Label Group, released on June 17, 2016. Their first album was a self-released EP entitled ‘Skeleton Key’ released in 2015.

Genre (s): Rock Band Members:

Vocals – Alecia “Mixi” Demner Guitar – Merrit Alfero Bass – Randy Mathias Drums – James Decker

Want to see your band here? Submit your digital press kit to review@rocknrollindustries.com or mail one to the main office.

64 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

(not all media will get reviewed)

Russ Hewitt

Cielo Nocturno

Score 9.5 of 10

by: Arthur Gonzales

Genre (s): Smooth Jazz/ Nuevo Flamenco

Russ Hewitt stands along side the great Texas guitarists. People like Eric Johnson, Billy Gibbons, and the late legends such as Stevie Ray Vaughn & Dimebag Darrell have all been known for their distinctive marks left in the music industry & also on the world.

How does Russ Hewitt fit in there with this amazing bunch? We can start with the fact that he comes from the great city of Dallas but also was known as the last guitarist to play with Rex & Vinnie together after the world loss Dimebag. Respectively, there are a couple of videos on YouTube that give a glimpse into a wild new years show titled, “Pantera Reunited.”

That gives you an idea of the skill levels his standards have always been held at with all the greatest respects to Dime for blazing that trail there.

never too much going on that could overwhelm the average listener but still always delivering the goods for listeners who would pick every note apart.

tually lead him to search his soul for something to express himself on a different level. He later found himself on a whole new level spiritually and with a new frame of mind & hard work he developed a very unique jazzy style. Centered around Nuevo Flamenco he brought on a whole new world of music that opened doors for him & took him down different avenues of his musical journey. Having had charted success with his first two releases with Bajo el Sol & Alma Vieja, the limits were wiped away fast. He made the ballot in five Grammy categories, won five Telly awards as well as landing on award winning movie soundtracks.

Russ Hewitt is in a league of his own. Blending traditional styles with modern flare certainly puts you on the edge of your Mastered by Chris Bellman (Van seat. Now where you think it couldn’t get much better comes Halen, Stevie Wonder, Michael the uncompromising majesty of “Persian Sky” with Ardeshir Jackson, Elton John) Farah. It opens with an amazing display of fretwork that will leave the most advanced players with their jaws on the floor.

The memorable melodies & addictive percussive work makes it feel huge. This is where most albums are winding down & Russ is not holding back. There’s a showmanship that develops mentally & you can almost see the performance.

Band Members: Russ Hewitt - Guitars Here’s an unusual surprise for all of those guitar-a-holics out Larry Carlton - Guitar there, Larry Carlton joins Russ on this album! Not only is his Ardeshir Farah - Guitar (Strunz masterful work on “North of Home” but for the first time in & Farah) over two decades, he’s not playing his signature 335 but has returned to a nylon string for this. The return is not disappoint- Walfredo Reyes Jr. - Drums (Santana, Steve Winwood, Chicago) ing in the slightest. Trading cascading solos to a point where I really didn’t want the song to end! Both gave an amazingly Raphael Padilla - Percussionist different feel to the sound & took the album to a very cool (Miami Sound Machine, Shakira) turning point.

Bob Parr - Bass (Cher, Brain Setzer Orchestra, Barry White) Songs like, “Arenas Blancas”, “Cervezas and Cigars” continue Alfredo Caceres - Guitar (Gipsy with this new found direction & offer a very cool view of flash & substance. I couldn’t help but actually out loud say, “WOW!” King All-Stars, Hamed Nikpay) Vladimir Kaliazine - Accordion That happened a few times & I was more than pleased to Over the years he was in and out of rock/metal bands & even- play them again. The next few songs remind you as to why (International Recording Artist)

With his latest release, Cielo Nocturno, he’s once again pushed new boundaries & without compromise to the integrity to his established sound. The hot spots start from the opener, “Presidio.” It leans into a very feel good vibe with an open airiness to the song. The percussion holds down the groove very nicely & makes you feel like getting up to move. There’s no shortage on guitar technique or bit of shred if that’s what you’re into. At that 3:12 mark he gives you a taste of why he’s a master at his craft. “Samba Sao Paulo” & “Serenidad” bring you to a nice place within the recordings. The addition of Alfredo Caceres on rhythm guitar to accompany Russ is perfect match. With parts sometimes countering one another, there’s

The last song, “Hike to La Cruz” is a smooth ending with a very complimentary bass line. It doesn’t bring you down at all.

It’s most certainly an extension of the songs that have come before it. It’s the perfect song to top off the mixture of songs with a flavor of a bit of each. It ties them together in a way that will put a smile on your face. With all of the success Russ Hewitt has had as a solo artist & earned respect from peers of many genres of music it’s easy to see as to why he’s in high demand & as to why he’s so different from other Texas artists. It’s going to great to see this album rise to the top of the charts along with his first two outings & see where it lands in the hearts of musicians everywhere.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 65

Let’s Go!! Speed and Attack are two things that define the meaning of the metal genre. In order to learn to play fast we’re going to have to learn to count to 4.

While this seems simple enough we’re going to be breaking our four beats into groups of beats known as eighth notes and sixteenth notes. In exercise number 1’s first measure, we are going to count the beats “one and two and three ee and uh four ee and uh”. Measure two’s beat one and two will start the same but beats three and four will gallup “three-eeand, four-ee-and”. Repeat the exercise until the right hand has developed some level of speed and accuracy while forcing the blood in the upper forearm to become pumped up and ready to rock. This month I wanted to bring in some sweep picking that builds first on three strings and gradually moves to four and then five strings then including alternate positions. The first chord that we’ll be focusing on is the G Major chord (GBD) [root, 3rd, perfect 5th]. Trying these shapes while developing could sound a bit clunky, but once you get the correct finger position and a concept of downstroking on the way down and upstroking on the way up the wrist will start to loosen up and flow while becoming less abrasive. Most of the arpeggio examples are using a triplet feel, so if you wanted to count “one tri-plet, two tri-plet, three tri-plet, four tri-plet” to grab the rhythm, that should help. Since the G chord remains the same for the first four examples, try to identify the notes by name as you figure them out and then break down the interval structure. Which one is G? Which one is B? Which one is D? This should also be done with the A minor chord exercises (ACE) [Root, minor 3rd, perfect 5th]. The final sweep picking exercise this month is based off of the chord progression C Am Em G. If you use the Nashville Number System or Roman Numerals to identify to chords, your progression in the Key of C would be I vi iii V. The uppercase Roman numerals refer to the major chords and the undercase Roman numerals refer to the minor chords. When I first started playing metal I learned how to play faster by using a speed pick. The pick looked like it had been melted so that when you tilted it at a normal angle, the nose of the pick would cross the strings at a perfect angle that was flush with the strings creating the ability to alternate pick at a very rapid pace. It was a bit of a gimmick, but it worked.

My right hand became so much faster than my left hand that I ultimately had to do single string exercises with my left hand until the left hand was able to catch up. Let’s start getting warmed up to this idea by using a three finger pull-off from C to B to A using the pinkie, ring and index on string one (closest to the floor). You can choose to pick the first note of the pull-off or if you have a strong enough hammer from the A back to the C then ultimately, you don’t have to bother picking at all. Simply keep the pull-offs repeating endlessly until your forearm cramps up or you feel you’re ready to attack the next heavier gauge string. Our first example of this is going to pull-off using the same finger pattern from string 1 to string 6. In the second example we’re going to change the finger pattern to index, middle and pinkie and do a series of hammer-ons moving in the opposite direction from string 6 down to string 1. If you’ve followed any of my other columns, I like to take my scales and work in both descending and ascending in groups of 3 and 4. While this finger placement doesn’t necessarily follow any one particular scale, it certainly helps develop speed and muscle memory. It also eliminates the idea that you have to memorize a series of notes or intervals so you can really get focused on the concept of shredding. That’s it for this month!! If you have any questions or would like to book lessons with me, you can find me at http://www. takelessons.com/with/Jason-M. 66 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 67

68 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 69