STEAM Magazine South Texas Entertainment Art Music volume 7 issue 8 November 2018

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November 2018 VOL.7 ISS.8 #80

314 E AVENUE G, PORT ARANSAS 361-290-7143

2 NEW MOVIES & MUSIC 4 COMICS 5 QUICK READ 6 ALBUM COVER OF THE MONTH 7 CD REVIEWS 8 KIT GUTHERZ & THE ARANSAS PASS MUSIC EMPORIUM 10 NOEL STEPHENSO N: PAINTING THE OCEAN 13 BOOK AND PROD UCT REVIEW 14 FANTASTIC NEGRITO 15 TRAVIS PARKER 16 B RAN DON MI C HAEL 18 DEBBIE NOBEL: AROUND TOWN 19 STEAM MAGAZINE GUITAR 2018 PUBLISHER RUSTY HICKS EDITOR TAMMA HICKS COMICS EDITOR ALLENE HICKS STAFF WRITERS STEVE GOLDSTEIN, TAMMA HICKS, RUSTY HICKS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS ALLENE HICKS, RUSTY HICKS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS J MICHAEL DOLAN, DEREK SIGNORE, ROB DICKENS, RICK J BOWEN, DEBBIE NOBEL Alternative Weekly Network

ON THE COVER...

MAN OF WAR

BY NOEL STEPHENSON

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STEAM Magazine is published monthly by STEAM Magazine, South Texas Entertainment Art Music, in Corpus Christi, TX. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Views expressed within are solely the authors and not of STEAM Magazine. Typographical, photographic, and printing errors are unintentional and subject to correction. Please direct all inquiries to: submissions@steamtx.com

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Faking it!

J. Michael Dolan “I would hate to think I would ever be in a position where I’m faking it to get a paycheck.”—Trent Reznor “Truth” is by far the most magnetic and attractive attribute we can express. And we all crave it like a drug. Especially during these crazy “point-the-finger” days when everything is so transparent, making it clearly obvious who’s trustworthy and who’s shady.

If you express the truth in your art, music, marketing, writing, acting, performing, life, etc. your fans, clients and customers will follow you, support your mission and join your tribe. If you try to “hype it” they’ll see through your ballyhoo like Superman sees through brick walls.

Important because I’ve said this before: every choice we make, every step we take and every bond we break triggers a series of extraordinary circumstances that will ultimately determine our destiny.

This Uncertain Hour J. Michael Dolan The biggest challenge for artists & treps is “uncertainty.”

Go ahead and plan, meet, huddle, brainstorm, scheme and strategize all you want. In the daily lives of pro artists & treps, uncertainty still rules the roost! It causes smart business owners to have sleepless nights; talented, genius artists to self-medicate and seasoned professionals who stand in front of cameras, behind mics and on podiums to have upset stomachs.

Others wake up in the morning into certainty; a start time, an end time and a paycheck. However, when an artist or entrepreneur wakes up in the morning, uncertainty is sitting impatiently at the foot of the bed with a list of unfinished works and unsolved mysteries…that only creativity can solve. And you can forget the certainty of a paycheck!

Certainty is safe and dependable.

Uncertainty is risky and speculative.

Certainty makes folks feel comfortable.

Uncertainty makes folks squirm a little.

Bottom of the 9th J. Michael Dolan Whatever resolutions, promises or plans we made at the beginning of this year, we are now, very quickly, approaching the end of our 2018 season. Did you knock the ball out of the park or are you standing at home plate, in the bottom of the 9th with two outs?

Important because there is one thing you can do right now that could make all the difference as you put the finishing touches on the final two-months of 2018 and boldly head off into the uncharted waters of 2019: In the deep silent privacy of your own soul, remind yourself what it is you really want. Remind yourself what truly matters. Remind yourself what your biggest most important dream is and refocus on the ultimate vision you foresee in your future. Then ask yourself, “What am I really committed to?”

Certainty is limited to those options that are certain.

Uncertainty includes ALL possibilities.

The capricious works of Uncertainty will keep fans, clients and customers curious and coming back for more.

The predictability of Certainty will bore fans, clients and customers into moving on…in search of uncertainty.

So much we can learn from Uncertainty So much we already know about Certainty.

Important because the truly committed artist and the most successful entrepreneur live in a perpetual state of uncertainty. No wonder they’re always a little edgy, no wonder they have quirky personalities, no wonder they rarely have time, and no wonder everyone loves them.

WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET NOVEMBER 2018 STEAM MAGAZINE 5

The big man from Mississippi initially found early success in Memphis on Sam Phillips’ legendary Sun Records before heading north to the Windy City and the big time. Coming from dire poverty, and never one to embrace the trappings of stardom, Howlin’ Wolf not only became financially stable, he was also in a position to pay his pick of backup musicians what they were worth, including a health insurance plan. When his own health started declining in the late 1960’s, Howlin’ Wolf had to cut back on his work load. In 1976, at age 65, Wolf died from complications associated with kidney surgery. Norman Dayron was a producer for Chess Records in Chicago. This was the blues label that brought the world Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Willie Dixon, Albert King, Chuck Berry, and one of the original crafters of the Chicago blues sound; Chester Burnett, a.k.a. Howlin' Wolf. Dayron ran into Eric Clapton and asked him if he’d like to make a record with Wolf. Clapton put out the call and brought in a few of his heavyweight friends. They all convened at Olympic Sound Studios in London, and the result is a classic blues album with probably the greatest backup band ever; Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Hubert Sumlin, Jeffrey Carp and Ian Stewart, with contributions from Klaus Voormann and a drummer of renown named "Richie," and

engineered by Glyn Johns, the eminent producer of The Rollings Stones and The Who, among so many others. These were just a few of the young musicians that were influenced by Wolf and his Chess Records label mates. This album is a 1981 Italian reissue of the original Chess Records pressing and features songs written

by Wolf and Willie Dixon, among others. Along with blues staples like “I Ain’t Superstitious,” “Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” “Poor Boy,” and “Wang-DangDooldle,” is a very interesting take on Dixon’s “The Red Rooster.” After a rehearsal take, the band coaxes Wolf into singing this well covered blues standard, which is also the recommended track to seek out.

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After splitting with his longtime partner and childhood friend Art Garfunkel in 1970, New Yorker Paul Simon embarked on a solo career that still thrives today. His legendary songwriting talents stand tall alongside Lennon & McCartney, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Webb, and all the masters of his generation.

Ever since his earliest days with Garfunkel as teen hit makers in Tom & Jerry, Simon has been a songwriting machine. The story of Columbia Records’ producer Tom Wilson responding to the folk/rock boom of the mid 1960’s by adding a rock track to Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” from their abysmal selling debut, WEDNSEDAY MORNING 3AM without the pair’s knowledge is a legendary piece of rock and

roll history. Simon was trying to make a go of a music career in England at the time, while Garfunkel was studying at Columbia University when the record began its climb to the top of the pop charts in 1966 and proved to be the catalyst for Simon & Garfunkel’s prominent standing in rock and roll. This album, Simon’s fourth studio release, featured 10 songs of a seemingly personal nature, particularly the title track, “I Do It For Your Love,” “You’re Kind,” and the megahit “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover “. There are notable duets with the late Phoebe Snow on “Gone At Last” and his former partner, Art Garfunkel on “My Little Town.”

Also featured are some of the finest musicians of the day including Michael Brecker, Tony Levin, Hugh McCracken, David Sanborn and Richard Tee. It’s hard to imagine “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” without Steve Gadd’s instantly identifiable drum intro. “Night Game” is a sparsely dark tune featuring jazz harmonica superstar, Toots Thielmans. When Paul Simon won his three Grammy awards for this album, he thanked previous Album of the Year winner Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album that year. Any song on this album holds up well 43 years later, but if you need proof, just go deep, side 2, track 3, and “Have A Good Time.”

CHAD ELLIOTT & THE REDEMPTIONS REST HEAVY: THE SUN STUDIOS SESSIONS (SELF RELEASE)

BY ROB DICKENS

JIM ALLCHIN PRIME BLUES (SANDY KEY MUSICRDS)

BY RICK J BOWEN The old proverb, ”Strike while the iron is hot,” quickly comes to mind when reviewing the new album Prime Blues from Pacific Northwest guitar man Jim Allchin released last month. This proverb clearly alludes to the imagery of the blacksmith at his forge, and if he delays in shaping the iron when it is hot and pliable, the metal soon cools and hardens and the opportunity is lost. Allchin astutely heeded this counsel while hard on the heels of his critically-acclaimed, chart topping 2017 album, Decisions, and continued running with its winning formula. This past Spring, Jim returned to the vaunted Blackbird Studios in Nashville to collaborate again with Grammy winning producer, songwriter and drummer Tom Hambridge and his team. To kick up the flavor a notch, the duo invited special guests Mike Zito, Bobby Rush and The Memphis horns to add their special sauce to the recipe. The result is a savory collection of 14 new tracks that dig deeper into the blues and prove the notion that indeed “lightning can strike twice.” A growling guitar riff and a horn drenched blues rocker “Give it Up,” opens the set and Kevin McKendree spars with Alchin on the Hammond B3 on the greasy blues “Devil Don’t Sleep. ”The crew then heads down to the bayou for the swampy “Voodoo Doll,” Allchin flat out rips on the full tilt instrumental “Jimmy’s Boogie,” and sings sweetly on Memphis styled “Summer Sunrise.” Mike Zito steps up the mic for the Texarkana stomp “Enough Is Enough.” The full force of the Memphis horns and a six-piece Nashville band are brought to bear on the bump and grind blues “Two Bad Dreams,” to compete with the paramount personality that is Bobby Rush. The patented double shuffle from Hambridge creates an authentic motif for Allchin’s tongue in cheek dig at our obsession with cell phones on witty “Tech Blues.” Once again, we are blessed to have Jim Allchin share with us his quest for universal truths and superb guitar tone .

BARBARABLUE.COM RICK J BOWEN: WABLUES.ORG

Iowa singer-songwriter, artist and author, Chad Elliott, independently released the album this August. Ten soulfully-rocking original songs and one cover are displayed with skillful arrangements, a canny mix and treatment of roots rock, modern gospel and blues which underpins Elliott’s attractive gravelly delivery.

The self-produced album was recorded by Ples Hampton at the famed Sun Studio in Memphis, TN. Hampton said, “It was honestly one of the best sessions I’ve ever had up here. This is gold.”

Elliott, performing on acoustic guitar and harmonica, is joined by his full band, The Redemptions, which includes Tommy Lewis (electric guitar, harmonica, background vocals), Travis McFarlane (piano, B3 organ, keys), Kevin Boehnke (acoustic guitar, trumpet), Joseph Cafaro (upright bass), and Jim Van Dorn (drums).

For those of you who have visited the legendary studio on Union Avenue in downtown Memphis made famous by Sam Phillips, you will know that it is a special place, aflowing with iconic musical spirits to which we are all indebted.

The album presents music that is timeless, a glorious collection that uncovers and rediscovers the essential elements of the music by which we have all been hypnotised at some point.

Immerse yourself in the pleading and uplifting title track, the country boogie of “Hills Of Tennessee”, the soft and large ballads “Shining Star” and “Alberta”, and the sparkling acoustic blues of “Dirty River/Catfish Blues”. It builds to a crescendo that is the emotionally charged and masterful “Water Under The Bridge”. The only cover, a trad. jazz two-step take on “St James Infirmary” is a perfect closer.

Get hold of Rest Heavy and don’t let go. Close your eyes and you’ll be back where Elvis, Johnny, Carl, Howlin’ Wolf created history.

Freshen your own palate.

CHADELLIOTT.COM ROB DICKENS: LISTENINGTHROUGHTHELENS.COM

TONY JOE WHITE BAD MOUTHIN’ (YEP ROC RECORDS)

BY BOB GOTTLIEB This disc, from the 75 year old northern Louisiana native, Tony Joe White, reflects and releases his deep sunbaked voice and guitar with more resonance than the Rocky Mountains and deeper than the Grand Canyon, yet reflects the swamps where he was born and raised.

These 12 songs are raw and cut right to the chase. All 12 are stripped naked with some of the deep muck and spirits of the swamps enveloping them with their stories draped with Spanish Moss as cushioning. Of the new music, 5 songs were written by White and he included a few classic Blues songs as well, “Boom Boom,” and the iconic “Big Boss Man.” White has a voice as deep as The Grand Canyon.

When he is singing it is as if you are balancing on the edge of the Canyon looking straight down into its depths at twilight, with just enough light to see clear to that bottom half a million miles away. It is this voice and his ancient Stratocaster to accompany it. The voice resonates up the walls of the canyon reaching your ears with both dread and salvation echoing in it; there is not much else like it in the world.

Most of this disc is just him with that Stratocaster, however on several of the songs he is joined by drummer Bryan Owings who frequently accompanied White

on his tours. Bassist Steve Forrest also joins in on two of the songs. This album was recorded in a barn on his property and fully emulates his soul.

Bad Mouthin’ is a disc that isn’t going to leave your ears alone, it is that powerful.

TONYJOEWHITE.COM BOB GOTTLIEB: NODEPRESSION.COM

THE ALEX MEIXNER BAND MAKE SOME NOISE (CRUNCH TIME PRODUCTIONS)

BY DALE MARTIN Alex Meixner, star of German music festivals like Wurstfest in New Braunfels, has a new CD is out now and it’s appropriately called ‘Make Some Noise.’ The title fits him perfectly because making noise is what Alex is famous for. Whether it’s on the accordion or the trumpet, Alex is in constant movement onstage during his high energy shows. Capturing that energy on tape is next to impossible but on the latest CD he gives it a shot.

The album starts with his own Hey Diand’l, an instrumental he often uses to open his shows. Baby Say Maybe is the perfect pop polka singalong that will certainly be a crowd pleaser. Meixner has always mixed traditional German polkas with more modern tunes and does so here with Drei Zeifacher. He wrote or cowrote nine of the albums fifteen songs, including the rocking instrumental Road Dawgz Polka, Vatavuk’s Diner Polka and the up-tempo title track. The first single and video for the album is the official New Braunfels theme song, There’s Only One S in New Braunfels. If you haven’t seen the video, check it out on his Facebook page. He tackles country on the fun Hoe Down track and proves he can write a love song with I Don’t Want To Say Goodbye. Just for fun, he adds the Hormel Pepperoni Polka jingles as bonus tracks, which is a fun way to close out the album. Alex will always be a live artist, his insane energy can’t be

captured on any format but a live stage. However, Make Some Noise is the perfect collection to listen to on the way home after attending one of his crazy shows at Wurstfest.

ALEXMEIXNER.COM DALE MARTIN: STEAMMAGAZINE.NET

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Kit Gutherz is one of those

Pictures… Top: Kit playing accordion; Kit playing trombone.

Bottom: Kit’s accordion; Recreation of Kit painting from Crazy Cajun Restaurant’s wall mural.

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guys that people all of the US, and especially Port Aransas and South Texas, have seen and heard. He’s lived in the Coastal Bend area for more than 50 years, was the house musician at the Crazy Cajun Restaurant in Port Aransas for 20 years, and was the house band at Shorty’s for a number of years as well.

Now he’s semi-retired, because musicians never really retire, at the Aransas Pass Music Emporium (APME). Where he enjoys the ability to share his knowledge and his vast collection of instruments and of course play some tunes. Kit’s right hand in repairing, playing, recording, and all around good friend is Tony Saracene (guitarist extraordinaire, singer-songwriter). On Wednesday evenings the two hold a friendly jam that typically includes some good storytelling of the past and time on the road.

Of course you need to be ready for just about anything as Kit plays and sings just about everything. Kit always has a quick come back, like when we were deciding where he’d like to be during the interview, his reply was “I want to be right where, I'm at all times.”

APME is a dream job for Tony who loves working on the one of a kind pieces and date back to the early 1900’s – I think there are some older – that make up Kit’s collection.

Instruments cover the walls, fill the floor with stacks of instruments in cases, and instruments of all kinds are set up to play as you walk through. There are hundreds of guitars and accordions, pianos, drums, amplifiers that date back to the 1930’s and yes Tony works on them all. It’s not always easy for him to find parts and has occasionally had to make pieces he’s needed. Besides the instruments, Tony runs the recording studio where he’s also the engineer and quite often adds fill-in tracks on guitar.

When we approached Kit and Tony to write an “old-time product review” column for STEAM Magazine they were a little curious on how it would work, so this is the first one. The idea is that they will tell us stories and little known facts about unique, special, or strange instruments in Kit’s vast collection.

The first time I met you was at the Crazy Cajun playing the fiddle.

Oh yeah, I played for 20 years at the Crazy Cajun. 20 years at one place will give you experience like no other. I was probably playing harmonica and bass pedals too.

So you play fiddle, accordion, bass, guitar, harmonica, and trombone?

You're a one-man band.

Yeah, my bass pedal is right up there on the stage and yeah, I can do that. I was the bass player and I got tired of working with a guitar player who didn't want to go to work; it pissed me off. We used to play at a place in downtown Corpus Christi called the Caged Rooster. We played there three nights a week with no guitar player and that's when I realized I could drive to San Antonio to play one gig and get more money than driving a Corpus Christi three nights a week; same number of miles.

House gigs were always nice because you set up your stuff and you don't have to tear it down very often.

Yeah, well you know, now it’s these cats that come out here and play a bunch of cover tunes and I just want to wallop them. I was lucky enough that I got to where I didn't have to do that. I either played songs that were public domain or songs I wrote.

We’re starting this series off with your “Garbage Can Bass”. The first things I noticed are the ropes instead of strings and baby powder sitting next to it.

Yeah, it’s for me, so I don't get blisters and that's not just rope that's net twine.

Those strings are the original set we put on there 50 some years ago.

And the tuners look like they’re made of corkscrew bits of some kind.

What's the bridge made of?

The tuners are table legs and the bridge is carved wood. It’s got a pick up on it, too.

Tony: If you put a Conga drum in the can it amplifies it up nicely.

That’s really cool. Did you build it?

No, I didn't have to do any work. It was winter time in Port Aransas and we were sitting around at a bar talking about how it would be nice to have an upright Bass.

There was a couple that played next door called “Bob and Buttercup” and they were really damn popular. Buttercup played a washtub bass so people were very familiar with that, so I said what if we had one that looks more like this and I drew it.

The neck is really nice. What's it made out of?

A couple guys from the bar had this chunk of Beach Mahogany; they're the ones who did the work on it. They took it down to the University where the planing machine was, and they ran that wood through the damn plane to make it smooth like that. You know that stuff

had to have screwed up that sumbitch.

They’re the ones that put the headstock on it and, like I said, the strings are net twine from 50 years ago. Now this is the second can. The first can had been one of my trash cans that my neighbor used for duck plucking and it just got wore out, so when we put this second can on we just put feathers in it ‘cuz we didn’t want to screw up a good thing.

Yeah, it's got a real nice tone and what’s that in the back at the bottom?

Well, that’s the bolt that holds the neck on and it goes all the way through.

Did you use it much?

Much? Hell, I used it absolutely! All over the country, but mostly in South Texas.

Everywhere in South Texas really; not too many places that I haven't been fired from!

What about recording? I bet it has a real cool sound for recording.

Oh many times, absolutely. In the 80s I was playing five nights a week at Shorty's and the next year we played six nights.

People were flying in from Dallas to come see us. We recorded four tapes over at Shorty's and well we went and transferred all that s*** to a CD and that's about as far as we've got.

Tony: In my opinion, this may be the most valuable piece I think we have in here. It’s a piece of true folk art that not only works, has been used, and still sounds good; even after 50 years.

I think Tony’s right, Kit. This is quite an impressive Emporium and this bass obviously isn’t your only unique piece.

Each one of these instruments and amps has a story behind it?

Most of them do, not all, but pretty much most of them.

It’s going to be really interesting hearing about these instruments you have and the stories about how you acquired them.

Well, what happened with a lot of these guitars is I didn't change strings much. I’d just happen to see one for a hundred bucks that I liked and I get it. I’d play it till the string broke and I’d just grab the next one ‘cuz I didn't want to change the strings. But that’s another story.

Pictures… Top: Neck and Headstock of the Garbage Can Bass. Made of Beach Mahogany with table leg tuners and 50 year old net rope strings.; Kit playing the bass. Middle: Close up of the bass’ bridge and pickup. Tony, Rusty, Kit, John, and unnamed friend gathered for the Wednesday night jam.

Bottom: Kit on bass while Tony’s on pedal-steel guitar.

At this point Tony, Kit, and I are joined by a few others for the Wednesday Jam. Everyone grabs an instrument and we jam out a jingle for the Hook & Ladder Brew Pub in Aransas Pass. Honestly, there’s never a dull moment at the Aransas Pass Music Emporium.

FACEBOOK.COM/ ARANSASPASSMUSICEMPORIUM Open By Appointment Only Look for Old-Time Product Review in December, “From the Fine makers of Harmony” Read about Tony Saracene in STEAM Magazine June 2015.

WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET NOVEMBER 2018 STEAM MAGAZINE 9

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 create some beautiful furniture.

Thank you. My husband, Steve, and I are both Artists and Jewelers.

We are always inspired by each other’s work and we often collaborate on ideas. We have a lot of fun creating together!

What is your favorite subject to paint?

I love painting Pelicans and coastal birds and I just recently started painting mermaids. I haven't exhibited these paintings yet they are my newest pieces I just completed.

Where can people see your work?

I exhibit everywhere I can. I have several pieces on display in restaurants in downtown Corpus Christi and I'm in all the local galleries and Art centers. Last summer I was nominated and won for best Painter in Bend magazine’s Locals List.

That was very exciting for me, considering I haven't been doing this for very long.

FACEBOOK.COM: NOEL STEPHENSON & ST. EVE’S NOEL

12 STEAM MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018 WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET

Reviewed By Rusty Hicks STEAM Magazine BOOK: ARMADILLO WORLD HEADQUARTERS:

If you are a working drummer or sound engineer for that matter, there is nothing worse that miking up the kick drum.

There are only a few ways to do it:

A MEMOIR

AUTHOR: EDDIE WILSON WITH JESSE

SUBLETT BY: Tamma Hicks, STEAM Magazine RATING:

Own it!

S i n c e moving to Texas, I have learned a lot about Austin, hippies, rednecks, and the Austin music scene, but my best lesson and peak into the AWH culture was through Eddie Wilson’s “Armadillo World Headquarters: A Memoir.” Eddie’s co -author Jesse Sublett was the perfect guy for the job as he has firsthand knowledge of the AWH as a member of Austin’s punk band the Skunks who played there in the late 70’s.

I wasn’t one of the many that attended shows at the AWH, but Eddie brings to life many of the stories and rumors I’ve heard; not of just the landmark, but of the musicians and the crew that assembled under the expansive roof. Eddie uses stories, pictures, posters, and headlines to walk you through this historic musical landmark from the beginning to his exit to its close to auctioning memorabilia, and finally to the doors shutting at Threadgill’s World Headquarters at the end of this month.

The pictures by AWH staff photographer Burton Wilson bring all the stories into sharp focus and the collaborating “witnesses” provide validation to some of the outlandish high-jinx and impractical happenings. Eddie often speaks about the deep money woes the AWH had, but in my opinion these problems seemed to just reinforce the entrepreneurial spirit that I akin to the 70’s. All the startup businesses and ideas that rolled through the doors are mind boggling, but you have to read the book to learn of them all. Eddie provides a great selection of the hand drawn poster art by the amazing artists like Jim Franklin, Sam Yeates, Ken Featherston, and others. When you look at these you have to remember that there wasn’t computer graphic art yet.

Reading the list of stars that performed at AWH is like reading a who’s who of classic rock stations. Bette Midler, The Pointer Sisters, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Augie

Eddie Wilson with Jesse Sublett

1) Drop a mic into the kick drum. This doesn’t give you very good sound and sound engineers hate that.

2) Use a mic stand. The tried and true measure but let’s face it stands take up room both on stage and in the gear bag and are heavy. Then there’s the problem of finding you mic! or 3) Use the Kelly SHU Microphone Mounting System! Not only do you get a clean sound every time, its space saving and lightweight, and you always know where your kick drum mic is!

Meyers, the Runaways, Janice Joplin, Freddy King, and the list goes on and on. Most people think that Willie Nelson got his start at

AWH, but it was more of a second chance.

My favorite story is of Van Morrison in January 1974 when he did two shows and stayed at Eddie’s home in Austin. During his stay Morrison refused to speak with anyone and when he did it was through his interpreter who was also his masseuse, an attractive female companion. After his two sold out shows (and through his interpreter) he pointed out his displeasure of not getting any of the AWH’s famous shrimp enchiladas Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) had bragged about.

Jan Beeman (AWH kitchen) offered him a plateful the next time he played there, so Morrison agreed to come back two days later for a third sold out show.

If you are looking for a fun, nostalgic read, ever spent time in the great hall, or are interested in how the Austin music scene developed this is the book you’re looking for.

Editor’s Note: Threadgill’s World Headquarters on Riverside will be shutting their doors for good on December 1 2018, however Eddie is taking it out in AWH style with concerts and appearances Friday 11/30 and Saturday 12/1! Threadgill’s No. 1/North/Original/Lamar will remain open.

It’s a fact, sound ports are not all created equal or identical for that matter, nor are they positioned the same on any drum. Stands get kicked or bumped and are generally in the way, but they

also have to be set up and torn down every time your kick drum is moved, and for gigging musicians that can be a daily chore. The SHU is easy to install and customizable to your needs. It can be permanently installed inside the drum or, for those with one SHU and three drums, you can attach it to the outside so moving it from one to another is easy and you get all the benefits!

I’ve been looking at this product for a few years.

Not too long ago I ran into Mike Wilson (drummer for Brandon Michael) at a gig and saw that he uses the SHU. Here’s what he had to say about using the Kelly SHU Microphone Mounting System: “I was online looking for bass drum mics when a Kelly SHU ad popped up and I thought ‘Wow that looks really neat.’ I researched it further and found that it wasn’t that expensive so I thought why not and ordered it! It was the best purchase ever! I’ve had mine almost 2 years and couldn’t be happier with it and the thunderous sound that comes from my kick drum now is phenomenal! I think the best part of having it is that I don’t have to worry about carrying a mic stand around or trying to figure out which box my mic is in after the last gig. I have a Beta52 mounted on it and it stays tucked away inside the drum and the bungee like surgical rubber that mounts directly to your existing hardware inside the drum, keeps it from rattling around and getting damaged. Now after a gig I just roll up the cord and tuck it inside the port. Nice and easy and I always know where my mic is. I highly recommend using the SHU!” So the next time your lead singer or guitar player climbs up on your drum riser, not only will they have a place for their feet but it won’t affect your kick drum sound!

STEAM REVIEW: Any drummer looking to upgrade, this is definitely a must have!

WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET NOVEMBER 2018 STEAM MAGAZINE 13

Intro by Tamma Hicks, STEAM Magazine Interview by DC Washington, Sound Magazine Photo by Deandre Forks

FANTASTIC NEGRITO is the incarnation of a musician who is reborn after going through a lot of awful shit. In fact, the name Fantastic Negrito represents his third rebirth, literally coming back from death this time after a near fatal car crash that left him in a coma and worst of all his playing hand was mutilated. The narrative on this man is as important as the sound, because the narrative is the sound.

Slide guitar, drums, piano. Urgent, desperate, and edgy. Fantastic Negrito is the story of a man who struggled to “make it”, who “got it”, who lost it all, and somehow managed to find his way back. His songs are his fuel as he continues on the third comeback of his life, at a time when our world is in upheaval.

Fantastic Negrito is a true musician, who by writes and produces his own work, bringing us these songs to appreciate and contemplate.

A Grammy award-winning album usual-

ly set you apart from the pact but many critics feel you are a little too hard rock to fit into the Blues category. How do you answer these critics?

I think that artists, in the creative process, feel that the greatest power that you can have is to not give a f***. If you do give a f***, then you are in trouble. I never really set out to fit in boxes and will never fit in a box – ever! I don't think in those terms. I think about connecting with people, whatever they want to call it let them call it. I don't listen to music like that. I just listen to music not broken down by genre. I feel like I'm a

busker at the end of the day my record label.

I feel Justified when Taj Mahal calls me and applauds my work. I appreciate and respect the hierarchy as they are my influences, but all else, can define me in a way that is comfortable for them. If you want to be touched by the spirit, church without the religion, come and see me. I'll give you your money back if you're not.

Your new album has received rave reviews with many critics praising your political overtones and lyrics throughout the work. Do you consider yourself a political artist or are you just an artist engaging in a conversation with the listener?

I don't think I'm political at all. I am an artist and I’m speaking about the world around me. That's what great artists do; we try to sing and talk about the things that are going on. Being called political is strange to me. That's why I started out playing on the street corner, I needed to relate to the people. I’ve never been one to fit into this mold in terms of how you should sound, how you should look, and what you should talk about.

It's about expression. It doesn't matter what political theory you follow, if you are not decent to other people nothing you do or say matters.

As you've toured the country the last few years, have you seen a shift in the consciousness of this country?

You know I do talk to Trump supporters online, because it does move the ball forward. If you disagree with someone the best thing you can do is buy them a drink or a cup of coffee and have a conversation. We all have opinions, it doesn't mean yours or theirs is right or wrong. Sometimes the conversation shows them why you feel a certain way and can settle down a tremulous situation.

You were friends with the late Chris Cor-

nell, who unfortunately took his own life

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last year, and even based your song Dark Windows on conversations you had with him. Why do you think musicians are not able to seek therapy through their music today as they have in the past?

The entertainment business kills people, it’s a dangerous game that plays with your soul if you're not grounded enough and don't have a great support system around you. I'm not so sure we're supposed to turn our soul into a commodity, there has to be a separation. I'm Fantastic Negrito on stage, but when I'm home and in my community I'm not. There is a line for me.

Do you think social media plays a part in that we are too overwhelmed with the celebrity aspect that musicians have to always be in that mindset all the time out in the public realm?

This is happening to me at an older age, so I'm not so fooled by the tiny objects and the trap door, but I think for many artists they are. You can't separate yourself from that persona when your fans are clamoring for more and want that from you all the time. At some point I think you lose sight of who you really are; feeding the beast, until it consumes you.

The Blues riff never seems to have received the credit it should as being such a rich part of our musical history.

With your work, and especially this new album, you seem to bear the burden to show the world its place in history. Why don't you think so many musicians fail to credit the sound as part of their influence?

I think it's up to the artist and the culture drives everything. If you follow everything you will be a follower, which I have never been. I have to think outside the box. I just respect the tradition and musical hierarchies that our ancestors gave. The Blues riff is in trapped in so much of the music today. I can hear it. It's been simplified so much that sometimes it's hard to discern, but it's there if you embrace it. Let me just state though, that this is all about the music. I don't want to be famous; I don't want to be a popstar.

Am I afraid of this thing? I am. Does it scare me? It does but that is not what makes this business so great. It’s to test those limits and bring forth your musical Heritage for those willing to listen.

FANTASTICNEGRITO.COM NEW ALBUM:

FANTASTIC NEGRITO PLEASE DON'T BE DEAD (BLACKBALL UNIVERSE/COOKING VINYL)

By Tamma Hicks, STEAM Magazine

SHOWS: SOCIAL MEDIA:

Greek philosopher Pluto said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Well, I believe that music is the brother to reinvention, at least in the case of Travis Parker. Here’s a man that was climbing his way up through the Texas Country music scene ranks, fell (and it was a hard fall), and now he has made his way back to where he was but this time he’s got his priorities straight and has new music to show for it. We talked with Travis about the Losing Few, his new album, and how his positive outlook has changed him.

Did you play before your dad gave you the guitar at the age of 21?

No and I’m not sure which song I learned first, but I’m sure it was one by Chris Knight.

That’s a pretty original band name, how did you come up with it?

We named the band after a song I wrote called “Losing Few’” It’s an anthem for us as a band; a battle cry and, more or less, a biography of us. The song is on the full band album being released this month. Currently The Losing Few are Kayton Rickman (Drums) and Chris Medrano (Bass).

In some of your videos you didn’t have a bass player. How did you cover the low

end in the rhythm section?

We had an incredibly hard time finding a bass player. We played as a 3-piece for almost 2 years, so during that time I wrote more folky, fast bluegrass songs that didn’t demand so much low end.

I understand you play a rather unique guitar. For those of us that are not guitar knowledgeable, what is it?

It’s a 1977 Lawsuit Alvarez. The guitar company “Alvarez” was making copies of Gibson guitars in the 70’s; they used the same body and headstock templates, woods, and signature branding indications as Gibson.

Alvarez was sued by Gibson and the guitars from the era are referred to as “Lawsuit” guitars.

Tell me about your last EP. The songs on “Bent Leaf Sessions” were part of a group of songs I wrote in a 6 month span. I recorded them at Bent Leaf studios in Denison, TX where it was produced and engineered by Jesse Sims. The “Bent Leaf Sessions” Ep is available on all streaming platforms as well as Amazon.

You’re releasing your new album on Thanksgiving and knowing how long this process has been for you it seems pretty fitting.

The full band, full length album titled “Wrecked” is being released November 22nd 2018. The album recording started in 2015

with Adam Odor at Yellow Dog Studios.

Although most of what made it to print came from Yellow Dog the album has continuously been worked on for four years, brought into 9 different studios, and includes recordings by several past band members (Levi Travieso - Drums Levi Miller - Guitar & Bass, and Spencer Whitney – Guitar). The album got a final mix and master by Kayton Rickman and was sent to print September.

The album release party will be on Thanksgiving, November 22, in Denison, TX at Tupelo Honey’s “FriendsFest”, where we will have physical copies of the record. The next day, November 23, is when it will be available on all digital platforms. (Spotify, iTunes, Google Music, Amazon, etc.)

What inspires the music you write?

I’m mostly inspired by the scenarios I learn of in people lives. I’ve been writing short stories and poems since grade school, so writing songs was a natural progression.

At 11 years old, the first album you bought was Metallica’s self-titled album.

Who else are your influences and how do they influence you?

Performance and singing style I am moist influenced by James Hatfield of Metallica.

And my first influence in my writing style was Chris Knight and currently my writing style is influenced mostly by the Scottish band, Frightened Rabbit.

In 2015 your career was gaining momentum, but unfortunately you made some choices that were detrimental to your career and personal life. I think a lot of musicians can relate to the problems that you went through. I also know many musicians that don’t think it can happen to them. How do you handle music and life now and do you have any advice for others?

Figuring out what you want in life is hard.

Finding who you are is even harder. Staying focused, keeping a cohesive goal between the two and finding a way to achieve it is damn near impossible. Stay honest and be good to yourself. Try to be healthy, physically and mentally. Find out what really matters and burn your energy for that.

One of the most self-destructive things I’ve done is treat my mind like garbage, using it as a whipping post, taking every battle there, locking it up and expecting my mind to somehow archive the unwanted feelings or erase them from memory. Thinking my mind can handle all the negativity I could possibly conjure with no effect was a huge mistake.

Your own mind needs positive support. If you constantly think about and say negative things to a person, if you always expect the worst from them, shut them down and continuously disregard and mistreat them they will leave you… your mind is no different.

If you could put together the perfect concert, besides you who would play and in what order?

At The Drive In, Todd Snider & Frightened Rabbit

WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET NOVEMBER 2018 STEAM MAGAZINE 15

Your love of country music started when you were 16 – what was it that happened?

It all started when I sang with a local band that my family always went out to dancehalls for, Clint Taft & the Buck Wild Band. The first song I sang was Chris Young’s “Neon.”

After that, I learned how to play guitar in just 4 days! From that point on I continued to teach myself more and more until I finally started to play for tips at Restaurants.

Tell me about your latest single, Waits For You, and how is it doing on the Texas charts?

It’s doing real good, thanks! It is currently climbing through the top 75 Texas country songs on Texas Regional Radio!

Tell me about your upcoming album, when should we be looking for it?

There are no current details on the status of the EP, but we are hoping to release it in Spring 2019! The songs have a few amazing musicians on them such as Jeff King (Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn) and Smith Curry (Jason Aldean) on steel guitar. They are phenomenal musicians!

By Tamma Hicks STEAM Magazine

What inspires the music you write?

I write my music a bit different than most, I sit on the couch and play different tunes till a few words pop up in my mind. I always want to write something that people can relate to, because no amount of money can compare to someone connecting with your own piece of art!

Do you co-write with anyone?

I have done some co-writing sessions with Dacota Deaver from Fort Worth. He is currently pushing his music through the studio so expect great things from him!

Who are your influences and how do they influence you?

Chris Young and Cody Johnson have got to be my biggest influences. In my book, along with Josh Ward, they are some of the greatest artists of my time! I don’t necessarily do anything to be like them, however I find that the way I am on stage and my attitude is very similar to theirs. That the stage I am on, at that moment, is the most important place I can be!

SHOWS:

02 Nov The Tavern, Kingsville 09 Nov Cooter Browns, Helotes 10 Nov VFW Sommerset , Sommerset 21 Nov Thirsty Horse Saloon (Kyle Park), San Antonio 24 Nov 151 Saloon, San Antonio 03 Dec Texas Local Live, Irving 14 Dec The Well, San Antonio

Photo By Rusty Hicks STEAM Magazine

Brandon Michael (band) was established about 3 years ago and has developed quite a following. Brandon is from Sequin where he realized his talent. The group performs a majority of cover songs ranging from George Strait, Merle Haggard, and Keith Whitley, to Cody Johnson, Luke Bryan, and Chris Stapleton. They also perform their original songs and currently moving up the charts in Texas Regional

Radio. I talked with Brand about where he’s been and where he’s going.

What’s the story/reason for your motto “It doesn't matter whether there are 5 or 5,000 people in the crowd; I am going to give my all every time!”?

Honestly, it is something I drilled into myself after seeing how many artists care so much about how many people they have in a crowd. I always tell myself to give 1000% every single show; regardless of how many

16 STEAM MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018 WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET

people are there.

Please tell me about your band.

Hailing from Corpus Christi are Johnathan Merino on bass guitar and, his twin brother, Michael Merino on lead guitar. They have been with me for the past year and a half.

Johnathan and Michael add so much to the dynamic of the band and add a wow factor to our show. Our drummer, Mike Wilson, is from Aransas pass started with us about 3 months ago and has made such an impact on the fluidity of our sound! Like me he is goofy on stage and we all love it!

What are your plans for touring?

Right now I am doing a radio tour all over Texas and I am planning a larger scale show tour in the near future, so stay tuned for details!

If you could spend a day with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you do?

To answer this I am using a bit of Matthew McConaughey’s words… Myself in Ten Years. The things I could learn with just a few minutes would be life changing!

As you advance your musical career, what do you look forward to the most?

You know, I absolutely love to bring kids on stage they are the greatest fans in the world and they will be brutally honest if they like you or not. But the thing I love most about music is that I get to interact with so many people that I never would’ve had the chance to otherwise!

BrandonMichaelMusic.com Facebook.com & Spotify.com: Brandon Michael Music

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

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18 STEAM MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018 WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET

WATCH FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN THIS STEAM MAGAZINE GUITAR! Created by Aransas Pass artist Mitzi Webb and guitar extraordinaire Tony Saracene!

This custom guitar not only looks awesome, but sounds fantastic!

STEAM will be taking it all over South Texas, so there will be lots of opportunities for you to enter and get your picture with it. See our Website, Facebook pages, and Radio Station for rules and entries!

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