photo by Sheri Bayne
FEBRUARY 2015 FEATURES
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All In The Design:Spencer Drate - Nikki Palomino Interview w/Zoe Hansen - Marlowe B. West Takez Manhattan NAMM Show Review Interview with Bruce Wall - Alexxis Steele Criss Angel Show Review - Michael McKenna
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Poetry Corner - Puma Perl
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Calling Karma - Karen Best
POETRY
PICTORIALS
6 Dodge Dollz - Brian Matus Photography 30 February Model Ashley Marie Nichols - Gary Preis 174 Natasha Adonzio’s Pin Up Of The Month - Model Rom Valentine
ARTICLES
35 Empowering Young Minds With Music - Mike McKenna 127 Alice in Job-Land - Leland Maurello 132 Interview with Rutanya Alda - Jerry Saravia © Copyright Steel Notes Magazine 2014 2 | Steel Notes Magazine
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COLUMNS 40 50 86 92 98 114 125 136
How Much is That, For Real - Roman’s Rants Barbell Buzz - Tim Caso Spotlight on: Kat Starchild - Guido Colacci The Whirling Worldz of Marlowe B. West: Logan Sky Coliccio’s Corner - Victor Coliccio Interview w/Anne Husick - Marlowe B. West Takez Manhattan Dear Parents - Blut Fatal Positively Energized w/Melissa Manchester - Scott Brandon
122 130 140 142 144 145 148 149 150 151 152 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 164 166 167 168 171 172 173
Bongo Boy TV Show, Episode 1043 - MichaelMcKenna Bongo Boy TV Show, Episode 1040 - Michael McKenna You Gotta Live The Life: Melissa Manchester - Michael McKenna Bongo Boy TV Show, Episode 1039 - Michael McKenna Book Review, Me, The Mob & The Music: Tommy James - Mike McKenna Bongo Boy Compilations, Volume 3 - Michael McKenna The Decemberists - Michael McKenna Ken Roberts - Michael McKenna The Madeleine Haze - Michael McKenna Sterling Kock Trio - Michael McKenna Scott Marshall & Marshalls’ Highway - Michael McKenna Bosom Band - Michael McKenna Chelsea Lyn Meyer - Michael McKenna Daimon Price - Michael McKenna Jennie Vee - Michael McKenna Johnny I. All Star Blues Revival - Michael McKenna ROI and the Secret People - Michael McKenna Kim Paige - Michael McKenna Podracer - Michael McKenna The Cherry Drops - Dana Saravia Lina Fouro - Michael McKenna Dick Boak - Michael McKenna Crabbubbles - Michael McKenna Blues Bash Press Release - Michael McKenna The Plastic Pals - Michael McKenna Black Oak Arkansas Live - Rhonda VanBuskirk The Singularity - Michael McKenna
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Patty Dodge of PDT Entertainment & Connected Rock Shows has been in business for over 10 years as a booking agent, producer, promoter and party planner. The Dodge Dollz are a new part of her company, featuring dancers & models with skill sets that include motivation/go go dancing, belly dancing, multiple hoop dancing and aerial silks/ lyra, using an assortment of props including Isis wings, veil fans and LED flow wands. PDT Entertainment can also provide fire-eaters/dancers, bartenders, hair & make up stylists, models, hostesses, photographers, musicians and shot girls for any occasion. For more information, visit DodgeDollz.com. Bands interested in booking shows may contact Patty at - https://www.facebook.com/ PDTENTERTAINMENT & ConnectedRockShows.com Venues may contact Patty at PDTEntertainment.com or pdt_entertainment@msn.com The following pictorial by Brian Matus Photography: (bmatus@gmail.com/BrianMatusPhotography.com) features three of the Dodge Dollz - Shews, Zesty and Andromeda.
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All in the Design: Spencer Drate By Nikki Palomino nikkipalomino@yahoo.com
Spencer Drate while standing in line at a movie theater with the murmuring crowd and their careworn faces to buy a ticket, an usher, Steven Taylor, needed a typographer. Taylor was working on Richard Hell and the Voidoids’ album for Sire Records. Spencer was in. “I belong to the blank generation.” An indie before indie made headlines for every screwy punk with talent. An album designer driving full throttle in open air down Route 66; destination, not completely planned. A listless sort of light seeped in along the rhythm of the cars and clattering of heavy feet, a radio’s beat of laughter on the New York City streets. Spencer, backed against the concrete and brick, ran into a colleague who worked for Abkco Records. He needed a typographer to help design print ads for John Lennon’s Imagine. No portfolio needed.
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“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” Lenny Kaye says in “FIVE HUNDRED 45s” one of the twenty-one pop-culture visually-driven books by Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz, “I look at the sleeve. The faces-human type-stare out at me. They’re about to start singing. Give ‘em a whirl.” How many album designers hit twenty-two inductees into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame? So spans the career of Spencer Drate along with partner Judith Salavetz unleashing with photograph, illustration, color and typography the bravado of album design and packaging. But did they both get it at the same time? Jon Bon Jovi played Runaway for the design team. Afterwards, he split. Judith turned to Spencer and said, “This is going to sell a million.” Spencer laughed, “Yeh, right.” The two would design Bon Jovi’s debut album
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what captured the rocker’s soul and his pocketbook. His imagination worked like an overcharged light bulb. Early on he dropped corporate America, kind of like clanking amber glasses on a bar just to give the finger to the cost. Spencer found in the world of letters where the fading Faulkner and Capote had once captured with ease, his artistic brilliance in what music needed badly, hot albums, baby! But let’s go back to the embryo Seymour Stein and Sire Records.
released January 21, 1984. “Photographer Geoffrey Thomas shot Bon Jovi near Columbus Circle in NYC. The cover is one shot with Jon and a girl on the front as the photo wraps around to the back of the LP for the rest of the band. Accidentally, a truck’s headlights are captured shining on Jon and the girl.” As luck had it, for the band who signed with Mercury Records, part of Polygram, and the design team like the heart of an LP, made buyers think twice. When Spencer worked on Billy Squier’s breakout release Don’t Say No he’d gotten a call from A&R at Capital Records to come down at midnight to listen to the tape of the album. Obscured by city lights, the sky was barely visible, but Spencer rushed to hear the songs and given forty-eight hours to finish the album design packaging. Geoffrey Thomas shot Billy sitting against a wall with an exposed bare foot. The foot became a gang war of sorts, but in the end, the 1981 triple platinum release would make the record execs cross themselves, genuflect and assure mystically their own ability to recognize an exposed foot as iconic. Really? Billy Squier’s album design and multi-platinum sale led Spencer to be the first of his kind to be interviewed on MTV and later VH1. Somewhere along the line, Spencer had learned
September 21, 1978 The Ramones’ Road to Ruin was released. The fourth studio album was the first to feature drummer Marky Ramone replacing original member Tommy Ramone who’d started out playing with the soon-to-be tour manager Monte A. Melnick when Tommy’s Tangerine Puppets broke up. After filling the void by switching from guitar to drums, Tommy became part of the Ramones. Stress of touring and Tommy’s widening interests influenced his decision to quit. What could have been a disaster introducing a new drummer was creatively handled by the design. The cover featured Punk Magazine’s John Holmstrom and the artwork he’d become known for. Taking the emphasis off the change in musicians, the cover with Spencer’s almost gold-mustard typography worked. “RAMONESROAD TO RUIN” pop poster is in the MoMA permanent collection. “I saw her today, I saw her face, it was a face I love and I knew, I had to run away, and get down on my knees and pray...” Talking Heads 1979 Fear of Music brought Spencer to co-design the industrial-looking cover with the Talking Heads and ultimately leading to a 1980 Grammy nomination in album packaging. The album cover and album creation story is in “100 Best Album Covers” authored by Storm Thorgerson. Another classic Ramones album, their fifth, End of the Century with Mick Rock photographing the band and Spencer’s design was released in 1980. End of the Century was the first to be produced by Phil Spector in hopes of increasing their appeal. Dee Dee Ramone said, “He (Spector) leveled his gun at my head, and then motioned for me and the rest
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of the band to get back into the piano room…there he sat down and made us listen to him play and sing ‘Baby, I Love You’ until 4:30 in the morning.”
by Spencer. The album reached 279 in Rock Hard Magazine’s book “The 500 Greatest Metal and Rock Albums of All Time”.
Do you Remember Rock’n’Roll Radio?
Spencer had found his niche.
The complexities of the experience make the design an even greater challenge. The Ramones It’s Alive was recorded December 31st, 1977 at London’s Rainbow Theater and packaging was designed
When Dee Dee Ramone left The Ramones to record Standing in the Spotlight as Dee Dee King, Spencer and Judith got the gig as did photographer Bob Gruen who shot the iconic pictures on the front
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and back covers. While Dee Dee’s attempt as a rapper failed, the album design still rocks today among the greats. What can one say about a career emerged in the underground of music? Spencer and Judith designed six of Joan Jett’s albums, including Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ Album with title as a clear sticker on shrink wrap and when you’d rip off the shrink wrap you were left with the photo only on front cover. Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth, Jett’s 1984 release with the hit “Cherry Bomb” represents another one of the iconic designs. As well as with Sylvia Reed and his partner Judith Salavetz designing the packaging for Lou Reed’s New York and Magic and Loss LPs and 1993 Live Tour album and co-designed Peel Slowly and See box set for the Velvet Underground . Both Jett and Reed will be inducted into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame in April of 2015.
would be the cover of Tuff Enuff. Spencer asked Jimmy, “Does this represent your music?” Answer unequivocally YES! Award-winning Creative directors/Designers/ Consultants/Authors/Curators/Art Reps/Media Writers/ Filmmakers/ Radio Personalities (Indie Café and Nikki Palomino’s DAZED Punk Rock & Rock Personalities Series) Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz authored 21 pop-culture books. Spencer authored the visual history of 45 record picture sleeves “45 RPM” (2002) and together the team authored “Five Hundred 45s” (2010) help spawning the vinyl surge in our musical culture. When Spencer sent Jack White “Five Hundred 45s”, Jack sent back a box of 45s. Spencer has served as a four-time Grammy Judge on the album packaging committee from 1989-1992.
Island Records used Spencer’s work for the USA portions of many albums including U2. Spencer took on an enormous job for Island. He repackaged LPs to CDs, an undertaking that few rockers can truly appreciate.
Presently on the board and film judges for “South Eastern Film Festival” in Atlanta and Nashville which will also host music, Spencer and Judith are authoring books, designing music packages, active as radio personalities and being interviewed.
But Spencer went left when one was supposed to go right never losing his true nature as a visionary, knowing just what needed to be part of album design. Jimmy Vaughn of the Fabulous Thunderbirds liked Spencer’s idea much to the dismay of record execs. Native American artist Dan Youngblood’s artwork
As one can argue The Ramones after 2,263 shows are one of the greatest bands in the world, I can argue without hesitation, Spencer Drate is one of the greatest album designers to stray from music correctness. Even when the Victory album turned out to be not so hot, the nearly censored V, a naked woman’s legs
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spread and inviting, brought Spencer and Judith grief and finally triumph. The award-winning album cover was shot by Geoffrey Thomas in a “Helmut Newtonesque” style printed in four color B&W cover photos. One may not remember a song off the album, but no one can forget the beautiful positioning of a pair of shapely legs. They have always said a picture is worth a thousand words. In Spencer’s world, they are an album’s worth of songs.
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All in the Design: Spencer Drate continued
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All in the Design: Spencer Drate continued
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Interview w/ Zoe Hansen by Mar lowe B. West Tak ez Manhattan
MBW: Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of all ages ... My name is Marlowe B. West and I am your Ring Leader ... I am about to bring you all into the world of a most extraordinary girl ... Her name is Zoe Hansen ... Once upon a time ... as I was busily attending to my
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never ending venture into my quest of taking over Manhattan ... I was suddenly taken by surprise ... Natasha Adonzio (that gorgeous legendary punk rock fashion designer) invited me to a reading of ... and a visual gallery of unseen photos... (these spectacular photographs were taken by the late great Lee Childers... who has just recently gone on
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to eternity ... God rest his awesome soul)... of the original production of.Andy Warhol’s solitary stage play entitled Pulled Pork.... Natasha has actually starred in one of Andy Warhol’s coolest films entitled Blank Generation with Richard Hell. I was actually doing back flips in my head, like a kid, to have been invited to such an exclusive, avante garde event ... It, naturally, promised to be anything but orthodox and took place in the Soho basement of the Leslie/Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art ... (this basement is called Kymara Gallery in itself) ... My taxi driver couldn’t even detect the address I’d given him ... it’s whereabouts were mysteriously secluded ... So I got out of the cab where a bunch of weirdo’s were coagulating on the sidewalk ... As I approached, with an obviously questioning look on my face, a voice in the crowd called out “Yeah !!! ... This is the place !!! You literally had to hold your breath as you descended these wretched piss stinking stairs to the doorway ... Once inside you followed a narrow corridor whose walls were respectfully lined with Warhol’s collection of very not-pornographic paintings entitled Sex Organs ... I photographed each one marveling in disbelief ... I was thus being thoroughly educated into the 3D in-your-face grandeur of the sacred forbidden inner world of an otherwise very private and hidden place ... a place where everyone goes ... but ... does not tell ... At the end of this winding hallway gallery, you found yourself in an curiously packed, large, all-white, high ceilinged galleria ...Lee Childer’s photographs graced the walls ... Lee never showed up ... but it was an immaculate display depicting the on-stage shenanigans of the Pulled Pork cast... I thought the most outstandingly outrageous of these Warhol actors was the incomparable Jayne County. At the far wall there was a small and simple platform/stage ... set up with a few schoolroom style chairs for the reading of Andy’s play ... On one of those simple chairs sat an amazing looking character ... She was hard to figure out ... but ... undoubtedly a knockout ... Her two-toned freaky layered hair-do was the most unique hair style I’d ever seen ... Not even Lady Gaga could come near my initial description of Zoe Hansen ...There she sat ... shocking my ears with crackling abandon ... reading in character the utmost graphically hilarious
dialog imaginable ... Actually you had to be a fullfledged weirdo to get it. Zoe ... I am delighted to finally have you as my special guest here on Steel Notes Magazine ... Would you be so kind as to telling our readers about Andy Warhol’s play, Pulled Pork, your role and your personal insight into this rather peculiar gathering ??? ZH: There’s very little I can add about the pork reading. Lee asked me to read, from Bridget’s rant & I did Tony Zanetta who’s such delight & who’s gallery it was, joined me on stage so I would be talking to him on the telephone. Quite ingeniously he somehow dropped the phone at a moment in the play where its gets a little hot… Tony leaned in and the telephone dropped & a roar from the audience broke out. It was comic genius timing. Have you seen my web site? That explains my history if you need anything else or you can google me for info.. there’s a ton out there…L Z Hansen or Zoe Hansen I’m in the process of being branded by a team of experts who are putting a new site together gathering my published writing and a new design company I shall be heading. My past is in the sex industry. I owned 5 brothels. Lee Childers and I were very close friends and he’d often come to my readings. I read NY Day at St. Marks Church 2 yrs ago, and had a monthly reading series called Sex Workers Literati .. I’ll answer anything ... I’ve a new column coming out called Ask Zoe which will be people asking me about sex workers stuff & drugs. I’m a Harm Reduction Activist. Thanks Marlowe.
MBW: What’s all this exciting ruckus I hear about Zoe Hansen getting her own reality show … That sounds colossal … Is it true …Is it something you care to talk about ??? ZH: Marlowe, there again is little I talk about but the reality show I’ve been sworn to secrecy so let not discuss… I added a teeny mention at the bottom & added another question because people love my sex industry history. I am writing with Jerry Stahl.
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MBW: You have this intriguing look and aura about you ... but ... what’s more is the way you carry yourself ... Your demeanor comes off as cool and confident ... How did you achieve that awesome attitude ??? ZH: Well thank you Marlowe. I worked in the sex industry for seventeen years. I also owned five successful Manhattan brothels. It taught me a lot about who I was and gave me my confidence. My real rule of life is to have tons of fun every day. I also attended English boarding school, a time when you were instructed how to walk into a room and conduct your self with dignity. All my years scouring the Lower East Side in the 1980s for drugs never changed the fact i am an upper-class English women, and I guess I just want to treat people with the same respect I’d like to be met with.
MBW: On a number of occasions, as a passenger in other people’s vehicles, I was alerted “There’s Zoe’s place !” “There’s Manitoba !” ... It sometimes gets frustrating when someone else is doing the driving ... I was like “Well, let’s pull over. I wanna go in!” ... What I am getting at is that I have yet to get there and I always hear people are going to Manitoba Manitoba ... Like after the clubs ... I just heard they filmed a TV show there ... What would you like to tell us about Manitoba ??? ZH: Manitoba’s bar is the last standing real homage to the 1970s music scene from New York to London, England. We have museum quality photographs covering the walls from Bob Gruen to Mick Rock, who’ve kindly donated their beautiful photos to Manitoba’s. Its my husbands joint. I basically run it because he’s too busy and would rather walk around talking to people hosting which he does well. I love my staff. I expect them to be honest and loyal and treat our customers well. We have Djs, and different nights according to the bartender. Each Bartender has their own vibe and brings a crowd accordingly. Its not easy running a mom and pop business in these years of major corporate America and we’ve been tested lately. The reality show Barmageddon filmed an episode with us and its been aired over half a dozen times because it was the best episode. Richard Manitoba is an excellent performer and
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was extremely good. We’ve had interest in our own show since. He’s still singing with The Dictators NYC after 35 years and is going on a West Coast tour today. Ill be holding down the fort. I write daily and am in the process of completing a ‘Chick Lit’ novel lightly based on my life. I’ve had multiple stories published in many very well received anthologies The last was The Heroin Chronicles by Akashic Books, edited by the great Jerry Stahl. It was such an honor because Stahl is my favorite living writer. To read at St Marks books with him was a moment I shall not forget easily. My daily life is hectic I am working with some amazing branders who are helping me gather my scattered energies and market myself as one entity. I’m putting together a design firm which shall be launch soon, I write, and run Manitoba’s bar, and look after my incredible twelve year old son Richard and I have together. I’m a rock wife extrodinaire, I do all I do with a Zoe flair. Come down to Avenue B and say hi, I always love people who’ve seen me on TV or read my work and want to meet me. I appreciate my exciting life and the beautiful people I’ve collected and call family. I guess being given a second chance was everything and I say no not as much as I should. Zoe Hansen, her baby daddy Handsome Dick Manitoba and their son have continued to live in the East Village.
MBW: Okay now, brace yourselves ... Dear Steel Notes Magazine readers ... and all related eyes and ears of the world ... We are about to delve into the innermost depths ... Fasten your seatbelts ... Prepare for a stumble, then fall ... into the actual, factual, topsy turvy ... whirling wonderland rabbit hole ... of a most remarkable, stunning individual ... That of ... none other than ... Zoe Hansen ... I must warn you, Zoe ... even though I already know you are fearless ... that I have taken your advice and Googled you on the computer ... You are such an incredibly easy interview ... not to be confused with simple ... because you and your far from mainstream life are brimming with interest and curiosity ... Your list of interests and topics render rector scale proportions ... You are bottomless ... So ... In taking all necessary precautions I would like to play
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a little word game with you ... My dear Zoe ... I know ZH: I am a very narrow minded individual as far as my interests. I have always been interested in real you are ready ... I will give you a topic and you will fill in the blanks with Zoe-isms ... Here is where we life. If it isn’t real It won’t hold my interest. So raw let go Writing ... memoirs mean anything written by anyone that’s about their life, their struggles, enjoyment is at ZH: I live to write because to write is to imagine and the bottom of the list. I enjoy ‘dark’, getto druggy make up a different world and put myself there. I underworld life, therefore those are the tales I study people. I watch them and create characters wish to relax to, Herbert Huncke is my hero, among from the people i enjoy or… don’t enjoy… its life. others. MBW: Reading raw memoirs …
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MBW: Writing the never ending story ... Life In NYC ... ZH: I guess it ends when I take my last breath. I’ve died before. One time in the Hotel Chelsea, in the late ‘80s I was twenty one years old or so, I ODed in the old room 100… I travelled down that tunnel people talk about….& I came back. It wasn’t time. My life shall be never ending, I can’t die.
MBW: Forensic science ... ZH: If I could be two people and I am a few, I’d like to be a forensic detective. Actually I like anything forensic. That’s a word that has endless possibilities.
MBW: Serial killers ... ZH: Ah…. yes, serial killers. Interested …I am, I am also repulsed and terrified by the grotesqueness of the perversities they commit. I am not fascinated with serial killers. Occasionally one pops up that grabs my attention and I read a book on them but that’s about it.
MBW: Harm reduction ... ZH: Harm reduction means meeting the person at where they are at. We’ve been fighting the war on drugs from the wrong end. Too much money to be made & too many people rely on drug manufacturing to support their families. We need to reverse our way of thinking. Educate the youth about the horrors of drug addiction. If an addict is using and won’t or can not stop, I say give them cheap state manufactured drugs, clean needles and leave them alone. That will bring down the crime rate rid the black market and crime ridden neighborhoods of illegal drugs and reduce infection spread by dirty unobtainable needles. Narcan or Naloxone needs to be readily available on Pharmacy shelves to combat opiate overdose. Its cost pennies to save lives. People don’t care bout the shadow people. I do though, because I was a shadow.
MBW: Sex trafficking activist ...
ZH: Sex Trafficking doesn’t just happen in India or Mexico. Suburban middle class children are being trafficked right from under our nose. Its not discussed until its an epidemic because it could cause the rulers of this land some embarrassment. Sex trafficking is a billion dollar industry supported in some by American businessmen on business trips over seas. They can pay two dollars to have an underage girl have sex with them. Americans, Yes! It happens all the time. Doctors, Lawyers so called educated men have been caught in illegal brothels holding dozens of women hostage often underage. Sex slaves, held for years in a tiny room the size of a bathroom. men are sent in one after another to do as they please with this women & or male. They know this isn’t something the person is willing to do, they know they are being held. Its perverse and not enough attention is paid to human traffickers
MBW: Rock and roll ... ZH: I grew up on Punk music from the 1970s. My roots began there and spread. I go through fazes. I’m really into Dave Grohl’s lyrics and Jack Whites brains & killer guitar right now
MBW: Tough guitars ... ZH: That means Keith Richards, Joan Jett, Jimmy Page, Chuck Berry, Paul Simon, Dr. Know, Keith Levine, Ron Ashton, Steve Diggle,Jack White, Lemmy, Dave Grohl, Johnny Thunders, Roger Waters David Gilmore, oh there’s too many I could never fill a list or do it justice. I have friends who kill on a guitar. You get the idea…
MBW: Loud bass ... ZH: Public Image limited… reggae and Dub for my bass fix the end~
MBW: 1970’s NYC music … ZH: Sex Pistols, The Heartbreakers, Patti Smith, early NYC rap. Bob Marley Dub, The Cramps, The Dead boys, Blondie, Richard Hell, Jim Carroll…
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etc Its impossible to list. My brain went blank… to many great ones to
MBW: Astral projection ... ZH: Means being able to be physically in one place and mentally in another. You’re actually able see what’s going on below you as you travel around the world. Not easy and I only obtained that talent once. Astral projection is an interpretation of an out of body experience, --
MBW: Truth ... ZH: I live by it and only tell it, why not truth is beauty
MBW: Criminal Law ... ZH: I’m going to split those words up. I’ve been a criminal most my life. I’ve lived an illegal lifestyle up until I had my son 12 years ago. I don’t care for the law, its bogus and I’ve been screwed by the ‘law’ Its necessary though because without it we’d have… anarchy or NYC in the 1970s…. and no one want that…
MBW: Talking to the dead ...
(?)
ZH: I see dead people all the time. I feel them, see them talk to them cry with them.
MBW: Men ... ZH: I love men, all men… fascinating sexy wonderful creatures.
MBW: Opiate specialist ... ZH: Ah yes, that I be. I was a heroin connoisseur, ex opiate addict extraordinaire, lover of the poppy, dreamer searching for the nod.
MBW: Living, learning, never listening, liver of life ...
MBW: Ex-Madam
I’ve been told…
ZH: I was, I owned by myself 5 different NYC in house brothels.
MBW: Style ... ZH: Its something you’re born with you can’t fake it. My son has style. It’s swagger, its attitude, its a certain coolness few can obtain, its not taught its not bought it just is.
MBW: tattoos .. ZH: Only on my arms and hands.. Oh I have a Charles Bukowski signature on my “tramp stamp”… On men I like jail house gang styled ink all over… necks do it for me lately, but that changes, either all or none.. never one or two… of anything….
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ZH: Well Marlowe, you just said it all…. That’s my sentence, so you have been paying attention! I like that….I do not listen to instruction or orders well..
MBW: Lover of life … ZH: Again one of mine. I truly love life. I’m excited by every day. I guess its because I’m happy. I love my family, I love my friends My slot in life is exciting I pump my life full of brilliant people who share their fascinating days with me, we all roll together. I’ve never calmed down I only get more energized and want to create and build constantly. Its about movement. But love is key without love you have nothing. I surround myself with lots of love and I’ve got plenty to spare.
MBW: Adrenaline junkie ... ZH: Yup that be me. It comes with loving life. I say yes then think afterwards…. I need excitement I need to enjoy and laugh, that buzz of adrenaline is my habit.
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MBW: Addiction specialist ... ZH: I know about addictions because I am an addict. You don’t have to be using drugs to still be an addict. I’ve switched to other things that I’ve commented on. But I know all about that subject. Its a vast topic.
MBW: Great friend ... ZH: I’m a loyal friend. Loyal till the end of time. You got me, you’ve got the best friend you will ever have.
MBW: Old souls ... ZH: I surround myself with old souls. I’m drawn to people with a past. Be it a past life. I like old. I can smell a new soul. It just doesn’t interest me as much.
ZH: I believe Amazon books has a series of anthologies where my short stories are listed. My web site should be helpful also. I’m sure that any of them they can be ordered in book store
MBW: Let me ask you ... Who might your favorite writers be ??? ZH: I’ve been hugely influenced by Herbert Huncke, for his unschooled raw beautiful approach to writing. He captures imagery and a scene like no other. Burroughs for his vastly different almost poetic words. He was ground breaking. I love the beat writers. But to me the big king of poetry and short tales, Mr. Charles Bukowski. I live and breath Bukowski. Post Office changed my life.
MBW: Insect hater
Dinosauria, Blue Bird… agh I get chills thinking about him. I loved Jim Carroll’s Forced Entrees. Jerry Stahl is my favorite living author. Permanent Midnight was a work from a genius. He’s such a cleaver hilarious writer. So self deprecating and is really wonderful in person. I was honored when he asked me to contribute to The Heroin Chronicles. Henry Miller.. again I could go on and on. I have over a thousand books my apartment is filled with gorgeous new & old books, they are my life. books tell you who the person is. Lzhsnsen.com Zoehansen.net
ZH: Ewww.. can’t stand them, ew ew ew… nooo way…
Thank you Marlowe B West its been a pleasure. Live loud!
MBW: What form of enlightenment do you share in your books ???
MBW: The pleasure is all mine, Zoe, love ... and all you beautiful people out there can learn more about and reach Zoe Hansen on her website ... Cheerz by the way ...
MBW: Animal lover ... ZH: I love all living creatures. I don’t eat them, I love them.
ZH: People tell me my stories have helped them in many ways. I find women admire my openness about the sex industry. My life as a heroin addict. Living in New York City during the 1980s My stories are true. I write about love, and men. My knowledge regarding these subjects so I enjoy helping someone who reaches out to me with questions or advice.
Lzhsnsen.com Zoehansen.net
MBW: Where can people reach you and find your books ???
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FEBRUARY WINTER MODEL ASHLEY MARIE NICHOLS PHOTOS BY GARY PREIS
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“EMPOWERING YOUNG MINDS WITH MUSIC”
By Michael “Jacobs”McKenna The pressures facing young adults today are totally mind boggling and can create insurmountable problems in their home lives, school lives and how they react and perceive life’s daily pressures. All aspects including bullying, peer pressure, acceptance, rejection, labeling, depression and others too numerous to name can cause problems on a scale that are unbelievable. But there is one bright spot in all this chaos! MUSIC! It is the universal, international language that speaks to everyone as equals. To those who become proficient with music in all its different forms and genres, they have the keys to move up the ladder of life and improve themselves and touch others through their creativity. The road is a tough one, there are curves and many bumps in the road, but with perseverance, success can happen. I have witnessed first-hand the transformations, untapped talents brought forth from the depths and the finished product of what can be if a young person has the opportunity to learn, flourish and live out their dreams. One of those outlets is SOR, The School of Rock! Oh, I see, you saw the Jack Black movie, right! Well, although it was a good movie, it just touched the tip of the iceberg. The real stories come from those who are involved. They start with parents, move to the students and instructors and yes, finally to musicians.
keyboards, drums along with the combination of weekly private music lessons and group band rehearsals that prepares the students to take the stage in front of live audiences in many different settings all the way up to concerts. The music programs are designed to create an environment where students of all skill levels are comfortable while at the same time being challenged to be the best they can be. Students are encouraged to reach a high level of achievement, grow as artists and become leaders in their community. Whether they are just starting in “Rock 101” or are in performance groups, the students are nurtured to become comfortable in this system. The music programs are delivered around a team dynamic, each aspiring musician is provided individual private music instruction that ensures that he or she will continue to advance on their own personal musical journey. Man, do I wish I had this when I was a teenager. It was a real drag for us back in the 60’s and 70’s. All we had was some bent, old piano teacher who paid more attention to her dog that to us. Today, the technology is there as an assist to students in more ways than just the hands on
I’ll start here with the school itself. Founded in 1998 in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the School of Rock has grown to over 150 outlets internationally in a short span of time. Why? Because they believe the best way to learn music is to play music. They take students from the lesson room to the stage, developing both their confidence and musicianship with programs designed for all skill levels. They come in as rookies at the bottom of the ladder and work their way up through different skill levels over time. They teach guitar, bass, vocals,
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approach. They start as young as 6 yrs old and continue on until their late teens, blossoming and learning new skills along the way. The amount of time each student devotes to the course depends on their drive, willingness and abilities. Parents are also involved in a major way. Each student is responsible for providing their own instruments and that usually falls on the shoulders of the parents as well as the tuition that is involved for instruction. Don’t even mention the time that each parent has to put in transporting their child to the classes or the events the school sponsors along with local businesses in the community. On the other end, the school provides all the back line that is needed. This includes full rehearsal rooms and individual one-on-one instruction. Professionals are the instructors and the time they devote to each student mounts up weekly. These professional musician/instructors have a lot on their plate as they have to be part-teacher, part-mentor and part-counselor to those clients they deal with on a daily basis. This is usually in addition to their daily jobs or family duties they all have to deal with!
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend an “Acoustic Concert” given by the students of the Easton, PA. School of Rock at Rivals in Downtown Easton, PA. This was their first in a series of 4 consecutive weekends that they will be performing with a different theme for each weekend. Other shows are a “Tribute to R&B”, “The Black Sabbath Show” and the Allentown, PA. School of Rock “Tribute to British Rock”. In the future, they will be performing shows dedicated to the music of “Indie Rock”, “Nirvana”, “Eric Clapton” and “Fleetwood Mac”. Ambitious, YES!!!!!!!! Impossible, NO!!!!!!! Getting back to the “Acoustic Showcase”, these very talented young adults performed in a very professional way that made everyone in attendance very proud, especially the parents. They took the stage to the music of R.E.M., Tom Petty, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Foo Fighters, The Band, Stealer’s Wheel, Red Hot Chili Peppers, CCR, The Beatles, Guns N’ Roses and Blind Melon. The students all took turns in the spotlight on vocals, harmonies, strings, guitars, percussion, bass, keys and yes, even the flute. There was the usual stage fright for the rookies, mistakes were made, and even some lines were missed, BUT, they gave it their best and rode the wave of acceptance and love that the audience gave them throughout both sets. During the show, I had the opportunity to critique some of the performers and offer them advice on how to improve their stage presence, alleviate stress and set themselves up in a ‘comfort zone’. I taught a few of the vocalists the “Left, Right, Center Theory” to help them eliminate distractions that invaded their peripheral vision and set them more at ease in their performances. Every one of them improved dramatically during their following parts on stage. I was so proud of them! They had me on an emotional ‘high’! Following the show, I had the opportunity to talk to some of the parents of the students. One of the vocalists, Julia, and her parents Jodi and Walter told me that since she has joined the SOR that their daughter, a middle child, has grown to be more mature and has in a sense, cut the umbilical of dependence and has taken steps to mold her future. She is also learning guitar, harmonica and piano in addition to her vocal instruction. They also said that
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she has attained honor student status at her high school and that her strong suit is her humility in which she credits others before she credits herself. Outstanding! Another one of the vocalists, Marlena (Laney), and her parents Jenny and Mike reiterated the fact that their daughter has matured, is very self-confident,
Music is universal, Music is the language we can all understand! My hat is off to these talented, driven and committed individuals. They are our future and we are their teachers! Ray and Sue Thierrin have given these young people a unique opportunity through their support with The School of Rock in Easton and Allentown, PA. It is because of people like them that “the future is so bright that I have to wear shades”!! has accepted responsibility and is now accountable for herself as she has become an ‘A’ student at her high school. I also observed some of the other students and learned that there are some who have difficulties, but come out of their shells and become totally different people when they are involved with their music. Remarkable, YES! Impossible, NO! If I said it once, I’ll say it again....Music is therapy,
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As seen on the April 2014 cover of Steel Notes: Natasha NYC Custom Designer clothes Now a specialty for 1622. Music and Movie Stars Days of Thanksgiving were called following Thanksgiving Day (Jour de l’Action de grâce in Canadian French) is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, and has long been celebrated in a secular manner as well.
History Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among almost all religions after harvests and at other times. The Thanksgiving holiday’s history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival, even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated. In the English tradition, days of thanksgiving and special thanksgiving religious services became important during the English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII and in reaction to the large number of religious holidays on the Catholic calendar. Before 1536 there were 95 Church holidays, plus 52 Sundays, when people were required to attend church and forego work and sometimes pay for expensive celebrations. The 1536 reforms reduced the number of Church holidays to 27, but some Puritanswished to completely eliminate all Church holidays, including Christmas and Easter. The holidays were to be replaced by specially called Days of Fasting or Days of Thanksgiving, in response to events that the Puritans viewed as acts of special providence. Unexpected disasters or threats of judgement from on high called for Days of Fasting. Special blessings, viewed as coming from God, called for Days of Thanksgiving. For example, Days of Fasting were called on account of drought in 1611, floods in 1613, and plagues in 1604 and
the victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 and following the deliverance of Queen Anne in 1705. An unusual annual Day of Thanksgiving began in 1606 following the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and developed into Guy Fawkes Day.
In Canada While some researchers state that “there is no compelling narrative of the origins of the Canadian Thanksgiving day”, the first Canadian Thanksgiving is often traced back to 1578 and the explorer Martin Frobisher. Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean, held his Thanksgiving celebration not for harvest but in thanks for surviving the long journey from England through the perils of storms and icebergs. On his third and final voyage to the far north, Frobisher held a formal ceremony in Frobisher Bay in Baffin Island (present-day Nunavut) to give thanks to God and in a service ministered by the preacher Robert Wolfall they celebrated Communion.
Oven-roasted turkey The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are also sometimes traced to the French settlers who came to New France with explorer Samuel de Champlain in the early 17th century, who celebrated their successful harvests. The French settlers in the area typically had feasts at the end of the harvest season and continued throughout the winter season, even sharing food with the indigenous peoples of the area. As settlers arrived in Canada from New England, late autumn Thanksgiving celebrations became common. New immigrants into the country, such as the Irish, Scottish and Germans, also added their own traditions to the harvest celebrations. Most of the U.S. aspects of Thanksgiving (such as the turkey), were incorporated when United Empire Loyalists began to flee from the United States
http://www.natashanyc.com/
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ROMAN’S RANTS
How Much Is That, For Real For Roman “Hey how much is that?” “It’s $499.” “OK... I can just afford that. I’ll take it. “Alright, that’ll be $529!” “What? OK dammit” “Would you like to guarantee that it works for a year? That’s another $100” “WTF?” Isn’t that conversation ridiculous? I know it’s happened to you. First, how did your Holidays go? Mine were good, thank you. Good meaning I’m still here and alive and they’re finally over. Generally the aftershock and incoming bills make for a depressing time of year-January, winter, February....oh there’s Valentine’s Day, but anyone that holiday actually means something to usually means its because they have a partner they love which means another gift to buy. OK so... Today’s “rant” isn’t about the Holidays, their commercialism, or gift obligations. Let’s put that aside and just accept the fact that, for whichever Holiday or whatever reason, we are going to buy a gift. Or not even a gift for someone. Let’s just say go and buy something, anything. And not even for someone else. It could be for ourselves. I love buying myself something over the Holidays. After dropping cash I can’t really afford on family and friends, well it’s only logical that I spend at least something on myself. OK so we’re going to buy something. Whew, that was an ordeal already! I want....a new laptop. Mine is already outdated and slow and full. Or wait! I want a guitar effect, like the current wireless systems they make now. One thing they both have in common is they keep making them better and
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cheaper as technology advances. Seems like a win-win situation. Eventually I had to lean towards the laptop. The PC I’m using is old, it’s going to go.... and guitar stuff I have plenty of, certainly enough to do my jobs. OK laptop it is! Let’s start shopping! Now this is an actual experience, the result of Holiday shopping, and the conditions are that my wife has given me a budget to pick out a gift. We do this to give each other something special without going overboard. And we believe that there should be one gift that is frivolous, something you’d like, you can use, but don’t absolutely need. Mostly though at least FUN, but something you wouldn’t spend money on. You know, something special. Clothes and underwear, or something for me to fix the toilet with is not special. Inevitable, but definitely not special. Definitely not fun. Not something that you boast about when asked “did you get anything good?” Anyway I start pricing PC’s systems and that silly conversation above is what I run into. I mean, I thought I could afford the model I want...but each time I opened my mouth to say “I’ll take it” the price changed. OK I know there’s tax. Except on food. Or medicine. Or who cares! Just tell me what the hell I owe. I had some bands over from England on tour with us and this drove them crazy! It was kind of funny in a sad way, they’d see the price of something they loved, meticulously count out their funny-looking American money to the penny, and when they put it down the price had changed. They would like at us like we were the biggest liars in the world. Eventually they just didn’t believe any price they saw. They’d have to ask us how much was that item“for real.” But it gets worse. This whole thing about a warranty, or guarantee, or insurance, or whatever other fancy word they want to use, well it’s frustrating. A warranty? BUY THIS WONDERFUL PRODUCT FOR
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ONLY $XXX.XX (then in little tiny voices or letters somewhere you see “title, cost, tax, and it actually working not included”) I mean is it too much to expect something I buy is going to work for a year!? I don’t think so. And it gets worse! If you want it to work for TWO years that will cost even more! OMG! Can you imagine? The last PC I bought I paid for the damn warranty or whatever they called it. Two years. I just couldn’t afford more. But what am I gonna do? Say “no, I’ll fix it myself if it acts up?” And a laptop cost more back then. I wasn’t looking at $4-500 on sale, I needed $800 to start and I had to make payments to Best Buy for two years to do it. This meant, of course, “apply” and be “eligible” for a Best Buy credit card, which put me on their email list for more great offers. Oh boy, lucky me! And guess what! After 2 ½ years it the laptop started going bad. Not worth fixing they said. Bad motherboard. Motherboard? Yeah? Motherf***er! I just paid it off! But I understand the mentality: say it’s the lowest price possible and hook ya. Add options and increase the sales if possible. I get it. If it’s a new guitar pitch the customer straps, strings, cables. Or the classic “buy one, get another half off.” Or toss in something extra for free (even though it’s probably an already inflated price to compensate for the difference.)
of their own. Yikes! Tons of them! OMG those commercials, where they say the hidden costs so fast that it’s not even possible to SPEAK like thatthey have to edit the sound to cut out any unused silence. It’s almost funny hearing that 5 minute disclaimer of high speed mumbling squished into 5 seconds that you hopefully won’t catch, but they’re required to include. Like the medicine commercials that they have to tell you side-effects! OMG how do you expect me to want something that MAY include nausea, vomiting, and/or “discharge!” Oh man, OK, back to my story... When I buy a guitar it comes with six strings. And it works or they fix it. The store feels stupid if they sell you something that doesn’t work a week later. Options? Sure. Hidden costs? Well, they may say “case not included” but more often they say “includes case.” I had to buy a new phone. OK, I can pay $300. Now let’s discuss the plan. You need a “data plan” don’t you? OK, I’ll discuss those options. Oh but I need a case. Oh you need a clear screen cover too. OK, at least I can buy that later and cheaper. I probably won’t though...”put it on the bill.” I have some friends in the PC and laptop industry and they were able to direct me to the models that fit my needs. They sent me links on nice new models, much cheaper than I ever paid for one before. And there were prices that I agreed with, but once I finally decided on the “right” one and tried to order it, I was bombarded with hidden costs. I mean, the amount of extra costs (not to mention on-line screens I had to scroll through to add to the price and agree to) was incredible.
But let’s be reasonable. If I buy something that’s hundreds or even thousands of dollars I expect it to work and I expect a refund if it won’t. You just tell me how long that’s going to be. How much do you believe it this product? How much does the company that MAKES it believe in it? Enough to say it’s free It just so totally pissed me off I quit. I just gave up. from defects or your money back? If not that should Frustrated, I had had enough. I don’t even want tells me something right there. your stupid laptop anymore. This was now officially “NOT FUN.” But Holy Mary, some things should be standard. Like that IT WORKS. When you buy a new car, you I went right up to my local music store instead and expect it to come with tires don’t you? Sure, fancier said I’ll take that pedal right there!_ OK Roman_ ones cost extra. Back in the day you could get so they said, Wow I know you’re hard on your gear, many options on a car you could literally buy the you want a warranty with that?” model you’re looking at off the showroom floor to just drive around town and get your shopping done WTF! or get such high performance options that you See ya next month, and thanks for listening! could drive it right to the track to race. Your choice. Roman Of course car salesmen have plenty of fancy terms
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PUMA PERL: POETRY CORNER Puma Perl Valentine’s Day has never been a holiday that I have observed, whether in, out, or in between relationships, maybe because my parents owned a card store and I grew up knowing the real meaning of commercial holidays – you pay the rent with them. But, in keeping with the February issue, here are a couple of poems and photos.
ANOTHER VALENTINE’S DAY Ride through the ghetto, June Carter, Your eyes shine brighter than your tiara Your eyelashes are whips Your legs have grown old Everything you have is what you need except for the man in black Ride, June Carter,
You learned to sit on buses sidesaddle, whip your hair round every windy corner All the pretty girls are drunk and your man’s boots lie polished beneath another bed Ride through the ghetto, June Carter He’ll be knocking on the back door soon enough, in his hands a heart shaped box of candy. That red-haired girl ate all the cherries. Left those sweet dark chocolates just for you.
your country’s gone ghetto your daddy’s dancing feet
A NEW VALENTINE’S DAY POEM
are walking out the door
You love me? You. Yes. You. You love me? You love me?
Ride through the ghetto,
What? What does that mean?
June Carter He’d love to wear a rainbow
You’re here? Yeah I’m here too.
every day
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So is the rotten striped candy cane
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and a hard core dvd on the table, so are
CANDY HEARTS POISONED BY RED INK AND DREAMS
keys in my pocket, and a bag of laundry
I wanted a drink so I wrote a poem
in the corner.
The poem said fuck off and get drunk
left over from Christmas, two pill bottles
We are all here.
I don’t want to hear it the hand told the brain Twenty-two years slit their wrists on a glass
We are all here. Words lie as much as men that I’ve known I could be somewhere else.
I once heard the truth, and slept for five days
White Plains, maybe. or Avenue C.
Woke up not sure if I’d been murdered or fucked
But I’m here.
My poems are dead and I can’t find my shoes
One left turn, an extra hour of sleep,
Dreams ride waves in saddles
an afternoon smile,a slow walk
Steer ships on white sand
on South Street. Books stand on my shelves Lives dealt like cards.
They stare into space,
Lived, sometimes, by accident.
Depressed as my father Lost as my shoes
Every bone I’ve broken pierces the night air as I lean against you and you are there.
Oh. Yeah. Maybe you’re right.
You love me?
For more Valentine’s Day cheer, please catch Puma Perl and Friends on Saturday, 02/14/15, 10PM, at Beast of Bourbon, 710 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn New York. Love Pirates at 11PM, no cover or admission, great BBQ and a full bar, including over 100 kinds of bourbon. More info about Beast of Bourbon here http://beastofbourbonbk.com/ A Bicycle Joe Low Fi Sound and Vision Production And please keep up with me on my blog: www.pumaperl.blogspot.com
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Calling Karma by Karen Best Greetings Readers,
And in the blink of an eye
It’s been a while since I had anything to talk about, but I am here to share a few things with you, and I hope you all will comment on the topics I am about to express.
You are gone.
I am going to start off with some of my poetry, since tis the season for Love and you guessed it Valentines Day, hope you enjoy!
Love is like an ocean,
Definition of Love:
calm and collective one moment, Rough and wild the next.
Treasures:
Stormy and on the rocks,
If you asked how to mend a broken heart, I’d ask if you knew how to sew?
Salty and neverending.
If you asked how to tend to ones own garden, I’d ask how do you make love grow? Simple little things, are what my heart desires, like being wrapped up in your arms sitting by a fire.
Twist of Fate: In the dark of the early morn I reach for you In the eve of a thunderstorm I yearn for you In the heat of passion I cry your name And in the depths of my soul You are the flame. In the calm of the night I dream of you
It has it’s high and low points, In the sands of time. The mystery of lasting forever. Water caressing the sands. Soft, gentle wind, Misting with the spray Sailing securely through the night, Passionately tossing and rocking about, Slowly coming to an end At the bank to dock.
Communication of the Soul: Can you hear me? I can hear your soul longing for someone who understands.
In the wake of a nightmare
Crying out for someone who is going through the same thing as you
I cling to you
Can you feel me?
In the chill of a breeze I cover you
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Reaching out to you
Till I am in your arms again.
as I feel you reaching out to me. Quiet, distant, emotional
I Prefer the Back Roads:
YOU ARE.
Life is like a back road
Slowly opening up to me.
It has its ups and downs
I am a light that you can turn to
Its bumps and bends
A shelter for your storm of emotion.
Its narrow paths
Together
And its scenic views.
we can establish trust and friendship
You can veer left and right,
That will stand the test of time.
Turning this way and that, Entering and exiting
Memory In a Day of Loneliness:
Whatever you come to.
I wake in the morning
It takes you on a journey
Just before dawn
No matter where you are going,
The sheets still warm
And sometimes
But you are gone
May surprise and delight you.
As I lay there reminiscing
But what ever the weather,
of your touch and us kissing
It is always there
I turn to find the scent of your skin
to take you to
Still lingering on the pillow
Your destination.
The glimmer of a tear Still glistens in my eye
Reflection:
As I realize that I just missed My lovers soft good-bye kiss
I sit and reflect upon the memories we share. The special moments that pass between us time and time again.
The sun is rising in the sky
You are my world.
As I try to forget
The joy you bring me, knowing that you love me and we plan to be together for a long time, and I dwell upon the thought of the unknown fate of what us in store for you. I fear that I won’t have enough time in the world to make you as happy as you make me, and the sadness fills me as I remember my residents staring at walls not knowing what is going on around them, and I pray that, that day will never come for you to not know who I am or what I mean
The chance that passed me by And surrender to The grueling task ahead of me Time for another arduous day at work That seems like an eternity
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to you.
Picture Perfect:
Soulbound:
I walk alone in this “so called life” the path so unclear and still so near, but somehow I lost track and through the woods I wander not knowing how to go back.
We were drawn to each other. Two tortured souls looking for redemption. We are the same, you and I. Our hearts both long for the same “happy ever after” ending and it’s strange to think about anything else but romance with you. You are my everything, down to the air I breathe, my piece of mind and reassurance is in you open arms and the look in your eyes. You are my truth and justice all in one and my love for you is as strong as the magic that brought us together.
Infinite Journey: Will you be the one to pick me up when I fall down? Will you be the one to mend my broken heart, will you be the one that stays when everyone else has gone away? Will you be the one Will you be the one that holds me too tight, too close, too long, forever, or will you too run away in the blink of an eye when we’ve hit stormy weather? Will you be the one that shares, will you be the one who truly cares? Will you be the one? Will you be the one to grow old together with? Will you be the one that stays by my side? Will you be the one to walk Down the aisle with? Will you be the one to choose me for your bride?
The sands of time slips through my fingers as I walk alone. With a glance over my shoulder I see a shadow shimmer in my distant past, but reminiscing cannot outlast what’s in front of me as I struggle up the twisted path of jagged rocks with bloodied hands I hear laughter, and ahead of me is happiness in an open meadow of sunshine and love and I let the warmth envelop me.
Now moving on to something that I really love... my town.
I have basically lived in Alburtis, Pa my whole life. Growing up here has shown me so much and with the expansion of this town it raises a few concerns, one being protection of the environment and development of the surrounding farm lands around our town. Recently it was discovered that a special species of toad resides in the farmland owned by Jandl heading out of town. That same land is part of a migration pattern for snow geese and with all the recent development I saw a sight that I have never seen before. Masses of snow geese flew in circles looking for somewhere to land to rest and refuel. What is going to happen to these beautiful creatures if development continues?
Calling Karma So It Is: Angels look down on us as we go through this life together. Take part in our love and devotion for we know we belong to each other. As time goes by we confide in each other, and our bond grow stronger for we shall never be apart.
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Barbell Buzz by Tim Caso
If One is Good, Two is Better…You Know the Drill
Come on guys and gals: we’ve all done this. If one – fill-in-the-blank - is good and two is better, then three must be even better!! We’ve applied this to aspirin, beer, doughnuts and, yes, to our workouts. I’m talking about the scourge of almost every gym-goer: over-training. Overtraining results from too much exercise and not enough rest in between workouts. Its symptoms include:
•
No training progress.
•
Decreased muscular size and strength.
•
Increased joint and muscle soreness.
•
Loss of interest in training.
•
General fatigue.
• Insomnia.
The bottom line is that your workouts stink and you can’t understand why. So, you do what many, including myself, have done: add more sets and reps “because I’m in such great shape that maybe my body is used to what I’ve been doing… Charge!!” Well, while you may have stumbled across a grain of truth there, the bigger picture is that you are just worn out. Plain and simple.
Becoming over-trained is really, really easy. When I was an Olympic-style lifter, I watched my Olympicsbound training partner train five days a week.No
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real cycles that I recall and just some time off before and after a meet. That’s it. Well, I figured, what’s good enough for him is certainly good enough for me too! At the time, I didn’t realize anything about genetics, athletic ability, body proportions, etc. He was practically superman; I was not. His body could take that kind of pounding; mine could not. No matter. I trained really hard and, after a while, watched my progress decline. What did I do? You got it: more sets, more reps, no cycles, full steam ahead! And, what happened? Poor performance in important meets and injuries soon followed. Does any of this sound or feel familiar?
Ask yourself this: when was the last time you took a scheduled week off from the gym? If you haven’t, all is not lost. Let me show you the way.
The good news is that avoiding over-training is really easy as well! It simply requires discipline, lots of discipline on your part.The very first tenet you need to remember and keep it at the top of your list is that rest is just as important as the wokrout. The second tenet is that “Less is more.” Yes, you read that right. You’ll make more progress by training less and not by training more. The idea is that, after a hard workout, you allow your body – and your mind – to recuperate. In fact, you’ll find that you’ll make progress much more quickly if your head is screwed on right.
So, here are some things you can do right now. If you haven’t taken that week off, drop everything
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and take it now. Right now. Your body will thank you by responding forcefully to your next workout cycle. You want to look forward to your next cycle. I drive my wife crazy because, by every Thursday of my week off, I keep telling her that I “can’t wait for my next cycle!” By then, neither can she! But that’s the point: your mind is clear and looking forward to the next challenge. Here are a few more things you can do: 1. Specifically map out your next workout cycle. They should run for 10 to 12 weeks with alternating heavy and light weeks. This will include a week off at the end. 2. Set goals for yourself. Whether it’s a bench press or squat number; a specific number of pullups. Whatever. Just make them challenging but realistic. You may surprise yourself! Then, you can go happily into your week off too. 3. Plan your workouts so that you work body parts – upper and lower – no more than twice a week. Your muscles typically need about 48 hours to recover. So, incorporate planned rests into your schedule.
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4. Drink easily digested protein within 30 minutes following your workout. Two reasons here: first is that it’s a nice reward; second is that this will help your muscles heal and prepare for your next workout.
Nothing will render your workouts along with all your dedication useless faster than over-training. However, if you plan around it by following a few simple steps, you’ll be able to extend your progress almost indefinitely.
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NAMM: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CREATIVE & TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT THE 30TH ANNUAL NAMM TEC AWARDS HOSTED BY COMEDIAN SINBAD SLASH PERFORMS AND RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS LES PAUL AWARD. SLASH TRIBUTE BAND INCLUDES: ORIANTHI, DON WAS, ALEX ACUNA, KENNY ARANOFF ED CHERNEY AND NATHAN EAST INDUCTED INTO NAMM TEC AWARDS HALL OF FAME _PRESENTERS FOR THE EVENING INCLUDED: MICHAEL BRAUNSTEIN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LES PAUL FOUNDATION), DON WAS (MUSICIAN/ RECORD PRODUCER), HARRY SHEARER (MUSICIAN/ ACTOR), BERNIE WILLIAMS (NEW YORK YANKEE/ GUITARIST), ORIANTHI (SINGER-SONGWRITER), RICHIE SAMBORA, CJ VANSTON (FILM COMPOSER), JEFF “SKUNK” BAXTER (GUITARIST), BOB JAMES (JAZZ PIANIST), AMY BURR (STUDIO MANAGER),
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LENISE BENT (PRODUCER AND ENGINEER), YOUNG GURU (AUDIO ENGINEER/RECORD PRODUCER), DAVE REITZAS (MIXER/RECORDING ENGINEER), BRETT LEONARD (DIRECTOR/PRODUCER), FRANK SERAFINE (SOUND EFFECTS DESIGNER/ COMPOSER), JACK DOUGLAS (RECORD PRODUCER) AND AL SCHMITT (RECORDING ENGINEER/RECORD PRODUCER)_ ANAHEIM, CALIF., (JAN. 24, 2015) – Recording, audio and music industry professionals honor excellence in sound technology and creativity at the 30th Annual NAMM TEC AWARDS, [1] held January 24 in Anaheim, Calif. The professional audio and music production industry’s most prestigious awards celebrate excellence in 30 creative and technical achievement categories. The awards are held annually during the NAMM Show [2], the world’s leading global music industry trade event, which draws more than 95,000 members of the music products industry to Anaheim.
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“The people and products that were nominated at this year’s TEC Awards, especially on this milestone 30th anniversary, deserve our respect and admiration,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “And those select few who have gone home with a coveted TEC Award have set a high bar for the industry. These are the tools and sounds that will shape the music we will be listening to for years to come.”
_Lazaretto_, Jack White
Winners in the creative category include the production team behind the #1 hit song “HAPPY” from PHARRELL WILLIAMS, audio production experts from the hit film _GRAVITY_ and sound professionals in the tour/event category for STING & PAUL SIMON: ON STAGE TOUR, among others.
56th Annual GRAMMY Awards
Everything from wireless technology to software and an earpiece technology company were recognized in the evening’s technical achievement categories. Native Instrument’s Razor 1.5 instrument software nabbed the top spot for Musical Instrument Software, while Shure’s GLXD6 Guitar Pedal Receiver with Tuner edged out competitors in Wireless Technology. Other winners in technical achievement include DPA Microphones’ d:screet Necklace, honored for Sound Reinforcement. Comedian and musician SINBAD served as the evening’s host. Bassist NATHAN EAST performed several songs after he and iconic music engineer ED CHERNEY became the newest inductees to the NAMM TEC Awards Hall of Fame [3].
_Game of Thrones_
Iconic guitarist SLASH rocked the house with a performance after receiving the evening’s highest honor, the LES PAUL AWARD, named for the revolutionary inventor and esteemed musician. A tribute band played along and included Orianthi, Don Was and Kenny Aranoff. The Les Paul award recognizes individuals or institutions that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of audio and music technology. CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
RECORD PRODUCTION / SINGLE OR TRACK “Happy,” Pharrell Williams
RECORD PRODUCTION / ALBUM
TOUR / EVENT SOUND PRODUCTION Sting & Paul Simon: On Stage Tour
REMOTE PRODUCTION / RECORDING OR BROADCAST FILM SOUND PRODUCTION _Gravity_
TELEVISION SOUND PRODUCTION INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT SOUND PRODUCTION _Call of Duty: Ghosts_
STUDIO DESIGN PROJECT Berklee College of Music, 160 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT API 505 DI 500-Series DI Module
AUDIO APPS FOR SMARTPHONES & TABLETS PreSonus Capture for iPad
HARDWARE / PERIPHERALS FOR SMARTPHONES & TABLETS Apogee MiC 96k
MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIERS Rupert Neve Designs Shelford 5052
STUDIO MONITORS Genelec 8010
RECORDING DEVICES Zoom H5 Handy Recorder
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MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AMPLIFICATION & EFFECTS Line 6 POD HD Pro X
AMPLIFICATION HARDWARE - STUDIO & SOUND REINFORCEMENT Grace Design m920 Monitoring System
COMPUTER AUDIO HARDWARE Universal Audio Apollo Twin
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HARDWARE
WORKSTATION TECHNOLOGY Steinberg Cubase 7.5
SMALL FORMAT CONSOLE TECHNOLOGY Solid State Logic Matrix 2
LARGE FORMAT CONSOLE TECHNOLOGY API “The Box”
For more information, visit www.tecawards.org [4].
Nord Lead A1
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SOFTWARE Native Instruments Razor 1.5
SIGNAL PROCESSING HARDWARE Dangerous Music The Dangerous Compressor
SIGNAL PROCESSING HARDWARE (500-SERIES MODULES) Rupert Neve Designs 551 EQ
SIGNAL PROCESSING SOFTWARE iZotope RX3 Audio Repair Suite
ABOUT NAMM FOUNDATION The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants [5] and its 9,200 members around the world. The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research,philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit http://www.nammfoundation.org/ [6], Facebook [7], Twitter [8], YouTube [9].
SOUND REINFORCEMENT LOUDSPEAKERS Meyer Sound LYON
MICROPHONES - SOUND REINFORCEMENT DPA Microphones d:screet Necklace
MEDIA CONTACTS Lora Bodmer - NAMM
MICROPHONES – RECORDING
Director of Public Relations & Social Media|Phone: 760.438.8007
Neumann TLM 107
lorab@namm.org
HEADPHONE / EARPIECE TECHNOLOGY
Jeanne O’Keefe - The Lippin Group
AKG K812 Headphones
Vice President|
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY Shure GLXD6 Guitar Pedal Receiver with Tuner
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PHOTO COURTESY OF NAMM
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PHOTO COURTESY OF NAMM
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NAMM
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INTERVIEW WITH FEBRUARY ARTIST OF THE MONTH BRUCE WALL - by Alexxis Steele Alexxis Steele A.S.: WHERE ARE YOU ORIGINALLY FROM? B.W.: Well, depends on who ya ask. I was actually born in Texas. However, Fort Smith, Arkansas is where I was raised and family is from. My father was Military/NSA so we traveled as well. But, my heart belongs ta Tennessee.
A.S.: WHO WERE YOUR EARLIEST MUSICAL INFLUENCES?
A.S.: WHEN DID YOU FIRST START PLAYING GUITAR? B.W.: Guess when I was 14 or 15. I used to be a semi-pro skateboarder. When the sport kind of died out for a while, I shifted my focus on music. Used to lock myself in my room for days and just play along with records. Our neighbor used to play with Ernest Tubbs and he helped me get started and gave me my first Mel Bay Guitar Book.
B.W.: I had many. Growing up in South I was exposed to a lot of amazing music. My family exposed me to Johnny Cash, Elvis, etc. But, as I grew up I loved Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker, Allman Brothers, Wet Willie, Hendrix. I love all music but growing up a southern boy those bands were my heroes.
A.S.: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BRAND OF GUITAR TO PLAY?
A.S.: DID YOU COME FROM A MUSICAL FAMILY?
A.S.: WHEN DID YOU GET INTO YOUR FIRST BAND?
B.W.: Not really. I was pretty much one of the first in my family to actually play. They were very much music lovers. Just not musicians. When I was young, my grandfather always wanted me to play for him. I had to play Ghost Riders over and over for him. He thought I learned a country song for him. Actually, I had learned it from The Outlaws. lol
B.W.: Back in mid 80’s. Group of great guys I’m still friends with today. Mike Burch, Bill Secrest, Anthony Camboni, and Lonnie Craven. Those were the days of Heavy Metal. I played it, but I always insisted on playing some Skynyrd in honor of my roots.
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B.W.: Mine of course… lol I have always been a huge fan of Gibson Les Pauls. Unfortunately, Gibson has gotten greedy and they are way to pricey these days.
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A.S. : YOU HAD A HEALTH SCARE THAT TURNED YOUR LIFE AROUND, WHERE DOES YOUR STRENGTH COME FROM? B.W. : Boy, tough question. I don’t really see myself as strong. I was diagnosed with Cancer and basically told to get my affairs in order. I realized I wasn’t afraid of dying. Maybe because of my faith. But, what I was terrified of was not having mattered. Living a life that ended up receiving more than I had given. I wanted to have left the world a little better place than I found it. I wanted my kids and family to be proud. To leave some legacy I guess.
A.S. : YOU WERE DUBBED MR. SOUHERN ROCK BY THE LATE GEORGE MCCORKLE OF THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND, AND BEGAN WORKING WITH MANY ARTISTS IN NASHVILLE, SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH ACTOR/MUSICIAN JOHN CORBETT? B.W. : Yes, I have been very blessed to have worked with a lot of amazing folks. Became friends with most of my musical heroes. John and his band are all awesome guys. John is very gracious. We had a lot of fun. He asked me to build his bands website. He even brought his band out from California to perform at one of the charity events I did in Tennessee called Musifest.
A.S. : WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START MAKING YOUR OWN GUITARS?
them together. Later, I just started customizing. Then in the 80’s I built my first couple from scratch.
A.S. : HOW MANY DIFFERENT STYLES OF GUITARS DO YOU CREATE? B.W. : Infinite. I believe no two should ever be alike. Even if I do the same model for someone I customize for the player. I think each instrument should be as unique an individual as the player. I also believe for it to be lasting art it needs to be unique.
A.S. : DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TYPE OF GUITAR YOU LIKE TO MAKE? B.W. : Well, not really. I have been playing a lot of catch up lately. I like the ones I get to take my time on. No deadlines. When you make one for an order you have timelines and limited somewhat on design. When I create one that is not a special order I get to do what I want. I am really loving doing the Mosaics with dear friend Marie Currie. She is an awesome lady, friend, and talent.
A.S.: How DID YOU GET STARTED MAKING MINI REPLICAS OF YOUR GUITAR FOR MARIE CURRIE? B.W. : Well, we had spoken a few times about collaborating. We just never figured out how. I started doing miniatures for folks for memorials, gifts, and
B.W. : Well, I have always loved working with my hands. And have done many over the years. Like many guitarists every time I would get a new guitar I would tear it apart and customize it – used to drive my ex-wife nuts. But, I had one of my guitars donated for an event called Full Moon Music Festival. It was very popular and my good friend Keith Hall who organizes event asked me to do some this year. I carved two for them and I loved it so much well… here I am.
A.S : .WHEN DID YOU FIRST START DESIGNING AND MAKING YOUR OWN GUITARS? B.W. : Well, I have always done it. When I first started playing, I couldn’t afford a guitar. So, I pieced
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corporate deals. It was a good way for me to learn and create new techniques. It was also a great way to practice my art inexpensively. They became so popular I couldn’t keep up… I happen to realize that Marie and I were working in the same scale of miniatures. So, I asked her if I could send her one to try. So, the first collaboration was born named “Amber”… Love Marie ta death and one of the best things I ever did was to partner up with her... It’s been a blast and she has become one of my closest and dearest friends in the process. We just finished our second collaboration called “Cherokee”. It is amazing. She even called me on my birthday and sang to me. How many guys can say that they have the beautiful Marie Currie call and sing happy birthday to them. It was awesome… And let me tell you, she still sings as beautifully as she looks. A.S. : WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOUR WORK FOR PURCHASE? B.W. : Well, they can go to my website www. WallArtisticGuitars.com most everything is special order right now. But, I have a few I am working on and will have done for our official launch/showcase party on March 13th. One is in collaboration with good friend Thom Pinkston which is a beautiful Purple Heart Maple. It has Purple Heart Medal carved in wood with real gold leafing. I am also finishing up a tribute to George McCorkle which features a real rattlesnake.
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http://www.natashanyc.com/
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The State Theater Center for the Arts-Easton, PA.
Luxor Pyramid in Las Vegas and where he walked on water as others were neck deep. The stage was now set for his appearance and boy, he did not disappoint the crowd.
1st Show - Review by Michael McKenna
We saw a flat 1 inch platform that was hanging about 4 feet off the floor from the stage when a curtainejected out of it and a second later, Criss Angel appeared out of thin air to the roar of the crowd! He yelled, “Easton, Are You Ready” and 1500 eager souls roared in unison! We were already on the edge of our seats anticipating what was to follow.
Sold Out! No Seats Available! Two Shows! I can’t remember the last time a Las Vegas show act came to our area. Those who were fortunate enough to be one of the 1,500 people at each show were about to see things that they have never before witnessed in their lives. From ages 8 – 80, the packed house was filled with anticipation for what can only be described as the man whose magic and illusions are “totally out of the box”, who holds numerous Guinness World Records and has been feted as the “Magician of the Century”. The show opened with a showgirl and a magician, Fifi and Maestro, doing comedy skits that had the audience in stitches. Starting with his comic tools of the trade like the collapsing mop, shovel and ladder, Fifi then gave him his sword which he then swallowed, but Fifi showed the crowd that it also collapsed giving up his cool funny secret. They tied him up in a straight jacket and he tried and tried, but couldn’t get out, Fifi then pulled his sleeves halfway across the stage. Laughter erupted! When Maestro asked if everyone was ready for Criss Angel, he disappeared behind a curtain and came back out dressed as Criss would have been. Oh, were they funny! The intro was coming, but first, Lars took the stage and did an awesome robot that featured a flawless version of his moonwalk. Way cool! The prelude to the event was just getting underway as we were treated to a video of some of Criss’s most famous illusions and magic over his illustrious career including levitating above the peak of The
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His lovely assistant, Kayla, dressed in a bright silver outfit, took to the platform and was covered completely with a large black cover and a few seconds later he removed it and she was gone. Where was she? On the other side of the stage was a large locked box that was elevated and she reappeared from that box after the bindings were loosed. Back to the platform, the cover was lifted there and 4 of his beautiful assistants appeared magically! His staff came out on stage and set up the stage in a matter of seconds for his next illusion which was made famous by the Great Houdini. The act, “Metamorphosis” featured a crate, made of metal and wood, which was shown by a member of the audience, that it was metal and indeed, totally empty. It was locked tight and when it opened, the devil himself appeared, donned in black with a brightly lit red mask that was sinister looking. Criss was locked inside, the box is again checked by a member from the audience and the cover is drawn over it. In less that 2 seconds, he appears standing in the unlocked box! FANTASTIC! Criss Angel is the type of person who likes to bond with his audience and his first example of this is when he got down on his knees and kissed the stage. Why? Ever since he was a young boy, it was one of his life-long dreams to perform at The
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Historic State Theater. Criss stated, “I’m thankful for being here tonight. I love Easton and the Lehigh Valley. This area has been close to my heart since I was a young boy. I used to come here with my late father and grandfather, who owned a restaurant across the street from the theater and my uncle, who was a member of the Easton Fire Department. Today, I achieved my personal goal which was once a dream”. He once was on this very stage for a photo shoot in 1991 and a video showed a still pic of the marquee with his name on it. The video went through his life history, in pictures, from a young boy forward to where he showed everyone his first attempts at magic, his early appearances at local schools in Long Island and how he was able to buy his first magic from a store in Manhattan. The stage was now set for Lance Burton’s famous “Magic Sword Fight” as Criss and one of his assistants donned in black with a mask dueled onstage with sharp sabers in a classic match. Criss mounted a raised pedestal, threw a red cover over himself and the swordsman proceeded to stab through the cover. The swordsman then removed the cover and Criss was gone. Where did he go? The swordsman came to the front of the stage, removed his mask, lo and behold, there was Criss! The crowd went nuts! His cousin, Billy Kounoupis, Criss’s mother and his entire extended family, along with his friends were present at this show. It was a long-awaited homecoming. Now came the part when audience participation came into play as Michael, was summoned to the stage. This 14 year old young man was asked questions and answered truthfully with one or two words. When Criss offered him a girlfriend, Fifi, the showgirl, came out and then was substituted for Kayla, dressed in a Victoria Secret-like outfit which really opened his eyes. When asked by Criss, “Can you handle that?”, Michael quickly answered, “Yes” and the crowd roared in response. Criss then joked, What happens in Easton, goes on Facebook!” using the famous Vegas line. He then brought out a 1907 Cups and Ball set on a tray that once belonged to the Great Houdini which he recently purchased and is the first time
it has appeared in a show. Michael held the tray and the trick handle came off and the cups and ball dropped. Criss had some fun with the young man to the crowds delight for a while and then proceeded to 3 giant cups set up on a platform. Maestro was put under one of them and Lars moved them around. Now, it was Michael’s turn to find Maestro! He picked the right cup and out popped Kristen, he picked the middle cup and there was Michelle. One more cup was left, the music to “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” was played and Criss asked Michael if the left cup was his final answer, Michael said, “Yes” and when it was lifted, out popped Kayla! This young man got a big hand! We were now in store for some danger as Criss’s assistant, Kayla, bought out an 18” piece of thin wire and 5 extremely sharp razor blades that Criss cut 5 strips of paper with and then inserted each of them into his mouth. Next came eating the wire
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and drinking some water to wash it down. But wait, did he swallow all of that? He starting releasing the water in short bursts and then started to pull the wire from his throat which had all 5 razor blades securely attached to the wire. You had to be there to see this, it was amazing! Next, we saw an illusion built up from scratch as they built a box consisting of a cloth material over a flat hard surface. The front was opened to reveal an empty box, zero, nada, nothing at all. A lady from the audience was asked to pick one of 8 motorcycles that were displayed on a big screen and write down which one she picked. They then closed the box and presto, a 650 lb. Chopper appeared that coincidentally was the one written on her paper, WOW!
understatement. The falling swords were randomly chosen by having Lisa Colver of Easton throw a ball into the audience. One would pick a number between 1 and 6. As they picked the number between 1 and 6, each number was assigned to align a rope that was holding that particular sword. But first, there was a test. A melon was placed where Criss’s heart would be and the test sword dropped and impaled the helpless melon. Criss laid on the platform while 6 swords hung perilously above him. The ball was launched. Those who caught the ball started to rattle off the numbers. It started with 3, then 6, then 2, then 4, until only 1 & 5 were left.
He then asked Lisa to chose wisely as his life was now in her hands. She chose 1! Criss said why not 5, Once again the big beach ball made its way through she said 1! He asked again, why not 5, she reiterated the audience and when the music stopped, a gentle- that she wanted number 1! He then told her to reman named John caught it and was told to give it to lease the hook. Nobody was breathing, not a word a lady and Criss called them both to the stage for his was uttered, you could hear a pin drop in the balnext illusion. John then placed stuffed animals on cony, even the house mouse was quiet! Lisa pulled the lip of the stage and the lady was asked to write the pin, the sword dropped, it missed Criss, he had down the name of one of them. With her on the left once again cheated the Grim Reaper! A collective and him on the right and Criss in the center, he told sigh was heard as everyone erupted in a frenzied her to think hard about which animal she picked and explosion of sound and applause! INCREDIBLE!!! transmit that info to John. Criss then told John to pick up the animals that she didn’t name. He picked Essentially it came down to two swords that hung in the air. There was a 50/50 shot that Lisa would all but two, an elephant and a dog. He then picked pull either the right sword or the wrong sword, and up the dog and put it in the basket, leaving only she, fortunately, pulled the correct sword, and that the elephant. When the lady revealed that she had sword came down and just missed Criss. The final picked the dog, we all started to wonder, what’s sword left hanging was directly above his heart. going to happen here? John then stood up the dog Criss got off the table and released that sword to on its feet at Criss’s direction and was told to make show that it indeed fell literally where he would a gun with his hand and shoot the elephant. Much to everyone’s surprise, the elephant rolled over and have been impaled right through his heart. played dead, Hilarious! But wait, Criss wasn’t finOne would think the show would be over after that ished yet! He then put the stuffed elephant on the monster exhibition! No! Not yet, there was more stage, called to it and it started walking, What was to come. This act had never yet been performed in going on here? He picked up the elephant and took public, it was brand new and Criss Angel decided apart what was the outer shell of the stuffed animal to unveil it at his homecoming. Entitled “In Two”, and inside was a LIVE DOG! AWESOME!! it consisted of a 1” thick wooden platform and a What we were about to witness would stop the hearts of the audience with each tick of time! Clive Barker’s “Lords of Illusions Death Premonition” for which Criss obtained the rights to perform from the master himself, suddenly had us all on the edge of our seats. To say that my heart skipped a few beats as I held my breath during this ordeal would be an
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gigantic buzz saw that would cut thru it, but cut through what? The ‘Red Face’ robots set up the next illusion and then moved the running saw around the stage as Criss ran through the audience giving out pieces of balled up paper. Only two had his “MindFreak” logo on them. The two lucky participants went up on stage and verified everything
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that was to be used in the illusion was real and nothing was out of place. Criss warned the crowd that if anyone had a weak stomach to look away or close their eyes, because their would be blood! With the lady on the platform, the saw was then lowered and she was totally cut in half. Both sides of the platform were moved away from each other. The bottom half then got up and walked across the stage as the upper half laid lifeless on the half-platform. WHAT A SIGHT! That was the finale, right! Nope! Another new act never before performed was about to unfold. “Enigma” featured a scaffold type structure with a 4 foot clear cube that was elevated 6 feet off the floor and was accessible with a ladder that took Criss about 15 ft high. He then entered the cube and a large cover was lowered over the cube. Meanwhile, Kayla crawls under a cover on another platform and the scene is now set. As they raised the curtain, Criss was gone, nowhere to be seen, but there was 2 girls in the cube. Where was Criss? A spotlight found him sitting in about row 20 in the middle of the audience, mind you, the elapsed time of this was less than 3 seconds total. PHENOMENAL!!! After the show I talked to some of the participants about their experiences. Lisa Colver, who photo by Sheri Bayne pulled the pins on the swords said, “The show was fantastic, I loved being part of it.” Her husband Dave Colver said, “I handed her the ball when it came to me.” Michael, who tried to find Maestro under the cups said, “I enjoyed the show and it is something I will never forget.” BRAVO!! As for myself, I have never seen anything like this in my 60 years on this rock. I know deep down that this humble man has a big heart and is “The Real Thing”. It was a personal privilege and a pleasure to meet him and his extended family and know that I have made lasting friends. I will be there when he returns to the Lehigh Valley and maybe hope to one day see him at The Luxor in Las Vegas!
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photo by Sheri Bayne
photo by Sheri Bayne
photo by Sheri Bayne
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photo by Sheri Bayne
photo by Sheri Bayne
photo by Sheri Bayne
photo by Sheri Bayne
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photo by Sheri Bayne
photo by Sheri Bayne
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KAT STARCHILD by Guido Colacci This month the Spotlight is on Kat Starchild ‌ Ms Kat Starchild is a visual artist, born in Budapest, Hungary on the 30th of November. She now lives and is based in Vienna. Her work expresses the depth and passion of the subjects she chooses‌..she creates art in multiple, mixed mediums, photography, and videos. I have dubbed her the embodiment of the Triple Divinity. She is Muse, Artist and Living Art. She transcends any and all known mortal flesh and blood limits of beauty. She can go from Enchantress, to Magician, to Sorceress, to Goddess, to Witch. https://www.facebook.com/kat.starchild.art?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-GLAMPIRE-ARTWORKS-by-KatStarchild/118173691625407 http://www.kat-starchild.tumblr.com https://www.youtube.com/user/KatStarchildArt
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MBW: May I have your complete attention, please !!! video ... Could you please take our readers and I ... Here we have a genuinely incredible individual ... on a voyage into the preparation, recording and Mr. Logan Sky from the United Kingdom ... Where visualization of Strange Magic ??? did you grow up and what is your background ??? LS: “Strange Magic” was born unto Steven and LS: Thanks Marlowe, the honour is all mine.. I’m just Donna and when I heard the original version I was a typical shy, reserved Englishman! But strangely I hooked immediately. I was one of the first to see feel, in your presence that I may open up and reveal the track with Dennis Murphy’s deliciously dark some inner secrets! Starting with my youth.. well.. I video, inspired by Kenneth Anger, full of Occult was raised near Norwich, in Norfolk and moved to symbology and flesh! London in 1996, where I still am today! Vocally the track is also entrancing, Steven’s repeated vocals and Donna’s meandering backing were totally mesmeric.. so I remixed the track and we put MBW: I have read other interviews with Logan together a brand new track “Falcon of the Dunes”, Sky and have found you to be rich in expertise and released along with all of the other mixes as a CD in experience with synthesizers ... This is fascinating October last year.. www.chopchoprecords.co.uk ... The synth is the most liberating instrument ... By way of sound ... and using the mentally visible musical scales ... one can easily travel into the realm MBW: The results are exceptionally exciting ... Can of the ethereal ... by riding on the mind of an excelyou please tell my Steel Notes Magazine readers if lent synth musician ... Please tell us what was the there are more plans for this ecstatic collaboration path you followed that led you to this plateau ??? ??? LS: I first became aware of the ethereal ability of LS: Yeah, fresh off the buzz from “Strange Magic” synthesizers hearing Dr Who on TV and Pink Floyd’s we laid down some more vocal and synth ideas ‘Wish You Were Here’. My teenage years were which we’re really happy with. The results are filled with the sounds of Ultravox, Visage, Depeche planned for release as a “Desire Lines” EP in early Mode, Japan, Soft Cell and Adam & the Ants. I was March 2015, hopefully with another video. There’ll inspired to record rough demos using tape-to-tape be extra tracks and remixes by OGRE who creates decks to build up layered songs. I then moved onto the Yamaha DX27 and joined a Duran-styled band at dark synthwave soundscapes and Sare Havlicek who is another vintage synth collector and the age 15. producer of Visage’s recent “Hearts & Knives” Seeing myself as some kind of Nick Rhodes protealbum and the latest “Orchestral” album, where gee I set about creating sounds and quickly moving ten Visage tracks are performed with the Prague onto Atari ST Steinberg software to sequence Synthosymphonic orchestra, including the brand tracks.. I finally got to work with Nick in Duran new track “The Silence”. Duran’s studio back in 2002 and his fine selection of vintage analogue synths fuelled my current passion for these instruments. My essential studio synths MBW: Being an accomplished musician in London are the Yamaha CS20, a Moog, Roland Juno-106, appears to have opened an intriguing array of aveKorg Polysix and some beautiful string synths. nues, and doors, for you, Logan Sky ... We would be When you hear the unique vibrance and nuances greatly entertained by some of your amazing romps of these machines it’s rather like discovering a fine in the studios, and worlds, of such interesting and wine! successful artists such as Duran Duran and Steve Strange ... MBW: I am thoroughly taken by the masterpiece you have rendered with my beautiful beloved friends, Donna Destri and Steven Jones ... Strange Magic, as well as it’s phenomenal accompanying
LS: It was an honour to use Nick Rhodes synths back in 2001/2002 when I was keyboard player for Riviera F. The time spent in Duran’s studio reinforced my love of vintage synths and red wine.
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I was there when one of the first Moog Voyagers arrived signed by Bob Moog just for Nick. One night after maybe a few too many merlots, Nick decided to randomly call people in other countries asking them to say the words ‘International Lover’ in their own language. I remember a particularly funny Brazilian who really got into the spirit of things! More recently at Daphne Guinness’ studio we got into the outdoor spirit of recording, using lovely condenser microphones which really picked up all small details. At one point Steve Strange was dropping ping pong balls onto a zither and in the background we had Daphne singing opera whist bouncing on a trampoline. These moments really can’t be recreated using virtual instruments!
MBW: How has your affiliation with these guys advanced your own career ??? What is your ultimate goal ??? LS: Career..? I don’t think of myself as having a career in this industry.. I’m always pretty much focused on early 80s and new romantic sounds, so I’m just always there to help or promote like-minded musicians. My goal is to simply continue doing this for as long as I can.
MBW: I also heard you were a DJ ... What kind of music do you enjoy spinning the most ??? LS: Currently you might find me playing synthwave, new artists like Sferro, Python Blue, Kavinsky, RightKnider, Highway Superstar and Chromeo. And somehow I manage to mix this with older artists, Depeche Mode, Japan, Roxy Music, Lizzy Mercier Descoux, Gina X, Telex and Anna
MBW: What category of music would you say you fit into ??? LS: ..perhaps I’m a jigsaw piece in the whole puzzle of the synth zone.
MBW: What do you think about hip hop and rap ... and ... where do you see music going ???
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LS: There’s immense spirit and passion that goes into making Hip Hop and rap, but the whole genre just never appealed to me.. it’s just talking over music, right!?.. 2014 saw a surge in the revival of vinyl and cassette. VISAGE have really been active with physical releases.. six CD singles, two albums and some on vinyl. There’s something immersive about vinyl sleeves and using cassettes. You take your time to put them on and somehow you respect those moments - otherwise, if you miss anything, you have to lift the needle or press rewind, rather than just click a button on the computer. So really you’re being ‘mindful’ of the music, rather like sitting down to a fine meal, not just eating a snack on the move. There’s some interesting vintage synth re-issues around from Moog, Dave Smith and Korg’s MS20 and imminent Arp Odyssey. There’s a strong demand for instruments that break the rules. Experimental sounds made without MIDI. Musicians are realizing the character of these beasts. VISAGE albums have always been made using vintage synths, there’s not a VST on any of them! I think 2015 will be the year of artists who explore these opportunities.
MBW: Tell us here ... on Steel Notes Magazine ... what you consider a great night out in London . & (while you’re at it) What kind of food is the rage over there ??? LS: Everything is on offer here in London, every night of the week..! I try to focus on creative events where I can get involved rather than just be a passive consumer. There’s been a real influx of designers and artists into Deptford and Greenwich where I live so I’ve had some diverse nights out locally at The Duke, The Royal Albert and at The Job Centre. I’ve even been asked to perform at the new Deptford Cinema with Bill Ambrose. We improvised a score to Nicko Straniero’s one hour travelogue, filmed in Japan. We had to look in a mirror to see the film behind us and to be able to react musically with what was showing.. exciting and we were completely unsure what would happen… we’d only rehearsed for 20 minutes the night before!
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Being a vegetarian I’d have to say the rise of vegan options on offer at many restaurants. The Waiting Room in Deptford has a full vegan menu, including hot dogs with ‘spicy death sauce’ and cupcakes. Red Door in Greenwich also serve a fine vegan chocolate cake!
MBW: I see you have enjoyed great success in Japan ... I would love if you would share some of your adventures over in Japan in their awesome music scene ... Would you care to paint us a picture of the trending scene over there ... & (I hope you don’t mind but I must be hungry ... ha ...) ... I bet the food is stupendously different ... Can you tell us anything interesting on that subject as well ???
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LS: I was there with Visage for less than a week, for two performances in Tokyo, but it made a great impression on us. The fans were so friendly and caring, one went to buy antiseptic cream straight after one show where Steve Strange gashed his leg on a monitor! Another fan, Jun, a Japanese DJ even paid me a visit during his London honeymoon, recently! Japanese musicians have access to fine equipment over there with Korg and Yamaha on their doorstep. They are technically amazing and are happy to mix synths with guitar. The music I heard seemed more mesmeric and less song-based, more repetition, but not quite dance music. I was so impressed with one of our support bands, RIS, that there’s plans to collaborate with them. I really hope we can capture some of that trance-like sound. Robin Simon (ex-Ultravox) and I strolled around the smaller alleys of Shinjuku and found rows and rows of small stalls cooking up rice and noodle dishes, a bit like those in Bladerunner.. and they made these kind of fried batter balls which were served in a noodle soup, which we ate most days.
MBW: ... and my favourite question is ... If I could grant you three wishes, what would they be ??? LS: Perhaps I’d start with a bigger studio and the second wish would be to somehow collaborate with David Sylvian. Finally, since I always seem to be so busy, I’d just really appreciate more time in bed doing nothing!
END STUFF Visage “Orchestral” is available now on CD / digital from all main retailers, or you can order a signed copy directly from www.visage.cc Steven Jones & Logan Sky “Desire Lines” EP is planned for release March 2nd 2015..meanwhile there may still be a few copies left of the limited “Strange Magic” CD left, available only from www. chopchoprecords.co.uk www.logansky.co.uk
MBW: Do you see yourself traveling over here to the states anytime soon ... like maybe New York ??? LS: Well, Man Parrish is based there and he remixed “She’s Electric” by VISAGE last autumn and there been rumours ever since of a club night collaboration at some point with Steve Strange on the decks.. keep checking www.visage.cc for any news..
MBW: How can people reach you and find your music ??? LS: I’m trying to avoid too much .mp3 exposure of my tracks, so I’m happy releasing on Bandcamp where users can also choose to download in higher quality formats. It really is a great site and I’d thoroughly recommend any serious music lover to check out all the quality music on there. There’s a massive underground synth scene brewing, outside of the mainstream.. go check it out! www.logansky.co.uk will lead you there!
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Colicchio’s Corner by Victor Colicchio
y r a s r e v i Ann Issue Hi Readers,
Thank you for reading our 1st Anniversary issue, and thank you for all your cool emails during the past year. I will depart from my usual column and just thank you with a pictorial of my year with Steel Notes magazine. I would like to also thank all the people who allowed me to include them in my column this past year. Denzel Washington, Jodi Foster, Ulma Thurman, Adrien Brody, John LeguizamoEric Roberts,Tony Danza, Vinny Pastore, William Forsythe,Jackie (The Jokeman) Martlin, Christopher Eccleston(Dr. Who) Deana martin (Dean Martin’s daughter) Al Sapienza, Jason Mewes Frederico Castelluccio,Vinny VellaRobert Vaughn ( Man from UNCLE) Michael ImperioliBarbara Feldon (agent 99 GET SMART) Larry Storch (F TROOP) Larry Romano (King of Queens) , David Peel, Gene Cornish,May Pang Robin Byrd, John Gallagher, Kamal Ahmed, Loyd Kauffman, Gino CafferelliSteve Stanulis,Nicholas Brooks, Jillie Simon,Dionna & Marzio Dal Monte,Buddy Mantia Brian & Heather Kelly, Robin Borden, Paul Fucito, Anthony Aventi ,Chelsea Skidmore, James Sferrazza, Tommy Ramola, Johnny Potenza, Sibyl Santiago, Natalie Knepp, Jonathan Marimow, Randy & The Rainbows. Baron Misuraca, April Dawn Wikner, Catherine Schuller, Erickson Wilcox, Ricky Jarman, John Thomas, Nina Martinez, Oriana Dagostino, Marlow B West.
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Interview with Anne Husick
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MBW: Welcome to My Big Top ... The Three Ring Circus fondly referred to as Manhattan ... I am Marlowe B. West ... Ring Leader extraordinaire ... Today ... In the center ring ... I proudly present an impossible act to follow ... This young lady is a juggler ... a tightrope walker ... lion tamer ... and who ... disguised as Clark Kent ... Mild mannered news reporter for the Daily Planet ... is presently juggling her time between singing and playing guitar ... on this crazy city’s rocking nightclub circuit ... with her awesome band, Red Gretchen ... Writing and recording her own songs (kinda like Joni Mitchell) ... Booking gigs for other bands ... Teaching guitar lessons ... and still graciously, and readily, available as a more than substantial substitute guitar player ... et al ... on call ... for the many clinking clanking comrades she so proudly hails as her friends ... A rather large, clamoring, inner family of super talented, assorted, lower east side musicians ... of all sorts ... All radiant members of other outrageous bands besides their own ... Sometimes schedules might clash and they help each other out ... lovingly ... supportively ... It’s a musician’s paradise ... A phenomenon ... Really !!! ... This girl ... dear Steel Notes Magazine readers ... shuddering here before you now ... has run the mill ... (Relax honey ... The worst part is over) ...Trying to balance her own ambitions with the selfish demands of the starving lions in the music industry ... A tightrope walk without a net ... But with spunk and fortitude ... and excellent karma on her side ... Our heroine resiliently bounced back ... again and again ... Gathering no moss ... but ... plenty of experience and top notch credentials ... While withstanding and overcoming the test of time, and endurance, she struggled her way to the top from her former status as a side show freak ... Ladies and Gentlemen and children of all ages ... I bring you the wondrous, uber talented and lovely ... brightest star in the sky ... Anne Husick ...
Tell us, Anne ... What was the name of the monster that drove you here ... to the inner circle ???
AH: I didn’t grow up knowing I’d become a ‘profes-
sional’ musician, but I did love singing the hits of the day into my hairbrush and playing tennis racquet guitar. I’d taken piano lessons when I was 6, but quickly lost interest when I discovered I’d have to learn to read music. I did ok for a while, but then, instead of reading the music, I started to memorize what the teacher had played and practice that. He eventually quit. So my parents bought me a guitar when I was 9. I took lessons from Leslie Ring, a teenage friend of my oldest sister Jody, for about 6 months. She taught me folk & pop songs, strumming and finger picking. I picked it all up pretty quickly. Luckily, I was born with an ear of gold and an adventurous musical spirit so I figured out the rest myself. However, I was also born with debilitating stage fright. I managed to skip out on almost every solo I’d have to sing at High School of Music and Art. No one even knew I played guitar (I was in the closet. Literally!) But in my junior year of college - my last, I’m afraid. I majored in sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll, and minored in music engineering and decided it was a good idea to get the hell out while I still could - I started jamming with a few close friends. At the same time, 2 other friends had written a song and asked me to sing on their recording. Against my better judgment, I agreed. Week after week we worked and one day I woke up and my stage fright was gone!! Hallelujah!! It was 1980. I
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was 21. I didn’t waste any time after that. I put together a band - Ground Control - with my college friends. We returned to NYC and played clubs like CBGB, the Dive, Bitter End. After the band broke up 5 years later, it took 6 months for me to finally figure out that I could audition for another band. I tried out for Bill Popp and the Tapes and got in. While playing with Bill, an old friend, Chris Gibson, contacted me and asked if I wanted to play in his band, The Big Picture. He came to see me play with Bill at CBGB, bringing along his bass player, Geoffrey Notkin. I took one look at Geoff and said, “yes!!!” This was a life-changing move - it brought me to Hoboken. I moved in with Geoff. The band broke up after a couple of years, but we remained roommates for 6 years, and he’s still my best friend 28 years later. It was Geoff who dialed the phone when we saw the ad in the Village Voice... “Guitarist wanted for touring/recording. No Money. Contact Robert Poss / Band of Susans. 212-555-5555” Competing against over 100 other guitarists, I was told I was the second choice. A year later, they called me back to audition again. Another 100 guitarists later, I was #1 this time. I recorded and toured the US and Europe with BoS for the next five years. It was a magical time. Coming home from six weeks in Europe, I was perusing CMJ magazine when I saw a familiar yet previously unknown name - Lida Husik. Intrigued, I bought some of her cds and became an instant fan. About a year and half later, I get a call from Geoff... “guess who I’m in a room with” “ I have no idea” “cmon, take a guess” “no” “cmon!!” “no” “ party pooper!!” “who?” “your cousin Lida”. Turns out we’d both been living in Hoboken at the same time and somehow never ran across one another. I eventually ended up doing some mid-Atlantic and west coast touring with her. In the meantime, BoS
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broke up. I was broke and directionless. I randomly mentioned to my friend Lach (Founder of anti-folk. Never heard of it? Look it up.) who was running the show at Sidewalk Cafe in NYs tawdry east village, that if he ever needed a soundperson, to give me a call. He did. I started running sound & MCing at Sidewalk in the summer of 97. I eventually assisted Lach in doing the booking as well. After 2 great years, I quit in a huff, saying “fuck you!! I’m gonna become a professional musician!!” 2 weeks later, I was asked to join Ronnie (Be My Baby) Spector’s band. (Thanks, universe!!) I sang with Ronnie for 11 years, including gigs singing live with Joey Ramone, Darlene Love, Leslie Gore, Eddie Money and on record, Keith Richards!! We did the Fallon Show (what a thrill jamming with The Roots!!), the last ever Jerry Lewis Telethon, and the PBS DooWop Spectacular. It also spawned side projects (!!!) including stints off-Bway and in Chicago as bass player for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and a few tasty gigs singing with Wilson Pickett (Rock&Roll Hall of Fame, Letterman Show, recording overdubs with Eddie Kramer for the DA Pennebaker film Only The Strong Survive.) Ya know. A lot of cool stuff. While all of this was going on, I also played in a slew of local bands and toured the U.S. with Deni Bonet, Demolition String Band (Europe too), Kowalskis, and Jen Elliott (my longtime songwriting and performing partner). I also had a short lived solo deal on Rainbow Quartz Records and did some solo touring in Europe. I became involved with Trebor Lloyd and City Canyons Records in about 1999. We met online, although Trebor had already seen me play live a couple of times. We wrote 2 songs
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together before we met in person, and we are still writing together to this day. We originally wrote songs for Jen Elliott (who was signed to CCR) but in a stroke of good luck, Trebor signed Peter Ulrich, former percussionist for Dead Can Dance and This Mortal Coil, to his label. To date, I have 8 co-writes on the first Ulrich Collaboration CD, The Painted Caravan, and 10 on the second, Tempest Fugitives, which will be released later this spring. We will be touring to support the release, including a headlining date at the first annual Steampunk Fest in Piscataway, NJ on May 16th (2015). Anyway, at the end of 2010, after 11 years, I decided that I had had all the fun I was going to have in the Ronnie Spector Band (in other words, I got tired of dealing with management) so I up and quit. 6 months later, after a terrifying break at which time I thought no one would ever want to play with me again (I had just turned 50.....) I started playing bass in Red Gretchen. (This is a whole story in itself. Another time.) I love Red Gretchen. We’ve really grown individually and as a band since we got together three and a half years ago. Ronnie Wheeler is such an amazing songwriter and guitar player. Shauna kicks ass on drums, and Nancy has developed a really interesting style as 2nd guitarist. (She used to be my student - I teach guitar, bass and uke lessons at NYC Guitar School.) We’ve recorded 3 cds - Crystal Moon, Nobody, and an as yet untitled cd (release party at
Beast of Bourbon on Fri, March 27th. Put it on your calender!!) - and played an untold number of shows.
We’ve gotten a ton of support from the community and we hope to keep getting bigger and better. I started booking shows once a month at Sidewalk again. I teach at night and spend other nights rehearsing and gigging, so it became impossible to get out and see my friends play. I figured this was a great solution. Then one night about 2 years ago, Red Gretchen played Otto’s Shrunken Head for the first time. I’d known Frank Wood for a few years, but RG waited til we’d cut our teeth at Sidewalk to venture out into unknown territory. As soon as we walked thru the door, I knew my life had changed. I felt it in the pit of my soul. I was right. We became fast friends with so many great people and excellent bands from the dirty downtown rock and roll scene. We don’t sound like any of them, but we fit right in. We were welcomed with open arms. This became a huge pool of talent from which to draw for my shows at Sidewalk. Puma Perl & Friends, Danny’s Devils Blues, The Hipp Pipps, Crazy Mary, Gass Wild’s Love Pirates, Adventures in Bluesland, The Cynz and more all became regulars on my nights at Sidewalk. I was asked by management to book 2 nights a month, then 3. AHPresents was born. Our shows have turned into awesome dance parties for old rockers. Hahaha. People come. People stay. People dance. People play. AHPresents has become an unexpected success and I thank every single person who plays at these shows and those who come for a good time. This would NOT have turned out the way it has without everyone who participates. I just book the damn things and then get out of the way and let them take on a life of their own. Me, I lost my voice. For a few years. It was devastating. I’d been singing all my life. I would
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write and record 5 part harmonies. I was depressed and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. But then I watched Danny Biondo sing. And Ronnie Wheeler. And Christine Ohlman (a friend from the Saturday Night Live Band who I also did some Ronnie Spector shows with). These 3 reminded me to find MY unique voice, so I finally did. I figured out how to use what I had left. No shit, I woke up one day and I could sing again. The next day I started a band with Shauna. I asked Ronnie to join on bass a few weeks later. Granny was born. (We are currently called The Anne Husick Threesome.) I cannot begin to tell you what a thrill it is to be able to play my songs and SING them again. I am grateful every single day. I still struggle, but I seem to be fooling some of the people most of the time. I became a huge fan of a lot of the bands I mentioned. One day, in passing, I said to Cyndi Dawson of The Cynz that if they ever needed a sub bass player, they should call me. Well, one day last spring they did and I’m still doing shows with them. Playing with The Cynz is so much fun!! So very different from playing bass in Red Gretchen. And it’s been so good for my playing - these songs are FAST. No mid-tempo psychedelia like RG, no, these require speed!! I can play em easily now. That said, I became a much more confident bass player with Red Gretchen, more experimental, more non-conformist. I don’t have any particular style, but a lot of deep 70s soul/funk & John Entwistle seems to shine thru. Combined with what the rest of RG does, it makes for some really interesting sounds. Last but not least, I am a songwriter - I wrote my first song to the beat of my father’s windshield wipers one rainy day when I was 5 or 6.... I was doing an Anne Husick and Friends gig late one summer Sunday night at Otto’s. Phil Gammage, singer/songwriter/guitarist/harmonica player/record co honcho was at the show. When I got done, he walked up and with a surprised look, asked if I’d written all the songs I had just played. Well, yes, I did write them all. A week or so later, Kevin Tooley found me alone in the back room at Sidewalk and asked when we were going to record together. As a matter of fact, I said, I actually needed to record a theme song I’d written for my best friend Geoff Notkin’s new internet tv show. (He previously hosted Science Channel’s Meteorite Men and Cox Networks’ Stem Journals). So we made plans to
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record Edge of Yesterday for Geoff and another one of my songs, The Other Side, just because. I had the deep honor of working with amazing multi-instrumentalist Robert Aaron. He played B3 (on of my all time favorite instruments) and sax. OMG!! The solo on The Other Side is freakin’ fantastic!! I really like the song, but I’d listen to it just for that solo. Don Fiorino played delicious slide and Kevin (Tooley) kept it together with his amazing drumming. And then Phil decided to release a digital single of The Other Side on his label World Wide Vibe Records. What a thrill!! I am 55 years old. I have been told by numerous people (men), after I did something they didn’t approve of, that I would never work in the music business again. Can you believe people actually say shit like that? Ha!! I am thriving, and grateful as hell to know all the amazingly cool and talented people that I do. We support each other and that’s why the scene works. I am honored to be part of it. I’m looking forward to 2015... recording & gigging with The Threesome, continuing my recording project with Kevin Tooley, gigging and releasing Red Gretchen’s newest cd, gigging with The Cynz and Peter Ulrich, writing more songs, booking and going to more great shows, and meeting more excellent people. Onward and upward, babies!! See you at the show!! xxoAH “ I’m looking forward to 2015... recording & gigging with The Threesome, continuing my recording project with Kevin Tooley, “ please add “releasing more singles on World Wide Vibe Records.”
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BONGO BOY ROCK & ROLL TV SHOW EPISODE 1043 Pre-Review by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV Show presents “Indie Music Videos From Around The World”, a TV show series that features 7 new Indie Music Videos from talented artists worldwide for broadcast on real TV. Their 30 TV Channels syndicated distribution with 8 major cable companies is now in it’s fifth year of production. The TV show can be seen by more than 15 million people across the USA, The UK and Canada. Each episode broadcast on television on cable networks such as: NBCUniversal Comcast, Cablevision, TimeWarner Cable, Verizon/FiOS, RNC, Charter Communications, AT&T and Suddenlink on prime time in the USA. The show can also be seen Go Indie TV Roku Channel. TV GUIDE located at www.bongoboytv. com Produced by Grammy Member/Garage Rock Guru Gar Francis and musicologist Monique Grimme. A complete list of dates, times, areas of broadcast and TV stations can be found on the official website. www.
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bongoboytv.com 1. Kicking things off is one of the 2 winners of the Bongo Boy TV Indie Music Video Contest sponsored by Bongo Boy Records and Strait Def Entertainment. j and the 9’s from the depths of Brooklyn, NY give it up with “Ball & Chain”, that features a driving punk-laced urban/rock street sound. Reminds me of an early Joan Jett! Music Video Director Christopher Lovenguth, http://www.jandthe9s.com https://www.facebook.com/ jandthe9s 2. The second winning music video is by a lady who hails from London, England and currently resides in L.A., London Ellis featuring rapper CharlesBlack and their video “London to L.A.” gives it up with an urban/pop/rap track full of explosive energy and way cool moves. London Ellis has awesome range on her vocals! This should be a killer cut on US CHR radio! Music Video Director: Alexanderthetitan http://www. londonellis.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/ London-Ellis/67646366455 3. From Baltimore Maryland comes Septimius The Great, named after the Roman Emperor, with his music video, “Who’s The Sexiest” that gives the listener a cool story along with a banging urban sound. Music Video Director: Kareem Davis and BRL Productions www.septimiusthegreat.com www.facebook.
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com/septimiusthegreat
com/ https://www.facebook.com/nazbmusicpage
4. Fire Tiger from Los Angeles and their rocking video “Greenlight” from their “Energy” CD has an awesome retro/mod sound that fits right in with their dynamic pop/rock sound. Tiffany Alkouri’s vocals are powerful! Music Video Director: Tiffany Alkouri and James Ramsey. facebook.com/ FireTigerMusic FireTigerMusic.com
LA’s Fire Tiger is back with their 2nd video,“He Has Changed”, is an acoustic number which show the trials and tribulations of a troubled relationship. The simple yet full sound is refreshing! Music Video Director: Tiffany Alkouri and James Ramsey. http:// FireTigerMusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ FireTigerMusic
5. Hailing from Sydney Australia is Priyanka Pri Pri with her music video “Without You” kicks it into high gear with that down-under techno/ dance sound and some killer vocals! Music Video Director: Andy B https://www.facebook.com/priyanka. PriPrimusic http://www.priprimusic.com/
There is also a promo clip by the New Jersey Super Group, The Satisfactors, and a teaser of their latest full album recently released on Bongo Boy Records. Band Official Website: http://www.thesatisfactors.com http://www.bongoboyrecords.com
6. Back again is Switzerland’s NazB with his new vid “Attention” where his arm candy is def hot! The ladies vocals and harmonies remind me of Real McCoy from the 90’s give this vid a monster boost and add to NazB’s steamy jam. Music Video Director: Matteo vDiva Fabbiani http://www.nazb.
The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV Show is produced by Gar Francis and Monique Grimme and is fully funded by all the indie musicians in this episode and Bongo Boy Records. Official web site bongoboytv.com
COMING SOON
http://www.steelwavesradio.com/
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A true retrospective of their 40 year history
It’s Bagpipes. It’s Rock. It’s Bagrock!
Fri., Feb. 6 - 7:30 PM
Fri., Feb. 27 - 7:30 PM
Special guest Liberty HS Grenadier Bagpipers
An evening with
Jesse Cook
Thu., March 5 - 8 PM
The Piano Men Starring Jim Witter
A musical journey through the 70’s featuring the songs of Billy Joel and Elton John
Revolver & Beatles’ Favorites Featuring the Creme Tangerine Strings & Hogshead Horns
Fri., March 13 - 7:30 PM
Sat., March 21 - 8 PM
Sat.,March 14 - 8 PM
State Theatre & C.F. Martin & Co. present
Guitarmania to Beatlemania:
Danny Aiello
With Joe Geary and The Guys Special Guest:
The Evolution Of The Acoustic Guitar with Laurence Juber and Dick Boak
Vince Gill
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Dear parents of gamers, young children – ones having a hard time trying to find ways to spend time with their kids, children with social problems, the home-schooled, and the ones with hesitance to have their children start gaming because they think the kids will waste their life inside, etc.
These games can also help with memory, the speed at which you think, critical thinking skills, strategy analysis, math and so many other things. At one point the Olympics was even talking about adding a mind section to it and one of the featured sports was magic the gathering.
I just want to say these games can actually be more beneficial than school in a lot of ways. Most games can help build a lot of positive traits for their adult life that the kids might not get from normal every day social and school interactions. These games can also help a lot of people who have issues such as PTSD too. this is a well documented fact.
Personally, gaming helps me deal with everyday life. I suffer from several mental conditions including bipolar type 1, severe social anxiety, and anger issues and being on medication made me a lot worse. I was thrown on the drug cocktail so many times that was ineffective and deleterious. What has helped me far more is gaming.
Let’s take one of my favorite games and something I obsess about a lot (I have several tattoos based on this game if that says anything.) into account called Magic the Gathering. You have probably heard of this game as it’s about 22 years old.
After a long day of dealing with people I can’t stand, nothing is better than sitting back and blowing things up with C4 in battlefield or killing a raid boss with a Flakker in Borderlands. It releases frustration and anger and clears my mind.
For years, MTG has had events strictly for the under 18 crowd and the top prize was a college scholarship. While that doesn’t exist anymore there are still charities that give scholarship money to MTG players. Back in 2013 there was a New York Times article about one of these occasions. Not to mention that some these cards are worth some serious money (Don’t you wish your cheap-ass husband bought you BGS 10.0 Black lotus back in the ‘03 when they where going for around $20,000? Because now they have sold for almost $90,000 or maybe just a regular one for $500 because now they are around $6,000 instead of that ring he found at a pawn shop that turned out to be fake?) Also, some MTG players make some good extra cash just by playing it at the professional level. Some tournaments have a prize of $15,000 is that says anything.
I can’t be in stores for very long or in rooms with a lot of people or else I break down into a major panic attack, with the exception of Yugioh card game tournaments (I was ranked in the top 50 for Maryland for several years, with MD being one of the hardest states for tournaments – a lot of players who wanted nationals invites would completely avoid MD and drive four hours to go to an easier area.) and Magic tournaments. Honestly I get a bigger adrenaline rush with these games than I did with the sports I played growing up.
But getting to the professional level takes a lot of work and a lot of brain power to do so.
Battling of the minds is so much more invigorating than brawn to me. Think about the popularity gaming has and the influence. The game League of Legends is a national sport in the United States now and technically a lot of other games have been considered sports for a long time too. You’d spend a grand on getting your kid into football while sports scholarships are be-
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coming harder to get, kids are getting brain injuries from impact sports, yet there are more charities for gamers popping up every year. Sooner or later Cyber-athletics will overshadow other athletics and that’s all that will be left.
you can’t do much like riding the bus, waiting in doctor’s offices or anything like that. Situations that don’t require much thought – we waste time on these every day. I use my time thinking of decks and writing D&D campaigns in my head.
Why not spend a grand on some decks for you and your kid and that way instead you two can bond over something and connect on an intellectual level. Your kid might be one of those people that grows up to be a valued member of the scientific community or he could also be a serial killer so it’s best to know early on. Create some invaluable memories and starting them off with math and critical thinking early on will help them do better in school. You already share your music with your kids, why not share hobby like gaming?
Because of my social anxiety I can’t ride the bus normally, but if I’m completely focused on something like D&D since it takes that much thought to be a DM and even more when you play it – I can calmly ride a bus. I’ve met a few people who suffer from similar social issues as I, some worse and some not as bad. While I’ve had these issues starting at a very young age and they carried over to my current adult life making it hard to function in the cultural norm, I honestly can say I don’t think I could handle working if it wasn’t for these games and most that I’ve met have said the same thing.
Let’s also put this out there, game developers are typically hiring and you can make a very good living off of working for most of them. Yes – Dungeons & Dragons still exists (As someone a little while ago asked me when I said I play a lot of it as a Dungeon Master or DM) and it’s up to a lot more games than it was in the 70s! It’s honestly one of the best ways as it’s just like reading a story book to your kids at bed time but they are interacting with it and having to think and rationalize what they do. I’ve dated several women whose kids loved D&D, while one ex hated every second of it so of course it didn’t work out but her kids being 5-8 had a blast with trying to figure out all of these puzzles and riddles across the campaign. Now being a DM is a mind boggling amount of work, I can easily spend 300 hours creating a campaign and the players finish it in 40 hours. That being said it’s totally worth it to me. It’s also a fantastic was of using free time in situations
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Now we even have digital formats for these games, which if you want to get your kids into them, it is typically the cheapest way and the best way to learn how to play. While I can’t say I’m a big fan of the digital games, I do use cockatice and duel network a lot to test out deck ideas quite often since I don’t want to have to buy cards that I don’t need and just have them sit there forever since I collect everything. But the best learning platforms are the games on the console, as they have AI that is simple and typically give you enough room for error so you can grasp the game better. In future articles I will be covering tips on these games and hopefully even doing build advice for people.
Praise Phyrexia, Blut Fatal
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BONGO BOY ROCK & ROLL TV SHOW “THE LUCKY 7” EPISODE 1040 Review by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV Show presents “Indie Music Videos From Around The World”, a TV show series that features 7 new Indie Music Videos from talented artists worldwide for broadcast on real TV. Their 30 TV Channels syndicated distribution with 8 major cable companies is now in its fifth year of production. The TV show can be seen by more than 15 million people across the USA, The UK and Canada. Each episode broadcast on television on cable networks such as: NBCUniversal Comcast, Cablevision, TimeWarner Cable, Verizon/FiOS, RNC, Charter Communications, AT&T and Suddenlink on prime time in the USA. The show can also be seen Go Indie TV Roku Channel. TV GUIDE located at www. bongoboytv.com Produced by Grammy Member/Garage Rock Guru Gar Francis and musicologist Monique Grimme. A complete list of dates, times, areas of broadcast and TV stations can be found on the official website. www.bongoboytv.com 1. Kicking things off is one of the 2 winners of the Bongo Boy TV Indie Music Video Contest sponsored by Bongo Boy Records and Strait Def
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Entertainment. Hailing from London, England and currently in L.A., London Ellis featuring rapper CharlesBlack and their video “London to L.A.” gives it up with an urban/pop/rap track full of explosive energy and way cool moves. London Ellis has awesome range on her vocals! This should be a killer cut on US CHR radio! Official Web Site: www.londonellis.com - www.facebook.com/pages/ London-Ellis/67646366455 2. Back again is Switzerland’s NazB with his new vid “Attention” where his arm candy is def hot! The ladies vocals and harmonies remind me of Real McCoy from the 90’s, give this vid a monster boost and add to NazB’s steamy jam. Official Web Site: www.nazb.com - www. facebook.com/nazbmusicpage 3. Fire Tiger from Los Angeles and their rocking video “Greenlight” from their “Energy” CD has an awesome retro/mod sound that fits right in with their dynamic pop/rock sound. Tiffany Alkouri’s vocals are powerful! Music Video Director: Tiffany Alkouri and James Ramsey. Official Web Site: www. FireTigerMusic.com - www.facebook.com/FireTigerMusic 4. “Boom” from Toronto, Canada’s Lina Fouro brings her Pop/Dance style video that’s laced with a bit of that bubblegum flavor from the 70’s. How cool is that! Music Video Directors: Lavado Studios. Official Web Site www.linafouro.com - www.facebook. com/linafouromusic 5. Vitor Vieira from Brazil with his video, “Tudo Que Eu Preciso”, done in Portuguese, with his lady, is very touching and deep! Music Video Director: Vitor Vieira and Rosan Dabas. Official Web Site: www. vitorvieira.com.br - www.facebook.com/vitorvieiraoficial 6. Chicago’s KickBend brings it with their video “Spin” which evokes memories of those classic rock party bands and some of the old phrases like ‘baseball, hot dogs, apple pie & Chevrolet’. Music Video Director Danny Karabaic. Official Web Site: www.kickbend.com -www.facebook.com/KickBend
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7. LA’s Fire Tiger is back with their 2nd video,“He Has Changed”, is an acoustic number which show the trials and tribulations of a troubled relationship. The simple yet full sound is refreshing! Official Web Site: www.FireTigerMusic.com - www.facebook.com/FireTigerMusic There is also a promo clip by British recording artist Chris Pope and his latest single released on Bongo Boy Records “Dedicated Follower of Fashion” an original song released in the 60’s by the Kinks. Available as digital download single. itunes.apple.com/us/album/dedicated-follower-fashion/id919117377 bongoboyrecords.com A sneak preview of Bongo Boy TV’s second winner of Bongo Boy TV largest Music Video contest j and the 9’s and their get-down funky music video “Ball and Chain”. Official Web Site: www.jandthe9s.com - www. facebook.com/jandthe9s The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV Show is produced by Gar Francis and Monique Grimme and is fully funded by all the indie musicians in this episode and Bongo Boy Records. Official web site www.bongoboytv.com
http://www.attractionsmodels.com/
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AN INTERVIEW WITH RUTANYA ALDA By Jerry Saravia Most actors start their careers in grade Z garbage, either some exploitation film or a demented slasher flick or a silly monster movie. Helen Mirren’s inauspicious beginnings were in the catastrophically bad “Caligula,” a minor example. Jennifer Aniston began life in the horrendous 1993 horror film “Leprechaun.” Latvian-born Rutanya Alda had one of the luckiest acting debuts of all time, in none other than Brian De Palma’s 1968 cult classic, “Greetings.” To follow that role with “Hi, Mom!,” another De Palma film and one of the finest sequels ever made, and then a long list that includes “Scarecrow,” “The Long Goodbye,” “The Fury,” “Rocky II,” “Black Widow,” “Amityville II: The Possession,” “When a Stranger Calls,” “The Deer Hunter,” “Mommie Dearest” and many more proves that she is one of the finest character actresses, period. A 50-year-career that includes over a hundred roles in television and film is nothing to sneeze at. As Rutanya points out, no matter how many roles you get, there is still concern when you are not a superstar of Angelina Jolie’s status who represent the 1% who never worry about their next acting gig. “We are the 95% who struggle, who worry when they will get their next job.” The De Palma origins remain fascinating for a director whose specialty became Hitchcockian thrillers. “Greetings” and “Hi, Mom!” are counter-cultural late 60’s satires that touch on everything from racism to porn to politics and even the Kennedy assassination! Rutanya counts both De Palma films as her “favorite film experiences.” As for “Greetings,” she states: “I had a really funny strip scene with Robert De Niro. Audiences always laugh at the scene. I am also on the poster for the film.” Following “Greetings” came the 1970 sequel, one of the greatest, shrewdest and funniest satires ever made, “Hi, Mom!” Rutanya had a memorable appearance in De Palma’s “Hi, Mom!” as a member of a group of WASP’s who enter a so-called theatre production of “Be Black Baby” - it is one of the more surprising, illuminating scenes about race
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ever. “It was gut-wrenching and powerful,” says Rutanya. “It was a one-take scene, full of Brian De Palma’s humor. All the dialogue was improvised - there was no script. Same with ‘Greetings’.” The controversial scene caused audience walkouts when she saw it a L.A. screening a few years back. “A woman was crying in the bathroom,” explains Rutanya. “When I came up to her, I explained that the scene was not real, and I was not really raped. The woman screamed, ‘It was real to ME!’ I told her it was real to me too.” Long before Oliver Stone’s “JFK” arrived on the scene, there was a 1973 film called “Executive Action” where Rutanya was cast as a member of an assassination team. “The film opened and died at the box-office,” explains Rutanya although she has no idea why the film didn’t make it (according to imdb, the film was pulled because it was the cause of too much bad press). “The filmmakers were nervous throughout the two-week shoot. Everything was hush-hush, and a lot of the shooting locations were last-minute.” Footnote: Rutanya had been offered a role in Sidney Lumet’s “Serpico” but she had to back out since she was filming “Executive Action” at the time. Robert Altman, one of the premier iconoclasts of the 1970’s and beyond, cast Rutanya in “The Long Goodbye.” In the film she played one of Marlowe’s neighbors (character’s name is Rutanya Sweet, Altman’s idea) and, though it is not shown in close-up, she shows some skin to say the least (not unlike her role in “Greetings”.) “I had worked on the whole shoot,” says Rutanya. “I was asked to stand in for Nina Van Pallandt” (Pallandt played the lead role of the wife of Sterling Hayden’s character, Roger Wade). One of Rutanya’s first jobs when she moved to L.A. was in an episode of TV’s “Cannon” entitled “Perfect Alibi,” where she played a grieving widow, Mrs. Degan. The memories of working with William Conrad, who of course played Cannon, were a bit
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unusual. “You don’t look at William Conrad, and he does not look at you. It was a rule,” said Rutanya. “He was an odd duck.” I did express curiosity about Rutanya’s highly restrained performance in “Mommie Dearest,” playing such a passive maid to Faye Dunaway’s high-strung, explosive Joan Crawford, whereas in “Amityville II: The Possession” Rutanya played a highly emotional woman married to that abusive lout of a husband (Burt Young). I had asked about her preference when it comes to acting, raising it a notch or two or dialing it down. “It depends on what the script calls for. It is the job of an actor to justify the reactions of the characters,” said Rutanya. “For ‘Amityville II’, director Damiano Damiani addresses the psychological terror of a family that is very dysfunctional. Even with ‘Mommie Dearest’, the input is on the actor.” As for Diane Franklin’s emotionally disturbing role as the daughter to Rutanya’s mother character in the haunted house sequel, I wondered if Diane had clung to her. “Diane was the most inexperienced of the cast yet she was wonderful,” said Rutanya. “Damiano was on hand to help her emotionally.”
Winger. “I saw Debra at an Academy luncheon at the 21 club. An academy member said, ‘Look there’s Debra Winger, didn’t you work with her?’ Yes, I said. The member then said, ‘Don’t you want to go say hi to her.’ No, I said. I think that says it all. I didn’t need to elaborate then and I don’t need to elaborate now. Shirley said it...that’s all.”
Note: The pics below - caption for the first one should read “Rutanya Alda”; the second one should be “Poster for Greetings (1968)”; the third caption should be “Rutanya in Hi, Mom! (1970); the last one should be Rutanya and Faye Dunaway in “Mommie Dearest”
I had not been aware until very recently that Rutanya was married to one of the grittiest character actors with the raspiest of voices of all time, the late Richard Bright. Being an actor married to an actor can result in petty jealousies and messy divorces, especially in Hollywood. “It was very tough,” said Rutanya. “Two people have the same concerns and it is tough to be creative all the time. The best match for a couple is to marry someone who is not in the same business. It was fun to work on some of the same projects [1994’s ‘The Ref’ was one of those projects as well as 1983’s “Vigilante” with Robert Forster], though we did not share any scenes together. If you are committed actors in a couples’ situation, you respect the same insecurities, fears and anxieties.” Lastly, I had to ask about Rutanya’s small role as a museum curator in Bob Rafelson’s 1987 suspense thriller “Black Widow” with Debra Winger and Theresa Russell (Rutanya considered Theresa a “doll to work with.”) Aside from Winger’s troubling relationship with Shirley MacLaine in “Terms of Endearment,” I wondered what was the experience of working with the notoriously difficult Debra
Rutanya Alda
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ABOVE: Poster for Greetings (1968) TOP LEFT: Rutanya in “Hi, Mom! “(1970) BOTTOM LEFT: Rutanya and Faye Dunaway in “Mommie Dearest”
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Positively Energized with Melissa Manchester By Scott Brandon Scott Brandon Celebrating 40 years in entertainment is no small feat, and Melissa Manchester is commemorating 40 years as a balladeer with the release of her first studio album in 10 years,’You Gotta Love the Life’, on February 10. The album contains a mixture of new material and some of the most amazing cover renditions of American classics I have ever heard. Melissa’s first single release was 1975’s ‘Midnight Blue’ for Arista records, but she had two albums prior to that, on Arista’s first incarnation, Bell Records. That was after she started performing at age 15 in street theater, among other endeavors, which include landing a position as a staff writer at age 17. Melissa’s notable song classics include 1978’s ‘Don’t Cry Out Loud’, and her 1979 main title theme to the movie Ice Castles, ‘(Looking Through) the Eyes of Love’, became a First Dance standard for weddings in the 1980s and ‘90s. In fact, my mom’s baby sister danced to that song at her own wedding back in 1990.Melissa’s 1982 Dean Pitchford & Thomas R. Snow co-penned single ‘You Should Hear How She Talks About You’ was a surprise hit to everyone, including Melissa. The song is a fast tempo dance record pumping out 132 beats per minute, which is quite a departure from her usual (and Melissapreferred) style. Melissa has always considered herself a balladeer, and still does. But she feels truly blessed by the success of this song. Melissa realized her dreams of working with those she herself considers musical legends on this “Grand unexpected adventure”, as she describes her new album, including Stevie Wonder; Al Jarreau; Keb’ Mo’; Dionne Warwick; Dave Koz; and Joe Sample, in one of his last recordings. It was Melissa’s students in her University of
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Southern California music class who suggested she record a studio album funded by a fan-based campaign, rather than by a company. “My industry is in an industrial revolution,” she recognizes. “I really wanted to take an opportunity to try it as best as I could, and it’s been great.” Melissa’s slow, sexy (can I use that word?) performance of ‘Be My Baby’, a song made popular in 1963 by The Ronettes, is my favorite track on this album. Melissa became very excited when I told her, during our phone conversation, how I used ‘Be My Baby’ (and other tracks from the CD) at my last two DJ gigs of 2014, and how big they went over. People were coming up to me asking what/who I was playing, because they really wanted it. Melissa definitely has another hit on her hands, and she will be touring to help promote the album throughout 2015. Melissa was kind enough to enlighten me on some of her inspirations for some of ‘You Gotta Love the Life’s new material. ‘Open My Heart to Your Love’ was a phrase that came to Melissa as she was driving. She explained, “I felt from deep, it was a very open-hearted, musical phrase to sing. I feel it represents a willingness to surrender to how love shows up in one’s life.” The song ‘I Know Who I Am’ has had an interesting journey so far. Tyler Perry used it in his movie ‘For Colored Girls’, and it was also used in the faith trailer for the film ‘The Butler’. Melissa describes this track as, “A very powerful monologue of knowing what you have learned for sure at this point.” She continues, “Leona Lewis had recorded it, and she did a great job. But, it’s interesting for me, at this stage, to sing it. It’s very powerful. And I understand the truth of the song, because I’ve earned it, being I’ve lived it.” Melissa further acknowledged what a hit ‘I Know Who I Am’ is with audiences when she performs it live.
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About the album’s title track, ‘You Gotta Love the Life’, Melissa says, “This song came out of a conversation I was having with my daughter, actually. I was telling her that this artistic path is a version of normal that appeals to me. But, that the truth of an artistic path is that your talent is only the nugget of an idea that gets you onto your path. The larger picture, is that you have to love the unsteady, unstable, insecure path of this. You have to be OK with waking up everyday and seeing what else you can think of to connect some other invisible bond. So, that song is my laid claim to my 45 years of experience doing what I do.” Melissa also appreciates having added material to the very short list of songs about show business. Melissa is also an accomplished actress. Some fans of the show may not even realize that it was she who portrayed the not-too-often seen (because she was the estranged) mother of Mayim Bialik’s title character, ‘Blossom’. She also co-created the stage production ‘Fascinating Rhythms’, which is a ballroom dance extravaganza, among other things. With her release of ‘You Gotta Love the Life’, it looks like Melissa intends to keep going as long as possible. And I feel that makes her a true inspiration to the world. To learn more about what Melissa is up to, visit www.MelissaManchester.com. To hear the audio from our phone conversation, log onto www. PositivelyEnergized.net and search the keyword Manchester.
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www.GBC-GivingBackCorporation.com
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna YOU GOTTA LIVE THE LIFE
half reflects my own journey with new original songs.
Melissa Manchester
The opening track, “You Gotta Live The Life” tickles your palette with a nice jazzy R&B mix with horns that touch your senses. Melissa’s vocals project well and flow seamlessly. Melissa co-wrote the album’s smoking hot first single “Feelin’ For You” with her friend, Sara Niemietz, after being propositioned by a drunk in a juke joint. The bluesy feel of this song has all the ‘mojo’ working big time! Blues icon, Keb’ Mo’, performs a slammin’ guitar solo on the record. AWESOME!
How does a Grammy Award winning songwriter celebrate 40 years in the music business? She returns to the studio and records her self-made LP, her first release in over 11 years, which will be dropping on February 10, 2015. The difference between this effort and her other releases is that she is now free and liberated from those corporate record company deal makers. This allows her creativity and talents free rein over the content and who she works with and how this CD takes on a life of its own. Melissa states, “This is an adventure I would not have wanted to miss. The album is my testimony of what I know to be true, not anyone else’s version of what a good idea would be. This is my own hardwon sense of who I am, what I have been through and what I have learned.” An All-Star cast of musicians that Melissa has put together joined her on this wonderful effort. The late, great Hal David collaborated with her on this and it turned out to be his last recorded lyric. The variety of songs were performed with legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Keb’ Mo’, Dionne Warwick, Dave Koz, and Joe Sample, in one of his last recordings. Melissa co-produced this LP with guitarist Terry Wollman. Melissa stated, “You do have to pinch yourself when you work with your musical heroes and heroines”. This 14 track CD blends classic Americana with rhythmic jazz, touching ballads and moving samba which also highlights the energetic special guest performances as part of those powerfully evocative new songs and listener-favorite cover tunes that are sure to satisfy the musical palates of her loyal fans. She has dedicated half of this new album to saluting other great singers and songwriters. The second
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“Be My Baby”, made famous by The Ronettes, is taken down a few notches to become a heartfelt ballad. The gentle way she performs this runs chills down one’s spine. TOUCHING! “Big Light” takes one back to the days of stars like Dionne Warwick and that R&B style that made them famous. “Other End of the Phone” is a very soulful ballad done in a Vegas/lounge type style. “You Are My Heart” is a very powerful number that Melissa does justice to in her very special way. Her remarkable voice just takes control of you from the start to the finish of this tune. “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” has a nice Brazilian Samba flavor that instantly transforms one to the cafes of Rio De Janiero! POWERFUL! “Claudia” follows in the mold of some of the previous numbers with its laid back style of play. “Your Love Is Where I Live” has elements that could make this an MOR radio add. The Stevie Wonder style harmonica adds a nice touch! “No There There” takes things up a notch with this mid-tempo number that touches on the jazzy R&B side of say an Al Jarreau. “Open My Heart To Your Love” opens with some sharp percussion that changes up and gives this a bit of a fun sound, but with serious overtones that they did back in the day! Soulful harmonies! Future Single!! LOVE IT! “The Other One” takes me to another place in time. The lyrics are just plain outstanding! I could hear parts of say a Tony Braxton
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or Celine Dion in this number. “I Know Who I Am” is a very touching song where Melissa professes about how she overcame hardships and that she has that inner strength to know that she is a strong woman. Her vocal ranges go through an entire range as she shows the flexibility in those magical pipes. Taking us home is the track, “Something Wonderful” evokes memories of the late, great Judy Garland in the way Melissa puts that down deep touch to this number. Melissa Manchester is back in a big way! She hasn’t lost a step, rather she has honed her skills as a vocalist to the point of achieving her lifelong dreams and ambitions. The WOW factor describes what I have heard on this excellent effort. Her fans will be overwhelmed by her passion and how it has been put to music. A wonderful piece of work, I give this 2 THUMBS UP!!
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BONGO BOY ROCK & ROLL TV SHOW EPISODE 1039 Broadcasting National January 2015 Pre-Review by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV Show presents “Indie Music Videos From Around The World”, a TV show series that features indie music videos from talented artists worldwide for broadcast on real TV. Their 30 TV Channels syndicated distribution with 8 major cable companies is now in it’s fifth year of production. The TV show can be seen by more than 15 million people across the USA, The UK and Canada as each episode is also distributed via Go Indie TV Roku channel and always online at www. bongoboytv.com Produced by Grammy Member/Garage Rock Guru Gar Francis and musicologist Monique Grimme. A complete list of dates, times, areas of broadcast and TV stations can be found on the official website. www.bongoboytv.com Kicking things off is a lady who needs no intro-
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duction. Frankie Storm, from Pennsylvania, has shared the stage with pros like Rihanna, Brittney Spears and Ciara and has penned tracks for Demi Lovato, Kat Dahlia and Angel Haze. Her latest video “Shooter” from her upcoming mini EP, “The Cure is Love” should make playlists on CHR/R&B radio in short order. This versatile artist is right up there with all of the major female vocalists! Music Video Director Shannon Muir. www.facebook.com/ OfficialFrankie Official Web Site www.frankiestorm.xyz/ Hackensack, NJ’s national touring Pop/Rock band, Reverse Order and their “Reverse The Trend Anti-Bullying initiative Tour” kicks it into gear from the door with the video, “Nothing Left To Give”, that combines powerful lyrics with driving guitars and infectious melodies along with unique dual lead vocals that deliver high energy. Music Video
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Director Tom Kartelias. www.facebook.com/reverseorder Official Web Site www.reverseorderonline.com San Francisco Bay Area’s Xavier Toscano and his video “Never Wanna Leave” is a monster in the pop/dance/urban genre. The bottom lifts you right off the ground and the rhythm overflows with pent up energy! Xavier’s vox are so clean and powerful! Music Video Director Xavier Toscano & Adam Parmalee. www.facebook.com/xaviersings official Web Site http://www.xaviertoscano.com/ From the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the video, “Rock to the TOP” by Paul Le Rocq screams low end and lead riffs from the door that gives this catchy number kick-ass rhythm that takes you to the bridge to cross to the other side. Music Video Director Hernan Watson. www.facebook.com/ paul.lerocq Official Web site www.paullerocq.com.ar/ From the hills of Kentucky to the city of Elmira, NY, Robert Brewer and Karen Holloway came together and formed Inches From Sin. Their video, “Raised in the Hills” is a fiddle based country-flavored Americana number that hits you with an Appalachia sound and country/rock rhythms. Robert Brewer and Karen Holloway’s harmonies are tight and forceful! This is an awesome video! Music Video Director William Hayes www.facebook.com/inchesfromsin Official Web Site www.inchesfromsin.com
Hailing from Weatherford, TX, The Maurice Davis Band and their video “Last On Earth” blows one away with a sound that should come from more than a three piece band. This mainstream pop/rock number should be invading the airwaves! Music Video Director Ryan Vanderburg. Official Web Site www.mauricedavisband.com,www.facebook.com/ MauriceDavisBand Chicago’s Sarantos does it all by himself! This mega-talented one-man band pushes the envelope past accepted limits with this awesome animated video “Believe” that defies all description. This astounding piece of work would be my pick for Video of the Year! Music Video Director Sarantos Official Web Site www.melogia.com/,www.facebook. com/Sarantosmelogia Taking us home is ROB Petitti from Philadelphia and his new CD “Waterfall” containing 6 tracks that will satisfy the most discriminating listener. Promo Video Editor Mark Gerhart www.facebook.com/robert. petitti.5 Bongo Boy Records recording artist Crab Bubbles featuring Dale Lee Richards new release “Fool for your Love” which is a 60’s based Garage Sound that rocks hard. https://www.facebook.com/pages/ CRAB-BUBBLES-BAND/192152264193777
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BOOK REVIEW by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
Me, the Mob & the Music Tommy James Finally! Someone had the balls to write a real book about what happened behind the scenes in the music business! This book details all the shady dealing of those who managed, promoted, published, distributed and manufactured the records and music to which we listened. Being a former DJ and concert promoter, I was exposed to a very tiny part of this. I remember Juggy Gayles, Matty “Humdinger” Singer and a host of others who would arrive at the radio station to promote their records and the artists. I remember the artists reps and booking agencies who would demand outrageous things be attached to the technical riders of a contract. This book details all that and more. The history behind The Shondells, to the ups and downs of the career of an aspiring songwriter, to the thrills of a superstar performer. Everything is here and then some! Awesome read! It was hard to put down after I started it! It is a MUST READ for anyone in the business!
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REVIEWS
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
BONGO BOY RECORDS-COMPILATIONS VOLUME THREE Bongo Boy Records releases a compilation album with ten International recording artists. The Bongo Boy Records Compilations Volume Three includes recording artists that have been featured on The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV show series which airs on television channels across the USA. The independent record label is committed to release other volumes in Asia with featured artists from their growing record label roster and television show series here in the USA. Web Site www.bongoboyrecords.com Grammy member, Gar Francis, from New Jersey, comes out as a soloist with “I’m Still Alive”, a 60’s flavored psychedelic tune that features hot guitar licks and powerful vocals that ends with ‘Let’s take a magic ride’. Way out! www.garfrancis.com, www.facebook. com/garfrancis, www.twitter.com/ garfrancis San Francisco’s Xavier Toscano and his single, “Never Wanna Leave”, pumps out high energy with this urban/dance/pop number that has a bit of a techno flavor that is guaranteed to fill any dance floor. www.xaviertoscano.com https://www.facebook.com/Official.Xavier.Toscano https://twitter.com/xtoscano “Behind the Curtain” from Stratospheeerius cuts to the chase with telling lyrics that morph into some slamming guitar riffs. He also touches on ‘The Wizard of OZ’ movie as he states “Don’t pay attention to the man behind the curtain”. https://www.facebook.com/stratospheerius ,https://twitter.com/joedeninzon Hailing from France, Yona Pax’s single, “Je Reviens Des Enfers”, has the backing of a full rock orchestral suite that magnifies her piercing vocals in this wonderful romantic ballad. http://www.yonapax.fr/ , https:// twitter.com/yonapax
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https://www.facebook.com/yonapaxmusic Bruce Lev’s “Indonesian Girl” is composed and performed in the style of the late, great John Lennon. The vocals are eerily close to the real thing! http://www.BruceLev.com,https://www.facebook.com/ BruceLevMusic,https://twitter.com/levdoctor Andy B.AND aka Andy Bernstein from New Jersey, has his first solo effort with “In My Dreams” which is an acoustic-based 60’s sounding song that is enhanced by the old time sound. http://www.reverbnation.com/andyvoodude, https://www.facebook.com/ pages/Andy-BAND/241432082654139 San Francisco’s, Blind Lemon Pledge featuring James Byfield and his ballad, “Jennie Bell”, is very heartfelt and is done with style, class and deep feeling! http://www.blues.james-creative.com/ , https://www.facebook.com/blind.pledge From the motor city of Detroit, Michigan, come The Hamilton’s with “Since You’ve Been Gone”, a guitar
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driven rocker full of high energy that is a cross between The Cars and Loverboy! Jann Kloss’s “Make It Better” opens with a nice taste of urban-reggae married to an acoustic guitar and clean vox which sets the scene for a realistic story about issues we are exposed to in our daily lives. The rhythmic changes in the chorus are refreshing and energetic, love the hook! “You and I can make it better and help us cross that Great Divide”. https://www.facebook.com/jann. klose,https://twitter.com/jannkloseband, http:// jannklose.com/ From New York City comes Conceptz with “Love Jones” that has these brothers singing and rapping with precision. The content is way cool! There is something for everyone on this compilation that will satisfy even the purists among us. Once again, Bongo Boy Records goes over the top and gives the listener an excellent collection of awesome music! WELL DONE!!
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna THE DECEMBERISTS “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World” They are back with a brand new 14 track effort that took about 4 years to put together. Lead man, Colin Meloy stated “We were on hiatus, so we had all the time we could want, no schedule or tour, no expectations.” Working at a pace that insured that their individual talents and creativity would leave a lasting mark, this new effort is the band’s most varied and dynamic piece of work, both musically and emotionally. This approach paid off as Meloy states “Let’s make sure the songs are good, and eventually the record will present itself.” In the following year and a half, the album began to take shape into what we hear today as the band narrowed their focus. The first batch of songs, Meloy notes, represented the more personal side of his songwriting, a change from the strong narrative thrust that characterized much of the Decemberists’ work. As the sessions continued, other elements of the writing and the sound surfaced and a more rounded picture emerged. Meloy said, “We figured out that the big, pop sound we were making would also make the quieter moments more still and create more dynamic peaks and valleys.” That it did! This effort is filled with music that satisfies even the most discriminating purist. With Meloy up front, Chris Funk on guitars, Jenny Conlee with her keyboards, Nate Query on bottom, and John Moen’s percussion, I can say that this is their best effort to date and will rock the music world with a perfect storm. The CD opens with “The Singer Addresses His Audience”, a powerful acoustic number that sets the mood with the lines, “We belong to you..” “Calvary Captain” sounds eerily like a retro/mod based REM/Michael Stipe number. Tight, powerful vox make this upbeat number a candidate for
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single release. AWESOME! One of my favorites! “Philomena” has a nice 60’s based Brit sound especially with the organ and backing harmonies that mark this! “Make You Better” is a killer cut! “Lake Song” touches one with a beautiful story that is told with passion! The strings are awesome! “Till The Water Is All Long Gone” takes issue with how water and lack of it, affects us in many ways. The line “I won’t betray our water” tells it all! “The Wrong Year” is way cool! “Carolina Low” reminds me so much of the late, great Harry Chapin in the way this is performed by Colin. Touching! “AntiSummersong” has a bit of an Irish folk sound that is a fun toe-tapping tune. “Easy Come, Easy Go” is one of those Americana sounding numbers that tells that cool story. The old-timey guitar riffs add so much depth! “Mistral” has that sound that one has to listen to numerous times to fully appreciate the message. NICE! The other tracks on this effort include: “Better Not Wake The Baby”, “12/17/12” and “A Beginning Song” that are performed and composed equally well. A fantastic collection of music and creativity! This CD is a MUST LISTEN! I give this a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!!
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna KEN ROBERTS “California” Hailing from Granite Bay, California, Ken Roberts is a name that has become internationally known in music circles. His first solo album, Every Day, produced by Brent Bourgeois (Todd Rundgren) featured the popular songs “Holding On” and “Every Day”, enjoyed strong international sales and recently attracted the attention of Hollywood music producers. “Only Love” landed a featured spot in the hit Showtime series The Affair, while “Holding On” has been tabbed for the upcoming motion picture, “Whisky Galore”, a remake of the 1949 classic. Several additional songs have been signed and are expected to appear in upcoming movie and TV projects, Ken Roberts states that “California” is a collection of 12 new songs of life, love, loss, hope, and redemption”. Partnering with Ken on this effort are Alex Drizos (Dave Mason, America) on bass guitar, Keith Edwards (Amy Grant, Ricky Skaggs) on drums, Marty Rifkin (Bruce Springsteen) on pedal steel guitar, Steve Stizzo (Mumbo Gumbo) on piano and organ, and Rich Ayres on guitar and harmonies who also produced this CD at River City Recording. The title track, “California”, expected to be one of the songs in an upcoming soundtrack, kicks things off with an upbeat ditty about life and living in Cali. The lap steel adds depth to the melody and strong vox. “Chipping Away” has lyrics that state ““I’m chipping away at the barriers and walls that are in my way, I’m chipping away at the brick and the clay, I’m chipping away and I get a little further everyday”. This is something I can relate to! Killer guitar solo and tight harmonies! “Danger Zone” should be tearing up CMT! The WOW factor kicks in here!
over this. I would make this track the first single!!! “For A Moment” takes things down a bit with this feeler. Ken’s strong vocals, Keith’s snare and percussion and Steve’s piano combine with the strings in a perfect marriage of instrumentation. “I’ll Be Waiting” deals with relationships that go sour and the incessant waiting for that special someone to return. “Last Love” sounds like Dan is standing right in front of me and singing directly to me. “Only Lonely One” blasts out of the gate with that telltale lap steel and a cool story line that is accented by the harmonies in the chorus lines. “Sail Away” hits you with that baritone vocal straight from the door. Ken puts a lot of feeling into this track. “Til The Summer Was Through” has a nice retro/mod feeling to it. This upbeat track is a fun party number that is like some of the old surf music from back in the day! “Turn It Up” is definitely a made for TV soundtrack song. I can envision a scene with people walking down a street blasting a boombox! WAY COOL! “Without You” features haunting vocals and a kick ass rocking guitar solo that drives right into you. Every track on this CD has a unique story behind it and captures you in a tight grip that refuses to let you go. I can personally pick 4 tunes that should be breakout singles and would rock the airwaves and the web! The production and talents are way out of the box and earns this effort a MUST LISTEN & BUY!! I give this CD a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!!!
“Days That Used To Be” has me asking the question, WHY? This should be tracking on some MD/PD’s Top 20 in a heavy rotation! The programmers at I Heart Media and Cumulus would soil their shorts
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna THE MADELEINE HAZE “Noble Lies & Pious Frauds” They are a progressive hard rock trio that began as an acoustic solo project for Zack Goebbel. He assembled a group of musicians who had the same passion for the music genres that he himself was into. Hard rock mixed with modern post-grunge came together to create a very politically charged EP “ A More Perfect Union” that challenged the listener both musically and lyrically and signaled that the band was not afraid to challenge the establishment. The band opened for acts such as Adrenaline Mob, Vicious Rumors, Seven Witches, Super Bob, X Factor 1, Bullet boys and Broken Teeth during this time frame. With growing national success came pressure from the industry to conform to a narrow view of what a mainstream hard rock band should be. Rather than limit themselves to those stifling constraints, however, the band became more creatively ambitious than ever.
“Unfaithful” is an awesome mid tempo track that could have rocked the stage during the Big Hair Rock Era. “Happiness Machines” should be rocking Alternative radio! WAY COOL! “Manhattan – Part 1” talks about that person that one needs close, but they are not there. Awesome fret manipulation! “Nightmares & Dreamscapes” is a track that can stand up and be counted as one to challenge the big boys. Love the retro/mod strings! One of the BEST on this CD! Musically, the band incorporates everything from thrashing Prog-Metal to radio-friendly power ballads, bringing disparate genres together to create a cohesive whole. With crowd-pleasing hooks and virtuosic musicianship, The Madeleine Haze proudly walks the line between the Mainstream and the Progressive fringe, and trusts their fans to take that journey with them. These musicians would fill a mosh pit in seconds, have the house rocking hard and send one home reciting these telling lyrics for a long time! WELL DONE!!
The result is Noble Lies & Pious Frauds, a ground-breaking full-length album that serves as a commentary on how corporations, religious and political institutions and even the people we love can manipulate how we think and act. ROCK ON! The power trio features Zack Goebble on vox/ guitars; Richard Wilson banging bottom and Dan Dalton’s percussions. “The Nihilist” kicks it into high gear from the door with a bass/percussion driven ass kicker! “Burned Again” has slamming guitars that are pressure driven to slam you against the wall. “The Turning Away” has an intro that rocks hard and offers changes that remind one of some of the 90’s guitar rockers. “Diet of Worms” is a monster that invades your ears instantly!
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REVIEWS STERLING KOCH TRIO “Place Your Bets” In a departure from his normal style and format, we see something here a bit different and slightly laid back that will satisfy acoustic purists and also quell the appetites of those who enjoy blues and rock classics. This trio includes the incomparable Sterling Koch on his signature lap steel as well as 6 & 12 string acoustic guitars and a dobro, Gene Babula on bass and Jack Kulp with the harp. Quite a bit of creativity goes into this as these three create a full sound despite limited instrumentation. This 11 track CD offers a great collection of classics that was designed to capture the listener with imagination and a feel for that special way of presentation that is unique and one of a kind. As I take a that trip thru the progression of songs that evoke many memories from my past, I hear things that excite my senses. Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble’s “The House is Rockin’” is very melodic and the lap steel is prominent. “It’s Alright” has that late 50’s, simple sound where the focus is on the vox. Jimmy Reed’s “Dizzy” is a blues monster! Jack Kulp’s harp does a lot of talking on this track!
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
number that features a slow burning sound and long bent notes. “Blue on Black”, Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s song, deals with subject matter of heartbreak and regret and is accented nicely by Jennifer Dierwechter’s heartfelt vocals. “Nothing But the Blues” is an original number where we hear Jack Kulp on the mouth organ and of course, Sterling’s magnificent slide. Rounding out this offering is a Jimmy Reed classic, “Oh Well” that features some nice acoustic riffs and Gene Babula’s rhythm setting the tone. I thoroughly enjoyed the mixture of the different types of blues along with the rock classics which give this CD a great balance and a tasty flavor. This is a MUST LISTEN! I give this a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!!
ZZ Top’s “Tube Steak Boogie” is a funky party number that has always been one of my favorites. “Down Don’t Bother Me”, the 1967 Albert King classic, just flows seamlessly with that lap steel accenting this tune. The 1960 Sonny Boy Williamson song, “Checkin’ Up On My Baby” is a Chicago blues shuffle that the trio nails down to perfection. One of John Lee Hooker’s most famous classics, “Dimples” is moderate-tempo blues that “sounds like a twelve-bar blues with a ‘hook’ that gives the song its odd appeal”. We continue with the Otis Rush track, “My Baby (She’s a Good Un)”, a West Side Chicago blues
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna SCOTT MARSHALL & MARSHALL’S HIGHWAY “These Wheels” “Every mile I go, there’s a lesson to be learned. So these wheels keep turning”. These words from Scott Marshall carry a lot of weight and it’s a phrase that has guided him throughout the years. His deep religious background combined with giving back to those in the community who are in need, fuel the fire that is burning inside of him on a daily basis. His band mates support him with their faith, musicianship, dedication, hard work, commitment and yes, sacrifices that all have made. This multiaward winning songwriter, composer and lyricist passes his talents and creativity to others through his music that touches every listener with his deep feelings that he projects. His bands, Marshall’s Highway and The Hillbilly Souls, have interchangeable members that contribute to both entities in a way that compliment the output and musicianship that they portray on stage. Scott Carl plays an acoustic upright and bass guitar; Art Smith and Troy Heiland bang on the drums; Marshall Scott tickles the keys; David James picks acoustic and electric guitars; Joe Foxx plays acoustic & electric bass guitars and also the cajon; Glenn Hoffman is the sax man; Victor Clark plays pedal steel, lap steel,dulcimer, electric guitar and banjo; Adam Frei strums the banjo, mandolin, dobro and acoustic guitar and last but not least is Scott Marshall who write the songs, is the voice up front, plays acoustic and electric guitars and also the occasional harmonica and mandolin. Combined, the sound that emanates from these talented musicians would rival some orchestras. Their offer of classic rock, country, blues and bluegrass into one show is indeed a recipe that has people of all ages, titles and musical tastes cheering and coming back for more.
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Their 17 track CD, recorded on South Mountain, which is their comfort zone, offers a wide range of music to suit the tastes of listeners who are into many different genres. “Little Bit O’ Country” kicks things off with a Stones sounding guitar riff and some mighty piano work. Scott’s powerful vocals explode into the line “I’m a little bit of country and a whole lotta rock n roll”. “I Got Friends” takes country rock to a new level with a dynamic sound and some real lyrics. This would kick country radio into another gear! The title track, “These Wheels” is a feeler beyond description, an awesome piece of music that is WAY COOL! “Passenger” is a nice slow to mid-tempo rocker in the mold of a Steven Tyler that resonates with that particular style and even flow. “Keep It Real” kicks it up a few gears with a number that would take Nashville by storm. CMT would love this! “Two Hearts” is done nicely in the traditional style that kept country cool for many years. “Her Picture” and “Dancin Shoes” would pack a dance floor in a heartbeat! Love the sax! “Good To Be Alive” is a monster! Scott’s powerful vox pervade this entire song. I bet Clint Black would love this! “Make Time” talks about ‘making time to pray to the father, to say you’re sorry and lend a helping hand, make time to kiss the morning..’. WOW! As we continue tracking, “Searchin For Simple” talks about how we keep looking for things that would make our lives much more simple. “Letters and Prayers” featuring The Souls is a touching story about a boy who grew into a man and went to war as a soldier who penned letters to his wife and little one and hopes he’ll be coming home. VERY DEEP AND REAL! “In America” sounds like it could have been written and sung by John Fogerty. It is that HOT! “Same Ol Dream” featuring The Souls is a nice patriotic based number that rings true to me. It’s like a piece of my past was put to music. Surreal! “With Every New Day, ‘I Believe’” takes it down a bit with a nice acoustic number that touches the heart and leaves
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REVIEWS
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
an indelible mark. The young kids singing the chorus brought tears to my eyes. AWESOME!! The acoustic version of “Searchin For Simple” put a different spin on this as Scott’s powerful vocals are front and center. The last track, “Killin Time”, compliments this entire CD with this cool ballad. Nice story line! This entire effort is beyond description. The deep feeling in the lyrics, the talented musicianship and the entire presentation is UNBELIEVEABLE! These gentlemen should have the max contract from a major record company. This CD is a MULTIPLE MUST LISTEN and BUY! I give this effort a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!!!
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna BOSOM BAND “In My Hair” and “Hoosegow Holiday” CD’s They are a bit of a different type of group as they have only two permanent members and they have a host of guest musicians who come and contribute to their musical efforts. Unique, yes, because when they perform, you will never hear the same composition twice, why, because they are into improvising and creating new sounds. They like going back to the roots of music and that sets the pace they follow until they are satisfied. Their original lyrics tell stories that have their beginnings in American Folklore. I call that sheer dedication! Monica Lynn Chase is a fiery red-haired artist who has influences that span everything from blues, hillbilly, mountain rag, jazz, jam band, rock, punk, pop, classical, jive, bebop and rockin’ blues. I think that about covers almost every genre! This lady is most comfortable singing in honky-tonks, juke-joints and bar venues but does the occasional concert setting just to stir the pot a bit. Dan Michael is a well-known Philly based bassist, producer and singer-songwriter who likes to get into some keyboards and lead strings. He’s also known for appearances with national acts, has founded some of the areas well known bands and is known also as a composer, collaborator and vocalist. Together with a little help from their friends, Mike Cifone on drums and percussion and Eric Madman on guitars, they have put together a 17 track CD, 15 of them, originals! “Sugar Pie” says ‘blues party’ right from the door! “In My Hair” takes it down to that shot-drinking grooving mode. Porter Grainger and Everett Robbins “T’aint Nobody’s Biz-ness” classic tune is performed to perfection and sees
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Monica nail this one down with class. “Everybody Knows” has a bit of a Tex-Mex blues sound especially with the acoustic guitar and rhythm track. “Call Me” has that funky sound like Issac Hayes and Sly Stone had back in the day. “Come On Home” is a great example of Delta Blues! Cool! “Evil Woman” has a bit of a combo of country/ folk/blues mix in it. “Autumn Comes” is close to the style of a Bonnie Raitt in its makeup. “I Don’t Need You” has Monica’s vox exuding very deep bluesy sounds. “Won’t You Stay” is a mid-tempo country-laced track that has a nice retro feel to it. “St James Infirmary” is a track of dubious origin but was made famous by Satchmo, the late, great Louis Armstrong! Bosom Band does credit to this tune. NICE!! Another CD comes into play here, “Hoosegow Holiday” with a 6 track holiday offering. “All We Gots” talks about those having hard times over the holidays and making do with what they have in an Appalachia type of number. “Hoosegow Holiday” relates to me one of the old backwoods traditions of jailhouse visits to the boys in the joint. “Blue
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REVIEWS Christmas Card” is sort of like writing a ‘Dear John’ to that someone on a blue Christmas card. “Take Me Back For Christmas” tells a story of a bad girl who wants to go home for the holiday. “Nothing for Christmas” is a real downer because dude didn’t get a damn thing for Christmas. “Holiday Hash” features some of the best well known Christmas songs – like Jingle Bells, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer performed
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
together in a nice medley. Both offerings are done with style, class and a bit of an attitude that shows in the vocals and in some of the lyrics. I like the vocal inflections of Monica, the bass is off the wall and the percussion and guitars compliment nicely in this bluesy collection. WELL DONE!!!
CHELSEA LYN MEYER “Between the Lies” Single Chelsea Lynn Meyer is a name that is becoming known in music circles in the Lehigh Valley area of Eastern PA. Her work with young people and her love for music encouraged her to create the non-profit organization, “Power Chords – Music Mentors for Our Youth”. This enabled this talented young lady to pursue, polish and create while giving back to those who show talent and the eagerness to learn. Her new single, “Between the Lies” was produced and mixed at Midnight Studios by Andrew Chervak. The intro features a nice fat bottom from the bass guitar, a cool, tight tempo and precise acoustic guitar work. The additional instrumentation accents her powerful multi-range vocals that completely dominate this track. The lyrical content is telling, energetic and paints a nice picture. The build towards the outro fills your ears with a cacophony of sound that builds to a nice crescendo with a cold ending! Could this be the beginning of a new light in the sky? This number will definitely turn some heads and raise some eyebrows, it’s that good! This is a MUST LISTEN!! …..WELL DONE!!
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna DAIMON PRICE “The Road Home”
a new historical book about his home town. Recorded at Cat House Studios and consisting of 9 tracks, Daimon kicks things off with “Different Back Then” which looks back on the music he grew up with. This fun little ditty sounds like it came from the 80’s with its simple guitar work and a cool fiddle. “My Destiny” is a way cool number about his daughter from the day she was born to present day. The melody and that telltale rasp in his vocals gives this a nice touch. “Bliss to Me” is a mid-tempo acoustic guitar/violin based song that espouses his values and the things that make him happy. The title track, “The Road Home”, was the official theme song for the 150th Anniversary of the founding of his hometown. I detect a bit of Bob Seger in those vocals. Nice tribute! “Homeland Skies” takes things down to how Daimon feels about his two sons in this telling ballad. ‘Spirits Live On” is about the influences Jesus, John Lennon and Martin Luther King had on his life. He incorporates bits of lyrics from Lennon, happenings from MLK and the Lord. Also, this is his first ever tune he wrote on an acoustic guitar.
Daimon Price has been around music for quite a few years. His career began in 1980 first as a drummer and then in 1995 as a guitarist, songwriter and composer. His creativity is heavily influenced by performers such as The Cure, Jars of Clay, John Mellencamp, Tears for Fears, Lifehouse, The Moody Blues and Collective Soul. This music carries with it a wide range of options which can steer Daimon in many different directions. His CD, The Road Home, is about people who are close to him plus inspiration by his home life and things around him. Daimon doesn’t just write songs, he is also a published author and is currently penning
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“Dear Dad” is an open letter to his late step-father that is done in the mold of an early John Mellencamp replete with that signature acoustic and backing rhythm. The piano solo is a nice touch! “Until I Sleep” recounts Daimon’s asthma problems when he was a child and how mom was there for him at night. Very well put together! “Legacy” was written on a jet coming home from his fathers funeral. Touching! Putting it all together, I hear some Americana and folk influences along with some nice ballad-style MOR format music. WELL DONE!
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REVIEWS JENNIE VEE “Die Alone” EP She has taken the long road to get where she is today. Starting the trek in her home town of Toronto, Canada, going across the lake to England, and then back again to the Big Apple where she finally put down roots on the Lower East side in the Village/ Soho district, where in a small studio putting in relentless hours of work, long suffering hours along with those countless moments of blood, sweat & tears, she achieved this finished product.
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
are very deep! WAY COOL! “Red Flags” brings it to a more mainstream sound with lyrics like “reach out, be good to me” that is enhanced by Jennie’s awesome pipes complimented by instrumentation that is not overbearing. “I’ve been strugglin’ to pay attention, to the small things and the big decisions..all the red flags, you know that they were waving...calling to me” This is my favorite track on the EP! I could see programmers soiling their shorts on this number! Extremely talented songwriter, an awesome set of lungs, tight melodies and springy guitar riffs that take one back in time! I am anxious to see what the future will bring for Jennie Vee! WELL DONE!!
Her music is described in her own words as “Nugaze - sonic sound scapes of 80s post-punk plus New Wave that crosses over into the 90s Brit/Pop and Shoegaze genres”. On this EP, Jennie penned all the music and lyrics and it reflects on her years of heartbreak, the ups and downs in the life of a musician, exposure to the NYC scene and how she was able to climb back into the here and now from those dark depths. “Die Alone” is definitely old-school wave with a twist, the vocals are a blast from the past. “Wicked” opens with a rock-a-billy guitar riff that morphs easily into a retro/mod 144 BPM track that features awesome harmonies and that ever present rhythm guitar. “Say Goodbye” is eerily close to a Belinda Carlisle/Jane Weidlin sound, I love the changes! This could be a crossover radio breakout! “Gone Away” changes it up a bit with this mid-tempo indie killer cut that shows me another side of this talented artist. The lyrics
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna Johnny I. All Star Blues Revival “Self -Titled EP” As part of an all-star cast, lead man and guitarist, John A. Ingrassia, has been performing for well over 20 years and has shared the stage with such notables as Johnny Winter, John Hammond, Devon Allman, Coco Montoya, Chris Duarte, Tinsley Ellis and a host of others. John has also been a featured act in the BB King Summer Blues Festival.
finishing touch. “Late Night” has some awesome riffs which accents this track in the mold of an Eric Clapton. This retro-mod rockin/blues sound is refreshing! “Avery’s Tune” is a ripping instrumental feeler that attacks the listener with slamming guitar work from the door. The rhythm changes seamlessly and adds so much depth to this track. I have always been an avid lover of the blues in all its forms and this offering reaffirms that in spades! WELL DONE!
This veteran band also includes John E. Ingrassia on bottom, Doug Ferrara on keys and Glen Graham on percussion. Both Doug and Glen were former members of Blind Melon! These tracks were recorded and mixed in L.A., North Carolina and Wallingford, CT. Other notables on these tracks include my friend, Bruce Katz along with Billy Cox, Chris Layton and Reese Wynans. “Life is Better” comes at you with some cool bluesy riffs that sets the mood nicely for the Hammond with the Leslie. A simple percussion ride gives this a nice feel which enhances the vox with just the right amount of accompaniment. The solo adds that
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REVIEWS ROI AND THE SECRET PEOPLE “Phoenix” They have a unique way of describing their music. “One part Elvis Costello, one Part Tom Petty, one part Nick Lowe - poured in highball glass over ice, add garnish. Shaken not stirred”. This does sound tasteful to the ear! Their music crosses the genres of classic rock, with a bit of alternative, topped with a bit of a pop sound, it sort of peaks ones interest. Here’s a wee bit about the gents who make up the band. Up front on vocals and lead guitar is Mike Roi who has credentials that include opening for the likes of The Black Crowes, Midnight Oil, and Marilyn Manson. On drums is Kevin McAdams and Mishal Zeera gives it up on bass and mans the keys.
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
hand...’, the harmonies rock. “Burnout” features some nice retro sounding string work and a rustic sounding melody. “O’Love” has a nice Tom Petty feel to it. “Sweet Maria” explodes from the door with a bit of a rocka-billy type string riff, tight harmonies that sustain and a pulsing snare. “Throwing Stones” should make programmers fall over each other to get that first play! WAY COOL! “Always and Forever” is one of those touching tracks that women would fall over and tug at their heartstrings. The diverse influences are very evident throughout this effort. The seamless compositions are tied together perfectly by intelligent accompaniment by these talented musicians. They will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. This CD is a MUST LISTEN! I give this a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!!
Their CD, “Phoenix”, recorded at MoD Studios in NJ, Galiminium Foil Studios and 6th Street Studios in Brooklyn, NY, is a departure from their classic-rock roots and is filled with 10 tracks that will satisfy any discerning individual who is influenced by this multi-genre band. “A Little Pain” is an upbeat pop/rock oriented tune that is so 90’s in it’s makeup. “Little Bit Closer” is one of those numbers that you just want to crank it up and party. The flow is seamless and energetic! A KILLER CUT! The title track, “Phoenix”, is in the MOR mold that sees Mishal’s piano work in prominence which nicely accentuates this track. “Drive” features pumping, pulsating percussion in a intelligent flow that compliments this composition. Infectious hook! “Brotherhood of Man” is a lyrical masterpiece, ‘...face the master plan, promises like grains of sand, like water in your
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna KIM PAIGE “Getting Along Famously”
“Till the cameras shift, the filters lift, and all you see is shades of the truth, the smiles come off, the music’s wrong, when it all comes down to me and you, well you and me are just getting along famously”. This will not be the first song you will hear from this talented young lady with the golden pipes. Her future is bright and I’m expecting big things from her. WELL DONE! I give this single a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!!
This young lady’s music just flew into my inbox and was left there by a little bird who said I should give this a listen. Since I trust my band of little birds, I took their advice and was stunned at what I heard. Little did I know, I was being introduced to a talent with an angelic voice that I would end up writing this review for. Hailing from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and now calling Nashville her home, Kim Paige has turned some heads and now has a song on the lips of many believers around the country, including my own! With Country, Rock and Americana influences like Brandi Carlile, Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, Jewel, and Lori McKenna, I begin to see how she developed her style and polished her talents to create this awesome piece of music. She kicks things off with a few acoustic licks which sets the stage for that angelic voice that has the power to hypnotize the listener. Her vocal range rises and falls with such ease and grace that just massages the ear. The lyrics tell a story and it includes the lines
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REVIEWS
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
PODRACER “Parking Cars and Pumping Gas”
“Pocket Monster” sneaks up on you and then attacks you in both earholes. It then reverses itself with a retro chorus line, ‘I put you in my pocket’ and then reattacks you. One of this CD’s best tracks! “X Ray” is an 80’s style track that is modernized to fit today’s urban punk scene. “Nothing To Lose” would do well in the US in the Alternative radio formats. Harmonic, great rhythm and it tracks way cool!
There is a saying on this side of the lake that the Irish know how to rock the house and tear the walls down. My County Monaghan Irish heritage did not tell me that, I found that out through experiencing it firsthand. Hailing from Dundalk, in County Louth, Ireland, Podracer has made its mark on the music scene from The Netherlands to the US in short order. They have the ability to take the post-punk sounds of the 80’s, the sub-pop sounds of the 90’s and different elements of rock, punk and metal and mesh them together with societal issues, drug addiction, serial killers and yes, hoodies, to do a mash up that slaps you right in the face.
“Californian Boys” open with ripping riffs, a pounding snare and the signature Podracer sound. Love the vocal effects! Fun track! This track has single potential! “Easy Singles” has that angry, antagonistic feel that would drive me to the damn mosh pits in a heartbeat! “Hitchhike Hooker” is an awesome rocker that could cross multiple formats in rock/alt radio. I love the 80’s sound that this track projects! They hit you in your face, take you all over the place, but in the end they rock hard with a purpose and a passion that will kick your ass right into space! WELL DONE!!
They love to just lark about and check out the lassies while gigging and have been known to hoist a few pints along the way. Alan Anderson on vox and guitar, drummer Colin Berrill and bassist/vocalist Damien Carroll put it all together just to tear it up, break it down and jam hard in a unique way that produces 12 antagonistic retro/mod rocking punk tracks. The kudos from the BBC and numerous pubs reinforce this fact. Kicking things off is “Runes” that just slams you into the damn wall. “Vulpes” is a great example of that 90’s influence and some cool, fun vocals and fresh rhythm changes! “Hammers and a Handgun” features a heavier backdrop from the guitars and lines like “We fought the law with tooth and claw, make their retreats, we own the streets”. “Cabin” is highly reminiscent of the Sex Pistols. “Twelve Step” gives us those hammering guitar lines and a percussion smash that will, as the song says, ‘blow you away’! “Hobbyhorse” hits you hard and then stops and backs up over you again!
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REVIEWS by Dana Saravia The Cherry Drops “Everything’s Groovy”
“Everything’s Groovy” is the debut album from The Cherry Drops. It sounds like a 45 minute trip through the best of mid 60s to early 70s AM radio, incorporating surf rock and smart pop throughout their originals and a few well chosen cover songs. The album kicks off with the aptly named “Pop, Pop (‘Til You Drop)”, an energetic party groove song that invites dancing as well as being the perfect introduction to both the album and the band. It’s followed by their first great choice of cover, the Syndicate of Sound’s 1966 single “Little Girl”, which leads into their irresistible song “Outta Sight”. Chosen as one of the Coolest Songs In The World
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on Little Steven’s Underground Garage program last year, it’s instantly memorable and a hell of a lot of fun. “Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated” is next. Cleverly incorporating the opening lines as well as some of the music of the “Laverne & Shirley” theme, it will not only recall those days, but have you smiling and singing along - a song that is probably a blast performed live and my favourite track on the album. “Summertime Is A State Of Mind” is the Beach Boys influenced fifth track. A slow groove with lovely vocal harmonies and a gentle melody, it’s like a lost song from 1965 and one you’ll be happy you found. Their cover of The Raspberries “I Wanna Be With You” is not only a great cover, but also makes an excellent bridge to their next song “Melvin’s On The Make”, a spirited, up-tempo pop song. The next set of songs begins with “Let’s Bug Out”, a breezy song about cruising around with the top down. Lyrics like “Leave my troubles behind, gonna drive right out of this town” and a chorus that includes “Fast on the run, find my place in the sun, future’s so bright, I’m high as a kite” create a fun tune that vividly brings to mind those feelings of freedom while driving. “Surfer Slut” is a great screw-you song to a cheating girl. The tone and style remind me of Sam Kinison’s cover of “Wild Thing” - the irreverence and humour found here are a very cool addition to the album. It also provides a smart counterpoint to the next song, “Cutie Patootie” - a sweet, poppy number about loving someone, down to the details (“I love the way she holds her cup and sips”) and imperfections. The sound effect of radio stations being changed and dialed in as the song is not only fitting, but a great way to lead into the band’s cover of “Wig-Wam
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Bam”. The album’s closer “Cherry, Lemon, & Marmalade Pie” is a song with instrumentation and lyrics that describe a trip to the state fair. It’s a sweet way to wrap up an album of pop treats. “Everything’s Groovy” is an aptly named album. A solid, accomplished debut from a band who bring their influences from the best of the past and create their own sound as they build from those foundations. Not a dull moment on this CD and the songs sound like they’d be a blast to sing along to with a crowd when played live. Can’t wait to find out for myself. **Available in CD and digital download formats from Musick Records**
REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna LINA FOURO “The Love Cycle” There is a lady who came to the great white north of Toronto, Canada from The Iranian Underground Scene where she had recorded a single, “Take Your Love Back” to pursue her love of music and learn the entertainment industry in a society where you are not judged because of your politics, gender or religious views. She has passion, she has drive and yes, she is bold! Her love of psychology and the human way of how it’s done gives her the basis for some of her creativity. Her debut CD, “The Love Cycle” was born as an outlet for Lina to express her knowledge of the Kubler-Ross model in her music as it relates to the stages of love and loss, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. She is well versed in all of these as she has experienced them all firsthand! Lina stated, “I found myself in all these places and have written a collection of my experiences. Through it all, I’ve just realized life is a cycle of love and this album rides on all emotions one can feel.” It is through this that I can see where she finds her inner strength and moral fortitude. Her background in Criminology also allows her to get into Cognitive Behaviors and Criminal Thinking Errors which also find their way into her lyrical thought patterns. Juno-Award winning producer Lonnie Szoke lends his expertise on these 13 unique tracks that cross seamlessly into the Progressive Pop, Funk, Dance and House genres. This effort opens with her new single, “Boom”, that’s laced with a bit of that retro bubblegum flavor from the 70’s with a dash of
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techno. How cool is that! The video is ‘The Bomb’! “Bang, Bang Baby” has a fat funky bottom that adds so much to the percussion and synth. She has the voice of an Ariana Grande combined with a bit of Katy Perry. WOW! “A Little More” is a monster! I would love to hear a blasting club remix of this, especially on her rap outro. I def can hear some Above & Beyond in here. AWESOME! “Again” maintains that high energy level and showcases that wonderful set of pipes! The ending breaks down superbly! “Down” talks about darkness in a way that exposes her hurt. The techno explosion at the bridge enhances her vox expertly and then takes it back down again to almost an a capella. The guitar solo rocks hard! WAY COOL! “Do or Die Mode” digs into a situation when the dude uses his lines on the dance floor. “Do or Die Mode, what do you see, If anything’s left, well nothing’s for free..” These lyrics are BANGIN’! “High” is just totally the real thing. This should make programmers at I Heart Media and their CHR outlets soil their shorts bigtime! Do I hear NEXT SINGLE? “Before” opens with a sinister sounding synth, screaming riffs and a pounding snare that morphs into a Euro/Alt sound that gives me a taste of those angelic pipes that are somewhat suggestive. “Funk” kicks it into high gear with that electro-bass backing the 138 BPM rhythm that would fill any dance floor instantly. This is another candidate for a club remix! “Always Falling” attacks you from the door and pins you to your seat. This house track KICKS ASS! “Love” takes the urban/rap route that hears the line “L O V E, saying that you love me, but I think it’s just a crush”. The dude’s rap is ‘off the wall’ HOT! “In Time” defies description, it’s that good. If radio doesn’t pick up on this, it their damn loss! If I was still programming, I’d be all over this in a heartbeat! EXCELLENT! The final track, “Delamhaust” has a bit of a retro/mod sound with the effects and the stylish vocal arrangement with
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REVIEWS
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
the rap insert. The rhythm has a bit of a funky reggae feeling. NICE! This lady has got it going on in a big way. If this CD doesn’t break out on the Hot 100, then someone should clean out their ears. Lina’s assets are her angelic, powerful voice, her creative lyrics and that strong, overwhelming passion that just oozes out of her. This CD is a MUST LISTEN! I give this a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!!
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REVIEWS by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna DICK BOAK “Beside You” featuring Craig Thatcher The name of Dick Boak is well known to musicians all over the world. This talented craftsman has helped build and design more than 140 signature guitar collaborations with some of the top musical talents of our time. This creative individual is also an accomplished author having penned several books including the acclaimed “Martin Guitar Masterpieces” that drew rave reviews! As a 32 year employee of the famed C.F. Martin Guitar Co., Dick is the Director of their Museum, Archives and Special Projects. His musical talents are well known and his new CD is a product of his continuing love and passion for what he loves most, music! In 2010, he found and mastered the diatonic auto harp and purchased an Orthey Harp which led to some live gigs and the pursuit of recording his music. With a little help from his friends, Craig Thatcher, Jim McGee, Kent Heckman, Nyke Van Wyk, Mark Dann, John Kurgan, Mark Kantner and John Sterling Ruth, all the parts came together in this wonderful effort that culminated with 13 tracks including works by Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Michael Kamen.
acoustically orchestral. The late, great Michael Kamen’s “Beside You” is performed to perfection in an excellent tribute to this wonderful composer and musician. “But You Never” is an awesome tune that has real meaning for me. One of the best on this CD! Jimi Hendrix’s,“My Friend”, features Dick’s powerful vocals which are accented with that bluesy flavor and old-timey sound. “Bay of Tears” features Craig Thatcher’s slide guitar and John Kurgan’s bottom which adds fullness to this feeler. The guitar solo is masterful as well as the sea gulls in the outro. Another Bob Dylan track, “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” is done to perfection. The powerful acoustic riffs combined with those Dylan-esque vox accentuate this tune and give it a full bodied sound. “The Dancer” is a nice upbeat toe-tapper with tight harmonies and energetic picking. Closing out this effort is the instrumental version of “Let It Go” which offers the listener a fuller sounding track and shows one a different side of this tune! Very Nice!
This is one of the finest acoustic works that I have “It’s All Been Done” is a tribute to the late John Lennon heard and rivals some of the great masters in the that exudes a lot of deep feeling and respect. The string genre. Working with some of these greats has obviously rubbed off on Dick Boak and he has taken his work by Nyke Van Wyk accentuates the acoustics with talent to another level with this wonderful collection. I perfect cohesion. “Let It Go” mirrors the songwriting recommend this as a MUST BUY & LISTEN!! I also give style of a Paul Simon in this lyrical masterpiece that this a hearty 2 THUMBS UP!! WELL DONE!! could be the intro for an acoustic opera set. “Society Cafe” is flavored with some spoken-word parts that seamlessly blend in. This brings back memories of Johnny Cash and his storytelling! “Pre-Conditions” is a way cool tune that deals with a lot of what we see and hear every day, refreshing! Mark Kantner’s mouth organ is a nice touch. I love the references to the Tea party and Paul Ryan. “My Song” features the Orthey Harp in a number that has Dick reminiscing about days gone by with an abstract reference to Godfrey Daniel’s Coffeehouse. Bob Dylan’s, “Something There Is About You”, has haunting vocals that send me back to the 1974 date of this song. The chord progression and how it moves is
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REVIEWS CRABBUBBLES
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
“There are new dreams crowding’ out old realities, there’s revolutions weeping’ in like a fresh new breeze, let the old world make believe it’s blind and deaf and dumb, but nothing can change the shape of things to come.” These are the lyrics to an old garage band that fit here nicely. WHY? Because Garage Rock is back in a big way and is drawing major attention to this genre of music.
work with ‘The Doughboys’ and ‘Mark Lindsay’ of Paul Revere & The Raiders and The Satisfactors, has once again created a tune that will melt the vinyl it’s pressed on. Dale Lee Richards is the force behind the Rock/Power Pop/Garage/Surf sound of the Crab Bubbles that takes it’s influences from some of the greatest bands of the 60’s and incorporates all the groovy things that were happening when anyone made the scene. Exploding right from the gate, Fool For Your Love is loaded from front to back with a 60’s style fat sound, ‘Electric’ riffs that are ‘Down’, a real mad beat that emanates from the kit and way cool ‘Groovy’ vibes. Dale Lee’s vox has a tad of that East End London feel and if you were ‘With It’, this sound was ‘a Gas’!
One of the greats of this simple form of music, Gar Francis, wrote and composed this song especially for the Crab Bubbles. Gar Francis, known for his
It doesn’t matter if you’re hip, a longhair, a surfer or a flower child, you’ll dig this crazy sound! This track is just plain OUTTASIGHT!!
“Fool For Your Love”
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Blues Bash Press Release by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DAVID BROMBERG, Godfather of Americana, highlights 2015 Blues Bash; TODDWOLFE/ JOHN GINTY team up to headline Friday night The 6th Annual Blues Bash at Centenary College March 20 and 21 blends Blues, Americana, and other styles of music in a two - night extravaganza that will be a real treat for music lovers. This year’s Bash features the Godfather of Americana, David Bromberg and his Quintet, on Saturday night. Bromberg’s material, based in the folk and bluesidioms, encompass the blues, bluegrass, ragtime, country and ethnic music. Presented by Joe Hirsh Productions, in association with the Centenary Stage Company, Blues Bash 2015 will be held at the Sitnik Theater at Centenary College’s Lackland Center.
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Opening on Friday night includes award winning Todd Wolfe Band who will be performing with special guest John Ginty on the B - 3 Hammond Organ, together with Gentlemen East. Todd Wolfe was an integral part of Sheryl Crow’s band for many years and has a distinct sound of his own that has garnered national recognition. John Ginty, a founding member of the Robert Randolph Family Band, is one of the most sought after keyboardists in the U.S., having played with the Allman Brothers, Santana, Govt. Mule, Bob Weir, Ratdog, Widespread Panic, and on a regular basis, the Dixie Chicks. The newly formed Gentlemen East is comprised of former members of The Badlees and Breaking Benjamin, two bands with their own solid history. DavidBromberg was born in Philadelphia in 1945 and raised in Tarrytown,NY. “As a kid I listened to rock and roll and whatever else was on the radio,” says Bromberg.
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“I discovered Pete Seeger and The Weavers and also through them, the Reverend Gary Davis. This then turned me on to Big Bill Broonzy, which led me to Muddy Waters and the Chicago Blues scene. This was more or less the same time I discovered Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe and Doc Watson.”
NY, in March 2013. He then brought in some of Helm’s former recording and touring musicians for added instrumentation, the David Bromberg Band emerged twelve days later with Only Slightly Mad,a return to his genre-bending albums of the Seventies and Eighties.
Bromberg’s sensitive and versatile approach to guitar-playing earned him jobs playing the Village basket houses for tips, the occasional paying gig, and employment as a backing musician for Tom Paxton, Jerry Jeff Walker and Rosalie Sorrels. He became a first-call,hired gun guitarist for recording sessions, ultimately playing on hundreds of records by artists including Bob Dylan (New Morning, Self Portrait, Dylan), Link Wray, The Eagles, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson,and Carly Simon.
Bromberg fans will find blues, bluegrass, gospel, folk, Irish fiddle tunes, pop and English drinking songs happily coexisting as they can only on a Bromberg album. Opening up for Bromberg will be the blues duo, Mulebone, and also Don Elliker will be the evening’s Lobby Act. The Blues Bash also features pre-shows at Marleys Gotham Grill in Downtown Hackettstown, NJ each day, with the Steve Kirchuk Trio on Saturday and a post-show party on Saturday night at Marleys with Slack jaw. Gina Royale is the Theater Lobby Act on Friday night.
He toured with his own band for some time and then went into semi-retirement for a while and got into the violin making business. In 2013, content with the balance of both his violin business and performing career, Bromberg was ready to record again with his live band. Enlisting old friend Larry Campbell (three-time Grammy-winning producer for Levon Helm and multi-instrumentalist with Bob Dylan) and engineer Justin Guip, David and his group entered Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock,
Sponsors and supporters of Blue Bash 2015 are PNC Bank, Inn at Millrace Pond, Good Impressions Printing & Mailing, Karmabridge Acupuncture, Hackettstown Business Improvement District, Marley’s Gotham Grill,Mr. Music, Village Family Clinic, Morristown Financial Group, Cathy Miller Photography, HTV Media Productions, WNTI, and CHP Communications. Other related events can
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be found at joehirshproductions.com, the Blues Bash NJ Facebook Page. Tickets: http://www.centenarystageco.org/ centenary-blues-bash. php.Parking will be free for the events. For more information you can email joehirsh@msn.com
Book is available as a PTO (Print to Order)on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
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REVIEWS THE PLASTIC PALS “Riding With Elvis” - Single They are part of the Scandinavian Wave that is invading the Indie scene coming out of Stockholm, Sweden! This how they describe their music, “Take the fiery guitars of bands like Television, Flamin’ Groovies and The Dream Syndicate, add a pinch of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground and a dash of magic melodies with a dark edge. Bring to a vigorous boil with a soulful and groovy base of drums and bass. Stir well and season to taste with the finest spices from the legacy of rock and roll – from Hank to Hendrix, from Gram to The Long Ryders, from The Beatles to Alex Chilton, from Townes to Paul K, from Coltrane to Television. The list goes on… Dinner is served – Bon Appetit”! Now that is a recipe for some high-energy Garage Power Pop that blends in with Classic Rock to deliver a tasty flavor!
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
guitarist just strumming when he found a sound and idea that just gained momentum and the band got together, put together the pieces of the puzzle and completed the picture. The track kicks in gear from the door with electric riffs and some really cool backing rhythms that come together with sharp powerful vocals. The killer licks and explosive snare enhance the effect that the band projects bringing this tune to a place where the temperature nears the boiling point. The sound is what I like to call “Retro/Mod” because it is parts of both genres in its final mixture. If this is any indication of what’s to come, I’ll be sitting on the end of my seat waiting for the EP or CD to hit our shores in the future! WELL DONE!
This 4-piece psychedelic rock band includes: Håkan “Hawk” Soold on vox & guitar; Olov Öqvist banging on the skins; Bengt Alm on bottom & back vox and also Anders Sahlin with guitar and backing vocals who together produce a unique sound that is all their own. Their new single, “Riding With Elvis”, was born by their
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CONCERT REVIEW
by Rhonda VanBuskirk
Black Oak Arkansas Live The day had been anything but warm, people were dressed in coats all day at the concert in England Park in Pinellas County Florida. The sun had set and the wind was still howling, that was until Black Oak Arkansas took the stage.
and being on the road since the 60’s he had some interesting stories, to say the least.
James “Jim Dandy” Mangrum’s voice, (raspy almost hoarse) soon rang out over the crowd. He was accompanied by band members: Rickie Lee Reynolds-guitar, Hal McCormack-guitar, George Hughen-bass and Johnnie Bolin-drums.
Jim’s hair is still long and platinum blonde. Those white ever-revealing spandex have been long gone. He doesn’t jump off the risers into the splits anymore, now he scratches out parts of a song on a washboard. Reynold making every stroke of his 12-string look effortless. McCormack shredding his guitar solos. In the back ground you could see Hugen dancing around with his bass, and Bolin showing of his energy on the drums. The guys all singing backup vocals.
All songs, opening with their new song “Pluggin in & Wild” to the ever popular “Jim Dandy to the Rescue” brought loud cheers from the audience. In between songs Jim would tell stories of the road,
Fans be assured that Black Oak Arkansas is still alive and kickin. They might not to be as “animated” as years gone by, but that “olé” southern rock band from Arkansas can still kick some ass live in concert.
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MUSIC NEWS
by Michael “Jacobs” McKenna
THE SINGULARITY “404 Not Found” Based in the City of Angels, Los Angeles, front man and multi-talented musician, Julian Shah Tayler is in a market where one is exposed to all genres and influences. Some of those influences, like Radiohead, Prince, David Bowie, Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers, Depeche Mode and The Cure are manifested in his music which he classifies as “Electronic Rock and Roll”. His mantra is “We make music to make you dance and think”. When you look deeper into the content of his creations you will experience his undying love for science, space and the big questions that trouble the human condition. “404 Not Found” has 11 diverse tracks which explores different subject matter and musical tastes in such a way that each tune will have the listener’s attention throughout this offering. The CD opens with “Wetter” that has Bowie-like vocals and OMD instrumentation with some nice hard licks thrown in. “Perfect” has a nice simple sound with nice bottom, rhythm and just the right amount of keys. “Living in a Dream” is a cool mid-tempo number with nice vox effects which has potential in multi-formats. “Velvet Mind” has an alternative feel which is complimented by the synth and the percussion mix. “Heaven is Here” brings back memories of Tears For Fears in the composition and presentation. Nice! “Come Undone” comes at you with a synth and bottom accented by the percussion which accentuates Julian’s awesome vocals perfectly! “Trains” is a Techno/Euro monster that should fill club dance floors and rock the house! Way Cool! “Sensation” takes one to a different time and place with some telling lyrics complimented nicely with the composition. The next track won the ASCAP Home Grown
Hits Award for “Talking In Your Sleep”, a kick ass power/pop number that should be tracking on CHR formats and make PD’s and MD’s soil their shorts to jump on it. This is arguably the BEST TRACK on this CD! “Assassins” has a heavier touch that shows the versatility of Julian’s creativity. Nice changes! “Aubade” opens with some real piano work that could double as a concerto material. This laid back feeler hits home and grabs the listener with both hands and holds them immobile. The instrumentation is off the charts. EXCELLENT! I see good things coming to Julian and his mates in 2015. If this is any indication of what they can create, we are in store for some awesome music. This CD is a MUST LISTEN! I give this 2 THUMBS UP
Natasha Adonzio’s Pin Up Of The Month
Model- Rom Valentine Photography by Chrissy Sparks at Doll House Photography MUAH Zanett Make Up Artist Pink lingerie and red retro swimsuit: Buttress and Snatch Latex: Cherry Pop Latex Feather gown made in house at DOLLHOUSE
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Model- Rom Valentine Photography by Chrissy Sparks at Doll House Photography MUAH Zanett Make Up Artist Pink lingerie and red retro swimsuit: Buttress and Snatch Latex: Cherry Pop Latex Feather gown made in house at DOLLHOUSE Steel Notes Magazine | 175
Model- Rom Valentine Photography by Chrissy Sparks at Doll House Photography MUAH Zanett Make Up Artist Pink lingerie and red retro swimsuit: Buttress and Snatch Latex: Cherry Pop Latex Feather gown made in house at DOLLHOUSE
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Model- Rom Valentine
Photography by Chrissy Sparks at Doll House Photography MUAH Zanett Make Up Artist Pink lingerie and red retro swimsuit: Buttress and Snatch Latex: Cherry Pop Latex Feather gown made in house at DOLLHOUSE Steel Notes Magazine | 177
Model- Rom Valentine Photography by Chrissy Sparks at Doll House Photography MUAH Zanett Make Up Artist Pink lingerie and red retro swimsuit: Buttress and Snatch Latex: Cherry Pop Latex Feather gown made in house at DOLLHOUSE
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Model- Rom Valentine Photography by Chrissy Sparks at Doll House Photography MUAH Zanett Make Up Artist Pink lingerie and red retro swimsuit: Buttress and Snatch Latex: Cherry Pop Latex Feather gown made in house at DOLLHOUSE Steel Notes Magazine | 179
The Rew & Who Show 180 | Steel Notes Magazine
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