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Music News • June 2021

June 2021 Hello Music News readers. I hope everybody had a great May First of all, it’s great to see that things are starting to return to normal. There are so many concerts coming, it’s unbelievable. I knew it would be coming, but the list of shows are awesome. Here’s a few: Chicago, The Black Crowes, Hall & Oates, Maroon 5, Disturbed, Everclear, Hoobastank, Cheap Trick, Dokken, George Lynch, 38 Special, Alice Cooper, Ace Frehley, Slaughter, Kix, John Corabi, Brett Scallions of Fuel, Warrant, Lita Ford, Bulletboys, Buckcherry, Saliva, Steel Panther, Hinder, Drowning Pool, Saving Abel, Sevendust, Faster Pussycat and many, many more! I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be going to as many of these shows as I can. I have over a year’s worth of concert withdrawl to take care of. If you see me there, wave and smile. I’m sure we’re going to have a blast! Now, on to the new issue. In this issue, as usual, we have some great stories and information to pass on to you. Check out stories in this month’s issue on Chicago, Everclear, Hoobastank, Fish Thomas, Lillian Axe, Buckcherry, Charley Crockett, Saliva, Marshall Tucker, Steel Panther, Mike & The Moonpies and another installment of the original story, The Biker. Also in this issue are a ton of great pictures of bands performing that were submitted by you, the Music News Readers. Thank you so much for sharing your musical experiences with me and all my readers. I really appreciate it and I know the bands do as well. Keep it up... We would like to see more pictures from you. I sincerely hope that everybody reading this new publication finds something here that they like and I would like to encourage you to let your friends and colleagues know about us. Just look for us every month at http://www.houstonmusicnews.net. I would also like to encourage you to email us for a free subscription to Rock And Blues International as well. Just email us at musicnew@airmail.net and in the subject line simply put “Sign Me Up” and we’ll email you a copy each month when it is published.

Kevin Wildman Kevin Wildman Editor and Publisher

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For Advertising email us at musicnew@airmail.net or call 281-650-1953 For A Free Subscription email us at musicnew@airmail.net and in the subject line put “Sign Me Up Now” June 2021 • Music News

Contents

VOL. 39 NO. 9

JUNE 2021

ISSUE NO. 500

CHICAGO Chicago Returns To The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion June 27th

6 THE BIKER

Chapter 2

EVERCLEAR Everclear Performs As Part Of The Summerland Tour 2021 July 8 At The Arena Theater

12 HOOBASTANK

Hoobastank Performs As Part Of The Summerland Tour 2021 July 8 At The Arena Theater

14 16

Music News • June 2021

FISH THOMAS

Read All About Fish Thomas, Drummer, Promoter, and All Around Great Guy And How He’s Overcoming His Current Heart Problems

Contents

VOL. 39 NO. 9

JUNE 2021

26 20 20 LILLIAN AXE Lillian Axe Returns To The Scout Bar June 17th

22 24 26 28 34 36

ISSUE NO. 500

Also In This Issue BUCKCHERRY CHARLEY CROCKETT SALIVA MARSHALL TUCKER STEEL PANTHER MIKE & THE MOONPIES

Starting Page 41 - Random Shots A Killer’s Confession, System 6, Chris Castaneda, Michael Kennedy, Shovelhead Runway, Texas TNT, Distance Of Thought, Riot The Witness, Thorium Reactor, The Band, Pigweed, Grassline, Holland K. Smith, 2021 Homegrown Music Festival, Alan Reyes, E. Phillip Vallejo, JD’s Birthday Bash, 5Fifteen, Night Ranger, Love And War, The spazmatics

June 2021 • Music News

Chicago Return To The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion June 27 Hailed as one of the “most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era,” by former President Bill Clinton, the legendary rock and roll band with horns, Chicago, 6 Music MusicNews News •• November June December 2021 2020

came in as the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine’s Top 125 Artists Of All Time. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades.

Chicago recently received The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the GRAMMYS. The continued on next page

Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording. A special award ceremony and tribute concert celebrating the honorees was held on October 16, 2020 on PBS. Chicago was inducted into the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was their first nomination. They’ve been eligible since 1994. A long time coming! Chicago’s first album, Chicago Transit Authority, was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2014. Chicago managed to fuse pop, rock and jazz together perfectly in this double album. Robert Lamm and James Pankow have become inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017. These legendary songwriters wrote mega-hits such as, “25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday In The Park,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” “Make Me Smile,” and many others.

The International Trombone Association presented its 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award to James Pankow. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes people who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to the trombone profession over a long career. Chicago celebrated the 2019 holidays with a new Christmas album, CHICAGO CHRISTMAS, that spotlighted the legendary group’s trademark sound on eight original songs, two yuletide favorites and one timeless classic that embraced the spirit of hope. CHICAGO CHRISTMAS became available on CD and through digital and streaming services, and a black vinyl version of the album was released to general retail, with limited-edition red and white vinyl versions exclusively available at Rhino.com. Shortly after its release, Chicago Christmas went to #1 on Billboard’s

Holiday Chart. After fifty-two years, Chicago is still earning historic chart achievements. Amazing! Produced by founding member Lee Loughnane, CHICAGO CHRISTMAS is the 37th album of the band’s career and its fourth holiday collection. Whereas its previous releases focused more on traditional Christmas songs, the new record spotlighted holiday music the band wrote especially for the album, including “All Over The World,” “(Because) It’s Christmastime,” and “I’m Your Santa Claus.” The album also featureed R&B and ballad versions of “Merry Christmas, I Love You,” a song that Loughnane wrote with John Durrill of The Ventures, the best-selling instrumental band of all time. More than 40 years after its debut, Chicago II still sounds like nothing else. Released in 1970, Chicago’s second album brims with confidence and inspiration as it draws on everything continued on next page June 2021 • Music News

Chicago continued from previous page from orchestral music to heavy rock. It spawned a trio of Top Ten hits, and the timeless classic has been remastered to reveal unprecedented clarity and definition. For the first time a new stereo remix, created by British musician and producer Steven Wilson from the 16track multi-track tapes, made it possible to bring out elements that were muffled or submerged in the mix. The result is a new stereo version of CHICAGO II that boasts clearness, punch and definition that it didn’t have before. It has been released by Rhino Records on CD and vinyl. Chicago II is being considered for the Grammy Hall Of Fame. CHICAGO’s award-winning documentary film, Now More Than Ever: The History Of Chicago premiered on CNN on New Year’s Day and ranked No. 1 among adults 25-54. This is per “Nielsen Fast National Time Period Based Data”. The documentary film was originally shown at the Sedona International Film Festival, and won the Film Festival’s Best of Fest Audience Choice Award. The band opened the festival with back-to-back sold-out performances. Additionally, Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago won three awards, at the 10th Annual Fort Myers Beach Film Festival, taking home top prizes in the Documentary and Audience Award categories. Director Peter Pardini was awarded the festival’s Rising Star Award in direction and was on hand to accept all three awards. The documentary was also the runner-up for Audience Award at the Sarasota Film Festival. Chicago’s lifetime achievements include two Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, Founding Artists of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Chicago street dedicated in their honor, and keys to and proclamations from an impressive 8 Music News • June 2021

list of US cities. Record sales top the 100,000,000 mark, and include 21 Top 10 singles, 5 consecutive Number One albums, 11 Number One singles and 5 Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 37 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 47 gold and platinum awards.

coach at the University of Kansas.

Chicago have toured every year since the beginning - they’ve never missed a year. The original three band members are Robert Lamm on keyboards and vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet and vocals and James Pankow on trombone. The band line-up also includes Wally Reyes, Jr. on drums, Keith Howland on guitar and vocals, Lou Pardini on keyboards and vocals, Ray Herrmann on sax and flute, Neil Donell on vocals, Brett Simons on bass and Ramon “Ray” Yslas on percussion.

Chicago continue to be true ambassadors for their beloved hometown, carrying the city’s name with pride and dignity around the world.

For five years, Chicago raised over a quarter of a million dollars to fight breast cancer for the American Cancer Society by having a winning bidder come on stage and sing “If You Leave Me Now” in concert. Chicago generously support other charitable causes, donating a portion of ticket sales to Kelly Cares, established by Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and his wife Paqui, to support local, national and global organizations that strive to improve their communities in the areas of health and education. Portions of ticket sales also benefit the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, which seeks a cure for a fatal children’s disease, NiemannPick Type C. Chicago manager Peter Schivarelli, who played football for Coach Parseghian, is on Notre Dame’s Board Of Directors for their Athletic Commission. Chicago has also associated with Hannah & Friends, an organization that serves children and adults with special needs. Hannah & Friends is the personal mission of Maura Weis and her husband, Charlie Weis, the former

From the signature sound of the Chicago horns, their iconic Vocalists, and a few dozen of ever-Classic Songs, this band’s concerts are celebrations. 2021 marks the band’s 54th consecutive year of touring!

Some of Chicago’s hits: Make Me Smile Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? 25 or 6 to 4 Saturday In The Park Beginnings Questions 67 and 68 Happy Man (I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long Street Player Introduction Old Days Free Just You ‘N’ Me Feelin’ Stronger Every Day If You Leave Me Now Hard To Say I’m Sorry Look Away Wake Up Sunshine Hard Habit To Break Baby, What A Big Surprise Colour My World Another Rainy Day In New York City Call On Me Dialogue (Part I and II) I’m A Man You’re The Inspiration www.chicagotheband.com Facebook@Chicago.Official Twitter@chicagotheband Instagram@chicagotheband

Photo by Jeff Fasano

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The Biker, The Blues, The Badlands, and UFOs I rolled up my sleeping bag, attached it to the front tubes, and put out the campfire. The machine fired up right away. I installed a new S&S before going on this odyssey and even at this altitude it was working just fine. I had decided to make my way over to Roswell New Mexico next. I envisioned the stop over as being fun, something to write about along the way. What could possibly happen in Roswell? Here’s the next installment of this odyssey. Lincoln New Mexico is famously known for its jail and two men. One named Pat Garrett and the other Billy The Kid. Some refer to that part of New Mexico as The Badlands and folk lore has it that Billy and his pals trampled all through this area. Just about everybody knows the name Billy The Kid and if you take the road north out of Ruidoso past Alto and head east on route 220 it runs into route 380 then you ride south into Lincoln, about 39 miles. Nice easy ride. I got into Lincoln, not a large town but the remnants of Billy’s stay there is definitely large. I Enjoyed the education, friendly folks, but I really wanted to get to Roswell to learn about the UFOs which was about another sixty miles. Although I must say that I learned from a man in Lincoln that Pat Garrett arrested Billy not once but twice which was interesting to hear. He also said there is more than one story about the man but declined to tell me which one he thought was real and the other being just speculation. So before I pointed the old trusty dusty shovel toward Roswell I thought I would scope out what watering holes were there. I mean after all a man has to have this priorities. A shower would be nice too. I read about a place named the Red Door right on 380 whose website lists their bartenders svelte beer panthers, the bar food looked good and so that would be my choice. Getting back to Roswell - the story goes that an alien space craft crashed there and at first the government reported it as such and then soon after back tracked their announcement as a weather balloon. However, once the genie was let out of the bottle there wasn’t any way to get it back in there really. Hence, a place that was once labeled as the dairy capitol of the south soon became known for something quite different, flying saucers. People would and still do drive hours out of their way just to go there and look around. Me being one of them. I was hoping to find the right person to ask this question, “How do you think aliens have sex?” I don’t know why I wanted to know that answer but I did. Maybe the Red Door might be the place, certainly not city hall I would imagine. Arrived and the first thing I noticed was that it was very clean and folks were quite friendly. I was dying to ask my question but it was too soon. Then something odd came up out of nowhere. I overhead a guy telling a gal that Elvis’s jet was parked over at the regional airport and that you can actually go inside it. Well now that is different and while the subject of aliens is cool too now I had both aliens and Elvis in one county. Oh you have to love the potential for stories. I wasn’t there too long before a man came over and asked me if that was my bike outside and I said yes. Then he asked me if it was a Harley and I thought well I don’t know where this conversation might go from here. However, the man turned to be a really nice guy, a local guy, and although he didn’t know about bikes he did know a lot about the local lore. Somehow we got onto the subject of music and he brought up Steppenwolf and The Doors. His favorites were “The Pusher” and “Crystal Ship”. I wondered if my image and the bike were haunting memories of days gone by for him but the man was tight lipped about his past. I would wait and pry a little bit more in a while, first I offered the man something from the tap. He accepted and after that round I pried a bit more, “Two very deep songs” I said “Were you living here in that era?” He replied no he had been living in continued on next page

Music News • June 2021

Continued - The Biker, The Blues, The Badlands, and UFOs LA back then but moved to Albuquerque. Something about the various changes in geography across New Mexico drew him to the Land of Enchantment as he had been a geologist back then and finally he settled into Roswell. I interrupted and volunteered that I was just traveling through but had been intrigued by a city sign that boasts a UFO on it. He smiled and said lots of folks come here for that reason so you are not alone. So I asked a bit more, “so living here for so many years and having heard so many tales what do you believe happened?” Without missing a beat he said it happened alright but many folks were told to keep their mouths shut and that is what they tried to do until they got fed up with federal orders. The man was dead serious. You could read something in the furl above his eyes but yet he wasn’t divulging any facts. I asked him if he had ever seen a UFO no matter where he lived and at first he just stared into my eyes and then finally said yes in fact he had a close encounter. “Barkeep more beer for me and my friend please”. Then I wondered hey wait a minute is this guy hustling me for free beer? If he was then he was one of the best actors I’ve ever met and trust me I have met my share over time. But something was in this man’s eyes and his demeanor changed from being somewhat jovial to being dead serious. He wouldn’t go into it but he did say that thousands of people who claim to have encountered an ET cannot all be lying. He drank up, excused himself, shook hands with me and off he went to places unknown. The svelte beer panther came back and I asked her if the man came in there often and she said she couldn’t remember ever seeing him before. I picked up my phone and searched for place to crash and wouldn’t you know it I found this cool motel graphic that read crash here at The Roswell Inn Resting Pods. So that would be the place. Now all I needed was some slow blues and I would be set. “Key To The Highway” was on the box and that’s always a good choice if it’s done by the right artist. My favorite is Bryan Lee’s version, kick ass if there ever was one. Oh ya that beer was going down right nice oh ya we be having fun brothers and sisters. Listening to Kenny bend the strings for Bryan and the bar manager turned the volume up oh ya we had a day party working big time. Bryan sung, “gonna roam this highway” and Kenny took the lead working them strings. We had us some daytime feel good blues working. Time for another glass of suds and another pick on the machine. I punched in “The Ballad Of Curtis Lowe” by Lynyrd Skynyrd”. It’s kind funny how when you get the blues going in a bar not too long afterward you can tell who’s into it and who isn’t. Who wouldn’t have loved to meet and listen to Curtis Lowe? I distinctly remember choosing Albert Cummings on that machine too, “Barrelhouse Blues”. Ever had the blues? Over a man or a woman? Well this track nails it dead on. Great lyrics and the music is top shelf. He sings, “You can talk to your whiskey people, you can cry in your beer”. Someone bought me a round and the gal behind the bar said “play some more”. That was an easy request to fill. I chose Buddy Guy’s “Damn Right I Got The Blues”. After that it was time to bring the place up to full expressive soul, I chose Sly & The Family Stone, “Dance To The Music”. I looked around and people were keeping time in their chairs , wearing smiles, and digging it immensely. But I still wanted to pose the question to someone, “How do aliens have sex?” I mean a man wants to know. You never know when you might be on Jeopardy and the question you need to give them would be about this topic. Beautiful day in America. I wonder where I might go next? I am thinking about Midland Texas. They have an annual kick ass blues festival and I got together with Lisa and Ronn in Memphis a couple of years back. That could be cool. The nice part about seeing America on two wheels is the freedom that you feel on the journey. Did you ever just want to pack up and go? I did and then one day I did just it. You only go around once so you might as well go around happy. Janis sang “Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose”. There’s something to that then again there is much to gain once you set yourself free. I don’t think anyone works a full lifetime, passes on, and then gets on the other side and if asked what they would you do if they went back they answer work another eight to ten hours. Nah! I don’t think so. For me, time to check in at the motel, take a shower, go out for dinner and maybe a glass or ten of beer……

To Be Continued

June 2021 • Music News

“The tour was phenomenal. It left me and the band stunned at how important that record was to so many people, and to be a part of that, both then and now,” says Alexakis. “The legacy of it is still vibrant for so many people. It was great just watching people react when we were playing not just the hits, but deeper songs on that record. I always liked the deeper songs—they were usually my favorite songs—and when the band would play those, it would be really exciting and important for me. That was fun, seeing that reaction, and just talking to people after the show.”

Everclear Headline The Summerland Tour 2021 Summerland Tour 2021 Comes To Arena Theater July 8 Considering Everclear has written and recorded some truly iconic ’90s altrock hits, it would be all too easy these days for the band to be a victim of its past successes, relegated to performing as a glorified jukebox, existing to satisfy the nostalgic cravings of Gen Xers everywhere. But singer-guitarist Art Alexakis isn’t about to start phoning it in now. Although the band hasn’t released a new studio album since 2015’s triumphant Black Is The New Black, Everclear continues to tour actively. And while it’s a virtual surety that no Everclear gig is complete without a rendition of “Santa Monica” and “Father of Mine,” lately the band has found that exploring the full range of past material—especially the “deep cuts”—not only gives fans a rare treat, it also injects new life into the band’s live dynamic. “By mixing it up and digging into the catalogue, it still makes it fun and relevant for us, and I think for the fans as well,” says Alexakis. “It’s still important to play the hits, but by playing those other songs as well, it makes it all seem more vibrant and real. Even though I recorded some of those songs 20 years ago, I haven’t played them in a long time, so it’s like reinventing the wheel. I’m having 12 Music News • June 2021

more fun now than I have in years. I think all of us are.” Formed by Alexakis in 1991 in Portland, Oregon, Everclear has enjoyed a lengthy career spanning 11 studio releases, numerous videos, thousands of shows and accolades that include a 1998 Grammy nomination. Like a true survivor, Alexakis has soldiered on through multiple lineup changes over the years: During the “classic” era, the band also included Craig Montoya on Bass and Greg Eklund on drums; the current touring lineup features longtime members Dave French (guitar) and Freddy Herrera (bass), as well as drummer Brian Nolan (also with American Hi-Fi), who has performed with Everclear on multiple past tours. Everclear spent May and June of 2017 touring in honor of the 20th anniversary of So Much For The Afterglow, the band’s massively successful sophomore major-label release. The 40date run was an incredibly emotional and personally satisfying experience for Alexakis, who was able to perform obscure cuts from that time period for the first time in many years. Connecting with fans in that setting also reinforced the lasting impression the album has made.

Prior to that, Everclear experienced a career resurgence thanks to 2015’s Black Is The New Black, which not only proved the band could still rock, but also that Everclear remains creatively relevant, decades after their platinum years. As is common for many artists these days, Black didn’t set records for traditional album sales, but the release did see significant streaming activity and sparked a heightened social media presence, putting the group firmly back in the listening public’s mind. The band continues to ride this latest wave of interest. “I personally think [Black] is one of the best records Everclear has ever made,” Alexakis says. “It sounds like both old Everclear and new Everclear: It has a contemporary production sound, but it’s just old-school, angry rock songs. It’s kind of dark, very reminiscent of the early stuff. The sales weren’t great on it, but a lot of people streamed it. It got millions and millions of streams, so people were listening to it, and it resonated.” “We might make another record in a couple years,” he says. “Maybe later on this year I’ll feel like it. I don’t know yet.” That said, the band’s live itinerary certainly makes up for its recent studio absence. Alexakis is excited to revisit songs from fan favorite records like Afterglow, Sparkle and Fade and the double album Songs From The American Movie, but also compositions from more underrated collections, like 2012’s Invisible Stars. “There are people asking for songs, so we’ll just try and learn songs as we go,” Alexakis says. “If we get a lot of response from people to play a certain song, we’re going to learn it and go on the road and play it. You don’t think, ‘Wow, I can’t sing that high anymore.’ We’re not going to worry about it. We’re going to play some rock n’ roll, and just do it.”

June 2021 • Music News

As for the formidable bar-setting success of “The Reason,” Doug is similarly sanguine. “We finally stopped attempting to recreate any formula,” he says. “Instead of trying to be trendy or anticipating how people will react, we did what made us happy. We played to our strengths. Take it or leave it.” That go-for-broke theme is best expressed in “Just Let Go (Who Cares if We Fall),” which sums up Hoobastank’s attitude. “At least we get to fly,” sings Robb. “Learning to swim’/Is more than just learning how not to drown.” In the title track and “More Beautiful,” Doug unleashes his falsetto, while the funky R&B feel is a tribute to Dan’s early, late-‘90s penchant for Chic and “groove-based” dance music. “When we first met, he didn’t even own a distortion pedal,” laughs Doug about his guitarist’s love of soul and R&B

Hoobastank Perform On Summerland Tour 2021 Summerland Tour 2021 Comes To Arena Theater July 8 Sometimes even a multi-platinum band with three GRAMMY nominations under their belt needs the kind of pop talk which helped inspire Hoobastank’s sixth studio album, Push Pull, their first since 2012’s Fight or Flight, and debut for noted rock independent label Napalm Records. “We never stopped exchanging musical ideas,” says vocalist/guitarist Doug Robb, who co-founded the band with high school classmates, Dan Estrin and Chris Hesse, almost 20 years ago in Agoura Hills, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles he still calls home. “We waited until we had enough material to start recording an album. We love creating music, even if no one else ever hears it.” Push Pull, so named for the power struggles and codependency that goes on within any long-term relationship–including, but not only, marriage and a rock band–was produced by longtime pal (but first-time collaborator) Matt Wallace at his Studio Deluxe facility in the heart of the band’s San Fernando Valley turf. Sifting through the musical demos provided by both Estrin and bassist Jesse Charland (a band member since 2009), then Robb’s lyrical and melodic ideas, Wallace provided not just the requisite encouragement, but the creative midwifery, which set the wheels in motion for the album. The result nails a bull’s-eye to the

Music News • June 2021

underappreciated ‘Stank’s sweet spot–the large-scale, muscular ‘80s-‘90s alternative rock of U2, Duran Duran, INXS and even Tears for Fears, whose “Heads Over Heels” gets a brawny, Bowiesque take on the new collection. “There were always plenty of demos floating back and forth; some of them I played for Matt even before the rest of the band heard them,” says Dan about the record’s conception, which took place over a two-year period Freed from the pressures of a hovering major label, listening to critical jibes or even the expectations of their fans, Hoobastank approached Push Pull with the swagger and confidence of a band whose first three albums all went either gold, platinum or multiplatinum, “The Reason” garnering GRAMMY nominations for “Song of the Year,” “Best Rock Album” and “Best Pop Performance” for a Duo or Group. Of course, about that name, which means, exactly what?… “Sometimes you make dumb decisions when you’re young, and that might have been one of them,” laughs Robb about being the punchline to SNL jokes and snooty rock critic snipes. “It’s too late trying to peel that off and start something else at this point.”

Comparing the requirements of keeping both a marriage and a rock band thriving (it has to do with communication), Push Pull songs like “True Believer” and “Buzzkill (Before You Say Goodbye)” show Hoobastank maturing from adolescent to adult relationships, often examining the difficulty of keeping alive the sexuality that fuels them. “We Don’t Need the World” and “There Will Never Be Another” explore the protective bubble and the memories which also bind two people together. Doug’s lyrics to the headphones-worthy “Fallen Star” were inspired by a memory of him watching television one night and seeing a military family of a soldier who had died in combat. It made him think of the brave men and women who serve and even more so now the parents of those who serve. Being a parent now it clicked, the unbelievable sacrifice made by both soldier and their families. “I wanted to say thank you” says Doug. “I usually work best with personal experiences, what’s going on with my wife, kids, the band and our fans,” says Robb. “Those are my family.” With Push Pull, Hoobastank look back to the future, combining the best of what brought them here and establishing their presence in the current pop-rock spectrum. When Dan’s asked whether the simple act of recording and releasing these songs provided its own reward, he notes, “That’s what the voice in my head tells me. But then there’s the voice inside the voice that says, ‘You dumb mother***ker. Of course you want this thing to be huge.’” Estrin grows serious. “We’ve been doing this from day one because we love it,” he says. “We didn’t do it for money or fame. It was our drug. Didn’t need anything more than that. This is still like summer camp for adults. But these days, even my mom asks if there’s a hit on the new record.”

The (Fish) Man, The Myth, The Cyborg By Amy Thomas Fish Thomas was born some time ago with drumsticks in his hands. He can only count to four but can do it a million times. He started banging on pots and pans and causing a raucous around the age of four and his parents were incredibly supportive of his musical talents. At the age of 12 he was given his first drum set and his mother gave him space in the garage to bang on his drum all day. He was a member of the drumline throughout his high school career in Thousand Oaks California. His biggest influence

Music News • June 2021

was his band teacher Mr. Morrow, Gene Krupa, and Mr. Buddy Rich. After he left high school, he was working at a restaurant and living out of a backpack. One day the head cook “Tweety Bird” said I’m taking the day off to go jam, and Fish said, “you need a drummer?” Tweety says “hell yeah!! Come on”. So, Fish grabs his backpack and Tweety says, “what’s that?” Fish replies “I live out of it.” Then Tweety says, “not anymore boy, you’re staying with us.” And he lived and played with a house full of Deadheads for a few months. If you ask him, he will tell you it was one of the most exciting times in his life. One day the circus came to town and he thought what the heck and joined the circus for the next two years. Then he was hired for his first professional gig around 19 years old with “The Association” as a stand in for about three weeks. He continued to work as a fill in for several other bands. Learning to play the guitar and bass along the way. He says he wanted to learn the guitar to make him a

better drummer. Then he decided in 1986 to move to Texas to see what “Big Time” was all about. When he first moved here everyone, everywhere called everything “Big Time”. He tells a story about how big the mosquitoes were and how he thought they were out to get him and he almost turned around and ran away. With his first stops being in Clute, Angleton (where he had his wonderful daughter Laura) and then Freeport, he eventually made it to the Houston Area, while playing in several country bands on the way. One of those bands, “Snafu” was where he made a lifelong friendship with one Michael Williams, AKA TK. In 1993 he was invited by his friend TK to join his new band and “FLASHBACK” was born. For the next 20 years the band played for two to six nights a week. During this time “FLASHBACK” toured Japan for the USO, recorded their EP “Seed” and had a special on Fox. There where many versions of the band with members such as Mary Kirk, Mike Thomas AKA Stoney, Danny Walker, Jeff Ferrier, Lance P. Sheldon, Kenny Palyola, David Watkins, and Jody Mendez. One member remained the same. “The Man in the back with the power attack…. The Mighty Fish.” Not only was he the heartbeat of the band but he made sure they were always rocking. He was a man with many hats, from booking to marketing. He made a lifelong friend during this time in Kevin Wildman and his wife Cindy of Music News. At one of the first gigs “FLASHBACK” gained a life long roadie and eventually was put on the pay roll. Roger Owens has been and always will be Fish’s best friend and biggest fan. He has been there through it all. He has even bled for Fish. Roger has said that when he first saw the band, it was great. Lots of lights, smoke and big crazy P.A. made for a great show. A scaled down version of what he had always envisioned a rock show should be. During these years Fish also helped fellow bands with booking and marketing. He has helped with many benefits for others in need. All while maintaining a day job and taking care of his family. He always tries to help others in need when his set of skills could be of assistance. In 2000 “FLASHBACK” started playing gigs at “The Hawg Stop” in Channelview. Over the next two years a partnership was developed and in 2002 continued on page 14

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The (Fish) Man continued from page 16 the First Annual Summer Fest started which later became known as the “Hawg Stop Blues Fest.” Four days of the biggest and badest blues in the state of Texas. Acts including Molly Hatchet, Ten Years After, Canned Heat and Bad Company. All promoted and produced by the man himself and his company Flying Fish Productions for the next seven years. “FLASHBACK” continued to work rocking the Houston Music Scene. On the luckiest day of a lifetime, 7-7-07 he met the love of his life and angel Amy, they were married in 2011. He gained three sons Devin, Wyatt, and Cameron. And his first grandbaby Cheyenne was born in June. In 2010 his second grandchild Christopher was born. A third grandchild Charley was born in 2016, making him a proud Dad and grandfather. In 2012 Fish had his first heart attack. He was able to get stents placed and went back to playing a little longer. Closing out “FLASHBACK” in 2013 with a huge last concert and 20-year reunion show, where present and past members and fans where together for one last night with “FLASHBACK”. It was an epic night full of rock and roll. Fish then took off a couple years to work on his health and spend time with his family. In 2015 he decided he wanted to get back in business with promotion and productions and started Mighty Fish Entertainment. After speaking with an old friend Frankie from BFE Rock Club. Frankie introduced him to a friend of his that was interested in starting up again as well. After meeting Paul Shadle, they were instantly friends and partnered up to start doing rock shows at BFE. For the next 5 years the two of them put on some of the best rock shows with both national acts such as Puddle of Mudd, Lita Ford, Autograph, David Ellefson, Sepultura and many more. And local bands Hold on Hollywood, Twelve Years Driven, Theory of Thieves, Marzi Montazeri, Sift Through the Ashes and quite frankly way too many to list them all. Many good times were had, and many good friends made. He tried to support the music scene as much as he could, but things are 18

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not always as they seem and behind the scenes Fish was battling more heart and health issues. He was good at hiding it at first. Fish’s health continued to deteriorate and in March of 2020 he had a third heart attack and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Over the next year the heart failure took every ounce of strength from him. Having a pacemaker/ defibrillator placed and trying different therapies to improve his heart function. From the very beginning of 2021 he was in and out of the hospital 3 times. Not being home more than about 2 weeks in that time. On his third visit to the hospital, it was determined that he would not survive without a LVAD (heart pump). On March 29th after going through a long process of inpatient tests and evaluations he was transplanted with the LVAD with a mission to one day have a heart transplant. Life would change, as he knows it. Recovery has been a challenge but everyday shows improvement and he was able to come home on April 28th to continue to recover. There are many challenges to face and a whole new life, but he is strong and has an awesome wife/nurse (wink, wink) to care for and support him. He also has many friends who

have helped in his time of need. He has been so overwhelmed by the support, as he did not realize just how loved he is. And he thanks God each day for the opportunity to continue to live. To meet him yourself come see him at the BFE Rock Club on Saturday June 26th, 2021 at 7pm for a benefit set up by Paul Shadle to help with medical and personal needs. Oh, and it is his birthday weekend as well. Friend John Janatsch will host the event and there will be lots of great bands, good friends, and cold drinks. See the flyer for more details. There is also a go fund me page set up for him as well called “Fish and Family Need your help”, for any donations.

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OPEN MIC EVERY WEDNESDAY HOSTED BY CASUAL HEATHENS Thursday, June 3 - VoodooThirteen V13 Official, Blackmoore, The Tomfooligans Friday, June 4 - Shittart, Necrogilistic Anomaly, Intravoid, XIII Saturday, June 5 - JudasX, Count•R•feit - A Tribute to Limp Bizkit, El Super Beasto - A Tribute To White Zombie Sunday, June 6 - High Voltage Academy Thursday, June 10 - Garden Party, Habernero Honeycomb, Heavy Honeys Friday, June 11 - Merkava, Shame On Me, Brookyn Hartz, Pinche Gringos Saturday, June 12 - Stonewall Static, Tough On Friday, Royal Downpour, Grey Falls Sunday, June 13 - 2 Minute Warning Thursday, June 17 - RadioSmack - A Tribute to 80’s & 90’s Rock, Castaway Radio, Grassline Friday, June 18 - Skeptik Nation / Shotgun Sally / Electric Flood Saturday, June 19 - The Return of Mirror Lake Sunday, June 20 - Jonathon Foster, Austin Bash, David Collin Ballantyne Thursday, June 24 - Texas City Disaster, Overtime Friday, June 25 - Judith Priest, To Tame A Land Saturday, June 26 - Heathens Blood, Wüilfsköl, Drötten, Baptized By Fire Sunday, June 27 - Jason Pennington / Soulshine June 2021 • Music News

acoustic live performance, fan question and answer session, videos for “Caged In” and “Death Comes Tomorrow,” live footage from their July 4, 2013 concert at the Paragon Casino and some very cool behind the scenes footage. “One Night In The Temple” will be released both as 2 CDs and 1DVD and 2 CDS and 1 Blu-Ray on CME Records / Sony Music in the USA and Canada and on Melodic Rock Records / Cargo Distribution worldwide. Often regarded as underrated American hard rock gem, they are consummate professionals, balancing song structure & melody with a heavy edge. The most impressive aspect of this enduring group might just be their innate ability to remain relevant while never shunning their vibrant, vintage metal heritage.

Lillian Axe Perform At The Scout Bar June 17th The big shot producers, major label record deals, videos for MTV, quarter of a million record sales in the United States alone, New Orleans survivors Lillian Axe have persevered through the years and still to this day, record new music and tour… From humble beginnings, the New Orleans-based hard rock act rose above the cream of the bands touring the U.S. club circuit. Within three years, the band’s live show had built a reputation that could not be denied and was becoming legendary. While performing an opening stint with Ratt, Poison and Queensryche, the guys caught the eye of MCA Records executive Irving Azoff and also Marshall Berle (nephew of Milton Berle) who, at the time, was managing rock superstars, Ratt. Irving Azoff immediately signed Lillian Axe. Fueled by their hit single, “True Believer” followed by their cover of the Badfinger classic, “No Matter What” and VH1 Classic favorite video for “Show A Little Love,”; Lillian Axe reached the upper 100 of the Billboard album charts and with True Believer hitting number 37 with a “bullet” on radio’s R&R charts. Lillian Axe was well on their way to finally becoming a well deserved success story. In 2010, Lillian Axe was introduced to multi-platinum producer, Sylvia Massy, and a creative working relationship was formed. Sylvia Massy is best known for her work with the band Tool (“Undertow went 2x platinum and “Opiate” went platinum). She also has gold and platinum records with Green Jelly, Powerman 5000, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sylvia has also worked with Johnny Cash, Prince, Sevendust, The Deftones, and

Music News • June 2021

Seven Mary Three. The single, “47 Ways to Die”, was remixed by Sylvia Massy and was included in the film, The Hit List starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and featured during the opening credits. Lillian Axe was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame on May 16, 2010. Lillian Axe is the first hard rock band inducted into the LAMHOF. Lillian Axe is enshrined along with music greats Fats Domino, Buddy Guy, Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Allen Toussaint to name a few. In 2012, Lillian Axe had the honor of working again with Sylvia Massy on their eleventh release, XI: The Days Before Tomorrow. Platinum producer Sylvia Massy had this to say about the songs on XI:The Days before Tomorrow, “Damn! These guys know how to write! I love the new songs!” 2014, is going to be a banner year for Lillian Axe. Lillian Axe released a colossal 13 CD box set, entitled Convergence on February 1, 2014 containing all of Lillian Axe’s releases from 1988-2012 with a bonus CD of highly sought after unreleased Lillian Axe songs. Convergence was sold as a limited edition release through the Lillian Axe fan club and immediately sold out. On April 15, 2014, Lillian Axe unleashes their thirteenth release entitled, “One Night In The Temple”, a 2 CD (20 songs), DVD and BluRay celebration featuring all their hits and fan favorite voted songs performed acoustically in an intimate setting housed in a Masonic Temple where Lillian Axe has recorded their last few albums. Filmed in high definition, the Blu-Ray and DVD will feature the

Fueled by an unstoppable work ethic and musical vocabulary that spans from face ripping metal to soulful, stratospheric, melodies…the tie that binds this together is their trademark blend of fist raising arena rock. Lillian Axe’s studio performance is only one piece of the unique puzzle, as their music really explodes in their preferred habitat, the stages of the world. Whether headlining or sharing the bill with national heavyweights such as Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Godsmack or Seether, the boys from the bayou have the presence to make any size stage their own and with their musical muscle to win over any audience within an earshot! When you get down to it, Lillian Axe is a really personal experience, offering a one-onone connection between the fans and band members. Whether you are watching them in front of 1000 people or 10000 people: The fans are ultimately the most important aspect of the entire cycle. LILLIAN AXE DISCOGRAPHY: Lillian Axe (MCA Records) 1988 Love + War (MCA Records) 1989 Out of the Darkness Into the Light (IRS Records) 1991 Poetic Justice (IRS Records) 1992 Psychoschizophrenia (IRS Records) 1993 Fields Of Yesterday (Z Records) 1999 Live 2002 (Red And Gold Records) 2002 Waters Rising (Locomotive Records) 2007 Sad Day On Planet Earth (Blistering Records) 2009 Deep Red Shadows (CME Records / Sony Music) 2010 XI: The Days Before Tomorrow (CME Records / Sony Music) 2012 Live & War [digital only release live EP] (CME Records) 2012 Convergence [13 CD box set] (CME Records) 2014 One Night In The Temple (CME Records / Sony Music) 2014

Buckcherry Perform at Warehouse Live on June 26 by Jason Ankeny Arriving in the late ’90s during the dying days of dour post-grunge and the rise of aggro nu-metal, Buckcherry proudly kept the torch of hard rock sleaze burning. The band styled themselves as deliberate throwbacks to the glory days of the ’80s Sunset Strip, acting as if their peers were Mötley Crüe instead of Limp Bizkit. For a while, this defiance of contemporary rock norms was wildly successful for the band. Their eponymous 1999 debut generated the number one mainstream rock hit “Lit Up,” which was enough to keep the band afloat until they had an unexpected hit in 2006 with their third album, 15. Boasting the sordid rocker “Crazy Bitch” and “Sorry” (a power ballad that cracked the Top Ten), the album was certified platinum, a success that buoyed the band for two decades and numerous lineup changes, always anchored by singer Josh Todd. Buckcherry formed in mid-1995, when Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson were introduced through a mutual tattoo artist. After cutting several demos, the duo recruited a rhythm section (bassist Jonathan “J.B.” Brightman plus drummer Devon Glenn) and began performing live, quickly earning a local fan base for their swaggering, grungeflavored music. Following the subsequent addition of second guitarist Yogi Lonich, Buckcherry signed with DreamWorks Records and issued their self-titled debut LP in 1999. Singles such as “Check Your Head” 22 Music News • June 2021

and “For the Movies” were modern rock hits, raising Buckcherry’s profile by the summer of 2000. The following year, Buckcherry released their second album, Time Bomb. Although it wasn’t widely noticed by critics, AC/DC recruited the band as an opening act for a series of shows, and Buckcherry’s audience grew accordingly. In July 2002, founding member Joshua Todd unexpectedly quit the group, and Buckcherry took a multiyear hiatus to recoup. They eventually regrouped in 2005 with original members Todd and Nelson, as well as newcomers Xavier Muriel (drums), bassist Jimmy Ashhurst, and guitarist Stevie D. The revised lineup hit the studio later that year to record 15, which was released in early 2006 and yielded the band’s first Top Ten pop single, “Sorry.” 15 went platinum on the strength of its crossover appeal, and Buckcherry quickly returned in 2008 with a fourth album, Black Butterfly. The concert album Live & Loud 2009 was released the following year, as the band prepared to hit the road as Kiss’ opening act. The band released its fifth full-length album, All Night Long, in August 2010. Despite debuting at number ten on the Billboard Top 200, the album failed to generate a major hit single. Soon, Buckcherry parted ways with Atlantic and signed to Century Media, which released the heavy, melodic Confessions in February 2013. As

part of their promotion for Confessions, the band assembled several short films to accompany it. A year later, the band released the Fuck EP, a six-track record where every song contained the F-word in its title. That EP was a stopgap prior to the full-length Rock N Roll, which came out in August 2015; it debuted at 93 on the Billboard Top 200. Founding guitarist Keith Nelson and Xavier Muriel announced their departure over musical differences in May of 2017. Todd hired guitarist Kevin Roentgen and drummer Sean Winchester as their replacements, but first turned his attention to Year of the Tiger, the debut album from Josh Todd & the Conflict, which also featured Buckcherry guitarist Stevie D. Todd unveiled his new lineup of Buckcherry with the 2019 album Warpaint, which featured a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Head like a Hole” as its lead single. As it turned out, this lineup would only last for one album, as Winchester left shortly after its release, and Roentgen a year later; they were replaced by Francis Ruiz and Billy Rowe, respectively. The new members appeared on the band’s ninth album, 2021’s Hellbound. Written and recorded during 2020’s pandemic lockdown, it was produced by Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Def Leppard), with whom Buckcherry had previously worked on Black Butterfly.

Charley Crockett Performs at White Oak Music Hall June 26th The new album from Charley Crockett is perhaps even more potent proof of his literal heartbreak than the scar on his chest. After undergoing open heart surgery that saved his life, Charley says he considered calming down for “just a minute” but once he recovered he did just the opposite. He states boldly with one eyebrow raised, “I wanted to make an album that would change the entire conversation about country music.”

tonk, soul, and blues to complement a sound that is completely country. “I wanted to figure out how to make something Gulf Coast, Country, and Western, simultaneously,” he says. “I think that real country music—in the 50s and 60s, especially—was always eclectic,” he says. “Rhumba beats behind a honky tonk band, incorporations of the blues, soul, Caribbean, cha-cha. Eclectic mixes were going into making those records.”

That album is Welcome to Hard Times, an aptly-named collection that perfectly fits these troubled days even though it was made just before the pandemic hit. The music was shaped by his heart issues and producer Mark Neill’s desire to make “a dark gothic country record.” Charley certainly knew how to deliver that. “I think you can hear that deep, dark sadness in this record,” he says, “but I think it’s the kind of darkness that will uplift others.”

A native of South Texas, he was raised in an isolated, rural part of the Rio Grande Valley by a single mother in a trailer surrounded by sugar cane and grapefruit fields. As a teenager, he was into free-styling and rapping. He spent formative years living with his uncle in New Orleans where he first became a street performer who discovered a love for folk music. In New York City he played hip hop and blues on street corners and in subway cars. What’s also important to his identity as an artist, he says, is that he has lived the songs he writes and sings. “I’ve always had to work so damn hard to get any little bit of anything,” he says.

Charley says Neill, the acclaimed producer of albums such as The Black Keys’ Brothers, JD McPherson’s Let The Good Times Roll, and many others, is the only person who could have brought his vision to life. “Mark understood where I wanted to take the music. He heard what I had written and he said: ‘This is a movie. We have to tell this story.’” Welcome to Hard Times is certainly cinematic. In fact, the title song shares its name with a 1968 Western starring Henry Fonda that Crockett admires. Twelve originals and one perfect cover create a world populated by outlaws, prisoners, gamblers— all of them suffering heartbreak. It’s also a sonic feat that strikes that precarious balance of being both retro and contemporary and brings in elements of piano-driven honky24 Music News • June 2021

In the years since he’s had brushes with the law that have resulted in him being a twice-convicted felon. His brother, who implicated him in his own crimes, recently completed a seven-year prison sentence. While Crockett has put these experiences behind him, he doesn’t wish them away. They still inform his music and artistic vision. Crockett says he has always turned to the land for healing and spent many years farming—including stints working in “green gold”—in the Pacific Northwest. In spite of all these challenges, Charley has remained consistently steadfast and persistent in his belief in his music. Self-

promoting and partnering with independent labels to release an impressive catalog of seven records, which have generated over 36 million global streams and garnered widespread critical acclaim. NPR Music, an early supporter, wrote Charley was “an artist who lives up to the hype” when reviewing his 2016 release, In The Night. The Valley caught the attention of everyone from Billboard to Rolling Stone. He has toured Europe and the U.S. extensively and gained a devoted grassroots young following who appreciate his varied travels and musical influences. Last year Charley made his debuts at the Grand Ole Opry and at the Newport Folk Festival - all without the support from a major label or country radio. “Real country music is for everyone.” He says that is what his audiences are craving. “If radio would play this kind of music, people would respond in a big way, just like they do at the live shows.” All of these experiences have led to his eighth album and the finest record of his career. “It’s an album America can understand right now in these hard times,” he says. It’s also an immersive experience in sound that simultaneously carries us back in time while also applying Crockett’s singular style. The album begins with a moody piano expertly conjuring the Nashville Sound, leading us into the prescient title track. We are immediately transported into a world of music that is timeless even as it harkens back to 1960s country. That piano, played by Kullen Fox, provides a thread woven throughout Welcome to Hard Times, featuring in the tender and optimistic “Don’t Cry,” as well as “Tennessee Special,” a catchy meditation on a musician’s life, and “The Man That Time Forgot,” the story of a man cast out and begging for change on the street corner. A stylized harpsichord is featured on “Fool Somebody Else,” which contains the first lyrics Crockett ever wrote as a young man, and shows up again on “Paint It Blue,” Charley’s favorite track, featuring layered guitars and a fast-moving progression in the style of a dark Doc Watson tune. One of the album’s standouts is “Lily My Dear,” anchored by Crockett’s banjo stylings and his haunting lyrics on a jailhouse song that could have come out of the 1850s. Offering a full picture of America, the album offers two songs that can be seen as glimpses into race: the only cover on the album, “Blackjack County Chain,” a violent chain-gang/revenge song written by Red Lane, and “The Poplar Tree,” told from the point of view of a man who has “crossed many rivers/wearing a scar on my chest” and who is about to be lynched. There’s also “Run Horse Run,” which Charley says sounds like something out of a “psychedelic Spaghetti Western” with its horse-trot tempo. “It’s Western but strangely new and fresh,” he says. Americans have always gravitated to country music in troubled times, and this is the album the nation needs right now. “This scar refocused me,” Charley says, fingers lightly touching his chest. “These songs come from a place of gratitude, but also fierce strength. Because I’m a fighter. I will fight to my last breath for this music.”

combined the band’s rap-metal bedrock with touches of postgrunge, hard rock, and punk. For 2004’s Survival of the Sickest, though, the guys trimmed down their sound and focused almost exclusively on hard rock, a decision that brought the single “Rest in Pieces” into the Adult Top 40 charts. Dabaldo left the band one year later and was replaced by former Full Devil Jacket guitarist Jonathan Montoya, who made his official debut on 2007’s Blood Stained Love Story. After appearing on 2008’s Cinco Diablo, though, Montoya exited the lineup, leaving Saliva to move ahead as a slimmed-down quartet. After releasing a greatest-hits collection in 2010, Saliva issued their seventh album, 2011’s Under Your Skin. Months later, after 15 years together, Scott parted ways with the band to pursue a solo career. Saliva announced his replacement, Bobby Amaru, in early 2012. They signed with RumBum Records later that year, releasing their eighth album, In It to Win It, in late 2013. In an effort to further push the new songs, the band re-released In It to Win It under the title Rise Up, which included all but three songs from the original. Rise Up would also mark the end of the band’s relationship with RumBum. In 2015, Novotny was the next founding member of the band to depart, replaced by Brad Stewart (Shinedown, Fuel), who had previously worked with Amaru in his eponymous band. The updated lineup of Stewart, Swinny, Crosby, and Amaru then entered the studio to record Saliva’s ninth effort — 2016’s Love, Lies & Therapy (Universal) — which was released in June 2016. Furthering their distance from the original rap-rock sound of their earlier albums, Love, Lies & Therapy boasted a harder-edged rock grit, as found on singles “Rx” and “Tragic Kind of Love.” The following year saw the group issue the concert LP 10 Lives.

Saliva Perform At Warehouse Live on June 26th by Greg Prato Although formed in the late 1990s, Saliva didn’t hit the mainstream until 2001, when the Memphis-based band’s mix of angsty hard rock and hip-hop helped earn them a double-platinum certification for their sophomore album, Every Six Seconds. They struck gold again in 2007 with Blood Stained Love Story, which shot to the top of Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart, and went on to release a steady stream of albums that incorporate elements of heavy rock, post-grunge, and rap-metal, including In It to Win It (2013) and Love, Lies & Therapy (2016).

on the band’s own label. Singer Josey Scott, guitarists Chris Dabaldo and Wayne Swinny, bassist Dave Novotny, and drummer Paul Crosby were all veterans of the Memphis music scene, and their shared experience helped the album become a local hit. Island Records took notice and signed Saliva, who made an appearance on the Dracula 2000 soundtrack before releasing their majorlabel debut in 2001. Josey Scott brought more attention to the band with “Hero,” a duet with Nickelback vocalist Chad Kroeger that appeared on the SpiderMan soundtrack and became an international hit in 2002.

Two of Every Six Seconds’ songs had already appeared on Saliva’s selfreleased debut, which was issued in 1997 20 Music News • Decemberr 26 June 2021 2020

Meanwhile, Saliva put the finishing touches on Back Into Your System, which appeared later that year and

late Charlie Daniels. “In fact, The Charlie Daniels Band has played more dates with The Marshall Tucker Band over the past years than any other band we’ve ever worked with. Even after all these years — after the tragedies, the miles, the personnel changes, and the many developments in the music business.” Daniels added that he never got tired of seeing his MTB brothers on the road: “Whenever Doug Gray walks into my dressing room with that big ol’ smile of his and then we hug each other and sit and talk for a while, the evening is complete.”

Marshall Tucker Band Performs at Dosey Doe June 16 When you wake up and want to put a smile on your face, you think of the songs that always manage to reach down and touch your soul the moment you hear the first note. The Marshall Tucker Band is one such group that continues to have a profound level of impact on successive generations of listeners who’ve been “Searchin’ for a Rainbow” and found it perfectly represented by this triedand-true Southern institution over the decades. “I’ve been in tune with how music can make you feel, right from when I was first in the crib,” explains lead vocalist and bandleader Doug Gray, who’s been fronting the MTB since the very beginning. “I was born with that. And I realized it early on, back when I was a little kid and my mom and dad encouraged me to get up there and sing whatever song came on the jukebox. It got to the point where people were listening to me more than what was on the jukebox! There’s a certain gift I found I could share, whether I was in front of five people or 20,000 people. I was blessed with that ability and I’m thankful I can share with others.” The Marshall Tucker Band came together as a young, hungry, and quite driven six-piece outfit in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1972, having duly baptized themselves with the name of a blind piano tuner after they found it inscribed on a key to their original rehearsal space — and they’ve been in tune with tearing it up on live stages both big and small all across the globe ever since. Plus, the band’s mighty music catalog, consisting of more than 20 studio albums and a score of live releases, has racked up multiplatinum album sales many times over. A typically rich MTB setlist is bubbling over with a healthy dose of hits like the heartfelt singalong “Heard It in a Love Song,” the insistent pleading of “Can’t You See” (the signature tune of MTB’s late co-founding

Music News • June 2021

lead guitarist and then-principal songwriter Toy Caldwell), the testifying “Fire on the Mountain,” the wanderlust gallop of “Long Hard Ride,” and the explosive testimony of “Ramblin,’” to name but a few. Indeed, the secret ingredient to the ongoing success of The Marshall Tucker Band’s influence can be seen and felt far and wide throughout many mainstream digital outlets (Netflix, Amazon, etc.). In essence, it’s this inimitable down-home sonic style that helped make the MTB the first truly progressive Southern band to grace this nation’s airwaves — the proof of which can be found within the grooves and ever-shifting gears of “Take the Highway,” the first song on their self-titled April 1973 debut album on Capricorn Records, The Marshall Tucker Band. “We had the commonality of having all grown up together in Spartanburg,” explains Gray about his original MTB bandmates, guitar wizard Toy Caldwell and his brother, bassist Tommy Caldwell, alongside rhythm guitarist George McCorkle, drummer Paul T. Riddle, and flautist/saxophonist Jerry Eubanks. “The framework for Marshall Tucker’s music is more like a spaceship than a house,” Gray continues, “because you can look out of a lot of windows and see a variety of things that show where we’ve been and what we’ve done, and how we’ve travelled through time to bring those experiences out in all of our songs.” The Marshall Tucker Band’s influence can be felt far and wide through many respected contemporaries and the artists who’ve followed the path forged by their collective footsteps and footstomps. “MTB helped originate and personify what was to become known as Southern rock, and I was privileged to watch it all come together in the ’70s, night after night,” said the legendary

“I remember seeing Marshall Tucker and The Outlaws play together in Jacksonville many years ago, when I was just a kid,” recalls Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Johnny Van Zant. “And I heard them all over the radio back then too. They were just so cool and so unique that I fell in love with the band, and I also fell in love with the music. Having them open for us on all those dates was like a dream come true, and they’re still as good as I’ve ever seen them. It brought back a lot of memories for me, because I really looked up to those guys when I was first starting out.” Ed Roland, the lead vocalist and chief songwriter for Collective Soul, adds “The Marshall Tucker Band had a big influence on me and they still do.” Roland, who’s lived the majority of his life in and around Atlanta, also proudly points out that his band’s biggest hit, “Shine,” owes a clear debt to the musical structure of “Can’t You See,” and he’ll often start off by singing the opening line to that song — “I’m gonna take a freight train” — whenever Collective Soul performs “Shine” live. “We don’t want to stray from what we grew up listening to,” Roland continues. “I think that’s something important for people to hear. It’s just who we are, and I don’t think we should run from it. Hopefully, people see that southern connection to the bands we love like Marshall Tucker in our music.” Doug Gray sees no end to the road that lies ahead for The Marshall Tucker Band, whose legacy is being carried forward by the man himself and his current bandmates, drummer B.B. Borden (Mother’s Finest, The Outlaws), bassist/vocalist Ryan Ware, keyboardist/saxophonist/flautist/vocalist Marcus James Henderson, guitarist/vocalist Chris Hicks, and guitarist/ vocalist Rick Willis. “You know, I think it was Toy Caldwell’s dad who said, ‘There’s more to gray hair than old bones,’ and we still have a lot of stories yet to tell,” Gray concludes. “People ask me all the time what I’m gonna do when I turn 80, and I always say, ‘The same thing that we’re continuing to do now.’ We’re road warriors, there’s no doubt about that — and I don’t intend to slow down.” May the MTB wagon train continue running like the wind on a long hard ride for many more years to come. One thing we absolutely know for sure: If you heard it in a Marshall Tucker Band song, it certainly can’t be wrong. —Mike Mettler, this ol’ MTB chronologist

Music News • March 2021

FRIDAY, JUNE 25 DOORS @ 6:00 - SHOW @ 6:30 PM WAREHOUSE LIVE & BLACKHORSE LIMO PRESENT

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Friday, June 4, 9:00 pm -1:00 am Texas TNT w/Vital Signs Ragnar’s On The Compound 6900 RM-12 - San Marcos, TX 78666 Friday, June 11, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Capone’s Oven & Bar 2303 Richmond Ave. - Houston, TX 77098 Saturday, June 12, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Bad S Icehouse 2315 FM 523 - Oyster Creek, TX 77541 Friday, June 18, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Bubs Sports Bar 2200 N 35 Bypass - Alvin, TX 77511 Saturday, June 19, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Papa’s On The Lake 14632 Hwy 105 - Montgomery, TX 77356 Friday, June 25, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Texas City Live Bar & Grill 622 6th St N - Texas City, TX 77590 Saturday, June 26, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Backwoods Saloon 230 Lexington Ct. - Conroe, TX 77385 Friday, July 2, 9:00 pm -1:00 am Aspens Bar & Grill 817 Clear Lake Rd - Kemah, TX 77565 26

Music News • November 2020

Saturday, July 3, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am The Watering Hole 30503 Misty Meadow Dr - Magnolia, TX 77354 Sunday, July 4, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm The Hawg Stop Bar & Grill 11335 Sheldon Rd - Houston, TX 77044 Friday, July 9, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Riverside Bar & Grill 17433 River Rd - Channelview, TX 77530 Sunday, July 11, 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Woody’s Beach Bar 11149 Termimi San Luis Pass Rd - Galveston, TX 77554

“Get Your Balls” Ernie Balls $4.99 Every Day!

Steel Panther Perform at The House Of Blues June 26 by Jason Lymangrover Satirically pretending to be a hair metal band that missed its big break in the ’80s, singer Ralph Saenz (“Michael Starr”), drummer Darren Leader (“Stix Zadinia”), bassist Travis Haley (“Lexxi Foxxx”), and guitarist Russ Parrish (“Satchel”) hit the club circuit on the Sunset Strip around the turn of the millennium under the name Metal Shop (later changed to Metal Skool, and then to Steel Panther). With big, spiky wigs, leather jackets, zebra-striped spandex, chops earned from playing in a Van Halen tribute band, and lots and lots of machismo, their comic take on sex, drugs, and rock & roll to the extreme caught on quickly, leading to sold-out shows and some unexpected brushes with mainstream success. As their popularity increased, the Hollywood crowd started frequenting their sets, often making appearances on-stage. This led to some opportunities: the band fittingly played the role of a metal band as “Danger Kitty” in a Discover Card commercial; they appeared on The Drew Carey Show as themselves; and their song “FF” was used as the theme for MTV’s Fantasy Factory. In 2008, the band signed to Universal Republic. After releasing the singles “Death for All But Metal” and “Community Property,” Steel Panther’s full-length Feel the Steel was released in October of 2009. The album broke the band onto the Billboard chart, netting them a spot at number 98 on the U.S. charts (and 48 on the rock chart). Not wanting the fun to stop, the band got back to it quickly and in 2011 followed up with Balls Out, which featured guest appearances from comedian Dane Cook and Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, among others. 2014’s All You Can Eat featured the single “Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World,” and featured cover art parodying Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper. In 2016, the band issued their first concert LP, Live from Lexxi’s Mom’s Garage, which was released in conjunction with their first full-length feature film, which blended comedic vignettes and other assorted antics with the aforementioned glam-folk garage show. At the end of 2016, Steel Panther released a cover of Cheap Trick’s “She’s Tight” in advance of their fourth studio album Lower the Bar, which arrived in March 2017. The group headed out on tour in support of the album, playing dates across the world before embarking on their Sunset Strip Live tour, which saw the band playing a mix of original material and classic metal covers. Tapping producer Jay Ashton for their fifth album, the band dropped the unabashed Heavy Metal Rules in late 2019, preceded by the single “All I Wanna Do Is Fuck (Myself Tonight).” 26 Music News • June 34 October 2021 2020

A collection of voices, indeed. The album’s lead single, “You Look Good in Neon,” is a nostalgic toe-tapper that evokes Ronnie Milsap’s golden years, while “Fast as Lightning” is a raucous road song that’s every bit as electrifying as its title. On the nostalgic “Cheap Silver,” Harmeiertakes stock of his band’s progress as an eight-piece string section swoons in the background, while on “Danger” — a hard-charging epic that’s fit for a Hollywood western, with a cameo by Shooter Jennings to boot — he sings directly to his son. Also making guest appearances on the album are modern-day outlaw Nikki Lane, who contributes harmony vocals to “Miss Fortune,” and fellow Texas native Season Ammons, who shows up during the album’s elegant cover of Gary P. Nunn’s “London Homesick Blues.”

Mike and The Moonpies Perform at Main Street Crossing on June 25 &25 Recorded at Abbey Road Studios with help from the London Symphony Orchestra,Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold is Mike and the Moonpies’ most adventurous record to date — an album that diversifies the band’s honky-tonk roots by adding lush strings, cinematic arrangements, and collaborative songwriting to the mix. Inspired in part by the classic “countrypolitan” music of the 1960s and early ’70s, these songs find frontman Mike Harmeierchanneling the smooth delivery of crooners like Glen Campbell and Frank Sinatra, backed by a band of road warriors who all played a major role in the songs’ construction. The result is a modern record steeped in everything that made the old stuff so compelling: sharp storytelling; honest, dynamic performances; and a willingness to step far outside the box. Once celebrated as Austin’s premiere dancehall band — with popular residencies at local institutions like The Hole In the Wall, Broken Spoke and the White Horse to match — the Moonpies have spent years expanding their reach far beyond the Lone Star State. Geographically, they’ll always be a Texas band. Musically, they’ve grown into much more than that, having traded the two-steppin’ twang of their earlier years for a diverse 36 Music News • June 2021

sound that’s both fresh and familiar. That sound has earned the group an international following, and it was during a European tour that the bulk of Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold was created — in the same world-renowned, London-area recording studio where the Beatles recorded Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Bandand Pink Floyd tracked Dark Side of the Moon, no less. “Every time we’ve taken a step forward, it’s a result of us refusing to become stagnant,” says Harmeier, who’s joined by his longtime band — pedal steel player Zach Moulton, guitarist Catlin Rutherford, bassistOmar Oyoque, keyboardist John Carbone, drummer Kyle Ponder, and producer/collaborator Adam Odor — on Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold’s eight tracks. “We left our dancehall residencies years ago because we wanted to expand our touring beyond Texas. We updated our approach withMockingbird, then went back to a more traditional sound — in a 1970s, Johnny Paycheck-inspired way — with [2018’s break-out album] Steak Night at the Prairie Rose. 10 years into our career, we’re still finding our voice… and we’re realizing that maybe it’s not onevoice, but a collection of voices.”

Although largely recorded in London, Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold still owes its inception to Texas, where the bandmates spent a week cowriting and arranging songs at renowned yellow DOG Studios in Wimberley, TX. “Everyone had a hand in the creation process, from start to finish,” says Harmeier, who shares co-writing credits with multiple Moonpies throughout the album. “I usually come to the table with all the songs already written, but this album is entirely different. We worked on everything together. It was the most collaborative thing we’ve ever done. It was truly the work of a band.” It’s been more than a decade since Mike and the Moonpies launched their career, initially paying their dues as a versatile cover band with a catalog of 300 songs. Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold nods to those woodshedding days — not only in the album’s title track, where Harmeierraises a drink and sings, “Here’s to another night of paying our dues,” but also in the album’s handful of cover songs. The boys resurrect the twangy spirit of their dancehall days with “If You Want A Fool Around,” written by Billy Troy and BennieBoling, and also put their own stamp on Aaron Sinclair’s “Young in Love.” Those covers serve as a tip-of-the-hat to the band’s roots, while also demonstrating that the Moonpies’ own songs pack just as much punch as the songs of their heroes. Harmeier and company haven’t forgotten about their bar-band beginnings, but these days, they’re more interested in creating their own gold. Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold rewrites the definition of Mike and the Moonpies’ music, turning vintage influences into a contemporary that’s dark, reflective, and refined.

Thursday, June 3 - James Wilhite Friday, June 4 - Paul Ramirez Satuday, June 5 - Band To Be Announced Sunday, June 6 - Katie’s Jam with Paul Ramirez Thursday, June 10 - James Wilhite Friday, June 11 - Eric Demmer Saturday, June 12 - Jonn Del Toro Richardson Sunday, June 13 - Katie’s Jam with Chris Castaneda Thursday, June 17 - James Wilhite Friday, June 18 - Jackson / Youngblood Saturday, June 19 - Doug Strahan Sunday, June 20 - Katie’s Jam with Mark May Thursday, June 24 - James Wilhite Friday, June 25 - Sparky Parker Saturday, June 26 - Chris Castaneda Sunday, June 27 - Katie’s Jam with Jay Hooks Thursday, July 1 - James Wilhite Friday, July 2 - Josh Garrett Saturday, July 3 - Tweed Smith

June 2021 • Music News

Music News • June 2021

1006 McGowen St. Houston, Texas 713-650-1006

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Music News • June 2021

RANDOM SHOTS

A Killer’s Confession at The BFE Rock Club (Photos by Music News) June 2021 • Music News

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Chris Castaneda at Katie’s Bar (Photos by Music

System 6 At The White Swan (Photo by Joshua Lowry) 42

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Michael Kennedy & The Vendetta at the Wildcatter Saloon (Photos by Greg Holleman)

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Shovelhead Runway at The Backwoods Saloon (Photos by Linda Ammons) 46

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Texas TNT At The Jailhouse Saloon (Photo by Music News) 48

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Distance of Thought is a melodic/power/prog band from Houston, TX. that formed in late 2019 and is composed of vocalist Drew Brown, Guitarist Dale Rasco, Keyboardist Jeff Quiggle, bassist Tony Taylor, drummer Trenton Perry and guitarist Marc Petillon. Distance of Thought was born out of frustrations with past endeavors, stale and tired music trends and a desire to ultimately bring powerful, complex and melodic music to a scene that has been dormant for far too long. On May 15th, Distance Of Thought brought that power driven music to the Acadia Bar and Grill for their debut performance with other acts, Thorium Reactor, Gran Andes, and headlinging the night, Infidel Rising From Dallas, TX. The house was full and ready to rock with Houston’s newest original band. What a night it was!

Distance Of Thought (Photos by Jennier Schmitz) June 2021 • Music News

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The Dirty Reckless at Bonz Draught House (Photos by Music News) 50

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Thorium Reactor at the Acadia Bar (Photos by Jennifer Schmitz) June 2021 • Music News

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Riot The Witness At The BFE Club (Photos by Music News) 54

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The Band at The Acadia Bar & Grill (Photos by Music News) 56

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Pigweed at The BFE Rock Club (Photos by Music News) 58

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Grassline at The 19th Hole (Photos by Music News) 60

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Distance Of Thought (Photos by Brian Lambert) 62

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RANDOM SHOTS The Holland K. Smith Band at Katie’s Bar in Bacliff (Photos by Music News)

The Holland K. Smith Band at Katie’s Bar in Bacliff (Photos by Music News) June 2021 • Music News

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(From L-R -White Rabbit, Jipsy Rose, Glenn Bryant Band and White Rabbit at The 2021 Homegrown Music Festival.

Music News • June 2021

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Alan Reyes and Friends (top) and E. Phillip Vallejo (right) at Leon’s Lounge Alan and his friends will be at Leon’s every Saturday night this month, and E. Phillip will be hosting the Jam every Thursday night.

June 2021 • Music News

RANDOM SHOTS JDs Birthday Bash

Music News • June 2021

RANDOM SHOTS JDs Birthday Bash! continued

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5Fifteen Perform at The BFE Rock Club (Photos By Music News) 68

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RANDOM SHOTS Night Ranger (top photo) with Love And War (Bottom Photos) at Warehouse Live (Photos by John Andrews)

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The Spazmatics At The Scout Bar (Photos By Music News) 70

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