MAY 5, 2008

ROCKWIRED LIVE PRESENTS: FIXER
AND THEIR SELF-TITLED CD 'BEFORE THE SUN'
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2008 AT 5:00PM (PST) ON WWW.KTSTFM.COM
I've made a resolution to stop writing about young, eager-beaver rock bands like FIXER "...chasing that rock n' roll dream". When you consider that rock n' roll entails spending months on the road, being in a different town every night, and living off of Dorrito's and beer, one can deduce that rock n' roll is certainly no "dream" or a "fantasy". It's just life. "It's very hard on the road, and very hard for all of us and some people just aren't cut out for it." says FIXER's lead singer EVAN R. SAFFER. "...the label (RIKER HILL RECORDS) wants to keep us on the road, and we want to be on the road. That's how this is going to happen! (READ MORE)


ROCKWIRED LIVE PRESENTS: THE CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES
AND THEIR SELF-TITLED CD 'SUSQUEHANNA'
SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2008 AT 5:00PM (PST) ON WWW.KTSTFM.COM
The CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES scored a hit in 1998 with 'ZOOT SUIT RIOT', an ode to debauchery and living it up. At the time, I was in my last year of college and because of the grind of school and work, I missed out on the swing movement of the late nineties. I only knew there was such a movement from hearing the BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA, SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS, and BIG BAD VOODOO DADDIES on the radio from the STARBUCKS at the University bookstore, where I worked. By the time 'ZOOT SUIT RIOT' was a hit, it seemed like it had shown up a little too late. Afterwards, there were a few DOCKERS commercials with folks swinging in their Khakis, and before you knew it - the "movement" was over and replaced by BRITTNEY SPEARS." If you think about it - that that (The Swing Movement) happened at all was very strange." says Cherry Poppin' Daddy STEVE PERRY - the band's lead singer. "It was very weird and then it was gone." (READ MORE)

WHAT'S IN A NAME?
EVREN GOKNAR OF EVIL MARIA
TALKS TO ROCKWIRED
ABOUT THE BANDS' DEBUT CD
THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NAME
AND DOING IT YOURSELF

While it sounds like news of an exciting debut album from an equally exciting new band, it isn't. the CD 'EVIL MARIA' (SPILL RECORDS)is the fourth studio release from singer/songwriter EVREN GOKNAR, but this time, he has chosen to let bassist JUNE KATO and drummer PETE FINESTONE in on the action and nick this garage rock threesome EVIL MARIA."It's easier to promote the project with a cool name, as opposed to my name." says GOKNAR.   "I've decided to move forward that way."

The bands name is inspired by the 1927 FRITZ LANG silent film 'METROPOLIS' - a tale of a dystopian future (the year 2026) where society is divided between the 'planners' who live in the massive skyscrapers of METROPOLIS, and the 'workers' who live beneath the city,toiling to maintain the privileged lifestyle of those who 'plan'. However, things change when a robot, disguised as a leader of the 'the workers' named MARIA, leads the people into a state of rebellion, destroying the machines that run METROPOLIS and in effect, destroying themselves.  "I was watching it with a friend of mine and at one point, I was thinking that that cyborg EVIL MARIA, would be a cool name for a band." says GOKNAR.  "It grew from there and I decided to name the band that and move forward."(READ MORE)

A WORLD WITHOUT JOY
NEVERWONDER IS COMING BACK FOR MORE
WITH A NEW LEAD SINGER, AND A NEW LEASE ON LIFE:
A ROCKWIRED EXCLUSIVE

It hardly seems like news anymore (especially for ROCKWIRED), but the band NEVERWONDER is putting the finishing touches on their follow-up to their self-titled deut CD with ex-AMERICAN IDOL contestant MEGAN BOBO up front and center. While the band's former lead singer JOY PEARSON left in late 2007 to explore a solo career and a softer sound, NEVERWONDER has been exploring a new sound of their own; one that is more groove-oriented. "I think having MEGAN in the band is moving us in a direction that I don't think that NEVERWONDER has ever gone. I'm really excited about the sounds that we're creating now, and the ideas that are flowing." says drummer DRE RAMOS. "I really enjoy it because vocally, it's more challenging and the music is a little more soulful and a little more groove oriented and as a drummer- I like that. It's a different animal and I really enjoy what we're about to put out."(READ MORE)

OH, HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!
GLOOMY-GUS TROUBADOURS, A GRITTY GLAM ROCK BAND, ZOOT-SUIT RIOTERS, A SQUEAKY CLEAN UK POP SINGER AND A JAZZ BIRD FIND THEIR WAY TO ROCKWIRED.

(ORANGE, CA) With the list of upcoming shows growing smaller and smaller, ROCKWIRED is announcing a new roster of artists that are set to fill ROCKWIRED's play schedule up until the end of June  2008. As one can expect from ROCKWIRED, the list is quite diverse. (READ MORE)

JUGGLING ACT
CHINA FORBES TALKS TO ROCKWIRED
ABOUT HER NEW SOLO ALBUM ''78'
EXPLORING AN IDENTITY OUTSIDE OF PINK MARTINI
AND GETTING FOLKS TO DANCE AROUND IN THEIR UNDERPANTS TO HER MUSIC

For over a decade, CHINA FORBES has fronted the acclaimed Oregon-based, jazz orchestra PINK MARTINI. As soon as FORBES was able to get some down time, she pulled out the acoustic guitar and began writing the songs that would become her second solo album ''78'. Anyone expecting ''78' to be filled with latin rhythms, lounge vibes and the classical flourishes that make up PINK MARTINI's signature sound, should be warned! CHINA has eschewed her cocktail dresses and has let her hair down for this set of "autobiographical" songs. On''78', the jazz diva of PINK MARTINI gets a rest and CHINA FORBES demonstrates that she is a confessional singer/songwriter in the vein of CARLY SIMON, AIMEE MANN, or ALICE PEACOCK with a breathy delivery that is not too disimilar from SUZANNE VEGA's. "I've never been one thing." says FORBES.  "It's very natural for me to do many things and my identity has multiple aspects to it. I think that's why PINK MARTINI, being so eclectic, feels so natural to me and doing a singer-songwriter thing feels very natural to me but trying to do both of them at the same time is confusing. I've just released the album (''78') and I've just done a solo show with a band that I put together for that, and then I did a show for PINK MARTINI the next day and put on my gowns and did this whole Hollywood - glamour style thing and then I go on tour with my cowboy boots and my guitar, with my band. It's a lot of back and forth. You see how confusing it is?"(READ MORE)

BLASTING OUT
SHAUNA BURNS RETURNS TO ROCKWIRED
FOR A THIRD TIME
WITH HER CD 'THE MOON AND THE FIRE CIRCLE'
AND A BOLD NEW DIRECTION

SHAUNA BURNS has released 'THE MOON AND THE FIRE CIRCLE', and I can honestly say that it's her best. While BURNS' lyrics still bring to mind imagery inspired by fantasy writer, PETER S. BEAGLE, her sound has shed some of it's former intimacy thanks to her embrace of electronics and looping this time around.  "Sonically, it is different. (The previous album) 'EVERY THOUGHT' was very organic. We recorded everything pretty much live together and didn't create any loops and it was pretty organic whereas 'THE MOON AND THE FIRE CIRCLE' we created loops and different sounds. There is almost an electronic edge to it." says BURNS "I have this fantasy that I wanted to be in DEPECHE MODE and with this album we came close, yet we didn't take the sound completely overboard. There is definitely an electronic element to it, with synth pads and different drumming and crazy things that JAMES (CLARK, the album's producer) did. It definitely feels like it belongs in outerspace."(READ MORE)

SEXY, CHEEKY, FAST, AND FUN
STELLA MOZGAWA OF MINK TALKS TO ROCKWIRED
ABOUT THE BANDS SELF-TITLED DEBUT CD
LIVING THE ROCK N ROLL DREAM
AND TOURING WITH KISS AND PERRY FARRELL

It's bands like MINK that remind me of why I do what I do. Their SYLVIA MASSY-produced self-titled debut CD is a gritty rock n roll diamond in the rough in a hot pink package with sugary sweet pop sensibilities and just a dash of piss elegance that will bring to mind  IGGY POP AND THE STOOGES, or FRANZ FERDINAND - for those of you who are too young to know any better."We're a pop band with rock sensibilities." States drummer STELLA MOZGAWA. "We're not a straight ahead rock band. We enjoypop music and we'd like our music to be accessible to different demographics."(READ MORE)

SMACKED IN THE FACE
WILD BILL AND SKINNY FROM ALL CRAZY
TALK TO ROCKWIRED
ABOUT THEIR CD 'SEX, DRUGS & HIP ROCK'
FINDING THEIR SOUND, AND GETTING FOLKS TO TAKE THEIR SHIRTS OFF

We live in a time where there is nothing to celebrate. The war in Iraq is now five years old, the country is knee deep in a recession that analysts say will only get worse, and a week ago, I was reading about this binary star that is about to supernova, and guess who is in the way of it's gamma ray blast? These are not the times to be shaking ones ass, but one listen to ALL CRAZY's debut CD 'SEX DRUGS & HIP-ROCK' will have you doing just that, with their blend of guitar driven rock n' roll with rap lyrics, the craziest bass lines and get this - violins!!! In an age where the world seems to be coming apart at a frightening rate, it is inspiring to see the members of ALL CRAZY  come together and make it happen despite the fact that each of them comes from a different place, socially, racially, and musically. But then again, what else would you expect from a band based out of the 'City of Brotherly Love'? "Any clashes we may have (within the band) are mostly musical." assures violinist ADAM SERLIN (a.k.a. SKINNY) "We don't really have any cultural clashes.  Our families are all very close now so we call everything the ALL CRAZY family; the fans, friends, the band. It's become a big movement where everyone is hanging out and having fun."(READ MORE)

LUCKY NUMBER
POP SIREN ELLEE VEN TALK TO ROCKWIRED
ABOUT HER CD 'YOUCANBUYME'
THE STORY BEHIND HER MOST CURIOUS MONIKER
AND A LITTLE THING CALLED 'GROOVETONICS'

ELLEE VEN's latest CD 'YOUCANBUYME' (HOT SAUCE RECORDS) is the most fun this side of GWEN STEFANI from it's infectious opening title track to cuts like UNDERNEATH MY PILLOW and JAZZ AT THE SNACK BAR. "I'm proud of my music" declares VEN. " I realize where there is a lot of room to grow but there are a lot of things that I really love about it. With this album, I feel like there was a progression in my sound and that different genres are represented. For instance, 'YOUCAN BUY ME' (the track) doesn't sound like ROLL THE DICE and whatever comes after that. I feel good about"(READ MORE)

HUSH YOU!
THE BABY ANIMALS BREAK THEIR SILENCE
WITH 'IL GRANDE SILENZIO'
THE QUIETEST ALBUM OF THEIR CAREER
SUZE DEMARCHI TALKS TO ROCKWIRED