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ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE
"We cannot describe sound, but we cannot forget it either" - IGOR STRAVINSKY     ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE iS PUBLiSHED AND MAiNTAiNED BY ROCKWiRED MEDIA LLC MARCH 16, 2010
ENTER THE DRAGON DiRTY WALT KiBBY OF YEAR OF THE DRAGON TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR DEBUT LP BLUNT FORCE KARMA WORKiNG WiTH RODERiCK "RODCORE" PALMER AND REGROUPiNG WiTH FiSHBONE  iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH Having been the only black kid in my high school that didn’t listen to BOBBY BROWN or BELL BIV DEVOE, I sought refuge in the full throttle approach of brothers with guitars like LIVING COLOUR and FISHBONE. So far, the year 2010 has been something of a personal triumph for me after having interviewed COREY GLOVER of LIVING COLOUR and now DIRTY WALT KIBBY III – the co-founder of FISHBONE and one half of YEAR OF THE DRAGON with vocalist and guitarist RODERICK “RODCORE” PALMER. The dynamic duo tested the waters with an EP ‘A TIME TO LOVE IS A TIME TO BLEED’ where they tore into thrash metal, reggae and acoustic sets with complete abandon. Now, YEAR OF THE DRAGON has issued their debut LP ‘BLUNT FORCE KARMA’, produced by DARRYL SWANN (MACY GRAY) and the chemistry between KIBBY and PALMER is undeniably ignitable. (READ MORE) MARCH 15, 2010 A BOLD NEW DESiGN RHETT FRAZiER iNC TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR DEBUT CD ESCAPE FROM DEE-TROYT GOiNG FROM BEiNG SiDE MEN TO CENTER STAGE AND MiXiNG OLD SCHOOL SOUL WiTH ELECTRONiCS  iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH Please don’t confuse the story of RHETT FRAZIER INC with the story of JAKE and ELWOOD of THE BLUES BROTHERS! In the 1980 film starring JOHN BELUSHI and DAN ACKROYD, the brothers BLUES are on “a mission from God” to save the orphanage they both grew up in. In the case of RHETT FRAZIER INC, singer RHETT FRAZIER and drummer/producer DONNY GRUENDLER are on a mission to combine MOTOWN and STAX soul with electronic sound bites and “out there” guitar effects. The results of the duo’s four year mission to create and perfect such a sound has resulted in their debut CD ‘ESCAPE FROM DEE-TROYT’. While giving soul music a futuristic finish is as old an idea as EURYTHMICS’ seminal LP ‘SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)’ back in 1982, there are two ingredients that ESCAPE FROM DEE-TROYT possesses in abundance that the sharply dressed LENNOX/STEWART partnership lacked – balls and reckless abandon. (READ MORE) MARCH 11, 2010 ROCKWiRED's ViDEO TO WATCH FOR: BUFFY SAiNTE-MARiE - 'NO NO KESHAGESH' You can always rely on Cree singer-songwriter BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE to not mince words. Proving to be every bit as committed to the process of music making as ever, SAINTE-MARIE has returned with a powerful set of songs entitled 'RUNNING FROM THE DRUM'. The first single - 'NO NO KESHAGESH' is a shot of vintage BUFFY with it's driving beat and scathing indictment of greed and corruption. "KESHAGESH is what we call a puppy that eats his own and everybody else’s." said SAINTE-MARIE when she spoke ot ROCKWIRED. "It actually means greedy guts. Back on the reserve, we had a little puppy and we called him KESHAGESH. Sometimes, I’m just kind of open hearted about songs – especially love songs, but other times, I’m quite strategic about writing a song like UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE or NO NO KESHAGESH. UNIVERSLA SOLDIER came out at a time when people really like the sound of a voice and a guitar, but BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE was written at a different time and I wanted it to be effective but people were into a lot of male-dominated rock n roll so I put ‘BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE in that kind of a format so that you’re too busy dancing to it before you realize what it’s about. Strategically, I’ve found that a song that has a strong message is better served in a simple and more danceable format. ‘NO NO KESHAGESH’ is very serious song with very serious things to say but its’ very danceable. It stays interesting and keeps changing and it sounds like a big rally." READ THE ROCKWiRED EXCLUSiVE iNTERViEW WiTH BUFFY SAiNTE-MARiE HERE!!! MARCH 8, 2010 GRRRL POWER! CORRiN CAMPBELL TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HER BAND'S DEBUT CD GAME NiGHT BALANCiNG MUSiC WiTH LiFE iN THE SERViCE AND ESCHEWiNG THE ANGRY FEMALE ROCKER STANCE  iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH In my tenure as a music journalist, the notion of a tough, aggressive female rocker is not an alien one to me. Many of my favorite interview subjects have been with women who could kick my ass such as LITA FORD, TERRI NUNN of MARCH 8, 2010 SiNG
iT AND PRAY iT AND LiVE iT
THE LEGENDARY BUFFY SAiNTE-MARiE TALKS TO
ROCKWiREDABOUT HER LATEST CD RUNNiNG FOR THE DRUM BEiNG BLACKLiSTED BY PRESiDENTS JOHNSON AND NiXON AND THE BOUNDLESS CREATiViTY THAT COMES NATURALLY iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH In a career spanning nearly fifty years, the music of BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE is marked by its unparalleled range of styles and the artist’s unwillingness to compromise. While the plight of the Indigenous peoples of the North Americas is the issue most familiar in her music with songs such as ‘MY COUNTRY TIS OF THY PEOPLE YOU’RE DYING’ and ‘BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE’, SAINTE-MARIE has also given voice to the plight of the human condition with songs like ‘UNIVERSAL SOLDIER’ whose anti-war message is frightfully as relevant today as it was back in 1965. The Cree songwriter’s innate ability to articulate matters of the heart into words and music is one that has endeared her to millions and has inspired countless interpretations of her work from a varied and legendary group of artists such as ELVIS PRESLEY, BARBARA STREISAND, NEIL DIAMOND, JANIS JOPLIN, CHET ATKINS and JOE COCKER. Now with the release of ‘RUNNING FOR THE DRUM’ – her first album in many, many moons – the first lady of “Pow Wow Rock” proves to be every bit as spirited and committed to the art of making music as ever. Co-produced by CHRIS BIRKETT, ‘RUNNING…’ puts the listener on a musical journey that kicks off with the opening track ‘NO NO KESHAGESH’ – an indictment against greed and corruption set to an irresistible driving beat. On the track ‘I BET MY HEART ON YOU’, SAINTE-MARIE gets a little help from TAJ MAHAL on the ivory and a haunting sample of THE BLACK LODGE SINGERS echoes in the chorus of the rambunctious rocker ‘CHO CHO FIRE’. Coupled with the CD is a DVD documentary entitled ‘BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE : A MULTIMEDIA LIFE’ which features interviews with JONI MITCHELL, ROBBIE ROBERTSON and BILL COSBY and shines a light on SAINTE-MARIE as a singer-songwriter, digital media artist, activist and educator. (READ MORE) MARCH 1, 2010 THE
2010 ROCKWiRED
READER'S POLL iS
FiNiSHED!!!
FEBRUARY 25, 2010 BEHiND
THE MASK
MiCK DAGGER OF
ROOM FULL OF STRANGERSTALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR EP WE'RE ALL LiViNG THE AMERiCAN DREAM SPORTiNG BLACK MASKS ON STAGE AND LiBERATiNG AUDiENCES  iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH In listening to ‘WE’RE ALL LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM’ – the debut EP from the Orlando-based five-piece band ROOM FULL OF STRANGERS – I get the sense that I’m only getting half of the story. This propulsive little EP boasts a brand of darker edged punk rock that has become synonymous with acts such as THE MISFITS. The rhythm section provided by bassist ZED and drummer B.E. STRANGER is indeed thunderous and the power chord duel between STRANGER # 2 and THE REVEREND K. MANG certainly gets heads banging and singer MICK DAGGER’s authoritative delivery (an oil and water mixture of GLEN DANZIG and JOEY RAMONE) certainly makes an impression. The missing piece of the puzzle for me is the band’s primal, raucous live shows that are marked by the band sporting menacing black masks. In an age where rock music is about prescribed angst and pretty posturing, it is great to see a band willing to get a good laugh out of shocking folks. "We get mixed reactions." says DAGGER with regard to those little black masks "It just depends on the person. At the end of the day we really play on cognitive dissonance. The mask is obviously a very threatening, iconic image and is associated with a lot of very bad things but all of our body language and things that we say in between songs are kind of sardonic and comical in nature." (READ MORE) FEBRUARY 24, 2010 ASH'S
ANGELS
ASH GRAY OF
ASH GRAY AND THE GiRLSTALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR EP THiS COULD BE A WiLD NiGHT WORKiNG WiTH THE GiRLS AND BRiNGiNG MELODY BACK TO ROCK MUSiC  iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH Forget the bleak economic forecast that creeps its way into the already depressing nightly news. It’s time to pop the E.P. ‘THIS COULD BE A WILD NIGHT’ into your car stereo, crank it up and slam into fifth gear (provided you drive stick). This smashing debut from ASH GRAY AND THE GIRLS is all sun, fun and kitsch marked by some of the most epic melodies and vocal arrangements this side of MEATLOAF. While singer-songwriter ASH GRAY is front and center, his four girl singers - KG, HELEN, MARY and ABBI - are hardly what anyone would think of as “backup”. In a pop age where everyone is going goo-goo for GAGA and showing dismay over sickeningly-earnest asshole songwriter using the n-word in a PLAYBOY interview, ASH GRAY AND THE GIRLS are here to prove just how powerful simple things like melody and harmony can be. If only the CD was more than seven songs! (READ MORE) FEBRUARY 23, 2010 KEEP
ON TRUCKiNG
MEL FLANNERY OF THE MEL FLANNERY
TRUCKiNG COTALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR CD AS iT TURNS OUT PARTNERiNG AS A SONGWRiTER WiTH LEE PARDiNi AND THEiR SUPPORT OF GAY RiGHTS  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHWith the release of their third album ‘AS IT TURNS OUT’, the MEL FLANNERY TRUCKING CO go beyond what one expects from a FEBRUARY 22, 2010 ROCKWiRED's ANTiCiPATES: 'THE RUNAWAYS' STARRiNG KRiSTEN STEWART AND DAKOTA FANNiNG To say that my curiosity is peeked is an understatement. Before I spoke with ex-RUNAWAYS guitarist LITA FORD towards the end of last year, I simply knew that THE RUNAWAYS were the KIM FOWLEY-managed, all-girl rock band that featured a young, pre-BLACKHEARTS JOAN JETT and the corseted, teen rock vixen CHERIE CURIE. After speaking with FORD (who had nothing to do with the making of the film starring KRISTEN STEWART and DAKOTA FANNING), the story of THE RUNAWAYS is a contentious one and you can believe that the verbose FORD had something to say about it. “In regard to this movie that is coming out – I don’t know if they’re going to capture it properly.” said FORD “I’m a little freaked out about this movie because first of all, I didn’t want to be in it. Second of all they didn’t use me anyway. Third of all, I don’t think they captured the true light of THE RUNAWAYS. I think it’s mostly going to be a story about JOAN and CHERIE CURIE. I don’t know who is going to care much about that. There were so many wonderful things that happened and so many experiences that we went through that made us what we are and it influenced so many women in rock today. I don’t think they are going to capture that on this film. It makes me want to do my own film and make it a true rock film. I think this one is going to be more about homosexuality and how they think they got screwed over. How the hell did they get screwed over? You know what I mean? They’re living legends for Godsake! I just don’t get it.” READ MORE OF THE ROCKWiRED EXCLUSiVE iNTERViEW WiTH LiTA FORD HERE!!!FEBRUARY 19, 2010
BACK
FROM SPACE
MARK ALAN OF
ALPHANAUT TALKS TO
ROCKWiRED
ABOUT
THE ALBUM OUT OF ORBiT
HiS
FONDNESS FOR ELECTRONiCS
AND
RETURNiNG TO MUSiC ON HiS TERMS
 iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHThe musical
journey of MARK ALAN - and his project dubbed
ALPHANAUT - seems similar to the story of the missing-in-action
protagonist
from DAVID BOWIE’s ‘SPACE ODDITY’ – MAJOR TOM. The countdown commenced
for ALAN
around the late-eighties and early-nineties. ALAN cut his teeth in a
couple of
bands in his hometown of
FEBRUARY 17, 2010
PERSiSTENCE
MAKES PERFECT
BETH THORNLEY TALKS TO ROCKWiRED
ABOUT
HER LATEST CD WASH U CLEAN
WORKiNG
WiTH ROB CAiRNS
AND
JUST PLAiN GETTiNG BETTER
 iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt’s
beginning to feel a lot like a new year after listening
to ‘WASH U CLEAN’- the third album from singer-songwriter BETH
THORNLEY. The
album’s slinky and seductive opening title track gets you going with
that
equally slinky and seductive baritone sax riff. The song slams into
fifth gear
with its raucous percussion and THORNLEY’s fractured and mysterious
lyrics. And
that sexy purr voice of hers only helps matters. I would be lying if I
said
that this title track – brimming with hit potential – set the tone for
the pop
perfection that is to follow but the truth is – who the hell knows what
THORNLEY is going to do next? Things get crazy again – not to mention a
little
puzzling – with the bubbly beach blanket bop of ‘YOU’RE SO PONY’ but
these two
oh-so-fun moments are cushioned by some of the warmest, fuzziest,
quirkiest pop
balladry this side of FIEST as evidenced by the epic scope of ‘STILL
CAN HIDE’
and the wistful drum roll of ‘EVERYONE FALLS’. (READ
MORE)
FEBRUARY 16, 2010
A
BEAUTiFUL BABY
TOMEKA WiLLiAMS TALKS TO ROCKWiRED
ABOUT
HER DEBUT CD THE BLACK HOOD
WORKiNG
WiTH SiR MiX-A-LOT
AND
GETTiNG SOME CONVERSATiON GOiNG
 iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHWashington-based
soul rock songstress TOMEKA WILLIAMS
delivers the sort of debut album that sets her apart from the rest of
those
divas that have followed the BEYONCE business model to a tee.
Her
SIR MIX-A-LOT produced
debut CD ‘THE BLACK
HOOD’ eschews the frills and the
benign pop psychological heartache that has come to typify much of the
current
pop set and embraces a rock sensibility that is all piss, vinegar and
passion. The
stand out track ‘HO’ (I’m hoping this is going to be the first single)
ain’t
sexual politics as usual. Armed with an irresistible groove and a
guitar riff
similar to BLACK SABBATH’s ‘IRON MAN’, WILLIAMS exposes the disparity
in a
relationship that isn’t going anywhere and proudly proclaims ‘I can’t
have game if I don’t play!’ ‘WHAT
SHE GAVE’ tells the story of a young woman’s loss innocence and trying
to carry
on despite having grown disillusioned by love. ‘HEROES’ is more than a
mere
song “for the troops”. On the plaintive ballad, she portrays the troops
as the complex
men and women that they are and not the G.I. JOE action figures that
you may
hear about in KID ROCK and TOBY KEITH songs. In
the gospel charged chorus, she pleads the
current president to bring these heroes home. (READ
MORE)
FEBRUARY 15, 2010
A
GLORiOUS SOUND
SAMi FiSCHER OF MY GLORiOUS TALKS TO ROCKWiRED
ABOUT
THEiR CD HOME iS WHERE THE HEART BREAKS
ELECTRiFYiNG
EUROPEAN AND U.S. AUDiENCES
AND THEiR LOVE OF MUSiC  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHI love a
good rock n roll survival story and am sure that
many others do as well. As part of the five piece band called FRESH,
SAMI
FISCHER and the SAILER brother GREGOR and PAUL had spent seven years
touring
Europe and energizing crowds large and small. Then in 2008, two members
(including the lead singer) walked away leaving SAMI and the brothers
SAILER
lumber with that burning question of what the hell they were going to
do
next. Rock n roll
is a tricky road to
walk. In one instant, the ride feels like it’s going to last forever
and in
another the dream evaporates quickly. Choosing to avoid the latter,
SAMI and
the SAILER twins stuck it out as a threesome and dubbed the lineup MY
GLORIOUS.
Armed with the reflective songwriting of vocalist and guitarist SAMI
FISCHER, the
Vienna Austria-based MY GLORIOUS is out to turn what’s left of the
music
industry on its ear with the release of their album HOME IS WHERE THE
HEART
BREAKS – a collection of gritty rock tunes that document life’s darkest
hours
and unexpected moments. (READ
MORE)
FEBRUARY 11, 2010
WORTH THE WAiT LiNDA BROOKS TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HER CD THE SPACES iN BETWEEN HER RETURN TO MUSiC AFTER FiFTEEN YEARS AND GROWiNG AS A SONGWRiTER  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIn an
era marked by war, natural disaster and economic
decline, who wouldn’t welcome a bit of inspiration to keep moving
forward?
Halifax, Nova Scotia-based singer songwriter LINDA BROOKS embarked on
her
career as a recording artist back in 1995 with the release of her debut
CD ‘UNDER
A PAINTED MOON’, but motherhood came calling and BROOKS put her music
to the
side. As with anything in life that gets one through, BROOKS’ musical
inclination
couldn’t be ignored entirely. Along with motherhood came a heightened
sense of
awareness and sensitivity to the world around her and her family.
Little by
little, words and musical ideas came together. Under the production of
JAMES
LOGAN, ‘THE SPACES IN BETWEEN’ marks BROOKS’ return to music after
fifteen years
and artfully displays BROOKS’ acuity and sensitivity as a songwriter.
“Personally,
things have changed a lot because I’ve become a mom and that has
impacted me in
a lot of different ways.” says BROOKS “It’s
affected my writing and how I see the world. It’s made me more
conscious of
everything that is going on in the world and in turn it has definitely
impacted
my songwriting. I would also say that one of the changes also has a lot
to do
with the benefits of time and the wisdom that comes with a few more
years and
taking a little more ownership of the whole process and making sure
that I felt
one-hundred-percent satisfied with the direction that things were going
in and
that I was honest to who I was in letting my personal, songwriting
voice get
heard.” (READ
MORE)
FEBRUARY
11,
2010
SWEET
SiXTEEN
KATE CAMERON TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HER DEBUT EP CONViCTiON FiNDiNG HER VOiCE AS A SONGWRiTER AND GOiNG FOR iT WHiLE SHE'S YOUNG  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSH
A big
talent with a desire to mix rock and blues with a pop
sensibility has just released her aptly titled EP ‘CONVICTION’. That
probably
doesn’t sound like the most attention grabbing bit of news in today’s
pop music
atmosphere but when you consider that said big talent is in fact
sixteen years
old, the news is quite exciting. KATE CAMERON certainly didn’t have to
write a
sturdy set of songs that express a maturity beyond her sixteen years.
Vehicles
such as AMERICAN IDOL could launch talent such as hers into the pop
stratosphere in no time at all, but what is exciting or interesting
about that?
The fact that the young CAMERON is committed to the art of songwriting
as
opposed to the choreography and the silly indulgences of the world of
pop is
both noble and quite refreshing. In speaking with CAMERON, I was
charmed by the
songwriter’s nonchalance with regard to her immense talent but was also
struck
by the fact that CONVICTION is just the beginning for this young
artist.(READ
MORE)
FEBRUARY 8,
2010
THE
WAiT iS OVER!
MEGAN BOBO AND THE RAMOS BROTHERS OF NEVERWONDER TALK TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR NEW CD LET iT OUT EMBRACiNG CHANGE, AND MAKiNG MUSiC THAT MATTERS  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt was only
a matter
of time before I came around to missing
the Southern half of
FEBRUARY 3, 2010 STELLAR
CHARLES SADLER OF STELLAR VECTOR TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR ALBUM FLOCK OF COWARDS NOT BEiNG ABLE TO ESCAPE MUSiC AND USiNG SYNTHS TO GET A POiNT ACROSS  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt’s
all too easy to
understand the allure of eighties
nostalgia – especially in terms of music and culture. If you are my
age, it was
a time of innocence marked by the frills of new wave and ATARI
videogames.
Sure, you had that IRAN CONTRA thing going on but we had enough to keep
us
distracted in those pre-internet days. The Minnesota-based STELLAR
VECTOR tear
into that very synth heavy sound of the REAGAN-era with complete
abandon on
their debut CD FLOCK OF COWARDS but lead singer and keyboardist CHARLES
SADLER’s
immense musicality shows off a wide array of musical influences that go
beyond
surface nostalgia. Inspired by the political turmoil that got GEORGE W.
elected
a second time, SADLER set his observations to words, music and sound
and led
his band into the studio to make an album that looked back to a
friendlier time
yet had something to say about the fragility and instability of the
present. “We
wanted to create a retro album.” says SADLER. “Everybody jumped on this
ridiculous band wagon that the country was going to burn – especially
at my
workplace – and I was just irritated about it so I started writing
about other
instances where people have kind of fled from reason and kind of took
it from
there.” (READ
MORE)
FEBRUARY 2,
2010
i'M
NOT GONE
ASA BREBNER TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HiS LATEST CD SUENOS DE LOS MUERTOS RETURNiNG TO MUSiC AFTER FiVE YEARS AND THE ALLURE OF THE BOSTON MUSiC SCENE  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHFEBRUARY 1,
2010
A LETTER FROM THE EDiTOR: ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE WELCOMES A NEW WRiTER, GETS RECOGNiZED THE NEW MEXiCO MUSiC COMMiSSiON, COMMENTS ON iTS READERS POLL AND JUST PLAiN LOOKS AHEAD
WRiTTEN
BY BRiAN LUSH
Whenever I go on FACEBOOK, I see all of my friends from high school and college with families of their own and chasing after their little children despite the twenty to thirty plus pounds that age and parenthood evidently have a tendency to add to you. For me, it’s a little different, but I must say that the twenty to thirty plus pounds aren’t exactly exclusive to parenthood! I never found that soul mate and I never had that litter of kids that I hear are supposed to make your life seem complete. My baby – ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE – seems like an overactive five year old eager to get its hands into everything. The New Year is indeed an exciting time for the five year old website.(READ MORE) FEBRUARY 1, 2010 JANUARY 25,
2010
DELiVER
THESE CREATURES!
NiCOLE BARiLLE OF MR. GNOME TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR LATEST CD HEAVE YER SKELETON WORKiNG WiTH SAM MEiSTER AND STAYiNG WEiRD AND GROUNDED  iNTERViEWED
BY LAYLi LONG SOLDiERMR.
GNOME’S music is like the ocean and its big-blue, endless
mama-drama. Melodies and high-swelling vocals waver at monumental
heights and sometimes it’s chilling what can come crashing—the musical
equivalent of bubbles, light, foam and all. But you find yourself
pulled too, even dragged at moments, with the rolling undertow of
guitar loops and drums, to somewhere you’re not sure you’ve ever been.
Always moving, always spinning, you surprisingly end up floating on
your back, cloud gazing. NICOLE BARILLE’s vocals have been described as
“ethereal,” “haunting,” “echoing,” “keening,” “howling,” and
“bellowing.” Her guitar playing, coupled with SAM MEISTER’s drumming,
is layered and complex; yet they maintain a freshness, almost an
innocence, as the name MR. GNOME might imply. Innocence: not as in
chimes, bells and nursery rhymes. But innocence: maybe more like an
attitude of novice, of discovery, of, “Look, this is what we are doing
now. Let’s try it out. Let’s see what happens. Let’s grow.” (READ
MORE)
JANUARY 22,
2010
LOST iN THE SOUND JOHN ENGHAUSER TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HiS LATEST CD LOST iN THE PAGES WORKiNG WiTH JOERG STOEFFEL AND TAKiNG LiSTENERS ON A JOURNEY  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHFor
multi-instrumental singer-songwriter JOHN ENGHAUSER, the stars were
in perfect alignment when he was in the studio recording what would
become his latest release, LOST IN THE PAGES. Album number four marks a
shift in ENGHAUSER’s adult oriented pop sensibility which can be
attributed to the songwriter’s need to document a turbulent break up
through song and the spot-on production of co-producer JOERG STOEFFEL.
As a songwriter, ENGHAUSER can’t be touched. LOST IN THE PAGES is a
varied set of fourteen songs that are all beef and no carrots. The
standout tracks include the acoustic funk of COGNITION INC., the
wistful strum-a-long SO MANY PEOPLE, TOWER – an epic electronic ballad
that recalls early GENESIS and the southern rock bravado of BURNING
LADDER. Reaction to this fine collection of pop rock gems has been
immediate and intense as ENGHAUSER has recently walked away with a LOS
ANGELES MUSIC AWARD (LAMA) for BEST HOT A/C ALBUM. Picking a winner is
a tricky thing in music but it’s a safe bet that LOST IN THE PAGES will
not be lost in the shuffle. (READ
MORE)
JANUARY 20,
2010
THE SUNNYSiDE OF DARK SOL ViKSTROM OF SOL SKUGGA TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR LATEST CD FAiRYTALES AND LULLABiES EMBRACiNG A WARMER SOUND AND THE THiN LiNE BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LiGHT  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHSweden
is a country known for its dance pop escapism thanks to native
acts such as ABBA, ROXETTE and ACE OF BASE but when you dig a little
deeper, the Scandinavian landmass is a country with a rich musical
heritage that spans everything from folk music to death metal. Singer
and multi-instrumentalist SOL SKUGGA is three albums into her career
with her musical project SOL SKUGGA. So far, SOL SKUGGA’s catalog of
work has been marked by sonic shifts from dreamy to hard-edged. Their
latest release ‘FAIRYTALES AND LULLABIES’ boasts a warmer and –at times
– a more acoustic sound but that doesn’t mean that SOL and company
can’t resist throwing in a few metal riffs and dance beats into this
compelling blend. (READ
MORE)
JANUARY
18, 2010
ROCKWiRED
READER’S
POLL NOMiNEE: The brothers SERRA
(BRIAN
and JAMES) aimed to please with their 2009 E.P. ‘THE DEFINITION OF
DEVIATION’
and they succeeded. It’s hard to imagine that the dynamic duo’s
state-of-the-art
sound was made possible by a home setup as opposed to ELECTRIC LADYLAND
STUDIOS.
Armed with the barest of a equipment and a surplus of style and wit,
FACE TIME
POLICE unabashedly mixed heavy metal guitar riffs, surf beats, hip hop,
pop
sheen and acoustic balladry all on one little EP that could. This duo’s
sound
isn’t staying under the radar, it’s gonna get shouted from the fucking
moon. So
what can we expect from these guys in the immediate future? “For 2010
we’re
looking at playing more shows which is something that we’ve really been
behind
on.” says BRIAN SERRA. “We also want to take some time to work on new
stuff and
what comes out.” JANUARY
14,
2010
ROCKWiRED's ViDEO TO WATCH FOR: MOJORiSiNG - 'SHE WOKE UP TO ME' The ROCKWIRED READER'S POLL AWARD nominees are getting a lot of attention for their groove and lead singer JJ's MICHAEL HUTCHENCE styled-delivery. Both attributes are in full swing on MOJORISING's thumping single 'SHE WOKE UP TO ME'. Armed with a determinaton to succeed, the Aussie duo have planted their feet in the soil of the States with the purpose of getting us up off our asses and it's working. READ THE PREViOUS ROCKWiRED EXCLUSiVE iNTERViEW WiTH JJ AND DAN OF MOJORiSiNG HERE!!! MOJORiSiNG iS NOMiNATED FOR BEST BAND AND BEST RECORDiNG (EP)!!! VOTE FOR THEM HERE!!! JANUARY 13,
2010
GOOD NEWS ACTUALLY!!! TORSTEN VOLKMANN OF AUDiO OK TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR DEBUT CD GOOD MEN MiXiNG ELECTRONiCS WiTH MELODY AND BALANCiNG AMBiVALENCE WiTH AMBiENCE  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSH‘Organic’
is a strange word to use in describing the evolution of AUDIO
OK’s sound – a sound punctuated by its electronic undertones and cold
percussion. The Berlin-based quartet began as a group of childhood
friends brought together by band leader TORSTEN VOLKMANN’s record
collection which consisted of THE B-52’s, THE FALL, BIG BLACK, FUGAZI
and SONIC YOUTH. It was that very record collection that proved to be
the launching ground for these Teutonic lads to pick up their
respective instruments and cut their teeth as musicians. After cutting
their teeth on JOY DIVISION material, the foursome soon forged their
own sound. The results of this musical exploration are in full display
on AUDIO OK’s stunning debut ‘GOOD MEN’. (READ
MORE)
JANUARY 12,
2010
COLOUR
BLiND
COREY GLOVER OF LiViNG COLOUR TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR LATEST CD THE CHAiR iN THE DOORWAY BLENDiNG VARiOUS SOUNDS TOGETHER AND BEiNG MORE THAN A BLACK ROCK BAND iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHLIVING
COLOUR is back with a bold new album ‘THE CHAIR IN THE
DOORWAY’(MEGAFORCE RECORDS) and a need to prove to the world that they
are still a band equally as willing to rock out as they are to play
around with different sound textures. “We started writing these songs
and the songs started to form themselves.” says lead singer COREY
GLOVER “The themes of
the songs started to speak to the internal struggles within one’s self
and the need to move forward. The songs just came out. We wrote a bunch
of songs for this record and a lot of them didn’t work because they
didn’t work with the theme. These songs did. I like the fact that the
songs are short. No song is more than four minutes on this album. The
songs are to the point. They say what they have to say and they get out
of there. I love that about this record.” (READ
MORE)
JANUARY 8, 2010 ROCKWIRED NEWSFLASH!: A
FiVE YEAR
ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE CELEBRATES FiVE YEARS OF MUSiC JOURNALiSM AND SETS iTS SiGHTS ON THE OLD SOUTHWEST WHiLE MAiNTAiNiNG iTS NATiONAL AND iNTERNATiONAL REPUTATiON        On New Years Eve
of
2004, internet radio
disc jockey BRIAN LUSH was sipping down a jack and coke and playing on
the
computer before going to a party in the apartment below. For over a
year he had
been hosting and producing a weekly radio show called 30 MINUTES WITH
BRIAN
LUSH for a rinky-dink internet radio station called KTSTFM.COM in
Anaheim, California
and was eager to do something more. “I had been living in
JANUARY 8, 2010 ROCKWiRED READER'S POLL: THE
2010 ROCKWiRED
READER'S POLL BALLOT
    CLiCK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTES FOR THE TOP ARTiSTS OF THE PREViOUS YEAR YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ONCE AND POLLS WiLL CLOSE ON FEBRUARY 28, 2010 WiNNERS WiLL BE ANNOUNCED ON MARCH 1, 2010 VOTE NOW!!! JANUARY 5,
2010
MR. BRiGHTSiDE JiMMY BLECKER OF PROJECT DNA TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HiS PROJECT'S SELF-TiTLED DEBUT HAViNG AN OUTLET FOR HiS POP SENSiBiLiTY AND HiS DAYS ON AMERiCAN iDOL  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHWhen
a cute looking pop singer desires to be taken seriously, they
either forge a rockier sound or pick up a decidedly more hip-hop styled
swagger. It is a tried and true method that has made the like PINK and
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE industry giants as opposed to yesterday’s pop.
Guitarist JIMMY BLECKER has been a member of the Kansas City-based
alternative rock band AMADIUS for years and has decided to flex his pop
muscle with his latest gig PROJECT DNA – a celebration of time honored
pop hooks that eschews the grit and seriousness of his other band. The
road to pop superstardom is paved with the catchiest pop-rock hooks
imaginable. Despite the “don’t bore us/get to the chorus” approach,
PROJECT DNA and its self-titled debut boasts stellar backing from the
likes of BEAVER HOWARD (bassist for SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE),
FUNKASAURUS REX on drums and BLAZE BARRET on lead guitar. (READ
MORE)
JANUARY 4,
2010
LA Di DA DELANEY GiBSON TALKS TO ROCKWIRED ABOUT HER LATEST CD HURRiCANES AND FORGET-ME-NOTS FiNDiNG iNSPiRATiON AMiD TURMOiL AND KNOWiNG WHAT SHE WANTS AS A SONGWRiTER  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt’s
been a little over a year since DELANEY GIBSON released her
haunting debut CD ‘THE WORST KIND OF WAY’ to critical acclaim and
industry accolades. Now, with the release of ‘HURRICANES AND
FORGET-ME-NOTS’, GIBSON is eager to let the world know that the rush
between albums has everything to do with inspiration and nothing to do
with repeating herself. The honey voiced singer songwriter has not lost
her knack for crafting songs that mix misery with whimsy and wit – an
unexpected approach that made her debut so memorable and her latest
offering so irresistible as evidenced by the tracks ‘PAPER BOATS’,
‘KILL ME NOW’ and the effervescent ‘LA DI DA’. From falling in love to
losing in love, GIBSON sings it all and does it better than anyone else
that comes to mind. “With this album I think I was a lot more specific
in what I wanted.” says GIBSON of toiling in the studio. “I think with
the last album, I let my emotions completely dictate. The songs on this
album are so emotional that I wanted to step back and go over every
lyric. With every line I was like ‘can I make this lyric any better?’
On this album, I really wanted to be a great writer. I took more time
with this one. But other than that, not much has changed.” (READ
MORE)
JANUARY 4,
2010
KiDS ARE PEOPLE TOO! JASON KERN OF THE BRAMBLE JAM TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR DEBUT CD MOVE YOUR BOOTS AND MAKiNG CHiLDREN'S MUSiC WiTHOUT CONDESCENSiON  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHI
don’t have to dig that deep to remember some of the kid-targeted
music that I listened to enthusiastically with the rest of my
kindergarten class thirty years ago. Thanks to those ditties, I know my
vowels from my consonants and can add and subtract (I wish they had a
song about long division!) Me being the dedicated bachelor that I am, I
never give much thought to what tickles the eardrums of young tykes
these days, but the New England-based THE BRAMBLE JAM have a better
understanding as evidenced by their debut CD ‘MOVE YOUR BOOTS’.
According to guitarist JASON KERN, this is children’s music without a
hidden agenda or a purple dinosaur costume to hide underneath. “When we
set out to write this album, we all agreed that we wanted to make
something that wasn’t just a children’s album.” says KERN “We wanted
this to be an album that had well crafted music and was something that
could stand the test of time. We didn’t want it to be an educational
thing and we didn’t want it to be sing-song-y. We also didn’t want to
make something that was going to be grating on the nerves to hear over
and over again. We wanted to create a set of songs that gives a nod to
real musicians and also has a bit of humor for the parents so that they
can keep it light and fun and listen to it over and over again.
Thematically, I think that was our main focus.” (READ MORE)
DECEMBER 28, 2009 ROCKWIRED NEWSFLASH!: AND THE
NOMiNEES ARE...
JANUS, SAiNT MOTEL, MARGO REYMUNDO, SCARLET SiNS AND iNTO THE PRESENCE DOMiNATE NOMiNATIONS FOR 2010 ROCKWiRED READER'S POLL AWARD (
DECEMBER
28, 2009
ALL i HAVE iS BLUE LiSA HiLTON TALKS TO ROCKWIRED ABOUT HER LATEST CD TWiLiGHT AND BLUES THE ENDLESS POTENTiAL OF MUSiC AND THE THRiLL OF COMPOSiNG  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHWhen
I first became acquainted with jazz pianist LISA HILTON in the
late summer of 2008, she was on the verge of releasing her eleventh
studio album SUNNY DAY THEORY – a fluid collection of jazz
instrumentals that reflected HILTON’s tendency to look on the
brightside when life gets chaotic. The message of the album would prove
timely in the months to come which were marked by a economic collapse
and an especially nasty Presidential election. Now, HILTON has changed
her tune and her tone with her latest release TWILIGHT AND BLUES – a
celebration of all that is blue and a fitting backdrop to the economic
downturn and the slow and steady march toward recovery. Economics
aside, HILTON has recruited a reliable band of musicians consisting of
old friends LARRY GRENADIER (bass), LEWIS NASH (drums) and JEREMY PELT
(trumpet) as well as new friend J.D. ALLEN (tenor saxophone) to bring
an indefinable effervescence to inspired interpretations of songs by
JONI MITCHELL, MARVIN GAYE, JANIS JOPLIN and HENRY MANCINI and to
HILTON’s own compositions such as the rousing PANDEMONIUM and the
exuberant CITY STREETS. (READ
MORE)
DECEMBER
28, 2009
AS REAL AS iT GETS JASON HEMMENS TALKS TO ROCKWIRED ABOUT HiS DEBUT CD WELCOME TO REALiTY WORKiNG WiTH SASSY OUTWATER AND CREATiNG A TRULY DiVERSE LiSTENiNG EXPERiENCE  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHFor
the past several years, multi-instrumentalist JASON HEMMENS has
been to go-to-guy for any artists seeking back up on stage or in the
studio. The likes of STEVIE WONDER, TEVIN CAMPBELL, members of GUNS AND
ROSES and POISON have benefited from his dexterity on the saxophone,
harmonica, piano, and bass. Despite having studied music at the
University of New Orleans, music always came naturally to HEMMENS. “The
first instrument that I ever learned to play was the harmonica.” says
HEMMONS “I picked that up when I was fifteen. I was home on vacation
form school and this harmonica was sitting around. It was actually my
brother’s harmonica and I just picked it up and started fooling around
with it. It was pretty much an instant connection. I could play pretty
easily and form that moment on, I never looked back. A year later, I
picked up the saxophone and from there, the keyboards and anything that
I could get my hands on.” (READ MORE)
DECEMBER
28, 2009
EASE YOUR MiND CONCHiTA CAMPOS TALKS TO ROCKWIRED ABOUT HER DEBUT CD NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WORKiNG WiTH RACHEL LASTiMOSA AND GiViNG LiSTENERS A SENSE THAT iT'LL ALL WORK OUT  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHHoney-voiced
soul songstress CONCHITA CAMPOS demonstrates ease and
confidence mixed with a few jazz flourishes on her debut CD ‘NO ONE
REALLY KNOWS’. Two years, earlier, CAMPOS released her
critically-acclaimed EP ‘SO IT GOES’ in which the singer songwriter
exercised an acoustic sound that recalled INDIA ARIE. This time around,
CAMPOS’ luxuriously crafted odes to the good, the bad and the ugly
sides of romance are given a positively thumping backing thanks to the
San Francisco-based hip-hop band THE PARK (British soul singer ALICE
RUSSELL’s touring band). The buoyancy of the production can be
attributed to both CAMPOS and long time pal (both personally and
musically) RACHEL LASTIMOSA. “It’s always fun, no matter what the
situation is.” says CAMPOS of working with LASTIMOSA. “In terms of
energy, she is such a talented and skilled musician. She pretty much
plays all of the instruments and has a good idea on how to put sounds
together and where to put them in. Aside from the instrumentation and
arrangement, she really knew how to bring out the exact emotion to
bring out in whatever song I was singing. Her skill and her know-how
was very important but her energy brought more out of me than on any
other recording that I have ever done.” (READ
MORE)
DECEMBER
21,
2009
ROCKWiRED's ViDEO TO WATCH FOR: BLONDiE - 'WE THREE KiNGS' If anyone was going to make Christmas the most wonderful time of the year for me, it was going to be DEBORAH HARRY and the boys from BLONDIE. Here they are out in the cold with a rocking version of WE THREE KINGS. According to the band’s official website, the BLONDIE’s forthcoming album is due out next year. As we anxiously await the results of their labor in the studio sans keyboardist JIMMY DESTRI , posting this video is our way saying FELIZ NAVIDAD!!! DECEMBER
14, 2009
SO HAPPY TOGETHER CHUCK AND PAP SHiROCK OF SHiROCK TALK TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR DEBUT CD EVERYTHiNG BURNS COMiNG TOGETHER AS SONGWRiTERS AND GiViNG LiSTENERS A SENSE OF HOPE  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHA word like
‘hope’ has been proven effective in winning a U.S. presidential
election and - depending on your political leanings – can help bide the
time when times are rough. In a time where people are starved for hope
amid rising doubts that a change is gonna come, the time couldn’t be
better for a band like SHIROCK. Group founders CHUCK and PAP SHIROCK
were high school sweethearts brought together by the desire to make
music. Ten years later, this musical/romantic partnership has blossomed
into the band SHIROCK. The band’s rousing and anthemic rock elegies are
on full display on their JAY RUSTON-produced debut LP ‘EVERYTHING
BURNS’. While rock n roll with a big heart and high ideals is certainly
nothing new (do I have to name that band from Ireland?), the
songwriting partnership between CHUCK and PAP is what sets SHIROCK
apart. It is a partnership that couldn’t have been scripted more
perfectly. Both were children of missionaries and spent a great deal of
time living abroad before meeting each other in high school. The need
to make music was inescapable for both of them. “It’s pretty amazing to
travel and perform and do all of this stuff with our best friends and
spend all of this time together.” says PAP SHIROCK “The fact that we
are both passionate about music is definitely beneficial. Music is the
way that we really want to leave our mark on the world. It’s pretty
amazing to be able to do that together.” (READ
MORE)
DECEMBER
7, 2009
ADAY OF RECKONiNG! PEARL ADAY TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HER DEBUT CD LiTTLE iMMACULATE WHiTE FOX WORKiNG WiTH MOTHER SUPERiOR AND MAKiNG CHiCK ROCK COOL AGAiN iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHFor rock
wailer PEARL ADAY, rock n roll was more than a dream. It was in her
DNA. While that is not always a good indicator of talent (we don’t need
to drop names!) it is a very good place to start from. ADAY’s musical
education didn’t come from the classroom but on the road and in
stadiums around the world. While attending EMERSON COLLEGE in Boston to
study Creative Writing, ADAY took a semester off to tour with her
father MARVIN LEE ADAY (better known as MEAT LOAF) as a back up singer.
The year was 1994 and MEAT LOAF was on the heels of his comeback album
‘BAT OUT OF HELL II: BACK INTO HELL’ and the surprise hit single ‘I
WILL DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE (BUT I WON’T DO THAT)’. Touring with her
father was only the beginning. Before long she was the “the” backing
vocalist in the rock world having lent her precious pipes to various
tours and recordings by MOTLEY CRUE, FILTER, and ACE FREHLEY. Now, ADAY
is standing center stage for the release of her debut CD ‘LITTLE
IMMACULATE WHITE FOX’. Having worked exclusively with MOTHER SUPERIOR
(guitarist JIM WILSON and bassist MARCUS BLAKE) and boyfriend SCOTT IAN
of ANTHRAXX, ADAY’s ‘…WHITE FOX’ is more than a mere debut. It is
ADAY’s chance to step into the light and rock. “I sang on his [MEAT
LOAF’s] stage for like two years and it took me a while to learn how to
be the one in the front.” says ADAY. “You are the one that is carrying
the show and you are the one that has to keep things moving. You are
the main focus and it is something that I am still trying to figure
out. I feel more comfortable now but every time we play I learn
something new about what I need to do in keeping up the energy and
working with the band and making a connection. It’s a hard job but I
love to do it.” (READ
MORE)
DECEMBER
7, 2009
DREAM A LiTTLE DREAM CURTiS STiGERS TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HiS LATEST CD LOST iN DREAMS HiS LOVE OF iNTERPRETATiON AND MAKiNG FOLKS TEAR UP iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHSaxophonist
and vocalist CURTIS STIGERS is twenty years and ten albums deep into a
music career filled with twists and turns. Back when he released his
self-titled debut album on ARISTA, it was easy to write off STIGERS as
the next BOLTON-in-waiting despite the guy’s rich, soulful delivery and
immense musicality. It was no time at all before STIGERS grew
disillusioned with ARISTA’s need to mold him into your mom’s favorite
singer. STIGERS left the label and approached music on his own terms.
The guy’s knack for taking modern day pop songs and giving them the
jazz treatment was first realized through his interpretation of NICK
LOWE’s (WHAT’S SO FUNNY ‘BOUT) PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING which was
featured on THE BODYGUARD SOUNDTRACK back in 1992. During his tenure
with the CONCORD JAZZ LABEL, STIGERS has continued with his
interpretation of the works of modern singer-songwriters while shining
a light on his own original material and on his latest album ‘LOST IN
DREAMS’ the mixture of the two is truly a revelation. ‘LOST IN DREAMS’
opens with STIGERS exuding a soulful, RAY CHARLES-like howl on ANNIE
LENNOX’s ‘COLD’ and takes the slow-burner to church! His interpretation
of JOHN LENNON’s ‘JEALOUS GUY’ is just as stirring and haunting as
BRYAN FERRY’s interpretation but STIGERS’ understated wail gives the
song a new intensity. The original material - punctuated by STIGERS’
‘falling in love and losing in love’ lyrical approach – goes hand in
hand with his hat-tipping to other writers but manages to get a little
humorous with the quasi-tango of ‘YOU’VE GOT THE FEVER’. Back in ’91,
it was hard to imagine that the long-haired kid with a buttery voice
would’ve eschewed pop sensibility for some creative risk taking, but
the risks have paid off. “[I never] expected to be so successful making
jazz records.” says STIGERS “I’m able to make a living and play as big
a concert as I ever did in Europe as a jazz singer. It’s not an easy
job being a jazz singer. The money isn’t nearly as big as being a pop
singer but I’ve been able to make a really nice living. The whole thing
has been a surprise. I was surprised to get a record deal and go from
being a pizza eating, barely surviving, ride the subway to work
musician to being on the TONIGHT SHOW and playing DODGER’S STADIUM and
SHEA STADIUM. Every day is a new experience and I keep pinching myself
to see if I’m really dreaming that I get to make a living playing
music.” (READ
MORE)
DECEMBER
5, 2009
A DANCE ROMANCE TYPE OF TRANCE L'iLLON TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HER CD WARRiOR ANGEL THE CREATiON OF LUCiD POP AND MAKiNG LiSTENERS FEEL ALL SENSUAL iNSiDE  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHWashington
D.C. provides an interesting backdrop for an artist like L’ILLON. With
a shaky economy, high unemployment and an ongoing debate over
healthcare raging on, the entire country is turning to the Nation’s
Capitol for relief. While Congress may not have a solution, L’ILLON may
at least have the perfect panacea. Having been reared in classical
music many expected L’ILLON to pursue a career in that vein but the
electronic thump of pop music set her on a course that even she
couldn’t have imagined – a course that led to finding her own sound
characterized by a culmination of musical textures set to a pulsating
rhythm – A sound she has branded as LUCID POP. On her debut CD ‘WARRIOR
ANGEL’, L’ILLON is no mere anonymous disco diva cooing romantic
disillusionment over benign synth riffs. Instead she is a hauntingly
sensual vocalist capable of switching from buoyant to serene in a
moments notice. At the heart of this vibrant musical soundscape is a
message according to L’ILLON. “What I’m creating now is not just for
the now but for the future too. LUCID POP is the sound that breaks the
barriers of cultural imposition and we’re in an era that is just right
for LUCID POP because we need to feel empowered. We are faced with so
many crises from financial to healthcare to environmental and we all
need to feel empowered and feel good about ourselves. In a way, it’s
like embarking on a new music revolution but all in the sense of being
positive. It’s a mélange of sound that people from any culture can
relate to. As an artist, this is what I am trying to create. I’m not
trying to appeal to one specific person but to everyone.” (READ
MORE)
DECEMBER
1, 2009
BREAK ON THROUGH JOHN TOKARCZYK OF PEPPERDOME TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THE ALBUM LET'S TRY THE OTHER SiDE BUiLDiNG THE SOUND ON HiS OWN AND SETTiNG HiS WORLDViEW TO MUSiC  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt’s not
merely a matter of sex, drugs and rock n roll with JOHN TOKARCZYK and
his musical project – the curiously titled - PEPPERDOME. Rather than
screaming the joys of partying and getting a little “nookie”,
PEPPERDOME’s musical agenda consists of observations of a world gone
mad and finding the good things about it all set to the frantically
paced rhythm section and dual guitar sounds all of which are performed
by TOKARCZYK. PEPPERDOME’s sophomore release ‘LET’S TRY THE OTHER SIDE’
is the perfect summation of TOKARCZYK’s thoughtful introspection meets
bash-and-thrash sensibility. “I guess the main theme is an
understanding of self and that comes from the meditation that I
practice.” says TOKARCZYK “I’m very much into body, mind and soul so a
lot of it has to do with an understanding of yourself and your
surroundings but it also has to do with observations of the world. [The
songs] kind of have a political twist to them but I try to keep it
light-hearted.” (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
30, 2009
THREE TiMES THE CHARM RiCK MCGUiRE TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HiS LATEST RELEASE DUST AND TEARS WORKiNG WiTH DONNiE LA MARCA AND TAKiNG THE SOUND iNTO HiS OWN HANDS  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHDespite two
albums to his credit, Minneapolis-based singer songwriter RICK
MCGUIRE’s third release DUST AND TEARS has that debut album freshness
to it. This could be attributed to the fact that MCGUIRE chose to call
all of the shots for album no. 3. While previous releases featured
impressive casts of prominent Minneapolis session musicians, MCGUIRE’s
sole collaborator this time around is keyboardist DONNIE LA MARCA
leaving one to suspect before listening that DUST AND TEARS is a
stripped down affair. On the contrary, DUST AND TEARS is a rock solid
collection of alt-country tinged rockers that at times make falling in
love seem like the craziest predicament in the world. Although the CD
is merely a party of two, DUST AND TEARS almost has an organic live
feel to it – something that MCGUIRE has learned after years of working
with producer TOM HERBERS. “It was great learning his [HERBERS’]
approach to recording and how he tackles it.” says MCGUIRE “For me it
was fun to take everything that I had learned and put it to use on my
own stuff and take it to the next level. That was kind of my goal. (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
25, 2009
A SENSE OF MYSTERY MEREDiTH MEYER TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HER LATEST CD iT'S SPOOKY TO BE YOUNG WORKiNG WiTH BiLL RACiNE AND BEiNG ENCAPSULATED iN THE MUSiC  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHLos
Angeles-based singer-songwriter MEREDITH MEYER’s love for music grew
out of a strong dissatisfaction with the Oklahoma suburbs that
surrounded her while growing up. Music provided an escape. After
settling in the City of Angels, MEYER cut her teeth musically with a
number of bands. Anxious to find her own sound, she teamed up with
BRIAN KEHEW who produced her 2005 debut album ‘ITEMS YOU WON’T FIND
ELSEWHERE’. Now MEYER has released ‘IT’S SPOOKY TO BE YOUNG’ – a plucky
little collection of wistfully crafted odes to innocence and finding
wonder in the most unexpected places. Working with producer BILL
RACINE, MEYER was able to lose her self in the music in a way she
hadn’t before. “I was pretty much there and fully encapsulated in
recording that album.” says MEYER “That was the first time I had ever
done that. It was really great. It was like going into this warehouse
of creativity and being able to totally focus on the work. When I
listen to it, I feel the feelings that I had when I was recording
there.” (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
25, 2009
SECOND CHANCE KELLi LiDELL OF KELLi AND THE SHADOWMEN TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT RETURNiNG TO MUSiC TOURiNG THE COUNTRY iN A BiG BLACK BUS AND HER THOUGHTS ON THE WORD "CAN'T"  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHDon’t let
the gorgeous eyes, high cheekbones and full lips fool you. KELLI LIDELL
is no supermodel and she is not the latest in a line of country divas
to come off the Nashville (or is it AMERICAN IDOL these days?) assembly
line. Instead, she is a country-blues roadhouse mamma with a sultry
purr and a band of ball-to-the wall blues rock slingers. There was
never any doubt about LIDELL’s destiny. The daughter of country singer
JOHNNY LIDELL ( famed for the hit song PRIMROSE LANE), the young KELLI
took to music enthusiastically but there was also a bit of an acting
bug that needed to be satisfied (as a child, LIDELL was a regular on
the hit TV show THE LIFE OF GRIZZLY ADAMS). For a brief moment, the
shot at music stardom was coming true as she was signed to CBS RECORDS
but the thrill was short-lived as LIDELL was involved in a serious auto
accident. After ten years of grueling rehabilitation LIDELL learned
that life was too short to stand still and is hitting the road with her
band THE SHADOWMEN with a vengeance. Not forgetting the ten year
struggle following her accident, LIDELL founded the SECOND CHANCE
FOUNDATION – a non-profit organization geared toward helping
individuals faced with adversity to achieve their dreams. (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
18, 2009
CREATiVE SPARK KiNG JULiA AND MUSIC READ OF TALK TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR DEBUT CD FLiGHT PUTTiNG THE MUSiC FiRST AND PROMOTiNG ONENESS WiTH THEiR SOUND  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHThis could
be the beginning of a beautiful musical partnership! Singer/guitarist
KING JULIA abandoned her pursuit of a degree in Biology and shifted her
priorities toward songwriting – a practice she had put on hold due to
practicality. The British-born MUSIC READ’s feel for percussion was
first felt when he heard MICHAEL JACKSON. After traveling the world and
the seven seas as a military brat, READ settled in Austin, Texas – a
town famed for its embrace of all kinds of music. At almost the same
time, the California-based JULIA felt a pull from the Eastern
direction. The City of Austin not only proved to be the ideal nesting
ground for their musical ambitions. It also proved to be the ideal
backdrop for the burgeoning romance between MUSIC and JULIA. As FIFTH
NATION, the sparks – both musical and romantic - are captured on their
debut CD FLIGHT – a wicked brew combining JULIA’s stormy delivery and
earth conscious observances with MUSIC’s exhilarating percussion. “It
was exciting to work with someone who is so talented.” says KING JULIA
of working with MUSIC READ “It put the music on a whole other level and
made it grow. The songwriting process between us is very organic and
exciting and it continues to evolve.” (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
17, 2009
MUSiC CiTY ROCK MSB DEViLLE OF SHAKY DEViLLE TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR SELF-TiTLED DEBUT CD TOURiNG THE COUNTRY AND GiViNG iT EVERYTHiNG THEY'VE GOT  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHSHAKEY
DEVILLE – the Nashville-based power trio with a need for speed (rhythm,
not drugs) – is quickly gaining a reputation along the East Coast and
throughout the Midwest for their raw, raucous live shows and primal
rock n roll sound. After honing their act and sound in countless clubs
and pubs (including Nashville’s EXIT/IN and ARLENES GROCERY STORE in
New York City) the blue-collared troubadours have released their
self-titled debut CD – a balls-to-the-wall stomper punctuated by lead
singer-guitarist MSB DEVILLE’s howls and growls, JOHNNY FOODSTAMP’s
slamming bass and TODD SLOCUM’s maniacal drumming. “If you don’t put
all that you’ve got into a show then it’s going to come across that
way.” says front man DEVILLE “We get up there and we just dive right
into it. It’s a high octane show that is all natural. There aren’t any
special moves on stage or anything like that.” (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
17, 2009
DON'T STOP! KRiS HEATON OF KRiS HEATON BLUES BAND TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR LATEST CD R-ME STRONG GiViNG BACK TO HiS NEW ENGLAND COMMUNiTY AND THE BALANCE BETWEEN BLUES AND ROCK  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHConnecticut-based
ax-man KRIS HEATON had his fill of the rock n roll lifestyle back in
the 1980s as the guitarist for the new wave rock band CONTROL CAMP. A
wife and a blossoming family took center stage as his guitar picking
was forced into the basement of his homestead. Four years ago, HEATON
got the urge to dust of the ax and let her rip but being older and
wiser meant settling on a sound the reflected a new outlook on life –
the blues. The KRIS HEATON BLUES BAND has released two albums since
HEATON made the decision to crank things up – ‘RUNAWAY TRAIN’ (2005)
and ‘SHE AIN’T RIGHT’ (2007). Now the band has released ‘R-ME STRONG’,
a blistering set of blues rockers - emphasizing the “rock” – that
include the punchy ‘WEATHERMAN’, and the snappy ‘SHUT UP’ but the AC/DC
inspired stomp of the title track ( a dedication to the men and women
serving overseas) and the light-waving ballad ‘WHEN MEN CRY’ are what
steal the show. (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
12, 2009
i'M STiLL ALiVE DAVE GRAZiANi OF WHEN SUMMERS GONE TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR DEBUT CD DECEMBER WORKiNG WiTH CHRiS LEPRi AND TURNiNG TRAGEDY iNTO MUSiC  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHWHEN
SUMMERS GONE's debut CD ‘DECEMBER’ is no mere collection of alt-rock
compositions that go in one ear and out the other but a loose concept
album that explores themes of loss and finding the strength to move on
– something that singer/guitarist DAVE GRAZIANI and bassist/drummer
CHRIS LEPRI know all about. Inspired by the suicide of a dear friend
from years ago, GRAZIANI proves his mettle as a songwriter and takes
the listener on a harrowing journey made all the more intriguing by
DAVE PIATEK’s top-notch production. (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
11, 2009
WiCKED QUEEN METAL QUEEN LiTA FORD TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HER COMEBACK CD WiCKED WONDERLAND HiTTiNG THE ROAD WiTH A VENGEANCE AND SETTiNG HER SiGHTS ON REALiTY TELEViSiON iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHRock vixen
LITA FORD was metal’s one and only bad girl. Rock n roll has seen its
share of female guitar slingers and singers from HEART’s WILSON sisters
to COURTNEY LOVE’s full on angst but FORD’s heavy metal thunder was as
sharp and jagged as the stiletto heels she sported. Hers was a package
made in heaven – a busty blond chick in heals with an axe to grind and
her six string assault was one that could put most male players to
shame. There weren’t any schematics for a young CARMELITA ROSANNA FORD
to follow in pursuing that often times elusive rock n roll dream. She
picked up her first acoustic guitar at seven and after witnessing her
first rock concert decided to go for something “…big and beefy and mean
sounding”. She found it in a GIBSON SG and in short order was
approached by KIM FOWLEY to join an all-girl band of his called THE
RUNAWAYS. For four years, she served as the bands lead guitarist and
shared the limelight and the tears with fellow band mate and future
BLACKHEART - JOAN JETT. When the band fizzled, LITA went solo to prove
to the world that she was a front woman and a guitarist to be taken
seriously. Initially, acceptance proved to be slow with the albums OUT
FOR BLOOD (1983) and DANCIN’ ON THE EDGE (1984). It wasn’t until 1988
when the world would catch up with FORD’s vision. Her third, MIKE
CHAPMAN-produced album LITA was a gritty rock n roll gem that boasted
the breakout hit KISS ME DEADLY and the stirring OZZY OSBOURNE duet IF
I CLOSED MY EYES FOREVER. It was then that the British-born FORD became
an all-American, heavy metal icon. Sales remained consistent with
1990’s STILETTO and 1991’s DANGEROUS CURVES but with the advent of
grunge and the rejection of anything metal in the nineties, FORD’s 1995
release BLACK received a bruising reception. Before the rock world
could blink, FORD did the unexpected – she walked away and stayed mum
until now. LITA FORD – the metal queen – is back with a whole new album
and a whole new set of priorities. Armed with a rock solid marriage to
musical collaborator and former NITRO front man JIM GILLETTE and
raising two children, FORD is on the road promoting her new release
WICKED WONDERLAND – a delectable heavy metal stab at polite society and
political correctness. “When we made WICKED WONDERLAND, it was
something that we made because it was what was in our hearts and not
trying to appeal to society’s taste.” says FORD of her latest offering
“After we wrote and recorded the record, the hard part was putting
together a band and trying to find the right guys and right rehearsals.
We were trying to find the right people to live with basically. That
was pretty weird. We’ve hired and fired a few people and that was the
hardest part of everything – that and a couple of sore muscles.” (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
10,
2009
ROCKWiRED's ViDEO TO WATCH FOR: NATASHA JAMES - 'TEQUiLA TiME' In speaking with roost rocker NATASHA JAMES, she was eager to point out that her latest CD ‘TEQUILA TIME’ was in no way a country album but that hasn’t stopped her from proudly accepting a LOS ANGELES MUSIC AWARD for COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR. “I’m no a country singer. We’re roots rock if we’re anything.” says JAMES “It’s quite bizarre. We’re on the Adult Contemporary charts, the Mainstream charts and on the AAA charts. We get compared to acts like JOHN HIATT and LOS LOBOS, JOHN MELLENCAMP and NEIL YOUNG. I think my next album is going to be called ‘BLUES WITH A TWANG’.” Whether you call it roots rock or country, the point comes across – any time is a great time for tequila. READ THE PREViOUS ROCKWiRED ON-LiNE EXCLUSiVE iNTERViEW WiTH NATASHA JAMES HERE NOVEMBER 9,
2009
THE KiD iS DYNAMiTE MATTHEW CURRAN TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT HiS DEBUT ALBUM SiMPLiFY GROWiNG UP WITH ROCK N ROLL AND EARNiNG HiS CHOPS THE HARD WAY  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt’s all
too easy to say that the nineteen-year-old guitar slinger MATTHEW
CURRAN was born in the wrong decade due to his embrace of JIMMY
PAGE-styled riffs, but when the tedium of today’s pop set is
considered, we need a MATTHEW CURRAN now more than ever. Well versed in
the ways of the six-string by the time he was seven, CURRAN cut his
teeth in such New York City clubs as CBGB’s and B.B. KING’s when most
kids his age are at home writing book reports. Hell! He’s even shared
stages with the likes of THE SCORPIONS and DEEP PURPLE when he was
twelve. Believe it or not, CURRAN has got life experience and he’s got
chops and they all find their way onto his blistering self-produced
debut SIMPLIFY. “The album ‘SIMPLIFY’ was based on stuff that I believe
in.” says CURRAN “I’m really into the Zen Movement and the
Transcendentalism. The idea behind ‘SIMPLIFY’ was that I don’t need a
lot of material things to make me happy. Who you are is who you are on
the inside. It’s sort of Transcendentalism compressed into rock music.”
(READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
9, 2009
FiNDiNG A GROOVE MiRANA COMSTOCK OF THEORY OF TiDES TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR SELF-TiTLED DEBUT A LiFE iN MUSiC AND FORGiNG A DANCiER SOUND  iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt’s a
romance made in modern rock heaven! When the JUILLIARD-trained MIRANA
met her future husband – guitarist RICK COMSTOCK while auditioning for
a cover band, a connection was made – both romantic and musical. As
thrilling as the romance sounds on paper, just as thrilling was the
duo’s pursuit of their own sound and setting up shop in the eighties
New York music scene marked by noted acts as THE TALKING HEADS and
BLONDIE. Along with establishing the recording studio SOUNDSPACE,
MIRANA and RICK made their presence known with the band SIGHS FIVE – a
band often billed as “BLONDIE meets LED ZEPPELIN” by local critics. The
duo continued in this hard rock vein with SECRET SERVICE whose songs
SEVEN IN NEW YORK and WHEN MEN REMEMBER received moderate airplay on
MTV. “It definitely had an effect on our writing and where we were
going because we were expose to what was on the circuit at that time.”
reminisces MIRANA COMSTOCK of the New York scene “It was a pretty
exciting time to see the shift in the music which panicked some of the
bands because it was a shift away from the big-haired, excessive things
into something that was fresh and young and kind of compact. It was a
time of change and it was interesting to be a part of that.” (READ
MORE)
NOVEMBER
6, 2009
A NEW LiFE ART ALEXAKiS OF EVERCLEAR TALKS TO ROCKWiRED ABOUT THEiR NEW CD iN A DiFFERENT LiGHT THE NEW LiNE UP AND GROWiNG WiSER AS A ROCKER iNTERViEWED
BY BRiAN LUSHIt seems
like it was only yesterday when EVERCLEAR had established itself as
America’s top post-grunge act. Twelve years ago, the band’s third album
‘SO MUCH FOR THE AFTERGLOW’ became the template for punk guitar rock
with a pop sensibility. The images of the platinum cropped ART ALEXAKIS
and his band mates jumping up and down to their electrifying punk pop
indictments against absentee fathers (‘FATHER OF MINE’) and conformity
(‘EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE’) were mainstays on MTV and that college music
channel that my University subscribed to. While billed as ‘alternative’
it was not easy to find what the band’s melodic crunch was running
contrary to. For all intents and purposes, EVERCLEAR were mainstream
and ART ALEXAKIS was eager to use the fame as a pulpit for political
activism – namely his support of the COMPASSION FOR CHILDREN AND CHILD
SUPPORT ACT. Even when teen pop and rap-metal started oozing out of the
woodwork, EVERCLEAR got into concept album mode with ‘SONGS FROM AN
AMERICAN MOVIE VOL. I: LEARNING HOW TO SMILE’ which yielded their
biggest hit ‘WONDERFUL’. By the time the band released ‘…VOL. II: GOOD
TIME FOR A BAD ATTITUDE’, the momentum stopped and the glory days were
over. The effervescent punk pop sound that defined the later half of
the nineties disappeared and was replaced by the dirge of nu-metal - a
fitting soundtrack to the instability of the aughties. (READ
MORE)
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