Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Get HELP with your Music Career. Lou and Kevin Explain it ALL!

Hosted by: LouLombardi aka "Loudini" and Kevin O'Connor
Episode Notes: There are so many people out there who can help you meet your goals. Check out past podcasts to hear some of the best of them. This week the boys feature music by Album, Tarra Layne, David Michael Miller, Xander Demos and March to May. Birthday shout outs to Michael Derosier of Heart Tarra Layne Ken Hensely of Uriah Heep Jim Capaldi of Traffic Plus a brand new feature "Where are they now?" This week's WATN artist is Kim Mitchell





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Here's the LATEST from the Loudini Rock and Roll Circus !
Title - Get HELP with your Music Career. Lou and Kevin Explain it ALL!
Hosted by: LouLombardi aka "Loudini" and Kevin O'Connor
Episode Notes: There are so many people out there who can help you meet your goals. Check out past podcasts to hear some of the best of them. This week the boys feature music by Album, Tarra Layne, David Michael Miller, Xander Demos and March to May. Birthday shout outs to Michael Derosier of Heart Tarra Layne Ken Hensely of Uriah Heep Jim Capaldi of Traffic Plus a brand new feature "Where are they now?" This week's WATN artist is Kim Mitchell
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Tarra Layne resides in a place where Grace Potter, Beyonce, and Gretchen Wilson collide – where gritty, care-free, home-grown soul meets sultry pop-rock ‘n roll. Combining her heavy 90s R&B upbringing with a love for rock and blues, Tarra is uprooting and constructing a style of her own. It has been referred to as Funktry due to her big, soulful timbre, southern attitude, and contemporary twist. This red-headed blues broad will rattle your emotions and free your raw rebellious side.

Introducing, Tarra Layne was released in November 2011 and she quickly earned a spot gracing the stage with Gavin DeGraw and Vanessa Carlton for the Origins Rocks Earth Month concert at Webster Hall in 2012. Beautiful Day has been featured in Origins Skin Cares campaigns and she captivated the Pittsburgh regional area being recognized by the Iron City as an artist on the rise. The Yellow Couch Sessions, recorded live in a small studio in Pittsburgh, feature three rocking tunes that have earned Tarra quite a following. She has recently been finishing up recording a blues project based out Minneapolis featuring renowned players such as Steve Cropper, Dr. Fink, Sonny T, Leland Sklar, Waddy Wachtel, Russ Kunkel, Michael Bland, and Jellybean Johnsonn - to name a few. With countless of followers and thousands of downloads later, Tarra is creating something quite extraordinary.

Her next third-coming EP, featuring her roof-blowing single "Cherry Moonshine," is just the beginning of a new musical journey for all to experience.
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I grew up mostly in the country south of Buffalo, NY. At a very young age I began singing in church, surrounded by gospel music, which has impacted my writing to this day. Growing up through the 70's and 80's I was exposed to many to write and perform. Blues and soul music always inspired me though I never embraced those forms until much later. In college I did a short internship in Nashville and was somewhat disallusioned by the music industry. Not long after, I got married to my high school sweet heart, started a family and got away from persuing music for a few years.

Around 1995 I started a band called Painted By Moses, releasing a couple albums of songs I had written that sold over 2500 copies in a couple years. We had radio airplay all around the United States on college and niche stations, playing several large festivals in Western New York through Chicago.

After several more years of playing gospel music, I began writing more roots music, finally letting blues and soul influences rise to the surface. Inspired by Buffalo artists such as Tommy Z (www.tommyzband.com), I started a band called Beautiful Bones with my son Joshua, my nephew Nick Peterson and the legendary keyboard player, Jim Ehinger focusing on blues and soul. We had the priviliege of opening for several national acts including Joe Bonamassa and David Allen Coe.

Most recently I helped form and am the lead singer and main songwriter for the band Dive House Union (www.divehouseunion.com). Dive House Union (DHU) has also continued to share the stage with many national acts such as Jonny Lang, Gary Clark Jr., Bobby Blue Bland, Jimmie Vaughan and many others. This band has toured regionally and competed in the International Blues Challenge, making it to the semi-finals. DHU has released two live albums, recorded in iconic local theaters and continues to fuse blues and soul with a jam band philosphy.

Most recently I am working with producer, Jesse Miller, to bring a solo project to life. This led me to work with the world famous, The Campbell Brothers (www.campbellbrothers.com), and now planning to tour with members of this band to promote my first solo album, "Poisons Sipped."

PRESS COPY:
David Michael Miller, Buffalo-based singer/songwriter, has his roots deep in the church and gospel music. His music is anchored deeply in a roots gospel, blues and soul foundation. He fronted several bands as lead singer and primary songwriter, getting airplay all around the country in college markets and gospel stations with previous projects. After a hiatus from music, in 2005 he launched back into the local scene and inspired by professional artists such as Tommy Z, he carried his gospel roots into the nationally known blues and soul scene. This led him to the last 3+ years with Dive House Union (DHU) as lead singer, primary songwriter and secondary guitarist. Dive House Union has shared the stage with such greats as Gary Clark Jr, Bobby Blue Bland, Jonny Lang, Jimmie Vaughan, Shemekia Copeland, Joe Bonamassa, and many more. They also represented Western New York in Memphis, for the International Blues Competition in early 2013. DHU has released two live albums recorded locally at iconic rooms, Kleinhans Music Hall and The Aurora Theater.

Recently, David has partnered with local producer Jesse Miller for a couple of solo albums. The first of which, “The Poison’s I’ve Sipped,” to be released in December of 2013 and a gospel album to follow in 2014. He competed this past September in the local Memphis Bound competition with his son, Joshua Miller, and won the privilege of representing Western New York again in Memphis January 2014.

‘David Miller's music is earthy and soulful. A bluesy rock style, a rich voice and guitar, along with years of experience, it adds up to a musical pilgrimage that attracts attention and stimulates a crowd. People get interested, and that's golden!”
- Holt Vaughn, Founder and CEO of the Award Winning group of media companies TheEastcoGroup.com

"No one can define soul. This minor inconvenience of a fact has never deterred people from trying to do so, though. Some say it has something to do with the color of your skin. Others insist it is something that can be learned. Still others will have you believe that we are born with it, or we’re not, and if we’re not, well, we’re out of luck. Most of these explanations are inherently flawed.It’s a silly endeavor, really, but it does often yield some entertaining results, and spurring discourse is always a good idea, right? In the end, all that we can say about soul, as it pertains to music, is that it cannot be defined with any accuracy in mere words, but when we hear it, we know exactly what it is, and at that point, statements of definition just seem vain at last. Words can be soulful, certainly, but they aren’t soul itself.
The first time I heard local guitarist and vocalist David Michael Miller, my response was not an intellectual one, and I didn’t put it into words and then mumble it to myself under my breath. I simply felt something. Miller’s playing and singing were dripping with soul, and before I could truly think about what was happening, I’d already had a physical reaction to it.
Perhaps Miller’s background in church music, gospel in its various guises, had something to do with the deep emotional resonance his performance with Dive House Union instilled in me on that particular day. Who knows? ... But it was dripping with that elusive indefinable quality: soul."
— Jeff Miers, Buffalo News

“Dive House Union is perhaps the pre-eminent band among a new generation of blues-based outfits in the region. Fronted by uber-soulful vocalist/guitarist David Michael Miller - and including guitarist Todd Eberwine, drummer Shannon Street, bassist Dave Herr, keyboardist Tom Scime and saxophonist Barry Arborgast - the band's sound is far too diverse and far-reaching to be labeled strictly blues. But the blues is certainly at the core of the DHU funk/soul/R&B/rock mélange. Early on, the torrid soul-blues tune "Love Ain't So Blind" and the homage to the band's musical forebears, "Son of Many Fathers," combined to tell the DHU story. These guys are serious players who come together as a musical melting pot, blending styles into a soulful, spicy gumbo. A jet-fueled soul-funk take on Bill Withers' "For My Friend" drove this point home, and was peppered with stellar guitar playing from both Eberwine and Miller. jmiers@buffnews.com (August 12, 2012)”
— Jeff Miers, Buffalo News

“Song of the Day Bill Withers, Let Us Love, The Good ...from The Good Neighborhood - 17:28:05 GMT. Dive House Union's David Miller is one of those musicians, and as such he has chosen Withers' Let Us Love, as the gold star cover he'll perform at Wednesday night's Song School song swap at the Sportsmens Tavern supporting Music is Art.”
- Music is Art
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Xander Demos is one of today’s premier shred metal guitarists. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, he currently fronts his own band, XDB and has performed as a member of national tribute act, James Rivera’s Sabbath Judas Sabbath, as well as playing in Rivera’s solo band and Raxus Prme. Xander performs in excess of 100 times a year, and he is active in recording collaborations with artists all over the world. Xander plays guitars from Suhr, McNaught and Conklin, with whom he has endorsement deals. His endorsement from these guitar companies is a testament to his impressive skills and his deep commitment to playing the best guitars in the world.

Xander's style ranges from the beautifully melodic to the jaw-droppingly insane. His playing encompasses much of what he has learned and absorbed from other players over the years; artists like Shawn Lane, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Vinnie Moore, Jason Becker, Neal Schon, Michael Romeo and John Sykes. One constant in his music is a focus on strong guitar melodies. In 2012, Xander released his debut solo CD, Guitarcadia. Mixed by CJ Snare of Firehouse, the album was named among the Best Albums of 2012 by Hair Metal Mansion.

Recently, Xander has been making quite the name for himself and his solo band by appearing as support for acts like Symphony X, Stryper, Metal Church, Adrenaline Mob, Buckethead, UFO, Lizzy Borden, Kip Winger, Neil Zaza and Dio Disciples, as well as performing at Rock Harvest II, Wolf Fest, Skull Fest and NAMM Metal Jam. Xander’s videos have received more than 500,000 Youtube views, and Xander has regularly been featured on The Real Radio Show with AJ Pero of Twisted Sister, Steve Vai’sGuitarTV.comGuitarWorld.com, Hair Metal Mansion, Iron City Rocks, Metal Temple, Bravewords and many other top rock and metal shows and websites. In August 2012, Xander was named Guitar Shop TV’s New Artist Showcase Winner. Named the 2013 Iron City Rocks Pittsburgh Music Awards Guitarist of the Year, Xander’s playing appears on several releases from other artists: Ged Rylands (Ten, Tygers of Pan Tang,) Derek Buddemeyer (Down Boys Records) Modern Superstar and Liberty ‘N’ Justice’s long awaited “Cigar Chronicles,” also featuring George Lynch (Dokken) Jeff Labar (Cinderella) and Jerry Dixon (Warrant.) He was included on “Guitar Feast” a compilation of international guitarists. His latest single release, “Dancing Through Daggers” was mixed by JK Northrup of King Kobra/XYZ fame, and it is the #1 Metal song on OnlyLyrics.com.

In addition to these accomplishments, Xander is an avid animal lover. Always looking for projects that will aid these beautiful creatures, Xander is donating a portion of his album sales to the ASPCA.

Xander plays: V-Picks, the Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra as well as Hughes and Kettner amps, Matrix Amplification, Mission pedals, ISP Guitar Systems and Suhr Guitars, Amps & Effects, McNaught Guitars, who completed production of the first Xander Demos Signature Guitar, Conklin Guitars and John Dixon Cases. Many of Xander's guitars are outfitted with EMG pickups and accessories. He exclusively uses the FloydUpgrades tremolos or the GraphTech LB-63 piezo-equipped Floyd tremolo. He also is endorsed with Rock-N-Roll GangStar Apparel, Lampifier Microphones, JH Audio In-ear monitors, and INTEX Cables. 
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Thousands of years after the annals of prehistory closed, man has fashioned sound as terrible as exploding stars. Gods will tremble at the sonic slaughter unleashed by our races hands. Music is humanities calling card to the universe and its’ message is clear: “Beware the might of man.”

Since man awakened from his primordial slumber, he has sought to harness the essence of life through sound. The rumble of earth, scream of storm and call of the predator. Man offers his music to the heavens in awe, anguish and anger hoping his place in existence be remembered by all things.

Deep in the foothills of the ancient Appalachians lies the tiny crossroads of Rogers. There, the last vestiges of somber, proud hill–folk wax into legacy and wilderness swallows ancestral lands back into inhuman mystery. It is amongst this quiet and isolated realm that a thunder summoned from an age forgotten, heralds a new dawning for the music of man. That thunder is named ALBUM.

When listening to ALBUM one cannot help but feel as though death stared them in the face and they some how managed to laugh. When one sees ALBUM it is as though rock n roll became personified in three living beings for the next half hour. Through eight songs you will have tamed a wolf, battled eagles and conquered the world.

ALBUM songs are as much songs as incantations intended to ward demons and turn desk-jockeys into warriors. With an electric arsenal of Holier-than-thou hard rock riffs, heads will bang and fists will pump. Pop-tinged melodies and sluggish heavy progressions will follow you for days.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Interview with Chip Schutzman, President, Miles High Productions



Hosted by: LouLombardi aka "Loudini"
Title: Interview with Chip Schutzman, President, Miles High Productions
Time: 08/23/2015 01:00 PM EDT
Episode Notes: Chip Schutzman is president and founder of Miles High Productions, an online music marketing and promotion company founded in 2002. Chip is responsible for all business development and operations and is responsible for communications with over 25,000 web sites and media outlets internationally.






Chip Schutzman is president and founder of Miles High Productions, an online music marketing and promotion company founded in 2002. Chip is responsible for all business development and operations and is responsible for communications with over 25,000 web sites and media outlets internationally.

In the last few years, Miles High Productions has worked with over 150 artists and dozens of established record labels including EMI America, Capitol Records, Blue Note Records, Universal Music Group, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Bayside Distribution, Fontana and several other high profiled record labels and distribution companies.

Miles High Productions is recognized and known in the recording industry community for developing emerging artists and represent artists online from popular music formats such as jazz, electronica, dance, rock, blues, country, singer-songwriter, pop and other music genres. Prior to starting Miles High Productions, Chip was the Director of Music Programming for House of Blues Entertainment and is credited with the initial content development for HOB Digital (hob.com). As the evolution of the internet took place, Chip was instrumental in turning hob.com into the leading live music provider on the web by developing, positioning and maintaining key relationships with artists, managers and record labels to secure digital rights for webcasts, interviews, and marketing of special projects. He is also accredited with the development of 20 internet radio stations within the HOB Radio Network, and was responsible for maintaining content distribution deals with AOL, MTV Interactive, DMX Music and MSN Music.

In 1998, Chip implemented music downloads of exclusive live music and initiated the 99 cent purchase model several years prior to the formation of the iTunes Music Store. Chip has consulted and completed online marketing campaigns for several platinum selling artists including Barbra Streisand, Jewel, Gary Allan, Peter Frampton, The Bee Gees, Coldplay, Olivia Newton-John, Ozzy Osbourne and Heart and worked on a multiple CD compilation in honor of the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008. Chip currently resides in Los Angeles and is also a guest lecture speaker at several universities across the USA including Boston University, Berklee College of Music, Temple University, UCLA and NYU.

EPISODE 50 Interview with March to May



When is the right time to take a chance?  Who are the right people?  What are the right conditions?  March to May was born under unusual circumstances.  Neither Darren nor Beth realized the musical potential they shared when they first met in December 2012.  It took several chance encounters -- passing vocal harmonies on a trip to the coast with friends, tentative instrumental work one cold winter evening, comments here and there on lyrics and melody -- before the spark hit.  But when it did, it didn't take long for them to catch fire.  By March 2013 they had co-written their first two songs, by April they had a paid gig under their belts, and by May they had a name and shows booked out into the months ahead.  





Both halves of the duo are passionate about the music they write and play, and view March to May as a constant evolution; from pursuing collaborations with other artists (with styles ranging from classical to hip hop and electronica) and keeping an ear attuned to the myriad ways they can expand the range and expression of their own music, their primary interest is to keep the music fresh and personal.  And, above all, to keep love - love for the music, love for each other, love for the world they live in - at their core.
Darren Guyaz (guitar, vocals, keyboard)

Darren roamed the northern Appalachians through his childhood, plinking & plunking the classical keys until he ventured West to his birth-state of Montana, settling in Missoula to finish a degree in Geography. One evening on an old, historic homestead in the hills north of town, he picked up a friend’s guitar and began strumming, teaching himself how to play a few chords, finger-picking his way through the frets, and forever changing his musical expression.

Soon after, he headed south on an open-ended ticket to South America, criss-crossing the Andes until finally resting for a month on a small goat farm in Patagonia. Here, on long rainy nights straight out of Márquez’s 100 Years of Solitude, he borrowed an old guitar from Matias, the owner of the little farm, and began writing songs in a small, dilapidated cabin over many glasses of cheap, Chilean red wine.

His vagabond days came to a close after falling in love with Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, where he now spends his days wandering the mountains, and his nights playing music with the newfound collaboration March to May.
Beth spent her formative years wandering through the Andes and across a smattering of U.S. states.  The daughter of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, she stayed in each place just long enough to fall in love with it before moving on to the next adventure.  Music wove its way through her life from an early age - she sang in choirs from elementary school to college, beginning classical voice training and starting to sing a cappella as she grew older.  While living in Ashland, Oregon, she picked up the Celtic folk harp and found herself captivated by the sound.  However, a few short years after beginning to play, she moved to the East Coast, leaving her harp silent in her family’s living room for five years and largely convincing herself that music would have to take a back seat in her life.

In December 2012, though, things changed:  she moved back to the West Coast, settling a few short blocks from the little acoustic instrument store in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood where her harp was created many years before. Perhaps she should have taken it as a sign. Within a few short weeks, music surged back into the forefront of her life when she found another musician with whom she shared an unmistakable musical chemistry, and she began to question how she had ever left it behind to begin with.  And thus, March to May was born.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

ALL YOU NEED ARE 1000 TRUE FANS

Hosted by: Lou Lombardi aka "Loudini" and
Kevin O'Connor
Title: All you need are 1000 TRUE fans
Time: 08/17/2015 07:00 PM EDT




Episode Notes: All it takes is 1000 fans to make your career. Lou and Kevin tell you all about it. Plus Music by Hicks, Northern Faces, Rahaas and Love in Ruins. Birthday shout out to Belinda Carlisle, Jill Conniff from Luscious Jackson, Steve Gorman of the Black Crows, Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners and MUCH MORE!






Hicks kicked off 2013 with two European hits on the European Country Top 40, he then represented Sweden at the CMA Global Show in Nashville as part of the CMA Fest week in June along with various acts from around the world and all the top American country artist such as Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum Tim McGraw and many more.

This event were beamed live around the world via the Internet and audio streams to over 10 stations in the USA, Europe, and Australia. 

He then was asked to appear at two of CMR Nashville’s International Shows on Broadway at the Whiskey Bent and The Bridgestone Arena, if this wasn’t enough he was invited to be part of the CMA Fest Autograph signings at the Digital Rodeo booth with thousands of fans walking around in the brand new Music City Venue one of the biggest exhibition venues in the world. More to follow when asked to appear as a special guest at ‘A Night For Heroes’ a fund raiser for returning soldiers. 



Hicks (Miqael Persson) is also an accomplished songwriter with most of his live material being written by himself and other co-writers. Whilst in Nashville he was able to co-write with top songwriters Anthony Smith, Dallas Rogers, Dennis Morgan and Sharon Vaughn. 

He met with his USA publisher and learned that a song he wrote ‘Cuts Like A Diamond’ on his last USA visit was picked up by the Little River Band. Not only did they record it, but used the title of their new album to be released in August when they start a nationwide tour of the USA to promote it. 

Other artists such as Jimi Jamison (Survivor) Giant (Dann Huff) Bobby Kimball (Toto) W.E.T (Featuring Jeff Scott Soto) Grammy nominated Toby Hitchcock and many more have recorded his songs...

Born in the southern part of Sweden (Helsingborg) Miqael grew up with a dream of making a living on his music. Playing in local bands he wrote music, toured and learned the chops as an artist and songwriter.
He soon moved to Stockholm to pursuit his dream of being a songwriter. His first cut with an other artist was the Swedish band Barbados that cut one of his country songs. The album went Gold and the band got a Grammy for Best Album. Pretty good start as a songwriter. Since then he has picked up more Gold and Platinum albums.


twitter: @northernfaces 
instagram: northernfaces

Official Store - http://goo.gl/0qKh9m
iTunes - https://goo.gl/KO64F2
Merch Now - http://goo.gl/xoUqRE


Facebook - http://goo.gl/LvCA93
Twitter - http://goo.gl/EMqMIA
Instagram - https://goo.gl/Hdg9Dr
Spotify - https://goo.gl/yuvQZ6


Rahaas is a Sanskrit word which means a secret or a mystical truth. The members hail from different backgrounds of music having the same goal, to explore the vast ocean of world music. They create a unique blend of electric instruments with instruments which are deeply rooted to Indian heritage and also that of other countries, namely Sitar, Tabla, Dhol, Djembe, Cajoun etc





Interview with HICKS



Hicks kicked off 2013 with two European hits on the European Country Top 40, he then represented Sweden at the CMA Global Show in Nashville as part of the CMA Fest week in June along with various acts from around the world and all the top American country artist such as Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum Tim McGraw and many more.





This event were beamed live around the world via the Internet and audio streams to over 10 stations in the USA, Europe, and Australia.

He then was asked to appear at two of CMR Nashville’s International Shows on Broadway at the Whiskey Bent and The Bridgestone Arena, if this wasn’t enough he was invited to be part of the CMA Fest Autograph signings at the Digital Rodeo booth with thousands of fans walking around in the brand new Music City Venue one of the biggest exhibition venues in the world. More to follow when asked to appear as a special guest at ‘A Night For Heroes’ a fund raiser for returning soldiers.



Hicks (Miqael Persson) is also an accomplished songwriter with most of his live material being written by himself and other co-writers. Whilst in Nashville he was able to co-write with top songwriters Anthony Smith, Dallas Rogers, Dennis Morgan and Sharon Vaughn.

He met with his USA publisher and learned that a song he wrote ‘Cuts Like A Diamond’ on his last USA visit was picked up by the Little River Band. Not only did they record it, but used the title of their new album to be released in August when they start a nationwide tour of the USA to promote it.

Other artists such as Jimi Jamison (Survivor) Giant (Dann Huff) Bobby Kimball (Toto) W.E.T (Featuring Jeff Scott Soto) Grammy nominated Toby Hitchcock and many more have recorded his songs...

Born in the southern part of Sweden (Helsingborg) Miqael grew up with a dream of making a living on his music. Playing in local bands he wrote music, toured and learned the chops as an artist and songwriter.
He soon moved to Stockholm to pursuit his dream of being a songwriter. His first cut with an other artist was the Swedish band Barbados that cut one of his country songs. The album went Gold and the band got a Grammy for Best Album. Pretty good start as a songwriter. Since then he has picked up more Gold and Platinum albums.



Friday, August 14, 2015

Interview with David Michael Miller for the BluesRockReview.com



David Michael Miller, Buffalo-based singer/songwriter, has his roots deep in the church and gospel music. His music is anchored deeply in a roots gospel, blues and soul foundation. He fronted several bands as lead singer and primary songwriter, getting airplay all around the country in college markets and gospel stations with previous projects. After a hiatus from music, in 2005 he launched back into the local scene and inspired by professional artists such as Tommy Z, he carried his gospel roots into the nationally known blues and soul scene. This led him to the last 3+ years with Dive House Union (DHU) as lead singer, primary songwriter and secondary guitarist. Dive House Union has shared the stage with such greats as Gary Clark Jr, Bobby Blue Bland, Jonny Lang, Jimmie Vaughan, Shemekia Copeland, Joe Bonamassa, and many more. They also represented Western New York in Memphis, for the International Blues Competition in early 2013. DHU has released two live albums recorded locally at iconic rooms, Kleinhans Music Hall and The Aurora Theater.




Recently, David has partnered with local producer Jesse Miller for a couple of solo albums. The first of which, “The Poison’s I’ve Sipped,” to be released in December of 2013 and a gospel album to follow in 2014. He competed this past September in the local Memphis Bound competition with his son, Joshua Miller, and won the privilege of representing Western New York again in Memphis January 2014.

‘David Miller's music is earthy and soulful. A bluesy rock style, a rich voice and guitar, along with years of experience, it adds up to a musical pilgrimage that attracts attention and stimulates a crowd. People get interested, and that's golden!”
- Holt Vaughn, Founder and CEO of the Award Winning group of media companies TheEastcoGroup.com

"No one can define soul. This minor inconvenience of a fact has never deterred people from trying to do so, though. Some say it has something to do with the color of your skin. Others insist it is something that can be learned. Still others will have you believe that we are born with it, or we’re not, and if we’re not, well, we’re out of luck. Most of these explanations are inherently flawed.It’s a silly endeavor, really, but it does often yield some entertaining results, and spurring discourse is always a good idea, right? In the end, all that we can say about soul, as it pertains to music, is that it cannot be defined with any accuracy in mere words, but when we hear it, we know exactly what it is, and at that point, statements of definition just seem vain at last. Words can be soulful, certainly, but they aren’t soul itself.
The first time I heard local guitarist and vocalist David Michael Miller, my response was not an intellectual one, and I didn’t put it into words and then mumble it to myself under my breath. I simply felt something. Miller’s playing and singing were dripping with soul, and before I could truly think about what was happening, I’d already had a physical reaction to it.
Perhaps Miller’s background in church music, gospel in its various guises, had something to do with the deep emotional resonance his performance with Dive House Union instilled in me on that particular day. Who knows? ... But it was dripping with that elusive indefinable quality: soul."
— Jeff Miers, Buffalo News

“Dive House Union is perhaps the pre-eminent band among a new generation of blues-based outfits in the region. Fronted by uber-soulful vocalist/guitarist David Michael Miller - and including guitarist Todd Eberwine, drummer Shannon Street, bassist Dave Herr, keyboardist Tom Scime and saxophonist Barry Arborgast - the band's sound is far too diverse and far-reaching to be labeled strictly blues. But the blues is certainly at the core of the DHU funk/soul/R&B/rock mélange. Early on, the torrid soul-blues tune "Love Ain't So Blind" and the homage to the band's musical forebears, "Son of Many Fathers," combined to tell the DHU story. These guys are serious players who come together as a musical melting pot, blending styles into a soulful, spicy gumbo. A jet-fueled soul-funk take on Bill Withers' "For My Friend" drove this point home, and was peppered with stellar guitar playing from both Eberwine and Miller. jmiers@buffnews.com (August 12, 2012)”
— Jeff Miers, Buffalo News

“Song of the Day Bill Withers, Let Us Love, The Good ...from The Good Neighborhood - 17:28:05 GMT. Dive House Union's David Miller is one of those musicians, and as such he has chosen Withers' Let Us Love, as the gold star cover he'll perform at Wednesday night's Song School song swap at the Sportsmens Tavern supporting Music is Art.”
- Music is Art

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Interview with Xander Demos



Here's the LATEST on the Loudini Rock and Roll Circus!

Xander Demos is a high-energy rock and metal guitar player from Pittsburgh, PA. He is fueled by the passion to create melodic songs ranging from rock and metal genres to pop and ambient. Xander normally is associated with the rock and metal world but his versatility allows him to be comfortable in many forms of music.





Xander grew up in the decade of decadance and has been a big fan of everything from pop-metal, Top-40, thrash metal, progressive rock and even dance-related music. As long as there was a hook or a melody, he picked up on it. Xander's main influences are Shawn Lane, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Vinnie Moore, Guthrie Govan, Jason Becker, Neal Schon, Micheal Romeo and John Sykes. In the early days, he was fortunate to have some teachers whom he respected and had given him great tools by which to hone his fluid technique. Some of these players include Ralph Santolla (ex-Deicide, Obituary), Dallas Perkins (M.I. Instructor) and currently Derryl Gabel.

Xander's playing style ranges from the beautifully melodic to the jaw-dropping insane. His playing encompasses much of what he has learned and absorbed from other players over the years. His melodies are the kind you can hum along to. He is releasing the full-length follow-up to his EP "Road To Guitarcadia", an instructional DVD, working with his three bands playing live every weekend and is now accepting guitar students for in-person and online lessons.

2011 had been a good year and Xander is currently building on that momentum for 2012. Make sure you check the news page as well as his Facebook page which gives constant news about his musical activities.

Musical Projects:
Xander Demos Band:

The Xander Demos Band (XDB) has been active since early 2011 and contains four virtuosos backing up Xander and all of his guitar pyrotechnics. They have had a great 2 years playing shows with Neil Zaza, UFO, The Dio Deciples, Uli Jon Roth, Buckethead, Lizzy Borden, Adrenaline Mob, Symphony X, Helstar and Kip Winger. The very talented Matt Williams (bass) and Chris Batton (drums) did an outstanding job on the recording of Guitarcadia as well as playing live until the reformation of the band in 2012. The latest version of XDB features Jeff Anzelone on drums, Adam Heuesy on keyboards, Ben Chiarini on bass and Mario Brescia on Lead Vocals. In 2013, the band is out supporting the Guitarcadia since signing with Rock N Growl records in Germany late last summer. The new album titled Dancing Through Daggers will be released towards the end of 2013. CJ Snare of Firehouse is back on board to mix and master the new album as he did with Guitarcadia
Sabbath Judas Sabbath:

Xander has joined forces with Houston native and thrash-metal vocalist James Rivera (Helstar, Malice, Seven Witches, Vicious Rumors) on a new East Coast chapter of his Sabbath Judas Sabbath project. This band is a national tribute band with chapters in Europe and in various locations across the United States. The East Coast chapter has Xander sharing lead guitar duties with fellow Pittsburgh natives Bill Staley (formerly of Creature of Habit), Greg Bittner (also formerly of Creature of Habit) on bass and fellow XDB bandmate Jeff Anzelone on drums. 

More information on Sabbath Judas Sabbath can be found at www.myspace.com/sjsofficial.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Interview with Northern Faces


Northern Faces Band Members:
bryan shortell, marco testa, matt ippolito

Get in touch with NORTHERN FACES
THRU the following:
twitter: @northernfaces
instagram: northernfaces
Official Store - http://goo.gl/0qKh9m
iTunes - https://goo.gl/KO64F2
Merch Now - http://goo.gl/xoUqRE
Facebook - http://goo.gl/LvCA93
Twitter - http://goo.gl/EMqMIA
Instagram - https://goo.gl/Hdg9Dr
Spotify - https://goo.gl/yuvQZ6

it all started after a few too many drinks and an exchange of words
that should have never happened.
but thank god it did. - northern faces.

Press Contact
Natalie Bisignano @ Equal Vision (natalie.bisignano@equalvision.com)
Booking Agent
ryan@thesorokaagency.com