Loudini Interviews Jesse Colin Young

Jesse Colin Young is an American singer and songwriter. He was a founding member and lead singer of the 1960s group the Youngbloods.

Born: 22 November 1941 (age 75 years), Queens, New York City, New York, United States

Genre: Folk

Music group: The Youngbloods

Jesse Colin Young, critically acclaimed solo artist and lead singer of the legendary classic rock band, The Youngbloods, took the nation by storm when The Youngblood’s single GET TOGETHER became a worldwide Top 10 hit and a prominent soundtrack for peace. After seven group releases, Young began the production of more than 15 acclaimed solo albums including SONG FOR JULI, LIGHT SHINE, SONGBIRD and a live album with his great touring band titled ON THE ROAD. This year, he releases the most comprehensive collection of his music to date – THE VERY BEST OF JESSE COLIN YOUNG. For the first-time ever, songs from his solo career as well as hits from The Youngbloods are available in one package.

Jesse was born and raised in Queens, New York in 1941, and his earliest family memories are filled with the joy of music and celebration. His mother was a violinist who had a beautiful singing voice of perfect pitch, and his father was a Harvard- educated accountant with a passion for classical music. Along with his older sister, the family spent evenings gathered around the piano singing Harvard fight songs and other lively tunes.

At 15, the talented student won a scholarship to Phillips Andover, the all boys prep school in Massachusetts. The rigorous curriculum and strict discipline the school required ultimately resulted in Jesse being kicked out of the exclusive academy – an event which forever changed the course of his life. The blues were calling his name and the next few years were spent exploring the music of T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters for inspiration and consolation.

Jesse Colin Young recorded his first album in 4 hours, accompanying himself on guitar. That release was called THE SOUL OF A CITY BOY. A second album, YOUNG BLOOD, featured supporting musicians, including John Sebastian.

After the two solo albums, Jesse met guitarist Jerry Corbitt on the New York to Boston club circuit, and with keyboardist/guitarist Lowell "Banana" Levinger, and drummer Joe Bauer, they began to perform as The Youngbloods. Though the song GET TOGETHER appeared on their first album in 1967, they re-released it as a single in 1969, after the heartfelt refrain of "Come on people now, smile on your brother" was used as the television theme for the National Council of Christians and Jews. GET TOGETHER became a worldwide Top Ten hit, and was immediately followed into the charts by, SUNLIGHT and DARKNESS DARKNESS, both written by Jesse for the ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN release that same year.

Having established legendary status with hit singles and albums, the three remaining Youngbloods (Young, Banana and Bauer) launched their own Raccoon Records, and released four albums between 1970 and 1972; the studio recordings, GOOD & DUSTY, and HIGH ON A RIDGETOP; and two live recordings, ROCK FESTIVAL, and RIDE THE WIND.

Jesse returned to recording solo albums in 1972 and released TOGETHER, which entered the Billboard Top 200 Album chart. In September 1973, Jesse released what many critics claim is his solo masterpiece, SONG FOR JULI. That recording stayed on the Billboard Top 200 chart for nearly a year, and was followed onto the chart by LIGHT SHINE in 1974,

SONGBIRD in 1975, ON THE ROAD in 1975, and LOVE ON THE WING in 1976. Each of the aforementioned six Jesse Colin Young solo albums contained breakthrough tracks that received airplay on radio stations across America.

During the upward ride of his exploding solo career during the 1970's, Jesse also continued giving back by helping establish the "No Nukes" movement. Involved from the very beginning, Jesse closed the 1979 “No Nukes” concert and movie joined by legends Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash singing The Youngblood’s anthem GET TOGETHER.

In 1978, Jesse released AMERICAN DREAMS, an album calling for political involvement, followed by THE PERFECT STRANGER in 1982 with guest stars like Carly Simon. He then returned to acoustic rock with THE HIGHWAY IS FOR HEROES in 1987. Throughout the 1980's, Jesse continued to tour as a solo artist, often appearing at fundraisers for various organizations, and sometimes performing with original Youngbloods members Jerry Corbitt and Banana (the Youngbloods’ acclaimed drummer Joe Bauer, had sadly passed away prematurely of natural causes).

In 1993, Jesse and his wife Connie, launched their own independent label, Ridgetop Music, from their mountain home in Marin County. They introduced the imprint by releasing a new Jesse Colin Young album of all original material backed by top San Francisco Bay Area musicians, called MAKIN’ IT REAL. The next release would be a very personal collection of mostly solo slack key acoustic songs, SWEPT AWAY. Just as Jesse's music enterprises were about to blast off with more adventurous recordings, a forest fire engulfed the Ridgetop property in October 1995. The family home and business was completely destroyed, and Jesse moved Connie and their two children to Hawaii with the clothes they had on their backs.

Jesse now has a new mountain home on the Big Island of Hawaii where he and his family have picked up the pieces, healing and creating new memories together. Jesse strives to recapture the state of grace that permeates his music and continues to spread his heartfelt message.

He built a new recording studio at his island home and in 2001 recorded ALOHA E, reflecting upon the events of September 11. That track eventually found its home in his 2004 album release of Hawaiian influenced music, LIVING IN PARADISE. Jesse then released the elegant acoustic, SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS, in which he revisits the Christmas carols of his childhood.

Jesse’s musical accomplishments are many, including performing with Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin in 1969; touring with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the summer of 1974; closing the NO NUKES movie in 1980; and closing the International Peace Awards in 2004. The song GET TOGETHER was heard on the FORREST GUMP soundtrack bought by 13 million people in 1994, and DARKNESS DARKNESS, written by Jesse, was the theme song for the James Cameron movie GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS in 2003. A cover of the song by Robert Plant won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal in 2003.

Throughout his many years of recording and touring, Jesse has also taken the time to dedicate his life to giving back to the world. He has performed on behalf of organizations ranging from the “Dream Foundation” to the “Kona Pacific Waldorf School” (in which Jesse and his wife helped to build, and where they both teach music).

Always holding environmentalism as “a must” ,from the time of The Youngbloods to his current endeavors as a performer and teacher, Jesse has even used solar-powered energy for his concerts! He and his wife also grow organic Kona coffee on their farm in Hawaii. For more information about Jesse and the Young’s organic Kona coffee please visit his website

at www.jessecolinyoung.com.

John Bonham vs. Neil Peart

Not shy about taking on a challenge, Lou and Keith get into the subject of drummers. Who is the better drummer. most influential, and has the bigger legacy....John Bonham  (Led Zeppelin) or Neil Peart (Rush). It promises to be VERY interesting discussion to say the least. Featured Loudini Artists:  Thundermother  Texas Hippie Coalition  Snake Head Ritual

Thundermother

THUNDERMOTHER OFFICIAL FACEBOOK

These hard rock chicks will blow your head off!

The quintet have toured throughout Europe, gaining fanssuch as In Flames, Zakk Wylde, Danko Jones, Opeth, Motörhead, Airbourne and many more.

They have conquered the whole of Sweden with their AC/DC influenced sound. Next step - THE WORLD!

Previous gigs include Close-Up Boat, Metaltown, Sweden Rock Festival, support act for Danko Jones and Michael Monroe to name but a few.

See you soon in a town close to you!

Crashing in at No 2 in the hard rock charts

these girls are set for No 1 soon!

Prepare to be amazed!

http://www.youtube.com/user/thundermotherrocks

http://instagram.com/thundermother

https://twitter.com/thundermother

IT'S ROCK N ROLL AND THAT'S HOW WE LIKE IT!

"There are three great bands in the world: Bullet, Airbourne and THUNDERMOTHER.”

-Joel o´Keffe in AIRBOURNE.

"You guys are great. Love the twin guitar attack and your singer can belt it out without whisky and cigars assisting."

-Danko Jones

"When they release their debut & sell platinum, you will feel proud because you were there in the beginning."

-Johan Jacobsson, CLOSE-UP MAGAZINE.

"Good music is always good music. Pay attention to the new Rock Queens of Sweden,Thundermother. Great stuff!"

-In Flames

"I suggest you get this album. Ever since I got this record my wife of 28 years cannot keep her hands off me!!"

-Zakk Wylde

"its sounds great!! Awesome energy & good old AC/DC vibe!! yeah!!!"

- Pontus Snibb: BONAFIDE

"Cool band and a furious singer!"

-Chris Laney

"This is really good"

-Clutch

"I'm a fan"

-Fredrik Åkesson, OPETH

"Wow, the action!!"

-Turbonegro

”Fuck they really play loud!”

-Ralf Gyllenhammar, MUSTASCH

Biography

Thundermother started the summer 2010 in Växjö when the guitarist and southern swede Filippa Nässil wanted to play Rock'N'Roll. So with dreams and visions along with the song "Shoot to Kill" humming in her head she started Thundermother. She moved to Stockholm to pursue her dream.

She found her first partner in crime Giorgia Carteri in Stockholm who also followed her own dreams of playing music, coming all the way from Italy, though nowadays she's identified as one of the southern stockholm fellas.

After numerous ordeals with other musicians they have finally found the right group of people with right motives and Rock'N'Roll in their heart. Tilda Stenqvist on drums from Karlstad, Linda Ström from the Smålander woods and Clare Cunningham born and raised on Ireland, nowadays living in Stockholm.

They're having fun and it's noticeable on-stage. Pure enjoyment and Rock'N'Roll deep from their bones. Hardrock-girls from around the world now united to do one sole thing, to play together and travel on the roads.

Thundermother has been playing the Close-Up boat with Turbonegro and Candlemass, they were the opening act for Danko Jones on his Swedish Tour, they were the openers for Metaltown on the Blood Stage in the presence of thousands of people before Clutch and Graveyard, they had played with bands like Bonafide, The Scams & many many others. Thundermother did it themselves the hard way. Without a record they filled pubs and clubs to the brim and played at Sweden Rock Festival and will continue to tour! ROCK N ROLL IS ALIVE!

Texas Hippie Coalition

Texas Hippie Coalition are the purveyors of their own patented Red Dirt Metal sound: designing their own line in life and in music. For them, there is no other way. Texas Hippie Coalition are committed to crafting a unique, original and thoroughly raucous brand of music that’s born of both life experience and a respect for rock ‘n’ roll’s forefathers.

What exactly is Red Dirt Metal? Take outlaw country, toss in a dash of Southern-fried classic rock and mix it with some potent Texas power grooves and you’ve got a combustible sonic cocktail on your hands. Texas Hippie Coalition’s third album Peacemaker is a textbook example of Red Dirt Metal, which is the sound the band has been honing and cultivating for its entire existence.

Snake Head Ritual

Snake Head Ritual made it's start in 2012. The early Original line-up was Kevin Chez - Vocals, Bill McCullough - Guitars, Chris Graham - Bass, Matt Vogel - Guitars, and Bill Morelli -Drums. But at the end of 2012, Matt Vogel & Bill Morelli left for musical differences. The band stayed focused, however, and quickly acquired the services of Josh Laforge - Drums & John "Special K" Keller - Guitars. The band wrote songs and rehearsed with a fury, and by early 2013 was ready to record and play live. The band was offered to play on a local radio program called The Mancave with host Jeff Lamb on 104.7 FM on Saturday evenings. Jeff, who video taped the performances of every show, put up a copy of the two songs performed that evening on Youtube. The rest, as they say, is History. A friend of our record label, who hails from Canada, saw our video's, (from that evening), and was impressed with the songs enough to mention to our current Label President, Joe Romagnola, that he needed to check us out. Joe agreed with our Canadian connection, (Teeder), that he liked the tunes as well, and e-mailed us an offer to sign a recording contract with his label; (Grooveyard Records). We accepted, and went into Loft Studios, in Saline, Michigan, in late June of 2013, to record our self-titled debut record, (Snake Head Ritual). The album was released in September of that same year, with much anticipation by Joes worldwide fanbase. The album has taken off in Spain and Germany, as well as, The UK and Russia. Although we have been ripped blind, the album has seen over 800,000 downloads and counting, and has been doing well on UK radio. Just this past Spring, we received 10,000 votes in a radio contest that we didn't even know we were in. Radio host, (Jamie McDonald) e-mailed us the good news as soon as a tally of the numbers were official. But before I get to far ahead, let's get back to the bands history. (Josh Laforge - Drums), would leave the group in late October of 2013 for personal reasons. And in November, our Bassist, (Chris Graham), was diagnosed with Cancer, and began the fight of his life. It was around this time that we ran into an old friend of ours, who played Drums, and was interested in getting back into a band situation again. That Drummer was a man named Brian Fedor. With Brian, and the aid of a good friend and fellow Musician/Bassist, (Mahlon Orrin), we were able to move forward and play some key shows, as well as,write new material for our next record. By late 2014 Chris had beat his Cancer and returned back to the band, rested, and ready to work. However, around this same time frame, the band would suffer another departure. For personal, and health reasons, John "Special K" Keller had to, unfortunately, leave the group. The very end of the year would see, original Guitarist - (Matt Vogel), returning back to the band. The months in between December 2014 and February 2015 would find the band rehearsing hard, and getting back in shape to play live shows again . Since the release of the debut, in September of 2013, the band has seen many successes with the record, as far as sales worldwide, and general interest in the group. Not bad for a band that has suffered many rough patches since its conception. In February of 2015 the band was reviewed by Classic Rock Magazine, (UK), to what would be considered as a very desirable rating, collecting 8 out of a possible 10 points, or stars, or whatever you want to call it, and has been written up as a Rock n Roll force to be reckoned with. One would like to think that we are finally past unfortunate events, but in March of 2015, one more change was to take place. Drummer, Brian Fedor, and the rest of the Snake Head Ritual camp, decided to part ways due to musical differences. The band would like you all to welcome new Drummer - (and hopefully the last member change for a long, long, time) LOL!, - Tim Swartz. Tim is a very skilled musician, with an exceptional drumming ability, and brings a power to our band that we have not had in a long time. Because of his abilities and skills, only being in the band now for a short time, we are already able to play full shows, and are feverishly working on material for the new record. Plans to return to studio in August are being discussed currently, and our Summer schedule is brief, but steady. July of 2015 finds us playing with, quick rising National acts, (Crobot, Mothership, and Wilson), and in August we've been asked to jam at, Rowland,Pennsylvania's 17th Annual Wheeliefest. This festval has had it's stage graced by many National acts over the years and has combined those acts with many, exceptional, indie label talents too. We also look forward to packing in the clubs in our surrounding areas of Ohio and Michigan. The support of small towns has been overwhelming for us lately and it's full steam ahead now. Snake Head Ritual has over 30 years of Musical experience, and as a collective, have opened up the Big Stage for numerous National and Regional acts. We are looking forward to the rest of 2015, and beyond, to be a great time period for our band. SHR prides itself on the live experience. So with nothing more to say for now, We'll see ya at the clubs! Keep The Rock Alive! SHR - 2015/2016

Loudini Interviews Cam Bird

It’s not often that an artist’s life is saved by a band 8,000 miles away, but that is exactly what happened to Cam Bird, who, on the precipice of taking his life, put on a track by Metallica.

At that moment, Australian recording artist, Cam Bird, realised that his life was too precious to let go of, and is now on a mission to use the power of music to change the lives of others.

Homeless and armed with only a suitcase and a guitar, Cam realised that if James Hetfield’s lyrics could change his life in an instant, he now understood the power of his own gift and passion for music. It was time to pay it forward.

After a series of experiences with bands, Cam’s music career took off. With an army of fans, he found himself touring Japan with his heavy metal group, not realising that his destiny lay as a solo Rock artist. With a broad range of influences including Dave Grohl and Sting, he was surprised to be recently called the “Keith Urban of Rock” by a number of his passionate fan base, many of whom are 8,000 miles away.

For three years, Cam has been working towards this moment, with an album recorded, he can no longer contain his music within his own continent, especially since everyone present in the studio knew something special was happening. His passion-heavy music has been likened to everyone from Nirvana to Metallica to Tool.

“I wouldn’t call my music heavy metal like before. It’s softer, more pliable. I guess you could call it aluminium if you want to play on the metal thing! Its rock; more accessible to masses, but still hard-hitting and intense.”

Cam continued:

“I’ve been through lots of bands and written hundreds of songs over my career but going solo just felt right. There was a deep calling inside that I had to do this. The right people came in and it just naturally flowed together. It was just awesome.”

The next stop of his career will take him on that long plane journey. The States is already calling him as his social media presence continues to explode.

Cam said:

“It’s the messages I receive from people about how it’s impacting them. I’ve haven't met these people yet, but I already feel hugely connected to them. It’s all I ever wanted to do - was connect deeply and emotionally with people through the power of music. If I can change one person’s life in the same way music changed mine, I’d experience a tremendous sense of legacy knowing that I carried the flame forward.”

Loudini Interviews The Present Age

"The present age is one of understanding, of reflection, devoid of passion, an age which flies into enthusiasm for a moment only to decline back into indolence.

Not even a suicide does away with himself out of desperation, he considers the act so long and so deliberately, that he kills himself with thinking -- one could barely call it suicide since it is thinking which takes his life. He does not kill himself with deliberation but rather kills himself because of deliberation. Therefore, one can not really prosecute this generation, for its art, its understanding, its virtuosity and good sense lies in reaching a judgment or a decision, not in taking action.

...Action and passion is as absent in the present age as peril is absent from swimming in shallow waters. . . ."

Artists We Also Like

the Beach Boys, the Beatles, David Bowie, Chance the Rapper, the Cure, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Joyce Manor, Kendrick Lamar, New Order, Prince, the Radio Dept, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, the Smiths

Personal Interests

miles davis

jangle pop

sweating on stage

isaac's drumming

Genre

post-punk

indie pop

indie rock

dream pop

Band Members

Isaac and Logan Lamers

Hometown

Oshkosh

About

https://soundcloud.com/the-present-age

Current Location

Wisconsin

melissa@citybirdpublicity.com

thepresentagemusic@gmail.com

Loudini Interviews Mike Thomas Marino

Mike Thomas Marino, a Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist. Insightful, Subtle and Explosive, his vintage brand Americana Rock drawls inspiration from the days growing up on a small South Jersey farm. His fire and intensity fueled by the constant erosion of the American Heartland.

Influenced initially by the British Invasion & finally full circle finding his feet firmly planted in the roots of American Blues, Folk & the Bakersfield Country Influenced West Coast Sound... 

Nostalgia is a thrust to relive or, once again feel a fleeting happiness spurred on by a time or place in one's life. For Americana Singer-Songwriter Mike T. Marino, processing nostalgia has been a way to make sense of the world both externally, epitomized by the drastically changing American landscape, and internally, in terms of longing for a feeling of warmth and belonging that slipped through his fingers as a child.

Mike Marino & his RestlessSoul's previous album "Out of the Darkness" was a career milestone of darkly cathartic Americana that would eerily foretell tragedy in his personal life. Thankfully, he emerged wiser from the time with some fire in his belly. His latest album, Tomorrow's Yesterday, is a masterful collection of heartland  rock with an in-the-moment immediacy.

"It's sort of ironic." the South-Jersey based artist laughs wearily. "My last album was about coming out of the darkness, but after releasing it, I plunged into it. I went through life-changing events that shook me to my core. "Tomorrow's Yesterday means today, and that's what I live for."

Though musically influenced initially by the British Invasion, Mike's songwriting roots are firmly planted in the American Heartland. His journey through the roots of American music started with his love of the Blues and then migrated into the Folk/Country Influenced Rock of the California West Coast Sound.

Mike has currently released four acclaimed albums of roots rock that alchemize the optimum balance of folk, blues, and alt-country. His works shifts between literal and metaphorical perspectives as it chronicles the American countryside getting paved over by the modern industrial complex. Mike's music furthers the compassionately critical American dialogue pioneered by artists such as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Flying Burrito Brothers, CSN&Y, The Eagles, and The Band.

Previous entries in his catalog have been praised by National Reviewer Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck and the esteemed UK publication Blues Matters. He's been the featured artist pick on Philly's WXPN 88.5FM, received the ASCAP Plus Emerging Artist Award for extended plays, and placed as a Semi-Finalist in both the Great American Songwriting Contest and the Dallas Songwriting Competition. His song "Edge of Dawn" won a contract with the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp) to be used on a episode of the acclaimed series Revision Quest. Also, his song "Twenty too Late" (A Tribute to Stephen Stills & the Folk Rock migration from Greenwich Village to the Sunset Strip) was included on Volume 38 of The Acoustic Rainbow (Poetman Records Publishing) alongside such artists as Judy Collins, Stephan Stills and Vince Gill among others.   

Mike spent his formative years growing up on a small South Jersey farm. The quaintness of the community, and the purity of the environs made an indelible impact on him as a person and as an artist. "I was born a Shadow Boomer in 1962, on the cusp of two worlds, the progressive 1960s and the farm life that predated that. I watched a lot of that life erode away over the years," he shares..

Tomorrow's Yesterday conjures the cool pastoral musings of singer-songwriters like Mark Knopfler, Tom Petty, and recent releases by Bob Dylan. Throughout the album there is a paternal beauty to Mike's vocals, his melodies are sweet and sage, and each vulnerable lyric feels hard fought.

The 12-track album opens with the longing tones of a lonesome pedal steel. The track is "Sarah - Don't Leave Me," and it's a dreamy folk-rock song mirroring the pretagonist's search and desire to find solid emotional ground. Mike addresses the literal and metaphorical fallout from the erosion of that bucolic American visage on the rustic and reflective "My Old Town" and on "No Stone Unturned." On the latter track he addresses this loss of innocence from a place of agency, with a brawny dose of moody, bluesy rock n' roll.

The album concludes with the graceful "Lonely Road." There is a melancholy quality that permeates this ballad, but the lyrics point to the dawn after the night. "It sounds lonely & sad, but it's about being on that holy ground on the other side of bad times. There is a positive message there, you just have to listen closely," he assures.

Tomorrow's Yesterday was tracked at Forge Recording with Mike sharing production duties with Ron DiSilvestro. It features a handpicked selection of all-star players such as Nashville greats Jimmy Heffernan and Danny Eyer, along with Carlo Dalessandro, and nationally-recognized bluesman Mike Dugan from Mike Dugan & the Blues Mission. Grammy winner Phil Nicolo (Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, The Hooters) mixed the album, and multi-Grammy winner Richard Dodd (George Harrison, The Traveling Wilburys, Tom Petty, The Jayhawks) mastered it.

Tomorrow's Yesterday represents Mike's triumphant recovery from a life-threatening illness that ate away at his body, mind, and soul. Through it all, his family stood by him, and his father, who passed away during this time, was a source of strength and encouragement. "I kept his picture in the studio because I wanted to finish it for him, and, in the end, I dedicated this album to him," Mike shares. "Making it made me more positive. It forced me to reach deeper into my soul."

By Lorne Behrman

Zeppelin vs. Aerosmith

Lou and Keith discuss and debate who was the better blues rock band. In one corner we have the bombastic British Led Zeppelin, and in the other corner the American bad boys of heavy blues riffage. Who rocked harder, partied more, and had the most wild sexy times on the road? You don't want to miss this podcast! Featured Loudini Artists: Stone Machine Stitched Up Heart  Winery Dogs

Stone Machine

Genre

Classic Rock

Band Members

Jason Mays-Vocals

Dirk Blevins- Lead Guitar

Jamie Hall- Bass/Backing Vocals

Jeremy Hall- Drums

Matt Parkins-Guitar

Hometown

Huntington, WV

Record Label

GROOVEYARD RECORDS

About

Brand new Classic rock in the vein of Free and Bad Company.

Current Location

Huntington, WV

Stitched Up Heart

That something is the essence of Stitched Up Heart - a band built around the strength that comes from realizing we are the only ones that control our lives, and focused on the hope that reminds us there is always light at the end of the darkest tunnel. It's something heavy and powerful, jarring the album's epic closing track "I Can't Breathe" from a piano-paced ballad that would do Lady Gaga proud, to a metallic onslaught of drop-tuned guitars that is sure to see the band sharing a stage with the hardest of their hard rock peers. And it is something undeniable, Mixi's voice taking flight amidst anthems of self-awareness that bridge the unrelenting confidence of In This Moment's Maria Brink and the soulful transcendence of Adele.

"When I formed this band I was depressed and going through heartbreak. The name is supposed to give people strength and courage," professes the frontwoman in a warm and certain tone. "We all go through things that make us think we can't go further but, especially when times are bad, I want people to see that time will pass and it will get better. The hopeful lyrics on this record are on purpose - I've been living in the dark for too long, it's time to come into the light. You need to pick yourself up because nobody is going to do that for you. There are some sick people out there, but there is beauty in everyone - and you need to love yourself before you can stitch that heart back up."

"Finally Free" thrust the band into the national spotlight in early 2016, exorcising its demons and riding breakthrough success on SiriusXM Octane into the Top 20 at Active Rock radio. "That song is sentimental to me, it's an eye opener because it's when I realized that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and that life is really beautiful," she offers. But the demon returns on "Monster," a blitzkrieg of stabbing guitars and shrill effects that opens with Mixi declaring, "Now don't you make me, make me go crazy..." We're all a little crazy, but Mixi felt a little more possessed as usual when the band penned the monster track.

"The studio where we wrote 'Monster' was a pretty creepy place," she details, "A black cat gave birth to two albino cats there, there were spell books on the shelves, it had a crazy energy and I almost felt possessed, the words coming through and speaking through me... It might have also been that I was drinking a lot of Monster Energy Drink that day, but it felt like a beast came out!" 

From the bombastic, dark and seedy tribute to their Los Angeles home that is "City of Angels," into the great beyond via the cinematic super nova that is "Event Horizon" - the metaphoric closing of one door and the opening of a new chapter - the debut album oozes with a voice as powerful as the music, and music as compelling as the voice it carries. "Everyone has felt like they don't have anybody, I want to reach out to anyone feeling that way and let them know that they aren't alone," says Mixi of Never Alone.

Whether we're ducking and dodging life's often cruel barrage, embracing a moment of calm at the center of a storm, or simply looking for the strength to make it through the day, Stitched Up Heart have delivered the soundtrack for a life worth living... Turn it up, because we are never alone.

Winery Dogs

It would be easy to call The Winery Dogs a supergroup: Vocalist and guitarist Richie Kotzen made his mark with Poison and Mr. Big, bassist Billy Sheehan has been rocking for decades with Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big and others, and drummer Mike Portnoy was the co-founder of progressive metal superstars Dream Theater. But The Winery Dogs are so much more than a supergroup.

Supergroups are usually short-lived entities composed of gifted players that jam out for little while and then quickly record with the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle. Moreover, they're often the sum of their collective parts. That's certainly not the case with The Winery Dogs, a cohesive, well-rounded classic-sounding trio with blazing songs that defy expectation. The group’s self-titled debut is filled with straightforward rock and roll inspired by some of their favorite bands, and their music transcends any of the styles they're best known for. 

“We all have our own distinct voicings and styles, but we also have a common ground of music we grew up listening to,” explains vocalist and guitarist Richie Kotzen. “What makes the band so special is that somehow, in our collaboration, none of us lost our identity. We all sound like who we are yet we make music that is fresh and exciting and sounds like a new band. There’s a natural chemistry that came together; it’s one of those things that’s meant to be.”

“I like the fact that everybody comes from a different background, though there are similarities to them,” adds Sheehan. “We have is a real special bond that wouldn’t happen if we were all into exactly the same things. We brought disparate elements together and made them into a unified band.”

The proof is in the brew: The Winery Dogs is an eclectic, fully realized album of songs that groove and swing without sacrificing any of the grit that makes great hard rock so inspiring. “Elevate” starts with a bang, as slamming drums and a visceral riff mesh into a rhythm of sheer power. Then the gifted musicians end the stanza in a flurry of precision playing before dropping down to a bass drum thump and sustained guitar feedback over which Kotzen sings, “Lost in the dark, I feel like a shadow of myself.” Then the band kicks back into overdrive and the song repeats its tension and release until it reaches the euphoric chorus, “Elevate me, take me higher I don’t want to be wasted.” 

The push-pull dynamic illustrates how The Winery Dogs toy with established styles and turn them into something special, complete with Sheehan’s acrobatic bass fills and Kotzen’s rapidfire solos, which help The Winery Dogs blend in a way that’s both instantly recognizable and utterly individual.

“Desire” is slinkier and more sensual, starting with a lone staccato guitar, but rapidly morphing into a something more infectious than teenage mono, wah-wah guitars pumping along with throbbing bass rhythms and a sturdy backbeat. Before the song is over, The Winery Dogs have engaged in a full-scale workout of funk-inflected and blues-embellished hard rock, capped with the vocal “I don’t think that I can let go.”

“When we were writing, we’d get together and play and everything was really natural and automatic and fell together in a really cool way,” Sheehan says. “Some of the jams we did on the record are pretty spontaneous. We’d launch into them and let nature its course. Honestly, the hardest thing was deciding which songs were our favorites. We’d finish something and be totally happy with it. And then we’d do the next song and go, ‘No, man, that’s our new favorite!’ It was a rare and beautiful thing. Sometimes birth is hard labor, but these songs just popped out.”

Maybe The Winery Dogs sounds so great because, more than anything, the album is a labor of love written from the heart and revealing unexpected shades of melodic eclecticism and lyrical vulnerability. Kotzen's vocals have never sounded better and his guitar playing is extraordinary. Anchored by Sheehan's expert bass lines, which root the songs and provide a lock-and-step foundation for Portnoy to play around, the band creates music that see-saws between primal simplicity and time-honored virtuosity. 

“It’s very exciting for me to be in a solid rock trio,” Portnoy says. “Stylistically, the bulk of my career has been spent playing progressive music, so this was an opportunity for me to do something that wasn’t prog or metal. It’s more classic rock and, at the end of the day that’s what I grew up with and that’s the biggest influence in my life. I’m just at home playing on a small four piece kit doing a simple John Bonham groove as I am playing complex tempos on a giant kit. And that’s been a great breath of fresh air for me.”

The seeds of The Winery Dogs were planted in 2011 when Sheehan and Portnoy were working on music together with a different guitarist and songwriter. When that didn’t gel, a mutual friend, “That Metal Show” host and consummate music fan, Eddie Trunk, suggested they contact Kotzen and see if he was interested in forming a band. “We all thought that was a brilliant idea,” Portnoy says. “We were looking for that super gifted guitar player, singer and songwriter -- and that’s Richie.” 

The musicians got together in Kotzen’s rehearsal studio in January 2012 and the first day they jammed, they wrote three songs, including the album tracks “One More Time,” and “Six Feet Deeper.” A month later, they reconvened and wrote five more tunes. From there, it was just a matter of fulfilling other musical obligations before they could get together and start recording the album. “At that point we were all gung-ho into it,” Portnoy says. “That summer we got together and we began recording in August 2012. That’s when the bulk of the recording was done as well as the writing of the remaining six tracks. We reconvened in December to finish the vocals and the last touches of overdubbing and mixed it in January 2013.”

While many of the tracks on The Winery Dogs were written from beginning to end in the studio, others came out of song skeletons Kotzen had already written. “I had some material lurking on a hard drive, and I played that for the guys and they connected with those and helped me develop them into complete songs. Then there was one, ‘You Saved Me,’ that Mike had some lyrical and melodic ideas for and he ended up writing that. So the process was totally collaborative, no matter who made the first step. There were no egos involved.”

The Winery Dogs is fueled by passion and talent, and also abounds with diversity. “Damaged” rings with jazzy guitar chords and yearning vocals, retaining intensity without being ultra-heavy; “I’m No Angel” is a mid-tempo burner propelled by a bluesy riff that’s part Hendrix, part Zeppelin, while “Regret” is a heartfelt ballad replete with layered organ and piano that weave through soulful vocals, emotive guitars and a shuffling beat born of The Stones by way of Philly soul. “Growing up outside Philadelphia, I listened to a lot of soul music and as a singer that really influenced my delivery,” Kotzen says. “I think it fits the kind of music we do. They’re not typical hard rock vocals, but they’re still powerful.”

In September, The Winery Dogs will travel to Europe for a warm-up tour, then they’ll return to the U.S. to embrace crowds with their passion, energy, enthusiasm and undeniable talent. For Portnoy, much of the excitement lies in the uniquely chemical bond the three musicians have created. “This is a band in the true sense of the word,” he emphasizes. “It’s all about collaborating on every level, from the writing to the production, and that’s what makes it more than a ‘project.’ We were in the same room making music together. It wasn’t one of those ‘done by email’ kind of albums.”

From the uptempo blues-punk rhythms and flailing lead guitars of “The Other Side” to the space-warped doom of “Time Machine,” to the boogie blues riffage of “One More Time,” The Winery Dogs conjure the best aspects of sixties and seventies rock with a modern flair. Equally experimental and infectious, their album is a milestone in a hard rock genre saturated with cookie-cutter bands afraid to stray beyond their proven formula.

Surviving The Blizzard Of Ozz

The debut podcast of the Loudini Hard Rock and Metal Circus!!

Lou Lombardi AKA Loudini, and guest host Keith Hawkins discuss one of hard rock's most IMPORTANT debuts, the album that introduced the world to the now legendary Randy Rhoads and at the same time firmly established former Black Sabbath lead vocalist as a powerhouse artist in his own right.  27 years later Blizzard Of Ozz is still getting people up and rocking hard. Featured Loudini Artists:   Black Stone Cherry,  Highway 4,   Abra KadavarLou Lombardi AKA Loudini, and guest host Keith Hawkins discuss one of hard rock's most IMPORTANT debuts, the album that introduced the world to the now legendary Randy Rhoads and at the same time firmly established former Black Sabbath lead vocalist as a powerhouse artist in his own right.  27 years later Blizzard Of Ozz is still getting people up and rocking hard. Featured Loudini Artists:   Black Stone Cherry,  Highway 4,   Abra Kadavar

Featured Loudini Artists: 

Black Stone Cherry

They say you can't go home again. But Black Stone Cherry proves otherwise on KENTUCKY, the quartet's fifth album and most diverse and mature -- not to mention dynamically exciting -- effort to date.

A decade ago, Black Stone Cherry made its attention-grabbing self-titled debut at David Barrick's Barrick Recording near their hometown of Edmonton, KY. It proclaimed the arrival of a vibrant and exciting new force in Southern rock 'n’ roll, a group that played with fire, sang with brimstone and had plenty of cajones -- what other young band, after all, is willing to take on something as iconic as the Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things" on its first album?

Flash forward nine years and the BSC crew -- still guitarists Chris Robertson and Ben Wells, bassist Jon Lawhon and drummer John Fred Young -- found themselves back at Barrick, which had relocated and modernized a bit during the intervening years, although its analog mixing board hails from EMI's legendary Abbey Road studios in London. This was hardly the same group of fresh-faced rock nubiles that made the BLACK STONE CHERRY album, either; they'd traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on six continents, written scores more songs and even jousted a bit with the industry. They're family men and homeowners, too -- still rockers to the core but well aware of the "real world" outside the tour bus. So they came into KENTUCKY –- the quartet’s first release for Mascot Records -- more seasoned, battle-savvy and focused, ready to come back home and turn everything they'd learned into a set of ambitious and fearless new music. 

"There's all this freedom because it's just us producing it this time," says Robertson. "We're doing it like we did that first one; people still rave about that record, our fans do. But a decade later we're all older, more mature. We all feel like better musicians and songwriters. But even though we're older now it's got a certain element of youth about it that you just can't escape. It's the most interesting album we've done thus far.”

Young adds that, "Man, it was perfect, the experience of getting to record here at home, being with our families, having the opportunity to record with David Barrick again and with all that amazing gear he has. You can never really go back to, 'Oh, I'm 17 again. I don't know how to perfectly tune a guitar or hit the perfect drum lick.' But you can mix some of that into what you are now. We just had a blast and didn't hold anything back.”

Then again, BSC is hardly known for restraint, something anyone who's seen the group blaze through any of its live shows can attest to. The story starts on June 4, 2001, in Edmonton, KY, when Robertson and Young, musical playmates since they were teens, were joined by Wells and Florida transplant Lawhon. Encouraged by musician relatives (Young's dad Richard and uncle Fred are two of the Kentucky HeadHunters), the fledging troupe cut its musical teeth at the Practice House, a 1940s bungalow -- pictured on the cover of KENTUCKY -- that had been relocated to a remote field by Young's grandparents. Used first by the HeadHunters and then BSC - its walls covered with posters, concert tickets and other memorabilia - it was as much of a learning space as the high school the four attended.

"We'd go there and sit and smoke cigarettes and jam on Nirvana and AC/DC, Skynyrd songs and Pantera, try to play Led Zeppelin songs," Young remembers. "It was perfect, man. The closest neighbor was, like, more than a mile away, so we could make as much noise as we wanted, any time we wanted. It was a great way to become a band."

After releasing the independent “Rock N’ Roll Tape” demo, BSC's burgeoning reputation got the group a label deal, and BLACK STONE CHERRY was followed by FOLKLORE AND SUPERSTITION, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA and MAGIC MOUNTAIN, which spawned rock radio favorites such as "Lonely Train," "Blind Man," "White Trash Millionaire" and "Me and Mary Jane." The group's muscular style and homespun attitude connected particularly well overseas, where its last three albums hit No. 1 on the U.K. rock charts – MAGIC MOUNTAIN debuted Top 5 on the U.K. album chart overall - making that the perfect place to film and record the scorching concert souvenir "THANK YOU LIVIN' LIVE, BIRMINGHAM UK OCTOBER 30, 2014. 

"For us it's realizing we're a live band -- that's where people are really sold on us and where we cut our teeth," says Wells. "So in writing the riffs and writing the songs for KENTUCKY, we had that in mind. We'd say 'OK, how is this gonna go over live in a festival setting? How is this gonna go over live in a club? Is this what our fans expect?' That was our whole mindset, just to get back to where we were when we first started and 'Let's not overthink this. Let's go in there and make the riffs cool and heavy. Let's just do it.’" 

KENTUCKY does it from the get-go, letting loose with the meaty groove of the appropriately named "The Way of the Future," and fellow heavyweights such as "Shakin' My Cage," "Rescue Me," "Hangman" and the metallic "In Our Dreams," which was co-written with Bob Marlette (Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Seether, Saliva). “We wanted to write a song to show the struggle people faced in a situation of disparity, who when presented with danger and chaos could rise above the physical world and escape to another dimension of peace,” explains the band of “In Our Dreams.” The group's rendition of Edwin Starr's Motown classic "War," besides being eerily timely, features a full brass attack from Jonas Butler and Ryan Stiles, while "Soul Machine" shows that BSC knows how to get a deeply funky groove, complete with backing vocals by Sandra Dye and Toynnia Dye. "Long Ride," meanwhile, is a testament of devotion, whose anthemic chorus will have fists pumping into the air whenever the group pulls it out in concert.

"The songs came off more pure and not forced on this album," says Lawhon. "A lot of bands will get very political about things and be like, 'We need this kind of song' or 'We need this batch of songs for this part of our audience' and so on. With us, we just write. Once we feel like we've got the record, that's when we sit back and think about marketing angles and all that. The songs come first and foremost."

The emotional crucible of the album, meanwhile, comes via the wrenching "When Your Heart Breaks Down," a richly melodic co-write with former Shinedown guitarist Jasin Todd that takes stock of some of the costs that come with BSC's chosen life but also offers comfort to those left back home. "It's just about heartbreak and being a true rebel spirit at heart," explains Young. “We all knew the song was special, and when we were in the studio writing it Chris lost his grandpa, and he got pretty emotional when he was putting his vocal on it. It's a really wonderful song.” 

BSC is particularly proud that KENTUCKY was not only made at home but also features a corps of hometown players adding their magic to the songs, including Chris Carmichael (strings), Paul Hatchett (organ), Chad Lockhart (vocals), Boone Frogget (vocals), and Andrea Tanaro (vocals). "This album IS Kentucky," Robertson says with palpably fierce pride. "Everyone who plays on it is from Kentucky. It's in their blood just like it's in ours, and they added so much to the record."

KENTUCKY will, of course, send BSC away from Kentucky and back to its second home on the road, with a fresh batch of songs Lawhon notes, "were meant to be played live." And it's key to remember that it's the same four guys playing it now as it was in Edmonton, when they were wet behind the ears and ready to put on some miles.

"It's cool we've been able to be the same four guys just doing it, putting out albums. You don't see that many bands who are the same members after all these years," says Wells. "We're friends first, and from the beginning it's always been four equals. That's what's kept us together. We're all in it, all on the team. It takes four of us to lead the band, not just one." And, Robertson adds, everyone in BSC shares the same credo. 

"Music is life, life is music," he says. "It's faith, family and music. Those are the things that are quintessential for my life -- for all our lives."

Highway 4

Highway 4 is an award-winning rock band from Pittsburgh with a Foo Fighters meets Halestorm sound, riff-centered writing, and a classic vibe and energy like that of the 1970's stadium rock.

"With an ear open to the great influences of the past, performed with the intensity of today, and a clear vision of the future, Rock N Roll is in good hands with Highway 4." -Tim Daugherty, Program Director, WONE-FM 97.5, Akron, OH

The "Classic Rock" sound has come full circle, this time, with more power and grit to back it up. This award-winning rock band from Pittsburgh is quickly rising to popularity and resurfacing the rock music scene as we know it. Eclectic influences of the 1970's era forged with the "muscle" of the 21st century have been the backbone to developing the unique & reminiscent sound in their alternative rock genre. Highway 4 formed in 2010 with members Kelly Brown (VOX, Torrence, CA), Mike Angert (Guitar, Chicora, PA), and Tylar Parker (Bass, Chicora, PA) with the intent to make waves and break molds in mainstream rock music.

Armed with their most recent release (Matter Of Time 2016) and their first full-length album, Up In Arms (2014), Highway 4 possesses an unmatchable energy and unforgettable sound and style that is redefining rock music. The two year gap in between the music allowed Highway 4 to serve their fans on the road playing over 300 shows, undergo many valuable changes, and evolve with the maturing writing style. New EP Record, Matter Of Time opens a door into the past while marrying the present with songs that boast powerful hooks and classic staying potential.

"We didn't want to write music that would be forgotten. There's just something about complete transparency, raw-talent, and human imperfection in the recording process that gives an album the ability to root itself in the present but last through the decades." -Kelly Brown, VOX, Hwy4

MATTER OF TIME has those qualities and Highway 4 fans are going to feel a renewed sense of passion for music when this EP Record gets into their hands. 

In February 2012, they competed in the 105.9FM X Winter Rock Showcase at the Hard Rock Cafe (Pittsburgh, PA) and placed 2nd overall out of 110 unsigned bands. In March of the same year, they took 1st in the Next Big Thing Tour at Mr. Small's Theatre (Millvale, PA) out of 40 indie rock bands. In July 2013, they won the first ever fan-voted Grassy Award from 97.7FM's The Rock Station for "One of These Days." To date, they have made multiple radio appearances, successfully crowdfunded their 2016 EP Matter Of Time, shared the stage with The Clarks, Zepparella, Truth & Salvage Company, Hot Action Cop, Shane Alexander, LA Guns' Tracii Guns, BulletBoys, Killer Bee, Blackberry Smoke, and Great White, and are currently organizing a tour in support of their EP.

Abra Kadavar

What rolls through my head while listening to German stoner rock trio Kadavar’s second album, Abra Kadavar? This is music to get stoned to. This is music for lying under black lights and layers of creeping smoke, and just grooving, like when you were a teenager. This is music for skipping work to hang out with a few friends and plenty of beer. But most important, this is music to be played at high volume for full effect.

Fans of ’60s and ’70s rock will appreciate Abra Kadavar for its throwback sound. It’s reminiscent of Symptom of the Universe-era Black Sabbath, but also The Doors, Hawkwind, and Led Zeppelin. Fans of Fu Manchu, Red Fang, and Spiritual Beggars will find something familiar in Kadavar. Having toured with the likes of Sleep and Pentagram, Kadavar has already cemented their reputation as up-and-coming members of the doom rock genre.

Abra Kadavar comes out May 14th in North America via Nuclear Blast.

Resources:

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-osbourne-blizzard-of-ozz-album/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_of_Ozz

http://www.bobdaisley.com/interview/website

Loudini Interviews Carlos Castillo

I used to have a 9 to 5 job, which I really loathed. I was working as a dispute analyst for a major credit card company. It was my job to explain to people that refuse to read things that the thing they signed without reading would cost them $70,000 and it was beyond our control. I needed a way out.

But couldn’t really justify quitting. The money was good. So good, in fact, that I had amassed enough in my 401k that if I were to cash it out I could fund my lifelong dream to buy an RV and roam around the country recording all of the music America has to offer. I had my out! I had dreams to chase, but unfortunately I was being anchored by this day-job. And so, in 2012 I got myself fired.

Planning to get fired is a weird process. I had already started work on my MBA. I also knew that once my 401k hit a certain level, the company-match would kick in, nearly doubling my investment. So the VERY day that company-match kicked in, I quit; “Office Space” style.

That’s right, I just stopped doing anything productive and spent my days in the office shopping for RV’s and recording gear, transcribing tablature, and doing my MBA homework…

…Six month’s later (after winning a high-performance award in the interim) they finally walked me down to HR and gave me my coveted pink-slip. I promptly requested my 401k withdrawal form and joyfully skipped out of the office for the last time, knowing I was no longer at the mercy of “The Man”.

It turns out that launching the Schwilly Family Roadtrip was the best thing I ever did.  Without my 9 to 5 job holding me back, I’ve since been able make a living in the music industry - by helping musicians learn to do the same.

Loudini Interviews Morty Shallman

Known for his innovative mash-ups of pop music and pulp fiction, Morty Shallman has been writing and performing original songs since the age of 12, and wrote his first novella, To Exist with the Night while still in high school. Morty is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Chicago, where he studied creative writing with renowned novelist Richard Stern.

After successful stints as lead singer and songwriter for quasi-fictional power pop antihero, Andrew Ashbury, and Chicago alt-rockers, Minds of Babes, Morty moved to Los Angeles, where he has released three solo albums, created the world's first Novel with Songs, Last of the Zacharys, and performed at clubs from LA to the UK.

Love’s Oblivion, A Novel in Twelve Pop Songs – 2002

Morty’s first exploration of the nexus of music and literature resulted in his first solo album, Love’s Oblivion, A Novel in Twelve Pop Songs. Not your typical “boy meets lesbian, boy loses lesbian” tale, Morty’s unique “pop novel” is a tragicomic roller coaster ride of lust, obsession, betrayal and regret, told in a series of twelve melodic and hook-filled song “chapters.”

"I've always taken a strong narrative approach to my songwriting," says Shallman. “Treating each song as a chapter in a larger story, with characters, a plot, and emotional twists and turns, is simply the next logical progression in my work. After all, we've had rock operas and concept albums for years. Why not a pop novel?"

Noted pop music author and critic, Gary Pig Gold, called Love’s Oblivion “a fabulous find,” praising Morty’s “spiraling vocals” and “bright-sparkling arrangements,” and stating: “Love’s Oblivion reads as one gripping, thoughtful song cycle, but one which never ever sacrifices the Love and Lust for the Literal. So, listen. Learn. Read On, everybody.”

Morty supported the release of Love’s Oblivion with shows in Los Angeles, New York, and the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, birthplace of The Beatles.

Last of the Zacharys, a Novel with Songs – 2010

Catcher in the Rye meets The Beatles in Morty’s follow up to Love’s Oblivion, Last of the Zacharys, the World’s FIRST “novel with songs.” Nearly eight years in the making, Last of the Zacharys is an ambitious multi-media epic, featuring a 130,000-word literary novel and 44 original songs that are featured in the narrative.

With a hyper-descriptive and often humorous prose style that evokes authors from David Foster Wallace to William Faulkner, and songs that run the gamut from soulful acoustic to crunchy power pop, to dynamic alt-rock mini-symphonies, Last of the Zacharys tells the tragi-comic tale of Jay Allen Zachary, a young singer-songwriter with a troubled past who will do anything to make it in the music business, even if it means "he" must become a "she." 

Originally released as a standard eBook, with links to stream the songs off the web, Morty is currently in negotiations with several publishers to release Last of the Zacharys 2.0 -- an enhanced eBook, with songs, videos and original artwork embedded into a single downloadable file.

HALO – EP – 2013

After the rigors of creating a 400-page literary novel and four albums worth of original songs for Last of the Zacharys, Morty decided to return to – and expand on – his love of “all things pop” for his next solo project, an EP called HALO.

Fusing elements of Disco, 80’s dance pop, indie pop, alt-rock and EDM, with soaring melodies, intelligent lyrics and classic pop song craft, the HALO - EP was recorded entirely in Morty’s bedroom studio, with Morty playing, singing and producing and recording every note.

To help launch HALO, Shallman teamed up with a rising star on the LA indie film scene, Director/Actress/Dancer Elizabeth Brissenden, aka Machete Bang Bang. Together, Morty and Machete created a fresh yet retro music video for the HALO’s eponymous lead single.

Filmed at infamous celebrity hangout Bootsy Bellows in West Hollywood, The Halo video is a shout out to the glory days of 80s MTV music videos. While Morty and his band of three beautiful Elvis Girls perform onstage at the club’s mythical Open Mic Night, bombshell roller girl, HALO glides into the club with her fiercely beautiful posse, and steals the heart of a nerdy bar back. The sight of HALO sends the nerd into a romantic daydream, transforming him into a Saturday Night Fever-ish stud, who sweeps HALO off her feet before moving in for a sensuous kiss.

The HALO video was released on YouTube on May 23, 2013, received nearly 300,000 views on its initial release, and was followed up by a sold out video release show at the world famous Roxy Theater on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood.

New Music – 2017

After writing, performing and producing every note on HALO, Morty decided to shake things up for his next project, and has teamed up with two of LA’s top producer/songwriters, Jeff Blue and Steve Dresser, whom he met via the music industry website, Music X-Ray. Blue, who is best known for discovering rap/rock legends, Linkin Park, was impressed with Morty’s vocal and songwriting abilities, and offered to work with him on new material. Together, Shallman, Blue and Dresser co-wrote and co-produced two tracks from Morty’s upcoming EP, including the lead single, She’s Breaking Bad, which is set for an early 2017 release.

She’s Breaking Bad is a bracing blend of 80s-inspired synthpop and modern electropop, which sets the scene for a classic neo-noir mini-movie, whose flawed anti-hero is willingly led astray by a gorgeous femme-fatale, with larceny – and perhaps even murder – on her mind.

In addition to writing, producing and performing his own music, Morty has collaborated with a variety of songwriters, DJs and Producers, and co-wrote former Nickelodeon TV Star, Drake Bell’s hit song, Highway to Nowhere. The song was featured on The Drake and Josh Show, Zoey 101, Bell’s first solo CD, Telegraph, and on several top-selling Nickelodeon/BMG soundtrack compilations.

Morty, currently lives in Valley Village, CA with his dog Primo, and continues his work as a singer, songwriter, producer and novelist. 

Loudini Interviews Christine Saadé

Christine Saadé is an international influential artist with a versatile sound. Her brilliant songwriting, producing and performance skills have the right fundamentals of a global musical sensation. Christine draws on her multi-talented background to create unique tracks. Her Phoenician and Canadian heritage blend with her modern musical edge to create a truly original sound. Christine references a myriad of international influences to create music, lyrics and choreography. 

Christine began singing and performing at a very early age. Inspired by the likes of Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Tupac and many more; Christine began writing her own music. In her early teens she started DJing so she could expose her original songs and positively impact her listeners. Christine later learned how to play the guitar and dumbek to incorporate into her compositions. Christine motivates listeners with her uplifting and thought-provoking music. She also attracts a wide range audience with her multi-genre singles such as “Reasonz” (folk), “Live2Live” (hip hop), and “See You” (pop). Already out with a brand new single, Saadé teamed up with billboard charting and renowned producer Jason Dauman (Snoop Dogg, Drake) to release “Get Together” (Ft. Twisted Dee). The track is a dance-pop anthem that encourages unity and productivity to make a change. 

“Wake up and stop wasting your life, make it happen and start doing it right. I wanna hear you say, you wanna make a change, let’s get together.” -- “Get Together,” Christine Saadé 

Christine makes movements through her music by influencing positive change and promoting global initiatives. She is also affiliated and works closely with a variety of organizations such as B2DS (Beats To Da Streets), Global Youth Day, CANFAR, WekFest , FITT (Forum For International Trade Training), YFMTN (Youth Film and Media Training Network), AFM/CFM, Cystic Fibrosis and Roots Canada. She's an excellent talent emerging from a new generation of artists, not only making hits, but a movement in the world.

Her fan base is growing daily and with fans in more than 25 countries, she does her best to communicate with each and every one of them in whatever language it may be. Whether it is English, Spanish, French, Arabic, or Italian; Saadé fluently sings and performs in these languages to engage and connect with her fans. In addition, she incorporates a variety of sounds and styles in her live performances to further captivate her audience. Christine has already performed in some of Canada’s premiere venues such as Yonge-Dundas Square (Toronto), The Opera House Harborfront Center (Ontario), Queens University (Ontario), The Horseshoe and multiple festivals such as the Global Village Festival, Global Youth Day to name a few.

Saadé remains unpredictable as she continues to set no boundaries with her music, performances and philanthropic efforts. Christine is constantly striving to unite her fan base and motivate listeners around the world. Saadé leaves fans questioning her next move, as she raises the question- Have You Seen Christine?