Who Did It Better... Van Halen or the Kinks?

"Covers" or "remakes" have always been a great way for a band to gain access to an audience that may have overlooked them. Sometimes a bands effort to reach a new audience yields some remarkable results with new versions of old tunes that are better than the original. That's the topic for this week's Loudini Hard Rock & Metal Circus! Featured Loudini Artists: The Muggs  Martin J Andersen   a.k.a Martin Jepsen Andersen  Motorgun

The Muggs
The Muggs formed in February of 2000. Guitar player Danny Methric and Bass player Tony DeNardo were playing in two bands at that time: The Detroit Underground Blues Band and Fat Belly Brown. Danny was hanging out at The Music Menu in downtown Detroit when he ran into Matt Rost, a local drummer that had actually been in Fat Belly Brown for about two weeks before leaving, as he decided his band workload at the time was too heavy. They got to talking and Danny found out that Matt had just quit his main project, The Immortal Winos of Soul. Danny mentioned that he was looking to do something different than Fat Belly Brown, something more "bluesy", and Matt said he'd be interested. Photo by Jason Seaman

It didn't take long for the band to start gelling as all three players had been musicians for at least seven years. DeNardo and Methric have always played together in every band they were in and Rost was a consummate drummer in his own right. In October 2000, the Muggs recorded their first EP demo so that they had something to play bar owners to get gigs. "They were good enough for the money that we spent, but keep in mind, those songs are only demos," says Tony. In March 2001, the Muggs were invited to play the Hamtramck Blowout, a music festival that involves hundreds of Detroit bands at about twenty different bars in the city of Hamtramck, a city contained entirely within Detroit. This show, played at Paychecks to a packed house, seemed to solidify the group as an established act in Detroit. From March to September 2001, the Muggs continued playing more and more shows, gaining a solid fan base in the process. In August of 2001, they were asked to play the very last show ever in the famed Gold Dollar before it went out of business. Neil Yee, the owner of the Gold Dollar, asked the Muggs to play to "sell me out of my remaining imports." The Muggs accepted and played by themselves to about sixty guests. On September 2nd, 2001 the Muggs played a high energy show to a packed tent outdoors at the Cadieux Café's "Mussel Beach Music Festival." They did not know that this would be their last show for quite some time.

Motorgun
By Joe Romagnola (Grooveyard Records)

Outstanding debut studio disc by this mega-awesome heavy guitar power trio from Brazil featuring 10 tracks (57 mins.) of brain-damaging, killer, powerful, dynamic, blues-based, hard/heavy rock riffage that lands monumental. The "Self-Titled" disc by Motorgun kicks serious ass, landing supreme & authentic with Classic, timeless, heavy rock excellence.

Motorgun are an amazing heavy rock riff:machine who give the term "Power Trio" new meaning. Combining strong songs, awesome vocals and killer riffage with impressive musicianship, Motorgun have landed with strength & power on their excellent debut disc and have given us hope & faith that real heavy rock is still alive. Fronted by the insanely talented Bebeto Daroz on guitar & vocals, "The Man" is a true bad-ass riff:master of world-class magnitude who also nails down killer, serious legit lead guitar solos that speak the six string language of the guitar hero greats. Our #1 good, heavy, riff-rockin', ass kickin', guitar slingin' Motorgun Brother Bebeto Daroz also handles the vocals and delivers excellent, stand-out, vox with power and melody. Motorgun also features Edinho on low end bottom kool bass and Leo Mello on thunderous drums. Both Edhino and Leo Mello are killer musicians in their own right who both combine their excellent musical talents to nail down the kick-ass, powerful Motorgun sound. For Those About to Rock with Motorgun, We Salute You.

The Motorgun: "Self-Titled" disc is an essential, impressive heavy rock slab of monstrous proportions that is Highly recommended to fans of Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, Soundgarden and all other Classic hard/heavy guitar rock bands from the 70s to current times. An Epic, modern day heavy rocker that stands tall, shines brightly and sets new standards for bad-ass power trio greatness.

Martin J. Andersen
Blindstone discography:
- Manifesto (2003) (Karma Music KMCD 2003 / Grooveyard Records GYR044)
- Freedoms's Calling (2008) (Grooveyard Records GYR043)
- Rise Above (2010) (Grooveyard Records GYR061)
- Greetings From the Karma Factory (2012) (Grooveyard Records GYR091)
- Rare Tracks (2012) (Grooveyard Records GYR092)
- Live in Denmark (2015) (Grooveyard Records GYR133)
- The Seventh Cycle of Eternity (2016) (Grooveyard Records GYR151)

Solo album: (as 'Martin J. Andersen')
- Sex String Renegade (2015) (Grooveyard Rcords GYR132)