The Greatest Drum Beats in Rock and Metal

This week, we give the drummers a little love. Lou, Keith and Lily lay out THE GREATEST drum beats in rock and metal. We'll be talking about your picks as well as those from rock and metal fans around the world. Controversy and fun are about to ensue!  Featured Loudini Artists:    Silk 9   After the Fall   Reign of Z

Silk 9

http://www.silk9.com/

Silk9 is a Pittsburgh PA based hard rock band that was founded in April of 2013 by Anthony 

Leone and Jamie Rohr.

The" vision" of Silk9 was to "embrace" the essence of the 90’s and add an original spin 

on today’s hard rock genre.

In May of 2014 the band released its first EP entitled “Exit the Pain.” Songs from the EP have 

been featured on 97.7 fm located in Butler PA, Adrenaline 101 internet radio, 105.9 fm the X, in 

Pittsburgh PA., 102.5 WDVE in Pittsburgh PA, The PAROCKSHOW.COM, The EAgle 107.5 and recently featured on Lou Lombardi's, Rock n' Roll Circus.

We strive to keep our standards high by working with some of the top local bands in the area and national acts such as Lynch Mob, 

Adelitas Way, The Art of Dying, Hillbilly Herald, Drowning Pool, Crobot,Skid Row and on most recently Jake E Lee's Red Dragon's Cartel

Awards

Silk9's first Ep was voted,2014 Iron City Rocks Alum of the year, with an additional 5 nominations

After the Fall

http://www.bridge9.com/afterthefall

After the Fall is a nearly literal moniker for the Albany, New York, punk band. Vocalist/guitarist and leading man Mike Moak, along with fellow guitarist Tyler, had a band called Downfall in the late '90s as fresh-faced teenagers. "We were super young and I didn't even have a license yet," Moak recalls. "But we opened a bunch of cool, really big shows in Albany: Hot Water Music, Rise Against, Thursday, typically shows like that. Being a freshman in high school it was an awesome experience."

This likely instilled some early confidence in Moak and his high school punk friends, even as Downfall began to splinter and half the band moved onto other projects. Moak and Tyler recruited friends made while playing in Downfall, and After the Fall thus emerged in 2000. 15 years later, their musical style may have changed some, but their mission statement is the same as it was back then: "just to have fun with your friends and make music," Moak says simply. Musically, "at first we were really into more technical guitars and metalcore-ish riffs. We focused a little bit more on that and would scream over that stuff. But we grew up on pop-punk and punk, so we slowly stopped doing as much metal and hardcore-influenced stuff and became more fast-paced and melodic." 

That developed style was just about in place by the time the band saved enough money in 2005 to make their first full-length, Everything, littered with cheeky Descendents song title references and recorded at the illustrious Blasting Room Studios in Fort Collins, Colorado. Everything was the beginning of a long journey that found a quartet (sometimes trio) of people juggling real-life responsibilities with a band who were getting offers from increasingly bigger record labels and, especially, often afforded cool, international touring opportunities. "We would just do four-to-six-day runs with our friends' bands and then go abroad as much as we could because it was more lucrative and fun for us to plan trips to Australia or Europe or Costa Rica," Moak says. "We would never have that opportunity without the band, and we had to kind of jump on it while the offers were there."

As the band took the advantage of seeing the world and putting out albums on European labels and noted American indies like Animal Style, Mightier Than Sword, and Paper + Plastick, they also carried a lyrical perspective that changed from one album to the next that began with a bed of profound inspirations. "When we did start, [founding bassist] Brian [J. Peters] was a huge Propagandhi/Bad Religion fan," Moak remembers. "Me and him went to see Howard Zinn speak in Albany. All our original songs were all political and we never wanted to have any other songs about girls or anything else," he says, laughing. "But the older we got, the harder it was to relate to everything the same."

Thus, the band's full-lengths all seem to carry their own interesting lyrical identity. 2010's Eradication had that sociopolitical bent, addressing plenty of varied but largely twisted parts of modern society and culture; 2013's Unkind offered a bitter "fuck you" to a number of different parties in Moak's life at the time; and their far more reflective Dedication, their newest album and Bridge Nine debut, is entirely an ode to Peters, who sadly passed away in 2013 after a battle with cancer. "Without him our band would not exist," Moak said at the time. "He truly was an amazing person and friend, and an inspiration to us all."

Dedication found the band back at the Blasting Room for the first time since Everything, but this time as a hyper-focused, tightly rehearsed band writing and playing their most melodic and concise yet compelling and memorable material to date. "That's what was the best thing about this record: We didn't rush, we were so well-prepared and practiced it front-to-back for months," Moak says about Dedication, beaming.

Now with Bridge Nine behind them and the band intent on getting out on longer and bigger U.S. tours than they've ever been on, Moak agrees that he feels there's a second wind carrying After the Fall--or maybe even a third or fourth one, given their growing and storied history. "Dedication and its recording, it brought us back to life," he says. "Our drummer was going through a divorce and had to move. I had to move to a new place as well, and a bunch of stuff in our personal lives was going on, and the band started to feel a little stale until we were in Colorado and the vibe completely changed as soon as we were there. And it's stayed really positive and awesome ever since."

Mike Moak - Vocals / Guitar • Ty - Guitar • Matty V - Bass / Vocals • Meepy - Drums

Reign of Z

https://www.instagram.com/reignofzofficial/

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Record Label

Unsigned

Affiliation

None

About

Reign of Z is high-octane metal from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Biography

Reign of Z is a culmination of years of experience and a drive to move forward. With all the members having extensive time put into their craft, they were able to craft a sonic identity that will ensure their place in music for years to come and make Reign of Z a household name.

Gender

Plural (mixed)

Current Location

Pittsburgh, PA

General Manager

Tim Barbour

Navy Seal, Phillip Broussard looses his faith in music and finds it again in the most unlikely of places

October 2, 2017 - SEATTLE, WA - Born and raised in Washington State, Phillip Broussard discovered his passion early in life, when his father brought home a guitar. His father's original intention was to play the guitar himself, but he soon found Phillip picking up the guitar, when he didn't think anyone was watching. Phillip grew up under the influence of his father's favorites, Pink Floyd, James Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. What started as just a few chords, ignited a desire to share his new found passion with the world.

Then, tragedy struck at 18 years old, when Phillip's father, grandfather and uncle passed away within 6 months of each other.

Phillip put down his guitar and enlisted in the United States Navy, in an attempt to quell his grief. Early on in his Naval career, someone handed Phillip a copy of John Mayer's cd, "Room for Squares". This album reignited Phillip's passion for the guitar. In 2007,  Phillip deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. During this time, he refined his guitar skills...

Now, MTS Management Group is pleased to announce Phillip Broussard has signed with them for publicity and promotions of his forthcoming debut EP, "Wavelength." The five-song acoustic blues-pop EP is scheduled for worldwide release on November 18th, Phillip's dad's birthday. The first single and lyric video will be "Just Wanna Believe."

"I am so excited about this artist," said Michael Stover of MTS. "Phillip's songs and melodies are so hauntingly beautiful.  The lyrics grab you from the start and don't let go until they've wrung every emotion from your soul.  I'm honored to be working with not only an incredible talent, but also a US veteran.  Welcome to the MTS Family, Phillip!"

Phillip Broussard is managed by Andrea Wong.

For more information on MTS Management Group, visit http://www.mtsmanagementgroup.com

Learning guitar out of necessity, Michael David Miller finds his place in the universe with soul touching melodies

Treading Paper is the solo project of Michael David Miller from Dayton, Ohio. Influenced by a mixture of punk and indie bands like Thrice, Manchester Orchestra, Bouncing Souls, Operation Ivy, and more. He just released his first Album on June 13th 2017 entitled Comfort Zones. 

Michael started playing music early on in his life starting with drums. In High school he decided to explore his love for Punk Rock by starting a band with good friend Alex Boeckman. They went on to start Conflict Theory and Michael switched to Guitar and Lead Vocalist and had Logan Mckenzie replace him on Drums. They went on to play shows and record music for about 2 ½ years. After the band broke up Michael started the early stages of what would become Treading Paper writing songs based off Life experiences. Now after having released his first album, he plans on building his fan base through social media and of course releasing more music. 

Michael is currently working on getting Treading Paper’s first album proper exposure and also plans on recording an EP album later this year

Reaching for the Uncommon Chord with Asha Pieper

ASHA PIEPER composes a singular fusion of adult contemporary pop; encompassing jazz harmony, smouldering vocals, and adventurous musical textures. The result is a cinematic aesthetic that entrances the listener with surprise twists in arrangement, and instrumentation. Asha draws inspiration from the past, be it Jazz, Motown, or oldies radio, and is equally inspired by the vivid depths of Classical, Musical Theatre and Film scores.

Matt Westin leaves a lucrative engineering career to pursue his Passion for Music

Matt Westin was born and raised in a blue collar family in a middle class suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. From a young age, he pursued various passions, including academics, sports, acting, and music. After years of searching, Matt found true fulfillment in the creative outlets of acting and singing, dedicating himself to his artistic pursuits, and walking away from a promising career in engineering. With the influences of many legendary artists, ranging from Johnny Cash to Garth Brooks, “all the way” to Frank Sinatra, Matt found his voice. The thrill of live performance fed his desires, as he honed his vocal ability in bars and clubs around Pittsburgh for over a decade. His obvious drive and talent quickly won over his family's initial disapproval of his walking away from an engineering career, and they became his biggest supporters. 

Tragically, after a bravely fought battle with Leukemia, Matt's father succumbed to complications of chemotherapy, in April 2016. As a true family man, Matt was utterly devastated and struggled day to day with the reality of his father's death. After months of depression, instead of self-destructing, Matt decided to honor his father's memory, by finally pursuing his music career, as his father had encouraged.

Deciding to make a country record in his father's honor, and being introduced by a mutual friend, to world-class musician/songwriter/producer Bryan Cole, the stage was set. Bryan took on the project as producer, believing in his talent and vision, and guiding Matt in making a first-class country record. Bryan recruited long-time friend and mix engineer, Doug Kasper to record and mix the record at nearby Tonic Recording Studios. With radio-ready songs, legendary musicians Mike Brignardello (Big & Rich, Blake Shelton, bass) and Steve Hinson (Dolly Parton, Luke Bryan, steel guitar), and an amazing up- and-coming musician, Adam Ernst, Matt dedicated an entire year to making the record he and his father would be proud of.

Hard Rock and Metal's Greatest Acoustic Moments!

Not all great hard rock and metal relies on blazing electric guitars. This week the Loudini Hard Rock & Metal Circus asks, "What are the Greatest Hard Rock and Metal Tracks that Feature Acoustic Guitars?" All this and Lou and Lily welcome back Keith "the hawk" Hawkins!  Featured Loudini Artists:   Butcher Babies   Soen   Hand of Dimes

Butcher Babies

http://www.butcherbabiesofficial.com/

For nearly a decade, Butcher Babies have been crushing stages worldwide with their vicious live performance and explosive energy. Their stage presence is a hypnotic spectacle that leaves audiences hungry for more. Frontwomen Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey, guitarist Henry Flury, bassist Jason Klein and drummer Chase Brickenden juxtapose brutal, aggressive riffs with beautiful melodies that wail with emotional redemption. 

Hailing from the City Of Angels, Butcher Babies aided in the jubilant revival of the Metal scene on the Sunset Strip. While gaining attention from several record labels the band signed a worldwide deal with Century Media Records in December 2012. Less than a year later, July 2013, they released their debut album GOLIATH, produced by Josh Wilbur (Gojira, Lamb of God, Hatebreed). Followed by their highly anticipated sophomore headbanger, TAKE IT LIKE A MAN, August 2015, produced by Logan Mader (FFDP, Gojira, Soulfly). 

The evolution continues as the band is set to release their third full studio album, October 27, 2017, LILITH, produced by Steve Evetts (Suicide Silence, Dillinger Escape Plan, The Cure). With three albums and two EPs under their belt, Butcher Babies have reached a new level of maturity solidifying a triumphant return after a brief creative hiatus to write and rebuild. LILITH opens with a kick right to the teeth with the aggressive Burn the Straw Man, then drips with sensuality on tracks like Headspin and The Huntsman, pairing riveting guitars with velvet vocal harmonies. This album runs the gamut between exploring the dark roots of lust and the high energy thrash hijinks that Butcher Babies have become known and loved for.

Butcher Babies have toured relentlessly among the likes of Megadeth, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, Danzig, In This Moment, Cradle of Filth, Black Label Society, etc; played music fests including Mayhem, Download (UK), Hellfest (France), Knotfest (US & Japan), Hell and Heaven(Mexico), Rock on The Range, Louder Than Life, Aftershock, Welcome to Rockville, etc. and appeared in the film Alleluia! : The Devils Carnival.

Current Location

LOS ANGELES

General Manager

Mike Monterulo - MikeMonterulo@tkoco.com

Influences

HEAVY FUCKIN METAL

Booking agent

US - Justin Hirschman for AGI

Justin.Hirschman@ArtistGrp.com

International- Dan DeVita for TKO

dandevita@tkoco.com

Soen

http://soenmusic.com/

When Swedish drummer Martin Lopez (ex-OPETH, AMON AMARTH) joined forces with metal bassist extraordinaire Steve DiGiorgio (SADUS, TESTAMENT, DEATH, ICED EARTH), vocalist Joel Ekelöf and guitarist Kim Platbarzdis in a brand new project called SOEN, it was obvious that this collaboration would not be just another name-dropping, substance-deprived “super project”.

Martin Lopez has described the band's music as "melodic, heavy, intricate and different." Even then, Lopez may be selling his band short. SOEN is, in a word, unique.

The foursome paint their musical canvas with broad strokes that on first listen may appear gray and sullen, but the true power of the music lies clandestine, just a little below the monochrome surface. More than just a sum of is rather esteemed parts, SOEN weave an intricate network of melodies and lull the listener submerged in a bliss of melancholy. Yes, at times Soen may resemble the Opeth of old, but it makes more of less, as it features none of the guttural vocals and full-on death metal wall of sound of Lopez' former group. But nothing more is needed when Ekelöf's somber voice, Platbarzdis's transcendent guitar work, Lopez's trademark drum beats and DiGiorgio's exquisite bass lines collaborate to build a pensive tide, just waiting to wash over you.

“Cognitive” sure isn't an instantaneously accessible album but with a bit of listener patience, it can prove to be one of the most rewarding pieces of “thinking man's metal” you will ever come across. In a world full of super-compressed albums waging the loudness war, “Cognitive” breathes with ease thanks to the masterful mixing work of David Bottrill (Tool, Smashing Pumpkins, Muse etc.). Like rain on a windowpane; translucent and free of form, “Cognitive” breathes like a living entity.

The colors are there, lingering within the grays. It's just up to you to find them.

Hand of Dimes

http://www.handofdimes.com/

HAND OF DIMES is the reunion of former SKIN singer and front man Neville MacDonald and keyboard player Neil Garland. Their friendship and song writing partnership goes back 30 years to the days when they were both part of the Welsh Rock Band KOOGA.

Their critically acclaimed Across The Water album was released in 1986 and was recently featured in Classic Rock Magazines list of 250 vinyl albums  you must own. Sell out gigs at the legendary Marquee Club secured them a place at the Reading Rock Festival in 1987 alongside Alice Cooper and Status Quo. Despite this initial rise, the band were unable to secure a major deal and after several line-up changes, the band split in 1989. 

Having written songs with guitarist Robbie Blunt (Robert Plant Band) following the split, Nev’s yearning was for more gutsy rock and roll, so the invitation to form SKIN with guitarist Myke Gray was a no-brainer…..Nev enjoyed success with SKIN in the mid 90’s following the release of their debut album. Produced in America by Keith Olsen the album reached No 9 in the charts and boasted two Top 20 singles which led to appearances on Top of the Pops.

Appearance at the ‘94 Monsters of Rock Festival,support gigs in the UK and around Europe with Bruce Dickinson, Whitesnake, and Thunder helped SKIN to become a band that people took notice of, their consistent live show performances becoming their trademark.After Download appearances with Skin in 2009/2010 which ended an eleven year break from the music business Nev was ready to rekindle his song writing partnership with Neil.

Still armed with a ‘full set of pipes’ and a selection of rough ideas he’d accumulated over the years, he approached Neil to see if they could revive the working relationship they enjoyed so many years earlier.Nev has gained the respect and admiration for his vocals from all areas within the music business and evidence of that comes in the many offers he has received over the years to front different musical projects.  He has been lucky enough to perform alongside:-

 Robert Plant (with the Honeydrippers)

Paul Rodgers and Brian May  at the(Gibson 50th Anniversary Concert)

Madeleine Bell (on Skin’s debut album)

He was recently asked to join guitarist Bernie Marsden at a gig in 2016 to play a set of Whitesnake songs, an honour by any standard.

Of course, Neil shares the 80’s acclaim of KOOGA with Nev. As co-writer of some of the best songs on the album, his song writing capabilities came to the fore just prior to its recording. His lyrical ideas began to make their mark with songs like ‘Lifeline’and the immense ‘Gabrielle’, and his ear for a good melody made the connection with Nev complete. 

They wrote instinctively and HAND OF DIMES has picked up where they left off. Their debut album “RAISE” is full of soulful melodic rock which packs a serious punch. With the powerful and emotional vocal drive which has become Nev’s unmistakable trademark the blend of electric and acoustic material has a wide range of influences. Strong melodic songs with lyrical weight are underpinned with a more Blues Rock style than either SKIN or KOOGA and are complimented by their solid rhythm section in Mark Maybry (Bass), David Stephenson (Drums) and the subtle tones of Lead guitarist Colin Edwards. 

“The new songs have come from the right place at a time of reconciliation, reflection, shared vision and trust in that song writing instinct”.

Supports with FM , Wishbone Ash, The Union and appearances at  The Steelhouse Festival, Hard Rock Hell Festival, and Planet Rock Winter’s End Festival have seen an  enthusiastic response from audiences all around the UK.

Two Appearances with Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden over a weekend at The Steelhouse Festival in 2017 playing both their own material and a selection Whitesnake songs has put them firmly on the classic rock map.

 Nev MacDonald  -     Lead Vocals & Guitar

Neil Garland            -  Keyboards & Harmonica

Colin Edwards         -  Lead Guitar

Mark Maybry           -  Bass

David Stephenson  -  Drums

The Most Outrageous Rock Fails of All Time!

 Let's Face It...Even The Best Bands Make Total Bone Head Moves! This week Lou and Lily discuss some of their Picks For Rock's Biggest Fails of all times? They also discuss your picks from our recent Facebook post. All of this plus some great hard and heavy rock to blow your doors off!  Featured Loudini Artists:    PRYM  Cloud Catcher   Firewind

PRYM

https://www.prymmusic.com/

elease Date

February 7, 2017

Genre

Rock

Hometown

Nashville

Record Label

Mathilda's Choice

About

Come play at the masquerade.

Cloud Catcher

https://cloud-catcher.bandcamp.com/

"With its gnarly odes to voodoo children and celestial empresses, Trails of Kozmic Dust finds Colorado’s Cloud Catcher settling further into their swampy, vintage sound. These eight slices of bluesy psych-rock capture heavy metal at its most classic. With a record store’s worth of riffs at his disposal, vocalist and guitarist Rory Rummings’ extended solos—equal parts cosmic grandeur and classic rock worship—are the record’s highlight. The whole album serves as a reminder that space might represent our projections of the future, but it’s been there long before any of us. “We’ll leave this world far behind/Believer in ancient times,” Rummings sings optimistically in closing track “Righteous Ruler.” And just like that, the great unknown feels a bit more familiar." - PITCHFORK 

"Trails of Kozmic Dust feels like the output of a band that’s survived decades (and multiple musical trends) together, yet it’s only Cloud Catcher’s second album since forming in 2013. They already get it. Clearly, the next step should be a co-headlining tour with Earthless to completely disintegrate what’s left of our brains." - INVISIBLE ORANGES

Current Location

Denver, CO

Booking agent

cloudcatcherco@gmail.com

Firewind

http://firewind.gr/

Time to wake the sleeping giant...

It’s been four years since Firewind released their critically acclaimed seventh album ‘Few Against Many’ but in that time the band and it’s various members have all been extremely busy. Main man Gus G. has released not one, but two solo albums, toured in support of both of them and hit the road once again with the ‘Prince of Darkness’, Ozzy Osbourne. His fellow Firewind band mates have also been far from idle too; but despite the prolonged break in activities Firewind was always going to return and 2016 will see the band back and blasting on all cylinders!

The band will return with live activities and a new singer. Henning Basse, a long time friend and collaborator of Gus’ is the man trusted to bring Firewind back to the masses. His rich, classic rock referencing vocals are the perfect foil for the wealth of material the band have been working on and he brings a reinvigorated power to the band.

Firewind return with a string of dates throughout 2016 as they prepare their brand new studio album.

Influences

Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Dream Theater, Gary Moore, Metallica and many more!

Press contact

Nasrin Vahdani (Europe / Rest of the World) | nasrin.vahdani@centurymedia.de

Booking agent

(Europe, Asia): LuckyBob Music Management: lucky@luckybob.de

(Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria inquiries only): Elias Aravidis elias_aravidis@yahoo.com

(North America) 

First Row Talent - John Finnberg | firstrowtalent@aol.com

Jefferson Angell Picks Up the Pieces after Tragedy and takes his Walking Papers on the Road

Jefferson Angell – Vocals, Guitar

Barrett Martin – Drums, Vibes, Percussion, Backing Vocals

Duff McKagan – Bass

Benjamin Anderson – Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Put up or shut up. It’s a mantra many rock bands of today tend to give great lip service to, but often fail to deliver the goods to back up their lofty claims. The hard-rocking Seattle quartet Walking Papers knows exactly how to forge the sounds that back up everything they want to be as a vibrant creative entity. “There’s no excuse to not be great anymore,” believes WP frontman, guitarist/vocalist Jefferson Angell. “Everyone now has access to everything related to music, right at their fingertips — every recorded sound, endless lessons for kids to learn every guitar lick, and the very foundation of music and where it all comes from. In a weird way, I think that raises the bar for what artists need to do with their own work.”

Indeed, Walking Papers have upped the sonic ante with the lucky 13 tracks put forth on their aptly dubbed second album WP2, which is set for release on January 19, 2018 from Loud & Proud Records. Once again deploying the in-sync production handiwork of mixmasters Jack Endino (Soundgarden, Nirvana, Mudhoney) and Martin Feveyear (Mark Lanegan, Kings of Leon, Queens of the Stone Age), and mastered by Chris Hanzsek, WP2 builds on the promising template of the band’s self-titled 2013 debut, which featured deeply impactful tracks like “The Whole World’s Watching” and “Capital T.” WP2 brings the band into their wholly ascendant second phase with aurally galvanizing statements like the fuzztastic footstomper “Death on the Lips,” the anthemic buildup of “Red & White,” and the delicate yet forceful declarative shuffle of “Don’t Owe Me Nothin’.”

Perhaps the Walking Papers band manifesto is best described via a few key lines from “My Luck Pushed Back,” the driven opening-track dirge that kicks off the whole WP2 ride: “The truth is somewhere in the middle/Yeah, that’s why I prefer the edge.” Angell very much agrees, noting, “I try to incorporate a sense of sarcasm and humility into my songs and the characters who reside in them to show how ridiculous people can be sometimes. But at the same time, in some of those songs, I can be who I want to be in society — a considerate, compassionate, empathetic human being. But not always!” he adds with a hearty laugh.

The true secret sauce of Walking Papers lies within the push-pull collaborative connection between Angell and drummer Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees, Mad Season, and 2017 Latin Grammy award winning producer). “Barrett and I sometimes come at things from different directions,” Angell admits. “There’s some creative tension, sure, but the music benefits from it. If you have an idea and you’re not willing to fight for it, then maybe it’s not that good of an idea in the first place. In our band, everybody has a lot of good ideas that we’re all willing to fight for. Sometimes it’s painful, but at the end of the day, we all feel really good about what we’ve accomplished together.”

Standing one’s ground while in the studio leads to ultimately better song results. “People aren’t shy in this band about letting the others know their opinions, that’s for sure — but that’s also why I think the music we all came up with here is that good,” Angell continues. “There’s a lot of collaboration on the album, but not a lot of compromise. If it’s art, it should reflect a vision that’s taken as far as it can be in order to satisfy that vision. For a song to have made it to the final album, it had to pass a pretty rigid test from the other three people in the band to get there.”

Of course, having a low-end impresario like Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver) handling the bass duties doesn’t hurt either. “He’s got so much going on with his other legendary successes that he certainly didn’t have to keep working with us,” Angell concedes. “But I think our grassroots approach inspired him, and reminded him why he got into playing rock ‘n’ roll in the first place. And that in turn inspired us to up our game and keep coming up with better and better material. It’s because of all those things that I think we created something here that’s really special. In a way, I feel like divine intervention stepped in, rather than it being just my personal creation.”

Angell also has a deep respect for keyboardist Benjamin Anderson. “Ben is like the George Harrison of the band,” he clarifies. “He won’t bring in 15 separate ideas, but the ones he does present to us really stand out. He’s an incredible, thoughtful musician.”

The vocalist/guitarist says he’s much more interested in harnessing the impact a fully realized album can have on listeners. “Music is a linear artform, but nowadays, there are those people who just want to come up with that quick fix — and that level of desperation is a repulsive cologne,” Angell observes. “They’re trying so hard to cram everything into those first 30 seconds to get people’s attention, but I think something gets lost at that point. It’s more repellant than it is an invitation. I definitely feel pressured by that sometimes, but I also feel music needs time to spread out and be what it wants to be. The music we’re making is for people who want to take the time to get into a record and give it the time it needs to percolate. We’re not about delivering high-fructose content to chase after those short-term radio hits that ultimately just disappear.”

Angell is willing to acknowledge that sometimes, when you’re in the business of making music, “good enough” is, well, not good enough. “As artists, you should be trying to create new things, and once you do that, you want to move on and try something else,” the songwriter notes. “If you’re merely re-creating something, then you’re just turning out a product. And that’s not what we do.”

Drummer Barrett Martin, a Latin Grammy-Award winning producer who recently won for Nando Reis’ album, Jardiim-Pomar in the Best Portuguese Language Rock Or Alternative Album adds, “This new Walking Papers album reflects the three years we spent on the road throughout Europe, North America, and Australia. It shows a band that has played a couple hundred shows together, and perhaps more importantly, it shows the evolution of our songwriting and arranging skills. Although we’re still rooted in the blues, soul, and classic rock, this album show a lot more musical diversity and exploration in how our songs are recorded and delivered to our audience.”

Forging their creative energy into something new is one of Walking Papers’ ultimate goals. “We’re all standing on the shoulders of giants in some ways,” Angell concludes, “but I feel the songs on WP2 live in their own world.” And just what does that world sound like? “That world sounds very much like Walking Papers. The songs define a sound of their own. If you’re not taking your music to a new place or bringing people directly to the source, then why bother?” Truer words, as the saying goes. With WP2, Walking Papers have inked an indelible sonic contract that guarantees your ears will gladly come back for more.

Songs that NEVER Mention the Title in The Song

This week Lou and Lily discuss songs that never mention the title. Some of us find this really annoying! Why do artists do this? We discuss your picks and thoughts as well.   Featured Loudini Artists:   Greta Van Fleet  Meka-Nism  Tax The Heat

Featured Loudini Artists:   

Greta Van Fleet

Firing twin barrels of arena-rock muscle and moving melodies, Greta Van Fleet is a modern rock & roll band rooted in the genre's strongest traditions: super-sized hooks, raw riffage and the sweeping vocals of a front man who was born to wail. 

The four-piece formed in Frakenmuth, Michigan, just outside of Detroit, where 20 year-old twin brothers Josh and Jake Kiszka began playing shows with their 17 year-old younger brother, Sam, and 17 year-old family friend Danny Wagner. Holding their practices in the Kiszka family garage and road-testing their songs onstage throughout Michigan, the four became a band of brothers whose songs mix classic chops with the thrill of teenage angst. 

From sing-along choruses to fiery guitar solos, Greta Van Fleet rounds up a highlight reel of rock & roll heroics. These guys aren't revivalists; they're looking ahead, breathing new life into a sound that's blasted out of car dashboards and living room stereos for decades.

Current Location

Frankenmuth

General Manager

ABI - Aaron Frank

gvf@abimgmt.com

Influences

Robert Johnson, Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Willie Dixon, Albert Collins

Press contact

HERFitz: 

Heidi Robinson Fitzgerald

herfitz@mac.com

Booking agent

WME

Marc Geiger, Ron Opaleski, Mike Rosenfeld, Alex Bramwell

ABramwell@wmeentertainment.com

Meka-Nism

Meka Nism is a metal band that is comprised of exquisitely talented musicians that seamlessly work in unison to create some of the most elaborate, unique and eclectic music on the planet. Members include, Meka (vocalist), Bobby Keller (lead guitar), Jarret Robinson (bass), Jay Adkisson (keys), and Christopher Lane (drums).

Meka Nism was formed back in 2006 and originated as Meka Nism and Her Rusty Tears. Meka was the former guitar player for Orlando punk legends Dirty Barby and Angel Autopsy, who enchanted audiences for years. Florida based Hidden Records quickly noticed her as being a unique talent and put her on their independent label. In 2006, “Mad to Love” was the first album recorded by Meka Nism and her Rusty Tears. The album was recognized as an exceptional artistic achievement of great beauty and passion. "Break," the second track from the album was the WINNER of the Songwriter's Showcase of America's (SSA) Best Experimental Song of the Year – 2006. Meka was also SSA's Solo Artist of the Month - January 2007. Explosive with enthusiasm, Meka made a scorching impact on the Central Florida music scene. She has a strong, loyal fan base, not only in Florida, but around the United States, in areas like Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and many more.

In 2010, with the return of Meka from touring in Japan with over 150 shows, the movement to solidify the group as “Meka Nism” began and in March of 2013, the debut EP “The Dance at the End of the World” was released as the band’s first collaborative collection of songs as a unit. The theme behind the EP was based off of a world that was destroyed, desolate and in dismay. It was meant to uplift spirits to a higher potential out of negative situations and to bring them to light. The idea of playing their music as the world came to an end was the ultimate triumph, which was based on 2012’s prediction of the world coming to an end. The band also released their first music video for the single “Bring the Sun Back” in October of 2013. Meka Nism’s debut EP “Dance at the End of the World” was proof that new sounds, new excitement and new frontiers have not only been explored but have been claimed as their own unique voice in the music industry.

After touring and playing numerous amounts of shows in Florida and in the South East, opening for Mastodon at the Kink Festival, and a headlining House of Blues show, Meka Nism began the journey to start “The Shift”. The EP was successfully funded by a Kickstarter campaign back in 2014. Brett Hestla, former bass player for Creed and vocals for Dark New Day, was chosen as the producer and recording began back in October of 2014. “The Shift” was released on May 1st with a massive CD Release show at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida. 

2015 was a big year for the band in that they toured for a month with platinum award winning band, Trapt, all across the mid-west and east coast. Earlier in the year, playing the Texas Showdown Festival in El Paso, Texas, opening for the likes of The Offspring, Limp Biscuit, Upon a Burning Body, and more. Followed by a tour across Texas with Otep. 

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In 2016, Meka Nism got the opportunity to tour with the Swedish power-house and one of metal's biggest up and coming bands, Avatar. The two bands wrecked havoc across the east coast and mid-west before ending in Minot, North Dakota. Upon returning home, Meka Nism was named Orlando's #1 Metal Band according to the Orlando Weekly and was chosen to headline the local stage at the 3rd Annual Kink Festival opening for Evanescence, Hellyeah, and InFlames. 

Nothing has seemed to slow down. 2017 has proven to be a big year for the band so far. They were given the slot to open the main stage at WJRR's Earthday Birthday 24 with the likes of Alter Bridge, Sevendust, Nonpoint, and more. The name of the new EP, "The War Inside", was unveiled and the plans of recording it in Germany with world renowned producer and engineer, Lasse Lammert, were announced as well.

Awards

2016 Orlando Weekly Best of (#1 Metal Band in Orlando)

2015 Orlando Weekly Best of (#2 Metal Band in Orlando)... See More

Current Location

Orlando, Florida

Press contact

mekanismrocks@gmail.com

Booking agent

mekanismrocks@gmail.com

Tax The Heat

CHANGE IS GOOD. CHANGE IS IMPORTANT. CHANGE IS THE ENEMY OF STAGNATION, A VITAL MEANS TO KEEP THINGS FRESH, INNOVATIVE AND EXCITING. FOR TAX THE HEAT, ‘CHANGE’ MEANS SOMETHING ELSE TOO. THE TITLE TRACK OF THE ACCLAIMED BRITISH BAND’S STUNNING NEW ALBUM, ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’, SEES THEM ADDRESSING THE TURBULENT STATE OF THE WORLD RIGHT NOW AND THE VERY REAL IMPACT IT IS HAVING ON PEOPLE. “IT’S LOOKING AT DIVISION IN SOCIETY AND PEOPLE USING IT AS AN EXCUSE TO DO WRONG AND SAY WRONG,” SAYS SINGER AND GUITARIST ALEX VEALE. “IT’S SAYING, ‘LOOK, CHANGE YOUR POSITION.' IT’S HOLDING UP A MIRROR TO THINGS.”FITTINGLY, ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’ – RECORDED ONCE AGAIN WITH MAVERICK PRODUCER EVANSSON – REPRESENTS A HUGE LEAP FORWARD FOR TAX THE HEAT, WHO ARE COMPLETED BY GUITARIST JP JACYSHYN, BASSIST ANTONIO ANGOTTI AND DRUMMER JACK TAYLOR.

THE BRISTOL BAND’S BRILLIANTLY RECEIVED DEBUT ALBUM, 2016’S ‘FED TO THE LIONS’, ESTABLISHED THEM AS ONE OF THE MOST ELECTRIFYING NEW BANDS IN THE COUNTRY. ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’ DOES MORE THAN JUST BUILD WHAT THEY ACHIEVED WITH THAT RECORD. IT PUSHES THE TAX THE HEAT SOUND TO THE NEXT LEVEL, ADDING A RAZOR-SHARP MODERN EDGE TO THEIR ROCK’N’ROLL APPROACH. 

“IN MY MIND, THIS IS WHAT A MODERN GUITAR BAND WOULD SOUND LIKE,” SAYS ALEX. “WE’RE INFLUENCED BY SO MANY DIFFERENT GENRES. IT’S NO SECRET THAT GUITAR MUSIC IS STRUGGLING GENERALLY. WE’RE ON A MISSION TO HELP KEEP IT ALIVE AND WELL.”

ON THAT FRONT, THEY’VE MORE THAN SUCCEEDED. STELLAR NEW SONGS SUCH AS ELECTRIFYING ALBUM OPENER ‘MONEY IN THE BANK’, ‘ALL THAT MEDICINE’, THE INSTANT CLASSIC TITLE TRACK AND EPIC CLOSER ‘THE SYMPHONY HAS BEGUN’ SHOWCASE A BAND BRIMMING WITH CONFIDENCE, HUMOUR AND A-LIST SONGWRITING SKILLS. THE BAND PUT THIS EVOLUTION DOWN TO THE INTENSIVE TOURING THAT FOLLOWED THE RELEASE OF ‘FED TO THE LIONS’. AS WELL AS FURTHER HONING THEIR MUSICAL INSTINCTS, THE ROAD-WORK ALSO BROUGHT THEM EVEN CLOSER AS A BAND.

“THAT ALWAYS WAS THE CASE,” ADDS ALEX, “BUT TIME AND TOURING HAS MADE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER EVEN STRONGER. ANYONE’S FIRST RECORD IS CREATED OVER TIME. WITH THIS ONE, THE FOUR OF US WENT INTO A ROOM WITH A VISION OF WHAT WE WANTED TO CREATE.” THE INFLUENCES THEY HAVE DRAWN ON – FROM GROUNDBREAKING MODERN ICONS QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE AND WHITE DENIM TO SUCH ETERNAL VISIONARIES AS DAVID BOWIE AND PRINCE – WERE UNIFORMLY CONTEMPORARY, THOUGH THE END RESULT IS UNIQUELY TAX THE HEAT.

THE NEW SONGS CAME SURPRISINGLY EASILY, AND THE BAND SENT A HANDFUL OF ROUGH DEMOS TO PRODUCER EVANSSON. ALEX ADMITS THAT HE FULLY EXPECTED THE PRODUCER TO BE HYPER-CRITICAL BUT THE OPPOSITE HAPPENED.“HE PHONED ME UP AND SAID, ‘THESE ARE BRILLIANT’,” SAYS ALEX. “AND AS SOON AS HE SAID THAT, WE FELT SO RELIEVED. THAT’S WHEN WE STARTED WRITING ALL KINDS OF STUFF, SENDING IDEAS BACK AND FORTH TO HIM. IT WAS THE SONG ‘ALL THAT MEDICINE’ THAT REALLY MADE US REALISE WE WERE ON TO SOMETHING SPECIAL. IT HAS A QUIRKY RIFF BUT STILL HAS A BIG CHORUS. IT FELT LIKE THINGS WERE MOVING FORWARD.”

THE BAND RECORDED THE NEW ALBUM AT THE CHAIRWORKS STUDIO IN CASTLEFORD, WEST YORKSHIRE, WITH EXTRA WORK DONE AT EVANSSON’S OWN STUDIO IN WILTSHIRE. THE BOND THAT WAS INITIALLY FORGED WITH THE PRODUCER ON ‘FED TO THE LIONS’ REMAINS SO STRONG THAT ALEX AND JACK CALL HIM “THE EXTRA MEMBER OF TAX THE HEAT.”“WE KNOW WE CAN RELY ON HIM, WE KNOW HE BRINGS SUCH GREAT ENERGY TO THE TABLE,” SAYS JACK. TAX THE HEAT HAD A CLEAR VISION OF WHAT THEY WANTED TO ACHIEVE WITH ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS THAT IT CAPTURED THE INCENDIARY ENERGY OF THEIR LIVE SHOWS. THEY INSISTED ON RECORDING IT WITH ALL FOUR MEMBERS STANDING IN ONE ROOM, PLAYING THEIR INSTRUMENTS TOGETHER, LOOKING EACH OTHER IN THE EYE. “WE PRIMARILY SEE OURSELVES AS A LIVE BAND,” SAYS JACK. “THAT’S WHAT WE WRITE THE MUSIC FOR – TO GET OUT AND PLAY ALL THESE SHOWS. THAT GIVES US A CLEAR IDEA OF HOW WE WANT OUR SONGS TO SOUND. AND THESE SONGS WERE DESIGNED TO BE PLAYED LIVE.”

THAT ENERGY, AND THE SENSE OF JOYOUS CAMARADERIE THAT FUELS IT, RUNS DEEP THROUGH ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’. IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS LINKS THE MUSCULAR, GUT-LEVEL PUNCH OF ‘MONEY IN THE BANK’, THE PEDAL-TO-THE-FLOOR RUSH OF ‘ON THE RUN’, THE GLAM ROCK-ESQUE STOMP OF ‘MY HEADSPACE’ AND THE UPLIFTING ‘CUT THE CHAINS’, WHICH POSSESS THE SORT OF ANTHEMIC CHORUS THAT WOULDN’T HAVE SOUNDED OUT OF PLACE DURING THE BRITPOP ERA. WHILE TAX THE HEAT HAVEN’T COMPLETELY JETTISONED THEIR OLD SOUND, ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’ HAS ITS EYES RESOLUTELY FIXED FORWARD.

ALEX AND JACK CITE THE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED DEATHS OF DAVID BOWIE AND PRINCE AS PARTIAL CATALYSTS FOR THE NEW ALBUM. BOTH HAD AN UNDOUBTED MUSICAL INFLUENCE ON TAX THE HEAT – ALEX SAYS THAT HE IMMERSED HIMSELF IN BOWIE’S ‘YOUNG AMERICANS’ AFTER HIS PASSING, WHILE THE BAND COVERED PRINCE’S ‘BAMBI’. BUT IT WAS THOSE LEGENDARY FIGURES’ SINGLE-MINDED ARTISTIC VISION THAT PROVED AN EVEN BIGGER INSPIRATION.

“IT’S UTTERLY INSPIRING WHEN YOU SEE HOW THEY BUILT THESE AMAZING CAREERS PURELY BY GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN,” SAYS ALEX. “IT DOES MAKE YOU THINK, ‘LET’S DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, NOT WHAT WE’RE EXPECTED TO DO.’ I TOOK THE APPROACH IN MY HEAD, WHAT WOULD WE DO IF WERE ONLY GOING TO MAKE ONE MORE ALBUM? IT’S KIND OF NOT REALLY GIVING A SHIT ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER MAKING IT AS GOOD AS IT POSSIBLY COULD BE.”

 WHILE TAX THE HEAT INSIST THEY’RE A NON-POLITICAL BAND, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE ANY ALBUM FROM WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WIDER WORLD. THE WORLD IS IN TURMOIL, POLITICALLY AND SOCIALLY, AND THAT TURBULENCE HAS INEVITABLY FOUND ITS WAY ONTO ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’, FROM THE TITLE DOWNWARDS. “THERE ARE A CRAZY AMOUNT OF THINGS GOING ON, AND IT’S DEFINITELY INSPIRED US IN A WEIRD WAY,” SAYS ALEX. “I WAS AT THE GYM, OF ALL PLACES, WHERE DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION WAS ON THE TV, AND LITERALLY THE FIRST TWO VERSES OF ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’ CAME INTO MY HEAD. I THOUGHT, ‘I’VE GOT TO WRITE THAT DOWN.’ STUFF LIKE THAT AND BREXIT AND THE DIVISIONS IN SOCIETY ARE HARD TO IGNORE.”

THE FLIPSIDE OF THAT IS ‘ON THE RUN’, AN OUTLAW ANTHEM THAT CRACKLES WITH A KIND OF ESCAPIST ROMANCE AND FEATURES SUCH LYRICS AS: “NOW THE FUZZ ARE ON OUR TRACKS, EATING RAZORBLADES FOR SNACKS.” ANOTHER SONG, ‘CUT YOUR CHAINS’, CAME FROM A MORE PERSONAL PLACE. IT WAS INSPIRED BY A FRIEND OF THE BAND WHO HAD OPTED TO LIVE A GENDER-NEUTRAL LIFESTYLE.“WE WENT TO THE PUB WITH THEM, AND THEY WERE TELLING US HOW THEY HAD BEEN FEELING ABOUT ALL OF THIS STUFF AND ALL THESE BATTLES IN THEIR HEAD,” SAYS ALEX. “I CAME HOME AND STARTED SCRIBBLING STUFF DOWN, AND IT TURNED INTO THIS COOL SONG. TO ANYBODY ELSE, ‘CUT YOUR CHAINS’ IS JUST ABOUT BEING FREE AND DOING YOUR OWN THING, BUT IT CAME FROM SOMEWHERE DEEPER.”

FOR TAX THE HEAT, EVERYTHING THEY DO – THE SONGS, THE CHORUSES, THE STYLE THAT GIVES THEM THE KIND OF STRIKING VISUAL DIMENSION EVERY GREAT BAND REQUIRES – COMES DOWN TO ONE THING: THE LIVE EXPERIENCE. “THE BEST PART ABOUT MUSIC IS SEEING BANDS PLAY LIVE,” SAYS JACK. “IT’S WHAT THE BEATLES AND THE STONES AND THOSE OTHER GREAT BANDS WERE DOING BACK IN THE 60S. IT’S WHAT THE HIVES AND THE BRONX AND OTHER ELECTRIFYING LIVE BANDS WHO INSPIRED US MORE RECENTLY WERE DOING. WE’RE CREATING MUSIC FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO AND EXPERIENCE THAT.”THESE AREN’T JUST HOLLOW WORDS AND EMPTY GESTURES. WITH ‘CHANGE YOUR POSITION’, TAX THE HEAT HAVE DELIVERED ONE OF THE GREATEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR. THE FUTURE IS SAFE IN THEIR HANDS

Chris Keup: Why Music Publishing Is Still VERY Important

Charlottesville, VA-based music publishing start-up, Salinger Songs, is pleased to announce an administration deal with Kobalt Music, one of the world’s largest publishing companies. Kobalt will collect royalties generated from Salinger’s catalog through its global infrastructure as well as provide creative support, helping to find placement opportunities for individual songs in film/television/advertising. Many Salinger artists will also be able to release their material through AWAL, Kobalt’s digital distribution service.

Salinger CEO, Chris Keup, on the deal: “In my opinion, Kobalt is not only the smartest publisher out there right now, providing the best technology and deepest data resources for its partners, but also has an amazing culture. CEO Willard Ahdritz emphasizes fairness to the artist above all else and that ethos is reflected throughout the company. At Salinger we hope to emulate their approach.”

Salinger Songs’s catalog focuses on emerging talent. Keup says, “I think of the company almost like a tech incubator. Career guidance coupled with the right resources made available at the right times can make all the difference for an emerging artist. We strive to be activist in our support for our writers/artists through sometimes unconventional methods to advocate for their careers.”

A recent example of this approach: For new artist, Rookie Season  Salinger Songs not only provided studio resources and funding for the production of a debut album but also helped the band release their clothing line (designed to stand alone from band merchandise while building a brand identity/overarching aesthetic) at a sold-out Nashville-based launch party in partnership with rising footwear company, Nisolo. Rookie Season’s debut single recently made it to #8 on the Spotify global viral chart.

It is a strategy that has resonated with Salinger’s writers who often actively recruit their peers and collaborators to join the company. Two recent additions to the Salinger roster include 21 year old, LA-based, Lena Fayre (more than 20 million Spotify plays, called “An Artist To Watch” by Rolling Stone) and acclaimed German EDM producer/re-mixer, Chris De Luca (Wu Tang Clan, Bjork), who brings a portfolio of major ad campaigns to the fold.

Keup’s rural studio, White Star Sound, serves as a home base for many of the roster’s projects and two albums recently produced at White Star are currently generating significant label attention:

 * Sleepwalkers are currently mixing the highly anticipated follow-up to Greenwood Shade, their debut album that made fans of Ryan Adams and Judd Apatow and landed the band tours with The Lumineers and J Roddy Ralston among others. 

 * Carl Anderson has wrapped production on his follow up to Risk of Loss. The new album will feature members of War On Drugs (Charlie Hall), Hiss Golden Messenger (Phil Cook), Ryan Adams’ band (Daniel Clarke), and Mavis Staples’ band (Rick Holstrom) among others. 

Visit http://www.salingersongs.com for more information

Industry (basically the same without explaining what Kobalt is):

Charlottesville, VA-based music publishing start-up, Salinger Songs, is pleased to announce an administration deal with Kobalt Music.

Salinger CEO, Chris Keup, on the deal: “In my opinion, Kobalt is not only the smartest publisher out there right now, providing the best technology and deepest data resources for its partners, but also has an amazing culture. CEO Willard Ahdritz emphasizes fairness to the artist above all else and that ethos is reflected throughout the company. At Salinger we hope to emulate their approach.”

Salinger Songs’s catalog focuses on emerging talent. Keup says, “I think of the company almost like a tech incubator. Career guidance coupled with the right resources made available at the right times can make all the difference for an emerging artist. We strive to be activist in our support for our writers/artists through sometimes unconventional methods to advocate for their careers.”

A recent example of this approach: For new artist, Rookie Season  Salinger Songs not only provided studio resources and funding for the production of a debut album but also helped the band release their clothing line (designed to stand alone from band merchandise while building a brand identity/overarching aesthetic) at a sold-out Nashville-based launch party in partnership with rising footwear company, Nisolo. Rookie Season’s debut single recently made it to #8 on the Spotify global viral chart.

It is a strategy that has resonated with Salinger’s writers who often actively recruit their peers and collaborators to join the company. Two recent additions to the Salinger roster include 21 year old, LA-based, Lena Fayre (more than 20 million Spotify plays, called “An Artist To Watch” by Rolling Stone) and acclaimed German EDM producer/re-mixer, Chris De Luca (Wu Tang Clan, Bjork), who brings a portfolio of major ad campaigns to the fold.

Keup’s rural studio, White Star Sound, serves as a home base for many of the roster’s projects and two albums recently produced at White Star are currently generating significant label attention:

 * Sleepwalkers are currently mixing the highly anticipated follow-up to Greenwood Shade, their debut album that made fans of Ryan Adams and Judd Apatow and landed the band tours with The Lumineers and J Roddy Ralston among others. 

 * Carl Anderson has wrapped production on his follow up to Risk of Loss. The new album will feature members of War On Drugs (Charlie Hall), Hiss Golden Messenger (Phil Cook), Ryan Adams’ band (Daniel Clarke), and Mavis Staples’ band (Rick Holstrom) among others. 

The Fountain of Youth Across The Decades with Jonathan Cavier

Phoenix-based singer-songwriter and pop performer Jonathan Cavier is no stranger to writing catchy tunes that blend wide-ranging influences into a multi-faceted yet cohesive sound.

Originally from Northern California, Cavier (“cav-AIR”) moved to Phoenix, AZ where he performed as Alan Clark in the atmospheric pop duo, EyeTalk. Over the course of 10 years and five albums, this venture saw their music reach international audiences in Italy, the UK, and Australia. After five albums and hundreds of shows played throughout the US, Alan Clark has reintroduced himself under the pseudonym Jonathan Cavier. With one solo album, Premier, already under his belt, Cavier further defines his sound on 2017’s 10-song release entitled Blue Room.

Cavier has created a sound of his own, as he merges his new pop and rock influences from his early influences from the 80’s. Premier saw Cavier’s music reaching the ears of audiences around the world, thanks to its catchy songwriting and unique style. Blue Room, Cavier’s 2017 full-length album, promises to be all of that and more as his songwriting style continues to mature into a balanced blend of pop styles from the 80s to today.  

Cavier is also no stranger to recording covers, having launched a monthly series of “Cavier Cover” song releases in late 2016. Each song in the series pays tribute to an artist, song, or moment that was key in Cavier’s artistic development. 

Ultimately, Cavier hopes to “transport listeners to colorful three-minute worlds,” through his careful composition, thoughtful lyrics, and stunning visual accompaniments. In addition to his musical endeavors, Cavier is a semi-professional tennis player and a member of the USTA and IFT. Cavier says practicing and playing in tournaments is “the fountain of youth.”

Shawn Phillips: from Teaching Joni Mitchell to Play Guitar to Singing With The Beatles

Shawn Phillips is one of most fascinating and enigmatic musicians to come out of the early '70s singer-songwriter boom. The mere fact that he was a musician as much as a singer and songwriter made him stand out, and helped him attract a dedicated following. His refusal to shape his music -- which crosses between folk-rock, jazz, progressive, pop, and classical -- to anyone else's expectations has allowed him to hold onto a large and dedicated cult following, without ever achieving the stardom that his talent seems to merit.......With 15 albums behind him since the mid-1960s, Phillips has a following, in America, Europe, and Japan, and he has performed at different world music festivals. A cult figure whose peers include Van Dyke Parks and, perhaps, Leonard Cohen (though Cohen's public profile is enhanced by his following, as an established poet and author, in the literary community), he remains an enigmatic figure on the music landscape. His work remained sufficiently in demand in the 1990s, however, to justify a best-of compilation from A&M in 1992 that included notes by Phillips and one new song. In 1998, eight of his LPs were re-released via the Wounded Bird label. 

American Darlings: The Beatles Mix Tape for the 21st Century

American Darlings have been providing whoozy, tremolo-soaked guitars and winsome hooks from Brooklyn since Fall 2010. The Big Takeover, Culture Collide, The Deli (artist of the month), Impose magazine have joined the buzz about the quartet's catchy fuzz pop. With the new Rubber Tracks EP out and another one out soon, four words describe these American Darlings-infectious, melodic, catchy and loud.

 #superdrag #burgerandwienerrecords #bigstar #thebeatles #jasonmaksymillian #americandarlings #loulombardimusic #loudinirockandrollcircus

Loudini's Rockin' New Year!

Today we take a look back at the best of 2017 and ahead to what's coming up in 2018. It's also Keith's last podcast in the studio. We give him a great send off as we looking forward to a new and exciting year! Also check highlights of our favorite Loudini Artists from 2017. All this PLUS Lily Sixx from Rock Rage Radio in the studio!  Featured Loudini Artists:   Voodoo Six   Mishti   Bullet   Dead Sara   Almanac   Diamante   Fist Fight In the Parking Lot  Bridge To Mars  Four Sticks  Motorgun  Free Rock Saints   Crobot  The Muggs

Voodoo Six

Voodoo Six return to the scene with the release of their fourth studio album, ‘Make Way For The King’, released via Cadiz Music on 8 September 2017. Exclusive special editions will be available via www.pledgemusic.com/voodoosix; anyone pre-ordering through PledgeMusic will receive, ahead of the album’s release, an exclusive Radio Edit of the album title track ‘Make Way For The King’.

‘Make Way For The King’ boasts twelve brand new tracks and was recorded in Los Angeles in 2017. The record was produced by Tom Fletcher [Suicidal Tendencies, Ozzy, Steve Lukather, Yes, Jeff Beck, Scorpions, Toto, Malmsteen]. ‘Make Way For The King’ will be the first album to feature new vocalist Nik Taylor-Stoakes. Voodoo Six specialise in a delivering driving, contemporary rock with an undercurrent of blues and cut through with killer riffs. Classic Rock approved of their, “groove, pace, power, insistent songs and some stunning musicianship.”

In support of ‘Make Way For The King’, Voodoo Six are also preparing to announce UK tour dates. The band are a renowned live force, having toured all over Europe, notably as special guests for Iron Maiden, and indeed for Steve Harris’ British Lion, but have also performed four times at the Download Festival and twice at Sonisphere.

TRACKLISTING

Electric / Make Way For The King / Let Me Walk / Falling Apart / Riot / Amen / Until The End / Release The Hounds / The Choking / Walk A Mile / Wasteland / Swept Aside

Founder member Tony Newton said of the new record and fresh start for the band, “It feels like this is the right time for us to return. We’re incredibly proud of the new material and can’t wait both for people to enjoy ‘Make Way For The King’ at home but also to join us for what are going to be some amazing live shows!”

The current Voodoo Six lineup consists of Nik Taylor-Stoakes (Lead Vocals), Matt Pearce (Guitar), Tony Newton (Bass) and Joe Lazarus (Drums).

The new album shows just why the band has gathered such a loyal following since forming in 2003. There may have been a few bumps in the road along the way but with ‘Make Way For The King’ Voodoo Six show that they are still in with a chance of seizing the crown.

For more information please contact Chris Hewlett PR on chris@chrishewlett.com

Current Location

London, England

General Manager

info@voodoosix.com

Influences

Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Audioslave, RATM, AC/DC

Press contact

chris@chrishewlett.com

Booking agent

ADL Management - anna@adlmanagement.com

Mishti

Bullet

Dead Sara

Music History is rich with rock bands fronted by Dynamic duos. Looking to carry on this yin and yang tradition are two talented young women, singer Emily Armstrong and Siouxsie Medley, who front Los Angeles’ Dead Sara – an electrifying four-piece rock band whose supercharged music is propelled by Medley’s exhilarating, monster guitar riffs and Armstrong’s powerful, wailing vocals.

The two musicians are a study in contrast onstage: Medley remains rooted in place – a solid, steady anchor for Armstrong’s almost unhinged performance style. A skilled vocal stylist who can handle blues, soul, and folk-rock with equal aplomb, Armstrong can unleash a guttural howl one minute and trill as pretty as a songbird the next. 

When asked by the Wall Street Journal in 2012 which female rock singers she admired, legendary Jefferson Airplane singer Grace Slick said Emily Armstrong, citing her “strong, urgent sound.” Dead Sara, which also includes bassist Chris Null and drummer Sean Friday, has continued to earn the respect of some of the biggest artists in rock and roll over the last two years. In an interview with Fuse in 2013, Dave Grohl simply stated, “Dead Sara should be the next biggest rock band in the world.”

The band has always generated major buzz around their shows, being known for their ferocious spectacle of high-octane live performances. Of one of their local shows at The Troubadour, L.A.’s indie-rock tastemaker website Picksysticks.com raved: “You almost forgot you were watching a rock show in the 450-capacity Troubadour and not in a venue like Staples Center that holds thousands when Dead Sara launched into their hit “Weatherman.” OC Weekly has praised the band for its “blazing, impassioned classic rock, punk/indie jams, catchy guitar melodies and songs about not backing down,” while Buzzbands.la noted that Dead Sara’s strain of primal rock is loud enough to awaken the ghosts in both the indie and metal underworlds, and maybe even get them to dance a bit. During their 2013 U.S. tour with Muse, Chicago Music Monthly stated that “Dead Sara is an example of everything that is right with rock and roll. Their live show is one that will NOT be forgotten for hundreds of Muse fans seeing them for the first time.”

Their new album, PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, was released in March 2015 on the band's own label, Pocket Kid Records.

Current Location

L.A.

General Manager

sm@deadsara.com

Influences

The grinding of teeth while sleeping.

Press contact

Alexandra Baker (High Rise PR)- alexandra@deadsara.com 

sm@deadsara.com

Booking agent

Ryan Harlacher at CAA: RHarlacher@caa.com (US/North America) Bex Wedlake: bex.wedlake@caa.com (Outside of US/North America)

Almanac

After 15 years and 10 CD’s as guitarist, producer and composer for the German Heavy Metal institution RAGE and with hits penned by him like “Down”, “Soundchaser”, “War of Worlds”, “Straight to Hell” (well-known from the German blockbuster movie “Manitou’s Shoe”), “Carved in Stone”, “Forever Dead”, “Empty Hollow” and “Cleansed by Fire”, Victor Smolski now continues his musical career with his new group ALMANAC. 

The guitar virtuoso’s composition “Suite Lingua Mortis”, released first on the successful 2006 RAGE record “Speak Of The Dead”, built the Classical foundation for the new, more versatile yet even playful LINGUA MORTIS ORCHESTRA sound and their LMO release in 2013, which scored a big success by outselling all most recent RAGE releases and charted in Germany at #24 on the official album charts. 

In comparison to RAGE, LMO offered fresh song material entirely composed by Smolski, a new musical concept combining Heavy Metal with Classical music, songs written especially for band & orchestra plus several male and female singers sharing the lead vocal job. 

This successful story now continues with ALMANAC who add a powerful touch of heaviness to LMO’s unique sound. The Belarus-born guitarist with this new group is joined by former LMO band members Jeannette Marchewka (vocals), the “Orquestra Barcelona Filharmonia” with Enric Garcia on keyboards and “White Russian Symphony Orchestra”. 

New members are Tim Rashid on bass and Athanasios "Zacky" Tsoukas on drums. 

The two singers David Readman (PINK CREAM 69) and Andy B. Franck (BRAINSTORM) complete the line-up. 

For all the members of ALMANAC the debut album is a new, exciting, and very interesting chapter that has now begun. Traditional power metal in conjunction with classical music, world music with a modern sound are making ALMANAC an absolute listening experience.

Fans with an interest in deeper subjects including history and culture will also be able to dive into a new world with their first album, which combines historic and modern parallels that will surprise many. 

From the warlike nomadic horsemen in the steppes of Russia, to the Tsardom, Ivan the Terrible, warlike Cossacks who dominate the Tatar, the siege of Constantinople and the Mongol invasion are stories about battles, wars, intrigue, conquest, terror, power and love that can be heard vocally using the different styles of the singer’s voices. 

ALMANAC has signed a record deal with the world’s leading Heavy Metal label Nuclear Blast.

ALMANAC's debut album »Tsar« is a new, exciting, and very interesting chapter that has now begun. Traditional power metal in conjunction with classical music, world music with a modern sound make ALMANAC for an absolute listening experience. ALMANAC's debut album »Tsar« ( release date March 18th 2016 through Nuclear Blast ) has entered the charts at the following positions: Germany #74, Swiss #87

Since the band was founded two years ago, ALMANAC played around 50 shows in 10 different countries, their first CD "Tsar" was also nominated at the Metal Hammer awards as best debut album 2016. Actually, the band members are working on a new CD production.

Press contact

markus.wosgien@nuclearblast.de

Booking agent

ITM Agency, Germany

fsuepfle@itm-agency.com

www.itm-agency.com

Diamante

http://www.thisisdiamante.com/

Genre

Rock

Hometown

Boston, MA

Record Label

Eleven Seven Music

Affiliation

ASCAP

About

[dee-ya-mon-tay] (n.) A 21 y/o blue-haired rock n' rolla  #CIH 

Gender

Female

Current Location

Hollywood, CA

Press contact

Karissa Vassallo - karissa@e7lg.com

Booking agent

TKO: Andrew Goodfriend

273 Columbus Ave.| Ste.6 | Tuckahoe, NY., 10707

phone: 914-346-8938 | fax: 310-943-1517

www.tkoco.com

andrewgoodfriend@tkoco.com

Fist Fight In the Parking Lot

http://www.fistfightintheparkinglot.com/

Record Label

https://www.facebook.com/blackseedrecords/

About

Formerly fast, now slow and cunty.

Awards

"Elitist Corporate Pigs," a love story.

Personal Information

Too Personal to List

Bridge To Mars

https://www.bridgetomarsband.com/

Genre

Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock.

Band Members

JJ MARSH - Guitars / Vocals

THOMAS BROMAN - Drums and cowbell

ROBERT HANSEN - Bass

Hometown

Stockholm, Sweden

Record Label

Pride and Joy

Birgitt Schwanke

Lüdinghauser Str. 23

59387 Ascheberg

Germany

t.: + 49 (0) 2593 - 929695

About

BRIDGE TO MARS. 

A 3-piece powerhouse from Stockholm, Sweden. 

www.bridgetomarsband.com

Biography

BRIDGE TO MARS is JJ, Robert and Thomas. They've previously recorded and toured with Glenn Hughes, Beardfish, Michael Schenker, The Electric Boys, Hughes Turner Project, John Norum to name a few.

Website: www.bridgetomarsband.com

Gender

Male

Four Sticks

https://www.facebook.com/fourstickszeptribute/

Hometown

Manchester, NH

About

NH's best Led Zeppelin Tribute band. Gardner Berry - Vocals & Keys / Tim Theriault - Guitars / Rob Gourlay - Bass & Mando / David Stefanelli - Drums & Perc

Biography

Gardner Berry: MAMA KICKS, WICKED BIG BAND, STONE CROSS, BONGO FURY 

Rob Gourlay: TANK: THE BAND, CROSSFIRE, RING, TIM T BAND 

David Stefanelli: MAMA KICKS, BELOVED FEW, SULLY ERNA SOLO PROJECT, 

ROYAL PAINS, RTZ, PETER WOLF, BONGO FURY.

Tim Theriault: HEAVENS TO MURGATROID, CROSSFIRE, TIM THERIAULT BAND, SULLY ERNA SOLO PROJECT,

Influences

Led Zeppelin?

Press contact

603-715-8925

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. 

Free Rock Saints

https://www.facebook.com/freerocksaints/

Genre

Hard Rockin' Blues Funk

Band Members

Areti Valavanopoulou

Stavros Papadopoulos

Dinos Maltezos

Chris Lagios

Hometown

Καβάλα

Record Label

GROOVEYARD RECORDS NY-USA

About

Established in the summer of 2016.

Retro Ηard Rockin' Blues Funk.

Crobot

https://crobotband.com/

Crobot is:

Brandon Yeagley - Vocals, Harmonica

Chris Bishop - Guitar, Vocals

James Lascu- Bass

Dan Ryan- Drums 

Dirty. Groove. Rock.

Current Location

Pottsville, PA

General Manager

crobotmanagement@gmail.com

Booking agent

TKO Agency - Melanie Milioto - melaniemilioto@tkoco.com

The Muggs

http://www.themuggs.com/news/

Genre

Blues Rock

Band Members

Danny Methric/Todd Glass/Tony DeNardo

Hometown

Detroit

Record Label

Bellyache Records(vinyl releases only) http://store.bellyachecandyshoppe.com/recordshoppe.html

About

The Muggs are a three piece blues rock band ala Rory Gallagher, ZZ Top, James Gang, etc.

Biography

See www.themuggs.com/bio

TO SIGN UP TO THE MUGGS EMAIL LIST, email: tonymuggs@gmail.com Subject: Sign me up! Please include city, state and country as we have fans from around the world and subdivide accordingly.

Personal Information

THE MUGGS

(www.themuggs.com)

... See More

Current Location

Detroit

General Manager

Looking

Influences

The Muggs