VICTORY DANCE IS A NEW YORK BASED ALTERNATIVE POP BAND - THEY LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN THE SWEET SMELL OF VICTORY.
At its core, Victory Dance is the “give no shits” attitude of 5 guys who just play great music. And though the band is newly formed (September 2015), there’s no shortage of history. The Dance started when 3/5ths of pop act Fancy Reagan (Republic Records/Universal Music Group) sought out Kenny Collette, known for his work in Franchise and Lady Radiator (Emerald Moon Records), and Are Jay Helton of The Day Of (Warner Curb/Word Ent.) to start a more alternative project that would drive down a lane they were really passionate about.
While in Fancy Reagan, Jason Krebs, Bobby Kay, and Chris Tsaganeas, enjoyed a variety of rapid successes. In less than a year from forming, they were featured in the Huffington Post, took first place over 3500 bands on VH1’s Make a Band Famous, signed a major label record deal, opened for such notable acts as The Roots and Bleachers, and had their music placed in a variety of outlets including NCAA March Madness tv commercials, the opening for The 2015 ESPY Awards Show, and in many Major League Baseball stadiums.
Before fronting Victory Dance, Kenny was an unstoppable force right out of the gate. At 17, he signed with independent label Infidel Records, and later with Emerald Moon and Hotfoot Records as the lead singer and front man of Lady Radiator. He toured the country on Warped Tour and Bamboozle, as well as on his own. Are Jay landed two European tours and a US tour as the guitarist for Stereo Radio.
The collaboration of these backgrounds is the pulse of Victory Dance. Taking their proven strengths as pop songwriters and fusing with a much more alternative edge has led to an infectious and unpredictable catalogue. The live show spans from undeniable pop ear-worms like the debut single, “Two of Us”, to guitar driven fight anthems like “Memphis”. Drawing comparisons to juggernauts Imagine Dragons and 30 Seconds to Mars, even up and comers Walk the Moon, Victory Dance unifies so many styles that they naturally stand on their own.
Lou and Katie discuss the classic album Purple Rain by Prince. They point out little know facts about the recording and talk about the influence it had on music and other artists.
Featured Loudini Artists: Jack Berry, Albany Down, Broken Witt Rebels
Blues Rock review gives the new album "Mean Machine" a 9/10
Nashville-based alt/blues rocker, Jack Berry, premieres his first single, “The Bull,” via Consequence of Sound from his forthcoming LP, Mean Machine, set for a Spring 2016 release. Berry’s gritty rock sound has garnered
acclaim from Blues Rock Review (Top 10 Artists to Watch in 2013, #2 album of 2013) and The Deli Magazine (Top Ten Nashville Artists to Watch, 2015).
Originally from Reno, Nevada, Berry created his first album for a school project while studying in Los Angeles. After performing along the West Coast in a duo, Berry decided that he was meant for a career in music and relocated to Nashville. After several months of sleeping on a couch and working to catch the attention of the local press, Berry’s “ample supply of good hooks and riffs” (Nashville Scene) eventually gained the praise of critics throughout Nashville and beyond, earning him spots at well-
known festivals, including North by Northeast in Toronto, New York City’s CMJ Music Marathon and SXSW’s Red Gorilla Festival.
Since then, Berry has logged dozens of shows from Nashville to New York City. He most recently appeared at No Country For New Nashville’s December showcase in 2015 and earned the runner-up spot in Hard Rock Rising’s Battle of the Bands. Mean Machine is poised to serve as Jack Berry’s breakthrough record.
Contemporary UK blues-rock band, Albany Down, came together with some classic rock and Brit blues-rock influences, but with their 2011 debut album, ‘South of the City’, they found their own sound.
Albany Down are Paul Muir on vocals, guitarist Paul Turley, drummer Donna Peters and bassist Billy Dedman and they have recorded a brace of albums with producer Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, INME, Super Furry Animals).
"These guys are really going somewhere; make sure they take you with them!" - Paul Jones, BBC Radio 2
Blues Rock Review offered a fair assessment of both the band and their debut album: “South of the City” is a solid debut album from Albany Down and they will be an interesting band to watch develop in the coming years”.
They now step up to the plate with12 original well-crafted songs on their formidable new album “Not Over Yet”. Traditionally a band’s second album is regarded as being problematical but Albany Down have turned that notion on its head, taking all that was good on “South of the City”, honing their song writing craft and revelling in Greg Haver’s powerful production.
The band’s big Zeppelin-influenced sound draws from the same British blues-rock well, that gave Zeppelin a head start all those years ago and later was rediscovered by Joe Bonamassa. But it’s the resonant substance of the band’s own songs and their exuberant style that gives the new album its edge.
“We all came to the band with different but related musical influences” says vocalist Paul Muir. “We wanted to build on those and write and play music that was all our own and really ‘now’. We enjoyed working with Greg on the first album and he has undoubtedly enabled us to expand both our musical horizons and our self confidence in trying new things.”
The debut album, “South Of The City”, clearly showcased what the band were capable of - ranging from the superbly arranged ‘Mercy’ to the low-down dirty, slide-led blues epic of the title track.
“Not Over Yet” finds Albany Down playing to their strengths as they explore the full scope of their musical dynamics to match their fast rising song craft. And where vocalist Paul Muir could previously have been compared to the likes of Paul Rodgers, he stamps his own personality on this album, while guitarist Paul Turley adds his own passionate performance as part of a sparkling mix.
It’s one thing to focus on your style and develop your sound, but quite another to deliver songs that can set you apart from your contemporaries. “Not Over Yet” does the trick, from the soaring Eastern vibe of the intro and the Black Country Communion feel of ‘Back Again’, to the funky bluster and potent hook of “Take This Town”. Their jewel in the crown is the mandolin-led “Man Like Me”. That’s not to overlook the climactic blues-rock ballad "You Ain't Coming Home" and the reprise of the album’s opening Eastern theme on the big production “She’s The Light”.
“Not Over Yet” also reflects the band’s old school, daily existence as a hard working road tested outfit, who have enjoyed well received appearances at the Burnley and Maryport International Rock/Blues Festivals as well as the legendary 100 Club.
Albany Down are a band that runs on pure adrenalin, unrelenting energy and raw emotion. “Not Over Yet” is a landmark album full of their strongest songs, lingering melodies and great playing. They save their best for last on the epic “The Working Man”, a song for our times. The band’s stellar performance showcases vocalist Muir’s full range, and features a defining guitar solo from Paul Turley. You can pay this track no better compliment than to say it sits effortlessly with any major song from the classic rock era, and would surely light up contemporary rock radio.
Rock blogger Neil Mach probably got it right, when he recently described the band; "As hot as volcanic ash and yet as cool as snow slippers."
“Not Over Yet” is an aptly titled album and an accurate barometer of a band on the up-escalator and will soon be tearing up a venue near you.
Members: Danny Core - Vocals & Rhythm guitar; Luke Davis - Vocals & Bass; James Tranter - Vocals & Lead Guitar; James Dudley - Drums & Percussion
Genre: Indie/Alternative/Blues/Rock
Hometown: Birmingham
This Day in Music
Birthday Shout Outs:
1910, Born on this day, T- Bone Walker, US blues guitarist, influenced Albert Collins, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Freddy King. Died on 16th March 1975.
1917, Born on this day, Papa John Creech, violinist with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. He died in 1994 aged 76.
1943, Born on this day, Tony Mansfield, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, (1964 UK No.1 & US N0.7 single 'Little Children').
1944, Born on this day, Billy Vera, US singer, (1987 US No.1 single with The Beaters, 'At This Moment' featured in the US TV show, 'Family Ties').
1944, Born on this day, Gladys Knight, singer, The Pips, (1973 US No.1 single 'Midnight Train To Georgia', 1975 UK No.4 single 'The Way We Were' plus 20 other UK Top 40 singles).
1945, Born on this day, John Fogerty, guitar, vocals, Creedence Clearwater Revival(1969 UK No.1 and US No.2 single 'Bad Moon Rising', plus ten other US Top 30 hits, 1970 US & UK No.1 album 'Cosmo's Factory'). Solo and The Blue Ridge Rangers.
1948, Born on this day, Ray Laidlan, Lindisfarne, (1972 UK No.3 single 'Lady Eleanor').
1949, Born on this day, Wendy O. Williams singer with The Plasmatics, a New York punk band who had the 1980 UK No. 55 single ‘Butcher Baby’. She died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds on April 6th 1998.
1955, Born on this day, John McGeoch, guitar, member of Magazine, (1978 UK No.41 single 'Shot By Both Sides'). Also worked with Siouxsie And The Banshees, Armoury Show, Public Image Ltd. Died in his sleep 5th March 2004 aged 49.
1959, Born on this day, Steve Harrington (Steve Strange), vocals, Visage, 1980 UK No.8 single, 'Fade To Grey'. He died on 12th Feb 2015 after suffering a heart attack in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
1962, Born on this day, Roland Gift, singer, Fine Young Cannibals, (1989 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'She Drives Me Crazy').
Martin Barre has been the guitarist of Jethro Tull for 43 years, his sound and playing having been a major factor in their success. Album sales have exceeded 60 million units and they continue to be played worldwide, representing an important part of classic rock history.
Martin’s guitar playing has earned him a high level of respect and recognition; he was voted 25th best solo ever in the USA and 20th best solo ever in the UK for his playing on 'Aqualung'. His playing on the album ‘Crest of a Knave’ earned him a Grammy award in 1988.
As well as numerous Jethro Tull albums, Martin has worked with many other artists including Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Gary Moore, Jo Bonamassa and Chris Thompson and has shared a stage with such legends as Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
As Jethro Tull are taking a long break from touring, Martin has put together a band to play the "classic" music from the Tull catalogue. His band is a total commitment to give the Tull fans and a broader audience the chance to hear tracks not performed for many years. The band includes top musicians from a similar background.
Rolla Olak's Heavy Feather has already become a top contender for my 2016 Year End list. That's right, we're a month into January, and I am so in love with this record, that other msicians, you have a lot to live up to. Heavy Feather is filled with gorgeous instrumentation and steamy vocals; Rolla's signature sound. His knack for combinining elements of indie and folk create an honest album, that is brought to life by his new singles, "2AM" and "Ghost Riders." Hailing from Canada, Rolla calls upon a few friends, including New Pornographer's Kathryn Calder, which easily makes Heavy Feather a musical masterpiece that will stand the test of time. I had the honor of interviewing Rolla Olak regarding the new album, and spoke about his creative process.
What comes first when writing, the music or the lyrics?
The music, then something that sounds kinda like lyrics, then the lyrics.
Heavy Feather is a record I gravitated towards immediately upon hearing "2AM" and "Ghost Riders." What is the theme and concept behind the record?
We approached the songs by breaking them down to their most basic form, with me in a room singing and playing live while Aaron and Colin dialled in a vintage drum machine, then we slowly built up the tracks again. I think that process helped conceptualize some of the themes on this record. It feels pretty vulnerable at times cause it's mostly live.
Do you have plans to tour the U.S. anytime this year?
Would love to. That's always been a dream of mine. I'm just waiting for the right circumstances to come around.
Your voice is perhaps one of the best, most heartfelt I have heard in a longtime. Have you ever had any professional vocal training?
When I was younger I took some lessons with a professional vocalist in Victoria, BC. It helped me understand how to use your body like an instrument, and to breath properly. It's good to learn that stuff so you can battle fatigue in the studio or on tour. I've still never really been sold on my own voice but I love singing with other people.
What kind of guitars do you use on the new record?
For the acoustic I used a custom Larrivée that my friend built when they still had the factory here in Vancouver. It had really old strings on it which gave it those bassy tones- we didn't even need to add bass guitar on a few songs- and I could dig in without it being too loud. I used an old Japanese 12 string acoustic for some slide guitar. Then for the electric I used my trusty Tele. Everything was recorded so well by Colin Stewart.
How did you team up with Kathryn Calder who makes an appearance on the record?
Kathryn and Colin live together, so when she came home from tour we were all just hanging out at the studio and building up the songs. She'd be listening to a song while drawing a cartoon related to the tune, then she'd go in and play the perfect piano line or vocal harmony. She added a very cool touch to the record and we used the drawings she made on the inner sleeve.
Often referred to as a mix of "Shoegaze, Blues, Americana and Country," how do you combine those elements to craft your own, unique sound?
I've definitely listened to a lot of that music. Always loved the classic singer-songwriters as well as the Shoegaze tones. I think my songwriting can be pretty straight up at times, so it's interesting to try and play things a bit differently in the studio, or incorporate an instrument that you wouldn't normally go to. Letting go of what you thought something should be is important. Especially when you're recording your time. It sounds good to be open to change.
How did you decide on Aaron Older to produce Heavy Feather?
I met Aaron a few years ago during a session in Los Angeles where I was playing guitar for a friends album. We hit it off musically and became quick friends. He's one of those people that you play a song with and it just clicks. Great bass player. Great listener. I had to figure out a way to invite him up here to jam on something cause I knew he'd help me take these songs to outer space.
Where do you see Rolla Olak, as a musician, 10 years from now?
Michael Mazochi is an eclectic artist who is constantly striving to try new sounds while blending old sounds in new ways. He frequently uses vintage instruments to create vibrant, exciting, and sometimes harrowing music. In the studio, Mazochi often works alone, playing nearly everything on record down to mixing the songs. His songs and albums range from folk, to country, to indie rock, to pop, to rock n' roll.
His solo work tends towards the more intimate confessions of a singer-songwriter, while his band "The Von Furs" is a revitalization of straight ahead classic rock n' roll. Mazochi's music is a breath of fresh air in a digital world
Sounds Like: Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Kinks, Neil Young, Wilco
Label: None
Manager: David Greenblatt
https://www.reverbnation.com/michaelmazochi
A multi-instrumentalist, Tom plays rhythm guitar, keyboards, sax, and flute. It was the music of Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago that truly fired his interest in the sound of horns. Equally influenced by progressive rock bands, it was the groundbreaking work of big band trumpet player, Maynard Ferguson, that changed his life. “When I started playing sax I tried to sound like him, learning to nail the high notes,” reveals Gimbel. “This was good training to play the solo on “Urgent” years later!”
After graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Tom began touring with Aerosmith playing keyboards and saxophone. With them, he did two world tours, numerous TV and film appearances including Woodstock 2, Wayne’s World 2, Saturday Night Live and MTV unplugged.
“Foreigner just seems to keep getting better. These songs still resonate beautifully. Mick is really wailin’ and Kelly is a phenomenal singer. Mark and Jeff Pilson are like a freight train. The sound is tough.”
In his own words:
As a little, tiny kid I liked Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, the Supremes/Temptations and of course, The Smothers Brothers! Then later, I heard Elvis, Motown, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Broadway Musicals and "two older sisters who incessantly played classical piano music!" But I always loved The Who. Pete Townsend's playing/writing/singing is why I wanted to someday be a rhythm guitarist/writer/singer.
In the early 70s I went through a Jethro Tull phase, which got me started on the flute which then led to the sax and... jazz, baby! Graduated Berklee College Of Music in 1982, and started working with Jon Butcher Axis, with whom I recorded 3 albums for Capitol Records. Then in 89 I was hired by Aerosmith to play keyboards, sing and play sax. With them I did two world tours and several SNLs, Wayne's World Two etc...(see old bio) I first met MIck and Lou in '92.... We had so many great years of touring throughout the 1990s and up until 2002. I cherish those memories.
When the band took a break between '02 and '05, I got extremely into golf and I am now a certified golf instructor. Thanks to Mick and Foreigner, I played in a bunch of celebrity tournaments during that time, and still have a healthy love/passion for the game.
After Mick reformed the band in '05, a new phase of Foreigner began, which has just been magnificent to be a part of. It feels like the band is truly kicking into overdrive now and the recent shows in the UK, Europe and the USA have been the best I can ever remember. The really cool news is, it feels like we are just getting started!
An active musician in New York City’s African, Brazilian, Cuban and Women’s music scenes, Dawn Drake started her career as an electric bass player and percussionist. Now she is known also as a singer-songwriter, composer and bandleader for her band Dawn Drake & ZapOte. She is also a very active teaching artist for several NYC arts organizations including the Brooklyn Arts Council
Dawn began traveling and studying world music through the UC Berkeley Study Abroad Program in Ghana, West Africa where she lived for a year . Upon moving to New York City, she started to play bass and percussion with artists and bands which have included Geoff Mann, The Femm Nameless, Paprika, Samba New York, Beat the Donkey, Obini Ashe, Jojo Kuo, Manmzel(an all-female Haitian Kompa band), Azouhouni Adou, Nepo Soteri and others. During this time she also acquired an MA in Ethnomusicology at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. Dawn studied and played Afro-Cuban percussion including the sacred Batá drums in New York and Cuba, as well as samba percussion in Brazil, where she played in Rio de Janiero’s Carnaval. She is one of very few female Batá players in the US and has played with many well known Batá players in the Cuban community.
She has also shared the stage with Me’shell N’degeocello, Cyro Baptista, Trey Anastasio, Mo’Guajiro, Jorge Alabê and members of Antibalas. She has appeared on The CBS Early Show, and Telemundo TV, PBS, WBAI, and played stages such as Symphony Space, SOB’s, The Zinc Bar, Rockefeller Center’s Rainbow Room, Radio City Music Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Music CAFE, The Walker Art Center, Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Of late, she accompanies several West African artists on Bass. She also continues to accompany Afro-Cuban folkloric dancers on Congas and Batá.
Dawn Drake and her band ZapOte have performed live on Channel 56 in Manhattan (www.mnn.org) as well as CUNY Graduate School of Journalism’s live radio show entitled “Audiofiles”; WBAI in NYC, KPFA Pacifica Radio in Berkeley, KUSP in Santa Cruz, and WTJU in Charlottesville. They have played in Holland, busked in France and Barcelona, and have played festivals and venues on the East and West Coast of the US. They were featured performers at BAMCafe Live in 2007, 2010 and 2015, the multi-city Bluemont Concert Series in Virginia 2008, the Wisteria Cornstalk Festival and Culturefest WV in 2009, the Downtown Berkeley Music Festival in 2009 and 2010, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Chili Pepper Festival in 2010, Iowa Women’s Music Festival 2011, Third Street Music Festival Concert Series 2012 & 2013, SisterSpace Weekend 2013, Danbury Concerts on the Green 2014, Mamapalooza 2015. Dawn’s 2 full-length albums are available on CD Baby, www.cdbaby.com/artist/dawndrake, as well as on itunes on www.itunes.com/dawndrake.
Dawn is a recipient of a scholarship from the California Institute of the Arts MFA Performer/Composer program where she has formed another band called Zarija Zmah Global Mixology
Brigitte was born and raised in Los Angeles. From an early age, her family cultivated her artistry by immersing her in the rich sounds of blues and gospel. Her father was a blues guitarist and would often showcase her talents at family gatherings. At the tender age of 5, she was hand picked by the choir director to perform her first solo. At the age of 13, her mother heard an announcement on the radio for auditions at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Brigitte competed against hundreds of young hopefuls for a chance to enter the Dorothy Chandler Conservatory. She was selected and subsequently trained by the best in the business.
Brigitte began performing at the Ahmanson Theater and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. She has been blessed to share the stage with talents such as Dionne Warwick, Marilyn McCoo, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and Tierra, among many others. She also enjoyed working with Hal Davis of Motown Records. Among her many vocal gigs, Brigitte was a background vocalist for Paul Rodgers on the Jimi Hendrix/Muddy Waters Tour. She was given the incredible opportunity to tour the globe with The U.S.A. Girls, entertaining the troops overseas for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Brigitte is forever grateful for the opportunities she has been given. She loves people and loves to give of her time and talents. Believing strongly in the power of mentoring, she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in the Humanities and enjoys giving back to her community.
Brigitte uses her sultry, powerful and emotive range to captivate an audience. She can go from a gentle purr to a sonic boom within seconds, while pouring her heart into every note. Her incredible versatility ranges from Classical to Blues, Funk, Rock, Jazz and Soul, each delivered with her unique and passionate style.
Multi-talented, multiple award-winning artist RESH has forged a career in the Malaysian and International music scene virtually single-handedly, going from humble beginnings as a sound engineer to becoming one of the most recognizable faces of the Malaysian English music industry in the past eight years.
RESH unleashed himself onto the entertainment scene in 2003 when he released his debut album entitled “Monumental” under the then moniker, Reshmonu. The album took critics and fans by storm with hit singles like Walk Away and It’s You That Matters. The album earned him a whopping seven nominations at the premier Malaysian music industry award show, Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) in 2004, of which he proudly bagged three awards (Best Male Vocals, Best English-language Artiste, Best Engineering for an Album).
He has since established himself as the premier English Language market entertainer in Malaysia, loved and admired by fans worldwide and respected by his peers, and is among an elite few Malaysian artists who have consistently performed as opening act for internationally acclaimed acts touring in Malaysia such as Alicia Keys, Prodigy, Pussycat Dolls, The Black Eyed Peas, Nicole Scherzinger, Girls Generation, and many more. Taking his passion for music one step further, RESH also took on the role of director his music video for ‘The Way It Makes You Move’, which went on to earn him a nomination in the 2008 AIM Awards under the ‘Best Music Video’ Award category.
Most recently, RESH was selected to be featured in the video campaign for THE GLOBAL GOALS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CAMPAIGN, a ground-breaking collaboration of campaigners, public figures, companies and civil society groups. The video also features celebrities and other influential people such as Bill Gates, Matt Damon, 5 Seconds of Summer and more.
Not only does he sing, write, produce, arrange and engineer his own music, RESH is a consummate perfectionist, overseeing virtually all stages in the process of creating an album which includes directing and editing his own music videos, art directing the artwork of his albums, working on his own unique image styling and plugging his music to local radio stations.
