The multi-faceted musical mastery of Ed Roman sparkles like a prism of possibilities, which play out like a synthesis between a children's book, a musical, an expose and a spirit quest - full of wonder, delight, mystery, provocation and sheer excitement wrapped in layers of funky, soul shaking grooves! The sheer expanse of the musical gamut that Ed draws upon is astonishing and he does so with perspicacity, unbridled passion and cunning virtuosity.
Upon blooming into the music world in the early '80's, Ed tasted from every creative tray before him; from studio musician, live performer and engineer to songwriter and teacher. He has been a part of several bands including Brotherhood, Family Tree, Soup, Big Beat Collective and Special Ed and the Musically Challenged but has always continued to create individually when not collaborating.
Right out of the gate, with his freshman release in 2000, "Special Ed and The Musically Challenged", Ed defined his paradigm with inventive, infectious tunes that shook one's marrow and stirred the spirit! This guy was unique! Three follow-up releases with SEMC continued to mesmerize and astonish us with music that both kissed and prodded, seduced and challenged, hypnotized and enlightened us to ever greater heights.
In May 2011, Ed released his solo venture "Oracles and Ice Cream" and has never looked back. 22 tracks that are an amazing marvel of songwriting wizardry, prodigious performances and contagious energy with the mystery and magic of a lucid, tantalizing dream. The music both traverses and convenes broad music styles into the consummate collective of telluric, penetrating rhythms and canyon wide harmonic explorations, glazed with lyrics that range from penetrating to whimsical and all roads in between.
Now, in 2014, with "Letters from High Latitudes", Ed Roman has done it again, creating an earthy, funky and magical mix of music to seduce our ears! Let us sit back, get mellow and listen to this truly skillful musician weave a tapestry of enchantment from an eclectic fabric of musical styles. We can never get too comfortable however, as Ed will undoubtedly prompt us to examine the world we see and stimulate us to help make it better! Ed asks us to glimpse the world from his vantage point, offering up his vision and sometimes helping to point out the areas that need tidying. Like the janitor of our conscience he'll frequently show us the cobwebs and sweep the dirt from the corners of our perspective. One is left uplifted, invigorated and enriched by dewy new jewels of insight and permeated by a mosaic of mirthful musical mayhem. Funky, ethereal, grungy, luscious, rowdy, serene, provocative, clever, insightful and uniquely exhilarating, Ed Roman's marvelous musings drop dollops of tasteful delight through our ears to our hearts. You can't help but dance. You can't help but smile.
Echoes Never Lie is a five piece, high intensity, high energy metal band from Pittsburgh, PA. ENL brings a unique sound, pulling inspiration from many genres within hard rock and metal from many generations. Started mid 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA, ENL was formed through the blending of many different music styles. But with these many different walks of musical life, there was still a common bond...the love for Metal. With heavy rhythmic guitar, punishing drumbeats, and soaring vocals, ENL has proven to be at the forefront of a new wave of American Metal
Band Members
Zosia West - Lead Vocals / Jason "Sledgehammer" Iampietro - Lead Guitar-backup vocals / Mike Beaver - Drums/Sampling/ Bass-John "The Scalpel" Ploskina, Lord of Thunder
Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, ENL is a high intensity band. With an in your face sound, and deep cutting vocals.
The Mike Moscato Corner: Interview with ECHOES NEVER LIE
March 18, 2016 by Mike Moscato
When you think about local metal music, ECHOES NEVER LIE is definitely a band you should check out. This Saturday night, March 19th, they are headlining their first show at the Hard Rock Café in Pittsburgh, calling it A Night Of Mayhem In March, with guest metal bands Defy The Tide, Lust and Confusion and Demented.
I must say, I have a strong liking for the band; yes, I have a preference for powerful female voices, and this band definitely has power. Lead vocalist Zosia West is always full of energy and surprises on stage. Each night, she brings different looks and theatrics, which engage the audience, and has sometimes looked like she was the star of a horror movie! The other members are Jason Iampietro on lead guitar and backup vocals, John Ploskina on bass and Mike Beaver on drums. Together, they make quite a powerhouse of sound! More than that, they are all good people, trying to make a successful metal band, and I respect them quite a bit.
I got a chance to talk to the band a little about what they are doing:
ME: I remember when you were scrambling to put ECHOES NEVER LIE together, to be in my Female Voices of Metal Show, 2 or more years ago! Even though I have been watching, please tell me some of the highlights for ENL since that time.
ENL: One of the big ones was America’s Got Talent. Out of hundreds of bands that applied, we were one of ten that were selected to give it a shot. It was high stress for sure. We’d get requests to write metal versions of famous songs or acoustic versions of metal songs, sometimes with only a few days of lead time. It took a lot of outside the box thinking to make it all work. Somehow we managed to pull it off and we went up to New York to perform. Ultimately we got cut out of the show before it aired, but it was a great opportunity and we had fun with it. We were also selected to compete in a Battle of the Bands judged by Head Welch from Korn. Due to an equipment problem, we ended up having to play through Fender Deluxe amp heads. Not that there’s anything wrong with Fender, but it’s not really the kind of tone metal players are going for. You just can’t keep us down. We made it all the way to finals and we got a huge response in spite of it. Most recently, we’re thrilled to be working with producer Matt Muckle. He’s helping us hone our sound and record our new EP. That’s still in the early phases but what we’ve recorded already sounds amazing. We can’t wait to share it with everyone!
ME: Now, I do remember you did some music for a local movie called Croaker (written/directed by Fred Terling), but now, you are involved with another movie?
ENL: Zosia West and Mike Beaver will be starring in the upcoming film, Dead Edit, which is the second film from writer/director Fred Terling, a dark thriller. Zosia will play the lead, a troubled young filmmaker who is having difficulty finding creative inspiration within her turbulent personal life. Mike portrays her close friend and cameraman who, by unfortunate circumstance, changes her view of boundaries in her work. Dead Edit will film in May of 2016 and will screen at larger film festivals for possibly big screen distribution.
ME: That’s very exciting news! Tell me, what is going to be special about the big headlining show this Saturday? What’s next for ENL, besides the movie?
ENL: We’re really excited about the Hard Rock show. For one thing, this is the first time we’ve headlined our own show. For another, the Hard Rock is a great venue with a long history. It’s an honor. We’re also stoked about the eclectic line up. It’s going to be fun to play with such a diverse group of musicians from different genres, singer-songwriter, horrorcore, metal, etc. We’ve got some great stuff up our sleeves for the future. We’re in the process of redesigning our website. We’re planning on traveling more and playing more shows out of town and out of state. And of course, we’re writing new material.
To recap, ECHOES NEVER LIE is playing their first headlining show at the Hard Rock Café in Pittsburgh, Saturday March 19th.
Katie and Lou discuss one of their favorite topics: songwriting. They share their personal expertise as well as some great tips from the of the best songwriters of all time
Featured Louini Artists: Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown, Michael Mazochi, The Apocalypse Blues Revue
Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown
TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN IS A ROCK AND ROLL BAND BORN OF NASHVILLE, TN. THEIR SOUND IS A SOULFUL PATCHWORK OF ROOTS-INFUSED MELODIES AND MUSCULAR RIFFS, ALL WOVEN TIGHTLY WITH THE THREAD OF THEIR ALTERNATIVE PSYCHEDELIC MYSTIQUE. IT’S AS RAMBUNCTIOUS, RAW AND REAL AS ROCK & ROLL GETS THESE DAYS.
A NATIVE OF HONEY GROVE, TX, TYLER CUT HIS TEETH ON GREATS SUCH AS LIGHTNIN’ HOPKINS & FREDDIE KING. BRYANT STUDIED THE BLUES UNDER ROOSEVELT TWITTY SR. AND BELIEVES THAT THE SOUL IN ROOTS MUSIC IS WHAT PUTS THE “ROLL” IN ROCK & ROLL.
AT SEVENTEEN, TYLER MOVED TO NASHVILLE TO WRITE SONGS AND START A BAND. THERE HE MET DRUMMER CALEB CROSBY AND THEY BECAME FAST FRIENDS. “THE INSTANT WE STARTED PLAYING,” CALEB SAYS, “I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO START A BAND. WE PLAYED OUR FIRST SHOW A WEEK LATER AND HAVEN’T STOPPED SINCE.” TOGETHER THEY FORMED WHAT WOULD BECOME THE SHAKEDOWN.
GRAHAM WHITFORD, A ROCKER KID FROM BOSTON, WAS INTRODUCED TO TYLER AS THE GUY WHO COULD PUT HIM OUT OF A JOB. AS SOON AS TYLER HEARD GRAHAM PLAY, HE ASKED HIM TO JOIN THE BAND AND MOVE TO NASHVILLE RIGHT AWAY.
NOAH DENNEY WAS THE FINAL ADDITION TO THE SHAKEDOWN. “HIS BASS SOUND SCARED ME AND HE ADDED AN EDGE AND ATTITUDE TO THE BAND THAT WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WE NEEDED,” SAYS BRYANT. TYLER TOURED AS A SOLO ARTIST FOR A SPELL, PLAYING ERIC CLAPTON’S CROSSROADS FESTIVAL IN CHICAGO, RECEIVING THE ROBERT JOHNSON FOUNDATION’S NEW GENERATION AWARD, AND SHARING THE STAGE WITH ACTS SUCH AS B.B. KING & JOHNNY WINTER.
“PLAYING ON MY OWN WAS COOL, BUT I REALLY WANTED A GROUP OF FRIENDS I COULD HANG AND MAKE MUSIC WITH,” SAYS BRYANT. “THE MORE TIME I SPENT WITH THE GUYS IN THE SHAKEDOWN, THE MORE THEY STARTED TO FEEL LIKE MY BROTHERS. NOW I CAN'T IMAGINE MAKING MUSIC WITH ANYONE ELSE.”
IN 2013 THE BAND RELEASED “WILD CHILD,” THEIR FIRST FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, WHICH WAS FEATURED IN ROLLING STONE, NYLON MAGAZINE, PASTE MAGAZINE, INTERVIEW, AND MANY MORE. THE BAND MADE ITS TELEVISION DEBUT ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE IN SUPPORT OF THE RECORD THAT HELPED GAIN THEM A CULT LIKE FOLLOWING.
TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN RECENTLY INKED A DEAL WITH JOHN VARVATOS/REPUBLIC RECORDS AND GOT RIGHT INTO THE STUDIO WITH CELEBRATED PRODUCER/ENGINEER, VANCE POWELL (JACK WHITE, SEASICK STEVE).
THE BANDS NEW EP, THE WAYSIDE, WILL BE RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 13TH. THE FIRST SINGLE, "LOADED DICE & BURIED MONEY" IS A RAW, UNHINGED REMINDER THAT SOME THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS WHAT WE PERCEIVE THEM TO BE.
"WHEN YOU GIVE EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT TO SOMETHING, YOU HOPE IT WON'T LET YOU FALL BY THE WAYSIDE,” EXPLAINS BRYANT. “THIS ALBUM WAS INSPIRED BY TIMES WHERE THE FEELING OF HAVING NOTHING FELT OVERWHELMING. IN THOSE MOMENTS, MUSIC OFFERED US AN ESCAPE. IT GAVE US SOMETHING THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY OR DISSOLVING RELATIONSHIPS, AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH FREEDOM AND EXPRESSION.”
THE SHAKEDOWN HAS EARNED THEIR STRIPES BY TOURING THE COUNTRY AND WINNING FANS ONE AT A TIME. WHETHER PLAYING A DINGY ROCK & ROLL CLUB, TOURING THE COUNTRY WITH JEFF BECK & ZZ TOP, OR OPENING FOR AEROSMITH, THIS IS A BAND THAT IS PROUD TO BE LOUD AND DEDICATED TO LEAVING IT ALL ON WHATEVER STAGE THEY SET FOOT ON.
http://www.tylerbryantandtheshakedown.com/
Michael Mazochi
Michael Mazochi is an eclectic songwriter 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.
Live Michael Mazochi plays with an electric full band consisting of Jordan Gravely (Guitar), Alex Leota (Drums), Tom Dubois (Bass), & Maxwell Butler (Keyboards)
The Apocalypse Blues Revue
As the legend goes, Robert Johnson infamously started his career by meeting the Devil at the crossroads. By the same token, you could say Apocalypse Blues Revue began playing at the end of the world. Co-founded by Godsmack drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola and featuring vocalist Ray “Rafer John” Cerbone and bassist Brian Carpenter, the quartet honors blues traditions, while etching their stamp on the genre in blood.
“As far as blues goes, Apocalypse Blues Revue is a little heavier, a little darker, and has some punk rock attitude in the lyrics,” affirms Shannon. “We wanted to make something deep that will provoke thought. It had to be evil though. We’re not trying to make it happy. It’s called blues for a reason! It was also an opportunity to show the world what a phenomenal guitar player Tony is.”
Shannon witnessed Tony’s knack for the style firsthand, while writing together for Godsmack’s 2010 offering The Oracle. Burnt out on metal and hard rock, the pair would loosely jam without boundaries. During one impromptu session in their Southwest Florida rehearsal spot, the drummer laid down a slow, simmering groove, and another side of the guitar player reared its head.
“I couldn’t believe it,” smiles Shannon. “I didn’t even know he was into blues or could play the way he does. My reaction was immediate. We had to officially start a blues band.”
“There’s always been some blues in my playing,” adds Tony. “It came from classic rock like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and AC/DC. Then, I got into guys like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Gales. We decided to mix it up, merging traditional blues and heavier elements.”
In between breaks from their rigorous Godsmack touring schedule, the duo amassed countless ideas and decided to begin creating songs. Impressed by his Jim Morrison-esque baritone, they welcomed Rafer—who Shannon appropriately met at a biker bar—into the fold. 2013 saw Brian join after the drummer judged a local radio contest he won. With the lineup locked and a slew of shows under their collective belt, the boys cut a demo of “The Devil In Me.” It landed in the hands of Mascot Records who offered them a deal immediately during late 2015, and it also served as the perfect introduction to the group.
“It’s that dark blues man,” says Shannon. “It’s a good snapshot of everything we are.”
In February 2016, Apocalypse Blues Revue entered The Vibe Recording Studio and cut their self-titled debut in just nine days. Mixed by Dave Fortman, the music conjures up swampy soul colored by gusts of rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly over the course of 12 tracks. “The Blues Are Falling from the Sky” shuffles along on a powerful beat as the six-string wails in tandem with smoky vocals.
“I wrote that when we were on tour in Australia with Godsmack,” recalls Shannon. “I was really hungover, missing my family, studio, bed, and pillow. It was raining outside that day, and I came up with the melody and lyric. I ran to Tony’s room and sang it to him. He picked up the guitar and instantly started writing the riff. It’s my favorite song we’ve ever written.”
“It had some really cool off-time signatures,” Tony describes. “I just let the strat speak!”
“Devil Plays A Strat” grinds on a lead guitar screech, wah-wah cry, ominous groove, and heavy stomp. “I love the story,” he smiles. “A guy walks in to this bar with a Les Paul, and he’s going up against Satan on a Stratocaster. It nods to Charlie Daniels Band’s ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia.’”
Elsewhere on the record, slow scorcher “The Tower” features a guest solo from one of Tony’s heroes modern blues icon: Eric Gales.
“I wrote that one the same day I came up with ‘The Blues Are Falling From The Sky,’” Shannon recalls. “I just remember I was staying on one of the top floors in this hotel. I stared out the window, and I could see everybody down below. It was literally a ‘Tower.’”
“Evil Is As Evil Does” kicks off the record with a simmering Southern-style stomp, painting a picture of evil in the world. Ray smiles. “That’s deep heavy blues. It’s got real dark crossroads lyrics, and I gave everything I had right from my gut!”
“Junkie Hell” paints a picture of addiction’s demonic grip. “That one comes from within as well as some things I’ve seen firsthand,” Ray admits. “You’re watching someone go down. However, you wake up one morning, figure it out, and move on. It was powerful.”
Then, there’s “I Think Not,” which stops an antagonist dead in his tracks with Ray’s howl. He adds, “I was on an acoustic guitar, and I was around someone who was trying to hurt me in many ways. I got angry about it. I’ll tell you this, ‘You don’t want to piss off a songwriter and make them personally angry with you. You can end up getting ripped! It’s a true story.”
The ominous “Crossed Over” details as Shannon puts it, “Crossing over to the side. It’s that last big ride.”
“Whiskey In My Coffee” speaks to facing the day—but needing that liquid courage. Its push-and-pull is mirrored in the guitar and vocal tension, ultimately espousing a different escape than downing a bottle.
“Work In Progress” encapsulates the journey that Shannon, Tony, Ray, and Brian have collectively embarked upon together. “This is a work in progress,” says the drummer. “It’s all coming together one step at a time, and we’re rolling with it.”
Meanwhile, “Blue Cross” materialized on a day Shannon showed up to the studio rocking some blue suede shoes. They just started jamming, and the song came to life. “It was about that day,” smiles the singer. “Everybody put their touch on it, and we really gave the song a pair of balls. When Shannon hit that kick drum in those shoes, it’s awesome!”
Everything culminates on their interpretation of the Doors’ “Music’s Over.” “We all love the Doors,” he continues. “We end the show with the song, killing the lights and just getting into it. We wanted to play the song our way, and that’s it. All of the changes are subtle. This could be a tradition with doing one Doors song an album!”
The songs thread together the record’s themes reflected in the name.
“Back in the day, I was in a punk band called Amen,” says Shannon. “I got the nickname ‘Apocalypse’ on tour. It stuck with me, and I got it tattooed on my right forearm. Tony and I came up with the band name together. I connected it to the Blues Brothers, because at the end of the movie they do The Blues Brothers Blues Revue. Hence, the Apocalypse Blues Revue.”
Tony and Shannon’s creative union grows stronger by the gig. It traces back to 2001 when Shannon joined Godsmack. Selling 20 million records worldwide and garnering four GRAMMY® Award nominations, the juggernaut remains a hard rock institution. In 2007, Tony and Shannon would also co-found rock outfit Another Animal together. However, Apocalypse Blues Revue holds a special place in both of their hearts.
“I want people to walk away with our songs stuck in their heads,” Shannon leaves off. “The music speaks for itself on this record.”
“It’s back to basics,” concludes Tony. “I wanted to be able to go to a gig with no production—just an amp, a pedal board, and a guitar—and play.”
The Loudini Rock and Roll Circus Interview Edition
Hosted by Lou Lombardi aka Loudini
San Francisco songstress Sharon Knight is a Celtic folk singer in leather armbands. She plays octave mandolin as if it were an electric guitar and sings as though she means to summon a storm. Her penchant for combining fierce and gutsy bravado with ethereal beauty, a hearty dose of fantastical lyrics, and an obvious love of storytelling has inspired her own musical style, “Neofolk Romantique”. Although her musical foundations are solidly built on her Celtic heritage, Sharon has never been one to hold fast to tradition, preferring instead to look to her roots for inspiration and then chart her own path.
That path often sounds less Celtic and more “Folktales that ran away with the Faeries at the turn of the century and took cover in an old trunk bound for the circus, which was then commandeered by pirates.” She likes it this way.
Sharon’s distinctive voice and striking poetry have won her a loyal following across the country. Together with longtime collaborator Winter, she tours nationally several months out of the year, performing at festivals, masquerades, conventions, cafes, shops and house concerts. Her music has been heard on over 300 radio stations, enjoyed "top 10” status on MP3 and NAR charts, and has captured the attention of major labels and independent labels alike. Her music has been featured in two independent films, "Beatific Vision" and "The Commune". Sharon and Winter are also the founding members of the gothic tribal folk metal band, Pandemonaeon.
The music of Sharon Knight combines a love of antiquity and romance with an affinity for the haunting and melancholy, adds a hearty dash of feistiness, and reminds us that we can all see the world through the eyes of enchantment.
Hot Topic: Why Do Musicians Think That They Deserve To Be Paid?
We lost an amazing soul this week. Lou and Katie celebrate the music of B.E. Taylor and let the rest of the world hear what they have been missing. And…. there is Lot’s of talk these days about how bad the music business is… so here’s the question, is it even reasonable for musicians to expect to make money? The answers will surprise you! PLUS Music by Loudini Artists: Matt Andersen , Alice Underground , Bad Cop
B.E. TAYLOR
B.E. Taylor, (birth name William Edward Taylor), was born and raised in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. B.E.’s parents, Bill and Betty Taylor, knew at a very early age that their son was destined to become a singer.
B.E. was stricken with a very serious kidney disease, Nephritis – “Bright’s Disease,” at the age of 11 that caused him to be hospitalized and confined to home care for over a year. He had to be tutored and had limited visitation since he was so susceptible to infection and germs.
You can only imagine the sadness he experienced watching the other children playing outside on hot summer days and sledding in the winter months. He filled his time by reading and listening to music. His parents bought him a guitar to help pass the time, and that’s where it all began. He practiced endlessly, learning to accompany himself as he continued to have fun singing.
He recovered from his long illness and returned to school the following year. From that time on, he pursued his musical career. He was in various high school bands that played at dances, weddings, and local taverns. He eventually met up with four musicians and formed the successful B.E. Taylor Group.
Music by Loudini Artists:
Matt Andersen http://www.stubbyfingers.ca/
Matt Andersen has been enthralling audiences with his one-of-a-kind performance in North America, Europe and Australia for years. Earlier this fall, the award-winning artist once again decamped from his New Brunswick home – this time to record his upcoming album. Produced in New York with Commissioner Gordon (Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, KRSOne), Honest Man follows up the JUNO Award nominated Weightless and sees the songwriter pushing himself into new territory. Blessed with a rich gospel soul voice and armed with a new set of songs, Matt Andersen found a perfect partner in crime with Commissioner Gordon.
“Gordon has worked with so many different people, like Santana and Quincy Jones, on so many historic albums,” says Andersen. “He has such a great approach and was able to tie-in so many new ideas to what I’ve done in the past without losing touch with my sound.”
From writing around drum beats to bringing in a cast of players including Andy Bassford (Toots and the Maytals, Burning Spear, Natalie Merchant), Benji Bouton (Ibibio Sound Machine), Josh David Barret (The Wailers, Lauryn Hill), and Lenny Underwood (Mary J. Blige, Amy Winehouse), Honest Man expands on what we already know and love from Andersen and brings it to a new level.
“Gordon brought a drum beat to one of our first sessions that I loved, and I wrote ‘Let’s Get Back’ around it. When we tracked, we did it the same way as the others myself on acoustic guitar, Benji on electric, Josh on bass. Using beats is something I never thought I would go for. But it was a lot of fun and I’m really excited with what we recorded. If I was left up to my own devices it would have been a very different record.”
The ten songs that make up Honest Man explore both the political and the personal. The title track, cowritten with Chris Kirby, was inspired by a US political cartoon while “Let’s Get Back”, copenned with Andy Stochansky, has Andersen thinking about how his country as a nation has changed, but not for the better. “Who Are You Listening To?” was hatched with Ryan Hupman during a preelection social media flood and emerges as rally call for people to make up their own minds and not be swung by the ‘information’ we’re being fed.
The album opens with a song written with Thom Swift titled Break Away, a song to remind us that sometimes a change of scenery is all we need. On “All The Way”, written with Gordie Sampson, Andersen takes a more personal approach as he sings about the decision to fully commit to a relationship, while on the alluring piano ballad “I’m Giving In”, composed with Andy Stochansky and Jamie Hartman, he muses about the moments leading up to that commitment.
“The song ‘I’m Giving In’ was the final one that I needed to lay down vocals for,” recalls Andersen. “It was my last night in New York and the studio we were using was underneath a ballroom where Alicia Keys was rehearsing for a performance the next night. We managed to get the piano recorded in between the breaks of the rehearsal but had to skip the vocals. We went back to Gordon’s studio to listen back to the weeks’ work and enjoy a scotch when we decided to take a stab at recording the vocals. This was at 1am. It was a special way to wrap up the sessions with Gordon.”
On one of two songs created with Donovan Woods called “One Good Song” Andersen sings about exactly that. He explains, “All songwriters desire to have that one good song that just gets everybody. Not necessarily a hit, but a song that when it’s heard you can’t help but listen. This song is about the journey we all take to get there.” There is no need at all for Matt Andersen to worry about one good song, Honest Man is a watershed album full of transcendent musical moments that should elevate the songwriter from internationally acclaimed to world renowned.
About Matt Andersen
With over 10 million views on YouTube, a 2013 European Blues Award, and winning Best Solo Performer at the Memphis Blues Challenge, it appears that the entire world is now discovering Matt Andersen. A powerhouse performer with a giant soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence, Matt has built a formidable following the old fashioned way – touring worldwide and letting the converted audiences and Andersen devotees spread his reputation through word of mouth. In addition to headlining major festivals, clubs and theatres throughout North America, Europe and Australia, he has shared the stage and toured with Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Greg Allman, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Randy Bachman, Little Feat, Jonny Lang, Serena Ryder, and more. Andersen has won the 2013 Euro Blues Award for Best Solo /Acoustic Act, three Maple Blues Awards in 2012, and nabbed him 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Andersen has received a JUNO nomination for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year, a CIMA Road Gold award, and two consecutive Maple Blues Award for Male Vocalist of the Year.
Alice Underground is a time traveling caravan to an anachronistic era set in a locale that’s both familiar and fantastical. For the five members of the LA-based group, however, this has been a journey by happenstance. What was a one-off show now has the quintet chasing mythical characters and architecting a swamp cabaret aesthetic.
Five years after its fateful first show, the LA-based quintet now issues a stunning debut, Cambria Sessions. An album bathed in the blue hues of broken dreams, noir romance, and Golden Age Of Hollywood opulence.
Alice Underground whisks listeners and concertgoers away to an elegant underbelly teeming with deviant jazz, punk rock vigor, vaudevillian theatrics, and sensual emotionality. The group’s oeuvre varies between originals that feel like they were plucked from an American Songbook from a Tim Burton-themed time capsule, and jazz standards reimagined to showcase Alice Underground’s gift for conjuring longing and lasciviousness. The group counts as influences David Bowie, Ella Fitzgerald, Trent Reznor, and Billie Holiday. Fittingly, Alice Underground has been described as “gypsy jazz with a proto-punk edge.”
The quintet’s dark seductiveness, gothic glamour, and mythological imagery of the character Alice as a conceptual muse have endeared it to fanatics of steampunk, fantasy, and cosplay. Live highlights for the band include appearing at Los Angeles County Museum Of Art’s New Year’s event Golden Stag, hosted at the famous Los Angeles Park Plaza Hotel, and performing at the closing ceremonies for the Anime Expo in Los Angeles. There the group played originals, and backed cult artist Yoko Takahashi, singer of the theme song for the popular animated Japanese television series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Alice Underground is Tash Cox vocals, bass, piano; Sasha Travis, vocals; Scott Landes, guitar, piano; Gordon Bash, standup bass, piano, guitar, vocals; and Steve Kefalas, drums, percussion. The band members boast eclectic and impressive resumes. Lead vocalist Tash Cox formerly sang with The Beta Machine, which included members of A Perfect Circle and Eagles of Death Metal. Tash has also sung in many operas, Neely Bruce’s, “Circular 14: The Apotheosis of Aristides” being her favorite. Scott Landes has played with Collide, Android Lust, I, Parasite, and ¡BASH!, among others. Steve Kefalas has also been a member of Android Lust, I, Parasite, and ¡BASH!. Gordon Bash is an active jazz and rock musician, that has appeared on America’s Got Talent playing with William Close. He heads up the punk/rockabilly band ¡BASH!, and is also the bassist for the popular ska band Save Ferris. Sasha Travis is a singer, producer, director, and all-around artist. She has directed and produced for the Labyrinth Masquerade Ball, and Golden Stag events, written and directed for the Astra Dance Theater, and been a long time co-collaborator at Sypher Arts Studio.
The Cambria Sessions is threaded with a wildly fishtailing story of two girls moving to Hollywood to make their dreams come true. Detailing the narrative are the intertwined voices of Tash and Sasha. The story is rife with surrealism and mythology, with subtle allusions to Joseph Campbell. In the end, the protagonists flee Hollywood for the safe haven of Cambria, the beautiful wine country expanse in Northern California.
The album’s lead off single is the slinky “Superman.” The dizzying track swings mightily with whimsically zigzagging melodic passages and a seductive urgency oozing from voices of Tash and Sasha. The song intimates a love triangle. One of the girls is far too preoccupied with a male lover whose bravado has gotten him into a dicey situation. “It’s about how in love, we either put someone else on a pedestal, or we struggle with being put on a pedestal,” Tash explains. “I don’t need a superman—I just want to love as a human being.” The video for “Superman” is a collaboration with fashion photographer turned director Jean Renard It’s a feast for the senses boasting a cross section of LA’s finest dancers, eye-popping visual technology, and steamy film noir imaging.
Other standouts on the Cambria Sessions include a nostalgic and impressionistic version of the jazz standard “Fly Me To The Moon” and, the sultry and dark, “LA Is Burning.” Traditionally, the evergreen “Fly Me To The Moon” is a swinging track that soars with optimism. Alice Underground’s rendition is reflective and romantic, evoking the moment right before dreams slip away. Gordon says: “We went for that ‘hero with her hair flying in the wind’ feel. It’s right before the girls escape for Cambria. It’s very Thelma & Louise.” The city smolders, and the torch ballad “LA Is Burning” wafts in from the rubble. “There is a lot of pain in that one,” Scott shares. Tasha adds: “It evokes that sentiment of feeling alone in a faraway place, engulfed by loneliness.”
The odyssey to Alice Underground began in the goth/industrial/metal scene. Outside of Alice Underground, Tash, Scott, and Gordon play with the group Mankind Is Obsolete. While on tour with the group Android Lust, they befriended the New York-based band’s drummer, Steve. When Steve relocated to Los Angeles, he joined the trio. Sasha came into the fold when Tash heard her softly singing during an arts and crafts project. The two instantly had a deep connection. “We are both from Texas, we are preacher’s kids, our names rhyme, and we’re both Scorpios,” Sasha explains. “We were meant to be soul sisters.”
Alice Underground also has an extended family of thinkers, artists, and dancers. Shawn Strider, the creative director of the Labyrinth Masquerade Ball and producer of the Golden Stag events, helped forge the concept of Alice Underground and continues to contribute lyrics and story ideas. Others in the close circle include saxophonist Joe Berry (M83, Taylor Swift, Save Ferris), cellist Eru Matsumoto (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Demi Lovato), and hotshot Nashville guitarist Jordan Roepke (Restless Road).
Every myth has a valuable story within the narrative, and in exploring the fantastical realm of Alice Underground, the band members have been artistically and personally transformed. “There have been so many amazing moments with this band that truly feels like family,” Tash marvels. “It’s changed my life—these people brought music back in my life,” Sasha confides. Gordon adds: “I love what we have done. We’ve created something indefinable.” Steve concludes: “We got thrown into the fire with these jazz shows, and I’m so proud we found a voice and means of artistic expression within a genre many of us didn’t know before. “
Bad Cop http://www.badcopmusic.com/
Management:
Sam Saideman // Sam@InnovoManagement.com
Licensing:
Chris Burque // Ghost Town Music // chris@ghost-town.com
North American Radio:
Distiller Radio Promotion.
@BadCopMusic on IG
@BadCopMusic on Twitter
www.BadCopMusic.com
RELEASES:
2010: "Harvest The Beast" full length debut album, on ROIR! Records.
2011: "I Can't Slow Down" Free EP released through Prince Cook LLC.
Nashville-based alt/blues rocker, Jack Berry, premieres his sophomore album to wide approval. "An intoxicating blend of rock and blues." (Consequence of Sound) Berry’s gritty rock 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) as well as being featured in showcases by American Songwriter Magazine, No Country for New Nashville and Lightning 100's artist of the week.
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 CMA Fest, 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 and won at Hard Rock Rising’s Battle of the Bands as the North American Regional Winner. Mean Machine is poised to serve as Jack Berry’s breakthrough record and its first single 'The Bull' has already played as 102.9's Buzzcut of the Week. (The Buzz)
Critical acclaim, plum music school accreditations, and promising sideman gigs all validate art, but these accolades don’t always nurture and fuel the creative soul.
Mike Cykoski, the man behind the arty, literate indie-pop project A Is For Atom, has had a distinguished career in the music business so far, but a few transformative events drastically altered his path. Now, he welcomes a new era of fevered creativity with a bold new aesthetic and a thrilling monthly singles release platform.
“It feels like this is the beginning for me,” affirms the New York City-based artist. “I have so much freedom creatively. I can write different types of songs, and release them on my own terms.”
Mike Cykoski has always been a fearless composer, drawing inspiration from time honored pop-rock songcraft, literature, classical and avant-garde music to create a signature aesthetic that’s affecting, adventurous and accessible. He studied formally at NYU, earning a master’s degree in Music Technology, as well as Juilliard, and the experimental music center HarvestWorks and DJ music school Dubspot. His most recent EP, Song For You, garnered him prime visibility in the press and onstage. Mike has performed nationally and internationally, live highlights include shows in Ireland, Mexico City, Toronto, Canada for NXNE and Canadian Music Week, and shows in New York City and Austin, Texas.
As a composer, Mike’s always been intrepid about his creativity. But his new material embraces technology into his color palette like never before. Here he uses drum machines to conjure the rugged grooves in EDM and hip-hop’s beloved 808 beats. He paints his compositions with bold synesthetic soundscapes using a DJ’s artistic arsenal bring to life his compositions.
The moniker Mike chose for his music, A Is For Atom, is pliable aesthetically and conceptually to this fresh creative chapter. The name was pinched from a 1953 animated promotional short for General Electric. “There are a few layers to the name. For one, it references the 1950s documentary and its message of technology improving our lives. Secondly, it conjures the symbolism of atomic culture as doomsday. Three, it conveys a feeling of profound progression—change at the atomic level—that’s perfect for how I’ve moved onto a different creative model and release paradigm,” Mike explains.
Mike’s epiphany came when his friend, a live soundman, invited him to check out some electronic acts. “These artists had guitars, computers, and their voice, and, witnessing that opened so many creative doors. It made me feel like I could finally produce what I heard in my head,” he says. “Sitting down with the recording program Ableton, it felt like being a sculptor looking at a marble chunk and seeing all the possibilities.”
Mike is currently writing a clutch of new music. His future singles will be standalone entries, each inhabiting their own sonic world. He’s experimenting with poppy dance ideas, electronic compositions inspired by classic rock, and he’s toying with an electronic crooner track. These monthly singles will be available through the standard digital service outlets, and each will have an A side and B side.
“It’s a better way to release music, for me. I can create freely without having to come up with a similar sounding body of work,” he says. In keeping with this spirit, he plans for the A sides to be more traditional and the B sides to be more experimental.
As a bridge between his past and present, Mike’s first single will be unreleased tracks from the batch of songs from his well-received 2014 EP, Songs For You. This will include “Chasin’ The Night” and “Amsterdam.” The track “Chasin’ The Night” melds profound alienation with passages that evoke The Beatles and deranged classical music motifs. “That’s about a post-divorce loneliness where you’re out at night, and you want to connect, but you feel so lost, you’re chasing around this beauty you can’t have,” he says. The gorgeous organ and vocals on “Amsterdam” conjures a melancholy beauty befitting of its subject matter. “I was inspired by Scott Walker’s ‘Girls From The Streets.’ That song really moved me, it was so sad. I felt compelled put myself in the topic to try to understand what I didn’t know,” he says.
Following these he will issue a 2-song single per month for a year.
Thinking ahead, Mike says: “Initially, I was a little scared to take a chance and follow this fresh direction. As I began moving forward and learned a new model, so much became possible and I’m so excited.” He pauses pensively before saying conclusively: “Now I have to go start recording.”
Who's Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band The Who. It developed from the aborted Lifehouse project, a multi-media rock opera written by the group's Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album Tommy. Lou and Katie play selections from this AMAZING classic and discuss little know facts about the band, recording and release. Featured Loudini Artists: Burned, Lance Lopez and Simo
Burned
https://www.reverbnation.com/burnedrocks
Sounds Like: Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Corrosion Of Conformity, Stone Sour, Official Motörhead
Label: none (looking)
Manager: none (looking)
Bio: Burned is a high-energy, in-your-face Hard Rock/Metal band hailing from the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, heavily driven by guitars and a severe lack of kick-ass Rock N' Roll currently out there.
Lance Lopez
http://www.lancelopeztx.com/
Even just a cursory look will reveal the state’s rich tradition, which easily rivals Chicago and Mississippi for producing players who have been both originators and contributors to the legacy of the guitar’s significant role in the genre’s history. Dating back to the 1920’s with “Blind” Lemon Jefferson, continuing through the 1950’s with such legends as Freddie King, T-Bone Walker and “Lightning” Hopkins, with the advent of the rock era of the 1960’s the pressure cooker exploded.
Albino blues giant Johnny Winter, from Beaumont, in 1968 was signed to what was then the largest advance in the history of the recording industry—$600,000. Houston’s ZZ Top, with the Reverend Willie G, i.e. Billy F. Gibbons – armed with a ’59 Les Paul- during the 70’s went from being “That little ol’ band from Texas” to being world wide ambassadors with their unique brand of deep blues infused boogie rock.
Although disco and subsequently new wave lessened blues rock’s influence in the late 70’s, by 1983 it was another native Texan, Dallas born Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose combination of raw blues mixed with Hendrix styled pyrotechnics spearheaded yet another resurrection as the genre rose its evil head once again. A breath of much needed fresh air amongst the synth heavy offerings on MTV and radio airwaves of the time, the guitarist’s massive influence has extended long beyond his untimely, tragic death twenty years ago.
One such player whom Vaughan touched the soul of was young, gifted blues/rock axeslinger Lance Lopez. Although born in Shreveport, Louisiana, at the age of 12, his family moved to Dallas, where with the exception of a spell back in New Orleans and Southwest Florida, the guitarist has called his home ever since.
A professional musician since the age of 14 when he began playing local bars in and around the New Orleans, Louisiana area, at 17 he was hired by soul great Johnnie Taylor, with whom he toured for six months. By 18 he was hired as the band leader of blues legend Lucky Peterson’s band, spending three years touring throughout the world.
It was while with Peterson in Europe that he struck up a close friendship with the larger than life drummer Buddy Miles, subsequently becoming the guitarist for The Buddy Miles Express for a brief time. The former Band Of Gypsys legend would go on to mentor Lopez, leading to him co producing his debut album ‘First Things First’, along with Grammy winning producer Jay Newland (Norah Jones) which was released independently in 1998.
From 2003 to 2007 Lopez recorded, and released three studio and one live CD for a small independent label, Grooveyard Records – all of which were heavily influenced by another of the guitarist’s main influences – Jimi Hendrix. Despite the hindrance of being released on such a label, the albums are all prime examples of post Hendrix heavy blues, filled to the brim with awe inspiring fretwork, which led to him garnering a cult following amongst guitar fanatics world wide.
After a three year break, Lopez returned with a Jim Gaines (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Santana) produced studio album ‘Salvation From Sundown’. Intentionally conceived as a more traditional Texas blues styled offering, it’s the guitarist’s most mature recording to date, showcasing strong songwriting while still retaining the red-hot fretwork which has elicited none other than guitar god Jeff Beck to call him “A very exciting and intense blues guitarist”. His first release on a major label MIG Music/String Commander. In Europe in November 2011 MIG Music released the follow up to ‘Salvation From Sundown’. A very strong Hard Rocking/Blues offering entitled ‘Handmade Music’. ‘Handmade Music’ is full of well crafted songs and Lopez’s signature searing guitar work. Again, Lopez working with Jim Gaines, recorded this entire album in the legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Ardent was also where Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Thorogood and others made some of their greatest works. ‘Handmade Music’ shows him poised to take his rightful place as one of the finest blues players on the planet. Texas has its guitar heroes, not least of which is Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, and the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan. And here’s another to add to the list: Lance Lopez.
Simo
http://simo.fm/
As if creeping from the Southern swamps and mist-soaked cotton fields, SIMO’s “Stranger Blues” is the perfect table setter for the Nashville power trio’s vibrant new LP, Let Love Show the Way. The song is a blueprint for reinvigorating the fusion of jazz improvisation, downhome blues and classic R&B, as well as these genres’ psychedelic Brit Invasion and countrified Southern-rock manifestations. The rest of the record follows suit, a souped-up vehicle transporting the band on a deeply satisfying, off-the-cuff musical journey.
Cut entirely live in full, unbroken takes—vocals and solos included—the sound is primal, sweltering and immediate. “We live and die by the take,” says singer-guitarist JD Simo. “We don’t edit, and if there are overdubs, they’re minimal. I want it to be unaffected and pure. For me, the music that always resonates most is when a performance is captured. That’s what I love, and that’s what we go for.”
The first album ever recorded at Macon, Ga.’s Big House—the communal home of the Allman Brothers Band during their late ‘60s/early ‘70s heyday—Let Love Show the Way finds SIMO not just reveling in the hallowed space’s unique mojo and history, but taking it to a fresh and inspired place. As a musical unit, Simo, his longtime drummer Adam Abrashoff and bassist Elad Shapiro have an undeniable chemistry, taken to even greater heights with JD playing Duane Allman’s 1957 gold-top Les Paul for every track on the record. This is the same six-string heard on the first two Allman Brothers LPs, the same storied guitar that delivered the unforgettable riff on Derek & the Dominoes’ “Layla.” JD is now part of an elite group of artists—including Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes and Wilco’s Nels Cline—who share the rare honor of having wielded this talismanic instrument.
“There’s definitely a magical element to the recording,” Simo says of Let Love Show the Way. “The vibe of the Big House, using Duane’s guitar, plus all the touring we’d done leading up to it, all the refinement of the material on the road—it was a perfect storm.”
Let Love Show the Way was not planned—results this potent are difficult to script. In fact, when SIMO headed down to Macon, the band had an entirely different set of songs already approved for release by its label, Mascot—this last-minute trip to the Big House was merely intended to yield a pair of bonus tracks for a deluxe edition. But with engineer Nick Worley at the boards of a stripped-down mobile recording unit, the band caught fire, burning through more than a dozen tracks in less than 48 hours. Once they heard the raw and electrifying intensity of the mixes, they didn’t think twice about abandoning the original plan and rolling with what suddenly felt so right.
“As the producer of the project, I couldn’t live myself if we didn’t use these songs,” Simo says. “I just felt it was better than anything the band had ever captured—so we decided to scrap the original record and build this new one around everything we recorded at the Big House.”
This choice to record at this historic location is a nod to JD’s lifelong reverence and respect for the musical pioneers who have come before him. When he was just three years old, seeing The Blues Brothers and Elvis Presley’s ’68 comeback special changed his life. “I was transfixed,” he says. “With The Blues Brothers, you’ve got John Lee Hooker with Muddy Waters’ band, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown, Chaka Khan right after she made one of my favorite records of all time with Rufus, Rags to Riches. Not to mention some of the greatest rhythm & blues musicians to ever walk the planet—Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy from Chess, that incredible original horn section from Saturday Night Live, Willie Hall from Stax, who played with Isaac Hayes. I mean, it’s a comedy and it’s funny, but as far as exposure to some really heavy music—I wanted to be Steve Cropper, I wanted to be John Lee Hooker. And it was the same with the Elvis special—he’s in the black leather suit, still good looking and charming and singing his ass off. Seeing The Blues Brothers and that Elvis comeback special made me want to play music.”
By the time he was five, JD was begging his parents for a guitar. They obliged, and by age 10—much like his peers Derek Trucks and Joe Bonamassa—he was regularly playing bars backed by older musicians. By 15, he’d dropped out of school, put his own band together and was touring full time. “For six years,” he says, “I just lived in a van and played all over the country and never really had a home.”
When he was 21, JD moved to Nashville, where—after making a living as a session guitarist and moonlighting in bar bands for half a decade—he made an important decision. Though he’d learned much from his experiences as a sideman, the time had come for him to pursue his own muse. He met likeminded musician Abrashoff and original SIMO bassist Frank Swart, and they set off on a journey together, hitting the road hard and honing their craft. During this time, the group also recorded its self-titled 2012 debut LP, which Rolling Stone later hailed as “soulful psychedelic blues rock with an improvisational bent.” Eventually, Swart left the band, making way for Shapiro to join on bass. “When we played with him it was so immediate,” JD says. “It was like, ‘Where the hell have you been?’”
While Simo is comfortable with his role as a bandleader, he’s never wanted to be a solo artist. “A band is something very unique and special,” he says. “You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Adam is one of my best friends. He and I have been through the whole scope of the journey so far together. And now, with Elad—who has taken the band to a new level—we truly are a team. We’re brothers.”
It’s a sentiment that’s reflected in the band’s egalitarian/improvisational approach to songwriting, even in the way SIMO sets up for shows—in a straight line across the stage, with no member given more weight than any other. “I can’t emphasize enough how much I love these guys and what they bring to our sound,” JD says.” Adam is an absolutely immaculate improviser. He’s completely free and technically the best musician in the band. I’ve done hundreds of shows with him, and I still don’t know what he’s gonna do or where he’s gonna take things—it’s inspiring. And Elad, he completes my musical thoughts. He is full of passion and enthusiasm and authenticity. He has absolutely no filter, both socially—which is hilarious—and musically, which is always incredible. In many ways, he’s the heart and soul of the band.”
Together, they’re an adventurous rock & roll trinity, a thriving creative partnership completed by JD’s combustible guitar playing and soulful vocals, and Let Love Show the Way is a game-changing album from a band in the midst of an evolutionary breakthrough. “I’m a stranger here,” JD belts on the record’s opening salvo, all mysterious swagger and smoky, downhome grit. But for a band with such with such memorable songs, uncommon rapport and awe-inspiring musicality, SIMO can take solace in knowing the line won’t hold true much longer.
The Junior League, also known as the brainchild of Joe Adragna, has been making the musical rounds for the past several years under the moniker. Creating a heavenly brand of Indie-Pop-Rock, The Junior League bring a captivating sound to the table that is equal parts unique and familiar. Currently sharing the brilliant new single, "On/Off," which features the infamous Jay Ferguson of Sloan on keys ,The Junior League take flight with their new release, Also Rans. In the past couple of weeks we had the honor of catching up with Adragna, regarding his plans and future of music for 2016.
What comes first when writing, the music or the lyrics? Why so?
Generally, the music comes first. I think it's easier for me to come up with the music and have a basic idea of what I'd like to sing over it. The lyrics almost always come last. Funny thing is, I'll know what the song is going to be about when I'm doing the music a lot of times---I just don't know how I'm gonna say it!
Also Rans is a delightful record from start to finish. What is the theme and concept behind the record?
There really isn't a theme, although I guess you could say that most of the characters in the songs are losers to some degree. I don't know that I thought about that before I started writing and recording the record, but by the time I did the song "Also Rans" I realized that is what most of the record was about, hence the title.
Your vocals are silky smooth with an incredible Pop-Rock edge to them. What vocalists do you look up to and how did you craft your vocal style?
I grew up listening to lots and lots of 50s and 60s pop music, especially The Beatles and The Monkees. I'm not quite sure I have a vocal style, to be honest. I'm just a product of all the music I've absorbed over the years. I think Evan Dando is a great singer, as is Michael Nesmith.
What kind of instruments do you use on the new record?
I used a 60s era ludwig kit, zildjian cymbals, a Fender Mustang bass, an Epiphone Casino, a Fender Telecaster, a Martin acoustic, an Epiphone Dove acoustic, some cheap acoustics......oh, and a Les Paul Special. I used pro tools keyboard sounds on the stuff I played on, but I know Scott (McCaughey) and Jay (Ferguson) used real keys on the stuff they played on.
Do you record the new album on your own, or did you head to the studio with an outside producer?
I did it on my own at home, mostly. My friends who helped me did their parts at their respective spaces.
You teamed up with Jay Ferguson of Can-Rockers Sloan for the latest single "On/Off." How did the collaboration come together?
I met Jay at a Sloan show years ago. We had a great chat and exchanged emails and became friends. I think Sloan is fantastic, and Jay is a fantastic writer and musician. When I was working on Also Rans, Jay asked me how it was going. I told him about "On/Off" and asked if he'd give it a listen. He did, and then came up with the fab keyboard bits. I was really thrilled--and I appreciated the help! He's a great guy. I was very lucky to have him, Scott, Boz, Deni and JJ help out on the record.
What is the inspiration behind the new single, "On/Off"?
I think people forget words are like fists. People can really do damage with words. I think people can say "Oh, I didn't mean that" but the pain lingers regardless.
With elements of Indie, Pop Rock and Classic Rock, how do you combine those elements to craft your own, unique sound?
Honestly, I don't know. I'm just a big fan of music and I get excited about stuff. If I listen to Paul McCartney play bass, I want to go write something that will give me the excuse to play bass in the style of Paul McCartney, you know what I mean? Or if it's raining outside and I hear "Run To Me" by The Bee Gees, I get all melancholic and want to write some sad pop song, hahahaha. To me, there isn't much difference between those three genres. Wendy and Bonnie, followed by The Who, followed by The Intruders......I should have been around during AM radio!
Where do you see The Junior League as a musician, 10 years from now?
I'd like to still be putting out records, and writing things that people would like to listen to.
