Born in New York and raised in central New Jersey, Jackie Paladino is a singer-songwriter whose voice has been compared to the likes of Corinne Bailey Rae, Billie Holiday, and Adele. She was introduced to the piano at the age of six, and developed her understanding of storytelling and performance through off-Broadway theatre, dance competitions, and musical vocational school. It wasn’t until Jackie returned to her birth state to attend the music theatre program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts that she discovered her true calling. “When everyone else was memorizing lines to songs and stories, I was writing my own stories through song, belting out the tunes of Ella Fitzgerald, Duffy, and Alicia Keys along the way.” Always an avid reader of poetry, she found herself delving deeply into the works of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, entranced by the precision and mystery of their word choice. As an artist, Jackie Paladino seeks to combine this sense of lyric perfectionism and her urgency to “mold the ugly into something beautiful” along with the power and soul of her favorite songstresses.
About “Daddy’s Money”
Jackie Paladino launches her latest endeavor entitled “Daddy’s Money,” which has been garnering attention across the board. Paladino’s fresh new style combines soul-pop sensibilities that offers a unique, and slightly nostalgic sound for your ears. Recorded with Grammy-award winning producer Tyrone Corbett in Jersey, Paladino has since found a home in Brooklyn and has quickly proven herself as a mainstay in the ever evolving music scene. With soaring sultry vocals, she offers up an insightful piece that will have a lot of people talking.
A go-getter at a young age, Paladino’s rigorous high school course-load along with her artistic talents landed her admission into the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts with a substantial scholarship. But her struggle to find a balance between school, the long college days in an intensive arts program, and working overtime to pay for school has inspired her to record “Daddy’s Money.” Her story sheds light on a topic that will hit close to home with many college students from across the globe and a question that continues to persist: Is the American Dream still a reality or are the top schools only for the elite?
While questionable individuals attempted to convince Paladino to compromise her values in order to achieve her goals of both attaining her degree and establishing an artistic career, she cast aside those temptations and escaped with her dignity intact. "Daddy's Money" serves as a satirical revenge piece towards such individuals in an effort to prove that she is capable of persevering on her own terms. It is the story of the girl who didn't take the easy way out.
Shifting to a part time course load temporarily in an effort to finance both a degree and an arts career, singer Paladino is not giving up on her dreams. "I may have chosen the longer and harder road. It might take me longer to reach my destination. But I am determined to overcome any of the obstacles that life throws at me", says Paladino. Her strong narrative and determination reflects her own difficult journey as she lets you know that you are not alone in your battle to achieve your own goals.
Eccentric and eclectic sophisti-pop that is proudly genderfluid, subversively optimistic, mischievously spiritual and really, really groovy, with dominant influences combining the funk of Prince and Thomas Dolby with the lyrical honesty of Tom Robinson and New Model Army.
'Quicksand' Kerry JK has been lurking on the fringes of the music scene for over 25 years, in various guises. He ran the Great Escape Big Band, an anarchic 20-piece jazz orchestra featuring many players who went on to international careers, including members of the Haggis Horns. He was a member of Leeds goth ambassadors Zeitgeist Zero, whose John Fryer produced second album was championed by Mick Mercer. He even had an extended stint as the UK's only performing drag escapologist, Helen Held (The Girl No Man Can Hold).
Kerry now lives with his wife and many cats in Northampton UK.
“Be yourself, as yourself. There is no greater fulfillment, and no sweeter revenge.” - Kerry JK
American singer/songwriter, pop-culture curator and metaphysical cowboy, DUSTY WRIGHT, is celebrating the release of his 6th full-length album, the intimately engaging Caterwauling Towards The Light. The reflective album finds the roots rocker in repose, ruminating on the perils of love, loss and middle age with levels of candor and wonderment immediately relatable.
Wright treats the listener to an atmospheric tour de force complete with slightly somber hand-jives, chiming guitars, waltzy shuffles and baritone musings that find the ear with easy charm
Dusty Wright is also a writer and co-founded the audio podcasting and video webcasting online pop culture magazine CultureCatch.com featuring his interview series The Dusty Wright Show. Interviews from the show were among the very first video and audio podcasts featured at iTunes with such guests as Ron Howard, Gore Vidal, Jim Marshall, Budd Hopkins, and CultureCatch.com board advisor David Lynch.
Wright is a former editor-in-chief of Creem and Prince's New Power Generation. The Dusty Wright screenplay The Gentleman Bandit was screened at the AFM and Malibu Film Festivals in 2000 and Wright served as music consultant for the Johnny Depp movie Secret Window (2004). Dusty was producer on the award winning documentary "Wildwood Days(2005)" and on the documentary Airplay: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio(200. Today Wright is co-head writer on Cee Lo Green's show Talking To Strangers on Fuse.tv.
Dusty contributed the song Speed of Life for contemporary American artist Ron English on his compilation "English 101"[12][13] and recorded Ramble On for the Led Zeppelin tribute "The Song Retains The Name, Volume 2 (Safehouse Records)[14] as well as a track for America's Game on Nolan Ryan: A Musical Tribute. Wright's song I'm Still In Love (w/You) is featured in David Koepp’s '08 film Ghost Town and the video for Secret Window from his 2011 album If We Never... was awarded "Best Music Video" at the 2011 Los Angeles Film & Script Festival. Wright's song Swirl was featured on 'BBC Radio; 6 Music' by music critic Rob Hughes and former member of rock group The Fall, and renown British DJ, Marc Riley. If We Never... received 3-stars from Hughes in his 'Americana Roundup' column in the September, 2011 issue of Uncut (magazine).
BLUE CACTUS is the modern classic country duo consisting of Steph Stewart & Mario Arnez. The pair first played music together for three years as the Americana string band Steph Stewart & the Boyfriends and released two records under that name. Based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, they are currently wrapping up work on their first full-length BLUE CACTUS album and booking festivals and tours in support of the new release, set to drop in March of 2017. From gritty honky-tonk to heart-breaking balladry, BLUE CACTUS is the one stop shop for everything that made country music matter. One prick & you're stuck.
2017 UPCOMING SHOWS
1/7 | Hillsborough, NC || Mystery Brewing
2/2 | Hillsborough, NC || Live on WHUP FM
2/3 | Durham, NC || House Concert
2/10 | Carrboro, NC || Live on WCOM
2/17 | Boone, NC || The Boone Saloon /\ with Kate Rhudy
2/18 | Floyd, VA || Americana Afternoons /\ with Kate Rhudy
Best known as an actor, Dermot Mulroney has graced the screen in such films as My Best Friend’s Wedding, Point of No Return and The Wedding Date and has starred in TV shows such as Shameless, Crisis and Friends. But did you know that Mulroney is a professional cellist as well? He’s even performed on such soundtracks as Inside Out, Star Trek Into Darkness and Jurassic World.
Mulroney gets a chance to show off his cello skills on screen with a guest starring role on Amazon’s Golden Globe-nominated series, Mozart in the Jungle. He plays Andrew Walsh, a world-renowned solo cellist who visits the philharmonic and works his Lothario ways on Hailey (Lola Kirke), much to Maestro Rodrigo’s (Gael Garcia Bernal) dismay.
When I was watching Season 2 of Mozart in the Jungle, I thought your fingering looked very realistic. I started researching and learned you’re a professional cellist! I don’t think a lot of people know that.
I am! The makers of Mozart in the Jungle know that about me. I’m friends withRoman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman who are the creative producers. They called me to play a character that was world-renowned cello soloist. That’s because I am already a cellist and they know it so I was thrilled to be able to play it on screen. Great show. I really enjoyed that show when I saw it too, especially with Gael Garcia Bernal. He’s fantastic in this role.
How did you transition from musician to acting?
Really, I started them both as a 7-year old in 1970. It was a very big year. My first play and my first cello lesson. They were on dual tracks all along. I played the cello as a student cellist through high school and at college at Northwestern. Then I got lucky breaks and got started as an actor in my 20s and music went to the side. I decided, as a teenager, not to pursue it as a career in music because of the amount of practice and the time alone it would take to get to that level, to get into a conservatory. So when you love something and you set it free, you know what happens? Twenty-five years later, I dropped into an orchestra seat forMichael Giacchino, who is one of the busiest and hottest film composers. So whenever he records a score, I’m invited to play.
I was invited to play on Zootopia, which I think is the next Pixar movie. They’re recording a score all five days but I have a couple days on Shameless so I had to pass! The last couple of years I’ve worked as a professional cellist on occasion and in front of the camera too.
Do you play any other instruments?
I play a bunch of other instruments! I play different types of guitars. I’m a pretty good mandolin player, in fact. Piano. Mostly anything stringed. I can play them all. If you mean play them well… I recently began to learn to play harp. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play harp. It’s not so hard, if you put your mind to it.
You were in a scene on Mozart in the Jungle with Lang Lang, Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell and others. How was that to film?
That was rather incredible. It was so bizarre. It was meant to be. It was written that way to get all these music notables together in the same room and have them do something other than music. Playing out the scene with Dance Dance Revolution, bowling and Whack-a-Mole with Emanuel Ax and Lang Lang was one of the weirder days of shooting that I’ve ever had. (He pauses and laughs.) Jason Schwartzman was directing and he’s just the most fantastic guy, great director. So he was chief of the whole event, he would take people who aren’t accustomed to doing that, make them feel completely comfortable—sort of disarm the musicians who might have some apprehension about acting. It was really great fun to watch and be a part of. I’m interested how people pick up on that.
What’s your favorite piece to play on the cello?
The Swan—Le Cygne—from Carnival of the Animals is a favorite orchestra piece.
Who’s your favorite band or favorite musician?
Gosh, that’s impossible. I’m more inclined to The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd,Led Zeppelin. Those are always good favorites. I was going through Bruce Springsteen as Bruce was going through it. I have to tip my hat to all his musical contributions to my life.
What’s your go-to song to sing in the shower?
Come to think of it, I don’t sing in the shower. I don’t have one for you.
Do you have a favorite composer?
My favorite composer, I mentioned to you, is Michael Giacchino because I get to play his music before any else does! Fresh off the press!
Do you have a favorite conductor?
The guy we got here is so fun. I saw him recently at Disney Hall. So I’ll pickGustavo Dudamel. Growing up I was near DC and the conductor was a cellist—Mstislav Rostropovich—so he’s a particular personal favorite of mine and Gael Garcia Bernal! He’s doing a phenomenal job bringing authenticity to that role!
Both seasons of Mozart in the Jungle are available to stream on Amazon Prime.
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Dermot Mulroney Talks Hallmark Holiday Movies
Listopad 23rd, 2015 | Author: admin
Dermot Mulroney (not be confused with Dylan McDermott—their names are similar though they look nothing alike) decided to dip his feet into the Hallmark holiday pool this year. He stars in Hallmark’s tentpole holiday movie,Northpole: Open for Christmas with Lori Loughlin and Bailee Madison.
Mulroney and I chatted about the film and the holidays.
Tell me more about your role in Northpole: Open for Christmas.
I play the local guy whose responsibility is to get the inn nestled in the snow-covered woods, ready for Christmas Eve.
What drew you to this role?
I’ve been trying to entertain America for 30 years and have yet to do an honest-to-goodness Christmas movie. So I know that was long overdue. You know, every year we have to save Christmas – this year it was my turn. Not to give any spoilers, but Christmas is on! With an open heart and a genuine spirit of family and sharing I really felt it was a great time to do a film like this.
How was it working with Lori Loughlin and Bailee Madison?
I’ve always admired [Lori] from the early days and getting to know Bailee while we were working was really a great experience, too. She’s a terrific kid and so talented. I really felt that was a Christmas miracle—working with really great people but with intentions that were just as good as mine. I had a fantastic experience.
What draws you to a particular role?
I still stick with what I set out to do originally—to do a little bit of everything. There’s a couple things that are left, without a doubt. I can certainly tick off the little box that says, “Homegrown American Christmas movie made in Canada.” This year alone I’ve worked in a very wide range of projects which has always been a goal of mine. A raunchy comedy with Robert DeNiro and Zac Efron, Dirty Grandpa comes out [January 22]—a couple of independent films, a thriller with Jamie Foxx with violence and drugs and I have a regular gig onShameless, too. How can I justify doing the movies where I’m a coke-addled Mafioso if I’m not doing movies like Northpole 2: Open for Christmas, you know? I’m trying to karmically balance my contribution to the popular culture.
Any role that you didn’t get a chance to play?
Well, I’ve grown out a couple of them, that’s for sure. I never really did the war movie, like the grunt in the trenches, the GI movie. There’s plenty of stuff, you’ll see. It’s yet to come, really. It’s not that I didn’t get chance to do it, it’s what I haven’t done yet.
Are there any plans to do future Hallmark movies?
Well, certainly! My compliments toward them are quite genuine. I know Lori works with them on a couple of series and admires the way they work. The product they’re making is for family consumption. It’s very clean.
You can finally welcome Dermot Mulroney to the horror movie club.
After a nearly three-decade career in film and television working in just about every kind of genre imaginable, the veteran actor admits he’s pretty stoked to have found his first full-blown, traditional-style horror film in the form of “Insidious: Chapter 3,” which opens Friday nationwide.
Set prior to the events of the first film, the latest “Insidious” installment sees Mulroney playing a widowed father struggling to raise his two kids even under somewhat normal circumstances. However, his struggles enter a whole new supernatural realm when his teenage daughter (Stefanie Scott) becomes the apparent target of a malicious supernatural force.
In a candid conversation with Spinoff Online, Mulroney explains how he finally came around to embracing the long-avoided horror genre (despite having a genuine enthusiast living under his own roof), the successful dodges and weaves he’s made in recent years to give his career a flourishing second act and why you may never see him and Dylan McDermott in the same place at the same time.
Spinoff Online: After having not done horror for so long, I’m thinking this film specifically must have come with all those kinds of fun things that originally attracted you to acting?
Dermot Mulroney: Yeah. And I put off the pleasure of doing a horror movie for almost 30 years, so I don’t know what I was thinking. I mean, our thinking changed. The whole industry changed. So in all seriousness, there was a time where I wouldn’t even consider doing a horror movie, so it’s nice when that time changed because there’s no restrictions. It’s much more fun now.
I was looking at that 30-year filmography and you’ve done so many different kinds of movies. I’m thinking you have a pretty good sense of how the industry has changed and evolved. How are you applying that wisdom to the choices you’re making?
Well, it’s easier now, I think, because the choices are more varied. Through all those years that I worked only in films, one of my sort of side goals was always to try and find various different parts, explore the range of what you’re capable of, what you’re capable of being cast to do. And did a pretty good job of that. Now, it’s even wider and even more of an open playing field. Obviously, the old conventions of not crossing a line into doing television and all that are long gone, so I’m reaping the benefit, really, is the way I look at it.
And having made my really satisfying moves into television, whether it’s sitcom with “New Girl” or a conspiracy series with “Crisis” — and really the great shows I got on like “Enlightened,” “Shameless” — it’s been a blast over there. If I had only known that it was that rich in material, but it took the economy to change for the business react to that. Then it even took me another couple years to adapt my own philosophy to what the reality is. But once I did, I started working more because there are more types of jobs to take, and I found that I could still prioritize quality.
Walter "Bunny" Sigler is a pop and R&B songwriter and record producer who has done extensive work with the team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and who was instrumental in creating the "Philly Sound" in the early 1970s. He is nicknamed "Mr. Emotion."
*DISCOGRAPHY*
Studio albums
* 1974: That's How Long I'll Be Loving You (Philadelphia International)
* 1975: Keep Smilin (Philadelphia International)
* 1976: My Music (Philadelphia International)
* 1977: Locked In This Position (with Barbara Mason)
* 1977: Let Me Party With You (Gold Mind)
* 1979: I've Always Wanted To Sing...Not Just Write Songs (Gold Mind)
* 1980: Let It Snow (Sal-Soul)
* 2003: Let Me Love You Tonight (Grapevine Records)
* 2008: The Lord's Prayer (101 Distribution)
Compilation albums
* 1996: The Best of Bunny Sigler: Sweeter Than the Berry (Sony/Legacy)
* 1998: Bunny Sigler (Sony Special Products)
* 2006: The Best of Philly Soul - Vol. 2 (That Philly Sound)
Singles
* 1967: "Let The Good Times Roll And Feel So Good"
* 1967: "There's No Love Left (In This Old Heart Of Mine)"
* 1970: "Don't Stop Doing What You're Doing"
* 1970: "Where Do The Lonely Go"
* 1972: "Heaven Knows I've Changed"
* 1973: "Theme For Five Fingers Of Death"
* 1974: "Keep Smilin'"
* 1975: "Shake Your Booty"
* 1976: "My Music"
* 1977: "Let Me Party With You (Party, Party, Party)"
* 1977: "Locked In This Position" (with Barbara Mason)
* 1979: "By The Way You Dance"
* 1979: "Glad To Be Your Lover"
* 1986: "What Would You Do Without Love
Genre
R&B, Pop
Hometown
Philadelphia, PA
Record Label
Bun-Z Music & Records, LLC
About
They call him Mr. Emotion...
Biography
Bunny was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 27, 1941. The industry gave him the nickname, “Mr. Emotion” after his heartfelt performances on stage.
Af... See More
Influences
*Management and Booking:
Zane Management, Inc.
Lloyd Zane Remick, Esq
215.575.3803
Remick@braverlaw.com
www.zanemanagement.com
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist? Each of us grew up in a different city along the West Coast: San Diego, LA, Berkeley, and Seattle. We all have played music for as long as we can remember. There was never much of a decision that was made. We’ve all had that lifelong dream of playing music and being artists. We all met freshman year of college and became best friends. Creating Heartwood kind of just felt like a natural progression, there was never a huge discussion or anything.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?Remember that it’s really hard work. Obviously you need good songs, but working your ass off is half the battle. Meet as many people as you can and always be super friendly. Play as many gigs as you can and make friends with other bands. Keep rehearsing, recording, and releasing music and do whatever you can to get your name out there.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?All the time. Strings break, you play the wrong chords/notes, shit happens. You don’t really think about it too much in the moment and it’s not really that big of a deal if you’re putting on a great show.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?We go to In N Out a lot. We’ve been to a lot of parties in random places with random people, that’s always pretty fun. James and Ameet are a lethal beer pong duo. One time Pat forgot his pedalboard about 2 hours down the road and half and hour before soundcheck. We had to find a guitar shop to try and pick up anything that would come close to mimicking his sound.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?We’re in the process of writing and recording a new EP. It’s some of our best stuff yet. We’re really stoked about it.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?It’s one fan at a time. We try to keep up with social media and play a lot of shows and parties, but at the end of the day it’s the fans that are most loyal that really are your messengers and spread the word. We also have to give a huge shout out to blogs like Exposed Vocals that are so awesome in helping us and other young artists get our music out there.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?Pat - People probably answer this question with artists like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Buckley, Nirvana, the Beatles, but that’s just setting yourself up to be a huge disappointment compared to those acts. Based on that logic, my dream is to play with a cover band comprised of a bunch of 8-year old kids (who are good at their instruments for their age but just lack the experience of playing live shows so their nerves get the better of them) at the Hollywood Bowl. That way we look like the best fucking band ever. Michael - This is a tough one for obvious reasons. I might have to say John Lennon. I’m always inspired by the way he fought for people and peace and to be on stage with that energy would be out of this world. Ameet - Easy. I’d put together a bill with Green Day and Operation Ivy. Year: 1991. Venue: 924 Gilman Street. James - I’m gonna stick to my guns and say I’d play with Green Day on their American Idiot tour. I know the whole album, I love the rocking out, and it would be a monster-sized show.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?More music, more shows, more Heartwood.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?Pat- I’d probably be a personal trainer. In all honesty, that’s probably what I’ll end up doing in addition to this music thing. Michael- Probably work in politics. I want to help the world in some capacity so if it’s not via music it would be via policy-making. Ameet- If I weren’t making music, I’d be managing music or working somewhere in the music industry. That’s my ultimate goal anyway - start my own record label. James- I think I would want to study languages. I’ve always been fascinated with how different people all over the world use different words to express similar feelings. I would want to bridge that communication gap- maybe a translator?
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?We’ve got a new single that’s going to be coming out on Valentine’s Day called “You’re My Girl” and we’re really excited about it, so stay on the look-out for that. We’re hoping to also release a music video for that song, which is going to be our first music video as a band. Besides that look out for a new EP that we’ve started working on towards the summer/fall of 2017 and a good amount of shows throughout the year.
The seed for Drunken Logic was planted when frontman Jake Cassman walked away from an Ivy League education, determined to forge a "surprisingly cohesive blend of pop punk and emotionally-charged folk rock” (Sound of Boston). The band’s first incarnation formed at Berklee College of Music in 2012. Ever since, Drunken Logic has been brewing a powder keg of eclectic influences and potent, topical lyrics in their shoddy Boston apartments. Accolades and accomplishments quickly followed the release of their debut album Something New to Burn in 2013 — they rocked AT&T Park (home of the San Francisco Giants), were named RAW:Boston’s 2013 Musicians of the Year, opened for Ed Kowalcyzk (formerly of Live), and were selected to Berklee’s 2014 CMJ Showcase. Fresh off their first tour in the fall of 2014, the band recently released their second album, Long Day’s Journey to the Middle, “a complete and sprawling thought” that “is not only worth of repeat listens, it requires them” (Speak Into My Good Eye). Drunken Logic are constantly reinventing their brand of music while battling the elements of contemporary America — and loving every minute of it.
Drunken Logic are proud to announce the impending release of their new single, “What A Beautiful Morning!”, this October. With this new release, DL makes a bold statement about a major theme of this election cycle, taking aim at the common definition of American exceptionalism.
“What A Beautiful Morning!” is written from the perspective of someone who mourns an idyllic vision of the US in the 1950s and early '60s — an era of safety and stability, at least in his mind. The song’s accompanying video uses existing footage from the era to prove that this vision was never truly a reality, and at best was brutally withheld from millions of people. Together, they subvert the entire premise of trying to “Make America Great Again.”
Drunken Logic have taken on various political and social issues on their first two albums, such as Wall Street malfeasance to police brutality. Most recently, the band won Best Music Video at this year’s Southeast New England film festival for their video “This Side or the Other,” a reflection on social adversity and empathy. For it’s part, “What A Beautiful Morning!” will be part of an upcoming concept album, tentatively titled The Loudness Wars. The album features songs from the perspective of characters from different generations and their conflicting views on politics, love, growing older, and more.
Lou and Kevin discuss what rock and metal fans can look forward too in 2017 and talk about why so many people STILL repeat the "Rock is Dead" mantra. Plus the boys talk about their old favorites including This Day In Music and News of the Weird Featured Loudini Artists: Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Kobra & the Lotus, Kyng
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.
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KOBRA AND THE LOTUS
Affiliation
Universal Music Canada
Simmons Records
Spinefarm Records
About
KOBRA AND THE LOTUS www.kobraandthelotus.com
Biography
Kobra and the Lotus is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in 2009 by lead vocalist and songwriter Kobra Paige
Awards
#43 High Priestess Album on Loud charts in North America for 2014
Metalholic’s Top 25 Women in Hard Rock and Metal for 2014
#3 Best Emerging Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Artists Of 2013
Nominated Best New Band at Golden Gods 2012 by Metal Hammer
Kyng find grandiosity in simplicity. The Los Angeles outfit may only boast three members—Eddie Veliz [vocals/guitar], Pepe Clarke [drums], and Tony Castaneda [bass/backup vocals]—but their collective roar could easily tip the Southern California Richter Scale. On their second full-length album and first for Razor & Tie, Burn The Serum, the trio harks back to the essence of heavy rock 'n' roll, forging thunderous percussion to lightning hot riffs driven by a divine vocal howl. At the same time, they keep their eyes wide open towards the future.
Breaking out of the City of Angels in 2011, the group's debut Trampled Sun landed shining critical acclaim for its "California Heavy" sound merging the metallic meanderings of Soundgarden and Queens of the Stone Age with the timeless scope of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. They hit the road with everybody from The Sword and Clutch to Trivium and Megadeth—even being picked to play at Metallica's first-ever Orion Music + More festival. However, everything was merely leading up to Burn The Serum.
"We literally started working on Burn The Serum as soon as we finished the first album," says Veliz. "We built on the foundation we had. It's a balance of heavy riffing and these big melodic vocals. It sits between metal and a rock 'n' roll. You can't put your finger on it. It's just what Kyng does."
To preserve what "Kyng does", the band joined producers Jim Rota of Fireball Ministry fame and Andrew Alekel at Grandmaster Studios in Los Angeles during early 2013. The production team encouraged the musicians to unfurl this unbridled energy further.
"Working with them was a blast," the frontman goes on. "These dudes literally know anything and everything you need to know about this kind of music. They can point out exact tones recorded on Bark At The Moon. It was a learning experience for us. They helped us refine the sound, pulling things back and keeping it as tasteful as possible. It's very musical as a result."
The first single "Electric Halo" serves as shining proof. The guitar buzzes with an ominous wall of distortion before lighting up a soaring refrain that hits impressive heights and showcases the vocalist's dynamic range.
"When we were writing it, we asked, 'What would Tony Iommi do?'," laughs Veliz. "That was the mindset. Lyrically, it's about those people you meet who will be the sweetest little things to your face, but they turn around and stab you in the back. They turn on that halo of sweetness to get what they need from you. Once they turn it off, they're no longer angels. Instead, they cut you and stab you in the name of what they can take for themselves."
With more robust riff-age and pummeling drums, "Sewn Shut" tells a harrowing true story of a friend whose eyes were literally sewed closed after a horrific accident, while "In The Land of Pigs" serves as an account of the trials and tribulations of the music industry and life on the road. Expanding in cinematic fashion, the title track decrees a plea to an addict with a vibrant visual.
"It initially came from this crazy argument I had in my family life," reveals Veliz. "It was a tough one to write because it was really personal. This is the story. Someone's blatantly addicted to something. It's breaking them in half and making them fall apart. You ask them for the truth, and they can't say it. Everything is destroyed and this person doesn't care."
That heaviness remains encoded in the group's very moniker. "In the beginning, Kyng was just a name," the singer concludes. "Now, it's about honesty in music though. We try to be honest with ourselves so people want to listen to us for a long time to come. We want to take you back to an older era when bands didn't need all of the bells and whistles. At the same time, we're taking you down our own path to that place."
This Day In Music:
1956, Elvis Presley performed in the gym at Randolph High School, Mississippi; this was the last time he ever appeared in a small auditorium.1958, Gibson guitars launched it' 'Flying V' electric guitar. Guitarists who played a Flying V include, Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan and Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top.
1964, The first night of a 14 date UK tour 'Group Scene 1964', featuring The Rolling Stones, The Ronettes, Marty Wilde, The Swinging Blue Jeans and Dave Berry and The Cruisers, played at the Granada Theatre, Harrow on The Hill, Middlesex.
1967, The Who played their first gig of this year when they appeared at Morecambe, Central Pier in England. The band played over 200 gigs in this year, including their first ever US tour.
1968, The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour started an eight week run at No.1 on the US album chart, the group's 11th US chart topper.1973, Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain', (with Mick Jagger on backing vocals), started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart. In 2015, after keeping quiet for more than 40 years, Carly Simon admitted that 'You're So Vain' was about Warren Beatty, but only one verse of it. Simon said the other verses were about two other men.1975, Pink Floyd started sessions start at Abbey Road Studios London for their next album Wish You Were Here. Their ninth studio album was released on 12 September 1975 and features 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' a tribute to Syd Barrett whose mental breakdown had forced him to leave the group seven years earlier.1975, The mayor of Boston cancelled a Led Zeppelin concert after over 2,000 fans rioted trying to buy tickets. The fans caused an estimated $50,000 to $75,000 damage at Boston Garden. The gig during the bands North American tour was rescheduled for Feb 4th.
1977, EMI Records dropped The Sex Pistols giving the band £40,000 ($68,000) to release them from their contract.
1979, The Village People scored their only UK No.1 single with 'Y.M.C.A.' At its peak the single was selling over 150,000 copies a day. In the gay culture from which the group sprang, the song was understood as celebrating the YMCA's reputation as a popular cruising and hookup spot.
1987, Eric Clapton started what became an annual event by playing six shows at the Royal Albert Hall, London.1990, Phil Collins started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with '...But Seriously'.1993, It was reported that David Bowie had lost over £2.5 million ($4.25 million) in unpaid royalties to an Italian Mafia-linked bootleg fraud.1997, Two bronze busts worth £50,000 were stolen from a garden at George Harrison's estate in Henley-on- Thames, Oxfordshire. Thieves had climbed a 10- foot-wall and cut the figures of two monks from their stone plinths.2001, Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour won the right to his dot com name. Dave took legal action in his battle to reclaim davidgilmour.com from Andrew Herman who had registered the URL and was selling Pink Floyd merchandise through the site.2005, US CD sales rose for the first time in four years. The CD format accounted for 98% of the 666 million albums sold, according to research company Nielsen Soundscan. A total of 140 million digital tracks were legally downloaded during 2004, equivalent to 14 million albums. R&B star Usher was the biggest-selling artist with his album 'Confessions' selling eight million copies. Other top sellers of the year were Norah Jones, Eminem and country stars Kenny Chesney and Gretchen Wilson. The UK recorded a record year for album sales in 2004, with 237 million sold The Scissor Sisters proved the most popular album of the year, followed by Keane and Maroon 5.
2006, Guitarist, trumpeter and drummer Alex St. Claire died. Member of The Omens, The Solid Senders and an original member of Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band and Frank Zappa.
2007, US country-rock steel guitar player 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow, died aged 72. He was one of the original members of the Flying Burrito Brothers with the Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. Also worked with John Lennon and Joni Mitchell.
Birthday Shoutouts:
1946, Born on this day, Syd Barrett guitarist, singer, songwriter with Pink Floyd.Barrett, who was a co-founding member, left Floyd in 1968. He released 2 solo albums before going into self-imposed seclusion for more than 30 years, enjoying life as an artist and a keen gardener. Pink Floyd wrote many tributes to him after he left, the best-known being Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Barrett died, aged 60, on 7th July 2006 from complications arising from diabetes.
1947, Born on this day, Sandy Denny, UK folk singer and member of Fairport Convention. She died on April 21st 1978 after falling down the stairs at a friend's house. She sang on the Fairport Convention 1969 UK No.21 single 'Si Tu Dois Partir' and also worked as a solo artist. She is featured on the Led Zeppelin track'Battle Of Evermore' on the bands fourth album.
1953, Born on this day, Malcolm Young, guitar, AC/DC, (1980 UK No.36 single 'Whole Lotta Rosie'. 1980 UK No.1 & US No.14 album Back In Black sold over 49 million copies).
1959, Born on this day, Kathy Sledge, singer, Sister Sledge, (1979 US No.2 single 'We Are Family', 1985 UK No.1 'Frankie').
1960, Born on this day, Muzz Skillings, bass, Living Colour, (1991 UK No.12 single 'Love Rears Its Ugly Head').
1964, Born on this day, Mark O'Toole, bass, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, (1984 UK No.1 & US No.10 single 'Relax' and six other UK Top 40 singles).
1986, Born on this day, Alex Turner, guitar, vocals, Arctic Monkeys, (2005, UK No.1 single 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor', 2006 UK No.1 album 'Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not').
The Pinkerton Raid is a sibling rivalry with musical byproducts both as different and as familiar as the brothers and sister who created them. From folk-pop charm to pensive, baritone-led rock, the band's latest album, A Beautiful World, might conjure comparisons as disparate as Ingrid Michaelson and The National.
In truth, songwriter Jesse James DeConto's influences run older, back to The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac songs he heard from his dad's guitar or his mom's favorite soft-rock radio station. Later, he discovered U2, adding the Edge's penchant for chiming guitar tones but reinforcing what he'd already learned from albums like Rubber Soul or Rumours - melodicism from bass to vocals and everything in between; the beauty of vocal harmonies; the joy of juxtaposing thoughtful storytelling with music that makes you want to move.
"[Jesse's] dealing with some pretty complex and heavy subject matter," says Juliet Fromholt of WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, "But can also make a solid pop song."
Born 14 years later, Jesse's kid brother Steven didn't grow up with him, not really. Jesse was off into the world by the time his youngest bro was even four years old. Katie, the middle of five siblings, didn't get to know her big brother that much more.
As grown-ups, though, the DeConto kids have forged fierce friendships as neighbors in Durham, NC, a seedbed of New Southern culture. Here the siblings draw on musical influences that literally span generations to create music that is hard to categorize. Jesse's 1970s Brit-pop songwriting and indie-rock ambience tangle with Katie's playful, jazzy melodies and the rhythms Steven draws from his hip-hop playlist and the epic folk of bands like The Head & the Heart or Of Monsters & Men. Steven can't decide if he prefers the drums, a Les Paul or his acoustic Taylor. He'll throw the ukulele to Katie behind the keyboard and see what happens. Jesse might put down his viola bass or open-back banjo to tinker with guitar pedals or tap on a glockenspiel. The Pinkerton Raid is the controlled chaos of a big family, set to music. It's A Beautiful World.
As grown-ups, though, the DeConto kids have forged fierce friendships as neighbors in Durham, NC, a seedbed of New Southern culture. Here the siblings draw on musical influences that literally span generations to create music that is hard to categorize. Jesse's 1970s Brit-pop songwriting and indie-rock ambience tangle with Katie's playful, jazzy melodies and the rhythms Steven draws from his hip-hop playlist and the epic folk of bands like The Head & the Heart or Of Monsters & Men. Steven can't decide if he prefers the drums, a Les Paul or his acoustic Taylor. He'll throw the ukulele to Katie behind the keyboard and see what happens. Jesse might put down his viola bass or open-back banjo to tinker with guitar pedals or tap on a glockenspiel. The Pinkerton Raid is the controlled chaos of a big family, set to music. It's A Beautiful World.
Lou and Kevin play some of the best of LRRC 2016 artists and do their year end review. They talk about some of the best rock and metal albums of 2016 as well as raise a glass to the fallen that we lost this year. Featured Loudini Artists: Black Stone Cherry, Gene The Werewolf, Jack Berry
Black Stone Cherry
They say you can't go home again. But Black Stone Cherry proves otherwise on KENTUCKY, the quartet's fifth album and most diverse and mature -- not to mention dynamically exciting -- effort to date.
A decade ago, Black Stone Cherry made its attention-grabbing self-titled debut at David Barrick's Barrick Recording near their hometown of Edmonton, KY. It proclaimed the arrival of a vibrant and exciting new force in Southern rock 'n’ roll, a group that played with fire, sang with brimstone and had plenty of cajones -- what other young band, after all, is willing to take on something as iconic as the Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things" on its first album?
Flash forward nine years and the BSC crew -- still guitarists Chris Robertson and Ben Wells, bassist Jon Lawhon and drummer John Fred Young -- found themselves back at Barrick, which had relocated and modernized a bit during the intervening years, although its analog mixing board hails from EMI's legendary Abbey Road studios in London. This was hardly the same group of fresh-faced rock nubiles that made the BLACK STONE CHERRY album, either; they'd traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on six continents, written scores more songs and even jousted a bit with the industry. They're family men and homeowners, too -- still rockers to the core but well aware of the "real world" outside the tour bus. So they came into KENTUCKY –- the quartet’s first release for Mascot Records -- more seasoned, battle-savvy and focused, ready to come back home and turn everything they'd learned into a set of ambitious and fearless new music.
"There's all this freedom because it's just us producing it this time," says Robertson. "We're doing it like we did that first one; people still rave about that record, our fans do. But a decade later we're all older, more mature. We all feel like better musicians and songwriters. But even though we're older now it's got a certain element of youth about it that you just can't escape. It's the most interesting album we've done thus far.”
Young adds that, "Man, it was perfect, the experience of getting to record here at home, being with our families, having the opportunity to record with David Barrick again and with all that amazing gear he has. You can never really go back to, 'Oh, I'm 17 again. I don't know how to perfectly tune a guitar or hit the perfect drum lick.' But you can mix some of that into what you are now. We just had a blast and didn't hold anything back.”
Then again, BSC is hardly known for restraint, something anyone who's seen the group blaze through any of its live shows can attest to. The story starts on June 4, 2001, in Edmonton, KY, when Robertson and Young, musical playmates since they were teens, were joined by Wells and Florida transplant Lawhon. Encouraged by musician relatives (Young's dad Richard and uncle Fred are two of the Kentucky HeadHunters), the fledging troupe cut its musical teeth at the Practice House, a 1940s bungalow -- pictured on the cover of KENTUCKY -- that had been relocated to a remote field by Young's grandparents. Used first by the HeadHunters and then BSC - its walls covered with posters, concert tickets and other memorabilia - it was as much of a learning space as the high school the four attended.
"We'd go there and sit and smoke cigarettes and jam on Nirvana and AC/DC, Skynyrd songs and Pantera, try to play Led Zeppelin songs," Young remembers. "It was perfect, man. The closest neighbor was, like, more than a mile away, so we could make as much noise as we wanted, any time we wanted. It was a great way to become a band."
After releasing the independent “Rock N’ Roll Tape” demo, BSC's burgeoning reputation got the group a label deal, and BLACK STONE CHERRY was followed by FOLKLORE AND SUPERSTITION, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA and MAGIC MOUNTAIN, which spawned rock radio favorites such as "Lonely Train," "Blind Man," "White Trash Millionaire" and "Me and Mary Jane." The group's muscular style and homespun attitude connected particularly well overseas, where its last three albums hit No. 1 on the U.K. rock charts – MAGIC MOUNTAIN debuted Top 5 on the U.K. album chart overall - making that the perfect place to film and record the scorching concert souvenir "THANK YOU LIVIN' LIVE, BIRMINGHAM UK OCTOBER 30, 2014.
"For us it's realizing we're a live band -- that's where people are really sold on us and where we cut our teeth," says Wells. "So in writing the riffs and writing the songs for KENTUCKY, we had that in mind. We'd say 'OK, how is this gonna go over live in a festival setting? How is this gonna go over live in a club? Is this what our fans expect?' That was our whole mindset, just to get back to where we were when we first started and 'Let's not overthink this. Let's go in there and make the riffs cool and heavy. Let's just do it.’"
KENTUCKY does it from the get-go, letting loose with the meaty groove of the appropriately named "The Way of the Future," and fellow heavyweights such as "Shakin' My Cage," "Rescue Me," "Hangman" and the metallic "In Our Dreams," which was co-written with Bob Marlette (Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Seether, Saliva). “We wanted to write a song to show the struggle people faced in a situation of disparity, who when presented with danger and chaos could rise above the physical world and escape to another dimension of peace,” explains the band of “In Our Dreams.” The group's rendition of Edwin Starr's Motown classic "War," besides being eerily timely, features a full brass attack from Jonas Butler and Ryan Stiles, while "Soul Machine" shows that BSC knows how to get a deeply funky groove, complete with backing vocals by Sandra Dye and Toynnia Dye. "Long Ride," meanwhile, is a testament of devotion, whose anthemic chorus will have fists pumping into the air whenever the group pulls it out in concert.
"The songs came off more pure and not forced on this album," says Lawhon. "A lot of bands will get very political about things and be like, 'We need this kind of song' or 'We need this batch of songs for this part of our audience' and so on. With us, we just write. Once we feel like we've got the record, that's when we sit back and think about marketing angles and all that. The songs come first and foremost."
The emotional crucible of the album, meanwhile, comes via the wrenching "When Your Heart Breaks Down," a richly melodic co-write with former Shinedown guitarist Jasin Todd that takes stock of some of the costs that come with BSC's chosen life but also offers comfort to those left back home. "It's just about heartbreak and being a true rebel spirit at heart," explains Young. “We all knew the song was special, and when we were in the studio writing it Chris lost his grandpa, and he got pretty emotional when he was putting his vocal on it. It's a really wonderful song.”
BSC is particularly proud that KENTUCKY was not only made at home but also features a corps of hometown players adding their magic to the songs, including Chris Carmichael (strings), Paul Hatchett (organ), Chad Lockhart (vocals), Boone Frogget (vocals), and Andrea Tanaro (vocals). "This album IS Kentucky," Robertson says with palpably fierce pride. "Everyone who plays on it is from Kentucky. It's in their blood just like it's in ours, and they added so much to the record."
KENTUCKY will, of course, send BSC away from Kentucky and back to its second home on the road, with a fresh batch of songs Lawhon notes, "were meant to be played live." And it's key to remember that it's the same four guys playing it now as it was in Edmonton, when they were wet behind the ears and ready to put on some miles.
"It's cool we've been able to be the same four guys just doing it, putting out albums. You don't see that many bands who are the same members after all these years," says Wells. "We're friends first, and from the beginning it's always been four equals. That's what's kept us together. We're all in it, all on the team. It takes four of us to lead the band, not just one." And, Robertson adds, everyone in BSC shares the same credo.
"Music is life, life is music," he says. "It's faith, family and music. Those are the things that are quintessential for my life -- for all our lives."
Gene the Werewolf has never paid attention to trends. Nor has the Pittsburgh-based quintet been part of a scene or the hipster's band of choice. They are iconoclasts by virtue of their music, rock 'n' roll survivors in thrall to the genre's power and
energy. And they're damn good at it, even if they are a dying breed. "It's strange to feel like you are one of the last of your own kind," says Gene, the band's dynamic frontman and lead singer. Thus, "The Loner," Gene the Werewolf's third studio album.
The band, formed in 2007, is comprised of 5 native Pittsburghers. With self-released albums "Light Me
Up" and "Wicked Love" under their belts, as well as 2012's worldwide release of
"Rock 'n' Roll Animal" on Frontiers Records, the band is ready to deliver their knockout blow with "The Loner". In a perfect world it's music that should be blasting on car radios from Asbury Park to Hermosa Beach, on jukeboxes in dives and biker bars. Posters of the hirsute Gene and his band mates--guitarist Drew Donegan, bassist Tim Schultz, drummer Nick Revak and keyboard player Aaron Mediate--should be on the walls of kids from Seattle to South Beach. Put
Gene the Werewolf on stage at the Whisky A Go-Go on the Sunset Strip or The Troubadour in West Hollywood in 1989, and they'd kill. But times have changed.These guys don't have access to a time machine. The next best thing is an album like
"The Loner" that takes you to those halcyon days when rock 'n' roll was hip and cool and fearless. If you yearn for rock music that echoes Motley Crue, Alice Cooper and Guns 'N Roses, with dashes of Whitesnake and Winger in the mix, "The Loner" deserves your attention.
The album features 10 tracks of uniformly excellent quality. In a musical climate dominated by drip-feeding content, single-by-single, the band still takes great pride in making a conventional album. "We wrote and demoed close to 25 songs for the album, so there was a lot of variety and unique ideas being kicked around," Gene
says. Those ideas were fleshed out at Red Medicine Studios in Pittsburgh, where producer Sean McDonald has become one of Western Pennsylvania's most respected musical alchemists. Having worked with The Clarks, Jim Donovan
(formerly of Rusted Root) and many other of the best musicians in Pittsburgh,
McDonald helped the band reach its full potential. "It seems a cliche to say this, but Sean really was a sixth member of the band." Donegan says. "He worked as a songwriter, engineer and producer, elevating our craft to levels we didn't think were possible."
There are no duds on "The Loner." The first song, "The Walking Dead," is Gene's take
on a zombie apocalypse and features two dazzling guitar solos by Pittsburgh native Reb Beach, who currently performs with Whitesnake and Winger. The final track, "The Best I Can" showcases the honky-tonk piano of Randy Baumann of WDVE-FM and slide guitar by The Clarks' guitar maestro, Rob James. Sandwiched in between
are eight songs that will satisfy the most discriminating rock 'n' roll fan. And then there's Gene himself, who is merely the best rock 'n' roll singer too many people have never heard. He sings, he wails, he screams, he hits notes that haven't been
reached since Vince Neil was a pup. In a perfect world, he'd be a star, as would the band. But we all know the musical world is a fragile, fragmented and damaged place where stars are manufactured, not earned. Not that Gene the Werewolf cares about stardom. Give them a stage, let them play. That's all they want to do.
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). His song, “Kiss Like,” will also be featured on the
sixth season premiere of the Showtime series, Shameless.
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, so be sure to stay tuned to the Reno-native’s every move!
