Zig At The Gig podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Toby Radloff  is a former file clerk and actor who became a minor celebrity owing to his appearances in Cleveland writer Harvey Pekar's autobiographical comic book series American Splendor. Radloff has a distinctive manner of speech and quirky mannerisms.He is a self-proclaimed "Genuine Nerd".

Career Radloff met Pekar in 1980 when Radloff was hired at Cleveland's Veterans Administration Hospital, and shortly became a recurring character in American Splendor. Television profiles of Pekar at work at the VA Hospital, in which Radloff appeared, led to Radloff being featured as a "special correspondent" in a few short comedic pieces on MTV in the late 1980s about Cleveland and White Castle hamburgers (a particular favorite of Radloff's).Radloff was also a frequent guest on a local Cleveland cable access show, The Eddie Marshall Show. Radloff is a huge admirer of the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds, which he estimated in 2003 to have seen at least 25 times; his enthusiasm for the film was documented in the American Splendor comic (and in a number of scenes in the American Splendor film). Radloff's public persona as a "Genuine Nerd", cemented by his appearances on MTV, led to his starring roles as Harold Kunkle in the comedy horror film Killer Nerd (1991) and its sequel Bride of Killer Nerd (1992)

Toby's Info

toby.radloff

https://www.waynealanharold.com

C-Level Pete Francis Tickets June 13th Winchester Lakewood OH

Interview with Joe Adducci of Souled American.

April 19th Souled American at Negative Space Cleveland OH

Tickets 

"There are cult bands and then there's Souled American. In 1988, the Illinois group arguably invented "alternative country" with the album Fe. While the alt-country sound is widely recognized as Southern roots rock with an indie-punk sensibility — largely defined by Uncle Tupelo's No Depression released two years later — Souled American's early music feels as if it was formed in a vacuum, inspired by the time-stretching space of reggae. But over the course of the following decade, Souled American's music grew increasingly slow, insular and esoteric. Although Fe, Flubber and Around the Horn are inarguably more accessible, upbeat and even sometimes fun, if you've never heard this music before, it actually makes sense to start at the end." NPR MUSIC.

Souled American Info:

https://www.souledamerican.net/

C-Level Pete Francis June 13th Winchester Lakewood OH

Interview with Ollee Owens.

Canadian soul/blues powerhouse singer Ollee Owens announces the release of her new album, Nowhere to Hide, on October 25th through her Ollee Owens Music label imprint. The first single from Nowhere to Hide, “Some Days,” was released on August 30. Produced by Bobby Blazier, the music on Nowhere to Hide is also graced by the presence of Muscle Shoals all-star guitarist Will McFarlane on eight of the album’s eleven tracks. “The writing of ‘Some Days’ came out of a desire to acknowledge the ups and downs of our day-to-day experiences and at the same time call out the resilience of the human spirit no matter what we come up against,” Owens says. “Sonically, we imagined it as a blues-infused song that leaves the listener feeling happy. It was recorded in Nashville with some of the best session musicians in Music City: Chris Rodriguez, Craig Young, Bobby Blazier, and DeMarco Johnson. The energy in the room that day was palpable as the song began to take shape, capturing exactly what I heard in my head when we wrote the song, resulting in a soulful and hope-filled anthem.” After returning to music a decade ago and releasing 2022's Cannot Be Unheard, the Calgary-based blues/rock singer is better than ever with her latest dazzling, down-to-earth studio album Nowhere to Hide. It's one teeming with stylish, sophisticated jewels mined from blues, rock, and soul. Nowhere to Hide features eight co-writing credits by Owens and a few covers, including Bob Dylan's "Lord Protect My Child." Whether it's Owens' confident delivery fueling the driving title track, the infectious "Some Days," or the deliciously well-crafted "Shivers and Butterflies," Owens is as dynamic as the eleven-track album is flawless. "I learned so much," Owens says of the creative process, "especially, vocally, as there was real opportunity to dig deeper and embody the lyrics." Nowhere to Hide, recorded at Nashville's Sweetbriar Studio and Gnome Studios, shines with help from a who's who of acclaimed Nashville session musicians Blazier brought to the album. "Bobby has an incredible ability to bring people together," Owens says of Blazier. "We all got in the studio together, gave it everything we got, and made some great music." That great music derives from Owens' backstory in the farming community of New Bothwell, Manitoba. As a teen, she gravitated toward Dylan, Delta Blues, The Staple Singers, and Etta James. "When I came back to creating music, I really realized the depth and influence that particular style of music had on me," Owens says of her early listening habits. Owens and her husband started their family early and had three daughters, one of whom has a cognitive disability. After some soul-searching, and realizing her daughter had exceptional needs, she took a hiatus from music. "I focused on being present and engaged for my daughters," she says. As a result, "Lord Protect My Child" strikes an emotional chord as Owens pours her soul into it. "That song has really become close to my heart," she says. "My daughter is twenty-three now, but there's still a lot of vulnerability there. The desire for protecting and taking care of her will never go away." Owens will be playing a Canadian concert in October celebrating the release of Nowhere to Hide and has plans for further touring in the spring. She's also performed at the Roots Blues and BBQ Festival in Drumheller, Alberta, and Calgary's National Music Centre, among several other venues. Now with Nowhere to Hide, Owens will have a larger fan base thanks to an amazing album you would be wise to experience wherever you get your music. 

Ollee's Info

/https://olleeowens.com/

Vanillaphase are a four piece electronic band from Cleveland, Ohio who believe in the cross pollination of musical ideas from diverse genres. Harnessing the power of bone-shaking beats welded with catchy melodies, lush harmonies, and spacey atmospherics, Vanillaphase are tour-de-force in musical surrealism and have been described as “a musical portal to a blissed out galaxy”.

Formed in the quarantine days of late 2020, Nico Denaldo, Taylor Ripley and Rick Taggert quickly released their sultry debut EP, “One Trick Pony”, as well as the uptempo, full-throttle single, “Almost Supernova” in early 2021.  They further showcased their unique vibe with a string of livestream performances during the pandemic, the latest of which was highlighted by the late-summer addition of their new female vocal powerhouse, Generic Goth Girl.

Their heavy, yet polished electronic sound is a satisfying, seamless mix of trip hop and post-industrial, touching on elements of their collective influences, ranging from Thrill Kill Kult and Meat Beat Manifesto to Aphex Twin and The Orb.  They released their new album Magic Suitcase on August 12th, 2022.

https://www.facebook.com/Vanillaphase

https://twitter.com/_mr_jackpots

https://www.tiktok.com/@vanillaphase

https://soundcloud.com/vanillaphase

https://www.youtube.com/channel/@vanillaphase

https://vanillaphase.com/press-kit/

Interview with singer-songwriter/guitarist Jake Burns of Rockstead OH based rock reggae band 

About Rockstead

The feeling of love. The power of unity. The essence of happiness. The strength of togetherness and positive vibrations. The highs of living life and the lows of dealing with its obstacles. All of these things encapsulate the music of Cincinnati, OH-based Rockstead, a five-piece, passion driven rock/reggae group. 

With roots leading as far back as middle school, Rockstead combines a lifetime full of influences ranging from rock, punk, reggae, jam and metal. In their early days Rockstead ruled the college party scene in Ohio with a schedule full of impromptu house shows that led to packed basements of DIY venues and later, massive crowds attending college fests such as Ohio University’s infamous spring festivals. This early success catalyzed the debut of their first album “Wake Up and Live” (2013) shortly followed by their popular self-recorded “Rise” EP (2014). These releases ignited their inner road warrior leading to a plethora of plays at music festivals and concert venues across the Midwest. Since then, Rockstead continues to widen their reach touring throughout the Eastern U.S. and down into Florida.

Though member changes have occurred over the years, front man singer/guitarist Jake Burns continues to drive the group forward as they have shared stages with international acts such as The Wailers (Jamaica) and Sticky Fingers (Australia) as well as many staple East coast reggae acts like Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Badfish, Tropidelic, Bumpin’ Uglies and Ballyhoo!. The band has now grown to include Nate Anuci (drums), Jacob Riley (lead guitar), and Alex Kessis (bass). With a healthy gap since their last full release (Homegrown, 2016) Rockstead dropped their first studio album “You’re In Control” in September 2020 which scored them multiple features in blogs and podcasts across the scene. By using their relentless high-energy performances and genre-bending set lists, while aligning their unwavering dedication to the do-it-yourself work ethic, Rockstead shows no sign of slowing down their mission of bringing people together through music.

Rockstead's info

https://rocksteadband.com

Feb 10th

John Wayne and the Payne, with Rockstead, and Ziggy D of C-Level at the Beachland ballroom 

Tickets

https://www.beachlandballroom.com/e/12802825/jon-wayne-and-the-pain-rockstead-ziggy-d-of-c-level

C-Level album release show March 4 at the Grog Shop with Joint Operation, The Cat's Meow, and The Frans

Tickets 

https://grogshop.gs/event-details/12836645/c-level-think-4-yourself-album-release-party

Interview with KB Boyce Singer-Song writer Bassist, Drummer, and activist

Queer Rebel Productions: our mission is to showcase queer and trans artists of color, connect generations, and honor our histories with art for the future. www.queerrebels.org

Music https://thehomobiles.com

https://www.leftfordeadrecords.com/nasty-facts

Nasty Facts

Nastyfacts were fronted by bassist/lead singer/songwriter Cherl Boyze, an 18 year oldQueer POC with the rest of the band being in their mid-teens or younger in 1981 when their three-song, 7-inch debut, Drive My Car, was released on the independent Jimboco label. The record was a word-of-mouth hit and sold strongly in the U.S. despite group members being too young to tour. John Peel played it repeatedly on his legendary indie- centric BBC show and helped get it released in the UK. Over 40 years after their release these songs still capture the imaginations of music lovers the world over, showing up on OG punk compilations like Killed By Death while rabid collectors pay $300 for original copies,and counterfeiters regularly sell out bootleg pressings. The reason for the EP’s continued appeal is nicely captured in Steve Gardner’s (editor of Noise For Heroes / Another Tuneless Racket fanzines) description of the music contained here in this re-release’s liner notes: “The drums were crazed and hammering, as wild and primal in their own way as Rat Scabies on “New Rose”. The bass motored up and down, laying out a great melody but reinforcing the rhythm as well. The guitar was power-chording nirvana, and when the lead break came it was perfect. The vocals weren’t the hyper-aggro thing that was the stock-in-trade most of the furious punks of the day; the lead was handled deftly by Cherl Boyze, who, I wrote in NFH #9, was ‘black, female, and at 18 the oldest member of the band”. She didn’t snarl, but she didn’t croon, either, and when her male bandmates added backing vocals the result was pop/punk magic. And finally, the production had all kinds of wild bad driving sound effects that just elevated everything.’” Nastyfacts were part of a Brooklyn teen-punk scene that included the Speedies and The Stimulators. Their core line-up consisted of Cherl Boyze on bass and lead vocals, guitarists Brad Craig and Jeff ;Range Tischler with Genji Searizak & Siraisi on drum; these last three also sang back-up. They began playing music together while attending St. Ann’s School in Brooklyn and after a year of playing covers locally began building a following in Manhattan playing amateur nights at CBGBs and then regular slots at Max’s Kansas City and other venues that’d host all-ages shows. They soon accumulated a full album’s worth of solid original material, but unfortunately only made studio recordings of the three amazing songs that make up Drive My Car.

The Senders are the great lost band of New York Punk. Begun in 1976, they were peers of all the early legends – Ramones, Blondie, Heartbreakers, etc. Their brand of dangerous sidewinder r&b, with a twist of rockabilly, shook the rafters at CBGB and Max's Kansas City, yet barely registered beyond the boroughs.

The Senders Info

https://www.facebook.com/The-Senders-121826447862324

https://www.leftfordeadrecords.com/the-senders

Interview with Singer-songwriter Richard X Heyman (2022) on Zig At The Gig Part 2 After debuting his DIY EP Actual Size and the full-length album Living Room!!, RXH was signed to Cypress/A&M who re-released Living Room!! His second major label album, Hey Man!, came out on Sire/Warner Bros. Next was his third album Cornerstone on Permanent Press Recordings. All subsequent releases have been on RXH's own Turn-Up Records - Basic Glee, Heyman Hoosier & Herman, Rightovers, Actual Sighs, Intakes, Tiers, And Other Stories, X, Y, Incognito and Pop Circles. For those of you unfamiliar with RXH's music, it might help to list his influences. One can hear traces of early rock'n'roll, 60's British Invasion groups, American folk rock, west coast pop, Motown; even some Broadway and classical baroque find their way into the mix, but it all ends up bearing his singular sound. He has not only played with The Doughboys, but has also lent his drumming chops to Link Wray, Brian Wilson, Mark Lindsay, The Left Banke's Michael Brown and Steve Martin Caro, and Jonathan Richman, among others. As a guitarist, he performed with Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las, and played keyboards with Ben E. King. Copious Notes will be released on Turn-Up Records on June 18, 2021. Richard's Info

https://www.richardxheyman.com/

Capital Theatre's Adam Stevenson interviewed on Zig At The Gig

CAPITAL THEATRE is a New Zealand Rock Band.

Their debut album ‘A Hero’s Journey’ is out now. Listen on Spotify

Capital Theatre's Info https://www.capital-theatre.com

Julian Shah-Tayler, Aka The Singularity

Frontman and multi-instrumentalist Julian Shah-Tayler (formerly of the band Whitey) childlike fascination with science, space and the big questions that trouble the human condition has fueled the creative output of his electronic rock and roll. “Everything burst out of the center of a supermassive black hole,” remarks Julian, “and we are going back there one day, so let’s just enjoy it.” A Londoner relocated to LA, Julian’s prolific catalog of music exceeds 300 songs, many of which have been featured in films and hit TV shows including Breaking Bad, The Sopranos and The Newsroom, while also turning up on broadcasts ranging from UK television’s Popstar to NBC Sports. In 2014, Shah-Tayler won the “Golden Trailer” award for his work with Lana Del Ray on Disney’s Maleficent trailer. He also performed one of his songs in front of Bill Clinton, Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese for the Unite For Humanity charity at the Oscars. Three of his songs were the “hits” for the focus band in the music movie Plush, directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Lords Of Dogtown). Shah-Tayler did all this while co-founding an LA charity called Art Angeles, teaching music to underprivileged kids in Watts.

Julian's Info

https://linktr.ee/julianshahtayler

https://www.julianshahtayler.com