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

 

 

Tripoli's drumming reflects a wide background of independent musical influences. At the root of his dynamic framework resides the deep passion to provide fresh rhythms and artistic perspective. On the road and in the studio, Tripoli performs with Celtic folk rockers, The Town Pants. A consistent audience favorite at Celtic, Folk, World, Irish and even Rock festivals throughout the United States, Canada and in Europe.

  Jeff Tripoli's new 2022 album release, called ‘Wabi Sabi’, offers in his unusual manner a wide variety of original drum set and percussion compositions. The album takes you on a journey through Tripoli’s musical improvisations while experimenting with new sonic landscapes. It also reveals Tripoli’s explorations deep into found sounds and self made instruments created in Tripoli’s recording studio in Syracuse, New York. Personal expressions of psychedelic rhythms and musical collaborations are laid out in a pure and unfiltered form with special guest appearances by Butch Norton (Lucinda Williams, Eels), Jeff Tortora (Blue Man Group Las Vegas) and Griffin Brady (Slyboots Circus). Jeff's info! https://jefftripolidrums.com    

Interview with Mark Bingham

Guitarist-singer-songwriter-arranger and esteemed producer Mark Bingham (a 2021 recipient of Offbeat magazine’s Lifetime Achievement in Music Business Award), has dedicated over 50 years to pursuing creativity regardless of category. From working with seminal punk and No Wave bands MX-80 Sound and Bush Tetras to Cajun groups Michot’s Melody Makers and Lost Bayou Ramblers to Beat poets Ed Sanders and Allen Ginsberg to jazz artists John Scofield, Wycliffe Gordon and Nicholas Payton to celebrated pop stars like Marianne Faithfull, Dr. John, R.E.M., Roy Orbison and Jon Batiste, Bingham has always sought out projects that get his creative juices flowing. “There’s been no linear path,” he said of his storied career. “It’s been up and down and all around, and you just try to find good people to work with.” A true child of the ‘60s, Bingham is from an era when ‘Question Authority’ was de rigueur. He ended up taking it to heart, both politically and musically. While attending Indiana University in the early ‘70s, at the peak of the anti-war movement on the campuses all across America, the Bloomington, Indiana native formed the Screaming Gypsy Bandits, a sprawling 10-piece theatrical psych rock group with an absurdist/prankster bent that shared the renegade stance of such bands of the day as Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band and the Hampton Grease Band (led by visionary frontman Col. Bruce Hampton).

 

Mark's Info 

https://markbingham.bandcamp.com/music

 

 

Zig At The Gig with Elizabeth McCullough of Alpha Cat

Interview with Elizabeth McCullough

Elizabeth McCullough's info

https://alphacat.band/home

https://www.facebook.com/alphacatband/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LLx0...

 

Robert Kidney of The Numbers Band 15-60-75 : Part 2 on Zig At The Gig.

Robert Kidney founding member, singer songwriter, composer, and guitarist for the Number band. The Numbers Band (a.k.a. 15-60-75) are an American blues rock[1] and experimental rock band formed in Kent, Ohio, United States in 1969. They are part of the 'Akron Sound' that sprang forth from their home state. The original personnel were Robert Kidney (guitar, lead vocals), the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde's brother Terry Hynde (saxophone), Hank Smith (guitar, keyboards), Greg Colbert (bass) and Tim Hudson (drums). Chris Butler, from Tin Huey and The Waitresses, also played in the band for a stint as a bassist. They premiered as a live act at the local nightspot The Kove in July 1970. Later, they incorporated jazzy influences as well and they have stuck with their sound ever since. By 1972, Gerald Casale, future co-founder of Devo (bass), and David Robinson were added to the lineup. Casale was thrown out after wearing a monkey mask onstage. Due to interior pressures, Kidney terminated the project by year's end and joined his brother Jack's band, King of Hearts. However, King of Hearts reformed as a new Numbers Band a few weeks later with a retooled lineup that consisted of the Kidney brothers, Hynde, Drake Gleason (bass) and Jay Brown (drums). After two years of playing gigs, Brown left the band and Robinson came back. Michael Stacey (guitar), was added prior to the cutting of their 1976 live album Jimmy Bell's Still in Town. The following year, Gleason was replaced by Bart Johnson (bass).

The Numbers Band, like most of the other Ohioans, never became renowned nationally and were not signed by the major labels. ENDURE: Outliers on Water Street out now! https://www.numbersband.com/shop

Robert's info https://www.numbersband.com/

http://www.robertkidney.com/

 

Rebecca Pidgeon was born in Cambridge, MA and raised primarily in Edinburgh, Scotland, gravitating towards music as a child. Mom and Dad introduced her to the likes of James Taylor, while she eventually discovered both Kate Bush and The Sex Pistols on her own. She fronted the band Ruby Blue for three records before relocating to the United States where she launched her solo career. Fan favorite albums followed including The Raven (1994), The New York Girls’ Club (1996), The Four Marys (1998), Tough On Crime (2000), and Behind the Velvet Curtain (2008), four songs appearing in the critically acclaimed film Red Belt. The ensuing decade saw her release Slingshot (2011), Blue Dress On (2013), Bad Poetry (2014), and Sudden Exposure to Light (2019). Praising the latter, American Songwriter affirmed, “She’s the real deal,” and Glide Magazine noted, “Pidgeon’s prolific work as a songwriter and vocalist is akin to the self-immersion she undertakes for her mesmerizing performances on camera.”

In addition, she has captivated audiences on-screen as a much sought-after film and television actress. Among dozens of credits, she has appeared in celebrated classics such as The Spanish Prisoner (1997), State and Main (2000), and Heist (2001) opposite the likes of Gene Hackman, William H. Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Additionally, she has appeared in blockbusters a la Red(2010) and NETFLIX’s Bird Box (2018), to name a few.

Parts of Speech Pieces of Sound, however, is the best way to get to truly know Rebecca. “This is a very special record to me; with its connection to yoga, this does bring everything full circle for me.”

 

 

Rebecca's info 

http://rebeccapidgeonmusic.com

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccapidgeonmusic

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccapidgeon

UCuLq5dzPwlVw4FzeUdysVMg

7da523apYjG6oJePP5MZwG

 

 

 

Interview with Kevin Eastman, Co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Kevin Eastman is an American Comic book artist and writer best known for co-creating Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles with Peter Laird.

Eastman was also the editor and publisher of the magazine Heavy Metal! Kevin started his own publishing company Tundra Publishing, and so much more!

More from Kevin Eastman https://fan.kevineastmanstudios.com/

Check it out!! Kevin has turtle auctions all the time. During these auctions, he sells old and rare turtle memorabilia! Last Ronin https://www.idwpublishing.com/product...

Voice-actor, Townsend Coleman is perhaps one of the most recognizable voices on TV. For 16 years, he was the voice of NBC's "Must See TV" and "Comedy Night Done Right" primetime comedy promos, including hits from Seinfeld and Frasier to 30 Rock and The Office, as well as the promos for "The Tonight Show" starring Jay Leno (then Conan), "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (then Jimmy Fallon), "Last Call with Carson Daly" and "Saturday Night Live". He currently voices the daily on-air promos for the long-running "Live with Kelly and Michael" and radio spots for "Judge Judy", in addition to regularly voicing primetime promos for ABC Family, The Hub, and now, ABC-TV.

But the character behind the voice really came to life in 1985, when Coleman, having just moved to Los Angeles from Cleveland, Ohio, auditioned for and got a part on the animated hit, "Inspector Gadget". As the voice of Corporal Capeman, Gadget's bumbling assistant, he embarked on an entirely new career, providing the voices for some of the most memorable characters in cartoons and commercials. In addition to thwarting evil as the voice of "The Tick", Fox Kids' hit animated series, he has provided the voices for many popular cartoon characters, including Michaelangelo, Rat King, and Usagi Yojimbo on the original, long-running cartoon series, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". He also voiced Waldo on "Where's Waldo?", Gobo, Architect, and Wrench on NBC's animated "Fraggle Rock", Scott/Teen Wolf on "Teen Wolf", Scratch on "Spacecats", the voice of Wayne Gretzky on "Prostars", Riot on "Jem and the Holograms", Dragonflyer on "Glofriends", Rewind on the 80's "Transformers", and 20 years later, Sentinel Prime on "Transformers: Animated" for Cartoon Network, Neddy the Mallet on "Mighty Magiswords" for Nickelodeon, and the voice of Jason Whittaker on Focus on the Family's popular radio drama, "Adventures In Odyssey"

Follow Townsend here :

https://twitter.com/IBTALKN

https://www.instagram.com/ibtalkn

https://www.facebook.com/townsendcoleman/

 

Interview with Eszter Balint.

Eszter Balint released her new album Airless Midnight in late 2015. It was recorded at New York’s Brooklyn Recording and Richmond’s Montrose Recording, produced by JD Foster, and features Chris Cochrane, Marc Ribot, Dave Schramm on guitar as well as well as singer songwriter Sam Phillips on harmonies.

Eszter has been very busy for the past few years. In 2014 she was making progress gathering material for the new album when out of the blue-after a long hiatus from acting she was offered a part she couldn’t refuse. She agreed to star in a six-episode arc of Louis C.K.’s F/X series Louie, Season 4, a performance which would earn her considerable critical praise. Eszter also improvised compositions, sang and played violin for the episodes which featured her performance.

As soon as filming wrapped, Eszter returned to work on her album. Eszter starred in Jim Jarmusch’s classic Stranger than Paradise, and was featured in Steve Buscemi’s Trees Lounge,and worked alongside Mia Farrow and John Malkovich in Woody Allen’s Shadows and Fog, among other film appearances.

She continues, “In 1995, while living in Los Angeles, I decided to fully devote my artistic energies to music-making and words writing, more specifically to becoming a performing and recording songwriter. I have two albums out, Flicker (1999) and Mud (2004), both produced by JD Foster, who has made wonderful records with Richard Buckner and Marc Ribot among many others, which were both received with critical praise. “I have since been fortunate enough to have been asked to lend my violin playing and singing to works by people I consider true artists, most notably guitarist Marc Ribot, and Michael Gira of Swans fame,”

Eszter can be heard on violins on two Angels of Light albums as well as Swans’ The Seer, and on vocals and other instruments on multiple Marc Ribot projects including Ceramic Dog’s Your Turn, – a band she was a guest member of through 2009 – and on an upcoming album of Mr. Ribot’s songs.

Eszter's info

https://eszterbalint.com

 

Mike’s singular and very personal musical style seeks to blur the lines between song and solo, while connecting a wide range of musical genres that influence him. The press says this approach is “…beguilingly atmospheric…” (Time Out New York) and that “Baggetta’s music is quietly transgressive… Even when he plays a lot of notes, his playing can sound almost static, as though ideas were being snagged out of thin air.” (Hartford Courant)

 

Baggetta’s most recent release is the album Everywhen We Go, his second album with drummer Jim Keltner and bassist Mike Watt on the BIG EGO label.

He also leads the band mssv, is a post-genre power trio featuring the iconoclastic rhythm team of drummer Stephen Hodges and bassist Mike Watt. They have just released their self-titled debut studio album, Main Steam Stop Valve, on BIG EGO Records, following up 2020’s Live Flowers album on Striped Light Records, recorded live in Philadelphia, PA and Northampton, MA (with special guest J Mascis), as well as 3 limited edition 7” releases recorded solely over quarantine, featuring guest artists Petra Haden and Nels Cline.

After completing their first full US tour in spring 2022 mssv recorded their second full length album for release next year. This band grew out of Baggetta’s first album for BIG EGO, Wall of Flowers, which featured a reimagining of his music alongside bassist Mike Watt and drummer Jim Keltner. 

Baggetta has had the pleasure to work all over the world with a wide range of visionary musicians across many generations including David Torn, Jim Keltner, Mike Watt, Nels Cline, Psychic Temple, Jeff Coffin, Henry Kaiser, Petra Haden, Rev. Fred Lane, Donny McCaslin, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Joseph C. Philips’ Numinous, Imani Uzuri, Viktor Krauss, David Wax Museum, Julian Lage, Jon Irabagon, Jerome Harris, Tom Harrell, Eivind Opsvik, Jeremy Udden, and Ruth Brown among many others.

Everywhen We Go - the new album from Mike Baggetta / Jim Keltner / Mike Watt - is available for pre-order HEREOfficially out Nov. 18 on BIG EGO Records, you can reserve your copy of the limited edition 1st vinyl pressing of 500, featuring a hand-stamped foil number, and get an immediate download of the title track/single now, and the rest of the album on release day.

Mike Baggetta's Info 

https://mikebaggetta.com

 

Eugene Hütz is a Ukrainian-born singer, composer, disc jockey, actor, and frontman of the Gypsy Punk Gogol Bordello!

 

Perseverance carries us through the most turbulent, traumatic, and trying of times. When all hope seems lost, it shines a light from the inside that’s impossible to extinguish. That light also burns bright at the heart of Gogol Bordello. Since 1999, the band has consistently riled up audiences with an inimitable patchwork of raucous punk and Eastern European Gypsy-swing. Since then, these sonic insurgents have been on the verge of infiltrating the mainstream, remaining undeniably embedded within the zeitgeist. A multicultural band that combines Eastern, Western, and also Latin traditions, they’re the rare force who could light up stages alongside System of a Down and Primus, go on Warped TouralongsideRancid and Dropkick Murphys, a duet with Regina Spektor, cut an album with Rick Rubin or Steve Albini, or appear in art house films such as Liev Schreiber’s everything is Illuminated with Elijah Wood orFilth and Wisdomhelmed by Madonna. Gogol Bordello is also the subject of several documentaries, including Gogol Bordello Non-Stop, ThePied Piper of Hutzovina, and a new one in the making.“Just as Adrenaline is the substance that is linked with alarming us and often preserving our lives, SOLIDARITINEis all of that...plus empathy and unity. It’s kind of a collective Adrenaline,” explains frontman Eugene Hutz about the title of their eighth full-length studio album SOLIDARITINE. This title reflected the shift of the times in terms of political and cultural polarity, violence, and strife, addressing it head-on.“Songwriting is a sacred craft, and punk is a great place for it,” says Eugene. “For me, punk rock was always about that WoodyGuthrie-ness and work ethic: ‘All you fascists are bound to lose!’ It’smusic of pure impact with that experience-driven intellectual insight into the class struggle that comes only with working-class territory without the bullshit or pseudo-musicality. “The New York-based collective—Eugene Hutz (vocals, guitar), Sergey Ryabtsev (violin), Pedro Erazo (vocals, percussion), Boris Pelekh (guitar), Ashley Tobias (vocals), Korey Kingston (drums), and Gil Alexandre (bass) proclaim the spirit of resilience in the face of adversity louder than ever onSOLIDARITINE (Casa Gogol/Cooking Vinyl].“Our music was always about perseverance,” says Eugene. “Take a group of people who have endured immigrant traumas and dislocation, and then through the magic of band-synergy and band-alchemy, they make something out of it—like an uplifting gypsy punky party that entertains and inspires people worldwide. Suddenly, humankind encounters a worldwide pandemic, war, and multiple calamities. This is when punk rock is needed the most and where Gogol performs the best because that’s where we came from. It’s not like we're invincible, but I feel like maybe we got a bit of natural resilience.WhentheChernobyl disaster happened in 1986, I was only 13. That was my first evacuation.”In 2021 as the live music world reawakened from the pandemic pause, Gogol Bordello was one of the first to restart touring, but inevitably several members caught Covid and left the tour to recover. Eugene grabbed an electric guitar along with his usual acoustic and played them both interchangeably to finish the tour.

 

 

Gogol Bordello's info

http://www.gogolbordello.com

 

Interview with Singer-songwriter Multi-instrumentalist Darwin Meiners!

Night Crickets, a long-distance groove affair conducted during the drawn-out days of lockdown and beyond. Featuring David J, Victor DeLorenzo, and Darwin Meiners. Iconic and foundational bands in the history of alternative music certainly include Bauhaus, Love And Rockets, and Violent Femmes. San Francisco-born artist Darwin Meiners was a fan of all three. A chance meeting 13 years ago with David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets) grew into a friendship, and Darwin not only became a bandmate but David J’s manager. After reaching out to Victor DeLorenzo through e-mail, Darwin met the Violent Femmes drummer after the Femmes’ Coachella set in 2013. Soon after the three collaborated on Darwin’s 2014 release Souvenir. As the pandemic took hold, Darwin was looking for a new project to occupy the lock-down time and approached Victor, who was keen to proceed and suggested that David join as well. The musical trust established between these three was immediate and Night Crickets were born. Within weeks a global process was initiated between them, the recordings eventually forming the album, A Free Society. To say this is something of a dream come true for music fans would be entirely accurate. (The band’s name came from one of many Zoom meetings between the three members. After addressing various pressing musical issues the conversation rambled somewhat and turned to the subject of David Lynch, with David J telling an anecdote which was told to him by Lynch’s sound designer, John Neff. Lynch had asked Neff to obtain a field recording of crickets chirping at night for inclusion in Mulholland Drive. When Neff played him the tape, the director immediately recognized the sound that the insects make when it is light which is apparently a little different to their nocturnal chirp. “No! No! No! These are day crickets, John! I want my night crickets!” Victor, Darwin, and David then shared a look of mutual realization and instantly agreed that the project now had a name!) In Night Crickets’ own words: Night Crickets, a long distance groove affair conducted during the drawn out days of lockdown and beyond. Audio files shared from Los Angeles to Milwaukee, from London to the San Francisco Bay, and the ghosts of Candlestick Park shimmer through the fog, the Devil comes a-knocking on Peter Laughner’s door and Amanda Gorman conjures forth words of inspiration for the dawn of the new millennium. David J, Victor DeLorenzo, and Darwin spearhead a loose collective of like-minded creative souls left stranded in their respective locales due to the great pandemic, yet through sheer tenacity and a burning desire to collaborate and create they transcend the restrictions of the times and pull together a glorious ‘gesamtkunstwerk’ that draws from the past, the present and the imagined future. Hark! Night Crickets are chirping as the world is set on fire and the sun is going down.

Night Crickets Info http://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/a-free-society/?fbclid=IwAR20Jsa93KV7Npoxfan53Mjd67ihiceYXEkESshe5I0SGiKhGAveeZJgM

 

 

Darwin's Info

https://darwinmeiners.bandcamp.com

http://www.darwinmeiners.com

 

Interview with Victor DeLorenzo Of Violent Femmes & The Night Crickets

DeLorenzo was born in 1954, the son of Victor and Charlotte DeLorenzo,\ grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, and has lived in Milwaukee since. He has been a drummer since the age of 16 while attending St. Catherine's High School (Racine, Wisconsin), and has been an actor since the age of five. While attending the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, he auditioned for and was accepted into Theatre X in 1976, and worked with them in various roles for more than 20 years.[ As a drummer, DeLorenzo paired up with bassist Brian Ritchie in 1980, as a rhythm section they called "Violent Femmes". When singer, guitarist, and songwriter Gordon Gano joined them in 1981, the band kept the name.[2] DeLorenzo's father loaned the band $10,000 to record their eponymous debut album in 1982. However, the band was forced to delay its release until 1983 after they signed to Slash Records. DeLorenzo's signature sound is a result of his minimalist drum kit. He often uses nothing more than a snare drum, a tranceaphone and steel brushes. The tranceaphone consists of a metal bushel basket inverted over a tom. He favors this style of kit because in their early days, the band often played on the streets. DeLorenzo continued to act with Theatre X, and record and tour with the Femmes until 1993, when he left to devote more time to acting and to recording his own music.He toured as part of Moe Tucker's band in that year. In 1996 he opened a recording studio called "Joe's Real Recording" He has released three solo records since 1990. In addition to recording his own music, he has played with several side projects, including Ash Can School. In 2000, he teamed up with Ritchie to put together a Femmes compilation, and subsequently rejoined the band until it disbanded again in 2009.In March 2013, Gano, Ritchie and DeLorenzo reformed Violent Femmes once more and played a homecoming show at the Summerfest music festival in their native Milwaukee. Three months later, in July, the band announced a new line-up with Dresden Dolls member Brian Viglione as the band's drummer. DeLorenzo confirmed in a statement that he had left the Femmes permanently because of a failure of the band members to resolve their long-standing business disputes. DeLorenzo performs percussion in the chamber rock duo Nineteen Thirteen with cellist Janet Schiff. Nineteen Thirteen's recording of "Hurricane Noel" was featured in the 2011 TED Global Conference.

Night Crickets, a long-distance groove affair conducted during the drawn-out days of lockdown and beyond. Featuring David J, Victor DeLorenzo, and Darwin Meiners.

 

Iconic and foundational bands in the history of alternative music certainly include Bauhaus, Love And Rockets, and Violent Femmes. San Francisco born artist Darwin Meiners was a fan of all three. A chance meeting 13 years ago with David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets) grew into a friendship, and Darwin not only became a bandmate, but David J’s manager. After reaching out to Victor DeLorenzo through e-mail, Darwin met the Violent Femmes drummer after the Femmes’ Coachella set in 2013. Soon after the three collaborated on Darwin’s 2014 release Souvenir.

As the pandemic took hold, Darwin was looking for a new project to occupy the lock-down time and approached Victor, who was keen to proceed and suggested that David join as well. The musical trust established between these three was immediate and Night Crickets were born. Within weeks a global process was initiated between them, the recordings eventually forming the album, A Free Society. To say this is something of a dream come true for music fans would be entirely accurate.

(The band’s name came from one of many Zoom meetings between the three members. After addressing various pressing musical issues the conversation rambled somewhat and turned to the subject of David Lynch, with David J telling an anecdote which was told to him by Lynch’s sound designer, John Neff. Lynch had asked Neff to obtain a field recording of crickets chirping at night for inclusion in Mulholland Drive. When Neff played him the tape, the director immediately recognized the sound that the insects make when it is light which is apparently a little different to their nocturnal chirp. “No! No! No! These are day crickets, John! I want my night crickets!” Victor, Darwin, and David then shared a look of mutual realization and instantly agreed that the project now had a name!)

Night Crickets Info

http://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/a-free-society/?fbclid=IwAR20Jsa93KV7Npoxfan53Mjd67ihiceYXEkESshe5I0SGiKhGAveeZJgMrk

 

Victor's Info

https://victordelorenzo.weebly.com/vf-press-release.html

 

 

 Interview with David J of Bauhaus, The Night Crickets

 

On David J

Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction once described David J as the Avant of the Avant-garde. Never was a truer word spoken . . .

A founder member of one of the most influential bands since The Velvet Underground; namely BAUHAUS. Bauhaus spearheaded the post-punk Alternative music scene of the early ‘80’s with a string of innovative albums and singles, including, for many, perhaps their defining moment, a song that is ranked as a classic and feasibly the pinnacle of the entire Gothic scene and beyond, the nine minute plus epic slab of industrial dub that is 'Bela Lugosi’s Dead', featuring the lyrics of David J.

 

Night Crickets, a long-distance groove affair conducted during the drawn-out days of lockdown and beyond. Featuring David J, Victor DeLorenzo, and Darwin Meiners.

 

Iconic and foundational bands in the history of alternative music certainly include Bauhaus, Love And Rockets, and Violent Femmes. San Francisco born artist Darwin Meiners was a fan of all three. A chance meeting 13 years ago with David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets) grew into a friendship, and Darwin not only became a bandmate, but David J’s manager. After reaching out to Victor DeLorenzo through e-mail, Darwin met the Violent Femmes drummer after the Femmes’ Coachella set in 2013. Soon after the three collaborated on Darwin’s 2014 release Souvenir.

As the pandemic took hold, Darwin was looking for a new project to occupy the lock-down time and approached Victor, who was keen to proceed and suggested that David join as well. The musical trust established between these three was immediate and Night Crickets were born. Within weeks a global process was initiated between them, the recordings eventually forming the album, A Free Society. To say this is something of a dream come true for music fans would be entirely accurate.

(The band’s name came from one of many Zoom meetings between the three members. After addressing various pressing musical issues the conversation rambled somewhat and turned to the subject of David Lynch, with David J telling an anecdote which was told to him by Lynch’s sound designer, John Neff. Lynch had asked Neff to obtain a field recording of crickets chirping at night for inclusion in Mulholland Drive. When Neff played him the tape, the director immediately recognized the sound that the insects make when it is light which is apparently a little different to their nocturnal chirp. “No! No! No! These are day crickets, John! I want my night crickets!” Victor, Darwin, and David then shared a look of mutual realization and instantly agreed that the project now had a name!)

 

In Night Crickets’ own words:

 

Night Crickets, a long distance groove affair conducted during the drawn out days of lockdown and beyond. Audio files shared from Los Angeles to Milwaukee, from London to the San Francisco Bay, and the ghosts of Candlestick Park shimmer through the fog, the Devil comes a-knocking on Peter Laughner’s door and Amanda Gorman conjures forth words of inspiration for the dawn of the new millennium.

 

David J, Victor DeLorenzo, and Darwin spearhead a loose collective of like-minded creative souls left stranded in their respective locales due to the great pandemic, yet through sheer tenacity and a burning desire to collaborate and create they transcend the restrictions of the times and pull together a glorious ‘gesamtkunstwerk’ that draws from the past, the present and the imagined future.

 

Hark! Night Crickets are chirping as the world is set on fire and the sun is going down.

 

 

Night Crickets Info

http://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/a-free-society/?fbclid=IwAR20Jsa93KV7Npoxfan53Mjd67ihiceYXEkESshe5I0SGiKhGAveeZJgMrk

 

David's Info

http://www.davidjonline.com/?fbclid=IwAR0TUtdYQRM0UJ1iGUkoEka4LVYK-NviByJM1anDVEAWKuazHzCHB2EIEMg

 

Nora O’Connor is a Chicago-based musician whose vocal talents are the secret weapon behind some of the city’s best performances and recordings. For much of 2013, O'Connor toured internationally as a singer in Iron and Wine, and she continues to record and perform with longtime collaborator  Andrew Bird.  Nora also plays bass and sings back-up for Kelly Hogan K(she recorded and toured with Hogan for her release I Like To Keep Myself In Pain on ANTI- Records) and in 2010, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy enlisted her and Hogan as primary vocalists on gospel legend Mavis Staples’ Grammy Award-winning album You Are Not Alone. She has been most recently been touring with The Decemberists, singing harmonies and playing a bunch of their really nice guitars.

In the studio and on the stage, Nora has backed (among others) Neko Case , Jakob Dylan, The New Pornographers, Archer Prewitt, Chris Mills, The Aluminum Group, Otis Clay, Justin Roberts and  Robbie Fulks Though she may be primarily known for her signature honey-sweet vocals, Nora is also revered among her musician peers for her chops and versatility. She's a solid sender on guitar and bass, an enthusiastic and inspired collaborator, and always ninja-nimble and professional to a T -- just a few of the reasons why this lady's phone never stops ringing.

Nora's new album My Heart and Info here:

https://www.noraoconnormusic.com/

nora.oconnorkean

https://www.instagram.com/noraoconnorkean/?hl=en

 

 

Interview with Maura Pond of Luna Honey

Luna Honey was originally formed in 2017 in Washington, DC by Maura Pond and Levi Flack who had informally begun playing together in Flack’s basement and set a goal to write an album’s worth of music. The pair met Benjamin Schurr (Ruah, Br’er, Nyxy Nyx), founder of BLIGHT.records, when his band Br’er opened a show for Arto Lindsay at the Black Cat and he soon after agreed to record and produce them. When they’d finished recording their debut album, Peace Will Grind You Down, Ben insisted that the pair begin performing live, agreed to fill in temporarily, then became a permanent member along with baritone sax player Madeline Billhimer. The four-piece line-up recorded Peace Lives, a live recording of songs mostly from their first album. Billhimer left the band during the recording of their next full-length album, Ballast. Schurr, who was born in Philadelphia, moved back to his home city in 2019 with Flack following shortly after. Christmas Eve of 2019, Pond’s aunt shared she had months to live and asked her to write her some music to help accept her transition, asking that it could be released after her death. Still living in DC, Pond recruited Ben to come down to her house in Anacostia and record an intense week of highly improvised sessions. The two worked around the clock on what would become the fourth album Luna Honey, Branches. After the pandemic hit in 2020, Pond moved back to her hometown of Richmond, VA to be closer to her parents and Schurr followed. All three band members commuted back and forth between Richmond and Philadelphia continuing to write songs. Parables was written during the period of geographic separation across DC, Philadelphia, and Richmond. Three months after moving to Richmond, Pond’s mother passed after an over a decade long fight with cancer. In the wake of her mother’s passing, Pond had found comfort in the solo work of longtime Swans guitarist Norman Westberg and ended up striking up a long-distance collaboration. Aftermath resulted, a meditation on grief and what is left behind. In 2022, Pond and Schurr moved to Philadelphia, finally reuniting the band within the same city. Re-energized after living through the difficulties during COVID and the past several years, the three began recording a new crop of songs that would make up the majority of Bound, with the goal of capturing the raw, powerful energy of their live shows. Luna Honey’s art emerges from the creative tension between the death of the ego and the exploration of the subconscious with the pragmatism and discipline of punching the clock and getting the work done.

http://www.lunahoney.com

http://facebook.com/lunahoneymusic

http://www.instagram.com/lunahoneymusic

linktr.ee/lunahoneymusic

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3kz45E0sd0kFgZIfQNwm2F

https://lunahoney.bandcamp.com/album/bound

 

doubleVee was put into motion in 2012 when it became clear how Allan Vest and Barb [Hendrickson] Vest’s musical backgrounds complemented each other and how well the two worked together in the studio. The pair married in October of 2015 and went on to release their debut album in 2017.

 

Allan was the primary songwriter, lead vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist for indie/orchestral pop band Starlight Mints, having produced and released four albums between 2000 and 2009, with legendary producer Dave Sardy co-producing the critically acclaimed debut album, The Dream that Stuff was Made Of. Major motion pictures and television series have utilized his music, with TV shows including Malcolm in the Middle, Californication, One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl and movies including Barnyard and The Art of Getting By. The BBC mini-series Demons effectively used "Eyes of the Night" off the 2006 album Drowaton as the series' theme song. Allan's instrumental scores have been featured in Disney animated shorts, writer/director Mickey Reece's movies Seducers Club and Punch Cowboy, in projects by Canada-based writer/director Erahm Christopher, and features helmed by director Bradley Beesley, among other productions. He has produced and arranged music for clients including Francine, Skating Polly, Student Film and Bishop Allen. He also composed the theme music for the podcast In Sickness and In Health.

 

Barb’s diverse background includes sixteen years in public radio where her achievements included writing, hosting, and producing Filmscapes, a nationally syndicated film music program. Filmscapes gave her the opportunity to interview some of her favorite renowned artists including Danny Elfman and Philip Glass. While Barb’s vocal music history includes appearing in themed cover shows and providing backing vocals on recordings for local bands, her love of music began with her family, with her grandmother regularly putting a tape recorder on her piano bench and singing along to her original compositions, before she passed away in 1986 after a sudden heart attack at the age of 57. Allan and Barb later orchestrated and added backing vocals to one of her grandmother's songs as a gift for her mother, who ensured music was a big part of her daughters' lives from a very young age.

 

doubleVee’s debut album The Moonlit Fables of Jack the Rider was released on February 10, 2017. The concept album follows the story of the title character, with his tales being told in a theatrical style with Jack at the handlebars. He’s a traveler who descends into a world reminiscent of The Twilight Zone where nothing is exactly as it seems, with pieces of his history unfolding over the course of the album. Their follow-up EP Songs for Birds and Bats was released April 12, 2019. The five-song release concluded with Last Castaways, selected the next year to be featured on the soundtrack for the immersive video game Beyond Blue.

 

On July 15th, doubleVee released their new album Treat Her Strangely, nine new songs whose conception began during the height of the pandemic, with their new material written and recorded while staying holed up in their home studio as much as possible, attempting to keep themselves, their loved ones and others safe from the virus.

 

doubleVee's info

https://www.doublevee.net/

https://www.facebook.com/doubleVeeSongs

doubleVee_band

UC83QKD-z5ANKfhdoaGdce-A

 

 

 

 

Sleepyhead recorded their forthcoming sixth album, New Alchemy, at the legendary Boston area recording studio Q Division with esteemed producer and Q Division co-founder Jon Lupfer at the helm. They are releasing the album August 19 as a digital download and via streaming platforms to be followed by a release on 12” vinyl LP.  They plan to play as many shows as they can manage after that!

New Alchemy features Sleepyhead founders, drummer/vocalist Rachael McNally and guitarist/vocalist Chris O’Rourke as well as bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Derek van Beever, who joined the trio in 2004, a few years after the other two had moved to Boston. Many of the songs conjure the subtly infectious laissez-faire sounds of pre-Grunge Indie Rock the embrace early on in their career with a handful evoking classic Laurel Canyon Country-Rock and other 70’s FM staples. The title track to New Alchemy was inspired by the exploits of the New Alchemy Institute, a utopian endeavor founded by idealistic scientists in the 1970’s in Falmouth, Massachusetts, the hometown of Sleepyhead guitarist/vocalist Chris O’Rourke.

Sleepyhead was formed in a basement room at NYU's Brittany dorm in the fall of 1989 by drummer/vocalist Rachael McNally, bassist Mike Galinsky and guitarist/vocalist Chris O’Rourke. They released their first 7" single, the Kramer-produced "Play," in 1991 on Picture Book Artifact. Four full-length albums followed, on three different independent record labels. Punk Rock City USA was released by Slumberland Records in 1993, followed by Starduster (Homestead 1994), Communist Love Songs (Homestead 1996), and The Brighter Shore (Sealed Fate 1999). They toured the United States and Europe throughout the nineties, sharing the stage with such legendary bands as Polvo, Half Japanese, Yo La Tengo, The Grifters, The Dambuilders, Nation of Ulysses, Helium, Royal Trux, Antietam, Luna, Versus, The Magnetic Fields, and Dungbeetle.

Around the time their fourth album was released in 1999, Rachael and Chris got married, and Mike Galinsky moved on to a successful career in filmmaking. Dan Cuddy (The Special Pillow, ex-Hypnolovewheel) joined Chris and Rachael on bass. With Dan on bass, Sleepyhead did some touring for The Brighter Shore and began writing new songs. Rachael and Chris moved from New York to Boston in 2002 after having their first child. They had another kid in 2005. By this time, they had begun recording a new album, with Dan on bass, with producer Mike Deming (Pernice Brothers, Apples in Stereo, Beachwood Sparks, Lilys), at Deming’s famed Studio 45 in Hartford, and subsequently Enfield, CT. In 2004, bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Derek van Beever joined the band, and they started playing shows in Boston, Providence, and New York whenever they got the chance. In April 2013, this new lineup of Sleepyhead went into Q Division Studios in Somerville, MA to record the last three songs for their long-time-coming fifth album, Wild Sometimes, which was released on renowned Chicago indie Carrot Top Records on April 8, 2014. They played a bunch of shows in the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast to celebrate the release of Wild Sometimes in 2014, and then started writing a whole bunch of new songs with Derek. In the Spring of 2018, Drawing Room Records released a well-received deluxe double vinyl LP/digital reissue of Starduster and Communist Love Songs called Future Exhibit Goes Here.

 

 

 

 

Sleepyhead's info

 

 

http://www.sleepyheadrockband.com/Sle

 

The Bar None label, in conjunction with Fiasco Records, is excited to announce the upcoming release of Riches to Rags, a long-lost album by Minneapolis’ Bleeding Hearts featuring Bob Stinson, a founding member of The Replacements, on lead guitar. Riches to Rags will be a Record Store Day 2022 exclusive, pressed on 12” blood-red vinyl with liner notes by journalist Bob Mehr who won a Grammy Award for his album notes to the Dead Man’s Pop box set, an expanded re-issue he co-produced of the Replacements Don’t Tell a Soul album; Mehr wrote Trouble Boys the definitive Replacements biography Trouble Boys; he describes Riches to Rags as “the final piece to the puzzle of Bob Stinson’s musical career.” The album release will be preceded by the digital single, “Happy Yet,” on March 17. Bleeding Hearts was the brainchild of Stones-fixated singer / songwriter / guitarist Mike Leonard who started the group with drummer Bob Herbers and bassist Rob Robello. In search of a second guitarist and having no luck, Leonard approached Stinson at the Uptown Bar where both were regulars. They became roommates and, as Mehr’s notes relate, “the two played together daily, roughhoused like little kids, rehearsed with the band five times a week, and listened to music the rest of the time.” Riches To Rags was the result of pure serendipity. Fiasco Records’ Sunshine Dunham found a complimentary copy of Spin Magazine in a CMJ Music Marathon festival gift bag featuring a piece on Stinson’s post-Replacements exploits, that mentioned his move from Static Taxi to Bleeding Hearts. She tracked the group down, offered to record them and they made Riches to Rags in Minneapolis in 1993, a tight well-crafted set of high energy rock tunes that owed a debt to the Replacements and showed once again what a stellar guitar player Bob Stinson was.

The album’s filled with upbeat, catchy Minneapolis rock, with hooks galore and Bob's ever present bright chords shining through. Unfortunately, the overabundance of creative energy and artistic visions led to heated clashes and then Bob was out of the band right as recording completed. Bleeding Hearts carried on for a while without Bob, but their momentum was gone. Mike disbanded the outfit and joined the popular Minneapolis outfit the Magnolias. Stinson would pass away two years later, and the Bleeding Hearts recordings were left unreleased.

Finally, 30 years later, Bleeding Hearts will get their due, thanks to Fiasco Records preserving the session tapes for some three decades and Bar None taking the final steps to deliver this very special Record Store Day exclusive, April 23, 2022.

Interview with DYMBUR

DYMBUR an Indian Folk Metal | Khasi Thraat Folk Metal band, based in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. They were formed in 2012 and started by playing djent/progressive metal. In 2020, the band decided to fuse Djent/Metal with Khasi traditional instruments to create a sound of their own. Hence, they termed their genre as ‘Khasi Thraat Folk Metal

DYMBUR 'S Info

https://dymbur.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Dymbur

https://www.youtube.com/user/dymbur1

https://www.instagram.com/dymbur/

The Info for SPARK and DYMBUR'S  Mission statement for the song Child Abuse 

 

The Official Music Video for the song CHILD ABUSE by DYMBUR. This song talks about the current situation in India with regards to Child Abuse. A good amount of research has been done before the lyrics were laid down and the stats and figures mentioned in the song paints a clear picture of what is happening in the country. Of course, certain lines in the song talk about Child Abuse that is prevalent in other cultures as well.

Our intention here is not to point fingers at anyone but to raise awareness about Child Abuse and hopefully be able to create a behavioural change in the society. We not only aim to raise awareness on the topic but also to raise funds for the non-profit organization which is based in Shillong, Meghalaya, India called ‘SPARK – Bringing Light to Lives’ which is a self-funded organization that is in dire need of financial aid.

NATIONAL DONATIONS: Bank Name: Bank of Baroda Account Name: SPARK Bringing Light to Lives Ac No: 43580100002128 IFSC Code:

BARB0LAITUM (0 IS ZERO) Branch : Laitumkhrah, Shillong, Meghalaya, India. Email: spark.ssg10@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spark.lightt...

INTERNATIONAL DONATIONS: PayPal account: dymbur@yahoo.com ____________________________________

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4EfZzB...

Listen on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/chil...

 

Curse of Lono is an English alternative rock band based in London and signed to Submarine Cat Records. They have released one EP and two studio albums. Their most recent album, As I Fell, peaked at number 10 on the Official Americana Albums Chart and at number 15 on the Official Independent Album Breakers Chart in the U.K. The band has also been the subject of two short films, Saturday Night: A Film Of Four Songs and Somewhere In Their Heads, both of which have won awards and appeared at numerous film festivals.

Felix's Info

https://curseoflonoband.com/

 

Zig At The Gig interview with Brad Elvis & Chloe F. Orwell of The Handcuffs

 

Led by drummer Brad Elvis (Screams, The Elvis Brothers, Big Hello, The Romantics) and vocalist/guitarist/saxophonist Chloe F. Orwell (Big Hello), Chicago’s The Handcuffs will be releasing their fourth studio album Burn The Rails. The 13-song album was tracked at Kingsize Sound Labs, Chicago with producer/engineer Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case, Billy Bragg, Mavis Staples, My Morning Jacket, The Mekons). Burn The Rails is being released by Pravda Records in June on CD, download and via streaming platforms and later on 12″ vinyl. For the the new album, The Handcuffs found inspiration from the heady, analog days of early 1970s rock & roll, weaving together elements of glam, indie, garage, art and blues rock. Inhabiting some of the same musical turf as T-Rex, Mott The Hoople, Roxy Music, The Raconteurs, P.J. Harvey, Led Zeppelin, and Patti Smith – all filtered through a modern lens – they deliver bold, sexy songs with memorable melodies and unexpected twists. Guest keyboardist Morgan Fisher (Mott The Hoople) demonstrates his synthesizer and piano prowess on a couple of tracks on the new LP. The relationship with Fisher, a musical hero of the band, began after singer Orwell’s rave review of Mott The Hoople’s 2018 reunion tour went viral on social media, attracting the attention of Fisher, who got in contact. From there a creative collaboration was sparked, in-spite of an ocean separating the now real-life friends. Finishing the record during the peak of the pandemic and lockdown, gave several of the songs an inadvertent anthem-for-the-times feel – with themes of love and loss, heartache and hope, and even the great ideological divide that was as omnipresent as the virus. Elvis and Orwell formed The Handcuffs from the ashes of Big Hello, their first band together, which released three indie label records and toured from coast to coast. Elvis’ career also includes a few major label go-arounds, arena tours, and a backstory that will be documented in a new autobiography in the near future. The duo’s eagerness to explore new sonic territory and evolve into an entity that aligned more with their ever-expanding influences and broad range of musical tastes prompted a change. The Handcuffs began as primarily a studio project, in which Elvis and Orwell wrote and recorded an abundance of material. During the process, they realized they missed the live band experience, so The Handcuffs as recording artists and a dynamic live band was born. Completing the line-up are bassist Emily Togni, lead guitarist Jeffrey Kmieciak, and keyboardist Alison Hinderliter, all of whom originate from different parts of the country, but have made Chicago their home.

Handcuff's info

http://thehandcuffs.com

 

Founded on the sweet nostalgia of delta blues, AJ & The Woods elevates roots rock to a new height. Their sultry sound features striking female vocals and intricate guitar melodies which organically blends passionate folk, rock, and blues music. Home grown in Ohio and established in 2015, AJ & The Woods brings you one of the most unique and articulate sounds to date.

 

 

AJ & The woods Info

https://www.ajandthewoods.com

SHOW Info AUG 20TH/2022 

https://www.houseofblues.com/cleveland/EventDetail?tmeventid=vvG1fZ9uhafEtF&offerid=0

 

 

 

Ivan takes center stage on Crawling Through Grass, writing the tunes, playing, engineering the recording sessions and orchestrating the hybrid sound collages integral to the album. His collaborators on this venture include Bielski (Easy Bake Oven), Ivan’s brother Andrew (RitualTension), Norman Westberg (Swans, Heroin Sheiks, solo work), Mark C. (Live Skull, o13), Jon Fried (The Cucumbers, Campfire Flies) and Jadwiga Taba (Nac/Hut Report).

Ivan's Info

www.onaboutnow.com

https://www.facebook.com/ivan.nahem/

https://www.instagram.com/ivan.nahem/

https://www.instagram.com/ritualtension/

https://arguably.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ritualtension/

https://www.facebook.com/Carnival-Crash-616924978817049/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyhxyigWc1QrTdO3RE9KfQA

https://www.onaboutnow.com/home

 

Ben Vaughn On Zig At The Gig

Ben Vaughn grew up in the Philadelphia area on the New Jersey side of the river. At age 6, his uncle gave him a Duane Eddy record and forever changed his life. In 1983, he formed the Ben Vaughn Combo. The band was together five years, releasing two albums and touring the U.S. several times. They received rave reviews in Rolling Stone and People magazine and video airplay on MTV. The attention inspired Marshall Crenshaw to record Ben's "I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)" for his "Downtown" album. Ben embarked on a solo career in 1988, recording several critically acclaimed albums, touring extensively in Europe and the U.S. and receiving more MTV exposure. During that period he produced three records for the Elektra Records American Explorer series (Memphis rockabilly legend Charlie Feathers, Muscle Shoals country soul singer Arthur Alexander) and recorded "Cubist Blues," a collaboration with Alan Vega and Alex Chilton. He also scored two films ("Favorite Mopar" and "Wild Girl's Go-Go Rama"), as well as appearing as a frequent guest commentator on nationally syndicated radio shows “Fresh Air” and "World Cafe." In 1995, Ben moved to L.A. and released "Instrumental Stylings," an album of instrumentals in a variety of styles. A guest appearance on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" led directly to being hired as the composer for the hit TV sitcom "3rd Rock From The Sun." "That 70s Show" soon followed, and for the next ten years Ben would provide award-winning music for a dozen other TV shows and pilots ("Men Behaving Badly," "Normal, Ohio," "Grounded For Life"). He also provided scores for several films ("Psycho Beach Party," "The Independent," "Scorpion Spring") and continued producing records (Ween, Los Straitjackets, Mark Olson of the Jayhawks, Nancy Sinatra, and the "Swingers" soundtrack CD). Somehow Ben found time to create the legendary "Rambler '65." Recorded entirely in his car, this much-publicized album (and subsequent short film) is still considered by many to be a classic document of a man and his dream. Since then, Ben has released “Designs In Music," “Vaughn Sings Vaughn Vols. 1-3,” “Texas Road Trip” (recorded in Austin, Texas with Doug Sahm’s band) , "Five By Five" and "Piece de Resistance" by the Ben Vaughn Quintet and the solo acoustic album, “Imitation Wood Grain And Other Folk Songs.” Add to that an Italian dance hit (a DJ re-mix of “Hey Romeo”), airplay of “Jerry Lewis in France” on Bob Dylan’s radio show (complete with Dylan’s recitation of Ben’s resume), and two recent tours in France and you’re looking at what continues to be a very interesting career. Occasionally, Ben takes a break from his syndicated radio show (“The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn”) to perform live in the US and Europe. The dates are randomly planned so catch him while you can!

Ben's Info

http://benvaughn.org

www.facebook.com/benvaughnmusic

www.instagram.com/benvaughnmusic

 

Ov Stars is a Project/Band featuring Alice Genese (Gut Bank, Sexpod, Candy Ass, Pretty Boys, Psychic TV) and Shaune Pony Heath. Alice and Pony reside near the ocean in New Jersey

 

OV Star's Info

https://ovstarsband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ovstarsband

https://ovstars.bandcamp.com/

 

 

Interview with Kerry Jones Of Death Doula.

Death Doula's new album Love Spells available on all streaming platforms.

 

Love Spells is the debut album from Death Doula, a dusky Art-Rock band hailing from Portland, Oregon. The new album was recorded at Jackpot Studios by Adam Lee (Built to Spill, Sleater- Kinney) and mixed by Bob Cheek, (Deftones, Band of Horses). It’s being released as a digital download and via streaming platforms by Death Doula Records on October 11. Kerry Jones had a crush on his best friend. Kyle List didn’t mind, he asked her to come collaborate at his tiny home studio anyway. By the end of the night, they were in love and had created a demo of “Disembark”, which would be lead single from Love Spells. Three weeks later, he moved to Portland to live with her, with no plan beyond an intuition that the music would take them somewhere. Fast forwarding two years later, they recruited the veteran rhythm section of Keith Vidal on bass (Marjorie Faire, Nyles Lannon) and Adam Kozie on drums (Pollens, Crystal Beth) and adopted the name “Death Doula.” The music they’ve created shows their shared love of artists like Can, Television, Jeff Buckley, The Cranberries, Deerhunter, Kate Bush, The Sundays and Deftones, while remaining altogether sonically new. After having their lives dramatically reshaped during the pandemic, the members of Death Doula approach music with an intensity that can only come from having spent a lifetime wanting it. Kerry and Kyle have an 11 year age difference. Keith and Kyle have a 22 year age difference. Each member pours their lifetime of experience into performances that place emotion and groove first.“In a world so algorithmized it’s numb,” says Kerry “we just want to make people feel something again.” https://deathdoula.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/deathdoulaband/?img_index=1

 

Dusty Grant is an independent singer/songwriter based out of Wichita, KS. Grant has been writing, recording, and performing original music in bands and as a solo artist for over 20 years. Drawing influences from metal, rock, grunge, and country Grant delivers his own brand of Dark Rock.  Fans of Alice In Chains, Stone Sour, and Daughtry are certain to love Grant's style.

​

In 2017, Grant began touring and playing small clubs as a solo acoustic act. In his short time as a solo artist, Grant kept up a brisk pace releasing 11 of his own original songs and playing 40+ shows per year.

As interest in his music and performances grew across the region, in addition to booking additional solo acoustic gigs, Grant started to get interest from promoters to play larger stages with a full-band accompaniment. It was in 2021 that Grant added friends and fellow musicians Jason Catlett (Lead Guitar), Bwana Villa (Vocals), Shane Harper (Drums) & Chris McNutt (Bass). With a new, full-on rock sound, the band lit the regional scene ablaze opening for national acts like Daughtry, Candlebox, Black Stone Cherry, Danielle Nicole, and Blacktop Mojo.  

       

On April 8th of 2022 Grant released his first full-band single "Oceans" written and produced with friend Jason Catlett. This track was recorded by acclaimed hard rock producer Chris Dawson (SAUL, Any Given Sin, Seasons After). Grant also has plans to continue building his touring and live performance resume with shows already booked and more on the way.  Keep your eyes peeled for new releases and show announcements coming VERY SOON!!!

 

Dusty's Info

https://www.dustygrant.com/

5RxFSfBJvQHid7p4Fw41e5

https://soundcloud.com/dustygrant57

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1H81k552oo

 

"Francie Moon is, at this point, a New Jersey institution, a force creating balls-out rock n roll that is at turns, psych, garage, and punk, imbuing it with urgency and confidence." -King Pizza Records

Interview with Melissa Lucciola singer-songwriter, Drummer! known as Francie Moon! Her new album What are we really even doing is out now on all streaming platforms!

Francie Moon's Info 

https://franciemoon.com/ 

franciemoonmusic

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PLszZzCRsnvLsiN3LiImR

https://franciemoon.bandcamp.com

 

The Trypes John, & Toni Baumgartner On Zig At The Gig

Pravda’s March 18 release of “Music for Neighbors” marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of The Trypes in the blue-collar New Jersey town of Haledon, NJ, which was the hometown of The Feelies and later spawned kindred bands Yung Wu, The Willies and Speed The Plough. How Haledon became an incubator for these bands, who went on to spread their sound far and wide, is a matter of speculation. Maybe it was just a place in time in the early 80s when anything seemed possible to a group of suburban friends “Music for Neighbors” brings together all of The Trypes studio recordings, along with many home and live recordings that explore the band’s quirkiest musical inclinations. It also includes three songs from the band’s 1984 showcase at the Bottom Line in New York, as well as two songs recorded by the original Trypes during a 2017 reunion. Gatefold vinyl coming later this year. Stay tuned! CD available now. Playing moody, psychedelic-influenced folk-rock with a distinctive instrumental pallete, the Trypes are often thought of as a side project of the Feelies, due to the participation of several key members of that band. However, the Trypes were a functioning unit before Feelies leaders Glenn Mercer and Bill Million joined the group, and the group's founders would enjoy a long and productive career after Mercer and Million began pursuing other projects. The Trypes were formed in 1982 by John Baumgartner on keyboards, Toni Paruta on woodwinds, Marc Francia on guitar, Brenda Sauter on bass, and Elbrus Kelemet on lead vocals. The Trypes hailed from Haledon, New Jersey, which was also home to Glenn Mercer and Bill Million, who had put the Feelies on hiatus after touring in support of their debut album. Mercer and Million championed the Trypes and began working with the band; they became a six piece with the addition of drummer Stanley Demeski and the departure of vocalist Kelemet. In 1984, the Trypes released a four-song EP, The Explorer's Hold, but later that year, Mercer and Million left the group to launch a new edition of the Feelies, with Demeski and Sauter becoming the band's new rhythm section. Baumgartner, Paruta, and Francia dissolved the Trypes, but then formed a new group, Speed the Plough, who released their debut album (produced by Bill Million) in 1989. In 2012, Acute Records released a Trypes collection, Music for Neighbors, which collected the material from The Explorer's Hold, a rare compilation track, and a number of unreleased demo recordings. https://www.facebook.com/TheTrypesofHaledon

Charming Disaster is a goth-folk musical duo based in Brooklyn, NY, formed in 2012 by Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris. Inspired by the macabre humor of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, the murder ballads of the Americana tradition, and the dramatic flair of the cabaret, they write songs that tell stories about death, crime, myth, magic, folklore, science, and the occult. Their new album, the Marie Curie-inspired Our Lady of Radium, is out now on vinyl, CD, and all digital platforms.

Charming Disaster's Info

https://www.charmingdisaster.com

https://www.facebook.com/charmingdisa...

https://www.instagram.com/charmingdis...

https://www.youtube.com/user/Charming...

 

Kenny was raised in a house where music played all the time, and it was his mom's Hendrix and Santana records that etched their way into his psyche...he had to know how to make those sounds. By age 9 he had started guitar lessons, and by 12, had begun to unravel the mysteries of real rock guitar playing on his own, courtesy of Ace Frehely on the first Kiss Alive album. Ace was playing the Jimmy Page licks...but he played them slowly and methodically enough for a kid to digest and be able to repeat them, albeit clumsily at first. Over time, the pentatonic scale layout of the neck revealed itself, and he was off to the races, never looking back.

By Kenny's senior year in high school, he had joined a newly minted band called Prophet with a bunch of Jersey guys several years his senior. They busted their asses learning progressive rock covers by Kansas, Yes, Rush, Genesis, Pink Floyd....as well as hard rock like Scorpions, Van Halen, Sabbath and AC/DC. By 1982, Prophet was one of the kings of the NJ club band circuit, playing 5 nights per week to packed houses all over the tri state area. In 1985, Prophet would release the first of their 3 albums; the self-titled "Prophet" (1985), followed by "Cycle Of The Moon" (1988), and "Recycled" (1991). All records met with critical acclaim, yet Prophet would never rise above cult following status...a following which still remains today. A few original music projects followed in the early 90's, but he was growing weary of the music business and all of it's fickle whims. He lost his passion for creating and trying to forge ahead, and channeled those passions elsewhere.

In 2013, Kenny found himself at an all-time low, having gone through quite a few years of real trauma in his personal life. He had finally shed all his baggage, and was slowly regaining himself and learning to stand again...gradually finding his footing. It was during this period that he stumbled on to an album that would set the course for a whole new musical re-birth for him..."The Whippoorwill" by Blackberry Smoke. Just happened to click on it by chance one day while looking for an album to play while at work. A year later, he was still listening to the whole record every day. A few months after that, song ideas that he thought were worth capturing started to appear for the first time in years. And on July 4th, 2016, Kenny released "Reckless Abandon", his very first 100% solo record. And THAT...is where this awesome journey started for the second time...and he'll never look back again.

 

 

Kenny's Info 

http://www.kennydubman.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ken.dubman

https://www.instagram.com/kennydubman/

 

 

Mike Najarian Drummer of State Radio, Guitarist and singer-songwriter of Ratfynkt, and Remote Players Club.

 

Strange Perspectives is known for its witty and humorous short stories and observations. These memoirs cover many aspects of Mike Najarian's life including his adventures as the drummer of the politically conscious, socially aware, and internationally touring band State Radio. Volume 1 covers his dealings with Slash of Guns N' Roses, Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Mike Mills of R.E.M., Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band, Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, Cam Neely of the Boston Bruins, and Wyc Grousbeck (the owner of the Boston Celtics) just to name a few. Although Strange Perspectives is light, fun, and easy to read it also digs deep into the human condition and displays a diversity of ideas and topics that make it a complete and well-rounded piece of writing. To stay up to date on the Strange Perspectives series and all of Mike's dealings please go to his Facebook page at

Mike's Info

www.facebook.com/mikenajarian

https://bandcamp.com/tag/mike-najarian

https://ratfynkt.bandcamp.com

https://remoteplayersclub.bandcamp.com/album/remote-players-club

https://www.facebook.com/remoteplayersclub/

Get Strange Perspectives Here : 

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Mike-Najarian-ebook/dp/B009ECESZS

 

 

Robben Ford On Zig At The Gig

Robben Ford is one of the premier electric guitarists today, particularly known for his blues playing, as well as his ability to be comfortable in a variety of musical contexts. A five-time Grammy nominee, he has played with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Witherspoon, Miles Davis, George Harrison, Phil Lesh, Bonnie Raitt, Michael McDonald, Bob Dylan, John Mayall, Greg Allman, John Scofield, Susan Tedeschi, Keb Mo, Larry Carlton, Mavis Staples, Brad Paisley, and many others!

An important and essential component of Robben’s career is his commitment to teaching and passing on what he’s learned over the past 40 years to current and future musicians. His instructional videos and clinics over this time have culminated in a collaboration with TrueFire and the birth of the Robben Ford Guitar Dojo. The wealth of his expertise and creativity is generously presented in these state-of-the-art productions, and will be, for years to come.

Robben's Info

https://www.robbenford.com

 

John Doe: Punk rock pioneer with X, songwriter, poet, actor, solo artist, published author, folk musician.

John Doe, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, poet, guitarist and bass player. Doe co-founded LA punk band X, of which he is still an active member. His musical performances and compositions span rock, punk, country, and folk music genres. As an actor, he has dozens of television appearances and several movies to his credit, including the role of Jeff Parker in the television series Roswell 

 Fables in a Foreign Land, the debut release from The John Doe Folk Trio, his tales are now set in the pre-Industrial Era.“All of these songs take place in the 1890s. There’s a lot of sleeping on the ground, a lot of being hungry, a lot of isolation. All of that fits into the kind of isolation and lack of modern stimuli that I think people started rediscovering during the pandemic lockdown: realizing that as parts of your life start getting taken away, what’s important and what you live for becomes paramount.”And though many of the 13 songs were written over the last three years, the sound was born in loose weekly backyard jams on Kevin Smith’s patio. Doe called the Willie Nelson And Family upright bassist on Tax Day 2020, as the country legend’s seemingly endless tour schedule ground to a complete halt – probably for the first time ever-- due to the pandemic.“I called up Kevin and we just started playing on his patio on Tuesdays, just for something to do. And after about a month, we realized, ‘Holy shit! This is the first time we’ve been able to do this just for the hell of it! We’re not doing it for a tour, for a record, or a show.’ We’re doing it just to play. Then we invited our drummer pal Conrad Choucroun out, I wrote more songs, and eventually, the project became more focused. 

 

 

John's Info

http://www.theejohndoe.com/about

https://www.xtheband.com

John's Show June 21st at the music box in Cleveland OH

https://musicboxcle.com/event/john-doe-folk-trio-june21/\

X's Next show in Ohio with Psychedelic Furs

https://thepsychedelicfurs.com/#shows

 

 

 

Sweaty Lamarr is the musical project of Tara Giancaspro (Jee-in-CASS-pro), a singer-songwriter who splits her time between Hoboken and Philadelphia. She began writing music and singing in March of 2020, taking voice lessons with the Matt Farnsworth Studio and opera singer Chelsea Friedlander, and watching an almost alarming number of "How to play Neko Case songs" guitar videos on YouTube. Her first single, "I Have Always Been in Love With You", premiered in October of 2021 and hit 5,000 streams within three months of release. Her newest single "Mysteries" (produced by Jacob Blizard, guitarist for Lucy Dacus, and engineered/mixed by Lovegrove Studios) was premiered by Magnet Magazine ahead of its release on February 14, 2022. "Mysteries" has been broadcast on numerous radio stations including Blow Up Radio, IndieCentric with Todd Livingston (Charlie Mason Radio), RTR 92.1 (Australia), and Beyond Radio in the UK. Her next release, an alternative country EP called A Little Bit Cuntry, A Little Bit Rock & Roll, is set to debut in 2022, and will feature "Abbey, I'm Sorry I Stole Your Man," a sequel to Dolly Parton's "Jolene" from Jolene's perspective. Tara is writing her first novel in between 3am songwriting sessions, being a corporate stooge, and cuddling her two cats Simone and Lugosi.

Sweaty Lamarr's Info

https://linktr.ee/sweatylamarr

https://sweatylamarrmusic.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SweatyLamarr/

https://www.instagram.com/sweatylamarr/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3evyp6n1s8WMRTssXlh0uO

 

Greg Franco of Man's Body on Zig At The Gig

Interview with Greg Franco about his career, writing habits, and Man's Body's new album Set Of Steak Knifes

Man's Body info

https://www.facebook.com/mansbodychicago/

https://mansbody.bandcamp.com/album/put-your-family-in-it

https://www.instagram.com/mansbodychicago/

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm-cQV1x-7AjmfksEGxA-uBx8jugKh-qA

 

Interview with Rust County Revival

About Rust County Revival ":Somewhere between the former stomping grounds of blues legend Robert Lockwood Jr. and the modern-day, blues-inspired rockers The Black Keys comes an original Rock ‘N’ Roll experience, which attempts to blend elements of both the old and the new and feels authentic as well. Bob (guitar/vocals), Russ (drums), Stu (guitar/vocals), and Tim (bass) strive to deliver a unique blend of Rock and Blues soaked in gasoline for your eardrums. Formed in the post-pandemic world on the mean streets of Seven Hills, four musicians set out to deliver freakish blues and familiar grooves to your soul. RCR brings a multitude of expressions and influences to the stage. From hard-hitting Rock and Grunge to old-school Blues with a modern spin. Mainly we just enjoy writing and playing music inspired by artists we admire."

 

UPCOMING SHOWS

• Dec. 19 – Emerging Sounds Showcase @ Rialto Theatre (Akron, OH) – Doors: 7 p.m.
• Jan. 17 – Front St. Social (Berea, OH) – Doors: 6:30 p.m.

https://rustcountyrevival.com

/ https://www.facebook.com/RustCountyRevival

https://www.instagram.com/rustcountyrevival

 

Mark Stewart is an artist, vocalist, producer and songwriter from Bristol. As a founding member of The Pop Group and as a soloist, Stewart has remained an anarchic and pioneering figure since the punk era, a constant source of discordance amongst the frontiers of post-punk, dub, industrial and electronic music. In a body of work driven by an explosive form of lyricism and inspired by radical politics, protest movements, theory, philosophy, technology, art and poetry, Stewart has fearlessly cultivated a revelatory collision of ideas, ideals and influences throughout an indisputably ground-breaking and seditious career. Empowered by the DIY incentives of punk Stewart initiated The Pop Group in 1977, subsequently producing some of the most original and combative music of both the post-punk and contemporary era. From 1977 until 1980 Stewart led the charge in a group that completely eschewed punk’s formalism for something far greater. Producing epiphanic, irrepressible anthems, including She’s Beyond Good & Evil and We Are All Prostitutes, both in 1979, as well as masterful, seminal albums including Y in 1979 and For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? in 1980, The Pop Group ignited the revolutionary aesthetic potential of post-punk. The impact of this first incarnation left an immensely significant legacy ultimately leading to the group’s reformation in 2010. With 2015’s refined return Citizen Zombie and 2016’s audacious left-turn Honeymoon On Mars, the group emphatically renewed their relevance, proving as incendiary as ever. Stewart continues to operate as a crucial impetus in the bands ongoing mission. In 1980 Stewart embarked on his solo career inspired by the sounds he had heard during a visit to New York the same year. The virtuosic scratching and early hip hop propagated by Kiss FM’s Kool DJ Red Alert, coupled with the impact of a pile driver at a construction site Stewart happened to encounter there, was enough to encourage his visionary next step. In 1982 Stewart consolidated these encounters into coherent possibilities, forming a group called The Maffia and linking up with producer Adrian Sherwood and his cutting edge label On-U Sound. Alongside a rotating cast of session players, initially comprised of members of African Head Charge, Creation Rebel & Dub Syndicate, and later made up of Doug Wimbish, Keith LeBlanc and Skip McDonald (the erstwhile rhythm section of The Sugarhill Gang) Stewart & The Maffia fashioned an abrasive confection of dub reggae, early hip hop and industrial noise that was shattering, seismic and completely ahead of its time. Headed by an iconic version of William Blake’s eponymous ancient poem, Stewart & The Maffia unveiled the Jerusalem EP in 1982, swiftly followed by their cult 1983 LP Learning To Cope With Cowardice. Stewart later moved to Mute Records in 1985 for the ferocious proto-industrial militancy of As The Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade and successive appearances on the label continued to break untold new ground, from 1987’s Mark Stewart to 1990’s Metatron and 1995’s Control Data. Stewart has continued to plot an utterly uncompromising and individual course into the 2000s, with a streak of solo material that has included Edit, The Politics of Envy, The Exorcism of Envy and Experiments. Preserving his vociferous energy and defiant stance whilst advancing, as always, into unfamiliar territories, this work bears all the traces of Stewart’s enduring severity and modernism, an exploratory power reinforced by a host of legendary collaborators and artistic descendants including the likes of Primal Scream, Keith Levene (Public Image Ltd / The Clash), Richard Hell, Kenneth Anger, Daddy G (Massive Attack), Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, The Bug, Kahn (Kahn & Neek, Young Echo) and Factory Floor. Stewart continues to exert an inestimable impact on a disparate range of ensuing artists and scenes. His work has been acknowledged and celebrated as a vital inspiration by the likes of Nick Cave, Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), Tricky, Massive Attack, St Vincent and countless others, while his eye for unorthodox extremity has instigated myriad new evolutions, blueprinting industrial, trip-hop, noise-hop, dance-punk and many other subsequent conceptions. Through a staunch, unrelenting desire to confront, deconstruct and make anew, Stewart has become of the most influential and forward-looking luminaries of post-punk, or indeed, any other form of music. An artist often imitated but never bettered.

Mark's Info

https://www.markstewartmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/markstewartmusic

 

Matt Pless interview 2022

Combining elements of folk, punk, pop, and rock, Matt Pless can lyrically turn a phrase with the best of them and has been compared to some of the preeminent songwriters of our time. A consummate performer with a high-energy stage presence, Matt Pless travels the road continuously entertaining and astounding his audiences.

With guitar and harmonica as his tools of choice and words as his main characters, he has shared the stage with the likes of Maroon 5, Rilo Kiley, Alkaline Trio, Arlo Guthrie, Bad Brains, Fallout Boy, All Time Low and others.

Matt’s extensive touring schedule has taken him to Europe, and across the U.S. multiple times playing venues from bars to boxcars and basements and everything in between...wherever there are people to hear his music.

And almost anyone can relate to a Matt Pless song. His unique gift for writing lyrics and melodies that appeal to the core of the human condition is, like Matt himself, an experience.

Check out Matt's New album Cheap Shot On The Rocks links below

Matt's Info

https://www.mattpless.com

https://mattpless.bandcamp.com

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3yQ3jD3d0ytK5DdnsiM2e5

https://twitter.com/mattpless?lang=en

https://www.instagram.com/mattpless/?hl=en

 

Interview with Kevin Eastman Co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Kevin Eastman is an American Comic book artist and writer best known for co-creating Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles with Peter Laird. Eastman was also the editor and publisher of the magazine Heavy Metal! Kevin started his own publishing company Tundra Publishing, and so much more!

More from Kevin Eastman

https://fan.kevineastmanstudios.com/

Check it out!!

Kevin has turtle auctions all the time. During these auctions, he is selling old and rare turtle memorabilia!

Last Ronin Issue 5 out now!

https://www.idwpublishing.com/product...