Staley Requiem In Chains

The late Layne Staley immortalized in memory

“When everyone goes home, you’re stuck with yourself.” – Layne Staley, Alice In ChainsThere are two certainties in life that you can not change.  Your date of birth and your date of death.  It’s the dash in between that defines your book of life and where you can either stand tall in success or bow out in defeat.  This thought haunted me for weeks as day in and day out my life was stagnant with the hustle and bustle of my New York City life.  Each day heading into a stale office leaving me feeling unappreciated and overlooked by the self-absorption of superficial glares from the department heads whose empty words meant nothing more than shut up and do as I say or you will fade.  Looking back I guess nothing could be thought less or expected of this deceiver and his big bottom puppet hiding behind the fabricated walls of this Mickey Mouse company.  This false witness wasn’t aware, but his egocentric actions set me free to explore and burrow myself deeper into the traverse world of music that lives in me.  It was this act of weakness that lead to my biggest epiphany and discovery of my own self-contained power as a music business professional, and which would lead to me writing this story.

As people in a free country we are able to make choices and act on the ideals and dreams that amaze not only those who doubted us, but to ourselves as an inner implosion that reignites our souls and once again gives rebirth to our inner child.  It was in this termination, this seemingly dark chapter in my life, which seemed to be the end of my music career.   Well as you experience this article I am able to reveal to you that my firing was only the calm before my own transformational storm.  A metamorphosis state of being have you, and the start of that dash between my date of birth and, what I hope, my distant date of death.

Action reaction, action reaction.  What doesn’t kill me will only make me stronger.  It’s true.  All of the cliches we hear.  All of the words of wisdom that have been bestowed upon us by the wise.  I got my strength to pursue my dreams of making it in this volatile business, that now is redefining itself and catching up on the inevitable path of the digital music revolution, a revolution that has grounded many bands and sealed the fate to many labels world-wide to close their doors while leaving bands to fend for their own.   To reinvent their own wheels so that they may have just one more taste of success.  For me, I found peace and motivation in a song.  What song?  “River of Deceit” by Mad Season.

It is my professional and personal opinion that Mad Season is arguably so the most alluring representation of a collaboration band whose life was not only short lived and cut by drug induced tragedy, but whose cult like historical mark left my generation in awe.  The impact of their only album took on a life of its own and to this day still moves me the same as it did the first day I pressed play.  It’s the kind of collaboration that so few dream of and so many music legends will only hear about.  In 1995 Layne Staley (Alice In Chains) joined forces with Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees), Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), and John Baker Saunders (Freelance Bassist) came together for the band’s one album.  An album that flew into rock ‘n’ roll history much like Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP Richardson (The Big Bopper) in 1959.

Four boys created ten tracks that made a generation dig deep with in themselves to do true soul searching and to change the course of their own history by sharing with the fans a very deep insight of each band member’s own personal life.  The band’s formation sparked when Saunders and McCready met in a rehabilitation center in 1994.  The meeting was nothing short of synchronicity and reminded me of the basis behind the book “The Celestine Prophecy.”  Simply written, “Life events are not random but predetermined and planned by a higher calling.”  Whether that theory is true or not isn’t important to me, what is important is Mad Season brought an album into existence unlike anything I ever witnessed and with that album came revelation and peace for me as I am am sure it did for the members.  Temporary of otherwise.

I was driving home one night last year alone and trying to make sense of my life.  I was listening to Ralph Vaughn William’s “Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis,” a inspirational music composition from English Renaissance and thought to myself that every great classical composer has a requiem.  The most popular being Mozart’s Requiem, a hired piece of composition requested of by a Count in memory of his beloved wife.  Other requiems that have historical impact can still be heard today years after the deaths of such composers as Faure and Vivaldi, but this wouldn’t just be Mozart’s greatest composition, it would be his last and how fitting is it that he should write his own requiem.  Mozart would pass away from illness at the young age of thirty-five and it made me think how such artistry and passion could fade away with the classics.

I switched the CD out and tossed in Mad Season.  “My pain is self chosen….”  Those lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks.  What does Layne Staley mean?  “I could either drown or pull off my skin and swim to shore…”  Line after line hit me hard.  So much I pulled over on the side of the highway and started to tear.  Everybody has their own way of interpreting music and hidden messages in lyrics, but unless the writer expresses his view of his own lyrics no one understands the meaning.  It’s no secret that Layne and other members had continuous battles to stay clean, but the battle knowingly caught up to Layne and he couldn’t find the words to express his self anger.  I never had a history or a connection to Layne other than through his music, and I am only speculating as a fan that the formation of Mad Season along with Layne’s increasing relapse to his addictions reopened his mind to view himself and his decisions in such a way that left his heart flooded with rejuvenated passions as a songwriter and his mind at peace with the words which poured out onto the sheets he inscribed these lyrics on.

In my mind “River of Deceit” was Layne’s way of self analyzing his choice to take the path he chose for himself.  It was his way to reconcile with himself so that he could put his mind at peace and to tell the world he knows he did made bad decisions and there is no going back.  He had the opportunities to take a different path and this was the path that was right for him.  Fair or unfair it was self chosen as he sings in the lyrics.  Mad Season would lose both Layne and John to drug overdoses eerily similar, but the legacy that is Mad Season would live on and does live on today.  Whether or not this was the band’s vision and plan the album has changed the course of many a young man’s life.  It’s a life testimony of four real boys who have confronted their pasts in their own personal ways and in death have left fans, young and old with, a clear message.  Our pain is self chosen and the river of deceit, be it drugs, a relationship gone bad, or being fired from a job, will pull us down unless we decide to pull off our skins and swim to shore.  In other words get rid of your self pity and live to see another day.

It is this story I have written, be it fact or my own fiction which positions Mad Season my personal pick of best collaboration band to date.  Much like a daisy chain linked fence.  Each link is needed for the fence to exists and function without error.  The same idea works with Mad Season’s only album.  The lyrics, the members, the music.  It all has a purpose and reason as to why the notes, the tempo, and the elements occur.  Never have I ever listened to an album that is so absolute.  The band did what so many bands have never done and never will be able to do.  Mad Season accomplished and finished an impeccable album that to this day will remain peerless and beyond comparison to any other album created by a collaboration band.

“We write about ourselves because we know about ourselves.” – Layne Staley, Alice In Chains

Big Phish Reeled In Syracuse

The Phish tank was in a hazy thick fog before the show, the enthusiasm was stimulating, and the buzz was a feverish feeling combined with elation and thrill calling out for the school of Phish to gather.  I have witnessed many shows from many genres but what I have witnessed this day was a feeding frenzy that I haven’t seen in all my years of attending concerts or that I recorded in the five hundred plus SCUBA dives.  The Phishing lines tangled up traffic lanes leaving the city to believe that the end of the world was only moments away.  It was Woodstock in Syracuse brilliantly colored in a spectrum array of vivacious colors fluttering from flags, the Birkenstock sandals that were apparently fashionable in thirty degree weather as they are on a ninety degree foot sweating mud-puddle-skipping day of yore.  Reflections of years gone by, of the deadhead clans, and of the seasons of love are long but over.  It’s still cool, man and the day was heavy, man.  What I witnessed was the gathering of one mind for one cause with Phish at the epicenter of this twenty first century hippie universe.  All this hit me when I stepped out from my conformist vehicle after my Michael Jackson’s history funkadocious in car concert.  After four hours, a raspy voice from singing, and some three thousand cows grazing on the pasture on my pilgrimage ride up North, I planted my Harley boots down on Syracuse pavement and took in a deep breath of Phish bated air.  It was the Phish Phan’s way of greeting me welcome while bidding adieu to any conscious way of thinking.

Everywhere you veered your eyes shined a bedazzled spectrum of rainbow stripes printed on long dresses and on so many tie dye suits you couldn’t help to feel groovy.  The smiling domino effect drenched Syracuse with free thinking Phishermen and Phisherwomen who spread their beauty in peace, shared their beers unconditionally, and who basked in their baking huddles with new found revelations under common displays of unleashed enjoyment.  The lady’s twirled their orbiting talents through acrobatic hula-hooping.  I am sure Ms. Sticks would have lead this event proudly on the parking lot stage.  i was shocked to know that it was only 1:00 PM and Phish wasn’t going to be taking stage until 8:00 PM.  Pre show parties filled out the schedule with regional music artists who displayed their talents on the street and at the official pre-show party at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena Complex.  The transformation downtown simulated a floral parade of twenty-first century hippies shocking and awing the locals who congregated for their annual free Turkey drive.  I was waiting for the bout to begin.  In one corner the fifteen pound Turkey and in the other corner the hemp granola bar, but the arbitrator by mother nature kept order and peace allowing the free spirits to dance, hula-hoop, and to remain toasty in the late autumn chill (Toasty being the emphasis).

I met an amazing woman whose energy and passion for her work exudes her.  The passionate Sandra Baker, VP of Sales & Marketing for the Oncenter received me with a great smile and a warm hug.  “The Oncenter is dedicated to all the men and women who gave their lives and limbs to keeping our families and our country safe from harms way.  It’s a remarkable venue with a wonderful museum displaying some of our hometown heros who served in the unfortunate wars and conflicts we have witnessed as a nation.  Our ability to memorialize our local Vets is something we are proud of and honor with great respect.”  Sandra shared insight with me to the history of the Oncenter Complex and welcomed me to take walk the glass enclosed memorial that also captured the attention of many Phish fans.  Everyone seemed to be touched by the artifacts, the uniforms, the names listed on the glass windows, and respectfully walked with a serene calmness before entering the Phishing hole.  It was here where I felt a sense of pride and a knot in the throat to see both doves and hawks uniting under one roof in the name of music.

The house lights blacked out and the venue fell into darkness swallowed up by the uproar of Phish fanatics making their presence clear.  It’s was time to put away the stress of yesterday and time to devour the jam band of our generation.  Phish walked out into the blue and white lit stage like ghostly apparitions of men walking into Vermont mountain scene.  The hysteria penetrated the through the skin piercing the heart.  I gathered flash frames in my mind of the faces in the crowd expressing awe, of emotional meltdown, of acceptance, and mostly of true appreciation.  The reception, just short of gaggle of screaming bobby girls in the Ed Sullivan theater welcoming the Beatles back to New York, thrust the crowd forward.  They waves of fans jumped high in the air reaching out to the boys from the Green Mountain State, and like that, the amps quaked the cameras in my hands and we were off on a very long strange trip that even Jerry Garcia would be proud to say he grandfathered.

The lighting captured the feel of a star burst beaming through thick forests cascading the mass in emerald greens, rich blues, luscious reds and vibrant yellows.  I was compelled to stop shooting and to absorb what was taking place right in front of me.  I turned around to face the crowd and took the entire moment in.  The lighting coursed through the arena much like a river refracting the sun.  Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Jon Fishman, and Page McConnell make up current day Phish.  Four simply dressed men took their individual talents and blended their instruments into a bending musical sound welded together in flowing harmonies and breezy riffs.  Phish took their place on stage, overtook and captured the minds of seven thousand plus adoring fans with a playlist set that had one beginning and no end in sight.  “Rift”, “Weekapaug Groove”, “Stash”, “Llama”, and “Tweezer” were just a few selections that were mixed into the massive overload of music performed by what will be the longest running show off-Broadway.  There are very few bands who can do what Phish has done by beating the odds as an American culture whose success was built mainly on their live performances rather then a concentration on creating new album material.  Phish is now and will always be an institution to their liberal viewing audience and fans.  These four free thinkers are going strong and face a long music journey ahead to play their innovative, improvisation, jam band music and have rightfully earned their place as heirs to the Grateful Dead throne.  Phish has been swimming upstream for over twenty years now and I hope they will keep swimming because what they leave behind in their path is a stream of the finest music and a live performance unlike anything you have ever been a part of.  All I can say at this point is, Phish on!

Joey Williams, On the Road Again

Joey Williams, Up close & personal

It’s 12:30 on a Wednesday morning.  Five Time Grammy Award Winner and Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, Joey Williams has the keen insight from The Blind Boys of Alabama and he is riding co-pilot tonight.  After a bigger then life rehearsal for his upcoming show this Friday Joey opened up to me about his life on the road and a revealing portrait of his life through his own words and his own take on who he is from where has has come from.  The journey Joey explained to me on our two hour drive back to the Bronx explains clearly why he is essential to the music fans he plays for and the music artists who continue to acquire his talents on collaborative projects from Robert Randolph to future soundtrack work for films.  This is a unique night for me to witness the roots of Joey as a music artist, a humanitarian and a friend.  Tonight my recording and the interview that took place was as close to a storyteller experience as I have ever had.  Joey is the artist and I was the audience.

Williams is sitting in with with Marc Sincavage & Special Guest “The Breakfast” at Skappo (Playright, 144 Temple Street New Haven, CT) in New Haven, Connecticut.  The rehearsal was held garage band style in the basement of an Optometrist office in the middle of Hamden, Connecticut.  The feeling was relaxed and vibrant.  It’s just what happens when a local band and a music legend combine in the last place on Earth to play good music.  The harmonies were tight, the music was balanced, and the room was hopping to the chicken plucking guitar strings to the heart thumping beat of the bass drum.  A Hammond Organ became the cherry on top of this musical sundae sprinkled with the colorful culmination of throw back vibes to current day hit songs.  It’s not how you play the instrument, it’s how the instrument plays you.  Remember that folks because this night belonged to the love of music and not for the free meals of candy stashed in the upstairs containers of the eye doctor’s office of where we hid from the outside world.

The feel on the drive home had a different feel, but over all Joey and myself sat back to the sounds of Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash who collaborated together for a VH-1 story teller concert some years back.  It’s the kind of CD that never gets old and the where stories become fairy tales of days gone by.  “On the Road Again” started to play and Joey grew excited in the seat as a husky Pete passed out in the back from too much something-a-rather.  Just the sounds of mumbles and how Willie Nelson was talking to him through the music caught my ear in between my own personal momentary lapse of reality.  The movie in my mind played over and over again.  A looping picture of my soul’s mate walking towards me in the hallway of the JFK airport terminal.  The smile of smiles, the embrace of embraces, and the start of my new life some seventy, yes seventy, pounds lighter.  “..and I just can’t wait to get on the road again.”  The song ended and I pressed record on my digital recorder and what happened next was my first deep interview for backstage blogger.  An up close and truly personal insight to one of today’s most talented guitarists, Joey Williams.

“That used to be one of my mottos.  I used to be serious about that tune.  I lived that song right there.  I remember when the song first came out.  When I was growing up and I was on the road.  I hadn’t been home in a long time from being on the road and I would start singing that.”  Joey explained to me just before breaking into song, “…and I can’t wait to get on the road again.”  I asked him what is his road was and where his road was bringing him to.  He sat back in his seat, pressed his head back on the head rest and with a deep sigh said, “The road was a place to travel on to get to my friends and my family.  Back then we weren’t traveling around the world.  Traveling around the world came later.  Back then we were just traveling around the country.  We traveled on 95, 85 (Joey laughed lightly), all over the place.”  Joey’s traveling started at the early age of eleven when he was living in Florida.  He would travel with his father’s quartet, he would perform on stage with the band, and that is initially how he started his life on the road.  It’s been a grandiose road with collaborations and fill in cameos with such incredible musicians such as Robert Randolph, Dave Hollister, and Keith Sweat.  His family life on the road exposed him at an early age to the various cultures, the mindsets of the people, and the ability to grow up with no boundaries through his music.  “My mother and father would take us down to the Wilson, North Carolina area where my family and I would spend our summers being a family.  That was my road back then.  Today it’s about playing in the church and always listening to music.”

Unlike some music artists, Joey’s family is still alive for the most part.  His mother and father have shared each step of his success as did his siblings.  He recounted one of his aunts who passed some time ago and how her passing was short of the success.  She was one person who he hoped would be alive to witness his contribution to the music world.  Joey also brought up another person who he says would have truly appreciated his talents.  “I also wish my father-in-law could have seen the success I have made at this point and what I have been able to build for my wife.”  His wife attends a majority of his shows and she is very fond of Joey and his talents from the times I have shared with her backstage.  Being on the road with out your spouse can be tough and does come with its own challenges, but Joey’s love and dedication to his wife keeps their relationship moving in a forward direction where so many music artist relationships have fallen apart.  His passion for his music is essential and the inspiration he has for his wife is apparent through his music and a few glances from stage to her when the connect in their own personal moments.  His smile brightens as their eyes meet and its a beautiful moment which I have caught from time to time when I’m not fixed on getting that next shot on camera.

Joey exercises his guitar skills like a man running a triathlon.  Each day he wakes up and empowers his soul for music by practicing and looking deep with himself to learn new techniques of playing better then he currently is able to.  This is a daily ritual developed from the mind of a five time Grammy award winner who flows through life feeling good and keeping positive.  “I have like six statues (5 Grammy Awards and 1 lifetime Achievement Award) in my home from my music.  You don’t realize it until you start talking about it.  It’s special and I love saying it.  I’m a Grammy Award Winner.  I worked really hard in the studio with everything I have and for that dedication, and the band’s ability to remain on top of their game, we won the awards we have with great respect from our musical peers.  This band has achieved so much after so long of putting in its time, its energy, and its blood.  I remember the first time we earned our first Grammy.  It was me and Jimmy (Carter).  When our name was called we all just stood up on the middle of the floor and we could not believe it.  It was the most incredible feeling that I couldn’t even begin to describe.  The following year we were all sitting together again and we were so nervous as we were the year prior.  The feelings I had inside were just like the feelings I had racing through me on our first nomination.  We even went to the awards with Robert Randolph that year.  Robert was nominated for two Grammies and we were nominated for one.  We won another award for our category that night and it was like a double treat.  We played and we won our third Grammy Award.  The following year was number four with Ben Harper.  Even after five wins the feeling doesn’t get any less intense and I am always nervous as I felt the first time we were nominated.  It’s like each time the Yankees win another world series.  It never gets old.  Just I do.”

Joey is a simple man with a very focused goal.  To be the best at what he does.  His ability to pick up the guitar each day is a blessing that has been bestowed upon him with a higher purpose then to pluck strings or to entertain music fans for a dollar.  He brings out the best emotions from out of his fans who depend on his energy and stage presence for warmth of comfort of feeling good in their lives.  Joey’s musicianship talent expands over a decade and has touched millions of people over the years.  He still dreams of a time to collaborate with such music icons as Sting, Mary J Blige, and his mentor, Stevie Wonder.  What Joey would bring to their music is a flavorful root that is untapped and unheard by anyone they have partnered with.  His ability to capture the moment is done effortlessly with the highest regards from the music industry.  There is no project too big or too small for him and he is on the brink of becoming a legend in his own ranks.

“We recently went to San Francisco to do a few songs for a documentary with Anthony Hamilton and some other artists.  We are heading back to the states after our world tour with the Preservation Hall Jazz.  It’s an incredible experience coming from being a kid from the Bronx with a guitar and a dream to be able to see the world on tour doing what I love each day, and if I could do one thing before I leave this Earth I would like to do a duet with Stevie Wonder.  It’s a dream I have had that ever since I was a kid.  I look to Stevie as a mentor because if you are able to do what he has done and to accomplish the level of success he has achieved, then you have to give credit where credit is due.  Stevie is the man and a music artist I look up to with the highest respect.  He’s proven himself and you just can’t go wrong following in his footsteps.”

Joey Williams.  A name that shouldn’t be new to anyone living above a rock.  Joey will continue to play music until the good Lord brings him home.  He will continue to march forward and develop his legendary status.  There are so few music artists who can paint a room in music as Joey has done time and time again.  His free spirit will keep him fresh and keep his music fresh, anticipated, and exciting when it is created.  The life and future that will pour out of him in the years ahead are going to massive and it will be the loss of a music fan to not drown there heads in the cleanly baptism of Joey’s music.  Where there is bright light, warm reception, and love there will be Joey Williams on center stage with his fender in hand plugged into an amplifier ready to blanket you with music in its purest form.  It doesn’t matter if it is in a seedy bar or in a major venue, Joey keeps himself in check and the music he creates and performs doesn’t portrait a man who knows he’s accomplished the near impossible.  He is a true music artist who plays for the love of playing and nothing less.  I’m proud to call Joey my friend and I’m blessed to have had this time in our car ride to learn more about how two people can share the same passion for music on and off the stage.  Joey Williams.  Wow!

Daughtry Trumps the Taj Mahal

Chris Daughtry Trumps Taj Mahal

“Daughtry is the kind of band that plays music to chill out by.  All of Chris’s songs are like that.  His music makes me wish I kept up playing the guitar myself which I haven’t played since high school and that was over fifteen years ago.  There’s just something about his music lyrically that gives me good comfort in my own life with my own personal situations that I can relate to.  I feel like I can face my daily challenges with more confidence knowing that he and I can relate to each other with the things that people like us face each day.  I guess it’s nice to know that no matter what level of life you are on, be it a rock star like Chris or a medical billing collector like me, that at the end of the day people have similar life events that they must face no matter if they come off a concert stage or fill out a time sheet in an office cubicle.”  This was a one on one conversation between the angel from the front row and myself after Daughtry’s truly impressive twenty song play list live from Trump’s Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

Our reflection on this concert continued with a deep conversation that I recorded on my blackberry.  What my angel felt about the show and each point she made was spot on.  Her view point maybe different from mine because I screen every detail of a live concert, from the synergy between artist and fan to the quality of the performance level.  This review has been colorfully described from an everyday fan’s point of view, and, to me, she validates Daughtry’s credibility derived from her personal experience at this concert, but this passenger is anything but ordinary.  As we continued back from Atlantic City I found that I embraced the music of Daughtry rather than reviewing his music on an analytical point.  I learned the value Daughtry brings to a person who connects to his music deeply rather than fanatically.

The night of the concert we raced from New York City to Atlantic City.  The air was intense with anticipation and we indulged ourselves in an evening free from her own personal struggles.  The evening exposed me to a beautifully sensitive woman who has gone through so much in her recent months emotionally and physically.  She insisted on paying both of the Daughtry CD’s over and over so she could learn the lyrics.  We made guesses on what would be the opening song and her her first Daughtry show impacted her to remain a fan of his music.  Three restroom stops and over one hundred miles later, we arrived to the show.

The tensity of waiting for Daughtry to begin his set was immediately washed away when the light show illuminated the darkened venue in a showcase of bold red and blue color tints completed with shadow silhouettes of Daughtry behind the translucent drop on stage.  This angel’s face went from the fear of being in front of the protection barriers to the most blinding smile when the drops raced off the hangers above the stage, falling to the ground mixed in a collection of blinding lights, heavy guitar riffs, and thunderous drums.  The raw excitement in her voice matched the intensity of that from the band, whose message has empowered her.  It was Daughtry who wasn’t aware of his power because his music became this angel’s ventilation outlet and supported her inner strength and ability to face her biggest challenge ever. To embrace a better life path through starburst flares and on a forward motion direction.

I listened to her voice raise with intensity as she continued to reflect on her own personal life and how Daughtry’s music gave her the insight and the help she was denied.  The music not only helped her to release her frustrations and stresses, it boosted her energy when she thought she had no more.  The anthem like tracks thrilled her, excited her and pulled out of her answers to confusing questions that would launch her on a new journey.   It was obvious to me, as I have seen in my own life, how essential life is to value music, and even more so, how motivational a public figure can be on a stranger’s life through his or her God given talent of artistic expression.

Daughtry brings an attitude to the stage that has been missing from the stage for some time now.  It’s a no holds bar work out that invigorates and enlivens his fans to switch on their spirits triggered by fortifying ubiquity.  His songs challenge you to tap into your inner self and to crest your absolute apex.  This former American Idol contestant was written off prematurely on the TV contest show which Taylor Hicks went on to win.  That was season five and Taylor Hicks, with the likes of Fantasia, Ruben, and Bo, has fallen into the seemingly popular American Idol category of “Where are they now?”  He is undeniably one of the best products the show exposed to the music world and proves that you can finish fourth on one of television’s highest regarded talent searches and still be a higher success then the person who was voted the Idol.

“The difference between my appreciation of Daughtry compared to a groupie’s reasoning is huge just from what I overheard standing in the general area section on the floor.  A groupie is still going to view Daughtry as a previous contestant on American Idol who is cute.  I feel like my connection to Chris Daughtry was made when my little sister was glued to the TV watching American Idol and so I turned the show on to see what all the hype was about.  The first person I saw perform on American Idol was a bald guy singing “Wanted” by Bon Jovi.  Bon Jovi is my favorite band and that was my initial spark instantly beginning my interest in his singing.”

Daughtry is the real deal consummated by his gritty sound and unequivocal history as a kid from small town North Carolina.  His journey in music began at the early age of sixteen as he sought out his placement in music.  His noted influences helped to chisel his music skills from Stone Temple Pilots and Fuel, to Soundgarden and Bon Jovi.  Daughtry’s contribution to music could be defined as one which adds flavor, infuses raw emotion, and is adorned on an angle of emblazoned realism.  From my own glimpse I noticed affirmation from the recoil of rock signs and air fists.  There was no retreating on this night.  If you came to this show you came for a greater reason to fulfill a mightier purpose.  Like the woman by my side I felt a solid connection through her animation and excitement.

“Every time Chris made a comment I felt a connection.  There was a few moments when I laughed because he seems so down to Earth.  One moment I remember was when he forgot the words to one of the songs.  It was cute.  I liked that they wore regular clothes and not costumes.  Although I was thinking that the guitarist with the long hair was wearing a normal plaid shirt, which I’m sure cost three hundred dollars and for me and you, we would have found that shirt in TJ Maxx for twenty dollars (Laughing), but I’m sure it was expensive from some high end store.  Even the black tank top Chris wore was probably expensive compare to my Haines shirt.  I just LOVED how they came started the concert with the curtain dropping to the ground.  The colors, the music, and the way they just appeared on the stage was really important because it captured the audience off guard.  I still can’t believe that the concert t-shirt was forty dollars, but I wanted to have something to remember the show by.”

The show lasted just over two hours and covered tune after tune from the Daughtry discography as well as a few surprise covers from The Toadies and Genesis.  Cover songs is not a favorite selection to everyone as I was told, “I don’t get why any artist feels it necessary to perform someone else’s song on stage.  I came to the show to hear Daughtry’s music and not a cover song.  I know some people find it cool to hear, but it just bothers me. I’d rather them play more songs that they were going to put on future albums then to hear a song from a band I’m really not into.”

The theatrics engulfed the audience with intense heat, flames, and a firework cascade, but the one stage prop that stuck out for me on this night was an object that I absolutely was shocked to see only because of the meaning it shared with me and the angel form the front row.  Next to one of the fire barrels sat a gold Meneki Neko (Good Luck Cat/the Beckoning Cat) with a waving arm which sat and survived flame throw after flame throw and the vibrations from the bass cabinet in which it sat on.  The meaning behind why the Maneki Neko was on stage and the significance of its onstage presence will have to be researched and answered on the next Daughtry review.  Chris took full advantage of the stage and treated the audience to up close and personal performances on the cat walk with great acoustic selections.

“I thought it is was so funny when he told the audience to make up words if they didn’t know them and also that the song he was about to perform should sound familiar if they listened to the entire CD he just released.  The one thing I did hear which I really found amazing was the common thread between Daughtry and Bon Jovi with their passion for DC Comic super heros.  I just find it interesting that Daughtry’s concert started with the sound track of Batman Returns and his ear piece has the Batman logo on it because Bon Jovi is really into Superman and I know how much Chris looks up to Jon Bon Jovi.”  The night came to a close after an amazing three song encore and an unsolved mystery surrounding a woman’s thigh high boot that was tossed on stage by a mystery fan.

We continued back from Atlantic City enriched with increased appreciation for Daughtry and his music.  The bottom line is that you can find new love, change your direction, and find comfort with the help of great music.  I saw just how someone, who puts everything they have into what the believe in, can openly express their messages to empower another person’s life.  Thanks to Daughtry my angel form the front row will return back to the life she is working to improve and has changed hopelessness into better tomorrows.  Through Daughtry’s lyrical and musical creation he brought light to his fans.  That’s the power of music and the power of Daughtry.  I will look back on this night as my first real inside look at how one music artist can open a very special person’s heart and allow her to believe in herself and to ease her mind about the changes she faces.

Daughtry continues his US tour from November through to February in support of his latest album “Leave This Town,” an album title that completely sums up the life of the angel whose heart was touched by the words of a stranger.  The concert may have ended for me, but this story will have to be continued.

“Almost” Out of the Book of Marc

The Almost On Tour

I stepped onto the tour bus parked outside the 53rd street side of the Roseland in New York City where I interrupted an essential meeting between “The Almost” and one of their team members.  The subject at hand, “Would you like a tall, a grande, or a Venti from Starbucks?”  The flavor of the night in question was the festiveness “Pumpkin Spice Creme” which would be accompanied by a ritual spike to be named at a later time.  The team member shot out into the rainy city street in quest of over priced caffeine beverages leaving me alone with the curious group wondering who was the dude with the recorder and camera in hand. I was wondering which one of these guys would be the one to expose the band’s weak spot.  The band was new to me and, unknown to me, would hit me with a few surprises of their own during our brief interview.  We sat in the common area of the tour bus as fans rounded the entire block for this three billed show of featuring Drive-A, The Almost, and The Used.

I have to admit the only thing I knew coming into this show was that Kelly Osbourne’s ex-boyfriend was performing in the Used and I was going to speak to the opener band.  Never judge a book by its cover and always prepare yourself for anything possible.  With a name like “The Almost” I jumped to think that I was going to be interviewing another band making minor noise and whose longevity would be measured in minutes, maybe days, but not by years.  I could have slapped myself relentlessly after meeting this group because these boys are the real deal.  I had the privilege to sit with Alex Aponte (Bass), Dusty Redmon (Guitar), Jay Vilardi, and Joe Musten (Drums) over a fifteen minute overview the opened deep talks about music, religion, and a great detailed insight to “The Almost” I “almost” wrote off before accepting them.

Dusty Redmon is a colorfully inked intellectual with many thoughts running through his mind.  His view of how the band formulated seemed very well thought out.  “Aaron needed  a band after doing the first album in 2005, by himself and when it came time to play shows he put the call out for a band and got in touch with Jay who knew Alex who brought me and Kenny in to form the first generation of “The Almost.”  Shortly after we announced our EP in 2007, our drummer Kenny parted ways when he took his vows and married.  It’s questionable of whose final decision that was (the boys laughed), but Kenny is still a very essential reason why “The Almost” grew and matured musically into the band it know to be today.  In his mind he was ready to move on from the band and to follow his personal dreams.  When it came time for a new drummer, Joe Musten was in my old band and Aaron took a real liking to his ability to play so he matched the missing void that needed to be filled.”

“As a Florida based band we each chose to explore ourselves by following our dreams outside the music and now we live in different areas of the country.  I lived in Florida for twenty years before moving to Salt Lake City.  Joe and Dusty now live in North Carolina and Jay and Aaron remain in Florida..” added Alex Aponte.  “I want to say that the initial discovery of “The Almost” occurred in Florida, but it wasn’t until we rolled out.  I was stoked when we hit the road on tour for the first time.  Things were happening, but we were lucky if we filled a one hundred seater.  With Virgin Records relentlessly promoting our album to radio and with us increasing our fan base through touring the states we had a team that would give us that next ring to climb up on our ladder of success as a band.”

I, being a traveling photojournalist, can absolutely back the fact that there are states of shame vesus states of fame.  Florida is a state of shame whose market is limited in producing great music.  The consistent transitional lifestyle of people moving in and out Florida can be of blame because outside of the Senior community gathering a fan base is near impossible unless you are a part of the metal market or an over commercialized circus act.  It’s hard to be discovered and unless you are fabricated by the likes of Lou Pearlman and molded into a boy band you chances at success are much more limited compared to a major music market like Austin, Nashville, or Manhattan.  The internet presence is certainly helpful to me as a photojournalist as it is for young music artists who know all to well of the politics and financials needed to achieve a high level of success in the redeveloping music industry.

“The internet has expanded so quickly and it’s hard to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not.  I feel like my dad sometimes when I finally get something like Twitter and then find out it’s not cool anymore.  Our team and the band is really trying  to make sure we stay in touch with our fans.  Each of the band members do twitter and update their own personal blogs, and we are trying to stay as hands on as we can while we tour or write music.”  Dusty explained and continue to touch the fact about creating this band in a theme park driven state not very well know for its music ties.  “Being in Florida was a very difficult market to start off in as a young band because it seems the majority of the bands that come out are in the Metal genre.  The first tour we were first billed on was our biggest break and is where we grew the majority of our fan base.”

“Monster, Monster” is an album internally viewed by its members as the band’s first album release because it’s the first album that the band each were able to record on and contribute to.  This coming from the incredible fact that Aaron released “Southern Weather” as a one man band.  Dusty popped a few peanut butter malt balls into his mouth and reflected a moment on the band’s new record release.  “It is kind of crazy to think about because the first album was completely created by Aaron, so for me this  feels like the band’s first album because we all played on the album during the recording sessions.  There was some pressure on the recording side for me because it was my first time appearing on an album being released by an major label.  i remember when we all came together to write the album we were able to do so pretty effortlessly and everything just gelled.  We ended up writing more music than we had room for on our first album so those will stay in storage for now until we can revisit them for a future release.”

Alex looked over at Dusty and added, “We try to write as many songs as possible and approach our recordings openly so to leave us with multiple options at the end.  We prioritize our music by what we feel is really working at that moment and decide at that point which will be our next single.  We have so many songs that we had to stop and figure out what we wanted to place in the new album.  It’s a process that has worked for us as a band and we feel confident expresses who we are.”

If it isn’t broke don’t fix it and understand there is no cardinal rule to what will make or break a music artist and their group outside of artistic differences and the occasional wife swap.  Each and every band I interview has made success on their own business model and it has worked for the most part.  “Monster, Monster” doesn’t seem to be an album created by twelve straight up radio singles.  This album consists of a flavorful song list that includes an off kilter country song as well as a long play release titled “Monster.”  The music is furious, it’s heavy, and it is fun.  The surprise of the evening dropped into the interview when Alex Aponte dropped the “C” bomb on me.  The Almost are aband with a top ten single in heavy radio rotation and a measurable fan base gathered feet from their bus outside.  I would think that the band would have been headlining and not supporting a group such as “The Used.”

“What is interesting about this tour is we are sandwiched between two bands that are pretty edgy like “The Used” and “Drive-A.”  We definitely stick out but I think music fans tonight and going forward are cool with it.  I guess it’s weird because we are Christians in a band and we are not afraid to say that, but we weren’t sure how the fans would take it and so far the reception has been tremendous.  Each show gets better and better and the fans are leaving having a real positive concert experience and not getting into, too much trouble.  I imagine there are fans who have been looking forward to this tour for weeks now or months now and we are going to go out each show and put on the best show each time.”

The cross over of Christian Rock into mainstream music is still a rather new concept and has not happened very many times.  The last band to jump that hurdle to a notable level was Creed and arguably by Amiee Mann as well.  When kids want to crowd surf and vent their frustrations it’s not very common to do it to messages of love and peace or other foundations principles of Christianity.  “There are a few songs more so than the last album where we do lyrically promote Christian view points, but the message Aaron writes lyrically with the album is more about how everybody on this Earth has a monster deep inside of them and it’s important to sort out your personal issues with your family, your friends and your faith no matter your creed.  I think everything is much more metaphorical and not so cliche, but we don’t hide the fact we are who we are.”  clarified to me.

Dusty and Alex continued to illustrate the group’s music manifestation was able to keep Christian view points in its lyrics. “We take the Christian principles and apply them to person the song connects to without stating the obvious or promoting religion directly into the lyrics.  We believe in the bible and we present that to a person a guide to getting help or to embrace themselves in order to get through life’s challenges.  It’s our way to say they aren’t alone but the fans can transcribe that message in their own person views how they want to.  We certainly aren’t asking people to jump on the Christian bandwagon, but I think every person can grab and take a part of our message and to apply to their own life and that is what makes music and lyrics so powerful.”

So what about groupies and the idea that a touring band is a party band?  That was squashed when I took notice of a giant Television wired to a Wii gaming system.  Alex tapped on one of the game boxes laid out on the table, “People have come onto our tour bus and we shocked to learn how calm we remain backstage or on a tour bus.  They tell us how the experience is unlike any other backstage experience they ever had because we are very laid back and pretty quiet compared to other bands.  It’s not because we are boring dudes, it’s because we are chill and like to have a fun time without the party scene.”  That is such a refreshing change to be a part of in my opinion because as the boys pointed out to me they are just five boys who know live in different areas of the country that come together to play the music they love and spread their messages of love, peace and harmony through a blend of very catchy music with great hooks.

“When we play in front of a live audience we go in with the thought to just play and to have fun with the music we created and the fans who we connect with.  The crowd sings along whether they heard us twenty times before or this is the first time they are exposed to our music and our live show.  We just want to have a good time and to share ourselves and our passion with the crowd.”  The interview concluded over a future prediction of what the each band member would like to do outside of the band and it was Joe who had the most colorful idea and which silenced the entire room.  “I thought about this more and more for the last two years.  I want to open up a super cool barber shop where I grew up in North Carolina.  You know to do regular salt of the Earth haircuts for cops.”  Adam Sandler as the Zohan ran through my mind and I tried to imagine Joe in cut jean shorts cutting Salt-of-the-Earth haircuts for Cops, Construction Workers, and other blue collar gents who would enter his old fashion Carolina barbershop.  “I want to do cool Rock ‘n’ Roll hair cuts. Not like sassy or Zohan style.”  Ok scratch Zohan and replace with Leather Face without the chainsaw.

The night was beyond anything I was expecting.  Three great bands took stage and put holes through my head with heavy action music and inspirational messages.  The ocean was deep this night and the crowd suffers poured over the flood gates one after the other.  From the first opener, L.A.’s “Drive-A” to the headliner, “The Used,” the Roseland capsized anyone brave enough to enter the pit.  The music was tough the electricity was a continuous output of amps mixed with blended metal.  The fierce and ravaging music by Drive-A was enhanced when Bruno Mascolo launched himself in the the waiting riptide of the crowd.  it was an unbelievable sight and the crowd immediately connected and accepted the little man with the enormous voice.

The Almost took stage to a hungry audience that was ready to be raptured.  Aaron parted his sea with a mighty salute and rock star roar.  The crowd replied back with deafening gratitude as the Almost made the unholy, holy and exorcised the frenzy of fans into a acrimony of fire flared fanatics powered by force of goodness.  The rise of hands, the yells for more, and the halo from the lighting illuminated the darkness of the Roseland into a robust blaze of imagery and theatrics.  The Almost sequentially played an uplifting playlist solidifying any doubts that a band founded on Christian beliefs could keep pace with bands whose image are raunchy remnants left over from grunge or Emo influences.  The Almost will continue their tour with The Used playing a number of cities throughout West coast.  The shows are limited and the tickets are in high demand so get online now and get yourself to one of these remaining shows.

THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, CREATED ON THE 7TH DAY

 

Blind Boys of Alabama live at City Winery

Where words don’t succeed, music speaks and it was the Blind Boys of Alabama who have a spiritual agreement through soulful harmonies to honor God and the permissible delights of each individuals soul.  The Blind Boys are on the brink of a new album release titled “Duets” which includes collaborations with such music icons as Lou Reed, John Hammond, Jr., and Toots Hibbert.  The album also includes feature performances with Ben Harper, Timothy B. Schmitt, Randy Travis, Bonnie Raitt, and Jars of Clay.  The album will undoubtedly lead the group to its sixth grammy award and continue to give the Blind Boys of Alabama the vision of making a broken world a better place through their music.  Joey Williams, Blind Boys Guitarist, called me three hours before show time to join him at the show.  Without a second to waste I jumped into my car and raced (55 MPH) to the City Winery in New York City.

 

 

My friends, as I have mentioned in past articles, you will never ever have a full understanding of the treasures that are hidden in New York City because as soon as you think you have seen every venue and been to every restaurant you are smacked in the face by, yet, another venue that out does the last one.  Let me tell you that the City Winery is my new “King of the Mountain.”  The sound, the atmosphere, and the staff provide you with a truly rich, tasty, and impressionable experience that has exceeded my expectations.  The venue prides itself on the original private label wines that are made on location and the menu which diagrams which wines will accompany your chosen dish best, but enough about the food and venue.  The Blind Boys of Alabama were bringing their Sunday best out tonight headlining a double bill with good friend John Hammond, Jr..

 

John Hammond, Jr. opened the evening with an acoustic set of his blues music that reflected on his exposure to such influential artists as Muddy Waters , John Lee Hooker, and Duane Allman.  His barrelhouse singing style captures your attention and digs deep into your imagination of days gone by and the ties those days have on the day at hand.  His commercial success maybe moderate but his fans are strong and dedicated.  He has earned the respect from the likes of Robbie Robertson, Charlie Musselwhite, and other musicians who he has contributed his talents to.  From coffeehouses to major venues, festivals to major tours, John Hammond has shared over forty years of playing the blues, folk and rock music to the world.  His love for playing is how he has been able to continue his success and it’s his life.  His latest album titled “Rough and Tough” is his thirty-second album since his initial release in 1962.  The recording of the album is historical in itself because it was recorded in St. Peter’s Church in New York City due to the acoustics that the Episcopal church contains.

 

Tonight’s performance highlighted John’s best songs and showcased his ability to transition easily between his National Steel and Stubbs 6-String guitars all the while singing and playing the harmonica.  The Grammy winner and four-time nominee, unleashed his acoustic river flow with beauty.  His persistence to play the blues, as he did this night, attracts young artists such as a young German man who just moved from Germany to achieve his own American dream of being a successful musician.  John’s talent and technique are unique to his authenticity and anyone who loves blues music will find John traditional to the definition of blues.  His respect to the blues is inevitable and because of his dedication the art of playing the blues is inherent.

 

As quick as John Hammond walked on stage it seemed his set was over, and the excitement began to build again with anticipation of the headliners.  The current opened and from out of the corner came Jimmy Carter, Billy Bowers, Ricky McKinnie, and Ben Moore hand over shoulder and one behind the other in a parade of the blind leading the blind.  The beauty of their entrance was how without sight they sense how much they bring to people who are blind in their own ways and proving that you don’t have to see in order to visualize beauty.  What the Blind Boys lack in physical vision they capture and express more so through their four working senses and it was handed to the audience when Jimmy Carter grabbed his mic and shook the room with his raspy voice and raw emotions.

 

The night included performances of “Perfect Peace,” Take My Hand,” “Amazing Grace,” and “Free At Last” and other classic hits.  Jimmy, Ben, and Billy sat front row in incredibly robust pinstripe suits and the dark glasses which brand their unique gift to deliver new insight to those who think they can see.  I shared my table with a woman who, like me, felt a change in my soul thanks to our first revival and introduction to Blind Boy Baptism.  The power of God raised the boys from their seats and a concerned Joey Williams frantically worked to control the situation by tapping the shoulders of each singing member to sit, but the song kept the men standing up and shaking the goodness of the glory out from their contained bodies and the audience felt the good and plenty pouring out as came off their seats during the high energy performance of “Free at Last.”  Jimmy Carter even found his way off the stage and into the audience who all reached out to get one touch of Jimmy’s healing powers.  When the song was over and the members were tightly gathered on stage, the night exhaled and I found myself thinking to myself what a day I had.

 

What started off as an unpredictable day made complete sense to me.  You can’t control the world and what life has planned for you because at the end of the day you may think you can see what will happen next, but a blind man from Alabama may just prove to you that you really can’t see any more then he can and with that I found with in me to not predict the future and to accept that life will continue to unfold it’s story and I’m to just live each day better then the last.  I found a bible verse that would sum up my night with the Blind Boys of Alabama and it goes something like this.

 

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery for the blind, to set the pressed free.”  In my perspective tonight the Spirit was in the City Winery and in the state that our economy has fallen into I have some news to the poor.  The Blind Boys of Alabama are here to remind you to be free, to see the meaning of life, and to enjoy what you have now and not what you don’t have tomorrow.  Listen to the music, go see one of their shows, and rediscover your soul because this is a revival you are not going to want to miss.

Nanyana’s Big Red Delicious Apple Debut!

“I write because it’s my way of expressing the words that I am unable to say out loud some times.  There has always been music with in me and at the age of 16 I started writing songs.  It’s been my way to tell the world about who I am and to say that I am going to be somebody with a strong message created through my own life experiences.”  Nanyana said to me when we met up in Washington Square park on the first brisk autumn afternoon by the chess section.  As the kids flocked around us seeking clues to their next treasure hunt Nanyana and I sat across from each other with the sun beaming down and the distant sounds of folk singers, a Jazz Quartet, laughter, and a few grunts from some of the chess players who may have lost their pants as their Kings were laid down in defeat.

“I put everything I knew and loved into my lyrics and even went as far as to mail music artists my lryics in hopes of getting a response back to validate with in me, that I could write music.  I was preoccupied as a teen with the life around me and that explains why I overlooked a postcard from one of the members of 311 who wrote me back and invited me backstage to attend a concert.  I remember walking backstage with my friend and the butterflies that gathered inside.  There I was with the band in the back and they knew who I was.  It was that moment I knew I could do something amazing.  I knew I could be a song writer.”

Nanyana has a look to her.  It goes beyond the appearance which, in my book, is a perfect ten, but because I’m friends with her husband I will keep this very PC.  Yes, Nanyana is married and to an incredible musician who has paid his dues and achieved success in his own rights.  Jason “JJ Boogie” Reichert of the much acclaimed band “Arrested Development.”  Arrested Development (AD) hit the billboard top 100 in the 1990’s with such hits as “Mr. Wendall,” “Tennessee,” and a very beautiful cover of “Everyday People.”  Jason has always been a supporter of Nanyana’s years before his induction into Arrested Development and this clearly explains how the power couple managed to succeed as well as they have.  Now that Jason has reached his star you can bet Nanyana isn’t too far behind her husband of reaching her own.

She continued to open up to me in regards to how the couple began their life journey together and how colorful their world has become thanks to their common passion and appreciation of creating music.   When he isn’t on tour or recording for Arrested Development, Jason plays a vital role in Nanyana’s music career on the road and in the studio.  “Don’t get me wrong.  There’s a little competition and while Jason was auditioning for AD (Arrested Development in cool lingo) I put my music on hold to some degree to support him and to work outside of music.  Now it’s my turn to taste the success of my music dreams.  Of course we get into arguments because he travels a lot and I miss him.  It’s hard sometimes especially when I have a gig and want him with me to play, but I know how important his career is and I support him unconditionally.”  Nanyana has played continuously throughout Atlanta and areas near to the Atlanta area, but on a whimm and the luxury of free sky miles, decided to come up to New York City to visit a friend.  That is how I came to meet up with this young starlit in the park.

“My friend said that I should look into booking myself a show while I was in town and I figured I would give it a shot.”  After a few emails, a few phone calls, and a mailing of a demo cd, Nanyana landed her first ever New York City gig.  All on her own, with no label, no management company, and no support from an investor.  Nanyana is the true definition of an Independent Music Artist .  She is one woman with a vision who, since she was sixteen, made it her life goal to succeed as a music artist.  Nanyana made her debut at New York City’s Pianos, lavishly located in the bohemian area of the lower east side.  “I didn’t know what to expect and of course I know people will think about here’s another girl riding on the coat tails of her husband success, but they don’t know my history with my husband and how much we have both given ourselves to each other as supporters and providers.  They will probably only see it as JJ Boogie’s wife from AD is trying to be a singer songwriter through her husband’s success.  It’s ok if they want to see it that way, but I know the truth and now you do as well.”   I did know the truth and I knew Nanyana had much to say, much to express, and benefited one gift via JJ’s success.   A rich and amber sounding Gibson Hummingbird Guitar.  Oh, it’s really pretty and it sounds much better then it looks.

Our interview wound down and Nanyana went off to prepare for the performance.  I walked away with a new insight to my new friend and truly excited to see if she would receive a New York welcome from the patrons of Pianos and if she would be able to prove herself in the toughest town to prove yourself in.  I think I was more nervous, but I had hours to kill and went off to discover new insights to me and my dreams of succeeding as a live concert photojournalist.  I walked around and listened to the interview with Nanyana and started to piece more pieces of her puzzle together.  Ideas started to pour out of my mind how and when she would be discovered by the industry.  As I wondered around Soho, the village and with a negative balance in my checking account, I came across a $20 bill.  Lucky was I because I needed to fill up the gas tank and I was starving.

Time flew by and it was time to head over to Pianos for the debut performance.  Ok, Pianos scares me a little because when you play upstairs you are playing Russian Roulette.  People may show or they may not.  I wasn’t sure what to think.  I arrived to an empty room with three people sitting on a bench and Nanyana dragging her own equipment across the darkened room.  Her set up was simple and if her choice of dress, combined with her fresh new green kicks, was anything to foreshadow the evening I was in for a real treat.  The New York welcome I was hoping for came a few minutes before show time.  Nanyana looked sensational in a long green dress, her hair perfectly placed and a the Humingbird guitar belted safely like a holy grail in a guitar strap.  People trickled in before her performance and slowly the room started to fill itself with curious music connoisseurs.

Nanyana’s set connected with the guests and, like a VH-1 Storyteller Show, the meaning behind her songs were spoken about.  Because of my own relationship with the couple I found one story in particular very entertaining and how it came to be.  A lovers quarrel over being away from each other and not listening to the meaning behind her words.  I do believe I have heard that song before many times with many women who think men, like me, don’t listen.  Oh we listen, but our attention span only allows us to pay attention until we are distracted by the television, the smell of food, or high heals.  It happens.

The crowd embraced Nanyana with a wonderful applause at the end of her set followed by the sale of her CDs.  Overall her performance was enriching to the music she writes and validates her credibility as a singer-songwriter.  With the support of JJ, her family, and friends Nanyana is going to continue to climb her ladder towards her success.  The sky is the limit and with her New York debut in the can she will begin to expand her touring to more cities with proof that she can be what she always wanted to be.  A songwriter.  After the show was over and the guests congratulated Nanyana on her performance she exited Pianos.  I had just snuffed out my last cigarette when she spotted me.  “So what did you think overall?”  I looked at her and smiled and said, “Welcome to the big leagues kid.  Today you hit a home run.”  After a hug goodbye Nanyana turned down the dark damp sidewalk with her guitar in case and walked into the New York City night.  She turned the corner of Katz’s Deli on Houston Street and as soon as my time with Nanyana began, so it ended.  What will happen next we will all just have to watch and wait.

An Album To The 6 Billionth Citizen

Salman Rushdie & Dredg Collaborate for Spin Magazine's the "Liner Note" Series in NYC

Salman Rushdie sat between the members of Dredg sharing the spotlight of an unprecedented event hosted by Spin Magazine at Housing Works Bookstore & Cafe in New York City.  “Liner Notes” was created to bring various artists from different mediums of art together in a showcase presenting one artist whose art has influenced another artist who shares an equal yet unique perspective of that art piece.  The event Spin Magazine created allows a in-depth look at how one artist can express and manipulate another artist’s creation.  In tonight’s round, Salman Rushdie’s “Imagine There’s No Heaven: A Letter to the 6 Billionth Citizen” was the feature of the evening which influenced the Band Dredg to write their best recorded album to date “The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion.”

The guests sat in anticipation with no idea of what to expect and not fully understanding how two totally different voices could be combined in agreeable terms.  Would these two artists put their views to the side and get through an hour long session together without the threat of artistic differences was a burning question in my mind which was answered and quickly subdued when Mr. Rushdie took center stage to read an except from his book “The Ground Beneath Her Feet.”  The book explores time and space in a conventional manner between two parallel universes.  The journey spans over forty years of pop culture and focuses on a gifted musician (Ormus Cama) and his soul’s mate, Vina Aspara, whose amber voice sings, lures, and traps her listeners instantly through a vocal canvas of color notes.  Despite earthquakes, heartbreaks, and a tare through a continuum of both time and space, the story happens to be Mr. Rushdie’s most optimistic book written yet.  The versus read this night pierced me deeply but the pain was soothing as I was able to find with in me a way to connect with my own soul’s mate who sits more then 1200 miles away from me.  If she could only know how I feel and how much experiencing this night would impact her own personal perceptions I know our 1200 plus miles apart would vanish to inches apart.

With my own idea of a book in the making I have written my love of loves one letter for each day since we met and the messages behind Mr. Rushdie’s writings have personally opened my eyes and made valid my theory of true love or what she has beautifully expressed to me my “soul’s mate.”  Salman Rushdie has inspired millions, perhaps billions across the world and now he can add one more to that list.  Thanks to the idea of synchronicity or that everything happens for a reason I have experienced my own personal light and understand with a new clarity as to the tests that have been put before me.  I understand why life has traveled up some of the highest mountains I ever had to climb and why I had to start in the lowest of valleys to reach this new insight as I perceive it today.  I understand now why I met Dredg and came to this latest event in my life and to witness this collaboration of artists goes well beyond the beauty of an album cover or chapters written by one man’s brilliant pen.

Dredg joined Rushdie on stage after the his reading to confirm their own claim as true music artists.  Dredg paints their shows with minimal glitz or glamour.  Going to a Dredg performance is allowing you to open up and listen to the roots of music without being distracted by flashy stage works.  The music is enough to draw the audience in and tonight I was even more impressed to listen to this particular performance by Dredg toned down to acoustic and electric instrumentation minus the percussion.  Loud music can deafen you when played at a lower level and being loud isn’t always best.  The blend of the music highlighted by Gavin Hayes’ vocals was tremendous.  The impression the band made was unholier than thou, if I may borrow the term, and it stole the air out of the old bookstore where the guests leaned forward in their chairs, drawn in tightly to the music Dredg exuded.  The set was a short and very sweet five song list.  “Pariah,” “Lightswitch,” “The Ornament,” “Information,” and “Cartoon Showroom.”

The night embraced the love of music with the importance of expression, but leave it to the last person you would think of in this story to break the serious tone of the evening with dark humor.  Rushdie managed to gather everyone in the room together with such amazing stories of his life and the collaboration attempt by Alex James of the acclaimed band “Blur.”  The eccentric Rushdie sat in his chair and impersonated a slob, alcohol driven, filthy mouthed Londoner ranting about a collaboration idea.  Another highlight came when one guest asked Rushdie if he meant for his controversial book “Satantic Verses” to be so affective to the believers that hunted him for a decade.  Rushdie sat back with a smile and said, “Being sentenced to death by the Ayatollah Khomeini really ruins your weekend.”

It’s 2009 and with so much energy going into two very impressionable pieces of written works, Salman Rushdie’s essay and Dredg’s latest album both surround a beautiful concept and view at humanity.  So how is it that the world we live in still finds the written word and the freedom of expression through music and books a threat to power?  Why do artists continue to create verbal and written ammunition knowing that odds are against them?  It is conceivable that the 6 billionth citizen could be in a country where he will never learn or hear about either Dredg or Salman Rushide and their life changing messages.

” This 6 billionth child could be in a country where such messages are censored which is sad.  A lot of the world now is like that now.  I don’t truthfully know the answer.  All I can do is put the message out there and hope that the message will reach this child somehow.  Another great thing about this musical collaboration is that it takes the message to another place where different people will hear it in different ways and it multiplies the message.  All you can do as an artist is put it out there.  None of us in this age can control the powers that say what we can listen to or what we can say.  All we can do is disregard them and do our work.  Maybe at the end it will find its audience.”

Dredg Out Your Rushdie, Here Comes Something Different

Orlando, Florida.  Vacation destination. Disney controlled and infiltrated with some of today’s most questionable members of society.  Not this night.  Downtown Orlando became the epicenter for American progressive and alternative rock band, “Dredg” to unleash the music from their latest album “The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion.”  This is the band’s fourth full album release and the first to be released completely independent from a label’s backing.  Dredg, like many bands today, is seeing the value of being independent from the labels in order to properly express their message as they see fit and to keep better control over their creative expression and what a message this album has is nothing less than intense and truly brilliant.  “The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion” is an aspiring anecdotal album aroused by the brilliance of author Salman Rushdie, whose book “The Satanic Verses” brought on controversy that sent the author into hiding for a decade.  The author also wrote and essay titled “Imagine There’s No Heaven: A Letter to the 6 Billionth Citizen” which became the backdrop to this latest Dredg album.

Dredg has been through a four album transmogrification in which has adapted a spectrum of sound and reclamation of artistry through music expression.  The detail of the production in this album is very conscientious and Dredg executed the recordings straightforward with their heart and soul.  The band has come a long way, but the effects of the economy and downfall to the music industry has put the band in a position to fend for itself.  Gavin Hayes (Lead Vocalist & Guitarist) and I sat off to the side stage and discussed his view of the bands approach to recording music in the state that our economy has fallen onto and the current pattern to music sales because with eighteen tracks to absorb off the latest album tracks need to be carefully written in order to attract dedicated fans and new fans to make their purchase online rather then in store like the “old days.”

“We haven’t really changed our approach so much from a writing stand point.  We are still focused when we are creating a record.  Our goal is still from the packaging to the songs to having a complete record under lined with theme and identity.  That’s always going to be important to us no matter which way the business turns.  We never think of the records as a song by song compilation.  We try to create something that is cohesive.  The only difference on this record is that we are independent now and partnered with ILG (Independent Label Group) which is mainly promotion and distribution.  I felt like a little weight was lifted and I feel we went more back to our roots on this record.”

The third release “Catch Without Arms” was viewed by Gavin as an album that was created on a song to song manner.  It was a record based on opposites and conflicting opinions.  The rebellious take on the record was emphasized instrumentally and felt a little more cohesive.  Dredg didn’t want to regurgitate the same record this time and it was a direct reaction to the touring of that album that brought them to dig deeper within their recordings.  They toured with a lot of rock bands over the years and at that time felt like their shows were coming off a little passive.  “We didn’t really write that record with touring live in mind.  Our last record was kind of how we wanted to write songs that better translated in our lives and I think this new record is a combination of the first two.  There are a lot of elements that could be on LCO and even on our first record with instrumental pieces.”

Leaving Interscope to become an independent music group wasn’t a surprise to anyone.  The business has completely changed over these last nine years and it were at the tail end of people buying CDs.  From there the business flipped itself upside down and Dredg really didn’t fit the label’s model anymore because the label had to adjust their business model so they could make money.  There were bands around Dredg who were selling more albums then they were at the time and those bands were getting dropped.  To go independent made sense

“Our manager approached us about working with ILG after ILG approached him.  It just felt like the right step to take because to distribute an album takes a lot of capital and we needed the backing to release our new album.  It was important to us to see the records on the shelves and to build a small budget to promote that record is now available.   Technically we are part owner of DCI on that level and we can be viewed as running our own label even though it’s just us on that label.  It’s not like we are going to be out there signing bands but it feels good and I feel more in charge.  It’s kind of similar to a distribution deal where we are running our label with them.  It just felt right and together we are going to increase our fan base.  If this was ten years ago it wouldn’t have been the right decision for us, but for where we are at in our career it’s like a perfect marriage.”

Once Dredg is about to recoup expenses from this last album they will be able to see gain unlike what they saw with Interscope.  As an true independent band they are supporting themselves on costs and anyway to save a dollar is money they need to invest back into the group.  This is what it means to be a struggling artist.  Their tours are increasing and it has taken them around the world.  It allows them to network with other bands and to create new tours with bands they have co-headlined with in the past.  Dredg submits the bands they have worked with to their booking agent and management and create the tour around what they want and not what a label wants.  One of those creative controls the band has as an independent is artistic control.  If you are a fan you understand what I mean just by viewing their album covers and colorful lyrics.  Gavin painted me a picture between the art and the music as it is created for Dredg.

“The arts are a big influence for the group.  Drew (bassist) and I met in art class where we were drawing and painting long before we were playing music and the other members add to our appreciation for art through cinema and even books.  This last album Drew and I painted a picture for each song and we created them to connect with our fans by adding images that evolved into a treasure hunt which allowed us to connect with our fans on a much deeper level.  Fans end up purchasing the paintings as well as the albums.  The clues to the treasure hunt go up on our website and the fans get really involved with the hunt.  Cinema became an avenue for me as well as Mark in which we separately scored different movies.  Film scoring is something we want to get into even on an Independent Film level.  There something behind that format that is cool because it’s behind the scenes.  I think aspects of our music blend in well and can transition over well to cinema.  The one movie that really stood out to me as the score of scores was Kubrick’s 2001 Space Odyssey.  It’s visually stimulating and with minimal dialog supported by incredible music.  Overall it just works flawlessly.  I have read something that the creators were using some of the music just for screening and it worked out really well so I don’t know if it was a mistake that the music became the emphasis of the movie but what a great mistake if it was.”

Art has been a heavy influence to people on all levels and it is no surprise to see how a man’s essay such as Salman Rushdie’s “Imagine There’s No Heaven: A Letter to the 6 Billionth Citizen” would influence a band receptive to artistic expression to write an album influenced by another man’s written imagery.  Gavin views progress as an event that has always relied on strong efforts and courageous acts by individuals who are willing to chance themselves by drawing outside the lines so to speak.  To get away for the old traditions and to break away from old beliefs in order to make a better tomorrow.  Salman Rushdie is a beautiful representation of such courage and a major reason why the band chose to use his essay as the foundation of “The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion.”

This Thursday Dredg will be sharing the stage with the renowned author and believe me it’s not very often that an internationally acclaimed author will share a spotlight with a band from San Francisco, but the rockers have shown their sincerity and their dedication to writing music for the love of music.  Together Salman Rushdie and Dredg will come together at New York City’s Housing Works Bookstore Cafe for SPIN Magazine’s third installment of Liner Notes.  The event brings together musicians and authors as part of a continuous event to raise funds for the Housing Works non-profit group which was created to provide homeless and low-income people living with HIV/AIDS and their families with adequate housing, food, social support, drug treatment, health care, and employment.  Liner Notes has been a success thus far and I am truly excited to see what comes from the uniting of Salman Rushdie and Dredg.  The band is extremely excited and flattered to share an evening with such a talent.

The Father, The Son, and The Holy Sh*t, It’s Judas Priest!

Live form the Hard Rock Live

The parishioners gathered outside in their biker bests and long raggedy hair ready to raise hell in the eyes of Judas Priest. The star studded event went beyond the pierced jugulars, faded tattoos, and ritual beer chugging baptism of one Judas Priest first timer. Everywhere you glanced another head banger was parading through the cigarette butt lined walkway with a holier than thou commandment boldly printed across the chest such as, “I (heart) Big Fake T**ts” and “Find a face and sit on it.” The not-so-virgins lured these men like the Silicon Sirens trying to lure Ulysses on his ten year journey home form the Trojan War. The only sign of the trojan war here were a few wrinkled packets stuffed iin the baskets as free giveaways. The Godfathers of metal chose this night at the Seminole Hard Rock to be the setting of their most historic recording to date. For the 30th anniversary celebration of their 1980 release, “British Steel,” Judas Priest chose to honor the anniversary by capturing this one performance on video to be released on DVD in the near future.

The celebrities came out from the metal yard including Lita Ford, Nicko McBrian (Iron Maiden – Drummer), and Jim Florentine (Comedian) who co-introduced the metal salute to Judas Priest along side of Eddie Trunk (SIRIUS Radio/VH1 Host). After an “Eddie is Sexy” chant from the arena and followed by a metal breaking sound check, the lights blacked out and the pandemonium ripped through the crowd as the cameras began to roll. Seconds later the massive canvas draped in front of the stage came crashing down and the clergy of carnage appeared amongst the chaos of lights, rock horn salutes and camera strobes. The uproar of the fans, the turbulence of the sound, and the bedlam of the entrance made Judas Priest abundantly clear. Any disbelievers who think a band this vintage should hang up their jackets and perish, croak or give up the ghost need to succumb to their own conviction.

The Priest brought out all the guns for this show. Rob Halford has stood the test of time with his quasi-operatic vocal style and high-pitched screams rumored to hit an ear piercing G#6. He is living proof that a man can remain a Metal God among his fans no matter what his preferences are sexually, faithfully, or otherwise. As a songwriter, a performer, and now the label owner of Metal God Records, Rob encompasses the true definition of “living the dream,” but it’s with the Priest-hood he shares the stage with that Rob exemplifies as a leader manifested by his band. Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing ravaged their fans with guitar thrashing riffs while Ian Hill underlined the motion with his bass and Scott Travis detonating the drums. The explosive performance gathered tremendous acknowledgment and astonishment from the fans, the music professionals, and especially this photojournalist on what will forever be a monumental evening for Judas Priest.

The tour is winding down and if you have any chance to get to either of the remaining four shows then do it. Reading this review, watching an internet clip, or waiting for the DVD to be released is in no way shape or form comparable to the feeling you could receive from over 1 million watts of pure metal energy condensed into infuriated sound, bursting through the blinding light show, and exhaling voice that is Judas Priest. The closest experience I can even imagine will take place ions from now when the universe collapses on itself and history is reborn. It is just what happened last night at the Hard Rock Live. Judas Priest “British Steel” was reborn and it was fantastic. Thank you Metal God for this honor. Your worshipers are rejoicing this morning to your sons, Judas Priest.