December 2019 VOL.8 ISS.9 #93
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Fatal interruptions
Swept away J. Michael Dolan As creative artists & treps we easily get swept away with those grand ideas, visions, words and sounds we see and hear in our heads. So swept away in fact that our own creative fantasies and dreams can actually knock us off course and distract us from the very real work that needs to be done in order to keep progressing.
J. Michael Dolan It’s not you, it’s not your work, and it has nothing do with your talent, ability or skill. It’s all about constant interruptions! Constant interruptions scatter our thoughts, thwart our creativity, kill our motivation, and wreak havoc on our productivity. Yet we somehow continue to boast about our ability to multitask, and treat constant interruptions as a given in today’s culture of endless distractions. Important because it’s not a given! We always have a choice how we spend our time! And our big goals, worthy projects and biggest dreams, are all screaming to get as much of it as they can! Here’s a wakeup call: Time spent = progress made.
Important because here’s a reminder: You don’t have to pursue every single great, genius, mind-blowing, jaw-dropping idea you have.
I’m not sure J. Michael Dolan It’s a powerful honest statement. No one will think less of you for saying it. It’s a statement that shows your willingness not to get stuck in a righteous standoff. It’s a statement that suggests that you’re still mulling something over and trying to get to the heart of the matter. In fact, it’s a state of mind that we should stand in most of the time. If you were sure, it would mean you played it safe and followed the rules of predictable protocol. If you were sure, then you probably weren’t creating something unique, or making a risky choice that could take you further along. If you were sure, then your expectation for a specific result would be fixed, with no chance for any other outcome. Important because a pro artist or entrepreneur is never sure, about anything. Doesn’t matter if you’re composing music, writing a script, shooting a video, writing a book, standing on stage or making risky decisions for your business. “Surety” is yet another obstacle to greatness. And when we remain willfully and confidently unsure of the outcome, that leaves us wide open to unseen and unlimited possibilities. Not like living in doubt, more like leaving the door open so that opportunity doesn’t even have to knock.
Artists in angst J. Michael Dolan It’s frustrating when we stand tall in the middle of our creative career and confidently point in the direction we’re headed, only to be dismissed by those who just don’t understand. It’s defeating when we are absolutely certain that our talent, idea or product has the potential to be great, and make a difference, but others don’t or can’t see the vision. It’s sad when our best effort can’t even get off the ground because others scratch their heads and just don’t get it. Important because we can never stop the incessant, ongoing process of inventing and devising clear, clever, articulate ways of asserting who we are, explaining what we do, describing what we have to offer, and clarifying what we expect in return. STEAMMAGAZINE.NET DECEMBER 2019 STEAM MAGAZINE
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From his teenage years to his current concert tour, Paul McCartney has been doing exactly what he was meant to do. Rolling Stone Magazine named him the second greatest songwriter of all time, behind Bob Dylan. With The Beatles and on his own, he is the most successful recording artist of all time. He’s sold over a billion records and has received over 60 gold discs. He’s also become one of the wealthiest pop stars ever. This interview by Vic Garbarini was recorded in Paul’s London office for the August 1980 issue of MUSICIAN Magazine. For almost 55 minutes he candidly discusses everything; his influences, The Beatles’ early days in Hamburg Germany, Beatle haircuts, coming to America, tensions while recording the “White Album,” how Wings took flight, fame, and his latest release, “McCartney II.” The first record of this two disc set is the entire interview. Police sirens can be heard in the background, and Paul is heard offering
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sugar for Garbarini’s tea. The second record is just Paul’s voice extracted from the interview, apparently giving programmers options on how to present this. The album was released on Columbia Records just a few days before the tragic death of John Lennon and features cover photos by Paul’s wife, Linda. Even by the time this interview took place, Paul already had a legendary career. Today he is Rock and Roll royalty. Indeed! He certainly has played a major role in enriching my life. Thanks, Paul.
As we come upon the anniversary of our 39th year without John Lennon, it’s good to look back at a positive period in his life. This LP features some of the last interviews with John from late summer and early fall, 1980. Taking place in their kitchen, during walks in New York's Central Park, late nights in the recording studio, and sitting at a sidewalk cafe, they would eventually be used for a documentary on the Lennons and for David Sheff’s interview that appeared in the January 1981 issue of Play-
boy Magazine. He had a new album coming out soon that would be DOUBLE FANTASY (1980), and he was enjoying life with his loving wife, Yoko Ono and their young son, Sean. This energetic, happy John is in sharp contrast to his mood nine years earlier when the contentious split of The Beatles was fresh on his mind and he spouted a lot more venom in interviews towards his former band; Paul McCartney in particular. The four men from Liverpool who were a huge part of shaping music and culture throughout the world in the 1960’s would eventually mellow as the 1970’s wore on and remained friends and brothers in spite of all the lawsuits and heartbreak. They’d all come a long way and seen things together that no one else had ever seen before. In 1980, John Lennon sounded optimistic and ready to attack the new decade ahead. Sadly, we all know how that turned out.
JANIVA MAGNESS SINGS JOHN FOGERTY CHANGE IN THE WEATHER (BLUE ELAN RECORDS ) BY RICK J BOWEN
The much-loved, award-winning singer/ songwriter Janiva Magness stepped away from her own songs to pay tribute to one of her heroes on her new album, Change in The Weather: Janiva Magness Sings John Fogerty, released this past September. The Grammy-nominated blues, soul and Americana artist is well-known for delivering intense, emotional songs. She found a kindred spirit
TERESA JAMES & THE RHYTHM TRAMPS LIVE! (JESI-LU RECORDS) BY RICK J BOWEN It is hard to measure quantitatively the amount of pure joy musicians get from playing music with close friends, but every ounce of that emotion comes ringing through on the new release from Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps simply titled Live! The new tracks are a baker’s dozen collection of six originals and seven covers from Teresa’s two-plus decades as a recording artist. The album opens with the horn-infused track “In The Pink,” with James name-checking several of her heroes and how they have guided her life. She then swings into the jump boogie “I Like It Like
in the works of John Fogerty whose lyrics are as timely today as they were in the turbulent 60s and 70s framed by the Vietnam War and extreme social turbulence. Magness chose 12 songs from Fogerty’s catalog to reinvent, revisit or simply just rock out on. She delivers familiar Creedence Clearwater Revival tunes like “Lodi,” with a bit of Memphis soul and she turns “Bad Moon Rising” into a slow, swamp blues that features greasy slide guitar. Special guest Taj Mahal joins Janiva for a sweet back porch duet on “Don’t You Wish It Was True.” She stands up as freedom singer akin to Mavis Staples on “Wrote A Song for Everyone” and guitar heroes Rusty Young and Jesse Dayton join in on the Joyous finale “Looking Out My Back Door.” . JANIVAMAGNESSCOM RICK J BOWEN: WABLUES.ORG
That” leading the band with her hot barrelhouse piano. The horns sweeten the chord changes of the dancehall favorite, “Put The Squeeze On Me,” and James then pours her heart and soul out on the ballad “Forgetting You.” She trades barbs with the horn section on the Motownfueled “She’s Got Away with Men,” and shows off her depth as a singer and songwriter and proves why she is worthy of Grammy consideration on the haunting “The Day the Blues Came to Call.” This exceptional live set ends with what has become her theme song, “Long Way from Texas.” The new Live! album from Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps is a genuinely fine souvenir keepsake recorded at four different shows at one of the band’s favorite haunts, Bogie’s, at Westlake Village, California. TERESAJAMES.COM RICK J BOWEN: WABLUES.ORG
ROB HALFORD WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS CELESTIAL (SONY LEGACY) BY KEITH “MUZIKMAN” HANNALECK Rob Halford has made yet another Christmas album? One wasn’t enough? The first one did not tickle my metal bones one iota. So, could it possibly be different this time? Wait, I can answer that! It is called damn good metal music that’s what! Yes, it is a Holiday album by the Metal God himself but this time he does bring a smile to my bah humbug heart, which by the way is courtesy of stores all over the country and having so many preBlack Friday sales. It is not about going to Walmart for Halloween costumes and already seeing Christmas products out; nothing like shoving it down everyone’s throat. Celestial is the name and metal is the game. The LP I received is a limited edition 150-gram metallic gold with a download card (an added perk). It is quite cheerful with it all aglow spinning on my turntable. Hold on to this one thought - it is with family and friends so it is keeping with the spirit of the holiday. After all, that is what it really is all about? The food and gifts are an added bonus if you happen to be fortunate enough for all of that. There are new songs along with traditional tracks like “The First Noel.” And that is the only one that sounds anywhere near Christmas, but alas dear rockers, if you like to rock you will get plenty of that. When the first track started I actually got a good laugh hearing the lyrics along with some rip roarin’ metal chords blasting out of my speakers. If all this gets you a bit too happy you could always put on an early Opeth album and go sit in a dark corner and brood. Not! This is way too much fun, especially when someone that does not appreciate metal says “This is horrible! It’s not Christmas music!” Well, it is for some folks that love the genre and can understand what the artist is doing, giving his fans exactly what they want. If you really love metal like I do you will find a lot of value in giving this one a spin. This is the power of metal with a definitive twist. The musicianship is quite good and Halford is always spot on with
his unique and engaging vocal style. And the best part is you can get it right off his website for $20 or on Amazon, your choice of outlets. The best track is on side B titled ‘Good King Wenceslas.” It sounds like the band really hits a high plateau on that track then closed the curtain with the new track "Protected By The Light." I had a blast listening to this and it actually did lift my spirits so stuff that in your stockings all of you “traditional” holiday music purist. So, there you have it, another Metal legend sticks it to old man Winter for the sheer joy of making music and making metal heads smile from ear to ear. Nice job on this one Rob and very Merry Metal Christmas to you and yours! Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck: www.TheFinalOnVinyl.Com
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Reviewed By: Tony Saracene Recording Engineer, Aransas Music Emporium; Singer-Songwriter, Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Peddle Steel, & Many Other Instruments
By Tamma Hicks, STEAM Magazine
Rusty Hicks, STEAM Magazine’s publisher and fearless leader, set a few goals for STEAM to accomplish in 2019. I’m proud to announce that we have hit those goals and are growing like crazy! Most importantly, we have been adding team members! Everyone form writers to photographers to promoters that are building our brand for your convenience! There are two guys we need to recognize for all their help in improving our productivity throughout 2019… Terry Mitchell & Tony Nicklin! If you’d like to join us—drop us a line! (look on page3 ) Secondly, our distribution area is expanding! You, yes you Houston and Victoria residents! You’ve asked and we deliver! You can now pick up copies of STEAM Magazine in Victoria as well as Downtown Houston, Spring, Old Town Spring, The Woodlands, and Conroe. Seriously folks, we are everywhere you want us to be and if not— drop us a line! (look on page3 ) And finally, have you seen STEAM gear? We have everything from Sacks to Socks, Koozies to Coffee mugs and coffee to fill them with, Tumblers and Water Bottles. My favorite is the WillieJuana print from our September 2016 cover. Anyway, we just wanted to THANK YOU for a wonderful 2019 and we can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store! STEAM Team Members and if you’d like to join us—drop us a line! (look on page3 ) Rusty Hicks, Publisher Tamma Hicks, Editor
Photographers! Robert Cantu Tim Dodge Harrison Funk Writers! Rick J Bowen Phil Bradbury Rob Dickens Gene Garand Steve Goldstein Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck Behind the Scenes! Allene Hicks Terry Mitchell Harley Meyer Tony Nicklin Barry Rogers Lindsey Shelly
We are pleased to announce the addition of Photojournalist Tim Dodge! Tim is a retired Fire Lieutenant out of Victoria Texas who has combined his hobbies to become a Music Photographer. He’ll photograph just about anything, from landscapes and sunsets to animals and friends, however, his passion lays in Texas Country and Red Dirt Music. Tim attends festivals, concerts, and local shows every month and he’s joined the STEAM Team to share them with you! Through his photographs, I think you’ll see some of Texas you may not have and will get to know Texas Country and Red Dirt Music. Please let us know what you think and if you have any suggestions for events and/or bands, please share it with us at submissions@steamtx.com. October is a month of festivals in the Crossroads area. One such festival is in the small town of Yorktown, Texas; located about 40 miles west of Victoria. Their festival is called, Western Days and happens in the 3rd week of October. It’s a weekend of food, fun, and of course good old Texas Country Music. Many bands performed beginning Friday night. I was there Saturday and the first band was from Victoria, “Southern Drive Band” and they were as hot as the weather! Between shows that I saw, there was still fun to be had, at the other end of the street and was a witness to an ol’ West gunfight. It was fun, loud, mixed with some safety. The “sheriff” demonstrated that even though they were using blanks, the weapons were still dangerous. Later that night, the one and only Bri Bagwell performed. She entertained the crowd with her soulful songs of life as she sees it. She had a completely new band, but still the same fire and as fun as ever.
STEAM’S Review: Comments: Compact, Lightweight, Loud
The Keg Blaster by CatusAmps In this world of convenience, and time management, it's nice to have a “go-to, works every time when you need it amplifier”. The Keg Blaster by CactusAmps is definitely a blast to tap into. Powered by a 9 volt battery it's as easy as plug-n-play; with a 1/4" input, a 1/4" out, and what looks to be a 3" speaker in the top of the miniaturized keg. So "Pop a Top Again" and you’re on your way to rock and roll heaven with the new Keg Blaster by CactusAmps. A quick note on the power and sound… Stone Temple Pilots used the Keg Blaster Amp to record their 2010 album, Huckleberry Crumble, and it sounds great. THE KEG BLASTER IS BACK! LOUDER, WARMER, MORE DURABLE CONSTRUCTION!
The first weekend of November was the Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-off, in (yep, you guessed it) Terlingua, just outside of Big Bend National Park. Friday night’s headliner was Dale Watson who served up his own unique style of Americana Music and everyone had a great time. The last show of the festival was none other than Gary P. Nunn. He played all of his favorites and got the crowd a-rockin'. He even had a special guest on stage, the incomparable Kenny Grimes. (STEAM ran a featured story on Kenny in the June 2019 issue)
November was slowing down due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, however, I was invited to a party hosted by Nathan Colt Young and his parents at their place just south of Bastrop. It was a great time with great food and great friends. Nathan and his band provided the entertainment and it was a blast.
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that I never framed or did anything with. It was me, I never thought about selling my stuff. Then about four years ago, I realized what people had been telling me about selling my work, so I started moving towards that concept.
Continued From Page 11 recently, like 2 or 3 years ago, because I just didn't bring my art out to show. I did a big show in the city center and I was the only artist. I had some oils and some watercolors and I sold several pieces.
Were you a closet painter?
Yes. I just did it for myself and for family members. I have a lot of paintings I saved
Have you ever tried to do a live painting?
I've never done that. It wouldn't bother me to do that. I would definitely be interested in doing something like that because I know people like to see the process and I think it would be interesting to a lot of people.
Are your children artists?
My oldest daughter is pretty good, but she just doesn't practice. They sometimes get intimidated by me and I tell them that I've
been painting way longer than they have, but my second oldest son is very talented. He doesn't do much, but I've seen his work and what he has done is amazing; he's a natural. My son is an accountant, so he gets way more money for what he does, so he does art for fun and he's been working on a stained glass project.
When you paint your fairies and mythi-
cal creatures, your fairies are beautiful. Do you have a model; are you looking in a mirror or at your daughter's picture? I mentally do it out of my head. Those characters come to life on their own and it's quite an interesting mystical experience. I lay it out starting with the eyes and then I start building around that and it creates itself.
That’s
a very interesting concept. Is there anything you want to paint that you haven't yet? I'm aspiring to paint mechanicals. I really like them, so I started doing much more realistic depictions of flowers very close up, so you see the structure of the pedals, not so much like a bouquet. I used to do bouquets, but now I'm getting much more closer to the veins and the pedals and it's very challenging and sometimes I don't like it because it's so challenging but I like what's happening and evolving as an oil painter, learning how to make the oil work for me. It's not just the subject that I pursue as much as rendering them in a new way with more talent.
Shaunacrandalart.com
top row Blue Moon Fairy Visions Blue Fairy bottom Galaxy Garden Tres Amies
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‘ By Tamma Hicks, STEAM Magazine Photo Credit Rusty Hicks, STEAM Magazine
Courtesy Photo
Shane Cooley's finespun lyrics dance at the forefront of his eccentric spin on Americana/psych/folk music. Hailing from rural Virginia, Shane stays busy in the Austin, TX music scene, as well as on the road touring, both solo and with his band, Shane Cooley & the Midnight Girls. His songs have found their ways to the airwaves on NBC's The Mysteries of Laura, IFC’s The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman, and various others. Since the release of his seventh album, Kings Highway, Cooley's prolific songwriting has blossomed with a wealth of new material. He recently completed his first book; an anthology of poems, vignettes and illustrations, titled Porch Lion. Shane Cooley & the Midnight Girls have been together for going on 4 years and are gaining speed. Shane recently appeared on the TV show Songwriters Across Texas, and is being filmed for their upcoming documentary series, which is one reason we found Shane Cooley & the Midnight Girls at Aransas Music Emporium in Aransas Pass just before Thanksgiving. The other reason was to record tracks with Tony Saracene for an upcoming album. Because Wayne Dalchau (bass guitar), Ian Henkel (guitar, slide guitar, and auxiliary percussion), Shane Cooley (vocals and acoustic guitar) were in the midst of recording, we couldn’t all just sit down and chat, so I interviewed each one, with the exception of drummer Abe (Van Velck) as he’d already headed back home for the holiday.
+++Hi Wayne. Where are you originally from and what's your favorite thing about Austin? I grew up in Brenham, Texas. I've been in Austin for about 23 years. I think my favorite thing is returning after being elsewhere. Austin’s an easy place to land and easy place to be and secondarily, the food. I understand about traveling; when you get home it's so much better. You mentioned food. Are you a food critic? I'm routinely a critic about everything. I just like food to change it up. Very good. How do you feel about being a Midnight Girl? Well, philosophically, I consider Midnight Girls to be what happens after the show. People assume it’s the band; I feel okay about that, too. Do you write any of the music that the SCMG does? Shane comes up with the lyrics and the forms and I work with him to write my parts for it. Sometimes he has something exact and sometimes he waits until I throw something down and enforce it as the drums flush out. The main thing is that I lock in with the drums and follow the forms. How long have you and Abe been playing together? Abe has been in the band probably a year and a half, and Ian, Shane and I have been playing together for 3 1/2 years.
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So, it's still a learning process with clicking together with Abe? It's a learning process all of the time. Every time you go through a song, sometimes you learn something new. Maybe you learned the first day and forgot. If it's a high-energy day we may play a song at a faster tempo and that changes things as well. We just have to find the center point between the four of us. What's your favorite song that you guys play? I definitely don't have one; I like all of them. It's pretty wild to be in a band where you can say that, but yeah, there are very few songs that I would avoid. Shane has been writing since he was 10 and performing since he was 13. He's been good since he was 27, so now everything he writes is pretty spot on. There are a lot of golden nuggets in there. +++How are you doing today, Shane? Enjoying the beach life. Yes. It's nice down here! Austin's good, but we’ve got the water. Yeah, you have the water in this time of year, too. It's just gorgeous! Are you a surfer? Oh no, I wouldn't be alive anymore if I tried anything like that. I'm too clumsy. I grew up on a river that was 3 miles across that empties into the Chesapeake Bay, so we had dolphins and pretty much everything else in my backyard while I was growing up, so I always loved being around the water and being on the shore.
That’s right, you’re from Virginia. How long have you been in Austin? For about six years; really I'm back and forth between the two places. Actually, we all live in Austin. Wayne said that you have been writing since you were 10? Yes, the first song I wrote was when I was 10 called "I love rock". For whatever reason, from that age, I just identified from my writing and I recorded my first CD when I was 13. Have you always been Americana/ country? Well, that's one of the things I like about being a songwriter is that I try to write all kinds of songs. I have a lot of influences from a lot of genres. The music's always kind of transforming and it has definitely taken different directions over the years. Lately with this band, we've been introducing a lot of psychedelic music, trying to push those boundaries a little bit. Very cool. So, you write the words and then you take it to the guys and say "Here's what I’ve got and this is the idea" or "Here's what I’ve got, let's play"? Well, it's kind of the second one. We've been this band for about three years now, and I've been writing songs and all well before then; so, these guys are actually really special because they came together and they believe in my music.
plain terms, just an American rock band. They hearken back to music with a lot of nostalgia, but we're making a new sound at the same time. Speaking of new sound, you are here in Aransas Pass recording with Tony Saracene. Is this for a new album? Yes, so this will be the first album for Shane Cooley And The Midnight Girls, and we've been recording it down here and we been doing it all in one room, like tracking with the band. It's kind of an old school idea and it's been great! Making albums is my favorite thing to do in the whole world and this has been wonderful to do it with my band. Tony is like a walking encyclopedia of
Ian, I know you're from this area, so I hope you're rubbing it in that you got to grow up with all of this beauty. Yeah, they’re all jealous. You can practically walk to the beach and it's just laid-back. It's pretty much perfect. When did you start playing guitar? I started playing when I was 17. I began with bass then went on to guitar, but I did a lot of band in school before that. I played French horn and tuba. These are brand-new songs, so if Shane decides he needs a horn section, he has you. I haven't done it in a while, but I picked up a trumpet the other night and I can still do something, so I think I might be able to pull it out of the bag. We're going to do some stuff in the studios. You never know what kind of weird overdubs we can get into. A French horn would definitely be cool on a song or two I think. +++What took you to Austin? I've been in Austin full-time since 2010 and I work in the film business as well. That’s right your dad was a big part of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie? Yes, he was original screenwriter and one of the producers on it. He went back in 2010 to do another movie. Not a sequel, but a related movie called Butcher Boys, and that got me back into the scene.
Yes, Wayne said that it was really unusual to be with a group where he can't choose a favorite song because he enjoys all of them. Honestly, that's an extraordinary find.
Do you like working in the film industry?
Absolutely, and they get it, too. They have a vision of what I want to sound like and what I want to go for. They add their own creativity and styles to what I have on the table, and it all just comes together. When I play with the band, I hear what I hear in my head when I write the song. That's an amazing thing. That's a very hard thing to get expressed by three other players. Some of the artists that were my big influence when I was growing up like Neil Young, Tom Petty, and all of the great songwriters that had great bands and the struggle to make that all work has always been there, and Bob Dylan, too. They always had their own way of getting a band, whether they had hired guns or people that they stuck with for years, but these guys hit precision on their own after a while. And you travel a lot, don't you? We do our best. I wish we were traveling more, but we try to go on a couple tours a year and I keep it going. We are about to put out all of this music next year. Yes, a 50-song box-set. That’s a very ambitious project. How did you come up with that idea? Well, it was partially my mom's idea and my drummer, Abe, had it too. We were just talking about how some of the best performances I've played have been really intimate and unplugged, so I've been collecting all of the songs over the past couple of years and I've been writing up a storm. The concept was really just for the shock factor, if anything, just to have this catalog all together. That is very cool! I’ve listened to a few tracks off each disc and I really enjoyed what I heard. Do you have a favorite genre to write in? No, I like to experiment and change it up. It depends on the day and how I'm feeling and all of that. I think the Midnight Girls are, in
tive, boring or otherwise. I like that. Do you have a project on your own? I have a few irons and fires. I have a spot on WYSR radio coming up in December. It's a couple songs that I made and a friend at the station is going to interview me. Do you do any writing? I do on my own, but not for this project. I just play guitar; this is what I'm really good at. I'll sing in the shower and make stuff up and record it, but I don't really take it out there like that. What future do you see for SCMG? I think that we really have some good momentum right now. We played a lot of good shows like UtopiaFest. We have this recording session and Shane's release of the acoustic 50 song record, as well as our record Quiet Storms that we recorded in Belize. We have all those things set to slowly release in sequence, so we have a lot of good material coming out. We're going to tour in support of that and do as much radio and interviews as we can, including social media pushes, and hope that propels us to get some interest from others, whether it's managers, friends, bands, to take the next step. Where do you all plan to tour? We are thinking about a short one to promote the material in March, and that would be parts of the East coast, the Midwest, and some areas we haven't been to before. Also Shane's homeland is Virginia, so that's a loose idea as of now. We have a few dates penned, so that's going to happen, but all the dates aren't lined out yet. Any place you would like SCMG to go that you haven't talked about going yet? Hmm, I want to get them to New Orleans for sure, but that will be another tour.
SHANECOOLEY.BANDCAMP.COM INSTAGRAM.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM… /SHANECOOLEY TWITTER.COM… /SHANE_COOLEY PORCH LION… BLURB.COM/B/9143450-PORCH-LION SONGWRITERS ACROSS TEXAS… SONGWRITERSACROSSTEXAS.COM/SHANE-COOLEY
music. Ye, he is! Tony is an old friend of my guitar player, Ian. Ian grew up around here and getting to work with him now, he's the perfect guy for this situation. I didn't realize how well-versed he is with songwriters. He knew exactly what we wanted when we started tracking and everything was crystal clear. He's a mad scientist. So we can look forward to a new album in 2020? Yes. We also have another album called Quiet Storms that I recorded with Wayne and Ian when we first formed the band and I went down to Belize and went to a small island and recorded in a cabin, and that is just about finished up, too. We’ll be releasing the two albums and then the acoustic collection in spurts; we will be doing some digital download days and stuff like that. Since Abe isn't here, do you want to say anything about Abe? He's one of my best friends in the whole world and he's originally from Burnett, Texas. He's the most recent member of the band and he started playing with this about a year and a half ago, and he's really come a long way. He's a really solid drummer and is able to track live things like this without needing any sub tracks or video magic. He was my friend before he was in the band, so that's really cool. Actually, all my bandmates were groomsmen at my wedding.
Well, music's really my thing. Film’s a family business, but music is what I really love. Give me your take on the new music for the new album. I think it's really cutting edge in a way. It's got a lot of traditional elements from folk and other American genres, but there's just a twist to it. There's a psychedelic element and Shane’s just kind of inimitable songwriting that takes those traditional forms and just makes them unique on his own. A good way to put it is that he's pushing boundaries, but has something familiar and not ever repetiSTEAMMAGAZINE.NET DECEMBER 2019 STEAM MAGAZINE 15
By Tamma Hicks & Rusty Hicks STEAM Magazine
You've been here in Houston for 35 years. What made you decide to stay here? Actually, I left home on my way to LA, I got here and never left. Things are pretty great.
The music scene is phenomenal. There's always work here; I'm liable to turn over a rock and find some work. And you mostly play jazz? Jazz, R&B, and I also play some country. It's all music to me. I don't care what it is. Jazz is my favorite though. I know you had the band Sea Breeze for quite a long time, do you miss the band? I had the band for 15 years and we played throughout Houston. Having a band is like having a family and the key is growing up, and after 15 years, it was enough. Right now I have a trio that I take out. I do a lot of solos, duos and trios. I have this band leader mentality, so I still have things in my bag that if the keyboard player needs this certain cord and the drummer needs a set of sticks that I need for him to play soft with, I have it. I enjoyed those 15 years and I am enjoying this time right now. A lot of times I just do solos and I don't mind doing them because I'm always on time. The equipment that I use and my backing tracks never take smoke breaks, never complains, or needs a drink.
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I understand that you’ve recently had a couple interesting gigs lately. Yeah, just last week I did a gig for Dillard’s in the Cosmetic Department. There were about 50 ladies there and it was a beautiful thing. I was there to entertain the customers and I had a great time. Another cool one was at the end of October; I played in an airplane hangar on the north side of town for a group that supports the arts. They were having some kind of gala for their group and I was given the chance to play for them and it was too cool. I have a picture where I'm standing
My advices are practice, practice, practice! And listen to and go see other players.
outside next to a couple of planes with my horn in my hand. I'm a techie kind of guy, so it was right up my alley. But really, anytime
I'm playing, it's a good evening. That sounds like a true musician. I know you went to school in Louisiana, but you continued your music education here. Can you tell me about your teachers? One of my teachers was Mr. Conrad Johnson. Conrad is just a phenomenal gentleman around town. He's a great music teacher and musical educator, and I learned quite a bit from him. Another of my teachers that I really liked was Mr. Wendell Brooks , who went to Berklee College of Music. I just met another gentleman and I'm going to take some classes in about a month or so from him. Photo Credit Rusty Hicks, STEAM Magazine
A native of Shreveport LA, Carl “Sweets” Progue attended Grambling State University on a music scholarship. After moving to Houston, he continued his studies under Conrad Johnson, "Houston’s Big Band Leader" and reknown music educator, and Wendell Brooks of the Berklee College of Music. In 1985 Carl’s group, Sea Breeze, emerged on Houston’s jazz scene via the Houston International Festival and performed at the event for 8 consecutive years. Since that time, he has performed in the United States, Montreal, Canada, Bolivia, South America, and Amsterdam. Carl performs with an arsenal of instruments including the tenor, alto, soprano saxophone and the flute. He is known as a tenor guy but has great affection for his “supporting cast.” His performances range from a solo act to a six-piece band, always to the surprise and delight of his audience. Whether Carl is performing his original compositions, contemporary or traditional jazz, R&B or pop music he brings his unique interpretation that earned him the nickname of “Sweets” from his fellow musicians. We caught up with Carl at the Wortham Theater in Houston as he was headed in to see the Bayou City Jazz Concert featuring Nick Colionne & Paul Taylor. We took a few minutes to talk about Carl’s joy for playing music.
Courtesy photo
So you're always looking to learn more? Always. It's just an ongoing process. I need to go practice right now (laughter). What’s your favorite song to play? I love them all. I like jazz, R&B. I just picked up a Ray Charles tune recently called “Oh Beautiful" and every time I play it, it stirs up a little something; it means something when I play it.
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By Bryan Ramsey and Golden Touch Records Courtesy Photos
Primrose Hollow is a Southern Rock
band out of Magnolia Texas fronted by Singer/Songwriter Mark Brown, playing everything from original songs to classic rock and country hits. Mark has played in multiple bands around the Houston area, such as Presidential Mafia, Falter, and Seven Days Shy and released his first album with Falter in 2005. Primrose Hollow features Mark on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Nicholas Wright on lead guitar, Devon Meineke on bass guitar, and Joshua Huntley on drums. The groups’ rock/ country/pop style is influenced by the wide range of artists they listen to and relate to from Journey, CCR and Sublime, to David Draiman, Cory Taylor, Hank William's Jr, and George Strait. Primrose Hollow can be seen playing all the top music locations around Houston. Mark and Devon sat down with me at the Golden Touch Records sound studio to talk about where they’re from and where they are going.
What is Primrose Hollow and how did it
come about? M Well, really, it was more or less when me and Josh were jamming for fun and then Devon joined in. It was just us three of us playing when Devon said we need to do this band. We were looking for a lead guitar player and I remembered this band, Bow Legged Monkey, that Devon and Josh had played in. We got their lead player Nickolas over here and that was the final piece of the puzzle.
One of the coolest things I think that you
guys have going on is that you really skirt all the genres; you play country, pop, metal, and you put a little bit of rap in there, too. How do you keep that cohesiveness as a band for your fans since some fans see you as country artists while others see you as rock 'n' roll artists?
M We try to find a good middle ground between all of those, because I like to call our genre “outlaw southern country”, a mix of Outlaw, Southern Rock, and Country. I see that as a way we can kind of throw in a little spice to our mix, and fans might like it and some of them might not, but I feel that all the music has a base sound of Primrose Hollow. I saw Whiskey Myers in concert and they started shredding out some White Stripes, then a Brad Paisley song before Van Halen's Eruption in their concert.
Band and into everything. I went through all the music theory, training, and everything; but that's not where it really started for me though. My dad taught me how to play guitar when I was five.
Fortunately, you have a crazy melting pot
I
I
think it’s interesting that you both picked the strings after going to college for brass. Did Nickolas study brass too or is he all guitars? M He's all classical guitar. He's actually still in school. think that's one of the coolest things about Primrose Hollow is that there is such an amazing depth of talent with all
of musical talent in your band to mess with all those genres, so tell me about your music backgrounds? M In high s c h o o l band playing the tuba. That was my real introduction to classical and being taught how to play music. My dad got me a guitar when I was eight years Photo Credit Rusty Hicks STEAM Magazine old, but I of you. You all sing, even the drummer. really didn't learn how to play until I was M Definitely. Josh has a great voice. about 15, then I met this dude down the street named Randy and he taught me how to I actually met Josh one night doing karaplay. High school band really sparked my interest and taught me the structure of music oke. What made you decide to really start and how to actually compose it versus just pouring your energy and talent into a learning how to play guitar and I credit Mr. project that some would consider a little Voltz, my band teacher; he did a lot for me. bit late in a musician’s career? M Well actually, I can attribute that to my Devon, were you in high school band as boss at the company I work for, Golden well? Trumpet Entertainment. He had heard some D Yeah, I was also a brass instrument player. of my originals and he's been on my ass for a I played the trumpet in high school and conwhile about getting something together and tinued on with it in college. I was in Jazz making something happen, so I attribute the
band coming to be because of him.
I'm sure that makes you feel pretty good.
M Yes it does. I think it was the last river trip at the Wagon Wheel that was the spark that ignited everything.
I've been to some of your guys’ practices
and you all are goofing off and noodling around. D Honestly, a lot of the better songs come from when we're just goofing off. I think a lot of the dynamic between all of this is that we all are really good friends. We get along really well, so we’re just really vibrant when it comes to creating something together. M It’s a lot like having a family because we want to hurt each other sometimes, but it’s just a part of the family dynamic.
I
truly think that dynamic comes into play as long as you are passionate about the project. When you become angry at something, it's because of that passion that you guys have. M We all have the same end goal. We all want to see this band take off and become something more than it is right now.
I have to be honest with you. We’ve been in the entertainment industry for a very, very long time. We are out there seeing a lot of great talent up on stage and we see everything across the board here in Houston whether it's solo acoustic acts, duo acoustic acts, full band, country, rock 'n' roll, hip-hop. I was at the first big show Primrose Hollow did. Charlie Diggs put on the Texas Battle Of The Bands at Big Texas-Spring. Bubba Wesley, Jake Bush, Blake Harlow, Shay Carla were all there. I remember seeing you guys on stage that night and y'all were thrilled to be there. M Big Texas was our first big show and only our second show as a band. We'd only been together for about three months.
Who are your biggest influences?
M What I've noticed is a lot of artists that
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Continued From Page 16 Do you have any originals or an album? Yes, I have some originals that I've done over the years and I'm working on a couple right now. I don't have a CD out but I'm in the process of talking to a gentleman and trading some studio time. I repair all sorts of things made of wood, so if my friend, who has a studio, needs some work done, I would like to trade out services, because I need a CD. Tell me a little about your original music; are they all jazz and do you sing? Most of the originals are jazz, and yes I sing on a lot of them. The instrumental only songs don't do it anymore, so I've been singing a lot more and enjoying it. I've always sang, I just didn't have to with the band. What advice do you have for young and up and coming musicians? My advices are practice, practice, practice and listen to and go see other players. My biggest influence is Stanley Turrentine, but I listen to all the sax players like King Curtis and the more contemporary guys like Kirk Wahlum, Kyle Turner, and Everette Harp. Those guys are right here and they are phenomenal! Where are you going to be playing this month? It depends on any given weekend where I might be, I have quite a few private shows this month. The best suggestion is to look at my Facebook page and website.
SEABREEZEENT.COM FACEBOOK.COM/CARL PROGUE
Continued From Page 17
write those great songs went through a lot of bad stuff in their life and I honestly haven't been through a lot of bad stuff; I've been with the same woman for 15 years and we have three wonderful kids. It's really a thing I take more from other people's experiences; more so then from the radio. There are people like Luke Combs, Eric Church, and Keith Urban that have always been a huge influence in my writing. I wrote “Right Until I Die” the day after I saw Bubba Wesley perform at the Big Texas Battle Of The Bands. It felt like an outlaw kind of sound and I was literally inspired by the opening note he performed. Right Until I Die has that huge opening just like his song.
Devon,
you’re usually the quietest of the bunch. What are your thoughts on Primrose Hollow and where you’re headed? D Man, the music is spectacular. Just hanging out with the guys is spectacular. Playing the shows and being with them on stage is spectacular. It's got a real good feel to it and I see us going nowhere but up and I'm really glad just to be a part of it. 12/28 THE RED BRICK TAVERN, CONROE TX Photo Credit Rusty Hicks STEAM Magazine
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