It's at the sweltering peak of summer in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada that Desire The Fire entered the legendary recording studio, "The Hideout", to begin the recording of their debut EP.
The debut EP from Desire The Fire is tentatively set to release in the upcoming months with the goal in mind to breathe fire into the already thriving rock and metal scene that currently dominates Las Vegas. We had a chance to sit down with the guys for an exclusive interview to find out more about the upcoming album and what they have been up to.
Jamie Paullus
Jamie Paullus continues to WOW our readers and travelled to Seattle to bring our readers: Pain In The Grass….
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Sherry Keith
Mystic Photography traveled to Hollywood to bring our readers The Rainbow Labor Day Bash…
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New Double Album Prevail I + II Out In 2017
Canadian Hard Rockers, KOBRA AND THE LOTUS recently signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. They are set to release their fourth album and Napalm Records debut Prevail I + II as two separate volumes of a double album. The first part will be released in February 2017 with the second part to follow in October of 2017.
But don't worry as today KOBRA AND THE LOTUS are debuting their new single "TriggerPulse" taken from Prevail I. Check out the exclusive premiere courtesy of RevolverMag.com, the online home of Revolver Magazine HERE.
Of the song, KOBRA tells Revolver:
"We are ecstatic to finally be releasing a new track from KOBRA AND THE LOTUS! After two years it's time to unleash something new and tasty so here we go...
'TriggerPulse' is coming for you and it's ready to make some waves in the Omniverse!! See you out there in space!!"
"TriggerPulse" is available for purchase via iTunes and Amazon.
KOBRA AND THE LOTUS will take to the road this fall in Europe alongside label-mates Delain. Fans can expect to hear a mix of KOBRA AND THE LOTUS classics and new songs from Prevail I + II.
KOBRA AND THE LOTUS Debut New Single "TriggerPulse" via Revolver Magazine
KOBRA AND THE LOTUS LIVE
24.09.2016 NL - Eindhoven, Poppodium de Effenaar (with Arch Enemy)
30.09.2016 LT - Kaunas, Lemmmy*
01.10.2016 LV - Riga, Nabakab*
02.10.2016 EE - Tallinn, Tapper*
05.10.2016 FI - Helsinki, Elmun Baari*
06.10.2016 FI - Tampere, Yo-talo*
07.10.2016 FI - Oulu, Hevimesta*
*Headline Shows
With Delain
14.10.2016 DE - Köln, Essigfabrik
15.10.2016 DE - Stuttgart, Im Wizemann
16.10.2016 DE - Hamburg, Gruenspan
17.10.2016 DK - Copenhagen, Pumpehuset
19.10.2016 DE - Berlin, Columbia-Theater
20.10.2016 PL - Cracov, Kwadrat
21.10.2016 PL - Warsaw, Progresja
22.10.2016 CZ - Zlin, Masters of Rock Club
25.10.2016 SK - Bratislava, Majestic Music Club
27.10.2016 AT - Vienna, Szene
28.10.2016 DE - Munich, Backstage
29.10.2016 DE - Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal
30.10.2016 CH - Pratteln, Z 7 3
01.10.2016 FR - Lyon, Ninkasi Kao
02.11.2016 ES - Madrid, Arena
03.11.2016 FR - Toulouse, Metronum
04.11.2016 FR - Paris, Elysee Montmartre
05.11.2016 FR - Lille, Le Splendid
06.11.2016 BE - Antwerp, Trix
08.11.2016 UK - Birmingham, O2 Institute 2
09.11.2016 UK - Glasgow, Classic Grand
11.11.2016 IE - Dublin, The Button Factory
12.11.2016 UK - Manchester, O2 Ritz
13.11.2016 UK - London, Koko
15.11.2016 UK - Southampton, Engine Rooms
16.11.2016 UK - Cardiff, Tramshed
About KOBRA AND THE LOTUS:
Led by frontwoman and classically trained vocal powerhouse Kobra Paige, KOBRA AND THE LOTUShave been making a name for themselves worldwide since 2009 with extensive touring and two well-received albums. KOBRA AND THE LOTUS is loaded with precision, heavy emotion, and grand-scale dynamics, highlighting the glories of Classic heavy metal and Hard Rock. Known for their exceptionally strong live shows, they proudly carry the flag for all metal/rock fans.
For More Info Visit: http://kobraandthelotus.com https://www.facebook.com/KobraAndTheLotus https://twitter.com/katlofficial/
SANTANA IV ALBUM REVIEW
We were recently asked to review the new album collaboration with Santana and Neal Schon.We were of coursed honored to have been asked and after listening to the album this is what our Cd Reviewer, Tim Cheney had to say.
Carlos Santana is one of those artists that has brilliantly maintained a music career since the late 1960s. He’s done so with a formula of both incredible music and an almost superhuman amount of patience. Santana, about once per decade (sometimes longer), will methodically thrust himself back into the spotlight. His early work in the late 60s and 70s was groundbreaking. Rock n Roll was born of several genres of Black Music that included The Blues, Jazz and Southern Gospel. Santana however brought Latin rhythms and chord progressions that Rock fans had not heard before. In the world of superhuman Rock guitar, White people have Stevie Ray Vaughan, Black people have Jimi Hendrix and Latinos have Santana. He’s THAT good. That being said, Santana keeps pretty good company when it comes to the talent he works with. His collaboration with Rob Thomas on the mega hit “Smooth” is a great example. Even in his early career he had an eye for superior talent. His band in the early days consisted of Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie who later went on to form the hit making machine known as Journey. That brings us happily to Santana’s new album Santana IV Which returns the band to its original Schon/ Santana formula that made them both famous in the first place.
Upon first opening the album, I was not prepared for what I was about to listen to. The beginning of Santana IV is not only an immediate flashback to the original chemistry between Schon and Santana, but is also a return to the original recording style. There are quite a few tracks on the album that I would almost swear was recorded in the old recording studio, on the old recording equipment, with the original microphones. It sounds warm and familiar like an old blanket. Although there are songs with more modern guitar sounds, it somehow doesn’t sound out of place. There’s a good blend of songs that include emotional vocals and brilliant instrumentals that allow
both Schon and Santana to share the solo spotlight. The playing styles are noticeably and distinctively different yet, blend together quite nicely. One of the most impressive accomplishments of this album is the fact that although the songs are noticeably different, they don’t sound out of place on the same album. From a song like “Yambu”, which is astonishingly reminiscent of “Oye Como Va” without coming across like a rewrite or a ripoff, to “Blues Magic” which I highly recommend listening to with black lights and incense, to me, Santana IV is about vibe. This is the kind of music that’s about putting your headphones on and just escaping somewhere else after a long tough day.
When I said earlier that I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to listen to, I really meant that. When classic bands try to recapture an old magic from their glory days, I’m often disappointed with the finished product. Fame, money, ego, the wrong producer or whatever it may be, causes acts to lose their original magic. I’m pleased to report that has not happened to either Schon or Santana. In today’s musical wasteland of contrived, watered down and over produced crap. This new endeavor from Santana and Schon was refreshing to my ears.
Tim Cheney
<CV> Let's start off with introducing the band and their roles
<CODY> Cody Elliott - Vocals. Dylan DiceGuitar. Paul Draven - Guitar. Michael JamesBass Guitar. Adam Fisher - Drums
<CV> I understand you are based here in Las Vegas, tell us when the band formed.
<CODY> We started writing in July of 2015, and everything fell into place. We were already good friends so the idea just made sense.
<CV> Tell us how you came up with the name for the band?
<CODY> The name just hit me one day and it was perfect. It is a name that can mean something very personal for anyone who hears it. For me, it represents the passion in my heart, the drive for my vision and creativity. The love I have for my brothers in the band as well as the fans.
<CV> Give us a little background on each member.
<CODY> Dylan is just an animal on guitar. His high energy and memorable solos make him a high caliber player for sure.
Paul is a technical master mind, his guitar work is impeccable. Even some of the best guitarist can’t go toe to toe with him.
Michael is a performer through and through. I personally love watching our live footage because Michael goes ape shit on stage. He is also very creative when we write.
Adam is a beast. just …. a beast. he's always on 11. The guy is dripping with technique and power.
<DYLAN> Our front man is the greatest front
man that ever lived. I know that sounds arrogant to say, it's just a fact.
Just when you think Cody can't possibly outdo himself, he shocks us all. I remember when he first brought a real chainsaw on stage. None of us knew about it prior to that moment. We were just as shocked as the audience.
<MICHAEL> He is very spontaneous and it keeps us on our toes. He has such versatility with his voice and charisma that owns every crowd.
<CV> What brought you all together and how did you know this was a perfect fit?
<CODY> We were all great friends who decided to try and write some songs and see what happens. We had all been burnt by musicians we worked with in the past. So we decided no matter what, we are family first. Everything fell into place. The stars aligned, so to speak.. We did everything together and it seemed we could do no wrong. It was like together we had some unexplainable power over the universe.
<CV> What got each of you into music and at what age did you know this is what you wanted to do?
<CODY> I was raised around music my whole life. One of my earliest memories was a banjo lesson given to me by my father at the age of 4. Growing up in the Southeast,I was playing Bluegrass Festivals at a very young age. In my teens I found my calling for Punk and eventually Metal. This transition makes sense if you think about it because Bluegrass and Metal have all the same characteristics, play fast and sing about death.
<MICHAEL>As early as I could remember, I used to listen to my mother and my sister play piano for hours, and I believe that early exposure to Classical music was extremely impactful on my eventual future in music. By the time I was 13, I got my first guitar and by 16, I was playing in my first band. It was from that first show I ever played that I knew that music would be something I would be doing, in some capacity, for the rest of my life.
<DYLAN> I grew up in a musical family back in Lafayette, Louisiana. My mom was a child prodigy pianist and was featured on the Ed Sullivan show at 5. I didn't know that I would follow the musical path until I was 14,when I picked up my first guitar. I played in many bands until age 18, when I moved to LA and went to Musicians Institute. After, I moved to Las Vegas where I played sold out shows to thousands of tourists and toured the USA.
<PAUL> I was exposed to music at very young age, as my family are mostly folk singers. So I literally learned how to play guitar playing folk songs such as John Denver, David Gates, Jim
Croche, James Taylor, Don McLean etc… It was not until one day, when I was watching TV, the promo for WrestleMania 6 (Hogan vs Warrior) came on and they had ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ in the background, that I knew I was going to be a metal head for life. Today I have the pleasure of jamming and collaborating with a bunch of musicians in Las Vegas and have joined forces with some of the best musicians the world has to offer.
<CV> Who would you consider your biggest music influences and why?
<CODY> Mine are rather obvious: Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, The Misfits, Danzig, Marilyn Manson, Screaming Lord Sutch, Ozzy Osbourne. Mostly because these guys can not only write a great song, but they perform the hell out of it. I admire the theatrical element they bring to their live shows. They also challenge my crea-
<CV> Who would you consider your biggest music influences and why?
<CODY> Mine are rather obvious: Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, The Misfits, Danzig, Marilyn Manson, Screaming Lord Sutch, Ozzy Osbourne. Mostly because these guys can not only write a great song, but they perform the hell out of it. I admire the theatrical element they bring to their live shows. They also challenge my creativity to be innovative with my own antics.
<MICHAEL> It's difficult for me to narrow down my biggest influences because so many artists have been there for me at different points in my life. Sevendust was a band that showed me early on the power of creating strong imagery in a listener's head. Virtuosos like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai taught me the relationship between technique and expressing emotion, while Mötley Crüe taught me to stop overthinking music theory and just embrace chaos. Blues artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan gave me the courage to pursue music all over again when I thought I had lost everything, and Alice Cooper taught me the art of how a brilliantly choreographed live show can make for a timeless experience. For me, it's always been about chasing that unexplainable feeling I get when I see and hear an artist that completely draws me into their world.
<DYLAN> I’ve always liked the tough guy type of guitar players who brought a sense of danger with them, on stage. Hendrix literally burned his fucking guitar in the middle of a show. There’s videos of Dimebag Darrell playing guitar with the headstock broken off and he doesn’t miss a note and that’s what Desire The Fire is all about. We’re here to piss in your face, steal your fucking girlfriends, fuck your fucking mothers, and kick your god damned teeth in.
<PAUL> Gilbert and Dimebag are probably my main influence as a guitar player. I remember learning every song of "Lean Into It" by Mr. Big and every song off "Cowboys From Hell" and Vulgar albums. I really developed a lot as a player just by playing my favorite songs. And then I was introduced to the God himself, Steve Vai. That's when everything changed. Being technical is all flashy and cool, but learning the art and theories are powerful. As they say knowledge is power!
<CV> Tell us about your very first show together, how did it go and how were you received?
<CODY> I remember, it was at a strip club. We had a crowd of world class porn stars in the front row, and they were VERY receptive.
<CV> I understand you are working on your first album and have already put out three singles. Tell us about that.
<CODY> We are wrapping up our debut EP at the Hideout.
Our first single was “Sick Of You”.
Heavy and hard hitting, it addresses the common issues humans have when you are trapped in a world full of people you just can't stand.
"Dead Inside" was our second single. The title says it all. I wrote these lyrics at a time my heart had given up on humanity. I was numb, cold, and I just felt dead.
Our most recent single is “Sucker.” This one is very personal to me. It is about my ex who was an amazing actress and deceiver. This song came from a very dark place in my soul.
<CV> Give us some insight on the song and music writing process. Is it a joined effort or does one person do all the writing?
<CODY> It starts out with a riff or a hook, and sometime we communicate over the phone to expand on these ideas, but ultimately once we get together it is a joint effort. The collaboration aspect is important to this band because we all want to contribute to the common goal of making a song the best it can possibly be.
<CV> Tell us about the recording process, anything you like or dislike?
<CODY> The studio process is grueling. We have been working with some of the best producers money can buy and with that talent comes a perfectionist attitude. We basically hire these people to push us to extremes that we never knew existed. Doing, for example, a vocal take on a loop a thousand times is exhausting. As a singer, my instrument is biological so I literally put every ounce of my energy into every single take that I do. My muscles tighten up. I get angry. I even beat myself up in the studio to get myself to the right frame of mind to deliver the best take possible. By the end of a session, I am black and blue and in tears.
<CV> What is the motivation behind the songs you write? Do any of them speak to you on a personal level and if so why?
<CODY> Absolutely. Our hearts are in every line to every song. My inspiration as the lyricist for the band is fueled by experience. Putting pen to paper, you can see that my notebook is filled with blood, sweat and tears. My life has been pain. Lots of pain. And for the most part, my outlet is writing about it. I deal with my demons through these songs and bashing myself onstage.
<CV> Tell us about the music industry today
and where you think "Desire The Fire" fits in?
<CODY> The industry is constantly evolving. With that being said, we couldn’t care less. We are in this for the ones that understand our message. We do this for the sanctity that is personal freedom and the art through chaos and disorder. We do this for the ones that have had their hearts torn apart. The lost and the lonely. The descendants of broken homes. For anyone who has ever been a victim and overcame adversity. For the ones that pray to the night sky to be delivered from this cruel world. We do it for you because you’re not alone.
<CV> What are your thoughts on the use and necessity of Social Media?
<CODY> We love it. Obviously we prefer social interaction. But the social media formats make it easier to interact with fans all over the world.
<CV> How do you feel about music download sales, would you prefer a return to CD's and Vinyl?
<CODY> No way! We love digital distribution for the same reason we enjoy social media. Fans can engage our content from anywhere in the world at the click of a button. While I appreciate vinyl records as a personal collector, I look at that era as the dark ages of music. In regard to pirated music, we say go ahead. Our message is identifiable by anyone, therefore it is for everyone. We don’t do this for the money.
<CV> Tell us about some of the shows you have played so far, do you have a favorite place to play and why?
<CODY> The Hard Rock has always been good to us; Great energy, well received by fans and very professional. If you put a gun to my head, and I had to pick that one experience that stood out? For all its endless debauchery i would have to say Shiprocked, and for many legal reasons, I should not expand on that. I am just surprised I didn't get thrown overboard.
<CV> Do you guys have a ritual at all before you play a show?
<CODY>A lot of prep work goes into each show. Our crew is absolutely the best. They go above and beyond to make sure our shows run like a fucking machine. Our production manager Drew “Kannibal” Beddow, is always yelling at a crew member for being a fucktard. Every time I look at our soundman, Mike Scorch, he’s ready to slit someone's throat for touching something they weren't suppose to. Our head of security Jon Rufe is always throwing people out for being inappropriate to our merch girl Kayla Elliott. This all goes on while we (the band) are bathing in blood and black shit back stage. We are one big happy fucking family.
<CV> Any funny stories to tell from any shows you have played so far?
<CODY> Oh wow! Soooo many stories. But none that I can share with you simply for the legal impact it might have for some of us. Plus, I am also bound by the golden rule, “What happens on the road, stays on the road”.
<CV> What can fans expect to see at a "Desire The Fire " show?
<CODY> Our job as entertainers is to create a spectacle. I have a tendency to surprise even the rest of the band with what I do on stage. The element of surprise is the only thing I can guarantee at a Desire The Fire show.
<CV> To Date, is there any one show that is memorable for you and stands out and why?
<CODY> I remember the first show that I brought the snakes on stage. I hadn't told anyone, including the rest of the band. When I walked out covered in 12 feet of red tail boa constrictor, the look on everyone's face was priceless! I think Michael shit himself.
<CV> Where do you think you are in the journey of "Desire The Fire"
<CODY> It depends on how you would define a journey. If you perceive time as linear, then I would say it's only the beginning… and we have a LOT more shit to fuck up.
<CV> What do you like to do in your down time? Who do you like to listen to?
<CODY> I like to throw on some Rammstein while I work out and I enjoy Nine Inch Nails or David Bowie while I’m painting. I satisfy my curiosities through reading, watching documentaries and exploring the outdoors.
<CV> Are any of you involved in any other projects and if so tell us about that.
<CODY> We stay so busy with Desire The Fire, we don't have time for any other projects. Even if we did, I couldn't see myself working with any other musicians. I have yet to meet a more talented and loyal group of guys.
<CV> Are your families supportive of your career?
<CODY> You would have to interview them.
<CV> What advice would you give a band just starting out?
<CODY> Perseverance, thick skin and a strong work ethic can go a long way in ANY industry. It takes true talent, charisma and some form of business savvy to rise above all the challenges you will face. Just never get comfortable. Stay hungry and devour everyone and everything.
<CV> What is your favorite thing about being on stage? What motivates you to do what you do?
<CODY>I think i speak for all of us when I say it comes naturally. We just shut down the normal process, in which thoughts are registered in our brains, and let loose whatever demons dwell in our souls. When I am on stage, I am at my most masochistic.
<CV> What does "Desire The Fire" have planned for the rest of 2016? Any tours or projects in the works?
<CODY> We have a fall tour in the works and some big events coming up. We were just recently asked to play Rocklahoma in May of next year and we will be touring in that time as well. I just show up for bus call honestly, but the best way to keep track is to visit our website at DesireTheFire.net.
https://www.facebook.com/ DesireTheFireOfficial https://twitter.com/Desire_The_Fire https://www.instagram.com/desirethefire
https://www.reverbnation.com/ DESIRETHEFIRE
Life On The Road Through The Eyes Of William Moor Of "The Adarna" From Their Recent "Jet City Tour"
07/11/16 10:31PM Entry by William
Perry Moore
Here I sit scrambling to get tour posters out to the venues and my head is flooded with the amount of work we still need to do for our Jet City Tour. We are scrambling and we've got a month left to get our asses together. Whether it is financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually or just trying to keep relationships in tact to survive a tour -- we have to have this on lock down without burning ourselves out before the tour.
This is our 6th national tour and we just came off of our first international tour in January. Which means we're doing SOMETHING right. The problem about making successful tours happen is that you need to either top the last or meet the same level otherwise morale drops. How are we doing it? Well I'll tell you dear reader, it's not easy and it's not money. There are constant ob-
stacles being a DIY band but you surround yourselves with people who are smart and talented.
There are 5 things that have propelled this band. 1) Maintaining relationships with each other, family, bands, businesses, venues, and fans 2) We’re hungry fuckers you love us, you just don’t know it yet. 3) The members themselves. 4) Learn to play the game. 5) On/off stage, bring it.
Maybe I can go into greater depth when I'm not so burned out, but for now... there's the breadcrumb.
08/05/16 1008AM Entry by William Perry Moore
Tonight is our official tour kick off show/music video release. Super excited about the show tonight. Juggling a few headaches right now. 1) Tonight is the music video release but the music
video won’t be done in time. My guess is that since people will see it only once I can put a video out of where we are right now and buy our music video team a little more time 2) Wendy, our tour bus, isn’t done yet. We are pulling all of our efforts together to get this bus on the road in under a week 3) We’re already exhausted and the tour hasn’t started yet. Time to dig down deep :)
Tour Blog - by R.G.B. Robb (Publicist/writer)
As an outsider, it’s interesting to witness The Adarna and how this tour has unfolded from when I arrived. Don’t fret, this is about the band, yet I will be filling in from time-to-time if things get chaotic … which is exactly what has happened. There’s something to be seen in watching the various members cope with the extreme nature of how everything has occured. Panic, anxiety, and sheer exhaustion. But that tends to happen when you begin working on a bus at 10 a.m. and don’t stop until 1 a.m. that night (or later).
Beyond that though, the opening night was an unmitigated success. In front of a packed crowd at The Skylark in Seattle, WA they debuted their new music video for the song “Echo.” It was met with much approval before the band hit the stage.
Andreka: I wasn’t nervous about the show or video -- which I think went over really well at The Skylark it was really exciting to play with Furniture Girls and Strangely Alright. We don’t play in Seattle often, so when we do play, we tend to have a good crowd. Also, we only play in Seattle one or two times a year. We’ve been doing a lot of national and international touring. (Sometime in North Dakota)
Murdock: I think the first show was a big deal. It’s always a big deal to play in your hometown. They know you, and they’ve seen you come about, and they want to see you progress. So you always try to put out your best. There’s always that kind of nerve. It was really exciting. The Skylark is one of my favorite places to play. Despite the other stress-
es, it was a great show to play. (Sometime in North Dakota)
Oliver: The people that were standing in front of us watching the video enjoyed it just as much as we did. (Sometime in North Dakota)
Performing a high-energy set that included classics such as “Honestly,” “Superman,” and “Sugar,” the crowd was enjoying every minute, and you could tell so was the band. It’s always satisfying to see one of your favorite bands kill it in front of an amazing audience.
Oliver: As the first night of the tour, it was fantastic. The Skylark is a nice place but it’s also a tiny place, so it only holds so much; and then you’re elbow to a-hole next to every compatriot who may enjoy your band and the other band that’s there. (Sometime in North Dakota)
The following night the band played to a morethan-respectable crowd at the Ash Street Saloon in Portland, OR. The night was alive with electricity as not only was it the chance for the band to perform new music (something that they are doing throughout the tour), but there were MANY family members in attendance -- not just in blood, but also in music. It seemed that everyone there genuinely enjoyed all of the music performed, and one of the newer songs, “Drugstore Cowgirl,” was an immediate hit. It was with much sadness, but also joy when the band left. Joy? That would be due to the fact that the beloved tour bus, Wendy, still wasn’t completed. The trip to Portland was done in vans, AND with one of the opening acts’ gear.
Andreka: Leaving Seattle, we’re able to share our music with people who’ve never heard us before. They seem excited, as well as our normal fans are. (Sometime in North Dakota)
Murdock: The show went fine. But we have our gear so we can assemble and use it, and if you can’t have it, it’s a little bit of a letdown. But we make it work, we still put on a good show. (Sometime in North Dakota)
great stage, nice sound system, a lot of open space. When it came to the new song “Drugstore Cowgirl” I saw women dancing and smiling and enjoying themselves, especially bobbing their head to this song which they should because I am pumping it hard on the bass. It’s a very chunky-rhythm oriented song. When it comes to issues on stage like the one with Murdock’s drums, we excell 100% in BS talking while we need three minutes to make it happen. (Sometime in North Dakota)
Oliver: The next night in Portland was an extremely fun place, The Ash Street Saloon has a
We love Wendy. We do. However, there has been much source of discontentment from her. With a complete engine replacement with many new Transformer-like pieces -- this undertaking has been extremely laborious. Watching Murdock and Will put it together has been extremely interesting. It’s like they have this language and way where it’s just about getting the job done instead of getting into huge fights. Like watching two comrades about to traverse into something that is most-likely going to be apocalyptic in its time-taking, but they know it NEEDS done. It’s due to these issues that the first few dates of the tour had to be cancelled. It was with much sadness when the news was reported initially. Absolutely out of the hands of anyone, time caught up. The good news is that things are indeed looking well, and will be out of here post-haste. With every intention on being their to bring down the house at Balzano’s in Bloomsburg, PA with Jet City Rock, The Adarna are looking
Will: 8/17 : 00:21 Somewhere in Montana
Oh hello there. I've been officially off line for 6 days now. A record for me! As you might have read the team was purely focused on a plan B. Buy ourselves time and cancel the first few gigs. For the record, in 4 years, we've cancelled 7 gigs out of over 350 shows. We don't cancel shows, we figure stuff out and keep out word. So switching to Plan B and dropping shows was definitely a blow to the ole ego and brand.
Sleep deprivations seems to have had a similar effect to me it did to Murdock. We were averaging 2 hours a day for the past 6 days and here were the symptoms we noticed: phase 1) irritance and laughing at weird shit seems to have kicked in.2) so many cuts, grease and dirt. We were filthy. Why even bother showering? 3) about day 3 Murdock and I started losing feeling in our hands 4) day 5 we can't tell if we are hungry, thirsty, or need to go to the bathroom. It's all blending together 6) day 6 numbness is spreading up the arms. My theory is that this is the body's way of saying “fucking stop already or I'll stop you.”
At 7am Tuesday morning, after relentlessly trying to aim to make Wendy happen, we make the call and move to Plan C. Van and trailer, forego Wendy. Gotta think long term. It's frustrating but if there's anything this team is good at, it's adapting quickly.
We had a van and trailer and were on the road by 4pm. Thank you Craigslist. Gonna try to sleep some more but my right hand is starting to feel normal and my sentence structure is getting better. Hooray!! Zzzzz
Andreka: It was really stressful. We ended up leaving five days late because of the bus. Everyone was on edge, but now we’re in North Dakota on our way to Bloomsburg. It’s great to finally be on the road.
Murdock: I like to honor my commitments. I feel, like as anybody would, that if they have to do something or have someone rely on them to do
something, you have to follow through. That was my job. My role here is that I make sure our transportation is good-to-go, and a couple of other things. If I fail at that, I feel personal failure. So working those long hours thinking ‘I’m not going to fail, I can’t fail, I need to work this out. So I need to make sure I give it everything I’ve got.’ Personal perseverance. The biggest frustration was that we decided to go down a path about a month before the tour, and that path cost us two weeks of time. It was the biggest frustration ever. The biggest stress was that we just ran out of time. The next step when I get back is to take a brief breather, then I’m going to be back at it until it’s done. That’s our vehicle. We take her to every show, even in town, and I won’t stop until it’s done. (Sometime in North Dakota)
Oliver: Arduous and painful. EVERY troubleshooting, every problematic issue you could focus on and try to fix the next thing so it’s functional has been a deteriorating mess. Considering there have been multiple people putting pieces of it together, it is still a non-functioning bus on day five of a tour that you should have left and should be playing your fourth show already. (Sometime in North Dakota)
8/17/16 8:52pm Entry by William:
Less than 15 hrs of driving left from our 40 hour trip. Everybody is in good spirits and excited to see our friends, fans, and family soon. Feeling to my left arm has returned and my voice (appears) unphased by the fatigue of working on the bus. So no harm, no foul.
In past tours, my voice was the first to start to
wear out before my body. So I'd have to make choices each day based on how my voice was reacting. Blah blah going to sleep.
The last time The Adarna checked in, there was much grimness in the camp. With Wendy, their beloved bus being unable to start, the band had to adopt Plan C: rent a van, trailer, and drive 46 hours straight to their show at Balzano’s in Bloomsburg, PA. It was with extremely heavy hearts that the Jet City Rockers had to turn back to a tried and true method: haul ass cross-country to make the show on-time. Upon arriving to their destination and making load-in with a little time to spare, they got their gear set-up, grabbed a bite to eat, and returned to the hotel to shower, eat, and catch a little sleep. There was a certain sense of satisfaction that they had made the trek especially when you have fans who were in attendance at that night’s show who drove 90 minutes just to see you play though it came with much physical exhaustion. With the band not having played together in over a week due to the work-load with the bus, there was much concern as to how tight they would be. They were fine, and the show went without a hitch.
Will: Balzano's is a particularly interesting gig for me. I grew up as a military brat moving every year all across the globe. I've never felt like I had a home base and honestly I kind of like that. However, Balzano's is in Bloomsburg which has very strong ties to my family. It's kind of like a very central hub that I tend to meet up with my family members at. As a result if I was to say I had a home base, in my heart, Bloomsburg has been that. So imagine my tension I felt as I was 1) performing The Adarna's music electrically for my father for the first time 2) performing a song called lithium kiss, which Central theme revolves around Alzheimer's. My family they're lost a number of family members to Alzheimer's. 3) The venue owner actually knows my cousin and went to school with them.
There was a lot of stress to do well and the audience (my family) I desperately wanted to impress/ justify my commitment to the band to. They have never faltered in their support for me or my band. I can honestly say I am so lucky to have a family
that cares enough about me to allow me to pursue a dream that the odds are drastically against me. So in summary, apart from doing a random Queens of the Stone Age cover at the end which was a poor choice… I think we did well.
Oliver: I didn’t live through the 60’s or 70’s with LSD, but that type of driving 20 hours with maybe 20 minutes to two-hour clips of sleep at a time leaves your brain a little disillusioned and confused. You would wake up in different states literally on how you feel. I thought I was in Indiana, but I’d wake up in Wisconsin; little things like that. They trip your brain out when you do fall asleep and you wake up with no concept of how far you’ve travelled, how much time has passed until you look at a phone or somebody gives you a real answer … brutal. I’ve never driven across America period, let alone in a two-day time period to get to a specific place; from Seattle to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The word, I guess, would be fortitude. A different kind of fortitude to stop and get gas, pee, get a snack, and just keep going forward. Four dates had been cancelled, so you do not want to cancel any else, and that to me was my thought: no more cancelling. I thought the Balzano’s show went very well. I enjoyed the acoustic first-half of the set better than the electric because I think there is so much deadening wood in that place that the volume just slaps back to you like another quarter-second of what you just played back at you with the volume. So as an acoustic set, fantastic. As an electric set, we played good, I guess we were too loud and a little too obnoxious for that environment that night.
Murdock: A lot of the trek was a blur. Beginning the first day, Will and I were beyond delirious. We tried to sleep for the first day. We’d lay down and that first day is trying to get through Montana, all of North Dakota. I feel like my first memory was really Wisconsin; I missed everything up until then. But by the time we pulled into Balzano’s I was feeling good. I wasn’t fully rested, but I knew the gig meant a lot to Will because it’s his family, it’s a town he knows really well because as a travelling military family, it was one town that was familiar and consistent since his parents are near there. It’s always good to see Will there and being around his family, especially his grandparents who are getting up there in age. I can kind of relate, be-
ing that far away from family, it kind of gives you some personal guilt sometimes because you can’t see them as often as maybe you’d like to. So I think there’s some kind of relief there for Will when he gets to visit his family. All of those things together, by the time I pulled into Bloomsburg I was feeling pretty good about the show. It felt comfortable and familiar … yeah, I was feeling good. In the set there was a big difference: nobody liked the electric set. The reason being is that it’s a restaurant and between that and the audience we had; they were much more into the acoustic set. Lower volume, a little more intimate, so that was a big difference.
Andreka: I was pretty delirious the whole time, but I’m glad we made it. I did not get much sleep, it was very in-and-out, if you could call it sleep. The show at Balzano’s was great. I think the acoustic went over really well, and the electric was a lot of rock in a small venue, but it was awesome!
“Of course, no rock tour is complete without a bit of insanity when it comes to the scheduling department … this one was no exception. After having traveled across the nation, making the show just in time, the next day would be spent performing both an acoustic set in the early evening at House of Guitars (all with different gear than what they are used to), followed by an electric show at Pineapple Jack’s that night. Each show was completely different in its energy. The acoustic show, you expected to be subdued and it was. What was completely surprising was in the level of energy these delirious troubadours were able to amass for the show that night. I mean, Will did scale a bass amp and leap to the stage at one point. That’s the thing you’ve gotta respect about this band: they will never give you anything that is sub-par. Well, a few hours of sleep and off to Syracuse.” TO BE CONTINUED IN OCTOBER
DAN REED NETWORK ANNOUNCES US TOUR DATES
Earlier this year, DAN REED NETWORK released their new album "Fight Another Day" via Frontiers Music srl. The album marked the first album in 25 years from one of the most infectious and gifted bands to come out in the Melodic Rock World in the second part of the 80's.
The band's multiple hit singles and albums between 1987 and 1991 in places like the UK and Scandinavia indicate that there is something uniquely appealing about DRN's hybrid sound and multi-racial line-up. They toured with Bon Jovi and the Rolling Stones. Then Dan Reed walked away from the music at the height of his fame.
The release of the new album has been accompanied by the first Dan Reed Network shows in decades. Sold-out shows in the UK and Europe were accompanied by rave reviews.
And now the band returns to the road in the US! In support of "Fight Another Day" DAN REED NETWORK have scheduled a handful dates in The US including stops on both the East and West coast. The dates are listed below.
DAN REED NETWORK:
10/11: New York, NY @ Iridium Jazz Club
10/12: Teaneck, NJ @ Mexicali Live
10/14: Los Angeles, CA @ The Whisky
10/21: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
10/22: Portland, OR @ Star Theater
DAN commented on the upcoming tour:
"This will be the first time DRN has performed in New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles in over 20 years and the band is truly excited about returning to the US after reuniting, making a new studio album and after having performed some amazing club shows and rock festivals in Europe! We have such great memories of playing to packed houses at the Cat Club and The World's End in NYC, and our sold out show at The Roxy in LA still ranks as one of our favorite shows of our career back in the day! DRN will be kickin' up the funk rock and performing a ton of DRN classics and new tracks from our 2016 album 'Fight Another Day', and truly can't wait to get everyone's reaction to the live set once again!"
"Fight Another Day" is available for purchase via iTunes and Amazon.
Make sure to check out the band's new videos for "The Brave" and "Divided".
The new album was recorded primarily in the hometown of members of DRN, Portland, Ore-
gon, while most of the writing process took place in Dan Reed's private studio in Prague in the Czech Republic, where Reed currently resides with his family. Demos were sent back and forth between Derek Shulman (A&R for Frontiers), Brion James, Melvin Brannon Jr. and Rob Daiker, making notes and refining the songs over great distances via the Internet. This process was not unlike with DRN composed songs back in the late 80's and early 90's as Dan Reed used to demo out songs on his Akai 12 track machine and bring the songs into rehearsals where the band members would then arrange and flesh out the band's classic 'funk rock' sound.
Watch an EPK for "Fight Another Day" HERE
Enjoy the album EPK here: https://youtu.be/IzC_qaMfA0
DAN REED NETWORK is:
* Dan Reed - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitars, Piano, Synth Programming, Moog Bass
* Brion James - Vocals, Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Synth Guitars, Synth Programming, Drum Programming
* Dan Pred - Drums, Percussion, Videographer
* Melvin Brannon II - Vocals, Bass, Acoustic Bass, Electric Contra Bass, Synth Bass
* Rob Daiker - Vocals, Keyboards, Synth Programming, Drum Programming
For More Info Visit: http://danreed-network.com/ www.facebook.com/DanReedNetwork
Order in the Chaos
What Does Being A musician Mean To you? And Just How Much?
I bought my own first electric guitar myself. It was not given to me, gifted to me, or stolen. And, it was a complete piece of shit by anyone’s standards and if you were to compare it to the guitars I own and play today; you’d immediately understand why I described it that way. Do I wish I still had it? Of course. Am I sorry I got rid of it? Not one bit. Because ditching it brought on even better tools for me to express myself on. But, to this day, that first guitar will always hold a special place in my thoughts.
I was about 13 years old when I had decided to play. I immediately went and told my mother that I wanted a guitar and that I wanted to learn how to play it. Her answer was not what I expected. She told me, “I will buy you a guitar when you can sit down and play me a song on one.” Even though I was still a child, I heard those words and quickly deciphered that she was handing me a catch twenty-two. And, that by those words, she would never have to buy me a guitar, and I would never become that which I was meant to be.
The plan did not take very long to formulate. All I needed was a little cash.
Since I had a friend on the other side of town who worked at a diner clearing tables (under the table) on Saturdays and Sundays, I asked him if they needed help during the summer months so I could earn enough for a guitar and an amp -- I had been scouring the Sears and JC Penney catalogs and already knew what I wanted. Coincidences being fortune to the less fortunate, It just so happened my buddy was of similar mind and had a strong desire to be a Bassist… which was the reasoning by which he came to work there, himself. So, with a few kind words from my buddy, they hired me and we earned our money together. When we had earned enough, I asked him when his mom was taking him to buy his Bass and asked if I could tag along? He said yes,
and I was on my way.
First, we stopped at JC Penney for the guitar. I bought a Global Stratocaster knock-off in threecolor tobacco sunburst for $59.95. He bought a Fender P-Bass knock-off of the same color scheme. Then we went to Sears where we each bought a little amp. I chose the guitar version of their cheap amp called the “SR-10” (a 10 watt Sears & Roebuck combo amp with a cheap 10” speaker) for another $89.95, a cable, some strings, a strap, and a handful of guitar picks. I brought them all home, set it all up, flipped on the amp… and my mother hit the roof!
I think that she was more pissed that I had gone around her to obtain my goals, than that I had purchased the gear. Even considering that she was a single mother struggling to house and feed three sibling children and more than likely suffering from a shortage of funds. Perhaps, even, embarrassed to a point. Either way, she called up my friend’s mother and tore her a new ass for taking me to the store to buy my gear. But, strangely, she didn’t take it away from me. She let me keep it all. And, other than a few condescending statements as she walked by my room in reference to my trying to teach myself how to play this thing I had spent a whole summer earning, she left me alone. But, she did let me rehearse in her upstairs room in her house when I got older, and she did come out to one of my local shows one night. So, she obviously wasn’t too hard against that I stuck it out.
When I began to play other people’s music, I started off pretty lightweight. I think the very first song I taught myself by playing along to a cassette was AC/DC’s “Live Wire”. And, over the following years and on throughout high school, I worked on that guitar mercilessly; I played along to AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, and later Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, WASP, Dio, and Motley Crue. What I couldn’t figure out on my
own, I picked up off of a friend I went to school with who also played guitar.
Hanging around with other guitarists showed me the significance of tone altering foot pedals, like a Reverb or an Overdrive. And, based on input and statements regarding who used what, I started figuring out how to use the pedals to sound more like the guys playing on the records I was learning from. But, it didn’t take long to realize that old Global Strat was a good reason why I wasn’t progressing with my speed. It just so happened that my buddy had a guitar under his bed that peaked my interest. We were sitting around, listening to some Priest and getting high, I asked what it was in the case under his bed and he says, “Oh that?” he went over and reached under the bed to pull the case out while struggling against the pile of dirty clothes that occupied the floor of his room. “It’s a guitar I was painting like an American Flag.”
He pulls it out, and it’s a completely stripped down Flying V with oil-based paints all over the beautiful Mahogany wood. It was a mess. He sold it to me for $5.00. I took it home like it was a sick kitten that I intended to breathe life back into. I reassembled the guitar and found that the headstock on the neck was broken. So, I called up a friend who had a bunch of guitar parts laying around, and asked if he had a neck I could use on my V… he gave me a Fender Strat neck that fit like it was made for the guitar. With the new neck, I was able to finally get her all set up properly. I plugged her in, and wow… what a difference! It was so much easier to play, and sounded a million times better than my Global. I played that V for years. I must note, however, that I removed the terrible oil paint flag paint job, but since the paint stained the wood, I covered the entire body in red crushed velvet. With black pickups and knobs, it looked so “Port Tampa Hooker” it was crazy.
Anyway, I got better and better at playing, learned more and more songs and a few scales. And, while my hair kept growing, my ego evidently had not, as I was constantly embarrassed that other guys around town played so much better than I. So, I picked up two very important books that were suggested to me by a friend. I bought “Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer” by Ted Reed, and I also picked up a copy of “Al
Di Meola: A Guide to Chords, Scales & Arpeggios” by Al Di Meola. These two books taught me more than any teacher ever could. And by studying them and working hard at it, I was eventually able to stand up and jam with folks who were quite advanced compared to myself.
I got in with a group of guys, and we jammed old Priest, Dio, etc. Then I joined a gigging band doing 80’s covers in the clubs around town and my whole life changed. I realized that I could pretty much pick-up on other guitarist’s playing styles and adapt to them fairly quickly. After a few years of club playing around the Tampa Bay area, I joined an all-original band with a CD out, and my life changed again. My mind was opened to the concept of CREATION instead of regurgitation. And, a new “ME” was born. I learned that I could not only write riffs, but could also play those same riffs over and over, consistently. I still couldn’t play leads worth a damn, but I could damn sure be the best rhythm player you ever saw. And I pretty much was. And still am. I can lay a solid foundation for any soloist to rip to their heart’s content over. Give me a good drummer/bassist team, and you’ve got three quarter’s of a dollar.
I played in one band for almost ten years. We played some fun and rather large shows. Maybe, not huge. But large – Auditoriums, Civic Centers. And to take a step back into small clubs was a MAJOR step back, in my opinion. But, after awhile, the band seemed to lose direction, ambition, and we couldn’t keep a sound drummer.
From a production standpoint, in the ten years I was with the band we had only written perhaps 10 new songs, and sadly, all my songs were getting dropped off the set list. And, since we only recorded about 4 songs together over that time I got frustrated, I quit and moved out to Seattle where I networked around a little and met some pretty cool talent, but couldn’t find a band I wanted to join.
At some point, my tenaciousness led to my becoming friends with Scott Rockenfield of Queensryche fame (one of my favorite Prog Metal bands ever). We met, had coffee, and immediately started getting creative together – we even tracked a score for a commercial in his studio with me contributing some guitars and voice-over work to his drums, keys, and voice over work. It was a blast.
One day, we were working on something and we started talking about bands and the mindsets of some musicians. Of course, I was talking from my perspective, and he from his. Which led to me playing the songs my old band and recorded. He said two things about it. “Who’s the singer?” and, “You guys were ahead of your time. This is good material.”
I told him about my issues trying to find a band in Seattle to play with. It prompted him to tell me that both he and myself were in a strange place. At the time, his band was going through some rough times, you may have read about it. He mentioned that if he were to leave Queensryche, he would have to start a new career in scoring or something like that. Because, he said, both he and myself have come to a point in our musical careers where it’s very hard to step forward from where you are, and way easier to take too big of a step back. Especially when the talent isn’t there from those you attempt to work with. So, in his opinion, he suggested that instead of looking to join a band, I should start my own.
So, in 2009, I began the journey of assembling the team I would need to record my album. I had already written close to fifteen original songs, and with the right talent, the next logical course would be to record it. In 2012, the album was finally finished and released in March 2012 as a five song EP. I wanted 13 songs. And I wrote 13 songs.
Sadly, however, being the ringleader in a scenario where nobody is getting paid means you can hardly expect to get much accomplished. Though, I am exceedingly grateful to the fellows who helped me accomplish one of my bucket list items. If I knew then, what I knew now; I would have taken those other songs and re-wrote them as instrumentals and I WOULD have a full length album with my name on it – and, of my own creative guidance.
Oh well, “Hindsight” and all that…
Since that, I have recorded a few songs here and there, and released a single with a very talented gentleman out of Seattle that I think turned out very nice. His vocal work was outstanding and exactly what I was looking for to go with my lyrics.
I have been playing for over thirty years now, and cannot imagine my life without it. I fire up my amps, strap on my guitar, and I’m 20 again… looking to plant my seed. Sad thing is, the older you get, the better you get at playing, but the slower your body is to respond to the changing musical tastes of the next generation. Strange, how things work out so ironically.
So, if you read this article all the way to this point, you now know quite a bit about my life.
Now, let’s say it was YOUR life I just outlined, what if someone comes into the rehearsal room and says, “Maybe the rest of us don’t care as much about what you are trying to do as you do!”
What would you do? How would it affect you? Would it piss you off? Or, would it break your heart? Would it make you want to cram that jerk’s head through the wall? Or maybe just break his jaw?
Dude. Let me tell you from personal experience, it feels like all of the above. And that is why my response was pretty much, “Bye. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.” Because, when somebody starts talking stupid like that to you, in a band YOU assembled… they’d better show some respect, or show themselves out. Because disrespecting the director of any production
will always get you bounced. Because what that guy did was the musical equivalent of mutiny, and completely lacks in any shred of human decency and respect, in my opinion.
Anyway, so I go back to my original question; What does being a musician mean to you? And just how much?
Are you willing to fight for it? To love it? Cherish it? Be willing to be loyal to it for life? Groom it, express it, record it, put money into it and nurture it?
If your answer is “no” to any one of the above, maybe you should go get a bicycle or a video game, instead. Because if you are not willing to do all those things, then you will never get anything out of it in return. And if you are the guy that says some stupid horse-shit like that idiot said to me while having an instrument strapped to your torso, you deserve your head being run through the wall. Because you obviously haven’t got a clue what it is to be a musician.
How about this… what about the guy who started playing when he was twelve, quit playing when he was thirteen, and then picked it back up in his thirties and acts like he’s the sh-t! Or that his viewpoint is the proper viewpoint when it comes to how the band should best proceed… he’s the loudest voice in the room. Always bitching and complaining about EVERYTHING. He wants the name changed, he wants the drummer changed, he wants a new logo, he wants endorsements and expects YOU to get them for him, he thinks practice is too long, He thinks it also stats too early. He thinks everything you say and do is contrary to the betterment of YOUR band and actively sets out to turn other members against you?
Come on, you KNOW that you know a guy like this. There is one in every three bands. And, they are probably the biggest reason that so few bands last or even have a chance to succeed. I call them, “Band Killers” – not musicians. And they are better off fired cold and dead in their tracks before they tear your band apart. And, unless you are observant enough, they will strip it all away, right out from under you.
Again, this type of person hasn’t the slightest idea of what it means to be a musician.
And, if you are this type… Screw you. You are a blemish on this field of struggle and toil. You are the reason others fail. And you deserve to a huge penis tattooed on your forehead for being such a dick. But, I digress.
However, If you have never stopped playing, and have never stopped trying to better yourself at the craft. You have invested countless sums of money and time into it over the years. You show up for rehearsals without complaint. You take a gig whether it is in front of five people or a million. You take care of your gear and you actually LOVE what you do. You respect those in the room with you, you do not believe for one moment that you are the most enlightened person in the room. And, you leave your ego and personal life at the door… then YOU, my friend, are a MUSICIAN. And, you have the right to defend your position and craft, and you deserve to call yourself a musician in front of others.
Why? Because MUSICIANS love their craft. Just as a person who paints, does needlework, builds bridges, or starts a new company. All are pioneers, in their own prospective genre. They all strive to do the best they can at what they are attempting. As so do true musicians.
Now, if you were to ask a true musician how much their craft means to them; you might get an answer like, “It’s my life” or “It’s who I am.”, “Music defines me.” Or “Get the F-CK off my stage!”
Question them on their integrity, their respect for each other, and their selflessness in the creation of their product, and you expose yourself as a “novice” a “noodler” an “amateur” or a “fool”.
If you wonder why the Professional Musicians Group is so small… then you still aren’t getting it.
I have been very fortunate to create my own business where I have the privilege of working with some of the biggest names in the music industry. And I sometimes get to see into the back door of some of their homes (so to speak) and in most cases, there is a high level of respect for one another of a given group. And, an understanding that what
they are doing is a JOB. It is not a playtime scenario, but most still have fun doing it. When in rehearsal, or getting ready to get on stage, they get serious. And, the reason their band is successful is because most of them know that they are going to be expected to be accountable for their performance.
So, you say, “But they are pro. They are getting paid. Of course they see it that way!”
Sorry, from all of the professional groups I have gotten to know personally, they were already seeing it that way before they got signed. There is the difference. They already saw it as a career, and already had the mentality that this is what they were going to do. And, I can tell you, out of all of those bands I have worked with, not ONE member would dare say, “I’m just not as in to this as you guys.” And expect to keep their position. Try going to your boss at work better yet, the OWNER of the company – and tell him/her that. I bet Friday’s check will be your last.
So, now ask yourself, “How much does all this mean to me?”
If you cannot even imagine yourself muttering those words… congratulations. You are a MUSICIAN!
Brien DeChristopher
Musician/Entrepreneur/Owner of Sic•Skinz Custom Drum Wraps
https://www.facebook.com/brien.dechristopher? fref=nf
http://www.linkedin.com/in/btomassetti1
http://www.sicskinz.com
