Malcolm Young
(January 6, 1953 – November 18, 2017)
Backin1953inGlasgow,UK,ababyboywasborn toafamilythat morethanlikelyhadnoideathat he and his younger brother to be would grow to formoneofthemosticonicrockandrollbandsof alltime.
AC/DCisabandthatshapedthefoundationsofa great many aspiring bands, vocalists, and guitarists, but they also maintained relevance in an always changing market. From their inception in 1975 to 2017, AC/DC has been consistent with their stripped-down, raw, Marshall sound and straight-forwardapproachtorockandroll.
Naturally, whenever someone mentions AC/DC and “guitar” in the same sentence, your mind instinctively goes to Angus Young. And, rightfully so,butthebackboneofthebandhasalwaysbeen therhythmguitar,andthatwasprovidedbyMalcolm Young, Angus’ brother. As a matter of fact, Malcolm was also AC/DC’s primary writer. He was the one who wrote all those tasty riffs you recognizeontheradio.
Irecallsittingonmybedasakid,listeningtothe High Voltage album, and as I played along with a fewofthesongsIwassurprisedwithhowclosely knit the two guitar lines were. It almost made it difficultformetopickoutwhowasplayingwhat. So I often came up with my own guitar lines that were comprised of fifty percent Angus, and fifty percent Malcolm… even though I was far from playing the parts correct, I got a certain satisfaction by being able to figure out their stuff. Some was really basic, while other tunes were quite complex with timing. Which isodd for astraightforward rock band. But yeah, Malcolm and the boys had a pretty good grasp on where to put crashes, accents, and big chords in spots that madethebestimpactforthetrack.
Malcolm had a tight and percussive picking style that allowed him to fit in well with the Bass and Drums in a way that laid a foundation solid enough to allow Angus to flop around on the stage like a lunatic, and not miss a beat when he regained his senses and rolled his volume knob uptojoinbackin.Histonewaspurerockandroll. Ithadthatnice,littlegrowlonthefrontendwith bright, distinguished, tonal differences between the strings. Very obviously, his tone was spirited from a Marshall Plexi, but I believe it was his Gretsch guitars that really made his sound cut throughthemix.
Malcolm,byallaccounts,seemedamoremodesttype guitar player that liked to sit in his pocket and deliver the goods when called upon to do so. But make no mistake, when Malcolm delivered
Malcolm, by all accounts, seemed a more modest-type guitar player that liked to sit in his pocket and deliver the goods when called upon to do so. But make no mistake, when Malcolm delivered the goods, he did it deliberately and with savage intent. Watching Malcolm perform live was like watching a pressure cooker fill with steam until it shook uncontrollably and then exploded with a roaring cacophony of belligerence and obstinate defiance. Malcolm’s trademark “shudder” as he played and his missing pickups from his guitar(s) added to the facade of a loose-wired robot blowing it’s top. I’m sure that was not his intention (to come off like a robot) and by all intents and purposes, he was not robotic at all in his playing, but I always liked to picture a cartoon robot popping it’s cranial servo and losing it’s composure whenever I saw Malcolm play.
As a rhythm player, Malcolm always held his own. He filled a pocket that otherwise would probably have stopped AC/DC from getting anywhere if he were not present. He was an integral member of an iconic Rock band that, even though they were considered an Aussie band, was accepted by the USA as one of the biggest and best rock bands of all time. And their record sales and show attendance proved it.
In all of his years of backing his little brother, Angus, Malcolm never shied away from the duty, and always performed with a solid and skilled approach. And as a upcoming, growing guitarist in my own right, always found Malcolm to be the type of player I would want to emulate. I learned a lot by studying Malcolm and Angus’ parts, but always felt a yearning to be more like Mal. To be solid, consistent, sure, and true. To rock without excuses, and to deliver my message with a loud and un-quavering electric voice.
Malcolm,youwerethespinetoabodythat wouldprobablyneverhavelearnedtowalkif youwerenottheretogiveitthestrengthto stand.ThankyoufornotlettingAC/DCbeanotherzygoteintheexpanseofthemusicindustry.Thankyoufordeliveringyourmessageand convictionswiththepoweryoubroughttothe craft.Youwillbegreatlymissed,anddueto
yourloss,myspeakersmayneverringoutthesame again.
ThankyouMal,andmayGodblessandwelcomeyou intohisfoldwithopenarms.PleaserestinpeaceandI praythattheGoodLordallowsMarshallampsupin heaven…youjustmightneedthemwhenIarrive…
Brien DeChristopher Musician/Owner of Sic•Skinz Custom Drum Wraps
https://www.facebook.com/brien.dechristopher?fref=nf http://www.sicskinz.com https://www.reverbnation.com/briendechristopher
<CV> Let’s start with introducing the band and their roles.
<BRIAN> Evan Seidlitz "Vocals"
Brian Jackson "Guitars"
Matt Snell "Bass Guitar"
Marcos Medina "Guitars"
Darren Dadorine "Drums”
<CV> I have read a few different stores, how did the band form and how did you all know it was the right fit?
<BRIAN> The band was started with myself, Travis Johnson and Matt Snell. Just throwing ideas back and forth through email then one thing led to another and before we knew it we were in the studio with our producer Logan Mader working on our record As The Sun Sleeps. It just felt natural from the beginning we have all been friends for many years, and most of us worked with Logan Mader in some of our previous bands, it all came together pretty effortlessly.
<CV> How did you come up with the name of the band?
<BRIAN> The band name comes from a Latin term from the eye of envy " Looking upon" to look in a hostile manner. It's one of the seven deadly sins.
<CV> You came out with your first album March 31st, “As The Sun Sleeps” Tell us about that album and how it is being received.
<BRIAN> The album so far has gotten great reviews but obviously you cant please everyone all the time, so there will always be haters lol. but so far it has been well received internationally and
we've been getting a lot of positive feedback.
<CV> Give us some insight on the song and music writing process. Is it one person who does all the writing or is a group effort?
<BRIAN> It's definitely a group effort, we all have our influences, and different styles. which makes up the sound of Invidia at the end of the day we all just want to use what is best to compliment and bring the songs to life.
<CV> Tell us about the recording process, any likes or dislikes?
<BRIAN> The recording process is my favorite
part personally, I love everything about being in the studio that's where the song are brought to life through our personal life experiences, and where it allows us to express ourselves through music.
<CV> What is the motivation behind the songs that your write? Do any of them speak to you on a personal level and why?
<BRIAN> I think all the songs in some way speak to me on a personal level. I think if you were to speak to each member of the band they would also agree that each song has its own meaning to each person. Most of my motivation come from just life experiences in general.
<CV> Tell us about the music industry today and how you think Invidia fits in?
<BRIAN> I’m not quite sure where Invidia fits in except were trying conquer the world and bring our music to the masses. The music industry is a very tough industry to be apart of as most of us know, we treat it as a business but at the end of the day its all just about the music and were all just fans.
<CV> What are your thoughts on the use and necessity of Social Media?
<BRIAN> I think social media is very necessary in this day and age. it gives bands opportunity to share their music with the world and opportunities that we didn't have before Facebook, twitter, etc it plays major roles in the promotion with most bands now days.
<CV> How do you feel about music download sales or would you prefer a return to CD’s and Vinyl?
<BRIAN> There's no question that I would prefer it to return to cd and vinyl, I like the old school way even though downloading is convenient it's the major reason that musicians aren't making enough these days with people hacking and stealing song online.
<CV> Tell us how this tour came about for you and how it’s going so far? Must be pretty cool being on the road with Overkill.
<BRIAN> It’s been an honor to be on tour with Overkill, Ccrowbar, Havoc and Black fast on the Metal Alliance Tour. all the shows have been great, we have all gotten very close. we all consider everyone like family.
<CV> Ok, so do you guys have a ritual you do before each show?
<BRIAN> Yes, we do. lol We smoke a lot of pot.. at least some of us do anyway.
<CV> Any funny stories from tour life?
<BRIAN> There are so many funny stories I would not know where to begin. every day is a new adventure while on tour. I think that’s what I like about it the most.
<CV> What do you guys like to do in your down time?
<BRIAN> My down time I like to stay at home, work on my music, hang with my kids and play with my dogs. Once again smoke a lot of pot, haha I'm a very productive weed smoker.
<CV> Musically who are you listening to right now?
<BRIAN> musically right now there are some new bands like royal blood, highly suspect, code orange and many other things I'm influenced by all different style of music, it depends on the day. But I have been listening to a lot of the latest Gojira.
<CV> Who was your biggest influence musically?
<BRIAN> Beatles is my number one of all time, but I also have lots of other influence as well. Alice in chains and Faith No More is at the top of my list. But there are many other genres that I listen to. I’m very open minded musically, as well as the rest of the guys.
<CV> At what age did you know that music is what you wanted to do with your life?
<BRIAN> I knew very early on as far back as I can remember probably around the age 8 or 9 years old I think when I first heard Van Halen and Ozzy. That’s when I knew I wanted to play guitar for the first time.
<CV> What is your favorite thing about being on stage, what keeps you motivated to do what you do?
<BRIAN> I love everything about being on stage. It gives me an opportunity to release all my stress, negative and positive energy all in one place. It’s the greatest feeling having a crowd responding to song that you put your heart and soul into.
<CV> Are your families supportive of your career?
<BRIAN>All of our families are very supportive of our music careers. Our families always come first and without their support we couldn't do what we do.
<CV> What can fans expect to see at an Invidia show?
<BRIAN> High energy, blasting guitars pounding, drums, and huge chorus that you could sing along to. We put everything we can into a show. We feel the crowd is just as much as part of the show which makes it that much better.
<CV> What does Invidia have planned for the rest of 2017? Any major projects or tours in the works?
<BRIAN>We will start touring again in early spring, and as far as the rest of this year is con-
cerned we plan on releasing a lyric video in the few weeks. were also working on new music as we speak to be released in 2018.
<CV> Are any of you involved in any other projects?
<BRIAN> Invidia is our main focus, but Marcos does have another project that he does also " the medina grooves" which is a metal/reggae and if you get a chance you should check it out.
<CV> What advice would you give a band just starting out?
<BRIAN> The advice I would give would be work hard, stay focused and stay true to yourself. Don’t let the haters bring you down and be prepared for the long road ahead of you.
<CV> What would you like to say to your fans and our readers?
<BRIAN> I would like to thank all the fans that have been supportive coming to our shows, and reaching out to us. It means the world to all of us. For those of you who have not heard us and are reading this or just hearing about us, check us out on all social media platforms. Facebook, Instagram, youtube etc.
A2IM Looks Forward to an Indie-Packed 60th Grammy Awards
As the 60th Grammy Awards approaches, this year's list of nominees features a wide range of well-known and up-and-coming artists. Many of these artists have broken free from the mainstream music machine to present their work via independent labels.
Independent artists make up 55% of nominations in all non-producer and non-spoken word categories, with 43 of the 81 categories being a majority of independent nominees. In the Jazz field, independents comprise a whopping 92% of artists nominated, and take home 80% of the nominations in both the American Roots and Composing/Arranging categories. Special congrats to A2IM members Concord Music Group (12 nominations), Mack Avenue (8 nominations), Naxos (7 nominations), Beggars Group (5 nominations), Ninja Tune/Counter Records (4 nominations), and to Big Machine, Compass Records, Eleven Seven Music, Numero Group, and Sub Pop, who are all bringing home 3 nominations this year. You can find the full list of independent nominations here, including even more from A2IM members.
A2IM, the advocacy group for independent labels and their artists, is excited to see such a large number of independent artists being recognized by the Recording Academy.
"Independent music is doing better than ever with a record global market share of 37.32% according to Billboard. Last year more than two-thirds of Grammy nominations were independent releases. Independent music's authenticity, vitality, and genre diversity ensure its keystone role in the recording industry and American culture. A2IM thanks the Recording Academy and its members for its inclusiveness." says A2IM CEO Richard James Burgess.
For years, A2IM's mission has been to take independent music "beyond the gatekeepers," allowing independent artists the same opportunities, media attention, and airplay as the biggest players in the music industry. Through its advocacy efforts, the organization has fought to ensure that independent artists are paid the money they deserve. A2IM has also taken independent music international, promoting artists in places such as Latin America and Asia. In addition to this, A2IM's annual Indie Week gives artists and labels
a forum to gain insight into best practices while providing a space to network with those who have experience in traversing the music scene.
A2IM currently boasts 511 label members - the highest since its inception - and with its rapidly growing numbers, the organization continues to impact the music scene at the Grammy Awards and beyond.
If you're a member of the Recording Academy, A2IM encourages you to vote independent. You can check out the A2IM Independent Voter Guide for final round voting here. Final-Round Voting begins on December 7 at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, and closes on December 21 at 6:00 PM Pacific Time.
About A2IM:
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of more than 500 Independentlyowned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and mediumsized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector.
Beggars Group Founder/CEO Martin Mills, Hopeless Records Owner Louis Posen, Kill Rock Stars President Portia Sabin, Secretly Label Group Co-Owner Darius Van Arman and Razor & Tie President Vic Zaraya.
www.a2im.org
For Media Inquiries: Kiva Kamerling The Press House kiva@thepresshouse.com
The organization's board of directors consists of the following: ATO Vice President Stephanie Alexa, President of Concord Music Group Glen Barros, Redeye Co-Owner Glenn Dicker, INgrooves EVP & General Manager Amy Dietz, Co-President of Mom+Pop Music Thaddeus Rudd, Big Machine COO Andrew Kautz,
Pink Floyd Announce Rome as the Second City for The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains
Nick Mason attends press conference in Rome
New exhibits added exploring Pink Floyd’s relationship with Italy
Opening 19 January
Tickets on sale 29 November 2017
Sound Experience by Sennheiser www.pinkfloydexhibition.com | www.museom acro.org | #TheirMortalRemains
The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains, the critically acclaimed major retrospective of Pink Floyd, one of the world’s most pioneering and influential bands, today announced, via a press conference with Pink Floyd founding member Nick Mason, that it will be opening at Rome’s Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Roma (MACRO) on 19 January 2018. This will be the first exhibition to take place at the museum under its new management, Palaexpo. Following its highly-successful debut at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum earlier this year, which saw over 400,000 people tear down the wall, the exhibition moves to Rome as its first international destination on the global landscape. The exhibition continues the first collaboration in decades of Pink Floyd’s remaining members and is produced and promoted globally by Michael Cohl of Concert Productions International B.V. The Rome exhibition is produced in association with MondoMostre and Live Nation. Tickets are on sale today via Vivaticket.it, all Vivaticket outlet locations and by phone on
+39.041.2719035.Originally conceived by Storm Thorgerson and developed by Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell of Hipgnosis, working closely with Nick Mason (Exhibition Consultant for Pink Floyd), The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains features many previously unseen objects collected over the band’s eclectic history. It is an audiovisual journey through 50 years of one of the world’s most iconic rock groups, and a rare and exclusive glimpse into the world of Pink Floyd.
The exhibition’s phenomenally successful and mammoth run at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, described by national British newspapers as “stunning”, “a real feast for the senses” and “almost as good as seeing the band live”, was the most successful exhibition of its kind. The run at Rome’s MACRO will be a continuation of this vast success. MACRO is located less than 1km from The Piper Club, which played host to Pink Floyd’s first shows in Italy in April 1968. The exhibition celebrates Pink Floyd’s place in history as the world’s cultural landscape changed from the 1960s. The band occupied a distinctive experimental space and were the foremost exponents of a psychedelic movement that changed the understanding of music forever, becoming one of the most important groups in contemporary music.
Pink Floyd have produced some of the most iconic imagery in popular culture: from cows, The
Dark Side of the Moon prism, pigs flying over Battersea Power Station, and Marching Hammers to giant inflatable teachers; their vision brought to life by creative individuals such as modern surrealist and long-time collaborator Storm Thorgerson, satirical illustrator Gerald Scarfe and psychedelic lighting pioneer Peter Wynne-Wilson.
The flow of the exhibition, in chronological order, is enhanced throughout by music and the voices of past and present members of Pink Floyd, including Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason and David Gilmour, talking about their musical experiences through their experiences and musical experimentation via sound specialist Sennheiser’s intuitive GuidePORT system. This culminates in the Performance Zone, where visitors enter an immersive audio-visual space, which includes the recreation of the very last performance of all four members of the band at Live 8 in 2005 with Comfortably Numb, specially mixed using Sennheiser’s ground-breaking AMBEO 3D audio technology, as well as a Rome -exclusive video of One Of These Days, taken from the band’s iconic live performance in Pompeii.
Michael Cohl of Concert Productions International B.V. said: “The fans’ reaction to the exhibition was even better than we expected. It’s two hours of pure Floyd music, spirit and excitement.”
The Pink Floyd Exhibition is presented by Michael Cohl of Concert Productions International B.V., Mondo Mostre, and Live Nation. The exhibition is led by Pink Floyd’s creative director Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell (of the design partnership Hipgnosis) and Paula Webb Stainton, who worked closely with the Pink Floyd members including Nick Mason (Exhibition Consultant For Pink Floyd), with additional curation provided by the V&A’s Victoria Broackes. The exhibition is a collaboration with designers Stufish, the leading entertainment architects and the band’s longserving stage collaborators, and interpretive exhibition designers Real Studios.
The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains opens in Rome on 19 January 2018. Tickets are available now.
About MACRO :
The MACRO of Via Nizza is located in the Salario-Nomentano Roman district and is part of the complex that until 1971 the company BirraPeroni used for its production activities. The structure was made by Gustavo Giovannoni and represents a rare example in the city of industrial archeology. When the brewery business ceased, in 1974 the Company prepared a recovery plan with the Municipality of Rome, including the sale in 1982 of part of the complex to the City for the construction of neighborhood public services. Following the renovation of the complex, which took place between 1995 and 1999, both exhibition surfaces and collections' deposits proved to be totally inadequate. A design contest, set up in 2000, replied not only to these needs but also to redefining the image and functionality of the whole complex, with new spaces corresponding to the heterogeneity of contemporary art production, within a system of relationships and connections with the existing spaces as well as with the surrounding urban space.
Odile Decq, the French architect who won the competition, has given the Museum a dynamic system of multiple joints and links. The large spaces such as the exhibition halls (occupying a total area of 4350 square meters), the foyer, the auditorium and the terrace (or panoramic garden) are connected by staircases, lifts, balconies and steps that, in addition to offering tangential and sequential points, make the architectural experienceof the Museum dynamic, attractive, always new and diverse.
About Concert Productions International B.V.
Concert Productions International B.V., led by
Michael Cohl, is a full-service live event producer and promoter. Concert Productions International B.V. specializes in the development of highcalibre touring exhibitions, unique live music tours, family entertainment attractions, and live theatre. Concert Productions International B.V. is currently producing Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, which recently opened in Toronto after a successful debut on London’s West End. The company is developing a next-generation Transformers Live production that will open in China in 2019. Other recent Concert Productions International B.V. productions include An Evening with Oprah Winfrey, David Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock North American tour, Barbra Streisand’s North American tour, An Evening with Al Pacino, and Jurassic World: The Exhibition.
the Palazzo del Quirinale. For these sites MondoMostre provides both full service financing, event organization and promotion, and a variety of services such as ticketing, communication, creation of special events and sponsor marketing. MondoMostre has gained a unique expertise in the marketing of culture, building projects for business communication and relationship management, supporting the internal strategies of its clients with the opportunities offered in the field of art.
About Live Nation :
About MondoMostre :
MondoMostre began operating in 1999 with Leonardo Mondadori by organizing the "100 Masterpieces from the Hermitage" exhibition to inaugurate the Scuderiedel Quirinale.
Over the years, MondoMostre has acquired a unique experience in planning and executing great cultural events, producing and organizing exhibitions with some of the most important institutions in the world: in Russia with the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the Pushkin Museum in Moscow; in Germany with the Gemäldegalerie of Berlin; in China with the Capital Museum and the Millenium Monument World Art Museum in Beijing, the Shanghai Museum, the Macao Museum of Art and the Luoyang Museum; in Mexico with the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City.
In Italy MondoMostre is a privileged partner of the most important Institutions and has a network of consolidated relations in Milan with the Palazzo Reale and the Pinacoteca di Brera, in Florence with the Palazzo Strozzi and in Rome with the Scuderiedel Quirinale, the Galleria Borghese, the SenatodellaRepubblicaItaliana, and
Live Nation Italy is the largest live entertainment company and concerts promoter in Italy part of Live Nation Entertainment, world's leading live entertainment and eCommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network. It produces more than 28.000 shows every year for over 3, 200 artists all over the world and over 120 festivals in more than 40 countries. It reaches 200 million consumers every year thanks to its shows and digital platforms
About Hipgnosis :
In 1967 Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell and Storm Thorgerson were approached by their friends in Pink Floyd to design the cover for the group’s second album, A Saucerful of Secrets. This led to a flurry of work from other bands including Free and Tyrannosaurus Rex. The name Hipgnosis was born out of a chance encounter with a door frame. Powell and Thorgerson had been looking for a name for their fledgling studio. At the time they shared a flat with Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett and by chance Syd had scrawled in ball-point pen the word HIPGNOSIS on the door. Over the next fifteen years Hipgnosis gained international prominence. Their famed 1973 cover design for Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon paved the way for other major rock bands to set foot in
the surreal photo-design world of Po and Storm, resulting in many artworks for Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, Black Sabbath and more.
About Paula Webb Stainton:
Paula Webb Stainton is a professional organiser of high profile international Events and Exhibitions. Clients of her company, Roebuck Webb Ltd, include McLaren Formula One, Ralph Lauren, and of course, Pink Floyd. Dublin born, Paula’s 30-plus year career began as a client manager and producer in Ad Agencies in Ireland, London and New York, before she began managing Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason’s action vehicle props company Ten Tenths, as well as organising tour events for Pink Floyd in the mid 1980s. The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains which Paula is co-curating with Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell, is Paula’s second exhibition for the band. Together with Storm Thorgerson, Paula Co-curated the Pink Floyd ‘Interstellar’ Exhibition at the Citie de La Musique, Paris in 2003, which became the institution’s most successful exhibition of all time.
About Stufish :
Stufish Entertainment Architects:
Founded by the late Mark Fisher, Stufish’s work has redefined the live entertainment experience. As Entertainment Architects they deliver every element– from designing the building and set to show creation and production. Stufish’s portfolio includes concert tours for Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Michael Buble and One Direction. Theatrical designs include Monty Python Live (mostly), We Will Rock You and Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas as well as their own production Soho which opened in May 2017 in the Peacock Theatre in London. Other work includes the Buckingham Palace Jubilee Concerts for HM the Queen and the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics 2008. Permanent projects designed by the studio include the KÀ Theatre at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and the multiple awardwinning Han Show Theatre, Wanda Movie Park,
and Dai Show Theatre in China, designed for the Dalian Wanda Group
About Sennheiser
:
The audio specialist Sennheiser is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless audio systems. Among its products is the world’s best headphone system, the HE 1, successor to the legendary Orpheus. Based in Wedemark, Germany, Sennheiser operates production facilities in Germany, Ireland and the USA, and is active in more than 50 countries through 19 sales subsidiaries and longestablished trading partners. In 2016, the familyowned company launched AMBEO 3D Audio. This umbrella trademark covers the company’s 3D immersive audio products and installations. AMBEO promises the very best in immersive audio capture and reproduction – and a completely new listening experience.
sennheiser.com| Facebook: Sennheiser | Twitter: sennheiser_uk | Instagram: Sennheiser
pinkfloyd.com facebook.com/pinkfloyd youtube.com/pinkfloyd twitter.com/pinkfloyd instagram.com/pinkfloyd
DAVID ELLEFSON’s Ellefson Coffee Co will celebrate new retail outlets with a hometown event SATURDAY DECEMBER 16th, at Scottsdale’s MAVERICK COFFEE. Maverick is the latest retailer to come on board to serve and sell ELLEFSON COFFEE CO Coffee. They will feature the ROCK N’ ROSE blend, ECC’s newest LIGHT ROAST offering, launched in October for BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, with a portion of the proceeds gong to therose.org, a Texas-based breast cancer awareness charity.
The event, which goes from 5-8 PM will feature a meet and greet with Ellefson, as well as acoustic performances by EMP LABEL GROUP’s DOLL SKIN and CO-OP, featuring Dash Cooper, and a toy drive to benefit AZ HELPING HANDS.
Says Ellefson, ““Maverick is a terrific cafe that I frequent when I’m home in Scottsdale. I’m thrilled to have Ellefson Coffee Co as part of their offerings. I look forward to seeing you all there for a final year end celebration with two of our hometown EMP Label Group artists!"
From MAVERICKCOFFEE.COM - “Maverick Coffee was opened by Olympic Athletes in 2015 and has been serving best in class coffee to the Scottsdale locals ever since. Maverick Coffee strives to be Scottsdale’s gold standard in ‘the coffee experience’ and is currently the only true independent coffee shop running a third-wave multi roaster concept in the valley.”
Earlier this year ECC partnered with Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain’s ROCK N ROLL RIBS in Coconut Creek, FL, another ECC Retailer, where David and Nicko jointly hosted an Ellefson Coffee Co event. Additional retail locations include Rock N’ Roll Land in Green Bay, WI, Kat’s Hog Heaven in Jackson, MN, and The What’s Up Lounge in Mankato, MN.
Ellefson Coffee Co formed in 2016, and has since sold thousands of bags of its coffees via mail order and retail, including their flagship dark roast ROAST IN PEACE, KENYA THRASH, URBAN LEGEND, and ROCK N’ ROSE.
For more information:
Ellefsoncoffeeco.com facebook.com/ellefsoncoffeeco davidellefson.com
facebook.com/davidellefsonofficial emplabelgroup.com
Order in the Chaos
A Guitarist’s Journey
~Part
One - by
Brien DeChristopher~
I recall the day like it was yesterday. I was 11 years old and my mother gave me a KISS album to play on my little box record player. Up until that moment, nothing had been spun on that sucker except Ronnie Milsap, Freddy Fender, Loretta Lynn, and Crystal Gayle. Obviously, albums left over from my mother’s day of loving Country/ Western music, and certainly NOT spun by me.
This was the second time I had an altercation with this cacophonous genre of music called “Rock and Roll.” My first having been when I received a small hamburger-shaped, transistor radio from one of my mother’s friends for my 6th birthday. Again, having been raised on the aforementioned musician’s catalogues, I was not entirely prepared for the sound I would stumble upon that day while spinning that little, plastic, pickle dial. I had run out the front door with my prized gift and flipped on the power switch after feeding a number of batteries into the under-carriage hatch. Without too many pre-conceived expectations or hope that it would pick up any signal at all, I scanned the FM dial… What came on, after the prolonged sequence of popping and hissing static, was the opening guitar sequence to “I’m 18” by Alice Cooper.
I was immovable.
I stood barefoot in the middle of our carport in my shorts and no shirt. Mindless to the fact that I was baking in the 105° tropical heat of Guam, circa 1972 transfixed. And in some odd way, “transfigured.” By the end of the song, the bottoms of my feet were burned from the cement, and my upper body was the color of a lobster.
Those effects of that moment eventually healed, but the marks made upon my heart and soul were forever. And I knew it.
Sadly, I misplaced or lost that little radio and pretty much every contact I had with that sound for a few years as my family moved halfway around the globe to Florida. There was a strange complacency that blanketed my ears and I heard nothing. Musically speaking. We watched shows as a family and listened to the radio during dinner as we ate. But nothing that came on or got performed on any of the shows we watched peaked my interest like that raw electric guitar through a distorted amp coming out of that tinny, little 4” speaker.
I spent most of my days running around and hurting myself in one way or another, like just about every other child my age. I caught a crap load of turtles and just about any other creature that appeared to require my assistance to survive. I played Hot Wheels with my friends, or shot up our Army men with BB guns. But, no music.
Fast-forward to 1977, July 31st, Brien’s Birthday. I see my collection of gifts and spot the record cover-shaped package and think to myself, “Gosh, I hope that isn’t a calendar with puppies on it, or something.” Luckily, it wasn’t. It was a record, it was “LOVE GUN”… and to this day, I will never know how my mother could possibly have imagined it was exactly what I needed in my life, nor how she would have known about them enough to be willing to give me my own copy to wear out on that cardboard box
turntable with one speaker.
By the time the second side of the LP was over, I looked at the picture on the album cover and an entirely different thought popped into my head than a calendar with puppies on it, “I want to do this. I want to play rock guitar in a band that lays everything and everyone else to waste… I want my band to be as big as KISS!”
Sadly, that never happened. However, the decision to become a musician came about and became an actual “reality” after meeting Ace Frehley in person. I’ve told that story so many times to close friends that I won’t waste your time adding it here. Suffice it to say, if someone you REALLY look up to, to the point of idolization, tells you to do something; chances are, you are going to do it. Within reason, of course. I mean, I really look up to a lot of my clients, but if any of them came to me and asked me to take out someone’s family, I think I’d respectfully decline, and then call the cops. Thank GOD, I don’t have any clients of that ilk. Anyhow, upon meeting we shook hands and Frehley asked me if I played guitar. I said , “No.” He said, “Well, you should. You have the hands for it.”
For a number of years, I took those words to mean, “Kid, you got what it takes to be something special. You have an ingredient that makes you uniquely qualified to take up this mantle of Rock and Roll and carry it forth beyond where we have been.”
Obviously, he didn’t mean any of that. But, I was a 13 year old kid for Pete’s sake, give me a break… Years later, I learned that most prolific and proficient guitarists have long, slender fingers whereas mine are short and my hands are fairly stubby. I also learned that Ace has a humor much like my own in that it is often sardonic and mischievous. So, it is quite possible that he was actually saying through humor, “Don’t bother then, your hands are too fat.” No, I didn’t believe that. I preferred to believe the former, and that he saw something in me
that he saw in himself.
Maybe he saw that wide-eyed, gob-smacked, little boy he was when he snuck backstage during a Hendrix concert and met the drummer (he tells all about that story in his book). Maybe, me standing there looking up at the massive stage set and the thousands of lights and dozens of amplifier cabinets brought some nostalgia to him and he did want to share the baton. In either case, I took his words the way I wanted to hear them and went home and asked my mother for an electric guitar.
Eventually, I traded, sold, bought, and pawned gear over the years until I got the sound I wanted. I took perhaps a half dozen guitar lessons from a killer guitarist named James Hagadone who’s biggest claim to fame was trying out for Alice Cooper and was turned down by Alice because they looked too similar and it would confuse the audience. I took three or four more lessons from another amazing guitarist (who later played with Sebastian Bach and Iced Earth) Ralph Santolla. But, beyond that, I am self-taught. I learned by playing along to records. But, oddly, never played along to any KISS songs until many years later. I learned by dissecting songs either by ear, or by tablature. I copied and emulated the guitarists from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, WASP, and a whole slew of other rock music that came across the radio. But the thing that helped me grow the most was when I got together with friends and jammed.
I learned so much just by going over and watching a friend’s band play in his folks old mansion on Bayshore Boulevard. Besides going to concerts at 16, going to see a couple guys throw down together and do it well will get your blood pumping. Plus, this super hot gal from a couple of my classes liked to hang out over there, but my main concern was how my buddy could get such killer tone and playability out of such shit gear. He played a Hondo II guitar with an after market Dimarzio Distortion pickup into a Boss Overdrive and out to a tiny Roland MicroCube (the orange colored one). He had a bean bag rubber-banded around an SM58 that was laying haplessly against the Roland. This got me thinking about TONE.
Whereas, I had another friend who could play just about anything once he got his fingers and mind around it. His name was Billy Ammons. He played a Hondo as well. But his was in the shape of a machine gun. He had also put a Dimarzio Distortion pickup in it and added a Floyd Rose system in place of the cheap-o, strat-style tremolo that came on it. He used a Boss Distortion/ Sustainer and a Boss PH2 Phaser into a Marlboro amp. I would go over to his place, smoke some of his herb, and watch him show me everything he learned that day while other folks were going to school or working. And I would soak up as much of it as I could. I would watch his fingers and his pick, then go home and try to replicate what he had played along with the album. I did this for a couple of years until one day some friends who played in a band with Billy came by my place and picked me up in the keyboardist’s van, got me high, and then asked me to take his place as their guitarist. It felt like betrayal to Billy for me, but then again… this would be my first band!
stairs, but the house got WAY too hot in the summer, so we bailed on the free space and opted for a retail spot on one of the busiest roads in Tampa at the time. We painted the windows and the front door glass black and I painted a big skull on the outside to dissuade any prospective interlopers. But, all it did was draw people like flies as they thought it was some kind of secret underground bar, or something. The crowds would draw the cops and we’d make new friends.
Anyway, we split ties with the drummer as the bassist and I sought a new one. The bassist was my best friend. We did everything together until I decided to accept salvation. That kind of put a wedge between us for a bit, but I’m glad to report that we are still pals to this day. But, as for bands, they always seemed to go like that one was… a never ending flow of rotating talent. I don’t know why, but it has always frustrated me how people can jump around from one band to another with no allegiance to anyone. All the while, giving me the worst half of their performance while doing something else on the side.
I struggled with this for quite some time, and frankly, I still have not come to an answer on why or how this is; but, I can tell you that if you stick with one thing and do it well, you will succeed. At least that is what I was told by older folks as I was growing up. And I still tend to believe it.
I accepted the offer. Which was great for them, because it provided us a place to rehearse in my mother’s old house. It had a vacant upstairs apartment that was perfect for the four of us to jam in. We also jammed down in my apartment down-
Anyway, I was getting stir crazy, up until this moment I had been in three different bands and the results were all the same. Rotating members, drama, anger, frustration, arguments, fighting, drugs, female interruptions, lying, etc. So I went on a few auditions to see what was out there. I ran into a KILLER metal band who three seconds into my audition unplugged their own stuff and walked out. When I joined them in the hall, they just said, “Dude, we’re sorry, but we are just way too far beyond you. You have the passion and the drive… you just don’t have the chops we’re looking for…” so I packed up my gear and began my safari looking for “chops”…
(To be continued…)
A W H I t
