THE Custom Lifestyle Magazine for Car, Motorcycle, and Music Enthusiasts
Sherry Keith, as always, highlights the best in local shows, this month featuring BRAZEN, the Misfits, and the Bones...and in conjunction with Metal Exiles, also features the band Filter.
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Jeffrey Easton, always one to push the envelope with his edge and insightful interviews, spends some quality time with Richard Patrick of Filter.
Page 36
Kevin Lastovica keeps you abreast of the latest happenings in Sin City, including news on Zito77, Stoney Curtis, and Threedom Rock.
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Bella Electric Strings, lead by rock violinist and arranger Nina Di Gregorio, has rocked audiences worldwide with their blistering solos, unique arrangements not to mention their beauty and charm. The girls have performed with some of the biggest names in the business, from BEYONCE to SHAKIRA to ANDREA BOCELLI, and have appeared on AMERICA‘S GOT TALENT Season 1. The girls perform on Yamaha instruments and their music can be heard during many Yamaha String Educator clinics; they keep a busy corporate schedule, and simply, are one of the most sought-after acts in North America.
CV SouthWest slowed down Nina just long enough to speak with her about her start, her rise, the team, and what's next for this incredible group of performers.
Let‘s talk a little about you, about how Bella got started, and when it took off: how did you first get interested in music?
I've always been interested in music. My dad had me singing Italian arias at age 2. By 6 I was playing piano, by 9 violin, and later picked up some guitar and bass.
You grew up in Buffalo, NYwhat prompted you to decide to move to Vegas?
When I was an undergrad, I visited Las Vegas with my parents. We went to see the Scintas, who are also from Buffalo and were headlining at the Rio at the time. I ended up meeting Wayne Newton's then-MD, Scotty Alexander, through them after a show, and he offered me a gig with Wayne. I decided to stay in Vegas and work with Wayne as well as get my Master‟s degree.
Did you do anything else growing up?
I was a huge jock. I played competitive soccer, softball, basketball, and skiing for my school.
Musically, what helped you decide to gravitate toward the violin?
When I was in 4th grade and had to choose an instrument, I chose the saxophone, but the band director told me it was very heavy and I was small and couldn't carry it to the bus. He suggested I play the violin because it is lighter. So I obliged.
You said that the "―violin is one of the toughest instruments to play well‖ - why do you say that? There is no instant gratification. Chances are, on a piano, you can plunk out a tune fairly quickly and not sound god-awful. Not so on a violin. Every millimeter matters, there is so much subtlety to the instrument.
You initially learned classical music on the violin, what are the big differences between the old classical and the rock you play? Classical requires a lot of technique...but having that base helps
in rock music as well. There is no margin for error in classical music. It trains you to be a perfectionist. It's either be perfect or get fired. So when you bring that sense of urgency to rock music, it makes it that much better.
You started off early, in high school, had a little string quartettell us a little about that.
It was called Sweet Expressions String Quartet. I remember we had one big gig a year, an annual Christmas Party…they had the biggest tree I have ever seen.
You made a funny reference to the ―dark days of college"- can we travel down that rabbit hole and have you describe those years? College is the grind. Strict routines, grueling schedules. My undergrad days were some of the best days of my life. My early teachers, Magnus Martensson and Movses Pogossian instilled a lot of passion for music, insight, and wisdom into my approach to not only music, but everything. I developed my intellectu-
proach to not only music, but everything. I developed my intellectual identity during those years at UB.
You launched Bella Strings as a poor college kid...no investors, all your own money (we feel ya on that one LOL)...were there any days when you were ready to say ―eff this, this is too hard!‖? What kept you motivated?
There were a lot of teary-eyed phone calls home to NY saying, "I think I have to move home...I can't afford rent...life is tough…people lie and cheat and steal in the real world…" But in the end, it's sink or swim. I've never been one to roll over and die, or to back down from a challenging situation.
When did the idea to put Bella together happen – tell me about how that came about?
It started very early. I had the Sweet Expressions String Quartet in high school as I mentioned. We played into college together, and they were my first guinea pigs for trying my pop and rock music arrangements. Over the years, I met a lot of people that helped Bella evolve into what it is today. Yama-
ha was a big part in the transformation as well.
What were your initial goals when you started the team(s)?
In the beginning, I just wanted to have a few gigs a month… enough to cover rent, and have fun. Trying to just have fun paid off and it grew and continues to grow.
Tell me about the initial days –was it hard?
The hardest part was the process of making mistakes to learn. There were some failed business partnerships and a struggle to find the
right combination of people. And the money. We never used investors, and thus it was a slow process as I started out a broke college kid eating Mac and Cheese.
You all are CLEARLY talented, were things easy in the beginning, or was it a struggle for recognition?
I never really worried about the recognition. I just did my thing. My grandfather always told me "the cream always rises to the top." So I focused on being the best player I could be for what I wanted to try and do on electric
violin. I'm still a long way off. The recognition comes naturally if you work hard and put everything you are into it.
At some point you had to transition from a ―band to a brand‖ as you received accolades, more gigs, and popularity - tell us about that process? Was it harder or easier than you imagined?
Much more difficult, and we are still in the process. There is much more to be done even now. It required business and management experience that I was not trained to handle. So I surrounded myself with people who could teach me.
Can you tell us about ―the big break‖, that incident or show where you really made the step to the next level?
Our biggest moment was being featured in a David Foster and Friends concert as Bella Electric Strings. He's legendary.
You said that many people helped you out - that's great, who gave you that ―big break‖ in support? OK here comes the "academy award" speech:
My first mentor was the Scintas‟
Pete O‟Donnell. He gave me tons of great advice as a kid who didn't know much. He believed in me, and at that age, that's all you need really to get going. Lisa Viscuglia, a local violinist, also with a Niagara Falls connection through her father, introduced me to many people and provided me with my first freelance gigs in Vegas. My years working with her were very important to my development. Dave King, our Bella tech, has been with me almost since the very beginning, and he has been a constant friend, confidante, and integral part to Bella. Doug Taylor and John Meanor joined the team and it made us that much stronger. Of course all of the players, both past and present, have played a huge role in the evolution of Bella Strings, and I thank them all for their talents and hard work.
Ron Gutierrez was a huge help in recent times, in terms of dealing with the unprecedented growth that we were not set up to handle. He helped set up our current infrastructure. Jeanne Deroode and Dana Fitzpatrick have kept it running smoothly.
My recognition as a player, I can thank Lon Bronson for. He
asked me to guest spot with his band, and eventually join full-time. He gave me my first high profile performance opportunities as a rock electric violinist. He has also been a constant collaborator and friend over the years.
Ken Dattmore with Yamaha stuck it out and watched my career develop, and we wouldn't be playing all these wonderful instruments without him.
Matt Dela Pola of David Foster's camp has always supported us over the years as well, and it has meant a lot to me, and given us great opportunities.
Any particularly memorable shows?
The first time we played with Richard Marx as a quartet was awesome. We made it into his "video blog."
Now, how much of a task is it to manage, do you get to play still?
It consumes my life and I don't sleep. HaHa. I play as much as I can, but not as often as I used to.
How often do you really get to personally play these days, with managing and scheduling and
such?
I play when I am needed, or when I really, really want to play. However, whenever Lon Bronson or Brody Dolyniuk calls, I'm there.
Do you still get nervous before shows?
I never really got nervous, except when I first played with David Foster…I got pretty sick to my stomach and called it "David Foster's Revenge." I liken it to Montezuma's revenge…HaHa.
Do you travel personally to perform with your teams, or do you stay based on Vegas?
I travel on occasion. It all depends on the type of show and where I am most needed.
How do you decide who is playing where, and how do you construct teams?
Availability, which parts they have memorized, and also the type of gig and any special requests from clients. Everyone has their favorite “Bella girl."
Is there any decision process as to what songs you play during a show?
Once again, I try to read the audi-
ence. For a corporate show, we usually start slow and end with a bang.
How long does it take to transcribe a song?
I have gotten pretty fast, I can knock out an average custom chart in around 4-6 hours depending on the demands. It can be done faster if it is half-assed, but I don't like to do that.
What considerations do you have to take into account, translating guitar into violin? Have you found a musical number that just doesn‘t translate well?
We use a bow, we have a curved bridge, and obviously range. I hear cool songs all the time that I think would be good Bella Songs, then when I go to write it, it just doesn't work. Now I can weed them out just by hearing them.
You also stated that when you arrived in Vegas, you had never seen a musical solo that was not visual & transcribed on paperwas that a difficult habit to change or overcome?
The first band I was ever in asked me to take a fiddle solo in D…I
froze up. I went home and wrote out a solo and memorized it. After that I hunkered down and just went for it.
Talk to us about the practice schedule, how rigorous is it? I generally give instruction and trust that everyone is pro enough to learn the music. Obviously, the better the players know the music, the more they will work. Each player is different. Some can learn in an hour what takes others much more time.
Aside from music, how much physical training does the team do?
We have done some dance and choreography classes, and also try and hike, or do yoga together when we can.
I saw on the site that you have current auditions going on now, is that right? Many try but few are chosen? Do you also take time to recruit potential musicians if you hear of someone with talent? We have already expanded to Los Angeles and will continue to ex-
pand into other cities. So yes, we are always auditioning. Many times there will be a waiting list for a spot to open up or to launch a new city.
What do you look for in a prospective member?
They must be skilled at a high level both reading music classically as well as having background in soloing and improvisation. They also have to maintain the "Bella" image of classy Hollywood glam.
I have to ask, even though I understand the business…has there been any feedback at all on your request for a ―fit & youthful appearance‖? I would agree, it‘s about musical ability and beauty, and the physical demands of performing require a person to be physically fit, I was just wondering if people have said anything about that to you.
When we book shows, sometimes our clients request a certain look, hair color, or dress from our girls. It is similar to a modeling call or an acting audition, only the talent involves music. Unfortunately, image is a big part of the entertainment industry at all levels. We
have fun doing makeovers and hair tutorials, though. We keep it as human as possible. I usually show up to first meetings with girls in sweats and a hat with no makeup, to make them comfortable. I tell them this is how I look 99%of the time. We just play the game, that's all. I'm a train wreck when I'm not on stage...HaHa.
But let‘s face it, the team members are incredible musicians and show people, but are also stunningly beautiful. A friend who I spoke to about doing the feature said ―Is this where all the geeky band girls went?‖ What do you say to that? :)
We get that a lot. But so far I haven't seen any awkward 12 year old band dork shots of any of the girls…
You mentioned the ―farm system‖ in Bella - that would seem to indicate that you will accept ―potentially great‖ players who could use some mentoring and training/practice, during auditions do you ―see‖ more than ability & look as a part of the process, instead of pure ability?
Yes, I often take on players that are
young and inexperienced and help them develop. I wish I had been equipped with the knowledge at that age that I try to pass down. I had to figure it all out by doing it wrong once, and right the second time. :)
Tell us about the high tech instruments.
We perform on all Yamaha electric and silent string instruments. I am an endorsed Yamaha artist and they have been an integral part in
our success and the creation of the "Bella sound."
Why Yamaha, is there anything particular about that brand that you like?
They have a tone much more versatile than a lot of the other electrics I have played. I can sound like a violin…or not like a violin. Their structure is also similar to a real violin making it easier to switch back and forth.
Listening to you talk, listening to some interviews and such you've given, you're really down to earth and a regular lady who's stunning and can shred the violin, how do
you manage to stay humble in this business?
Some of the first advice I ever got…"Be kind to those you meet on the way up, because you will meet them again on the way down." I never feel that I am above anyone or anything. At any given moment I could be waiting tables, teaching, and hustling for wedding gigs again. There is no shame in that. As John Lennon said, "a working class hero is something to be…"
Tell us about how big 2013 was, and all big plans coming down the pike for 2014
The business has grown leaps and bounds every year since it began, and I was lucky enough this year to have a great team assembled to help us organize and prepare for the next big wave. Our admin, accounting, legal, PR, and all coordinators, management, and concept colleagues have helped us get to where we are, and where we will expand to in 2014.
"PREPARING YOU FOR GREATNESS"
To understand Davey Suicide is to understand the contrast of a man with two sides…
As you chat with him, he is soft spoken, almost to the point of being shy. But as you speak to him, you realize that he is truly humbled by the fame, the success, and so thankful for the support of his many fans in the Suicide Nation. He is generous with his attention, kind with his words, and genuinely friendly.
On stage is where Dr Jekyll becomes Mr Hyde Davey Suicide is a cacophony of energy and mayhem, his stage show powerful, his vocals diametrically opposed to the quiet man with whom you shared words earlier. Davey Suicide revels in the music, the show, and his charisma draws you into his fold, into his world He is a force to be reckoned with in the music world
Nicki Hiers of H.A.V.E.N. and Sherry Keith of Mystic Photography spent time with Davey before his show at Vinyl and Sherry stood tall in the pit to take this group of incredible concert photos...let CV SouthWest guide you on our journey with Davey Suicide...
Nicki & Sherry here…we are honored to spend a little personal time with Davey Suicide at The Hard Rock Hotel Nov 9th right before his show. I must say that personally, I was somewhat giddy at this opportunity…as I am a huge fan and had no idea what I was in for with this bigger than life figure…
Nicki: We know you are originally from the East Coast and we have heard in the past that you’ve spoken of opportunities you may have slipped away in the past and we’d like to know a little about that. Davey Suicide: I’d pretty much started a tour with another band I’ve been together with for a while and one of the guys decided he didn’t want to tour anymore and just like that we had to cancel the tour two days before we left. It is was basically “I’ve done all I coulddohere”.Ispokewithmydadhesaiditispretty much your life and you have to do what you want to do. The next following week, I packed the minivan droveacrosscountryanddidn’tknowwhereIwasgoing to live, didn’t know where I was going to work. I hadsomemoneyinreservethatIsavedandwasgoing tokindofpieceittogetherinwhenIgotthere.Basically,Ithought“alrightlet’sfigurethisout.”
Nicki: What was the inspiration of your persona change to “Davey Suicide” and the decision to pursue it?
Davey: IthinkI’vealwaysbeenmisrepresentedtothe public in general and I needed a reminder that I have always been in control of how things come out in the end,soI’vealwayssaidunlessIkillmyselfI’mgoingto get everything I want out of the world. I’ve always knownthat,it’swhoIamnow.DaveySuicide,that’sit; I am living the life and death of myself. Having that nameisareminderofthatattitude.
Nicki: Put your trust in Suicide, what is the true meaning? When you look at yourself in the mirror is that what you see?
Davey: Yeah, it’s self-belief, confidence in myself. I think a lot of people try to pay homage to a supreme being, to something higher, or stuff like. Or when somethinghappensthefirstthingtheythinkofisGod, but really you were doing all the practice, you were doingallthework,youdidallthetime...itwasn’tsomeoneelsethatgaveyou’rethestrength.Youdidthat,so that’swhatthat’sabout,reallyjusttrustinginyourself.
Nicki: The rise of Davey Suicide really represents the rise of a man breaking free of some really tough circumstances at a young age and growing into yourself, tell us about the emotional and intellectual
journey so far.
Davey: IthinkI’vejustlearnedthatyouhavetobeaccountable for everything that you do. You can’t blame someone else for failing, you have to take a hard look in the mirror and just realize that you’re in control of everything that happens to you. I’ve known so many people since I’ve moved to Hollywood that just blame other band members or whoever for the reasons that they are not where they want to be, and the reasons they didn’t get there is probably because they did it wrong. So it made me realize what things I was doing wrong and helped me to work on changing that every single day. That’s a maturity I’ve come to know about myself.
Nicki: What about the debut album Generation F*ck Star, do you think it’s a calling card, introduction of the band and you to the world and what do you think the message is the fans should take from it?
Davey: Well, it isn’t like a single and that’s why I thought it would take everyone back of how the band is. This is the first song from it and it kind of sets the tonethatweareinatimethatwhattheideaofastaris has been so watered down, manufactured, and we have television shows that have people singing glorifiedkaraokesongsandstuff.Theideaofwhatmakesa real gritty person that has actually lived through stuff andhasactualstoriestotellbecausethey’vehadhardships and they’ve learned to communicate through
music so they can share their stories with people is what a real star is, not any of this bullshit that’s happening. That’s the whole Generation F*ck Star. What kidsaregrowingupwithisrealandwhatisn’trealit’s stupidandyougottofindtheseartbandsthatarereally artists and when you find them hold on tight because those are the bands that sing with conviction, theymeanwhattheysayandwritewhattheysayand notsomethingfromaassemblylinesoldtothemasses.
Nicki: Was there an intended message that you want to make sure the people listening, even the younger fans that you wanted them to take away from it?
Davey: Yeah, I think it is important to find something that is pure because everything is accusable. Anyone canhaveaband,makesongs.Weedthroughitandfind that special thing, support it, because the only thing that can survive is because of fans; big corporate machines will always pop of the One Direction type shit bandsandtheyalways dothat making bigbucksoff it andscrewthebandoverandthebandwillhavenothing to show for it in the end. The special bands really
needthefansthemost.
Nicki: The band mates you have now, who are they?
Davey: Draven is our drummer, Needles is our keyboardplayer,Brentourbassplayer.
Nicki: You just finished a tour in the UK, how did that go?
Davey: Awesome, it was the best experience. Kids wouldbelikein therainwhileweweretrying toload in the van and they realized we were in the van and theystartedchanting“Davey”...ahugelineofkidsactually knowing you were are, knowing all the words to the songs and would do whatever I asked them to do on stage. It was really exciting and made the whole globalizingtheband,madeitallreal.
Sherry: Was this your first time in the UK?
Davey: Yeah,outfirsttimeplayingthere.
Nicki: We hear you are recording a new album now….
Davey: Yeah, Needles is producing it and I’ve been writing a lot of stuff since probably earlier this year. I thought once we did the first album, how would we evertopcuzwhenyoufinishsomethingyouputeverything into it and you feel like it’s the best you can do, we’re crushing it right now so I feel really good about thenextoncewefinetuneit.
Nicki: When do you think you’ll be finished with it?
Davey: Hopefully we’ll release it late spring or early summer.Ithinkwe’llhaveitdoneinthenextcoupleof months, that’s what we’re doing when we finish this tour.
Nicki: How much longer do you have on this tour?
Davey: We end December 3rd in Colorado, do the record…..probablystarttouringagaininearlyspring.
Nicki: Are you going to start in the States?
Davey: I don’t know yet. Now this is a game changer since we went to the UK the fans there are like...let’s see if we can get them back here. It’s cool in the UK they don’t have the same social standards like Hollywood , people don’t have to act, it’s all more down to earth,nottryingtoimpresspeople.It’slikethegrassis always greener; I see bands come over here to tour and they like it over here, you know. It’s easy from a distance to love something, but when you really dig yournailsintoit,it’snotalwayswhatit’scutouttobe.
Sherry: I saw you in Seattle
Davey: Yeah, you sawone of our first shows. We had been playing one off shows before then, but that was reallyourfirsttour.
Sherry: Honestly, at that time, I was brought out for Wednesday 13, and when you hit the stage, I was like “holy shit, these guys rock!”.
Davey: Thankyou!
Nicki: Well we are very excited about seeing the show tonight, we know you have things do to prepare; we really appreciate you spending some time with us and we’ll be upfront center with cameras in hand.
Davey: Wehadtobringinanewguitarplayerforthe night, it’s his first show…..our guitar player will be in tomorrowandourkeyboardplayerisgettinghiswrist worked on. But it’s all right, if we can get though this tourit’sgoingtobejustfine!
As the interview ended I was pleasantly surprised by thesincerityofthisyoungman.Ibelievebigthingswill comefromDaveySuicideandhisfuturewillbebright!
- Nicki & Sherry
Residual value, or resale value, is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a car nearly all of them depreciate, but some much less than others.
When you buy a new car, it's fairly easy to research the costs involved, such as MSRP, local taxes, and delivery charges. We know, however, that the moment a car leaves the dealer's lot, it starts to lose value. But howisthatmathfigured,anyway?
The amount you'll get when you trade in your car, the amount you'll have to put down on your next purchase/lease, and even the interest rate you can get on your nextcarloanareallimpactedbythe termyou'llhearalot: "residualvalue," which is synonymous with resalevalue.Ifyoudon'tknowtheins and outs of residual value, you're hurting yourself when it comes to buying a new or used car. All cars (except vintage collectibles) lose money over time (think of a used car as you would any used appliance its worthwhile life expectancy is reduced with age). But buying cars that hold their value better than others isn't hard to figure out, andit'sagoodwaytohedgeagainst thecostsofowningavehicle.
The Basics
There's no hard-and-fast
consensusonthevalueofacarafter a year or five years from its first sale. There are just toomany variables at play, including the market forthecar, whethertheeconomyis up or down, and the price of gas. Plus, if there are 40,000 used 2009 Accords on the market, each one willhavebeendrivenandcaredfor differently.
But there are variables that canbebenchmarked,suchasanautomaker's and a model's past performance in keeping value, that organizations like Black Book use to estimate what a new car will be worth a few years down the line. Black Book is a lot like the Blue Book you hear about regarding the valueofacar,butBlackBookisthe go-to that most car dealers use to priceaneworusedcar.Italsohelps them know what interest rates you'llbechargedonaloan.
We talked to Black Book's Ricky Beggs, in charge of the publication'sresearchdepartment,toget anideaofhowtheyfigureoutwhat a 2013 model will be worth in 2018.
How Carmakers Keep Values High
Supply and demand plays a big role in the value of a particular model in a particular year. Too much "car," just like too much of any single commodity, will depress thevalueofacaroveritslifecycle.
Put another way, you might think Mercedes wants to sell as many C-Classes as it possibly can. Andif demandwerealwaysbullish,
that would be true. But Mercedes, justlikeHondaandeveryothercarmaker, has a vested interest in keeping residual values high because that enables Mercedes to have a "cheap" money supply: How much interest they're charged throughtheircaptivefinancearm(a bank whose sole job is to finance car loans for a single carmaker) directly influences whether they can offer you that nifty 0.9 percent financing deal. High residual values also mean that the certified-preowned(CPO)programBenzdealers runcancontinuetobehighlylucrative. A flood of C-Classes two years from now would depress that CPO market. Carmakers try carefully to match production to demand because otherwise they have to crank up incentives (cash-back offers) to generate sales, and that's just the type of thing that led to GM and Chryslerfallingintocrisis.Eventually the cheap money spigot shuts off andthedebtmustberepaid. So carmakers are smarter than ever at predicting sales volumes and will restrict production if theyseestormclouds ahead.Today thecostofusedcarsisatornearan all-timehighbecausecarmakerscut supply during the recession, and
because people started holding on to old cars instead of getting new ones.Addinavariablelikehighgas prices and in the past five years we'veseencrazythingshappen,like the value of a used Prius topping that of a new one, and diesel VW Jettascommandingnearlynew-Jetta pricing. All of it has to do with carmakersbeingverycarefulwithsupply.
The Fuzzy Math of Leasing
Ricky Beggs of Black Book explainsthathighresidualvaluenot only favors frequent buyers and sellers(orleasers),italsofavorsthe dealer.
Let's consider Mercedes again. Theautomakerisfightingfor prestige in the luxury marketplace, andthatmeansthecompanywould prefer a tighter supply. So, for instance, Mercedes might offer its dealers an incentive to buy back current leaseholders' cars a few months early and give them the sameleaserateonnextyear'smodel, especially at the start of a new model's life cycle. This has two effects. One, it tightens supply of that new model, in effect goosing demandsonewcustomershavetopay a little more. Two, it increases the stocksofCPOcarsthedealerhason hand.
But doesn't that second factordepressthemarketplace,sinceit leads to more pre-owned cars sitting around? Not quite. That leasebuyback car the dealer gets on his lot a little early when he puts the customer in a brand-new C-Class increases the dealer's cash flow. He sellsaleaseonabrand-newC-Class, presumably with money down. And that tightened supply means the "value"ofthat carisprobablyhigher, too, so the check the dealer gets fromthebank/financearmisfatter.
As for the leased car that's now a couple of years old: It comes offlease, goes into the CPO program, and the bank probably pays the dealerforitsremainingvalue,since most customers finance their cars andpaybackthebankovertime.
Remember: Either the dealer or the bank (usually a captive finance arm) actually owned the car while the customer leased and drove it. If the bank owns the car, they sell it back to the dealer or to another dealer and pay back that difference to themselves once the car comes off-lease. If the dealer holdsthepaperwork, then theypay thebankbackforthedifferenceand move the car through their CPO program,payingthemselvesback.
Either way, the lessee is just making a monthly payment on the
projected depreciation of that car, plus interest. And don't forget that all those hidden fees and interest from the customer pad everyone's bottomline.
Allofthismeansthatleasing is a lot like renting an apartment. You're always putting your dough into the landlord's pocket, paying for the privilege of using an apartment (or a car) but never owning any of it. But if you either can't afford to buy, or want to live in a classier pad (or drive a classier ride) than you can otherwise manage, renting/leasing makes that possible.Leasingacarthat'llholda higherresale/residualvaluesoftens the blow of that monthly payment. The bank and the dealership can give you a better deal if the car is going to lose comparatively little valuewhileyouleaseit.
We're wading into some quirks of finance here. But it's worthnotingthat evenifyounever lease or buy used, this part of the marketplace determines how much acompanycanchargeusforitsnew cars.
A number of Vegas musicians stepped up for a memorialevent heldforoneoftheirbiggest localfans. OnNovember 10th, The1stAnnualDaveSabatinoMemorialRidebroughttogetherfriendsandofDaveSabatino, who was tragically lost in a motorcycle accident on November 10th, 2012. Dave was a huge fan of local Vegas bands like “Outta the Black” and the “John Zito Band” as well as others. These and many other musicians stepped up to remember Dave by volunteering their time and their equipment to help put together whathopestobealongrunningannualtradition.
Dave's best friend, Nick Griffith, who was with Davethenightoftheaccident,spear-headedthisevent along with Tanya Stegner and Dave's girlfriend & domesticpartner,PattyTagliamonte.Closeto100people, both on motorcycles and in cars, joined in on the journeythatbegunatDavisPark,wheretheMemorialTree &Plaquearelocated.Fromthepark,themilelongtrail of bikes and cars traveled past the accident scene on the Rainbow Overpass of Hwy 95, so everyone could pay tribute to Dave. The Run continued down the 95 theSearchlight,overtoNiptonforabreak,backtoI-15 andtoNick'sshop,ExtremeAutoCustoms.
When the Ride returned to the end point, they weregreetedwithhundredsofpeoplealreadyreveling in the celebration with bands playing and massive amounts of food and drink setup. Everything about this event was about donations and everyone stepped uptosupplymorethanenoughfoodanddrinkforthe entireevent.Wewouldliketothankthebands&musicians that donated their time and equipment to make sure this event was a huge success: Outta The Black, Smashing Alice, John Zito Band, Threedom Rock, Jay Cee,andJasonConstantine.
One band in particular that brought an overwhelming feeling of togetherness over the crowd was the John Zito Band, performing the song that John wroteforDavecalled'Burning Bright'.Therewasn'ta dry eye in sight. The song is on Zito's CD “'Lonely Broke & Wasted”. The 'inner-circle' of close friends gatheredaroundthelargepictureofDave,nexttoJohn as he worked his guitar, showed the emotion of just what Dave meant to everyone. This definitely was the highlightoftheevent.
This annual event will only get bigger every yearafterthesuccessofthefirstouting.
In Tribute…
The gorgeous girls of Brazen (see page 32) returned from the tundra upnorthtotakethe Vamp'd stagewith Doc's Angels.DocEllisandtheladies alwaysbringapackedhouse.Justoneglanceatthestageandyouwillknow why.
The Sin City Sinners had their 4th CD Release Party for "DiveBar Days Revisited",relivingallthosenightswherethebandmadeitsnameknown.
Threedom Rock took the stage at the Fiesta Casino in Henderson again, bringingup the attitude once again down in the southeast partofthevalley.Thispowertrioistakingthingsupanotchwith everyperformance.
Outta the Black made a return to the new new-old DiveBar to try to outdothepacked-houseperformancefromtheirpreviousvisit.Withmultiplemusicianssittinginandblastingoutsomenewanddifferentversionsof everyone'sfavorites,theydefinitelyoutdidthelastshow.
Stoney Curtis and the boys openedforagroupwithaname synonymous with the 80's, The Baby's. One of Stoney Curtis' many otherprojects, Count's 77, with Vamp'd owner Danny 'TheCount'Koker,istakingthe stage regularly at the Count's rockclub.
Vince Neil from Motley Crue opened another venue, this time on the Stripbut inaveryunexpectedlocation. Circus Circus of all placesisthelocation for the new ‘Vince Neil's Tatuado, Eat, Drink, Party'. Vince aim to stir upaparty-likeatmospherepoweredbyabackstagevibefromtattooimagery to some of Neil’s prized possessions on full display including one of his motorcycles and a few gold and platinum Motley Crue albums. I guess the strange name goes right along with the obscure location. Not an easy In&OutforLocal'sandprobablyabigpartof why Rock N Rita's was not a huge success in the same location. Sin City KISS & Cyanide performed for the Grand Opening celebration.
The John Zito Band and Leaving Springfield opened a night at Vamp'd for Gilby Clarke's return. It's always a good time when Gilby and theboysrockthehouse.Alwayshanging out after the show and having drinkswiththefans,Gilbyisdefinitely a Vamp'd regulars' favorite. Zito and the boys, once again, were signed to play the Las Vegas Rock N Roll Marathon; one of the few Vegas bands that hasplayedthiseventmultipletimes.
Speaking of Zito, they are back at it, rocking the Vamp'd stage every Wednesday night. You never know who is going to show up to jam withtheseguys.Thisistheonlyplace tobeinVegasonaWednesdaynight.
A venue that isn't usually known for live bands, Babes, down in southeast Vegas, hosted a benefit for the Wounded Warriors Foundation.KOMP Radiowas on sitedoinga liveremotewithperformancesfrom Whiskey Breath, Twenty8, Three Swank Bastards, Megan Barker, Wicked Garden and Whiskey Southern!
Making a good pair of sticks begins by selecting the best wood possible. We manufacture many different models of sticks using Canadian maple and American hickory. Our maple is considered to be the best in the business and our hickory from the southern USA is known the world over as the top choice for stick manufacturing. We also use red hickory which comes from the heart of the tree, making it stronger and more durable for those who need a bit "more" from their sticks.
We use only the finest grades of wood. Every dowel is hand inspected to ensure that the grain is straight and free from any defects. Only then does it go to our lathes to be turned into a LOS CABOS DRUMSTICK. When you purchase a pair of our sticks, you are investing in quality craftsmanship. With nearly two dozen models to choose from, Los Cabos Drumsticks offers something for every drummer.
Contacts
• Website: www.loscabosdrumsticks.com
• Blog: www.loscabosdrumsticks.tumblr.com
• Twitter: @loscabossticks
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/loscabossticks
Gear the Pros Use!
Todd Kennedy - Lead Guitar for SMASHING ALICE
I picked up my first guitar at age 11 in 1972. I made a living playing music through most of the 1980's, during which I spend a lot of time on the road. I exited the music scene in the early 90's to focus on career goals, but I returned back to the music scene in 2009 after making my riches in the real world. Now I’m just having fun with it and enjoying playing for the sake of playing. I have over 30 guitars currently in my stable (I think) I’ve never really count them and they come and go on a regular basis.
Guitars
My main gigging guitar that has been with me for many years is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Replica built by a well-respected Luthier and former vintage Guitar Magazine Editor. It has a slight twist though; it’s built with Korina (or more correctly, Limba) instead of Mohogany. It’s a little lighter and to me has a little more mid-range warmth. This, however, is all negated by its current set of pickups, which are an EMG 81/85 active set. They make every guitar basically sound the same but give great clarity and tightness with drop tunings, and 3/4 of our set is drop tuning.
My #2 is A Gibson Les Paul custom shop 1968 re-issue in Alpine White with a 50's fat neck. Pickups are stock 57 classics. I prefer lower ouput pickups and use these and Lollar imperials in most of my gigging guitars. The fat necks are harder to play but definitely have a different sound compared to a thin neck guitar. All that extra wood stiffens up the neck and gives a fatter and more sustained sound.
Pedals
I try to keep my pedals to a minimum and don't use distortion pedals. I do have various pedals on my board however to replicate various song requirements. After going through dozens of wahs the Fulltone Deluxe Clyde Wah was hands down my favorite and has been the only constant on my board for many years. For effects I do prefer individual analogue pedals over EFX units but for gigging it was just more convenient to use a digital modeler -"Line 6 - m9"; I run that in the loop and it has over a 100 stomp boxes in it. I mostly use it for timed effects, chorus, delay, reverb etc. The other two pedals I run are line drivers "MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-401 Boost Pedal". One in the front for a gain boost and one in the loop for volume boost for leads. They are extremely clean and do not color the amp tone at all. Next is my Diggitech whammy pedal which is a necessity for the 5 Rage Against the Machine songs that we cover. Last, a tuner and Line 6 G30 digital wireless. I've had many wireless systems, and it was always a compromise to go wireless until I got the "Line 6 G30". I don't hear any signal degradation with it whatsoever. Amps
My work horse is a Marshall DSL 100 watt. Not the greatest amp in the world but a git-r -done no frills amp. Lately my Baron custom single channel Marshall flavored 60 watt head has been seeing a lot of stage action. I grew up on Marshall Super leads and any amp I play has to get in that sonic range or it ain’t for me. The super lead is just too loud before it hits the sweet spot so is just impractical in the modern era . I have gravitated to 18 to 30 watts amps and have really liked the results. My new favorite "65 amps-Producer" may be my last and main gigging amp. Sounds really close to my old Marshall Super Lead and does it at a manageable volume, which is something I have been searching for a long time . Also has a stellar Fender clean which is a nice bonus.
Strings
I buy in bulk, 25 sets per box from D'Addario, 10-46 gauge.
Picks V-picks 1.5 mm or Tortex III 1.5mm. I like my picks pointy and I don't like to have any flex at all. For a time I used steel picks but found they were too hard on strings and guitars. When I do my Pete Townsend windmill imitation and drag a steel pick across the entire front of the guitar it can leave some pretty nasty gouges and scratches. LOL
When not delivering Presents, Santa takes out his other “Sleigh” for a ride
1967 Ford Fairlane Convertible 500
Owners: Charlene Huddleston
purchased in 2006 and restored in 2010
289 high performance engine
C4 transmission
Dual four barrel carburetors
Dual Performance exhaust
Lowered 3 inches
BF Goodrich tires with magnum wheels
Victory red paint: Black interior and black top
Pictures: MayDayPhotography
Model: DVaDevonCarnera
20 years of music. 20 years of mayhem. 20 years of kickin’ ass and taking names…that is the legacy of Hemlock. The brothers Smith and the gang have been packing venues since 1993, and even though some others in the band have come and gone, Hemlock perseveres and thrives because of their talent, their drive, their show, and because they focus on their fans, and work hard to make sure their fans go home from a show with ears ringing and hearts thumping. CV WorldWide had a chance to sit down with Brian Smith, drummer and resident PR spokesperson…oddly enough, he had quite a bit to say…
<CV WW> Alright, we always start these off the same way...tell us who‘s in the band and their role…
<Brian Smith> Well, Chad and I are brothers; I am 2 years older but about 10 years more immature! :P You got Chad Smith on lead vocals and bass, Brian Smith on drums, Jezy Ward on guitar and backing vocals and James Gelber on guitar and backing vocals.
<CV WW> Of the original members, only Brian and Chad are still in the band. What were the original goals – modest or just ―shoot from the hip and see where this train goes‖?
<Brian Smith> Yes Chad and I are the only original members remaining. Jezy has been with us for about 4 years now and James is the new guy. As far as the band goes it's seriously all we've done and what we're interested in. I wouldn't say we had any game plan starting out. We just started playing shows and always pushed forward. And before we knew it 20 years had flown by!
<CV WW> Who were/are your musical influences?
<Brian Smith> We listen to all styles of music, and I mean all sorts. Seriously, everything from Neil Diamond, Sade, Alicia Keys, Faith No More, 2 Live Crew, Huey Lewis, Whitesnake (I personally am a
huge fan of anything and everything 80's)...everything! As a band early influences would be mostly 90's thrash and groove metal such as Pantera, Sepultura, Pro-Pain, Biohazard, Machine Head, Slayer, Hatebreed, Suicidal Tendencies, etc.
<CV WW> Before you guys started the band, did you have any other interests?
<Brian Smith> Not really, because we were so young when we started. I hadn't acquired my taste for booze and women yet! And Chad still carried his love and passion for Garbage Pail Kids! Other than that we were just young kids so I'd say playing with toys and Saturday morning cartoons were our other interests!
<CV WW> Any cool stories on how you decided on the name ―Hemlock‖?
<Brian Smith> Nah, it was just a name that we thought sounded good for a rock/metal band. We bounced around a couple other ones first but gravitated back to Hemlock and it stuck. We drew names out of a hat and pulled Hemlock first. Our guitar player protested that they weren't mixed up properly. So we shook „em up again and pulled out a different name. We went with the winning name for a while until we saw a band on Star Search using the same name so we instantly reverted back to Hemlock.
<CV WW> Tell us about the early years – how much of a struggle was it back then – if I remember, the early 90‘s was grunge rock‘s heyday, how was the beginning for the band?
<Brian Smith> I think it's always been a struggle to be in a metal band. No matter how many fans there are of the genre it's not main stream. We have seen metal climb and metal come and go along with so many other styles of music. All the while we just kept plugging along playing the music we enjoyed playing. We have just always pushed to be the best Hemlock we could be regardless of what's going on around us and we have a very high energy, entertaining live show which I think has always set us apart from a lot of other bands and other trends. You can't argue that writing good music and having a good live show should be the forte of any band. Unfortunately that's not always the case.
<CV WW> What do you think was your biggest hurdle just starting out those many moons ago?
<Brian Smith> Our biggest hurdle has always been having the money to invest in and push our crazy ideas. That and being naive and getting sucked into bad management deals and being taken advantage of by promoters in our early years. Our age didn't help back then either. We had to sneak into several of our own shows because we were too young to get in to our own performance!
<CV WW> Tell us about the ―big break‖ that took you guys to the next level.
<Brian Smith> “Big Break”?! What "Big Break?" LoL! We have had to work hard for any success we've ever gotten. We've had perhaps stepping stones that have helped further our career but we have fought a long hard battle that most bands (or anyone
with any common sense) would have jumped ship from long ago. We definitely love what we do and are too stubborn to do anything else!
<CV WW> What do you think has been your secret to longevity & success for all these years?
<Brian Smith> Yeah, my last answer pretty much summed it up – we love what we do, nothing else will suffice.
<CV WW> Okay, I‘ve got to call you out on this… on your website, in the bio, you state ―Hemlock has been called ‗The Kings of self-promotion‘ and have been noted as the hardest working up and coming metal band.‖ – really, ―up and coming‖ still after 20 years?! ROFL
<Brian Smith> Kind of chuckle worthy, but still very true in fact. We have never had any great commercial success, no hand outs and have gotten stepped over by so many less worthy and (I feel) less talented bands with less heart. We've seen many bands come and go, and THAT shows you the integrity in their hearts. The record industry is, and has been for many years, a complete crock of shit. We stay hands on with pretty much everything we do. So yes, we are very involved in promoting ourselves. We still hang posters and hand out fliers for our shows. It's very disheartening to go to a show and not have any posters of yours hanging in the club. People have gotten very lazy (bands, promoters etc.) and everyone thinks a Facebook post is all you gotta do...well once again very few bands can claim the longevity of 20 years.
<CV WW> A lot of years and a lot of members – tell us about the journey through the years, about the
people that have come and gone?
<Brian Smith> Well I'm not gonna include guys that just filled in for a tour but noteworthy members sure...Hemlock started as 3-piece including me and Chad and our guitarist/ longtime friend Richard Burnett. We played clubs and bars around Vegas and eventually added our friend Mike Johns on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. We started touring regionally and eventually Richard had to step out so we replaced him with our roadie D.J. Kinsley. We continued touring for a few years with this line up....fast forward a few years we actually did an impromptu song live with all original members (including Rich). We hadn't all been in the same place at the same time in a long time. We got up and did one song and killed it! The magic was still there so we planned a tour with all original members. After about 6 months Rich couldn't commit to touring full time so we pulled out our good friend Bryan Gentry (who was in Hemlock for a while after D.J. quit.) That was a great line up but eventually Bryan had to put in notice because his wife was pregnant...with all our shows, I‟m not sure if it was his kid or not! HaHa I'm just kidding Bryan! So anyways that's when we brought Jezy on board. I met Jezy at a Walmart in Missouri. We got talking
music. He was in a different band at the time. I kept an eye on him thinking we might need him eventually. I finally picked a good one! When we brought him on board, I had known him for that while and was kinda prepping him anyways. Mike didn't last too much longer...we'll call it creative differences (even though that's not what it was. I'm just being politically correct and taking the higher road here). Well then we had a short string of fill in guitarists trying to find the right guy to fill the slot. We finally settled on Aaron Cobb. 2012 was a fun year for us but alas Aaron's time with us was short lived so here is where James comes in. We have known him for years. He's a very talented guy and we knew him as a sound guy in Lubbock, Texas. Well he showed up for touring knowing like 20 of our tunes (and the kid can sing really well might I add). So here we are today!
<CV WW> Brian, you left the band for a few years in the early 2000‘s, can we ask why?
<Brian Smith> I did take a few years off yes....combination of many things. I was frustrated with our current management but I also had a kid that I love dearly and I needed to be there for him. I was also in a horrible controlling relationship at the time too. I guess I just needed a break and even though Chad and I had some ups and downs in the past, it was actually after the shooting of Dimebag Darrell when we realized life is short and we needed to be brothers again and patch things up. I went to the Hemlock show next time they came through Vegas and after that Chad was inviting me back constantly. I filled in one tour and weekend runs when I could but I was trying to balance family life and a 9-5 job. Eventually all the planets aligned and I was able to come back full time! I enjoy touring now more than ever before and couldn't be happier to be back!
<CV WW> What is it about THIS lineup that works so well, and allows you guys to mesh on stage?
<Brian Smith> Chemistry, good musicianship, and the fact that we love doing what we do. We have high energy shows and we get up and throw down as hard as possible every night!
<CV WW> Do you try to convey any specific message with your music?
<Brian Smith> The only time we are serious is when we play music. Lyrically Chad puts a positive spin on most everything. Live we just try to bring the party
and have fun! Even our pics aren't the normal tough guy metal band photos. It's ok to have fun and even smile!
<CV WW> Any of your songs really speak to you on a personal level (or is that too touchy-feely a question for a Metal band)?
<Brian Smith> We're an open book and very secure as people. We don't have to put on the tough metal guy front. I pride myself on being real and don't mind getting personal. Yes our songs often have deep meaning and connect with the fans and ourselves personally as well. We have had fans tell us how our songs have helped them and even saved their lives before. On a personal note the song that got hard for me to play several years ago "Kill Your Children." The song is about divorce and broken families and the effects it has on the kids. I remember playing in Corona, California and there were big mirrors on the side of the stage. I looked over while playing that song and it hit me. I was living the song and my son and step son (who were really young at the time) were home while I was on the road. I felt very guilty about my divorce and how it was affecting them. I actually cried in the van that night after the show. Their mom wasn't the best mom and that was a huge part of what took me off the road for a while. I need-
ed to be home for them. They are older now so it's much easier for me now and I enjoy touring more now than I did in the earlier years.
<CV WW> Seven full length albums – does the process get any easier each new record? Or do you just get better at it?
<Brian Smith> The process does change. Usually it's the recording equipment that changes. Yes we definitely get better at it ourselves. From song writing to knowing how we want it to sound on the recording. We are pretty seasoned at this point, very professional. I try to nail my parts in 1 or 2 takes. I like a lot of pre-production and knowing what you're gonna do as opposed to writing in the studio and over experimenting. I truly do love recording!
<CV WW> You‘ve toured all over the WORLD –Canada (eh?), Europe, and Japan – what can you tell us about how the fans are different in those areas versus the US?
<Brian Smith> There's a great appreciation from other fans in other countries for sure. And I hate to say it but most of the world has better taste in music than the U.S. We have so much radio rock, hip-hop and pop shoved down our throats while so much good music goes unnoticed. I'm not a fan of radio and very little new music excites me anymore.
<CV WW> What is the smallest crowd you can remember playing for? How about the biggest?
<Brian Smith> Smallest...probably 3 people. Larges…several thousand, probably somewhere between 5,000-8,000 people.
<CV WW> You guys typically tour 9 or so months out of the year, did I read that right? What kind of grind is that for you, especially after 20 years?
<Brian Smith> When it's a fun tour it's no grind at all! We love what we do! But yes sometimes you get tired, or sick and worn out. Luckily we get to party with our friends every night so we can't complain!
<CV WW> Your live shows are pretty much pandemonium, entertaining and energetic – how are you able to focus even after 20 years?
<Brian Smith> We're definitely very seasoned at this point but I feel like we continue to grow and get better as a band both in writing and also live. I don't know how we do it but the shows seem to get more
energetic and even crazier! Just fun high energy from the first note to the last!
<CV WW> Do you guys still do the ―Wall of Death‖? Has anyone gotten seriously hurt doing it? Have you guys ever jumped into the mix?
<Brian Smith> We don't do it as often as we have in the past. Some people have gotten hurt in the past not just from that but just the high energy in the crowd and the aggression that comes out from us and the audience. We try to always maintain a positive vibe at our shows and Chad always keeps an eye out if someone falls down or someone gets a little too drunk or too rough. We definitely push for a fun vibe throughout our performance. And yes at some of our earlier shows I was known to hand off my sticks to my drum tech halfway through the last song and I'd stage dive and finish out the song in the pit before jumping back up onstage. I don't so much anymore. As we achieved more success and got bigger I remember one of our shows when Hatebreed opened for us that I tried to get in the pit during their set and as opposed to simply "moshing" I was actually getting mobbed and people were grabbing me! I couldn't get anywhere and actually had to get out and go backstage! It was crazy but funny and I realized then that we were starting to get some fanatic fans.
<CV WW> What are some of the craziest things your fans have done at a show?
<Brian Smith> HaHa sometimes we do crazier things than our fans! Some of the backstage antics get out of
hand and I could tell a lot of horribly amazing, inappropriate stories! I'd have to give some thought on a crazy fan story...or at least what I consider crazy. We have definitely become desensitized to what most people consider extreme or crazy.
<CV WW> Do you guys have any memorable shows – why were they memorable?
<Brian Smith> The show I like to share when asked this question is the first time we headlined the House of Blues in Vegas. We were headlining over bands that had huge labels behind them and radio was pushing them. Well when it was show time for us I remember walking out with the lights dimmed, intro playing and the roar of the crowd just gave me the most intense goosebumps! I got up behind my drums and we killed it! That will always be a stand out performance to me and it was definitely a moment where I felt a huge sense of accomplishment.
<CV WW> Okay, HOLY SMOKES! I was just looking through the photos on your official website, and what the heck is up with Great Falls and the dude in the bikini briefs?!
<Brian Smith> Great Falls is always a great time! We love all of Montana! I thought you were referring to our recent Halloween show there where I was wearing short shorts, a fanny pack and a bra but I realized you're talking about Van, my old drum tech. You literally lose your mind on the road. Sometimes we get crazy and do silly things for fun. I used to talk him into wearing women's clothing or underwear only and doing stupid stuff. It's all in fun and part of crazy life on the road!
<CV WW> For a long time you guys toured with some heavy hitters like Slayer, Slipknot, Otep, Lamb of God, and others – what did you learn from bands like those about being on the road, about showmanship?
<Brian Smith> By the time we were touring with bands like these we had already been playing for a long time and already headlining our own shows so without sounding cocky I don't know that we really
learned a lot from touring with other bands. We already knew the game quite well. The most exciting thing was playing to bigger crowds and winning over new fans.
<CV WW> These days you are headlining your own tour – how different is it to be headlining? Is there any more pressure when you‘re a headliner?
<Brian Smith> There are differences and yes there is sometimes more pressure. You usually get a longer set and full production. We have always remained humble and enjoy varying it up. It is rewarding to know that everyone is there to see you as the headliner but it also goes back to the whole staying hungry thing...it's sometimes equally fun to just have an opening half hour set and come out swinging, (and in a friendly way) schooling other bands, and winning over new fans in the crowd.
<CV WW> We hooked up through Facebook; tell us what the band thinks about social media – critical component or necessary evil?
<Brian Smith> The whole music industry has completely changed. Yes a necessary tool, however it shouldn't be a replacement for hard work on a bands part. I can't blame young bands (because they may not know better) but promoters should know better than to just rely on Facebook to promote a show. It's definitely made people lazier. And no one can sell albums like they used to since everything is digital these days. I do support legal downloads where artists get compensation. I'm not a fan of a free download of a song that someone ripped from YouTube that
sounds like crap. Sure the tape trading days were a similar concept but again, they sounded like shit and you'd go out and get the new album of the band when it was released. A million YouTube views doesn't mean much as far as financial gain for the artist. Sure you may reach a bigger audience but does that mean they're gonna come to a show? And again some crap videos have 20,000,000 views while some amazing bands fly under the radar. And the million likes on Facebook doesn't always translate to numbers at a show. I encourage people to come to a show and forget about your stress and worries and just party and have a good time.
<CV WW> How has the music industry changed since the first Hemlock album in 1996?
<Brian Smith> Back up on the soapbox. LOL The biggest thing is the lack of album sales these days. Bands that would have sold 20,000,000 albums are lucky to sell a million. I think there's even less loyalty to artists, especially as far as mainstream goes. I'm not a fan of much current music out there. It seems like people forgot how to write a catchy, memorable song. Record companies are crumbling and music stores are closing and that's sad to me. I was excited to go flip through records and you'd count down the days „til a new release came out. Now you can download the album a month before its release date. The fact that buy-ons exist and you rarely see bands take out up and coming bands just because they like them and want to help their career is also disappointing. So if a shitty band has a lot of money they can just buy onto tours and festivals...ehhh it's always been about money more than talent anyways. I'm done with this answer I suppose.
<CV WW> After 20 years in the studio, concert venues, and on the road, what advice would you give a young Hemlock band, what do you know now that you wished you knew back then?
<Brian Smith> I would definitely say be yourselves and play the music you love playing. Don't follow the trends, set the trends. If you have a song you don't like, toss it „cause you may get stuck playing it for years. Just work hard and make sure you get along with everyone in your band and respect each other. You really get to know someone on tour and it's already hard enough with everyday life struggles on the road but it's far worse if you're with someone you hate. And communication is huge. Have band meetings and let everyone talk and just hang and be friends. Learn your instrument well and rehearse your songs and put on an entertaining show. I'm not a fan of bands that just stand still and look down at their hands while they play. You're an entertainer so entertain! And just be careful because there are a lot of sharks out there. We got ripped off and screwed over a bunch in our early days. Everyone preaches support of the scene, support other bands but few bands actually do. We are always the first ones to the show and the last to leave. So if you get an opening spot be respectful and don't be a whiny prima donna and be easy to work with. Set up, don't whine about stage space because the headliner often wants to or needs to backline (most opening bands don't use all the stage space given anyways), get off in a timely manner so not to push the whole show behind. Get out of the way quickly. You can wind cables up and take cymbals off by the side of the stage instead of dicking around onstage and pissing everyone off. Stay humble if you're gonna make a career out of it, minimalize your overhead. If you have the girlfriend or wife, a couple kids, a nice car and a huge house payment you're probably never gonna be able to tour so make your choice and stick with it. One guy that isn't on the same page as everyone can ruin a break for everyone else in the band if an opportunity arrives.
<CV WW> Of course, the fact that you‘ve been around and still packing them in after 20 years is significant, but what would you think is your greatest accomplishment to date?
<Brian Smith> I think to show 20 years is the greatest accomplishment in itself. I know so many bands that have had much more success that have lasted a fraction of our time. I don't want a million dollars of debt
hovering over us. We've seem so many bands and trends come and go but we've just kept plugging along doing our own thing on our own schedule on our own terms. Time sure does fly! It sure doesn't seem like 20 years.
<CV WW> With all your success through the years, have you ever thought of sitting down on a warm beach with a fruity drink and saying ―we made it‖? After all this time, you‘ve probably earned the right to sit on your laurels and get fat & happy.
<Brian Smith> Well, thank you but no, if we sit around too long we go stir crazy and just wanna get back out and play again. And I think any time any band sits back and thinks "oh we made it" and they let success go to their head then the band loses touch with reality and doesn't progress anymore. There is
something to be said about a band that stays hungry and raw that keeps the creative juices flowing and makes them want to strive for more. I'm glad we've never lost sight of who we are.
<CV WW> Where do you guys think you are in the ―journey‖ of Hemlock?
<Brian Smith> The Hemlock journey will probably always continue. I can't imagine not doing it. I've been doing this since I was 10 years old. It's the only thing I truly love. I can't stand sitting still too long. The 9-5 will kill you. There is a great big world out there and I encourage people to get out and see some of it. As far as Hemlock goes we constantly have a list of projects in front of us that we want to work on so that keeps us motivated and moving forward. And the excitement of writing new music and filming new videos and always trying to be creative and outdoing ourselves keeps it challenging too.
<CV WW> It‘s late 2013, you guys are home from touring, what‘s in store for the band in 2014, what can we look forward to?
<Brian Smith> We are going to do some new writing over the winter break. We've been kicking around
some riffs and tunes and even have left over songs from our last album. Not that they weren't good enough to go to album, just that we had so many songs so off the bat we already have a half album worth of kick ass tunes. Some of which we've already performed live. We have a new DVD and live CD coming out that we filmed and recorded at our Vegas 20 Year Anniversary show. So those are on deck next. We also need to get a new video editor. Not only for music videos but we have so much footage (we need to convert and get edited) that spans our whole career. I'd like to see that get done next year. We hope to head back to Europe and Ireland and eventually Australia. That's the next country we'd like to tackle. And of course we'll be all over the U.S. again. When the tour bus fire ups we'll definitely role to a town near you!
(click on a face for band links)
There is no stopping Filter. After almost 20 years and six records, Richard Patrick still shows he has creativity to spare. “The Sun Comes Out Tonight” is bar none the best Filter album to date and one of the top records of the year. Life is hard on the road but Richard found a few moments to talk to Exiles about the album and what really moved him to create this masterstroke. As if that wasn’t enough, following excellent interview with Metal Exiles, CV WW presents Filter in concert, done by Sherry Keith of Mystic Photography, along with a review by Miranda Trenholm.
An Interview with Richard Patrick
Metal Exiles: To start off with, I know that “The Sun Comes Out Tonight” was supposed to be a selfreleased album. What made you decide to go through Wind Up instead?
Richard Patrick: They offered us a deal and with their huge amount of resources we could not say no. We are on our second video and the budget for it is bigger than any I havehadinthelastfiveyears. They arecompletelybehindussoit’sano brainer. Theytoldustodeliverthe goodsand whenweturnedtherecordintheywereveryhappywithit and so far it has been a rewarding experience. I would not trade any recordcompanyforthem.
Metal Exiles: Why did you want to do it independently in the first place?
Richard: The original thinking is thatwehaveenoughfans,youmake 100% of the money when they buy the record and then the next thing you know you really miss the resourcesandpowerthatrecordcompanieshavesowemadethatchange andmovedon.
Metal Exiles: “The Sun Comes Out Tonight” is to me one of the most commercial Filter albums but still has a lethal punch. Did some of this come from Jonathan Radtke or were you pushing Filter’s boundaries again?
Richard:JohnnyandI madeadeci-
sionthatwewerenotgoingtohave an adversarial conversation with our label and the word hit single cropped up in our conversations. When the record company signs you they tell you they want something that will make it to radio, we needsomethingthat’sgoingtoconnect and I understand that. I have been listening to the Rolling Stones since I was alittlekid, I know what a hook is so Bob (Marlette –Producer) and I said ok let’s go do that. Johnny said we cannot have recordcompaniestellinguswhatto do but I explained to him that record companies are here to benefit us and we are going to work in the confinesofourcreativity. Onceyou have the Filter creativity in there and it’s in the realm of something theywanttheneverybodyishappy. You have to think of something catchy like ‘Hey Man Nice Shot’. Every time I sing that song the crowdsingsitrightbacktome.
Metal Exiles: And it is still a heavy song.
Richard: Yeah, it’s mean and its heavy. ‘Self-Inflicted’ was written likethat,ithasthatsamecatchiness to it. There are ways to work with the people around you whether it’s the record company, producer or guitar player, as long as it is truly whatyoufeelyourmusicisabout. I think Johnny was apprehensive becausehewaspushedupagainstthe wall with Kill Hannah (his former
by Jeffrey Easton
band) but for me it was easy. We wrote ‘Surprise’ in 15 minutes, which he thought was great and I told him that’s a hit single. We’re justheretohavefunandmakemusic,notfuckourselvesoutofopportunities. I wrote ‘Take A Picture’ from the most personal time of my life, I am trying to apologize to my parents through music on the radio thinking maybe they will hear this and understand what I am going through. It’s relevant to me but when people hear acoustic guitars in a Filter song they say “Filter is just trying to get on the radio” but wehavealwaysbeenontheradio.I am just trying to get across how I feel and if you are a real Filter fan youwillunderstandit.
Metal Exiles: The original thought was to do a very heavy record and you succeeded but you also have stuff like ‘Surprise’. Why did you decide to include the mellower stuff?
Richard:BecauseIlikethat stuff, it is who I am. There are twelve songs; do you want every one of them to be the same? I find that bandsfindtheirnicheandtheystick to it. Then you end up at 60 years old wearing the little School Boy Outfitjumpingaroundandthesinger grabs his balls for every song. You have to open your mind and explorewhat’soutthere. IloveAC/ DC but I am not wearing purple pants. This is why we change shit
upanddomellowstuff, becausewe are artists. ‘It’s My Time’ is probablyoneofthemostbeautifulsongsI have ever recorded, it was just me andmypiano,Ilovethatsong.
Metal Exiles: Lyrically, this is a dark record, even ‘Surprise’. For the title track, ‘The Sun Comes Out Tonight’, what was it like mentally reliving the drug days for the motivation?
Richard:Itwasgreatbecausethose were amazing times. You just have to channel the energy and relive it. I have to accept the fact that I have done some crazy things but at least Iamstillheretotalkaboutit.
Metal Exiles: Would you ever go back and do drugs again or are you done with that?
Richard: I think I would just kill myselfifIdidthat.
Metal Exiles: You survived doing the stuff but you have artists that die left and right.
Richard: Well, I stopped doing drugs11yearsago.
Metal Exiles: I thought the original idea behind ‘Surprise’ was someone rescuing you from your addictions. How does it feel to have people take your material many ways?
Richard:Iwantpeopletotaketheir owninterpretations.
Metal Exiles: It was nice that you wrote that to your wife.
Richard: I want to talk about what is in my life and it is pretty universal,everyonegoesthroughit. Ihave seen my kid 16 days in the last six months, it is horrible being on the road.Youhavetodowhatyouhave to do and I am out here paying the bills. Sheisbyherself,almostbeing a single mom with two kids is tough.
Metal Exiles: One of the other songs on the album that stands
out is ‘We Hate It’. Do you ever have the feelings expressed in that song or is that from someone else’s point of view?
Richard: I really hate someone rightnow;in fact, Iam pissedoffat a bunch of people. I do not want to spoilthesurpriseastowhoitisbut people can come up with their own names.It’slike‘HeyManNiceShot’; it was always up for interpretation butIwroteitaboutaguythathelda pressconferenceandkilledhimself.
Metal Exiles: A Lot of this album has the feel of the early Filter material. Do you at times feel the way you did when you were first starting your band?
Richard: We created a whole type of sound and when you sound like yourselfandyouarewritingallnew verses and lyrics, that’s a good thing. We went for that, let’s write our type of music and stick by our guns. That’s the Filter sound and we actually sat around and wondered what it was about ‘Hey Man NiceShot’thatwassoamazing.You have these dark verses, you have these vocals that bring you in and explode in the chorus and these mesmerizing guitar riffs. We paid homage to that and wrote something completely different of that modeloftheFiltersound.Whenthe third single, ‘Self Inflicted’, comes out,thatwillreallymakepeoplesay that Filter is staying true to who theyare.Havingsaidthat,thereare songs like ‘Surprise’ and ‘It’s My Time’thatyougettodiscoverwhen youbuythewholerecord.With‘Self Inflicted’ I wanted to talk about the schoolshootingsandhowtheseassholes show up and say “You made medoitsociety,Iamgoingtokillall of these kids because of you”. It’s like trying to say that its society’s faultthattheykillliketheydowhen it’sjusttheperson.
Metal Exiles: It is always the person in question. It is like when
kids kill themselves and the parents blame the music for making them doing it. No, your kid had a screw loose already.
Richard: And maybe the parenting wasn’t there as well. You have to look at why these kids get assault weapons online, why they weren’t parented very well or why they were bullied the way they were. There is something to say to why these kids have a screw loose. The kids also want fame, theysay“Fuck this, we aregoingto kill everybody and we are going to befamous,thiswillbeourcrowning achievement.”
Metal Exiles: I was bullied some in elementary school but when I grew my hair long and wore black all the time it stopped. I got past it but seemingly some people cant. You just have to find a way around it and you know, not shoot everybody. I know in the past you have been super political and this album is everything but. With everything that’s going on right now do you think you will write that way again?
Richard: ThisbandismytherapeuticcouchwhereIlaydownandspill my guts, I just sit here and talk about what’s going through my head. Right now, my political activism is just on my Facebook pages, I rarelyinvolvethebandinitunlessI really feel that something needs to bedone.
If you have yet to pick up The Sun ComesOutTonight, youaredepriving yourself of a massive music experience. Denyyourselfnolonger.
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