CVSW_June_2013

JUNE Issue

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THE Custom Lifestyle Magazine for Car, Motorcycle, and Music Enthusiasts

He’s BACK...and BADDER than ever...

From the Desk of the Pres Letter from the Editor……

Another power packed issue from CV SouthWest Magazine!

CVSW spends time with Paul Anthony and the gang from Systemec; delving into their metal minds to bring you the gory details!

Metal Exiles sits down with Jason Newsted to talk about his new project, and his road well traveled.

We detail the successful “Las Vegas has a Heart II” fundraiser for the One Fund, started to assist the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

We bring you TOTAL CHAOS at LVCS, an incredible show of energy and mayhem; Mystic Photography brings you her usually outstanding concert shots, this month of Project 11, Count’s 77, and our old friend Laura Wilde.

We give you the Pros Gear; featuring Jason from Shine*Ola and Lisa C from Doc’s Angels.

And Kevin Lastovica brings you the goings on and happenings throughout Vegas in his own special way.

ENJOY...until next month my friends.

Cover Photo by JR WYATT Photography

Cover Rock Calendar

3

SYSTEMEC

4

Drumiture

10

Las Vegas has a Heart II

12

Newsted

16

News you can Use

20

Total Choas @ LVCS

24

CV SW in Concert

26

Gear the Pros Use

28

Anatomy of a Car Crash

30

Las Vegas Nightlife

34

Tattoo Gallery

36

Chris CV Southwest Magazine

Locally Owned / Nationally Known

Contact Us - Info@cvworldwidemagazine.com

CV SOUTHWEST MAGAZINE © 2012-13 is published monthly and NO reproduction of content is permitted without Publisher‟s prior approval. Publisher assumes no financial responsibility for the errors in ads beyond the cost of space occupied by error; a correction will be printed. Publisher is not liable for: any slandering of an individual, or group as we mean no malice or individual criticism at any time; nor are we responsible for the opinions or comments of our columnists; and promises, coupons, or lack of fulfillment from advertisers who are solely responsible for the content of their ads. Publisher is also to be held harmless from: failure to produce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond control; all suits, claims or loss of expenses; this includes but is not limited to, suits for libel, plagiarism, copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a persons name or photograph.

June 1 June 1 June 7 June 7 June 7 June 7 June 8 June 8 June 12 June 13 June 14 June 14 June 15 June 15 June 16 June 17 June 19 June 21 June 21 June 21 June 21 June 21 June 22 June 28 June 29 June 29 June 29 Ev Thur Ev Fri Ev Sat

Systemec the Roxy Gunn Project Acoustic Arena BlackBox 13 Payback by Proxy the Solid Suns Love & Opium Motley Too Brazen Brazen Acoustic Arena Brazen Brazen Smashing Alice Brazen Heavy Honey Future Villians Acoustic Arena Dirty Pairadice First Class Trash Project Eleven Systemec Smashing Alice Acoustic Arena Brazen Count's 77 Stoney Curtis Band Arena Tribute Arena Tribute Arena Tribute

Vinyl the Bunkhouse Shakespeare's Pub Cheyenne Saloon Cheyenne Saloon Cheyenne Saloon the Raven Whiskey a Go Go Brew Brothers Brew Brothers Shakespeare's Pub Brew Brothers Brew Brothers Rumors Hotel Brew Brothers Hard Rock Café Viper Room Shakespeare's Pub Vamp'd Bar Deluxe Hammers Bar & Grill Vamp'd Hard Rock Hotel Shakespeare's Pub Vamp'd Vamp'd Vamp'd Fremont St Main Stage Fremont St Main Stage Fremont St Main Stage

Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Henderson, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Worcester, MA Los Angeles, CA Reno, NV Reno, NV Henderson, NV Reno, NV Reno, NV Las Vegas, NV Reno, NV Las Vegas, NV Los Angeles, CA Henderson, NV Las Vegas, NV Salt Lake City, UT Henderson, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Henderson, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV

It is like an epidemic...you cannot stop it. Try and halt the inevitable advance, the unstoppable march of Systemec, as they gather fans and force, as they march towards the pinnacle. Try and stop a wave on a beach...that will be an easier task.

CV SouthWest catches Paul Anthony and the boys in a rare quiet moment, away from the thunder of their shows, to chat about their evolution, their assault on the music scene, and their SuperJen!

<CV SouthWest>: First and foremost, tell us <CV SW>: How did you approach Greg & True who’s in the band and what they do. to join Systemec? They were already in Paul – Vocals bands, was that a delicate process?

True – Lead Guitar <PAUL>: Greg actually responded to one of Chukd – Bass our Craigslist ads looking for drummer. True Greg - Drums is a fellow employee at Rhinos Staging with <CV SW>: Tell us about the evolution of Sys- Chukd so they knew each other for a while. FMF hadn't been performing out live temec, of putting together THIS lineup. <PAUL>: I started back in 2007 as a solo re- for a few years, so it wasn‟t a huge deal for him cording project but progressed into a full live to come over. It all went very smoothly! band by 2009. Longtime friends Chad Gendason (Producer) and bassist Chukd have been <CV SW>: What do you think it is about this along for the whole ride. It took a couple years group that works so well? and a few member changes „til we found Greg <PAUL>: Well, first off we are all good & True. Greg was the drummer for local Pan- friends, so we get along great and are all on the tera tribute band “Far Beyond Driven” and same page goal-wise! A bonus is that everyTrue was the guitarist/singer for “FMF”, a lo- body plays multiple instruments and adds cal Las Vegas original band. I tell you, it feels their own unique flavor to the music. We are so good to have a solid lineup; these guys are currently working on lots of new music; we can‟t wait to get back in studio and blast out my brothers in arms. <TRUE>: “You & Me”, and “S.O.S.” are the some more tunes. ones that made it clear to me that I needed to <CV SW>: Any special process or cool info be a part of this project.

and it‟s motivating… <CV SW>: At what age did you guys start playing music? <TRUE>: I started playing guitar at 5, violin at 8, drums at 10, and bass at 11... I started singing and played my first gig at age 4 years old in a country band. My parents were a big influence in me starting with music, I can‟t thank them enough for letting me do my thing. <GREG>: I was hooked at 13; I started after my brother took me to a Nirvana concert, that changed my life. Once I saw 3 guys with so much energy on stage and the way Dave Grohl bashed the drums I said that‟s what I wanna do. The rest is history. <PAUL>: I started off strumming my dad‟s acoustic guitar at age 7, rocking out to old Elvis songs. Believe it or not, singing really wasn't my thing...I tried out for grade school chorus but the teacher said I couldn‟t sing, made a huge ass of me in class. LOL, can I flip her off now in this interview? Just kidding… I didn‟t start singing „til I was about 19 years old and only because our band couldn‟t find a singer. <CHUKD>: I started playing guitar at age 14.

I didn't actually start playing bass till I was in about where the name came from? my twenties when I joined my first band with <PAUL>: Well we changed the spelling a little Paul. I was also in theatre all thru high school to make it ours of course. Let‟s start with the so singing has always been a part of me, being definition of Systemic…"Systemic" refers to on stage is a place where I belong. something that is spread throughout, systemwide, affecting a group or system such as a <CV SW>: Who are your musical influences? body, economy, market or society as a whole. <TRUE>: I grew up listening to all the 80's & It‟s a name that‟s always been on mind. It‟s 90's greats but, I suppose the top 3 most pivotgot a musical and personal meaning to me. I al influences would be Queensryche, Fates have a song I wrote named Systemec from Warning, and Dream Theater. about 11 years ago. To me it explains our <PAUL>: GNR, Queensryche, Rob Zombie, sound, our objective to cover every sub-genre Metallica, Pantera, NIN, Slipnot, the list goes in rock music that we can, to infiltrate it all on and on.. I started as a late 80's rocker, with "Systemec Rock". We always try keep it GNR was my favorite childhood band. Eddie interesting to our listeners, or at least to Van Halen was one of my biggest inspirations us. Personally it relates to my girl of 17 years, to pick up a guitar. As a singer Corey Tayshe's has some systemic health issues. A lot of lor… damn he's good…. what I write about has to do with what we <CHUKD>: For me, Rush had been one of my have been thru together since her spinal stroke primary influences since before I could even about 14 years ago. It‟s hard but it‟s strong play a note. Tool, Dream theatre, Pink Floyd,

Led Zeppelin, Killswitch Engage, all the way an emotional level, really hits them to the core. to Genesis, Ozzy, Dio, Megadeth.....I could re- Because we write many of our songs based on ally go on forever here... life, they become something that our fans can understand and relate to…people can relate to life experience, not to crazy parties of rock bands, that‟s fleeting and something they don‟t experience. <CHUKD>: We are a very energetic group of guys that love to engage the crowd. I think being personal with our fans after the show has been one of our greatest assets; they are not only our fans, they are all becoming fast friends, and we love that. Too many artists show up, play, then leave...that‟s not us, we want to know who comes to our shows. <CV SW>: Where does the inspiration to write music come from? <PAUL>: The need to vent out life experiences…some good some bad…but life is a strong force when it comes to song material. Music has always been my medicine! <CV SW>: You say “music is my medicine” – is it an escape out of reality, or just more therapeutic for you just to get feelings out? <PAUL>: Therapeutic, a way to just let go.

We all need an outlet, something to help us make it through, to purge out the poison. We see music as a way to feel good, to let it go and be happy in the moment.

<CV SW>: Corey Taylor – what about him do <CV SW>: What message to you try to convey you try to emulate? <PAUL>: I don‟t try to emulate his voice, just with your music? like his vocal range, he changes things up a lot, <PAUL>: Whatever I‟m feeling at the time I‟m that‟s what I always liked about Axl Rose too. writing the song…maybe serious, angry, happy, sad…every emotion a human can feel. Our <CV SW>: What do you think appeals to your music moves through your system, it‟s a Systemec sound. :) fans most about your music? <PAUL>: Hmm that‟s a hard one; is it the loud <CV SW>: Tell us about a typical Systemec guitars, pounding drums, thumping bass, screaming vocals? If it‟s any one of those, show, how do the fans react to the music? we‟re doing well, but we think it‟s all four of <PAUL>: It‟s been great so far, lots of repeat them! We are just so happy people have been fans or as I like to say, lots of friends of ours now. Fist up in the air to all of you…see you at responding so much to our music! <TRUE: I think our music touches people on the next show!

<TRUE>: We have the best fans ever! Though we tend to consider those who support us as friends…people who will take the time to listen to us play, those are our friends, whether or not they might be there to see another band. <CV SW>: How do you want them to feel? <PAUL>: Up close and personal, we like to hang out with our fans as much as possible after every show. Life‟s about living, meeting new people and having fun! <CV SW>: Tell us about a one of your most memorable shows. <PAUL>: Halloween night at Vinyl in the Hard Rock. <TRUE>: Yeah, that night was epic. <PAUL>: We hit the stage after GNR finished across the hall at the Joint, people from the GNR show just started rolling in the doors as we were playing. We ended up playing about an hour longer than we had too. Heck we played a couple songs twice! HaHa Afterwards we all ended up in Axl Rose‟s suite, hanging out till dawn. It was a grand time! <CHUKD>: There are a few that come to mind...that Halloween was an awesome night, for many months. “30 Ought” is about being but my favorite show was opening for “In This in your 30's…all these responsibilities hit ya Moment”. The crowd was electric! It was a right smack in the face! “Skywind” follows packed night, wall to wall!!! We partied so that up with the clocks ticking….time to make hard! That was one of the best times I have a move, you ain‟t getting any younger had here in Vegas to date! boy! “Rememberance” is an ode to all my family and friends…past, present and fu<CV SW>: What’s the craziest thing a die- ture. “Deconstruct”, well that ones for all the hard Systemec fan has done at a show? haters, our own personal response to the heck<PAUL>: After a gig someone tried to feed us lers and non-believers. I could keep going on salami and cheese they had hidden out in the but… bushes outside the club. Was kind of a creepy <CHUKD>: For me, “Rememberance” hits situation, that‟s all I can really say. LOL home really hits home hard for me! I love the people that call me friend very much, and that <CV SW>: Any of your songs speak to you on song keeps them all, old and new, in my heart. a personal level? <PAUL>: All of them, on many levels. Music <CV SW>: What are your thoughts about the has always been a way to escape for me. My Vegas music scene… diary. For instance “SOS‟ stands for Sound of <PAUL>: The Vegas scene is awesome! It is Sorrow, it‟s a song about missing the ones you rock city USA!!!

We absolutely love it love, inspired by me having to leave my family here! So many cool shows. Lots of awesome

local bands! The hardest thing is deciding not to over gig locally. Though we are itching where to go tonight! to hit the road if the right opportunity comes our way. <CV SW>: You guys are pretty active on social media, how do you think it’s changed the face <CV SW>: “Skywind” was featured on a video game “Baja Racing: Edge of Control” – how of local music? <PAUL>: Social media makes it a lot easier for did that come about? us bands to get the word out about our music <PAUL>: Universal/Mastersource/SLP - I 've and local shows! Like it or not, it‟s a great way had a few tracks placed by them over the to throw info out. years. <CV SW>: How has the band leveraged it for <CV SW>: The Skywind feature on the video publicity? game – you said you’ve had a few tracks <PAUL>: Mainly Facebook and mailing list, placed by them – those guys actually that‟s all we do to promote shows, we really “shopped” your music around, or did they see haven‟t done much in the way of flyers yet… an opportunity for a good match…tell us more still, it‟s such a great way to communicate with about it. fans. <PAUL>: It was an opportunity for a good match; Chad at SLP <CV SW>: Have you has done a lot of work experienced any for them in the past, downside to the soso that combined with cial media process? timing put it all to<CHUKD>: It's a gether. It‟s kind of great way to network cool to have your mawith, our friends, new terial on the soundfans, and other track for a video bands! It's nothing game. but a plus and will continue to be that <CV SW>: It was also way as long as lines of featured on The Baccommunication are chus StarLeague Fileft open. nals…are you telling <PAUL>: Yeah, I‟d me a bunch of comsay so far so good! puter nerd gamers <CV SW>: You guys used your music? don’t play a ton of That’s awesome! <PAUL>: Of course, shows, maybe once/ it‟s the Systemec epimonth, is that by dedemic! There was also sign? had an artist on Sony <PAUL>: Yes, being Japan redo our song we are an all original "Powertrip". I have to band, under the adadmit it was so cool to vice from our label/ hear our music in a management we try different language.

<CV SW>: Paul, you have quite a different years”, it might sound mushy, but what has range of voices (for instance, Rememberance her support of your music meant to you? vs. Skywind), do you write a song with a <PAUL>: The world! She is the love of my life, particular sound in mind, or just decide after my soul mate! Without her I wouldn't be giving this interview, she is beautiful and strong the song is done? <PAUL>: Nope I just go with the flow... I just and courageous! After her Spinal AVM Stroke pick up a guitar and start writing or just start back in 1998 I quit the music thing for a few singing to the music written for me to, which- years, but without her pushing me to get back ever way it may be. I usually write a couple out there I would have never done it. She's my different vocal approaches for each song. Al- SuperJen! ways trying to find new ways to approach <CV SW>: Where does Systemec go from here, things. Depending on what is going on in my life at the moment is usually what I write what are the big plans for 2013? <PAUL>: Of course a major record deal & about.. world tour would be nice! SLP is working on some possible tour dates starting after the release of our full length CD. <CV SW>: When’s the full length CD due to be released <PAUL>: Hopefully by fall 2013, Currently 11 tracks are being mixed by Jimbo James Barton & Chad Gendason at SLP Studio. Jimbo has mixed Queensryche, Stonesour, Matchbox 20 the list goes on. Currently they are finishing up the new Queensryche record, as soon as that‟s done they will be finishing up our mixes. <CV SW>: If you could choose what national <CV SW>: So rock the hell outta Vegas, release touring band would u like to tour with? the CD, then conquer the world? <TRUE>: Hmm.... there are so many. I sup- <PAUL>: You got it! We are searching for the pose I'll give you a few that I think we would right opportunity to support a National act. pair up well with. Five Finger Death Punch, But we'd be happy just rocking it in Vegas for Otherwise, Linkin Park, or any of the bands the rest of our days, lots of opportunities in this we've already opened for, including Saving great city!

Abel, In This Moment, 10 Years, and Trapt.

However, I'll be happy touring with Justin Beiber as long as it gets us out on the road!

<NO touring with Justin Bieber!> <GREG>: Foo Fighters & the Rolling Stones. <PAUL>: Wait, did he say Justin Bieber? <CHUKD>: Five Finger Death Punch! <TRUE>: Oh, and Metallica would be a sweet show man. Ok, sorry, no Bieber... <CV SW>: Paul, speaking of “your girl of 17

https://www.facebook.com/systemec http://www.systemec.us

Turning old instruments

into art!

Terry has now expanded Instrument Art is some- have. He is currently working thing Terry at Guinner on a Mandolin Jewelry Box, a his repertoire to include differGraphix has been doing for custom base for a member of ent instruments, everything years for many people that the all-female band Zepparel- from mandolins to guitars of have a love for instru- la, a commemorative CV all kinds, making custom pic ments. Terry has found, since WorldWide guitar, and some- guards and head stock art. He being back in California, body even asked him to do is constantly on the go, workthat local music stores have a something with their pi- ing with different vendors and endless source of instruments ano! He can make a piece of personalities to generate great to bring back to life. He will furniture out of an unusable or art pieces, many for charities. personalize your drums, gui- unwanted instruments, he does Terry is also the nicest guy in the room, always willing to tars, and any instrument you it all. help people out

To contact Terry, visit:

www.Drumiture.com

Terry‟s hope has always been to work with many wonderful people in many creative and unique ways, and in accomplishing that he is living his dream. He loves to save vintage or valuable drums in any way, using them to make individual, personal, one-of-akind pieces, his skill and perfection borne of his love of drums and art. Saving drums, meeting great people, helping those in need, and creating some very unique drum furniture is, to Terry, his life‟s calling, and one can see the passion and skill in his work.

In Terry‟s words; “to be able to save these drums and unwanted instruments or cherished mementos and see the appreciative faces of the people for whom I have made them is what truly makes me happy. I‟m excited to say that Drumiture has many new clients contacting me daily, and the donations of numerous unwanted instruments, which I see as „unfinished art‟, is helping me make my dream come true.”

The Pres is a New York Yankees fan, through and through. I bleed pinstripes. So, as a matter of course, I must despise all things Boston. Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins, and…well, don’t care much about pro basketball. Boston is “them”, not an “us”, and we must walk our path through life rooting against “them” in all things; life, sports, women, and business.

But there are times when you need to step up. Times when you put aside your differences and stand by your fellows. May 18th was one of those times. The bombings at the Boston Marathon fundamentally changed people lives, by their suddenness, their severity, and the impact to our emotional state. Many times in our lives the tragedies always seem to happen “there”, not “here”, and we don’t feel the direct pain of the events…but we do feel the empathic pain, the pain of human loss. It is then we are galvanized into action, into support, into doing something to let those affected know “we give a damn”.

Hosted by Phil Varone (of Saigon Kick), organized by Nicki Hiers, and held at Vamp’d (by gracious host Korie Koker), the “Las Vegas Has a Heart II” benefit for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings was an incredible event. Featuring The Roxy Gunn Project, Shine*Ola, Dirty Pairadice, Heavy Honey, Systemec, and Outta the Black, it was a non-stop barrage of rock music enough to satisfy even the most demanding fans. In support of the One Fund in Boston, fans purchased raffle tickets for some incredible prizes given away all during the night…Saigon Kick prize packs, a custom Rockett snare drum, a Boston sports tribute drum from Drumiture, a signed OTB guitar from yours truly, a Fender Stratocaster & $250 in guitar lessons, a custom guitar strap, a bongo from Godsmack, and other incredible items.

The concert also featured some pretty heady stand-ins, including Phil Varone on drums, Jeff Tortora drumming & singing, and even Andrew Freeman with incredible vocals.

In the end, the event raised nearly three THOUSAND of dollars to contribute to the One Fund, courtesy of Vegas people who have a heart.

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TAKES ON Jason Newsted has returned to the music world, and he has come back with a vengeance. He has released a nasty EP simply entitled “Metal” and it will rip your head off. Jason was gracious with his time and checked in with Metal Exiles to give you the fans the lowdown on the return of this mighty bass slinger.

by Jeffrey Easton Metal Exiles: After you left Metallica you have been ing. About five weeks after I jammed with Metallica involved with many tours and albums but it was al- I reformed the original Flotsam And Jetsam and we ways under somebody else’s logo. What finally led played over two weekends, played Doomsday in its you to put something out under the Newsted name? entirety, It was very special. I was searching all of my options, just trying to find a big way to bring the Jason Newsted: This kind of thing happens to music back, the right way, not just some project, not bass players across the board. We go in, especially in tongue in cheek, the real thing. So I tried it with my case and I did get to live a few dreams, and beFlotsam and it was powerful but it was not going to come a resuscitator, a transfusion and a new engine work as far as logistics went. So I thought about my for an established act. With Flotsam And Jetsam I other options and I thought about these two guys I formed that band with Kelly David-Smith but since have been jamming with, drummer Jesus Mendez Jr. then I have not formed a band, meaning I made deciand guitarist Jessie Farnsworth, both from Fresno. sions or chose who was going to be in it. I have been So I wrote a bunch of songs, every part in them and proud of what I have done with helping Metallica gave them to those guys and they brought them back with what they were going through at the time, helpand made them what they are. We just kept it going, ing Voivod coming back to life and playing in Ozzy’s writing more songs and now we have about 21 songs band. Those are three dreams that came true and I that we wrote together and now we have added Mike am very proud of those things. But my fourth dream Mushok on guitars as well. He has been in the band was putting my name on a project, to write my own for about seven weeks now and we have now comsongs with my own voice from top to bottom; it’s a pleted 13 tracks to be delivered to the record compaprideful thing. ny in May and a world tour at our feet. We only started recording the EP six months ago and here we <ME> What did it take to finally make this dream of are with all of this stuff going on, things are moving yours come to pass? pretty fast. <Jason> I have been involved with a lot of projects and shows as mentioned and I was taking Papa Wheelie out for a few shows around the Bay Area just to have a good time and right around that time Metallica was gearing up for their 30th Anniversary and Lars asked me to come play which I said “of course, lets rock some shit” so I went down for all four nights and it was such a great feeling. I have not tasted the energy exchange from the fans for such a long time, especially at the level of Metallica. There are few bands that fire up the crowd like Metallica does, creating unbelievable unity and Metallica has that and always has. All of that got to me and I knew that this was what my life was for, what I was meant to be do-

<ME> You were quoted as saying you are old school and this EP has an old school metal feel in several places. Is that what you wanted to do when you started this project? <Jason> There was no thought process that it would be this or be that, this is just what came out.

It is a culmination of all of the experiences in my musical career and there have been some unbelievable opportunities that I have been privileged to be a part of. When you get to play with the caliber of musicians I have played with I would get wide eyed, my head gets spongy and I take in everything I can from the gifted musicians I have played with. I have played all of these different styles of music over my 30 years so I put it through my filter, regurgitate it am I picking up on the right vibe? and it comes out the way I know best. My forte is old <Jason> There are some things in there that get a school metal, it is what I am made of so that is what little more personal but like any creative person that comes out but it took all of the experiences that I had writes you reflect what’s around you, for good or for to make it what it is. I cannot be anything other than bad. Soldierhead was initiated by reading the Pat what I am.

Tillman story. The music came right away, it was put together in about 20 minutes and when the lyrics <ME> I know that there is a full length album com- came around I knew what I wanted to say. It was a tip of the hat to our service personal and those who ing out so why did you go with the EP first? <Jason> I haven’t been deep into this business protect what we believe in. Godsnake is more of a since I was with Ozzy’s band in 2003 and the last ten personal thing from my childhood I think more than years with Voivod, Echobrain and various other pro- anything. I was raised fairly strictly in the church jects with many styles of music; coming back into it and it comes from a bible story about not judging like this I had to test the waters. I have been repel- others. If God was a snake how would he be judged, ling computers and social media for a while but I fi- as God or a snake? You have to be careful about how nally got a website in November so I could reconnect you judge people on the first glance. I have been with the fans and see what’s out there. So the EP around the world several times now, seen a lot of was to test the waters. I needed to know who was people and I have learned how not to judge people. still out there who would give a shit about my music and what I was doing. Back in the day I spent a lot <ME> Is King Of The Underdogs how you view yourof time with fans before and after shows because that self? was my thing, I always wanted to make that direct <Jason> That song is probably the most personal connection with them. That has come back to me a of them all because the underdog is the one you root thousand fold in respect by those fans, there are for and I am the king, the king of the underdogs. I many thousands of fans around the globe that are want people to root for me coming out again with showing me respect that I did not know would be this project and making it happen. That is my perthere. Now, because of social media, I know that they are there for me and excited to take part in this. <ME> With the material, it seems very personal and the delivery is so aggressive. What were you trying to get out of your system when you were writing this? <Jason> The aggression, that is still me, I haven’t lost it and now that it has my name on it all the chips are in so I have to come out with all guns blazing. It is important for me to show the people how happy I am to be back and to see them. <ME>: Soldierhead does sound intensely personal,

<ME>: To go back to the EP, I know you wrote the EP yourself but how much input did Jesus and Jesse have in finishing the release up? <Jason> It is my seeds but those guys brought it to fruition. I cannot play guitar or drums as good as those guys so they came in, put in their artistry and out came the songs. The early songs are mine but the newer ones that were developed for the full length are all equal parts, there is no weak link in this band, it is everybody writing and playing. Mike Mushok, the last guy to join, brought a dimension and element to this band that I could not have predicted. I did not realize that he was the shredder that he was. I was somewhat familiar with his work in Staind but I had no idea that he was this heavy. I think with this record he will spin some heads. <ME>: Now with the release of this EP you have the tour dates with the club shows, festivals, etc, so what else can we expect from the Newsted camp as you promote this release? <Jason> We just signed on to another big tour that you will be hearing about very soon and there are offers all the way to next year. It is coming out of the woodwork, people are really responding to the EP, they are coming from everywhere trying to get us to be a part of things. <ME>: How does it feel to come out of the shadows of other acts and have everybody want you to play with sonal take on that song but I want people to translate them? it into whatever they are challenged with. <Jason> It feels great, it is empowering. I know I did a lot of hard work in Metallica, I spent a third of <ME> It seems like Skyscraper is well timed. What is my life in that band working very hard and taking it to the people. I earned that part of things that way your opinion on the current lunacy we are facing? <Jason> In this world it is tough taking the metal but for the people to still be there is my fortunate sitmessage and spreading our joy to the masses. It is uation. The fact that when radio plays a Metallica scary now, a lot scarier than before, to go out and song or a video is played from Metallica, it is usually give some fans something to hang on to. It is more with me playing bass and that has kept me alive with threatening now, more foreboding than before and I people waiting for me to come back. had that in the back of my head when I wrote this song. It is about a plane making a big hole in the <ME>: To close this out, when you look back on the side of a skyscraper, which is what the song comes “And Justice For All” record, has your opinion down to. We have all had to deal with the world be- changed over the years because of what happened to ing turned upside down for the last 12 years. On Me- your parts on the record? tallica’s biggest tour for the Black album, we had 16 <Jason> There are so many years of water under semi’s full of gear and nine busses. One of those the bridge with that and I can now see it for what it trucks was full of magnesium, black powder and is. There is no real confusion or mystery to me now blasting caps. We would carry that stuff border to that I can look back after time and look on the situaborder playing 42 countries on that tour. Do you tion. When I went in to record Justice I had only think that kind of stuff is happening now? Probably recorded one time and that was with Flotsam for not.

Doomsday. I was used to recording with the band,

same frequency, my bass and James’ guitar battling for the same frequency. If I had of known then what I know now it would have been different but it became a classic album for what it was, we captured a moment in time and that is all there is about it. I used to be pissed about it back then but that was a long time ago but the records I have made since then have had some ugly bass parts all over the place on them.

So there you have it, Newsted is back, he has a nasty EP of heaviness out and you need to buy it. you go in together, do it and your done. With Justice I went into the studio with an assistant engineer and nobody else, no other band members, just go in, plug in and do your best. I plugged into the same shit I did the Flotsam record, recorded my parts and loaded my gear and went home. There was nobody there to work parts out with or discuss how this or that was going to sound, it was just record your bass and that’s that. Being a bass player in Flotsam, I did not know about playing the to the bass part yet, I just knew about playing bass really fast like guitar, basically everybody playing the same thing like a sonic wall. So it ended up with everything being in the

"PREPARING YOU FOR GREATNESS"

MAKE SURE you visit http://newstedheavymetal.com/ for everything Jason Newsted!

The ABC’s of Vehicle Safety: tech that keeps your car shiny side up Passive safety: Your best defense in a worst-case scenario Passive safety features are systems that activate at the moment of impact. Probably the best known examples of these are crumple zones, seat belts, and airbags, both of which have been around for decades but have evolved significantly since their introduction. The job of the seat belt is to prevent you from flying through the windshield or smashing your face and body into something hard when your vehicle comes to a sudden stop. Similarly, airbags inflate upon impact to provide a softer landing for your face and other sensitive body parts.

Driver and passenger airbags have been standard since the '90s, but today's cars have anywhere from four to more than 10 airbags onboard, each offering protection from a specific injury or crash-related hazard. Side-curtain airbags deploy across the windows to help prevent head injuries in side impacts and rollover incidents, while side torso airbags defend against injury to the abdominal and pelvic areas. Knee airbags, now standard in many cars, deploy below the dash to guard against leg injuries.

One new innovation we've seen on some Fords and Lincolns is the inflatable seat belt, which is intended to take off some of the stress applied to your body in a hard stop. GM now offers a front center airbag that deploys from the right side of the driver's seat to provide additional cushioning in a side impact and prevents front occupants from bumping heads.

Modern seat belts use a three-point design with one strap placed across your lap and one crossing your chest to help distribute the force of a sudden stop more evenly. To spread out that force and further reduce injury, an inflatable seat belt increases its surface greatly area when it deploys.

Another passive safety feature you might not think about often is a car's body structure. Cars have crumple zones built into their bodies, which are meant to dissipate energy in a crash — energy that would otherwise be transmitted to the occupants. Your car's front and rear ends are meant to deform in a certain way to help absorb the force of an impact. A sturdy safety cell structure encircles the cabin, and is quite often comprised of high-strength steel alloys reinforcing the roof and pillars to protect you in a crash. After an accident, some cars offer a subscription-based service that can automatically notify first responders of your position, and the severity of the crash based on data from the car and info you give to an operator, who calls after you get into an accident.

Electronic driving aids: Because we're only human While passive safety features generally aren't used until the moment of a crash, active safety features do their best to prevent a crash. This area has seen great advancement over the years, but there are a few old standbys that continue to keep us out of trouble. Antilock brake systems (ABS), as the name implies, help prevent your tires from locking up and skidding under hard braking. ABS does this by monitoring the speed of all four wheels with sensors, and momentarily releasing brake pressure to an individual wheel to keep it from locking.

Traction control is often a secondary function of ABS, reducing engine power and/or applying individual brakes to prevent a wheel from spinning. Stability control uses a different set of sensors, which monitor your vehicle's lateral movement, rate of rotation, steering angle, throttle position and more. If the vehicle isn't responding appropriately to the control inputs, the system can apply brakes to specific wheels and vary engine power as needed to make the car follow the intended path.

Collision avoidance: Watching your back Many of today's cars are smart enough to sense more than just your wheels slipping, and are in fact aware of other vehicles and objects around you. Collision avoidance or mitigation systems rely on a number of sensors, usually including radar, cameras, lasers, and/or ultrasonic sensors, to determine what's going on outside your car. If the system thinks you're approaching an object too fast, your vehicle will warn you with an audible chime from the speakers, a flashing light at eye level, vibration of the seat or steering wheel, or a combination of the three.

If a simple warning doesn't provide enough of a safety net, some vehicles can intervene to help you avoid an accident. For example, some Fords will prime the brake system's hydraulic lines in preparation for a hard stop when you hit the brakes. Toyotas with the PreCollision system will prime the brakes and also tighten the seat belt pretensioners. Vehicles from Infiniti, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz will even apply brakes for you when so equipped.

Another active safety feature that watches out for vehicles around you is the blind spot monitoring system. As with forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring systems vary from brand to brand. Virtually all systems will show a warning light on the exterior mirror or pillar when an object is detected in your blind spot, and also beep at you if you try to signal into that lane. Likewise, lane departure warning systems can sense when you're drifting out of your lane, and depending on the vehicle, will either alert you or bring you back automatically.

Most systems will beep and flash lights in your face, but vehicles such as the Cadillac ATS and XTS will also vibrate your seat to further grab your attention. Certain Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz models can gently apply the brakes to bring you back into your lane, and modern electric-power-steering systems will be capable of such corrective steering action in the near future. The warnings are only triggered if you start to cross over the lines without signaling, so drivers who don't like to use their turn signals might want to turn this feature off.

Ask not what your car can do for you (because it's quite a long list) In recent years, active safety features have grown to include systems that keep you safe in a number of specific situations. Adaptive headlights turn with the car to illuminate the patch of road you're aiming for, increasing visibility on dark roads. Similarly, active high beams will turn on automatically if it's dark enough, and can detect the lights of vehicles in front and turn off automatically to avoid dazzling other drivers.

To help make sure you stay awake behind the wheel, certain Mercedes-Benz models with Attention Assist monitor driving inputs and other factors, and will beep at you to recom-

mend a break if they think you're getting drowsy. Driver distraction is a hot topic in vehicle safety these days, with the NHTSA recently releasing guidelines on how manufacturers can limit distractions in the car. Some infotainment systems, like Ford's Sync, can read aloud text messages off a Bluetooth-connected phone and translate voice to text to help curb texting and driving.

Rear cameras are commonplace these days, appearing as standard equipment on many new cars and helping drivers to see what's behind them when backing up. One new feature available on cars such as the 2013 Ford Fusion is cross-traffic detection, which combines the rear-view camera and blind spot monitoring systems to alert drivers when a vehicle is about to cross their path as they're backing up. Some rearview monitors from Nissan and BMW offer a different perspective, with multiple cameras placed around the vehicle to create a bird's eye view, helping you to better position your car in a tight spot. Proximity detection is another feature to help you avoid hitting things, alerting you with audible beeps that increase in frequency as your vehicle gets closer to an object.

Ford Cross-Traffic Alert Today's cars aren't only concerned for the safety of their vehicle's occupants, they also consider those outside the car. Pedestrian crash research has helped shape vehicle exterior designs over the past few years, resulting in lower front bumpers, more upright grilles and mandating clearance between the hood and hard engine and body parts beneath it. Active hood struts can raise the rear of the hood to provide such clearance.

More recently, airbags have found their way to the outside of the car. In Europe, Volvo launched the first car equipped with a pedestrian airbag, which deploys in the area where the hood and windshield meet to help prevent head injury. Automakers such as BMW offer infrared lighting systems to help drivers see better at night. Those systems with pedestrian detection can identify and distinguish between humans and animals, and will notify the driver if something is crossing the road.

Volvo Queue Assist Adaptive cruise control helps you maintain a safe distance between your car and the vehicle in front by using radar or laser sensors to adjust speed. Some systems, like Volvo's Queue Assist, can even bring the car to a complete stop, then back up to speed again in stopand-go traffic — a feature that could change how we get around in the future.

Driving connected: The future of transportation Looking ahead, the NHTSA has put emphasis on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications. Such technology would allow your car to "talk" to others on the road, gathering information from the vehicles ahead or, in some cases, the road itself. Warnings about accidents further up, pedestrians crossing the street, or another vehicle running a red light can be sent to other cars on the road, allowing the onboard electronics to determine what speed they should be traveling or whether emergency maneuvers are needed. The NHTSA says driver error contributes to 80% of crashes,

which is why the agency is looking into V2V technology as a possible long-term solution. Volvo also sees V2V as the future of traffic safety, having set a goal of zero crash deaths in new Volvo models by the year 2020.

A concept that takes V2V to another level is fully autonomous vehicles. Audi has been experimenting with autonomous cars for a few years now, with its self-driving TTS traveling up the Pikes Peak hill climb course and around a race track at speeds up to 120 mph. That experiment, developed in collaboration with Stanford University's Center for Automotive Research, recently became one of the first autonomous vehicles to be granted a permit to test on public roads.

Volvo recently performed a test in Europe with a caravan of driverless, V2V-connected cars, which traveled more than 6200 miles behind a human-piloted lead vehicle. Such technology could lead to road trains, an idea that sees multiple V2V-linked cars traveling at the same speed and spaced a safe distance apart over long stretches of highway. Computercontrolled freeways would likely bring traffic in congested areas down several notches, as computers generally aren't susceptible to distraction, impatience, road rage, or rubbernecking. If automakers continue to explore autonomous vehicle technology, the cars of the future could completely take over driving duties for mundane tasks like your daily commute.

But hopefully for driving enthusiasts, our robotic co-pilots will surrender the helm when the road gets more exciting.

Vehicle safety has come a long way since the first passenger car seat belts were installed more than 50 years ago. Still, there's always room for improvement, and decreasing traffic fatalities and injuries is definitely a step in the right direction. For now, you can take comfort in knowing the cars of today have your back, but realize that safety always starts and ends with the driver.

Real. Loud. Aggressive. Metal.

© Car & Driver; Reprinted with Permission

The truth is, I don’t lis- Hangover really took it to the show. I knew Shawn was an ten to punk music very often. venue, and deserve a standing incredible guitarist, but the It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s O for bringing it hard. reality is I didn’t realize HOW just that I grew up in a differgood he was…it gives a new ent place with a different mumeaning to what I now consical influence. sider an “accomplished” player. The show flew by, so enMy first real punk show grossed we were by the muth was May 17 at the Las Vesic, so drawn into the world of gas Country Saloon, and I tell Total Chaos. I won’t even you, it’s a musical vibe and an mention the mosh pit in front energy that you just have to of the stage; it was a maelexperience to appreciate. CV strom of bashing bodies, SouthWest was there to supjumping lunatics, and yes, port our friend Shawn Smash even what I believe was a brost (cover for our 1 anniversary ken nose. When they finished issue) and his band Total Chatheir last song, the quiet that os, as well as give love to the fell over LVCS was eerie, in other bands stepping up and stark contrast to the massive give their all. sound that had just assaulted our senses a little while earliFirst, a shout out to my The Total Chaos set was er. But it was almost a relief, new friends in Loose Change; incredible. You don’t have to because you could not really Brandon and the gang be a fan of a particular genre know how much more of the stepped up and proved they of music to appreciate artists musical carnage you could have the chops to keep punk at their craft; from the energy stand; it was an incredibly inalive in Vegas. Also, wanted behind lead singer Rob’s tense night of punk music. to talk up White Flag Down voice to the thundering beat for a helluva set; Ian and the of Miguel’s drums to Mike CV SouthWest would gang killed it, and totally im- Monster’s earth shattering like to send a special Thanks pressed us with their stage base to Shawn’s staccato fret- to Nicki Hiers of H.A.V.E.N. presence and energy. I apolo- work, Total Chaos was at the for arranging the show and gize to the other bands, I did- same time a symphony and a being there with us to support n’t not get a chance to meet catastrophe, ordered entropy, the band. with you, but overall, False and dangit if it doesn’t draw Cause, Horror Business, Bru- you into the angst of the lyrtal Resistance, and I believe ics and the power of the May 17th @ LVCS...

Gear the Pros Use!

Lisa traveled to Las Vegas in 2004 after a successful career as a drummer in Louisville, KY. She’s backed the EROCKTICA show at the RIO Hotel, has performed at the Riviera, Stardust, Suncoast, Cannery, & Boulder Station. She’s even showcased her skills at the Orleans Casino with R&B artist Julius Williams.

“I have been using Tama Drums since 1982....Bought the original Superstar Kit (super mahogany finish) after seeing videos of Neil Peart. I still have this kit today and it still sounds great. I purchased a Tama Starclassic Bubinga/ Birch Kit 2 years ago and fell in love with it!!

I also want to add that as I always continue to learn new styles of music, I have taken a Brazilian Drum Class that offered at UNLV called “Mocidade Rebelde”, taught by Kurt Rasmussen (Percussionist from Cirque Du Soleil show "O") .It is a wonderful class that is offered for advanced or beginners; I have taken 3 semesters and have enjoyed each one, it broadens my skills and ear for percussion.”

Always continue to learn and have an open ear for different styles of music...that's how we grow as musicians!

Lisa Carver Drummer - Doc's Angels (SEE Doc’s Angels every Monday from 9-1 on the Fremont St Experience MAIN Stage)

Tama Starclassic B/B Kit Indigo Sparkle Burst : Drums 22' Bass Drum 10' Rack Tom 12' Rack Tom 16' Floor Tom 14' Maple Snare (Sunburst finish) Cymbals Paiste Alpha 20' Metal Ride Paiste Alpha 18' Rock Crash Pasite Alpha 18' Metal Crash Paiste 2002 20' China Paiste 2002 14' Sound Edge H/H Paiste 2002 8' Bell Hardware Tama Stands Jr Iron Cobra Double Pedal Roc-N-Soc Throne Vic Firth 5A Wood Tip Hickory Sticks Remo Pinstripe Heads on Toms and Kick Remo Coated Ambassador on Snare To have this thunderous sound supporting your band, contact Lisa; she is freelance and available for shows!

Gear the Pros Use!

Since taking up the guitar at age five, I've always been fascinated with the stellar guitar tones from all of the great players such as Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, and David Gilmour, among others. Through this 18 year journey, I've strived to establish my own tone, taking the best aspects of the tones I've admired over the years. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what equipment you have. Good tone starts with you!

Guitars: 2004 Fender 50th Anniversary Stratocaster - An all-black American made Stratocaster with Custom Shop '54 pickups and a C-shaped neck. I've fitted it with a thick black pick guard and a switch to turn on the neck pickup in any position. In the spirit of David Gilmour, I've also shortened the tremolo arm for more subtle and precise control. It's been my "main" guitar for a while as I like how clear the guitar sounds with just the right amount of punch.

1974 Gibson Marauder - This is my "Open G Tuning" guitar. This is a very atypical guitar for Gibson. It features a bolt-on neck and customdesigned Bill Lawrence pickups that are sealed in epoxy. The two pickups can be blended with one of the knobs to achieve anything from a twangy Strat tone to a muffled out-of-phase tone. I always joke that a Gibson worker brought in his kitchen table one day and decided to make a guitar out of it. Less than 1,400 of these guitars were made.

Effects: I was never really an avid effects user until recently. Looking up to people like David Gilmour and Jimi Hendrix, it's easy to start letting the pedal board get out of hand! I tend to use modulation effects more than anything else. I love subtle stuff like the Uni-Vibe and MXR Phase 90. All of my pedals are mounted on a Pedaltrain Pro, powered by a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2+. My effects chain is as follows: Ernie Ball Volume Pedal -> Dunlop EVH Wah -> Dan Armstrong Green Ringer clone -> Custom-designed Uni-Vibe clone -> TOP SECRET "noise" pedal > MXR Phase 90 -> Custom-designed Stutter Tremolo -> Guyatone FL-3 Flanger -> MXR Phase 90 modded to vintage specs -> vintage Ibanez CS9 Stereo Chorus -> Eventide TimeFactor

Amp: 1992 Peavey 5150 - This is one of the earliest models of the 5150, with the original "block" EVH logo on the front. It's been re-tubed with JJ Electronics tubes - four 6L6's and five 12AX7's. I usually run this through a matching 5150 cabinet with four 12" Sheffield 1200 speakers. I like to set the amp to moderately high gain with the EQ biased to a brighter tone.

Strings: Ernie Ball Super Slinky (9-42) - Used on all of my guitars.

Picks: I have custom-made picks with my face on the front and my signature on the back. Heavy thickness.

Cables: I use Monster instrument cables from my guitars to my effects board, and from my effects board to my amp. All of the patch cables on my effects board are custom-sized George L cables.

Jason Romero Guitarist - Shine*Ola

Anatomy of a Car Crash Here's what happens, moment by moment, during most metal-to-metal mishaps.

Every car crash is uniquely destructive — from low-speed rear-end collisions, the most common type of mishap, to catastrophic high-speed head-ons. And despite the auto industry's attempts to prevent them, particularly through the widespread rollout of active safety systems, they still happen: 5.4 million auto collisions were reported in the United States in 2010. Consequently, automakers must prepare for the worst, studding vehicles with sensors inside and out to detect impending danger, and applying techniques both old and new to isolate vehicle occupants from the effects of an unexpected impact. Here is how some of those safety features react during a collision and at what moment.

5 seconds to impact: Forecasting disaster Modern automobiles equipped with active safety systems are nervous Nellies, constantly scanning for threats with an array of long- and close-range sensors. At the furthest extreme is radar, which can detect a potential problem from nearly 500 feet away. Assuming that the questionable obstacle is stationary and you're traveling at 65 mph, this gives your car's onboard processors roughly five seconds to churn through likely scenarios and responses.

1 second to impact: Risk assessment Within the final second before impact, short-range sensors — typically cameras, laser range finders or both — reclassify a vague, radar-detected risk as a specific threat. Depending on a vehicle's make and speed, the car might do anything from simply pre-charging its brakes to actively applying them. For instance, Mazda's Smart City Brake Support System, which debuted in this year's CX-5, tries to halt the SUV to avoid a crash, but only if its speed is between 3 and 19 mph.

BAM! IMPACT! 1 to 8 milliseconds after impact: Damage report It takes roughly one millisecond for a vehicle's pressure sensors to register impact.

With each additional millisecond, the severity of the crash becomes more apparent, as the kinetic energy flows through the car, tripping other internal sensors: acceleration, pressure, vibration. It's during this fraction of a second that commands are issued. Airbags are ordered to deploy, and seatbelt pretensioners are fired. Some cars even have features to minimize the effects of, say, whiplash; properly equipped Toyotas will have reconfigured their

seats to reduce neck and back injury, shifting the headrests upward and forward.

8 to 15 milliseconds after impact: Airbags fire Depending on where and how fast the vehicle has struck, or been struck, the internal airbags start inflating at the 8.5-millisecond mark. A front impact can mean a slight delay in deployment, to optimize the airbag's energy-absorbing properties. The exact timing depends on everything from the violence of the collision to the relative size of the occupants, as detected by seat-based weight sensors.

15 to 30 milliseconds after impact: Airbags inflate By now, a high-speed crash has crushed a portion of the vehicle, dumping some of its force into corresponding crumple zones. Even if the cabin isn't forced inward, the passenger is at risk of bouncing against doors, steering wheel and dashboard. This is when most airbags fully deploy, exploding through their compartments to unfurl in a handful of milliseconds. Automakers have installed more airbags over the years, from front to side to knee-level, and General Motors recently introduced a front-center airbag on the 2013 Acadia, which will prevent occupants from clashing heads or otherwise moving around laterally during side collisions.

30 to 50 milliseconds after Impact: Airbags deflate The goal of any passenger-based safety system is to cushion, to bleed off extreme and errant levels of kinetic energy. That's why seatbelts typically release some of their tension in a front-end crash, allowing the occupant to plow into the airbag at the precise moment that it starts deflating. Without that perfect transfer, the organs could slam forward inside the tightly held body, or the head could snap back against a rigid bag. Neither scenario is good for the body. To further muffle the blow in these scenarios, Ford has started offering inflatable seat belts, which deploy 40 milliseconds after impact.

50 to 70 milliseconds after impact: Controlled deformation In most collisions this is the home stretch, when the forces involved have done their damage and internal movement tapers off. Modern vehicles are designed to yield in various ways, allowing the crash energy to essentially splash around the vehicle and dissipate through the structure. "Specific deformation sends force around the safety cage," says says the manager of safety compliance for Volvo in the U.S., referring to a typical front-end crash. "It travels up the A pillars, through the roof structure, then back down the vehicle around the occupant." Although the passenger might still be in motion, it's around this time that the doors automatically unlock.

70 to 300 milliseconds after impact: The crash's last gasp If the collision hasn't caused a rollover, or secondary impacts — with other vehicles, for example — the crash is over. Occupants come to a full halt inside the cabin, and so do the structures designed to move with them. For many collisions, particularly side and rear impacts, this is often when the occupants first realize that a collision has occurred — when the bags have already deflated and the structure has finished warping itself around them.

Aftermath While the wider auto industry continues to experiment with vehicle telemetry, remotely tracking the state and status of models on the road, GM's OnStar system provides the only factory-built post-crash safety feature. OnStar's Automatic Crash Response sends an alert to the service upon impact, allowing OnStar operators to pass along the location and, in general terms, nature of the crash to emergency responders. Since 2009, the service has added an Injury Severity Prediction feature, which uses sensor data to assess potential injuries, giving operators an estimated level of injury: high or normal. © Edmunds.com Printed with Permission

It’s an EXCITING time for Acoustic Minds!

After 7 months of touring up and down the entire West coast and performing in Austin for SXSW, AM is back in their hometown to release their brand new single "Love Somebody"!

As if that wasn't special enough, their keyboard player, singer, producer and all around womp-maker Aaron Altemose will be releasing his new solo album "Start Right Here"!

Plus the über talented Marv Ellis will be bringing the new new with the Borganix band!

AND, to top it all off, look for an in-depth interview with AM in CV NorthWest in July 2013!

ASE Certified Master Rick McDonald offers his advice on YOUR questions...

My mechanic says my engine has too much compression due to excessive carbon buildup. What does that mean?

When fuel burns, it leaves behind deposits that stick to the combustion chamber, valves and top of the piston. How quickly the deposits accumulate depends on the type of driving done and the quality of the fuel burned. Carbon deposits gradually accumulate in a new engine for the first 5,000 to 15,000 miles, then level off. A state of equilibrium is reached where old deposits flake off at about the same rate as new deposits are formed.

However, infrequent driving, infrequent oil changes or internal engine problems such as worn valve guides, or worn, broken or improperly seated rings that allow oil burning can greatly accelerate the accumulation of deposits. This may cause the carbon deposits to reach a much greater than normal thickness, which in turn raises compression and causes spark knock or detonation problems. The deposits may even build up to the point where they cause physical contact between the piston and head. This, too, can make noise as well as be very damaging to your engine.

I have a 2006 Audi A6 4.2 with the adjustable air shock option. When driving in the city and hitting numerous bumps, I feel a slight vibration through the steering wheel along with a chirp or squeak coming from front end.

Could this be an alignment problem? Tie rods maybe? Shocks?

I must be honest with you on this one, I do not have much experience with this car. I tried doing a little research and there is not a lot of information pertaining to this problem. Audis do have some problems with component wear tie rods and control arms, but I don't think this is related to alignment or suspension. I would like to be able to drive and inspect this car to be more accurate about this issue; I have a feeling it is going to be in the power steering but that is a guess. I would recommend seeing a pro on this. Sorry I cannot be more helpful on this one.

If I'm going to change the brakes on my 2007 Nissan Altima, do I need to bleed the brakes? If so, do I do it after I replace the brakes and in what order should I bleed it? Do you have instructions on how to bleed the brakes for this car?

Well as a tech I have seen it done without bleeding, and there are many techs that do it that way, but let’s be honest, for a car that is over 3 years old I would recommend flushing the entire system. When you first start check the master cylinder, remove some fluid so when you push the caliper piston back the master cylinder does not overfill. It is a good idea to have the rotors machined for a good smooth braking when you are finished. Replace the pads & lube the metal to metal brake contact points with a good brake lube; personally I use anti-seize compound.

After you finish installing the brakes flush the brake system. Remove as much of the brake fluid from master cylinder as possible. Fill the master cylinder with fresh clean fluid. Next I would look around at parts houses, I think they make a brake bleeding kit. If not, a simple way to make your own is to get a clear jar or plastic bottle, get some clear plastic line ( 1/4” roughly) that should fit tightly on the bleeder nipple.

Starting at the furthest wheel from the master cylinder first, put a little clean fluid in the bottom of bottle, open the bleeder, put the line on the nipple then place the other end in the jar in the fluid, now being sure not to let the master cylinder go empty, then slowly pump the brakes. I pump the brakes about 20 times then pull the line off, close the bleeder and go to the next wheel ‘til you finish with the wheel closest to the master cylinder last. Be sure to check for a good pedal and have someone hold the brakes on and check for leaks.

The Local Music Scene in Las Vegas saw a blast from the past in April with the induction into the Las Vegas Rock Hall of Fame of the 80‟s bands that used to rule Sin City. Continuing where he left off at the Hall of Fame Show with his original Vegas band Excurzion, Mark Slaughter brought Slaughter back to Vegas as well. Starting what will hopefully be a weekly series called „Throwback Thursdays‟, Slaughter, with special guests and local rockers „333‟, got things rolling with the hottest show anywhere in Vegas on May 2nd. 333, known for opening shows with names the likes of Guns & Roses, and also having one of the most popular radio personalities in Las Vegas, Al Miller, from the KOMP Radio Morning Show, warmed up the Vegas crowd with brand new original sounds that are going to take these rockers to the next level.

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The boys from Outta The Black were at it again, headlining a multi-band benefit to support the victims of the Boston Bombing. „Las Vegas Has A Heart II‟, is the 2nd benefit in as many years by Nicki Hiers, bringing multiple bands together, all playing for free, with prize raffles, donations and usually television news cameras. Last year‟s event was a huge success, held at the Las Vegas Country Saloon and bringing numerous bands together showing that Las Vegas does indeed „have a heart‟. See page ?? for some pictures & words from this year‟s benefit.

The newest „power trio‟ in Sin City, Acoustic Arena, (Danny from Bluff Control, Merry from Brazen & Tim Mendoza) continued the party with additional performances at Shakespeare‟s Grill & Pub in Henderson. The Friday night party is continuing to gather steam as the word gets out.

Could this locale be the new „Redhawk‟ and bring together the crowd that used to come from all over the city for live music? If the drink specials and bands are there, „They Will Come‟!

A Vegas classic rock cover band that has been rocking

Acoustic Arena with OTB’s Gee Silver joining in.

Sin City for what seems like decades, ‘Nuff Said, continues to rock out on Saturday nights at Jack‟s Irish Pub inside Palace Station Casino. Rik „Stix‟ Stoddard and the crew have been performing nonstop for what seems like 20 years. Previously known as „Slow Children At Play‟, playing places such as the old Casino Royale, the Draft House Brew Fest, Winchell‟s Bar & Grill, Labor Day Block Party & Whiskey Dick‟s Saloon, Bass Player Sean Maxwell aka „DJ Yo Mamma‟ helps bring shenanigans and Moo Goo Gai Pan theatrics to a party that no other band in Las Vegas can duplicate.

The John Zito Band opened up for Gilby Clarke with a CD Release Party at Vamp‟d with the usual full house on May 5th. Zito recorded the CD at Vamp‟d owner Danny Koker‟s Desert Moon Productions.

A quiet gem on Sunday nights in Henderson is Tommy Rocker‟s Southside. Bud Mickle joins Tommy Rocker‟s for a laid back electric/acoustic Open Mic for the die-hards, like yours truly and industry people that are making the rounds. Tommy Rocker, a legend in the Vegas music community also hosts an open jam at his main location on Dean Martin every other Thursday, with Bud Mickle‟s help as well.

Local Rockers „Sin City Sinners‟ have taken over the Foundation Room atop Mandalay Bay on Friday Nights. Normally home to House/Hip Hop DJ‟s and the after-hours crowd that follows, the Sinners threw a wrench into the nightlife scene on the South Strip, beginning with an after-party for Great White, that recently rocked the Railhead at Boulder Station.

It seems DiveBar has been resurrected. The former home where the Sin City Sinners used to play religiously, DiveBar has taken over the spot formerly housed by „Favorites‟, just south of Tropicana, on Maryland. All kinds of Indie bands are on the schedule. We‟ll see if they can build the brand back to the level of 10 years ago.

Up in North Las Vegas, another bar that is regularly bringing in Live Music, has been Whiskey Dick‟s. Located just west of I-15 on Craig Road, Dick‟s has been bringing in bands for the last few years and has seen a steady increase in the crowds that follow these bands. Will Glenn, the G.M., has turned Dick‟s into a great locale for live music on the north side of town. Stop on by if you have a chance.

Al from 333/KOMP Radio & Great White’s Mark Kendall