TABLE OF CONTENTS
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MAgAziNE
Volume 6 • issue 6 • June 2016
WRitERS: terry Canter • Bob Cheesman Corrina Drost • Rem Fields Kelly geist • Jessica Key Rachael Lamb • Dawn Lemay Shobha N. Lizaso • Marissa Puckett Liz Stokes • Keith Wilkins PhotogRAPhERS: Jordan Kruger • Neal Nachman
Music News.............................3 June Scrapbook...................13 Album Reviews....................19 Club Calendar........................22 Event Calendar......................23 PuBLiShER/EDitoR: Neal Nachman
DiRECtoR oF SALES & PRoMotioNS: Liz Stokes gRAPhiC ARtiSt: Neal Nachman
DiRECtoR oF MuLti-MEDiA PRoDuCtioNS: Kenny Moore ACCouNt EXECutiVES: Liz Stokes LEgAL CouNSEL: Shobha N. Lizaso
EDitoRiAL iNquiRiES: editorial@fullaccessmagazine.com
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Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis Provides Health Update Anthony Kiedis has provided an update on his health after Red Hot Chili Peppers were forced to cancel their performance lastminute at KROQ's Weenie Roast on May 14th as the singer was hospitalized with intestinal flu. "It was a painful and sad thing to have to cancel shows, we don't really do that," Kiedis told ET Canada. "I'd rather play deathly ill than not at all but in this particular instance I was starting to go down to the ground." "I had inflammation in my guts," Kiedis added of his condition. "That becomes an incredibly painful situation where you get a fever and pass out." The singer also admitted that he's feeling "good, not great, but good" since the hospitalization. "Lo and behold, I'm on the mend," he said. Kiedis' health scare also caused the postponement of the Chili Peppers' May 17th gig in Burbank, California. However, Kiedis views the hospitalization as perhaps a blessing in disguise, as it forced him to open his eyes regarding his "overall health." "I think I had to get sick to take a look at myself and get to the causes and conditions of my overall health. So it turned out to be a good thing, albeit painful," he said. Although the singer says he maintains an active, healthy lifestyle, the intestinal flu made him realize that, at the age of 53, he might be pushing himself too hard. "I surf most days and I like to charge, but every now and then, the body is like 'you're doing something wrong, either fix it or we're gonna let you know about it', and I think that my body let me know that I had to change my ways a little bit," he said. Kiedis was also surprised that so much media attention was paid to his illness and brief hospitalization. "I think it was a slow news day," he said. "When I opened my phone and saw I was in the news, I was like 'Everything must be okay in the world today if that's what's making the news." 3
Nick Menza, Former Megadeth Drummer, Dead at 51 Nick Menza, former Megadeth drummer who performed with the thrash metal outfit's "classic" lineup for almost a decade, died Saturday after collapsing onstage during a concert in Studio City, California. He was 51. The drummer's management confirmed the death in a statement: "Nick collapsed during the third song into a set with his band OHM. Earliest reports indicate he suffered a massive heart attack and was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital." Former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman, who performed with Menza both in that band and as a solo artist, paid tribute to the drummer on Facebook, "We all know the great and unique drummer that Nick Menza was, but he was also a trustworthy friend, a hilarious bandmate, as well as a very loving dad. I’m beyond sad, did not see this coming at all. RIP Brother." "TELL ME THIS ISN'T TRUE! I woke at 4 AM to hear Nick Menza passed away on 5/21 playing his drums w/Ohm at the Baked Potato," Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine tweeted Sunday, adding in a follow-up tweet, "I am gutted." The son of Buddy Rich's longtime jazz saxophonist Don Menza, Nick Menza began his career as a session musician before he was recruited by then-Megadeth drummer Chuck Behler to serve as drum tech; after Behler left the band, Mustaine asked Menza to join Megadeth in 1989. Menza provided drums on four Megadeth studio albums, including their classic 1990 LP Rust in Peace and 1992's Countdown to Extinction; Menza co-wrote lyrics on the latter's title track. Live, Menza had a notable presence onstage for the way he attacked his double bass drum kit. Menza's tenure in Megadeth ended in 1998, when knee problems and a benign tumor forced him to leave the band's tour in support of Cryptic Writings; Menza was abruptly
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replaced on a permanent basis by drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, the former Suicidal Tendencies member who also performed alongside Mustaine in his MD.45 side project. In 2015, Mustaine revealed to Rolling Stone that Megadeth's classic Rust in Peace era lineup - with Friedman, Menza and bassist David Ellefson - nearly reunited in the early 2000s, "but it just wasn't meant to happen. I think there was so much bitterness because of the people that were managing us at the time. If you poison the well you can't expect there to be an area of clean water anywhere." Following Megadeth, Menza performed in acts like Memorain, Orphaned to Hatred and his own Deltanaut. In 2002, Menza released a solo album titled Life After Deth.
Tragically Hip Singer Gord Downie Diagnosed With Terminal Brain Cancer Canadian rock group the Tragically Hip announced Tuesday that lead singer Gord Downie has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Despite the condition, the Hip, with Downie in tow, have revealed plans to embark on another tour in the near future. "Since [his diagnosis], obviously, he’s endured a lot of difficult times, and he has been fighting hard. In privacy along with his family, and through all of this, we've been standing by him," the band wrote on their website. "So after 30-some years together as the Tragically Hip, thousands of shows, and hundreds of tours … We've decided to do another one. This feels like the right thing to do now, for Gord, and for all of us. "What we in the Hip receive, each time we play together, is a connection; with each other; with music and its magic; and during the shows, a special connection with all of you, our incredible fans," the band added. "So, we're going to dig deep, and try to make this our best tour yet." The Tragically Hip will unveil their tour dates later in the week. The 14-time Juno Award-winning group – the most ever for a band and the fourth-most ever for an artist at the annual Canadian music awards – remain a beloved marquee act in their native country,
with their new album Man Machine Poem due out June 17th. Over the course of their 30-year career together, the band has released 13 studio LPs, eight of which topped the Canadian Albums Chart. According to the band, Downie learned about his conditions "months ago"; the Toronto Star reports that the singer received his diagnosis in December. On Tuesday morning at 11 am ET, Dr. James Perry, the neuro-oncologist treating Downie, will hold a press conference in Toronto to discuss the singer's condition and treatment going forward. "Following today’s announcements, there will be no interviews granted pertaining to matters of health," the band said in a statement.
Snoop Dogg Slams 'Roots' Remake, Calls for Boycott Snoop Dogg slammed the new Roots miniseries, which premieres Monday night on The History Channel, and called upon his fans to boycott the four-part series based on Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Snoop Dogg added that he doesn't watch any films or TV series that deal with the subject of slavery – including 12 Years a Slave, which won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2014 – because they "keep showing the abuse we took hundreds and hundreds of years ago," The Hollywood Reporter reports. "I ain't watching that shit, and I advise you motherfuckers as real niggas like myself; fuck them television shows," the rapper added. "Let's create our own shit based on today, how we live and how we inspire people today. Black is what's real." In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, T.I. said that works like Roots help embody the idea of historical justice. "The quest for truth should be a lifelong journey," T.I. said. "From the time you're born to the time you die, you're supposed to be seeking knowledge and truth. This is a piece of it. This is a huge, huge chapter, so I think it's incredibly important."
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When you tell your parents that you are going to move away and be a rock star, the usual response is “Good luck with that, now cut your hair and get a real job.” In most cases, listening to them would be the right choice and save you a lot of wasted years. Not for the young John William Lowery. He was growing up in the upscale community of Grosse Pointe, MI and felt he had to make a choice. Either conform to the accepted life style or head to a place more suited to his personal style. After moving to Los Angeles at the age of 17, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who could argue his decision. After all, he has been the lead guitarist for Lita Ford, K.D. Lang, Rob Halford, David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie while writing music for Avril Lavigne, Garbage, Meat Loaf, Scorpions, Paul Stanley, Sebastian Bach, Ozzy Osborne and Slash. He has also found the time to write and release seven guitar albums of his own. Who is John William Lowery, you may ask? He is better known as the incredibly talented John 5! So when I received the opportunity to sit down with this legend, I couldn’t wait to talk about everything from influences, being in the spotlight, band chemistry, to the meaning of success. It went a little like this. Looking back on all the history you have been involved in, I want you to try
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by Scotti Moore
and pinpoint the first moment that made you really step back and double-take the situation. After a brief moment, he tells me, “1995, when I played the VH1 Fashion Music Awards with K.D. Lang. It was really the first time I was on a big stage. Playing in front of a crowd with Madonna, Peter Gabriel and Prince, and people like that was absolutely amazing.” Now you need to be honest and pick your favorite project. He quickly responds, “I'm not just saying this, Rob Zombie is the best band I have been in. I loved his records before I ever joined the band. I'm really psyched to be where I am and that I have had this opportunity to be involved with Rob for such a long time.” Tell us about the people who have most influenced you, helped shape you. John says, “I really can't pinpoint one. I have always been so inspired by different people throughout my life. Different things strike at different times. As far as guitarists go, the list is long like Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen, and Chet Atkins. Then there are tv shows like “Heehaw” and “The Monkees.” There is no greater feeling than that moment when you connect with something and start to draw inspiration from it.” You have definitely become one of the most recognizable guitarists out there. Talk about the process of finding your identity.
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He says, “I'm really an amalgamation of things I love. I love shredding guitars along with crazy country guitar stuff. So, I try to put it all together and it seems to work. I just put all kinds of things together and it seems to come out as me.” What about the transition from the different projects you have been involved in throughout your career? Tell me about your approach. “First and foremost, it's a business.” He explains, “You are there to do a job and to do the best you can for that person. That's how I look at every situation I'm in. I have been in Zombie for years now, so I put in a lot of hard work and dedication. Back in the day, I would put too much on my plate and that wasn’t always the smart thing to do. Now I try to pace myself a little bit better and not take on so many things. You really don't want to spread yourself too thin. I just continue to try and do the right stuff. I have been lucky enough to share the stage with a lot of people through my career. You have to live with these people. It's very important to find and align yourself with the right people. With the Zombie band, we have been together with the same people for a while now, so it's been good. It hasn't been tough to spend day and night with them.” As we all get older, it seems we need to make adjustments to extend our careers. John says, “You are right, even though I have never been a drinker or smoker, I have made a big change in my life, I have became a vegan. I wanted to make myself a little bit more healthy.” What about nerves? I know that will take its toll. “I'm not a nervous person.” He says, ”I feel, for me, that I over come nerves with preparation. So that kind of worked itself out early on. The one thing I haven't mastered and is always the hardest thing is to find a balance between family and work and that is real difficult to achieve. I wish I could find an adjustment for that.” We spoke earlier about you being recognizable. I heard that it's important to you to meet as many fans as possible. He says, “I really do. Why not, it's great, I love to meet people and say hello. It is
very important to me, that I get to shake hands and hear what they have to say. A big focus of mine is to influence and be influenced. Hopefully, I get to inspire some people along the way. When it's all said and done, I feel that the mark you leave behind is personally important. What a great job I have, right? I get to wake up whenever I want, sign autographs, play a lot of guitar, and hang out with friends both new and old.” Most musicians prefer to be on the road as opposed to being in a recording studio. You must have a preference? John 5 tells me, “That's a good question. When you are on the road too long, you want to get back and start recording. But, when you are in the studio too long, you want to get back on the road. It just weighs itself out like most things in life do. I'm constantly writing material. Everyday I'm coming up with ideas and just doing it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to keep getting better and to come up with better ideas. The latest Zombie record is really exciting. I think that it is really something special.” To close this out, I would love for you to tell us how you really feel about where you stand in life right now. He says without hesitation, “I'm extremely happy. I get to be in Rob Zombie and still do my solo stuff. It is awesome, it really has been a perfect situation. There is nothing I could even begin to think of that I would want to change. I think that this is what the word success means. My goal is to just stay happy, and with that, I feel that I have reached that place in life. At the end of the day, I just want people to know how much I love playing guitar and how much of a fan of guitar I truly am.” Everyone has goals in life. How incredible would it be to feel what John 5 still feels after all the hard work and dedication he has put in and to have that sense of accomplishment in life. Your new goal should be to see him perform live as many times as possible. You really don't have to talk to him to see that ultimate passion that he constantly brings each and every time he hits the stage.
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by Scotti Moore
Matthew West is no stranger to music. Prior to signing a deal with a major label, he released three albums independently. Following that, he has released six studio albums under Sparrow/Universal South, with all of them cracking the Top 30 on the Billboard Christian Charts. His latest album, “Live Forever (Sparrow – April 28, 2015),” became his first to peak at #1 on May 16th, 2015. Recently I sat down with Mr. West to discuss the ups and downs of life, where he finds his inspiration, not looking back and more. Right out of the gate I asked Matthew about labels. With a lot of groups leaning towards being called Non-Secular these days, I want to know what his take is on being labeled as Christian. This is what he had to say, “I'm not big on labels to be honest with you. A label isn't going to decide how big your audience is. I prefer any show that has warm bodies in front of me. I'm just a storyteller, so I think the stories and songs that I sing really translate to all people Christian or otherwise. It all comes down to how good your music is. A lot of bands get caught up in wanting to be a secular band because they feel that is the only way to reach people that aren't Christians. I'm known as a Christian artist but I'll tell ya what, I sing for people day
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in and day out that are just as messed up as anybody else in the world. There are a whole lot of people going through difficult times. There is a guy that inspired one of my radio hits, who was sitting at my concert and all the while was messed up on heroin. And at this Christian concert, he had a powerful life changing experience that night. We helped him get into a recovery center and he has been clean for over a year and a half. So I think it is really about blooming where you are planted. The seed doesn't have a choice where it's planted. I'm just a seed.” Back in time, he had his heart set on becoming a professional baseball player, so I asked him if he is happy with the way things have turned out. West tells me, “I sure am. At the time, I was a little disappointed but that's how life goes. I like to think that the worst things that happen to us in life are the best things. They are necessary detours to lead us on to a more meaningful life. We know that sometimes when we get our way it's not the best thing that can happen to us. We need to hit a dead end that makes us turn around and head in a different direction that leads us in the right direction.” We all find influence from different sources at different times and Matthew tells me that hands down, his mother and father
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have been the most influential people in his life. He continues, “They have been just an incredible example for me. They have always used their influence on me in the most positive way. They have always made me their priority and that's something I want to pass on to my kids. I know that the most important part of my life is being a good dad and good husband. That is what my parents displayed for me my whole life.” We talk about the other side of the coin and knowing how he has been such a positive influence on others. He says, “That's what I hope to be. At the end of the day, a lot of musicians are held up to an unlikely expectation of perfection. But I'm the first one to say that I'm far from perfect. My life has been changed by a God that is perfect, so that's the message in my music and songs. Hopefully that message can encourage the younger generation to see that they don't have to beat themselves up, you don't have to be perfect. Your life can still matter, your life can still make an impact on the world. I need people to never think that they are insignificant. God created you and has a huge plan for your life. The doubters and dream crushers will always be there to tell you that you don't matter and that's a lie. You do matter and you will impact the life of someone else.” Knowing that one decision can alter somebody’s path completely, I ask him to look back and tell me if there is anything he would change. Matthew says, “Now that's a great question. We all have regrets and things we would think about changing but when it comes to the music, I don't know that I would change that path. Nothing has come easy for me. Not like I showed up on a tv show one day and hit stardom over night. On one hand, you'd think you would have liked to made your trip to the top quicker, but on the other hand it's not about that. I'm thankful for the ride that I have had. Now if you ask me about what I have had to adjust in my life looking forward, I will tell you that anytime you choose a career path that goes along with your passion, your life ends up revolving
around it. It is definitely hard adjusting to the time spent away from home. That's the biggest sacrifice I have had to make. People see the time that we are on stage and it gets glorified and seems so cool, but it's the other 23 hours that I'm not with my daughters. That is what you have to change to accommodate this lifestyle.” It isn't a secret that he has a strong country connection. He has written hits for some of the more famous country artists. So naturally I need to ask if he has any plans for a crossover. “Not for me, no sir.” West continues, “When it comes to country music, I prefer to stay behind the scenes as a songwriter. I have been blessed to write songs in other genres and that has been a really cool thing. I have a lot of respect for country music and the best songwriters in Nashville are country writers. I get to learn a lot every time I'm in the room writing with country singers. That will be something that will remain a part of my creative process, but I don't think I will be making a country record.” Now I ask him to let the world know what he wants us to walk away from this conversation thinking about. He says, “That you came in with some big questions today and I like it. Other than that, I have worked really hard over the last several years to tell the world how God effects everyone's lives. That's why my songs are inspired not by myself, but other people's stories. I have collected over 40,000 stories. I go to the cabin and I read these stories, and I'm inspired by them. I feel I have been allowed this spotlight, so I can let it shine on these everyday unsung heroes of the world. Hopefully that's proof that I'm not in this to be a big star. If anything, it's about others who are making a difference in this world.” I always try to bring up the questions about inspiration and influences. I think that knowing where different people find that is important. If you ask me those questions I would honestly have to say, “Matthew West.” He was truly inspiring and makes me want to be a better person.
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Trevor McNevan started TFK in Peterborough, Ontario, just outside of Toronto. I first learned about Thousand Foot Krutch when I was looking up information on Peterborough because Mickey Redmond would talk about their minor league hockey team, the Pete's, during Detroit Red Wing telecasts. Their current line up consists of Trevor McNevan – vocals (1995–present), Joel Bruyere - bass guitar, backing vocals (1999– present), Steve Augustine - drums (2002– present) and touring guitarist Andrew Welch (2012–present). To date, they have released nine studio efforts with number ten, Oxygen: Exhale, set to release this month on the 17th. “The Art of Breaking” (July 2005), “The Flame in All of Us” (September 2007) and “Welcome to the Masquerade” (September 2009) have seen great success while peaking at #2 on the Billboard Christian Chart while their latest two, under their own independent label, “The End Is Where We Begin” (April 2012) and “OXYGEN:INHALE” (August 2014) have earned them two consecutive #1’s on the same chart. They have been labeled as a Christian band through the years, but of late bands have been leaning towards the term Non-Secular as well as some preferring to just fall in place with the more mainstream secular genre’s. When I asked Trevor about this
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by Scotti Moore
topic he quickly explained, “As far as that goes, we call ourselves a rock band, but we aren't ashamed of being labeled as Christian. We are all a bunch of Christian dudes. To us, our faith is our lifestyle. It's not really a genre of music, it's just who we are.” With OXYGEN: INHALE hitting #1 we talked about the difference between this album and the albums in the past. He says, “This one was a very special record. It was a different one for sure. It was a bit lighter than what we usually write. It was always intended to be that way. We are getting ready to release our next one and we are very excited. OXYGEN: EXHALE isn't a follow up, it is the second half of two parts, which is a little more aggressive. That was always the idea when we sat down to write these pair of albums.” Trevor and myself started talking about how much he had been influenced by God and his father. So it made me bring up the fact on how much TFK has been influencing the upcoming generations and this is what he had to say. “Oh man, that's a humbling thing. We just feel so blessed to be a small part of creating change through music. Honestly, we pour our hearts into this. We love people for who they are and where they are. We just hope people out there will do the same. It has been an awesome journey so far.”
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Throughout the years they have touched upon a few different styles so I asked him about the process of finding the TFK identity. Trevor says, “We are all just crazy music fans like everybody else. I think that it's more the stuff we grew up listening to that really spoke to us and it just bleeds into everything we do. I came up first and foremost actually, in hiphop, just loving Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest and The Beastie Boys. Until I was about 14 years old, that's all I listened to. We had a classic rock station in our town that I loved and if you turned on the radio that's all we could listen too. I think all that just poured into who we are and shaped us for the future. Back in 2004 and 2005, we stepped away from the hiphop and rock stuff, just because there was so much of it going on at the time that it felt over saturated and we just wanted to be honest to who we are. We didn't want to just be another one of those bands. In the past two or three records, it has really felt honest for us to bring that back and it has always been a part of who we are. It has always been in our blood.” We get into talking about being on the road. About the fun and playing the festivals. “Getting to play music and sharing that energy with people,” he tells me is the best feeling. He continues, “After 19 years into this, if anything gets old, it is the hours around what you love to do. Man, we have played with Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch and our buddies in Three Days Grace. It is always great to to see old friends and see new faces. Being on the road, we just take it as it comes. We just love music and to play with as many different bands as possible. That's why we absolutely love the festival atmosphere. So many great groups playing together at one event. We will take that any day.” See how excited he was talking about the great things about being on the road I really hated to change the tone, but I had to ask him about the balance between the personal and public Trevor and this was his take, “You really don't have a choice. because it is all part of it. I enjoy the attention, but I'm not one of those guys that is all about it either.
I just embrace it. I try to have that balance in between private and public, so I get enough me time. Sanity is important also and you start to lose a little of that if you don't get some alone time to keep your thoughts together. Touching more on the personal side while being on the road, we end up missing a lot of stuff. We miss a lot of our good friends weddings, the holidays, birthdays, a lot of the big things like that. I guess it is a lot like a professional athlete or anybody else in different professions, you have to sacrifice those things to really follow through with your path.” While I knew Trevor needed to get ready for their performance, I had one more thing to ask of him, a final message to close out our conversation. This is what he said, “Speaking on behalf of all the guys in the band, we do this because it has always been a part of who we are. We love it and we love people and hope people can see our hearts in what we do. The biggest thing for us is we don't want the stage to come between us and the people who supports us. We don't have fans, we have friends and that is who we are and we really truly hope that everyone can see that. Because this is our heart and it pours into everything we do in our music. I really hope at the end of the day that we were just a small part in creating change with music. We are big advocates of being part of change. We don't just sit around and talk about what this person should or shouldn't be doing, we tell the story or touch upon the topic in our music. We have no regrets man. We have had some incredible times in our journey and some really tough times as well. That is how you learn. If everything would have been easy, we really wouldn't be prepared when we were faced with the difficult situations. You learn life's lessons from the ups and downs. So be true to yourself and God. We always have and always will. Thank you to all of our friends for all the support over the years.” Thanks to Trevor for allowing us the personal insight and letting us be part of the passion that he and Thousand Foot Krutch bring into every recording and every live performance.
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The year was 1997, the location was Sydney, Australia. A couple of kids in high school decided to form a band. Little did they know that the world would be watching them grow up right before their eyes. After nine years of laboring towards every bands dream, it happened. One faithful day in 2006, they decided to upload a video to YouTube to show their support for the Free Hugs Campaign. “All the Same” was the name of the song and after 77 million views, we land here in 2016. Since their inception, a few member changes have come about with the last being the biggest news to come out of the Sick Puppies camp. Frontman and guitarist Shim Moore decided to leave the band in October of 2014. This kind of news for most projects would be crippling, sure to bring the story to its finale. Not so fast people! Don't ever forget about the lone remaining founding member. This would be Bass player Emma Anzai. When you look at her resume, you won't see a few things listed, but these may very well be her biggest attributes. Strength, determination and passion are the things that held the Puppies together and allowed them to forge ahead with their new frontman, Bryan Scott. When I asked her how the transition went, Emma tells me, “It was a very fast transition. It happened so quickly and we were very lucky like that. A lot of rehearsing and getting our ducks in a row. Making sure everything
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by Scotti Moore
is cohesive. Things can change at the drop of a hat. That is part of life. Mark and I are really passionate about this band and we put everything into it. We found another person that was on the same page as us. So far the response has been really positive. Of course, there were a lot of expectations and a lot of feedback, not always positive. But I think with the new album, “Fury,” we put the worries to rest.” Speaking of the new album, now that they have a new piece to the puzzle I was wondering how much the writing process has changed and about the pressure to follow up previous efforts. “They way we write hasn't changed much at all.” Anzai continues, “We have always had a collaborative process. Even though we still follow that same process, it has been refreshing with Bryan in the mix. He has kind of shot some adrenaline into our writing, so that has made a difference. With this latest album, the pressure was more so, just to make it happen. We wanted to really get back to the rock roots. We were all on the same page on that, so it made it a lot easier.” Now that we have that out of the way, I wanted to turn more towards Emma personally. I bring up the topics of being influenced and influencing the upcoming generations of musicians. Emma jumps right in, “I have never had that one person, it's
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always been many people throughout my life. I have always gravitated towards females in my own profession, especially back when I started. Even though it seemed every band we would play with had a female member, it still seemed that music was more of a male dominated situation. One of the first tours we were ever on was with Evanescence, so I sat down with Amy Lee every chance I had. She is an amazing woman to talk to. She let me pick her brain about everything and it was really nice just to connect with another female at that stage of my career, especially someone who was so established. Now, I like to try and give back. When we are playing a show and these young ladies come up to me and tell me how they picked up an instrument because they saw me doing it, that is one of the highest compliments that you can get. When they have questions for me, I try to give them the best possible advice. It is especially great when you know that people have come out to specifically see us play. When they stay after and we get to meet our fans, that truly means a lot to us.” I heard somewhere that Emma used to be very shy and quiet. Watching her on stage, I find that very hard to believe. She says, “That is very true, I was always a shy kid at school, very quiet and introverted. That is what I realized I had to change to be able to survive in this kind of environment. Listening to the early on feedback, what I kept getting was that people thought I was arrogant or really angry. That was definitely not how I wanted to be perceived. I knew I had to break out of my shell. Since I have crossed that bridge I would like to go back in time and tell myself not to worry so much and to just enjoy every moment.” Now every artist has that one elusive band that they have always wanted to share a stage with. When I asked Anzai who that band is for her this is what she said, “Undoubtedly, Rage Against the Machine. It will probably never happen. But that is definitely a dream of mine. They are always amazing and bring so much energy.” When I asked her about the decision making throughout her career. I wanted to know if
there was one that she could attribute their long running success to. Emma tell me, “The decision to become a musician was life changing for sure but like they say, nothing happens overnight. I really don't think that your path comes down to one decision. It is a progression. It was very much that for the Sick Puppies. We had to make sure we were always doing what needed to be done. Doing the day to day process and making sure we all put the band first.” Before we said good bye I asked her to leave us with a statement telling the world what we should know about the band. She says, “We absolutely love what we do. The best thing Is being able to play music with the Sick Puppies every night. We live to play shows and perform for our fans. We love to interact with the people answering their questions and meet as many of them as possible. I hope that they realize how honest we are as not only musicians in our music but also as people. Even though things are ever changing and you never know what is going to happen. There are always going to be roadblocks or something to trip you up. Life is a process of course correction. As long as the people will have us we will continue to work as hard as it takes to always bring them the best possible music we can. The Puppies are here to stay. Thank you to all of our supporters for remaining true and just know that the love is 100% mutual.” After our sit down I would like to add a few more items to Emma Anzai’s resume: Intelligent, resilient, fun and incredible. I highly suggest you take her up on the invitation to catch up with her at a show. She has a way of making you feel like you have known her for years. Believe me when I tell you that she has earned everything that she and the Sick Puppies have received. Emma is living proof that if you want it and you have the drive and determination you can make your dreams come true. Congratulations Emma on all you have accomplished and I wish for you nothing but continued success. You deserve it.
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Keith Wilkins is a Syndicated Music Columnist, Songwriter, Promoter and Guest Radio Show Interviewer. You can reach him at keith@fullaccessmagazine.com
BAND/ARTIST NEWS: Tampa Bay metal band, Circle II Circle, finished their European tour last month. The tour consisted of 19 shows in 10 countries. Circle II Circle consists of Zak Stevens (lead vocals), Mitch Stewart (bass, vocals), Christian Wentz (guitars, vocals), Bill Hudson (guitars, vocals), Henning Wanner (keyboards, vocals), and Marcelo Moreira (drums). Though the band has now returned home, Hudson has stayed behind to perform a few solo shows in Germany. NEW RELEASES: Tampa Bay country artist, Sammy Davis Jr., released his debut album, “Moonshine Chronicles,” last month. Davis celebrated the release of his 11-song CD by holding a CD release party on May 13th at the Aging Still in Largo.
Tampa Bay rock band, 5 Star Hooker, released their debut album last month. The band celebrated the release of their new album by holding a CD release party on May 13th at The Local 662 in St. Petersburg. The event featured performances by Three Killer Buds, New Tattoo, Bad Blood, Murder The Crow, and 5 Star Hooker. 5 Star Hooker consists of Garth Remick (lead vocals), Michael Hatcher (guitar, vocals), Sukoshi Sills (guitar, vocals), Raven Blakkwell (bass, vocals), Mace McMillan (drums). UP-COMING RELEASES: Tampa Bay singer/songwriter, Amber Lynn Nicol, has pushed back the release date for her up-coming album, Limitless, to late June. Once released, Limitless will be Nicol’s sixth solo studio album to date. IN THE STUDIO: Tampa Bay rockabilly band, Jeff Vitolo & the Quarter Mile Rebels, have recently 17
entered the recording studio to work on new material. There has been no announcement yet as to when or where the new material will surface. Jeff Vitolo & the Quarter Mile Rebels consists of Jeff Vitolo (lead vocals, guitar), Kenny Donahue (stand up bass, vocals), and Mike Murphy (drums).
NEW RELEASES: KAM-BABS Promotions announced last month that they will be reforming to put on three separate benefit concerts late this summer. KAM-BABS Promotions, known for promoting local concerts featuring all original Tampa Bay artists, dissolved last September after nearly six years in operation.
Seminole Music and Sound held their annual “Customer Appreciation event” last month on May 21. The event featured area bands such as CrushTone and Bad Boy Elroy. The event was hosted by national touring comedian, Artie Fletcher.
THIS MONTH IN TAMPA BAY MUSIC SCENE HISTORY: 1919 when the Tampa Bay chapter of the American Federation of Musicians (American Federation of Musicians - Florida Gulf Coast) was chartered.
It was 50 years ago this month in June of 1966 when Tampa Bay rock band, The Tropics, released their two singles, “Black Jacket Woman” (Thames Records) and “For A Long Time” (Thames Records).
It was 50 years ago this month in June of 1966 when Tampa Bay rock band, The Rovin’ Flames, released their single, “Bo Diddley / Seven Million People” (Tampa Bay Records. Records).
*All dates and information courtesy of the Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society (www.tampabaymusichistory.com).
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Flume Skin Future Classic gggff by Derek Staples
On March 21st, Diplo started a minor twitter blaze by calling out Zedd and his “fake flume drop” on the M&Ms-sponsored cover of Willy Wonka classic “The Candy Man”. While deadmau5 also decided to chime in (of course), Australia’s Harley Edward Streten (bka Flume) wisely steered clear of the drama and sensationalist headlines. In an era when EDM stardom can be as close as a light-up mask, clever anonymous alias, and management-directed collaborations, Flume has continually avoided the gimmicks and concentrated on a production palette that festival-goers crave and Billboard Award recipients are looking to hijack. Gearing up to be the next EDM crossover talent, Flume’s sophomore effort, Skin, showcases a producer at ease with all of the sounds moving tickets at America’s major festival events: hip-hop, indie pop, and EDM. In part due to the Stateside rise of dubstep and trap since the turn of the decade, the building blocks of electronic music have been fundamentally impacted by these genre’s prevailing low-end distortion. Streten is a master of this new dialect. Revered among that “future bass” community, Streten is prime to break through the top tier of dance music and share a new vision of future pop with the masses. But while Skrillex has been shunned by droves of his early supporters for “selling out” and working with Justin Bieber and Diplo has established himself as the best in regional music appropriation, Streten has earned the freedom to entertain both the underground dance aficionados and mini-van driving soccer moms on his own, unique terms. The incendiary tempo of “Smoke & Retribution” 19
(featuring Vince Staples & Kučka) and the downtempo garage of “Innocence” (with an appearance from AlunaGeorge) attest to Streten’s malleable production tactics. He maximizes the strengths of his guests without diminishing his own abilities. Also featuring the likes of Vic Mensa (“Lose It”), Raekwon (“You Know”), and Little Dragon (“Take A Chance”), Skin’s intent is to appeal to a large, eclectic base. However, the sterling, Kai-featuring “Never Be Like You” is proof that Streten can generate massive hits no matter how well established his studio partners may be. Lead single “Helix” commences with minimal tribal atmospherics before contorting into a fierce, progressive banger. Later, “When Everything Was New” reflects the naïve innocence of an elementary school playground, a massive shift from the braindance hysterics of “Wall F*ck.” Just as remixes for Lorde, Sam Smith, and Arcade Fire assisted in pushing Flume into the mainstream, Skin’s singles leave ample room for edits from producers across the spectrum. The break after the first verse of “Take A Chance” is so bare that it begs for re-envisioned builds leading into the playful 8-bit-infused plateau. Closing out the album with Beck on “Tiny Cities”, Streten offers a professional hat-tip to a producer/multi-instrumentalist that regularly re-invented his own artistic rules, and more broadly, the rules of alternative rock music. As Flume, Streten is on a similarly earnest mission to push the acceptable, tasteful boundaries of EDM and pop. Thrice To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere Vagrant Records 333df by Dan Caffrey Many hardcore Thrice fans have been bitching about the band changing their sound ever
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since Teppei Teranishi scaled back and slowed down his guitar solos on 2005’s Vheissu. That’s not to say that most of their audience hasn’t come around — latter-day works like Major/Minor and especially The Alchemy Index are viewed in a positive light — but there will always be dissenters whose musical values boil down to “Faster! Louder!” Generally, I don’t agree with that type of complaint. Bands are free to do whatever the hell they want, and a refusal to sever one’s roots can lead to diminishing returns. But for the first time on any of Thrice’s post-Artist In the Ambulance releases, I’m siding with the naysayers. It’s not because I think they’re a band who’s only good when they’re fast and loud. But they are a band who’s good when tethered to complexity, whether through an album’s concept, its elaborately technical musicianship, or both. Vheissu may not have had the snarl or speed-freak time signatures of The Illusion of Safety, but it more than made up for that with its epic scope and genre experimentation. But their ninth album, To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere, has neither the charge nor the depth of anything that came before it. Thematically, it’s political in the most halfhearted sense, with frontman Dustin Kensrue railing against forces like government oppression, war, and breaches of privacy throughout. But his criticisms and character sketches are too general to become suitable rallying cries. “Whistleblower” — told from the POV of Edward Snowden — actually does a disservice to its subject, the cliched sloganeering (“Who made you judge and jury?”) making its narrator sound more like a pissed-off high-schooler than someone who leaked some of the NSA’s most classified information to the public. “Wake Up” suffers
the same fate by never defining whatever ominous force Kensrue is wailing about, instead latching onto passé imagery of foxes stalking a garden to convey dread. He doesn’t fare much better with hope either: “I believe there’s a way through the fire/ I believe there’s a joy that blooms beyond these walls,” reads “The Long Defeat.” But no musician lives or dies by their words alone. Plenty of artists can make up for tired phrases in their musicality. Thrice even did it themselves on Identity Crisis, elevating the largely overdramatic lyrics through loud/soft contrast and brain-rattling thrash. To Be Everywhere has no such energy, relegated to medium pacing and chord progressions that usually find the bass and guitars linked together in a monotonous crunch. The few successful songs manage to offset the words with ear-twitching dynamics. Lyrically, the antiwar anthem “Blood On the Sand” is about as artful and subtle as the title suggests, but its raspy interludes and the range of Kensrue’s voice — moving from croaking to clean singing to his earlycareer scream — give it considerable power. “Black Honey” achieves a similar effect by using a muffled guitar line as its anchor, as if the recording’s being fed through a military walkie-talkie. It’s also the sole song where Kensrue manages to be unconventional in his metaphor, dreaming up an unsettling vision of someone swatting their way into a beehive to get to what’s inside. The airstrike of stings, along with the confusion over why the bees are attacking him in the first place, paint a nightmarish picture no matter how you interpret its meaning; no matter how much of a departure it is from their older sound. That kind of power, imaginative, lyrical, or musical, though, is all too rare on the album.
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Bottle house Bar • 813-623-5700
5902 S Gornto Lake Rd, Riverview, FL 33578 ______________________________________
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490 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602 ______________________________________
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718 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Seffner, FL 33584 ______________________________________
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701 W. Lumsden Road, Brandon, FL 33511 ______________________________________
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15435 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618 ______________________________________
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16 2nd Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33704 ______________________________________
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Eve 6
JUNE
Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Pro-Pain
The Haven, Winter Park
Ellie goulding & Matt & Kim
Amalie Arena, Tampa
Pro-Pain
The Orpheum, Ybor City
Alejandro Escovedo
The Social, Orlando
genitorturers
The Abbey, Orlando
She Wants Revenge
House of Blues, Orlando
Eve 6
The Crowbar, Ybor City
Spyro gyra
The Devyn, Sarasota
Darius Rucker, Dan + Shay & Michael Ray
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Weird Al yankovic
Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Alejandro Escovedo
Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Emblem3 & Ready Set House of Blues, Orlando
Andy Black & Colours
State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Ellie goulding
CFE Arena, Orlando
Bas, Cozz & Earthgang Backbooth, Orlando
Andy Black
The Social, Orlando
Confederate Railroad The Barn, Sanford
Kofi Baker
Largo Cultural Center, Largo
4 6 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 9
10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 11
the Supervillains
West End Trading Co., Sanford
Jason Bonham’s Led zeppelin Experience Hard Rock Live, Orlando
the Reverist & the getbye
The Social, Orlando
Cyndi Lauper
Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
X Ambassadors
House of Blues, Orlando
Cyndi Lauper
Dr. Phillips Perf. Arts Ctr, Orlando
Frank turner
Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Freedy Johnston
Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Weird Al yankovic
Youkey Theatre, Lakeland
Refused & the Coathangers
The Beacham, Orlando
Selena gomez & DNCE
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13 15 15 16 16 16 16 16
Amway Center, Orlando
17
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
17
The Beacham, Orlando
17
Journey, Doobie Brothers & Dave Mason Before you Exit, Cade & Christina grimmie
the turtles, Chuck Negron, gary Puckett & Mark Lindsay Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Frank turner
The Beacham, Orlando
Cognitive
Brass Mug, Tampa
John Nemeth
Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
thrice
House of Blues, Orlando
Kill the Noise
The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City
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the So So glos
The Orpheum, Ybor City
St. Lucia
State Theatre, St. Petersburg
St. Lucia
The Social, Orlando
Weezer, Panic! At the Disco & Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Chris Cornell
Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Anthony hamilton & Fantasia
USF Sun Dome, Tampa
guttermouth
Will’s Pub, Orlando
Lord huron
The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City
Jason Bonham’s Led zeppelin Experience
Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Keith urban, Brett Eldredge & Maren Morris
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Ricky Nelson Remembered Featuring the Nelsons
Dr. Phillips Perf. Arts Ctr, Orlando
Voo Davis
House of Blues, Orlando
Cory Branan
Will’s Pub, Orlando
Voo Davis
House of Blues, Orlando
Cory Branan
Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
ingrid Michaelson, Magic! & Simple Plan House of Blues, Orlando
Brit Floyd
Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
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B.o.B.
State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Damon Fowler
Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Buckcherry & Adelitas Way Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Demi Lovato & Nick Jonas Amway Center, Orlando
Dashboard Confessional & taking Back Sunday
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Rebelution, Mr green, J Boog & Stick Figure
Vinoy Waterfront Park, St. Pete.
Letlive. & Silver Snakes The Social, Orlando
Letlive. & Silver Snakes The Orpheum, Ybor City
Satsang
Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Jesus Culture
House of Blues, Orlando
Jesus Culture
USF Sun Dome, Tampa
Jon Bellion
The Beacham, Orlando
Steely Dan & Steve Winwood
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Steve Aoki
House of Blues, Orlando
in this Moment, hellyeah & Shaman’s harvest Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Justin Bieber
Amway Center, Orlando
JULY
Van’s Warped tour
Vinoy Waterfront Park, St. Pete.
Joyce Manor & Modern Baseball
The Beacham, Orlando
1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 7
twenty one Pilots
Amway Center, Orlando
Michael Charles
House of Blues, Orlando
in this Moment, hellyeah & Shaman’s harvest Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Stu hamm
State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Nicky Jam
Amalie Arena, Tampa
Van’s Warped tour Tinker Field, Orlando
Slipknot, Marilyn Manson & of Mice & Men
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
7 8 8 9
10 11
13
Corey Smith
15
Local 662, St. Petersburg
15
House of Blues, Orlando
Nothing & Wrong
Sublime With Rome & Dirty heads
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Nothing & Wrong Backbooth, Orlando
Joyce Manor & Modern Baseball
The Orpheum, Ybor City
Smash Mouth
Sutton Park, Palmetto
Culture Club
Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Aesop Rock & Rob Sonic The Social, Orlando
Pinegrove & Sports Epic Problem, Tampa
halsey & Bad Suns CFE Arena, Orlando
Culture Club
Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
the hotelier & told Slant Epic Problem, Tampa
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15 16 16 17 19 20 21 22 23
Chino y Nacho
House of Blues, Orlando
Aesop Rock & Rob Sonic
State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Blood on the Dance Floor
Epic Problem, Tampa
Brand New & Modest Mouse
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Firefall & Poco
Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit & Sponge Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit & Sponge
R.O.C. Park, Madiera Beach
98 Degrees, o-town, Dream & Ryan Cabrera
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Marianas trench
Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
zakk Wylde & tyler Bryant
The Plaza Live, Orlando
Dierks Bentley, Randy houser, Cam & tucker Beathard
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Chris Robinson Brotherhood
The Beacham, Orlando
g-Eazy, Logic & yo gotti
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Chris Robinson Brotherhood
State Theatre, St. Petersburg
terror & Power trip
Local 662, St. Petersburg
Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
Beres hammond
Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Counting Crows & Rob thomas
MidFlorida Credit Union Amp, Tampa
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