TCNM Issue 13 by Threat Con Nation

THE GUITAR GODS SMILED UPON ME

WHERE LOVERS GO TO DIE

plan your next night out with the tcnm flyer gallery inside

Threat Con Nation Magazine is an independently owned local music news and events publication available on a monthly basis for free. Content is property of Threat Con Nation and its affiliates. We encourage sharing but please ask for permission before using any excerpts or images in other published work via internet or print. Band/artist interviews, submissions, and narrative sections may have opinions and suggestions that are not endorsed by Threat Con Nation and its affiliates. Front Page: Adicript Other Photo Credits: Stefan Adcock, Participating Bands and their media affiliates Marketing / Advertising Director: Shawn Ernst Editor/Graphic Design: M Montez Contributors: Johnna Dean, Shawn Ernst, M Montez, Stefan Adcock, Tonya Whitworth Copyright ÂŠ 2014 Threat Con Nation, All Rights Reserved

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George Cudworth (Lead Guitar/Vox), David â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mammothâ&#x20AC;? Gray (Drums), Dustin Covington (Lead Vox/Keys)

Founded: 2013 Hometown: Santa Rosa, California Genre: Rock/Progressive Rock

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Adicript is an intelligent blend of well composed, beautiful, progressive, hard rock. Smart lyrics with substantial meanings and messages supported by creative, energetic guitar riffs bring to life deep sentiment relatable by all. Drums and powerful bass tracks move every song forward with a distinct progressive fashion.

How did Adicript get started? George - I met Dustin when I was 20 and we played in a band for like 3 weeks, the band fell apart and Dustin went in the military and got stationed at Fort Hood. I then moved to Hollywood where I went to music college. Dustin called me and said he was bored and I should move out to Texas after I graduated I was like ok and I sold everything and went to Texas. Dustin - George came back 2 years ago. George - When I moved back I moved in with Brei and started a project where I wrote mellow stuff. A year after I got back, I met David and he had an ad stating he was looking for good musicians. We got in contact and 3 weeks later David bought a new drum set and I bought a new guitar. I went through this huge classic rock faze.

Dustin - It’s great for search engines because when you type it in, you will find Adscript or Adicript. I heard the Bay area’s local scene is doing well and heard from others that it is not. What are some obstacles you guys have faced? George - There is no scene. Dustin - I am on the opposite side of this spectrum. I don’t know what scene they are talking about. If you’re a DJ and want to play in Sonoma County. you will find a gig and make good money doing it because everybody wants to hear that all day. For a band that is trying to be progressive, there is no scene for that. David - there are performers with good stage presence but there are all these bands that have one really good musician and the rest kinda bring that down. That’s a part of the hard rock metal scene that I see.

David - Yeah, I then played this crazy riff and we went from there. What is your opinion on The Prog Rock metal Dustin - I got involved a few weeks after all that. I was scene in Norcal? like behind the closet not remotely ok with being in a David - I haven’t really seen any other progressive classic rock band. I knew where his head was at in rock bands. the past and I just waited it out to see where it would Dustin - 7 years ago, I was in a progressive rock band go. but we were more like Dream Theater progressive rock. I used a keyboard kind of deal with consistent When Adicript was in its feeling out stages, did change all over the place. you know you all would be a progressive Rock George - There was a really good metal scene when I band or did it just happen. was in High School but that died out quickly too. David - None of us knew how progressive we could play until all of us started jamming. I can hear specific genre influences in your music like In the Name Of, what genres are the most What can fans expect from the EP? influential and does that make it challenging to place your band in a particular genre? Dustin - More dynamics George - More progressive

George - I think progressive rock is the easiest to put up front.

Dustin - This EP, in general, features us playing a lot harder for one, 2 songs are a lot harder, dynamics like Dustin - I would like to just say we are a hard rock band. Throwing the word Prog in there just opens it I said. up more than we are actually going for. We do have David - Definitely more progressive. influences but what we are doing is relatively easier to follow. Dustin - Our demos were pretty straight forward, a couple singles and a ballad. I feel like if the North Bay George - And we have good rock choruses. Underground was still going on, we would put Through The Gray on there. What are Adicripts plans? Why did you name your band, Adicript? George - I wrote a song, Adicript. It was about taking acid 7 years ago and then I met him and said we should use it as our band name.

George - Play shows, and more shows.

FACEBOOK.COM/ADICRIPT Threat Con Nation Magazine 5

t was a nice, warm, beer fueled day at the Press Club, in downtown Sacramento. where I first saw Infinite Vastness. The first thing that caught my eye was the impressive set up their keyboard player, Alex Severson, brought with him. It seemed to dominate the stage left area, and I knew there was something special about these guys. Once everything got set up, the rest of the band hopped up on stage and immediately blew my mind. Taylor Clark, their guitarist and lead singer, had a mellow and raspy voice to him that complemented his old-school rock style of guitar playing. Clark’s driving rock mixed really well with Severson’s keyboard additions, that went all over the place, in terms of sounds. Backed up by Bill Burnett on bass, and Julian Herbert on drums, they not only brought old school, space rock to the table, but they showed an unbridled passion on stage. As their music hit its incredible crescendo, you could see that each and every member of the band was pouring their all into their performance. Herbert was pounding his kit like there was no tomorrow, and Burnett had the hair flying to complement his thundering bass. By the end of it, I had a serious case of whiplash.

particular instance, but he had plenty of things to say that went along with what the rest of the band told me. Infinite Vastness formed in February 2013, with Burnett joining the band later in February 2014, and has been playing all over Sacramento since then. And throughout their musical journey, they have been able to utilize their wide variety of musical influences. Clark and Burnett have both been brought up on a lot of classic rock, with Burnett focusing on a lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Primus since picking up the bass. Severson is a bit of the odd man out, when he tells me, "I was a rave kid, and then I've been producing hip hop for about 6 years. Then I met up with these cats, and I knew like 2 or 3 Zepplin tracks...I also like the blues, so that helped as well…”. He also adds, “I like weird noises. I've been producing for so long, that if it's weird, it adds something, like a new element…” Herbert tells me later, that his main influence for his drumming is, “John Bonham. there is no other when it comes to rockin’ people’s faces.” He also says, “I know if I play with my heart, it’s gonna be loud, kinda like Bonham”.

After that whirlwind of musical fusion, I caught up with You would think that a bunch of guys so like minded them a few days later out in West Sacramento. They and passionate would have known each other before, were all hanging out, minus Herbert this particular but that’s not the case. They all happened to meet at night. I was able to speak to Herbert outside of this Sac City College, where Clark was taking recording 6 Threat Con Nation Magazine

classes under the guidance of John Villec. Clark remembers, “I went back to school for recording, where I met these guys, just to meet people. We started off with a bunch of stuff that I had, and kinda added to it, since it was just guitar tracks…” From there, they were able to morph into the rock group that they are today. Infinite Vastness bills themselves as a jam band, and the mentality that goes along with it has aided their creative process in many ways. Severson remarks, “A lot of stuff happens, where we are at band practice and someone was screwing around...then it became a jam added to a song to either me, or Taylor, had written.” Burnett also adds, “We have even got to the point where we write songs live on stage...at a show at the Poo Frog Ranch [in Clipper Mills, CA], we had people tell out two letters and just went with it from there.” “Yeah, the F to B one [song] got kinda awkward (laughs)”, interjects Severson. Herbert underlines this process in his own words, by “We are bringing that original soul of rock music back to the table...we do this because we love it...that’s all that matters”. Herbert even remarks, that at that same show, he played his kit so hard, that the snare drum stand he was using, broke under the beating that it took. If that’s not passion, I don't know what is. Infinite Vastness has taken all these ingredients that make them a great band and focused it into a 4-song EP, “New Page”, that they recorded out of their rehearsal space out at Sacramento Rehearsal Studios. Their recording education is very prevalent, because the EP, which is available on soundcloud, is very well polished and sounds very professional. They do have additional aspirations to record a full length album but, according to Clark, “We wanna record it live [in studio, as one], so we can capture the energy that comes with playing live…” Whatever direction their music takes them, be sure to stay abreast of it as best you can. They have their complete EP available on soundcloud.com/infinitevastness, as well as links to the same songs on their Facebook profile. You can even follow them on Instagram, for fun snapshots of their studio time and live adventures. Be sure to check these guys out because their jamtastic journey is only just beginning. -Stefan Adcock

ROCK

ALT

1 walking tall

1 MICHAEL TIFFANY

2 tesla

2 paul rocker

3 todd morgan and the emblems

3 FATE UNDER FIRE

4 zeroclient 5 daly redline 6 frank hannon 7 restrayned

4 once an empire 5 brian lee bender 6 color the sound 7 riotmaker 8 sages

8 arden park roots

9 march into paris

9 some fear none

100pilgrim

100tell the wolves

PUNK

METAL

1 S.W.I.M.

1 in the silence

2 get shot!

2 plague widow

3 twitch angry

3 kill the precedent

4 mdso 5 yankeee brutal

4 boyce

6 dead weight

5 I wish we were robots

7 the pikeys

6 axiom

8 rebel radio 9 boats!

7 slaves of manhattan

100gerard fragamino

9 jack ketch

8 fallrise

100motorize Data collected from www.reverbnation.com *Standings as of 10/29/2014

Zen Arcadia is a reference to a couple of our influences and it sort of fits in the "yin-yang" theme of Zen as well… There was a big underground band in the 80's called Husker Du, which started out as a hardcore punk outfit in Minneapolis and over time gradually changed into what would become the blueprint for modern alternative rock/pop (which provided the basis for Nirvana, Soul Asylum, and tons of others) and the point at which they really began to change was an album titled "Zen Arcade" in 1984. About the same time, Duran Duran, which then was the most popular synth pop band in the world, formed a side project called Arcadia and released an album of darker, moodier material that was the underside of what they ordinarily were known for. So, you have these two halves of light-hearted pop and heavier punk/metal underground swirling together in various mixes, and by combining the two, it perfectly describes what it is that Zen Arcadia is trying to blend with our sound. Even in our logo - the "swoop" that goes around the ZA is the Buddhist symbol for Zen, and represents a connectedness of existence. The bottom line being that we're going to be who we're going to be, and rather than try to pigeonhole it into a safe category, we'd rather embrace it”. -Dennis Bodine (Front Man to Zen Arcadia)

side from preparing for their performance at v103 Rockfest, Zen Arcadia, a 4 piece band from Sacramento CA, was preparing for the completion of their full length album, Earthquakes. I actually got the opportunity to listen to the new album and I must say, I am more than impressed. This band has been around since 2010 and from day one, they have sat in the background silently preparing to create an astounding statement while others fumbled around looking for a way to maneuver around the politics and basic obstacles that most local bands face. I feel pretty damn confident in saying the silence has been lifted and they are here louder, tighter, and hungry.

hugs and talk of music, I have a boring family. There is one thing that really gets under my skin, arrogance. I understand taking pride in your accomplishments but a wise man once told me, " A local scene, in my humble and learned opinion, is only as good as the collective group of players which inhabit the entirety of the talent pool. All of us, with differing styles, tastes, clothing, sets and attitudes make up an entire snapshot of greatness. No one band defines a local scene. Perhaps, there are a few who rise to the top, but in truth, a big, egotistical fish makes the pond harder for everyone to swim"

But with Zen Arcadia, having that egotistical attitude does not exist. They are, in my opinion, one of the Sacramento is a city that has definitely felt the downmost humbled bands I have come across and after fall of local music in the past. While there were dark listening to their album, Earthquakes about 40 times periods of local music, there were still bands lurking in within a 2 day period, I immediately praised them for the shadows performing all around town, and one of their accomplishments. Of course they responded those bands was Zen Arcadia. Every time I talked to with nothing but absolute humility. any of the members, it was like showing up to a family dinner except at my family dinners never included bro From tracks like “Being Born” to “Wake Up” and every 8 Threat Con Nation Magazine

other track in between, they have created a diverse sound that is unprecedented with edgy energetic rock that takes you on a ride deeper into their roots of alternative rock coupled with metal. So, now that you have been given a little taste of what to expect, lets take you deeper into who these secret musician assassins are.

al, is a very humble person. He will tell you that he doesn’t have a very exciting past but I would have to beg the differ. Before Seth met his other ZA band mates, he played in several other bands and as life emerged to the forefront, that all temporarily ended. He would go years without playing until Seth met Nolan and Dennis. Everything pretty much clicked at that moment and he joined the band. It seems that In 2010, Zen Arcadia stepped foot into the local scene music runs through the veins of his family. His brothhoping to utilize their past experiences in music to er, Brendan Duffey, is a music producer in Brazil and progress their careers as musicians. As we go deeper helped produce Earthquakes. into these young men’s pasts, you will begin to read how it all began, this is Zen Arcadia being born. Aside from slapping the bass with Zen Arcadia, Seth also has another talent affiliated with music. He builds When I was a kid, my mom used to say, “Once you his own effects pedals. Awesome I know! So the next learn how to tie your shoes, you will no longer fall.” I time you see him performing and you begin to wonder swear she thought she was the Joker and I was bathow he just made his bass sound all badasslike, look man… all her damn riddles but the same applies to down by his feet. This mad scientist of music has the members of Zen Arcadia except they tie their shoes a answer. little different than I. They use guitar strings not shoe strings. Dennis Bodine (AKA DB) is a very talented Christian Wise, the drummer for Zen Arcadia, has musician with a collective history that shows through years of musical talents of his own, ranging from the his work. His tenacious vocal range takes a hold of professional music industry to the local music commuyou as thoughtfully crafted lyrics beckon you to relive nity. He was a contracted drummer for Disney for 7 years in which his work included playing and recordpast/present experiences with him. ing with pop artists, Samantha Mumba, Mandy Moore, From 1996 to 2000, DB was in San Francisco singing Jars Of Clay, and LL Cool J. After working with and playing guitar for the band, Hitch. In 2001, he beDisney, Christian went on to work as a session player gan singing for the metal band Phrenik. The band refor William Katt. You might remember Mr. Katt as the ceived many praises and won awards such as the actor from the 80’s tv show, The Greatest American Writers Choice Award for "2003 Best Live Band" by Hero who also happens to be an accomplished Sacramento News & Review, Budweiser True Music musician. Two years before the fateful joining of Zen Artist appearing on a Budweiser CD attached to AuArcadia, Christian played in rock bands, Paradoxx, gust 2003 issue of Blender Magazine. They were Running On Empty, as well as a brief stint with the elected by Disturbed's Dan Donegan to open for the country band, Whiskey Dawn. "Music as a Weapon Tour.” They also played "The Vans Warped Tour" 2 years in a row and appeared on It was a pleasure discovering all of the history behind KRXQ 98Rock’s CD "Sac Rocks" Volumes 8, 9 and the guys of Zen. Check out Zen Arcadia’s new album, 10. As you can tell DB is far from being a stranger to Earthquakes and get to know the highly skilled profesthe stage and the versatile style that he offers as the sionals performing brand new original music right in front man/guitar player for Zen Arcadia is such a reyour own backyard. freshing relief and proof that rock is still alive. Nolan Erck, guitar player and vocals for Zen Arcadia also has a very impressive background. Aside from a vast background in various bands, Nolan also helped to promote bands from all over the globe through his work for the music label, Riffage, known for the release of the Tattoo the Earth Compilation that featured Slayer, Slipknot, and many more. Nolan also worked on live-streaming concerts at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco Ca. When he is not rocking out with Zen, his solo act and recording/ producing studio, Volume 11 keep him busy. Right now, Nolan is working on a review/podcast site that will feature all kinds of music related content, exclusive acoustic performances from bands and other music media endeavors. Seth Duffey, Zen’s bassist and a very unique individuThreat Con Nation Magazine 9

By Jimmy Allen

Jimmy Allen is an original member of the band, Puddle of Mudd and an award winning songwriter for “Blurry,” “Drift and Die,” and “She Hates Me,” off the ‘Come Clean‘ album, which was responsible for breaking Puddle of Mudd into the mainstream music scene. Jimmy has formed Against All Will, a hard rock band that is “boast ripe with radio-friendly rock songs replete with fat hooks, huge choruses, and melodies that linger long after the music has stopped.” Go to Jimmy Allen’s Facebook Page: facebook.com/againstallwilljimmy for more info.

wanted to share this cool guitar story with some of With a strong local following, Puddle of Mudd was my friends. A story about the true power of music. playing good gigs and making some pretty decent money, so one day making the rounds to some of the Being a musician in a band and writing songs is music stores in town, Sean Sammon and I went into very difficult sometimes, but also very rewarding too. Big Dudes Music off Broadway in KC to get some You may get the chance to maybe touch people you strings or something. The Ernie Ball Music Man Eddie don't know, or may never meet in this world. Van Halen guitar had just came out a year before and Sometime In the spring of 1994, my band Puddle Of pretty much anything Eddie put his stamp on was Mudd was on the verge of success. We were getting going to be the real deal. massive airplay on 98.9 The Rock in Kansas City with Big Dudes Music had just got a used 1993 red flame a catchy simple song I wrote "You Don't Know" from top in that very day. I had to see what kinda fire she our first CD "Stuck". it was probably the first time any had, so I plugged her into a Marshall (or was it a Peaus had recorded in a real studio. vey?) and let it rip! That guitar blew my young mind!!! We were all kinds of in shock in that it took off the I had to have it! way it did. Major Labels were checking us out and all This EVH guitar was 800 bucks, so the band (but that cool stuff. We had only been a band for under a mostly Sean cuz he heard the magic) decided to buy year and "We were just kids with big dreams back my bright red Les Paul studio lite (#1Come Clean then." 10 Threat Con Nation Magazine

guitar) for Wes, so and I could get the EVH and shred some face. I was connected to that guitar, it was a part of my soul. It took over the #1 position from my cheap white Charvel "Toast" That I used on the "Stuck" CD. I played that EVH guitar at every POM show from then on. I wrote some cool Puddle songs with that guitar. Hit songs like "She Hates Me" and even the chord changes and chorus "u take it all away" part to "Blurry", plus many other POM songs.

believe it when I got online and saw who's Birthday it was that very day it showed up... Eddie Van Halen's. Maybe it was a sign from the rock gods? Stay true to yourself. Never give up, and always follow your dreams.

"A piece of old wood with strings on it" Helped me achieve my childhood dreams and changed my life. The guitar that helped spawn songs that have sold over six million records. I F*CKING SOLD IT!!! Leaving POM was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. I loved all the guys in the band like family, but we were once a band of brother's, reduced to a ship of fools. Stupid band fighting and no magic record deal ever surfaced then, like it did later on in 1999. I was so broke and depressed, with no band. The only thing I had of real value was my EVH guitar, so I sold it and paid my crappy apt rent for two months. WTF? I should of just became homeless. I felt sick with regret for many weeks after selling that red guitar, it felt like I sold a part of my soul. Maybe I did. So, just a few weeks ago, after working on some of Against All Will songs in my studio, I could not sleep at all!. At 3AM in the morning, I grab my laptop and I decided to do what every guitar player "Likes" to do from time to time. No...Not porn, or stalking ex girlfriends on Facebook. Its scouting ebay for cheap gear. Out of the blue, in some other mystic realm, I typed in EVH to just see what those guitars are worth now. I was stunned outta my mind, when I happened to see the face of my old friend in the red wood grains. I broke out some old POM live band pics, and went over each wood marking like the guy from CSI. It sure looked like a positive match. Right away, I emailed the seller, asking if there's a paint chipped here and there. He said... yeah. How did you know that? Because it use to be mine! I didn't tell him the story or he would've jacked the price up on me, so I bought it without blinking. My old red EVH guitar was back. I even kissed it! It felt the same, it looked the same, just like it did when I sold it in 1998. It's smell reminded me of my misguided youth. I plugged it in and I was transported back in time. It was amazing to finally hold her once again! Red arrived back in my hands on November 26th. I felt the pure magic of this guitars power. I couldn't

â&#x2013;&#x2C6; Featured Poetry turnedI wait for the writer to come Always eternal and fleeting Bound by the writer's unwritten law A drug of rapturous needing Is it cut or pure? Put it in me and make me dance How can this curse turn cure? When it turns away the only chance of the loveliest low mellow hue Concubine dreamer, story weaver The story is lost in you I wait for the writer to come undone Always bold and uncertain Showing off is so incredibly dumb When you live behind a curtain They said bring me your outcasts Your lost in the woods So wander those places and turn up the mud Replace broken things with soon to be broken things too Self taught non learner, blind eye turner The story is lost on you M Montez-

Threat Con Nation Magazine 11

12 Threat Con Nation Magazine

Restrayned Rock/Hard Rock “Great hard rock music and amazing live shows.” reverbnation.com/restrayned

Wrings Alternative “WRINGS' music is a melancholic blend of alternative rock and electro-pop. . reverbnation.com/wrings

Madison Ave Rock “Sacramento Alt/Heavy Melodic Rock.” reverbnation.commadisonave

pired or music ins om. d n a , rs e tt le ation.c otos, Send fan ph s to: info@threatconn tion ag”. original crea the subject line “Mailb Title

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Photo Credit: Charles Gunn

Threat Con Nation Magazine 13

I made during that time nearly ended a relationship. I am the black sheep. I am a realist. I am a mother to three children and two step-children, For starters, Hellen Back is my nom de plume. but I refuse to be labeled “Mom”. I am older than I While I may not have actually been to Hell (or look but feel like I have lived several other peoback, for that matter), I have had some pretty varple’s lifetimes. I have vices. I am not perfect, howied life experiences that I can draw on to when ever much I want to be. faced with new, difficult or uncomfortable situations. I am a natural introvert. Hellen is my extroverted, in-your-face alter-ego that voices the Poverty. Rape. Eating disorders. Mental illness. thoughts and comments that decorum will not alBlended families. Toxic friends. Cutting. Dysfunclow me to say. I have worked as a paralegal in tional families. Abortion. Religion. Substance family law for over 13 years. Every time I think I abuse. Anxiety. Addiction. Ask me about any of have seen or heard it all, something new turns these issues and I will tell you what I think, what I up. know, what I have lived, and what I have learned. Contact me, confidentially. The STORIES I could tell (but cannot, due to confidentiality) are unbelievable. Weird, gross, sad, askhellenback@yahoo.com outrageous, deplorable, nasty, heart-wrenching and just plain wrong stuff goes on every single day in this town and a small slice of it lands on my desk. Divorce, custody, conflict – it makes people’s common sense evaporate. They operate out of guilt, fear, anger, hopelessness. My job is to help these broken folks to the finish line – whatever that may be. I am the defiantly proud owner of four marriages (that’s 28 in dog marriages). High school sweethearts meet infidelity, meth and meddling parents in a small town? Check. Mixed-race marriage in same small conservative (okay, redneck) town, co-mingled with alcoholism and domestic violence? Check. Stable, loveless marriage that lasted longer than it should have? Check. Rollercoaster of happiness and hardship with the one human being on the planet whose star, out of countless billions of others, shone the brightest just for you? Check. I have been homeless. With an infant. I have had most of my large family shun me over marriage number two. I have been jobless and car-less, knowing only a single askhellenback@yahoo.com soul in a new city. I have counted my rent out in facebook/askhellenback pennies. I have had post-partum depression so twitter/askhellenback severe the choices and decisions

Who is Hellen Back?

Ask Hellen Back

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█ TCNM OUT OF BOUNDS loudest guttering monster fire vortex making, half screaming, half crying, half agony- opening lyric I have ever heard in my entire life, also unaccompanied by music. The first song was “Trust Me” His stage presence cannot be explained with mortal words.

-M. Montez

am a writer and an artist. Things explode out of me in waves at times and sometimes they keep me awake at night. I like stories, ambiguous stories with no heroes, no villains, and no endings. I like broken bits of life lingering around waiting to be dissected and reconnected and some things just effect me in an extreme way. Sometimes the effect feels like a overwhelming surge of pictures and things and people and places and pain and love and that human connection we all look for. When the pressure cooker of magic finally spreads itself outward and into the world like heaven’s gates letting the light out to fill the dark places… I can’t shut up about it. I want to scream about it from every corner of the world. I want to pick it apart and bury myself in it. This is exactly what Mourning Mountains feels like.

The audience immediately stopped whatever they were doing. Conversations hung in mid sentence and everyone collectively turned toward the stage as if mind controlled to do so. It was surreal. They were actually slack jawed and wide eyed. What they were experiencing was that split second of the brain telling the body, “This is not normal, beware!” Mourning Mountains had control of the entire room with a song that begged you to “trust me”. Opening with that song was genius. After “Trust Me” the band went quiet again. They let that heaviness hang around just long enough for it to feel a bit uncomfortable and no one uttered a word. James Reedy scanned the room, one second ticked by, then two. The band began to play again, but without a build up, just a frenzy of sound as they grinded their hearts out in tight unison. The crowd remained quiet and the band played for a shell shocked crowd.

They put everything into the second song as if it were the last. The second song got everyone warmed up and acclimated to Mourning Mountains very unique style. They were still stunned, but more in awe than Mourning Mountains label themselves as Rock n Roll, fear and by the end, the crowd threw up a loud wall of but my oh my, that is not enough of an explanation for cheers because they knew they had just witnessed something really good. the how exquisite their landscape is. Below the surface of that innocent little ploy of “Rock n Roll” is a The whole experience and performance was treacherous razor sharp beast spewing out mind incredible. altering venom. Just this past summer, Mourning Mountains performed at Old Ironsides and the mourningmountains.bandcamp.com audience was not ready for what they were about to experience. facebook.com/mourningmountains The group quietly walked onto the stage as the audience ho-hummed in small clusters. People who came to have a drink and enjoy the company of their friends were chatting and buzzing around the bar. They were mostly ignoring those final moments between set up and go time. Vocalist/Guitaris James Reedy took in a deep breath at the microphone. Most of the crowd had their backs turned away, busy with their friends. That’s what the opener often deals with. For one tiny sliver of a second, I swear you could feel a vacuum open up and suck the air out of the room with that inhale. No one else noticed the change in atmosphere. James held that breath in for a second and let out the 16 Threat Con Nation Magazine

THE SECRETS TO YOUR SUCCESS....

o, I got to go out to a Music Festival recently… Yay! Happy, happy, Joy, joy!

I have to say that I absolutely had a great time. However, what I found more than anything else, was a little bit more about myself. I realized I was thinking too much and listening a whole lot less. This is not my typical behavior!! I had various thoughts and feelings running around; Of course, the majority of those thoughts running around up in the attic-space of my brain were those of the happiest I’ve had in long awhile. So, don’t even try understanding it! I’m not complaining here. I had a blast at this Festival! Needless to say, this left me with more than the normally confused state than I’m used to. And, as far as deciding which Metal-Note to pull here? Let’s just say, I was caught several times, by my whole family, while franticly shuffling through obscure piles of loose paper, and 1/2-torn notebooks, to the usual files, folders and boxes. All of this, in the hopes of finding the “perfect-note.” (UGH! - I felt like a tone-chasing guitar player on a 3-day bender!)

On to my point: Please Read this One Word for Me:

FANS Musicians: What is your definition of FANS? My Definition? A FEELING that is eager and intense with a strong SENSE of peace and BELONGING as you become PART OF a CAMARADERIE that is accomplished by BEING AROUND OTHERS WHO ARE “JUST LIKE ME”. Fans are people who are just as fully inspired by the intense feeling of great energy created by a deep appreciation of the importance of music. Dave Mustaine has said it all along. When announcing his band mates, he never announces himself or says his actual name. What he does say is key. So what does he say to his audience?

“And Me? Well, you know me… cause I’m just like you.” He knows who really matters. It’s the fans. It always has been and it’s always going to be the fans.

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——————————————————————————NOV/DEC 2014

80 SAT DEC 6TH MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

TCN Magazine started out as a crazy spark of inspiration. That spark soon grew into an undying flame stoked by the talented community of local musicians in Sacramento who want nothing more than to share their passion for music with you. We wanted to give them an outlet to share what they work so hard to create in a legitimate and professional way, but we wanted to go beyond sharing flyers and events. We wanted to get deep down in the trenches and find out what motivates all of the amazing creativity pumping into this city. We wanted to bring musicians closer together so that they could network with each other and we also wanted to add our own creative juices to the mix because... Creativity is like a virus, if you share it, it spreads and it grows. That is the power of music and why it is so important to us. We knew the adventure we were about to embark upon was a rocky path full of bumps and turns, but we decided the possible pitfalls were worth it. Our local music community was worth the time and efforts it took to see this crazy dream to fruition. We wanted the chance to make a difference in the lives of the people who have made sacrifices for their art and help those ambassadors of music carry their own undying flames onto the stage so that they could go on to ignite sparks in others as they did in us. So we started out with high hopes. We ate, drank, and slept local music. We brainstormed and strategized our way into Threat Con Nation Magazine, Sacramento's Local Music Review . Through trial and error and perseverance, we made our way. Contributors began joining us on this journey and TCN Magazines started flying off the shelves of every Sacramento area Dimple Records. Soon, we couldn't keep magazines on the shelves because of the overwhelming support from the very people that inspired us. It is truly an honor to see our little ole magazine getting so much buzz and we will forever be grateful for the support of so many. It is you, the reader, the musician, the local music fan and the good people of Sacramento that are responsible for our successes. We knew we would have a rocky hill to climb and we are still climbing that bizzle. Our goal was to support the costs of producing a monthly printed magazine with advertising. We knew that was going to be our biggest challenge requiring diligence and patience, however, due to unexpected life circumstances, we find ourselves no longer able to carry the lack of funds with our own modest resources as previously planned. Unfortunately, we will not be able to stock the shelves until we receive the funds to do so. We want to continue providing the articles and interviews that readers look forward to finding on the shelves of their local Dimple Records every month but we cannot do it without your support.% of the money contributed to this campaign will go towards the cost of printing TCN Magazine for 1 full year. This will give us the opportunity to build our advertising clientele while continuing our mission of supporting and promoting the local music community. Every dollar counts! If you are not in a position to donate, please share and as always, Thank You!