WVRockscene

Sleepwalker live on U92's Morgantown Sound

2012-02-01T20:24:00.001-05:00

If you're like us and tuned in to hear Sleepwalker last Monday but didn't hear it, friends everything will be alright thanks to the internets.

U92 has started a pretty cool lookin' Wordpress site for Morgantown Sound, complete with Soundcloud embeds of the shows. This is waaaay better than you, say, in embarrassing ghetto fashion, hypothetically, recording Bonfire onto an old SP-808, then bouncing it back onto the digital recorder you use to interview people for articles so your old laptop will recognize the files. Just because you like Bonfire a lot.

Anyway, you may have checked out our recent thing on Sleepwalker, and heard their debut EP The Dark One. If you missed the U92 show and were looking to hear it on someone else's site, why not check out their set below?

Morgantown Sound 01-23-2012 / Sleepwalker by MorgantownSound

Set list:
Ice Skater – 1:15
Red Balloons- 3:43
6s – 9:43
Shifting of the Poles – 14:05
I Can Tell – 17:10
Burn Up in a Car – 25:00
Emile Ajar- 28:45
John’s Lament – 31:10
Dirty as Hell – 34:19

Sasha Colette and the Magnolias release "Ridin' Away" Saturday at the V Club

2012-01-26T12:50:00.010-05:00

Sasha Colette and the Magnolias will break out the red bandanas Saturday night for the release of their new Appalachian prairie themed concept EP “Ridin’ Away” at the V Club in Huntington.

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Things have definitely changed for Sasha Colette over the past year.

The 23-year old singer-songwriter has relocated from Eastern Kentucky to Huntington, and now has a new band backing her as she prepares to release “Ridin’ Away,” the follow-up to 2011’s “Leave It Alone.”

Sasha Colette and the Magnolias will release the prairie-themed “cry for wide open spaces” concept EP “Ridin’ Away” Saturday, January 28 at the V Club in Huntington.

Over the phone, Colette described first life after the move, now living home on the range -- in Huntington.

“I really do like it,” Colette said of moving from Morehead, Kentucky to Huntington in August of last year. “This is the first time I’ve lived in a neighborhood sort of feel. I enjoy having neighbors,” she said laughing. “Me and (lead guitarist) Jeremy (Short) moved up from Kentucky to be closer to the other band members. (Bassist) Chris (Justice) lives in Ashland, and (drummer) Steve (Barker) lives here in Huntington.

“There’s a good circle of musicians here,” Colette continued. “It’s nice to have friends who play music, everybody’s always working on their new projects or whatever. It just keeps me encouraged, the circle of friends. That’s been one of my favorite things about Huntington, is I just feel like I fit in.”

It’s one thing to hear about fitting into a new town, but it’s surprising to hear Colette talk of fitting into her own band. That’s just the change that she thinks stands out since releasing “Leave It Alone” last year.

“I’ve been playing with this band for about a year now, and it’s been really cool. They’ve given me a new form of confidence as far as how as I perform. They’ve helped me improve my vocal performance so much more,” Colette, already known for her soulful and powerful voice, admitted.

“Ridin’ Away” has a distinctly more country music sound than the mix of folk and rock found on “Leave It Alone,” something that’s happened naturally as Colette and her new band mates have congealed into a unit.

“Someone like Ryan Adams, what he does, you can’t place it exactly,” Colette said of the sound on the new record. “This album, not only does it have a nice concept throughout, but it also introduces the band. These guys, they weren’t on the first album. I never really had a particularly stable band before. I didn’t have a specific direction then because I didn’t have anybody steady in my life, as far as the music goes. But this album, the reason it sounds so good and so fitting is, we’re used to each other, and we’re all here to stay in this thing.”

Colette said capturing the sound the new lineup has been working on at Aaron Fisher’s 101 Productions in Sissonville is something she’s proud of.

“Man, the album, I love the sound it has because this is what we do at live shows. The other album, it was difficult to translate that into a live show, it was kind of misleading occasionally. But this album, there’s a lot of truth to it, whether it be from the lyrics, or the sound of the album to the sound of the live show.”

It’s the truth found in her lyrics (which Colette dutifully cites as examples) and on one song in particular on “Ridin’ Away,” that Colette is maybe most excited about.

“This album has a song on it called “Leroy,” and lyrically I am more proud of that song than any song I’ve ever written because the wordplay and just the story behind it, and the truth behind it, the offensive truth. It embodies what, um, what’s kind of going on in some people’s lives. “A simple enough life/giving up your daddy’s name to marry Leroy,” you know?”

The inspiration for one song on “Ridin’ Away” came from others finding out about Colette’s life as a “professional camper” after a Charleston Gazette article on her in early 2011 described her very real nomadic life at the time.

“Like a tumbleweed I been out a roamin’/now my secret’s out and everybody knows,” Colette said, reciting the lyrics from “Red Bandana.”

“When I read [the article] I was like ‘Oh, they put that in the paper!’” Colette said laughing hard. “Some people don’t know how to react to that sort of thing, they think you’re a ruffian or something.

“Red Bandana” is kind of a cry for some wide open spaces. But people are diggin’ the idea of like a prairie-related album.”

So the pack-up-and-go themes explored on “Ridin’ Away,” are not so far divorced from reality for Colette. “You know,” she said, sighing, and thinking about her life, where she’s been and still may go, “I’m still young, I’m twenty-three, and maybe it’ll never leave, but I have a real big urge to just get up and go all the time. I want to question tomorrow.”

But for now, Colette is focused only on her band and changing other people’s lives, with her songs.

“I’m really excited to have the CD to introduce the band to the fans. People really love our sound so much, they want to take it home with them. It can be a life-altering experience, if you listen hard enough.”

IF YOU GO:
Sasha Colette and the Magnolias CD release
With Tyler Childers, The Switchmen
Where: The V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington
When: Saturday, January 28
Time: 10:30 p.m.
Cost: $8 (includes a copy of “Ridin’ Away”)
Online: www.reverbnation.com/sashacolette, www.vclublive.com

Related: Colette piece in The Ashland Daily Independent
Artwork by Jimbo Valentine/Amalgam Unlimited

CD Review: "One Man Houses"

2012-01-20T16:47:00.003-05:00

CD: One Man Houses
ARTIST: Spirit Night

Dylan Balliett never ceases to surprise and impress the highly esteemed/regarded editorial staff here at WVRockscene. Ever since we were introduced to Spirit Night quite literally out of the blue back in 2010, finding out about What We Will Be pretty much with everyone else, we fell in love with the songs and sound Balliett quite literally brought out of his bedroom with friend Pete Wilmoth.

From his bedroom, now relocated to Brooklyn, Balliett -- via Shepherdstown, Morgantown and Pittsburgh -- brings his buddies Wilmoth, Ryan Hizer, and Dave Bello back for One Man Houses, the third proper Spirit Night release and follow-up to last year’s Normal EP. But if you expect any of the dreamy, echo-soaked acoustic-based stuff found on the aforementioned records, yes, there’s that (“Everywhere I’ve Gone” is a good example) but dear readers, you are in for quite the surprise.

You may find yourself cussing with excitement when you first hear the plug-in-and-go punk rock and indie sound of “Goodbye Jones,” “Kerouac,” and “Grasshoppers,” (which we made the mistake of listening to preemptively, spoiling the surprise of the new sound) complete with fuzzy bass (via Hizer) and crashing hard rock cymbals. Something like ‘Daaaamn, this is Spirit Night?!’

There’s also a jangly 80’s college radio rock tone and edge on some of the songs, like “Summer Clothes,” like this could fit into that era and sound, maybe pre-Green R.E.M. or something, fronted by someone who sounds like Elvis Costello?

More great backing vocals and harmonies back up Balliett’s alternately sullen or gutteral, shrieking vocals. One of the great things about Balliett’s material is really the visceral, raw emotion laid out in the lyrics. Themes, like those found on previous Spirit Night tunes, include lost or misplaced friendship(s), moving/leaving (all the more appropriate since Balliett really has moved), growing up, and, yes, jerking off instead of falling in love. But the early childhood trauma and murderous rage explored and described on the six-minute long “The Last Time” is really something that we’ll leave up to the listener to discern.

And let’s not call this stuff lo-fi anymore. The subtle childish laughter and wind on “The Last Time,” adds ambience, and random (panned?) percussion found and added to maybe the most awesome song we’ve heard in a long time, “Rubberneck,” (written by Balliett friend and longtime cohort Dave Bello) is a real treat for the listener. Sure, Balliett writes cool songs with great lyrics, but it’s those little things that make the songs cool. And don’t let us not say something else about “Rubberneck,” if anyone cares: this is a completely badass, hit song if ever there was one, as Balliett boldly belts out the chorus:

“You can read my numbers
If you deal me out
A fresh deck.
Spell out my accident
If you stare me down
And rubberneck.”

This is the standout track on the record. It is indeed way more killer than it appears just reading it as text.

So, if you were mad that Normal was just an EP and not a full-length, One Man Houses, even though barely half an hour in length, with nine songs, more than makes up for it. Thumbs up here to Dave Klug for mixing and mastering duties, and to Balliett and friends for pulling this off. If you thought you had it kind of figured out what Spirit Night will be, you may have thought wrong.

Related: Wanna bone up on past mediocre WVRockscene posts on Spirit Night? Start yer boning with part one of our Q&A w/Balliett from July 2010...

Prison Book Club returns to Huntington for show at Black Sheep Burrito & Brews

2012-01-16T11:30:00.005-05:00

Photo: Kimmy Bowen

Prison Book Club (L-R: Adam Meisterhans, John Miller, Andrew Ford, Tucker Riggleman) returns to Huntington tonight for a show at Black Sheep Burrito & Brews...

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

It’s fitting that John Miller and Tucker Riggleman shared the interview duties for Prison Book Club.

After meeting through mutual friends at a concert for the Memphis-based alt-country band Lucero in 2005, (Lucero served as a big influence on PBC) the pair became friends, started hanging out and sharing tunes. Miller and Riggleman have shared the singing and songwriting duties in the Shepherdstown-based alt-country rock band since its inception.

They’re such good friends, already being in The Fox Hunt and The Demon Beat, respectively, Miller and Riggleman are so dedicated to Prison Book Club that they have matching PBC tattoos.

But Prison Book Club, having released their self-titled sophomore record last August, has at this point moved out of the shadow of The Demon Beat and The Fox Hunt, made fans and a name all on their own, and turned any discussion about the band from one of a side project into talk of being a force all its own.

The band (Miller: rhythm guitar, vocals, bass; Riggleman: bass, vocals, guitar; Adam Meisterhans: lead guitar; Andrew Ford: drums) returns to Huntington Monday, January 16 for a show at Black Sheep Burrito and Brews as part of a 16-show, 18-day tour of the Southeast.

“This is definitely the longest that we will have been out together,” Miller said of the steady string of shows. “I had gotten used to traveling with The Fox Hunt at least as much, if not more, than being at home and I’m excited to get back out.”

As favorably as their sophomore release was received, Prison Book Club has all new songs that they’re taking out on the road.

“We do have a handful of new songs that I believe are some of the strongest we’ve ever done, which is a good sign,” Miller said. “You don’t want to make a record and then go back, work out some new songs and think ‘man, this sounds the same’ or ‘man, we’re slipping.’ We’re very excited to have the chance to tighten them up a bit on the road.”

Riggleman, strictly a bassist in The Demon Beat, gets to write and sing his own stuff in Prison Book Club. It was Miller who helped Riggleman, then a student at Shepherd University, get started as a singer and songwriter, helping him overcome any anxiety he may have had by providing a friendly ear. Also, these late nights laid the groundwork for an enduring friendship that would one day turn into Prison Book Club after the duo welcomed Meisterhans on for PBC’s first gig at a friend’s wedding.

“Personally, when I started writing songs I kind of always wrote them with a full band in mind,” Riggleman said. “I think John and I had kind of always wanted to get something going, like a rock and roll band, but we just had to wait for the right moment I suppose.”

That right moment also provided Miller some level of lateral movement musically, still offering him the opportunity to write down-and-out type songs, and sing with his instantly recognizable, tough-but-touching country music voice, only in a rock band.

“I really wanted to write songs outside of the string band dynamic that we have in The Fox Hunt, and Prison Book Club offered an opportunity to bring some different things to the table,” Miller explained. “It’s not apples and oranges, but there’s a little more freedom there. And really, we’re all good friends; we all sort of came together when The Fox Hunt and The Demon Beat were first starting to play locally, but certainly things would have been a lot different if Tucker and I hadn’t been buddies from the outset. We’ve put up with each other’s crap for too long to discredit that.”

Miller added that Prison Book Club has enjoyed a renewed energy, “cohesiveness and focus” and welcoming drummer Andrew Ford on in early 2011 is part of that.

“We’ve definitely taken the jump from ‘this thing we do every now and then when we have the time’ to ‘this is its own band,’” Riggleman added. “Bringing in Andrew on drums has been great as well, and we feel like he really pushes us to play better, being that he’s a very talented dude.”

For now, Prison Book Club is looking forward to taking its new songs out on tour, making fans the old fashioned way: playing out as much as possible. And for Riggleman, the friendship that exists between the members of Prison Book Club is what it’s all about.

“I couldn’t imagine being in a band with strangers or people I didn’t like. Making music with some of your best friends really is about the best thing there is, in my opinion.”

Prison Book Club by Prison Book Club

If you go:
Prison Book Club
Where: Black Sheep Burrito and Brews, 1555 3rd Ave., Huntington
When: Monday, January 16, 10 p.m.
Online: http://www.reverbnation.com/prisonbookclub
Contact: http://www.blacksheepwv.com/ (304) 523-1555

CD Review: "At Least I Can Still Smoke In My Car"

2012-01-06T13:24:00.001-05:00

CD: At Least I Can Still Smoke In My Car
ARTIST: Bud Carroll

We ended 2011 heaping praise on a great record that had been released for free, so it only makes sense that we’d start 2012 doing the same thing.

It’s been a while since we last heard from Huntington’s Bud Carroll. Sure, the 29-year old (widely considered West Virginia’s most badass guitarist) multi-instrumentalist has been staying busy, either in AC30, lending his own formidable talents to other acts, or helping bands record at his Trackside Studios.

The neat thing about At Least I Can Still Smoke In My Car, Carroll’s new 12-song release is that in some regards it ties into and partially anchors itself to what we heard on Wasted Words and Best Intentions, but also jumps off into something approaching Brit rock/British Invasion type organs, bells and tones (“Heard This One Before”) in parts, and still sounds familiar to what Carroll’s been doing more recently in AC30.

Two years in the making, it would be interesting to know how and when these tracks kind of came together, as Carroll left his Southern Souls days behind him, still contributing to AC30, but also forging a new, not really new, just solo (in name) musical identity. This is an exciting phenomena to witness; it seems like every time you see Carroll covered in the past, there’s always couching of what he did before: when he started the Southern Souls, it was the (of course, rightful) obligatory mention of American Minor, now with the solo stuff, will we constantly compare what Carroll does to AC30 or the Southern Souls? Maybe.

But yeah, long story short: if you liked the Southern Souls, there’s some more straight ahead hard chargin’ rock (“There Someday,” “I Just Wanted You To Know”) with more bluesy, soulful, lovelorn jams. And whatever band he’s in, know this: it’s gonna rock.

Oh there’s a good reason why you may hear some nods to the Southern Souls on a few of the songs on the record: there are three Souls songs on it. Carroll is joined by Jimmy Lykens, Steve Barker and Jon Cavendish on “I’m No Stranger,” “Thinking Only of You,” and “Honorable Mention.” And there are the frequent lyrical references to “nowhere towns” and “wasted words and best intentions,” infrequent winks and nods to his not-too distant musical past.

But looking at things from the outside, you can almost kind of feel bad for Carroll. Like so many artists, he seems to be his own worst critic, talking about his own obsessive compulsive tendencies in the studio. Regardless of what we say here, it’s safe to assume Carroll knows he’s got something good with this batch of songs.

And regardless of Carroll’s seemingly immense talent(s), the one thing that kind of endears you to his songs is not only his dreamy singing, it’s that Carroll is basically writing love songs here, and he hasn’t exactly been winning. Standing astride whatever genre he wants, in parts there’s a kind of R&B vibe in some of these songs, fitting right in with Carroll’s own pop sensibilities, with all the help of so many people, Carroll has indeed, no surprise here, made a great record.

Standout tracks for us include the aforementioned “There Someday,” the dreamy, yet entirely broken-hearted (with cool organ and bells) “She Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “I Just Wanted You To Know,” and “We’ll Be Together Again,” which closes the CD out quite nicely.

Self-produced over two years by “Edward Money” (haha, am I right?) with engineering help from his Trackside cohorts James Barker and Ryan Weaver, with Eddie Ashworth and Max Nolte (who, along with Adam Harris, garnered executive producer credits) sitting in, and with guest vocal appearances from Sasha Colette and John Lancaster -- among other guests -- At Least I Can Still Smoke In My Car really is a CD worth paying for.

“We’ll Be Together Again” Live at Trackside

At Least I Can Still Smoke In My Car by Bud Carroll

--- Bud Carroll’s Love Wolf plays Adam Harris’ 30th birthday party tonite at the Empty Glass with Sasha Colette, The Boatmen and The Carpenter Ants.

Someone else's song: Billy Matheny Q&A 2011

2011-12-21T08:00:00.012-05:00

Ages and entire lifetimes have seemingly gone by since I got to meet Billy Matheny at the Empty Glass in Charleston. I guess it was like four years…? Even before that fateful night, where Matheny quite unwittingly became the first (and last) musician to fall for my devious “treat me to a PBR because I’ve covered your band favorably” scheme, (for the record: he offered, and it would be impolite to refuse) I’d already procured Born of Frustration and the swooning fanboy status only grew fiercer after seeing him open with “Christless Streets,” just absolutely slaying the end of the song.

I was out of my chair and on my feet, fists in the air, and as Matheny (along with the Frustrations) channeled everything great I’d ever felt about rock and roll, I thought he may have spiked that PBR, maybe that ‘twas me that was the target of a vast far-reaching rock and roll conspiracy with Matheny quite literally pulling the strings.

Well, I say all that because ever since hearing Born of Frustration and seeing him live, I’ve just been a huge fan of the uber-talented Matheny. While there’s been an absolute dearth of Frustrations releases since then, much to my dismay, Matheny is still busy being a rock star, just in other people’s bands. He’s been in the Athens, Ohio-based folk rock outfit Southeast Engine for a few years now; has been rocking out steady in Mark Poole’s band The Phantom Six (formerly Moon) and he just sat in with Prison Book Club on their sophomore release. This, in addition to other projects you’ll read and hear about, and of course, his Frustrations play Gene’s Friday night up in Morgantown with ‘85 Flood.

There’s so much going on with Matheny, we thought we’d throw some (hopefully) fun and (maybe) informative questions at him. Being such a gentleman, Matheny obliged with maybe the best Q&A of 2011…

WVRockscene: How busy/fun has 2011 been for ye, whether touring with Southeast Engine, or any other highlights?

Billy Matheny: 2011 was my favorite and busiest year since 2010. It’s been great. Southeast Engine was able to tour twice, once by ourselves and once with our good friends, These United States. Got to play some fun shows and hang out with some old and new friends in various places. I think my 2011 highlight was learning to make restaurant quality tikka masala. It was a real feather in my cap.

-----
WVRockscene: Southeast Engine just played Mountain Stage, how cool was that, especially playing with your friend Todd Burge?

Matheny: Mountain Stage was very nice. Obviously, Todd and I go back a long ways and I have a bunch of other friends on staff there. The whole crew does a great job of making you feel really comfortable and welcome. It makes it easy to do your best. Taping the show in Athens was particularly cool since Southeast Engine was formed there and we had a definite hometown contingent in the audience. For me personally, it was thrilling to play with The Jayhawks. They’ve made some of my favorite albums ever and have really influenced my playing and songwriting. I first heard them when I was a freshman in high school and it was a total “come to Jesus” moment where I immediately discovered the kind of music I wanted to produce myself. On top of all that, they were very nice and patiently listened to all of my fan-boy gibberish.

-----
WVRockscene: SEE did tour a lot, and “Canary” was quite warmly and critically received it seems, how good a year was it to be a part of Southeast Engine in particular?

Matheny: 2011 was a great year to be a part of Southeast Engine as opposed to 2010 and 2009 which sucked (kidding!). But seriously, I love the music and Adam, Jesse and Leo are some of my very best friends. Being in SEE is always a pleasure even if I’m sleep deprived and it’s raining at 7AM in DeKalb, IL.

As far as critical reception is concerned, it was very vindicating to see “Canary” get such good press. To some degree large or small, I think all artists are concerned with people liking what they’re putting out there. Some people just so happen to write for newspapers or have music blogs or something. I try to remember that every review is just one person’s opinion, but some people’s opinions are read by lots of people.

I probably shouldn’t say this out loud, but I’m among friends, so what the hell. Every time I release something (whether it’s one of my own albums or a band that I play in) and the reviews are positive, I feel like I’ve dodged a bullet. It’s like I’m just waiting for people to call me out on all those blatant Velvet Underground plagiarisms.

-----
WVRockscene: The Frustrations just had another song, “It’s Up to You,” on this most recent Blind Pigeon Records comp, I know that the band has kind of been on the backburner with all your other projects, but what’s up with new recordings? Are you sitting on some treasure trove of Frustrations songs?

Matheny: The BPR folks asked us to contribute something for their comp CD, so we recorded “It’s Up To You.” It was nice to record a single song without having to worry about how a track will fit in contextually with a whole album.

I have a new album’s worth of material written for a new Frustrations record, so it’s finished except for recording, mixing, mastering and artwork. I wish I could give good reasons why it’s been six years since I’ve released an album of my own. It would be a better story for me to say that I did 18 months in rehab or that I’ve been recording piano in the middle of a sandbox.

The fact of the matter is that Haley [Slagle], Adrian [Larry], Walt [Sarkees], Woody [O’Hara] and I are all involved in a multitude of different projects and it’s just difficult for us to make the time to record another album. I used to say that our new album would be out before “Chinese Democracy” but then GNR actually released “Chinese Democracy.” At this point, all I can promise is that a new album will come out eventually. I swear that I’m not going to be a one album wonder like The La’s!

-----
WVRockscene: What would Facebook not let you post about some obscene hat you saw recently? Can you mention it here? Of course you can…

Matheny: I don’t know if you can actually print this, but here goes: It was a day like any other when I saw a guy at the bank wearing a hat that read “SMILE if your not wearing panties.” Both offensive and grammatically incorrect!

-----
WVRockscene: You contributed to Prison Book Club’s sophomore release, how good of a friendship have you developed with those dudes and how cool was it recording with the band?

Matheny: I’m so close to the members of Prison Book Club that I actually let them borrow my van. I’d like to think that I’m a generous soul, but I wouldn’t do that for everyone. I’m honored they asked me to play on their record. John Miller has a very captivating voice and they’re really evolving very quickly as a band. In fact, I’ve seen them since “Prison Book Club” was released and they have a whole new set of songs that are even better than the record if you can believe that!

The recording was a trip. I live in an apartment, so I can’t really turn things up much before I become a bad neighbor. For that reason, my keyboard parts were recorded in my parents’ basement in Mannington. It definitely brought me back to when I was a teenager and my bands would practice there. In fact, Prison Book Club’s album holds the rare honor of being the first thing recorded in my parents’ basement since a Limp-Bizkit influence rap-core band called Sadism came over to record on my four-track when I was 15 or 16. I’d like to clarify that I was not a member of Sadism, I was just facilitating their demo tape.

-----
WVRockscene: The Phantom Six played 123 Friday, how much do you look forward to jamming with Poole and Co., and how stoked were you to see “Plastic Rain” get released last month, after what looks like a lot of time going into the band (obviously) and the songs in particular?

Matheny: “Plastic Rain” has been at least three or four years in the making. Mark and I joke that we both work glacially when it comes to putting out albums. At least in his case, you can never argue with the results, every album he releases is start-to-finish fantastic.

The Phantom Six is very much Mark’s vision, or in the words of Spike Lee, The Phantom Six is a Mark Poole joint. I’m just happy to be involved. We practice every Monday, so our rehearsals are kind of like my poker night. The rest of the band is so seasoned and so talented that it makes everything very easy. I just play some bass and sing a little bit.

-----
WVRockscene: You had that cool quote for the H-D article, about there literally being hundreds of dollars to be made in the world of indie bands. How much do you love playing in all of these bands? Because it sounds like you’re not in it for the money right?

Matheny: Well, let’s just say it’s a good thing I don’t have expensive tastes! I’m blanking on the actual quote here, but Flannery O’Connor once described her life’s work as sitting at a typewriter, grinning ear to ear and amusing herself to no end, having a great time and miraculously getting paid for it. I feel similarly. I love everything about being in bands and playing music. I love writing, rehearsing, recording, doing shows. It even affords me a chance for travel, which under other circumstances, I probably wouldn’t get.

-----
WVRockscene: All the bands you’re in, or sit in on with, is it so much time and focus that sometimes you feel spread too thin?

Matheny: As long as I love the music I’m playing, it never feels like work. It probably doesn’t look like it, but I don’t just take any gig that comes down the road. I have to enjoy it. The bottom line is that playing music should be fun. If playing music feels like a cross to bear, you’re probably doing something wrong.

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WVRockscene: You’re in all these bands, and you’ve been staying busy in 2011, what’s up for 2012 that you might be looking forward to?

Matheny: Southeast Engine is going back to SXSW in March. That’s a great time, if a little on the over-stimulating side. It’s kind of like indie-rock spring break.

In February, I’m recording an album with The Love Me Knots with the great Adam L. Meisterhans in the producers chair. The Love Me Knots lead singer, Brian Porterfield, is the best songwriter I know and I think I know some good ones. The Knots are kind of a band that are under most people’s radar, which I think is kind of shame. But anyway, it’s been like 12 years since Brian has released something, so we’re going to record about 40 songs “Zen Arcade” style over the course of three days. After that, we’re going to release it as a big album in the “69 Love Songs” tradition, spread out over a couple of discs, with a booklet and a bunch of photos.

-----
WVRockscene: The Frustrations play the Very Townie Christmas show with ‘85 Flood 12.23, seems like you’ve made that into some kind of tradition, right? Fun times? Lookin’ for Santa to bring you anything in particular this year?

Matheny: This is the 5th annual VTC! It’s definitely become a tradition for us. Each band does a full set and then it sort of evolves (or maybe devolves) into a big open jam thing with all kinds of people chipping in.

It’s sort of like the Morgantown musicians office Christmas party. The Frustrations set is kind of special simply because we’re doing some special Christmas material. As far as Santa is concerned, I can’t decide if I want inner peace or some video games. Probably the video games.

--- Billy Matheny and the Frustrations join ‘85 Flood for “A Very Townie Xmas” this Friday night at Gene’s Beer Garden in Morgantown...

Top 10 CDs of 2011

2011-12-20T00:00:00.038-05:00

It’s always a fun challenge putting together the WVRockscene Top 10 CDs at the end of the year. But in 2011, it definitely wasn’t easy.

From the many EPs that came out, to rock solid releases and stellar concept records, 2011 was packed with great music from local (and regional) bands. Since we started doing this thing here in 2008, there has not been a better year to be following West Virginia bands.

Just as a quick introduction to the hard fast rules and metrics to selecting the illustrious WVRockscene Top 10: there are no hard fast rules. Basically it’s how much I like the songs + production value divided by the number of songs. Many bands put out great EPs this year, but more songs = more chance of something being a “great record” or something like that.

And production -- having help in the studio is always a plus. But then there’s killer garage/punk rock stuff and more lo-fi type recordings that, as long as the songs rock, might come in ahead of overproduced type stuff. ‘Nuff said there.

One big thing I’ve noticed with this year’s batch of releases is the almost gravitational pull of great regional releases into the West Virginia rock scene.

Some Morgantown area dudes might move to Pittsburgh, and still either play shows here or have some stamp or influence on “the scene” or whatever. Then there’s nearby cities, like, say, Athens, Ohio, and Lexington, Kentucky. But, as long as a particular band, be it from Pittsburgh, Lexington, or Athens, plays a few West Virginia shows in a year, in addition to having state residents or natives in the band, they should be included in the top 10, right? I think so.

Another thing that’s been entirely promising to witness is bands getting their music out on bandcamp sites. There were all kinds of cool EPs that came out in 2011. Up in Morgantown, Brian Spragg’s bands (Pat Pat/Single Dads) released four EPs, two apiece from each respective unit, this, in addition to his work as an engineer, helping other cool bands record. It’s a challenge just to keep up with all the music being released, and I personally would rather hear short EPs once or twice a year than wait two years for a band to get a full-length out.

And again, this is more a “my own favorite releases” top 10. Some listeners and fans might disagree and that’s cool. More than a competition, this is more a celebration of the great bands that got their music out this year.

So without further ado...

10. Sasha Colette and the Magnolias: Leave It Alone

The young Eastern Kentucky songstress brought her Magnolias into Bud Carroll’s Trackside Studio, had him join in on guitar and pedal steel, and walked out with eight songs worth of rockin’, bluesy folk and Americana. Longtime fans of Colette’s sweet, soulful voice, catchy, alternately poetic and lovelorn bar ballads were rightfully stoked to get this back around April, and likely weren’t let down.

Although only eight songs, with standout tracks like “Sacrifice,” “Rock of Ages,” “Victory,” and the most awesome “Mercy Moment,” evoking a Janis Joplin-Led Zeppelin combination with Carroll on guitar, Leave It Alone rightfully takes its place in the top 10, and Colette fans can look forward to the follow-up in January of 2012.

Related: Sasha Colette can’t ‘Leave It Alone’ (Feb. Gazette article)

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9. Prison Book Club (self-titled)

Prison Book Club is a band that never got the memo that said side projects are to be relegated to second-tier status. And this is saying something considering that The Fox Hunt’s John Miller and The Demon Beat’s Adam Meisterhans and Tucker Riggleman, with Andrew Ford on drums and Morgantown’s Billy Matheny sitting in on this sophomore effort, continue to make fans by steady touring of their own.

With a more southern rock and alt-country flavor than what you’ll hear from The Fox Hunt or The Demon Beat, on this 10-song August release, with Miller’s instantly recognizable country tough voice, still sharing the singing and songwriting with Riggleman and with Meisterhans’ guitar (and studio) work, Prison Book Club both expanded their own sound and continued to prove that side bands don’t always suck.

Standout tracks: “Do As I Say,” “Too Much Livin’,” “Six Pack,” “Sons of Heaven,” “Coming Down”

Related: Dave Mistich’s live PBC review from June, and his review of the new Prison Book Club CD from Graffiti Magazine

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8. J. Marinelli: Stone-Age Kicks Vol. 3

If you missed the first two volumes of the Morgantown native’s (not always) angry one-man band’s cover series, you can jump right in and fall in love with his own versions of the Ramones’ “Judy Is a Punk,” Guided by Voices’ “The Gold Heart Mountaintop Queen Directory,” and my own favorite, “And Then He Kissed Me.”

Just as the Ramones covered so many songs and made them their own, Marinelli, on the Stone Age Kicks series, takes his favorites, puts his own sonic stamp on them and simultaneously turns his fans onto bands they might not have been into. Two of my favorite songs on the release, “Virginia Plain” (Roxy Music) and “Flying Pizza” (Swearing at Motorists) are good examples of this for me.

As Marinelli has followed up on 2007’s Keep It Fake and last year’s most awesome Pre-Emptive Skankery Sessions, he’s broadened his own sonic palette from caveman guitar and maximum stomp and swing with banjo, stripped down vocals and just a softer side overall, still keeping things weird. It’s been ages it seems since I bought his Pity the Party EP at Budget, and I’d like to think Marinelli fans can look forward to his own version of The Emergency’s “I’m Not Angry” on volume four.

Is it wrong to have a CD of cover songs in the top 10? If it’s wrong, then I don’t wanna be right.

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7. Rozwell Kid: The Rozwell Kid LP

I can honestly say here that if you liked Jude Universer’s 2009 release Lingering Blue, you’ll love Jordan Hudkins’ now renamed project Rozwell Kid. The Demon Beat’s drummer again steps out to front his own rock band, and this time, with The Demon Beat’s Adam Meisterhans providing lead guitar parts, The Rozwell Kid LP takes you back to your own personal Weezer-Rentals hybrid band.

It really is 1994-ever on this 10-song (complete with a totally 90’s hidden track) effort of raw, catchy, almost always hilarious power pop slacker anthems. And remember: if it’s too loud, turn it down.

Standout tracks: “Rocket,” “Dylan, Don’t Do It,” “My Saturn,” “‘93 Connie & Ronnie,” “Ace Ventura Pt. 3”

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6. AC30 (self-titled)

Two years in the making, one Monday at a time, this Huntington power-pop super group met at Bud Carroll’s Trackside Studio, and this September released their 10-song debut, the result of all that work, to awaiting fans.

What was originally a studio project slowly congealed into a live band, as Carroll joined forces with Ian Thornton and Ryan Weaver and welcomed drummer Alex McCoy and guitarist Doug Woodard into the band. Sharing the singing and songwriting on songs like Weaver’s “I’m Free,” Carroll’s “Miss Misery,” and Thornton’s “Sure To Win,” AC30 proved that the best things come to those who wait.

Related: Hanging out and jamming with friends became a regular thing for AC30 (July Herald-Dispatch article), AC30 gets CD release party, columnist’s full attention (Sept. H-D article by Dave Lavender)

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5. FOX Japan: Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!

The fourth studio release from the brothers Wilmoth and Andrew Slater (“Slater-Wilmoth”) is at once more welcoming, appealing and catchy as a follow-up to last year’s Reenactment, almost making that great record seem almost lo-fi compared to the rich, near-orchestral arrangements on this 12-song November release.

Singer-guitarist Charlie Wilmoth’s irreverent, insightful lyrics, on subjects ranging from the personal/religious to the cultural/political, (just take the first three songs, “Casual Sex,” “On Christmas,” and “Not My Car,” the subtly disguised title track, as fine examples) make FOX Japan one of my favorite bands. Think Talking Heads-meets-The Pixies and you’re kind of close. Released just in time for Christmas, Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! has the warm feel of something you’d rock out for the holiday season. Or, any season.

Standout tracks: “Casual Sex,” “Above This City,” “On Christmas,” “Not My Car”

Related: WVRockscene Q&A w/Charlie Wilmoth of FOX Japan

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4. The Demon Beat: Bullshit Walks

The fifth release in as many years from these three Shepherdstown dudes is arguably their best. Following up on last year’s eight-“movement” concept record 1956 with 10 songs worth of soulful, bluesy, badass garage rock, incorporating some of the more retro tones from the most recent release, (with all appropriate fuzz and feedback) Adam Meisterhans, Tucker Riggleman and Jordan Hudkins continue to embody not only rock and roll like it used to be, evoking something like The Who (Meisterhans nails Townshend’s windmill guitar live) and The Stooges but embrace a totally DIY aesthetic as well.

Recorded by Meisterhans, released on Riggleman’s Big Bullet Records label and on vinyl in conjunction with Caustic Eye, with artwork again provided by Hudkins, Bullshit Walks only builds on and adds to the band’s impressive discography, and further cements the band as West Virginia’s hardest workers and hardest rockin’ as they are even now in the studio recording new stuff. Total rock stars that don’t seem to give a shit about being rock stars or where they end up on end-of-the-year top 10 type blog posts.

Standout tracks: “Give Me All Your Money,” “Get It,” “Bang,” “Totally Blissed Out,” “I’m Not Really There”

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3. Southeast Engine: Canary

Calling Canary, the fourth Misra Records release from the Athens, Ohio-based folk rock four-piece Southeast Engine “rustic” is close, but almost a disservice. Singer-guitarist Adam Remnant, with brother Jesse on bass, drummer Leo DeLuca and oh-by-the-way Morgantown’s Billy Matheny on piano and organ, capture the feel and paint a picture of life in Depression-era Appalachia over 11 “rustic” yet rockin’ songs.

Songs like “Cold Front Blues,” “1933 (The Great Depression),” and the beautiful “Adeline of the Appalachian Mountains” and Canary as a whole remind me of Wilco’s Being There in that it’s deliberately roots-oriented, mainly acoustic-based with great melodies, but not at all minimalist, and is a great concept record to boot without some contrived feel. One of the best records I heard all year.

Related: Southeast Engine w/Todd Burge on Mountain Stage 11.24

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2. The Phantom Six: Plastic Rain

Since one band (AC30) in the top 10 is named after a Vox amplifier, it’s fitting that The Phantom Six takes its name from a 60’s-era Vox guitar. Formerly known as Moon, Mark Poole’s Morgantown-based power pop five-piece starts fresh on this 13-song effort that, if nothing else, helps them make a new name for themselves.

With Poole joined by talented musicians and songwriters like Billy Sheeder, Woody O’ Hara and Clint Sutton, not to mention Billy Matheny, making this, his third appearance on a band’s CD in this year’s top 10, playing bass and providing sweet vocal harmonies, Poole’s songs stand out as evoking something like Matthew Sweet jamming in some awesome garage band with British Invasion nods here and there, singing mainly songs about love. Poole, describing The Phantom Six’s musical output in one interview as “catchy songs that rock pretty hard,” sums it up best for those unfamiliar with the band.

Not only has Poole been fronting various incarnations of Moon for over twenty years, Poole no doubt helped steer The Phantom Six through his own Zone 8 Studios. As great as the richly arranged songs are, and they’re all pretty much standout tracks, the production captures an energy and a raw feel that helps make Plastic Rain arguably the best record of the year from a West Virginia rock band.

Related: CD review: “Plastic Rain”

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1. Dream The Electric Sleep: Lost and Gone Forever

They say the best things in life are free, and such was the case in March when I was clued into the free download that Lexington, Kentucky’s Dream the Electric Sleep had made available.

Some bands are around for years and years, and don’t come up with such a coherent vision for a concept record. That DTES did this as their debut effort, only a year after singer-guitarist Matt Page and drummer Joey Waters welcomed Huntington native Chris Tackett (Chum/Hyatari) into the band is even more impressive.

To say that Lost and Gone Forever though, is epic, is almost an understatement.

Lost and Gone Forever is as much a story as it is a record. Told in three acts, Page weaves the split narrative of Clementine and Jack, an Eastern Kentucky coal miner into and over 14 songs worth of vast, stunning sonic landscapes that may bring comparisons to something like Pink Floyd, only heavier, with nods to Radiohead and Muse.

As the story, recalled originally by Clementine on her deathbed, unfolds from young love, marriage and hope into a desire to leave the danger and hard life of the coalfields, the fear of the unknown, of leaving Appalachia, and evolves into Jack’s untimely death in a mining accident, it seems on its face plainly a heart wrenching, well told tragedy. Listen to it repeatedly, even if you’re not from Appalachia and don’t know any coal miners, and you’ll find it’s really a treasure.

With samples from the documentary Harlan County, USA sprinkled throughout, through the story of Jack and Clementine, with album art that masterfully captures the very real world that Page and DTES have pulled out and shown to listeners, few concept records are so deftly woven together into such a complete, beautiful picture; sonically, lyrically, visually, and emotionally.

Reviewing CDs at the end of each year, sometimes you can catch yourself liking the more recent releases. When it became clear after hearing Lost and Gone Forever for the first time back in March or April, the scope of what Dream the Electric Sleep had done, I knew it wasn’t likely just going to be number one on my list, it was one of the best records I had ever heard.

It’s appropriate that they gave away something so sublime for free.

Related: Drama, tragedy, love, life and death: Dream the Electric Sleep brings new concept record to V Club Saturday (4.8.11 DTES H-D article), Q&A w/Matt Page of DTES “Lost and Gone Forever” dissected aptly at danteprog.com

CD Review: "The Whiskey Daredevils"

2011-12-16T20:38:00.001-05:00

CD: The Whiskey Daredevils
ARTIST: The Whiskey Daredevils

Reposted from The Charleston Gazette

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Whiskey Daredevils could be described as Elvis Presley meets Glen Danzig singing for Dwight Yoakam fronting The Cramps. Cleveland’s kings of cowpunk are back with album No. 8, and not a whole lot’s changed -- sonically, at least -- for this staple of the rockabilly scene.

That’s not a bad thing. On the self-titled effort, the Daredevils return (via Detroit, Wheeling and Santa Fe) with 12 new twangy, road-weary and sometimes downright desperate tales.

Standout tracks include “Bakersfield,” where the band finds “country music heaven” littered with 7-11’s; “Moderately Lucky Watch,” the down-and-out “Pawn Stars” theme song that will never be; “Santa Fe” and “Girl I Left Behind.” The record closes with two morbidly sweet tales of rebuked love: “Time Marches On” (the album's best song) and “Cold Dead Leaves.”

After nearly a decade together, the band underwent a few personnel changes this time around. Lead guitarist Gary Siperko is once again the front man (back for his third studio effort with the band), and Lords of the Highway bassist “Sugar” Wildman is filling the void left by singer Greg Miller’s brother, Ken, who left the band after recording the album this summer.

Despite those changes, “The Whiskey Daredevils” fits right in with everything the band has been doing these past few years. It would be easy to say it is the Daredevils’ “Greatest Hits” record . . . except the band already called its first release that.

The Whiskey Daredevils play The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., at 10 p.m. Saturday with the Judy Chops. Cover is $8.

Debut video: Matt's Song (NYC) by The Glorious Veins

2011-11-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

New York City’s Glorious Veins, no strangers to West Virginia after repeated stops, release their debut video for Matt’s Song (NYC) today...

It will come as no surprise to readers of this blog that bands NOT from West Virginia, swinging through our fair state as part of a tour, are sometimes featured in some form or fashion in my freelance “work” covering bands for the Gazette, Herald-Dispatch, and WVRockscene.

Some bands you kind of lose track of when they leave, then, being part of the media catch up with when they come back through. Some bands, I’ve been lucky enough to keep in touch with at the same time becoming a fan of. The list of said bands is long and varied: Cleveland’s Whiskey Daredevils and Cambridge, Massachusetts’ Arms and Sleepers are maybe the best examples.

But I’ve become not only a fan of New York City’s Glorious Veins after talkin’ to em for the H-D earlier this year, I’ve been keeping in touch with drummer Lui “Wiggy” Colmenares on Facebook even when his band is not in town.

So in anticipation of the release of their debut video Matt’s Song (NYC) today, we thought we’d not simply repost it here, but talk to the people behind the song and the video. The song, off their debut LP, is the only one penned by guitarist Matt Howels, who hails from the UK, came to NYC, and promptly helped get the band started after they all met on Craigslist.

Howels lifted the lyrics from works by friend and NYC poet and writer Ryan Buynak, and the band welcomed Craig Holmes (Shutter Slice Films) over from across the pond back in September to shoot the video.

We caught up with Holmes and Buynak to see what it’s like influencing, working with, and being friends and fans of, NYC’s The Glorious Veins...

Ryan Buynak talks about becoming friends with the GV and the words behind the song...

WVRockscene: You said Matt is one of your best friends? How did you guys meet?

Ryan Buynak: Matt is my British brother. He and I met in the maze that is the New York City restaurant world, and instantly connected over our shared love of music and literature. The universe wanted us to be friends.

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WVRockscene: You went out on the road with the band, how good have you got to know the guys?

Buynak: Let’s just say I have come to know the Veins quite well and that sharing the stage with such an amazing band is a long-awaited answer to an old dream of railroads and vagabond hearts.

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WVRockscene: What were the poem(s) that Matt lifted words from into “Matt’s Song,” and how cool is/was it to know that your words resonated with him so much that he’d turn it into a song?

Buynak: I’ve always wanted to write a song, but I can’t play music to save my fucking life. It was Matt’s idea. He’s actually been in a few narrative nooses of mine, here and there. He came to me one day asking to use the poetry in a song and of course I said yes.

He picked through a dozen and ended up eating poetry from a few verses. The opening lines of the song are from a piece called Where is 12? which is in the next book. Another is called Midnight Lions. There were a few more but I forget. They all had this sad Manhattan vibe...and somehow they (The Glorious Veins) came up with this awesome fucking song. The record is framed in my apartment. It is an angel’s honor to be involved with cutting edge music and art. Coyote Blood will kill you.

Craig Holmes of Shutter Slice Films talks about the video...

WVRockscene: So you came to the States back in September to shoot the video for Matt’s Song, how did you like your time here? Fun or work or both?

Craig Holmes: I had a great time in New York. The last time I was there I was with my girlfriend at Christmas just gone. I loved it so much so I was stoked to go back. I spent a fair few hours each day shooting footage around the city to make sure I had all the shots I needed for the video. I made sure there was plenty of time for fun though, taking photos and seeing the sights and eating amazing food.

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WVRockscene: How did you meet/know these guys? You’re from the UK right so I’d assume you were/are friends with Matt Howels? Know him or the band long?

Holmes: Well my girlfriend’s aunt and cousin, Mark and Maggi, live in Queens. Mark uploaded a picture on Facebook (of course…everything starts with Facebook) of the band playing a rooftop gig. I saw it and thought that would make an awesome video. So I asked Mark if he knew the band. Mark is great friends with Lui so he told me to add him. I started chatting to Wiggy and suggested me flying out. I loved their sound, they were digging my work so it seemed like a great idea.

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WVRockscene: How easy was it to take their vision of the song and turn it into a video? What was it like sharing that vision of the song with the band, working with the band in that sense and how smoothly did it go? Are William Webb And Catalina Zbar the actors in the video? They do a good job?

Holmes: Well I didn’t get to talk to Matt until I met him in Queens. Then we chatted via email, I asked him what the premise of the song was from his point of view, everyone can interpret a song but I wanted to make sure that I was hitting all the right notes with the video.

The issue we had was that it was difficult to get everyone together due to other commitments, so the only decent filming I had with the band was the live gig. The rest of the footage that I had was of couples in New York, I spent a few days stalking people in bushes etc. trying to avoid getting punched/arrested. When I got home I was stitching the footage together and it looked good but there was definitely something missing.

Will [Webb] is actually a lifelong friend of mine, he is from South Wales also. His girlfriend Catalina [Zbar] is from Argentina and was visiting Wales for a few days. I showed them my footage and pitched the idea to them of this couple who meet, and fall in love in New York and they were super keen to help me nail it. A lot of the footage is actually filmed in Wales, I had to be quite cheeky with the way it was filmed, that’s why there are a lot of close, intimate shots. Ironically, Cat and Will were taking a trip to New York, and there was a few shots that I needed. So I gave them a camera to capture some extra shots, to make it look like they were living in NY.

As far as acting, they were superb. Can’t fault them at all, it was a lot of fun and there is so much good footage. They are as excited for the release as I am.

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WVRockscene: It definitely looks like a professional job, how proud are you of the final product and how excited are you for GV fans and people in general to see it?

Holmes: I am really happy with the final piece and anxious/excited for the release. I have worked on a lot video projects, collaborating with other artists, but this is the first one that I have produced on my own from start to finish.

I’m hoping it gets some great feedback and me more work in the States. As for the GV fans, I think it’s something they deserve. The GVs have such a good following and the music is outstanding, they just needed something for people to see as well as hear to really appreciate how incredible their music is. I’m sure this will help them in their path to stardom, and I wish them the best of luck.

Colmenares, talking about the video and GV fans...

Craig made it all happen and we are very pleased with the results. Hopefully we get to do another one...Definitely easier for fans to share our music with friends. We’ve been wanting to do a video for so long but given limited resources, we’d rather record a song than spend money on a video.

I am grateful that we have friends from across the pond that would fly all the way to the US to help us out. THANK YOU! THANK YOU Craig of Shutter Slice! And to all our friends that have been helping us along the way.

The Glorious Veins by The Glorious Veins

Balliett/Bello split out on Garbage Days

2011-11-29T12:48:00.003-05:00

Two WVRockscene favorites, Dylan Balliett and David F. Bello, recently teamed up for a split release on Garbage Days. You may have read all about Balliett's Spirit Night and Bello's rockin' here on this blog, be it in Sleepwalker or his solo efforts, and you may have heard about Garbage Days, mentioned in our recent chat with Charlie Wilmoth of FOX Japan, but not altogether in one big run-on sentence right?

Do check it out though. Balliett (now in NYC we believe) submitted the dreamy "25" and Bello contributed the Pixies-meets-Radiohead jam "Monster," killer stuff indeed. Thumbs up to Garbage Days for getting all this music out and thumbs down to WVRockscene for not covering it.

Wait, we are!

A Special Holiday Message From The Renfields

2011-11-23T13:07:00.002-05:00

Our friends in The Renfields are releasing their two-disc box set All The Stuff And Gore, and to celebrate the band is welcoming one lucky fan to Crystal Lake for Christmas to, well quite likely be murdered and re-animated into the Renfields Choir.

Could not be more stoked to see this come out and hear all these songs. Click on The Renfields tab in the cloud sidebar to see all the past stuff we've done on the band and look for more on this soon on this here blog...

The Renfields: The Night THEY Came Home by WVRockscene

Q&A w/Stephen Barton of Close The Hatch

2011-11-18T11:57:00.001-05:00

Onetime Sissonville resident (and friend/cohort of Aaron Fisher at 101 Productions) Stephen Barton returns to Charleston for shows with his new band, Close The Hatch, solo stuff (Oh Southern Stranger) and a new label, Red Moth Records.

We caught up with Barton to see what’s been up since we last chatted...

WVRockscene: What’s been up with you since we last caught up for Killing Chloe?

Stephen Barton: Killing Chloe went through a lot of lineup changes in the last two years, losing a few of its main and long standing members, leaving JP (John Paul Morris) and myself to fend for ourselves and keep it afloat. The two of us wrote and recorded another EP “Confront and Embrace,” which was a far cry from what Killing Chloe had been. Using electronics and less hook-driven writing styles, it became more of a darker, slower project. After playing a few shows and some more lineup shifts we made the choice to call it a night with Killing Chloe for awhile.

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WVRockscene: How did Killing Chloe morph into Close The Hatch?

Barton: Basically we had become something else anyhow, so myself, JP, and Dan Malloy (the last bass player for Killing Chloe) decided to shift our attention to a new project and focus more on instrumental parts and more of a Neurosis vibe. We wanted to build something from scratch and create more soundscape-oriented material.

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WVRockscene: Building on that, how is CTH different from KC?

Barton: It is heavier, slower and much more atmospheric than KC. Honestly they don’t seem relative to me listening to them. I think it’s just a natural growth in our musicianship. Killing Chloe had limitations, Close The Hatch does not we can do whatever we want -- basically it’s more artistic in my mind. Not to down play what was done in Killing Chloe, I’m really proud of that, but without the right parts it was never gonna work again. And you will not see our faces lol.

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WVRockscene: You’ve started a label, Red Moth Records, what made you want to start that and what’s it been like?

Barton: The idea was to be the butcher in the market, and the cook, so to speak. We basically had already in the past, so I figured why not take it further? Myself and Brandon Ross (a close friend and fellow musician) had the idea to promote music we make and other bands we enjoy with vinyl and digital downloads and basically the idea grew from that. It’s been a slow process but we are finally releasing things and promoting some events like the ones at The Empty Glass on the 18th and 19th. It’s a lot more work then you would imagine lol.

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WVRockscene: You collaborated with John Lancaster on a Close The Hatch song (“Manna Feeder”) -- what was that like and how did that come about?

Barton: That’s a weird story actually. Killing Chloe had played The Blue Parrot a few years back and OJ from Byzantine attended and told me about how we were kinda like Chum, whom I had only heard of from living in West Virginia for a short period, but until then not actually heard. I downloaded their record from iTunes on the trip home and not only dug it, I was really surprised at how close we were. They tuned the same basically and had a [similar] feel. It was scary.

I’ve become a fan since and I drove to Huntington from Ohio to see the Chum reunion show at V Club and was just floored by how massive they sounded. I added John on Facebook (that sounds really dumb) but it’s true and reached out. We chatted about some ways to work together, and I kinda last minute threw a bunch of tracks at him and that’s the one he picked, which was awesome since it was my favorite of the group anyhow.

He has been very kind and supportive, and what he did on the song is something I never would have thought of or heard in my head ever. I’m stoked he is on the EP! Plus we share an interest in music like Made Out Of Babies and King’s X. A lot more common ground than I’d have expected ever, it’s really cool.

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WVRockscene: You released the Close The Hatch EP for free, right? What influenced that decision?

Barton: The EP release was something we decided to do last minute before we headed out of state for these shows, and our recent show opening for Mastodon and Dillinger Escape Plan in Wisconsin at The Rave. We figured why not make it free get it in peoples ears!

We actually have plans to release a handful of splits on the label with other artists and another EP in 2012.

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WVRockscene: You’re coming back to WV for these Empty Glass shows with different bands, how cool is that?

Barton: Well we are heading back for two nights, the first night will be with our friends in Ghost Fleet and our fellow Dayton crew Life After Liftoff and myself (Oh Southern Stranger) playing original acoustic/alt-country material of mine which is nothing like Killing Chloe or Close The Hatch, haha. The second night is Close The Hatch and Let the Guilty Hang, with The Number Six and AK 40 Sexuals. Each night will be a totally different vibe and style of music.

CD Review: "The New Strokes Record"

2011-11-16T13:52:00.008-05:00

CD: The New Strokes Record
ARTIST: NU

It doesn’t get much more plug-in-and-go than The New Strokes Record by NU. “Written and recorded in minutes,” as it says on their bandcamp page, this latest killer side project and collaboration between The Demon Beat’s Adam Meisterhans and Tucker Riggleman, with Prison Book Club drummer Andrew Ford, only further cements these guys as pre-eminent West Virginia rockers, whatever band they’re in.

Yeah you can’t say Meisterhans and Riggleman ever got the memo that side projects are supposed to suck. While it’s not like they spent too much time thinking about the songs (the 10 songs average two minutes in length -- now that’s pretty punk) on The New Strokes Record, these three dudes capture a raw, abrasive garage rock sound (circa the 1970’s) and punk rock attitude that a lot of bands would do well to emulate.

Favorite tracks include, firstly, “Can’t Party,” “When I (get some)” and “Rescue You” -- but pretty much all of the songs run together in a sonically coherent fashion, and form a pretty great record. Don’t blink or step out of the room though: you’ll miss it.

But seriously, as you may have heard The Demon Beat approach something like The Stooges in the past, (think “This Is No Fun” off Shit We’re 23) and wish they’d explore that kind of tendency, flush that out, this is the record they never released. But now they have, as NU.

Pretty much all of the songs are catchy as hell, uptempo, with driving guitar, fuzzy, walking bass lines, Meisterhans’ near-patented, gnarly shouting and soulful voice ran through layers of reverb and echo all the whilst continuing his lyrical themes of losing in love -- nothing more straight ahead rock and roll than this has come across the desk of the WVRockscene home office this year.

Recorded (like everything else they do) in total DIY fashion by Meisterhans, with album art from Demon Beat drummer Jordan Hudkins, The New Strokes Record is both a step back and two thumbs up for rock and roll from these dudes.

After the “written and recorded in minutes,” liner note on NU’s bandcamp page, it says simply: “Turn that shit up.” Nothing better or more profound could be said here. Turn that shit up indeed.

Could you imagine hearing this, not having heard of The Demon Beat or any of the assorted side projects, each of which is indeed quite awesome? This would be your favorite “NU” band. Haha we’re here all week!

--- NU plays its debut show Thursday night at the Blue Moon Saloon (200 E. High St.) out in Shepherdstown with Sundown and Masquerade Manifesto.

NU: “At All” live @ Blue Moon Saloon 11.17

video: Bucket Of Rock Blog

Q&A w/Charlie Wilmoth of FOX Japan

2011-11-11T09:59:00.002-05:00

FOX Japan (L-R: Sam Wilmoth, Charlie Wilmoth, Andrew Slater and Pete Wilmoth) plays 123 Pleasant St. Saturday night.

Slater-Wilmoth (aka FOX Japan) plays 123 Pleasant Street this Saturday night on the heels of releasing “Casual Sex,” the debut single from their fourth album, Glory, Glory Hallelujah, set for release Tuesday.

The indie rock outfit, comprised of brothers Charlie (vocals/guitar), Sam (bass) and Pete Wilmoth (drums) with guitarist Andrew Slater and evoking something like Talking Heads, with influences ranging from The Pixies to Pavement, is no stranger to Magic Town’s scene or readers of this here blog.

We caught up with FOX Japan frontman Charlie Wilmoth to see what’s been up with the making of Glory, Glory Hallelujah, what has changed (if anything) and what’s in store for the band...

WVRockscene: It’s been over a year since we last talked, where are you guys living at these days? Columbus? Pittsburgh? Morgantown? How far apart are you?

Charlie Wilmoth: I’m in Columbus, Pete is in Pittsburgh, and Sam and Andrew are in Morgantown.

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WVRockscene: While there are projects that you may be involved with, be it The Overcoat, Spirit Night, Charlie doing solo stuff, how cool was it getting back together writing and collaborating for new FOX Japan material?

Wilmoth: We do it all the time, or at least we have recently, so I’m not sure it’s something we really felt like we took a break from. Speaking for myself, I just like making things and I probably always will, so I’ll always be writing.

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WVRockscene: Charlie you’ve played out solo in recent months, how did that go and does/did playing solo either refresh or let you look at FJ writing differently?

Wilmoth: I feel like I should do it more. Fox Japan is about ten times more interesting to me than playing by myself, but I think Fox Japan also isn’t very easy to understand the first time you hear it, in part because the lyrics aren’t clear or audible. When I play solo, it almost feels like comedy. People laugh at the funny stuff. That doesn’t happen at Fox Japan shows.

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WVRockscene: Speaking of solo, Charlie, the debut single “Casual Sex” continues the FJ theme of deeply personal, sometimes painfully honest and smart, insightful lyrics. Musicians talk about their craft offering some sort of catharsis, is just getting to write lyrics and share them pretty cool? Whether it’s casual sex (or lack thereof,) Glenn Beck or whatever cultural/religious/political observations, how much thought goes into the lyrics?

Wilmoth: A lot of thought goes into them, and thanks for noticing! One way this record is different from the others we’ve made is that the lyrics ARE pretty personal at times, whereas before I think they weren't. Thoughtful and distinctive, yes (hopefully), but personal, no, in that I was mostly writing about political ideas, or characters I dreamed up, not about myself. The original idea for “Casual Sex” was for the narrator to not want to have casual sex because of his brimstone-and-hellfire religious beliefs, but that felt like a cheap shot, and it seemed much harder and more interesting to actually make it about me and my own weird hang-ups. So that’s what I did. Most of the songs on Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! aren’t as much of a departure from what we did with lyrics before, but I’m also less inclined than I used to be to go after easy targets.

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WVRockscene: I thought I’d seen a pic of you guys in the studio with Dave Klug in Pittsburgh, is that right? How did that go and how much smoother if at all has recording got for you after three prior releases?

Wilmoth: Actually, we recorded the album with Brian Spragg in Morgantown, and Dave mixed it in Pittsburgh. The photo you saw was probably from the Overcoat’s recording session.

The recording process isn’t smoother. It’s worse. We’re getting a lot smarter about it, but we’re also wanting to do crazier and crazier things. “Casual Sex” was the last song we recorded and we banged it out (so to speak) in a few days, so you can’t really tell, but in a lot of the other songs on the album, there’s just a million things going on. I felt a little bit bad for Brian and the amount of time I spent at his house. He really was a saint about it, and all I could really do to repay him was give him a few bucks and buy him lunch. There’s one song that has, I believe, 78 tracks. Dave just about had a heart attack when he saw it. I liked the way our last record, Reenactment, sounded, but it seems a little bit spare. This one sounds richer, and there’s also a lot more ear-candy stuff going on.

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WVRockscne: Charlie when we talked for the Herald-Dispatch piece on FJ like 18 months ago, you mentioned you wanted the follow-up to Reenactment to sound minimalist in comparison or something like that. Given your classical music background, how satisfying/frustrating a process was arranging and producing the new songs?

Wilmoth: It was just kind of crazy. I think we might have started recording it even before Reenactment came out. It took a long time in terms of hours spent. I’m not sure whether that will be immediately apparent to the listener, in that this record doesn’t really announce itself as an epic rock album, but I do think all the weekends we spent in the studio make the new record sound more dense and warm and immediately appealing.

There really wasn’t a lot of arranging in the classical sense. It was more about listening to things and deciding whether six guitars was enough for a particular section, or whether there needed to be eight. Or whether there would be a way to drop a couple extra keyboards into a particular section to give the pre-chorus a little more momentum. That sort of thing.

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WVRockscene: You’re releasing Glory, Glory, Hallelujah on Garbage Days, which has already put out some cool stuff from local/regional acts, how neat is it to be able to kind of share the new FJ record with not only your fans, but your friends who are running this label? It’s got to be cooler than dealing with some stranger somewhere who doesn’t care about your bands, right? Just your thoughts on labels these days?

Wilmoth: We used to concern ourselves with that kind of stuff, but we haven’t recently, and that feels a lot healthier. As for Garbage Days, there has been a lot of great music happening in Morgantown in the past few years, and it’s nice that Anthony Fabbricatore put together Garbage Days to help announce that to the world.

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WVRockscene: On the FJ bandcamp page it says the new CD will be out Nov. 15, is that right or just a marketing ploy? Can fans expect to be able to get on there Tuesday and be able to order it?

Wilmoth: Yes, it should be up there on Tuesday. There might be some reason to delay it, but we’re not planning on it.

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WVRockscene: Looking forward to this show Saturday at 123?

Wilmoth: Yes. We’re playing with Dave Bello and with a New York band called the Ditty Committee, who make these small but spectacularly bleak and well-crafted songs. It’s a good bill, and what unifies it is that all the acts on it are very serious about lyrics.

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WVRockscene: Bands come and go, but it seems like, looking at you guys from the outside, that being brothers -- and you guys have said this much in the past -- precludes any real diva drama or chemistry issues. Obviously Slater is something of an adopted Wilmoth bro in FJ, but how cool/fun is it after all these years to still be together in a band making music you like playing?

Wilmoth: It must be good, because I can’t imagine doing it any other way. We just agree on so many things that rehearsals are pretty easy. And when I’m in Morgantown, I can always crash on Sam and Andrew’s couch.

mp3: Casual Sex by FOX Japan

photo: Nikki Rotunda

--- FOX Japan plays 123 Pleasant Street Saturday night with The Ditty Committee and David F. Bello, and will release their fourth album, “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah” Tuesday, Nov. 15 on their bandcamp page...

Related: Slater-Wilmoth (FOX Japan) vs. Glenn Beck Friday @ Shamrock's (Herald-Dispatch June 2010 article)

Knisely keeps to important things in new album (H-D repost)

2011-11-01T12:23:00.008-04:00

Huntington’s Sean Knisely opens up and steps out on his own on his new 10-song solo acoustic debut Wilbur By The Sea, an unexpected change for the 26-year old singer-songwriter.

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Life, love and music. That pretty much sums up the story for Sean Knisely.

Known as the singer-guitarist for the now defunct Huntington-based electro-rock band Attack Flamingo, Knisely, for his 10-song solo acoustic debut, “Wilbur By The Sea,” stripped things down while keeping what was important after things with his band and in his life just kind of ran their course.

“We never officially broke up,” Knisely said of Attack Flamingo over the phone. “People were just in different life situations, and just had other things going on. It just kind of ran its course.”

While Knisely constantly wrote songs, be it in Attack Flamingo, in Coyotes in Boxes, or as a budding solo artist influenced by the likes of Iron & Wine and Bon Iver, with a voice like Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, it was his life and his place in the world Knisely found had changed after a very real breakup.

“So, I almost married a girl in December, and that fell apart,” the 26-year old said deliberately, to give some back story to the inspiration behind the songs. “That gave me a lot of stuff to work through within myself, and I wrote a lot about that, and that turned into a lot of music. Then, coming out of that I started to question everything. Like, that was the life plan at that point, that was what I was moving toward, and now, what am I doing? If I’m here I want to be here intentionally. I love this place, I have great friends, a family, church, a lot of support, it’s really a great community and I love it.

“But at the same time there’s this this feeling that if I’ve never really left home and left my comfort zone, not even moving but just branching out and traveling, then will I look back and wonder what might have been?”

Where Attack Flamingo’s faith-based journey was more interstellar, Knisely’s inspiration for Wilbur By The Sea took the form of an interstate love song.

“I was traveling down through Kentucky and Tennessee and down to North and South Carolina, visiting friends and writing the verses to those songs. At that point I was searching within myself, feeling stuck. I want to feel like the world is wide open. I want to follow my dreams and there’s a limited ceiling of opportunity with the arts in Huntington unfortunately. There’s a great community, but I really want to give it a shot to make music what I do,” Knisely said with emphasis on those last three words.

“In the context of how much I love Huntington, I feel like, myself and other people, need to be able to leave and explore.”

So getting out of Huntington was as much or more of a cathartic experience as it was an artistic exercise for Knisely.

“As I kept writing that stuff, and having been in the relationship and dealing with the aftermath of all that, it just became more personal and I went with it. And I just kept recording because I liked it, not knowing what I would do with it. And I realized that was what I wanted to do.”

Opening up his life to others by himself on a stage wasn’t something Knisely always envisioned.

“I never saw myself as a solo artist, maybe just because it’s more difficult. You have to push yourself, like ‘Here’s me, I play music, I’m going to get up there and play.’ It’s more vulnerable than having a band, where it’s like a team or a built-in support group. Really I’m more in my element writing a song and playing a song and recording a song than I am going out and promoting it all.”

Knisely didn’t need to look too far for a welcoming atmosphere and audience for his music, he just walked out the door of his apartment and played on his porch.

“We’re calling it porch unplugged,” Knisely said laughing. “My friend Joe, he’s always had the same exact mindset, only more intensely, of getting people together. Every other Thursday we get together, whether it’s his porch or mine. That kind environment suits singer-songwriter, and Coyotes in Boxes, well, just down home sort of folky community vibe. It’s where I think the music will thrive, in that kind of atmosphere.”

So from one comfort zone to a whole new atmosphere, be it solo musician or solo relationship status, his porch or another state, for Knisely, Wilbur By The Sea is definitely a welcome escape.

“There’s a really tiny town in Florida, and I didn’t even think it through this deep, but as you’re leaving Daytona Beach there’s this little sign and all it says is Wilbur By The Sea. It’s representative to me of traveling and seeing new things and escaping the comfort zones of life, sort of. I like that.”

Sean Knisely’s solo debut record “Wilbur By The Sea” is available for streaming or download at http://wilburbythesea.bandcamp.com/

photo: Russ Billo

Related: WildBlog review of Wilbur By The Sea

CD Review: "Plastic Rain"

2011-10-31T14:32:00.002-04:00

CD: Plastic Rain
ARTIST: The Phantom Six

Remember that band that came along and reinvented rock and roll? These guys, man, they just made everything prior and everything that will be almost seem lame. That nothing would ever be the same, everything else sucks in comparison.

You probably don't.

Rock and roll need not be reinvented, but yeah sometimes bands come along that evoke a particular era, with a particular sound and energy that totally envelops and straddles the years, dissolving all the crap that you've listened to, all the shit CDs you've bought and relegated to the ash heap of your own history, simultaneously reminding you how much you used to be proud to love rock and roll, to invest something in it psychologically, and why you did: because you can feel it.

Hyperbole aside, The Phantom Six is one of those kinds of bands.

It's always great to just put a new CD in, press play, and in the first few seconds, after the first few chords, think nothing more than 'hell yeah,' and commence to rocking.

Rocking is exactly what you'll be doing listening to the debut from this new-in-name-only Morgantown-area power pop/garage rock five-piece, as the record kicks off with "Corianna," and likely won't be stopped until it's run its course.

While they're busy reinventing rock and roll for you, at least reminding you how much you can love it, over 13 songs, if you haven't heard about this killer new band The Phantom Six WVRockscene is creaming itself over, here is a surprise: they aren't a new band at all.

Operating as Moon up until recently, Mark Poole (lead vocals/guitar), Billy Sheeder (guitar/vox), Billy Matheny (bass/vox), Clint Sutton (drums/vox) and Woody O'Hara (percussion/vox), now renamed, on Plastic Rain, only prove that, while some things can change, some things stay the same: catchy, sometimes awesomely overdriven guitar-driven power-pop that evokes something like Tom Petty and Matthew Sweet circa British Invasion type stuff.

The Poole-Sheeder connection and chemistry dates back literally decades to 63 Eyes, you may know Sutton from his own recent solo work, but maybe talking about how awesome The Phantom Six is summed up thusly: Billy Matheny plays bass.

Sure, there are good bass players and there are dudes that kind of just show up; bassists have a long, rich tradition of being much maligned (think Murderface and Sid Vicious) but in a lot of the most rockin' of bands bassists really contribute, be it as songwriters, singers, musicians and performers.

We will include Matheny in the more favorbale category of bassists. If you've missed his solo output in recent years, questioned why there's been no follow-up to Born of Frustration in the lifetime since it was released, as he's more recently joined up with Athens, Ohio's Southeast Engine and joined on with Todd Burge, only cosmically seeming to seal up some cosmic, sonic circle now with Poole and Sheeder, among other projects, previously in Moon and now as The Phantom Six, he helps form what sounds like some super group or something.

Oh, the record. Make no mistake dear friends, okay, dear readers, Plastic Rain is a great record. Recorded at Poole's Zone 8 Studios, with a live and loud final feel, on favorite tracks like "Inspiration," the hard rockin' "About Love" and 70's rock sounding "Losing Control," to the more jangly Americana of "Shades of Sunday" and the somber "Big Airplane," (killer solo) with lyrics mainly dealing with some combination of chicks, love and small towns ("everyone wants to fall in love, if only for one day," Poole sings on "Inspiration") and with a plug-in-and-go attitude, people not familiar with Moon will be kicking themselves now.

With super-tight vocal harmonies, backing vocals, enough requisite "na-na-na's" the songs, describe them how you will, who they remind you of, what you call them, really just might remind you how much you can love a rock band.

While the songs are simply structured sing-along verse-chorus-verse types for the most part, there's enough instrumentation, enough of an ambitious sonic layering with reverse guitar parts and organ thrown in with the solos and the crashing cymbals, to make the songs great. Everything about a kick ass rock band is on display on Plastic Rain.

It's just a shame that the band had to wait until this cold Fall season to release Plastic Rain. This is a record that has a Spring/Summer feel to it. Like you could take some long undirected road trip with only the 13 songs as accompaniment, some sort of exciting new infatuation.

But regardless of the season, whatever year it is, most every fan of rock and roll will be falling in love with this killer new Morgantown band, The Phantom Six. This record not only transcends time, it kicks ass. "Favorite new band" is only a technicality for these guys.

--- The Phantom Six releases Plastic Rain Nov. 5 at 123 Pleasant Street with The Demon Beat.

Salad Days: Tyler Grady & David F. Bello talk about their new band Sleepwalker

2011-10-14T19:20:00.005-04:00

Sleepwalker (above) will release their debut EP and play 123 Pleasant Street Saturday night

photo: Andy Pickens

Having covered West Virginia bands for a few years at this point, the neatest thing is seeing new bands form quite organically out of bands that just naturally seem to run their course. Such seems to be the case with the new Morgantown-based band Sleepwalker.

Comprised of members of bands like Death Virginia, Mega Touch, Big Ass Manatee, Nirvana 2, Rifle Camp, and David Bello Band, the band (Tyler Grady: vocals/guitars; David F. Bello: vocals/guitar; Jason McCarty: guitar/vocals; Will Foreman: bass/vocals; Pat Manzi: percussion) is set to release their debut EP The Dark One digitally Saturday night, coinciding with their show at 123 Pleasant Street with Pat Pat and High Fives and Hell Yeahs.

We caught up with Grady and Bello to learn more about the band, the EP, and how post-apocalyptic tossed salad metaphors totally apply to Sleepwalker...

WVRockscene: You guys haven’t been together for very long at all -- your first show was back in June -- but are each veterans of more than a few Magic Town bands, what’s it been like being in a new project like Sleepwalker?

Tyler Grady: It’s really exciting forming a band out of your friends. It’s even more exciting when everyone comes into a project knowing what kind of role they’d like to fill, and having the chops to back up that role.

David F. Bello: It’s great, we didn’t have to spend a lot of time really on normal “Well we’re in a band, what do we do now?” type of things, we kind of just ran with it since we all know what we’re doing and we’ve all been friends for a long time.

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WVRockscene: People who even casually follow Morgantown area acts will be familiar with the bands you’ve been in/come from. Following up on that last question, and segueing into the next one, what were some of the best parts of bringing in everyone’s own contributions into Sleepwalker? These bands you come from have a pretty diverse range it seems like, how special or unique do you think Sleepwalker’s sound is up Magic Town way?

DFB: I think it’s pretty unique. I think we each do a good job of making it a tossed salad kind of thing where we know what to do to mix our sounds together and have it sound good as a whole but if somebody wants to really pick it apart they’ll find our individual styles in there as well. Plus the tossed salad thing will be good for when we all eventually end up in federal prison for one thing or another.

Grady: I agree with David. We are lucky in the sense that each of our tastes individually lends themselves cohesively to toss our salad. As for how unique we are, I don’t really think there is another band in town that sounds quite like we do, but it seems like the general lack of bands has a lot to do with that

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WVRockscene: Obviously you guys will have known each other for a while, (123’s LJ Giuliani is quoted on Sleepwalker’s Facebook page as saying you’re “a who’s who of the late night drinking circuit,”) how did the idea to get together as Sleepwalker slowly congeal and the band form?

DFB: Haha that quote is one of my proudest moments. We all do certainly drink a lot. We got together in a Mad Max kind of way -- I think Tyler will appreciate that connection. A lot of the people in our other projects recently left town, so in the midst of this wasteland we forged weapons and found a practice space. It worked out really conveniently because even before the other bands were kind of coming to an end, we were all kind of thinking of playing music together anyway.

Grady: On the record: Mad Max (the original) is my all-time favorite movie. As for how the band came together, the very beginning of it forming, for me, was seeing David play for the first time. I knew right away that I wanted to be in a band with that guy. I’ve always enjoyed playing with Pat [Manzi] too.

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WVRockscene: It appears that to some extent you both share singing, what about songwriting? You guys being friends, what's the chemistry like just jamming and arranging tunes?

Grady: We still haven’t written a song from scratch together yet. We certainly have different writing styles, but I don’t think it would affect anything for when we do finally writing something as a cooperative. As far as jamming goes, we’ve always had fun jamming together. We have a fake/real “noise” band that we put together a long time ago as kind of a fuck you to the idea of jamming. It’s awful. Intentionally. I can’t say anything but this is our band when it comes to who has more creative control. We each pull our weight and work well together when one of us introduces a song. It’s kind of a Guy/Ian relationship. We both love Fugazi too. That has nothing to do with anything.

DFB: We definitely share things equally.

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WVRockscene: You two made appearances in Ryan Hizer’s video for “Pushover,” how fun was that and was there any perks involved?

DFB: Jason [McCarty] is in it too, but just for a second and he’s got his hands over his ears. It was super fun. The guy who made it, Geoff Hoskinson had us all over to his killer office space with an outdoor deck and Pittsburgh beer on tap and basically let us all get in front of a nice camera and make funny faces. We got to listen to “Pushover” all day, which was really cool. Also, we’re all affiliated with Garbage Days who put out the Good Sport record and is working with me on a bunch of stuff, so it was good to work on something for that whole deal.

Grady: The video shoot was a great time. There were a lot of funny things that didn’t make the final cut. There was a scene that Adam [Meisterhans] was in where he was texting on his cell phone and then was pulled out of the frame. It doesn’t sound as funny as it was. Believe me, it was.

Good Sport – Pushover from Geoff Hoskinson on Vimeo.

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WVRockscene: Hizer mixed the EP, which was recorded by The Demon Beat’s Adam Meisterhans, aside from the songs, and how the band and the songs came together, from Meisterhans to Hizer to Klug for mastering, how proud are you of the final product?

DFB: Man I am so proud of it. Those guys all did an amazing job the whole way through. It was awesome getting Adam up here for a weekend to record the whole thing and it was great that we were able to get our friends to work on this and do an amazing job with our sound.

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WVRockscene: Will there be physical copies of “The Dark One” available at 123 Saturday or just on the bandcamp page?

DFB: Just the bandcamp page for now, and it’s on a pay-what-you-want setting. We’re going to press a 7” fairly soon, hopefully using the money we make from the bandcamp release and any shows we have coming up.

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WVRockscene: I did see that this Saturday is the 123 13th anniversary show. It’s always seemed like a nice supportive college town atmosphere up there. Whether school is in or not, what’s it like for bands up there? Obviously having a bunch of college age kids coming out to see your band is a plus, but having “seen the scene” over the past 10 or so years how much of a plus is it being a band in Morgantown these days?

DFB: It’s always been great for me. It’s how I’ve made most of my friends in town and everybody I’ve ever dealt with in the music scene is super friendly. I wish there were more young bands in town, though. We’re old. We’re still cool! I SWEAR. But we’re old, and more people younger than us should be in bands, imho.

Grady: the Morgantown music scene has always been important to me. I grew up in the Eastern panhandle and there was really no music scene there at all. We would drive to Cumberland (30 miles) just to see a local show that was mediocre at best. Then some of my friend’s siblings started going to college at WVU and we would sneak out to Morgantown to party with the college kids. That’s where I discovered 123 -- and whip-its.

We would say we were going to Cumberland and drive to Morgantown shows and get drunk in the car. It was really formative, haha.

The party was always centered around the music, and the music at that time was much more abundant. I would really like to see more of that attitude. Certainly I don’t endorse that kind of irresponsibility, but I can endorse doing whatever is necessary to get to the music you want to see. I didn’t play on the stage at 123 until I had been coming there for many years, but when I did it was so satisfying because I had loved that place so much

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WVRockscene: So you’ll get the debut EP out, play some shows, what’s up for the rest of the year? Plans to record a full-length? Anything special?

DFB: No concrete plans yet to do a full-length but I think in a year or so’s time we’ll have enough cooked up for that. We want to put out that 7” with songs from the EP, possibly go on a tour of the east coast.

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WVRockscene: Bands form, break up and form new bands over time. Sleepwalker’s story is no different, obviously. Being veterans of the Magic Town scene, seeing bands kind of come and go, bands you might even have been in, how excited are you for the near future to be in Sleepwalker?

DFB: I am really excited. We’re either going to last forever or explode in our van.

Burn up in Car by Sleepwalker

--- Sleepwalker plays 123 Pleasant Street Saturday night with Pat Pat and High Fives and Hell Yeahs for 123’s 13th anniversary show.

Sleepwalker will release their debut EP The Dark One on a pay-what-you-can basis on their bandcamp page Saturday.

Occupy Shepherdstown Thursday. Specifically, the Blue Moon Saloon for the first ever Rozwell Kid show

2011-10-12T11:10:00.001-04:00

We liked him as Jude Universer. We love him as Rozwell Kid. In anticipation of Jordan Hudkins taking his side project out live Thursday night out in Shepherdstown, we caught up with him over email to see what’s up with praise for The Rozwell Kid LP, who’s in the live band, different animals and collectors items...

WVRockscene: The Rozwell Kid LP has been quite warmly received by critical press types -- how cool has it been to know people have been rocking the LP out with thumbs up?

Jordan Hudkins: It feels great! There are some folks in the UK who love the album, so that’s really cool! The other day, according to my Bandcamp stats, someone in Canada Googled “Rozwell Kid” -- I’m going global haha.

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WVRockscene: Who’s in the live Rozwell Kid band?

Hudkins: I’ve got an All-Star lineup of dudes... It’s going to be awesome! Adam Meisterhans will be recreating live all of those bodacious leads he played on the record. Andrew LaCara from The Resonators will be playing rhythm guitar. Devin Donnelly from Bitch Cave/Chick Salad fame will be playing bass. And Sean Hallock from Chambersburg PA’s The Shackeltons will be manning the drums.

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WVRockscene: I think I’d seen you mentioning a Rozwell Kid rehearsal on Facebook; how did that go? Are you ready to take Rozwell Kid out live?

Hudkins: We’ve had three extended full band rehearsals, as well as two acoustic vocal practices. We’ve learned the whole record, front-to-back, and even worked up a surprise cover that should be a lot of fun. It’s one of those songs I’ve dreamed about playing live in a band since I was in 9th grade. We’re definitely ready.

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WVRockscene: Is this the first AND last Rozwell Kid show, or will there be more going forward?

Hudkins: This is definitely the first RK show, but it won’t be the last. We’re all having a great time jamming out these jams. The calendar fills up pretty quickly between The Demon Beat, Prison Book Club & The Shackeltons, but we’re gonna work on fitting in some regional gigs this winter.

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WVRockscene: I assume you will have many Rozwell Kid LPs for sale at the show?

Hudkins: I’ve whipped together a few physical copies of the record. I’ll have them at the show on a pay-what-you-want basis. I feel weird charging people for a burnt CD when they can wait until they get home to download the record for free. Now, if I had cassettes or vinyl, that’s a different animal altogether. Now we’re talking collectors items!

--- Rozwell Kid plays the Blue Moon Saloon Thursday night with The Continuals and Bratcore. Show starts at 9 p.m., and it’s free.

Friendships keep energy high for Chum reunion show (H-D repost)

2011-09-30T11:06:00.001-04:00

photo: Courtney Bell

The Huntington-based band Chum, made up of (from left to right) Jude Blevins, John Lancaster, Chris Tackett and Mac Walker is reuniting for a show on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

The story of Chum reads like a literal version of musical chairs. Nearly twenty years after junior high friends Mac Walker and Chris Tackett called up John Lancaster to see about jamming, more than a decade after their sophomore record never got released, after numerous lineup changes and a reunion in 2005, the Huntington-based sludge rock band is back.

Chum plays the V Club October 1st with Horseburner and Tower of the Elephant.

A band’s story can read like any relationship between two people over the years: they form, break up and/or fall apart over time. But what makes Chum’s story unique so many years after original drummer Chuck Nicholas jumped ship and founding members Walker and Tackett left is that Walker, Tackett and Lancaster, friends since junior high, are still that: friends.

“We’re all deaf and hoarse right now, so bear with us,” Lancaster said with a laugh over the phone after a just-finished band rehearsal in Walker’s basement.

The guys in Chum (Lancaster: vocals/guitar; Walker: guitar; Tackett: bass; Jude Blevins: drums) have been gathering at Walker’s every so often preparing for a pair of shows in Huntington and next week in Lexington, where Tackett calls home these days. After years of on-again off-again status, it’s good to get together and have a good time, Lancaster said.

“We just make a marathon weekend out of it. Everybody comes in Friday night, and we do a few hours, then go all afternoon Saturday and Sunday. It’s been a blast.”

“We just make a big party out of it,” Walker added.

Tackett said that the enduring friendship and musical collaborations that have existed in the intervening years have helped Chum retain its energy.

“I can tell you right now it sounds really f---ing heavy. I don’t know if you can put that in there. It’s been cool because with John and Mac playing together in John’s solo project, and with Jude, Mac and myself playing in Hyatari together, it almost seems like it was inevitable that we’d get together and do this.”

Bringing Blevins on as drummer was a no-brainer and, for Blevins, who’d seen Chum open for Helmet at Ritter Park years ago, a great call to get.

“I was honored, of course,” Blevins said. “I’m sure they could’ve had anybody, any drummer they would’ve called would have jumped at it. I think it’s pretty cool.

Walker said the original chemistry is still there.

“It gets to be kind of like second nature, because you can almost predict what the other guy is thinking when you’re playing and writing. A few of these songs we are playing, we never released, so it’s great to bring those songs back to life.”

John Lancaster on Headhunter:
“For these upcoming shows we actually recorded an old song we wrote around 1997 called “Headhunter.” It was originally intended for that second record that never happened. When we played it live, people really liked it, so we thought it would be cool to record it and put it online for a free download.”

Tackett said what was once old, as far as Chum goes, is new again.

“One of the reasons I like to revisit Chum is because the material holds up even though some of this stuff is fifteen years old. A lot of the stuff we were writing back at that time, I consider it to be pushing the envelope as far as our song structures and tunings. It’s a little more common nowadays, but back then you didn’t hear it too often. The songs have held up well and have that energy and are really heavy, so I like to revisit it because they don’t feel old to me, they feel just as current as when we were writing them back in the day.”

It almost seemed like a drag, or maybe it was fitting, to ask the “heavy” questions of the guys: why did things go wrong, and when, back in the mid-to-late 1990’s?

Maybe it was the lack of label support after releasing “Dead To The World” on the Santa Monica, California-based Century Media Records? Walker addressed that angle.

“I think what happened was, the label wasn’t really into the band anymore, they weren’t liking the new material. We were rehearsing and writing new material and it just seemed like a lot of work wasn’t going anywhere. That seemed like the beginning of the end.”

For Tackett, internal chemistry issues arose after original drummer Chuck Nicholas left to join West Virginia contemporaries Karma To Burn before DTTW was even released.

“For me, when Chuck left the band, the songwriting, the whole process kind of changed,” Tackett said, speaking diplomatically. “Mac and myself feed off each other, and Chuck and John fed off each other, and we all worked well as a foursome. All the songs that were on [DTTW] and the two [1994 cassette] EPs were hashed out in a room together.

“We had that chemistry, and the songwriting was effortless.

“After Chuck left, we had to write with other people and it wasn’t the same, and the music started to change, not for better or worse, just different. So for me, the Chum era kind of ended when Chuck left the band.”

Tackett on Nicholas leaving (continued):
“Chuck doesn’t get enough credit as a songwriter. Correct me if I’m wrong John, but didn’t Chuck contribute lyrics and concepts? (John answers in background) He definitely helped with arrangements. With Chuck, he was really an experimental guy, and he’d just go off the deep end and just do stuff to be funny and it would end up a song. It was a weird way to write but it worked for us as a band.”

So many years later, Lancaster, Tackett and Walker, with mutual friend Blevins, are looking to not only keep their friendship intact, but Chum too. The internet age offers an avenue of communication that can facilitate long-distance collaboration, as Lancaster displayed recording and releasing his solo debut, “Phantom Moon,” last year.

Also, just as important, Chum’s fans are able to generate a mutually reinforcing energy, whether its picking songs for a set list, asking about merch, or remembering favorite shows from the past on the Chum Facebook page.

“It’s pretty much the main inspiration for us doing it at this point,” Lancaster said of the fans. “We get messages from people talking about the band, it’s just great to know that people are excited about it.”

Tackett on new Chum releases:
“We haven’t discussed making a new album together at this point, but at this point who needs a record label? With a project like Chum, if we wanted to release a record for free, at this point it’s about sharing the music with people who love it. It’s a labor of love for us to play and record this music.”

Walker said, just like at practice, at the V Club show Saturday, it’s going to be a party.

“It’s great. We’ve got people coming in from all over the place, so it’s more than a reunion, we’re getting to see old friends too.”

Old friends indeed, Tackett said, summing up Chum’s future.

“We’re all basically like brothers at this point, having grown up together. I don’t see any reason for us to stop making music anytime soon.”

If you go:
Chum, Horseburner, Tower of the Elephant
Where: The V Club, 741 6th Avenue, Huntington (304) 781-0680
When: Saturday, October 1st, 10 p.m.
Cost: $8
Info: http://www.vclublive.com/

CD Review: "Song of the Invasive Species"

2011-09-29T13:58:00.011-04:00

CD: Song of the Invasive Species
ARTIST: The Dreadful Horoscope

What a long, strange, delightful, trip it’s been -- the 40-minute or so long journey that is The Dreadful Horoscope’s CD Song of the Invasive Species.

A review of the 10-song release is timely enough, even though ’twas released back in June. One reason is the very literal invasion, the swarming assault of these stink bugs on the WVRockscene home office. It’s not as bad as last year, where you stopped flinching when they’d land on you, as they approached beard-of-bees like capability. But that’s one reason it’s good we waited so long to post our most favorable review of Jacob Matz’ latest acoustic-based journey.

The second? At the end of the review, dear friends, of a CD that we’ve had for a while here and had thoroughly enjoyed even right after it was uploaded onto bandcamp a few months back.

But talk about keeping Morgantown weird. Experimental. Atmospheric. In parts, pleasingly noisy. An almost directionless but strangely fulfilling trip taken upon with Matz and friends.

Yes, we’re big fans of the BBR-based Dreadful Horoscope. We loved last year’s self-titled release for the same reasons we love this one; more of the same lazy, ethereal acoustic folk output, but with an even bigger, maybe more experimental sound than was found on last year’s release.

Imagine something like Jim Morrison enlisting Pink Floyd’s horn section for a trip out into the Australian outback for some shamanic, definitely spiritual showdown, then coming back to the banks of the Monongahela River to record about it, reading from a few diary entries, and maybe you’re close to The Dreadful Horoscope’s sound.

Matz’ lyrics are a trip enough. Eschatological conflict, or some spiritual persecution, maybe apocalypse, permeates the poetically-put-out-there lyrics; no real choruses or verse-chorus-verse structure for these campfire sing-a-longs with Matz’ nasally, near Frank Black type singing.

But make no mistake, the real treat with The Dreadful Horoscope is the music. Song of the Invasive Species has an even more experimental, richly layered, earthy air accompanying Matz’ own multi-instrumental contributions than last year’s release.

Matz is joined by John Morgan (yes, like it says on the Dreadful Horoscope Facebook page, John Morgan “of Juna fame,”) but if you haven’t checked out even Juna’s most recent release, you might not appreciate Morgan’s own authentically tribal (in parts) sound, and how it would fit right in with what Matz is doing as The Dreadful Horoscope.

Matz and Morgan are joined by Miles Craft for percussion and Jacob Smith, whose dreamy saxophone contributions add so much to the songs.

One great thing about what these guys are doing together, though, is that they’ll do stuff that really aren’t even “songs,” just experimental go-nowhere type noodling (“Introduction of a Species,” “The Witch (like the belly of a fish covered with hair),” and “The Gifts of the West,” with cymbal crashes and trashy snare smashing interspersed with tribal shouting and real-enough sounding screams, are good examples of this). Be it on a Didgeridoo or a Theremin, with the sax, uke, clarinet, piano/organ with “field recordings” and having been “recorded next to the Monongahela River,” Song of the Invasive Species really captures an outdoor, almost new age (not in a bad way at all) type atmosphere. It at least would be great to listen to camping out, getting all neo-Luddite and stuff.

This contrasts to the warm acoustic (almost sunny) sound accompanying a glacially foreboding sense of spiritual crisis -- or something, maybe, but yes, an even dreadful picture painted by Matz lyrically on a few songs. You almost get the sense that the invasive species is not bugs after all.

Matz sings on “The Smell of Cut Up Grass:”

“I’m tired of the smell of cut up grass, it only makes me sneeze. You’re tired of the smell of burned up bodies floating in the breeze. In my name. Hey, I’m not to blame?”

On “Morning Dread:”

“With your back toward a blanketed past, covered up and warm, and marching toward this monumental future. Carved. Perpetual. Our lives are carved and perpetual.”

And, finishing our lyrical examples, on the country and western-esque “Stamps:”

“Stamps on my brain, but they are fading as time goes on.
So you called me a socialist, but I don’t pray to that god.
There was this long awkward silence before we began to make love.
You forced me to watch, I urged you to listen.
But, I was the queer and you were the christian who left stamps on my brain.”

The seven-minute long “Awful Ink” might be the best example, may best encapsulate, the experimental acoustic bent The Dreadful Horoscope is on. “Fail” has rightly achieved near-cliché played out status recently, but it really is something bands do sometimes as they may attempt to segue or branch off into a more folky, experimental-type acoustic realm that these guys inhabit.

You can definitely say The Dreadful Horoscope is “unplugged,” maybe unhinged, but they pull a hard-to-capture experimental acoustic sound off effortlessly with an even richer ambience than you’d expect at first. Even with all the instruments there’s a coherence to the sound throughout it seems, helping to make it a great record.

Song of the Invasive Species might just be, no, is, a great CD to lose your mind to. Accompanying the CD Matz sent a while back was the negative of a photo of the desert Southwest, some cactus-lined stretch of highway, only adding to the sense of a literal journey. When the CD’s over you really do feel like you’ve been somewhere and back -- kudos to Matz and friends for producing something you can say that about.

--- The Dreadful Horoscope plays the Monongalia Arts Center Friday 9.30 with Bonfire, David F. Bello and Octopi(e) from Manassas, Va.

The Dreadful Horoscope: “The Smell of Cut Up Grass”

The Dreadful Horoscope - The Smell of Cut Up Grass from Shane Butler on Vimeo.

Q&A w/Matt Page of Dream the Electric Sleep

2011-09-26T09:10:00.004-04:00

We were stoked to see that the Lexington, Kentucky-based prog rock band Dream the Electric Sleep had recently uploaded a three-part series on their debut record Lost and Gone Forever to YouTube. Singer-guitarist Matt Page (above) talks in-depth about the music and coal mining love story behind each of the fourteen songs on the concept record.

So, as excited as we were to revisit the songs with Page, and as much as we love the record, we thought it appropriate to catch up with Page over email to see what’s up with the band these days, and where they’re going after Lost and Gone Forever...

WVRockscene: The reviews are in for Lost and Gone Forever, and the phrase “critically acclaimed” comes to mind, with praise from outlets like The Big Takeover, how great is it for the debut album to have been so warmly received?

Matt Page: I never really thought it would have been so highly praised... it was a shock... I think when we were writing the album, listening to demos, and throughout the recording process, we kept saying to each other “I think this might be something special,” but most of the time I think we would fall back on “maybe we’re just too close to it.” The first couple of great reviews we thought, “well at least there are a few people that really get it,” but then they just kept coming. That’s when I think we knew the album had legs.

I honestly think the album has something in there that we had not planned, something that can’t be accounted for, beyond our abilities. It’s like the album is actually smarter than all of us in the band, and is actually still teaching us. I am not sure if any of that makes sense, but it certainly feels like part of the success of the album came from some place we all don’t really understand... the culmination of all these random things coalescing into one piece of work... it was so much fun to be a part of!

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WVRockscene: You’ve had a few shows over the summer, how have those gone? Won over many new DTES fans live and in person? What kind of shortcuts do you have to make just playing live, trying to give people the scope of the record in its totality just playing a few songs? I mean you don’t exactly have time to play the entire record beginning to end, right?

Page: Honestly, the live shows have been the hardest part. This work needs to be thought of like theatre, and you can’t do theatre in a bar with a 40 minute set. We have learned a lot about what we want the live shows to do, and at this point, we know the theatrical nature of it, and thus the narrative will never really come through. We have to hope that the few songs we play intrigue a few listeners enough to want to dig into the content. I think in some ways, we have to expand our notion of a band. To conceive of what we are trying to do as fitting in the confines of a band is a limiting way for us to go about doing this, and we are constantly questioning what the scope of this project is. We have made a few fans from live shows, but the vast majority of our success is coming from our online presence, and mostly from Europe.

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WVRockscene: You’ve recently been reworking a few songs into acoustic songs, what songs have you been working on, is it a direction you think the band will take up more moving forward and what is up with a DTES EP with an “unreleased” track coming out any time soon?

Page: I told [bassist] Chris [Tackett] and [drummer] Joey [Waters] that I wanted to take these songs into non-rock venues to try and find more people who might be interested in the content of the album. I thought some acoustic versions would be appropriate. When we wrote these songs, I always approached them as songs that could be simplified, so this was my chance to actually test my theory. I decided to take “The Joneses,” “Hold Steady Hands,” and “Roots and Fear,” and rework them for this purpose, and then decided it would be fun to record them and offer them as a companion EP.

As for the unreleased track, it was the only song we decided not to include on the album. It was actually the last song on the album, and was meant to be a sort of moral-tale ending. At this point on the album, it ends with Clementine holding Jack’s body after he is pulled from the mine. The unreleased track would be sung in a narrator’s voice so to speak. The song didn’t get included for a couple reasons, first was that it was agreed that it was more powerful and poignant to end with Clementine and Jack, second, it would have forced the album to be a double album, which we decided we didn’t want, and third, it is the most stylistically different in that it is actually our version of a bluegrass tune.

It will be perfect on an acoustic EP, and is cool to know everyone will hear the alternate ending to the album now. This should be released in the next 4-6 weeks.

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WVRockscene: You haven’t even been a band very long; what’s changed as far as chemistry or approach to songwriting? More comfortable as a unit?

Page: Trevor [Wilmott], our guitar player recently left the band. He lives three hours away, and is working on his undergraduate degree. It was just too hard for him to fully engage the project. We miss his input dearly, and he really wanted to stay with us, but it was just too much for him, and he was never able to be here for writing and rehearsals. After he mixed and mastered the album, which he did brilliantly, he had to step down. So now we are a three-piece.

As far as writing goes, I can already tell our chemistry is stronger and tighter. Chris and Joey and I are all very different stylistically, but at the same time, we are very open to allowing disparate sounds to come together and challenge our sense of self and vision. I might come in with something that sounds like Elton John, Joey will throw in some thunderous Bonham beat, and Chris might throw in the a percussive rhythm. In my head, that’s not what I had in mind, but that’s why I play with these guys... because I want the surprise and the challenge, and in the end it always sounds fresh to my ears... it’s like I know I would be bored if just wrote it the way I heard it, and what’s even better is that Chris and Joey feel the same way... We are all chomping at the bit to get back to writing, and in fact already have some new material that sounds really interesting…

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WVRockscene: So Chris and Joey approached you with the idea about doing this three-part mini-doc on the songs and the concept behind the album, right? Who filmed it, where, and what was your initial response to the idea?

Page: I was totally into the idea when they approached me. I just want people to have whatever it takes to get lost in the narrative, and if these videos help some people do that, I am very happy. Content is king. That’s my motto right now. The music has to be good, but the content is king for us. Music that carries narrative like this is more difficult than film, so having supplements like these videos makes it easier I think to find your footing.

It was filmed in an old farmhouse my wife and I are renovating. It was built in 1790, and in part, was the imaginary place where the album took place. I know no one would know that, but it’s just another way to tie my life into the narrative of the album. I shot it with my wife’s help, who is also an artist, and then gave the footage to Chris to edit.

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WVRockscene: In each part you talk in depth about arranging the songs, the split concepts of Clementine and Jack’s personal perspective on life with coal mining, displaying a very real depth and maturity in the songwriting, telling what is still a timeless story of these people’s lives, placing it in an Appalachian culture. Throughout you seem at ease talking about all this, all the themes inside a very real, cyclical concept record. When and/or if you’ve been told how special this record is by people who may or may not have friends or family members who work in the mines, how does that affect you and how important is it to know that you’ve touched people with the story of Clementine and Jack on Lost and Gone Forever?

Page: I have been told by some family members who were coal miners that this album really captured something for them, and we have had people from all over write us and tell us how moved they were, and some said they even cried... I was pretty floored by that. To really move someone that much is unreal. Again, it’s been so gratifying hearing from so many people about the way the album has affected them. I guess the album was real for me, and it becomes real for others. That’s what I wanted though, to share in these emotions with other people. I want there to be a give and take with our listeners. I am writing this music in hopes that it adds to your emotional life, and in return, that process adds to my emotional life, to be heard and understood by strangers from all over the world... it’s life affirming.

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WVRockscene: There are no shortage of bands that make a great record and may not reach that same level with subsequent recordings. Aside from any changes or directions the DTES sound may take (acoustic, etc.) do you continue to see your inspiration coming from or being rooted in Appalachia? So much of what makes Lost and Gone Forever a great record is the dual narrative, coal mining love story embedded inside it. Do you feel pressure to make another concept record or just what themes might fans expect the next DTES record to explore, if you even know yet? You had so much personally involved with this, with the passing of your grandparents, we can almost expect something different, right?

Page: Different for sure. I am not going to try and top this, or repeat it. I will leave Appalachia for a while conceptually, and focus in on other content sources. Lost and Gone is a project that I am very proud of. After writing music and making art for over 20 years, it’s the first project that I can say surpassed my creative expectations. I had a professor tell me once, a good piece of art is always smarter than its creator… it has a life of its own. As I said earlier, this work is definitely smarter than me, and has its own life to live without me now. As for what’s next, or what to look forward to... I can tell you this, from this band/project, you can always expect an in-depth record. I am really interested in seeing how music might work for a vehicle for history, myth, narrative, and social investigations.

Our music will always be about exploring content in depth. I want to know about the world that I live in, and one way to investigate and engage the world is through art. Art helps us reflect and better understand where we are coming from, and where we are going... it’s a conversation meant to be engaged, and I plan on using music to engage it. I think that’s part of what makes Lost and Gone interesting, it engages the world and its histories and myths in a interesting way, so regardless of what the content for the next album is, you can be assured it will be immersed in questions about the world around us, and hopefully offer new ways of thinking about it through music.

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WVRockscene: Regardless of whether or not DTES even ever makes another record, Lost and Gone Forever really can stand alone as a very real achievement. How proud are you of what you, Trevor, Chris and Joey accomplished with just one record?

Page: I can say that it has been a great honor working with Chris, Joey, and Trevor. They are talented and creative beyond words. That has been gratifying enough, but to have had our creative collisions produce something like Lost and Gone means that for the rest of my life I have a work that I can be proud of. I think it’s pretty clear that to produce an album like this is not going to sky rocket one to fame and fortune, and with that being said, its should be clear that we are not letting those distractions get in the way of our vision.

We put out a record we all believed in for no other reason than to satisfy our creative and emotional desires. Of course one always hopes those ambitions are met by some friendly ears who also understand those desires. I know there is a small contingent of people in the world that want to share in music that engages content in a thought provoking way, and we plan on continuing that effort well into the future.

Related -- CD Review: Lost and Gone Forever; Drama, tragedy, love, life and death: Dream the Electric Sleep brings new concept record to V Club Saturday (Huntington Herald-Dispatch article)

photo: Ashley Watson

Q&A w/Zach Francis for MAYSP benefit show 9.25

2011-09-23T12:00:00.011-04:00

Glen Fork native Zach Francis (above w/flag) continues the tradition of cool Magic Town benefit shows this Sunday night with the second annual MAYSP benefit show at 123 Pleasant Street. Francis also continues the grand tradition of catching up with WVRockscene to talk about what MAYSP is, does, and why it's important. Oh and also the bands -- Bonfire (now with a new lineup) plays the show for the second straight year after debuting the band there last year. They'll be joined by Pat Pat, FOX Japan, and a new(er) band, Sleepwalker. And there's Francis' pro-ginger rhetoric, which may shock you.

We caught up with Francis to see what's up with this year's show...

WVRockscene: What’s been up with you since we talked last? You’re in Belladonna Deadbeats these days, right?

Zach Francis: I've been into quite a bit with MAYSP since last September, finding my groove and approach as far as advocating and counseling these kids as well as a lot of brainstorming for fundraising ideas (obviously) for us to maintain free services to juveniles of the Morgantown vicinity.

Personally, I spent a decent amount of this past winter revisiting some bass guitar fundamentals. I taught myself a long time ago, but I unfortunately taught myself everything the wrong way. I could make up sweet bass riffs but my technique and understanding of cohesive music was way off-kilter in an unattractive way. So, I took some bass lessons from local jazz bassist Kevin Fryson, who is amazing. Needless to say, we had to start from square 1 as if I'd never played before. Although I don't currently take lessons from him, I acknowledge that he's the reason I at least know what I'm doing on the instrument confidently now. Now I can play around with a lot of "frilly stuff" that I only guessed at during high school.

I'm also happily engaged to a fellow ginger. We plan on repopulating the earth with a flux of redheads. She's very supportive and also keeps me straightened out pretty well. So moving to Star City and wedding plans have taken up a lot of my "extra time," whatever that is.

OH YEAH! Speaking of playing bass, I play for Belladonna Deadbeats. We're coming out with a sassy little EP sometime this fall, I'm hoping. All the stuff is pretty much recorded to our liking at Bebop Studios here in Motown, but we're just taking our time with mixing and such. We've played a handful of smaller shows, and have just had a blast. I'm pretty much the least talented person in the band seeing that our core consists of two fine young women (Ashley and Rachael) that alternate playing drums and guitar while also taking on vocal duties throughout our sets. Our lead guitarist, Brian is just a brutal technical guy. He incorporates a lot of bluesy slide in our songs as well. I just really enjoy being able to add to the dynamic with some steady, simple bass lines. Every once in a while I get a little carried away with something funky or tribal on a song or two, but I mainly just do my part and chill.

By the way, we're one of the bands in the final round of a Battle of the Bands. It's being held on October 1st at the Student Lot outside the WVU football Stadium if you'd like to come check out some awesome bands.

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WVRockscene: How did the first MAYSP benefit show at 123 go last year? And for those that missed our chat what is MAYSP, what do you do for MAYSP and how is it and groups like it important?

Francis: Let's just say that the success of the show brought in more than we expected both financially and in exposure/networking. It was enough to prove to our agency that we should pursue fresh fundraising ideas significantly more than we had in the past. I was beyond stoked about the turnout and response that we received last year. Great cooperation and volunteerism too. The communal spirit of the whole ordeal was rather inspiring.

Sure. The Morgantown Area Youth Services Project is a non-profit organization that focuses on providing free services for juveniles through various programs ranging from substance abuse counseling to truancy and academic performance issues. The aim of the agency is to reduce violence and drug abuse in this area of Monongalia County in general. I am one of two Transitions Specialists who works specifically with middle and high-school students by visiting them for one on one counseling sessions to monitor whatever they're struggling with on a consistent basis. We get referrals from court officials, probation, family members and the like.

Something I've realized about social service-related causes is that they are worthwhile struggles. This kind of work is not just a paycheck, it is a concern; it is a purpose. In a perfect world, people would not need counselors and social workers, but it is clear that society is not en route to utopia anytime soon. Therefore, small nonprofits will be around to scrape whatever funds they can to provide services and connect those in need to necessary resources that they might not be able to reach within their own limited means due to circumstances and outlying predicaments. I've had several experiences that have confirmed that people, especially youth, sometimes just need at least one person to consistently support them not only during their golden moments, but also during their "rough patches." When you have a network of support encouraging and advising, the results are those of resilience and autonomy. Plainly, better things happen when people have your back.

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WVRockscene: You still work for Danny Trejo? Not that Danny Trejo, though right?

Francis: HAHA! Yes. My boss, Danny Trejo actually used to live in East L.A. many years ago and used to stay in touch with the actor Danny Trejo. I don't know how they were able to meet each other in person and prevent the universe from collapsing! I'm not kidding. He knows, or at least knew, THAT Danny Trejo. It blows my mind every time he confirms it with me during staff meetings.

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WVRockscene: Back to the bands, last year you kind of introduced Bonfire to Morgantown at the MAYSP benefit, and this year you got FOX Japan and Pat Pat (plus Sleepwalker) to play too. There’s seemed to be a long-running tradition of Morgantown-area bands coming together for good causes at 123 Pleasant Street. I remember Aaron Hawley doing big shows for the Boys and Girls Club I think it was. How thankful and/or stoked are you that you’re able to corral these bands for a good cause, and is there anything special you’ve picked up on up there that backs up the theory that these bands are down for good causes?

Francis: As I've mentioned before, the communal spirit of the music scene for these types of events baffles me. I just love it. These bands are local favorites who could understandably demand a lot, but they are just very open and emphatic to play. I'm so psyched about the lineup this year! These are all bands that I want see play live anyway, so it's great that they are just down for it without needing some sort of "convincing sales pitch." I honestly think that most of the musicians here are people who are aware of the social climate and are more than happy to be a part of something that contributes to the betterment of the community. Also, many of the artists of this area have occupations and background in helping folks one way or another. For example, I had several social work classes with FOX Japan's drummer, Pete. In my opinion, that dude had a profound understanding of social policy. I hope all of that makes sense.

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WVRockscene: What else is going on for the show as far as donating or raffles or auction-type stuff? I’d seen you got those precursors to laser discs, you expect to be able to move those things? Any records or anything like alternate revenue stream fundraising that is going on outside of cover charge; you can donate online right?

Francis: In addition to our fundraising tables having some used vinyl records and CDs like last year, we'll have a decent amount of handcrafted jewelry and goods by Emily Iafrate, who has an Etsy store of her own and some other awesome friends of ours.

Vintage Video started joking about donating these "Videodiscs," so I actually took them. They are so odd that I think they might sell. They are like a strange hybrid of vinyl and giant-sized CDs that required the respective player for you to view movies on. They came out before laser discs, so there's not really even much nostalgic demand for them. However, some of the artwork is intriguing on the large outer casings, so, um...we'll see what happens with them. I already have Chris of Bonfire calling dibs on one! hahaha!

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WVRockscene: And there will be art from Morgantown Aspiring Young Artists; seen any of it yet? It seems like musicians and artists of the more visual type are like-minded enough to come together for a good cause; what’s the response been like for artists who might be showing their work off?

Francis: I've mainly seen work tagged on their Facebook page and all that I've seen has a great energy to it. I'm pumped to see what will actually be displayed though!

I think people in the social service field and artists (audio and visual) experience a lot of similar things. For starters, their work withstands profuse lack of appreciation and/or support in comparison to the time and effort they put into it. They are both underpaid as well..ahem..

This gives them the chance for more exposure and more networking while also just having a good time, so their response was the same as the bands.

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WVRockscene: You plan on doing this next year?

Francis: If all goes according to plan, I will be moving on and focusing more on my marriage and future career endeavors elsewhere in Southern West Virginia by this time next year, but I'm sure that MAYSP is going to pursue organizing events like this one in the future whether I'm still with them or not. Who knows? I might even come back just to help out temporarily with next year's benefit show!

--- Bonfire, Pat Pat, FOX Japan and Sleepwalker play the MAYSP benefit show Sunday, September 25th starting at 7 p.m. at 123 Pleasant Street. A $5 donation gets you in the door.

photo: Taylor Kuykendall

CD Review: "The Rozwell Kid LP"

2011-09-01T15:49:00.005-04:00

TITLE: The Rozwell Kid LP
ARTIST: Rozwell Kid

It’s 1994-ever on Jordan Hudkins’ new 10-song eponymous debut as Rozwell Kid. Well, there’s actually eleven songs, if you count the “hidden song” at the end. Sounds like the 90’s to me.

Where once there was Jude Universer, now, there is Rozwell Kid. How or why this happened is some sort of cosmic mystery. Or maybe not, with visions of getting in (albeit wholly figurative) rockets heading to the moon, time machines, UFOs and driving a “Saturn,” appropriately enough, given Hudkins’ new persona, to New Mexico.

Either way, this CD didn’t exactly come out of the blue at this here blog. And let’s not look too much into any interstellar theme: Hudkins’ lyrics are as much about rock and roll staples like chicks (“Rocket,” “My Saturn,” “‘93 Connie and Ronnie,”) and wasting your life being in a band (“Born 2 Drum”) -- all worthwhile at the end of the day -- as they are any grand concept. It’s more of a slacker manifesto than some grungy space opera.

Best known as The Demon Beat’s drummer and an artist in his own right, Hudkins follows up and revamps a few songs (the opener, “Rocket” and “New Mexico”) from his Jude Universer release Lingering Blue on this, one of the more highly anticipated releases of the year here at WVRockscene.

Back when Hudkins was not even 10 years old and Michael Jordan was still busy winning NBA titles and not having Hitler moustaches, Weezer, like they were for many others, were a personal favorite of this blogger. Weezer’s “Blue album” was fuzzy and near-grungy but super-catchy with humorous lyrics (hear “Ace Ventura Pt. 3”).

Hudkins sings upon seeing his future self:

“First thing I saw when I stepped out of the time machine
Was a tiny version of myself, and I was pissed off at me
‘What the hell have you been eating?
Your job is a waste of time
Is it too much to ask
That you get off your ass?’

This future doesn’t look cool to me

Listen to me you little shit it’s easy to quit and hard to commit
And I’m sorry that I’m not what you thought we’d be
Not starring in Ace Ventura Part 3
So you can go to hell, me
Yes you can burn in hell”

After fan-favorite Pinkerton, bassist Matt Sharp left in much acrimony to form the Moog-soaked synth-grunge-type act The Rentals, and Weezer was never the same.

Why does this matter to this review?

Taking in what Hudkins did on the Jude Universer release (a surprise favorite in the WVRockscene “best of” CDs from 2009, for what that is worth, which is not that much) and now following that up with a new persona but similar-but-amped up sound as Rozwell Kid, he seems to straddle that nebulous time period inbetween the “Blue Album” and Pinkerton -- not a bad time, but really just catchy, fun, high energy pop stuff. And still, in parts, like Lingering Blue, like a rarely heard Weezer-Rentals hybrid.

This is the realm that, for me, Hudkins inhabits as Rozwell Kid. That I could be so stoked to hear Hudkins and friends (Dylan Balliett, George Zatezalo, Andrew LaCara and Andy Pickens) as Rozwell Kid, and not at all be disappointed or let down, only further takes me back to compiling the first few releases of the aforementioned DGC bands, when grunge and raw distortion and feedback met synth.

Maybe that flannel Hudkins sported in that great picture of the Demon Beat backstage in Baltimore was nothing more than a thinly veiled nod to this time period.

The songs are even arranged and structured like some of that catchy 90’s stuff; pop type loud-quiet-loud verse-chorus-verse with bouncy, fuzzy bass lines walking you through and holding the songs together in between crashing cymbals, sonically experimental in parts yet with a real, live feel, and oh he was probably just hanging out -- killer solos provided by Hudkins’ Demon Beat band mate Adam Meisterhans.

While his Demon Beat bandmates Meisterhans and Tucker Riggleman have found various levels of side project-type success, most notably and recently in Prison Book Club, but also as Black Fag (where Meisterhans evoked the “Blue album” quite awesomely) and Riggleman as a solo artist, for me, even though there really aren’t any Jude Universer/Rozwell Kid shows to speak of, Hudkins’ music stands out among all output among West Virginia bands for its ability to quite literally transport me back in time.

Black Fag + Jude Universer = Rozwell Kid would be enough to sum up the sound and feel on the songs, maybe. Thumbs up to Brian Spragg and David Klug for the sonic handling.

I can see it now: Hudkins as Rozwell Kid hits it big on West Virginia’s Got Talent, signs a major label deal with NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus representing, only to lose it all via trumped up RIAA lawsuit brought by Rivers Cuomo and Matt Sharp.

The Rozwell Kid LP by WVRockscene

Friends of P: Sly Roosevelt releases Old "P" at HMAF

2011-08-26T12:00:00.001-04:00

Sly Roosevelt (L-R: Sean McDaniel, Alex & Megan Durand, Jyosh Sanders, Matt Marshall) release Old "P" Saturday at the Huntington Music and Arts Festival

One of the best things about doing what we do here is being pleasantly surprised how much we like a band that we hadn’t got into yet for whatever reason. Huntington’s Sly Roosevelt is a good example of this. Of course, we’d heard about the punk-infused indie rock five-piece in covering area shows, but didn’t really know how cool their sound was until getting their new four-song EP Old “P” sent to us.

In anticipation of their Saturday afternoon show at the Huntington Music and Arts Festival, and to find out more about the band, their sound, and their EP, we caught up with the band to learn more...

WVRockscene: You guys have been around since 2008, right? And now you have the new EP out in time for HMAF, how exciting a time is it for the band these days?

Sean McDaniel: This is just the beginning, and yes, it is exciting to see all of the hard work come together. I really didn’t stress too much. I have all of the confidence in the world in the band and our manager, Justin Kay. It’s great.

Jyosh Sanders: Things have changed in a way that makes me feel more confident, like what we are doing has more weight, but it feels very natural.

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WVRockscene: The nucleus of the band was originally a three-piece right? Sean, Alexander and Matthew? How did you guys meet/know each other and how much of a chemistry has developed since welcoming Jyosh and Megan Durand on in 2009.

Sean McDaniel: We’ve met in random places at different times, so it may have been fate that I met [bassist] Alex [Durand]. I played an open mic and was terrified, and afterward Alex asked me to play music with him. We tried that for a month or so, and then he asked Matt [Marshall] to play the drums. Megan and Jyosh have made an incredible impact on the songs – fleshing them out and adding textures, sounds, ideas, input. They are great to be around and add a tremendous amount of creativity.

Jyosh Sanders: We’d all been playing music, finding ourselves you could say, when Sean and Alex met. Sean is the core of the music as he envisions and sketches out the notions to be hit upon. Alex was the common element that permitted the bonds between us that awkward social restraint might have never let happen.

Alexander Durand: The very first time I met Sean was at Ladybird show. The whole night I spoke to everyone with a British accent. Why? I don’t know. He actually gave me a sweet lighter in a gesture of American kindness. Month or two later we meet at a party and I explained my ruse and that I lost his lighter. The first time I saw Sean play, I was blown away. The music was original, yet familiar. He put his guts into it. I was very new to playing music and despite assuming a false persona and losing his awesome lighter, I had to ask him if I could be a part of it.

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WVRockscene: 92.7 played “Lion” off the new EP last week, how exciting was that? Was that the first time getting your music on the radio?

Megan Durand: It was pretty exciting. We’ve been on the radio a couple of times before; we played a live acoustic set on 106.3, and 92.7 played a recording from one of our live shows to promote the first HMAF. This was the first time a track from the EP was exposed to the world, though, and it was really satisfying to hear the finished product – this thing that we spent so much time producing and fine-tuning – in that context.

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WVRockscene: You recorded throughout June and July, is that right? How much of a mix of challenging, fun, sweat and maybe frustration went into the DIY recording sessions?

Sean McDaniel: The recording was really fun, and all of the other things you mentioned. The fact that we built it ourselves was gratifying. I have to say that Justin and Alex were the masterminds behind it. We all put an enormous amount of time, effort, money and love into it.

Megan Durand: There were lots of late nights and, of course, lots of retakes. But the whole process was really positive overall. Everyone was excited to be there and eager to get things done.

Alexander Durand: Before we had the studio, I looked into the recording process and worked on recording some songs I had written in hopes of getting better at recording with the band. I read up on recording setups, room treatment, and what sound is. The internet/universal consciousness is an amazing thing. I think the most challenging aspect was the coordination of everyone’s schedules. We made the most of anybody’s free time and for the most part recorded every day.

Matthew Marshall: About 5-6g’s and a whole lot of work and toil went into it, but totally worth it at ANY rate. Since we recorded in our own studio, we have had complete control over everything which is always nice to experiment with.

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WVRockscene: Old “P” is self-produced, recorded by the bassist and the drummer, talking to bands, you can hear alternate theories re: pros and cons of DIY recording; pros include the freedom of not having someone nit pick, and a con can be that you start nit picking yourselves. How did the recording go? From tracking to taking it out for mixing and mastering?

Sean McDaniel: The recording actually went pretty well. I will defer technical talk to Alex, but I will tell an anecdote: Matt is crazy. For one take he laid down a drum track without a scratch, just the metronome. Not sure if he memorized it, but he nailed it beat for beat, crash for crash. It was nuts. I couldn’t believe it.

Jyosh Sanders: Putting it down was more a relief than anything. We’ve been playing these songs for years, and to finally have them actualized, and to be confident in every element of each person’s contribution is a freeing thing.

Alexander Durand: It was definitely freeing. It would have been nice to have had superb recording equipment and not have to second guess yourself, but during the process we learned so much about recording. There are so many different things you can try and we were able to experiment with of different sounds. We kinda knew what we wanted as a final product and took it step by step.

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WVRockscene: With many bands the decision making process that goes into exactly what songs to record and put out are just as much aesthetic as they can be financial; was that the case with the four songs on Old “P,” do you wish you could’ve put more material on it or is less more in this case?

Sean McDaniel: Well, yeah, we would have liked to put more material on it, but with the songs we chose, I think the idea was more about getting variety – songs we thought had their own vibes that fit well together.

Megan Durand: We planned the EP as kind of a Sly Roosevelt sampler. We chose those four songs to represent the different aspects of our sound. You get some of our heaviness, some of the punkiness, a little bit of the spaciness. It was intended to be sort of an appetizer for the full-length album, which will of course be more comprehensive, but it’s also a nice whole unto itself.

Matthew Marshall: I feel that the number of songs and the length was just right for the EP, leaving fans wanting more but still giving them a taste of our music

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WVRockscene: Dave Mistich had nothing but positive things to say about your live show in his review of your May 6 show at the V Club. Describing your songs as “strange yet inspired,” with “fresh” and “chaotic” structures that make liking Sly Roosevelt “adventurous” and “arduous,” it’s a real compliment from a real music critic. How cool is it to be able to win over such discerning ears, and how have you congealed around this nebulous style over the past few years?

Sean McDaniel: With our music, I want the impact to be moving. I want to take the listener somewhere, whether it’s somewhere dangerous or childish or whatever. I just want the performance to be honest and moving on some level. And if people enjoy it, that’s a bonus.

Jyosh Sanders: It makes me feel validated that others not making the music, sharing in the space, are able to get there. It gets in our head, and it grows there, from some power chord song Sean shamelessly bleats out in our living room one evening. We run with it until we feel that feeling and unclench our fists and nod with a stupid grin and giggles.

Alexander Durand: Dave is awesome.

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WVRockscene: For me, it’s exciting getting into a new band whose sound and songs are new and exiting, how proud are you of the final product that is Old “P” and how excited are you for people to hear it?

Jyosh Sanders: It’s as close as I can imagine you can get to capturing the actual song that we play live. We are all pursuing this idea, and it’s just been so long without it really happening.

Alexander Durand: It’s hard not just giving them out to everyone.

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WVRockscene: Over the three or four years you have been playing out in Huntington, how supportive of an atmosphere is it for a band that is said to be such a challenging, acquired taste?

Alexander Durand: I feel that there is so much support coming from fans, other local bands and the venues in Huntington. We have a really awesome community of musicians that play out here. Watching the crowd response grow from when we first starting playing has been amazing. People can dig it and that’s so awesome. I do remember though the first time I saw someone dancing my mind was blown.

Jyosh Sanders: I feel like we have a very wide appeal, and there’s something there for everyone. We relish in tenacity, though, redemption. If you don’t love us, we look forward to growing on you.

Matthew Marshall: It took some getting used to for people at first. For us as well, our music has gone through a lot of changes not just since we procured all five members but structurally as well. I feel our music has matured enough to start pushing it and getting it out there big time for people to hear and we hope to really start it with this EP.

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WVRockscene: Can your fans expect anything like a full-length anytime in the near future?

Alexander Durand: Definitely. After the festival, we have a few shows lined up including a benefit for Monica Watts on September 4th, which is an honor to be a part of. We plan on recording any chance we can. We are not quite sure on the date, but we are hoping to have something early next year.

Jyosh Sanders: We are planning on working more with John Parsons, who withstood our backseat driving on the mixing The Old “P.” I’m very excited about that. It’s almost as if he acted as an interpreter as we sat there together all huddled up in our recording space around the monitors.

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WVRockscene: And of course you’re playing the Huntington Music and Arts Fest, how cool is not only being a part of that fest, and what it means to Huntington, but making new fans?

Megan Durand: There’s so much exciting music in town, and in the area, and it’s great that there is this outlet for it. There are a lot of people who stay active in the local music scene, but I think there are also people who don’t realize that there’s such a variety of bands playing here every week. The HMAF exposes more people to that, and it’s really an honor to be one of the bands that benefits from that. It would be great to gain some new fans from it, but mostly I hope we surprise somebody. I would like someone to walk away saying, “I didn’t know this was happening here.”

Alexander Durand: The festival, in my opinion, is the best thing ever. It’s awesome having the opportunity to take part in a local festival. A festival that caters to different musical interests is brilliant and I think it is great that everyone in Huntington can catch a diverse mix of genres. In addition no one is restricted to bedtimes since the festival runs all day. We have a lot planned for next year including a substantial tour of the surrounding states. It would great if people were turned on to Sly Roosevelt at the festival and followed us as we grow.

--- Sly Roosevelt plays at 4:15 Saturday at Ritter Park as part of the Huntington Music and Arts Festival. For more info on HMAF, check out the site, check out the HMAF Facebook page, and check out the related posts and articles below.

Related: Sly Roosevelt ready to rock Shamrock's (Dec. 2009 H-D article) Non-Stop Music (8.25 Herald-Dispatch article on HMAF), Musicians Join For Cause (H-D article on Monica Watts), "This Is A Call" (Dave Mistich post on Ian Thornton & Monica Watts), The WVRockscene Toast of Ian Thornton, "Music For Monica" Facebook Page

video: Chris Harper/Tophu Photo

This is a call: An open letter to everyone who ever cared about music and people in West Virginia

2011-08-26T03:55:00.004-04:00

Dear musicians, promoters, music fans, reviewers, journalists--and human beings:

When Nick Harrah asked me to contribute a few kind words about Ian Thornton a few weeks back, I struggled, as most serious writers do, to find the right words to describe him accurately and sufficiently. Not only is Ian a person I consider a friend, but also someone I have deep respect for.

Ian is, to put in terms that are insufficient in their own right, a "class act." To put it simply, the guy busts his ass to do what he can for what he cares passionately about. That is the measure of a man, in my humble opinion.

Of course, that "toast" was to celebrate Ian's contributions to the music scene.

Live music, especially on a local level, is a metaphor for a strong community bond. All of us involved (in whatever facet that may be) have an understanding that we're all working towards a common goal. It's not celebrity, or for some financial gain, but rather to lift up those around us through music.

When I tried to articulate exactly what Ian means to live music in Huntington, I tried my damnedest to keep those ideas in mind. Those words now seem totally insignificant.

As many of you reading this may already know, Ian's girlfriend (and live music champion in her own right), Monica Watts, was seriously injured in a car accident in the early hours of August 11th. Monica has been fighting for her life since.

So let's get to the point to this. There is a point, right? Good Lord, I hope so.

People become fascinated--and sometimes obsessed--with pop music for various reasons, but I'm convinced that it's an underlying understanding that songs, albums, and artists articulate something about living that we couldn't quite say ourselves. Be it mortality, or love, or loss, or hurt, or joy--it's a reflection about what it means to be human.

Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of running sound at Shamrock's for their 3rd Anniversary Party. Ian, who should be expected to be losing his mind in a random corner, took the stage and played Tom Petty's "Yer So Bad," for Monica. He also sang on The Beatles' "Blackbird." It was deeply touching, to say the least. I found myself muttering, "This is what it's all about," in the booth with no one around.

Considering the fact that you're reading this, you're probably a part of a music scene somewhere in West Virginia. While you may not necessarily be active within the Huntington scene, I have little doubt that towns like Shepherdstown, Morgantown, Charleston, and Parkersburg are all closely knit like our's is.

With that in mind, I ask you, on behalf of Monica and Ian and everyone that holds those fine folks near and dear, to do what you can to support not only Ian's festival, but--more importantly--to support Monica's recovery.

Various charities have been established in Monica's name to help offset the cost of her medical bills. Huntington music writer, Dave Lavender had an article published yesterday detailing the ways to help out. The V Club, thanks to the good souls of Patrick Guthrie and Don Duncan, are planning a special benefit show for Monica on Sunday, September 4th. They are accepting donations for prizes to be raffled off at the show--so if you have anything to contribute, please, contact them.

There are ways to help, people, so do what you can. And if your pocketbooks are strapped for cash, your well wishes are certainly appreciated.

With a heavy heart and a whole lot of hope,

Dave Mistich

Even In His Youth: 20-year old Tyler Childers has the blues

2011-08-20T10:15:00.004-04:00

Photo: Chris Harper/Tophu Photo

Not even old enough to buy whiskey, or play at some area bars, Tyler Childers brings his bluesy version of Americana to the V Club tonight.

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Tyler Childers has the blues. You can hear it in his voice, and in the songs the 20-year old Paintsville, Kentucky native sings.

It’s in the lyrics, in songs about whiskey and women, songs like “If Whiskey Could Talk,” “Hard Times,” “Silence,” and “Bottles and Bibles,” the title of his 13-song debut CD.

Despite not being old enough to even buy whiskey, or get into some bars to play, Childers has been developing a following in Huntington, thanks to his soulful voice and his distinctly Appalachian version of acoustic Americana.

Tyler Childers plays the V Club Saturday night with Sasha Colette & the Magnolias and The David Mayfield Parade.

Childers will play anywhere to make fans and meet new people. He recently played Qdoba Mexican Grill in the Huntington Mall. The crowd loved it, he said.

“It was nice,” Childers said over the phone, drawing out “nice” with an accent and a twang you’ll no doubt find around Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.

“It was a smaller place, more intimate, but it was a receptive audience. You meet cool people wherever you play, and I met some cool people there.”

It’s meeting cool people who love his songs that’s helped Childers, now living in Lexington, get more shows, this, in spite of his youth.

“It’s hard to get into bars to play, but I understand it. Everybody and their brother plays music, or thinks they do. But if you own a bar and you’re like, ‘You got to be 21,’ that takes out half of them. That’s that much more people you don’t have to deal with on a daily basis coming in saying ‘Hey you want to check out my demo?’

“And then there’s the whole liability thing; something happens, and here he is, and he’s not 21. It sucks, but I understand it. It’s just, there’s a lot of people out there who aren’t 21 yet and who have real talent.”

Getting his foot in the door at Huntington’s V Club has helped springboard Childers into a busy 2011.

“Getting into the V Club, I just went into one of their open mics one night, and everything I’ve got so far has been through that. That, and [V Club promoter] Don [Duncan] and Ian [Thornton] and them boys telling other people. But, in Lexington, I haven’t had much luck yet.”

Childers said everyone has the blues, in a sense, it’s just that not everyone turns it into songs.

“We’ve all got problems that we go through. I know I’m just 20 years old and people might be like ‘What does he know about the blues? He hasn’t been through anything.’ But I’ve went through my stuff just like everyone else. The thing is to take those emotions and concentrate on them and turn it into a song and make people understand what you’re going through, and believe you, and feel your pain and heartache.”

Hearing Childers voice puts any doubt to rest that he feels “it,” deep down.

“The voice thing is really big, that’s where it’s at for me. I can play guitar well enough, but where I try to bring it home is by the way I sing.”

On the subject of “home,” singing and playing the blues, and uniquely Appalachian accents and voices, Childers, heavily influenced as a youth by Robert Johnson and “Sun” House, said being around the latter influences the former.

“Being from Appalachia, we’re just really lucky to live where we live. The people you meet, and the way they talk, just, everything they say is a song. Our language is so colorful, the way we explain things, and exaggerate things, like a bunch of old men sitting around a barbershop. That’s what really helped out my songwriting, was just listening to people.”

Childers said it should come as no surprise to people that an Eastern Kentucky boy would win so many people over so fast with such talent.

“As far as talent, this area is full of it, everywhere you look. People are raised up singing in church, playing piano, or grow up playing bluegrass.”

And, small world that it is, Childers said it was another Eastern Kentucky singer-songwriter, already known for her own soulful voice, who influenced him as a teen.

“One local influence was Sasha [Colette]. I first saw her when I was 15, and I had just started writing songs, and, I just thought she was the coolest thing on Earth,” he admitted with a laugh.

Having the support and positive feedback from so many people has helped Childers move his songs out into public over the past few years.

“It’s kind of nerve racking sharing songs you wrote in public. You sit around and think about them and write them out. And of course you like it, because you wrote it, but it could be a success or an embarrassing failure. It’s always neat seeing what other people think about your songs.

Knowing that his songs have touched people is what it’s all about for Childers.

“It really means a lot, people like Don [Duncan] and the people who’ve come out to my shows at the V Club. Like, Adam Barraclough, any show he knows that I have in Huntington, he’s been there. Just to have people who follow you, and want to know about your music, that your songs mean something to people and reach them, it means everything to me.”

IF YOU GO:
Tyler Childers, Sasha Colette and the Magnolias, The David Mayfield Parade
Where: The V Club, 741 6th Avenue (304) 781-0680
When: Saturday, August 20, 10 p.m.
Cost: $8 adv., $10 DOS
Info: www.vclublive.com

For Christopher Lusher, It Is What It Is

2011-08-12T11:14:00.006-04:00

DIY or die: Christopher Lusher didn’t wait around to have someone else feature artists in Huntington. The 37-year old multimedia artist follows up on June’s Destructive Criticism show with tonight’s show, It Is What It Is, with over 20 area artists.

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Christopher Lusher wears his philosophy about life, and art, literally on his sleeve: it is what it is. The 37-year old multimedia artist has the cliché phrase tattooed in cursive on his left forearm, and it also happens to be the name and theme of the art show he’s hosting Friday.

“That’s exactly it, that’s the idea,” Lusher explained over the phone, laughing and describing the obviousness of the title. “Someone asked me the other day ‘What’s the theme for the show?’ And that’s what I told them, ‘There is no theme, hence the title, it is what it is, it’s everything.’ I thought it was a great name for an art show.

It Is What It Is runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Rivers Towers West, and is free to the public.

Heavily influenced by his teenage years as a skateboarder, and after moving from comic book art and drawing as a kid in Proctorville, Ohio, to painting, collages, street photography and more recent mixed media work (all of which are featured on his Hillbilly Magazine tumblr site) Lusher said that a very real do-it-yourself punk attitude infuses his art.

“When I look back on my life and think about what informs me now, and makes me who I am today, it goes back to that aesthetic I got from skateboarding. Doing that, you become so independently minded, because back in the day, you had to have tough skin, not so much now, people would come at you with hammers. So there was always me relating to this outsider mentality and doing things yourself.”

That DIY mentality has helped Lusher corral over 20 area artists for It Is What It Is, the follow-up show to Destructive Criticism, held in June. Lusher said his first show as a curator turned out great.

“It was more of a success than anyone had really bargained for. I think five or six artists sold. The one thing it did was it seemed to inspire a lot of people to start doing stuff. Most artists are usually kind of self-conscious, and a lot of the people who went to the show, who make art, it gave them the impetus to come out of their box and start putting their stuff out there, so it was great.

“Everybody from that last show was so stoked. It was like, ‘Get it of the internet, it’s not a jpeg.’ It’s like ‘Oh my God, that thing is eight feet tall.’ You can see it in person. It’s not the size of a postage stamp on your computer, it’s in your face.”

Huntington needs a place for in your face, outsider art, with a casual atmosphere where artists can show their work, Lusher said. And if you believe that a naked woman equals porn, you might just puke with rage at Friday’s show. Lusher said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I don’t want someone to look at something I’ve done and say ‘Oh that’s not too bad,’ because what they’re saying is, ‘I don’t care for this at all.’ But if someone says ‘This is the worst thing I’ve seen in my life,’ that, to me is the same thing as saying it’s the greatest thing they’ve seen, because they’re having a visceral reaction, on either end of the spectrum. It’s a good thing. Some people can’t handle criticism, but it’s great if you make someone have a really, really potent reaction, positive or negative.”

And don’t worry about monocles falling out of shocked highbrow eye sockets into glasses of sherry and champagne Friday night, Lusher said.

“I don’t want to be at a place with an atmosphere of a dentist’s office, sterile and stodgy, with a bunch of people standing close to each other and whispering. I’m trying to create more an atmosphere of a barbecue; there’s music and beer, and you don’t have to worry about holding your wine glass right.”

Lusher said giving other artists a venue to show their work in public is what it’s all about for him.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” he said. “I think it gets to the point with everyone where ‘I’m not going to Marshall, so I’m not going to be in a gallery in Huntington,’ because, let’s face it, I mean, they’ve monopolized everything to the point where there’s nowhere to show anything unless you’re a student. My whole thing was, ‘Who cares?’ I have this space, and we’re going to utilize this space and do our own thing because nobody is going to do it for us.

“A lot of people sit around and say ‘I know I’m talented, but I don’t understand why no one is paying attention to me.’ But if you’re sitting around waiting for someone to show up at your door with a bag of money, if you’re into art thinking you’re going to make money, I got harsh news for you: it isn’t going to happen.

“That’s not why I do it, anyway, I just don’t know how to do anything else.”

IF YOU GO:
It Is What It Is
1102 3rd Avenue, Huntington
Friday, August 12 6-9 p.m.

Update 8.14: To see works featured in It Is What It Is, visit John Drake's Faebook set here.

Hillbilly Magazine on tumblr (not safe for work)
www.hillbillymagazine.tumblr.com/

Related: Focus on the Photographers Q&A w/Lusher from June

Video: EyeBOX Productions

Extra! Extra! Outtakes from the Christopher Lusher Herald-Dispatch interview

2011-08-12T10:00:00.005-04:00

One of the toughest things when it comes to putting an article together is deciding what to leave out. The interview with Christopher Lusher went so well and so much was said that didn’t make it into today’s Herald-Dispatch article, that we thought it appropriate to post this addendum to the reposted article above...

On putting Destructive Criticism together:
“The first show, the idea was there, it had always been there, it was just a matter of putting it into action. We had had people’s work, say a week before the show. And it got down to the Thursday before the show, and we were still getting people’s stuff. And this was the first time I’d ever done this, put a show together.

“But it was surprisingly easy to do. But I was just asking myself ‘Am I doing this right?’ I guess where it was my first time. That whole show really came together the week leading up to the show. Before that, it was just an idea in my head if not for my girlfriend kind of making sure she had her foot planted firmly in my keister, making sure I was crossing my T’s and dotting my I’s, making sure the show would happen.”

-----
On finding beauty in strange places:
“When I first started selling photographic prints, people would want to buy the same stuff. Like, there’s a really obvious beauty in like, here’s flowers, here’s a sunset, because there’s that really obvious beauty.

“And people were like ‘Oh I want that sunset, I want that sunset, I want that sunset.’ And what that does to me is, it makes me want to go in the opposite direction. It’s too obvious, and it’s too easy. And I just wanted to flip that on its head and do something else.”

-----
Portrait of an artist as a youth:
“I’ve always kind of accredited it -- around 14 or 15 years old -- my mom would go to work in town, and sometimes she’d let me hang out in town while she worked. And I was obsessed with comic books. Not just the stories, but the art. And I’d always drew as a kid.

“When I was a kid, that was all I cared about was drawing, that and becoming Indiana Jones, which obviously hasn’t happened. (laughs) But I started skating at 16 and won a contest and then when I was 17 I cracked my ankle in half at a demo downtown and that put the brakes on my skating. Then I saw a film with Tim Roth playing Vincent Van Gogh. For a while I was a film freak. I was just voracious about it, and that really inspired me to start painting. And starting out it was really structured, portraits and flowers, and then I quit. And after my mother passed, I did a painting about a week after she had passed away, and there was no structure to it, just complete abstract expressionism, and it’s still the style I do to this day, it totally relates to that first painting I did after she passed.

“And that morphed into me getting really into skateboarding -- this will make sense in a second -- um, when I was 18 I started painting. I didn’t start taking pictures until (thinking) about five years ago. I had written for a few websites, I made a short film, I played in a few bands, not a proficient musician by any means.

“When my mother passed in 2003, around that time I had dabbled in music, had been writing a lot, had made a short film. But aside from that the only thing I was doing was running wild and being a mad man and ingesting every substance on the face of the planet. And when she passed it hit me like a ton of bricks and I just thought I needed to get my life together. So I got married because I thought that was what I was supposed to do.

“Well, that ended, and I was working at this liquor store and this guy came in one day, and I had a friend who lived overseas. Well, this guy who I worked with came in with this little digital silver camera. And I asked, ‘Hey can I borrow that?’ And the idea was for me to take a few pictures of where I live, and send them to my friend, and say ‘This is where I live, this is my area.’

“Well what ended up happening was, I had to walk about 20 blocks to and from work every day. And I would take the camera with me and I would start documenting all the things I would see. And my friend was like ‘Dude you can borrow that camera as long as you want.’ And I kind of got obsessed with it, hitting the streets every day taking photos. And I look back on those photos now and I’m not really happy with them, but a lot of people were really encouraging about it, saying you’re really good at this. And it just became a part of what I did every day. There wasn’t any question about it, it was just what I was going to do. And that led me back into painting and collage work.”

-----
On making “goofy little videos” and directions his art is taking:
“My friends would come over and get drunk and I’d film them to make fun of them the next day. It’s just another avenue. Since Destructive Criticism I’ve not necessarily got away from photography, but my thing has always been street photography. And after five years, man, that well has run dry, and I can’t take my camera anymore, because I’ve taken pictures of everything.

“And in a way that’s good, because you can see things in a different way. Since DC I’ve done four paintings. One of them is the biggest I’ve ever done, it’s here in my living room here, it’s fifteen feet. God I can’t tell you how many collages I’ve done, maybe forty. I’ve done a whole bunch of mixed media stuff, just taking images from the internet, and um, and re-appropriating them, I’ve just been having a lot of fun doing that.”

-----
On the internet:
“It’s just a double-edged sword. The most important thing for me about the internet is, my girlfriend lives in another country, in New Zealand, so we’re doing the puddle-jumping thing for a while. Things have become so impersonal, people literally live their lives through social networking. How much of that shit do you need? You have Facebook, you have Twitter, and now you have Google Plus now, what more do you need?

“Nobody talks to each other anymore, this is the longest phone conversation, dude, I’ve probably talked to my girlfriend longer, I’ve had in years. And I’m not saying I’m not guilty of it too. We’ve become so enmeshed in living our lives through Facebook, and texting each other, another way of avoiding conversation.”

-----
On where this kind of art fits in Huntington:
“When you think about your options, its not the kind of show that goes on around here. I was recently invited to a show here, which will be unnamed, and I went to the show, I went into the show, walked in a circle, and went to Rio Grande and drank for three hours.

“I want people to hang out, not head to Applebee’s for three hours.”

David Synn plays This Ain't No Disco tonight at the V Club

2011-08-11T10:00:00.003-04:00

The St. Albans-based electronic musician David Synn takes his act and all of his keyboards out to Huntington tonight for a This Ain't No Disco show with DJ Tanner at the V Club. There, he will be welcomed by Brett Fuller (Franklin Fuckin Furnace), who continues to bring an ecclectic mix of artists to Huntington.

Last we heard, Synn was working on Digital Ideations, the follow-up to Frequency of Static, his debut release on Empty Glass Records.

You can make sure Synn's story checks out by revisiting the Gazette article on him from May, pieced together by someone we can only assume to have a lot of friends, and be super cool in general.

David Synn: "Apathy" live @ Shamrock's 6.25.2011

A WVRockscene Special Report: On Roller Derby & The Renfields

2011-08-09T18:48:00.018-04:00

This entire post can be summed up thusly: A. I am not necessarily a big fan of roller derby, and 2. I am a huge fan of The Renfields, have been for a long time.

No, I’m not an intolerant sexist pig -- I am the last person to hate on someone for loving skating, and no, I do not expect a medal for liking the band so much, but yes, I would be honored to help run a Renfields fan site if there ever is one.

The Clarksburg-based “Transylvania pogo punk” band has recently seen some publicity come its way in no small part due to their affiliation with roller derby. The band, long a favorite of mine with their love of punk rock and horror movies, was recently briefly featured in the Gazette in an article by Bill Lynch that was short on Renfields, and long on roller derby. And also, The Renfields just had a live version of their new song “Roller Derby Girl” featured on Radio Free Charleston.

Both Lynch and Rudy Panucci do really great work and stay super busy covering acts of all kinds.

But The Renfields are an actual band with actual songs they’ve released on actual CDs that they’ve financed themselves. And they’re about more than playing roller derby shows. Covering The Renfields as an adjunct to a roller derby event is a disservice to both the roller derby teams and the band.

Of course, it’s great that people who cover area goings on will support what has been the local, nascent phenomenon of women’s roller derby. I know that Lynch and Rudy have each recently covered and/or supported roller derby events; Lynch did a really nice feature on the Chemical Valley Roller Girls, with some video that was hosted on the Gazette’s site.

Panucci recently blogged favorably about the Heart of Appalachian Roller Team event on his Pop Cult blog, located on thegazz.com, on a post which quickly dissolved into something approaching a local roller derby conspiracy theory blog, with commenters from the CVRG and HART camps throwing accusations about, albeit in a largely polite manner.

My love of The Renfields dates back basically five years I think, whenever I first heard “Prom Night” on the band’s MySpace site. Since then, I’ve covered the band in Graffiti, the Gazette, and the Herald-Dispatch, and have collected all of their CDs, multiple Renfields t-shirts, have seen the band live a few times and have met the affable, ultra-nice and cool Renfields singer-guitarist Vincent Renfield.

People who know me -- a distinction that will qualify them for the endangered species list -- know that, well, maybe they don’t know this, but, back when I went to shows, due to something like social anxiety disorder, found it quite hard to approach band members I had talked to either online or over the phone. ‘Ohhh, hey I’m that guy you talked to about your band. Let me waste your time in person now.’ Luckily, bars sell a product that helps overcome shyness, but unfortunately, this product (which contains alcohol) has in the past led me to behave in ways that make me glad I didn’t talk to too many people in person in the first place.

Getting to meet Vincent was just awesome. The Renfields made punk rock fun again for me. This may not surprise some readers, but musicians have a tendency to take themselves too seriously, or attach their music to causes that aren’t discussed in the songs. Pretty much 99% of Renfields songs are about horror movies, with samples of the movies in between each song.

I got to witness some rap fans at the Blue Parrot basically attempt to harangue or somehow shout down the band in between songs, basically they wanted the band off the stage. Something inside me made me want to say something to these guys, who I was not more than ten feet from, but I was there to see a band I thoroughly enjoy, not get beat up, and worse, get kicked out of the bar for some stupid reason and have to miss The Renfields.

Talking to Vincent for the aforementioned publications, I got to talk to him about how much he loves slasher flicks and horror films. I heard about him moving the Renfields from a bedroom 4-track project into a full band. The crazy thing about talking to him about his band is, I don’t like scary horror movies at all, really. Knowing that The Renfields are singing songs about horrific murders and killers, almost blows your mind because of how fun, catchy, and raw the songs were.

“Driving through the city with a body in the back -- Machete a Go Go!” Vincent sings on “Machete a Go Go,” on Bastard Sons of Ed Wood, and you will likely be singing right along with him about going out on a Friday night committing random acts of murder.

While there are horror core type bands, rappers, etc., the thing that I always loved about The Renfields is an almost kid-like joy for their music and the movies -- think “Slumber Party Massacre” off Bastard Sons....

This kid looks like I feel when it comes to The Renfields. If he discovered the band at a roller derby, more power to him. Regardless, I think they've made a new fan...

But, since hearing their CDs, Bastard Sons... and The Night THEY Came Home, I have always thought that if The Renfields never played another show or put out another CD, they would forever be on my personal pedestal of all-time favorite punk bands. I mean that.

When I personally transcribed Vincent’s liner notes from Bastard Sons... onto the download page on the WVRockscene bandcamp site, I did it to show Renfields fans how much Vincent loves his band, and horror movies.

Off and on my entire life, I’ve rode skateboards, so I don’t hold it against anyone wanting to have fun skating. Skateboarding for me and so many others is about individuality and creativity and having fun doing it. I know there are great skaters out there who can bust all kinds of tricks on rollerblades and roller skates, but roller derby to me seems like skating’s functional equivalent of a NASCAR race.

I won’t here question the underlying motives of the women who join roller derby teams. I won’t ask how many of them skate for fun in their spare time when nobody is watching, no money is involved, and they’re wearing normal clothing. And yeah it might be cool to knock the hell out of someone riding rollerblades, but I don’t think back in fond reminiscence about how Christian Hosoi knocked Tony Hawk off his board that time in their one-time heated rivalry in vert skating.

And look, if The Renfields want to attach themselves to roller derby, which they apparently have, that’s great. Hopefully they can make new fans at these events. The Renfields have played a few horror movie themed events, and they are set to play The V Club this month for a This Ain’t No Disco showing of Teenage Strangler. If the band makes fans just from horror fans at things like Zombie Walk, that seems logical, and awesome of course.

It just seems weird to think that the publicity The Renfields are receiving piggybacking on roller derby is saying something like:

“If you like roller derby, then you’ll love The Renfields!”

Maybe that’s true, maybe not.

I just don’t want to see one of my favorite bands become something similar to Kenny Powers signing baseballs at Ashley Shaffer BMW. A gimmick. A sideshow, of sorts. Somebody else’s background noise.

If I talked to Vincent today about the band, I’d ask how Dave Cantrell and Bryan Flowers have fit into the band. Think about how much they must love the band driving up to Clarksburg to rehearse. I’d ask Vincent how they have been received at these roller derby events, I’d ask when the follow-up to Stalk and Slash Splatterama Part 2 is/would be coming out, if the band has continued its drift away from the catchy punk rock towards a blacker sound, I would ask Vincent if he has been digging any new horror movies, and I’d ask if they’d written any new songs not about roller derby.

But really the only thing I’d tell Vincent with any authority is how much I still love The Renfields. I’d try to explain how much getting to cover his band has made me more excited about covering bands. That I still have the print version of that Graffiti article, the certificate of re-animation he gave me in 2007 (I was run over with a lawnmower) the pumpkin mask and the Renfields patch and yeah, I may be in some fashion neurotically protective of the band.

I just hope people love the band, their songs, and their CDs, as much as I do.

Renfields GO.

--- Listen to Bastard Sons of Ed Wood in its entirety below and do visit the WVRockscene bandcamp page to hear The Night THEY Came Home...

The Renfields: Bastard Sons of Ed Wood

The WVRockscene Toast of Ian Thornton

2011-07-29T12:00:00.014-04:00

To help celebrate the contributions Ian Thornton has made to the Huntington music scene over the past few years, and in advance of him putting on the second annual Huntington Music and Arts Festival, we went to some knowledgeable cats and asked them their opinions of Ian, and their thoughts on what he has been able to bring to Huntington, whether it’s good talent, good manners, or, just plain old good ideas...

As a musician, a music fan and someone who has both booked bands and birthed a music festival, Ian Thornton’s been on the Huntington scene inside, outside and upside down.

OK, maybe not upside down since he’s still working on his Cirquebass act. But seriously, Thornton’s been one of the most vital conduits in our city as a voice for hooking up music and the people by cultivating and celebrating the scene.

The idea of a music festival, the Huntington Music and Arts Festival, celebrating that music For Us, By Us, is a beautiful one, and one that’s just what we need.

-- Dave Lavender, Huntington Herald-Dispatch

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As a music writer, my job is to evaluate and criticize anything within the scene. Ultimately, though, my job is to sift through everything that comes through and decide what warrants the attention of those who might read my work.

Most people think that the job of a promoter is the opposite. Promoters are known as money-grubbing businessmen with little knowledge of music past what is commercially successful.

However, Ian Thornton isn’t a typical promoter. He isn’t concerned with making money as much as he is about getting the word out on quality acts. He’s taken chances and failed, but he’s also been quite successful -- all in the name of championing good music.

But that’s not all. He’s also a musician -- and a thoughtful one at that. He has an ear for what is worthy, and he does his best to help give raw talent a chance.

Regardless of which hat he wears, Ian knows not only what he’s talking about, but how to be effective in both roles. He’s helped jump start a following for numerous local and regional acts as a promoter and has been involved in some stellar acts around Huntington.

If our scene ever needs some kind of representative, we’d be hard pressed to find someone better than Ian Thornton.

-- Dave Mistich, Charleston Daily Mail, Graffiti, WVRockscene

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I really enjoy Ian’s hair most of all. He easily has the best alt-country rocker hair in Huntington. I salute him!

-- Chuk Fowlord, WVRockscene

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I wish every town had an Ian Thornton. His enthusiasm, dedication, and general hospitality are unrivaled. Ian was the initial factor in making Huntington a true home away from home for both of my bands. Not only is Ian an amazing and accomplished promoter, but also one hell of a musician in his own right. I could tell him thank you a million times and it still wouldn’t do his generosity justice. Huntington is lucky to have Ian, and every band who he has helped tour through is lucky to know him as well.

-- Tucker Riggleman, The Demon Beat/Prison Book Club

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Like most people I know in Huntington, I was introduced to Ian by Bud Carroll (the Kevin Bacon of Huntington, if everyone claimed they “know” Kevin Bacon). In fact I was on my way to Bud’s house when Ian called me with the idea of a music festival at Ritter Park. I told him that if anyone else had brought up the idea, I probably would have dismissed it. But Ian is a pugnacious, persistent fellow, who sets his sights on something and makes it happen, so I’m not surprised that he pulled off the first HMAF with flying colors. He is a shaggy haired, music-loving bar rat, so it’s no wonder that about a dozen bands have called on him to play bass in the last couple of years. Yet, when Ian went seeking sponsorships, all by his self, for the most part, companies entrusted him with their most precious asset, MONEY. And I bet he didn’t even wear a tie to the meetings.

Ian gave me far too much credit as an co-organizer for the event, especially considering now he has produced exactly one more music festival than I ever have. All I ever said was “Good idea” a whole bunch of times and, on maybe one occasion, “Bad idea” (there’s not enough body paint in Huntington for THAT).

It’s not even just the festival either; this time Ian has worked with the area’s most popular music venues to promote the fact that live music is happening all around us at these places all year round, and somehow, everyone seems to be working together for a greater good of the “scene.” It seems like Obama could learn a lesson or two on diplomacy from Mr. Thornton who, when the time comes, gets my vote for mayor.

-- Adam Harris, Mountain Stage

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Ian Thornton is my friend. Sometimes bands can be like rival packs of wolves circling a carcass trying to get the flank on one another in order to get at the best parts of the dead thing first. The carcass in this case being the microcosm of the Huntington music scene, a low stakes game without much pay out on its best day. The wolf packs were our former bands The Love Coats, and American Minor.

A lot of people on the local scene resented us for our success and did a pretty transparent job of masking the fact.

Ian Thornton was not one of those people. I can remember his smile and affable demeanor upon our first meeting at a show we played together at the old Monkey Bar/Huntington Music Hall. We might have met before this, but this is the first time I can clearly remember as I was living in Illinois at the time and was rarely in Huntington at this point. I would have no clue how much things would change for me, and even less of a clue how much of a part of my life he would become. This was 2005.

Flash forward to sometime in 2008. My post-American Minor outfit was releasing our first EP at Shamrocks Pub. Ian and I are actually friends at this point. We hang out on a regular basis, mainly at bars, but friends nonetheless. We are treated so well by Ian that I rarely play any other Huntington venue for the next two years.

2009 -- I fill the lead guitar spot in The Whirling Dervish. Ian and I unknowingly become band members because once TWD disbands we start recording an album that is abandoned then reconvened in the form of a group that is now known as The AC30.

2010 to present -- I am a regular at Shamrocks Pub. I struggle with mild to intermediate social anxiety and work pretty hard to overcome it. Mostly without the aid of alcohol, it’s tough to feel comfortable at bars when you aren’t drinking yet. Shamrocks with Ian at the helm was one place where I really felt welcome and comfortable. The Deadbeats Sunday nights became an institution. Ian created a situation where anyone could come and get on the stage and feel welcome and comfortable. He always treated the groups more than fair. And if an out of town band only brought a few heads Ian would kick them money out of the bar sales to get them to the next destination.

In a world where bands are treated like second class citizens by most clubs I ask, who does that? Answer: Ian Thornton.

2010 to present -- Ian Thornton and Shamrocks part ways. Much blood is shed and many fear a division in the already fragmented scene. Most people would hang up their hat. Ian puts even more effort and time into the second annual Huntington Music and Arts Festival after losing money out of his pocket the first year. I for one love him so much and believed in his idea that I orchestrated the first American Minor reunion in hopes of bringing enough people to make a success of the event.

This year he doesn’t need help. His efforts are going to come to fruition and by next year don’t be surprised if the amphitheater won’t hold HMAF. This is due to the tireless efforts of Ian, a man who I am proud to call my friend and band mate. Long live Ian Thornton!

-- Bud Carroll

Support the Huntington Music and Arts Festival in the Pepsi Refresh Contest by following this link and voting for HMAF to receive $10,000 in grant money. Vote by midnight Sunday though, as the contest expires at the end of the month.

Pepsi Refresh Contest link:
www.refresheverything.com/hmaf2011

HMAF online:
www.hmafestival.com

And Ian needs some volunteers to help with this year’s HMAF:
(Reposted & truncated from Facebook)

Hey guys and gals, HMAF is gonna need some volunteers this year to help out with such things as selling beer and food, merch booth, taking tickets, etc., and could use your help. Trust me, none of this is going to be very strenuous and it’s all within the festival grounds so you’ll still get to watch the acts on stage while you work.

We also won’t be putting you to work for the entire festival, just a shift or two so it leaves you plenty of time to enjoy your HMAF. We’re going to need at least 20-30 people to be able to provide all the essentials for the festival.

Perks:
1. Free admission to festival and all 3 shows that coincide
2. Free lunch
3. Free drinks (non-alcoholic of course)
4. A really cool HMAF Staff t-shirt

If you are interested, please shoot me a message on [Facebook] or my email (2010hmaf@gmail.com) and I’ll send you the application for you to fill out. Thanks for your contribution to HMAF!

-- Ian Thornton

Related: HMAF Fundraiser Party Saturday at the V Club in Huntington with Deadbeats & Barkers, Qiet, and Grim Charles

Elvis Presley Murder Files bring improv rock to V Club

2011-07-28T11:40:00.003-04:00

photo: Gordon Grant

L-R: John E. Sizemore, Jude Blevins, Jon Dunlap, and Jason Robinson (plus the not pictured Jimbo Valentine) comprise the improvisational rock project The Elvis Presley Murder Files, which plays the V Club Thursday night, and really doesn’t know who killed Elvis...

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Gathering on a Sunday to rehearse for just their second gig, the guys in The Elvis Presley Murder Files practice just like they play: by the seat of their pants.

The instrumental, improvisational rock outfit brought back to life by guitarist John E. Sizemore and bassist Jason “Roadblock” Robinson, whether it’s live on stage, or live at Sizemore’s house, makes it a point to shake things up and throw any semblance of musical structure out the window.

And before you get to how, really, what EPMF is doing is closer to jazz than what a lot of area rock bands are doing, you have to get the easiest, yet toughest, question out of the way: who killed Elvis?

“I don’t know if Elvis was murdered, and really, I don’t care,” Sizemore said to some group laughter, whilst throwing out the hypothetical suspects of Jerry Lee Lewis, and maybe Richard Nixon.

The Elvis Presley Murder Files play the V Club Thursday night as part of the This Ain’t No Disco series.

After the subject of “the king” had left the building, the discussion turned to what makes EPMF unique as a rock and roll project. Started out originally by Sizemore and a friend a few years ago, and recently re-animated with his Scrap Iron Pickers band mate Roadblock, the two each point out that they really don’t know what to expect on stage.

“We do the same thing here at practice that we do at the shows, pretty much,” Sizemore said. “We might start out loosely with a theme, and then somebody will start on something and that’s it. We’re getting a little more structured, but not really. There might be one or two songs structured for this next show, but they probably won’t be the same for the show.”

After recruiting drummer Jude Blevins and guitarist Jon Dunlap for their first show in April, and bringing on Huntington’s Jimbo Valentine for synth and ambient duties, Elvis Presley Murder Files was fully formed.

“It’s jazz,” Robinson explained. “In traditional jazz a group of musicians would show up at a club, someone would yell out a key, and sometimes they’d have a melody to go off of, and they’d start playing. It’s come to the point now where jazz is even getting more structured. And that’s why I call the Scrap Iron Pickers jazz, too. It’s almost more progressive fusion, and a little heavier. But Elvis Presley Murder Files is like pure, freeform jazz. It doesn’t matter what anybody is doing, it’s just musicians making music together in an improvisational way.”

“And not to compare us to Miles Davis, but hell, he didn’t practice with those musicians,” Sizemore said jumping back in. “They showed up for the gig and did the gig. And that’s kind of what we’re doing in spirit.”

“It’s just freeform improvisation,” Roadblock continued. “If people come to see the show, they might not correlate it to jazz, but that’s what it is. But, we don’t do heroin, so it’s not jazz, and we all take baths, so it’s not hippie,” the bassist said to much laughter.

Blevins, a member of the Huntington-area doom/drone band Hyatari, having driven an hour and forty-five minutes to rehearse at Sizemore’s Nitro home, said the Elvis Presley Murder style suits him just fine.

“It’s kind of like Satchell, when me and John [Vanover] get together; open and freeform. You’ve got to have some fun with it.”

While comparing and contrasting what they do in Elvis Presley Murder Files to Scrap Iron Pickers, Roadblock said the former wouldn’t exist if not for the latter.

“I think the Scrap Iron Pickers’ CD [Redeeming Metal/Union] actually pushed us more to do Elvis Presley Murder Files. On the second half of the CD [Union] we went out and actively looked for people we wanted to play with, and brought them in the studio to record.

“That’s the difference between Scrap Iron Pickers and Elvis Presley Murder Files; [EPMF] is just like a different personality of us. Some of the Elvis Presley Murder riffs, you might hear in Scrap Iron Pickers stuff, and vice versa. But Scrap Iron Pickers is more structured. Elvis Presley Murder Files is no limits, no rules or nothing.”

Sizemore said the collaboration in Scrap Iron Pickers, and the musical chemistry between him and Roadblock, lends itself well to the unstructured style Elvis Presley Murder is going for.

“Block’s a good friend. And he’s a good friend I make music with.”

“We kind of know what each other will do musically,” Roadblock said, jumping back in. “And we don’t have any big hang-ups in our lives outside of music.”

“We’re just musicians making music like everybody should be playing, not getting hung up on who’s writing what and playing what,” Sizemore said. “We all constantly write, so whoever wants to can bring anything to the table. There’s no standstill with the music.”

While saying that he makes it as high a priority as his and everyone else’s life allows, Sizemore said he hopes to continue the fun times making music.

“I want to keep doing this. Absolutely.”

Maybe unwittingly drawing a parallel between the Elvis Presley Murder style and their own lives, Roadblock summed it all up.

“Sometimes it can fall apart, but the cool part is bringing it back together.”

IF YOU GO:
The Elvis Presley Murder Files
Where: The V Club, 741 6th Ave., (304) 781-0680
When: Thursday, July 28, 10 p.m.
Cost: $3
Info: www.vclublive.com

Q&A w/Mike Ferrell of Pilot the Machine

2011-07-22T16:09:00.006-04:00

Recently, Mike Ferrell, bassist for the newly formed Huntington band Pilot the Machine, introduced us to his band online, so we thought it was more than appropriate to catch up with him for a Q&A in advance of their debut show tonight at Shamrocks.

Topics include the member’s (Scott Ryan: vocals; Ferrell: bass; Jeremy Clarke & Chris Young: guitar; Ryne Arthur: drums) experience in other relatively successful acts, West Virginia rock band stereotypes, recording new songs with Barry Smith, and oh yes, maybe most important; having fun rocking out...

WVRockscene: You guys have all been in other bands that achieved some level of success, how does having honed your chops so to say in your previous bands help give you a head start, even though you’re a relatively new band?

Mike Ferrell: Well from my personal standpoint I have learned a lot about the music industry in general, some good things and a lot of bad things...LOL. I have always been a hard worker and shameless self promoter in bands I’ve been in and all of us being in previous bands we feel we have all paid our dues, so I don’t buy into the fact that every new project you’re in, you have to go through this painful pay-your-dues mentality that the music industry throws at you.

I’ve made a lot of good contacts in the business with stints in previous bands in Florida mostly when I was in Spun. We recorded our debut CD at Paramount Studios in L.A. with Barry Conley producing (Chili Peppers, Sugar Ray, L7) so in that aspect I got to see first hand how some of the top producers work and what all is involved. Also got to see the bad side of things as we had a crooked manager who liked to steal from us which eventually led to our breakup, so you live and learn I guess.

I filled in on bass for Crossbreed for a brief time when they fired Charlie Parker (previous bassist on Synthetic Division - Artemis/Sony) and although my wife and I had just had a baby and couldn’t commit to a full-time gig with them, I learned a lot about the record industry and touring -- most of them not pretty LOL, and a lot of pressure to produce results.

Moving back here from that scene not long ago was really eye opening. I want to help create a better and thriving scene like it was back in the days of Chum and even Guru Lovechild and such, where people actually came out to shows, etc. (side note - I grew up and been good friends with Chris [Tackett] and have known John [Lancaster] and Mac [Walker] since they were like 14 years old, LOL, glad they’re making a little comeback.)

It just seems like the bands around here always want to trash each other or compete against each other instead of helping each other and working together to make this scene great once again. The talent is here, with a lot of great bands, but just hard to get everyone to get along, lol. That’s how it was on the Florida scene; everyone helped each other out and no one said or put down other bands. I honestly never heard or seen anything like that. That is one big reason their scene thrives like it does: it’s not just all talent, etc.

We have good enough and great talent here that’s not the problem at all -- it’s getting more people interested in coming out to shows, which will lead to more clubs opening because they would then have the support and which will lead more bands forming or relocating to this area, etc. It’s like a windfall effect, but it starts with bands helping each other and supporting one another.

The other members have all been in successful local bands as well, and so once again even though we are new to the scene as this band we are all seasoned overall, so to speak. Sorry for the ramble, just want this scene to be the best it can be! That’s why I’m so grateful for people like you that give it their all to make this scene the best it can be...and the club owners for stepping up to the plate and keeping live music in their clubs and giving bands like us a chance to do what we love to do!!!

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rockscene: How and when did you guys meet/form and coalesce around a sound?

Ferrell: We’ve actually only been together going on roughly 6 months. I met [singer] Scott [Ryan] about a year ago through Band Mix I believe and we started working on a project similar to this one but it fell through and he reformed The Apology, and I stepped in on bass, but then eventually that folded and we were luckily enough to have met the other members through friends and various show we had done with them in the past...so it all just kinda came together...we started jamming and basically had 10 songs written in a few months and transformed from there.

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rockscene: In your ReverbNation bio you talk about trying or wanting to dispel stereotypical attitudes when it comes to the music and/or bands coming out of the Tri-State area in general, and West Virginia specifically; do you think these kinds of attitudes or stereotypes from out-of-state sources hold area bands back?

Ferrell: Well honestly I think it does to some extent, I mean some bands can pull it off by playing to that mentality. We want to be taken serious, and sometimes people that live in bigger cities don’t respect that because of the mindset they have of bands from West Virginia or Kentucky.

I think this area has some super talented bands that I would put up against the best bands in any city in America, but somehow the industry as a whole doesn’t give these bands the respect that they deserve. They think that because you live in New York City or L.A. that you’re great.

Well we have great bands here as well! Hate to go back to Chum, but I mean they were one of the most underrated bands ever. A lot to do with them being from West Virginia in my opinion. Same with Bobaflex, Split Nixon, Karma To Burn -- the list goes on and on; great bands, and all deserve better than what they are getting respect-wise from the so-called industry.

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rockscene: You’ve got these new songs you recorded with Barry Smith, who more recently worked with John Lancaster on Phantom Moon, how excited are you for people to hear those and what is up with getting a full-length debut out?

Ferrell: Barry’s a great engineer and friend. I’ve known Barry, gosh probably 18 or more years. Awesome to work with and I have so much respect for him as a musician as well. We recorded three previous songs in another studio and ended up not really being happy with their turnout and sound.

Barry was able to bring out our sound and was able to have us step up to another level. We’ll be going back to him in the very near future again for sure. Once again, although we are still in the early stages of this band (especially writing) we all feel our best material is yet to come. We just wanted to get a couple songs recorded and out to see if we could generate some interest. We want to write about four or five more additional songs to choose from, and then we will probably go in with Barry and do a full-length release. Hopefully over the winter at the latest.

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rockscene: You’re playing Shamrocks tonight, -- between the debut, new songs, and just being a new band, it’s got to be an exciting time for you guys right?

Ferrell: We’re super stoked to be playing Shamrocks with Unload as they make their return to the scene after a little hiatus. Shamrocks will rock tonight for sure. Hope everyone reading this will come check it out and hang out with us and Unload...we promise a great show and a fun time!!!

--- Pilot the Machine plays Shamrocks Irish Pub (2050 3rd Ave.) in Huntington tonight.

CD Review: "Bullshit Walks"

2011-07-05T13:26:00.004-04:00

CD: Bullshit Walks
ARTIST: The Demon Beat

Two words might best describe the songs found on Bullshit Walks, the new 10-song release from The Demon Beat, and those words are as follows: primal energy.

It’s this energy, not unfamiliar to fans of the Shepherdstown-area retro-rock trio, that is captured and is put on display for all to hear on this, their fifth release in as many years.

Whether this energy springs from sexual tension (likely), lovelorn isolation (likely), or band related aspirations and frustrations (unlikely) is for Adam Meisterhans, Tucker Riggleman and Jordan Hudkins to know, and for us to find out. But who cares? People who hear it know it.

Evoking something like The Who + The Stooges equaling some neo-grunge, garage-based power rock three-piece, with echo/reverb-drenched vocals, cavernous, almost 80’s rock band drums, this review, given the guitars in parts, can be filed under feedback and distortion.

Following up on their eight-“movement” concept record 1956, the band seems to have incorporated some of the guitar tones from that release into their previously known melodic rock (pretty progressions & changes, well placed jammed out and sometimes experimental bridges, hooks and epic choruses inside of the loud/soft dynamic song structure) output, still, with Meisterhans’ familiar, alternately soulful crooning and gnarly singing.

Standout tracks for us include “Give Me All Your Money,” a song that might tie together the band’s discography, (or not) “Get It” reminding you maybe of old Weezer, but for us, the best is to be found last on Bullshit Walks.

“Bang” sounds like it’s right out of 1956, a prom song only Marty McFly could sing to get his parents to fall in love, or at least just have sex, with Adam, Tucker and Jordan’s plane crashing into a mountain after the show, further cementing their place in rock and roll history. Or, not. A great, swaying, pretty song, though, that sums up the aforementioned isolation, desperation and sexual frustration, with a killer, distorted guitar solo thrown in that would blow away all those squares at the dance!

“Totally Blissed Out” is five minutes worth of slow-building, pummeling instrumental noise rock. And “I’m Not Really There” closes Bullshit Walks out with more hard driving, distorted guitar rock, and while the lyrics (“I want what I want, and what I want, it ain’t mine…I’m all out of good ideas…”) sound down in the dumps, the song is somehow uplifting, providing a nice end to the record.

That The Demon Beat has been self-recording and self-releasing (this time with help from Caustic Eye and art, again by Hudkins) their material only makes them even more punk rock, even more DIY than most bands. That they’ve established themselves, but still have a chip on their shoulder, and haven’t lost that energy and desperation that makes rock and roll great, will only continue to win them more fans, whether they get laid and/or rich and famous, or, not.

mp3: “Bang” by The Demon Beat

CD Review: "The Line"

2011-07-04T17:22:00.010-04:00

CD: The Line
ARTIST: Jeff Ellis

There might not be any better day to review a Jeff Ellis CD than the Fourth of July.

Ellis, the Chapmanville native and South Charleston resident, who, having turned his experience in the Middle East as a member of the Army Reserves into now four records’ worth of rockin’ Americana, folk, bluegrass, alt-country, and yeah, rock, returns right in time for the Fourth with his new 10-song EP The Line.

Like on his previous efforts, A Front Seat for the End of the World, Covering the Distance, and most recently, The Forgetting Place, Ellis’ lyrical themes cover topics sung from only the perspective a soldier and a veteran can sing from.

Subjects totally appropriate to appreciate on Independence Day: faith, family, and friends -- but run through the prism of being involved in a foreign war, and maybe losing your own faith in it.

This ain’t Lee Greenwood or Sean Hannity’s version of a soldier’s diary, though. Like many soldiers before him, Ellis quite clearly has been finding his way through this whole thing with his own questions and doubts over the past decade, as the war on terror has continued without any end in sight.

But where The Forgetting Place and Covering the Distance touched lightly on the war, they seemed to hover mainly around Ellis’ own experience “coming home,” as it were.

The Line finds Ellis returning to more conflict-oriented themes and thoughts, like on AFSFTEOTW, with his continued branching off into a more alt-country and bluegrass sound than what was found on that great, iconic record.

There are killer, sludgy, dirty riff rock songs, “God Ain’t On Our Side No More” and the very nicely redone “In My Time of Dying.” Ellis, throughout, displays his vocal range, from delicate rasp to guttural power.

But on alt-country and bluegrass songs like “For You,” “Hard Times,” the somber title track and “How Do You Fight a War Like This?” Ellis not only finds the domestic job front lacking, and his friends unable to understand what he’s dealt with as a soldier, he ends up having most of what he ever believed in thrown into doubt, and turned upside down.

Maybe no song encapsulates Ellis’ own attitudes more than the dreamy alt-country tune “Tim’s War,” sung from the perspective of a soldier who signed up for the army after 9/11 to avenge the attack, ends up in Afghanistan, but over 400 days of fighting, moving past revenge, just wanting to get home, now arrives home with doubt and unease at “a darker perspective only vets understand.”

Just as on the aforementioned records, Ellis, on The Line enlists the help of friends Bud Carroll, Jimmy Lykens, Steve Barker and Jon Cavendish (of the now defunct Southern Souls) along with his Guinness Clarke’s Wine friend Phil James.

But Ellis recruits even more guest musicians on this one. Ed Price, Mike Parker and Bobby Withers (who rocks lead guitar on “God Ain’t On Our Side”) round out the sound throughout on pedal steel, banjo and guitar. Ellis is joined on vocal duty by Jess Kauffman and Lauren Weldy (always a nice touch) and he welcomes Sasha Colette and the Magnolias for an alternate, stripped down bonus version of “Dying Days,” before closing the EP out with a bonus, acoustic version of “God Ain’t On Our Side.”

Ellis even has Eddie Ashworth making appearances as a guest musician, and this is worth noting to point out the very coherent sound Ashworth has helped Ellis achieve in the studio over these past few records. Just as Ellis writes great, well-arranged songs, has help from great musicians, and makes great records, there is a very consistent sonic thread that permeates and transcends Ellis’ records; a feat for any musician to achieve in any studio.

If there’s ever a Jeff Ellis Greatest Hits or compilation of the songs from AFSFTEOTW through Covering the Distance and The Forgetting Place now into The Line, if you shook up the records and made your own mixtape, it would, even with the skipping of the genres, all sound like it was from the same recording sessions.

But this is a great EP to check out just to keep tabs on Ellis and keep in touch with where he’s at, in a sense. He has been able to take his experiences in the desert, and with his acoustic guitar, make what can only be called real national treasures, and this one arrives right in time for the Fourth of July.

mp3: “God Ain’t On Our Side No More” by Jeff Ellis

Live Review: Hudson Falcons, Wine & Water, Black Acid Over Drive, The Transmissions @ Shamrock's 6.25

2011-06-27T23:01:00.005-04:00

By Chuk Fowlord

New Jersey's Hudson Falcons brought their working class brand of punk rock back to Huntington once again on this humid summer night.

First up was Black Acid Over Drive. A little out of place on this bill with their modern metal stylings. Live they reminded me of Black Label Society, Lamb of God, a tad bit of Down (which I love) and other modern metal influences. I'm not really into that scene and why they were on this bill is a mystery to me but a diverse lineup for a show is good. Something for everybody.

Next up was Ashland Kentucky's The Transmissions. I love this band. Great old school punk rock. Think The Ramones, Blanks 77, Johnny Thunders, The Dead Boys, The Cramps, and all the great sleazy aspects of punk rock. Live, they deliver the goods; a great old school sound with a great bass player with chops, a vocalist that if he wanted to could be as good as Stiv Bators.

They played a great set and it's good to hear a punk rock band that actually plays punk rock in 2011. Good stuff.

After The Transmissions great set Wine and Water took the stage to continue the great night of diverse slabs of rock to be dished out to the crowd. Wine and Water seem comfortable in their new formation with Cody Lynch on drums and vocals.

Wine and Water seem to be hitting their stride as a band now. Not just as a side project for Cody Lynch -- Wine and Water is becoming its own entity. Dave Mistich handled the bass duties but needs to start shakin his booty a lil more, hahahaha. If you haven't heard Wine and Water they are a great melting pot of musical influences such as Bruce Springsteen, Hot Water Music, The Clash, etc.

This new incarnation is getting better with each show and they have been recording so be on the lookout for some new music from these guys.

The Hudson Falcons have been playing shows in Huntington for years. They have been putting out quality records for a decade plus and Mark Linsky has been the mastermind for the Falcons. The night's set was full of great songs off their albums such as Desperation and Revolution, For Those Whose Hearts and Souls are True, and La Famiglia.

An added bonus was my good friend Pete from the Gc5 (a great band you should check out) was playing second guitar for the Falcons. The Hudson Falcons on June 25th 2011 were on fire. They showed the Shamrock's crowd what a real rock n roll show is supposed to look like, sound like, feel like.

I mean they were amazing. A band that reminded me of seasoned veteran heavyweight champs that don't know nothing but being heavyweight champs being heavyweight champs. Let me tell you the Hudson Falcons knocked out the crowd for sure. A pummeling set of rocker after rocker that despite Pete having some technical issues was a sight to see, a sound to hear.

Bands like the Hudson Falcons only get that good with years of experience with members from bands that have years of experience that really put on a good show.

The Hudson Falcons crowd is the realest of the real. No bullshit posturing. The people there that night were real people that wanted to rock. A great crowd assembled for a great band. The set was long and the crowd was left sweaty and wore out. I enjoyed the hell out of myself and so did everyone in attendance.

So if you have not heard the Hudson Falcons check out their records and catch 'em next time they come to town. Which if we're lucky will be soon.

Chuk Fowlord over and out for wv rock scene.

CD Review: "S/T"

2011-06-16T18:38:00.006-04:00

CD: S/T
ARTIST: Bonfire

It will come as no surprise to the readers of this blog that sometimes, bands that sound good live don’t capture that energy on a recording. And conversely, a band can have a great CD but just can’t pull it off live.

This is said here because most of what we’ve heard from the Morgantown-area “cupcakewave” four-piece Bonfire has been recorded live. From live youtube clips with varying degrees of audio quality to the exclusive WVRockscene ghettotech recording of Bonfire’s hour-long set at WVU’s Gluck Theater way back in April, they quickly became a favorite and something you would frequently hear around the WVRockscene home office.

Recording live performances off college radio shows is not something we do often -- in fact, it had never been done before Bonfire played that night. But since being introduced to the band by interviewing Zach Francis for the MAYSP benefit show at 123 Pleasant Street in September of last year, for Bonfire’s first show out, maybe only Dream The Electric Sleep has been listened to more than that live performance by Bonfire; we wanted to have that performance recorded just to document the event, as it were, and if anyone else heard it, all the better.

It must be noted that their debut seven-song release S/T is received by this reviewer with a bit of a bittersweet flavor before even hearing it; the band has apparently recently undergone a lineup change and will have The Emergency’s Kevin Post replacing Liz Toler on drums, and Rich Johnson replaces Amanda Burris on bass. The pair of Chris Quattro and Jodi Hollingshead are still fronting the group, just with a little less estrogen.

Back to Bonfire’s sound -- “cupcakewave,” really means fun, catchy pop-infused indie rock with jangly & fuzzy guitars with Moog and organ-backed atmospherics and minimalist drums and bass. Inspired heavily by acts like Henry’s Dress and The Aislers set, Bonfire is kind of a shoegaze meets 60’s rock vibe, with some hard charging, uptempo numbers thrown in, combined with the split vocals and loud/soft dynamic provided by Hollingshead (she can sing!) and Quattro, listening to Bonfire gives this reviewer the feeling of holding hands, bouncing heads back from side to side with the music, spinning around in circles, and falling to the ground laughing before getting into Bonfire’s version of The Mystery Machine to head to the show.

So yeah, a cool band with a cool, unique sound and vibe. I sound like that blonde girl on the Certain-Dri commercials: “Cool!”

But seriously, first hearing S/T it seemed the energy that was heard on the Morgantown Sound show might have been missing; maybe it was the lush, echo soaked, almost too-dreamy vocals. I am not an engineer and don’t record bands, obviously. The band sounds rockin enough on personal favorites like “Calendar Days,” “Song 1,” “Boy of Big Thoughts” and the galloping “Surprise, Surprise,” but between recording and mastering that live energy may have been diminished, if only slightly.

If this was a CD that we’d come across out of the blue, not having heard Bonfire live, it would still be a rockin CD, it would just be interesting to see how we felt having the whole thing being reversed; first heard on CD, then heard live.

And listen, honestly, it seemed like there may have been one or two parts in that live show where Bonfire didn’t exactly nail every song to a T (the band, in its original incarnation, remember, played its first show in September, remember when we talked about that earlier in the review?) but even with a missed chord or botched vocal harmony, this reviewer would still rather listen to Bonfire’s songs with the rare, slight live blemishes, than most other bands.

And that’s another thing -- S/T is too dang short! Just seven songs equaling less than a half hour? The band played for an hour on U92, maybe 13 or 14 songs?

But either way, after getting past the differences between Bonfire’s live sound versus what comes out of a studio it is quite literally all good. Would we recommend paying $5 US dollars for S/T? Yes.

And heck, you don’t have to listen to one or the other -- you can listen to both! Then you can nitpick and debate endlessly and needlessly which you might like better, making yourself sound like a jerk. Do not let us ruin this band for you. Regardless which you do like better, at the end of it all you just might find yourself bobbing your head from side to side, totally digging this band.

Bonfire’s original lineup is dead, but long live Bonfire.

--- Bonfire plays 123 Pleasant Street Friday night with The Young Reptiles

Live Review: Tyler Childers / AC30 / Prison Book Club at V Club June 11, 2011

2011-06-12T16:31:00.023-04:00

By Dave Mistich

For some unexplained reason, there has always seemed to be a lack of alt-country in the area. It's one of those styles that hasn't ever been exclusive to any one region of the country, with bands like Uncle Tupelo (Illinois), Old 97's (Texas), Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown (North Carolina), and Drive-By Truckers (Athens, Georgia via the legendary Muscle Shoals, Alabama) all springing up with little regard for their respective geography. It's just proof in point that Americana holds no reservations about where we are from: sounds and stories like these are common ground in every corner of our country.

Sure, location becomes an influence on the inflection each band has focused on. The Truckers' socio-political storytelling of the "dirty south" and the 97's twangs about Texas put an indelible stamp on each of their respective catalogues. Regardless, alt-country--like any sub-genre of popular music--has yet to be confined by it's origin and eventual audience.

But looking around West Virginia and the surrounding states, alt-country has somehow missed our scene--mostly on a local level. It's confusing, considering the lifestyle and down home ethic we find ourselves involved in from day-to-day. Saturday night at the V Club somewhat calmed all those frustrations with a line-up that was chock full of it.

Paintsville, Kentucky's Tyler Childers started off the evening with his one-man with whiskey and serious heartache style. For being (and certainly looking) so young, Childers' talent is mature--far more so than his innocent, blue-collar farm boy image might suggest.

It's difficult to speak of Childers' in the pantheon of alt-country greats quite yet, but his vocals evoke Ryan Adams and Ray LaMontagne equally. With songs about whiskey and women written by a man in his early 20s, it may seem a bit premature to hand him a trophy, but the kid sure deserves a gold plaque.

AC30 isn't quite ever going to hit alt-country the way they could or should. But that detail is minor. The gentlemen in this band are spectacularly efficient players who know their boundaries.

The band's cover of "September Gurls" by Big Star is likely the closest they'll ever come to alt-country (at least for now)--even though power-pop touches lightly on the genre's tendencies. Regardless, though, the band found ways to fit right in with the rest of the evening's lineup.

And there's a certain level of respect and honor that needs credited with the group's style of playing. Few bands--especially led by prolific players like Carroll and the rest of his semi-supergroup in Huntington care about the songs more than their own individual shining moments.

Sure, because of Carroll's status, he's the de-facto frontman (and this fact is obvious, and maybe a bit uncomfortable for those surrounding him at moments). Yet the man shares the craftsmanship of not only songwriting, but more importantly, playing with his fellow members.

But enough about that and back to the topic at hand--alt country.

Prison Book Club is widely regarded as a collective of some of West Virginia's finest. With members from The Demon Beat and The Fox Hunt, the band gets an almost instant promotion to supergroup status. While this label is somewhat warranted, neither of the two groups have attained the status past a regional scale.

However, what is undeniable about the group is the fact that they're the best alt-country outfit this area has seen. Sure, there's a lack of competition for them but it would take quite awhile for anyone to match them.

Led by the lead licks of Adam Meisterhans, the group sound comes across as a distinct point somewhere between Lucero and the Mike Cooley-penned tunes of Drive-By Truckers. His paying is exact and technical, almost sounding as if he's playing slide at moments. It's somewhat remarkable that Meisterhans, who has made a name for himself with a Pete Townshend-like persona in The Demon Beat, could match the quality of his playing in other genres--yet it's almost more impressive. He strips it down to simple strumming with Prison Book Club when needed and balances those moments with tasteful and thoughtful leads.

Singer-guitarist John R. Miller and bassist (and occasional vocalist) Tucker Riggleman are equally impressive. They may be slightly less flashy than Meisterhans, yet their ability to lock in with the fast paced drumming of Andrew Ford (Where the hell did this guy come from, by the way?) is note-worthy.

Miller seems fit for this style of music, there is little doubt. Both lyrically and vocally, he comes across as well-versed in the genre and life-experienced to back it up on a practical level. There's a level of authenticity that matches his talent--and it's one of those things that cannot be learned or practiced, but rather accepted and made use of.

With nights like these, one can only hope that new bands in the area will make note--should the alt-country scene really take off.

FOCUS ON THE PHOTOGRAPHERS: Christopher Lusher on "Destructive Criticism"

2011-06-09T12:42:00.014-04:00

We’ve always admired the work Christopher Lusher has posted on his Hillbilly Magazine tumblr page. Friday night Lusher and a handful of other artists will gather in Huntington for the “Destructive Criticism” photography and art show. We caught up with Lusher to find out more about the show, the artists involved, and the art of photography.

WVRockscene: How and when did the idea to have a show like this get hatched? Who put this together?
Christopher Lusher: The genesis for the show has always been something that existed, I think, for everyone involved but it was just a matter of actually making it happen. It can be difficult to actually see anything to fruition in this town seeing how often alcohol and unfulfilled delusions can often get in the way. I put it together just by saying it existed but it’s everyone involved in the show who actually made it happen. As well if my girlfriend weren’t around this would have been a title and an idea and nothing else and I would’ve continued musing about “what a great idea that was.”

"I'm Not Here" by Christopher Lusher

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rockscene: How close knit or supportive of an atmosphere exists between the artists showing their works Friday night?
Lusher: I’ll make assumptions and say that we all love each other like a deranged version of the Waltons. We just don’t say goodnight to each other when it’s all said and done we are more than likely carrying each other home or arm wrestling over the last beer. I think this show is all about a mutual admiration society and that we all appreciate each other we just think we’re too cool to tell each other that.

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rockscene: Calling it Destructive Criticism, do you expect one of the artists to have his or her work panned? Or is everyone pretty much already a fan of the others? Was it tough to kind of draw the line at 10 artists?
Lusher: The title is just a play on constructive criticism. I’d be surprised if it didn’t get some venom strewn a bit over it. People don’t often like to be exposed to things that they perhaps have never seen or don’t understand. This show is like molotov cocktails exploding in the middle of Disneyland and Slayer provides the soundtrack. No it was easy to pick them. I just pretended I was on ‘Lost’ and had to pick who I wanted to be on the island with.

"Introduce a Little Anarchy" by Yasmine Ganley

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rockscene: Like bands transitioning from a garage out to a live venue or bar, sometimes there can be butterflies either dealing with a crowd, taking constructive criticism, or just talking with your art in person with people in public. Some of you have done these kinds of shows, right? Nervous about it?

Lusher: I’ve done some shows before or been in them. I think nearly all of us have. The difference with this show is no one is getting ripped off or having to be exposed to rubber gloves and wine glasses.

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rockscene: A few of you are not exclusively either into making art or photography. What are your thoughts on the respective mediums and forms the works take? Is it just as hard to get a good live picture of a band, a person, or put something together like a mural or painting?

Lusher: Art history and theory is for teachers and the students who romanticize the idea of being an artist. I’ll leave that to them. I just know what I like. I like a hobo with his pants at his ankles covered in urine and passed out more than I’d ever like something that say Terrence Koh would ever do. It’s all hard and getting something good is akin to being one number off on Powerball. Exciting yet defeating and often thankless except in your own mind.

"Trusty" by Kelli Bellomy

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rockscene: Talking about where you find your influences, how much of being a photographer is just finding beauty or something meaningful in seemingly everyday things or people? Anyone can go out and buy an expensive camera but you have to have a real eye and spirit to be a photographer don’t you think? Wouldn’t you say there’s a reciprocal relationship between the subject and the photographer, what makes something/someone “photogenic” or something?

Lusher: With any kind of art it all lies in the eye of the individual and their perceptions. There is to me no one specific subject matter and a pile of garbage or dirty diapers is just as relevant as a photo of the worlds most beautiful person or a painting like the Mona Lisa. Kinds of cameras or how “good” a specific camera is has never meant shit to me. All I have ever really worked with has been cheap pawn shop cameras. Though that’s probably painfully obvious when you look at my work.

"Air Burst" by Jason Lucas

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rockscene: More on your own influences, who is Max Snow and how big of an influence is he on you? Any other photographers make you wanna do what you do?

Lusher: Max Snow is the younger brother of the artist Dash Snow who died a few years back. Dash is a huge influence on me and Max is filling the shoes that Dash had vacated quite nicely. His work is all its own but reminds me of a hybrid of Ryan McGinley and Dash. Other photographers would be William Eggleston, Juergen Teller, Ryan McGinley, Hanna Liden, Jack Siegel, Harmony Korine, Leigh Ledare, Nan Goldin, Sally Mann, Tim Barber. The list doesn'’ go on and on I’m just hungover and can’t really remember.

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rockscene: I’m familiar with the works of half of the 10 artists who will have their work featured; can anyone fill me in on these other artists and what they’ll be showing?

Lusher: Depends on what half you’re talking about. I think we all know we are here to promote regression and to get back to a more caveman mentality where we don’t have to tweet at each other but rather bash each other with our mental baseball bats in person.

"Jimbo Over Shoulder" by Christopher Lusher

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rockscene: You’ve got some photos from [Kelli] Bellomy, [Jason] Lucas and [Yasmine] Ganley featured at Hillbilly Magazine. It looks like Ganley took that pic of you with the sad clown face; how much of an influence are these other photographers on you not only as artists, but these friends of yours, as subjects in your own photos/portraits?

Lusher: Well they influence me and I’d like to selfishly think I influence them in some way. I think we unintentionally push each other forward and make each other want to do better and better work. We’re like the Weather Underground but without the afros and indictments.

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rockscene: Will anyone’s works be for sale?
Lusher: Yes. Everything must go! One day only! Going out of business baby.

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rockscene: Is this free? Any refreshments or other special goings on you’d wanna mention?

Lusher: Totally free but it’s a possibly dangerous social experiment. Payment will be made through the eventual mental derangement of the viewer. As for refreshments it’ll be like that Daniel Day Lewis movie ‘There Will Be Beer.’

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rockscene: As of Wednesday night 75 people have RSVP’d to the show on the Facebook page for it. You have got to be excited about that right?

Lusher: I kinda take that with a grain of salt. I mean people actually reside in Facebook. It has become it’s own fucking country. This event may be viewed by certain people as something like Farmville and that when 6 pm hits on Friday they will be taken into a Sims like virtual playground where they can purchase artworks with gold coins and by selling pigs or bails of hay.

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rockscene: Do any of you have a particular favorite artist in the lineup or a piece you’re looking forward to seeing?

Lusher: I actually just look forward to seeing all of these animals together in the same room. Someone else might be better suited to answer this.

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rockscene: You’ve got links to or posts on exhibits in other cities bigger than Huntington. Do you have any plans or dream of showing your work in any big cities?

Lusher: Well anything that I’d link or post would be on Hillbilly and probably have absolutely nothing to do with me. As far as showing in other cities I’ve done that in a weird way by having photos published on Purple Diary which is the website of a leading art/fashion magazine. As for plans and dreams I think I’m at a pretty good spot to say that they are both simultaneously working themselves out.

"Destructo" by Christopher Lusher

(all photos via Hillbilly Magazine except "Destructo")

--- video via eyeBOX

Monday afternoon video theft: Arcane Rifles “Loner Soul”

2011-06-06T12:23:00.002-04:00

Being a prestigious blogger and supplicant freelancer, you come across and/or are introduced to people who are mainly just into mutual handwashing. This is fine; it is how our society and culture operates.

These are mainly people who are not in bands, and will send emails out asking people to do things for them only when they benefit them. Sometimes, after people email you asking for specific things to be done, you think it would not be rude to email them back and ask them about the possibility of doing a thing or two. They are not as interested in talking to you when it is YOU asking THEM to do something.

Morgantown resident, artist, and true friend of rockscene Eli Pollard is not one of these people. Having hooked us up with a pre-emptive burned copy of J Marinelli's Pre-Emptive Skankery Sessions late last year, and sending a PSS t-shirt, all at his expense, not even asking anything in return, and at least having the courtesy to respond to an email, dealing with and hearing from him on Facebook is a breath of fresh air.

Well, Pollard and his friend Eric Hastings, together as eFACTORe, have put together a rockin official version of Loner Soul from Lexington's Arcane Rifles. You may have caught Ben Allen, Phillip Farmer, and one James Marinelli out around Huntington or Morgantown, or heard them more recently on WRFL.

Pollard and Hastings have put together a great video for their song. Check it out, check out Arcane Rifles and thanks to Pollard for for being so nice. In as much as we know him online, we'll call him a friend.

Unprecedented levels of weirdness Wednesday nite in Morgantown

2011-05-24T20:57:00.003-04:00

Keep it weird: Jason Sells and O Lendario Chucrobillyman pose at the Mothman statue en route to Morgantown Wednesday night for a show with Weird Paul at 123 Pleasant Street

Morgantown will see a heavy influx of one-man bands Wednesday night, as Jason Sells (aka Slate Dump) welcomes his new friend, Lendario Chucrobillyman to 123 Pleasant Street, with Weird Paul Petrosky rounding out the weirdness.

Sells and Chucro, on his first trip to the U.S. from Brazil, have been staying busy, rocking out, or just hanging out, seeing the sites as they’ve played the Pops Resale Anniversary show this past weekend, and have toured West Virginia over the past few days.

Speaking over the phone from Nitro Wednesday night, the pair talked about the highlights of Chucro’s first trip to the U.S. -- shows, the sights, and oh yes, Tudor’s Biscuit World.

“We’re just hangin loose,” Sells said as the two spoke over speakerphone, something of a conference call of sorts. “The past few days have been pretty awesome. I’ve tried to take him to as many historic spots and sites of folklore and beautiful scenery here in southern West Virginia, and hopefully show him and his entourage a good time.”

Chucro, speaking better than expected English with his Brazilian accent, said his inaugural tour of the states has been pretty cool so far.

“Yeah this is my first time here in the United States. I’m enjoying the sights and the scenery here in West Virginia. The shows have been real cool and it’s awesome to be here playing my music, mixing Brazilian zeal with the blues. It’s been real cool for me.”

Sells and Chucro were joined by “friend of Slate Dump” J Marinelli at the Pops Resale anniversary show in Lexington over the weekend. And while Marinelli raved about Chucro’s set on the illustrious WVRockscene Facebook wall, Chucro said the admiration was indeed mutual.

“Oh it was awesome, yeah. James Marinelli is a very good player, and I liked his show. I’m enjoying everything and Jason is having a good sound too.”

During their stay in Nitro, it appears that Sells turned Chucro on to true West Virginia fare: Tudor’s Biscuit World.

“Yeah,” Chucro said laughing hard. “I’m liking very much mainly the biscuits and gravy. It’s perfect,” laughing some more.

Chucro said he’s looking forward to playing 123 Pleasant Street, then heading to New York for a few shows, then, traveling to Austin, Tejas for gig-related activity.

“We’re going to New York after Morgantown for a few shows. Then, going back to Austin. We’re driving down there. People are saying we are crazy. But it’s the cool way to do it.”

Sells said he’s also looking forward to the upcoming March on Blair Mountain.

“You know, I’m gonna go off on one of my rants, as I always do. It seems like the system is set up to keep poor people ignorant, and keep them inundated with propaganda and keep people in a cycle of poverty. They’re doing nothing but destroying the air and the water and blowing up mountains and then dumping entire mountains into valleys and filling up the streams. I don’t want West Virginia to become a moonscape. I’m proud to be a Mountaineer, and part of being a Mountaineer is loving mountains. Montani Semper Liberi, and the whole nine. Anyone who calls themselves a Mountaineer and is pro-mountaintop removal is a fool, or worse.”

And Morgantown is in for a treat Wednesday night, with Chucro, Slate Dump and the appropriately named Weird Paul Petrosky.

‘They’re gonna see weird on an unprecedented level,” Sells said. “We’re gonna be pushing the envelope all the way, blowing minds and havin’ fun.”

Related: Jason Sells (aka Slate Dump) coming to V Club (H-D article), Jason Sells on his “Reclamation Tour”

Additional AC30 pics This Ain't No Disco presents live @ The V Club

2011-05-24T01:19:00.003-04:00

Hi there. My name is Chris, and I have been a Huntington/Proctorville based photographer for 20 years. Thanks for viewing.

Weekend at Smerek’s: The Whiskey Daredevils studio update

2011-05-19T23:11:00.003-04:00

The Whiskey Daredevils recently returned to Detroit to record their seventh record over the course of a weekend. Following singer Greg Miller’s studio status updates over Facebook regarding their Greatest Hits Vol. 2, we thought we’d check in with Miller and see how things went for the Cleveland-based cowpunkers. Below is his report...

The Whiskey Daredevils entered into Shiftmake Studios in Detroit last weekend to record their seventh full length CD. Now, Shiftmake Studios is no normal studio. Frankly, it’s not really a studio at all. John Smerek, long time band pal and recording whiz, took a bunch of vintage gear over to his wife’s small brick photo studio in a bombed out building not far from the MGM and Motor City Casinos. The idea was to capture the band doing what we do best, playing our songs live and capturing the energy and feel we have on a stage. See, the studio is a strange place. It’s very easy to get bogged down in headphone mixes, guys in separate rooms, and never ending overdubs. The problem is that recording a band in that environment is usually so completely opposite from what that band usually does, you get the expected result: a lifeless bland recording.

John is really good at what he does. If I wanted to, I could drop some impressive names of people he has recorded like Kid Rock, The Breeders, Reckless Kelly, the Detroit Cobras, the Deadstring Brothers, and a bunch of “cool” bands that you probably like. However, I won’t bore you with that. What I will tell you is that he knows what the fuck he is doing. That is good, because we don’t. Sure, we know how to play the songs we wrote, but we need someone that can make us sound like we normally sound. This is easier said than done. Recording is really tricky. You move a mic an inch one way or the other, move a guitar effect too far, don’t take the time to get a real drum sound, blah blah blah, and you have some real problems friend. The band should worry about giving their best performance, and the engineer should worry about capturing what is going on. That’s what John does better than anyone I know.

So here we are in Shiftmake with a case of beer, and standing in two rooms. One has John in a wooden chair leaning over the board. I am sitting about two feet behind him laying down a scratch vocal. A scratch vocal is when the singer goes through the song so the band knows where they are while they are playing it. It’s usually done into a cheap microphone, and you have no intention of keeping it. Meanwhile the band was set up with Krusty against the near door right next to Leo on drums. Gary had a guitar fort set up in the corner with his Marshall and Peavey set up to crank out his sound just the way he likes it. All the guys can hear each other’s amps, and reach out and touch Leo’s drums if they want to. This is great, as it will capture a warm sound with everyone bleeding a bit into each other’s mics. The downside is that there is no overdubbing. If it is a good take, and the bass player flubbed a note, that’s too bad. It got picked up on other mics, so you gotta live with it. You can’t ignore that mistake? Better get back in there for another take. Bottom line? You better know the songs and play them well with this set up.

I will tell you this. I have made 16 full-length records between the Whiskey Daredevils and The Cowslingers. I have never seen a band play as well in the studio as Ken/Leo/Gary did that first afternoon. These guys nailed 14 takes. Let me repeat this. We did 14 basic tracks in one afternoon. Most bands take 4 months to do that. Fuck those guys. They should learn how to play. These guys delivered the goods. I will also go on record and say Gary had the single best day in the studio of anyone I have ever seen. He did all 14 tracks, did 13 guitar solos and flourishes, and nothing took more than two takes. It was unbelievable. When you hear this CD, you will say “There is no fucking way that guy did that in one take”. I am here to tell you that he did. Deal with it.

We went over to Motor City Brew Works after the session and drank some of their pale ale and nut brown. This was a good idea. We had worked so fast that no one realized how hungry we were. They make a mean thin crust pizza there from the wood oven. Pizza highly recommended, and the beer is OK. We agreed to come back at 11am and get back to work the next day.

Saturday we stopped at a downtown Starbucks and fueled up on caffeine while dealing with more beggars than Downtown Calcutta. I especially liked the guy that spoke out of his throat hole. Made me want to get a couple yogurts and enjoy one with him. “Scuse me Sir! Sir! Can I axe you something?” Yikes.

I then went in and knocked out all of my vocals that day. Every single one of them. I won’t know if they are any good until the mix I suppose, but that was it. Gary did some acoustic guitar on some songs. Leo sang some backups. Then the record was done. It was 9:35pm. Two days in the studio. 14 tracks.

Sunday Gary and I went back to the studio to make sure everything was good. I discovered I missed a lead vocal, and did it. Gary did his last guitar solo. We listened to everything. We left an hour later. We’ll mix it this week.

It was easily the smoothest recording session I was ever a part of, and probably the best. If I were you, I would look forward to getting this into my music collection. Even John said, “the tracks are killer”, and he works with some actual big time musicians. I’ll let you know how this thing comes together. The plan is we release it here in that United States on Shake It Records in Cincinnati, and in Europe on Munster. We will take a couple of the songs and place it on a 12-inch vinyl only record with a career retrospective on Knock-Out from Germany. There are no clunkers on this thing. We took our best songs from 23 originals, and played them out live for a month. After road testing them, we went in and did this. I think it’s going to be really good.

-- Greg/Whiskey Daredevils

Related: Whiskey Daredevils Headline a Halloween Hootenanny (Charleston Gazette article), CD Review: The Golden Age of Country Punk, CD Review: Introducing the Whiskey Daredevils, Introducing Greg Miller of The Whiskey Daredevils, Q&A w/Greg Miller of The Whiskey Daredevils

Live Review: Wine & Water, Goddamn Gallows @ V Club 5.17

2011-05-19T12:48:00.009-04:00

Tuesday, May 17th at the V Club was a special night of amazing music. The pirate, gypsy, bluegrass, rockabilly, melting pot of all things good about rock and roll and the devil were unleashed live by the Goddamn Gallows.

Starting off the night were new look and sound Wine and Water.

Wine and Water started out as Cody Lynch of Down Goes Frazier’s acoustic side project, and have since grown into its own entity. Cody was the guitarist, vocalist, and frontman of the act, but for this show, he played drums and did vocals. Cody’s brainchild is rounded out by Dave Mistich on bass and back-up vocals, and guitarist and vocalist Barrett Lynch.

Wine and Water’s new electric sound was well-received by the sparse crowd, due to it being a Tuesday and rainy weather no doubt. Regardless of the situation, Wine and Water played a great set that brings to mind acts like Hot Water Music, Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Steve Earle, and maybe a lil John Cougar Mellencamp with a indie punk edge.

They played a high energy set and despite their drummer being M.I.A. and Cody Lynch manning the kit and handling vocals, they pulled it off nicely. Don’t know what future configuration Wine and Water are going to go with, but I’m sure whatever it is, it will be good. If you haven’t checked out Wine and Water live, I suggest you do so.

Now onto the fantastic Goddamn Gallows set.

First of all let me tell you about these guys. Just imagine characters from the movie Gangs of New York mixed with some vagabond traveling gypsies, and barter town residents from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. These guys looked like men you wouldn’t want to run into in a back alley. Tattooed faces and necks.

A standup bass player with a handlebar mustache, a spoon wielding washboard player that resembled a snake oil salesman if he was in the film Lord of the Flies, a guitarist that looked like a member of the Sex Pistols time traveled to the 50’s and was from a Marlon Brando flick, and a Madolin/banjo/acoustic guitarist that would be right at home in the movie Predator.

These post-apocalyptic looking dudes have some major musical talent. Goddamn Gallows sound has a aforementioned melting pot of great sounds that comprise their genetic makeup; straight up rockabilly, gypsy travelin’, bluegrass and country, even, dare I say polka influences were erupting from the stage.

I’ve never seen a band spit so much in my life, lol. They were hootin’ and hollerin’, spittin’ out on the floor and on each other for their whole set (ed. note: you can catch Hepatitis like that). The two songs that really stuck out for me was the Townes Van Zant cover of “Waiting Around To Die” and a cover of the founding fathers of black metal, England’s Venom, in league with Satan.

In between these covers was one of the best sets of music I’ve seen woven into a tapestry of a concert I’ve seen in a long time. The sparse crowd of die-hards ate up every second of it and wanted more. Goddamn Gallows are really something special in a day and age of musical mediocrity. Check ‘em out on youtube, buy their albums, go see them live. Bands like this don’t come around that often so if you get the chance check ‘em out.

I left the V Club a satisfied man and look forward to seeing Don Duncan at the door and shootin the breeze with lil Pat about the upcoming acts coming to the V Club, which is turning out to be the best venue in Huntington since the Drop Shop was at 1318 4th Ave. Check out www.vclublive.com for the consistent acts that come through their doors.

Chuk Fowlord over and out for WVRockscene.

WVRockscene goes for "Triple Crown" this summer!

2011-05-17T19:26:00.004-04:00

Whether you’re more into cupcakewave, dark indie is more yer thing, or just like showing up at free shows where people are playing instruments, Friday is lookin pretty cool up in Magic Town.

Morgantown cupcakewave four-piece Bonfire (above) is set to pre-release their debut cassette “Triple Crown” (on Crash Symbols) at the Blue Moose Café with The Overcoat.

The show is not only all-ages, but, again, free, so you can go ahead and pre-order our copy of “Triple Crown” for us, and count it as some kind of charitable act. No money involved = no worries about cover charges and splitting the door money and having to cancel the show. Killer!

Of course, then you’d have to mail us the cassette, which will cost you extra, unless you work at an office where you can mail stuff out clandestine style. Or, you could film you playing it, upload it to youtube, and host it there for us to rock out (looking at you, Zach Francis). Talk about multi-media. Whatever.

If you have to work -- call in sick. And if yer in jail -- BREAK OUT!!!

So you’ve read this much, why not check out previous Bonfire-related posts here at WVRockscene? Oh and there’s also the live bootleg we got of Bonfire playing on U92’s Morgantown Sound from way back in April. Ripped straight off the ol’ internet for all our listening pleasure.

It’s always great finding out about cool new local bands. Bonfire is one of those bands. Despite not being able to please everyone with our posts, sometimes, we just aim to please ourselves. And no money is involved!

Wanna learn more about Bonfire before you show up and start asking the band ridiculous questions? Click here or here, and definitely check out Liz Toler and Dwight Pavlovic's art from their Tiny Scissors show...

photo: Ron Hollingshead

Threefold Theory and Ten Carp Lie play well together

2011-05-14T10:47:00.006-04:00

Ten Carp Lie (above) will be joined by Threefold Theory and Alexis Cunningham Saturday at the V Club

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Ten Carp Lie singer Kevin Brendler and Threefold Theory singer-guitarist Scott Niles talked about their bands over the phone like they make their music these days: together.

Their Huntington-area melodic hard rock bands have gigged out around Charleston and Huntington (and beyond) for years (since 2002 and 2004, respectively), a lot of times playing shows together. But after a herniated disc sidelined he and 3FT back in 2008, Niles has since joined his friends in Ten Carp Lie, and they’re three songs into their sophomore release, recording with Jason Mays of Ashland, Kentucky’s Split Nixon.

Threefold Theory will join Ten Carp Lie Saturday night at the V Club, with Alexis Cunningham opening.

Niles described the process of getting into Ten Carp Lie after being a friend and fan for so many years.

“I was more or less not really actively playing with Threefold Theory, and whenever TCL would play a show, my wife and I would go see them play. And they’d invite me up to sing with them on one of their songs, and it was a good time for me. In 2009 they invited me to come jam with them, and it just clicked. After a couple of jam sessions they asked if I wanted to join full-time.”

Brendler said Ten Carp Lie’s sound these days is a little heavier than a few years back; “Fade,” “Ridiculous,” and “Mad” available on the band’s Facebook page, are the result of working with Mays in the studio, and for Brendler, a natural, exciting evolution in the band’s sound.

“We’ve got those three in the bag. Recording with Jason Mays is a dream. He knows what he’s doing in the studio. You can hear from the first three songs, he’s given us a product we haven’t had before. Everybody really seems to like the new material we’re doing.”

Over the phone, Niles conferred with his nearby wife, and was reminded just how big of a Ten Carp Lie fan he was, and still is.

“Oh yeah, that tells you how much I love these guys; I asked them to play my wedding reception,” he said laughing. “It was amazing. They made the reception, I’ll tell you that much.”

The feeling between the bands is mutual, Brendler said.

“It’s a blast,” the singer said of sharing a bill with Threefold Theory. “One of my favorite bands to go out and see was Threefold Theory. I love doing shows with them; we have the same kind of vibe, it meshes real well.”

While both bands seemed to have had their high points a few years back, with TCL opening for acts like Tantric and Saving Jane, and 3FT playing with Fuel and Seether, both Brendler and Niles still love making music and rocking out together. They both have everything in its proper perspective after a decade or so on and off in their bands.

“I consider the band thing my golf,” Brendler said. “I tell my wife I’d be gone longer if I played golf. It’s my only real hobby. It’s something I’ve done my entire life. I’ve been on hiatus before and hated it. It’s painful, physically. I’ll do it as long as people keep coming out and we keep getting shows.”

Niles said after his own literal physical pain in his neck, he’s stoked to be in Ten Carp Lie and Threefold Theory these days.

“For a while, I couldn’t physically play music, and like Kevin said about being on hiatus, it was painful for me. Being able to recover and make music again, I am so happy. It’s worked out for the best and I’m so lucky to be able to do it. I’m definitely blessed to be able to do it and for people to be able to enjoy it.

“It’s not always easy to be easy to be in two different bands,” Niles continued. “But the way our groups work, it’s been easy since 3FT doesn’t play that often. I’ve become close friends with them, and writing with these guys, everything seems to be built from the ground up, and the three new songs are just amazing, they’re great. For me it’s the best of both worlds musically.”

“They’re my best friends, they’re my buddies,” Brendler said of his musical cohorts. “We get together and go to a bar and play music. What more could you ask for?”
　
If you go:
Ten Carp Lie, Threefold Theory, Alexis Cunningham
Where: The V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington (304) 781-0680
When: Saturday, May 14, 10 p.m.
Cost: $5
Info: www.vclublive.com

photo: Haley Marie McClelland

Corporate rock still sucks: Cody Lynch talks about Wine & Water

2011-05-13T14:02:00.028-04:00

In anticipation of their upcoming shows tonight and Tuesday night at the V Club, we caught up with the creative force behind Huntington’s Wine & Water, Cody Lynch. He talks with WVRockscene about starting the (until recently) solo acoustic project with his cousin Barrett Lynch, promising changes and developments in the group, new music, and the state of mainstream rock radio these days...

WVROCKSCENE: How did you start out and form Wine & Water?
CODY LYNCH: I guess W&W started with me as pretty much a solo gig, as for years I had been writing songs, and playing them out here and there. One day on a whim, some years back I recorded a song with a friend of mine, wanted to post and release some of the stuff I had been working on, so I used a name I had come up with while on a camp/float trip in the mountains, and started a Myspace. Nothing came of it for the most part, just a few solo shows here and there.

Some years went by, I was busy doing other stuff and playing drums with Down Goes Frazier, when fairly recently (maybe a year or more ago) Barrett and I had been getting back together playing on some old jams we knew and things we had written in the previous years. I should mention, that for years, Barrett and I had written/played together and he would lay down leads to things I was writing or providing bass tracks, positive vibes etc., etc.

Anyway, we decided to start getting a little more serious about putting out some music and playing shows, and went with the Wine and Water thing, because basically I already had the Myspace page going, so we decided wed just go with that. Who knows, we may impulsively change it one day, but that’s neither here nor there. So yeah, we got to work, bought some gear, and recorded six songs in my basement, booked a few shows, put out a CD early last fall and got the ball rolling, at least nudged it anyway.

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WVROCKSCENE: You’ve been in Florida right? What’s up down there? Are you back in Huntington yet?
LYNCH: Ahhh sunny Florida. Yeah I spend quite a bit of time going back and fourth from there. A lot of the bands and musicians I’m into, and friends of mine live and play down there. I spend most of my time hanging around Gainesville (home of No Idea Records and a pile of great bands) Orlando, and Cocoa beach. I just enjoy the weather, the food, the friends, the drinks and the scenes down there. So I’ve been working on getting somewhat established and familiar with what’s going on down there. I’ve toyed with living there, and honestly may very would be residing down there if it weren’t for my bands and friends up here. I owe what’s goin on up here one more good shot at least right?

So for now, I’m just going back and forth. As a matter of fact I just got home this morning from a two week stint down there. Fun stuff.

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WVROCKSCENE: How excited are you about the current lineup and writing songs and the state of Wine & Water these days?
LYNCH: It’s just so hard to find like-minded dedicated musicians, at least in our neck of the woods. Of course things thing started with Barrett and I, then we decided to bring in a drummer (Dale Johnson) who came in and tore it up with us for a while, helping us shape what would be the new songs. But like i said, people have their own lives, and other things they want to do besides sell your soul to the hellish lifestyle of rock n roll, so no drummer to date has been set in stone, instead at the moment it has been more of a revolving door of whoever we can count on at the moment, still looking for that special somebody, but aren’t we all? ha.

Speaking of which, I hear we may have a surprise drummer joining us for now, to be unveiled in the coming days ~~(Andrew Bowles of Sarasota)~~, but I’m pretty sure people will be happy to see this kid back behind the kit. Dave [Mistich] and I had hung out here and there and it just kind of fell into place with mutual friends conversing back and fourth, until one night, he asked ‘So man, I hear you’re looking for some bass,’ or something like that. I shot back with a ‘yeah man,’ which later he came up to the bar and asked ‘So are you serious about that?’ ‘Yeah man.’

So we made plans to jam, did it up, and it was cool. It helps too that Dave is just an awesome dude and we have since formed a stellar friendship. He pretty much had a matter of days to learn the set list on the bass until our next show. Then literally as soon as he’s getting a little comfortable with all of that, we end up having a show with no drummer, which we did all acoustic and talked Dave into playing the mandolin on a few of our songs. I’m sure it stressed him to the max to learn all that in such a little time, but he should have never told me he owned a badass mando, lol. But we got through it and it turned out quite well. We got to play with Cutthroat Shamrock that night, it was rad.

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WVROCKSCENE: You guys gonna have electric guitars for Tuesday’s show with Goddamn Gallows? What’s different about arranging or playing your songs with electric? Not much? Big difference?

LYNCH: So yeah, the plan is to unveil our new “electrified” sound this coming Tuesday at the V Club with Goddamn Gallows. Keep your fingers crossed. It’s really not hard to arrange or rearrange songs for electric guitar, it’s the same song I wrote sitting in my bedroom on an acoustic guitar, just with amplifiers and electric guitars.

I write so that these songs can be versatile and simplistic yet hold their weight in any situation from a small intimate acoustic session to an all out rock show, or a punk rock party in the basement. I like both ends of the spectrum. Usually when I’m working on a song though I have a rock and roll band backing me up in my head and drums going off in my head, which happens naturally, me being a drummer and all. but we are all really digging the new sound.

-----
WVROCKSCENE: Friday’s show with Smokestack and the Foothill Fury is gonna be acoustic, right? Would you rather have the full band, electric sound or keep it more acoustic-centered?
LYNCH: Yeah the show with Smokestack on Friday is acoustic with just Barrett and I. It’s more out of necessity at the moment, but we don’t mind, as long as we are playing in some sort of fashion, somewhere. Like I said, it’s all about what the moment calls for, but we are really excited about the newer electric, heavier stuff and will move into that direction. But don’t worry, I wont forget about the acoustic guitars anytime soon. We’ll even it out for the best of both worlds. Just whatever is right for the song, or the moment.

-----
WVROCKSCENE: You seem (judging from yer FB page) to be into a more progressive (you call it anarchist) political bent. Is that something that creeps into your lyrics or are you just a news junkie? What are your thoughts on bands lending their seemingly unrelated music to causes either left or right?
LYNCH: Oh so you’ve noticed my political ramblings?? lol. Well, yeah, I guess you could say I’m a news junkie, and i follow what’s going on in American politics on a day to day basis a lot of the time. I just think it’s important to be informed, and factually, too many people don’t care or are completely misinformed. And yeah, my political beliefs do creep into they lyrics I guess you could say. But it’s whatever, it’s all open ended to the listener, you can think it (a song) means whatever you wanna think it means, I guess.

I don’t try to preach, I just try to bring some things to some peoples attention. We’re all in this together right? I don’t mind when bands get political, as long as its politics I can agree with, lol. I mean, I did grow up listening to political punk rock bands. For instance, I agree with the Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion or more recent even bands like Ninja Gun. But I don’t agree with people like Toby Keith, or whoever wants to put a boot up your non-American ass. OK next question.

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WVROCKSCENE: What is up with Down Goes Frazier?
LYNCH: On the subject of DGF, I may be a little vague on our situation, but we’ve been playing some shows recently. Nothing booked in the future for now. We’ve been around for a while doing what we do, it’s just hard to get everyone on the same page all of the time. None the less I love that band. We actually started recording some new material a few weeks ago which we have got about halfway finished, and I’ll just kinda leave it at that for now. But I’ll keep ya updated if anything else happens, one way or the other, hopefully you will hear some new music from the gang. Until then go download our discography for free at Soft Rock Renegade, or go to our Facebook page and follow the link to it.

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WVROCKSCENE: On the info section of the W&W Facebook page you talk about the commercialization of rock. What are your own thoughts on the state of radio-rock these days?
LYNCH: Oh don’t get me started on commercial rock and roll, if you can actually call any of it rock and roll. Radio for the most part just plain sucks. Either I just don’t get the new pop culture altogether, or I am one of the ones who just see right through it. I just wonder sometimes if anyone else notices the correlations between bad music, bad television, bad films, bad politics to the dumbing down of society as a whole...? Oh well, they can have it, most the cool stuff stays underground anyway.

But yeah you also can’t deny the impact of great bands before that were making their mark before things were so saturated. People/bands like Tom Petty, the boss, The Band, Cash, Dylan, the Animals, the Kinks, the JuJus, the Kegs, Steely Dan. I’d better stop, I’m just gonna start rambling off everything I listen to that’s pre-1985, but you catch my drift. I could go on and on about this topic, but for the sake of whoever reads this, I will just quit here. Haha.

-----
WVROCKSCENE: You recently recorded some new songs, have those been uploaded to the Facebook page? Plans on recording more or releasing a W&W CD or EP anytime soon? What’s up with W&W you’re looking forward to the rest of 2011?
LYNCH: Yeah, we recorded three new songs real quick in a makeshift studio before I headed out of town. I needed some new material to toss around down south. You can hear these songs now on our Facebook bandpage. Yay for free new music. Look for us to officially release a new EP in the near future which will be on 7” unless that turns into a 10” or 12”, but all that will be decided after the next studio sessions. And ya know, it should be on iTunes, and maybe even some free downloads will be available soon as well. We’ll have some new news on the new tunes and how exactly to access them super soon. We are just super excited to be putting out a lot of new music, as well as grabbing some stuff out of our back catalog, doing some releases, booking shows, and getting on the road.

Hopefully the rest of 2011 is nice to us and people wanna come hang out and party with us.

Follow Wine & Water on Twitter: @wine_and_water

Live Review: Sly Roosevelt / Universes / Buffalo Killers at V Club May 6, 2011

2011-05-07T15:20:00.039-04:00

Sly Roosevelt performs at the V Club Friday, May 6

By Dave Mistich

It's almost surprising how many shows there are in Huntington these days. Seemingly every night of the week offers something, be it a national tirelessly working the mid-sized venue circuit, or a local group cutting their teeth in the strange comfort of their own scene. Being the kickoff to the weekend, Friday at the V Club provided a bit of both, offering up a double serving of local talent warming up the crowd for Alive Records' Buffalo Killers.

Local complex indie rockers Sly Roosevelt kicked the night off with their strange yet inspired brew. Pinning down the band's sound proves to be an arduous task, even for the most seasoned audiophile, yet there are a string of elements that are simply undeniable.

There's a slight element of punk, led by a steady power chord-driven rhythm. There's also elements of jazz and funk in bass player Alex Durand's hypnotic lines. (If there's anything pressing about Sly Roosevelt's set that deserves constructive attention, it's the incredible need for Durand to be bumped up in the mix.) What's most noticeable is the fervor in Sean McDaniel's voice, which would certainly get a nod from Modest Mouse's Ian Brock.

Due to the fresh chaotic nature of their compositions, it's difficult for the band's tunes to seem familiar to a crowd yet (even despite being around since 2008), but with time and enough gigs, there's no doubt they'll become drilled into the heads of locals eventually.

And so Sly Roosevelt will remain an acquired taste for those adventurous enough to stumble upon them--a band not for passive listeners. But such a distinction might ultimately prove to end up working in the group's favor. Serious listeners crave being engaged and there's no one in town whose songwriting has that in their pocket quite like they do on the local scene.

After the sonic smorgasbord of Sly roosevelt, it was time for the hipster-approved rock of the local trio Universes. Led by the etherial craftwork of guitarist Justin Gardner, the band's keen pop sensibilities shine through song after song. On this night the group weaved together a set with material from their Yeah! We Did It! release along with new material yet to find it's way into the eternal security of a recording.

The songs from Yeah! We Did It! come across differently in a live setting; there's certainly no problem with recognition for those who know the songs, but they're working with very little on stage.

Sure, the group might benefit from the addition of a keyboardist to add texture in certain passing moments, but the songs and their arrangements take on a welcomed new life. There's no slick studio production to hide behind (or season), yet the band makes do nearly perfectly. In the spaces where they're needed most, bassist Josh Harshbarger and drummer Jason Reese fill things out effectively and give songs like "Life" and "Vanilla Sky" the kinetics necessary for them to soar in their raw potential sans additional instrumentation.

And it's not just the band's material that deserves noting, the fellas in Universes work the stage as if they're jockeying for the weekly crown on some variety show of yesteryear. Sure, it might have been that the crowd seemed familiar to the band, yet Gardner shouldn't ever let the comedic element of the show slip out of their routine. (Harshbarger and Reese follow suit in this area perfectly, egging their frontman on with a bouncy circus-themed bass and drum stomp.) By introducing songs with crude fake titles, Gardner and company provide a conscious relief from the depth of repeated "woe-is-me" reflections in their unrequited love-stricken anthems.

(Editor's note: Gardner's guitar was stolen from his car outside the venue following the set. Anyone with any information on the theft has been asked to contact him directly. Gardner and Universes--and the entire Huntington scene--would greatly appreciate the help.

Update 5.9.11: Gardner's guitar was recovered and all is well with Universes again.)

If the $10 cover was too steep for only a couple locals, Cincinnati's Buffalo Killers made the night worth the price of admission.

With their newest record, 2008's Let It Ride, having been produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbauch, the band digs deep into a gritty blues shuffle with a southern tinge. It's a sound that resembles some alternative version Neil Young's Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, arranged for a stoner-friendly three piece.

Guitarist Andrew Gabbard's tone mixed in faintly, but remains present--something deserving an attentive ear but not to the point of strain. Gabbard's brother and bassist for the group, Zachary Gabbard, brought a locked in groove driven furiously by the skyward-gazing Joseph Sebaali behind the kit.

Yet, strangely enough, a slow romantic swagger bled through the band's sound on Friday night. It wasn't obvious and maybe not even exactly necessary, but that aspect added a dimension sometimes lost in the raucous of gnarling fuzz rock. Even though the Gabbard's vocals stretch and bend around the tunes with a straining dissonance, there's a strange, visceral comfort left in their wake.

photos & video: Chris Harper

Live Review: This A'int No Disco with AC30 at V Club May 5, 2011

2011-05-06T20:54:00.011-04:00

photo:Chris Harper

By Dave Mistich

When a band is named after a iconic Vox guitar amplifier a prospective listener should have some idea of what they’re in for. It’s a rig whose tubes and speakers shaped rock history with a little help from a few guys like Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Peter Buck, and Brian May. Think crisp and clean, but able to conjure serious bite and raw power—an apt moniker (and metaphor) for the Huntington-based power-pop quintet, AC30.

Firing away by opening with one of the singles that’s been getting the band some local buzz, “I’m Free,” Ryan Weaver’s vocals matched the timbre of the band surrounding him—a sound somewhere between soothing and refined rowdiness; something even the most conservative, anti-rock grandmother might not only tolerate but thoroughly enjoy.

But it wasn’t just Weaver featured on vocals. The other front three members stepped up and handled leads, sometimes switching between verses and choruses. Bassist Ian Thornton, guitarist Doug Woodard, and the slick-fingered local hero Bud Carroll were all capable vocally. But it was drummer Alex McCoy, whose surprisingly high range on backing vocals, that deserved MVP on the mic.

Even though it was impossible for the crowd to be familiar with the songs (this was only the band’s third show), the response indicated that they will be welcomed time and again. There was a lot of dancing from the crowd; the kind that signals that rock and roll does fantastic things for people. There were also immediate howls and applause from the audience once the band finished a song.

There was only one flub the entire night, and it wasn’t even while the band was playing. Coming out of stellar version of Big Star’s “September Gurls,” Woodard had difficulties tuning, essentially killing the momentum built up by the set until then.

Carroll apologized to the crowd, stating that it was necessary to get things perfect, and confidently proclaimed their next song was “the best one we’ve got.” And he wasn’t lying. “She’s The One” epitomized the groups layered sound. Bluesy lead licks, vocal harmonies, and a driving rhythm—morphing into a collective of pop sweetness.

After finishing their set, the V Club’s crowd quickly demanded an encore and rightfully so. With a bit of conversation amongst the band, The Temptations' “I Can’t Get Next To You” was settled upon as a finale and the already dance-ready crowd got moving at a pace unmatched by prior tunes.

The choice of covers, an instrument switch (between Thornton and Woodard late in the set), and even the sonic shifts within their own material prove the group to be extremely versatile, a band capable of executing the most difficult pop arrangements with grace.

While Carroll and company’s playing is impeccable, what really grabs hold is how near perfect their own songs are. There’s an eerie feeling evoked by AC30’s material, making one wonder whether Lennon-McCartney were arranging songs by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (or vice versa) but spiced with a fierce attention to the vocal harmonies, which in places might be suited for The Staple Singers or some legendary Motown session group. Throw in the fact that each member contributes to songwriting, and it's frivolous in trying to find a weak link anywhere within the group.

AC30 is a weird trip through pop music history, one with slight twists and turns but always staying inside the lines on a carefully built, meaningful road. These history lessons handed down from bands and musicians are increasingly necessary in a world where digital singles with short life spans somehow trump the power of classic records, let alone discographies that have formed the map that is the canon of lasting pop music. The gentlemen in AC30 would probably tell you that themselves.

And, so, one can only guess the mission of this band. However, it’d be hard not to believe it’s giving a nod to those who’ve held onto some strict ethic and obsessed with the smoothness and universal emotion that pop can bring.

video: Chris Harper

Let’s Get Awesome: WVRockscene talks openly about its J Marinelli fetish

2011-05-06T10:53:00.020-04:00

Morgantown native and Lexington, Kentucky resident J Marinelli brings his angry-one man band to Shamrocks tonight

Looking back on the posts I’ve done on J Marinelli, it’s, well, frankly embarrassing.

Over the four or so plus years I’ve covered bands at this illustrious online destination, and before that at thegazz.com and in Graffiti, there hasn’t been any band I’ve listened to more than J Marinelli -- his angry one-man band.

It’s weird because first hearing his Pity the Party EP, several years back, the swingin’ songs were tough to get into originally because the vocals were on the whole just so loud and distorted. But “A Little Action” is still a favorite, what with its caveman guitar and cool lo-fi vocals, and “400 More Years” is still awesome to hear.

“A Little Action“

But you can’t talk about getting awesome talking about Marinelli without mentioning Keep It Fake, his February, 2007 16-song release. Arguably his best release, ably recorded by Mark Poole, who captures a fuller, pub rock (?) type garage rock sound than what was heard on Pity the Party.

It’s not that the songs are that much different, it’s just that they sound better. No other record has been played more on the WVRockscene home stereo and the various briefly lived mp3 players. Every song is a favorite, maybe none more so than Marinelli’s nostalgic look back to 1985, “Let’s Get Awesome,” with its huge rock band ending.

“Let’s Get Awesome”

Literally my favorite record; my hand-numbered copy is 103/1,000.

“Lying In State”

Marinelli’s two-volume cover cassette series Stone Age Kicks found Marinelli (in small parts) embracing a more folk-centered but no-less-angry one-man sound; banjo and harmonica flavor Marinelli’s versions of Neil Young’s “Winterlong,” the Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers,” and Pixies favorites “Head On” and “Wave of Mutilation,” and the near-overdriven vocals are replaced by bare, emotive singing. A great direction to take his sound, simultaneously keeping his angry one-man sound on other tunes.

Stone Age Kicks by J. Marinelli

Pre-emptive Skankery Sessions, Marinelli’s Fall 2010 release, really has more of a live feel than anything. Maybe it’s how the arrangement of the first few songs play like one of Marinelli’s live sets. “Rebel Without Applause” goes right into “Hey Pinkerton,” which segues into “She’s My Cheerwine,” Marinelli’s ode to the drink, or, more subtly (?) punk rock.

“Hey Pinkerton/She’s My Cheerwine”

While Marinelli’s sound on PSS is washed in more reverb and has a more experimental bent than on previous releases, that’s the point of all this -- seeing Marinelli live. You can spend all the time you can on his bandcamp page, you can hear fellow Morgantown natives cover their favorite Marinelli tunes on Morgantown Does Marinelli, or you can read long-winded posts by swooning bloggers, but you won’t have a chance to really fall in love with rock and roll all over again unless you catch Marinelli live.

It’s not like his minimalist sound loses anything at all between the studio and the stage, and you can witness the passion, attitude and one-man phenomena itself in front of your own very eyes. Then you can buy whatever CDs “the man” is selling (probably himself, in DIY fashion) at his merch table.

It’s tough to convey the rump-shaking appeal and deep-rooted passion and love for punk found in Marinelli’s music. Now living in Lexington, Marinelli doesn’t come to Huntington frequently -- Charleston, much to this blogger’s dismay, less often -- but you can catch the sensation tonight as Marinelli plays Shamrocks.

You won’t feel old again, that is for sure. And the dancing boys and dancing girls will tell you he has won.

photo: Andy Pickens

J Marinelli plays Shamrocks Irish Pub tonight with Dayton’s Gem City Saints.

Feels like the first time: Bud Carroll and Ian Thornton talk about The AC30

2011-05-04T19:30:00.024-04:00

photo: Michael Borneisen on flikr

In advance of Thursday’s This Ain’t No Disco show at The V Club in Huntington, WVRockscene caught up with AC30 members Bud Carroll and Ian Thornton to learn more about what’s up with the band, their studio progress, and Bud’s plans for his birthday on Cinco De Mayo...

WVRockscene: How did you guys meet/know each other and decide to start a band? How did [Ryan] Weaver get brought into the fold and what's the chemistry like just writing and arranging songs?

Bud Carroll: Well Ian and I have known each other since the American Minor/Love Coats things, doing gigs back in ‘05 and ‘06. I met Ryan hanging out at Shams when he was doing sound there in ‘08. I would hear great shit over the PA between bands and would always go bug him about what he was playing, so we kinda bonded over that.

Then I staggered into a Whirling Dervish show one night and was blown away that some guys here were doing good power pop stuff with vocal harmonies and then ended up working with them some after their original guitarist quit. I tried to produce some stuff for them but the band kind of imploded before anything came to fruition. So Ian, Ryan and I started putting together tunes on Monday nights, and we’ve been kicking it on Mondays ever since, missed very few actually.

Ryan and I, along with James Barker, “Deadbeats and Barkers,” are all partners in Trackside Studios. But originally Ryan and I came up with the idea of starting a studio while working together on the Dervish stuff. Ryan actually spent time engineering in pro studios in Nashville and has a degree from the conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Arizona.

Unlike other situations I’ve been involved with, putting together tunes is a blast, just people trying to make good music, no agendas, no egos, and no hassle. Everyone goes out of their way to make sure each others tunes come off well. It’s so much fun and so easy it ought to be a crime. It feels like what it used to feel like being in bands in high school. Except this time all of the people you’re hanging out with are killer songwriters and musicians.

Ian Thornton: Well I’ve been around the scene for a few years now and I’ve known Bud the longest. I think the first time we met it was an American Minor/Love Coats show. I played in a short lived band with Ryan Weaver called Whirling Dervish around 2007-2008. We only played a handful of shows but had an instant connection and I have been working with him in some fashion ever since. He’s a great guy and incredibly intelligent when it comes to writing and recording.

Bud actually helped us with some of our final shows after we lost our lead guitarist so that’s where the spark really began with the three of us. We just continued to hang out at Trackside and each of us had some songs we wanted to play so we’d meet up and lay them down. That’s pretty much where the band started.

I knew Alex [McCoy] from playing in the Good Fight and we brought him in because he’s an excellent drummer and another really good fella. Doug [Woodard] just moved back within the last year and Bud invited him over one night while we were playing and we found that he was the missing link we needed to create AC30. He fit in perfect and his presence added a lot to our sound. I don’t think you could find a better chemistry in a band.

We all get along great, and we all have different writing styles which I feel is one of the greatest attributes to this group. Everyone writes and everyone contributes with arrangements. It’s so much better than having to depend on one person to write everything for a band I feel.

We’re just taking things slow and enjoying the hell out of our Monday night sessions.

-----
rockscene: You guys recently let people get free mp3 versions of “I’m Free” and “Sure to Win,” what’s the response been to the songs and your music in general since you guys started playing out?

Carroll: The response has been really positive. It always surprises me when someone mentions it because I don’t really think about it all that much. I was actually in Athens last week working on some stuff with Jeff Ellis and Eddie Ashworth said he had been rocking it on his MP3 player and really dug it. I was just like, ‘Oh shit, how’d you know about that?’ When you don't have any expectations except for making good music any kind of response is gratifying.

Thornton: We’ve actually had a really good response up to this point. We’ve only played two shows so far and they were both very well received. We wanted to give the single away so we could give people an idea of what’s to come from AC30.

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rockscene: The liner info has you guys recording at Trackside over basically a year’s period, what’s the status of the full-length? Do you have any idea when you’ll release that and how excited are you for people to hear it?

Carroll: Yeah we’ve been working on it for over a year, just on Mondays mostly, and a few other days here or there. If I get a wild hair up my ass I’ll mess with stuff through the week. No idea when we’ll put it out. We’ve got nine songs now, that are almost completely finished. I’d really like to do a few more.

I’m really stoked for people to hear it. We used the sessions as an excuse to experiment quite a bit with production techniques. And since there was no clock, the whole thing sounds really relaxed and natural, especially considering there was no band when we started making the tracks. I played a bunch of stuff on it, but it’s really nothing like anything else that I’ve been involved with, and honestly a big step forward in a lot of ways.

As for a release, whenever, ya know? We’re having more fun doing the band thing right now and doing a few gigs. It’s nice to actually hear the tunes played by a proper band instead of piecemealing them in the studio. When the time is right, we’ll put it out. We’d actually like to do vinyl, but we’ll see.

Thornton: There will definitely be some more releases in the coming months, however we have not yet decided on the medium or size. We have just been working on writing, playing with each other and simply enjoying the start of the band. We do have more recordings pretty much finished and are very excited to get them out there for the masses.

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rockscene: You guys have each been in no shortage of bands; what if anything is special for you about AC30? How good do you feel about the band as you prepare to get the full-length out?

Carroll: The AC30 feels like the first time I’ve been in a real band since the American Minor days. There’s something that happens with a real band that has nothing to do with your level of virtuosity on an instrument that is undeniable. It just sounds like a band, and sounds like Rock and Roll -- good rock and roll.

Thornton: I feel the special thing about the AC30 is the fact that it’s really just a good time for us. We’re not killing ourselves trying to get a record deal or anything. We’re just writing and trying to play some shows and make the best band possible.

A great thing, as I mentioned before, is the fact that everyone writes and sings and has different styles of doing each. As of now, no two songs sound alike. We’re just trying to produce good music and that’s been our only focus up to this point; make something that we’d listen to. I feel we’ve got a strong camaraderie with each other and that’s definitely a must for this kind of thing.

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rockscene: Bud is your birthday Thursday? Got any awesome plans for (before, during or after) the This Ain’t No Disco show?

Carroll: Cinco De Mayo dawg. I’m already doing the most awesome thing that I know of that you can do: playing a show in an awesome band with my friends.

mp3: “I’m Free” by The AC30

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Franklin Fuckin Furnace, Tower of the Elephant, Horseburner live @ V Club 4.28.11

2011-04-30T18:20:00.019-04:00

Brett Fuller (DJ Franklin Fuckin Furnace) hosted Tower of the Elephant and Horseburner as part of the V Club's This Ain't No Disco series April 28th...

4/28/11 @ the V Club was an another classic in the ongoing This Ain't No Disco series Featuring DJ Franklin Fuckin furnace and local Huntington acts. I've been lucky enough to not only play a This Ain't No Disco with The Wizards of Ghetto Mountain but I also DJ'd a set as DJ Gilbert Grape's mom. lol.

On this installment of This Ain't No Disco, joining DJ Franklin Fuckin Furnace were local lords Tower of the Elephant and Parkersburg doom merchants Horseburner. DJ Franklin furnace opened the night with a great set of molten rock on the 1's and 2's. The great crowd soaked up it and the atmosphere was electric.

Tower of the Elephant's quick rise to doom supremacy has not surprised anybody in town. The band is rounded out by some of Huntington's rock vets such as Blair Yoke on vocals who has been in punk bands Beer For Blood and Killbot, Garrett Babb who was also in Beer for Blood, and was ax slinger with myself in Wizards of Ghetto Mountain, Josh Harshbarger on bass who was in Beer for Blood, and is in the great alt-rock ringleaders Universes, Jason King on drums who played guitar for the Black Knots, and Mike Schritter on guitar who played for Sarasota.

Tower of the Elephant just recorded an EP and it sounds amazing. You're seriously gonna want to get your hands on it. Great stuff. Also look for guest vocals from yours truly at the end of a track.

Now on to the show.

I've seen Tower sets a few times and each one keeps getting better and better. This set in particular was amazing. Real thick fuzzy doomy tone, loud thunderous drums, Harshbarger laying down the low end, and Blair Yoke's fantastic vocals that I've watched evolve and get stronger with each set they play. This set was extra mean.

Slower than usual which I loved. The songs are being churned out effortlessly by the guys and they are developing a doom swagger that comes with experience. This band is a powerhouse and if they last they will be going places. They had the crowd in the palm of their hand for the whole set and I got to do my vocal part in Journey of the Leonids. Killer set by Tower.

Franklin Fuckin Furnace took the stage once again and rocked out another set of killer tunes. Franklin Fuckin Furnace's vast musical knowledge showed with the great tracks he pumped out keeping the atmosphere electric between Tower of the Elephant and Horseburner sets.

Horseburner is a band that are simply stunning. Imagine Thin Lizzy, Sleep, Sabbath, mixed with some hardcore. Great band. I have had the pleasure of playing with them with The Wizards of Ghetto Mountain on several occasions.

They took the stage like heavyweight champs with nothing to prove. An amazing set of molten doom, twin guitar harmonies, and great gang vocals. Almost each member shares vocal duties and the vocals are hardcore style so it's a great blend of doom, 70's rock and hardcore. You might not think this would work but Horseburner pull it off flawlessly.

Horseburner are starting to get a following in Huntington and there's a reason why. They have chops. Talent out the ass. Great Tone. The crowd ate up every second of Horseburner's set and anybody that ever seen them before left believers. Another amazing set from Horseburner.

Franklin Fuckin Furnace closed the night with another great set of tracks that rocked the house. All this for $3 you just can't beat that. Another great show at the V Club.

The V Club is the best live venue in Huntington since 1318 4th Avenue is no longer a music venue. They have shows for every taste in music so check http://www.vclublive.com/ for all concert updates and say hey to Don Duncan at the door for me.

--- Chuk Fowlord

photo/clip #2 --- Chris Topher Robert Harper

Chuk Fowlord

2011-04-30T13:49:00.002-04:00

This is Chuk Fowlord and I'll be joining Wv Rockscene as a blogger. I'll be reviewing shows, talkin about releases that I'm into and keeping you updated on the Small town big sound: A huntington wv rock history 1989-2011 documentary that I'm making with Dave Mistich. I'm working on a review of the Franklin Fuckin Furnace, Tower of the Elephant, and Horseburner show that took place on 4/28/11.

CD Review: "Hunt"

2011-04-28T14:21:00.011-04:00

CD: Hunt
ARTIST: Juna

John Morgan et al (Aaron Dawson, Cameron Keenan, Will Morgan), together as Juna, evoke Radiohead-meeting Jim Morrison over ten songs worth of richly arranged, atmospheric, tribal-tinged rock on Hunt.

The follow-up to 2009’s Yesno, seems to nod as much in the direction of Radiohead as it does to Native American tribes and percussion, as Morgan, the Morgantown native, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter sings “I want to live like the Indians,” on “Eden,” sings of securing Indians “from the Indies all the way up to Washington,” on the piano-based “Move Over,” a standout track, and approaches a rain dance on “Door,” a cool vibe permeates the record.

Most listeners will hear Radiohead-type nods on the opener, “Coma So Mild,” the very awesome “Control,” with its angelic synth and dreamy guitar, and the more driving, catchy rock of “No Use.”

Morgan sings on “No Use,”

“You can tap my phone
and you can come in my place
All in all I’m a slave
doesn’t change a thing”

Running through the lyrics are themes of waking up from an Orwellian police state and almost Gaia-influenced retro humanism or something, with themes of Brave New World type total control, of sheep being fleeced by “Wall Street sickness” -- you know: cool stuff!

Displaying the range of their sound, “Fire” has haunting banjo over tribal drums and something like a Hammond organ. The title track closes Hunt as Morgan sings

“So wake with me now
and rake the leaves of all our clothes
So stay with me now
and make believe we’re all alone
oh”

Hunt is a CD that’s had repeated plays on the state-of-the-art WVRockscene home computer stereo system. It’d be easy to say ‘If you like Radiohead, you’ll love Juna,’ but while the nods are there, there’s enough of a uniqueness to it to give the sound its own personality.

A great listen, a very cool sound and vibe; definitely worth checking out.

--- Juna releases Hunt tonight at 123 Pleasant Street with the Frostburg, Md.-based electro-rock trio The Christmas Lights also releasing their new CD, Good Luck Machine, with Morgantown “cupcakewave” superstars Bonfire opening.