Tag Archives: Rock N’ Roll

EMPERORS AND ELEPHANTS – DEVIL IN THE LAKE CD REVIEW

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1. Bring It Down
2. Who You Are
3. Your Will
4. Man Of God
5. Locust
6. Hit Of Red
7. Deep Sleep
8. Change
9. Wicked Game
10. Ghost In The Mirror
11. You And I
12. M.O.G.- Dupermang Remix

     The Rock N’Roll  onslaught of 2014 continues with the release of ‘Devil In The Lake’ by Emperors And Elephants. Emperors And Elephants hit my radar when my friend, guitarist Randy Cooper, informed me that he had joined forces with them. I eagerly awaited news from this collaboration and read everything I could find. Now the fruits of their hard work have come to light as they unveil ‘Devil In The Lake’ to the world.

I have read other reviews comparing them to this band or that band, there will be none of that here. While you can hear certain influences in the music of Emperors And Elephants they remain unique in their sound.  There are elements of Southern Rock riffs to full on blazing Metal. I am not going to list who I feel their influences are I will leave that up to you and your ears.

Emperors And Elephants is  Jesse Andrews – vocals, Jason Meudt – drums, Jeph Stiph – guitars, Randy “The Arsonist” Cooper – guitars,and Ron “Stoppable”Vanders – bass a truly tight unit built for Rock N’ Roll.

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‘Devil In The Lake’ reaches out and sinks its sonic awesomeness into your ears right out of the gate with opening track “Bring It Down”, and by the the time you get to the closing notes of “M.O.G. Dupermang Remix”, you will come to realize you have become infected with the need to listen to the record all over again.

The guitar work that is found on ‘Devil In The Lake’ is top-notch. Randy “The Arsonist” Cooper and Jeph Stiph give us some riffage that dreams are made of. Beautiful acoustic, dirty Southern Rock grooves, to ear bleeding shred it’s all here on ‘Devil In The Lake’. Their trade-off licks remind me of some of the great guitar duos of Rock N’ Roll. You can distinctly hear their individual styles on the record though as each show their style of playing.

Jesse Andrews vocal work makes me ask “Where the hell has this guy been hiding?” Powerful is an understatement with Jesse on ‘Devil In The Lake’. Clean melodic work to bone rattling screams give your ears delight throughout. One of the things that draws me into a vocalist is the ability to inject emotional feeling into their vocals. Jesse imparts emotion and then some here, you truly feel when you listen to him sing.

Ron “Stoppable”Vanders provides the bottom end to Emperors And Elephants on ‘Devil In The Lake’ solid and the style that is needed on a record like this. Ron has the ability to lock into the groove of the song and get your head nodding, in my opinion a good bassist does just that. I love closing my eye and focusing in on the bass lines on this record.

The drums of a record are like a heartbeat to me. Jason Meudt gives ‘Devil In The Lake’ its heartbeat and then some. Another thing a bout a record I love is the ability of the drums to accelerate your own heartbeat and get your adrenaline pumping. No needless flashiness here, just some solid Rock N’ Roll drumming. Jason provides the foundation upon which ‘Devil In The Lake’ is built.

Clocking in at around 46 minutes the 12 songs on ‘Devil In The Lake’ are all enjoyable, yet there are a few that stand out to me. “Bring It Down”, “Man Of God”, “Deep Sleep”, “Change”, “Ghost In The Mirror” all just have that je ne sais quoi about them. Give them a listen and you” see why.

Production wise the ‘Devil In The Lake’ is clean and mean. Levels and clarity are stellar across the board and the CD stands up to being played at levels that will let your neighbors on the block enjoy it as well.

I was just speaking to Randy Cooper as I was writing this and he is excited for the world to hear it and he is proud as hell of the band and the work they accomplished here. I have to say “Randy, you’ve found your groove brother.”

My final thoughts on ‘Devil In The Lake’ are this, 2014 is gonna be a great year for Rock N’ Roll music, and bands like Emperors And Elephants are on the font lines leading the charge. This a record that all lovers of straight up, Rock N’ Roll music need in their collection.  15 out of ten stars right here, it’s that good. Thanks Jesse, Jason, Randy, Jeph, and Ron for making a record that is enjoyable start to finish. Now, bring it out on the road!

Find Emperors And Elephants online at:     https://www.facebook.com/EmperorsandElephants and http://www.emperorsandelephants.com/

it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s Emperors And Elephants!

-the Hellion

THE GROUND BENEATH UNVEILS ‘SELFTITLED’ AT THE LAUNCHPAD!!!

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1395935_10152016325252033_2069515861_n   Well, well ,well what can I say? I said in my review of The Ground Beneath ‘Self Titled’ CD that is was a 10 out of 10. That goes for the live performance as well. A packed house enjoyed the killer set from the guys and the buzz was afoot that the new songs were a success. The songs translated well in the live format and I feel that their subsequent tour will go over very well for them. Steve, Tim, and Bearface killed it on the stage! Here are some live shots of the show for your enjoyment! The Ground Beneath is on the way to greatness!???????????????????????????????

Steve with the Dad Beneath

Steve with the Dad Beneath

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it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s THE GROUND BENEATH!

-the Hellion

Mind Merchant release lyric video for “Killer Instinct”

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The hard working rockers Mind Merchant have released a lyric video for the track “Killer Instinct”. Inspired the hit Showtime series Dexter, “Killer Instinct” is the 2nd single released by the Chicago band, Mind Merchant. Mind Merchant is comprised of: Steve Crandall-singer/percussion, Bob Cashin- guitar/ vox, Doug Ehrhardt-guitar/vox, Kurt Arft-Bass/ vox, Mark Cox- Drums/ vox. Check it out right here:

     You can find Mind Merchant on the facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mind-Merchant/383766625024958

      it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s MIND MERCHANT!!!

     -the Hellion

LYNCH MOB ANNOUNCES WYNTER 2014 WEST COAST TOUR; THADEUS GONZALEZ (EX-ELECTRIC SISTER) JOINS AS VOCALIST

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LYNCH MOB ANNOUNCES WYNTER 2014 WEST COAST TOUR;

THADEUS GONZALEZ (EX-ELECTRIC SISTER) JOINS AS VOCALIST

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15 January 2014 : Los Angeles, CA…Lynch Mob will rock the west coast in February, delivering classic favorites and tracks from the latest record while introducing a new vocalist for the diversely-pedigreed band.

 

 

For twelve years with Dokken, George Lynch was able to develop a groundbreaking brand of guitar virtuoso that would also earn a Grammy nomination. In the early 1990s, Lynch launched his own project, Lynch Mob, which harnessed the talent of rock’s best players and released several well-received records, from 1990s WICKED SENSATION to the most recent UNPLUGGED. Tracks like “Wicked Sensation,” “River of Love” and “Tangled in the Web” have solidified George Lynch’s position on Guitar World’s list of Greatest Guitarists Of All Time. Live, Lynch Mob is described as desert- infused blues-based rock with a penchant for extended improvising, harkening back to the glorious jam days of the late 60’s and early 70’s.

 

 

“…a guitar hero by anyone’s standards.” Legendary Rock Interviews

“…one of the most gifted musicians on the planet…” Rock Music Star

 

 

Lynch’s current work also includes the film “Shadow Nation,” which explores a hybrid way of life, merging modern society with the ancient practices of people who have lived in harmony with the land for thousands of years; native American Indians. The film reveals its message through the journey of a group of renowned musical artists as they share their rock music on a road trip through Indian reservations of the southwest. http://shadowtrainmovie.com/synopsis/ He has also teamed with Arcane Inc. to create a new signature series of Mr. Scary guitar pickups http://mrscaryguitars.com/pickups/.

 

 

The current iteration of Lynch Mob is an unusual combination of rock backgrounds. Bassist Kevin Baldes is an original member of the Orange County alternative rock band Lit. Lit’s platinum album A PLACE IN THE SUN spawned three top ten hits including “My Own Worst Enemy.” He’s also played with Sugarcult, MEST and Good Man Down. Jimmy D’Anda is on drums. With L.A. based rock band BulletBoys and its hit “Smooth Up In Ya,” he earned a Gold album and toured the world with rock’s biggest acts.

 

 

Being introduced on this tour is new vocalist Thadeus Gonzalez. With Oakland-based Electric Sister, Tad enjoyed critical acclaim from not only the release of THE LOST ART OF ROCK & ROLL, but also supporting gigs with KISS/Motley Crue, Slash, Black Label Society, and Danko Jones. He’s been called “a frontman to watch” and “a definitive rock ‘n’ roll voice.”

 

 

 

Confirmed dates for the Lynch Mob Wynter 2014 tour include:

 

 

 

2/13 Vamp’d Las Vegas, NV

2/14 Whisky A Go Go Hollywood CA

2/15 Brick By Brick San Diego CA

2/19 El Corazon Seattle WA

2/20 Tonic Lounge Portland OR

2/21 The Boardwalk Orangevale CA

2/22 M15 Concert Bar Corona CA

2/23 910 Live Tempe AZ

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Red Dragon Cartel CD review

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1. Deceived
(Lee/Mancuso/Churko/Fairley)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars
Ronnie Mancuso: Bass
Darren James Smith: Vocals
Jonas Fairley: Drums and Vocals

2. Shout It Out
(Lee/Mancuso)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars,Keyboards and Sound Design)
Ronnie Mancuso: Bass
Darren James Smith: Vocals
Brent Fitz: Drums

3. Feeder
(Lee/Mancuso/Churko/Zander/Peterson)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars
Ronnie Mancuso: Sound Design
Robin Zander: Vocals
Tom Petersson: 12-String Bass
Jeremy Spencer: Drums

4. Fall From The Sky (Seagull)
(Lee/Mancuso)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars
Ronnie Mancuso: Bass
Darren James Smith: Vocals
Brent Fitz: Drums

5. Wasted
(Lee/Mancuso/Di’Anno)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars
Ronnie Mancuso: Bass
Paul Di’Anno: Vocals
Brent Fitz: Drums

6. Slave
(Lee/Mancuso/Churko)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars and Sound Design
Rex Brown: Bass
Darren James Smith: Vocals
Jeremy Spencer: Drums
Ronnie Mancuso: Keyboards
Kane Churko: Background Vocals

7. Big Mouth
(Lee/Mancuso/Kevin Churko/Kane Churko/Brink)
Jake E. Lee: Guitars
Ronnie Mancuso: Bass
Maria Brink: Vocals
Kevin Churko: Drums and Vocals
Chris Howorth: Trade Off End Guitar Solos

8.War Machine
(Lee/Mancuso/Churko/Fairley)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars
Scott Reeder: Bass
Darren James Smith: Vocals
Jonas Fairley: Drums and Vocals
Ronnie Mancuso & Louie Merlino: Background Vocals

9.Redeem Me
(Lee/Mancuso/Fitz/Jordan)
Jake E. Lee: All Guitars
Sass Jordan: Vocals
Todd Kerns: Bass
Brent Fitz: Drums
Darren James Smith: Background Vocals

10. Exquisite Tenderness
(Lee)
Jake E. Lee: Piano

 

 

It’s funny how things work out. I heard rumors of the return of one of my favorite guitarists Jake E. Lee and here I am writing a review from an advance copy of his new project Red Dragon Cartel.

The self-titled debut from Red Dragon Cartel is poised to be a contender for one of the top releases of 2014. I have been waiting a long time for some new stuff from Jake E. Lee and this release does not disappoint. Don’t expect to hear something like the stuff he did with Ozzy or Badlands, this is an entirely new entity.

The guitar playing is easily identifiable as Jake, but there’s something new and fresh to his playing. Jake, it seems, has come out of exile and the world has gotten a little brighter in his doing so.

The Red Dragon Cartel project came to be when Jake joined forces with session guitarist and Beggars & Thieves bassist Ronnie Mancuso.  Jake appeared in a Beggars & Thieves video for the track “We Come Undone” which sparked an outcry for new music from Jake. The chemistry was right and the sparks started flying. Ronnie shares Hideout Studios with producer Kevin Churko (Five Finger Death Punch, Ozzy Osbourne) who was asked to be the executive producer for their new “project”.  The pair then searched for a singer and drummer and came up with a couple of Canadian musicians, vocalist D.J. Smith and drummer Jonas Fairley. The Cartel was complete and worked commenced on the record. Magic was made and the music world got an adrenaline injection to the heart.

The CD opens with “Deceived”  and a guitar riff that is immediately identifiable as Jake E. Lee. I f you didn’t know anything else about the track you would know it was Jake playing guitar. This one is a fist pumping song that the crowd can get behind . I can already hear the crowd shouting out the chorus in unison, ahhh the power of music. We are also introduced to the powerful voice of Darren James Smith who is a great fit in this band. Ronnie Mancuso and Jonas Fairley provide and excellent rhythm section to the track.

“Shout It Out” features guest drummer Brent Fitz (Slash, Theory of a Deadman, Alice Cooper, Vince Neil, Union, The Guess Who, Lamya, Streetheart, Harlequin, Econoline Crush) and again is a head nodding track that will surely be a crowd favorite live.

“Feeder” features guest appearances by Cheap Trick members Robin Zander and Tom Petersson, and drummer Jeremy Spencer (Five Finger Death Punch). This track has a retro feel, kind of trippy sounding and one of my favorites on the record. Very cool to see the Cheap Trick guys part of this amazing body of work.

“Fall From The Sky (Seagull)” again features Brent Fitz on drums has an ethereal feeling to it. There are great vocals and melodies to be found right here. The feelings that Jake invokes on the solo just fill you up with so much positive energy and emotion.

“Wasted” features vocals from my favorite Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno and again Brent Fitz on drums. The music fits right around Paul’s vocals like a glove. This song has a classic hard rock song but with a modern edge to it. Thumbs up on this one. Guitar is smoking on this, love the talk box in it (you gotta listen for it).

“Slave” features some killer bass from the man Rex Brown (Pantera, Kill Devil Hill), drums again from Jeremy Spencer and background vocals from Kane Churko (Modern Science). Killer groove and powerful track with great riffs.

“Big Mouth” features guest vocalist Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth  (In This Moment), Kevin Churko (production of: Ringo Star, Ozzy Osbourne, Simon Collins, In this Moment,Five Finger Death Punch, Slash, Hinder, Gemini Syndrome, Modern Science, Shania Twain) on drums and vocals. This is the “grooviest”  track on the record and the vocals from Maria give it good vibe.

“War Machine” features guest bassist Scott Reeder (Kyuss, The Obsessed, Sun And Sail Club) and Louie Merlino (Beggars & Thieves) on backing vocals. This is the longest (6:11) and heaviest track on the record. Reminiscent of older Sabbath this is easily my favorite track on the record. I find myself getting lost in the track time after time. Jake provides a doom laden groove all the way to full on shred in this one.

“Redeem Me” features guest vocals from Sass Jordan and bass from Todd “DAMMIT” Kerns (Slash, Age of Electric, Static In Stereo, Sin City Sinners). Sass provides some soulful vocals over a solidly built track.

“Exquisite Tenderness” is an instrumental piano piece. This is the first piece that Jake E. Lee ever composed as a child. I find it in good taste that they included it here. It gives insight to the beauty that was to come from the mind of Jake in the future.

While I love all of the guests on the album (I think it’s a cool move to bond with your fellow musicians) I can’t wait to see how the core band of Jake, Ronnie, D.J., and Jonas bond and make all of the songs their own. Ronnie Mancuso is a solid songwriter and player and that is quite evident on this record. Jonas holds his own on the kit backing these heavy players. Darren James Smith shows his vocal versatility here, going from smooth vocals to in your face raw power.  I am hoping that they continue to grow and develop into band that will be around for a LONG, LONG time.

I would give this album 15 stars out of 10, it’s that good. Jake E. Lee is back in a big way and I’m glad.

it’s loud,it’s dirty, it’s the RED DRAGON CARTEL!!!

the Hellion

Zakk Wylde live tonight on the Artie Lange Show!!!!

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Live Tonight! Artie welcomes in guitarist Zakk Wylde & Casey Stern from MLB Network Radio!!  Tune in to AUDIENCE Ch. 239 Live at 10pET, only on DIRECTV!!!

Eric Clapton – my opinion

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Sometime in my formative musical years (yeah the 70’s, I’m old) a friend brought over this record he had found by a band called Cream. The record was called Wheels Of Fire. From the second I heard “White Room” I was hooked. Who were these guys? And who was playing that fantastic guitar? Eric Clapton? Who was that?

Ever the music geek I had to know more about this guy. Given the limited resources back then I had to actually talk to people to find more. I found out he was English and had a very prolific musical background. The Yardbirds, Blind Faith, the Immediate All-stars, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Powerhouse, and Derek and the Dominos, all bands I came to know and love.

I found myself drawn into Eric’ s style of playing, his style, passion, and skill .   “For Your Love” (Yardbirds), “White Room” “Badge” (Cream), “Can’t Find My Way Home” (Blind Faith),  “Layla” (Derek and the Dominos), these were songs that amazed me.  I had many discussions with friends and peers about him. Some called him G-d, others didn’t care for him at all, yet others said he was being held back by being in bands and that he should be a solo artist.

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Here’s where I piss some people off, I think Eric Clapton is better as a part of a group. While he had a few solo songs that i really dig “Let it Rain” (1972), “Wonderful Tonight” (1978) his subsequent releases didn’t reach out to me as did his earlier works. I know musicians change and grow as their personal lives do. Drugs, family loss, just plain life in general. As the musician changes so do their fans from the same reasons I listed earlier, and that is ok. I just didn’t “feel” the music Eric was making by himself. Does that make him less of player, less talented, less of anything? I say no, it’s just that our musical tastes took us on different paths from each other.

I do believe that Eric has been over-hyped at times. I know people who claim that “Eric Clapton is the greatest guitar player ever” yet when you ask them about his body of work they come up lacking in knowledge. I think that is is a serious injustice to musicians to try and rate them as to who is better than who. How can that be done when each has an individual style and sound? Would it be better to ask who you prefer to listen to and why? Do we really need to create a division in the music world? The love of music binds us together and we should stand strong united. There is music that doesn’t reach me, but does that mean I should say it sucks? I think not, it simply means it doesn’t click for me. I took me a long time and many arguments to figure that out. I have come to admire and respect ANY musician who feels the spark of creativity blossom within them and nurtures it. Of course there are people in it for all of the wrong reasons and that shows in the music they create.

Eric Clapton is G-d?, Eric Clapton is the best guitarist ever?, maybe to some people. Eric Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time, now this I can get behind and agree with. If Eric inspired one, just one person to pick up a guitar and learn to make the music that lived inside them then yes, he is important and influential.  Here’s the track that made me appreciate Eric “Slowhand” Clapton:

     Here’s a bit of Eric Clapton trivia for ya: The nickname “Slowhand” was not, as is commonly thought, given to Clapton due to playing the guitar slowly.  Rather, it was given to him because of audiences giving him a slow hand clap when he would replace guitar strings on stage.  When most guitar players break a string on stage, a roady will typically bring them another guitar and fix the string on the old one off-stage.  Clapton, on the other hand, had a practice of standing on stage and replacing and tuning the string in front of the audience.  While he was doing this during one particular performance, the audience gave him a slow clap or a “slow hand” until he had fixed it and was ready to play again.  This slow-clap ultimately became a common thing with Clapton, while with the Yardbirds, where whenever he’d break a string during a performance, the audience would give him a slow clap until he was finished replacing it.  According to Eric Clapton, the guy that managed the Yardbirds, Giorgio Gomelsky, then gave him the nickname “Slowhand”: “He coined it as a good pun. He kept saying I was a fast player, so he put together the slow handclap phrase into Slowhand as a play on words.”

Thank you Eric Clapton for picking up a guitar and inspiring the guitarists everywhere. Although I left you years ago, I check in on you periodically and appreciate your dedication and the fact that you are still making music.

 

it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ERIC CLAPTON!!!

– the Hellion

 

STEEL PANTHER NEW ALBUM ALL YOU CAN EAT SLATED FOR RELEASE APRIL 1st ON OPEN E RECORDS VIA KOBALT LABEL SERVICES

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STEEL PANTHER NEW ALBUM ALL YOU CAN EAT SLATED FOR RELEASE APRIL 1st ON OPEN E RECORDS VIA KOBALT LABEL SERVICES

 

Band Celebrating New Release By Sending the Famous

Grill ‘Em All Truck Around Los Angeles Today Giving Out Free Burgers: “The Fat Girl” and “Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’ Cheeseburger”

 

Pre-order All You Can Eat online January 14th

(January 13th, 2014 – New York, NY) The Sunset Strip’s hottest export, Steel Panther, is back and ready to unleash their third full-length album, All You Can Eat, on the world. The 12-track masterpiece is slated to hit stands April 1st in the United States on Open E Records via Kobalt Label Services (KLS). The album will be available for pre-order on January 14th at http://www.steelpantherrocks.com. From the opening acoustic riff of album opener “Pussywhipped” to final chord hit in the album closer “She’s On The Rag,” it is clear Steel Panther is back and better than ever.  Songs like “Gloryhole,” “Gangbang At The Old Folks Home” and “BVS” all showcase Steel Panther’s incredible musicianship and ability to write memorable and sometimes educational songs. The band, comprised of Michael Starr on vocals, Satchel on guitar, Lexxi Foxx on bass and Stix Zadinia on drums, have made a name for themselves as one of the most entertaining acts out today. The debut single “Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World,” was released in November with a star-studded video directed by Rob Riggle that has been viewed over 660,000 times. The explicit video for the song can be seen at http://smarturl.it/sppartyvd. Longtime Steel Panther producer Jay Ruston produced All You Can Eat.

COVER - SP All You Can Eat copy

The track listing for All You Can Eat is:

1.   Pussywhipped

2.   Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World

3.   Gloryhole

4.   Bukkake Tears

5.   Gangbang At The Old Folks Home

6.   Ten Strikes You’re Out

7.   The Burden Of Being Wonderful

8.   F@#king My Heart In The Ass

9.   BVS

10. You’re Beautiful When You Don’t Talk

11. If I Was The King

12. She’s On The Rag

Steel Panther has also partnered up with acclaimed LA food truck Grill ‘Em All for a promotion to coincide with the announcement of the release date of All You Can Eat. Grill ‘Em All was the winner of the first season of the Great American Food Truck on the Food Network and is known for their heavy metal themed burgers. The band unveiled the album cover of All You 

Can Eat on the Grill ‘Em All truck and the truck will roam around Los Angeles giving away “The Fat Girl” and the “Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’ Cheeseburger” for free to all Steel Panther fans in Los Angeles. Here is the schedule for the locations of Grill ‘Em All today:

11:00AM – 12:00PM – Origami (1816 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026)

1:00PM – 2:00PM – High Fidelity (1956 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027)

3:00PM – 4:00PM – The Record Parlour  (6408 Selma Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028)

5:30PM – 7:00PM – The Rainbow (9015 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069)

 

Steel Panther was, for a long time, rock’s best-kept secret: a cult legend on the LA scene. But in recent years due to the success of their albums (both debuted at #1 on the Billboard Comedy Album Charts), and live shows, the band has enjoyed huge acclaim from fans and peers alike. Steel Panther has been joined on stage by rock and roll icons such as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Paul Stanley of KISS, Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and Green Day to name a few.  Steel Panther has also been seen on Dancing With The Stars, Bad Girl’s Club and most recently in a national web campaign for Warner Brothers Pictures hit film, Rock Of Ages.

 

http://www.steelpantherrocks.com

THE GROUND BENEATH -“SELF TITLED” CD REVIEW

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1. Choke
2. Say It
3. Signs
4. It’s You
5. Blame
6. The Passing
7. Lost In Me
8. Blind
9. Memphis
10. RLS
11. Back Door Alley Girl
12. Disappear
13. Mine
14. Flounder Piano
15. Burjay

The Ground Beneath is:
Steve Civerolo – Vocals/Electric & Acoustic six & Twelve string guitars, Brian Scott – Drums, Hunter McCoy – Bass guitar

Guest Musicians on “Self Titled”:
Brian Ostrom – Four string bass guitar on “Memphis”, Paul Civerolo – Guest lead electric six string guitar on “Lost In Me” (Paul appears courtesy of Howlin’ Dog Records), Laurie Selby – Cello on “It’s You”/”Blame”/”Not Me” (Laurie appears courtesy of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra), Jonathan “Jonny Law” Jonah – Guest lead vocals on “Burjay” (Jonathan appears courtesy of Rancho Relaxo Records), Rick Fusco & Kenny Davis – gang vocals on “Mine”

     I have had this CD for a couple of weeks now. The official release is going to be on January 17th 2013 at the Launchpad in Albuquerque, NM.

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Let’s get into the CD itself. The Ground Beneath is one of those bands that just plain and simply gets it. Steve Beneath is one hard-working SOB, always at shows, doing radio guest spots, texting about upcoming shows, anything it takes.  That tenacity shows in the latest release from The Ground Beneath “Self Titled”. “Self Titled” is actually the name of the new CD, a little bit of humor from the band.

Let’s get the technical stuff out-of-the-way first. The CD is clean and I mean CLEAN, the production quality is top-notch. The mix is great and the sound is not muddied in any way. Kudos for the guys on their attention to detail. This CD is meant to be played LOUD and is sounds great at those ear bleeding volumes.

Now for the fun stuff! I have been listening to this CD pretty regularly and this just so happens to be my third rewrite of this review. I keep coming back to this CD and discovering more stuff that I like about it. I love it when a band makes music that is inspired by other artists and yet sounds new. Let me explain, I know Steve is inspired by bands like Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society, Pantera, Down, Corrosion of Conformity, HELLYEAH, Strapping Young Lad, Deftones, U2, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Damageplan. You can hear elements from all of these bands in the music and yet it remains distinctly The Ground Beneath.

“Self Titled” is , dare I say, a groovy record. While the world must be obliged with the obligatory single, which is “Blind”, I think the CD needs to be taken as a whole. The flow of the songs is just that good. I actually forget this is a local band out of Albuquerque, New Mexico when I am listening to it. Which leads me to ask “Why isn’t stuff like this being played on national radio?”

Steve handles all of the writing of the lyrics and music which is a testament to his talent. The band as a whole plays the songs that Steve has envisioned with a fervor and passion that will quickly infect you. Steve’s vocal work and guitar skills are right on par with some of the music world best. Brian “Bearface” Scott goes from flat-out pound your skull in drumming to tribal like beats keeping the band anchored with a solid back beat. Hunter McCoy anchors the package together with some bass lines that will have your heart pounding trying to keep up.

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In conclusion “Self Titled” is a record chock full of solid Rock N’ Roll tunes, pinch harmonics, throbbing bass lines, pounding drums, melodic compositions, hypnotic vocals and yes even a cello. Solid 10 out of 10 in my book, definitely a necessity in everyone’s music collection.

it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s THE GROUND BENEATH

– the Hellion

 

What in the F@#K happened to radio?

by

5

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     Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s was a different musical experience than today. Radio was a magical and wonderful friend to many of us, to some it was our best friend. I remember that the “rock” radio stations would play all that fell in to that genre. You would hear it all from ABBA to ZZ Top, and everything in between. The experience was all encompassing and you were exposed to music you might have otherwise never had the chance to hear. I grew to know and love bands from those radio days, I also learned to appreciate a lot of music even though I might not have favored it.

     Radio was a wonderful thing in that the diversity was much greater due to the creative control the DJ’s used to have. The DJ was your friend in music, they were your cool friend that had great music. I loved the fact that the DJ could introduce you to music that they were into. They were your friend that if you were having a bad day, good day, a whatever day, you could call them and request a song to match your mood and they would play it. I would stay up into the wee hours listening and discovering the joy of music and the tidbits of trivia the DJ’s would throw out at us.

        The radio DJ of old was a larger than life character that people admired and envied. They talked to the musicians and sometimes you could call in with your questions as well.  It was all about the music, not sports, not movie stars, not politics, there were talk radio stations for that. There giveaways and contests that were local, I remember winning the entire Queen library on vinyl one time in 1980. There was no “be the 100th national caller” to win.

     Radio, not the internet, not satellite, mp3 players, was truly enjoyable. It was available freely everywhere. Cruising in your car , hanging by the pool, the lake, at a party, or whatever, the radio was a necessity.

     You could hear local bands on the radio as well. It really was a time about the music and the love of it. Radio gave bands a chance to be heard and shared.

     We need to put music back into the ears and lives of the people who love it. There are people out there who think like I do and I know it. I miss the radio stations with the DJ’s with cool names and cool music. I miss being able to listen to the radio and not hear the same 50 songs over and over. I miss the events that the radio stations used to have. I miss it being about the love of music.

     To those DJ’s who were a part of those days, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

      -the Hellion