Lucid is packing up their gear and getting ready to hit the road for a couple of weeks in early May, with stops in Philadelphia PA, Washington D.C., Asheville, Raleigh and Wilmington, NC and more. The band has a new bus (R.I.P. Lucy), a new drummer by the name of Josh West, and tons of new material. Their fourth studio album, Dirt, is set to be available in May.
“We’re just excited to get a little time on the road before the festival season starts,” said vocalist and percussionist Lowell Wurster. “Our summer is as packed as it’s ever been, with festivals all over the northeast… But as soon as the fall comes we’ll be back out there touring again.” Lucid’s anticipated fall tour will also probably be in conjunction with the release of their fifth studio album.
Lucid’s Dirt will be available on Spotify, Last FM, iTunes, Amazon and all of your other favorite online distribution sites. You can catch them live in venues starting in Upstate New York at Rock N Roll Resort on May 1, right on down through North Carolina throughout the beginning of May. Dates announced thus far include:
• 5/1 Rock N Roll Resort in Kerhonkson NY – Electric Set
• 5/2 Rock N Roll Resort in Kerhonkson NY – Acoustic Set
• 5/3 Ortlieb’s in Philadelphia PA
• 5/6 The Calico in Wilmington NC – Acoustic Set
• 5/7 The Calico in Wilmington NC – Electric Set
• 5/8 Southland Ballroom in Raleigh NC – with Orgone and Sophistafunk
• 5/9 One Stop in Asheville NC
• 5/10 The Cave in Chapel Hill NC – with French Broads
Additional announcements are expected in the next day at venues in markets like Washington DC, Vienna VA, Charlotte NC and more. Check out Lucid’s touring schedule online, updated with spring-run dates regularly starting on Monday April 20.
In a business that is constantly changing, few bands can boast that they have had a successful career for more than fifty years. Maintaining a strong fan base and generating new fans throughout the entire course of time, The Beach Boys should absolutely boast of their successes every chance they get. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and being awarded the NARAS’ Lifetime Achievement Award Grammy in 2001, their achievements have not slowed them down from doing what they love most, playing music. Mike Love
The Beach Boys
First making waves in 1961 with their hit song “Surfin’” it didn’t take long for these California teenagers to get signed and record their first album featuring hits such as “Surfin’ Safari” and “Surfer Girl” as well as the B side single of “Surfin’ Safari” – “409”, which incidentally was re-released as the A side later on. To date, the original record showing “409” as the A side has never been found. To all collectors out there, if you have it, don’t let go of it. They quickly followed this album up with “Surfin’ U.S.A.” which became their first Top Ten album going to number three on the charts. With a total of 29 albums, these bandmates have had successful careers both together, and as solo artists, riding the waves with its ups and downs throughout that time period.
NYSMusic had an opportunity to talk with frontman, Mike Love, about his upcoming show at the Turning Stone Casino Showroom April 21, 2015, his career, personal relationships, and what it’s been like to live life as a Beach Boy.
The Beach Boys
Kathy Stockbridge (KS): Thank you so much for speaking to our readers here at NYSMusic.com. We’re really excited to have you here in the Central NY area this week at the Turning Stone Casino. I have been a personal fan for years. I won’t say how many though as that may give away this girls age. You have had an iconic career. Fifty plus years in one of the most legendary bands ever is quite an accomplishment, and very hard to achieve in the music industry today. So congratulations for that. It’s a career you began this many moons ago with your cousins? The Wilsons?
Mike Love (ML): Yes, they are first cousins. Yes, my mom and their dad are brother and sister. My cousin Brian and I are just about a year apart. We grew up together and we actually had a lot of the same experiences that we actually put into songs when we first started to do this. Experiences relevant to southern California.
KS: I can just picture you folks harmonizing together around a piano on holidays? Is that how it came about?
ML: That’s exactly how it was. My mom was, Emily “Glee” Wilson, Murray Wilson’s sister, the father to Brian, Dennis, and Carl. Every birthday, every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, was a really big deal and we would do Christmas carols and whatnot together. Brian and I would get together and go every Wednesday night for Youth Night at the Angeles Mesa Presbyterian Church to sing songs there, and then on the way back to my house from there we would sing Everly Brothers songs and the doo-wop songs back in the late ’50s. So that’s how we got our start through family connections, through family Christmas’, birthday parties, and holidays. My mom was a big music enthusiast. She had recitals of all kinds, she sang in the opera, such as Madam Butterfly and such so we got that influence. We grew up with a grand piano, an organ, and a harp in our living room. That was such an omnipresent aspect of our young lives was music.
KS: That is really cool, and a cool way to grow up having music surround you. Your careers took off in a time that was in such turmoil and civil unrest. However most of your music reflected sunny southern California. Explain to me how your writing stayed so positive in a time of war and civil unrest.
ML: It was a conscious decision that we made, at least on my part. Although there were lots of issues going on during that time. We were all post WWII babies, and there was still attention to the Cold War and we were taught to drop under our desks because the Russians were going to bomb us with A-Bombs. So that type of thing was definitely going on around us but what I chose to do is accent on the positive. And so we sang of the things that were positive in our life and our life style growing up in southern California. Not to far away was the beach so there was surfing, surfer girls, high school experiences. In 1962 we wrote a song “Be True To Your School” and that was all about our high school spirit and the spirit of Friday night football, the cheerleaders, and all that. And how do you get to these places whether it’s school or beach? In southern California things are pretty spread out so you needed a car. We all had our favorite cars, that we ended up acquiring once we started to make some money. So it was cars, and beach life, and school life and of course we did a song in 1965 called Barbara Ann. ‘Went to a dance, lookin’ for romance’ . That became a big hit for us. However it was done original by an east coast group called, The Regents. It became a huge hit for The Beach Boys. We do it every night on our shows. It brings back a lot of memories for our original fans of course, but its amazing how some of these songs resonate with children. I have a 19-year-old daughter that when she was a little toddler would go up to our cd player singing “Ba Ba Ba, Ba, Ba, Bar Ann “. She wanted to hear “Barbara Ann”. She would play that twenty times in a row. So it’s kinda incredible how multiple generations are connecting to The Beach Boys and our sound, (which is primarily harmony), and the subject matter, which we said. Then as we get a little older, we get a little more introspective, then our sounds change like when the “Good Vibrations” came out in 1966 and it went to number one. It was our biggest selling single until Kokomo came along in 1988. So we had a wide range there of feelings and moods and subject matters to work with over those years.
KS: I read that after the JFK assassination you and Brian sat down to write “Warmth of The Sun”. Talk to me about where you were mentally that day as you were writing that song. How did it help you and a whole generation get through some of those difficult times going on around you?
ML: Well actually, the way it happened was, I went to Brian house. He had just recently moved out of his household where he had grown up with his brothers and his mom and dad, The group had just moved out of the home in Hawthorne, CA and had rented a house. I went over to visit him and we started writing this song. It was a very melancholy song, with beautiful harmony, very pretty melody, and I wrote the words to it from the perspective of (it was so melancholy) the loss of a love you’d once had. That the other person didn’t feel the same way any more..and that happens to a lot of us growing up over the years. We went to sleep after writing this beautiful song and we were awakened in the morning with the news that President Kennedy had been taken to the hospital in Dallas.
KS: So it preceded the events of the assassination then? Wow!
ML: It was very eerie knowing that all these feelings while writing this song and I don’t know if we were in tune with an ominous mood to come. We must have finished the song around two or three in the morning and slept until hearing the news that President Kennedy had been taken to the hospital in Dallas the next morning. So that was an enormous shock and we didn’t change the lyrics or anything like that. It’s still about the loss of a love. Although you still have the moment of having felt that way at one time. It was recorded a couple of weeks later actually in the studio. But when we recorded it obviously it was charged with a lot of emotions. When we do that song it takes me back to that time period and still to this day carries a lot of emotion. The song itself is very beautiful and haunting and the harmonies are incredible.
KS: Now speaking of things you recorded around that time, one of them was what has been deemed your “Best Unreleased Album” of all time which was “Smile”. Then the following year you re-worked that album and released “Smiley Smile”. Explain to the readers the story surrounding these two albums.
ML: Well the first one had some great tracks on it and music on it. Then Brian had an experience with LSD, in which he went from being very dynamic and resourceful in the studio to becoming a recluse. When people ask me what is my one biggest regret of The Beach Boys career, it was the influence that drugs had on some of the members. In particular, Brian. So he felt that he couldn’t go forward any more with that particular album, the “Smile” album, so he shelved it. So then we worked on something a lot more lighter, a lot more whimsical and lighter and called it “Smiley Smile”.
KS: You mention that your experiences with drugs or the choice of not using drugs. You actually chose the latter and chose to learn meditation. Talk to me about that. We see the choice today even of doing meditation and/or yoga to eliminate the stresses in life. In the ’60s you had to have been experiencing just as much stress that we do today. And do you still continue today with your meditation?
ML: Yes I do. It’s a choice. You can do things to relax or achieve a high. There’s ways of doing it chemically with drugs or people choose to drink alcohol. The problem is that many of the things people do to escape or just feel better or feel relaxed they have a not so great side effect. So experiencing that, and looking and seeing that happening around me firsthand, it made me appreciate the fact with mediation I could do something that had no negative side effects, just all beneficial, and achieved that deep relaxation is one of the most wonderful things about it to be completely relaxed without any influence of any drug or alcohol or anything like that. And it has no side effects other than you feel good and gives you more energy and creativity and clarity. So that was so obviously to me so much more beneficial than the other paths to relaxation or escape. That it lead me to not only learn TM (Transcendental Meditation) in the summer of 1967, but I was invited by Maharishi to go to India in early 1968. In fact George Harrison and I both had our birthdays (we’re both Pisces) and we both had our birthdays in the spring of 1968 at Marishi’s place in India. Rishikesh, India is where the Ganges comes out of the foot of the mountains…it’s a beautiful spot. And that was a remarkable journey. It was most fascinating to me because we meditated for long hours and then listened to Maharishi lecture virtually every night and sometimes a couple of times a day too. So it was a fascinating period of my life and one that forever gave me the appreciation of the value of meditation.
KS: It sounds surreal. It had to help as you were all on the road and in close confines and you have such stressors from your record label and fans, and having to constantly churn out musical hits one right after another, that I’m sure that this was as assistance to you, especially for your creative side. Did you find it to help stimulate you creatively?
ML: Yes. What it helped me to do is to not get into the pitfalls of drugs and alcohol that was presented to so many people. Not only in the group, but in the world. So when there was a clear decision to be made, are you going to do something life supporting or life damaging. So in the case of “Smile” I was never opposed to the music or the experimental nature of it, or anything like that. In fact there are some brilliant tracks on that, and we all contributed our voices. But what I was very concerned about was the changes I saw occurring in my cousin Brian’s behavior. He became virtually a recluse for a period of time.
KS: That had to be hard to watch occurring.
ML: It was terrible. Because you see the same thing happen to my cousin, Dennis, who passed away in 1983. He had a long struggle with alcohol and just about every drug you could possibly imagine. And to see a guy go from very handsome and vital and viral and active and dynamic on stage to just acting like and looking dissipated and to the point where I believe was the cause of …the reason they say was drowning, but he was under the influence at the time so.
KS: That’s just so sad. And you see that still today with people choosing to use those methods for relaxing and escape. Now changing stream here, I’m kinda curious about this…in 1980 you played a show at the Washington Memorial, but then three years later in 1983 you were not allowed to. What happened? Then in 1984 Nancy Reagan invited you back and you were able to again. What was that all about?
ML: That’s right. That was a fascinating time period when James Watt, who was Secretary of Interior, under the Reagans , a cabinet member, he was head of Secretary of Interior and the Parks Department is a division under that (under the Secretary of Interior) and so he made a decision (James Watt) that rock music wasn’t appropriate for July Fourth. He wanted military bands and I actually think he actually had Wayne Newton come out that day…
KS: Not to say Wayne Newton isn’t American, but come on, rock and roll and The Beach Boys can’t get much more American to me.
ML: As you had pointed out, we had done July Fourth concerts prior to that and they went over great, with hundred of thousands of people came out, and so when we were able to come back it was incredible. In fact one year we played Philadelphia in the afternoon and Washington DC in the evening. And we played to over a million and a half people on one day. It’s a Guinness Book of Records kind of thing.
KS: That’s so karmic, to be banned and then the following year have more than a million people come to see you.
ML: Nancy Reagan could not have been nicer. And Ronald Reagan just made fun of the whole thing, and treated it all as a funny joke. So Nancy was very very sweet and always has been. I got an award early last year called “The Ella Award”, named after Ella Fitzgerald. A lot of people have gotten that award, i.e. Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, a lot of great singers and such. I was given the honor to receive that award, and Nancy Reagan made a little recording to be played that evening to congratulate me. So even many years later she’s still be so very kind and sweet towards me and towards the group.
KS: How sweet…she is amazing! As we fast forward to your career in the 1980’s I have to tell ya that “Kokomo” is one of my all time favorite songs. As you mentioned before, you have collected new fans as the generations evolved and talk me a little about how you regenerated yourselves into a whole new generation?
ML: It wasn’t a conscious effort to go after a new generation of fans, it just so happens that The Beach Boys music appeals to all ages. It’s a pretty awesome thing that people will tell us, people we just meet at concerts and meet & greets, they’ll tell us that younger generations have their music, and that’s always so. When I was growing up we had Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis, and all the doo-wop groups. And our parents had the type of music that preceded that time such as the big bands, the Andrew Sisters, the Mills Brothers, and all those of that generation. So every successive generation their people who are coming out with music that appeals to them and are the most popular groups of the day. But the thing that is remarkable about The Beach Boys is grandparents like The Beach Boys as well as children and everybody in between. So that is a pretty phenomenal achievement. It’s not a conscious achievement, it’s just that our music with the melodies and the harmonies which is what distinguishes The Beach Boys from so many others, are just so compatible. And then the subject matter appeals to the older people from the standpoint from the nostalgic point of view, but for the youngsters they are experiencing some of the things that we sang about in the earlier records. In Kokomo goes “Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya, Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama”, well it could be the older guy saying let’s get in the RV and go to Florida or it could be the young child thinking that his mom is a pretty momma.
KS: Yes, it’s upbeat, it’s positive, that’s what makes it appeal to them.
ML: Yes, the chorus has an appeal to multiple generations right across the board which is very cool. And I pat myself on the back because I came up with that chorus.
KS: Well, I have to say well deserved because you did good. One of my favorites. You’ve had a lot of other stars cross over to do some remakes of your songs, Fat Boys did “Wipe Out”, Van Halen did “California Girls”. If you had an opportunity to go on the CMT show “Cross Roads”, who would you love to perform opposite with on there?
ML: Bruno Mars. I love his brand of entertainment because he reminds me a lot of James Brown.
KS: Love Bruno Mars, and I can see that.
ML: His total R&B thing, he does ballads just as well, and rock, and he has a great band. So I would love to collaborate with him.
KS: That would be a great one!
ML: There are plenty of great singers every generation, and sometimes music or the way it’s produced or the subject matter doesn’t appeal to everyone but we’ve been fortunate enough that our stuff has been given a bit of respect by successive generations for five decades now.
KS: You had the foresight to purchase the name or license the name “Beach Boys”. Were you always the business savvy one in the bunch?
ML: Well no, I didn’t purchase the name. What it was I was given the license to travel as The Beach Boys, and Bruce Johnson and I do that. Brian has pursued a solo career for many years, for the last 15 or more years, and he goes as Brian Wilson as I continued on with The Beach Boys as I have done since the beginning.
KS: Now you folks had the opportunity to come back together in 2011/12 to record a new album and celebrated a 50th Anniversary Tour for a set number of scheduled events. At the end of that you all once again disbanded and went on your own separate ways again. Do you foresee any other reunions in the near future? Do you want to dispel any rumors that may be floating out there about your not continuing on together?
ML: Well, there were a lot of things that were not done according to the agreements we had that left a not so great impression on me to the point where it suffices to say that the tour was great, from the standpoint of the original fans got to see us all together, those of us the remaining members, but there is no intention to do anything like that again at this point and time.
KS: Well you are a Grammy Award winner of a Lifetime Achievement Award, you are an inductee in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, what’s on the horizon for you? What would you love to accomplish still?
ML: Well, I’ve been writing a lot of music over the last several years and we’re looking for ways to let that music to see the light of the day. So that’s been something that we’ve been hoping to accomplish over the next several months. So, there’s plenty to do. We continue to tour, we did 142 shows last year.
KS: That’s a big tour schedule. Wow! Will I get to hear some of the new music at your show this week at the Turning Stone Showroom?
ML: The song “Pisces Brothers” which I wrote as a reminiscence of George Harrison and the time we spent in India for our birthdays in 1968, we do that in our shows. So that’s one of the newer things. And people seem to really like it.
KS: I can’t wait to hear it, especially since I have an understanding of the back story to accompanies it. I have to thank you so much again for taking the time to speak to me today. It was truly an honor.
As our interview concluded I could see why their music had touched so many during the 60’s and how it continued to span numerous generations. Throughout the 60’s when so many were writing and singing about how to make love not war, The Beach Boys continued to sing about the things that made our country great, the simple things in life during times of sadness and fear. It wasn’t because it didn’t effect them too, as it so clearly did. They just chose to take the positive approach in their writing. It suited them I believe. It suited their voices and harmonies. Mike Love had a positive attitude about life. I could hear it in his voice as he shared about his times in India. It made me want to look into this beautiful place he and George Harrison visited. I also heard the sadness in his voice when he cautiously spoke of the drug problems that faced his cousins. They are his family. They were childhood friends. But what rang out loud and clear though was the love he had for both his music and his fans throughout a career of 50+ years, and the excitement about his new music and sharing the one song especially about a time that truly was a life changing event for him. He very well could have gone a different path in life, however he didn’t. He chose to take the positive approach to making his life and career the best experiences possible. He continues to do this still today.
While researching different articles over the years about The Beach Boys, putting together questions I wanted to ask Mike (which I must add were so numerous I couldn’t possibly burden him in one interview to learn everything) I came across what seemed to be a thread of negativity. I found articles on problems he and his cousins had. I came across criticisms of his acceptance speech at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And I came across half written stories of speculation about the 50th reunion tour and why they didn’t remain together. As a journalist we want to have a sensational story full of juicy tidbits that the next reporter didn’t get. We want that scoop. And after speaking with Mike I believe I did just that. I got that juicy story no one else seemed to write about. I got to hear the feelings behind the voice. These young men were not only a band, they were a family in every sense of the word. The voice I heard didn’t depict any animosity or any ill will or any negativity at all. The voice I heard carefully chose his words wondering if they would be twisted into meaning something totally different that one day he would have to explain in another interview. The voice I spoke with wanted to share how The Beach Boys were a great band that made great music during a time of ill will and despair. They were family and friends that came together to sing in perfect harmony during a time we needed harmony the most. And they still today sing in harmony, whether on the same stages or not, they still share their love of music with those that love their music, and it was apparent..they hold each other in high regard. So there’s your scoop folks, for every story, there’s always another viewpoint to those words that are written. From my viewpoint, this is the story that needs to be written. A story of the music, the family, the love from Mike Love.
Join Mike Love and Bruce Johnson, together with their amazing band as they play The Turning Stone Showroom April 21, 2015. Tickets can be purchased at The Turning Stone Box Office or online at http://www.turningstone.com/entertainment/the-showroom.
It has only been a couple of years since Sprocket was just a trio playing dingy basement bars in front of a mix of music fans and drunk NYU students. They have since rounded out the band to a quartet and worked their way through the growing pains that any up and coming band goes through. Sprocket proves that with the right combination of musical chops and hard work, you can go places. Last year, Thomas Thompkins (guitar), Dan Haller (bass), Nate Rosler (drums), and Angelo Milliano (keyboards) released their first LP Tropical Bushwick, and this week Sprocket will play its first show at Brooklyn Bowl, the band’s largest venue to date after playing every venue along the way Wicked Willy’s, Arlene’s Grocery, The Bitter End, SPiN, and Fontana’s Bar just to name a few. Following this gig, Sprocket will be touring the festival circuit before heading north to the windy city for a very special GD50 after show on July Fourth. Sprocket answered some questions about the growing pains in getting to this critical point in their evolution:
Sprocket will be accompanied by Gowanus and The Mantras at Brooklyn Bowl April 21 8pm, you can purchase tickets here.
Graig Adler: Being a NYC-based band, getting to play Brooklyn Bowl is a major milestone, what is the worst venue you’ve played?
Sprocket: Not naming any names, but we had one show where the sound guy started unplugging our equipment with 15 minutes left in our set. He apologized profusely, but apparently, there was a burlesque DJ show that “had to start on time” for a bachelor party, the room cleared out and we never went back on.
GA: Last year you put out your first EP Tropical Bushwick, what did you learn from this process? What will you do differently next time? Do you have another album in the works?
Sprocket: We recorded Tropical Bushwick ourselves, in our studio, in two months, for zero dollars. It was an incredibly rewarding process, and we feel like we got a great product out of it. We’re all really proud of that accomplishment, and I think the album captures where we were as a band at that point in time. I think one big lesson that we learned is how much we could actually accomplish when we set a goal for ourselves and really worked our asses off to make it happen. Next time around, we all want to be able to take a little more time with the process, to really focus on capturing a greater depth of sound that is representative of where our music has evolved over the last year.
GA: Sprocket originally started as a three-piece band, then added a keys player after the fact. How has this changed the bands reach and overall playing style?
Sprocket: In addition to Angelo being a great player and songwriter, we have a richer harmonic palate available now with him in the band, there are more options available to us. With another harmonic instrument in the mix, it makes each of us able to lay back a little more, and use the interplay between the instruments. We also have a lot more nicknames between us.
GA: Is there one band member that writes most of the original music and compositions, or is it done as a group effort? Who writes the setlists for each show?
Sprocket: We all participate in writing music. Sometimes one of us brings a fully composed song to the group, and we work to add a little bit of flavor to each of our individual parts, and sometimes someone will come with their part and a melody, and we all work to build around that. Then there are songs that we have written together as a band, in the moment. Setlists are generally a group effort, and we try to put thought into each one that we create, taking into account where we’re playing and for whom, and what special or new things that we want to do at each show. Of course, once we get on stage, audibles are often called, but we try to build a set that will flow with the energy of the night. If the crowd’s energy takes us in a different direction, then you have to be ready to roll with the punches.
GA: Sprocket has a show coming up at the Hard Rock Chicago over July Fourth weekend. Will this be the biggest Sprocket show to date? This has to be a great honor; how excited is the band for this gig?
Sprocket: The July 4th show is definitely our biggest show to date. July Fourth, at the Hard Rock Café, in Chicago, after one of the most important shows in our scene’s history. We’re all giddy looking forward to it. Just thinking about what the scene is going to be like in Chicago that weekend is not only exciting, but it’s also inspiring to a young band that is trying to aspire to bigger things. July Fourth weekend is proof positive that the kind of music that we want to play can create an incredible movement of people and that’s seriously inspiring.
GA: What festivals will Sprocket be playing this summer? Is there one you are most excited about?
Sprocket: We’re really excited to tap into the festival scene this year, and we’re going to have a good slate ahead of us with sets at Rock and Roll Resort, Moondance Meltdown, Pink Moon Festival and a few others. As for which one we’re most excited about, we’re always most excited about the next one up, so in this case that would be Rock and Roll Resort on May 1st.
What can be better than seeing two of Syracuse’s favorite bands, Castle Creek and Country Swagg? Just follow them up with country’s newest favorite bad boy, Tyler Farr, and you’ve got one hell of a rocking show.
Opening the show this evening was Sammy Award winners Castle Creek, whose soulful rock sound reverberated throughout the venue as they played both original music and covers. Their cover of the Beatles “Come Together” mashed up with Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in The Wall” was hands down one of the best covers I have ever heard! Having seen both Kim Monroe and Chris Eves play once before at a local festival, I looked forward to once again catching their set and congratulating them on their new award.. Blown away yet again, I sat there trying to pinpoint a reference of sorts to describe them to my readers. At a loss for adjectives that described their style, I feel as though perhaps certain influences of musical greats such as Bonnie Rait, Johnny Cash, Jack White, Pat Benetar, Muddy Waters, and so many others could very well have helped to direct their musical style. Their distinctive uniqueness melded together perfectly while one never over shadowing the other at all. This deserves mentioning as they both display such very strong vocals and instrumentation. The fact that they can play and sing the same instruments simultaneously without becoming one sound and over powering the other is what makes their sound so unique, so soulful, so bluesy, and gets to me every time I see them. Just love them.
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Country Swag, took the stage next. Was the first time I saw this band and was thoroughly impressed by lead singer Mike Johnson who sings lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Gabe Infantino on bass, Tim Horst on lead guitar and Rob Trout on drums. Belting out rocking covers together with a few originals they certainly had the crowd warmed up by the time the main act took the stage. Appropriately named…they brought some foot stomping, party rocking, swag to the stage and had the crowd primed for the main event.
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As Tyler Farr took the stage, he welcomed everyone to and joked with the crowd there at the FShed. Yes, I too wonder Tyler what the “F” could stand for. I can speculate…but sometimes mysteries are much more fun. Having covered this band before I am always impressed with Tyler’s stage presence and interactions with his audience.
Appealing to all audiences members, don’t let his sexy raspy voice fool you in thinking he’s just another good ole boy singing country music. Well, he is a good ole country boy, however, he’s much more than what you see on the surface. This good ole boy enjoys his hunting, four wheeling, and fishing for sure, but what fans may not know though is that he is also a classically trained opera singer. Studying music throughout high school and college while attending Missouri State University, Tyler’s talent is far-reaching beyond what you see on stage. He also surrounds himself with some of the best musicians in the business as well. His traveling family consists of Tracy Goode on bass, Mark Poiesz on drums, Gary Jannaman on electric guitar and Dirk Weaver on acoustic guitar. These four guys round out the Tyler Farr experience bringing down the house each and every time. Playing all sides of the stage and taking the time to say hello to fans, are just a few of the things I love about Tyler’s band. The are fan friendly and approachable. Oh, and I love photographing them. I may or may not have numerous photos of Gary’s spiky hair. What?!! He’s a fun subject and his hair is rocking!!
Tyler Farr – FShed Syracuse
The one thing I’ve noticed about Tyler’s shows, he’s extremely personal with his fans giving them a new show each and every time. He makes his audiences part of the show whether it’s through conversation or just coming out into the audience and shaking hands and taking selfies. With a similar set list night after night, he has a way of making each show unique to each audience. As he performed a mix of rock and roll country hits throughout the night, it was his acoustic numbers that truly impressed me. He gave the audience a glimpse into his vocal range in numbers such as “Hello Goodbye”. Then there was Mark’s drum solo. I’m leaving it at that..trust me it’s a must see. #spoilalert #awesome The entire show flew by before I knew it, and although I have seen him now three times, it’s still a new show each and every time he comes to town. Pretty remarkable feat.
So in summary I wonder myself Mr. Tyler Far what the F stands for. Perhaps it was for the full venue of fans. Perhaps it was the folksy, bluesy sound that Castle Creek brought to the stage. Perhaps it was the foot stomping rocking set Country Swag performed warming the stage for you. Maybe it stands for your fan friendly disposition you and your band share with fans, demonstrating your appreciation for their support. However, I think it was a combination of all of those things that made the entire evening fantastic. Whatever the F stands for, Tyler FARR brought the party, and we all had FUN at the FShed.
Misery Kills (formally called Misery) is a metal band from the Long Island/New York City area that I never heard of until a couple of weeks ago when I caught a few metal shows down there while visiting family. Bassist Joe LoCasto, who plays in Misery Kills, also plays in a band with Joey Z of Life Of Agony called Zire’s War. After having the pleasure of witnessing Zire’s War, Joe LoCasto told me to check out Misery Kills, so after receiving their album My Ugly Insides, I had high expectations for this album, after listening to this album, I was not disappointed.
The album starts of with an instrumental intro entitled “Eight FortySix Thirty” then blazes into a devastating track called “Eyes Wide Open.” And when you hear the evil screeching roars of vocalist John LoCasto combined with dual guitars of Corey Schaefer and Duane Conlon, you know that this band means business. To top it off the bone crushing tracks from drummer Scott Borrero aided with underlying bass of Joe LoCasto gives this band a unique chemistry. The best way to describe the sound of this band…remember the circle charts from elementary school? Picture three interlocking circles representing three bands: Lamb Of God, Coal Chamber, and Agnostic Front. The gray area that the three bands I just mentioned share is what Misery Kills and this album reminds me of.
Now back to the album. The track that I fell in love with is “Poltroon.” That song makes me want to stomp someone the hell out, a great feel good aggressive song. Every track is solid, thrashy, and to the point. The quality and mixing of this album sounds retro, which I believe that producer Joey Z (Life Of Agony, Zire’s War) was going for when he was putting the finishing touches on this album.
The next track that gets me going has to be “Kills My Day,” it’s the fastest and most vulgar track on the album, it’s very blue-collar with no-nonsense. Right after that, the guitar work on the following two tracks “Sick Around You” and “White Trash” is absolutely top-notch. This band grabs you by the collar and makes you listen…and trust me, you will be hooked.
Towards the end of the album, you are graced with the track “Give Em Hell” which is a foot stomping anthem with catchy hooks and nasty breakdowns , then My Ugly Insides ends with the title track which is the cherry on the bloody sundae that this band serves. It’s a very appropriate and dark song to cap off to what is in my opinion, a very solid metal album from a very hard-working band. I was happy this band reached out to me, so do your ears, mind, body, and soul a favor and pick up this album.
You can purchase My Ugly Insideshere. Check out the track “13 Miles” below.
Short and sweet, this newly released four track EP Stereochrome is full of the uplifting soulful sounds that we’ve come to expect from Turkuaz. A self proclaimed “funk army” it’s obvious from the get-go that their mission is to get you on your feet.
The first track, “The Fader” is high energy and completely instumental, reminicent of a stripped down James Brown song. The other three songs are full of meaningful lyrics and well-timed harmonies. The two female vocalists Sammi Garet and Shira Elias really shine throughout the EP, especially on “Tiptoe Through The Crypto” where Elias’sultry voice adds an authentic richness.
Sterochrome is like a revival of the ghost of funktown’s past. With their influences varying from Sly and the Family Stone to Parliament, Turkuaz excels at adding a refreshing take on an older, homegrown style. If you want to catch them live, they’re playing various dates around the Northeast in the coming weeks.
When I learned that a new venue in Camden, Nicole’s of Camden, would be featuring a Zac Brown Tribute Band (ZBTB), I knew I had to take the drive to check out this new venue and this cover band. So glad I did. The venue is amazing. Nicole’s of Camden offers great acoustics and awesome lighting with plenty of space to dance. For a small venue it’s the perfect setting for bands and attendees to enjoy enough room to dance and play comfortably. The completely revamped restaurant/bar offers patrons the perfect spot for a night out. With a full menu and bar, I highly recommend you taking a drive to Camden to take in one of their many shows and some good eats.
Every once in a while you just need a dose of your favorite bands live? What do you do if they are in the studio recording, or touring overseas, or just not coming anywhere within earshot of you? You do the next best thing, you catch a cover band.
Zac Brown Tribute Band – Nicole’s of Camden
Every musical photojournalist has a “bucket list” of sorts. This list includes the names of bands that they must cover as well as ones if they come to town they would like to cover. The difference between the two lists is simple. The must cover shows will include ungodly amounts of travel, with little to no sleep for the following day, only to stand on a bucket and shoot 30 seconds of a song, to capture a shot they hope when cropped, is still in focus and not too pixellated. The ones they would like to cover require less travel, usually no bucket is involved, and if they are tired they may just miss it if they have something pressing the next day at their day job. I’m happy to say that I have had the opportunity to check a few off my must cover list. However, there is one band still on my list I’m hoping to check it off real soon. Until then, a good cover will suffice. What band would I be referring to? Well the Zac Brown Band my friends.
Zac Brown Band
We all love them. Since the first time we heard “Chicken Fried”, we’ve tapped out toes and raised a glass to “salute the ones who died, those ones that gave their lives, so we don’t have to sacrifice all the things we love; like our chicken fried”. Come on, you know the words, don’t be shy. Well this may have been the first song that captured my attention, but what held it has been the diverse mix of music they’ve created since that first tune hit the charts. There’s something unique about the Zac Brown Band that makes them so very special. I love their blend of sounds. This mix of Caribbean flare with country bluegrass, and a touch of seventies and eighties rock gives them their unique sound. It hooked me and keeps me on the line following them as they amass their catalog of music and fans worldwide.
Opening the evening were locals Mad River Junction. This band brought the party with their renditions of some Stray Cats, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom Petty, and Johnny Cash. Any band that plays Stevie Ray Vaughn gets my automatic stamp of approval. Describing themselves as the love child of Cyndi Lauper and Muddy Waters, who ultimately is raised by Prince, Neil Young, and Bret Michaels, I totally can see that love child(ren) becoming Mad River Junction. Kudos to band members, or love children, Matt Chalifoux on drums/percussion, Nick Pulizzi, on guitar and vocal, Greg Owens on guitar, bass, and vocals. And Kenny “The Demon” Swavely on harmonica. Really enjoyed this set.
As the ZBTB took the stage and began to play, it was crystal clear that this cover band recognized the one key quality that makes the original Zac Brown Band special, the individual instrumentation brought to the sound by each original band member. The ZBTB recognized how to replicate that sound and bring their audiences the musical magic they would expect to see from their beloved original band by providing a full band to back up some amazing vocals. Pete Frank fronts the group with his spot on vocals and acoustic guitar. If you closed your eyes, you would be hard pressed to tell a difference. I was super impressed. Joining him on vocals and guitar was Matthew Stephens who rocked the crowd as he shredded some amazing Metallic “Enter Sandman” towards the end of the evening, setting the crowd over the top. For those of you that know me well know I’m a sucker for a fiddle, and Mike Kedley is one of the best in the state. Joining in on fiddle and vocals, Mike brings that down home country bluegrass sound you come to expect from the Zac Brown Band. Also on vocals and guitar we had Jeremy Laursen who with his harmonies take these songs to a new level. On that background beat we had Tim Hull on bass, and Joey Saliceti on keyboards pounding out the tunes and undertones. And keeping the whole lot of the bunch in time we had Danny Roelle on drums/percussion. With this full band playing Zac Brown favorites such as “Knee Deep”, “Sweet Annie”, “Whatever It Is”, and “As She’s Walking Away”, I felt as though my need for a bit of Zac Brown Band was satiated by this cover band, and could totally fill my need any time I couldn’t see the real deal.
ZBTB – Nicole’s of Camden
Starting their set list with Zac Brown Band favorites and covering some of the most popular covers the band played two full sets of music covering all of my personal favorites and then a few more. Dancing the night away was a full house of patrons who concurred with my sentiments fully. Overall, I wholeheartedly gave a thumps up to this cover band for doing the original Zac Brown Band justice and suggest you check them out soon in a venue near you.
Set 1
Natural Disaster Let It Rain
The Wind
No Hurry
Let It Go
Midnight Rider
As She’s Walking Away
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Jump Right In
Ants Marching/Frankenstein Whiskey’s Gone
Sweet Annie
Make This Day
All Alright
Can’t You See
Times Like These
Colder Weather
Toes
Set 2
We’re An American Band Day For The Dead Comfortably Numb
Knee Deep
Settle Me Down
Whatever It Is
Keep Me In Mind
Sic ‘Em On A Chicken
One Way Out
Highway 20 Ride
Enter Sandman
Free/Into The Mystic
Chicken Fried
Uncaged/Kashmir/Devil Went Down To Georgia Killing In The Name
New Jersey’s Screaming Females may have started as a punk rock band, but they currently are just a rock band.
But not “just”, they have distilled the mere essence of rock, consumed it, and ooze it out of their every being. The rhythm section powers through every tune like their lives depend on it, which I suppose they do in a way. Abbate’s bass work is melodic yet driving. Dougherty’s drumming is not needlessly flashy, but tight and controlled with just the right bounce. Paternoster’s guitar work is nothing short of phenomenal. The riffs. Oh my god the riffs. These are riffs that cannot possibly be written. They already exist somewhere to be discovered, and she has discovered them, somehow, somewhere. Guitars exist so these can be played. Her solos explode from her guitar seemingly effortlessly. Her singing feels a little forced, but in the best possible way. It’s like she is creating a voice that is not her own, simply because it is the perfect voice to accompany the music.
“First and foremost we want to make the show as good as it can be.”—Marissa Paternoster, guitar and lead vocals
“The reason for us to go on tour is to go play music.”—Jarrett Dougherty, drums
“If you’re going to be in a band you should want to play shows, right? I mean what the hell is the point if you’re not going to play?”—Michael Abbate, bass (Quotes taken from Noisey’s recent tour documentary)
Midway through their hourlong set Saturday night at the Bug Jar, a ragged and sweaty man collapsed against the wall next to me, hunched over with his arm on his head. I thought he might collapse, or perhaps be messed up on too much drugs. After asking if he was ok, he looked up at me, smiled, and assured me he was just exhausted. He caught his breath, and seconds later jumped back into the maddening mass of people. The club was acting as one organism, pulsating in and out, back and forth, bodies knocking against each other with reckless abandon. When you left the show that night, you had the sweat of a dozen other people dripping off your skin. The line between the stage and the crowd was blurred, the audience regularly pushing past the edge of the stage. Paternoster took a couple of solos leaning out while the crowd supported her, once in a full-out crowd surf. And Abbate, at once point, called up a friend from the audience, quickly taught him the bass line, handed over his guitar, and then ran out into the crowd to see how it was on the other side, jumping around and screaming, like a fan of his own band. Later he exuberantly lead us in the post set encore chant. The band was having as much fun as the audience, our energies were equalized, the entire room was one.
Screaming Females yearn to put on the best possible show every night. On this night, I can confirm, they damn well succeeded.
Monophonic, by definition, means consisting of one sound, yet Monophonics, a six-piece band from San Francisco, are anything but monophonic. They call their style of music “Psychedelic Soul.” That’s exactly how to describe their newest album, Sound of Sinning, which draws from the rich history of the Bay Area’s music scene and mixes it with the sounds of Motown and southern soul.
Listening to Sound of Sinning, you will think it was recorded 45 years ago. The album starts off with a nod to the psychedelic garage rock of the ’60s. “Lying Eyes” mixes smooth harmonies, reminiscent of The Byrds, with a raspy belting chorus. The remainder of the album is very much that “Psychedelic Soul” sound, bringing together psychedelic sounds with R&B, soul, and funk in a perfect union. The title track sounds as though Aretha Franklin was performing with The Zombies as her backup band while “Hanging On” brings back memories of The Supremes. The album closes out with the mostly instrumental “Everyone’s Got…,” layering vocal harmonies over a catchy rhythm and psychedelic melodies similar to The Beatles’ “Revolution 9.” Lyrically, this album speaks of heartbreak, broken promises, and lies – the sound of sinning.
Monophonics are currently on tour, finishing up a run through the northeast before they head south and then west to California, followed by a handful of shows in western Europe. They will play Buffalo’s Iron Works with Wild Adriatic on Thursday, April 16 and then they head east to Rochester on April 17, to play The Club at Water Street.
Al Bell, record producer and co-owner of the legendary Stax Records, calls them “One of the best live soul bands I have ever seen!” Sound of Sinning can be purchased through their Artist Stores page. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Key Tracks: Lying Eyes, Sound of Sinning, Find My Way Back Home
On Saturday April 18, Natalie “Chainsaw” Cressman will grace the stage at the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club with her full band and blend of jazz, funk, and just the right touch of indie rock. With her own band she showcases her songwriting and composing talents highlighted by beautiful vocals and stellar trombone play. Natalie Cressman has taken cues from band leaders such as Trey Anastasio and Peter Apfelbaum to assemble an amazing line-up of musicians behind her. Calling on some of her most trusted friends and colleagues certainly makes it easier for this band of young up and coming musicians to click and fire on all cylinders.
You can purchase tickets for Natalie Cressman Band April 18 at the Blue Note Jazz Club here.
Natalie Cressman took some time out of her busy schedule, which includes multiple bands, duets, side projects, sit-ins, and baking to answer some questions about her current project, her influences and her upcoming show at The Blue Note:
Graig Adler: How would you describe your current project? Who are the members of the Natalie Cressman Band?
Natalie Cressman: The music is definitely an eclectic mix of styles, both old and very new. Anyone who knows me knows I have a love for a crazy range of music, from Brazilian choro to Kendrick Lamar. As a result, my music pulls from elements of established traditions including jazz and world music, but fused with more modern soundscapes it becomes something entirely new and somewhat uncategorizable. My bandmates are some of my best friends, and also some of the most brilliant musical minds I have ever encountered. The band usually consists of Ivan Jackson (trumpet, vocals), James Casey (tenor sax, vocals) though unfortunately he won’t be with us on Saturday, Samora Pinderhughes (keys) who I’ve been playing music with since we were 10 years old, Mike Bono (guitar), Jonathan Stein (bass), and Mark Whitfield Jr. (drums).
GA: Where do you draw your influences from for this project?
NC: Everywhere from rhythmic traditions of the african diaspora, jazz, soul, funk, and indie rock. There’s a density and layering of elements so on one hand it’s really accessible but layered with harmonic and rhythmic depth that I think makes us really unique.
GA: Are you writing most of the music yourself?
NC: I write all the songs and arrange them myself, but each band member infuses the music with their own personality and tastes, so they definitely have a huge creative impact on the sound too.
GA: There was an obvious evolution from Unfolding to Turn The Sea , especially in your vocals, how have you evolved since? Do you have a new album in the works, how will it be different from the first two.
NC: I think I’ve developed a lot as a songwriter even since Turn the Sea, because I’ve been cultivating my original voice without relying quite so much on certain elements that come naturally to me because of my jazz background, such as having a lot of moving chord changes. I’m trying to be really deliberate with my musical choices and I think that awareness is changing the way I write. The other big thing that’s changed is that I’m getting more into the production side of things. I’m working on a new EP that will be wildly different because it’ll be a combination of live instruments and electronic-based productions, that in my opinion heighten emotional impact of my songs. But it’s still music from my very eclectic point of view, with my horn writing, so it’s not departing from what I’ve done previously, merely developing it further.Turn the Sea sort of hinted at this direction but now I’m embracing it whole-heartedly.
GA: Of all the different groups and projects you are currently involved in, besides your own, which are you most excited about?
NC: I’m excited about so many different projects, but at the moment I’m most excited about playing in Peter Apfelbaum’s S P A R K L E R!! He is one of my favorite composers and I love the wildly creative nature of this band, plus I get to rap and play bass on some of our tunes! I also love playing with Jesus on the Mainline, such a fun band with some of my favorite people. We have a show this month at Brooklyn Bowl and we’re pumped.
GA: What festivals will you be performing at this summer? Is there one that you are most excited about?
NC: I’m excited to return to Burlington’s Jazz Fest with my band in June, we love playing up there. Besides that, I’ll be in Europe for a bunch of the summer so actually am missing a lot of the big festivals. But I am probably most excited to be playing Catskill Chill w/ my band for the first time, as we haven’t done many jam-centric festivals at this point. I think people will dig what we bring to the table. Not exactly a festival, but I’m really stoked about the super jam in Chicago post-GD50 that also happens to be on my birthday. The line-up is bananas, it’s gonna be so dope.
GA: We know you have been playing the trombone since a very young age, can you play any other instruments?
NC: I play some piano and electric bass, and am just picking up guitar. I can also play trumpet and tuba pretty terribly.
GA: It is becoming well-known you bake recreationally, will there be “Chainsaw Cookies” for sale at the Blue Note?
NC: Unfortunately, I have a feeling that my bake sale won’t fly at The Blue Note merch booth, so no “Chainsaw Cookies” this time around. But I am considering opening an Etsy page for my “bakery,” as an outlet for my baking obsession….
GA: One of your most popular performances from last year was when TAB covered Ana Tijoux’s “1977”, how did that come about? Do you speak Spanish or any other languages?
NC: I think Trey got the idea when one of his daughters played the song while they were driving around in his car. He just got this crazy idea for us to cover it and called me up. And I never like saying no to his crazy ideas because most of them turn out to be awesome. So I got to work learning the song at half-speed, line by line, until I could do it. I speak French fluently and a bit of Portuguese, and I’ve sung in Spanish and Portuguese a bunch growing up, so I think Trey thought rapping wouldn’t be any different. But it took me a loooonnnng time to get that rap down.
GA: Being such a young band leader what have you learned from working with Trey Anastasio in TAB?
NC: I’ve learned about a million things from Trey about being a bandleader but some of his most impressive qualities are his boundless creative energy, positivity, and work ethic. He wakes up at the crack of dawn almost everyday and gets straight to work on various ideas and projects. One quote he’s passed on to me that I’ve really taken to heart was from his old music teacher, who used to say “It’s so good it should be even better.” That concept of forever revising and improving on one’s craft made a huge impact on me, and that’s really reflective of Trey’s super-human work ethic.
ew York City area that I never heard of until a couple of weeks ago when I caught a few metal shows down there while visiting family. Bassist Joe LoCasto, who plays in Misery Kills, also plays in a band with Joey Z of 
Monophonic, by definition, means consisting of one sound, yet 
