The Raskins: Brothers in arms (Part 1)

New York City retro-rock siblings do it their way
By Peter Lindblad

The Raskins - The Raskins 2014

When the major labels started sniffing around New York City retro rock ‘n’ roll animals The Raskins, they said, “Thanks, but no thanks. We’re good.”

At one time, long ago, they would have jumped at their offers, but like another Big Apple icon, the Chairman of the Board Frank Sinatra, twins Logan and Roger are set on doing things their way, and it’s gotten them pretty far. So, they turned them away.

“It’s funny, when my brother and I kind of finished all our videos, we finished doing the web site, we finished recording the record, everything was done, our fan base was growing leaps and bounds – all of a sudden, we started getting all these record deals,” Logan related. “I was in my attorney’s office, and he goes, ‘You know, you’ve got six major labels wanting to sign you guys right now – six!’ He put four contracts right in front of me, dropped them on the deck. He goes, ‘There you go. Four major labels want to sign you guys. What do you guys want to do?’”

Taken aback by all the sudden record label attention they were getting, The Raskins’ heads were swimming, and they needed some objective advice.

“And I said, ‘Well, if I’d have been younger, I’d have been freaking out,’” said Logan. “And I said, ‘As my attorney, what do you advise us to do?’ And he said, ‘Well, as your attorney, I advise you to do it all yourselves. You don’t need them. You don’t need those labels for anything. Why would you want to give away everything you’ve done and give away all that control, give all that power, everything you guys have worked for? You guys have done it all on your own to this point.’ He goes, ‘You’ve got it.’ He goes, ‘You have it all. Don’t give it away.’”

An honest-to-goodness DIY success story – of which there are precious few these days – The Raskins have been surrounded by music their whole lives. Their father, Tommy, was a Broadway singer who appeared in such shows as “West Side Story, “ “Oklahoma” and “South Pacific,” among others, and their mother, Judith, known in the entertainment community as Judith Lee, was a jazz singer of some renown.

Successful forays into the world of making music for TV and film helped The Raskins make a name for themselves, but in recent years, they've felt a tug to break out of that box and perform for the masses their own uniquely New York-style rock 'n' roll, an exciting, punched-up blend of singer-songwriter pop, the gritty, sleazy proto-punk of the New York Dolls and The Stooges and sophisticated classic rock clothed in tight black jeans, black leather and spiked hair and brimming with attitude.

Cover for The Raskins'
single "We Had It All"

Their self-titled debut album dropped in May, which includes the red-hot single "We Had It All," while the duo was on tour supporting ex-Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver front man Scott Weiland. Soon, they will embark on another jaunt with modern-rock heavyweights Saving Abel, and the day before this interview, they got even bigger news. We'll let Logan talk about it in Part 1 of our Q&A with these rising stars. 

How did you get on the Scott Weiland tour?

Logan Raskin: Well, you know, we have an album coming out May 13. So our management and our label over Sony/Red obviously they’re looking to get us on to the biggest tours possible that are going out this summer, and the Scott Weiland tour was one of the opportunities that came across their desk for us, and of course, they had asked my brother and I how we would feel about going out with Scott Weiland, and you know, Scott Weiland is a big influence on my brother and I. Our musical styles, I feel, are very similar, so for me it was a no-brainer. I said, “Absolutely. Let’s get out there with Scott. I think it would be a really good pairing.”

So they called Scott’s camp, and they told Scott about the band, and Scott, it was really his decision. So they’re management said, well, we’ll talk to Scott about it and it’s really up to him. So, yeah, Scott checked out our music and our videos online, and he really dug what we were doing and said, “Yeah, let’s get these guys out on the road with us.” So the first show we did last night. We’re doing an 11- to 12-show run with Scott, and then when we get back, we’ll go back to Hollywood for about 10 days and then we’ll go back out again and we have about 20-plus shows booked with Saving Abel. So, we’ll go out with Saving Abel and do all that, and actually, we just found out it looks like we might be doing some of the Motley Crue-Alice Cooper shows. So believe it or not, you’re the first person I’m telling that to. So we actually got offered 27 dates with them. I don’t know exactly … the label and our management right now are working on all the details and the scheduling of it all, because I mean, obviously, that’s the biggest tour of the year. And we already have contracts signed with the Saving Abel tour, so we have to work out all the logistics with that. Obviously, I’m like, “Let’s make it work (laughs).” So, let’s see: Madison Square Garden is on there, Hollywood Bowl is on there … I’m like, “Are you guys kidding me? Of course, let’s go. Let’s make it happen.” (See The Raskins' video for "We Had It All" below)

So it’s overwhelming, things are really taking off for the Raskins, and you know, we’re just trying to take it day by day. It’s a whirlwind, but my brother and I are just taking it day by day. We’re taking it in stride. The band is kicking ass and playing amazing. The show last night with Scott went great. Really, our focus right now is the Scott Weiland tour. We really want to try and make this a successful tour, and last night, the first night was great. A lot of kids bought our CDs, and we signed a ton of posters and stuff. I mean, the response was pretty much overwhelming. So I’m really excited about things to come and moving long with the Scott Weiland tour now.

Wow. That’s pretty amazing news.
LR: Yeah, you didn’t expect me to say all that, right?

No, that’s kind of mind-blowing.

LR: Yeah, let me tell you something. It’s like every day things change with us, and different opportunities come up. Our single right now is being played on 150 radio stations across the country, our single “We had it All,” and our album [wasn't] even out yet. So it’s like the single is starting to do really well. The video is blowing up online. We’ve got almost two million views online with YouTube, so the response has been really, really great. The anticipation of the album coming out [was] really high, so we’re excited about that; it just seems like everything is coming together at the right time. We’re firing on all cylinders right now. We just want to keep this train on the tracks and keep things moving forward for us.

I have to tell you after listening to the songs on the electronic press kit, this is the kind of music I miss.

LR: Cool, man. It’s cool to hear you say that, and you know what? Me, too (laughs). You know what’s funny, for the last several years, my brother and I were writing a lot of music for TV and film. And we got heavily into that for a while, and we were known as The Raskins. We were writing a lot of stuff for different film projects, and we were getting an overwhelming amount of e-mails from fans – pretty much not just in the U.S., but all over the world – that were seeing these movies or seeing these TV shows that we did the music for, and they were always asking, “Where can we get your guys’ music? When can we see you live?” So it was just a matter of time before my brother and I were like, “Look, I think it’s time. The writing is on the wall. I think it’s time we just put the band together and start playing out at The Raskins.”

So we decided to do that a couple of years ago, and then last year or about a year a half ago, we started recording the music for this album that’s coming out and we took our time writing it, and we just wanted to put together a solid group of songs that really represented my brother and myself, our writing styles and our influences.

Being from New York City, we really wanted to incorporate that rock ‘n’ roll style that my brother and I grew up with, but also incorporate the different style of our writing ability. Because, look, some of our biggest influences were The Stooges or the New York Dolls or the Ramones, but it was also acts such as Simon & Garfunkel and Steely Dan – those acts out of New York City. We kind of grew up with those influences and it really influenced our writing style, and we wanted to put together a record that encapsulated those styles. And I think we accomplished that with this record.

The lead single, “We Had It All,” dropped on Feb. 18 and I was going to ask about what kind of feedback you’re getting, but it seems like it’s been pretty good. What inspired that song?

LR: And it’s funny, Peter, because I was nervous about it because when you’re writing music for somebody, basically they’re telling you what they want. So it’s an easy process for me, because I kind of try to detach myself from the music because I’m basically just giving the client what it is that they want. And a lot of times, we’ll finish a composition for a client, and I’ll say, “Well, I know how I would have written that,” but they’re very specific about how they want things, and we try to just give them that when we’re writing for these different music supervisors for these movies and things like that, and we just read the client. But with the record and writing for us, we really took our time and wanted to really come forward with our influences and our styles we grew up with , and really try to capture that on this record.

I really love the songs “On the Radio” and “We Had it All.” Can you talk about what inspired those songs?

LR: Absolutely. Well, first of all, “On the Radio,” it’s pretty much exactly that. Every musician growing up, I don’t care if you’re young or old, the first thing you dream about as a musician is hearing your music on the radio. It’s the first thing. For my brother and I, the first time we ever heard our music on the radio that was a big moment for us. And I assume it would be a big moment for any musician coming up. So for us, I remember exactly where we were, the moment it happened, the first time I heard our song coming across the airwaves on the radio. It was a big memorable moment and one for me I’ll never forget. And I felt it was an important thing to write about, because that was an important moment in our music career. That’s exactly what that song is about, “On the Radio,” and it means a lot to us. It was important in our music career, and I wanted to write a song about that. And then the single, “We Had it All,” which by the way, it was difficult to figure out what was going to be the initial single for this record. (See the video for "On the Radio" below)

I was going to ask about that.

LR: Yeah, I mean, I’m so attached to all these songs. But this particular song ... I’ll explain what it’s about, and you’ll see why we decided to use it as a single. I mean, the song was basically written about how the music industry is today. My brother and I, being from New York City, spending our whole lives growing up and doing music in New York, and our parents being in the music industry, we were doing our thing musically and we were struggling, just kind of pushing along, playing all the clubs in New York, and trying our hand at being musicians. But my brother and I had gotten some opportunities to go out to Los Angeles to work with a couple of pretty big producers out there, and I thought it was a good opportunity maybe to go out to L.A. and try to expand on our career, and try to push our career forward, and as we were doing that, it was an interesting time in the music industry.

I mean the music industry was really changing, so like the way the online market is now, you don’t even see record stores anymore. I grew up with vinyl. I still have my vinyl collection. I remember going to the record stores and paging through my favorite vinyls and buying vinyl, and you can’t even go to a record store and buy a CD anymore. It’s all digital downloads now. Getting back to my point, from when we kind of got out to L.A. and we were working with those producers and stuff like that, my brother and I kind of realized that we never really had to leave New York, or we never really had to change what it was that we were doing to be successful. We had everything we needed to be successful, and I never really realized that until we made that trip out to Los Angeles. I mean, we packed our car, drove out, packed up everything we had and just drove out to Los Angeles, started working out there, trying to play the clubs out there, working the system and doing recording, working with the producers out there, but I realized the way the music industry is right now, if you have the knowledge and the wherewithal, you can do it all on your own. You don’t need anybody. If you’re not lazy, you can do it all on your own. The way the Internet is now, you can work your online market, the way Twitter is, the way Facebook is, you can get your music up online. You can build your fan base online. And that’s exactly what we started to do.

And I realized how to make all that work for us, and we also learned how to record our own music, to do it in our own home. We built a recording studio. We have a recording studio in our home in Los Angeles, and I have one in my home in New York, but when I learned how to do that, the way recording music has changed, they’re not using the big recording studios. A lot of those big recording studios are going out of business now. You can record killer quality tracks in the privacy of your own home. Everything’s digital now. So, basically, the song is “We Had It All.” I never had to leave. We never had to leave New York. We had it all. We had everything we needed to become successful. And I realized that. My brother and I had all the music. We had the knowledge and the wherewithal on how to record the music. We knew exactly how to market and promote our music online, sell our music online, and that’s exactly what we did. And that’s exactly how we built our fans. We built up our fan base online, we recorded all the videos ourselves and released them to YouTube and pushed and worked our fan base there, and that’s exactly what the song is about. It’s called “We Had it All.”

We always had it all. I never realized that. I was always talking to my friends and saying, “I wish we could do this. I wish we could do that. I wish I could work with this person. I wish I could work with that person.” And I try to tell it to a lot of younger kids coming up: “You’re not lazy. The way the music industry is set up now, you can do it all yourself.” You know, my dream growing up was to get signed by a major label. Now, it’s the worst thing, the worst thing. The only deals that these major labels are giving out now are 360 deals. They believe that with the digital market now, the online market, the only way these major labels can make any money is to take a percentage of everything you own, everything.

So my brother, Roger and myself and my older brother, Micah Raskin – who’s our business manager, and he lives in New York, owns a computer software company in New Jersey and he’s great with business, great with business, and he handles all our business and is our business manager – and the three of us put together our own record label. And we called the label MIRAL, which stands for Micah “Mi,” and I “Roger,” and “Logan” – MIRAL records. So we signed ourselves to our own record label, and then once we did that, Michael said, “Okay guys, we have everything we need. Everything is done. The only thing we need is distribution.” I said, “Micah, there’s only one place to go.” He said, “Where’s that?” I said, “Sony Red. Go to Sony.” And he said, “Okay, I’ll go.”

Called him up, set up a meeting, just my brother went down with the attorney, they signed us in 20 minutes. It took 20 minutes, that’s it and it was done. Now I have my own label that I’m signed to, three brothers own it all outright. I have total control over my musical career, creatively … everything. And I have distribution through Sony. It’s been amazing, amazing. And let me tell you it was hard work, but this is what I try to tell people, and I try to tell these young kids out there, I’m like, “You can do all this. You can do all this on your own.” And that’s what we’ve done, and it’s a great feeling, a great feeling. I go to sleep at night with a big smile on my face, just having the ability to play music every day and do it full-time is a major accomplishment for my brother and I.

It’s a major accomplishment, and we’re the kind of guys … I don’t need to make millions of dollars, I don’t need to make a lot of money, because I’m a music lover. And the reason why we got involved in music was to just play music. We loved it. And just the fact that we have the opportunity to do that now, to travel all around the country and travel all around the world, playing music and giving out our message to all the kids out there, it’s crazy. So I’m living the dream, man. And I think this is just the beginning, but I’m having the time of my life with it.

This is the kind of album – guitar-driven, melodic, with lots of hooks – that would appeal to a wide range of people, and music is so fragmented these days. Can an album like this break down some of those walls?

LR: I mean, look, I totally agree with you, but what was happening … like I would just take maybe five years ago. That’s before you really saw the radical changes in the music industry with the online market, the record labels really would get confused with a lot of these bands. And they had the mentality like, look, we need to know exactly what bin we’re putting this music in. Are you guys rock? Are you guys rap? Are you guys pop? Are you guys heavy metal? Are you guys country? And that’s how they would define it. So a lot of these bands would go along with that protocol, and they’d only put out rock or they’d only put out heavy metal, or only put out punk, and they were some great bands, but they would only be known and categorized as just that, but my brother and I, being in the situation that we’re in, I don’t have to answer to anybody. I can sign my own people.

I can put out all the music I want in the style that I want, and it’s very important for my brother and I to let our fan base and to let the public see our musical influences – the styles we grew up with, and the kind of music that we love. It’s not just aggressive rock. It’s also really good pop songs, and most of the music that I write is off of an acoustic guitar. So a lot of those Simon & Garfunkel or Steely Dan or Richie Havens influences come out in our writing styles. And we really want to try to have those hooky chords, those pop chords and there’s a lot of harmonies going on, whether it be in an aggressive rock song or whether it be in a slow ballad. It’s important to us. So I don’t really care. I wanted to make sure that Roger and I were happy with our finished product and happy with the music that we’re putting out there. That’s the most important thing.

We write for ourselves. And I know the beauty of the position we’re in is that I don’t have to answer to a president of an Atlantic or an Interscope or an Island, or whomever, and that’s all good, but I can put out the kind of music that I want and it took me to this point in my musical career to get it to this point and learn. Believe me, we went through the trials and tribulations of all of it, but now we’re at this point where we were able to take our time writing the record, and we had an amazing time doing it.

We recorded 50 songs … 50 songs! It took us almost a year and a half. I wasn’t under pressure. I wasn’t under a time restraint. We just had a great time recording music, and when we felt like it was done, it was done. We had 12 songs that we felt good about, that had a good flow and that really represented us and put it on the record and that’s what we wanted to represent us. That’s what we wanted to put out into the universe. So I hope that maybe it catches on, and I do think it will catch on, because the music industry is changing so radically and I think that these kids are going to be doing more and more on their own, and I think the music is going to change with that. There’s a lot of talent out there. There really is, and the way the industry is now, it’s freaking beautiful. It’s amazing. I love it. I love it. It’s giving the power back to the artist. And that’s the way it should be. That’s the way it should be. I think the music that the world is going to see now, it’s going to blow people’s minds. It’s going to blow people’s minds. So that’s what I would like to do. I can’t wait to get on to our second record.

Our management and Sony and everybody and Sony Red, it’s like you guys for the next year and a half we just want you to tour the shit out of this album. And I’m like, “Well, that’s cool. I love touring, too.” But creatively, I’m like, “Aaaahhhh …” I can’t wait to do this next record. There are so many songs I want to get out there. So, it’s exciting. It’s exciting, and I think it’s going to catch on, I really do. And I hope that we can influence a lot of these younger artists out there to follow what we’re doing. I think that it’ll be good for the public to hear, to change it up and hear that quality of music coming from these new artists, these up-and-coming artists.

CD Review: Tesla – Simplicity

CD Review: Tesla – Simplicity
Tesla Electric Company Recording
All Access Rating: A-

Tesla - Simplicity 2014

Don't tell Tesla that technology has made our lives better. What's so great about it anyway? It's only brought more complications and increased anxiety, not to mention inferior "MP3" digital recordings, embraced for their convenience but reviled for their sonic limitations. 

It seems Tesla, then, wasn't made for these times. Then again, their brand of honest and earthy songwriting, informed by the '70s classic rock of Montrose and Humble Pie, seemed almost completely out of touch with the glamorous, roaring '80s, and they sold records by the truckloads if memory serves.

Doggedly forging ahead in this social-media driven age, the Tesla of 2014 longs for Simplicity, which is not only the title of their latest album but also the word that best defines the straightforward, no-holds-barred sound of these scruffy, hard-rock mutts. Speaking the unvarnished truth of rock 'n' roll, with grit and big-hearted melodies, the well-crafted Simplicity is a heady distillation of all those raw elements that have made Tesla so beloved, as solid hooks and rugged grooves emerge from a rough mix of tastefully executed electric and acoustic guitar interplay to make the crunching, ballsy hard rock of "Ricochet" and "Break of Dawn." Just as spirited and even more timeless are rustic, emotionally spent power ballads, such as the soaring "So Divine ..." and the cathartic "Honestly," that, in Tesla's capable hands, manage to avoid the honey trap of being too saccharine or overly sentimental. The scratched-up, wildcat vocals of Jeff Keith make sure that never happens.

On Simplicity, though, Tesla speaks its mind in songs that have real teeth and jaws of steel. Taking on a world overrun by computer devices and their bastard offspring, "MP3" is the stomping opening track, and it's a gnarly, defiant Luddite's lament that wants its phonograph back and despite its sneering guitars, is slow to anger, pretty string arrangements lending their righteous argument heightened drama. In similar fashion, the creeping "Rise and Fall" gradually develops, its grungy churn warning of trouble ahead.

Above all, however, what really sparkles on Simplicity is "Cross My Heart," a charming, sun-dappled Southern rock ditty reminiscent of both The Faces and The Black Crowes, with golden acoustic shine and beautiful, rambling piano courtesy of a multi-instrumentalist marvel in guitarist Frank Hannon. Due out June 10, there's nothing fussy or pretentious about Simplicity. It is what the title says it is. What's in a name? When it comes to Tesla, it's everything.  
– Peter Lindblad

Dream Theater app now available

Prog-metal outfit to offer fans increased interactivity

Mativision happily announces the release of their DreamTheater360° App on Android on June 9, 2014. The Android DreamTheater360° App offers fans a unique 360° interactive experience into the Grammy-nominated progressive metal titans’ performance, as captured onstage by Mativision® multi-camera 360° video technology at Luna Park in Buenos Aires. (App Promo video: http://youtu.be/d6t3z-vuS0M)

In its first release, the Android DreamTheater360° App will include two interactive 360° songs filmed and produced using the Mativision technology, which virtually transports fans directly onto the Luna Park stage right next to the band members and completely immerses them in a unique experience that they can control in real time. 

Each fan can direct the show by manipulating Mativision’s multi-camera player, and enjoy the concert in any way they want. Fans can seamlessly choose among six different cameras while also having the capability to rotate each camera angle and zoom in and out, by tapping and dragging. More 360° interactive Luna Park songs will be added to the Android App every week, at no extra charge to Android DreamTheater360° App users.

The Android DreamTheater360° App is available on the Google Play Store, priced at $9,99.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mativision.dt360Complete

CD Review: Orange Goblin – Healing Through Fire

CD Review: Orange Goblin – Healing Through Fire
Candlelight Records
All Access Rating: A

Orange Goblin -Healing Through Fire 2014

Time hasn't diminished the medicinal powers of Orange Goblin's 2007 album Healing Through Fire.

Slightly crispy and fuzzy around the edges, its bluesy, motoring riffage doused in gasoline and lit on fire, Healing Through Fire is a blazing stoner-metal arson for the great unwashed that never got a proper promotional tour Stateside – something singer Ben Ward has always regretted.

Their only Sanctuary Records release, Healing Through Fire was the band's sixth LP. Falling into obscurity, as Orange Goblin went on hiatus until 2011, it became a rare find recently for Goblin obsessives. Reissued by Candlelight Records with rampaging, greasy live renditions of the album's most infectious tracks, the muscular, writhing "The Ballad of Solomon Eagle" and the rugged, down-tuned harbinger of chugging evil "They Come Back," Healing Through Fire deserved a better fate, especially considering how dramatically it relives the suffering, grave fear and reeking death of The Great Plague and London's Great Fire of 1666.

Evocative and captivating lyrically, the words delivered with Ward's bestial vocal roar, Healing Through Fire is a furnace of an album, managing to sound wide and heavy on a hot and nasty "Hot Knives and Open Sores" and the brawny, seismic "Vagrant Stomp," while never succumbing to sluggishness. Even the punishing doom-metal pounding of "Cities of Frost," this swinging sledgehammer smashed repeatedly into a brick wall, is delivered with rage-filled intensity, and the relentless groove-mongering of "The Ale House Braves" circles with dangerous intent before charging into the breach without hesitation.

In spirit, Orange Goblin could be the hell-spawned bastard child of Motorhead, but on the smoldering "Beginner's Guide to Suicide," with its slide guitar, smoggy organ and pained harmonica, they play dirty blues with the devilish charm of Cream – rumbling, demented and psychedelic. Although Joe Hoare's guitar leads throughout Healing Through Fire are sharp and searing, just as his riffs are meaty and brutal, it's his expressive soloing on "Beginner's Guide to Suicide" that steals the show.

Until Orange Goblin's next studio full-length, which is apparently under construction, this violent revisiting of one of the band's surefire classics should mollify the pitchfork-wielding villagers waiting for more from these shaggy metal bikers. Let the Healing ... begin.
– Peter Lindblad

CD/DVD Review: Toto – 35th Anniversary Tour: Live in Poland

CD/DVD Review: Toto – 35th Anniversary Tour: Live in Poland

Eagle Rock Entertainment

All Access Rating: B+

Toto - 35th Anniversary Tour:
Live in Poland

Europe got its fill of Toto in 2013, as the neo-progressive soft-rock idealists celebrated their 35th anniversary with a glorious 29-city tour of the continent that included a stop in Lodz, Poland, where a packed house greeted them with unabashed joy and exuberance.

Toto returned the favor, putting on a spectacular two-hour performance that was joyous, poignant and entirely free of soul-sucking cynicism, traipsing through a life-affirming set list of expected hits and a few forgotten treasures that prove deserving of reassessment. 

Vividly filmed for a DVD release that comes with a nicely edited, engaging, career-spanning set of interviews, "35th Anniversary Tour: Live in Poland" is also available on Blu-ray, as a two-CD set and a deluxe edition from Eagle Rock Entertainment, and it is a vivid spectacle of sound and vision. With superb camera work that alights on Steve Lukather's breathtaking, uniquely engrossing guitar solos, focuses the spotlight on Joseph Williams' commanding vocals and dynamic stage presence, and glows with warmth, "35th Anniversary Tour: Live in Poland" is a dazzling, intoxicating showcase of Toto's ability to connect with its fans on a level that's not exactly intimate, but it is powerful.

Superb camera work captures the sterling interplay of Toto's core members, these veteran session musicians, whose contributions are found on an astonishing 5,000 albums, ably balancing progressive-rock ambition with jazz fusion and R&B influences, and transitioning to lush pop soundscapes without missing a beat. Theatrical at times, as they revel in the keyboard bombast of the Yes-like "St. George and the Dragon," where keyboardists David Paich and Steve Pocaro set off a glorious aural display, Toto also eases comfortably into the tropical pop longing of "Africa" with grace, injects energy and passion into "Rosanna" and builds dramatic tension in another crowd favorite, "Hold the Line."

Whether its the languid Spanish guitar Lukather expertly negotiates on "The Muse" or the proggy time changes so deftly navigated throughout a stirring version of "Better World," Toto can still gently break hearts with aching, affecting renditions of "I'll Be Over You" and "99" while managing to maintain a seriousness about their craft. And the watery "Hydra," with its light funk grooves, prove that prog and R&B can coexist.

Both respected for their musicianship and derided for their overly sentimental pop excesses, Toto has always left itself open to criticism that's both fair and just, and yet, they continue down the road as they always have, taking the paths they want to take and not giving one jot for those who find them cloying or insincere. Though completely over the top and so slickly produced that it comes off as glitzy as Vegas, this cinematic extravaganza could win over new converts.
– Peter Lindblad

Yes sets release date for 'Heaven & Earth'

Prog-rock giants have big summer tour planned

Yes - Heaven & Earth 2014

Among the world’s most influential, ground-breaking, and respected progressive rock bands, Grammy Award winning, YES are proud to announce they will release their  new studio album,HEAVEN & EARTH, July 22 on Frontiers Records. Having sold nearly 40 million albums in a career that has so far spanned more than four decades, HEAVEN & EARTH sees YES continuing with its tradition of symphonic progressive rock that remains timelessly fresh and innovative.HEAVEN & EARTH is available now for pre-order on Amazon here:http://smarturl.it/YES_Amz_Preorder.

HEAVEN & EARTH contains eight new tracks, each of which boasts the unique musicianship and craftsmanship that have come to be known as “the YES sound.” YES’ distinctive layered music, swirling arrangements, brilliant vocals and harmonies are all in abundance. HEAVEN & EARTH is an album sure to please both long-time and new YES fans. For HEAVEN & EARTH, YES teamed up with legendary Grammy Award winner, Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, The Cars, Guns N’ Roses, Foreigner, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice Cooper, etc.), who handled the production and Billy Sherwood (Toto, Paul Rodgers, Air Supply, etc.) who mixed the album. Also onboard is long-timeYES artist, the world-renowned Roger Dean, who again brings his masterful artistic creativity to the album’s cover art and packaging.

Tracklisting for Heaven & Earth:

1. Believe Again
2. The Game
3. Step Beyond
4. To Ascend
5. In A World Of Our Own
6. Light Of The Ages
7. It Was All We Knew
8. Subway Walls

To coincide with the release of HEAVEN & EARTH, the multi-platinum progressive rock band--bassist CHRIS SQUIRE, guitarist STEVE HOWE, drummer ALAN WHITE, keyboardist GEOFF DOWNES and singer JON DAVISON – announced in March they’ll launch their 35-date summer tour featuring YES performing, in their entirety, 1971’s groundbreaking album FRAGILE for the first-time ever and a repeat performance from last year’s tour of 1972’s CLOSE TO THE EDGE, followed by an encore of the band’s greatest hits.

The album FRAGILE is considered to be their U.S. breakthrough album peaking at #4 on theBillboard Album charts in the U.S. The RIAA-certified double platinum album has sold over two million copies and features YES’ hit single “Roundabout” and other classics like “Long Distance Runaround” and “Heart of the Sunrise.” It also marks the band’s first collaboration with artist Roger Dean on cover art, who has designed many of the band’s album covers and logos. The band’s album CLOSE TO THE EDGE – widely regarded as one of the greatest progressive rock albums ever recorded--was on the U.S. charts for 32 weeks, peaking at #3. A Rolling Stone review noted, “Yes’ colors are subtle, almost imperceptible tints, but the main strokes are bold and thick, applied with sureness and natural instinct.” Inspired by Siddhartha and their “state of mind” at the time, the Gold-certified album featuring epic suites such as “Close To The Edge” and “You And I” was named one of the “100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time” by Guitar World (2006). Track listings for both albums listed here: http://www.smarturl.it/qcbcnm.

Spend “An Evening with YES” this summer in the following cities:

DATE			CITY		VENUE
Tue	7/8		Boston, MA		Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
Wed	7/9		New York, NY		Radio City Music Hall
Fri	7/11		Wallingford, CT		Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Sat	7/12		Westbury, NY		NYCB Theatre at Westbury
Sun	7/13		Newport, RI		Newport Yachting Center
Tue	7/15		Washington, DC		Warner Theatre
Wed	7/16		Hampton, NH		Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Fri	7/18		Salamanca, NY		Seneca Allegany Casino
Sat	7/19		Philadelphia, PA		Tower Theater
Sun	7/20		Munhall, PA		Carnegie Music Hall
Tue	7/22		Rochester Hills, MI		Meadow Brook
Wed	7/23		Northfield, OH		Hard Rock Live Northfield Park
Fri	7/25		Madison, WI		Overture Hall
Sat	7/26		Chicago, IL		Copernicus Center
Mon	7/28		Nashville, TN		Ryman Auditorium
Tue	7/29		Louisville, KY		Louisville Palace
Wed	7/30		Atlanta, GA		Symphony Hall
Fri	8/1		Hollywood, FL		Seminole Hard Rock Live
Sat	8/2		St. Petersburg, FL		Mahaffey Theater
Sun	8/3		Orlando, FL		Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
Tue	8/5		Houston, TX		Bayou Music Center
Wed	8/6		Grand Prairie, TX		Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
Thu	8/7		Kansas City, MO		Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
Sat	8/9		Denver, CO		Paramount Theatre
Mon	8/11		Tucson, AZ		Rialto Theatre
Tue	8/12		Mesa, AZ		Ikeda Theatre at Mesa Arts Center
Wed	8/13		Albuquerque, NM		Legends Theater at Route 66 Casino
Fri	8/15		Las Vegas, NV		The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sat	8/16		Anaheim, CA		City National Grove of Anaheim
Mon	8/18		San Diego, CA		Humphrey’s Concerts By the Bay
Tue	8/19		San Jose, CA		City National Civic
Thu	8/21		Tulalip, WA		Tulalip Amphitheatre
Fri	8/22		Grand Ronde, OR		Spirit Mountain Casino
Sat	8/23		Lincoln, CA		Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Sun	8/24		Los Angeles, CA		Greek Theatre

YES is proud to provide special show packages, which include near-stage seating, a meet and greet with the band, exclusive limited-edition gifts from YES, and much more. For more information on prices, on-sale dates and to purchase YES packages/tickets, go to www.yesworld.com.

CD Review: Crowbar – Symmetry in Black

CD Review: Crowbar – Symmetry in Black

eOne Music

All Access Rating: A-

Crowbar - Symmetry in Black 2014

There's a stirring in the sludge. Three years dormant, following 2011's crunching return to form Sever the Wicked Hand, Crowbar, bloodied but unbowed, has surfaced from metal's filthy, oily muck to binge on the thickest, most engorged riffs possible and purge the eOne Music release Symmetry in Black, their 10th album.

And while it's unmistakably Crowbar, there's surprising diversity here, as well as a sonic richness that has the texture and feel of black velvet soaked in tar. Every move is deliberate on the sludge-metal juggernaut that is the well-designed Symmetry in Black, with its complex, slowly evolving grooves and subtle tempo changes, as well as expertly wound ropes of twin guitar. Symmetry in Black surges and churns with intensity of purpose and unimaginable power, the crawling brutality of "The Foreboding," the crushing weight of "Reflection of Deceit" and the building tsunami that is "A Wealth of Empathy" seemingly capable of flattening whole cities.

Deceptively intricate and relentlessly heavy, "Walk With Knowledge Wisely," "Shaman of Belief" and "Teach the Blind to See" – the incisive and evocative lyrics plumbing the depths of the human psyche – creep around aural dungeons, as a tortured, roaring Kirk Windstein tears his larynx to shreds, until Crowbar springs an ambush, racing ahead with trash-like rage, unleashing monstrous rogue waves of guitars or taking slight detours that almost reluctantly reveal themselves. 

On occasion, Crowbar turns expansive and melodic, drifting into celestial territory with the lonely and dreamy, yet still dark and unsettling, "Amaranthine," but they cannot contain their larynx-shredding rage, and it finds purchase in the blistering thrash-metal of "Ageless Decay." Windstein and his sinister henchmen Matthew Brunson (guitar), Tommy Buckley (drums) and Jeff Golden (bass) walk confidently through the shadow of death and embrace evil, lowdown tunings like an old friend, still worshiping at the altar of Black Sabbath but changing their incantations and exploring other aspects of their heritage. Black is their color.
– Peter Lindblad

Hatriot: New centurions of thrash

Steve "Zetro" Souza puts Exodus behind him, looks ahead with Hatriot

By Peter Lindblad

Steve "Zetro" Souza of Hatriot

Steve "Zetro" Souza was there at ground zero. The Bay Area thrash-metal scene was exploding in the early 1980s, and Souza was right in the middle of a fiery musical conflagration, singing like demon for Legacy, the band that evolved into Testament, and recording their first demo with them.

"We thought every city had a scene like ours," said Souza. "Looking back on it in hindsight it was magical."

Three years after Legacy was founded, Souza came to a crossroads in his career. He was offered the chance to become lead vocalist for another Bay Area thrash outfit. He couldn't turn it down, and in 1986, he joined Exodus.

To his credit, Souza didn't just abandon his old Legacy mates. It was Souza who introduced them to his replacement, Chuck Billy. 

As for Souza, who's often been compared to AC/DC's Bon Scott, he was about to embark on an amazing thrill ride, with plenty of ups and downs. With Exodus, he sang on five records before the band disbanded, lending his uniquely evil, flesh-ripping caterwaul to 1987's Pleasures of the Flesh, 1989's Fabulous Disaster, 1990's Impact is Imminent, 1991's Good Friendly Violent Fun and 1992's Force of Habit. 

There have been other bands. Dublin Death Patrol, Tenet, AC/DZ – Souza's been with them all, teaming with Billy in Dublin Death Patrol. More than anything, though, Souza would like to see another project of his really take off, and that endeavor is the furious, all-consuming Hatriot, a band that includes his sons Cody (bass) and Nick (drums), and phenomenal young guitarist/composer Kosta "V,"  as well as second guitarist Miguel Esparza.

In April, Hatriot released its volcanic second album, the Massacre Records release Dawn of the Centurion, a burning slab of old-school thrash that sticks to the basics – made it fast, make it loud, make it devastatingly brutal and leave a beautiful melodic corpse. Hot riffs, charred black, hold hands with pummeling beats and crushing bass maneuvers, as scary, impassioned and crazed lyrics are recited in sinister fashion to those who cannot deny their dark thoughts. 

Recently, Souza talked about Hatriot's plans for world domination, the new record and his days with Exodus in this revealing interview. 

Hatriot - Dawn of the Centurion 2014

When you first formed Hatriot, what did you want to do with it and does Dawn of the New Centurion match that vision?

Steve "Zetro" Souza: I honestly wasn't looking to do a new band at my age, but I met Kosta Varvatakis and was so impressed with his guitar abilities that I felt this was something I needed to do. The world needs new guitar heroes and new rock stars, so I felt I needed to make another serious run in metal and help showcase this kid's talents. In that regard I'd say it definitely matches my vision. Dawn of The New Centurion has some of the best guitar playing in thrash metal, and what people need to know is all the music and arrangements come from Kosta. He is a f**king monster when it comes to thrash metal, and is the perfect writing partner for me. He creates the riffs, and I put words to them.

What do you like most about working with Kosta "V" and where does he rank with other guitarists you've worked with?

SZS: He is right up there with all the greats. I have been very fortunate to work with a lot of amazing guitarists in my career, and Kosta is right there with them. I think the biggest difference is back in the early days of thrash there were a lot less people doing it. In the early '80s when I was jamming with Legacy, I had Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson on guitar, and they were f**king amazingly good.  Then in Exodus it was Gary (Holt) and Rick (Hunolt), who went down in history as a great thrash guitar tag team. Kosta is right there on their skill level, but now there's a shredder in every neighborhood in the world. It's not as big of a deal as it was in the early days. It's a lot more difficult to make a name for yourself. If it was still 1988, Kosta Varvatakis would be a household name in metal.  Hopefully he still will be in this day and age. He is certainly good enough.

Steve "Zetro" Souza, formerly of Exodus

In making this album, was there a point at which you thought, "This is really something special?"

SZS: I knew it was going to be special before we ever recorded the first note. The thing with Hatriot is we are constantly writing material and working on new stuff, so by the time we go in and record a record we have the material fully worked up and ready to go. At that point it's just a matter of executing it in the studio, and capturing the best vibe possible. I knew it was really special when we were doing the demo recordings and pre-production. 

Vocally, was this album different for you in any way?

SZS: For the most part it was business as usual for me. I have a signature sound that fans expect from me, so I don't try and stray from that too much, but there are some more brutal vocal parts at times on this record. We experimented with some gang shouts and death-metal vocals just to add dynamics.  Then, of course, I do a lot of screaming when the song calls for it. It's all about what the song needs to be effective.

"Superkillafragsadisticactsaresoatrocious" and "Silence in the House of the Lord" are really heavy, hard-charging songs, as is "World Funeral." That's probably my favorite section of the record. Is there a particular sequence of songs on Dawn of the New Centurion where they just seem to fit together really well for you?

SZS: I did all of the sequencing for the album, as I do on all the records. I just want the album to have a flow to it, with dynamics, so it keeps the listener on edge. Lots of albums these days are so predictable, and it makes it where the listener gets bored with the record after one or two listens. I like the Hatriot records to have those dynamics that made the early thrash records so great. I think we achieved that with this album.

Steve "Zetro" Souza with son Cody

Hatriot is a bit of a family affair. How do you make that work?

SZS: It's really not as complicated as people think. My sons grew up around the music business, so they have an idea as to how things work. I am dad when I need to be with them, but most of the time we are band mates and good friends, the same way any other band operates. Most dads would give anything to have a common interest with their kids, and the fact that I get to be in a band with two of mine makes it all worth it. The only downside is we don't really get a separation between business and family, but for the most part having them in the band is all positive. I'm really enjoying it.

Lyrically, what topics, including gun rights, did you want to address on Dawn of the New Centurion?

SZS: I have always been drawn to the darker side of life, and that's where my lyrics go every time. On this record I have songs about corrupt world leaders, a "cabin in the woods" killer, the end of the world, and the entire human race going insane. There's plenty more in there, too. It's a sick and twisted record, the same way our debut record was lyrically. It's a f**king heavy metal album!

What made the early Bay Area thrash scene so special, especially when you started with Legacy, and do you ever think something like that will happen again?

SZS: It will never happen again. People try to recreate that time, but if you weren't there you missed it.  It was a very special time in heavy metal history because it was a natural thing, and not fabricated. It was not manufactured by the record business and exploited at that point in time. The scene in the Bay Area at the beginning was a very tight knit one. All the bands would support each other, and there was something happening every night of the week. It wasn't just a weekend thing. You might go see Exodus do a show on a Tuesday night, and the Metallica guys would be there hanging out. That kind of thing happened all the time. So it was a very exciting era for thrash, even though we didn't realize it at the time.

Reflecting on your time in Exodus, was it a difficult decision to join the band?

SZS: To be honest, I really had to think on it for a few days when I was asked to join in 1986. I had so much time and energy invested in Legacy that I hated to throw that all away, but at the same time, Exodus was on another level in the eyes of the metal scene. They had a record out and people around the world knew of the band.So I knew it was a great opportunity for me, and I decided to go for it. The fans didn't embrace me at first, and it was a lot of work to win them over. It wasn't until the success of Fabulous Disaster that I really felt like Exodus was my baby. By that point the fans were on my side.

Artistically or career-wise, what was the most gratifying experience you had with Exodus?

SZS: I know it sounds cliche, but the whole ride was amazing, even the bad times. I wouldn't trade it for anything. For specifics I'd say the "Headbangers Ball" tour that we did with Anthrax and Helloween was a definite highlight. The tour we did with Black Sabbath was amazing because I became friends with Ronnie Dio. How fucking metal is that? The most gratifying overall would be the tour cycle for the Fabulous Disaster record. We were full-fledged rock stars at that point. Media hounded us and fans were rabid. It was a whirlwind, and we had amazing shows during that record cycle. That was definitely the peak of the Exodus success during the glory days of thrash.

In what ways have your experiences with Hatriot mirrored those you had with Exodus and in what ways are they totally different?

SZS: Similarities? For starters there is the youth factor. The ages of the band guys in Hatriot ranges from 19 to 25. You can add two of them together, and it doesn't even make one of me! So that's a similar thing to the early days in Exodus. We were young and hungry for it back then. Nobody was a lazy rock star at that point. We also had a cycle in Exodus that we use in Hatriot: make a record, then go on the road, then immediately do another record, then back on the road, etc. With that method we never lose momentum. The biggest differences between the two bands are big ones. First off, there's no real music industry anymore. Not like the big machine of the old days. Everything is independent now, which is a cool thing, but there's not a lot of resources like back in the day. There's no buying on tours and getting on MTV. It's not a huge thing like it was. Another big thing is the technology of today.  From recording albums to networking with fans on social media, technology has leveled the playing field. There's no half million dollar records now. We do records for ten grand. There's no passing out flyers outside a club. It's all done on Facebook. I hate a lot of that sh*t, but that's where we are today as a society. 

What are your hopes for Hatriot?

SZS: I hope to make this thing as big as it can be. My days in Exodus will always be wonderful memories for me, but I am hoping to add another chapter to the book with Hatriot. I don't want to just be known as the "former singer of Exodus." I want this to stand on its own. I'm 50 years old, but I have a lot more metal left in me.

First impressions: Ace Frehley's "Gimme A Feelin'"

KISS guitarist releases ace first single from 'Space Invader'
By Peter Lindblad

Ace Frehley - Space Invader 2014

Ace Frehley hasn't been shy about expressing his feelings lately, especially when it comes to KISS and the kerfuffle surrounding their rather awkward and unsatisfying Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

Putting all that behind him, the ex-KISS guitarist debuted a new single last week titled "Gimme a Feelin'" in anticipation of Frehley's upcoming new album Space Invader, ready for launch this summer on eOne Music. Click the link below to take a listen:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-ace-frehleys-kiss-like-new-gimme-a-feelin-premiere-20140529

The Ken Kelly rendered, sci-fi artwork for the record has already been released and is included here for your viewing pleasure.

Known for his work in the sword and sorcery and fantasy realms, it was Kelly who created the cover art for 1976's Destroyer and 1977's Love Gun, and the painting, with its rich hues, colored smoke and metallic space ship design, is almost as striking as his more famous pieces.

Ace Frehley - Gimme A Feelin'

As for the swaggering, rough-and-tumble "Gimme A Feelin'" – already available via iTunes, while Space Invader can be pre-ordered through Amazon – it's got all the trashy, bump-and-grind strut of the New York Dolls, but it's clothed in a more modern hard-rock suit. Built around a strong guitar riff that grabs and refuses to let go, "Gimme A Feeling" revs its engines at the beginning like Motley Crue's "Girls, Girls, Girls" and gives Frehley plenty of room to reel off a variety of agile, sharp-as-a-switchblade solos, the song growing increasingly desperate in its search for sexual gratification.

A piece of rollicking, vintage '70s New York City rock 'n' roll that's caked in grit and full of swagger, "Gimme A Feelin'" could be a museum artifact in this day and age, but it shouldn't be kept behind velvet ropes. "Gimme A Feelin'" finds Frehley confident, reinvigorated and ready to take on all comers, swinging big hooks like a heavyweight champ. About to arrive, with nine originals and a cover of Steve Miller's "The Joker," Space Invader may prove that Frehley is, indeed, back in a New York groove.

Slash about to set the 'World on Fire'

New album from ex-GNR guitarist and the Conspirators due out Sept. 16

Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy &
The Conspirators - World on Fire 2014

SLASH and his bandmates Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators will release their new album WORLD ON FIRE on Sept. 16 via SLASH’s own label Dik Hayd International distributed through Caroline.

The group revealed the cover artwork for WORLD ON FIRE designed by American contemporary artist Ron English today. Featuring the blazing title track as the first single – arriving at radio Friday, June 13^th –  the disc marks SLASH’s third solo album and second one with his band featuring MYLES KENNEDY (vocals), BRENT FITZ (drums) and TODD KERNS (bass). (See a Q&A with SLASH and MYLES KENNEDY below)

For WORLD ON FIRE, SLASH and his band tapped Michael "Elvis" Baskette (Alter Bridge, Falling In Reverse, Incubus) to produce. Among the 17 songs is an instrumental--a powerful new turn for the band. WORLD ON FIRE is the follow-up to 2012’s Apocalyptic Love which debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and earned SLASH two No. 1 U.S. rock radio hits his first-ever solo--with “You’re A Lie” and “Standing In The Sun.” SLASH officially began recording as a solo artist with his self-titled 2010 debut album which employed a different vocalist on each track of his first album including Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie and Myles Kennedy among others.

Following are song titles for WORLD ON FIRE:

“World on Fire”
“Shadow Life”
“Automatic Overdrive”
“Wicked Stone”
“30 Years to Life”
“Bent to Fly”
“Stone Blind”
“Too Far Gone”
“Beneath the Savage Sun”
“Withered Delilah”
“Battleground”
“Dirty Girl”
“Iris of the Storm”
“Avalon”
“The Dissident”
“Safari Inn”
“The Unholy”

SLASH and Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators have announced additional solo dates in between their summer tour with Aerosmith. The group will preview new songs for fans on the trek which kicks off Thursday, July 10 at Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, NY (see the full itinerary below).  

Special ticket packages include: amazing seats (Level 1 tickets), an exclusive autographed SLASH lithograph, a digital download of the new SLASH album WORLD ON FIRE and a merchandise voucher worth $50, redeemable in the SLASH Exclusive Online Store. For all packages, visit: http://slashonline.com/tour.

Check out the exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary SLASH’s “Real To Reel” at:www.slashonline.com. The innovative online series documented the entire in-studio recording process from the first day of recording to the last; the multi-segment fly-on-the wall series follows Slash and The Conspirators from pre-production at NRG Studios in Los Angeles to Studio Barbarossa in Florida, as they write, play, create and record WORLD ON FIRE from start to finish.

Slash featuring Myles
Kennedy and the
Conspirators

SLASH and MYLES KENNEDY talk about the album and the forthcoming tour dates in this Q&A:

WORLD ON FIRE marks your second album with your band MYLES KENNEDY (vocals), BRENT FITZ (drums) and TODD KERNS (bass). How do you feel the dynamic between the four of you has evolved?

SLASH:  We had a natural chemistry from the very beginning. The longer we have been together the more it has blossomed. And because of all the touring and the different situations we have been thrown into as a band and as players, we have all subconsciously learned from that. It shows up when we’re writing and when we’re recording. It’s sort of an unsaid thing, but I can sense it. It’s a natural evolution for a bunch of musicians in a band together.

MYLES: Over the last four years we have definitely evolved into a band. Utilizing Todd's vocal prowess and Brent's ability as a multi-instrumentalist definitely highlights what the Conspirators are capable of. I feel like it adds to what Slash and I do as songwriters. Not to mention they are both a big part of the arrangement process. Todd even brought in a cool progression that we used for the verses in “Shadow Life” and he added an great intro to “The Dissident” which is really fun.

What are the biggest differences between the last album Apocalyptic Love and the new album WORLD ON FIRE?

SLASH: The biggest difference is that the band has also has naturally evolved with so much touring and all of these different things. There’s a difference in musicianship that shows on this record and the songwriting skills especially.

The other difference is the fact that we recorded both albums live, but we kept the first one (Apocalyptic Love) just live.  That was it. There was no over-dubs or layering or any kind of studio techniques.  With WORLD ON FIRE I wanted to do guitar harmonies and double up parts and just create sounds. It’s a little more produced record in that sense.

MYLES: We didn't spend as much time fine-tuning arrangements as a unit during the Apocalypticsessions.  I think that’s part of the reason this record sounds as cohesive as it does. Slash spent a lot of time with Todd and Brent working on arrangements while I was on tour with Alter Bridge late last year. When I got off the road, I met up with them in LA so they could get a feel for how the songs felt with vocals. Another difference is that Slash played all the guitars on WORLD ON FIRE. During the Apocalypticsessions I sang and played guitar which was fun, but it definitely cut into the amount of time I had to focus on lyrics, etc. Not playing guitar on WORLD ON FIRE gave me additional time to fine-tune lyrics and melodies which improved the songs in the end. I'm very happy with how it turned out.

For WORLD ON FIRE you teamed up with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette (Alter Bridge, Falling In Reverse, Incubus). What do you feel he brought to the table?

SLASH: Elvis is very conscious about guitar and guitar tones as well as drums, bass and vocals. For me, it is important to work with somebody who is very dialed-into guitar sounds. In this particular day and age it’s a rarity to find someone who really understands guitar sounds.  Elvis is an extremely hard-worker. I consider myself a hard worker as well as Myles. He was somebody that, over the course of making the record, gave me an even more of an extra push in some moments. So he brought out the best in me as well as Myles and the drums and everything. He was a pleasure to work with.

MYLES: Elvis is brilliant. It's the fifth record I have had the pleasure of recording with him. His ability to get the best out of a rock band is pretty special. He always seems to be aware of what the fans want to hear from an artist. He did a great job documenting Slash's tone and sound. I remember the first time I heard the solo for “Battleground”--I was blown away. Elvis captured the sonic hallmarks that made Slash's playing resonate with me 25 years ago. Elvis is hands-on with every element of the recording process. From the arrangements to the final mix, he is relentless at making sure that the record is everything it should be and more.

Did you guys experiment with any new sounds with the production?

SLASH:  Yes and no. The whole record sounds new compared to the last album. Yes we did do a lot of tonal and EQ and guitars. I can’t say we were looking to break ground with new technology, because we did this to tape. But from a tonal and equalization point of view, we definitely broke a lot of new ground.

MYLES: That would be a question for Elvis or Slash. I can definitely hear some new approaches that I haven't heard on the last two records.

What makes “World on Fire” the perfect single choice?

SLASH:  I think there’s a lot of singles on the record, but it’s a good kick-off song. It’s up-tempo, aggressive, it’s a fun song. I love the whole world on fire, larger-than-life kind of vibe that the title and lyrics have.

MYLES: It's got a certain intensity and drive that made it a compelling choice for the lead-off track.

In what ways are we all suffering from a World on Fire?

SLASH: To be literal about it, we have the global warming thing. But that’s not the catalyst for the title. “World on Fire” is more of a tongue-in-cheek, positive, fun thing-- it has a lot of sexual connotations in the actual song itself. It’s a euphemism for going a little bit crazy and pulling out all the stops.

MYLES: “World On Fire” isn't necessarily a profound statement about where we are as a planet. It's about living life to the fullest....carpe diem. Some might perceive the track as carnal in nature, but the idea of seizing the moment and doing what makes you happy is the overall theme. Then again, it's not up to me to dictate what a song will mean to everyone. All I can do is tell you what was going through my head as the lyrics were being written.

What are a couple of other songs that you feel are highlights for you right now?

SLASH:  When doing a record I hate to identify with any one particular song or two particular songs. It’s not like the record is written with one great song and the rest are filler. They all mean as much as the others. There are a few songs that are very different than what we did on the last record. There’s a song called “The Unholy” which was influenced by my work in film. There’s another song called “Thirty Years to Life” which is a little bit of a departure. There’s another song that sticks out in my mind called “The Dissident” that’s a little bit unpredictable compared to stuff that people would expect from us.

You’re touring with Aerosmith this summer for the “Let Rock Rule” tour. It feels like true rock is needed more than ever in a very pop-driven landscape. How do you guys feel about this?

SLASH:  I am a Rock n’ Roll guy. The music business has become a pop-oriented sort of thing and all of the different music genres have become pop. I love the fact that I am doing Rock n’ Roll and have always done the same thing from a very heartfelt place. Aerosmith has represented that to me ever since I was kid. The two of us going out there and doing this big tour and holding that banner and doing it as sincerely as it can be done is something that I can be proud of.

MYLES: Though rock is not the force that it once was in America, it still has a loyal fan base that always seems to continue regardless of what popular culture deems as the "cool thing." It's great because you go to a rock show and you know folks aren't there because they are following trends, they aren't fair weather fans, they’re following their heart and listening to music that they love. People have been saying rock is dead for years but the reality is that it just falls out of favor with pop culture from time to time. The rock fans are still out there and that's why a tour like this is so important.

SLASH featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators tour dates are as follows:

	DATE		CITY	VENUE
*	Wed	9-Jul	Hampton Beach, NH	Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
	Thu	10-Jul	Wantagh, NY	Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre
	Fri	11-Jul	Ottawa, ON, Canada	Ottawa Bluesfest (non-headlining)
	Sun	13-Jul	Kitchener, ON, Canada	McLennan Park
	Wed	16-Jul	Mansfield, MA	Xfinity Center
*	Sun	20-Jul	Northfield, OH	Hard Rock Live
	Tue	22-Jul	Cincinnati, OH	Riverbend Music Center
	Fri	25-Jul	Tinley Park, IL	First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
*	Sat	26-Jul	N. Kansas City, MO	Harrah's N. Kansas City - Voodoo Lounge
	Wed	30-Jul	Inglewood, CA	The Forum
*	Fri	1-Aug	Scottsdale, AZ	Talking Stick Resort & Casino - Ballroom
	Sat	2-Aug	Las Vegas, NV	MGM Grand Garden Arena
	Fri	8-Aug	Stateline, NV	Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena At Harvey’s
	Wed	13-Aug	Concord, CA	Sleep Train Pavilion
*	Fri	15-Aug	Coquitlam, BC, Canada	Hard Rock Casino - Vancouver
	Sat	16-Aug	George, WA	The Gorge Amphitheatre
	Tue	19-Aug	Denver, CO	Pepsi Center
	Fri	22-Aug	Dallas, TX	American Airlines Center
	Mon	25-Aug	The Woodlands, TX	The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
	Thu	28-Aug	Atlanta, GA	Phillips Arena
*	Fri	29-Aug	Hollywood, FL	Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
	Sun	31-Aug	Atlantic City, NJ	Boardwalk Hall
	Wed	3-Sep	Newark, NJ	Prudential Center
	Sat	6-Sep	Bristow, VA	Jiffy Lube Live
	Tue	9-Sep	Clarkston, MI	DTE Energy Music Theatre
	Fri	12-Sep	Sydney, NS, Canada	Open Hearth Park
* Indicates Headlining Shows.

CD Review: California Breed – California Breed

CD Review: California Breed – California Breed

Frontiers Records

All Access Rating: A

California Breed - S/T 2014

Take a good, long drink of California Breed's "Sweet Tea." Savor every drop of its lusty, infectious charm and swing in rhythm to riffs as confident and assertive as a fashion model strutting down a runway. And when finished, sit back, reflect for a moment and wonder why the hell this isn't the hottest thing on radio right now. 

Deliciously lascivious, with hooks like claws, the first single from a new power trio consisting of legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes, brawny drummer Jason Bonham and precocious guitar savant Andrew Watt can stop traffic. It's the sexiest song Hughes has ever recorded, and on California Breed's sensational debut Frontiers Records release, this great hunk of burning, soulful, '70s-style hard rock revived for a new millennium in desperate need of the good stuff, his singing is wild, untamed and utterly captivating. 

Thank producer David Cobb (Rival Sons, Shooter Jennings and others) for capturing Hughes' vocals live and making him sound positively feral at times when he's screaming to high heaven in moments of pure ecstasy and Bonham is banging away on the drums, bashing them with great energy and gusto. And then there's Watt, this throwback to an age where diverse musical chops mattered, when a man's solos could soar, could sting and could also soothe and his muscular riffs were always honest, genuine and completely organic.

The past is the past, though, and although the spirited, transcendent rock 'n' roll of Led Zeppelin and Mountain inform the music of California Breed, as does the Southern soul of the Stax Records roster, this material has a fresh vitality, born of unfettered creativity and a healthy respect for simple songwriting that comes straight from the heart, the gut and the genital region. 

Just as there is a stirring in the loins of "Sweet Tea," raw anger spills from "Spit You Out," another specimen of Watt's tough, down-and-dirty riffage also found stomping through the grounds of "The Way." Immersed in colorful, spinning psychedelia, the chorus of "Chemical Rain" is dazzling, while the thrilling R&B wail of "Midnight Oil" builds to a fever pitch, as Hughes emphatically pleads, "Let it burn," perhaps taking a match and a can of gasoline to past regrets. He's even more convincing on the deeply personal primal scream "The Grey," as well as the vulnerable, but ultimately uplifting, "All Falls Down," these redemption songs growing bolder and more daring by the second.

Hands down, Hughes has wrapped up any vocal performance of the year award that's out there, and in California Breed, he may have found his salvation.

– Peter Lindblad

Ethan Brosh joins 'Drum Wars'

Young guitarist picked to play with Appice brothers

Burgeoning heavy-metal guitar hero Ethan Brosh is about to get in the middle of a spectacular musical battle royal called Drum Wars.

Guitarist Ethan Brosh playing live

Chosen for his extraordinary technical brilliance, Brosh will join legendary sibling drummers Carmine and Vinny Appice on stage for two Drum Wars extravaganzas in New York, including dates in Poughkeepsie on June 20 and two shows the next night at New York City's famed Iridium venue.

All this coming on the heels of a CD release event for Brosh's remarkable new instrumental album "Live the Dream" on May 31 at The Hard Rock Cafe in Boston.

"I am honored to be joining two of the biggest drumming legends for a few shows!" exclaims Brosh. "Carmine and Vinny Appice have been in some of rock's biggest groups. Both have influenced generations of drummers. I've been to one Drum Wars concert and loved the intensity and craziness that goes on throughout the whole show!"

Brosh is thrilled at the prospect of playing alongside a vast assemblage of supremely skilled musicians and tackling material he's loved for years. And there's another reason why these shows are important for him.

"It is all backed up by a never-ending amount of talent on stage," says Brosh. "Lots of my favorite songs by Ozzy, Dio and more are played in a very cool way! I will be joining Carmine and Vinny in New York City and Poughkeepsie, NY, close to where I was born. To me, these shows will be very special. I can't wait to play these songs onstage with two of the greatest drummers in the world! I would urge anyone in the New York area not to miss these awesome shows!"

For his part, Carmine Appice is thrilled to get a chance to play with Brosh.  "Ethan is one of the best young guitar slingers of today," says Carmine. "His style techniques are awesome. Not many can play like him!" Check out Brosh's video for the song "Space Invaders" below:

Here are the Drum Wars dates:

June 20, 2014 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance

June 21, 2014 - New York City - The Iridium (two shows)

Indeed, Brosh is uniquely blessed with astounding musical gifts. Not only is he a uniquely talented performer, but Brosh is also building a reputation as a first-rate songwriter, as evidenced by his newest recording, "Live the Dream." He's chomping at the bit for the world to hear it.

"Finally, on May 31st, the CD release show for 'Live the Dream' will take place at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston!" declared Brosh. "I'm very much looking forward to having such a special show in my home town of Boston! It's been five years since my last album. I can't wait to be back on stage with my instrumental band at the Hard Rock and play this new material to some of my fans and friends so close to home! This will be a real fun night to everyone who will show up. My instrumental band is the most powerful band I've ever been in. People can expect a very intense show on the 31st! Bringing HARD ROCK back to the HARD ROCK!!!"

The buzz continues to build for Brosh, and it will undoubtedly only grow stronger with a brand new video filmed for "Space Invaders," one of the many standout tracks on "Live the Dream." Brosh's fiery shredding is on display in the clip below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfYp4VdBzk4&feature=youtu.be

As Brosh explains, "A music video is something that has to go hand-in-hand with the music that it's associated with. It is part of the art as a whole. It is the image that will stay in the minds of the listeners for as long as they listen to that particular musical piece. When I have a music video done, I take the process almost as seriously as I take my music. A lot of time, energy and attention to detail gets into play when we shoot or edit a video."

Talking about the video's director, Seth C. Brown, Brosh was effusive in his praise.  "This video was made by Seth C. Brown, who can turn around any rushed, impossible to shoot scene with bad lighting into a beautiful work of art! I'm very proud of the new video for 'Space Invaders' and can't wait to make more videos for this record!" states Brosh.

Mixed by Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth) and featuring the talents of world-class bassist Dave Ellefson, as well as the mastering expertise of Bob Ludwig (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden), "Live the Dream" is Brosh's most exciting and ambitious project to date. And the album cover painting by Joe Petagno (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd) is also sure to turn heads. 

Issued by Carmine Appice's label Rocker Records LLC, "Live the Dream" is available for purchase via these links:

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/live-the-dream/id816347755

Amazon 

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Dream-Ethan-Brosh/dp/B00HZMRX0Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393806359&sr=8-1&keywords=ethan+brosh

For more information, visit www.ethanbrosh.com