Whether it’s writing, producing or recording straight ahead jazz records for himself or for other artists, Fabrizzio Sotti has done it all. But when it comes to his latest album, “Right Now”, Sotti does something completely different from anything he’s ever done before. Included among six brand new, original tracks are songs that have inspired the jazz guitarist from his youth. Classic songs that have been re-worked into mesmerizing jazz-pop gems, including Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary,” Bob Marley’s “Waitin’ In Vain and ” U2’s “One”.
Among many guest artists, Sotti is joined on “Right Now” by R&B powerhouse Melanie Fiona, reggae superstar Shaggy and hip-hop icons Ice T and M-1 of Dead Prez. The album’s cohesive sound stems from the band, which is made up of Sotti on electric, acoustic and classical guitar, Tony Grey on bass and Mino Cinélu on drums and percussion.
Left to Right: Share Ross, Roxy Petrucci, Janet Gardner and Gina Stile of JSRG
Gina Stile has been involved in several successful projects over the years including the 80’s bands Poison Dollys and Envy. She’s opened for Aerosmith on a string of dates, had an album produced by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister and her current all-female project, Thunderbox is generating a lot of buzz in the New York area. In addition to all of her success, she’s also one hell of a guitar player.
In the mid 90’s (and after the break-up of the band Vixen), Stile began working on a new project with drummer Roxy Petrucci and singer Janet Gardner. Although never intended to be labeled ‘Vixen’ because of its heavier edge, the new music nevertheless became known and was toured as the “Tangerine” album.
In 2012, Stile was already busy with Thunderbox when she was again approached by Gardner, Petrucci and now former Vixen bassist Share Ross about forming the new project, JSRG. With the line-up intact, Stile is performing with Petrucci and Gardner for the first time in 14 years. I spoke with her about the new project as well as her playing and her other heavier edged group, Thunderbox.
Read the full Guitar World article, see pics and watch the new Thunderbox video by Clicking Here
For more info on Gina Stile and her current projects:
Since the formation of their partnership in the early 1970s, Daryl Hall & John Oates have gone on to become the most successful duo in rock history. Together, they’ve sold over 80 million albums; scored ten number one records; amassed more than twenty top 40 hits and have toured the world over for decades.
John Oates’ latest solo project, “Good Road To Follow” gives the guitarist the opportunity to branch out and work with musicians from many different genres. Oates plans to release a new song every month for the foreseeable future and not be bound to the demands and restrictions of making a traditional album. Having this creative control also allows him to create music that will appeal to a wider audience. The project’s first single, “Stand Strong” is already receiving attention, having introduced the Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway this past March.
I spoke with Oates about his new single and “Good Road To Follow” project as well as his playing, songwriting and future plans with Hall and Oates.
Since the release of their debut album and #1 breakout smash “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”, the husband and wife team of Thompson Square (Keifer and Shawna Thompson) have been setting the music world on fire.
In addition to a run of sold out shows in tour support of Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum, Thompson Square has earned over 25 major award nominations in the last two years including winning back to back ACM Vocal Duo or the Year awards and being recognized by the Grammys, American Music and CMA Awards. The duo is currently out on the road supporting their new album, “Just Feels Good”.
I sat down with guitarist Keifer Thompson to discuss the ACM award, the new Thompson Square album and what he believes makes country music so special.
You and Shawna [Thompson] recently won your second consecutive ACM Award for Vocal Duo of the Year. What was that experience like?
It was just amazing and complete euphoria. Many of the artists that we’ve looked up to all of our lives were out in the crowd watching. The first year I think they were probably thinking, “Who the heck is this?” because they didn’t know who we were. This year, it seems like we’ve become more solidified in our country music family. It was cool; especially now that everyone knows who we are and that we’re not a ‘fly by night’ thing.
Read the rest of my Guitar World Interview with Keifer Thompson by Clicking Here!
Since leaving the band Driveblind, singer Terry McDermott says he looks for any opportunity to make music, and often writes just for the sake of the craft. But when the opportunity came to collaborate with friend Todd Burman on a few songs, there was only one thing that could stand in the way.
McDermott first met Burman when Driveblind was on tour with Burman’s band Juke Cartel, and the two struck up an immediate friendship. But as people in touring bands often do, the pair eventually went their own separate ways. It was a mutual friend who would later reconnect them, but the reunion would be short lived as McDermott was already gearing up to compete on NBC’s ‘The Voice”.
After finishing second on the show to Cassadee Pope, McDermott once again reached out to Burman to complete the hook-laden single, “Pictures”; a song well worth the wait and one which immediately rose to #1 on the iTunes Rock Singles chart less than a week after it was written, recorded and mastered. With a second single already waiting in the wings to coincide with an EP and European tour, McDermott shows no sign of slowing down.
I spoke with McDermott to get the inside scoop on “Pictures” as well as his time on The Voice and what the future holds.
How did the song “Pictures” come together?
Todd had sent me a few pieces of music to introduce me to his style of writing [he was already aware of mine from my bands Driveblind and Lotus Crush]. On one of the pieces he sent, I heard something that really pricked my ears. But by that point, I was already committed to going on “The Voice”, so I told him we’d need to back track for a little bit and then meet up after it was over.
He was a big supporter while I was on the show, and the first thing I did when it was over was call him, and we picked up right where we left off. We went to his house in Hollywood and sat there with a guitar and solidified everything really quickly. I remember we both had a similar vision of what we wanted the song to be about, but from different angles. I was looking at it more from the point of a lost love or girlfriend, and Todd was looking at it as more of a family member.
How did you get on The Voice?
I was looking forward to doing a summer tour with Lotus Crush, but found out that Candlebox also had planned a summer tour that year. [Members of Lotus Crush included some who were also involved in Candlebox]. So I was looking at a seven-month gap where touring wouldn’t be possible. Around that same time, I got a phone call saying that my name had come up with a producer asking if I’d be interested in being on the show.
What was the process and blind audition like for you?
There were a lot of layers of performing to go through before you actually get to the blind audition round, but one of things I remember most about the live round was that no one turned around until the very last second [laughs]. I was actually looking into the air holding a note and the last thing I saw was that none of the chairs had turned. There were only a few seconds to process it, but by that point I remember being resigned to the fact that I was going home. But then I looked down and there were three people facing me [Adam Levine, CeeLo Green and Blake Shelton].
There’s something special about the whole process of the show. It’s a serious business and can build careers, but there’s also an element of fun about it. It was exciting. For me, regardless of what happened I knew there was a set amount of time before the roller coaster ride eventually came to an end. So I was determined to enjoy every step of it. From the moment the chairs turned onward.
Was there a reason why many of the songs you performed on the show were classic rock?
That style of music is what inspired me growing up and made it very easy for me to enjoy my time on the show. Many people were also excited to hear that kind of music so it was great to go out and perform songs that I love so dearly.
Cassadee Pope went on to win the competition. What was your relationship like with her?
Cassadee and I became fast friends very early on. Our musical backgrounds are pretty similar, so we had a lot in common. She came from a signed rock band that had toured extensively, and once I heard her sing, she instantly had my respect. She has a great work ethic and the right attitude to succeed.
Was singing something you always wanted to do?
When I was young I really wanted to be an astronaut. I always was (and still am) passionate about space. My father and mother were both in the Royal Air Force and I used to think about how someone from the British Royal Air Force could wind up in space.
But then I heard The Beatles’ Sgt Peppers album for the first time and began having “terrestrial” dreams as opposed to “extraterrestrial” ones [laughs]. Once I started thinking about music and it got under my skin, there was no turning back.
What’s next for you?
I’m heading off to do a European tour next month and will be releasing an EP. We also have another track that’s been completed and we’re going to tie the release of the single with the launch of the tour. My new band has David Rosser (Afghan Whigs) on guitar; Eric Bolivar on drums and British bass player Alex Smith (World Leader Pretend). It’s a killer four piece. My goal is to take the band and go out and impress people, and much like ‘The Voice’, the only way to do that is to get in front of them and perform.
Yesterday, I attended my very first hair-metal festival: The M3 held in Columbia, Maryland. The two-day event brings out some of the greatest bands from the decade of decadence and each year, seems to get bigger and bigger.
This years show included JSRG (featuring the ladies of Vixen), Twisted Sister, Firehouse and too many more to mention. But needless to say, MANY of them are my favorites and some of the bands I’ve never seen in concert before.
Rather than just write a review of the festival (besides to say that it was AWESOME), I’d rather submit to you three rules that I feel are a must for anyone attending an 80’s metal event.
1. Always be prepared to tell war stories: When you attend any concert, especially a festival like M3, always be prepared to tell tales from your glory days. Because let’s face it, if you attended a show back in ‘the day’, you’ve got stories to tell. Maybe it was seeing how far you could get backstage before security escorted you out. Maybe it was the ritual of wearing the concert shirt you bought at the show to school the next day (proof that you were there). Or maybe it was asking yourself why the band didn’t perform your favorite, most obscure album track that night. Whatever the reason, be ready at all times to discuss it. Oh, and don’t be one of those people who only offers up conversation to complete strangers when asked. Look for openings to tell your stories.
Ex. Yesterday at M3, I noticed some guy wearing a t-shirt with a logo for the band Hurricane, and I immediately gave the “Nice Shirt” salutation. Hurricane was one of my favorite bands back in the late 80’s who’s lead singer (Kelly Hansen) is now the lead singer of Foreigner. We exchanged pleasantries and I told him that I remember seeing Hurricane back in 1987; the first concert where I was in the front row. Even though the band has been dissolved for more than twenty years, he started rambling off songs that were his favorites (many were mine too). Needless to say, it made for a great conversation with a total stranger.
If only countries at war with each other could use this same kind of logic to resolve their differences, the world would be a much better place.
2. Dress to impress (to an extent): Any metal fan will tell you that it’s ok to dress-up for a metal concert. Yep, it’s still cool to see girls who tease their hair; and wearing old concert t-shirts is an absolute must (and can even spark conversations – see rule #1). But, please bear in mind that this is not the 80’s anymore. Sadly, we are thirty years removed from our glory days.
So whether it’s a hair metal concert you’re attending or driving your kids to the mall, common courtesy still suggests that large, saggy-boobed women and thick in the middle men take care of these concerns prior to venturing out in public. In other words, we don’t have the same bodies that we did when we were teenagers; and just because it’s M3, that doesn’t mean you should (literally) let it all hang out. There was a little too much of that going on for my liking. (Hint: black tends to cover these things quite well. Just sayin’).
3. Enjoy the moment. The best thing for me about M3 was the experience itself. Many of these bands I have never seen before or have heard anything from in years, and it left me with mixed emotion. But halfway through their set, Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French stopped the show and spoke to the audience about today’s music.
He said that although there certainly is a place for people on the reality shows like American Idol and The Voice; he was offended that these same people (who’ve never paid their dues) continue to thank their “fans” for sticking with them the past four weeks by continuing to vote for them. To the loudest applause of the entire M3 Festival, French then raised his hands to the thousands of people in the audience and said, “Let’s see if they’ll still be doing it in 30 years like you all! The greatest fans ever!”
It made me lament even more never having had the opportunity to see the band in their prime. But on the three-hour drive home, I took comfort in the fact that not only could I now scratch Twisted Sister off of my list of having seen, but even more importantly: I know that the music I love is still safe and sound.
It’s milestone day, and this one is a doozy for sure. Raise your bottle of wine cooler, crank up your boom box and break out your Bon Jovi! Thirty years ago this very day was my first EVER gig with a band.
On April 29th, 1988 my band, “Silent Rage” competed in the Bath Firehall Battle of The Bands. I know this not because I have a perfect memory (hell, I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast some mornings), but because I was smart enough to keep a journal of my musical exploits.
I actually formed Silent Rage with some friends in March of 1988, and can still remember vividly how much we busted our asses. Sometimes, we would rehearse four nights a week for hours at a time. Eventually, we got our very first show.
It was an under-21 Battle of The Bands gig in the town of Bath, Pennsylvania, and needless to say, with my band’s first gig now officially booked, I was stoked. Although I honestly don’t recall who won that night (it wasn’t us), I do remember the names of the bands we competed against: Lethal Tender, Cobalt Blue, Mizery and Detour.
But as I sit back and remember this day thirty years later, I recall a bull-headed, 18-year-old guitarist who thought he knew everything about music and being in a band. There would be a lot of growing pains for me over the next twenty-some-odd years. Pains that began that very night. For, while in full rock and roll mode, I neglected to realize one of the first rules or rock: timing is everything. So, when we were approached by the promoter asking if we wanted to go on last, I jumped at the chance. I thought, “Now THIS is a rock and roll dream!”
With the 8pm start rapidly approaching, I remember being downstairs pumping my chest and proclaiming to anyone who’d listen how WE were the headliners that night, and how WE had that coveted final spot. Little did I know it, but my hasty decision likely led to our own undoing. For, by the time we went on to perform, it was well past midnight and most of the under-age crowd had already had their fill of botched AC/DC and Led Zeppelin covers and had headed for the exits.
In true Hair Metal fashion, this was our set list that night. The first set list I ever played with a bassis and drummer:
1. Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne)
2. You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)
3. Talk Dirty To Me (Poison)
4. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Def Leppard)
5. I Can’t Drive 55 (Sammy Hagar)
6. I Won’t Forget You (Poison)
I liked the idea of “I Won’t Forget You” at the end. Kind of made the whole thing sentimental, in a rock and roll sort of way.
Me doin’ what I do, along with Steve on bass
Here is the journal entry I wrote after the show was over.
—
4/29/1988: Well, the Battle’s history. We didn’t win. We were on last and I think that was the biggest factor, because everyone was gone. I think we did extremely well and I was sweating my ass off under the lights. The songs really sounded good. The sound man even told us that ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ sounded great. I threw out all of my picks. We had fun. I remember looking out and seeing people singing along to the first three songs we did: ‘Crazy’, ‘Shook Me’ and ‘Talk Dirty’.
I was so nervous until we finally started ‘Crazy’, then all hell broke loose. My guitar solo was great. Even though we didn’t win, I’m so happy to have done it. Winning is shit, I did what I do best; I want to do it for a living.
—
I learned a lot that night about what to do and when to do it. I also learned perhaps the biggest lesson of all about being in a band – the importance of group decisions. One member shouldn’t speak for all. To this day, I believe that had I asked what the others thought about going on last, the outcome that night might have been completely different.
In the end, I have no regrets. It was one of the best nights of my musical career, which began with my first guitar lesson three years earlier. For, with that killer opening guitar riff to “Crazy Train”, my rock and roll dream began.
When guitarist Greg Howe was interviewed last year about his new vocal project Maragold, he gave a few details about the band he was assembling. Included in the line-up would be longtime bassist Kevin Vecchione as well as drummer Gianluca Palmieri. But Howe stopped short of revealing the name of the singer he had in mind; wanting instead to wait until he was absolutely sure everything was going to work out.
Rather than divulge the name, all Howe would say was that the new singer was going to be a male. That’s when the interviewer said, “Knowing you Greg, it’s probably going to wind up being a six-foot tall viking girl who sings like a dude.”
So maybe it was prophecy that brought vocalist Meghan Krauss on board, but one thing’s for sure: listening to Maragold’s debut album reveals that not only does Krauss fit the visual image, she also brings a bluesy vocal style and charm to music already reminiscent of the great rock radio sound of the 70’s, but with a modern, 21st century twist.
Classically trained and having paid her dues on the club circuit, Krauss is a vocal powerhouse who’s star is just beginning to shine. Howe himself has compared Krauss’ voice to a distortion pedal that she can activate at will. Another prophetic metaphor that accurately describes the blonde beauty.
I sat down with Krauss to discuss the Maragold project as well as her time growing up, and how the challenges of the unexpected are what she’s looking forward to the most.
Tell me how you got involved in the Maragold project.
I was playing out on the scene in the northeastern part of the country. Musically, there’s a lot going on there. Kevin [Vecchione] was also playing in the area and he and I became friends. Sometimes, I’d sit in with his band when they’d be playing, or he’d sometimes play with me a few times in bands that I was performing in.
One day, he called and asked me how I’d feel about changing my life and doing something completely different. He told me about the project and I was immediately on board. Greg is such an incredible musician and Kevin is one of my favorite people on the planet. It was an easy decision to make.
What’s it like working with Greg, Kevin and Gianluca?
It’s literally just one laugh after the next! The four of us together are out of control. [laughs]
What was the recording process like for the album?
When they initially asked me to come in on the project, they already had a lot of material written. The first time I actually met Greg was my first day in the studio, so it was a little unnerving; just knowing who Greg is and what his credentials are. But Greg and Kevin are so laid back, and that made it easy for me to just come in and have fun. When I got into the studio no one was really sure what to expect, but we all really connected and were able to put our own flair to the songs. We were tracking a song a day and it was super smooth.
Do you have a personal favorite track?
Every day I have a different favorite. Initially, it was “Evergreen” because it was one of the first songs I recorded in the studio and I love the groove and melody. I also love “Lullaby”. It’s super haunting to me. Then there’s “Oracle”. The songs are just so easy for people to connect with. I really love them all!
Are you making plans to tour?
We’re working on some things right now and deciding what direction we want to go, but we’re definitely going to tour. Doing studio stuff is awesome, but there’s nothing like playing for an audience and connecting with them. As a musician, that energy can’t be replaced. We’re dying to get on the road.
Let’s talk about your singing background.
I began taking choir classes when was in middle school. At the time, I also remember wanting to take vocal lessons, but my Step Dad kind of thought that anything that’s not classical is country (and he’s not a fan of country) [laughs]. He was willing to help me with vocal lessons, but they had to be classical. So I started taking classical lessons first; including opera, which was very hard-core. I did that all the way into college. I was influenced by a lot of other genres along the way, but that’s how I really got started.
Did being classically trained help you vocally for what you’re doing now?
Definitely. Even just the simple things like breath support and getting to know your voice. It was really helpful and influenced the way I sing today.
Did you always want to be a singer?
I lived in LA for a period of time wanting to be a singer, but became disenchanted being out there. After a few years, I moved to Ireland for a while and when I came back, I settled down on the East Coast wanting to go to medical school. That’s really where I thought I was going to end up. I remember I was singing at a karaoke bar one night and met someone there who introduced me to the cover band scene [which is much more lucrative than on the West Coast]. I decided to defer from going to school and the rest is history. I began playing out consistently and eventually met Kevin who got me into this project.
Who are some of your influences?
I grew up in the era of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. I also love Sass Jordan, Aretha Franklin and Luther Vandross. Anyone who has a soulful thing to their voice I was always gravitated to.
What are you most looking forward to with the Maragold project?
Getting to play with the guys and doing what I love to do. I’m really excited that I don’t know what to expect. Every day is a gift, and I’m pumped to just embrace it.
For more on Meghan Krauss and Maragold, check out their official website Click Here
One legend might be leaving town, but another is on his way.
While family members of famed Olympic champion Jim Thorpe petition the courts to have his remains removed from the city that bares his name and transported back to his birthplace in Oklahoma, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Eddie Money will be bringing his arsenal of hits to Penns Peak on Friday, May 10th. Money’s catalog of songs includes many that have become staples of classic rock radio.
After signing a recording contract with Columbia in 1977 and bursting onto the scene with his eponymous debut, fans immediately fell in love with the album’s sound, which featured the hits “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets to Paradise.”
Money would follow the success of his debut album with a stream of Top 40 hits, including the 1986 Grammy-Nominated duet with Ronnie Spector, “Take Me Home Tonight”. The song, featured on Money’s “Can’t Hold Back” album, would go on to reach #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also included the hit “I Wanna Go Back”, which reached #3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks.
I spoke with Money about his upcoming Jim Thorpe appearance as well as his music and personal mission to help wounded veterans returning home from war.
What can fans expect to see at your Jim Thorpe show?
Jim Thorpe is such a great rock and roll town, and we have a lot of fans there. I’ve written a lot of hits over the years and we’re still doing a lot of shows. I’ve also got five kids, so I’ll do anything to get out of the house! [laughs]
Back when I made my albums, I made them to sound very good live. When people come to the show, it’s almost like they’ve got their radio on and they’re listening to Eddie Money. I’ve had about twelve songs in the Top 100: “Endless Nights”, “Take Me Home Tonight”, “I Think I’m In Love”, “Shakin'”. We’ll open up with “Baby Hold On”, and we’ll do songs like “One More Soldier Coming Home” and “I Wanna Go Back”. I play the horn on “Two Tickets To Paradise”. It’s going to be a great show.
“I Wanna Go Back” is my favorite song that you do. What made you decide to record a version of that one?
I did that song because “I recall hanging out on Friday night. The first slow dance, hoping that I’ll get it right.” C’mon, you can’t get a better lyric than that!
What inspired you to write “Two Tickets To Paradise”?
I had a girlfriend in college and she became an Alpha Phi in her sorority. Her mother would always make her come home to San Francisco every weekend. I had no money to take her anywhere (like Hawaii or the Caribbean), but I do remember really wanting to take her up to the Redwood forest in Northern California on a Greyhound Bus. Two tickets to paradise could be anything you want. It’s like the song says: you’ve waited so long, so pack your bags; we’ll leave tonight. Who wouldn’t want two tickets to paradise?
Tell me about your relationship with the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
I speak with veterans and their parents all the time. I once met some parents who showed me a beautiful picture they had of their daughter who was in the Marines and died in a bombing accident in Iraq. I wanted to do something for the veterans, and found out about the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. It’s a non-profit charitable organization and I do what I can for them. It’s good because it allows me to give something back. These kids don’t join the service thinking about things like the GI Bill or junior college. They join the service because they love this country. Just like their fathers did in Vietnam and Korea and like my father did in World War II.
Before your music career, you actually were a New York City police officer. What made you make the switch?
I was in a rock band in high school and then the band decided to move out to California. My father was already the Patrolman of The Year and my Captain started letting me grow my hair long, because his son was in a rock band too. Even though they all moved to California, we always kept in touch and one day, I just caught the bug.
I could have stayed on the police department, but really wanted to get out there. So I quit, moved to California and eventually got a record deal in the late 70’s.
As a singer, what are your thoughts on the instant fame that comes from reality TV as opposed to having to pay your dues?
I’ve always been a lead singer and I think shows like “American Idol” and “The Voice” have their place. I actually wanted my daughter Jessica to try out for American Idol, but Randy Jackson was my executive producer back at Columbia Records, so there was no way it could happen.
Finally, do you have a good rock and roll story you can tell me?
One time, there was a fan in New York who was schizophrenic. He was a sick man who thought that he was my twin brother. I remember we found out that he was actually coming out to California to kill me and the day that he came out, they picked him up in San Francisco. What’s funny is that he actually could have saved a lot of money because at the same time, I was on my way to New York. [laughs]
Eddie Money will perform at Penns Peak in Jim Thorpe, PA on Friday, May 10th.
For more information and to purchase tickets, Click Here.
Formed in the summer of 2012, Nearly A Nation (one of Columbus, Ohio’s most promising bands) has put a unique twist on the classical version of the piano trio; one traditionally made up of piano, cello, and violin.
By swapping out the violin for drums and then adding a host of electronic samples, the result is a large palette of musical possibility. One that mixes traditional and acoustic sounds with today’s more popular electronic flavors.
Nick Long (piano/vocals), Chris Brooks (cello) and Adam Lynskey (drums/samples) brand themselves as electronic rock, but like to describe their music as “dark and moody” for its reflections on the various conditions of personal struggle. Sonically speaking, the band’s self-titled debut is a compilation of alternative charm with classical influence.
The three tracks off the EP highlight the group’s versatility. The lead offering, “Mind Like a Gun” focuses on the importance of observing and guarding your thoughts in an unstable world. Flush with strong lead synth parts, the song shows off Long’s interest in incorporating rap into his songwriting.
“Nothing Left to Burn” highlights Brooks’ cello playing and is a song of sympathy for those who continuously struggle in life.
The EP ends on a high note with the uptempo “Miss Mary”, a track lyrically centered on being under the spell of the wrong woman and showcases Lynskey’s skills with an extensive mid-song drum solo. (Miss Mary is currently being played on WHEI 88.9 FM student radio at Heidelberg University).
Long, who majored in vocal performance at Ohio University, taught choral music for a number of years before deciding to take a leave to pursue his songwriting. He soon found Brooks after placing an ad on BandMix and the duo would rehearse together over the next year before realizing that something was missing in their sound. Enter: Lynskey.
“We knew that we wanted a unique, percussive background to go along with what we had”, Long says. “So we put the call out and auditioned probably 15 different drummers. Ironically, Adam was the first person that we auditioned. We really liked him, but since we didn’t want to close the door right away, we went through all of the other auditions but quickly realized that no one else was going to make the bar. We went back to Adam and everything has worked out great!”
Lynskey credits his percussive prowess to his worldly influences. “I try to study as many different things as I can to get the musical feeling from around the world. I studied African drumming and love a lot of jazz and funk drummers. I’m also influenced by a lot of country and classic rock like Led Zeppelin, Beatles and Rush.”
Long says it was Lynskey’s drumming that influenced his songwriting process. “Miss Mary began as simple song, but it felt short and naked. There was a lot of space that I didn’t know what to do with. Once Adam came in, it really inspired me to write the whole second half of it.”
While the band makes plans to hit the studio and record a full-on album for release this summer, the EP is currently available on iTunes, Amazon, and many other major online music stores and streaming services.
Nearly A Nation will officially release their self-titled debut EP on Friday, April 26th at Victory’s, in the Columbus Brewery District. In addition to performing the material from the album, the band will premiere a few brand new songs as well as their own unique spin on the Beatles “Let It Be” and Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight”. If you’re in the area, be sure to check them out.
Nearly A Nation EP Release Party at Victory’s
543 South High Street, Columbus, OH
Friday April 26th, 2013. Music at 9:30 (Nearly A Nation at 11:00 PM)
For More Info on Nearly A Nation Click Here
Whether it’s writing, producing or recording straight ahead jazz records for himself or for other artists, Fabrizzio Sotti has done it all. But when it comes to his latest album, “Right Now”, Sotti does something completely different from anything he’s ever done before. Included among six brand new, original tracks are songs that have inspired the jazz guitarist from his youth. Classic songs that have been re-worked into mesmerizing jazz-pop gems, including Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary,” Bob Marley’s “Waitin’ In Vain and ” U2’s “One”.
It was the right song at the right time.
Was singing something you always wanted to do?
Yesterday, I attended my very first hair-metal festival: The M3 held in Columbia, Maryland. The two-day event brings out some of the greatest bands from the decade of decadence and each year, seems to get bigger and bigger.
2. Dress to impress (to an extent): Any metal fan will tell you that it’s ok to dress-up for a metal concert. Yep, it’s still cool to see girls who tease their hair; and wearing old concert t-shirts is an absolute must (and can even spark conversations – see rule #1). But, please bear in mind that this is not the 80’s anymore. Sadly, we are thirty years removed from our glory days.
When guitarist Greg Howe was interviewed last year about his new vocal project Maragold, he gave a few details about the band he was assembling. Included in the line-up would be longtime bassist Kevin Vecchione as well as drummer Gianluca Palmieri. But Howe stopped short of revealing the name of the singer he had in mind; wanting instead to wait until he was absolutely sure everything was going to work out.
Tell me how you got involved in the Maragold project.
Who are some of your influences?
One legend might be leaving town, but another is on his way.
Before your music career, you actually were a New York City police officer. What made you make the switch?
Formed in the summer of 2012, Nearly A Nation (one of Columbus, Ohio’s most promising bands) has put a unique twist on the classical version of the piano trio; one traditionally made up of piano, cello, and violin.
go.Jimmy.go 