Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Savannah Outen discusses her new single, ‘Sad In The Summer’

 

Photo: Tina Smith

Savannah Outen took a bit of a break to find herself both as an artist and person, but has returned stronger than ever. The beautiful songstress’ brand new single, “Sad In The Summer” is evidence of that. It’s an ethereal, haunting and self-reflecting track about letting go of the past and finding your freedom. With a new-found sound and an infectious, summery groove single, Outen proves that her brief hiatus was worth the wait.

AXS recently spoke with Savannah Outen about “Sad In The Summer” and more in this new interview.

AXS: How would you describe your style of music?

Savannah Outen: It’s a pop, soulful and rhythmic mixture. I look up to artists who are great storytellers, so I make sure that my lyrics are very conversational and nostalgic. I love singers like Christina Aguilera and Jessie J who can belt out and sing crazy melodies. I love to capture all of that in my songs.

AXS: What inspired your new single, “Sad In The Summer”?

SO: I wrote that song last year with Colin Dieden (The Mowgli’s). It’s about a casual relationship I was in with a guy that was constantly going back and forth. I feel everyone has been in a situation they know is toxic, and one that you need to get out of. It’s only a matter a time before you finally find the exit sign and are able to free yourself. “Sad In The Summer” is my anthem for that, and in writing the song I found a new sense of freedom.

AXS: What’s your songwriting process like?

SO: It changes every day, and that’s the best thing about it. I really like the visual of working from a title and for “Sad In The Summer,” I could already see the artwork and music video. It’s also a vibe thing. I wrote the song with one of my closest friends, and then an incredible producer literally took the song to another level. It all magically worked out. There was something in the room that was bigger than any of us.

Click here to listen to “Sad In The Summer”

AXS: Is “Sad In The Summer” part of a larger project you’re working on?

SO: Right now, we’re releasing one single at a time. An EP may be the goal at the end of the year, but I’m having fun just releasing singles. I’ve also seen the final edit of the video for “Sad In The Summer”, which will be ready to go soon. I’m so excited to share it.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Savannah Outen by clicking here!

Entertainment, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Ronzworld: Artist Ron Williams Discusses His Unique, Hand-Painted Guitars
Photo: Kate Page

If you’ve attended a rock festival recently, chances are you’ve seen one of Ron Williams’ striking, hand-painted guitars.

Founded by Williams, Ronzworld Guitars are all painted by the artist himself, without the use of stickers, prints or wraps. Each design is original and done entirely by hand, which means that no two instruments are exactly alike.

Williams and his art made its debut at Summer NAMM 2016 and caught on like wildfire, leading Williams to partner up with leading manufacturers like ESP, PRS, Ibanez, Dean and Fender, among others.

This summer, and in partnership with The Music Experience, Ronzworld will launch the Official Festival Guitars Experience at a number of rock, alternative and country music festivals.

At each festival date, Ron and The Music Experience will raffle/auction off a limited number of official, one of-a-kind-festival guitars hand-painted by Williams. Fans can enter by making a donation to the current partnering charity for that festival date.

Guitar World recently spoke with Williams about his passion for painting guitars and more in this new interview.

How did you get into painting guitars? Was a career in art and music something you aspired to growing up?

I always played guitar as a kid and had bands when I was in high school. I really love the art and style of the Charvels and Jacksons from the Eighties. I also loved to draw and actually went to college for art. After graduation, I got a job in advertising doing storyboards. That led to a 24-year career as a creative director in New York City. I was eventually transferred to Florida about five years ago.

At the time, my family still lived in upstate New York. So, I was living in an apartment in Florida until we could move everyone down. My office was close to my apartment, and at night I had nothing to do. It was then that I decided to take up drawing again, but I discovered the art store in town couldn’t get an illustration board like the one I used to draw on. I started thinking to myself, “All right. What am I going to paint?” Lo and behold, I saw a Jackson sitting in the corner of the apartment and decided to put some art on it. It came out great and I found a guy who could do a clear coat finish for me. I remember after I got the guitar back, it was the coolest thing in the world. So, it went from being something that I did out of boredom to what I’m doing today.

What kind of mediums do you use for painting?

It’s all acrylic. I started out using a paint brush, but found that the finish you use to seal the guitar turns bumps into a white haze. I now use acrylic paint pens. They look like magic markers but flow acrylic paint. There’s no edge because the paint goes on very thin, and the finish comes out ridiculously cool.

Where do you draw inspiration for your work?

When I’m showcasing my own personality, I paint what I like. And since my favorite genre is heavy metal, skulls and tribal art are the aesthetic leaning I appreciate. But if it’s a commissioned project, I take the customer’s ideas into consideration. The body style of the guitar also helps out a bit too. There’s not a lot of “canvas space” on your typical standard Strat, and especially if you put a Floyd Rose on it. You get a little more space and can detail more on guitars like Explorers and Deans.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Ron Williams by Clicking Here!

Entertainment, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

‘And Justice For None’: Zoltan Bathory Discusses Five Finger Death Punch’s Latest Album

And Justice For None is the seventh full-length studio album from Five Finger Death Punch. The release marks a new chapter in the band’s history, after the band was forced to overcome internal tensions, along with a well-documented legal battle with their label, Prospect Park.

Produced by Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed), the new album features driving rock staples like “Sham Pain,” and “Fake,” as well as a smashing cover of The Offspring’s “Gone Away”. With inspired riffs and muscular grooves, the band maintains their signature identity while pushing themselves into new musical territory.

In addition to the new album, Five Finger Death Punch will embark on a co-headlining tour with Breaking Benjamin this summer.

Guitar World recently spoke with Zoltan Bathory, the band’s guitarist, about And Justice For None and more in this new interview.

What made the band decide to name the new album And Justice For None?

We were in a lawsuit with the label, and it was a long process. The thing is, no one really wins a lawsuit. So, when we were finished, ‘And justice for none’ was a line that Ivan [Moody, the band’s frontman] dropped. We started thinking and decided to call the album that because it embodied the situation we went through. It’s also a nod to Metallica and we knew it would also piss off the online trolls [laughs]. It was perfect!

How does the new album differ from some of the band’s previous work?

Every record is different and a time capsule of where you are at the moment. This one is a little more diverse. We always write about what’s socially, politically or personally relevant. It embodies every shade of music and lyrical emotion that’s happened to the band over the last few years.

What was the writing process like?

I’m really into film scores and descriptive writing that creates a picture in your head or tells a story. What we do is always write the music first, and the music has to have a vibe or paint some kind of picture. Once we’re all satisfied, we give it to Ivan to work on lyrics. He’ll ask us what we were thinking about when we wrote it and base the lyrics off that. When you create a vibe and the vocal catches it, it’s a double whammy in songwriting and adds another layer of emotion.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Zoltan Bathory by Clicking Here!

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Saxophonist Michael Lington discusses his new album, ‘Silver Lining’

Saxophonist, Michael Lington is one of the world’s top contemporary jazz artists. He also has an incomparable knack for combining hook-laden melodies with soul-infused grooves. Lington’s tenth solo album, Silver Lining, continues this trend; particularly with the leadoff track, “City Life,” which tastefully captures the seductive charm of big-city living, and features a tasty guitar solo by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics).

Produced by Barry Eastmond, Silver Lining also features Grammy Award-winning artists Ray Parker Jr. on the track, “M-Funk” and soul legend William Bell’s inspired vocal on the Curtis Mayfield classic, “People Get Ready.” Other standouts include the funky, “Break The Ice,” and Dorian Holley lending vocals on the classic Tower of Power hit, “So Very Hard To Go.”

Silver Lining will be released on Friday, June 8, which coincides with Lington performing as the opening act for the legendary, Barry Manilow.

AXS recently spoke with Lington about Silver Lining and more in this exclusive new interview.

AXS: How would you describe Silver Lining in terms of its sound and maybe how it relates to some of your previous work?

Michael Lington: It’s an organic soul-jazz record. We recorded it all live in the studio so we could get the right feel and really vibe with each other. This is the third album I’ve done this way, and it produces a more fun and live feel. Almost as if you were at a concert.

AXS: What’s your songwriting process like?

ML: Every song has its own story. Most of the songs were written as a collaboration with my producer, Barry Eastmond, and myself. Sometimes, we get together and write and other times it starts with him sending me a little idea or groove and I put a melody on it. Then we continue writing until we feel it all makes sense. It’s a very collaborative process.

AXS: As an instrumentalist, how do you determine what title to give for a song?

ML: Song titles are hard for me and are usually the last part of the process. What I normally do is sit down, usually with a glass of wine, and listen to each song and really discover what it makes me feel like and somehow, a title appears.

AXS: Let’s discuss a few tracks from Silver Lining. What can you tell me about “City Life”?

AXS: “City Life” was one of the first songs written for Silver Lining and sets the tone for the overall feel of the album. I remember we had just finished mixing the song twice, but still felt that there was something missing. That’s when I came up with the idea of asking Dave Stewart to do his guitar magic on it. We also added a grand piano. As soon as I heard these elements, I knew I had found what I was looking for.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Michael Lington by Clicking Here.

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: The Outfield’s Tony Lewis releases ‘Into The Light’ – first single from debut solo album ‘Out of The Darkness’

Out of The Darkness is the debut solo album from The Outfield’s vocalist/bassist, Tony Lewis, and the first since the passing of his friend and longtime collaborator, John Spinks, in 2014. The Outfield took the ’80s by storm with their 1985 debut, Play Deep, and songs like “Your Love,” “All The Love” and “Say It Isn’t So”. More than thirty years later, “Your Love” is still featured prominently in compilation albums and commercials as well as streamed nearly a million times a week.

Lewis’ new album is rich with the spirit of The Outfield, particularly on songs like the catchy first single, “Into The Light” and the colorful “Here And Now”, but that’s to be expected. The Outfield’s signature sound is ingrained in Lewis’ DNA. But there’s a new magic in Out Of The Darknessthat’s undeniable. Perhaps its because Lewis showcases other strings in his musical bow as songwriter, producer, guitarist and drummer. A process Lewis himself says felt very natural. Regardless, Out of The Darkness is not only a nod to the past, it’s also welcoming wish to the future.

Out Of The Darkness will be released on Friday, June 29.

In addition to the new album, Lewis will also be part of this summer’s Retro Futura tour, which kicks off in Atlanta, GA on July 11.

AXS recently spoke with Tony Lewis about Out Of The Darkness, The Outfield, touring and more in this exclusive new interview.

AXS: How did the Out Of The Darkness album originate?

Tony Lewis: Basically, I had a four year hiatus following the passing of John. It threw me sideways. I couldn’t even pick up a guitar for a few years. Gradually, I started recording again and put some backing tracks together. I was struggling with lyrics when my wife, Carol, offered to help. She’s a great storyteller and most of her lyrics fit well. Everything just fell into place. But I didn’t set out to make an album. I just wanted it to be a body of work. They were songs I really believed in.

AXS: Let’s discuss a few tracks from the album, beginning with the first single, “Into The Light.” What can you tell me about it?

TL: The line “out of the darkness” means my venture back into the music industry after a four year hiatus. It’s about coming out of that dark period after losing John and getting back into the industry. After being known primarily as a singer in The Outfield, I wanted to re-emerge as a solo artist and show that have more than one string to my bow. It’s taken a long time but its something I really enjoy doing.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Tony Lewis by Clicking Here.

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Poison’s Rikki Rockett discusses band’s Nothin’ But A Good Time summer tour with Cheap Trick
Photo: Mark Weiss

In one of the most highly-anticipated tours of the summer, Poison, along with Cheap Trick and Pop Evil will embark on a string of dates across the U.S. that’s appropriately called “Nothin’ But A Good Time 2018”.

For Poison – which consists of all-original members Bret Michaels (lead vocals/guitar), Bobby Dall (bass), Rikki Rockett (drums) and CC Deville (guitars) the new tour promises to bring the hits, high energy as well as a few surprises. The band will also be celebrating the 30th anniversary of its sophomore release, Open Up and Say… Ahh.  An album that featured not only the hit “Nothin’ But A Good Time” but also the #1 song, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”.

AXS recently spoke with Rikki Rockett about Poison’s new tour and more in this exclusive interview.

AXS: What can fans expect from Poison’s upcoming tour with Cheap Trick?

Rikki Rockett: In the past, we’ve always gone old school with pyro and no video screens. This year, we’ve updated and are doing a bunch of video stuff and it really looks great. We also have a new front of house engineer. I’ve heard some recordings and it sounds awesome. We’ve also got a few other surprises in store as well. We’re on fire and ready to go.

AXS: What do you think makes the music of Poison and Cheap Trick so timeless and special? What keeps fans coming back?

RR: When people go to a Poison show, or any other “classic rock” show, they can expect to hear several hours of hit songs that they know. For the money, people don’t want to go to a show and hear just one or two songs they’re familiar with. They want to hear twenty. And that’s what you get with Poison and Cheap Trick. They’re songs that people grew up with and songs that have sustained.

AXS: Poison is one of few bands that continues to tour with its original lineup. To what do you attribute the band’s sustained longevity?

RR: We’ve managed to keep it together by learning how to be team players. To trust the other guy to pick up the slack and for them to expect the same from you. At the end of the day, when we get on stage and play, we understand what it’s all about and why we’re there. Bret and I started our first band when we were eighteen and we’re still doing to today. I’ve literally grown up as an adult with this band.

AXS: This year marks the 30th anniversary of the band’s second album, Open Up and Say… Ahh. What do you remember most about that time?

RR: They always say that it takes your whole life to write your first album, and three months to write your second, but that wasn’t true with us. We were just starting to get a feel for how to write and had all of these ideas that we wanted to get out. We never ran out of ideas. I think that was key.

AXS: Was there any pressure of having to repeat the success of the first album and to avoid the so-called “sophomore jinx”?

RR: Absolutely. People were actually ready to put a gravestone on us right after “Talk Dirty To Me”.  But we just kept putting out a song and then another one. Then we did Open Up and Say… Ahh and started headlining right after the second single. We just kept the pressure on.

You can read the rest of my
Interview with Rikki Rockett by Clicking Here.

Entertainment, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Malina Moye Discusses Her New Album, ‘Bad As I Wanna Be’
Photo: Josh Schultz

Bad As I Wanna Be is the third album from acclaimed singer/songwriter and southpaw guitarist, Malina Moye. An album of genre-defying sounds that fuse elements of funk, rock, blues and soul and draws from Moye’s wide variety of influences.

A celebration of self, Moye draws from personal experience in songs like “Betta Than U” and “Enough,” the latter of which also appears in the upcoming film, The Samuel Project. Bad As I Wanna Be also marks Moye’s first #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart.

Guitar World recently spoke with Moye about Bad As I Wanna Be and more in this new interview.

You mentioned that Jimi Hendrix and Prince are huge influences on you and your playing. What was it about their artistry that appealed to you?

It was the freedom they evoked as artists in how they played; what they looked like, the clothes that they wore and the expressions they had when they played. With them, there was always one common denominator, and that was that it’s okay to be different. That’s what makes you you. I think that when it comes to the artists you love, in a crazy way, you see a piece of yourself in them.

How would you describe Bad As I Wanna Be in terms of its sounds and how it relates to some of your previous work?

It’s a continuation of my last album, Rock & Roll Baby, but with a more produced sound. I wanted to make it as close radio-friendly as we could, but not to miss the essential elements of the guitar. With Rock & Roll Baby, we made a guitar-driven record that showcased what I wanted to project. With this new record, I wanted to focus more on the songwriting and the melodic [and] draw on my influences from growing up in Minnesota. That sound is in my DNA. I wanted to explore that lane but at the same time continue to evolve and make it a little more contemporary. This album came from a very special place.

What inspires you when you write and create?

It could be many things. With the song, “Betta Than U,” that started when I was just tuning up. Other times, someone will say something or throw on a track and I’ll hear a melody and start to write. When someone touches a nerve, it’s amazing how your body and energy and the process of what you’re feeling reacts. It flows like a faucet.

Read the rest of my
Interfview with Malina Moye by Clicking Here.

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Lindsay Ell discusses ‘The Continuum Project,’ her version of John Mayer’s classic album

Prior to beginning work on Lindsay Ell’s critically acclaimed album, The Project, producer Kristian Bush (Sugarland) gave the rising star a homework assignment. Her mission? To single-handedly record a version of her all-time favorite album completely on her own, and to do it within two weeks.

The result is Ell’s “new” release, a version of John Mayer’s 2006 monster album, Continuum. It’s an album which showcases her strength and maturity as a consummate artist. Beautiful in both its vulnerability and symmetry in songs like “Waiting on The World To Change” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Bold As Love,” Ell has achieved a new level with The Continuum Project. Her sensual vocals and eclectic guitar prowess not only does justice to Mayer’s classic, but it also serves notice that Ell cannot simply be defined by genre.

With her latest single, “Criminal,” already a Top 20 at U.S. Country radio hit, Ell is also gearing up to be a part of Sugarland’s Still The Same Summer Tour this summer.

AXS recently spoke with Lindsay Ell about The Continuum Project and more in this exclusive new interview.

AXS: What made you decide to do your own version of John Mayer’s album, Continuum?

Lindsay Ell: We were about ready to go into the studio to record my album, The Project, when my producer, Kristian Bush, asked me what my favorite record of all time was. I told him it was Continuum. It’s the record I listened to front and back more than anything else. That’s when he said, “Ok, perfect. Before we do anything else, I want you to go record the whole thing.” He then gave me three rules: I had to play all the instruments; record it by myself in the studio; and only had two weeks to do it. So, I spent the next two weeks working on it. It’s only twelve songs, but when you really start to pick apart the little intricacies of the album, it’s a whole other world.

AXS: What made that particular album so special to you?

LE: There is something about the vulnerability and songwriting that feels so real. John [Mayer] got to a place few artists get to. The writing really connected with me. Then there’s John’s guitar parts. He’s so good at blending the world of blues and contemporary pop. Just how he’s able to play melodic guitar parts with so much space and feel.

AXS How did you approach recording your version of Continuum?

LE: My thought process was to simply record each track, but to not give myself any rules. I just wanted to dig down and really learn what was going on. When I’d normally go into the studio, I’d always put down lots of guitars, organs, bass and drum parts. But what I realized with Continuum was that you don’t need a lot of instruments. There’s a simplicity and delicacy about having five instead of twenty. You can really hear the lyrics and how powerful the guitar parts are. I remember when I’d finished the album, Kristian said, “Ok, let’s mute the drums.” When he did, it suddenly went to a completely different place. The vulnerability in the lyrics and vocals really came out.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Lindsay Ell by Clicking Here.

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Michael Sweet discusses Stryper’s new tour and recent performance

With a trend that began five years ago with No More Hell To Pay, Stryper’s tenth studio album, God Damn Evil, is perhaps the band’s heaviest to date. The title track alone is destined to become another anthemic Stryper classic. Other songs like “Lost” and “Take It To the Cross” offer similar status. Showcasing vocalist/guitarist Michael Sweet’s soaring vocals, with the latter song tastefully bordering on the verge of thrash metal.

With a double-entendre title hearkening back to the band’s monster To Hell With The Devil album from 1986, the new release was once again met with concern by fans and retail outlets. Walmart even refused to even carry God Damn Evil in its stores entirely, but ironically still has it available online. Regardless, the band’s formula for writing catchy, hook-laden songs with positive messages and a signature sound remains alive and well.

Stryper, which consists of Michael Sweet, Oz Fox (guitars/vocals), Robert Sweet (drums) and Perry Richardson (bass/vocals), recently kicked off the U.S. leg of the band’s God Damn Evil Tour at the M3 Festival in Maryland. AXS spoke with Michael Sweet about the new tour, which includes an upcoming acoustic performance with Sweet and Fox at The Sellersville Theater in Sellersville, PA in this new interview.

AXS: Stryper recently kicked off the U.S. dates of the God Damn Evil Tour at the M3 Festival. What is it about M3 and these multi-band shows that makes them so special?

Michael Sweet: I think it’s because it brings everyone together; not only the bands but the fans as well. It’s an opportunity for us all to reminisce, enjoy the music and have a great time. For me, the best times musically came during the seventies and eighties. I’m sure there are people who might argue, but for me, those were the best and most fun times. The thing that also made that particular show so great was that it gave us the chance to show how talented our new bassist, Perry, is and what a perfect fit he is for us. He’s been such a Godsend to the band.

AXS: How has the reaction been to the new Stryper album, God Damn Evil?

MS: It’s been great. A lot of people had said that the album would bury us, or that our careers were over. So, it’s been interesting to see that the charts, reaction and reviews are all contrary to that. We gained a lot of new fans on this album. We did what we needed to do and felt right doing it. We stand behind and love the album, and really think it’s our best album ever.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Michael Sweet by Clicking Here!

Entertainment, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

A Discussion with Fender’s Newest Master Builders, Kyle McMillian and Ron Thorn

Fender recently announced the addition of Kyle McMillian and Ron Thorn to the esteemed list of Master Builders in its prestigious Fender Custom Shop.

The appointments come at an opportune time for Fender, which is poised for continued growth. Sales remain strong for fretted instruments, and the ever-increasing demand for Fender Custom Shop guitars could only be satisfied by bringing on some of the greatest luthiers to the company’s Master Builder team.

Thorn brings decades of expertise in guitar luthiery; namely inlay work, to the Fender Custom Shop. His relationship with Fender stems from his wildly successful inlay business, Thorn Inlay, which has been the sole inlay provider for the Fender Custom Shop since the mid-90s.

McMillian brings fifteen years of musical instrument experience to the Custom Shop. A Fender employee for 15 years, McMillian also recently finished a five-year apprenticeship under Principal Master Builder, Yuriy Shishkov, where he worked on nearly 1,000 guitars with the esteemed builder.

Guitar World recently spoke with Master Builders Kyle McMillian and Ron Thorn about their new roles at Fender and more in this new interview.

Congrats on your new positions. I guess the first question to ask would be, what’s it like working for Fender?

Kyle McMillian: Working for Fender is an absolute honor. They have the greatest reputation and the finest instruments, for both players and collectors. I’m still beside myself that I have the honor of being a Master Builder.

Ron Thorn: The same goes for me. I’ve only been doing this a short while, but the amount of pride flowing through me is unbelievable. I’ve loved the product for decades, and to be part of the team is really a dream come true.

What do you think makes Fender guitars so special?

Thorn: They have a beautiful design, and what people might not realize is just how much they’ve impacted rock and roll and almost every other genre of music. What’s been done with them over the last 50 years is a testament to that.

McMillian: In my opinion, they’re the best designed, most copied and the most practical. They’re my favorite guitars, hands down.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Kyle McMillin & Ron Thorn By Clicking Here!