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!

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Autograph’s Steve Lynch discusses new single, ‘Every Generation,’ career highlights

Since their formation nearly thirty-five years ago, Autograph has not only given the world one of rock’s most influential guitar heroes in Steve Lynch, but has also contributed one of the most anthemic songs of the eighties with “Turn Up The Radio”. A song which still finds itself in film and video game soundtracks to this day.

Autograph, which now features founding members Lynch and bassist, Randy Rand, along with vocalist/guitarist Simon Daniels and drummer, Marc Wieland, released their first album of new material in years last October. The hard-driving, Get Off Your Ass. The new single and video from the album, “Every Generation”, continues the band’s trend of writing songs that pay homage to its roots while tastefully bringing the Autograph sound into the 21st century.

AXS recently spoke with guitarist Steve Lynch about the new single and more in this new interview.

AXS: What do you think makes the music of Autograph and bands like it so timeless and special?

SL: It’s the people who grew up with this kind of music. It was a fun era and they want to relive it. Most of the people who grew up listening to our music during that era eventually got jobs; got married; had kids, and were kind of separated from it for a while. Now that they’re kids are grown, they’re reliving it again by bringing them and their grandkids to the show. They’re something nostalgic about it and I think that’s why it’s held up.

AXS: How had the reaction been to the band’s new album, Get Off Your Ass?

Steve Lynch: It’s been really good. The album went to #21 on the Classic Rock charts on Billboard and we had a top-ten single with “Get Off Your Ass”. Our new song, “Every Generation” is also getting a lot of attention and we’re very excited about it.

AXS: What’s the band’s songwriting process like these days?

SL: It usually starts with a riff, or it can even a song title. I remember calling up Simon one day with a name for a motivational song called “Get Off Your Ass”. The video says it all. It shows kids playing video games, staring at their cell phones and watching TV. Then this huge guy comes over and straightens them out.

Our new video, “Every Generation” is basically about how everyone thinks their own generation is the best. Everyone loves the era they grew up in, but every generation has something positive in it and good messages.

Click here to watch the video for “Every Generation”.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Steve Lynch By Clicking Here!

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Christa B. Allen and Johnny What discuss controversial new Pour Vous video, “Scorpio”

Pour Vous, the duo of actress Christa B. Allen (ABC’s “Revenge, “13 Going on 30”) and producer Johnny What (Bråves) describe their music as dark, sexy and subversively naughty. Perhaps nothing confirms this more than their sensual new single and NSFW video, “Scorpio”.

The infectiousness of Allen’s hauntingly ethereal vocal, combined with a tight production that includes religious elements and lurid images of sex, rebellion and taboo, leaves nothing to the imagination. The result is a stunningly beautiful, and often uncomfortable, look at personal introspection and female empowerment.

AXS recently spoke with Christa Allen and Johnny What about “Scorpio”, Pour Vous and more in this exclusive new interview.

Christa Allen: “Scorpio” was the first song Johnny and I wrote together. It wasn’t that we intentionally tried to write a song on this subject matter. It just seemed natural to write about sex, love and two people in a relationship.

Johnny What: Christa and I both love sexy music. We discussed a little of what we wanted to talk about, and “Scorpio” was the beginning of that. We had a lot of fun with the lyrics and trying to figure out as many ways to say, “f#ck me good”, as possible. [laughs].

AXS: Where did the idea for the video originate?

JW: The idea of having someone on a cross receiving oral sex was one I’d had for a while. When I brought the idea to Christa, she suggested we make the cross out of televisions with images of powerful women or sexual revolutionaries behind her. It was a timely idea.

Click here to watch the NSFW video for “Scorpio”.

AXS: Christa, did you have any reservations about doing the video? There’s very little left to the imagination.

CA: I had no reservations because I strongly believe in the concept and was excited about executing it in the best possible way. There are so many different meanings you can take away from the video. It brings out whatever speaks to you. For me, an interesting element was being crucified on a cross made of televisions. It spoke to my history of being on TV for the past sixteen years. I also come from a very conservative family that doesn’t believe in females wanting sex for pleasure. For them, sex should be for procreation only and having babies. Women shouldn’t be ashamed of their sexuality, and I couldn’t be more excited about putting that message into the world.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Christa Allen & Johnny What by
Clicking Here

Entertainment, Interview

Interview: Narci Regina and Samantha Lyn Parry Discuss Their New Production, ‘This Is Family’

Coming off a recent sold out performance in Philadelphia, Playhouse West is bringing its acclaimed “This Is Family” to The Royal Theater at the Producer’s Club in New York City May 17-19.

Produced by the multi-talented team of Narci Regina and Samantha Lyn Parry, each five, one-act production is uniquely different, but each has a common thread. That being, the single beating heart of family. All five plays are co-written and/or co-directed by women and deal with issues that include race, homophobia, neglect and forgiveness in poignant, and often comedic, ways.

AXS recently spoke with Narci Regina and Samantha Lyn Parry about “This Is Family” and more in this exclusive new interview.

How did the production of “This Is Family” come together?

Samantha Lyn Parry: It really started with a play that I wrote, “Brothers and Sisters and Husbands and Wives.” It was so personal and meant a lot to me and I knew I wanted to put it on somewhere in Philadelphia. I started looking into one-act festivals but knew that I needed a team and other plays to be a part of it. So, I reached out to people from my school and was amazed to see how many people were enthusiastic about wanting to be a part of it.

What can you tell me about the show and theme for “This Is Family”?

Narci Regina: “This Is Family” is five, one act, all-original plays written by students at Playhouse West. Each act reflects different themes of family. There are traditional families and non-traditional families as well as comedy and drama.

SLP: There are so many different forms of family out there, and this show is about what constitutes a family nowadays.

How would describe the stories of your one act play?

SLP: “Brothers and Sisters and Husbands and Wives” is one that I’m directing. It’s the story about a husband and wife and their two kids (a brother and sister) who get together for the holidays. A fight breaks out between them because none of them are able to communicate with each other. It follows the family and what happens to them.The other play, “As I Am”, is one that I wrote and star in and tells the story about a gay couple. My character has never told my mom about me being gay, and my girlfriend is upset with me because I can’t come to terms with who I am. It’s about the need to be comfortable with yourself in order to be in a relationship with someone else.

NR: My one act, “Home”, is a story I co-wrote with Bethany Sketchley. It’s about two sisters that were abandoned by their mom at a young age. It talks about their relationship with each other growing up in a group home and the different ideologies they have. A secret is revealed in the one-act that may ruin their relationship.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Narci Regina & Samantha Lyn Parry Here!

Books, Entertainment, Life, Neapolitan Sky

Under A Neapolitan Sky – Chapter Three
With the official release of my debut novella, “Neapolitan Sky” just two weeks away, I’m putting the call out to anyone who writes or blogs and would be interested in doing a review/write up of the story.

Due to publishing commitments, I won’t be able to offer this for everyone. But if you’re interested about doing a review / Q&A for your website and can commit the time to reading the 151-page story and helping me get the word out, I can send you a PDF version of the book to review.

In case you missed it, here is the synospis of the story:

“Dreams of becoming a professional writer are abruptly put on hold for college student Nica Mitchell following the unexpected death of her mother and her father’s cancer diagnosis.

Forced to return home when he’s hospitalized after encountering a near death experience, Nica learns her father has been keeping a dark secret. Something in between the stages of life and death that, when revealed, will change her life forever.”

I’ve also created a trailer for the book, which you can see below:

The official release date for Neapolitan Sky is Tuesday, May 8th. If you’re in the Bethlehem, PA area, I’ll be doing a signing on Saturday, May 26th from 1-3 p.m. at The Moravian Book Shop , located at 428 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018.

If you’re interested in helping me spread the word about Neapolitan Sky, please let me know by filling out the form below. If you don’t write but would still like to help, you can share my author page on Amazon and Goodreads. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter. I appreciate any help you can give! Watch for more suprises in the coming weeks, including some giveaways.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Entertainment, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

‘Attention Attention’: Guitarist Zach Myers Discusses Shinedown’s New Album
Photo by: Jimmy Fontaine

Attention Attention is the new album from multi-platinum rockers, Shinedown, and the follow-up to the band’s acclaimed 2015 release, Threat to Survival.

Produced in-house by bassist, Eric Bass, the 14-track album—an emotional and physical journey that follows an individual’s life from the lowest lows to the highest highs—is perhaps the band’s most raw and personal to date. .

From the ominous opener, “Devil”—with its rush of unpredictable rhythms and roaring guitars—to infectious tracks like “The Human Radio,” “Black Soul” and “Brilliant,” Attention Attention is a powerful and enduring statement about the resolve of the human spirit.

In addition to the new album [which will be released on May 4], Shinedown are prepping for a major summer co-headlining tour with Godsmack.

Guitar World recently spoke with the band’s guitarist, Zach Myers, about the new album and more in this new interview.

Attention Attention has been described as a concept album. Was that the original intention going in?

We didn’t really set out to make a concept record, and it wasn’t until we got to the middle of making the album that we began to realize what it was. It wasn’t something that was forced but came very naturally. But it’s not a concept in the typical sense. It has its own vibe.

How would you describe the concept?

It’s funny, our last record was called Threat to Survival, and this record is almost about self-survival. At times, it’s about one person and other times, it’s about all four of us. We write about what we know, and that’s ourselves and what we personally go through. The album starts out with “Devil”, which is about being in the worst place you can possibly be. It’s when you’ve dug yourself a fifteen-foot hole and now you have to figure out how to get out. Then the album ends with “Brilliant,” which is romantic serendipity. A coming to light within yourself and realizing that you can do many things on your own.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Zach Myers By Clicking Here!

Entertainment, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Guitarist Bruno Major Talks Songwriting, Touring With Sam Smith

Following the release of his 12-song project, A Song For Every Moon, last year, London-based guitarist Bruno Major found himself playing for sold-out audiences in North America, and arenas in the U.K. with pop megastar Sam Smith.

Originally a seasoned jazz musician, Major began his career as a session guitarist at the age of 16. His distinctive playing style, inspired songwriting and soulful vocals have earned him legions of fans worldwide. And with more music and another run of his own headlining dates in Europe and North America on the horizon, he’s an artist to watch in the months ahead.

Guitar World recently spoke with Major about his music and more in this new interview.

To someone who may not be familiar, how would you describe your style of music?

At the core of it, it’s songwriting. I’ve played guitar since I was seven and as a jazz musician, I was influenced by Chet Baker, Louie Armstrong and the Great American Songbook. There’s a lot of musicality and soul that I try to emulate as a songwriter. I’m also a huge fan of electronic music and artists like Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar. There’s a lot of hip-hop and electronic music when it comes to the production.

In your opinion, what makes jazz so timeless and special?

There’s a wide spectrum of music that’s covered under the umbrella of jazz. What attracted me was that it seemed to be the key to understanding music at large. Whenever I hear jazz, I can also hear everything I love about pop and classical. In a way, it’s like learning a language, like English or French. If you want to communicate your feelings accurately, you have to be fluent in the language that you’re speaking. Grammatically, jazz is the most difficult form.

What’s your songwriting process typically like? What inspires you when you write?

It can be something that someone says; a line in a book I’m reading, or I can sit down at the piano and an idea will fall out. There’s no real set pattern to the process. All I know is that when the moment comes, and you get the feeling that a song’s coming, you have to drop everything and make sure that you’re ready to chase it.

Read the rest of my
With Bruno Major by Clicking Here!

Entertainment, Interview, Music

Interview: Vixen bassist Share Ross goes in depth on new project, Twin Flames Radio

Vixen bassist, Share Ross describes her new project with husband Bam, Twin Flames Radio, as a love affair from the heart and a crime of passion. The album, more than a decade in the making, draws from the duo’s eclectic 1970s musical sentiment; with a lush, layered production as well as a multitude of harmonic-laden and hooky songs.

Case in point is the infectious track, “Peace & Love & Rock & Roll,” a song with a relevant, anthemic chorus complete with a John Lennon-esque “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” refrain performed by members of The School of Rock. Twin Flames Radio also has its share of musical guests, which includes Tyketto guitarist, Chris Green and Vixen’s Janet Gardner,

With Twin Flames Radio, Ross – already well-known for her work in Vixen as well as 90’s super-group, Contraband, Bubble and more recently, as bassist in Joe Elliot’s Down ‘n’ Outz, and Bam (Bubble, Jo Dog & The Desperados) have created an album that combines the best elements of 70’s rock and pop with a polished, 21st century charm.

AXS recently spoke with Share Ross about Twin Flames Radio and more in this new interview.

AXS: How did the Twin Flames Radio project come about?

Share Ross: It was something that’s been happening for a really long time. Bam and I have had a band, Bubble, since the nineties. But after we moved to Florida and started playing again, we discovered that our songwriting had changed. The songs we wrote just didn’t fit the “Bubble” wrapping, so many of them sat for a really long time. It took a bold step to make this project, but we were committed to it.

AXS: What was the songwriting process like?

SR: It was all over the place. I’m one of those people who believes that you don’t actually write a song. You have a muse and the song is given to you. A lot of what you hear on the album was actually recorded during the writing process. In fact, 75% of the original vocals on the song, “Got That Thing” were made up on the spot. Other songs, like “Peace & Love & Rock and Roll” began with Bam just sitting down with the guitar.

AXS: You mentioned “Peace & Love & Rock & Roll.” What else can you tell me about it?

SR: Lyrically, it’s written from the stand point of still being here with all of our friends. We’re all older than we ever thought we’d be, and we’re still doing things in music. The musical approach was very interesting. As we were writing we kept thinking, Ok, what Would [David] Bowie do? What would T-Rex do? What would Big Star do? It was a totally conscious decision.

AXS: How did the kids from The School of Rock get involved on the track?

SR: There’s a point in the song where I had the idea of having the vocal part sound like John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” Bam and I knew that we wouldn’t be able to sing it like little kids, so I thought of the School Of Rock. We went down there with microphones and five adorable girls sang it. It was really cool.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Share Ross by Clicking Here!

Entertainment, Interview, Music

AXS Premiere: Guitarist Christie Lenée Unveils Her Infectious Cover of Ed Sheeran’s ‘Castle On The Hill’

Christie Lenée, the 2017 International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion has been wowing audiences with her guitar wizardry. Through the use of harmonics and tapping, Lenée’s infectious style utilizes all parts of the guitar and combines elements of folk, rock and pop into one tasty and eclectic musical stew.

Lenée’s brand new video, a cover of Ed Sheeran’s hit, “Castle On The Hill” showcases the guitarist at her finest.

AXS recently spoke with Lenée about her new video and more in this exclusive interview.

AXS: What made you decide to do a version of Ed Sheeran’s “Castle On The Hill”?

Christie Lenée: I don’t do covers very often, but that song really hits home for me. It’s one of those songs I wish that I had written. Throughout high school, you grow up in different crowds. Some people become doctors; get into music, or find themselves becoming stars on Broadway, while others die at a young age from going down the wrong roads. There’s a feeling of freedom and hope and remembering the good times in that song. I love the symbolism and thinking about what could’ve been or what might have happened if you went down another road. It can be interpreted in a lot of different ways.

AXS: How do you approach taking the original version of the song and transposing it into your style of playing?

CL: I’ll start out by first learning the song the original way. Next, I’ll listen to the bass and other instruments to hear what everything in the song is doing. Then, I’ll figure out things to emulate what I’m hearing, using open strings and tunings that fill in the bassline and chords. The biggest challenge is often figuring out what key to sing it in, especially if it’s a male voice. In this case, Ed sings in a lower octave and then in the chorus, he sings it up high.

Click here to listen to  Lenée’s version of “Castle On The Hill”.

AXS: How would you describe your style of music?

CL: I’ve always described it as what it would be like if Joni Mitchell, Michael Hedges and Dave Matthews had a child [laughs]. They’ve all been a huge influence on me. My favorite thing to do is combining the tapping style into contemporary music and seeing how they can work together. I’m constantly working toward integrating those sounds together.

AXS: Is this song part of a large project you’re working on?

CL: This is the beginning of a series of songs I’m putting out that will eventually lead up to an entire album. Each song will have a video to go along with it, and when everyone is familiar with them, I’ll release an album along with a few other surprises!

Read more of my
Interview with Christie Lenée by Clicking Here!