1.30.2015

CARMINE AND VINNY APPICE: DRUM WARS LIVE!


Drum Legends Carmine & Vinny Appice Release New 'Drum Wars Live' Video - “Stand Up And Shout!”

Los Angeles, CA - Drummers and music fans worldwide are buzzing with excitement about the new live CD track and music video by drum legends, brothers, Carmine & Vinny Appice, titled “Stand Up And Shout!” Drumming demi-gods Carmine & Vinny Appice have both had extraordinary careers behind the drum kit, beginning with Carmine’s tenure in such legendary classic rock bands as Vanilla Fudge and Cactus as well as supporting stints with Rod Stewart and Ozzy Osbourne. Meanwhile, younger brother Vinny made his name as a metal drummer for monster acts such as Dio, Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell.

Check out the new video here: http://youtu.be/pVzzh4MDeok



Recently, these two drum virtuosos have been wowing audiences with their own rock show called “Drum Wars”, featuring not only the hits of their associated bands but also a thrilling series of solos that pit them against each other like the Gene Krupa/Buddy Rich drum battles of yore. Fortunately for us mere mortals, this unique concert experience was recorded in June 2014 at the Iridium in New York and is now available on CD courtesy of Deadline Music and Rocker Records. Along with Carmine and Vinny, the 'Drum Wars Live' CD features Jim Crean, Ethan Brosh and James Caputo!

“After a bunch of friends and fans gave us a bunch of footage and photos from our 'Drum Wars' shows we decided to put together a video from our live CD. The 'Stand Up And Shout' video is a good representation of what 'Drum Wars' is – a kick-ass show!” - Carmine Appice

Here's what's being said about the new video:

“A full force drum battle complete with showmanship, sight gags, musicianship, power and sibling rivalry, captured on video.” - Radio Chick. Talk show host NYC

“STAND UP AND SHOUT. Powerful and relentlessly appealing! A Metal Anthem with overtones of DIO and Cactus from two of the most powerful drummers in the world.” - Allan Handelman, Show and Syndicated Show “Rock Talk”. www.ifitrocks.com

“Stand for Vinnie... Shout for Carmine... Drum Wars thunders with double the power and double the punch! Drum Wars battles through the legendary drumming brothers' catalog and rocks you with shock and awe!” - A.J. Fritz Host of Fritzrocks WLVR FM

“This percussive pair will pulverize you with their paradiddles during Drum Wars on stage and on CD. Experience it while you can!”

On The Air & In The Wind, Fingers

“Drum Wars is a quick, fun listen that freshens riffs and energizes lyrics while keeping the songs relevant and fast paced. It's an easy beginning to end listen.”
- Orlando Mornings 943 The Shark,
Brian Orlando, Morning Show Host 943 The Shark

For those unsure of their ability to withstand the aural assault that the Appice brothers bring, a free downloadable track from the album has been made available on the Rocker Records website. Visit here: http://rockerrecords.bandcamp.com/

“When me and Vinny play together we push each other to our limits. Either while drum battling or playing great songs from our history on this CD, while backed up with a great band behind us!” - Carmine Appice



“A CD of great music and drums that punch with power and energy.” - Vinny Appice

More 'Drum Wars Live' tour dates are currently in the works for March and beyond. Also, coinciding with the 'Drum Wars Live' CD release was a series of European shows featuring both Carmine & Vinny performing alongside a jaw-dropping list of metal vocalists and musicians. Dubbed the Metal All-Stars, this year’s crop includes Geoff Tate formerly of Queensrÿche, Dave Ellefson of Megadeth, James LaBrie of Dream Theater, and lots more!! For details, visit:
http://www.metalallstars.com/

This January, Vinny Appice will be embarking on the Extreme Guitar 2015 North American Tour featuring Uli Jon Roth, Vinnie Moore, Craig Goldy, Elliott Rubinson, Vinny Appice, Mark Boals!

Extreme Guitar 2015 North American Tour Dates
Jan 21 Ramona, CA
Jan 22 Anaheim, CA
Jan 23 Hollywood, CA
Jan 24 Las Vegas, NV
Jan 25 San Jose, CA
Jan 26 Portland, OR
Jan 27 Seattle, WA
Jan 29 Moorehead, MN
Jan 30 Spring Lake Park, MN
Jan 31 St Charles, IL
Feb 01 Chicago, IL
Feb 02 Detroit, MI
Feb 03 Toronto, ON
Feb 04 Cleveland, OH
Feb 05 Hartford, CT
Feb 06 Londonderry, NH
Feb 07 Pougkeepsie, NY
Feb 08 New York, NY
Feb 09 Springfield, VA

For more information:
www.vinnyappice.com
www.drumwars.com
www.carmineappice.com
www.cactusrocks.net
www.therodexperience.com

1.27.2015

DESTROY ALL MONSTERS:SHINDIG! MAGAZINE ARTICLE IN ISSUE #45

 destroy all monsters
Subscribe below
Shindig! Magazine Issue #45
submitted by Jon 'Mojo' Mills

“Motherfucker it’s comin’ out of your pay”

The genre breaking band DESTROY ALL MONSTERS featured a cast of Detroit deities including Mike Davis (The MC5) and Ron Asheton (The Stooges). COLIN BRYCE talks with them about art, noise and trees

The genre breaking band DESTROY ALL MONSTERS featured a cast of Detroit deities including Mike Davis (The MC5) and Ron Asheton (The Stooges). COLIN BRYCE talks with them about art, noise and trees

The Destroy All Monsters story began as an art project in around 1974 with the meeting of University Of Michigan (based in Ann Arbor) art students Mike Kelley, Jim Shaw, Carey Loren and front-person (most commonly known as) Niagara. Their love, respect and interest for all things trash, outside, artistic, unconventional, free, unfettered and noisy brought them together and paved the way for sonic excursions and sound treatments that should most probably be described as un-easy listening, or even – as a fitting tribute to their hero Godzilla – monstrous; unless of course you have an ear for that sort of thing. An artistic and musical mix up of Sun Ra (a Detroit area favourite), The Velvet Underground, Beefheart, comic books, Beardsley, Man Ray, countless B-movies (gangster, monster, exploitation) and a healthy distrust and distaste for authority and the mainstream and you’ll very nearly have a half-cup of the kool aid the Monsters were drinking.

After a close encounter at a one of their (very few) performances you may have found yourself in love with the bands mixture of cheap organs, effects, feedback, moaning, saxophone, violin, clanging, bashing, squealing, squalling and their interpretations of classics like ‘Nature Boy’ or even Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’. Alternately you may have wished you skipped dropping that second hit of purple micro-dot.

“The art collaboration was a group of us that jammed in a basement for about a year,” explains Niagara. “No one ever heard or saw us, except at a college art show. The earlier stuff was quirky and funny, in an anti-music way. We invented noise music, so they say.”

Hiawatha Bailey is a long-standing face on the Ann Arbor/Detroit scene, a close friend of the band who worked as road crew/sound man for Destroy All Monsters. As a performer in his own right he also shared many bills as a member of The Cult Heroes. He recalls seeing an early DAM show at the college: “It was kind of ’50s beatnik and way out in a way.”

It is after the departure of founder members Shaw and Kelley that Larry and Ben Miller joined the Monsters and helped to set off a newer, jazzier and refined approach to the art sonics of the earlier incarnation. But it was once former Stooges and MC5 members Ron Asheton and (a freshly released from prison) Mike Davis joined the gang that all bets were off and Destroy All Monsters became a more fully-fledged rock band with Niagara front and centre sipping on her (now legendary) can of Tab, her wild mane streaked and piled atop her head, and dressed in some of the finest mini-skirts, heels and leopard print brassieres the budget of an aspiring artist will allow.

“Mike (Davis/MC5) and I were in together at Lexington,” recalls Hiawatha. “After I was released I ended up staying at a friend’s place at Whitmore Lake on about 100 acres... Mike came up there for New Year after being at his father’s place in Detroit... I had set up some space to play... More people ended up coming over and Ron told me about Niagara.” It was up at this property that the new high-energy version of Destroy All Monsters first began to get it together.

It is without doubt that the signing on of Ron Asheton and Mike Davis and their contributions musically brought Destroy All Monsters out of the artistic shadows and onto the much larger world stage. The increasing profile of all things “punk rock” and the influence of Asheton’s and Davis’s former bands on the new “punk” groups – even though their previous bands had only been broken up a few years at that point – allowed Destroy All Monsters to get their mugs in magazines like Creem, Rock Scene, Bomp and others. Asheton’s knack for a crafty, hypnotic riff and his experience working with one-of-a-kind front persons clearly also helped broaden Niagara’s often monochromatic vocal styling’s and appeal.

You could say that Ron and Mike brought a bit more “chrome” in general to the Destroy All Monsters camp (pun intended). As interesting as some of the ideas of the early DAM incarnation were they were still a group of young artists exploring and learning how to apply their chosen aesthetics. Nothing wrong of course with artistic experimentation and it certainly works for Destroy All Monsters on the early tracks like ‘From Edgar Cayce’ or ‘Silver Noise Kill Kill’.

Shindig! Magazine Issue #45
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

CARL LUNDGREN ROCK POSTER EXHIBIT AT DETROIT URBAN DESIGN FEB 5



A beautiful display of Carl's rock posters from the 1960's through today! Digital and silkscreen. All available for sale. Also available for sale will be accessories featuring his iconic designs from Detroit Urban Design Studios. The exhibit will run through February 27th.

1.22.2015

DETROIT DIVA ELIZA NEALS: INTERVIEW BY JACKIE WALLACE!

Eliza Neals. B&W Photo by Mike Toumey

“When I get on stage, I completely loose it. I go with the feel of the music and the energy from the audience. I don’t think about anything, I just go with it.”

Singer / Songwriter Eliza Neals

The album cover and color photos/albums/flyer "HJN Consulting"

Eliza Neals, a Sanger not a Singer
By Jackie Wallace

This past summer at the Royal Oak, Michigan festival, Arts, Beats & Eats, I was lured into a performance by a big, bluesy, voice. The sound was electrifying and I was instantly intrigued. That voice was that of Eliza Neals and the Narcotics. They undoubtedly stopped people in their tracks and sustained the attention of a packed crowd and I immediately wanted to know more. 

Born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit Michigan, Eliza Neals has earned the respect from music fans of all genres. Neals began her music career at a very young age, singing and playing piano, and she later pursued a degree in Opera from Wayne State University. Her love for Motown coupled with her signature soulful voice led her in the direction of Blues. She has experienced the high points in her musical journey, such as when she was signed to a developmental deal with Virgin Records. As well as some lows, Virgin label changed directions, and the deal fell through. Despite what challenges she faced, Eliza continued to pursue her dreams.

Within the last two to three years, Eliza’s musical career has exploded. She has graced the covers of Detroit Magazines, and has been a multi nominee at the Detroit Music Awards, winning "Outstanding Blues/R&B Recording (album)," "Rock Songwriter,” and "Outstanding Blues Songwriter.” Eliza Neals and the Narcotics were featured as part of the “Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists/Bands of 2014” by Music Connection Magazine.

In 2013, Eliza Neals was voted by Real Detroit Weekly readers as the “Best Blues artist/group in 2013.” Her music is played on Pandora, Discovery Channel, HBO, the list goes on. Neals, currently resides in both New York as well as Detroit. “The success did not come overnight,” explains Neals. “I have been at this for some thirteen years, writing, recording, gigging, touring and then repeat.” 

Part of her success comes from surrounding herself with talented people both musically as well as business minded. Her production team includes “her man” and business partner, HJ, as well as Detroit legend, Barrett Strong, whose résumé consists of working with greats such as the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and others. In addition to co-writing on each others albums, Strong has been a mentor to Eliza and has played an active role in her career offering priceless advice and guidance.


Eliza has spent the last year working on her new album titled “Breaking and Entering.” This new album showcases the soulful elements in her voice that identify her as a “Sanger” and not just a “Singer.” Her vocals have earned her such titles as, “The Detroit Diva,” and as her fans from the south refer to her as “Northern Soul”. 

The album unleashes the Detroit Diva’s sass, with catchy hooks such as “Now let me tell you ‘bout the time when I caught him with a girlfriend of mine” (Sugar Daddy). “Breaking and Entering” is a merge of retro meets new funk that will continue to appeal to her loyal blues fans as well as cross over to mainstream music, gaining the likes of a new generation.

Neals will be featured on Detroit Fox 2 News on January 30th, 2015 at 9:00am with her band, The Narcotics, to promote her performance on January 31st. The band is made up of some of Michigan’s music icons, which includes blues guitarist Howard Glazer (EL 34’s), hit producer, Mike Puwal (CannonBall Records, ICP), guest guitarist, Kenny Olson (Kid Rock), and Gabe Gonzalez (George Clinton) on drums.

Eliza Neals and the Narcotics will be kicking off the Blues Festival on Saturday, January 31st, 2015 at The New Way Bar in Ferndale, MI, at 9:00pm. The two-set show will include songs from her award winning album, “Messin’ with a Fool,” as well as a sneak peak into “Breaking and Entering.” Although the album has not been officially released, it will be available for sale that evening and can also be purchased from CD Baby and iTunes.

After kicking off the Blues Festival in Ferndale, Eliza Neals and The Narcotics will head down to Miami for their “Breaking and Entering” album release concert on February 20th, 2015 at The Will Call Venue in Miami, FL.

If the cold weather has you singing the blues, head out to The New Way Bar in Ferndale, MI on January 31st to cozy up to the sultry sound of Eliza Neals and the Narcotics.


For more about Eliza Neals:

Website: www.elizaneals.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizaNeal

FaceBook:ELIZA NEALS

1.15.2015

Jonezen MTV

Detroit's own, Jonezen, added to MTV.COM and MTV JAMS

Watch the "Tear THe Club Up" video on MTV.com right here. The video will beginning rotation on MTV Jams this Sunday. 

Twitter @Jonezenmusic / Instagram @jonezenmusic / Facebook.com/jonezenmusic 



1.08.2015

DETROIT'S OWN JONEZEN RELEASES NEW MIX TAPE!


Detroit's own JONEZEN releases a brand new mix tape "The Party Ain't Over" vol 1 ft tracks with Gucci Mane and songs off his upcoming album Beautiful Disaster. Get the free download here. 


2013 has been a break-through year for Jonezen who was crowned Hip Hop Artist Of The Year at the 2013 Los Angeles Music Awards. He has done two independently booked tours, performed at the Speak Your Mind Hip Hop Festival, along side Blackalicious, licensed material for use in TV and film, and been nominated for two Los Angeles Music Awards.

Jones learned the hard way and was told by his doctor after an arrest that may not live another year due to his excessive drinking. Constant touring and partying had caught up with Jonezen. He was faced with a choice: Either go to rehab or die from his habit.

Jonezen refused to go to rehab unless he could bring his recording studio. He found a treatment center in Los Angeles that would let him do just that and upon entering he began working on the critically acclaimed mixtape Live From Rehab.

After leaving treatment Jonezen landed a distribution deal with Famous Records/ Fontana/ Universal. Jeffrey Collins, President, Famous Records Corp., says, “His first release Buried By Six is not only an anthem for people to wake up from their ‘addiction’ but it’s also becoming a popular record that’s being played not only in clubs across the US but also across Europe & as far away as Japan".

2014 is shaping up to be another great year for the rapper. He is nominated for Solo Performer of The Year and Hip Hop Artist Of The Year at the 2014 Los Angeles Music Awards, booked for SXSW, recently signed with Mannatt, Phelps, and Philips, and finishing his new album Beautiful Disaster.

Videos, press, music, photos, and more are available at www.jonezenmusic.com .

1.02.2015

JAMES WILLIAMSON'S RE-LICKED SOLO RELEASE AND FORTHCOMING LIVE SHOW...


Full frontal disclosure: I did the Art Direction along with frequent design partner 
Joel Pelletier of Wayhome.com, I drew the Leopard Lady logo and photographed a great deal of the recently released Re-Licked solo album by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee James Williamson, guitarist extraordinaire of Iggy and The Stooges.  Then  Retrokimmer, DETROIT ROCK N ROLL and a host of other inquiring minds wanted to know the particulars of this design process. Prepare yourself for rather dry, clinical graphic art rumination ahead about what is actually exhilarating, passionate, mind-blowing, wild Stoogemusic! Below, James sans makeup.



After the last Iggy and The Stooges show 9.28.13 (see LINK) and his keynote speech and performance this year at SxSW 2014 and Austin School of Rock respectively (LINK) Williamson honed in on a project that my friend, author Harvey Kubernik called "a karmic correction." Williamson wanted to properly record what would have been the followup album to Iggy and The Stooges' Raw Power, songs written by Iggy Pop and him that only saw light of day as bootlegged tracks varying in "quality" from muffled rehearsal audiocassette tapes to various noises sounding like Jacques Cousteau shrieking underwater while his scuba equipment was being jerked away. When present day Iggy somewhat waffled, appropriately intense singers promptly signed on.



 Who sang what is legible on the back cover art above. Each singer contributes apropos Stoogepassion in his or her singular style. You're sure to have your own favorites given the spread from O.G. punks like Jello Biafra to popular young rock artists like The Orwells. Who played what is documented in both the 24-page booklet and "The Making of Re-Licked" documentary film that accompany each of the release's formats, cd, vinyl and digital download. Below, James and Mario Cuomo, The Orwells' singer.



Below, Alison Mosshart (of The Kills, The Dead Weather) and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees) tackle "Wild Love" as a call and response duet for Re-Licked


Below, the next three photos were shot in Dave Grohl's deluxe-but-funky Studio 606.  606's main draw could be the Neve soundboard Dave purchased from Sound City when it folded, an establishment with equipment so astonishing that it warranted its own documentary.

  
  

The photos above are singer Petra Haden and Primal Scream bassist Simone Marie Butler adding background vocals; Simone on bass with James; James being percussive with drummer Michael Urbano; singer Ron Young of Little Caesar, Simone, and Joe Cardamone at the latter's Valley Sound studio where the rest of Re-Licked was recorded . The touring Stooges, Mike Watt, Toby Dammit and Steve Mackay contributed to many of the tracks as well. Below, at Valley Sound, Simone Marie finds the perfect equipment...

 


With force-of-nature Lisa Kekaula (above) volcanically belting out "I Got A Right," James Williamson playing at his finest, fastest and furious-est plus top of her field Cleo Viper demonstrating her own right to move, I thought this would be a good concept and a good match of talents for the planned promotional video. Below, stellar retro-burlesque artist Cleo Viper performing in my photo studio and the "I Got A Right" video teaser, which is one of the special features included on the album's "The Making of Re-Licked dvd. Both were directed by Amy D'Allessandro with cinematographer James Stolz. 
                                      (Video LINK )          

Our client captioned the shot below "rockin' the estrogen" whereas Studio 606 sound tech Vanessa Silberman (below far left) noted it was the most women seen working in the studio rather than being companions and whatnot. Below left to right, Silberman, Simone Marie Butler, Amy D'Allessandro, Petra Haden, yours truly and James in front, Neve console lurking in back. Women indeed shine on this release with Lisa Kekaula, Carolyn Wonderland and Alison Mosshart mining all possible emotions from their respective songs.


Below, my drawing based upon but not mimicking the art found on James' original Gibson guitar (see above back cover pic) used in all his original Stooge doings and much of the recording. 

 James as client fortunately presented Joel and me with strong images that made for  memorable graphics. The initial two projects were the covers of the Re-Licked preview 45rpm singles above, both featuring the handiwork of Trina Merry's ArtAlive bodypainting studio, with the skull theme related to James' nickname in the 1970s.  "Open Up And Bleed" photography by Juan Moreno, "I Got A Right" photography by Franklin Avery.



The first concept for the Re-Licked front cover was from photographer Mark Schvartzman's session with model Ryann Hilairey portraying the Leopard Lady sans clothing --more trompe l'oeil body paint by Trina Merry-- as seen below left in the shot that ended up in the gatefold of the lp and cd.  It had a black background plus an extra leopard but wasn't as strong an image as was required for a front cover, particularly given our graphically successful predecessors on the wild 45 singles covers above. 
 
A Franklin Avery shot below right with James himself in Trina Merry skull makeup against Tibetan prayer flags had been in consideration for the second single. However, the simplicity of the color planes of the flags adjacent James' face seemed perfect for the Re-Licked cover wherein the busyness of a whole lotta artists' names would be competing for attention. The artists' names column starts next to James' eyes for maximum impact, as human nature tends to observe anyone's eyes first (vestigial limbic brain reaction to assessing threats or not when we were but little bitty primates in the forest) before scanning around any layout. And I certainly approved of the 'they live again!' undercurrent of our heroically 40-years-persistent Stooges coupled divine intervention! (Jesus and Buddah love the Stooges to update their old motto...) 





Even without the universal acclaim of others (an easy Google) Re-Licked's highly enjoyable/energetic/emotional performances of some of Rock's best music ever should be your next purchase. 

And if you dwell in Los Angeles, you're in for an even bigger treat: the live show Friday Jan. 16th at the Bootleg Hifi Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., L.A. CA 90057. See below!
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