I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical when the powers-that-be here at rps told me about a new acoustic world music project from Alex Skolnick, the lead guitarist of heavy metal titans Testament. I was pretty sure I was going to hear an hour of endless shredding, except on acoustic guitar instead of electric. Boy, was I surprised this week when I heard the entire album all the way through!
Defying the 'birds-of-a-feather' logic, Alex has assembled a surprisingly multifaceted group to make tastefully crafted and varied music that runs heavy on the ensemble, which is made of of some of the world's finest musicians without anyone claiming 'soloist' status- in other words, Planetary Coalition, out 11/11, is a band record. The result is a mixture of sounds from all corners of the world, creating a sound that's as varied as the world's cultures.
“A seriously cross-cultural acoustic album has long been on my bucket list,” states Skolnick, who forged a new sound for metal as the lead guitarist in Testament, went on to study jazz at the New School, and is often tapped as one of the world’s best players. “I wanted to pay tribute to the many diverse sounds from around the world that I loved.”Alex Skolnick
Planetary Coalition - One Small Step, One Global Journey: Guitarist Alex Skolnick Rallies a Planetary Coalition to a Fleet and Nimble Guitar - 11/11/2014 - Release
For Alex Skolnick, the step from metal and jazz guitar guru to world music instigator has proven remarkably small. Skolnick had toured the world, connecting with fans and fellow musicians from Argentina to Turkey and beyond.
Knight Moves: The K J Knight Story recounts the fascinating tale of a miscreant young rock drummer growing up in the Motor City during the 1960s and 70s-a dynamic time period in rock and roll history. This is also the story of a teenage boy whose family is ripped apart by his father's infidelity and the dissolution of his parent's marriage.
As his home life quickly deteriorates, he immerses himself in his music, moving from one band to the next. In this no-holds-barred book, author K J Knight describes his life and career, including his repeated acts of juvenile delinquency and the capricious nature of the music scene, not only in Detroit, but all across the country.
This is a candid, behind-the-scenes memoir that could only have been written by a music insider, overflowing with insight into America's burgeoning rock culture. He delves into his experiences playing in The Amboy Dukes with infamous guitar great Ted Nugent and his encounters with other Motor City icons, such as Bob Seger, Alice Cooper, and Iggy Pop. Knight's passion for both music and his family provide the emotional core for his searing autobiography, Knight Moves: The K J Knight Story.
WHO: Men and women 15-28 years old as of June 1, 2014, who are eligible to work in the U.S. Some restrictions apply – please read the Audition Info for specific information.
Los Angeles, CA - Larger than life blues figure Popa Chubby has a lot of reasons to feel lucky this year. 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of his emergence as a powerful force in the venerable New York blues scene with his very own band, and his own unique brand of hard hitting, face melting, blues rock n’ funky soul. And he’ll celebrate this major milestone the only way he knows how, with the release of a smokin’ hot studio album I’m Feelin’ Lucky - coming October 14 on Cleopatra Records - and a series of shows on the West Coast!
“It’s been 25 years and I’m still standing,” declares Popa Chubby, and considering the long and rugged road he’s had to travel, that in itself is a miracle. From his beginning in the late ‘70s as a “bad kid with an afro and a brand new Gibson Midnight Special guitar” to his stint as a punk rock sideman for Screaming Mad George and Richard Hell, among others, to signing a deal with Sony and releasing one of the top selling blues albums of 1994 (the phenomenal Booty And The Beast), Popa Chubby has seen it all and lived to tell about it on well over a dozen studio albums!
His newest effort I’m Feelin’ Lucky gave the veteran musician an opportunity to reflect on his extraordinary career and to work on new musical ideas and arrangements in a relaxed, low-pressure setting. Recording at his home studio in the Hudson Valley, Popa called on some of his closest associates to help bring this album to life, including drummer Chris Reddan, keyboardist Dave Keyes, and bassist Francesco Beccaro. In addition, two very special guests brought even more magic to the proceedings, vocalist Dana Fuchs, mostly known for her role in the 2007 Beatles musical Across The Universe, as well as one of the most revered blues players around today, Mike Zito of the Royal Southern Brotherhood.
I’m Feelin’ Lucky is Popa’s debut album for Cleopatra and contains some of his best and most deeply felt writing. “The Way It Is” is an “urban soul ballad,” he explains, “that’s about those times when you just sit there and you realize that you’re all messed up and there ain’t nothing you can do about it...that’s the blues right there.” The title track is a major slice of “badass funk” with heavy wah wah pedal guitar playing from Popa and “great New Orleans style lyrics.” “I’m A Pitbull (Nothin’ But Love)” may be the song closest to his heart: “I’m a big dog lover. I have a little pitbull and I love him dearly. They’re a very misunderstood breed. I work with people at a pitbull rescue who work with these dogs and train them to be service dogs for veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s a beautiful thing. There is not a more loyal, devoted and emotionally intuitive dog.” It’s these very same qualities in Popa Chubby’s own gracious persona that have been drawing fans to his music for over 2 decades.
Fans will also delight in hearing that Popa Chubby’s Universal Breakdown Tour hits the West Coast later this year with a slew of shows starting in Las Vegas at the Big Blues Bender held in the Riviera Hotel & Casino. For complete tour information, visit www.popachubby.com and get lucky with Popa Chubby!
1. Come To Me (with Dana Fuchs)
2. One Leg At A Time
3. Three Little Words
4. Rollin’ N’ Tumblin’
5. Too Much Information
6. Rock On Bluesman (with Mike Zito)
7. I’m Feelin’ Lucky
8. Save Your Own Life
9. I’m A Pitbull (Nothing But Love)
10. The Way It Is
Check out a video teaser for the album here:
9/25 - Las Vegas, NV - Big Blues Bender
9/26 - Ventura, CA - Yolie's
9/27 - Arcadia, CA - Arcadia Blues Club
9/28 - Santa Cruz, CA - Jerry's Front Pocket
9/30 - San Francisco, CA - Biscuits & Blues
10/2 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino
10/3 - Sacramento - Torch Club
10/4 - Point Arena, CA - Arena Theatre
10/7 - Portland, OR - Duff's Garage
10/8 - Birkenfeld, OR - The Birk
10/9 - Vancouver, BC - Electric Owl
10/10 - Mount Vernon, WA - Lincoln Theatre
10/11 - Seattle, WA - Highway 99 Blues Club
VROOM VROOM! Do not miss this interview! Our dear dear biker guitar slinging pal Pat Savage is on the air with Sheldon this Friday! Don't forget to give a big shout out to your favorite blogger girl in Detroit Doc!!! xoxoRK
Tune in Friday at 6 PM EDT on www.tunein.com or use the TuneIn phone app -- search WCXI. You also get WCXI on your AM dial in select areas at 1160-AM
Pat Savage (www.savageroads.com); the motorcycle riding, globe-trotting, guitar-weilding rock and roll animal seen on television shows around the world, will be our guest via phone from some exotic local... who knows where he is now?
We'll be playing his tunes during the show, too.
Of course, the whole gang will be there including me, Cheri Clair (via internet). Sheldon Kay, Rick Stevers, George Seedorff, Andrew Kaetz JD, The Professor Kurt B Smith, et al. will be in the studio live with engineer Jimmy James.
As the film -- starring Andre Benjamin (Outkast) -- shows, musicians in London in the late ’60s were constantly soaking up each other’s songs and influences. In the film, Hendrix goes from blues songs to jumping on stage with Eric Clapton’s band Cream.
The dynamism of the era is exemplified at the climax of the film, when Hendrix rushes into the dressing room before that pivotal show at the Saville Theater in London with a copy of the latest Beatles record, released two days prior and tells his band to start rehearsing the title track, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” knowing that Paul McCartney and George Harrison are in the audience that night. In this playlist, hear Hendrix covering songs by Chuck Berry, Albert King, Van Morrison’s earlier band called Them, The Troggs, Big Mama Thornton, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan.
