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PUBLISHER<br />
Sean McCloskey - sean.mccloskey@ragmagazine.com<br />
EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />
Crystal Clark - crystal.clark@ragmagazine.com<br />
MANAGING EDITOR<br />
Juliett Rowe - juliett.rowe@ragmagazine.com<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS<br />
Monica Cady - monica.cady@ragmagazine.com<br />
Marc Suriol - marc.suriol@ragmagazine.com<br />
WRITERS<br />
Monica Cady - monica.cady@ragmagazine.com<br />
Crystal Clark - crystal.clark@ragmagazine.com<br />
Paul Evans - paul.evans@ragmagazine.com<br />
Lauren Lester - lauren.lester@ragmagazine.com<br />
Scott Josephson - scott.josephson@ragmagazine.com<br />
Kelly M<strong>or</strong>rissey - kelly.m<strong>or</strong>rissey@ragmagazine.com<br />
Juliett Rowe - juliett.rowe@ragmagazine.com<br />
Tanya Van Kampen - tanya.vankampen@ragmagazine.com<br />
Joseph Vilane - joseph.vilane@ragmagazine.com<br />
PHOTOGRAPHERS<br />
Crystal Clark - crystal.clark@ragmagazine.com<br />
Tom Craig - tom.craig@ragmagazine.com<br />
Sean McCloskey - sean.mccloskey@ragmagazine.com<br />
Jason Valhuerdi - jason.valhuerdi@ragmagazine.com<br />
<strong>RAG</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, Inc.<br />
8930 State Road 84 # 322<br />
Davie, Fl<strong>or</strong>ida 33324<br />
954-475-8065<br />
954-473-4551 fax<br />
general info - info@ragmagazine.com<br />
submit concert info - shows@ragmagazine.com<br />
advertising info - advertising@ragmagazine.com<br />
www.ragmagazine.com<br />
<strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE, INC.is published monthly in Davie, Fl<strong>or</strong>ida. All contents are copyright 2003 and<br />
may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed herein do not<br />
necessarily reflect those of the edit<strong>or</strong>s, publishers, advertisers <strong>or</strong> distributers. <strong>RAG</strong> reserves the right<br />
to edit <strong>or</strong> reject advertising which may result in legal action <strong>or</strong> is in po<strong>or</strong> taste. Liability f<strong>or</strong> typographical<br />
err<strong>or</strong> is limited to reprinting that part which is in err<strong>or</strong>.
CONTENTS<br />
APRIL 2004<br />
#48<br />
24 - MARIA - This Miami band is about to break into the big time.<br />
30 - THE VINES - Monica Cady spent time with this Australian band, and<br />
found out that they are nice guys after all.<br />
34 - ASHLEY RED - From Memphis to West Palm Beach, this rock band<br />
puts the moves on South Fl<strong>or</strong>ida.<br />
38 - NINI CAMPS - “I really like the quiet of long drives and I <strong>have</strong> found<br />
that I am quite comf<strong>or</strong>table being alone.”<br />
40 - ROBERT BRADLEY - Robert Bradley and the Blackwater Surprise<br />
preached to an excited crowd at the Culture Room.<br />
50 - NASHVILLE PUSSY – “People <strong>have</strong> some strange ideas about<br />
us,” guitarist Ruyter Suys tells Rag <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
MONTHLY FEATURES<br />
06..UPCOMING & DATES<br />
12..PHOTO PASS<br />
16..MOVING IN STEREO<br />
18..CD REVIEWS<br />
44..CINEMA<br />
46..DVD REVIEWS<br />
52..CLASSIFIEDS<br />
C
Of all the bands that I <strong>have</strong> seen, and I <strong>have</strong> seen a lot, the Indigo Girls<br />
put on one hell of a show. They’re definitely in my top ten. Friday April<br />
2 nd , and Saturday April 3 rd , the Girls are doing a two night stand at the<br />
Carefree Theater in West Palm Beach.<br />
Honkin’ On Bobo (Columbia) has Aerosmith getting back to their roots<br />
as a blues based band, and this tour will prominently feature songs from<br />
the new cd, as well as the classic Aerosmith tunes we know and love.<br />
How cool is it that Cheap Trick opens the show? Saturday April 3 rd ,<br />
Office Depot Center, Ft. Lauderdale<br />
“The reason I put ‘Lucky’ as the first track,” Melissa Etheridge says of<br />
the title cut to her eighth album, “is also the reason I called the album<br />
Lucky: I don’t want anybody to <strong>have</strong> any false ideas that this album is not<br />
an up album.” Finally an album where Melissa isn’t wallowing in her own<br />
misery. This is a ‘special’ theater tour so Melissa can get up close and<br />
personal with her fans. The ticket price is ‘special’ too. Saturday April 3 rd<br />
at the Mansion, South Beach, and Wednesday April 7 th , Carefree Theater,<br />
West Palm Beach. (Note that the April 2 nd show has been cancelled.)<br />
Yellowcard and Something C<strong>or</strong>p<strong>or</strong>ate are back together again, and I<br />
tell ya, it’s a fifteen-year-old girl’s dream come true. Saturday April 10 th ,<br />
Club Ovation, Boynton Beach.<br />
Jewel makes a return to south Fl<strong>or</strong>ida. I think she decided to leave the<br />
backup dancers at home f<strong>or</strong> this tour. Wednesday April 14, Broward<br />
Center, Ft. Lauderdale.<br />
“Yeah, we totally believe in touring,” Marko 72, guitarist f<strong>or</strong> Sugarcult,<br />
told Rag <strong>Magazine</strong> at the tail end of 2002. “We realize that there is no<br />
substitute f<strong>or</strong> logging the miles and putting in the actual w<strong>or</strong>k, and actually<br />
getting some dialog with the people out there and other bands and<br />
clubs, and all that kind of stuff. We strongly believe in the ethic of hard<br />
touring.” The band lives up to its w<strong>or</strong>d when they come through south<br />
Fl<strong>or</strong>ida on their own headlining tour bef<strong>or</strong>e this summer’s Warped Tour<br />
rolls around. With Mae, and Maxeen, and Time Will Tell. Friday April<br />
23 rd , The Fact<strong>or</strong>y, Ft. Lauderdale.<br />
Jacksonville based Cold <strong>have</strong> a moderately successful album with 2003’s<br />
The Year Of The Spider, and they will be in Ft. Lauderdale on an off date<br />
from their current tour with Sevendust. With Apartment 26, and Atomship.<br />
Saturday April 24 th , Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale.<br />
After all these yearsand he still rocks the funk out. And he was just<br />
rightfully inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Prince. Sunday<br />
April 25 th , Office Depot Center, Ft. Lauderdale.<br />
“We’re not here to please only one segment of music fans. There’s always<br />
going to be some segment of the audience that isn’t expecting<br />
what we play,” says M. SHADOWS, vocalist f<strong>or</strong> Orange County based<br />
Avenged Sevenfold. The punk-metal band (and a few things in between)<br />
spent most of last year on tour, and are looking to repeat that<br />
again this year. Tuesday April 26 th , Kelsey Club, Lake Park.
THURSDAY<br />
FRIDAY<br />
SATURD<br />
TURDAY<br />
SUNDAY<br />
MONDAY<br />
TUESDAY<br />
WEDNESDAY<br />
THURSDAY<br />
FRIDAY<br />
APRIL 1<br />
THE SOCIAL – Modest Mouse CD listening party<br />
APRIL 2<br />
THE SOCIAL – Kim Wilson’s Blues Review<br />
PURE NIGHTLIFE – Latina: featuring Tito Puente<br />
CAREFREE THEATER – Indigo Girls<br />
THE MANSION – Melissa Etheridge<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Skadillacs, Earth Citizens,<br />
Fernando Perdomo, Sol Awake<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Buddy Guy<br />
APRIL 3<br />
SURF CAFÉ – Sea of Black, Deepset, Curse Icon, Verticon<br />
OFFICE DEPOT CENTER – Aerosmith, Cheap Trick<br />
CAREFREE THEATER – Indigo Girls<br />
THE MANSION – Melissa Etheridge<br />
CULTURE ROOM – Nothing Rhymes with Orange<br />
I/O – Freezepop<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Madd Agents, Jacuzzi Fuzz, Dr.<br />
Gonzo’s Bazooka Circus, Feeling Numb, Icezelion, Tessai<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Bella Fleck and the Flecktones<br />
CLUB M – Caveat Empt<strong>or</strong><br />
THE SOCIAL – Dave Dondero<br />
APRIL 4<br />
APRIL 5<br />
THE SOCIAL – Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Bargain Music<br />
SENOR FROGS – Maria<br />
APRIL 6<br />
THE SOCIAL – DJ Greyboy<br />
PURDY LOUNGE - Maria<br />
CAFÉ IGUANA PINES – Sweetbone, Prime Rib, Wednesday’s<br />
Child<br />
APRIL 7<br />
THE SOCIAL – Every Time I Die, As I Lay Dying, Balck Dahlia<br />
Murder, Scarlet<br />
CULTURE ROOM – Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Bargain Music<br />
THE SOCIAL – Pinback, American Analog Set<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Melissa Etheridge<br />
CHURCHILLS – Caveat Empt<strong>or</strong><br />
APRIL 8<br />
APRIL 9<br />
BENNY’S ICEHOUSE - Wrecktifier<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Alud, Only in Theaters, Me f<strong>or</strong><br />
Now, Say they Exist<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Melissa Etheridge<br />
SATURD<br />
TURDAY<br />
SUNDAY<br />
MONDAY<br />
TUESDAY<br />
WEDNESDAY<br />
FRIDAY<br />
SATURD<br />
TURDAY<br />
SUNDAY<br />
APRIL 10<br />
SURF CAFÉ – The Numb Ones, Sp<strong>or</strong>k, Way Otta Line<br />
BENNY’S ICEHOUSE – Wrecktifier<br />
CULTURE ROOM – Josh Todd of Buckcherry, Monster Zero,<br />
Deepset, DC-3<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Blind Assult, Sagazza, P<strong>or</strong>usia,<br />
Mindfed<br />
THE FACTORY – Curse Icon<br />
DADA – Jerry Cherry<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Mark Farina<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Jaguares<br />
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANYA!<br />
APRIL 11<br />
APRIL 12<br />
APRIL 13<br />
THE SOCIAL – God F<strong>or</strong>bid, Scars of Tom<strong>or</strong>row, Trivium, All<br />
That Remains<br />
CAFÉ IGUANA PINES – Battle of the Bands Final<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – M<strong>or</strong>bid Angel, Premonitions of War,<br />
Catyricon, Suffocation<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Little River Band<br />
APRIL 14<br />
APRIL 16<br />
CULTURE ROOM – Big Sky, Stereonine, the Octave, The<br />
Goodnicks<br />
KELSEY CLUB – God F<strong>or</strong>bid, All that Remains<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Fractal, Radio Day, Prime Rib,<br />
G<strong>or</strong>eman<br />
APRIL 17<br />
SURF CAFÉ – Limelight (Rush Tribute Band)<br />
FAT CATS - Wrecktifier<br />
CURSE ICON – Culture Room<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Incidious, Higher Zenith, Sol<br />
Awake, Red Sun Down<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Method Man<br />
APRIL 18<br />
CULTURE ROOM – Element Eighty, The Accident Experiment
WEDNESDAY<br />
CULTURE ROOM - Gwar<br />
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEAN!<br />
THURSDAY<br />
THE SOCIAL – Sugarcult, MAE, Maxeen<br />
CULTURE ROOM – The Toasters, Bumruckus<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – GWAR<br />
FRIDAY<br />
SATURD<br />
TURDAY<br />
SUNDAY<br />
MONDAY<br />
TUESDAY<br />
8 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004<br />
APRIL 21<br />
APRIL 22<br />
APRIL 23<br />
THE UGLY MUG - Wrecktifier<br />
SOUND ADVICE AMPHITHEATER – The Offspring, Finger<br />
Eleven, Lo-Pro, Molotov, Puddle of Mudd, Smile Empty Soul,<br />
Tantric, The International Noise Conspiracy, Three Days Grace,<br />
Trapt, theSTART<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Demenxia, Sense of Being,<br />
Sindicia, Dark Tom<strong>or</strong>row, Dark Line Grind<br />
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI – Big Fuzz<br />
O’ MALLEY’S ALLEY – Gray <strong>by</strong> Mourning<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical<br />
Romance, Moments in Grace, Funeral f<strong>or</strong> a Friend<br />
CHURCHILLS – Caveat Empt<strong>or</strong><br />
APRIL 24<br />
SURF CAFÉ – Heatseekers<br />
THE UGLY MUG - Wrecktifier<br />
CULTURE ROOM – Cold, Apartment 26, Atomship<br />
BROADWAY BILLARDS – Philly @ 6, Phenix Nebulin,<br />
Bitterdoji, Sol Music<br />
THE SOCIAL – The Toasters<br />
OFFICE DEPOT CENTER – Prince<br />
APRIL 25<br />
APRIL 26<br />
THE SOCIAL – The Beautiful Mistake, Anatomy of a Ghost,<br />
The AKA’s, Emery<br />
KELSEY CLUB – Avenged Sevenfold<br />
APRIL 27<br />
CULTURE ROOM – The Beautiful Mistake, The AKAs,<br />
Anatomy of a Ghost, Emery<br />
WEDNESDAY<br />
APRIL 28<br />
THE SOCIAL – Nashville Pussy, Artemis Piledriver<br />
CULTURE ROOM – Exodus<br />
SUNFEST – One, Fountains of Wayne, Fuel, The Goodnicks,<br />
Paul Byrne, Hootie & the Blowfish<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy<br />
THURSDAY<br />
FRIDAY<br />
VENUE<br />
APRIL 29<br />
THE SOCIAL – T<strong>or</strong>toise, Beans, Ex-Models<br />
SUNFEST – The Curve, Switchfoot, Journey, Tommy Dalton<br />
Band, The John Wilde Group, Buddy Guy<br />
APRIL 30<br />
OFFICE DEPOT CENTER - Yes<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS – Jerry Cherry, Dead to the W<strong>or</strong>ld,<br />
Prime Rib, Red Sun Down<br />
SUNFEST – Orleans, Ron Fatt<strong>or</strong>usso, Simply 5, Anythime in<br />
July, Peter Frampton, Kick the Cat, Davis and Dow, Odd Man<br />
Out, Diane Ward, Cyndi Lauper, Gypsy<br />
Get <strong>your</strong> dates and venues<br />
f<strong>or</strong> listed FREE!<br />
shows@ragmagazine.com<br />
<strong>or</strong> 954-473-4551<br />
LISTINGS<br />
ALLIGATOR ALLEY - 5501 NE 2nd Ave, Miami 305-757-1807<br />
AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA - 601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami 786-777-1000<br />
BAYFRONT PARK AMPH - 301 N. Biscayne Blve, Miami<br />
BORDERS - 12171 West Sunrise Boulevard, Plantation 954-723-9595<br />
BROADWAY BILLIARDS - 17813 Biscayne Blvd. Aventura 954-935-6600<br />
CHURCHILLS - 5501 NW 2 Ave, Miami 305-757-1807<br />
CLUB M - 2037 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 954-925-8396<br />
CULTURE ROOM - 3045 N. Federal Highway, Hollywood 954-564-1074<br />
DADA - 52 N. Swinton Ave, Delray Beach 561-330-3232<br />
GOTHAM HALL - 1502 Hendry Street, Ft. Myers 239-337-4662<br />
HOUSE OF BLUES - 1490 E. Buena Vista Dr.,Lake Buena Vista 407-934-BLUE<br />
JACKIE GLEASON - 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach 305-673-7300<br />
JAMES L. KNIGHT CTR - 400 SE 2nd Ave, Miami 305.372.4634<br />
KELSEY CLUB - 700 Park Ave, Lake W<strong>or</strong>th 561-296-1407<br />
LOST & FOUND – 664 South Highway 17-92, Orlando<br />
MIZNER PARK AMPH. – 433 Plaza Real Boca Raton<br />
O’ SHEAS IRISH PUB - 531 Clematis St. WPB<br />
OVATION - 3637 South Federal Highway, Boynton 561-740-7076<br />
POMPANO BEACH AMPH. - 1806 NE 6th Street Pompano 954-946-2402<br />
POORHOUSE - 110 SW 3 Ave, Ft. Lauderdale 954-522-5145<br />
RESPECTABLE STREET - 518 Clematis St., WPB 561-832-9999<br />
SEA MONSTER - 2 New South River Dr. W, Ft. Lauderdale 954-463-4641<br />
SOUND ADVICE AMPH. - 601-7 Sansbury’s Way, WPB 561-795-8883<br />
THE FACTORY - 2674 Oakland Park Blvd Ft. Lauderdale 954-566-6631<br />
THE ORPHEUM - 8th & 14th Tampa 813-248-9500<br />
THE SOCIAL - 54 N. Orange Ave, Orlando 407-246-1419<br />
THE STATION - 843 Lee Road, Orlando 407-645-4558<br />
TWILIGHT - 1507 East 7th Ave., Tampa 813-247-4225<br />
UM CONVOCATION CTR - 1245 Walsh Ave C<strong>or</strong>al Gables<br />
VENU - 100 SW 3rd Ave. Ft. Lauderdale 954-766-8477<br />
WALLFLOWER GALLERY - 10 NE 3rd St., Miami 305-579-0069<br />
WILLS PUB - 1815 N. Mills Ave Orlando 407-898-5070<br />
WOODPECKER RECORDS - 3615 S. Fl. Ave., Lakeland 863-647-9872<br />
VENUE<br />
LISTINGS
GET A<br />
FREE T-SHIRT<br />
12 ISSUES $25
LINKIN PARK • OFFICE DEPOT CENTER • MARCH 4, 2004<br />
PHOTO: JASON VALHUERDI<br />
CANNIBAL CORPSE • CULTURE ROOM • MARCH 13, 2004<br />
PHOTO: JASON VALHUERDI
LYNYRD SKYNYRD<br />
SOUND ADVICE AMPHITHEATER<br />
MARCH 6, 2004<br />
PHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEY<br />
MAROON 5<br />
OFFICE DEPOT CENTER<br />
MARCH 5, 2004<br />
PHOTO: JASON VALHUERDI<br />
STEPHEN PEARCY<br />
SOLID GOLD<br />
MARCH 25, 2004<br />
PHOTO:SEAN MCCLOSKEY<br />
SAY THEY EXIST<br />
CAFE IGUANA / PINES<br />
MARCH 23, 2004<br />
PHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEY
Moving In Stereo:<br />
Volume 3<br />
as heard <strong>by</strong><br />
Darren Paltrowitz<br />
Although only a month since the release<br />
of Moving In Stereo: Volume 2, there is<br />
definitely no sh<strong>or</strong>tage of w<strong>or</strong>thwhile entertainment.<br />
As we edge closer to the midpoint<br />
of 2004, the status quo of the Billboard<br />
Top 200 may be questionable as<br />
ever. However, the loyalty of this column’s<br />
readers definitely shows that there are<br />
some self-sufficient, independent-minded<br />
people out there looking to make things<br />
better. And if you can think anything that<br />
would make this column better, feel free<br />
to get in touch with me via the e-mail address<br />
listed below.<br />
…From The Island<br />
The annual South By Southwest music<br />
conference may temp<strong>or</strong>arily direct the music<br />
industry’s attention to Texas, but Long<br />
Island did breed its fair share of contenders.<br />
One SXSW success st<strong>or</strong>y of note is<br />
that of Bandcamp, who attracted its usual<br />
fair share of A&R interest. Despite being a<br />
pop-rock quartet, the attention remained on<br />
16-year old frontman and songwriter Matt<br />
Bair, who end<strong>or</strong>ses Gibson Guitars and<br />
has a publishing deal with BMI…The Arrogant<br />
Sons Of Bitches didn’t make the trip<br />
to Austin, but <strong>have</strong> been making up f<strong>or</strong> that<br />
in the album sales of their self-titled release.<br />
A compilation featuring two new<br />
tracks in addition to the distinct ska band’s<br />
entire rec<strong>or</strong>ded output, also included f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
price of a single album is an enhanced CD<br />
p<strong>or</strong>tion containing a music video and 25<br />
unreleased tracks. Interested parties<br />
won’t be able to find this in st<strong>or</strong>es, as its<br />
main distribut<strong>or</strong>s are Interpunk and Kill<br />
N<strong>or</strong>mal Rec<strong>or</strong>ds. Just as obedient of DIY<br />
ethic is The Kelly Project, which has a 2-<br />
CD release to push at<br />
www.kellyproject.com. Similar to the excellent<br />
and economical Anyone In Love<br />
With You (Already Knows) set from the<br />
Brooklyn-based Rainer Maria, the Kelly<br />
folks offer a double-disc product that includes<br />
a live CD and a live DVD – with an<br />
option f<strong>or</strong> 5.1. Surround sound – f<strong>or</strong> an<br />
ASOB-like price…These Enzymes,<br />
Unitshifter fav<strong>or</strong>ites featuring f<strong>or</strong>mer<br />
members of Sons Of Abraham and The<br />
Reunion Show, is another apparent bandon-the-rise<br />
as its first full tour includes<br />
upcoming shows alongside Taking Back<br />
Sunday, Motion City Soundtrack,<br />
16 • APRIL 2004 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE<br />
GREEN DAY<br />
PIEBALD<br />
Avenged Sevenfold and Sugarcult…In<br />
the most recent edition of this column, it<br />
was rep<strong>or</strong>ted that some legendary area<br />
bands might be reuniting to take part in a<br />
Blood Red farewell show. One of said<br />
groups turns out to be Inside, which included<br />
Dearly Departed vocalist Mike<br />
Mallamo. Ironically enough, Joe Rubino,<br />
a current bandmate of Mallamo’s, will be<br />
reuniting with his old bandmates in Tension<br />
f<strong>or</strong> an album (to be released on<br />
Calif<strong>or</strong>nia’s Sadistic Rec<strong>or</strong>ds) and several<br />
perf<strong>or</strong>mances in supp<strong>or</strong>t of such.<br />
…From The Studio<br />
Whether <strong>or</strong> not you believe that it was actually<br />
Green Day on the Adeline Rec<strong>or</strong>dsreleased<br />
Money Money 2020 album <strong>by</strong> The<br />
Netw<strong>or</strong>k, a maj<strong>or</strong>-label follow-up to Warning<br />
is currently being rec<strong>or</strong>ded. The disc<br />
does not yet <strong>have</strong> a name, but 35 songs<br />
<strong>have</strong> been written f<strong>or</strong> it and a September<br />
release date should be anticipated…Cave-<br />
In recently completed several weeks of preproduction<br />
in Boston with Andrew<br />
Schneider. However, rum<strong>or</strong>s are flying that<br />
RCA isn’t pleased with the band’s return to<br />
a heavier sound…Production is well-underway<br />
on the solo debut of Superdrag<br />
founder John Davis, who looks to be w<strong>or</strong>king<br />
with Nashville-based legend R.S. Field;<br />
Davis has not yet signed a rec<strong>or</strong>d deal,<br />
despite several offers being on the table.<br />
Those seeking to hear a less-subdued<br />
Davis may want to check out Shameless<br />
Self-Destruction <strong>by</strong> The Used To Be, as out<br />
on Wrecked ‘Em Rec<strong>or</strong>ds and featuring<br />
the singer-songwriter alongside f<strong>or</strong>mer<br />
Superdrag members Tom Pappas and<br />
Brandon Fisher. Fans of Asian Man<br />
Rec<strong>or</strong>ds’ new EP from Toys That Kill ought<br />
to be pleased with that attitude-driven racket<br />
as well.<br />
…From The Stereo<br />
Have you heard the new CD from Piebald?<br />
All Ears, All Eyes, All The Times is m<strong>or</strong>e<br />
straight-f<strong>or</strong>ward with the rock than 2002’s<br />
superb We Are The Only Friends We Have,<br />
yet just as reflective. In the rare case of<br />
Travis Shettel and company, a handful of<br />
piano-based songs about maturity isn’t a<br />
bad thing f<strong>or</strong> this always-charismatic<br />
band…The Living End may be one of the<br />
biggest groups Australia has ever seen, but<br />
they are still far from a Gold-selling act<br />
(500,000 copies) in America. MODERN<br />
ARTillery most likely won’t catapult the trio<br />
into Beatlemania over here, although this<br />
is a mostly-solid album filled with all the<br />
expected anthem-like, sing-along cho-
CAVE IN<br />
ruses. “Who’s Gonna Save Us?” makes<br />
f<strong>or</strong> a great first single…The re-issue of<br />
Jawbreaker’s Dear You, a undeniable cultclassic,<br />
is in all ways an essential purchase<br />
as it contains the music video f<strong>or</strong><br />
“Fireman” alongside five bonus tracks. If<br />
you think the w<strong>or</strong>ld of “emo” bands that <strong>have</strong><br />
cracked the af<strong>or</strong>ementioned Billboard chart<br />
and <strong>have</strong> not checked out the Rob Cavalloproduced<br />
Dear You, you <strong>have</strong> w<strong>or</strong>k cut out<br />
f<strong>or</strong> you.<br />
…From The Ex’s<br />
It’s been m<strong>or</strong>e than “six long years” since<br />
Matt Sharp left Weezer (whose Video Capture Device DVD is the best band-related<br />
video release that I’ve ever seen and will probably be the best thing playable on a<br />
Playstation 2 console until Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas hits shelves) and five years<br />
since the last Rentals full-length, but the guy hasn’t gone completely AWOL. Despite last<br />
Fall’s on-stage reunion with Rivers Cuomo, with whom he has been co-writing f<strong>or</strong> an<br />
upcoming project, Sharp has put out both a self-titled album and the Puckett’s Versus<br />
The Country Boy EP through In Music We Trust. The synthesizers and female vocals<br />
<strong>have</strong> been replaced <strong>by</strong> acoustic <strong>guitars</strong> and a vibe of relaxation…While nothing’s been<br />
heard from Sharp’s temp<strong>or</strong>ary replacement (and f<strong>or</strong>mer Juliana Hatfield bassist) Mikey<br />
Welsh since a 2001 album alongside f<strong>or</strong>mer Mighty Mighty Bosstones guitarist Nate<br />
Albert in The Kickovers, other members of the Bosstones family are using their<br />
hiatus time well. F<strong>or</strong>mer saxophonist Dennis<br />
Brockenb<strong>or</strong>ough has a new band,<br />
Chub<strong>by</strong>, and not a single drop of ska can be<br />
heard on Is It Time?, a straight-up rock eff<strong>or</strong>t.<br />
Meanwhile, rum<strong>or</strong>s are circulating that vocalist<br />
Dicky Barrett may be w<strong>or</strong>king on a solo<br />
disc, however, until then, he can be seen every<br />
night on ABC as the announcer of Jimmy<br />
Kimmel Live, which is both one of funniest<br />
and most consistent shows to ever hit netw<strong>or</strong>k<br />
programming.<br />
treated to a distinct set of chaotic yet wellstructured<br />
rock that sounded as influenced<br />
<strong>by</strong> The Beatles and The Pixies (a cover of<br />
“Gigantic” was perf<strong>or</strong>med) as Radiohead<br />
and The Anniversary. The switch-off vocals<br />
of Justin Raisen and Christine Poupis<br />
were especially of note since the two seem<br />
to <strong>have</strong> the same vocal range despite gender<br />
differences. However, this is a rare s<strong>or</strong>t<br />
of band where even the rhythm section –<br />
comprised of guitarist Algernon Quashie,<br />
bassist William Eidenback and drummer<br />
Timothy Ruggieri — is exciting due to the<br />
complex instrumental arrangements.<br />
These five early-twenty-somethings are<br />
doing something different, and it’s not going<br />
to go unrecognized f<strong>or</strong> much longer.<br />
If you <strong>have</strong> news to rep<strong>or</strong>t f<strong>or</strong> the next edition<br />
of Moving In Stereo, press releases<br />
and all other c<strong>or</strong>respondence f<strong>or</strong> Darren<br />
should be sent to ASellOut@aol.com.<br />
(c) 2004 – Column used with permission<br />
from Darren Paltrowitz. All right reserved.<br />
ALLISON MOORER<br />
…From The Stage<br />
Country music may not be one of my three fav<strong>or</strong>ite<br />
genres, but every now and then I stumble<br />
across an exceptional country-<strong>or</strong>iented artist<br />
— and in this case I found Allison Mo<strong>or</strong>er; she<br />
has a voice that’ll sound familiar if you’ve heard<br />
the <strong>or</strong>iginal radio version of Kid Rock’s crossover<br />
hit, “Picture.” Playing a showcase f<strong>or</strong> Sugar<br />
Hill Rec<strong>or</strong>ds at Joe’s Pub, Mo<strong>or</strong>er was backed<br />
<strong>by</strong> a solid four-piece band and hammered out<br />
the maj<strong>or</strong>ity of her soulful f<strong>or</strong>thcoming album,<br />
The Duel. Mo<strong>or</strong>er will be heading over to the<br />
U.K. f<strong>or</strong> touring in the coming weeks…A few<br />
blocks from Joe’s Pub is The Continental,<br />
where I caught The Pettit Project. A six-piece<br />
hailing from Ontario, Canada, the Pettits play<br />
an irresistible hybrid of punk rock and powerpop<br />
that is void of screaming and full of keyboards.<br />
The songs are upbeat and fast, as<br />
evidenced <strong>by</strong> the band running through ten <strong>or</strong><br />
so songs in 30 minutes. cheeROCKracy, its<br />
second full-length after m<strong>or</strong>e than a handful of<br />
EP’s, ought to be out long bef<strong>or</strong>e year’s<br />
end…The Kites closed a Wednesday night at<br />
The Downtown to a somewhat-packed house.<br />
Those who waited through six other acts were
Patti Smith<br />
trampin’<br />
Columbia<br />
Real artists don’t need to <strong>or</strong>ganize costume<br />
malfunctions <strong>or</strong> stage lesbian kisses on TV<br />
to sell albums – they never <strong>have</strong>. Thus is<br />
the case with Patti Smith, who continues to<br />
be many things – punk rocker, beat poet,<br />
singer, musician, revolutionist – but above<br />
all, true to her craft. With Smith’s ninth album<br />
and Columbia Rec<strong>or</strong>ds debut, trampin’,<br />
she stretches her vocal power and provides<br />
a range of lulla<strong>by</strong> sunshine and political perspectives.<br />
Most of the tracks focus on<br />
Smith’s versatility, but there’s m<strong>or</strong>e gentle<br />
reflection and spiritual poet, than punk frenzy.<br />
Optimism and encouragement leap from the<br />
opening tune “Jubilee.” The lyrics evoke the<br />
sensation of being barefoot in the grass, “O<br />
glad day to celebrate/ ‘Neath the cloudless<br />
sky.” Following this delightful dance is<br />
“Mother Rose,” with a tender-hearted, country-western<br />
aroma. It’s not until the third track, “Stride of the Mind,” that we really get some sassy rock<br />
tempos from Smith, who repeats an easy ch<strong>or</strong>us of “Stride to the left, the left, the left.” A g<strong>or</strong>geous<br />
standout is “Cartwheels,” with its hypnotic heaviness and child-like thoughts about butterflies, girls turning<br />
cartwheels, rabbits across the moon and a “good w<strong>or</strong>ld.” Sounds of playing children emerge in the initial<br />
moments of “Radio Baghdad,” the political, rage-filled member of the album. “They’re robbing the cradle of<br />
civilization,” she fumes during this m<strong>or</strong>e than 12-minute impassioned testament about Ge<strong>or</strong>ge Bush and<br />
the war in Iraq. The listening ends with the title track, on which Smith’s daughter, Jesse, makes her debut<br />
playing piano. The spiritual hymn, “Trampin’,” was a staple f<strong>or</strong> contralto Marian Anderson. Smith makes<br />
the tune a peaceful, sober musing. The trampin’ Smith will do with this release won’t be that of popprincesses,<br />
but rather the progressive spiritual trek through these 11 tracks and the distinct imprints it<br />
leaves on listeners. pattismith.net - Monica Cady<br />
Johnathan Rice<br />
Trouble Is Real<br />
Reprise/ Warner Brothers<br />
The initial somber depths of this debut from Irish/<br />
Scottish singer-songwriter Johnathan Rice, surface<br />
with the warmest acoustic embrace. Appropriately<br />
named, Rice brings to mind the chilling sincerity<br />
of fellow Irishman Damien Rice, and the raspy vocal<br />
fullness of John Mayer. Tracks like “Kiss Me<br />
Good<strong>by</strong>e” <strong>have</strong> a perky sing-this energy – something<br />
The Wallflowers would <strong>have</strong> admired aside<br />
their “One Headlight.” But not every selection tears<br />
through with mem<strong>or</strong>able ch<strong>or</strong>us glee. “Blood of<br />
God” is minimal, with delicate strums that give focus<br />
to mindful lyrics about losing love and looking<br />
f<strong>or</strong> purpose. This is Rice’s f<strong>or</strong>te – mixing optimism<br />
with melancholy. Light acoustic <strong>guitars</strong> often give<br />
way to roaring symphonies. “I live in this w<strong>or</strong>ld and<br />
there’s poison in the air, there’s war all the time …<br />
I did my best to document those feelings as they<br />
stand now,” says Rice of Trouble Is Real, produced<br />
<strong>by</strong> Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley and The<br />
Faint). With this release, Rice has opted to design<br />
18 • APRIL 2004 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE<br />
an album to be m<strong>or</strong>e than just sellable tunes, and<br />
has also given us an inspiring soul journey.<br />
johnathanrice.com - Monica Cady<br />
Albert React<br />
Confluence & Scrapes<br />
Eulogy<br />
Thursday fans are going to be<br />
so psyched to hear this album<br />
while they wait f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
band’s next LP. Albert React<br />
lead singer Gabe Libhart<br />
plays on the same Geoff<br />
Rickley style of off-key wails, painful screams and<br />
quick, softly spoken w<strong>or</strong>ds. While the sound is<br />
not distinctive, it is well presented here. C&S is<br />
everything we expect from first-rate screamo –<br />
melodramatic roars about all that is wrong with life<br />
amid clusters of thick melodies – it’s all in there.<br />
These guys will <strong>have</strong> endurance problems if they don’t<br />
eventually get a sound of their own. F<strong>or</strong> the moment,<br />
they <strong>have</strong> hot list potential. albertact.com - Monica<br />
Cady
Number One Fan<br />
Compromises<br />
Pat’s Rec<strong>or</strong>d Company<br />
This small-town Wisconsin<br />
quintet has a sweet, pop-rock<br />
bliss, punctuated <strong>by</strong> crisp vocals<br />
and undulating guitar<br />
riffs. They’re one of the first<br />
bands signed with the newly<br />
established LA-based indie<br />
label – Pat’s Rec<strong>or</strong>d Company,<br />
founded <strong>by</strong> Pat<br />
Magnarella (Green Day, Goo<br />
Goo Dolls, All American Rejects). Intermixed among the lyrics<br />
are w<strong>or</strong>ds like heaven, praying and sin – but there’s a<br />
whole lot of lonely, s<strong>or</strong>ry, distance, change and love lingo.<br />
It’s mostly an album about indecision and heartache. And<br />
we do feel their pain through the Jimmy Eat W<strong>or</strong>ld wholesome<br />
vocal approach and Dashboard Confessional reflective<br />
stance that explode and retract appropriately. “Call anytime<br />
you need/ I <strong>have</strong> been waiting/ I will be waiting,” Nicholas<br />
Ziemann vies f<strong>or</strong> sympathy on “Come On.” By the end of<br />
it, we actually want this guy to get the girl. Number One Fan<br />
earned a spot on the next Warped Tour, where you can decide<br />
if their live perf<strong>or</strong>mance jerks at <strong>your</strong> heart strings as<br />
much as this debut. numberonefanonline.com - Monica Cady<br />
The Cooper Temple Clause<br />
Kick Up the Fire, and Let the<br />
Flames Loose<br />
RCA<br />
Everyone talks about the new<br />
“genre defying” act. In an eff<strong>or</strong>t<br />
to avoid the cliché rock<br />
critique of uselessly combining<br />
ten music categ<strong>or</strong>ies to<br />
define a sound – let it be<br />
said, that these six Reading,<br />
England blokes deliver exhilarating,<br />
eerie, danceable and delectable audio. CTC recently<br />
made their mark in the U.S. touring with Black Rebel<br />
Mot<strong>or</strong>cycle Club. At times this second LP f<strong>or</strong> CTC is a<br />
Radiohead electronic experimentation with drifting cry-boy<br />
vocals and Nine Inch Nail moody darkness. On one track<br />
we’re slam dancing ‘90s thrasher style, the next, enveloped<br />
in a deep meditation sputtering with an alluring trip-hop beat.<br />
“We came/ We played/ We drifted away… What’s happening<br />
to us?” Ben Gautrey glides us through “New Toys,” a steady<br />
fuzz of beats and digital melodies. The repeat option on <strong>your</strong><br />
stereo was made f<strong>or</strong> songs like “Talking to a Brick Wall,” an<br />
industrial power ballad with dist<strong>or</strong>ted vocal peaks (“The flowers<br />
look like glitter/ But then so do you, my dear”). A Spiritualized<br />
“Home of the Brave” isolation is felt on “Into My Arms”<br />
(“Everything is the same only you’re not around/…One night<br />
is never enough with you”). Sometimes it’s like these guys<br />
left us in a mystical wasteland punctured <strong>by</strong> random hums,<br />
bleeps, chants and claps. If this all seems absurd, not to<br />
w<strong>or</strong>ry – there’s much diversity here. Chances are, if you<br />
don’t fancy one track, the next may suit you m<strong>or</strong>e. Seriously<br />
give it a go. thecoopertempleclause.com – Monica<br />
Cady<br />
The Beautiful Mistake<br />
This Is Who You Are<br />
The Militia Group<br />
These Christian punk rockers<br />
provide some sturdy melodies<br />
of stop-start guitar riffs and<br />
surging ch<strong>or</strong>uses with enunciated<br />
lyrics that make their message<br />
obvious. “Oh how blessed<br />
we are/ to share in everything,” a<br />
clear-headed Josh Hagquist harmonizes<br />
on “My Reminder Lyrics.”<br />
Most of the songs offer equally direct religious sentiments. “The<br />
light will call you/ To wrap its arms around you,” the ch<strong>or</strong>us echoes in<br />
“The Great Div<strong>or</strong>ce.” Hagquist rejoices about being protected from<br />
the “doubt that’s in our heart” on “Walking Wounded.” While the music<br />
punches and kicks in all the right places, the holy lyrical content will no<br />
doubt turn away nonbelievers. But f<strong>or</strong> those who try this 10-song<br />
deliverance, it could be mosh-pit heaven.<br />
thebeautifulmistake.com - Monica Cady<br />
All Night Radio<br />
Spirit Stereo Frequency<br />
Sub Pop<br />
Like Prozac f<strong>or</strong> the ears, this<br />
10-song pack from All Night<br />
Radio conjures up sunny-day<br />
feelings of picking flowers and<br />
skipping through the park. The<br />
first track glides into place with<br />
a series of catchy bum-bumbum’s<br />
and warm, light pitchaltering<br />
vocals. Carefree <strong>guitars</strong><br />
parade along with a swirly, psychedelic kaleidoscope that is<br />
the music’s mainstay. It all brings back the delightful echoing<br />
eeriness of Pink Floyd’s Meddle and its middle-of-the-night mysterious<br />
energy. Spirit Stereo Frequency would be the perfect<br />
soundtrack f<strong>or</strong> <strong>your</strong> next acid trip, <strong>or</strong> just a cool break from top-40<br />
radio. – Monica Cady<br />
The Von Bondies<br />
Pawn Shop Heart<br />
Reprise<br />
Lead singer Jason Stollsteimer<br />
got his ass kicked <strong>by</strong> The White<br />
Stripes’ Jack White – so what?<br />
Here, Stollsteimer makes a<br />
good point, “You really <strong>have</strong>n’t<br />
lived life yet, if you ain’t got no<br />
regrets” – a statement he<br />
proudly wails on the first track<br />
of this maj<strong>or</strong> label debut f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
Bondies. We get lots of hand clapping and cheerleader-chanty<br />
lyrics from these boys and girls, whose style veers toward glam<br />
garage rock with a Billy Idol heart. All this vintage flav<strong>or</strong> is tied to<br />
spunky attitudes and girly rebel ch<strong>or</strong>uses (“You’re not that social,<br />
just a good drinker”). Acc<strong>or</strong>ding to Stollsteimer, the concept<br />
Pawn Shop Heart, is based on the fact that people will get rid of<br />
an ex-lover’s belongings – no matter how much it hurts. The<br />
only pain sensed here is the sigh from exhaustion after this<br />
high-spirited rock album ends. – Monica Cady<br />
20• <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004
PAPA ROACH
Courtney Love<br />
America’s Sweetheart<br />
Virgin<br />
Somehow between court<br />
dates and drug overdoses,<br />
Courtney Love managed to<br />
cough up an album. With<br />
America’s Sweetheart, Love<br />
belts out her usual raspy,<br />
too-many-cigarettes<br />
screams with painfully<br />
drawn-out w<strong>or</strong>ds about<br />
pretty dresses, drugs and<br />
God. Childish lyrics featuring “underpants” and song titles<br />
like “All the Drugs” and “Zeppelin” further prove a lack of<br />
growth and <strong>or</strong>iginality. Just like the trashy lush herself<br />
slips into a Versace gown and wants respect, these 12<br />
tracks are glam<strong>or</strong>ously polished and produced but eff<strong>or</strong>tless<br />
thoughts and tedious angry drama still come through.<br />
“They say that rock is dead and they’re probably riiiiight,”<br />
Love whines on “Mono,” and assures us that she is doing<br />
her part to make it so. – Monica Cady<br />
The Vines<br />
Winning Days<br />
Capitol<br />
This must be what the w<strong>or</strong>ld<br />
sounds like inside Craig<br />
Nicholls’ frenzied head – a<br />
paranoid, maddening place<br />
that can be momentarily<br />
subdued <strong>by</strong> calm autumnshaded<br />
reflections. “Ride,”<br />
the first track on Winning<br />
Days, reminds us of the<br />
band’s 2002 hit “Get Free,”<br />
with its brash, gritty nonsense and Seattle circa 1990<br />
sound. The same Nirvana-style shredded vocals wrap<br />
around vibrato guitar dist<strong>or</strong>tions on “Animal Machine.” But<br />
Kurt Cobain would <strong>have</strong> never dipped into the psychadelica<br />
dream of “Amnesia” <strong>or</strong> “TV Pro,” a hazy daisy-chain blackout<br />
that is sp<strong>or</strong>adically broken with frantic “ah, ah, ah’s.”<br />
Then Nicholls almost puts us in a coma with his sleepy,<br />
faraway murmurs in “Autumn Shade II” (sequel to Highly<br />
Evolved’s bewildered “Autumn Shade”). Our wake-up call<br />
comes from a megaphone-like static echo in “Evil Town”<br />
– a fearless guitar-powered song where strange, wandering<br />
insanity abounds. The happy “She’s Got Something<br />
to Say” suggests a Beatles sing-along liveliness<br />
and rock ’n’ roll purity. Though the album often swaggers<br />
along with lackadaisical pleasure, the Vines rip into<br />
screeching pleas one m<strong>or</strong>e time with their triumphant finale,<br />
“Fuck the W<strong>or</strong>ld.” Throughout Winning Days, emotions<br />
eff<strong>or</strong>tlessly alter from hippy bliss to rowdy wrath. Here, the<br />
Vines again prove that while their radio singles and live perf<strong>or</strong>mance<br />
mishaps give the impression of total grunge-era<br />
rage, their studio w<strong>or</strong>k shows a fondness, and knack, f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
melodic and mellow. - Monica Cady<br />
Melissa Etheridge<br />
Lucky<br />
Island/Def Jam<br />
I’m t<strong>or</strong>n on this album, and I’m<br />
not really sure which way to go<br />
with it. As a long time fan, nothing<br />
will ever (<strong>or</strong> hasn’t yet) top<br />
Melissa’s self titled debut,<br />
Brave and Crazy, <strong>or</strong> Yes I Am.<br />
On the other hand—it’s good<br />
to hear some new upbeat music<br />
from Ms. Etheridge, who<br />
last graced us with 2001’s lonely and dark Skin. It took three<br />
tries f<strong>or</strong> the rec<strong>or</strong>d label to accept this album, and I’m afraid<br />
rightfully so, it’s decent at best, and comes off uneven and thrown<br />
together at w<strong>or</strong>st. The first track on the album, “Lucky” is probably<br />
the w<strong>or</strong>st song on the album. Melissa’s lyrics <strong>have</strong> become<br />
cliché’s of her previous albums, and she stretches lyrics it seems<br />
in <strong>or</strong>der to fulfill a rhyme. F<strong>or</strong> instance she sings, “I want to see<br />
how lucky Lucky can be, I want to ride with my angel and live<br />
shockingly,” and it’s lines like that that make me shake my head<br />
in disbelief. And on “Mercy” she sings “Well I <strong>have</strong> lived ten years<br />
plus ten, and ten and ten again.” At first her references to angels<br />
added complexity and emotion to her lyrics—now it seems they<br />
are her safety net.<br />
Long time collab<strong>or</strong>at<strong>or</strong> John Shanks is on board f<strong>or</strong> two songs,<br />
and album picks up steam f<strong>or</strong> a few tracks. Melissa does <strong>have</strong><br />
an incredible talent f<strong>or</strong> songwriting and st<strong>or</strong>ytelling, and she<br />
th<strong>or</strong>oughly shines on the haunting ode to 9/11, “Tuesday M<strong>or</strong>ning”,<br />
as well as “Secret Agent”, a rocker that somewhat bears<br />
resemblance to “All American Girl”.<br />
Melissa Etherigde has put out incredible w<strong>or</strong>k over the last fifteen<br />
years, and not many artists can touch her on stage, but I<br />
think that she has become comf<strong>or</strong>table with being a celebrity and<br />
barely having to break a sweat when she writes a song. I think<br />
Melissa needs to get back in touch with the girl who left Kansas<br />
twenty years ago. melissaetheridge.com –Juliett Rowe<br />
Brides Of Destruction<br />
Here Come The Brides<br />
Sanctuary<br />
I never thought I would see the<br />
day where Nikki Sixx wasn’t in<br />
Motley Crue, but here we are in<br />
2004 and Nikki is in a band<br />
with, of all people, Tracii Gunns<br />
from L.A. Guns fame. Brides<br />
of Destruction bears a slight<br />
resemblance to Motley Crue<br />
with fast and furious rock and<br />
roll that sometimes hints of blues influences as well as old<br />
school punk. Nikki has been keeping himself busy over the last<br />
few years writing songs f<strong>or</strong> everybody from Drowning Pool to Faith<br />
Hill. London LeGrand has a great voice f<strong>or</strong> rock, and he is m<strong>or</strong>e<br />
than capable of delivering, whether it’s on the opening track (and<br />
first single) “Shut The Fuck Up”, <strong>or</strong> “Life”. Tracii’s guitar playing a<br />
far above most rock guitarists currently slinging the axe. Standout<br />
tracks include “I Got A Gun”, and “Natural B<strong>or</strong>n Killers”. Highly<br />
recommended. bridesofdestruction.com –Juliett Rowe<br />
22 • APRIL 2004 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE
MARIA<br />
St<strong>or</strong>y: Monica Cady<br />
Maria frontman Mike Roderick loves film. He is remarkably well<br />
versed in cinema hist<strong>or</strong>y and gets incredibly enthusiastic when<br />
discussing his fav<strong>or</strong>ite flicks. He and I <strong>have</strong> made this appointment<br />
to discuss his band Maria. But our conversation is otherwise<br />
dominated <strong>by</strong> big screen talk – something I soon learn<br />
goes hand-in-hand with the group’s music. When asked about<br />
his top direct<strong>or</strong>s, Roderick chuckles, saying there isn’t enough<br />
time to name them all. But the sh<strong>or</strong>t list includes Stanley Kubrick,<br />
Fritz Lang, Abel Ferrara and Ed Wood.<br />
Movies are such a passion of his band mates and him that they<br />
even named their group Maria, based on the lead actress from<br />
Metropolis (a 1926 silent sci-fi film). “We were very influenced <strong>by</strong><br />
the film because it was extremely ahead of its time on many<br />
levels. It was the first film to use mapped photography (large<br />
<strong>painted</strong> backgrounds) and at the same time use miniatures,”<br />
Roderick continues. “Another unique aspect of Metropolis is<br />
that a female is featured in a dual role. It was a very powerful<br />
statement and [the movie] was about free thinking and freedom<br />
to do what you want to do.”<br />
When he finally takes a breath from the flick speak, it’s fitting to<br />
ask - why aren’t these guys trying their luck with the Hollywood<br />
big screen? “Sometimes what you love may not necessarily be<br />
what you’re good at, <strong>or</strong> meant to do,” he explains. “I know it<br />
sounds a bit odd to say that. But you probably know someone<br />
who is doing something, but is actually really good at something<br />
else and they aren’t doing it. That’s not necessarily good because<br />
maybe there is something they are meant to do that would<br />
benefit the w<strong>or</strong>ld.”<br />
He sighs and describes how this message was not easy to<br />
digest, but he and best friend Paul Molina found music to be<br />
another suitable, fun outlet. “We were a cover band first. [We’d<br />
play] at high school parties, pep rallies. We learned about arrangements<br />
from doing covers. One day we just decided, let’s<br />
try this.”<br />
Roderick is joined <strong>by</strong> fellow Maria members Molina (guitar), Brett<br />
Cosmo Th<strong>or</strong>ngren (<strong>drums</strong>) and Dameon Holmquist (bass).<br />
F<strong>or</strong>med in 1998, the band has achieved an impressive résumé,<br />
including perf<strong>or</strong>mances at the Orange Bowl and ZetaFest, as<br />
well as Roderick being named “Best Male Local Rock Vocalist”<br />
<strong>by</strong> Miami NewTimes – proving that perhaps music is exactly<br />
what Maria should be doing. In addition, the foursome recently<br />
joined with Los Angeles-based Union Entertainment Group<br />
24 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004
(Nickelback, Default, Saliva). “We like the fact that their artists<br />
are doing well and being heard <strong>by</strong> a lot of people. It was a really<br />
good fit,” says Roderick.<br />
Part of Maria’s live appeal is their crowd-catering mentality. From<br />
the indie-driven I/O to the old-school-rocker Culture Room, Maria<br />
design their set lists to suit the situation. “We kind of like to go with<br />
the mood of the crowd,” says Roderick. “If we can play off the<br />
energy of the crowd and change our own arrangements of songs<br />
that people already know, I believe it will make f<strong>or</strong> a better show. If<br />
we’re not b<strong>or</strong>ed, I’m pretty sure that the crowd won’t be.”<br />
It may be surprising to know that this scene-adapting philosophy<br />
is yet another lesson the band pulled from film. “When films get<br />
redone, the screenplay is generally the same. However, there are<br />
certain details <strong>or</strong> obvious things that get changed, based on when<br />
the film is begin made – like the political climate of the country <strong>or</strong><br />
what’s happening in the w<strong>or</strong>ld. The direct<strong>or</strong>s, act<strong>or</strong>s and screenwriters<br />
all keep this in mind. They want to keep it fresh, and this is<br />
what we want to do when we play live.” This may mean that<br />
acoustic songs get an adrenaline edge <strong>or</strong> vice versa. Maria<br />
deliberately strive to avoid having a predictable sound <strong>or</strong> deliverance.<br />
Roderick attributes Maria’s musical influences to albums given to<br />
him <strong>by</strong> his “cool, older neighb<strong>or</strong>s.” David Bowie, The Who and<br />
Led Zeppelin were key to Maria’s musical identity. M<strong>or</strong>e recent<br />
inspirations are Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead, as well as avant<br />
garde jazz and soul. The most evident aspect of Maria’s sound is<br />
their potent rock drive. Roderick’s voice is clear, gutsy and radi<strong>or</strong>eady.<br />
The music pays reverence to ‘90s rock rather than screamo,<br />
emo <strong>or</strong> any of the newer rap-rock genres. The <strong>drums</strong> are steady,<br />
eff<strong>or</strong>tlessly flowing with the guitar melodies that seem to rise and<br />
mesh with the vocals like a polished studio production. While<br />
Maria take few risks from song to song, they provide a solid sound<br />
with a passionate, reflective sensibility. “Always asking me when/<br />
Instead of asking why,” Roderick wails on the ballad “Falling Away.”<br />
Moody “whoa-oa-oa’s” provide a wandering emotional depth,<br />
making this a standout track on the band’s latest EP.<br />
To date, Maria has not officially released an album. Roderick<br />
laughs sheepishly and says the band usually rec<strong>or</strong>ds a series of<br />
demos and distributes them f<strong>or</strong> radio rotation <strong>or</strong> publicity, but the<br />
tracks <strong>have</strong> never been complied f<strong>or</strong> mass distribution.<br />
While Maria draw a lot of inspiration from film, a profoundly visual<br />
medium, Roderick believes that image should not be the defining<br />
fact<strong>or</strong> f<strong>or</strong> a band’s success. He fears that because a lot of audiences<br />
are image-focused, many new bands get dismissed as<br />
artists and their music’s w<strong>or</strong>th is overlooked. “Some people see<br />
bands like The Darkness and think, ‘Hey, these guys are a joke.<br />
They’re clowns.’ But if you listen to the rec<strong>or</strong>d and didn’t know what<br />
they look like at all, some of that stuff is really creative,” he says<br />
defensively. He is admittedly a little tired of ultra cool perf<strong>or</strong>mers<br />
who never look at the crowd <strong>or</strong> are totally abs<strong>or</strong>bed with their own<br />
fashion ability. “You don’t <strong>have</strong> to look at <strong>your</strong> shoes and dress in<br />
a certain way to make people understand that you mean [what you<br />
are saying], <strong>or</strong> that you are honest. You can also entertain and<br />
keep the crowd in mind, and still mean it.”<br />
F<strong>or</strong> Roderick, success is when Maria audiences just <strong>have</strong> fun and<br />
walk away with a smile. “The greatest thing someone could say<br />
about our show?” he repeats my question and slightly chuckles.<br />
“It was almost as entertaining as a movie.”<br />
www.glitzychix.com
St<strong>or</strong>y: Monica Cady • Photos: Austen Mikulka<br />
The eternal question: Jessica Simpson - genuinely stupid, <strong>or</strong> an<br />
act? The same trueness of character has been asked of the<br />
Vines lead singer Craig Nicholls, who has been accused of<br />
being a lot of things – insane, nervous, agitated, peculiar, paranoid,<br />
a pothead and much m<strong>or</strong>e. That’s not to say these descriptions<br />
of Nicholls arise without extensive proof.<br />
The 27-year-old garage rock punk has had his share of violent<br />
on-stage acts and run-ins with countless journalists, who are<br />
quick to detail all of his<br />
idiosyncrasies, i.e. how<br />
Nicholls carries a bong<br />
in his pocket 24-7,<br />
drinks Red Bull like water,<br />
doesn’t bathe, has<br />
nervous tics and an inability<br />
to focus on conversations.<br />
It would<br />
seem that a psychotic<br />
act this consistent, both<br />
on and off camera,<br />
would be hard to fake.<br />
Nicholls appears such<br />
a likely candidate f<strong>or</strong> a<br />
straitjacket that his behavi<strong>or</strong><br />
gets talked about<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e than the music he makes with the Vines.<br />
That’s no surprise really. In the media business, journalists<br />
abide <strong>by</strong> some unsaid rule that being cruel and critical furthers<br />
their careers m<strong>or</strong>e than the so-called promo st<strong>or</strong>ies. Journalists<br />
often probe to find the nitty-gritty ugliness of their subjects to<br />
make st<strong>or</strong>ies m<strong>or</strong>e interesting and sellable. In the case of the<br />
Vines – with their self-destruct sound and unstable lead singer<br />
– they were an easy target f<strong>or</strong> the fame-seeking journo.<br />
The Vines are not necessarily complaining<br />
about their mad frontman<br />
reputation, but the main loss may be<br />
that their music becomes an afterthought<br />
among audiences. Admittedly,<br />
TH<br />
it’s rather difficult to totally dismiss the<br />
lunacy of Nicholls, who is, after all, the<br />
creative singer-songwriter behind the<br />
group (named after his accountant<br />
father’s ‘60s band, the Vynes). The<br />
Vines (Patrick Matthews, bass; Ryan<br />
Griffiths, guitar; and Hamish Rosser,<br />
<strong>drums</strong>) are lead <strong>by</strong> this supposed maniac,<br />
who just happens to be an artistic<br />
wonder contained <strong>by</strong> a volatile persona.<br />
After their 2002 hit “Get Free” exploded<br />
w<strong>or</strong>ldwide, listeners across the globe<br />
wanted to know who this grunge savi<strong>or</strong><br />
was. Coming from Australia gave<br />
the band an international advantage –<br />
with strong fan bases in the U.K. and<br />
other parts of Europe. To this day, the<br />
guys claim that when compared to U.K.<br />
crowds, American audiences still don’t<br />
quiet grasp what they are about – that<br />
they are not strictly loud and rough. In<br />
fact, many fans hoping f<strong>or</strong> the next Nirvana may <strong>have</strong> met great disappointment<br />
to discover that the debut 2002 LP Highly Evolved, was as<br />
equally loaded with angst rock roars as chill out bliss.<br />
As I speak with Rosser, the Vines’ new drummer (the previous drummer<br />
David Olliffe suffered a mental breakdown), he describes the different<br />
audience reactions. “In the U.S., we’ll be playing and then when<br />
we bring out the acoustic <strong>guitars</strong>, people are like, what? They don’t<br />
really get that part. They just want the loud stuff all the time.”<br />
Rosser agrees that the media <strong>have</strong> become obsessed<br />
with Nicholls crazy talk, but he shrugs it<br />
off and seems untouched <strong>by</strong> the matter. “Craig<br />
has just gotten fed up with talking to journalists all<br />
together these days. I think he’s sick of it. I guess<br />
that’s probably why you’re talking to me today,” he<br />
says light-heartedly and laughs. We both know<br />
he’s right. “Craig is just a really shy guy,” he adds.<br />
But I’m not buying that last part.<br />
During the Aussie Invasion Tour at Atlanta,<br />
Ge<strong>or</strong>gia’s Roxy, Nicholls is wild with the same<br />
zany energy seen in his music videos. His wideopen<br />
mouth wobbles side-to-side through drawnout<br />
screams, eyes roll back in his head, and his<br />
arms aimlessly meander through the air between<br />
guitar riffs. He repeatedly bangs his head into the<br />
microphone, boyishly giggles, and then babbles something unintelligible<br />
about taking acid and mushrooms.<br />
Nicholls knocks over his microphone stand, literally, every three seconds.<br />
A discouraged stagehand rushes to upright the mic, which is<br />
inevitably flung down again. The theater’s front row fans are easily at<br />
risk of being hit – with anything. The band members, aware of his<br />
commonly spastic behavi<strong>or</strong>, keep one eye on their w<strong>or</strong>k, and another<br />
on Nicholls.
He runs into the drum set a few times, and even<br />
slams his guitar onto the flo<strong>or</strong>. The guitar neck<br />
is completely separated from its body, and the<br />
same tech guy runs to savage the ruined equipment.<br />
The sold-out crowd exchange smirks<br />
among themselves. At times, it seems we are<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e like observers at an insane asylum’s visiting<br />
hour than a rock concert. Nicholls downs a<br />
can of Red Bull and goes into another delirious<br />
trance. (He has been known to combine drinking<br />
Red Bull with smoking lots of pot.)<br />
E VINES<br />
Though Nicholls looked a befuddled mess (His<br />
white cap-sleeve T-shirt was inside out, with a<br />
stain on the right shoulder.), his musical perf<strong>or</strong>mance<br />
was expressive, bold and mesmerizing.<br />
As we watched, I think all of us in the audience<br />
wanted to feel the power of that enchanting place<br />
where Nicholls’ mind resides. And indeed, he<br />
was in another place. This very perf<strong>or</strong>mance<br />
was in Nicholls’ own dimension – audience <strong>or</strong><br />
not – he was channeling his songs and dancing<br />
as if no one was watching. Acc<strong>or</strong>ding to<br />
Matthews, this escape from reality is what the<br />
band values most – the ability to be artists who<br />
can defy rules of n<strong>or</strong>mal behavi<strong>or</strong>.<br />
At one point, Nicholls dropkicked a half-empty water bottle into the spectat<strong>or</strong>s. It sailed<br />
through the crowd with bullet f<strong>or</strong>ce, but no one complained <strong>or</strong> shouted “Fuck You!”<br />
Maybe we were all afraid to agitate the madman. But mostly, we were amazed <strong>by</strong> the<br />
fascinating effect the Vines had on the scene. The loud songs were full of a fury that is<br />
being neglected <strong>by</strong> the latest new-wave ‘80s flashback bands. And the ballads were<br />
subdued and easy, but still buzzed with a heady, passionate life of their own.<br />
While the Nicholls mishaps on stage kept us asking “What next?” – this feeling would<br />
<strong>have</strong> grown tiresome were it not f<strong>or</strong> their unquestionable rock’n’roll display. The set<br />
list fluctuated from peaceful to reckless, and was eagerly accepted <strong>by</strong> the on-lookers,<br />
who were so enam<strong>or</strong>ed that they didn’t even move to mosh when “Get Free” blared<br />
from the speakers. Instead, they stared at the sight on stage with utter reverence and<br />
awe. Like a schizophrenic patient, Nicholls transf<strong>or</strong>med from a hippy earth-lover to a<br />
fuck-the-w<strong>or</strong>ld punk. This sound alteration from calm to panic, mimics the Vines 2004<br />
release Winning Days – a lazy ‘60s daydream with ‘90s rock spirit.<br />
Critics <strong>have</strong> called Winning Days, a repeat of Highly Evolved. Rosser explains, “Most<br />
of the songs on the new album are old. I mean, we <strong>have</strong> been playing them live already.<br />
We just had to put them on an album.” Rosser says the band really shines in the<br />
studio. He admits to being overwhelmed <strong>by</strong> the talent Nicholls displayed while creating<br />
the rec<strong>or</strong>d. “Craig is just incredible in the studio – the harmonizations he had were<br />
just magical, really. I think if he had his way, he’d be in the studio all the time.”<br />
Live, Nicholls shrieks and cont<strong>or</strong>ts w<strong>or</strong>ds into utter nonsense. On the album, you can<br />
actually comprehend the lyrics, which are quiet frank about his state of mind. “Look<br />
through me because I am transparent/ … I’m succeeding to speak like I’m fucking<br />
mad/ Looking at the autumn shade/ you are white and I am grey,” Nicholls calmly coos<br />
on the abstract “Autumn Shade II.” In comparison to heated, ruthless tracks like “Ride”
and “Animal Machine,” the Black Crowes flav<strong>or</strong>ed “Sun Child”<br />
delivers to us a delicate, wistful young dreamer. Songs like<br />
these prove Nicholls has an awareness of soulful things.<br />
With a slightly country-western easiness he sweetly sings,<br />
“Sun child/ You’re a sun child/ Awoken <strong>by</strong> the spirit of the day/<br />
Will I grow wild/ Speaking so mild.” W<strong>or</strong>ds are usually less<br />
imp<strong>or</strong>tant than the feeling of the melodies f<strong>or</strong> Nicholls. The<br />
melodic pieces range from Beach Boys flair to Beatles sensations.<br />
He describes “She’s Got Something to Say” as<br />
sounding “like surfing feels.” Whereas, he calls “Rainfall,”<br />
“an innocent sound in an innocent song.”<br />
When asked what the band had rather read about (other<br />
than Nicholls’ behavi<strong>or</strong>), Rosser laughs. “Oh, I don’t know<br />
… I wish people would focus on what brand of jeans we<br />
wear. I mean that’s what’s imp<strong>or</strong>tant, right?” It’s obvious I’m<br />
not getting a straight answer out of this jovial guy. (Although,<br />
I must admit, I found it odd that Nicholls was sp<strong>or</strong>ting jeans<br />
without pockets – a rather girly style - at his Atlanta gig.)<br />
Rosser is such a comic that he can’t even give me a profound<br />
insight into his own character. He did reveal that he<br />
loves cooking, swimming and beer. Drinking beer is what<br />
he does when not w<strong>or</strong>king with music. “I prefer the lager<br />
beers,” he says, “You know, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada … I<br />
miss not having a kitchen on tour. I get tired of eating out all<br />
the time.” American restaurants are too franchise-<strong>or</strong>iented<br />
in his opinion.<br />
Rosser’s also a bit of a jock with a fondness f<strong>or</strong> cricket –<br />
but who would ever write anything about that when Nicholls<br />
is breaking journalists’ tape rec<strong>or</strong>ders and starting fist<br />
fights with bandmates? Rosser continues providing halfhearted,<br />
silly responses <strong>by</strong> saying things like, “Winning<br />
Days is different from the first album, because<br />
there are different songs – and a<br />
new drummer.”<br />
F<strong>or</strong> now, these are the kinds of exchanges<br />
we music journos can expect from the Vines.<br />
The media has th<strong>or</strong>oughly exposed the derangement<br />
of Craig Nicholls to the point that<br />
he has had enough of the whole discussion.<br />
(He has been known to lock himself in bathrooms<br />
f<strong>or</strong> hours to avoid interviews.)<br />
Like Jessica Simpson, maybe it shouldn’t<br />
matter to America if Craig Nicholls is truly<br />
fucked up <strong>or</strong> not. And yes, he also has those<br />
same Simpson-like celebrity quotes in national<br />
magazines. Rolling Stone recently<br />
quoted the guy saying, “Maybe [the w<strong>or</strong>ld]<br />
would be better if people didn’t hate so much<br />
and kill animals. At the same time, it’s like<br />
whatever. It’s just a planet.” Funny, coming<br />
from a singer who closes his second album<br />
with an environmentalist anthem “Fuck the<br />
W<strong>or</strong>ld” (“Fuck the fields and destroy the<br />
ocean/ … Don’t be supreme/ Don’t fuck up<br />
fuck the w<strong>or</strong>ld”). Nicholls confesses that the<br />
message of the song is not really clear, but<br />
“hopefully everything is about the future.” So,<br />
he may not be the most obvious with his<br />
intentions and messages. At the very least<br />
Nicholls is entertaining, and isn’t that what<br />
the U.S. audiences value most anyway? Although,<br />
he claims he doesn’t care if people<br />
are entertained <strong>by</strong> his perf<strong>or</strong>mances.<br />
Instead of making Nicholls the irrational one,<br />
perhaps we could try to get inside his w<strong>or</strong>ld<br />
of amnesia and winning days – f<strong>or</strong>getting<br />
our “real” w<strong>or</strong>ld f<strong>or</strong> a moment to experience<br />
his fool’s paradise. (I know at the Roxy we<br />
wanted to. It seems like one hell of a place.)<br />
In fact, our invitation to do so comes within<br />
the first track of Winning Days. Nicholls<br />
pleads, insists,“ Ride with me!/ Ride with<br />
me!” And conceivably, that’s exactly what we<br />
should be doing.
Music can take on a life of its<br />
own. When it comes to the<br />
writing process, there’s<br />
only so much to be said<br />
about having absolute control. Sometimes<br />
we <strong>have</strong> to follow the signs, and<br />
just allow the music to takes its course<br />
naturally. This can make the experience<br />
all the m<strong>or</strong>e rewarding. “It’s like the<br />
stars <strong>have</strong> been lining up,” explains<br />
vocalist Cass Cates from the<br />
rock group Ashley Red. “Everything, every<br />
move we’ve made, everything has<br />
happened f<strong>or</strong> a reason, and now it’s<br />
gotten to the point where we know<br />
where it’s at now with the lyrics and the<br />
music. Everything that happens, the way<br />
it feels is almost like someone is writing<br />
through us. But I <strong>have</strong> to give that<br />
respect; because that’s something you<br />
<strong>have</strong> to be very humble with, because it<br />
can go just like that.”<br />
The aggressive yet melodic music of<br />
Ashley Red (Cass Cates vocals,<br />
Michael Alley guitar, Matt McGuire DJ,<br />
Hect<strong>or</strong> Rios guitar, Scott Blasko <strong>drums</strong>,<br />
Th<strong>or</strong> Jeppesen bass) has a st<strong>or</strong>y of its<br />
own, and it’s been told with promise<br />
throughout the years. It all started with<br />
a premonition that Cass had from his<br />
early years telling him that 2004 would<br />
be the year of his music. The bands<br />
logo, four point stars, also tattoos that<br />
cover both Cass’s right and left arms<br />
represent the year 2004, cold and hot<br />
col<strong>or</strong>s represents both the good from<br />
the bad. Ashley Red’s music was inspired<br />
<strong>by</strong> the likes of Incubus, Tool,<br />
Dave Mathews, and Matt’s fav<strong>or</strong>ite band,<br />
P<strong>or</strong>tishead, “When I got a hold of<br />
P<strong>or</strong>tishead it showed me something<br />
completely different from what I had<br />
been doing,” says Matt. “That was definitely<br />
a turning point f<strong>or</strong> me.” It’s an interesting<br />
blend so to speak. With a new<br />
CD on the way, this fast growing south<br />
Fl<strong>or</strong>ida act is very confident f<strong>or</strong> what lies<br />
ahead.<br />
The name Ashley Red came from a person<br />
Michael once knew, “A guy who<br />
played football and everything, he had<br />
his own personality where you didn’t<br />
want to mess with that guy. But he was<br />
cool. He was someone who stood out<br />
from the rest,” explains Michael. Ashley<br />
represents the soft side of their sound<br />
and Red stands f<strong>or</strong> their aggressive,<br />
explosive drive. Ashley Red, <strong>or</strong>iginally<br />
St<strong>or</strong>y: Joseph Vilane<br />
hailing from Memphis Tennessee, in search of a broader audience they literally threw<br />
a dart on a map and from there moved to West Palm Beach. “We just wanted to test the<br />
waters of the band,” explains Cass, “it was fate, we followed our gut and every thing’s<br />
been lining up.”<br />
“In south Fl<strong>or</strong>ida the music is so broad that there’s a lot of different types of fans,”<br />
Michael says, “you’ve got people who like straight up pop, mainstream, hardc<strong>or</strong>e<br />
punk, and people who like all of it. Definitely the people down here are way m<strong>or</strong>e open<br />
to the music.”<br />
Ashley Red put their name on the map after winning the Budweiser True Music competition<br />
in Memphis, yet they were still in search f<strong>or</strong> higher ground. “The Budweiser<br />
thing was something that was to carry on, but really it’s not anything we’re going to<br />
push on right now,” says Cass. “It was to either fulfill it and stay the Budweiser Tennessee<br />
band, <strong>or</strong> move to Fl<strong>or</strong>ida.” They sacrificed their accomplishments from Tennessee<br />
f<strong>or</strong> a better cause. “The Budweiser thing was a big deal,” says Cass, “it’s what<br />
gave us our push, it’s what kicked us in the ass to wake up and say alright we’ve got<br />
an opp<strong>or</strong>tunity to do something, let’s not stick around the city.” There’s a great level of<br />
appreciation f<strong>or</strong> where they came from, but it takes a lot of guts to know when and<br />
where to move on, to makes <strong>your</strong> dreams become part of <strong>your</strong> immediate reality.<br />
This band is equal partnership, but it’s the collab<strong>or</strong>ative eff<strong>or</strong>t of both Cass and Michael<br />
that gets the songwriting process underway. “The music starts transf<strong>or</strong>ming itself,<br />
and the moment that starts happening both of our brains start hearing melodies,”<br />
explains Cass. “The reason why both of us stick together so well is because we push<br />
each others buttons and think on the same level.” It’s a continuous thinking process<br />
when you strive to improve <strong>your</strong>self as an artist, but practice makes perfect and Ashley<br />
Red know enough when to simply let the music breathe. “We put so much into it that<br />
we keep getting better at it,” asserts Cass, “and it gets to the point where when it’s time<br />
34 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004
to write, we’ll wait until we get into the right moment<br />
when we’ll kick into overdrive.”<br />
“The lyrics can go anywhere, when you start the music<br />
you can kind of guide it to be any setting that you<br />
want, once you get that setting it’s kind of easy f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
lyrics to find their place.” When it comes to songwriting,<br />
the climax can be unpredictable, perhaps in comparison<br />
to making love, <strong>or</strong> being massaged <strong>by</strong> a beautiful<br />
woman. “It’s just like if a beautiful chick is giving you<br />
a massage,” Cass says, “and all of a sudden she just<br />
gets into the right spot, it shoots through <strong>your</strong> body—<br />
the same thing with music. We’re<br />
sitting there listening to our new<br />
demo on the couch and I’m sitting<br />
there getting chills. Sometimes<br />
there will be w<strong>or</strong>ds where<br />
I’ll get too picky with where I’m<br />
not feeling too much there. Then<br />
you <strong>have</strong> to come to the realization<br />
that sometimes those are<br />
w<strong>or</strong>ds that are meant to be, not<br />
to necessary give you chills but<br />
they’re setting up the big moment.”<br />
and Maynard James Keenan, they’ve created this signature<br />
<strong>by</strong> their uniqueness, their speaking voice sings<br />
their lyrics and speaking it has become their own thing.<br />
Theref<strong>or</strong>e, their voice becomes an instrument and it<br />
becomes needed on this planet.” Ashley Red gives their<br />
listeners a lot of credit to come to their own interpretations<br />
with the lyrics. “Face Me” is one song that immediately<br />
darts out and grabs <strong>your</strong> attention. The main<br />
guitar riff has great potential, and Cass’s vocal lines<br />
are very emotional. “I just had the riff in mind I had this<br />
thing going in my head,” explains Michael, “I had been<br />
going through some things personally anyway, it was<br />
With the transition down South,<br />
Ashley Red looks f<strong>or</strong>ward to entertaining<br />
a new audience that<br />
awaits them. There’s a lot of integrity<br />
with bands from south<br />
Fl<strong>or</strong>ida; an unwillingness to compromise<br />
with not only their music,<br />
but their overall message, despite<br />
the changes throughout the industry.<br />
Cass explains how the industry<br />
doesn’t affect their sound, “We<br />
<strong>have</strong> something here, even if they<br />
come chasing after us, [we’ll] let<br />
this evolve into what it is. We write<br />
strictly f<strong>or</strong> us, we write what feels<br />
good.” Ashley Red are at a point<br />
where pretty soon they’re going to<br />
be ready f<strong>or</strong> the industry, but now<br />
they’re concentrating on building<br />
a strong fan base and some foundation<br />
in south Fl<strong>or</strong>ida. “None of<br />
us <strong>have</strong> ever had rich families,”<br />
says Cass, “everything we’ve got<br />
we’ve had to w<strong>or</strong>k f<strong>or</strong>, we’ve had<br />
to be very honest and we’ve all got<br />
good hearts with it. I think the<br />
hard part is pushing the w<strong>or</strong>ld to<br />
the side and allowing <strong>your</strong>self to<br />
do it, and once you get past that,<br />
it’s easy.”<br />
“People like Bono, Brandon Boyd,<br />
36 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004
just perfect timing and we just started w<strong>or</strong>king it out,<br />
and it came to life and became bigger than we even<br />
thought it would be ourselves.” Another song that<br />
stands out would <strong>have</strong> to be “The W<strong>or</strong>ld You Love To<br />
Hate”. Cass expresses his thoughts: “It’s m<strong>or</strong>e about<br />
eliminating what’s standing still and opening up to<br />
what’s real in a w<strong>or</strong>ld you love to hate. What’s real is<br />
n<strong>or</strong>mally <strong>your</strong> gut feeling, like what you want in life,<br />
it’s like the w<strong>or</strong>ld’s right here in <strong>your</strong> face and it’s<br />
screaming at you, get off <strong>your</strong> ass and do it.”<br />
“The energy from<br />
the crowd coming<br />
back is definitely<br />
what it’s all about”<br />
When comparing live shows to their in studio time, it’s<br />
described as two totally different entities. “Nothing is<br />
gonna top getting on stage with the people,” says Cass,<br />
“but there is a feeling all on it’s own of when you are in<br />
the studio putting the final touches when you’ve created<br />
something. It’s an amazing feeling when you can<br />
bring f<strong>or</strong>th something so powerful, a piece of music<br />
that represents some of the best elements of life and<br />
freedom. It’s indescribable at times but still w<strong>or</strong>th the<br />
eff<strong>or</strong>t.”<br />
“The studio is just magical,” says Michael. “You write<br />
a song, you start hearing things back and it starts to<br />
create itself. It’s that magical feeling, it’s spiritual, it’s<br />
the same energy you abs<strong>or</strong>b off the crowd only you’re<br />
not in front of them.” And sometimes it’s not about the<br />
quantity of <strong>your</strong> audience, but the quality of their response.<br />
“I love being on stage,” asserts Matt. “The<br />
energy from the crowd coming back is definitely what<br />
it’s all about. It doesn’t matter where we play if the<br />
people [are] coming back at us. I don’t care if there’s<br />
two people <strong>or</strong> two thousand, as long as the people dig<br />
what we’re doing. That’s all that it’s about f<strong>or</strong> me.”<br />
Of course there’s the moment when you realize why<br />
you were destined to perf<strong>or</strong>m on stage. “Being in a<br />
band is so different from [just] being a DJ, explains<br />
Matt. “I had a long run in south Fl<strong>or</strong>ida as a DJ, and I<br />
always thought I was doing the right thing as far as<br />
that was concerned, but there came a point where that<br />
just wasn’t enough. When I hooked up with these guys,<br />
it wasn’t far along the way that I felt like I was heading<br />
in the right direction, and definitely now m<strong>or</strong>e than ever<br />
there’s nothing else I should be doing, this is what I<br />
was b<strong>or</strong>n to do, there are no other options.” Cass had<br />
his moment of being the King of Memphis, so to speak.<br />
“I was three years old standing at a family gathering,<br />
the whole family calling me in cause I was about to do<br />
Elvis standing in front of 40 people singing Hound Dog.”<br />
But it’s hard to pick just one moment. “Every show<br />
every time I’ve ever done anything it has made me feel<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e and m<strong>or</strong>e that I was meant to do this,” says Cass.<br />
“If I said it was one time, I would <strong>have</strong> to say it was all<br />
the times.”<br />
In a competitive w<strong>or</strong>ld, it’s hard to remain focused. But<br />
to maintain <strong>your</strong> integrity, you <strong>have</strong> to follow <strong>your</strong> heart<br />
unconditionally. “We leave everything open,” asserts<br />
Cass, “we don’t study any other bands that are out<br />
there, I mean of course we hear things with other bands<br />
and we <strong>have</strong> these impulses that we say ‘Oh wow that<br />
was unique, that’s <strong>or</strong>iginal.’ But when it comes down<br />
to us writing with the business, if anybody is gonna<br />
even think about walking into this business <strong>or</strong> this career,<br />
the first thing they <strong>have</strong> to know, even bef<strong>or</strong>e they<br />
know they can play an instrument <strong>or</strong> sing, is that this<br />
industry is very very tough, very shady, here today and<br />
gone tom<strong>or</strong>row.” In search of broadening their h<strong>or</strong>izons,<br />
these guys also seek to attract an unlimited demographic.<br />
“We believe we <strong>have</strong> something,” says<br />
Cass. “When you get ten separate people, from a grown<br />
man, to a guy that looks like he’s a lawyer, to a big<br />
buff body builder guy, to a little young girl, to a girl’s<br />
mom that’s an older lady—all telling you that you gave<br />
them chills, with that wide variety you know some<br />
thing’s going on.”<br />
Ashley Red will be opening f<strong>or</strong> Hoobastank, April 7th<br />
in Miami, and April 8th will be doing a benefit show f<strong>or</strong><br />
a heart transplant friend in West Palm Beach. “We’re<br />
just going to get out there and we’re going to be everywhere,”<br />
says Cass. “Everywhere we can possibly get<br />
to. We’re gonna be getting some radio play, we’ll play<br />
as many benefit concerts and give the music a chance<br />
to get into peoples ears and see how they react. All of<br />
the songs we write <strong>have</strong> a positive outlook, our songs<br />
aren’t about partying <strong>or</strong> chicks, it’s m<strong>or</strong>e about life,<br />
it’s about acknowledging that there’s m<strong>or</strong>e going on in<br />
the w<strong>or</strong>ld spiritually.”<br />
What’s to be said about the sound they’ve established?<br />
“I just like different types of feeling when I hear a complete<br />
song,” says Michael. “I want to feel like I’m grooving<br />
to it a little bit like there’s a little funk in it, where<br />
when the song is over you feel like you just watched a<br />
sh<strong>or</strong>t film that was just amazing. Where you’ve had<br />
three <strong>or</strong> four different types of emotions throughout the<br />
whole song, we try to inc<strong>or</strong>p<strong>or</strong>ate that into every song<br />
that we do so that when you get done with the song<br />
you’re just like, man that’s a fucking cool song.”<br />
F<strong>or</strong> m<strong>or</strong>e info visit www.ashleyredmusic.com.
NINI<br />
Nini Camps has crossed this country several times over the<br />
past few years, and it’s on those journeys that she usually discovers<br />
something about herself. Like the fact that she packs a<br />
mean suitcase. And she loves meeting new people. Or that,<br />
acc<strong>or</strong>ding to her latest journal entry on her website, the pilot of<br />
her airplane should be m<strong>or</strong>e focused on flying the aircraft than<br />
rattling of flight altitudes to a cabin full of people who could probably<br />
care less.<br />
After moving to New Y<strong>or</strong>k City to go to school, Nini fell in love with<br />
the Big Apple, and decided that that was where she needed to<br />
be. Immersing herself in NYC’s undeniable music community,<br />
Nini soon found herself fronting Lovepie, an ensemble of musicians<br />
that focused on the craft of songwriting and musicianship.<br />
Lovepie, Nini’s debut cd, was released in 1999, and she began<br />
playing m<strong>or</strong>e and m<strong>or</strong>e shows outside of New Y<strong>or</strong>k. Nini’s sound<br />
evolved over the years into a unique blend of folk, roots rock, and<br />
pop. Her Cuban heritage often plays a large roll in her music<br />
with tribal rhythms and beats, and some of her most well known<br />
songs are sung in Spanish.<br />
So Long is the latest release from Nini Camps, and it finds her<br />
developing her signature style of acoustic and slide guitar to<br />
create a potent blend of Americana folk rock. Nini spoke to Rag<br />
<strong>Magazine</strong> via email bef<strong>or</strong>e she left on a nationwide tour promoting<br />
the new album.<br />
Rag: Your bio says you are a native of Miami. Did you perf<strong>or</strong>m<br />
here (either solo <strong>or</strong> band)? Why did you decide to move to<br />
New Y<strong>or</strong>k City?<br />
Nini: I never perf<strong>or</strong>med in Miami while I was living there. It was<br />
38 • APRIL 2004 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE<br />
St<strong>or</strong>y: Juliett Rowe<br />
CAMPS<br />
never even much of a possibility. Miami is a weird town. Musically,<br />
it is rich with Cuban and Hispanic cultures, but outside of<br />
that realm there is very little to be had. When I was old enough to<br />
hang out at the music clubs, there were very few places to go f<strong>or</strong><br />
<strong>or</strong>iginal music and even less f<strong>or</strong> acoustic singer-songwriter type<br />
stuff. I remember going to this tiny little place on south beach to<br />
watch Raul Malo (way bef<strong>or</strong>e The Mavericks) play to 15 people.<br />
Despite his incredible talent, at that time there was no-one<br />
around to appreciate it. My move to NY came after college (I went<br />
to school in Long Island - Hofstra University). When graduation<br />
came, there was never a doubt in my mind that NYC was where<br />
I wanted to be.<br />
Rag: Tell me about <strong>your</strong> latest cd So Long. In <strong>your</strong> bio you talk<br />
about finding <strong>your</strong> sound f<strong>or</strong> this album. How much of a struggle<br />
was that f<strong>or</strong> you?<br />
Nini: Figuring out what this rec<strong>or</strong>d was going to sound like was<br />
a slow process. I had grown ac<strong>custom</strong>ed to a full band sound<br />
but found myself touring m<strong>or</strong>e and m<strong>or</strong>e as a solo artist. Many of<br />
the songs had never been (<strong>or</strong> very seldom been) perf<strong>or</strong>med <strong>by</strong><br />
the band. So, whenever the idea of rec<strong>or</strong>ding came along, I<br />
could never decide if I wanted to keep it simple and acoustic -<br />
which is how I had been touring - <strong>or</strong> go ahead with a produced,<br />
multi-layered approach to the songs. In my personal relationship<br />
with music, I want a live perf<strong>or</strong>mance to show me something<br />
new, to expose the songs in a different way - perhaps get a<br />
glimmer into the perf<strong>or</strong>mer/writer/singer in a way I hadn’t bef<strong>or</strong>e.<br />
I can listen and love a rec<strong>or</strong>d at home; I don’t want a note f<strong>or</strong> note<br />
reproduction of it at a live show. The live show should breathe<br />
and emote in a way that the rec<strong>or</strong>ding doesn’t. So, with that in<br />
mind, the full band approach won. I figured that I may as well<br />
make the rec<strong>or</strong>ding something special (with these GREAT mu-
sicians) and let the live show be something intimate and special<br />
in a completely different way.<br />
Rag: I love the music on So Long. It’s cool to hear a slide guitar<br />
with a female voice, that’s not quite as harsh as some of the<br />
other stuff out there.<br />
Nini: Thanks! I love the slide guitar. Love love love. And I especially<br />
love it on an acoustic guitar. Bonnie Raitt is the most well<br />
known lady slide out there...but she’s not the only one. We’re<br />
here, ya just gotta keep lookin’.<br />
Rag: My fav<strong>or</strong>ite tracks are “Slide”, “Spin” and “Waiting”. It’s<br />
really cool to hear you sing in Spanish.<br />
Nini: Ha! Yeah, I like the Spanish too. The bonus track<br />
(“Guantanamera”) was really just a throw away track. It was rec<strong>or</strong>ded<br />
without much care but <strong>by</strong> the end it had such a great<br />
energy that I knew it had to go on the cd. In the live show I <strong>have</strong> a<br />
few Spanish songs that rotate in and out of the set. It’s hard<br />
since what I love about the Cuban music is the “party” aspect of<br />
it. There is no way to stay in <strong>your</strong> seat when those rhythms get<br />
started. However, solo acoustic is another st<strong>or</strong>y...No <strong>drums</strong>, no<br />
timbales, no congas, no h<strong>or</strong>n section, no back<br />
up singers...Where’s the party?? Ha! But I still<br />
get a few songs in there. I can hear the rest of<br />
the music in my head. I’m not sure what the<br />
audience makes of it. Sometimes they just look<br />
baffled!<br />
Rag: Did you accomplish everything on the<br />
new album that you wanted to?<br />
Nini: Hmm, I don’t know if that’s a fair question.<br />
Though I’m happy with the finished product,<br />
I would do things differently if I had the<br />
chance to go back. Ultimately I think it’s best to<br />
just make a stamp and move on. I learned a<br />
whole lot from the experience and hopefully<br />
will apply that to the next rec<strong>or</strong>d.<br />
Rag: Do certain songs take on new meaning<br />
between a solo show and a band show?<br />
Nini: Totally. Mostly, the band lets you float. They<br />
give the songs a body that I simply cannot create<br />
alone. Each musician also gives the songs<br />
their own input and musical imprint which in<br />
the end, all together, makes the song greater,<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e emotional, stronger than it was bef<strong>or</strong>e they began to play.<br />
On the flip side though, the pureness of a song solo acoustic<br />
can be the most beautiful thing in the w<strong>or</strong>ld.<br />
Rag: I’ve been noticing that 9/11 inspired songs are beginning<br />
to appear—that the artistic community feels that it’s ok to talk<br />
about it now. Do you feel that artists should always be so<br />
socially conscious?<br />
Nini: I think it is hard not to be. Regardless of whether <strong>your</strong><br />
music/art is specifically related to a particular event, I think that<br />
what moves an artist to create is the same as what moves anyone<br />
to feel. With regard to 9/11, how could anyone not respond<br />
emotionally? I thought most of the knee-jerk reaction songs that<br />
hit the radio immediately following 9/11 were over the top and<br />
gratuitous. But I’ve also heard some that were beautiful and<br />
moving.<br />
Rag: Do you <strong>have</strong> any desire to sign with a label? Do you think<br />
that you exist outside the machinery of the industry? Are you<br />
happier that way?<br />
Nini: Ahh, the label. I think the question should be m<strong>or</strong>e like “do<br />
you want to get <strong>your</strong> music to as many ears as possible?” the<br />
answer to this is easy…yes yes yes. “Do you want to play large<br />
venues and get publicity?” yes yes yes. “Do you want to make<br />
rec<strong>or</strong>ds, find these rec<strong>or</strong>ds in rec<strong>or</strong>d st<strong>or</strong>es and get radio play?”<br />
Yes ma’am I would! The problem is that I’m not sure any of this<br />
c<strong>or</strong>relates with a label deal. The maj<strong>or</strong>s certainly <strong>have</strong> the ability<br />
to “make” an artist – but at what cost? And if you are “made” then<br />
you can be “unmade”. I am certainly not in the Britney Spears<br />
market, n<strong>or</strong> could I ever be. I think that [that] is the “machinery”<br />
that exists out there—especially on MTV and especially f<strong>or</strong><br />
women. Guys seem to break through a bit m<strong>or</strong>e. Guys don’t<br />
necessarily <strong>have</strong> to fit the pop-poster boy image. In turn, there<br />
are also a hand full of smaller labels out there doing great w<strong>or</strong>k<br />
with great artists such as ATO (started <strong>by</strong> Dave Mathews). I would<br />
love to w<strong>or</strong>k with people like this. I think hard w<strong>or</strong>k is what got it<br />
going and I think there is great respect f<strong>or</strong> the musician, the craft<br />
and f<strong>or</strong> the listener. There has to be faith that the buying audience<br />
WANTS to be given a choice. There has to be an inherent<br />
belief that there are plenty of people out there looking f<strong>or</strong> an<br />
alternative to what they find on MTV and the maj<strong>or</strong>ity of radio<br />
stations.<br />
Rag: What <strong>have</strong> you learned about <strong>your</strong>self traveling across<br />
the country playing shows?<br />
Nini: Ha! How many pages is this article? Such a good<br />
question! Basically, touring solo gives you (me) lots and lots<br />
of alone time. I really like the quiet of long drives and I <strong>have</strong><br />
found that I am quite comf<strong>or</strong>table being alone. I’ve also<br />
learned that I am a hyper-efficient luggage packer and that<br />
less is ALWAYS the way to go.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> m<strong>or</strong>e inf<strong>or</strong>mation visit www.ninicamps.com.<br />
<strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004 • 39
Robert Bradley’s<br />
Blackwater<br />
Surprise<br />
The Culture Room, F<strong>or</strong>t Lauderdale<br />
February 21, 2004<br />
St<strong>or</strong>y: Kelly M<strong>or</strong>rissey<br />
The Culture Room in F<strong>or</strong>t Lauderdale always has an eclectic<br />
blend of patrons and Saturday, February 21 was no exception. At<br />
10pm, I didn’t just enter the Culture Room; I entered the church<br />
of Robert Bradley. Attending a RBBS show is like being in a<br />
really cool gospel church and Bradley is the star of the choir. It<br />
feels much less like a concert and much m<strong>or</strong>e like an inspirational<br />
religious experience. There was a very friendly vibe and I<br />
had the opp<strong>or</strong>tunity to “fellowship” with some of his fans bef<strong>or</strong>e<br />
the show. I discovered that many of those in attendance were<br />
long-time fans of the passionate Detroit-based singer. Many<br />
said they were first turned-on to Bradley in the mid-90s when his<br />
first self-titled disc with RBBS was released.<br />
The diverse congregation eagerly waited as the crew set up on<br />
stage. The band took stage and picked up their instruments, as<br />
Robert Bradley was led out to the microphone <strong>by</strong> his road manager.<br />
Ready to greet his following, Mr. Bradley was every bit of<br />
class in a dark suit. Eyes were glued on him as he took the<br />
microphone and began to sing, ”F<strong>or</strong> the Night”, an old fav<strong>or</strong>ite<br />
with a great mix of upbeat jazz and rock and roll elements. His<br />
warm, rich, raspy voice filled the room and he had everyone’s<br />
attention. Then he screamed, “Hello, F<strong>or</strong>t Lauderdale!” and introduced<br />
the members of his band, providing a funny st<strong>or</strong>y about<br />
each one. First he introduced the newest member of his band,<br />
the drummer, Michael Cramton. “He wanted me to tell ya’ll that<br />
even though he’s white, he’s black from the waist down.” Next<br />
up was his guitarist, Russ Epker, who is nicknamed “Sweet”.<br />
When Bradley introduced his bassist, William Jackson he explained<br />
that Jackson had been playing bass f<strong>or</strong> a long time and<br />
Bradley invited him to come out on the road. “He’s married with<br />
kids and he was getting on their nerves, so he had to come on<br />
the road with me.” Bradley said he wouldn’t mess with <strong>or</strong>ganist<br />
Randy Sly because Randy is a black belt and “…Randy will kick<br />
my ass.” Lastly, Bradley called his lead guitarist over to his<br />
side. He put his arm around Matt “Mutt” Ruffino and told the<br />
crowd that Matt was a bloodhound. “Wherever we are, Matt can<br />
sniff out the marijuana. If you’re holding, he’ll find you.”<br />
Marijuana was a fav<strong>or</strong>ite topic throughout the evening and there<br />
were many m<strong>or</strong>e anecdotes in between songs. After the second<br />
song, “Bellybone”, Bradley paused and addressed the<br />
crowd. “If ya’ll <strong>have</strong> any marijuana, I’m in need. I’m<br />
out. Marijuana makes me sing better and it makes<br />
me hear better. I can’t drink and drive but I can smoke<br />
and drive. Marijuana makes me drive better.” The<br />
crowd broke out into laughter, because, you see (pardon<br />
the pun), Mr. Bradley is blind. People say that<br />
when you <strong>have</strong> a loss <strong>or</strong> a deficit of one of <strong>your</strong><br />
senses, the strength of <strong>your</strong> other senses is increased.<br />
Proof f<strong>or</strong> this the<strong>or</strong>y seems to lie with Mr.<br />
Bradley. Robert Bradley’s voice is amazing, his music<br />
writing skills are inspirational, and he has a great<br />
sense of hum<strong>or</strong>. He also has a great sense of his<br />
audience. He touched us with his music, his funny<br />
st<strong>or</strong>ies, and his witty banter with the band and the<br />
crowd.<br />
After Bradley introduced his crew, he asked the band<br />
to wave to the audience. Then he asked the audience<br />
if the band waved. The crowd responded in the<br />
affirmative and Bradley replied, “Sometimes they be<br />
like, ‘Robert can’t see shit and we don’t feel like waving’<br />
so they don’t wave! I’m glad they ain’t fuckin’<br />
with me tonight.” He then laughed and said, “Oh,<br />
boy! Richard Pry<strong>or</strong> and Eddie Murphy comin’ out<br />
tonight. They comin’ out like twins!”<br />
Bradley also told the crowd that his brother would be<br />
out front in a bit with merchandise: some CD’s and t-<br />
shirts. “I looked at the t-shirts and they don’t look like<br />
much, but go ahead and buy ‘em. Me? I’d rather<br />
look at a nice, big ass! I get up real close,” he says<br />
as he makes a motion like he’s moving toward a big<br />
ass, “and then I grab it! You should try it sometime!”<br />
40 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004
He pauses, then says, “But not at the office. That’s like harassment<br />
<strong>or</strong> some shit.”<br />
RBBS played many other songs from various albums. “Comin’<br />
Down” a jazzy, blues song from their 1996 self-titled debut album;<br />
“Train”, a song from the 2002 New Ground album with<br />
beautiful guitar melodies; and a very pretty, romantic song from<br />
his new album, Still Lovin’ You, called “Virginia”.<br />
All of the songs on the Blackwater Surprise playlist were standout<br />
perf<strong>or</strong>mances. Some songs turned into jam sessions when<br />
Bradley briefly left the stage. Each member of the band is fantastically<br />
gifted. Lead guitarist, Ruffino, played his guitar with a<br />
violin bow f<strong>or</strong> part of one of the songs.<br />
Some songs also <strong>have</strong> some elements of spoken w<strong>or</strong>d poetry.<br />
On the popular track, “Once Upon a Time,” Bradley reminisces<br />
about high school and fav<strong>or</strong>ite musicians from yesteryear, such<br />
as Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye.<br />
When Bradley perf<strong>or</strong>med this live, he also paid tribute to some<br />
of the recent losses in music: Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Cash,<br />
and Barry White. This is a fitting tune because it’s easy to draw<br />
comparisons between Robert Bradley and such greats as Otis<br />
Redding and Marvin Gaye.<br />
Another crowd fav<strong>or</strong>ite was “The Govern<strong>or</strong>”. Bradley began this<br />
fight-the-man tune a cappella, and with such feeling that you<br />
could hear a pin drop in the room. In the ch<strong>or</strong>us of the tune,<br />
Bradley pleads, “I wish the govern<strong>or</strong> would just leave me alone!<br />
He’s breakin’ up my home!” He also did some ad-libbing here<br />
and added, “I wish he would leave me alone if I want to smoke<br />
marijuana, if I want to drive with the top down!” Then he yelled,<br />
“Can I get a witness?”<br />
Yes, Mr. Bradley… you can get a “Hallelujah” too! Amen.<br />
(Watch out f<strong>or</strong> Robert Bradley as a soul singer named Otis in<br />
an upcoming HBO movie starring Halle Berry!)
By: Crystal Clark<br />
HOME ON THE RANGE<br />
Roseanne Barr, Judi Dench, Randy Quaid<br />
Directed <strong>by</strong>: Will Finn & John Sanf<strong>or</strong>d<br />
Walt Disney Pictures, PG<br />
TAKING LIVES<br />
Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke & Olivier Martinez<br />
Directed <strong>by</strong>: DJ Caruso<br />
Warner Brothers, R<br />
SCOOBY DOO 2<br />
Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard<br />
Directed <strong>by</strong>: Raja Gosnell<br />
Warner Brothers, PG<br />
44 • <strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004<br />
It’s precisely a home on the<br />
range named “Patch of<br />
Heaven,” (a dairy farm) in<br />
which our cast of characters<br />
come to life as they<br />
come to terms with the fact<br />
that they might lose their<br />
homeland. Our three lovable<br />
lead cows (Mrs. Caloway, Grace, and Maggie), a karate-kicking stallion named<br />
Buck, and a host of animals unite in an eff<strong>or</strong>t to save the beloved farm. The classic<br />
animation hints at Disney’s old-school stylings, and the gl<strong>or</strong>ious col<strong>or</strong>s truly evoke<br />
a western adventure. But this go-round seems to flourish from within its characters’<br />
human personas. So it must be noted that Home on the Range features the<br />
fantastically cast voice talents of Roseanne Barr, Judi Dench, Jennifer Tilly, Cuba<br />
Gooding Jr., and many m<strong>or</strong>e. The soundtrack is even m<strong>or</strong>e impressive, with Academy-Award<br />
winner Alan Menken joining such celebrated stars as Tim McGraw, Bonnie<br />
Raitt, and K.D. Lang. Remember, you too, can “bust a moo!,” beginning April 2, 2004.<br />
Taking Lives is a perfect cinematic<br />
example of Hollywood’s<br />
most intrinsic talent: marketing.<br />
Yes, they’ve created a movie<br />
with a k-i-l-l-e-r title and a c-re-e-p-y<br />
trailer, but then they release<br />
a movie that s-l-o-w-l-y<br />
sucks the life out of you. Well,<br />
it’s really the script that fails to<br />
produce any evidence of suspense, which you’ll find is a surprising factoid once you get a<br />
glimpse of the opening credits electrifying across the screen. Taking Lives starts out with the<br />
potential of the f<strong>or</strong>ensic gem, Seven, yet the CSI mode never materializes. Yes, you’ll jump out<br />
of <strong>your</strong> chair, but you’re never challenged into solving the mystery, only watching it unfold<br />
bef<strong>or</strong>e you. And even that task proves anticlimatic, since you can tell whom the bad guy is<br />
immediately. Nevertheless, I firmly believe in giving credit where it is due; theref<strong>or</strong>e, Taking Lives<br />
has taken on phenomenal act<strong>or</strong>s to p<strong>or</strong>tray its t<strong>or</strong>mented characters. Angelina Jolie is superb as<br />
Special Agent Scott, a criminal profiler that finds herself in the throws of the Montreal Police after<br />
a gruesome crime is unearthed. Agent Scott’s talents are not welcome <strong>by</strong> all in the police f<strong>or</strong>ce,<br />
as fellow officer Paquette (Olivier Martinez) feels threatened <strong>by</strong> her psychological instincts and<br />
flawless interrogations. Ethan Hawke’s Costa is a material witness to one of many related crimes, and he quickly adds mystique and<br />
tension to the chaotic investigation. And in an eff<strong>or</strong>t to not be outdone in the suspicion department, creepy-voiced Keifer Sutherland<br />
oozes around in the background, apparently his official job in every movie is to make everyone uncomf<strong>or</strong>table. Gena Rowlands<br />
tackles the enigmatic role of the mother of the main suspect, except she rep<strong>or</strong>ts that her son died almost two decades earlier. Ooh, spooky.<br />
So, the plot thickens? No, not really. Yet Jolie and Hawke make the case remotely interesting while you’re there.<br />
Zoinks! Scoo<strong>by</strong> Doo 2 is a dog-gone-treat! The bumbling detectives of Mystery Inc.<br />
are back to embark on a new case, and wow, we surely did miss them! I must admit,<br />
when Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scoo<strong>by</strong>-Doo first reappeared on screen,<br />
I felt a sense of childhood giddiness inside. And trust me, I wasn’t the only one<br />
brimming with Saturday-m<strong>or</strong>ning anticipation --from age 2 to 60, the theater was<br />
jam-packed with Scoo<strong>by</strong> Doo enthusiasts. In fact, Scoo<strong>by</strong> Doo 2 is never required<br />
to take-on the dreaded sequel test; because it genuinely feels like another fun-filled<br />
after-school adventure. This time around, the clueless quintet drive their mystery<br />
van smack into a sm<strong>or</strong>gasb<strong>or</strong>d of monsters they’ve caught in the past, that <strong>have</strong><br />
now been unceremoniously unleashed (a very potent script idea). Alicia Silverstone,<br />
Seth Green, and Peter Boyle find themselves caught up in the mix and the writers do<br />
an excellent job of juxtaposing who’s really a bad guy versus who’s really a good<br />
guy. There are laughs upon laughs upon laughs and the film’s spectacular col<strong>or</strong>s<br />
are vibrant and intoxicating. As always, Matthew Lillard shines as Shaggy, again<br />
emoting a voice so on-par with Casey Kasem’s Shaggy, it’s outright scary, yet still a<br />
mystery. I say we put Mystery Inc. on the case. I can picture it now: Shaggy<br />
investigating Shaggy. Zoinks! Hey Scoo<strong>by</strong>-Doo? Where are you?
NEW TO DVD<br />
Veronica Guerin<br />
Touchstone, R<br />
Veronica Guerin is a movie that tells the true st<strong>or</strong>y<br />
of the real person: a full-time / over-time Irish<br />
journalist and part-time mother and wife. This<br />
unnerving truth alone will no doubt piss many<br />
off—but that is who she was: a journalist first, a<br />
mother second. Once you can get passed this<br />
ugly revelation, you can focus on another<br />
remarkable perf<strong>or</strong>mance <strong>by</strong> Cate Blanchett. From the get-go, Blanchett takes on the<br />
spitfire Guerin and remains relentless in telling her st<strong>or</strong>y. A st<strong>or</strong>y that was once m<strong>or</strong>e<br />
prevalent in Ireland, where Guerin has become known as a fanatical journalist with a<br />
penchant f<strong>or</strong> risking her life f<strong>or</strong> “st<strong>or</strong>ies that need to be told.” Guerin’s actions <strong>have</strong><br />
also encouraged courts to c<strong>or</strong>rect significant laws that greatly better the lives of her people and their homeland.<br />
The DVD’s special features includes an appearance <strong>by</strong> the real-life Guerin at The Committee to Protect<br />
Journalists, a “making of the movie” documentary, deleted scenes, and interviews with producer Jerry<br />
Bruckheimer, direct<strong>or</strong> Joel Schumacher, and writers Carol Doyle and Mary Agnes Donoghue.<br />
Splash<br />
Touchstone, PG<br />
In keeping with our Touchstone<br />
Pictures theme, ladies<br />
and gentlemen let me<br />
introduce to you the 20 th ,<br />
yes 20 th Anniversary of<br />
the romantic-comedy,<br />
Splash. If you’re under the<br />
age of 30, chances are<br />
this is not only one of the<br />
best movies ever released, it’s also part of<br />
<strong>your</strong> childhood. Male <strong>or</strong> female, you can remember<br />
embracing <strong>your</strong> inner-mermaid.<br />
C’mon, admit it, that tail scene was so cool.<br />
Splash is one title in only a handful of movies that you can (and <strong>have</strong>)<br />
watch on a continuous cinematic<br />
loop. Remember,<br />
back in the days when ALL<br />
we had were VCR tapes<br />
and if you played them<br />
enough, the image would<br />
just fade to black? That’s<br />
when you truly knew what<br />
defined a great movie.<br />
Well, the movie that intimidated<br />
Disney into creating Touchstone Pictures in <strong>or</strong>der to release its<br />
first PG-rated film is celebrating its 20 th Birthday <strong>by</strong> diving onto a DVD.<br />
And what kind of host would I be if I made you go fishing around f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
bonus features? I’ve reeled in the extras f<strong>or</strong> you: the <strong>or</strong>iginal audition<br />
tapes of Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah (and an embryonic Ron Howard)<br />
and “Making a Splash,” a look back at the making of the classic -with<br />
appearances <strong>by</strong> stars Hanks, Hannah, Levy, and the late John Candy<br />
as well as producer Grazer, direct<strong>or</strong> Howard, and writers Mandel and<br />
Ganz. Call me crazy, but I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that the main<br />
course of the Touchstone celebration dinner will be lobster.<br />
Ransom<br />
Touchstone, R<br />
In 1996, movie theater audiences saw the release<br />
of direct<strong>or</strong> Ron Howard’s star-studded<br />
thriller Ransom, a heart-pounding ride into a<br />
parent’s w<strong>or</strong>st nightmare: kidnapping. A review<br />
of the case reveals that Ransom is w<strong>or</strong>th<br />
every penny of its demand, with caliber perf<strong>or</strong>mances<br />
<strong>by</strong> Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary<br />
Sinise, Lili Tayl<strong>or</strong>, and Delroy Lindo --all which<br />
help drown out the ticking clock. Coupled with<br />
Dirty Pretty Things<br />
Miramax, R<br />
File this one under “best named movie<br />
in relation to its offbeat plot.” Dirty<br />
Pretty Things tells its harrowing st<strong>or</strong>y<br />
through the eyes of Okwe, an illegal<br />
immigrant w<strong>or</strong>king double duty as<br />
both a cab driver and a graveyard-shift<br />
hotel employee, who is also<br />
subletting the couch of a legal<br />
immigrant, illegally w<strong>or</strong>king as a maid<br />
in the same hotel. It’s a daring movie<br />
that is at times dirty and pretty and involves a handful of disturbing<br />
random things. The panicky duo soon discover that the hotel<br />
itself has been hiding a few of its own unspeakable secrets,<br />
and in a highly believable yet bizarre twist of fate, the unlikely<br />
duo become entangled<br />
in the very secrets they<br />
are so desperately<br />
trying to walk away from.<br />
Dirty Pretty Things is not<br />
f<strong>or</strong> the faint of heart, but<br />
subject matter not<br />
withstanding, its act<strong>or</strong>s<br />
check in with<br />
extremely raw, caliber<br />
perf<strong>or</strong>mances;<br />
particularly effective<br />
are Ejiof<strong>or</strong> with his gift of silent anguish, and Lopez as the hotel<br />
manager you will absolutely l-o-v-e to hate. The DVD’s extras<br />
are sparse: a commentary with direct<strong>or</strong> Stephen Frears and a<br />
behind-the-scenes snippet; however, I can honestly say that<br />
this will be one of the most <strong>or</strong>iginal films you’ll ever experience.<br />
early film appearances <strong>by</strong> Liev Schreiber, Donnie Wahlberg, Evan Handler,<br />
and Paul Guilfoyle, Ransom proves to be an action-packed film<br />
experience that also launched a handful of now red-hot careers.<br />
It’s now 2004, and Touchstone Pictures is celebrating with the release of<br />
a special edition of Ransom on DVD. The extensive two-full-hours of<br />
bonus material includes: a “What Would You Do?” featurette with the<br />
cast and crew, commentary with Direct<strong>or</strong> Ron Howard, a behind-thescenes<br />
banter with the cast and crew, and a vast selection of deleted<br />
scenes. You’d better ante up this time around <strong>or</strong> you’ll lose out f<strong>or</strong>ever...<br />
What are you waiting f<strong>or</strong>? Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
The Magdalene Sisters<br />
Miramax, R<br />
The Magdalene Sisters is a powerful unearthing of cinema. That being<br />
said, it’s also a bone-chilling movie to experience –simply because it’s<br />
raw and it’s real and it’s riveting. At its c<strong>or</strong>e, the film is essentially a st<strong>or</strong>y<br />
about honesty; m<strong>or</strong>e specifically, the true barbaric st<strong>or</strong>ies hidden within<br />
the walls of the Catholic-run institutions of Ireland collectively known as<br />
The Magdalene Laundries. Viciously named f<strong>or</strong> Mary Magdalene (the w<strong>or</strong>st<br />
kind of sinner), these asylums existed from the 1800s until as recent as<br />
1996. Under the guise of repentance, prayer, and cleansing souls, the<br />
Catholic Church rabidly took in children that had been shamed and abandoned<br />
<strong>by</strong> their families after having “thought about” <strong>or</strong> “been privy” to m<strong>or</strong>al<br />
crimes; regardless if the supposed behavi<strong>or</strong> was no fault of their own <strong>or</strong><br />
never actually occurred. It was within these merciless institutions of religious<br />
rhet<strong>or</strong>ic and greed that profit-generating sweatshops requiring intensive<br />
lab<strong>or</strong> without pay had been created. B<strong>or</strong>n within the sanctity of a<br />
church that was devoid of any humanity <strong>or</strong> spirituality, these asylums physically<br />
and emotional stripped the legions of women of their hearts and<br />
souls, with many eventually succumbing to their sad, lonely deaths.<br />
After digesting a litany of documented research, Direct<strong>or</strong> Peter Mullan<br />
assembled an authentic screenplay (based on actual testimony), and the<br />
end result artfully exposes the Catholic Church with harrowing accounts of<br />
the sadistic brutality subjected upon women -of all ages- in the name of<br />
religion. The shocking truths unfold in 1964, through the eyes of four, once<br />
unrelated girls, who along with an estimated 30,000 women, find themselves<br />
imprisoned within the façade of faith. Mullan’s visions are crisp,<br />
clear and to the point. Once he unmasks a truth, he moves on to free the next. He utilizes subtle, evocative nuances that jolt <strong>your</strong><br />
senses: from the effective grainy footage that is reminiscent of 1964, to the traditional Irish folk music that magically becomes<br />
audible just as the dialogue fades away and we must abs<strong>or</strong>b every ounce of pain through the victims’ eyes.<br />
The film’s revelations are unyielding and skillfully demonstrate the scarring psychological effects that the women endured day after<br />
day. And <strong>by</strong> preserving this behavi<strong>or</strong> within<br />
a documentary-like atmosphere, Mullan<br />
merely proves to be doing his humanitarian<br />
duty of exposing the ominous system<br />
as it truly occurred -<strong>by</strong> providing an insight<br />
into these women’s incomprehensible<br />
journeys into hell. There are a number<br />
of stand-out perf<strong>or</strong>mances—including<br />
first time (and first rate) actresses<br />
Noone and Duffy, and a haunting Eileen<br />
Walsh. But nothing prepares you f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
wicked viciousness callously delivered <strong>by</strong><br />
Geraldine McEwan as head tyrant Sister<br />
Bridget. McEwan’s caustic perf<strong>or</strong>mance<br />
is so terrifying that her face will haunt you<br />
f<strong>or</strong> days.<br />
After experiencing this tour-de-f<strong>or</strong>ce of<br />
film, DVD extras will be the least of <strong>your</strong><br />
concerns (which is a good thing because<br />
there aren’t any.) However, there is one<br />
gl<strong>or</strong>ious featurette: a fifty-minute documentary<br />
entitled “Sex in a Cold Climate.”<br />
Filmed in 1998, its crux exposes the sinister realities of the Magdalene Laundries through chilling interviews with the once<br />
prisoners/victims now real-life surviv<strong>or</strong>s of these inhumane institutions that cowardly hid behind the facade of religion. Based on<br />
the sadistic subject matter, I’d recommend watching the documentary a few days removed from the film itself. In fact, the documentary<br />
is so evocative, direct<strong>or</strong> Mullan reveals that it inspired him to expose these unspeakable evils to the uninf<strong>or</strong>med public; hence:<br />
The Magdalene Sisters. This is a multifaceted film that deserves, and demands, <strong>your</strong> undivided attention.<br />
<strong>RAG</strong> MAGAZINE • APRIL 2004 • 47
JERSEY GIRL<br />
Ben Affleck, Ge<strong>or</strong>ge Carlin, Raquel Castro<br />
Directed <strong>by</strong>: Kevin Smith<br />
Miramax, PG-13<br />
THE LADYKILLERS<br />
Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans & Irma P. Hall<br />
Directed <strong>by</strong>: Joel & Ethan Coen<br />
Touchstone Pictures, R<br />
If you’re a Kevin Smith fanatic that foamsat-the-mouth<br />
anticipating sexual innuendos<br />
and cracks-up with glee as a dicey<br />
monologue of curse w<strong>or</strong>ds comes spewing<br />
out of every character’s lips, then<br />
you will not like Jersey Girl at all. Believe<br />
me, I’m not saying that you might not enjoy<br />
it; I’m telling you, you won’t. Slowly,<br />
I’m bracing you f<strong>or</strong> the concept and the w<strong>or</strong>d behind Smith’s latest release—an emotion that every<br />
single man alive hates to hear: maturity. Kevin Smith’s muse, Ben Affleck inhabits Ollie Trinke, a<br />
headstrong music publicist who loses his wife and job within moments of each other. All he has left<br />
is a brand new ba<strong>by</strong> girl: Gertie. The downside to Jersey Girl is that it takes 40 minutes f<strong>or</strong> Smith to<br />
get across the concept that I just jotted down in two sentences. Once Gertie reappears on screen<br />
at age seven, the movie’s script finally takes shape. Affleck’s Trinke must balance the need of<br />
reverting to a powerful persona at w<strong>or</strong>k and that of simply being a good, ever-present dad.<br />
His ho-hum life is turned upside-down when he meets Maya (a fantastic Liv Tyler), the first<br />
women he’s even thought about dating in seven years. Yet Trinke doesn’t know how <strong>or</strong><br />
when he could fit Maya into his life. At its c<strong>or</strong>e, Jersey Girl is essentially about the Jersey<br />
Girl, Trinke’s daughter, Gertie. Theref<strong>or</strong>e, there are many parental experiences tackled and<br />
tackled really well. Affleck is present in practically every scene and he demonstrates surprising<br />
range and determination (his honest perf<strong>or</strong>mance in Bounce echoes in my mind). As<br />
you live-out Ollie and Gertie’s journey, let it be known that the maj<strong>or</strong>ity of the scenes are<br />
written with genuine emotion –both happy and sad. With Jersey Girl, Smith no doubt displays<br />
his love and respect f<strong>or</strong> the family unit and <strong>by</strong> doing so, he’s not afraid to wear his heart on<br />
his sleeve. But most of all, Smith wholeheartedly admits that he’s a guy’s guy that matured<br />
and actually enjoyed it.<br />
Hollywood remakes <strong>have</strong> always posed a thought-provoking conundrum to me. As with<br />
the same leftover manner a movie based on a best-selling book exudes, remakes come<br />
to the theater fully-equipped with inherent emotional baggage. Like it <strong>or</strong> not, audiences<br />
find themselves comparing the two versions. This phenomenon occurs with cover<br />
songs, Broadway plays, and even soap opera act<strong>or</strong>s. The public simply can’t help it. I’ve<br />
been told that these artistic endeav<strong>or</strong>s are meant to be compared; but I still don’t buy it.<br />
To me, any and all attempts are essentially a new piece of art. F<strong>or</strong> example, with a<br />
movie—note the new script, new cast, and new direct<strong>or</strong>. So why not judge its successfulness<br />
on its own merits? Since I had never seen the <strong>or</strong>iginal 1955 Ladykillers (with<br />
Alec Guinness), I specifically did not rent the movie either; theref<strong>or</strong>e, I will review The<br />
Ladykillers in its current f<strong>or</strong>m: a Coen Brothers and Tom Hanks amalgamation.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> starters, Ladykillers is a h<strong>or</strong>rible title. It bears no real significant context to the film. It’s<br />
not even a funny title; can you say f<strong>or</strong>eshadowing? Enter Oscar-laden act<strong>or</strong><br />
extra<strong>or</strong>dinaire Tom Hanks as bad guy (yes bad guy) Goldthwait Higginson D<strong>or</strong>r, Ph.D.<br />
D<strong>or</strong>r claims to be a Linguistics profess<strong>or</strong>, but we, unlike his new Landl<strong>or</strong>d, know better.<br />
Soon we are made privy to D<strong>or</strong>r’s ulteri<strong>or</strong> motive: he needs access to a root cellar in<br />
<strong>or</strong>der to pull off a remarkable casino heist. Note: If you’ve been itching f<strong>or</strong> Hanks’<br />
eventual return to yuk-yuk comedy, you’ll be highly disappointed. He’s not funny, <strong>or</strong><br />
comprehensible, f<strong>or</strong> that matter. Hanks’ D<strong>or</strong>r merely ruminates incoherently about poetry<br />
and hist<strong>or</strong>y. Marlon Wayans joins the criminal enterprise as Gawain, a lazy f-w<strong>or</strong>d<br />
spewing casino w<strong>or</strong>ker with coolio’s hairdo and an irrepressible smirk. From the moment<br />
he appears on screen, you can’t wait to laugh <strong>your</strong> ass off at his jokes. It never<br />
happens. Then again, 90% of Wayans’ dialogue involves curse w<strong>or</strong>ds, so that might<br />
<strong>have</strong> something to do with it. Also on tap f<strong>or</strong> the casino heist is versatile character act<strong>or</strong> J.K. Simmons (IBS is not funny), newcomer Tzi Ma (a stonecold<br />
character that is the total opposite of funny), Ryan Hurst (a mentally challenged jock who is never funny at all, probably because he hardly<br />
utters any dialogue). And rounding out the hijinks that never ensue is the church-going, southern-cooking, ever-trusting African American grandma,<br />
Irma P. Hall (cute as a button as Marva Munson, just not funny, yet somehow the funniest of the bunch).<br />
As you can surmise, I did not find any hum<strong>or</strong> in the film. Seriously, I did not laugh once. Especially when the dog died. Nope, not funny. What about the cat? Nope,<br />
not funny. Then again, it’s as if the movie never gets off the ground to lay any comedic foundation. That being said, I truly don’t know how this script could <strong>have</strong><br />
been funny? Why did Hanks enjoy this script? I really think he was cast away on that island f<strong>or</strong> w-a-y t-o-o long. There is also an over-abundance of gospel music<br />
to take in (which is not necessarily a bad thing; it just has nothing to do with the movie). Hanks’ no doubt infiltrates every inch of his character’s mind and soul,<br />
but it’s such a crappy character I couldn’t <strong>have</strong> cared less. Truth be told, I don’t know what is w<strong>or</strong>se, walking into what-you-think is a straight-f<strong>or</strong>ward slap-stick<br />
comedy and experiencing a shocking Coen Brothers adaptation, <strong>or</strong> highly anticipating a Coen Brothers farce and getting absolutely nothing at all.
NASHVILL<br />
St<strong>or</strong>y: Juliett Rowe<br />
“I started playing [guitar] when I was about eight,” Ruyter Suys remembers. “I started playing piano<br />
when I was a little kid, and the piano got taken away from the house, so I turned to one of my dad’s<br />
<strong>guitars</strong> and I’ve been jamming ever since. I took a break f<strong>or</strong> a little while and went to university. I<br />
thought that playing music was irresponsible, and then I met Blaine, and he’s like, ‘You’re a way<br />
better guitar player than you are anything else.’” Ruyter Suys (pronounced Rider Sighs), lead guitarist<br />
f<strong>or</strong> southern fried rock outfit Nashville Pussy, never thought much about playing in a band until<br />
she met Blaine Cartwright and the two f<strong>or</strong>med Nashville Pussy seven years ago. Blaine<br />
(vocals, rhythm guitar) and Ruyter, are joined <strong>by</strong> Katielyn Campbell on bass, and Jeremy Thompson<br />
on <strong>drums</strong>, and the Atlanta based quartet will be heading out this month on a southeast<br />
tour in supp<strong>or</strong>t of last year’s Say Something Nasty (Artemis). Ruyter and Blaine are in Austin f<strong>or</strong><br />
a show with Blaine’s other band, 9 Pound Hammer, a rousing cow-punk act that’s been doing<br />
cow-punk, since way bef<strong>or</strong>e cow-punk was cool. (“It’s like the Ramones with Johnny Cash<br />
vocals over it,” Blaine says.)<br />
Growing up in Vancouver, Ruyter’s parents were supp<strong>or</strong>tive and encouraged her to play. “Well<br />
growing up I was kind of a classic guitar geek, Zeppelin and Hendrix, and all the stuff that you’re<br />
supposed to learn at the time,” Ruyter says. “I wound up getting into the blues, which is a<br />
stepping stone. It wasn’t until I met Blaine that I started listening to the punk rock. He came<br />
from the opposite school pretty much. He’d never listened to Ted Nugent really, <strong>or</strong> a lot of<br />
Zeppelin <strong>or</strong> Hendrix. But I had never listened to the Ramones, and I most certainly had never<br />
listened to Johnny Cash <strong>or</strong> Lynyrd Skynyrd.” Those disparate musical influences would help<br />
create a sound that Nashville Pussy would take to new levels in a Mot<strong>or</strong>head meets Aerosmith<br />
in a back alley kind of way. Blaine’s alcohol fueled vocals and Ruyter’s charismatic guitar<br />
playing anch<strong>or</strong> Nashville Pussy’s sound as a band that easily shares stages with a rockabilly<br />
band one tour, and a stoner rock band the next.<br />
Rag: The band has this image of ‘sex, drugs, and rock and roll’. Do you ever feel trapped <strong>by</strong><br />
that, like you’re just ready to move on?<br />
Ruyter: People <strong>have</strong> some strange ideas about us, so yeah sometimes it can be a little–it’s not<br />
restricting f<strong>or</strong> us <strong>or</strong> anything like that, but we’ll get on the phone with some DJ <strong>or</strong> something like<br />
that, and he’s expecting us to just like give him phone sex. [laughs]. So they might be a little let<br />
down. But then at the same time we’ll talk to other people, depending on the day of the week,<br />
I don’t prepare, obviously, f<strong>or</strong> interviews. I don’t know when I’m going to be in the mood to start<br />
saying all the wrong shit. We’ll get people coming to shows [who think] that we’re going to<br />
jump off stage and fuck everyone in the audience. There was a rum<strong>or</strong> f<strong>or</strong> a while that we lit our<br />
genitals on fire. [laughs].<br />
Rag: Bef<strong>or</strong>e I ever saw you live I had heard that, and this was when C<strong>or</strong>ey [Parks] was in the<br />
band, was that you two would make out on stage, and then of course the fire breathing.<br />
Ruyter: We’ve made out with chics in the audience...and there’s nothing stopping us now.<br />
[laughs] If someone’s a good kisser, I ain’t going to say no. But at the same time, you can’t<br />
prepare f<strong>or</strong> something like that. That ain’t rock and roll.<br />
Sometime late this summer Nashville Pussy will be heading into the studio to begin w<strong>or</strong>k on a<br />
new album. “Basically me and Blaine–I don’t know what you’d call it–we’re gleaning. We’re<br />
driving around crazy places in America and getting inspiration from our brethren. [laughs] A<br />
couple of days ago we did two lane roads down from Kentucky to Austin. We went and saw the<br />
Stax, which is an old soul label from Memphis. We went to their museum, which was awesome.<br />
We didn’t know they had it, we just kind of accidentally found it in Memphis. We wound<br />
up going to the Crossroads, the famous Crossroads where you can sell <strong>your</strong> soul to the devil<br />
at the right time. We drove through there...and we just kind of went on this little miniature blues<br />
hunt, and seeing some interesting people, and writing down inspirations from crazy places<br />
we’ve traveled to and stuff like that. We’ve been doing a lot of jamming and stuff.”
E PUSSY<br />
“People don’t realize it,” Ruyter says, “but most of the stuff we write about is real.” [laughs]<br />
“We’ve got some crazy friends, like our song “Blowjob From A Rattlesnake” came from a real<br />
person.”<br />
Rag: Some bands <strong>have</strong> the struggle of effectively capturing their live sound on tape–their<br />
cd comes out really polished and it lacks that raw energy. Is that a concern f<strong>or</strong> you?<br />
Ruyter: I don’t think so, but at the same time we still want to put out live albums. That might<br />
be admitting yes. [laughs]<br />
Rag: Do you enjoy studio time?<br />
Ruyter: Oh fuck yes. We live on the road, and f<strong>or</strong> us going in the studio–it’s like being babied<br />
<strong>or</strong> coddled <strong>or</strong> something. Like being able to do things over and over again, you never get to<br />
do that on stage. You get on, entertain, and then get off, which I love too, but the studio is like<br />
the most self indulgent place you can be.<br />
Rag: People <strong>have</strong> been debating f<strong>or</strong> years on the whole analog and Protools thing, then<br />
the White Stripes come out and brag about rec<strong>or</strong>ding on 1930’s and 1940’s equipment.<br />
Ruyter: Whatever. That’s like so old hat. That’s all we’ve ever done. Pretty much all the shit<br />
that those guys were bragging about, we’ve done on everyone of our albums. When we first<br />
started off, I think because we got m<strong>or</strong>e accomplished over the years, we definitely started<br />
off with m<strong>or</strong>e of a garage thing going on. But at the time no one had any kind of reference<br />
point to what we were talking about. There <strong>have</strong> been like twenty different garage revivals.<br />
Like Blaine’s old band, their country punk thing was definitely garage revival. There’s one<br />
every five years.<br />
Rag: I was in Hot Topic the other day, and now they’re selling Poison t shirts, and Bon Jovi<br />
t shirts. And I still <strong>have</strong> mine from fifteen years ago. Now all these young kids are buying<br />
the shirts because it’s cool and that shit is coming back, but it’s like give me a break.<br />
Ruyter: I know but you’re still cooler because you’ve got the real one. [laughs] My mom was saying<br />
a couple of years ago when everyone was wearing hipsters and flares, my mom’s like, ‘Everyone’s<br />
wearing <strong>your</strong> clothes now! You’ve got to come up with a new style!’<br />
Rag: I know you get this a lot, but do you feel like female musicians <strong>have</strong> to prove themselves<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e than a man would?<br />
Ruyter: Oh definitely. But at the same time, you definitely get different types of advantages. Like<br />
people pay way m<strong>or</strong>e attention to you. I wouldn’t <strong>have</strong> it any other way, but I <strong>have</strong> definitely felt that<br />
my whole life. I’d been playing guitar f<strong>or</strong> three <strong>or</strong> four years already, and my teacher in elementary<br />
school got pregnant and we had this asshole in between f<strong>or</strong> a little while. I had already been<br />
playing guitar like in the school choir <strong>or</strong> whatever. Everybody was playing rec<strong>or</strong>ders and ukeleles,<br />
and I was the only one playing guitar because I could. Then we get this d<strong>or</strong>k to come in and teach<br />
us whatever, and he had the nerve to tell me that I would never be able to play guitar properly<br />
because my breasts were too big. I’m like twelve right...it’s like, ‘Fuck you! I’m already playing<br />
“Stairway To Heaven”. Give me a fucking break.’ Don’t even try to play that game. I guess it was a<br />
little different being up in Canada. My parent didn’t ever make me think male/female was going to<br />
make a difference at all. You do come across it here and there.<br />
“We’re driving around listening to riffs and stuff, writing lyrics. We’re trying to take our time so<br />
it will be really good,” Blaine says about the upcoming album. The band split with Artemis<br />
last year, and <strong>have</strong> pretty much been doing things on their own since. “We’ve actually been<br />
able to maintain stuff with out having a rec<strong>or</strong>d label behind us. Everything has pretty much<br />
been stuff that we <strong>have</strong> generated ourselves. Rarely do we <strong>have</strong> anybody behind us and<br />
pushing us at all.”
Live rock band seeking pro bassist.<br />
Vocalist, guitarist and drummer<br />
looking of r a talented bassist<br />
f<strong>or</strong> live perf<strong>or</strong>mances. We <strong>have</strong><br />
live shows waiting, but our <strong>or</strong>iginal<br />
bassist cannot do the project.<br />
We <strong>have</strong> a complete live sound<br />
rig to sound great just need the<br />
missing link. Focus is on sounding<br />
phenomenal, having regular<br />
shows and making $$$. Please<br />
call Brian at 954-530-3977 <strong>or</strong><br />
Travis 754-368-6601 <strong>or</strong> email<br />
Brianrsmith777@aol.com<br />
Seeking female musicians, f<strong>or</strong>mer<br />
bassist of American Pie looking<br />
to f<strong>or</strong>m <strong>or</strong>iginal/cover rock/pop<br />
group. Need female drummer,<br />
vocalist, and guitar <strong>or</strong> keys. Contact<br />
Michelle 954-856-8703<br />
Vocalist wanted. Self promoting 3<br />
pc band (guitar, bass & <strong>drums</strong>).<br />
Our music has various rock & roll<br />
styles. Must be reliable, open<br />
minded & serious about <strong>your</strong> music.<br />
Larry 561-723-7265<br />
Vocalist needed f<strong>or</strong> metal band.<br />
Influences are Slayer,<br />
Messhuggah, Death, Megaseth,<br />
Overkill. We play all <strong>or</strong>iginal music.<br />
Contact Chris 561-702-1183<br />
Rec<strong>or</strong>d label seeks female vocalist<br />
w/ <strong>or</strong>iginal style. Gwen Stefani,<br />
Bj<strong>or</strong>k, Pink, Shakira, Debbie Harry,<br />
Beyonce, Carla Wener. Techno-<br />
Alternative-Pop influences. Rick<br />
561-392-2202 x100 /<br />
rick@webcast1.com<br />
Bass player wanted. Area rock<br />
band is looking f<strong>or</strong> bass player. In<br />
the vain of Nikki Sixx, Gene<br />
Simmons, Rudy Sarzo, Michael<br />
Anthony etc… Must <strong>have</strong> <strong>your</strong> act<br />
together. Call 305-970-8113<br />
W<strong>or</strong>k available. Band seeking<br />
lead vocalist /rhythm guitarist <strong>or</strong><br />
keyboard/ lead vocalist and drummer.<br />
Classic rock from 70s-current.<br />
Experienced lead guitar,<br />
bass expanding to a dour piece.<br />
Must be dependable, mature, drugfree,<br />
own transp<strong>or</strong>tation and equipment.<br />
Interested, please contact<br />
Phil 954-588-9441 <strong>or</strong> e-mail<br />
pehull@aol.com<br />
Bass and <strong>or</strong> Keyboard player<br />
wanted in tri county area. If you<br />
like New Order, Depeche Mode,<br />
Coldplay and U2 call 754-264-<br />
2674. We <strong>have</strong> rehearsal space.<br />
Young, hungry guitarist available<br />
in Boca Raton, <strong>have</strong> been playing<br />
f<strong>or</strong> 7 years, f<strong>or</strong>m <strong>or</strong> want a serious<br />
band, looking f<strong>or</strong> drummer, bass,<br />
singer, and/<strong>or</strong> other guitarist to collab<strong>or</strong>ate,<br />
influences- Rage, System,<br />
Silverchair, (old) Incubus and<br />
Nonpoint. Do not want a sound<br />
too heavy like shadows fall but<br />
not too light like Pearl Jam <strong>or</strong> STP.<br />
Need to <strong>have</strong> energy but can go<br />
soft as well collab<strong>or</strong>ated with energy<br />
Lead singer & lead guitarist looking<br />
f<strong>or</strong> hard rock drummer and bass<br />
player in the Kendall area to complete<br />
an <strong>or</strong>iginal band & rec<strong>or</strong>d CD<br />
demo. Serious & dedicated<br />
musicians only please call Gonzo<br />
305-905-8702 <strong>or</strong> e-mail me at<br />
direct<strong>or</strong>1016@msn.com<br />
Lead vocalist/ keyboardist <strong>or</strong> lead<br />
vocalist/ guitar player wanted to<br />
front “solid” 3 piece rhythm section.<br />
Are you ex-pro? Played a lot but<br />
now only want part-time? Married<br />
with kids but still <strong>have</strong> urge to play<br />
& gig 2-4 times a month? Into: R&B,<br />
blues, funk, classic rock (danceable)<br />
– PA & space Hwd. 954-962-9789<br />
Wanted: Guitar player that can sing.<br />
Drummer that can sing. I am a bass<br />
player lead/ backup vocalist. I am<br />
taking a few good men on tour with<br />
me this summer. We will be perf<strong>or</strong>ming<br />
and playing <strong>or</strong>iginal pop<br />
music. If you are in <strong>your</strong> 30s <strong>or</strong> 40s<br />
and <strong>have</strong> the chops and pipes<br />
please call Tony, 954-792-8135.<br />
You need to be able to sign a contract<br />
and <strong>have</strong> a passp<strong>or</strong>t f<strong>or</strong> possible<br />
dates abroad. A permanent<br />
position with the band is available<br />
to the capable individual.<br />
Vocalist is looking f<strong>or</strong> musicians to<br />
f<strong>or</strong>m a Queen tribute band. Please<br />
contact Michael 954-803-6588<br />
Established Broward band seeks<br />
double kick drummer. Must hit hard<br />
heavy and fast. If you <strong>have</strong> the determination<br />
– plus the strength and<br />
courage to make something happen<br />
then this is the band f<strong>or</strong> you.<br />
Shows and management lined up.<br />
Serious only need apply. Damon<br />
954-214-2614 / Josh 954-553-5411<br />
<strong>or</strong> Tony 954-714-0680<br />
LC3 is auditioning female rhythm<br />
guitar players and keyboard players<br />
w/ gear. F<strong>or</strong> up and coming band<br />
that fuses rock and classical. Call<br />
Les at Homegrown Music of Hollywood<br />
954-923-5299<br />
Exp. Drummer needed f<strong>or</strong> Top 40<br />
high energy country, southern coun-<br />
MUSIC STORE • LESSONS<br />
REHEARSAL SPACE<br />
INSTRUMENT REPAIR<br />
INSTRUMENT RENTALS<br />
954-523-7087
try rock %70 & 80s crossover band<br />
located in the Palm Beach Treasure<br />
Coast area. Contact Trisha 561-<br />
304-3405<br />
Singer/ songwriter/ guitarist seeking<br />
musicians; <strong>have</strong> demo; Jeff Buckley,<br />
Sonic Youth, Nick Drake, Zepplin,<br />
Old Floyd, experimental Beatles.<br />
305-205-2479<br />
Local UM band seeks second guitarist/<br />
backup vocalist (pop-punk,<br />
pop rock band) Influences:<br />
Springsteen, 3EB, Cracker,<br />
Goldfinger… Studio time and gigs<br />
already scheduled. Contact Mike<br />
at 305-496-3440 <strong>or</strong><br />
mmarino@umsis.miami.edu<br />
Bass player wanted –<br />
www.me4now.com Alt-rock band Me<br />
4 Now is looking f<strong>or</strong> a new bass<br />
player! Age 21-30. This is <strong>your</strong><br />
change – take it! 305-531-0633<br />
www.me4now.com<br />
Drums, Bass, Keys wanted f<strong>or</strong> <strong>or</strong>iginals<br />
part time project. Style along<br />
the lines of early Genesis (‘70s era),<br />
Pink Floyd, A. Parsons Project,<br />
Steely Dan, etc. I play guitar, 31<br />
years old, located in WPB area. If<br />
interested please call 561-752-0356<br />
<strong>or</strong> e-mail jakrizl1@hotmail.com<br />
Singer/ musician seeks others –<br />
males & females, f<strong>or</strong> acoustic gatherings<br />
& possible group. Lets <strong>have</strong><br />
fun with less volume and m<strong>or</strong>e dynamics.<br />
Many Styles, Have piano<br />
& <strong>guitars</strong>. Talent & experience a<br />
big plus, but we can w<strong>or</strong>k on the<br />
details. Hollywood area. Michael<br />
954-894-8074<br />
Bass player looking f<strong>or</strong> musicians <strong>or</strong><br />
band to jam <strong>or</strong> f<strong>or</strong>m a band. All<br />
styles. Call Lou 561-493-3995 <strong>or</strong><br />
561-385-5161<br />
Experienced drummer, who has<br />
backed numerous pro artists into<br />
light funk, R&B, Jazz/rock, traditional<br />
country blues to jam. Well<br />
rounded reading musicians. 954-<br />
340-1964<br />
Experienced drummer: seriously<br />
looking f<strong>or</strong> FT band in country rock<br />
and all types except heavy metal.<br />
Will relocate f<strong>or</strong> serious band with<br />
contract. Have resume, played with<br />
& rec<strong>or</strong>ded with local bands. If you<br />
want a hot drummer to set <strong>your</strong> band<br />
on fire call Phil 518-233-7187<br />
Bass player seeks w<strong>or</strong>king <strong>or</strong> near<br />
w<strong>or</strong>king classic rock band. Excellent<br />
knowledge of classic rock,<br />
Motown and blues. Can fill in on<br />
sh<strong>or</strong>t notices. Also plays keyboards.<br />
954-401-7645<br />
Experienced lead guitarist/ vocalist<br />
seeks w<strong>or</strong>king band. Rock, Blues,<br />
Alternative, Country etc… I <strong>have</strong><br />
excellent gear, transp<strong>or</strong>tation and<br />
professional attitude. (can travel if<br />
profitable) Please! Serious inquiries<br />
only! Call Dave 786-243-9510<br />
<strong>or</strong> davemiley41@hotmail.com<br />
Guitarist looking to start <strong>or</strong> join top<br />
40 cover band. Have studio to practice<br />
in C<strong>or</strong>al Springs – Serious<br />
minded only. Ages 20 to 40 must<br />
be able to practice at least twice<br />
per week. No flakes. 954-340-7867<br />
Justin<br />
Pro Drummer looking f<strong>or</strong> established<br />
group f<strong>or</strong> <strong>or</strong>iginal and cover gigs.<br />
Have lead <strong>or</strong> backup vocals – Call<br />
Peter 954-234-3071 Anytime. –<br />
Leave Message -<br />
Male vocalist/ musician available.<br />
Seeks male <strong>or</strong> female piano / keyboard<br />
player f<strong>or</strong> a duet <strong>or</strong> better.<br />
Love a full band sound but can feel<br />
it just as well with piano only. Have<br />
piano and other gear. Interests: Billy<br />
Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears, James<br />
Tayl<strong>or</strong>, Chicago, Female artists,<br />
etc… Part time <strong>or</strong> weekend gigs!<br />
Michael, age 44 – Hollywood, FL<br />
954-894-8074<br />
PA system: Carver Power Amp,<br />
210w per side, Mackie 1200,<br />
Cerwin-Vega wedge monit<strong>or</strong>,<br />
Ibanez harmonizer/ delay and reverb.<br />
$600 takes it all. Brad 561-<br />
883-9490 <strong>or</strong> 561-573-8351<br />
Marshall Valvstate AVT – 20 watt<br />
– new – mint - $200, Yamaha UD<br />
Stomp – new – mint - $200,<br />
Digiteck GNX3 – new – mint – card<br />
- $300 954-895-5254 – 954-791-<br />
4248 Chris<br />
1980 anniversary, Les Paul <strong>custom</strong>,<br />
yellow w/ gold hardware – mint condition,<br />
a collect<strong>or</strong>s dream come true.<br />
Moving must sell. $4,500 OBO. Call<br />
Chris 954-418-6384 <strong>or</strong> 781-405-<br />
4509<br />
F<strong>or</strong> sale – Pair of 15” RCF powered<br />
P.A. Cabinets & Stands $300, 8<br />
space rack $40, 12 space rack $50,<br />
DJ/P.A. mixer & amp rack $50,<br />
Furman Power strips $10 each, pair<br />
of congas & stands $150, pair of<br />
$$ WE BUY $$<br />
• GUITARS<br />
• AMPS<br />
• EFFECTS<br />
TOP DOLLAR!<br />
CALL US!<br />
954-772-6900
speaker stands & case $60. Call Bob<br />
954-240-4182 <strong>or</strong> e-mail<br />
aceswildstudio@aol.com<br />
1960 Kay M-1, recently installed new<br />
endpin and <strong>or</strong>iginal tailpiece (with kay<br />
logo), ¾ size, setup f<strong>or</strong> jazz, bows great,<br />
$2000/obo. Other gear available, please<br />
call 561-627-1293<br />
LESSONS<br />
Drumset lessons now being offered at<br />
<strong>your</strong> home. W<strong>or</strong>ld class lesson plan<br />
designed to get you noticed, Music business<br />
showmanship and auditions also<br />
covered. Beginners welcome! Bob 954-<br />
916-9309 <strong>or</strong> 954-296-9286<br />
Vocal lessons with singer/ songwriter<br />
session / artist – improve in 1 hour,<br />
timing inversion’s use of half & whole<br />
steps create <strong>or</strong>iginal style / power. Have<br />
fun create songs. Call Brett 754-235-<br />
6210<br />
$200 Demo rec<strong>or</strong>ding special! Radio<br />
& Rec<strong>or</strong>d quality. Producer w/<br />
A&R and radio experience. Pro rec<strong>or</strong>ding<br />
studio, classic gear, top of<br />
the line amps, <strong>guitars</strong> and microphones,<br />
protocols, South Beach/<br />
Downtown area. Very cool vibe. Se<br />
Habla<br />
Espanol<br />
www.rec<strong>or</strong>dlabelmusic.com 305-542-<br />
1191 – rec<strong>or</strong>d like a rock star, don’t<br />
pay like one.<br />
Rec<strong>or</strong>ding studio w/ pro tools. 32 tracks,<br />
Mac G4, Fucusrite pre amp & compression.<br />
Yamaha <strong>drums</strong>, ass<strong>or</strong>ted <strong>guitars</strong><br />
& mics. Run <strong>by</strong> a pro musicians/ producer/<br />
engineer, who has w<strong>or</strong>ked on<br />
many hit rec<strong>or</strong>ds. I guarantee to make<br />
you demos <strong>or</strong> masters feel and sound<br />
fantastic! 561-745-3810 <strong>or</strong><br />
chcsabo@aol.com<br />
Let DTM Studios rec<strong>or</strong>d/mix <strong>your</strong> project!<br />
Producers & arrangers; Latin, country,<br />
rock/pop, dance/hip-hop, reggae & gospel.<br />
Protools HD-4, SSL, mastering avail.<br />
786-252-6252<br />
ROCK! The Farm Rec<strong>or</strong>ding Studio.<br />
West Davie. Unique and hip atmosphere.<br />
Excellent sounds.<br />
www.thefarmrec<strong>or</strong>ding.com f<strong>or</strong> a better<br />
idea <strong>or</strong> call 954-895-6540<br />
Solid Sound Studio is located just<br />
n<strong>or</strong>th of sample rd on powerline in<br />
Broward. We feature brand new<br />
rooms (6) with all new equipment in<br />
a comf<strong>or</strong>table setting. See our ad on<br />
page 3 f<strong>or</strong> m<strong>or</strong>e inf<strong>or</strong>mation. 954-<br />
974-1466<br />
Homeg<strong>or</strong>wn Music of Hollywood is <strong>by</strong><br />
far the best rehearsal facility in all of<br />
South Fl<strong>or</strong>ida. Just ask our clients!<br />
Competitive rates / great gear / open<br />
late. F<strong>or</strong> time slots available call 954-<br />
923-5299<br />
Zephyr Studios (Kendall) - Large Rehearsal<br />
Space available, $15.00 per<br />
hour - 3 hour blocks in prime time available.<br />
Crank out to <strong>your</strong> satisfaction.<br />
Call 305-251-3217 Visit our website f<strong>or</strong><br />
m<strong>or</strong>e info- www.zephyrstudio.tripod.com<br />
PERSONALS<br />
SWM – Blond, Blue eyes slender, mid30s<br />
– drug free – looking f<strong>or</strong> SWF. Enjoy<br />
music, beach, concerts, mall & church.<br />
Friendship + possible long lasting relationship.<br />
Serious inquiries only. E-mail<br />
lbergu@bellsouth.net<br />
MISC.<br />
Tax Preparation and accounting services<br />
f<strong>or</strong> business <strong>or</strong> personal satisfaction<br />
guaranteed <strong>by</strong> CPA/musician.<br />
We also specialize in getting m<strong>or</strong>tgages<br />
f<strong>or</strong> people with po<strong>or</strong> credit.<br />
954-987-6934 Mike<br />
Musicians Exchange referral services<br />
– Membership just $10 a year! Est.<br />
1976. Musicians…sign up f<strong>or</strong> So.<br />
Fla’s oldest established musicians<br />
referral services f<strong>or</strong> just $10 per year,<br />
get gigs, find other musicians.<br />
Bands, w<strong>or</strong>king <strong>or</strong> not, place a free<br />
musicians wanted ad. Musicians<br />
websites & hosting: 6 page web sites<br />
f<strong>or</strong> musicians, bands, businesses &<br />
individuals from $299 w/one free year<br />
of hosting. 2 page websites including<br />
1 sound bite and free year of<br />
hosting $149. Referral service is<br />
online<br />
only.<br />
www.musiciansexchangereferral.com<br />
<strong>or</strong> www.musiciansexchange.cc <strong>or</strong> call<br />
954-523-1776<br />
Business Opp<strong>or</strong>tunity. Start a 2 nd income.<br />
Very little out of pocket cost.<br />
Free Computer. 888-382-4640 Ext 5482.<br />
www.howard.moneywayz.com.<br />
Fox Productions f<strong>or</strong> all <strong>your</strong> music<br />
needs. 630 SW 20 th Court #2 Delray<br />
Beach, FL 33445. Everything you want<br />
f<strong>or</strong> <strong>your</strong> sound. Sales, rentals, concert<br />
sound, DJs & Live bands. We can go<br />
up to 150,000 watts. Info: 561-789-<br />
3647 <strong>or</strong> 561-504-5005 <strong>or</strong> fax us at 561-<br />
330-8609<br />
WE MAKE RECORDING<br />
FUN AGAIN!!<br />
Never lose a perfect take again - Fix out of tune vocals - play<br />
it backwards - experiment without commitment - The days<br />
of tedious guessw<strong>or</strong>k are OVER.<br />
64 TRACK DIGITAL<br />
Featuring Protools 24 mix with Copy / Paste Editing and<br />
Full Mix Automation w/total recall of all settings. Sure,<br />
there are other studio’s starting to jump in on the Protools<br />
Bandwagon, but we’ve been driving that wagon since 1995<br />
and supp<strong>or</strong>ting the local artist since 1979.<br />
Plus<br />
Also supp<strong>or</strong>ts 64 tracks of ADAT<br />
24 Track 2” Analog • CD Mastering • MIDI Studio<br />
AMEK 100 plus channel automated console<br />
12101 SW 131 Ave<br />
Kendall, Fl 33186<br />
305-255-3889<br />
YES -<br />
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