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PUBLISHERSean McCloskeysean@RAGmagazine.comEDITOR IN CHIEFCrystal Clarkcrystal@RAGmagazine.comMANAGING EDITORJoseph Vilanejoseph@RAGmagazine.comSENIOR EDITORMarc Suriolmarc@RAGmagazine.comCONTRIBUTORSTom CraigBecky EidsonLogan FazioLindsey Ann LawlessCraig MandellTodd McFlikerMelissa MontoyaSamuel OsbornMatt PashalianTanya van KampenEmmi WeinerRAG Magazine8930 State Road 84 #322Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324954-234-2888954-414-8409 faxgeneral info:info@RAGmagazine.comadvertising info:advertising@RAGmagazine.comwww.ragmagazine.comRAG MAGAZINE is published monthly by RAG Publishing Group, LLC in Davie, Florida.All contents are copyright 2008 and may not be reproduced without written permissionof the publisher. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the editors,publishers, advertisers or distributers. RAG reserves the right to edit or reject advertisingwhich may result in legal action or is in poor taste. Liability for typographical erroris limited to reprinting that part which is in error.8| DEC RAG MAGAZINE


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RAG’s CD REVIEWSAtreyuLead Sails Paper AnchorHollywood RecordsWhen I first listened to the newAtreyu disc, Lead Sails PaperAnchor, I was completelyshocked. Never really much a fanof the band, I still gave this disc a chance, and was morethan happy that I did. On Atreyu’s first disc on HollywoodRecords, the band did what they’ve always done: tookrisks. Though long-time fans may not be so keen aboutthe poorly polished (and somewhat more commercialsounding music), Atreyu’s, Lead Sails Paper Anchor,may be their best work yet, as it showcases the band’sability to keep their feet planted in the ground as a metalband, while still writing great songs with memorablemelodies.Still prevalent on Lead Sails Paper Anchor are thechugging guitars; it wouldn’t be metal without ‘em. Atreyugoes from hardcore to melodic hard rock on almost everytune. The disc’s first single, “Becoming the Bull,” is theperfect example. The guitars are catchy and the drumsare straightforward, and then you hear the big choruswith drummer, Brandon Saller, taking the reigns. Thereal surprise was how good a vocalist Seller is on “Bull,”and “Doomsday,” as well as the bubbly, “Falling Down,”which comes off like a hard rockin’ Stray Cats.it to be turn in a positive direction or you’ll becompletely turned off. Rather than go the route of yourtypical singer/songwriter (laying groundwork on guitarand building up from there), Maida instead takes poemsand pens music that feels right for them. Like Maida’srock band, Our Lady Peace, the music is far fromcomplex, but he makes up for it with his lyrics. If you’reone of the fans that purchased the Love Hope HeroEP, you’ll already be familiar with the tracks, “SexLove and Honey,” “One Second Chance,” and,“Careful What You Wish For.” The latter track havinga Middle Eastern feel via a repetitive piano melodyline accompanied by shakers, and a simple drum beat.The finger-picked arpeggiation of, “Earthless,” is PinkFloyd-esque with its violin, moody backing vocals, andtrickled piano; it’s truly an album stand out with thelyrics, “She’s courageous/but scared to death/butthat’s what courage means.” The off-measured, multitrackedvocals give, “Yellow Brick Road” a creepyquality, which is funny considering it’s probably thebest pop song on the album -its almost hip-hop qualityreminiscent of Toby Mac. The Hunters Lullaby is aninteresting album. It showcases the growth of RaineMaida, not just as a songwriter, but as a person.Though, if you have followed Maida’s career to date,this should be of no surprise. - Matthew PashalianAtreyu breaks out the eighties metal on, “Blow,” which,could easily be found on any of the old-school MotleyCrue records. “Blow,” represents the 80s, from the guitarsto the cowbell. And yes, I too am getting sick of hearingcowbells on records. In the end, it was the tune, “LeadSail (and a Paper Anchor),” that surprised me the most -which I can only describe as “Sgt. Pepper going metal.”It’s definitely an interesting track, and truly shows howmuch this band has grown since their release of SuicideNotes and Butterfly Kisses. - Matthew Pashalian○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Raine MaidaThe Hunters LullabyKingnoise RecordsThough I’m a big fan of OurLady Peace front man, RaineMaida’s, I really feel like Ishould warn you: If you haven’talready heard songs from Maida’s EP, Love HopeHero, than the direction on his first full length, TheHunters Lullaby, may take you by surprise. Dependingon how open you are to change, you’ll either perceive12| DEC RAG MAGAZINE

Cavalera ConspiracyInfliktedRoadrunner RecordsDoes the name Cavalera soundfamiliar? If you’re a fan of thethrash metal band, Sepultura,than odds are, you know thename Cavalera is going to bringwith it something brutal! In late 1996, the news thatfront man, Max Cavalera, had left Sepultura shockedthe metal world. Many thought the band would breakup as Max was the driving force and principle riffwriter. Instead, Sepultura soldiered on with a newvocalist and Max’s brother, Igor, still behind the kit.However, when Igor left the fold, and the two brothersreunited once again onstage (less than two years ago),they felt that it might be time to get into the studio andsee what happened. What happened, was CavaleraConspiracy. Produced by one-time Machine Head axeman,Logan Mader (who was also in Max’s post-Sepultura band Soulfly), Cavalera Conspiracy giftsSepultura fans with a beautiful mix; add Soulfly leadsix-stringer, Marc Rizzo, and you’re in for it.With “Inflikted,” the disc’s’ title track, you are greetedby reverberated squeals as the guitars and drums syncupjust prior to the trademark single note and riff areheard. Off-the-wall bar pulls and Middle Eastern solointerludes make the track quite interesting. Thrashpunk drums and an animalistic nature permeate,“Sanctuary.” This is the Cavaleras at a creativity levelnot heard since Sepultura’s Roots. On “Terroize,” IgorCavalera and Marc Rizzo have an adrenalized frenzywith pulse pounding drums and remarkable leadmelodies. The experimental, “Black Ark,” sounds likeRoots and Chaos A.D. coming together as one, andit represents one of the best tunes on Inflikted.Cavalera Conspiracy is over 40 minutes of the sheermayhem that you could only expect from the Cavalerabrothers. I’m sure what long-time fans really desiredwas a full-on Sepultura reunion, but with an albumlike Inflikted, they should almost feel vindicated. -Matthew PashalianVIEW PAST ISSUES OFRAG MAGAZINE @WWW.RAGMAGAZINE.COMwww.RAGmagazine.com | 13

Saturday, March 1Whole Wheat Bread, Fallen From the Sky - Studio AMichael Pickett – Bamboo RoomThe JD Danner Band – South Shores TavernKD Lang – Kravis CenterPaul Potts – Hard Rock LiveAiden, Ivoryline, Schoolyard Heroes – Culture RoomMarley Fest - Bayfront ParkSunday, March 2Silverstein, The Devil Wears Prada, A Day toRemember, Four Year Strong - RevolutionWould Shed – South Shores TavernDon Rickles, Joan Rivers – Hard Rock LiveMonday, March 3Scifi – South Shores TavernDon Rickles, Joan Rivers – Hard Rock LiveTwizted, Boondox – Culture RoomTuesday, March 4Ben Prestage – Bamboo RoomWednesday, March 5Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Seether –Cruzan AmpSmokey Robinson – Sinatra TheaterThe Mario LaCasse Band – Bamboo RoomThursday, March 6Langerado – Big CypressKing Kats of Yeehaw Junction – South Shores TavernUnreal, Adore, Aeval, Ghost of Gloria, Sci Fi –Tobacco RoadThe New Mastersounds – Bamboo RoomFriday, March 7Jonas Brothers, Rooney – Bank Atlantic CenterSmiley Tunehead – South Shores TavernBobby Lee Rodgers & The Code Talkers – BambooRoomSaturday, March 8Throwdown, Soilwork, Through the Eyes of the Dead- RevolutionSmokey Robinson – Kravis CenterBlue Man Group – American Airlines ArenaMedicine Hat – South Shores TavernThe English Beat, RX Bandits – Culture RoomTrace Adkins – Pompano beach Amp.MARCHSunday, March 9JD Danner – South Shores TavernDick Fox’s Golden Boys – Hard Rock LiveNile, Suicide Silence, The Faceless - Culture RoomMonday, March 10Strike Anywhere, Riverboat Gamblers – Studio ADick Fox’s Golden Boys – Hard Rock LiveTuesday, March 11Emery, Mayday Parade, As Cities Burn – Culture RoomWednesday, March 12They Might Be Giants, Oppenheimer - RevolutionRod MacDonald – South Shores TavernTeri Catlin - – Bamboo RoomThursday, March 13Blue Man Group – Germain ArenaSound Proof – South Shores TavernFrank Calendo – Hard Rock LiveRoyalty – Tobacco RoadWebb Wilder & The Beatnecks – Bamboo RoomFriday, March 14Blue Man Group – Germain ArenaBlues Dragon – South Shores TavernLiza Minneli – Hard Rock LiveJames Cotton - – Bamboo RoomSaturday, March 15Muisc Is A Weapon, Tereso, Astari Night - Studio ADierks Bentley – Germain ArenaGeorge Benson, Chaka Khan, Wyclef Jean – Dolphin StadiumSteve Forbert – Bamboo RoomSunday, March 16Eymarel – South Shores TavernNancy Wilson, Kem, Chrisette Michele – DolphinStadiumTuesday, March 18Davee Bryan – Bamboo RoomWednesday, March 19Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime - RevolutionTony Bennett – Hard Rock LiveJeff Lloyd & Michael Garulli – Bamboo Room14| DEC RAG MAGAZINE

Thursday, March 20Hplar & Ddot – South Shores TavernAirbourne – Studio ATony Bennett – Hard Rock LiveAlacard, The Cornerstoners, & More – Tobacco RoadDonna Jean & the Tricksters – Bamboo RoomFriday, March 21George Thorogood & the Destroyers – PompanoBeach AmpBrent Hopper and Brittany Reilly with The AlmostAcoustic Band – South Shores TavernSaturday, March 22King Diamond – Culture RoomBig Brass Band – South Shores TavernThe Unseen, A Wilhelm Scream – Studio ASunday, March 23The Guns – South Shores TavernRusted Root – RevolutionTuesday, March 25The Moody Blues – Hard Rock LiveYellowcard, The Spill Canvas, Secondhard Serenade –Culture RoomWednesday, March 26Kenny G – The FillmoreTwocan Blue – South Shores TavernThursday, March 27Grant Piper and Pixie – South Shores TavernSomebody’s Momma, Johnny on the Rocks, Vyrus, TheBleeding Echoes – Tobacco RoadThe Hep Cat Boo Daddies – Bamboo RoomFriday, March 28The Funky Blu Roots – South Shores TavernThe Commander Cody Band – Bamboo RoomSaturday, March 29Black Finger – South Shores TavernDef Leppard, REO Speedwagon, Styx – Hard RockLiveBrother Bean – Bamboo RoomSunday, March 30Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon, Styx – Germain ArenaJohn Carey, Julius Senna – South Shores TavernMonday, March 31The Moody Blues – Barbara Mann HallFEATURED SHOWTHE BOB MARLEY MOVEMENT OF JAH PEOPLE& 15 TH ANNUAL CARIBBEAN FEST!SATURDAY, MARCH 1ST - BAYFRONT PARK 301 N.BISCAYNE BLVD. (DOWNTOWN, MIAMI, FL)FEATURING: STEPHEN “RAGGA” MARLEY, DAMIAN“JR. GONG” MARLEY, JULIAN MARLEY, KY-MANIMARLEY WITH PERFORMANCES BY: CAPLETON,RICHIE SPICE, GENTLEMAN AND THE FAR EASTBAND, JUNIOR DEMUS, SONGS OF SOLOMON,JOSEPH ISRAEL & JAVAUGHNTHE 15TH ANNUAL CARIBBEAN FEST IS A DAYLONG CELEBRATION OF MUSIC, ARTS ANDCRAFTS HONORING THE LIFE AND PHILOSOPHYOF THE LEGENDARY REGGAE STAR, BOBMARLEY. IT FEATURES SOME OF THE TOPMUSICAL ACTS IN THE WORLD AS WELL ASPOPULAR LOCAL PERFORMERS. THE MARLEYBOYS, STEPHEN, DAMIAN, JULIAN & KY-MANI,WILL HEADLINE WHAT ALWAYS PROMISES TOBE SOUTH FLORIDA’S FINEST REGGAE ANDCARIBBEAN MUSIC SHOWCASE.THE CARIBBEAN FEST IS ONE OF THE MOSTSUCCESSFUL AND LONGEST RUNNING MUSICFESTIVALS IN ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA. THEFESTIVAL REACHES ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OFTHE COMMUNITY, BLACK AND WHITE, YOUNGAND OLD, LATIN AND ANGLO, WHO COMETOGETHER IN PEACE AND HARMONY TO ENJOYTHE ATMOSPHERE AND SUPPORT A WORTHYCAUSE.FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, DONATIONS OFCANNED GOODS TO FEED THOSE IN NEED HASBEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERY FESTIVAL.TO DATE, THE BOB MARLEY MOVEMENT OF JAHPEOPLE HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN TWOMILLION CANS OF FOOD FOR DISTRIBUTION TOTHOSE LESS FORTUNATE. THIS YEAR THE NON-PROFIT GROUP FARMSHARE WILL COLLECT THECANS FROM THE FESTIVAL THAT WILL BENEFITPROGRAMS TO HELP THE HOMELESS ANDPOOR IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND JAMAICA.WWW.BOBMARLEYMOVEMENT.COMwww.RAGmagazine.com | 15

RAG’s CD REVIEWSRAG’s CONCERT REVIEWSBlues TravelerFebruary 9, 2008Delray Beach Garlic FestivalBlues Traveler are no strangers to local carnivals and night clubs,and they weren’t going to let a little rain stop them from attendingthe 9 th Annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest! Taking place over thesecond weekend in February, the Garlic Fest offered-up a lot ofmusic to sample: Friday night’s line-up consisted of the Big LoveMedicine Show featuring South Florida’s own Crazy Fingers, aswell as the impressive Donna the Buffalo. Saturday’s specialguests included both Funkabilly Playboys and the FabulousFleetwoods, before Wish You Were Here’s Pink Floyd warmed upthe crowd prior to the main course -Blues Traveler- was served.Since forming in 1983, Blues Traveler has embarked on continuoustreks across the globe and has brought their improvised jams tothe radio, CDs, and most importantly, live performances. On thisnight, the five fellas kicked off their Garlic Fest set with, “Gina.”Front man John Popper appeared dressed in all black –from hisjeans and button-down shirt, to his trademark hat, and the framesof his thick glasses; Popper’s head was shaved completely bald.The passionate Popper clenched his eyes, and tilted his head uprightas he employed a harmonica and belted out heartfelt ditties tothousands. The band mixed-in their popular singles with some newerselections, while getting musically creative. Screaming audiencemembers danced to what guitarist Chan Kinchla echoed was BluesTraveler’s signature tune: the Motown influenced, “Runaround.”The center-stage provided viewers with a history lesson in thearomatic substances of vegetables and their origins. “Garlic wasthe first antibiotic ever used,” Popper explained before thankingthe hardy plant for keeping the damn vampires away during thenasty plague of the 1300s. Kinchla then went on and played aminute’s worth of the mean Hendrix solo in “Foxy Lady.” Sticking tocovers, Blues Traveler presented “No Woman, No Cry.” Spectatorsfelt optimistic as they swayed to the music and then chanted thelegend’s familiar anthem, “Everything’s gonna be alright…”As Popper thanked each of the event’s other acts, along with thegreater Miami area, he labeled his guests “frickin’ awesome,” anddelivered the tune, “The Mountains Win Again.” Popper’s heavyvoice was magnificent in the mellow groove; during the extraordinary“Hook,” Popper vocalized his poetry; “I wanna bust all yourballoons. I wanna burn of all your cities to the ground.” Giftingtheir listeners with nothing but love, Blues Traveler closed out theirset with the popular Charlie Daniels’ cover, “Devil Went Down ToGeorgia.” On cue, Popper changed the words to “Devil went down toDelray.” The impromptu lyrics perfectly echoed Popper’s sentiment ashe tossed half-a-dozen harmonicas to the very fortunate, front row fans.“We’re finishing up new songs that’ll be done this summer. Thenwe’ll have to go on tour,” said keyboardist, Ben Wilson, after theimpressive set. “We don’t stop. Ever.” Popper joked about beingquoted in a published book. Meanwhile, drummer Brendan Hilland Kinchla’s brother, bassist, Tad Kinchla, chatted about theband’s constant touring schedule. “It’s always fabulous to comehome to South Florida,” said Chan Kinchla. Kinchla continued,“It’s where I got married and I had my first child. I just love it.”Prior to Blues Traveler’s impressive presentation, the professional8-piece musical ensemble Wish You Were Here pleased hundredswith their renditions of timeless Pink Floyd material. After openingwith, “Shine on You Crazy Diamond,” a tribute to the late SydBarrett, Wish You Were Here’s top-notch set-list entailed someearly covers. Backed up by feminine vocals, cool sound effects,intelligent lighting, and a wicked fog machine – the setting couldnot have been more ideal. The Delray Beach crowd experienced“Arnold Layne,” “Pigs,” and more cover material of one of themost influential groups in history. The boys relived parts of theeminent Dark Side of the Moon’s synthesized tunes, like theopening heartbeats on “Breathe,” the piano-driven “Great Gig inthe Sky,” and the ringing clocks from “Time,” and “Wish YouWere Here.” However, true Pink Floyd fans surely missedhearing, “Have a Cigar,” just prior to the modern classic; instead,we the fans, would have preferred to hear the musical memoriesin the order of the original record vis-à-vis Roger Waters’ showin West Palm Beach this past spring.MORE CONCERT REVIEWS AND PICS... Classic Albums Live - Page 20Aaron Lewis - Page 2216| DEC RAG MAGAZINERod Stewart - Page 22The Color Fred - Page 22Chris Rock - Page23Van Halen - Page 24Angels & Airwaves - Page 26The Go-Go’s - Page 26Killswitch Engage- Page 27

The festivities wrapped-up on Sunday, with performances fromsome of the area’s best artists, including Wreckly J’s, the seductive,Amber Leigh, and the Jimmy Buffett tribute act, the CaribbeanChillers. Music aside, there was food galore, and many lucky ticketholders were also able to help judge a spicy Garlic Chefcompetition. “I knew it would be a good idea to get a bunch ofhippies together for a few days to pig out and dance! I am extremelypleased with the turn-out!” explained Entertainment Director,Screamin’ Jerry Leeman. These sentiments were also shared bythe gala’s long-running host, Andy Childs, who proclaimed, “Thisyear, we had a packed house that wasn’t detoured by theshowers; we ended up having a beautiful night and wonderfulcrowd!” - Todd McFlikerAaron LewisJanuary 28, 2008Hard Rock Live○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Have you ever been to a friend’s house who plays acousticguitar? If you don’t know him or her that well, then you’re aboutto find out exactly how diverse his or her taste in music canreally be. This statement can also be applied to Staind frontman, Aaron Lewis, as he embarks on one of his “not to miss”acoustic tours (in between Staind records). It’s just Aaron, amicrophone, and a couple of acoustic guitars. Oh yeah, and hispersonality. For someone who I like to refer to as “an oversizedCabbage Patch doll,” Lewis has quite the sense of humor, whichis probably what makes these performances so intimate; orabout as intimate as you can get with a couple thousand people.Just like being at a friend’s house, everything Lewis does is “offthe cuff.” There is absolutely no planned setlist. If Lewis hearsa fan yell out asong title, hejust may playthe song.D u r i n gtonight’s show,Lewis pulledout Peter,Paul, andMary’s, “PuffThe MagicDragon,” (a gototune fanswill recognize from his previous visits to the Hard Rock) while4-Non Blondes’, “What’s Going On,” was done with the samefeeling, high notes and all. Nirvana’s, “Rape Me,” was notonly called-for on the spot, but figured out by Lewis just thesame.However, what the fans really wanted to hear were thesignature tunes Lewis has penned that made all of us fansof him and his band’s music from the get-go. It’s obviousLewis was fully aware of this because he opened the showwith the crowd pleasers: the reflective, “Everything Changes,”the haunting, “It’s Been Awhile,” and “Outside.” In the end,what really made the show memorable was Lewis unplugginghis acoustic guitar, sitting on the edge of the stage (withouta microphone), and asking the crowd to simply “shut up” ashe played, “Intro;” a song that not only showcased Lewis’spower as a performer, but as a vocalist. No matter whereyou were in the venue, you heard, you felt, that powerful voice.If ever there was an unforgettable concert moment: this wasit. - Matthew Pashalian • Photo: Sean McCloskeywww.RAGmagazine.com | 17

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Classic Albums Live’s Zeppelin IVFebruary 7, 2008Duncan Theater“Perfect. Absolutely perfect,” stated Classic Albums Live’s,Craig Martin. Martin, the producer, was referring to the 1971masterpiece, the eclectic Zeppelin IV. Martin and his crewnailed both the hammering and the acoustic tracks, live, onFebruary 7 th at Lake Worth’s Duncan Theater. The talent wasdraped in solid black from head to toe as minimal lightingeffects were projected on the walls of the theatre. ContinuedMartin, “We go into each show completely faceless; we neveruse props or anything that takes away from the music.”Adding to the vibe, The Duncan Theatre has an exceptionalaudio system for such an intimate venue. Tonight’sperformance brought out the casual atmosphere of ZepHeads in a mixed crowd of fans ranging from teenagers totheir grandparents.Led Zeppelin IV is the common, but unofficial name of theEnglish quartet’s untitled 1971 fourth LP. Rather than a title,the cover art featured four hand-drawn symbols, each chosenby the band member it represented. These eight songs standas a collection of one of the most popular LPs in musichistory, moving more than 23 million units in the United States,alone. A majority of the work was produced in HeadleyGrange, an old almshouse in East Hampshire, England.With the release, Led Zeppelin became the biggest band ofthe 70s, regularly selling out stadiums. “I’ve found the ultimatevinyl for my deep sound,” said bassist, Mark Yanetta. Yanettacontinued, “I get to pull it apart and put it back together; themore you listen to IV, you’ll hear just how incredible it is.”With no verbal introduction, Classic Albums Live woke usup with the bite of “Black Dog.” The rapid tempo and volcanicriff was named after a friendly dog who was wanderingaround the studio. Here, the short-haired and tattooedsinger, Nicholas Hildyard, does not look a thing like RobertPlant; but that isn’t the point. Hildyard’s vocal attacks andorgasmic yelps represented the best Zeppelin cover bandsinger I’ve ever heard. “That’s because Classic Albums Liveis about singing the music, playing the music, and performingit just like it was originally done in the studio,” Hildyardproclaims.Tonight, there were actually five musicians onstage deliveringZeppelin IV; in reality, there were and are only four membersin the original group. That’s because Jimmy Page spent asmuch time as possible in the studio, layering numeroustextures and multi-tracking the enduring tunes. Adds CALguitarist Rob Phillips, “When Zeppelin played live, therewould be a drop out in the rhythm section, as was the casein “When the Levee Breaks.” Now this makes sense,considering Phillips’ electric wails were not nearly as loudas Page’s historically were, and are, on record and ononstage.

The climactic thunder of “Black Dog,” paved the way for“Rock and Roll.” The crashing hi-hat and snare drum set themood as Hildyard sang from his deepest tenor to screamingfalsetto. A beautiful maiden joined the stage for “The Battleof Evermore,” the only Zeppelin tune that listeners hear afemale voice, or the “Queen of Light.” It’s a successfulmarriage of folk and acoustic rock that was inspired byScottish war stories. Later, Hildyard fingered his electricpiano during the uber melodic, “Stairway to Heaven.”The fast-paced “Misty Mountain Hop,” featured screechingpoetry with a psychedelic feel. The spiritual funk allowed fora massive conclusion on cymbals. Drummer Rick Vatour,sported a goatee, and played “Four Sticks,” with a couple ofweapons in each hand. Vatour resembled Bonzo as anenormous fan blew his long hair over a bandana. The crowdwent nuts as he twirled all four utensils 20-feet into the airbefore they flew down into our seats. Vatour then strolledoff the stage to take a well-deserved break after his jawdroppingpresentation.The two guitarists sat on benches for the Joni Mitchellinfluenced acoustic number, “Going toCalifornia.” Hildyard’s baritone voice (along witha mandolin) was used again to tell the tale of a gentlemansearching for a beautiful lady. “When the Levee Breaks,”was made up of clean, uninterrupted drums, perfectly phasedvocals, and a backwards-echoed harmonica supplied byMartin himself. Hundreds of fans swayed in their seatsas Vatour smashed down on his cymbals; he tossed his twosticks into the audience. One lucky fan, CoralSprings’ Nancy Teitelbaum, snagged one of the souvenirsas she danced by herself in the aisle. Coincidently, it wasmy big sister, and in the days of my youth, hearing Nancy’sZeppelin cassettes changed my life.Following a fifteen-minute intermission, the band’sperformances somehow managed to jump to another level.Classic Albums Live reappeared for a dip into the Deltablues. The swaggering “Heartbreaker,” was led byZeppelin’s intricate roars. The mock-dramatic lamentdrove straight into the diabolical pounding of “Living LovingMaid,” not unlike the exemplary second record. The pop songabout a Zeppelin groupie has a saw-grass vibe. Drummer RickVatour showed off with the industry’s most extraordinary drumsolo in, “Moby Dick.” During the first LP’s potent “How ManyMore Times,” one of the guitarists tickled his strings with a violinbow. Not unlike Mr. Page’s technique, he stroke the chords withspeed and precision to create the droning effect.The CAL boys saved the best for last, with the definitiveZeppelin single, “Whole Lotta Love.” Hildyard’s thunderousstatements and jungle rhythm set its dark and risqué tonefrom 1969. We then experienced the teenage angst of“Communication Breakdown,” before they took a shortencore. The talented musicians reappeared with the mysticalepic, “Kashmir.” The Middle Eastern tones beat down uponour faces and was one of the evening’s memorable dramaticpoints. “Thank you much for joining us tonight. We will seeyou again soon,” Martin announced as the members ofClassic Albums Live received a well-earned, standingovation. Backstage, Vatour stated why he loves playing inthe Sunshine State. “The response is always wonderful, timeand time again. There are just so many Led Zeppelin fans inFlorida.” The percussionist mentioned the legendary 1973appearance in Tampa, when the band performed for 56,800ecstatic fans.The fellas of Classic Albums Live are looking forward totouring throughout England in the next year or two. Martinanticipates conquering Saturday Night Fever, Prince’sPurple Rain, U2’s Achtung Baby, and Radiohead’s OKComputer in the near future. Martin reveals, “Themusicianship on each of these albums is astounding. It’ll benice to wrap my ears around a new genre of music.” “The timinghas to be just right.” But in the meantime, we can all look forwardto CAL’s impeccable vocals, strings, horns, and percussionperformances of the complex Sgt. Pepper’s (also playing thismonth at the Duncan Theatre). “We’ll capture the essence, thebeauty, the grace, and the chaos of one of the foremost andmost significant albums of all time,” said Martin.Classic Albums Live puts on more than one hundredpresentations a year as they perform throughout NorthAmerica. There’s one main group of core players, who arefrequently cast again and again. Spectators have witnessedthese core players recreate some of the monumentalselections of the Fab Four, the Stones, the Doors, BobMarley and Jimi Hendrix, as well as Pink Floyd’s The Wallin January 2008. The Toronto concert series has beenpresenting this timeless piece in its entirety, and theensemble has remained the same since their inception fiveyears ago. As Martin explained, “we learned the album;played the album note for note, cut for cut.”Classic Albums Live’s Zeppelin IV was one of the greatestshows I’ve ever experienced, thanks to the encore of timelessblues anthems. The highlight of the night could have easilybeen “Heartbreaker,” if not, it was “Whole Lotta Love,” or“Kashmir.” Regardless, the entire set-list was masterfuland phenomenal. Besides, not just any musicians canrelive the mighty Zeppelin’s unmatched complexity andflawless studio harmonies. Then again, there’s a goodreason why tonight’s feature act was named, ClassicAlbums Live! - Todd McFliker

AARON LEWISHARD ROCK LIVEPHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEYTHE COLOR FREDREVOLUTIONPHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEYROD STEWARTHARD ROCK LIVEPHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEY22| DEC RAG MAGAZINE

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ANGELS & AIRWAVESREVOLUTIONPHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEYTHE GO-GO’STHE FILLMOREPHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEYOURSFILLMORE MIAMI BEACHPHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEY26| DEC RAG MAGAZINE

MICHAEL BUBLEHARD ROCK LIVEPHOTO: TOM CRAIGwww.RAGmagazine.com | 27

MEG & DIAREVOLUTIONPHOTO: SEAN MCCLOSKEY28| DEC RAG MAGAZINE

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32| DEC RAG MAGAZINEHumans arewe are becaeffect on othsincerity? Th“tell it like ithas done jusof Emo / Ha

not particularly honest creatures. We often pretenduse we crave for our story to have an everlastingers. But what’s the real value of a story if it lackse great musicians are those who aren’t afraid tos,” the way it should be told. Vocalist Shane Toldt that, by being forthcoming since the emergencerdcore / Screamo band Silverstein.By Joseph Vilanewww.RAGmagazine.com | 33

I think a lot of it was just the right style of music at theright time, I think it was just what people wanted to hear.There were a lot of bands that were doing similar thingsto what we were doing, and we were just the next thingfor a lot of people. Once we got into emo and dark music,we kind of bridged that gap; it was really like -if we hadstarted this band a couple years after- I don’t know ifpeople would have been excited about it, because therewould have been other bands that would have been doingthat. We beat the rush and yet we weren’t too early; wewere ahead of the times. That’s my honest answer.Formed in Ontario, Canada, in 2000, Silverstein merely startedout as a side project. Silverstein is comprised of Shane Told,vocals; Josh Bradford, guitar; Paul Koehler, drums; RichardMcWalter, guitar; and Bill Hamilton, bass. They released theirEP Summer’s Stellar Gaze, which was quite well receivedthroughout the world. But still to some they were unknown; theywere just beginning to make a powerful impact in this industry.Silverstein eventually decided to move forward, full-force, as theyraced closer to building the dream; the band ultimately becominga full time commitment. The only objective was Silverstein’s lineupchange that saw McWalter being replaced by ex-Maharahjguitar player, Neil Boshart; soon after, Silverstein began to tourthe Eastern provinces of Canada in search for glory.So, the question is, should we pride ourselves on beingcompletely honest all the time, no matter what? Unfortunately,honesty isn’t as black and white of a topic as it should be. But ifyou’re proud of your accomplishments, it doesn’t have to be astruggle. Such a theme was pleasantly displayed throughout myinterview with Silverstein’s vocalist, Shane Told.RAG: Tell me about this project; did you ever expect to takeit this far?Not at all. We started as low as the totem pole as we ever could;we started this band as a side project, just for fun, somethingmellow and different from what we were doing -and we neverimagined it. We started off with such small goals, we just wantedto practice and have some fun. Finally, we thought, well, maybewe could record some stuff? Maybe we’ll play a show? And thenthat happened; then we thought, maybe we’ll release an actualEP? Maybe we’re going on tour? It just soared from there. We tookthese small steps and we never thought we would be on an Americanlabel or tour in Japan or anything like that, it’s just crazy!RAG: That’s pretty wild. What is it about this band that hassuch redeeming qualities compared to your previousprojects?34| DEC RAG MAGAZINERAG: Was there a particular moment where yourealized that this project was taking off to where youwanted it to be?I think it was just when we were playing our hometownand were just selling out live shows. That is when I startedto realize that if we can do this in a pretentious snobbyneighborhood (from where we grew up); if we can do thishere, we can do it anywhere! I started thinking, what’sthe difference between where we live and the rest of theworld? So that’s kind of when I started thinking about it,and that’s when we started taking the band moreseriously; it wasn’t a side project anymore. The next thingwe knew, we were recording some pretty good demosand getting some offers from some labels.Emo / Hardcore / Screamo band Silverstein worked withproducer Mark Trombino to complete their latest offeringArrivals & Departures. The theme this time around is ofpersonal relationships while on the road, superchargedby the emotionally stimulating lyrics of Vocalist, ShaneTold. If there is something to be gained on the scale ofbeing overly positive, then it is definitely worth beingcompletely open, and to take-on life’s challenges with agrain of salt. Silverstein have a strong relationship witheach other, which helped create fond memories of theirtravels on the road; but through life’s journeys also comestragedy and finding a way to cope. Silverstein can relateto others emotionally, even overseas; they have a reallygood crowd pretty much anywhere in the world.RAG: It’s great when you can bring your music tovarious levels of demographics and get differentreactions; it helps motivate you in a powerful way.Tell me about Arrivals and Departures, the titledefinitely stands out. Does it have a lot to do withwhere you started and where you are now?There are a lot of themes going on with that record, butthe main obvious one that’s like... the last five years ourtouring schedule has been never-ending; we tour morethan any other band and it’s kind of been us constantlyarriving and departing, literally, for the last five years.We’ve been traveling, coming and going; you develop alot of interesting relationships with people; you have afriend in the city that’s a good friend of yours that youonly see twice a year, and at the same time, you’re neverhome.Being that you see your friends that little, it just kind ofmakes everything different from the norm. And there area lot of changes as well, from the departures and arrivalsin our lives. There’s been people passing away and

people being born into the world, and there’s been a lotof friendship that we’ve seen through and a lot offriendships that have ended; so that basically sets thetheme of the record.RAG: What have been some of the more interestinginterpretations to your songs? For example, has afriend or fan come up to you and interpreted one ofyour songs in a way that you never expected?Well, a girl came up to me a couple of weeks ago andasked me if one of my songs was about Pete Wentz fromFall Out Boy. Are you familiar with him?RAG: Yeah, but what drew her to that conclusion?I’m not really sure, but she goes (imitates girl) “What wasthat song about?” So I told her, sort of, what the songwas about, and she said “Oh, I thought it was about Petefrom Fall Out Boy.” (laughs) I was like no no no no, it’snot at all about him! And she said something to the effectof “Oh you know, it sounds like it’s about how he’schanged.” I told her that it’s just a song about somefeelings that I had.RAG: It sounds like she had her own idea. But it’sinteresting when your fans are given the opportunityto interpret your songs how they choose to. Do youhave a personal favorite Silverstein track?I don’t know, that’s kind of hard; it’s hard to choose whichkid is your favorite child. Every song I’ve written and donehas its own special place in my heart. There are songsthat you write that you know -right away- people are goingto like; those are the obvious songs. Sometimes it’s yourfavorite songs, but other times, it’s the songs that tookmore love, that took a little bit more work to get going, tokind of get to the point. Those are the songs everyonehates at first, but somehow, end of being your favorites.RAG: I don’t think most people ever expect to save liveswith music. Most of us just set out to maybe changesomeone’s perspective on how they appreciate music.Listening to your music, I sense various influences.That interesting, because I’ve had many different phases ofmusic and what I like. When I was a kid (twelve years old), Istarted playing guitar. I pretty much only wanted to listen tometal, and then when I became a teenager, I only wanted tolisten to double-time fast, punk-rock, and that definitely influencedme. But when I got a little bit older, I changed my mind that musicdoesn’t necessarily have to be heavy to be good and be impactful.So, we didn’t want to set out and be the fastest band; we wanted tobe a band that had an impact and wrote good songs.RAG: What’s the future of this project; where do you seeyourself in ten years?Ten years from now, I’ll definitely be playing music, but I don’tthink I’ll be touring ten months out of the year. There are otherthings in life that I want to experience. But in terms of thisproject, things are going awesome; we’re having a great timeand as long as that’s happening, we’re not going to stop. I’mreally excited!Silverstein will be performing liveat Revolution on March 2nd.On the record, there’s a song called, “Vanity and Greed,”and I really didn’t think it was gonna be a good song, butI’m really happy with how it came out. There’s anothersong on the last record, “Call It Karma,” which is a songthat I wrote (not thinking it was going to be a keeper) andit ended up being one of my favorites, lyrically andmusically. Those are two of my favorite songs.RAG: I like the point you made referring to your songsas children. People ask me, and I tell them I havehundreds of children, but people don’t realize theyare my songs. Basically, music is very important tous; it’s a part of our lives. I think some of the greatestrewards are when people can hear it and just get asmuch pleasure out of it as we do. What is mostsatisfying about Silverstein to you?I think the most satisfying thing is just being able to makean impact in people’s lives and do something that peoplereally care about, and make a difference. People comeup to me all the time and tell me that I’ve saved their lives,and that they wouldn’t be around if it wasn’t for my music-and that’s definitely the most satisfying thing. Touring,what we do, is not easy, and it’s not easy being awayfrom home; but when kids tell you that and you’ve reallymade it impact in their lives, it really makes it worth it.www.RAGmagazine.com | 35



VICTORIARUMMLERBy Pat Massard • Photos: Alexandre TomeAmerican Jazz in Paris is about as Parisian as, say, a croissant ata sidewalk café. Since the mid 1920s, American jazz musicianshave flocked here in droves, making their mark on the jazz world;Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, and Cole Porter all made thetrek to Paris and left an impact on the city that still exists today.The history and tradition run deep, each era producing its ownstyle, its own genre, and its own stars.While sitting at the Deux Magots Café, we meet with one of Paris’brightest new stars to hit the stage, recording artist, VictoriaRummler. Rummler is currently working on her second album,and was able to sit down with us for a few moments to discuss lifeand music in Paris. We arrived a few minutes early, and thusallowed ourselves to observe the full effect of her entrance: tall,blond, blue-eyed, and wearing a mixture of sparkle and fringe,Victoria brightened the room with her shy smile, yet she seemedfully oblivious to the heads she was turning.RAG: Hi, you do go by Vicki, correct?Hi and yes, Vicki’s fine. Actually I only became “Victoria” when Imoved to Paris. People here really love that name – and Vicki is adog’s name here! (laughs)RAG: Before we begin, we must admit, just sitting here inthis city is pretty amazing in itself.It definitely has its charms. (Laughs)RAG: So, where are you from, originally?I was born in Royal Oak, Michigan (outside Detroit), and grew upin Rochester, NY, Grand Rapids, MI, and Miami, FL. We moved alot because my Dad was with Kodak and was transferred everyfew years.RAG: It was in Miami that your musical ambitions began,correct?I guess so. I definitely obtained a lot of performance experiencewhile there. I went to Southwood Junior High and Palmetto HighSchool. I played in piano contests, toured Central America with theChristian show chorus Reach Out, and danced with the Palmetto“Chatonettes.” I’ll never forget when we were backstage at DisneyWorld and I saw a guy in a Mickey costume, but without the mask,smoking a cigarette and swearing about how he hated his job. It’sfunny now, but it really bummed me out at the time. With apologiesto Don Henley, I guess it was the end of the innocence. (Laughs)RAG: I assume your love of jazz emerged later; what wereyour early influences?My earliest memory is singing with my dad in the car; he taughtme how to hear and sing harmony, and also to appreciate differentlanguages, since we sang a song in German. I started pianolessons at age six and have always loved Chopin, Rachmaninoff,38| DEC RAG MAGAZINEand Debussy. In Miami, I started getting more serious about singing.Besides the church group, I also sang with the Omega Singers atPalmetto. We did some pretty hip stuff at the time – a Chicagomedley comes to mind, with some unforgettable choreography on“25 or 6 to 4” (laughs).In senior year, I sang with the stage band; we did a strange mixtureof Carpenters songs, disco and big band music. I rememberhearing Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood,” for the first time, and beingtotally blown away! I rushed home to let my parents hear it, and ofcourse, they had grown up with it and had a good laugh at myexpense! But the jazz seed was planted! I also directed andarranged for an a cappella group at Williams College. My favoritecontribution was the Doobie Brothers’, “What a Fool Believes.”RAG: What do you miss about Miami?I miss random things: sailing a Sunfish with Carlos on Saturdays,pep rallies at Palmetto High (not really - laughs) the Grove, theFalls, the smell of Mango trees, Godfather’s Pizza, the RustyPelican in Key Biscayne. And my modeling career, which startedand ended, with some work as an extra: on the second and thirdepisodes of Miami Vice!RAG: How did you get from Miami Vice to Williams College toParis?(Laughs) I had always wanted to go to college in New England -and Williams just felt right- so I applied and was accepted for earlyadmission. After graduating in 1988, I wanted something totallydifferent. I’d always been fascinated by foreign languages andcultures, so I took off for Munich, Germany. What was supposedto be six months turned into five years -working with BMG Records,and performing with a cabaret/performance art group in German.We did these wacky shows, using psychedelic slides and wearingvarious things on our heads: bathing caps, giant fluorescent piecesof fruit, blinking Eiffel towers (I kid you not). It was a premonition ofmy future in Paris!RAG: So you ended up in the Paris jazz world by way of Munich?Yes, pretty much. Again, it was time to shake it up a bit, take on anew challenge, and learn another culture. In 1993, I decided tofulfill a lifelong dream by spending a few months in Paris – and I’vebeen here ever since! I worked for MCA (now Universal) for almostfour years, and have been a freelance vocalist/composer/pianist/lyricist for ten yearsRAG: How does living and performing in France comparewith Germany? Is it as extreme as we would think?Well, Kind of. It’s hard to generalize, and it’s important to mentionthat Paris is like an island different from the rest of France (like NYin the US). But I often found the German lifestyle more similar tothe American: more organized, straightforward. In France, thingsseem more complicated, but also more creative. For example,when I worked for the record companies and would call someonein Germany, we would say our name instead of “hello,” get right tothe point, and the call would be over in three minutes. With the French,we would talk about the weather, the weekend, or something randomfor about fifteen minutes, and then get to the reason why we werecalling. It’s tricky, but fun figuring out how people work. And, it’s easierthan if I had moved to, say, Bangladesh! (laughs)RAG: I imagine “Jazz in Paris” has a better ring to it than“Jazz in Dhaka”?Can you imagine that? (laughs) My parents would have been thrilled!

RAG: Tell me about your music. Your style is very pure, andthe vocals are crystal clear; yet it all seems very unique. Howdid all of that come together?I did classical and pop, and yes disco, music growing up, but I’vebeen concentrating on jazz since I moved to Paris. The Americanjazz influence in Paris is huge, and it is kind of natural to continuethat. I’ve sung in a lot of vocal groups and have tried to remove allboundaries to what I can sing. As for my own style, it’s intricatelytied to my experiences in different US cities growing up, like Munichand Paris, the people I’ve met and things I’ve learned along theway. So it runs the gamut of emotions and genres. It can be playfulor powerful, structured or improvised. But more and more, it seemsto be a direct reflection of my own mood and experience at themoment. It’s a totally unique style I like to call “real time vocals.”drum. The reviews were great to read; they made me want to domore.RAG: How many originals were on that album? Do you writealone or do you have a writing partner?There are six originals out of eleven tunes. I’ve often writtenlyrics for other musicians, but so far, have always written musicalone. It’s something about keeping it as personal as possible;there’s also a part of me that feels really free and comfortablecreating alone. Once the basic tune is laid out, I sometimes askNico Morelli, the pianist I work with, for help with arranging –that is, finding the right context, structure, and instrumentation.But I do a lot of the arrangements myself too.RAG: Explain what you mean by “realtime”? It seems like an interesting takeon musical styles, especially jazz.It’s actually pretty hilarious using acomputer term to describe my style, givenmy intense love-hate relationship withcomputers! (laughs) It basically meansthat my singing is totally personal andfollows my moods. Also, the shows canbe really spontaneous, depending on theaudience or something that happensonstage – like one time there was ahorsefly that mysteriously attacked meduring a concert in a closed theater, so Ilaunched into an improvised solo basedon its buzzing!RAG: How do Parisian crowds differfrom, say, New York or Chicago?It’s funny, my solo jazz act debuted inFrance, so I was used to audiences notnecessarily knowing all the standards orunderstanding all the lyrics. So when I didmy first US tour in 2005, I was shocked,but thrilled that people hung on every word!It added a whole new dimension to how Icould communicate. For example, in DesMoines, I did a spontaneous version of“Georgia,” calling it “Iowa.” That show gota standing ovation!RAG: Your first album Twinkleopened to some great reviews, mostnotably your write-up in Jazz World.Tell me a bit about that.Twinkle was released on Pitch PuppyProductions in 2004. It was a presentationof my musical journey up until that point.There’s a wide selection of tunes, from thestandards, “I Could Write a Book,” and“They Can’t Take That Away,” to a tonguein-cheekoriginal called, “CocktailOptimism,” and a heartfelt ballad, “Words,”a cover of Pat Metheny’s “James,” and aJapanese traditional song called,“Watashi.” The instrumentation differsfrom one tune to the next, from piano, bass,drums/percussion to guitar and steelwww.RAGmagazine.com | 39

RAG: Are your arrangements pre-set in your mind as youwrite or are you open to changes?On some songs, they are pre-set, but most of the time, I’mopen to changes and end up playing with the differentpossibilities. For the past few years, I’ve been working with acomputer program, Cubase, which makes it easier to trydifferent instruments and structures -so that makes it a lot easier.RAG: I have read that you also perform with an a cappellagroup?Yes, a pretty wild, really successful project. In 2005 I was invitedto participate in the second album by the cutting-edge Frenchelectro-a cappella group Les Grandes Gueules (the Big Mouths)for SONY-BMG, released in March 2006. There were six vocalistsin the group - three women, three men. The album title, VocalExtreme, pretty much describes it. We experimented withsound, both vocally and electronically, and there was a soundengineer who was basically the seventh artist in the group. Wereally pushed the limits of what could be done with several-partharmony. Being the only American in the group was interestingand has really pushed me musically. It was a far cry from thestage at Palmetto High School for sure.RAG: So your follow-up album is due when?We plan to record in November and release in late January 2008.RAG: How does this album differ from your debut?The working title is Round Trip. It will combine my owncompositions with some covers of jazz standards and poptunes. The band will be a jazz quartet (piano, double bass, anddrums) and one or two horn players as guests. Twinkle was theculmination of all I’d done in my early years as a musician. Thisnew project feels like a bolder affirmation of my style, as well adescription of how far I’ve come in the past couple years. It’sbasically about coming to terms with being an expat, after almosttwenty years of living abroad: hellos and goodbyes, lessonslearned, traveling, trying to belong, and some hilarious momentstrying to learn a different language. It’s also about the cyclicalpattern life seems to take: although you leave your past behind,it’s always a part of you and can resurface in your actions orrelationships.RAG: Sounds philosophical. Any passing references toJack Kerouac?(Laughs) No, at least not openly. I may have to think about thatone. Those are my thoughts behind it, but I think (I hope!) themusic comes across as less tormented, pretty light-hearted,refreshing, and full of musical risks and spontaneity.RAG: What does it mean to you to be a professionalmusician in 2008?It means being as open and flexible as possible, while stayingcentered on what you’re experiencing. Every person you meetcan influence you, and every project you participate in can feedyour own creativity. The day-to-day life can be challenging, butthe power of music is fascinating, therapeutic, sometimesbizarre, and totally worth it!http://www.victoriarummler.comhttp://www.myspace.com/vrummlerBy Joseph Vilane40| DEC RAG MAGAZINE


By Crystal ClarkIf you’re a guitarist in South Florida, chances are you know the name:Larry Lashbrook. As a Master Luthier with over 40 years of experience,Larry Lashbrook, owner of Lashbrook Guitars, LLC in Fort Lauderdale,has earned the reputation of being the go-to-guy for guitar repairs, set-upsand custom guitars. Guitar legend, Yngwie Malmsteen, describes Larryas “a genius” and has been bringing all his modification and repair work toLashbrook Guitars since 1989. Lashbrook Guitars has just introducedtheir first production guitar, the LTH-1, with claims that “it just might be theworld’s most innovative and versatile guitar.”Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Mr. Lashbrook at his FortLauderdale guitar shop and we took the time to discuss how all of thisLuthier business started as well as all of the exciting events surroundingLashbrook Guitars!RAG: Larry, how did you get your start as a Luthier?It all started in 1964. I was a senior in high school when I started playingguitar and I just became fascinated with the instrument. I really wanted a335, but I didn’t have the money to buy one, so I figured that since my dadhad some tools, I could probably just build my own and save some money.(laughs) I mean how hard could it be? The very first guitar I ever built wasfor my sister, she loved the Beatles, so for her birthday, I built her a guitarthat looked like Paul’s Hofner bass.After that project, I realized that building guitars wasn’t as easy as I thought,so I started trying to learn as much as I could by taking apart cheapguitars and putting them back together, trying to make them play better,experimenting with circuitry…anything I could get my hands on. I did somerepairs and set-ups for a couple friends and pretty soon just by word ofmouth, I had all these people asking me to work on their guitars. So Iguess you could say I accidentally got into the repair business. (laughs) Iwas just figuring it out as I went.I was also building some of my own guitars that were like a 335, but I wasmaking them out of fiberglass, laying up the bodies in homemade moldsand laying glass over maple necks. I don’t know if anyone else was usingfiberglass back then, but it seemed like a good idea to me. I still have acouple of those early guitars in my shop.RAG: You started out building traditional designs; what was yourinspiration for the LTH-1?Well it’s kind of funny, I was always inventing and coming up with newideas; my brain was always working. Eventually, I felt like I was being heldback by the same designs that inspired me to start building guitars in thefirst place. Sometime in the late 80s, I decided to basically start fromscratch, rethink and redesign everything using my ability as an inventorand all the knowledge I had gained over the years. I wanted to build abetter sounding guitar with greater tonal range and versatility, and I hadsome innovative ideas that I really wanted to explore. I was determined tobuild the “perfect guitar,” that was my goal.RAG: When you talk about innovation and versatility, what do youmean? What makes a Lashbrook guitar unique?Well there are really a lot of things that set our guitars apart. First of all,these are all hand built instruments, and we also make almost all our ownparts. Just from a design standpoint, the LTH-1 is very functional andergonomic. It weighs around 5 pounds and the body is very thin becausewe carve both the front and back. It is very well balanced and the neckflows right into the body, with no step or heel, so you can easily access allthe frets. Both the neck shape and the fingerboard have a compound radius,which allows the neck to have a uniform thickness all the way up. It makesit really fast and comfortable.As far as innovation and versatility, it’s really all about our proprietarycomponents and circuitry. We make all our own pickups in house. Ratherthan using plastic bobbins and metal bases, we make them in rosewood,ebony or holly. Each pickup is wound right here on a winding machine thatI built years ago. Our pickups are very rich and warm, but not muddy, andthey maintain quality of tone at any volume. They have incredible clarity,response, and sustain; the way I designed the circuitry gives you theability to dial in a tremendous range of natural tones and control of eachnuance.42| DEC RAG MAGAZINEBut our most significant breakthrough is without a doubt our piezo bridge.Like our pickups, it features tone wood construction. By using wood forour pickups and bridges, we are using a material that resonates with theinstrument and allows the natural acoustic qualities to come through. You

just turn a knob and our solid body guitar sounds just like an acoustic…likea flat top or even a big L5 if you blend the magnetic pickups in. Nobodycan believe the quality of our acoustic sound.I really believe that our piezo technology is industry leading. It’s whatallows us to extend our range of tone that much further, to not just have afull range of electric guitar tones, but to also be able to get authenticacoustic sounds out of the same instrument. Everyone has been trying todo this with different piezo ideas…with hybrid guitars. I will put the LTH-1up against any of them; it’s just night and day. I’ve been building guitarsfor 43 years and I’m finally satisfied. You have to hear it to believe it!RAG: Does LTH-1 stand for something?Yes, you’re actually the first person to ask me that question. The “L” is forLashbrook, and the “TH” stands for Trojan Horse. I have to give credit toRussell Tuttle, an amazing jazz guitarist and good friend of mine for inspiringthe name. He was down at my shop, playing one of my prototypes a whileback, and was really excited about the guitar and he said, “Larry, thisthing is incredible...it’s like a Trojan Horse, there are so many sounds thatyou’d never expect hiding in here.” I really got a kick out of that, becausehe has been a professional musician for over 50 years and has perfectpitch, so I really value his opinion. It really means something coming froma guy like Russ.RAG: I understand you just exhibited your guitars for the first timeat the NAMM show in January. What was the response?The guitars were received really well and there was a lot of excitementaround our product. It was a very special time for me...to be able to sharemy guitar with so many talented players after so many years ofdevelopment. To see their enthusiasm and hear their comments was atremendous validation that my guitars are really as good as I think theyare. We made some great contacts with artists and dealers and havesome very exciting things in the works that I can’t really discuss just yet,but the show was definitely a success. It was a great experience and amajor milestone for us.RAG: So you went out to NAMM, everyone loved the guitars, youmet a bunch of famous players and potential dealers. Now it seemslike all the hard work is paying off. So how does this effect repairbusiness? Can your average Joe still get one of your famous fretjobs?Yes, we are still doing repairs. In fact,since returning from the show, we madesome changes that have reallyimproved the organization andproductivity of the repair business. Yousee, I’m not the most organized person.I always tell people that I’m likeEinstein, I have some good ideas, but Ican’t tie my own shoes.(laughs) I hireda guy named Michael Nicholas abouta year and a half ago. He came to meas a skilled Luthier, but he wanted tolearn more and work with me, so Ibrought him on board. Michael provedto be a fast learner, and he does greatwork and we work together really well.Recently, Michael has really steppedup to take on more responsibility as faras the organization goes, and he doesa great job helping me keep things onschedule. I feel terrible that leading upto NAMM, I had to put the repairbusiness and everything else on thebackburner for a few months. I was eventurning work away. I’m sorry that peoplehad to wait so long to get their guitarsback or that (in some cases) I couldn’taccept their work at all. That’s not howI want to do business. Overall, everyonewas very patient Yeah, and understanding it’ll be built. of our situation, so I really appreciatedthat, but I still felt bad. I just had so much invested in the show and wewere really scrambling to make it. I mean we were working day and nightto get our new samples built and to coordinate everything. It was justcrazy, but I am glad to say that we are just about caught up on the backlog of repair work and things are running smoother than ever.RAG: So far, what has been the most exciting point in your journey?That’s easy. The most exciting point was when my son, John, got involvedin the business; that was a major turning point. He has been involved inplanning, marketing, and helping me get positioned to launch the guitarsfor about a year and a half. However, he was living in Jacksonville, so therewas only so much he could do from up there. So, John moved down herein June of 2007 and has really made a big impact. He is very involved inthe building process and handles a lot of the business planning andmarketing; he’s very talented and has a good head on his shoulders. Notto mention, I love getting to work with my son every day. It’s very excitingto see everything come together.For a long time, I was a one man show, and now I have a great teamworking with me. There’s John and Michael and I have some other greatguys that work with us as well. Terry Hires does all our finishing; ScottOlson is an electrical engineer that worked with me to develop circuitry onour active models; Rick Caruso is an expert machinist and helps us withproduction and assembly. All these guys are very talented and really wentthe extra mile when we were preparing for NAMM. I really couldn’t ask fora better team to work with. Also, I want to give a special thanks to theguys who helped demo the guitars with us at NAMM, Russell Tuttle, JeffLloyd, and Mike Garulli from The Heavy Pets. There are a few other importantpeople that I would like to thank for their involvement if I could: my wonderfulfiancé, Sofia Morales; my brother, Dave Lashbrook; and our good friendsMike Spitzer, Barry Morrow, and Dave Pate. I am blessed to have suchgreat friends and family.RAG: Larry, we thank you for your time. It sounds like everything iscoming together; you have a great team and a great product andyou’ve certainly paid your dues over the years. Best of luck to youand your crew in the future.Thanks, it’s been a pleasure!www.lashbrookguitars.com • info@lashbrookguitars.comwww.RAGmagazine.com | 43

By Joseph VilaneA Day to Remember is one of the few bands that canpull off a particular style of music. Musically, the bandis very gifted, showcasing riffs and vocals that setthem apart from many other bands on the scene. Thescreaming is almost death-metal-like, and themelodies could be compared to any of the bigger, poppunkacts like Fall Out Boy or Panic at The Disco.However, whereas some bands get repetitive over thecourse of three years, A Day to Remember hasmanaged to maintain credibility along with a sense ofhumor.Blending an exquisite amount of style, these southFlorida rockers: Jeremy McKinnon, vocals; AlexShellnutt, drums; Neil Westfall, guitar; JoshuaWoodward,bass; TomDenney, guitar-surely digd e e pdelivering afresh incentiveof youthfulspirit as theyb r a v e l yapproach amixture ofsounds; theirattempt hasb e e nsuccessfulthus far, as they keep things interesting. Collectively,A Day to Remember has released two solid recordsthat showcase their undeniable talent. Their first, AndTheir Name Was Treason, was released in 2005 onIndianola Records. The second, For Those Who HaveHeart, was released January of 2007 on Victoryrecords; but the newly re-mastered version (releasedin February 2008) reveals a different side to thesewide-eyed musicians.44| DEC RAG MAGAZINEA Day to Remember dress for success; what you seeis a bunch of college kids beginning to discoverthemselves for the first time. They play rough, andare ready for their latest release, performing songssuch as “Fast Forward to 2012,” with a focused,energetic attack. Not to mention, a cover version ofKelly Clarkson’s song, “Since You’ve Been Gone,” arisky move by these hard rockers. It was these topics,among others, that RAG focused in on during a sitdowninterview with bassist, Joshua Woodward.“Actually it’s kind of weird; it’s a song that we wouldall be listening to in the van,” says Woodward,referring to the Clarkson tune. Woodward confesses,“We were all just fans of her, and that song, and wethought how cool it would be for a band that’s knownfor being heavy to just take an upright, catchy popsong, and make it ours -try to turn it into somethingwe like.”A Day to Remember’s music combines fast and heavyrhythms with dramatic poppy singing and deepthroated, hardcore growls. They draw influences frompop punk, hardcore, and metalcore - creating a soundwhich can be classified as “pop-mosh.”“We’re definitely just five kids that got into pop, punkrock,” says Woodward. He continues, “We’re fans ofNew Found Glory and we just found out what hardermusic was. All of us were fans of both sides of thespectrum, so I just said I wanted to be in a band that’spart of both sides of the spectrum.” There’s no realsecret to it, we just wanted to write music that wereally liked, and we both liked catchy and heavy stuff.”While one might say that’s such a contrast ofinfluences, but musically, you’d appreciate how A Dayto Remember go from being a plain rock/emo bandone minute, to jumping into a breakdown the next. Thebreakdowns are brutal; they play guitar chords

A DAY TO REMEMBER WILL BE PERFORMING AT REVOLUTION MARCH 2ND!smoothly as they whet your appetite. A Day toRemember’s diverse elements are what do, and will,set them apart from so many of their contemporaries.If you can appreciate the mixing of various musicalstyles, For Those Who Have Heart was made for you.With music, you never know when it’s going to end,but when it begins on a powerful note, it really sets usup for the future; it can really guide you towardssomething memorable and unforgettable.“People ask us if we sit down and think ‘do we reallywant to add a breakdown to this song?’ and it’s notlike that at all,’” asserts Woodward. Woodward continues,“It’s actually like we all sit together, and we just have ideas,and we decide whether we love them or not… we’ll take apart from this or that and we’ll just build off of each other,and if it sounds good, then that part will make it into thesong; we don’t force anything.”Sweetened by an emo-sounding riot act, McKinnon’svocals emit thirst for the scream and his passionaterange. There’s also the keen way in which Jeremyfits his lyrics into a song. “Jeremy is one of the mosttalented musicians I’ve ever worked with,” saysWoodward. Continues Woodward, “He has such anear for things; he’s amazing for sure. He was in apop band and then got into a hardcore band, anddecided he wanted to play both. It takes time forJeremy to find the happy medium because, obviously,screaming and stuff is gonna make your voice hoarse.Jeremy found the heavy medium and he knows hislimitations; he’s just an amazing singer.” AddsWoodward, “Personally, I think this album is muchbetter than our first.”www.RAGmagazine.com | 45

FILMat three things,” she says. Treasure hunting,finding people to fund his treasure hunting, andone other thing. What other thing, you ask? Well,sex. All three talents are put to good usethroughout the rest of the story, as Tess andFinn bandy about in search of their gold, find afinancial sponsor in the Hilton poseur Mr.Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), and make dirtyinside a church basement’s archives.Fools GoldBy Sam Osborn (www.themoviemammal.com)For a showcase of Matthew McConaughey’s abs, his tan,and his ragdoll mullet thing, Fools Gold stands nocomparison. This film was made for women. Rather, thisfilm was made for girls. Kate Hudson—who, along with KeiraKnightley, has mounted an affront against the non-castingof A-cup actresses—is showcased almost entirely withinthe comfort of her clothing. Mind you, I tend not to writeabout the bra size and muscular capabilities of those whomake movies; but with Fools Gold, there’s really little elseto talk about.Rebounding off the success of Hitch, Director Andy Tennanthas made a tropical cocktail of a movie with Fools Gold. Avirgin cocktail. The story is mounted entirely upon sexappeal, with even the titular treasure having been lost dueto a Prince overeager to consummate his marriage. Hewas horny, to put it plainly, and sailed into a hurricane toget some action.Centuries later, with the treasure still lost off the FloridaKeys, Benjamin Finnegan (you can call him Fin), playedby the grinning McConaughey, is broke, newly divorced,and on the verge of discovery. But he’s sixty-two thousanddollars in debt to the notorious rapper Bigg Bunny (KevinHart) who’s put a mark on his head to his flock of thugs(read: entourage). He calls upon his ex-wife, Tess (KateHudson), to put brains to brawn. She remembers hermarriage to Finn as a crazed couple years. “Finn is good46| DEC RAG MAGAZINEPretty people chasing pretty gold sounds like afine old way to spend a dreary winter afternoon;and I have no apprehension towardschampioning a film of such narrow latitude. Butthis trash is boring. Never mind that KateHudson and Mr. McConaughey share nosemblance of chemistry, Andy Tennant and histribe of screenwriters manage to waste nearlytwo hours confusing us with the specifics of their fictionaltreasure. If you thought The Da Vinci Code wasconfusing, I’d recommend bringing ear plugs to FoolsGold. The fun stops with the six pack abs.Almost twenty minutes is spent sitting around a table asTess and Finn sip on daiquiris and ramble on aboutlibraries and medieval anecdotes, fabricated twists to thecenturies-old legend, convoluting their treasure hunt tothe point of exhaustion. Even the actual hunting for thesaid gold makes you yearn for the doldrums of NationalTreasure 2. Mr. Tennant has forgotten the adventure inhis adventure caper.There’s even a juicy mango of a set-up in the reunitingof a divorced treasure-hunting couple. Paired togetherafter a messy divorce, there’s opportunity for knots ofsexual tension between Tess and Finn; even, gasp!,complexity to be found in such a couple. But the two getalong like old college buddies at a barbecue.Fool’s Gold is like a cocktail that’s been slipped a roofie.It’d be more fun (and probably cheaper) to instead buya copy of Scuba magazine and US Weekly and readthem at the same time. At least then you’d hear somegossip.Fools Gold: Directed by Andy Tennant. Screenplay byJohn Claflin, Daniel Zelman, Andy Tennant. StarringMatthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, DonaldSutherland. MPAA Rating: PG-13 for action violence,some sexual material, brief nudity and language)

the Romantic Comedy you shelled out ten dollars for. Butas we exit the theatres, let’s try and say something otherthan, “That was cute.”Definitely, Maybe: Written and Directed by Adam Brooks.Starring Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin. MPAAClassification: PG-13 for sexual content including somefrank dialogue, language and smoking.○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Definitely, MaybeBy Sam Osborn (www.themoviemammal.com)While staying within the fencing of its own genre, Definitely,Maybe tells a distinctly American story of adulthood,fatherhood, politics, and, of course, relationships. WillHayes (Ryan Reynolds), a successful Manhattan ad man,is implored by his daughter, Maya (Abigail Breslin of LittleMiss Sunshine fame) to explain the story of her conception.You see, Maya’s a fresh graduate of public education’sgrand sex ed program, and thus wildly curious about doingit. Not helping matters is the envelope landing on Will’sdesk containing his divorce papers. Guilty and defenselessagainst his daughter’s pleas, Will is harangued intorecounting the tale of meeting her mother. The catch is thatthere are three women involved, and Will mounts the storyup as a mystery for Maya where she must guess at the endof the tale which of the three women is her mom.The film is timely if not current, with Will spending much ofhis time scrambling through the nineties while writer/directorAdam Brooks draws neat parallels between the 1992 electionof President Clinton and the Democratic surge occurringas I write this. The political spin, along with all the othertangential interests of Definitely, Maybe, might comerandomly, but they also quietly work to make Will Hayesinto a kind of new Everyman for the American male. Thisunderstanding of, how should we put it, the male nationalconscious, is refracted then into the three women of hisromantic life: Emily (Elizabeth Banks) the college sweetheart,April (Isla Fisher) the wandering friend, and Summer(Rachel Weisz) the surreptitious workaholic. In working hisway through the tangled stories of all three, Mr. Brookscontains himself to the tools his genre. There are the sweetmonologues, guitar strums and orchestral hoorahs, thereare the last-scene kisses, and mid-movie break-ups. Nobeat is missed. But also strung effortlessly among thesefamiliar landmarks is a reminder that there are certain fewpeople in our lives who shape and define us. They areworth the love and the pain we invest into such relationships,and in some cases, they mean as much to the children thatare, by consequence, produced. Definitely, Maybe is stillCharlie BartlettBy Sam Osborn (www.themoviemammal.comSomebody asked Jon Poll, the first-time director of CharlieBartlett, how he’d chosen the script as his first project. “Well,”he said, “I read about a hundred scripts and narrowed it downto about two. The first was Charlie Bartlett, obviously. And theother was Juno.” He was confused when the audience laughed.He said, “What? What’s so funny?” Nobody could tell him, orhad the heart to tell him, that he’d made the wrong choice.Charlie Bartlett is a fine movie, but it’s not “the love song toteenagers” that Mr. Poll hails it as. It’s a film about kids that’swritten by adults. And though this is usually the case, the beststories about youth understand their subjects as their peerswould. Think Tina Fey’s playful satirizing of the high schoolexperience with Mean Girls, or Noah Baumbach’sunderstanding of divorce and brotherhood in The Squid andthe Whale. With Charlie Bartlett we get the feeling that it waswritten by the parents. And maybe that’s why the parents’ subplotsring more clearly than the teenagers’. Robert DowneyJr. as Principle Gardner and Hope Davis as Charlie’s momare both broken characters, struggling to stay afloat as theirchildren stir the waters they swim in. The main story, in whichCharlie (Anton Yelchin) finds popularity in bathroom-stallpsychology and prescription drug dealing is more of a cleverriff on Ferris Beuller’s Day Off than a smart swing at theRidalin and Zoloft-dazed generation of teenagers today.Charlie Bartlett: Directed by Jon Poll. Written by GustinNash. Starring Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings, and RobertDowney Jr. Rated R for language, drug use, and brief nudity.www.RAGmagazine.com | 47

y the boredom she doles out here, it’s hard to believe sheever will be. There are fortunately a few token scares to behad. One set in a coffee house had me lunging backwardsin my seat as the ghostie reached for my jugular. Butotherwise this Eye kept my eyes drooping.The Eye: Directed by David Moreau, Xavier Palud.Screenplay by Sebastian Gutierrez. Starring Jessica Alba,Parker Posey, Alessandro Nivola. Rated PG-13 forviolence/terror and disturbing content.○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○The EyeBy Sam Osborn (www.themoviemammal.com)In the deserts of the February release slate, it either takesa teenage boy or a naïve film critic to get excited for thenewest Jessica Alba vehicle, The Eye. Count me in thelatter category, sauntering into the theatre twelve dollarspoorer (Rogue Pictures didn’t trust the press response withpre-screenings), looking forward to a film in which, if nothingelse, pretty people got chased by some scary crap.Well, Miss Alba is no doubt pretty, but what’s chasing herrarely manages to be scary. Based on the Korean film ofthe same title, this American remake follows in the footstepsof similarly lame Asian imports such as The Grudge, TheRing, Dark Water, and The Messengers. Besides soundinglike the lineup to an Indie-Pop music festival, this genre’stitles have recently excited little to no interest from the nation’scritics. Common critical denominators include the riftbetween Eastern and Western pacing; meaning that whileAmerican filmmaking keeps a story moving at a comfortablyaccelerated clip, Eastern horror doesn’t mind slowing itsplot to a steady crawl. These misaligned tendencies makefor significantly shorter American remakes (Alba’s The Eyeis some 45 minutes shorter than its Korean cousin), andalso for contrived additions to the original plotline.It doesn’t help that the story, though maybe original to Koreancrowds several years ago, is nothing fresh to you and I.Sydney Wells sees dead people. And doesn’t that ring abell for any M. Night Shyamalan fans out there? Well thestories are certainly similar, but Sydney’s (Jessica Alba)spooky superpower is the result of a long-awaited eyereplacement surgery. No longer blind, Sydney has the eyesof a dead person; and for some unexplained reason thismeans she sees the souls of the recently-deceased beingled into the afterlife by Father Death.With neither the elegance nor patience of the original (andThe Sixth Sense, for that matter), The Eye totters along onthe shoulders of its leading lady. Miss Alba’s not yet strongenough an actress to carry a film all herself; and judgingIn BrugesBy Sam Osborn (www.themoviemammal.com)I have a soft spot for hitmen. Counted as one of the few insupport of last year’s Smokin’ Aces, I refer to my alter-egoas Jef Costello, the assassin from Jean-Pierre Melville’s LeSamourai. But In Bruges is something more than my fix forthe genre. It’s a richly constructed work of character andplot, irony and contrast. Writer/Director Martin McDonaghplays in opposites, foiling his two protagonists, the plussizedBrendan Gleeson and the lithe Colin Farrell, alongsideone another as two hitmen ordered to lay low in the medievaltourist town of Bruges. Besides the farce of contradictionthat this set-up provokes—mismatched criminals defloweringa lovely Belgium village—Mr. McDonagh puts his stagebackground to use in mounting dialogue and characterwhere other directors would pile up violence. Con men,gun dealers, coke dealing dates, whore-buying dwarfs, anda pregnant housekeeper run the gamut of theatricalcharacters here, making for a Dickensian palette of offbeatcharm that wends its way into the clever (almost too clever)plot. It’s an impressive debut, if nothing else. And it provesthat Mr. McDonagh has an eye for the cinematic that goesbeyond winning the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.One of the first notable films of 2008.In Bruges: Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh.Starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Feinnes.MPAA Classification: R (strong bloody violence, pervasivelanguage and some drug use)

visited the location before. His bank’s vault? No problem.David can rob it without ever opening the door. But on his trailis Roland (Samuel L. Jackson), the leader of the shadowyPaladin clan. With a wig as bright as the silvery moon, Rolandand his cronies wield electric batons, high voltage being anaffective disruptive agent to a Jumper’s powers.JumperBy Sam Osborn (www.themoviemammal.com)More of a July surprise than a February dud, Jumper is aSummer spectacle in the disguise of a winter dump-off. It’sgrand and silly, exciting and ridiculous, and all that we go tothe movies for…at least all we go to the movies for betweenthe months of May and August.It seems 20 th Century Fox didn’t trust Hayden Christiansenand Samuel L. Jackson as names large enough to find an audiencethe size of, oh say, that of Christian Bale and the posthumousHeath Ledger in The Dark Night, launching in June. My guess isthat Fox saw a full slate for the Summer calendar and a tidyopening on Valentines Day weekend, aligning itself against StepUp 2 The Streets; dreams the size of 300’s domestic box officereturns prance through their heads.But who cares about release slates and film economics?Not you, surely. But then again, maybe you should. Yousee, Jumper’s story has been set up as an episodicfranchise. If there weren’t many more millions to be madeon the big screen than on the little one Jumper wouldprobably be more fitted for your TiVo, lined up right alongside“Heroes.” Its story runs along the lines of potential that TheMatrix once did; dealing with a personal rescue rather thanthe overarching plot, leaving much to be dealt with in thesucceeding episodes. That is, as long as there’s enoughguys willing to ditch their girlfriends who would otherwisebe putting their money towards Step Up 2.On the escape with David is his childhood sweetheart Millie,played by “The O.C.” femme Rachel Bilson. Both actorsseem forced into their roles, Mr. Christiansen reportedly havingreplaced Tom Sturridge, whose name may not have been largeenough for proper billing. Ms. Bilson does better than AnakinSkywalker, her role requiring more smoldering than dialogue.At this she’s an obvious winner. The pairing, however, lackschemistry and makes us wonder if Miss Bilson will be droppedlike a Bond bimbo in the probable sequels.But playing international full-contact hopscotch is the realdraw of Jumper. Teleportation may seem like a gag as old as“Beam me up, Scotty,” but with Jumper, the trick is out of thisworld. It’s like the difference between your kid brother in karateclass and a Bruce Lee double-punch. Jumper flings its heroesfrom Egypt to London to New York and Prague—in a matter ofseconds. Double-decker buses are weapons to be flung acrosscontinents, heroes chasing each other across the Sphinx andBig Ben, Tokyo and the Empire State Building.It’s fast and it’s clever, much like Director Doug Liman’sprevious films, The Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, andGo. He has a talent for bringing an idea as low-brow as Mr.and Mrs. Smith and turning it into a wickedly excitingblockbuster. With Jumper, Mr. Liman’s in familiar territory. Inless capable hands—and with less of a Dream Team behindthe script—this new franchise could be little more than Winterslop. Instead it’s a candied Summertime preview. And amongthe doldrums of February, that’s a satisfying treat indeed.Jumper: Directed by Doug Liman. Screenplay by Jim Uhls,David S. Goyer, Simon Kinsberg. Starring HaydenChristiansen, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Bilson. MPAAClassification: PG-13 for sequences of intense actionviolence, some language and brief sexuality.Based on the popular book by Stephen Gould, Jumper’stale involves an ancient and ongoing war between Jumpersand the army of Paladins. Although this sounds initially morelike comic book fodder than big-picture franchise, Jumper’sbeen adapted by three of the more potent action writerscurrently working. Between the three of them—David S.Goyer, Simon Kinberg, and Jim Uhls—they’ve separatelywritten Batman Begins, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Fight Club.As a born Jumper, David Rice (Hayden Christiansen) hasthe power to teleport wherever he likes—as long as he’s



The film’s killer makes the American public,in audience numbers as broad as “AmericanIdol’s,” his partial accomplice. And if we’rethe executors in this killer’s masterscheme, shouldn’t there be a focus on usas a people? We are the character mostinteresting to Untraceable’s story. ButUntraceable doesn’t bother with us. Itsinterest is in containment. The scriptseems wary of casting too wide a net,wanting only to do with the charactersinvolved closest with the investigation. Anddisappointingly, these are the people mostat grip with their senses. They’re the oneswho actually would not click toKillWithMe.com. They’re the leastinteresting characters inside the film’s story.UntraceableBy Sam Osborn (www.themoviemammal.com)Like a glorified episode of “Law & Order,” Untraceableworks less like a movie and more like an hour of television.And it’s not Must-See TV. It’d be the sort of show you coulddoze off to late at night while your Tivo whirs calmly besideyou. Director Gregory Hoblit’s previous picture, Fracture—the courtroom Ryan Gosling engine—fell into the sameunremarkable stupor. Carrying a similarly beguiling premise,Untraceable queries the legions of modern technology tocompile this new lackluster tale.As a cyber-cop for the FBI, single widower Jennifer Marsh(Diane Lane) trolls the oceans of interweb for net illegalities.In her searches, she comes upon the red-flagged siteKillWithMe.com. As its title suggests, this new evolution ofshock-fare asks audiences to take part in a live, broadcastedmurder. The victim is gagged and bound to a torture devicethat intensifies pain depending on the number of active,live viewers. The more people watching, the quicker thevictim dies. Like the business mogul who kills his wife andconfesses to the murder, as in Fracture, Untraceable’spremise is nothing if not promising.And without the cultural sub-text, Untraceable is nothingbut a cyber-version of “Law & Order.” If they knock onenough doors, talk to enough suspects, and sift throughenough manila folders, the good guys will prevail. DianeLane puts forth a notable effort, trying her best with theclunky mother-daugher material when she’s not nerdspeakingin front of her monitor. And Mr. Hoblit directswith a passably standard flavor, gliding around thebeautiful Portland sets and moving his camera as muchas was probably physically possible for his craneoperator. The film is just minor letdown. Its final restingplace is where it’ll truly prove its worth: on late nighttelevision, on a TBS, TNT, USA, or some other cablenetwork. It’ll replace the likes of Jurassic Park III orFever Pitch, programming for insomniacs bumping abouttheir hundreds of channels at three in the morning. Butby then all those people will probably just be online, tuningin for just the sort of thing Untraceable warned us about.Untraceable: Directed by Gregory Hoblit, Written byRobert Fyvolent, Mark Brinker, Allison Burnett.Starring Diane Lane, Colin Hanks, Billy Burke, JosephCross. Rated R for grisly violence and torture, andsome language.Because such a nefarious deed is entirely realistic, the implicationsof such a web site have a real terror to them, in theory. Many peoplewould tune in to watch a man murdered. Admit it, you’d be curious.The step from exploitation smut—as in the popularity of couplesposting explicit videos of themselves online—to exploitation smutinvolving actual death is not a far one. It’s a baby step consideringthe number of people who web-witnessed the beheading of anAmerican soldier months ago. Or the execution of Saddam Hussein.Some 30.28 million watch “American Idol” last week, and thosenumbers are down from last season. Reality television in all itsincrements of exploitation is an obvious topic in American culture.But it’s a stale topic, unless it’s put to something as direly sinister asthat which Untraceable poses.

NEW TO DVD IN MARCH3/11 DAN IN REAL LIFE (Rated: PG-13)Newspaper columnist Dan Burns is a well-known relationships expertwith a secret: His personal life is a disaster! Hollywood’s leadingfunnyman Steve Carell (“The Office,” 40 Year-Old Virgin) stars inDan in Real Life, the hilarious and heartfelt comedy about familyand true love, coming to DVD and Blu-ray Disc on March 11, 2008from Touchstone Home Entertainment. Bursting with wit and warmth,Dan in Real Life is a blissfully funny comedy to enjoy again andagain. Both the DVD and Blu-ray Disc are loaded with entertainingbonus features including hilarious deleted scenes, outtakes andmore.ADDITIONALRELEASESMAR 4AwakeInto the WildMagnum PI: Season 8Things We Lost In the Fire3/11 NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Rated: R)A pair of award-winning filmmakers and an acclaimed cast propel ariveting crime saga to its unforgettable conclusion in one of the mosthonored films of the year, No Country for Old Men, coming to DVDand Blu-ray Disc on March 11, 2008 from Miramax Films. Joel andEthan Cohen deliver their most gripping and ambitious film yet in thissizzling and supercharged action-thriller. This gritty game of cat andmouse will take you to the edge of your seat and beyond. A collectionof behind-the-scenes bonus features including a look at the CoenBrothers filmmaking process makes the No Country for Old Men DVDand Blu-ray Disc an experience you don’t want to miss.MAR 11August RushBee MovieDan In Real LifeThe DealHitmanNo Country for Old MenSleuth3/18 ENCHANTED (Rated: G)An acclaimed new Disney classic with a hilarious twist casts aheartwarming spell when Enchanted comes to stunning Blu-ray HighDefinition and DVD on March 18, 2008 from Walt Disney StudiosHome Entertainment. Shining a witty and charming new light on abeloved genre, Enchanted is a modern day musical fairytale filled withuproarious surprises that the entire family will enjoy again and again.Both the Blu-ray Disc and DVD boast a vast kingdom of entertainingbonus features, including the trivia based BD-Java feature “The D-Files” available only on Blu-ray Disc.MAR 18ConspiracyEnchantedGreekI Am LegendJet Li’s Shaolin FistsLove In the Time of CholeraMAR 25The Kite RunnerWristcutters: A Love Story3/18 GREEK: Season One-Chapter One (Rated: TV-14-DL)The rocky road to campus social success leads a new generation ofsorority sweethearts and fraternity brothers into an action-packedsemester of side splitting misadventures, hilarious hookups and hardwon triumphs in Greek: Season One-Chapter One, coming to DVDon March 18, 2008 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.Sexy, funny, and completely cool, Greek: Season One-Chapter Onefeatures the first 10 episodes of television’s most entertaining look intothe world of contemporary fraternities and sororities. The DVD alsofeatures exclusive bonus material including deleted scenes, interviewswith the cast and creators, and more.

MUSICIANS’ RESOURCERECORDINGHEIGA AUDIO VISUAL954-791-3181heigaaudiovisual.comRECORDINGINSANE SOUNDS954-797-0470www.insanesounds.comRECORDINGMERCURY STUDIOS954-979-9772mercurystudiosinc.comREHEARSALSALESGUITAR EXCHANGE954-227-9111www.theguitarexchange.comMANAGERS - AGENTSGreat songs and talent make $$Talented musicians with a CDor phenomenal songs seeksrepresentation!954-806-5984southland45@aol.comREPAIRResurrection Drums954-457-9020www.rezdrums.comSALESREHEARSALSOUTH FLORIDAREHEARSAL STUDIOS305-949-5303www.sfrs.netSALESDIXIE GUITAR TRADERS954-772-6900www.dixieguitartraders.comUNIVERSITY MUSICNew & Used gear, Lessons,Sound & Lighting Services &Rehearsal Space954-474-8541www.universitymusicsite.comREPAIRLASHBROOK GUITARS954-767-2155www.lashbrookguitars.comREHEARSALSACRED SOUNDSREHEARSAL STUDIOS786-385-4317•305-887-4699www.myspace.com/sacredsoundsrehearsalroomsCD DUPLICATIONfrom only 45¢ each!!!5,000 CD inserts only $149!!!5,000 11x17 posters only $500!!!954-572-3445REHEARSALREDLANDS STUDIOS305-877-6257www.redlandsstudios.comONLY $35 PER MONTHOR $300 PER YEAR!954-234-2888REACH THEMUSICCOMMUNITY54| DEC RAG MAGAZINE

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MUSICIANS WANTEDSeeking experienced female vocalist with looks and stagepresence for established working rock/pop band.Modern,alternative,classic rock covers. Immediate gigs oncalender. www.myspace.com/thatbandfla Contact Michelle954-856-8703 mdemenkow@yahoo.comDrummer wanted for blues & R&B band - must do vocals. Nohired guns & no floaters. Must have day job. 954-962-6757Starting new originals band. Looking for versatile 2 nd vocalist,drummer and bassist. 11 song CD available. Gigs readilyavailable. Have booking agent. Modern Rock / Punk. Systemof – Foo – Tool Frank 954-651-8763Pro Tools engineer wanted for pre production studio in Miami.For more information contact Mark at 305-300-6663 or emailwebmaster@1mep.com www.1mep.comWanted: bass player into playing Creed, Pearl Jam, Santana,U2,Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Nickleback. ext. with an edge! Have payinggigs, if you want to have fun and get paid, give us a call. Played atUM tailgate parties, at the Orange Bowl and Gainsville call Geraldo561-577-7747 or Serg 561-670-8631Pro Drummer looking for musicians: Pro Drummer looking for proplayers for original act and possible covers. Call Brian 954-234-3071. No beginners please. Have excellent recorded material.Guitarist and singer/songwriter want to start an open-minded hardrockingband! Bassists and drummers wanted (23-27 age range).Drug-free, respectful musical environment. Project for the love ofmusic. Don’t care about the next big thing, or being commercial.No poseurs. Boca Raton area. Call Maher at 561-809-8124.MUSICIANS AVAILABLEBlack Drummer late 40s looking for working band. ClassicRock, R&B, Blues and some Country. Serious inquiries only.Drug Free only please. Thomas 954-294-0966EQUIPMENT FOR SALEClear Sonic acrylic shield 7 hinged sections 2' wide by 66"high with carrying case $500. Clear Sonic Sorber acousticpanels 6 2' wide by 66" high panels $250. Fender Bassman400 amp with 4 x 10" cabinet & 1 x 15" cabinet $600. PeaveyButcher 100 Watt Tube Amp head $250. Peavey Triumph 120watt combo amp with one 12" speaker $300. Call Ben 2 954-871-5142Drums: Tama. Four mounted toms. One Floor 16x22 bass.5x14 walnut snare. New heads, stands double pedal. Paiste& Zildgian cymbals. $500 305-829-1553Zoom player 3000s advanced guitar effects processor $175 –Alesis SR-16 drum machine with floor pedals $150 – PeaveyPA powered mixer series 300CH $225 – Peavey PA speakers(2) Model 210 $175 – Pignose guitar amp $70 – Fender vibrochamp guitar amph $175 – Charvelette electric guitar, custompaint job with hard case $350 Call Billy 305-854-9253Custom Type 3 Spaun Trans-purple burst finish 6 Pc Drum setwith 5 Zildgian Cymbals and stands, Pearl Snare, high hat, anddrum stool $3200. Priced to sell. Check out www.spuandrums.com.Crown Ultra Tech 2020 power amplifier $200. Call Ben 954-871-5142MISC WANTEDDo you have any old issues of RAG Magazine? We are looking tocomplete our archives! Please e-mail us with what issues youhave. We are looking for 2000 and earlier. info@ragmagazine.com56| DEC RAG MAGAZINE

GUITAR REPAIRAcclaimed Luthier, Larry Lashbrook is back in town! Mr.Lashbrook is renowned in all phases of Luthiery; he isparticularly adept in setting up your guitar to play the wayyou never dreamed possible. If you are unfamiliar with Mr.Lashbrook’s work, you may ask to see some of the guitars hehas made over the last 40+ years & to read what numerousother noted musicians have written about him. Call Larry inFt. Lauderdale at 954-767-2155 – SEE OUR AD ON THE BACKCOVER!D Guitars Miami. Full-service repair and manufacturing shopsince 1988. No job too big or small. Electronics, fretwork,finishes, broken headstocks rebuilt, custom craftedinstruments, etc. D Guitars Miami can do it all, acoustic,electric, guitar or bass. Authorized service center for Fender,Jackson/Charvel, Taylor, and more. 305-947-1195.www.myspace.com/dguitarsmiamiINSTRUMENT REPAIRResurrection Drums is the only authorized service centerfor every major drum manufacturer in the SE USA. Repairs,Recoveries, Vintage restoration, and Custom Drum Building.All work Guaranteed! 954-457-9020YOURADHERE!954-234-2888www.RAGmagazine.com | 57

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