Static Live Magazine May 2020

ROCK’S TOP
5
Most
Memorable
Jesus
Moments
NEIGHBORHOOD
CONFIDENTIAL
QUARANTINE 2020
VISIONARY INTENTIONS FOR 2020
Babbs in
Toyland
Halsey
AWARD WINNING SINGER
why it’s important to
know the real Ken Babbs
FEATURE ARTIST
GARY KROMAN

Oh My...Goddess
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Kenzie
Hi, I’m Kenzie!! I’m from Tampa, Florida. I’m really passionate about
health
Hi, I’m and
Kenzie!! fitness and
I’m from my favorite
Tampa, thing
Florida. to do
I’m with
really my free
passionate time is
about
to
hang
health out
and with
fitness my friends
and my at
favorite the beach
thing and
to swim
do with in the
my ocean
free time for hours!
is to
I
hang grew up
out listening
with my to
friends all of
at the
the ‘80s
beach music
and and
swim it holds
in the a special
ocean for place
hours!
in
my
I grew heart,
up but
listening I also love
to all listening
of the ‘80s to pop,
music R&B
and and
it holds country.
a special place in
my heart, but I also love listening to pop, R&B and country.
In the future, I plan to go to college while also sticking with my modeling
career
In the and,
future, hopefully
I plan to one
go day,
to college own my
while own
also business.
sticking My
with dream
my in
model-
life is
to
ing travel
career the
and, world
hopefully and see as
one many
day, own countries
my own as possible.
business. My dream in
life is to travel the world and see as many countries as possible.
The old song says “shine a light on me”, but what
kind of light should you have shine on you? I
remember running up and down the road with no
less than 50 par cans and 8-16 pin spots for many
of the bands I played with. We traveled the circuit
a few years ago in big box trucks that would hold
our large PAs and light shows. It would take all day
just to set up the show; we would hang lights from
large trusses or, when we were lucky, there were
some bars that already had them installed in the
ceiling. Most of the time, we would just hang the
truss from the bar because it was a lot easier; but
if a club did not have bars we would have to find a
beam in the ceiling to hang a chain from to hold the
truss. Things have changed a lot since those days.
Bands are no longer required to bring a light show
at all. In fact, a light show in many clubs now is 3-4
spotlights shining on the stage.
SO, DO YOU WANT A LIGHT TO SHINE ON YOU?
The good news is, lights are more affordable and better
looking than ever. For less than $1000 a band can have a
small but effective show. You can get a Chauvet GigBAR
2 4-in-1 lighting system with stand for $499.99 which
has pars, lasers and strobes all on one bar and comes
with the mounting bar, foot switch, bag and remote. If
you just want an easy color wash show, Chauvet 4BAR
Quad RGBA LED Wash System has a transceiver that
lets your 4BAR Quad receive wireless DMX from your D-Fi
hub, or even your smartphone, for $549. If you’d rather
set up your own show with a bunch of pars they offer
an ADJ Mega Flat Pak Plus RGB+UV Par Package (8-
pack) for $799, or one at a time for $100 each. You can
also add some effect lights like the Chauvet’s Kinta FX
($149) which does strobes, derby and laser effects. To
make a show look great, smoke machines add a lot but
they can make club owners mad if you use too much.
You can pick up cheap Halloween machines for as low as
$40 but a nice one will set you back at least $150.
I hope these tips give you a head start on putting a light
on you at your next show.
Randy Pepper is a guitarist for hire
and the owner of the Guitar Attic in
Holly Hill.

“Music has healing power. It has the
ability to take people out of
themselves for a few hours.”
~ Elton John
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Oh My Goddess
A Day in the Life of a Gigging Musician
Cover Story - Halsey
Wake up Dead Man -
Rock’s Most Memorable Jesus Moments
Musical Innuendoes - Boudoir Beats
Babbs in Toyland
Quarantine 2020
On the Block - More Goin’ on Than Stacy’s
Mom
Art Feature - Gary Kroman
Shine a Light on Me
Behind the Mic
Surf’s Up
The Greatest Guitarist?
Appetite for the Blues
Rocktails
Metal Compost
Static Live Media Group, LLC
STUDIOS
DREAM. CREATE.
927 S. Ridgewood Ave., Suite A5
Edgewater, FL 32132
386-847-2716 www.staticlivemag.com
Sean Impara, Publisher
Billy Chapin, Co-Publisher
Jenny McLain, Editor
Jamie Lee, Graphic Artist
Lindsay Kroman, Graphic Artist
COVER ART BY GARY KROMAN
© 2020, Static Live Media Group, LLC. All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form by any
means electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the authors.
Making great music since 1999
For scheduling, Contact Sean at (386) 847-2716

Halsey
By The Reluctant Genius
It seems that some people just have the total
package; great looks, a killer voice and the big
machine to help sell records. Madonna, Brit
tney, Taylor - they all had it and the list
can go on and on.
Sure, there are guys that have it too
but women seem to really take it to
another level when it comes to breaking
out and becoming famous.
Recently another star had made
some waves in putting out good
music. While maybe a little under
the radar compared to the others,
there’s no doubt that this month’s
featured artist has all the tools to
be a superstar. With several hits
already under her, belt it’s just a
matter of time before she becomes a
little more of a household name.
American singer and songwriter Halsey was born
Ashley Nicolette Frangipane on September 29,
1994. She gained attention from self-released mu
sic on social media platforms and was signed by
Astralwerks in 2014. She released her debut EP, Room
93, later that year.
Halsey has since earned one number-one album on the
Billboard 200 with Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017),
as well as two, number-two albums with Badlands (2015) and
Manic (2020). She has earned two number-one singles on the
Billboard Hot 100, including “Closer”, a collaboration with The
Chainsmokers, and “Without Me”. She has also attained a top-five
single with “Bad at Love”. In total, Halsey has sold over one million
albums and has been streamed over six billion times in the United States.
All three of her studio albums have been supported by a headlining tour.
Halsey is noted for her distinctive singing voice.Her awards and nominations include
four Billboard Music Awards, one American Music Award, one GLAAD Media Award,
three Guinness World Records, an MTV Video Music Award and two Grammy Award
nominations. Outside of her career, she has been involved in suicide prevention awareness
and sexual assault victim advocacy.
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Boudoir Beats
Boudoir is my absolute favorite genre of photography. It’s
empowering, liberating, and just downright fun. The sexual
female form has been photographed as early as the 1840’s and,
thankfully, continues to be photographed to this day. Ladies (
and men!) your sexuality is primal and the most natural form of
expression you have. OWN IT!
When photographing Boudoir I like to set the mood with a playlist
inspired by my Boudoir Babe’s personal tastes. Before they
even set foot in our private studio we ask them to answer a
brief questionnaire where they get to let me know their preferences.
I’m always pleasantly surprised by the answers I receive.
Some women love country as it sets them at ease. When this
is the case I throw on Pandora’s Taylor Swift station or their
Country Built station. Songs like “What Happens in a Small
Town” by Brantly Gilbert and Lindsay Ell can be incredibly fitting
considering you have every right for what happens in the studio
to stay in the studio (heck ya model releases!).
But if you’re looking for some girl power really any song by
Taylor Swift will do. One of my favorite Boudoir Babes, the lovely
M., responded to “What is your favorite genre of music?” with
“girrrrrl, i love gucci, 6lack, kendrick, drake, da baby, HIP HOP”.
I had yet to meet this client but knew immediately she was going
to be an absolute blast! When this happens, you’ll find me playing
Pandora’s Cardi B, 90’s Hip Hop, and Trap Radio stations. 504
Boyz and Booty Wurk stations sometimes finds its way into the
mix.
Music has this crazy way of sparking emotion and setting a
mood. Music can either make my clients incredibly uncomfortable
or let their wild side fly. It’s one of the most important
parts of a session with Boudoir by Lunar Studio.
Excellent music selection isn’t the only perk of a Boudoir session.
My Boudoir babes all receive an aromatherapy neck wrap
while sipping champagne and receiving a full make-over from
my professional hair & make-up team.
While you’re being pampered I go through your lingerie, chunky
sweaters, and sexy stilettos and pick the right scene for each.
Once you’re glammed up we spend an hour & a half shooting
where I coach and pose you. Two weeks later you come to the
studio for your reveal where we celebrate YOU and pick your
products. My clients describe this experience as empowering,
liberating, and something every woman needs to experience.
My favorite Boudoir jam suggestion: Slow Jamz by Twista. Not
only is it a sexy song it gives some great artist suggestions to
add to your Boudoir playlist.
What music makes you feel sexy, uninhibited, and care-free?
Join our private, women’s only VIP group on Facebook and let
me know the songs you feel drip sexuality.
Search for Boudoir by Lunar Studio, answer a few questions,
and connect with my former and future Boudoir Babes.
By Samantha Tribble
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Photography by Samantha Tribble of Lunar Studio, Boudoir by Lunar Studio
Boudoir Photography: Intimate, sensual, & romantic style of photography in a studio or bedroom setting
typically meant for a partner.
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Quarantine 2020
In January I dubbed 2020 the year
of the visionary. Although it may
not look this way, I wasn’t far off.
I just had no idea we would be
given such a surreal opportunity to
open our eyes in this manner. If you
know me, you know I’m a treasure
hunter of the gems of the journey.
For those of you on lockdown with
me, let’s take a moment together to
sift and probe through the chaos and
see what treasures we can behold from it.
Let’s ask ourselves what jewels of
wisdom and insight we can personally
form from under the pressure of this
rare and precious time in our strange
lives.
Without denying the insurmountable
uncertainty, grief and pain of those on
the front lines of this virus who are experiencing loss,
actively fighting for survival or putting their lives at risk
daily, I want to start by saying not all of us are having the
same experiences and it may be difficult for some to see any
blessings at this time. Even if we aren’t on the front lines or
suffering with symptoms, we are all deep in it my friends
and it is our job as the isolated and the quarantined to count
our blessings and make those blessings count! We are the
ones who must hold fast to a vision of health and peace of
mind so we can hold up those who are carrying the heavy
load and not add to it ourselves.
Like me, you may be bubbling over with appreciation so
let’s take a collective moment to acknowledge our everyday
heroes: the first responders, respiratory specialists, nurses,
doctors, janitors and sanitation workers who are all on
active duty in hospitals and buildings across the globe. Let’s
send our appreciation to those essential workers who have
made our comfort in quarantine possible and our time at
home more bearable. They are the ones assisting our economy
in functioning during a time when we desperately need
them most: the farmers, grocery store, mega store and
gas station attendants, warehouse workers, truck
drivers, garbage men, restaurant employees, the print,
postal, utility and delivery services, the health care
angels caring for our elderly, the teachers who are creating
lesson plans and remote teaching our
children…we see you! Let us acknowledge the
unseen heroes too: the stay at home parents
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By Candice
Beu
How amazing is that?! What a beautiful exchange to be
part of as fellow human beings! If you haven’t yet, take part
in some of these events or create an event yourself! They
will change your day for the better. When this is all over, I
think everyone deserves a standing ovation, big hugs and a
parade.
Although we may not always agree, can’t we still send
prayers and gratitude towards our politicians and scientists,
our journalists and analysts who are under pressure to
provide up to date data and create solutions to uncommon
problems? We may not have all the information but what we
do have is each other and hopefully our sensibilities. Stay
heart centered and remember to take breaths and breaks
from the intensity. Don’t allow fear of the unknown to warp
your sense of reality or good judgement. Keep in mind we
are all human. Give our representatives a break and pray for
their health and wisdom during this stressful time. There
will always be those who choose to take advantage, hurt
others and be negative and nasty online and in public spac -
es, but we don’t have to fall into that pattern ourselves.
We can choose to do better. What we are actually
seeing, when you actively look for it, is that
there are far more positive forces out
weighing the negative out there,
and that’s an incredible vision to
witness being brought to light
this year. Even if we aren’t experiencing
this time in the same
exact ways, it is clear that
we have been given a massive
opportunity to relate more
compassionately to one
another in ways we
hadn’t before. Perhaps
now we can more
easily grasp the
fact that what
we do and
how we
do it truly
does affects
others and our
world at large.
Perhaps we may learn
to appreciate and treat
each other a little bit better
each day. It hasbecome quite
apparent that there is no end
date in sight and we are all in this
together. We each play an important
role to how this
all unfolds. The fact that we are able to
see how much we rely on each other to a
We can clearly look at our global footprint right now, our
impact on nature and the impact nature has on us and that
realization is priceless. This Pandemic is a great equalizer
among the consciousness of the people of our planet. Unlike
when a natural disaster (like a Hurricane) occurs, it’s not
just our town or our state that is affected, but it’s our entire
country and every country around the world feeling the
effects. All humanity (regardless of race, religion, or politics)
is experiencing similar monumental shifts in their day
to day reality at this time. This unprecedented moment in
our history is presenting itself in some of the darkest waves
of fear and some of the highest peaks of love and light like
no other time in our lives. Let us surf these tides with eyes
wide open.
To reiterate my January article: h
I am still claiming 2020 as the year of the Visionary. For those
who want to make a difference in your quarantine, in your little
corner of the world, I encourage you to dive right into the eye of
this storm we face together. Seek first your peace, then seek your
active duty, and your visual acuity therein. Don’t waste this time
of potential emotional, relational, spiritual and artistic transcendence.
Do something great with it! Again, if you will, please
declare with me my visionary intentions for 2020:
1. To segment our time and hone in with clarity on new ways to
achieve our daily visionary goals.
2. To be an exceptional, inspiring and unforgettable experience for
our fellow humans...from our living room stages, online pages, in
our homes and out in the world.
3. To see the ordinary become extraordinary through our own
personal lenses.
4. To become artists whose medium is life itself.
5. To remember that what is inside and outside of us are inseparable.
May we witness the effects our actions and behaviors have on
others and make changes wherever necessary.
6. To express our highest, most loving potential in our days and
what is most worth expressing in our creations, the inexpressible.
7. To harmoniously balance our raw humanity with our spiritual
and creative natures.
8. To be thankful, kind, loving, vulnerable and limitless in our
capacity for generosity, compassion, and forgiveness while still
maintaining our personal boundaries (6 ft apart!)
9. To be brave enough to see and be seen with new eyes during
this rare time of life.
10. To listen better and make more room for silence in our day. To
be more aware of how we choose to communicate and connect to
ourselves, our earth and all our relationships.
In very practical ways we can grow as a collective right now while
finding the healthy balance within. Start by being the change you
want to see come out of all of this and remember the “blessons”
of what we are learning from this time of crisis. Let us empower,
envision and propel ourselves into a more loving, creative, compassionate
and equal society in the days to come. I encourage you
to be smart, stay home, stay safe and stay connected! Keep shining
your light, keep singing your song, keep sharing the laughs, keep
opening your hearts, keep spreading the love and keep
creating your life’s work and music. As a dearly departed
friend of mine used to say “keep keeping on”.
ones and teens, doing
massive loads of laundry,
shopping, cooking and
cleaning as well as providing
emotional comfort…and those
working and single parents who
are juggling it all while still managing
to provide during lean times, either from
home or out in the workplace… We see
you too. We appreciate you all.
I’d also like to personally thank those providing our content
streaming services, giving us equal parts entertainment and
the much needed escapism we crave right now.To those
active on social media connecting us to comedy, to our
spiritual and creative outlets, to our exercise, dance, mediation
and yoga teachers, to our entertainers and musician
friends (who are individually and voluntarily pouring out
live events from their homes into ours daily), I love you for
it! You bring us just a little bit closer together and that is so
kind and generous of you. All these wonderful, selfless people
are working overtime with no raise in pay, to bring us
smiles and keep us afloat mentally, to help balance our sense
of normalcy and peaceful reality. Please show them your
monetary appreciation if and when you can. They often
provide links for tipping and support. Folks everywhere are
who have been taking on quadruple duty in in
stepping up to their highest creative potential in brotherly
greater degree than we could ever admit
love to help their neighbors stabilize and survive this time.
house holds, entertaining and teaching little before is something special.
I love you all.
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More Going on than Stacy’s Mom
By Jenny McLain
One of the musicians who has been taken from
us recently was Adam Schlesinger of Fountains
of Wayne. He died on April 1, 2020 at the age of
52 from complications related to the Coronavirus.
He and Fountains of Wayne are well known
for “Stacy’s Mom” but there is so much more to
the story of this eclectic musician and songwriter.
He wrote the one-hit wonder song by “The
Wonders” in the Tom Hanks movie “That Thing
You Do!”, which led to nominations for a Golden
Globe and an Academy Award. He also won
three Emmys for his work in television on shows
like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”.
His IMDb profile outlines 74 soundtrack credits,
14 composer credits and 25 music department
credits. He wrote for Crank Yankers, A Colbert
Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, Saturday
Night Live, The Howard Stern Show, Kathy Griffin,
Sarah Silverman’s Perfect Night, the Emmy
Awards, Ice Age: Continental Drift, The Jay Leno
Show . . . the list goes on and on.
His talent goes so much further. It makes me
ANGRY that he’s most known for that.”
To me, Adam Schlesinger is a classic example
of the age-old story of an artist being known
for something commercially, which is probably
not even their favorite or best effort. Warrant’s
Janie Lane had five albums reaching over $10
million in international sales, yet he regretted
“Cherry Pie”; Harrison Ford is reportedly not a
fan of “Bladerunner”; Billy Joel didn’t like “We
Didn’t Start the Fire”, going so far as to call it
the worst melody he had ever written. Yet, the
commercial success of these not-so-favorite
works brings fans and attention to other, more
favorite projects.
In honor of Adam, Fountains of Wayne performed
at a benefit called “Jersey 4 Jersey”,
which is raising funds for Covid-19 relief. It is
available for one month at fountainsofwayne.
bandcamp.com.
My friend who suggested I write about him put it
this way, “He’s the only reason I was ever interested
in ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’.
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theBlock
On

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Behind the Mic: Riggs
95.7 the Hog, Daytona Beach
Hello, friends!
Well, things are weird, right?! In the midst of this
altered world I have found myself digging deep for
ways to pass the minutes. If you too have found
yourself striving to find fun to fill the social interaction
void, I may have something for you. Try any or
all of these options and perhaps you’ll find an easier
path to ride out the eventual return to normalcy.
I call ‘em “RIGGS’ BOREDOM ANNIHILATORS”!
•Alphabetize the items in your refrigerator
•With just some blank cardboard, a Sharpie and
some candle wax, you can make your own scratchoff
lottery tickets. You’ll be a winner every time!
•Tease a bird with a worm farm on your window sill
•Make a list of your favorite body sounds
•Read all the labels you’ve overlooked
•Stand in your yard and try to control your neighbor
with your mind
•Start a VLOG about your passion for velcro
•Pickle something
•Blast a Rage Against The Machine album while
blowing soap bubbles
•Plan a vacation for a stranger then mail them the
itinerary and just laugh at their confusion
•Build a palace for your cat out of wine bottles,
packing tape and old bed pillows.
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•Go on a drinking binge… with Faygo Red
Pop.
•Google the Laws of Physics then challenge several
of them in your kitchen
•Start writing a musical about your life. Potential
titles could be “You’ve Got To Be Kidding” or “Too
Many Buttons”
•Change your Facebook photo every 4 hours
•Select a movie from Netflix and write a scathing review
of it prior to watching it. Then write a retraction
and mail a copy to a local zoo
•Start your own zoo in your garage with just insects.
Don’t forget, signage and names are important
•Wash and dry your socks one at a time
•Binge-cook pancakes. When you think you have
made enough, keep going. Don’t be a quitter
•Glue googly eyes on your stapler and engage it in a
heated argument
•Try new combinations of deli meats and cake icing
•Delete your phone contacts then try to rebuild it
with cell numbers you remember
•Try to wash your hands in the dark and use your
sense of smell to find the soap
•Stitch your initials into ALL of your shirts
•Put 10 Marshmallow Peeps on each blade of your
ceiling fan, lay flat on your back on your bed and
have a friend turn it on. Bonus points for catching
one on your tongue!
•Sing the National Anthem into an empty shampoo
bottle
•Write a poem about static electricity then read it to
your dog
•Shout lines from your favorite movies at passing
cars
•Practice different levels of shrugging
•Label your cutlery
•Spray adhesive on a tennis ball and show off your
“magic” skills to the neighborhood children
•Yell obscenities at fish
•Inventory your pens
•Put a wet sponge in a food dehydrator and see what
the hell happens. Then craft a song about it
•Swap your light bulbs with ones you drew faces on
•Cut your ex out of old photos and replace with
headshots from the cast of CSI: Las Vegas
•“Stone Cold” 8 beers then run around your car
chanting the lyrics to AC/DC’s “Have A Drink On
Me”
•Count all of your electrical outlets then give them
hilarious nicknames
•Rank your favorite nuts
•Learn how to snap a dish towel then create a You-
Tube channel to display your skills
•Invent a new use for styrofoam blocks
•Take an online non-credit short course then brag
to your friends that you have detention after an “altercation
with your proctor”
•Play wiffle ball in your shower
•Flex in front of a mirror and refer to your biceps as
“arm-goiters”
•Learn to crochet and then make a blanket with the
message “Don’t Backsass Me” woven in. Give it to a
grandparent as a holiday gift
•Tape a gallon ziplock bag to your abdomen, fill it
with old bananas then skip around wondering what it
would be like to be a marsupial
•Play Monopoly alone and cheat on the hotels
•Piss away hours watching videos online then write a
pamphlet on how to Purell your eyes
•Waste your breath. It’s yours, you’re the boss
•Insist on being called “Captain” but wear an Admiral’s
hat. It will drive your boating friends loco
I got hundreds more but we’ll start there and see how
you navigate that bunch. If you have some of your
own to add, send them to me via Static Live. Or just
write them in the margin here with a crayon. Until we
can party in the streets again, I hope you stay safe and
stay responsibly socially distant.
Cheers!
BEHIND THE MIC
RIGGS - THE MORNING HOG / SATURDAY
NIGHT LOUD
95.7 The HOG, Daytona Beach
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1. The members of the pop group 3T are all relatives of this legendary
pop icon.
2. Which band recorded an album in a California house where a mass
murder occurred?
3. President George W. Bush once called this artist “the biggest threat
to American youth since polio”.
4. Keanu Reeves was a founding member and bassist for this group.
5. Who is the first artist known for using Auto-Tune vocal distortion?
6. In 2014, music producer initiated legal action against which singer?
7. Where is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame located?
8. Which pop superstar grew up on a Christmas tree farm?
9. What is Fergie’s real first name?
10. What is the name of the rapper who hosted MTVs “Pimp my Ride”?
11. Legendary rock band AC/DC originates from this country.
12. What hard-core rocker is known for taking ballet lessons?
13. Lady Gaga got her name from a song performed by this band.
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14. Michael Stipe was the lead singer for which group?
31

Neighborhood Confidential
Part I Growing Sideways With The Florida Blues
When you’re a kid, the secret life you live in the
neighborhood away from your parents tends to
mold you in ways that isn’t about growing up so
much as it is about growing “sideways”. Your parents
knew what you needed, but your secret life in the
neighborhood provided you with what you wanted.
“There’s a dude plays harmonica over in the project
called Willie ‘Fat Lips’ Smith you need to check
out.” My friend Craig Bradley told me about him
one day at Babe Ruth baseball practice. “Says he
played with B.B. King on the streets up in Memphis.
I’ll introduce him to you.”
So, one Saturday morning I met Craig at his dad’s
place and “Fat Lips” was already there hangin’ with
Mr. Bradley in the kitchen. Craig made introductions
and “Fat Lips” pulled out his harp and started
blowing the train time riff. He made that thing
sound good! When he was finished he asked if I
could bend the notes. I said I don’t think so. He
said, “Well, draw down on that second hole and
make it sound lower”. I tried but I couldn’t do it.
He said, “Can’t play no blues if you can’t bend them
notes.” I tried again but couldn’t get it to go “low”.
He said, “Listen at me again.” He did it again and
it sounded so cool but I couldn’t get it. He told me
to practice with a piano by playing a white note
then the adjacent black note. “Them black notes is
the blues”. “Ok, I have a friend who has a piano”.
We said our goodbyes and all the way home I kept
thinking about the black notes being the blues. I had
never thought about it like that before but it was
like the blues was sideways to all the other music. It
was like sliding over to get a better look. I practiced
till my lips bled and finally got the idea by listening
over and over to certain harmonica riffs by Sonny
Boy Williamson at half speed on my turntable with
headphones on.
The Bittersweet Blues Band was a trio of native
Daytona Beach musicians. With Pete Carr on guitar,
Lenny Leblanc on bass and lead vocals and the
late Tommy Ruger on drums they were to be the
first Blues outfit I would see perform in a teen club
setting.
The year was 1968. The location was the Daytona
Main Street Pier.
The “Pier” was a unique “teen” venue for all the
great local groups. For a one dollar cover charge
and at twenty-five cents a soda you could hear two
bands on two different stages! The night I heard the
Bittersweet Blues Band, I also heard a revamped
version of the Nightcrawlers. My late friend, Floyd
Miles played the Pier on a regular basis with “The
Houserockers”. Floyd literally taught Greg Allman
to sing R&B and the Blues, and would later become
a Kingsnake Records (based in Sanford, Florida)
recording artist and tour with Allman before Floyd
passed away on January 25, 2018.
The most important Blues venue in Volusia County
during the 70’s and 80’s was Mac’s Famous Bar located
on A1A in Daytona Beach Shores. Talk about
a who’s who: Canned Heat, Elvin Bishop, The Nighthawks,
Papa John Creach, Iron Butterfly, Vassar
Clements, The Ventures, Erwin Helfer, Odie Payne
Jr., Angela Brown, Noble “Thin Man” Watts, Bob
Margolin, Cowboy, Jimmy Thackery, Jules Verne
Auto Supply, The Curtis Willis Band (with Daytona
legends Billy Bowers and the late Bruce Parker
on guitars) The Midnight Creepers (Bob Greenlee
on bass, Ernie Lancaster and Steve Shanholtzer on
guitars, Scott Corwin on drums, yours truly on harmonica
and vocals) and of course, Greg Allman all
performed in concert there.
Mac’s would also book local and touring acts on a
seven night a week basis. Largely because of their
entertainment policy you could make a living as a
professional blues musician in Daytona Beach. It
was time I set out on my own and take advantage
of what my local heroes had shown me as a path to
success as a Blues Professional.
Part II A Room with a View
© by Mark “MuddyHarp” Hodgson -Appetite For the Blues
My old man brought home a record album after a
night of drinking that would alter my perception of
what adults did when they went out for a night on
the town.
If my dad was around when I tried to play the record
on the family Hi-Fi he would stop me, “that record
isn’t for you”. Well, that’s all the encouragement
I needed to secretly put it on the turntable whenever
my parents weren’t around. By today’s standards it
was pretty tame but to a 13 year old it was racy stuff.
The real impact was realizing Houston and Dorsey
performed on the beachside in Daytona at the Kings
Cellar in the Americana Hotel.
The next experience that would shape my early life
as a future musician was driving on A1A in the back
seat of our 1967 Plymouth Fury and passing the
Castaways Motel seeing the billboard advertising
“Tommy Brown and the Nashville Mustangs Nitely”.
“We started there in the Castaway’s Torchlight
Room, then they built The Barn for us — we made
’em a lot of money” [From 1967-89, Brown lived
in an upstairs efficiency at the Castaway and took
the elevator down to work, six night a week at first,
then five] according to Ken Willis in a 2013 article
for the Daytona News Journal. Tommy lived at the
Castaways during that time....Light Bulb!! I bet he
had a room with a view.
I became obsessed with performing someday on the
beachside in Daytona and living at the motel. Any
motel.
Neither one of aforementioned performers played
the blues. As a matter of fact I wasn’t aware of any
group on the beachside that was exclusively a blues
act. The Allman Brothers influenced a ton of my
contemporaries but the scope of how much blues
was being played by local acts was usually limited to
covers of Stormy Monday or Statesboro Blues. I saw
an opening and my path was set was set.
Being a vocalist and harmonica player gave me the
edge I needed to reach my lofty goal of achieving
the elusive “room with a view”.
One of the greatest perks a musician can bargain
for in a performance contract is having rooms
included in the deal. When you are on the road it is
essential. Traveling to a strange town is hard enough
and having a place to park your van or truck makes
your road life much more enjoyable... even if the
rooms provided are dumps, (which is more times
than not the case). I would play for less money if
a venue would provide at least two rooms in the
deal. The beauty of working at a hotel or motel was
it was all in house and usually not deducted from
the final paycheck. It was a win win for all parties:
the venue knew how to keep an eye on you and you
could relax. You could take the elevator down to the
lounge and rehearse the band during the day or just
hang out at the pool. The only downside was keeping
track of your “tab”. This could be dangerous for
some band members. I knew guys that would end
up with 200 or 300 dollar room charge or bar bills
at the end of the week. When you’re only making
that much to begin with there isn’t much to send
home.
With a little discipline you could do pretty well. I
guess that’s why the blues has always been a joyous
music to me. B.B. King played big hotels all the time
when he was alive....I bet he always had “a room
with a view”. Hell, he liked the view so much he
owned a home in Las Vegas.

Trivia Answers
1. The members of the pop group 3T are all relatives of this legendary pop icon.
A: Michael Jackson
2. Which band recorded an album in a California house where a mass murder occurred?
A: Nine Inch Nails
3. President George W. Bush once called this artist “the biggest threat to American youth since
polio”.
A: Eminem
4. Keanu Reeves was a founding member and bassist for this group.
A: Dogstar
5. Who is the first artist known for using Auto-Tune vocal distortion?
A: Cher
6. In 2014, music producer initiated legal action against which singer?
A: Kesha
7. Where is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame located?
A: Cleveland, Ohio
8. Which pop superstar grew up on a Christmas tree farm?
A: Taylor Swift
9. What is Fergie’s real first name?
A: Stacie
10. What is the name of the rapper who hosted MTVs “Pimp my Ride”?
A: Xzibit
11. Legendary rock band AC/DC originates from this country.
A: Australia
12. What hard-core rocker is known for taking ballet lessons?
A: Mick Jagger
13. Lady Gaga got her name from a song performed by this band.
A: Queen
36
14. Michael Stipe was the lead singer for which group?
A: REM
37

38
RAT STICK, FREEZE, MADTOWN, RHYTHUM OF FEAR
Jan, 23 2020…. tir Na nOg Irish pub in Daytona held an EP release party
for the “Combo Metal” band Infiltrate. Rat Stick aggressively opened the
show and got the crowd moving quick. Freeze, from PA, showcased their
slamming hardcore skills. Madtown mixed some thrash with hardcore
style. Infiltrate shred their set with a mix of death metal, hardcore and
punk. Rhythm of Fear capped off the show with some blasting drums
and killer bass. Hope to see a lot more local Metal Shows this year …
NEW SCHOOL ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Body Count - Formed 1990 in LA
Seven Albums:
“Body Count” - 1992
“Born Dead” - 1994
“Violent Demise: The Last Dayz” -1997
“Murder For Hire” - 2006
“Manslaughter” - 2014
“Blood Lust” - 2017
“Carnivore” - 2020 - 30 Years (Released 3-6-20)
Crossover Thrash, Hardcore Punk, Speed Metal
March 6, 2020 marks the release of Body Count’s seventh studio album
“Carnivore”. Ice-T and Ernie C have done it once again in true Body
Count fashion. Slamming, chunky guitar riffs, violent lyrics and some
gut pounding percussions, tracks like “No Remorse” and “The Hate Is
Real” are a couple of heavy examples. “Carnivore” also has a few collaborations
with artists Riley Gale “Power Trip”, Jamey Jasta “Hatebreed”
and Amy Lee “Evanescence”. Formed in Los Angeles, California in 1990,
Body Count and 62 year-old Ice-T show no signs of slowing down and
are true badasses. The last track on “Carnivore” is an unreleased demo
“6 In The Morning”, a must listen to for sure. 1987 motion picture
“Colors”, which Ice-T did the track for, gets remixed “Body Count” style.
Hell, they even cover the great Motorhead, paying homage to Lemmy
with “Ace of Spades”. Body Count In The House MUTHAF*%#!%…\m/
Released on Century Media Records, I highly recommend picking up
this gem!
OLD SCHOOL ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Influenced by the theatrics of Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden , Los Angeles
based power/heavy metal band Lizzy Borden’s debut album “ Love
You To Pieces” is what the 80’s traditional metal sound was all about .
Released in 1985 on Metal Blade Records , “Love You To Pieces” dueling
guitar attack and singer Lizzy Borden’s (not the early 19th century axe
wielding female murderer of the same name) ear piercing vocals resembled
other L.A. acts at that time such as W.A.S.P . This is an extremely
overlooked album featuring metal massacre classics “ Rod Of Iron “,
“Red Rum” , “ Psychopath “ “ Flesheater “ and the metal anthem “ American
Metal “ . Just like the classic poem “Lizzy Borden took an axe and
gave her mother forty whacks / When she saw what she had done / She
gave her father forty -one “ . Precious lyrics indeed .
FLAUNT is based out of Port Orange, FL.

3401 S. Atlantic Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169 386-423-8787
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
Reopening Monday, May 4 th !
We will be reopening the doors at Chases
on the Beach with 6ft apart seating,
social distancing and following all the
rules to keep our staff and guests safe!
Can’t wait to see everyone!
Join us for a special Mother’s Day music
festival on Sunday, May 10 th .
Drink specials all day
Full bar and menu
Five bands starting at 2pm (lineup TBA)
Presented by: