LOCAL REPORT: Entropy Then & Now (Pt. 2)

Entropy disbanded for a while after a disappointing run in a "Battle of the Bands" competition, held at Yesterday's Draught House and Stage. They were, by all accounts, the band to beat, and were taken out in the third round.

"When the air leaves the room...you can't force this shit," Wood says about their performance in the final round. Prior to the battle, Williams had left the band because of creative issues, and Corey Roth filled in on guitar to help out with the upcoming battle. Wood says he got frustrated with everything, and then he had to leave for work, so he put everything on hold.

When he came back, Roth wanted to try and form a different band without him playing guitar, but being on vocals, so Hercules, Wood, and Roth tried working on that for a while. But Roth had a lot of projects, and the new one didn't work out. Wood and Hercules began jamming together, and then they started playing Entropy tunes. Fahner lived with Wood, so he would jam with them, and Wood began realizing that what they were slowly crawling towards was re-forming Entropy. Wood spoke to Williams about rejoining the band, and he decided to give it a try.

But this was a new Entropy. Before they broke up, Hercules was having financial problems, Williams wasn't in a good place in his life, and neither was Wood. Now, Hercules has a good job at a local gaming center, Williams is married and expecting his first child, and Wood has a good job and more dedication to the music.

"Even when we started that new project, it was forced. I had a lot of emotion in Entropy, and it felt a lot better to come back to this," explains Wood. "We've been through a lot with this band even though we've only played a handful of shows. It just feels better, I take a lot of personal pride in Entropy. I just want us to be the best we can be and the best we can be is pretty goddamn good."

He knows that Entropy has a lot of good music to make, and demands nothing but the best. "I want the best for me, and what's best for all of us is...I don't want us to suck, I don't want us to be mediocre. If you wanna be lazy, be lazy on Sunday when you don't wanna mow your grass, not when you play your guitar."

When asked about the addition of Jason Fahner (aka "The Kernel") to the band, everyone has positive things to say. Williams says that the shift from going to an all male band has been a positive one, because they are all about the music, and not what they look like on stage. "It's a guy thing," was the easiest way he could explain it.

Wood appreciates the fact that he can have theoretic conversations with Fahner, and he can adapt to changes in a new song or an existing song without much problem. Hercules agreed, saying that Fahner's knowledge of music, music theory, his own instrument, and his ability to adapt has been positive for the writing of new songs, and the tweaking of old ones.

Fahner discovered Entropy in a rather accidental way. "A copy of the three song demo mysteriously appeared on my coffee table one day," he says. "I became hooked on the band out of my personal interest in the second law of thermodynamics (entropy) and death metal. I met Justin when another band I'm still involved with began practicing at the old Compound," which is the nickname for whatever home Wood lives in and the band practices in.

"Every now and then, we'd discuss music theory, Steven Hawking, and listen to some of the most bad-assed tunes imaginable. Ultimately, with the reformation, I was offered the spot to play bass and immediately accepted."

When asked how he feels about being in Entropy, Fahner says that this band has pushed him to play harder, and learn more than in his other projects. "The technicality of the band and the uncompromising attitude has helped me work on my chops a bit, and it's helped out in the other projects I'm involved with. Dan, we're like Rush brothers here, Justin, he's the most crazy, intelligent redneck I've ever met," which is met by a thunderous round of laughter, "John is one of the most awesome people I've ever known." Needless to say, he feels right at home with this band.

Entropy has a show on September 13th at the VooDoo Lounge on Wheeling Island, where they will be re-releasing their CD, Godless Demise, in conjunction with Death Star Records, an independent label operating out of Charleston.

"We never had an official release party, we just rushed and put the CD out." The CD was originally recorded in the Summer of 2007 at Sacred Sound Studio in Martins Ferry, Ohio. It was a five-song EP, and the band managed to have it packaged in less than a week. This time, they will have an official CD release party, and sharing the stage with Beckley's Liquid Filth and Disobey from Wheeling. Fahner is a bassist in both Disobey and Entropy, so he will be pulling double duty that evening.

The re-release will be the "Godless Demise" CD, and the original 3-song demo, remastered by Sacred Sound. Anyone wanting the CD can get them through the band's MySpace page, Hot Rod Tattooing in Martins Ferry, OH, Dyagon Alley in Wheeling, or contact Anthony at Death Star Records MySpace page.

After the interview, Entropy went back to practice, and this time the magic was there. They will be playing a few new tracks not included on the CD at the show, so this is definitely not one you want to miss.

--- by Stephani Hagood

LOCAL REPORT: Weezer tribute & Co-Op benefit show @ 123 9.27

Have we mentioned how cool we think it is when people help us cover areas we can't get to? Yes. And how awesome it is when rockers come together to help a good cause? Of course. Have we mentioned how much we love Weezer? Not on this here blog.

All these things cosmically converge here because The Demon Beat played the 9.27 Weezer tribute Mountain People's Market Co-op benefit @ 123 Pleasant St. in Morgantown. Demon Beat member & rockscene friend Tucker Riggleman filed this dispatch for us to clue us in onto what went down up there...

"Here's the lowdown on the Weezer show. I can't say much, considering a lot of the bands were "all-star" type bands compiled for the show, but it was a fucking blast.

123 was literally sold-out. They had to turn people away. That is insane!

Personally, I can say that getting to play songs by a band that is so influential to us on stage to a sold-out crowd was completely intoxicating. It is really hard to describe.


It's also hard to describe how truly great every band was. Everyone really put a lot into this and it showed. It was incredible to witness first hand this kind of musical unity taking place in West Virginia all towards a common cause. I don't know the exact figures, but I'm sure the Mountain Co-op raised a great deal that night.

We even got the show listed on the official Weezer website to help promote it ahead of time, which was super cool to say the least."

LOCAL REPORT: D2 @ The Rock-It Club 9/5

We really dig it when cool people help us cover areas and bands we may miss. After getting an e-mail from this guy "D2" near Bluefield, asking us why we don't cover the Bluefield area, we thought Friday's punk show @ The Rock-It Club featuring our friends in The Concept was a good chance to expand the coverage, so to say.

David Webb, as he is also called, also writes for this new zine called Attack!, and they were there too. Here's his dispatch from Friday's show...

The Rock-It Club is my hometown bar. When I want to hear or play music, that’s where I go first. It’s located a quarter mile off Hwy 460 on Rt. 19 and it hosts the best live punk, metal, and rock music in West Virginia. This quaint bar always delivers good beer, good times, and a great atmosphere full of interesting people. Friday night was no exception.

The show got off to a late start due to Charleston punk band The Concept running behind schedule. It was actually a blessing in disguise because it gave ATTACK!, a new zine from Beckley, a moment to shine. The publication, whose first issue was released at Friday’s show, focuses on veganism/vegetarianism, punk rock, and politics. Currently it only services the Southern West Virginia area and is only available upon request for little or no fee. If you would like a copy you can e-mail ATTACK! at attackzine@yahoo.com for all the details.

Once The Concept arrived it was a panicked race to set up and get the show started. The crowd was slow to warm up but I attribute this to the fact that we had all been setting there for at least an hour or two wanting to see a show but getting more of the jukebox instead. That tends to offset your enthusiasm a bit. But even with the quick setup and a semi-vegetated crowd they still managed to warm things up and play through an energetic set.

Once patrons began to move around a little more it was time for Pogo to hit the stage. I had never heard of Pogo before last night but I’ll be keeping an eye on them from now on. I’ve actually never heard anything from the Lynchburg, VA area and if that scene is built around bands like Pogo then they’re on a solid track. Vocally it’s not my preferred style but it mixes very well with their old school raw punk sound and brings the whole thing to life.

The third band of the night, The In-Crowd, was making a stop on their “Blood, Sweat, and Beers” tour stretching from their home state of Florida all the way to New York. They played at The Rock-It Club almost a year ago and apparently made a memorable impression because at this point everyone in the bar was at the stage.

Musically The In-Crowd was very tight and played a lively set full of catchy rally songs. They had a familiar sound as far as modern Punk goes but it was idiosyncratic at the same time. It was obvious how they had made such an impression on the locals and why they came back for another show.

The night was winding down but the final band was still to play and they were going to make sure you didn’t wait in vain. Due to the late start it was around 1:30 a.m. before The United Waste went on but they brought the most energy of the night. Blasting into their set they carried on the night with their usual comedic onstage banter mixed with the serious lyrical overtones in their music.

The United Waste was ATTACK!’s first ever band of the month and if you have ever seen them live you would see why. Self-described as “Punk Rock fucking Power Metal while Hardcore tapes it” they never disappoint and tonight was no exception.

As far as “Punk shows” go, this was one that had a little bit for everyone, but that’s how the Rock-It Club usually works. Take this weekend for instance. Friday was Punk driven, Saturday will be a very Metal evening with This Machine and Keep the Victim Warm, both from West Virginia, and Sunday will be a mix of Psychobilly, Rock, Punk, and Metal as The Goddamn Gallows, Born Empty, Cactus’s, and my band, Late Night Zero, take over.

If you ever find yourself looking for a few new good bands or shows to hit up, check out The Rock-It Club, you’ll be digging up goodies for hours!

--- By David "D2" Webb

LOCAL REPORT: Entropy Then & Now (Pt. 1)

Wheeling-based death metal band Entropy (L-R: Jason Fahner, Daniel Hercules, Justin Wood, John "Corpse" Williams) returns to Wheeling Island 9/13. This is the first of a two-part feature by Stephani Hagood, a photographer friend of WVRockscene's from up there...

"S'up with your feet?"

The words caught the air with the humor Justin Wood is known for, but mixed in with a bit of frustration. Entropy had been having a difficult practice session today, and it was evident that something heavy was lingering. They decided to take a break, which gave me the perfect opportunity to sit down and ask them some questions.

Entropy is a four-piece band from Wheeling that began in October, 2006. Justin Wood, Entropy's founding member and lead guitarist, said he started the band because he wanted to put out some music that was better than what he was hearing. He gave out CDs of his music to people, and contacted John "Corpse" Williams (rhythm guitarist), who was already in a band at the time.

Wood then spoke to Corey Roth, a musician from the Wheeling area, who told him to contact Williams. Wood told him "I already did, he's got a band." Hercules had been asking Williams to let him know if any musicians wanted to start a band, and when Wood gave a CD to Williams, he listened to it and passed it onto Hercules. He was sold after hearing the song "Seeking the Abyss" and told Williams he was definitely interested.

Wood had to leave for a while due to work, and when he returned, he, Williams, Daniel Hercules (drums), and Vickie Summers (bass), who was already friends with Williams, began working together. The first song written was "Lie in the Grave" but the first song the band learned was "Might of the Mystic."

Entropy booked their first show in January, before they had learned enough songs for a full set, and by the time the show came around, they had four songs learned, eight songs in total written. "Instead of waiting 'til we were ready, then booking a show, we booked the show and got ready, which works better because if we had waited until we were ready, we never would have played a show." Hercules adds "If you wait until you're on your feet you'll never get there, so you just gotta do it."

Their first show was a success, and with that, more songwriting came. When asked about the songwriting process, Wood says "It's weird, when we all try to write together, it's like fuckin' mayhem!" Laughter ensues as Wood continues, "It is! It's like fuckin' nine ideas, everybody's playing different shit, and we're all trying to fight our idea in louder."

Hercules tells Wood, "When you do it, it's good, when [you and Williams] do it together, it's good," seeming to prefer to stay out of the process until a middle ground is reached.

Wood explains, "I don't work well in a group dynamic, so if anybody wants to write anything together, that's great, but I just can't." Wood's brain seems to work at a speed that slows him down if he has to explain it to anyone else. He prefers to write alone, and then share what he's come up with.

Williams writes a lot of the guitar harmonies, which are prominent in Entropy's music. "Godless Demise was pretty much written over a six pack of Saranac," Williams says. When they are inspired, the music seems to flow.

Asked what inspires them, Williams speaks up first. "Hate!" Jason Fahner, Entropy's new bassist, says "God's love," which inspires Williams to call him a "fucking hippie!" They all laugh again.

Hercules says "For me, when I listen to a band that I really like, it makes me wanna stand up, grab a sword off the wall, and attack fuckin' trees and people and slaughter things, and I know that when we write songs, they make me want to do the same thing, so it inspires me to work harder. When someone listens to what we're playing, I want them to feel the same way I do when I listen to what I like."

How's that for motivation?

Wood says "I just play music I like," which explains a lot. Some of his favorite bands are Amon Amarth, Goatwhore, Arsis, and Cannibal Corpse to name a scant few.

Williams says "Ya have a lot of good things to wake up to everyday, and no matter what you still have your piece of shit job you hate, your shit fuckin' bills you gotta pay, and ya need something to get away from it. Listen to this, mosh around, punch somebody in the face, give 'em a black eye, get it all out!" Music is his release, and he wants to make music that lets everyone else release for a bit, too.

Fahner explains what inspires him is putting out good music. "I just play, like these guys said, good songs to smash things to, songs that inspire me to play, songs that keep me playing, anything that's something I dig. I don't write much, but I play..." Wood interrupts him to tell him that he is a very good bassist, and Fahner seems to shrink from the compliment.

Hercules says that no matter what, he loves to play for a crowd that is into the music, remembering a night at Brewski's in Wheeling where a guy flew through the crowd, past the guitarists into the drum kit and they kept playing. "That's what inspires me too, the people we play for."

By Stephani Hagood

--- In Pt. 2 Hagood talks about the band's dissolution, their reforming, and the second law of thermodynamics...

Sunday Bloody Sunday (@ Coonskin Park)

Here at WVRockscene, we appreciate the simple things, like the outdoors on a Sunday afternoon, with some rockin' local bands, some beer, and a skatepark thrown in for good measure.

Such was the scenario as we embarked to the Coonskin Amphitheater for the latest installment of The Empty Glass concert series they're hosting. Quite the lineup, headlined by a Noizbox reunion, featuring a rare local show for The Heptanes, with Orlando (via Charleston) ska band 69 Fingers. Oh yeah, local horror core punk band The Big Bad, and our punk rock friends in The Concept were also on tap.

All these cool bands weren't the only thing on tap; the Glass set up a concession stand with food, grilling, and oh yeah, the most American of choices: Bud or Bud Light.

Sensing that there may be extra time, I took my recently acquired Steve Caballero skateboard (bought @ Pawnshop) to see if I could skate the park down the road from the stage.

So I get dropped off at right after 4 p.m., the original start time, show my board to impressed Glass door guy (and longtime friend) Jon Moss, and get my 21-and-over tape bracelet to let people know it's okay that I drink. Good deal.

Once inside, I instantly run into the THC dudes. I don't know Mike, Ross and Dave (and now, recently added guitarist Bryan Flowers, whom I'd never met) that well, but those guys are killer, specially Dave; we talked about the Columbus trip, and I let Ross get on the Stevie Cab board with his huge feet. We ALL know what they say about dudes with big feet; they wear big Nikes.

Well, I got a beer, and was instantly confronted with a tough choice: should I really start drinking and then go try to skate the park? My answer, after a minute, was in the affirmative. 69 Fingers, I was told, had to pull out at the last minute due to an unforeseen residential change down in Florida, so there would be time to kill.

So I skate down the low grade hill from the amphitheater, pass RFC Rudy and wave, and was now en route to the skate park and a bunch of nice, polite children there with their parents. Now, I'm no professional, but I skated the ramps and didn't wreck once. That should've proved ominous at the time, but it did not, as I was unsure whether it was the alcohol or my lack of recent skate park experience that made it so interesting.

A little background: I skated (not only with Jon Moss) growing up. More recently, when I played bass (as I do about as well as I skate) in a nascent four-piece punk band with Mark & Matt Totten and Luke Young, Matt worked at Outdoor Extremes in Kanawha City and we practiced there after hours. Sometimes we drank. Most of the time I skated in the downstairs area. Sometimes, the two were combined with moderate results. So I was not unfamiliar with mixing drinking and skating, long story short.

So I return to the rock show and purchase "several" more beers. I did indeed get to catch The Heptanes open with their rocking version of psychobilly. It's a shame that they don't get to do more local shows. And it's a shame their bassist didn't get his cookie at Subway, which he talked about a lot.



The Heptanes rock though.

After talking with Mike, Dave, and RFC Rudy for a while, and buying several more beers just to support local music and the Glass, I was "ready" to catch The Concept.

The Concept: "Ye to the 10th Degree"


The Concept with the fireplug of a guitarist in Flowers were impressive. They had ample room to run around the stage and play songs off their recent CD "The Empire Penguin Strikes Back" and some of my favorite covers, including "Linoleum" by NOFX. Mike had told me they were trying to play "The Decline" and if they ever do, I just may have to go ahead and get that THC tattoo.

"Last of the Emohicans/That’s the One"


By the time The Concept finished it was around 8 p.m., and I was "ready" to leave by this point, hoping to avoid another case of CRAFT Syndrome. It's a shame I didn't get to catch The Big Bad; I did indeed buy their bassist a beer (that makes two) and he got me a sticker to make friends. Very cool dude, and I look forward to seeing those guys out again.

But no, the whole point about me talking about me skating is that, after all the libations, as I attempted to skate down that same low grade hill to the waiting car, the board shot out from under me, I scraped flesh to concrete, and was bleeding more than I'd care to admit here.

Maybe you shouldn't drink and skate. Or maybe you should, I won't judge you.

New WBG LP soon...

Morgantown's WestbyGod has uploaded "Dust to Dust" off their soon to be released LP "For Glory or for Flames" and, you can download the song on the band's MySpace profile.

New songs (and a contest) from THRED

Our good friends in Morgantown funk act Thred have just recorded five new tunes, and have presented their fans with a bit of a contest. You can pick between any of five options as to how the band gets their tunes to yer ears. We came across this fun sounding MySpace bulletin from the band and thought we'd repost to raise awareness.

"So, we're finished recording five new songs. Our big question to everyone is, what's the best way to get them to you? Here's some options we're considering.

1. $5 five song EP.
2. Digital Downloads (.99 a piece)
C. Sit on 'em until a full album can be completed.
4. Only sell them at shows, still put a couple on a full-length.
5. Burn them, if I can't have them, NO ONE CAN!

In our personal opinion, this stuff is the best stuff we've done, and we want to get it out to you guys ASAP, so let us know what you think would work best."

Holler at the band and check out some tunes on their site. If you want, comment here about how you yourself might be more likely to get tunes these days. Whatever. Thred rocks from what we've heard.

WVRockscene goes for the gold @ the Parrot

They say be careful what you wish for; you just might get it.

It's this statement that best describes my trip to the Parrot Friday night, with much anticipation of catching the new Dig-Its lineup. I'd been bemoaning the fact that, when I go to catch a band I like and get footage and/or pics, I usually just sit there by myself with a camera held up for the duration.

But as usual, it's early; there's hardly anyone there whenst I arrived at around 10:30. After ordering a pitcher (an ominous sign) and settling in at the bar, I fixed my eyes on the big screen TV, which featured Michael Phelps just beating that guy by like one-one hundredth of a second or something.

USA! USA!

Well, a minute later none other than Mr. Ledbetter strolled in with his Black Knots shirt on. It's a shirt I've been wanting for a while now, with their white logo on black. We talked about his new job, the benefits of being in a union, The Concept, and what is up with a new project he's involved with; he said it sounded something like Portishead, with his girlfriend singing and his friend from Rose City Mick on drums. Sounded promising.

About this time Meuwl and B-Rude starting doing their thing onstage. I'm pretty sure that they talked about smoking and some such stuff. I was, to put it mildly, tying one on at this point, getting Josh a Jagerbomb and myself going for the gold -- Cuervo Gold.

Well duh duh dah daah! Now I'm professor rockscene. I'm able to approach people like The Big Bad's bassist (nice guy), pour him a beer out of my pitcher of PBR, and do the same upon meeting Dig-Its drummer Bob Caution. We've talked a lot online and over the phone, and I've caught The Dig-Its a few times previously at the Parrot, but never had been introduced proper.

We talked for a few minutes about the band and his cat, and he introduced me to his mom as something like "the only guy who ever gives us any media coverage," or something like that. As Sarasota went through their rockin set, I began to lose it; I bought Dig-Its and Sarasota shirts and returned to my base at the bar -- The Dig-Its were getting ready to play.

They opened up with "Better Days" off their latest CD "Know It All" and by this point I think people are starting to stare. I got footage of the band, but by now I was fast approaching blackoutville. I had acquired what Christopher Hitchens recently (in his approaching old age) described as CRAFT Syndrome (Can't Remember a Fucking Thing).

So to sum up, I "forgot" the shirts and a memory card (w/Sarasota footage) from the camera at the bar, and ended up making an ass of myself in public and then in private. But, I did have a great time talking and having a few drinks with some cool people. Almost like I'm in a video for Dig-Its tunes "Another Shot" or "Mama Tried" -- well, at least that's how I imagined it.

The Dig-Its: “Better Days”

The Concept & The Dig-Its make changes

Two of our favorite area punk bands recently made some lineup changes. Most recently, our friends in The Concept welcomed guitarist Bryan Flowers into the fold. The former Drop Ded Phred member has one full practice with the band under his belt as of this writing and has been working daily with singer-guitarist Mike Withrow on getting things down in time for this Friday's show at The Empty Glass.

"He's caught on so fast it's insane," Withrow said when reached for comment. Withrow, who's known Flowers since 9th grade, described him as an "awesome musician" and described the band's internal decision making process as it relates to adding a fourth member.

"We've talked about it for a while in different conversations," Withrow said. "Here lately we've just been thinking that we were missing a key element. We all talked and Bryan was the only one we talked about, he's a great musician and a hell of a guy, it wasn't a hard choice at all."

Bassist Dave Cantrell was quoted (by us) on the new addition to the band from a recent MySpace bulletin. "...he will bring a new element to our musical direction and a new sense of excitement." That's right; we cited a MySpace bulletin!

You can catch the new lineup this Friday at the Glass with B Rude, Meuwl, and Brain Trauma.

The Dig-Its, who play The Blue Parrot Friday night, have changed singers in recent months, adding Rikki Neon to the band as singer. Drummer Bob Caution said that, with a few shows under their belt and new tunes on tap, the band is still rockin.

"We've been writing some badass stuff, and working on a few new covers for your listening enjoyment. I won't go too far into details, but sufficed to say, things are going quite smoothly."

Caution summed up the band's status thusly: "Lots of creative juices flowin" and did indeed confirm the recording of a new "greatest hits" type CD from the band. "Some old, some new, some borrowed, all rock," is how Caution described the project.

And Caution was quite honest about the appeal of the Parrot to the band.

"We fucking love it. Much love to Tom [Crouse] and the folks that make it out there to all of our shows. Looking forward to playing it on the 15th!"

WVRoundup: OHH, ATU, & The Scrap Iron Pickers

New stuff from Charleston, Huntington, & Morgantown...

First, Morgantown's One Hundred Hurricanes is set to release a new CD soon. They've been working on it here in Charleston and from all accounts it should be done in a few weeks. We've managed to miss them when they've came to the Parrot recently, but we'd look forward to catching these guys out, or hearing their CD. You can find out more on the band at their ReverbNation site.

Appalachian Terror Unit, a hardcore crust punk band from Huntington that does a ton of shows all over the country, is set to release ther debut LP "Greenwashing" soon. They're going on a non-stop Midwest tour this month, and they say the CD should be ready for the tour. They've also got quite the political bent; they'll donate a % of tour sales to people arrested protesting the RNC/DNC.

You can download the title track on their MySpace profile. If yer into this kind of hardcore stuff, check 'em out. And check out "Endless Bloodshed" on ATU's profile to rock with us for a sec.

And a cool new band from here in town; The Scrap Iron Pickers. Roadblock teams up with Byzantine drummer Matt Wolfe and John Sizemore on guitar for something that, judging by their song "Hard Drive" is anything but bluegrass. Hey, we dig some bluegrass. Their first show is 9/12 at The Empty Glass; sounds like a promising lineup.

Radio, Radio, Radio & ShrewsburyFEST '08 band lineup

We support people's endeavors to cover local music on the radio. A few items have caught our eye recently as far as broadcasting, and why not comment on them?

First, we've recently got tuned into this new local music show out of Beckley called Neighborhood Watch on 103 CIR. We thought Beckley sucked way harder until we noticed some of the bands they've recently played, including Beckley's own Shawn Benfield and Shepherdstown's resident rockers in The Demon Beat. The show is on Thursday nights if yer down that way.

Up in the Parkersburg area, our friend Todd Burge is doing big things with his songwriter night podcast and radio show on Z106. The shows air Sunday nights from what we've pieced together, and we recently noticed a cool survey-type thing Burge sent to area musicians, with insightful questions on being creative and playing out and stuff. We've got Burge's "Hip About Time" CD and dig what he does; check the links out.

And to much fanfare X106.3's X-Fest 2008 lineup was recently announced. Underwhelmed would best describe our response whenst reading their Loud & Local (Budweiser i.e. import beer) second stage lineup. They've rightfully picked Bud Carroll & the Southern Souls, who we did get to catch at The Empty Glass, and made a stab at reviewing their EP here at the blog.

But we just can't get into the type of bands they book, it seems, for each stage, apart from Carroll. Granted, we guess X106.3 plays these kinds of bands on air, but I know they also play Jeff Ellis and other types of bands. X106.3's Loud & Local program we'd say is the premier local music outlet for WV, and we think there are cooler local bands than what fills out their lineup. They do have a kind of representative lineup from WV, OH, and KY -- their listener base, but whatever.

And let us take the opportunity here to say that Brandon Woolum is one of the coolest nicest guys we've came across in our local music endeavors. He's took the time to help us with pointless shit like -- back when we were starting up on MySpace, he and Paul (Oz) Oslund took the time to tell us how to set up links and codes on the MySpace version of WVRockscene. And he took the time to do a special Q&A with us last year at thegazz.com on the bands that were booked for the L&L stage.


So the question immediately becomes: Ok, WVRockscene, you think you can do a better job picking a Loud & Local second stage? Have at it! We here try, with our favorite Huntington acts...

1. Jeff Ellis -- We know Woolum loves Ellis like we do.

2. The Red Velvet -- One of the most radio ready bands at the moment.

3. Black Knots -- They've already played X-Fest but who cares?

4. Threefold Theory -- If they haven't played X-Fest yet it's a crime.

5. The Dig-Its -- They have a new singer and they are one of our favorites.

6 (alt.) The Redbloods -- A nice "indie" type garage band from H-town.

Again, nobody cares what we think, we know that. To close this rambling post we'd also like to ask why there's no Charleston radio station putting on something like X-Fest? Rock 105, ZRock, and 102.7 -- do they even have local music programs like Loud & Local? We don't think so. We think this Noizbox reunion show lineup at Coonskin Amphitheater 8.24 is cooler than this year's X-Fest, and it's not $50. But that's just our taste in music, we guess.


So, by extension, Charleston's local music scene sucks compared to Beckley's. Nice. Oh and by the way we never listen to the radio.

New music from J Marinelli

Even though J Marinelli has moved to Kentucky, that's alright, because of the ol' internet we can keep tabs on him. He's uploaded a few tunes off the upcoming "Stone Age Kicks (Vol. II)" and "Pre-Emptive Skankery" releases. He's just uploaded his cover of the Guided By Voices song "The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory" on his MySpace page and we think it's one of the coolest songs we've heard him do.

And we've heard a lot of his tunes, having rocked "Pity The Party," "Keep It Fake" and the cover tape download "Stone Age Kicks" -- "Fake" is probably our favorite CD, period.

Take the opportunity to check out Marinelli and this previously unposted video of him at the Glass back in January. It rocks we promise.







So, our loss is those bootleggin' moonshinin' bluegrass lovin' (like us) Kentucky residents' gain. Who knows, maybe we'll see Marinelli again.

VIDEO: Black Knots @ the Glass 7/26

Yeah we got to catch a little of the Knots at the Empty Glass Saturday...





See if the footage is cool and definitely check out the Knots. We're experiencing technical difficulties but the players should work.

Q&A w/Greg Miller of The Whiskey Daredevils

We caught up with Greg Miller, frontman for Cleveland-based rockabilly outfit The Whiskey Daredevils, in anticipation of their show at The Empty Glass 7.26 with Huntington's Black Knots and The Big Bad.

WVRS: So how were the shows in Europe?
GM: Against all odds we have somehow become a viable live act in Europe. I don't really know what happened. People really like us there. At first I thought it was because of our good looks, but it turned out that our twisted take on American roots music appealed to the Euro sensibilites. Plus anytime you create a rockabilly Butthole Surfers cover, you're going to get a crowd. I guess Mosh from our label (Knock-Out) is really doing a good job over there. Or maybe the world is finally ready for Whiskey Mania...

WVRS: Any particular horror stories from touring over there?
GM: I wrote an extensive Tour Diary that people can check out at our web site. It turned out to be the cover story for the Cleveland Free Times. My favorite day was when we played two shows in Belgium. The first one was an outdoor festival where I was horribly hung over. Not two hours later we played a crazy biker party at a bar in the middle of nowhere. These people were savagely drunk on Belgian ale, not to mention having taken fistfuls of psychedelics. It was like driving into a smaller version of Altamont where most of the people kept their composure. Guys that can't stand are driving choppers around the Belgian countryside while we play at ear splitting volume. The guy that ran the party looked like Lemmy and as far as I know is still knocking back beers in his parking lot. Madness...

WVRS: I guess everything on a tour like that has to be lined out well in advance itinerary-style, instead of just showing up and seeing what the hell happens? (The Daredevils way)
GM: Thank God we were placed in the hands of the always uptight Germans. These guys handle all the details to the letter. "Greg, you guys will go on stage at 9:52 and play for 67 minutes. I told the promoter you were down to 7 beers, and he will be bringing 16 more. After the show, we can relax for 47 minutes, and then we can load out to go to the hotel. It is 14 minutes away."

WVRS: Is your drummer really the expert cultural guide for Europe? Sounds like he made some friends, huh?
GM: Leo usually has no idea what is going on in the larger sense. This aids him in unfamiliar circumstances. He is not fazed by not knowing where he is, who the people are that he is partying with, or where we are going to sleep. It's almost a zen approach. He is like a cultural surfer. He just catches the wave. I highly recommend traveling with Leo at any time. He has a few gifts that make him ideal on a road trip such as being able to sleep on command in any location, or the ability to stay awake for 4 days straight unaided by stimulants. Plus he can always find a good port in a storm. This is Leo's World and we all just visit.

WVRS: Your rhythm guitarist just had to quit the band, how do you see the band moving on? How close is the nucleus of you, yer brother, and Leo?
GM: Ken, Leo and I are definitely a unit. We know what we want to accomplish, and are all on the same page. By sticking together we have been able to accomplish some pretty great things. With the music we have made, we have been to Europe 5 times. How cool is that? We have been rehearsing with Gary Siperko from The Mofos to join the band, and we expect to start playing shows with him shortly. If that doesn't work out, Ken/Leo/I will find someone else that shares our idea of what rock n roll is and how to play it. As long as I keep having ideas, and people have some level of interest, we'll keep playing.

WVRS: Did Leo & Bobby end up getting voted best drummer & guitarist for Cleveland?
GM: Yes they did, and they are in fact the best in NE Ohio. Maybe anywhere in the state. Well, at least they were 6 months ago. Maybe someone else snuck up on them while we weren't paying attention. The best part of that whole thing is to watch the acceptance speeches they made. Bob's is already legendary and will be hard for any one to top. We think that whole thing is funny, because music is clearly not a competition. Although if there is a chance at a plaque, we are going for it!

WVRS: You just played the Rock n Roll HOF with Lords of the Highway, how did that show go?
GM: Surprisingly well actually...It was horribly hot, but a nice crowd of people that don't normally go to club shows came out. There were plenty of fans that were older. A bunch of parents that brought their kids. Then there was this mix of young people that had attended the Mt Dew Tour nearby. I met some cool kids from the Czech Republic, and we both lamented there was no good pills in the area. The Lords played really well that night. I thought we killed. Good time all around.

WVRS: You've played a lot of shows at the Glass, how are you guys received there?
GM: I love playing the Glass, although I would like to publicly say it is time for a remodel in the men's room. It's weird that there are little insects that buzz around in there in the dead of winter. However, it does match up with the rock paradigm...The worse the men's room, the better the club. I really like the people we meet in West VG. Really interesting folks with artistic ideas and open minds. I like that there is a mixed crowd of people in the club. I hope everyone leaves their air conditioned homes to come out to this show. It should be really good. The Black Knots are the real deal.

WVRS: You got some new Daredevils clothing made up? Will any be on sale at the Glass?
GM: We'll bring all the goods left over from the Euro 2008 tour. We've got some cool new work shirts and limited edition Leo t-shirts. It's Leo's terrifying passport photo with his name typed out below it. It's the feel good t-shirt of the summer!

WVRS: Will you have any Whiskey Daredevils ironic trucker hats?
GM: You would think a marketing machine like us would have made some up, but alas, I feel the ship may have sailed on the Ironic Trucker Hat.

Co-operating to save the Co-Op!

Billy Matheny didn't want to see the Mountain People's Market Co-Op in Morgantown close, so he and his rocker friends decided to do something to help. Next Friday, they'll rock The Blue Moose Cafe to raise money and awareness to help this locally (and, co-operatively) owned Morgantown institution.

"The people who work there live down the street from me," Matheny said. "I would much rather give them my money instead of giving it to whoever owns Kroger...I simply didn't want to see it close and it's really great that the community and other businesses have stepped forward in the Co-Op's time of need."

Matheny's bandmate Haley Slagle said the Co-Op's fare is a big part of her life, and that, in this day of lead-based cardboard dumplings from China and Salmonella-tinged tomatoes, she doesn't want to see it close either. "Eating organic and eating local are a very big part of my life. Without the Co-Op, I'm not sure where I would get my food. The Co-Op really focuses on trying to get local produce, meat, eggs and cheese. I really believe in being as close to your source of food as you possibly can. Without the Co-Op, we would be eating food from who knows where."

There have already been a few benefits, with Wild Zero Tattoos raising some serious cash money to help recently. 123 Pleasant St. in Morgantown will host a benefit show (as they have done so many times) in early August.

Aaron Hawley and his '85 Flood bandmate Dusty Hays will perform some stripped-down acoustic Flood tunes and some Hawley originals at the Blue Moose benefit. Hawley said the benefit was a no-brainer. "Besides the obvious benefits of organic and locally grown produce, the Co-Op also served as a meeting place for a lot of cool, like-minded folks. I also appreciate it because as a Townie, it's one of the few institutions that's been around this town longer than I have. I remember the Co-Op from when I was very, very young."

Hawley, who, like Matheny, has been involved with putting on benefit shows mainly at 123, seemed rightfully proud of the area bands who pitch in to help righteous causes. "The benefit shows that go on in Morgantown are one of the coolest things about this scene. Most musicians here are very aware that they exist in a tight-knit community here. Everyone wants to pitch in and help out and nobody lets their egos get in the way."

Matheny admitted to a kind of shock and awe at the power of the 123 Benefits. "All of those benefits raised over $1,000 for their chosen causes and it certainly opened my eyes to successful music benefits. Given the size of the Blue Moose Cafe, I don't think raising that much money from the cover charge alone would be possible, so we've asked local businesses to donate gift certificates (Thanks to Bead Monster, Inner Life Yoga, Ancient Wisdom Yoga, Black Bear Burrito, The Warner Theatre, Carvel, The Hotel Morgan and Leanna Richman) or gift baskets for a raffle that will be going on throughout the evening."

So these rockin' acts from Morgantown will again rock for a good cause. They all say that the Co-Op is too important and has been there too long to not help.

"The Co-Op closing would be a damaging blow to the town itself," Hawley said. "I would hate to see places like the Co-Op turned into Sonic Drive-Ins," Matheny summed up.

Related DA articles:
Saving the co-op

Local business raises money for co-op