Shows statewide canceled Thursday!

We've never been big on April Fools Day pranks, but yeah there are a coupla rockin' shows lined up around the state, and no, despite what you read in the title of this post, the shows will still go on...

Morgantown's Billy Matheny makes the short drive to Huntington for a show at Shamrock's with Shepherdstown's Prison Book Club and the Bud Carroll Band Thursday night. The Huntington Herald-Dispatch had a pretty neat artikel on Matheny (well, at least it didn't have any typos) by some handsome devil, with a haircut that makes Jim Traficant look like Rod Blagojevich. Cool lineup. Check out our Q&A with PBC here, and revisit our recent chat with Carroll here.

Up in Magic Town, Lake and Ocean is set to play 123 Pleasant Street with Depresbyterians and David F. Bello. Read our very sober (like there's any other kind) review of Lake and Ocean w/J Marinelli at the Sound Factory here, and check out our lame attempt at reviewing Lake and Ocean's debut EP Pull right here. Sounds good to us if yer up that way.

Update: Just heard from L&O's Nick Bradley that Depresbyterians had to cancel...and, this just in: our friends in Thick As Thieves have jumped onto the bill; nice.

more to come...

The WVRockscene Roast of Jeff Ellis

So, you’ve seen him live, heard the CDs and/or read the reviews. But what do the people who know Jeff Ellis best have to say about him? We asked a few notable friends and fellow musicians to spill the beans on him, from being in the studio, to hanging out…

What can you say about Jeff Ellis? Jeff is one of the best friends I’ve ever had. He can drink more than just about anyone I know. As far as his progression as a musician, dude’s been writing great songs since forever, he can sing like a motherfucker, and he knows exactly what he wants in the studio. He can really hear where something is headed, and knows how to get it there. I think his writing is always progressing, and this new disc is definitely a testament to that.

To say I’ve been in a lot of recording sessions over the years is putting it mildly. But I have to say I’ve only been in one where I was sure that we were hearing a dead ringer hit song come back off the speakers.

I know a few people who have written hit songs, now they’ll probably never actually get to be hits in the real world, but I know them when I hear them, and they do exist outside of the mainstream. When we heard the playback of “I’m Not Leaving This Time” I knew it was a fucking hit song. People may think I’m an idiot, but it is, and I’ll fucking fight anyone who claims differently. “I’m Not Leaving This Time” is a hit, but in an industry full of stupid motherfuckers who wouldn’t know good shit if it kicked them in the nuts, it’ll probably never be a hit.

As far as the good times are concerned, we’ve had a few to say the least. I wish I had the secret drunken footage that Phil Dog took of us getting wasted after the sessions for the first record we did with him, that would alleviate the need for any discussion on the subject. I can say I’ve never tracked a record more hung over than with Jeff Ellis. I know that Jimmy Lykens hasn’t.

The new disc is great, the songs are great, the playing is great, it sounds great, and I’m very honored that Eddie and Jeff gave me an executive producer credit. Apparently all you have to do to produce a record is give Steve Barker a bunch of shit during the sessions. J/K He played great, all the guys did, and we’re all real proud that we could be a part of it.

The thing that was most notable to me about the record is the fact that there were hardly any rehearsals before it. We tracked most of it live in the same room together, with very few fixes or overdubs. Hell, some of the takes on the record are the first time I had even heard the songs. But when you are playing on great stuff, it’s easy to hear your part if you know what your role is. And when you’re working with Jeff, it’s rare that what you are ever playing on is anything less than great.

--- Bud Carroll


Jeff Ellis is a natural born superstar. One of the all-time great tightrope walkers. Hemmingway would count him both as friend and nemesis. Both great writers, and great drinkers.

--- Steve Barker


Jeff’s favorite accommodation in the whole world is the Highlander Motel, otherwise known as “The Second Worst Motel In Athens, Ohio.”

Not sure why this is.

Perhaps it is the constant smell of curry that wafts from the office (where the owners live) and seems to permeate every room in the establishment. Or the din of out-of-town partiers who frequent the place on weekends, when Jeff and the crew are most likely to stay there. Or the noisy HVAC that is too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. Or maybe it is just the allure of the free HBO.

All I know is, when asked by a band member why he ALWAYS stays at the Highlander when in Athens, when there are other, only slightly more costly, and much more, uh, clean establishments to spend the night, Jeff’s answer was “I freakin’ LOVE this place!!!”

--- Eddie Ashworth


I have known Jeff since he was about seven years old. We grew up not five miles from each other in Chapmanville, and have been very close for over 15 years now. I really cannot think of any one individual in my generation that will have more of an impact on the landscape of WV music than Jeff Ellis. Period.

He has already at the ripe old age of 30 delivered a wealth of good, independently produced music. I myself own at least 10 releases going back to Harvest. I envy Jeff for the volume of great material he seems to so effortlessly put out. But, Jeff doesn’t come by it easy. He has forced himself into hard situations, into wars, into fending for himself at a young age, just so he could write from the heart. A lot of musicians, including myself, have taken a path more traveled.

Although Jeff and I have very different musical tastes and went different directions with them, we have always shared a certain admiration for our differences. He has had me guest vocal on his albums, Byzantine has had Jeff guest vocal on ours. It might stem back from knowing Jeff since he was in 10th grade, but I pull for Jeff more than anyone. He does it his way. If you don’t like it, there’s the door. He orchestrates whole albums in his head. He gets off a plane from Afghanistan and immediately books shows. You tell me who does that. I couldn’t do that.

--- Chris Ojeda, Byzantine


I was around Jeff quite a bit when he was writing many of the songs that ended up making the cut for The Forgetting Place. There were a lot of nights, consuming a lot of beer, where we exchanged stories about our similar situations in the female department. If you’ve listened to the CD, then there’s no need for me to tell you what those situations were -- ha!

I saw Jeff perform a good amount of those songs acoustically around the Tri-State and was super pumped to hear that some of them made the cut for the actual disc. I always told him I was ready for another Jeff Ellis heartbreak CD -- he delivered with a CD that hit me in the heart pretty hard. Even though he wrote the songs for someone else, about 75% of them could have been written about a girl who was once in my life.

It was disappointing when Jeff said he was getting shipped back out before the CD came out. I’m really looking forward to having Jeff back in town and hearing the full band versions of the new tracks!

The last time Jeff was overseas he came back with what is his best material in my opinion. Although I connect with The Forgetting Place, I still feel overall A Front Seat [for the End of the World] is his best quality CD, maybe even better than any of the Guinness Clarke’s Wine works.

There’s been plenty of wild times with Jeff over the past couple years. I can’t wait to have him back over here for good -- although my liver isn’t really ready for him just yet!

--- Brandon Woolum, X106.3

--- photo: Taylor Kuykendall

CD Review: "The Forgetting Place"

CD: The Forgetting Place
ARTIST: Jeff Ellis

Looking at things one way, it seems like Jeff Ellis just can’t catch a break.

Back home from serving in the Middle East in the Army Reserves, the 29-year old Huntington resident and Marshall University student barely seems to have time to make great records in between work, school, and, most importantly from a songwriting perspective, getting his heart trampled on by female love interests.

Hey, if he wasn’t getting his heart broken, what would he write songs about? Gold rims, platinum grills and worshipping Rockefellers and the Illuminati? It just wouldn’t be the same if he did.

On his new CD The Forgetting Place, Ellis, despite all the personal upheaval, lays down 13 songs worth of his own version of rockin’ Americana; folk, bluegrass, alt-country and blues, and, like most songwriters worth their salt, turns the things that suck for him, and weaves them into touching, personal stories inside great well-structured, memorable songs.

On another level, on the new CD, Ellis, on first listen to longtime followers, may seem to be a victim of his own past success; following up 2007’s epochal A Front Seat for the End of the World (mainly a recounting of Ellis’ time in the Gulf) and 2008’s Covering The Distance (his alt-country trip home) would be tough for anybody, but Ellis pulls it off nicely on The Forgetting Place.

Having had a burned copy of the CD for a few months now, and hearing it at first, it is, to longtime fans of his, no big surprise how good it is, just a bit softer overall than the material on his last two releases. Only letting it digest over many plays, can you appreciate how solid it is, and his talents as a songwriter.

Yeah, it’s another great CD from Jeff Ellis; ho hum.

Regardless of Ellis’ success in the relationship department, or how and where The Forgetting Place stacks up to, or fits in with his last two releases, Ellis has taken his music to the proverbial next level; he has caught his (relatively) big break, as it were, as his fourth overall solo release (this after his work in Guinness Clarke’s Wine) is put out on the New York-based NewSong Recordings. Since we last heard from him on Covering the Distance, Ellis has impressed some of the right people, winning the Mountain Stage NewSong competition in 2008.

Ellis is joined on the new CD by his longtime cohorts Bud Carroll and the Southern Souls (Jimmy Lykens, Steve Barker & Jon Cavendish) in the studio, along with longtime friend and GCW bandmate Phil James on piano. Anybody who’s heard Ellis’ last two releases, with Carroll’s soaring, bluesy solos, knows how powerful the duo is. If you haven’t or you don’t, now you do.

The Forgetting Place opens with “If He’s So Good To You,” jangly, twangy Americana with layered organ and awesome solos, which catches us all up on what’s happening with Ellis -- the whole relationship thing. Long story short, he’s trying to move on, but getting jerked around. The nerve of that girl!

“Russell & Honeybee” is Ellis’ stripped-down, shuffling, somber and dreamy-yet heartbreaking ode to a heartless lost love, sung from the perspective of a homeless romantic. It’s got kind of the same vibe as Distance’s beach song, “Sleepyhead,” but nowhere near as good from the singer’s perspective.

Ellis’ dynamic, powerful voice takes a softer backseat along with delicate backing vocals, showcasing his range (and writing) as he sings on the chorus:

And it’s been a long life of waiting for some change to come
It might take a long time/but that’s something he’s got plenty of
He searches for some comfort/But never finds relief
And out there on the streets he dreams of Honeybee

So you’re only two songs into the record and you’ve got a nice encapsulation of Ellis’ songs: touching, painfully honest poetic balladry (“You can barely call it livin’/Oh, but dying’s too extreme. And somewhere in between he dreams of Honeybee.”) inside of well-arranged, catchy songs with Ellis’ harmonica thrown in for the Dylan effect. A great song.

Ellis breaks out the rockin’ Americana on “Don’t Let Me Go” and the Wilco-esque Being There bar-balladry of “Still Ain’t Over You Yet,” one of the standout tracks, and at two-and-a half minutes long, it doesn’t take long to rock out.

The thing about Ellis’ songwriting is that he can write songs geared toward a big, full band lineup, or songs made more for solo rocking; either way, at this point you get the idea that Ellis is one of the best songwriters in the state, and maybe beyond.

“Is Something The Matter” is Ellis’ slow, road weary, piano-flaked ode to love, with cool sounding e-bow type guitar parts on it. For Ellis, who listed R.E.M. as an influence, this is a song that would fit well on New Adventures in Hi-Fi, maybe. When it comes to “the battles of love” and dealing with women, is something the matter? Something’s always the matter.

Ellis is joined on the stripped down alt-bluegrass hit “Can’t Stop Me From Loving You” by members of Huntington’s Wilson Creek, for the nice female backing vocals and delicate mandolin runs. You want more broken hearted, poetic lyrics? Okay, here is the chorus:

You can’t make someone feel something they don’t
Make ‘em love you if they won’t
Change the way things are/no matter what you do
Just like you could never stop me from loving you

The song has great progressions, delicate, hushed vocals, and with Ellis’ harmonica parts, is one of the best songs on the CD. It’s a tribute to Ellis that he would invite female guest vocalists on his songs, to complement his vocals, like he did (most famously in our mind) on “Time Slips Away” on Front Seat.

“Fooled” shows off Ellis’ bluesy side, (it’s good that he’s got Carroll with him) and his ultra-powerful, belt-it-out vocals as he takes the fight to his ex’s strategic disinformation as he builds the song to the awesome chorus:

Well I thought if I run and hide
I might escape the things I’ve done
But I’ve come to find hurt and time,
Are the only things that’ll heal someone

Symptoms may include goosebumps, as it’s one of the more powerful parts on the entire CD.

Ellis is again joined by Wilson Creek members for the fun bluegrass feel of “Jealousy,” again with the female backing vocals, a nice touch. But while the song has the fun bluegrass feel, Ellis sings about the bad times suspicious minds can bring about:

Like a cancer it crept in and took its toll on me and you
Eating at the little parts til it tore our hearts plain through

“Mama Dear” sounds like a bit of a post-script to, or at least would’ve fit well on Front Seat, with its Eastern, Sitar sounding guitar parts (ala the band Live) over marching snare, and the post-traumatic, war themed lyrics:

I have seen destruction and I have seen its toll
I have seen the works of men
I have seen their wealth, their power and control
And I don’t want no part of them

These men have crushed my spirit, these men have crushed my soul
These men have made my hands to sin
They’ve stripped me of my conscience and left this empty hole
This darkness deep within

The sprightly, almost haunting fireside folk of the title track may evoke “House of the Rising Sun” for some reason, as Ellis continues his efforts to get women off his mind at the pub, but no, he can’t stay there.

“Fade” opens with rockin’ muted riffage, sounding like Weezer or something in parts, (not much like anything on Ellis’ previous releases) as he recalls running from his strong feelings.

The swaying acoustic of “I’ll See You Soon” closes the CD, with Ellis yearning for a long lost love, with the hope of a reunion.

Ellis, for The Forgetting Place, returned to Athens, Ohio’s Tracking Station and re-enlisted Eddie Ashworth to produce the new CD, with solid, rich results. And, Carroll snagged an associate producer nod on it; nice. Throughout the CD, before and after the songs, Ellis can be heard cutting up in the studio with Ashworth and his bandmates, giving the recording a more fun, informal feel. Come to find out, the songs were recorded in one or two takes, on the fly.

For newer fans of Ellis, it might behoove them to go get their hands on his prior releases. Wrapping all his music up into one package, you can get a feel of his talent and why Ellis has now impressed the important people, who will hopefully help him get the audience he deserves.

And, without a doubt, you’ll be glad you got turned on to the music he’s been making the past couple of years.

mp3: “Can't Stop Me From Lovin You” by Jeff Ellis


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Morgantown salutes the Clinton Years 3.20

This Saturday night a who’s who of Magic Town luminaries will come together at 123 Pleasant Street to relive the glorious nineties, playing some of their favorite songs to help raise money for the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club. ‘85 Flood frontman Aaron Hawley, engineer of so many benefit shows up there, told us what he thinks about this one…

We’re really excited for the show, for a wide variety of reasons! ‘85 Flood will be covering a couple tunes that had a big impact on me back in the halcyon days of the mid-nineties, so that’ll be fun.

I don’t really want to reveal too much about who’s playing what, but I do know there’s going to be a large and diverse cross-section of 90’s music represented. From really innovative, underground rock like Dinosaur Jr. to cheesy ball country artists like Garth Brooks, to MTV buzz clips the whole gamut will be presented. It’s going to be a blast!

It’s a great opportunity to support the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club. I worked for the MBGC for about five years when I moved back to Morgantown and it had a profound influence on me. It was an eye-opening experience that really taught me to appreciate what I have in life and made me realize how important it is to offer support to those who don’t. Some of the kids at the Boys & Girls Club are some of the most entertaining, engaging and inspiring people I’ve ever met, regardless of age.

From a show standpoint, I love the big tribute nights since they serve as a sort of ‘State of the Scene’ by getting a lot of bands together for one night only. This year we’re playing with a lot of band's we’ve played shows with in the past and a lot of bands who we haven’t. I’m particularly excited to see what Fletcher’s Grove and Square the Circle have in store. They’re a couple of bands who haven’t had the easiest time cracking into the Pleasant Street scene, so I’m excited to have them get up in front of a full house and do their thing.

Also on the bill is a band called The Sawngs who will be making their debut at the show. The band has Mikey Iafrate from the Priesthood, Walt Sarkees from the Morgantown Rounders, Chris Russell from the Argument and Aaron Crothers from the Emergency, so it’s a pretty all-star lineup to begin with, and I know they’ll deliver the goods.

I’m also pumped about Karate Balboa. It’s another All-Star group featuring Joe White from 8-Bitz, Ryan and Jeff from Descension Rate and Kevin Post from the Emergency. For 80’s night they came out and did three songs featured in 80’s movie montage scenes, hence the name Karate (as in Kid) Balboa (as in Rocky). For this show they’re doing three more songs that are thematically-linked, though I don’t want to spoil the surprise.

And as for that sick flyer, it was done by Brian Pickens, of course.

It's a Q&A w/Brian Spragg of It's Birds

Morgantown’s It’s Birds will release their new CD My Bloodless Wife Friday at 123 Pleasant Street. We caught up with singer/guitarist Brian Spragg (far right) in time for the show to see what’s up…

WVRS: How satisfying is it to get the new CD out? How much total time went into the recording and just getting it done?
BS: Very satisfying. We tracked most of the drums in early November, then we did all the guitars and bass whenever we could after that on weekends and evenings. By the end of November we had all the basic tracks and were then able to track vocals with David Klug. We had to go up one other time in I think mid January to finish some little overdubs and that was it. It would have been done a little sooner but there were some things like FOX Japan had some shows in December, the mastering engineer’s email account kept sending my emails to his trash folder, and let’s not forget the bullshit snowstorm(s) that happened.

WVRS: You mentioned being burnt out musically, what’s up, just staying busy with other stuff?
BS: I love playing and writing and booking shows but those combined with getting things arranged for some benefit shows coming up, starting another project called Pat Pat, and recording various bands was wearing me out a little, but I think after April or so, I should be a lot better and not so stressed out.

WVRS: This is It’s Birds sophomore release, what if anything’s changed since 2007’s Horses Love Me Yes I Am? You’ve got a new drummer obviously, still recording in your bedroom?
BS: Yeah, the drummer we have is Jason Birch. He’s also from Wheeling like Andrew [Slater] and George [Zatezalo]. We tracked drums for 7 of 8 songs in a warehouse in Morgantown, then did all the main guitars and bass in my bedroom again. At the end of November, we went up to Pittsburgh to track vocals with David Klug. I feel like Bloodless Wife is just so much more interesting and challenging, and I’ll throw in the cliché, more mature. Obviously not that mature because we have songs about AIDS, Twix bars, and stalking.



WVRS: How do you and Slater split up and/or share singing and songwriting duties, smoothly or painfully?
BS: I think smoothly, I’ve never thought of a time when it was a problem. Usually we sing what we write and depending on what’s being played. If it’s easier for one of us to sing and play a specific part, that’s when we’ll make exceptions.

WVRS: You had Dave Klug in Pittsburgh do mixing; satisfied with the results?
BS: Extremely satisfied. David knows so much about recording and mixing. I plan on working with him a lot in the future not just with projects of my own, but for bands that I’ve started recording to hopefully go through him for mixing.

WVRS: You mention the track listing not being really set in stone when you shipped the tracks to Klug, how much thought went into just arranging the songs on the CD?
BS: It’s similar to our live show actually. It wasn’t real hard to figure out a way they seemed to fit the best together, but through a few emails with the other members it was settled on quickly.

WVRS: You’ve helped a few cool bands record; how neat is it to help other bands get their music out, and how does your experience being in a band help?
BS: It’s really cool. Most of them are my friends and I may have seen them perform live and know what they’re going for and try my best to recreate that. FOX Japan is a lot of hard work, but it’s usually fun. They like to try to get cool/new guitar sounds. I’ve recorded one and a half of their records so far. Also, I’ve been tracking for The Resonators full length, which I imagine they’d release sometime this Fall.

WVRS: Is there an actual bloodless wife? Or is that more of a metaphorical thing? Any other ideas for alternate titles that didn’t make it? Where is the cover art from?
BS: I was with my family at Christmas, and my sister had a few blankets on her and asked for another because she was still cold, then my brother-in-law said “My bloodless wife, everyone.” I think it’s a title that doesn’t sound too absurd or too serious. We kicked around a few different ideas like It’s Birds is Stalking You, Spaghetti Stay Water Go, and Bare Hug.
The cover art actually is from a mural in one my favorite restaurants in Morgantown called Rio Grande. We just went in late one night and asked if we can take pictures, but they never told us who the artist was. Whoever they are, I hope they don’t find out and I hope they don’t get mad at us. WHOOPS.



WVRS: Who is Warren Forrest, and why do you have a song about him on the new CD?
BS: Andrew’s father dreamt a musical, and in it, the main song and the name of the musical itself was “I’m in Love with Warren Forest.” We’re not aware of someone in real life with that name, but I think Andrew’s father read an article or saw on a TV documentary about the MC5, and they lived in an area or district or something called Warren Forest.

WVRS: Is the CD out on any particular label? Self-released? How important do you think a label is to a band these days?
BS: We’re just releasing it ourselves. It’d be great to be on a label especially to get better distribution and maybe help in the cost of pressing/mastering but we’re doing fine.

WVRS: You’re playing this Morgantown Salutes the Clinton Years show 3.20, what songs/bands will you be playing, and how neat is it to play for such a good cause?
BS: Yeah, I’m excited for it. It’s fun to cover songs every once in a while. I’m playing with members of It’s Birds and members of Russian Tombstones and a few other friends as one band, and I’m also playing in Pat Pat that night. Some of the songs we’re doing include Foo Fighter’s “Everlong,” Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” and Lisa Loeb’s “Stay.” This night should be a lot of fun. Or really stressful, who knows.

WVRS: The release show, how cool is it to be playing with FOX Japan, and what can you say about Christmas Lights?
BS: It’s always great to play with FOX Japan, and I’m going to get to hear some new songs. Christmas Lights come from Frostburg, and I really like their live show. It’ll be fun playing with them and seeing them again, last time was in December.

WVRS: Do you guys have any additional shows or plans for promoting the release? Big plans or just let it ride?
BS: Right now, no, but we want to. We’re going to see what happens after the release. Also I hope Furnace MFG doesn’t screw me over. Ever since this one guy left a year ago, their customer service has been total shit. Here’s hoping it all works out.

video: DJAndvil

Cardoons release Thundermug 3.11

Our good friend Brian Pickens snapped this pic of Staggering Cardoons frontman Chris Herrington and Erik Rieder at 123 Pleasant Street Thursday night, as the Cardoons released their debut CD Thundermug. We're still looking forward to hearing the CD, which the Cardoons got just in time for the show.

If you recognize the name Brian Pickens from somewhere, maybe it's from his time in Thred, or, if you look up at the top of the blog here, at our WVRockscene banner, he made that for us. Yeah, nice.

Check out Pickens' pics of other notable Magic Town acts on his flickr page, see his pics of the Cardoons here, and, look for the Cardoons CD for us. They play McClafferty's Irish Pub in Morgantown on St. Patrick's Day; good deal.

St. Patty's Day w/The Gentlemen @ 123

Continuing with the "way more Irish than you" theme here at the blog...

Morgantown's resident Celt punks The Gentlemen are set to play a pair of St. Patrick's Day bash shows at 123 Pleasant Street in Morgantown over the weekend; one Friday, and an all-ages show on Sunday.

One of our favorite bands, and Stick To Your Guns, their CD, was rockin' enough to finish at or near the top of our top 10 CDs from 2009. We're going to stop mentioning that now.

But you don't have to be Irish, or even Scottish to like The Gentlemen; check 'em out online (see the video for their version of "Country Roads") and catch 'em at a show if you don't believe us. Oh, and get your kilt out!

Stagger this way w/The Staggering Cardoons

Morgantown’s Staggering Cardoons release their debut CD Thundermug Thursday at 123 Pleasant Street

Stagger: (noun) From Old Norse “stakra” (to push) -- An unsteady movement of the body when walking or standing, often in the plural: the stagger of the drunken man.

Cardoon: (noun) From Latin “carduus” (“thistle“) -- A belligerent, drunken fool with a music problem.

As St. Patrick’s Day draws near and the beer gets dyed green and your alcoholism seems a little less raging, The Staggering Cardoons, six guys from Morgantown, prepare to celebrate by releasing their debut CD Thundermug at 123 Pleasant Street Thursday night.

While their name may come from old Nordic and Latin, their version of traditional acoustic-driven Celt rock -- closer to Flogging Molly than Dropkick Murphy’s -- evolved out of their love of bands like CCR, Johnny Cash and Social Distortion, and they say, fits right in here in Appalachia.

“It gives people a chance to hear the music from their heritage in a new and exciting form,” singer Chris Herrington said. “Pride of where you come from should always influence you and that’s why we call it Appalachian rock.”

The important role of the Scots-Irish in settling our fair region, and the concordant outgrowth of bluegrass, is well established. Something else that is well established is the mythical tendency of the Irish to both drink and fight in Herculean fashion. That, and sing rousing sing-alongs in the pubs.

“The thing I can tell you is that it’s difficult to not like Irish music, be it traditional or in modern punk,” drummer Alex Baker said. “There’s just something about it that truly drives you, from your drinking fist down to your soul.”

Baker’s not ready to get all Ken Burns on us though.

“I don’t think that the settlers history has as much of an impact as does the fact that we play in a college town. The music is often fast, always strong, speaks to the heart, and definitely motivates people to do the one thing college students excel at nationwide: Drinking!”

Herrington described the nebulous and casual formation of the Cardoons, which started with Erik Rieder and Michael Brown hanging out jamming. “…in all honesty we’re all friends, and played together at parties on back porches and camping. So we decided to commit to writing and playing our own music for people.”

The Cardoons, together for three years now and having settled into their Appalachian/Celtic acoustic pub rock sound, took their act into Mark Poole’s Zone 8 Studios in Granville last year to record Thundermug.

“Mark was awesome, and took great care of us throughout the entire process,” Herrington said. “We recorded in three sessions (two in August and one in December) adding up to about 20 hours. There will be 11 songs on the album, nine being ours and two traditional.”

“Never have I sat at a drumset with so many microphones,” Baker said. “He put three on my snare alone because, as he explained to me, ‘There are many a night that I lie awake in bed obsessing about how I can better record a drumset’s sound.’ The man is a genius in his art, and definitely produced a fine recording for us.”

The Cardoons have honed their sound in smaller, more quaint venues in Magic Town, like McClafferty’s Irish Pub and Gene’s Beer Garden, fittingly enough.

“McClafferty’s, like many in the band joke about, is our living room,” Baker admitted. “We practically live and even eat there. McClafferty’s is one of our favorite venues, because most of our friends hang out there, and any night we play there, we play to a packed house. Gene’s has become a new favorite for us, too. Al Bonner has been pursuing us to play there again since we last did during Gene’s Bonneroo-Fest, and when we played there recently with our good friend Billy Matheny, we not only packed the house, but kicked three kegs (that means we did well!).”

“Playing at Gene’s was a different experience, putting us dangerously close to the crowd which proved to be one of the most exhilarating experiences. I also had to play on a drumset half the size of my normal one due to stage size limitations, and while it proved to be one of the most challenging shows I’ve done, it also proved to be one of the most fun shows, too.”

Their friend Matheny is scheduled to join the Cardoons for the 123 release show, along with Columbus, Ohio stoner rock outfit Lo-Pan. So throw out the names and get ready to raise your glass, Baker said.

“Bands come and go, and names are not really important, but the thing that’s important is being a part of the Cardoons is a freakin’ blast! Never has my liver taken quite a beating!”

Arms and Sleepers spring 2010 update

As subscribers to the Arms and Sleepers email updates, and as fans of Max and Mirza's music, we thought we'd repost their update we got today, so you can help keep tabs on what the Cambridge, Mass. dudes are up to...

Hello,

It's time for the first update of 2010---we hope that everyone's doing well and that you're off to a fantastic beginning in this new year! We have a bunch of news to report to you, so this is a bit of a lengthy update...

EUROPEAN TOUR WRAP-UP
It's hard to believe that our European tour is now long finished, but we wanted to sincerely thank everyone involved for making this the most successful tour that Arms and Sleepers has ever been on. We played 25 shows, and almost all of them ended up being some of the best shows we've ever been a part of. The European audiences continue to be some of the most passionate, energetic and enthusiastic folks out there, and from the perspective of a small independent band that is constantly fighting through various obstacles, these shows were some of the most rewarding and memorable moments in our days as Arms and Sleepers. However, it's not just the audiences that made this experience special, but also the venues, promoters, booking agents, and all the other people involved. Never before have we been greeted with such kindness, generosity and warmth on such a consistent basis. It was overwhelming, and our heads did not have enough time to process it all---we're still thinking about it and trying to absorb as much as possible. No matter what happens to Arms and Sleepers in the future, these moments and people that made those moments possible will be some of the most precious things we've experienced as part of this band, and for that we are eternally grateful. A big thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and see you again in May!

KICKSTARTER
Thanks to you, we've achieved the goal of raising $2,500 to help Arms and Sleepers continue making music! This money comes at a time when we need it the most---paying back for previous debts but also funding future endeavours. To be honest, we were unsure whether we'd be able to raise this much money. Not that we doubted our fans, but times are tough for everyone and certainly our cause is not the most pressing issue in the world. We wanted to experiment with this and see if alternative ways of surviving from music are actually possible in today's utterly confusing and highly unfair music business. Thanks to you, we are reassured that some people do still care about independent, underground music, and are passionate enough about it to financially support small artists like us. Thank you so much for pledging to Arms and Sleepers through Kickstarter---we can't express enough just how grateful we are for your continued enthusiasm and willingness to help whenever help is needed. For those that pledged, you should have received a message by now letting you know that your order has been shipped, as well as a link to download the "Matador Alternate Versions/B-Sides" release. We hope that you'll like the items that you pledged for. Again, thank you thank you THANK YOU for supporting our cause!

MERCH STORE UPDATES
We have some new bundle deals available from our BigCartel merch store. 3 CDs for $20, 2 CDs + Matador t-shirt for $30, or high-quality mp3 downloads of 9 releases for $35. We now also have the "Matador Alternate Versions/B-Sides" release available for purchase as a high-quality mp3 download, and it will be up on iTunes soon as well. About 20 physical copies remain---if you want one, send us an e-mail (wearearmsandsleepers@gmail.com), it's $8 + shipping. We'll ship out a few and save the rest for future special occasions. Finally, now until March 9th, if you buy any of our t-shirts online, we'll send you a free copy of the "From The Inland Sea" CD. Check out all this by visiting our merch store. Even with Kickstarter, money is tight and any purchase you make directly from us always helps us out greatly. Thank you as always for continuing to support Arms and Sleepers.

UPCOMING TOURS
We have 2 big tours coming up. The first one takes place in North America from March 9 (this Tuesday!) until April 17. All dates except for the last one are with our good friends Caspian. We are excited to be sharing the stage with them night in and night out, and look forward to coming to a city near you. This will be the last full North American tour for us for a very long time, so if you're around for one of the dates below, don't miss out! The second one takes place in Europe from May 5 to June 4. We'll be playing some big festivals there, which we are very excited about!

(ed: Check the A&S online for details)

UPCOMING RELEASES
The "Matador Remixes" album will be out on vinyl/digital in May via Expect Candy. We got some sweet remixes by Boy In Static/Consulate General, Lymbyc Systym, The American Dollar, Amanda Rogers, Uzi & Ari, Nolens Volens, Thisquietarmy, Jatun, and Elika. More info about pre-ordering and other release info coming your way soon.

We've done a few remixes ourselves. We'll be putting up our remix of Consulate General's (aka Boy In Static) track "Make A Church Movie" and Tape Deck Mountain's (Lefse Records) track "80/20" on our myspace page soon for you to hear!

The vinyl edition of our split EP with The American Dollar "From The Inland Sea" has been slow coming, but it is on the way. Expect it in late spring/early summer via Ericrock.

Work on our 3rd full-length album has begun, and we hope to have it released in the fall. This one's going to be very different from the last few releases, to say the least. We'll post some short clips and video teasers at some point in the near future.

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Thanks for reading, and hopefully see you soon at one of the upcoming shows!

Be safe.

a&s

Related: Our review of Matador and our chat with Max and Mirza

Event Horizon: Byzantine reunites

After achieving wide critical acclaim and releasing Oblivion Beckons in January 2008, Charleston metal band Byzantine abruptly disbanded. After being on hiatus for over two years, the band is reuniting for a string of in-state shows March 5-7. We caught up with singer-guitarist Chris Ojeda, bassist Skip Cromer and drummer Matt Wolfe about what happened with the band, where they are now, and what the future may hold...

WVRS: How has life been treating Byzantine since we last heard from you guys?
Chris “OJ” Ojeda: All is great, I suppose. We are alive! We have all kind of done our own thing over the last two and a half years. Three of us entered the world of fatherhood. Skip moved back to Pennsylvania and Tony moved down to North Carolina. I started my own home renovation company. All of the guys beside me have also continued playing in various other bands as well. I haven’t stepped on stage since the last Byzantine concert.

WVRS: So you guys recently got back together for practice, what was it like to be back as a unit after so long?
Michael “Skip” Cromer: After the initial shock of all of us being in the same room together after two and a half years, it felt more like we just hadn’t practiced for a month or two. After a few jams it was like being back in the saddle.
Matt Wolfe: Honestly, it felt like we never really stopped playing together. I was very nervous until about 20 seconds into the first song.

WVRS: OJ, have you and Matt been getting together in the mean time?
Ojeda: Yes, Wolfe and I started knocking rust off about three months ago by ourselves; trying to relearn the songs and get some sort of grasp of what we used to do. Sad to say, we have only had one full band practice in preparation for these shows! We are fucking retarded!!! We have all been working on the songs separately. The winter storms we keep having have restricted Tony and Skip from getting into town. It happens almost every weekend. We are hoping to God that we can get at least two more full band practices in before the shows get here.

WVRS: Getting back together, is there any new material you’re working on?
Cromer: We are working up songs that are from Oblivion Beckons that we never played live, but as far as new material that isn’t happening.

WVRS: Byzantine disbanded shortly after Oblivion Beckons was released. Now you’re back together for these shows; was this all part of a plan or did you guys really not know if the band would ever play again?
Ojeda: This was definitely NOT part of a grand scheme or plan. There never really was a lot of arguing in Byzantine but we did have a very bitter divorce at the end. But, mutual respect has always been an integral part of Byzantine and if you can respect each other, anything is possible. Every once in a while one member would bring up a reunion idea and another would immediately say “fuck that.” It took three of us getting together for drinks in Scottdale, Pennsylvania a couple months ago to really kick start this process. I had been one of the main roadblocks for this reunion. Once I knew that Tony was actually down for it, I was 100% in.

WVRS: And just to confirm, you guys disbanded due to what you felt was lack of label support; not infighting, drama in the band, or Skip being a diva?
Ojeda: No, it was Skip being a diva! But, we were willing to put up with his divaness simply because he made the band legendary! HAHA! The bottom line is that we did not disband because of lack of label support. We fell apart because of lack of label support. They are very different things. Being hungry, cold, sick, tired and broke is tolerable if you are 18. At 28, not so much!

WVRS: What about a label; is that something you can talk about or have thought about, getting on another label, or maybe starting your own?
Wolfe: Judging from our past experiences with record labels, I think that would be very much out of the question. Doing it on our own would be the only option.
Cromer: No talk of labels, we hate labels.

WVRS: OJ you mentioned to me over the phone around the time Oblivion came out that you could foresee Byzantine being a band without a label, touring regionally. Is that how things seem to be working out, a more DIY approach to booking/touring, and maybe even recording?
Ojeda: Right now, our focus is three shows in March. Getting these put together was hard enough. We are in no way at a comfortable enough position to think about anything further than that. All four band members know that the record industry and the mandatory touring regimen was the downfall of this band. Hypothetically speaking, if Byzantine exists after March 7th, it will be a complete DIY project. The fan base is already there. It is much too small a fan base for us to ever see any profits as a label band, but a large enough fan base for a DIY band to be extremely fruitful and happy.

"Cradle Song" by Byzantine (Salvation DVD by Donnie Searls/Every Second Pictures)


WVRS: Do/did you guys feel any bitterness about the level of support you may or may not have received; that if things had been different you could have been more successful, commercially speaking? Or are you just happy to have got out the releases you did out and gained the fans?
Cromer: Can’t speak for the other guys on this but I will say that Byzantine could’ve been the biggest metal act out there had we gotten the right push. For some reason the label didn’t really want to get behind this band and it was a disservice to us, and in the long run, the label as well.

Am I bitter? No. I got to be in the band I always wanted to be in, and saw more of the world than I ever thought I would with them. But make no mistake about it: we did not get the support we needed or should have gotten to be a successful group from our label.

WVRS: After your experience being on a label, what are your thoughts on the need to be on a label these days?
Ojeda: It was a necessary evil. We had no fan base before Prosthetic Records signed us. Being signed gave us an opportunity to open for some great metal bands across two continents and showcase our music. But, a smart musician nowadays can build that fan base without label support. It just takes time, if you are willing to spend it. A label is a glorified bank. They give you money to record on and tour on. Instead of “interest” your money is “recoupable” through album sales. Basically meaning, you won’t see a dime until they are paid back in full. Can you tell I’m not that fond of labels? HAHA!

WVRS: Speaking of other metal bands that for better or worse may have achieved some level of commercial success with label backing, without the critical acclaim you guys received -- what do you think of how metal has progressed?
Cromer: Metal comes and goes in a cycle. Right now the cycle is going towards the worse. There’s a lot of cookie cutter bands coming out right now, saturating the market because labels are making money on that sound. Sooner than later, the listener will get sick of it and turn to something else. That’s what happened in the 90’s with grunge, and will happen again with the metal scene.
Wolfe: I don’t follow any of the newer groups out there, so I really can’t say for sure what any if them are doing as far as their success.

WVRS: So you guys have this contest where a fan can be Skip’s roadie for a day; what advice or warnings would you give to whoever ends up winning? WHY would anyone want to be his roadie???
Cromer: Apparently no one knows about this contest because not one person has entered. Or maybe no one wants to be my roadie. I don’t know. Listen, being my roadie and setting up my stuff for free should be worn like a badge of honor. You have the chance to hold thunder in your hands when you handle my gear. I am like Thor on bass, okay? Plus you get into the show for free and we will give you free stuff. It is a contest after all.


WVRS: Your song about the Battle of Blair Mountain “Red Neck War” is a great example of an important part of West Virginia history. Do you have any thoughts about the state taking it off the national register of historic sites?
Ojeda: I had no idea that was an issue right now. That site should be hallowed ground in this state. Before I comment further on this subject I will have to do some reading to give an insightful opinion on the matter. I am saddened to hear this news, though.

WVRS: You guys looking forward to these shows coming up in March?
Cromer: I am ready for these shows. There are so many people I can’t wait to see again I hope they come out. I miss my friends in WV and I am really treating this like a celebration. Of what I don’t know but it will be fun regardless.

WVRS: How important are the fans you’ve gained, after the whole label thing, and being disbanded and now coming back? How important is it to you guys to keep Byzantine going?
Cromer: When I play on a stage in West Virginia, it’s a high that I lack the descriptive language to tell you what its like. The fans and friends that come out and see us, I am grateful for in a way that they probably don’t know. It’s like being in a room filled with people that you respect and love, yet they are mostly strangers to me. It’s a bit odd, but it’s good, and I am mostly looking forward to that feeling again.

As far as the Byz is concerned, I don’t really know what will happen to it. I’d like to think that we could continue to work together and do new things but that may not be what we collectively want. I feel sad about it in a way because when we were fighting to be “that band” we were like a well tuned machine.

I can honestly say with no ego that there was not a band that could touch us out on the road. That was the best of times in Byzantine. It’s not like that anymore. We achieved what we wanted to, maybe not to the extent that I wanted but we did achieve our collective goals.

Our responsibility as a band at this point is to play the best show we can for the fans and friends that want to see us again. Once we do that, there really isn’t anything left to do. Being in Byzantine was hands down the most rewarding musical endeavor of my life. I can’t really ever see anything being better.

That being said, that doesn’t mean that we want to work together again. Let me be clear, I don’t want to speak for my band mates but putting together these three shows was a difficult process in itself. To have this band keep on doing things it would involve a level of commitment that I don’t think the four of us have right now. So it is a strong possibility that these three shows will be the last we do with this lineup.

But the old saying, “Never say never” is a popular phrase to this day for a reason: It’s true. Hopefully there will be more shows and a new album. It would be great. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t think of a more glorious thing than for the four of us to write the best Byzantine record totally on our terms. No labels. No B.S. Just great music by a great band. I would love it.

--- Byzantine plays The Sound Factory in Charleston 3.5, The V Club in Huntington 3.6 (w/BRDME) and 123 Pleasant Street in Morgantown 3.7

Photo: Donnie Searls

The Fox Hunt @ the Blue Moon 2.20

Fox Hunters Ben Townsend, on the fiddle, and Matt Metz, on the uke, are illuminated by a fan's camera flash as they play to a capacity crowd at the Blue Moon Cafe last weekend.

The band has deep roots in Shepherdstown, from their days as the fondly remembered metal band The Red Oranges, known for their high-energy and musically intricate songs. A punk-metal energy continues to infuse their music, even as they tackle proto-bluegrass and American roots music with The Fox Hunt.

Their fans reflect this, and if one was to watch their shows from a distance, and with earplugs, it could easily be mistaken for an underground rock show. For evidence, I present the following video from last weekend's Fox Hunt show in Shepherdstown.



--- Michael Theis

CD Review: "Introducing The Whiskey Daredevils"

CD: Introducing The Whiskey Daredevils
ARTIST: Whiskey Daredevils

We didn’t set out this year to turn WVRockscene into OhioRockscene, but when there are bands we know about, and whose CDs we’ve rocked in the past, we are more than happy to take it any way we can get it.

At this point, the no frills cowpunk/rockabilly outfit The Whiskey Daredevils have released on average about one record a year since brothers Greg and Ken Miller, with drummer Leo Love, birthed the band out the side of The Cowslingers. Haling from Cleveland rock city, the Daredevils return with 13 songs and an awesome new guitarist (Gary Siperko) on Introducing The Whiskey Daredevils, a CD we were super stoked to get in the mail.

We were fortunate enough to pick up their Greatest Hits CD (their first, mind you) and catch them a few times at the Glass. Following up on the debut with The Essential Whiskey Daredevils and The Very Best of The Whiskey Daredevils, we were more than ready to be re-introduced to the new Daredevils lineup, rock the CD (their fifth full-length) out, and see how it stood up with what we’ve heard from these guys in the past.

They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. Well, that describes not only the songs on the new CD, but the Daredevils infectious mix of high energy cowpunk, rockabilly, and country; songs that would work great in a remade Dukes of Hazard TV series, or, maybe CHIPS.

Introducing The Whiskey Daredevils opens with “Never Saw Johnny Cash” as singer Greg Miller takes us all on a stroll down memory lane, as he recalls growing up, going to parties, getting to see Bob Dylan with Tom Petty, but, when Miller got his chance to see the man in black in the early 80’s, well, he ended up tying one on at a party, kissing a girl with a mustache. Talk about a letdown.

For us, and for the sake of the band, the Daredevils take stories of all the crazy, hilarious, sometimes even painful times, and turn ‘em into good times! Whether it’s getting busted for drugs (planted on you by your buddy) coming back over the Mexican border or falling in love with a Polish senorita at a Taco Bell, it doesn’t matter what, you’re getting a good time with the Daredevils.

“It Ain’t Him” is a harrowing (yet still fun) story of a poker game gone bad, where we hear Miller’s perspective of being on the wrong end of witnessing a crooked poker game with too many aces, a murder, and too many witnesses. “Left Me On a Train” is a broken-hearted ballad about being on the wrong end of the whole love thing, being left in a beat up Cavalier.

The meandering shuffle of “Thicker Than Wine” is Miller’s story of betrayal, returning from Mexico, running into los Federales, and having his buddy (half lizard king, half Rod Stewart) stash his cocaine in Miller’s bag, unbeknownst to him! Fourteen years in a Mexican prison, pining to be out running around with his buddy again, we find Miller (Elvis + Glenn Danzig = Greg Miller), on a song that sounds like something from The Cramps.

Miller sings on the chorus:

Jimmy was like a brother, blood thicker than the wine
I wonder where those days went, I think about ‘em all the time
I’m sittin’ here in this jail cell, I’m starin’ out the moon,
Jimmy’s runnin wild like a coyote, I hope to join him soon...

This song features some of the coolest guitar tones on the whole CD, as Siperko lays down some haunting echo-laden solos, creating a whole ‘nother, dark atmosphere on the song.

Are you a female barfly who may have abused the privilege of being on the guest list at the show? Have you become a little too used to getting all the free drugs and/or alcohol, well then “Last Guest List” may be bittersweet and a bit too biographical for your tastes, as Miller sings “I guess it’s plain to see, you’re no longer a VIP, your name and face don’t get you in the door.”

“West Akron Shakedown” has a more minimalist type rockabilly sound, as the Daredevils recall getting haggled for merch, offered pork pie hats and alcohol, heavy set girls falling into Greg’s mic and drunken brawls breaking out in the dead of winter. Of course, knowing the Daredevils, they’ll do it all over again.

Tommy “Hit Man” Hearns makes an appearance in “Me and My Black Eye” after a drunken night out and about leaves a shiner, with the real mystery being: how did it happen? Who knows!

“Senorita” opens with a minute-long Spanish flavored guitar intro, before Miller falls in love with the Polish girl who works at the Taco Bell. This song is a good example of the band incorporating a nice Spanish flavor into their country and/or western cowpunk stylings, with the hard rockin’ bridges, solos and choruses and all. You will think Esteban joined the band, or that maybe Siperko’s nickname is “fingerbang” or something.

If you’re wondering how to have a good time in the Red Light district of Hamburg, Germany -- without getting robbed -- “Going Dutch” will clue you Yanks in on how to do just that, while indulging yourself with various substances from around the globe (Turkish cigarettes, French champagne, and Spanish cocaine).

Siperko takes his turn writing on the hard rockin’ instrumental “Railbender” and we have the Daredevils getting their “Party Plates” -- their hard charging interpretation of Motorhead meets country. Leo Love apparently takes his turn singing on the ZZ Top flavored “Empty out the Shake” to close out the CD.

From Cleveland to Mexico to Hamburg, and back to Akron, Introducing The Whiskey Daredevils (released on Knock-Out Records) is a non-stop cowpunk thrill ride, and with the Daredevils’ new lineup and this great new CD, we’ll look forward to what these guys get into next.

mp3: “Thicker Than Wine” by Whiskey Daredevils


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VIDEO: "Glenn Beck" by FOX Japan

FOX Japan - "Glenn Beck" (NSFW) from Andy Pickens on Vimeo.

Just heard about FOX Japan getting their video for "Glenn Beck" up, and with frontman Charlie Wilmoth's permission, we get to play it here! With art by Jesse Young and edited by Andy Pickens, we think this video will take its rightful place in the pantheon of all-time viral Glenn Beck video hits, such as:

1. GET OFF MY PHONE!!!
2. 9/11 truthers threaten Obama in the White House, and are just as bad as the guy that shot the guard at the D.C. Holocaust Memorial, and
3. I really like this band Muse...oh wait, they called the show and told me to stop endorsing their band.

Those are just what he's said on his show, after he said Ron Paul supporters were domestic terrorists and should be arrested. We bet you'd sell your soul for $50 million dollars.

But kudos to FOX Japan and Young/Pickens for getting this out. And don't forget to check out FOX Japan's CD Reenactment, it really was one of the best CDs we heard last year.

Related: Glenn Beck is a Neocon (not a Libertarian), The Beck Deception

Introducing Greg Miller of The Whiskey Daredevils

In anticipation of their return to The Empty Glass this Saturday, and the release of their new CD, we caught up with Whiskey Daredevils singer Greg Miller to see what was up with the band these days...

WVRS: So the new CD “Introducing the Whiskey Daredevils” is the fourth full-length, right? What might longtime fans of the Daredevils expect?
GM: This CD is probably rootsier than our last one, more in line with what the last couple Cowslingers records sounded like. I have been really into the pure country punk thing again, and that is always greeted with enthusiasm by the rest of the guys. We cut all the initial tracks live in the studio, and Ken/Leo/Gary did a great job in nailing them early. That let me flounder around with the vocals and Gary layer in some monster guitar. This is a good record to play loud at your next party.

WVRS: Where did you record at and how did it go compared to past efforts?
GM: We recorded this in Detroit with John Smerek at White Room Studios. It’s in a big tall abandoned building in a terrible section of Detroit’s ample urban blight where drug dealers and amputee homeless people piss in the alley outside. Translation? A great place to make a record. John is really an awesome guy to work with. He moves quickly and lets us keep our energy up, and has a similar mindset in what sounds “good.”

He’s worked with all kinds of heavies in the biz like The Breeders, Kid Rock, Paybacks, and Detroit Cobras to name a few. If you like any of those records’ sound, chances are you’ll like ours too.

WVRS: Looks like you’ve had your current lineup together for a few years now; solid, cohesive unit? Last time we talked Gary was just auditioning with you guys, how’s he fit in?
GM: Gary has picked up our world of twisted country punk n’ raunch surprisingly quickly. He’s a real ringer of a guitar player and is adept at assimilating styles and licks when he hears them. I know he has been studying Junior Brown of late, so God knows where that will lead. I would like think that on a good night he is one of the best guitar players that will grace the Empty Glass stage in 2010.

WVRS: Is this new release gonna be on the German label (Knock-Out)? Lotta bands have trouble with labels, how has it worked out with der Germans?
GM: The new CD is being released in Europe on Knock-Out and in the U.S. on our own Drink n’ Drive Records imprint. K-O has been awesome to work with for us. Mosh (the label head) has been extremely supportive of us, and usually joins us on tour for a few shows when we go over there.

Selling music is really a losing proposition, and to have that kind of support is great. We just hope we can continue to keep it slightly profitable for everyone over there. As an aside, I just read a great essay in “The Big Takeover” where Jack Rabid discussed the importance of real music fans supporting the entire infrastructure of the music business.

If you like a band, buy their CD. If you like to read about these bands to learn more about them, purchase the appropriate magazines, etc. Producing a quality CD takes plenty of money. If everyone just downloads files for free, how can bands continue to pay for these recordings?

Everyone takes for granted all of this content that’s being created. You have to support what you like, or it won’t be there any more. You’ll be left with whatever corporate interests decide they can sell. No one is getting rich in world of indie rock, bnelieve me. If you like a band at a show, shell out the $12 and buy their disc. They’ll appreciate it, and you’ll help them create more of what you like.

WVRS: So you’re swinging through Pittsburgh before coming to the Glass, are you hoping for clear roads or would a blizzard make for a better story?
GM: Ken and I grew up in Erie, Pa., and Leo in Cleveland. We have no fear of the snow. We laugh in the face of blizzards. Over the years we have driven through storms that would reduce even the most hardened truck driver to tears. Danger is our opiate.

WVRS: You guys expect to catch hell in Pittsburgh (not necessarily being Cleveland fans) or are there big Daredevil fans there?
GM: Pittsburgh is one of those cities that has had an ebb and flow of Daredevil mania.

Hopefully we’ll trick some folks out of their homes next Friday. Regarding “catching hell,” usually no one cares that we’re from Cleveland. 1.) Our fans usually don’t like sports. 2.) The Browns suck so bad it really isn’t a rivalry for Steeler fans. Being total degenerates, we will gamble our take from a gig against the Browns any time. Well, we’ll also bet against the Steelers too. Those guys have trouble covering home point spreads. Little free advice for you…

WVRS: Last time you mentioned playing a Butthole Surfers cover, and there’s the footage of a Misfits cover you’ll do, what are some covers you’ll throw in your set from time to time to shake things up?
GM: We’ve always liked twisting around covers to make them fit what we do. We’ve been messing around with Elvis’ “That’s Alright Mama” by messing it into T Rex’s “Jeepster.” We also have been doing an old traditional tune Johnny Cash did called Chattanooga Sugar Babe” that should sound pretty cool. The key is, with a cover, is not trying to make it sound like the original, but bring what you do well into it.

WVRS: Has Leo become the voice of reason in the Daredevils yet? Still have his zen approach to being on the road?
GM: Leo is the heart and soul of The Whiskey Daredevils. There’s no better person to be with on the road than Leo. Does he get really fucked up on whatever intoxicants are available to him? Yes he does. Does he snore and sound like he is gasping for life when he finally passes out at night? Yes, he does. However, no matter what the situation is he will always come through at the gig. That guy is gold.

WVRS: Gonna have any limited edition Daredevil (or Leo) themed merch for sale?
GM: We have had so much $$$ tied up in working on a Japanese tour that we don’t have anything new right now except our CD. The good news is that this disc is so good, it’ll probably be the only thing Daredevil fans will need for the next few months.

WVRS: Are there Daredevil ringtones available? Maybe 360 deals or commercial tie-ins?
GM: We are working with a guy from West Virginia to develop Whiskey Daredevils tunes for Guitar Hero, but I don’t know where we are on that at present. What could be better than trying to master a suicidally fast guitar romp like our new faux-bluegrass “Old Uncle Dunkel?”

WVRS: Is there anybody you’d NOT want to hear the CD, maybe mentioned in a song or something?
GM: Not only would I not want to hide it from anyone, I would like to hear this CD transmitted from every broadcast facility in the world simultaneously. We have nothing to hide.

WVRS: What are your expectations for getting the CD out? Going back to Europe or just touring regionally this year?
GM: We are working on a tour of Japan in May, but I am starting to wonder if our choice of booking agents was a good one. We’ll see what happens there. Depending on how that goes will determine how much time we can spend in Europe. We will definitely get back to the road. We’re always in the van going somewhere.

--- The Whiskey Daredevils play The Empty Glass Saturday 2.20
Related: Our previous Q&A w/Miller

Prison Book Club Q&A is "Required Reading" @ WVRockscene

Shepherdstown-based rockers Prison Book Club (current & ex-Demon Beat, Fox Hunt and Resonators) released their debut CD Required Reading to critical acclaim in October. The southern rock/alt-country act plays the Blue Moon out there Thursday with a few friends. We caught up with (from left) John Miller, Tucker Riggleman, and Adam Meisterhans to learn more about the band. Drummer Jeff Birdsall (with toboggan over eyes) missed the email...

WVRS: How & when did you guys form?
Tucker Riggleman: The original get together happened back a couple summers ago when we all teamed up to play a friend’s wedding. We had so much fun that we decided to keep playing when we could. John and I had been doing a handful of shows with just the two of us and it was getting ridiculous with us passing around four or five different instruments; made more sense to get a full band and rock the shit out.
John Miller: The wedding was definitely the starting point, but at that point I mostly played covers and Fox Hunt songs. Started out with me, Tucker, and Jordan Hudkins (Demon Beat) on drums, then Adam started joining in. After that wedding we didn’t play together for about a year. Tucker and I both had songs we wanted to play full band, so we started up again. After a few shows Jordan left and we got our good buddy Jeff to fill in. Been having fun.

WVRS: PBC doesn’t sound like the Demon Beat or the Fox Hunt, what bands were benchmarks for you guys?
TR: I know that for John and I that bands like The Replacements, Lucero, and Drive-By Truckers are a big influence. Also, Adam really likes the twangier side of The Rolling Stones and music like that, so he gets down with shredding on this stuff.
JM: I know we all like Thin Lizzy. The Georgia Satellites are one of my favorites as well. Truth be told, the songs I play in the band are probably mostly influenced by the Satellites, The Replacements, and Slobberbone.
Adam Meisterhans: On my end, I’m thinking in terms of guitar players; George Harrison, Hubert Sumlin, Steve Cropper, Pete Townshend, etc. Mostly, I’m pretty much just trying to rip off Mike Campbell in any way I can.

WVRS: You’ve obviously been/are in other bands, what does being in PBC give you that the others don’t?
JM: I love the Fox Hunt; they’re all brothers to me at this point, but working within the confines of a stringband dynamic isn’t the easiest thing for a good portion of the songs I write. I grew up playing loud and I still like to do it. Plus it’s great getting to play music with different people; all the guys in Prison Book Club are dear friends of mine and it makes sense for us to play something together.
TR: Personally, it’s rarer and rarer for me to get to do solo shows anymore, and honestly, that was never something I wanted to “pursue” or to really play out. I love playing that stuff in Shepherdstown or the few places in Pa. where I started playing because those kids are familiar with it and they seem to like it, but it’s never been anything I want to tour with and play out very often. PBC is its own functioning band for me, and it’s a full-band outlet for my own songs, plus I love playing bass on John’s songs too. For me it’s just a party, and we have a lot of fun. I did a couple shows with a backing band before (Planned Parenthood) but everyone is kind of living in different places now, so this is better.

WVRS: So Required Reading was self-produced, right? How did the DIY approach to recording and releasing it make for a more conducive atmosphere? How long did it take, etc.?
AM: As far as I’m concerned, after having been in a couple of studio situations, I’m starting to prefer basements. The nice thing about a studio is great equipment, but time is money. In our basements we have moderately decent gear, but we can do whatever, whenever. In my opinion, it’s way more important for a record to be deliberate and thought out than rushed with nice gear. I’ve never listened to a record and thought, this record would be better if they used nicer shit. If it inspires you it’s good. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter if it sounds good. I don’t know exactly but it couldn’t have taken more than five days. Jeff didn’t even realize we were recording when we came over. He just thought we were shoddily recording practice with a desktop mic. So we just shoddily recorded a record.
TR: We recorded all the basic tracks (rhythm guitar/bass/drums all live) in one night, along with the bulk of the vocals. Then we finished up the lead guitars and vocals in the next day or two. It was super fast -- I think it kept us on our toes -- and some of those songs we’d barely played at all. I think that adds to the urgency or whatever, and sure it could sound better, but shit, we through that first tour together so quick. It’s rare for both of our main bands to have gaps in our schedules so we had to make the most of it.
JM: From what I recall it was originally just going to be a demo for us to take on a short tour we were going on. When we found out that people really liked the stuff, we decided to make more of them once we ran out. I think we’ll do a more proper album at some point this year, but everything I’ve ever done has been DIY; Fox Hunt and all. I don’t even know what it’s like to record in a professional studio. I prefer it that way, although having access to the kind of equipment and knowledge all our bands have access to is something we can’t take for granted.

WVRS: You got a good deal of favorable press for the CD, how satisfying was that?
TR: For me that was super surprising. Sites like Ninebullets.net doing such flattering reviews blew my mind. That’s a music blog that I’ve been reading for four or five years now, and then we had a site say that we reminded them of the self-titled Lucero record, which is one of my all time favorite albums; that was crazy. I never expected this kind of a response. Someone who works for the fucking Jay Leno show bought our album. What the hell?
JM: To clarify, it wasn’t FOR the Jay Leno show, but pretty funny nonetheless. It’s great that people really seem to enjoy what we’ve been doing, but I take all that stuff with a grain of salt (I think we all do). We have a blast playing these songs but that’s mostly the reason we’re doing it; it’s a lot of fun to do. That said, any time you create something and it’s received positively, it’s a good feeling.

WVRS: Seems like more and more cool bands are popping up out Shepherdstown way; where do you think/expect PBC to fit in, and how would you rate “the scene” out there?
TR: The scene in Shepherdstown could be incredible if there were more all-ages/rock-oriented places to play. Right now we have The Blue Moon which is great, but we are pretty much the loudest band that’s allowed to play there. Then, there’s Stonewall’s Pub, but they only do Friday shows. The all-ages spots around here cost a ton to rent out, so it’s a lot of money to front. The bands out here are great though, and they’ve been slowly getting out there more. Everyone should check out The Goddamn Hills, The Resonators, Brief Lives, Woodworkings, Cait O’Shea, Tanner Haid, Roma Renegade, Alisha Hanlin, Witchgrass, and all the other great bands around here.
JM: I don’t know that there is a scene per se. For the most part we all enjoy and respect each other’s music; we play together, try to help each other out where we can. Everyone here creates something quite different from everyone else and there really isn’t a whole lot of venue support, particularly for loud rock bands. There’s potential for a truly thriving musical community here, but without a bigger venue it’s difficult to really get the music out to a lot of people, particularly to the university kids. But I do like being based in Shepherdstown; the people who are into the music are really, truly into it, which could have a lot to do with it being a small town. No jaded “scene” kids getting in the way of what’s really important. It’s a good feeling being in a town where that’s the case.

WVRS: You’ve got this 2.18 show at the Blue Moon w/Woodworkings and Cait O’Shea, what do you think about those acts and the venue?
TR: Woodworking is our buddy Kyle Woodworth who moved here from Baltimore about six months ago. He makes some incredible ambient music, and he had a track on that BBR compilation we put out in the fall. Cait is a great young songwriter and she has a big following around here. She played our CD release show back in October. It’s always great to play good hometown shows with your friends. And as we said before, The Blue Moon is great. They usually don’t do many “rock” shows, but they usually let us get a bit rowdy and have fun.

WVRS: What is PBR-mageddon, and do you guys expect to be sponsored by them, or Miller Light, maybe?
JM: Ha, I thought that “word” was just funny. I used it to describe the aftermath of a party the Fox Hunt had on one of our tours. I have no idea how it got thrown into this, just a joke that went too far I guess. But hell, if they wanna sponsor us, I’ll drink that shit.

WVRS: Can we expect PBC to play some sort of literacy-themed, correctional facility charity show at any point?
TR: Haha, we’d be down for it. Johnny Cash style.
JM: I’d rather play a psychiatric ward. Seems that would be a more interesting experience.

--- Prison Book Club plays the Blue Moon 2.18 w/Woodworkings and Cait O' Shea

photo: Ashley Hoffman

mp3: PBC live @ Blue Moon 2.18